A-CHS NEWSLETTER                        Established 1980

Issue 130                                                                                                                                August 2006

 

 

A Country Boys View

Growing up in Crawford during the Depression and World War II by Gordon Lord

 

The depression years for homemakers in rural areas were quite different than in the cities. The reason was the lack of electricity. Learn here what life was like before electricity. Thank you, Gordon!

 

MOM’S LONG DAY

    Mother’s daily responsibilities seemed to be never ending, actually, they were never ending. No electricity meant no running water; she often had to get water herself in a bucket. There was no icebox or refrigerator to keep food fresh, no decent illumination to work or read by, and of course the hundreds of electronic gismos, or gadgets available today were not even in anyone’s brain, except for the far sighted, seventy years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    In our family, the day started with Dad getting up early to start the fire in the large, black kitchen cook stove. Mom could juggle at the same time baking bread in the oven, frying donuts on the stove top, cooking oatmeal, frying eggs and warming water to wash the meals dishes. During cold weather Dad would also light the living room heater each morning.  While dad was doing his morning chores, Mother would be up cooking breakfast.  After thanking God for his many blessings, we sat down to a breakfast of oatmeal or cream of wheat, toast and milk, or it could be eggs and, or pancakes, and sometimes a molasses donut, or two direct from the frying pan.

      Kerosene lamps were used for light. By today’s standards, illumination was quite poor, but we didn’t know any different. There was no toaster, so bread was toasted on the stovetop. All cooking was done on the wood cookstove by our mother. Little if any, previously cooked foods were purchased at a grocery store. Food was cooked from scratch, by memory most of the time. The stove gave of a lot of heat, especially during canning season when it was already hot outside. This combination made it nearly unbearable for the housewife, slaving over the stove in a tiny kitchen with her cooking and canning. While the stove was hot she would also be baking bread, or pies or a cake, maybe a pot of beans, her family favorite. The dependable cook stove was used to heat the flatiron by setting it on top of the stove. This heated iron, a stone or brick wrapped in cloth was used to warm cold feet in bed during those cold, long winter nights in a house with no insulation of any type. Some of the brand names of stoves in those days, were Kalamazoo, Glenwood, Clarion and Franklin.

     Canning season often began with the ripening of the berries. Among the popular berries for canning were the wild raspberries. This berry grows well in recently cut woodland. I often had to pick them with my mother as she thought me to be “a clean and fast picker.” I wished I wasn’t; besides I didn’t like them. It was a family favorite so many of them had to be picked. Our father knew where the best berries were located and he provided precise directions. Occasionally bear would get there before we did, which kept us alert whenever we approached a berry patch, especially if she had a cub tagging along. The berries were collected in small buckets, which we would carry home, usually a mile or more away. Now the leaves and other debris was removed which was called picking over. Now it was left for Mom to do the canning.

   Another similar berry is the blackberry which is much sweeter, that our mother did not can them because they were not growing in enough quantities, I presume.

    There was, and still are, a good number of wild strawberries growing in our area. These are small and often found beside a roadway, as well as on edges of fields etc. They are sweet and delicious, but their use was mostly for jam and jellies. Its sister, is the cultivated strawberry, which is familiar to us all. I recall my father at one time attempted to commercially grow them, but he didn’t have a lot of success for some unknown reason. Some food items Mom purchased were flour, sugar and molasses plus tea, coffee, salt, vinegar, baking soda and spices. Occasionally we had sardines, Spam during the war years, and deviled ham. Of course we had our own meat, beef, chicken and pork, milk, cream, butter, buttermilk, cottage cheese, both summer and winter apples and lots of vegetables, as well as that delicious home made ice cream. Molasses was very popular and had many uses, one of which became most everybody’s favorite, molasses cookie. It seemed that housewives competed to create the tastiest molasses cookie recipe. Most housewives would not consider buying any store bought goods they could cook themselves, like bread, pastries and canned goods. Everything was cooked from scratch.

     Besides the many quarts of berries to pick, pick over, and cook or can over a hot stove we grew many varieties of vegetables, which also needed to be picked and canned. Those seeds chosen to be planted were purchased during the springtime. Dad bought seed from several sources. I recall Taylor’s Hardware, Calais and Johnny Stewart's in Milltown as his main vendors. He usually saved potatoes for seed the following year. Our father would have plowed the garden sites, perhaps with Doll our favorite mare. Next harrowing and rock picking would need to be completed, plus the hoeing all had to be done prior to planting. All of our family members were involved in the garden work. In a week or so some of the tiny plants of various size and shaped green heads would poke out of the cool fertile soil as they sprung to life, exactly the way the creator intended. Now, more hoeing and weed pulling would start while we debated whose job it would be. The peas and the tomatoes would need to be staked to keep them upright

     Harvest time was from July to October. Again the whole family pitched in, but it was the housewife/mother who had to do the canning.

    Why is it called “canning” when foods are cooked in a sealed “glass jar” to be eaten sometime in the future? Wouldn’t “jarring” be more appropriate? A couple brands of snap-top canning jars that I recall were Mason and Ball. These were used over and over, because all you needed to do was replace the rubber seal. Previously used screw top bottles, containing items like coffee, and peanut butter were reused for canning pickles, beets and most berries and jams

      I have a list of the items our mother canned one season. The year is not noted, but other items in the notebook were 1930 to 1934. Her canning products for the month of June were rhubarb and strawberries. In July, strawberries, rhubarb, and strawberries and rhubarb together, pineapple and rhubarb together, beet greens, raspberries and blueberries together, raspberries, currant jelly and peas. During August, she canned raspberries and blueberries together, blueberries, beans, peas, beans and peas mixed, sweet pickles, apple jelly, and applesauce. In September Mom canned, tomato pickles, mustard, sweet pickles, beans, peas, raspberries, blueberries, jelly and meat, probably deer meat. 

JAMES AGNEW’S STAGE

SERVING CALAIS – EASTPORT – PEMBROKE

 

Brenda Sabattus of Indian Township gave A-CHS a stagecoach logbook. David McCullough of GLS told us about the book and Kathy Diffin of Princeton arranged for the transfer. A-CHS greatly appreciates the help of these folks, but will give the book to the St. Croix Historical Society as James Agnew lived in Red Beach.

 

The title of this article is made up. We make an educated guess that James Agnew was the owner of this stage. The 1891 Maine Register lists James Agnew of Red Beach as in the livery business. The 1881 George Colby Atlas shows James Agnew’s home opposite the Shattuck Road, on what is labeled as Agnew Point. The second clue as to ownership of the stage is found inside the front cover where it is written George Agnew, Boston, Maine. What’s the meaning of Boston?

 

This is followed by many pages. On the top of each page is a name, such as Fancy, Carlile Charlie, Lucy, Fred, and Annie. Were these names of horses? Dates appear on some pages and are almost all in 1891. Then on each page is a list of people’s names followed by dollar amounts. Let’s look at a selected few entries:

 

Chas. Lyons $3.00 to Calais   \

Man to Eastport $1.50              > These three entries define the area of service.

Man to Pembroke $2.00         /

 

Frank Hodins  $2.00 > Frank lived on the Carson Road in Calais

Willard Lane   $0.75 > Willard was a cooper who lived in Red Beach near Plaster Mill Cove.

O. S. Tarbox    $0.50 > Tarbox was superintendent of the Red Beach Granite Works

John Bohanon $1.50 > John lived on the River Road in Calais, near Pratt’s today.

O. A. Jamerson $1.00 > In 1891, Jamerson was Post Master in Red Beach

Good Nash      $1.50 > Several Nash families lived in Robbinston.

Chas. Synotl    $1.50 to train > The train was the St. Croix and Penobscot that ran to Princeton.

Joe Maloney    $1.50 > Joe lived almost in Red Beach, opposite Devil’s Head.

Mrs. Ford        $2.00 > one Ford family lived in Red Beach, another in Robbinston.

 

A separate page deals with R. D. Pottle Horse Shoeing. This was Robert Pottle, also of Red Beach. Among the items on this account are: Grain $5.00, Chimney $0.10, Straw $2.65, Powders $0.30, Sponge $0.20, Washers for the wagon $0.50, Wagon to Gillespie $5.00 and Lent Millie Kent $1.00.

The wagon was likely taken to J. K. Gillespie, wagon painter in Calais.

 

Near the middle of the book is a page thus labeled: This year I have been in 30 places, 34 ½ days besides being in my office and a month sick and two weeks vacation. My pony went on just the same. Here are the places listed, except one that we couldn’t read. After each place was a money value, usually less than a dollar. What was going on here? Why would a man spend 34 days earning less than a dollar a day, when entries elsewhere in the book indicate the stage business paid more? Note, Dover and Foxcroft became one town in 1922. Oldtown is the old spelling.

 

Calais, Red Beach, Portland, Bangor, Waterville, Augusta, Dover, Foxcroft, Houlton, Eastport, Gorham, Machias, Lubec, Perry, Camden, Woodland, Addison, Sullivan, Baring, Newport, Carroll, Princeton, Bar Harbor, Ellsworth, Bucksport, Marion, Belfast, Unity, Oldtown

 

A-CHS always appreciates getting any old documents. Those that belong elsewhere will be sent along, after we create an article for our readers.

DANIEL SEAVEY PAPERS

EARLY PAPERS

 

Deborah Drinkwater Rand created The Seavey Family book nearly 20 years ago and gave a copy to A-CHS. From it we learn that Daniel was born on January 23, 1823 in East Machias and died at Crawford on January 30, 1890. It likely was Deborah who organized the Seavey Papers that were given to A-CHS by Paul’s son Forrest Seavey of Winn. We thank her for her work and generosity.

 

1838 Account with Peter Murphy

This account ran until January 19, 1844. It is but ½ page long so indicates that this business relationship was not of great importance to either party. Peter Murphy does not appear in the 1840 census of Crawford, Alexander, or Wesley.  Where else would Daniel Seavey, a resident from Crawford, trade? East Machias, of course! Most settlers of Crawford had traveled from East Machias up the present State Route 191, hence through the #19 Road to Crawford. Henry Smith Whittier in his EAST MACHIAS 1765 – 1926 mentioned that Peter Murphy of East Machias was in Puget Sound, Oregon Territory before March 2, 1853 when Washington Territory was established. He also mentioned that a Mr. Murphy, a New Light Baptist, came from the Provinces (British Provinces, now Canada) after 1800 and stirred things up in that conservative East Machias. Finally, Peter Murphy (1788 – 1873) is buried at East Machias. Thanks to Christine Small for a copy of Whittier’s book.

 Below are some of the items listed in Daniel’s account:

DEBIT

September 28, 1838 - 1 bottle peppersauce to your father - $0.25

1 lb. tobacco - $0.13

January 29 1840 - 3 yds. sattinett –      $3.39

6 skeins thread -                                                                                                                                   $0.01

Doz. of buttons                                     $0.09

1 yd. Sheeting -                                    $0.17

1 lb. tea -                                             $0.50

12 sheets paper - .121 once tacks -      $0.03

March 20, 1840 – 3 lbs. sugar -           $0.50

1 qt. Oil -                                             $0.33

April 12, 1841 hauling 1 load of wood - $0.25

CREDIT

May 8, 1838 – 1 lb. butter -                 $0.25

Lathes and work –                                $4.25

April 15, 1841 – lathes -                       $0.29

January 19, 1844 – received pay – signed Peter Murphy

 

1843 Account with Wm. Sevey of East Machias

Daniel Seavey apparently owed William Sevey some money. This hard to read sheet gives some hints how he paid his debt.

March 10, 1843 - $25.00 for work in the woods.

January 1845 - ½ ton hay - $5.00

Horse and wagon to Fenlasons

November 30, 1846 wagon to Machias

December 1846 – interest noted, but no closing of this account sheet. No amounts were associated with the horse and wagon or the wagon activity mentioned. This sheet does provide evidence that Daniel and likely others from Crawford were doing business in East Machias.

 

1845 Account with Elisha Fenlason

February 10, 1845       11 lbs. pork                  $1.10

                                    ½ bbl flour                    $4.00

                                    ½ lb. tea                       $0.32

                                    2 lb. sugar                    $0.28

                                    1 lb. tobacco                $0.25

                                    2 ½ gal. molasses         $1.25

                                    paid hauling                  $0.87

March 18, 1845           7 lb. pork                     $0.87

                                    Work                           $2.50

½ of one-month work in woods plus found  $13.00      

1846 ½ of 7 logs cut on my property                $1.00

Feb. 5, 1846 horse to go to Calais for doctor    $1.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 1846 Agreement with Micah Jones Talbot

In consideration of Daniel S. Sevey having this day given me his note for one hundred and forty-five dollars and 28/100 payable six equal annual payments with usual interest, I agree that on the payment of said note & interest according to the tenor thereof to endorse the same on Ellis Fenlason’s note dated the 31st of October1844 and to discharge said Fenlason’s mortgage given to secure the payment of said note of the north half of the lot named in said mortgage, said lot to be divided by a line thro the centre at equal distance from and parallel with the north and south lines thereof.

Dated at Crawford on November 27, 1846 and signed by M J. Talbot of East Machias.

 

Ellis Fenlason had borrowed $250 to buy lot 82 in October 1844. Less than two years later, on September 26, 1846, Fenlason transferred the entire 160 acres of lot 82 to Daniel Sevey for a payment of $100.00. The quit claim deed (book 60, page 146) indicates that lot 82 was according to the B. R. Jones Plan. We will need to look for more evidence of Jones doing the plan because our information indicates the plan of Crawford was by Richard Hayden.

 

Later deeds tell us that Daniel acquired several other lots. See map for locations.

(108.62) Parts of lots 57 and 58 from Wm. & Hannah Clark on October 17, 1864 (about 180 acres)

(126.205) Part of lot 70 from Daniel F. Wormwood in 1870 (about 52 acres)

(126.208) Likely part of lot 70 from Samuel Harris equaling 100 acres

(138.232) North half (80 acres) of lot 69 and 60 acres of lot 71 from Daniel Wormwood

ALEXANDER SCHOOLS

By Pliney Frost

Part 12

 

We continue with information collected by Pliney in 1982. He did not show insurance, repairs account or textbooks and supplies. This twelfth article concludes the history of our one-room schools. As editor, I would like to stop here so we can collect more information about the Consolidated School opened in 1956 at the corner of the Cooper and Arm roads. Specifically, I hope to create a list of the students who attended the school and to get copies of the group pictures. Please check you files and if you have one or more of these pictures, let me know at 454-7476. jd  

 

1952-53

Instruction: Zela Cousins - $1420.40, Evelyn Pottle - $588.88, Dora Braley - $494.80, Bertha Dwelley - $707.20, Dorothy Perkins - $32.50, Alice Gillespie - $325.55, Kathleen Church - $278.25, Col. Int. Rev. - $300.31, M. S. R. S. - $201. 95 (Maine State Retirement System)
Conveyances: Alberta Berry - $402.50

Tuition: City of Calais - $2,472.84

Supervision and School Committee: J. Raymond Brennick, Supt. Salary $268.68 and travel - $50.00

Floyd Hunnewell - $10.00, Robert Thistlewood - $5.00, Everett Dwelley - $5.00

Janitor and Cleaning: Ethel Hunnewell - $80.00, Zettie Frost - $40.00, Muriel Frost - $13.00, Clifton Pottle - $28.00, Viola Dwelley - $8.00, Verna Thistlewood - $8.00, Fern Strout - $17.00, Harley Dwelley - $42.00

Fuel: Floyd Hunnewell - $5.00, Nelson Flood - $272.00, Dennys River Electric Coop - $48.48

Zela (Wallace) Cousins (1904 – 2000) lived on the Airline with her husband Harold. Evelyn (Flood) Pottle, daughter of Lincoln and Lizzie (Perkins) Flood was living at her parents’ home on the Cooper Road. Her mother and her husband Harold Pottle lived there also. She had taken time from teaching after the birth of her first child, Clifton. Abner and Dora (Seavey) Braley lived on the Fred Brown place on the Spearin Road. Dora Braley, described in 1950 – 51, was one of the 16 children of Ernest and Gertrude (Roberts) Seavey of Crawford. Bertha Dwelley, Frank’s wife, lived down near the mill at the outlet of Dwelley’s Lake. She was a daughter of Thomas and Dora (McGraw) Frost. Dorothy (Antone) Perkins was Norman’s wife and lived on the North Union Road in Cooper. Alice (Patten) Gillespie was Roy Gillespie’s widow and mother of Marilyn Gillespie who had taught at Cedar School from 1948 – 1951. Both lived in Meddybemps.  Kay Church was the daughter of W. C. ‘Bill’ and Bessie (Wallace) Cushing of Crawford. She and her husband, Chuck, also lived in Crawford.  Alberta Berry, daughter of Ralph and Linnie (Cousins) McArthur was married to Max Berry and they lived at the Four Corners. Floyd and Ethel (Knowles) Hunnewell lived on the Airline near the Four Corners School, diagonally across from Max and Alberta. Robert and Verna (Craft) Thistlewood lived next to her parents at the top of Lanes Hill. Everett and Viola (White) Dwelley lived by Dwelley’s Lake. Everett, Frank, and Doris Strout were siblings, children of Llewellyn and Fannie (Fenlason) Dwelley. Viola had come to Alexander with her family from Weld when the Stowell MacGregor spool bar mill opened on Pocomoonshine Lake in 1933. Often older students would do janitor’s work, building and tending the fire, getting a pail of water, and sweeping up at the end of the day.  These five did that work in 1952 – 53. Zettie and Muriel Frost were cousins; Zettie a daughter of Lyston and Hazel (Cousins) Frost and Muriel a daughter of Donald and Helen (Stanhope) Frost. Donald was a brother of Bertha Dwelley. They lived near Hale School. Clifton Pottle attended Cedar School and was one of three sons of Evelyn and Harold Pottle. Fern Strout was a daughter of Lyman and Doris (Dwelley) Strout and went to Hale School. Harley Dwelley was a son of Frank and Bertha and went to Cedar School. Nelson Flood lived at the south end of town where he ran a store. His wife Leota (Cousins) died on November 23, 1953 at age 46; a sad year for Nelson.

 

1953-54

Instruction: Zela. Cousins - $1493.60, Kathleen Church - $434.80, Bertha Dwelley - $1,244.25, Kathleen Cushing - $70.30, Lillian Varnum - $638.13, Dir. Int. Revenue - $322.15, MSRS - $254.55

Conveyance: no mention in report

Tuition: City of Calais - $1,747.10

Supervision: J. Raymond Brennick for salary $246.03, for travel $56.67, Carroll R. McGary, Salary –

$33.33, School Committee: Robert Thistlewood (1954) - $25.00, Everett Dwelley (1955) - $5.00,
Ben McArthur (1956) - $13.00

Janitor and Cleaning: Ethel Hunnewell - $80.00, Zettie Frost - $14.00, Fern Strout - $14.00, Harley Dwelley - $28.00, Donald Frost - $41.20, Jackie McArthur - $40.00, Gerald Craft - $26.00, Verna Thistlewood - $8.00, Jackie Frost - $4.00, Floyd Hunnewell - $2.00, Ben McArthur - $2.00, Robert Thistlewood - $10.00

Fuel: Floyd Hunnewell - $294.00, Robert Thistlewood - $2.00, Dennys River Electric Coop - $79.15

Lillian Varnum was a daughter of True and Eda (Dwelley) Varnum. Lillian never married and wanted to become an opera singer; she even had her stage name, Alexa Barin. She was back in the local area not only to teach, but also to look after her mother who had been widowed for 30 years; Eda died at the Calais Hospital in June 1954. Lillian may have lived with Leon and Bertha Scribner or with her Aunt Carrie (Dwelley) Varnum. Benjamin Harrison McArthur was one of Fay and Bertha (Cheney) McArthur’s sons. He married Constance Rice of West Pembroke who we will meet later in this article. They lived on the McArthur Road. Jackie McArthur is a daughter of Elbridge and Barbara (Carlow) McArthur and lived across from Cedar School. We will meet Barbara in the next section. Gerald Craft, son of Lester Craft and Gladys (Perkins) Craft, lived with his parents at the top of Lanes Hill. He was a brother of Verna who married Robert Thistlewood. Who was Jackie Frost?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lillian Varnum ca 1954     Bertha Scribner 1948    Lawrence Frost ca 1948

 

1954-55
Instruction: Bertha Dwelley, Cedar School (District 3) - $1529.15, Zela Cousins, Four Corners School - $1667.75, Lillian Varnum - $542.50, Kathleen Church, Hale School. (District 2) - $970.45, Director of Internal Revenue - $398.68, Maine State Retirement System - $270.35
Conveyance: no expense listed

Tuition: Town of Baileyville - $71.95, City of Calais - $2,450.00, Town of Windham - $267.35
Supervision: Supt. Carroll R. McGary, salary - $399.96 School Committee: Everett Dwelley - $10.00
Benj. McArthur - $5.00, Floyd Hunnewell - $5.00

Janitor and Cleaning: Ethel Hunnewell - $88.00, Jackie McArthur - $32.00, Donald Frost - $90.80, Fannie Dwelley - $8.00, Elden Hunnewell - $10.00, Barbara McArthur - $56.00, Joyce Craft - $7.00, Constance McArthur - $7.00, Gerald Craft - $24.00

Fuel: Floyd Hunnewell - $102.00, Everett Dwelley - $60.00, Benj. McArthur - $85.00, Dennys River Electric Coop. $54.00, State of Maine for water test - $11.80  

Who went to school in Windham? Fannie (Fenlason) Dwelley was Llewellyn’s wife and the mother of Doris, Wayne, Harold, Frank, and Everett. She lived down by Dwelley’s Lake (Pleasant Lake). Elden Hunnewell, son of Morey and Marjorie (James) lived with his parents on Bailey Hill near the Four Corners. Joyce (Crandall) Craft was from Oakfield and was married to Gerald Craft mentioned above. After Gerald died, she married Pliney Frost and would be known by many locals by that name.  

 

1955-56
Instruction: Zela Cousins, Four Corners School - $1,630.86, Bertha Dwelley, Cedar - $1,630.86, Jennie Gray, Hale School - $1114.21, Kathleen Church, Hale School) - $            522.55, Director of Internal Revenue $412.00, Maine State Retirement System - $311.92, Maine Teachers Association - $15.00, Washington County Teachers Association - $3.00
Conveyance: No amount listed

Tuition: Town of Baileyville - $223.61, City of Calais - $2,471.40
Supervision:
Supt. Carroll R. McGary, Salary - $483.36 School Committee: Benjamin. McArthur - $10.00, Floyd Hunnewell - $5.00, Everett Dwelley - $5.00
Enrollments
: Four Corners School - 10, Hale School 20, Cedar School 12, Calais High - 10

Janitor and Cleaning: Ethel Hunnewell - $98.00, Barbara McArthur - $92.44, Donald Frost - $32.50, Lloyd Dwelley - $57.50, Viola Dwelley - $8.00, Gerald Craft - $24.00, Constance McArthur - $6.00, Joyce Craft - $6.00

Fuel: Floyd Hunnewell - $102.00, Everett Dwelley - $85.00, Benjamin McArthur - $102.00, Dennys River Electric Coop - $114.01

Jennie (Merritt) Gray was born in Deblois in 1918. Besides teaching in Alexander, she taught in #21, Calais, Columbia Falls, Milbridge, and Ellsworth. She was a substitute teacher through 2003, the year of her death. Lloyd Thomas Dwelley is a son of Paul and Rowena (White) Dwelley. He lives today on Gooch Hill. 

 

1956 – 57

Superintendent Adolph Zukowski made two observations in his report to the Citizens of Alexander on March 5, 1957. “The citizens may well be proud of their new school building… and The Town of Cooper is now sending their elementary pupils to Alexander on a tuition basis.

Instruction: Zela Cousins - $1674.15, Bertha Dwelley - $1674.15, Jennie Gray - $        603.19, Director of Internal Revenue - $371.60 Maine State Retirement System - $266.41

Conveyance: Donald Frost - $1,213.00, Dyer Crosby - $182.00

Tuition: City of Calais - $4,507.98

Tuition received from Cooper: $687.50

Supervision: Supt. Carroll McGary, Salary - $175.12, Supt. Adolph M. Zukowski - $350,24, School Committee: Floyd Hunnewell (1957) - $10.00, Everett Dwelley (1958) - $5.00, Lawrence Frost (1959) - $5.00

Janitor and Cleaning: Barbara McArthur - $23.50, Ethel Hunnewell - $44.50, Lloyd Dwelley - $32.50, Joyce Craft - $5.00, Connie McArthur - $5.00, Bertha Dwelley - $5.00, Donald Frost - $240.00, Bertha Scribner - $3.50

Fuel: Barbara McArthur - $10.00, Floyd Hunnewell - $6.00, Paul Dwelley - $2.00, James Pomeroy of Calais - $296.48 for kerosene or fuel oil, Lyman Williams - $3.00, Dyer Crosby - $10.00, Dennys River Electric Coop - $80.31, State of Maine (water test?) - $9.00

Dyer Crosby lived in the first house in Cooper where his widow still resides. He conveyed Cooper and Alexander scholars to Alexander. Readers will note that Cooper paid tuition to Alexander, and that that again is happening. Lawrence Frost, a son of Lyston and Hazel (Cousins) Frost lived on the south side if the Airline, on Bailey Hill. Bertha Scribner, wife of Leon, lived on the Airline and about this time she and Leon were running the former Charlie Brown store on Cooper Road. Paul Dwelley, son of Delmont and Clara (Dunham) Dwelley lived at the home place at the top of Spring Hill on the Cooper Road. James Pomeroy lived in Calais. Lyman Williams was married to Rose Niles and they lived at the old H. A. Crafts house at 51 Arm Road.

 

 

CONSOLADATED SCHOOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: The two-room consolidated school was built in 1956 at the corner of the Cooper and Arm Roads and the one room schools in Districts numbers 1, 2 and 3 were closed. Thus we record the demise of the one room school in Alexander for twenty years. 

 

March 1, 1954: Hand written in the front of this Annual Report: “To see what action if any the Town will vote to take in Regards to keeping one of the Old School Buildings for a town office Building. Also what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for repair of said building.”

 

March 4, 1955: Article 39: “To see if the Town will vote to elect a School Building Committee whose function will be to investigate and report to the town on the possibility of building a school. Said committee to consist one member of the Board of Selectmen, one member of the Superintending School Committee and three other members chosen at large.”

 

March 5, 1956: Superintendent Carroll McGary’s report included, “In all probability the question of whether the town will build a new school or not will have been settled before this report reaches you. Regardless…. The money needed to run the schools next year will be the same. The following indicates that the committee had decided to build a new school.

 Washington County (deeds) - $2.00 and John Adams (plans) - $25.00

 

March 5, 1957: Article 32: “To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $2134.76 to be paid to the Maine School Building authority pursuant to the provisions of the lease agreement dated February 1, 1956. Article 33: “To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1300.00 to pay the remaining bills due on the new building.”

MISS IDA E. McPHETERS’ DIARY
DECEMBER 1890 – JANUARY 1891
 

Ida Ella McPheters was born July 6, 1865 daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Bohanon) McPheters. At the time of this diary, she was living with her widowed mother and 20 year old brother Embert, known as Eddie. We thank Foster Carlow, Jr. who found the diary in the attic and passed it on to A-CHS. Editor’s comments are in Italics. Additions or corrections to those are welcome. jd

 

DECEMBER 1890

1 – Monday: Pleasant. School commenced today. Mr. Gray hasn’t changed much since I saw him four years ago. It will be pleasant to have a boarder; we have been so lonely. Mr. Gray would be Leander Austin Gray (1859) of Wesley, grandfather of A-CHS member of the same name. He had taught in Alexander off and on from 1879.

 

2 – Tuesday: Cold. I carried some of my plants down cellar. My largest geranium froze. I had to cut it off and carry it down cellar. I am trying to fix up my clothes a little. These plants were kept inside the house. Today most of us can’t remember plants or the water pail freezing over night in the house that we live in.

 

3 – Wednesday: Very cold. I have been busy helping Mother. There is plenty to do all the time, Mother isn’t very well. She has too many cares. I wish there was some way to ease her of them.

 

4 - Thursday: Pleasant. The duties of today have been much as usual. I read my history in the evening.  I miss Father very much these long evenings, but wouldn’t call him back if I could, trusting he is better off. Readers will remember that Joseph McPheters died on April 8th after coming home earlier from the bark woods of Jackson Brook. He apparently had died of pneumonia.

 

5 – Friday: Pleasant. We employed a Mr. Saton to repair the clock. He was here to dinner. Mr. Gray went home. Helen Tyler called here this afternoon. Helen Tyler, daughter of Abbie B. Tyler (1828), and the late Belcher (1816 –1889) Tyler lived north of the Airline, near the Crawford line.

 

6 – Saturday: Cool and pleasant. Mother and I have been very busy today, we put down the bedroom carpet and cleaned and baked and I guess we both about tired enough. 

 

7 – Sunday: Snowed some today. I have been reading in the Bible and witness. Called up to Rebecca’s in the P. M. Eddie isn’t feeling well lately. It makes it very hard for Mother not to have anyone.  Rebecca (1850) (Godfrey) Scribner was G. S. S. Scribner’s second wife. They lived about ½ mile west of Ida on the south side of the Airline Road. Rebecca, born in 1850, and Charles Huff filed intentions of marriage in July 1868 and were married on the 14th. She married James Wright of Crawford in November 1869 in Wisconsin. She returned home after the deaths of James and their children excepting son Frank (1876). Frank was raised by his grandparents, Joseph and Rachel Godfrey. 

 

8 – Monday: Pleasant. We washed. I went down to see Josie G. who is very sick. She is very hurtful and hopes to be better soon. I read in the evening from the book Mr. McGraw lent me. Josie Godfrey (born 1858) was a sister of Rebecca listed above. She lived at home on the Arm Road. She, like Ida, was unmarried, and sometimes a teacher. She continued to be very hurtful and her hopes to be better soon were for not. She died April 6, 1891.  J. D. McGraw was the M-E (Methodist – Episcopal) minister in Alexander from 1890 to 1894. His daughter Dora married Thomas Edward Frost, thus John D. was the grandfather of Lyston, Floyd, Justin, Hattie, Beulah, Annie Edna, Donald and Bertha.

 

9 – Tuesday: Lovely day. I have been busy with the housework. Emma Bohanon called this A. M. Eddie is about sick, he feels badly. Mort is going to Calais tomorrow with a load of hay for Mother. Emma Bohanon likely was the 30 year old daughter of Jones and Elizabeth Bohanon, Jones being Hannah McPheters brother. This cousin of Ida’s married Frank Averill in 1893. It is possible that Emma was the 27 year-old daughter of George Bohanon who lived on the Arm Road. Mort Scribner, born 1865, and his twin sister Alice, and twins Theodore and Ben were the four surviving children of the marriage between George Stillman Smith Scribner and Charlotte Strout. Readers will remember that Charlotte ran away with a fellow from PEI and that “Still” married Rebecca Godfrey.  

 

10 – Wednesday: Warm and snowed a little in the evening. I baked a loaf of cake and went down to the circle at the Minister’s. Had a pleasant time. I knit for Mrs. McGraw. J. D. McGraw’s wife Amanda Neal of Danforth.

 

11 – Thursday: Pleasant. I have been busy about the house. Ripped my white scyne to pieces. Mort S. was here in the A. M.  I am reading ancient history. Don’t like it very well.

 

12 – Friday: Pleasant. I have been ripping my red dress and am going to make it over. The days are so short that it takes about all the time to do the housework. Mr. Gray went home.

 

13 – Saturday: Cold. We have been very busy today, baking and cleaning. I wrote to Clara in the evening. Didn’t go to meeting for I wasn’t well. Ida’s sister Clara married Shep Cottel in 1877.

 

14 – Sunday: Pleasant. I have been reading today. Mort S. was here and loaded straw to take to Calais tomorrow. I missed the meeting again.

 

15 – Monday: Pleasant. It is good sleighing now. We washed and put up the bed in the backroom. Eddie seems better again. I hope he gets smart soon.

 

16 – Tuesday: Pleasant. I went down to Mrs. Huff’s after yeast. Finished ripping my red dress in the evening. I want to get more time to sew soon, but first lots to do about the house. Mrs. Claudius Huff, born Lydia Perkins, lived on the Arm Road, near the Godfrey family.

 

17 – Wednesday: Pleasant. I went down to Albion’s and the P. O.  Sade Dwelley rode up to the Minister’s with me. I read history in the evening. Albion Hanford Perkins and his wife Rhoda (Crafts) lived on the south side of the Airline, east of the Cooper Road intersection. He was active in town and church affairs, later in the Grange. The Post Office was at Charlie Brown’s Store (70 Cooper Road). Sadie Dwelley, oldest child of John and Alice (Berry) Dwelley moved to Meddybemps and ran a hotel, eventually she married Bert Conant.

 

18 – Thursday: Cold and stormed sleet. Frank Averill was here to dinner. He bought a load of hay. I mended some today. Got tired and lonely sometimes. As we learned earlier, Frank Averill would marry Ida’s cousin Emma Bohanon in 1893.

 

19 Friday: Wind blows and it is very cold. I did up my gingham dress.  Mended my gossamers and worked about the house as usual. Mr. Gray went home. 

 

20 Saturday: Cold. We have been busy today about the house. I read some Transcript stories in the evening to Mother. I don’t know what she would do with out me.

 

21 Sunday: Pleasant, but rained in the evening, Uncle and aunt Bohanon were here, also Rebecca Scribner. I read some in the Witness and Bible. I haven’t been writing since I came home. Most likely Uncle Jones and Aunt Elizabeth Bohanon.

 

22 – Monday: Pleasant. Mother and I have been mending today. Rebecca was down after some yeast. I read history in the evening.

 

23 – Tuesday: Pleasant. I called up to Rebecca’s and paid Ben. Rebecca says Josie is not better. Helen & Elma came over to see me and I met them going home, both came back. Elma was Helen Tyler’s sister.

 

24 – Wednesday: Pleasant. I am busy all the time and can’t see that I accomplish much. My clothes needed considerable repairing. I get tired of monotony. Eddie went down to the church.

 

25 – Thursday: Cold, but pleasant. This is a lonely Christmas to us. Eddie went down to the lake skating in the P. M. Home is vacant now and can’t help being lonely.

 

26 – Friday: Cold. I have been busy as usual without accomplishing much. Mother went over to Mrs. Strout’s in the P. M. I baked biscuits for supper, I am getting so I like housework. Mrs. Strout was Adelaide, widow of Solomon Strout, Jr.

 

27 – Saturday: Stormy today. I have been helping Mother about the house. Get lonely pretty often, but suppose I ought not. I miss Father very much, but would not call him back.

 

28 – Sunday: Cold. I went over to the schoolhouse in the morning, but there was no meeting, as the fire was not built soon enough. I haven’t been to meeting since I came home.

 

29 – Monday: Still cold. Mr. Gray didn’t come back until this morning. He is a pleasant boarder and we miss him when he is gone. We washed today.

 

30 - Tuesday: Cold. I ripped up my gingham skirt and made me an apron out of the best of it. I want to go to Calais and to Mrs. Crafts’. Mr. Bridges died of pneumonia. Mrs. Crafts would be Esther (Spearin), widow of Hiram Crafts. This family lived on the Arm Road near the Cooper Road. Azor B. Bridges of Crawford died on Monday. Civil War veteran and blacksmith, he lies buried in the Old Crawford Cemetery. Readers most recently met Azor in issue 129 in the article about Daniel Seavey.

 

31 – Wednesday: Very cold. I have been busy about the house and sewed some. I guess I shall have to get a new diary soon.’90 is most gone and another new year begins.

 

JANUARY 1891       

1 – Thursday: Pleasant. I went over to Rebecca’s in the P. M. intending to go down to see Josie, but found it too bad walking. I sewed after getting my work done about the house.

 

2 – Friday: Rained today. Mr. G. didn’t go home. I have been sewing some today. Find lots of housework to do. Want to go to Calais soon.

 

3 – Saturday: Pleasant. Charlie’s 29 birthday. Mr. G went home this morning. Mother and I have been very busy; we cleaned and bake until we were both tired. Charlie was Ida’s brother.

 

4 – Sunday: Pleasant. I have been reading in the Witness and the Bible. Manly, Hubie, and Ernest Wilson were here. I am lonely, but feel it is my duty to stay with Mother this winter. Manly was Ida’s 19-year-old cousin, son of Jones Bohanon. Hubie might have been Herbert Perkins, 15, son of Elisha and Rhoda.  Ernest Wilson was 14 and may have been born at East Machias. He had Alexander connections and spent his youth being passed from home to home.

 

5 – Monday: Cloudy and cold. I have been busy with housework and mending. Read a story that Mr. G. brought out for us to read in the Boston Globe.

 

6 – Tuesday: Snowing and blowing. Manly was here to dinner. I have been mending and working about the house. Read in the evening in Mr. Gray’s book.

 

7 – Wednesday: Cold and snowed some. I have been busy as usual. Get tired and lonesome sometimes but should be thankful that it is as well with me as it is. Practiced a while today.

 

8 – Thursday: Cold wind and the snow drifting. I sewed some after doing the housework. Mother churned. I played awhile. Thus ends Ida’s diary. Inside the back cover we find this record of interest.

 

Hoops sold in 1890 - 1000 @ $2.25 = $2.25 ~ 1300 @ $2.25 = $2.92 ~ 1000 @ $2.00 = $2.00 ~

 600 @ $2.50 = $1.50 ~ 1600 @ $5.00 = $8.00 ~ 150 @ $8.00 = $1.20 (ash) ~ 600 @ $2.25 = $1.35

That was $19.22 for 6250 hoops. Someone cut all those hoop poles, shaved them and bundled them all for $19.22. 

 

Ida’s life after 1891: Life apparently continued much the same. She taught school some terms and lived at home. Her mother Hannah died in 1897. Sometime between 1891 and 1899 a man entered her life. He was a neighbor who lived down the South Princeton Road, about a mile north of Ida’s.

 

Charles Sidney Hunnewell was born February 27, 1852 son of Jonathan and Susannah (Hall) Hunnewell. He married Eliza Jane “Lydia” Keene daughter of Reuben and Mary Harrington (Bailey) Keene. The marriage date was June 14, 1871. Over the next 25 years, this couple has 13 children listed here in order of birth. Orren married Amanda Carlow, Mina died young, Eda married Harry Brown, Lilly dy. Howard married Cora Scribner, Wesley dy, Clara nfi, Eva died young, Charles nfi, Harris married Rena Crafts, Melvin married Ella McArthur, then her sister Nettie McArthur, Morey (June 21, 1894) married Marjorie James, and Roy married Lima Carlow.  Roy was born in 1896.

 

Charles divorced Lydia on May 6, 1899 citing cruel and abusive treatment. It is said that Charles was up the road visiting Ida, and upon returning home one evening was met by Lydia with the butcher knife. Heated words were spoken, but the knife remained unused. Even though Charles was a strong man with a temper, he left.

 

Charles and Ida were married on July 4, 1899. They created a home on the northeast corner of the same lot where Ida and her family had lived, but quite a distance away from the house where Eddie would continue to live. The ell of Charles and Ida’s house was an old store building; they built on the front part. This still stands and today Foster Carlow, Jr. uses it as a garage.

 

Only one child was born to this couple; Floyd Llewellyn Hunnewell was born on January 2, 1907. What should have been a happy time for Charles and Ida became a nightmare. Ida went crazy. She had to be committed to the state insane asylum in Bangor. Today this would have been diagnosed at post partum depression and the mother would be treated with drugs to overcome the problem.

 

She got better and returned to Alexander to raise her son and tend to her blacksmith husband. Charles died on January 6, 1920. Ida died on April 26, 1937. Both are buried in unmarked graves at the Alexander Cemetery. Floyd married Ethel Knowles. They raised a family of three girls. Their grandson is Foster Carlow Jr. who found the diary.  Again, thank you, Foster.

 

GREEN HILL SETTLEMENT

MEDDYBEMPS

 

Green Hill in Meddybemps is another of those abandoned communities we find scattered around Maine. Ash Ridge (Issue 127) was a community of over forty people once, now it boasts but three. Breakneck Mountain in Alexander and Cooper once had 16 homes and a school, now all we find are foundations and wells scattered through the blueberry fields and woods. Robb Hill in Alexander and Baileyville had enough families for a school, now two people live on this wooded hill. Where once was a community on Green Hill today we find a barn, lots of blueberry fields and gravel pits. Who were the people who settled there and when? Where did it get its name?

 

Green Hill can been seen from Route 191 in Meddybemps, from the Cooper Road in Alexander. It rises over 200 feet above the surrounding land and is without trees. Today about ¼ of the western part of Green Hill still is in Cooper. Most, if not all, of the cleared area is in Meddybemps. The green of the blueberry fields is distinct from the darker green of the surrounding forests. The north part of the Hill is bounded directly by Meddybemps Heath.

 

The Green Hill Road in Meddybemps runs westerly from Route 191, past the Meddybemps Cemetery, then through Sandy McDougal Meadow, and on to the Hill. Meadows needed to be burned in order to get good crops of meadow hay, which was used for fodder for oxen, and later to assist in burning blueberry fields. Harold Clark and later Dale Gillespie were two who burned this meadow. Once this road continued through Cooper and into Alexander where it joined the Cooper Road. Carleton Cooper lives on the Green Hill road in Cooper.

 

Earliest records refer to this ridge as Northeast Ridge for it was in the northeast corner of Cooper. Of course that all changed in 1841when this part of Cooper was set off to make part of the Town of Meddybemps. We know the first plan of #15 (Cooper) was drawn in 1786 by Rufus Putnam. The plan for settlement was drawn later by Enoch Waterhouse and in 1835 projected and copied by Benjamin R. Jones. For this article, we use part of the 1843 plan of Meddybemps prepared by B. R. Jones. On the right are Meddybemps Lake and the river. Lots 10 through 14 represent the Green Hill settlement.

 

THE FIRST LOT OWNERS

Joseph Weeks of Cooper acquired lot 10 (100 acres) in 1832. Green Brown was a witness to his signature on the deed.  He does not appear on any Cooper census.

 

Jesse Brown purchased lot 11 (100 acres) from the Proprietors of Cooper on January 14, 1830. Anson Chandler held the mortgage. Neither Jesse Brown nor Chandler ever appeared on a Cooper census and we don’t known if or how Jesse Brown was related to Green Brown.

 

Joseph Green Brown (May 10, 1782) of Cooper was the first to get a deed for land on Northeast Ridge. It was from the Proprietors of Cooper and dated June 18, 1828. The Cooper family held the mortgage. This deed was for lot 12 (140 acres). Did he live there before he owned the place? He came from Machias, maybe the Chases Mills part of present day East Machias. 

 

John Burdin (or Burton) bought lot 13 (100 acres) He is listed on the 1830 Cooper census with a wife and one son under age 5. His wife was Catherine or Kate Brown, daughter of Green and Nancy.

 

Ira Philbrook Allen of Cooper acquired lot 14 (100 acres) for $200 on January 19, 1830. He is on the 1830 Cooper census with his wife. Both are aged between 20 and 30. She just happens to be Susan Brown, another daughter of Green and Nancy Brown.

THE HOMES BUILT ON GREEN HILL

Based on memories of those who have spent time on Green Hill, on maps, and on exploration in 2006, we feel there were six homes on the hill. Their approximate locations are marked with letters on the 1843 Jones’s map.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RESIDENTS OF GREEN HILL

Site A – (The Allen Place) - Other than for the reference in the deed, we find no record that Joseph Weeks lived on this land.

 

The 1850 Meddybemps census has widow Nancy Brown who was 69 years old as head of the household living at this site. That household included Ira P. Allen a 49-year-old farmer; his wife Susan is 40 and their children are Clarrisa A. 18, Nancy 16; Elisha 14; and Andrew J. age 2.  Also living in this house was Green and Nancy’s son Joseph, age 19. The 1861 Wallings Map of Washington County shows the I. P. Allen home correctly on the northerly side of the road. We don’t find Nancy on the 1860 census; we checked Meddybemps, Cooper, and Alexander. Nancy died August 26, 1868 and is buried at the Meddybemps Cemetery beside her husband in marked graves.

 

The 1870 census gives Ira from Vermont, Susan from New Brunswick, sons Andrew and Ira. In 1880 Ira and Susan were living with their son Judson Andrew, or Andrew J. Allen in Meddybemps. Judson’s wife was Curlilta (born 1851) and their children were Everett (1876) and Arthur (1877). The 1881 Colby’s Atlas of Washington County shows A. J. Allen at this site. Several remember that this farm got its water from a spring, maybe a quarter of a mile to the south. The water was piped downhill.

 

In 1896, Reverend Moody of the Alexander Methodist - Episcopal Church created a Directory of Alexander, and parts of Cooper and Meddybemps. On the “Discontinued Road to Alexander (Green Hill Road) he lists in the first house the following: A. J. Allen, Curlista, Everett, Arthur, Howard, Ellen, Susan, and Mrs. Susan, who would be Andrew’s mother. Apparently the house burned and the Allen family moved into the Connick house in the village.

 

Site B – (The Niles Place) - We don’t know who lived here from 1830 – 1840, maybe nobody. Jesse Brown apparently did not meet his mortgage requirements for on August 17, 1840 Anson Chandler, who held the mortgage, sold the lot to Ebenezer F. Newell of Cooper, “excepting the crop now growing.” We don’t know if that crop belonged to Jesse Brown, Anson Chandler, or a neighbor. As stated, Jesse Brown and Anson Chandler were never on a Cooper census. Ebenezer and family lived at Site C, which we will describe later. .

 

Ebenezer sold the lot to Robert L. Bridges in the late 1850s and we know his family was living here in 1861. Did he build this house? They were Robert (1802), his wife Lucy (1813), and their children Olive F. (1835), Justin S. (1841), Robert G. (1843), Alice (1845), Laura (1848), Manley (1850), Josiah (1853), and Anne (185).

 

In 1879 Robert L Bridges, a widower, sold to his son Robert Green Bridges. This family which included young Robert’s bride Olive (1852), his single sister Laura and his father lived at this site.

Robert Green Bridges also acquired “Green Brown Place”, i.e. lot 12 from Ebenezer Newell. Newell had acquired the place from Elizabeth Cooper, holder of the mortgage.

 

Sometime prior to 1896 Frank and Lydia Niles and their family moved into this place. The Niles children were Lester, William, Edwin, Harry, Harvey, Fred, and Mary. Mary was born in 1880. In 1897 she married John Gibbs of Alexander who was 23 years her senior. Apparently John died after the 1900 census because Mary Gibbs married Jasper Bailey, also of Alexander, on September 4, 1901. Jasper was 30 years her senior! Mary and Jasper had two children, Leonard (1903) and Jennie (1904).

 

Mary Bailey and family moved in with her parents on Green Hill after the 1920 census and with the following conditions expressed in the 1921 deed. This deed is given on the express condition that the said Mary E. Bailey shall well and truly support and maintain the said Lydia A. Niles and her husband Frank Niles during the term of their natural lives and the life of the survivor, furnishing them with necessary food and clothing, and in case of sickness of either to furnish medicine and medical attendance. Always treating them and the survivor of them with kindness and consideration and at their death to furnish suitable Christian burial. Said support and maintenance to be furnished on the premises above described.

 

Frank Niles (1845 – 1928) and Lydia (1847 – 1922) are buried in marked graves at the Meddybemps Cemetery. Also buried in this lot are their sons Sylvester, William, and Harry. Jasper, Mary and son Leonard are likewise buried in this lot.

 

Those who remember the house describe it as being hip-roofed. The barn, still standing, is also hip-roofed which is unusual. This farm also got water piped by gravity feed from a spring somewhat west of the Allen spring. The remains of an old garage by the road show where Fred Niles repaired cars.

 

Hilda Crosby remembers Leonard Bailey. His sister Jennie became a housekeeper in the home of Charles Gillespie when his wife Ellie was sick. (Ellie was the oldest daughter of Andrew and Hannah Allen, next door) After Ellie died, Charles married Jennie and they lived at this site on Green Hill. The 1930 census lists Jasper (79) as head of household, Mary (50. wife), Leonard (28, son), Charles W. Gillespie (51, son-in-law), Jennie (26, daughter) Forrest C. (4½ grandson) and Charles Niles (55, (brother-in-law). Charles and Jennie Gillespie later had another child, a daughter they named Jennie Mae.

 

Charles Gillespie cultivated blueberries. William Tarbell was one who hauled blueberries from Green Hill by team to Pembroke for Gillespie. Gillespie also grew potatoes on the hill.

 

Site C - Ebenezer Newell is on the 1840 Cooper census with a wife and two daughters under 5 years old. The family is not listed on either Cooper or Meddybemps census records for 1850. The 1860 Cooper census lists E. F. Newell age 58 from Massachusetts; his wife Susan S., age 44; daughter Susan W. age 24 and a teacher in the common school; daughter Lettice 8 at school; and Mary R. age 3. Ebenezer Newell’s home was on the northerly side of the Green Hill Road according to the 1861 Wallings Map of Washington County. 

 

Manley Bridges acquired the home and fifty acres north of the road. The 1881 Atlas of Washington County shows Manly F. Bridges (1851) and his wife Julia living at this home north of the road. He was a son of Robert L. and Lucy (Greenlaw) Bridges and a brother of Robert Green Bridges. 

 

In 1889 Charles W. and Benjamin E. Lombard bought the north part of this lot and lived here. Moody lists this family here in 1896. The 1880 census of Meddybemps indicates that Benjamin (1857) was crippled and single and his brother William (1853) was married to Huldah (1859), and (according to the 1900 census) their children were Harry (1880), Charles (1887), Viola (1885), Maude (1891), and Grace O. (1895). On November 30th, 1900 the Lombard brothers sold out to neighbor Lydia A. Niles.

The Lombard family was the last known occupants of this site.

 

Site D  – (The Green Brown Place) - Green Brown first appears on the 1830 Cooper census with his wife Nancy (Connick), three sons and five daughters. Family records indicate that Joseph Green Brown Sr. first married Amelia Andrews of Cutler in 1801. He married Nancy Connick in 1804. Their children were Catherine (1808, married John Burton), Susanna (1811, married Ira Allen), Ann, Margaret, Olive, Jane, James, Nancy, Philbrook, Charlotte (1827), and Joseph Green Brown, Jr. (1831). We know that Green and Nancy were in South Princeton in 1827 when Charlotte was born. Charlotte eventually married David Howe and lived on Middle Ridge of Cooper. The Green Brown family was also on the 1840 Cooper census. They did settle on this lot which was called the Green Brown Place. Green Brown was one who signed the petition to set off Meddybemps from Baring. He died December 3, 1846 and Nancy moved in with the Allen family (Site A). Apparently the house was abandoned at that time. Much later, Howard Allen planted potatoes on a flat field near the house site. The field is about ¼ acre.

 

Site E – The 1850 census of Meddybemps lists John Burton (Burdin or Burden) as a 53-year-old farmer. Living in his household were his wife Catherine (Brown) 42, and children Josiah 22, Thomas G. 20, Catherine 15, and John 12. John and Thomas were listed as farmers and Thomas was in school, unusual for his age. The 1860 census gives John of Nova Scotia, Kate of New Brunswick and son Josiah. John Burdin died in 1866, and his son Josiah in 1861. The family is not listed in the 1870 census, however it is interesting to note that son Thomas in partnership with Andrew Pendleton acquired a mill site from Warren Gilman in 1866. John’s wife Catherine died in 1889 and is buried in the family plot at the Meddybemps Cemetery. Where was she in 1870 and 1880? This site was home to just this one family.

 

 

Site FIra Allen likely built a house south of the road as it entered the woods, near what would become the Cooper town line. The family was listed on the 1840 Cooper census. It appears that this house on lot 14 was not used after 1850. Ira P. Allen signed the petition to set off Meddybemps. This lot stayed with the Allen family for many years as we find it owned by Ira’s son Andrew Judson Allen according to deeds for adjoining property. Did the old house burn? Was the soil poor? Why did the

family move?

 

During the twentieth century the Gillespie family acquired the farms on Green Hill. Charles, mentioned above, his son Robert, and his grandsons Dale and Everett all raised blueberries here. Today this land belongs to Dale’s widow, Jane (Crosby) Gillespie.

 

 

We’ve told what we know about the people of Green Hill. Many old-timers claim the name came from Green Brown. So why not Brown Hill? Numerous deeds refer to the Green Brown Place. Or is it named for the lighter green color? When we find a definite answer, we’ll let you know. It is very possible that others lived on Green Hill. We request additions and corrections to this article.

 

Sources of information for this article included interviews with Jane (Crosby) Gillespie, Hilda (Gillespie) Crosby, Everett Gillespie, Waldo Tarbell; notes from Austin Gray whose great-grandmother was Charlotte Brown, daughter of Green and Nancy Brown; deeds at Machias; A-CHS maps and files. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two buildings still stand on Green Hill. One is an old garage used by Fred Niles to repair cars; it is in poor shape. The other is the barn shown here. Both are at site B, the Niles Place. A study of the barn’s interior indicates that it was built as a post and beam English barn (big door under the eve instead of under the gable end). The original was the same width as this barn, but longer. The old barn had some problems. Did a wind take off the roof and destroy one end? It appears that one end was shortened, the roof and sideboards removed. This somewhat square barn was framed around the old posts and beams; 2X4s and 2X6s and this unusual hipped roof replaced the usual gable roof.   

A-CHS NEWS

 

THANK YOU: Foster Carlow, Jr. brought by some Alexander Town Reports and some deeds. Brenda Sabattus gave us an 1891 stage coach logbook. We will run an article on it in November and pass it on to the St. Croix Historical Society since the area covered is from Calais to Eastport. Carleton Brown gave a box of materials that includes papers on Kovenhaven, papers about Ernest Wilson, two account books, and three school books. Kovenhaven was a dance hall in Crawford. This is a great cache and will keep me busy evenings next winter. Emily Greenleaf became interested in Alexander history after finding an old newspaper report of the deaths of three men in the well on Breakneck in 1852. As part of her research, she has been studying nineteenth century court cases involving Alexander residents and recently sent transcripts for our files. Another study project!

 

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS are always welcome. Verne Wentworth called the day his newsletter arrived in May to tell us about Bertha Leeman, a teacher at Cedar School from 1946 to 1948 (issue 129, page 4). Bertha’s family lived on the South Princeton Road in Baileyville, east of the Bob McLellan place. She was the last teacher at the South Princeton School; the scholars were taken into Princeton after that. While at South Princeton, Bertha boarded with Cora McLellan during the week. Her brother Bill would take her home on weekends with a horse and carriage. Her parents were old and Lewis Kneeland would mow their fields and help put up hay for the horse. Bertha married Niles Williams of Waite on July 8, 1950. Thanks for the details, Sonny. Carleton Brown also called about Bertha. She was the oldest daughter of Bill Leeman and had sisters Gloria and Clara as well as a brother Bill. Carleton also corrected the spelling of that dance hall in Crawford, Kovenhaven.

 

Jerry Gower, 9 Ox View Lane, Raymond is a wonderful source of early information. He did not point out the misspelling in the title of MEDDYBEMPS - A TOWN WITH A DIFFERENT BEGINNING. Philbrick Brown, signer of the petition, was not Green Brown’s brother. His brother was Philbrick and he died before October 18, 1794 when administration of his estate was issued to his widow Anna and her second husband Robert Hitchings. Philbrick apparently had property in New Brunswick. Jerry suspects that the Philbrick Brown who signed the petition was Green Brown’s son, born about 1813 – 15 and died in Arcata, California about 1893 – 94.

 

While Jerry agrees that Meddybemps very likely is unique in that it was created from three towns, he pointed out some interesting facts about the creation of some other Washington County towns. What is now Lubec was set off from Eastport on June 21, 1811. The town of Machias was divided into West Machias, East Machias, and Machiasport in 1826. In 1830, West Machias became Machias from which Whitneyville (1845) and Marshfield (1846) were set off. Both Jonesport (1832) and Roque Bluffs (1891) were set off from Jonesboro. Many, many towns beyond Washington County have similar creations. Peaks Island tried to secede from Portland in 1995, but the Legislature did not allow it. At the present time, the 900 residents of that island have again requested to create their own town. The Portland City council has voted against. Next January the Legislature will again have the opportunity to create another Maine town. Thanks, Jerry.

 

GENEALOGY FAIR - On July 8th A-CHS sponsored its seventeenth and final genealogy fair. We thank Alexander Grange for supplying snacks and lunches, Alexander Elementary School for the facilities, and Foster Carlow, Jr. for helping with furniture. We also thank those who brought their files to share, especially Valdine Atwood, George Haney, Sharon Howland, Jerry Gower, and Frances Raye. One less activity will allow me more time for research and writing this newsletter, which I consider the most important activity for this historical society. jd

 

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS - In 2004, Roland and Grazina Paegle presented a plan to produce a number of panels combining images and words and featuring various Alexander residents. In May 2005, A-CHS sponsored a training workshop on how to interview and tape record individuals. During that summer John Foley conducted many interviews and wrote summaries of those tapes. Roland and Grazina took pictures and made copies of pictures from photograph collections. Roland created fourteen collages of pictures that with the written summaries became the panels.

 

Roland and Grazina put the panels up at the Downeast Heritage Museum in September 2005. Since that time A-CHS has moved the exhibit to Alexander Grange for hunters’ lunches in November; to  

Alexander Elementary School for January 2006; to Calais Free Library for March; to Merrill Library at UMM for April; to Woodland Public Library for May and finally to the genealogy fair on July 8th.

 

A-CHS has created an 8½ X 11 copy of each panel for our time file. The tapes of the interviews are being added as well as transcripts of those tapes. Imagine, in 2055, a future historian finding this treasure trove of stories about these locals!

 

Marian (Dwelley) Cousins (68 Pokey Road), Alexander native and excellent source of history.

Charlie Dix (240 Davis Road), owner, with his partner Wendy Maxwell, of Winterberry Cottage.

John Dudley (216 Pokey Road), the present day local historian and editor of the A-CHS Newsletter

Caredwyn Foley (2020 Airline Road), a daughter of John and Pat Foley, student at Smith College.

John and Pam Helmsradter (26 Pine Tree Shore), substance abuse counselors, psychotherapists  

Lawrence Lord (1254 Airline Road), Crawford native, well driller, land developer, museum owner

Jane Manza (458 Cooper Road), Alexander native, one of the Davis family, a kindergarten teacher

Carl and Rhonda Oakes (1328 Airline Road), owners and operators of Randy’s Store.

Fletcher Perkins (Airline Road in Crawford), Alexander native, fisherman, great storyteller.

Juanita Rass and Kenneth Pierce (24 Blueberry Lane), summer residents on Barrows Lake.

Tim and Ellie Sanford (1461 Airline Road), teachers, back to the simple life, planning board.

Pike Seavey (92 Cooper Road), Crawford native, retired military, and Alexander official.