The Republican journal., 1874-04-30
ng to connect it ultimately with lIi~h


ic was doomed to yield to the practical,
and at a later date Church street was locat-
cd as it now runs, through the square to
High street. At the town meeting called
to act on the matter the trustees present
ed q very elaborate protest, replcte with
arguments against the proposed continual
ton, which in these days would have been
regarded conclusive; it was of no avail
and the street was accepted and built A
suit was subsequently brought by the trus
tees to test the legality of the proceedings
but the decision of the Court was adverse
to them. With that eventcommenccd the
decadence of the institution as an acade-
my
While the British were in possession Of
this place in 1914, it was occupied as j.;
barack by a portion Of their troops. At
ter that time and before the Unitarian
meeting house was built, it was occupied
occasionally tor public religious services
In the summer of 1929, it was occupied
tor awhile by a troop Of strolling play
actors who succeeded admirably well in
numbering Shakespeare and victimizing all
who were indiscreet enough to give them
credit For awhile after that, until 1886
it was left to take care of itself; its door
open day and night, tantamount to an in
vitation to all tramps and nightwalkers
to enter and take possession the haunt
of the muses. was no longer - classic
ground After that it was occupied from
time to time by public and private schools
until December II, 1872, when it was
| destroyed by fire. vote was passed Dc
cember -, lS4,5, to rebuild, and to raise
the funds for that purpose by mortgage
or sale Of the lands granted by the Com
monwealth; and in 1916. the present
brick building was erected.
In 1911 the Baptist Society, which had
been for some Years gradually increasing
i'm numbers and strength was Incorporate
ed The old Court Of Common Pleas was
abolished, and the Circuit Court of Com
mon Pleas was established; the counties
Of Hancock and Washington constituted
the Third Eastern Circuit, and Hon. Viii
liam Crosby of this place was appointed
Chief Justice Under the last census there
had been new apportlonment Of Repre-
sentatiyes to Congress; by this apportion-
ment seven were allowed to Maine, and
Hon John Wilson Of this place was elect
ed to represent the Fifth District, embrace
ING the counties Of Hancock and Wash
ington This year the Durham house, on
Wilson's Hill, opposite the house then oc-
cuped by Mr. Wilson, more recently by
Hon 4. G. ,Jewett, was built
On the fourth day of March. died James
Nesmith, Esq, in the 1orty-seveIh year
of his age He was one of the most prom
inent and worthy members of this little
community and his death was deeply de-
plored. He had been for many years the
only Notary Public, and was emphatically
the magistrate Of the place; the one be-
fore whom all actions within the lurlSdlc
lie possessed in 4 remarkable degree the
confidence of the entire community, ard
his decisions We're almost uniformly ac-
quiesced in He was the first one who
opened Il store in town for the sale of mer
chandise. Commencing trade at Little
River. he subsequently removed to the
village where, after trading for awhile in
4 building that stood on the site of Me
Clintocb's block, he built on the opposite
side Of the street long known rs Nesmith's
Corner, and continued to trade there un-
til the tall of 1908, when he was compel
led by failing health to retire from active
business. He was for several years Post
master, succeeding Tolford Durham, who
first held the office in this place. and was
succeeded by Thomas Whittier, Esq. lie
was the father of James Nesmith Of the
old firm OF Nesmith and Leeds formerly
doing an extensive business in New York,
well known to our merchants and ship
owners of twenty years ago. \ daughter
OF his became the wife of the late William
Cunningham, Esq, of Montville; she and
her children are the only descendants of
Mr.. Nesmith living in this vicinity.