Newport
Maine
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Town of Newport
History :
In 1792 Ephriam Ballard and Samuel Weston surveyed 23,000 acres of what is now called Newport. At the time of the survey the area was part of Lincoln County and called East Pond Plantation. In 1795, John Hubbard of Readfield purchased what later became the entire township. In 1800 the township was sold to David Greene of Boston for $5,635. The deed which changed the ownership from Hubbard to Greene also set up funds for a church and a school. Four lots, 230 acres each, were to be reserved as follows:
"...one lot for the first settled minister, his heirs and assigns; one lot for the use of the ministry; one lot for the use of schools; and one lot for future disposition of the General Court."
Before its settlement, the township was a great hunting and fishing area. Prior to 1800, trappers supposedly spent a great deal of their season in the area. The first settler, John Houstin, came from Fairfield, Maine in 1800. He built a log cabin on Birch Point. Later he built a camp for trapping near the junction of Martin Stream and the East Branch of the Sebasticook River. Although he died in the neighboring town of Palmyra in 1817, he was buried near his camp on Martin Stream.
In the summer of 1804 Deacon John Ireland, his wife, Sarah, son Daniel, his brother Joseph, came from Bloomfield (now known as Skowhegan). They settled on what is now known as the Clark's Hill Road (Russell Road) in North Newport. They were the first permanent settlers of the Town. Elam Pratt and Nathaniel Burrill followed some time later.
By 1808, as others arrived they settled in the Mill District (the village). The village, located at the outlet of Great East Pond (Lake Sebasticook), was settled by Esquire Benjamin Shaw and Iphidiah Ring. Ring cleared the highest elevation in the town (a hill outside the village known as Libby Hill.). Squire Shaw purchased all the land between the pond (Lake Sebasticook) and the present Main Street, and from the river (the East Branch of the Sebasticook River) to the present West Street. Squire Shaw built the first frame house, a part of the double tenement which may be seen today at the head of Shaw Street, on North Street. Today it is used as a warehouse.
In 1792 Ephriam Ballard and Samuel Weston surveyed 23,000 acres of what is now called Newport. At the time of the survey the area was part of Lincoln County and called East Pond Plantation. In 1795, John Hubbard of Readfield purchased what later became the entire township. In 1800 the township was sold to David Greene of Boston for $5,635. The deed which changed the ownership from Hubbard to Greene also set up funds for a church and a school. Four lots, 230 acres each, were to be reserved as follows:
"...one lot for the first settled minister, his heirs and assigns; one lot for the use of the ministry; one lot for the use of schools; and one lot for future disposition of the General Court."
Before its settlement, the township was a great hunting and fishing area. Prior to 1800, trappers supposedly spent a great deal of their season in the area. The first settler, John Houstin, came from Fairfield, Maine in 1800. He built a log cabin on Birch Point. Later he built a camp for trapping near the junction of Martin Stream and the East Branch of the Sebasticook River. Although he died in the neighboring town of Palmyra in 1817, he was buried near his camp on Martin Stream.
In the summer of 1804 Deacon John Ireland, his wife, Sarah, son Daniel, his brother Joseph, came from Bloomfield (now known as Skowhegan). They settled on what is now known as the Clark's Hill Road (Russell Road) in North Newport. They were the first permanent settlers of the Town. Elam Pratt and Nathaniel Burrill followed some time later.
By 1808, as others arrived they settled in the Mill District (the village). The village, located at the outlet of Great East Pond (Lake Sebasticook), was settled by Esquire Benjamin Shaw and Iphidiah Ring. Ring cleared the highest elevation in the town (a hill outside the village known as Libby Hill.). Squire Shaw purchased all the land between the pond (Lake Sebasticook) and the present Main Street, and from the river (the East Branch of the Sebasticook River) to the present West Street. Squire Shaw built the first frame house, a part of the double tenement which may be seen today at the head of Shaw Street, on North Street. Today it is used as a warehouse.