CHAPTER IV

About 1779, Massachusetts was divided into the District of Maine and the District of Massachusetts; thereby our beloved state became the District of Maine. Still a part of that state having the same General Court. The first Representative from Palermo to the Massachusetts Legislature or General Court, held at Boston, was Daniel Sanford, senior, elected in 1809 and reelected in 1811.

January 23, 1816, the inhabitants of Palermo met at John Clark's dwelling house and voted to petition the Legislature at its present session for the immediate separation of the District of Maine from Massachusetts, and form a separate and independent state.

September 2nd 1816 they were called to meet and vote on the question "Is it expedient that the District of Maine shall be separated from Massachusetts and become an independent state."* Also to choose a delegate to meet at the old meeting house near the college in Brunswick, in the District of Maine, agreeable to an act of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, passed June A. D. 1816. The vote declared seventy-eight in favor of, and twenty opposed to the separation. At this convention they fell short of success. May 3, 1811, a petition to the General Court was laid before the town asking for their approval and signature and the selectmen were instructed to sign it in behalf of the town. And many towns joined in the same prayer. July 26, 1819 the voters were again warned to meet at John Clark's dwelling house to vote again on the same question. This time there were one hundred and two votes in favor of the separation and only six opposed, and the District of Maine was carried by a large majority.

Sept. 20, 1819, a meeting was called to choose a delegate to meet in Convention at Portland on the second Monday in October to form a Constitution or frame of government for said new state. Thomas Eastman was chosen and delegates met as above and adopted a constitution. Again the voters of Palermo was warned to meet at the Centre school house on the first Monday in December to give in their written votes expressing their approval or disapproval of the Constitution. The result was a unanimous vote in favor of the Constitution. Their prayer was answered to the joy of the people. Then Congress was asked that the State of 'Maine be admitted to the Union, which was granted March 3, 1820.

December 27, 1820 the question arose Shall this county of Lincoln be divided and form a new county. The answer was, No! While other towns contended for a new county, Aug. 12, 1826, Palermo voted to remonstrate against the proposed Dew county of Waldo and petitioned to be annexed to the county of Kennebec. Feb. 7, 1827 the county of Waldo was incorporated and named for Gen. Samuel Waldo. Still determined against the new county a meeting was called February 23, 1827 to see If they would rote to petition the Legislature to be set off from the new county of Waldo and be annexed to the county of Lincoln, Kennebec or Penobscot. They voted unanimously to petition to be set off into the county of Kennebec, and that this vote be published in the Kennebec Gazette and in the Lincoln Intelligencer which were the two papers taken In those early days.

In 1847 our mail bore the first U. S. postage stamps, being of the five and ten cents denomination. September 23, 1815 a heavy gale of wind swept over the place doing much damage to property.

November 30th, 1811 a severe earthquake was felt through New England.

*See Palermo records, volume 1st, page 236.