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Digitized by Google Digitized by Google Town Register Pittsfield 1904 MITCHELL Digitized by Google Digitized by Google • • • THE • • • PlTTSFIELD REGISTER 1904 COMPILED BY MITCHELL & DAGGETT KENT'S HILL, MAINE: PUBLISHED BY THE H. E. MITCHELL PUBLISHING COMPANY 1904. Digitized by Google Get the Habit WHERE THERE ARE BEES THERE IS HONEY And it is absolutely true that where there are Extra Good Clothes FOR MEN AND BOYS There's the place for you to GET THE HABIT to trade, and that is at TIBBETTS CLOTHING COMPANY One-Price Cash Clothiers PITTSFIELD, ME. Digitized by Google TABLE OF CONTENTS Early Settlement Incorporation Military Matters Church Account Educational Account Industrial Professional Men Merchants and Post Offices Town Officials Business Directory of Pittsfield Census of Pittsfield Non-Residents of Pittsfield Digitized by Google A High Standard OF VALUES keeps our stock where the goods satisfy our customers It is to your interest to examine our stock when in need of a Suit Pair of Pants Overcoat or Furnishing Goods Hats Trunks Etc. LOWEST PRICES GUARANTEED FOR RELIABLE GOODS Jenkins Clo. Co. 49 MAIN STREET PITTSFIELD, MAINE Digitized by Google Pittsfiield Town Register 1904 Early Settlements The beautiful and thriving town of Pittsfield, sit- uated in the broad, level valley of the Sebasticook River, was not among the earliest towns to be settled in the State. Nothing definite is known of this site previous to 1794, when Moses Martin, who had previously penetrated the unbroken forest on a hunting expedition, came from Norridgewock, built a log cabin and commenced a clearing for a farm. Of the history previous to this time we have only the light of general history and of local tradition. The famous tribe of Norridgewock Indians for many generations roamed throughout the length and breadth of the Kennebec Valley, unmolested by any save their enemy of another Digitized by Google 6 HISTORICAL stock of red men. At Norridgewock they had a flourishing village where, just a century before, Mr. Martin built his log cabin near the Sebasticook River, Sebastian Rasle, a Jesuit, came to teach the Indians the doctrine of the Christian church. From this village they roamed over this entire section, and the valley of the Sebasticook must have been to them the favorite hunting grounds of this vicinity. We are also informed that within the memory of some now living, a branch of the Penobscot tribe frequently visited Peltoma Point, where, tradition says, is one of their ancient burying- grounds and the resting place of a chief who bore that name. In the light of the foregoing facts, we have only to study the history of nations, savage or civilized, to see that this border land must have been the scene of many bloody conflicts in times of hostilities between these two powerful nations. But our forefathers were not molested, for both these native tribes were fast becoming extinct. True and pathetic are the words of Charles Sprague: Alas! for them, their days are o'er, Their fires are out from hill and shore; No more for them, the wild deer bounds, The plow is on their hunting grounds; The pale man's axe rings through their woods, The pale man's sail skims o'er their floods. Cold with the beast he slew, he sleeps; O'er him no filial spirit weeps; No crowds throng 'round, no anthem notes ascend Digitized by Google HISTORICAL 7 To bless his coming and embalm his end; Even that he lived, is for his conqueror's tongue, By foes alone, his death song must be sung." Charles Sprague, “Centennial Ode,” delivered at Boston Centennial, 1830 Mr. Martin whom we have already mentioned as the first settler, came up the river with the Indians and settled the farm where his grandson Perry Martin now lives, near Peltoma Point. He married a Miss Parker and had a family of twelve children. His son, Jessie, being the first white child born in Pittsfield. In 1818 he built the house now standing at the old homestead which is claimed to have been the first framed house built in this town. In 1800 came George Brown, from Norridgewock, William Bradford and a Mr. Wyman from Vassalboro. Messers Brown and Wyman built the first mills. In 1804 John Libby and John Spearing came here from Fairfield and settled east of Libby's Pond. John Merrick settled near them in 1806, coming from Hallowell. Ephraim Higgins came from Mt. Desert in 1808 and located on the farm now the home of his grandson in the western part of the town. Samuel Bennett came in 1810. In 1811 John Hart settled on the lot next above Mr. Higgins and the same year Dominicus Getchell settled here coming from West Anson. Richard Hackett a Revolutionary Soldier came from Strong, about 1812, and settled on the Charles Farnham place about one mile south of the village and the following year Joseph McCauslin came from Hallowell and settled near the Detroit line east of the village. In the river between his house and Digitized by Google 8 HISTORICAL Moses Martin's was the old ford where the river was generally crossed until the bridge was built near the mills. The same year (1813) John Webb came from Waterville with his newly wedded wife, Mary and his father-in-law Josiah Jacobs. Mr. Webb located on the lot—Range 7, Lot 6, now comprising the A. H. Taylor and E. E. Johnson farms. His house being located near the spot now occupied by Mr. Johnson's buildings. Mr. Webb took a very active interest in the early affairs and used his dwelling house as a town house for fourteen years after the incorporation of Warsaw or until they were changed to the school house in Mr. Webb's district. Of Mr. Jacobs's sons, Josiah Jr., settled on the John Cross farm one half mile below Mr. Webb's, and Aaron built his cabin on the Charles Taylor farm. William Parks came from Richmond about the year 1814 and settled on the Libby place just across the river from Mr. Martin's, in the edge of Detroit. In 1830 he moved to Pittsfield and settled on what is now Hartland Ave. on the old Parks homestead. Timothy Mclntyre and Stevens Kendall were also prominent in guiding the affairs of the early plantation and township, but the exact date of their arrival is un- known. Charles, James and Timothy McKinney were also among the early settlers here. Probably none of the early settlers contributed so much to the prosperity and healthy growth of the town as Jesse Connor, who came here from Gardiner in Digitized by Google HISTORICAL 9 1814.