i Class BQok, AlW^ 3 COKOUGHT DEPOSIC HON. EDWARD WIGGIN History of Aroostook Volume I "^ Comprising Facts, Names and Dates relating to the early settlement of all the different Towns and Plantations of the •'- County. i WC '' Compiled and Written by Hon. Edward Wiggin / .A'r\hJ<£>3 Copyright 1922 By GEORGE H. COLLINS THE STAR-HERALD PRESS, Presque Isle, Main© MAR -3 \m ^ 0)C!.A6o4820 ^^ INTRODUCTION So far as the writer knows the only complete compilation of facts covering the early settlement of Aroostook was one made by the late Hon. Edward Wiggin, about thirty years ago. In preparation for this record Mr. Wiggin visited every town in the County, and secured the facts comprised in his narrative largely from the pioneer settlers of each town, whose recollec- tions were then fresh regarding their experience and the facts concerning the early settlement of their town. This record of Mr. Wiggin, now in the custody of the Presque Isle Public Library, is in part in manuscript written in pencil, and in part consists of newspaper clippings of ^articles published at the time they were written. The whole series forms a voluminous and very important contribution to the early history of the County, but in its present shape is almost value- less to the public, either for reference or for general reading. On account of the expense involved, no attempt has here- tofore been made to get these notes into type, and to bind them In book form, for better preservation and for the purpose of more convenient reading and reference. It is the opinion of the writer that this should be done, and accordingly he has undertaken the work, and has taken the chance of incurring the very considerable expenditure of labor and money it will require, believing that a sufficient number of the printed volumes can be sold to cover the outlay involved. The published work is herewith presented to the people of Aroostook, and we believe that all who are interested in the his- tory, growth and development of our great county will find this work of value and interest. The writer of this introductory notice plans to follow this with a supplementary volume, covering the different stages, of development, the record of which since the date of th's early- history written by Mr. Wiggin, has been so marvelous a story of growth and prosperity. Without the patient and studious research which has gone into this admirable work of Mr. Wiggin, the supplement to fol- low this, though more of a story or series of pictures, may be expected to contribute further and we hope fittingly and worth- ily, to the record of Aroostook's wonderful progress. GEORGE H. COLLT^'S. CONTENTS AMITY ASHLAND BANCROFT ., BENEDICTA „„ BLAINE BRIDGEWATER ... CARIBOU CARY CASTLE HILL CRYSTAL DYER BROOK EASTON FORT FAIRFIELD FORT KENT LETTER B LIMESTONE LINNEUS LiTTLETON LUDLOW MACWAHOC MAPLETON MARi?, HILL MASARDIS MERRILL .. OAKPIELD OR ENT OXBOW Pages 40—47 66—74 237—242 211—214 219—223 110—117 117—126 2(?i]— 275 298—306 263—265 202—205 243—249 79—91 GLENWOOD " " JoR_JoS HAYNESViLLE " ' HERSEY HODGDON HOULTON ■■" - 74—79 215-218 - 16—31 ISLAND FALLS -Il^II'IIIIZIIZZ^'IZZZIZIZIir 200^211 275—279 197—202 • 48-56 •• -.. 163—167 - 143—148 ' - 260—263 249—256 " 148—154 - 154—161 ?fo^uNKus :::::::::::z::::::;z:z::::::::::z 'nZ^u MONTi CELLO i.-i ir, MORO i'^t iA NEW LIMERICK ZZZZ -" ic^it NEW SWEDEN ZZZZZZZZZZZZ 224—229 .: 281-291 107—110 PRESQUE ISLE iii^iiiiiii;iiiizi;zii:::zii::::i::: ^ll—ili SHERMAN ZZZZ " ???Z?S SILVER RIDGE . * t^t SMYRNA ■■ 62—66 THE UPPER ST. JOHN COUNTRY IIIIIZ. " 180-197 WASHBURN 197_iqi WESTFIELD " iii iqs WES,TON ' " : ViZin WOODLAND ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ 137-143 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Mr. Wiggin's record of the early history of Houlton is as follows : HOULTON The oldest town in the County, distinguished as having been for years the extreme northeastern outpost of the United States. In the years immediately following the Revolutionary War, the people of New England began to pay much attention to the matter of the establishing of schools and institutions of learn- ing, and in th's respect Massachusetts took the lead. The people of New Salem, a pioneer settlement well toward the Connecticut River, sought aid from the State in establishing an academy in their town, and the Legislature of Massachusetts in Jure 23, 1799 passed a lesolve f?iar.tirig them or.e ha^l of a township six miles square, to be laid out and assigned by a committee for the sale of the eastern lands in some of the un- appropriated lands in the District of Maine belong'ng to th's Commonwealth, excepting all lands within six miles of the Penobscot River. On the 19th of June an add'tional resolve v/as passed au- thorizing agents appointed by the legislature to convey the lands. The half tovmsh'p was surveyed in 1801 by Paric Holland, Eso., and on Feb. 21, 1805, was conveyed by John Bead and Peleg Coffin, as agents named in the resolve, to the trustees of New Salem Academy. This tract is the southern half of the present flourishing town of Houlton. Previous to the survey, and soon after the passage of the original resolution in 1799, a company of thirteen men of the town of New Salem, purchased the land of the trustees of the academy, and commenced to take measures to have it lotted and opened for settlement. The deed to these th'rteen proprietors was not, however, made until June 1st, 1810, On June 1st, 1810 the proprietors voted that Joseph Houlton be agent to survey the half township, and he was directed to lay it out in square lots of 160 acres each, and to divide it by lots and half lots into 8 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 20 equal shares according to the quality of the land, at his dis- cretion, reserving two lots for public uses. Mr. Houlton attended to this work, taking Mr. Holland with him as surveyor, and on November 8, 1801, the proprietors voted to accept the division and draw for their respective shares two lots and three half lots to each share. The other seven of the original proprietors owned two shares each, and the remain- ing six one share each, and the drawing was made accordingly. At the same meeting three of the number sold their shares to the others, reducing the number to ten. The men to whom fell the task of opening the grant to settlement, and who may be called the founders of the town of Houlton, were: Aaron Put- nam, Varney Pearce, Joseph Houlton, John Putnam, Joshua Put- nam, Rufus Cowles, John Chamberlain, Wm. Bowman, Consider Hastings and Thomas Powers. All these were citizens of New Salem except Rufus Cowles, a physician of Amherst, Wm. Bow- man of Hadley, and Thomas Powers of Greenwich. Of these ten only three became actual settlers of the grant, namely: Joseph Houlton, who may be termed the father of Houlton, and for whom the town was afterwards named; Aaron Putnam and Joseph Putnam. The other seven sold their lots to settlers at different times, some of them holding their proprie- torship as late as 1826. The act of the legislature passed June 19, 1801 required that six families should be settled on the land within five years, or the grant should be void. But at the same time that the con- veyance of the half township by the State agents to the trustees of the Academy was made, on Feb. 21, 1805, no settler had as yet entered upon his lot. Only one year more remained, and the outlook was not promising. The region in which the settlers were asked to make their homes was most remote; no settlement had as yet been made m the then District of Maine except the Acadian settlement in the Madawaska District. To add to the troubles they were to locate upon disputed territory, the settlement of which might leave them under the British flag. Nevertheless, six families made known their intention of emigrating. They were the fam- ilies of Mrs. Lydia Trask Putnam, whose father was a soldier under Wolfe, and whose eldest son fell in the movement follow- ing the battle of Lexington; Joseph Houlton, a grandson of a Revolutionary soldier; Varney Pearce, John and Joshua Putnam, also of Revolutionary lineage, and Dr. Samuel Rice. The first to make actual settlement upon the new town was HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 9 Aaron Putnam, son of Lydia Trask Putnam, who came with his mother and family in the summer of 1805. The others followed in due time, though not all within the five years allowed in the grant. Mr. Putnam and his family embarked at Boston and sailed to St. John, N. B., thence up the river to Fredericton, Here they took a boat and worked their way with much difficul- ty to Woodstock, where the weaker ones of the party remained, and the men went on through the woods and began felling trees and taking possession of the new lots. Mr. Aaron Putnam ap- pears, however, to have remained at Woodstock as storekeeper until 1809, when he joined the colony at Houlton. Mr. Joseph Houlton and family came in the spring of 1807. Mr. Houlton was the acknowledged leader of the pioneer band, and was a man of much energy and ability, being a man of property and influence in Massachusetts. In the years of hardship and privation which followed in the new township Mr. Houlton proved a tower of strength to the settlers, and his ever ready counsel and assistance were of much value. He lived to see the colony placed on a firm found- ation, and the settlement he had helped to plant in the wilder- ness, incorporated into a town in the good State of Maine. On a beautiful Sabbath, August 12, 1832, as he sat in his chair by the window, watching the soldiers of the garrison march by, he peacefully passed away, at the age of seventy-six. He was ac- corded a military funeral by Major Clark, who commanded the troops, and an officer's salute was fired over his grave. In 1809 came John Putnam, and in the same year Aaron Putnam returned, and the next year built the first mill dam upon the stream. This dam was washed away and rebuilt a number of times before a permanent dam was secured. Dr. R"ce and famHy came in 1811, and Mr. Wormwood and family came in 1812. In 1814 came Deacon Samuel Kendall and family, and with them Deacon Townsend. Nearly all these families had grown-up sons and daughters, and these inter-married and started new homes. In 1808 Joseph Houlton was appointed register of deeds for the Northern District of Washington County by Gov. Sulli- van of Massachusetts. This office he held until August 8, 1832, only four days before his death, when he was succeeded by Timothy Frisbie. In June 1839 the new County of Aroostook was formed, and the first Aroostook deed was recorded June 18th of that year. After the War of 1812 new settlers began to come in, and 10 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK quite an immigration from the Province commenced. Mr. Wm. )A(^illiams and family were the first comers from the Province, and their descendants are now among the principal citizens of the County. Up to this time the settlers were all living in log houses, and the first frame building in the town was the dwelling of Dr. Rice, built in 1813, which was years afterwards the residence of Chas. P. Tenney, until it was destroyed by fire in 1879. The next frame house was erected by Aaron Putnam, and is today (1890) in a modernized form occupied by Capt. B. H. Putnam as a residence. The first clergyman who came to the place was Rev. Ed- ward Eastman of Limerick, who organized the first Congrega- tional Church Oct. 13, 1811. No meeting house was built in Houlton until 1837, though religious services were held in the houses of the citizens. In 1837 the Unitarian Society, composed of some 25 members who had withdrawn from the Congrega- tional Church, erected a meeting house, which is still standing, though much damaged by the fire of 1888, and abandoned as a church edifice. In 1838 the Congregational meeting house was built. Rev. Chas. C. Beaman being its first pastor , and also chaplain of the garrison. The years of 1816 and 1817 were hard years, the tradition- ally cold years, with heavy and continued frosts every month in the year. In those hard years those who had means shared with those who had not, and by the aid of an abundant supply of fish in the streams, and flour obtained from Fredericton at great expense, the people somehow got through without starving. During these years Mr. Houlton built his large mansion, which, remodelled in many respects, is still standing. In 1817 Col. Turner of Vermont, and Mr. Johnson of Massachusetts, commissioners on the part of the United States, and Sir Arch- ibald Campbell and Mr. Bouchette, on the part of Great Britain, came, with a party of 60 men and workmen, to establish a boundary line. This party made its headquarters at Houlton for a time, and on the Fourth of July, what was long known as the Line Men's Ball, given by the commissioners and engineers, took place at Mr. Houlton's new house. This was the grandest affair of the settlement up to this time. Army officers on the survey were present in full uniforms, and the citizens, of both sexes were attired in their best. A sumptuous dinner was served and the festivities were kept up during the day, and when even- ing came on the house was brilliantly lighted, though at that HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 11 time unfinished within, and containing only one immense room on the ground floor. Sir Archibald Campbell led the dance, and chose for his partner Miss Christina Wormwood, the youngest female present, she being then about fourteen. The surveying party did not remain very long after this event. The location of the boundary was a matter in dispute between the two nations, and no further attempts were made to locate the line until after the Webster — Ashburton Treaty of 1842. In 1818 a petition was sent to the Massachusetts legislature for the incorporation of the half township, together with the ad- joining half township granted to Groton Academy, which latter now constitutes the town of Hodgdon, into a town to be called Houlton. This petition shared the fate of a similar one sent in 1809, and the settlement remained unorganized. Some time previous to this Mr. Houlton had built a grist mill and saw mill on the Cook Brook; Aaron Putnam, a saw and grist mill near the bridge, and Ebenezer Warner, who came in 1810, a saw mill on Houlton Falls. In 1820 these pioneer settlers found themselves under the jurisdiction of the State of Maine, but still without local organ- ization. Soon after that year came the children of Varney Pearce, one of the original proprietors, who did not settle on the grant, and had recently died at New Salem. The descendants of this family are numerous, and are among the foremost busi- ness men of the town. In 1822 Mr. Wm. H. Cary of New Salem removed his fam- ily to the new settlement, and immediately commenced the erec- tion of a spacious residence, which is still standing on the hill above the station. Mr. Houlton was keeping tavern at the time, and with him Mr. Cary and family boarded until their house was finished. Shepard Cary, the second son, afterwards became the most prominent business man of Houlton, and probably no man ever came to Aroostook who did so much to further its business in- terests, or to help the laboring men of the County. Mr. Cary was in his early m^anhood when his family came to Houlton. being then but seventeen years of age. He commenced work as a carpenter on his father's new house, and afterwards worked for a number of years in the adjoining Province of New Bruns- wick. In 1826 he returned to Houlton and opened a store in part of the Cary residence, and soon after formed a partnership with Mr. Collins Whittaker, from New Salem. The new firm of S. Cary &.Co. commenced the business of 12 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK trading and lumbering, which they continued to enlarge until it reached dimensions hitherto unknown in this eastern section. The principal part of their business was cutting and squaring pine timber upon the upper St. John and Allegash waters, and driving the same into Fredericton. The extensive and beautiful farm at Seven Islands, some eighty miles above Ft. Kent, was cleared, and upon this farm immense quantities of hay and grain were raised for the lum- ber operations. The crews remained in the woods throughout the year, some being employed in cutting and hauling timber, and others in work upon the farm. Teams of six and eight horses were used for hauling the timber, and sometimes as many as 300 men and 200 horses and oxen were in their employ. Mr. W. Holman Gary Jr., a brother of Shepard Gary, was employed as overseer in the woods. This gentleman afterwards continued in the lumber business in connection with W. H. Gun- liffe, of Ft. Kent, under the firm name of Gary & Gunliffe, and later moved to Minnesota, where he died. His two sons, W. M. and W. H. Gary Jr., are now worthy and prosperous business men in that State. Mr. Gunliffe is now a resident of Ft. Kent and still continues in the lumber business. In all the years that Shepard Gary carried on this immense business and employed such large numbers of men, he was in- fluential in politics, served for many years as a member of the House and Senate of Maine, and was the acknowledged leader of the Democratic party in his Gounty. In 1843 he was elected to Gongress, and acquitted himself with honor. He built exten- sive mills and manufacturing establishments at Houlton, and in many ways impressed himself upon the business and political interests of Aroostook. He died at Houlton August 9, 1866. The settlement of Houlton was organized as a plantation April 21, 1826j and the town of Houlton was incorporated March 8, 1831. The following April 11th, the first town meeting was held. The town includes the New Salem Grant, and also the half town granted about 1815 to the trustees of Williams Gol- lege, of Williamstown, Mass. This part of the town was for a long time known as Foxcroft, and many in modern times have supposed it was a grant to the Foxcroft Academy. At the time of the incorporation considerable progress had been made in the building of roads in order to render the new settlement more easy of access. We have seen that the first settlers came by way of the St. John River to Woodstock. Later arrivals came by way of Bangor, thence by the rivers, lakes HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK IS and streams and the long swamp through the wilderness, to their forest homes. As early as 1827 a road was cut through to Baskahegan, and thus the distance was shortened, and the journey made easier. Mr. James Lander was the first mail carrier, and in the early days he traveled on foot through the woods, then on horseback, and later by carriage as the roads began to be opened. Mr. Lander continued to carry the mail from Houlton to Calais as late as 1856. In 1828 a new and prosperous era commenced for the strug- gling colony, for on a bright summer day in June of that year Company C. of the Second U. S. Infantry, under the command of First Lieut. Joseph C. Gallagher, having come up over the Baskahegan route, marched through the village to the merry music of fife and drum, and pitched their tents on the high ground in the rear of Mr. Joseph Houlton's house. Three other companies of the same Regiment, Company E., Lieut. Blood- good, Company F., Lieut. Staniford and Company K., Lieut. A. ^ B. Eaton, were left behind to accompany the supplies, which the firm of Towle & Parsons, Bangor, had contracted to deliver at the Post at Houlton. The entire detachment was under the conmiand of Major N, S. Clark, and the other three companies arrived at Houlton Sept. 29, 1828. In the meantime a tract of land, containing 25 acres, had been purchased by the U. S. Government of Mr. Houlton, and on the arrival of the first company the men were immediately set at work to erect a stockade, and to build the necessary buildings for a complete military post. The work of preparing a parade ground was one of much magnitude, as an outcropping ledge had to be blasted, but when it was finally completed it was one of the finest grounds in the country. In the erection of so many buildings and the estab- lishment of a military post, the labor of many men were re- quired, and employment at good wages was provided for every man and boy willing to work. For some time the pay roll to these workmen amounted to about $2,000 a month. This large amount of money was of incalculable benefit, and from this time dates the assured prosperity of this banner town of Aroostook. The transportation of supplies for the Post from Bangor up the Penobscot River and Mattawamkeag Rivers, and thence over the rough roads to Houlton, was attended with so much difficul- ty that Maj. Clark determined to build a military road from Bangor direct to Houlton, and having obtained the necessary 14 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK instructions from the Government, he proceeded to construct the road, which was finished in 1832, and was so fine a road that a party who left the town of Freeman, in Franklin County, on the 16th day of December of that year, drove to Houlton in four days. This road was for many years kept in an excellent cond.t-on and became one of the finest routes for maJ coaches in the State. Since the advent of the railroads it has gradually fallen into disuse and much of it is now considerably out of re- pair. These garrison years were years of great prosperity for Hculton,, increasing to a great extent the bus Less or the tov/n and f'urnis'hing a local cash market for all kinds of produce. The soc al relations between the miLtia and the citizens were most cordial. Many of the officers had ther w.ves at the garrison and some of those who came unmarried iound w.ves among the fair daughters of the tov;n. In the winter of 1836, Companies F and K of the Infantry were removed to Boston and subsequently the other companies followed and were replaced by Companies C E and F of the First Regiment U. S. Artilllery, who arrived at the Post on the 11th of October, 1838. Major R. M. Kirby of the 1st Artillery now became Commander of the Post, Then followed the excit- ing times of the Aroostook War, which came so near being a tragedy, but proved a farce. That Major Kirby realized that serious trouble might arise is evident from the fact that on February 1st, 1839, he writes to the Ordnance Department that "ten barrels of cannon powder should be constantly in magaz ne, suoject to such exigency as may occur on this frontier, at this isolated station," Major Kirby kept himself well inform.ed in regard to the state of affairs in dispute between the authorities of Ma ne and New Brunswick and it is largely due to his judgment and d.scret^on that more serious host.lities were not prec pitated. When requested by ine Governor of Maine to co-operate with the State troops, he re- spectfully declined, as he would not cc nprornise the Un ted States by any act committed without orders. He informs Gov. Fairfield of the capture of Land Agent Mclntyre and party, but gives it as his opinion that it was an act committed without au- thority, civil or military, from the Province of New Brunswick. The excitement in Maine increased, however, after this event, and in the spring of 1839 twelve companies of State Militia marched up the Military Road and quartered at different times in Houlton, By the prompt and judicious action of Gen, HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 15 Scott, trouble was averted, as he negotiated an arrangement with S-r John Harvey, Governor of New Brunswick, that the troops on both s"des should be withdrawn from the territory and the whole matter be referred to diplomatic act.on. The Garrison at Houlton was retained unt.l alter the final settlement by treaty of the disputed boundary quest on, when the troops were re- moved and the Military Post abandoned. It was a sad day for Houlto.: when its c'tizens bade adieu to the sold.ers and saw them march av.ay down the Mil tary Road. Among those of the officers who afterwards obtained mil tary farms were L'euts. Hooker, McDowell, Ricketts and others of the Union Army, wh.le Lieut. Magruder, afterv.ards of Rebel fame, was reme.nbered by the older c.tizens as a dash- ing and popular young officer. As may be easily believed, the years following the departure of the troops brought hard tmes for Houlton and its surrounding towns. Having this ready mar- ket thus abruptly taken from them, money became scarce and a check was put upon the common prosperity. The large lumber and other operations of Shepard Gary were of great advantage during these years. Other lumber.ng operations were also car- ried on nearby, and the farmers turned their attention to ra'sing supplies for the woods. This, with the making of shaved shin- gles in the winter, and the raising of beef cattle, which drovers took out of the Gounty, was for a long time the business of the farming population. The growth of Houlton was slow during these years, but the town received a new impetus from the coming of the rail- road. A railroad in New Brunswick was built from St. Andrews to Ganterbury in 1858 and in 1862 was continued to a point on the Woodstock turnpike, five miles from Houlton. This at once caused a revival of bus'ness and made it possible to ship from the section arfcles which formerly had little value except for home consumption. In the next ten years various changes were made in the Provincial railroad and in 1870 a branch was extended to Houl- ton. This gave Houlton railroad communicat'on with the sea- board by way of Galais, but it was not until the E. & N. A. Railway was completed to Vanceboro in 1871, thus connecting Houlton, though by a circuitous route, with Bangor and the great American markets, that she became the busy inland city that we find today. Being practically the terminus of railroad com- munication with that portion of Southern Aroostook, Houlton came to be more than ever a trade center for all that large and 16 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK fertile agricultural and lumber region, and its business and wealth has largely increased during the last decade. From a straggling settlement in the midst of an almost im- penetrable wilderness and practically devoid of all communica- tion with the great business centers it has grown to be the me- tropolis of northeastern Maine. HODGDON One of the oldest, as well as one of the best towns in South- ern Aroostook, is the good old town of Hodgdon, The early history of this town is intimately connected with that of the town of Houlton, as a number of the earliest settlers of Hodg- don moved from that town, and the Creek, as Houlton was then called, was for years the trading point of the town of Hodgdon. The south half of the township now included in the town of Hodgdon, was originally granted by the State of Massachu- setts to Westford Academy, and the high elevation of land ex- tending through a portion of the southern part of the town, is still known as Westford Hill. The resolve granting this half township to Westford Academy was passed by the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the 27th of Feb., 1797. The tract was surveyed by Park Holland in 1801. It was deeded to John Hodgdon of Ware, New Hampshire, and Nathaniel Ingersoll of New Gloucester, Cumberland Co., Mass., by the trustees of Westford Academy, June 7, 1802, for the sum of $5760. The deed is signed by Jas. Prescott, Samson Tuttle and Hezekiah Packard. Nathaniel Ingersoll deeded his inter- est to John Hodgdon, Jan. 27. 180^, for the sum of $1000. The bounds of the half township in the original deed began at the southeast corner, at a spruce tree on the boundary line between Maine and New Brunswick, marked "Four miles north from the monument at the head of the St. Croix River; thence north three miles; thence west 6 miles, south three miles, and east 6 miles to the point of starting." The grantees were bound by the deed to lay out and convey a lot of 100 acres to each settler who was upon the township previous to Jan. 1, 1784, but as no settler had come to the town at that time, this condition was of no effect. They were also bound by the deed to set apart three lots HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 17 of 160 acres each, for municipal and school purposes. This deed was recorded in the registry of deeds of Washington County, September 12, 1782. The north half of the present town of Hodgdon was grant- ed by Massachusetts to Groton Academy, by a resolve passed on the 27th of Feb., 1797. The deed to the trustees of Groton Academy bears the date of June 4, 1802. The half township was surveyed by Park Holland in 1801, and was deeded to John Hodgdon by the trustees of Groton Academy Jan. 28, 1805. This deed is signed by Timothy Bigelow, Jas. Boyle and Oliver Prescott. It was recorded May 28, 1824. By both deeds the grantees were bound to settle 10 families within six years from the date of the deeds. On June 16, 1809, John Hodgdon deeded to Daniel Breed of Ware, N. H., 200 acres undescribed except as being an undivided part of the Westford Grant, and on the same day deeded to Moses Hodgdon 300 acres, also undivided. These men were never settlers upon the town. All of the original settlers of the town have passed away, and it is quite difficult to trace the history of the early settle- ment of the town. We shall endeavor to tell the story briefly of many of the pioneers who lived in this good town, and the influence of whose lives helped to make the town what it is socially and morally today. The earliest deed appearing upon the record is the deed from John Hodgdon to Aaron Perley of Lot 7 Range 8 in the north half of the town. This deed is dated June 4, 1824, and the lot is the one so long occupied by Deacon Putnam Shaw on the Calais Road. Mr. Perley deeded this lot to Samuel Houlton of Houlton June 18, 1827. September 9, 1826, John Hodgdon deeds to Chesley Drew of Hodgdon Plantation, physician. Lot No. 2, Range 7, No. 1-2, which is the lot afterward occupied by Geo. White, and now by Millard Jones. Sept. 18, 1826, John Hodgdon deeds to Jane Taylor and her sons, James, George, Charles and William, for $100, lot numbered 3, Range 7, North 1-2, "same upon which their improvements now are." These grantees were the wife and sons of James U. Taylor, one of the oldest settlers of the town. September 13, 1826, Mr. Hodgdon deeds to Joseph Kendall Lot No. 8, Range 8, North 1-2, which lot is now owned by C. E. Skofield. It would appear that John Hodgdon, Sr., died in 1826 or 1827, for on Nov. 12, 1827 "John Hodgdon of Bangor, student at law," gives Joshua Putnam of Houlton a power of attorney 18 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK to act as his agent for the sale of the lands in Hodgdon Planta- tion. This John Hodgdon was the son and heir of the original proprietor, and was afterwards, for a number of years, a resi- dent of the town which bears his name. The early settlers who came upon the town to make a home were Jas. A. Taylor, Dr. Chesley Drew, Jos. Kendall and Jas. Doyle, but who was the first man to commence a clearing, we are at present unable to determine. It is quite certain, how- ever, that all the above mentioned settlers came to the town in 1824, although they did not receive their deeds until a few years afterwards. Dr. Chesley Drew came from Massachusetts to Hodgdon in 1824 and bought the lot on the west side of the Calais Road on the top of the hill, two miles from Houlton Vil lage. Elisha A. Drew, a son of Dr. Drew, bought the two lots ad- joining his father's, the one on the east, the other on the west. He lived with his father. They made a large clearing, hauled much of the wood to the Garrison at Houlton, and built on the Dr. Drew lot a large house and two barns. About 1836 the Drews sold the property to Mr. Thos. White, and moved to New Brunswick. Mr. White lived upon the farm until his death some 25 years ago. His son, Geo. White, then came into pos- session of the farm and made improvements upon the farm and buildings. He died some ten years ago, and the farm was a few years afterwards sold to Millard H. Jones, who now occu- pies it. Mr. Jas. U. Taylor moved from Houlton in 1824 and took the lot next south of Dr. Drew. He cleared up the farm, and for many years was a well known resident of the town. During the construction of the Military Road, and in fact before that time, when the supplies for the Garrison were hauled over the old "Soldier Road," Mr. Taylor was a noted ox team- ster, and was employed in that caoacity in transporting supplies and building the road. He lived upon the farm in Hodgdon till his death, some 18 years ago. His oldest son, Mr. Chas. Taylor, had the farm opposite the old homestead, and still lives upon it. Many other descendants are living in this and adjoin- ing towns. Mr. Jos. Kendall also moved from Houlton in 1824 and took a lot of land near where the road now turns from the Calais Road toward Hodgdon Mills. Mr. Kendall was the son of Deacon Samuel Kendall, one of the early settlers of Houl- ton. He was a man of considerable education and culture, and afterward wrote a voluminous history of Houlton, which, how- ever, was never published. Mr. Kendall made a very fine farm HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 19 upon his lot, one of the best, in fact, in this part of the town. Some 15 years ago he moved to Houlton, where he died. The farm was afterwards sold to C. E. Skofield, who now lives upon it. Mr. Jas. Doyle took the lot next north of the Dr. Drew lot, and next to the Houlton line. He cleared a farm here and built a house and barn. He lived there some years and sold to Lewis Morrill. He was a prominent man in the town until he moved to the West, and Mr. John Hodgdon again obtained possession of the farm. The deed to Aaron Perley bears the date of 1824, but it is uncertain who commenced clearing upon his lot. Mr. Perley came from Monmouth, and bought the lot next north of Joseph Kendall, and probably commenced his clearing soon after the first settlers came. He did not remain many years upon this lot, but removed to the lot in the west part of the town, upon which Mr. Jas Rhoda now lives. He cleared up this farm and lived upon it until his death in 1850. His widow married Eli- akim Ames, who lived upon the farm until his death in 1859. Chas. Perley, a son of Aaron Perley, went into the army and died in the service. Capt. Ebenezer Towne came from Topsfield, Mass., in 1825 and took the lot on the Calais Road, on wh'ch Mr. J. W. Jack- ins now lives. Mr. Jos. Kendall had made a clearing on his lot, and Capt. Towne, who was a carpenter by trade, helped Mr. Kendall build a house and lived with him until he could clear a piece of land and build a house on his own lot. Capt. Towne cleared up a farm and lived upon it until 1843, when he sold to his son-in-law, Mr. Alfred Todd, and made a home with another son-in-law. Rev. Daniel Outhouse, until his death, in 1866. Mr. Todd afterward removed to Maysville in North Aroostook, and sold his farm to Mr. J. W. Jackins, who still lives upon it. In 1826 Mr. Rufus Wiggin came to Hodgdon, and bought the lot opposite Capt. Towne's. Mr. Wiggin came from the town of Bowdoinham, but for many years had worked at his trade as ship carpenter at Oromocto, N. B. He first took a lot in the west part of the town, afterward owned by Ephraim Benn, but as there was no road in that part of the town, he gave up the lot after felling about half an acre, and took a lot on the I'ne of the Calais Road. Here he cleared a farm and made a home, and was one of the most prominent citizens of the town until h's death in 1864, He was for many years a deacon of the F. B. Church, and was a faithful worker for the moral and religious interests of his town. He was in town office during 20 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK the whole of his residence in the town, and was postmaster for many years. He was a man of kindly disposition, scrupulously honest, and was beloved and respected by all who knew him. His son, Cyrus S. Wiggin, no w lives on the old farm. His oldest son, Edgar M. Wiggin, for many years a prominent man in the town, married the widow of Benedict White, a son of Thos. White, and lived on the farm opposite the White home- stead until his death. His widow still lives upon the farm. Mr. Thos. Lander came from the town of Fairfield in 1826, and settled on the lot where Henry Jones now lives, three miles from Houlton village, on. the Calais Road. Mr. Lander and his son, Jesse Lander, cleared up this farm, and Mr. Lander lived on it until his death in 1846. He was one of the prominent citi- zens in the early days, and an old account book of his now in possession of Mr. Jones, shows that he had considerable deal- ings with the old settlers. One item in this old book is as fol- lows: "June 15, 1829. Charles Dr. to horse to River (meaning to Woodstock) $1.00. Cr. Came home sober to bal- ance." After his death his son Jesse Lander took the farm and lived on it until 1851, when he returned to Fairfield, where he died. Mr. Henry Jones, a grandson of Thos. Lander, by whom he was brought up, then bought the farm, and has lived on it ever since. Mr. Jones was chairman of the board of selectmen for 20 years. Mr. James Lander, another son of Thomas Lander, was the first regular mail carrier to Houlton, carrying the mail on foot through the woods, on the old Baskahegan trail, before any road was laid to the town. Afterwards the Calais Road was opened and Mr. Lander drove the stage and carried the mail many years. He was a kind hearted, energetic and faithful publ'c servant. He died about 30 years ago. James Ham went from Bath to Oromocto, N. B., and worked some time in the shipyard at that place. He came to Hodgdon in 1827 and took a lot on the Calais Road, south of Mr. Thos. Lander's, and on the opposite side of the road. He cleared a farm and lived on it until his death, some 40 years ago. His son, Benj. Ham, lived on the place for some time, and his son- in-law, Mr. Alvarez Putnam, now of Houlton, occupied it for a number of years. It has since been divided, and is now owned by several proprietors. Mr. Abner Ham, a brother of Mr. Ham, also came at the same time and took a lot in the extreme south part of the town. Here he made a farm, on which he lived until his death HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 21 many years ago. Mr. L E.. Jackins now lives upon this lot. Many descendants of these two brothers are now living in Hodgdon and other towns in Aroostook Co. Mr. Asa Brown came from Solon in 1827, and took a lot adjoining the Houlton line, which is now a part of the John R. Slipp farm. This lot was deeded by John Hodgdon in 1829 to "Nancy Brown of Hodgdon Plantation, married woman." Mr. Brown cleared a farm here, and was a man of some prominence in the town during his residence there. He lived upon the farm some 14 years, when he moved to Bangor, and Mr. John Hodg- don purchased the farm. In 1828 there was quite an immigration into the new town, and a number of settlers came during that year who became prominent citizens of the town, and had much to do with shap- ing its affairs. Mr. Daniel Smith came from Hampstead, N. B., in 1828 and bought a lot on the line of the Calais Road in the south part of the town. Mr. Marcus Peters had made a small clearing on the lot and built a log house, and Mr. Smith bought his improvements. He was one of the first settlers in this por- tion of the town. He made a good farm and lived upon it until his death in 1858. Daniel Smith was a modest and retirmg man, but a man of sterling integrity, and is remembered as one of the best citizens of the town. His son, Benj. J. Smith, after- wards had the farm for a number of years, and sold it to Mr. Andrew J. Tidd, and removed to Caribou, where he is now land- lord of the Vaughn House (1890). Mr. John Outhouse came the next year from Nova Scotia, and bought the lot next south of Daniel Smith, and also the two lots adjoining on the East. He made clearings on all these lots, and built his buildings on the middle lot, through which the Calais Road ran. This 300 acre block was afterwards divided transversely into three lots, so that the buildings on each could be built on a county road. Rev. Daniel Outhouse, a son of John Outhouse, had the south 100 acres. John J. Royal had the middle lot, and Geo. H. Smith, a son of Daniel Smith, the north lot. Mr. John Outhouse spent the last years of his life with his so;-., Daniel, and died at his house about 1850. Rev. Daniel Outhouse was for many years a preacher of the Calvinist Bap- tist ia th, and was a good man and much respected. He died in 1878, and his widow now lives near Hodgdon Mills. Mr. Thos. J. Brown came in 1828 from Madrid, in Franklin Co. He first settled on a lot in the north half of the town, next 22 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK to the Linneus line. Here he made a good farm, and lived upon it until 1858, when he exchanged farms with Mr. Benj. Tarbell, and moved to the Tarbell farm near Hodgdon Corner, where he lived until his death in 1862. He was an energetic busi- ness man, and for many years engaged in lumbering and trading. Maj. James Daggett came from Wiscassett in 1828, and took the lot in the extreme south part of the town on the Calais Road, on which Mr. James Robinson now lives. His son, Ebenezer Daggett, lived with him until 1849, when he went to California, and did not return to Hodgdon to live. Maj. Daggett cleared up a farm and lived on it a number of years, and then gave it to his son, Frank Daggett, and moved to Massachusetts. He after- wards returned to Hodgdon, but soon went to live with his son, James Dargett, in Amity, where he died in 1856. Mr. Frank Daggett lived upon the old farm for a number of years, and then sold to Mr. C. C. Bradbury and moved to Massachusetts, where he now lives. Mr.Waterman Daggett, a son of Mai. Dar^gett. rame with his father, and took the lot on the east. Here he made a farm, on which he died in 1879. His son, Diego Daggett, now lives on the farm. Jabez Daggett, another son of Maj. Daggett, also came with his father, and bought a lot on the south line of the town, on which Mr. Chas. Nickerson now lives. He lived here until 1849, when he sold to Mr. Nickerson and went to California, where he died. James Daggett, another son, settled on a lot next west of his father's. A number of years afterward he moved to Amity, and died there some years ago. Many descendants of these brothers now live in Aroostook County. Nathaniel Harr-'ngton came from Boston to Hodgdon in 1828. He was a mason by trade. He settled near Meduxnekeag Stream on the north part of the town. He died about 20 years ago (about 1870) and Joseph Hrarington now lives on the farm. Another son, Rev. E. W. Harrington, long a resident of Hodg- don, is now a pastor of a church in Calais. Benj. Durrell came about this time and settled near what is now Hodgdon Corner. He made a clearing and built a house, and after a few years moved to the west part of the State. Mr. Jas. Jones from Solon then took the lot and lived on it for ten years or more, when he sold to Mr. Benj. Tarbell, who also came from Solon. About 1858 Mr. Tarbell exchanged farms with Mr. Thos. G. Brown, and died on the Brown farm a few years ago. Benj. Wil- liams in 1829 settled on the lot now occupied by Mr. Matthew Wilson. He made a clearing and lived there a number of years, HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 23 when he sold to Mr. Wilson and moved to the adjoining township 11, Range 1, now Gary Plantation. Mr. Wilson has lived on the farm ever since, and is now about the oldest living resident of the town. He came from Ireland to Hodgdon in 1830, and first settled in the west part of the town. A number of sons are liv- ing on adjoining farms. In 1829 the three Benn brothers, Ephraim, Abraham and Solomon, came to Hodgdon from Mirimachi, whither they had emigrated a short time previous from the Green Isle Erin. They at first all settled on lots a short distance west of the stream on which Mr. Lewis Benn now lives. Mr. Ephraim Benn after- wards took a lot further west, on a handsome sv/ell of land, and Mr. Abraham Benn bought the lot adjoining on the south. Sol- omon Benn remained on the original lot. All cleared up good farms in town. Solomon died in 1867, and his farm is now owned by his son, Lewis Benn. Ephraim died in 1876. Mr. Jonathan Benn, his son, has his farm, and has now 200 acres of splendid land, with 150 acres cleared. He has a large and handsome house, two large barns, a horse stable and other convenient outbuildings. Mr. Abraham Benn died in 1877. Ghas. Smart came to Hodgdon about this time and settled on a lot next north of the Solomon Benn lot, where he lived for many years. He then moved to a lot on the "Horseback," and afterwards to Haynesville, where he died. Mr. Jared Williams then bought the farm and lived on it a number of years. Mr. Isaac Gerow came from Hampstead, N. B., in 1830, and settled on a lot next east of Daniel Smith. He lived in Hodgdon until his death in 1866. Abraham Gerow came about the same time and settled on a lot opposite Mr. Joseph Kendall. Benj. Durrell had made a small clearing on the lot. Mr. Gerow cleared a farm on which he lived for a number of years, and then sold to his brother, Joseph, and returned to New Brunswick. The farm afterwards passed through a number of hands and is now owned by Mr. Wm. Jones. Mr. Joseph Gerow came also from New Brunswick, and settled on a lot east of Aaron Per- ley. Mr. Wm. Deering had made a clearing on the lot Sand bu'lt a house and barn. Mr. Gerow cleared up a large farm and made add'tions to the house, raising it to two stories, and mak- ing other Improvements. He was a prominent man in the town for many years, and lived on this farm until his death in 1862. Mr. Cushman Walker came from Anson in 1830. He first took the lot on which Mr. Abraham Benn afterwards lived, 24 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK where he made a small clearing and built a log house. He sold to Mr. Benn and took a lot in the north part of the town, a short distance west of the stream. Here he made a good farm and was also engaged in trade for a number of years. He died on th's farm some time in 1875. Mr. Henry Hotham then settled on the farm. Capt. Luther Quint came from Anson with Mr. Walker, and settled on the lot next east of Mr. Ephraim Benn. He cleared up th's farm, and died there many years ago. The farm was af- terwards- divided between the sons, Edwin and Calvin, both of whom are now dead. Mr. John Hutchinson came from Turner in 1831 and settled on a lot next south of the Abraham Benn farm. He cleared a farm, upon v/hich he lived some twenty years, and then moved to a lot on Meduxnekeag Stream. His son, Mr. C. C. Hutchin- son, moved with him to this lot. They made a clearing and built a house upon the lot. There was a good mill privilege upon this lot, and in 1854. after his father's death, Mr. C. C. Hutchinson built a mill on the stream which runs through this lot. In 1860 Mr. Hutchinson built a large saw mill in which he put a rotary, a clapboard machine and lath saw. He cleared up a large farm and was for many years extensively engaged in farming. He was an energetic, persevering man, and took a prominent part in the affairs of the town. He died in 1883. His son, Alonzo S. Hutchinson, then took the property and operated the mills until they burned in 1885. He has since built a shingle mill on the old site. Mr. Matthias Hutchinson, a younger son, worked with his father until 1875, when he built a steam mill near Lin- neus Corner which he afterwards sold to Benj. Alexander, and in company with Levi Berry built a large steam mill near Hodg- don Mills. He afterwards sold this to Messrs. Price and Bea- tham, who, after running it a few years, sold it to Messrs. Sharp & Ketchum. Mr. Sharp has since sold his interest to Mr. Ketch- utn, who now operates the mill. Isaac Hutchinson, a son of John Hutchinson, came from Turner with his father in 1835. He bought a lot next to the Lin- neus line and made a farm, upon which he lived until his death in 1854. His son, Isaac L. Hutchinson, now lives upon the farm. Mr. Chas. Lyons came about this time, and first settled on the road from the mill to the corner. He was a wheelright. He soon afterwards took a lot on Westford Hill, on which Mr. Wm. Gerow has lived since 1846. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 25 After some years Mr. Lyons moved to a lot beyond West- iord Hill, and afterwards moved to Weston. David Porter came from Bridgton in 1832 and settled on a lot east of Abraham Benn. He died some 14 years ago. His son, Stephen Porter, now lives on the farm. He has a fine two- story house and a large barn. Thos. P. Packard came from new Limerick to Hodgdon about 1832 and settled on a lot near the mills. He was prominent man in the town during his residence in it and was town clerk for a number of years. He was also postmaster. He moved to Houl- ton and sold his farm to C. C. Bradbury. Abraham Greene came from Boston in 1833 and settled on the lot west of Thos. Lander. He cleared a farm on which he lived for a nimiber of years and returned to Boston. Mr. Fran -cis Hunter went from Calais to Mirimachi when a young man and in 1834 came to Hodgdon and took a lot next to the Linneus line. Here he made a good farm on which he lived until his death in 1877. He was a worthy man and a good citizen. His son, Mr. George S. Hunter, now lives on the farm. He has 80 acres of cleared land, with excellent buildings. Mr. Nicholas Outhouse came from Nova Scotia in 1834 and settled on the lot next north of Thos. Lander. His son, Wm. H. Outhouse, lived with him and carried on the farm for many years. Nicholas Outhouse died in 1887. William Henry died two years previous, and his widow still lives on the farm. Mr. Wm. Addington came from Nova Scotia to Hodgdon with Mr. Joseph Gerow. He bought a farm on what is now the Hunter road. His deed from John Hodgdon to Wm. Addington of Digby Neck, Nova Scotia, is dated March 22, 1832. Mr. Ad- dington lived on this farm many years, and then moved to Hodgdon Mills, built a blacksmith shop and worked at that business for a number of years. He also bought a small farm near the mills, which he still owns. Nearly all the above named settlers took lots either near the County line or on it, or in the west part of the town. In the earliest years settlement was made in the east part of the town, many of the pioneers of that section having moved from the Province of New Brunswick. The east- ern part of the tovm of Hodgdon has always been known to the citizens of the town and vicinity as the White Settlement, as people of that name settled in that portion of the town in the earliest days of its history, Mr. Jacob White came from Kes- wick, N. B., about 1826, and first made a clearing on the lot af- 2g HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK terwards known as the Patrick Ferry farm. He built a log: house on this lot, but soon after bought two lots still further east — lots No. 3 and 4, Range 2, where he cleared up a large- farm, upon which he lived for many years and was a well known c-tizen of the town. Mr. Wm. White came from Douglas, N. B.» about the same time, and took a lot immediately north of the one upon wh.ch Jacob White first settled. He cleared a farm and lived on it until his death some thirty years ago. Mr. Lewis Stone came from Keswick, N. B., in 1826 or 1827, and settled upon the lot where Jacob White first made his clear- ing. Mr. Stone cleared up the farm, and lived upon it until about 1844, when he moved to Wisconsin. Mr. Edwin A. Lowe, now owns this farm. Mr. William Stone came at the same time and settled on the next lot south of Lewis Stone. He cleared this farm and lived on it until his death some twenty years ago. Mr. Edwin Henderson now lives upon the farm. Mr. James Grant came from New Burnswick about this time, and settled on a lot adjoining the boundary line. He made a good farm and lived on it until his death about 1861. Mr. Thos. Buckley now owns this farm. Many of the descendants of the White and Grant fami- lies formerly lived in this portion of the town, but nearly all of them have now removed to other portions of the country and elsewhere. Mr. Thomas Furze emigrated from Devonshire, England, to Fredericton, N. B., when a young man, and in 1830 came to Hodgdon and settled on a lot adjoining the boundary line. He made a farm upon which he lived until his death in 1875. His son, Mr. George Furze, was for many years a prominent and re- spected citizen. He died in 1887. Mr. Jos. D. Haven came to this part of the town in the early years, and settled on the lot south of William Stone. Mr. Haven made a fine farm, and was for many years a prominent citizen of Hodgdon. Some ten years ago he sold his farm to Mr. John Moore, and moved to the George Furze farm, where he lived three years, and then moved to Houlton, where he now resides. Mr. Thomas Lloyd came to Hodgdon about 1830, and settled upon the lot upon which his son, Thomas Lloyd now lives. A man by the name of Worley, who is said to be the first man to make an opening in this part of the town, had made a small clearing on the lot, and built a log house. Mr. Lloyd cleared up the farm and lived on It until 1870. Mr. John Bell came from New Brunswick about 1830, and settled east of Westford Hill. Mr. Bell lived here until his HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 27 death in 1873, and many of his descendants are now living in Hodgdon and other portions of the County. Mr. Francis Bird came to Hodgdon in 1831, and settled on a lot in the east part of the town adjoining the Houlton line. He afterwards bought the William White lot adjo-ning his on the south, and now has a fine farm of 200 acres, with 175 cleared. Mr. John P. Lincoln went from Bath, Me., to Oromocto, N. B., to work at his trade as a ship carpenter. In 1835 he came to Hodgdon, and settled on the lot on which his son, Mr. Leonard Lincoln, now lives. Mr. Lincoln was a well known citizen for many years, and one of the most substantial and independent farmers. He died in 1882. Mr. Benjamin T. Lincoln also came from Oromocto, N. B., in 1837, and took one of the lots upon which his brother, John P. Lincoln, had settled two years before. Each of the brothers afterward bought an additional hundred acres nearby. Mr. Benj. T. Lincoln was for many years a mem- ber of the board of selectmen, and was a man of kindly and companionable disposition, and had many strong friends. He died in 1888. Mr. John Lincoln, father of John P. and Benjamin T., came to Hodgdon in 1840, and took the next lot south of the one occupied by the sons. Here he cleared a farm and lived upon it a number of years, when he sold it to John P. Lincoln and went to live with his son, Warren Lincoln, on the Calais Road. He afterwards removed to Wisconsin, where he died in 1864. Mr. Warren Lincoln came to Hodgdon about 1843, and took the lot next east of Benj. T. Lincoln. He made a clearing upon this lot, and afterward sold it to Mr. Thomas Butler, and removed to a farm in the south part of the town on the Calais road. He lived upon this farm until 1854, when his buildings were burned and he sold the farm and removed to Wisconsin. Rev. Geo. W. Haskell came from Poland, Androscoggin Co., in 1843 and settled in the White Settlement. He was a clergy- man of the Free Baptist denomination. He was pastor of the Free Baptist Church in that portion of the town until 1855, when he bought a farm on the Calais road opposite Mr. Daniel Smith, whose daughter he married. Here he built a neat residence, where he lived and continued to labor in his profession until his death in 1874. Elder Haskell was a man well known through- out Aroostook County. He took a prominent part in the affairs of the town, and was a number of times chosen as a representa- tive to the Legislature. He was a man of most genial and kind- 28 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ly temperament, and had many friends in his town and through- out the County. Mr. Thomas Buckley, better known as Deacon Buckley, came to Hodgdon in 1846 and a few years later bought of Mr. Warren Lincoln the farm upon which he now lives. There was a small clearing on the lot and Dea. Buckley cleared a handsome farm, which he has very much enlarged by the purchase of a large tract adjoining. Mr. Joshua Atherton moved to Hodgdon about 1850, and first settled on a farm east of Westford Hill. He afterward- moved to a farm near Mr. J. D. Haven, where he lived until his death in 1882. His son, William W. Atherton, now lives upon the farm. The above named were the principal settlers in the east part of the town in the early days. Very soon after the first settlers came to the town, Mr. John Hodgdon and Mr. Jabez Bradbury built a mill on the Meduxne- keag Stream at what is now the thriving village of Hodgdon. Mills. The mill property afterward came into Mr. Bradbury's possession, and at his death, the sons, George and David Brad- bury, carried on the business until about 1854, when they sold the property to Mr. William Robinson. In 1861 Messrs. Oilman Jewett and B. E. H. Durrell, came to Hodgdon from Dexter and purchased the mill property, which consisted at that time of a saw mill, grist mill, and card- ing mill. The saw mill contained an up-and-down saw, shingle machine, and lath and clapboard machine. The grist mill con- tained three runs of stones, and conected with it was a mill for preparing oats for grinding. In 1861 Jewett & Durrell repaired and enlarged the saw m'.ll, and put in a rotary for sawing long lumber. They also tore down the old grist mill and built a new ore in the most thorough man- ner upon the same site. They now have every appliance for making first-class flour. To the carding they added a fulling mill and cloth dressing machinery. They carfied on the cloth business and wool carding for a number of years, and then sold the machinery to Mr. Chas. Tarbell, who removed it to a build- ing better fitted to that purpose further down the stream. Capt. Thomas, formerly of Bangor, leased the saw mill for a number of years, and carried on a large business in the manu- facture of lumber. Capt Thomas also bought a farm near the mill and set out a large orchard, which is still bearing abundant- ly. He afterwards sold the farm and removed to the town of Veazie, where he now resides. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 29 Mr. Lewis Brown of Houlton also leased the mill for a num- "ber of years after Capt. Thomas left. The saw mill was burned In 1882 and was immediately rebuilt. Mr. Durrell died in 1882 and Mr. Jewett bought the entire property. In addition to his mill business, Mr. Jewett was quite extensively engaged in farming. Very soon after coming to the town he bought the farm formerly owned by Mr. Stillman Pollard, an old resident of the town, and took much interest in its management and im- provement. He was engaged in mercantile business for some years, having a store near the mill. Mr. Jewett died in Decem- ber, 1890, and his son. Oilman F. Jewett, now occupies this fine property. Mr. Christopher C. Bradbury came to Hodgdon from New Limerick in 1836 and bought the T. P. Packard farm near the mills. He was for many years engaged in the management of the mills and when they were sold to Mr. Robinson in 1854, Deacon Bradbury removed to the farm in the south part of the "town, now owned by Mr. Edwin Robinson. He lived o nthis farm a number of years and then removed to West Virginia, where he afterward died. Deacon Bradbury was one of the sterling citi- zens of the town and his memory is still cherished as one of the strong men of the early days who helped to mould the character of the new town. Mr. John C. Ingraham came from New Brunswick in 1839 and bought a lot on the "horseback," a short mile from the mills. Mr. Robert Benn had cleared a few acres and built a small house on the lot. Mr. Ingraham cleared up a fine farm and with his son, Mr. Henry Ingraham, built a handsome set of farm build- ings, Mr. Ingraham has been a prominent man in the town for many years. He has been town clerk for sixteen years, treas- urer fifteen years and trial justice for twenty-five years. For the past twenty years he has been in the employ of Mr. Oilman Jewett as clerk and bookkeeper. Mr. Ingraham is now eighty- four years of age, but is still smart and active. Mr. Isaac B. Adams came from New Brunswick in 1839 and settled on a lot near the mills and worked for many years in the grist mill. Mr. Adams died in 1860 and his sons are worthy citizens of Hodgdon and adjoining towns. Mr. John Hodgdon, the proprietor of the township, moved to the town which bears his name about the year 1843. He made a large farm consisting of the Asa Brown, Lewis Morrill, Harri- son Howes and other adjoining farms which made an extensive block of most excellent land. He established his residence on this farm near the Houlton line and built the buildings now 30 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK owned and occupied by Mr. John R. Sllpp. Mr. Hodgdon took: an active part in the affairs of the town and in 1844 was chosen- chairman of the board of selectmen and also town treasurer. He jived in the town four or five years and afterwards removed to Houlton, where he formed a partnership with Hon. J. C. Madi- gan in the law business and in the purchase and sale of timber lands. Mr. Hodgdon afterwards removed to Dubuque, Iowa,, where he died a number of years ago. Deacon Putnam Shaw moved from Houlton about 1844 and bought of Joseph Gerow the Aaron Perley lot on the Calais roid.. Deacon Shaw lived on this farm until his death in 1867. He was. a good man and a worthy citizen, always working for the best moral interest of the town. Mr. Edwin A. Low was one of the prominent citizens of the town for many years and was for much of the time during, his residence a town officer. His home was in the east part of the town. He is now residing in Houlton. Mr. B. C. Smith came from Weston to Hodgdon about 1850 and bought a farm in the south part of the town. Mr. Smith was a blacksmith by trade and worked at that business for some time after coming to Hodgdon. He was afterwards for a num- ber of years extensively engaged in lumbering. He was aa active, energetic bus ness man and was much respected by his fellow townsmen. He spent the last years of his life at the home of his son-in-law, Mr. F. C. Nickerson, of Linneus. His oldest son, Col. Zemro A. Smith of the 1st Me. Heavy Artillery, was for a number of years on the staff of the Boston Journal and is now engaged in journalistic work in the West. Hon. J. 0. Smith, the next son, is the present Insurance Commissioner of Ma'ne and ed'tor of the Somerset Reporter. Mr. N. D. Smith, youngest surviving son, is a prosperous merchant in Portland. Another son, George A. Smith, was killed in the service of his country. The town was incorporated February 11, 1832. It lies im- mediately south of Houlton and is bounded on the east by the New Brunswick line, on the south by Township No. 11, Range 1, now Cary, and on the west by the town of Linneus. The Meduxnekeag stream runs in nearly a due north course entirely across the town at a distance of something over a mile and a half from its western line. The peculiar natural formation known as the "horseback," extends across the town parallel with the stream and but a short distance west of it. A short distancs south of the middle line of the town, Westford Hill, a beautiful HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK '31 •elevation of land, extending two miles from east to west across this part of the town. With the exceptions of these elevations the town is very level, the surface nowhere being broken by ab- rupt elevations. In the extreme southeastern portion of the town is a comparatively small tract of low lying land hardly suitable for easy cultivation, and east of the Calais road, on the rear of the road lots in the north part of the town, are a tew swamp lots. Aside from these small blocks the town i sa most excellent one for agricultural purposes and every lot in town ex- cept those spoken of is capable of making a good farm, and in- deed most of them are already made. In looking over the good old town of Hodgdon we find that it has fully kept up its reputation as one of the best towns in the county. After many years of cultivation the farms are still producing bountifully and show no signs of losing their fertil- ity. Waste places are being reclaimed. Many new and hand- some farm buildings have been recently built and evidences of prosperity and good cultivation are seen on every hand. WESTON The tract of land included in the town of Weston at the time of its incorporation was originally granted to the trustees of Hampden Academy and consisted of a parallelogram two and one half miles wide and seven and one-fifth miles long. This rectangular tract extends in a northwesterly and southeasterly direction, its northwest corner projecting a short distance be- yond a bend in the Mattawamkeag River and its southwest cor- ner extending something over half a mile south of the Baska- hegan stream. The east line of the original town just skirts the lakes, leaving between this line and Grand Lake an irregular tract containing some 6000 acres, known as the Monroe Gore. The resolve granting this half township to Hampden Acad- e^v was passed by the Legislature of Massachusetts June 18, 1803. The tract was surveyed by Charles Turner, Jr., in the year 1804, and the following is a record of his survey: "Be- ginning at a cedar stake, marked, standing at the southeast end of the Indian Portash (sic) or carrying place from Baskahegan stream to the Great Schoodic Lake and run east by the magnet one mile and 280 rods to a beech (sic) tree marked 'S. E. C. 32^ HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK H. A. C. T. 1804,' from thence run north 700 rods to a white pine tree marked, standing by the Great Scoodic Lake. Began agam at the aforesaid cedar stake at Baskahegan and run west (crossing said stream) 200 rods to a white maple tree marked 'S. W. C. H. A. C. T. 1804,' from thence run north (crossing Baskahegan at 190 rods) continue on in the whole seven miles and sixty-five and a quarter rods to a stake, marked, from thence run south till it strikes the Great Lake, passing through ponds, thence by said lake till it comes to the afore-mentioned white pine tree." ThiS record reads somewhat blindly at first sight, but upon comparison With the map of the town the original boundaries can be readily traced. Mr. Turner run north "by the magnet." The var.ation of the compass at that time was thirteen degrees to the west, so that by running by the compass without allowing for variation the tract is inclined in a northwesterly and southeast- erly direction. The record of Mr. Turner's survey establishes for all coming time the location of the old Indian Portage, or carrying place, from the Baskahegan Stream to the Grand Lake This portage commenced at the point where the south line of the Hampden Academy Grant crossed the Baskahegan and contin- ued in a northeasterly direction until it struck the Grand Lakc Eastward of the Academy Grant and between the east line of that grant and the irregular coast line of the Grand Lake (then called Scoodic Lake) is a tract of nearly six thousand acres, known as the Monroe Gore. Between the south line of the Academy Grant and the north line of the half township granted to Thomas Danforth (now the town of Danforth) is a strip 147 rods wide, a part of which is known as the Nelson tract. As these two tracts are included in the present town of Weston,, it is proper to insert their documentary history at this point. On the 10th day of July, 1830, the Land Agent of the State of Maine contracted to Edmund Monroe a tract of land in the County of Washington, situated between the Hampden Acad- emy Grant and "Scoodic Lake" and containing 5892 acres. Mr. Monroe paid $301.00 down and gave four notes, bearing date of May 17th, 1830, and payable in one, two, three and six years respectively, each note being for $293.00, with interest annually. This tract was deeded by the Land Agent on May 14, 1835, to James Crosby of Bangor and Deodat Brastow of Brewer, assignees of Edmund Monroe, and has since been known as the "Monroe Gore." By a resolve passed by the Legislature of Massachusetts HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 33 Feb. 19, 1802, a grant of five hundred acres of land was made to Amasa Smith. This tract was not located until Sept. 1820, when it was surveyed by Alexander Greenwood, and on Nov. 18, 1820, it was deeded by Geo. W. Coffin, Land Agent of Mass., to David Nelson, of New Gloucester, assignee of Amasa Smith. The tract is thus described by the record of Mr. Greenwood's survey: "Beginning at a white maple tree, the same being the south- west corner of the grant to Hampden Academy, marked S. W. C. H. A. A. G. 1820, D. N., thence running south one hundred and forty-seven rods to a beech (sic) tree standing on the north line of the half township granted to Thomas Danforth, Esq., marked G. 1820, D. N., thence running east on the line of said grant to Thomas Danforth five hundred and forty-four rods and eleven links to a yellow birch tree marked G. 1820 D. N. A. G. J. G. I. F., thence running north one hundred and forty-seven rods and eleven links to a yellow birch tree standing in the south line of the grant to Hampden Academy marked G. 1820, D. N. A. G. J. G. I. F., thence on said Academy line five hundred and forty-four rods and eleven links to the bound first men- tioned." David Nelson conveyed the tract to Mr. Joseph L. Kelsey of Bangor, by his deed dated April 25, 1835. The land has since been sold to settlers and, though now a part of the town of Wes- ton, is still known as the "Nelson Tract." The first settlers upon the Hampden Academy grant were John Davenport, Thomas Gilpatrick and William Butterfield, Esq. Of these, Mr. Davenport was the first to make a chop- ping, and Mr. Gilpatrick was the first settler who brought a family to the grant. John Davenport came from St. Albans and settled on the lot where Joshua Butler now lives, a short distance south of the middle line of the town. He cleared a farm and built a set of buildings and was for many years a re- spected citizen of the town. He died in Weston some twenty years ago. Thomas Gilpatrick came from Unity in 1825. He purchased of the trustees of the academy one thousand acres of land for twenty-five cents per acre. Mr. Davenport had made a chopping the year before and this chopping Mr. Gilpatrick cleared and put into crop at the halves. He afterwards settled near where Mr. Otis A. Gilpatrick now lives, where he built a log house and in 1827 his wife and son David came to their rew home. Mr. Gilpatrick lived on this place some six years, when he moved to a timber house at the foot of the hill some 34 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK distance north of where the old homestead now stands. Mr. W-lHam Philbrook had made a ten acre chopping on the place and built a timber house. The family lived in this house till about 1841, when Mr. Gilpatrick built the buildings on the top of the hill, now known as the Gilpatrick homestead. He cleared a number of large farms and was extensively engaged in farm- ing and lumbering. His house was for years a stopping place for travellers and was a place well known in all that section. He afterward bought the William Butterfield farm, some dis- tance farther north, upon which he lived until his death in 1876. Mr. Gilpatrick was a prominent man in the town during the whole time of his residence there, at times doing a large busi- ness and be'r.g actively interested in the affairs of the town. Mr. William Butterfield, known throughout southern Aroostook for many years as "Squire Butterfield," was born in the town of Sidney and removed from there to New Brunswick, where he remained a number of years. He came to Weston about 1827 and settled on the lot now occupied by Mr. Ruel Peters, oppo- site the old steamboat landing. Mr. Butterfield was a land sur- veyor and in 1828 he lotted the Academy grant, dividing it into lots, or sections, running east and west across the grant, each lot containing five hundred acres more or less. The lot upon which Mr. Butterfield settled was numbered six in this survey. This lot was deeded by Josiah Kidder, secretary of the trustees of Hampden Academy, to Charles Buck of Bangor, April 12, 1831, and was conveyed by Mr. Buck to William Butterfield by deed dated A.ugust 25, 1835. Mr. Butterfield was appointed justice of the peace soon after coming to Weston, and the rec- ords show that he performed marriages there as early as 1832. He cleared a large farm on this lot and built the homestead where he lived for many years. He was extensively engaged in trading and lumbering and was a leading citizen of the town during all the time of his residence there. He moved to Dan- forth some twenty years ago and died in that town. Mr. Samuel Cleaves was one of the early settlers of the town. He came from Clinton in 1827 and settled in the south part of the town near Baskahegan stream. Mr. Cleaves went from Weston to California, but afterwards returned to Haynes- ville, where- he died, Mr. Joseph Foss came from Clinton in 1828 and settled on the lot where Mr. Edward Earle now lives, being section 8 of the Butterfield survey. Mr. Foss purchased of the Academy trustees four lots, or sections of land, being lots numbered Eight, HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 35 .Nine, Ten and Eighteen, and afterwards bought of the town lot No. Seventeen, which was the school block. Mr. Foss cleared a large farm and was also largely engaged in lumbering. He was a prominent citizen and business man for more than twenty years, when he removed to California and afterwards to Wis- consin, where he died. Mr. Samuel Springer came from Augusta in 1829 and set- tled on the lot in the south part of the town, afterwards owned by Samuel J. Foster. Mr. Springer cleared the farm and lived upon it until about 1847, when he sold to Mr. Foster and moved to Robbinston and afterwards to Danforth, where he died. Mr. Stutely Springer was a well known citizen of Weston for many years. He came from Augusta in 1830 and settled some dis- tance west of his brother Samuel on the lot now occupied by Mr. Charles Powers. He died in Weston in 1869. Mr. John Springer, another brother, came from Augusta in 1832 and set- tled on the lot where D. J. Barker, Esq., now lives, in the ex- treme southern portion of the town. Mr. Springer cleared this farm and built the buildings upon it. He was engaged also in lumbering and in 1868 moved to Eaton in Washington County, where he died in 1883. Mr. William Gellerson came from Brighton in 1832 and set- tled in the northwest part of the town. He had a mill on Cold Brook near his farm, and was engaged in farming and lumber- ing for many years. He died in Weston some thirty years ago. Mr. Thomas Gellerson came at the same time and settled near his brother William. He was also engaged in lumbering, and was a well known citizen. He died at his home ten years ago. Mr. George Gellerson, another brother, came at the same time and settled near the others and this portion of the town has ever since been known as the "Gellerson Settlement." Mr. Geo. Gellerson cleared a good farm and was also for some years en- gaged in lumbering. He afterwards became a Free Baptist preacher and preached for many years in Weston and adjoining towns. Some twenty years ago he moved to Houlton, where he died in 1881. Elder Gellerson was a good man and was much respected by all who knew him. Mr. Isaac Loveland came from Brighton in 1832 and first settled in the south part of the town. He afterwards bought a lot in the Gellerson settlement, where he cleared a farm and bu'lt a house and barn. After remaining there a number of years he removed to Orono, where he died. Mr. Elijah Gove came from Waldo County in 1832 and set- 36 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK tied in the rear of Thos. Gilpatrlck's farm, where he died many, years ago. During this year (1832) a number of settlers came to the town, most of whom have now passed away. Mr. Joseph Webber came from Clinton and settled on part of the Joseph Foss lot, the original five hundred acre lots into which the town was divided by the Butterfield survey having afterwards sub- divided into smaller holdings. Mr. Webber made a small clear- ing and built a log house and after remaining some ten years re- turned to Clinton, Mr. Ira Watson came from New Hampshire in 1832 and settled in the northern part of the town, where he cleared a farm and built a set of log buildings, and died many years ago. Mr. Hezekiah Harris, who is now the oldest settler living in the town, came from New Brunswick in 1832 and set- tled on the lot where he now lives, in the north part of the town. Mr. Harris cleared a large farm and kept a house of entertain- ment for travellers for many years. Though now advanced in years and past work, Mr. Harris is still quite active and enjoys walking around among his neighbors and talking about the olden times when there were no roads in the town and when the early settlers were subjected to many hardships. Mr. Braman Price, a son-in-law of Mr. Harris, now carries on the farm. Mr. James Brackett, one of the early settlers of the town, came from Mount Vernon in 1830 and settled near the middle of the town. He cleared the farm and lived on it until his death in 1845. His son, William Brackett, then took the farm and lived on it until his death in 1855. His widow afterwards kept a public house here for many years and this was long one of the pleasantest and best known stopping places upon the Calais road. Mrs. Brackett died in 1873 and her sons, Horace M. and Gilbert L. Brackett, now live on the old homestead. Mr. Luther Brackett was also for some time a resident of Weston and lived on the farm where Mr. George Brannan now lives, part of section 12. Mr. Brackett was afterwards appointed U. S. Consul to Pictou and did not return to Weston to live. Dr. Joseph O. Smith came from Addison in 1833 and with his son, Mr. B. C. Smith, settled on the farm where Mr. James Moody now lives, part of section 11. Dr. Smith was an educated gentleman of pleasant and kindly manner, and is spoken of with much respect by those of the citizens who remember him. He practiced his profession for some time after coming to Weston. Mr. Barney C. Smith, as his name appears upon the records of the town, had the active management of the farm and also car- ried on the business of blacksmithing. He, like most of his HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 37 neighbors at that time, was engaged in lumbering and was a prominent citizen of the town. He moved to Hodgdon about 1850, and his father. Dr. J. O. Smith, afterwards returned to Addison. Mr. Stephen Smith, son of Dr. Smith, came to Wes- ton at the same time and settled on the next lot south. He was engaged in farming and lumbering for many years, and some six years ago moved to Houlton, where he now resides. Mr. Joseph E. Shorey was a resident of Weston at this time and v/as engaged in lumbering. He had no farm in the town and soon after settled in the adjoining town of Bancroft. Mr. Sweet Ellis came from Brighton in 1833 and settled in the north- west part of the town. Here he cleared a small farm and af- terwards moved to Haynesville and died many years ago. Mr. Charles Megquier came from Poland in 1833 and settled a short distance north of Mr. James Brackett, on part of section 13. Mr. Megquier commenced felling trees on his lot on June 17, 1834, as appears by a diary kept by him at that time. He that year felled and cleared twenty-three acres and finished clearing Nov. 1st. In the spring of 1835 he commenced work on the farm April 1st. He that year sowed five bushels of wheat on five acres and raised 166 2-3 bushels of prime wheat. Mr. Megquier was then absent from the town for a number of years, returning in 1839. He extended his clearing and built a good set of buildings and continued to live upon his farm until his death, six years ago. He was a man of strict integrity and was one of the most prominent citizens of the town. He was postmaster at Weston for many years and held numerous town offices. His son, Arthur Megquier, now lives upon the farm and has a store nearby. Mr. Samuel F. Marble came from Poland in 1833 and settled on the lot next north of Mr. Meg- quier's. He cleared this farm and lived on it until his death some eleven years ago. Mr. Marble was a highly respected citizen and took an active part in the affairs of the town. His son, Greenleaf Marble, now lives on the old farm. Mr. Thomas Pratt came from Clinton in 1833 and settled in the northwest part of the town. Here he cleared a good farm and built a good set of buildings. He lived upon the farm until his death some ten years ago. He is spoken of as a good cit'zen and a worthy man. Mr. Lewis Smart, who is now one of the oldest settlers living in the town, came from Vassalboro to Old Town in 1831 and in 1834 came to Weston and first took a lot near the middle of the town, where he made a small clear- ing and then took the lot in the north part of the town now 38 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK known as the Faulkner farm, and made a shopping and built a log house, but did not remain upon the lot. He then took a lot on Trout Brook ridge in the west part of the town, where he cleared a good farm and built good buildings. In 1848 he moved to the farm on the Calais road where he has lived ever since. Mr. Smart was for many years an active citizen of the town, but is now advanced in years and quite infirm. His sons, Frank and Charles Smart, live in neat residences near him on the old farm. Mr. Patrick Faulkner came from Ireland and settled in Weston in 1835, in the rear of Mr. Hezekiel Harris's lot. Here he made a good farm upon which he lived until his death some ten years ago. Among the other citizens who were in the town at the time of its incorporation we may name the following: Mr. Joel Foss, son of Joseph Foss, came from Lincoln in 1831, but did not set- tle upon a farm in the town until 1840, when he took the lot upon which Mr. J. C. Foss now lives, part of section 8. He cleared this farm and lived on it ten years and then moved to the farm on which Mr. Charles Clark now lives, where he lived until 1872, when he moved to Danforth and now keeps a public house in that village. Mr. Foss was a prominent citizen of Weston and well known throughout the county. He was for many years engaged in land surveying and was a member of the board of county commiss'orers from 1858 to 1861. He was also a member of the State Legislature in 1852 and for the two fol- lowing years and again in 1881. Mr. Orrington S. Foss lived with his father, Joseph Foss, and afterwards moved to Orono, where he died. Mr. William Butterfield, Jr., settled on the lot where his son, David Butterfield, now lives, and lived there until his death some three years ago. Mr. Samuel Butterfield first settled on the farm where David Butterfield now lives. He afterward moved to the farm now owned by Mrs. Benj. Moody, section 9. He sold this farm to Mr. Moody and moved to Jack- son Brook, where he now lives. We have thus briefly mentioned the settlers who opened up the town of Weston and a large majority of whom were citi- zens of the town at the time ofits incorporation. The act of incorporation was passed March 16, 1835, and was signed by Gov. Dunlap on the following day. On April 14, 1835, a petition was addressed to Wm. Butterfield, Esq.. a justice of the peace, to issue a warrant for a town meeting. This petition was signed by Samuel Springer, Stutely Springer, John HISTORY OP AROOSTOOK 39 Davenport, Joseph Foss, Orrington S. Foss, Thos. Gilpatrick and John Springer. The warrant was issued to Mr. John Springer, who was directed to call a town meeting at the dwell- ing house of Joseph 0. Smith on Thursday, April 30, 1835. The inhabitants met according to the warrant, were called to order by Wm. Butterfield, Esq., adjourned to Dr. Smith's barn and chose the following officers, viz: Joseph E. Shorey, moderator; 0. S. Foss, clerk; Wm. Butterfield, Joseph Foss and Barney C. Smith, selectmen; Thos. Gilpatrick, collector and constable; Stephen Smith, treasurer. At the time of the organization of the town of Weston there were but two incorporated towns in the whole territory now embraced in Aroostook County, Houl- ton having been incorporated in 1831 and Hodgdon in 1832. At that time these towns were all in Washington County, Aroostook not being incorporated as a separate county until March 16, 1839. On the list of voters in Weston in 1836, twenty-five names appear and at the town meeting held that year it was voted "not to grant licenses for retailing ardent spirits." At that time and in fact for meny years after, large lumbering operations were carried on in this vicinity and near- ly all the settlers of the town were more or less engaged in this business. Some who afterwards settled there and became prom- inent citizens were attracted thither by the opportunities offered for engaging in this pursuit. In 1844 Mr. Benjamin Buzzell came from Alexander and settled in the north part of the town. He cleared a farm and lived upon it for nearly forty years and moved to Danforth, where he died. Mr. Edward Bedel now lives on this farm. Mr. Samuel J. Foster came to Weston in 1847 and bought the Samuel Springer farm in the south part of the town. Mr. Foster was a member of the firm of Foster & Lincoln of Ban- gor, lumber operators. He made many improvements upon the farm and built a very large and costly residence, two large barns and a fine stable. The house was at the time one of the most expensive private residences north of Bangor. In the stables were stalls for a hundred horses and there were -times when nearly all were filled. Mr. Foster owned some very fine driving horses and the fame of his roadsters and of their remarkable performances is still remembered in this section. In addition to h:'s extensive lumber operations he paid much attention to farming and raised large crops of hay and grain. He was a man of much energy and enterprise and carried on a large busi- ness in Weston and vicinity for a number of years. He lived 40 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK upon the farm until his death in 1858. The farm was then pur- chased by Mr. John Weller and Mr. William Lawrence, who opened the house as a hotel and did a large business in farming and raising and dealing in horses. This partnership was dis- solved after a few years and Mr. Lawrence moved to Houlton. Mr. Weller afterwards disposed of his interest in the propert/ and now resides in Danforth. The Foster mansion was burned some ten years ago and the large farm has been divided. Mr. E. L. Heal now owns one portion and Mr. Weston Brannan the other. In 1855 the "Monroe Gore" and the "Nelson tract" were both incorporated with the town of Weston and the town is now bounded north by Haynesville and Orient, west by Bancroft, south by Danforth, in Washington County, and on the east for its entire extent by the waters of the beautiful Grand Lake. The road from Houlton to Calais runs in a southerly direction en- tirely across the town and for much of the distance the land west of the road rises in high, mountainous ridges. In the north part of the town, a short distance east of the Calais road, is Longfellow Lake, a very pretty little sheet of water discharg- ing into Brackett Lake, which is of much larger extent and which empties its waters through a narrow thoroughfare into the Grand Lake. In the south part of the town is a smaller lake, called Sucker Brook Lake, the outlet of which is a small brook flowing northward and emptying into the Grand Lake at Dav- enport Cove. The scenery from the Calais road is very beau- tiful in a pleasant summer's day, the view extending across the wooded points and away to the broad waters of Grand Lake. AMITY The town of Amity is the northernmost of what may be pro- perly designated as the coast towns of Aroostook County, as, in common with the towns lying south of it in the same range, it is separated from the possessions of Her Brittannic Majesty by a water boundary. The coast line of the State of Maine, on its eastern border, in reality extends northward nearly to the north line of the town of Amitv and for the past two years a detach- ment of the U. S. Coast Survey has been at work in this region, determining the exact contour of the eastern coast and making HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 41 an accurate map of this boundary. The Monument Stream which forms the head waters of the St. Croix, rises about a mile south of the north line of Amity, and, flowing southward in an irregular course, forms the eastern boundary of the United States until it discharges its waters into North Lake in the town of Orient. Amity lies directly south of Gary, is bounded on the ■west by Haynesville and on the south by Orient. The settlement of the town dates back to the year 1825 and in that year Jonathan Clifford, who may be regarded as the pioneer settler of the town, commenced a clearing on the lot now occupied by Mr. James Lizette, in the north part of the town, a short distance west of the present Calais road. Here Mr. Clifford cleared a farm, upon which he lived for many years and on which he died some twenty years ago. At the time of Mr. Clifford's settlement a few pioneers had established themselves upon the adjoining township of No. 11, now Cary, and their smokes could be seen from the ridge upon which he commenced his clearing. These were his nearest neighbors and no road passable in summer led to his wilderness home. In 1826, Mr. Edmund Cone took a lot near Mr. Clifford's and com- menced making a clearing. Mr. Cone came from New Salem, Mass., to Houlton in 1815 and lived in that town until he re- moved to his new home in what was then called No. 10, now the town of Amity. In Houlton Mr. Cone was employed for a number of years as a teamster, and he afterwards made a clearing on the lot in the south part of that town near the Hodgdon line, now owned by Mr. A. K. Bradford. Before leaving Houlton Mr. Cone mar- ried Miss Barbara Shepard of Richmond, N. B., and together they bravely commenced the work of making a home in the for- est. Mrs. Cone was a most excellent woman and was a cour- ageous and efficient helpmate in these pioneer years. Mr. Cone cleared up a large farm and was for manv years a prominent citizen of the town. He was one of the officers of the town at its first organization, and continued to take an active interest in its affairs until his death in 1883. His son, Mr. Elisha Cone, now owns the old homestead, but lives upon a farm on the Calais road. Mr. Seth Farrar was one of the earliest settlers of the town. Mr. Farrar cam« from Searsmont and settled in New Brunswick. He then emigrated to the south part of Hodgdon, and made a clearing on the lot afterwards owned by Daniel Smith. In 1826 he moved to Amity and took a lot in the north part of the town, if HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK a short distance east of the present Calais road. Here he made a farm upon which he lived for some twenty-five years, then moved to No. 11 (Gary) and afterwards to Orient, where he died some thirty years ago. A number of his sons now live in the south part of the town. In 1826 Jonah Dunn, Esq., came from Cornish, in York County, and established his residence in Houlton. Mr. Dunn was a man well educated and of much ability and force of char- acter. He had represented the District of Maine in the General Court of Massachusetts, and after the separation from the mother state was a member of the Maine Legislature. He took an act'.ve part in the movement for the establishment of a mili- tary post at Houlton, and was instrumental in having the mili- tary road opened to that place and with his son, Columbus Dunn, built a part of that road. He was also a contractor and builder of portions of the road from Houlton to Calais. Imme- d'ately upon coming to Houlton, in 1826, Esquire Dunn pur- chased of the State a block of land in No. 10, now Amity, con-^ s'sting of four lots of 100 acres each, and including the Colum- bus Dunn homestead and the Walton lot on the east side of the Calais road, and the John Reed lot and Charles E. Dunn lot on the west side. In 1827, Columbus Dunn, a son of Jonah Dunn, Esq., settled on the block. At that time the only road was a lumber road from HouUon, through Hodgdon and Cary, pass- able for teams only in the winter time. Here Mr. Columbus Dunn cleared a farm and established the home where he lived until his death in 1879. Deacon Dunn was for many years one of the most prominent citizens of the town and was one of its active religious workers. He was postmaster of Amity for 18 years and held numerous town offices. His widow still lives at the old home with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. Erastus Haskell, who now has the farm. Mr. Charles Dunn, brother of Columbus, came soon after and settled on the lot next south, afterwards the Walton homestead. Mr. Dunn remained there some twelve years and was one of the selectmen of the town in the first year of its organization. He afterwards returned to Houlton, where he now resides. Soon after the arrival of the Dunns a number of settlers came to the town and commenced making clearings in the forest. Mr. Asa Tracy came from Gouldsboro in 1827 ar.d made a chop- ping on the lot in the rear of the Lemuel Tracy homestead. He moved his family to the town in 1829 and afterwards bought the lot where his son, Samuel Tracy, now lives, and remained HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 43 'there until his death in 1870. During the following year (1828) Jonathan Greenleaf, Samuel Newman, Benjamin Winship, Wil- !Iiam Clark and James H. Curtis settled in the new town. Mr, Jonathan Greenleaf, for many years a well known citizen of -Amity, came from the town of Starks and settled in the south part of the town. He cleared a farm and kept a hotel here for many years. He was a man of much business ability and took an active part in the affairs of the town. Mr. Greenleaf died in 1868. The old house, so long a stopping place for travellers, has since been burned, but two sons, Thomas and John Green^ leaf, still live on the farm. Mr. Samuel Newman came from Sangerville and made a clearing some distance north of Mr. 'Greenleaf's. He was chosen one of the selectmen at the organ- ization of the town. He left Amity many years ago and after living for a time in Orient and afterwards in Haynesville, re- turned to Sangerville and died. Benjamin Winship first settled on the lot opposite the Jacob Simpson lot, where he lived for a number of years and then re- moved to the south part of the town and died many years ago. William Clark came from Liberty and settled on the lot where his son, William Clark, now lives. He cleared this farm and lived on it until his death in 1854. His son, David Clark, then took the farm and at his death in 1858 Mr. William Clark, the present proprietor, took possession of the farm. Mr. James H. Curtis came from Dexter and settled on the lot where Mr. Samuel Tracy now lives. He made a clearing on this lot and built a log house and barn and after living there some six years moved to what was afterwards known as the Walker place. Here he built a set of buildings. Mr. Curtis lived on this farm until 1846, when he sold to Mr. Erastus Has- kell and moved to New Brunswick. Mr. Samuel Wllkins was also one of the early settlers of the town. He settled in the north part, a short distance east of the Calais road, and lived in the town until his death in 1867. A few years later than the settlers mentioned above, Mr. William Williams, who was then living In Houlton, bought four lots a short distance south of the center of the town. These lots Included the two lots now owned by Mr. John R. Williams, the Benj. Curtis lot, and the Calvin Curtis lot. Mr. Williams made a clearing on the lot now owned by Benjamin Curtis, where he built a log house and lived upon the place a few years when he removed to Houlton and did not return to Amity to live. His son, Jared Williams, made a clearing on the lot where Mr. 44 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK: John R. Williams now lives and remained three years and sold to Mr. George Robinson. Mr. John R. Williams bought the farm in 1838 and has been a well known citizen of Amity ever s nee. Mansfield Williams, another son, lived on the Curtis place and traded at the "corner" near Mr. Greenleaf's. He afterwards moved to Houlton and died there some years ago. Abram Williams also lived on this place for a time and moved to Houlton and afterward to Hodgdon, where he had a farm near the Mills and where he died a few years since. Rev. Elisha Bedel, the first clergyman, settled in Amity, came from the town of Crawford and organized the first church in the town. At the first town meeting Elder Bedel was chosen one of the selectmen. He remained in Amity until about 1845. The act of incorporation of the town of Amity was passed March 18, 1836, and was approved by Gov. Robt. P. Dunlap on the day following. The warrant for the first town meeting was issued by Hiram Estey, Esq., justice of the peace, to Edmund Cone, April 11, 1836. The meeting was held April 21st and the new town was organized by the choice of Columbus Dunn, mod- erator, Edmund Cone, clerk, and Edmund Cone, Elisha Bedel and Samuel Newman, selectmen. James H. Curtis was chosen treasurer and Asa Tracy, collector and constable. At the first State election after the incorporation, fifteen votes were thrown in the town, all of which were for Governor Dunlap. The year 1837 was an extremely hard year for the new settlers and bread was scarce. By the town records it appears that Messrs. Todd and McAllister of Calais owed the town for the stumpage on lumber cut on the school lots. This money should, of course, have been devoted to the support of schools, but so great was the destitution that at a meeting held on June 5, 1837, it was voted to divide the amount equally among the in- habitants. It was afterwards decided to expend the gross amount for corn and divide the corn among the settlers. Teams were therefore sent to Calais and the corn was procured and di- vided among the hungry settlers. In 1836 Benjamin A. Curtis came from Dexter and first set- tled on the lot where Daniel Williams now lives. Here he made a small clearing, but soon moved to the lot on which John Reed now lives. He cleared a number of acres on this lot and lived on it some ten years. He then moved to the Alexander Carr lot where he lived until 1858, when he bought of Mansfield Wil- liams the lot where he now lives in the south part of the town. Mr. Curtis improved this farm and built a new house. He lost HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 45 three sons in the army and is now old and feeble and unable to work. Mr. Daniel Harmon came from Calais to Amity in 1837 and taught the town school. He bought a piece of land of Columbus Dunn and lived in the town some six years and moved to Port- land. Mr. Harmon was an educated man and was clerk of the town for a number of years. James Austin and Jonathan Small came from Keneebec County about 1835 and settled on the lot where Alexander Carr now lives. Mr. Small died shortly after- wards and Mr. Austin moved to No. 11 and afterwards returned to the southeast part of Amity, where he died. John Dakin came from Nova Scotia and in 1836 settled on a part of the Walker lot, where he cleared a farm and built a set of build- ings. He afterwards sold to Mr. James H. Curtis and moved to the west part of the town, where he died some years ago. Mr. Hartley Deering came from Orient in 1836 and bought the Samuel Newman lot. He lived on this lot two years and then exchanged farms with Mr. James Daggett of Hodgdon and moved to that town, where he died. Mr. Seth Kempton came from Milltown in 1837 and settled on the lot afterwards owned by Mr. Alden Spurr. He lived on this lot until 1848, when he removed to Gardiner. Mr. Peter Beede came from Milltown in 1837 and settled on the lot next east of Seth Kempton. He lived on the farm until 1848, when he moved to Kennebec Coun- ty, and died. Mr. Samuel Slipp now owns this farm. Mr. Daniel Williams came to Amity in 1838. He had been engaged in teaching in Pennsylvania, and upon first coming to Amity was employed as a clerk for Mr. Daniel Wood, who had a store near Mr. Greenleaf's. In 1840, Mr. Williams bought the lot where he now lives and where he has made a good farm and a pleasant home. He has been a prominent man in the town for many years, and though now eighty years old, is still smart and active. Mr. Israel Davis came from Concord, N. H., about the time the town was incorporated or very soon after. He took a lot in the northwest part of the town. The Davis brook, a trib- utary of the Meduxnekeag, runs through this lot and on this stream Mr. Davis built a mill containing an up-and-down saw. After his death in 1868, his son, Mr, Elbridge G. Davis, took the property and added a grist mill and afterwards a shingle mill. This mill was afterwards burned and Mr. Davis built a new mill with steam power, into which he put one shingle ma- chine and was planning to put in a rotary saw, but died in 1888 4'6 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK before completing his designs. The mill has not since been oper- ated and the engine and machinery have been removed. James Baggett, Jr., came from Hodgdon in 1838 and bought of Hartley Deering the Samuel Newman lot. He cleared a large farm and lived on it until 1866. He then moved to Oakfield and afterwards to Massachusetts. After a few years he re- turned to Amity and lived with his son, Mr. Warren Daggett, until his death in 1885. Mr. Samuel Shepard came from New Brunswick about 1837, and after living for a while on a part of Edmund Cone's lot, bought of Charles Dunn the lot next north of Columbus Dunn's. He built the buildings on this farm and about 1844 sold to James Ballard and moved to the Gidney lot in the southwest part of the town, where he lived a number of years, and then returned to New Brunswick. James Ballard came from Massachusetts as a teacher. He bought the Samuel Shepard farm and lived on it some three years, and sold to Mr. Milo Walton and returned to Massachusetts. Mr.. Hammond Estabrook came from New Brunswick in 1840 and took a lot in the west part of the town. He cleared a farm and lived on it until his death in 1864. His son, Mr. Jed Estabrook, now lives on the farm. Mr. Lemuel Tracey bought the lot where he now lives in 1842. He cleared a large farm and has for many years been one of the leading citizens of the town. Mr. Thomas Greenleaf, a brother to Jonathan Greenleaf, came from Starks in 1840 and took a lot in the south part of the town, one mile west from the Calais road. He made a clearing of forty acres and built a house and barn. He lived here six years and moved to Missouri. Mr. Warren Daggett now owns this farm. Mr. Milo Walton came from Chesterfield, N. H., to Houlton in 1845 and kept a drug store in that town for two years. In 1847 he moved to Amity and bought the farm next north of Columbus Dunn. He immediately entered into the business of orcharding and fruit raising, which he planned to carry out on a large scale. He set extensive nurseries of apples, plums, cherries, etc., and had also a large amount of small fruits. He had just com- menced to reap the first fruits of his enterprise when his death in 1854 suddenly terminated what promised to be a most suc- cessful business career. He was a man of much ability and worth and his early death was a severe loss to the town where he had fixed his residence. His widow continued the business to some extent until her death in 1871. His son, Mr. Isaac T. Walton, now has the farm. Mr. Alden Spurr came from New Brunswick in 1848 and bought the Seth Kempton lot in the south- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 41 -west part of the town. He cleared a large ifarm and built a good set of buildings. Mr. Spurr was engaged in lumbering and was an active and prominent citizen during his residence in the town. Two of his sons died in the army and some time after the close of the war he moved to Milltown and afterwards to Houlton, where he died a few years ago. Mr. Calvin B. Curtis bought the farm where he now lives in 1849. It was then a wild lot and Mr. Curtis cleared the farm and built the buildings. He has also worked at blacksm'lthing a part of the time and has been one of the leading citizens for many years. Mr. Jacob Simpson came from Warwick, N. B., and was for several years •engaged in lumbering in this vicinity before moving to Amity. About 1850 he bought the farm where Mr. John Hughes now lives. He cleared a large farm and was extensively engaged in lumbering until about 1864, when he sold the farm to Mr. James Martin and returned to New Brunswick. Mr. George R. Burt came from New Hampshire in 1850 and bought the farm on which Mr. John Reed now lives. Here he opened a store and continued to trade until his death in 1856. Mr. James Lander, the veteran stage driver, then bought the place and established his home there. He continued to drive the stage from Houlton to Calais and Mr. Adrian Vandine, af- terwards collector of customs at Houlton, entered into partner- ship with him In trade. Mr. Vandine was engaged most of the time in hauling goods and Mr. John Reed was employed as clerk in the store. Mr. Lander died In 1861, and Mr. Vandine re- tained the property and business until 1866, when he sold to Mr. John Reed and removed to Houlton. Mr. Francis McCarric came from Bailyville in 1851 and first settled on the lot oppo- site Jacob Simpson's. He lived on this lot seven years and then moved to the farm In the north part of the town, formerly occu- pied by Ben]. Curtis, where he lived until his death In 1874. Mr. Allex. H. Carr now has this farm. As a whole. Amity will rank as a good farming town. The surface Is not abruptly broken and the soil, though somewhat stony In places. Is fertile and productive. A large part of the town is still covered with Its original forest growth and Is owned by non-resident proprietors, a fact which has interfered with the growth and development of the town. The town has good schools and good religious privileges and seems to enjoy a gen- eral feeling of social good fellowship. Taken all In all. Amity will rank as one of the best towns in southern Aroostook. 48 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK LINNEUS The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on February 26th, 1804, passed a resolve appropriating a town- ship of land in the District of Maine for the purpose of assist- ing in establishing a Professorship of Botany in Harvard Col- lege. The township was surveyed by Benjamin Marshall in October, 1807, and is thus described: "Beginning at a basswood stake near a large yellow birch marked N. E. C. B. G. T. 0. one hundred and sixty rods south of the southwest corner of a half township of land granted to the New Salem Academy, thench running west, thirteen degrees north six miles to a large hemlock tree marked, thence south, thirteen degrees west six miles to a stake; thence east, thirteen degrees south six miles to a large maple tree, marked; thence north, thirteen degrees east to the first mentioned basswood stake." At a meeting of the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for promoting Agriculture, held June 4th, 1808, it was voted that the Secretary of the Com- monv/ealth be requested to deed the township to Dudley A.. Tyng. The deed of the township from William Tudor, Secre- tary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to Dudley Atkins Tyng, is dated June 27th, 1808. At a meeting of the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for promoting Agriculture held June 30th, 1810, it was voted that Dudley A. Tyng be authorized to convey the township in fee simple to Aaron Dexter and Ebenezer Preble, purchasers of the town, upon the purchase money being paid, or secured to the Treasurer of Harvard College. It was also voted that the pur- chasers be requested to cause the said township to be called by the name of Linneus. The deed from Dudley A. Tyng to Aaron Dexter, Doctor of Medicine, and Ebenezer Preble, merchant, both of Boston, is dated Aug. 9th, 1810. The town of Linneus lies in the second tier of townships from the New Brunswick line, is directly west of the town of Hodgdon, and corners on Houlton on the southwest. The early history of Linneus is intimately connected with that of the set- tlement of Houlton as the old Soldier road over which supplies were brought to the garrison at Houlton was made through this town. This road was cut through by the United States troops in 1828. It began at what was called Soldier Landing on the east branch of the Mattawamkeag some two miles below the mouth of Beaver Brook, followed up the brook across the township of HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 49 "Letter A" and after entering Linneus turned in a northeasterly direction from the height of land on which is now the J. D. Gove farm, following nearly the line of the present military road to where Hon. Parker P. Burleigh now lives, entering Houlton near the southwest corner of that town. The first settler upon the town was Mr. Daniel Neal who came from New Brunswick in 1827 and settled near the north- east corner of the town, on what is now a part of the farm of Hon. Parker P. Burleigh. We find mention of Mr. Neal in let- ters from Major Clarke, the officer in command of the garrison at Houlton to Capt. Staniford, who commanded the detachment engaged in constructing the Soldier road. In a letter dated Sept. 25th, 1828, Major Clarke writes: "As soon as the road shall have been completed to Neal's you will order the four six- pounders to that place and leave them there." On the same day Major Clarke writes to Mr. Towle, of the firm of Towle & Par- sons, who had the contract to forward the supplies for the troops: "As soon as all the public property deposited at Neal's shall have been brought in I request you to forward on those cannon." In these letters we find the first mention of any settlement in the present town of Linneus. Mr. Neal was a Maine man and went to New Brunswick to work at his trade as a ship carpenter, coming thence to his forest home in the new grant. Here he cleared up a considerable tract and lived upon it until 1836, when he removed to Jackson Brook. His son, John Hodgdon Neal, was the first child born in Linneus. Soon after Daniel Neal made his settlement in Linneus a man named Nesmith settled near the "Cold Spring," as it was then called, on what is now the Howard farm. Mr. Nesmith formerly lived near Thomaston, Me., and removed to Miririchi, where he was quite extensively engaged in lumbering. He afterwards met with heavy losses and the great fire in Mirimichi completed his financial ruin. He then decided to remove to the wilderness of Aroostook, and coming to Fredericton, N. B., he placed his wife and three children, together with some house- hold goods, upon a sled and started up the St. John River on the ice with a pair of horses. Before reaching Woodstock the team broke through the ice and his wife and one child were drowned. With the two remaining children, a boy of ten years and a daugh- ter then a young woman, he reached Woodstock, where he left the daughter and proceeded northward with the little boy. In corp.pany with a man by the name of Anderson, Mr, Nesmith came to Linneus and built a camp near the "Cold Spring." They 50 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK made a clearing and remained a number of years and then sold their improvement to Col. Benj. Rackliffe and Nesmith removed to the far West, taking the little boy with him. The boy grew to manhood and when the State of Oregon was admitted to the Union he was chosen one of the first United States Senators from that State. The opening of the Soldier road induced other settlers to come to the town. In 1828 or 1829 Samuel and John Shields came from New Brunswick and settled east of the Soldier road near the line of Hodgdon, then Groton Academy Grant. Both cleared up farms upon which they lived for many years and died at an advanced age. Mr. Thos. O. Shields, son of John Shields, and Mr. True B. Shields, son of Samuel Shields, now live upon the old homesteads and have good farms. The same year Mr. John Jones settled south of Samuel Shields on what is now the Geo. Starrett farm. These three were the first settlers east of the road. Among the settlers who came to the town soon after Mr. Neal and settled along the line of the new road was Col. Benj. Rackliffe, who came from Waldo County about 1829 and settled on what is now the Howard farm, a short distance south of Linneus Corner. Col. Rackliffe was for years a prom- inent citizen of the town. He afterwards moved to Presque Isle, where he died some ten years ago. Jacob Martin came the same year and settled on the 'farm now occupied by Dr. Boyd. He was a resident of the town many years. In 1830 Col. Moses Burleigh came from the town of Paler- mo and bought of Daniel Neal a lot next south of the farm upon wh'ch Hon. Parker P. Burleigh now lives. Col. Burleigh was a prominent man in the State before his removal to Linneus. He was a milit'a capta'n in 1812 and was called into the U. S. service ar.d was with his company at Belfast at the time the British entered the Penobscot to destroy the U. S. frigate Adams. He was a delegate to the convention held in 1816 at Brunswick in the District of Maine, to form a State Constitution in antici- pation of the separation from Massachusetts and in the same year was promoted to a lieutenant colonelcy in the Massachu- setts m'lit'a. Immed'ately after removing to Linneus, Col. Burleigh was appointed to take the census of the northern part of Washington County, which then included the Aroostook set tlements. A.s the territory was then in disDute the Provinc'al warden endeavored to arrest him, but he eluded pursuit and com- pleted his work o'f census taking. In 1831 he was appointed assistant land agent and took an active part in expelling tres- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 51 passers from lands in this visinity. He held the office of post- master for several years and was an active, energetic man and an upright and honored citizen. He died at Linneus in 1860. His son, Parker P. Burleigh, was but seventeen years old when he came with his father to Linneus. He worked for his father and helped clear up the farm and build a home until he was of age, when, determining to acquire an education, he entered Hampden Academy and afterwards Hartford, (Conn.) grammar school. He paid especial attention to the study of land survey- ing and thoroughly fitted himself for that profession. Returning to Linneus, he took an active part in the affairs of the new town and held many offices in the town and county. He was State Land Agent from 1868 to 1875, and was for many years post- master at Linneus. He represented his town in the Legislature of 1856 — 57 and was twice elected senator from Aroostook County. Mr. Burleigh is now living on the old farm in Linneus, upon which he has made many improvements, and although nearly eighty years old, is a hale, hearty, active man. He owns large tracts of timber land in the county, to the care of which he devotes much of his time. He has two brothers, Moses C. and Samuel K. Burleigh, living near him. Hon. Albert A. Bur- leigh, his oldest son, was born in Linneus in 1841. He also fit- ted himself for the business of land surveying and in 1864 en- tered the army. He was wounded and taken prisoner and con- fined at Petersburg and Richmond. After his return from the army he took a farm in the town of Oakfield, adjoining Linneus, upon which he lived for a number of years. He was for many years a member of the board of county commissioners and is intimately acquainted with every portion of Aroostook County. He now resides at Houlton and is collector of customs for the Aroostook District. He is also President of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad Company and is giving much of his time at present to the development of that enterprise. Hon. Edwin C. Burleigh, the younger son, was born in Lin- neus in 1843. He also enlisted in the army in 1864, but was re- jected on account of physical disability and entered the adjutant general's office as clerk. He was afterward twice elected assist- ant clerk of the House of Representatives and in 1880 was ap- pointed to a clerkship in the office of State Treasurer. He also held the office of State Land Agent for three years. He was elect- ed State Trea-urer in 1885. which office he held until he resigned to accept the honored position of Governor of Maine, to which he was elected in 1888. He was re-elected in 1890 and is the 52 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK present Chief Executive of the State of Maine. The act of incorporation of the town of Linneus was ap- proved by Governor Robert P. Dunlap on March 16, 1836. A petition from the citizens of the town was immediately after- ward presented to Moses Burley, (as the name was then spelled) one of the justices of the peace of the County of Washington, to call a town meeting to organize the new town. This petition was dated March 25th, 1836, and was signed by Benj. Rackliff, Parker P. Burley (sic) John C. Hamilton, Richard Hamilton, John M. Rackliff, George W. Webber, Henry Kitchen, John E. Raymond, Daniel Neal and Abner Craig. The meeting was held at Col. Burley's house and Moses Burley was chosen moderator, Parker P. Burley was elected town clerk, and Moses Burley, Jacob Marthi and Benj. Rackliff, selectmen. The old records of the town are still preserved and are in a bold, pla'n handwriting and signed "Parker P. Burley, town clerk." Isaiah Morrison and Aaron Plummer were chosen fence viewers, Benj. Bither one of the highway surveyors, Parker P. Burley, treasurer and collector of taxes, and he with Ebenezer Collins and J. Fisher Howard were the first board of S. S. com- mittee. Isaiah Keith was chosen constable 'on condition that he do the business for the town without charge." On June 4th, 1836, John Stevens impounded a dark red horse owned by James Files. The bill of expense for impounding and selling the horse was $3.65 1-2, and the horse was sold at "public vendue" by Constable Keith for $5.85. At the first election for representa- tive to the Legislature, 19 votes were cast; Jesse Gilman had 13 votes and Hendrick W. Judkins had 6 votes. As the election in the district resulted in a tie vote, another election was held on Oct. 24th. This also resulted in a tie vote, and a third election was held on Nov. 14th, at which time H. W. Judkins of Houlton was elected. From these records we find that Hugh Alexander was town clerk in 1837 and that Jeremiah Trueworthy was that year chosen first selectman, but declined to serve. Stephen B. Pattee was a constable in 1838. On the old records we find the names of others of the old settlers of the town who were in active life during the first years of the settlement. Though un- able to give the exact dates of each man's coming to the town we have been able to trace quite accurately the place o'f their first settlement. Hugh Alexander was one of the army teamsters in 1828, when the supplies for the garrison at Houlton were hauled over the Beaver Brook road. He settled in Linneus about 1830, on HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 53 the lot where Mr. John Taylor now lives, some two miles north ot Linneus Corner. When Daniel Neal moved to Jackson Brook in 1836, Mr. Alexander took his place and lived there some time and then took the Hamilton lot a short distance north of the Cor- ner. He lived on this farm for many years and was largely en- gaged in the lumbering business. His son, Benjamin Alexander, was for years a prominent business man at Linneus Corner, and also kept the Letter A. House for a number of years. He rep- resented his class in the Legislature and was much respected by his fellow citizens. He died at Linneus a few years ago. Abner Craig settled on the lot south of the Either farm, where he lived for a number of years, then sold to Edmund Bickford and moved to Haynesville, then known as "The Forks." Isaiah Morrison settled on a lot on the east side of the military road, just north of the Corner. He was an active citizen of the town for many years. His son, Benjamin Morrison, afterwards lived and died upon the farm, and B. Decatur Morrison, a son of Benjamin, now has the old homestead. Joseph L. Morrison, son of Isaiah, settled east of the Corner, on what is now the county road to Hodgdon Mills. Aaron Plummer was the first blacksmith in the town and had a house and shop nearly oppo- site Mr. Burleigh's. Silas Varney also settled on that lot in 1830. Jesse F. Howard settled on the lot opposite the J. D. Gove farm, where he lived a number of years and then moved to Brewer. Ebenezer Collins settled in the east part of the town soon after 1830, on the lot next south of John Jones and next to the Hodgdon line. Mr. Eben Collins, his son, now occupies the farm. Isaiah Keith settled on a lot north of the Bither place and on the east side of the road. He lived in the town for many years, then moved to Oakfield, where he died a few years at^o, John Stevens was for many years a resident and worked at day labor for farmers. James Niles cleared up the farm now occu- pied by Mr. Charles H. Young. Jeremiah Trueworthy settled on the farm now occupied by William H. Howard. He sold to Daniel Howard in 1845 and moved to Houlton, He afterwards became a wealthy land owner and was a prominent citizen of Houlton. John C. Hamilton made a farm on the west side of the road north of the Corner, afterwards the Alexander farm, where he lived a number of years and then moved to Bangor. His brother, Richard Hamilton, lived with him. George W. Webber settled west of the Military road, on the farm now occu- pied by George Downs. Joseph H. Downs settled near him and these two were the first settlers in that part of the town. 54 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Mr. Downs was killed by a falling tree. Mr, Webber lived in the town a long time, then moved to Sherman, v^here he still resides and has been engaged in trade for a number of years. All the above mentioned citizens were living in the town at the time of its organization in 1838. Benjamin Either came to Linneus from Bradford, Me., in 1832, and settled on the lot where his son, James F. Either, now I'ves. Here he made a good farm and built a fine set of build- ings. Mr. Either was a framer of buildings and framed many houses and barns now standing in Linneus and adjoining towns. He was long a prominent citizen of the town. Four of his sons are now living on farms in Linneus and many of his descend- ants live in the town and vicinity. His youngest daughter is the wife of Hon. Edwin C. Burleigh, the present Governor of Maine. Nathaniel Goodhue came to Linneus about 1835 and took the lot on which J. D. Gove now lives. Mr. Daniel Cookson had made a small clearing on this lot before Mr. Goodhue bought it. Stephen B. Pattee married a daughter of Mr. Good- hue and lived with him in 1837. He afterward moved to Fort Fa'rfield, where he was engaged in business for many years. Other earl)^ settlers, though somewhat later than those men- tioned above, were Joshua Merrill, who settled west of the Mili- tary road on the lot now a part of the David Tozier farm, and Henry Taylor, who lived on a lot adjoining the Byrom farm and sold to Jackson Carson, who lived on the farm until two years ago, when he moved to the West. Col. Thomas Nickerson set- tled about 1843, on a farm a mile west of the Military road. Col. Benj. Rackliff had made a clearing on this lot and sold to Col. Nickerson who made a large farm and lived here for many years. He was a prominet citizen of the town, and had a large family. His son, E. S. F. Nickerson, settled on what is now the Tozier farm, where he cleared up a large farm upon which he lived for many years and then moved to Houlton. He has since engaged in starch manufacture in Minnesota and is now living in California. After Col. Nickerson's death his son, Frank C. Nickerson, took the farm and carried it on until 1881, when he sold it to Mr. B. F. Bliss and moved to Houlton. He was Deputy Collector of Customs for a number of years and afterwards engaged in trade. He is now llv'ng in Minnesota. David Byrom was an early settler in the west part of the town. He made a fine farm two miles west from the Corner, upon which he lived until his death some six years ago. His HIHTORV OF AROOHTOOK 55 son, Georj^e Byrom, nxjrv/ ".v--^.,- .., i;.:.. V/alla'^i Fer^lason settled about i^;gh.t of Jerem's*'"! 7 t'-.': fi-rr: -.- ht lived for many year ard riade the £x£t clear:r4: ere the Letter A- House n- :e improved the iarm in lin- neus and bu.lt a large ...-.-, ... «.'.ich he kept hotel until his death- His son, Wllliarn H. Howard, •ti'xeeded him and con- tinued to > : h-otei an^d carry or. rhe ' ; 'r.-a» xtr.'^.*^.'; ', -ed the hotel 'ttisiness. . ard ?.;; '.vea tne farm arid biiiit a large 'r>arr. ar.c itao.e ar,d hi . ..... vne of the best farms in the tovi-n. Am.or-g the earlier settlers is Mr. James Ruth, who came from Ireland and settled :r. :."-- ■■ 1835. ?f '^ ^ok the Iv - John T' ' r -. ^' the '.'. of the . . : soon r; . T/here he now lives. Th_i iann , made a comfor:a'r>le r-om^e. He is fjov/ somewhat out of nealth and his son, Sam-oel S. Pvurh, carries on the farm, Daniel McMuIlen also came from Ireland abo-.:t the same time and settled on a lot a little more than a rr. "r. of the comer, v.*?. ere r.e cleared up a gcod farm- I:'. . r. 1879 and his son, John K. McLCullen, now o^r^pies the farm- Mr, Jesse Blunt was for many years one of the act- ive citizens of Linneus. He settled on a lot a snort distance south of the Comer, on the west side of the road and was engaged 'n lumher'ng quite extensively. He mo-/ed to W" scons 'r. some twelve years ago and died there. Mr. V/lllls H. Blther no".' lives on this farm and Is tr.e present tov/n clerk of Linneus. Alezan- cer Gamble and Isaac Cochran v/ere also early settlers, bcrti coming from Ireland and making good farms on ■^.e Military road. Mr. John S. Taylor moved to L'nneus in 1S^2 and took a lot some three miles west of the Comer, Here he made a farm, up-.- lived until his death in 1865, His son, John Ta>v re homestead until he was of age and in 1853 h/ougnt ■■ '-. tvro miles or less north of the Cor- ner, Vihere he ... . .. He was one of ^e selectmen of Linneus for eleven years and collector of taxes for thirteen years, 'I -'.::te Mr. Taylor, lives Capt. Nathaniel Young, T^ " . . 1 from Dover in 1842 and first settled on a : . portions of the town and some twenty years ago bou^t the lot cppos'te Mr. Taylor's and built a neat set of buildings, where 56 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK he now lives with his son. The venerable Captain is now in his 99th year, but is hale and strong and still walks about among his neighbors. He is a pensioner of the War of 1812. Near Capt. Young's is the comfortable home of Mr. Wm. D. Either, one of the oldest living residents of the town. Mr. Either had four sons in the Union Army and is a patriotic citizen. His son, Mr. Charles 0. Either, has a handsome residence nearby. He is one of the active citizens of the town and two years ago rep- resented his class in the State Legislature. Mr. John H. Clough was for many years a resident of Linneus. He was engaged in the construction of the Military road and afterwards settled in Linneus in the west part of the town. He is now an old men and lives with a son in the village of Houlton. Mr. Africa Buck, an early settler, took a lot west of Eenj. Either's, where he made a farm and lived upon it until his death some twenty five years ago. Mr. John Hutchinson settled on the east side of the Military road something over a mile north of the Corner. His farm comprised the farms now owned by John Taylor, Frank Hutchinson, John Stewart, Wm. D. Either and Chas. 0. Either. Mr. Hutchinson lived on this farm some twenty years and removed to Oakfield. Mr. John C. Carpenter came from Corinna in 1841 and set- tled in Haynesville. In 1848 he removed to Linneus and took a lot some distance west of the Military road, where he made a farm upon which he lived until 1869, when he removed to Houlton, where he now resides. Mr. Carpenter was a member of the Board of County Commissioners in 1873. NEW LIMERICK The township lying immediately west of the town of Houl- ton now comprises two incorporated towns, the north half of the township having been incorporated in 1864, as the town of Ludlow, and the south half dating back as a town to 1837, when it was incorporated as the town of New Limerick. This latter half township was granted by the Massachusetts Legislature to the trustees of Phillips Limerick Academy sometime previous to the year 1810. The first settler upon the territory now included in the town of New Limerick was Mr. Samuel Morrison. Mr. Morri- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK "57 30n was born in the town of Wells, in York County, and at the time of the Revolutionary War was old enough to serve as a soldier. He served through the campaign against Burgoyne and was present at the surrender at Saratoga. At the conclusion of -the war he settled in the town of New Limerick in the District of Maine, in which town people from Massachusetts commenced to settle as early as 1775. Here he resided for many years and accumulated some considerable property. After the grant by the Massachusetts Legislature of the half township of land in aid of Limerick Academy, Mr. Morrison purchased of the trus- tees several lots in the grant. The half township was located and surveyed by Major James Irish and was laid off in six par- allel ranges running from east to west, each range being one half mile in width. These ranges were lettered A. B. C. D. E. F. beginning at the northeast of the grant and lettering south on the east line. The lot lines were then run from north to south, di- viding each range into twelve lots, thus making in the grant seventy two lots, each one half mile square and containing 160 acres. The first deed to Samuel Morrison was made in 1810 and was given by "Wm. Swasey of Limerick, County of York and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, physician, in the capacity of secretary for and in behalf of the trustees." The deed declares that "In consideration of $480 to said trustees paid by Samuel Morrison of Limerick, in the county and state aforesaid, hus- bandmen * * * do hereby sell and convey unto the said Samuel three lots of land situated in the County of Washington, be- tween the Schoodock waters and the River St. John, being lot No. 1 in F Range, No. 2 in A Range, and No. 7 in E Range, con- taining 480 acres, more or less, as laid down on the plan of sale." In 1817 Mr. Morrison started with his family on their long journey through the forest to their new home in the wilderness of northeastern Maine. They came with their own teams, bring- ing with them a sufficient supply of provisions to last until a crop could be raised. The family arrived in Houlton in the fall of 1817. Houlton was then in its infancy as a settlement, and con- tained but few families, with small clearings in the forest. The Morrison family remained for a time in Houlton, until a small clearing was made upon the lot in the extreme southeast corner of the town next to the Houlton line, being the lot described in the original deed as lot No. 1, Range F. Mr. Morrison afterwards acquired the lot adjoining this, being lot No. 1, Range E, and upon this lot he built the large square two-story house, which is S'g HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK still standing on the road running from the Military road tcp the Shaw Tannery in New Limerick, the farm being now owned and occupied by Mr. Britton. Isaiah Morrison afterwards set- tled upon Lot No. 7 Range E, now occupied by Mr. Hatfield. Samuel Morrison afterwards purchased three more lots in the half township and these lots, viz: Nos. 4, R, E., 4, R. F. and 3, R. F., containing four hundred and eighty acres, were conveyed to him by Wm, Swasey for $480, the deed being dated Jan. 31, 1818. The Morrisons remained in New Limerick for a number of years and then removed to Linneus, where the descendants of Samuel Morrison still reside. In 1820 True Bradbury and Christopher C. Bradbury of Limerick purchased a large tract of land in the Limerick Acad- emy grant and True Bradbury soon afterwards came to the grant and built a mill on the Meduxnekeag Stream. His bro- ther, Christopher, went at the same time to New Brunswick, where he was for a number of years engaged in the business of wool carding. The Bradburys did not move to New Limerick with their families until 1828, when True Bradbury established his home on the lot now occupied by Stephen Hunter, near where the road from the tannery intersects with the "County Road," so called. The large barn built by Mr. Bradbury is still standing. Christopher C. Bradbury took the lot immediately west of his, now occupied by Edward Hannigan. He lived there for eight years and in 1836 removed to Hodgdon. Mr, Jabez Bradbury, a cousin of True and Christopher, settled on the lot north of Christopher, which lot Is now occupied by C. C. Bradbury, a grandson of True Bradbury, Jabez Bradbury was engaged In building a mill in Hodgdon as early as 1829, but retained his residence In New Limerick for a number of years after that time. True Bradbury remained in New Limerick and engaged In farming and lumbering until his death In 1844. His son, Thomas M. Bradbury, then came into possession of the estate and car- ried on the farm and mill until 1861, when he removed to Houl- ton, where he is now engaged In trade. Another of the early settlers who was for many years a resident of the town and was well known throughout the County, was Capt. Moses Drew, who came from Limerick to the Acad- emy grant In 1820. He first settled near where Mr. George Smith now lives, where he made a clearing, built a house and barn and lived for a number of years. He afterwards took the lot Immediately south of Christopher C, Bradbury, now occu- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK S& pied by Rufus Piper. Here he lived upon this farm until the fall of 1844, when he purchased the lot at the foot of Drew's lake, where he continued to reside until his death in 1877. Mr. Jonathan Hayes had made a small clearing near the lake where the pine grove now stands and there was an old dam at the foot of the lake built for driving purposes. Capt. Drew built a mill at the foot of the lake and also cleared up a farm and built a .good set of buildings. He was also for many years engaged in lime burning, the rock being procured in the adjoining town of Linneus. In 1861 he built the mill which is now standing. After the opening of the road from Houlton Drew's lake was for many years a pleasure resort and Capt. Drew kept a house of ■entertainment and also kept boats for the use of fishing parties. This was before the passage of the Maine law and pond water was by no means the only liquid required by the fishing parties of those days. Capt. Drew was a man of large physique, of a most kindly disposition and an inveterate joker. His son, Moses Drew, now carries on the farm and mill. He has built a new dam and enlarged the mill and in place of the old up-and-down saw, now has a rotary, planer, clapboard machine, lath machine and machine for planing and fitting clapboards. The mill is nine miles from Houlton and the lumber is hauled to Houlton station for shipment. The town of New Limerick was organized April 15, 1837. There were present at the organization. True Bradbury, his sons, Ebenezer C, Aaron N., Moses and Cyrus K., Hall J. Bradbury, son of Ebenezer C, John Dow, Moses Drew, Lemuel Drew, father of Moses, Royal B. Colbroth, John Felch, Joseph Good- enow, Oliver Gould, Jonathan Hayes, Samuel Morrison, Samuel Morrison, Jr., Stephen Randall, Joseph Stimson, Charles Spoon- €r, Moses Philpot, Ira Webber and Ivory Webber. From the valuation list of that year we find that there were 23 resident taxpayers and 59 scholars. There were in the town in 1837, 119 acres of mowing land, 57 acres of pasturing, and 11 acres of tillage. The tillage land was valued at $6.00 per acre and wild land at $1.00. There were 15 horses in the town valued at $30 each; 14 oxen at $20 each; 28 cows at $15 each; 7 head of young cattle and 28 swine valued at $3 each. True Brad- bury was the heaviest taxpayer. His entire valuation, includ- ing one mill valued $10, and 1300 acres of wild land at $1.00 per acre, was $1426, and his tax was $12.27. Of those who were present at the organization of the town we have already spoken of the Morrisons, the Bradburys and the U HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Drews. Most of the others we have been able to trace. John: Dow was a Maine man, a ship carpenter by trade, and went tO' New Brunswick about 1830 to work at that business. He came to New Limerick in 1836 and bought the farms of Christopher C. and Jabez Bradbury. Mr. Dow resided upon the first named farm until his death in 1852. His son, Absolom S. Dow, has been town clerk of New Limerick for many years. He reside.v on a small farm not far from Drew's Lake. Royal B. Colbroth came from Limerick soon after the Morrisons. He married Samuel Morrison's daughter, Mehitable, and settled on the lot adjoining the Morrisons near the New Limerick lake. The farm is now occupied by Hiram Nickerson. Mr. CoP^roth af- terwards moved to Ludlow and died there. John Felch came from Limerick and settled on what is now known as the Mullen farm. Mr. Felch cleared up the farm and was for many years a prominent citizen of the town. He removed to Minnesota in 1856. Joseph Goodenow was an adopted son of Aaron Putnam, one of the pioneers of the town of Houlton, and was living in Houlton when the Morrisons arrived there in 1817. He soon after married Miss Dolly Morrison and removed to New Lime- rick, where he afterwards died. Oliver Gould came from Ber- wick. He is taxed in 1843 with lot 9, Range D, which is the lot next east of the Rufus Piper farm, and part of lots 9 and 10 Range E, north of Drew's Lake. Mr. Gould was the first town treasurer of New Limerick. Jonathan Hayes came from Lime- rick and made the first clearing on the Moses Drew lot at the foot of Drew's Lake. Stephen Randall came from Limerick and settled on the lot next north of the Drew farm. He cleared up the farm and lived on it until his death some ten years ago, Charles Spooner came from Limerick and settled on a part of the lot upon which the tannery is now situated. Mr. Spooner married a daughter of Samuel Morrison. He was the first col- lector of taxes in the town. Simeon Lougee was one of the early settlers and made a farm east of the tannery lot upon which his son now resides. In 1841 Ephraim Nickerson and Benjamin F. Nickerson of China came to New Limerick and bought the Morrison farms. Benj. F. Nickerson afterwards pur- chased considerable land in different portions of the town and was a prominent citizen. Daniel Cookson, James Meservy and Daniel James came about 1840, and James Monahan and Pat- rick Fleming in 1845. The early settlers of New Limerick, like the pioneers of the Houlton settlement, whose nearest neighbor they were, HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 61 ■were subjected to many hardships and privations in their strug- gles to make for themselves homes in this then remote forest region. There were no roads passable by carriages and many of the settlers were obliged to carry grain on their backs to mill and bring back flour to make bread for the r families. The first road opened into the town was the road now leading by the tannery. This road was cut out soon after the settlers com- menced to come upon the town, but was not pasccible for car- riages until long afterwards. In 1840 the "new county road" so called, was opened. This road runs entirely across the town from east to west on the line between Ranges B and C, and now forms a part of the mail route from Houlton to Patten. The establishment of the tannery at New Limerick has resulted in building up quite a little village in the vicinity of that enter- prise and has added much to the business of the town and to its valuation. In the spring of 1875 Messrs. C. and W. I. Shaw of Dexter purchased the lot upon which the tannery now stands, compris- ing 160 acres, and also 3000 acres of hemlock timberland in the adjoining town of Linneus. The south branch of the Medux- nekeag Stream runs through the tannery lot and the Messrs. Shaw first commenced the construction of a saw mill in which to manufacture the lumber for the extensive buildings of the plant. They erected the tannery buildings the same year. The road from Houlton to the tannery runs near New Limerick Lake, or Nickerson Lake, as it is now called. This is a beautiful little sheet of water some two miles or more in length and perhaps a fourth of a mile wide. On the north side of the lake the ground slopes gradually from the road to the lakeside, while on the south it rises in an abrupt wooded bluff to a considerable height, adding much to the beauty of the landscape. This little lake furnishes a pleasant summer resort for the citizens of Houlton and many fine cottages have been erected on its shores. New Limerick is exceptionally well watered and there are pretty little lakes and swift flowing streams in nearly every por- tion of the town. Drew's Lake, a handsome sheet of water some four miles long and two miles wide, lies partly in the southwest portion of New Limerick and partly in the town of Linneus. From this lake flows a branch of the Meduxnekeag River, which after running southward a short distance into Lin- neus, turns again northward and re-enters New Limerick about midway of the south line flowing up by the tannery and then 62 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK turning to the east and flowing on to Houlton and beyond. In the northwest corner of the town is Cochrane's Lake, the outlet of which runs into Bradbury's Lake, a short distance farther to the east, and from the latter lake a considerable stream flows in a southeasterly direction, uniting with the Meduxnekeag branch, a short distance from the tannery. SMYRNA The town of Smyrna was originally Township No. 6, In the third range of townships west from the east line of the State. It is bounded on the north by Township No. 7, R. 3, on the east by the southern part of Letter B, R. 2, town of Ludlow and the northern part of New Limerick, on the south by Oakfield, and on the west by Merrill Plantation. The surface of the town in the southern portion is consider- ably broken, and In some places high wooded ridges or bluffs rise to a commanding height and can be seen from all the sur- rounding towns. Leaving the village of Houlton near the residence of CoL B. H. Putnam, the stage road runs in a westerly direction across the western portion of the town of Houlton, cutting through the "horseback" and passing sonie very handsome farms in that town. It then continues due west for about two thirds of the distance across New Limerick, when it turns to the northwest and skirting the foot of Cochrane's Lake, near TItcomb's mill, leaves New Limerick at the extreme northwest corner of that town and enters Smyrna about half a mile north of the southern line of the town. The road continues across Smyrna In a general westerly course, when it turns to the south and runs in a south and southwesterly course across the plantation of Dyer Brook to Island Falls. The first settler upon the town of Smyrna was Mr. Nehe- miah Leavitt of Royalton, Vt. who came to the town about the year 1830. Mr. Leavitt had, previous to that time, received from the State Legislature, a grant of the township on condi- tion that he should place 100 settlers upon the town within five years, build a saw mill and grist mill and four schoolhouses. The East Branch of the Mattawamkeag runs in a southerly direction entirely across the town near its western line Mr. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK C3 Leavitt made his first clearing on a lot in the southwest part of the town on the bank of the East Branch. He was a minister of the Methodist denomination and induced a number of settlers of that faith to come and make homes upon the new township. IMot having the required number of settlers at the end of five years, he obtained from the State an extension of five years more in which to comply with the conditions of his grant, and near the expiration of this second term he sold his claim upon the town to Messrs. Dunn and Jefferds. Mr. Leavitt continued to live upon his farm until about 1846, when a Western fever broke out, and he, with a number of the other early settlers left for the West. About 1841, Dunn and Jefferds built a sawmill on the €ast side of East Branch, in which there was an up-and-down saw and one run of stones. The mill run for a number of years, but after the building of Gary's mill at Houlton it was aban- doned and allowed to decay. Among the early settlers of the town we have been able to trace the following: John Marley came from England to Boston, and in 1831 moved to Smyrna and settled on the lot where his son, B. T. Marley, now lives. He cleared up the farm and lived on it until his death twenty years ago. Willard Corliss came from Lubec in 1833 and settled on a lot next to the east line of the town. He cleared his farm and lived on it until twelve years ago, when he moved to Wade Plantation, near Washburn. He has been a hunter and trapper in this region for many years. Elias Blodgett came from the western part of the State and settled on the lot where Charles Adams now lives. He afterward took the lot v/here John Rosie now lives. He married a daughter of Nehemiah Leavitt and left for the West with him. Franklin Blodgett, brother of Elias, settled on a lot south of the Marley farm now on the Oakfield road. He also removed to the West. Thomas Adams came from Mir!michi and settled near the east line of the town. He after- ward moved to Linneus, where he lived for many years. Samuel Drew came from Limerick in 1820 and settled in New Lime- rick, where he lived until 1835, when he moved to Smyrna and settled on a lot near the east line of the town. Mr. Drew was a brother of Capt. Moses Drew of New Limerick and was a local preacher of the Free Baptist denomination. He lived in Smyrna until 1866, when he removed to Dyer Brook, where he died some four years later. His son, Moses Drew, bought half the lot south df his father's, where he cleared a farm and built 64 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK: a set of buildings. He lived upon this farm until 1874, when: he bought the lot upon which the Yerxa Hotel now stands. He kept hotel here for twelve years and then bought a lot near the East Branch, where he made a clearing and built the large hotel which he has since kept. Mr. Drew's wife was a daugh- ter of John Marley, and was the first child born in the town of Smyrna. Johnson Frost came from Norway, Oxford County, and settled near the east line of the town. He lived here a number of years and then returned to Oxford County. Thomas Hassett came from Ireland and settled upon the lot upon a part of which the Baptist meeting house now stands. He cleared a large farm upon which he lived until his death, some seven years ago. Alexander Herrick came from Norridgewock and settled on a lot on what is now the Oakfield road. He left the town many years ago. William Irish came from Buckfield, in Oxford County, and settled on the lot where Mr. John Rosle now lives. He cleared a large farm and lived upon it until about 1850, when he removed to Sherman. He afterwards went to the West, where he died a number of years ago. Mr. Irish was a man of considerable ability and force of character. He was for many years a prominent citizen, was a representative to the Legislature and was afterwards a senator from Aroostook County. Enos Leavitt was a nephew of Nehemiah Leavitt. His farm was at Smyrna Centre. He has been dead a number of years. Oramil Leavitt, a broi-her of Enos, had the farm where Edward Estabrook now lives. He moved to Hodgdon and afterwards to Sherman, where he died some years ago. Thomas S. Leavitt,. with his father. Nehemiah Leavitt, Jr., had the farm upon which Henry McGary now lives. He was a land surveyor and in 1836 lotted the town of Smyrna and all deeds in the town refer to his survey. He also went to the West with his father. Luther Laughton settled on the farm upon which Augustus Benn now lives. He did not remain long in the town. Michael Lyon came from Ireland and settled on a lot north of the Centre. He has been dead many years. Gideon Oakes came from Ar- gyle and settled in the east part of the town on a part of what is now the Hemore farm. His daughter is the wife of Dr. T. S. C. Berry. He left the town about 1850. James Perkins came from Parsonsfield and settled on the lot where Wm. Sewall now lives. He cleared the farm and lived upon it for many years. Jonathan Sleeper came from New Hampshire and settled near the Centre. He moved to Sherman about 1850 and HISTORY OP AROOSTOOK 65 died there. His sons, Moses, Daniel P., William T. and Jona- than, Jr., all had farms in Smyrna in 1839. William T. Sleeper became a clergyman of the Congregational denomination and was for a time settled in Sherman. He afterward removed to Caribou and for a number of years published the North Star at that place. He is now pastor of a church in Worcester, Mass. George Taylor came from New Hampshire and settled on a lot near the Mills. He cleared a farm and kept hotel for many years. He removed to the West about 1846. Mr. Charles Wiers now lives on the farm. Sheubael C. West came from Industry and settled on a lot in the east part of the town, where he made a farm. He became insane and was removed to the asylum at Augusta. William Woods came from Rhode Island and settled on the lot now occu- pied by Artemas Leavitt. He did not remain long. Elijah Wiggin settled on the lot now occupied by Amos Noyes. His brother, Ephraim Wiggin, Hived with him and was afterward employed in the mill. They both went West with Nehem.ah Leavitt. Thomas McGary came from Ireland and settled on the farm where I. N. Robinson now lives. He afterward took a lot near the Centre, where he cleared a large farm, upon which he lived until his death some 30 years ago. Ira Webber came from Limerick and lived on a part of what is now the Hemore farm. He soon after removed to Bangor, where he has been a house carpenter for many years. The above named are about all the settlers who were in the town at the time of its incorporation in 1839. Mr. Osgood Pingry came from New Hampshire in 1840 and settled at Smyrna Centre on the farm now occupied by Henry Doniley. He was elected to the Legislature in 1841. He after- ward lived at Smyrna Mills, where he kept a hotel for a number of years. He was also a justice of the peace and was a prom- inent man in the town. Mr. Pingry afterward moved to Island Falls, where he died a number of years ago. Levi Berry moved from Wilton, Franklin County, in 1841, and took the lot upon which Mr. D. D. Hemore now lives. Samuel Dunn had made a small clearing and abandoned it. Mr. Berry cleared this farm and built the buildings now standing. In 1860 he bought of Wm. Briggs the farm upon which Wellington Yerxa now lives and remained upon this farm until his death in 1873. Mr. Berry was for many years a prominent man in the town and was large- ly engaged in lumbering and trading. He built the mills at 66 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK the foot of Cochran Lake now owned by F. W. Titcomb of Houl- ton. His son, Andrew J. Berry, was a small boy when he came with his father to Smyrna, where he has resided ever since. When he became of age he bought the farm upon which Mr. Chas. E. Lilly now lives. There was then but a small clearing on the lot. Mr. Berry cleared a large farm and built a sub- stantial set of buildings. He sold the farm six years ago, re- serving a building lot upon which he built a neat and convenient residence. He is now postmaster and does conveyancing and pension business. Mr. Peleg Berry, a son of Levi Berry, was for some years a merchant in Houlton and has now retired from business on account of ill health. Dr. T. C. S. Berry, another son, was for some years a physician in Houlton, and is now living in the West. Mr. Franklin Ham came to Smyrna about 1856. He first traded for a time at Smyrna Mills and afterward built the East Branch House, on the west side of the river, where he kept a hotel until his death. Mr. Ham was a genial, kind hearted man and had many friends in Aroostook County. He was for some years a member of the board of County Commissioners, and died in 1871, from the effects of exposure while in performance of the duties of that office. The northern half of the town of Smyrna is not settled and is still in its wilderness state. For many years the town of Smyrna was in an unfortunate condition financially and this fact gave it rather an unhealthy reputation. It is now, how- ever virtually out of debt and the tax is but seventeen mills on the dollar. We predict that with the opening of the railroad Smyrna will take good rank both as an agricultural and as a manufacturing town. ASHLAND The town of Ashland, formerly Number Eleven, Range Five, lies due west from the town of Presque Isle, with two ranges of townships between. The stage road from Presque Isle to Ashland follows the curve of the Aroostook River and runs through the northern portion of the towns of Mapleton and Castle Hill, and thence in a southwesterly direction across the corner of Sheridan Plantation to Ashland village. Though quite HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 67 hilly, this road extends through a fertile region for a large por- tion of the way, and in many places the landscape scenery is grand and beautiful. Through Sheridan Plantation not much improvement has been made in the way of making farms, the settlers- along the road through this township being principally French, and the buildings and surroundings being of rather a primitive character. Ashland has for many years been the headquarters of the vast lumbering business of the upper Aroostook, and has played a most important part in the business history of the county. Its prominence as a lumbering centre, and the opportunities af- forded for engaging in that business, have had a tendency to retard its development as an agricultural town, though it is pos- sessed of a fertile soil and is naturally an excellent farming town. Much more attention is now being paid to agriculture, and the resources of the town in that direction are being more fully developed each year. The soil along the Aroostook River in this town is as fertile as any in the county, and there are beautiful intervale tracts upon which large crops of hay and grain are produced. The old stage route from Patten to Fort Kent runs through the western portion of the town, and it is along this road and in the vicinity of the Aroostook River that the settled portion of the town is found. Almost the entire eastern half of the town is still covered with forest, much of it being timberland, but a large portion being suitable for farm- ing purposes. The first settler upon the town was William Dalton, who came to the Aroostook River some t^me about 1830 and settled near the bank of the river upon the lot nov/ included in the beautiful estate of the Dunn Bros, on the west side of the Aroostook, below the mouth of Big Machias. The ruins of the timber house built by this pioneer settler of Ashland are still standing and form an object of interest to the citizens of the town. Dalton remained upon the lot until about 1844, when he sold his improvements to Elbridge G. Dunn and John S. Oilman. This lot is numbered "55" upon the town survey and no men- tion is made of it in the report of the Commissioners who visit- ed the Aroostook in 1844 to inquire into the claims of settlers under the treaty of 1842. In their report made Dec. 25, 1844, the Commissioners recognize the title of Solomon Soule to Lot No. 15, of Thomas J. Page to Lot No. 17, of John S. Oilman and Elbridge 0. Dunn to Lot No. 19, and of Benjamin Howe to Lot No. 44, as "purchasers from the State of Lots improved 68 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK before August 9, 1836. No mention whatever is made of Lot No. 55. In the report of the second Commission, made March 6, 1855, the four lots mentioned above were granted as follows : Lot No. 15 to George W. Smith; No. 17 to Josiah H. Blake; No. 19 to John S. Oilman; No. 44 to Benjamin Howe, and in the same report Lot No. 55, containing 184.30 acres is granted to Elbridge G. Dunn. Not many years after Dalton came to the town Thomas Neal settled on the lot above the mouth of the Big Machias, afterward the homestead of John S. Gilman, and Benjamin Howe settled a few miles farther up the river near the foot of Bols- tridge's Island. In 1838 a company consisting of George W. Buckmore of Ellsworth, William D. Parsons of Eastbrook, James McCaron of New Brunswick, and others, was formed for the purpose of building a mill near the mouth of the Big Machias River. In that year a dam was built across that river some half a mile above its junction with the Aroostook. In the spring of 1839 a high freshet carried the dam away, and in September of the same year a new dam was built and a mill erected. This mill contained an up-and-down saw and also a run of stones and bolt. After a year or two James McCaron bought the mill of the company and after running it some three years sold it to E. G. Dunn and John S. Gilman, who a few years afterwards sold to Fish and True. They operated a few years and sold the mill to J. A. Flint and Ira D. Fish, who continued in pos- session some six or seven years, when Mr. Flint became sole proprietor and a few years later sold to C. W. Clayton, the present owner. The mill formed the nucleus of a little settle- ment here in the wilderness. Quite a number of those who came to work upon it remained, and others were attracted to the town for farming purposes. Luther Butler, one of the oldest living residents of the town, came from Eastbrook, Hancock County, in 1838. After working upon the mill until its completion, Mr. Butler and Mr. Septimus B. Bearce, who came to the town in the spring of 1839, bought of George W. Buckmore the lot upon the east side of the Aroostook River where Mr. Bearce now lives. In 1840 Mr. Solomon Brown came from the town of Greene and made a clearing on the lot next north of Bearce and Butler and a short time afterward Mr. Butler bought his improvement and went to work to clear up a farm, which he still owns. Jabez Dorman and Elbridge Wakefield came in 1838 and worked upon the dam and mill. Mr. Wakefield afterward took HISTORY OP AROOSTOOK 69 up the lot where A. T. Mooers, Esq., now lives, and made the first clearing on this lot. He afterward sold his improvement to Sincla.r, Jewett and March, a firm of lumber operators who cleared up a large part of the lot. Mr. Dorman took the lot next south of the Wakefield lot, where he cleared up a farm upon which he continued to reside until his death, which oc- curred a few years since. Micajah Dudley oi Ch'na came in the fall of 1838 and felled some trees on the lot where R. G. Kalloch now lives. He did not rema.n, however, and in the spring of 1839 Mr. Kailoch, also from China, bought Dudley's improvement and moved in upon the lot. There was then no road to the town, the Aroos- took road at that time being built no farther than Masardis. Mr. Kalloch came with his family by team from Bangor to Masardis, where he made a raft of boards upon which they floated down the Aroostook River to their new home. Mr. Kal- loch has been an active citizen of the town ever since, and in 1842 represented the district in the State Legislature. He died in 1891. In the fall of 1839, the road was cut through from Masardis to Ashland but was not made passable for carriages until some years later. Not long afterward the road v/as cut through to Presque Isle and was then callled the Fairbanks road, as Fair- banks' mill was about all there was of Presque Isle at that time. In 1839, Solomon Soule came in and cleared up the land where Orcutt's hotel now stands, and built a house and com- menced keeping a hotel. A large lumber business was at that time done in the vicinity and the hotel had a good patronage. Mr. Soule afterwards sold the hotel to Mr. George W. Smith, who kept it until his death. His v/idow continued the business lor a number of years and then rented the house to Daniel W. Orcutt, and a few years later to Samuel Jewett. Mrs. Smith afterwards carried on the house herself for a year or two and then sold it to Mr. D. 0. Orcutt, the present proprietor. Mr. D. G. Cook came to Ashland in 1839 and made a clear- ing on the Winslow place a short distance south of Mr. Kalloch's. The next year he moved to the corner of the Presque Isle road and took up the lot on the north side of the road opposite the lot now occucied by A. T. Moores. Here Mr. Cook made a clearing and built a frame house in which he kept public house for a number of years. The first deed of this lot was given to Mr. Cook in accordance with the recommendation of the Com- 70 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK missioners in their report in 1855. In 1858 Mr. Cook sold the property to Stephen P. Hews, and removed to Presque Isle and settled on the Whitcomb farm, a short distance south of Presque Isle village on the Houlton road. Mr. Cook was for many years a prominent citizen of Presque Isle, where he held the office of Trial Justice until his death, which occurred a few years since. In 1840 Mr. Grindall Coffin settled on the lot where Dear- born Bearce now lives, and Mr. Joseph Walker on the lot where Leonard Ellis now lives. It appears by the report of the Com- m ssioners that the north half of lots No. Seven and Ten, lying on opposite sides of the road, was granted to Joseph Walker, and the south half of the same lots to Josiah H. and Leonard H. Ellis. Benjamin Hawes and his brother, Orric Hawes came from Vassalboro about 1840 and took up a lot on the Presque Isle road about a mile and a half from the corner. Orric Hawes remained but a short time and returned to Kennebec County. Benjamin Hawes was for many years engaged in farm'ng and lumbering and was a prominent citizen of Aroostook County. He was sheriff of the county at one time and also served as a member of the Board of County Commissioners. Upon the breaking out of the war he entered the service as Major of the 15th Regiment and soon after the close of the war removed to Kansas, v/here he died a few years since. Mr. Joseph Brackett was another of the early settlers of the town. He came about the year 1840 and settled near the mill. Soon after this Mr. Elbridge G. Dunn and Mr. John S. Oilman, both from Mt. Vernon, came to Ashland and engaged in lumbering and farming. Mr. Dunn afterwards settled upon the Dalton farm on the east side of the Aroostook River, where he made a very fine farm and built a handsome residence, which his son, E. G. Dunn, Jr., now occupies. Mr. Dunn became weal- thy in the business of lumbering and the purchase of timber lands, and in 1870 removed to St. John, where he has since been extensively engaged in the manufacture of lumber. Mr. John S. Gilman was for some years engaged in the lumber business with Mr. Dunn and afterwards with Mr. Hiram Brack- ett. In 1843 he bought the lot opposite the mouth of Big Ma- chias Stream, where he cleared up a large farm, building his farm buildings near the bank of the Aroostook River. Here he continued to reside until his death, and his widow still lives on the old place with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. Charles E. Clark. Mr. A. T. Mooers came from Vassalboro in the fall of 1842. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 71 Mr. Mcoers brought with him a stock of boots and shoes and commenced trading in a building on Bearce's Flat. He after- wards moved the store to a corner of the Presque Isle road and sold it to J. Sinclair & Co., a firm doing a large business, and went into their employ as a clerk. After a few years he formed a co-partnership with Messrs. Jewett & March under the firm name of A. T. Mooers & Co., which continued for ten years. In the meantime he bought the farm where he now resides and in 1863 built a large store with a hall overhead on the corner of the Presque Isle road. Here he continued to trade until the store was burned in August, 1890. Mr. Mooers has long been very much interested in fruit raising and has done much for its encouragement in his vicinity. He is the originator of the Mooers' Arctic Plum, which has proved to be a most valuable plum. The Arctic is a seedling from a plum which Mr. Mooers bought in Quincy Market, Boston. After raising a number of the trees, and proving the excellence of the fruit, he sold the trees to Mr. Sharp of Woodstock, who has since propagated them quite extensively. Mr. Mooers was appointed postmaster of Ashland in 1845, and held the office until after the Cleveland administration came into power. Isaac Hacker came to Ashland from the town of Ch'na, in 1843, and built a store near the saw mill, and a few years later built the store on the corner of the Presque Isle road, where W. P. Bridgham now trades. Mr. Hacker built a mill on the Big Machias Stream, in what is now the plantation of Garfield, adjoining Ashland. This mill contained an up-and- down saw and a clapboard machine. He afterwards sold the mill to Parker and Abner Weeks, who run it for a number of years, when it was burned and has never been rebuilt. Mr. Hacker also built a mill in 1844, at the mouth of the Little Ma- ch'as Stream in Ashland. This was a grist mill, and also con- tained a clapboard and sh'ngle machine. After running a few years, Mr. Hacker sold this mill to Mr. Charles Stewart, who put in an up-and-down sav/ and operated the mill for a number of years, when it returned to Mr. Hacker's possession. It then passed through a number of hands, and was finally purchased by Mr. J. A. Flint, the present proprietor. David Dudley was for some time engaged in business with Mr. Hacker in those early years, and was the first postmaster at Ashland. Mr= J. A. Flint came from Bridgton in 1844 and worked for Is?ac Hacker upon the mill at the mouth of the Little Machias. The road from Ashland to Fort Kent was cut through in the fall 72 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK and winter of 1839, but was hardly passable for teams until about this time. This road as first travelled extended up the east bank of the Aroostook River, by the Butler and Coffin lots, and a ferry was maintained across the river below the mouth of little Machias. In 1846, the bridge was built across the Aroostook and the ferry was then discontinued, the route to Fort Kent now crossing on this bridge and continuing up the west side of the river, crossing the Little Machias near the mill, where another bridge v/as built. In 1844 Mr. Calvin P. Bartlett came from Mt. Vernon and settled on the west bank of the Aroostook River a short dis- tance above the mouth of Little Machias. Mr. Bartlett was formerly engaged in lumbering and now has a very fine farm and has paid much attention to raising good horses. He has now some very fine colts in his stables and pasture. Josiah Blake came from Farmington and bought the Thos. J. Page lot about half a mile south of the village on the Mas- ardis road. This farm is now occupied by Mr. Silas S. Oilman and is one of the finest in the tovvn. Rev. M. R. Keep came to Ashland in 1846. Mr. Keep was born in Swanton, Vt., and was brought up by relatives in Canada. He entered Middlebury College, Vt., and afterwards became a student at the Bangor Theological Seminary, where he graduated in 1846 and imme- diately started out as a missionary to the wilds of northern Maine. For many years he travelled on foot through these for- ests, preaching at the little settlements, extending his journeys away through the woods to Fort Kent and to the settlements at St. Francis and farther up the St. John. Mr, Keep is a man of marked characteristics and of many eccentricities. He has lived in close communion with Nature and cares little for the conventionalities of society. His work has been done mainly among those v/ho had little to give him in recompense and his incentive has been a desire to do good and to carry the consol- ations of religion to those who were unable to purchase them. He will die poor in this world's goods, but rich in the posses- sion of the affection of the many who have been aided by his kindly counsels and tender ministrations in time of trouble. Mr. Peter Dunn came to Ashland about 1849 and was for a time engaged in the lumber business with his brother, Mr. E, G. Dunn. He afterwards operated on his own account and became a large owner of timberlands. About 1860 he bought a fine farm on the west side of the Aroostook River, which he very much improved and where he built a fine stand of build- ings. Mr. Dunn studied law in his younger days and prac- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 73 ticed to some extent. He represented his district at one time in the State Legislature and was for many years a prominent citizen of Aroostook. His death occurred at Ashland in the summer of 1889. Mr. D. N. Rogers was formerly a prominent business man at Ashland. He came to the town about 1851 as clerk for Isaac Hacker. He afterwards bought the business and continued in trade until his death, about the year 1872. His widow con- tinued the business for a time, and then sold to Mr. C. W. Clayton. Mr. Clayton has been engaged in the lumber busi- ness in Aroostook for many years, having formerly lived at Masardis. He came to Ashland in 1870, and bought the mills on the Big Machias Stream. Here he has done a large busi- ness in connection with his son, the firm being C. F. Clayton & Co. In 1878 they built a starch factory near their mill at Ashland, and in 1883 they built another on the Squa Pan Stream in Masardis. In 1886 they built the steam shingle mill at Ash- land. Their saw mill contains a rotary, clapboard machine, planer, lath machine and barrel machinery. They saw about 500,000 feet of long lumber yearly for the local market. They also manufacture 200,000 clapboards yearly, the shipping quali- ties being hauled to Presque Isle and sent by rail to Boston. Here also are made all the barrels used at their two starch fac- tories. In their shingle mill they manufacture in some years as many as three million shingles, the first qualities being shipped by way of Presque Isle to Boston. The firm has opera- tions in the woods every winter, cutting lumber to supply the mills. Mr. Clayton is also largely engaged in farming, having a large farm in the adjoining town of Garfield. Mr. E. R. McKay came to Ashland in 1852 and has been in the employ of the Dunns ever since. He carried on their large farm for thirteen years and scaled in the vvoods during the win- ter season. He has been chairman of the board of selectmen for many years. Mr. McKay built the large two-story build- ing on the corner opposite the hotel and uses the upper story for a residence. The lower story is occupied as a lumber supply store by Dunn Bros. This firm is largely engaged in lumbering and cut from eight to twelve millions yearly on Aroostook wa- ters. Mr. George B. Dunn, the senior member of the firm, occupied the homestead for some time after his father moved to St. John. He afterwards bought the handsome residence of Hon. L. Powers in Houlton, where he has since lived. Mr. E. G. Dunn, Jr., is nov/ the occupant of the estate and is making 74 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK extensive improvements upon the farm and buildings. He* represented his district in the Legislature of 1891. As we approach the town of Ashland from Presque Isle we first come to the large farm of Mr. Hazen Walker, situated upon a beautiful ridge of land and consisting of a succession of fine smooth fields extending away back to the forest growth. After a careful examination of the town and its agricultur- al capabilities, we do not hesitate to say that were the same general attention paid to farming as in towns not so largely en- gaged in the lumbering interest, Ashland wauld be one of the best farming towns in the county. The town was incorporated under the name of Ashland in 1862. In 1869 the name was changed to Dalton, in honor of its pioneer settler, but in 1876 ii was changed back again .to its original name. The popula- tion of the town by the census of 1890 was 568, and the valua- tion was $136,433. The survey of the branch of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad has been completed to Ashland, and when this road is constructed it will largely increase the business of the town and increase the population. HAYNESVILLE About twenty-five miles southwest of Houlton, on the old Military road, is the village of Haynesville, situated near the "Forks" of the Mattawamkeag, or the point where the east and west branches of that river unite and form the main Mattawam- keag River which flows in a southwesterly direction and empties into the Penobscot at Mattawamkeag Point. The establishment of the military post at Houlton in 1828 and the consequent trans- portation of large quantities of suppllies for the garrison at Han- cock barracks attracted settlers to the line of the route over which these stores were carried. The Forks, or as it was spok- en of by Major Clark, the officer in command at Houlton, "the crotch of the Mattawamkeag," was an important point upon the route from the beginning of these operations and the handling of large quantities of supplies at times brought quite a number of men to this point. It is pretty well settled that the first per- manent settler in what is now the town of Haynesville was Mr. William Wilson who came from Somerset Countv in 1828 and settled a short distance east of the forks. His father, Mr. Jona- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 75 than Wilson, came soon after and together they took up the land now included in the farms of Mr. Wm. F. Wilson, Mr. H. G. Tuck and Mr. Charles Irish. They cleared a faim and bu.lt the house in which Mr. Wm. F. Wilson now Lves. Jonathan Willson died many years ago, and his son, William Wilson, continued to live upon the farm until his death in 1882. Immediately upon settling at the Forks the Wilsons opened a house of entertainment, or a stopping place for those whose business callled them to this wilderness region. It was proba- bly a very primitive style of hotel, but was without doubt the first public house opened at the Forks. No road had at that time been built in all this region, and the work of forward.ng sup- plies to the garrison was one of much difficulty. Work was at •once commenced with the view of cutting a road through to Houlton and was at first carried on by the soldiers. This finally resulted in the construction of the Military road, which was com- pleted In the winter of 1832. The opening of this road induced other settlers to establish themselves along its line and to engage in farming and in sup- plying the wants of those whom this new enterprise attracted thither. Mr. Albion Haynes was one of the earliest settlers who came to the Forks, and for him the town was afterwards named. Mr. Haynes settled a short distance below the Forks, near where the Pollard store now stands, and here he kept a hotel for a number of years. Mr, Asa Smith afterwards kept the hotel, but subsequently moved to Mattawamkeag. In 1832 Messrs Hall and Leighton built a hotel on the hill about two miles below the Forks. They afterwards built a hotel near where the Military road crosses the Mattawamkeag river, on the lot where Mr. Wm. H. Chambers now lives. About the year 1840, Mr. Daniel Cummings came from Cape Elizabeth and took the hotel on the hill below the Forks which he kept for many years. In 1853, Mr. R. B. Campbell came from Boston and took the Cummings' hotel and Mr. Cummings built a house nearby, v/here he lived until his death some ten or twelve years ago. Mr. Campbell also carried on a large farm in connection with the hotel. He was a m.an of much energy and force of character and was withal an intense Union man during the war. So strong were his sentiments in this respect that he has been known to order guests from his house during the time of the war for uttering disloyal sentiments and even to threaten them with forcible ejectment if they did not depart at once. Mr. Campbell continued to keep the hotel until his death some 7^ HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK twenty years ago. Mr. Jeremiah Blaisdell was in Mr. Camp- bell's employ for many years and was well known to all patrons 01 the house. After Mr, Campbell's death his son, Frank Camp- bell, continued in the house for a number of years, when it was sold to Mr. E. F. Hillman, who died some five years ago. Mr. L. L. Wiers now has the house. In the olden time, before the era of the railroad, the old Military road was the principal route for communication with Aroostook County, and nearly all the supplies for this upper country were hauled over this road. Large lumbering opera- tions v/ere carried on in its vicinity and great quantities of sup- plies for the camps v;ere hauled from Bangor. The road was also the mail route from Houlton to Bangor and passenger coaches, always well loaded, ran upon the line. This large amount of travel gave business to many hotels along the line and tor many years no better houses of entertainment could be found in the State than were kept along the old Military road. Mr. Reuben Ordv/ay of Bangor was an early proprietor of the mail route from Houlton to Mattawamkeag and in 1840 Mr. Eben Woodbury came to Houlton and took charge of the line. In 1847, the firm of Woodbury and Bailey v/as formed and this firm owned the route until 1868, doing a large business, especial- ly during the years of the v/ar. In 1868 the route was sold to Mr. Asa Smith of Mattawamkeag, who in 1870 sold to the East- ern Express Co. This company put on a fine line of coaches, each drawn by four fleet horses, frequent changes being made, and the running time being ten miles an hour. Upon the exten- sion of the railroad to Houlton In 1872, the mails were trans- ferred to the N. B. R. R. Co. Freight and passengers also sought the same route and the glory departed from the old Mili- tary road. Most of the hotels along the road have now been abandoned and a way mail is now carried with one horse from Haynesville to Kingman every other day. The road Is now but comparatively little used and a generation has grown up, to wh'ch the busj^ scenes and immense traffic on this old highway are now but matters of history and tradition. Mr. L. D. Wyatt took the hotel at the Forks many years ago and kept it for some time and afterwards built a new hotel on the corner near Mr. John H. Brov/n's. This house was after- wards burned. In 1853, Mr. Wyatt built the hotel now kept by Mr. L. H. Whittier, and after carrying on the business for a number of years sold to Mr. Gorham Rollins. This house af- terwards passed through a number of hands and In 1880 was HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 77 purchased by Mr. Whittier, the present proprietor. Mr. Richard Smith took the hotel near the bridge after Mr. Wyatt left it and in 1865 sold to Wm. H. Chambers, who still owns the proper- ty, but does not now keep the house open to the public. Mr. Isaac Bradbury was one of the early settlers of the town. He came from Saco and settled on the line of the Military Toad a mile north of the bridge. He cleared a farm and lived on it until his death some thirty years ago. Mr. J. C. Patchell now lives on a part of this farm and Mr. Simeon Irish has the remainder. Mr. Samuel Tuck came to Haynesville from Norridgewock in the early days of the settlement. He first settled on the Military road some two miles north of the bridge, on the farm upon which Mr. Edwin Bedel now lives. He afterwards moved to a lot a mile and a half from the corner on the ferry road, where he lived until his death some twenty-five years ago. Judge Tuck was a prominent man here for many years and was well known throughout southern Aroostook. He was a land sur- veyor and also justice of the peace, and was for some tim.e judge of probate of Aroostook County. Mr. Albert Mitchell now lives upon the old Tuck homestead. Mr. Andrew Calkins was also an early settler who lived for some time on the ferry road north of Judge Tuck's, but moved away many years ago. Mr. Abner B. Hall was one of the pioneers of the town and first settled on the lot where Mr. John H. Brown now lives. He lived upon this farm until 1847, when he moved to a lot on the Military road, half a mile south of the corner, where he lived a number of years and then moved to a lot a mile and a half north of the bridge, where he lived until his death some twenty years ago. Mr. John H. Brown, now one of the leading citizens of Haynesville, came when a boy with his father from China and lived in Linneus for a number of years. In 1847, he came to Haynesville, being employed by the firm of Woodbury and Bai- ley, of Houlton, proprietors of the stage line, to take charge of their horses at the Forks. In 1852 Mr. Brown purchased the Abner B. Hall farm, upon which he has since resided. When Mr. Brown bought the farm there was but little cleared upon it. He has since greatly extended the clearings and improved the buildings and now has a fine, smooth and well cultivated farm and a neat and convenient set of buildings. The soil is of an alluvial character, is free from stones and produces well. Mr. 7g HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Brown has been town clerk and treasurer since 1858, and post- master since 1878. • -.o^'r Mr. Charles E. Gilman took the hotel at the Forks m 1847 and kept it for three years, when he moved to a farm on the ferry road. He remained there a few years and then removed to Houlton. r - -.oAo J u -u Mr. Watson D. Bean came from Bancroft m 1848 and built a store opposite the Chambers' Hotel and was engaged in trade a number of years. He afterwards moved to Passadumkeag, where he died. Mr. Levi Ricker of Bangor took the Bean store in 1853 and after trading there three or four years, returned to Mr. Levi B. Pollard came to Haynesville about 1855, hav- ing formerly kept the Ramsdell Hotel in Macwahoc. He after- wards bought of Mr. Asa Smith the Albion Haynes_ place at the Forks. Mr. Pollard was largely engaged^ in farmmg, trad- ing and lumbering and was a prominent business man for a number of years. He died at Haynesville some six years ago. Mr. Samuel Hodgdon was at one time one of the leading business men of the town. He came from Brewer about 1860 and built a store near the hotel. He carried on a large business in lumbering and trading for a number of years and afterwards returned to Brewer. Mr. William H. Chambers came from Chester about 1865 and bought the hotel of Mr. Richard Smith. The house was burned in 1870 and Mr. Chambers at once rebuilt. He died four years ago and his son, Mr. Alfred G. Chambers, now has the property, but does not now keep a public house. Haynesville formerly included Leavitt Plantation (No. 3, R. 2) which lies immediately north, but this township was set off in 1877 and now has no organization. The Military road en- ters Haynesville near its northwest corner and runs in a south- easterly direction parallel to and a short distance east of the east branch of the Mattawamkeag. A short distance below the Forks the road turns at a right angle to the southwest, and, crossing the Mattawamkeag, continues on in that direction across the town. Above the Forks are some very good farms along the Military road. In the northern part of the town the land is somewhat rough and broken and difficult of cultivation, but nearer the Forks it is much better adapted to agricultural purposes. The village of Haynesville is a neat and pleasant village with a number of very handsome residences, and is very pret HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 79 illy located near the bank of the Mattawamkeag. The transfer of the large carrying trade and extensive travel from the Mili- tary road to the railroad has very much interfered with the busi- ness of the town. The population of the town m 1890 was 280,, and its valuation was $68,684. FORT FAIRFIELD Fort Fairfield is one of the historic towns of the County of Aroostook and its history dates away back to the stirring and exciting times of the Aroostook War. Indeed what may be called the "ancient history" of the town antedates that blood- less struggle by many years. The town as now organized in- cludes what was formerly Township D, Range 2, and also the township immediately north of it known in the ancient annals as Plymouth Grant. The earliest history of the present town of Fort Fairfield has to do with this last named township. In the year 1806 the good people of the town of Plymouth, Mass., wishing to build a breakwater to protect their harbor from the surging waves of old ocean, applied to the General Court of that good old Commonwealth for aid in their undertaking] The State thereupon granted them a township of land to contain 36 square miles in the far-off wilderness of the District of Maine. The resolve making this grant to the town of Plymouth was passed on March 4th, 1806, and the deed was executed by the authorized agents of the State of Massachusetts on December 19, 1807. In this deed the grant is described as "a certain tract of land lying in the County of Washington, equal to the contents of six miles square as the same was surveyed by Charles Tur- ner, Junior, Esquire, in the year eighteen hundred and seven. Bounded as follows, viz. : — Beginning at a beech tree marked S. E. C. P., standing on the eastern boundary of the District of Maine, fifty five miles north of the source of the Schoodic Wa- ters, and running north, thirteen degrees east, six miles to a fir tree marked sixty one miles, thence running west, thirteen de- grees north, six miles to a stake, thence running south thirteen degrees west six miles to a maple tree marked S. W. C. P., thence running east, thirteen degrees south, six miles to the beech tree first mentioned, together with all the islands in those parts of the Aroostook River which are included within the ^0 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK aforesaid bounds, together with all the privileges and appurten- ances thereto belonging, excepting and reserving for the use of the Commonwealth, and as a common highway forever, the main channel of the said River Aroostook, in its course through the said Township, the said Township containing twenty three thousand and forty acres, including the River Aroostook running through the same, as will more fully appear on a Plan of said Township, now lodged in the Office of the aforesaid Agents." The deed contained the usual conditions in favor of all set- tlers who might have settled on the tract previous to January 1, 1784, (This provision was made necessary by the treaty of 1783.) and provided for the setting apart of lots for the first settled minister and for the ministerial and school fund. It also bound the grantees to "settle in said tract twenty families within six years, including those now settled thereon." This deed is signed by John Read and Wm. Smith, as agents for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and witnessed by Geo. W, Coffin and Moses Greenleaf. It will be seen that the deed describes the township as surveyed by Charles Turner, Jr. It appears, however, by well attested documents that Park Holland also surveyed the town- ship Nov. 6th, 1807, which was previous to the date of the deed. Why the two surveys were made in the same year does not ap- pear, but it is a fact well known to the older residents of the town that there were two well defined lines on the northern side of the town, each of which was afterwards claimed as the true line, and that important lawsuits grew out of this double line. The courts decided that the southernm.ost of the two was the true line. When the boundary line between Maine and New Bruns- wick was run, after the Ashburton treaty, it cut off a slice about half a mile in width from the entire eastern side of Plymouth Grant, as surveyed by Holland and Turner. The western line of the Grant remains the same. Hence, when Township D., immediately south of Plymouth, was afterwards run out, measur- ing six miles wide from the boundary line, it extended some half mile farther to the west than Plymouth, which accounts for the "jog" in the town of Fort Fairfield, where the two townships join. No authentic history that I can find places any white man on the town now Fort Fairfield previous to this survey of Hol- land's in 1807. The oldest settler on the town of whom we have any reliable record was Michael Russell, who came up the river HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 81 from New Brunswick in 1823 and settled on the south side of the Aroostook River a short distance above the falls, on the Plymouth Grant. Other early settlers who came from New Brunswick and settled along the Aroostook River in Plymouth Grant, on the south side of the river, are the following: Name Date of Settlement Anthony Kean , 1829 Daniel Turner 1832 William Turner 1832 William White 1829 Bernard McLaughlin 1829 William Bishop 1831 Amos Bishop 1831 Job Everett 1835 Thomas Bolier 1834 John Lovely 1837 Alfred Giberson 1837 John Twoddle 1838 Patrick Finlan 1839 George Murcheson 1840 David Ross 1841 William Everett 1841 North side of river. Peter Fowler 1827 Margaret Doyle 1827 William Lovely 1827 Samuel Davenport 1829 Daniel McLcUghlin 1831 Thomas Wh'ttaker 1832 James Rogers 1833 Thomas Rogers 1833 Charles Walton 1834 Robert Whittaker 1835 Richard McCarty 1836 Joseph Davenport 1836 Thomas Armsden 1836 Justin Gray 1837 Thomas Gibney 1838 Henry Heard 1838 Samuel Farley 1839 David Boober 1839 Charles Boober 1839 82 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK William Houlton 1839 Brinard Guigey 1840 Edward Gu'ggey 1840 Very early in the settlement came James Fitzherbert, af- terwards famous in the history of the Aroostook War, and set- tled at the mouth of Fitzherbert Brook, now called the Haines Brook, in what is now the lowervillage. His home was in Township D, as the Aroostook River here bends to the south for a short distance, then turning northward again and entering the Plymouth Grant. Fitzherbert was followed by John Dorsey and Benj. Weeks, who also came from New Brunswick and settled on the south side of the Aroostook River. Dorsey's log house was near the river, a few rods below where the railroad station now stands. Weeks' house was near the mouth of what was then known as the Weeks Brook, on the spot where J. A. Fisher's dwelling now stands, near the middle of the village. About 1830 also came David Burchell, J. W. White, an old English soldier, and John Rediker. These settlers all made homes at points near the river which was their only highway, as there were then no roads and the whole country was a track- less wilderness except where the logging roads of the lumber- men led in winter to the river. They made small clearings and raised little in the way of crops at first, depending mainly for support upon cutting the shore timber and floating it to Fredericton, where they bought supplies and boated them back up the river to their homes in the forest. After a time they cleared sufficient land to enable them to raise a few oats and small quantities of hay to sell to the lumbermen who had operations in this vicinity. Up to this t'me the settlement was a provincial colony and the settlers acknowledged allegiance to the New Brunswick government. The land upon which they had settled was a part of the dis- puted territory, and New Brunswick claimed and exercised jur- isdiction over it. The time was near at hand, however, when this fair and fertile region was to become a part of Yankee land, and when the American Eagle could soar in triumph over the greenwood and perch undisturbed in the lofty forest trees. In 1838, Gov. Fairfield sent an agent named Buckmore to this region to ascertain what operations provincial lumbermen were making on the territory claimed by Maine. As much tres- passing was found, Sheriff Strickland and Land Agent Mcln- tyre started with a posse to arrest or disperse the trespassers. In February, 1839, the posse came down the Aroostook Riv- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 83 er on the ice from Masardis, and camped at the mouth of the Little Madawaska River in the present town of Caribou. Mc- Intyre and a few companions came on down the river to Fitz- herbert's to pass the night. A large number of the trespassers had collected at Tobique (now Andover) and it is thought that Fitzherbert sent them isformation that the Maine officers were at his house, for during the night a squad of them came up the river and captured Mclntyre and took him away to Fredericton. Strickland fortunately escaped and started in hot haste for Augusta, leaving the posse in command of Capt. Geo. W. Towle, with orders to proceed across "the Reach" on the Aroostook River in the present town of Presque Isle, near where Jacob "Weeks now lives. There were some sixty two-horse teams loaded with men, arms and supplies. They went across the portage as ordered, but instead of stopping at the Reach, as soon as they struck the ice on the Aroostook they turned their horses' heads up river and dashed on in hot haste and made no stop of any length until they were back in their old camp at Masardis. A poet of the period thus describes this masterly "advance to the rear" of the posse: "Then shook the ice so smooth and even, Fast rushed the teams past Number 'leven. And ere the clocks had pointed seven They halted at Masardis." Col. McLaughlin, a provincial officer of high standing, and warden of the disputed territory, proceeded to Masardis and or- dered the posse off the territory, whereupon, in retaliation for the capture of Mclntyre, our brave troops placed him under ar- rest and posted him off to Bangor. Fitzherbert was also arrest- ed soon after and taken to Bangor. A part of the posse under Capt. Towle soon afterwards returned down the river and estab- lished a military post which they named Fort Fairfield, in honor of Gov. John Fairfield. The detachment was under the com- mand of Capt. Wm. P. Parrott of Massachusetts, until Novem- ber, 1839, when Capt. Towle resumed command. They built two block houses, one on what is still known as Fort Hill, and the other on a knoll about a quarter of a mile distant, near where the covered bridge now is. They also stretched a boom across the Aroostook River opposite this last named block house, for the purpose of stopping and holding the timber cut by provin- cial operators, whom the State of Maine regarded as trespass- 84 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK The Maine posse remained at Fort Fairfield until rel'eved by United States troops in 1841, Capt. Towle having been in the meantime succeeded in the command by Capt. John B. Wing. In 1841, a company of United States Infantry came up from Hancock barracks at Houlton, under command of Capt. Van Ness, the second in command being Lieut. Ricketts, who after- wards as Major General Ricketts, won fame in the War of the Rebellion. General Ricketts now lies in an honored grave in the National Cemetery at Arlington Heights. The other officers were Lieut. Michaels, Lieut. McCall, Surgeon Coolidge and Major Graham, Paymaster. These troops built a stockade around the block house on Fort Hill, within which they erected quarters for the soldiers, and outside the enclosure they built a spacious and substantial building for officers' quarters and several other buildings for the Commissary and Quartermaster's Department, allso black- smith, sutler's store, etc. Mr. W. Holman Cary was sutler of the post. The stockade was built by standing timbers twelve or fifteen feet long on end in the ground, and on the inside, square timbers were laid horizontally one upon the other to the height of four or five feet. Against these timbers, on the inside, a thick embankment of earth was thrown up. All remains of the block house and also of the stockade have since been re- moved with the exception of the embankment, or parapet, which still remains. It is six sided and is something more than one hundred feet in length on each side. The building erected for officers' quarters is still standing in a good state of preserva- tion. It is owned by Dr. Decker and occupied by himself and other families as dwellings, and contains three tenements. The company of regulars remained until 1849, when they returned to Hancock barracks in Houlton. The attention of the people of Maine was thus called to this fertile region, and some of the original posse remained and took up land and made themselves homes. Mr. Joseph Fisher, an old and well-known citizen of Fort Fairfield, who died on April 15, 1890, came with the company of regulars in the capacity of waiter for the officers' mess. When the troops left, Mr. Fisher remained, and lived at Fort Fairfield until his death. , The clearings made immediately after the Aroostook War were all on Township D, which is now the south half of the town. In the meantime, the road from Presque Isle, or Fair- banks, as it was then called, to Fort Fairfield had been cut HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 85 through by the State and settlers commenced to make clearings along the road. J. Tucker came from Orono and took up a lot near where the Union Meeting House now stands at the junction of the Presque Isle and Houlton roads, then called "the two mile tree," it being two miles from the river at Fort Fairfield. George A. Nourse of Hallowell, now a lawyer in California, took up the lot which is now the Rollins farm. William Whit- ney and his two sons from Corinth made a clearing on what is now called Whitney Hill, about three miles from the village, taking up several lots. Levi Hoyt commenced a clearing about the same time on the west side of the hill. B. D. Eastman and his brother Otis settled on the lots next beyond, toward Presque Isle, and one Bragdon from Corinth, settled on the farm now occupied by Stephen Conant. D. G. Palmer and Jonathan Hop- kinson from Kennebec County, took lots next to the Presque Isle line, and Henry Currier commenced a clearing back in the woods north of the Presque Isle road. These men all came soon after the settlement of the boundary dispute and were the first Maine settlers on the town, the earliest settlers having, as we have said, all come up the river from Nev/ Brunswick. At about the same time a settlement was commenced at what is now called Maple Grove in the south part of the town, on what is now the road from Fort Fairfield to Baine. Sanford Johnson settled on what is now the Judge Cum- mings farm, E. P. Whitney on the James Johnson farm, and Hiram Stevens, who came in with the posse, cleared up what is now the Thurlough farm. J. Wingate Haines came from Kenne- bec County and took up the fine large tract now included in the splendid farm occupied by his son, A. L. Haines, the present member of the board of agriculture from Aroostook. Freeman Ellis first took this lot and made a clearing and Mr. Haines bought his improvement. Deacon Edward S. Fowler, Addison Powers, Isaac Ellis, Leonard Spooner and Freeman Ellis, all from Piscataquis County, took lots along south of Mr. Haines, away to the south line of the town. Deacon Fowler, Isaac F. Ellis, and Addison Powers moved their families to the town in 1843. They, with Freeman Ellis, made a chopping of forty-five acres in the adjoining corners of their four lots, eleven acres on each lot, but all in one clearing. They built a camp tv.^entv feet square, in which the four families lived while sep- arate houses could be built, and in this camp the Congregational Church of Fort Fairfield was organized, in October, 1844. Gen. Mark Trafton of Bangor was sent in by the U. S. Gov- 86 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ernment in 1843 and established a Customs House at Fort Fair- field, where he remained for about twelve years, and then re- turned to Bangor. His son, John B. Trafton, then a young law student, came in the spring of 1844, and opened a law office and also engaged in lumbering and farming. Mr. Trafton has for many years been one of the foremost citizens of the town and also a well known member of the Aroostook Bar, as well as a prominent man in the councils of the Democratic party. We are indebted to him for much valuable information in regard to the early settlement of the town. The settlement increased very slowly for a number of years and was subjected to all the hard- ships and privations incident to a pioneer settlement in the wil- derness. During the time the troops were here the settlers did much of their trading at the sutler's store and after the dispute was settled traded down the river at Tobique and Fredericton. W. H. Gary, the sutler, remained and kept a few goods for a num- ber of years and was the first postmaster of Fort Fairfield. He afterwards sold out to R. & A. McBrien, who came from Houl- ton and traded on a somewhat larger scale. They failed about 1850, and John McClusky, afterwards Colonel of the 15th Maine Regiment, bought the store and employed A. L. Wellington to carry it on. Mr. McClusky afterwards sold the store to John Allen of Presque Isle. Mr. Allen sold to A. C. Cary who opened a large stock of goods in 1863 and has ever since been one of the principal merchants of Fort Fairfield. Dudley F. Leavitt of Bangor, who accompanied the Maine posse in the capacity of storekeeper, secured the passage of a resolve in the Maine Legislature soon after the treaty, giving him some ten or twelve lots of 160 acres each in aid of building a sawmill. He afterwards sold out to Timothy Frisbee and S. B. Pattee, who built a sawmill on the Fitzherbert Brook. A. P. Heywaod of Houlton bought Frisbee out and continued in part- nership with Pattee for several years, when he retired, and the firm became Pattee — Hyde. Mr. Stephen B. Pattee was a prom- inent citizen of Fort Fairfield. He was three times elected to the Legislature and was local agent for State lands in Northern Aroostook. He was appointed Deputy Collector of Customs at Ft. Fairfield in 1849, and held the office four years. He was re- appointed in 1861 and resigned after two years' service. He died at his home in Fort Fairfield March 2, 1866, aged 52 years. The first grist mill was built about 1858 by Randall and Foster from Montville. It was located on the east side of the HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 87 brook opposite the Pattee sawmill. This was burned a few years ago and the privilege was sold to W. A. Haines, who built a new mill wh:ch he still occupies. The first school in town was a private school opened as early as 1845 by a Miss Thompson, in one of the tenements va- cated by the troops. Miss Polly Eastman also opened a private school about the same time in the Maple Grove settlement. Miss Heywood, a sister of Mr. A. P. Heywood, afterwards taught a school in the block house on Fort Hill and was followed by Miss Agnes Johnson, now Mrs. A. C. Paul, who taught in the block house in 1848. The block house was also used in those early days for holding religious meetings. We have stated that all the earliest settlers of the town came from the Province of New Brunsw'ick up the St. John and Aroostook Rivers and settled along the banks of the Aroostook River. Some of these settlers had grants from the British Gov- ernment and many of them were squatters on what they sup- posed to be British territory. After the treaty of 1842, there was an uncertainty about the titles of these settlers who had thus without being consulted been transferred from the jurisdic- tion of the British Crown to that of the government whose em- blem was the Stars and Stripes of free Columbia. In February, 1843, when Edward Kavanagh was acting Governor of Maine, the legislature passed "Resolves authorizing the appointment of commissioners to locate grants and determine the extent of possessory claims under the late treaty with Great Britain." Under these resolves Gov. Kavanagh appointed Philip Eastman, John W. Dana and Henry W. Cunningham as commis- sioners. Similar resolves were also passed by the Legislature of Massachusetts, and Samuel C. Allen, John Webber and Sam- uel Jones were appointed as commissioners from that State. After investigating the claims of settlers on the St. John River, which was done partly in 1843 and completed in 1844, one com- missioner from each State came to the mouth of the Aroostook River on the 17th of October, 1844. Both States had, in the February preceding, passed additional resolves extending the powers and duties of the commissioners. The two who came to the Aroostook proceeded through all the settlements along the river as far up as Masardis, and carefully examined each settler's claim. Lots were set off to all settlers "whose improvements had been commenced within six years before the date of the Treaty of Washington," and also to those holding grants from the British Government. As an instance of the red tape re- 88 HISTORY OP AROOSTOOK quired in doing business when two governments are concerned we may here state that as the commissioners wished to obtain copies of the grants made by Great Britain, to aid them in their work, one of them, in May 1843, went to Fredericton bearing a letter from Gov. Kavanagh to the Lieut. Governor of New Brunswick, requesting copies of the grants. The New Bruns- wick governor declined to comply with the request coming from the State Executive, but suggested that the application should be made by the President of the United States, through the British Minister at Washington. In June, 1843, Gov. Kavanagh addressed a request to the Secretary of State at Washington, by whom it was presented to the British Minister, and by him transmitted to the home government in England. In July, 1844, the copies were furnished to the Secretary of State at Washing- ton and by him transmitted to the Governor of Maine, who sent them to the commissioners. All this formal correspondence be- tween two nations was required in order that an Aroostook set- tler might have a valid title to his farm. The "metes and bounds" were then set off and the settlers title was fully con- firmed. Very soon after the treaty the Plantation of Letter D. was organized. This included all the settlers along the Aroostook River in Township D, Plymouth Grant and Eaton Grant. Sub- sequently Eaton Grant was organized as Eaton Plantation, and Plymouth Grant as Sarsfield Plantation, Letter D alone retaining the old organization. Thus they remained until 1858, when "D" was incorporated as the town of Fort Fairfield, and a few years later Sarsfield Plantation was annexed to it, forming the town as it is today. Settlers from different parts of the State began to come into the town soon after the treaty. In August, 1844, Charles R. ■ Paul came from Solon and commenced blacksmithing in the old government blacksmith shop. Mr. Paul is still alive at the ripe age of seventy-tv/o and is one of the sterling citizens of Fort Fairfield. His wife, Mrs. A. C. Paul, is a prominent temper- ance worker and an active member of the non-partizan W. C. T. U. The county settled very slowly until after the editorial ex- cursion of 1858, when quite a tide of immigration set in. Many lots were taken up in Fort Fairfield and adjoining towns and new clearings were made in every direction. Many of these new comers had not sufficient courage to stay and fight the battle to a finish, but most of those who had the required "sand" mSTORY OF AROOSTOOK 89 are today independent farmers with comfortable homes and broad, fertile fields. The first schoolhouse in the town was built in 1859, on the hill about opposite the railroad station and about the same time the Union Meetinghouse at the junction of the Blaine and Presque Isle roads was commenced. During the three or four years immediately preceding the war the population of the town received quite an increase. Many new farms were commenced which today are among the finest in the town, new stores were opened in the village and the outlook was most encouraging. But in the early sixties, when the country called her sons to rally for the defence of the old flag, many of these sturdy pioneers left their new homes and "fell in" to swell the ranks of the "three himdred thousand more" who hurried forth to answer the call of "Father Abra- ham." The severe drain of the war was especially felt by these new Aroostook towns and, during its continuance, a check was put upon their growth and development. This, however, was more than compensated for by the good times that followed the return of peace, when a new im- petus was given to immigration and during the decade from 1860 to 1870 the population of Fort Fairfield was more than doubled. From that time to the present, its growth has been steady and continuous. New business enterprises have been started from time to time and the fine agricultural resources of the town have been developed to a wonderful degree. Like the other towns in the Aroostook Valley, Fort Fairfield received a mighty impetus from the opening of the railroad. A branch of the New Brunswick ra'lway was completed to the village in 1875, which entirely revolutionized the business methods of the town and brought the producers of this fertile region into com munlcation with the markets of the outside world. Starch factories were erected and large tracts of rough, stumpy land, hitherto used only as pasture, were cleared and smoothed for the potato crop and then seeded down to broad fields" whose clean and even surface was fitted for the working of farm machinery. Potato buyers for the outside market soon discovered the excellence of the Aroostook tuber and thus the bus'ness of shipping potatoes v^as established and today Fort Fairfield is the most prominent shipping point for potatoes north of Houlton. The village of Fort Fairfield is mainly located on a high intervale on the south side of the Aroostook River, though the iO HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK village corporation includes both sides of the river and quite a number of citizens live upon the north side. The plain upon which the business portion of the village is built is quite nar- rov/, the land rising somewhat abruptly at a short distance from, the river, and the frowning parapets of Fort Hill overlook the main business street and remind us of the stirring times when two great nations were arming for a war about their line fences- Owing to the formation of the land the village extends for about two miles along the banks of the beautiful Aroostook River, nearly all the business houses being located on this one main street. Although the buildings are nearly continuous for the entire distance, yet the citizens speak of the upper and lower village, the dividing point being perhaps about by the railroad station, and Hair.es' Mill being the central point of what is spoken of as the lower village. The majority of the stores are in the upper part of the town. Hardly had thiS beautiful village got well started in the new era of prosperity following the advent of the railroad, when it was visited by a disastrous fire. In the spring of 1879, nearly all of the business portion of the town was consumed by a con- flagration which left only a heap of smoking ruins where a few hours before stood a thriving and prosperous village. It was a severe blow, but the citizens rallied at once and, in no way dis- heartened or discouraged, commenced to rebuild in a more sub- stantial manner. A second fire occurred in 1883, which swept over nearly the same territory and inflicted severe loss of property. Again the citizens went to work with courage and energy and erected the fine stores and blocks which now adorn this pleasant village. In an agricultural point of view, Fort Fairfield Is one of the best towns in the Aroostook Valley. The southern portion of the town, formerly Township D, Range 2, is a solid block of ex- ceptionally good farming land, with very little waste territory. The surface of this tract is composed of swells of land, but is not broken by abrupt hills to any extent. It is well watered and is covered all over with large and well cultivated farms, occupied for the most part by intelligent and progressive farm- ers. The Fitzherbert Stream runs the entire length of this town- ship in a northerly direction parallel with and a short distance from the New Brunswick line. The northern portion of the town, formerly Plymouth Grant, and subsequently Sarsfield Plantation, lies for the most part on the north side of the Aroostook River, although the river enters "HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 91 the township well up on its western side, whence it flows in a southwesterly direction to the village, leaving quite a large cor Jier of the township on the south side of the river. The town of Fort Fairfield was incorporated March 11, 1858. In 1860, the population was 901, which was more than doubled in the next decade. In 1880, the population was 2807 and the valuation of the town was $468,471. The population by the census of 1890 was 3526 and the valuation was $893,593. Fort Fairfield has a splendid future before it and its en- terprising and public spirited citizens are deserving of success. PRESQUE ISLE The present town of Presque Isle includes two entire town- ships and is therefore twelve miles long and six miles in width "and contains seventy-two square miles. The south half of the town was originally Letter F, Range 2, and the north half was Letter G, in the same range. Until 1883, Presque Isle comprised but one township — Let- ter F, the north half of the present town, or Letter G, being known for some years previous to that time as the good town of Maysville. The first settler who established himself permanently upon Letter F township was Mr. Dennis Fairbanks, who cut the first tree on the territory now included in the village of Presque Isle about the year 1828. Mr. Fairbanks was formerly engaged in trade in the town of Troy, in Waldo County, to which place he removed from Winthrop about 1825. His brother, Col. Joseph Fairbanks, came to Farmington as early as 1793, and continued to reside in that town until his death by a fall from a wagon, on Sept. 12, 1831. Joseph Fairbanks was a prominent citizen of the town, holding numerous military and civil offices and twice represented his town in the General Court of Massachu- setts. He was also a member of the Senate of Maine in 1824. Soon after coming to Letter F, Mr. Dennis Fairbanks made a clearing on the bank of Presque Isle Stream near the present iriill site, and afterwards obtained from the State a grant of a mile square of land, running to the north line of the township, on condition that he would settle upon the tract and bu'ld a saw mill and grist mill upon the Presque Isle stream. He then iZ HISTORY OP AROOSTOOK: moved his family to his new home and commenced the erection of the mill. The machinery for his mill was loaded upon two- batteaux at Old Town and two men poled each batteau up the Penobscot to its head waters, hauled across the portage to the Aroostook, boated down the Aroostook to the mouth of the Presque Isle Stream and then poled up that stream to the mill site. Robert McCann, an adopted son of Mr. Fairbanks, helped pole one of these boats. He made a small clearing on the liill east of the village, on what is now known as the Henry Piersou farm (now Charles Phair farm) and built the timber hou5e now standing on this farm. Mr. McCann afterward removed to what is now Garfield Plantation, adjoining the town of Ashland. Mr. Veranes Chandler came to the town in 1834 and is still living a short distance from the village. At that time Mr. Story Hooper lived in a log house at the mouth of Presque Isle Stream in Letter G, on "the point" of what is now known as the Parsons intervale. Mr. Chandler and Mr. Silas Blodgett, who came about the same time, kept bachelor's hall in the house built by Robert McCann, and in 1839, Mr. Chandler married Elizabeth, daughter of Nehemiah Hooper, and sister of Story Hooper, and com- menced housekeeping. Very few settlers had at that time made their homes upon the town, though quite a number had mad3 clearings along the Aroostook River in the adjoining township of Letter G. (Maysville). The grist mill built by Mr. Fairbanks contained one run of stones and the saw mill was a primitive affair, with an up-and- down saw for sawing the lumber needed by the settlers in build- ing. In the grist mill all varieties of grain raised in the vicinity were ground in this one run of stones, and it may be easily con- jectured that the flour from which these early pioneers made their bread was not of the finest quality. To Mr. Fairbanks, however, does not belong the honor of grinding the first flour in Presque Isle, for, previous to the completion of his grist mill, Mr. Joseph Ireland had a hand mill, turned by a crank, and called by the settlers "Ireland's coffee mill," with which he ground wheat and other grain. As late as 1839, the road from Houlton was cut through no farther than "the creek" in Monticello, nearly thirty miles south of Presque Isle, then known as "Fairbanks." All north of that point was an almost trackless wilderness, with the exception of the lumber roads used in the winter's operations. In 1839, the road was cut through by thf State frorr Monticello tc Presque HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 93 Isle and thence to Ashland and Fort Kent. The road from the Aroostook River to the St. John River, now the mail route from Presque Isle to Van Buren, was not cut through until 1843. In 1840, Mr. Leonard Reed came down the Aroostook River with his family and household goods on a ra_t, from Masard's, and built, on the site of the present Presque Isle Hotel, the house in which Mrs. L. T. Manson now lives, and there kept a hotel. His principal customers were the lumbermen going to and from the operations in the woods, and other temporary sojourners connected with the lumbering operations, which then constituted the chief business of the County. There was at that time no store in all this region. Mr. Fair- banks kept a little tea, tobacco, rum, etc., at his mill, and sold them for pretty round prices. Mr. Story Hooper sometmes kept ■a few goods in his log house on "the point" over in "G." In 1841, Capt. Moses Rose, Benjamin Whidden, Jas. Cloud- man and Emmons Whitcomb came in and settled along the nevv^ Toad cut through from Monticello. Mr. Whitcomb settled on what is now the Cook farm on the Houlton road some two miles south of the village. The first clergyman who came to Presque Isle v;as Rev. Mr. Plngree, a missionary of the Method'st Soc°ety, whose m's- s'.on in those early years included Houlton, Patten, Masard's, Ashland, Presque Isle, Maysville and Fort Fairfield. This cir- cuit the good man made on foot through the forest, preaching at lumber camps and at the little detached settlements, traveling many miles on snow shoes during the winter months, and suf- fering many hardships. He first came in 1839 land remained upon this wilderness circuit two years. In 1842, the. first mail came to Presque Isle. It was brought on horseback from Houlton once a week. Mr. Noah Chandler, afterwards proprietor of the "Line store" at Houlton, was Presque Isle's first postmaster. In 1843 Mr. Fairbanks built the two-story house now known as the Sumner Whitney house. About this time Mr. Eleazer Packard bought out Reed's hotel and afterwards sold to Mr. Sumner Whitney. He in turn sold to his brother, Jerry Whitney, who moved the original house a few rods to the north and built the hotel that was consumed in the fire that swept the village in 1884. Mr. Sumner Whitney afterwards bought the Fairbanks house and there opened another hotel. The little village now was so near the north line of the town that its northern extension soon grew over the line and the 94 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK first store established was on the adjoining township of Letter G. In 1842, or 1843, Messrs. Geo. W. and William Towle built a store near where Mr. Henry Dunn now lives. This, we are informed, was the first store north of Houlton, though previous to that time a few goods had been kept for sale in houses and outbuildings. We have been unable to fix the exact date of the erection of the first schoolhouse in Presque Isle, but it was in the early years of the settlement and was what was known for years as the "Red Schoolhouse" on the Rackliffe farm, on what is now the Centre Line road. In 1849, a store was built by Sumner Whitney on the corner where Perry's Opera House now stands and was occupied by D. & A. W. Dudley. By this time settlers had gradually taken up farms in the vic'nity of the village and quite a little settle- ment had been made in the wilderness. The next store built was what was known as the Winslow Hall store, which was built by Dr. Edwin W. Dibblee, and was occupied by Mr. Hall and afterwards by Mr. J. W. Hines. This store stood on what is now known as Bolton's Corner on the west side of Main Street. Next in order v/as the Dudley store, now occupied by A. M. Smith & Co., which was built in 1855 by D. & A. W. Dudley, and which was spared in the conflagration. Dr. G. H. Freeman first came to Presque Isle in 1855. There were then but three stores in town and the village includ- ed some fifteen or twenty families. There was at that time a small schoolhouse near where Mr. A. E. Wight's house now stands. There were then no church buildings, but religious meetings were held in the schoolhouses. The business of the village was at that time almost wholly connected with the lumbering operations. Agriculture was in a very crude state. There were some very good farms, but no particular system had then been adopted in farming operations. As the little village was comparatively isolated, the people were thrown upon their own resources almost entirely for social en- joyment. Everyone was intimately acquainted with everyone else in town and each knew all about his neighbor's business and private affairs. They were a genial, good hearted, generous people and enjoyed themselves exceedingly in such society as they themselves made. This open, free-hearted, generous spirit is still characteristic of the place. Nowhere can a stranger sooner become acquainted and be placed at his ease and in no village of equal size will a hat, passed around for a worthy ob- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 95 ject, be more generously filled than in Presque Isle. At that time (1855) J. B. Hall, Esq., was postmaster and had a small apothecary store not far from where Dr. Freeman's store now Is. Messrs. Rowe and Freeman bought Mr. Hall out and continued the apothecary business for some years. In 1856 Mr. Hiram Brackett came to Presque Isle and bought the Winslow Hall store and went into trade. He failed soon afterwards and E. D. Jewett & Co. built the store owned and occupied by G. H. Freeman & Co. at the time of the fire in 1884. Here Mr. Brackett commenced trading again, opening a stock of general merchandise. In 1857 Messrs. Rowe & Free- man built a new store on what Is now Bridge Street, and Deacon Nathaniel Gammon built for a harness shop the building after- wards occupied as a store by Mr. Warren P. Pratt. In 1857 the old Academy was built near where now stands the residence of Col. C. P. Allen. In the fall of 1857 the Aroostook Pioneer, the first paper published in Aroostook County, was started at Presque Isle. This enterprise was due to the exertions of Joseph B. Hall, Esq., who was at that time Secretary of the Maine Senate. He con- ceived the Idea while at Augusta during the previous winter, and persuaded Mr. Wm. S. Gilman, then a printer and compos- itor In the office of the Maine Farmer, to join him in the ven- ture. An old hand press and a set of type formerly used in the office of the Bangor Gazette were purchased and the paper was started in an office over Winslow Hall's store and proved to be a success. Mr. Hall continued to edit the paper until February, 1860, when he sold his interest to Mr. Gilman, who in 1868 re- moved the paper to Houlton, where it has since remained. In 1860, Mr. Hall commenced the publication of the Aroostook Herald at Presque Isle. In 1862 the Herald was discontinued and the material was removed to Portland, where Mr. Hall and others started the Maine State Press. In 1858 came the first editorial excursion to which we have alluded In a former chapter. The North Aroostook Agricul- tural Society was then In its infancy, but It had already com- menced the good work of aiding in the development of Aroos- took's resources. In which work it has been a factor of increas- ing Importance ever since. The glowing accounts given by the members of the press on their return from the Aroostook excur- sion directed general attention to this section and immigration began rapidly to increase. New buildings were erected in the i& HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK village of Presque Isle, and new business enterprises were started. About this time Mr. C. F. A. Johnson came to the town and bought out Mr. Hiram Brackett and laid the foundation of the business which afterwards increased to so great an extent un- der the firm of Johnson & Judd and later that of Johnson & Phair, The town of Presque Isle was incorporated April 4, 1859, The census of 1860 showed a population of 723. This in 1870 had increased to 970 and in 1880 to 1305. In 1860 the total val- uation of the town was $79,874. This considerably more than doubled during the next decade, and in 1870 the valuation was $180,786, and in 1880 it had increased to $339,325. In 1860, the village met with its first disaster. On the 13th of May of that year almost the entire northern part of the town was consumed by fire. Nineteen buildings were burned and the loss was estimated by the Pioneer at $25,000. Nothing daunt- ed, however, by this severe blow, the citizens went courageously to work and rebuilt the burnt district and the business of the town continued to increase. During the war immigration to the County was almost whol- ly stopped and Presque Isle, in common with the other Aroos- took towns, sent a goodly number of her stalwart sons to fight for the old flag. In the winter of 1863, the mills built by Den- nis Fairbanks were burned. Some time previous to this Mr. Fairbanks had sold the mills to Mr. John Allen and left the town. He went some distance up the Tobique River, in New Brunswick, where he continued to reside until his death. Mrs. Fairbanks lived in Presque Isle and vicinity until about 1870, when she died at the home of Mr. Columbus Hayford, of Mays- ville, at the advanced age of 93 years. In 1864, Mr. Sidney Cook purchased the mill privilege and rebuilt the mills at an expense of $20,000. In August, 1863, Mr. Daniel Stickney commenced the pub- lication of the Loyal Sunrise at Presque Isle. Mr. Stickney was an able and forcible writer, fearlessly and mercilessly opposing any movement which he thought was wrong and courageously supporting any measure which he regarded as right, without considering whether his course was popular or otherwise. By his energy and the vigorous and persistent manner in which he presented the claims and advantages of Aroostook he did much toward the development of this section of the County. In 1868, Mr. Stickney sold the Sunrise to Messrs. Glidden & Rowell, but continued to edit the paper for some time afterwards. In HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 97 1876 the Sunrise was moved to Fort Fairfield and its publica- tion was soon afterwards discontinued. Mr. Stickney, though now upwards of eighty years old, is still hale and hearty and his occasional articles written for various Ma'ne papers give evidence that his mental vigor is by no means impaired. He is at present residing at Hotel Long in Buckfield, and is enjoy- ing a vigorous old age. After the close of the war, new settlers began to come to the town and new business enterprises were established. Pro- jects for a direct line of railroad, to connect with the European and North American Railway at Mattawamkeag, now began to be agitated and it was ardently hoped at the time that the road would be built, and the Aroostook Valley thus be directly con- nected with the outside world. These hopes, however, were doomed to be long unrealized, but the prospect is now very en- couraging that a direct line of railroad from Bangor will be completed in the near future. In 1874, the first starch factory was built at Presque Isle by Mr. Wheeler of New Hampshire. The factory was located near the grist mill and was run by water power. The farmers in the vicinity contracted to plant a satisfactory number of acres for a term of five years and to deliver the potatoes at the factory for twenty-five cents per bushel. The business was a remunerative one for the proprietors of the factory, as starch brought a high price that year, and the profit on the first year's output paid the entire cost of the plant. It was also a profitable business for the farmers and has so continued until the present day. The next year the Aroostook Starch Co., a stock company, .at the head of which was the enterprising firm of Johnson & Phair, of Presque Isle, built the Maysville factory at the Aroos- took Bridge and large quantities of potatoes were raised for the two factories. The business has continued to increase until now Hon. Thos. H. Phair owns and operates seven factories in this and adjoining towns, at which in some years he manufac- tures nearly 1500 tons of starch. This industry gave a new im- petus to business and not only largely benefited the farmers, but aided to a great extent in building up the business of this prosperous and growing villgae. Early in 1881 the project of railroad communication by means of connection with the New Brunswick Railway began to be agitated. A narrow guage spur had already been run up along the Aroostook River as far as Caribou and it was proposed to continue this branch to Presque Isle. 98 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Previous to this time the North Star, which was started at Caribou in 1872 by W. T. Sleeper and Son, had been purchased by F. G. Parker & Co. and moved to Presque Isle, This paper was ably edited by Dr. F. G. Parker, who entered heartily into the project of the proposed extension and aided much in awak- ening public sentiment in its iavor. A proposition was made by the New Brunswick Railway Co, to extend their line to Presque Isle upon payment of $15,000 by the towns interested, and also a guaranty of the right of way, A railroad mass meeting of the citizens of the towns to be immediately benefited was held at Presque Isle April 2, 1881, at which the matter was fully discussed, with the general feeling in favor of accept'r.g the proposition. The result of the meet- ing was that on April 8, 1881, the town of Presque Isle voted $10,000 and on the following day Maysville voted $5,000 in aid of the extension. Individuals in adjoining towns subscribed to- wards the expense of the right of way. On the 28th of May, 1881, Messrs. Isaac and E, R. Burpee, Directors of the N. B. Railway, accompanied by F. A. Wilson, Esq., of Bangor, as attorney for the Company, and Hon. Llewel- lyn Powers of Houlton, as attorney for the towns, came to Presque Is;le, where the contract was completed. Work was at once commenced and was energetically pushed, and on Thurs- day, Dec. 1, 1881, the first train steamed into Presque Isle. The Messrs. Burpee and other gentlemen interested in the road were upon the train and were accorded a most hearty and enthus- iastic reception by the large concourse of citizens assembled at the station. On Jan. 8, 1882, the telegraph line was completed to the town, and Presque Isle was connected with the outer world both by rail and wire. A few years later the guage was widened and the road bed improved and placed in excellent condition and well equipped for the transportation of passen- gers and freight. New and expensive buildings were also erected at the sta- tion in Presque Isle and every effort has been made to render the road a first class line. The New Brunswick Railway has since been sold to the Canadian Pacific Co. and is now a part of that system. As was said at the commencement of this article the north half of the present town of Presque Isle was originally Town- ship G, Range Two, afterwards the town of Maysville. This is naturally one of the very best towns in Aroostook County for agricultural purposes and the entire township is now covered HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 9& ■With excellent farms. The beautiful Aroostook River enters this township from Washburn some two miles from its north- west corner and flowing in a southeasterly direction, approaches within about a mile of the south line of the township. It then sweeps to the north and runs in that direction entirely across the town, leaving it through its north line so.Tie two m.ies west of the northeast corner of the town. The whole course of the river in the old town of Maysville is nearly twelve miles and, in ad- dition to its picturesque beauty, it sweeps through as fertile a tract of land as can be found anywhere in New England. Upon the banks of the river in this township the first set- tlement was made on the Aroostook River. As early as 1820, Lewis and Charles Johnson and a Mr. McCrea came up the river from New Brunswick and made a settlement a short dis- tance below the mouth of the Presque Isle Stream. The smoke of their clearing, as if curled gracefully upv/ard above the lofty forest trees, was seen by no other settler in all this region. All around them for many miles in every direction was the mag- nificent forest in which the deer, the moose and the caribou roamed at will and through which the beautiful river flowed placidly along, unvexed by the busy millwheel and undisturbed by the industries of civilization. They were soon afterwards joined by other settlers and as early as 1825, there were seven families living upon the town- ship. Previous to that time the wild lands of the State were owned in common by the States of Massachusetts and Maine, and in 1825 the lands upon the Aroostook River and southward were surveyed into townships and divided, each State taking alternate townships. Mr. Joseph Norris, who made the survey in that year, says in his report that he found Mr. Thomas W. Beckwith residing with his family on Township Letter G., Range Two, and that he was informed by him that there were six other families living on the township, "two by the name of Bradley, a Mr. Arnold and the names of the other three I do not recollect. I did not see or hear of any other families residing on any of the other un- divided townships, although a number of beginnings had been made the past season with that view." Among the earlier settlers, besides those already men- tioned, were the following who received titles to their lots un- der the provisions of the treaty of 1842, they having been in possession "for more than six years before the date of the treaty aforesaid," (viz.) : Isaac Morris, John Nichols, James 100 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Nichols, Andrew Scott, William Pyle, Isaac Thomas, Olive Fen- lason. Hector Sutherland, Daniel and William Chandler, John Rafford, Jonathan E. and Ferdinand Armstrong, Thomas Fields, Benjamin Weeks, William McDougal, John Benjamin, Susanna Hooper (widow of Nehemiah Hoopef), Thos. J. Hobart, Josiah Towle, Solomon Parsons, Geo, W. Towle, Thomas W. Navay, Ebenezer Oakes, Daniel Hopkins, Amos Heald, James F. Cur- rier's heirs, Peter Bull. The above list is taken from the report of the commission- ers who visited the township to determine the titles of settlers under the treaty of 1842. In their report they also mention Lewis Johnstone, Thomas W. Beckwith and John W. Beckwith and Lewis and Henry Bradley. Mr. Cyrus Pomroy was another early settler who made a farm on the north side of the Aroos- took, a mile below the mouth of Presque Isle Stream. Messrs. Josiah and Geo. W. Towle and Solomon Parsons, to whom were granted two hundred acres by these commission- ers, were a firm of lumbermen who made a farm on a beautiful intervale a short distance above the mouth of Presque Isle Stream and on this farm raised hay and grain for their lumber operations. The farm is now owned and occupied by Mr. Geo. A. Parsons, a son of Solomon Parsons, and is one of the finest farms in the town. As we have said before, all the earlier settlers on the town- ship came up the Aroostook River from New Brunswick and settled along the river bank. The first settler who came to Letter G "by land" and set- tled on the higher land away from the river was Capt. Henry Rolfe. Capt. Rolfe was a veteran of the Aroostook War and was one of the party who under Capt. Alvin Nye occupied the position at the mouth of Fish River in 1839. In June, 1840, he settled upon the lot upon wh'ch he now resides, which is on the road from Presque Isle to Caribou, about half a mile north of the postoffice at Maysville Centre and some two miles north of the Aroostook Bridge. When Capt. Rolfe took up his lot it was in the midst of a dense wilderness, with no road in all this region and nothing but a spotted line to guide him on his way to the river. The town then belonged to the State of Massachusetts and the few settlers along the river were still living in their log houses and did a large part of their trading in New Brunswick. The cus- tom was to cut the timber which grew upon the bank of the river and could be easily rolled into the water, drive it to Fred- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK IQl ericton and boat back the supplies purchased with the proceeds of its sale. Capt. Rolfe used to carry his wheat on his back two miles through the woods to the mouth of Presque Isle Stream and boat it up the stream to Fairbanks' mill, where it was ground and then boated down the stream to the Aroostook River and carried on his back to his home in the forest. His first clearing consisted of sixteen acres, one acre of which was planted to potatoes, one acre sown to wheat and the remainder to oats. At that time oats sold for 50 cts, potatoes 50 cts, buckwheat $1.00 and wheat $2.00 per bushel. Hay brought $20 per ton and was purchased by the lumber operators. Capt. Rolfe bought his first bill of supplies of Dennis Fair- banks, paying $50 per barrel for pork, $20 for flour, $1.00 per pound for tea and $1.00 per gallon for molasses. As he used neither rum nor tobacco he does not give the price of those arti- cles. The first frame schoolhouse in Letter G was built by sub- scription in 1844, after the road was cut through from the Aroostook to the St. John Rivers, and was placed on the lot where the Maysville burying ground is now located. Previous to that time, however, a private school, the first in the town, was taught in a log house near the river by Miss Susan M. Hooper, afterwards Mrs. Daniel Duff. Mr. John Allen came to the town in 1840 and made a clear- ing on the farm now owned by Mr. Samuel C. Greenlaw, and moved his family to their forest home in 1841. Mr. Allen ob- tained possession of a large number of lots in the town, among them being two treaty lots on the Aroostook River which were awarded to him in the report of the commissioners. Mr. Allen was for many years a prominent citizen of the town and amassed a considerable amount of wealth. He died a few years since at the home of his son in Riverside, Gal., and his remains were brought to his old home for interment. In 1843 Mr. Augustus Allen, a son of John Allen, took up the lot which is now a part of the extensive farm of Mr. Golum- bus Hayford and during the same year Mr. John Welts com- menced a clearing on the farm now owned by Mr. Frank B. Smith. After the State of Maine acquired possession of the town it was lotted for settlement and the lots were sold to actual settlers for the nominal price of fifty cents per acre, to be paid in road labor. Along the road from Presque Isle to Garibou the lots were soon taken up and the wilderness gave place to cul- tivated farms. Roads were also opened in other portions of the 102 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK tov/n and settlers came in and established their homes upon this fertile township. In 1858 a covered bridge was built across the Aroostook River a short distance below the mouth of Presque Isle Stream. This bridge was nearly four hundred feet long and cost $6,000. The State appropriated $3000 toward its construction and the balance was raised by individual subscriptions. The town of Maysville was incorporated April 4, 1859, and in 1860 the population was 665. It increased to 758 in 1870 and 1141 in 1880. Maysville was wholly an agricultural tov/n and though a town house and schoolhouse was built at a point on the main mail route from Presque Isle to Caribou, yet there was no village in the town, nor was there at the time of its in- corporation any store or factory of any kind within its limits. Its growth in wealth and population was due wholly to its fer- tile soil. By the State valuation of 1876 the average amount of property to every person in the tov;n was about $200, which consisted almost wholly in farm property. Among the enterprising farmers who came to the town in the years soon after its incorporation were E. E. Parkhurst, George A. Parsons, Columbus Hayford, C. P. Ferguson, Simeou Smith, T. M. Richardson, Silas Southard, Thomas Harris and others who helped give to Maysville an enviable reputation as an exceptionally fine agricultural town. Mr. Daniel Duff was an early settler and a man well knov/n and highly respected. Mr. Duff's farm adjoined Capt. Rolfe's on the south and his house was vvell known for its hos- pitable entertainment in the early days of the town. Mr. Duff was killed many years ago by a falling tree. Mr. Samuel C. Bennett is another of the early settlers. His farm is on the north side of the Aroostook River, his house being the first on the road after crossing the bridge. Mr. Bennett has been a much re- spected citizen of the town for many years and is still engaged in the cultivation of his fine farm, though somewhat advanced in years. In the winter of 1882 petitions were presented to the Legis- lature asking for the annexation of the towns of Presque Isle and Maysville. The business of the town of Maysville was al- most entirely transacted at Presque Isle village and the union of the two towns was a most natural one. The necessary legis- lation was secured and^ in March, 1883, the first annual meeting of the consolidated towns was held. A postoffice had been established in 1877 at Maysville Cen- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 103 tre, three miles from Presque Isle village on the Caribou road, with Mr, Edward Wiggin as postmaster. The name of this postoffice has not been changed and still bears the name of Maysville Centre, though now in the town of Presque Isle. By this annexation the town of Presque Isle now extends from West- field on the south to Caribou on the north, a distance of twelve miles. It is bounded on the west by a portion of Chapman Plantation, the town of Mapleton and a portion of Washburn, and on the east by the town of Easton and the south half of Fort Fairfield. On the morning of the first day of May, 1884, the entire business portion of the village was consum.ed by fire. The fire broke out in the early morning in the second story of Johnson & Phair's large store on the corner of Main and Fort Streets, and, as there was a strong wind blowing and the means of ex- tinguishing were wholly inadequate, it soon spread until it en- veloped the entire business part of the town and as people came in from the farming districts in the morning they beheld only a heap of smouldering ashes where the night before had stood a busy and thriving village. The citizens soon ralUed from the shock of the great disaster and, before the ashes v^rere fairly cold, temporary places of business were erected and trade was again resumed. The insurance companies were most liberal and the losses were soon adjusted in a generous manner and the citizens at once, with a cheerful courage, commenced the work of re- building. In a remarkably short time every vestige of the fire was removed, better buildings were erected, the streets were much improved and soon everyone came to feel that on the v/hole the fire was a blessing to the village. In the spring of 1885 the town suffered from another disas- ter, the covered bridge across the Aroostook River being car- ried away by an ice freshet. The town immediately voted to rebuild, and one of the best bridges in the County was built during the summer, at a cost of about $10,000. During all these years the town had been making steady im- provement in its social, religious and educational privileges. The first meeting house built in the town was the Congregation- al Church building, which was commenced in 1863. Since that time the number of church edifices have increased until there are now seven handsome and commodious churches in the town and each denomination is comfortably provided for. As the tpwn became more thickly settled, new school houses were built and the present Academy building was erect- 104 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ed to supply the place of the old house which was destroyed by the fire of 1860. The trustees of the Academy had a fund from the State, which in 1883 amounted to about $5,000. In the spring of 1883, by a vote of the trustees, this fund was turned over to Bishop Neely to aid in the establishment of a perman- ent school of a high grade. Satisfactory arrangements were made and the following year the pleasant and commodious build- ings of St. John's Seminary were erected and the school was opened in September 1884, with about eighty pupils. In 1888 the town voted to pay the tuition of the high school pupils at the Seminary and appropriated $1000 for that purpose, to which the State added $250 under the Free High School Act. A con- tract was made with the school and upwards of ninety scholars were sent as town pupils. This arrangement has been continued to the present time (1892) and for the past two years the pupils sent by the town have numbered over one hundred. The school is a most excellent one and in it pupils are fitted to enter any college in the land. There are in the village' three graded schools, primary, in- termediate and grammar, and the number of pupils has increased to such an extent that additional room must soon be provided. There the twenty one suburban schools in the town, all of which are now supplied with good schoolhouses. After the annexation of Maysville, the town plan was adopt- ed and the schools were for nine years under the supervision of Mr. Edward Wiggin, during which time eight new schoolhouses were built and the others thoroughly repaired. The year 1887 was a busy one in Presque Isle village. Soon after the fire of 1883, enterprising citizens, recognizing the need of more adequate protection, agitated the project of introducing a system of waterworks. A charter was obtained and the Presque Isle Water Company was organized in April, 1887. Contracts were made and the work of construction was immedi- ately commenced. The supply was obtained from a clear spring brook, the dam being built on the high ground about a mile southeast of the village. The reservoir has a capacity of 25,000 gallons and is called Mantle Lake, from the name of the con- tractor. The elevation of the dam above Main Street is about one hundred feet, giving ample pressure for extinguishing fires in all portions of the village. To guard against emergencies, a pumping station was built near the railroad station and provided with a Worthington pump, with quick steaming boiler. The cost of the works was $30,000. Thus the village is supplied with HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK l()o '.most excellent water, the analysis of the Secretary of the State Board of Health placing it among the purest. A well organized fire company followed the completion of the water works and today Presque Isle is as well protected from fire as any village in the State. During the same year an electric light plant was estab- lished, with the Edison incandescent system, and the lights were turned on in December, 1887. A sufficient number of street lights were provided and the village is now lighted at the ex- pense of the town. The fine Bank block was also erected the same summer by the stockholders and C. F. A. Johnson Esq. It is a handsome brick building costing about $15,000. Hon. Joseph B. Hall, who, as we have said, discontinued the publication of the Aroostook Herald in 1862 and removed to Portland, returned to Presque Isle in 1884 and again started the Herald. In the meantime the North Star, which had been so ably edited by the lamented Dr. Parker, had been sold to Mr. George H. Collins, and Presque Isle now had two live newspa- pers, each doing its best for the advancement of the interests of the town and County. Both papers heartily advocated the build- ing of the Northern Maine railroad, as Mr. Hall during his for- mer residence in Presque Isle had ever worked for the building of a direct line to Aroostook. The history of the Northern Maine R. R. enterprise as well as the other projects for a direct route to the County will be found in the chapter on the railroad projects of Aroostook. The First National Bank of Presque Isle was opened for "business on January 2, 1888, with a capital of $50,000, and is doing a safe and prosperous business. Its president, Mr. Jam.es W. Bolton, is one of the most reliable business men of the town and the directors are all men of business capacity and integrity. Soon after the completion of the bank building, Mr. C. F. A. Johnson, who who had long been one of the principal business men of Presque Isle, decided to remove to the West, and there- fore sold his half of the building to Mr. George H. Collins, editor of the North Star, and that paper was moved to the most comfortable quarters of any newspaper in Maine. Hon. Joseph B. Hall, editor of the Herald, died at Presque Isle on July 5th, 1889. He had labored long and devotedly to obtain direct railroad communication for Aroostook, but was not permitted to live to see the fulfillment of his desire. Mr. Hall was Secretary of State for three years, 1860, '61 and '62 106 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK and during his subsequent absence from the State he edited a number ot newspapers in the West. He was faithfully devoted to the interests of Aroostook and labored untiringly for their ad- vancement. After Mr. HaU's death the Herald was purchased by Mr. F. S. Bickford, now associate editor of the Brunswick Telegraph. He retained it, however, but a short time, and then sold it to Mr. Collins, who consolidated the two papers, and his paper is now published under the name of The Star-Herald. In the winter of 1890, a charter was obtained for the Mer- chants' Trust and Banking Company of Presque Isle and the company was organized with a capital of $50,000. During the summer of 1891, a handsome building was erected and fitted with every convenience for transacting the business, and in January, 1892, the new bank opened for business. Col. C. P. Allen, the first president of the Presque Isle National Bank, is president of the compnay and the directors are all men of care- ful business habits. A number of other fine buildings were erected in the village in the summier of 1891, among them being the extensive block built by Mr. J. W. Bolton on the corner of Main and Fort Streets and the handsome office of Hon. T. H. Phair, opposite the Bank, Presque Isle is well supplied with hotel accommodations. The Phair Hotel, kept by Mr. James H. Phair, is one of the most comfortable and homelike hostelries to be found anywhere in the country and offers superior inducements to those wishing a pleasant home in a healthy climate during the summer months. The Presque Isle Hotel, a fine three-story building on the site of the first hotel ever erected in the town, is also a first- class house in every respect and its landlord, Mr. Geo. F. Whit- ney, is well and favorably known to the traveling public. The Brooklyn House across the bridge is also a well kept hotel and is well patronized. The village of Presque Isle is now one of the most enter- prising and thriving villages in the State. Its business men are energetic and public spirited and are keenly alive to the best interests of the town. After the consolidation of the North Star and Aroostook Herald, a new newspaper enterprise was started at Presque Isle. No Democratic paper was at that time published in the County. A stock company was organized and the Aroostook Democrat was started in the advocacy of the principles of that party as well as the general interests of the town and County. The pa- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 107 TDer is now upon its second year and seems to have secured a sure foothold. Socially, morally, educationally and agriculturally Presque Isle is a good town and has a promising future before it, when the completion of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad brings it into more direct communication with the markets of the country. The population of the town by the census of 1890 was 3,046 and the valuation $993,875, a greater valuation than any town in the County with the exception of Houlton. ORIENT The town of Orient, another of the coast towns of Aroos- took County, lies immediately south of Amity and is bounded on the west by the town of Haynesville, and on the south in an irregular line by the town of Weston. The Monument Stream, flowing here with considerable volume in a southeasterly course, forms the eastern boundary for some two miles and a half. This stream then empties into North Lake, which becomes the boundary for nearly a mile, the coast Ime running nearly in a southerly direction until we come to the "thoroughfare," a narrow passage some half mile in length connecting North Lake with Grand Lake. The irregular coast of Grand Lake is then the boundary to the south line of the town. To speak more accur- ately, the channel of the lake is the exact boundary between the two countries, but this channel has not yet been definitely determined. The road from Houlton to Calais runs in a general southerly direction through the entire town, but the first settle- ment in the tov/n was made near the shore of the lake a number of years before any road was built. The first settlers who made a clearing on the town were William Trask, William Deering and James Lambert. These pioneers came in 1830. William Trask was from Kennebec County and he made his first clearing near the head of Grand Lake, a short distance below the thoroughfare, on the farm now owned by George Bubar. Mr. Trask made a farm here on the lake shore and lived upon it until about 1856, when he moved to Minnesota. James Lambert came at the same time and settled on the lot next west of Mr, Trask. He remained on the lot until 1856, lO's fllSTORY OF AROOSTOOK: when with Mr. Trask, he removed to Minnesota. W-lliam Deering moved from Hodgdon to Orient in 1830 and" settled on the lot near the shore of the lake on which Mrs. Jacob Peters now lives. William Philbrook had made a small chop- ping on the lot, but did not settle on it. This was in reality the: first chopping made upon the town. Mr. Deering cleared the farm and lived on it until his death in 1842. Jacob Peters af- terwards took this farm and lived on it until his death a year ago. His widow still lives on the farm. Mr. Abram Longley was one of the pioneer settlers of Ori- ent and came from the town of Dover not long after the settlers mentioned above. He settled on the line of the Calais road in the southern part of the town. A small lake in the rear of his lot still bears the name of Longley Lake and discharges its wa- ters through a brook into Grand Lake. Mr. Longley was a well known resident of Orient for many years, and his house, after the Calais road was built through the town, was a well known stopping place for travelers and for teamsters upon the road. The old house is still standing but is now unoccupied and is one of the old landmarks along the road. Mr. Longley cleared a large farm and planted an extensive orchard which still bears quite abundantly. He died on the old place some twelve years ago. Jeremiah Fifield came from Lee in 1836 and made a clear- ing in the extreme southern part of the town. He remained but a short time and returned to Lee. Thomas and Robert Colyer were early settlers near the head of the lake and came not many years after Mr. Trask. Thos, Colyer settled on the lot on which Mr. Wm. H. McAllister nov/ lives, and lived upon it until about 1856, when he removed tO' Wisconsin. Robert Colyer settled on the next lot north, where he made a farm and lived upon it until 1856, when he with Thos. Colyer, moved to Wisconsin. Mr. Edwin Deering is one of the oldest settlers now living in the town. He is a son of William Deering and in 1835 settled near the shore of the lake on the lot now occupied by Daniel Bartlett. Here he cleared a farm and after living on it seven years moved to the lot near the thoroughfare, now owned by Mr. George Bubar. Mr. Deering lived on this lot fifteen years and then bought the Longfellow lot on the Calais road in the south part of the town, where he has since lived. Mr. Marcus Peters came from New Brunswick about 1837 and settled on the lot south of the "Horseback," near where the HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 109 Toad turns from the Calais road towards the head of the lake. Mr. Samuel Newman of Amity had made a small clearing on the lot. Mr. Peters cleared the farm and lived on it until 1849, when he moved to Amity, where he remained but two years, and then returned to his old home in Orient, where he continued to live until his death in 1878. Mr. Peters was a man of sterling character and was well and favorably' known throughout southern Aroostook. He served as deputy collector of customs for siK years, and was a leading citizen of his town. His widow and son Isaac Peters, still live on the old homestead. Patrick Hodnet came from Machias in 1840 and settled on the Calais road north of Abram Longley. He cleared a large farm here and lived on it until some ten years ago, when he moved to Danforth and died there. Mr. A. A. Robbins now lives on this farm. Mr. Israel Miller came from Nova Scotia about 1840 and settled on the lot next south of Patrick Hodnet. He cleared a farm and lived on it until his death in 1885. Mr. John Byers then bought the farm and died on it last year. His widow still lives on the farm. Charles Longfellow came from Mach'as about 1840 and settled on the farm where Mr. Edwin Deering now lives. Wm. Hawkins lived on the place a short time before Mr. Longfellow came. After living on the farm some e;ght or ten years Mr. Longfellow removed to Kansas. John Colyer came from Miramichi about 1840 and settled on the lot near the thoroughfare upon which Mr. C. L. Packard now lives. He afterwards sold the farm to Messrs. Gates and Wentworth of Calais, and removed to New Brunswick, where he died. John Colyer, Jr., settled on the lot on the Calais road now occupied by Mr. Victor Peters and Mr. Fred Smart. He made a clearing on the lot and lived on it a short time and sold to William Deering and moved to the lot next north of Edwin Deering's, where he lived many years. He then sold the farm to Abram Longley and moved to Haynesville, where he now lives. Jeremiah Sprague came from Houlton to Orient in 1845 .and bought part of the Trask farm at the head of the lake. He lived on this farm ten years and then removed to Houlton. He afterwards returned to Orient and died at the home of his son, William Sprague, on the Calais road. William Sprague first came to Orient with his father in 1845. About 1860 he bought the lot on the Calais road, opposite Mr. Fred Smart's. Mr. 110 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Sprague cleared this farm and lived on It twenty-five years. He then bought eighteen acres of Martin Longley near the turn of the Lake road where he built a neat set of buildings and where he now resides, but still owns the old homestead. Mr. Sprague has been a prominent man in the town during his residence there and held the office of postmaster for eighteen years. As we enter the town of Orient in coming down the Calais road, after passing through Amity, we very soon come to the "horseback," upon which the road runs for a number of miles. This is a peculiar formation and seems to have been placed here by nature for the especial purpose of providing a roadway. It is a natural embankment of gravel, with broad stretches of low, swampy ground on either side lor much of the way and for a number of miles forms the only route upon which a carriage road could be built. Thomas Maxell was also one of the early settlers, and came from Gray about 1831 or 1832. He cleared a farm and lived upon it until his death in 1874. His son, S. P. Maxell, now has the farm. In the southwest corner of the town on what is called the No. Nine road, are a few settlers and some quite good farms. The town of Orient was formerly township No. 9, R. 1, and was Incorporated as a town in 1856. Much of the town is still covered with forest and many of the farmers are more or less engaged in farming. Though there are some good farming sec- tions, yet the town as a whole would not rank as a first-class town for agricultural purposes. BRIDGEWATER The original settlement of the County of Aroostook was in a large measure due to the immense amount of valuable timber found In Its magnificent forests and along the many grand rivers and streams flowing through every portion of this fertile region. Years before any settler entered upon the northern portion of the County for farming purposes, with the exception of the Aca- dian refugees upon the upper St. John, the camp of the hardy woodsman was built In the midst of these then almost Intermin- able forests, and in springtime large drives of timber were float- ed down the many tributaries of the St. John which find their HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 111 source In this northern county. It was the valuable timber, cut upon what was then disputed territory, that led to the troubles that culminated in the famous Aroostook War which drew in- creased attention to the rich lands of northeastern Maine. The march of the "posse" that came hither in martial array to exter- minate the Bluenose trespassers not only hastened the settle- ment of the boundary dispute, but was also the forerunner of that more peaceful march which has ever since been continued — the march of the hosts of hardy pioneers who have come to this fertile region to make comfortable homes for themselves and their families. One of the finest of the many beautiful streams by which this great county is so plentifully watered is the Presque Isle of the St. John. Having its head waters in Fort Fairfield and the old town of Maysville, it flows southward through the towns of Easton, Presque Isle and Westfield, then turning more to the eastward it continues through Mars Hill and Blaine and enters the town of Bridgewater some two and a half miles west of its northeast corner and flowing across that corner, crosses the boundary line into New Brunswick about a mile and a half south of the above named point. Some three-fourths of a mile before it reaches the boundary it receives the waters of Whitney Brook, a strong flowing stream traversing nearly the entire ex- tent of the town of Bridgewater in a northeasterly direction, and a short distance below the junction of the two streams is a valu- able mill privilege. It was at this point that the first settlement was made in what is now the town of Bridgewater. The town comprises two half townships lying along the boundary line, and is bounded on the north by Blaine, and on the south by Monticello. On the west is the unsettled township of Letter D., Range Two. The northern half of Bridgewater, from which the town afterwards took its name, was granted by the State of Massachusetts in aid of Bridgewater Academy, and the southern half was granted in aid of Portland Academy. In the year 1827, Nathaniel Bradstreet, with his sons, John and Joseph, came from Palermo, in Waldo County, and pur- chased the mill privilege spoken of above on the Presque Isle of the St. John, a short distance west of the boundary line. The Bradstreets came up the Penobscot and Baskahegan waters, then crossed on the old trail to the St. John River, ascending that river to the mouth of the Presque Isle, thence up the stream to their new home in the wilderness. Here they at once pro- ceeded to build a dam across the stream and during the two 112 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK years following built a mill in which they commenced sawing lumber in 1829. Joseph Ketchum and James Thorncraft came from New Brunswick in 1829 and took lots west of the mill lot and com- menced clearing up farms. It is claimed that Mr. Ketchum cut the first tree upon the town for farming purposes, though the Bradstreets afterwards cleared up a large farm near the mill. Mr. Ketchum cleared up about 75 acres on his lot and on the 24th day of May, 1832, sowed the first wheat ever sown in the town of Bridgewater. In the year 1835 Mr. Joshua B. Fulton came from New Brunswick, and in 1840 bought a lot south of what is now Bridgewater Corner, on the road now running from Houlton to Presque Isle. At the time Mr. Fulton settled on his lot there was no road anywhere on the town, and his nearest neighbor on the north was at Presque Isle, some twenty miles distant. The road from Houlton was cut through soon after and Mr. Fulton and other early settlers paid for their lands at $1.50 per acre in labor upon this road. Here Mr. Fulton cleared up a fine farm and reared a family of six sons and one daughter. Three of the sons went into the Union Army and all gave their lives to their country. Another son, Charles K. Fulton, is the present landlord of the Bridgewater Hotel, and John W. Fulton now resides in Gardiner, Me. The daughter is now living in California. Mr. Fulton still resides on the old place and is a hale old gentleman, and from him we received many reminiscences of the early settle- ment of this border town. In 1840 Dennis and Orrin Nelson came from Palermo and took adjoining lots on the line of the Houlton road. Dennis re- mained but a short time and sold his lot to Mr. Fulton. Orrin Nelson cleared up the farm next south of Fulton's and re- mained there until his death, and his widow and sons still live upon the farm. About this time Mr, John Young came to the town and set- tled near the mill and in 1846 removed to the town of Westfield, where his widow now resides. A few years after Mr, Fulton commenced his clearing, Jona- than Loudon, John Burns and Thomas Kennedy came from New Brunswick and settled along the Houlton road in the Portland Grart, now the south part of the town. Mr. Loudon still lives with his son on the old farm. Samuel Cook, Esq., of Houlton, was then agent for the HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 113 trustees of the two academies and sold the land to settlers as they came in for $1.50 per acre. In 1840, Mr. Joseph Ketchum, who was then living upon his farm near the mill, bought 320 acres of land directly north of what is now Bridgewater Corner and commenced making a clearing. Work upon the road from Houlton to Presque Isle was commenced about that time and Mr. Ketchum built a frame house upon his new lot and at once started in the business of hotel keeping. James Thorncraft at the same time left his home near the mill and went into the wilderness some ten or twelve miles farther north on the line of the Presque Isle road, where he took up the lot in the town of Westfield now occupied by Mr. John N. Trueworthy. Mr. Ketchum cleared up a farm of about eighty acres near the hotel which he continued to keep until 1854, when he moved to the next lot above and there made a large farm, upon which he resided until his death in 1878. The hotel passed through a number of hands and was finally destroyed by fire in 1861. In 1842 Mr. Samuel Kidder came from Kennebec County and took the lot next west of the Thorncraft lot, it being the third lot west of the mill. Here he cleared up a fine farm upon which he resided until his death in 1864. His son, James H. Kidder, afterwards kept the hotel at Bridgewater Corner and is the present efficient Register of Deeds at Houlton. Mr. Cyrus Chandler came from Winthrop in 1844 and bought the Thorncraft lot upon which he made an extensive farm and built comfortable buildings. Mr. Chandler died about two years ago, his estate now being owned by his son, Mr. A. L. Chandler, the present Deputy Collector of Customs at Bridge- water. Soon after Mr. Chandler came to the town, Mr. David Fos- ter, also from Kennebec County, came in and took up the lot upon which is now the farm of Joseph C. Smith. This is now one of the best farms in the town and has a very handsome set of farm buildings. In 1841 Messrs. Harvey and Trask bought the Bradstreet mill, and about the same time Mr. Wm. Hooper and Mr. A. T. Mooers commenced trading at the mill. Mr. Mooers remained but a short time and removed to No. 11, now Ashland, where he has since resided, and has for many years been one of the principal business men of that town. Mr. Charles Kidder, who has long been one of the prom- inent citizens of Bridgewater, came from the town of Albion, Ken- nebec County, in 1845 and worked one year for Mr. Cyrus Chan- 114 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK dler. The next year Mr. Jesse Moulton bought the mill of Harvey & Trask and opened a store near the mill and Mr. Kid- der went into his employ as clerk, remaining in his employ for five years. Mr, Moulton built a clapboard mill which v/as af- terwards carried away by a freshet. He continued to operate the mills until 1851, v/hen he sold the entire business to Mr. John D. Baird, and the place is still known by the name of Baird's Mills. Mr. Baird tore down the old mill and bu'lt the mill now standing, in which he put a gang saw and also a shin- gle machine. In 1856 he bu'lt a grist mill with two run of stones, one for wheat and another for buckwheat and feed. Mr. Ba'rd also continued business in the store until 1876, when he sold the mills and store to Mr. John E. Pryor. Mr. Pryor put in a rotary and another shingle machine and soon after sold to Hon. Geroge W. Collins, the present proprietor. Mr. Collins has made extensive repairs and additions to the mill and dam and has put in a planer, groover and other machinery. In 1850 Mr. C. F. A. Johnson came to Bridgewater and commenced trading and buying shingles in a part of Joseph Ketchum's house. He soon afterwards built the store in which the postoffice is now located. This store was built near the Corner and has s'nce been moved farther down the road toward the boundary line. Mr. Charles Kidder was employed as a clerk for Mr. Johnson during the whole time of his stay at Bridgewater. Mr. Johnson did a large business here and was extensively engaged in lumbering. In 1856 Mr. Johnson re- moved to Presque Isle, where for many years he did a very ex- tensive mercantile and manufacturing business, forming a part- nership at first with L. S. Judd, Esq., and afterwards with Hon. T. H. Phair. The firm of Johnson & Phair were at one time the largest manufacturers of potato starch in the United States. A year or two since Mr, Johnson removed to Salt Lake City, where he resided for a time and is now very pleasantly located at Riverside, Cal., at which place he has purchased a large orange grove with a view of making a permanent home, Mr, Johnson sold his store at Bridgewater to Charles Kid der and Jacob Jewell, who continued in business for four years, when the store passed into the hands of Mr, Rufus Mansur of Houlton, who soon after sold it to Hon. George W. Collins. Mr. Collins moved the store to its present site and in 1861 built the large store on the corner afterwards occupied by Mr. Bedford Hume. Mr. Hume commenced business in Bridgewater as clerk for HISTORY OP AROOSTOOK 115 John D. Baird about 1853. He remained with Mr. Baird some seven years and then purchased the Rideout farm opposite Mr. Cyrus Chandler's. Here he commenced the business of farm- ing and trading, being extensively engaged in buying and ship- ping shingles. In 1865 Mr. Hume removed to Blaine and built at the corner the store nov/ occupied by Mr. John Bubar. Here he continued in trade for a year or two, when he returned to Bridgewater and purchased the Collins store in which he con- tinued to tade until his death something over a year ago. He was largely engaged in the lumber business, and also owned starch factories in company v/ith Hon. Geo. W. Collins in Mars Hill and at Clark Brook in South Presque Isle. Mr. Nathaniel Rideout came from New Brunswick in 1845 and purchased the lot opposite Cyrus Chandler's. He reared a family of eighteen children, his son John remaining upon the old farm until 1860, when he sold it to Mr. Bedford Hume. Members of this family still reside in Bridgewater, and the annual reunion of the Rideout family is an event always looked forward to with much interest by the citizens of the town. One of the most stirring and energetic business men of Bridgewater is Hon. Geo. W. Collins, who is well known not only throughout Aroostook County, but also in other sections of the State. Mr. Collins came from the town of Ripley, in Somerset County, in the fall of 1860, and settled at Bridge- water Corner, where he leased the Johnson store and commenced trading. He soon afterwards purchased the store and a large tract of land adjoining. Here he built the new store and after- wards sold to Mr. Hume. After selling the store, Mr. Collins continued to do an extensive business of various kinds, being largely engaged in buying cattle and carrying on the large farm now owned by Mr. Fred Whited. He also had farms in Mars Hill. In 1871 Mr. Collins left Bridgewater, though still retain- ing much property in the town. He carried on business at a number of places and in 1876 returned and built a saw mill on Whitney Brook, at Bridgewater Centre. This mill had an up and down saw and shingle machine and was run by water power. He also built at the same place a tannery for the manufacture of upper leather, but had just got it in successful operation when it was entirely consumed by fire. He then sold the saw mill to Mr. T. G. Huntington and in a short time afterwards that was also burned. Mr. Collins then built a new mill near the site of the one burned and afterwards sold it to Mr. C. P. Church. He also built a new tannery for the manufacture of sole leather 116 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK and this too he afterwards sold to Mr. Church. In 1882 Mr. Collins built a steam shingle mill at Bridgewater Centre, which he still owns and operates. In 1878 Mr. Geo. Hibbard built the starch factory at the Centre which three years later Mr. Collins purchased and still owns. In 1886 Mr. Collins purchased the Baird mills at the boundary line and here he still does a large business. As a farming town Bridgewater is naturally well up on the list of good towns in Aroostook and only needs proper means of communication with the outside world to make it a live and prosperous town. The stage road from Houlton to Presque Isle runs in almost a due north course through the middle of the town and there are fine farms along this road for the entire dis- tance. From the Corner a road runs east to Baird's Mills near the boundary line. This is a very fine and well kept road and runs through a grand farming section. A substantial bridge some four hundred feet long is built across the stream above the mill and after crossing this bridge the road continues on away to the St. John River. A railroad is already in contempla- tion from Woodstock to Baird's Mills on the New Brunswick side and a subsidy of $100,000 has already been obtained from the Provincial government. Should this road be built it would be of great benefit to the town, but its value would be as nothing compared with that of a road directly across our own soil to our own markets. The road from Woodstock would make of Baird's Mills virtually a Provincial village, while the building of a direct line would infuse into it the Yankee push and enterprise needed to make it a wide-awake place. Nature has done much for it, and it only remains for the railroad across Maine soil, and the business enterprises sure to be built up by Maine citizens to do the rest. A large portion of the western part of the town is still unsettled and is yet covered with its original forest growth. In this section there are grand swells of fine farming land which some day will be cleared up and made to support a much larger population than the town has today. Throughout all this forest tract there is still much good lumber and a large extent of this portion of the town is still in the hands of proprietors. The trustees of the academies held the land with the exception of what was sold to settlers until about 1856 when the Bridgewa- ter grant was sold by the State for taxes and was bought by Isaac R. Clark of Bangor, who afterwards sold it to John D. Baird. Of this tract Hon. George W. Collins afterwards bought some 6,000 acres. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 117 Bridgewater was incorporated as a town in 1858. The pop- ulation increased from 143 in 1850 to 722 in 1880 and the recent census makes it together with the very few settlers upon the ad- joining township of Letter D., 030. The valuation of the town last year was $148,354, and the rate of taxation fourteen mills on the dollar. CARIBOU Caribou is one of the busiest and most thriving villages in Maine. Its situation is picturesque and reminds one of a Swiss village, as a large part of the thickly settled portion of the town is located upon the sloping hills which rise from the river and stream and give to the village a most beautiful background as one views it on entering by the road from Presque Isle. The village is situated on the Caribou Stream, a short distance above the point of its confluence with the Aroostook. The town of Caribou, like Presque Isle and Fort Fairfield, comprises two full townships and embraces an area of twelve miles long by six miles wide. The tov/nship in which the village is situated was originally known as H., Range 2. The Aroostook River enters this town on its southern border and flowing completely across the town makes an abrupt turn near the line between H. and I., Range 2, and doubling upon itself forms one of the "ox bows" so common on this tortuous river, and leaves the town on its eastern line, flowing into Fort Fairfield and thence to the St. John. A strip containing 10,000 acres on the east side of this township, H., was years ago granted by the State of Massachu- setts to Gen. Eaton of that State for meritorious services ren- dered during the war with Tripoli, and this strip was known for a long time as Eaton Grant, and was afterwards organized as Eaton Plantation. As the granting of this tract of land connects Caribou with the early history of our nation, it will be interesting to give a somewhat detailed account of the circusmtances which gave rise to this action by the Massachusetts Legislature. Gen. William Eaton v/as in command of the land forces sent to Tripoli to unite v^ith our fleet in bringing that piratical state to terms. Landing at Alexandria, he succeeded in forming an alliance with Hamet, the ex-bashan of Tripoli, who had been dethroned and expelled 118 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK by his brother, and uniting his forces with those of Hamet, started from Alexandria on the 6th of March, 1805, on his west- ward march of more than 1000 miles. This march was attend- ed by almost unparalleled suffering, peril and fatigue, and on the 25th of April Eaton and Hamet arrived before Derne, the capital of a large province of Tripoli. In answer to General Eaton's summons for the surrender of the place, the governor returned the laconic reply, "My head or yours." On April 27th Eaton assaulted the city, the American squadron having ar- rived in the bay and taking part in the action. After a desperate contest of nearly three hours the place was carried at the point of the bayonet, the governor and many of his adherents fleeing to the desert. This, together with other successful operations on the part of Gen. Eaton, brought about the termination of the war and the release of a large number of American prisoners. On the 4th of March, 1805, the following resolve was passed by the Legislature of Massachusetts: "Whereas in a rising republic it is highly important to cherish that patriotism which conquers a love of ease, of pleasure and of wealth, which prompts individuals to a love of their country and induces them to embrace every opportunity to advance its prosperity and happiness, as well by ameliorating the fate of those citizens whom the fortune of war has thrown into captivity, as by cheerfully contributing to its support and defence; And whereas the love of enterprise, when guided by a just sense of propriety and benevolence, may become the par- ent of many virtues and a state is sometimes indebted for its safety to the virtues and undaunted courage of a single man; And whereas the Senate and House of Representatives of this Com- monwealth are desirous to perpetuate a remembrance of the heroic enterprise of William Eaton, while engaged in the service of the United States, whose undaunted courage and brilliant services so eminently contributed to release a large number of his fellow citizens, late prisoners in Tripoli, from the chains of slavery and to restore them to freedom, their country and their friends; Therefore, Resolved: — That the committee for the sale of eastern lands be and are hereby authorized and directed to convey to William Eaton, Esq., a citizen of this commonwealth, and to his heirs and assigns a tract of land to contain ten thou- sand acres of any of the unappropriated land of the Common- wealth in the District of Maine (excepting the ten townshios on the Penobscot River). And be it further resolved, that His Ex cellency, the Governor, be requested, as soon as conveniently HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 119 may be, to cause to be transmitted to the said William Eaton an authentic copy of this resolution." This tract of land was surveyed by Park Holland and was conveyed to Gen. Eaton by deed dated January 28, 1808, and is now a part of the town of Caribou. In 1859, that part of "H., R. 2" lying west of the Aroos- took River and comprising a tract six miles long and about three miles wide was incorporated as the town of Lyndon, Eaton still remaining a plantation. There was also a strip of land lying east of the Aroostook River, between the river and the west line of Eaton Grant, which was not included in either organization. This territory was organized for election purposes, or, as some of the old settlers used to say, "for electioneering purposes," as the plantation of Sheridan. Township I, Range 2, lying north of Lyndon, was also organized as the plantation of Forestville. In 1869 the plantations of Eaton, Sheridan and Forestville were annexed to Lyndon, thus making that town to include the two entire townships of H. and I., Range 2, and comprising a tract twelve miles in length by six miles in width. The name of the town was subsequently changed to Caribou, by which name the village had always been known. The first man to make a settlement within the limits of the present town of Caribou for the purpose of making a farm was Mr. Ivory Hardison, who came from the town of Winslow, in Kennebec Co., in the spring of 1839 and took the lot on the line of the present road from Presque Isle to Caribou, now occupied by his son, Oliver Hardison, and Mr. Henry Fish. After taking up his lot Mr. Hardison returned to Winslow, and though he came back in the spring of 1842 and made a clearing on his lot, did not move his family and establish a permanent residence in his now home in the forest until the spring of 1843. In the meantime Mr. Alexander Cochran of New Brunswick had made a small clearing at the mouth of Caribou Stream and had erected a rude grist mill. In 1843 Col. Harvey Ormsby came from Denmark, in Ox- ford County, and took up four lots in the western part of the town near the south line. He was a very eccentric man, but a man of much energy and business ability. He engaged suc- cessfully in farming and lumbering for a number of years and then sold his property in Caribou and moved no one knew whi- ther. In the spring of 1843 Messrs Winslow and Hiram Hall came from Hartford in Oxford County, and settled a short dis- 120 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK tance south of Mr. Hardison. Hiram Hall cleared the farm af- terwards known as the Tuck place, and built the large barn now standing on the farm. He afterwards removed to Minneso- ta. Winslow Hall cleared the farm now occupied by his G. C. Hall, and after living upon it fourteen years, during a part of which time he was engaged in trade, removed to Presque Isle. In March, 1844, Hon. Samuel W. Collins and W. A. Vaughan came from Calais and bought of the State four lots each, includ- ing the present mill site and also the site of the Vaughan Hotel. They paid for this land one dollar per acre, three-fourths of the price being paid in road labor and one-fourth in cash. A blacksmith by the name of Williams then had a chopping of about four acres near where the village burying ground nov/ is, and David T. Adams had a small clearing on v/hat is now the Moses Thomas farm. There v.-as also a small clearing near the mouth of Caribou Stream. With the exception of these few openings, the territory now comprised in the village and vicinity was an unbroken wilderness. At that time Alexander Cochran had a small mill with one run of stones at the mouth of Caribou Stream. Winslow Hall lived where his son, Mr. G. C. Hall now lives, and had ten acres cleared and a small log house built. There was then no store nearer than Towle's at Presque Isle. Immediately upon arriving and locating their land, Collins and Vaughan commenced clearing away the forest near where the grist mill now stands, and hewing the timber upon the spot, before the snow was off the ground had the frame of the present grist mill up and ready for boarding. As soon as the ice left the river they towed a raft of boards up from Fort Fairfield and finished the mill. They had two run of stones and a cleanser. They hauled one set of stones from Lincoln to Ashland, where they placed them on a raft and floated them down the Aroostook River to the mill. The other set was towed on a raft up the St. John and Aroostook Rivers from New Brunswick. They com- menced grinding in the fall of 1848. They also opened a store gor, and afterwards bringing them in boats up the St. John and Aroostook, the New Brunswick legislature having passed a law in a room in the grist mill, at first hauling their goods from Ban- allowing goods to come through in bond. Among the first settlers who ' came after Collins and Vaughan were George and Cephas Sampson and Mr. Watson Starbird. In 1845 Collins and Vaughan built on the site of the present mill a large saw mill with one up and down saw and a clap- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 121 toard machine. This mill was burnt in the winter of 1848 and rebuilt in the following year. In 1863 the mill was again de- stroyed by fire and the present fine mill was buiit during the same year. The first school taught in Caribou was a private school started in a log house in 1848 by Miss I.ir.ry Ann Hardison, sister to Jacob Hardison and to Mrs. S. W. Collins. The first schoolhouse was built in 1851 on the spot where the present village schoolhouse stands. In 1852 Collins & Vaughan built a tannery on the Caribou Stream below the grist mill. This tannery was operated by William Farrell, who bought hides of the farmers and also of the lumbermen who sometimes drove beef cattle into the v/oods to be slaughtered. Mr. Farrell also manulactured the leather into thick boots for the lumber trade. Collins & Vaughan also "built a blacksmith shop the same year and employed Benj. Annis, who was the first blacksmith in the town. They also built the first store in Caribou in 1855. The build- ing is still standing and is now occupied by Mr. John Anderson as a boot and shoe shop. No meetinghouse was built until 1860, when the Union house was erected, but religious meetings had previously been held in the schoolhouse. . In 1858 Sylvester Washburn built a sash and blind factory near where the present factory is located. It v/as afterwards destroyed by fire and rebuilt. The next year Mr. Washburn built the house afterwards occupied as a hotel by J. W. Gary and Harry Small. Th's house was burned some seven years ago, and has not been rebuilt. The second store erected in Caribou was built by D. F. Adams about the year 1860, soon after which another store was opened by Mr. Nathaniel Bartlett. In 1862 John S. Arnold built the store now owned by Mr. Alba Holmes, and in 1867 Sawin & Teague started in trade. They first opened a store in the old tannery build'ng, and afterwards moved into the large new store built by Mr. W. A. Vaughan and now occupied by Samuel Tay- lor. Since that tim.e the number of stores has increased until there are something over thirty in the village today. The first bridge across the Aroostook River at Caribou was built in 1863.' The State appropriated one-half of the cost and the citizens contributed the other half. In 1871 Mr. Alba Holmes started the first potato starch fac- tory in Aroostook. The building was built by Mr. J. C. Barnes 122 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK of Fort Fairfield for a woolen mill, but was never used for that purpose, A carding machine was run in the building until Mr. Holmes purchased it and converted it into the largest starch factory in the United States if not in the world. Mr. Holmes still continues the business of manufacturing starch, and dis- tributes among the farmers a large amount of money each year for potatoes. He also does a large business in the manufacture of cedar shingles and his enterprise adds much to the business activity of this thriving town. There are two other starch fac- tories in the town, one owned by Howe & Taylor, and the other by F. M. York, Esq., About 500 tons of starch was manufac- tured in the three factories last year. This was a light make, as the high price of potatoes for shipping prevented the factor- ies from receiving as large a stock as usual. In 1872 Rev, W. T. Sleeper commenced the publication of the North Star at Caribou. Mr. Sleeper at once undertook, the work of making known the resources of the Aroostook Valley, and seeing the need of some better means of communication with the outside world, suggested the idea of building a narrow gauge railroad up the Aroostook River from Andover, N. B., to con- nect with the New Brunswick Railway which was then in pro- cess of construction. Mr. Sleeper first suggested a road with wooden rails, which idea was much ridiculed at the time. The articles in the North Star, however, attracted the attention of railroad men and the consequence was that the idea began to be earnestly considered. The outcome of the discussion was that a charter was granted by the Legislature In the winter of 1873, and the Aroostook River Railroad Company was incorpor- ated. This company had the right to construct a railroad from the boundary line to Caribou with wooden or Iron rails as they saw fit. The Idea of the wooden rails was soon abandoned, and the New Brunswick Railway taking hold of the project, a nar- row guage railroad with Iron rails was completed to Fort Fair- field In 1875 and by the energy and enterprise of the people of Caribou the road bed was made ready for the rails and the track continued to Caribou In 1876. From that date the growth of the town has been steady, healthy and continuous. The citizens of Caribou are an enter- prising, energetic people and are always awake to any move- ment which promises to add to the business of the town or to Increase its social or educational advantages. The town has an air of business push and the men of the town have that off-hand, breezy energy more often seen In the new towns of the far West. IfllSTORY OF AROOSTOOK 128 Like other thriving villages in Aroostook, Caribou depends i'or its support and for the sure basis of its bus ness upon its grand outlaying agricultural region and upon the immense supply of cedar and spruce lumber growing upon all the lands in its vicinity. No abandoned farms are found in this section, and a stran- ger riding through the country would at once pronounce it the home of a peaceful, happy and prosperous people. That part of the old township H., R. 2 wh'.ch lies on the west side of the Aroostook River, and which once formed the town of Lyndon is a solid block of fine farming land with hardly a waste lot upon the whole tract. The road from Presque Isle to Caribou runs through this tract on a line nearly parallel with the Aroostook River, the farms on the east side of this road having a frontage on the road and stretching away back to the river. Hardwood Creek crosses this road about a half mile north of the Presque Isle line and flows down into the Aroostook River. A saw mill is built upon this creek, which is a great convenience to the settlers in the vicinity. Something over two miles from the Presque Isle line on this road is a post office which still bears the name of Lyn- don, the name of the old town. The oaice is kept by Mr. G. C. Hall, a son of Mr. Winslow Hall, who was one of the original settlers of this region. The mail runs from Presque Isle to Caribou every morning and back at night for the accommodation of all the residents along the road, another office being established at Maysville Centre, three miles from Presque Isle village. The through mail between the villages is carried upon the train. The land included in the "ox-bow" formed by the Aroos- took River as it bends, and turning upon its course, runs south- ward again through a part of what was formerly Eaton Grant is splendid farming land. About midway in this bend of the river, on a beautiful elevation, is the farm of N. S. Lufkin, Esq., one of the oldest settlers on the tract. When Mr. Lufkin set- tled here he could look down upon the village of Caribou and could see but five lights, and they made by tallow candles, while now of an evening he can look upon a thriving village with its streets and business houses lighted by electricity and the bright lights flashing from hundreds of windows of comfortable homes. The population of the section now included in the town of Caribou was In 1860 about 800. In 1870 it had increased to 1.24 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 1410; in 1880 to 2756, and in 1890 to 4087, being the largest population of any town in the County. This large increase in population is in a great measure accounted for by the fact that the northern portion of the town is almost entirely inhabited by French settlers who are a very prolific people. The valuation of Caribou in 1880 was $337,388, and in 1890 $780,439. We append the following personal reminiscences of Mr. Jacob Hardison, one of the earliest settlers of the town. Mr. Hardison died at Caribou March 27, 1891. He was a valued citizen and was widely known as a man of sterling integrity and sound judgment: "In the spring of 1839 my father. Ivory Hardison, and my- self, then a boy 15 years old, with one or two other men, left our home in the town of Winslow, Kennebec County, Maine, to seek a new home in the wilderness of Northern Aroostook. "As there was no road from Houlton to Presque Isle at that time, our only way was to take the Aroostook road leading from a point in the military road from Mattawamkeag to Houlton, about seven miles north of Mattawamkeag through Patten to Township 15, Range 5, and from there to Ashland there was only a winter road. "Over these roads we managed, with no little difficulty, to haul our scanty suppl'es. We at last reached Masardis, the end of the road, having been five days on the way from Patten, a distance of thirty seven miles. Here we stopped a few days with the few settlers who had collected on the bank of the Aroostook River to rest and look for settling lands. "We soon decided to go further down the river, so sending our team back to Patten, we constructed a raft and packing our supplies on it, set adrift to seek a place that suited us better. "With the swift current of a spring freshet we reached the mouth of the Presque Isle Stream in one day. Here we met Mr. Cunningham, who was surveying on letter H,, R. 2 (Cari- bou) about 12 miles below, and who advised us to go down with him. Following his advice we floated on down the river, landing at an old lumber camp located on the east side of the river on what was afterwards known as the Hall farm, which the English had occupied the winter before, but on hearing the clanking of arms and the tread of the State militia had fled to safe quarters, leaving timber cut in the woods, throwing logs from their sleds and leaving tons of fine timber on the landings, and even leaving their cooking utensils in some instances. On the landing just below their camp on the lot afterwards occu HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 125 pled by father, was to be seen a large pile of p!ne timber that they left, which after the Ashburton Treaty, they were allowed to run down the river to St. John, by paying stump age to the State. "We remained at this camp till a location was settled upon, which was soon done. Going about halt a mi.e west of our camp we built a bark shelter and commenced to clear on the lot now occupied by my brother, Oliver, and Henry Fish. "Later we joined the surveying party and helped finish the survey of the township and locate the road as now traveled from Caribou to Presque Isle. "In the lall we returned to Winslow, and in the spring of 1842 father and I returned to Aroostook. During our absence a road had been partly constructed between Houiton and Presque Isle and we came that way, but belore reaching Presque Isle the road was so bad that we were obl.'ged to leave our vvagon ■and pack our scanty supplies, including a little corn and two bushels of wheat on our horses. Upon reaching the Aroostook Kiver in Maysville we followed it down to our new hom.e. "We then set to work burning and clearing the chopping we had made, and planting our wheat and corn. "During the first four months of our stay we saw no one, but in the fall Harvey Ormsby and John T. Pike, who were also seeking homes for themselves, came and stayed w.th us several weeks. We had already commenced to build a log house, and our visitors helped us finish it. It was of squared timber and in one end had a huge stone fireplace that would burn wood four feet long. Having harvested our small crop of corn and vi/heat and hauled a large supply of wood to our door, we, in December, started for China, Me., where our family then was. "On Februray 14, 1843, we started again for Aroostook with our family and household effects. The family consisted of fa- ther, mother and seven children. "As no road had been opened from Presque Isle to Caribou, upon reaching the Aroostook River, we drove down it upon the ice. On February 28, 1843, we reached our new home, and if ever there was a happy family we were one that night. Mother cried for joy. We were "monarchs of all we surveyed." "We had no neighbors within four miles. Soon after our arrival the snow became very deep, and as we had no snow shoes it was impossible for us to get out of our clearing. Our supplies began to run short but we had the Canada corn which I2ff. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK we had raised the year before. For six weeks the bread, whfch' was our only food, was made from meal ground in a small coffee mill. On the crust, in the spring, we boys hauled our first grist of corn on a handsled to the old Cochran mill, which stood at the mouth of the Caribou Stream. The original Cochran mill was a very prim'tive affair, consisting of one run of stone, which were split from a granite boulder on the bank of the river and rafted down. The bolt for separating the flour from the bran and hull was made of narrow strips of wood set up edgewise and. set at an angle of 40 degrees so the flour would pass through, and the bran and hull would pass down under the mill, where he kept a fev/ hogs on the bran at the expense of his neighbors, who were ignorant of its quality. Mr. Cochran made the first opening in this town in order to get a mill site. "We made the first break in the forest of this town for the purpose of making a farm. On one occasion the Cochran boys went hunting and struck the trail of a caribou. Their dogs took the trail and run the caribou down the river on the ice. The old man at the mill heard the barking of the dogs and went to the fiver bank, and with an old fowling piece managed to wound the animal so that the dogs caught and killed the caribou as he turned up the creek, and from that event originated the name of Caribou Stream. "In March, Harvey Ormsby returned with his family and settled in the western part of the town some three miles from our place. They, for a year, were our nearest neighbors. "During the summer the State grubbed the road as now traveled from the Aroostook River in Maysville (it having been built to there before) to Caribou Stream. In the winter of 1843 Hiram and Winslow Hall, with their families, moved from Ox ford County and settled within half a mile of our place. "In the spring of 1844 our worthy townsman, S. W. Collins, and his partner, W. A. Vaughan, commenced to erect a grist mill which has since been remodeled, and is still standing upon the old site. "They also erected a saw mill which was afterwards burned and the one now owned by Mr. Collins was erected on the old site. "Our town grew fast and soon nearly every settling lot was taken. It was incorporated as the town of Lyndon in 1859, and afterwards changed to Caribou, which name the village and stream always bore." J. HARBISON. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 121 WASHBURN The main stream of Salm.on Brook rises in a beautiful lit- tle lake in the northern part of the town of P-^-ham and flowing in a southeasterly course enters the town of Washburn near its northwest corner. The east branch of Salmon Brook rises in the eastern part of Perham and flow'ng southeasterly across the southwest corner of the town of Woodland, enters Washburn through its northern border, about a mile and a half from the northwest correr of the town. These two fine streams flowing in a southerly direction through the eastern part of the town of Washburn, gradually converging, unite in one strong flowing streara about a mile above its junction with the beautiful Aroos- took R'ver. On the western bank of this stream is a lovely plain rising gradually as it recedes from the water until it ter- minates in a gringe of green forest at the top of the gentle slope. On the eastern side of the stream, below the mouth of the east branch, the land rises somewhat more boldly, but by no means steep, and presents a clean, smooth, verdant slope, as it Is seen from the opposite side. On the beautiful plain upon the west side of Salmon brook is situated the principal part of the pleasant village of Washburn, though the recent growth of the village has extended across the stream. The town of Washburn was formerly known as Township No. 13, R. 3, W, E. L. S. It is a single township, six miles square, and is bounded by Woodland on the north, Caribou on the east. Wade Plantation on the west, and has Mapleton for its neighbor on the southern border. The first settlers on the township, like those of nearly all the towns along the Aroostook River, came up the river from New Brunswick many years ago and settled along the river bank. The oldest settler of whom v/e can obtain any account and probably the first white man who made a home in what is now the town of Washburn was Nathaniel Churchill who came with his family from New Brunswick in 1826, and settled on what is now called the Stratton flat near the mouth of Salmon Brook. He remained there some five years, when he moved farther down the river and settled on Oakes' island. He continued at this place until 1833, when his wife died and he returned with his children to Brunswick. In 1839, having married again, he came 12S HISTORY OF AROOSTOOKT back up the river with his family and settled on the lot where"- his son, Job Churchill, now lives, seme four miles down the river from the town of Washburn. When Mr. Churchill returned a number of settlers had taken up lots along the river and he was no longer alone in the wilderness. In 1837 Thomas McDonald came from Miramchi and set- tled on the north side of the Aroostook about a mile below the mouth of Salmon Brook. His son, Mr. John L. McDonald, still resides upon the lot which is now a handsome farm with com- modious buildings and fertile fields. Soon after that Wilder Stratton settled on the lot first taken, up by Nathaniel Churchill and his children still occupy the farm, having a beautiful residence on the height some distance back from the river. Mrs. A. W. Stratton, an accomplished writer and a well known contributor to numerous publications, IS at present living there. The first settler in what is now the village of Washburn, and the pioneer business man of the town, was Isaac Wilder,, who came to Aroostook from the town of Pembroke in Wash- ington County, about the year 1840. Mr. Wilder remained for a time at Fort Fairfied where he worked on the barracks as a carpenter, then pushing on up the river he built a saw mill in the dense wilderness on the banks of Salmon Brook. At that time the only settlers upon the town were the few who were located on the Aroostook River in the southwest portion of the township. As late as 1844, in the report of the Commissioners of Maine and Massachusetts who in that year visited this sec- tion to adjust the settlers' claims, we find mention of but twelve of these settlers along the river bank in 13, R. 3, now Wash- burn. These were Peter Bull, Nathaniel Churchill, Jabez S. Currier, Joshua Dunn, John Hicky, Lawrence Farrel, Wilder Stratton, Elizabeth, widow of William Mumford, Joshua Chris- tie, Job Churchill, Stephen Harris and Ebenezer Esty. The State of Massachusetts then owned the town, as the mother State still held each alternate township in this eastern wilderness. At the time of Mr. Wilder's coming there was no road in in the township, the river being the only thoroughfare. The mill contained an up and down saw and clapboard machine. The boards and other long lumber were rafted in the water, and upon these were piled the clapboards, and the rafts were floated down the stream to the Aroostook River, thence down to the Aroos took Falls, where the lumber had to be taken from the water. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 129 hauled by the falls, rafted again below and thence floated out into the St. John and down the river to Fredericton. With Isaac Wilder, came his brother, Charles Wilder, who settled and commenced a clearing near the mouth of the stream. In 1843, Charles 0. Stoddard came from Perry, in Wash- ington County, and settled on the bank of the Salmon Brook stream a short distance below the mill. In the same year Robert Wilder, brother of Isaac, came from Pembroke and made a clearing next above Stoddard, and with him from the same town came Samuel Bugbee, who settled on the adjoining lot below Stoddard. In 1843 also came Hiram Braddock. who moved from Cal- ais and made a home on the north bank of the Aroostook, about half a mile below the mouth of Salmon Brook. Soon after these settlers came they cut the road through from the mill to the Aroostook River at the mouth of the brook. This was for some years a road through the woods, hardly passable for teams in summer, and was not turnpiked until 1846. In 1845 the road was cut through from the south bank of the Aroostook, opposite the mouth of Salmon Brook, to what was then called the "State Road," leading from Presque Isle to Ashland. By fording or ferrying across the Aroostook, the settlers near Wilder's mill had communication by means of this road with Presque Isle where much of their trading was then done. In the winter of 184^1 — 45 the township was organized as the plantation of Salmon Brook and the same year a school was established in the house of one of the settlers. Some three years later a schoolhouse was built near where the village cemetery is now located. In this- house religious meetings were held from time to tim.e and occasionally a faithful missionary penetrated these wilds and preached to the settlers. In 1850 a road was commenced from Wilder's mill toward Caribou. Later on this road was continued to Caribou village and is now a fine smooth turnpike running through a magnificent farming section. In 1850 Gould Crouse and his sons, Jerry, Abram and Wil- liam, came from New Brunswick and settled on the Aroostook River in what is now known as East Washburn. Joshua Dunn, a brother of Elbridge Dunn, Esq., of St. John, then lived on the lot "which is now the beautiful homestead of Mr. Jerry Crouse, and sold the lot to the elder Crouse. In 1852 Mr. Theodore Wilder came from Pembroke and commenced the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. S. W. 130 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Tabor, on a fine swell of land some two miles northeast of the village. Settlers came slowly for a time, a few making clearings on the new road toward Caribou, and quite a number coming after the Editorial Excursion in 1858, the reports of which made the country better known to the outside world. Isaac Wilder kept a few goods for sale at his mill, but no store was built in the town until 1860. In that year Chauncy Harris built a store, and in 1861 rented it to Mr. Nathan Perry, then from Bangor, who traded in it for a short time and then moved to Presque Isle. In 1865, Benjamin Wilder, a son of Robert Wilder, built another store where he traded until 1871, when he sold out to Nathan Perry, who still continued his busi- ness at Presque Isle, his sons attending to the branch store at Salmon Brook. In 1880 Mr. Perry sold out the business to Farnham Bros., who are today the principal merchants and resi- dent business men of the town. Isaac Wilder continued to own and operate the mill until 1879, during which time it was twice burnt and rebuilt. In 1879 Mr. Wilder sold the property to Messrs. Johnson & Phair of Presque Isle, and died not long afterward. This firm and the branch firm of E. J. Johnson & Co. continued to operate the mill and increase the business until the firm of Johnson & Phair was dissolved some three years ago and the property came into the hands of Hon. T. H. Phair, the present owner. The present village of Washburn has been mainly the growth of the last ten years, though the settlement received quite an impetus from the establishment of two starch factories, built by Mr. Miller of New Hampshire, the one at the village about 1875 and that at East Washburn a few years later. Both of these factories are now the property of Hon. T. H. Phair. The town of Washburn was incorporated in 1861 and was named for Gov. Israel Washburn, from whom the town received a present of a library of two hundred choice volumes. By the census of 1880 the population of the town was 809, and by that of 1890 was 1097. The valuation of the town was $100,243, which In 1890 had Increased to $215,341. Adjoining Washburn on the west Is Township 13, R. 4, organized as Wade Plantation, but generally known as Dunn- town. The Aroostook River flows across' the southeast corner of this township, and there are numerous settlers along the river on either bank. The road from Washburn to Perham crosses the northeast corner of the township. Farnham Bros, pur- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 131 chased 10,000 acres in the northern part of this township some years ago and have a tract four miles long by one wide, along the Perham line already lotted for settlement, and a road run- ning through the middle of the tract on the line between the tiers of lots. These are all first class settling lots, and there are fifteen lots on the tract still unsold. They will soon run out an- other tract into 48 lots of most excellent settling land. They sell these lots for $3.00 per acre to settlers and make no reserva- tion of timber. Settlers are required to pay $50 down and are allowed all needed time on the balance if interest is paid. The southern part of this town is owned by the Dunns. The Aroos- took River runs for a distance of about five miles through the southeast portion of the township and on each side of the river are roads leading to Washburn village. The lots along the river are all taken and there are already some excellent farms. There are two schoolhouses in this part of the plantation and one has already been established among the settlers on the Farnham block. With the exception of the lots along the river and the Farnham lots the township is still in its wilderness state and is for the most part excellent settling land. In the southeast por- tion of the township on lots number 23 and 24 lying south of the Aroostook River is the deposit of iron described in the re- port of the scientific survey of the State of Maine. Should a railroad ever run in the vicinity these lands would probably be valuable for the iron ore, which could then be profitably worked. Wade Plantation was first organized in 1859. In 1862 it lost its organization and was not reorganized until 1874. The population by the census of 1890 was 158. SHERMAN The southern portion of Aroostook County comprises an area of five ranges of townships in width from east to west and extending about fifty-five miles northward from the County of Washington and the eastern shoulder of Penobscot. At the northern extremity of this strip, the county extends three ranges of townships farther to the west along the the northern border of Penobscot, and two townships farther north the southern line of the county extends across the entire State. The towns along the western border of this southern portion of Aroostook are 132 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK watered by tributaries of the Penobscot, and it was the vast lum- ber business of the Penobscot that first induced settlers to en- ter upon the fertile lands of this part of the County, Lying along the western border of Penobscot County, the fourth town- ship north from the extreme southern line of Aroostook, is the goodly town of Sherman, one of the most enterprising as well as one of the best in an agricultural point of view of the southern Aroostook towns. The old West Aroostook road branches off from the Military road in the town of Molunkus, near the south- ern border of Aroostook and continuing northward through Mo- lunkus, the wilderness township of No. 1, R. 5, Benedicta and a portion of Sherman, then veers to the westward into Penobscot County and runs up through the towns of Staceyville, Patten and a portion of Mount Chase, re-enters Aroostook about mid- way of the town of Hersey and extends away north to the St. John River at Fort Kent. The length of this road from the "mouth of the road" in Molunkus to its terminus at Fort Kent, is upwards of 125 miles and it is now the longest stage route in the State. As early as 1832, this road was cut through nearly to the south line of Sherman, then known as No. 3, Range 5. In that year Mr. Alfred Cushman of Sumner, Oxford County, the pioneer settler of Sherman, came in and took up a lot on the west line of the town some two and a half miles north of the southwest corner. The town then belonged to the State of Mas- sachusetts and Mr. Cushman bought 200 acres of land, paying $1.75 per acre in cash and taking a deed from the Land Agent of Massachusetts. Mr. Cushman's lot was in the midst of a vast wilderness, the fair town of Patten and all the country for many miles northward being at that time covered with its original for- est growth and the country untenanted save by the crews of hardy lumbermen who had their winter camps along the rivers and streams which traversed this grand forest tract. Having made a small clearing and built a primitive habitation, Mr. Cushman next year moved his family to their new home. The road from Molunkus was then hardly passable for teams ex- cept in winter and Mr. Cushman and his wife and three children walked in from the mouth of the road, he carrying the fourth child, an infant, in his arms for a distance of eighteen miles- The lot upon which he settled was a beautiful slope of fine productive land and he at once went to work to clear away the forest and make a farm. His market was at the lumber camps nearby, and his hay and grain sold for remunerative prices. His first crop of hay brought him $25 per ton and the price for HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 133 grain was in proportion. Mr. Cushman tells of enormous crops raised upon his farm in these early days, having one year 210 bushels of ears of handsome corn on an acre, and raising 77 bushels of fine wheat from one bushel of seed. The old gentle- man is still living upon the old farm, which is now in the midst of a beautiful cultivated section, with" broad and fertile fields extending in every direction over the slopes that were covered by the greenwood trees when he first made his settlement here in the forest. Four stalwart sons did faithful service in the Union army and this old pioneer is now enjoying the twilight of life, tenderly cared for by his children and enjoying the re- spect of the community in which he has lived so long The year following Mr. Cushman's settlement the road was cut through nearly to Masardis, and in 1834 Mr. John Cram from Lowell, Mass., came in and took the lot south of Mr. Cushman's. In 1836 — 37 Mr. Cushman built the tavern stand near his house and here he put up travelers for about two years, when he sold to one Lewis and he in turn to Mr. Theodore Trafton, who kept the hotel until some twelve years ago. Mr. Cush- man gives as the reason for his going out of the hotel business that it was expected in those days that all innkeepers would keep a supply of liquor for customers, and as he could not con- scientiously do this he abandoned the business. Among the other early settlers of the town upon the old Aroostook road were Mr. Spaulding Robinson, who came from Sumner, Oxford County, about 1840, and made a farm near Mr. Cushman's and also engaged largely in lumbering and trade. Mr. Luke Perry and sons who came about the same time and settled near the south line of the town, and Mr. Richard Boyn- ton, who came from Alna a few years later. In 1850, Mr. Boynton built a hotel at the mouth of the road leading to the east branch of the Penobscot, which he continued to keep until his death and which is now kept by his son, W. H. Boynton. This hotel is about half a mile from the south line of the town and in spring and fall is filled with crews of lumbermen going to and returning from the woods, and does a large business. There are a number of stores and shops in the vicinity of the hotel, but the business centre of the town is now the village of Sherman Mills, something more than a mile farther to the east. In the northeastern portion of the town is a magnificent swell of land known as Golden Ridge, upon which are now some of the finest farms in this portion of the County. The first to enter upon this grand ridge of land was Mr. 134 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Samuel Chandler, who made a chopping in 1840. He did not remain, however, but sold his lot to Mr. Wesley Caldwell, who took possession the following year. Mr. Caldwell was a native of Paris, Oxford County, and moved to Lincoln In 1824, being one of the pioneer settlers of that town. He removed to Sher- man April 11, 1841, and* commenced clearing up a farm on Golden Ridge. He raised his first crop in 1842 and the next year moved his family to their first home, which they reached on July 4th, 1843. They came across from Cushman's to their log house by a spotted line through the woods, as there was then no road in the township with the exception of the West Aroostook road, which had been recently built- in 1843, Mr. Joseph Dolley came from Lincoln and took a lot next to Wesley Caldwell's. Horace Morse and John Hale also came in 1843, and in 1845 Daniel Emery, John Scudder and George Davidson moved in on the Ridge. In the meantime a settlement had commenced at what is now Sherman Mills, and in 1843 the road from the Mills, running over Golden Ridge to Island Falls, was laid out by the State of Massachusetts. Very few additions were made to the settlement upon Golden Ridge until 1849, when Moses Perry, Charles H. Jackman and Joseph Morrison came in and in 1850 Daniel and Jonathan Sleeper took lots on the Ridge. In 1851, Mr. George W. Webber moved into the new set- tlement. Mr. Webber first came to Aroostook from New Hamp- shire in 1829 and lived for a number of years in the town of Linneus. He continued to live upon his farm on Golden Ridge until 1870, when he removed to the Mills, where he has ever since been engaged in trade. He was town treasurer of Sher- man for many years and is one of the oldest and most respected citizens of the town. The first Sabbath School in the town was the Union Sab- bath School, which was organized by the few settlers on Golden Ridge in May, 1844, and has held its meetings continuously un- til the present time, never having lost its organization. In those early years, before any school was established in the town, the children of the settlers were taught to read in this Sabbath school. The history of the settlement at Sherman Mills commences with the year 1840, in which year Mr, Morgon L. Gary, from Hingham, Mass., made a chopping of twenty acres- In 1841, he burned and cleared part of the land and built a mill near where the grist mill now stands. During the same year the HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 135 I road from the Aroostook road to the mill was cut through. Gary's mill which was built upon the Molunkus Stream and contained an up and down saw, was burned in 1846 and Mr. Gary immediately rebuilt, putting into the new mill in addition to the saw, what the settlers called a "coffee mill," or a small mill for grinding grain. This mill he continued to run until about 1856, when he sold to Mr. Spaulding Robinson. In 1862, Mr. Robinson took down the mill and the firm of Robinson & Bean built the grist mill now standing, in which are three run of stones. In 1863, the same firm built a new saw mill, with an up and down saw, lath saw and planer. Mr. Gary built the first frame house at the Mills in 1848. This house is still standing in good repair, and is occupied by Mr. E. A. Jackman as a public house. The postoffice at Sher- man Mills is also located in this building. The next house at the Mills was built by Spaulding Robinson in 1861. The growth of the village was slow during the years of the war, but with the revival of business at its close a new impetus was given to this new settlement. In 1867, Mr- Leonard C. Caldwell opened the first store at Sherman Mills in a store for- merly occupied by Spaulding Robinson on the Aroostook road, the building having been moved to the Mills. About the same time the parsonage was built and the houses of John W. Caldwell, Mrs. Perry, Mr. Gary and others. In 1868, the Town House was built on the east side of the stream and in 1869 the handsome Congregational Church building was erected. This church was organized in 1862 and Rev. W. T. Sleeper, now of Worcester, Mass., was its first pastor. In 1870, a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons was organized at Sher- man Mills, a hall having been finished for their use in the sec- ond story of the grist mill. In 1872, the store now occupied by L. E. Jackman was built. The second story of this building is now used as a residence by Mr. George M. Frye. In 1876 the death of Mr- Spaulding Robinson occurred. Mr. Robinson had long been one of the principal citizens of the town and had occupied many public positions. He at one time repre- sented his district in the Legislature of Maine and was for many years local agent for State lands. His son, Mr. A. T. Robin- son, succeeded to his business, and until quite recently was en- gaged in trade at the Mills. He was a soldier in the 8th Maine Regiment and for ten months and a half was a prisoner at Andersonville. Another of the old settlers of the town was Mr. Isaiah B. 136 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Foster, who came from Dover in 1844 and settled about a quar- ter of a mile from the Mills on the road to Golden Ridge. In 1877, Messrs. Merrill, Piper and Libby of Colebrook, N. H., built a starch factory at the Mills. Mr. George M. Frye afterwards purchased Libby's interest and he and Mr. Piper bought out Mr. Merrill. About the same time Mr- B. H. Towle, from Lee, built a tannery near the Mills. This tannery was operated uptil 1888, when it was destroyed by fire and has not been rebuilt. Previous to 1858, the entire southeast quarter of the town was still in its wilderness state, no settler having entered upon that portion of the town. In that year Mr. John Burnham set- tled on what is known as the East Ridge, taking the lot now occupied by Mr. John Scanlon at Woodbridge's Corner. With Mr. Burnham came George W. Durgan, Granville Franks, An- drew and Frank Sinclair and Albert Osgood, all from Bluehill, Hancock County. This party arrived at Trafton's on the Aroos- took road. May 20, 1858, and on the 22nd procured a guide and proceeded through the woods to the southeast part of the town, where they selected adjoining lots and, having built a camp in which they all lived together, went to work making a clearing. In the fall of 1858, Mr. Burnham brought his family to Sherman, but did not move to his lot until the spring of 1860, when he commenced housekeeping in a log house on his new farm. In 1868 Mr. Burnham sold his farm and bought the farm half a mile west of the Mills, where he now resides. Later in the year 1858, a number of other settlers came and selected lots in this part of the town, made small choppings and went out, returning the next year to clear up the land. Among these were Mr. J. W- Ambrose from Wells, York County, Benj. L. Sanborn, Ole Hanson, Ezra Curtis, Lysander Robinson, Daniel D. Cox, A. C. Verill, Deacon Thomas Ball, Cyrus Daggett, and a number of others. Most of these settlers moved to their lots in 1859. Mr. Am- brose took a lot in the extreme southeast corner of the town and in January, 1860, moved his family to the town, taking up temporary quarters in a little log house at the mill. Having made a small clearing and put up a log house, in the fall of 1860 he placed his family and all his household goods upon an old sled, and with a yoke of oxen hauled them through the woods four miles to their new home. After paying the expenses of getting his family to Sherman he found himself possessed of just $33 and an old horse which he exchanged for a cow. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 1S7 He has now a fine farm of over 300 acres, with 80 acres cleared and under good cultivation. Mr. Ambrose has served for many years on the board of County Commissioners, has represented his district in the State Legislature and held various town of- fices. Mr. John W. Perry and James F. Farner, sons-in-law of Mr- Ambrose, took up lots in the adjoining township of Silver Hidge and these two lots were afterwards annexed to the town of Sherman in order that these settlers might have the benefit •of schools. The settlers in this part of the town immediately commenced to open the road, which was run directly east from the Mills to Woodbridge's Corner, and thence in a southerly direction to the south line of the town. This is now a fine, smooth road and runs through a good farming country. Taken as a whole the town of Sherman is a grand agricul- tural town, nearly all the waste land being in the extreme north- "west corner. We neglected to make mention of Hon. Wm. Irish, who came to Sherman from Oxford County in 1869, and was for years a prominent citizen of the town. Mr. Irish was a member of the House in 1871, and of the State Senate in 1872. He died in Dakota about a year ago. The town of Sherman is justly proud of its war record. The population of the town in 1861 was 486, and the town fur- nished during the war 113 soldiers, actual residents of the town and all volunteers except twelve. Thirty-four were killed or died in service and the term of actual aggregate service of the soldiers of the town was 220 years. A handsome soldiers' monument stands in the village cemetery, having been erected at a cost of $1000, and dedicated July 4th, 1882. The township was at first organized with Benedicta, after- wards with Island Falls and then as a separate plantation under the name of Golden Ridge. The town was incorporated Jan. 28, 1862, and was named for Senator John Sherman of Ohio. WOODLAND The task of opening up a new town in the wilderness sec- tion of Northern Aroostook is one of greater magnitude than many imagine, and the labor, hardships and privations attending 138 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK the work of hewing a home out of the wildwood and at the same time providing the means of support for a family are such as are calculated to put to a severe test both the physical and men- tal vigor of the man who undertakes it. The idea of making the wilderness blossom as the rose is a very pretty and poetical one when someone else does the work, but he who essays the task must make up his mind that between the wilderness period and the advent of the rose era there must be many weary days of toil and a brave and manly struggle which only a man of grit, energy and persistence can bring to a successful termination- Hard though the task may be, however, and severe and trying as are the hardships incident thereto, yet many sturdy men have fought the battle through to a happy issue and are today en- joying the fruits of their toil in the way of a pleasant and com- fortable home and a fertile and productive farm, the income from which renders them comparatively independent. The close of the war seems not so far away to many of us, and yet there are many sections in the Aroostook Valley where may now be seen broad, smooth and productive fields and fine houses and other buildings, where at the time of the muster out the original forest covered all the hills and vales, and the grand old woods had never been invaded save by the sturdy lumberman, or the adventurous hunter. Other towns there are where the first few pioneers came just before the commencement of the war, and, though seemingly "out of humanity's reach," yet the bugle call to arms penetrated even the far northern forest, and the patriot left his axe to rust in the cleft of the huge maple, while he marched away to fight his country's battles. Such a town as this is the present prosperous town of Wood- land, which is today covered all over with beautiful farms and upon all the roads are the comfortable homes of a happy and contented people. "Where are your peasantry?" inquired a dis- tinguished foreigner, as he looked upon the comfortable homes of the laboring class in some of the more thickly settled por- tions of our country. Well indeed might he ask this question could he visit the homes of many of the farmers in these new towns of Aroostook, and see the evidences of comfort, and also of culture and refinement there presented. None of the cring- ing humility of the European peasant here, but each man the peer of his fellow, and all on an equal footing before the law as free citizens of this grand republic. Surely it is worth a struggle to make a home in such a land as ours, and in all its HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 139 broad extent there is no portion where a man possessed of the requisite muscle, pluck and energy can sooner surround himself with a generous share of the necessaries and comforts of life than in this Garden County of Northern Maine. Those of the early pioneers of these new towns who are now living upon fine smooth farms, as they look back upon the period between the wilderness and the rose, will tell you with a flush of pride that the struggle was a hard one and that they hardly know how they came through, but that somehow or other they man- aged to live until the farm yielded a support, and many will aver that the days when they were clearing their farms and rearing their new homes were the happiest of their lives. Too much credit and honor cannot be given to the wives of the hardy settlers upon these forest tracts. Many of them were women who had been brought up in comfortable homes and accus- tomed to a moderate share at least of the luxuries of life. With- out complaining, they followed their husbands to the new home, leaving behind them the comforts and pleasures of society, and bravely faced the privations of pioneer life. Many a man here is proud to admit that his success is largely due to the help and encouragement of the good wife who shared and lightened the toil of all these early years. The first settlers of nearly all these towns were men of small means, and what money they had was usually exhausted in reaching their new home and they were left with no capital save their strong arms and stout hearts. They were usually, however, men of courage and pluck and not easily frightened by difficulties or hardships. Here, as elsewhere, the law of the survival of the fittest held good, and those who had not the requisite sand gave up the fight when the hard pinch came and returned to the older settlements. Those who held on succeeded and are now enjoying the fruits of their toil. The town of Woodland, formerly known as Township No. 14, Range 3, was surveyed for settlement by Lore Alford, of Old Town, in 1859, and was divided Into lots of 160 acres each. The township is bounded by New Sweden on the north by Caribou on the east, Washburn on the south and Perham on the west- At the time when the first clearing was made in Wood- land, both Perham and New Sweden were wilderness town- ships and had not even been lotted for settlement. The low price at which the State offered these new lands to actual set- tlers attracted the attention of men who wished to make homes for themselves and families, and they were not long In the mar- Ua HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ket before the sturdy blows of the pioneer's axe were resound- ing through the forest and clearings were commenced in differ- ent portions of the town. The first to make an opening in the new town was Mr,. Frederic E. Lufkin of Caribou, who as early as 1858, before, the town had been lotted, made a chopping of six acres in the north part of the town. In 1859 Enoch Philbrick came from Buckfield, in Oxford County, and made a chopping near Mr. Lufkin's. Both these choppings were burnt on the same day in the summer of 1859, fire being set to Mr. Philbrick's first. In the same year Charles E. Washburn, B. F. Thomas and Moses Thomas came from Oxford County and took lots in the north part of the town, and T. L. Jennison, Carlton Morse and Charles Carlton came from North Dixmont and settled near the centre. None of these brought their families that year, but after building their log houses and making small clearings, went out and returned with their families the next year. The first settler who brought his family to the town and remained was Mr. Ephraim Barnum, who came from Ware, Mass., in 1860 and took a lot in the southeast part of the town. Other settlers who came in 1860 were Jonathan Sawin from Westminster, Mass-, John G. Thayer and Luther Robbins. E. A. Cunningham had arrived during the previous year. In 1861 L. B. Mclntire came in and settled near the centre of the town and a few years later sold his lot to R. A. Sanders. In the same year came George E. Ross from Kennebec County, Willard Glidden from Etna in Penobscot, and John Eddy from Ware, Mass., who settled on the lot adjoining Ephraim Barnum's. Most of the above named settlers are still residents of the town and have fine smooth farms and large, comfortable houses with spacious barns and outbuildings. The township was organized as a plantation in 1861, and in April of that year the first legal meeting for choice of officers and other business was held. At this meeting John G, Thayer Was chosen Moderator, E. A. Cunningham, Clerk, and T. L, Jennison, Luther Robbins and Charles Carlton, Assessors. A few more settlers came during that year but the outbreak of the war put a check upon immigration and hardly any new settlers came until after its close. It is the proud boast of this town that every citizen except two, who was fit for service, went to the army, either as a volunteer or as a conscript. This neces- sarily placed a check upon the growth of the town, but at the HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 141 close of the war immigration was resumed and the town began to increase in population- The first male child born in the town was Ernest Thayer, son of John G. Thayer, who was born in 1861, and the first female child was Julia E,, daughter of Charles Carlton, born in 1862. The first school in the town was taught by E. A. Cunning- ham in his own house in 1863. A log schoolhouse was built during the next year and Miss Maria Adams of Caribou taught the first school in the new house. The first minister who held service in the town was Rev. W. P. Ray, a Methodist clergyman stationed at Caribou in 1861, who held meetings once a month in Woodland. The meetings were held in private houses until the log schoolhouse was built. In 1872 all the unoccupied portion of the north part of the town was resurveyed and lotted into 100 acre lots and granted to the Swedes who could not be provided for in New Sweden, and they now form the larger portion of the citizens of this part of the town. As early as 1880, every lot in the town con- sidered fit for settlement was taken up, and the remainder, comprising about 1000 acres, was sold by the State to Messrs. Arnold and Dunn, who have since sold it to settlers. In the original survey a block of 1000 acres in the south part of the town was reserved for school purposes. This block was after- wards sold to Messrs. Johnson and Phair of Presque Isle, and the money placed at interest for the support of schools. This land has since been sold to settlers. There are now no lots in the town owned by the State and very few by non-resident pro- prietors- Soon after their settlement in the north part of the town the Swedes built a mill on a small brook running into the east branch of the Caribou Stream. This was the first mill built in the town and was a steam mill with one shingle machine. For some reason this mill did not prove to be a profitable one and after running a year the machinery was removed and the mill abandoned. Some six miles from the village of Caribou, on the road running through Woodland to New Sweden, is the steam mill of Messrs. Goodwin and Hackett. This mill was built in 1878 by York and Merrill and forms the nucleus of what is to be the village of Woodland. As an agricultural town Woodland ranks among the best of the many good towns in Northern Aroostook, and, as the 142 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK center of the town is but about six miles distant from Caribou station, the farmers are provided with a convenient outlet for their potatoes and other surplus produce. Though a new town, there are now good roads in all parts of the town and the character of the soil is such that they are easily kept in good repair. Previous to 1860 there was no road anywhere in the. township, and only a logging road leading from Caribou to the east line of the town. In 1860, a road was laid out by the County Commissioners running from Caribou through the towns of Woodland and Perham and away on through the wilderness until it struck the road leading from Ashland to Fort Kent in Township 14, R. 6. The road was built across the two towns named, but was never continued farther than the west line of Perham, owing to the opposition of the proprietors of the wild lands in 14, R. 5 and 14 R. 6, who succeeded in defeat- ing it. This road runs nearly through the centre of the town of Woodland and there are fine farms with broad, smooth fields along its entire length. The northern part of Woodland is for the most part occu- pied by Swedes and as late as 1870 was nearly all wilderness- It is now covered with fertile farms and on all the roads are good, comfortable houses and most of them well built and neat- ly kept in all their surroundings. These Swedish settlers are good citizens and have been quick to adopt the manners and customs of their Yankee neighbors. The first tax was assessed on these Swedish citizens of Woodland in 1872, and this they refused to pay, as the colonists in the adjoining town of New Sweden were exempted by the State from taxation for five years from the date of their arrival. The tax collector of Woodland attempted at one time to drive away a Swede's cow, whereupon the owner appeared with his gun and drove the collector off his premises. For this the Swede was arrested and taken to Houl- ton, but was released without any punishment. For three years In succession the Swedes in Woodland refused to pay their tax and it was finally paid by the State. Since that time they have been prompt taxpayers and good, law abiding citizens. Rev. Andrew Wiren, the Swedish pastor, settled among the people in this part of the town and built a handsome residence. He afterwards married a daughter of Mr. W. A. Vaughan, of Caribou, and removed to Florida, where he died some two years ago. Woodland was incorporated as a town March 5, 1880. The population in 1870 was but 174 and in 1880 it had increased to HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 143 679. In 1890 the population was 885. The valuation of the town in 1880 was $77,539 and in 1890 was $170,612. The rate of taxation was 017. There are many enterprising farmers and business men in the town and when the completion of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad shall have given its added stimulus to the business of the County, Woodland is sure to become one of the most pros- perous towns in Northern Aroostok- LUDLOW The half township now incorporated as the town of Ludlow lies immediately west of the north half of Houlton which was the grant to Williams College. This half township (Ludlow) was granted by the general court of the Commonwealth of Mas- sachusetts to the trustees of Belfast Academy by a resolve passed Feb. 29, 1808. John Reed and William Smith were ap- pointed by the general court as agents to deed the grant to the trustees of the academy. The half township was surveyed by Park Holland in the month of September, 1809, and was deeded to the trustees on Dec. 6, 1809. The grant is thus described in the original deed: "Beginning at the southwesterly corner of a township granted to Williamstown College, at a hard maple tree, thence west, thirteen degrees north six miles to an ash tree, thence north, thirteen degrees east three miles to a maple tree, thence east, thirteen degrees south six miles to a cedar, thence on Williamstown College westerly line south, thirteen degrees west, three miles to the first bounds and containing eleven thousand five hundred and twenty acres, etc." The conditions of the deed bound the trustees to "lay out and convey to each settler who settled on said tract before the first day of January, 1784, one hundred acres of land to be laid out so as best to include his improvements and be least injuri- ous to the adjoining lands." As no settler had entered upon this wilderness region previous to 1784, this provision was really su- perfluous. The trustees were also bound to "settle on said tract ten families in six years, including them now settled thereon." They were also to lay out three lots of 160 acres each, "one lot for the use of the ministry, one lot for the first settled minister and one lot for the use of schools." 14^ HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK The condition in relation to placing ten settlers upon the tract within six years must have been extended for the settlement was not made until some ten years after the expira- ion of that limit. We find upon the records the followmg cer- fica^e- "Land Office, Boston, 29th March 1826 This certifies- that I have received of the trustees of Belfast Academy a cer- tified list containing the names of ten settlers who are now set- tled on the half township of land in the County of Wash ngton. and State of Maine lying northwest from Houlton Plantation, granted to said Academy and is satisfactory evidence that the condition for placing settlers upon said grant is seasonably com- plied with. Attest, Geo. W. Coffin, land agent. On September 1, 1835, the trustees deeded all the unsold lands, comprising 7264 acres, to Henry P. Bridge of Boston, or $7264 He paid one-fourth, or $1816, down and gave his notes- for the remainder in three equal annual payments- September 4 1835 Mr. Bridge deeds his purchase to Samuel H. Blake ot Bangor.' Various deeds of lots in the grant were given by the trustees until 1835. On November 22, 1853, they deeded to Tames White of Belfast, for $2000, "al the unsold lands in said half township, together with all debts, dues and demands be- longing to said trustees for any lands sold in said half township, he paying all claims against them for the services of their agents heretofore accruing." So much for the documentary his- tory of the grant to the time when the trustees of the Academy made a final sale of all their interest in the half township. The first settler on the grant was Gen. John Cummings (or Comings, as the name was then spelled) who on the 8th day of October, 1825, made his way through the woods to the lot about two and one-half miles west of the Houlton Ime, where Mr. William Hand now lives. The woods were at that time filled with the dense smoke from the Mirimachi fire. Gen. Cum- mings with his party camped near where Mr. Hand's watering tub now stands by the roadside, and the General chose this lot for his new home. Here he cleared up a large farm upon a beautiful elevation from which he could overlook all the settle- ments upon the adjoining townships. Houlton was then but a small settlement and there were openings in the forest in Hodgdon, Linneus and New Limerick, the smokes^ from which could be seen from the elevation upon which General Cummings built his home. He was for years the prin- cipal man In the new settlement, and was agent for the trustees of Belfast Academy for the sale of lots HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 145 and location of settlers. He lived on this farm until his death in 1849. His son, John M. Cummings, continued to live upon the old homestead until about 1870, when he removed to Wis- consin- Bradford Cummings, another son of the General, came at the same time and settled on the lot where David R. Small now lives. Mr. Cummings was a land surveyor and in October, 1826, lotted the half township and in all subsequent deeds refer- ence is made to his plan and survey. He built a mill on the stream which flowed across the southwest corner of his lot and which has ever since been known as Mill Brook. The mill con- tained an up and down saw and sawed lumber for the settlers. It was afterwards rebuilt by Daniel Small, who run it for a num- ber of years, when it was abandoned and has decayed and fallen down. Bradford Cummings subsequently-- removed to Houlton, where he remained for a short time and then moved to Fort Fairfield, where he resided for many years on a farm a short distance from the village, and where he died a few years ago. Judge Cummings, as he was known for many years, was a man well known and respected throughout Aroostook County. He served as sheriff of the county and also as judge of probate and was an influential citizen for many years. Among the ten original settlers besides John and Bradford Cummings, were John Stuart, Lewis Wright, Robert Blaisdell, Barrows, Cyrus Hutchings, James H. Stevens and Alfred Marshall. Who the tenth man was who completed the list we have been unable to determine. Miss Ruth W. Cummings taught school in the grant in the summer of 1830. Her bill for teaching eleven weeks at $2.00 per week and boarding herself, approved by John Stuart, school agent, is still preserved. Miss Cummings afterward married Jacob Pickard and lived in the town until her death in the sum- mer of 1891. She was a well educated lady and was much be- loved and respected by all who knew her. John Stuart settled on the lot next adjoining John Cum- mings on the east, where he cleared up the farm upon which the Widow Ingraham now lives- He lived here until his, death some twenty years ago. Lewis Wright took the lot opposite John Stuart. He made a small clearing and put up a log house and soon afterwards sold to Isaac Dickson, who cleared up the farm and lived upon it for many years, then sold to George Howe and removed to New Brunswick. Robert Blaisdell settled on lot No. 7, Range 2, where Free- 146 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK man Small now lives. He cleared up a large farm and built the house in which Mr. Small now lives. He afterv/ard sold to Thomas Small and moved to Wisconsin, where he remained a short time and then went to Minnesota and invested in lands. The rise in value of these lands made him wealthy. He died some four years ago. Mr. Barrows took the lot where Mr. Peter Moore now lives. Here he made a small clearing but did not live on the lot. He was a nephew of Mrs. Cummings and resided with that family during his short stay in the settlement. Cyrus Hutchings took the lot next west of Barrows on the south side of the road. He cleared up the farm and lived on it some twenty years, when he removed to Minnesota. The farm is now owned by Mr- I. B. Rideout, who lives opposite. James H. Stevens took the lot upon a part of which the Baptist Church and parsonage now stands. Here he lived until his death, some eight years ago. His son, Judson Stevens, now lives on the farm. Alfred Marshall took the lot on the north side of the road opposite where Daniel Barker now lives. He afterward moved to Fort Fairfield. Mr. John Chase was one of the earliest settlers of the town but was not one of the ten included in the certified list. He came from New Brunswick in 1826 and settled on the lot where Cyrus K. Bradbury now lives. He lived there some twenty-five years and sold to Stephen Morrison. He afterwards lived on a num- ber of different lots and ten years ago moved to the farm near the west line of the town, where he now lives. He is now eighty one years old, but is hale and strong. His son Abner carries on the farm. Mr. Jesse Oilman came from Norridgewock about 1828 and took the lot north of Bradford Cummings. Here he cleared up a large farm which he afterward sold to Henry G. Allen and moved to Houlton. His son, Charles C- Oilman, cleared up the farm next east of his fathers, on which John Green now lives. He also moved to Houlton and built the brick house a short dis- tance north of the village on the Presque Isle road. He was for a number of years engaged in the manufacture of brick in Houl- ton and removed to California a year or two since. Zebediah Barker came from Norridgewock in 1838 and set- tled on the lot where his son, Daniel Barker, now lives. He was one of the active citizens of the town. Some twenty-five years ago he moved to Fort Fairfield, where he died. His son, HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 147 Amos Barker, lived with his father until he became of age, when he bought the lot upon which he now lives with his son, Kelsey A. Barker. It was a new lot with no clearing when Mr. Barker took it. He cleared up a large farm and built comfortable build- ings. Isaac Barker also came from Norridgewock and cleared up the farm where John McCormick now lives. He afterwards sold to Wm. Chase and went to California, where he remained some time, and returned to Houlton. He has been for many years one of the principal farmers of Houlton and was for three years a member of the State Board of Agriculture. Henry G. Allen came to the town about 1838 and bought the Jesse Oilman farm which he afterwards sold to Melzer Drake. Mr- Drake lived upon the farm until his death some ten years ago. He was engaged largely in the lumber business and ac- cumulated a considerable property. Israel Dodge was also an early settler who came from Strong and made a farm north of the main road. He afterward moved to Easton and died there. His brother, Daniel Dodge, lived on a part of the same lot. Mr. Joseph Goodenough, an early settler of New Limerick, came from there to the Belfast Grant previous" to 1843 and lived on the farm opposite the Thompson farm in the east part of the town. His son, Elias Goodenough, afterward moved to Dyer Brook, from which place he enlisted and died in the service. Mr. George Howe lived on the farm north of the one on which Mr. J. B. Rideout now lives. He sold his farm to Mr. Rideout and moved to Monticello, where he died. Silas Hilton lived on a lot north of Mr. David Small's farm. He built a small grist mill on Mill Brook near his home many years ago. It has long since decayed and fallen down- Mr. John Tabor was a blacksmith in the town in 1843. He enlisted in the army, and after the war, worked at his trade in Houlton. He has been dead a number of years. Mr. Royal B. Colbroth cleared up the farm where Mr. Henry Lamb now lives, in the west part of the town. His son, Matthew Colbroth, lived on the farm opposite. Mr. Wm. Farwell, who was plantation clerk in 1840, had no farm, but worked in the lumber woods in winter and for farmers during the summer. He afterwards removed to Patten and died there. The Belfast Grant was organized together with New Lim- erick as a plantation in 1831. In 1837, New Limerick was incor- porated as a town and the Belfast Grant seems to have had no 148 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK organization until 1840. The warrant for the meeting to organ- ize the new plantation was issued by Hugh Alexander, County Commissioner, Oct. 17, 1840. The meeting was held on the 26th of October- John Cummings was chosen moderator, Wm. V. Farwell, clerk, and Bradford Cummings, George Howe and Silas Hilton, assessors. There were 37 voters upon the list in 1843, most of whom we have noticed above. The main road, running through the town on the line between the first and second ranges, was cut out soon after the first ten settlers came to the town, but was not made passable for carriages until long after- wards. It is now a well built turnpike and runs through a very good farming section. Coming up from Houlton village we turn to the west from the Presque Isle road either at Col. Black Hawk Putnam's or near the Oilman homestead, the two roads coming together a mile and a half further west, and crossing the western portion of the town of Houlton, in which are many fine farms and handsome farm buildings. In the northern portion of the town the land is for the most part owned by non-resident proprietors. There is much good settling land in this part of the town, interspersed with tracts of timber land. Ludlow was incorporated as a town in 1864 and is a farming town exclusively, having no mill, manufactory or store. The town has good schools, with comfortable school buildings, is free from debt and has a small amount in the treasury. The town is abundantly supplied with water, having numer- ous brooks and streams nearly all running in a southeasterly direction and emptying into the Meduxnekeag. The population of the town in 1890 was 375 and the valua- tion $114,247. MARS HILL Directly south of the town of Easton, and lying along the boundary line between Maine and New Brunswick, is the fertile town of Mars Hill. The history of this town takes us away back to Revolutionary times, and the original plan of the town is in- scribed, on nearly every lot, with the names of the heroes who in the days that tried men's souls, fought for the independence' of our country. In the year 1804 this township was surveyed HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 149 by Charles Turner, Jr., and lotted into blocks containing 200 acres each. By a resolve of the Massachusetts legislature these lots were granted to the soldiers of the Revolution who were citizens of that State. The plan of the original survey as "drawn by Charles Turner, Jr., surveyor, September, 1804," lies before us as we write, while from the window of a hospitable home at the foot of Mars Hill can be seen the steep, wooded side of that beautiful eminence, flooded with the light of the full moon on this lovely July night- St. Paul as he stood in the midst of Mars Hill of old did not look upon a landscape half so fair as can be seen from the summit of this grand Aroostook mountain. Ris- ing abruptly from a beautiful plain to the height of nearly 2000 feet above the level of the neighboring stream, its top overlooks the fair and fertile Valley of the Aroostook, while with the aid of a glass the village of Houlton and the towns in its vicinity can be distinctly seen. Hilltop and valley, fertile farms and dense forest, glassy lakes and meandering streams, with here and there the clustered buildings of some neat village are the varied features that go to make up a landscape view of inde- scribable beauty. The original plan is entitled "Plan of Mars Hill Township as lotted by order of the General Court of Massachusetts for the soldiers of the late Continental Army who enlisted for during the war as a part of this State's quota of said army and served three years under this enlistment." The starting point of the survey of the township was from a hemlock tree in the southeast corner of the town, which a note of Turner's on the wide margin of the plan informs us was "marked S. E. C. S. T., being 37 miles due north from the monument at the source of the Schoodic Waters." This monument was the point of departure for all those old sur- veys, as it marked the northernmost point to which the boundary line between Maine and New Brunswick had been agreed upon. This hemlock tree, probably the first tree marked with the axe in what was intended to be the township of Mars Hill, has since been cut by some rapacious Bluenose, for when the boundary was established by the Treaty of 1842 and the line between the two countries was finally run, it sliced off a strip a half mile wide from the entire eastern side of the town and left the town- ship but five and a half miles in width from east to west. Every lot in the town with the exception of four lots on the top of the mountain, lot 115 in the extreme northwest part of the town and the lots reserved for ministerial and school purposes, was grant- ed to some Revolutionaly soldier and his name is upon the lot i50 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK on this old plan. Lot No. 54 in the centre of the town is marked "For first settled minister," and the lot immediately adjoining on the north is marked "Ministry Lot," while lot No. 33 is marked "For Schools." This shows the interest the good old commonwealth took in the religious and educational advantages of her citizens. The names on most of the lots are good old familiar English names, while here and there one shows that the soldier was a son of the Emerald Isle. As in every good work since names were invented, "John Smith" took an active part We have here the record that he served his country at least three years in the old Continental Army, for lot No- 46 bears his hon- ored name. The name of Isaac Dyer appears upon a lot next to the boundary line and we may thus conjecture that from this good old Revolutionary stock the gallant Colonel of the 15th Maine may be descended. Three miles north from the southeast corner of the town, on what was supposed to be the boundary line, is marked on the plan the "40 mile tree" and a note informs us that from this tree a "lane was marked and bushed out to the St. John River" some four miles distant. Quite a number of the lots are marked as deeded to the wid- ow, heirs or assignees of the soldier to whom they were granted, but very many of them were not deeded and these are simply marked with the name of the grantee. The name of Samuel Cook appears upon Lot No. 61 as the original grantee, while quite a number of lots bear besides the name of the grantee the note "Deeded to Samuel Cook assignee." Samuel Cook was one of the early settlers of the town of Houlton and his old title to these lots in Mars Hill had much to do with the subsequent history of the proprietorship of that town. It came about in this wise. After this township, in common with all the other land in Aroostook came wholly under the jurisdiction of the State of Maine, the lots upon which unpaid State and County taxes had accrued, which indeed includes nearly the whole township, were advertised by the State as for sale for the taxes due. The town as well as other towns in like condition in Aroos- took, was purchased by John Hodgdon, J. C. Madigan and Jere- miah Trueworthy, who took what is known as tax titles from the State. Subsequently an arrangement was made between these gentlemen by which Jeremiah Trueworthy became sole propri- etor of Mars Hill township under this tax title. Mr. Trueworthy proceeded to open the town for settlement and to give to the settlers bonds and deeds for their lots. Roads were opened HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 151 throughout the town and Mr. Trueworthy gave to the settlers land at the rate of one acre for every rod of road built. Some land at the rate of one acre for every rod of road built. Some early settlers who had for some time been squatters upon the town disputed Mr. Trueworthy's title and refused pay- ment to him and in some instances retained their lands without payment. This state of things remained for years, until Mr. Joseph Chandler obtained from the heirs of Samuel Cook the lots which in the olden time had been deeded to him- by Massa- chusetts. These lots were at the time of Mr- Chandler's pur- chase in the possession of parties who held them under titles given by Mr. Trueworthy, Mr. Chandler commenced suits to obtain legal possession of the land. The cases were carried to the full bench of Maine and in 1885 were decided in Mr. Chan- dler's favor, thus invalidating Mr. Trueworthy's title to the town. Those of the settlers who had been twenty years upon the town held their lots by possession, while in other cases various arrangements were made to give valid titles. It was found also alter the town was incorporated that Mr. Truewor- thy had given deeds of the school lots and that settlers were then living upon them and making farms. In order to give these settlers as little trouble, the town authorities, thinking Trueworthy's title good, made an exchange with him by which they released their claim to the original school lands and took from him deeds of other lots to an equal amount. These lots the town sold to settlers and a sum of $1065 dollars was re- ceived for them, which was invested for the credit of the Minis- terial and School Fund. When the court decided adversely to the claim of Mr. Trueworthy it became evident that the deeds given by him to the town were worthless and the town was obliged to make good the warranty they had given to parties who had bought these lots. They therefore decided to hire of the trustees of the school fund this $1065 at six per cent for fifty years, and with this money the titles to these lots were made good to the set- tlers and the town is simply raising an additional sixty dollars for school purposes each year. We have been thus particular in describing these events in regard to the history of the proprietorship of the town as they seem to be of more than local importance and will be of interest to readers in all portions of the State. We will now endeavor to trace the story fo the opening of the town and of its develop- ment to the present time. As in the case of all the towns in this 152 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK portion of the county lumber parties had invaded the town long before a tree was cut upon it for farming purposes. Many a grand old "pumpkin pine" had been cut and floated down these streams to the St. John River and a market years before any pio- neer thought of making a home upon the town- The first settlers to make an opening upon the town foi farming purposes were John H. Bridges and John W. Ruggles, ivho in 1844 made a chopping in the southeast corner of the town on what is nov/ the road from Houlton to Presque Isle. The fa'rm upon which the first tree was cut by John H. Bridges is now owned by Mr. Benj. F. Jones of Blaine. Bridges and Ruggles were at the time living in the adjoining township of Deerfield (now Westfield) and did not remove to Mars Hill until four years later. In 1844, Mr. Moses Snow commenced a clearing in the same vicinity and the next spring moved with his family to the new home, thus being the first actual settler to establish a resi- dence in the town. About the same time John Akeley came with his family and commenced making a farm in this neighborhood, and soon after came James McDonough. All the above named settlers were originally from New Brunswick and as this was previous to the sale of the township for taxes, were simply squatters upon the town. Akeley re- mained but a year or two and his lot was afterwards taken by John Banks. At that time the entire township with the exception of the small clearings made by these few pioneers, was an unbroken wilderness, penetrated only by the hardy lumberman and the adventurous hunter. The first chopping made upon what is now the mail route from Fort Fairfield to Blaine was made in 1852, by David Tewkesbury, who fell twenty-five acres of trees upon the farm now occupied by John J. Hill, who two years ago repre- sented the district in the State Legislature. Mr. Tewkesbury did not clear the land, however, and some three years later it was cleared up by Mr- Jeremiah Trueworthy, who built a barn upon the farm and in 1859 sold it to Benj. Whitehouse, who lived upon it for a number of years and then sold it to John J. Hill, a worthy veteran of the war of the Rebellion, who now resides upon it. Henry Wilson removed from the town of Easton about 1856 and took a lot on Rocky Brook in the south part of the town, a short distance east of the Fort Fairfield road. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 153 Upon this lot was a good mill privilege and Mr. Wilson at once proceeded to build a mill v/:th an up and down saw and afterwards put in a shingle machine. Here Mr. Wilson made a good farm, upon which he resided until his removal to Houlton some two years ago. During Mr. Wilson's residence in the town he was one of the leading citizens. He was for years Mr. True- worthy's agent and did much for the interest of the town. In 1856, James Shaw and family came from New Bruns- wick and settled on the lot adjoining Mr. Wilson. Members of this family are still among the prosperous farmers of the town. In 1859 Mr. Sewall N. Pierce came from Auburn and bought a lot on the line of the Fort Fairfield road some four miles from Blaine Corner. Mr. Pierce has long been one of the leading citizens of his town and has done much for its religious and educational interests as well as for its industrial development- In 1859 quite an extensive opening was made upon what is called the West Ridge, though there was no road there at that time. In that year Joel Howard, Warren Preble, Lucius Smith, Hazen Hill, Wm. D. Graves and Nathan Oakes made large choppings in that part of the town. Some of these, how- ever, did not settle in the town, but sold their improvements. Joel Howard and Wm. D. Graves are now prominent citizens of the town of Presque Isle. In the same year, 1859, Warren L. Boynton came from Lib- erty, Waldo County, and bought 400 acres on the west side of the mountain and of this he has made a fine productive farm. In 1861 Mr. Benj. F. Jones came to Mars Hill and bought about 160 acres of land on the Fort Fairfield road. Here he cleared up a good farm, upon which he lived for seven years, when he removed to the town of Blaine, where he now resides. The breaking out of the war and the uncertainty in regard to titles to the land, both had the effect to retard the growth of the town, and in 1863 diphtheria raged with fatal violence, and in that year there were twenty-five deaths in the town. In spite of all these drawbacks, however, the town continued to increase and new settlers came each year. The township was organized as a plantation in 1866, and at the first plantation meeting Henry O. Perry, B. F- Jones and S. A. Rhodes were chosen assessors, and Sewall N. Pierce, clerk. H. 0. Perry came to the town about the time of the war, but left to join the Union Army in which he did faithful service. Upon his return he settled in Mars Hill and engaged in farming 154 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK and was twice elected to represent the district in the State Legislature. Mr. Perry removed to Blaine about 1870. He has served upon the Board of County Commissioners, and is now serving a second term as Deputy Collector of Customs at Fort Fairfield. In the early days of the settlement religious meetings were held in private houses until schoolhouses were built. The first clergyman was Rev. J. G. Ricker, who came from Boston in 1859 and bought a lot and commenced to build a house. He remained but a short time, however, and for some time Rev. Elbridge Knight of Fort Fairfield preached in the town. Meetings are still held in the schoolhouses, as no church building has yet been erected, though one is now in contemplation. Private schools were early established and immediately af- ter the organization of the plantation a tax was assessed for the support of public schools, and upon the passage of the Free High School law a High School was at once established. The town has now nine district schools, which are all supplied with schoolhouses. Mrs. Lizzie York is the present superintendent and the schools are prospering under her careful management. In 1877 Messrs. Collins and Hume built a starch factory at Mars Hill village. This factory is now owned and operated by Hon. Geo. W. Collins of Bridgewater. Soon after the open- ing of the starch factory Mr. Bedford Hume built the first store at the village. This store is now occupied by B. F. Pierce. Soon after this Mr. George Stewart built the store now occupied by Mr. Howard Safford. The village of Mars Hill is situated in the south part of the town upon the Fort Fairfield road. The line of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad runs directly through the village and the building of that road will no doubt make this one of the most prosperous villages of Northern Aroostook. MASARDIS Masardis is one of the historic towns of Aroostook, and many are the incidents of the Aroostook War related by its old- est citizens. It was here that the troops of the heroic Mclntyre and the redoubtable Rines entrenchd themselves and here the brave Strickland bade defiance to the power of Britain. From HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 155 behind their breastworks on "the point" where the St. Croix joins its waters with the noble Aroostook, they sallied forth on their grand advance on Fort Fairfield, and it was to these same breastworks that they made their masterly retreat of seventy miles in a day after the capture of Mclntyre and others at Fitz- herbert's tavern in Fort Fairfield. One cannot help being patriotic at Masardis, so closely is the place connected with the history of those warlike days. Here we are shown the site of the old "commissary." Yonder is the point on which the troops of Maine camped behind their breast- works, their four-pounders and six pounders pointing down the Aroostook River. Ere we have been half a day in the town we are presented with a rusty old six pound cannon ball as a relic of the war. But Masardis is older than the Aroostook War, and we must first give the history of the town in its ante belliim days and let the events of the war come in their order. In 1833 Thomas Goss came to Masardis with his family and settled on a beautiful intervale on the west bank of the Aroostook, opposite the mouth of the St, Croix Stream. Mr. Goss was orig- inally from Danville, Me., but previous to his settlement at Mas- ardis he lived upon the Pyles farm, now the Hutchinson farm, a short distance north of the Aroostook bridge in the present town of Presque Isle. He remained at Masardis until 1840, when he moved to the mouth of the Little Machias River in Ashland, where he lived for some time and then took up his abode in the wilderness away out on the road to Fish River. The next man with a family who settled in the town was John Knowlen, who came from Passadumkeag in 1835, with his wife and three children and settled near the St. Croix Stream, about half a mile above its mouth. They left Passadumkeag in January, with one single team and a double team to haul their household goods. Five miles north of Patten they found the road so narrow and snow so deep that the double team could go no farther, so they piled their goods up in the woods and covered them with bark and boughs, intending to send back for them as soon as the road would permit. The snow increased so that they could not get out to them, and were obliged to leave them there until the next winter. From Mrs. Knowlen, who is still living in the town, a smart old lady of 83, we learned many particulars of these early days. The first two years the frost killed their crops and they raised nothing to eat. The river and stream was full of trout and the woods of berries and this helped out their living 156 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK in the summer time and In the winter Mr. Knowlen worked In Patten and got provision for the family. In 1836, Roswell T. Knowlen was born, he being the first child born in Masardis. These pioneers were subjected to many hardships during the early years of their settlement in the new town. Mrs. Knowlen relates that in the summer of 1839 they got out of pro- vision and her husband started with a boat to go down the river to Presque Isle, then called Fairbanks, to obtain a supply. She was left with four children and had only one pint of Indian meal in the house. She had a farrow cow that afforded milk for the little ones, and the oldest boy caught fish from the river. She says that for three days she ate nothing but boiled wild chocolate root. A neighbor, Mr. Wm. Cowperthwaite, who had recently moved in there, learned her situation and brought her a little flour and tea. Mr. Knowlen could get no flour at Fair- banks and was obliged to go to the mouth of the Aroostook, where he paid $22.00 for a barrel of flour and $18.00 for a bar- rel of herring. He was gone ten days and the old lady says they were sad and anxious days to her and the little ones, but from that time they never lacked for bread. Mr. Joseph Pollard came from Old Town to Masardis in 1837. Mr. Pollard formerly lived in Cornville, where all his children were born. Mr. Pollard moved to Old Town and for some time was employed by lumbermen and land owners to look up timber and attend to various interests in the forests of Nor- thern Maine. He thus became acquainted with the Aroostook country and, believing that it would at no distant day be opened to settlement, he decided to build a mill and take up a lot for a farm on the upper Aroostook. Late in the winter of 1838, Mr. Pollard left Old Town with five tons of supplies loaded on sleds for the far off Aroostook. The West Aroostook road was pass- able for teams at that time as far as the Knowlen place, where the road turns off to go down through Smyrna to Houlton. Ar- riving at that place, Mr. Pollard sent his teams back and with a crew of eight men made hand sleds with wide runners and went to work to haul the supplies through to Masardis. This was a work of much magnitude, and was performed in this way: Load- ing the hand sleds the crew would start in the morning and pro- ceed through the woods all day, camping at night. They would then return and haul another load to this camp, and when all was up proceed another stage, and in this way they continued until all the goods were up to a camp some four miles from Masardis, where the road now turns off to the Oxbow. It was now late HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 157 In March and finding a good sugar berth at this place, the party camped here and made 300 pounds of maple sugar and then proceeded to haul their goods to Masardls. Making his headquarters at Masardis, Mr. Pollard built a mill on the St. Croix Stream about nine miles from its mouth, in Township No. 9, R. 4. The mill contained an up and down saw and a run of stones and bolt. At the same time he took up a lot of 160 acres on the hill, a short distance south of the junc- tion of the St. Croix with the Aroostook, and immediately com- menced clearing up a farm, but did not move his family to the new home until October, 1840. The family came by team as far as Mr. Daniel Smith's, who then lived on what is now called the Cliff place, about fourteen miles from Masardis. Mr. Smith was the father of Hon. Oramandel Smith and It was here in the wil- derness of Northern Aroostook that the genial Secretary of State first saw the light. This road being impassable for car- riages from that place, Mrs. Pollard and her five children, the oldest being eleven and the youngest seven, walked fourteen miles through the woods to her forest home. The old lady Is still living at Masardis with her son, Mr. J. F. Pollard, and Is bright and active at the age of 87. From her we received many Incidents concerning the hardships of their pioneer life. They were obliged to leave all their goods at Mr. Smith's until snow came, and the old lady says that for three months she had no pillow to lay her head upon and was subjected to many discomforts. Mr. Pollard continued to run the mill on the St. Croix for five years, when he sold It to Leonard Jones of Bangor. It af- terwards passed through a number of hands and was burned about 1855. In 1843 Mr. Pollard built a frame house on his own land, the family having previously occupied a log house built by Leonard Reed, who moved to Presque Isle and kept a hotel there in the early days. In his new house Mr. Pollard commenced keeping tavern, and having bought a tract of land on the west side of the road opposite his original lot he there built a large house in 1866. This house was burned in 1884. Mr. Pollard and his wife were alone in the house when the fire broke out, and she lay in bed with a broken leg. Neighbors finally came and carried her out, but not until the fire had come uncomfortably near her bed. The house was rebuilt during the next summer. Mr. Pollard died In February, 1888. being almost 90 years old. His son, J. F. Pollard, was a soldier in the 1st D. C. Cavalry and afterwards in the 2d Me. Cavalry. im HISTORY OF AIROOSTOOK Sanfield D. Reed came in with Mr. Pollard in 1838. There were then at Masardis, besides the Goss and Knowlen families, Samuel Leavitt, a young man who came about the same time that Mr. Goss came, Benj. Howe, Geo. Fields, Sanford Noble, Wm. Cowperthwaite and a man named Dow. In the winter of 1839 we first begin to catch glimpses of the Aroostook War, and in that winter a number of new settlers came to Masardis. Wm. Fitzgerald came with Mr. Pollard in 1838 as a millwright and having finished the mill, settled at Masardis in 1839. He built the house in which Mr. Quincy now lives and kept hotel there for a number of years. He was also engaged in trading and lumbering and moved to Presque Isle about 1870. During the same winter, 1839 — 9, Alexander Woodward and Samuel Fogg came from Old Town. Mr. Wood- ward was for a number of years a prominent business man at Masardis, where he engaged in lumbering and trading until 1854, when he moved to Minnesota. Abel McAllister came from Mont- ville the same winter and lived at Masardis some ten years. Isaiah Pishon came from Passadumkeag and settled near the mouth of the St. Croix Stream. In February 1839, the famous posse under Sheriff Strick- land and Land Agent Mclntyre arrived at Masardis and built a building called the "Commissary" a short distance north of Mr. Pollard's. On the point where the St. Croix enters the Aroos- took, they built a fort or breastwork, behind which they sta- tioned their artillery, consisting of four and six pounders, and here the troops camped in tents. In a few days the advance was made to the mouth of the Little Madawaska above Fort Fairfield, and immediately after that the hurried retreat of the posse to their breastworks on the point. Mrs. Knowlen describes the ar- rival of the posse after the retreat and says that many of them came to her house in the night, and that teams loaded with sol- diers were coming all night long. All was excitement at Mas- ardis, as it was expected that a body of British troops would follow on up the river for the purpose of capturing the Yankees. Videttes were placed down the river to give the alarm on the approach of the enemy. One day a man from the outpost came rushing in and reported that the British were coming. All was confusion and consternation at the little settlement as the of- ficer notified the settlers to be ready to leave their homes at once. It was soon learned, however, that the dreaded Britist were only some loads of hay coming up the river. As much of old history is preserved in the form of ballads. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 159 I here insert some rhymes written by a lady at Masardis during these stirring times. It will thus be seen that history and the ballads of the period agree as to the incidents of that bloodless war. "Come all ye noble Yankee boys, come listen to my story. I'll tell about those Volunteers and all their pomp and glory. They came to the Aroostook their country to support, They came to the St. Croix and there they built a fort. They started down the river some trespassers to find, They came to Madawaska Stream, and there they formed a line. But Mclntyre and Cushman they thought it too severe To lodge with private soldiers; to a tavern they did steer • They came to one Fitzherbert's at eight o'clock at night. Where these poor weary officers expected much delight. But instead of taking comfort, as I think you all will own. They were taken by an Irish mob and hauled to Fredericton. Then on parole of honor these gentlemen went home. And never to Aroostook were they again to come. When Rines and Strickland heard the news they knew not what to do. Their heads were quite distracted, their hearts were full of woe. Strickland turned unto his men and to them he did say, "We'll retreat back to Masardis; we can do it in a day." They came to Col. Goss's, they halted on the shore; Such a poor distressed company you never saw before. Some with empty stomachs and some with frozen feet. This is a feather in Rines' cap, this seventy miles retreat. Now they've gone across the river, a breastwork for to built. For fear the British would come up and they would have to yield. Tis built of spruce and many a cedar tree. So neatly framed together is this famous battery. And now we defy the British Queen and all her red-coat crew To beat our noble Yankee boys, let them try what they can do." During these troubles there was much anxiety among the families in this new settlement, but fortunately the disputes were settled without bloodshed, and the cloud of war passed by. 160 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK In April 1839, the State troops went through to Fish River. Mr. Sanfield Reed, now living at Masardis, went as a teamster with a company of men under Captain Nye. They went with teams down the river from Masardis to Ashland, thence up the Little Machias to Little Machias Lake, thence across . through the woods some two and a half miles to Portage Lake, and followed down through the chain of lakes and Fish River, to the mouth of the river, where a block house was afterwards built called Fort Kent. Immediately following the departure of the troops, new settlers began to come to the town. On the 21st of March, 1839, the town was incorporated. In 1840 William Ellis came from Dexter and settled a short distance south of Mr. Pollard, on the lot afterwards occupied by John Knowlen. Mr. Ellis remained but a few years, and moved to Ashland. Mr. Eben Trafton came from Newfield in 1841, and settled near the north line of the town. Mr. Trafton taught the first school ever opened at Masardis. He has for many years been one of the prominent citizens of the town, and at one time was largely engaged in lumbering, but for a number of years has given his whole attention to his large farm. William Cowperthwaite, a son of the pioneer settler, came in 1841, and settled on his father's lot about a mile north of the St. Croix. Mr. Cowperthwaite remained one of the principal citizens of Masardis until his removal to California some two years ago, and was at one time a member of the legislature. In 1842 Amasa Coding came fram Corinna and bought the farm of Thomas Goss. This is now one of the finest farms in the town, and is occupied by Mr. Llewellyn Coding, a son of the original settler. In 1854 Charles W. Clayton came to Masardis and bought the property of Alexander Woodward. Mr. Clayton engaged largely in lumbering and farming, and was for years the principal business man of the town. In 1870 Mr. Clayton moved to Ash- land, where he has since resided. Mr. S. D. Reed purchased the Clayton farm, and now lives upon it. In 1883, Mr. Clayton built a starch factory on Squa Pan Stream in Masardis, and two years later Mr. Walker built the grist mill on the opposite side of the strea.m Unmistakably Masardis is an excellent farming town as is evidenced by the indications of prosperity seen on every hand. The buildings are large, neat and tidy, the fields broad and level HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 161 and free from stone and there are but two or three mortgaged farms in the town. The town is abundantly watered by the Aroostook and its tributaries, and all the people here seem to add to their prosperity is a railroad to the outer world. MONTICELLO Twelve miles due north from Houlton is the pleasant vil- lage of Monticello, located upon the banks of the north branch of the Meduxnekeag Stream. The town of Monticello is one of the best of the border towns of Aroostook and contains many beautiful farms and fine and attractive residences. The sail throughout the greater part of the town is fertile and productive and is easy of cultivation. The road from Houlton to Presque Isle runs in a due north course upon the centre line of the town, thus dividing it into two equal parts. The eastern half of the town, lying between the County road and the New Brunswick line, 'has been longer settled and perhaps contains the greater portion of good farming land. In the western half, however, there is much very fine farming land, though in some portions the farms seem newer and not yet under cultivation like the east- ern section. Monticello is bounded on the north by Bridgewater and south by the town of Littleton. Its eastern boundary is the New Brunswick line and on the west lies the wilderness town- ship of Letter C, Range 2. The town shows evidence of having been settled earlier than the towns in the Aroostook Valley. Occasionally may be seen an old dwelling whose style and general appearance tell of its having been built nearly a half century ago, but in most in- stances the old dwellings have been either taken down or mod- ernized and the grounds around them handsomely arranged and attractive. Upon the older farms the general aspect is one of thrift and prosperity, though the great need of this, as of the other Aroostook towns, is a better and more direct connection with the outside world by means of a railroad running upon our own soil to the great trunk lines of the State. Gen. Joel Wellington of Albion, Me., bought the township about the year 1828, and it was formerly known as Wellington Township. By the conditions of the deed from the State of Maine, Gen. Wellington was required to make certain improve- 162 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ments upon the township, among them being the building of a mill, opening roads, building a schoolhouse and other necessary improvements to m.ake the tract available for settlement. In 1829 he came through the woods from Houlton by a spotted line, bringing with him a crew of men and commenced felling trees and clearing land on the high land south of the Meduxnekeag Stream, near where the Wellington homestead now stands. He cleared up most of the land upon v/hich the present village is located and built a mill upon the stream. Soon after Gen. Wellington entered upon the town, settlers commenced to come in and take up lots, clear away the forest and make homes for themselves and families. Among the first was George Fond, who came from the town of Thorndike in 1830 and took a lot near the present village on the east side of the road. The first frame house built in the town was built by Mr. Pond in 1835 and in this house Mr. Pond kept hotel for nearly twenty years. Mrs. Pond was a very useful woman in the new settlement, there being no doctor nearer than Houlton, and her services were often required as a nurse for the sick. Hr daughter, Mrs. Isaiah Gould, who now lives in the old Pond homestead, relates many interesting stories of the experiences of this good woman in traveling through the woods on horseback and up and down the stream in a boat, sometimes in time of freshet at the risk of her life, to visit patients who required her services. ^ Gen. Wellington continued to make his home in Monticello until his death, which occurred at the residence of his son Albion at Fort Fairfield in 1865, and his remains were brought to Mont- icello for interment. On the same day Mr. George Pond died at Monticello in the house he built in 1835, and these two pioneer settlers of the town were buried on the same day. In 1831, Clo. Nathan Stanley came to the town and settled about a mile and a half south of the stream on the line of the Houlton road and the same year William Cowperthwaite came from New Brunswick and bought a lot of 120 acres on the Me- duxnekeag Stream some three miles below the mill. The old gentleman, now 76 years old, is still living and resides with his son near the old place where he first made his home. Among the early settlers of the place were also Mr. Jerry Lyons, the Stackpoles, Wadlias, Jewells, Lowells and others. Mr. Wadlia came from Castine in 1832 and bought a lot half a mile west of the County road. In 1833 Peter Lowell came from Dixmont and settled upon a beautiful ridge of land half a mile HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 163 south of the stream. In the same year Mr. John Hayward came from New Brunswick and settled in the east part of the town near Mr. Wadlia. . The road from Houlton to Monticello was cut through m 1833 and did not continue farther north until 1840, when it was extended to Presque Isle and became the thoroughfare for the trnasportation of supplies to the new settlements in the Aroos- took Valley. , The hotel so long kept upon the high land on the soutn s'de of the stream was built by Mr. Jesse Lambert in 1846. Iri 1861 it was purchased by Isaac Archibald, and afterwards passed through a number of different hands until six years ago it was bought by W. S. Howe, who kept it until last fall, when it was destroyed by fire and has not been rebuilt. Another well known hotel was the old Gould stand, on the hill a mile south of the vil- lage This house was long kept by Deacon Hiram Gould and was also burned a number of years ago and has not been rebuilt. Dea Gould now resides in the village and is quite mfirm. The village of Monticello is very pleasantly located upon the high ground south of the Meduxnekeag Stream and within a few years has extended across the stream and is now thickly built up as far north as Stitham's Corner. A handsome school house adds much to the looks of the place and gives evidence of the interest taken by the citizens in the education of their children. On the hill west of the main street is the Union meet- ing house a very handsome church building erected some years ago, and on the beautiful plain on the bank of the stream east of the village is the cemetery. ,orn u a The town was incorporated July 29, 1846, and m 1850 had a population of 227. In 1880 the population has increased to 965, and today it is well up to 1200. LITTLETON Adjoining the town of Houlton on the north is the flourish- ing town of Littleton, through which the County road from Houl- ton to Presque Isle runs in a due north course on the centre line of the town. The south half of this town was originally granted by the Massachusetts Legislature to Williams College and the north half to Framingham Academy. The Meduxnekeag Stream enters the town a little over a mile west from the southeast corner and flowing north for nearly three miles, turns abrupt y to the east and crossing the boundary flows in a suotheasterly 164 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK direction until it finds its way into the St. John at Woodstock. The principal tributary of the Meduxnekeag in Littleton is John- son Brook, which enters the town near its northwest corner and flowing diagonally across the town in a southeasterly direction, empties into the Meduxnekeag some two miles from the south line. The western half of the town contains a number of high ridges and the surface in this portion is considerably broken, not enough, however, to interfere with farming operations as the soil is fertile and productive. The peculiar formation known as the "horseback" extends in a northerly direction through this portion of the town. The eastern half of the town contains no very high ridges but in portions is somewhat broken, though less so on the whole than the western half. Limestone forms the underlying ledge in this town, and the soil is enriched by its gradual disintegration. Its porous character also affords natural drainage. The town was originally covered with a mixed growth of the hard and soft woods natural to this region and contained much valuable timber. The first settlements made in the town were along the line of the present County road from Houlton to Presque Isle and in the southern portion of the township. All the original settlers of the town having now passed away, it is quite difficult to trace its early history or to determine who first entered the wilderness to make a home in what is now Littleton. It is quite certain, however, that among the very earliest, if not the first, settlers who came to the town to remain and make a home was Mr. Thomas Osborne, who came from Belfast, Me., in 1835 and settled on a lot in the extreme southern part of the town adjoining the Houlton line. This lot had been taken a short time previous by Mr. Daniel Jones, who came from Bath and had made a small clearing upon the lot. Mr. Jones sold his improvement to Mr. Osborne and removed to Hodgdon, where he was for many years a valued and influential citizen! and where he continued to reside until his death. Mr. Osborne was a tanner by trade and worked at this business in Houlton a portion of the time during the first years of his residence in Littleton. After his death his son, Stephen A. Osborne, came into possession of the farm and is still residing upon it. He continued to improve the farm and in 1862 built a large house and stable with the intention of keeping a hotel, which plan he afterwards abandoned. Mr. Osborne was one of the conductors on the freight trains which in the early days ran from Aroos- took County to Bangor and which consisted of four and six HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 165 horse teams, their down freight being usually shingles and the return cargo a general assortment of supplies. He now devotes himself wholly to farming, his farm at present consisting of 163 acres of fertile land, with nearly 100 acres cleared. Mr. Lewis DeLaite was also one of the earnest settlers of the town. He came to Littleton from Piscataquis County about the year 1840 and settled on the west side of the County road, one lot south of the center of the town. Here he made a farm upon which he resided until his death, and was succeeded by his son, Lewis DeLaite, who for many years was one of the active citizens of the town. He also drove team on the Bangor route for a number of years and was engaged in trade in Little- ton. Mr. DeLaite removed with his family to Minneapolis some few years ago and his farm is now occupied by Mr. Jerry Har- rigan. About the time that the elder Lewis DeLaite settled in Littleton, the lot immediately opposite was taken by a Mr._ Ham- ilton, who was a blacksmith and worked a part of the time at that 'trade in Houlton. Mr. Hamilton moved from Littleton about 1850 and his farm is now owned and occupied by Mr. Jerry Harrigan. At about the same time Mr. Staples settled upon what is now the Wright farm next south of the DeLaite farm, and the lot opposite, afterwards the Tozier farm, was taken by Philip Keene, who remained but a few years and sold to Mr. Tozier who came to Aroostook from Miramichi, N. B. His son, James' Tozier, is now a merchant in Ashland, having formerly been engaged as a scaler of lumber upon the Aroostook and St. John waters. Another son, Edward Tozier, Is a farmer m New Limerick. The Tozier farm was afterwards owned by Mr. C. A. Stevens and is now occupied by Mr. Robert Hone. In 1843 Martin Johnson came from Readfield and took the lot next south of Staples. Robert Williams had made a small clearing upon the lot and sold to Mr. Johnson, who also bought the lot opposite and cleared up a large farm upon which he lived until his death In 1856. His son, Lewis B. Johnson, then caine into possession of the homestead farm upon which he made many Improvements. He was also for some years employed in teaming to Bangor and was engaged in trading and lumbering, and built the first mill in the town. Mr. Johnson sold the farm in 1868 to Mr. J. T. Drake and moved to Houlton, where he was for some years engaged in trade and Is now one of the prom- inent and substantial citizens of Houlton. He held the office of County Treasurer of Aroostook for six years and was^ after- wards sheriff of the County for a term of six years. He is now 166 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK president of the Farmers' National Bank of Houlton. Another of the early settlers of this portion of the town was Noah Furbush, who came in 1843 and took the lot next south of Mr. Johnson's. He lived there some ten years and moved to Lynn, Mass., where he still resides and is engaged in the soap business. io.c^^^?' ^^"^'' ^'"^^ ^^"^^ ^° Littleton from Lincoln about 1845 and took the lot next to the center line of the town. Here he made a clearing, built a house and opened a hotel which he kept for many years. Major True died nearly 20 years ago and is still remembered as one of the pioneer settlers of the town In the portion west .of the County road one of the earliest settlers who remamed to make a home was Mr. William Wiley who moved from Massachusetts to New Brunswick in 1825 and in 1849 came to Littleton and bought of a Mr. Rollins a lot half a mile west of the County road and south of the centre line Some ten acres were cleared on the lot when Mr. Wiley pur- chased it. He made a good farm here and lived upon it until his death m 1863. His son, David Wiley, now lives on the old homestead, having made additions to the farm which has now about 100 acres of cleared land. David Wiley was a good sol- dier m the old Sixth Maine Battery and is a respected citizen of Littleton. On the South Ridge one of the earliest settlers is Mr Peter McGlynn, who emigrated from Ireland in 1848 and in 1850 came to Littleton and took a lot in what was then the wilderness por- il°".'^^.^^l'^ *°'^"' ^ ""'^^ ^"^ ^ ^^^^ we^t of the County road. Mr. McGlynn has now a fine farm with 70 acres cleared and has a good set of farm buildings. A good road now runs by his place and he is in the midst of a pleasant and prosperous neigh- borhood with fine fertile farms, all of which he has seen hewn out of the forest since he has settled on his lot. Among the first to settle east of the stream were Samuel Adams, Francis Watson and John Little. They came about 1840 and have now all passed away. Mr. Joseph Henderson the earliest living resident in this portion of the town, came from Ireland and settled in Littleton in 1843, taking a lot east of the Meduxnekeag and next to the New Brunswick line. The three settlers named above were the only ones in this portion of the town when Mr. Henderson came. Their only outlet was an old lumber road which let out to the road from Woodstock to Houl- ton and over this they took their grists to Cary's mill in Houl- ton in those early years. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 167 This section now contains some of the finest farms in the town, occupied by substantial, independent farmers with neat and handsome buildings. Mr. Josiah Little of Portland had pre- vious to 1840 acquired possession of the Williams College Grant and of him these early settlers purchased their land. Mr. Hen- derson wrote to his friends in Ireland of the opportunity for making a home in this new country, and in 1845 his four bro- thers, William, Nathaniel, John and Thomas Henderson came and settled on lots near Joseph. Of these all but William are now dead. The others left children who now occupy the old farms and are in comfortable circumstances. On the west bank of the Meduxnekeag is the fine farm of Mr. James McClay, who came here from New Brunswick in 1850 when there were but few settlers in his vicinity, John Wat- son, James McBride and Charles Perry came from New Bruns- wick about the same time and settled on lots near Mr. McClay and all have made handsome farms. Among the prosperous farmers east of the Meduxnekeag, besides the Hendersons already mentioned, are Mr. John Craw- ford, whose farm is the southeastern lot in the town. The town is well provided with roads in all sections and a general appearance of prosperity is noticed. Large quantities of farm produce are hauled from Littleton to Houlton to be shipped and the farmers are now hopeful that the building of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad will soon ^ive them better facilities for exporting their produce. The two half townships originally granted to Williams Col- lege and Framingham Academy were incorporated as a town on March 18, 1856, and the new town was named Littleton, after Mr. Josiah Little of Portland, a former proprietor. It is a pros- perous and growing town with many good farms and pleasant, comfortable homes. FORT KENT Along the nrothern border of Maine for many miles flows the beautiful St. John, the grandest river of all this northern land. Broad and fertile intervales are along its banks and beau- tiful islands are dotted here and there throughout its course. Away from the river the land rises in broken ridges in many places and the scenery is the finest to be found in Maine. Fish River flows southward through a magnificent chain of lakes and 168 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK becomes a noble river before it pours its volume into the St John. At the confluence of Fish River with the St. John is the old town of Fort Kent. The situation is naturally picturesque. Lofty hills rise at a distance from the river banks while near the water tne land lies in gradually receding terraces of fertile soil. The village of Fort Kent is located on the level plain along the river and extends to the higher land on the banks of Fish River At the pomt where Fish River enters the St. John is the old Block House, around which clusters the early military history of the town This old structure is still in a good state of preservation and has recently been purchased by the State, and measures will be taken to keep it from destruction as it is a valuable mon- ument of the history of Maine and should be most carefully preserved. Fort Kent has until quite recently been regarded as a remote point away on the northern frontier, separated from the rest of the State by a long distance and looked upon almost as a foreign country. Since the extension of the New Bruns- wick Railway to Edmundston. however, and the completion of the new road through the woods" from Caribou, Fort Kent has been brought nearer to the outside world and has come to be known more as a part of the State of Maine. Passenger trains now run to Edmunston, N. B., but twenty miles below, and the extension of the Temiscouta Railroad will soon allow of railway travel to the station immediately opposite the town. By the opening of the ne^ road by way of the "thoroughfare" between the Lakes, Fort Kent is brought within about forty miles of v^aribou and the ride is an easy and very pleasant one. From Caribou village the road runs through Woodland to New Sweden and crossing that town enters the wilderness township of 16 R 6. Soon after entering that town it crosses the Little Mada- 7Vm ^^^^^^^V?""^"^ ^"^° 1^' ^- '^' sk^^ts along the beauti- ful Madawaska Lake. ucduu rlnh^r ^^",f^^f^ °^ Caribou have erected a handsome club house on the shore of the lake and the place is much fre- quented as a summer resort by the people of that enterprising village After passmg the lake the road runs for a long dis ance through the forest, though there are small clearings at in- tervals for the entire distance. Arno^ooV 'w '^ ""^^''1 ^'"' ^^^'' ^^"^ ^^^^ t° ^he time of the Aroostook War with the events of which controversy it was in- timately connected. There were settlers upon the town long before that memorable conflict, as will be seen by reference to the chapter on the early Acadian settlement along the upper St HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 169 John. The present article will deal more particularly with the history, development and present business of the good tov/n of Fort Kent. The first settler upon the territory now included in the town was Mr. Joseph Nadeau, who was born some twelve miles far- ther down the river in what is now the town of Frenchville. Mr. Nadeau is wont to relate that in his boyhood came the cold year, now remembered by but a very few aged settlers, but a matter of tradition with all this people. The season opened unusually early and April was warm and sunny. Nearly all the seed was put into the ground in that month. In May a heavy frost came and killed all the crops which were just sprouting from the ground. The people re-seeded the ground and had still a prospect of a good crop, but in June a heavier frost succeed- ed which killed everything and made a crop impossible for that year. Much suffering ensued among the French settlers along the river and as the snows of the following winter came on many of them made the journey through the woods to Canada and sought refuge among the French settlers along the St. Law- . rence. Mr. Nadeau related that his mother, who at the time had a nursing infant, was placed upon a sled and hauled by dogs through the woods to Canada. At the house at which she found refuge was another infant which Mrs. Nadeau nursed. This child grew to be a stalwart man and in after years became Mrs. Nadeau's second husband. Many other interesting reminiscences and traditions of these early times along the river are related by the older people and their descendants, but we have not space to record them here. Mr. Joseph Nadeau came to what is now Fort Kent in 1829 and built a log house on the land included in the farm now own- ed by Mr. Samuel Stevens. He was then unmarried and his nearest neighbors were at Baker Brook, some seven miles below on the opposite side of the river. He lived alone for two years, when he married and continued to reside upon his little farm, to which he made additions by clearing new land each year. In 1836 his brother, Sefro Nadeau, came and settled on the point at the mouth of Fish River, where he remained until the Maine troops came down to the point, when he removed to the thorough- fare at the foot of Long Lake on the road from Ashland to Fort Kent, where he continued to reside until his death in 1873, and where his son, Joseph Nadeau, still lives. Not long after Mr. Joseph Nadeau settled at Fort Kent, or 170 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK at Fish River ,as it was then called, Mr. Daniel Savage built a mill on Fish River, something over a mile above its mouth, on the site of the present mills. Mr. Savage came from the town of Anson about 1827, and settled first at Baker Brook on the northern bank of the St. John River. A number of years after- wards he moved to Fish River and built a small mill. Mr. Fred W. Hathaway of Fredericton had a grant of this mill lot from the British government and this title being afterwards confirmed by the commissioners under the treaty of 1842, Mr. Hatheway took possession and Mr. Savage moved some eight miles farther up the river to a beautiful island now in the plantation of St. John. Here he continued to live until his death and his children are still residents of this section. Lumbering parties from Maine and New Brunswick were carrying on operations in the forests of this section and soon arose the difficulties in regard to the disputed boundary. Both governments claimed the land and many troubles and complica- tions arose in regard to the timber and the rights of operators. In April, 1839, the first armed party appeared at the mouth of Fish River. As we have related in a former chapter, this com- pany of about sixty men came down the Aroostook River upon sleds hauled by horses from Masardis to the mouth of Little Machias River in Ashland, then went up that river to Little Ma- chias Lake, crossed the "portage" some three miles through the woods to Portage Lake, from which place their route was down the lakes and Fish River. The company made their first stand a number of miles above the mouth of Fish River at what is now called Soldier Pond, but afterwards came down to the point at the mouth of the river where they extended a boom partly across the St. John River. Farther out in the river at the head of the island a pier was built and the boom extended to this pier. The current setting toward the southern shore brought the logs coming down the St. John into this boom, where they were detained by Capt. Nye and his company, on the ground that they were cut by Provincial trespassers upon Maine terri- tory. Capt. Nye also commenced the erection of a block house on the point for the protection of this boom, as its destruction was threatened by the Provincial authorities. In the fall of 1839 Capt. Nye's company returned to their homes, being relieved by a company under Capt. Stover Rines of Old Town. In the summer of 1840 the block house was com- pleted by Capt. Rines' company and was named Fort Kent in honor of Governor Edward Kent, who was that year elected HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 171 Governor of Maine. Capt. Rines' company remained at Fort Kent until September, 1840, at which time a company of United States troops under Capt. John H. Winder came to Fort Kent and took possession of the post. Capt. Winder afterwards ob- tained an unenviable notoriety as Maj. Gen. John H. Winder of the Confederate army and commandant at Libby Prison. Upon the arrival of the regular troops work was at once commenced upon the construction of buildings for the proper ac- commodation of the post. The place selected was upon the high ground a short distance above the mouth of Fish River and here a handsome parade ground was constructed. A large building was erected for the barracks and two large double tenement houses for the accommodation of the officers. The other build- ings consisted of a hospital, commissary store, stable, blacksmith shop, etc., all of which were most thoroughly and substantially built. The only one of these buildings now standing entire is the residence of Major William Dickey. One of the officers' houses was for many years occupied as a residence by Col. Davis Page and after his death by Deputy Collector Edward Wiggin. It afterwards became the property of Mr. B. W. Mallett, who has removed it and erected a very handsome modern dwelling. The other house which stood upon the site of Deputy Collector I. H. Page's present residence was burned as was also the hospital. The stable and commissary building entered into the construction of Mr. Page's barn. A lofty flag pole was erected on the corner of the parade ground and remained standing for many years after the departure of the troops. It was finally decided to cut it down, as if, had be- come somewhat inclined, and it was feared that it might be de- cayed and fall. It was found, however, to be sound and solid to the core, being a beautiful stick of white pine. One of the old French settlers relates that he assisted in raising this pole and that a tin box containing historical records, the officers' names, some coin, etc., was buried beneath the pole. It would be in- teresting to excavate this box, as the spot is still known, and examine its contents. These years during the military occupation of Fort Kent were lively years for this little frontier settlement. A number of those who came with the Maine posse remained and took up farms and others were attracted hither by the large lumber oper- ations then carried on. French settlers also came to the town and the number of inhabitants considerably increased. The firm of Jewett & March of Bangor were carrying on 172 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK large lumber operations here during those years, their business being the making of pine timber which was then abundant in this vicinity. Shepard Gary v^'as also operating further up the river and had a store at Fort Kent. Mr. Moses RInes, who came with his brother, Capt.. Stover Rines, remained for a time after the departure of the Maine troops and purchased Mr. Joseph Nadeau's improvement. Mr. Nadeau then moved to a lot a short distance farther up the river, where he built a house and kept a hotel for many years. Mr. Nadeau was long one of the prominent citizens of Fort Kent, and was a man of much natural ability, though lacking the advantages of an education except to a limited extent. He was a man of genial temperament and is remembered by all as an honest, kind and hospitable citizen. His death occurred in January, 1885. In the fall and winter of 1839 the road was cut through from Ashland to Fort Kent. This work was under the direction of Col. Charles Jarvis of Ellsworth and his book of accounts with the men employed serves us as a desk as we write these lines upon the banks of the beautiful St. John. The work seems to have commenced In September 1839 and to have continued through the winter. The wages paid the men was $18 per month for common laborers or choppers and a higher rate for special services. Upon this book appear the names of several who have since been known as prominent citizens of the County. The building of this road also brought much business to Fort Kent and a number of the laborers remained In the town. Messrs. Jewett and March bought of Mr. Rines the farm upon which Mr. Nadeau originally settled and about 1844 built the hotel afterwards kept for many years by Mr. Samuel Stev- ens. They also built the store opposite the hotel and traded there for a number of years. About the year 1843, the firm of West & Niles bought of Fred W. Hatheway the mill privilege on Fish River and the land connected with It. They removed the old mill built by Daniel Savage, rebuilt the dam and built a large mill. This mill contained an up and down saw, two clapboard machines and two shingle machines. The mill was built upon the east side of Fish River and the lumber was rafted and run down the river to Fredericton and St. John. In 1852 Mr. Silas Niles, of the firm of West & Niles, died and the firm became West & Jenkins. In the spring of 1854 the river cut around to the east of the mill and washed away about three acres of land, together HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 173 "With two houses, a large barn, a store, blacksmith shop and boathouse. The bridge which had been built two years pre- vious was also carried away. The mill was upon a ledge and ■was not carried away, but the river now flowed in a new chan- nel around the end of the dam. During the same summer the dam was continued across the new channel and a large new mill was built for the manufacture of deals for the English mar- ket. This mill had a gang of six saws and contained very power- ful machinery. The firm cor.t nued to run these mills until 1865, when they were sold to Mr. Asa Smith of Old Town, who very soon afterwards sold them to Mr. George Seely. In 1868 these mills, together with a large amount of lumber, were burned, and the mills were never rebuilt. Mr. Samuel Stevens first came to Fort Kent in the year 1845 as clerk in the hotel for Jewett and March. Mr. Joseph Nason of Bangor was then clerk in the store. At that time Mr. E. D. Jewett remained most of the time at Fort Kent, taking charge of the business there and Mr. Carlostin Jewett had charge of the operations in the woods. The operations at that time were upon the Allegash River and a large number of men and teams were employed. In 1848 Mr. Stevens bought the hotel and store and commenced trading on his own account, the firm of Jewett & March giving him their large trade. Mr. Stevens continued in trade until 1860, when he was appointed Deputy Collector of Customs. He held this office six years, when he was succeeded by Thomas B. Reed of Bowdoinham. Since that time Mr. Stev- ens has been engaged in farming and keeping the hotel. He was also postmaster for some time. In 1847 Mr. C. K. Bodfish of Gardiner and Col. David Page of Waterville bought of West and Niles that part of the mill lot lying on the west side of Fish River, together with one half of the dam and privilege. Upon this they built a saw mill con- taining an up and down saw, clapboard machine and shingle machine, and commenced manufacturing lumber on an extensive scale. In 1848 Major Wm. Dickey came from Gardiner and bought the Page & Bodfish mill and continued in the business of manufacturing and shipping lumber until 1854, when he sold the property to Mr. Levi Sears. Mr. Dickey had In the mean- time built a grist mill which also became the property of Mr. Sears, who a short time previous had married the widow of Mr. Silas Niles. Mr. Sears continued to run the saw mill until It was burned In 1878. He Immediately rebuilt the saw mill and made extensive repairs upon the grist mill and was largely engaged in 174 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK trade and manufacturing and shipping lumber. In 1887 another washaway carried off the eastern portion of the dam and about an acre of land. The next year the dam was rebuilt and a new and substantial bridge was built above the dam, the State giving $1000 in aid of the bridge. Mr. Sears died in 1886 and Mr. Silas Niles carried on the business for the heirs a number of years with great success. The mills are now in possession of Asa M. Pinkham and Cassius Sears. Soon after the treaty of 1842 Mr. James C. Madigan came to Fort Kent to establish schools in the Madawaska territory. Mr. Madigan came from Damariscotta Mills and was a friend and neighbor of Hon. Edward Kavanagh, then senator from Lin- coln County, and afterwards Governor of Maine. Mr. Madigan had previously been assistant clerk of the lower branch of the Legislature of Maine. He was afterwards appointed Deputy Col- lector of Customs at Fort Kent, succeeding Mr. Hook, who came to the office immediately after the treaty. He continued in this office until about 1848, when he removed to Houlton and formed a partnership with Hon. John Hodgdon in law business and also in the business of purchasing timber lands. His successors in the office of Deputy Collector at Fort Kent were Col. David Page, Mr. C. K. Bodfish, Major Wm. Dickey, Samuel Stevens, Thomas B. Reed, Edward Wiggin, John Nadeau and L H. Page. Until 1869 Fort Kent was in the Castine Customs District, but in that year the Aroostook District was formed, since which time the office has been connected with the Houlton Customs House. Mr. John L. Turner was one of the business men of Fort Kent in the early times. In 1845 he was clerk here for Shepard Cary, who then had a store near where Mr. W. H. Cunliffe's house now stands. He afterwards built the store west of the hotel, where Mr. I. H. Page afterwards traded. Mr. Turner Jiere did an extensive business for some ten years, when he removed to Fredericton, where he aftrwards died. Mr. Wm. H. Cunliffe first came to Fort Kent in 1846, in the employ of Shepard Cary. He continued in Mr. Cary's employ in the lumber operations until 1857, when he went into the lum- ber business on his own account. He soon afterwards bought the Cary property at Fort Kent, where he established a perman- ent residence. In 1865 he formed a partnership with W. H. Cary, a brother of Hon. Shepard Cary, and the firm of Cary & Cunliffe carried on an extensive lumber business upon the upper St. John and its tributaries. In 1873 Mr. Cary withdrew from the firm and removed to the West and Mr. Cunliffe took as a HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 175 partner, Mr. S. Walter Stevens. The new firm of Cunliffe & Stevens continued the business on a still more extensive scale, cutting one year as many as tvv^enty-two million feet of logs. Mr. Cunliffe was also at the same time a partner in the firm of B. W. Mallett & Co., who carried on an extensive business in trading and buying shingles, having a large store on the New Bruns- wick side of the river opposite Fort Kent. In 1876 came the disastrous Jewett failure which carried down both the above named firms. Mr. Cunliffe gathered what he could from the wreck and has since established a successful business in lum- bering and trading in connection with his sons, G. V. Cunliffe and W. H. Cunliffe, Jr. Mr. Harrison Knowles came from Bangor about 1854 and bought one-half of the land owned by the U. S. Government. He built the house afterwards occupied by Mr. George Seely and now by Mr. I. H. Page. Mr. Knowles also built the store opposite the barracks, now occupied by B. W. Mallett. He was engaged in tra^Je and in the lumber business until 1862, when he sold his property to Mr. George Seely and returned to Ban- gor. Mr. George Seely, who was for many years one of the principal business men of Fort Kent, came to the St. John River many years ago as clerk for John Glazier, who had a store on the English side some ten miles above Fort Kent. He was af- terwards employed as clerk for John S. Gilman, who did busi- ness for a time at Fort Kent and also for Mr. Robert Savage. In 1862 Mr. Seely bought the Knowles property and went into trade and lubmering on his own account. In 1866 he bought the mills on the east side of Fish River and at the same time purchased Township 18, R. 6, one-half of 17 R. 6 and half of 17 Range 7. The mills were burned the next year and were not rebuilt. Soon after purchasing the mills Mr. Seely formed a partnership with Mr. I. H. Page and the firm of Seely & Page carried on a large business in trading, lumbering and buying and shipping shingles. The partnership continued until the death of Mr. Seely, which occurred in 1874. Mr. Seely was a man of strict business integrity, a gentleman of much culture, a warm-hearted, whole-souled, honest man. His death occa- sioned a serious loss to the whole community, by whom he was regarded with great respect and affection. The United States troops who came in the fall of 1840 re- mained four years, leaving the post in 1844 after the boundary disputes had been fully settled. The country upon the upper St. John Is a most Interesting 176 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK portion of the State of Maine and, though heretofore but com- paratively little known, is yet destined to become a most im- portant factor in the industrial record of the State and to be de- veloped into one of the principal business sections of Maine. Could this country be connected with the great markets of the United States by a direct line of railway communication, and could the special lumber law be repealed and mills for the man- ufacture of lumber be established on the upper St. John, an im- mense business would then be built up, greatly to the advantage of the State of Maine. From its situation upon the beautiful plain near the mouth of Fish River, Fort Kent promises to be one of the most import- ant points upon our northeastern frontier. The railroad will soon be completed to Clair Station, immediately opposite Fort Kent, and thus by means of the ferry the town will be supplied with railway communication, although through a foreign country. Al- ready pork and flour and all western produce can be laid down at Fort Kent cheaper than at Presque Isle, or Houlton even, and thus the days of high prices on account of the difficulty of trans- portation have passed away for that locality. Although the great business of pine timber making which built up the town in the old days has now become a thing of the past, and the large operations, now principally confined to cutting spruce and cedar, have moved further up the river, yet Fort Kent is still the center of a vast lumber business and from this source much money is brought into the town. Mr. B. W. Mallett, now one of the principal merchants and lumber operators residing at Fort Kent, first came to the town in April, 1853. He came from the town of Lee, in Penobscot County, and was in the lumber business four years at Portage Lake before coming to Fort Kent. During the summer of 1853 he was employed by Major Dickey in the mills on Fish River and in the fall of the same year moved to the mouth of Negro Brook, a few miles below the mouth of the Allegash River. Here he bought of Isaac Hacker the mill built in 1845 by Hale and McGuire of Lincoln and by them sold to Mr. Hacker. He also built a house and store and for two years traded and manufac- tured clapboards at this place. In 1855 Mr. Mallet moved down to St. Francis, where he purchased a farm and built the house in which Mr. Angus Sinclair afterwards lived. He also built a store at St. Francis and farmed and traded here for six years. In 1861, he went into the employ of the Aroostook Land Co., and for five years was employed in scaling logs and looking after HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 177 wild lands. In 1866 he moved again to Fort Kent and bought a house on Main Street nearly opposite Mr. W. H. Cunliffe's. He formed a partnership with Mr. Cunliffe, under the firm name of B. W. Mallett & Co., and the firm built a large store on the New Brunswick side of the river immediately opposite Fort Kent. The firm of B. W. Mallett & Co. did a large business in trading and buying and shipping shaved cedar shingles, which at that time was an immense industry upon the upper St. John. Many millions of shaved shingles were at that time bought and shipped annually by the merchants of Fort Kent and other points along the river, and nearly the whole French population of that section was employed in their manufacture. The shingles were floated in immense rafts down the river to Grand Falls, where they were taken from the water, hauled by teams around the falls and again rafted in the basin below. They were then floated to Fredericton, where they were loaded in vessels and shipped to Boston and other markets. The shingles were made both on the American and Provincial sides of the St. John and the duty on Provincial shingles formed the principal source of revenue at the Fort Kent custom house at that time. The firm of B. W. Mallett & Co. continued to do an extensive business until 1875, in which year came the disastrous Jewett failure, in consequence of which the firm went by the board. It is fair to say here that both Mr. Cunliffe and Mr. Mallett came out of this failure with their reputation as honest business men unsul- lied and with the respect and sympathy of the entire community. In fact, their business integrity and experience was about all the capital left them from the general wreck, but upon this they have since both built up comfortable fortunes. After the failure Mr. Mallett was employed as a scaler for a number of years and in 1880 entered into partnership with I. H. Page, Esq., in the business of trading and lumbering which was extensively carried on by the firm until 1888, when Mr. Mallett purchased the entire business together with the house and land comprising the estate of Col. David Page, who died at Fort Kent in the fall of 1869. Mr. I. H. Page came to Fort Kent when a boy with his fa- ther. Col. David Page, in 1847. In 1856 he went to Houlton as clerk for Mr. Rufus Mansur and afterwards for Mr. Patrick Col- lins. From Houlton he went to Fort Fairfield to clerk for Hon. Isaac Hacker, remaining there two years and then taking charge of Mr. Hacker's store at Van Buren for a year and a half. He was afterwards for two years in the employ of Mr. C. F. A. 178 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Johnson of Presque Isle. In 1864 he was appointed to a clerk- ship in the quartermaster's department of the army in Virginia, where he rema;ned a year and in 1865 returned to Fort Kent and went into the employ of his brother-in-law, Mr. George Seely. In 1866 he entered into partnership with Mr. Seely and the firm of Seely & Page carried on an extensive business until the death of Mr. Seely in 1874. Mr. Page continued to carry on the business under the firm name for two years, when he pur- chased the entire business, in which he was engaged on his own account until 1880, when the firm of Page & Mallett was formed. In 1888 Mr. Page sold his interest in the business to Mr. Mal- lett and in May 1889 was appointed Deputy Collector of Cus- toms at Fort Kent, which office he now holds. On the "hill," as it is called, or the slight elevation near the bank of Fish River, is a handsome square, formerly the parade ground of the United States troops. On the north side of the square are located Mr. Mallett's store and the Custom House, on the east and west sides the residences of Mr. Mallett and Mr. Page, while on the south side is the residence of Major William Dickey, formerly the old barracks building. This building Maj. Dickey has repaired and modernized to a considerable extent and has finished the interior into a most comfortable residence. Mr. Cyrus H. Dickey, a son of the Major, also makes his home here when not engaged in the woods or upon the river. Mr. C. H. Dickey was for a number of years a member of the firm of Eaton & Dickey, doing business at FrenchviUe, twelve miles be- low Fort Kent, but has latterly carried on an extensive lumber business on his own account, his operations being upon the St. John River a long distance above Fort Kent. Major William Dickey, one of the oldest settlers at Fort Kent now living, is well known throughout the state of Maine. The Major is now upwards of eighty, but is still hale and vigorous and will repre- sent his district in the Legislature the coming winter with his usual ability and success. He was first elected to the Legisla- ture from the town of Strong in 1841 and has been a member of twenty legislatures. He has a pleasant home with everything needed for comfort and is quietly passing his declining years surrounded by his affectionate children and grandchildren. From the northwestern corner of the square the street de- scends slightly to the beautiful plain upon which a large part of the village is situated. As we descend to the lower ground we come first to the large building on the right, owned by A. G. Fenlason, Esq., the village lawyer. This building was built HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 179 some years ago by Mr. Levi Sears and was intended for a store. After the death of Mr. Sears it was purchased by Mr. Fenlason, who first came to the town nearly twenty years ago as teacher of the high school. He afterwards studied law, and having married a daughter of Major Dickey, established his residence at Fort Kent. He is now doing a successful business being engaged in a number of enterprises outside of his profes- sion, and is accumulating property. In those old days no gayer place could be found in all the State than Fort Kent, and none where money was more plenti- ful, or was spent with a freer hand for everything that pertained to social enjoyment. Far removed as the town then was from the more populous portions of the State, its citizens were com- pelled to rely on their own resources for enjoyment and the large amount of money coming to them from the prosperous lumber business in which most of them were engaged gave them ample means for gratifying every desire for social pleasure. Fine turnouts were the order of the day and some of the best horses in the State were then owned at Fort Kent. Roadsters that could make their hundred miles in a day were not uncommon, and in winter season a race course was kept cleanly swept upon the icy surface of the St. John, and here many notable contests were engaged in between the fast steppers of the town. Those days of exceptional business prosperity and of easy money making have long since passed away and with them many who were then active business men in the town, but the warm social at- mosphere still remains and in no town in the State will a visitor worthy of attention be received with more generous hospitality than in the Fort Kent of today. The Fort Kent Training School, when first established by the State, held alternate terms at Van Buren and Fort Kent, and each town furnished the building for its temporary accom- modation. A few years ago the school was permanently located at Fort Kent and a building was erected by the State. The school building is very pleasantly located and the grounds are spacious and well kept. The school was instituted for the purpose of training the native teachers and also to afford the means of a practical education to all the youth of this region who were dis- posed to avail themselves of its advantages. The school has from its foundation been under the instruction of Vital Cyr, B. A., a graduate of Orono College, as principal, and for most of the time Miss Mary Nowland of Ashland, has been assistant instructor. Mr. Cyr is peculiarly adapted to his position, being 180 HISTORY OP AROOSTOOK a native of Fort Kent, of French parentage and thoroughly ac- quainted with the language and institutions of his people Un- der his management the school has been a marked success and has greatly benefited the youth of this vicinity. Much of the success of the school is also due to the efficient work of Miss JNowland, the accomplished assistant teacher, who possesses superior qualifications as a teacher and is wholly devoted to the good of her pupils. In company with Major Dickey, to whose efforts the school is largely indebted, we recently spent a half day m this school and were much pleased with the methods of instruction and the advancement made by the pupils. We were pleased to see that the stars and stripes float over the building and that the pupils are taught that they are American citizens The town of Fort Kent includes the most of the two town- ships of 18, Range 6 and 18, Range 7, and has the St. John River for Its entire northern boundary. There is much good farming land in^ the town and this is being cleared and brought under cultivation. With the exception of the village almost the entire population of the town are of French descent, and of the Roman Catholic faith. Much interest in education is now being taken by the French citizens and a marked improvement is noticed. Ihe population of the town in 1890 was 1826. UPPER ST. JOHN RIVER COUNTRY In the northern part of Aroostook County is a large French population, a part of whom are descendants of the old Acadian refugees and a large portion emigrants from Canade and their descendants. These people, though American citizens and con- stituting a portion of the permanent population of the State are nevertheless, m many respects a distinct and separate commun- ity and will remain so to a great degree for many years to come. The Scandinavian colonists of Aroostook have been in the County twenty years, and a stranger now riding through New Sweden will see very little to remind him that the town was settled by a foreign colony and another generation will find this people wholly Americanized and merged into the general hom- ogeneous mass of the population of this section. This is account- ed for from the fact that the Swedes are of kindred blood with us and, in common with us, are members of the old Anglo Saxon stock. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 181 With the French it is entirely different. They are not only of another nationality and with language, manners, customs and traditions different from ours, but they are of a different race also. They are of the Latin race which is not readily grafted upon Anglo-Saxon stock and hence they are not readily merged into the general mass of the population of this region. There are of course instances more or less frequent of intermarriage between the French and native Americans and in some cases the distinctive characteristics seem in a great measure to dis- appear in the next generation, but as a rule the lines of race are as distinctly marked amid the general population of the County as are the lines of the Gulf Stream in the midst of the waters of the Atlantic. For many years the French have been inhabitants of Can- ada, but they are still a separate people and the Anglo-Saxons have not as yet been able to absorb them into a common nation- ality. The manners, customs, traditions, dress and language of the people along the St. Lawrence are still largely those of France, rather than of England or America, and such they will continue for many years. So when we reach the banks of the beautiful St. John in the northern part of Aroostook County, we can in many places readily imagine ourselves in a foreign coun- try. It is true a considerable change has taken place in the last ten years even, in regard to the conveyances, the agricultural implements and the methods of farming among this people and many American ideas and customs have been accepted. Schools in which the English language is taught and the literature of our country introduced to a certain extent are having their influence, and some idea of the fact that they are a part of the State of Maine and of the United States is beginning to make itself manifest especially among the younger portion of the popula- tion. Notwithstanding this, the old traditions remain and the institutions and religious ceremonies of Catholic France still exert a controlling influence among this people. With them the New England Thanksgiving day is almost unknown, and Christ- mas is not the "Merry Christmas" that we enjoy. Their holi- days are distinct from ours to a great extent. New Year's day is particularly a day of feasting and merriment, while "Mardi gras" is the chief holiday of the year. Others there are but they are those handed down in the traditions of the Catholic Church and of foreign lands and have little to do with our distinctive Am.erican institutions. Fourth of July is little of thought of among this people and it will be long before Concord and Bun- 182 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ker Hill, or even Gettysburg and Appomattox will have much significance in the minds of our French fellow citizens. These remarks are made in no disparaging sense, nor with the least in- tention of unkind or adverse criticism upon this interesting and kindhearted peaple. They are simply introduced to note the difference between separate national characteristics and the dif- ficulty of ready amalgamation between the Latin and Anglo- Saxon races. The people of Madawaska, as this whole upper country set- tled by the French is called ,are a simple minded, light hearted, pleasure-loving class, of kindly and most hospitable manners and peaceable and law-abiding in their general deportment. Their tastes are simple and their wants comparatively few and appar- ently easy to be supplied. They are a peculiarly social people and love to assemble in large numbers for the enjoyment of their innocent pastimes, or for the celebration of their religious fetes. Music and dancing have great charms for them and they are naturally pleased with gay colors both in dress and in the pictures with which they love to adorn their houses. Their diet is simple and they are in no way given to extravagance in the matter of food and drink. Though apparently caring only for the needs and pleasures of the passing hour, yet many of them have snug little sums, largely in specie, safely stowed away in some old chest or other chosen repository, to be drawn upon only in case of actual emergency. In their intercourse with strangers they are polite, kind and hospitable to a degree most noticeable by all who have lived or journeyed among them, and in no section of our land will the traveller, meeting with any mishap, or needing rest or refreshment, be more kindly and cor- dially cared for than in Madawaska. The "dry plank" and the best bed are ever at the disposal of the stranger guest who may be compelled by circumstances to throw himself upon their good offices and no amount of pains or personal inconvenience is spared to render all possible assistance in case of mishap. In a number of instances, when travelling in a winter night and forced by the storm to call for shelter, have we been placed in the warm bed, just vacated for our comfort by the host and host- ess, while they sought for themselves other quarters, probably far less comfortable. They are of the Roman Catholic faith and are devotedly attached to their church and scrupulously faithful in religious observances. Upon this point they are pe- culiarly sensitive and readily resent anything approaching ridi- cule or opposition to their cherished religion. Thus held to- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 183 gether by the strong bond of religious unity, which permits no sectarian divisions or discussions among themselves, and look- ing with extreme disfavor upon anyone of their number who presumes to desert the church, or even to neglect attendance upon her ordinances, they more naturally remain a distinct peo- ple and are less readily absorbed in the general mass of the pop- ulation of the country. Their methods of agriculture are generally of a somewhat crude and primitive sort, as they are extremely conservative and in this, as in other matters, are slow to adopt new innovations, preferring rather to cling to old usages. Since writing the above lines, giving our personal impres- sions in regard to the natural tendency of our French fellow citizens to remain a distinct people, our attention has been called to a French work, written by M. Rameau more than a quarter century ago, entitled "La France aux Colonies." This author particularly emphasizes this point and even goes farther than facts of subsequent occurrences would seem to warrant. We ven- ture to translate a few passages, hoping they may not be void of interest in this connection. After speaking of the increase of the number of Acadians in Nova Scotia during the present century, and of their com- plete separation from the English residents of that province, M. Rameau says : "All authors virtually agree in bearing witness to the preservation of their language, of their national character, and to the vigilant care which they have given to these matters. Notice what Halliburton, who was a judge in Nova Scotia, wrote in 1829: 'While the Germans tend to merge themselves in the mass of the population, the Acadians remain distinct as much as possible, preserving their religion, their language and their peculiar customs; they never marry with their protestant neigh- bors. Among themselves they speak French, but it is mixed with some words derived from the Indian and from the English. The men, however, generally know English, but few of the women understand that language. The Acadians have a pecu- liar attachment for their language and their customs, and al- though their business often brings them among the English, they never marry with them, never adopt their manners and never quit their villages.' " These words of Judge Halliburton, quoted by the French writer, may have been strictly true of the Acadians of Nova Scotia at the time when they were written and may continue to be so today, but they are not altogether true of their fellow 184 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK countrymen in Madawaska. There, though as a rule they marry among themselves, yet marriages with Americans are not infre- quent and v/ill probably become less rare as the younger people become better educated and the number of Americans increase in that locality. Again says Rameau, in speaking of the Aca- dians of Madawaska, in which number he includes all the French population on both sides of the upper St. John and which he places in 1861 at about 12,000: "Communication is becoming now more and more frequent with Lower Canada, and probably all the commercial relations of that country (Madawaska) will take place in the future through the little town of Trois Pistoles on the St. Lawrence. There is then reason to hope that the suprem- acy of the American merchants will gradually disappear from these villages and that in consequence an end will be put to the introduction into the language of the Acadians of Anglicisms which have crept into it during the last thirty or forty years.' " Despite the solicitude of this ardent French writer, his dream of a permanent Acadia upon the upper St. John, with manners unchanged and language uncorrupted as when the an- cestors of this people peacefully enjoyed their quiet homes "on the shores of the basin of Minas" is hardly destined to be ful- filled. To a great extent they will remain a distinct people for many years to come, but their manners, methods and language will gradually become more and more like those of the Amer- ican residents in their midst. Communication with Canada is indeed becoming more easy and frequent, but the iron horse now courses away_ across that country, and, harnessing to his load from the grain elevators and flouring mills of our own great western cities, bears it back and lays it down at the doors of the French habitans on the northern border of Maine. The vast lumber operations upon the upper St. John, car- ried on for the most part by Americans, either from Maine or New Brunswick, employ large numbers of the French popula- tion and thus their young men are brought into immediate con- tact with our business men and business methods. For these reasons some might predict that though no hostile military force should come with fire and brand again to disperse this quiet people, yet the onward march of events in the development of the country, the opening up of new railroads through our own county and the establishment of new and varied industries might in time accomplish the same results to a considerable extent. Yet could our French prophet, whom we have quoted above,' visit the Madawaska region today, he might with truth say to HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 185 US something like this: "Look upon the condition of things among this people a half century ago and compare it with that of today. Then all the business of the country was done by American residents, while the simple Acadian, with no education and very little ambition in that direction, contented himself with raising his scanty crops and caring for his little flocks and herds. Now there are native French merchants at every point where business is carried on. The American settlers have decreased in numbers, while the French have increased to a wonderful ex- tent. Not many years ago a large number of American mer- chants were doing business at Van Buren, Grand Isle, Madawas- ka, Frenchville and Fort Kent. Today the number at Van Buren and Fort Kent is very much diminished, while those at the other points mentioned have alomst entirely disappeared and their places are occupied by French merchants and business men. Starch factories were built throughout the district by Americans from Maine or New Hampshire. Now nearly every one of them is owned by Frenchmen who have added to the number new fac- tories at different points. Mills have been built at various places by Frenchmen and are now being successfully operated. Young men of the same nationality have been educated as law- yers and as physicians and have almost entirely supplanted the Americans in those professions. Fifty years ago the French settlements were confined to a narrow strip along the river with a vast wilderness in their rear. Now they have extended through- out nearly the entire portions of the towns originally occupied and have pushed their settlements through from Van Buren to Caribou, from Fort Kent to Portage Lake and are fast encroach- ing upon the lands between Fort Kent and New Sweden. New parishes have been formed in places then covered by the wil- derness and large churches, filled each Sabbath with devout worshipers, now stand where stood the forest then. In all this country upon the upper St. John with it^ immense lumber busi- ness, carried on for many years and with its fertile soil there is today but a handful of American residents, not so many as fifty years ago, while the children of the Acadians have multi- plied many fold and are becoming a dense population in all this region. At Van Buren only is there any Protestant church build- ing, and that a small chapel built by the Episcopal bishop, with a pastor but a portion of the time, and this field will probably soon be abandoned for want of support. Upon the entire extent of the St. John River in Maine there is no clergyman of the Protestant faith and the services of that church are nowhere 186 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK maintained. The country is French and such it is destined to remain." Certainly the view of the situation outlined above is largely warranted by the facts in the case and it would be indeed in- teresting could one visit the Madawaska region fifty years hence and note the effect of another half century upon the language, manners and customs and religious faith of this people. From Caribou village the road runs northward for six miles across the north half of the town of Caribou, and continues on in the same direction across Township K, Range 2, Cyr Planta- tion and a corner of Van Buren to the St. John River. The large mills of the Van Buren Shingle Co., located on the main river, and the long train of cars steaming alnog on the New Brunswick shore give a business aspect to the picture and indicate that all is not rural quiet and pastoral simplicity in this other Acadia. There are two other saw mills in the town, both located on Violette Brook. These are the Hammond mills, con- taining two shingle machines, and the Souci mill, with two shin- gle machines and a rotary. Mr. Fred B. Violette has a grist mill and carding mill. Mr. W. C. Hammond was for many years the principal business man at Van Buren and was formerly ex- tensively engaged in trade and in the business of cutting and manufacturing lumber. He also had a fine farm a short dis- tance below the village. His sons were also engaged in busi- ness here, but all save one have now moved to the far West and Mr. Hammond, having retired from active business, contem- plates joining them. Mr. C. F. Hammond is now the only Amer- ican resident who has been in business here for any considerable time. He is a relative of W. C. Hammond and is the principal merchant of the town. Mr. Hammond is also deputy collector of customs at Van Buren, and his daughter. Miss Margaret Ham- mond, is the village postmaster. P. C. Keegan, Esq., is the prin- cipal lawyer, and Drs. T. H. Pelletier and J. C. Upham are the physicians. The town of Van Buren is nearly in the form of a right angled triangle, of which the west line, some eight miles in length, is the perpendicular, the south line of six miles the base, and the St. John River the hypotenuse. The settlement along the river is continuous for the whole distance across the town and there are large settlements back from the river in various por- tions of the town. The population of Van Buren is 1168. The French are a remarkably prolific people and large fam- ilies are the rule among them. They are also a home loving HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 187 race and for this reason, as sons grow up and marry, the pater- nal estate is divided and the children are settled near the old home. All along the river the farms are divided into narrow strips, each having a front on the river and running far back upon the higher land in the rear. Thus the dwellings are brought near together and along the road on both sides of the river a continuous settlement extends for many miles. For nearly ten miles the road runs through the northern part of Van Buren and then enters the town of Grand Isle. This town is named after the large and fertile island in the St. John within the limits of the town, and has a population of 964. In establishing the boundary the channel of the river was made the dividing line, hence all islands lying on the south of the channel are in the State of Maine, and those on the north are in the Province of New Brunswick. The land in that portion of Grand Isle which borders upon the river is productive and easy of cultivation, but farther back the soil is not so good, and the town is not so thickly settled away from the river as many . of the other towns. Twelve miles above Van Buren we come to the large estate of Dennis Cyr, a son of Paul Cyr, one of the early residents of the town. The Cyrs are of old Acadian stock and the different branches of the family are quite numerous in all this region. Mr. Cyr's house is a very large two-story building with broad ver- andas and is situated on a handsome plain some distance from the road and near the bank of the river. Mr. Alexis Cyr, who died some years ago, resided near here and was one of the prin- cipal citizens of the town. He was a brother of Dennis, and both received a good English education at the old Houlton Acad- emy. Alexis Cyr represented his district in the State Legisla- ture a few years before his death and was a man of consider- able ability. Mr. Remi Plourd, another prominent citizen of ther town, has a good English education and has been in trade here for some years. On the hill near the Cyr estate is the fine large church of Notre Dame de la paix, a large white structure with a lofty spire. In matters pertaining to religious worship the people of these French towns have this marked advantage over the set- tlers in other Aroostook towns — they are all of one religious faith and hence by uniting their contributions are able to build one large church in each town and to give a generous support to a permanent pastor. Up to 1869 this whole Madawaska country on both sides of the St. John River was a part of the diocese of 18g HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Chatham and its religious affairs were under the control of that bishop. In that year, however, a division was made, and all the parishes on the American side were attached to the Portland diocese, now under the pastoral care of Bishop Healey, who once in two years makes a visit to all these churches. The visit of the bishop is an event of much importance to the people of these towns, and great preparation is made 'for his reception. Small trees are cut down and planted on both sides the road at short distances apart, making a continual grove of bushes for more than fifty miles. At each church handsome arches are built across the main road and many elaborate decorations are made. The influence of the priests over the people is very great, and in most cases is exerted in favor of temperance, sobriety and good citizenship. Formerly the priests influenced the people in regard to their political action much more than at present. Now the priests as a rule do not take so active a part as political partisans and the action of the people in this respect is becom- ■ ing more independent. Madawaska is one of the largest, as well as one of the most fertile of the river towns. Nowhere are the intervales and plains along the river so broad and extensive, or so smooth and un- broken, and nowhere are there more beautiful landscape views. The town of Madawaska is composed of parts of townships 18 Range 4, and 18 Range 5. It has a river front of about nine miles, and extends back from the river nearly ten miles, includ- ing a large part of Long Lake, the northernmost of the magnif- icent chain of lakes which extends through the northern part of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th ranges of towns, and finds an outlet into the St. John by way of Fish River at Fort Kent. There are many roads in this town and many settlers on the lots back from the river. The population is 1451. Leaving Madawaska, we next come into the town of Frenchville. Here the road, which for some distance has run nearly west as we travelled up the river, turns abruptly to the south and continues in that direction for nearly three miles, until we come to the great bend in the river known as Chataucoin, when it turns again and continues in a westerly course across the town. A short distance above the bend we come to the village of Frenchville at the mouth of the road leading out to Long Lake. Here there are a number of stores, a starch factory and some very handsome dwellings. This factory was built a number of years ago by Mr. J. W. Bolton, the present sheriff of the county, and Hon. Geo. W. Collins of Bridgewater. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 189 Frenchvlllle is a large tov/n and has much good farming land. Its population is larger than that of any other town upon the upper St. John, being 2560 by the late census. Next above Frenchville we come to the town of Fort Kent, and here we find that the high bluffs approach nearer the river and the land along the road becomes more broken. In one place the road runs along the base of a high mountain and the settler-3 along here do not see the sun until late in the day. Some twenty years ago a land slide occurred here, an area of many acres breaking loose from the high land and pushing out in a mass into the river. An abrupt break was made in the main road, that part which crossed the "landslide" being thrust over toward the river some eight or ten feet. A chasm of considerable depth and about ten feet v/ide was made on the side of the wooded hill back from the river and so abrupt was the break that trees were riven for some distance up the trunk and left standing astride the crevasse. A-bout three miles above Fort Kent village is the farm of Mr. Daniel Harford, one of the best farms in the town. A broad and fertile intervale stretches along the river front and the high- er land in the rear is level and smooth. Mr. Harford is the son of John Harford, one of the earliest American settlers on the river. Mr. John Harford came from Saco about 1818 and first settled at the mouth of Baker Brook, some five miles below Fish River on the New Brunswick side. There was at one time quite a number of American settlers at that place in the early days when the question of the boundary was in dispute, and the little settlement played quite an important part in the history of that period. About 1820 Mr. Harford moved about eight miles above Fish River and settled on the American side in what is now the plantation of St. John. Here he cleared up a farm and was for many years engaged in farming, hunting and lumber- ing. His latter years were spent with his son, Daniel Harford, on the farm in Fort Kent. Continuing on up the river we soon enter the plantation of St. John, and find the road here running somewhat south of west across this town. This township is not much settled except along the river road, where there is some very good land and a number of fine farms. A few miles above the town line we come to what was formerly the Savage estate, comprising a large tract of land on the main land and a very large and fertile island in the St. John River. Mr. Daniel Savage, who built the first mill on Fish River at Fort Kent, took up this tract of land many 190 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK years ago and lived upon the island, where he reared a large family of children. In company with his son, Gilman Savage, he afterwards built the large house on the mainland opposite the island and lived here until his death in 1854. The property was then divided and Mr. Robert Savage owns the east half of the large island. Mr. Gilman Savage afterwards moved to Fort Kent and engaged in trade, still retaining his interest in this property, and died at Fort Kent about twenty years ago. A few miles above here we come to the large estate of Mr. Jesse Wheelock, upon which is one of the finest and most pro- ductive intervales upon the river. Mr. Wheelock is the son of Mr. Jesse Wheelock, who was for many years one of the promin- ent business men of this section. He came from Northborough, Mass., to the city of St. John, N. B., many years ago, and en- gaged in business there, owning largely in vessel property. About 1830, he removed to the upper St. John, settling first at Baker Brook. Soon afterwards he removed to what is now St. John Plantation and settled on the large intervale now owned by his son. A small stream, known as Wheelock Brook, enters the river near here, and upon this the elder Wheelock built a grist mill and also a saw mill for the manufacture of clapboards and shingles. He engaged in farming and lumbering here until his death in 1837, when his son, Jesse J. Wheelock, took the proper- ty and continued to operate the mills for a year, when the estate was divided and Mrs. Duncan Sinclair, a daughter of Mr. Jesse Wheelock, came into possession of the mill property. Mr. Dun- can Sinclair, who now carries on the mills, is a son of Mr. John Sinclair, who came from Restigouche, N. B., about 1840, and settled at the mouth of Little Black River. Ten years later he moved to a farm in St. Francis, where he lived until his death in 1884. Mr. Sinclair was of Scotch parentage and though a naturalized citizen of the United States, never lost his feeling of loyalty to Great Britain. When nearing his death he requested Mr. Robert Conners to procure a British flag in which his body might be enshrouded for burial. This wish Mr. Conners com- plied with and the old man's body now rests enveloped in the flag of the country he loved so well. Opposite Mr. Wheelock's, on the New Brunswick side, is the store and fine establishment of Mr. Robers Conners, one of the largest lumber operators on the upper St. John. The present survey of the Temiscouata Railroad terminates near Mr. Conners' store, but the line will probably be continued further up the river. Continuing up the river on the American HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 191 Side, we pass the farm of Mr. Samuel Russell, who came from Kennebec many years ago and who always has a yoke of noble big oxen, and come to the Hunnewell farm on the line between St, John and St. Francis. Mr. Barnabas Hunnewell came from Solon, in Somerset County, to St. John, N. B., about 1820. He afterwards removed to Baker Brook and in 1830, came up the river and settled on the large island now known as Hunnewell's Island, and included in the plantation of St. John. He also took up a tract of land on the main land, where he afterwards built his house and carried on a large farming and lumbering busi- ness. The country in this section was covered with a heavy growth of pine and the manufacture of pine timber was a most profitable business at that time. "Squire Hunnewell," as he was always called, was a justice of the peace for many years and was a man of much ability. His death occurred in 1868 and his widow still resides upon the old farm with her daughter and son-in-law. The Hunnewell residence is in the plantation of St. Francis, though the island and a large part of the farm is in St. John Plantation. Continuing up the river road through St. Francis, we pass the farm of the late Mr. John Sinclair and soon come to Mr. Charles McPherson's, one of the oldest residents of the town. He came here with his father sixty-one years ago, and has lived at St. Francis ever since. His father, Mr. Charles McPherson, was born in Rhode Island, whence he removed to Restigouche, N. B., and came to St. Francis in 1829. He lived here some twenty years, and then removed to Mattawamkeag. His son Charles, the present proprietor of the farm, remained at St. Francis, where he has ever since been engaged in farming and lumbering and is one of the principal citizens of the town. He is now seventy years old but is hale and hearty. Opposite the mouth of the St. Francis River which enters the St. John about fifteen miles above Fort Kent is the large estate owned and occupied for many years by the late Martin Savage, Esq. This estate consisted of three large and very handsome islands and a large farm on the main land. The house is a handsome two story building, built and finished in the most thorough manner and conveniently arranged in every part. On the opposite side of the road are a number of large barns and stables in which Mr. Savage always kept a fine stock of horses and cattle. Years ago, when Mr. Savage was living and his family circle was unbroken, this was one of the pleasantest homes in Aroostook. Here unbounded hospitality reigned and 192 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK: friends were always sure of a cordial and warm-hearted welcome. Many merry part.es have gathered around that ample board and joined in social pleasures within those spacious and handsome- ly furnished rooms. Mr. Savage was the son of Daniel Savage and moved to St. Francis about 1850. He engaged extensively in farming and raised large crops of grain which found a read}^ market in the lumber woods. He also carried on lumber opera- tions to a considerable extent and %as for many years engaged in trade at St. Francis. He also owned an interest in the starch factory at Frenchville and at the time of his death, which oc- curred in 1888, was possessed of a large property. After liis death the estate at St. Francis was sold by the heirs, and his widow and three daughters, all that remain of a large family, are now living in the State of Washington. That part of the fatm lying upon the main land is now owned by Mr. Neal Mc- Lean, an old resident of the town who has long been engaged in lumbering operations upon the upper St. John. The islands have been purchased by parties living upon the Provincial side of the river. A short distance above Mr. McLean's the road runs along the summit of a high "horseback" formation thrown up to a con- siderable height from the midst of a beautiful plain. The view from this point is very fine, and as one looks down the river from this "horseback" the landscape scenery, consisting of river, islands and large cultivated fields, forms a picture of rare beauty. A.roostook is full of grand v:ev/s and beautiful land- scape pictures, but nowhere are they more beautiful than upon the upper St. John. Above the mouth of the St. Francis the St. John is wholly within the State of Maine. The St. Francis is the boundary river from that point to the extreme northern point of the State, which is the northwestern corner of "Big Twenty," that town- ship running entirely across the State and being bounded on three sides by Canadian territory. The plantation of St. Fran- cis comprises Township 17, Range 9, and is thickly settled along the river, but has few settlers upon .other parts of the town. There is much good land along the river but the land further back is not so fertile. Not far from Mr. McLean's is a deposit of slate of fine quality and lying so as to be very easily quarried. The Catholic Church of St. Charles is located in this planta- tion and was build by Father Sweron in 1870. The population is 461, a majority of whom are French. The Allegash Plantation above St. Francis is still another HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 193 organized plantation and there are many fine farms with large and costly buildings both upon the main river and upon the Alle- gash. Though these farmers are far distant from the business centers and their products cannot be shipped to outside markets, yet the large lumber business carried on in their immediate vicinity creates a demand for all their surplus products and brings a good cash market to their own doors. On this account their business has been a prosperous one and many improve- ments have, within the last few years, been made in the farms and farm buildings of this section. A large extent of country, including the Allegash and Little Black settlements, has been organized as Allegash Plantation and thus the settlers are per- mitted to exercise the right of suffrage and also to raise money for school purposes and to draw their proportional part of the State stipend. This plantation has a population of 83, a large majority of whom are of English descent. The turnpike road road extends up the river some four miles above the mouth of the St. Francis, and beyond that point the travel in summer is wholly by boats upon the river. The road has been laid out, however, by the County Commissioners as far up as the mouth of the Allegash; and justice to the set- tlers in this upper country demands that it be opened for travel. In the winter a good road is kept open on the river as far up as Seven Islands and large quantities of supplies are hauled up the river to the lumber camps above. A few miles from the mouth of the St. Francis, if we cross to the north bank of the St. John, we find a "portage" which leads through the woods some two miles to Fall Brook. This is a rough and noisy little stream flowing in a northeasterly direction across Township 17, R. 10, and emptying into the St. Francis a mile or two above the mouth of that river. The portage strikes the stream at the falls where the water dashes down over steep ledges, foams and rushes among large bowlders so near together that we can leap from one to another and cross the brook to a fine camping ground on the other side. Here, we think, may be found today a tall pine stump hewn smooth on its sides and inscribed with the names of a merry party of some forty men, women and chil- dren who camped here for two nights twenty years ago. Six miles above the falls on this stream is a small lake in which trout are found in great abundance. The Allegash River enters the St. John from the south some twelve miles above the mouth of the St. Francis. It is a large, strong, flowing river fed by numerous lakes, and with its many 194 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK tributary streams drains a large timber producing region. At the mouth of the Allegash is a large farm where many years ago lived Mr. Samuel Bolton, father of the present sheriff of Aroostook County. Here Mr. Bolton raised large crops of hay and grain for the lumber woods and his house was a place of entertainment for lumbermen on their way to and from the camps. Three miles above the mouth of the Allegash we come to the mouth of Little Black River, which rises away up in Canada and flowing in a southeasterly course enters the St. John on its northern side in Township No. 17, R. 11. The country in the vicinity of the Allegash and Little Black has been considerably improved within a few years and the good farms and substan- tial farm buildings give evidence of the prosperity of the set- tlers upon the newly organized Allegash Plantation. Formerly the larger portion of the supplies for the lumber camps and also for the stores along the river was boated up the river from Fredericton. The boats used were large, flat bottomed scows with a cabin built upon the after end in which the boat- man ate and slept, and upon the top of which the helmsman stood and steered the boat by means of a huge rudder. Some of these boats are capable of carrying two hundred barrels of pork, and are drawn up the river by horses. Two horses are attached to each boat by a long warp and are guided by a rider on the back of the near horse. The horses travel upon the beach whenever a "tow-path" can be found, but are often obliged to wade in deep water and in many places to swim the river as the tow-path changes from side to side. In the late fall when ice begins to form it is cold work for men and horses. Since the extension of the railroad to Edmundston supplies have been forwarded to that point and they will now come to Clair station opposite Fort Kent, and thus the tow-path will be very much shortened. Many supplies for the camps on the upper St. John are also brought by the Grand Trunk to LTslet and St. Jean Port Joli on the St. Lawrence and thence hauled through the woods to Seven Islands and from there to the different camps. Further on up the river, above Big Rapids we come to the Simmons farm on the north bank of the St. John. This farm was cleared many years ago for the purpose of raising hay and grain for the lumber woods, but latterly it has not been so well cultivated. A few miles further on brings us to Seven Islands. We are now some seventy miles above Fort Kent, but find the St. John nearly as wide here as at Woodstock. Seven Islands HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 195 has for many years been the most important point in all this forest region and has long been the depot of supplies for large lumbering operations. The old Gary farm is situated on the north bank of the river and includes also the islands which give the place its name, some of which contain many acres of fertile land and produce large crops of hay and grain. Many years ago Hon. Shepard Gary of Houlton carried on an immense lumber business on the St. John and Allegash and cleared up this farm for the purpose of producing supplies and also to serve as a depot for his extensive operations. The house is a large story and a half structure standing near the river bank and containing a number of ample rooms, the largest of which is the big dining room, with its long table, at which many hungry men have been fed. In the kitchen is a huge stone fireplace with its long iron crane upon which are hung the big pots in which many a tooth- some meal has been cooked. There are a number of large barns upon the farm, the boards with which they are covered having been sawed with a whipsaw from the clearest and soundest of pine lumber. Upon the main land above the house is a large tract of level land of great fertility and under good cultivation. This large farm was for many years the property of the firm of Gary & Gunliffe, and afterwards of the firm of Cunliffe & Stev- ens, during which time large numbers of fine blooded animals were kept upon the farm. The estate now belongs to Mr. Arthur DeGhaine, a former resident of Ganada, who is extensively en- gaged in farming and lumbering. On the opposite side of the river is the large farm of Mr. Frank Currier, which consists of many acres of fine, productive land and has commodious and well constructed buildings. Mr. Currier has lived here for many years and has engaged quite extensively in farming and lumbering, in which business he has been very successful. There are a number of other farms in the immediate vicinity, making quite a little settlement, the farthest from tide water on the upper St. John. The settlers were at one time organized as the Plantation of Seven Islands, and for a number of years the returns from Seven Islands were anxiously looked for before the result of an election could be formally declared. The present proprietor of the "Big Farm" not being an American citizen, the plantation a number of years ago lost its organization and Allegash now has the honor of be- ing the farthest up river precinct to which politicians devote their attention. From Seven Islands a good road leads out across Black River to the Canadian border and continues on to 196 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK the St. Lawrence, the distance from Seven Islands to L'Islet being about forty miles. Should we continue our journey up the St. John we should find that we have left behind us the last settlement in Aroostook County in this direction, and must conclude that at last we are in the woods. We may yet push on for more than twenty miles by the river before we reach the confines of Aroostook, for our course is now a southerly one, and when we cross the County line we find ourselves in the northern part of Somerset County. A few miles farther on we come to the forks, where the two branches of the river unite, and if we continue on up the St. John the boundary between Maine and the Dominion of Canada but now upon the western instead of the northeastern border of the State. As we have reached at Seven Islands the Ultima Thule of Aroostook settlements upon the St. John we will return and make our way up the Allegash and see what we can find there in the way of cultivated improvements. The Allegash for some distance above its mouth is a rapid, noisy, strong flowing river during the open season, but we have travelled alone on its glassy surface in winter, when the bright sun of a quiet Sabbath morning was just tinting the tree tops on its rugged banks, and when hardly a sound was heard to break the stillness of Nature's grand solitude. At such times we were always reminded of Cooper's matchless tales and we think it must have been from just such scenes as can here be found that he derived much of his grand inspiration. Twelve miles above the mouth we come to the falls, where the river dashes and tumbles over a rocky precipice and sends great islands of foam floating down the swift current below. On the face of the rock visitors have cut their autographs, one bearing date as early as 1833. Above the falls a number of settlers have made clearings and have comfortable homes. Jos- eph Gilbert, Thomas Moore, Thomas Larry and George McKin- non have here made openings in the forest and established their homes far from any road except in winter. Away to one side of the beaten track these families lead a quiet, peaceful life, while the busy, noisy world with its weary strife and endless contests moves on all unheeded and uncared for. Three miles above the falls we come to the farm of Mr. Finley McLellan, who settled here many years ago and has now a good farm and comfortable buildings. It is a hospitable home and the traveller on reaching here is always sure of a kindly wel- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 197 come. Being the last house for many miles it is a landmark in this section and distances are reckoned as so many miles from "Finley's," as from a point of departure. We passed the mouths of numerous small streams and twelve miles above the falls came to the mouth of the Musqua- cook, a river of considerable volume flowing northward into the Allegash from a long lake which extends away down into Piscataquis County. Large lumber operations are carried on upon this stream and many logs are driven from it every spring. Mr. S. Walter Stevens has cut about seven millions upon Mus- quacook each year for a number of years and will this winter cut about the same quantity. Mr. W. H. Cunliffe's operation this winter will be upon the Allegash on Township 14 and 15, Range 11 and 12, 13, 14 and 15 R. 12. Both these operators have a large number of men and horses already in the woods, and with a favorable winter will have large drives. LIMESTONE Directly north of Fort Fairfield in the tier of townships lying along the boundary line lies the flourishing town of Lime- stone. Unlike many of the comparatively new towns in Aroos- took County, the first opening made upon this forest township was for manufacturing instead of agricultural purposes. In the year 1845 Gen. Mark Trafton of Bangor, then Custom House Officer at Fort Fairfield, conceived the idea of building a mill upon the forest tract to the north of that town for the purpose of manufacturing clapboards to be shipped to Boston market. The township was then known as Letter E, Range 1, and was wholly in its original wilderness state. A strong flow- ing stream ran through the township and emptied into the Aroos- took River a short distance above its junction with the St. John. In the report of the Scientific Survey this stream was denomin- ated Limestone Stream, from the geological formation near its mouth, and was so named on the Maine charts, though known in New Brunswick as Little River. Gen. Trafton associated with himself Mr. B. D. Eastman of Washington County, who was at that time living at Fort Fairfield, and having previously obtained from the State Legis- lature a grant of 1600 acres of land in aid of building the mill, 198 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK commenced in June, 1845, to clear a tract of land on the bank of Limestone Stream, upon which it was proposed to erect the mill. Mark Trafton, Jr., a son of Gen Trafton, was also admitted as a partner in the enterprise, and the new company was called the Limestone Mill Company. With a party of axe men to clear the way through the forest, and with one pack horse to carry their provisions, they crossed the Aroostook River at Fort Fairfield and travelled through the forest in due north course until they struck the Limestone Stream. A large clearing was made during that summer and the next year, the summer of 1846, the new mills were built. A substantial dam was built across the stream and upon this dam was erected the saw mill con- taining an up and down saw, clapboard machine and shingle machine, and also a grist mill with one run of stones. The shingle machine was a Muzzy machine built in Bangor and hauled by ox team to Houlton, thence across to Woodstock, whence it was boated up the St. John and Aroostook Rivers to Fort Fairfield and hauled through the woods to the mill. The grist mill was built because the company had faith that the town would soon be settled and that then the mill would be needed. In the fall of 1846 the mill was completed and the business of sawing clapboards was commenced. A road was cut through the woods from the mill to the St. John River at a point called Merritt's Landing, about ten miles below Grand Falls, and over this road the clapboards were hauled during the following win- ter, and in the spring of 1847 they were rafted and floated down the river to Fredericton, whence they were shipped to Boston. In the following year the road was made passable for wag- ons in the summer time. In 1847 the Traftons sold their in- terest in the enterprise to Mr. George A. Nourse, a son of Dr. Nourse of Bath, who had come to the forest of Aroostook for the benefit of his health. In 1848 the new firm of Nourse & Eastman built another small clapboard mill about a mile up- stream from the original mill, and in 1849 undertook the haz- ardous experiment of driving bunches of clapboards down the stream with the intention of taking them from the water when the drive reached the St. John River and there rafting them. They turned 400,000 of pine clapboards in bunches into the stream and started to drive them down the stream as they would a drive of logs. The experiment proved unsuccessful and re- sulted in the loss of nearly the entire lot of clapboards. This, with other misfortunes, caused the failure of Nourse & Eastman HISTORY OF AJl0O3,T00K 199 in 1851, and for a number of years not much business was done at the mlils. In 1847 the township was lotted and opened for settlement. In that year Andrew Phair took up a lot on the hill near the mill and Bernard McLaughlin took a lot some two miles distant, at what is now known as the "Four Corners." They were the first settlers who came upon the township for the purpose of farm- ing, although some crops had already been raised by the Mill Company on the tract of land cleared near the stream. In the same year Orrin Davis took up a lot on the road opened from the mill to the St. John River, about a mile distant from the mill. At that time lots were sold to actual settlers for $1.25 per acre, 50 cents of which was to be paid in money and the remainder in road labor. After the inauguration of Gen. Taylor as President, Gen. Trafton retired from the custom House at Fort Fairfield and was elected as a representative to the State Legislature and it was largely through his influence that a change was made in the law relating to settling lands. The price of land was that year reduced to 50 cents per acre to actual settlers, the whole amount to be paid in road labor. A number of the earlier settlers who had already performed the requisite amount of road labor under the old law, but who had not made the required cash payment, now took certificates under the new law and again paid for their lots in road labor at 50 cents per acre. The years immediately following the failure of Nourse & Eastman were hard years for the little settlement. No business was done at the mill and the greater part of the settlers left the town. Mr. Albion Whitney, foreman in the mill, removed to Minnesota, where, being unsuccessful in business, he removed to California, where he amassed great wealth in trade. In 1857 Ephraim Osborn and Daniel Libby obtained pos- session of the mills and business at once revived. During the next four years there was a large immigration to the town and many lots were taken up. In that year Daniel Libby was ap- pointed local agent for the town and he at once proceeded to lay out roads in different parts of the town for the convenience of the new settlers. Among those who came to the town in the years 1857 — 61 (which was a most important period in the his- tory of the new settlement) and who remained to become prom- inent citizens of Limestone, adding much to its wealth and in- fluence, were I. W. Kennerson, J. E. Spear, L. G. Morris, Josiah M. Noyes, Hosea Webster, Josiah Ward, R. B. Chase, Charles 200 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Stetson, P. B. Sayward and James Edgecomb. Mark Trafton, who had previously married a daughter of Daniel Libby, came to the town in 1857 and bought a lot of land on the tract granted to the Mill Company, about a half mile from the mill on the road to the St. John River. Here Mr. Trafton made a fine farm, upon which he continued to reside until 1888. In connection with his farming operations, Mr. Trafton commenced trading in 1863, and in 1876 established a store at the mills, where he and his son, Charles W. Trafton, have continued to trade until recently, Mr. Trafton retired from the business and his son is now sole proprietor. In 1889 Mr. Trafton built a beautiful mansion on the high ground east of the mill and fitted it up with much taste and elegance, and with all the modern conveniences, Messrs. Osborne & Libby continued to operate the mills until 1866, when they sold to Mr. Dennis Getchell. Mr. Getchell at once put in a large rotary and planer and made many other im- provements. In 1877 the mills were destroyed by fire and about the same time Mr. Getchell died. His sons proceeded at once to rebuild the mills and have since continued the business under the firm name of Getchell Bros. The history of Limestone during the war is much like that of many other of the new towns in Aroostook County which were at that time in the early stages of development. The breaking out of the war found the town with nearly every avail- able lot taken, and small clearings were being made in all parts of the town. Many of the younger protion of the settlers, who had just commenced the work of clearing their new farms, went into the army and a large portion of them never returned to the town. Since the war the growth of the town has been gradual and no great number of settlers have come in at any one time. The soil proved to be as fertile as any in Aroostook and, being free from stone, was easy to clear and to bring under cultivation and there are now in this town some of the finest farms to be found anywhere in the county. In 1876 a starch factory was built at the mills by the firm of Eustis & Aldrich of Boston, and Mr. Alfred Lovering of Cole- brook, N. H. The establishment of this enterprise at once gave a great impetus to the business of the town and was of immense benefit to the farmers. They at once went to wrok to smooth up their fields and to fit them for the working of farm machin- ery and for the easy cultivation of the potato crop on a more extensive scale. The business also brought much ready money to the farmers of the town and thus enabled them to improve HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 201 their farms and build better buildings. Hardly a log house is now to be seen in the town and one is struck with the number of fine farm buildings, neatly finished and painted, to be found in all parts of the town. The mills and starch factory served as a nucleus around which has grown up a handsome little village which is destined to grow and become one of the handsomest country villages in Maine. The starch factory is now owned by Mr. C. W. Trafton, who last year manufactured nearly 250 tons of starch. About 1885 Mr. Josiah M. Noyes bought the privilege where the second clapboard mill was built by Nourse & Eastman, about a mile up the stream fro tmhe village. Upon this site Mr. Noyes erected a large new mill which is a model of its kind. The village of Limestone is beautifully situated in the valley of the stream, the land rising gradually upon either side and broadening out in every direction into large and well cul- tivated farms, with smooth and fertile fields. The houses in the village are neat and the grounds around them tidy and well kept, and the whole aspect of the place is one of thrift and enterprise. There is very little waste land in the town, and nearly every lot could be made into a good farm. There is still considerable vacant land in the town belonging to proprie- tors, though every State lot is taken up. It is safe to say that there is hardly a lot in the County fit for settlement now be- longing to the State. This shows how much more quickly the resources of Aroostook might have been developed, and her forests converted into fertile farms had the State retained pos- session of all townships suitable for settlement, and lotted them out for the benefit of those who wished to make homes for them- selves and families. Mr. Jerre Hacker of Fort Fairfield owns a large tract in the northern part of the town, which he is offer- ing to settlers at a reasonable price. Other proprietors are alse willing to sell good land upon fair terms. The Plantation of Limestone was originally organized in 1848, but subsequently lost its organization and was reorgan- ized in 1858. In the early days of the settlement of the town, schools were supported by private subscription, and after the organization in 1858, schools were established and supported by taxation. The town was incorporated in 1868 and at once adopted the town system of schools, which has been maintained ever since and has given general satisfaction. The schools of the town are now in good condition and are generally supplied with comfortable schoolhouses. 202 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK The population of Limestone in 1880 was 655 and its valu- ation $76,583. In 1890 the valuation was $149,938, and its popul- ation was 933. The rate of taxation is .916. Limestone has a fertile soil, grand water power and favor- able location, and we see no reason why the town has not a grand future before it when its resources shall be fully de- veloped. DYER BROOK Though the development of Aroostook County has thus far been more rapid in the two tiers of townships lying next to the eastern border, yet there are in the western part of the county many fine agricultural towns with strong, fertile and productive soil and grand natural resources, only awaiting the opening of adequate means of transportation to develop into populous and prosperous communities. Of these western townships the plant- ation of Dyer Brook is naturally one of the best. This town- ship was formerly known as No. 5, R. 4, and has Merrill Planta- tion on the north, Oakfield on the east. Island Falls on the south and Hersey on the west. The stage road from Houlton to Pat- ten runs through the entire length of the township in a south- erly and southwesterly direction near its eastern border. The surface of the town in this section is rolling and somewhat hilly, but not sufficiently broken to interfere with easy cultivation. In the western portion of the town are broad stretches of more level land still in its forest state and containing much fine farming land. The first settlement was made upon the town about the year 1844, as nearly as we have been able to trace it. In that year Mr. Orrin Laughton came from Smyrna and took the lot near the northeast corner of the town, upon which Mr. J. E. Tarbell now lives. Mr. Laughton made a clearing upon the lot and built a log house. After living on it a number of years he sold to a Mr. McMonagal, who died a few years after purchas- ing it. Mr. Oliver Dow then took the place, but abandoned it after a few years and the lot reverted to the proprietors of the town. In 1857 Mr. J. E. Tarbell took the place and cleared up a large farm and built a handsome set of buildings. Benjamin Gerry, the second settler upon the town, came HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 203 from Smyrna soon after Laughton and took the lot in the ex- treme northeastern part of the town, adjoining Mr. Laughton's. Here Mr. Gerry cleared up a fine farm, upon which he still lives. The next man who made a settlement on the township was Moses Leavitt, also from Smyrna, who settled in 1850 on the lot next west of Laughton's and bordering on the north line of the town. The "State road" runs on the north line of the town, dividing Dyer Brook from Merrill Plantation, and continuing west on the line between Hersey and Moro, intersects the stage road from Patten to Ashland, some two miles from the western line of Hersey. This road was cut through at the time that Mr. Leavitt settled upon his lot, but was not made passable for car- riages until several years afterwards. It is now a good turnpike road and runs through a fine agricultural section for much of the way. The road from the East branch through Dyer Brook to Island Falls, now a part of the stage route from Houlton to Patten, was opened in 1860, and in that year Mr. Jonathan Sleeper of Smyrna took the lot south of the Tarbell farm on the Island Falls road. Mr. Sleeper made a clearing on the lot, built a house and barn and after a few years moved to Sherman. Mr. John Heald then took the farm and extended the clearing. After living upon it a few years he sold to Mr. Seward Clough, who now lives upon the farm. Mr. Asa R. Hall and Mr. John Gerrish came to Dyer Brook twelve years ago and bought in company a wild tract of 170 acres, to which they have since added 84 acres more. They commenced at once at once to clear up a farm and now have nearly one hundred acres of cleared land, divided into meadow, pasture and tillage. After passing the Hall and Gerrish farm we again descend to lower ground and after crossing a brook ascend to a handsome ridge of land, one of the finest in the town. On the west side of the road is the farm of Mr. Eben D. Townsend, who came from Limerick, York County, 29 years ago and bought this lot of Messrs Baldwin and Thompson of Bangor, who were at that time proprietors of the town. There was no clearing on the lot when Mr. Townsend came to it and after clearing eight acres and building a log house and log barn, he enlisted in the 7th Maine Regiment and went South to fight for his country and was wounded at Fort Steadman. At the close of the war he came back to the little farm in the woods and has since made a large and very handsome farm. The old 204 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK log buildings have given place to a good frame house and barn. Mr. Townsend is now unable to do much hard work and his son has the active management of the farm. On the east side of the road, opposite Mr. Townsend, is the farm of Mr. W. G. Drew, a son of Samuel Drew, who was one of the early settlers of the town of Smyrna. Mr. Drew and Mr. S. C. Philpot formerly carried on the business of farming in company, but divided their land a number of years ago. Mr. Drew has a very fine farm, with about eighty acres of cleared land handsomely located. Mr. S. C. Philpot is located next south of Mr. Drew on the east side of the road. Mr. Philpot came from New Limerick twenty-seven years ago and took a lot on this beautiful hardwood ridge. He was a soldier in the 16th Maine Regiment. Next south of Mr. Townsend on the west side of the road is the farm of Mr, James I. Meserve, who came from Liming- ton to Aroostook County in 1839, and lived seven years with Mr. True Bradbury in New Limerick. He then returned to Lim- ington and in 1862 came to Dyer Brook and bought this lot, upon which Mr. John Downs had made a clearing of a few acres and built a small house and log barn. He now has about 120 acres of good land, with fifty acres cleared and under good cul- tivation. Mr. F. M. Stevens has a good farm on the east side of the road opposite Mr. Meserve's, and beyond him are the farms of O. A. Lougee, James Clark and Mr. A. Keith. Passing these farms the road runs through a very handsome tract of green wood, the tall trees growing close to the road on either side and making a very pleasant drive on a summer day. Near this south line of the town, a road turns to the east from the stage road, and crossing the east part of the town a short distance from the line between Dyer Brook and Island Falls, continues on through Oakfield to Linneus Corner. Turning into this road we first come to the farm of Wm. C. Alward. This lot was taken up in 1858 by Mr. Charles Moore, who enlisted in the 8th Maine Regiment and died in Andersonville Prison. Mr. Alward came from New Brunswick thirteen years ago and bought the farm. It is somewhat hilly and broken but the soil appears to be productive. Beyond Mr. Alward's we ride through a beau- tiful piece of forest for a mile and a quarter, when we come to the farm of Mr. J. W. Edwards on the shore of Pleasant Lake. Mr. Alfred Moore came from the town of Gouldsboro in 1859 and took up this lot and cleared about twenty-five acres before HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 205 the war. He then went into the 18th Maine Regiment and after the close of the war lived upon the farm a short time and then sold it to Mr. Albert Kelso. Mr. Edwards came from Searsport in 1879 and bought the place of Mr. Kelso. Mr. Edwards was a soldier in the 19th Maine Regiment. A short distance beyond Mr. Edwards's house the road again enters the beautiful green- wood, through which we ride for a mile and then emerge into the opening in which is the farm of Mr. Cornelius Lane. Mr. Lane came from Freeport in 1858 to find a home in Aroostook. He had in his mind the ideal of the location he wished to find and when shown this lot he desired to go no further. Although in the midst of a dense forest he saw what might be made of it and purchased it at once and went to work to make his home. He had cleared about twelve acres and built a small house, when his country's call sounded and he went to the war in the ranks of the 2d Maine Cavalry. He was not mustered out of the service until December, 1865, when he returned to his wood- land home. He has now 175 acres of land with 65 acres cleared. Beyond Mr. Lake's there is no opening in the forest until we reach the clearings at Oakfield. All the eastern part of Dyer Brook is still virtually an unbroken wilderness invaded only by the hardy lumberman, the adventurous hunter and periodically recurring incursions of the surveying party locating the still mythical Aroostook Railroad. It is a fine timber tract, but there is so much good land suitable for farms and were it the property of the State and opened for settlement on the same terms that other towns have been would soon be occupied by thrifty settlers. The township was first organized as a plantation in 1863, but afterward lost its organization and was again organized on July 14, 1880, at which time there were 41 voters. It was in- corporated as a town by act of the last Legislature, but has not yet held a meeting as provided by that act. The war record of Dyer Brook is an exceptionally good one. At the breaking out of the war there were twenty-five men living in the plantation, seventeen of whom were subject to military duty. Every man of the seventeen went to the army and five of them never returned. As an agricultural town Dyer Brook will take high rank when an impulse is given to its development by the opening of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. The population in 1890 was 221 and the valuation $35,582. 206 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ISLAND FALLS In the whole of Aroostook County there is no more pictur- esque town than Island Falls and none where the natural scenery is more beautiful. It is a sportsman's paradise and is becoming noted as a pleasant, healthy and beautiful summer resort. Its lakes, rivers and wooded hills add much to the attractiveness of the town, and nowhere is there a purer air or a more comfort- able summer temperature than here. The west branch of Mattawamkeag River enters the town near the northwest corner and, after flowing south for nearly two miles and being enlarged by the confluence of Fish Stream, sweeps madly through a rocky gorge and dashes over precipitous ledges, forming one of the finest falls in the country. Midway of the falls is a small island, its rocky sides rising abruptly from the water and dividing the swift current. This little wooded is- land in the midst of the falls gives the name to the town of Island Falls. After leaping the falls the river continues in a course a little south of east for nearly three miles, when it emp- ties into Mattawamkeag Lake, a beautiful body of water which covers a large portion of the eastern part of the town. Previous to 1842 no white man had pitched his habitation in this picturesque region. Indians from the Penobscot and Pas- samaquoddy tribes were accustomed to spend a part of the year hunting and fishing in this vicinity and had their camps near the falls. They even continued their visits for some years after the white man 'invaded the region and during the first years of the little settlement, while the hardy pioneer was felling the for- est trees and clearing up fertile tracts of land near the banks of the dashing river the crack of the Indian's rifle woke the echoes in the surrounding forest, and the gentle dip of his pad- dle parted the waters of the river and lake as he glided along in his light birch canoe. In 1842 Levi Sewall and Jesse Craig came from Farming- ton to search for a chance to make a home in the forests of Aroostook. Coming to Patten, they turned eastward through the town of Crystal and after traveling a few miles came to the end of the road. They then followed the streams down to the West Branch, in what is now the town of Island Falls. As soon as Mr. Sewall discovered the falls he at once saw that here was a valuable water power which might at some time be improved and utilized for manufacturing purposes. He therefore deter- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 207 mined to look no farther, but to make this place his home. He at once went to work and felled five acres of trees near the falls and then returned to Farmington. The town was then the pro- perty of the State of Massachusetts and Mr. Sewall bought a tract one mile square, including the falls. In March, 1843, he returned to Aroostook with two two-horse teams and one single sleigh, bringing with him his family, which consisted of his wife and six children. Leaving his wife and the younger chil- dren at Mr. William Young's in Crystal, Mr. Sewall with his two sons, David and Samuel, came down the stream to the falls, cleared up the five-acre chopping, built a log house and on the first day fo July, 1843, the family came to their new home. Mrs. Sewall was brought down Fish Stream and West Branch in a boat, and the girls walked in through the woods by a spotted line. The family were now settled in the midst of a vast forest with no road on the west nearer than Crystal Mill and none on the east nearer than Smyrna Mills on the East Branch. Their first crop was necessarily put in somewhat late and though everything grew abundantly and promised a bountiful harvest, a heavy frost on the night of the last of August killed every- thing and nothing whatever was harvested from this first crop. The prospect looked dark, but the family had the courage need- ful for all successful pioneers. The forests abounded in game, and the river with fish, which ensured them against suffering from hunger and the boys worked at Patten and Crystal and earned bread enough to supply the family until another crop could be raised. The next year an additional clearing was made, a good crop was raised and after that there was no lack of bread. Mr. Jesse Craig, who came with Mr. Sewall in 1842, took 160 acres of the mile square block taken by Mr. Sewall, and he also made a five acre chopping that year and returned to Farm- ington in the fall. In the spring of 1843 he went back and clear- ed up his five acres and felled five acres more, living with the Sewalls that summer and returning to Farmington in the fall. Mr. Craig did not bring his family to Island Falls until the win- ter of 1844, when they were brought in on a sled drawn by oxen. Mr. Craig cleared up a large farm on the north side of the West Branch and kept a hotel here for many years. He was for years the only justice of the peace in the town and was treasurer and clerk of the town for a long term. He also held the office of first selectman much of the time after the organization of the 208 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK township. He was well known as a man of the strictest honor and integrity and was much respected by all his fellow towns- men. Mr. Craig lived to see a flourishing village spring up around him and died at a good old age five years ago. In 1843, David Lurvey came from Woodstock, Oxford County, and settled on a lot north of the West Branch and next below Mr. Craig's. He cleared some twenty acres of land, built a frame house and barn and then moved to Patten, and afterwards to the mouth of the Aroostook road, where he kept a hotel for a number of years and then returned to Oxford County, where he died a number of years ago. Charles W. Harding came from Windham in the spring of 1844, and settled on the south side of the stream, opposite Mr. Sewall's. Here he cleared a farm and built a house and barn, and afterwards returned to Windham and died. Charles Han- son came with Harding and made a small clearing near his, but did not remain long. The above named were all the settlers in the town in 1844 and of these only the Sewalls and Craigs remained permanent- ly. No other settler came to join them for eight years. In the meantime Mr. Sewall and his sons continued to enlarge their clearing and were also engaged in lumbering in the winter sea- son. Levi Sewall was for many years a prominent man in this section and died at his home in Island Falls, in 1866. His widow, three sons and one daughter still reside at the Falls. The next settler who came to Island Falls was Mr. Isaac Robinson, who came from Oxford County, and after living for some time in Crystal, came to Island Falls in 1852 and settled on the ridge a mile east of Mr. Craig's. Here he cleared a farm upon which he lived until his death in 1858. His son, George F. Robinson, then took the farm. He afterwards went into the army and gained a national reputation by being instrumental in saving the life of Secretary Seward on that terrible night of April 14, 1865. He is now a paymaster in the United States Army. The Robinson farm is now owned by Mrs. Mary Dow. In 1853 Mr. Stephen Thorn came from Freedom and set- tled on the lot next to Mr. Robinson's. He made a clearing and built a log house and barn and then moved to Crystal, where he died some twelve years ago. Mr. John B. Hathorn now owns this farm. A number of settlers came about this time, very few of whom remained. Among those who stayed was Mr. Jacob Man- uel, who settled in the north part of the town and made a farm, HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 209 upon which he lived until his death. About the same year (1853) Mr. Cyrus Barker and family came from Kennebec County. With him came his son, Addison Barker, and family. Mr. Cyrus Barker took four lots for himself and sons on one of the most beautiful ridges of land in Aroostook County. It is still known as Barker Ridge, though none of the family are now living on the tract. Mr. Barker made his first clearing near the homestead so long occupied by his son, Capt. Rodney C. Barker. He cleared up a large farm and was for many years a prominent man in the town. Cyrus Barker died in 1886. His son, Rodney C. Barker, then took the farm and made it one of the finest in the County. He was largely engaged in lumbering and trading and was a prominent business man. He also served in the Union Army and received a pension for injuries received in the service. He built the first steamboat on Mattawamkeag Lake in 1882 and commanded it until his death. The steamer was used for towing logs across the lake and also in the summer season for excursion parties. Capt. Barker had cottages and boats on Norway Island in Mattawamkeag Lake for the use of pleasure parties, and it is still a most beautiful summer resort. Capt. Barker was a man of much push and energy, had strong friends and strong enemies, as such men generally do, but we remember him as a genial, whole souled man, a kind husband and father and a good friend. He died at his home some five years ago and his widow did not long survive him. The Barker estate, one of the finest in Aroostook, is now owned by Geo. E. Cutler, Esq., of South Framingham, Mass. Mr. Addison Bar- ker, who lived on the farm adjoining, was killed by a falling tree a year or two after coming to the town. Up to the year 1854 Island Falls was the property of the State of Massachusetts. In that year it came into the owner- ship of the State of Maine and the same year was lotted by Mr. Daniel Cummings and opened by the State for settlement. Set- tlers now began to come in and take up lots, but the State af- terwards most unwisely sold the town to proprietors, by which action its settlement has been very much retarded. Capt. Daniel Randall, a man well known throughout Aroos- took County and indeed throughout the State, came from Port- land to Island Falls in 1859. He was a retired sea captain and was for some time city marshal of Portland. Capt. Randall bought a farm on Fish Stream, on the road from Island Falls to Patten, one mile from the Falls. Here he built up a large farm and built a handsome two-story house and good barn. He 210 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK at once took an active part in the business and also in the poli- tics of the county. He engaged in lumbering quite extensively and also paid good attention to his farm, which he made pro- ductive and profitable. He served two terms as a member of the State Legislature and also served as sheriff of Aroostook County. He afterward returned to Portland, where he died some years ago. He was a man of massive build, weighing 325 pounds, but active and full of energy. He was a genial, good natured man and had many friends. Dr. Isaac Donham came from Readfield to Patten in 1858, and in 1860 moved to Island Falls and took the lot next to Capt. Randall's. He was a druggist and physician in Readfield and also practiced medicine in Patten and Island Falls. In 1862 he entered the service in the 1st Me. Heavy Artillery, and af- terwards re-enlisted in the 31st Inf. and died in the hospital at City Point, Va., in 1864. His son, Mr. George H. Donham, now owns the farm, which consists of 160 acres of land, with fifty acres cleared and a good set of buildings. Mr. Donham was formerly engaged in trade at Island Falls, but three years ago sold his business to Eemrson Bros, and went into the print- ing business. He has two presses and does all kinds of job printing. He is also chairman of the board of selectmen, town clerk, supervisor of schools and trial justice, and may be called a fairly busy man. In 1861, Mr. Levi H. May moved from Lowell, Mass., and took a wild lot in the north part of the town, where he made a good farm, upon which he lived until his death six years ago. His son, Levi H. May, now lives on the farm. Mr. David A. Sewall, the eldest son of Levi Sev/all, has long been a prominent man at Island Falls and is well known throughout the county. He was largely engaged in lumbering for many years. He has been for years an officer of the town and was a member of the board of county commissioners for eight years. He has a fine residence on the south side of the stream and is now living quietly and happily, farming some in the summer and sometimes scaling in the woods winters, just to keep his hand in. Mr. Samuel Sewall, the second son, has a very handsome set of buildings on the north side of the river. In company with his brothers he attends to the business of the farm, for Levi Sewall's land has not been divided, but his sons carry on the farms together and seem to own all things in com- mon. The large homestead built by Levi Sewall in 1861 is occupied by the youngest son, Mr. Wm. W. Sewall, and with him HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 211 live his aged mother and only sister, Miss Sarah E. Sewall. who holds the commission of postmaster of Island Falls. Mr. Wm. W. Sewall was the first white child born at Island Falls, and he is a white man in every respect. He has for years been a friend and companion of Theodore Roosevelt of New York, who formerly came to Island Falls every summer for a few weeks' outing. A few years ago Mr. Sewall went with Mr. Roosevelt to Dakota and for two years took charge of a large cattle ranch for that gentleman. Mr. Sewall also having an interest in the business. The township was organized as a plantation Sept. 6, 1858. At the first meeting Levi Sewall was chosen moderator, Jesse Craig, clerk, D. A. Sewall, Cyrus Barker and Nathan Thorn, assessors. The town was incorporated in February, 1872. We have visited few towns where there is so general a community of feeling and such a genuine each-help-the-other spirit as In this town of Island Falls. Every man says his neighbor is the best fellow in the world, and I think they all tell the truth. MOLUNKUS AND BENEDICTA Two miles west of the village of Macwahoc the Military road enters the township of Molunkus, now an unorganized plantation with the exception of the little hamlet at the mouth of the Aroostook road. This township is in the extreme south- west corner of Aroostook County and is bounded on the north by the unsettled township No. 1, Range Five, on the east by Macwahoc, on the south by Mattawamkeag in Penobscot Coun- ty, and on the west by Medway in the same county. The entire township, with the exception of a comparatively small tract near the mouth of the Aroostook road and a few clearings far- ther north upon that road, is still covered with forest growth and is owned by non-resident proprietors. The old Aroostook road starts from Molunkus and con- tinues northward through No. One, Benedicta and Sherman to Patten, and thence on to Fort Kent, at the mouth of Fish" River. The intersection of this road with the Military road at this point made Molunkus an important business center for lumber- ing operations and for the moving of supplies to the country away to the north. 212 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Soon after the opening of the Aroostook road, a hotel was built at Molunkus, the first house of entertainment as near as we can determine, having been erected by Mr. Richard Libby, who had previously kept the hotel for a number of years at Macwahoc. After remaining some years at Molunkus, Mr. Libby removed to Mattawamkeag. The hotel was afterwards kept for some time by Mr. Samuel Crocker, who was succeeded by the Burnham Brothers of Lincoln, who remained some five years. Messrs. George and Joseph Libby then had the house for one year and were succeeded by Mr. E. H. Davis, who kept it two years. In 1865, Mr. B. F. Coburn came from Lincoln and bought the hotel of Mr. Davis and continued in the house until last spring, when he leased it to Mr. F. A. Wing of Mattawam- keag. In the souhtwest portion of the township is Mattawamkeag Lake, a fine body of water some two miles long and half a mile wide. Two streams flow southward and empty into this lake, the West Mattesunk being near the west line of the township and the East Mattesunk flowing in the more central portion. A portion of Molunkus Lake is in the northeastern part of the township, the northern portion of the lake being in Number One and the southern portion in Macwahoc. The Penobscot River skirts the southwestern corner of Molunkus and the Mat- tesunk Lake discharges its waters into that river. The Molunkus Exchange is seven miles distant from the railroad station at Mattawamkeag and daily stages run from Mattawamkeag to Patten, stopping at this hotel for dinner. Molunkus has now no plantation organization and has but a small resident population for a point of so much business im- portance. The population of Molunkus in 1890 was 77. Leaving the Molunkus Exchange and journeying northward on the Aroostook road, after passing a number of primitive habitations erected by new settlers, we enter the forest, through which we ride for nearly ten miles with only an occasional opening in the wilderness. A ride of a little more than four miles from Molunkus brings us to the north line of the township and here we enter Number One, Range Five, a timber township lying along the border of Penobscot County. Five miles from Molunkus we come to the farm owned by Mr. Melville Johnson of Macwahoc. Two miles farther on, or seven miles from Mo- lunkus, is the farm and hotel of Mr. Peter Millmore. Mr. Ste- phen Cobb made a clearing and built a house here more than HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 213 fifty years ago and, after keeping public house for a number of years, moved to Michigan. The town of Benedicta comprises the western half of town- ship No. 2, Range 5. Nearly sixty years ago Rt. Rev. Benedict Fenwick, Catholic Bishop of Boston, conceived the idea of settling a Catholic col- ony upon the cheap lands of northern Maine and also of erect- ing and maintaining a Catholic college in connection with the colony. The project of establishing the colony was carried out, but the idea of the college in northern Maine was afterwards abandoned and the proposed institution was located at Wor- cester, Mass. The half township selected was then the proper- ty of the State of Massachusetts, and on the 7th day of July, 1834, Bishop Fenwick made his contract for the land. The township had been surveyed by Joseph C. Morris and Andrew McMillan in 1825. Though Bishop Fenwick purchased the tract he did not receive his title to it until March 31, 1846, on which date it was deeded to him by George W. Coffin, agent of the General Court of Massachusetts. Soon after purchasing the half township in 1834, Bishop Fenwick commenced to take measures to carry out his project of establishing a colony upon it. The township was in the midst of an almost trackless wilderness, but it consisted of good land, and large lumber operations were being carried on in its vicinity. Midway of the town from north to south, village lots were laid out, and in course of a short time a church was built, also a parsonage and nearby a tract of land was set apart for a college farm. The erection of build- ings for the proposed college was commenced, and one large college building was nearly completed, when this part of the project was abandoned. This building remained unoccupied for a number of years, and was finally taken down. The Bishop also built a mill on the Molunkus Stream, near the east line of the town. This mill contained an up and down saw and shingle machine, but was afterwards abandoned and allowed to decay. The first settlers came to the town in 1834. The Bishop charged the settlers $2 per acre for land upon the line of the main road and $1.50 per acre for land farther back, giving them all necessary time to make payment for their farms. The first settlers upon the town are said to have been David and Joseph Leavitt, but whether these men were a part of the Bishop's colony or squatters who had come previous to his purchase, we have not yet been able to determine. Among the first of the Catholic colony to settle upon the town were Nich- 214 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK olas Broderick, Timothy Dorsey, Martin Qualey, Philip Finne- gan and John Millmore, who came in 1834. Patrick Brade, Chris. Keegan, John Byrne, Francis Smith and John Perry were early settlers, as also were Henry Rivers and Martin Lawlor. These settlers were all Irish emigrants who had worked for some time in the cities of Massachusetts. Nicholas Broderick, one of the earliest settlers, settled in the south part of the town on the lot where Fenton McAvoy now lives, and died there some fifteen years ago, Timothy Dorsey settled a mile and a half north of the church and cleared the farm on which Daniel McDonald In 1838 and 1840 quite a number of settlers came in. John D. Rush came in 1838 and settled opposite where the church now stands, that edifice not having been erected until 1843. now lives. The Catholic Cemetery Is neatly enclosed and carefully kept and nearby Is the Catholic Church, a comfortable and com- short distance from the church Is the parsonage, a neat, two- modlous edifice of sufficient size for the needs of the parish. A story residence now occupied by Father Kearney, who has re- cently taken charge of the parish. The college farm, so called, is not now cultivated, but Is devoted to pasturing and Is a part of the church property. Benedlcta may not perhaps be classed among the best half townships in Aroostook County for agricultural purposes, but it has a good soil, the land lying in a succession of easy swells and not very stony. The many good farms and neat and com- fortable homes In the town give ample evidence of what a col- ony of thrifty and Industrious Irish emigrants can accomplish under even quite unfavorable circumstances at the beginning of their settlement, and the improvement here made bears witness to the wisdom and philanthropy of the good Bishop In planting this colony here in the wilderness. The town was Incorporated in 1872 and was named Bene- dlcta, in honor of Its founder. Bishop Benedict Fenwick. It is bounded on the north by the town of Sherman, on the east by Silver Ridge, on the south by No. 1, Range 5, and on the west by Penobscot County. Its citizens are nearly all Catholics of Irish descent and are a thrifty. Industrious and prosperous com- munity. In 1890 the town had a population of 317 and a valua- tion of $57,849. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 215 SILVER RIDGE The half township now known as the Plantation of Silver Ridge was originally the east half of Township No. 3, Range 5, the west half of the same township being now the town of Benedicta. In 1857 the county commissioners of Aroostook County were petitioned to locate a road from Benedicta through Silver Ridge to Haynesville. At that time the half township was en- tirely covered with forest in which no clearing had yet been made for settling purposes. The commissioners viewed the route and decided not to locate the road as asked for, but the partial survey called attention to the excellent land owned by the State and lying unimproved. During that year (1857) a number of settlers came In and made clearings on the half township, al- though it had not yet been lotted and of course these settlers were merely squatters upon the land. Francis Smith, Thomas Millmore, Thomas McAvoy and Fenton Seals all from the ad- joining town of Benedicta, made clearings that year. Silver Ridge lies Immediately south of Sherman and the mail route from Island Falls to Kingman runs through that plantation. Nearly every lot on the road through Silver Ridge Is settled and there some very fine farms and handsome res- idences, which would seem to shov/ that the people are pros- perous, have comfortable and convenient homes and are making a good living. The settled portion of the town is confined to the two ranges of lots bordering on the main road. The remainder of the town is now owned by non-resident proprietors and is not generally good land for settling purposes. The plantation of Silver Ridge was organized in 1853 and since that time It has made a marked increase In the appearance and value of its farms and residences, although it has decreased somewhat In population during the last decade. HERSEY The town of Hersey lies along the border of Penobscot ■County and, though yet but partially settled, Is naturally one ■of the best townships In western Aroostook for agricultural pur- 216 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK poses. The town is bounded on the north by Moro, on the east by Dyer Brook, south by Crystal and west by Mt. Chase in Penobscot County. The old Aroostook road, now the mail route from Patten to Ashland, runs diagonally across the northwest corner of the town and the State road from Smyrna Mills runs on the line between Hersey and Moro and intersects the Aroos- took road some two miles from the northwest corner of Hersey. The first settlers upon the town of Hersey, then called Number Five, Range Five, were Samuel Huston, Timothy Hale, Nicholas Cooper and Daniel Cooper. Samuel Huston came from Plymouth in Penobscot County, in 1839 and settled on a lot on the Aroostook road six miles from Patten. Here he cleared up a large farm and was for many years one of the leading men of the town and his de- scendants are among the prominent citizens. Mr. Huston lived upon this farm until a year ago, when he moved to Patten, but still retains possession of the farm. Mr. Timothy Hale came from Plymouth in 1839 and settled on the north half of the lot on which Mr, Seth Allen now lives, near the Penobscot County line. Mr. Hale felled fifteen acres on this lot, but did not clear the land and after living in the town a year or two removed to the West. Mr. Harvey Houghton then took the lot and made a small clearing and after remaining a year moved to Oxford County. Nicholas and Daniel Cooper came from Plymouth in 1839 and settled on part of the Seth Allen lot and also had a lot in the adjoining town of Mount Chase in Penobscot County. Mr. Nicholas Cooper built the buildings next north of Seth Allen's, where he lived for some twenty years, then moved to Ashland and afterward to Moro, where he died. Daniel Cooper did not remain in the town. James Brown came from the town of Wilton, in Franklin County, in 1840, and settled on the lot next north of Nicholas Cooper. He cleared a large farm and lived upon it until 1868, when he moved to Patten and died. Mr. Brown was a promin- ent citizen and was well known throughout this section. Nathan Fish came from Jefferson, Lincoln County, in 1840 and settled near the Mt. Chase line, a short distance from the Aroostook road. Here he made a farm upon which he lived until about 1859, when he returned to Jefferson and died soon afterwards. He was unmarried, and the farm is now unoccupied. Daniel Darling came from Hartland, in Somerset County, in 1840 and settled north of Samuel Huston's on the farm now HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 217 occupied by William Monteith. Mr. Darling cleared some twenty acres on this lot, and after living on it four years, moved to the adjoining town of Moro. Seth Allen came from the town of Sumner, in Oxford Coun- ty, in 1842 and two years later bought the lot on which he now lives, on the Aroostook road five and one-half miles from Pat- ten. Mr. Allen cleared this farm and has lived upon it ever since, and is now the oldest settler living in the town. Mr. Allen is a veteran of the Civil War, and has always taken an . active and prominent part in the affairs of his town. Though now advanced in years, he is still a hale and hearty man, and has not yet given up active work upon the farm. Lewis Sargent came to Hersey in 1843 and settled upon part of the lot now owned by Seth Allen. He made a clearing and lived upon the lot until 1858, when he moved to Mount Chase, where he died. Columbus Bragg came from Plymouth in 1844 and settled on a lot a mile and a half north of Seth Allen's. He cleared a portion of the lot and lived on it a few years and moved to Stacyville, where he died ten years ago. Josiah Bates came from Palmyra in 1845 and settled on the Aroostook road a mile south of the mouth of the State road. He made a large clearing and lived here two years and moved to Moro. This farm has been unoccupied and has grown up to forest again. Hon. Wm. W. Thomas of Portland owned the township when the settlers first came to it. He afterwards sold it to Messrs. Hall and Lewis of Cherryfield, but obtained possession of it again soon after and subsequently sold it to Gen. Samuel Hersey and Mr. George Stetson of Bangor. In the north part of the town, along the State road, a set- tlement was made later and on this road are now some of the best farms in the town. The earliest settler in this portion of the town was Mr. John R. Blynn, who came from Garland, in Penobscot County, in 1852, and settled on the lot where Wil- liam H. Bates now lives. Mr. Blinn cleared something over twenty acres on this lot and lived on it some four years, then moved to Bangor and afterwards engaged in peddling. He sold the farm to Mr. Stephen P. Bates, who enlarged and improved it. Mr. Bates went into the army and was killed near Spottsyl- vania. Mr. George L. Bates moved to Hersey from Moro in 1854 and took the lot where Solomon Bates now lives. In 1861 he joined the 8th Maine Regiment and after two years service was discharged and returned to Hersey and died. 218 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Mr. Joel P. Jameson came from Lee in Penobscot County in 1860 and bought the west half of the lot east of Solomon Bates. Mr. Jameson cleared some thirty acres on the lot and lived on it eight years. He then sold to Mr. Solomon Bates and moved to Lincoln. Mr. David L. Lowell came from Lee in 1860 and settled on the east half of the Jameson lot. He cleared some ten acres and then went into the army, where he lost an arm, was discharged from the service and died soon after re- turning home. The farm passed through a number of hands and is now owned by E. E. Kennedy. Mr. William Campbell came from New Brunswick in 1860 and settled on the lot next east of Mr. Lowell. He felled some ten acres and then went into the 8th Maine Regiment and served through the war. He was promoted to a lieutenancy and did not return to Hersey. Mr. James Palmer now has this lot. Mr. James Hall came from Garland in 1861 and settled on the lot next but one west of Wm. Bates. Mr. Hall cleared fif- teen acres on this lot, lived on it some three years, then sold to Mr. John Doe and moved to Moro. John McGibney now lives on this farm. The tov/nship was originally organized as Dayton plantation and was incorporated as a town January 25, 1873, and named for General Samuel F. Hersey of Bangor, the principal owner of the township. The land throughout the town is comparatively level, having no abrupt elevations, but containing a number of swells of very fine land. The West Branch of the Mattawamkeag runs for something over three miles across the northeast corner of the town and Alder Brook, a tributary of the West Branch, runs diagonally in a southeast course across the entire township. In the south- west portion of the town is Crystal Lake, a pretty little sheet of water, from which Crystal Stream flows southward and emp- ties into Fish Stream in the town of Crystal. Huston Brook also runs across the southwest quarter of the town and empties into Crystal Stream a short distance below the lake. The land in this town can be purchased of the proprietors at a very reasonable rate and its excellent quality offers ex- ceptional inducements for settlers desiring cheap and fertile lands in a good town. The population of Hersey in 1890 was 151, and its valuation $63,783. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 219 BLAINE Not every agricultural section will bear as close inspection as will the fertile County of Aroostook. As one rides along the main highway from Houlton northward, he is surprised and de- lighted with the number of fine farms and handsome farm build- ings along this road in the several towns through which the road passes, while the view on either hand is most beautiful. Some twenty-five miles north of Houlton on the road to Presque Isle, and at the point of intersection with the road through Mars Hill and Easton to Fort Fairfield, is situated the thriving little village of Blaine. It is a busy little inland village with neat and handsome residences, and with a beautiful out- lying farming district on every hand. The town of Blaine includes but a half township and ex- tends but three miles north and south and six miles east from the boundary line. The first clearing was made upon the town nearly fifty years ago, just after the conclusion of that blood- less struggle which has passed into history as the famed Aroos- took War. In 1842, the year in which the Ashburton Treaty was con- cluded, Mr. B. W. Chandler came from the town of Winslow and cut the first tree upon the town for farming purposes. The spot chosen by Mr. Chandler for his new home was the beautiful ridge of land just north of the present village and upon the farm now occupied by Mr. R. W. Lowell. With the exception of the winter lumber roads, there was then no road in all this section and the home of this hardy pioneer was miles from any neigh- bor, and in the midst of an almost boundless wilderness. Some six miles further north could be seen the smoke from the log cabin of James Thorncraft, built the year previous on what is now the Trueworthy farm in Westfield, but the entire township of Mars Hill, and indeed the township of Easton, next beyond on the north, was at that time covered with its original forest growth as yet unbroken by any clearing. During the few years following a number of other settlers came upon the town and when Mr. Joel Valley came in 1847 and commenced a clearing upon the spot where the village is now located there were about ten settlers upon the town. To one who looks about this busy little village, with its business industries and its many indications of lively enterprise, it seems hardly possible that the man who cut the first tree upon the village site is still one of its active business men and that all 220 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK this development has been the work of about forty years. In the fall of 1847 Mr. Valley came from New Brunswick and took a lot which included all the land contained in the present village on the east side of the road and extending back to the Mars Hill line. He commenced his clearing and built his log house nearly upon the spot where the present hotel is located. Mr. B. W. Chandler was then living on what is now the Low- ell farm and Benjamin Bubar had a small clearing on the west side of the road a short distance below. William Freeman and Sherman Tapley then lived in a double log house which stood on the line between what are now the farms of Mr. Tapley and Deacon Noble. Freeman had a small clearing on the east side of the road on the present Noble farm, and Tapley had a clear- ing on the farm where he now lives. Half a mile below Tapley's one Rideout had a clearing on the west side of the Houlton road, with a log house on the opposite side. A short distance below where the road crosses Three Brooks, James Clark had a log house and small clearing on the west side of the road and William Rideout had commenced an opening and built a cabin on the east side opposite Clark's. James Oilman lived on the east side of the road in the extreme south part of the town next to the Bridgewater line, most of his clearing being in that town. About a half mile west from where Blaine Corner now is, William Roake and Charles DeMerchant had small clearings. These settlers were all who were upon the town in 1847 and the clearings were then very small and very little improvement had been made in the new settlement. With Mr. Valley came Joseph Bubar, who settled on the west side of the road about three-fourths of a mile south of Blaine Corner. In the spring of 1848, John Bell came from New Brunswick and settled on the west side of the road near the Corner and during the same year George Monroe and George Hotham set- tled on opposite sides of the road, south of Sherman Tapley's, and in the fall Thomas Bell came and bought half of John Bell's lot. In 1850 Samuel Brown took a lot about half a mile southwest from Blaine Corner. Nearly all the settlers named above came from New Brunswick, but later families from dif- ferent parts of the State of Maine began to come in and settle upon the town. Levi F. Preble came from Chesterville in 1859 with other settlers who made their homes in Mars Hill. Mr. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 221 Preble with his family settled in Blaine, where he lived many years. Blaine, then known as Letter B, Range One, was a half township belonging to the State of Massachusetts and the land was sold to settlers for $1.20 per acre, payable mostly in road labor. A few of the early settlers received deeds from the State of Massachusetts, but the greater part of them did not complete the payment for their lands until after the town had passed into the possession of the State of Maine. Samuel Cook, Esq., or Judge Cook, as the settlers called him, one of the pio- neer settlers of Houlton, was agent for Massachusetts and at- tended to the sale of the lands and the location of the new- comers. When the State of Maine came into possession of the town the price of the land was reduced to fifty cents per acre in road labor and the settlers were credited with the work al- ready done under the Massachusetts agent. Mr. Joel Valley cleared up the land on the east side of the road in the present village and in 1856 built a frame house on the spot where the hotel now stands. There he at once com- menced keeping public house, as there was at that time much teaming upon the road, and his house was a convenient stop- ping place for teamsters and other travelers going to Presque Isle and the country above. He continued in the business un- til 1864, when a disastrous fire occurred which swept away every building at that time standing at Blaine Corner. In 1866 Mr. Valley built the present hotel and the next year sold it, together with the farm, to Mr. Joseph Joy. Mr. Joy afterwards sold to Stephen Lake, he to Daniel W. Orcutt and he to Jonathan Her- som, the present proprietor. Mr. Valley was the first trader in the town, though in the early years he had no store but kept goods for sale in his house, and when he built his frame house he used the old log house for a store. The first store at the corner was built by Messrs. Sherman and Perkins of Augusta on the site of the present Jones store. Perkins soon after sold out to his partner, Lewis Sherman, who continued to trade in the store until it was burned in 1864. Af- ter the fire Mr. Sherman sold out to Bedford Hume, who built the store now standing and continued in business for about a year, when he sold to Charles F. Collins, a son of Hon. Geo. W. Collins, of Bridgewater. Mr. Collins traded in the store some two years and then sold to Stephen Lake, who in 1868 sold to Benj. F. Jones. Mr. Jones continued in trade and at the same time carried on a large lumber business until three years ago. 222 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK when he sold the store and stock to Mr. John Bubar, the present occupant. Mr. Jones still continues to reside in Blaine, though a large part of his business is at his mill in Mars Hill, only about a mile distant. In 1866, Messrs. Jackson and Oalces built the store in which R. E. McFarland now trades. After trading a year they were succeeded by Henry O. Perry, Esq., who shortly after removed to Fort Fairfield and Orlando Robinson occupied the store for about two years, when he closed his business and for some years the store was vacant. In 1884 Mr. A. O. Nutter, former- ly of St. Albans, commenced business in this store, where he continued until 1889, when he moved into the store where he is now located, and his place was taken by R. E. McFarland of Cambridgeport, Mass. In 1873 Stephen Lake built the building in which Mr. S. H. Hussey now trades. Mr. Lake continued in trade a few years, when he sold the building to Mr. Frank Levine, who resided in it but did not trade in the store. In 1874 Mr. Joseph Chandler built a mill on the Presque Isle of the St. John about half a mile from the village. He still owns the mill, though it is not at present in operation. In 1859 Mr. Wm. Robinson came to Blaine and purchased 260 acres of land in the south part of the town a short distance above the junction of Three Brooks with the Presque Isle Stream. Upon this land was a fine mill privilege, and in 1864 Mr. Robinson built a mill which contained one shingle machine. Mr. Robinson died in 1873 and the business was continued by his sons, H. 0. and F. C. After a short time Harrison O. Rob- inson sold out to his brother and removed to Presque Isle, where he is now engaged in trade. The business has since been conducted by Mr. Fred C. Robinson and has been much en- larged and extended. For some years after the first settlers came upon the town the road from Houlton to Presque Isle was the only road in the town and it was a long time before this was in a passable con- dition for travel. It was then so badly cut up by the heavy teaming in spring and fall as to render it a most uncomfortable highway and it was not until after the extension of the New Brunswick Railway to the towns in the Aroostook Valley that it became a smooth and easy road for travel. As the heavy teaming is now in a great measure discontinued the road is kept in fine condition through the town. In 1858 the East road was opened, connecting with the East Ridge road in Mars Hill HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 223 and running in a southerly direction across the town and con- tinuing on to Baird's Mills on the boundary line. The next road opened was the new County road, which starts from Blaine Corner and runs directly south across the town on the lot lines connecting with the Houlton road about a half mile south of the line between Blaine and Bridgewater. This road was laid out in 1858 for about half the distance across the town, and some ten years later was laid out for its entire distance by the County Commissioners and was built by the town. The half township was formerly included in a plantation organization with Bridgewater which joins it on the south, but when iBridgewater was incorporated as a town in 1858, it was organized as a plantation and known as Letter B, Range One. In 1860, when a postoffice was established, the name was changed to Alva, which name it retained until 1874, when it was incorporated as a town and named in honor of Hon. James G. Blaine. Mr. Dennis Getchell was the first postmaster, but he soon resigned his commission and was succeeded by Mr. Joel Valley, who held the office until 1872, when he resigned and H. O. Perry was appointed. When Mr. Perry removed to Fort Fairfield, Mr. Valley was reappointed and held the office until 1885, when Mr. F. E. Brown was appointed and was soon after succeeded by Mr. A. 0. Nutter. Upon a pleasant eminence a short distance west of the Corner is the village schoolhouse, a handsome two-story building surmounted by a bell tower. The schools in this building are graded and there is also one term of free high school each year. The schools are under the supervision of Mrs. Sophia M. Tapley, a lady of much ability and herself a practical school teacher. On the Houlton road there are fine farms with good sub- stantial buildings throughout its whole length through the town. Here are seen large, smooth fields, clear of stumps and stones and in fine cultivation. In every portion of the town we find good farms, though of course in the newer sections the stumps are not yet all out. The soil, however, is of the very best and in a very few years these newer farms will show broad, smooth meadows and the scythe and cradle will give place to the mow- ing machine and reaper. Blaine will class with the best of the farming towns in Northern Aroostook and is one of which the illustrious statesman for whom it is named has no reason to be ashamed. 224 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK NEW SWEDEN The question of making some attempt to attract Scan- dinavian immigration to the State of Maine was discussed in this State as early as 1861, and in that year His Excellency, Gov. Israel Washburn, Jr., at the suggestion of Hon. Geo. F. Talbot, called attention to the matter in his inaugural address and recommended that some steps be taken by the Legislature to locate Swedish colonists upon the unsettled lands of Aroos- took County. The work of raising, equipping and forwarding soldiers to the Union Army occupied the attention of the State for the three or four years following to the exclusion of almost everything else, and no measures were formulated to bring about the result contemplated in Gov. Washburn's message. In 1869, the Legislature resumed the consideration of the subject and more definite action was taken. As a result of this action, Hon. W. W. Thomas, Jr., was appointed a commissioner of im- migration, with instructions to proceed to Sweden, collect a col- ony, accompany the colonists to Maine and settle them upon a township in Aroostook County set apart for that purpose. Mr. Thomas was the one man in the State of Maine peculiarly fitted for this work, he having served as United States Consul at Gothenburg, and during his residence in Sweden having ac- quired the language and made himself intimately acquainted with the manners and customs of the people. The details of the enterprise were largely left to the dis- cretion of the commissioner, and the faithful and successful manner in which he executed the work proves the appointment to have been a most wise and fortunate one both for the colon- ists and for the State. The tract set apart for the settlement of the Swedish immi- grants was Township 15, Range 3, and the State engaged to give to each head of a family a lot of one hundred acres, to fell five acres of trees and build a comfortable log house upon each lot. Mr. Thomas sailed for Sweden in the spring of 1870 and upon his arrival proceeded at once to recruit his colony. He exercised great care in the selection of emigrants, accepting only such as he was satisfied were honest, industrious men, and of this class only those who were possessed of sufficient means to pay the expense of passage for themselves and fam- ilies. No contract or written agreement of any kind was made with the colonists, all they had to depend on being the simple HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 225 word of the commissioner, supported by the authority he had received from the Legislature of his State. As Mr. Thomas has himself expressed it, they left their homes "without the scratch of a pen by way of contract or obligation, but with simple faith in the honor and hospitality of the State of Maine." All arrangements having been completed, the little colony, accompanied by Commissioner Thomas, sailed from Sweden on the 25th of June, 1870. The company consisted of fifty-one men, wom.en and children who thus consented to leave their native land and journey across the ocean to find new homes in what was to them the unknown wilderness of Northern Maine. Their faith and trust in Mr. Thomas v/as complete and the faithful manner in which he redeemed every promise made to them is shown by the respect and affectionate regard expressed tov/ard him by every cit.zen of New Sweden today. On the 23rd of July, 1870, the colony arrived at their new selves to their nev/ and stiange surroundings. Strangers in a selves' to their new and strang surroundings. Strangers in a strange land, wholly unacquainted with the manners and cus- toms of our people and nearly all of them unable to speak or understand a word of the language, unaccustomed to the work of clearing up the forest and contending with the hardships of pioneer life, it may be surmised that the first settlement of these "children in the woods" was attended Vs^ith many misgiv- ings and frequent heart yearnings for the old home over the sea. With cheerful courage and a determination to overcome every obstacle they went manfully to work and in every direc- tion the the forest resounded with their sturdy blows. Mr. Thomas remained with them and not only superintend- ed the work of this first summer, but pulled off his coat and worked with them, encouraging them by word and example to clear up their lots and prepare the land for a crop. His task was a hard one from the first, and there v/ere not lacking busy- bodies in our own State who by their continual interference and captious criticisms rendered his position still more uncomfort- able. The many Incidents of this first summer, some of them amusing and some otherwise, including a hurried trip which the Commissioner was obliged to make to Augusta to quiet appre- hensions raised in that quarter by foolish meddlers, are among the events of the unwritten history of the colony. iHavIng planted the colony in the wilderness it was neces- sary that they should be supplied with provisions and with im- plements until a crop could be harvested, and Mr. Thomas 226 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK adopted the plan of selling them the required supplies to be paid for in work upon the roads. The amount of State aid thus fur- nished was about $25,000, nearly all of which was paid for within three years from the time of the arrival of the colony. Upon an eminence in the southern part of the town a large and substantial two-story building was erected by the State, the upper story to be used as a place for religious meetings and public gatherings of the colonists, and the lower story serv- ing as a store, where all needed supplies were kept for sale. This building was called the Capitol, and has played quite an important part in the history of the colony. During the next year and the years immediately following, large accessions were made to the colony, and every available lot in New Sweden being taken, lots were surveyed in the nor- thern portions of the adjoining towns of Woodland and Perham and upon these many Swedish settlers were located. It soon became apparent that these colonists were an honest, industrious people, and their steady application and frugal economy gave promise of assured success. The visitor to New Sweden fifteen years ago saw m.uch to remind him that he was in the midst of a people whose language, manners and customs were those of a foreign land. The arrangement of their houses and their mode of living, their manner of doing farm work, more espe- cially of harvesting their grain; the single ox harnessed to the rude cart, the big, wooden shoes in common use; these and many other things betokened that the newcomers had not yet "caught on" to the ways and methods of the people among whom they had made their homes. All this, however, has now almost en- tirely passed away and anyone riding through New Sweden today would hardly know but that the dwellers upon these beautiful farms, and in these neat and comfortable residences were "to the manner born," so completely have they adopted the ways and appliances of their Yankee neighbors. Occasion- ally, even now, may be seen a pair of oxen with the light Swed- ish yoke and harness, attached to a cart, or even at times to a mowing machine, but fcr the most part these farmers have good horses and are well supplied with all the various kinds of farm machinery In use among their neighbors upon the older settled towns. New Sweden Is bounded on the east by Connor Plantation and also partly by Caribou, on the south by Woodland, and on the north and west by the wilderness townships of 16 R. 3, and 15 R. 4, respectively. These latter townships are owned by pro- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 227 prietors, but a number of Swedish settlers are already located upon those portions of each of them adjoining New Sweden. A short distance from the Capitol in New Sweden is the Lutheran Church. Farther to the west is the church building of the Baptist Society, while on the higher ground east of the Cap- itol is the Advent meeting house. In the rear of the Capitol is the little cemetery where lie the remains of those of the colony who have passed to their final rest. Directly opposite the Cap- itol and fronting on the Caribou road, is the handsome resi- dence of Mr. F. 0. Laidgrane, who came to New Sweden three years ago and bought the farm, upon which there was then very little improvement. Though much interested in his farming speculations, Mr. Landgrane is a skilled mechanic, having been for a number of years master mechanic of the city railroads of San Francisco. He is also the inventor of se-.-eral street car ap- pliances, including a fare box, change gate, bell, safety brake, etc., which are in use in many of the cities of the United States, and from the manufacture and sale of whcih he derives a com- fortable income. He has a partner, and their manufactory is located at 1804 Mission Street, San Francisco. Mr. Landgrane intends to m.ake his home in New Sweden, but makes period- ical trips to San Francisco. Directly east of the Capitol is the farm of Mr. John G. Uppling, who was a man of means in the old country and came to New Sweden in 1871 and bought the lot next the Capitol of its original proprietor. Capt. N. P. Clase, one of the original colonists, was of much ass"stance in the early days of the settlement, as he was the only member of the colony who could speak English, and upon h*m Mr. Thom.as relied very much during these first years. We remember attending a banquet at his house years ago upon the occasion of the visit of Gov. Perham and his Council to New Sweden. The place has changed wonderfully since then and the Captain begins to show the marks of advancing years. There are six good schools in the town, three of which were taught during the present summer by young ladies born in the town and graduates of the Caribou High School. Each school is doing good work under the supervision of Mr. A. F. Ulrich. New Sweden may be ranked as one of the prosperous towns of Northern Aroostook. Its citizens are industrious and frugal and have the faculty of saving and adding a little to their possessions each year. They are an honest and religiously inclined people, yet have a keen sense of humor and are gener- 228 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ally intelligent and well informed. They have for the most part adopted the manners and customs of their Yankee neigh- bors and all the men and children speak good English. There are very few of the original log houses left in the town, nearly all having been replaced by neat frame buildings. The im- provement made upon this wilderness town in twenty years is very creditable to the thrift and energy of these worthy people and the addition thereby made to the valuation of the State proves the wisdom and success of the enterprise. New Sweden was organized as a plantation in 1876 and in 1880 had a population of 517 and a valuation of $22,041. In 1890 the population had increased to 707 and the valuation to $107,832. The first birth in the New Sweden colony was a boy in the family of Mr. Nils Persson, on the 12th of August, 1970, the 21st day from the arrival of the colonists. The babe was christened by the name of William Widgery Thomas Persson, in honor of the founder of the colony. A few v/eeks afterv^/arns Mr. Thomas presented his young namesake with a silver cup, on wh-ch was engraved: WILLIAM WIDGERY THOMAS PERSSON The first child born in New Sweden, August 12, 1870. From W. V/. THOMAS, JR. The first marriage was performed on Sunday, August 2l3t, 1870, when Mr. Jons Persson was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Persdotter, by W. W. Thomas, Jr., Esq. The ceremony was in the Swedish language, but after the American manner. The first funeral was on the next day (Sunday) after the arrival of. the colonists. A child of Mr. Nickolaus P. Clase, only a few vv^eeks old, died just above Woodstock on the way ■up the St. John River. The remains were brought to New Sweden and there buried. The funeral services were conducted by Fev. Mr. Withee, a Methodist clergyman of Caribou. The following are the names of the heads of families who were settled upon lots in New Sv>;eden and Woodland in 1870, with the number of their lots : New Sweden Name ' Number of Lot WUhelm Hard 75 Per J. Jacobson 96 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 229 Eric Ericsson 96^/^ Nils P. Jansson 97 John Borgesson 99 Carl Voss IIIV2 Per 0. Julen 113 Gottlieb T. Pilts 114 Oscar G. W. Lindberg 114% Nils Ohlson 115 Jons Persson 116 Svens Svensson 117 Karl G. Harleman 118 Anders Malmquist 121 Jans L. Lund vail I2V2 Truls Persson 133 Nils Persson 134 Nickolaus P. Clase 135 Olof C. Morell 135^2 John P. Johnson 136 Anders Johansson 137 Anders Svenson 138 Olof Ohlson 138V2 Laurentius Stenstrom 99^/2 Per Persson 112 Mans Mansson 131 Anders F. Johansson 130 Woodland Per Petersson A Solomon Johansson B Jonas Boden C Jonas Boden, Jr. D Frans R. W. Planck E Jacob Johansson F Anders Wesbergren 32 At the close of the year 1870, the colony numbered 114 Swedes, of whom 58 were men, 20 women and 36 children. A number of the original colonists afterward emigrated to other parts of the United States and their lots were taken by later arrivals. OXBOW In all this fair northland no fairer river sends its waters to the sea than the beautiful Aroostook, and no river of all the 230 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK land flows through a grander or more beautiful country. Along the banks of its upper waters are not only immense tracts of valuable timber land, but through all its tortuous course from source to mouth it flows through a section as fertile and produc- tive as any in New England. Broad, smooth intervales, easy of culture and rich in all the elements of plant life are along its banks, and, swelling back from these, are grand ridges of fertile upland, which, when cleared of their forest growth, are easily converted into fair and productive farms, upon which are the homes of a peaceful, happy and prosperous people. Many strong flowing streams, draining immense timber sections, add their waters to its larger volume and upon all these are valuable water pov/ers, capable of turning many busy wheels and adding to the industrial resources of this great county. In the valley of the lower Aroostook the forest has given place to the fertile farm, whole townships have been brought under cultivation, handsome villages have been built up, and from this section immense quantities of food products are sent out to feed the thousands of hungry tollers in other portions of the land. Fort Fairfield, Caribou, Presque Isle, Washburn, Ma- pleton and Castle Hill, all lying on the Lower Aroostook, are towns whose exports are mainly cultivated and manufactured products, while still farther up, Ashland and Masardis are well Maintaining their claim to be classed as agricultural and manu- facturing towns. As we ascend the river st'll further we beg'n to find our- selves in the midst of the "forest primeval" and to leave be- hind us the larger settlements, and penetrate into Nature's love- liest retreats. Now standing upon some sightly eminence, we look av/ay towards the north and west, and as far as the eye can reach behold an unbroken forest, v^^ith its m.ountalns and valleys, its rivers and streams, and in these mild October days, its daz- zling richness of color, ranging from the darkest green of the spruce and fir to the most gorgeous crimson of the maple, a sea of heaven-tinted beauty, an ocean of enchanting loveliness. Such was the beautiful picture spread before us as we stood upon the grand swell of cultivated land in the little set- tlement of Oxbow Plantation, the farthest inhabited township upon the upper waters of the Aroostook. Leaving Masardis, we ride southward on the old Aroos- took road some four miles or more, half the distance being in Township No. 9, Range 5, when we come to the mouth of the Oxbow road. Here we turn to the west and continue on for HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 231 nearly five miles through the unbroken wilderness of No. 9. The soil in this township is quite stony and in that portion through which the road passes, hardly suitable for cultivation, though in other parts of the town there are some tracts of good farming land. Crossing Houlton Brook and Trout Brook fur- ther on, we come to the town line and all at once emerge from the wilderness, and find ourselves upon a handsome ridge of cultivated land, Vv^ith a beautiful prospect before us of some- thing over four m'les of field and meadow lying along the Aroos- took River. Broad farms and fertile fields stretch away on either side of the road, the clearings terminating at the river on the north and at the grand old forest on the south. Standing upon this fertile slope and looking over the smooth fields and comfortable residences we can hardly realize that we are in the heart of a vast wilderness and that as far as cultivated improve- ment is concerned we are at the end of the road vvhen we pass the last farm in sight. The forest is cleared av;ay to such a breadth on either side the road, the fields and pastures are so well fenced, the houses and barns so comfortable and all the evidences of prosperous agriculture so apparent that it does not at first occur to one that after leaving this settlement he could strike out into the edge of yonder woods and travel through _ unbroken forest for days v/ithout com'ng upon a human hablta- t'on until he reached the Canadian settlements upon the far-off St. Lawrence. Looking westward along tht, ■ e can see at the foot of the cultivated slope the Umcolcus Stream v/h'ch rises in Umcol- cus Lake down in the southwest corner of No. 8, Range 5, and flowing northv.'esterly across the con:er of Penobscot County, enters Oxbov/ Plantat'on through its south line and flows north- ward into the Aroostook. A half mile to our r'ght is the Aroos- took River v/indiiig among beautiful Intervales and mak'ng here the "ox bow" from which the tov/n takes its name. After cross- ing the Um.colcus the road ascends the slope on the other side through a cultivated section for some two m.'les, v/hen it enters the forest and is lost in the mazes of the grand old woods. Look- ing beyond the little settlement we see forest to r'ght of us, forest to left of us, and almost interminable forest in our front. Across the long stretch of gorgeous autumn blazonry, directly in our front rise the wooded peaks of the Mooseleuk mounta'ns, extending for some distance from north to south. Farther to the north are rugged heights of the Machlas mountains, these being more distant and less clearly defined. Away to the southwest. 232 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK high above all and grander than all, towers grand old Katahdin, seeming now like an old familiar friend, we have looked upon his rugged features so often of late, and from so many differ- ent standpoints. Lesser hills appear on every hand, all wood- covered and autumn-tinted, and everywhere forest, and forest glorified by Nature's matchless limning, and all illuminated by the splendor of the mild October sunlight. We are on the Upper Aroostook now, but still the head waters of its tributary streams are many miles away. Some ten miles above Oxbow the Sapomkeag, a small stream rising in Penobscot County, flows into the Aroostook from the south, and two miles above, the Mooseleuk enters from the north. This latter is a stream of considerable volume and large quantities of lumber are driven from it every spring. It heads away over in Piscataquis and flows in a southeasterly direction into the Aroostook. Some six or eight miles above the mouth of the Mooseleuk the Munsungun and Millinocket streams unite and form the Aroostook. The Munsungun is the northerly branch and flows from a lake of the same name in the northeastern part of Piscataquis County. The Millinocket flows out of Mil- linocket Lake also in Piscataquis, and the two unite in Penob- scot County a short distance from the northwest corner of that county. Though the Oxbow settlement is away to one side of the ' world's busy centres and is surrounded on all sides by forest, yet it is by no means a solitary or unfrequented locality, but is on the contrary in winter season one of the busiest points in the county. It has been for many years the headquarters and point of departure for the vast lumber business in this section and on that account has been a most important point. In the days of the great pine timber business many thou- sands of dollars were yearly brought to the town and fortunes were made and lost in operations of which it was the centre. The Aroostook War, which came so near embroiling two great nations in a sanguinary struggle, was the means of attracting attention to this fertile region and many who marched in with the posse to fight the British trespasser remained to battle with the wilderness and to make farms and homes in this new coun- try. It also demonstrated to others not of the martial force that the country was accessible and quite a tide of emigration fol- lowed. In September, 1839, Elias H. Hayden and Samuel Hayden came from Madison Centre, in Somerset County, to spy out the HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 23S land in the far-off Aroostook. They came up via Patten to Mas- ardis, where they took a boat and went down the river to Presque Isle, which at that time contained but little beside Fairbank's mill on the Presque Isle Stream. The road from the Aroostook River to Caribou had then been spotted out, and they followed the line through, looking for a location to suit them. At that time there was no openmg in the wilderness after leaving the Aroostook River at the point where the bridge now crosses in Presque Isle, until they arrived at the chopping of Ivory Hardison in Lyndon, and from there to Caribou the forest was unbroken. Not deciding to settle in this region, they returned to Presque Isle and poled their boat up the river to the Oxbow. Here they found Surveyor Henry W. Cunningham lot- ting the town, which was Township No. 9, Range 6, and here they concluded to make their future home. Selecting lots on the south side of the Aroostook River, near where the river makes its abrupt bend, they returned to their homes and in June, 1840, came back and commenced felling trees upon their lots. A few' small choppings had been made during the previous year, but all had been abandoned and the Haydens were the first settlers who came to stay. In 1842 Mr. Samuel Hayden moved his family to Oxbow, being the first family to come to the town. He remained until about 1860, clearing up a good farm and building comfortable buildings, and then removed to Minnesota. Mr. E. H. Hayden was unmarried when he came to the town. He built a log camp on his lot and went to work to clear up a farm. In 1842 he built a barn which was the first frame building in the town. The plank and boards for this barn he procured at Pollard's mill on the St. Croix, running them down that stream to Masardis and then poling them in a boat up the river to Oxbow. Mr. Hayden says that at one time he poled 500 feet of green plank in a batteau from Masardis up to Oxbow without assistance. In 1843 Mr. Hayden married a daughter of Thomas Goss, and brought her to his log camp on his forest farm. After the boundary dispute was settled by the treaty of 1842, the lumber business improved and a ready market was afforded for all the produce ra.sea in tn.s vicinuy. 'inus uecoxn- ing more independent, Mr. Hayden, in the fall of 1843, built him a comfortable log house in which he lived until 1849, v/hen he built a frame house and commenced keeping a hotel, in which business he continued in connection with farming, until some six years ago. 234 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK The next settler to come to the town was Mr. John M. Wins- low, who came from Freedom, Waldo County, in March, 1842, and settled opposite Mr, Hayden's. He cleared up a farm and also engaged in the lumber business. He was the first clerk of the plantation after its organization. He remained until 1862, when he removed to Minnesota, where he afterwards died. Mr. Thomas Goss, Jr., son of the pioneer settler of Masardis, came with his family to Oxbow in April, 1842, and settled on a lot in the extreme west of the town. He remained but about three years, when he removed to Masardis and afterwards to the Fish River road. About 1870 he returned to Oxbow and settled in the east part of the town where he remained until his death in 1875. His widow is still living in the town with her daughter, Mrs. I. L. Junkins. Aaron Scribner and family moved from Lincoln in 1843 and settled on a lot on the Umcolcus Stream, where he made a farm and lived about twenty-five years, when he removed to Patten. William Bottin came from Madison in 1843, moving his family to the tovv'n the next year. He took up a lot on a beau- tiful ridge west of the Umcolcus, v/here he made a fine farm on which he still lives. In 1843 Ira Fish & Co. of Patten, built a sawmill on Umcol- cus Stream a short distar.ce above the present bridge. In aid of this enterprise the company received from the State a grant of a block of land near the mill, a large part of wh'ch grant has since been made into productive farms. The mill at first contained only an up and down saw, but in 1845 a run of stones was put in. In 1852, Shepard Boody, of Old Town, bought the mill property and the land connected with it. Mr. Boody was largely engaged in the lumber business, having extensive opera- tions upon- the headwaters of the Aroostook. Pine timber being at that time much higher in Bangor than in St. John, Mr. Boody for a number of years drove his lumber to the mouth of the Munsungun, where he took if from the water with teams and derricks and hauled it across to Sebois Lake on the Penobscot, and drove it to Bangor. He employed a large number of men, sometimes continuing his operations during the entire year. He moved his family to Oxbow, where he made the headquarters of his large lumber business and here also he engaged in farm- ing. He cleared up more than two hundred acres of land and raised large crops of hay and grain for his lumber operations. Mr. Boody failed in 1864, and removed from Oxbov/, living at HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 235 various places in Aroostook County, devoting much of his time during his later years to preaching the gospel according to the Methodist faith. He died at Moro, on the Patten road, some- thing over a year ago. Those who knew him as a business man speak of him as an honest man, kind and generous to the poor, but unfortunate in his business operations. After Mr. Boody's failure the mill property passed into the hands of Mr. George Sawyer of Masardis, who operated it for a number of years, when it was sold to Mr. C. C. Libby, who came from Newfield and married a daughter of Mr. Eben Trafton, of Masardis. Mr. Abram H. Currier came from Maysville in 1854 and for a number of years had charge of the Boody farm. In 1862 he bought the lot on the west side of the stream, where he now resides. Samuel Willard moved from Old Town in 1854 and settled a mile east of the stream on the farm now owned by Stephen Ellis. He lived there until 1862, v/hen he moved to the Winslow farm where he resided for a time and then moved to Presque Isle. In 1879 the V\/inslow farm passed into the possession of Mr. Eben Trafton of Masardis, who made many improvements and raised large crops of hay and grain. Mr. Trafton never lived in the town and afterwards sold this farm to Mr. Julius J. Jun- kins who now lives upon it. James Anderson came from New Brunswick about 1860 and bought the Samuel Hayden farm, v/here he has lived ever since. Robert Purvis came from New Brunsv/ick about 1854. He married a daughter of Mr. Samuel Hayden and in 1858 set- tled on the lot where I. L. Junkins now lives in the east part of the town. John McLean cam.e from Nova Scotia- in 1861 and bought the William Day farm a short distance Vv'est of the stream. Mr. McLean was killed in the woods by a falling tree, and his widow afterwards married James Sm.ith, who carried on the farm until his death a few years since. Mrs. Smith is now living with Mrs. Joseph Pollard at Masardis. Thomas Fleming came from Nova Scotia in 1854. He aftervv'ards married a daughter of William Bottin and settled on the lot east of Mr. Bottin's, where he now resides. The townsh'p was first organized in 1848 and as Oxbow Plantation in 1870. There are two schools in the town and the people are intelligent and prsoperous. 236 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK GLEN WOOD After passing through Haynesville we come to the Planta- tion of Glenwood, the southeast corner of which is crossed by this road. The first settler upon this township was Mr. Seth Spaulding, who came from Dover and in 1833 settled on the lot on which Mr. Charles H. Jenkins now lives at the mouth of the road which now leads to the mill on Wytopitlock Stream. Mr. Spaulding previously made a chopping on the lot at Happy Cor- ner in Reed Plantation, but did not remain upon the lot. He cleared the farm in Glenwood and lived on it until his death in 1844. At the time of Mr. Spaulding's settlement his home was in the midst of a dense forest, his nearest neighbors being Messrs. Hall and Leighton, who had just completed the hotel in Haynesville on the hill two miles below the Forks. After Mr. Spaulding's death Mr. Samuel Tobin, who came from Blanchard in 1845, bought the possession. Mr. Tobin lived on the place a number of years and then moved to Lee, where he died. The farm then passed through a number of hands and about 1860 was purchased by Mr. N. Twombly, who lived on it until his death some ten years ago. His son, Mr. Horace Twom- bly, now owns the farm. Mr. Jonathan L. Plummer came from the town of Wales in 1835 and built a log house opposite Mr. Spaulding's and took up a lot a mile west of the Military road. Here he cleared a farm and built a frame house and barn and in 1844 moved with his family to the lot. He lived upon this farm some six years and then removed to Levant in order to secure for his children the privileges of an education which were denied them in their wilderness home. Mr. Asa Straw came from Newfield about 1836 and settled on a lot west of Mr. Spaulding's, where he made a clearing and built a log house in which he lived a few years and then moved to the Clifford settlement in Reed Plantation. He lived there a number of years and then moved to Lincoln Centre. Mr. Joseph Lane settled on the shore of Wytopitlock Lake in 1837. He cleared a farm and lived upon it until his death about a year ago. Mr. Lane was unmarried and devoted much of his time to hunting. Mr. Gardner Lane, an adopted son of Mr. Seth Spaulding, cleared a small farm adjoining Mr. Jonathan Plummer's. He afterwards removed to Arkansas, where he now resides. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 237 At the time of the first settlement a large amount of lum- bering was carried on in the vicinity and the early settlers raised a little hay to sell to the lumbermen, which was about the extent of their farming operations. Hunting was the main dependence for supplying the meat barrel and working in the woods in winter was the principal source from which money was obtained. In 1865 Mr. Lafayette Tuck and Mr. Peter Moulton built a mill on the Wytopitlock Stream in the southwest corner of the town, about two miles and a half west of the Military road. Mr. Elisha Gilpatrick of Danforth afterwards bought this mill. It contains a rotary, two shingle machines, a clapboard machine and lath machine. Mr. Robert Jenkins, who lives on the Military road a short distance below the mouth of the mill road, came from Wales to Molunkus in 1836 and worked at his trade of shoemaking a number of years. In 1861 he moved to Perham and from there enlisted in the 16th Maine Regiment. He was taken prisoner near Centreville, but was paroled and afterwards discharged. He then enlisted in the 31st Maine Regiment and served until the close of the war. In 1865 he came to Glenwood and settled on the lot formerly occupied by James Oliver, where he now lives. His son, Mr. Charles H. Jenkins, in 1879 built a house and store at the mouth of the mill road, where he is now engaged in trade and also keeps the postoffice. Glenwood lies directly west of Haynesville and north of Reed Plantation. On the north and west it is bounded by un- settled tov/nships. In the western part of the township is Wy- topitlock Lake, a beautiful little sheet of water some two m'les long and something more than half a mile in width. From this lake Wytopitlock Stream flows in a southerly course and emp- ties into the Mattawamkeag River in the southern part of Reed Plantation. The greater part of the town is still covered with forest and as a whole the town is not well adapted to farming, though there are some tracts of very good land. The population of Glenwood in 1890 was 183. BANCROFT Directly west of the town of Weston and lying along the Washington County line is the good town of Bancroft, named in honor of the great historian whose brother was at one time the proprietor of the town. 238 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK The township is somewhat irregular in form, having no two sides parallel, its northeast corner projecting away beyond the general northern line of the town almost as far as the north line of Weston. Like many of the towns in Aroostook County, it was originally considered a timber town and many of the first settlers were attracted thither by the opportunities for engaging in the lumber business. A considerable portion of the town has been cleared of its forest growth and converted into fertile farms, but the lumber industry still furnishes employment for many of its citizens and there are few farmers who are not to some extent engaged in this business. The first settler upon the township was Mr. Charles Gel- lerson, who cam.e from the town of Brighton, in Somerset Coun- ty, and settled in the extreme northeastern portion of the town, near the Weston line and a short distance south of where the ferr}'- now crosses the Mattawamkeag River. Mr. Gellerson had a large family of sons, some of whom settled and made farms in the adjoining town of Weston, the others making their set- tlement in Bancroft. Upon coming to the town Mr. Gellerson purchased a block of 300 acres of good land lying along the Mattawamkeag River. This tract he afterwards divided into smaller farms, reserving 100 acres for his own homestead. Here he cleared a good farm and for a number of years after coming to Bancroft was engaged in lumbering. He lived upon the farm until his death in 1854. Mr. James Dunn then had the farm for three years, when it was purchased by Mr. Shubael Kelley and his son Lorenzo Kelley, who owned and occupied it until 1867. Mr. William Gellerson, Jr., then bought the farm and after living on it some six years exchanged farms with Mr. Charles Case, who still lives on the old Gellerson homestead, where the first clearing was made in the town. Mr. Josiah Gellerson, a son of Charles Gellerson, came with his father to Bancroft and took 100 acres of the block pur- chased by him. He was largely engaged in lumbering and after living in Bancroft fourteen years moved to the adjoining town of Haynesville. Mr. Atwell Gellerson, another son, set- tled on the north hundred acres of his father's block. He cleared a farm and was engaged in farming and lumbering un- til his death in 1862. Mr. Samuell Gellerson then bought the farm and has lived upon it ever since. Mr. Shubael Kelley came from Brighton in 1833. With him came his two sons, Albert and Lorenzo, and together they HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 239 settled on a lot adjoining Mr. Charles Gellerson's on the east. Here they cleared a farm upon which they lived together until 1857. Mr. Shubael Kelley and his son Lorenzo then bought the Charles Gellerson farm, upon which they built a new house, in which Shubael Kelley resided, Lorenzo living in the original farmhouse. They carried on the farm together. Mr. Lorenzo Kelley was also engaged in the business of lum- bering. Shubael Kelley died in 1865, and his son Lorenzo in 1867. Mr. Albert Kelley remained upon the old homestead after the removal of his father and brother to the Gellerson farm, and was for many years one of the principal citizens of the town. He was for years largely engaged in lumbering, which he finally abandoned, and for a time was employed in the in- surance business. He died at his home in Bancroft in 1881. He was a man of kindly disposition, of a most cheerful and com- panionable temperament and had many friends throughout Aroostook County. His son, Mr. George Kelley, now has the homestead farm and is largely engaged in lumbering. Mr. Joseph Rollins came from Brighton in 1833 and settled on the lot next south of the Kelley lot. Here he cleared a good farm upon which he lived until his death in 1840. Mr. Albert Kelley, Jr., now lives on this farm. Mr. Joseph E. Shorey was for a number of years engaged in lumbering in Weston and Bancroft before making any per- manent settlement. He came from Kennebec County in 1835 and settled in Bancroft on a lot a short distance south of Mr. Joseph Rollins. Here he made a farm and was engaged in lum- bering for many years. Mr. Shorey was a prominent man in the town and was a man of much ability. He was a trial justice for many years and was well known throughout southern Aroos- took. He died in Bancroft some ten years ago and his farm is now owned by Mr. Albert Sellers. Mr. Daniel Bean came from Cumberland County in 1834 and settled near the mouth of Baskahegan Stream. Here he built a mill containing an up and down saw and also a grist mill. Mr. Bean carried on quite an extensive business in lum- bering and farming until about 1850, when he sold the property to Mr. John Pomroy and removed to Haynesville, where he died. Mr. Pomroy carried on the farm and mills until 1862, when he recruited a company which was mustered into the 11th Maine Regiment as Company I, Mr. Pomroy receiving a captain's commission. At the expiration of his military service Capt. Pomroy returned to Bancroft and for a number of years was 240 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK extensively engaged in lumbering and trading. He afterwards removed to Minnesota, where he now resides. He is remem- bered in Bancroft as a man of much energy and business ability and as a leading man in that vicinity for many years. Mr. Simeon Irish came to Bancroft about 1834 and settled on the west side of the Mattawamkeag River, a mile below the mouth of the Baskahegan Stream. Mr. Irish cleared a large farm and was quite extensively engaged in farming and lum- bering until his death, some thirty years ago. His son, James Irish, now owns the farm. Mr. Jeremiah Thompson came from Kennebec County in 1837 and settled on the lot next south of Joseph Shorey. He made a clearing and lived on the place some ten years, when he moved to Glenwood Plantation, where he afterw^ards died. Mr. Andrew Collins then bought the farm and lived upon it until his death some twenty-three years ago. Mr. William Quim- by then bought the farm and still resides upon it. Mr. Leonard Smith came from Sidney about 1838 and set- tled on the lot south of Mr. Joseph Rollins. Here he cleared a farm and after living on it a few years removed from the town. This farm then passed through a number of hands and was then purchased by Mr. James Burns, who came from New Bruns- wick. Mr. Burns lived upon the farm until his death some fif- teen years ago and his son, Mr. Simeon Burns, now occupies it. Mr. Jonathan Quimby came from Kennebec County about 1840 and settled on the lot near where the Kelley road now in- tersects the Baskahegan road. Mr. Quimby cleared this farm and lived upon it until his death some fifteen years ago. Mr. John Warman now lives upon the farm. Mr. Robert Hinch, who was for years one of the prominent business men of Bancroft, came to the town in 1840 and settled on the east side of the Mattawamkeag River, a short distance above the mouth of Baskahegan Stream. Mr. Hinch cleared a large farm and was for many years extensively engaged in farming and lumbering. He was for some time in company with Mr, John Pomroy in the lumber business and this firm carried on large operations for a number of years. Mr. Hinch died some five years ago. He was a worthy man, of much business ability and v;as highly esteemed by all who knew him. His son, John W. Hinch, now owns the homestead, but resides in Dan- forth. Mr. John W. C. Moore came from Kennebec County about 1843 and settled on a lot a short distance east of Mr. Robert HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 241 Hinch. Mr. Moore cleared a large farm and was for many years a prominent business man and a leading citizen of his town. He carried on large farming and lumbering operations and took an active part in town affairs. Mr. Moore also represented his district in the State Legislature. Some ten years ago he sold his farm to Mr. Edwin Smart and moved to Hodgdon, where he died a few years since. He was a man of sterling character, strict honesty and business integrity and had many friends. Mr. Daniel Moore came from Kennebec County about 1850 and settled on the lot next east of Robert Hinch. Here he cleared a farm and was engaged in farming and lumbering until about 1882, when he sold the farm to Mr. Stewart Lee and moved to Linneus, where he died some three years ago. Mr. John W. Smart came from Washington County about 1850 and settled on Trout Brook Ridge, near the Weston line. He made a good farm and lived on it until his death some fifteen years ago. Mr. Smart v/as also engaged in lumbering and was chairman of the board of assessors for many years. His son, Edwin Smart, now lives on the farm. Mr. James T. Houghton came to Bancroft about 1852 and cleared a farm on Trout Brook ridge north of Mr. John W. Smart's, where he lived until his death some seven years ago. Mr. Freeman Brown now has this farm. Mr. Samuel E. Gellerson came to Weston when a small boy with his father, Rev. George W. Gellerson. In 1851 he bought the Atwell Gellerson farm in Bancroft and has lived on it ever since. Mr. Gellerson has been an active business man for many years, having been engaged in lumbering, farming and cattle buying. Though but a lad when he first came to the settlement, yet his memory extends back to the time when the first opening was made in the Gellerson settlement, which is the general name given to this portion of the town and the adjoining portion of the town of Weston. He has seen the forest give way before the pioneer's axe, and where once the Mattawamkeag flowed undisturbed through an unbroken wilderness, now fertile fields and verdant meadows slope down to its shores. The humble log cabins of the first settlers have been replaced by neat and handsome residences and capacious barns now hold in their am- ple mows the products of the farmers' toil. Mr. Gellerson can well remember when there were no roads in the town except those used in the winter by the lumbermen and when the early pioneer went to his neighbor's by a path through the greenwood. Now there are good turnpikes and in the settled portion of the 242 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK town good farms on all the roads. Bancroft is bounded on the north by Haynesville, on the east by Weston, west by Reed Plantation and extends on the south to the Washington County line. The Mattawamkeag River flows in a tortuous course, but in a general southwesterly direction through the town and along the river banks are some very fine stretches of intervale land. The Baskahegan Stream enters the town from Weston, near its southeastern corner and flowing in a northwesterly direction empties into the Mattawam- keag about midway of its course through the town. Battle Brook, a stream of considerable volume, empties into the Mattawamkeag from the northwest and there are several other brooks of more or less volume in different portions of the town. While the towns in northern Aroostook are watered by the St. John River and its tributaries and the headquarters of the lumber business of that section has been in St. John and Freder- icton, the towns in southern and western Aroostook are drained by streams that flow into the Penobscot and thus the business of those portions of the county has been largely centered at Bangor. Bancroft, as far as its lumber interests are concerned, is a Penobscot town and its early settlers, most of whom were more or less engaged in lumber operations, were well acquainted in Bangor, but had no business connection to speak of with the Province of New Brunswick. The Maine Central railroad crosses the southern part of the town and the station is on the west side of the Mattawamkeag River near the west line of the town. From the covered bridge a road runs southward along the west side of the Mattawamkeag River to Bancroft Station. The exports from Bancroft are prin- cipally hemlock bark, sleepers, poles, posts, ship timber and hardwood logs. The southern portion of the town of Bancroft, through which the railroad runs, is principally timbered land and there are no farms in this portion of the town. The cultivated part is the northeast quarter, being that portion north of the Baskahegan road and east of the Mattawamkeag River. In this section the land as a general thing is very good and well adapted to farm- ing purposes. Bancroft was first organized as a plantation in 1840, and was incorporated as a town in 1889. It has a good class of citizens and may be regarded as a prosperous Aroostook town. The population of the town in 1890 was 264 and its valuation was $72,688. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 243 EASTON The beautiful St. John River flows for many miles nearly parallel with the eastern boundary of the County of Aroostook and but a few miles distant. There is no more beautiful river in all America, and though the settlement of the disputed bound- ary question has long been acquiesced in, yet it would seem that the natural limit of Aroostook on the east should be this same magn'ficent river, and that the many fine streams that trace their Vv'inding course through this fertile county should not be obliged to discharge their waters in a foreign land. It may, however, be only a question of time when this grand water way shall be from its source to its mouth wholly within the jurlsdlc- dictlon of Uncle Sam, and when the eagle that now circles around Sevv-sn Islands can trace the course of the river away to the Bay of Fundy and be hailed through all his flight as the chosen em- blem of one grand nationality. The tier of townships lying along the boundary line comprises many fine agricultural towns, but none more excellent than the fertile town of Easton. No- where in Aroostook do the maples tower to so great a height, or make a more thrifty growth than in this town. Though lying upon the border it was unsettled at the time of the boundary dispute and its most ancient archives contain no annals of the famed Aroostook War. Easton was orig'.nally a Massachusetts township, but was about 1854, in common with all the other towns owned by the mother State, purchased by the State of Maine. In 1855 and 1856 it was lotted by Noah Barker into 160 acre lots and was opened by the State for settlement. Previous to that time, however, a few settlers had commenced clearings upon the town and it may be that In earlier times some of our New Brunswick neighbors had wandered over the boundary and invaded the for- est. The earliest settler, however, of whom we could obtain any authentic account was Mr. Henry Wilson. Mr. Wilson came first to Presque Isle and taught school In a log house on what is now the Hugh Jamison farm about the year 1847. He taught a number of years in the town and in 1851 went away into the wilderness and commenced a clearing near what is now Easton Centre. There was at that time a logging road from Presque Isle across the present town of Easton to the St. John River. This road was of course passable for teams only in the winter season. A number of the young men in Presque Isle went over 244 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK. with Mr. Wilson to the spot he had selected for his forest home and helped him build a log house. To this new house he brought his wife and lived here a number of years before any other set- tler came to the neighborhood. About the time that the town was lotted he sold his improvements which were on a part of three lots, to W. H. Rackliffe, Josiah Foster and Theophilas Smith, and' moved to the adjoining town of Mars Hill. Mr. Wilson is now living in Houlton and his son, Vinal B. Wilson, Esq., is a prominent member of the Aroostook bar with the promise of a brilliant future. In 1854, Mr, Albert Whitcomb commenced a clearing about a mile south of what is now Easton Centre. Mr. Whitcomb at that time lived with his father, Mr. Emmons Whitcomb, in Presque Isle, on the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. H. H. Cook. In 1856, he removed to his new farm, having at that time twenty acres cleared and a log house and frame barn built. The road from Fort Fairfield to Blaine had then been run out but was at that time merely a spotted line through the ^forest, not even having been opened for winter travel. The early set- tlers paid for their land in grubbing out and building this road which was not made passable for vvagons until 1859. In 1854 also, Mr. William Kimball commenced a clearing north of Mr. Wilspn's and was one of the most prominent of the early settlers of the town. In later years Mr. Kimball removed to Presque Isle, where he continued to reside until his death in February, 1890. In the same year also came Solomon Bolster, Dennis Hoyt, Emmons A. Whitcomb and A. A. Rackliffe. Mr. Hoyt was not, however, a resident of the town and soon after- wards sold his improvement to William D. Parsons.^ Mr. Jacob Dockendorff also commenced a clearing in 1854 in the western part of the town on the bank of the stream near what is now the thriving village of Sprague's Mills. Mr. Dock- endorff did not become a resident of the town, however, until 1857. In the spring of 1856, Josiah Foster and George Foster set- tled rear the Centre. John L. Pierce took the lot adjoining Al- bert Wh'tcomb's and John C. Cummings settled near the Fort Fairfield line. In the fall of 1856 Ephraim WInship and Israel Lovell took up lots in the northwest corner of the town next to the Presque Isle line. The township was organized as a plantation July 26, 1856, and was named Fremont Plantation, in honor of Gen. John C. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 245 Fremont, who' was that year the standard bearer of the young Republican party of the nation. We find by examining the rec- ords that at the time of the organization in 1856 there were but nine legal voters in the plantation. These settlers who took part in the organization were all living along the line of the road from Fort Fairfield to Blaine, but soon after a settlement was commenced in the western part of the town. Between these two portions of the town is a low, marshy bog, which, though not of great width at any point, runs in a northerly direction for about four miles and is about all the waste land there is in the town. In May, 1857, Mr. Samuel Kneeland, who had married a daughter of William Kimball, came from Sweden, in Oxford County and settled in the west part of the town near the Presque Isle line. Mr. Kneeland first brought his family to Mr. Kim- ball's and from there he and his wife walked through the woods and across the bog to their new home, each carrying a child, and leading a third by the hand. Among the early settlers In this part of the town besides those already named were James E. Dudley and Samuel Barker, who came together from Waterford, Oxford County, in 1859, and settled on adjoining lots next to the Presque Isle line, pur- chasing improvements of Mr. W. H. Ryan, who is nov/ a drug- gist at Presque Isle. Benjamin Farnham came from Castine the same year, and Joseph Johnson and James Moore had already settled in this part of the town. In 1858, a schoolhouse was built at the Centre and at a meeting held on June 7th of that year the town voted fourteen against license to four in favor and it has been a strong pro- hibition town ever since. In 1859 there were forty-two legal voters on the list and seventy-one scholars in the plantation. In 1860 the list contained sixty-three voters and in 1861 seventy six. In 1862 the records show that it was voted that the taxes should be paid in grain or shingles at the market price at Fort Fairfield, and that the collector should give each tax payer thirty days notice. Buckwheat and cedar shingles were at that time the legal currency in Aroostook and v/ere about all the re- sources the settlers had for the payment of debts. The town was settled slowly and in 1860 contained but 320 inhabitants. During the war many of the settlers went into the army and not much growth was made until after the war was over. In 1860 Mr. D. Russell Marston built the mill now standing 246 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK at the village of Sprague's Mills. This mill had an up and down saw, and later Mr. Marston put in a shingle machine which he bought of Mr. Isaac Hacker of Fort Fairfield and which is said to be the first shingle machine brought to Aroostook County. Mr. Marston continued to run the mill until 1870, when he sold it to Messrs J. H. & E. W. Sprague. The Spragues made ex- tensive repairs. They sold the mill in 1878 to W. H. Newcomb, who a year later sold to Johnson & Phair. It is now the property of Hon. T. H. Phair, who has put in a rotary. Of the other mills in this town we may as well speak in this connection. About 1859 Mr. Isaac Wortman built a mill on the River de Chute in the east part of the town. This mill con- tained only an up and down saw. It was burned in 1870 and was not rebuilt. In 1879 Mr. E. W. Sprague built a steam shin- gle mill in the western part of the town near what is known as the village of Sprague's Mills. This mill contained one shingle machine with balance wheel and often turned out as many as twenty-four thousand shingles in ten hours. After running five years the mill was burned and was not rebuilt. The engine was saved and was removed to Robinson's Mill in Blaine. About this time Mr. A. B. Walker built a grist mill some three fourths of a mile above the saw mill on the same stream. This stream is called the Presque Isle of the St. John to dis- tinguish it from the other stream of the same name which flows through the village of Presque Isle and empties into the Aroos- took. This grist mill contains three run of stones, and after op- erating it about four years Mr. Walker removed the wheat stones to Masardis, where he had built another grist mill and for a time the Easton mill was in possession of E. W. Sprague, who put in two shingle machines and introduced steam power. In 1887 Mr. Arno Fling built a steam shingle mill in the east part of the town. This mill is now owned by B. F. Jones of Blaine and has a rotary and one shingle machine. In 1877 Messrs. Johnson & Phair of Presque Isle built a large starch factory at Sprague's Mills. The factory had but one dry house when first built, but a second one was added a few years later. The building of this factory was an enter- prise which resulted in great benefit to the farmers of Easton and did more than anything else toward building up the thriv- ing village of Sprague's Mills. The farmers at once turned their attention to the raising of potatoes for the factory, each man at first contracting to plant a certain number of acres and to deliver the potatoes at the factroy for 25 cents per bushel. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 247 Th€ contracts were usually for five years and the business proved to be a profitable one. Soon, however, the demand for Aroostook potatoes for the outside market at good prices in- duced the farmers to plant many more acres than they had con- tracted for, selling the merchantable stock to shippers in years when the price was good, and having the starch factory to fall back on when the prices for shipping dropped. Easton has proved to be one of the greatest potato produc- ing towns in the County and vast quantities are hauled each year to the shipping stations of Presque Isle and Fort Fairfield. In the fall of 1884, in the midst of the starch making sea- son, the factory was consumed by fire. This subjected both the proprietors and farmers to great loss and inconvenience, but the factory was rebuilt during the following year and has done a large and prosperous business ever since. It is now owned by Hon. T. H. Phair and is one of the most profitable of all his factories. In 1883 Messrs. Kimball & DeLaite built a steam shingle mill on the Spear Brook near Easton Centre. This mill contained one shingle machine, but before it was fairly in operation the boiler burst, killing one man, Mr. Edward Lord, and severely scalding a number of others. A large number of school children were in the mill watching the working of the engine but a few minutes before the explosion, and had they remained the dis- aster must have been far more terrible. The first store in Easton was opened at the Centre in 1863 by Mr. W. H. Rackliffe. Mr. Rackliffe continued in trade some three years, when he closed up this branch of his business, as he was extensively engaged in farming and in buying and selling cattle and sheep. In 1872 Mr. Charles W. Kimball built a store at Easton Centre, where he traded for a number of years, and was followed by Mr. C. F. Parsons, who leased the Kimball store and in 1882 built a new store on the opposite s'de of the street, to which he removed. Kimball and DeLaite then com- menced trade in the Kimball store but after the disaster at the steam mill they went out of business and sold the store to Mr. Parsons. Mr. H. W. Knight afterwards succeeded Mr. Parsons in this store and was in turn followed by Samuel G. Wheeler, the present occupant and the only merchant at Easton Centre. The principal village in the town is at Sprague's Mills, in the western part of the town, near the Presque Isle line. The first store in this part of the town was built by Nathan Jewell in 1868. It was used for a store but a short time, when it was 248 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK converted into a dwelling house and afterwards burned. In 1878 E. W. Sprague built a store near the niill. Mr. M. C. Smith, now a thriving merchant in the village of Presque Isle, commenced trade in this store and afterwards bought it. The store was burned in June, 1880, and was replaced by the large store now occupied by Mr. J. Sawyer. In 1882 Mr. M. L. DeWitt built a store at the Mills, which for a number of years was occupied by various parties and was afterwards destroyed by fire in the same year. E. W. Sprague built a store which he occupied as a lumber supply store and also as a post office, Mr. Sprague having then been postmaster at Sprague's Mills for four years. The next store was built by F. E. French in 1883, and was occupied by him as a dry goods and millinery store until 1885, when it was purchased by E. W. Sprague, who now occupies it as a variety store and post office. In 1885 Mr. Byron Wheeler built the large store with Grange Hall above. This store was first occupied by Mr. For- rester Burns, who was succeeded by Spear & Stanchfield, and they by F. L. Spear & Co., the present occupants. In 1886 Samuel Kneeland built a store with dwelling above. Mr. Kneeland has since died and his widow now carries on the dry goods and millinery business in this store. In 1886 the Odd Fellows built a fine two story building and finished off a handsome hall for the accommodation of the lodge in the second story. The lower story is now owned and occupied by the Methodist society as a house of worship and is very comfortably and conveniently arranged for that purpose. In 1886 the Free Baptist society erected a very fine church building at the Mills, which is an ornament to the village. Although the first growth of the town seemed to indicate that the principal business v/ould cluster around the Centre and that the village would there be located, the fine water power at Sprague's Mills and the erection of the starch factory deter- mined that as the ma'n center of industry, and a handsome and thriving village has there grown up in a few years. The place has an air of life and activity and the business men are men of energy and staunch business integrity. The buildings are neat and pleasantly located and everything points to a sure and solid growth. The schools in the town of Easton are well sustained and rank among the best. The town system was adopted some five years ago and the citizens take great interest in their schools. 5-- i-'.. ••',■ HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 249 There are ten schools in the town under the efficient supervision of W. J. Weymouth. Four terms of free high school are main- tained each year, two of which are held at Easton Centre and two at Sprague's Mills. As a farming town Easton has few if any superiors in Aroostook. Though comparatively a new town, reclaimed from the wilderness within the recollection of men who are still young and active, yet there are upon all the roads throughout the town large, smooth and well cultivated farms with extensive farm buildings and every evidence of comfort and prosperity. Easton was incorporated as a town on Feb. 24, 1864 and in 1880 had a population of 835. The population in 1890 was 978 and the valuation $208,765. In the fertility of its soil and its natural advantages as an agricultural town it is surpassed by few, if any, of the towns in the fertile valley of the Aroostook. MAPLETON Directly west of the town of Presque Isle lies the goodly town of Mapleton, formerly known as Township No. 12, Range 3. The Aroostook River barely touches the northeast corner of the town, the corner post being upon an island in the river. Some two and a half miles west of this corner the river in bend- ing around a large island again touches the north line of the town. Mapleton has Washburn for a neighbor on the north. Castle Hill on the west and Chapman Plantation upon its southern border. The first settlement made upon the town was upon the lots in the northeast corner bordering upon the Aroostook River. Previous to the time of the Aroostook War, people from New Brunswick had ascended the river and made settlements upon its banks at various points, and after the boundary dispute was settled by the Treaty of 1842 these settlers were given deeds of their lots in accordance with the recommendations of the Com- missioners sent here by the States of Maine and Massachusetts and these lots so deeded have since been known as treaty lots. Very few of these lots were located in what is now the town of Mapleton, as that town has but a small extent of river frontage. We find by the report of the Commissioners that Lot No. 14 was thus granted to Joshua Christie and Lot No. 16 to "Ed- ward Erskine, James Erskine and Abigail, wife of Winslow Churchill." These two lots, now included in the town of Maple- S30 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ton, had a river frontage in what is now the town of Washbixm. Lots No. 17 and 18 were granted to Peter Bull, together with "that part of Bull's Island which lies in No. 12," now Mapleton. How long these people had been settled on their lots we have not been able exactly to determine, but as the conditions of the grants required that the lots should have been "possessed and improved by them, or the persons under whom they claim, for more than six years before the date of the treaty aforesaid" they must have been settled there as early as 1836 and we think Peter Bull came there at a much earlier date. We find also that the southeast quarter of lot 102 and the southwest quarter of lot 103, "to be set off by lines parallel to the lot lines" were granted under the treaty to Dennis Fairbanks, the pioneer settler of the town of Presque Isle. These two lots are situated in the south- east part of the town and the "quarters" designated front upon the Presque Isle Stream, a tributary of the Aroostook. Probably at the time these lots were granted to Fairbanks there was no actual settler upon them though there must have been some "improvement" upon them in order to acquire a deed. This tract is now, we think, owned by Mr. Veranes Chandler of Presque Isle. Thus we find that Mapleton as well as many other towns in this part of the County, owed its first settlement to the Aroos- took River, which these pioneer settlers ascended in the old days "before the war" and upon whose fertile banks and mag- nificent islands they made their humble homes. At that time the river was the only highway through this forest region and therefore these old time settlers made their first clearings and erected their log houses near its banks. Be- fore the clearing was made and a crop could be obtained, these pioneers were able to obtain the means of supporting their fam- ilies by felling the noble pines that grew near the river banks, making them into square timber and floating them down to Fredericton, where they found a ready market. These people were all from New Brunswick at the time of their settlement along the river, and considered themselves still citizens of that Province and claimed to be upon Provincial ter- ritory. Not until the time of the boundary disputes which cul- minated in the Aroostook War, was the attention of the citizens of Maine called to this fertile region, or were its grand agricul- tural resources known to our people. Then the old "State Road" from Presque Isle to Ashland was cut through and in 1842, Shepard Packard came from the HISTORY OP AROOSTOOK 2St town of Foxcroft and settled on the line of that road some four miles west from what is now Presque Isle. Mr. Packard re- mained upon this lot and cleared up a fine farm, where he lived to see the wilderness about him cleared away and fine fields made all along the road to Presque Isle. He died at his home at a ripe old age some five or six years ago. His son, George W. Packard, lived with him, and was for years the active man- ager of the farm until his death, which occurred last spring. Ansel Packard, another son, lived upon the farm opposite his father's until some eight years ago, when he moved to Fort Fair- field, and he too, recently died. Thus no member of the family who made the first settlement upon this part of the town is now living. Members of the Bull family came up upon this road soon after Mr. Packard made his clearing, and Charles W. and Peter Bull are still living upon lots a short distance east of the Pack- ard farm. Many of the lots upon this part of the town were covered witk their original forest growth until after the war, since which time every lot has been taken and there is a continuous settle- ment across the town upon this road. In 1865 Mr. Thomas Munn took up the lot next east of Mr. Packard's, and has now forty acres cleared and is making a fine farm. Another road enters the town from Presque Isle and runs entirely across the town, parallel to and a mile and a half dis- tant from the south line of the town. In the fall of 1858, Mr. George L. Emerson came from the town of Stow ,in Oxford County, and took a lot in the southwest part of the town, a half mile south of the line of the road above named. He made a chopping that fall and in the spring brought his family to his new home, where he had built a log house. Mr. Emerson's experience was like that of many another Aroos- took pioneer. When he arrived with his family and settled in his forest home he had just fifty cents in his pocket. He cleared up two acres and put it into crop, and then leaving his little family, went to work in Presque Isle, and also upon the mill which was that year built near his home, to earn means to pro- vide food until his crop grew. The road in this part of the town was not then opened, and all supplies had to be brought up the old State Road and across a "portage" through the woods. The distance from Presque Isle by this route was about seventeen miles, while by the road 252 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK now traveled it is but about six miles. In 1862, Mr. Emerson, who then had a clearing of ten acres on his lot, left his home and joined the Union Army, being enrolled in the 18th Maine Regi- ment, known as the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery. Many a brave and sturdy recruit for the Army of the Union went from the new settlements in the forests of Aroostook, and in many of the log houses on these little clearings in the wilderness the lonely wife and little family anxiously awaited the return of the loved one who was fighting the battles of his country on South- ern fields. Nobly, indeed, did Aroostook respond to the nation's call to arms, and today in every town in this new county may be found many veterans of the war. Mr. Emerson returned from service with broken health, but succeeded in making a fine productive farm and buildings com- fortable and commodious. Being unable to carry on a large farm, he has recently sold a fine tract of fifty acres, and is living quietly upon the remainder. In 1859 Freeman L. Ball and Reuben A. Huse came from Hallowell and commenced the erection of a mill at the point where the road nov/ crosses the Presque Isle Stream in the southwest part of the town of Mapleton. This mill became the nucleus of what is now the pleasant and busy little village of Ball's Mills. Messrs. Ball and Huse received from the State a grant of a mile square of land in aid of building the saw mill, which at first contained but an up and down saw for saw- ing long lumber. A year Or two later they put in a shingle mill. At the time the mill was built there was no clearing any- where in the vicinity, and no road in that portion of the town. In 1859 also came Chas. M. Spooner, Benj. Chandler and Benj. Gray, who took lots east of the mill and made clearings, and Mr. Geo. L. Emerson moved his family to the new settle- ment. The same year Josiah McGlauflin, A. H. Thompson, B. J. Hughes, Garner Wilcox and some others settled on lots near the mill to the north and west. Mr. Ball soon after sold his interest in the mill to his part- ner, Mr. Huse, and commenced making the fine farm near the mill upon which his son, Mr. Albert Ball, now lives. In 1886 Mr. Huse sold the mill to John P. Roberts and Franklin Ball, who carried it on until 1870, when they sold to Hon. David Dudley of Presque Isle. Mr. Dudley made extensive repairs upon the mill and also built a store and entered into trade. He also devoted himself somewhat extensively to farming upon the HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 253 land near the mill. In 1874 he sold the mill to Messrs Stewart and Morton, the present proprietors, who made extensive ad- ditions and put in a rotary saw and planer. The new firm had succeeded in establishing a good business when, in the summer of 1877, a fierce forest fire swept down the valley of the stream, consuming in a short time the mill and all buildings connected with it, the new starch factory just completed by Messrs. John- son & Phair, Mr. Albert Ball's barn and outbuildings, and at one time threatened to consume the entire village. The bridge across the stream near the mill was also burned, and it was only by the greatest exertion on the part of those present that the village was saved from total destruction. The events of this disastrous fire are still spoken of by the residents of the village as an experience never to be forgotten by those who passed through it. Messrs. Stewart & Morton were in no way discour- aged by their great loss, but at once set about the work of re- building the mill. This work they pushed with so much vigor and energy that by fall of the same year the new mill was com- pleted, machinery put in and in successful operation. The destruction by fire of the starch factory resulted in much inconvenience to the farmers of the vicinity, who had planted large fields of potatoes with the expectation of deliver- ing them at this factory in the fall. The potato crop proved good that year and, as many of the Mapleton farmers hauled their potatoes to the Maysville factory, also owned by Messrs, Johnson & Phair, this additional supply loaded that factory to its utmost capacity. Sometimes as many as eighty teams, load- ed with potatoes could be counted, waiting to unload at the Maysville factory. Messrs. Johnson & Phair rebuilt the factory at Mapleton In 1879 and in the summer of 1886 the main build- ing was struck by lightning and entirely consumed, the dry houses being saved. The factory was immediately rebuilt and was completed in time to receive the crop of potatoes in the fall of the same year. The village hotel is kept by M. L. Stewart, who came to Mapleton from New Vineyard, in Franklin County, in the year 1864, and bought a lot of 160 acres on the Presque Isle road a short distance east of the mills. At that time there was but six acres cleared upon the farm and the buildings consisted of a log house and a small barn, Mr, Stewart at once set about the work of making a farm and in a few years the forest upon the front of his entire lot had disappeared and given place to fertile fields. In 1878 he built a large two-story house and at 264 HISTORY OF AROOfiTOOK once opened it ior a hotel. This house is one of the most pleasant and homelike hotels in the county, and here the traveler is always sure to find rest and refreshment and the kindest at- tention from the courteous landlord and his pleasant family. Col. S. C. F. Smith, the resident member of the firm of Dudley and Smith, is the principal merchant of the village. Col. Smith was from the town of Charlotte, in Washington County, and made a splendid war record as Captain of Co. H. 9th Maine Regiment. Immediately after the war he came to Aroostook and went into business in the pretty little village of Spragueville in South Presque Isle. He afterwards removed to Fort Fairfield, and in 1878 formed a co-partnership with Hon. David Dudley of Presque Isle for the purpose of carrying on a mercantile business at Ball's Mills. Mr. Dudley's extreme antipathy to tobacco was well known, and as he could not conscientiously countenance its sale or use, he refused to extend the partner- ship to this branch of the business, and the tobacco trade was carried on by Col. Smith alone, Mr. Dudley refusing to receive any share of the profits. Mr. Dudley was long an honored citi- zen of Presque Isle, and was a member of the Maine Senate from this county. He died at Presque Isle in the summer of 1890. Col. Smith has served as Colonel of the Veteran Regiment of Aroostook G. A. R., and has also represented his district in the Legislature of Maine. He has a very handsome residence at Ball's Mills, and is one of the sterling business men of Aroostook. Nearly opposite Col. Smith's store is the fine building erect- ed in 1884 by Eureka Grange. The second story of the building is used as a Grange hall, with a dining hall above. The lower story has recently been sold to Mr. M. E. Ingraham, who has opened a grocery and provision store. Mr. Ingraham is a young man who was brought up upon a farm in the town and is well known and respected by all his townsmen. Mr. E. A. Smith came from the town of Charlotte and has a farm of forty acres on the high land east of the village and has a fine set of buildings. He has been collector of taxes for a number of years. Mr. James McGlauflin also came from the town of Charlotte in 1861 and took a farm about half a mile from the village, which he carried on for three years. He then moved his family to Presque Isle and went into the army. He returned to Mapleton in 1882 and has been postmaster at Ball's Mills ever since. He keeps a stock of light groceries and dry HISTORY OF AKOOSTOOK 2^ goods, but like Mr. Dudley, has conscientious scruples against selling tobacco. His store is on the west side of the stream Bear the bridge. Mr. Phineas Swan is the village blacksmith and has a shop opposite the postoffice, where all kinds of work in his line ard executed to the satisfaction of his customers. About one-fourth of a mile west of the mill we come to the fine farm of Mr. A. S. Griffin, which lies next to the town line. Mr. Griffin also came from the town of Charlotte, which has furnished many good citizens to this part of the county. He has now nearly fifty acres cleared, and has recently built a very handsome two-story house and is making a valuable property. Mr. Griffin was a soldier in the 7th Maine Regiment. A little over a mile east of the village is the farm of Mr. Charles Higgins, a hale old gentleman of 78, who came to the town from Calais in 1870. Eleven years ago his house took fire in the night and the flames were well under way before the in- mates awoke to their danger. It was only by the greatest ex- ertion that the old man and his sons were able to save the lives of the women of the family, but they succeeded in rescuing all from the grasp of the flames. When the sun rose next morning it shone upon a heap of smouldering ruins, and when it set that night its last rays fell upon a new house ready to shelter the family, built entirely in one day. In the morning after the fire the trees of which the frame was made were growing in the woods. The neighbors turned out in large numbers. The trees were felled, the frame hewed and hauled to the building spot, the timbers were framed and raised, the boards and shingles hauled from the mill, the house enclosed and shingled, windows put in, floors laid and rooms partitioned off ready for the family, all in one day. Who will say that Aroostook is not a good county for a poor man to live in, or that Mapleton is not one of its good towns? Mr. Higgins's three sons, Orren J., Charles O. and Shepard I. Higgins, all live on good farms nearby and are making comfortable homes. In the east part of the town is a splendid ridge of land known as the Creasy Ridge, upon which are many fine farms. The peculiarity of the soil in this part of the town is that the ledge is red sandstone and is of much value for building pur- poses. In 1860 Mr. Benj. D. Creasy came from Mt. Vernon and settled upon this ridge. The same year came Mr. Francis Wins- low from Westbrook, and also Eben, Robert and James M. Grendell, and settled in the same vicinity. There was then no 256 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK clearing in that part of the town, but it is now a very fine farm- ing section. Mr. Charles E. Creasy now lives upon the farm commenced by his father, and has a very handsome farm with a good stand of buildings. Mr. Winslow has also a fine farm on the opposite side of the road. He was engaged in hop rais- ing for a number of years and found it a profitable business for a time. Mr. Alexander Ross came to Mapleton in the spring of 1864 and bought a lot on the Creasy Ridge about two and one-half miles from Presque Isle village. When he bought the lot there were but ten acres cleared upon it and no direct road leading to Presque Isle. He now has a good road to the village and has one of the finest farms in this section. Mr. Ross is a good farmer as well as a good citizen. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the North Aroostook Agricultural Society and is one of the "old reliables" in Grange work. A short distance west of the mill a road runs in a northerly direction across to the old State Road through a very fine farm- ing section. Mr. S. H. Waldron, a veteran of the war, has a large farm upon this road with an attractive set of farm build- ings. There are numerous other good farms on this road and also on the other cross roads throughout the town. Mapleton was first organized as a plantation in 1869, and George L. Emerson, A. H. Thompson and Shepard Packard were chosen assessors, and Chas. M. Spooner, clerk. The town was incorporated in March, 1880, at which time it had a popu- lation of 705 and a valuation of $51,642. The population in 1890 was 832, and the valuation $138,338. The rate of taxation was eleven and two-tenths mills on a dollar. MORO In the western part of Aroostook County and lying along the border of Penobscot County is the township formerly known as Rockabema, but now the plantation of Moro. This township is No. Six, Range Five, and is directly west of Merrill Planta- tion, north of the town of Hersey, and has for its northern bound- ary the unsettled township No. Seven, Range Five. The old Aroostook road, the mail route from Patten to Ashland, traverses the town, entering it about a mile and a half from the southwest corner and continuing in a general northeasterly direction en- tirely across the town, crossing its north line a little more than a mile from the northeast comer of the town. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 257 The first settlement of the town dates away back to the stirring times of the Aroostook War, and the first settler who established a residence here was Mr. Isaac Lewis, who came from the town of Clinton in 1838 and settled In the extreme northern portion of the town. Mr. Lewis cleared up a large farm upon which he lived for about twelve years, when he moved to Patten and afterward to Pennsylvania. His daughter, Mrs. Wm. S. Chase, now lives on a farm near where her father made h^s first settlement. In 1839 Mr. John Hale came from Detroit and settled near Mr. Lewis. He was a single man and after making a consider- able clearing moved to Sherman and afterwards to Dyer Brook, where he d.ed. Joseph Baston came from Fairfield in 1840 and settled In the northeast part of the town on the lot upon wh"ch Mr. Chas. E. Baston now lives. He cleared up this farm and lived upon It until his death some twenty-e'ght years ago. Mr. George Baston came with his father to Moro and In 1850 settled on the lot opposite his father's, where he cleared up a large farm, upon which he nov/ lives. The farm contains 215 acres of good land, situated upon a handsome ridge. J. W. Baston, George N. Bas- ton andv Lewis W. Baston, all live on good farms near the old place. Jonas Hale, a brother to John Hale, came to Moro in 1842 and settled on what is now called the Bryant place, next to the south line of the town, and on the east side of the Aroostook road. Here Mr. Hale made a clearing and lived upon the lot some twelve years, when he moved to Sherman. Mr. Horace Darling now lives on this farm. Mr. Henry T. Knowles came from the town of Corinna to Moro in 1843. He first settled upon the lot in the northeast corner of the town where Mr. Wm. S. Chase afterwards lived. He cleared a farm and built a house upon this lot and lived there until about 1850, when he moved to the Lewis place on the Aroostook road. He enlarged this farm, rebuilt the barn and made other Improvements and lived upon the place nearly thirty years, when he moved to a lot just across the line in the unsettled towT.ship No. Seven, Range Five. Here Mr. Knowles made a good farm upon which he lived until his death some seven years ago. His son, Henry F. Knowles, now lives upon the Lewis place and also has the farm adjoining In No. Seven. He Is located sixteen miles from Patten on the mail route to Ash- land. 258 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Mr. Calvin Bradford came from the town of Turner to Pat- ten in 1838. In 1839 he moved to Township No. Seven, Range Five and took a lot near the Knowles place, where he cleared about forty acres and lived there until 1844, when he removed to Moro and settled on the Aroostook road, something less than a mile north of the south line of the town. Here he made a good farm and lived upon it until h'.s death in 1875. His son, Ezek- iel F. Bradford, lived with him and had the active management of the farm for a number of years before h'.s father's death. He has since enlarged the farm, which is now one of the best in this section. It contains 500 acres of excellent land, with 175 acres cleared. Mr. El'sha Brown came from Sherman and settled in Moro in 1845. Mr. Brown had formerly lived in the town, having been in the employ of Mr. Isaac Lewis, the first settler. Mr. Brovm took a lot on the Aroostook road a mile and a half north of Mr. Bradford's. Here he made a good farm and buUt a set of buildings. He lived upon the farm until his death some eighteen years ago. Mr. Robert Kennedy now lives on this farm. Mr. Dan'el Darling came from the town of Hartland in 1840 and first settled in the town of Hersey, where he lived four years, and in 1844 moved to Moro and took a lot on the Aroos- took road a short distance north of Calvin Bradford's. Here he cleared a farm upon which he lived until his death in 1863. His grandson, Lysander Darling, now lives on this farm. He has 75 acres of good land with 40 acres cleared, and has a good set of build'ngs. Mr. Patr'ck Darling, a son of Daniel Darling, came from Hartland in 1838 and worked upon the Aroostook road, wh'ch was then being constructed. Mr. Ira Fish of Patten was agent for the construction of this road in that vicin'ty. Mr. Darling worked on the road in Bened'cta, in Mt. Chase and in Moro, and in 18-10 settled on a lot in the town of Hersey, where he cleared some 10 acres and built a log house. He lived there until 1845, when he moved to Moro and bought of Samuel Chase the lot next north of Mr. Daniel Darl'ng's. There was a small improvement upon the lot and Mr. Darling here made a good farm upon which he has lived ever since. He is now 77 years old and is one of the oldest living residents of the town. He has 200 acres of land with 75 acres cleared, and has a comfort- able r.e'^ of bu'ld'ngs. The farm is somewhat stony in places, but is good, strong, productive land and raises good crops of hay and grain. Mr. Josiah Bates came from Palmyra in 1845 and first set- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 259 tied in the town of Hersey, where he lived two years and in 1847 moved to Moro and settled on the lot next north of Elisha Brown's. Here he cleared a farm upon which he lived until his death some twenty-two years ago. His son, Albert H. Bates, now lives on the farm, Mr. Chas. Chase has a good farm. He has also a clapboard and shingle mill on the West Branch of the Mattawamkeag, which stream the Aroostook road crosses near Mr. Chase's farm. In this mill is one shingle machine, a clapboard machine and planer. After crossing the West Branch the road ascends a steep hill, near the top of whxh is the farm of Mr. Benj. Brown. Mr. Brown was a soldier in the 31st Me. Regiment and settled on this lot in 1870, and has made a good farm. The State road, so called, runs from Smyrna Mills in a due east course on the town lines until it intersects the old Aroostook road. This road runs along the south line of Moro Plantation and is settled for the greater part of the distance across the town. Mr. Solomon Bates was the first settler in Moro upon the State road. Mr. Bates came from the town of Fairfield in 1851 and settled on Lot No. 82, which was one of the public lots reserved for school purposes. The State road had then been cut through but was not passable for carriages. It is now a good turnpike road for its entire distance from Smyrna Mills to the Aroostook road. Mr. Bates cleared a farm of ninety acres of good land and lived on it ten years, when he moved across the road into the town of Hersey, where he still resides. Mr. George L. Bates came from Fairfield in 1851 and made a clearing on the lot adjoining Solomon Bates. He remained some three years and removed to Hersey. Mr. Robert Sturte- vant came from Waterville the same year and made a clearing near where the State road crosses the West Branch. He re- mained some six or seven years and returned to Waterville. Mr. David B. Bates came from Hersey to Moro in 1851 and made a clearing on the west half of the lot adjoining Solomon Bates. In 1864 he sold his improvements to Solomon Bates and took the lot next north of Solomon's on which there was a good mill privilege. In 1867 David B. Bates and Smith Oilman built a mill on MiH Brook, which runs across the last ment'oned lot and empties i: 'O the West Branch a short distance below. Mr. William Jameson came from the town of Lee in 1860 and made a clearing on the lot next west of Robert Sturtevant. He stayed a year and then went into the army and never re- 260 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK turned to Moro. . o^n j i ^u Mr. John Doe came from Kenduskeag m 1860 and took the lot west of Mr. Solomon Bates. Mr. Doe made a large clearing and lived upon the farm until 1886, when he sold it to Mr. Chas. U. Brewer, and moved to Hodgdon and afterwards to New Lim- erick. Mr. Brewer still lives upon the farm. Mr. Granville Gary came from Lincoln in 1868 and settled on the lot next west of John Doe. He remained some five or six years and sold to Mr. Cyrus Wade and returned to Lincoln. Mr. Robert Palmer now lives on this farm. Mr. George Cole came from Patten in 1874 and settled on the lot next west of Robert Sturtevant. He remained four years and sold to Mr. H. J. Palmer and moved to the West. Mr. Pal- mer st"ll lives upon the farm. In going to Moro from Smyrna Mills by the State road, af- ter pass-ng the Stephens settlement in Dyer Brook, the road descends a steep hill and then runs for some distance through a piece of woods on low land. Coming out of the woods we find a few small clearings, with log houses and few improvements, until we come to the West Branch of the Mattawamkeag, which the State road crosses a short distance from the town line. The township was surveyed and lotted in 1833, by Rufus Gilmore and was first organized as a plantation under the name of Rockabema, in 1850. In 1860 the name was changed to Moro. Though not ranking among the best Aroostook townsh'ps for agricultural purposes, yet the settled portion of the town con- tains many good farms and comfortable homes and the social and moral standing of the citizens is of the first order. MACWAHOC Leaving Reed Plantat'on, as we journey southward, the old Mirtary road runs for some two miles across the southeast cor- ner of North Yarmouth Academy Grant, an unsettled township, and then enters Macwahoc Plantation. L'ke many other towns in Aroostook County, the first opening made in the wilderness in what is now the thriving plantation of Macwahoc was for the purpose of manufacturing lumber. As early as 1829 or 1830, Messrs. Thayer and Jewett built a m'll on the Macwahoc Stream, about a mile above its junc- t-on with the Molunkus. The Military road crosses the Macwa- hoc Stream near this mill. It contained or'ginally only an up and down saw. After a number of years Messrs. Edward and HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 261 Ivory Lord of Charleston bought this mill. Mr. Alex. McLain afterwards purchased it and rebuilt it in a more substantial manner and after operating some five or six years sold to Mr- Edwin Buck, who afterwards sold to Mr. John McCausland of Kingman, the present proprietor. Mr. John Babcock came from Lincoln about the time this mill was first built and put up a log house on the east side of the Molunkus and kept tavern there in the woods for a number of years. Mr. John Weston came from Lincoln in 1832 and settled at' the mill. He worked in the mill some three years and then bought a lot of land nearby, where he cleared a farm and lived upon it until his death some twelve years ago. Mr. Samuel Butterfield came from Sidney socr. after the building of the mill and built a hotel on the east side of the Molunkus Stream, near the place where the Kingman road now joins the Military road. After a few years he sold the hotel to Mr. Frank Butterfield, who a few years later sold it to Mr. Richard Libby, who came from Old Town about 1838, After keeping this hotel some five years Mr. Libby moved to the mouth of the Aroostook road, in Molunkus, where he kept a hotel for a number of years and then removed to Mattawamkeag and died there. Mr. James Libby also came from Old Town in 1838 and settled on the lot where Mr. Frank Libby now lives. He cleared this farm and built the buildings and lived there until his death in 1875. Mr. Chas.- Kimball came from Hiram at about the same time and settled on a lot a short distance south of the Macwahoc Stream. He cleared a farm and died there many years ago. His son', F. P. Kimball, now lives upon the farm, which is on the Kingman road a short distance south of the corner. A short distance after entering Macwahoc Plantation, we ccme to the large farm and hotel so long known as the Reed place, and also to old-timers on the road, as the Ram.sdell place. Mr. John Rollins made the f'rst clearing on this place about 1848. He built a two-story house and a large stable and opened a hotel. He afterwards sold to Mr. James Emerson, who in turn sold to Col. William Ramsdell. After a few years Col. Ramsdell sold the property to Mr. Hugh Reed, who kept the hotel for many years. Stage passengers from Bangor to Houl- ton, who made the trip away back in the "fifties," can well re- member the cold ride from Mattawamkeag Point to the Reed 262 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK place before breakfast on a winter's morning, and also the glowing fire and good warm breakfast that awaited them on their arrival about daylight. After Mr. Reed bought the place the house was burned. He built a new house and that also, together with the stable, was afterwards burned. Col. Eben Webster of Orono then bought the place and built a small house upon it and raised hay and grain upon the farm for his lum- bering operations. He afterwards sold to Mr. Frank Stratton, who enlarged the house and kept a hotel until a year ago, when he sold to Mr. S. S. White, the present proprietor. A short distance below Mr. White's we come to the old Martin farm. Mr. William Martin came here from the western part of the State and commenced a clearing many years ago. He made a good farm and lived on it until his death some fif- teen years ago. His son, John Martin, a veteran soldier, now lives on the old homestead. From Mr. Martin's the road runs for some two miles through the woods to the mill, where the road crosses the Macwahoc Stream. After crossing the bridge we come to the Donnelly farm on the west s'de of the road. Mr. Alexander Donnelly came here in the early days of the settlement and cleared this farm and lived on it until some five years ago, when he moved to Wisconsin and there died. His son, Mr. Frank Donnelly, now has the farm. Macwahoc Plantation lies on the line of Penobscot County and has Reed Plantation on the east and Molunkus on the west. The Molunkus Stream runs diagonally across the corners of Townships No. 1, Range 5, and No. 1, Range 4 (North Yar- mouth) and continues on in a general southerly direction across Macvv'ahoc Plantation. A portion of the lower part of Molunkus Lake is in Macwahoc, the outlet being by a stream less than a mile in length, which empties into the Molunkus Stream near where that stream makes an abrupt bend to the east. The Mac- wahoc Stream, flowing dov/n from North Yarmouth Grant, con- tinues acros* the plantation to which it gives the name, and empties into the Molunkus Stream a short distance below the Military road. There are numerous other brooks and streams in different portions of the town which give it a plentiful water supply. Macwahoc was organized at a plantation in 1851. The village, near the junction of the Macwahoc Stream with the Molunkus, is but six and a half miles distant from Kingman Station, and is a neat and evidently growing village. A part of the town is HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 263 still unsettled, but there are some very good farms and hand- some residences in the settled portions of the town. The popula- tion in 1890 was 216 and the valuation was $36,193. CRYSTAL Crystal Plantation, formerly township No. 4, Range 5, lies next to the Penobscot County line bordering on Patten. Fish Stream, a tributary of the west branch of the Mattawamkeag, runs through the middle of the town and empties into the west branch a short distance west of the village of Island Falls. Mr. Wm. Young was the first settler who brought a family to the township. He came from Searsmont in 1839 and settled on a State lot a mile and a half east of the Patten line. The whole country east of Patten was at that time an unbroken wil- derness. Mr. Young cleared up a large farm and built a good stand of buildings and lived upon the farm until 1851, when he sold to Mr. S. P. Bradford and moved to a farm which was taken about 1837 by Mr. John Hammond of Patten. Some ten years ago Mr. Young removed to the West, where he afterwards died. Mr. William C, Hackett now lives„upon this farm. In 1839 Mr. Isaac Webber came from the town of China and settled on the lot next west of Mr. Young, where he made a farm upon which he lived until his death, some two years ago. Mr. Albert Corliss now lives on this farm. The same year Mr. John Bell came from Belfast and set- tled on the lot east of Mr. Young's, where he lived until his death some six or eight years ago. His widow still lives upon the farm. Mr. George W. Hackett came from Vermont the same year and took a lot on the south side of Crystal Stream, which flows down from a lake in Hersey Plantation, next township north of Crystal, and em.ptles into Fish Stream a short distance east of the center of the town of Crystal. Mr. Hackett cleared up a large farm and lived on it until his death some ten years ago. His son, George Hackett, now lives on this farm. The same year Mr. James Cunningham came from Sears- mont and settled on the lot east of Mr. Bell's. He cleared up a fine farm here and built a good set of buildings and lived on the farm until two years ago, when he moved to Patten. Mr. Robert McKeen now lives on this farm. In 1841 Mr. Hiram Hersey came from Foxcroft and took a lot west of Mr. Young's, where he lived for many years and 264 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK then moved to a farm in the west part of the town, on what Is no called the Cow Team road. Mr. Hersey afterwards moved to Patten and has for a number of years been engaged in the lumbering business. Mr. William Ward came from Franklin County about 1841 and settled on a lot a half mile east of the Patten line on what is called Fobes' hill. Mr. Ward lived on this farm until his death a number of years ago. Mr. Brad. Kenney now lives on the farm. Mr. Bela Chesley came from Lincoln in 1841 and settled on the lot next west of Hiram Hersey's, where he lived some ten years or more and then removed to the West, where he after- wards died. The same year Mr. Jonas Drury settled on what is now the lower road from Island Falls to Patten on the east side of Crystal Stream. He made a farm here and lived on it a number of years and then m.oved to Ohio. Mr. John Conant came from Franklin County the same year and settled on the lot north of Mr. George W. Hackett. He lived on this farm unt^ about the time of the war, when he removed to Bangor. He was an officer In the army during the war and afterwards settled in South Carolina. Mr. Eugene Thorn now lives on this farm. Mr. S. P. Bradbury canfe from the town of Windsor In 1841. He was then a young man with no family and worked for a number of years In the woods and on the river. In 1851 he bought the William Young farm and lived upon it until 1867, when he moved to a farm on the lower road and In 1885 bought the farm near the junction of the roads which he has recently sold to Mr. William Hackett. Mr. Bradford is a prominent citizen of the town and was a soldier In the 1st Maine Cavalry. In 1842 Mr. Jededlah Fairfield of China bu'lt a mill on Crystal Stream near Mr. George W. Hackett's. This mill had an up and- down saw run by water and furnished lumber for the settlers in Crystal and Island Falls. Mr. Joseph Kimball after- wards bought the mill and ran It for a number of years, when it was abandoned and went to decay. Five years ago Mr. Roscoe Noyes built a mill on the same stream a short distance above the site of the old mill. The stage road from Island Falls to Patten runs through the northern part of Crystal and crosses Fish Stream a short distance from the east line of the town. The old road ran directly west on the lot lines over the high ground In the north part of the town. About six miles from the town line a road HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 265 now branches off to the south for about a mile and then runs in a westerly course across the town to Patten village. Near the turn of the road on a fine elevation is the Free Baptist meeting house. In 1843 Mr. David Coffin came from Waterville and bought a block of one thousand acres of land in the western part of Crystal next to the Patten line. He cleared up a large farm and lived on it until his death in 1875. Mr. Whitmas Coffin now lives on this farm. Crystal was organized as a plantation in 1840 and is one of the best townships in Western Aroostook. The population in 1890 was 297 and the valuation $73,739. REED As we journey down the old Military road, every mile of which brings back recollections of "ye olden time" when this was the grand thoroughfare of northeastern Maine, after passing through Glenwood we come to Reed Plantation, the northwest corner of which is crossed by this road. A short distance below the north line of the township v/e come to Happy Corner, where the Baskahegan road intersects the old Military road. The old hotel here is now owned by Mr. George W. Win- ship, who came here from Amity some twenty years ago. Con- nected with the hotel is a farm of eighty acres of tolerably good land, with some forty acres cleared. The buildings are now considerably out of repair and, like nearly all the old landmarks along this road, show unmistakable signs of neglect, caused by the withdrawal of travel and traffic from th.e road. Below Happy Corner the road runs through the woods for nearly three miles, when we come to the Clifford Settlement, on a very handsome ridge of fertile land, where the first opening was made in the township. The first settler who brought a family to the town and made a clearing in the wilderness for the purpose of farming was Capt. John S. Clifford, who came from Dover in 1832 and set- tled on the lot on which his son, Mr. Jonas Clifford, now lives. He was captain of a militia company in Dover and was a man of stalwart build, standing six feet, four inches in his stockings. Capt. Clifford cleared a large farm, upon which he lived until his death some thirty years ago. He built a good set of build- ings and keft a public house for many years and was a man well and favorably known throughout this section. 566 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Mr. Levi Prouty came from Dover soon after Capt. Clifford and settled on the lot now owned and occupied by Miss Judith Plummer, a mile north of the Clifford place. Mr. Prouty and Capt. Clifford both married daughters of Mr. Seth Spaulding before moving from Dover. Mr. Prouty made a clearing on his lot and built buildings and lived there until his death in 1837. He was a carpenter and millwright by trade and was a man of some education and a great lover of books. After his death his widow and sons carried on the farm for a number of years and kept public house, as in fact did nearly all the settlers along this portion of the road at that time. A short time before Capt. Clifford made his settlement on the town Mr, Gorham Rollins came from Belgrade and built a log house and stable for the purpose of putting up teamsters and travellers upon the road, as the transportation of supplies for the garrison at Houlton had already caused considerable business on this road. Large lumber operations also v/ere car- ried on in this vicinity, bringing in many men and teams and making lively business for these primitive houses of entertain- ment. Soon after coming to the town Gorham Rollins married a daughter of Mr. Seth Spaulding, and after his death in 1835 his brother, John Rollins, married the widow and continued to live upon the place until his death in 1850. His son, Mr. Green- wood Rollins, now has the farm. Mr. Elijah Norton came from Belgrade with Gorham Rollins, but did not make any settlement in the town, and after remaining a short time, returned to Bel- grade. Mr. Seth Spaulding came from Dover in 1833 and made the first chopping on the farm at Happy Corner. He d"d not settle on the lot, however, but went to a lot a few miles farther north in the adjoining township of Glenwood, where he made his settlement and was the pioneer of that town. Mr. Abram Niles came from Vermont about 1840 and took the lot at Happy Corner. He built a house of hewn timber, neatly dovetailed at the corners, and a framed barn. Mr. Niles cleared a farm here and kept a hotel for some fifteen years and then removed to Houlton, where he died about twelve years ago. Mr. Jeremiah Thompson came from Bancroft in 1847 and married the widow of Mr. Levi Prouty. He lived upon the farm until his death in 1857. Mr. Jonathan L. Plummer was one of the early settlers of Glenwood and had moved from that town to Levant, where he resided until he settled in Reed Plantation. He continued to HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 267 reside upon this farm until his death in 1872. His daughter, Miss Judith Plummer, now owns the farm and resides upon it. Miss Plummer was for four years an army nurse under Miss Dorothy L, Dix, and was with the army of the Potomac in the field and hospital. She was at the battle of Gettysburg and re- lates many interesting reminiscences of that great battle. At the close of the war she was appointed to a clerkship in the treasury department, in which capacity she served until 1882, when she was obliged to resign her position on account of an affection of the eyes which very much injured her sight. Miss Plummer is a lady of much culture and relates in a most inter- esting manner her eventful army experiences. Mr. Benj. Condon came from Penobscot County about 1860 and bought the farm at Happy Corner. He built a two-story house and a large stable and kept a hotel for five years or more, when his brother, Sumner Condon, took the hotel and kept it some five years. The property has since gone through a num- ber of hands and is now owned by Mr. George W. Winship. From Happy Corner the Baskahegan road runs in a south- westerly direction across the northeast corner of Reed, and, crossing the Mattawamkeag River in Bancroft, continues on until it intersects the Calais road in the southern part of the town of Weston. This road runs through the forest for the en- tire distance across Reed Plantation. Below Happy Corner we ride through the woods for nearly three miles and come out to the farm of Miss Plummer, situated on the west side of the road and containing 137 acres of good land, with something over 25 acres cleared and a comfortable set of buildings. A short dis- tance below on the opposite side of the road is the farm of Mr. Peryel W. Clifford, a grandson of Capt. John S. Clifford. Near here is the Clifford family cemetery, neatly enclosed and well kept. Next below on the west side of the road is the farm of Mr. Seth S. Clifford, a son of the first settler. These farms are all situated on a handsome sv/ell of dry land and produce well. Mr. Clifford has in former years engaged in the lumber busi- ness to some extent, as indeed have nearly all the settlers in this vicinity. A short distance below, on the east side of the road, is the old Capt. Clifford homestead, now owned and occupied by Mr. Jonas S. Clifford, the oldest living son. This is the best farm in the settlement and contains 250 acres, with something over 60 acres cleared, a large house in good repair and large and well kept barns and outbuildings. Adjoining Mr. Seth Clif- ford on the south is the farm of Mr. Greenwood Rollins, con- 268 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK taining eighty acres, with forty acres cleared. From Mr. Rol- lins's to the town line, a distance of about a mile, the land is unsettled. The line of the E. & N. A. Railway (now the Maine Cen- tral) runs across the southeast corner of Reed Plantation and at Wytopitlock Station quite a little settlement has been built up. Mr. William Staples and Mr. Bruce Springer have stores here and Mr. Horace Rand has built a large new store. The hotel is kept by Mr. Gorham Rollins. There are three blacksmith shops, a schoolhouse and postoffice. Mr. Wm. Staples Is the present postmaster. In 1889 the north part of Drew Plantation in Penobscot County was annexed to Reed Plantation and a bridge is now be- ing built across the Mattawamkeag River a short distance from the station. The Wytopitlock Stream runs for some distance quite near to the west line of the township, then turns to the southeast and empties into the Mattawamkeag a short distance south of the old county line. With the exception of the settlers on the military road and on the line of the Maine Central R. R., the town is wholly cov- ered with forest and is owned by non-resident proprietors. When Capt. Clifford first settled upon the town it was owned by Messrs. Pickering and Morrill, but was afterwards sold to Mr. Harvey Reed of Bangor, from whom the plantation took its name. In 1890 Reed Plantation had a population of 203 and its valuation was $45,451. GARY Directly south of the town of Hodgdon and lying along the New Brunswick line, is the plantation of Cary, formerly known as No. 11,. Range One. The mail route from Houlton to Calais runs through Cary and it is settled for nearly the entire distance along this road. The plantation of Cary comprises but a half township, being s'x miles east and west and three miles from north to south. It is bounded on the north by Hodgdon, east by New Brunswick, south by Amity and west by Letter A Town- ship. It is generally conceded that the first man who made a chopping upon the town was John Allen, who as early as 1824 commenced a clearing on what is now known as Skidgell Ridge, in the north part of the town, about a mile and a half east of HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 269 the Calais road. Allen was an old English soldier and fought under Wellington at Waterloo. He did not make any perman- ent home upon the lot and a year or two after coming to the town was taken sick and went to live with Mr. David Moore, at whose house he died in 1833. Probably the first man who made a permanent settlement on the town was Mr. George Robinson, who came to No. 11 in 1825 and settled on what was afterwards better known as the Putnam lot, though it is still referred to by old settlers as the Robinson lot. Mr. Robinson cleared a large farm here and lived on it until about 1842, when he sold to Joshua and J. Varnum Putnam of Houlton, and after living in Amity for a short time, moved to Smyrna. Mr. Robert McFarland came the same year (1825) and set- tled on the lot now owned by James Oliver on the horseback, west of the Meduxnekeag Stream. Mr. McFarland commenced a clearing on this lot, but soon afterwards sold his improvement to Edward Dority, and never afterwards had any settlement in the town. He remained a few years, living v/ith Mr. Hugh Smith, and then removed to the Bay of Chaleur, Mr. David Moore came from Hodgdon to No. 11 in 1825. He had lived for two years on the farm now owned by Mr. Chas. Nickerson in Hodgdon, next to the No. 11 line. Mr. Moore first settled on the lot afterwards owned by Mr. James Duffy in the north part of the town, where he lived two years. Mr. Hugh Sharp made a chopping on a lot in the south part of the town, and in 1827 Mr. Moore exchanged lots with him and moved to the farm on which he lived so many years. Mr. Sharp lived but a short time on the Duffy place. Mr. Moore cleared the farm in the south part of the town and built a comfortable set of build- ings, and was a well-known citizen for many years. He died at his home in 1871. His son, David Moore, lives upon the old homestead, and James Moore, another son, lives upon the farm opposite. Mr. Hugh Smith emigrated from Ireland to Fredericton, N. B., and in 1826 moved to No. 11 and settled on the lot where William Smith now lives. Here he cleared up a farm and built a log house and a frame barn. He lived upon the farm until 1845, when he moved to Amity, where he died in 1859. Mr. B. F. Nickerson of Linneus then came into possession of the farm, and in 1850 Mr. William Smith, a son of Hugh Smith, bought the old homestead and has lived upon it ever since. Mr. John Reed also emigrated from Ireland to New Bruns- wick, and in 1827 came to No. 11 and settled in the south part 27(r HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK of the town on the lot adjoining Mr. David Moore's. The town was not at that time lotted and the first settlers were merely squatters upon the land. The half township was lotted in 1831 by John Webber and was then opened by the State for settle- ment. Mr. Reed cleared the farm upon which he first settled,, and continued to live on it until his death in 1861. The farm was then divided between his two sons, William and Alexander,, who still reside upon it. Mr. Hipps Dow moved from New Brunswick in 1827, and settled on the lot next west of Mr. Hugh Smith. Here he made a farm upon which he lived for some 20 years, and then moved to Bancroft. Mr. Samuel Seamans now lives on this farm. Mr. James Dow also came from New Brunswick in 1827 and first settled on the lot where Mr. Truman Williams now lives. He was a blacksmith by trade, and afterwards lived in a number of places in the town and finally returned to New Brunswick. Mr. James McClinchy came from New Brunswick in 1827 and settled in the east part of the town on what is now the Fanjoy lot, where he made a clearing and lived there until his death many years ago. Mr. Jonathan Tracy came from New Brunswick in 1828 and settled on the lot next west of Mr. George Robinson. He cleared a farm and lived on it nearly twenty years and then returned to New Brunswick. His farm is now a part oi the Putnam farm. Mr. Edward Dority came from Ireland and settled in No. 11 in 1827, on the lot afterward owned by James Duffy. He made a large clearing and lived on the farm until his death in 1845. Mr. Daniel Neal, the first settler in the town of Linneus, was also an early settler in No. 11. Mr. Neal settled in Linneus in 1828 and a few years later moved to No. 11 and settled on the lot where Owen Scott now lives. He built a house of hewn pine timber, nicely dovetailed together at the corners, and lived in it some ten years and then moved to Jackson Brook. The above named are all the early settlers of the town of whom we have any reliable account, and if there were any others they were but transient men who never made any permanent settlement upon the township. No other settlers came to the town for a number of years and the hardy pioneers mentioned above were in the midst of the forest and obliged to depend largely upon their own resources for subsistence. There were no roads for years after these first settlers commenced to make HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 271 their farms in the wilderness and their families were subject to all the hardships and privations that fall to the lot of the pio- neers of a new country. The first road opened through the town was a somewhat circuitous route, running from Westford hill in Hodgdon some distance to the eastward of the present County road. The road from Houlton to Calais was opened in 1836 and was built through No. 11 by Mr. Jonah Dunn. In 1842 Mr. Joshua Putnam of Houlton moved to No. 11, and in company with his brother, J. Varnum Putnam, bought the Robinson farm. They afterward bought the Jonathan Tracy farm, adjoining on the west, and here Mr. Joshua Putnam made a large farm upon which he lived for some twenty years and then returned to Houlton. The farm was then divided between his sons, Varney and Otis. Mr. Otis Putnam had the north half of the farm and lived upon it until his death in 1873. He served about two years in the army and returned with broken health. He was a good citizen and was much respected by all who knew him. Mr. Joshua Pollard now owns this farm. Mr. Varney Putnam was also one of the substantial citizens of the town. He had the south half of the homestead farm and lived upon it until his death some twelve years ago. His widow still lives upon the farm with her son, Mr. B. H. Putnam. Mr. Truman Williams moved from Hodgdon to No. 11 in 1842 and settled on the lot where he now lives. Mr. Hugh Smith had made a small clearing on the lot, but it was for the most part covered with forest growth. Mr. Williams cleared the farm and has lived upon it ever since. He is now advanced in years and his son, Moses Williams, has the active management of the farm. Mr. Ebenezer Williams moved from Hodgdon in 1849 and took the lot east of his son Truman's. He cleared this farm and lived on it until his death in 1868. His sons, James and Cyrus Williams, now live on the old homestead. Mr. James Merrill settled in No. 11 about 1842. He was a cooper by trade, and had a small clearing on the Calais road a short distance south of the Hodgdon line. He lived there un- til 1872, when he returned to the western part of the State. His son, Putnam Merrill, was a soldier in the old Sixth Maine Bat- tery, and nobly did his duty. His service in the army shattered his health and he did not live long after his return. He was a brave and faithful soldier and an honest man. Mr. Jacob Russell came from the Bay of Chaleur and in 1845 settled on the lot upon which Daniel Neal made his clear- 272 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ing and lived in the timber house built by Mr. Neal for some ten years. He then moved to the lot on the Calais road on which Mr. Matthew Cassidy now lives. Mr. Russell lived on this farm until 1866, when he sold it to his son, Asa Russell. Jacob Rus- sell died in 1872 and Asa lived on the farm until 1874, when he moved to Danforth. Mr. James Duffy came from Ireland and settled in No. 11 in 1846, on the Edward Dority farm. When Mr. Duffy took the farm there was a clearing of some twenty-five acres and a small house. Mr. Duffy built a good set of buildings and lived upon the farm until 1888, when he sold to Mr. George Alexander and moved to Houlton. Mr. Duffy was one of the prosperous farm- ers of No. 11 and was a good citizen of the town. Most of the settlers mentioned above established their homes near the line of the Calais road and now have comfort- able residences along this road. In coming to the town from Hodgdon the road runs for a short distance through a tract of low land in the north part of the town. This section is still unsettled and is hardly suitable for farming purposes. About a half mile from the north line of the town we come to the store and mill of Messrs. Norton & Bradbury. Mansur Bros, of Houlton built the mill on the Meduxnekeag Stream, a short distance west of the Calais road, in 1884. This mill contained one shingle machine, a rotary for sawing long lumber, and machinery for the manufacture of po- tato starch. Messrs. Norton & Bradbury of Houlton bought the property in 1890. Ransom Norton, Esq., the senior member of the firm, came from Livermore to Houlton in 1854 and was em- ployed as principal in the Houlton Academy for two years. He was admitted to the bar in 1866 and was clerk of courts for Aroostook County from 1868 to 1880 and from 1883 to 1887, making s'xteen years of service in this capacity. Mr. Norton now resides in Cary and gives his personal attention to the biisi- ness. Mrs. Ransom Norton is the present postmistress of Cary. Mr. Henry C. Bradbury is the youngest son of Mr. True Brad- bury, one of the earliest settlers of the town of New Limerick. Mr. Bradbury has been in mercantile business in Houlton for many years and held the office of county treasurer for a number of years. In the western part of the town is some very good land, but the settlement was not made here until some time after that upon the Calais road. Near the meeting house a road turns to the west and after continuing in that direction for about a mile and HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 273 a half, branches and one road runs southward into Amity, while the other continues to the west and northwest into Letter A. and Linneus. A short distance from the Calais road Mr. Hiram Tra- cy has a very good little farm of forty acres. Mr. Tracy came from Amity eight years ago and bought this farm. He devotes himself to teaching during the v;inter seasons and is a member of the S. S. Com. of this town. A short distance beyond is the farm of Mr. Thomas Haney. Mr. Haney lived with Mr. David Moore during his boyhood and in 1859 bought the farm in the east part of the town on which Mr. Alex Hnaey now lives. In 1863 he joined the 16th Maine Regiment and served through the war. At tiie close of h.s ser- vice he bought the farm on which he now lives. Mr. Haney is a carpenter and millwright and works at his trade much of the time. He is the present commander of Frank Hunter Post and is Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of Northern Maine G. A. R. Further in on this road is what is knov/n as the "Wilcox set- tlement, as a large number of settlers of that name live on good farms in that section of the town. Mr. Benj. W.lcox, the father of the large family who settled here, came from Trescott, in ■Washington County, in 1848 and settled on a lot in the west part of the town. He cleared up a good larrn and lived upon it until his death twelve years ago. Reuben V/ilcox came to Cary in 1849 and took a lot next north of his father's. He cleared up the farm and has lived on it ever since. He has a good set of buildings and is a prosperous farmer and a good citizen. William Wilcox settled south of his father and cleared a farm which he sold four years ago to Lewis Libby, and moved to the east part of the town. John Wilcox has a farm of 160 acres, with SO acres cleared. This is a very good farm, with a good barn and comfortable house. James Wilcox has 160 acres, with 60 acres cleared. Dugald Wilcox bought the William Seamans farm in 1854. The farm contains 75 acres and when Mr. Wilcox bought it there was but a small clearing. He now has 50 acres cleared and a good set of buildings. Mr. William Seamans came from Lubec in 1844 and first settled on the lot on which Mr. John Wilcox now lives. He stayed there one year and then moved to the lot upon which Mr. Dugald Wilcox now lives, where he remained twelve years and then sold to Mr. Wilcox and returned to Lubec. The next year 274 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK he came back to Gary and bought a lot west of Mr. Truman Wil- liams, where he lived until his death in 1863. Joshua J. Seamans had the farm next west of his father's. He was a soldier in the Sixth Maine Battery and no braver man ever marched forth to fight for the old flag. Sergeant Seamans served through the war and returned with broken health and died in 1868. Mr. Nelson Williams now has this farm. Mr. George Herrick came from Gharleston in 1858 and took the lot next west of William Seamans. In 1864 he sold to Joshua J. Seamans and moved to Easton. Mr. Moses P. Libby came from Gharleston in 1858 and took half the Herrick lot, near the Amity line. He lived upon it un- til his death in 1868 and his widow stJl resides there with her sons, Daniel and Lewis Libby. Mr. James Haney came from Houlton in 1860 and settled on the lot where James Grover now lives. He cleared a farm and lived upon it until his death in 1884, Mr. Lewis Brown of Houlton built a shingle mill on Davis Stream, near the Wilcox road, some twenty years ago. The mill run some eight years and was burned and has not been rebuilt. The dam still remains by the mill site. Mr. David Edwards has a good farm next to Reuben Wil- cox. He has 176 acres, with 70 acres cleared and a good set of buildings. In the south part of the town a road turns to the east from the Galais road and runs to the boundary line. Mr. Philip Gas- s'dy came from Woodstock in 1847 and settled on this road. He cleared a farm and lived on it until his death in 1860. Mr. Mat- thew Gassidy and sons now own th"s farm. Mr. James Gassidy came from Bay Ghaleur in 1850 and settled on this road. He made a farm here and built a set of buildings and lived here until his death some fifteen years ago. His son, David, now car- ries on the farm. Near Mr. William Smith's a road turns east from the Galais road and after running in that direction for nearly two miles, turns to the north and afterwards to the northwest until it strikes the line between Gary and Hodgdon, where it turns to the west and runs out on the town line until it intersects the Galais road. This road is settled for nearly the entire distance and, though running for much of the way through a hard farming section, yet on portions of the road there are some very good farms. Mr. Alexander Haney has a very good farm on this road, a short distance east of the Galais road. Mr. Haney settled on this farm HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 275 in 1868. He has 220 acres of land with 80 acres cleared. The Horseback runs through this farm. Mr. Owen Scott and Isaac Sutter also have farms near Mr. Haney. Mr. John Wilcox lives on what was formerly the Peter Merch'e farm, where the road turns to the north and runs by the farm of Mr. Charles Clifford and the Pollard farm and then turns to the northwest, in which direction it runs to the north I'ne of the tov/n. On th's portion of the road are some very good farms. Among these are the farms of Mr. John Spooner, Mr. David Skidgell, and the Fanjoy farms. This portion of the tov;n Is known as the Skidgell Ridge. Mr. W.lliam Sk'dgell came from Hodgdon In 1863 and set- tled on this ridge, where he cleared a farm and lived on it until h*s death some five years ago. His son, David Skidgell, nov/ has the farm, which is one of the best in this portion of the tov/n. The half townsh'p will not rank as a first class town for ag- ricultural purposes, as much of the land is quite stony and dif- ficult to bring under cultivation. The soil in many port'ois of the town is strong and productive and the sturdy settlers by d"nt of much hard labor have made for themselves comfortable homes and seem to be prospering. The plartat'on was organized as No. 11, Range I In 1859, and in 1SS3 the name was changed to Cary, in honor of Hon. Shepard Cary, who formerly owned land in the township. There are five schools in the town, most of which are supplied with good, comfortable houses. The churches are well supported and the social and moral tone of the town is good. The popula- tion of Cary in 1890 was 390 and the valuation $37,578. LETTER B. There are in Aroostook County a number of townships upon which rartial settlements have been made, but which are as yet but I'ttle developed and being somewhat off the main traveled tho'-nughfares are not much known away from their immed'ate v'c'n'ty. Many of these townships contain large areas of excel- lert land for agricultural purposes and are capable of supporting a large population and afford possibilities for as fine farms as can be found in any of the more thickly settled portions of the county. The fact that these townships have passed from the possession of the State and are now owned by proprietors who purchased them chiefly for the timber, works against their de- velopment as agricultural towns. The right of these proprietors 276 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK to the ownership and control of these lands cannot of course be questioned. The State consented to sell and these gentlemen paid their money for the lands and have an undoubted legal right to hold them for lumbering purposes, or to dispose of them as they see fit, and in these rights they should certainly be pro- tected. Still the fact remains that ownership of these townships by non-resident proprietors who derive a generous income from the sale of stumpage renders their settlement practically impos- sible and thus hinders in a large measure the development of the County and its increase in population and production. Among the townships capable of making good agricultural towns is Letter B, Range 2. This township lies directly east of Littleton, north of Ludlow and corners upon the town of Houlton. Leaving the stage road from Houlton to Presque Isle about a mile north of Houlton village, a road turns to the left and runs diagonally across the northwest quarter of the town of Houlton. This road not being a part of any stage route is not generally travelled except by the residents of that portion of the tov/n and the settlers upon "Letter B," through which settlement the road continues. It is, ho\vever, an excellent turnpike road and runs through one of the most fertile agricultural portions of the town of Houlton. All along the road are handsome and productive farms with neat, well painted buildings and surroundings indi- cating thrift and prosperity. The natural scenery is very beau- tiful and this road affords a very fine pleasure drive upon a pleasant summer day. Crossing a branch of the Meduxnekeag something over a mile after leaving the Presque Isle road, we continue on in a northwesterly direction through what is known as the Niles set- tlement, where there are some fine farms and very handsome residences. The road here runs very near the stream and a branch road crosses the stream and continues due north through Houlton to the Littleton ridge. Passing the Niles settlement we ride by other handsome farms and leaving the town of Houlton through its extreme north- west corner, come to the township of "Letter B." The road en- ters this township at its southeast corner and running diagonally across two lots, then runs due west on the lot lines for something over two miles, when, like Emerson's highway, it ends in a squir- rel track and goes up a tree. Only a small tract in the southeastern portion of the town- ship is settled, but this settlement contains some very good farms. The township is owned by Madigan & Donworth, and HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 277 much lumber has been cut upon It in years past. As we enter the settlement of Letter B, we first come to the farm and residence of Mrs. Pilsbury, on the left of the road. This is a very good farm with a handsome residence. Mrs. Pilsbury is a daughter of Col. Joshua C. Carpenter and formerly resided in Texas, her husband^ now deceased, having been a member of Congress from that State. Miss Harriet Carpenter, a sister of Mrs. Pilsbury, resides with her. Col. Joshua C. Car- penter m.oved to Letter B. in 1862 and bought this lot for Mrs. PJ-sbury and made his home here until his death in 1866. He v/as killed by a falling tree. A party of men were engaged in cutt'ng a "drive," as it is called by choppers. The trees on quite an extent of ground are cut nearly off and then a large tree on the outer edge of the "drive" is chopped off and sent crashing upon the others, causing the whole piece to fall like bricks in a row. A large drive had been cut and tv ere falling a large birch which was to carry with it i^^ *' .... the partially chopped trees. Col. Carpenter stoocl l was thought a safe distance, holding his watch to tlrae ^ic choppers. When the tree fell, a huge limb was hurled upon the Colonel, killing him instantly. Col. Carpenter wa well knov/n in many portions of Maine, having been for; _, prominent man in the Democratic party. He formerly resided in Penobscot County and was at one time Sheriff of the County. He was a man of much force and vigor, always with the roughest side out, but possessed of a kind heart. In politics he was a sturdy fighter, always wanting "a free field and a fair fight." His son, Major Stephen Decatur Carpenter, of the regular army, was a gentle- man of culture and a splendid soldier. He fell while gallantly fighting at the battle of Murfreesboro and was much lamented by his comrades and many friends. A short distance beyond Mrs. Pilsbury's the road turns squarely to the vv-est near the residence of Mr. Luther Snell. Mr. Snell moved to Letter B in 1866 and settled upon this lot, upon which a very small clearing had been made. He now has fifty acres of good land which produces fine crops and has a good, com.fortable set of farm buildings. Mr. Snell is a son of Mr. Luther Snell, who v/as for so many years the genial and kindly landlord of the old Snell House in Houlton. Mr. Snell, Sr., died in Houlton three years ago. He gave up active business some years before his death and spent the last years of his life quietly among the many friends with whom he had so long been associated. 278 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK On the opposite side of the road from Mr. Snell is the pleas- ant residence of Mr. Davidson, a printer by trade, who formerly worked in the office of the Aroostook Pioneer. He has now re- tired to the quiet shades of this farm in Letter B. and his neigh- bors have shown their appreciation of his worth by making him school supervisor. The schoolhouse is situated near his residence and a good school is here maintained. Next west of Mr. Snell's on the south of the road is the farm of Mr. George W. Carpenter, a grandson of the Colonel. His father, Mr. B. F. Carpenter, was the first man to make a clearing in the wilderness of Letter B. He came in 1858 and bought two lots and commenced clearing land. He built a log house and moved to his home in the forest in 1860. Here he continued to reside and to extend his clearing until his death, which occurred in January, 1879. His son now has the east half of the home- stead farm, Mr. Carpenter has about thirty acres of cleared land and raises good crops. The soil is rich and strong, not very stony and produces well. The residence is the comfortable frame house built by his father after the era of the log buildings •v<^as passed. His brother, Mr. WilHam N. Carpenter, has the west half of the homestead farm. He has thirty six acres cleared and under cultivation, and has a comfortable home. Opposite the homestead farm on the north side of the road is the farm of Mr. Thomas J. Carpenter, another son of Mr. B. F. Carpenter. He has 100 acres of good land, with fifty acres cleared and a good set of farm buildings. Next beyond Mr. Carpenter on the north of the road is Mr. Charles Stevens, who came to the town some fourteen years ago and made a small clearing and built a comfortable house. Mr. Stevens is a house carpenter and does not do much farming. Mr. Frark A. Hammond lives next west on a good farm with good buildings. He is a man who has faith in farming and will no doubt make a success of it. Opposite Mr. Hammond's, on the south of the road, is the farm of Mr. Michael Rugan, who commenced here something more than twenty years ago and now has a good farm with forty acres of cleared land. His next neighbor on the west is Mr. George N. Crawford, who bought a wild lot here in 1863 and has made a good farm.. He is an industrious man and has made a comfortable home. Opposite Mr. Crawford's is the Jameson farm, which is a very good farm, and passing this we come to the last farm upon the road. Mr. Andrew Gardner came from New Brunswick twelve years ago and bought this lot, upon which HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 279 Mr. William Batchelor had made a small clearing. Mr. Gardner now has one of the best farms in the town and has a new and handsome house. The road terminates at Mr. Gardner's and his fields are bordered on the west by the forest. There are a few farms in the extreme southwestern portion of the township ad- joining the Ludlow line. The Township of Letter B. is abundantly watered by streams and brooks. A branch of Meduxnekeag runs in an east- erly course entirely across the southern portion of the township and many brooks flow from the northern portions of the town into this stream. Mr. James G. McConnell has a mill on the Meduxnekeag, half a mile from the Littleton line. This mill was built many years ago by Josiah Gellerson and contains a rotary, lath machine, shingle machine and clapboard machine. The mill is run by water and formerly manufactured lumber for shipment, but has not been run to any extent for the past few years. Mr. Nelson Mitchell some years ago built a mill a mile above on the same stream. His son, Edward Mitchell, now runs the mill. Letter B. is a good settling town. It contains much good timber land interspersed with fine hard wood ridges. The town- ship was at one time" organized as Hammond Plantation, but is now unorganized. MERRILL Township No. 6, Range 4 was in 1876 organized as Merrill Plantation, taking its name from Capt. William Merrill of Port- land, who bought the southeast quarter of the township about the year 1840. This township lies directly west of the tov/n of Smyrna, north of Dyer Brook Plantation, and has Moro Planta- tion on its western boundary'. The State road, so called, now runs on the line between Merrill and Dyer Brook the entire length of these towns. Captain Merrill made his first clearing on the hill west of the East Branch of the Mattawamkeag, a short distance from the Smyrna line. His son, Edward T. Merrill, moved to the town in 1844 and settled on this lot. The Merrills made a large farm here and built a good set of buildings. William G. Merrill an- other son of Capt. Merrill, had the next lot to the west. The Merrills lived in the town some ten years, when Capt. Merrill sold his interest to S. H. Blake, Esq., of Bangor, and his sons returned to Portland. Mr. William Anderson now lives upon the 280 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK farm formerly occupied by Edward T. Merrill. The stage road from Houlton to Patten crosses the corner of the town and Mr. Anderson's buildings are on this road, the State road also run- ning along the south line of this farm. Mr. Arthur Rosie occu- pied the farm after Mr. Merrill left it and Mr. Anderson came to Merrill twenty-three years ago and bought the farm of Mr. Rosie. This is a very handsome farm, situated upon elevated land and has some very fine fields. It is under good cultivation and has a good set of farm buildings. The large barn was built by Capt. Merrill and the hinges upon the barn doors were made from iron taken from the Brit'sh brig Boxer, which was captured off Portland by the gallant Lieutenant Burrows of the U. S. Brig Enterprise, on the 5th of September, 1813. The old settlers of the town report th-^" ^'^-'':. Merrill bought the remains of the old British hulk and wrought to the township many articles, mostly Iron implei-.c-t:;, obtained fro mthat source. Relic hunt- ers can yet find in the town an old crowbar or two and some broken sabers and other articles taken from the Boxer. Turning to the right near Mr. Anderson's and riding toward the west on the State road, we first come to the farm of Mr. Ira K. Tarbell, which was the farm originally occupied by Mr. Wm. G. Merrill. This is a ■^ood farm, well located and consists of 110 acres of level bout 70 acres cleared. Next west is the farm of Mr ,_'ell, who came from Solon when a small boy, some forty-eight years ago. The next farm Is occu- pied by Milo E. Leavitt, a son of Moses Leavitt, whose residence is just across the road in Dyer Brook Plantation. Beyond Mr. Leavitt's the road enters a strip of woods and the land falls off toward Dyer Brook Stream, which the road crosses on a sub- stantial bridge. After passing through the woods we come out to the farm of Mr. Mellin Grant, and next beyond him, Mr. John Grant, both of whom have good farms. The next settler is Mr. Herbert Brown, who has a good farm on a handsome hardwood ridge. The next farm is occupied by the widow of Mr. Chas. Stephens, who came here from Ludlow eleven years ago and bought this lot, upon which there was a small clearing. He cleared up a large farm and built a handsome two-story house and a large barn. The farm is situated on a beautiful ridge of land and the view extends over vast areas of forest to the west and north, •with little clearings dotted in at intervals and winding streams glancing here and there in the sunlight, while the ranges of mountains extending northward from old Katahdin form a grand HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 281 and beautiful background to the picture. From the Stephens farm the land falls off to the west toward Moro, and there are no more settlers on the State road in Merrill. The old Smyrna and Rockabema road starts from the East Branch near Smyrna Mills and runs diagonally across Merrill Plantation in a northwesterly direction, leaving the town at the northwest corner and, after running about a mile and a half due west on the north line of Moro Plantation, intersects the stage road from Patten to Fort Kent. This road runs for a greater portion of the distance through an unsettled country, though there are some farms at intervals along the road. There are also some very good farm.s in the southwest quarter of the tov/n on roads running from the State road to the old Rockabema road. A large part of this township is still in its wilderness state, but much of it vvould cut up into good farms and this land Vv'ill one day be wanted for settlement. Hastir k, a tributary of the West Branch of the Mattawamkea^,, : ::irough a portion of the northv/est quarter of the town and Dudley Brook, an af- fluent of the East Branch, crosses the northeast corner, Merrill Plantation had in 1890, a population of 244, and a valuation of $64,396. OAKFIELD Oakfield is the Switzerland of Aroostook. It is the most mountainous and broken of all the towns in the county now opened for settlement. It reminds one of the hill tov/ns of West Oxford and for ruggedness of surface may be compared with the old town of Albany with this difference, that the muontains of Oakfield are yet covered with a heavy growth of birch and maple. The southern and southeastern portions of the town are extremely stony, immense granite boulders lying thick upon the surface and greatly interfering v/ith agricultural operations. In the northern and northwestern portions of the town the granite disappears and the surface is somewhat less broken and better adapted to farming. Oakfield was formerly known as Township No. 5, Range 3, and is bounded on the north by the tov/n of Smyrna, on the east by Linneus and New Limerick, on the south by the unset- tled Township No. 4, Range 3 and on the v/est by Dyer Brook Plantation. The east branch of the Mattawamkeag flows in a due south course entirely across the extreme western portion of the town, 282 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK leaving but a narrow strip of land between the river and the west line of the town. In the northern part of the town are Spaulding Lake and Long Lake, whose waters are discharged westward into the East Branch, while still farther north and touching the Smyr- na line is Timony Lake, a pretty little sheet of water whose outlet is at its northern point, from which a brook flows northward into Cochrane Lake and thence into the Meduxnekeag. In the north- western portion of the town is Meduxnekeag Lake, better known as Drew's Lake, portions of which are in the towns of Linneus and New Limerick, The highest part of the town is near the centre and on this high land many brooks find their source, some flowing into the East Branch and its lakes, and thus finding their way into the Penobscot, while others run into the Meduxnekeag and its feeders and finally mingle their waters with those of the beautiful St. John. On this height are springs whose waters tric- kle out in both directions and thus the same springs help to feed both the Penobscot and the St. John, and the crystal rills parting from the same little pool on this wood crowned eminence mingle "with the ocean many miles apart. In the southeastern portion of the town are Skitacook Lake and Mud Lake. The outlet of these lakes is the Skitacook Stream, which flows southward through Township No. 4, Range 3 and empties into the east branch of the Mattawamkeag. In the division of the wild lands of Maine at the time of its admission as a separate State, Township No. 5, Range 3, now Oakfield, remained in the possession of the State of Massachu- setts as the towns were divided alternately between Maine and the mother State. About 1830 two large lots, containing nearly two hundred acres each were run out by the Massachusetts land agent in the northern part of No. 5, adjoining the Smyrna line. These lots are numbered twelve and thirteen upon the present plan of the town. In 1831, Mr. Daniel Spaulding came from Kennebec County and took the lot now numbered twelve and at the same time Mr. Alexander Caldwell, who had recently emigrated to this country from Ireland took the adjoining lot. These two men were the pioneers of the town of Oakfield. The tract of land comprising these two lots was comparatively level, free from stones and fine productive soil. Mr. Spaulding cleared a farm upon which he lived until 1859, when he moved to Minnesota, where he died. He was for many years a prominent man in this section and was a man of much business ability. He was largely engaged in lumbering and also had teams upon the road to transport goods HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 283 from Bangor to Aroostook. At that time all the goods and sup- plies for this portion of Aroostook County were purchased in Bangor and hauled by teams over the old Military road. Aroos- took had in those years a close business connection with Bangor and a large trade was established which was continued for many years. After Mr. Spaulding left the farm it passed through a num- ber of hands and is now the property of Mr. Avon D. Weeks. On the lot adjoining Mr. Spaulding's is a portion of the lit- tle lake now known as Timony Lake. In 1831 Mr. Alex Caldwell commenced his clearing on the north side of the lake near the Smyrna line. Here he cleared up a considerable tract and built a set of buildings, which were afterwards burned. Mr. Cald- well died in 1865 and his daughter, Mrs. James Timony, came into possession of the property. Mr. Timony enlarged and im- proved the farm and rebuilt the buildings. He died in 1885. His widow still resides with her son, Mr. John Timony, who car- ries on the farm. The next settler upon the town was Mr. David W. Clifford, who about the year 1848 made a clearing in the southwest part of the town on the lot now occupied by Mr. John Byron. These three were the only clearings made upon the town until it was opened for settlement in 1858. In common with, all the unsettled lands of the State this town became the property of the State of Ma'ne and in 1858 was surveyed and lotted for settlement by Parker P. Burleigh and J. E. S. Cony. The State then offered the lots to actual settlers for 50 cents per acre, to be paid in road labor. Thus the settlers could pay for their lots by making roads for their own accommodation. Immigration to the new town at once commenced and set- tlers came and took lots in different portions of the town. On all the hillsides the sound of the pioneer's axe was heard as the lofty forest trees were felled and openings made in the wilder- ness for future homes. The first deed from the State of Maine was given to Mr. Samuel Gerrish, who came from Linneus in 1858 and took a lot some distance south of the center of the town. Mr. Gerrish cleared up a farm and built a good set of buildings and lived upon the farm until some four years ago, when he went to spend the last years of his life with his son, Mr. John Gerrish, who has a fine farm in the plantation of Dyer Brook. The old gentleman is now 90 years old, but is quite active for a man of that ex- 284 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ~i treme age. His children and grandchildren are still living in this and adjoining towns. Mr. John Bell, one of the earliest of the pioneers of Oak- field after the survey, came from Stoneham in Oxford County, to Aroostook to seek a new home. Hearing of the State land in Number 5, he went there, and as the hills looked natural to him, and reminded him of his home in Oxford, he concluded to settle in the new town. He first took a lot in the southwest por- tion of the town a short distance east of the East Branch. The lot extended from Downing Brook on the south to Moose Brook on the north, and was a very good lot, being beyond the granite belt. Mr. Cushman Walker of Hodgdon, had made a tv/elve acre chopping on the lot and Mr. Bell purchased Mr. Walker's possession. He lived in Linneus while he was making his first clearing and building his log house, and in 1861 moved his fam- ily to their forest home. Mr. Bell cleared upwards of twenty acres on this lot and built a good barn. He lived upon this farm ^.•,, ,-.-^,.5 ^^j^ |.v,g3^ gQ^^ j^ ^Q ]y[j._ John H. Bartlett^ who now lives Mr. Bell then took the lot next west of his former horr.c, and here he made a large clearing. He afterwards sold a part of this farm to his son, Mr. John F. Bell, reserving for him- self fift3^ acres, with .something over ten acres cleared. The land is not much broken, lying lovv/-er than the adjoining farm, is not very stony and produces well. Mr. Bell has a neat house and good barn and a thrifty orchard of something over 100 bearing trees. He is now 74 years old and somewhat feeble and has given up the managem.ent of the farm to his son-in-law, Mr. Charles Bell, who lives xnth him. The old gentleman is justly proud of the fact that he sent three boys to the army, aged 14, 16 and 18 years respectively at the time of their enlistment, but all large of their age and good stalwart young men. All three went Into the 3rd Maine Cavalry and served until the close of the war and all three came home uninjured. In 1859 Mr. John Lougee came from Linneus and took a lot a short distance southwest from the centre of the town. There was then no road to the lot and after making a small clearing, Mr. Lougee moved his family to the new home in 1861. The farm is on the side of a high hill sloping toward the south and on all sides except the west is surrounded by lofty wooded hills. A short distance to the northeast of Mr. Lougee's is the highest land in the town and the "divide" between the waters of the Penobscot and those flowing into the St. John. Looking west- ward from the buildings the view extends through a valley or HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 285 pass, to the farms in Dyer Brook Plantation and also away to the white cottages and cultivated fields of Crystal. From the higher ground the village of Patten can be plainly seen. Mt. Chase is in plain view directly to the west, while a little farther to the south old Katahdin rears his cloud-capped summit above all surrounding eminences. A road now winds through this val- ley and near the road Mr. Lougee has built a fine large house. He has two large barns and other convenient outbuildings near the house and another large barn in a field some distance away. Mr. Lougee has had much experience in the lumber v/oods and is well acquainted with all portions of western Aroostook. He is the present treasurer of the town. His son, Mr. Charles S. Lougee, lives with him and is a partner in the business. On the hills in the rear of Mr. Lougee's buildings is a deposit of iron, and surveyors are here obliged to discard the use of the com- pass on account of the deflection of the needle, caused by the iron deposit. In 1859 Mr. Joseph T. F.obbins, who holds the second deed given in the town by the State of Maine, came from Exeter and took a lot a short distance southeast of the center of the town. This farm is now on what is called the North road, one mile and a half from Morton's Corner. Mr. Robbins commenced clearing land and built a timber house upon his lot but did not move his family to the new town until August, 1862. At that time the road from Linneus Corner was made only as far as the Byron place in the west part of Linneus and from there Mr. Rob- bins moved his family, consisting of his wife and tv/o children, through the woods to their new home on a sled drawn by oxen. Mr. Robbins has a farm of 185 acres with something over fifty acres cleared. A large portion of the farm is quite free from stones and produces well. He has a good set of buildings and is comfortably situated. Mr. Robbins has been a member of the board of assessors and has always been a prominent man in the town. Mr. J. A. Tyler came from Augusta in 1861 and took the lot next west of Mr. Robbins. He cleared some forty acres of land and built a house and barn. Mr. Tyler lived upon this farm until four years ago, when he moved to California. Mr. Lewis P. Young came from Linneus in 1861 and took the lot next west of Mr. John Lougee's. He made a small clear- ing on the lot and built a house and barn and then went into the army in the 16th Maine Regiment and died in the service. Mrs. Woodworth now lives on this farm. 286 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Benjamin Burleigh, a brother of Col. Moses Burleigh of Linneus, moved from Houlton in 1860 and took a lot in the south part of the town running back to Skitacook Lake. Mr. Burle'gh commenced a farm here, but lived only about five years after he came to the town. One of the earliest settlers of the town was Mr. WilHam C. Thompson, who came from the town of Knox, in Waldo County, in 1859 and took a lot in the west part of the town south of the centre line. Th's lot runs back to the East Branch. Mr. Thomp- son made a small clearing in 1859 and built a frame house and in April, 1860, moved h's family to the town and has I'ved UT^on this farm ever since. He has 150 acres of land wHh 60 acres cleared. The land slopes gradually westward to the E^.it Branch and along the river is a fine intervale. Mr. Daniel Allen came from Montville with Mr. Thomoson and took the lot adjoining his on the north. He cleared up a farm and built a set of buildings, and d'ed here some twenty years ago. His son, S. J. Allen, now lives on the farm. Mr. John Brown came to the town in 1860 and took a lot in the south part of the town (No. 134K He cleared about twenty acres and lived upon it four years and then removed to Merrill Plantation. Enoch Bamford came to Oakfield in 1862 and first took a lot in the west part of the town, where he made a small clearing and then sold to Mr. David Byron. He then took the lot next north of Mr. Joseph T. Robbms, where he remained two years. This lot is now occupied by Mr. William T. Higgms. Mr. Bam- ford was for a number of years afterward engaged in trade at Linneus Corner and something over a year ago returned to Oak- field and took the L. C. Spra^jue farm on the south road a short distance east of Morton's Corner. Here Mr. Bamford has a store with a stock of general merchandise and is the postmaster of Oakfield. Mr. Chas. T. Bussell came from Farmington in 1862 and took a lot near the centre of the town. He moved h's family to the town the next year. Mr. Bussell cleared up a good farm and built a good set of buildmgs. He was for years a prominent man in the town and was well known in th's portion of the coun- ty. He removed to Minnesota some six years ago. Th's farm is now owned by Mr. Elijah N. Nelson, who came from New Brunswick and purchased it some five years ago. He has about sixty acres of cleared land, a good house and a barn 40x60 ft. The farm was neglected after Mr. Bussell left, but as Mr. Nel- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 287 son is a sturdy, energetic man, he will no doubt make a good farm of it. Edward Adams came from Linneus in 1862 and made a clearing on the lot opposite the John Brown lot in the south part ot the town. He lived on this lot a number of years and then moved to Colorado. Mr. James Fleming came the same year and took the lot adjoining Mr. Adams on the west. Here he made a large clearing, built a good house and barn and alter liv-'ng upon the farm a number of years removed to Colorado. Edward Sullivan came the same year and took the lot adjoining Mr. Adams on the east. He made a small clearing, built a house tnd barn and alter a few years moved to Letter B. Plantation. This let is now owned by Mr. F. W. Stlmpson of Houlton. Laac Chambers came from Baring in Washington County,, in 1861, and took a lot in the southwest part of the town near Mr. John Bell's. He cleared up a farm and built comfortable buildir.gs and still lives upon the farm. Mr. William Gerrish, a son of Samuel Gerrish, came to Oak- field with his father and went to work with him to clear up a farm and make a home. They had just made a fair commence- ment when the war broke out and William went into the army in the 20th Maine Regiment. At the battle of Cold Harbor he lost a leg, and returning to Oakfield, bought a farm in the south part of the town. He farmed and traded until the summer of 1888. In June of this year Mr. Gerrish started to attend the Re- publican State Convention at Portland as a delegate from his town. He became exhausted from the heat while riding in the horse cars from the train to the hotel, and fell in a fainting fit. He was removed to the Falmouth Hotel, where he died that night. An appeal was made in his behalf to the convention and the generous sum of five hundred dollars was contributed by the delegates. This removed the mortgage from his little home and placed h's widow and family in comfortable circumstances. The widow still resides upon the farm. Theodore Gerrish, another son of Samuel Gerrish, also went into the army and at the close of the war returned to Oakfield and took the lot next north of the homestead. Here he made a clearing and built a house and lived upon the lot some five or six years, when he commenced to study for the ministry. He terwards became a clergyman in the Methodist Church and is- well known as a writer of war reminiscences. Of late years he- has been somewhat largely engaged in Western land speculation, having made large investments for himself and others at Sioux: 288 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK Falls and other places. Mr. Albert G. Bussell came with his brother, Chas. T. Bus- sell, and took the next lot to his, where he cleared up a small farm and built a house and afterwards removed with his bro- ther to the west. This farm is now occupied by Mr. Leontine Martin. Mr. Albion Eatchelder came from New Portland in 1861 and took the lot next west of Mr. Chas. T. Bussell's. Mr. Batchelder is still living upon this farm and has forty acres cleared and has good comfortable buildings. Wesley Daggett came from Weston in 1863 and first settled on a lot in the southeast part of the tovm, north of the road. He afterv/ards moved to a lot on the south of the road, v/here he made a clearing and lived until his death five years ago. His son, Luther A. Daggett, then took the farm and now lives upon it. He has tv^'cnty-five acres of cleared land. Mr. George Foster came from Waterville in 1863 and took a lot in the west part of the tovvn and made a clearing and built a log house and barn. He lived here some eighteen years and then moved to Skowhegan. This farm is nov/ unoccupied. About the same tim.e Mr. Bachelor Henry came from Waldo County and took a lot in the northwest part of the town running back to Long Lake. Here he made a farm and built a good set of buildings and lived upon the farm until his death something over two years ago. His brother, John J. Hussey, came at the same time and took the lot adjoining on the west. He cleared up a farm and built a house and barn and afterwards moved to Sherman. Albert A. Burleigh moved to Oakfield in 1865 on his return from his term of service in the army. Mr. Burleigh served in the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry and also in 1st Maine Cav- alry. At the battle of Staunton River Bridge he received a but- let wound through the left thigh and also had his left shoulder shattered by a fragment of a shell. A few days later he was taken prisoner while being conveyed to the hospital in an am- bulance. He was taken to Petersburg and afterwards to Rich- mond and was in prison fifty-five days in the summer of 1864. He was then exchanged and was discharged from the service in April, 1865. He returned to the home of his father, Hon. Parker P. Burleigh, of Linneus, and in December, 1865, moved to a State lot in Oakfield. His lot was in the southwest part of the town, on the east side of the East Branch. He made a clearing of thirty acres on this lot and built a good house, and HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 289 afterwards purchased half of the lot ad^'oining. In 1870 Mr. Burleigh was chosen a member of the board of county commis- sioners and has since served upon the board fourteen years, having had eleven years of continuous service. In April, 1873, he moved to Linneus and in the following December removed to Houlton, where he has since resided. Mr. Burleigh learned the profession of land surveyor from his father, having worked with him from boyhood, and he has since practiced that profes- sion in many parts of Aroostook and probably no man in the county is more thoroughly acquainted with the topography of Aroostook than he. In 1881, Mr. Burleigh was appointed col- lector of customs for the district of Aroostook, which office he held for four years. He was succeeded during the Cleveland administration by Hon. John P. Donworth and in 1889 was re- appointed by President Harrison and is the present incumbent. Mr. Burleigh was actively engaged in working up the present en- terprise for the construction of a direct railroad to Aroostook County, and in the formation of the Bangor & Aroostook R. R. Company, and is the president of that company. He i,". now actively engaged in pushing that important enterprise and the people of the county have all confidence in his integrity and business ability. In 1865, Mr. James W. Anderson moved to Oakfield and set- tled on a lot in the northern part of the town, east of Spaulding Lake. Mr. Anderson was a soldier in the old 24th Maine Regi- ment and afterwards served in the 20th Maine. The township remained unorganized until 1866. The war- rant for the organization as a plantation was issued to Jacob Martin, Jr., on March 7, 1866, by County Commissioners D. A. Sewall, N. S. Lufkins and T. C. S. Berry. The first meeting was held April 17, 1866, at the house of Charles T. Russell. James Timony was chosen moderator; William Gerrish, clerk; Joseph F. Robbins, James Timony and John Bell, assessors, and Thomas Shields, treasurer. At the request of Mr. James Timony, then the oldest living resident of the town, it was voted that the plantation be called Oakfield. On June 7th a second meeting was held, at which the school districts were arranged and some action taken in regard to roads. In September 1866, Oakfield cast 57 votes. Mr. Benj. F. Higgins moved from Lisbon to Oakfield in October, 1867, and settled on a lot a short distance northeast of the center of the town. When Mr. Burleigh lotted the town he selected this lot for himself or his boys, but afterwards ex- 290 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK changed and took the lot on the East Branch, where Albert A. Burleigh afterwards lived. Mr. Thos. C. Segar then took the lot and felled five acres of trees upon it, and in 1861 went into the army and died in the service. Mr. Higgins served through the war and in 1867 came to Oakfield and married the widow of Mr. Segar and settled upon the new lot. Mr. Higgins was deputy land agent for some time and has been a prominent man in his town. He, with others, built a mill a number of years ago on the stream which flows across his lot, but not proving profitable, it has been abandoned. Mr. Higgins is now advanced in years and has given up the management of the farm to his son, Phil Sheridan Higgins, who lives with him. Another son, U. S. Grant Higgins, is settled upon a farm nearby, Mr. J. D. B. Clark came from Smyrna in 1866 and took a lot in the northwest part of the town, running back to Long Lake. He has 133 acres of good land, quite free from stones, with 50 acres cleared. He has a handsome two-story house and good barn and outbuildings. Mr. Clark is a blacksmith by trade and works at Smyrna Mills a part of the time. Mr. Avon D. Weeks came to Oakfield in 1872 and bought the old Spaulding place in the north part of the town, next to the Smyrna line. Mr. Weeks is the son of Abner Weeks, former- ly one of the business men of Houlton. Mr. Weeks has a mill on the thoroughfare between Spaulding Lake and Long Lake. Mr. Joseph Crandall built the original mill some twenty years ago. It then had but an up and down saw. Mr. Weeks rebuilt and enlarged the mill in 1885 and it now contains a rotary, shin- gle machine, lath machine and planer. The mill is run by water. Mr. Charles L. Weeks, the youngest son of Abner Weeks, has a farm adjoining his brother's and has built a very handsome residence. Last winter the Weeks Bros, built a shingle mill on Tov;rship Mo. 7, Range 3, wh"ch lies directly north of Smyrna. Mr. Charles L. Weeks is in charge of the business at this mill. Mr. W. H. Gerrish has recently built a steam grist mill near the road which crosses the thoroughfare between the lakes. He has two run of stones and grinds feed and also bolts buckwheat flour. He also has a store near the mill and is doing a good business. Mr. Robert McElman has a blacksmith shop near the mill. Mr. Harry F'sher has a handsome residence on his farn'!; on the south side of Spaulding Lake. He is largely engaged in lum- bering. Some two miles from the east line of the town a road turns HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 291 to the north at what Is called Morton's Corner and runs north- ward across the town. Mr. George F. Morton came from Silver Ridge eight years ago and bought the Henry C. Taylor farm at what vvas then called Taylor Corner. Mr. Morton has a very good farm here and also keeps pubhc house. Mr. Albert Smart has a farm a short distance west of Mr. Morton's and also has a store. Mr. Eli W. Tibbetts, Mr. Charles Libby and Mr. John R. Gerrish also have farms on this road. Mr. George Burpee has a larm two m.les north of Morton's Corner, and beyond him are Wm. T. Higgms and his son, Andrew J. H.ggins. Mr. Frank- l:n S. Higgms has a small farm and a neat residence a short distance farther north. Mr. Higgins is a carpenter by trade and has been clerk of the plantation since 1873. Mr. John M. Brown and Mr. Geo. W. Brown have farms still further north. Mr. Willard Brannan and Mr. Allen Walton have good farms in the western part of the town. Oakfield is well supplied with roads and has good schools. The population in 1880 was 720. 1 hough possessed of a rough and rugged surface in many portions of the town, yet there is much good farming land in the town, and the time may yet come when all the hills, now covered with a lofty forest growth, will be converted into fertile farms, and occupied by a prosperous farming community. WESTFIELD Southward from Presque Isle the road leads through a beau- tiful farming country, and evidences of thrift may be seen on every hand, while the natural scenery is most pleasing. A short distance iiom the village we come to the handsome buildings of St. John's School, where some ninety of the boys and girls of Presque Isle, besides others from without the town, receive efficient instruction. The buildings are placed upon a healthy em'nence and are of much architectural beauty without, while within they are roomy, convenient and comfortable. A handsome dome surmounts the principal building, from which the Stars and Stripes of the Union float proudly In the breeze. Next be- yond Is the large farm of Rev. G. M.. Park, with Its numerous and commodious farm buildings and its broad and fertile fields stretching away to the distant woods. A short distance below Is the beautiful cemetery, with Its well kept grounds and newly finished receiving tomb. We pass many fine farms with fields of rich green grass and grain, and with many acres of potatoes, 292 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK somewhat backward this season, but giving promise of a bounti- ful harvest. A few miles below the village we come to Akeley Brook, upon which is situated one of the finest starch factories in Aroostook County, with two large dry houses and a conven- ient boarding house, the buildings all neatly finished and painted. This factory is the property of Hon, T. H. Phair, and many bushels of potatoes are here ground up and made into starch each year. Crossing the brook and ascending the hill beyond, ■we see on the right the lofty and irregular height of Quaggy Joe and its thickly wooded sides, while at its foot nestles the pretty little suburban village of Spragueville. Most of this vil- lage is hidden from view as we ride along the stage road, but the handsome new Methodist Church, but recently dedicated, is in plain sight upon the higher ground and shows to good ad- vantage with the dark sides of the mountain for a background. Something over three miles from Presque Isle village, at the mouth of the road leading to Spragueville, we come to the large and handsome Grange Hall which the enterprising Patrons of South Presque Isle and Westfield erected a number of years ago. The building has two stories, the lower one being used for the Grange meetings and a large and convenient dining hall is fin- ished off above. For six miles southward from the village the road^ leads through the town of Presque Isle and when nearing the south line of the town we come to Clark Brook, where is situated the starch factory belonging to Hon. G. W. Collins of Bridgewater. Cross'ng Clark Brook we are soon out of Presque Isle and come into the thriving town, or rather plantation, of Westfield, as this township has not yet been incorporated. Westfield is composed of two half townships which years ago were granted by the State of Massachusetts in aid of the es- tablishment of institutions of learning in that State. The north half of the town was by the liberality of the mother State grant- ed to Deerfield Academy and the south half to Westfield Acad- emy. This township lies in the second range and is bounded on the north by Presque Isle, on the east by Mars Hill, on the south by the unsettled half township of "E" Range 2, and on the west by the south part of Chapman and by township No. 10, Range 3. The stage road from Presque Isle to Houlton enters the town about midway of the north line and running in a southeasterly d'rection across the northeast quarter, leaves the town a mile below the middle point of its east line. The half townships were long ago sold by the trustees of HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 293 the institutions to whom they were granted to proprietors and after passing through several hands, passed into the possession of the present owners, the unsettled land in the north half or what was formerly Deerfield Academy- grant, being now owned by Hon. Parker P. Burleigh the father of our honored Governor, and the south half which is nearly all unsettled, being the pro- perty of Messrs. Powers, Madigan and Wellington. The settled portion of the town is nearly all in the northeast quarter, where are some very fine farms, although the entire township is com- posed of grand farming land. The timber, which is abundant upon this town was what made it particularly valuable in the olden time, and years before any of these fine farms were cleared lumber roads were cut through different portions of the town and in the winter time, crews of hardy lumbermen camped upon the town and were at that time its only inhabitants. The first settler who made a clearing upon the town for farming purposes was James Thorncraft, who came in 1839 and settled on what is now the Trueworthy farm, about three miles south of the Presque Isle line and nine miles south of Presque Isle village on the Houlton road. When Thorncraft made his first chopping and built his little log house in the forest the whole country for miles on every side was an unbroken wilder- ness. There was no road anywhere near him, and his nearest ne'ghbors on the north were the pioneer settlers of Presque Isle, while on the south there was no settler nearer than Bridgev/ater, and at that time very few had settled upon that town. Upon the whole of the town of Mars Hill no settler had at that time en- tered, while the now flourishing town of Easton was still in its original wilderness state. For two years Thorncraft and his wife lived here alone in this grand forest, adding each year to the little clearing and makirg the beginning of what is now a beautiful farm. The spot chosen for his home was on a fine sv/ell of hard wood land, while at a short distance from his house ran a clear, pebbly brook. In 1841, he was joined by John H. Bridges, who remained seven years and then removed to the adjoining township of Mars Hill to become its earliest pioneer settler. The farm thus early commenced by Thorncraft has long been the property of Mr. John N. Trueworthy, who is well known to all who have ever been in the habit of travelling upon that road. Mr. Trueworthy was originally from Unity, Waldo County, and came to Aroostook in 1843, settling upon what is now the farm of Deacon Charles Tarbell, on the Centre Line 294 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK road in Presque Isle. In 1861 he purchased the Thorncraft farm, which had already passed through a number of hands, and has resided upon it ever since. Upon removing to this farm Mr. Trueworthy at once opened his house as a hotel and as at that time all the goods for the upper country were hauled by teams from Houlton, his house was a convenient stopping place and had a large custom. Though the house was not large, yet it was always noted for its neatness and for the excellence of the abundant cheer which the good landlady placed upon the table. Mr. Trueworthy was appointed postmaster in 1862, and though a good old Democrat, has held the office through every administration until the present time and will probably continue to hold it during his life. The old gentleman is now upwards of 70 years old and has in a great measure retired from active life. Since the extension of the railroad to Presque Isle the business of the hotel has been considerably diminished, though the best of entertainment can still be had there. In 1846 Mr. John Young moved from Bridgewater and com- menced a clearing on what is now called Young's Brook, near where the Houlton road crosses the line of Westfield and en- ters Mars Hill. He was the third settler upon the town. Thorn- craft and Bridges at the time living some four miles north of him. Two years later these two last named settlers removed to Mars Hill leaving Mr. Young the only settler upon the town. His widow, an old lady nearly 90 years old, still lives on the old place and from her we learned many incidents in connec- tion with the early settlement of the town. His sons are also among the citizens of Westfield today. For a number of years no new settlers came to the town. Mr. Young extended his clearing and found a market for his surplus crops principally at the lumber camps in the vicinity. The invasion of the "Press gang" in 1858 called attention to the fertile lands of Aroostook and soon after that time emi- grants began to rush into the new county. A few stopped in Westfield and had this been a State town probably every lot in town would long ere this have been settled. It being, however, the property of proprietors who held the land at two dollars per acre and wished to reserve a large portion of the town for lum- bering purposes, most of the newcomers pressed on to the cheap- er lands upon the State towns beyond, where lots could be had for fifty cents per acre, to be paid in road labor. About that time, or a short time previous thereto, Mr. Gran- ville Coburn of Lincoln took up the lot next above Mr. True- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 295 worthy's, upon a beautiful ridge of maple land where he made a very fine farm. His widow and daughters are now living in Presque Isle and the farm at present has no tenant residing upon it. Mr. Pickering settled next above Coburn on what is now the Jewell farm, and next above, on the farm now occupied by Mr. Charles W. Allen, James Lucy commenced a clearing. As late as 1858 the settlers named were all that were upon the town. In the fall of 1858 Mr. A. C. Dodge came from Lib- erty, in Waldo County, and settled a short distance above Mr. Young's, on the road to Presque Isle. Mr. Dodge is still one of the prominent citizens of the town and has for a number of years been agent appointed by the County Commissioners for the expenditure of the road tax, a large proportion of which is paid by the non-resident proprietors. In 1859 Cyrus Chase, Levi W. Reed and Asa Reed of Dan- ville, and Sewall Woodbury of New Gloucester, settled on the road on adjoining lots south of the Trueworthy place. Asa Reed was killed in the army, and Levi W. Reed remained and made a fine farm upon which he worked during the summer time, being engaged in school teaching during the winter months, until about a year ago, when he removed with his family to New Gloucester, where he now has charge of the butter factory. Mr. Reed and his wife were prominent members of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry of Northern Aroostook and are much missed by their old neighbors and friends, Mr. Cyrus Chase is still a resident of Westfield, and has made from the forest one of the finest farms in the town. He is one of the officers of the North Aroostook Agricultural Society in whose prosperity he is much interested. He was a good soldier in the 19th Maine Regiment and is one of the pregressive farmers of Northern Aroostook. In 1860 Mr. Joel Howard, who the previous year had com- menced a clearing upon Mars Hill Township, came to Westfield and purchased two lots opposite the Trueworthy place. Here Mr. Howard cleared up a large and productive farm, upon which he built a fine stand of farm buildings and where he continued to reside until some five years ago or thereabouts he moved to the village of Presque Isle. During his residence In Westfield, Mr. Howard was one of its most prominent citizens and at one time represented his district in the Maine Legislature. In 1861 Mr. L. A. Blaisdell came from Somerset County and purchased a lot in the north part of the town, his residence being on the main road about a mile south of the Presque Isle 296 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK line. Here Mr. Blaisdell cleared up a good farm and built a comfortable set of buildings where he still continues to reside. For years Mr. Blaisdell has been extensively engaged in bee culture and has justly been named the Bee King' of Aroostook County. All the farms of which we have so far spoken are located upon the main stage route from Houlton to Presque Isle. A mile west of this road, and parallel to it, a road commences near the north line of the town and runs for about two miles through a splendid farming section, though the farms upon this road are much newer than those located upon the main thoroughfare. Upon this road Mr. Robert M. Fox, from Dixmont, made the first clearing In 1870. Mr. Fox has now forty acres cleared and has a comfortable set of buildings. The plantation, including the two half townships of Deer- field and Westfield Academy grants, was organized in 1861 and has not been incorporated as a town, the citizens preferring to retain their plantation organization. The first schoolhouse was built in 1863 and in this house Mrs. L. W. Reed taught the first school in tov\^n. In the fall of 1859, Peavy Bros, of Bangor built on Young's Brook, near the Mars Hill line, a factory for the manufacture of peavy stocks from the abundant supply of maple timber in this vicinity. The building contains a fine 25 horse power en- gine, with SO horse power bo'ler, sav/s, lathes and all the ma- chinery necessary for the finishing up of the stocks. The maple is delivered at the factory in logs of suitable length for the stocks which are from four to six feet long. The company pays $2 per thousand feet stumpage for the timber and hire it cut and hauled to the factory. Last winter the factory turned out 35,000 stocks fin'shed ready for ironing. Mr. Cyrus Chase hauled these 35,000 stocks to Presque Isle during the winter. They were shipped to Bar$?or to be ironed and doubtless many a stout lever from good Westfield maple will be used in lifting and rolling the big pines upon the rivers of the far West. There is no starch factory in town, the nearest one being upon Clark Brook in Presque Isle, a short d'Stance north of the Westfield line. The larger portion of the potatoes ground at this factory are supplied by Westfield farmers who are largely en- gaged in this profitable branch of Aroostook agriculture. Large quantities of potatoes are also hauled from this town to the sta- tion at Presque Isle and sold for shipping purposes. The route of the survey for the line of the Bangor & Aroos- HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 297 took Railroad runs but a short distance from this town, and when completed and the station established at Mars Hill, will be a great help to the farmers of the town. Like all the towns in this section, Westfield is finely wa- tered in every portion of the town. The Presque Isle of the St. John enters the town about a mile from its northeast corner and flows for a distance of nearly four miles in this portion of the town, when it crosses the line into Mars Hill. Many brooks throughout the entire length of the town flow eastward and northward and empty into this stream. Clark Brook, a strong flowing stream, rises in the southwest quarter of the town and flows in a northerly direction, leaving the town through its north line and entering Presque Isle. This brook then bends to the eastward and flows into the Presque Isle of the St. John. In the southwest quarter of the town is also Burnt Land Brook, which rises in the adjoining township on the south and flows in a south- westerly course across the southwest corner of the town, whence it continues on through the adjacent towns and empties into the Presque Isle of the Aroostook. This brook receives three strong branches from Westfield, by means of which the south- west quarter of the town is amply watered. After carefully looking over this town we must pronounce it one of the best of the towns in this vicinity for agricultural purposes. The principal portion at present settled is in the northeast quarter of the town, the settlements extending only a short distance into the northwest and southeast quarters. All the remainder of the town, including the entire southwest quar- ter, is still an unbroken wilderness.. All along the main road to Presque Isle are fine fertile farms with comfortable homes, and from this road can be seen immense tracts of fine hard wood land upon which no settler has yet entered. Good timber is abundant throughout all these forest tracts and large lumber poerations are carried on each year. With the exception of the low lands along the streams the timber is mixed throughout the hard wood growth and when it is cut off the land will in all probability be sold to settlers and this v/ill eventually be one of the finest farming towns in Northern Aroostook. The very best of wild land suitable for farms can now be bought here for $4.00 per acre and probably before many years the whole town will be lotted and placed upon the market. The continuation of the Quaggy Joe Range extends for some distance dovv^n through the northvv^est part of the town, but is in few places sufficiently high to interfere with farming oper- 298 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK ations, and in general the surface of the town is not badly broken. The fact that the town was owned by proprietors who hive heretofore valued it mainly for lumbering purposes, has of course retarded the settlement of this fine town. The population in 1880 was but 103 and in 1890 was 166. The valuation of ihe town in 1890 was $34,426. CASTLE HILL The beautiful Aroostook River in its many windings through- out its tortuous course toward the St. John flows through many fertile towns, and along its banks were made the humble homes of the first settlers of the northern part of the county. One of the finest, in an agricultural point of view, is the town, or rather plantation, of Castle Hill, for it has not yet been incorporated as a town. This may be classed among the river towns, although the Aroostook flows only for a distance of about three miles through its northwest corner. Castle Hill, formerly known as Township No. 12, Range 4, is bounded on the north by Wade Plantation, east by the town of Mapleton, west by Sheridan Plantation and south by the un- organized township of No. 11, Range 4. The old State road from Presque Isle to Ashland runs across the northern portion of the town, and it was in this part that the first settlement was made According to the most reliable information that we have been able to obtain, the first settler on the line of the State Road was Jabez Trask, called by the old settlers Gen. Trask, he hav- ing acquired that title in the militia of the western portion of the State. Trask came to Castle Hill in 1843 and settled on the spot where Smith's hotel now is, something over four miles west from the east line of the town. About the same time Ephraim Knights, Caleb Spencer and one Seavey commenced clearings at the mouth of Beaver Brook which enters the Aroostook River in the extreme northwest cor- ner of the town. The lot upon which Knights and Spencer made their clearing was afterwards granted by the Commissioners ap- pointed to locate grants under the treaty of 1842 to Robert Mil- liken, whose grant also included Beaver Brook Island, and the Seavey lot was at the same time granted to Patrick Powers, these grantees having purchased the improvements from the original settlers. Mr. Trask cleared a large tract of land on both sides of HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 299 the road and made the commencement of the large farm now owned and occupied by Mr. Henry Tilley. He also built a tim- ber house and barn and commenced the business of keeping hotel, as after the road was opened to Ashland there was a large amount of teaming to that section. In 1850 Trask sold the pro- perty to Daniel Chandler. Soon after this the house was burned and Mr. Chandler built a frame house and continued the busi- ness of hotel keeping. In May, 1860, Mr. Henry Tilley came to Castle Hill and hired the Chandler hotel. Mr. Chandler then moved to a lot on the Aroostook River near the mouth of Beaver Brook, where he remained some three years, then he moved to Presque Isle. He afterward made a very fine farm near the Aroostook River, on the Washburn road in the old town of Maysville now includ- ed in the town of Presque Isle. Here he built a very handsome set of farm buildings and made extensive improvements, and lived upon this farm until his death, which occurred last spring. Mr. Tilley remained in the Chandler house some three years, when he purchased the farm on the opposite side of the road and built a hotel stand which he kept open to the public until seven years ago. After Mr. Tilley left the Chandler house Mr. Samuel Caughey kept the house two years when the property was sold to Mr. G. D. Smith, who carried on the farm, but did not keep the house open to the public. In 1883 Mr, Tilley went out of the hotel business and Mr. Herbert P. Smith reopened the Chan- dler house as a hotel. Two years ago the present summer the barn was struck by lightning and all the buildings were con- sumed by fire. Mr. Smith rebuilt the house and barn the same year and is the present occupant of the hotel. The house is very pleasantly situated and as it is a convenient stopping place for teams and travellers between Presque Isle and Ashland, is doing a large business. Mr. Tilley engaged quite extensively in farm- ing and has been for many years a prominent man in this sec- tion and is well known throughout Aroostook and other portions of Maine. Having occasion at one time to do some business at the Land Office when Isaac R. Clark was State Land Agent, and thinking that Mr. Clark was treating him somewhat loftily, Mr. Tilley is said to have exclaimed with his characteristic in- dependence and a plentiful supply of blanks, "Look here, Mr. Clark, I want you to understand that I'm just as big a man in Castle Hill as you are in Bangor !" Mr, Tilley has paid much attention to fruit culture and has a very fine orchard. He was also at one time largely engaged in bee-keeping and has 300 ! HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK paid much attention to sheep husbandry. He is now in feeble health and has Wholly given up business and is living quietly at his old home, where he enjoys very much to receive calls from the friends he used to meet so often in active life. He has been postmaster of Castle Hill for twenty-five years. His son, James H. Tilley, has a very fine farm a short distance east of the hotel on the Presque Isle road. Mr. L. K. Tilley, another son, has a large farm a short distance west of his father's, on the same road. He is this summer building a large barn, which will be dedicated on the 7th of August by the meeting of Aroostook Pomona Grange, of which Mr. Tilley is an active member. He is also supervisor of schools, and has a store opposite the hotel. A short distance west of the hotel is the farm and residence of Mr. M. K. Hilton, a prominent citizen of the town and one of its first assessors. Mr. Hilton has a good farm and a very pleasant residence and is this year making extensive repairs on his buildings. The district known as the Porter settlement, lying, along the State road, a short distance from the east line of the town, is a very fine agricultural section, and contains some good farms with comfortable and neatly kept farm buildings. After the coming of the pioneers of the town in 1843, there seems to have been no immigration of- any amount until about 1850. In that year James Porter came from Mirimachi, N. B., and settled on the Ashland road about half -a mile from the Ma- pleton line. Robert Porter came soon after and settled on the opposite side of the road. James Porter^ Jr., settled on the next lot west, and in 1851 John L. Porter took up the lot next to the Mapleton line, where William Chandler now lives. These set- tlers commenced their clearings in the midst of the forest and here reared their humble homes and were subjected to all the privations incident to a pioneer life in the wilderness. Now the forest is all cleared away on both sides of the road and broad, smooth fields and handsome farm buildings are seen throughout this part of the town. About the time the Porters settled in the east part of the town, Abram and Nathaniel Jordan took up lots west of the hotel on the same road, and John Jordan settled on the lot where M. K. Hilton now lives. Aaron Dingee settled about the same time on the lot next to the west line of the town, where Mr. Joseph Ellis now lives. Mr. Wm. Chandler in 1853 bought of John L. Porter the lot in the northeast corner of the town next to the Mapleton HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK . 301 line, and has there made a very fine farm with a neat and con- venient stand of buildings. The old State Road runs through a very fine agricultural section and the buildings along the road are neat and well kept and the farms are well cultivated and produce abundant crops. The road is in excellent condition and though somewhat hilly, is nevertheless a very pleasant road to ride on in a pleasant sum- mer day. As one approaches the western line of the town on the way to Ashland, the Aroostook River is seen a short dis- tance to the right bending in the form of a huge letter S among the lofty trees and flowing through fertile meadows. Near the river is the lofty hill from which the town takes its name, a large log building having been built upon its summit by the surveyors of the olden time, the remains of which building may still be seen. A considerable stretch of the imagination invested these old ruins with the dignity of a castle and from this the tov/nship was named Castle Hill. In the south part of the town the road from Presque Isle, which runs in a due westerly course entirely across the town of Mapleton, continues upon the same stra'ght line about half way across Castle Hill township. This road runs through as fine a tract of farming land as can be found in New England. As one looks westward from the fine eminence just east of the village of Ball's Mills in Mapleton, a beautiful maple grove is seen on a ridge near the Castle Hill line and through this grove the road passes, the grand old forest trees growing close down to the confines of the highway on either side and making a most grate- ful shade on a hot summer day. Emerging from this grove, a most beautiful view of field and meadow is opened out on either hand. Broad, smooth and level fields stretch away on each side of the road and terminate in beautiful forests of maple. Large fields of potatoes, the tops covering the ground, are a most at- tractive feature of the landscape. Here upon this beautiful ridge are the farms and homes of the three Dudley brothers, and no more fertile or attractive spot can be found in Aroostook. Thirty-one years ago Micajah Dudley came to Aroostook from the town of China. He had heard of the beauty and fer- tility of the forest lands of this northern county and regardless of the advice of friends who wished him to make a home near the older settlements, he pushed on into the wilderness, deter- mined to find a tract large enough and in one compact block of good land to furnish farm.s for himself and his four sons. Ar- riving upon this beautiful maple ridge he concluded to go no 302 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK further, and though he was warned that no road would ever penetrate those trackless wilds, he had faith in the future of Aroostook and made his choice with rare wisdom and foresight. His sons came with him or followed soon after and together they bent themselves to the task of making for themselves pleasant homes in this then far away forest region. The lather lived to see a good smooth turnpike built through the block of land he made choice of and to see broad and productive fields where the huge maples were growing when he first set foot upon the ridge. He has now passed away and three of h'.s sons are now living upon the block, the fourth having a fine farm but a short distance away. As we come through the grove of maples spoken of above, we first come to the home of Mlcajah Dudley, the youngest of the four sons. A stone's throw beyond is the residence of John W. Dudley. For many years these two bro- thers carried on their farming operations in company under the firm name of M. & J. W. Dudley, but have recently dissolved for the sole reason that the tastes of each led him to pursue a different line of farming. Directly opposite is the home of Allen W. Dudley, the eldest brother, while a short distance be- yond is the house of his son, Sanford, who is now in company with him. Micajah Dudley has 240 acres of land, nearly lOO of which is cleared. John W. Dudley has 160 acres with 60 acres cleared. His specialty is orcharding, in which he has been very successful, and he has now one of the finest orchards in Aroostook. He has 275 apple trees in full bearing, these having been set ten years ago. Nearby are 200 young trees of the Dud- ley Winter variety, and 500 Moore's Arctic plum trees set last spring. He is the originator of the Dudley Winter, it being a seedling from the Duchess. Mr. Dudley is a vice president of the Maine Pomological Society and an enthusiast in fruit cul- ture. Allen W. Dudley has 180 acres of land, with over 75 acres cleared. He also has a very productive and well kept orchard and raises a good supply of fruit. We doubt if a finer tract of farming land can anywhere be found than this mile square block wh'ch the elder Dudley chose as a home lor himself and his sons. On a crors road connecting with the State Road and about a mile from this block is the farm of the fourth brother, Mr. Frank C. Dudley. He has 160 acres of land very finely located, with about 60 acres cleared, the remainder being a beautiful level tract of maple growth. He has a very handsome stand of farm. HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK SOS buildings and everything around the place is conveniently kept. The farm of Mr. John P. Roberts is the first after crossing the town line on the road from Ball's Mills. Mr. Roberts came to the town in 1858 and took up this lot and made a chopping and moved in with his family the next year. He afterwards bought the mill at Mapleton which he run for four years and sold it to David Dudley. Mr. Roberts was a soldier in the 18th Maine Regiment. Another of the pioneer settlers of Castle Hill was Deacon T. K. Dow, who came to the tov/n m 1859 and tooic a lot opposite Mr. Roberts near the town line. Here he has made a fine farm and has for years been one of the most prominent and respected citizens of the town. Deacon Dow is still living, a hale, hearty old gentleman of upwards of three score and ten but still able to tire some of the younger men. From Deacon Dow's a road runs due north, parallel to the town line and about a quarter of a mile west of the line and connects with the old State Road near Mr. Wm. Chandler's. This road runs through a very fine agricultural section and there are many good farms in this section of the town. Some of them are still new and will require time and labor to make them smooth and free from stumps, but the soil is fertile and in a few years there will be many fine fields along this road. Mr. John Waddell, one of the early settlers of the town, came from Lubec in 1860 and settled on this road and made a good farm some half mile distant from the State Road. His son, John Waddell, now lives upon the farm and is well and favorably known in this vicinity as an earnest local preacher of the Universalist denomination. Another road starts near Deacon Dow's and runs in a south- westerly direction for a little over a mile, when, after crossing Sawyer Brook, it turns squarely to the west and runs upon the lot lines to the foot of Haystack Mountain. There are several very fine farms along this road, among them those of Mr. A. H. Parker, Mr. A. F. Hoffses, Wm. H. Bird, Jr., and others. Near the foot of Haystack Mountain is the farm and home of Mr. Edward Tarr, an enthus'ast in bee culture, and one of the best authorities upon th's branch in Aroostook. Mr. Tarr came from Waldoboro in 1861 and made for h'mself a pleasant home under the shadow of old Haystack. He has something over 40 acres of land cleared and raises good crops, but de- votes himself to the business of bee keeping. He has now 64 304 HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK colonies in his home apiary and has charge of many others in different sections, which he cares for on shares. Mr. Tarr is a pleasant and instructive writer on bee culture and delivered an address on this subject before the Farmers' Convention at Presque Isle which was much admired. Mr. Tarr has honey on exhibition every year at the State Fair and always displays it in neat and attractive packages. He uses the simplicity hive and has a shop conveniently fitted up with proper" machinery for the manufacture of hives and of boxes for his honey. He also has a very productive orchard from which he always exhibits at the County Fair many fine specimens of fruit. In company with Mr. Tarr and Deacon Dow we climbed to the summit of Haystack, and though the ascent was somewhat difficult, we found ourselves well paid by the magnificent out- look afforded. Haystack is much like an inverted cup resting upon the bottom of an inverted saucer. For a considerable dis- tance the ascent is quite gradual and the road lies through a thick wood. Emerging from this forest growth we come to the almost perpendicular sides of the steep and barren rock which forms the cup part of the mountain. From this point to the summit the ascent is more difficult. Every vestige of tree or shrub or soil even, has been burned away and only the rugged rock remains. When one has neared the summit in this almost perpendicular climb and happens to look around upon the region beneath his feet, the sensation is anything but pleasant, and one at all inclined to be nervous is obliged to look steadily at the side of the rock and make sure hold with hands and feet. Upon arriving at the summit we found an area of less than an eighth of an acre of rock approaching anywhere near a level and this appeared so small that we felt like sitting down and clinging to the rock for fear of falling off into the depths below. The view from the top, however, is simply grand and magnifi- cent and ernbraces the entire circle of the horizon with a radius of many miles. The near view, looking down towards the east and north, is one of fertile farms, broad cultivated fields inter- spersed with grand stretches of verdant forest. On the west side a barren waste stretches for miles away from the moun- tain's base. This section was formerly a valuable timber tract, but was burned over so completely a number of years ago that hardly a green tree can be seen on the broad plain for many miles in this direction. Beyond the burnt region the view to the west and northwest is very beautiful. The high land near and beyond Ashland, with here and there a green field dotted in HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK 305 among the forest stretches, the little glimpse of Portage Lake seen through a depression between the hills and the distant mountains on the far horizon all combine to make a picture of surpassing beauty. Away to the southwest old Katahdin rises far above all other heights and Mt. Chase looms up in nearly the same direction. Almost at our feet apparently, but still some miles distant in a southerly direction, lies the glassy sur- face of Squa Pan Lake which is destined at no very distant day to be the summer resort of the citizens of Presque Isle and vicin- ity, and without doubt visitors from a distance will be attracted to this romantic retreat when the proposed improvement upon the road and in other directions shall have been completed. Al- ready a fish and game company has been formed at Presque Isle and arrangements have been completed for stocking the lake with salmon. The trail through the woods and across the burnt land can be seen from the top df Haystack and the Lake is even now accessible by buckboards. Looking southeast from Haystack the wooded tops of Hedgehog and Quaggy Joe Mountains seem about on a level with the eye, while Mars Hill and Bald Mountains are rendered less rugged in appearance by the greater distance. The villages of Presque Isle and Washburn can be plainly seen and indeed a bird's eye view of the whole country, extend- ing to every point of the compass can here be obtained and is certainly worth climbing for. If the ascent is trying to weak nerves, the descent is even more so. At times it seems as though a slip of the foot, or a loosened rock would send one far out into space, and a novice at this business is pretty sure to come down in practically a sitting posture, clinging fast with feet and hands and making slow but sure progress down the perilous steep. Soon, however, we reached the more gradual slope and were able to breathe easier and stand erect. The good Deacon made the ascent and descent with the ease and agility of a much younger man, and did not seem at all wearied by the exertion. If you come to Aroostook, by all means climb Haystack and you will surely say that the magnificent view amply repaid you for the rugged climb. There are numerous other roads throughout the town, upon all of which are good farms well under way and only requiring time and courage to make them smooth, productive and easy of cultivation. 306 HISTORY OP AROOSTOOK A careful examination of the whole town convinced us that we had never estimated it at its full worth as a farming town. With the exception of the burnt district on the southwest part of the town, Castle Hill is well up on the list of good farming towns and it contains not a few tracts of as beautiful farming land as can be found in the county. Many of the farmers in the south part of the town are mem- bers of Eureka Grange, whose hall is located at Ball's Mills. The farmers living upon the State Road some years ago organ- ized Castle Hill Grange which is composed of live and active members and is doing a grand work for the farmers of that vicinity. Castle Hill is provided with good schools and each district is supplied with a good school house. Mr. L. K. Tilley, the efficient Supervisor, is much interested in the welfare of schools and looks after them faithfully. Castle Hill was organized as a plantation under warrant from the County Commissioners April 23rd, 1866. M. K. Hilton, A. M. Dudley and Henry Tilley were the first assessors, and Jefferson Sawyer, now a merchant at Sprague's Mills, the first clerk. The plantation had in 1880 a population of 419, and a valuation of $27,636. The valuation in 1890 was $90,758, and the population 537. It is one of the good towns of the Aroos- took Valley, and has many wide awake and enterprising citi- zens. i^>m 019311