The Portland daily press., 1892-02-08
A Town which is Declining.

honorable.
A Town which is Declining.
No railroad enters Limington and its
population in 1890, as above shown, was
only 1892, against 1431 in 1880 and away
back in 1887 it had 1928. The greatest
falling off was in the war decade. This
town reported more abandoned farms
two years ago than any other in York
county. Previous to it's incorporation it
was known as Little Ossipee Plantation,
and was part of the land which a big
Indian styled Capt. Sunday sold to one
Francis Small 224 years ago. Curious
foundations our land titles sometimes
have. Five large townships this chief
sold. His right 70 them was probably
divine right. Among the names OF early
settlers are Chase, Davis and Boothby,
Macarthur, Small, Frost Strout and
Mitchell Since its organization q piece
of Hollis has been annexed to it and a
strip set off to Limerick. The manufac-
lures are principally of small lumber,
and its water-power ought to be better
improved.
Mt. Vernon is another town off the
routes of travel which has been losing
rank. Fifty-tive years ago it had 1,503
inhabitants. Now it has $40. 1t is pleas
ant, well-watered town which has never
made much noise in the world, but which
has it's sons scattered the country over.
Its first representative to the general
court was Nathaniel Dudley, in 1900.
Hebron, the 18th town to be incorpor-
ated shows about the same percentage
of falling off as Mt Vernon. Its popu-
lation stood still in the last decade, but
is less than two-thirds of what it was 80
years ago. Sixty-fve of its sons were in
the war of the rebellion and 16 lost their
lives. Its academy, established in 1904,
has done as much as anything to make
| it famous. The town of Oxford was set
off from it 1929, but the population of the
| two is little larger than what it was then.
J. Alexander Sheppard, Jr., of Newton,
| Mass. was the owner of this town once,
having taken it in pay for his services in
surveying and making map The first
settler was John Caldwell who came
| from Ipswich in IT'S.
Town with More Eventful History.
Bucksport was one of - townships
east of the Penobscot which was granted
in 1862 to David Marsh of Haverhill, and
others on condition among other things
that each was settled within six years by
so Protestant families. Lots were re-
served for parsonage, for the first min
lister, for Harvard and for the schools.
Two years later it was settled by Col.
Jonathan Buck. Other early families
were EmerSons, Duncans and Chamber
lains. The town was finely located and
grew rapidly. But after the British oc-
| cupation of Castine guard was stationed
| there in 1910. ColsBuck's house, barn,
saw mill and two vessels were burned,
and four other houses. Part of the set
| tiers were driven away and went to the
Kennebec, but the settlement revived in
| 1884, though the memory of Mowatt, al
so of Portland notoriety, and the British
| invaders long fingered. Oneof the earl
! lest newspapers in Maine was estab-
| lished there in 1905, and there was a
bank there and the town was represent
ed in the general court before Bangor.
Col. Buck was it's first representative.
The town sent 367 men to help put down
the rebellion, of whom &c died. A mon
ument has been erected to their men,
ory Buclxsport hasa public library and
was one of the few towns which had a
library in 1920 when it comprised 600
volumes. like Hebron it has an educa-
tional institution of great repute and
value, the East Maine Conference Sem
mary which has been of more value to
the country than many a college.
What action the towns whose birth
days have not yet arrived will take we
have not yet seen stated, but the day
should not by any of them be allowed to
pass unnoticed. In some way each
should not fail to commemorate its
fathers, to honor their courage and man
struggles and help perpetuate their
names,