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

560    GAZETTEER    OF    MAINE.

claim was satisfied, the Brown claim was extended over the same
territory; and about three hundred of the settlers, disappointed and
discouraged, sold out their property and emigrated to South Carolina.
Yet there still remained a large and flourishing colony, of ahout 80
families which in 1773 was incorporated into a town named in honor
of its founder. Conrad Heyer, the first male citizen of Waldoborough,
was born in Broad Bay plantation in 1749, and died in 1856, at the age
of 106 years, 10 months and 9 days, He served in the Revolutionary
war, and w~as wont to relate his adventures in that struggle with much
zest. Waldoborough was made the shire town of the county in 1786,
and thus remained until 1880, when the courts were removed to Wis-
casset. The town was first represented in the General Court in 1780,
by Jacob Ludwig, a citizen of German extraction.

On the arrival of these German Pilgrims a Lutheran church was
at once organized by them, and in 1762 a minister, the Rev. John M,
Schaeffer, was settled. His successors up to 1820, were Rev. Mr.
Croner, Rev. R. B. Ritz, and Rev. Mr. Starman. The churches are
now two Congregational, two Baptist, and four Methodist. There is a
small circulating library, and a library of about 1000 volumes, belong-
ing to the Waldoborough Library Association.

The “Lincoln County News,” is brisk, vigorous and independent,
and withal gives due attention and fair treatment to the affairs of the
county. It is edited and published by Samuel L. Miller, Esq. Thurs-
day is the day of publication.

The town has twenty-two public schoolhouses ; which, with other
school property, are valued at $14,000. The valuation of estates
in 1870 was $1,164,382. In 1880, it was $1,135,023. The rate of tax-
ation in the latter year was 22 mills on the dollar. Waldo National
Bank and Medomac National Bank, located in the village, each have
a capital of $50,000. The population in 1870 was 4,174. In 1880, it
was 3,759.

Waldo Patent. See article on Waldo County.

Wales lies 6 miles east of Lewiston, and midway of the eastern
side of Androscoggin County. The town of Greene lies on the west, the
two being separated from each other in the southern half by Sabattus
Pond. Monmouth bounds it on the north, Litchfield on the east, and
Webster on the south. The size is four by four and one-half miles, com-
prising about 7,844 acres. The surface is undulating, except at the south-
east there is a broad hill known as Oak Hill, and at the south-west the
considerable eminence called Sabattus Mountain. This point was
occupied in 1853-54 as a station of the coast survey. On the south-
eastern side of the northern spur of the mountain is a low cave which
extends back about fifty feet from the entrance. Its width is much
less ; and in no part of it can a full grown man stand erect. The rock
in which it occurs is a mica-schist highly charged with iron and sul-
phur. The cave is an extensive fissure formed by the water from rains
and melting snows washing through a crevice. It was discovered
early in the settlement by a hunter, from a bear of which be was in
pursuit taking refuge in it. Both at this and other points on the east-
ern side of this spur, good specimens of red ochre are found. From
top to base of the eminence, between the spurs, are found rich speci-