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

LEWISTON.

where the Continental Mills uow stand. The first ferry in town was
established by him about three-fourths of a mile below the falls. Mr.
David Pettingill, the second settler, came in the fall of 1770. Law-
rence J. Harris, third settler, came and erected the frame of the first
saw-mill in the fall of 1770, and brought his family in the spring. lie
owned several lots by gift from the proprietors and by purchase; the
most valuable one being the mill lot at the falls, aud comprising 100
acres. He built his house on what is now known as Lower Main
street, and on the site now occupied by Garcelon Block. After his
death one of his sons sold the mill lot and 15 acres of land to Colonel
Josiali Little. Amos Davis moved from New Gloucester to Lewiston
in 1774. He was a farmer, surveyor, and shoemaker. He surveyed a
part of the town for the proprietors in 1773, and made a plan in 1795.
He gave the ground for the old burying-ground on Sabattus street, and
erected at his o'tfn expense a small building within its present en-
closure, which was occupied some years as a meeting-house and school-
house. He was a leading member of the Society of Friends, and a
very exemplary man. His son David was the 2 d male child born in
Lewiston. Israel Herrick, Jesse Wright, and Jacob Barker came in
1774. James Garcelon came in the following year, and soon after
settled at what has since been called Garcelon’s Ferry. His father
was Rev. Peter Garcelon, a native and a resident of the Isle of
Guernsey. James emigrated at thirteen years of age. He was a
member of the first board of selectmen. His son James was for many
years a Baptist clergyman; William was one of the first merchants
in town, was engaged in lumbering, and also in shipbuilding in Free-
port. Josiah Mitchell came in 1776, and Jonathan Hodgkins in 1777.
James Ames came in 1785, carrying on the business of blacksmithing in
connection with farming. Previous to this the people had been obliged
'to go to New Gloucester for blacksmith’s work. He also kept a pub-
lic-house for many years. Dan Read came in 1788. ITe was subse-
quently one of the board of selectmen for twenty-six years, chairman
of the board for twelve years, town-clerk fifteen years, representative
to the General Court of Massachusetts in 1804-5, and representative to
the Legislature of Maine in 1820, 1823 and 1825. He was also the
first post-master of Lewiston, to which office he was appointed in 1795
by Washington, a position which he held forty years, lacking three
months. He died in 1854. Ebenezer Ham, grandfather of Colonel
Ham, came in 1789.

Lewiston was incorporated as a town in 1795, and as a city in 1861,
and its government organized 1863. Jacob B. Ham was the first
mayor. Only three persons who were residents of Lewiston are now
known to have been in the Revolutionary war. These were David
Pettengill, who died in the army, Benjamin Pettengill, son of the
former, and Joel Thompson. After the close of the Revolution a num-
ber who had served in the war settled in Lewiston. In the war of
1812-15, the town was more numerously represented in the army.
Oliver Herrick raised a company in this and the adjoining towns,
which started for Lake Champlain in January, 1813. A part of them
were shortly ordered on board the Growler, and took part in the dis-
astrous action of July 2, 1813, in which the Growler and the Eagle
surrendered to the enemy. In September, 1814, the regiment raised
in this vicinity, under the command of Colonel Walter R, Blaisdell, of