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

512    GAZETTEER    OF MAINE.

Sidney, North and West Sidney. There is no railroad in the town,
but ample accommodation is afforded by the two lines of the Maine
Central Railway, which pass, one along the eastern side in Vassalboro,
and the other through Belgrade, on the west.

The first settlements were along the river, and were made about
1760 ; and soon after there were clearings made in the vicinity of Snow’s
Pond. Moses Sawtelle was one of the early settlers, and his seven
grown up sons soon after began their plantations about him. A distant
relative, John Sawtelle, was an early settler on the river road. The
climate of Sidney seems favorable to longevity, as there are at present
about 50 persons in town above seventy-five years of age.

The territory of Sidney was first a part of Vassalboro, hut was set
off and incorporated as an independent town in 1792. The Baptist
church was probably the first in town. The Rev. Asa Wilbur was
their pastor for many years, and in 1808 he became the first represent-
ative of the town in the General Court of Massachusetts. The Con-
gregationalists, Universalists, Friends and Methodists, each have a
society and church in the town, and the Baptists and Free Baptists
have two each. Sidney has nineteen school-houses, valued at $4,000.
The valuation of estates in 1870 was $649,582. In 1880 it was $579,-
764. The rate of taxation in 1880 was 2^ cents on the dollar. The
po] ulation in 1870 was 1471. By the census of 1880, it is given at 1,406.

Silver Ridge Plantation lies in the south-western

part of Aroostook County. It is bounded on the north by Sherman
and west by Benedicta. Kingman, on the European and North Ame-
rican Railroad, 15 miles south-east, is the nearest railroad station. The
principal streams are Molunkus River and the outlet of Plunket Pond,
which lies on the western line, and a short section of Macwahock River
at the north-eastern corner. The surface lies much in swells and
ridges, but there are no high hills. The rock underlying is slate, and
the soil, a gravelly loam. Hay and grain are the chief crops, and yield
abundantly. The forests contain nearly every species of Maine woods.
The settlement is principally along the road from Sherman to King-
man. The roads are few, but quite good. There is one bridge of
hemlock wood about 70 feet in length. There is one saw-mill manu-
facturing long and short lumber. This township received its first
settler in 1858. It was formerly the east half of No. 2, Range 5. It
was organized as a plantation July 20, 1863. There are three residents
near ninety years of age. The plantation has three public school-
houses, valued at $250. The population in 1874 was 184. In 1880 it
was 229. The valuation in 1880 was $16,662.

Simpson’s Corner,—a post-office in Penobscot County.

Six Mile Falls,—a small village in Bangor, Penobscot
County.

Skowhegan is a prosperous manufacturing town lying on
both sides of the great bend of the Kennebec in the southern part of
Somerset Countv, of which it is the shire town. Cornville bounds it
*n the north, Canaan on the east, Fairfield oil the south and Norridge-