Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-24
NAMES IRISH TOWN.
Benedicta-Its History, Its Beauty and II
Continual ~

Benedicta-Its History, Its Beauty and Its
Continued Prosperity,
In no state Of the Union arc racial
lines drawn moro closely than in
Maine. Though Yankees arc the
original settlers, after the Indians,
they have never been able to get a
foothold in several thriving villages.
Waldoboro, which was colonizcd
from Holland 100 years ago, is still
30 per cent Dutch; Madawaska,
whore the Arcadian refugees found
homes in 1850, is more than 05 per
cent French, and New Sweden, which
was settled by emigrants brought
over from Sweden by Minister w.
W. Thomas in Grant first admins
tration, has but two Yankee fani-
lies. Though all Of tsi,se people
make good citizens and add greatly
to the wealth of the state, it is prob
able that Benedicta, the one almost
exclusively Irish settlement in
Maine, beats them all in point of
thrift and in general prosperity.
Several picturesque historians
have said that Benedicta was colo,
nized from the "slums of Boston,"
statement which is resented by the
town residents and which the real
facts in the ease do not warrant. In
tho early days Of this century the
Catholic churches of Boston were
poor, every parish having many
members who struggled hard to live.
Not Il few Of the men drank more
liquor than was good for them and
passed many days of valuable time
i'll serving out sentences imposed by
the courts
Kcenly alive to tho needs of his
people, Archbishop Benedict Fen.
wick, tho predecessor Of Archbishop
Williams, went to tho general court
of Massachusetts and bought town
ship of wild land III Aroostook coun-
ty, Nc. Though the purchase was
made when Maine was province of
Massachusetts, no settlers were sent
to the new land until after 1880,
when Maine had been a state for ten
years. Then the bishop began to
colombo tho now township, sending
two or three families ut a time to
the Maine wilderness. Though the
whole plan was an experiment, it
proved a success, and when tho wal
broke out the township contained a
population of more than 400.
Having established themselves as
lumbermen and farmers, the resi-.
dents applied to the Legislature for
a charter, na ming the place Bene.
dicta III honor of its founder. The
town of Benedicta YVES incorporated
in 1872, and, though tho timber is
now cut off and though potatoes
bring but 30 cents a barrel at the
nearest railroad station, the people
continue tni.r"sper. The settlement
is one of the model villages in Maine.
The village streets have asphalt
sidewalks and are well lighted An
expensive town hall has been erect
cd lately, and the people worship III
one of the finest and largest Cath.
olic churches in this state. The town
is free from debt, and good houses,
well dressed people and other signs
OF prosperity arc seen everywhere.
OF the $50 families living in town,
~ have reared II OF more children
each. There is not pauper or
beggar in the town, and, though the
place boasts of no millionaires, there
are several well to do men in town,
and everybody is above want. Elk.
cept the dc scendants of three fami
lies which squatted here before 1890.
every resident of the town is of Irish
descent. New York Sun,