Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-09

(which Is the present CoHlH l' AAiS
brothers soon followed him: Jona-
than settled just across the lake; Ed
mund located a little south OF JON
athan; Andrew settled at what Is now
South China, while George Fish.
brother in law of the Clarhs, took up
what is at present the place OF Gus
itavus Weber, him that married
Johns Lizzie Mr.. Fish erected the
first saw mil in the town on Clark's
brook. Among the other earlier set
tiers were Josiah Ward. who built the
first frame house and Nelson Russell.
who had a small tannery on Clark's
brook. Mclaughlin and Dow settled
near what is now China village and
built the drst grist mill on Virgins
Brook.
These early settlers were not sup
piled with beef, pork. veal and gro
ceries by ordering them over the phone
from well-filled markets but they had
TO get their meat from the wild ami
mails 1t is said that one man who
had been on long and unsuccessful
search for game was on the point of
starvation. AS the hungry and dis
Outraged man reached his cabin, he
found big moose feeding in front OF
the door and he soon brought him
down. Another time a Mrs. Burrell,
taking her baby with her while she
went to pick berries in a nearby patch,
left the sleeping child in pleasant
little opening. When ready to go home
she started for the opening and was
filed with horror at the sight of a big
back bear sitting on it's launches gaz-
ing at the child. but Brun, upon hear
ing terrified Shrek from the mother
quickly ''vamoosed."
There were no physicions at that
time, with medicine, instruments and
cars, but III case of sickness a Mrs
Ward was sent for who prescribed
roots and herbs. The women did not
have coachmen to drive them about
but would strap on their snowshoes
and walk six or eight miles to church
or visit some neighbor.
In 1896 Jones plantation was incor-
p"rated into the town of Harlem and
remained under that name for 90
years. She northerly part of Harlem.
parts of Winslow and Fairfax We're in
cCrporated into the town of China on
Feb. 5. 1918. TWO years later Harlem
and China We're united into the pres
ent town.
The part of the town in which there
is great Geal of interest is South
China and this was once busy little
place. The Jones family set up a saw
mill on Jones brook and little later
James IioX1e erected a small tannery
on the same stream. There were three
stores III the village and each enjoyed
Eienty Of trade. Theodore jackson had
Il wagon shop and was the only one in
the place 20 carry on this business. The
Canton bank fiourished in 1855 under
IN Jones. II. Abbott and Jonathan
Clark, the beard Of trustees. Neegs and
Chadwick erected a shoe factory which
operated successfully before the Civil
war. In ISIS the South China post Of
lice was established, the mail coming
from Augusta on the stage The let
ter postage received for the first quar-
ter was the large sum of - cents and
the salary Of the postmaster, Sias ri
per, for The quarter was 80 cents.
I In 1872 big fire swept over the
town, destroying three stores and sew
eral prominent buildings, besides some
20 houses. Mr.. Savage had 4 big store
and stables which survived the fire. At
that time Il was just as natural fo!, the
StoreteeperS to sell whiskey and gin as
il is to sell soda water at present Mr..
Savage was slightly hard or hearing
and would raise his hand to his ear
when anyone spoke. One day a man
stepped 40 to the counter and asked
for Il half pound of tea Mr.. Savage
4 Ia, Ii.
, counter and said in loud whisper,
} "Where's Yer jug?"
Only three years after the big fire
tits store, stable and barn We're also
burned to the ground. The large Wy
man hotel which stood nearby was
threatened several times but thanks TO
the persistent efforts of the bucket bril-
gadc, or South China fire company, it
was saved. This hotel had quite a rep
utation and ran large bowling alleys
which We're down towards the lake
, There were two bricllyards which ship
, red bricks UP to China village. Meiggs
built the first brick house from the
products of these wards and it is now
: used as the summer boarding house.
About Is years ago the w. w. & r.
r.. r. was put through to Winslow. A
, year or 50 later the company built a
pavilion just across the lake from
South China. where big dances and
picnics Wore held.
There have been churches of several
denominations. The Friends were prob
ably the first to organize. The First
Baptist church was organized in 1897
and held meetings in a SchoolhouSe
near Deacon Bragg's in 1917. The So
ciety became the second church after
the uniting Of Harlem and China in
fS22. They built n brick meeting
house on lands given by E,heneZer
Meiggs. The building was later sold at
auction and larger wooden one erect
ed. The society took an activ" Part in
the temperance movement and the
church was set on fire in 1869 by a
liquor man. The site is now occupied
by the Friends church. At Chadwick 5
, corner q Methodist church was erected
, which was destined to fill an important
place in the community. for later
through the generosity Of Mary 4.
11rskine >funds for the providing and
maintaining of a High school were
: given and the Methodist church be-
. came the main building of Erskine
Nag