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

WILTON.    591

east to west, and seven wide. The principal sheet of water is Wilson’s
Pond, about 1J.square miles in area, situated midway of the northern
part. In the northern part is North Pond, nearly as large as the last;
and in the south-east is Pease Pond, of smaller size. The soil of the
town is generally fertile, and the usual forest trees flourish. The busi-
ness centres of the town are Wilton and East Wilton. The last has a
station of the Farmington branch of the Maine Central railroad ; the
former has a station about one and one-half miles distant. The chief
occupation of the inhabitants is farming; and the well-cultivated
appearance of the farms and the neatness and good repair of the
buildings indicate thrift.

At East Wilton the largest manufactories are the Moosehead Mills
and the Holt scythe-factory. The manufactures are woolens, scythes,
the lightning hay-cutter, moccasins, harnesses, tinware, packed fruits,
etc. The chief manufacturies at Wilton village are the Furnel woolen
factories, a superior flour-mill, the Wilton Cheese Factory, and a tan-
nery. The manufactures are furniture, leather, boots, cloths (meltons,
cassimeres and repellants), shingles, boards, scythe-sharpeners, potash,
flour and meal, cheese, canned corn (2 factories), etc. East Wilton is
a beautiful village, the dwellings being scattered along a street at the
base of a grassy hill, upon whose top waves a considerable forest;
while below, on the other side of the road, flows quietly the spreading
stream which carries the mills. Wilton Village, two or three miles
distant, occupies the bottom and side of a picturesque valley, with a
wild Avood on the opposite hillside ; and between this and the principal
street for a fourth of a mile rushes Wilson’s Stream, which furnishes
the power of both villages. This is the outlet of Wilson’s Pond ;
which occupies so elevated a position that the stream furnishes nine
powers Avithin the town. The pond according to the town plan, con-
tains an area of 190 acres ; Avhile at one point it is o\'er 175 feet in
depth. This large body of Avater retains the heat to such a degree
that there is no trouble Avith ice at the mills near the pond. In a com-
manding position stands the noble building of the Wilton Academy,
of the few remaining of these valuable institutions.

The township Avhich is noAV Wilton Avas granted to Captain Tyng
and company, of Concord, Mass., for an excursion against the Indian
enemy, in which a dangerous savage called Harry Avas killed. In 1785
the township was explored by Solomon Adams and others, located by
Samuel Titcomb, surveyor for the State, and lotted by Mr. Adams in
1787. The explorers called it Harrytown, in memory of the ill-fated
Indian ; but the first settler called it Tvngtown, in honor of the grantee.
In 1790, Samuel Butterfield settled in Wilton and built a saAv and grist-
mill at East Wilton. At the same period Isaac BroAvn became a res-
ident; and after these soon folloAved William Walker, Ammial Clough,
Joseph Webster, Silas Gould, Ebenezer Eaton, Josiah Pcrham, Ebe-
nezer Brown, Josiah Perley and Josiah Blake. Henry Butterfield, who,
at sixteen years of age, cut the first tree within the limits of the toAvn,
as well as Captain llammon Brown, the first male child born in toAvn,
were a feAV years since, still alive and resident in Wilton,—whose
territory they had seen to change from a Avilderness to cultivated farms
and busy villages.

At Wilton village are a church belonging to the Congregationalists,
one to the Methodists, and one to tbe Universalists. At East Wilton