Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-25
THE STORY OF 4
GREAT POND ON
UNION RIVER
First Clearing Made
About 1911 in Town.
ship No. 80, Part
of Bingham
Purchase
Party Came from Massachu-
sets and Erected One or
Two Log Cabins Near Foot
of Touchdown Now Has
Church, Hall and Good
Schools-Naming of Brandy
Pond.

SchOOlS-Naming OF Brandy
Pond.
(Mrs. H. A. Emery, in Bangor Com
merciaD
The little town Of Great Pond, stu
ated near the headwaters Of Union
river. will hold its place in the mem
DRY of many a hardy woodsman. but
few perhaps, know the trials and
hardships Of the early settlers.
In about 1911 the township of No. 33,
a part of the Bingham purchase, was
owned by Squire Tilden, of Boston,
who offered brilliant Inducements with
many promises of the good time to
come, to those who had courage
enough to brave the danger of pioneer
life A party from Massachusetts,,
among whom were Simeon and Clark
Williams, came through an unbroken
forest and landed at the foot Of Great
pond. Simeon felled the forest trees.
They commenced clearing about forty
rods from the pond. choosing the high
est land erected log cabin or two,
and went back with a favorable report
of this part Of the Pine Tree State.
Clark Williams, and his father,
joshua Revolutionary soldier from
Rhode Island, John Collar from China,
Me. Mr. Dyke, halfbrother of Addi-
son Dodge and few other families
came here with a view to settlement.
After few years Mr.. Tilden sold
out to John Black His promise of
roads. mills and settlers proved fail
ure. Discouraged, ali went back to
their native lands except three fami-
lies. Joshua Williams. his son Clark.
and John Collar. In 1912 Simeon Will
liams married Harriet kenney Of
Woodstock. n. B. In 1923 he moved
here with his family Of four children.
His father having grown infrm from
q wound in the leg received in the
army drew pension until he died, at
the age Of %.
The method Of transportation was on
horseback. with only a spotted line for
2 road. The nearest sawrnil, srist
mill and blacksmith shop was in Ma
ri.viiic, a distance of 20 miles.
Capt. Sol. Jordan and Eben Morri-
son first built Great Pond dam. and
As'7el Foster drove the first team
across Brandy pond. In those days it
was as customary to take their barrel
q, IltIuOI .iS tI4tii IloN! III lllS NccdH
with them, and when Mr. Foster got
halfway across the pond he must cell
citrate that event by treating the crew.
AS no dish was at hand. an inventive
genius proposed cutting a hole in the
ice and filing Ii with brandy, which
they did. ard lay down and drank it;
hence the name Of Brandy pond.
Simeon Williams and wife had
family of ten children: six boys.
James, Thomas, Simeon. Jr.. George,
Asa and Joseph Tilden. and four girls.
Betsey Ann. Frances kenney, Harriet
and Eliza Jane, who died in infancy.
They all settled nearby, and the place
was rightfully called Williams Settle
ment.
James Williams died Dec. IS, 1893,
at the age Of 50 years and s months.
His wife was Lucinda Jacques Of Sher-
ryfield. They had eight children.
George Williams married Louisa
Richardson, by whom he had a large
family.
Asa married DireXa Esther Dunn OF
| Cherryfeld They had ten children:
ore boy who died at the age Of six,
eight girls who lived to marry and
/ rear children. five Of whom are now
livinG--Mrs. jackson of Brighton,
Mass: Mrs. McFhee of Fairfield; Mrs.
Remission of Cleveland, o.; Mrs. Mace
of Augusta, and Mrs. Crosby Of Au
rora The sixth daughter was Mrs.
| Nellie Haynes Of Bangor
In 1912 Thomas married Mary Ann
| Lord Of Greenfield. He died Of diph
! liberia at the age of so. There were
| six children; three sleep beside him.
His wife married again and is now the
! widow Of Joseph Smith Of Maria
| Vile.
1 John Collar had family OF six chill
| dren; most of them died in early life.
| Jas. and Thos. Williams. as boys, had
| to take the responsibilities Of men. At
| one time the darkness overlook them
when returning from the mill, and they
tied their horse and lay down beside
him and spent the night. They owned
the first wagon ever brought to Great
Pond.
For many years, up to the time of
his death at the age of 50 years and
S months, in 1893. James Williams was
the oldest resident Of the town He was
carpenter by trade and built many
I putlt11Ss UP SuicH
! In 1853 a postoffice was established in
Great Pond. with Curtis Sabine as the
| first postmaster. He kept the Office for
a few months and then Tobias Lord was
appointed in his place. He resigned his
Office in 1852. and J. r. Shuman was ap-
pointed Samuel Buchanan of Ellsworth
carried the mail the first four years. At
which time II came once a week.
In 1855 there were SO scholars attend
| ing school in a large schoolhouse,
where church services were also held.
There were also 125 inhabitants housed
I in comfortable homes on well-cultivated
farms.
| The Oldest resident is Madame Col
son. now about IS years of age.
| Edgar Williams, now 70, son of James
! Williams, is spending his old age with
his younger brother. Ezra n. Will
liaJns. who has fine home on the old
| place. Ezra has two daughters, Mrs.
! ". A. Estabrook of Bangor, and Mrs.
| Selwyn Parker of Livermore Falls, who
was recently married in Bangor by Rev.
E. F. Pember.
The married life OF Edgar was spent
in Fairfield, and after his wife died and
his children moved away, being educated
to positions that called them from the
farm. he sold out and returned to his
old home to spend his declining years.