Two hundred years ago, in July 1819, Constable Benjamin Goodrich received a directive from the selectmen of Bingham ordering him to notify the town's qualified voters of a meeting to vote on the separation of Maine from Massachusetts. The text of their notice follows: To Benjamin Goodridge Constable of the Town of Bingham, Greetings: You … Continue reading Bingham’s 1819 Vote for Statehood
Bingham
The Tragic Death of Milford Baker
On May 1, 1933, Bingham and Moscow lost a favorite son in a tragic accident at the foot of Wyman Dam. Beloved local photographer Milford Baker was fishing with friends Vernard (Bunny) Pierce, Harry LaPointe, and Phillip Collette at the salmon pool below the dam, when their rowboat was caught in a whirlpool and dragged … Continue reading The Tragic Death of Milford Baker
Men Who Worked on the Canada Road in 1819
Is your ancestor on this list of men who worked to build the Old Canada Road in 1819?
Lois Baker and Clarence Dutton
Lois Baker was born in Moscow on February 24, 1896, the first child and only daughter of Elmer and Nettie (Haynes) Baker, who lived on the old Baker farm on the Messer Road. Her brothers were Milford, the well-known local photographer, and Gregory, a forester who taught at the University of Maine. Lois grew up … Continue reading Lois Baker and Clarence Dutton
The Wood / Houghton / Doe Farm – An Old Landmark Gone
Last week the landscape on the south end of Bingham village changed with the demolition of the old Doe Farm. It was a building with a long history, on land first occupied by Ephraim Wood and his descendants, and soon the town will enjoy the convenience of a new gasoline station at this location. This … Continue reading The Wood / Houghton / Doe Farm – An Old Landmark Gone
Gov. William King’s Claim to Bingham’s Big Island
In the winter and spring of 1825, there was a quiet tussle over the ownership of the big island in the Kennebec River, located between Bingham and Concord. Col. John Black, agent for the Trustees of the Estate of William Bingham, traveled there to try to close a sale with three settlers who had been … Continue reading Gov. William King’s Claim to Bingham’s Big Island
John and Solomon Berry – Early Settlers at Flagstaff, Maine
At the time of William Bingham's Kennebec Purchase, the Million Acres included Township No. 4 in the 4th Range West of the Kennebec River - Flagstaff, now in Franklin County. Bingham's Estate records contain valuable information about early settlers in each of their townships. Of relevance here are John and Solomon Berry, among the first … Continue reading John and Solomon Berry – Early Settlers at Flagstaff, Maine
