An Early Settlement on the Kennebec Sprague's Journal of Maine History Volume 9, April, May, June, 1921 No. 2 Page 83-85 (By Robert H. Gardiner) Few localities along the Kennebec River offer more interesting history than the present town of Dresden. It was a part of what was known as the Frankfort Plantation which includes the present towns of Dresden, Wiscasset, Alna and Perkins. Later on in 1760 theses towns were incorporated under the name of Pownalboro in honor of the Massachusetts governor of that date. Pownalboro (Dresden) became the shire town and so remained for 34 years. In 1794 Dresden, Perkins and Alna were set off, while the name of Pownalboro was retained for that section now known as Wiscasset. This latter name was adopted in 1802 and the good old name of the original incorporation was lost to that section. Pioneer life always included protection against the Indians, so we find records of a block house where all could take refuge in the time of attack. This house no longer exists, but close to it in point of space was built a large Court House which still remains. Many a conflict between the Gardiners, Bayards and Quincys took place within these walls and here rang the eloquence of President John Adams, Judge Cushing and the Sewalls. In 1760 the famous Boston Massacre case was tried here and John Adams the lawyer for the defense of Captain Preston, travelled from Boston to Pownalboro on horseback following a blazed trail, a far cry to our present speed by automobile, but was the journey less pleas- urable? This old court house is now the residence of direct de- scendants of Samuel Goodwin, the first owner, who had his grant directly from the builders, the Plymouth Company. The Good- win family preserve as nearly as possible the old furnishings which include valuable portraits of Thomas Johnson, whose mother was a daughter of Samuel Goodwin, and of Rebecca Prescott, grand- daughter of Samuel Goodwin. The upper story of the house remains with one exception as in the old court days. The old court room has been partitioned off into bedrooms. Battles of tongues were not the only kind that waged in Pow- nalboro. During the Revolutionary War, Mr. Jones, familiarly known as "Mahogany Jones" on account of his dark complexion, prompted by patriotism headed a small party who went to the house of Brigadier Cushing, took him out of bed, carried him over to the Penobscot and delivered him to the British. Any sketch of Pownalboro or Dresden would not be far from com- plete which does not include the story of St. John's Church and the Rev. Jacob Bailey, the first rector and missionary to these parts. Through the influence of Dr. Sylvester Gardiner, a glebe lot of one hundred acres was granted by the proprietors of the Kennebec Purchase and by November 1770 the church was erected and sufficiently completed for the first service. Near by it was built the parsonage, long promised to Mr. Bailey. He gave most unselfish devotion to his scattered flock, but during the Revolution was so great that he was obliged to flee the country. The loss of the shepherd was followed by the desertion of the flock and both church and parsonage fell down. Thus the lot was forfeited, but the Company by suit regained possession and the property was granted to Trustees, (Samuel Summer Wilde, then of Hallowell, a justice of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts who removed to Augusta; and Robert Hallowell Gardiner), for the benefit of the minister of the Congregational Society in Dresden, so long as no Episcopal Society shall exist in said town, but when an Episcopal Society shall be established and a minister settled over it in said town then for the use and benefit of said Episcopal minister. Said society was established, but only fragments of it records remain and the fund is still held by succeeding Trustees for the benefit of the Episcopal Church. (c) 1998 Courtesy of the Androscoggin Historical Society ************************************************* * * * * 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.