Androscoggin County ME Archives History - Books .....Historical Miscellany 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/me/mefiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 17, 2008, 6:18 pm Book Title: History Of Durham, Maine X. HISTORICAL MISCELLANY Many will remember the little round brick powder-house that stood not far from the old North Meeting House. It was built in 1812 by William Webster and Barnabas Strout. The cost was $70, and the builders were to "have the rocks on Wesson hill to underpin the same gratis." It formed part of the habitation of Deborah Parker when she was burned with it a score of years ago. The Pound near by was built by John Newell in 1821. The year 1815 was known as the year without a summer. Snow fell every month. July 5, ice formed as thick as window-glass. Corn sold for two dollars per bushel. Many farmers became discouraged and resolved to emigrate to the far West, i. e., Ohio. It has been estimated that 15,000 people went out of Maine. They were said to have the "Ohio fever." May 5, 1816 eleven emigrant wagons left West Durham, with as many families. Among them were families of Luther Plummer, John Ellis, Samuel Roberts, Eben Roberts, Daniel Roberts, James Roberts, Reuben Roberts. Others went in 1817. The Trues emigrated at this time to Indiana and N. Y. state. One of these emigrant trains was accompanied by sorrowing friends as far as the Pownal line. Here they halted. Hymns were sung and prayer was offered. So they parted, most of them to meet no more on earth. The journey occupied six weeks. It has been previously said that after the building of the North Meeting House town meetings were held in it. This continued till 1840. Then some wanted to buy it and fit it up for a town hall. It was decided, however, to build a new hall. At a meeting held Nov. 9, 1840, it was voted "to set the Town House on Merrill W. Strout's land, near the great Gully;" that it "shall be thirty-six by forty feet square with ten feet posts and twenty-three feet rafters." Nov. 15, the report of the committee appointed to draw up a plan was heard, and it was voted to amend their report "by having three rows of seats on each side with a rise of eight inches from the back seat to the front; " also "to have three aisles, one on each end and one in the middle of the house, two feet wide each." George Williams, Waitstill Webber and James Strout were chosen a committee to superintend the building of the house and the erection of the same was bid off at auction to the lowest bidder, William Newell, Jr., for three hundred and sixty-four dollars. This town house has been moved to S. W. Bend and has fallen very much into decay. I well remember the town meetings over thirty years ago. They were orderly assemblies and sometimes occasions for earnest debate over questions political and civil. People put on their Sunday clothes for town meetings. There were stands outside for sale of apples, candies, cider, gingerbread, etc. The boys had a game of ball. There was no smoking within the house. The place was clean and comfortable. Something of the reverence that belonged to the old meeting-place in the Church was shown also for the town house. I regret very much that a change for the worse has taken place. Durham needs a better town hall. Nobody can feel much respect for a dirty and dilapidated building, and there "will be a corresponding disrespect for meetings held therein. It is to be lamented when citizens cease to hold in esteem and carefully guard places for the making and administration of law. Next to the church in the respectful conduct of citizens and youth should be the place of holding town meetings. To this end there must be at least needed repairs, cleanliness, good order and decorum. A new hall, well ventilated, with proper offices for ail town officials, with, also, a Library and reading-room, having their walls decorated with portraits of Durham's noblemen of the past, would be a blessing to coming generations. These lines are written with the hope that Durham, like other towns, may find a generous benefactor. Where is the man who will build such a memorial in his native town? In the olden times alcoholic beverages were sold at every tavern and store, under a license system that dates back to early colonial days. Many sold without license. In 1840 one article in the town warrant was, "to see what method the town will take to put a stop to the immoral conduct of Rumselling." Jonathan Strout was chosen agent to put the law in force against those who were selling "ardent spirits to be drunk in their stores or shops without license." The old account books of storekeepers show that the best people of the town bought liquors frequently. They were considered necessary for laborers. Men could not be hired to go into the haying field, unless spirituous liquors were supplied. At every raising and "bee" the crowd must be treated. Between 1840 and 1850 good men began to recognize more distinctly the evil of all this. Some preachers had denounced rumselling and drinking and some temperance societies had been formed. Little progress had been made till 1848, when Neal Dow gave three lectures in the Union Church. Directly afterward thirteen persons met one night in Esquire Simmons' law-office and organized a secret society called "The Temperance Watchman Club." Among the founders were Rev. I. C. Knowlton, Rev. Moses Hanscom, Esquire Simmons, Benjamin Hoyt, Albert Gerrish, James Wm. Gerrish, James H. Eveleth, Jonathan Libby and George W. Strout. This was the beginning of a great temperance revival throughout the State. Its motto was, "Temperance, Humanity and Progress." In 1851 the Society had one hundred and twenty-two organized branches in Maine and nine in N. H., and it spread into other States. It soon put a stop to rumselling in Durham. March 4, 1850 the town voted "to instruct the Selectmen to prosecute all who sell liquors illegally." March 14, 1853 it was voted "to advise the Selectmen not to appoint an agent to sell spirituous liquors the ensuing year." Since that date there has been no open sale of liquor in Durham, nor has there been within the remembrance of the writer even a rumor that intoxicating liquors have been sold in town secretly. With very few exceptions the inhabitants of Durham have been total abstainers for half a century. To say of a man that he drinks, is to classify him with criminals. In 1884 the town voted for the prohibitory amendment to the Constitution, 166 to 44. For thirty years or more there have been Good Templars' Lodges at S. W. Bend and So. Durham. Temperate habits have made law-abiding citizens. During the hundred years after Durham's incorporation only three persons were sent to State's Prison from the town, and one of these was a boy who seems to have had an unbalanced mind and horribly mutilated a playmate. Bears were common in the early days. Joshua Miller built a corn-barn in 1794, harvested his corn and returned to Cape Elizabeth to spend the winter. Soon word was sent to him that the bears were eating up his corn. He had to return and guard against them. The last bear that tradition mentions in Durham was seen by Rufus Warren, in 1815, near the Stone Mill Pond. He gave the alarm and everybody within the sound went for his gun. The bear was driven into the woods. A number of shots were tired at him without effect. He went up a leaning tree and hung his head over a branch and looked very saucy. Jeremiah Brown wanted to fire the first shot. He took a boulder, threw it and hit the bear in the head. This brought him down, maddened and crazy. Eben Roberts got a shot at him and broke his shoulder. After the bear was killed he was carried to the buildings of John Fabyan and dressed. In 1822 it was voted to give a bounty of five dollars on wildcats' heads. It must have been about this time that Nathaniel Getchell was out in the woods one day cutting some withes when he saw a large nest up in the top of a big pine tree. Curiosity impelled him to climb up, and there he found four young wildcats. As he picked one of them up, it commenced to snarl and cry out. The mother heard the cry and started for the tree, screeching at every bound. She made a flying leap and struck the tree nearly twenty feet up the trunk, ripping and tearing the bark with her nails. To say that Getchell was frightened is putting it mild. There he was up the tree with no weapon, holding on for life and likely to lose it if he didn't let go. The maddened wildcat was close upon him. Not knowing what else to do, he seized one of the young ones and hurled it out as far as he could. It went shrieking through the air into the bushes. The old cat left the tree and flew to the aid of the squealing kitten. Taking it in her mouth she carried it away and hid it, then came bounding back to the tree. By this time Uncle Nat had learned military tactics. The same means of defense was adopted. The fourth time he slung the kitten as far as he possibly could. As soon as the old cat started down the tree, he started too in a lively manner, and his legs carried him home swiftly and safely. It is not recorded whether he ever got any bounty on those wildcats. It may not be known to some how near Durham came to having another Congressman. Joseph Reed, Senior, moved into Durham from Peak's Island before 1830. His wife was a Miss Brackett. Their children were Joseph, Thomas, William, Daniel, John and Emily. This family lived on the road leading from County Road past David Crockett's. Their house stood east of the brook still called the "Reed Brook." Thomas, the father of Hon. Thomas B. Reed, moved to Portland in 1839. How unfortunate for Thomas! He might have been President ere this had he been born in Durham, one year later. Durham has always had an ear for music. There was no lack of fifers and drummers in the old days of militia-musters. Joshua Miller was famed as a drummer, being able to play with three sticks at once, keeping one stick constantly in the air. All the Miller family of West Durham were skilful musicians and James Henry Miller was for years leader of a Band in Lewiston. Freeman Newell was an expert with the flute, also manufacturer of melodeons and keeper of a music store in Auburn. The leadership in music, however, was for many years accorded to Joseph G. Tyler who was born in Pownal and died in Durham 22 Oct. 1882, aged 68 yrs. His wife Esther J. died 1 Mch. 1891, aged 72 yis. His first Band was organized at Pownal Corner, about 1842-4, consisting of himself, William Miller, Z. K. Harmon, Lewis Whitney, Richard Dresser and Joseph Sawyer. They played extensively at Trainings, Musters, Anniversaries, etc. This organization was short-lived and was succeeded by the Durham Band, which continued over thirty years with Tyler at its head. The other earliest members were William Miller, Simon W. Miller, George Plummer, Miltimore Watts, Lewis Whitney, Z. K. Harmon and Joseph Sawyer. Later were added William Miller, Jr., James Henry Miller, Henry and Andrew G. Fitz, Mark, Rufus and John Waterhouse and Tyler's sons, Joseph and Irving. There was no better street band in the State. It was in demand at political rallies of all parties. The Fourth of July could not be celebrated in Androscoggin County without Durham Band. Tyler was also church chorister for several years and taught many terms of Singing School. He played skilfully the violin, bugle and clarionet. Mrs. Annie Louise Cary Raymond received her first musical instruction from him. The Band was out in full force at the Centennial. That was its last parade. Few of the old members are now living in town. Samuel Miller and Ralph Hascall are remembered by many as good teachers of Singing Schools. The most cultured musician of Auburn, Prof. E. W. Hanscom, was born at S. W. Bend. He took lessons of Joseph Tyler when nine years of age. As an organist, composer and teacher his reputation is equalled by few in Maine. The Durham Agricultural Society was formed May 8, 1886. The first officers were: President, Charles W. Harding; Vice-President, Charles H. Bliss; Secretary, J. L. Wright; Treasurer, Marcus W. Eveleth; Trustees, Rufus Parker, G. W. Keirstead, Alfred Lunt, William Stackpole, Arnold C. Morse and Samuel B. Libby. The town voted $200 to build a house for the exhibition of agricultural produce, etc. The annual exhibit is as good in quality as any town can show. Durham has many good farms and long-headed farmers. When that Electric Railroad shall be built through it from Auburn to Yarmouth and so on to Portland, it will become the garden of Androscoggin County and a favorite place of residence for business men of the cities. It is a good town for stock-raising, as any one can see who attends one of the Annual Fairs. Here the big oxen drag away everything they can be hitched to. The sheep, once driven away by low tariff, are beginning to return. The fine butter indicates good Jersey cows and that the old-fashioned creamery is not yet out of date. The races call out good horses not only from Durham but also from distant towns. Liberal prizes are offered, and the usual excitement prevails. How people do like to see a struggle for mastery! But the most attractive feature of the Fair is the people that visit it. It is an annual feast, when all the old residents who can go up to their Jerusalem. The whole town is there. Everybody shakes hands with everybody else. They talk over old times. The old renew their youth. The middle-aged find out what their neighbors have been doing and have an eye to trade and future improvement. The young are just as fond of merriment and flirtation as they were thirty, fifty, a hundred years ago. Let the clay be far distant when the Yankee farmer shall cease in Durham. The same enterprise with half the hard work the ancestors did will produce triple the comforts and luxuries of life that they enjoyed. With the many good things that Durham is producing by improved methods of Agriculture let her continue to raise noble men and women, and perish the memory of any native who shall ever forget the old town. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF DURHAM, MAINE WITH GENEALOGICAL NOTES. BY EVERETT S. STACKPOLE. PUBLISHED BY VOTE OF TOWN. LEWISTON: PRESS OF LEWISTON JOURNAL COMPANY. 1899. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/androscoggin/history/1899/historyo/historic22nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mefiles/ File size: 14.7 Kb