Another challenging year but we are surviving. Many thanks to the volunteers who help make the Historical Society viable. The ladies planted Inpatients in the front yard which perked up the appearance of the backdrop of hostas. The front porch steps were scrubbed within an inch of respectability. However, we found we have a need to repair the roof of the porch and put preservative in the wood gutters pretty darn soon. We also need to have the roof of the house replaced as the weather has compromised it to raggedness and we don't want any leaks to start other problems. This will hopefully happen in 2022. This all depends on funding of course.
December 7,2021 we will have our Christmas Special at the Warren Baptist Community Center, also known as the Brick School. The musical program will start at 7 PM presenting the Wiley Family. Refreshments will be served as well as laughter and goodwill.
Unfortunately, we must postpone the Veterans' supper due to Covid regulations, but we want Veterans to know we deeply appreciate your service and will hopefully have the supper in 2022.
We had a quilt show in October which was well attended. Many memories were shared. There were 14 quilts dating from 1875 forward. Back in the day if somebody could not finish a quilt the ladies of the community would gather and finished the article. This happened with a quilting project started by Betsy Guistra years ago and the ladies of the "Good Intentions Quilt Club". Mrs. Kathleen Anderson followed through with the finishing of the quilt and the ladies of the quilt club decided it should be donated to the Historical Society. The piece is a part of a project done in 1982. All the blocks have the name of the creator embroidered on it. Margie Ohron Berger, who bought the Cyrus Eaton Home, has volunteered to create the new sleeves to protect the quilts from damage. This is quite the process to protect these beautiful labors of love. Thank you Margie and Barb for your endeavors^ to protect and preserve these beautiful quilts.
Charles Boardman Dolham, JR. graduated from Warren High School in 1951 and he wrote the following article for the Alewife, the Warren High School yearbook.
Warren's Football Team
Every fall brings multicolored leaves, the smell of wood smoke, golden haze and the thud of a shoe against pigskin. Today it is possible for one to jump in the car and travel several hundred miles to a game or, by means of the radio, to bring a game into one's living room. Not so years ago! Let us roll by the calendar to the seasons of 1911 and 1912.
A group of Warren boys were determined that the game of football should be more than a name. Under the coaching of Harlow Brown, a team was organized. They played on the old ball grounds near the cemetery by the monument. The land was owned by Mr. Singleton. The team lined up as follows: ends, Harry Kerr and Earl Moore; guards, Irvin Copeland and Howard Batchelder; tackles, Harold Newbert and Fred Rollins; center, Walter Bucklin; half-backs, Robert Gary and Harold Robinson; quarterback. Warren Meyers; fullback, Sewall Vaughn. During the second year the team was coached by Mr. Ernest Campbell who was Dr. Campbell's brother.
Games were played with Thomaston, Rockland and Vinalhaven. Transportation was by trolley car. Today football has become a push button game. Coaches run in one team for offense; one for defense. On the bench is one player who does the punting; one drop kicks; another is the signal Currier. The day of specialization has arrived. A bloody nose is a serious injury, what a change!
The early Warren team had no substitutes. Every man was a sixty minute man. If a player could not walk, it was assumed that he was injured. It was the day of the stiff arm, flying wedges, and broken noses. The writer asked "Mike" Moore what rules were followed and was told that frequently were made by the biggest fellows as the game progressed. When he was asked if any of the games were settled after games were over, Mike just grinned. These were not supermen either, the team averaged under one hundred and fifty pounds per man. Next fall some of these will be watching football again. They will see whole platoons rushed upon the field of battle. A specialist will rush out to kick the conversion and will then return to the bench. Will this player of old grin? I wonder. Thank you Mr. Earl Moore for the material for this article.
The work cataloging the native American artifacts continues, it is amazing the ingenuity of past peoples in the utilization of rocks being made into tools like awls, plummets, hammers, sledges, flat blades to shape wood and stone, axes and drills. Ray Asian has been busy helping to catalog the items donated in the past, he is writing his dissertation concerning the impact the native culture had on our area. There are items from the Red Paint people and others that date back 5000 years. These items were retrieved from the Lie Nielson and Mary Jane Boggs properties many years ago. There were other sites here in Warren so please come to visit and perhaps you live near a site that we can explore.
The climate control unit had to be replaced again this year due to the inability to maintain the proper humidity and temperature. Mechanical Services were very generous to us by replacing the unit for the cost of labor. Thank you folks!
Historian Report submitted by Karin Larson
It's been a busy year for me researching family genealogies, house histories, and general Warren history. After 2020, people seem to be waking up like sleeping bears and wanting to get out to visit our historical society. Six people came to visit the Dr. Campbell House to ask questions and to gather information. Also several tours were given at our open house and quilt show October 2nd.
Photo requests
- March 3, 2021 Request from Penobscot Marine Museum website for a photo of Charles Lindbergh and his plane on South Pond from Owls Head Transportation Museum to use the photo as the cover of Strut and Axle publication.
- Request for photos of Peterborough for a story about Peterborough to be published in The Working Waterfront put out by the Island Institute in Rockland, Me
Genealogy requests
- Sharon Ladago of Vermont came to visit the Dr. Campbell house on May 18, 2021. She wanted to know more about her paternal grandparents Howard Batchelder and Sarah Robinson Spear Batchelder. Howard's father was Henry W. Batchelder (1871-1959) he was a shoemaker and probably worked at Rice and Hutchinson shoe factory in Warren village. Howard's mother was Clara Louise E. Ward (1877-1943). Their children were Howard Treat Batchelder born July 9, 1896- died December 22, 1994 L. Crockett born Jan 10, 1901- died June 3, 1970. He ran Warren Garage with Oscar Spear in Warren Village. Howard married Sarah Bertha Spear June 22, 1918. Sarah was adopted by her maternal uncle Alexander O. Spear (1863-1935) and his wife Alice J. Libby Spear (1864-1936). Alexander Spear lived at 224 Western Road in Warren. Sarah was six years old in the 1900 US census and living with her aunt and uncle. Sara's birth parents were Newell Robinson and Vesta Spear. Vesta died of Typhoid Fever March 1, 1895, at age 40. Sarah was adopted by her aunt and uncle. Sarah was a schoolteacher at Warren School District #1 Oyster River School from 1914 to 1917. She also taught school in District #5 Hinkley Comer School 1917,1918 and 1919 the last two years she was using her married name Batchelder.
- Tammy Wotton of North Dakota visited the Dr. Campbell house June 8th 2021 as she was staying the month of June in her Camper R.V in Union, Me. Her father Fred Heath Jr. was delivered by Dr. Fred Campbell in Hope, Me on Dec, 16, 1935. Tammy was told Dr. Campbell came out to the house (91 Harts Mill Road Hope, Me) on a snowmobile. Tammy wanted to gather information about her grandparents Fred F. Heath (1904-1989) and Vema Hastings Heath (1916-2004) who lived on Wotton's Mill Road. Fred's brother Wm. A. Heath (1903-1974) lived at 3105 Atlantic Highway. Tammy's great grandparents were Freeman Heath (1879-1964) and Dora Creamer Heath (1879-1959). Tammy shared photos of her grandparents and father Fred Heath Jr.
- In September Normandie Hand from East Hampton MA visited the Dr. Campbell House to gather information on her ancestor John Grafton who owned a harness shop in the village. The shop was in the building on the comer of Main St. and Riverside Drive. John Grafton lived"at 153 Western Road next to the Warren Fire Department. According to the 1850 census John made $590 worth of saddles and harnesses.
Requests for house information
- June 21, 2021 Request from Nan Atwood who bought 72 Western Road the Moses Mathews home. I sent her a copy of the house history.
- July 6, 2021 Request from Daniel Austen who purchased a house in South Warren 94 Gushing Road the Wm. O. Counce house. Wm Counce ran the Counce and Jordan store in South Warren. He visited the Dr. Campbell house July 13th to see documents found in the house.
- Request for general Warren history from Andrew Laverdiere who was gathering information on President F.D. R's New Deal Projects. The Starrett Bridge, now Middle Road Bridge, was flooded in 1936 and rebuilt using New Deal Federal money. I sent Andrew via email photos of the "floating" bridge and construction photos of the new Middle Road bridge and a Courier Gazette article May of 1936 about the construction of the floating bridge.
House tours:
- Jack Montgomery of Freeport, Me who has a camp on North Pond requested a tour of the Dr. Campbell house. Jack is interested in old houses. There were a total of 8 tours given throughout the summer and fall.
Curator's Report
W.H.S wishes to thank the following people and organizations for their donations.
- Raymond Asian of Wiscasset: a small archaic "Celt" found on the shore of the St. George River near the Oyster River
- Melody Sainio of Warren: a large wooden plunger( possibly a wash tub agitator) from her father Harlow Mank's home at 241 or 245 Oyster River Road
- Joan Winchenbach of Warren: a photo copy of a George's Valley Railroad booklet 1893-1839, an 1895 baseball team photo, a Bicentennial Summer Concert 1776-1976 program, a booklet "1936-1976 Warren Our Past 40 Years" written by Howard and Carolyn Wiley, a George's River Canal brochure, a history of Payson Park and a photo album of the Payson Park dedication June 24, 1989,the building of the footbridge and the 1987 spring flood, a hand woven white blanket, a quilt dated 1875 found in the Bernard Teague house at 142 Oyster River Road, a two piece costume( bodice and skirt) worn at the 1976 celebration, Clayton Winchenbach's black top hat he wore in 1976 when he played the part of Abraham Lincoln in the parade, five CDs of photos taken by William Lufkin June to September 2004 of the demolition of the woolen mill/ Crowe Rope, a glass plate negative of the Wetherbee block in Warren village,a copy of the Annals of Warren that belonged to D.D. Fuller of Boston, a booklet "A Special Place the Story of the Oyster River Bog", an 1888 Warren History Census booklet and a Knox Arboretum leaflet on the Arboretum restoration project.
- Union Historical Society: Knox Soil &Conservation aerial photos of Warren taken between 1940-1944, 1953 «& 1980 and a Charles E. Starrett Building Materials tool apron.
- Kath Holland of Warren: a framed aerial view of Warren dated 1873 and a framed color print of the George's River Mills Nancy McGrail of Meredith, NH a 1945 Warren High School yearbook that belonged to Frances Wren. She was the donor's mother.
- Sharon Chadwick of Warren: four food tins labeled White Brand cottage cheese, Cream Vegetable shortening, Newol cooking oil and Armour hamburger, Rockland found at the BenEva Farm on Middle Road.
- Robert Wyllie of Warren/ Presque Isle: a land deed from Arthur and Olive Peabody to Robert's parents dated 1927, a warranty deed from Arthur Peabody to Chester Wyllie June, 1928 and five receipts for building materials & labor for the new Wyllie home, a booklet titled "That Graduation Affair" 1946, a 1946 Warren High School graduation program, and photos of the Warren High School class of 1946 reunions in 1996 & 2006.
- Vella Smith of Warren: a porcelain doll that belonged to Mrs. Charlena Russell Hall who had fond memories of her childhood in the Pleasantville area of Warren and visits with her cousin Mrs. Carrie Russell Smith, two doll dresses made by Charlena's mother Nettie Jones Russell, a notebook containing photos and a history of Edward Charles Barrett's military service in the Marine Corps during WWII( the donor's brother), and a bicentennial commemorative medal.
- Agnes Harmon of Nobleboro: "The Patron" the music book used by members of the White Oak Grange in Warren
- Sandra Overlock of Warren: metal hairdresser clips used by the donor's mother Faye Stetson in her beauty shop The Warren Congregational Church: a copy of a songbook " Heart Songs Dear to American People" 1909. Brought to W.H.S by Sandra Overlock Paula Maxcy of Warren: a "Pine tree" quilt made in 1892 made by Mahalia Maxcy for her son Joseph Maxcy on his 19th birthday. Joseph Maxcy was the father of Charles Maxcy. Charles was the father of Lloyd Sumner Maxcy and Lloyd father of Charles Dennison Maxcy all of South Warren.
Two Anonymous donors: Warren High School commencement exercises class of 1938 booklet and a bible that belonged to Ruth M. Carrol of East Warren given to Ruth in 1920 when she was twelve years old by Bernice Leach.
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.
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, PO 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 PO 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
Vice-President
Nancy Blake, Treasurer
Bev Williamson, Secretary
Barb Larson, Curator
Diana Sewell, Genealogist
Karin Larson, Historian
Joan Winchenbach, Board Member
Sonja Wyllie, Board Member
Sandra Overlock, Board Member
Zach Wyllie, Board member