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REYNOLDS FMSTORICAL aiNEALOGY COLLECTION
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BRIEF
HISTORY OF DEXTER
1
Prepared by Members of the
I CLASS OF 1916
DEXTER HIGH SCHOOL
gi* 1 As a Part of Tfieir Graduation Exercises on the
One Hundredth Anniversary
of the
Incorporation of the Town
1816 — 1916
^ . "M
1771705
HISTORY OF DEXTER
CHAPTER I. Interesting: Facts of Maine History, Edward li. Ellms
CHAPTER H. Tl-ie Early Settlers of Dexter, Alice M. Wilder
CHAPTER HI. The Incorporation of Dexter and the First
Town- Meeting, Jere Abbott
CHAPTER IV. Dexter From Its Incorporation to the Civil
War Laurence E. \\'eyinouth
CHAPTER V. Dexter In the Civil War, . F. Weston Howard
CHAPTER VI. Dexter's Industrial and Civic Development
Since the Civil War, Ruth H. Hall
3 0 S 4 6 5
HISTORY of DEXTER
A
LL citizens of Maine are proud of their state and tliey would be more proud if they knew more of its history, fSr Maine has the most enviable one of any state in the Union. In studying its history we find that it's motto. "I lead" is well chosen and tyjiical of Maine's l)ast history and career.
The first permanent settlenier.t in New P^ngland was made, not at Ply- mouth in IG'iO but at Castine in 1613 or 14. In 1622 the starving people of Ply- mouth oljtained a shipload of pro\'isions and supplies from Pemaquid and other places in Maine. Castine claims the dis- tinction of having l)een held by five dif- ferent nationalities, tlie Indains, the PT'ench, the Dutch, the English, and the Americans-
The first city in Aiuerjca was in Maine. It was called Cleoi-giana and was founded by Ferdinando Gorge.'?, lie secured a grant of 24, QUO acres, on both sides of York river, and establish- ed a colony there. Gorges' long thwart-
ed ambition demanded a great success for his colony. He inaugurated a mini- ature old world city, with all its formal civil government and its many ofhcials. But the city was not destined to live long. Sir Ferdinando Gorges died and while his son, Thomas, was abroad in Europe the city was sacrificed to the ambition of the IMassachusetts Bay Company. It was then sold to another company and when Thomas Gorges re- turned its civic splendor hati all dei-)art- ed. It remained a town, however, and it exists today under the name of Yoi'k.
The first seed sown and the first crop raised north of Florida was in ]Maine in the year 1605.
The first English ship to be built in America was built in Maine in 1607, the same year that the fii'st settlement wa.s made in Virginia.
The first bill of exchange which was also a conveyance of real estate, was given in i\laine in 1('2;> and the first deed of real estate was drawn up in Maine in 1625.
4
HISTORY OF DEXTER
The only New England men of early times ever knighted, were two Maine men, Sir William Pepperell and Sir William Phipps. Sir Hiram Maxim is also a Maine man.
In patriotic acts and impulses Maine has ever been a leader. It was Colonel William Pepperell, a Maine man, with 4,000 sons of the Pine Tree State, who captured Louisberg, the Gibraltar of America. In that expedition was Capt. \A'illiam Swanton of Bath, Maine, great grandfather of five of the early settlers of Dexter; heads of large families.
On the same night that news was re- ceived of the battle of Lexington, Maine men started for Massachusetts. They fought at Bunker Hill and Dorchester Heights. The same drums that beat at Louisburg beat at 'Bunker Hill thirty years after, and the officers who had charge of the intrenchments at Louis- burg hiid out the defences of Bunker Hill.
The first naval battle of the Revolu- tionary war was fought in Machias Harbor, Maine. One morning in June a British vessel, the Margaretta came into Machias Harbor. The commander of the INIargaretta ordered that a liber- ty pole which the people had erected should be taken down or he would fire upon the town.
The men held a meeting in the woods to discuss the situation. Benjamin P^ister stepped across a small brook calling on all who were in favor of seiz- ing the ship to follow him- In a short time every man had crossed over.
The Margaretta learned of her dan- ger and dropped down the river. Thomas O'Brien took possession of a sloop calllbd the Unity and mustered a volunteer crew of about 40. Foster
went to East Puver and secured a schooner and crew there but it ran aground and was unable to participate in the fight.
The Unity pursued the Margaretta; shots were exchanged and a mitn on the Unity was killed. Finally Captain O'- Brien ran the bowsprit of the Unity through the mainsail of the Margaretta and 20 of his men armed only with pitchforks, rushed upon her deck. The commander and several men were killed and then the ship surrendered. John O'Brien estimated the British loss at 10 killed and 10 wounded. Of the 20 men one was killed and two wounded. The Margaretta was refitted and named the Machias Liberty.
During the terrible wintei- at Valley Forge 1,008 of the 10,000 men there were from Maine and Maine was the first state after Pennsylvania, in which Valley Forge is located, to erect a mon- ument there.
The first Secretary of War of the United States, was a Maine man. Gener- al Henry Knox.
Maine was not in sympathy with the Avar of 1812, but more scjldiers came from Maine according to its population, than from any other state and the Com- mander-in-Chief, General Dearborn, was a Maine man.
Commodore Preble, who commanded the expeditions against the Barbary States was a Maine man. He was the first officer to receive a vote of thanks from Congress after the adoption of the Constitution.
The first to respond to Lincoln's call for troops was a Maine company and the man who had the honor to receive the surrender of General Lee's army,
HISTORY OF DEXTER
was a Maine man, General Joshua L. Chamberlain.
Maine was the only state that did not lose a battle flag during the Civil war and Maine captured more battle flags than any other state. Maine also fur- nished more soldiers according to her population than any other state. The vice president of the United States at this time Hannibal Hamlin, was a ]\Iaine man. He was a close friend of Lincoln. Later he was minister to Spain.
We, as citizens of Maine, should be extremely proud of its history and should take pride in helping to make it live up to its motto "I lead." But let us not forget in our love for our native state and our pride in her history that our first duty and our greatest love is due to that of which Maine is only a part, the United States of America.
CHAPTER TWO
IX score years ago the site of our present thriving town of Dex- ter was a trackless forest.
Wild animals roamed over its, hills and valleys. Indians built
their wigwams and planted
their corn on the shores of Lake Was- sookeag. The early settfers' only means of transportation was the pack horse in summer and the hand sled in winter, as the wilderness was broken only by trails or footi)aths. Today the citizens are hap- py and prosperous in their homes, rear- ing their- children in plenty and peace, and enjoying all modern pleasures and conveniences. This great change is
due to the sturdy courage and persist- ent vigor of the first white settlers.
After the Revolutionary war, Mas- sachusetts had no money to pay her war debt, but she did have plfenty of wild land, so she granted to every man who had served three years in the war, the choice of twenty dollars in money, or two hundred acres of land in Maine, which was then a province of Massachu- setts.
By the year 1785. although many grants had been made to deserving in- dividuals and land had been sold to sol- diers for one dollar per acre, only twelve towns had been laid out east of the Penobscot river. To promote other settlements and to raise money for her treasury Massachusetts in 1786 con- trived a land lottery ; 2,720 tickets were issued at £60 each, entitling each holder to a prize consisting of tracts of land lying between the Penobscot and St. Croix rivers and varying in extent from one-half mile to six miles square. A large number of tickets remained un- sold after the drawing and these were bought by William Bingham of Phila- delphia, who in a short time owned above two million acres of land in Maine, which had cost him on an aver- age of twelve and one-half cents per acre.
These results being unsatisfactory to Massachusetts she had the land survey- ed and laid out into twenty-o)ie town- ships among which was the present township of Dexter. These town.^hips were put into the hands of the commit- tee for the sale of Eastern land.^, for the purpose of selling them and increasing their population.
HISTORY OF DEXTER
'7
In March 1794 James Bridge of Au- gusta purchased from the Common- wealth of Massachusetts the present townsh.'p of Dexter. He soon sold it to Charles Vaughn, who was acting for a company in Massachusetts. Vaughn was unable to meet the conditions in- volved in the purchase of this land and Dexter passed through several hands before Andrew Cragie of Cambridge. Massachusetts, purchased, and induced settlements upon it. During the year 1800, Cragie sent Samuel Elkins from Cornville to locate a suitable site for a mill. Mr. Elkins chose the outlet of the body of water which was later named Lake Wassookeag and began at once to hew timber for the structure. The mill proved an attraction, for the same year Ebenezer Small and John Tucker came here to secure locations for future homes. Mr. Small made a clearing, put up a log cabin, and raised a crop of c(n'n ; the next sj)ring he returned to New Hampshire for his wife. There was no road further than Harrciony so. with their necessary household goods l );:ded on a hand sled and with Mrs. Small seated on top, they coTitinned tiieir journey. There was no: ev.n a foot r^-^.^h to guide them through the 'ore^t : it was with great difficulty th t thc> found their way, by m_':ans of spotted trees and at last reached their de' tination. ^
In the year 1802 a saw- and gristmill V as (•oir,pleted ; soo)i after it was sold to Joiiathan Snow, who in 1804, built the first frame house, on the present site of the late Mrs. Horton's residence.
These early settlers were greatly in- convcnience'd by the (lillicultic>s of 1 ranspMrt;itioii. The ^b))-y oj' llu' advent
of the first mill crank is a good illus- tration of these difficulties. There was a road from Corinth to fiangor and a winter road to Garland, but only a foot- path connected Dexter with these towns and it was over this fr)otpath that" the crank was brought, on liorseback ; two men balanced the crank and a thii'd man led the horse. They lost their way and in their wanderings camped two nights in the forest; about noon of the third day they reached the home of the Small's, the only family in town, where they were cordially welcomed and given a hearty meal of the best the town af- forded— pounded corn l)oiled in milk. After dinner they went back to rescue the horse and mill crank which had been left in the woods; at dai'U they had not returned and Mrs. Small, fearing that they were lost again, took the dinner horn and going to the top of Bryant's hill blew blasts which guided the men to the opening.
The hardships endured by these eaidy immigrants seem almost incredible. At one time food was so scarce that peoi)le traveled forty miles to Norridgewock on horseback and bought corn for two dollars per bushel, and a certain young man went to Athens to work in ■« 'uiy- field for a peck of corn p-r ' .
It Avas some time during thest .j, -ly years, while her husband was away one day working for a neighbor, tlnit IMrs. Small upon going to the bear trap near the south shore of the lake, found a half-grown cub securely caught. She killed it, dnagged it home, dressed it, and cooked some of the tenderest por- tions for Mr. Small's supper.
About the yo<ir 1807 the; S'Cttlcrs laid out a road f)-<iin (larlaiid to Dexter and
HISTORY OF DEXTER
BEFORE
UJINS ON MAIN STREET AFTER FIRE OF 1907 -^^ O-l^'
also built a schoolhouse which served as townhouse, church and schoolhouse combined.
The affairs of Elkinsville as the town- ship was called before its incorporation, soon began to prosper. The settlers worked together with a cordial spirit of cooperation, they had quiltings, al- though there were not enough women to sit around a quilt, and liarn raisings were common even though they had to invite men from Garland to complete the necessary number.
The war of 1812 alfected the settlers of Dexter very little until the news Ccime that the British fleet was ascend- ing the Penobscot river toward Bangor. Then fifteen men volunteered to go to Hampden where the militia was to meet; on th(Mi- way to Hampden Ihcy met the Anici'ican army in full retreat, so joiiu'd tiieir forces and i-etreated willi them.
The population and prosperity of the township rapidly inci'eased, roads had been laid out and bridges constructed Y. hen in the year 1816 the town was in- corporated under the name of Dexter.
To these pioneers of the back woods much praise is rkie. \\'ith persistent, unfailing courage they cleai'ed the for- est, tilled the soil and established homes. They gave their entire lives in labor to whose results we owe our pres- ent beautiful, prosperous town of Dex- ter.
CHAPTER THRKE
n the fifteen years after the first settler had cleared his land and built his home in D(^\ter. (then known as Township number four, li!'lh nnige north of the Waldo patent) the little settle- ment had barely struggled along until,
HISTORY OF DEXTER
AFTER
NEW rloc;ks on site of firj'^, \'.m
in the year 18l!i, it hvxl reached a popu- lation of about forty famil'e.-;.
In this short time it had .suffered many har;lships for since it was not a town, the commonwealth gave it no money for the support of its schools, or its roads. For this reason in the year 1S16 Saniuei Copeland, of this Township, drew up a petition, signed by forty-two n.en of the connn unity, to the Senate and House of Representatives of Mas- sachusetts; for it will be remembered thiit Maine had not yet become a state but was sti!! a part of ^Massachusetts. Tiiis petition begged that Township number four,' hfth range, be incorpor- ated into a town by the mime of Dexter. The choice of this iiame was the result of a vote taken on three names; Alton the home town of IMrs. Small, wife of the first settler; ('ower, in honor of the federal governor of Massachusetts, and
Dexter, in honor of Samuel Dexter, the Republican candidate for governor. Previous to this time the settlement had been laiown both, as Elkinstown and Rridgestown. This intei-esting pe- tition reads as follows :
Petition of Sar.iuel Copeland
To the Honorable Senate an.d House of Representatives of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts, in General Court assembled (A. D. ISIG.)
The petition of tht-. Inhabitants of township num])er four, in the fifth range of Townships north of the Waldo patent and in the county oT Hancock [the counties in those days were not as well flefmed as now and confusion often resulted] humbly shews that now are actually residing in said township ui)- wa.rd.s of forty fan\ilies which fuid by experience lh;it they are under many
10
HISTORY OF DEXTER
inconveniences Vjy reason of l)ad roads, and for a regular way of supporting the gospel, and the establishment of schools etc.
Therefore that the inconvenience may );e remedied, we the undersigned, Inhabitants of said Township pray tliat said Township may be incorporated, with all the privileges of the new towns in this Commonwealth, by the name of Dexter or any other nam.e that you in your wisdom may think proper to be de- sired and as in duty bound will ever pray.
Samuel Copeland Jam.es Jumper Seba French John Safford
James Hill Stephen Sprague
Dennings Cornelius Cooledge
Briggs Curtis John Smith Jesse Smith
Samuel Copeland Jr.VVilliam Smith Samuel Brown Samuel Tucker Jonathan Cooly Richard Herrick James Fields .Samuel Wheeler
Andrew Morse Stephen Leighton Elig. W. Sprague Jsiah Lincoln ,]ohn Bates Pnrker Copeland
— Simeon Safford
John Tucker Luther Copeland
James Sprague CVdvin Copeland Edward Jumper
Ebenezer Small John Jumper David Jones George Covelin
Isaac Smith
Dan. Webben
On June 17, IHIG »a bill for the incorporation of the tovi'n was passed by both houses of the Massachusetts lrgisl;;lur'i.>. Thus it was that Towns^iip nnir.bci- four hevatne the tov.n of Dex- ter.
l?>.n for the Incorporation of the Town of De\t*r
Commonweal 111 of Massachusetts, in
the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen:
An act to establish the town of Dexter.
Sect. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative;^ in the General Court assembled and by the au- thority of the Law — that the Township number four, fifth range north of the Waldo patent in the county of Penob- scot as considered by the following boundaries be and hereby is established as a town by the name of Dexter. Viz: East by the town of Garland, south by the Township numbered four in the fourth range, west by the township numbered five in the fifth range and North by the town of Sangerville, and the said town of Dexter is hereby vest- ed with all the powers and privilege.^ and shall also be subject to all duties and requisitions of other corporate towns according to the Constitution and Laws of this Commonwealth.
Sect. 2. Be it further enacted that the Justice of the Peace for the counry of Penobscot is hereby authorized on ap- plication thereof to issue a Warrant to a freehold inhabitant of said Town of Dexter re'uir.'ng him to notify anci warn the inhabitants thereof qualified to vote in tovv'n affairs to meet at such convenient time of law within the said Town as shall be appointed in said War- -rant for the choice of sucli oihcoi's as towns are by Law imposed and re- quired to choose and appoint at their assembled Town meeting. House of R(-]>reseiital i\'('s, June IT), 181()
This bill having had three several readings passed to be enacted.
Timothy Rigelow. In Senate, Juno 17, 1816.
HISTORY OF Df:XTER
11
This bill having liad two several read- ings passed to be enacted.
John Phillips, Pres. June 17, 1816, Approved.
J. Brooks (Gov. of Mass.) True copy attest.
Allan Bradford, Sec. of Commonwealth.
It is interesting to note that Garland was incorporated before Dexter, but Dexter with its abundant v/ater pow- er has far surpassed Garland, which had to depend wholly upon agriculture. Dexter owes much to its water power.
In accordance with the law, Isaac Wheeler of Garland,' Justi<.'e (n tlic Peace, issued the following warrant, the thirteenth day of August of that same year, this being the warrant of Dexter's first town meeting. Penobscot County,
To Capt. Samuel Copeland, one of the inhabitants of the Township number four in the fifth range north of the Wal- do patent and by the late act of the Gen- eral Court incorporated by the name of Dexter and being in said county of Pen- obscot. GREETINGS:
Whereas Seba French and said Samu- el Copeland have made application to me, the subscribed one of the Justices of the Peace for the said county, to call a meeting of the inhabitants of said town qualified by law to vote in town allairs to assemble at the schodhouse in said town, Thursday, the twenty-third day of Au'rust inst. at two o'clock in the after- noon to act on the following articles vis: Is'". To choose a moderator to gov- ern said nicetitii"-.
Ziid, To choose :! t 11 clerk. ;^rd. To choo.se three or m(n-e select- men.
4th. To choose three or more as- sessors and all other necessary town
officers that Incorporate Towns are au- thorized to choose in similar cases at their annual Town Meetings. Given under my hand * and seal at Garland this thirteenth day of Aug., in the year 1816.
Isaac Wheeler. Justice of the Peace.
The schoolhouse referred to as the »Teeting place for the first town meet- ing was the Batchelder school-house, which stood on what is now the old Whitcomb place.
As a result of this Town Meeting An- drew Morse was chosen moderator ; John Bates, town clerk and treasurer; Cornelius Cooledge, Andrew Morse and Seba P'rench, selectmen ; among the other town officers were tithingmen, and hog reaves. This meeting was adjourned until Monday, September 2, at one o'clock when a more complete warrant was voted upon.
So it was that in the year 1816, Dex- ter began the prosperous and indu:' Pri- ons course of the first century of its his- tory.
CHAPTER FOUR
FIAT period in Dexter's history from tlie incorporation of the town to the time of the Civil War, is one of I'omarlsuble growth and prosperity. Dur- ir.gthisperiod Dexter easily out- distanced all of the surrounding towns, many of which were settled and incor- porated at a much earlier date. The population increased fi-om Kil in the
12
HISTORY OF DEXTER
year 1820, to nearly 2,400 at the out- break of the Civil War, an increase of over 500 '/> in 40 years. The number of polls increased from 95 to over 400 and the property valuation from $27,000 to about $500,000, on a two-thirds basis, or three quarters of -a million; a record surpassed by few towns in this part of the country.
At the beginning of this perio;! the center o*" population of the town was not the villaj^e, but a point some dis- tance to the east, where the first school- house was built, the village proper con- sisting 0'" only four roughly constructed dwellings and seven other buildings.
The e•^r\y inhabitants of the town la- bored under gi'eat difficulties for all goods must be brought from Bangor, the nefirest market,* on horseback, over roughly constructed roads which were hardly more than trails. There was no regular mail service and there were no stage lines.
A year after the incorporation of the town, Jonathan Farrar came here from Bloomfield, now Skowhegan. Mr. Far- rar, being young, active, and even Vi'ealthy for that time, soon became the most important character in the early history of the town, and to him, more than to any other, is due tlie period of prosperity which followed. He com- menced a system of permanent improve- ments, dug the canal, and built the gristnn'll dam. He buill a new gristmill, which, greatly enlai'ged, is now operat- ed by S. L. Small. He purchased the Morse saw- and carding-mill" and the carding-niill of JaiDes C. ?Iill ; the latter was several times remodeled and linally- converted itito a planing-mill which became the property of the El- dridge llros., the pi esent owners. Mr.
Farrar also opened a store in the low- er story of his dwelling, which is now known as the Flynt house. In 1818, when the hrst mail route was establish- ed between Bangf)r and Harmony, through Dexter, he was appointed post- master.
In 1>':'20, Jeremiah and Amos Abbott came here from Andover, Mass. They purchased the Morse carding- and saw- mill from Mr. Farrai- and by subsequent enlargement and remodelling converted it into a mil! for the manufacture of v^'oolen cloth. This was one of the first ^vonl.eii mills in the state and sent the frr'-.t woolen go;)ds from Maine to the Eo-ton mai'ket,
Ant)ther pioneer industry was estal> lished in 1828, when INIr. Farrar con- structed a tannery on what is now Cen- tre street. This v.'as gradually enlarg- ed and later under the Shaws, l:)ecame one of Dexter's most important indus- tries.
This same year Lysander Cutler came here from Royalston, jMass. He formed a partner.ship with Mr. Farrar and took a very prominent part in the afl'airs of the town. In 1835 Farrar & Cutler pur- chased the gristmill, previously con- structed on the present site of the White mills by Jeremiah and Amos Ab- bott, and enlarged and remodeled it into a woolen mill now owned Ijy the ]\Iorri- son Woolen Co. At about this time Farrar & Cutler erected a large and complete woolen mill on the site of the present Dumbarton mill. This was to- tally destroyed by lire in 1844. but Far- rar & Cutler, not discouraged, built upon the same site a large stone mill two stories high. This forms the two loW'T stories of the jircsent mill, honco often cidled the stone mill.
14
HISTORY OF DEXTER
Another woolen mill was Vniilt in 1847 by Calvin Copeland on the present site of the F:iy & Scott machine shops. This was destroyed by fire in 18G8.
The next year in 1848, the firm of Foss, Conant Co. erected a brick mill in the lower part of the village, now known as the Wassookeag Mill. They operated this until 1855, when they sold out to Farrar & Cutler, who thus be- came the owners of three woolen mills, besides other smaller interests. Dur- ing the National financial crisis of 1856 the financial strain became too great for the firm and it was obliged to sus- pend. The mills passed into the hands of the creditors and, in 1863 were or- ganized as the Dexter Woolen Mills, and continued under this name for the next twenty-five years.
In addition to these more important industries, there were many of less im- portance, of which may be mentioned the foundry and machine shop of Na- thaniel Dustin; a box-mill opposite the brick mill ; a carding-mill in the building which now serves as the office of the Morrison Woolen Co., a wood-working mill near the tannery ; and several mills outside the village limits.
The village school system has always been the pride of the townspeople. This had its ''egitming in 1822, when a si'h- stantial school building was erected near the site of the Crosby Law office. This building also served for many years as a town hall. > In 1834, on ac- count of the rapid growth of the town, larger school accommodations became necessary and a two-story building was erected on the site now occupied by the. present town hall. The lower llooi- consisted ol' twt; sclioolrooms.
while the second lloor was used as a town hall. This served until 1856, when, during the town meeting of that year, the floor gave way and over .300 people were precipitated into the base- ment. Strangely enough, no one was killed and but one or two seriously in- jured. The l)uilding was then moved away and now serves as the mill-ofiice and storehouse of the Amos Abbott Co. Our present Town hall was then built, the lower floor serving for a long time as schoolrooms for the primary and in- termediate grades. At the same time a new building was erected on School street for the grammar grades and the H\gh s<;hool. The present grading sys- tem was introduced into the schools during the fourth decade of the cen- tury, chiefly through the efforts of ]Mr. Lysander Cutler, who was deeply inter- ested in the schools.
Four of Dextei-'s nine churches were built during this period. The Univer- salists in 1828, erected a small meeting house on Church street, which has since been greatly enlarged. Six years later the Methodists and the Baptists erected a union church upon the pi'esent site of the Methodist church. This served for both societies until 1839 when the Rap- t.ists withdrew and built their present '•hurch. Seven years later the Coiigre- gatiuiialists built a small meeting house which now serves as a vestry for their present church.
Thus we have briefly traced th'e I'ap'd growth of the town, industrially, ed'J- cationally and religiously and have se(;n the village grow from a small count:\v cross-i'ouds to a manufacturing town ol' consideral)le importance.
1771705
HISTORY OF DEXTER
15
CHAPTER FIVE
OMING now to the outbreak of the Civil War, we find that Dex- ter's record in this memorable struggle is a most honorable one ; 283 of her patriotic sons offered their services to the Federal government and of this num- ber, which represented over one-half of the men available for war duty, and about one-sixth of the total male popu- lation of the town, many paid the high- est tribute of loyalty that a soldier can pay— they gave their lives that the Un- ion might be saved and that our nation- al honor might be unstained.
Not only did these men of Dexter do all in their power to aid in putting down the rebellion, but the municipahty itself played its part by carrying out to the letter the orders relating to the pay- ment of bounties to enlisting men. In all $40,238 WRS paid, at rates varying from $53 to SSOO per man. The town also gave liberally to the support of the families of the men who went to the front.
Although the rosters of nearly all Maine regiments held the names of Dexter men, by far the greater number were in the 2nd, the 6th, and the 20th. These famous regiments participated in every important engagement of the army of the Potomac, including Antie- tam, Fredricksburg, Rappahannock Station, the Wilderness Campaign and Gettysburg.
Innumerable acts of heroism were performed on the fields of battle l)y Maine men, in recognition of which thirty-nine medals were awarded dur- ing the war and many more in the two
years immediately following. We should be especially proud of the fact that one of these thirty-nine was pre- sented to a Bexter boy, Otis 0. Roberts, then a sergeant of Co. H., Gth Maine Vols.
In telling the story of how he won this honor, Mr. Roberts says : —
'"Twas late on the afternoon of Nov- ember 7, '63, while the battle of Rap- pahannock Station was at its height. My regiment, ha\ ing been ordered to capture a line of rebel rifle-pits, formed for the charge and swept forward toward the rifle flashes which marked the ene- my's line. Half-way aci'oss the field we came to a sunken road, where we stop- ped to get our breath. Hearing the or- der to charge again, I repeated it to my company, then started on the run for the enemy's trench. Reaching it. I paused, and looking back found that not one of my company had followed me.
Realizing that I could not stay where I was and not wishing again to risk my life on that bullet-swept field, I leaped over the trench into the midst of the rebels, who, when they found that I was only a lone Yankee, and not a percus- sion shell, politely invited me to sui'ren- der. As I sat there in the shelter of the trench sucklenly the air around me was filled with flying arms and legs which resolved themselves into a squad of five blue-clad infantrymen, whom I joyfully recognized as belonging to my own com- pany. Snatching up my rifle, I joined them in a headlong rush down the line of the trench toward where other com- panies of our own regiment had suc- ceeded in breaking tli rough. The rebs in our path, deceived by ourboldnessand
1(5
HISTORY OF DEXTER
DEXTER HIGH S
shouting, believed tliat the entire Yan- kee army was upon them, and throwing down their arms, hastened toward the Union lines, where they were placed un- der guard. We nearly reached our friends when we came upon the enemy's color company, who attempted to put up a fight to save their flag. There was no stopping our w'Ad charge, however, for they dared not fire u])oii us for fear of hitting their own men, and we atruck them like a whirlwind, and scattered them like chaff. I wrested the flag from the hands of the color-bearer, af- ter a liwly fist-fight, and as the arrival of reinforcements now turned the tide of battle in our favor, the six of us re- turned to our company with the captur- ed flag and several prisoners."
In addition to the medal of honor which Sergt. Roberts received, he was chosen to carry the flag, which hr liad captured, to [he headquarters of tlie
fOOL BUILDING
field staff" of the Union army, and was escorted by his entire company, who served him as a guard of honor.
Another exhibition, of personal dar- ing was the saving of a Union cannon at the battle of Cedar Mountain by a Dex- Maine Battery, with five men of his de- ter man, Sergt. H. A. Johnson., 6th tachment he held an entire company of rebels at bay until other Union sokHers. came to his aid.
Among those who were commended for tlieir gallanti'y on the field of bat- tle was Sergt. William H. Coan, Co. H. 6th Maine, likewise of this town, oblig- ed to take conunand of his company at the battle of Rappahannock Station, af- ter his captain and lieuten;)nts had fall- en, he proved himself suth an able leader that he was soon jiromotcd to ad.iutant.
Other llextei' men gave good service in such famous organi^ati(nis as the
HISTORY OF DEXTER
17
1st. Maine Cavalry, which boasts of having fought in more battlcjj than any other single regiment of the army of the Potomac and of havin;/ lost more men killed and woundetl thati any other cavalry regiment in the United Slates service.
Represented by men in the Kith i\Ie., Dexter will never forget the part played by this regiment at Gettysburg. Being ordered to hold the rebels in check while the Union men got into position on Cemetery Ridge, the brave 16th was practically annihilated, only four offi- cers and thirty-six men surviving to surrender themselves to the combined forces of three reghnents of Confeder- ates. Before laying down their arms the forty men tore their battle flags into small pieces, thus ^uvinv them from the ignominy of capture.
Other volunteers from Dexter distin- guished themselves by conspicuous bravery on the battlefields, as did also many veterans now belonging to the lo- cal (i. A. R. Post, who enlisted from other towns of Maine. In fact every man who left his home, his pa^'ents, or his wife and children, to defend his country during her hour of peri), did his full duty; and to thost.- who return- ed, and to the memory of those who did not return, we of this later generation should give our sincerest love and o'lr deepest respect. ^
CHAPTER SIX
HE period toll )v/ing the CivW War has been one of growth and development for Dexter. With the coming of the rail- road from Newport to Dexter in 1868, the town began to boom. The railroad was built at a eost
of $300,000 of which Dexter furnished $225,000. After completion it was leased to the Maine Central R. R. for a term of 30 years and at the end of that time the Maine Central purchased it, assuming the debt. Bv the open-ing of the railroad Dexter was connected with the commercial world and new and ready markets were opened to her man- ufacturers. Her business men were also given new opportunities to get in touch with the world.
A little previous to this time Loring Hayes had built the Exchange hotel and this has been improved and enlarged until it is one of the best hotels in Maine.
The Dexter Gazette was first pub- lished in 1853 by J. F. Witherell, who in 18*19 sold it to Robbins & Gallison. In 1882 Dr. Orin Fitzgerald start- ed the Eastern State and in the early nineties these two papers were consoli- dated under the name of the Eastern Gazette. The paper is still known un- der this name and it has become an up- to-date local newspaper.
In 1867 the Dexter Savings Bank was organized, followed in 1875 by the First National Bank and in 1898 by a branch of the Waterville Trust Company, For various reasons all these banks have gone out of businer.s and have been re- placed by the Enstern Tru-t and the Dexter Trust, both banks in the best standing.
The G. A. R. post was organized Oct. 16, 1874 under the name of the IT. F. Safford Post No. 8, with H. L. Wood, commander. At one time it numbered 180 members.
In this same year, 1874, the school system underwent an important change. Up to this time the town had
n
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HISTORY OF DEXTER
19
been divided into school districts, each acting as an independent organization. Now these were discontinued and by the new arangement the smallest school was given the same length of term as the largest and eveiy pupil could avail himself of the privilege of at least six months schooling a year. The village schools were graded. Three years later the town voted to supply the pupils with books. The High School building was destroyed by fire and in 1888 the pres- ent building was erected. At that time the school buildings were sufficient to accommodate the number of pupils, but now the schools are overcrowded and a new High School building is much need- ed. At the last town meeting it was voted to introduce manual training and domestic science into the schools next year. This will go far toward putting the school system of Dexter upon an equality with the best in the state.
In 1880 a town library was establish- ed when the Mercantile Library associa- tion donated its library to the town, provided it was made free to the inhab- itants and supported by the town. In 1894 George Abbott offered to furnish the necessary funds for a library build- ing if the town would raise $1,000 by subscription ; this was promptly done and the Abbott Memorial Library was erected in the center of the town at a cost of $30,000. This library contains at the present time over 1^,000 volumes and through the efficiency and helpful- ness of the librarians is of great benefit to the townspeople in general and to the schools in particular.
In 1880 Dexter installed electric lights and in 1904 an excellent system of waterworks was established under
the direction of a special town commit- tee chosen for the purpose. Last sum- mer an improvement in the lighting system in the business section was made, the old poles being removed and ornamental ones substituted.
A fire which caused a great los's at the time but which has result)^ in a great improvement for Dexter, occurred in the winter of 1907, when a large por- tion of the business blocks on the south side of Main street were swept away. These buildings, which were of wood, have been replaced by fine-looking, sub- stantial brick structures which greatly improve the appearance of the business section as does also the cement pave- ment which was laid last summer.
In the summer of 1912 Haines &. Wy- man erected a large, up-to-date motion- picture house on Main street. They show the best class of pictures procur- able and their theati-e is one of the best in Maine.
In 1914 Mr. Call moved from his stu- dio on Grove street to his present studio which comprises the entire top floor of the Eastern Trust Block on Main street. His studio ranks first in Eastern I^Iaine and is one of the finest in the New Eng- land states.
At the present time the creameries, garages, mills and the Fay & Scott ma- chine shop are all doing an increasingly active business and Dexter is one of the most thriving of Maine towns.
The persistent effort, thrift, and loy- alty,which characterized the earlier pe- riods of Dexter's history combine with the business ability, so evident in the present condition of the town, to as- sure for it a most prosperous future.
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STATISTICS ' 1
I I
^ Of the Town of Dexter 1916 If
Population in IS) 16 (estimatecl) , 4,250 Number of polls, , 1,254 Value of real estate, ?1, 356,580.00
Value of personal property, $289,220.00 Number of polls taxed $3 each, 1193 Amount of State tax' $8,730.68 Amount of county tax, $2,267.19 Town