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

GAZETTEER OF MAINE

taxation in the latter year was 1^ per cent, on a full valuation. The
population in 1870 was 3,251. In 1880 it was 3,353.

Fayette is the most westerly town in Kennebec County. It
is bounded on the east by Mount Vernon and Readfield, south by
Wayne, west by Livermore, in Androscoggin County, and north by
Chesterville in Franklin County. The first settlement in the township
was about the year 1779. Seven thousand acres of its territory were
granted by the State of Massachusetts to Robert Page and associates.
Its early name was “Starling Plantation”; and in 1790 it had 166
inhabitants. In 1795 it was incorporated as a town under the name of
the noble French officer who gave the nation such efficient aid during
the Revolution. Among the early settlers were Benjamin Clifford,
William Morrill, Joel Jedkins, Nathan Lane, James Bly, James Bam-
ford, Elkins Chase, Stephen French, Tilton Richards, Eleazer Goodwin,
Enoch Watson, Perley Dow, Jeremiah .Tuck, Cyrus Baldwin, John
and Hezekiah Judkins, Benjamin Bodge, Mathew Pettengill, Zachariah
Pike, John Berry, and Joseph Anderson. There are now in town about
60 persons over seventy years of age.

The town is much broken by hills, and there are several large ponds
in and around it. The highest hills are Oak, Pine, Baldwin, and
Berry’s. The scenery from these hills is very fine, from the agreeable
mingling of ponds, hills, meadows, and forests in the vicinity. Parker
Pond at the north-east, Crotched Pond at the east, Lovejoy’s and
David’s in the north, are the largest of these. Others are Tilton’s,
Lane’s and Hale’s Brook ponds.

The principal business centre is Fayette Mills, near the south-east
corner, where the Dunn Edge. Tool Company do a large business in
the manufacture of axes, scythes, and other cutting implements. In
other parts of the town are manufactured long and short lumber, cabinet
work, dowels, and boxes and measures. There is some granite in town,
also pyritiferous mica-schist, and slate. The soil is generally good,
and the town is noted for its dairy products, and its fine-wooled sheep.
The post-offices are Fayette, North and South Fayette, and Fayette Cor-
ner. The town is situated about 18 miles from Augusta, on the stage-line
between Readfield Depot and Chesterville. The Farmington branch
of the Maine Central Railway runs through the adjoining town on the
west, some 2 miles from the line; and the Readfield Depot on the
east is about 7 miles distant.

The Baptists and Methodists each have a church in the town ; and
there is a public library of about 1,000 volumes. It has nine public
schoolhouses, estimated to be worth $2,000. The valuation of estates in
1870 was $282,697. In 1880 it was $274,592. The population at the
same date was 909. By the census of 1880 it is given at 765.

Ferry 'Village, a post-office and village in Cape Elizabeth,
Cumberland County.

Feylor’s Corner* a small village in Waldoboro, Lincoln
Bounty.

Fish. Hiver Lakes? see article on Aroostook County.