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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH
CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS.
1774-First settlement made in town by Thomas Gray and others.
1781-Bloomiugboro incorporated a plantation Aug. 24, by name of Wales, in honor of Mr. Welch.
1792-Town of Monmouth incorporated Jam 20, named in honor of Gen'l Henry Dearborn's valiant conduct at the battle
of Monmouth, N J.
1793-Jesse Lee first preached Methodism here. Center school district formed.
1799-Town meeting first held in old yellow meeting house.
1801-Capt. Sewall Prescott's tavern (The Old Fort) erected.
1803-Monmouth Academy incorporated, later, granted 10,020 acres of land.
1844-Old Town House erected.
1851-First Academy building burned.
1855-Academy re-opened in new brick building.
EARLY SETTLERS.
Thomas Gray, Reuben Ham, Joseph Allen, Philip Jenkins, Jonathan Thompson, all from the vicinity of Brunswick,
settled in 1774. John Welch, lehabod Baker, Alex Thompson, Hugh Mulloy, Gail Cole, John Austin, and Benjaoni Austin
within two years after. Peter Hopkins, arid Capt. James Blossom, about 1781; James Weeks, Nathan Stanley, Zadoc
Bishop, Christopher Stevens, Samuel Simmons, Wm. Welch, Samuel Welch, Edward Welch, Oliver Hall, Timothy Wight
and John Fish, around 1781. Gem Henry Dearborn arid his two brothers, Simon and Benjamin, Caleb Fogg, James Norris,
Joshua Brown, Daniel Gilman, Gilman Moody, and John Chandler, all from New Hampshire; and Daniel Allen, Peter Lyon,
Josiah Whittredge, Gordon Freas, Nath. Smith, Benj. Stockim, and Nathaniel Brainard, all settled about 1782 or
earlier. Phineas Blake 1786.
CHURCHES AND PASTORS.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.-CENTER.
Class gathered in Nov. 1794, the first in Maine. Rev. Jesse Lee, the pioneer of Methodism, lounded Readfield
Circuit. First meeting-house and second Methodist chapel in Maine erected near Ellis' Corner, in 1795. Burned in
1843. New church erected 1844 corner of Main and High streets, removed to present location, 18G6 and spire added.
Recently repaired and re-dedicated. New England Conference convened at Prescott's tavern (Old Fort) in 1802. Monmouth
Circuit established in 1827. Pastors since 1875: -Revs. D. Waterhouse, 1875-6; R. H. Kimball, 1877-8; True Whittier,
1879-80; O. S. Pillsbury, 1881-3; G. D. Holmes, 1884-6; H. Hewett, 1887-9; J. H. Roberts, 1890-1; F. W. Smith,
1802; W. B. Eldridge, 1893-5; M. E. King, 1896-7; H. L. Nichols, 1898-1903; H. A. Sherman, 1904-5. Charge includes
North and East Churches.
"The Old Yellow Meeting-House" was erected by the town in 1795, near the site of Cumston Hall. First
occupied for town meeting 1799. Sold in 1844 and torn down.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
Organized in eastern part of town 1810, Rev. Elias Nelson, pastor. Became extinct by 1822. Baptist Church on
the Ridge organized as First church, 1827. Meeting-house erected in 1828. Pastors since 1850 :-Revs. John Upton,
1851; A. M. Piper, 1852-7; Cyrus Case, 1858-61; G. D. Balentine, 1861-3; O. B. Walker, 1863-7; H. Hawes, 1867;
T. J. Sweet, 1868-72; T. J. Lyons, 1872-3; James Heath, 1875-7; S. Powers, 1878-81; E. Deuuett, 1881-5; Robert
Scott, 1888-91.
FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH-SOUTH MONMOUTH.
Society organized in eastern part of town prior to 1839. Church erected about 1859. Pastors:-Revs. M. L. Getcheli,
C. B. Glidden, J. Fuller, J. Keene, Chas. Bean, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Baird, L. S. Williams, R. Staples, Rev. Mr. Noble,
H. A. Luckenbach.
A Baptist Church was organized at East Monmouth in 1837. Held one-third share in Union Church erected in 1839.
Rev. Wm. Day, pastor, 1837-40. Now extinct. MONMOUTH CENTER BAPTIST CHURCH was organized in 1842, Rev. S. Hinkley,
Pastor. Now extinct.
The CHRISTIAN CHURCH was organized at North Monmouth in 1817 by Rev. J. B. Prescott, who served as preacher until
1835. House of worship erected 1818; sold 1855. Society now extinct.
The UNION CHURCH of NORTH MONMOUTH was erected by Methodist, Universalist, Congregationalist and Christian pewbolders
in 1852.
MONMOUTH CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Organized 1853 by Rev. Mr. Conant. Church erected 1856. Records burned 1885. Pastors and preachers:- Revs. J.
H. Conant, 1853-7; H. S. Loring, Mr. Gould, 1863-5; Mr. Waidron, Mr. Rogers, 1874; A. M. Wiswall, 1877; C. E. Andrews,
1879; J. B. Caruthers, 1881-3; R. H. Peacock, 1884-7, J. A. Anderson, 1889-91; Wm. G. Wade, 1892-7; Frank S. Hartley,
(supply), Geo. E. Woodrnan, 1899-1902; J. H. Gould, 1904; C. L. Rotch, 1905.
TOWN OFFICIALS
CLERKS. - 1850-1905.
1850-54, Chas. T. Fox; 1855, C. A. Cochrane; 1856-57, C. T. Fox; 1858-73, Geo. H. Audrews; 1874-78, Ambrose
Beal; 1879-1905, Chas. J. Bragdon.
TREASURERS- 1865-1905.
1865-77, Wm. G. Brown; 1878, D. E. Marston; 1879-81, H. A. Williams; 1882-85, F. H. Beale; 1886-90, E. A. Dudley;
1891-93, F. H. Beale; 1894-97, H. S. Blue; 1898-99, C. W. Prescott; 1900-02, H. S. Bent; 1903, Geo. H Stetson;
1904-05, J. F. Moody.
SELECTMEN.
1850-51-Joseph Loomis, D. Thurston, Wm. H. Boyn.. ton.
1852-54--P. Thurston, Wm. H. Buynton, Benj. Stockin.
1855-Wm. H. Boynton, John B. Fogg, Rufus Marston.
1856-57-Wm. H. Boynton, E. Freeman, Geo. W. King.
1858-E. Freeman, Geo. W. King, Geo. H. Andrews.
1859-60-G. W. King, Geo. H. Andrews, J. G. Smith.
1861-Geo. H. Andrews, J. G. Smith, A. W. Tinkham.
1862-65-J. G. Smith, J. B. Fogg, Ambrose Beal.
1866-J. B. Fogg, Ambrose Beal, Geo. H. Andrews.
1867-68-J. B. Fogg, Ambrose Beal, J. G. Smith.
1869-Ambrose Beal, J. G. Smith, J. G. Blossom.
1870-G. H. Andrews, John O. Gilman, S. R. Simpson.
1871-J. O. Gilman, S. B. Simpson, J. G. Smith.
1872-73-J. G. Smith, O. S. Edwards, H. O. Pierce.
1874-O. S. Edwards, H. O. Pierce, S. O. King.
1875-76-O. S. Edwards, S. O. King. J. B. Fogg,
1877-S. O. King, J. B. Fogg, J. B. King.
1878-S. O. King, J. B. Fogg, C. E. Frost.
1879-C. E. Frost, J. G. Smith, J. O. Preble.
1880-C. E. Frost, J. O. Preble, 0. W. Andrews.
1881-82-O. W. Andrews, J. Cumston, S. B. Simpson.
1883-86-O. W. Andrews, C. E. Frost, Howard Stetson,
1887-O. W. Andrews, D. P. Boynton, A. W. Tinkham.
1888-0. W. Andrews, C. 3. Bragdon, J. P. Richardson.
1889-0. W. Andrews, J. L. Orcutt, D. H. Tillson.
1890-91-J. L. Orcutt, D. H. Tilison, H. C. Frost.
1892-J. L. Orcutt, H. C. Frost, C. F. Merrill
1893-95-O. W. Andrews, H. C. Frost, Ethan Little.
1896-O. W. Andrews, H. C. Frost, O. H. Jewell.
1897-98-Ethan Little, A. A. Sawyer, J. A. Cunningham.
1899-A. A. Sawyer, J. A. Cunningham, W. A. Richardson.
1900-J. A. Cunningham, W. A. Richardson, S. W. Donnell.
1901-W. A. Richardson, S. W. Donnell, J. B. Cullinan.
1902-S. W. Donnell, J. B. Cullinan, Joshua Stover.
1903-J. B. Cullinan, Joshua Stover, W. A. Richardson.
1904-Joshua Stover, W. A. Richardson, W. H. Hathaway.
1905-W. A. Richardson, W. H. Hathaway, A. F. Tinkham.
SOLDIERS OF THE REBELLION
At the close of the year 1861 the following men were or had been in the service; Nathaniel Billington, Wm. A.
Bowers, Nathaniel Boynton, Lieut. Wm. H. Briggs, Wm. H. H. Brown, John Chick, Capt. Granville P. Cochrane, Lewis
H. Cushman, Asa W. Cummings, Warren S. Folsom, Andrew J. Fogg, Frank M. Follynsbee, Horace C. Frost, Adj. Henry
O. Fox, Otis H. Getchell, Chas. F. Gilman, John Q. A. Gilson, Nathaniel G. Gilson, Joshua Gray, Valentine B. Gray,
Geo. B. Hall, Francis Hall, Silas E. Hinkley, Chas. H. Hinkley, John B. Hodsdon, Geo. H. Hutchins, John Ingersoll,
Wm. H. Jones, Thompson S. Keenan, Chas. K. Keenan, Henry F. Leach, Harlow Z. Mureh, W. Scott Norcross, Capt. Greenleaf
K. Norris, John B. Parsons, Shepard Pease, S. B. Plummer, Solomon O. Prescott, Josiah T. Smith, Geo. Small, Nathaniel
M. Smith, Jos. S. Taylor, Emeelus S. Tozier, Milburn S. Tozier, Frank Wardsworth, Edw. P. White, Lieut. Spencer
F. Wadsworth, Lieut. John F. Witherell, Elias H. Wads. worth.
From 1861 to the close of the war the following men served; Jas. H. Allen, Chas. W. Ayer, Edwin F. Bailey, Sam'l
W.Barker, David Bartley, Mathias A. Benner, Sam'l D. Blake, Lieut. Ara C. Brooks, Horace Burrill, Michael Burke,
John S. Chandler, Wm. B. Chick, Jas. H. Chick, Leander L. Clark, Simon Clough, David H. Coburn, Wm. Coburn, Con
Collins, Chas. H. Crowell, C. F. Cummings, Alexander H. Day, Chas. E. Day, Silenus Decker, Geo. F. DeWitt, Almon
B. Donnell, Edwin L. Donnell, Jas. E. Dudley, Edw. Durgin, Nathaniel J. Emerson, Chas. C. Ellis, Stone G. Emerson,
Warren Farrar, Jas. S. Field, Lemuel T. Field, Andrew J. Fogg, Dan'l W. Folsom, Aipheus S. Folsom, Geo. D. Frost,
Geo. W. H. Frost, Horace C. Frost, Sam'l A. Frost, Wm. B. Frost, John Fuller, John F. Furbush, David H. Gilman,
Wm. Gray, Jos. D. Greenlief, Alanson G. Hall, David S. Hall, Geo. E. Hathane, Willard K. Hathorn, Wm. C. Hannaford,
Chas. H. Hinkley, Jos. E. Howard, John F. Howard, Geo. S. Hutehinson, Jas. Jaquith, John H. Johnson, Thompson S.
Keenan, Geo. J. Ketcharn, Sam'l J. King, Philip Kighrigan, Geo. L. Landers, Lewis Lane, Lyman E. Leach, Benj. F.
Leighton, Cephas H. Leighton, Chas. H. Leighton, Geo. W. Marston, David T. Moody, Frank G. Moody, Frank S. Mountfort,
Chas. E. Nason, Chas. A. Norcross, Constant F. Oakman, Wm. Paddaux, John Perry, Jas. A. Pettingill, Andrew B. Pinkham,
Jos. W. Pinkham, Chas. E. Plummer, Chas. H. Prescott, Jas. M. Prescott, Herald A. Price, Wilbur F. Priest, Geo.
H. Putney, Edwin G. Randall, Chas. A. Reed, Wm. Regan, Canton K. Richardson, Edw. A. Richardson, Lieut. James P.
Robie, Frank Ronco, Jas. F. Rowe, Wrn. Rowkes, Albert J. Sharp, Wm. H. Shorey, Josiah Smith, Jeremiah Spelman,
Lucias C. Stockin, Lander C. Thompson, Chas. F. Thurston, Jerry E. Thornton, Nathaniel W. Titus, Howard P. Todd,
John F. Tolman, Sam'l T. Torsey, Chas. E. Towle, Wm. A. Tozier, Francisco Wadsworth, Cyril N. Walker, Thos. Ward,
Peter Wedge, Philip Wedge, Edw. P. White, Edw. Wilkes, John A. Wilcox, David Wilson, Sam'l F. Wing, Sam'l S. Wyman.
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