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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408    GAZETTEER    OF MAINE.

mained more than a century. But long after the first hotels were
built, and even to this day, there are standing some of the trees of an
“ old orchard,” but a subsequent one, planted by some later disciple of
pomoculture.

In the early days, the councillors constituting the government of
Gorges’ province of Maine met for business at the house of Richard
Bonython, which stood on the east side of Saco River, near the lower
ferry, or just above the terminus of the Old'Orchard Beach Railroad.
This form of government continued from 1639 to 1652, from which
date Massachusetts most of the time maintained her authority and
government here by the strong hand. In 1677, however, the heirs of
Gorges sold their right to the Commonwealth, which thenceforth held

undisputed jurisdiction, until separated from her and admitted as a
State in 1820.

No summer resort can be complete without a picturesque character in its his-
tory ; and this want is supplied to Old Orchard by its pioneer caterer, Ned Clem-
ens—half hermit, half epicure. The first knowledge of him in this region was his
arrival at a hotel in Saco, where his genial deportment soon won him many friends.
By his apt quotations, lie exhibited a knowledge of the dramatic poets and classic
authors ; and his acquaintance with American scenery showed that he had ac-
quired much knowledge from travel. In music he was accomplished, and often be-
guiled his leisure with his flute. He was reticent in regard to his previous life,
but in later years it became known that he was a native of Philadelphia, where he
was educated for a dramatic life; and several years acted in that profession. He
was with Barnum in the first organization of his popular exhibition. Evidently
he was not successful in this line; and having met with disaster in a matrimonial