Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-09-02
Sheepsoct Ministerial Lot
Trials and Tribulations of It's Owners and
Contestants of 1T Years A d ju tie d by
Courts Timber Sold-Proceeds Made Per-
rnanent Fund for the Church

The following very interesting and
issue of July 20, 1916 of the Damaris-
Gotta Herald:
The Sheepseot Ministerial Lot.
Last Monday, July II, the final pa
pers were signed in the sale of the
standing timber on the Ministerial Lot,
so-called, in Sheepscot, to Mr.. Cush-
IMAM S. Page of Newcastle for the sum
of s11,555. Since this lot has figured
so prominently in the public interest
during the whole life of the town, and
in recent years has been the subject Of
a long and vigorous controversy. a
brief account of its peculiar history
ought to have general value.
The lot of one hundred acres heavily
wooded was granted to 1.-The InhabI-
tants now settled on Sheepscot river
ct a place called Newcastle in the
year 1889 by Christopher Tappan, Of
Newbury in the County of Essex and
Province of Massachusetts Bay in
New England, Clerk for and in con-
sideration of good will and affection
:. to be and remain in said settle
ment now called for a glebe or a par
sonage forever" This Rev. c. Tap
pan was a Congregational minister.
who on the side did some promoting
on a large scale, and claimed to own
all the land between the Sheepscot AMI
Damariscotta Rivers. According to
Cushman's History of Sheepscot AMI
Newcastle" there was great dissatis-
faction among the first settlers be-
cause their hundred acres lots did not
measure up to more than so acres, and
to appease this feeling, Mr.. Tappan
gave the inha bitants" two lots, one to
secure a first minister and this to
support the minister in perpetuity.
The evil spirit Of controversy and dis
satisfaction seems to have chung to
the lot ever since that early day.
In 1853 the Town of Newcastle was
incorporated and assumed control Of
the religious interest of the settle
ment. In 1854 the town settled the
first minister. a Presbyterian, who re-
ceived one lot outright and had the
use of the other The "ministerial
business continued to be the most
knotty and troublesome of the towns
affairs. until in 1892 Rev. Kiah Bailey
settled in the town and organized the
First Congregational church in New
castle which then succeeded to the
rights Of the ministerial lot and took
over the parochial interests of the
town. In 1924, as there were other
faiths than the Congregational COM
ing in, the First Congregational Parish
was formed, SO as to give, opportunity
for such as would not become mem
bers of the Congregational church to
have part in the parochial affairs of
the community. BY law this parish
succeeded to the property of the
church, and the minister henceforth
held the lot in right of the parish.
Controversies continued and in 1914
some ninety members departed and
formed the Second Congregational
church and located it ION the east
Size of the town" In 1858 the con-
troversies again waxed furious and
others departed and formed the Meth
odist Episcopal church and society in
Shcepscot CT course. in each case,
those WHO thus withdrew forfeited all
thc:r rights ana interests in the minis
terri! lot. which by Al! laws remained