The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-08-27
ANNALS on BELFAST FOR HALF A CENTURY,
BY AN OLD SETTLER.
CHAPTER XVI. (1S31.)


aged sixty. He was married in 1871, be-
ing then but little more than twenty-one
years old, and very soon afterward came
here from Epson, N. II. He was the first
one Of his profession to make this place
his home. Soon after coming here he
built house in 1895, on the Site of the
present American House, which remained
there until the Eagle Hotel was built; it
was the first framed house erected on Main
street; particular mention was made of it
in an earlier chapter Some years after it
was erected he built another house on the
site now occupied by the Court House, to
which he removed and in which he rcsid-
ed until his decease
In the early part of his professional life
DR.. Osborn was quite too much attracted
by gay and .iovial associations, and the
good cheer usually accompanying them.
to be close student of books; but he was
q careful observer of cause and effect. and
from his largely varied experience in
practice became skllful physician. About
1915 q marked change took place in his
modes of thought and conduct. 10 the
great surprise of his townsmen he made
his appearance in our streets one day, for
the first time, arrayed in Quaker garb,
using the language peculiar to that sect,
| and announcing that he had Joined the
Society of Friends; to their faith he held
fast to the close Of his lite. He was ever
after spoken of as the ''Quaker Doctor
Or being man OF small size, as the Lit
tie Quaker" There was no other one of
that sect residing here.
| He was q man of irascible temperament
| but with the change of religious faith came
| a WOnIarf1l calf npotro1 nj
| slst and overcome that natural infirmity.
1t was not III his nature to form warm per-
sonal attachments, hut once formed they
were constants his friendship never grew
cold whatever might be said or done to
chill it. He continued in the practice of
his profession until near the close of his
| life, and tor many years after his death it
was not unusual to hear, in seasons of
sickness, from the lips of those whose
family physician he had been for years the
language of regret that the ''little Quaker
had left them.
On the evening OF the Annual Fast the
members of the Belfast Lyceum comment
GRATED their anniversary at the Unitarian
meeting house, with music by the Belfast
Musical Society. an address by William
Stevens, and q poem by VIM. &. Crosby.
| Esqulres. Among the Lecturers OF this
year, residing here, We're Doctor j. p
Alden, Richard Moody and Thomas G.
Barker, William II. Burrill and Otis Pat
terson, Esquires, Messrs. James w. Web
ster, Francis II. Upton, Charles IL. Upton
and Nathaniel &. Bishop.
! In the latter part of March there was
Very severe rain storm and ireshet which
was more destructive of property than any
which had occurred for many years. The
highways in this vicinity were rendered
almost impossible, except on foot or horse
back. for several days Nearly all the
bridges on the road to Camden, the bridge
at North Searsmont and several others on
the Augusta road, and every bridge of
magnitude between this place and Bangor
were destroyed in whole or part. The
bridge 1T the Head of the Tide was en-
tirely destroyed, The highways in every
direction We're seriously impaired and tor
several days the mails We're transported,
principally, on horseback.
The old east bridge having become inn
passable. as described in = previous chap
ter, 2 ferry was established lust easterly
from il by the Court Of Sessions in the
month Of May, and James Langworthy
was appointed Superintendent. The ferry
mans Office was .'1he old centre store on
Bishops (now Lewis's) wharf The ferry
was discontinued when the present bridge
was completed. 10 what extent it was
patronized is among the things unknown.
1t is certain, however that the income
derived from i; was not sufficiently large
to induce the worthy deacon to retire from
active business.
On the seventeenth Of June died Will
liam White, Esq. aged torty-cight He
was born i'll Chester, n. H., graduated At
Dartmouth and completed his legal edll
cation in the Office of Hon. John Wilson
in this place. lie commenced the practice
of his profession in Union in 1909. He
removed thence TO Thomaston and to this
place in 1918. He was twice married. His
first wife was the daughter of the late
Phineas Ashmun, ESQ, Of Brooks, his
second of Samuel Gordon, ESD, who once
resided in this place at the Head of the
Tide He was brother Of the late Hon.
James White; no descendant of his is now
residing here. At the time Of his decease
he was the owner and occupant, and had
been for several years, of the house on
Main street now occupied by MI Alden d.
Chase.
Mr.. White was I sound lawyer and
skillful debater, A venerable member OF
the Bar of this County who was present
at the last argument he ever addressed to
a Jury speaks of it as one of the most
brilliant and logical to which he ever list
ened. He retired from practice several
years before his disease and devoted much
OF his remaing years to literary pursuits.
One Of the fruits Of his literary labor was
the History of Belfast of which mention
was made in the first chapter Of these an
nails His last days were saddened by dis
ease, mental and physical, and his sun
went down in clouds; but he is remem-
bered as nobly generous-hearted man, as
the possessor Of talents of the highest
order, and as one who under a different
combination Of circumstances might have
maintained q position in the front rank of
his profession.
The Journal of June 18th announced
that balloon was "about being construct
ed in this place, if sufficient sum should
be raised by subscription to meet the eX
penses; that it would ascend on or about
the fourth of July, and that it was thought
that a dog or cat would be sent up with
it The money was raised, the balloon
constructed, and the day, July 18th at ?.
NJ, fixed tor its ascension, The people
assembled at the time announced on the
common in front of the Unitarian meeting
house to witness the performance; but the
balloon caught fire before it was fully in
fated and neither dog, cat, on balloon ever
assembled
On the 29th of June the frame OF the
North Church was raised. II was noticed
in the newspapers of the day as an indi
cation Of IN improved public sentiment,
that no ardent spirits were used at the
raising The building was not completed
until in the early part Of the next year.
Col. Benjamin S. Dean Of Thomaston was
the architect, Joel Hill, Benjamin Houston,
Samuel Upton, Luther Gannett, Martin
Gilmore, and Frye Hall were the Building
Committee The proprietors Of the build
ing transferred to the Church, Jan. %,
1886, the control Of it and of the site on
which it stands, in accordance with the
original design OF the builders, and the
4 fal A 10 80 hal