The Republican journal., 1913-07-03
Annals of Belfast for Half
Century.
BY AN OLD SETTLER
(Hon. VIM. G. Crosby.)
[ CHAPTER Xxi. tlS21. J


the fifty first anniversary of American
1ndepende nee but the birthday of the
county OF Waldo also. A national sa
Lutte was Iired at sunrise. At II A. M. {
procession was formed at the Confer
ence-room which proceeded under vol
unteer military escort, commanded by
Col. Phillip Morrill,, to the Unitarian
meeting house, the interior of which
was very tastetuliy decorated with flow
ers and eVergreens. The services there
were introduced by appropriate music
and prayer oy Rev. Mr. rockingham.
The Declaration of Independence was
read by William White, Esq. then resi-
dent in this place, now deceased. pre-
faced by remarks on the origin and his
tory of that celebrated State paper. The
oIation was delivered by William Stew
ems, Esq, then resident here, row in
Lawrence, Mass. At the conclusion of
the services in the Church the procession
was reformed and proceeded to a booth
erected on the Common where dinner
was provided by Col. Nathan Stanley.
Hon. William Crosby presided at the
table, assisted by several Vice-Presi-
dents. After the cloth was removed the
regular ''l3" and numerous volunteer
toasts were drank. Among the volun-
teers was the following by our now
venerable fellow-citizen, Hon. Albert G.
Jewett, then a Young man on tie brink
of entering the professional! career in
which he has since become eminently
distinguished: "Citizens of Waldo-gen-
erous and patriotic; may you continue to
be fired with the same holy ardor in the
support of your liberties that your ances-
tors were in achieving them.
There was a Ball in the evening, nu-
merously attended, at Phoenix Hall,
which was very beautifully decorated
with flowers, evergreens and transpar-
encies Take it all in all it was the hap
piest day anG evening ever known in Bel
fast; filed to overlooking with light, life
and buoyancy. The effort of years had
been crowned with success; hope had
ended in fruition; the county of Waldo
was fixed fact, ana Belfast was shire
town.
Looking back to that day what cloud
of sadness steals over the memory of the
few remaining who participated in its
festivities. Of the crowd who sat down
at that table in the booth how few now
walk our streets OF the twenty six who
gave utterance to sentiments on that oc
casion, twenty-one have travelled "the
way to dusty DEATH" Of the five Man
ayers of that Ball, one only, an old
man now Of three score years and ten,
is the sole survivor. 20 Death in Life,
the days that are no more''
There were on that day ten county of
fcers: there We're resident here eight
Justices of the Peace and Quorum. nine
teen Justices Of the Peace, two Notaries
Public, ten lawyers, three clergymen,
six physicians, two Coroners. -tifty-siX
in all; of that number there are now
living Hon. Ralph C. Johnson, Hon.
Hugh j. Anderson, Hon. William Stev-
ems and Hiram G. Alden, Esq; they, and
no more. Bohan P. Field, Robert Patter-
son. ID, John Palmer were Selectmen.
Nathaniel H. Bradbury, Town Clerk,
Thomas Marshall, Treasurer, there We're
three Auditors of Accounts, five police
officers, thirteen surveyors of Highways,
two Constables, ten FireWards, three
Tythingme1. twenty one Surveyors of
lumber, five School-committe-m men, four
teen Schooi Agents, eighty in all; nine of
that numi er are still wing.
About tais time ONE Joseph J. Sager
from Hal DWELL, cane here to reside; his
wife, Phoebe, a mlliner and dress
maker, had been residing here for some
time. He was a saddle and harness
maker by trade and worked for awhile in
a shop Ill wooden building which stood
on the site of the saloon now occupied
by Mr.. Richard Carter They both re-
moved from this place to Gardiner.
While residing there Mrs. Sager died
suddenly, October 5, 1884; the circum-
stances, attending her sickness and death
aroused suspicion that she died CT poison.
Her husband was arrested, indicted for
her murder, and at term OF the Court,
held the same month was convicted. He
was hung January 2, 1885, at Augusta,
in compliance with the sentence OF the
Court. Those were the days when JUS
tice was administered speedily and with
out delay.
On the third of September meeting
of the Belfast Light Infantry was held
for the choice of officers. Henry COL
burn was elected Captain in place of
Joel Hill, resigned, Samuel B. Hanson,
Lieutenant, and Charles Palmer, Ensign
Mention has heretofore been made of
Capt Hills; Mess. Hanson and Palmer
are still living here. Mr.. Colburn was
native of this place, son of Ebenezer
Colburn who came here early in this CEN
tury. He was for eleven years the faith
full clerk of the late John Angler, Esq.,,
in his store. He afterwards engaged in
trade and still later kept tavern at the