Waldo County, Maine Gen Web Site

Morrill, Maine

Establishment of the Town of Morrill, Maine

 Excerpted from “The History and Genealogy of the Town of Morrill, Maine” by Robinson, Morse, and White with permission of the Morrill Historical Society.

 Petition for a New Town – 1854

 For a long time there was a variance between the north part of Belmont and the south part, each accusing the other of unfairness in apportioning the town officers, and in assessing and collecting the taxes, and appropriations of the expenses, etc.  In 1854 a movement was made by the north part of the town to be set off from Belmont and incorporate a new town.  A petition was drawn up and signed by most of the voters of North Belmont.  A list of petitioners and signers is given on page 23 and 24 of the above referenced book.

 Petition Submitted – 1855

 The petition was presented to the Legislature at its 1855 session, and taken under consideration, and finally the north part of Belmont was set off and incorporated into a new town by the name of Morrill.

 The various sections of the Legislative Act to incorporate the new town of Morrill are given on pages 25 and 26 of the above mentioned book.

Homes of Morrill, Maine

 The Morrill Historical Society published in 1987, a 92 page booklet, “Homes of Morrill, Maine”.  The booklet contains many pictures of the old homes of Morrill.  The booklet also tries to list the builder and the families who have lived there as best as can be determined.

The 1805 Smith House

 Excerpted from a write-up of the Smith House provided by and posted with the permission of the Morrill Historical Society.

 The Smith House, built in 1805, is currently owned by the Morrill Historical Society and used as their museum.

 This little house has stood in the middle of Morrill, Maine for over 200 years but not always at the same location.  It was built by Matthew T. Merriam for his father-in-law, Benjamin Smith.

 Benjamin and Elsey (Woodman) Smith were amongst the earliest settlers of Greene Plantation, later Morrill named for Governor Anson P. Morrill in 1855, after a petition was signed to separate the town from Belmont.  Belmont gained its name being halfway between Belfast and Montville.

 In 1801, Benjamin Smith built a saw mill on the stream and a wooden dam.  This dam blew out, carried away a large bank, and made a new channel forming the island below the mills.  He later built a grist mill on this source of water power.  While the wilderness was being settled, his wife, Elsey and daughter, Abby struggled to help by cooking for the crew and tending to necessary, tedious chores of those days.

 According to the History of Morrill, Elsey encountered a bear while riding horseback to the settlement with provisions but she was a brave, stalwart woman and managed to frighten the bear away.  The pioneer ladies were made of fine mettle.

 The original buildings were situated on “Smith Pond” known now as the Morrill Mill Pond, but the present maps in Maine Atlas and Gazetteer lists it by its original name.  The Smith House was moved from its first site on the bank of the pond because the road was made wider and in order to save it from demolition, Charles White had it moved.

 Mr. White, who was instrumental in researching the genealogical history of Morrill along with Mrs. White, was a descendant of the early settlers and during his lifetime a charter member of the Morrill Society.

 About 1918, Mr. White hired Sam Heal to move the house onto his land where it stood for many years until he gave the building to the Morrill Society.  Mr. Heal with a  800-900 pound driving horse with planks, rolls, tackle blocks undertook the job and so the story goes, for the paltry sum of $25 moved it.  It took a week traveling along the side of the road so as not to hold up traffic.

 It was then moved again in 1981, just a few feet onto land owned by the Society.  This time members under the supervision of Harold Hayward who provided tackle blocks, jacks and his expertise accomplished the move in one day.  We hope it is on its final resting place!

 The picture of the original set of buildings with ell, shed and barn is hung over the mantel in the house.  It shows that the family had comfortable quarters and that they were able to raise ten children here in this first framed house in the town.  History records that Mr. Smith was a fine artisan doing about all the plastering and laid large chimneys in those early times.

 Mr. Smith opened his house for the first school which was taught by Ezra Woodman and Mary Lesan in 1808.  Any mail that was sent to early families was left at the Smith House and church meetings were held here too.  This was the hub of the “Smith’s Mills” as this settlement was known by that for many years.  He also gave land for the town for a cemetery when the first death occurred, namely Eliphalet Brown who was killed in 1804 at the early age of 18 years.

 This is a sketchy history of the events and the building of the Smith House but in the “History and Genealogy of the Town of Morrill, Maine” one can read the excellent records of the early times and the interesting genealogy that follows.

Contact

 For additional information on the above items please contact

Josephine Grady

Morrill Historical Society

Rt. 3, Box 585

Belfast, ME 04915