SOMERSET COUNTY The Kennebec Valley. S.H. Whitney 1887 Auguta: Sprague, Burleigh & Flynt, Printers to the State. 1887 CHAPTER VI. pages 71-110 SOMERSET COUNTY. This is the northern county in the valley. It was incorporated in 1809; prior to that it was embraced within the limits of Kennebec County. The entire population of the county in 1880 was about thirty-three thousand. Skow- began is the shire-town. A large portion of its territory is covered by forests. The Ken- nebec River takes its rise in this county; also several other large rivers take their origin in this section. We have been informed that there is a place in the northern part of Some- erset County where a man can lie with his feet in the headwaters of the Androscoggin and drink from a spring, the water of which reach Moose Head Lake, the great fountain of the Kennebec River. In the following pages we will notice the early history of the different towns in the county which are situated along the banks of the Kennebec; as it was the custom of the first settlers to locate upon the river's bank, as the river was their only highway through the wilderness which, but a century ago, cov- ered this territory. Skowhegan. The town of Showhegan, Canaan, Fairfield, and that portion of the present town of Showhegan which was formerly known as Bloomfield, was all em- braced within the limits of Canaan, as it was called in its early history. This blooming section was within the boundaries of the Ken- nebec Purchase. The valley had become peopled from the ocean to Ticonnet, but here the tide seemed to stop. No one dared to penetrate the wilderness of Somerset County and locate north of Fort Halifax. About the year 1770, the Kennebec Com- pany made a special offer to those who would settle upon their land north of the Sebasti- cook. Accordingly, Peter Harwood of Concord, Massachusetts, secured a large tract of land upon the west bank of the Kennebec River north of Waterville. Peter Harwood was a son of John Harwood, who was in Lovewell's flight with the Indians, in the western part of the State of Maine. "With Lovewell brave, John Harwood came From wife and babes 'twas hard to part; Young Harwood took her by the han And bound the weeper to his heart. Repress that tear, my Mary dear, Said Harwood to his loving wife; It tries me hard to leave thee here And seek in distant woods the strife. When gone, my Mary, think of me, And pray to God, that I may be Such as one ought that lives for thee, And come at last in victory. Thus left young Harwood babes and wife; With accent wild she bade adieu, It grieved those lovers much to part, So proud and fair, so kind and true. John Harwood died all bathed in blood, When he had fought till set of day; And many more we may not name, Fell in the bloody fray. When news did come to Harwood's wife, That he with Lovewell fought and died, Far in the wilds had given his life, Nor more would in this home abide, Such grief did seize upon her mind, Such sorrow filled her faithful heart, On earth she never found peace again But followed Harwood to his rest." There has been, and is at the present time, a difference in opinion as to the correct way of spelling the above name; some claim it to be spelled Harwood, others Heywood, others Howard and others Haywood; after much investigation we prefer Harwood and feel confident that it is the original way of spelling the name. Peter Harwood and Joseph Weston ac- companied by John Harwood, Isaac Smith, Eli Weston, started for the Kennebec. At Salem they shipped for Sequin, having on board twenty head of cattle and necessary supplies for such a voyage. From Sequin they came to Fort Halifax. At this place they remained during the winter, and in the spring of 1772 those men entered the land of Canaan, or Showhegan, as it is now called. ' Little do we realize the hardships that those men encountered in their journey from Con- cord to Showhegan. At Salem they took ship, in which they reached Augusta at the head of navigation upon the Kennebec River - from this point they continued their journey by land to Fort Halifax through the wilder- ness, arriving there late in the fall of 1771. At the time that Harwood and Weston came to the town, the Kennebec valley above the Sebasticook River, or the settlement at Fort Halifax, presented a very different view from that which appears today. The bloom- ing fields of Fairfield, Bloomfield and Skow- hegan were covered with forests of evergreen. Where stands the quiet homestead, the Indian built his wigwam; instead of the lambs that play upon the hills, the wild deer bounded. Civilization bad reached as far as Wins- low, and here it seemed to stop, waiting, as it were, for brave-hearted men like Harwood and Weston to penetrate the unbroken wil- derness of the upper Kennebec. They erected a log cabin upon their lot, and went to work preparing a spot of ground for a crop of potatoes and corn; the seed they obtained at Gatchell's Corner, in Vassalboro'. They picked up a few hundred weight of hay upon the islands and intervals around them. But they could not winter any stock the fol- lowing winter on account of the moose de- stroying their bay stack. After baying was over, Joseph Weston and John Harwood re- turned to Massachusetts. Peter Harwood soon followed them, leaving Eli Weston and Isaac Smith to finish harvesting the crops. These two boys, aged sixteen and eleven, re- mained through the winter in their cabin, which was seventeen miles from any white settlers. At that time there were a few In- dians roving through this region. The families of Harwood and Weston came to the town after the close of the Revolution- ary War. The children of Peter Harwood were Pe- ter, born in Concord in 1753, and died in 1822; Sarah, born in 1754, married Oliver Wilson of Starks; Asa, born in 1756, died in infancy; Hannah, born in 1755, married Isaac Smith; John, who came with his father to Skowhe- gan, and stayed through one winter and re- turned to Concord, Massachusetts, having got enough of pioneer life. Peter Harwood, Sen., built a dwelling-house upon Skowhegan Island in about 1790. He died in 1803, aged seventy-seven years. His widow was Joseph Weston's sister, who lived to be nearly one hundred years of age. Joseph Cleveland came to Showhegan in about 1778; near this date James Fairbrother settled in the town. James was born in Con- cord, Massachusetts, in 1767. He married Re- becca Moore, a sister to Major Joseph Moore, who settled in Madison. Their children were Reuben, James, Itha- mar, Betsy, Rebecca, Catherine and Celia. James Fairbrotber died in 1847; his wife Rebecca died in 1839, aged seventy years. Seth Wyman was among the early settlers in this vicinity. This settlement was first called Harwood's town. In 1783 a warrant was issued for a town meeting, bearing the date of "Howard's Town or Canaan." Peter Harwood, Sen., was chosen a delegate to Port- land to attend the convention held in 1787, to consider the question of separation from Massachusetts. The first town meetings were held in Peter Harwood's house. Reverend Asa Wilbur of Sidney preached in the town in its early days; also Joseph Merrill was among the early preachers in the town. Joshua Goodridge settled within these limits as early as 1788. Goodrich afterward removed to Bingham and his descendants are among the prominent members of the town of Bingham to-day. In 1792, James Malbon built a mill upon Wessurunsitt Stream; it has retained the name of "Malbon's Mills." The property is in good repair to-day. As we are about to leave this section, we will say that the Showhegan of to-day in- cludes the territory that once comprised the town of Bloomfield. Fairfield is a town in- dependent from the others, and there is a a small town which retains the name of this blooming region, namely, Canaan, but in the early history of this town, instead of flowing with milk and honey, it flowed with rum and molasses. But there has been a radical change upon this point within a few years. It is to-day inhabited by a temperate and in- dustrious people. The soil is very fertile, and the crops that are raised are equally as good as are grown in other towns in the valley. Norridgewock. This town is eighty-two miles from the sea, and is the northern town in the Kennebec - Patent. The town is di- vided into two sections by the Kennebec River. In the year 1769, the Kennebec Com- pany advertised to give away some land upon the north side of the river in this town. The rule adopted by the company was to give away two lots containing one hundred acres each, and reserve two, thus hoping to induce persons to settle in this vicinity and thereby increase the value of the lots that were re- served. William Fletcher of Concord, Massachu- setts, with his family, came to this town in 1773, and took up the farm that has since been occupied by John R. Pooler. Mr. Fletcher lived upon this place until 1790. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War all the settlers north of Fort Halifax became alarmed for their safety and returned to Con- cord, Massachusetts, William Fletcher and two or three families that had settled around him excepted. Here they were, left alone in a dreary wil- derness, twenty-five miles from Fort Halifax. Upon the trail of the Indians as they passed from Canada to the sea and in danger of being taken prisoners by them and carried to Canada or killed and scalped in their cabins, seemed to be enough to unnerve the bravest heart. But William Fletcher was not a man to give up at trifles; he had entered the wilderness to begin the settlement of a large county that was then uninhabited by the white man, and he felt that much, very much depended upon his perseverance. He encouraged the dis- couraged, he cheered the drooping heart, and he always bad a kind word for those around him. As we commence to record the doings of this bold adventurer, language is not at our command to describe the hardships that he endured and the many perils that he encoun- tered during the first few years that he dwelt in the county. Fletcher, upon being deserted by nearly all his neighbors, gathered the re- maining ones together and proposed to them the idea of building a fort or wall that would protect them from being surprised and taken by the Indians. The plan was readily en- dorsed by his friends, and the work was at once begun. From the surrounding forest they cut trees that were about eight inches in diameter; those they set in an upright position around Mr. Fletcher's house, thus forming a fort, the walls being about twenty feet high, this being about the length that the pickets were made. Within those walls to Fletcher's log cabin they retired at night, and in times of danger until the close of the war, when there was no need of such precautions. After peace had been restored many of the settlers returned, and the wilderness in the town of Norridgewock soon began to blossom with many productive farms. William Fletcher of Concord, Massachu- setts, was the first permanent settler in Som- erset County. William Fletcher married Sarah Parritt of Concord, Massachusetts. Their children were Amos, William; Thomas, drowned in Moose River in 1800; Asa, Dorcas, Sarah, Polly and Lucy. The last three were born in Somerset County, the others in Concord, Massachusetts. Sarah Fletcher was born in August, 1774, and was, beyond all controversy, the first white girl born in Somerset County. Sarah married Amos Heald. Amos Fletcher was a prominent business man in Norridgewock in its early history. Oliver Wood raised the first bushel of grain in town. Prominent among the early settlers in this town were William Warren, John Clark, Abel Farrington and Joel Crosby. Nathan Parlin was among the early inhab- itants of the town; he enlisted with Arnold as a boatman and went through to Canada. The leading industry of the town in 1789 was the manufacture of potash, which the in- habitants carried to Hallowell in canoes. The first framed house that was built in Somerset County was erected in this town by Doctor Zebulon Gilman. The Norridge- wogs, a branch of the Kennebec tribe, dwelt at this place in "ye olden time." Indian relics are being found, even at the present time. The land is easily worked and well adapted to the raising of cultivated fruit. A century ago the population of the town was about one hundred; to-day it is nearly two thou- sand. Madison. This town is situated upon the east bank of the Kennebec River. The original township is north of the Kennebec Patent. This territory was once owned by three men, the principal owner being Barnard * The plantation name of Madison was "Bar- nard's Town." It received its present name from the president of the same name. There was a strip of land one and one-half mile wide lying between the south line of this town and the north line of the town of Nor- ridgewock. This piece of land belonged to the Kennebec Patent; it would be fifteen miles long upon each side of the river, and one and one-half mile wide. This strip was left after the northern tier of towns was laid out by the proprietors of the Kennebec Pur- chase. Upon this strip was "Old Point," which was the sacred vale of the Norridge- wogs. There was a settlement made upon this strip of land and in the north-west corner of Madison about the same time, and as the mile- and-a-half strip, so called, is within the boun- daries of the town of Madison, we will notice this settlement first. The Kennebec Company, having disposed of nearly all their lands, offered to give away a tier of lots upon the mile-and-a-half strip, of what is now the Burns neighborhood, in the southern part of the town of Madison and about three miles east of the Kennebec River. The first settlers upon the mile-and-a-half strip were Major Joseph Moore, Dougal Mc- Phearson, Isaac McKinley, Thomas Whit- comb, Cyrus Wellington, Jonathan Russell, Andrew Russell, Magnus Beckey and Josiah Nutting. Those persons were nearly all in the Rev- olutionary War, and came to this section soon after its close. Major Joseph Moore settling with them and being a prominent man among them, we will call this settlement the Moore's Settlement. Major Moore married Rachel Brown of Townsend, Massachusetts. Below we are permitted to give a copy of a letter that Mrs. Moore received from her mother. The letter was addressed to "Joseph Moore, Seven Mile Brook." It read as follows: Townsend, August 9, 1790, I take this opportunity to write to you to inform you that I am well through the goodness of Almighty God, and I hope you enjoy the same inestimable blessing, which is to be esteemed equal to any temporal blessing. As you informed me of in the letter I received from you the 30 of July, dated June 21st, it is not likely that Your brothers will come to see you very soon, for Boas has let himself for three years, and Simon carries on my place ' Therefore he cannot well come. I am glad to hear you are likely to raise your bread ; it gives me great satisfaction. * * * * * Your brothers and your sister Eliza- beth are well. I have a good prospect of having a more comfortable supply of the necessaries of this life than I have had for many years. * * * * * I have nothing strange to write at present but must subscribe myself your loving mother till death. Sarah BROWN. P. S. Simon desires to be remembered to you, and wishes to know whether you like your pine apple as well as you did the common apple of this country." The children of Joseph and Rachel Moore were: Sally, born in 1786; Polly, born in 1788; Luther, born about 1790; John B., born in 1792; Joseph, born in 1794; Aaron, born in 1796. The above dates are very nearly correct. It has been no easy task to get them, and if they are not exactly right we would ask for a cor- rection, which would be thankfully received by the writer. Major Joseph Moore died in 1804. In 1806 his widow married Nicholas Durrill. About 1815, Durrill died, and in 1820 the widow married Roger Chase. About 1830, Mrs. Chase died. Her resting place is in the town of Bingham. Mary Moore, a sister to Major Joseph Moore, married Dougal McPhearson. Their children were Paul, Mary, Rhoda, Anna, Europe and Asa. Dougal McPhearson died about 1813; his widow died about 1833. Anna McPhearson married Ambros Colby. Their children were Betsy, John, Ambros and Sumner. Paul McPhearson married Charlotte But- terfield of Sidney. Paul was in the United States' Service in 1812. Rhoda McPhearson married Amos Payne. Alice Moore, a sister to Major Joseph Moore, married Isaac McKenney. The house that McKenney built upon his lot is still standing, and is occupied by Mr. Samuel Burns. Isaac McKenney and wife died in Carmel, about 1845. Luther Moore married Hannah Baker. Aaron Moore married Estber Nutting. John B. Moore married Malinda Spaulding, daughter of Josiah and Sybil Spaulding, of Norridgewock. They bad two sons, Orin and Abel. Orin Moore was born in 1818; Abel Moore was born in 1820. Malinda Moore died in 1822. J. B. Moore married for his second wife Sally Holden, daughter of Samuel and Jane Holden, of Moose River Plantation. Mrs. Moore died Apr. 28, 1852. Mr. Moore died Oct. 25~ 1855. Abel Moore was drowned in Moose River, 1848. Thomas Whitcomb lived upon the mile-and- a-half strip about five years; he afterwards sold his claim to Mr. Russell. Joshua Burns resides upon the McPhearson lot., Samuel Burns owns the lot that Isaac McKenney improved; also a part of the lot that Major Joseph Moore settled upon. Sally Moore, daughter of Joseph and Rachel Moore, married Abel Nutting in 1802. Their children were Sally, Anna, Abel, Seth, John, Eliza, Almira and Jewett. Sally Nutting died in 1853. Andrew Russell lived in this settlement. He was six years and a half in the service; was twice wounded; after his discharge he came to Madison. He married Rebecca Nut- ting. Captain John Burns came from New Bed- ford; He married Mary Gray. Capt. Burns was an energetic, business man. Josiah Nutting, Jonathan Russell, Cyrus Wellington and Magnus Beckey, were among the first settlers in this vicinity. Oliver Harwood settled upon the mile- and-a-half strip in 1777; be settled near "Old Point." Oliver was a brother to Peter Har- wood, who settled in Showhegan. David Danforth, David Young, Eben and John Hilton, came from Wiscasset in the spring of 1776. The Hiltons settled upon the west bank of the river just north of Patterson's Bridge, in the town of Anson. David Danforth and David Young settled upon the east bank of the river, opposite, the Hiltons. Danforth and Young were in the north-western part of the town of Madison. The nearest mill for grinding corn at that time was at Gardiner; the journey had to be made in a canoe. The nearest store was at Gatchell's Corner, which was about forty miles by way of the river. These four families were alone in the wilder- ness. They were there but a few years when several families had settled around them. Benjamin Thompson came soon after David 'Danforth and Young had got nicely settled. Benjamin seems to have been distinguished for his poetic ability. In his journal we find the following verse: "Benjamin Thompson is my name, And English is my nation; Seven-mile Brook is my dwelling place, And Christ is my salvation." Again he says: "This was written in 1792, with Indian paint. I wrote these lines." In the spring of 1799, Jediah Hayden made a small clearing in the eastern part of the town of Madison, upon the shore of a beautiful pond which is known to-day as Hayden Lake. The next summer Hayden moved his family to the town. In 1812 Jediah Hayden purchased one thousand acres of land, extending across Merrill's Flats. I There were seven brothers by the name of Hayden, who settled in the town of Madison, about the beginning of the present century. The shore of Hayden Lake was a favorite resort of the Kennebec Indian in the olden time. There is a beautiful spot upon the western shore of the lake which was once known as "The Indian Camping Ground." Upon this magnificent spot William Hayden has erected several beautiful cottages and a large and commodious hall. Col. Nathaniel Blackwell settled in the town at an early day. William Sally, Daniel Reed, Ebenezer Dean, were also among the early inhabitants of the town. Mr. Dinsmore Cleveland resides in the town at the present time. We will give a brief record of the name. In 1635 Moses Cleve- land came from Ipswich, England, to America and from him all the Clevelands in the United States date their origin., Joseph Cleveland, the fourth generation from Moses, married Dorothy Craigin of Acton, Massachusetts. They came to Somerset County in 1778, and settled in what is now the town of Skow- hegan. Their son Joseph married Susan Steward. Their son Joseph married Olive Steward. Joseph and Olive were the parents of Dins- more Cleveland. Levi James Merrill was among the promi- nent citizens of the town. Upon the early records of the town we -find the following: "By virtue of the power and authority vested in me, the subscriber, as one of the Justices of the Peace, within and for the county of Kennebec, by a law of the Com- monwealth of Massachusetts (an attested copy of which is hereunto annexed), I do by those presents, in the name of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts, require you to warn the inhabitants of said Madison, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, to meet at the dwelling-house of Levi James Merrill, in said Madison, the sixteenth day of April next, at eleven of the clock in the forenoon; to choose all such officers as towns within the Common- wealth are by law required to choose in the month of March or April annually. Hereof fail not to make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon at or before the time of meeting. Given under my band and seal, at Norridgewock, this thirty-first Day of March in the year One Thousand Eight hundred and Four. WILLIAM JONES, Justice of the Peace." The town of Madison is noted for its health- ful climate and the longevity of the inhabi- tants, although the people that reside in this town have to yield to the claim of death at last. In a cemetery which is situated in a delightful spot near the center of the town, is a headstone bearing the following verse: "Behold my friend as you pass by, As you are now, so once was 1; As I am now, soon you must be, Prepare my friend to follow me." The date upon the stone shows that the sleeper was an aged lady, who died in 1826. There has been one family of twenty-five children raised in the town. The population of the town is about one thousand and a half. Farming and manufacturing of woolen goods is extensively carried on in the town at the present time. Solon. This town is situated upon the east bank of the Kennebec River, next ad- joining Madison upon the north. It was in- cluded within the Sagadahoc Territory; and in 1691 it passed under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts Bay. In 1792 this township was lotted out, the lots in the northern part containing twice as many acres as those in the southern part of the town. The name of the plantation was "Spaulding Town." In 1839 it was incorporated under its present name. The first settlement was made in 1782. The soil is well adapted to agriculture, and much of the land in the town is well im- proved. The surface, back from the river, is some- what broken. Parkman Hill is the highest elevation of land in the town. Fall Brook flows through the town, afford- ing many powers, some of which are being used. Carratunk Falls, on the Kennebec River, are one mile from Solon Village. These falls afford the greatest power to be found at any one place upon the river. There is a natural fall of twenty feet, which by a dam may easily be raised to thirty feet, which would furnish about 5,500 horse power in the dryest season, or when the water is the lowest in the river. This power is at present unim- proved. William Hilton first began a clearing in the town. He came from Wiscasset to Solon in the spring Of 1782, and worked a part of the summer. He cleared several acres of land upon the bank of the river and the island, and fitted it for a crop the next season; he also built a log house upon the lot. He and his wife stayed at his brother's through the winter of 1782-3, in Anson. It will be remembered that Eben and John Hilton settled just north of Patterson's Bridge in 1776. In the spring of 1783, William Hilton and wife, and son David, moved to Solon. This was the first family that settled in the town. William Hunnewell came the same spring, and began to improve the lot adjoining Hilton's upon the north. William Hilton was born in Wiscasset in 1759. His wife, Catherine McKenney, was born in 1764. They were married in Wis- casset about 1780. In the spring of 1782 Mr. Hilton and wife went up the Kennebec to Anson. Mrs. Hil- ton remained in Anson that summer and the following winter, and then moved to Solon. their children were David, born in Anson Sept. 10, 1782; Hannah, born in Solon, Jan., 1784; Martha, Mary, Jesse, Joshua, Nancy, Thomas, Olive, Unice, Helen, Daniel and Martha. William Hilton made the first brick used in Solon. Some of them are in the house that he built, which is still standing. William Hunnewell and wife moved to Solon in the spring of 1783. Phebe was their oldest child, and was the first child born in the town. James Jewett came from Pepperell, Massa- chusetts, soon after. He settled back from the river about four miles. His soil Sewall lived upon the farm several years. Caleb Hobart located in the east part of the town. The first house that be built is still standing. Caleb Hobart's wife died in Pepperell, Mas- sachusetts, leaving him with a family of four children, namely: Caleb, Nehimiah, Daniel and Anna. At the time Caleb moved to So- lon, Anna was but eleven years old. She cared for her brothers and father, although herself but a child, and many times she was obliged to seek counsel of the wife of Daniel Shed, who was at that time the nearest fami- ly to Caleb Hobart's; the distance between the families was two miles. This journey bad to be made in the winter season upon snow- shoes, as there was no road at that time. They were guided by spots that had been made upon the trees, which marked the way through the wilderness. When Anna Ho- bart became of age, she married Daniel Wil- liams. Luther Pierce settled in the north part of the town. He married Susannah Gray. When Popham landed at the mouth of the Kennebec River among the colonists was one family by the name of Pierce; this was the first record of the name in the Kennebec val- ley. The Bosworths, Maynards, Frenches, Dru- rys, Chamberlains, were among the early set- tlers in the town. . In 1790, William Fletcher moved from Norridgewock to this town. Mr. Fletcher took charge of Buswell's Mill upon Fall Brook. The mill was fitted for grinding corn, and was a great convenience to the inhabi- tannest in this section. A story is told of a good father of the flock, who lived about twelve miles from the mill. Upon learning of the fact that Fletcher was prepared to do custom work, the parson placed a bushel of corn upon his shoulder and started for Buswell's Mill. At last he reached the mill, the corn was ground and the elder took the meal and re- turned to his home, arriving quite early in the morning, having made the trip in twenty-four hours. The parson invited in his neighbors to dine with him. "We've got a mill in our own door- yard," quoth he. The early settlers had been accustomed to carrying their grain down the river to mill, and to have a mill that they could reach by land seemed to them a great treat. The salmon were very plenty in the Ken- nebec River in those days. "Why, they were so plenty in the river at Carratunk Falls, that it would seem as though one could walk across the river upon them," says an early inhabitant. In 1800, William Fletcher, Jr., and Amos Heald were drowned at the falls, while upou a hunting tour. Embden. This town lies upon the west side of the Kennebec River. This territory was embraced in the grant which was made to Sir Ferdinando Gorges, by King Charles in 1639. When the Province was sold to Massachusetts, this territory passed into the possessions of that State. The original name of this township was "Queenstown." It was incorporated in 1809, and at that time took the name of Embden. There are several large ponds in this town- Embden Pond, Fahi Pond, Johnson's Pond and others. The first settler in town is believed to have been George Michael. Thomas McFadden of Georgetown settled in the town at an early date. Captain John Gray settled in Embden about the close of the Revolutionary War. He married Elizabeth Boynton. Their children were Rachel, Hannah, George, Joshua, Betsy; Martha, married Ste- phen Weston; Susannah, married Luther Pierce of Solon; John, Sally; Christianna, married Obed Wilson; Sally, Polly and Dan- iel. In 1790, Benjamin Poor made a survey of this township and found the following persons residing in the town: Jacob Williams, Joseph Cook, Nath't Martin, Samuel Fling, John Thompson, Moses Green, Thomas McFad- den, John Gray and Benjamin Colby. Jacob Williams owned a large tract of land at that time north of Carratunk Falls, upon the west side of the river. As he came to the town at an early date, and his descendants are numerous in this county, we will notice his family record. Jacob Williams, a descendant of Roger Williams, was born in Barnstable, Massacbu- setts, Jan. 18, 1760. When nineteen years old he married Joanna Williams. In 1781, Jacob Williams with his wife and infant son left his native State and started for the Ken- nebec. They came to Augusta in a vessel that was coming to Fort Western with sup- plies. At this point Mr. Williams obtained a small boat and a guide to take him up the river to such a point as he might choose to stop at. Arriving at Carratunk Falls, Mr. Williams explored the region around these falls, and decided to locate just above them upon the west bank of the river. The spot chosen by Jacob Williams to build his cabin upon was a lovely interval containing about -five acres. Mr. Williams worked with a will, and before winter came he had made comfortable accom- modations for himself and family. The salmon were plenty in the river, and easily obtained; the moose were plenty in the forests around him, so plenty that Mr. Wil- liams at one time was eating his dinner, and seeing a moose crossing the interval, he shot him from the window. As soon as the grain began to be ripe in the fall, Jacob gathered the ripe ears and dried them before the fire, and carried enough to mill to last a few days, until the full crop should be ripe. The children of Jacob and Joanna Wil- liams were: Caleb, born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, July 10, 1780. Daniel, born July 22, 1782. John, born Aug. 20, 1784. Richard, born Feb. 4, 1787. Isaac, born June 15, 1789. Elsa, born Aug. 6, 1791. Ebenezer, born July 17, 1793. Keziah, born Apr. 29, 1795. Cyrus, born Apr. 21, 1796. Francis, born Aug. 27, 1798. Susan, born Feb. 1711801. Jacob, born March 1, 1802. Chandler , born June 6, 1804. Leonard, born Nov. 2, 1806. Susan, born July 24, 1809. In those days the families consisted of more children than at present. There were four families living around Carratunk Falls that raised sixty-one children. Jacob Williams became a wealthy man be- fore his death, which occurred July 12, 1814. He sleeps upon the spot that he chose for his home, and his companion rests by his side. All the sons of Jacob Williams but one lived to a great age. Moses Thompson, Esq., moved into the plantation and settled on the bill near the ferry; the house that he built is still standing. Moses Thompson was a great business man; he kept a store, a hotel, and cultivated a large farm. There have never been many loafers in this town, but in the days of "Uncle Moses," as he was well known by travelers in the val- ley, there was one man that spent a large por- tion of his time loitering around the store, and "spinning yarns," as he termed it. There was one story that be used to tell to strangers, which ran thus: "Me and Moses owns more cows than any other two men in town-." Moses Thompson owned at that time ten cows, while the story-teller owned one, making eleven in all. There were no other two men in town that owned as many. We think that Moses realized more profit from his cows than be did from the man's stories. The Clevelands, Burnses, Mullins and Youngs were among the early settlers. Doc- tor Savage was among the early preachers in town. About the beginning of the present cen- tury, Asahel Hutchins and Simeon Craigin settled in the western part of the town, and became prosperous and wealthy farmers. In 1840, Elijah Graves built a bridge across the Kennebec River at Carratunk Falls, and a saw-mill at the same time. The mill and bridge went down the river a few years later, and Elijah came near going with them. At the present time there is neither store hotel, church, lawyer, doctor or minister in the town, and yet for kindness, hospitality, morality or temperance, this town is excelled by none in the Kennebec valley. The inhab- itants of the town are farmers; the soil is dry and fertile, and well adapted to agriculture. The population of the town is about one thou- sand. Concord. This town is situated upon the west bank of the Kennebec River, and is the southern town in the Bingham Purchase. The town is hilly, but contains much good grazing land and some excellent farms. There are several large elevations in this town. Old Bluff reaches two-thirds across the town; Johnson Mountain rears its peak in the north- ern part of the town. South of Bluff is the largest interval in the Kennebec valley. It was upon this lot that the -first settler in the town located. Upon the early records of the town we -find the following: "The first settler in this town was Major Ephraim Heald, from Temple, New Hamp- shire, who came to this county soon after the Revolutionary War, for the privilege of hunt- ing the various kinds of game, which was then plenty in this town, such as moose, bear, beaver, otter, sable, musk-rat, etc. He set- tled on lots eight and nine, and carried on a considerable trade with the Indians, supply- ing them with -necessary articles for hunting, such as powder, shot, blankets, cloth, traps, etc. He resided in this town a number of years, and then returned to Temple again, where he lived to a great age and was universally re- spected. He was a man of sound judg- ment, a noble mind, humane and just in all his dealings, and friendly to the poor; grace- ful in countenance, manly in personage, free in conversation and easy in communication." There is a tradition that says three brothers by the name of Hale left England and came to Concord, Massachusetts. They agreed that each should spell his name differently, and thus see which branch would become most nu- merous and distinguished. The names were spelled Hale, Heald and Haile. We are un- able to say which has gained the victory. Thomas Ball settled in the town in 1798. He married a daughter of Stephen Chamber- lain. Their children were Samuel, John, Ephraim, Thomas, Isaac, Daniel and Rachel Roger Chase was among the -first to settle in this town; he was born in the town of Winslow, about 1755. Chase accompanied Arnold through to the Chaudiere, in the fall of 1775. The follow- ing fall he and John Noble were hunting together, when they were surprised by a party of Indians and taken prisoners by them. It was Sunday morning. Chase and Noble were eating their breakfast in their camp, which was upon the bank of Seven-mile Brook, near the site of the village of Anson. They were taken to Canada and delivered to the British. Chase made his escape and re- turned to his home. Jothan Grant settled in the town about the beginning of the present century. Cornelius Jackson came about the same time. He married Betsy Warren of Vassal- boro. Cornelius Jackson made and used the first pair of wheels that were in town. Richard Warren moved to this town in 1832. He was in the battle of Bunker Hill. Stephen Chase married Polly Moore; their children were Stephen, Thomas, Tamara, Eleanor, Rachel, Lydia and Sarah. Joseph Moore, Jr., was born in this town. In 1823 be married Louisa Longley. The town of Concord was incorporated in 1821. Population at the present time is about five hundred. Bingham. Bingham was the southern town in the Bingham Purchase, upon the east bank of the river. It was named in honor of William Bingham, the proprietor of the purchase. The first settler in the town is sup- posed to have been Deacon Ephraim Wood. Daniel Foster, Joshua Goodrich, William Fletcher and Reverend Obed Wilson were among the pioneers of the town. William Fletcher, the first permanent set- tler in the county, moved from Solon to Bing- ham in 1799, and located near the present site of Bingham Village. He built a mill upon Austin Stream, near its junction with the river, or just below the bridge. William Fletcher lived in this town until his death. He died in 1809, aged sixty-four years. He had lived over a quarter of a century in the county; he bad seen three prosperous settlements begun, and at last be was obliged to lie down to rest. His wife sleeps beside him in the churchyard in the village. Upon the headstone are these words: "Mrs. Sarah Fletcher, born in Westport, Mass., in 1759; died 1834, aged 92." They should never be forgotten by the in- habitants of Somerset County; they should be remembered for their works' sake. Rev. Obed Wilson moved to Bingham from Starks in 1802. He was the son of Oliver Wilson, who married Sarah Harwood, a daughter of Peter Harwood, who settled in Showhegan in its early days. Obed Wilson was a self-made man. His father settled in the town of Starks in its early history; the most of the territory in the town was at that time covered with forests. Obed was not surrounded with the advan- tages that many of the youth are at the present time, but he bad an ardent thirst for knowledge, and in early life he adopted the maxim penned by one of olden time: "Get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get under- standing." In 1800 be commenced to proclaim the Gospel of his beloved Redeemer. In 1837 he preached the dedication sermon in the church at Bingham Village, and the following year at Solon. A graduate of Bowdoin College, who listened to those two discourses, says that "in natural ability, Rev. Obed Wilson stood head and shoulders above those around him." He was chairman of the first board of se- lectmen at Bingham. He represented the town in the Legislature eight terms; four at Portland and four at Augusta. As a political speaker he was equalled by few. Reverend Obed Wilson was a noted man. He wielded a mighty influence for good, as his moral character was irreproachable. Obed Wilson died Nov. 18, 1840. His wife, Christianna, died four years before. They rest side by side in the Pierce burying-ground, in Solon. Oliver Wilson also sleeps by their side. The following epitaph is upon his headstone: "An honest man is the noblest work of God." Joshua Goodrich settled in the town at an early date. He married Mary Jewel. Their children were Levi, Mary, Pickard, Alluvia, Asa, Joseph, Rebekah and Maxmillian. Mary Goodrich married Daniel Wilson, son of Obed Wilson. In 1814 there were but two houses in Bing- ham Village. Seventy years ago the first four-wheeled carriage was used in town. The town was incorporated in 1812. Moscow. This town is upon the eastern side of the Kennebec River. It was first called "Baker Town." There were several families by the name of Baker who settled in this town about the close of the last century. Asa Fletcher, son of William Fletcher, was among the early inhabitants of the town. Abner Baker and Reuben Baker were among the first settlers. Agriculture is the leading business of the inhabitants. Carratunk Plantation. First settler in the town was Paul Cates, who settled here about 1810. This retains the original name of the whole region between Solon and Moose Head Lake. The plantation was organized in 1840. The Forks. So called because it is at the junction of the two branches of the Kenne- bec River. A settlement was begun at this place in about 1822 by Major Baker and Benjamin Goodrich. Silas Whitney settled at this place soon after. There is at the pres- ent time a thriving settlement at this point. It will be remembered that Dead River was the northern boundary of Gorges Territory; from this point to Moose River it is about thirty miles, through a wilderness. In 1828 a road was cut through this section and there are a few settlers between the Forks up the Kennebec and Moose River; but as yet very little has been done toward improving the land. Parlin Pond House is beautifully sit- uated upon the western shore of the pond about fifteen miles north of the Forks; the Jackman place is known by travellers through this section and the Scribner farm should not be forgotten. Holden Town. This town is situated in the northern part of the county. It is thirty miles north of the settlement at the junction of the two branches of the Kennebec River. This settlement is upon the banks of Moose River, surrounded by forests of spruce and pine; the air is pure and temperate and the rich soil is watered by springs and is very productive. This delightful halting place for travellers, as they pass through this section, is destined to become a great emporium of trade. Captain Samuel Holden was the -first settler in this place; he was born in Groton, Massa- chusetts, in 1772. In 1797, he married Jane Farnsworth, a daughter of Joseph Farns- worth. Two daughters were born in Groton, namely, Almira and Jane. About the year 1800, Captain Holden, his wife and two children and his mother, who was at that time a. widow, came to Norridge- wock. Melintus Holden, their oldest son, was born in Norridgewock in 1801; Jonas, Sally, Lorinda, Mary, Samuel and Otis were born in Anson. Captain Holden started from Anson for Moose River, March 4, 1819. They made the journey from the Forks of the Kennebec River to Moose River upon snowshoes, as the snow was deep in the woods at that time of the year. Captain Holden built him a log cabin, covered it with bark, and here they made their home in the midst of the wilder- ness. There was not an inhabitant for miles around, and bad it not been for the abundance of fish in the river and the game in the sur- rounding forests, they could not have lived; but with this and, as his account book shows, the small amount they received from travellers that were passing back and forth from Canada, they were enabled to obtain a living the first two or three years. After the first two or three years they were enabled to raise small crops, and before long Captain Holden had a plenty. Before his death there was quite a settlement formed around him. Rachel Holden, Captain Hol- den's mother, died at Moose River in 1822.. In 1852 this settlement was organized into a plantation called Moose River Plantation. The population at the present time is about two hundred. Thus have we traced the Kennebec River from its union with the Atlantic to its source. We have -given a brief sketch of the early history of the towns Along its banks, and in our next chapter we will give a few notes re- lating to the passage of Arnold's army up the Kennebec valley. (c) 1998 Courtesy of the Kennebec County GenWeb Site ************************************************* * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. * * * * The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.