Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-08-10
Bingham Lands.
l.. j. THOMAS.
Justice OF the Peace

The following account Of the Bingham
Lands was written by VIM. Allen. Esq
of Norridgewock. now In his 9ad wear.
The history Of this immense purchase will
be new and doubtless Interesting (. most
of the people of Maine.
Al the close Of the war Of tn. Revolution
the financial affairs of the country were in
a desperate state. Massachusetts was
involved with a heavy war debt. without
any revenue except direct tax. which was
oppressive: hut little money In circulation /:
paper money worth but ten cents tn a
dollar. The army had been disbansled
without pay. except in paper money. which
scarcely paid their travelling expenses
home and large numbers went upon the
unsettled lands ia Maine. regardless of thu.
title or claims of proprietors. The title
along the seaboar5 and some places sixty
miles back. was in dispute BY interfering
grants from the British crown. and Indian
grants. which was source Of much
trouble for many YEAR. But the State had
a lawful title to a large portion OF Maine.
At an early dav Gov. Hancock called
the attention Of the General Court To these
Eastern lands n n fund from which they
might hope Ia obtain some relief from the
pressure of the public debt The General
Court accordingly In l.s3. established a
land Office and caused the lands To be-
surveyed and opened to the market Al
though several townships werc sold. the
sale proceeded slowly. aud the public debt
remained unpaid. Ia 1870 a lottery wa-
established and 212o tickets offered At a
price to produce 81 cents an acre The
effects of the war were too recent. the
value of the land too little known. To
4. -
the land lottery were not all disposed of
On drawing the lottery the prize lots for
AZ tickets produced 81. 100 and amounted
10 1920 acres. situated east Of the
fcnohscot. In the counties Of Hancock and
Washington.
The sales continued slowly several year.
till twenty or more townships We're sold in
the other counties at from - 10 ~ cent /.
an acre. generally on credit. with the
agreement on the part of the purchaser 10
place forty families on each towns hip with
In seven YEAR. and in 1871. Gen BENJAMIN
Lincoln. being on friendly terms with
General Knox, the Secretary II War. both
having distinguished ihcm-cvc. a. .il-
cient officers under Washington during the
war. having explored part of the stat, !.
land aud formed a favorable opinion OF tho
value, advised his friend Knox ,o make
L.
consisting of one million acres on the
kcnnebec aud the residue OF the lottery
townships. amounting In ffty-two town
ships, making ninc,y-iwo TOW hip- 10 the.
whole which the state would .ell At a low
rate IL all could De- included in one ale.
ten. Knox. although not la fund.-. .N-
cited with the prospect of making a FORUM.
by the speculation. made the purchase ~
the whole on 4 short credit at ten cent. an
acre. amounting To s265, 600 and with the
agreement In regard To placing settler, On
the several townships A. Others had madt.
expecting To readily lind associates who
would advance the money and pay him
handsome commission. Iii. duties in the
Office OF Secretary Of War, having but
recently been invested in IL. without the
benefit of pr-cesients and Cabinet counsels
required hi- constant attention AT the capl-
tai al Philadelphia. so that he had no time
TO attend 10 his land speculation for two
years. He then found William Bingham.
very wealthy banker OF that city, who
was patriot of the Revolution and had
contributed largely OF his wealth 10 the
support Of the Government. and whose
family connection were Of the first elias.
AT home and abroad. who BY the itnpor-
tunity Of Gen. Knox. was willing Ia take
the contract OF his hands. make the pay-
mcnt- and TO assume his responsibilities !:
and Gen. knoX being connected bv mar
mage with the W aldo family la Worcester.
Beauchamp and Leyerett having obtained
grant Of a tract thirty mile. square
bounded by the Penob-cot Bay and river
IL was purchased by General Waldo and
assigned 10 Gen. Knox, he thus had all IN.
land he wanted. and gladly gave up IA,
contract with the the State.
Mr.. Bingham was required to pay the
state twelve and half cents an acre. and
paid down e3ll 3J0-the full price-aud
had 4 deed made. not 70 be delivered I'M
less he caused forty familie. 10 be placed
on each township within seven vears. H..
returned TO Philadelphia and appointed,
Gen. David Cobb and John Richards. ESQ
| as his agents 20 attend TO his land. IN
Maine being immensely rich. having ,aln-
| able land estates in PENNSYLVANIA and New
lork-Dearly the whole of Bingham,on.
His only son was settled in Montreal. one
daughter married TO Alexander Barring. NJ
| p. and a distinguished statesman. one Ia
Henry Barring. Bath, England. one IL
Robert Gilmore OF Baltimore. one Ia
Charles ". Huse, and one TO Charles NJ
Nilling-all honorable. wealthy men: and
In his declining health he closed up hi,
accounts. retired from business. went 10
London TO live with his daughters there
and died at Bath. near London. honored
and respected.
Mr.. Bingham gave deeds OF one hundred
acres TO all the settlers on the land n.
provided for in his contract. on the nav.
ment OF $500 by those who were on III.
land prior TO l,sl. and SIS 90 By all VIII,
settled before 1900.
The people in Maine generally know
but little about the sale to Mr. Bingham
As purchasers were generally remiss il
making. payments. it was .insinuated by
dishonest politicians that Mr.. b. was bank
rupt. ana had ned the country 10 avoid hi.
creditors.
In the electioneering campaign in $50,
the Federalists had controlled the affair,
in the General Court, and Gov Strong hae
been In office several years: the partie,
being nearly equally divided. aud III,
Democrats
| Too weak to learn the trade
Were furnished with his already made"
The chief complaint was against G oy
Strong for neglecting to order possessio,
to be taken Of the Bingham lands. and al
sorts of SANDER about Mr. b. and IN.
FEDERAL Legislature. No one attemp,e,
TO contradict them. and many Federalistl
Ia Maine believed that Gov Strong ba,
been remiss in his duty. and his opponent,
oy this means were successful and Strons
1 49, EuPttScACb. Saults SULLIVAN WA
chosen Governor. with Democratic ma
jOrity in both branches Of the Legislature
and the majority in Maine rejoiced. ex
pecting that now the Bingham land. woult
be restored TO the State. Gen. King. wber
chosen Senstor. was leader in the Demo
Hracy and slandering Mr.. Bingham, h,
turned about and appointed him and nj.
devisess IN the Legislature; his eonstitn.
ents believed he was bvibed.
When the General Court met, Nessrs
Earrings, Gilmore, Willing and Have. 4,
devisees. BY their agents filed a petition
for an extension Of time to place settler,
on their lands. and were Joined BY . hun.
dred other purchasers Of townships, o.
leading statesmen Of both parties. (but few
of whom had made payment in full as Mr.
Bingham had) and it was seen at once
without discussion that Mr.. BIS deyisees
would Be entitled by law to their deed by
. bill In equity. and IN extension of time