Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-07-19

the records fail to show. In william
sons History of Maine there is an extract
from a manuscript letter OF Abraham
Burbank, Esq, containing some inter
estipg information about the earliest set
Element of Peabody's Patent. He wrote
that the Patent had in it two families In
ll7Sl. but that both the men were killed
by Indians on August OF that year
The story of the Indian raid OF that year
as told by Lieut.. Nathaniel c. Segal
seems rather to indicate that only one
man-James Pettingill-lived in Pea
body's Patent at that time, and that he
was killed by the Indians on tie Attn OF
August, as stated.
| In 1900 there were settled in Peabody
Patent twelve or fifteen families. Ac-
cordipg to the census of that year the
population was sixty-eight. In 1904 the
number of families had increased to
twenty. and the need of highways and
bridges and schools began to be i'm
perative. The incorporation of the
plantation into town was necessary 10
enable it's inhabitants to raise money
| for these various community uses. A
| petition for Incorporation was presented
to the Massachusetts, legislature OF 1904,
with the following signatures:
| Thomas Peabody Joseph Larry
Joseph Larry, Jr. Jonathan peaoody
Oliver Peabody Stepn'n M'eser
James Messer Amos Peabody
Stephen Coffin jun Isaac Adams
Joseph BlOdget Samuel w neeier
Samuel Eoohnough James Dawson
Michael Common David Bradley
,John Rennet Johnathan Blodget
Elinhalet Rurhauk job Mason
The petition was granted, and June %,
1904. Peabody's Patent became the
town of Gilead The first town meeting
was held October "a, 1904. Thomas
Peabody, Eliphalet Burbank and Isaac
Adams were chosen selectmen. The
valuation of the town was assessed AT
s6065. There were twenty-five resident
tax PAYERS. At the March meeting in
1906 the town voted $50 for the support
of schools, and for several years that
was the amount of the annual aproprla'
ton for this purpose.
In the summer of 1911 special town
meeting was called to see what action
the town would take in regard to build
ing a bridge across Wild River. 1t was
voted at that meeting to build the bridge
and pay for it in neat stock and bread
corn. The next year, 1912, it was
thought unwise to build it "under the
existing state of National Affairs" In
1913 the bridge was built. AT every
town meeting for good many years
after, the bridge came up for discussion.
Every spring the river showed its re-
sentiment at the efforts made to tame its
wildness, and the bridge had to be re-
built or repaired every summer.
The town had no settled minister un-
til 1928. 1t is recorded in the town
clerks records that "a legal town meet
ing was held November third, 1928. for
the purpose of trying vote to see If the
town would settle Rev'd Henry White
over them as their minister for five
wears and they united in voting for his
settlement without any opposition ana
chose James Burbank. Eliphalet Adams
and Timothy Wight a committee OF ar
rangements at the installment." Inc
settlement was not renewed by the town
and the term of Mr.. Whites ministry
ended in 1898. He was the only minis
ter to be settled by the town in its cor
porate capacity.
In Willey's incidents in White Noun
tain History, published in 1858, is an in
teresting sketch of the early religious
life of Gilead. The material for the
sketch was evidently furnished by Rev
Daniel Goodhue, who served as a supply
at different times when there was nc
settled minister in town. After naming
some of the incorporators of the town
the author writes: "They were all eX
emplary, good men, giving character
of energy to the place. They regarded
religious institutions, and helped sus
tain them by their property and exam
ple. They were church-going people
always attending the worship of God OF
the Sabbath. From the earliest time o
its settlement it has enjoyed more or les!
steadily the preaching of the Gospel
Before any Christian church was plant
ed in it, it had succession of mission
aries, sent from different sources, wht
were instrumental of great religious
benefit to the people. Among theS'
we're the Rev. lothian Sewall, or, as b
is often called, Father Sewall, and thu
Rev. Samuel Hidden of Tamworth. II
1918. as a result of the great revival il
which one or both the heads of almos
every family in town were hopefully con
verted, a Congregational church wa
formed consisting of Melvin Farwell ant
wife, Abraham Burbank and wife
Widow Susannah Burbank, Betsey Phil
brook, John Mason, jr., H. ingalls,
Rhoda Stiles, Mary Peabody, and Eph
, rain and Seth Wight. This churcl
! sometimes through its own efforts ant
sometimes in connection with Shelburne
, has had preaching most of the tim
, since its formation. Its regularly set
tied pastors have been Rev. Henri
, White and Rev. Henry Richardson. BE
, sides these Rev. Daniel Goodhue ant
others have been supplies for differen
: portions of the time. There is Meth
} odist church, also, which has been II
5 strumental of great religious and mora
, benefit to the place"
There is much that might be write
{ of the later history of the town. Froi
!, 1861 to 1865 Gilead showed that the sell
S sacrificing spirit of the pioneers wa
!, still alive, and sent almost third G
her men of voting age to the defence G
the Union. In 1872 the suspensio
I, bridge across the Androscoggin rive
II was built and the two halves of til
Q town were cemented together. The il
II dustrial development of the town, til
D great changes in the conditions OF ruri
y life so notably exemplified here, tt
Q growing recognition of the attraction
IT of Gilead as place of summer residenc
g all deserve the attention of the historic
9 of these later years. Gilead is to-ds
It prosperous beyond most farming cor
D. munities. 1t has an honorable past.
= faces bright future. May we emula
ID the virtues of those exemplary GOO
le men" whose work we are celebratir
II to-day, that their legacy of moral al
religious energy and strength may
., handed on unimpaired to coming gene
~ atoms.
70 SAFEGUARD THE CHILDREN.
a Notwithstanding all that is done
boards of health and charitably incline