at Wheaton's, afterwards called Green's Wharf, in Thomaston, about two hundred rods west of the Knox Mansion. They went up the river in a gondola to the head of the tide. Then their luggage, furniture, &c. because of the falls, were hauled across the Carrying Place to a landing opposite Isaac Starrett's. Here they were met by Philip Robbins and David Robbins from Stirlington, who came down the river in logcanoes. Boards were laid across the canoes, the goods were put on, and all embarked for the place of destination. They landed on Philip Robbins's farm, near the island, May 17, 1786, after a journey of seventeen days, having waited in Boston fourteen days for a wind.

In the vessel with Josiah Robbins came Samuel Hills, the first blacksmith, with his wife. An older brother, a painter, had lived with Oliver Robbins in Thomaston, and died there. Hills came down to look after his brother's effects, and thus found his way to Union. In 1785 he had cleared Hills Point. He settled, lived, and died near Seven-tree Pond, on the east side of it, below Crawford's River. The farm is now owned by Nathaniel Robbins.

At the time of the arrival of Robbins and Hills, there was no house or settlement on the east side of the St. George's, except on the Taylor farm.

Besides the persons who have been named, there was, when Robbins and Hills moved to Stirlington, another person here, the year of whose coming is not known. Samuel Martin, from Bristol, who had lost the sight of one of his eyes, resided below Sunnybec Pond, at the saw-mill, which then stood thirty or forty rods above the present Upper Bridge. He afterward moved to Hope.

The names of all the settlers in Stirlington Plantation, and the places on which they lived, have now been given. Occasionally, in Mr. Hawes's Accountbook, mention is made of the arrival and departure of other persons. They were obviously, for the most part, visitors. Some came to see their friends in the wilderness; others, perhaps, to look at the country with a view to settlement; and a few may have worked a short time with the settlers. But

none, except those who have been named, ought to be reckoned among the settlers in town before it was incorporated. The period covers seventeen years since Dické, on Seven-tree Island, saw the comet; fourteen years

since the Anderson party built their camp near Crawford's River, and twelve since the first arrival of Dr. Taylor.

ORGANIZATION OF THE PLANTATION.

In 1786, Stirlington, or Taylortown, was organized as a plantation. In connection with its organization is the following document. It is the earliest entry on any

of the town-books: “ Lincoln, ss. — To Philip Robbins, gent. a principal inha

. bitant of the plantation called Sterlington, in said county of Lincoln, greeting :

“In obedience to a precept from William Lithgow, Esq. treasurer of the county aforesaid, to me directed ;

These are to require you forth with to notify and warn the inhabitants of your said plantation, being freeholders, to meet at the dwelling-house of Capt. Philip Robbins, in said plantation, on Monday the twelfth day of June next, at ten of the clock in the forenoon, in order that such of the inhabitants of the said plantation [as] shall then assemble shall and do choose a moderator and clerk, and also assessors and collector or collectors for said plantation's proportion of all such taxes as have [been] or may be assessed upon the same county, either for soldiers' bounty-money or for defraying the necessary charges of the said county, until other assessors and collectors shall be chosen in their stead at the annual meeting of said plantation in March next; such clerk, assessors, and collectors to be sworn by the moderator of said meeting (to] the faithful discharge of their respective trust[s]; and the assessors, so to be chosen and sworn, thereupon to take list of the ratable polls and a valuation of said estate of the inhabitants of said plantation, for to make such assessments, and to judge of the qualifications of voters in meetings of such inhabitants thereafter to be holden, until other

valuation shall be made; and to make return of the names of the collector or collectors, with the sum committed to him or them to collect, as soon as may be, to the said William Lithgow, Esq. or his successor in said office of treasurer; and make return of this warrant, with your doings thereupon, unto said meeting.

“Given under my hand and seal at Thomastown, in said county, May 3, 1786.

“ MASON WHEATON, Justice of Peace. Sterlington County Tax £2 11 10 “Soldiers' Bounty . 1 12 43

.

- A true copy.

“ Moses HAWES, Plantation Clerk."

CHAPTER VIII.

INCORPORATION HISTORY, 1786.

Petition for Incorporation. — Act of Incorporation. - Number and

Names of the Inhabitants.

IN consequence of the preceding warrant, the inhabitants made a movement to obtain an Act of Incorporation. The petition, which is the second document on the town-records, was drawn up within a fortnight after the plantation-meeting, and signed by Moses Hawes, Joel Adams, and Samuel Hills, “ Committee of the Plantation of Sterlington." It is not probable that it was presented. There is not any copy of it in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and filed with the Act of Incorporation, as belonging to it, is the following petition, which undoubtedly led to the granting of the Act: “ To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of

Massachusetts, in General Court assembled. “ The petition of the inhabitants of the plantation known by the name of Sterlington humbly showeth, - That they

have for a long time past and still continue to experience many and great inconveniences arising from the want of roads, bridges, &c. to and from this place, and [of] other privileges which incorporated towns enjoy; and whereas the Honorable Court have seen fit to lay a tax of sixty-five pounds upon us, which, under our present low and distressed circumstances, we are unable to pay without great difficulty and inconvenience in the manner prescribed, as four-fifths of the land belongs to non-resident proprietors, and there being no roads laid out to this place; we therefore pray that the Honorable Court would permit us to lay out said tax in defraying charges of a bridge now a building of one hundred and ten feet long, and in opening and making roads, and building another bridge of one hundred and seventy feet long; which bridge must be built before there will be any passing by land or water to or from this place. [And] If, in their wisdom and justice, [they] shall think reasonable and fit, (that they will] incorporate a certain tract of land, containing thirty-two thousand acres, including twelve thousand acres, which was deducted when the last purchase was made, for ponds and waste land, on which land is settled twenty-five polls, and upwards of seventy women and children; which land was purchased by the once honorable John Taylor, Esq. of the late Secretary Fluker, into a township by the name Lindall, which is bounded as followeth, viz. : Southwardly on the town of Warren, westwardly on Waldoborough, northwardly on land supposed to belong to this Commonwealth, and eastwardly on land belonging to the heirs of the late Brigadier-General Waldo, till it comes to first bounds mentioned, that we may receive and enjoy all those privileges which corporate towns are by law entitled to; and your petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray. By order of the Committee,

“ MOSES HAWES, Clerk, “Sterlington, Sept. 12, 1786."

· The word Lindall, on the manuscript-petition, is written in a back hand, and appears to have been inserted to fill a blank. As Dr. Jennison was connected with the Lindall family, it may have been done through his influence. There is a tradition, pretty well authenticated, that, when the subject was under consideration, the uncommon harmony and union among the people were spoken of; and it was suggested and urged at the Legislature, that Union would be appropriate, and it was readily acceded to.

The preceding petition was followed by “ An Act for Incorporating the Plantation called Sterlington,

in the county of Lincoln, into a town by the name of Union.

“Whereas it appears to this Court that it would be productive of public good, and for the benefit of the inhabitants and proprietors, that the plantation called Sterlington, in the county [of] Lincoln, should be incorporated into a town :

“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, - That the plantation called Sterlington, and included within the boundaries described in this Act, together with the inhabitants thereof, be, and they are hereby, incorporated into a town by the name of Union, beginning at the south-easterly corner thereof, being a stake and stones; thence bounding easterly on land belonging to Waldo's heirs, by a line running north-west by north, eleven miles and eighty rods; thence bounded northerly by land supposed to belong to the Commonwealth, by a line running south-west by west, five miles and twenty-four rods; thence westerly by lands supposed to belong to said Waldo's heirs, by a line running south, three miles and two hundred rods; thence on the same land, east, three miles and an half; thence south, two miles and an half and twenty rods; thence bounded west on the town of Warren by a line running east, six miles and two hundred and fifteen rods, to the bounds first mentioned ;1 and the said town is hereby vested with all the