The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-03-24
Old Portland.
ANNANDALE, Dutchess Co., MY,
March 10. 1868.

March 10, 1868.
To the Editor Of the Press:
SIR,-I have seen two numbers of the
Press containing communications, one from
Newbuiyport, signed A. D., and one from C.
b, TT l-2 years old this day February 21.''
My age is equal to that of either of the
writers, presume, as l am told that first
saw the light on Good Friday, April 22d,
17S5, in beautiful village on the liver Mer-
rimac, where the truthful historian OF Port
land was born. l suppose the papers were
sent me to elicit some remarks from an "old
inhabitant," whose name is made use of as
occupying the house and store at the head Of
Fish street, formerly the residence of the
late James Deeting, Esq, who removed fiom
it to his late beautiful residence on Back
Cove. The house then became the residence
OF James Wingate, brother of General
Joshua Wingate. The front room and
kitchen were united and fitted up Tor post
office, OF which Mr.. Wineate was postmaster.
In 1915 Nathaniel Deering, Esq said to me,
My father Intends putting a wart upon the
postotfice to accommodate you with a stole."
There was yard in front. of some ten or
twelve feet, ot which the wart occupied one
hall the width, leaving a good entrance to
the house. There Sas an entrance into the
store from Middle and Exchange streets.
shall follow A. D.. from Fish street down
Middle street. Madame Deerings house was
of great width on Middle street, having the
addition about IS It. OF room on the eastelly
end. The Watts house stood back from Mid.
die street on Lime, and was occupied by tue
Walls family, afterwards by Mr.. Munroe who
married Miss Lucy Watts. Then was built
the Brt ant house, ,Lemuel Bryant having mar
rled Miss Watts, who when a widow married
Capt. John l.. Lewis. and they occupied the
house Until the death of Mrs. Lewis, when
the property was sold, the Watts property to
Isaac Sturtevant and the Lewis house TO DR..
Gale. The next housewas owned by John
Kent who kept a dry goods store in Fish
street hear where Mr.. Deering lived. George
Bradbury, ESQ.,, ON the deaih CT Mr.. Kent
marrle'l his daughter and occupied the house.
Afterward it became the property OF Mr..
M. I. Sawyer. and so on TO John NJ. Wood.
Mr.. Josiah Cox came next; then Asa
Clapp. ESQ.,, tine Albert Newt all house) !;
Kackliffe, Forsaith, where the Episcopal
church stood; then the pcstoffiee, Sam1 Free
man, Esq, +. NJ, the upper story a court
room where Justice Freeman held court.
The building, after new postmaster was
appointed was converted into dwelling TOR
Bryant, who married a daughter OF Judge
Freeman. He was paraiyzed or bedridden
tor many years. Then came the Freeman
mansion back from the street. was at
meeting at Judge Freeman's more than fiitY
years ago. Toward the close of the meeting
the late General Wardsworth called 0ust
arrived in town. to see Mr.. Lorgtellow who
was present. Judge Freeman, when shaking
him by the hand. said, General, you are
ai tol
me at home that am growing childish" was
the reply, which caused smile from all
present.
Then came the Child house. Mrs. Child
was sister of Judge Freeman and lived
there with her daughter until VIM. Swami
Esq, and MIR. Eleazer Wyer purchased and,
built there; then comes the Harper house,
or ,oundabout," built by Mr.. WIN. Harper.
and sold long afterward to Jonas Mills and T.
Moulton. DR.. William Harper now OF Natchez
Miss, who married q Miss Mlnot of Port
land is a son of the builder of the "rounda-
bout and know him to be credit to his
native town. Then the house occupied by
Rev. DR.. Payson; next Nabby Barstow; Chris
topher Manuel; an Engine house; then q
tw wo-story house; then the house built by
Daniel Cobb and sold in 1799 to Joseph Cross
Jr.
The North schoolhouse and town pump
made the corner of Middle and King streets
and it was in the house that Mr.. Cross occu
pied that / first made my appearance, June
10, 1900. Opposite was the Enoch Ilsley
house, a two story double building; the othel
halt on Middle street occupied by Captain
Joshua Rogers. after Maj. Gage. Mr. Stephen
Patten who kept the school on Back stree
adjoining Jonathan Bryant's house was then
town clerk, and he boarded with either Rogers
or Gage, as did Mr.. Edward Payson, theu
principal or tutor in the academy and DAME
Poor who married Goodwin in Free street
As town clerk Mr.. Patten called at Mr.. Cross;
with a notice from Thomas Melien Prentiss
who kept school in Union street which he
read TO us and l have remembered it iron
| that time:
| Illu' trious Clerk, Sir Stephen Patten,,
From Dartmouth, fraught with Greek and Latin
Be 20 kind, sir, as TO mention,
As your friend, my good intention
To taRe Nahb, kugeies unto me,
For the good she's like to 10 me;
| Call IT ADby, mind the speiling,
And dou't forget the name of Mellen.
| ,ignedl THO. MkLLRN PREETIss.
We now come to the house owned and oc
| cupied by Mr.. Nathaniel Gross, a very worth
| man VINO carried OH the tin ware business OF
| Middle street above Union street; then cam
a house occupied by Major Ezekiel Day al
terward by 7. Fletcher and Thomas Brown
| IQeQ Tue ICdtCi, anu Tie street W
come to the Tying house, memorable al tina
time as being the first burial place of tw
English merchants, before the revolution, VIII
occupied the corner room as a counting roor
and the chambers or lott Tor storage. Ii wa
filled with corn, which cam, down upon thei
heads, burylng them alive, and when eAtricat
ed, lite was extinct. The slab ON their tom
in the north burial ground tells the tale
"Faithful as Cas- or and as Pollux true' is th
only line Inscribed that remember.
Then came the house OF Capt. Joh
Waite, an intelligent shipmaster. Stephe
Waite, Senior, believe lived in part OF th
Tying house adjoining, until he removed t
his new brick house on King street near job
Leach; then William Freeman's house neS
the Second Parish Church. After Mr. Free
man removed to Cherfyhe.d. Major Gage o
the house ior boarders. Opposi e The chulch o
Deer and Middle streets lived Mir. Geor2
Burns, OF whom there are many anecdot'
but as ha | the one A. d. tets OF, from on
OF the party, can give you the true versio
Five, at that early period cons ituted Il
watch. one to remain in the watch-house,
voaden huildipc In front OF the Cumbefai