The Republican journal., 1874-07-23
ANNALS hE BELFAST FOR NALF A CENTURY
CHAPTER XXI. (lS27.)
BY AN OLD >ETTLER

ence but the birthday of the county of
Waldo also. A national salute was fired
at sunrise. AT II A. M. u procession was
formed at the Conierence-roo which pro-
ceeded under a volunteer military escort,
commanded by Col. Phillip Morrill,, to the
Unitarian meeting house, the interior of
flowers and cvergreens. The services
there were introduced by appropriate
music and prayer by Rev. Mr.. Frothing-
ham. The Declaration of independence
was read by William White, Esq, then
resident in this place, now deceased, pre-
faced by remarks on the origin and history
OF that celebrated State paper The ora
ton was delivered by William Stevens,
Esq, then resident here, now in Lawrence,
Mass.y At the conclusion of the services
in the Church the procession was reformed
and proceeded to q booth erected on the
Common where . dinner was provided by
Col. Nathan Stanley. Hon. William Crosby
presided at the table, assisted bv several
Nice-Presidents. After the cloth was re-
moved the regular ''l3" and numerous
volunteer toasts Were drank. Among the
volunteers was the following by our now
venerable fplloW-citizcn, Hon Albert G.
JeWett. then q young man on the brink of
entering the professional career in which
he has since become eminentlv dstin-
guShed; "Citlzens Of Waldo-generoug
and patriotic; may YOU continue to be
fired with the same holy ardor in the
support of yonr liberties that Your ances-
tors were in achieving them
There was Ball in the evening, mum
erouslv attended, al Phoenix Hall, which
was very beautifully decorated with flow
er7, 0vergreenq and transparencie5 Take
it all IN all il was the happcst day and
evening ever known in Belfast filled 10
oyertlowing with light, life and buoyancy
The effort Of years had been crowned
with success hope had ended in trntion
the county OF Waldo was fiNPd fact. and
Belfast wa shire town!
Looking hacl, to that day What = cloud
Of sadness steals over the memory Of the
few remaining who participated in its te7-
tiyitIpqi OF The crowd who sat down nj
that table in the booth how tew now walk
our streets, OF the twenty -SiN who gave
utterance 10 sentiments on that occasion,
twenty y-0na have travelled "1he way 10
dusty DEATH OF the five Managers of that
Ball, one only. an old man now Of three
score years and ten, is the sole survivor
go Death in lie. the DAYS that are no
moretN
There were on that day ten county OF
ficers there were resident here eight
Justices of the Peace and Quorum, nine
teen Justices of the Peace, two Notarips
Public, ten lawyers. three clergymen, SIX
physicians two Coroners. -iitty-siK in all ;
of that number there arc now living Hon
Ralph G. johnson. Hon Hugh j. Ander-
son, Hon William Stevens and Hiram o.
Alden, Esq. they, and no more Bohan
P Field. Robert Patterson I'd, John Palmer
were Selectmen Nathaniel II Bradbury
Town Clerk. Thomas Marshall, Treasurer,
there We're three Auditors of Accounts,
tive police officers, thirteen surveyors OF
Highways, two Constahles, ten Firewards,
three Tythingmen, twenty-one Surveyors
OF lumber. five School-committee-men,
fourteen School Agents eighty in all nine
OF that number are still living.
About this time one Joseph j. SaGer,
from Hallowell, came here to reside his
Wife, Phoebe. milliner and dress-maker
had been residing here for some time. He
was saddle and harness maker by trade
and worked for awhile in q shop in a
wooden building which stood on the site
Of the saloon now occupied by Mr. Richard
Carter They both removed from this
place 10 Gardiner While residing there
Mrs Sager died suddenly, October 9TH,
1884 the circumstances attending her
sickness and death aroused suspicion that
she died of poison Her husband was ar
rested. indicted for her murder, and At 4
term Of the Court, held the same month
7 Ia II, q
1888, al Augusta, in compliance with the
sentence of the Court. Those We're the
DAYS when Justice was administered
speedily and without delay
On the third Of September meeting of
the Belfast Light Infantry was held Tor the
choice of officers. Henry Colbum was
elected Captain in place of Joel Hill, re-
signed. Samuel b. Hanson, Lieutenant,
has heretofore been made Of Capt Hills
Mess. Hanson and Palmer are still living
here. Mr.. Colburn was a native of this
place, son of Ebenezer Colburn who came
here early in this century. lie was for
eleven Years the faithful clerk Of the late
John Angler, Esq. in his store. He after
wards engaged in trade and still later kept
tavern at the Head of the Tide at time
when that locality was quite 4 place Of
business. On the election OF President
Harrison, he was appointed Postmaster
having been recommended at citizens
meeting. and held the office until the cleo
ton of President Polk, During his term
the office was kept in the westerly end Of
the old Telegraph building Herepresent
ed the town in the Legislature of lS47
He removed to Boston about lS49 where
he died in the winter of 1874; his remains
were brought here for interment \ few
words will serve for his obituary; he was
one Of the ''noblest works of Cod an
honest man; such was the eulogy pro-
nounced upon him by all who knew him
September 18th was q famous Muster
Day. here. Governor Lincoln and Cen
eral Hodgdon. Major General of the Divis-
ion, We're present. Our militia organiza-
ton was at the time in a very dilapidatcd
condition. According to the annual return
made to the Adjutant General there We're
fifteen companies belonging and attached
to the Regiment; the number of effective
privates in the Roll moi including warrant
officers, was PIG Whether the ''blood
thirsty" Major General was mortified At
the bcggarlv account OF rank and file
which he had to offer for the inspection of
the commander in Chet of the Army
and Navy of the State. on whether the fiji
came upon him to magnify his office by
finding fault with his interiors, is ques-
ton on which there was 4 diversity of
opinion At the time and was regarded BY
the community al large rs Of about ae
mnch consequence as the other question,
"Who struck Billy Patterson a' Ont OF il,
however, grew II war of words Z very
bloodless battle A Court Martial was
held, on charges filed by the Major Gen
eral against the Colonel Of the Regiment
and some Of his subordinates. The result
was that the subordinates were acquitted
and the Colonel found guilty Of the small
est specification filed against him; in
other words, the roar of the lion amount
ed to nothin" more than the squeak Of
mouse.
On the 26th Of September the Rev. M
thaniel Wales was ordained Pastor Of the
Congregational Society connected with
the First Church in the place The ser
vices, held at the Unitarian meeting house