Happy 200th Birthday Sangerville

HAPPY 200th BIRTHDAY SANGERVILLE

Maxim known for machine gun, but not as well for other inventions

The Tale of the Two Knights

Courtesy of
the Sangerville Public Library

    On a small hill overlooking Dexter’s Lake Wassookeag on a June day in 1890, a gathering of townspeople watched history in the making as bullets whizzed into the lake waters at a rate of 666 per minute.
    From that location, about 10 miles from his Sangerville home, Sir Hiram Maxim’s gun entered the battlefields of World War I, and later the Russo-Japanese War, World War II, and even the battlefields of Korea and Vietnam.
    Born on Feb. 5, 1940 in a less-than-modest home on a small knoll overlooking a stream, Hiram Maxim tended sheep throughout the summer months.

Photo courtesy of Kathy Willey

    MAXIM MONUMENT — Pictured is a monument marking the Sangerville birthplace of Sir Hiram Maxim. The site was spruced up by Kathy and Jeff Willey.

    At the age of 14, he was apprenticed to Daniel Sweat, an East Corinth carriage maker who had recently returned to Sangerville. Hiram went to work for Mr. Sweat in Abbot and it was there that he perfected his first invention — an automatic mousetrap that soon rid the Abbot grist mill of mice.
    Shortly afterward, Maxim traveled through Canada, New England, and New York state where he met Spencer D. Schuyler, founder of the United States Electric Lighting Co.
    Schuyler hired Maxim as his chief engineer and soon the former sheep-tender was busy working on dynamos, arc lamps and other electrical devices.
    In an impressive list of 271 patents filed, Maxim invented a prototype of a curling iron, an apparatus for demagnetizing watches, magno-electric machines, devices to prevent the rolling of ships, eyelet and riveting machines, aircraft artillery, a flying machine, smokeless powder, an aerial torpedo gun, coffee substitutes; and various oil, steam and gas engines.
    In 1881, Hiram Maxim went to Europe to attend the Electric Exhibition at Paris where he was decorated by the French Government for his work with electricity. Two years later, he began work on his first automatic gun.
    When it was publicly announced that an American electrical engineer had produced a gun that would load and fire by simply touching a button, the report was rebuked and labeled incredulous. When Maxim offered his invention to the U.S. War Department, they refused it, deeming it unworthy by U.S. military standards.
    Maxim returned to England and was soon visited in his workshop by English royalty. A demonstration followed, and his automatic weapon was ordered for Her Majesty’s Royal Forces. The Maxim Gun Co. was quickly formed and later merged with Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Co. of England.
    In 1900, Maxim became a naturalized British subject and was knighted the following year by Queen Victoria. Hiram infrequently returned to America, and it was on one of these rare visits that he traveled to the site of his birthplace in Brockway Mills.  This particular visit coincided with Sangerville’s Centennial held June 13, 1914. In the spring of 1914, the Sangerville Woman’s Club erected a sign on the lawn of the town hall attesting Sangerville as the birthplace of Sir Hiram Maxim.
    Nearly three decades later, the original sign was replaced by one proclaiming that Sir Harry Oakes was also a Sangerville native who was knighted by the English Realm. Hence, Sangerville became known as the Town of Two Knights.
    Sir Hiram Maxim died in his adopted homeland at Streathan on Nov. 24, 1916 at 77.

Oakes’ successful and colorful life ended in tragedy

Courtesy of
the Sangerville Public Library

    Sir Harry Oakes, born Dec. 23, 1874 to Edith and William-Pitt Oakes of Sangerville, was the third of five children. The Oakes family had lived in Sangerville since at least 1808, but in the 1880s William Oakes moved to Foxcroft so his sons could attend Foxcroft Academy, reportedly the best high school in the country at that time.
    Harry was 23 years old when he set out on a 16-year journey which took him to Australia, Africa, the Yukon, California, Central America and Canada.
    During his college years, he predicted to a classmate that he would become a millionaire and die a violent death “with his boots on.” He did both.
    Oakes became a multimillionaire and as he foretold, died a violent death.
    Oakes’ quest for wealth began in the Yukon where he chipped rock at temperatures which plunged to 60 degrees below zero, even though the gold rush there was coming to a close. In the late 1800s, Oakes spent a year working as a medical assistant treating frostbite cases. By 1906 he found himself shipwrecked off the coast of Alaska, and was taken prisoner briefly by the Russians before being allowed to return to Alaska.  Working as a deck hand, Oakes embarked for Australia, where he was once again disappointed in his search for gold. Further failures awaited him in New Zealand and California, the latter in which he nearly died of heat stroke.
    In June of 1911, he traveled to Ontario where he received a new miner’s license. 
    Within eight years, Oakes was the richest man in Canada, where his Lake Shore Mine at Kirkland was second only in wealth to the Homestead Mine in the Black Hills of the Dakotas. After years of struggling to survive, Oakes was now earning an estimated $60,000 a day.
    Oakes celebrated his new-found wealth by enjoying a world cruise during which he met a shy, unassuming woman named Eunice Macintyre, the daughter of a government official. Eunice was six inches taller than Oakes and 26 years younger. The couple married and returned to Ontario where the following year, Harry renounced his American citizenship for business reasons.
    He became a naturalized Canadian, but Oakes and his bride sought refuge at Nassau, a Caribbean Island where he would not be required to pay taxes. There, he built a waterworks, a golf course, set up a bus service for the natives, an airplane service for emergency illnesses, a free milk program for children and a fund for unwed mothers. To this he added a gift of $400,000 to St. George’s Hospital in London. In 1939, King George VI rewarded him by bestowing upon him the title of Baron.
    Oakes’ good fortune came to an abrupt end on a rainy night in July 1943 while Oakes’ wife and four of their five children were vacationing at their summer home in Bar Harbor.
    His close friend Harold Christie, who was later declared to be the perpetrator, told authorities that when he went to wake Oakes at his Nassau estate, he discovered that his skull had been shattered by four blows behind the ear. The body had been partially destroyed by fire, very likely to disguise the true nature of the crime which still remains a “cold case.”
    Harry Oakes left a personal fortune valued at slightly under $12 million, not including his shares in the Lake Shore Mine, or the worth of his numerous houses.
    There is also still the lingering mystery of who murdered Harry Oakes. The official autopsy declared Oakes was killed by a blow to the head, although some insist that Oakes was shot to death.
    That detail lies with the remains of Harry Oakes in the millionaire’s crypt in the East Dover Cemetery.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    PATRIOTIC WELCOME — Jere Starbird, left, and Chuck Beane install red, white and blue bunting over the town office entrance in time for the Bicentennial.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    FINISHING TOUCHES — Volunteers finish installing the bunting on the town office railing. Pictured, from left, are Town Manager Dave Pearson, Ron Smith and Gerald “Chummy” Jackson.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    FLOWER POWER — The flower bed in the town office parking lot was weeded and spruced up by these ladies. From left, Jane Boutlier, Kathy Willey, Regina Jackson, Pam Smith and Kathy Starbird.

Bicentennial has fun for the whole family

    SANGERVILLE — The Sangerville Bicentennial Celebration gets under way on the weekend of June 13-14 with something for the whole family to enjoy.
    Here are some updates and important notices from the Bicentennial Committee.
• Notice to Vendors: Food and craft vendors need to set up before 9 a.m. The road will be closed due to the parade and celebration.
    That portion of the roadway will not re-open until 4:30 p.m. You will not be able to enter specified vendor areas, with vehicles, after 9 a.m.
• The boat launch at the Veterans Memorial Field will be closed on June 13-14-15 due to fireworks set up.
• Due to insufficient town parking and blocked off roads, we are requesting that all Bicentennial attendees park in designated areas.
    Please provide your own chairs for our party events as seating is limited!
    There will be free shuttle bus service beginning at 8 a.m. near Veteran’s Memorial Recreational Field.
• There will be a $500 Grange Float Challenge for the best entry from a Grange.
• “Elvis” EP Rock will be performing live on stage at noon; sponsored by Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union.
• T-shirts for the Sangerville Bicentennial will be available for purchase at “Marty’s Diner.”
• The Ames Family as well as Sir Hiram Maxim descendants will be attending our celebration.
• There will be a cruise in/car show at noon at the Abbie Fowler School parking lot.
• A bicycle decorating contest will be at the Abner Wade Masonic Hall parking lot. Judging will take place at 8:30 a.m. and ribbons will be awarded to winners and other participants.
• A commemorative celebratory wooden cake, created by Piscataquis Community Secondary School woodworking students, will be on display as a background for photos.
• Distinguished state and federal dignitaries will participate in our 50 unit parade.
• We will have an art walk and silent auction. Art work has been created by PCSS students and will be available for purchase in a silent auction. The art displays are all Sangerville-related.
• Sangerville poems have been written by students at PCSS and prizes will be awarded.
• Bands:  Monson Jammers, Resistance and Palpitations will perform.
• Fireworks grand finale at Veteran’s Memorial Recreational Field at 9 p.m.

Sangerville Bicentennial Food Vendors

Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union
8 a.m., Center of Town: “Marty’s Diner” breakfast sandwiches, donuts, coffee, juice (Bicentennial T-Shirts on sale) all to benefit Maine Credit Union Campaign for Ending Hunger
Sangerville Historical Society
11 a.m., Town Office: Ice cream cones and sundaes (Don’t forget to sign up for the commemorative Bicentennial Book)
Friends of Sangerville Fire Department
11 a.m., Fire Station: Chicken barbeque, roll, Coke, coleslaw, chips
PCSS – Class of 2015
11:30 a.m., Town Office: Pizza, Pepsi
Abner Wade Masonic Lodge
11:30 a.m., Town Office: Hamburgers, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, water
Rhubarb Desserts
Noon, Town Office: Rhubarb desserts from contest will be available for donation to benefit Maine Senior FarmShare Program.
East Sangerville Grange
Noon, Town Office: Famous ESG fancy desserts & fine coffee, rhubarb desserts
Sangerville Public Library
Noon, Library: Candy bars
Pirate Rec
4:30 p.m., Veterans Memorial Recreational Field: Hamburgers and hot dogs

Rhubarb dessert contest at town hall Friday

    It’s a quest for the best rhubarb desserts in Sangerville, the Town of Two Knights!
    This is all part of the Bicentennial Celebration.
    Anything made from rhubarb – pies, cakes, cobblers, crunches, crisps, cookies, muffins, breads or tortes – will do.
    This is pretty much like an apple pie contest at the county fair. According to the contest rules, entries can be made for three categories: pie, cake or dessert.
    Folks can enter all three categories and are limited to two entries per category. But every entry must contain some form of rhubarb.
    Judging will take place on Friday, June 13. All entries must be dropped off at the Sangerville town hall in disposable containers by noon on June 13.
    Points are being awarded as follows: the use of rhubarb — 20 points; flavor — 20 points; appearance/presentation — 20 points; consistency — 20 points; texture — 20 points.
    An extra 20 points will be awarded for Sangerville heirloom recipes!
    Winners will be announced around noon on Saturday, June 14 during the bicentennial celebration.
    This event is sponsored by the East Sangerville Grange, who will also be manning a fine coffee and fancy desserts booth starting at noon on Saturday.
    Leftover rhubarb contest entries will be offered for donations to Maine Senior FarmShare Program at Stutzman’s Farm.
    Maine Senior FarmShare furnishes participants with $50 worth of fresh local produce for an eight-week period during the growing season.
    Age and income eligibility guidelines apply and the program is sponsored by Eastern Area Agency on Aging (877-353-3771).
    For more information about the rhubarb contest, pick up a brochure and entry form at the Sangerville town office or contact Cynthia Hall at 564-7717.