1901 -

1902- "……The great event of the season came off last Wed. The Annual Game Supper of the Whitefield Game Club. How many members I don’t know. They have a building of their own adapted for their special use, the upper floor is finished as a dancing hall and most of the gatherings end in a dance. At the annual shoot, sides are chosen and for two or three days it almost seems as if everybody was carrying a gun. The side that gets defeated by furnishing the least game cooks the supper as their forfeit. A large quantity of game was brought in and includes deer, raccoon, rabbits, gray squirrel, partridge and many other things. Those not bringing game were expected to bring two chickens, and two loafs of cake. All day Wed there seemed to be something in the air, after sundown people began to move toward the hall. They came from all directions, even Gardiner and Augusta were represented. After supper at eight, people began to fill the hall. They found a full orchestra stationed there. Dancing soon began and was kept up until two A.M………" from a letter from Henry C. Pearson ,Oct 12, 1902

.....a single (telephone) toll line was laid from Gardiner to four locations: Gray’s store in Windsor; Frank Douglas’s store in North Whitefield; Achorn’s store in Coopers Mills; and ending at the Charles Besse home, which stood where the old post office building is now in Jefferson village. The Besses had a single pay phone outside and a four line switchboard in their home. To maintain the lines through fires, storms and other troubles, the early agent had to get around by snowshoes or horse and wagon.  ⁸⁶

1903- $19 paid to 4 people for “ damage to sheep by dogs.” Twice the amount paid to J.L. Hammett Company for schoolbooks. ¹⁰

         Alden Boynton receives delivery at the Damariscotta railroad station, of his new 1903 Sears Model G automobile ordered from the Sears Roebuck catalog. It was packed in a wooden crate and cost $325 plus shipping. His grandson Whitefield selectman, Alden still drives it in parades in 1990’s. ⁴¹

         John LaFarge, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mortimor C. Adler, Rockwell Kent , Sir Kenneth Clark and Thomas Hart Benton are just a few of the famous people who gave lectures “upon the history, theory, and practice of the fine arts” that were funded by The Scammon Lectures Series , funded by Whitefield’s Jonathan Young Scammons wife’s bequest to the Art Institute of Chicago this year and continuing into the mid 1950’s .According to the conditions of her will, preference given to be given to "persons of distinction or authority" on their subjects.

         There are 53 students listed in the Souvenir Program for the High School held at Cooper’s Mills for the term Feb 9 to April. Lore H. Ford Principal ⁶³

1904- Pine Tree Rebekah Lodge instituted with 40 charted members. ²³
  
                 “Bought of Hilton & Clark Co., dealers in Grain, Flour, Mill Feeds, Salt, Hen Food and Supplies TERMS CASH“ reads the fancy heading of an invoice from E.M. Hilton and H. A. Clark store located at the WW&F crossing at Turners Corner.

         1905 - Father Nelligan at Saint Denis wrote in a letter Jan 8, “:……….I learned today that I must be at home for a funeral Tuesday morning …….The person, an elderly lady, died Friday, I should say Saturday and they cannot get the casket until Monday evening. We have been practically cut off from the world since Tuesday. I was to have another funeral Saturday forenoon but the people actually could not get to the church on account of the impassable conditions of the roads. Oh, there are some places in the state a little more comfortable than Whitefield in the winter.” ¹¹

First rural mail carrier in Whitefield. Neota Fowles Gradys father, George Fowles who used a modified Model “T” with skis on the front axle in the winter snows. ²

1905 villages News:

         
 October 10, Charles D. Northey of Whitefield is shot at South Windsor.

Jewett Quarry:
This quarry was "in the town of Whitefield, 1 ½ miles southeast of Whitefield village (Kings Mills).  The granite from the quarry was reportedly a very dark gray color with a bluish tinge and a fine to medium texture.  The quarry had two adjacent openings.  One of the openings was 10 by 25 feet and the other was 60 by 30 feet.  When they were measured in 1905 these openings were 6 and 8 feet deep, respectively.  The quarry was only worked at intervals, and the stone was used for monuments locally.  At the time of the report (The Commercial Granites of New England), the quarry was abandoned. ⁹³          

         Night rates for chartering the WW&F Narrow Gauge from China to Wiscasset was $50. ¹⁴ ($870.77 in 1997 dollars)

1906 The Great San Francisco earthquake and fire destroyed many copies of C.M. Scammons’s great work: “The Marine Mammals of the Northwestern Coast of North America described and Illustrated:” ⁴⁴

1907- Helping Hand Society established in Whitefield with 11 members.²

         Article 19 on the Town Warrant:” To see if the town will grant and raise the sum of two hundred dollars for the building of a permanent piece of road on the road leading from North Whitefield to Augusta, at a point called The Meadow, near Peter Field’s.” ¹⁰

         Article 21 “ To see what restrictions the town will make upon the running of automobiles on the roads in town.” ¹⁰

        One estate annexed from Whitefield to Gerry (previously Malta and now Windsor) in 1821 (ch. 58) was returned to Whitefield in 1907 (ch. 96) by repeal of the former act. ⁷²

1908- First Helping Hand Harvest Supper. ²

          * There are 994 autos registered in the state. ⁴³
* Orville Wright makes the first airplane flight that lasts an hour. ⁴⁵

      1909 On August 25^th all Whitefield celebrated its 100 birthday in a Centennial celebration centered at Arlington Hall and in a huge tent in the field behind. The Honorable Bert M. Fernald, Governor of Maine delivered an address. The broadside announcing the gala event proclaimed: “….a bountiful dinner will be served at a reasonable price….Excursion rates on the W.W.&F ….The celebrated St. Cecilia’s Boys band of Lewiston will furnish music…and the .Whitefield Quartet supported by a chorus of 30 voices.” Closing speaker was the Honorable Geo. W. Haselton of Gardiner. Father T.J. Nelligan came and demonstrated more modern farming techniques.

Haselton said of Father Nelligan :”………….He came here a few years ago, a minister, not a farmer, a thinker, not a dreamer, a worker, not an idler. He knew if he undertook to talk to you of improving your agricultural conditions you would have laughed at him for talking. He therefore went out into the pastures and cut out the underbrush, burned the waste material, plowed and sowed. You know what his harvest has been - rich beyond the conception before of a Whitefield farm.” ¹¹

Some examples of “cash paid out” for the Centennial celebration: Saint Cecelia Band $100.00, transporting band $20.00, Tent and decorations $141.00, Martin Potter printing $2.00, Cook $16.00, Lamb $34.42, Chicken $33.10, beef and hams $119.14, lodging for cook & wife $2.00. ⁹

Some examples of “income” from the Centennial celebration: dance $17.10, beef and hams sold $32.73, dinner and dance tickets $153.70, sale of quilt by Ladies’ Relief Corps $18.85, Swill sold .25 cents. ⁹

“ Dear Lore, Your letter came last night while I was in the midst of family study. It is a matter of record that our great, great grandfather came to Whitefield in 1763 . He settled in the place opposite what is now Seth Tarr’s place and died there in 17. Mr Tarr can tell you of the old graves which he once ploughed over…..” from a letter replying to a query about genealogy from Lore Ford ⁵⁷

George A Moody’s telephone bill for February is $1.50 and .55 for 5 toll calls to Gardiner and Weeks Mills. This total bill of $2.05 ( equal to $35.71 in 1997 dollars).

Whitefield’s Boston Post Cane arrives.

         *Wilbur Wright made flight from Governor’s Island up the Hudson to Grant's Tomb & back

1910-  268 polls...$442,431 in Estates. Population 1856 ¹⁰

         The city of Whittier, California receives a hospital given by the sons of Whitefield’s Simon Jones Murphy, who after making his mark as a financier in Detroit moved to California and when drilling for water to irrigate their citrus orchard - struck oil instead. ⁵⁹ Three years later future president Richard Nixon is born in the next town of Yoba Linda and moves to Whittier soon after.

         Forest E. Ware undertaker, also manufactures coffins and caskets in North Whitefield. ¹⁸

1911- “Speed of all trains must be reduced to 6 miles an hour across bridge at Wiscasset, Curve Bridge, Whitefield, and Iron Bridge, Whitefield, coming south.. No train must run faster than 2 hours between Wiscasset and Albion.” ¹⁵
 

1912 -Paid $5.25 for “banking” of three school houses. ¹⁰

           Town receives $5 for old windows and boards sold from reconstruction of the Town House. ¹⁰

           “ Today two meat carts stopped, also a man selling hulled corn.” from a letter ⁴³

1913 - Paid by Town of Whitefield:

       $50.00 - J.E. Ordiorne MD .services in the John Robinson small pox case

       $ 1.20 - M.P. Doyle, for potash and pans for fumigating in John Robinson small pox case

       $36.50 - M.P. Doyle, member Board of Health, service in John Robinson small pox case

       $17.35 - Bowdich, Webster & Co. vaccine, formaldehyde used in John Robinson small pox case

       $16.00 - J.E. Ordiorne MD, disinfecting of John Robinson home and camp and vaccine used.

       $11.75 - P.E. Chaney service as member Board of Health in John Robinson small pox case  and goods for him while he is  quarantined.

       $21.16 - W.E. Cunningham supplies for John Robinson and family while quarantined.

       $22.62 - P.E. Chaney supplies for John Robinson and family while they are quarantined.

       $176.58 total paid by Whitefield for this single small pox case¹⁰
       $178.00 Paid by Whitefield for 3 teachers for the 3 terms taught at Wheeler School in 1913. ¹⁰

         There is a private school in Cooper’s Molls taught by Lydia Phillips supported by contributions from residents of Jefferson, Whitefield and Windsor. ¹⁰

         “ 10/2/13 Friend Ford, Yesterday I took a day off and went to the Lincoln County Fair and it was reported that the Sheriff was not conducting himself, as a man holding that position should and that the Com (sic) were going to force him to resign or have him indicted. Now myself and others have worked hard for the last twelve years to get this County where it is, and I did not have any part in making Jim Doyle (from Whitefield) Sheriff . When he was appointed by the Gov and recommended by the Co Com, and have kept out of it to this time, and think that this matter should be handled carefully, not in particular for Jim’s benefits but for the future and benefit of others. I have wrote him today advising him to go back home (where he would be out of sight) and get John Dow to go to the jail . What do you think of that .I think you courthouse bunch had better get together just as soon as you can and try and have this matter adjusted Yours Truly C, B. Meserve” ⁶¹

1914- King’s Mills Bell School chosen by he State to be permanent site of high school. Courses offered for freshmen and sophomores. Whitefield High School meets in 2nd floor of the King’s Mills school. Plan ended in 1943.

Arlington Grange #528 organized. Meetings were first held in Clark Hall, which was situated on the second floor of the store that was across from what is now the “Superette”, until the purchase of the GAR Hall in 1917 for $600.00. ²³

         Chadwick House at Turner’s Corner ( Binnie Fowles prop.) and Riverside Inn (Chas W. Brann prop) are operating.

         Eugene C. Jewett is operating his granite quarry near Weary Pond in the business of granite and monuments. His home is on Head Tide Road just south of the Fowles Lane intersection.

         Oct 20 North Whitefield “ This certifies that we Osborn P. Hilton and Etta R. Hilton was at John H. Wings funeral and saw him dead “ died life 18-1878 signed….³⁹

* The East and West coasts are linked by a telephone line; the signals are amplified by seven repeater stations. ⁴⁵

1915- Preble Public Library established, containing 100 volumes. ¹²

         Manley Glidden plows engine #6 of the WW&F halfway up to her smokebox into the soft ground followed by 4 cars above Clary’s Crossing (Mills Road just north of Clary Mill) . He was fired as engineer, but became foreman of the clean-up crew. ⁴

         Riverside Inn is open, Charles W. Brann prop. in Cooper’s Mills¹⁸

         All passenger service of WW&F between No Vassalboro and Weeks Mills suspended. ¹⁶

         For the next 15-20 years eels were trapped near the South end of the Ford dam, packed in hogshead barrels and shipped to New York by the WW&F. Traps appeared all along the river. ¹²

1916- The dilapidated Townhouse bridge on Dexter Road is closed due to the expense of its repair . ^{3
                                                                                                
June 8 1916}           many tunes on a cool, sunny spring morning before World War I with the yoke of oxen waiting patiently for the cart to be filled with sawed boards and haul it up and wait for it to be properly stacked in what is now Glidden's pasture “ from the notes of Ellen Weiblen, Cooper’s Mills

          *First windshield wipers developed. ⁴⁵                                                                                          

         1917-18- 43 men enlist in W.W.I -patriotism is high at the annual 4th of July celebration in Kings Mills.

         Grange dues raised from 4 to 5 cents for active members.

1918-Arlington Grange buys GAR Erskine Hall .
 

        1919 - For over 25 years, from 1919 through 1944, Warren E. Cunningham served as Tax Collector for the Town. He is remembered for his creative use of the office in purchasing tax acquired and otherwise unwanted property, then reselling to young people starting out. He would personally hold the mortgage as an added service; in a time when banks only dealt with businessmen and those with money, this was considered a great service to the townspeople.

1920- WW&F train snowbound in the field by Kennedys on East River Road, below Prebles for several days. The crew and passengers stayed warm by the coal stoves in the cars and neighbors brought milk and food. ¹²

         First trip with new electric headlight on # 11 of WW&F Sept 30 ¹⁶

Sons of Union Veterans organized

         Total population of all towns along the WW&F route was 11,572 in 1850…in 1920 was 5,130 ¹⁵

 

          Whitefield’s population at 862 an all-time low.