The Portland daily press., 1874-09-09

The entire soldiery of the town above 16
years, numbered $50 men. Prior to 1850 the
town furnished 80 men, As pairs of shoes, As
shirts, and 16 blankets. In that year Capt
Isaac Parsons raised company of So men for
eight months. The company was ordered to
Thomaston, under Gen. Wadswortb.
The town was also called upon to furnish
seven men for the continental army for three
years. and large lot of supplies. There was
great distress, taxes being heavy, and laboriDg
men scarce The town tried in vain to regulate
prices, unsettled by the deprecated currency,
and taxes even collected in produce.
Despite these troubles the town raised 1890
pounds in 1880 to purchase beef for the army.
In 1871 the first town meeting was held in the
name of the commonwealth. During the reyo
luton the town furnished many men and great
quantities of supplies. No beef was allowed
to be eaten, and no sheep and lambs to be kill
ed without special order, all these being re-
served for the army. The people at home lived
on corn and pork and were clothed in rags that
the cause might succeed.
In 1875 appears the first protest against the
payment of taxes to support an established
minister. The protest was dsregarded and
renewed four years after with like results. In
1882 John Woodman refused to pay his church
tax and his COW was seized and sold. He re-
peatedly applied to the town for indemnity, but
was unsuccessful. But in 1888 the town voted
to set off from the parish all dissatisfied ones.
Forty men were set off. In view of
this calamity, a town fast was observed.
In 1856 the town voted to absolve
all Baptsts from the parish tax, and in 1889 a
like favor was granted to the Unversalists.
The Baptist society was Incorporated in 1903,
the Universalst society in 1905, and the "Free-
will Anti pedo Baptsts"in the same year. The
pastorate of the Rev. Mr. FoXcroft .sted until
1898. For over five years the town was without
a settled minister. aud was summoned before
court for the lack. The Revs. Elisha Mosely,
Samuel II. ShepleY, Newal A. Prince, Charles
Packard and w. r. Cross were successors to
Mr.. Foxcrott. In 1887 the town unanimously
voted to accept the federal constitution without
amendment, and instructed its general Repre-
sentative to the general court, William Wild
gerry, to use his influence to have Maine erected
into separate state, for the emission of paper
money, and for general amnesty to the Tories
In 1875 the churchyard 10y the old block house
half shire town with Portland. General SER
vices of Common Pleas were held there once a
year regularly until 1905. The jurors used to
stop at the old Bell tavern kept by Peleg Chan
der. The old pound by the meeting house had
whipping post in the middle and stocks by
the side where offenders were punished.
In 1872 the town was bitterly opposed to the
war and voted that "any man whose lot it was To
be dragged out in support of the war shall be
paid $40 per month";" In 1914 the town was
military stores. In 1915 the people had become
so demoralized that twenty-eight tithing men
were chosen to compel attendance on church,
etc. In 1916 Capt. Nathaniel Eveleth resigned
his office of town clerk which he had held for
forty-two consecutive years. In 1919 the town
voted to adopt the constitution of Maine, and
passed vote declaring slavery opposed to re-
ligion and Republican institutions, and petit
tioning Congress against the admission of any
slave state. After the revolution the town
| raised two companies of infantry, one company
of cavalry, one company of rif1emen, and one
L cOmnqpV of artillarV Nhpcn ottaohod IN
| the 9Th division of Maine militia and had their
| training field on the common near the Ole
| meeting house. Previous to 1882 tie poor of the
| town had been sold at auction. In 1884 town
| farm was purchased and the poor placed there
| on.
In 1854 public school was established in the
center of the town and there maintained unit
| the town was incorporated. In 1890 the town
was divided into five districts. In 1903 three
| new districts Were made. In 1874 the Shaker
| society was organized in New Gloucester
For a long time numbering and agriculture
were the chief industries of the town.
The orator closed by saying:
With pride have reviewed with you the lis
tory of our native town for 100 years, and as ]
stand upon these planks, relics of the old block
house, protected from the scorching rays of the
MONDAY sun by this vast canopy, a device Of
modern genius and bid adieu TO the century
that has gone, replete with noble deeds of oul
ancestors, it is fitting / should demand in theil
name as we enter upon the century that now
begins, that those principles of liberty and
eternal jus tice which they maintained at such
fearful cost, shall be kept inviolate; that those
who celebrate this event. at the end of another
hundred years can say of us as we truly say OF
those patriots day, "Noble men, immorta
names, never born to die"
At the close of Mr.. HaskelPs address the
band played "Hail Columbia" and the choil
and congregation united in singing ''Amerca. >
A blast of Eye anciente horne" then summon
ed the audience to dinner. That was soon dis
posed of, and the audience was then called AGAR
to order, when Mr. A. H. Nevius, the toast
master offered the following toasts:
Massachusetts,, Our Mother. We cherish her m EN-.
DRY.
Response by the band
Maine-May the daughter ever prove worthy of the
mother.
Responded to by Hon. W. W. Thomas, Jr
of Portland.
Gloucester-We welcome her to-day to our hearts
and homes.
Responded to by J. j. Babson of Gloucester
Mass,
New Gloucester Now and hundred years ago.
Responded to by c. P. Haskell, Esq, of New
Gloucester.
Responded to by Hon. W. W. Thomas Of
Portland.
The Past nd Present.
Responded to by G. w. Woodman of Port
land.
The First Town Meeting.
Responded to by j. II. Woodman of New
Gloucester, who read an amusing account O.
that meeting, in rhyme
The United Society of Shakers-May their numbe
never be less.
Responded to by Otis Sawyer, a member of
the sect, who read a history of the settlement,
one of the best features of the day.
The Clergy.
Responded to by Rev. John Morgan.
A number of other toasts We're offered, and
letters were read from Gov Dingley regretting
his inability to be present, from Hon. Peleg W.
Chandler of Boston, giving at length, reminis
cences of some of the prominent citizens of
the town, especially of the late Gen. Fessenden
from Benjamin H. Forest and others.
The exercises closed with the doxology.