History of Piscataquis County, Maine

Front matter

COUNTY MAP, HISTOEY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY M^lIJNE. From its Earliest Settlement to 1880. BY REV. AMASA LORING. " The hills are dearest, which our childish feet Have climbed the earliest ; and the streams most sweet Are ever those at which our young lips drank — Stooped to their waters o'er the grassy bank." Whittier. PORTLAND, ME. : HOYT, FOGG & DONHAM, 1880. Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1880, by Amasa Loeino, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. PEINTED BY B. THUESTOJf AND CO., POBTLAND, MAINE. CONTENTS. Chapter I. Introduction, Design, Sources of help ... 9 Chapter II. Situation, Extent, Boundaries .... 13 Chapter III. Natural scenery, Mountains, Lakes, Rivers - - 15 Chapter IV. Natural resources, Farming land, Timber, Water-power, Quarries, Mines ------ --21 Chapter V. Sales, Grants, Surveys ------ 25 Chapter VI.

How, When, By whom, first entered, Blood, Townes, Chase 28 Chapter VII. Dover, Proprietors, First settlers, A. Blood, Townes, Dows, Longleys, Lambert, Dwelley, Chamberlain, Dea. Rowe, Incorporation, Grist-mill, Factory, Shire-town, Edes' paper, Bailroad, Business and professional men - 34 Chapter VIII. Sebec, Sale, Mills, First settlers, Incorporation, Dr. Boynton, Village, Professional men ------ 60 Chapter IX. Milo, Purchase, First settlers, Incorporation, Mills, Growth, Professional men --------66 Chapter X. Sangerville, Water-power, First settlers, Mills, Incorporation, Leading men, Lost child, Growth, Meeting-house, Clarks, Factory, Col. Oakes, Bursely, Professional men - - 73 Chapter XL Atkinson, Purchase, First settlers, Dr. Snow, Incorporation, Library, Crosby, Mills, Blake's disappearance, Elder Harvey 90 Chapter XII.

Guilford, Water-power, Purchase, First settlers, Incorporation, Schools, Minister, Orchards, Leading men, Villages, Bridges, Fatal accident, Growth, Factory, Railroad, Gold mine, Physicians ----------- VI CONTENTS. Chapter XIII. Foxcroft, Purchase, First settlers, Mills built, Chamberlain & Bacon removed, First Sabbath meeting, Incorporation, Distillery, J. and M. Bradbury, Court held, Forbes family, Bridge built, S. Chamberlain, Holmes, Mr. Williams, Academy, Mayo's factory, Professional men ------ 10J Chapter XIV. Brownville, Sale, First settlers, Mills built, Dr. Wilkins, Rev. H. May, Incorporation, Traders, Slate quarries - 135 Chapter XV. Williamsburg, Proprietor, First settlement, M. Greenleaf's book and map, Incorporation, Preaching, Division, W. Hatch, M. and E. Greenleaf, Hemmingway's disappointment, Barnard, Soil, Water-power, First settlers, Incorporated, Slate quarries, Unincorporated ------ 140 Chapter XVI.

Introduction

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It is proposed in the following pages, to sketch a brief ge ographical view of Piscataquis County ; to state its early sur veys, grants, proprietors and settlers ; to present its natural resources ; and to detail the progress of its pecuniary, social, literary and religious interests. We also hope to rescue from oblivion, those incidents of historical value, which are fast and forever departing to the grave, with those hoary heads, who in the sprightliness of their childhood and youth both witnessed and helped to enact them. These towns which compose it, have a history. So has every place which man has ex plored, or civilization entered. But for three-fourths of a century, time's busy pencil has been obliterating the past, in painting the present; and much that would enrich these sketches must slumber on in the deep sleep of unrecorded and forgotten history.

Only when the chronicles of life have been carefully kept, can we say : " We are inheritors of all the past." But all the dim footprints of these hardy pioneers have not been blotted out. Much that they told to their children, deeply engraven on the retentive tablets of early childhood, still abides with the surviving. With great pleasure I refer to Henry B. Sargent of Milo, Ezekiel Chase of Sebec, Eben Lambert and Mordecai Mitchell of Dover, Mrs. Sarah J. Greeley of Foxcroft, and Jefferson P. Moor of Abbot, who have furnished facts and data still remembered by them. With praiseworthy readiness, the town clerks, so far as re quested, have placed their town records before me. It should be added that the record of children's births, when the place thereof is given, becomes, in the lapse of time, of great historic value.

The late Robert Low of Guilford, B. C. Goss of Sangerville, and Eben Greenleaf of Williams burg, have been examples of carefulness in this respect. Family records, too, possess a historical value, reaching far beyond the circle recorded in them. Several old family Bible records have done good service in settling dates of early settlements, which could not have been otherwise easily deter mined. By the courtesy of the late J. S. Holmes Esq., the records of the Piscataquis Historical Society have been placed at my disposal. This was formed in 1824, while the first settlers of Foxcroft and Dover were living, to preserve the early his torical incidents of that vicinity ; and I have been essentially aided by them in compiling the histories of these towns. This record narrowly escaped the flames, when Mr. Holmes' office took fire, and thankful may we all be for its rescue.

By request, Capt. S. Chamberlain prepared a brief sketch of the early settlement of Foxcroft. This is preserved en tire in the town records, and has been drawn from, in com piling the history of that town. So also have the records of the proprietors of the town of Foxcroft, kept by Col. J. E. Foxcroft, and also some of his manuscript letters. The late Robert Low, Esq., kept a brief memorandum of events in the early settlement of Guilford. The writer, in his early boyhood, enjoyed the luxury of hearing it read. It was afterward burnt in the conflagration of Mr. Low's buildings, and he reproduced it, as best he could, from memory. This also has been examined, and though of substantial value, I am constrained to say, that "the old was better." C. A. Everett Esq. of Dover, who has made the study of "land titles" in this county a specialty, has rendered very important assistance from his "plans," notes, and sketches.

INTRODUCTION.

. The writer also is largely indebted to Greenleaf 's Survey of Maine, published in 1829, for historical data of great value, and now not easily obtained, for this work, and like wise Williamson's History of Maine, though once furnished by the State, to all the incorporated towns, are now hard to be found. This troublesome destitution reflects severely upon the carelessness of former town clerks, and also upon the borrowing propensities of unnamable individuals, who do not believe it a duty to return a borrowed book to its lawful pos sessor. In the history of the different churches and religious societies, I have depended upon the published and accepted His tories and Minutes of the different denominations ; and the respective authors of these are responsible for their correct ness. No one who has ever attempted to gather materials for, or to write, history, will expect entire accuracy or desirable full ness in this work.

Not every person, whose memory treas ures the events of seventy years, can, in old age, be relied upon. Many statements evidently made in good faith and tenaciously held also, have been contradicted by others equally reliable, and sometimes by written documents. So, "with charity toward all, and malice toward none," I have diligently compared these discrepancies, and sifted and set tled them as best I could. In the following pages, after giving the original number and range of each township, and the temporary name of the early settlement, I have, for convenience sake, used the corporate name, though speaking of events which occurred be fore that name was given. So also the entrance of the first family, for a permanent abode — not the felling of the first opening — gives date to the first settlement.

And according to this event, if ascertained, the first settlers of these towns, are denoted. As a lover of history, and an early inhabitant of the Pis cataquis valley, I have undertaken this work. And as a per sonal apology for so doing, I recall the reason that a certain autobiographer gave for writing his own life, to wit : "If he did not do it, he was satisfied that it never would be done." So I more than feared that if I did not now attempt this, the early and most desirable part of the history of this county would never be written. Many would regret this, especially when the lapse of time makes all such narratives more valuable and more sought after. Deeply do I regret that some one possessing a more historical memory, and wielding an abler pen, had not un dertaken it before so many of the early settlers had fallen asleep.

For then, many dates would have been thoroughly substantiated, and with far less research than at this present time. Any history would be incomplete without a brief sketch of the prominent men who shaped the financial, political, literary, moral, and religious state of society. But a true and faithful personal history, even of the departed, is a deli cate task to undertake. Few realize, while making the jour ney of life, that their works will follow them. Yet all should feel that they, not posterity, frame their own characters and build their own most expressive monuments. No deeds are treated with intended severity, while worthy and virtuous records are drawn without overweening flattery. Let then the historical errors of this work be corrected, its practical hints welcomed, its record of past events be treated with considerate indulgence.

Chapter II. Situation, Extent And Boundaries

The whole territory of this county is on the polar side of the 45th parallel of north latitude , so it has a right to be cold in winter and temperate in summer. Early frosts and long winters with deep snows, are usual, though good and ripe crops of corn, grain, and other farm products, save in exceptionally cold seasons, richly repay the husbandman. When first entered, this territory was included in Hancock and Kennebec Counties, but when Somerset County was incorporated (in 1809), the western portion, amounting to three tiers of townships, was embraced in this new county, Nor ridgewock then being the shire town. In 1816, when Penobscot County was incorporated, all but the three western tiers of townships above mentioned, were included in that county, having Bangor for its shire town. In 1838 Piscataquis County was incorporated, taking four tiers of townships from Penobscot, and three from Som erset County, the most western tier being from the Bingham Purchase.

It then extended, in its full width, to Canada line; but in 1844, its northern portion, embracing about sixty townships, was annexed to Aroostook County. In its present extent, it is bounded, north by Aroostook, east and south by Penobscot, and west by Somerset Counties, containing more than one hundred full townships, with an area of 3,780 square miles. These townships are generally six miles square, lying in regular ranges, which are numbered from the north line of the Waldo Patent (now a part of the north line of Waldo County), and the most southern tier in Piscataquis County is the sixth range in this numeration. Nearly two-thirds of these townships are now covered with forests, wholly unoc cupied by inhabitants, but more or less entered by those in pursuit of timber. In its length, north and south, it includes sixteen townships, and in its width, seven townships.

But the lakes and ponds embraced within its limits, make up quite an extensive waste of waters ; and its mountains, though far less than in many parts of our state, materially reduce the quantity of its settling lands.

Chapter III. Natural

SCENERY*. It would be deeply interesting to present this region in its primeval grandeur, with its thick, tall, and robust forest growth, its mist-covered mountains, its sunny hill-tops and shaded valleys, its sleeping lakes and rushing rivers, its tan gled swamps and marshes. Not the pine alone, but the hemlock and spruce, the elm and maple, the birch and beech, towered far above the growth which now studs its woodlands in the settled parts of the County and State, and these last-mentioned trees, in the autumn, " Took on their trailing drapery, Flashed with Tyrian dyes." The Piscataquis valley forced upon its pioneers "heavy clearing," and richly repaid them with heavy harvests. The first lumbermen also found pines of surpassing height and dimensions, but the axe was unsparingly lifted upon these thick trees, and this glory of the "Pine Tree State" has largely departed.

But its hdls and mountains, its fertile valleys and ridges, its streams and lakes still remain, and these have their charms for the appreciative observer. The surface of this county is moderately hilly, a mountain rising here and there, in its own impressive solitude. Katah din, the highest mountain in the State, towering 5000 feet and more above the level of the sea, its rugged steeps striped by the mighty avalanche, stands within its eastern border. It is seen from many of the elevated ridges in the southern part of the county, but from the deck of the steamboats, when sailing up Moosehead Lake, and from the head of Chesun cook, the view is quite enchanting. It is about midway be tween the Chesuncook settlement and Sherman, and visitors reach it by drifting down the west branch of the Penobscot, in the light birch canoe, from the former point, and by a tramp through the woods of thirty miles, from the latter ; and when they stand upon its bald and lofty summit, usually admit that they are satisfied.

Kineo, too, which so many visit, and so many have already described, lifts its bald and storm-stricken head, 700 feet above the surface of Moosehead Lake, whose precipitous sides make it a 'mighty pillar rising from the water's brink, and standing as a stern and fearless sentinel. Squaw Mountain, near the western shore of the lake, Spencer Mountains, on the eastern side, Boarstone, in the Elliotsville township, and the Ebeeme Mountains, north of Sebec and east of Greenville, are all within this County, and have a considerable altitude. The last named mountains stand out in two distinct ranges. The eastern range runs nearly north and south, and the two highest peaks are known as Horseback and Spruceback. Westward of this, another range stretches off, two of its peaks being called Chairback and Ore Mountain.

Quite a depression, called the Gulf, separates Ore Mountain and Horseback Mountain, within which a small lake hides itself, and between this and Pleasant River is the Katahdin Iron Works. Some twenty miles above these, there is a marvelous Glen, through which the Pleasant River dashes along, leaping clown in stupendous cataracts, and shooting between towering walls, so as to rival some of the famous "canons" of the Yellow Stone regions. Flaming accounts of this Glen have been already given to the public, by its enrap tured visitors, and quite as deprecatory ones, of its obstruction to "log-driving," by lumbermen. Russell Mountain, in Blanchard, named for a man of that LAKES, LAKELETS AND RIVERS. name, who was taken sick and died suddenly upon it, many years since, is famous for the blueberries, which grow upon it, and which attract large companies, in their mature season.

Its ascent, upon the western slope, has, with some difficulty, been made with carriages. LAKES, LAKELETS AND RIVERS. Moosehead Lake, the largest body of inland water in New England, covering a surface of one hundred and twenty square miles, lies within the western border of this county. It is thirty-eight miles long, and sixteen miles wide in its widest part, where its broadest bays spread out, encircling its largest islands. In other places it is indented with capes and promontories, Mt. Kineo forming one of the most im posing of these projections. It encloses several islands, the chief of which are Sugar Isle, containing 5,000 acres, but not now inhabited, and Deer Isle, containing more than 2,200 acres, upon which a farm is cleared, and a small public house kept. This lake is the source of Kennebec River, and is 1,070 feet above tide water.

Many years since, lumbermen built a dam across this outlet, which retains seven feet of water upon the lake's whole surface, which they draw off at their convenience, in driving down lumber. For nearly forty years steamboats have moved upon its waters, puffing along its forest-clad shores, in towing rafts of logs from its-extreme parts to its outlet, and in later months, to accommodate ex plorers and summer visitors, who go to gratify their wdd wood curiosities, to camp out in the "forest primeval," to fish and fowl in limits unstinted, to regale themselves with the delicious trout that are drawn from its deep and' cool waters. Hotels, some of the first class, are found at the "foot of the lake "- (Greenville), at Mt. Kineo, at the ex treme "head of the lake," at the outlet, and upon Deer Isle.

In the time of summer travel, regular trips are made to the head of the lake, and the public mail carried. This lake does not receive a great amount of inflowing water, its elevation being so great that the water-sheds pitch away from it. The west branch of the Penobscot, in its course to the Chesuncook, passes only about two miles from the head of this lake, and in two places is reached by carry ing places, called the "North-East" and the " North-West Carry." This river receives all the streams flowing from the north. In Greenville, only three miles from the lake, is Wilson Pond, the source of Wilson Stream, which flows in a south east direction into Sebec Lake. About three miles from the most southern part of the lake, the east branch of the Piscataquis rises, and joined by two other branches from the west, flows south and east into the Penobscot, after receiving the drainage of a wide extent of this region.

On the west, Moose River is its chief tributary, though several others come in on that flank, while Roach River, and a few other smaller streams flow in on the east side. With some the question may arise, whence the name of this lake? and when discovered? We are indebted to the In dians for both. Some say they so named it, because seen from the summit of Mt. Kineo, its surface resembles the head of a moose ; others, that many moose horns were found upon its banks ; and others, that Mt. Kineo gave its name, as it appears like a crouching moose; either of which is possible. The nartive Indians were early acquainted with it. One of their routes from Norridgewock to Canada, was by the way of the lake, the west branch of Penobscot, and the rivers Du Loup and Chaudierre ; while another was by Dead river, Megantic lake and the Chaudierre.

It is now certain that a Canadian engineer came through on this eastern route as far as Fort Weston (Augusta), previous to Arnold's expedition to Canada in 1775. A defective copy of his report is in Vol. I of " Collections of the Maine Historical Society." Sebec Lake covers a part of number eight, eighth range, a part of Bowerbank, and narrowing as it proceeds eastwardly, crosses a corner of Foxcroft, and terminates at Sebec village. LAKES, LAKELETS AND RIVERS. Its whole length is fourteen miles, its width from one-half of a mile to five miles, its whole area being from eighteen to twenty-five square miles. It receives the contributions of more than twenty ponds, whose united surface would equal its own. This lake was once surrounded by valuable pine and other timber, all of which is not exhausted.

It is also a place of popular resort, a small steamboat plying along its landing places, and a hotel is kept at the head of it, toward which travel is now drifting. Sebec River carries the surplus water of this lake into the Piscataquis, affording several fine water privileges, two of which, one at Sebec village, the other at Milo, are utilized, and will be fully described in the sketches of those places. Schoodic Lake, in the township next east of Brownville, is twelve miles long, and four miles wide. This also discharges its waters into the Piscataquis, in Medford, making a first rate water power, upon which mills have been erected. Chesuncook Lake, about twenty-five miles north-east from the head of Moosehead Lake, is fifteeen miles long, and from one to three miles wide. A small settlement of whites and Indians is found at the head of this lake, who depend for employment upon cutting and driving timber.

The west branch of the Penobscot passes through this lake, and a large amount of lumbering is usually done in this vicinity. The travel to this place in summer is across the carrys from Moosehead Lake, and down the west branch in birch canoes. The northern unsettled townships abound with lakes, ponds and streams, too numerous to mention, several of which pass into the St. John River. Without them many of its timber tracts would have been comparatively-worthless, but they have been made the highways of immense quantities of lumber. Hebron Pond in Monson, Davis Pond in Guilford, North west Pond in Sangerville, Kingsbury Pond in Kingsbury and Mayfield, Center Pond in Sangerville, and Boyd's Lake in Orneville, all have dams at their outlets, and subserve man- • HISTORY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY. ufacturing enterprises.

The stowage of all these is into the Piscataquis, except Center Pond and Boyd's Lake ; Kings bury Pond being the source of the south branch of that river. Another strange feature in these water sheds is seen in the course of Main-stream. It rises in the north part of Garland, passes on westward into Dexter, near its northern line, receiving the outlet of Center Pond, and other streams in Sangerville, Parkman and Wellington, and falls intoMoose Pond in Harmony. This pond vents its surplus waters into the Sebasticook, and down this, into the Kennebec. Main stream runs nearly parallel with the Piscataquis, in the opposite direction, and only about seven miles distant from it. Black Stream and Alder Stream rise near the south line of Dover ; and both of them flow northward, making available mill sites, both emptying into the Piscataquis.

The Piscataquis is the most note-worthy of its rivers. It suggested the name of the county. Upon this river the first settlements were made, and upon this and its branches are nearly all its settled towns. Upon its head waters, pines and spruces, of a most excellent quality, abounded, and early at tracted the notice of lumbermen.

Chapter IV. Natural Resources

This county has large tracts of fertile and easily cultivated soil, only a part of which has been well worked, and fully developed. Its first crops were unsurpassed in New England. Then it had only "to be tickled with the hoe, to laugh with a harvest." Corn and potatoes, grain of all kinds, and grass, sprang from its virgin soil in prodigal luxu riance. Nor was its primeval fertility soon exhausted. Its present show of crops declares that good husbandry will well repay the laborer's toil. Its intervals are beautiful and abundantly productive, while its uplands are far less encum bered with stones, than similar soil in the western parts of this State. In the agricultural quality of the soil rests the chief and abiding productive resource of this county ; and the farm the orchard and the garden must ever be the main re liance for pecuniary prosperity.

This county could once boast the most valuable timber lands in the State, with streams sufficient to float out their productions. But now, like other timber tracts in Maine, its pine is well nigh exhausted, though spruce, hemlock and cedar stfll abound, and promise to. In its hard wood growth, it also has immense resources. Birch, maple and ash, bass wood, poplar and white birch are abundant, and are now turned to good account for various manufacturing purposes. Water Power. No part of our State is better supplied. Nearly every town now settled has one or more good mill privileges, most of them, several, as the more detailed account of the several towns will evince. Slate also abounds in immense quarries, and the opening and working of these give much scope to productive in dustry. As early as 1828, Hon. Moses Greenleaf discovered a vein of argillite slate extending across the county.

It has been opened in Brownville, Williamsburg, Barnard, Foxcroft, Monson, Blanchard and Kingsbury. One of these quarries, near Mr. Greenleaf 's former dwelling, is successfully worked by A. H. Merrill Esq., and he has orders for slate from the Western States, and sometimes from Europe. He took the first premium on roofing slate, at the Centennial Fair in Philadelphia. Granite. This county abounds with boulders and quar ries of superior granite, much of it easily wrought out. It has been extensively used for various purposes ; but as other building material is readily procured, it has not been used in the entire structure of buildings. Limestone is found in Abbott, Guilford, Foxcroft and Dover, from which a good fertilizer can be obtained ; and which the soil much needs, in order to produce good crops of corn and grain.

A certain kind is found in Foxcroft and Dover, which is used to advantage in the smelting of iron ore at the Katahdin Iron Works. Minerals. An extensive mine of iron ore is found in No. six, ninth range, which has been wrought by the Katah din Iron Works Company. This has furnished a large amount of employment. Since the Bangor and Piscataquis Railroad has been operating, the transportation of its products by teams has been reduced to sixteen miles, and it may soon be farther reduced. A bed of copperas has quite recently been struck, beneath the stratum of iron ore ; and if this is as extensive as it prom ises to be, it will add another article of value and of profit to its productions. The Iron Ore is found at the foot of one of the Ebeeme NATURAL RESOURCES. 23 Mountains, called Ore Mountain, and is also near the west branch of Pleasant River, and of the outlet of a small lake which sleeps beneath the shadow of the mountain.

Gold, silver and copper, in small quantities, were found in a ledge on the John Bennett farm in Guilford ; and sanguine expectations raised that rich deposits were concealed beneath. A company conditionally purchased the location, and made large expenditures in tunnelling a long way into the hill, but no vein was struck, and the enterprise was abandoned. Animals. In early times wild beasts abounded in these forests, affording attractive gamg to the hunter. The moose was the largest in size, the most imposing in mein, and most desirable for food, of all. These are still occupants of the northern forests, and the killing of them is prohibited in the breeding season. Deer have been occasionally met, while wolves have ever been few and far between. Bears were once numerous, and in the early settlements often "made the night hideous," but were never known to attack a person, though they invaded the ripening cornfields and the sheep pastures.

They still prowl about, and at times are decidedly troublesome. About fifty years since, the loup-cerviers were more daring and rapacious than the bears, in destroying sheep, but their day was short, they soon departed. The beaver was once here, and caught by the old hunters ; but now they are unknown. The fox, sable, musquash, mink and such animals, are still found in diminished numbers. The partridge, the pigeon and the duck, of all the feathery tribes, afford the most delicious food, and best repay the huntsman, though the sportsman can find keen entertainment in the chase of the loon, wild goose, eagle, crow and hen-hawk. Fish. The lakes and rivers of this county once abounded with excellent fish. Alewives ascended the Piscataquis in immense quantities, and were dipped out and left to decay in heaps upon its banks, in mere wantonness.

Proposals to choose fish-wardens, and regulate the business were treated with ridicule. Salmon, too, ran up the main river, and its principal branches, affording rich supplies of fresh provisions to the early pioneers. The building of mills and dams has proved to be an obstruction, yet they were found below Fox croft dam as late as 1825. Now they are nearly unknown in this river. Trout of the largest size, and of the most delicious flavor, were found in its lakes. In Moosehead, the largest were caught, and in Sebec Lake and Hebron Pond some of good size and quality were usually taken; these are not yet exhausted.

Chapter V. Sales, Grants And Surveys

After the war of the Revolution, and the adoption of our National Constitution, both the National and State govern ments, were deeply in debt, as they now are. But the State of Massachusetts had a wide domain of unsettled lands, all in the district of Maine. To avoid oppressive taxation, the State government resolved to put these into the market, to raise a revenue from their sales, and to make them taxable. Commissioners had been appointed soon after the close of the war, to investigate the claims of settlers, and of other claimants ; and these earlier titles had been adjusted. The State adopted a " lottery scheme," selling tickets for a certain price, which would draw a proportionate amount of wild land, in some specified township. By this way large portions of eastern lands lying between Union River and the Prov ince line were disposed of.

This waked up a lively interest in wild land, and from 1785 to 1810, a smart land speculation was in full blast, in which the State won considerable profit. But it was soon found that this was crowding too much wild land upon the market, that settlers could not be found to occupy it, and then it wound up this method of disposing of it. A land office was established, but instead of a Land Agent, a Committee of three was appointed to conduct the business, and they sold townships, or small tracts, on certain established conditions. In each township sold, the purchasers were required to reserve four lots of three hundred and twenty acres each, of average quality and quantity, for publie uses ; to wit, one lot for the use and benefit of the State itself ; one, for the first minister of the gospel that the town after its incorporation would vote to settle as their minister ; one to produce a ministerial fund, the income to go for the annual support of the acting ministry in town ; and one for a school fund, the income of which should go for the support of common schools.