The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-28

formers of moose and DEER" This was a
new Office and Mr.. aDole says he Is unable
10 saw lust what these officers were ex-
neete5 to do. In 1911 several families of
Ouakers invaded the town and according
TO their creed refused to pay the minis
te,ial tax. They were finally excused from
doing so, after considerable difficulty, by
presenting their certificates of member
ship in the ostracized church.
On March 30. l775, the town not in
tending to be caught mapping on the
verge OF the impending war purchased 81
pounds worth of powder and ammuni.
tion. 1t was also voted to fix up the big
gun and swivelS.
An interesting entry in the town
records is that of the granting of freedom
to negro slave, the property of Thomas
MayberTy During he period of the revo-
luton the town held numerous meetings
and every call made by the continental
congress, whether for men or money, was
promptly honored by the people of this
town and we nowhere find that the
least opposition was raised to any meas
ure tending to strengthen the men bat
thing for liberty.
MIR. Dole goes quite thoroughly into
the quaint records and his paper was
extremely interesting and valuable col
lection of historical data.
Mr.. George f. Talbot of Portland
made some interesting remarks relative
to Mr.. Dole's paper. He said that one
wondered at the amazing political activity
of these poor people, as shown in this
record That they were poor people there
is little doubt because all of our ancestors
were poor in those early days. How care
fully they looked out for their poor and
ali of their interests and how much at
tention they paid to all of the affairs of
the public. The auction of paupers, an
old coiored woman and poor white, to
the lowest bidder, would lead one to be-
lieve that this was an indication of much
suffering. These people were placed in
good New England families and were I'M
doubtedly well cared for. Mr.. Talbot
referred 70 the Eleazar Chase mentioned
in the paper by MIR. Dole as among the
first settlers of Windham and said he
wondered if he were the same EEleazar
Chase whom he could just remember as
being a very old man in Machfas when
he, MIR. Talbot. was mere boy. 1t Was
said that this Eleazar Chase In Mach1as
was a revolutionary soldier and he was
called Capt. Chase.
Rev. DR.. Burrage read q paper on
"Capt John Wilson and some military
matters in Maine in the war of 1919"
Capt. John Wilson was resident OF
TOpsham, and commanded the TOpsham
company during the war of 1919. He was
a grandson of Thomas Wilson, who as a
boy of fifteen years of age came from Ire
land to Boston about the middle OF the
seventeenth century. In some way be-
fore long his attention was directed to the
wilds of Maine, and in s1752 he made his
way to Topsham, where he took up a
large tract of land on the banks OF the
Androscoggin. When the Indian War
opened he returned to Boston, but after
the restoration Of peace he again made his
way to Topsham, and here he continued
to reside until his death. He had seven
children. The late Rev. DR.. Adam vii.
son was grandson. so also was Capt.
Johu Wilson, afterward Gen. John vii.
son, the subject of this paper. He evil
IDENTIFY had military iDclinations from his
early years. He was elected captain OF
the Topsham company Dec. IL, lS0V, and
his commission, signed by Gov. Gore OF
Massachusetts,, is still IN existence. Az
times during the War of 1919 he was IN
command of the fort at the mouth OF the
Kennebec, which had been erected on the
site of the present Fort Popham. The
paper contained the military orders which
Can't. Wilson received during the War of
1919, contributed.by Mrs. A. W. Pendle-
ton of. Topsham, daughter of Gen. Wilson,
with added facts pertaining to mill
tary matters in Maine in the same
period.
Mr.. George f. Talbot read all historical
sketch of Washington academy, situated
in Maohias 1t was the same paper which
was read by Mr.. Talbot at the centennial
celebration of this institution in 1894.
It is most carefully prepared and inter
esting account of the early days OF this
famous school. 1t carried the academy
through its struggles for existence into
later years and briefly reviewed the careers
of many of it's alumni in the earlier years
of this century MIR. Talbot's recollec-
tions of life in this academy. one of the
best known in this state. were extremely
interesting. The paper has already been
published and may be found in the
archives of the society.
Mr.. Talbot's paper was discussed by
Prof. Chapman of Bowdoin college and
BY the Rev. DR.. Dalton. The latter said
among other things that it was an in
teresting fact that Eastern Maine was
settled before the migration to the west
commenced. Had the movement west
ward commenced earlier the history OF
Eastern Maine might have been entirely
different, DR.. Dalton referred to the large
number of remarkable men who had re.
ceiyed their education in these academies
of Maine. These academies occupy q very
hiah place in the history of Maine and
New England. He expressed a regret that
so many of these academies had ceased to
exist. The 61gh scnool system naO TAKEN
the places of these academies in Maine.
He didn't think the High school educa-
ton was as beneficial as was the educa-
ton in these old academies. The high
school graduate received oftentimes just
enough education to make them disdain
the lower walks in life and their educa-
ton was not high enough to enable them
20 succeed in the professions. He hoped
that technical schools would soon be
generally established to overcome the
faults of the present system Of education.
de referred to Horace Greedy as an ex-
amUle of a man whose education had not
been sufficient to enable him to make the
most of his wonderful ability. DR.. Dial
ton also said that he believed it was a
question whether the general education OF
the people was an advantage. They know
SO much that they disdain the advise OF
those who know more than they do and
whom they should take as their guide.
Prof Chapman testified to his enjoy
ment of Mr.. Talbot's paper and to the
valuable work the Washington academy
had been doing in the state for many
years.
EVENING SESSION.
At the evening session of the society,
I III e.