Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-07-14

For the Ellsworth American.
Trenton-l762 to 1900.
No. III.


Before proceedin. further with the ac
count Of the early days Of Trenton we find
it necessary to establish upon the face Of
the earth the northern boundary line OF the
original township in order 10 show which
part Of its original territory was set OF 10
Ellsworth In 1903. as it carried with It a
whole village Of the Inhabitants Of Tren-
ton, many of whom were among the frs,
settlers, or their descendants, at the date
Of the set-ot, about whom my work chiefly
concerns.
We feel some hc-itancy in expressing an
opinion upon The subjects ss all the old resi-
dents Of Ellsworth OF whom VIC have inquir
ed put the division line far below the pres
ent custom house on Main street and below
Cards Brook and some of them As far as
about two miles below Main street" which
we think Is a mistake. There seems 10 be
so much doubt about II that We shall un-
dertake to give the reasons and facts which
lead us to the conclusion that the north
line of ancient Trenton was ADORE and
north of Main street. in order to bring
the question before those who may have
better means of knowledge that they may
refute or confirm our conclusions and aid
| in establishing the boundary line which is
| only important in giving correct history
| of the early settlement Of the town and
river.
! When the historian says THAT Benjamin
| Milliken is said to have been the first set
tier In the town. having come in 1868 and
according to the oldest inhsbitant' his
daughter, Elizabeth, cooked the first meal
prepared by white people in Ellsworth, by
the side of a huge bowlder which stood
where buttons store now is' War
ney's Gazetteer of Maine, page 22D if it
should be true that it was in the old town
ship of Trenton and in that portion which
was set off to Ellsworth in 1909, where
Benjamin Miliken first settled and the
first white female cook prepared the first
white meal for the first adventurers, we
consider it important that the fact should
be known and the credit placed where it
belongs.
In 1909 those portions of the town of
Trenton and Surry described in the petit
tion, copy of which will be inserted
herein, were set off to Ellsworth by the
Legislature of Massachusetts. At that
time, We infer from the records, there was
one large village. comprised of three
; small villa2es-one in Ellsworth, one in
Trenton and one in Surry, which con
verged to a point and formed the centre
of this large village; in other words the
corners of the three towns at the rivel
formed the centre of one large village com
, posed of the three smaller ones, running
, and diverging from the centre like th'
+ radii Of circle, so that, to quote from
, said petition, "the inhabitants of said vii
lage by being divided into nearly thre'
: parts by the dividing lines of said town
? are rendered utterly unable to act in con
\ cert, or with efficiency in any public con
( Germ however obviously beneficial or nee
: essary they may be-"
4 Mr.. Varney in his last edition (lSS6) o
e the Gazetteer of Maine says in speaking o
! Ellsworth: 'It is said that all the build
: ings now standing south Of Main stree
9 (lsS6) have been erected within abou
4 sixty-fve years." II this is true then tn
: village which was in that part Of rrento