⏳ The Island Falls Historical Timeline
| ERA / YEAR | KEY EVENT OR MILESTONE | NOTABLE FIGURES |
| Early 1840s | First settlers arrive; David Sewall (age 17) arrives with his father. | David Sewall |
| 1859 | Capt. Daniel Randall arrives from NC; brings Masonic roots to the area. | Daniel Randall |
| 1862 | Randall elected as the town’s first Legislative Representative. | Daniel Randall |
| 1863 | Leverett Peters arrives; later listed as a stage driver and “Artist.” | Leverett Peters |
| 1872–1874 | Randall secures state funds for the first Free High School. | Daniel Randall |
| 1893 | The B&A Railroad arrives; Crabtree opens the first drugstore. | Samuel Crabtree, Dr. Bigelow |
| 1899 | Samuel Howard begins manufacturing his famous handmade axes. | Samuel Howard |
| 1901 | Island Falls Lodge #206 is officially formed. | Donham, Crabtree, Pride |
| 1906 | Peak Axe Production: 300 dozen handmade axes sold in one season. | Samuel Howard |
| 1920s | Sheriff Hillman disappears during the “Rum-Runner” mystery. | Harold Hillman |
| 1928 | Fleetwood Pride expands operations to Upper Abbot at age 64. | Fleetwood Pride |
| 1930s | Eleanor Roosevelt visits IF; Electrical Company developed. | George Donham |
| 1960 | Death of Fleetwood Pride (age 96), ending a legendary lumber career. | Fleetwood Pride |
| 2024 | Island Falls gains national mention for the Solar Eclipse. | The Community |
Towns have histories. Many towns make headlines for either good things or bad, and Island Falls, through the years, has certainly had its share. In the early days, the headlines centered on the activities at the Tannery. There were record numbers of hides coming in and record numbers being shipped! At one time known as the “world’s largest in output,” 12,000 hides were processed in a single day.
Imagine the work behind all that!
A young man who came to Island Falls to get in on the lumbering boom ended up being elected governor of the state. He hit the headlines again when he chose to donate his former home for a hospital. Whenever he spoke publicly, Carl Milliken always noted that he was from Island Falls.
Speaking of headlines, when Sheriff Harold Hillman disappeared while out on a search for reported rum-runners—a mystery that was never solved.
Eleanor Roosevelt stopped in Island Falls while on an auto tour of the state. Much more recently, Island Falls was the center of a solar eclipse. While the headlines might not have been quite as large, we did receive a mention in a nationally known almanac, and many folks came to town because of it.
Our Bill Sewall and Teddy Roosevelt stories bring us renown, but a little-known claim to fame is that the invention of the thermostat can be traced back to a young man working in one of our mills.
But really, what does it take to make these headlines—to become a place where these things happen?
Of course, it is the people.
Over the remainder of this time, I will speak of some of those people—those who have been part of the history of this lodge and the community in which it has survived since 1901. Some of these names endure to this day, while others are long gone; however, in ways both large and small, they contributed to the town and the organization.
Two men were your first Masons here in Island Falls. Captain Daniel Randall came from the Portland area after more than 25 years at sea. Who knows why, but when he arrived in 1859, he was already of the Masonic order, having joined in North Carolina while residing there. He joined the Patten Lodge and, along with a very young David Sewall, met with them for a number of years. This man was large in every way; weighing over 350 pounds and standing 6’3”, he was said to be healthy and powerful. He inserted himself into many aspects of town work, serving as Island Falls’ first legislative representative, elected in 1862 and again in 1872, 1873, and 1874. During that time, he was responsible for gaining state funds for a free high school term—the first year such monies were available—and for securing a 16-acre grant for a town cemetery. He served as an Aroostook County sheriff for five years, sat on the superintending school committee, and his name can be found on documents regarding lumbering, farming, construction, and town government in general. The Daniel Randall Chapter of Royal Arch Masons bears his name, as does the bridge across the Mattawamkeag River on Patten Road.
David Sewall, who was 17 when his father and others settled here in the early 1840s, also joined the Patten Lodge and encouraged others to make the trip to become Masons. His work was also a great part of the town’s growth. He served on the school committee for many years and was one of the committee members for the building of the original high school. The Sewall men all worked in some aspect of lumbering, but David was deeply involved in town politics, serving as a tax agent, an election official, a church warden, and a selectman, while chairing many committees.
These two men began the list of those within the Order who grew the town. Looking at the first 20-year history of the Island Falls Lodge, there is a list of the men who signed the petition in 1901 to form Island Falls Lodge #206. Each was a member of the town, contributing their work and time in a variety of ways.
George Donham had a long history of involvement in town affairs. His 57 years as town clerk must be a record far and wide. He was also an editor of newspapers in three towns, a supervisor of schools for nine years, and involved in the development of the Island Falls Electrical Company in the 1930s. A renowned musician in both instrument and voice, he was known for a giant work ethic. Farming on land about a mile from town, he walked in daily for the mail, performed the duties necessary for his varied roles, and returned home at night to perform farm chores. As a Mason, he was involved in the planning, funding, and construction of the physical building that houses the Lodge. He served in many offices within the organization and was the first Worthy Patron for the Loyal Chapter of the Eastern Star. He held the Boston Post Cane as the oldest citizen for many years and was famously quoted as saying long after his 80th birthday that “at some point, he might have to use it.”
Leverett Peters, a photographer, came to Island Falls from Patten in 1863. While in Patten, he had worked as a stage driver, and there is a bill presented to Paul Peavey for work that lists carpentry and masonry tasks performed by him. He traveled far and wide for his photography work, and in the 1870 census, he listed his occupation as “artist.” His son, Mark, followed this occupation and also traveled extensively, with his journeys taking him as far away as Los Angeles.
Frank Mooney served as the station agent for the B&A Railroad for 26 years. His wife ran a boarding home during this time; in one census, there are 36 names listed at the residence. George Sleeper was a dentist, while John Marr was a retail manager and business owner.
Fleetwood Pride’s story is a long one. Reading his autobiography takes one back to a time when 10-year-old boys went to work. At that young age, he went to work on the St. John River 18 miles from home, hitching logs for $14 a month plus board. At 13, he was working in the Glazier Boom, knocking wedges out of rafts that had been used to hitch logs together. At 17, and for many years following, he worked river drives on the West Branch. His years in Island Falls began with his marriage to the widow of Will Dow, a nephew and close friend of Bill Sewall. At age 35, with six children in a blended family, he was involved in building and managing sawmills from Ashland to Brownville. In 1928, at age 64, he purchased water rights, five houses, and 100 acres of land in Upper Abbot, where he built a last-block mill that he operated for many years. At the age of 89, he turned much of his business over to his son and retired to Abbot, where he died at age 96 in 1960. Reading his autobiography, it is hard to believe this man had the time or energy to support much outside of his daily work, but he is listed as one of the original supporters of the Island Falls Masonic Lodge. The book is well worth reading.
Dr. Frederick Bigelow practiced here from 1893 until his death in 1920. In a time when physicians traveled to the ill, his wife wrote in a journal of the many hours he was away. He was known to travel far and wide to serve the needs of the area. One tale tells of Patten men hauling him by hand-sled to Sherman for an emergency medical need.
Harry Trueworthy ran a grocery and grain business. He had the first telephone in town in his building (the one we know as Varney’s Store) and served as the first telephone operator.
Several early Masons were Civil War veterans. Cyrus Penney, who was not a citizen here for very long, was nevertheless one of the early members of the Lodge. Perhaps he came as a seeker of a quieter life, as land was being made available to those who had served. John Thorn was a citizen who had been a stage driver for the postal service between Patten and Island Falls. He served in the war and came home. Those of that name were part of the town for decades into the 21st century, conducting business and holding office.
Howard axes are well-known in this area. Samuel Howard began his business in 1899 and grew it as orders came in. In March of 1906, it was reported that the company had manufactured and sold over 300 dozen axes during the season and had large orders ahead for delivery in the fall. These were handmade axes!
Samuel Crabtree’s legacy to the town endures even today. Coming to Island Falls from pharmacy school in Philadelphia in 1893, he established a drugstore, originally on this very lot. This was the same year the B&A Railroad came to town. He also ran an insurance business and was president of a grocery and drug company in Oakfield. He served many years as a member of the board of KTCO and as superintendent of Island Falls Public Schools, where he was a great influence in establishing the grades and high school—both as educational units and in the construction of the buildings housing them. He was the secretary of the Republican County Committee and a legislator for two terms. He held the position of secretary for the Congregational Church for many years and served as Sunday School superintendent for 28 years. He was on the original committee for the formation of the lodge and served as its treasurer for many years.
Benjamin C. Walker was also a great part of the early development of both the town and the lodge. Though not on the original committee, it is written that once he became a member, he was known for encouraging many others to join. The Walkers were all involved in business and work for the town. Involved in lumbering, retail, organizations, and town politics, the Walker name appears frequently in history since the early 20th century.
My point in bringing these men to your notice is this: we must know our history to appreciate our present. Here is the lodge, 113 years since it was just an idea from men who appreciated that daily labor is not all it takes to build a town. Fellowship with others is necessary; a structure with a purpose is the better way for that fellowship to occur. With the work that the Masons of history are known for, establishing a lodge was an excellent way to achieve that purpose.
All of these men worked. They did it in a time of lengthy days and no time clocks. They had no instant communication and no speedy transportation, yet they made time for this organization and many others. We often use the excuse of having “no time.” But shouldn’t we establish that the best use of our time is that which benefits others and the place where we live?