Editing Amherst, Maine (section)

==Historical references==

From ''The New England Gazetteer: Containing Descriptions of the States, Counties ...'' by John Hayward. Published 1857, O Clapp:<ref>{{Cite web |title=The New England gazetteer : containing descriptions of the states, counties, cities and towns in New England; also, descriptions of the principal mountains, ... |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x000403591?urlappend=%3Bseq=13 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=HathiTrust | hdl=2027/uva.x000403591?urlappend=%3Bseq=13 |language=en}}</ref> 
:Amherst, ME., Hancock Co.
:This town is bounded on the S. by Mariaville.
:The head waters of Union River pass through it.
:It lies {{convert|22|mi|km}} N. of Ellsworth, and {{convert|22|mi|km}} E. of Bangor, on the road to Calais.
:It has a Congregational Church and one large tannery.
:This is a good farming town.

From ''A Survey of Hancock County, Maine'' by Samuel Wasson, Pub. 1878, Sprague, Owen & Nash:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wasson |first=Samuel |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/217120725.pdf |title=Survey of Hancock County, Maine |date=1878 |publisher=Owen & Nash |publication-date=1878 |pages=68 (70), 23 (25) |language=en |lccn=09002129 |oclc=12708027}}</ref>

:Amherst. This town, like Aurora, is a {{convert|6|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} square. It is {{convert|22|mi|km}} N.N.E. of Ellsworth. It is highly favored in respect to water power. It has one saw, one clapboard, one grist, two shingle mills, and a large tannery. Union River divides the town. East of it is good orchard land. West of the river, excepting the interval, the soil is granitic and the surfaces hilly. Near the 'corner' is a high ledge, some acres in extent, of a peculiar formation. Rev. Mr. Loring writes, that among its minerals are 'sulphuret of iron, crystals of quartz, slate and granite.' The high ledge we supposed to be porphyry, containing crystals of iron pyrites and compact feldspar. In the improvement of its stock, Amherst stands unrivaled; and this is due mainly to the energy and enterprise of A. B. Buzzell. Mr Buzzell has employed a mule team for years. The endurance of mules is wonderful; treated to cheap fare, and constant labor, yet rarely disabled or chargeable with lost time. It would be of mutual advantage to Amherst and Aurora, to put up a cheese factory at the 'corner.' Both towns have entered the cycle of years when farming is to be a paying pursuit. The hides used in the sole-leather tannery of Buzzell & Sons, are principally from South America and Mexico. It was set off from the plantation of Mariaville, in 1822, and incorporated on February 5, 1831. Its name was suggested from Amherst, N.H. It is thought that men began to come in and fell trees in it as early as 1802 or 1803. Among the first that came were Mr. Chapman, Mr. Shumway, Mr. Whitman, John Barker, John Giles, Thomas Harpworth and Mr. Graves. In 1805 Capt. Goodell Silsby came in from Charleton, N.H. In 1806 or 1807 his parents came and took up the lots now known as 'The Old Silsby Place.' The only meeting-house was erected in 1844. Three men, one living in Amherst and two in Aurora, built it. The first settlers endured many hardships. Some came into Ellsworth, in a vessel, and from that point found their way hither by following a spotted line on the trees. Some carried their grain {{convert|12|mi|km|spell=in}} on their backs to grist mill, and then home again. This is the 26th town. Population, 350. Decennary loss, 34. Wealth, per capita, $165. Area {{convert|23040|acre|km2}}. State valuation, $57, 276. U.S. valuation, $82,477. Union soldiers, 43; State aid, $522; town bounty, $5,300; cost per man, $142.