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History of Whitefield, Maine
From
A Gazetteer of the
State of Maine
By Geo. J. Varney
Published by B. B. Russell, 57 Cornhill,
Boston 1886
Transcribed by Doreen Crocker
Whitefield is on the north-westerly town of Lincoln County,
having Jefferson on the east, Alna on the south, and on the
west, Pittston and Chelsea in Kennebec County, and on the
north, Windsor, in the same county. The length of the town
from north to south is about ten miles; its width at the
northern part is about five and a half miles and at the
south about one half the latter distance. The area is very
nearly 29,000 acrea. It was formerly covered with dense
forests of pine and oak. Agriculture is the leading
business. The Sheepscot River passes through the midst of
the town from north to south, and the Eastern River takes a
parallel course through the western part. In 1820 there were
upon the several falls upon the Sheepscot in this town nine
sawmills and four grist-mills. There are now at North
Whitefield a grist-mill, tow saw-mills, two shingle-mills, a
planing, a stave and carding-mill, two carriage factories, a
funrniture and boot and shoe factory. Cooper's mills has a
lumber and a shingle-mill, a flour-mill, a tinware and a
boot and shoe factory. At Alna postoffice there is a
carriage factory. There is also a small village in the
southern part called Kings' Mills, which is the same as
Whitefield post-office.
The Plymouth proprietors claimed the territory of this town,
but failed to establish their right. It was settled about
1770 by Irish Roman Catholics. At this time the town was
formed the western part of Ballstown, now Jefferson, to
which it remained attached until 1809, when it was
incorporated, being named in honor of the celebrated
preacher, George Whitefield. At the close of the
Revolutionary Was many of the veterans of the army settled
in Whitefield.
The town has three Babtist churches, and one each of the
Advents, Free Baptists, Methodists, and Roman Catholics. At
the North Whitefield is St. Joseph Academy, an institution
belonging to the Roman Catholics. Whitefield has sixteen
public schoolhouses, valued, with other school property, at
$5,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $441,346. In
1880, it was $440,974. The population in 1870 was 1,594. In
1880 it was 1.511. |
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