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the first cashier, succeeded by E. M. Perry, Alonzo D. Nichols, and the present incumbent, C. C. Chandler. The building at first provided for it, was of granite, situated in Main street, Rockland; but the Bank was, in Oct. 1857, removed to the Berry Block on the same street, and, since the establishment of Knox county, the former building has been used as an office by the clerk of the courts. The present capital of this Bank, according to the commissioners' report, is $70,000,-paying in 1863 an annual dividend of 5 8-10th per cent., to its 151 stockholders.

The selectmen, April 18th, according to a legal provision, defined the territorial limits of the three militia companies then contained in the town; which limits corresponded in the main with those of the three subsequent divisions of Old Thomaston. These companies were at this time commanded as follows; viz., company A, in the north-east by Capt. Wm. S. Ulmer; company I, in the south-west by Lieut. Alfred Rollins; and company E, in the south-east by Capt. James Dow.

In September, the votes for Representative to Congress were, in this town, for Jere. Bailey, whig, who at that time represented the district, 116; for Jonathan Cilley, democrat, 309; Edwin Smith, democrat, 13. A second trial was made Nov. 7th, when Presidential electors were chosen; at which Cilley received 318 votes, only two short of the vote given to Van Buren electors, who represented the full strength of the party. On the third trial, however, Feb. 6, 1837, although Judge Bailey received about the same number as before, and John D. M'Crate, 15 votes, Cilley's vote was swelled to 377, and he was elected. Thus, in spite of the common opposition of the whig party, then powerful in the district, and that of a remnant of the late opposing faction led on by J. D. McCrate of Wiscasset, a political aspirant and former friend of Cilley, the latter had the satisfaction to see himself triumphant over them all, and placed in a position where his talents, energy, and independence might find a more extended field of action. "At this time," writes his classmate, friend, and biographer, Nat. Hawthorne of literary celebrity, who had been spending a few days here reviving the former intimacy, there was in Mr. Cilley 66 very little change, and that little was for the better; he had an impending brow, deep-set eyes, and a thin and thoughtful countenance, which, in his abstracted moments, seemed almost stern; but, in the intercourse of society, it was brightened with a kindly smile, that will live in the recollection of all who knew him.

His continual struggles in the political arena had strengthened his bones and sinews; opposition had kept him ardent; while success had cherished the generous warmth of his nature and assisted the growth both of his

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thies. It appeared to me that his triumphant warfare had been no less beneficial to his heart than to his mind. I was aware, indeed, that his harsher traits had grown apace with his milder ones—that he possessed iron resolution, indomitable perseverance, and an almost terrible energy—but these features had imparted no hardness to his character in private intercourse. In his private and domestic relations, Mr. Cilley enjoyed no less happiness than he conferred. He had been the father of four children, two of whom were in the grave, leaving, I thought, a more abiding impression of tenderness and regret, than the death of infants usually makes on the masculine mind. Two boys, the elder seven or eight and the younger two years of age, still remained to him; and the fondness of these children for their father. their evident enjoyment of his society-was proof enough of his gentle and amiable character within the precincts of his family. Simple and primitive, . . . it made me smile, though with anything but scorn, in contrast to the aristocratic stateliness which I have witnessed in men of his station elsewhere, to see him driving home his own cow, after a long search for her through the village. That trait alone would have marked him as a man whose greatness lay within himself. He appeared to take much interest in the cultivation of his garden, and was very fond of flowers. He kept bees, and told me that he loved to sit for whole hours by the hives, watching the labors of the insects, and soothed by the hum with which they filled the air. I glance at these minute particulars of his daily life, because they form so strange a contrast with the circumstances of his death. Who could have believed that, with his thoroughly New England character, in so short a time after I had seen him in that peaceful and happy home, among those simple occupations and pure enjoyments, he would be stretched in his own blood-slain for an almost impalpable punctilio!"

CHAPTER XX.

EVENTS OF 1837 AND 1838, DEATH OF CILLEY, &C.

1837. AFTER the division before related, the remaining 59 members of the church worshipping in the old Mill River house, were, Dec. 10, 1836, constituted a new church by the name of the First Baptist Church in West Thomaston, amended in 1848 by dropping the word west. Comparatively poor and depressed in spirit, they settled no minister till Nov. 19, 1837, when Rev. Daniel Bartlett, last from Dexter, accepted a salary of $400, and remained with them one year, their numbers being increased to 75. In 1839, Nov. 6th, Rev. Daniel Small from Bradford was ordained, and in 1842 there was quite a revival,— meetings being held almost every evening from Dec., 1841 to May, 1842; resulting in the addition of 50 members to the church. But, from the gradual removal of business from Mill River and the deaths of Messrs. H. Prince, K. Bartlett, and Dea. Robbins, together with some difficulties among other substantial members, the church became weakened in ability; and Mr. Small's salary diminished from $400 down to $300 tardily collected, till his request for dismission was, July 1, 1854, reluctantly complied with. His successors have been, Jan. 1, 1855, Rev. Andrew W. Mayhew, a graduate of Bangor Theological Seminary, 1832, who died Jan. 25, 1856; Rev. Sumner Estes, last from Sidney, Jan. 10, 1858; and Rev. Nat. Butler through the winter of 1860. But this church for a number of years past has been sensibly declining; and its venerable house on Mill River hill, there is reason to fear, will ere long be deserted. It reported in 1863, resident members, 38; whole number, 57. Its deacons have been Abel Hildreth before the division; C. Mitchell and T. P. Howard, 1837; Daniel Williams, 1839; Oliver Robbins, 1850; and Samuel Allen, 1858; and the whole number of members embraced in its bosom since its separation from the 2d Baptist church has been 152.

On the 14th of March, this year, E. S. Hovey, James and John C. Cochran, with their associates, were incorporated as the East Thomaston Marsh Marble and Lime Rock Quarry Company, for managing the lime and marble business in connection with the quarry at the Marsh in South Thomaston; but, we believe from some defect in the limestone there, nothing of importance was accomplished. At this time, and some years earlier and later, the steamboat Bangor, Capt. S.

H. Howes, regularly plied between Boston and Bangor, touching at Owl's Head, South Thomaston, where, as a fashionable watering place and tavern, good accommodations were furnished the public at the Adams House. This house, after the death of its builder, and after being kept awhile by his son-in-law, Capt. T. McLellan, Jr., was at this time under the care of Padelford & Reed, or later, Padelford & Paine; and, since their time, has been occupied by S. H. Fuller, Elisha Brown, and the present owner, Capt. Jeremiah Sleeper. The fare, by steamer, from South Thomaston to Boston, was, in 1837, six dollars.

The two political papers in this town having now become extinct, a new weekly was commenced at West Thomaston, Aug. 23d, by Hezekiah P. Coombs, printer and publisher. It was called THE Recorder, -devoted to no party or sect, but friendly to religion, morality, temperance, and the diffusion of correct information. Conducted on these principles, it gave general satisfaction, and was liberally patronised; till, partly in consequence of the declining health of the publisher, undermined by his severe and often unaided labors, it was brought to a close, Oct. 1, 1846, after an existence of nine years. It was edited, the first year at least, by H. Prince, Jr. This paper was revived for a short period by D. J. Starrett, under the name of the STAR AND RECORDER, but was discontinued in 1848, and its subscribers transferred to the Rockland paper.

Maine's proportion of the United States' surplus revenue, deposited with the several States of the Union, having been distributed among the several towns on condition of its being refunded when called for, this town, April 17, 1837, chose H. Prince, agent, to receive its share of the same, to be divided among the inhabitants agreeable to the census taken in March. This vote, after several modifications and the choice of Oliver Fales as special agent to receive and pay out the money, was substantially complied with and the fund distributed per capita, according to a new law passed April 16, 1838. The amount of revenue thus received by the town in three several installments, the two first April 19th and the last July 5th, 1837, was $10,544; and the shares thus distributed in this time of general distress and stagnation of business, afforded a very acceptable relief to many poor families.

In the spring of 1837 an occurrence took place which excited strong feeling among our citizens. Capt. Daniel Philbrook of Camden, and Edward Kelleran of Cushing, master and mate of the schooner Boston, being at Savannah, em

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ployed James Sagurs and his slave Atticus to make some repairs upon the vessel. While thus employed, Atticus had an opportunity of talking freely with the sailors on board, and, learning the facilities of getting a living in the free States by his trade, contrived to conceal himself in the vessel just before it sailed, and was not found till after many days at sea. After his arrival at this port, no obstacles were thrown in the way of the fugitive's escape; and he remained working for a time at Mr. Kelleran's. In the mean time his master arrived in pursuit of him; and, after some difficulty and delay, obtained a warrant from H. C. Lowell, Esq., for his arrest. This was committed to D. N. Piper, who, not finding the man, and perhaps not feeling any strong desire to do so, returned the warrant. An advertisement was then issued, offering $20 for the slave's apprehension. For this sum, two men, it was thought, under pretence of befriending Atticus who had now become alarmed and knew not what course to take, induced him to hide in Swan's barn, where, probably by their direction, he was arrested and delivered to his master. names of these men, though probably known to the officer who made the arrest, have never been divulged by him. Sagurs re-embarked with his human property at East Thomaston, but not without strong marks of natural sympathy and just indignation from the crowd who there witnessed the scene. Philbrook and Kelleran were subsequently deinanded by the Governor of Georgia to be given up as criminals for trial in that State; but this demand was refused at the time by Gov. Dunlap and afterwards by Govs. Kent and Fairfield on legal and constitutional grounds.*

The

In September, Aaron Austin, so long one of our most worthy and active citizens, was run against by a wagon furiously descending a hill near Mill River, and so badly injured as to cause his death in a few days.

1838. This year, Hon. John Holmes, who had, the preceding year, married Mrs. Swan, daughter of Gen. Knox, came to reside with her in the time-honored seat of her family; bringing with him the reputation of eminent abilities as a lawyer and statesman. He was born in March, 1773, in Kingston, Mass., graduated at Brown University in 1796, and commenced practice in what is now Alfred, Maine. He married Sally Brooks of Scituate, and being much employed by the landed proprietors in their conflicting claims with the squatter settlers, soon rose to distinction and eventually took

*Thomaston Recorder, Capt. D. N. Piper, &c.

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