|
Dennysville lies in the south-eastern part of Washington
County, about 17 miles west of Eastport. It is hounded on the north by Charlotte, on the east by Pembroke, and
south and west by Edmunds and an unnamed township. Denny’s River forms the boundaryline on the west. Wilson’s stream
runs southward through the eastern part of the town. The principal power in use is that on Denny’s River, at the
village in the southern part of the town. Here are mills for manufacturing long lumber and staves, and a grist-mill.
The principal other business is ship-building. The town is the terminus of the stage-line to Calais.
The surface of the town is broken and hilly. The most prevalent rock is locally known as iron-stone. The soil is
divided between loam, clay and gravel. Potatoes, hay and grain are the crops chiefly cultivated. Spruce, pine and
hemlock form the hulk of the forests. The most notable eminences are Page’s Hill and King David’s ledge.
The original settlers of Dennysville arrived in the river on the 17th of May, 1786, in the sloop “Sally.” They
were from the vicinity of Hingham, Mass. In this company were Nathan Preston, Williain Kilby and Samuel Sprague,
who remained and formed the nucleus of the present town. The first church organization was Congregational, and
was formed by Rev. Jotham Sewell, on October 27, 1805. This denomination now has the only church in the town. The
first Sundayschool was organized May 31, 1829. Deacon William Ruby was superintendent; Benjamin.R. Jones, secretary
and librarian; and John Kilby, treasurer. The teachers were Benjamin Foster, John Kilbv, Solomon Foster, Isaac
Eastman, John Mavhew, Eben Mayhew, Sally Lincoln, Caroline L. Jones, Amelia H. Jones, Mary Wilder, Lydia Kilby,
Hannah Wilder and Eliza Eastman.
The proprietors of this township (which for many years included also that of Pembroke and Perry) were Thomas Russell,
General Benjarnin Lincoln and John Lowell, of Massachusetts, who purchased it from the commonwealth; and the present
titles came from them. The town was incorporated in 1818, taking its name from the river that formed its western
boundary,— Denny’s River; and the river had its name from an Indian of that name who, at the period of settlement
made it his principal hunting-ground.
Dennysville has two public schoolhouses, valued with other schoolproperty at $4,000. The valuation of estates in
1870 was $199,319. In 1880 it was $184,786. The rate of taxation in the latter year was 18 mills on the dollar.
The population in 1870 was 488. In 1880 it was 522.
|