The goals of the historical society are to preserve records documents genealogies artifacts and relics pertaining to the town of Warren this all happens only with the vision and help of the community and its existing groups and clubs the town of Warren has helped us out with a generous donation of monies which basically makes it possible to heat the Campbell house for the year we try to be good stewards of these monies in managing on a very tight budget.
The Warren Historical Society was formed and incorporated in 1964 of all the founders only Leland Hubby E Boggs II is still a force to be reckoned with. With deep appreciation we the townspeople of Warren recognize the dedication to the preservation of our history of the people who had the vision to start a lifelong legacy in keeping Warren alive and well. Warren is blessed to have many folks like Sandra Overlock, Howard Wiley, Marion Vella Smith, Diana Sewell, Karin Larson, Zack Wyllie, Sharon Chadwick, Barbara Larson and Valerie Boggs just to name a few; I know I have missed some folks but there is no intention to be rude by omission so I apologize if I missed your name.
2019 has been a very fun adventure for us all it started out with a broken radiator which resulted in a flood that encompassed the second story office down to the kitchen and bathroom thankfully we have insurance and the speedy work of many saved many artifacts and important papers not all disasters are negative in nature but can motivate us toward much needed sorting prioritizing and utilizing our space more effectively there is a lesson in all things for each of us
The furnace and fuel have been replaced thank you Jeff Pendleton for all your hard work. Copeland Garage generously offered us the use of their manlift so the gutters are clean and unclogged while the lift was present the trees in front of the house were limbed providing more air flow to help with moss and algae problems with the assistance of several ladies and gentlemen we got most of the house demolded and the furniture moved back into space there are two more rooms to clean so if you feel so inclined please contact Jan to volunteer.
Thank you to the board and garden club for maintaining and preserving the integrity of the Campbell house progress is being made to make the garage not only a display area but also a heated meeting room, fortunately we have access to the brick school to hold our cooler weather meetings as the option for heating the garage is daunting let alone expensive. The historical society received an award from the Union Area Chamber of Commerce this past spring for community service what a surprise which reminds me of our annual veterans appreciation supper that occurs on the 9th of November at the masonic hall another event we supported was Warren Days with an open house and tours we had a very nice turnout we also had three grades of children from the Warren Community School come and visit us in June which resulted in the ringing of the old woolen mill bell by each child a fun time was enjoyed by all of us. We decided it would be interesting to introduce a few pieces that will introduce you and perhaps stir up memories of past residents in Warren in the present newsletter if you have memories you would like to share with the society please contact us at the addresses at the end of the newsletter.
Interestingly there is only one complete plot of land from the original Waldo patent awarded to Moses Robinson left in Warren and is located at 1330 Atlantic Highway the original Robinson family and its descendants continue to reside in the house and on the land this is where genealogy becomes so very interesting many families learn how connected they are by discovering who married whom and where their families are now located there have been many surprised folks round and about who discover relatives are actually neighbors.
Curator's report on acquisitions November 2018 August 2019 by Barbara Larson:
- Grace Amoroso of Bar Mills donated a hand held school bell that was used at the Hinckley school by Grace Moody Starrett when she taught school there in 1896, 1898,1899. she was married to Joe Starrett and while he was in college she supported him by teaching school grace also donated two daguerreotypes of possibly the Moody or Starrett families.
- Andrew B. Carpenter of Owls Head donated a book he wrote about his great aunt Lilla Farris who grew up in the Pleasantville area of Warren she was a World War I nurse and also a private care nurse for a hollywood actress also donated were school papers dated 1841 that belonged to Dorothy French (1824-1853) she was the daughter of Mary Crawford French of Warren the donors 4th great grandmother.
- Jennifer Carter of Standish donated a clothes pin dress holder made by Evelyn Payson of Warren.
- Marlon Smith of Warren donated a barometer and an accordion from the Counce McCallum estate.
- Darrell O Martin donated a framed photo of himself in his uniform in 1968 he was a sergeant in the us army.
- Tracy Gay of Atlantic Beach, Florida donated a quilt made by Winona Robinson and her grandmother Lizzie M. Robinson.
- Lynette Farnum of Waldoboro donated Warren High School yearbooks (1945,1946,1950,1951,1953) and a 1945 Warren High School graduation program.
- Wayne Luce of Warren donated a label from a product manufactured by the Warren Powder Mills used by Eureka Sporting Company of Boston, Mass.
Historian's report by Karin Larson:
There has been steady requests for Warren history this year. In March Randy Lackovic from the Darling Marine Center contacted me asking about the Warren Oyster Company which was founded by Warren residents Job Spear, Seth Sumner, and David Sumner in 1854 and if our society had information on any type of oystering in Warren from colonial times to the 1970s. Candy Bordonaro from Union requested information on the Rockland, Thomaston, Camden Street Railway that went to Warren village. Two Warren residents were interested in obtaining information on their old houses. Joanne Parker of St. George wanted information on her ancestors who lived in Warren. Two ladies were interested in the Peterborough Settlement in Warren. Peterborough was a free black settlement in South Warren. In June David Jacoby a 4th grade teacher from the Warren Community School asked if one of our volunteers could give a talk on Warren history. Debbie Mansfield one of our volunteers went to the school to give a talk on Warren's first settlers, the Frank D. Rowe School and one room school houses in Warren.
Barry Pennings from Dallas, TX visited the Dr. Campbell House in July and his mother Patricia Leathers was a 1943 graduate of Warren High School. I gave him copies of the 1943 W.H.S. graduation program and he took photos of some of the pages of the 1943 year book. He was pleased to see the year book. In August Ivan Hill and Vella Smith of Warren visited the Dr. Campbell House and they were interested in Finnish people who lived in Warren. They were pleased with the information I shared.
News from the transcription desk:
This year I transcribed two sermon documents on baptism, Catherine Anderson's poetry she wrote in 1840 when she was eight years old and Estelle French's Autograph book and the most interesting document was an essay most likely written by Edna Lermond Nash about her house on Oyster River Road. It is interesting to read because the narrative switches to the house's perspective.
house memories written by Edna Nash
The essay switches narrators to the perspective of the house itself.
Transcribed by Karin Larson June 2019
Somehow the old house at Oyster River built in 1811 has always been home to us all regardless of where else we may have lived perhaps it is because it has always been in our family and because one of the family still lives there sometimes one say down to the farm but usually it is down home.
One fall I was making a visit to my old home and while there a storm came up with high winds and occasional sprinkles of rain on the windows the house creaked and groaned sometimes a blind slammed the cat was uneasy all together it was not a night conductive to slumber but the rest of the family having risen early in the morning were tired and went to their rooms at a reasonable hour I however sat down by the fireside and read awhile then beginning to be a little drowsy laid aside my book and began to think of the fact I wish the old house could talk for I knew it could tell me many things new and of interest to me the wind shrieked and howled and sometimes a short lull would be followed by really terrific blast the cat was even more uneasy clearly the storm was rising finally as I listened it seemed that I could hear a strange voice squeaky and far away at first it became gradually nearer and clearer till it presently dawned upon my bewildered senses that the old house was speaking these are the things it told me and I know that many of them are true.
Once upon a time it said many years ago I was brand new and considered to my neighbors very handsome I glowed with such paint and my windows all had new blinds while my front door had a portico
With pillars and the knocker which everyone admires now because it is old was then also new and resplendent my first occupants were your great grandfather Joshua his wife Margaret and one little son Albert Elbridge Gerry was born soon after and then William and life and finally a little black haired girl whom they called Mandy well the little ones romped and played as little ones will and the years slipped by as years are apt to do when things go pleasantly. Albert prospered and while a young man moved to an adjoining town married and built houses and was a credit to himself and family generally but Capt. William as he became sailed in his Brig Amanda from New Orleans in March 1843 and neither he nor his vessel was ever again heard from. Josh aged after this and Margaret whom he called Peggy seemed to lose interest in affairs at home and abroad life too seemed early in boyhood to acquire the wander lust and went to California where he probably died for he was never again heard from. I will now tell you a little of Elbridge Gerry Lermond for he was your own grandfather and the one who finally became my owner quite early in life he took unto himself a wife but not being contented with the girls in his hometown went to the wilds of Waldoboro and brought home Mary Jane I will admit she was well worth the bringing tall straight with coal black hair and snapping eyes folks sat up and took notice when she appeared Mandy and Mary Jane soon became the closest of friends and were always very congenial..
At first Elbridge and his wife went to sea in the Brig Mary Jane and his wife collected many beautiful shells in the West Indies as well as red reef corals etc in fact she gathered some of the shells herself and carried them to her cabin only to find upon returning later that day inhabitants there had come out and near filled the tiny room such a sight I never saw said Mary Jane the mate told her to have them brought on deck when they would soon die and they did efficiently. The shells were brought home and for many years adorned the parlor floor where the little folks occasionally stole in and listened in wonder to the roar of old ocean. Elbridge finally left the sea but never did so in his dreams where he issued orders so realistically that Mary Jane was obliged at least to quit his bed if not his board in order to preserve her life.
As time went on Peggy gave up all household duties and seemed content to sit in the chimney corner and smoke her old black pipe oh yes, Peg smoked. Today she would have been quite modern although for those days the family considered it rather a disgrace but Peg wanted to smoke and smoke she did regardless of public opinion life must have been rather a disappointment next to Joshua for she would have liked his wife to dress neatly and willing to take some interest in her nice home but it couldn't be done then the loss of his two boys was hard to bear and while he never murmured he would face the door yard for hours in the evening with his hands clapped behind his back.
In the home at one time was the grandfather clock which became worn out and refused to function it stood in my living room and one day when it hadn't been running for many months it struck one. Peg looked up from her chimney comer and tersely remarked some ones going to die sure enough in a few weeks Joshua sickened and died then Mary Jane arose in her superstition and carried the old clock to the attic and twisted the pendulum so that striking was a thing of the past that came year Mandy married and she with her husband came to live at home and a little girl. Mary Jane and her husband two years passed and Mary Jane was one day rummaging in the attic for something and the old clock in spite of its tattered and tangled pendulum stuck twice and Mary went down those stairs as though the devil and all his snips were after her but listen just in two months Mandy and her infant child died and were buried in a single grave the old clock was even in more favor than before and was sold to an old gentleman in the village for 25 cents who had it repaired and it has gone on ever since it has been going ever since and would probably now bring much money but it is not for sale.
In our neighborhood live a little lady by the name of Mary Ann she was small and vivacious with hair that clustered in ringlets all on her head charming as a girl she wore the curls until she passed away over 80 years of age when she talked which was most of the time her eyes sparkled and snapped and the curls bobbed energetically in those days there were many families about us with the same surname and it was customary to speak of the wife of her first name and the first name of her husband as Sarah Life and Eliza Otis only everyone said Lizzy then everyone except Mary Ann now the afore mentioned Otis was rather slow and deliberate in many things but he could sometimes make up for a few minutes at a family reunion Mary Ann got the idea in her coquettish head that it would be fun to flirt a little with Otis. Otis thought it would be rather funny too but when the feast was partly over and Mary looking at him said pathetically Otis if you should die should die too Lizzy arose in her dignity and left the table in vain Mary Ann called Eliza Eliza where are you going and shook with laughter as she called Lizzy would have nothing now to do with any one until it was time to go home.
Living alone down by the bridge was a young man by name of Bill who was often hired by the surrounding neighbors as they had need of him one summer he came here to help in haying. Bill had just been working for Mary Ann's nephew who lived with her helping him plant the garden. Bill had played some joke on Mary Ann and she being something of a joker herself planned to get even with him calling the men to dinner she placed herself in a good position with a dipper of water in her hand ready to duck Bill as the men came through the door together she threw the water but the dipper had a crooked handle and the nephew now of arboretum jami received the dose and didn't appreciate it.
One sweltering July day near the 4 there came up a terrific thunder shower it was more than 50 years ago but I remember it as clearly as though it were yesterday my only occupants then were Mary Jane and Elbridge and their 3 children the older daughter had married and lived upstairs with one little son the clouds grew blacker and blacker the lightening more vivid until finally then was a dreadful lull and I knew I was stuck a fire started but Mary Jane with true Waldoboro spirit dashed a pail of water on the blaze and put it out by the grace of god no one was killed but Althea was carried out unconscious and the little son was found making marks in the dirt on the window sill as unconcerned as though nothing had happened.
One dark stormy night in May 1872 while all the family were sleeping a tall gaunt ragged figure crept stealthy to my front door and turned the knob in an endeavor to enter the door was simply fastened by a wooden button on the inside and was not proof against the strength of the wildeyed creature who finally desperately exerted himself and forced an entrance entering my large roomy kitchen he found the room still warm and crouched over the dying embers of the fire in his rags and muttered to himself continuously strange sounds penetrating the slumbers of Mary Jane she crept to the door and saw the unwelcome guest at her fireside again Waldoboro courage came to her aid and she hastened immediately to the chambers above and roused her son and son in law after a struggle the demented creature was firmly bound and the town fathers summoned.
In the morning he seemed more rational and after a good breakfast and warm clothes were found
for him he was taken to his house in Winterport before his departure however he told Mary Jane that his
wife was untrue to him and becoming confused in his wandering he arrived here and thinking it his own
home had entered as best he could the selectmen told Elbridge that part of the old fellows story was true
for his home in Winterport was very like us.
It is nearly midnight and I never can talk after the midnight hour but before I go to sleep I want to (recite a little poem to you by Margaret Sangeler which my present mistress thinks applies to my front door wonderfully well).
Say that I am happier now than ever before because I have been thoroughly repaired and now have a fine foundation and strengthened throughout the things bought by Elbridge and Mary are kept because they really seem a part of me the old manor etc in my northern window last summer was placed a miniature sloop made by Captain owelf averell in the evening cars coming down the road throwing their light through the window gave the little sloop the appearance of sailing around the room
Historically speaking Warren does go beyond main street and we all want to encourage everyone to explore their neighborhoods and document their findings you can send your information to Warren Historical Society P.O box 11 Warren, Me 04864 or drop it by the Campbell house we usually have somebody available to open the house and give tours just give us a call at 207-273-3154.
We are having a membership drive and renewal as of this date membership is $10.00 per year for an individual couples are $18.00 per year sustaining member is $25.00 contributing member is $50.00 benefactor member is $100.00 and a business member is $50.00 please fill in the enclosed envelop and send it back to the Warren Historical Society P.O box 11 Warren, Maine 04864 we are limited in resources so memberships are very important to the survival of the historical society.
Board Members
Jan MacDonald President
Howard Wiley Vice President
Nancy Blake Treasurer
Bev Williamson Secretary
Barb Larson Curator
Diana Sewell Genealogist
Karin Larson Historian
Joan Winchenbach board member
Clayton Winchenbach board member
Sandra Overlock board member
Zach Wyllie board member
Meetings are free and open to the public on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm at the Dr. Campbell House and Museum at 225 Main Street in Warren village
for information call 273-3154 or
email warrenhs@tds.net
refreshments will be served at all programs
the Campbell house is open by appointment
call jan at 207-273-3154
please visit our website
www.warrenhistoricalsociety.org