History of Sangerville, Maine
From
A Gazetteer of the
State of Maine
By Geo. J. Varney
Published by B. B. Russell, 57 Cornhill,
Boston 1886
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Sangerville is situated midway of the southern border
of Piscataquis County, adjacent to Dover on the west. On the north is Guilford, Parkman forms the western boundary,
and on the south is Dexter in Penobscot County. The Bangor and Piscataquis Railway passes near the northern boundary
of the town, having a station about 7 miles from that in Dover. North-west and Center ponds are the largest bodies
of water within the town, and the Piscataquis River forms its northern boundary. The area of S;angerville is 24,216
acres. The surface is somewhat hilly, and so elevated between the waters of the Kennebec and Penobscot that the
water of its three ponds find the ocean through both these streams. The rock is limestone and slate. There is less
waste land than usual in town, most being good upland, with few stones, and easily cultivated. The principal centres
of business are Sangerville village, East Sangerville and Brockway’s Mills. At the first, on the outlet of North-west
Pond, are a grist-mill, a saw-mill, a tannery, and two woollen mills. The latter employ each near 50 hands, paying
out some ten or twelve hundred dollars monthly. On the outlet of Center Pond, at Brockway’s Mills, are two mills
for large and small lumber; and on the outlet of Black Stream, which enters the town from Dover, are a saw-mill
and shingle machine and a grist-mill. It was on this stream tbat the first grist-mill in town was built by Phineas
Ames, the first settler. He made an opening as early as 1801 or 1802, and moved in his family in the autumn ot
1803. James Waymouth was the next settler, and Jesse Brockway the third. The proprietor of the township was Col.
Calvin Sanger, of Sherborn, Mass., who purchased three-fourths of it as early as 1800, and the remainder soon after.
Eben Stevens came in 1805; in 1806 William Farnham moved his family in from Norridgewock. Mr. Farnham lived on
the south side of Pond Hill, where he started the business of tanning. He brought young apple trees from Garland
on his shoulders, and planted the first orchard in town. Among later settlers were Walter Leland, Samuel MeLanathan,
Enoch Adams, Eleazer Woodward, Guy Carleton and Apollos Pond. Carleton and Dudley commenced operations where Sangerville
village now stands in 1812 or 1813, building there a saw-mill and a grist-mill; and in 1816 Carleton started a
carding machine, the first in the Piscataquis valley. |
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