Gazetteer of the State of Maine With Numerous Illustrations, by Geo. J. Varney

BOSTON. PUBLISHED BY B. B. RUSSELL, 57 CORNHILL. 1882. Public domain image from

ALNA.    69

forming the North Parish of Sanford; but in revivals some became
excited and joined the “ Merry Dancers ” (as the Shakers were then
called), so that a minister was not settled until 1791. In 1834 the
present house was erected, and an organ added in 1854. The Baptists
built a church on the Back Road in 1818, and another at Littlefield’s
Mills soon after 1855. A second church was organized at the Gore in
1841, and a church built there in 1847. The first permanent meeting
of Methodists was in 1830, by Rev. John Lord, at the court-house;
and in 1834 a church was built. There is now an Advent Society also.

Alfred became a half shire town in 1802 ; and a court-house was
erected in 1807, which was remodelled and enlarged in 1852. The
present fire-proof wings were finished in the fall of 1854. A log jail
was built in 1803, and the present stone jail in 1870. The town-house
was erected in 1854, and burnt in 1861. The new one was built in
1862. The Academy building was erected by private subscription in
1828. W. C. Larrabee was the first preceptor. It was kept in opera-
tion for some time each year until the erection of the graded school
building in 1862. The High School is at Alfred village. There are
now seven school-houses in the town, and the value of the school prop-
erty is estimated at $5,500. The population in 1850 w~as 1,319; 1870,
1,224; 1880, 1,102. Valuation of 1870, $427,140; of 1880, $421,418.
Rate of taxation in the latter year, about 19 mills on a dollar.

The most notable citizens have been Hon. John Holmes, who was
United States Senator from 1829 to 1833 ; Hon. Daniel Goodenow, a
judge of the Supreme Court of Maine, from 1855 to 1862; Hon.
Nathan D. Appleton, attorney-general of the State from 1857 to
1860 ; Hon. William C. Allen, judge of probate for the county of
York from 1847 to 1854; Hon. Jeremiah Goodwin, State treasurer in
1839 ; Hon. Joshua Herrick, representative in Congress in 1843 ; Hon.
Nathan Dane, State treasurer in 1860. Among other valued citizens
should be mentioned Dr. Abiel Hall, George W. Came, Esq., Major
Benjamin J. Herrick, Israel Chadbourne, Esq., Deacon Nathan Ken-
dall, Hon. Ira T. Drew, Caleb B. Lord and others. Among tbe na-
tives of the town who have attained to eminence in their calling, are
Usher Parsons, M. D., William Lewis, M. D., Daniel and John Lewis,
Hon. N. S. Littlefield, of Bridgton, David Hall, Alvah Conant, Henry
Farnum, William Parsons, Dr. Usher P. Leighton, Benjamin Emer-
son, Esq., Rev. John Parsons, Edwin Parsons, Dr. Frank B. Merrill
and many others.

Allen’s Mills, a village and post office in Industry, Frank-
lin County.

Aina is situated in the western part of Lincoln County, on tbe
western side of Sheepscot River. It has Whitefield on the north, New-
castle on tbe east, Wiscasset on the south, and Dresden on the west.
The town has a length of about six miles north and south, and four
miles east and west. The surface is uneven, the western part back
from the river being quite broken, while the other portions abound in
ledges and bogs. Good soil is found in many parts, however, espe-
cially along the river. In the centre of the town is a pond receiving
two considerable streams, and discharging into Sheepscot River. This