Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-08-28
WEDNESDAY NO.
NO. 2O3.
nallp Sennrbrt yournal.
Ancient POwnalbOrOugh.

on the opposite side, partly hidden by old trees
yet still q conspicuous object, stands q square
building. four stories high with hipred ,of and
gigantic chimneys, after manner of the tdea time.
We say that this quaint old building Is q conspic-
uous object to the traveller up and down the Ken
nebec, whether he go by rail or by steamer and
yet of the thousands who annually throng this
great highway of travel. few, we presume, give
more than passing thought to this old house,
nd still fewer is he number Of those who
familiar with ITS history; with the fact that tbis
was once the county building where the courts
we're held for the county of Lincoln, and that
the town of Dresden in which II Is situated 10 .
part of the Pow wnanoro OF more than q century
ago. Yet such is the fact. and the historical as
socations which cluster around this old building
and the surrounding objects, are of peculiar in
terest to those interested in the things of the
past. A few mornings since took the early train
from Augusta, in order that might hsveA whole
days rambe aroun nd this ancient county seat. Ar
irving at Dresden Station, we crossed the river In
a skf, and walk Of about a mile brought Us
to The object of our visit. The house stands ON
quite high land some ten to fifteen rods from the
river, aud but for the trees would afford .
fine view of the river, for a long distance, above
and below. Exteriory the building is much
the same as IL WAS when first erected. 1t was new
shlngled + W years ago, but II has the same
small and many paned windows that were first
put in, and the large chmnevs have not been
changed.
Previous to 1850, the whole District of Maine
was embraced 10 the county of York, and
most of the scattered settlements confined to
the towns along the coast. But in 1850 Quebec
had fallen and the power of the French In canada
was broken, and there was reasonable grounds tor
the belief that the plantations In Maine would
suffer no more from incursions OF the Indians.
W ith view to encourage settlements, two new
counties were erected in l760. The new county
OF Cumberland embraced nearly the same territory
the coast, that it now has but 1t extended back
TO the north line CT the State, and the county OF
Lincoln included all the territory in the state
east OF Cumberland. The Plymouth Company
which owned the lands for fifteen miles each
side of the Kennebec river. from Merrymceting
Bay to Norrid sewock, built the building which we
have just described, for a court house for the
new county of Lincoln and SO far
aware. except the old store house and barracks
OF Fort Western. this is the only building now
standing on the kennebec which WAS ereced by
the Plymouth Company. The site selected for the
new coul lty seat WAS the one which for six years
uas been occupied by Fort Smiley. anu Que Of
the hlock houses OF the fort standing nearly
in front Of, and but lew rods distant from the
court mouse, within the memory OF persons now
lNIbg. The building is OF ample proportions.
@tsd,ng ~ - on the ground, and four stories
high. The frame Is Of hewn pine timber and the
ratters are as large slls are now made. On The
first floor rooms which were formally oe-
cupi,d by tHe Age Mt OF the Company. The court
room and Judges room were on the second floor, !,
and on the lhud are four large rooms with large
fire place 10 each, said to have been occupied as
Jury rooms. The two lower stories have been
fitted up into large and elegant rooms with mod
finish and furniture, but the four upper rooms
remain they were, roughly flushed, showing
the huge framework OF the building
The commander of Fort nley WAS Capt. Sam
uel GOudsi of Boston or vicinity, born IN lll7,
and after the fort was dlsmsnticd, as ageut Of
the pru pr letors, he lived in the court house. lie
maIred Elizabeth Willard OF salem, and had one
son, Samuel, Jr., and six daughters. Que OF the
daug hteIs married Joha Johnson oil Boston, who
became resident OF Pownslooio. and for many
years resided in the court house building. oam-
uel Goodwin, Jr., had place little above The
court house, still known as the Goodwin place,
near where the wooden county jan was situaled,
aud filled the place Ui Iiilor. Nearly 10 trout OF
the all on an elevation some tbry or forty rods
dlsiaut, the gallOws was erected where tnree
persons suffered tue extreme penalty OF tue law
during the thirty four years tnat TINS was tae
shire town. Samuel Goodwin, Jr., had hive sons,
Edward, samuel, John, Randolph and Benjamin,
and son of benjamin, Capt Samuel Il. Good-
win Is the pre- sent geDtiemaniy owner Aud oceu-
pant OF the court house building, aud to nim and
his excellent lady, who granddaughter OF John
Johnson and her mother VINO Is q daughter OF
the latter, AMI now over eighty years VI age, are
under great obligations tor courtesies receiv-
ed. Captain Goodwin has followed the sea many
years and generally accompanied by his wie.
During the late war he was much III the EN-
ploy OF the government, and with cargo oi TOR
age he net ohermsns army AT Savannah, alter
his famous march tn ough Georgia.
Accompanied by captain Goodwin we visited
the site ol tie old 81. Johns Episcopal Church,
situated on the height oi land between the Ken
nebec and Eastern rivers. Inc walls OF the
church were built OF rough stone, which were re-
moved few years ago and put into stone wall
along the gnway, but the basement stones still
remain, plainly showing the shape anu size Of the
edlhce. In l759, fifty -iour oil the InhsOitanIs of
Pownalhoro, then called Frankfort on henne-
oec river, petltioned The society tor fropagaunK
the Gospel Foreign Parts. Tor minister 10 set
tie with them and Ia response Rev. Jacoo Bailey,
born 10 Kowley Mass, IN l13i, and graduate OF
Harvard College was seut among them. Mr..
Bailey arrived July lst, 1860. The settlers were
vely poor and there WAS no place Ia town III which
to hold public worship. Obtaining permission,
they held their meetings IN lDe cuapel OF Fort
RlchmOnd which WAS situated tne hight or
west bank Ot the river. hall lille above the VII
lage OF kIclmond, until the count house WAS cona-
plcted year after wheG they occupied the court
room. Ihe cnuI ch TO whose site We nave referred,
was not flushed untn l1Il. Mr.. Bailey oc-
cup.d the church only lew years. When The
war Tor indie dependence broke out, the people
OF Pownalboro' were intensely pstrIotIc, wnie MIR.
Bailey WAS a confirmed lUyailst aud tory. Wnen
Arnold aud his army Came up the river in 100,
hi, way to Quebec, he stopped tor the nignt NJ
the court house, and whiie he WAS there Nj. BAL
ley sbsented himself ttom home, through tear Of
tor aud people grew worse aud worse, and hually
Mi. B.ileys salary WAS cut oil aud he
dered to leave town Il, and went away. soon alter
this, the loot OF toe churcn MAS nrokea ia by
heavy suows aud 1t became rum.
Inc site Of the cnuicn is On high but quite
Level land and tneTe must have Deen u little lam
let built up around II, Tor found the sites vi ~
least seven uweilngs winch were MARKED, In
some cases, by The decayed t.m0ers which formed
the sIlls, apd IN eacn case oy = PIE OF ioose
lh.a
ney. Below them all, on the brow OF the hiii. is
u well, which by the removal of u few stones
found to be tivm TO fifteen ieet deep and
still containing water. 1ne whole landscape
Is now desoiale waste, coseied with
weeds, rocks aud moss, aud though used
as u pasture, affords but lille feed. Abound
the enuIcn ate, we Counted over = hundred
raves, with rough head AMI fvot stou.s out
with not single Inscription 10 Inform the passer
by whose rematns have nere been tuIn ned " Gust.
1t Is lar 10 presume, however, thai among tLem
Is the dust oil those VINO. wnen Ia the hssn, bore
tue names vi hllen, Haley, Marson, Goud, 70
ehard, Mayer, Fought, banyou, PARIS, Noble,
Pecbin. LOUIS, MAibone, uIuas, J.cqussn, STU
phen, Wymsn and Herou, Tor tnese we're snoLg
The cary settlers vi PownAlosro. but Just who tue
occupant Vi VI tness nsirSw nou.ss 10. viii
never be known until Thai day nen tus ssIta sad
the ses shall weld up their dead.
Many OF the early setuers VI this toWs wefe