The Republican journal., 1903-12-10
Early Days of Searsmont.


The following facts from the Massa-
chusetts Archives and other sources
regarding the early days of Searsmont
NAV be of interest to the readers of The
Journal.
The town of Searsmont is part OF
the Muscongus Patent and a part OF
that land known as General Knox
land which fell into the hands of Sears,
Thorndike and Prescottof Boston, from
whom the early settlers received title
to their lands. This town also formed
a part of the State of Massachusetts
until the separation in 1920, and a part
of Hancock county until the formation
of Waldo county in 1927. The town.
ship was first surveyed in 1909 by j.
Malcolm and J. Gleason and was called
Green Plantation. 1t then included
what is now the towns of SearsmOnt,
Belmont and Morrill,. The first settler
of this plantation was Daniel Dolliff,
in the wear 1870, who probably located
in that part of the plantation which is
now Morrill, and was then called "Ihe
Great Meadow Settlement" In 1914
the Plantation of Green was divided by
a survey made by Elisha Small and
each part was separately incorporated
into the towns of SearSmont and Bel
mont. February ), 1914, by an act OF the
General Court of Massachusetts. MOI
rill was set off from Belmont, March 5,
1855. by an act of the Maine Leglsla-
ture. The town of Searsmont received
its name in honor of David Sears OF
Boston. the principal proprietor.
Tie first road through this township
was surveyed by the County Commits
sionerS in the year 1893 and led from
Augusta to Belfast. This county road
consisted of line of spotted trees,
which started from Augusta, leading
through Weeks Mills, China, Centre
and East Palermo, over Bolan hill,
Liberty. through Muskingum, Mont
Vile. through West and North Sears
mont by way of Belmont to Belfast.
Nv grandfather, Deacon John Marden,
in one of his historical manuscripts of
many wears ago says of this road: 'The
road from Montville to Belfast village
was through a wilderness of swamps
without any bridges. The horses had
to 60 in one track through the swamps
with nothing but stepping places for
foot person to walk without Wadlng
through the mud and water. Now
from here to Belfast is one of the best
of stage roads passing through wealthy
farms. and Belfast village is now likely
to become one of the pleasantest cities
in the state"
Tile iirst settlement within the limits
of this beautiful and fourishing town
of Searsmont was in 1898 by Humphrey
Hook of Gambia, \. H., and Jonathan
Bagley OF Chester, \. H., who made
their abode on the road from West to.
North >earsmont. a Mr.. Knight joined
them in $500. From this time on the
population increased very rapidly until
in 1920. when they numbered 675 souls
Samuel Thompson, Rufus RoWeil and
Joseph Mason settled here IN 1902. John
Morrow was married to sally Hill IN
1865 and also made this their home. A
plan of the farms in the possession OF
the writer shows that Peter Cilley and
\. Hollis lived on lot No. IS, which
contained 1902 acres. G. Roberts lived
on lot - and had 70 acres. J. Phinney
lived on lot fl and had s. acres. E.
Roberts lived OH lot IL and had 81 acres.
Rufus Carriers lot had so acres. Rufus
Smiths lot had Is acres. Joseph
swords lot had 50 acres. Ebenezer
ENtItLL ; lbl lfsil ~ cNlNh. cCiiii A'1oi-
rows lot had 60 acres and he also occu-
pied a very large gore which he later
purchased Of tie proprietors. Nicholas
Gnmau's lot had 100 acres. Jonathan
Gi,nau'S lot had 100 acres. The lot OF
Jonathan Gilman, .Jr., haG 100 acres.
Moses smells lot had - acres. James
Wa.lace's lot had acres. Mr. Brad
dock. an old hermit, lived in the wood
near Quantabacook pond. When he
died he WAS, by his request, buried on
an Island in this pond which was ever
after called by people OF those days
Dead Man Island
The first town meeting was held at
tie schools ouse at Whittier's Mills
probably now Searsmont village,
March Il, 1914. at ten O'clock, by a
warrant drawn by Manasseh Sleeper,
Justice of the Peace The following
officers We're elected: Thomas Whittier,
Moderator: Manasseh Sleeper, Clerk;
Noah Prescott, Manasseh Sleeper and
Ansel Lothrop, Selectmen; Joseph
Murray Treasurer: Rufus Gilmore,
il. Constable and Collector; Richard
Hamilton surveyor in District No. /;
Jonathan Bagley in No. 2: Porter
Whittier in No. 8; Levi Clark in No. 4;
John Barker in No. 5; Solomon Fro
hook in NJ. s: Joseph Hardy in No. I.
Humphrey Hook and Jonathan Bag
leg built the first mill in town at North
Searsmont, on the site at the lower end
of the meadow. In 1916 this mill pass
ed into the hands of Captain James
Wallace. Whittier built the next mill
previous to 1914, probably at the viii
lage. About 1927, HeZelton settled
there and built mills. In 1917 Smith
Cram built The first mill at Woodman's
Mills. The same year Edmund Wood
man settled here and bought an inter
est in the mill. In 1912 Ansel Hook
built mill on the stream in the north
err part of the town, where the pres
ent mill now stands. Jewett built a
mill still farther down the stream.
The influence of Elder John Colby's
reformation in Montville in the winter
of 1911 and 1912 spread over Searsmont
in a wonder ul manner and many were
coveTted and baptised by him in Janu-
arv aud February, 1912 and united with
the church of Christ, which he organic
ed at that time at the schoolhouse at
Muskingum, which now sits on Ira
Grams land. In 1915 these faithful ones
felt it to be their duty to support the
Gospel and worship in their own vicin-
ity and TO organize church OF Christ
in their own town. Therefore, in June
the mother church met at the school
house at Muskingum and began the
proceedings with praise service. At
the close of the meeting the following