The Portland daily press., 1897-09-04

Sounty sHAdgc-Centennlal Colebra-
tion observation-disclosures by Former
Citizens,
South Waterford, September AIN this
pleasant village, Nesting upon a fertile
plain between the green slopes of Mt.
Tirell and the blue waters of Keoka
Lake, Waterford celebrated today the GEN.
tennial of Its Incorporation. The weathey
was fine and the attendance unexpectedly
large, numbering moro than one
thousand. Some OF the public houses
displayed flags, but none of the private
residences were decorated. The forenoon
exercises In the church were opened by
singing, followed by prayer by Rev. Mi.
C1eaves. '''7'7 g..'-
Hon. A. S. Kimball, appraiser Of the
port OF Portland, presided over the meet
ing and delivered the address of welcome
after which he read letters Of regret that
they could not attend from natives Of
Waterford who have become eminent in
many states, among them Cyrus Hamlin,
u. D., the eminent missionary and
teacher. and Rev. Daniel Green of New
ton, Mass.
Col. Jacob L. Green of Hartford Conn.,,
a brother Of the late William Warren
dreen, M. D., Of Portland, was then in
troduced as the orator of the forenoon.
His address was prelude to the historical
speeches of the afternoon. That every
man should use his capacities for the
benefit of all the people, but be the
bondsman of no individual power on earth
was the keynote of his address.
At noon many of the people gathered in
picturesque groups upon the village green
under the stately elms partake of picnic
dinners from viands brought from home.
| Others crowded the hotel and boarding
fhouses or listened to music furnished by
| the East Waterford brass band. Ii
/ At two o'clock the exercises in the
church in which "Artemas Ward 81
family have had pew almost a century,
were resumed by q historical address by
Prof. Henry P. Warren of Albany. NY.
entitled Waterford One Hundred Years
Ago. He told how during the very
hard times following the revolution,
families migrated from older parts Of
Massachusetts to Waterford, where land
was new, fertile and cheap. They built q
| three Thousand dollar church when the
valuation of the town was only fifty
| thousand.
| DR.. Thomas Fl. Gage of Wol cester,
Mass, son of Waterford's first physician.
| then made another historical address on
Waterford Sixty Years Ago.'' He gave
| brief sketches of eminent townsrnen. In
1884 one of the first successful steam
locomotives was built and operated by
DR.. Cyrus Hamlin in this town.
| Fifteen minute speeches followed by
Hon. e. W. Woodbury. of Bethel, subject
"The Birthday of Town" Jessie W.
Warren Of Wilton, My Native Town;''
| Rev. Charles L. Skinner of New Hamp-
shire, "Reminiscences; Hon. John D..
Lyman Of Exeter, NJ H., "The Main
Producing Belt Of the World;' DR.. Chas.
G. Rounds of New York, ssHumor Of
| Waterford.
The antiquities in the town hall were
| numerous and Of unusual interest.
| Among them were the surveyors chain
with which Jabe5 Brown run out the or.
iginal town, boundaries, the axe which
Eeut the first street in this town, the clock.
Ibeaver traps steelyard for weighing and
other household articles used by David
AloWain, the first settler. An antiquity
that attracted much attention was the
church Bible used by the first minister.
Rev. Lincoln Ripley, which had ON the
first blank page certificate Of his mem
bership in the American Colonization
society, signed by Henry Clay. There was
the Masonic charter of Oriental lo5ge
granted In 1919, and the Masonic diploma
given to Daniel Brown, grandfather Of
| "Artemas Ward,'' in 1879 Muskets and
other implements Of war used in tho
Revolution and Indian battles covered \
large table. The walls were hung with
portraits of old settlers, prominent among
which was q large original photograph Of
''Artemas Ward.'
The most notable point Of interest was
the old home of 'Arternas Ward" whose
real name was Charles Farrar Brown, III
| is an old fashioned two story white farm
house; with one and one-half story r,
standing near the centre of the VILLAGE
and shaded by ancient elms. The main
house was built In 1905. The L il one at
the Oldest houses in town. No changes
have been made in the old homestead
since Artemas Ward lived there. The old
kitchen with its hand painted board
walls. it's old floor burned in spots by
Goals from the ancient fire place, the
quaint well reached by a trap door in the
tArteinas' used to sit is intarestinr
The premises are owned and occupied As
summer residence by Mr.. and Mrs. L.
Higgins of Boston, relatives of the famous
humorist Of Waterford. A social dance in
the evening closed the successful oelebra-
ton.