Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-04-01

/ ebhing. thus retaining the wafer. AT the
raising of this mill every man, woman and
child in town was present. 1t was custom
airy in these days TO give buildings a name,
especially TO those for public use, and TO
this they gave the name of "Endeavor.'
Soon after this, a saw mill was built at the
outlet of four ponds. known as the first.
second. third and fourth, and between the
third and fourth. or Douglass and Woods
ponds are situated the copper mines. where
over $500, 200. probably have been expend-
ed
This mill TO which they gave the name Of
Industry" was erected at the head Of the
large salt pond, at the outlet Of which are
Bluehill Fails, and over which the town has
built substantial bridge Of granite and
iron. and over which is the road leading on
to Biuehill Neck, and to Brook lin and
Sedgwick. Not long after this time another
saw mill was built on Long Island. which,
at that time. was covered with heavy
growth of large trees. To this mill they
gave the name of Improvement"
Thus having made provision for food and
shelter. The, sat about building house
where they could meet 10 worship God, in
whom they seem to have had strong and
abiding trust. II does no, appear where
this house was located, but probably near
the Falls. at the place Of the frs, settlement.
March ), l711o. the town passed this vote:
Iotei. That the town would build some
thing Of battery on the mill pom, by The
hrst da, of Nav next"
Bu' hoa absurd and visionary, if no, ah-
s0lutciy ridiculous seems to have been some
Of the ideas OF those men. that by fence
even built OF granite and iron instead of
l'cs and brush they could keep out the In
aian>, OF any other supposed or imaginary
cntmI. or. entrench-d behind their Some
thing Of battery. with a few Kings arms
they could prevent The landing of hostile
men from a vessel, while there we're so
tuaty other places besides this mill point.
where They could have landed with perfect
-a:sil Stli as the, we're in strange place.
MAY from their former homes. and Kindred
associations. and beng Jea,ou. Of their rights
alI pT.sl.esc'. the, may. N some degree
ta,e been e1cusahlr in thinking IT prudent
20 make some preparations To defend them
selves and their families from Invasion.
From The records Of the time from 1870
q 1922 Il appear, that quite a large proper
ZION Of the people had taken up lots Of land
and moved To the head Of the bay. and, by
the records of their several town meetings,
maay votes we're passed and some rcconsiI-
erred. respecting the location and the buIld
ins of larger ard more central meeting
house and on May :, 1892 the question
.ci'ed aud find these votes recorded
!ofei. That an entertainment; should be
made for The raising Of the meeting house
at the expense ofthe town"
Iafei. That the seieclmen be empowered
io procure one barrel Of rum. also molas,.s
aud sugar sufficient for framing and raising
the meeting house"
Thus splyi'>d the he.,y ,.mbers we're
prepared, -et IN place. the house raised snd
Sc, ''on the hill" This house va. burned
IN 1870 and 4 new one soon after buill IN
the village, thus avoiding long hard hill
which the people fer over half century.
had been obliged 10 climb twice each Sab
hath day. or 10 take luncheon with them
to eat between meetings.
A. the laying cf the corner stone Of the
new house. the Rev, Nr Fisher ofFicia..d in
the interesting services and after offering
very impressive PRAYER, he made an excel
lent address. and a. matter of interest.
from memory, | vii! quote part OF il.
WITH a ,roe,l in his hand and bucke, Of
mortar near by he commcnced with these
words ds:-"SomeV here and at sometime.
remember OF reading an account here men
.err engaged IN removing the debris Of The
ruiUe of an ancient temple when they dis
covered stone on which was carved the
word Serago. the meaning of which
wa,l shall rise agaln Now as our house
our temple, is in ruins-in as,.-s let Us,
my brethren. my sisters. neighbors and
friend. al! say, Serago-it shall with de-
vine help and the blessing Of God, rise
again
/, seems that a much larger quantity Of
ram was used at the raising Of the old meet
ing house than at the raising Of the grist
mIl, when one gallon answered the purL ose
No Maine law-no prohibitory act in those
days, bui on the contrary ardent spirits were
kept in manv. or all the houses in town and
sold at the stores, as openly and freely as
were molasse. or vinegar; neither i. it a
matter Of wonder that ministers, even. should
nave been in the habit of treating and be-
Ing treated, when the custom Of all was TO
10 50, and II was also considered an act Of
great lupoiteness not to Treat the bearers
on funeral occasion, and no wonder as
there we're carriages or roads for them,
even in those days, nothing but narrow
and uneven path from one place to another.
The dead were carried to the grave mile
or more on bier, supported on the shout
ders of four men, which oftentimes made the
sad duty quite a laborious task. AS was
the custom in those days, and for several
Years afterwards, the bier was left on the
last new made grave, bottom side up, there
to remain till wanted again. The bier was
constructed SO a. to fl, any coffin large or
small.
The Congregational church was organ
zed Oct. :, l772, ana being the only one of
that denomination east of the Kennebec riy-
er. consequently it is the Oldest being
one hundred and thirteen years old Oct. l.,
1885.
Here the Rev Jonathsn Fisher faithfully
and successfully preached the gospel of
Christ for forty-one years. Once at least, in
each year, he visited every family in the town,
collecting the children together to reci,e the
catechism which he had previously left in
every family. | distinctly remember the
ordeal We had TO pass through, and how my
heart would beat when the summons would
come to US. "Mr. Fisher has come come