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

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latter resided in the region until he was killed by the Indians. It
was afterward owned by Sir Biby Lake, Edward Hutchinson and
others. In a 1754, a fort was erected on the shore opposite the upper
end of Swan Island, receiving its name of Fort Shirley, in compliment
to Governor Shirley, of Massachusetts. This fort was commanded by
Major Samuel Goodwin until it was dismantled. Pownalboro (incor-
porated in 1760) was named in honor of Governor Pownall, who had
succeeded Shirley. It was the shire town of Lincoln County for thirty-
four years. Its court-house is still standing, nearly opposite the upper
end of Swan Island, and in view from the cars of the Maine Central
Railroad, on the western side of the river. It w^ras 44 by 45 feet in
ground dimensions, and three stories in height, as now. The court-
room was 45 by 19^ feet, with two fire places in it.

Three brothers, William, Charles, and Rowland Cushing, were
among the early settlers in this part of the town, having taken up their
residence here in 1760. They were for many years quite prominent in
public affairs of the county and State. Dresden formed what was
known as the west precinct of Pownalborough, the east being Aina,
and the south Wise asset ; and these, in 1794, were incorporated as a
town, taking its name from the German town from which some of the
inhabitants had emigrated under the auspices of General Waldo.
Major John Polereczky, a Frenchman, distinguished as a soldier in the
American army under General Rochambeau, coming to reside here, was
for fifteen years the town clerk. During the Revolution the town was
in a troubled state; the royalist side being sustained by Rev. Jacob
Bailey, an Episcopal clergyman, supported here mostly by an English
missionary society. He appears to have been a pious man and faithful
pastor; yet the outrageous treatment he received from those favorable
to revolution led him to forsake the country and take refuge in Nova
Scotia.

There is now an Episcopal and Methodist church in tbe town.
Dresden has a library of some 200 volumes, the property of the Dres-
den Library Society. There are nine public schoolhouses valued, with
other school property, at $5,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was
$316,717. In 1880 it was $326,665. The rate of taxation in the latter
year was 16£ mills on the dollar. The population in 1870 was 990.
In 1880 it was 1,032.

DrCW Plantation occupies the north-eastern corner of the
eastern part of Penobscot County. It was formerly township No. 7 of
range 4. It is bounded by Prentiss on the south, Washington County
on the east, and Barker and Reed plantations, in Aroostook County, on
the north. The Mattawamkeag River enters near the north-eastern
corner, and forming a sharp angle at the centre of tbe township, leaves
it on the western side. The township is square in form, and contains
about 36 square miles. The highest hills are Beech Ridge and Potter
Hill. The forests contain the usual variety of trees. The soil is good
where not too sandy. It yields well of most of the usual crops. Mud
Pond is the largest sheet of water, being about one mile long by half a
mile wide. The plantation is 76 miles E.N.E., of Bangor, on the
European and North American Railway.

It has two public schoolhouses, valued, with other school property
at $500. The valuation of estates in 1880 was $33,335. The rate of