CHAPTER II.

Other settlers-Mr. Chandler-the first road-first mill-Incorporation of the town-town meetings—Dr. Gardiner's Dam— taxes-paupers-bounties-acres of land and water-valuation.

The

IN 1766, some young men, among whom were Stephen Pullen, Nathaniel Stanley, Benjamin Fairbanks, and probably Ebenezer Bly, came to the place; perhaps some others. In 1767, Nathaniel Fairbanks came and passed the summer, and returned. In the spring John Chandler came and a number of others. Prior to this, there was no road from Pond Town to the Kennebec River. bushes were cut away, and a line of spotted trees was their guide through the dense forest. A grist mill had been erected on the Cobbossee Conte stream, in what is now Gardiner, by Dr. Gardiner and son, of Boston. people had to go all the way to Cobbossee to procure the grinding of all their meal. Nor had they any other way of conveying it except upon their shoulders, for there was not a horse in the town, and there being no roads, they could not avail themselves of the labors of their oxen. An incident has been related as having occurred during this period of privation and trial, which may interest the ladies. In those days they were accustomed to all sorts of toil and hardship. Mrs. Foster, wife of the first set

The

tler, undertook to assist her hasbaud by going to Cobbossee to mill. Living on the margin of the great pond, she crossed in a canoe, to save distance, and the boat was taken back. By some means she was detained so long, that on her return to the east side of the pond it was so dark that she could not find the horn which was kept to call for the boat, and so was under the painful necessity of remaining all night in the woods. How many females in these days have either the strength or the courage for such an adventure?

Mr. John Chandler came with his family to the place in 1767. He had considerable property. Amos Stevens, then a young man eighteen years old, came with him as a hired man. Some two or three years later, his father, Joseph Stevens, removed into the place with the rest of the family. They were from New Ipswich, N. H. Mr. Chandler was also from the same place, and his was the fourth family which settled in Pond Town. As yet they had no road to the Kennebec River, and there being no saw mill in the place, they dwelt in log houses. In 1768 a road was cleared out so that they could pass with oxen and cart wheels to the Hook, now Hallowell. Mr. Chandler built a saw mill on the stream where the cotton manufactory now stands, and in the course of this year erected a grist mill. But to get the mill stones from the river was a great achievement. It is said to have required "the whole strength of the place, both in men and oxen, during nearly a week." For his encouragement to settle and build these mills, he had the grant of what is contained in the following document:

Copy of the conditional grant of land to Mr. John Chandler. "We the Subscribers, the Committee of the Kennebec

Purchase from the late Colony of New Plymouth, Do hereby agree that Mr. John Chandler shall have a grant of two lots of land, of two hundred acres each, near the mill stream in Pond Town, and also one other lot in some other place in said Township, upon Condition that he gives bonds to build a Saw Mill in one year, and a Grist Mill in three years, and make one settlement on the said 400 acres, and another settlement on the 200 acre lott, both on the conditions aforesaid.

BOSTON, June 11, 1767.

Dann's Bowdon

James Oette Bent Hallowell Sillo Gardince John Hancert

D

INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN.

Pond Town was incorporated by the name of WINTHROP by the Legislature of Massachusetts, the 26th of April, 1771. On the same day Hallowell, Vassalborough and Winslow were incorporated. These were the first towns

incorporated within what is now the County of KenneJames Howard, Esq., was authorized to issue a

bec.

warrant to call the

FIRST TOWN MEETING

under the act of incorporation. (See Appendix, Note B.) The warrant is dated "the sixth day of May, 1771, at Fort Weston. James Howard, Justice of the peace." Under this warrant a meeting was "held the 20th of May, at 8 o'clock in the morning, at the house of Squier Bishop, Innholder. Ichabod How chosen Moderator to manage said meeting. John Chandler, Timothy Foster, Ichabod How, Robert Waugh and Jonathan Whiting chosen Selectmen. Jonathan Whiting chosen Town Clerk. Stephen Pullen was chosen Constable. Ichabod How, Gideon Lambert and Jonathan Whiting chosen Assessors. Jonathan Whiting chosen Treasurer. Gideon AbraLambert and Josiah Hall chosen Wardens. ham Wyman and Gideon Lambert, chosen Surveyors of highways." The leaf upon which "the Warrant” and the further proceedings of the first town meeting were recorded, is torn and parts of it lost.

BURYING PLACES.

At a town meeting, May 27, 1771, the Selectmen, according to instructions, "reported a burying place." The spot which they judged would best "commode the present inhabitants, lies upon the highway between Mr. Bishop's and Mr. Cha-[record torn off,]—on Mr. Pullen's lot, bounded southerly on said highway. The land contains one acre, lying in a square form. Timothy Foster, Ichabod How, Jonathan Whiting, Selectmen."

The next cemetery was laid out March 10, 1777. Micajah Dudley, John Chandler, Timothy Foster, James Craig, and Ransford Smith, were appointed a committee to select suitable places for burying the dead.

"March 18, 1780, Voted to accept one acre of land for a burying place, near Mr. Chandler's, part Mr. Chandler's, and part Mr. Lambert's, and part common land, as it is bounded by the committee." This is the cemetery at the village.

June, 1795, a committee of nine were appointed to select places for burying the dead, and to see on what terms suitable places could be had. The town records contain no report of this committee. In August, the same year, the town chose a committee of three to see on what conditions the town can have burying places. They were instructed to purchase three, one of Mr. Stephen Pullen, one of Mr. John Chandler, and one of Mr. Benjamin Fairbanks.

There are now five places for the interment of the dead, in the town, one in East Winthrop, one in the south-east part of the town, another in the Metcalf neighborhood, which was the first, one at the village, and another west of the village, near Dea. Stanley's.

TOWN MEETINGS.

The next meeting of the town was held at the house of 'Squier Bishop, Nov. 17, 1771, and among other transactions recorded, "the town ordered John Needham, Gideon Lambert, and Ephraim Lain, [Lane,] into the box, to serve as petit jurors at the Interior Court of Common Pleas."

They also voted to make and repair their highways by