Names, Dates and Many Facts of Interest and Value
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HM&SW c /k ^ U iid ja , f l f a i n e View of Northern portion of Wayne Village, and portions of Pocasset and Androscoggin Lakes. PROW WEEKS’ HILL, LOOKING NORTHWEST f y J M/f i Of lki X 'A^XV’A > ..«} V',v , v r1 v^^-‘ ..^V •■ ' " ‘> - 'v4 V v ' " ~ HISTORY OF T H E TOWN of WAYNE, KENNEBEC COUNTY, MAINE, From its Settlement to 1898. AUGUSTA: Maine Farmer Publishing Company, 1898. ^ 7 4 . i 4 U) 'b s h PREFACE. In the estimation of the writer, no preface is needed to a town history. To the great public and the immediate neighborhood most deeply interested the work is its own best preface. This feature is introduced here for the sole purpose of giving due credit to those who through their original investigations and untiring industry have made the work possible. We have examined many city and town histories, and have yet to find a perfect one. This History of Wayne will doubtless prove no exception to the rule. Yet it will be found to comprise a grand history of a grand old town. Few towns in the State have so rich material and ground-work for making a history. The compilers of these comprehensive and interesting chapters have been engaged in a labor of love in gathering up the material and putting them in this convenient form for preservation. They will have the thanks of the present generation, and the volume will be sure to increase in value as the years go by. The first chapter, so gracefully introducing the book, was written by C. F. Leadbetter. On the subject of Early Settlers, C. E. Wing did most faithful work in collecting names, dates and many facts of interest and value. He was helpful also in locating many of the settlers. The chapters were prepared for the press by the proper committee assisted by W. G. Besse, Mrs. W. M. Taylor, G. J. Wing, W. A. Burgess, J. M. Benjamin, Esq., A. F. Watson, W. S. Macomber and others. This we regard as the most interesting portion of the book, filling two extensive chapters. The chapter on Manufactures was prepared by Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Taylor, that portion relating to the match industry coming from the pen of J . B. Turner; the important Military History, the data of which it was most difficult to secure, was written by Williston Jennings, assisted by A. F. Watson. Hotels and Landlords, 'written IV PREFACE. by J. C. Stinchfield. Church History—Methodist, byF. B. Chand ler ; Baptist, by Rev. J. B. Bryant; Free Baptist, by J. M. Gott. Physicians, by Capt. W. H. Cary. Merchants, by J. M. Moulton. Postmasters, by J . M. Moulton. List of Civil Officers, by W. A. Burgess. Intentions of Marriage, by W. C. Tribou, Town clerk ; Cemeteries, by W. E. True, assisted by Frank Sturtevant and Mrs. W. M. Taylor. Orders, &c., by C. W. Crosby. Schools, by G. W. Walton. Copy for nearly the entire work has passed through the hands of Mr. Walton, who has given his best energy to the success of this enterprise. The committee on Genealogy was composed of B. F. Bradford, J. M. Moulton, A . W. Riggs. Centennial Committee—G. W. Walton, Sewall Pettingill, J. C. Stinchfield, C. E. Wing, B. F. Bradford, A. W. Riggs, W. Jen nings, C. W. Crosby, W. M. Taylor. Committee to prepare history for printing—G. W. Walton, J. C. Stinchfield, Sewall Pettingill. The mechanical work has been artistically done by the Maine Farmer Publishing Co., at Augusta, who have had the direction of the preparation of the portraits and illustrations. The Editor. INDEX OF SUBJECTS CHAPTER. PAGE. I. Location—Soil—Beautiful Lakes—Natural Features and Products—Various Industries—Picturesque Scen- eiy and Delightful Summer Resorts—Petition and A ct of Incorporation, - - ----- 1. II. Early Settlers and their Families—Historical'and Fam ily Incidents of Great Interest and Value—Strug gles and Triumphs of the Pioneers, - - - - 13.- TIL Manufactures—A World-wide Reputation, - - 41. IV. Church History and the Establishment of Religious Worship, - - ----- 53. V. M ilitary History—The Struggle for Independence— Stories of the Militia and the old-fashioned Musters, 60. V I. H otels aud Landlords, - ----- 85. VII. Schools—Influence of the “ Little Red School House,” 04. VIII. Organizations and Associations—Secret Societies and their Work, - - - - - - - - 100. IN . Resident Physicians fron 1782 to 1898, - - - 113. X . Merchants in the Town, - - - - - - 115. X I. Cemeteries, - - - - - - - - - 118. X II. Intentions of Marriage, - - - - - - 122. XIII. T ow n Officers, -------- 168. XIV. Another Glance at Some of the Early Settlers, - - 176. XV. Gleanings, - - - - - - - - - 200. XVI. Biographical Sketches, ------- 222. XVII. Genealogy, - - - - - - - - - 284. INDEX OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. Northern portion of Wayne Village.......................................................... Frontis. Samuel S. W in g ............................................................................................... 28 Capt. Samuel W. Frost.................................................................................... 30 Mrs. Samuel W. F ro st.................................................................................... 31 Hon. A. P . Lovejoy......................................................................................... 33 Alden W ing L ovejoy....................................................................................... 34 N. E. L ovejoy................................................................................................... 35 Baptist C h u rch ................................................................................................. 57 Methodist Church .................... 53 North Wayne Church..................................................................................... 06 School H ouse, Wayne Village....................................................................... 95 “ “ North Wayne......................................................................... 98 ^ Wing Fam ily Cemetery.................................................................................. 119 Rev. Joshua M illet............................................. 59 Edward G. D ex ter........................................................................................... 62 Rev. L. W . Raym ond...................................................................................... 64 Josiah F. T a y lo r............................................................................................... 19 W illiston Jennings........................................................................................... 69 Residence of Williston Jennings................................................................... 78 Hon. T. B . R ead............................................................................................... 94 Ephraim M axim ............................................................................................... 182 Mrs. R uth (Billingtou) Maxim..................................................................... 183 Isaac M axim ....................... 247 Harriet B oston Maxim.................................................................................... 248 Hiram S. M axim ...................................................................... 250 Hudson M a x im ................................................................................................ 254 Samuel M axim .................................................................................................. 255 Hon. Joseph S. Berry...................................................................................... 222 H. B. L aw rence............................................................................................... 230 C. F. L eadbetter................................................................................................ 231 George W. Fairbanks...................................................................................... 224 Mrs. L ucy Fairbanks...................................................................................... 225 Henry N . Fairbanks........................................................................................ 226 Holman Johnson.............................................................................................. 228 Hon. Sew all Pettingill.................................................................................... 236 G.W . W alton.................................................................................................... 256 Carrie W alton ............................................................................. 257 Annie Louise Cary........................................................................................... 264 Residence of the Jennings Bros...................................... 244 “ “ late Jeremiah Foss, J r ..................................................... 29S Village and Lake Scenery........... ...... ............................................................ 208 HISTORY OF WAYNE. ' C~N@------------------------------------------------ ^ CHAPTER I. LOCATIO N-----SOIL — ITS BEAUTIFUL LAKES-----NATURAL FEATURES AND PRODUCTS-----VARIOUS INDUSTRIES----- PICTURESQUE SCENERY AND DE LIGHTFUL SUMMER RESORTS— PETITION AND ACT OF INCORPORATION » 1 -The hills are dearest which our childish feet Have climbed the earliest; aud the streams most sweet A re ever those at which our young lips drank— Stooped to their waters o'er the grassy bank.’’ — Whittier. r I "HE town of Wayne, as at present constituted, is the most westerly town in Kennebec county, extending about two miles farther in this direction than any other. It is bordered on