to reply, jocosely, "he has such a set of people to deal with, that he can get them to heaven in no other way."

Instead of a fish committee, the town, in 1811, chose seven fish wardens; in order, we suppose, to conform more literally to the Act of 1795, regulating the shad and alewife fisheries in the counties of Lincoln and Cumberland. At the same time a vote was passed "not to take up Wheaton's Milldam to make Fish-ways the present year' -from which we infer that the shad and alewives then taken in Mill River

were very inconsiderable. The same fishery in George's river was chiefly prosecuted in Warren, whose particular privilege it was, till the adoption of a new law, in 1844, by which its management was surrendered to wardens chosen by this town, Warren, Cushing, and St. George, and since which large quantities of alewives have been annually taken here in seines and weirs.

A committee was this year appointed to see about relinquishing a small corner of the eastern landing-place, which had been purchased by the town near Spear's wharf, and upon which buildings were standing; which corner was supposed to have been included by mistake in the conveyance. This committee's report was accepted by the town, May 27th; but the dispute continued until May 11, 1819, when the town, rather than lay out a road for Capt. Wm. Spear, the only alternative that would satisfy him, voted " that the selectmen be empowered to re-convey the town landing near Spear's wharf to Wm. and Jonathan Spear, the original owners.

In consequence of the embargo, non-intercourse, and other restrictions, which had nearly annihilated foreign trade and greatly embarrassed the general business of the country, new channels began to be sought out for the employment of capital and enterprise. Seamen, no longer finding employment at sea, began now to look for it on shore; and fishermen, to some extent, were driven to draw subsistence from the soil rather than the waves. Farmers, instead of further encroaching upon their valuable forests of lumber, began to clear up their waste lands and extend their fields and pastures. Many sold out or abandoned their mortgaged farms, and invested the scanty remains of their fortunes in the cheaper lands of our own or the more inviting soil of some western State. Others searched for wealth beneath the soil, attempting the discovery of hidden ores and minerals, which, for want of a foreign supply, were now at high price and in great demand. Among the many localities subjected to searching operations, Thomaston was selected at an early period. Brown Stimp

son, then of Boston, and engaged in mercantile pursuits, first called attention to the subject; and, having made several explorations, he collected specimens which, on examination by those supposed to be skilled in mineralogy, were pronounced favorable indications of coal. Thus encouraged, he proceeded to bargain with sundry individuals for the right of digging and carrying off ores and minerals from their several lots; and, the present year, 1811, took deeds to that effect from Oliver Robbins, 170 acres; James Fales and James Fales, (3d), 150; Lydia and William Killsa, 55; B. Blackington and John Spear, enough to make up in all 680 acres. Shares of these rights were disposed of by him to Warren Dutton, Isaac P. Davis, Jos. R. Newell, John Heard, Jr., Dr. Wm. Mead, and others, of Boston. After some explorations, these were joined by several able and enterprising individuals of Thomaston. In 1816, the right to dig on large tracts of land, was purchased by Col. Dwight, Esq. Gleason, and Aaron Austin; and these with their associates were, in 1818, incorporated into the Thomaston Coal and Mineral Company. Under this act, the first meeting of the company was called by notice in the Portland Argus, and held at Gleason's tavern May 19th; when, and at other meetings here and at Boston, by-laws were passed, and a vote to divide the stock into 3000 shares; 500 of which were reserved to be vended to defray company expenses. Being now duly organized, the company purchased of Messrs. Dwight, Gleason, Austin, and Stimpson, who had then become a resident of Thomaston, their several claims to minerals, at $1000 each, and Saml. Parkman's similar claims on three several lots the soil of which he had previously sold to Tolman, Sherer, Marsh, and Norwood, for $10. In 1819, after several abortive meetings, a tolerably full one was held at the house of J. Dwight in Boston, Aug. 7th, when directors were chosen and a vote passed to refer to the next meeting the question "whether any means should be taken to continue the business of searching for coal." After other adjournments and transferring the books and papers to this town, the confidence, especially of the Boston members, having abated, a meeting was called July 19, 1820, at Mr. Gleason's; but it is believed none took place, and nothing more was done by this company for the next twelve years.

Early in September of this year, a beautiful comet was observed above the western horizon in the evening; which, as it receded from the sun, increased in splendor and magnificence for weeks and months, and, as it moved northerly, was visible also, mornings, in the N. E.,- a spectacle of rare beauty to some, and of terror and ominous import to others.

CHAPTER XV.

AFFAIRS OF THE PLACE DURING THE WAR OF 1812.

1812. Wм. White, Esq., who had been in practice of the law in Union since 1809, opened, this year, an office in town near Gleason's tavern; where he remained for a short period and then removed and spent the remainder of his life in Belfast. He was a native of Chester, N. H., and a graduate of Dartmouth. Another lawyer's office was also opened about this time by Joseph Sprague, Esq., at Mill River, whose quiet and unobtrusive life henceforth mingled, to its close, a genial element in the society of Thomaston. This year, also, the place received the accession of Jeremiah and Joseph Berry, two masons, who came from Portland, and to whose labor and skill in their vocation the place has been much indebted for many of its earlier substantial buildings. The former, after serving in the war then pending, settled at the Shore, where he many years kept the principal public house, and by industry, enterprise, and public spirit, did much to promote the growth and prosperity of what is now Rockland, leaving sons equally enterprising. His brother Joseph settled in the western village, and left no posterity, indeed, but many mementoes of his interest in the public welfare.

From the pressure of the times and the gloomy prospect of the war, the school tax was cut down to one-half that of the preceding year, $500 only being voted for schools. Notwithstanding the hardness of the times and the apprehensions of further suffering, the town, though now by a somewhat diminished majority, maintained its allegiance to the Republican, or as it now began to be called the Democratic party, and, in May, sent three representatives of that political school to the General Court.

Having been thus pledged to the party which commenced and was carrying on the war against England, declared by Congress on the 18th of June, the inhabitants of this town did not content themselves with a pledge only, — but took immediate measures to aid in its prosecution and prepare for their own defence. At the most busy season of the year, July 9th, a town meeting was called and a vote passed "to give the detached troops, when called into actual service, $15 per month in addition to their other pay." The following votes were also passed; 1st. "to petition to the General government to grant us the aid of one or more Gun-boats or

Batteries, as they shall think proper, for the protection of Owl's Head Harbor;" 2nd., that "I. Bernard and Jos. Ingraham, Benj. Webb, J. Adams and Otis Robbins, Jr., be a committee to petition for that purpose ;" and 3d, that "Dr. Webb, Major J. Spear, and E. Thatcher, Esq., be a committee to confer with neighboring towns on Penobscot Bay, and concert measures with the General Government for defending the waters of that Bay by similar aid." At this time, it should be recollected, the idea of meeting the enemy at sea (most successfully practised afterwards) had not entered the mind of the administration and party in power; whose favorite policy was to sell off or dismantle the ships of war so long the pride of our patriot Knox, to save them from falling a prey to the superior power of the British navy, and to rely on gun-boats and floating batteries alone for the defence of our harbors and sea-ports.

At another meeting, held on the 21st of the same month, the town "voted to purchase thirty stands of arms, 150 lbs. of powder, 100 lbs. of ball, and 500 flints," and that "the selectmen be a committee to purchase the same"; for which a tax of $610 was voted to be raised. At the same time, the following persons were chosen a Committee of Safety, viz.: Wm. M. Dawes, Dr. B. Webb, T. Rendell, O. Robbins, jr., J. B. Rider, J. D. Wheaton, B. Williams, J. Jameson, B. Packard, jr., Dr. Dodge, D. Crockett, C. Spofford, Job Ingraham, and Jacob Ulmer.

In consequence of the prostration of business and general gloom which hung over the maritime portion of the country, party animosity rose to a higher pitch, and was manifested in new or unusual forms. Town and county conventions were held by one party to express their disapprobation of the war, and by the other to denounce such proceedings as treasonable and to sustain the government. In the county of Lincoln, in consequence of a circular issued by the selectmen of Bath, a convention was held, August 3d, at Wiscasset, and passed resolutions condemning the policy of the general government in the most pointed manner. Of this circular, Thomaston, as a corporation, seems to have taken no notice; but Messrs. E. Thatcher and Oliver Fales attended the convention as delegates from the federal portion of the inhabitants. In regard to the selection of a candidate to represent the district in Congress, however, the town did not hesitate to act in its corporate capacity. A town meeting was called, Sept. 22d, "to see what method the town will take to promote a general meeting of delegates from the republicans in the several

towns in the 4th eastern congressional district, for the purpose of uniting in a candidate to represent said district in Congress, and to act upon any other matter of public interest that should be thought proper." At this mecting, W. M. Dawes and Drs. Webb and Lovejoy were elected delegates, and also a committee to notify the other towns to send similar delegates to said convention. This may seem an extraordinary assumption of the functions of a partisan caucus by a civil corporation, and must be regarded as an evidence of the unusual intensity and bitterness of party spirit at the time.

A national fast was appointed, Aug. 20th, and observed in the usual manner, but with different feelings according to the different views of the people concerning the causes of our

troubles.

Without any encouragement of additional pay from the town, many recruits had been already enlisted here for the regular army. Even before the war was declared, Jackson Durand, with a Lieutenant's commission, had enlisted a number whose names are not recollected,— being chiefly transient persons who probably never returned to the place. This was certainly the case with Durand, who remained in the service, and was joined by his wife and family. Ebenezer Childs, who had been employed as clerk in the store of Col. J. Haskell, also obtained a Lieutenant's commission, and enlisted a number of recruits in this place, as did also, at different times, Lieuts. Denny and Lyon. Among these, was John Bentley, an active citizen of intelligence and education, who was, most unfortunately, killed by a cannon ball at Burlington, Vt., on the 11th of Sept. of this year.

On the 6th of the same month, a fatal accident occurred here, by which another citizen of this town, Benjamin Blackington, senior, one of the early settlers west of the Meadows, was suddenly killed. Whilst he was going to mill on horseback, one of the bags became untied and the corn spilled upon the ground; by the noise of which, the horse was frightened, the rider thrown, and his neck broken.

1813. Near the close of 1812 and the beginning of 1813, a company of Coast Guards, to the number of sixty or sixty-five men from this town and Camden, were enlisted for one year; of which John Spear was captain; Isaac Russ of Camden, 1st lieut.; Leonard Smith, 2d lieut.; Thomas Tolman, ensign; Jere. Berry, orderly sergeant, Asa Sartelle, Freeman Harden, and Richard Smith, sergeants; Jas. Spear, drummer; and the following from this town, so far as recol lected, were privates, viz.: Wm. Singer, John Butler (4th),