History of Dexter

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Copy 1

History of Dexter

Prepared by

Miss Ella J. Mower

and the Pupils of Her School

Dexter, Maine

Gazette Book and Job Print

1908

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History of Dexter

The tract of land now occupied by the town of Dexter
was, until the year 1792, the home and hunting grounds of
the Red Man and had never until then been looked upon
by the eyes of the white man. At that time Mr. Ballard
and Mr. Weston of Hallowell were hired by the Common-
wealth of Massachusetts to survey a portion of that land
belonging to it in the Province of Maine and to establish
township lines. During that year they made a plan of 21
townships.

The township now called Dexter was designated on
this plan as No. 4 in 5th Range. Two years after this
James Bridge of Augusta purchased the township and his
name was written across the face of H.

in the summer of 1800 Ebenezer Small, who the year
before had come from New Hampshire to Athens, came to
the township, guided by spotted trees, felled the trees on a
patch of land on the hillside and built a rude cabin near
where Crosby & Crosby's office now stands and then went
back to Athens and spent the winter there with his family.

That same year John Tucker came to the township
and made a clearing where the Marble farm is now located
and then returned to his home.

Samuel Elkins was sent here also by Mr. Cragie, who
was then the owner of the township, for the purpose
of finding a suitable place to build mills that the town-
ship might be more desirable for settlement. He selected
the outlet of the pond, near where Abbott's mill is now
located, cut down tlie trees, cleared away the underbrush,
built a camp of hemlock bark, hewed the timber for the

mill frame and then returned to his home in Cornville
where he soon died. A short time after this his brother
came, completed the mill and set it in operation. From
this time until its incorporation the township was called
Elkinstown.

The next spring Ebenezer Small returned to the town-
ship on the crust, hauling Mrs. Small and a few necessary
household goods on a handsled, and occupied the cabin he
had built the summer before. This was the first perma-
nent settlement in the town of Dexter.

In 1802 a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Small, the
first white child born in Dexter. Her name was Johannah.
In the fall of that year Mr. Small built a more comfortable
log cabin on Zion's hill west of the Bassett homestead and
set out apple trees which was the first orchard planted in
town.

One day when Mr. Small was away working Mrs.
Small visited her husband's bear traps on the south shore
of the pond and finding a bear in one of them killed him
with an ax with which she was armed, dragged the carcass
home, dressed it and cooked some of the tenderest portions
for Mr. Small's supper.

This same year Mr. Tucker returned to the township
with his family.

In 1803 Seba French, William Mitchell and John Safford
settled in the Barton district. Mr. French, for several
weeks after coming, slept on a sled.

In 1804 the first framed house was built on what is now
Grove street, where the P. J. Abbott house is now located.

It was this same year that the few settlers were
visited by sickness and death. Two of Mr. Small's children
and one of Mr. Tucker'i; died within two hours. Tiiey
were buried in Mr. Tucker's field which was afterwards
set apart for a burial place. Their rude head stones can
now be seen, although the burial took place 104 years ago.

A few years later Andrew Morse built a carding mill
on Mr. Elkin's water privilege and Mr. J. C. Hill a fulling

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mill. This mill was afterward made into a shoe factory
and then into a planing mill and later sold to Eldridge Bros.
who are the present owners.

In 1811 the L of the Flynt house was built and is said
to be the oldest building in town although some claim that
the Bates' house is the oldest.

On June 17, 1816 the town was incorporated under
the name of Dexter, the name being selected in honor of
Samuel Dexter, a well-known and respected lawyer of
Massachusetts.

In 1817 Jonathan Farrar came here from Bloomfield,
as Skowhegan was then called, and purchased the first
sawmill that was built, also the grist and carding mills, and
a large tract of land now occupied by the village north of
Liberty street, and east of the stream and pond. He
opened a store in what is now the Flynt house. In 1818 the
postoffice was established and kept by him in his store.

He continued to do business at this place until 1835,
when he in company with Oram McCrillis (C. P. Mc-
Crillis' uncle), built the store now occupied by Kimball's
variety store and moved his business to that place.

Mr. Farrar built the canal and in 18 18 built the grist
mill which after many improvements, is now run by S. L.
Small.

In 1820 Jeremiah and Amos Abbott came here on foot
from Andover, Mass., seeking a mill privilege. They pur-
chased of Mr. Farrar a piece of land containing several
acres with mil! dam, water privilege, saw and carding mill.
This was the beginning of what is now known as the Amos
Abbott Woolen Co.

In 1828 Mr. Farrar erected the tannery on Tannery or
what is now called Centre street, which was first run by
Moses Chase (Mr. G. A. Smart's grandfather), then by
Eben Wyman (Mrs. Cbas. Sawyer's uncle), then by
Charles Shaw and sons.

Several years ago, this property was purchased by

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John Morrison who erected a woolen mill on the site of the
old tannery.

The same year in which Mr. Farrar built the tannery,
Lysander Cutler came here from Massachusetts, when he
was 21 years old and worked for the Abbott Co.

In 1834 he and Mr. Farrar erected a woolen mill where
the Dunbarton now stands, which was destroyed by fire in
1844 and replaced the same year by a two-story stone
structure which gave it the title of stone mill.

The Abbott Brothers had previously built a grist mill
where the white mill now stands. This, in about the year
1846, was purchased by Farrar and Cutler and remodeled
into a woolen mill afterward known as the white mill. At
this time Calvin Copeland built a woolen mill where Fay
& Scott's machine shop now stands, which was afterward
destroyed by fire.

In 1849 the brick mill was built by Foss and Conant.

SCHOOLS

In 1807 the first schoolhouse was built in the district
where Mr. Mitchell, Mr. French and Mr. Safford settled.
In 1822 a schoolhouse was built in the village, a little south
of Crosby's law office.

About the year 1825 or 26 Rev. Snmuel Baker opened
a boarding school in a two-story building located on the land
between the house of W. H. Carr and that of Elias Mower.
Boys and girls were admitted without tuition or pay for
board; the boys being required to pay their way by work-
ing on the farm connected with the school, and the girls
by doing the housework and such sewing as could be
obtained for them. This school was run for only three or
four years, when the building was burned and it is said
that a sick man in the upper story, perished in the flames.

In 1835 a large school building was erected on Pleas-
ant street, where the Town hall now stands. The lower
story was used for the primary and grammar schools and

the second floor served both for the High school and town
meetings.

The last town meeting held in this building was in
March, 1856. About 300 citizens had collected there, and
in the midst of the proceedings of the meeting, without
warning, the floor began to settle and before any one could
escape, it went down, — or about three-quarters of it, —
carrying with it a large portion of the people present.
When the weight of the heavy flooring struck the floor be-
low that also gave way and the men with all the debris
were carried to the cellar.

The noise of the crash was heard by many throughout
the village, and it was not long before the news of the
catastrophe spread broadcast. Though there were some
quite seriously injured, it was a marvel that there were not
more, and that none were killed. As I remember, the
most seriously hurt were two men named Jethro Goodwin
and Eben Wyman, the latter being a brother of Nathan
Wyman, who, I think, v/as moderator of the meeting. At
any rate he was on the platform, and by his coolness and
advice, those left upon the portion of the floor which did
not go down, were kept from being panic-stricken. Mr.
Cjoodwin had the misfortune to come against the stove,
which was a big cylinder affair, and very hot at the time.

Boys were not supposed to be in the meeting, except
on business, and the only business there for boys, in those
days, was the selling of pop corn, molasses candy or
apples. Charles Bryant was always on hand as a vender
of apples, his father owning a large orchard in the vicinity
of where Charles Roberts' house now stands.

Charley went down with the rest, and upon crawling
out was heard to say, "Oh, where are my apples?"

The loss of the building for school purposes somewhat
upset the school affairs for a time; but other places were
provided as best could be for the time. I recollect going to
school in the little vestry underneath the Baptist church,
but do not remember where olliers were located.

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The following fall was the time of the presidential
election when James Buchanan was elected, and the vot-
ing was done in the Methodist church. Some of the other
churches were brought into use for campaign purposes. \
recollect at one demonstration that the speaker stood in a
window of the Universalist church, while the audience was
partly inside and partly out.

The relics of this old school building were bought by
Amos Abbott & Co., and is now used by them for offices,
etc. The exterior is very like it used to be, but the belfry
has been removed.

The present Town hall was then built and a new High
school building on School street, opposite C. F. Bean's,
which was destroyed by fire.

The grading of the village schools was introduced by
Lysander Cutler who took a deep interest in educational
matters.

The first town meeting was held in the schoolhouse
first built. This was held August, 1816. At this meeting
the amount raised for the support of schools was $150 and
in 1820, $400 was raised for this purpose and $100 for de-
fraying town charges.

FACTS OF INTEREST

In 1803 the township was surveyed into lots by Simeon
Safford and in 1807 a post road was opened between Dex-
ter and Garland. This was first traveled as a foot path,
the travelers being guided by spotted trees.

Very soon after a post road was opened between Ban-
gor, Dexter and Skowhegan, which afterward became a
government mail route. For the first ten years after the
postoffice was established the mail was carried by post
riders, Lawrence Green being the first to perform this hard
service. After this a stage line was established between
Dexter and Bangor, though the vehicles in use comprised
almost any kind of a trap that could be brought into ser-

vice and the same can be said of the line established
between Dexter and Skowhegan.

Early in the 30's John Favor purchased a modern Troy
coach which he operated on the line between these two
places. This met with popular favor and patronage,
Robert Sampson and Hiram Safford attended to the trans-
portation of freight.

Early in the 40's a stage line was established between
Waterville, Dexter and Monson to Moosehead Lake. All
these lines were discontinued at the opening up of the
railroad between Newport, Dexter and Dover.

In 1820 Dexter had a population of 500. Many clear-
ings had been made and Main street, with one or two
branches, had been fairly well defined.

Soon after this a Mr. Smith established a ferry across
the pond where the bridge now is. In 1824 the float bridge
was built.

THE OLD FLOAT BRIDGE

The present bridge across the Wassookeag, at Dexter,
is sometimes referred to as the "float bridge, but it is as
far as possible from that, with its thousands of tons of stone
extending from its surface to a point below the low-water
mark; and not only that, but many tons deposited within
the wooden portion of the structure below, placed there to
destroy its tendency to float during its construction.

The appellation, "float bridge," has come down from
the time when the real float bridge was there, some over
forty years ago.

This old bridge served a great many years — I cannot
say how many — but 1 remember very distinctly how it
looked, its peculiar features that rendered it a source of fear
to strange horses, and the time when it v/as mysteriously
put "out of commission."

It was constructed of logs, heavy timber and planks,
and was secured to the abutments at either shore, with

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self-adjusting inclines of about tliirty-five feet, leading
from the road level of these abutments down to the float,
or bridge proper.

The lower ends of these inclines rested on the float,
and were so arranged that they allowed the bridge to rise
and fall with the varying height of the water in the lake.

At the foot of the inclines, where they rested upon the
float, there was at times a space of about twenty-five feet
covered with water, caused, no doubt, by the weight of the
inclines upon the ends of the float.

Strange horses used often to balk, and require time to
examine the situation, and not infrequently a good deal of
coaxing, before they would venture down into the water,
especially when the high waves were dashing across the
space.

The adjustable arrangement, which allowed the bridge
to rise and fall, also allowed the ends of the float to sink
still lower when heavy teams passed over them, so that in
turn the strange driver got something of a fright, as well as
the horse; and it was wise for drivers of heavy teams to go
over this space as quickly as possible, to avoid going in too
deeply.

1 recollect one time when there was a circus coming to
town from Parkman, the usual interest we boys took in
going out to meet the aggregation was augmented by a
desire to see how the heavy teams and the elepiiants
would succeed in crossing. The circus trains had usually
come by the way of the Dover road, so that this was a test
of the old bridge we had never seen.

Well, there was a great delegation out to escort the
show into town, and some of the boys had been boys a
long time before.

Some one had given the circus a tip regarding the
bridge, so that they were very cautious, allowing only one
team to go on at a time; but even then some of them went
in pretty deeply and got the inside of some of the cages
washed out.

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The elephants were taken around the head of the lake,
and not given an opportunity of passing judgment on the
bridge. No doubt the proprietors of the circus knew pretty
well what the verdict of the elephants would have been
had they taken a look at it.

The old bridge was a favorite fishing place "just as the
sun went down." It was something peculiar, and a fact
that has never been explained, that the pickerel would bite
only about sun-down, and then only at certain points, just
where the water deepened from the shore. Every sum-
mer evening there would be a delegation of fishermen at
each end of the bridge, and many good-sized pickerel were
caught, and many much larger got off the hook, after com-
ing to the surface long enough to furnish foundation for a
good "fish story."

The time came when the bridge got to be expensive
from constant repairs, and the question of a new one was
agitated.

There was no question as to the need of a new bridge,
but there was quite a diversity of opinion as to what kind
of a structure would be best; and the discussion at the
annual town meeting brought forth many suggestions.
Some advocated the idea of building across at the narrows
north of the island, where it was thought the lake would be
shallow enough to admit of building piers.

At an annual town meeting, Thomas Rogers, a mill-
wright and withal a genius, presented a plan showing a
model which he had constructed and setting forth its advan-
tages. This model, as 1 remember it, was about three or
four feet in length, representing the full length of the pro-
posed bridge.

The townspeople had great faith in Mr. Rogers'
scheme, and at once adopted his idea as to construction.

The following fall, some of the people in the north part
of the town felt some uneasiness for fear the construction
of the new bridge might be unduly delayed; but whether
from this or some other reason, the writer cannot say,—

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but one morning it was found that tlie old bridge had been
disconnected at the north shore, and it was impossible for
teams to pass over. A footwalk was made from the abut-
ment, and the bridge made suitable for foot passengers; but
for weeks the people had to hitch their horses to fences and
trees along the road at the north shore, and walk into town
and back, conveying their produce and merchandise as best
they could.

As soon as the lake was sufficiently frozen over to ad-
mit of driving teams upon it, the building of the present
bridge was begun.

Below the low water line, it is constructed of logs,
alternately laid lengthwise and crosswise, and pinned to-
gether, and above that line all stone, as can be seen.

In building, the work was begun where the water was
deepest, some over 40 feet, and so shaped to the bottom of
the lake, the form of which was found by careful sounding.
At times, during the construction, it was necessary to load
it with stone, in order to sink it at a proper level to pros-
ecute the work.

The old bridge was floated down, to the outlet, and
much of it used in the construction of a building, used by
"Ed" Fifield as a paint shop, and the platform around it.

it was located where the carriage repository of Mr.
Fish stood later, and from the shape and dimensions 1 am
inclined to think it is the same building that is standing
there today. REMINISCENT.

RAILROADS

The R. R. between Dexter and Newport was built in
1868-9. It was through the efforts of the leading men of
Dexter and Corinna that this was accomplished, f hese
two towns loaned their credit as security for the money
obtained to build the road. After its completion it was
leased to the Maine Central for $18,000 a year and at the
end of that time in 1898 they purchased the road for assum-

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ing the debt. In 1890 this road was put through to Fox-
croft.

CHURCHES

The first church edifice in town was that built by the
Universalists in 1829 on a lot given them by Jonathan
Farrar.

in 1834 the Methodists and Baptists built a Union
church which soon after became the property of the Meth-
odists.

The Baptist church was erected in 1839 and in 1846
the Congregationalist chapel was built.

PHYSICIANS

Benjamin Clement was the first physician to come to
Dexter. He came in 1816. Two years later Dr. G. M.
Burleigh came and was one of the prominent citizens at
that time.

HOTELS

In 1820 the first hotel was opened by Benjamin Green
on the site where Charles Hutchinson's residence is
located. It was called Green's inn. Four years later John
Bates opened a public house on Main strest, a little below
Hutchinson & Gates' furniture store. This building is still
standing. Ten years later /V.r, Davis opened a hotel on
Main street, where the Dustin block now stands. This was
for a long time run by Jonas Wheeler who in 1843 built
and run the Dexter House also on Main street. This a
short lime ago was sold to Mr. Waldron and moved away
to liive place for the erection of the Waterville Trust bank.

The Exchange was built by Loring Hayes in 1866, the
land being purchased of Augustus French who kept a dry
goods store where E. G. Ayer is now located.

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NEWSPAPERS

The first newspaper was published here in about the
year 1850 and was called the "Isonomy." This was 5x6
inches, four page paper and was published by Elder With-
erell. He later published "The Gem." In about the year
1862 the Gazette was published.

A sheet called "The Neighbor" was issued bi-monthly
sometime between 1850 and '52 published by "Black and
White." Four to six copies were issued in manuscript, and
addressed by mail to the business men on the street, each
issue to different ones. The publishers (W. G. Cutler and
C. W. Curtis) were careful not to be known as such. This
sheet continued about three months. A little before its
discontinuance another sheet was issued of a similar
character, named "The Mince Pie," which made but a few
appearances. Not long after a third sheet appeared styled
"The Hornet," which had a short existence, its personals
having too sharp a sting for general approval. None of the
authors of these papers were generally known.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

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