Acre Lot Sebasco, Phippsburg, Maine
Last winter I, received a phone call from my son Chris. I said that he volunteered me to see if I could find some graves that were believed to be buried there. He told me that at one time, someone put a barb wire fence around the graves and they were hoping that I could find a trace of the wire using my metal detector. Now I love exploring with my metal detector, so I agreed to do it.
After i arrived back in Maine, for the summer, I went to the Cemetery Committee meeting and got some info on Acre Lot, which I had never heard of. Now according to the info i got, there were 9 homes down there on Acre Lot. They had given me pictures of some of the families and their relatives that were living there. This was a big Help. They also gave me a layout of the houses that was located on the site. The more I dug into this subject the more it peaked my interest. This turned out to be a great project. The more I learned about the people who lived on Acre Lot, the more I wanted to know.
On 08/19/2019 I interviewed Gareth Anderson, Living in Harpswell on info about Acre Lot and this is one of the stories he told me about his Grandfather.
His Grandfather, Charles Anderson (1862 – 1936) was born in Scotland. When he was 12 years old, he and 2 other boys his age, joined the Royal Navy on a Training ship. They were abused by the ship’s staff so bad that when the Ship Anchored at New York Harbor, all three boys jumped ship and hid for three days eating out of garbage cans and waiting for the ship to leave port. By this time the boys were 14 years old. Making their way to Norfolk, Va., Charles signed on a ship going to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The ship was taking supplies to Nova Scotia and on the way back was shipped wrecked in Maine. He met William Alexander of Cundy’s Harbor and signed on with him. At age 26 he married Una Villa Wallace and they had a baby Bessie Anderson.
I also was able to confirm some of the graves at Acre Lot:
Baby born to Nan and Augustus Davis is Buried at Acre Lot.
Baby of Don Wallace (Who was Don Wallace and who was his wife ?)
Joseph and Abby Perry’s daughter Florence, She was 5 years old, when she died sitting in mother’s lap. (picture of Florence in Volume I page 56 of Sebasco Village by Gloria Gray).
Edward Wally Wallace (1857 – 1933) (Vma’s Brother) was buried without coffin
Elsie Lowell Wallace
Newall Davis
Levi Wallace
Jane Lowell Wallace
Mary Wallace, who was wife of Frank Wallace of Ashdale.
Baby of Abby Perry (Could this be Adeline?)
Houses on Acre Lot:
9 houses were erected on Acre Lot.
Edward Wally Wallace (1857 – 1933) and Dorothy (Dolly) Harford (1864 – 1941)
Percival F. Wallace (1903 – 1991) and Leola May Hallett (1922 – 1989)
Charles Absolom Anderson (1901 – 1991) and Esther Isbelle Wallace (1925 – 2005) House was built during WWII
Theodore Roosevelt Anderson (1906 – 1994) and Althea Louise Alexander (1916 – 1987) House was built in1950’s Theodore took his 1st house apart and moved it to Cundy’s Harbor. He sold this house and moved back to Acre Lot and built a 2nd house in 1954 or 1955. After Theodore passed in 1994 his house was moved intact and floated to West Point. Only the roof showed above the ocean. This house was built on top of the Ledge. Althea was his first wife and they had 2 sons, Theodore Livingston and Virgel Conrad. His second wife was Cora Fay Douglas and they had 2 Children, Theodore Wallace and Villa Marion.
On 09/03/2019 I went down to Acre Lot and found the Ledge where Theodore and Althea house was located on the Ledge. Using the picture that was confirmed to be their house. GPS Coordinates are 43.77781, – 6986801.
This house was Located in the southeast quadrant of Acre Lot located 24 feet above the road on Ledge.
On 09/04/2019 I went to this house site with my metal detector and found old wood stove parts located about 12 inches beneath the surface. I found about 8 pieces of cast iron stove parts. This confirms to me that this was the location of his home.
This is the location of Theodore and Althea house Site
Found items from Theodore and Althea’s house site
Edmund Augustus Davis (1853 – 1932) and Nancy Ann Wallace (1855 – 1945)
Lester Leroy Anderson (1887 – 1937) and Lay L. Proctor (1879 – 1966)
Absalom Wallace (1829 – 1900) and Jane Ann Lowell (1831 – 1909)
Charles Anderson (1862 – 1936) and Una Villa Wallace (1870 – 1963) Next to live in this house was John Jack Anderson (1893 – 1992)
Picture of Una villa Wallace(1870 – 1963), with her cat, the wife of Charles Anderson. Notice Theodore Anderson’s house up on ledge in background. To the left of Theodore’s house is Charles Absolom Anderson’s house.
08-27-2019
I met with Carol Black Brown and Josephine York, on the subject of Acre Lot.
We talked about the placement of the Houses on Acre Lot and used pictures in, The book Sebasco Village volume I supplied a lot of Pictures and also a couple Pictures that Carol Brown had and came up with the following info:
First of all we came up with a total of three houses were up on top of the ledge.
Percival and Leola Wallace’s house. Next to live in this house was Gerald Manfred Wallace and Sheila Nellie Wallace.
Charles and Esther Wallace’s house, which was built by Freeland G. Anderson. According to Gareth Anderson this house was built during WW II. After Finding the location of the house of Theodore Anderson, Using a picture that we came across showed 2 houses on the ledge. I took my metal detector and tried to find items to prove the site of the house. I found a big tank in the ground that I could not remove, because of it’s size and I did find a stake in the ground that probably separated the 2 lots. This was not a modern survey stake.
On the Flat area of Acre lot:
Charles Anderson’s house was located on the water’s edge, South of the Pier, according to His Granddaughter Carol Black Brown.
Edward Wally Wallace’s house was located Northeast of the Acre Lot plot. In the picture of their house you can notice a small outbuilding next to the ledge. Using the picture, Chris Mixon and myself went to Acre Lot to see if we could locate that building. When the road was built, it didn’t go all the way to the ledge. There is about a 2-foot area from the road to the ledge. Using the Ledge line, the top of the ledge is approximately 25 ft above the road. I found the area where I thought the building should be located. I put my metal detector in that area and immediately got a major hit. We found 2 Large pieces and 2 small pieces of metal which might be part of something that was in outbuilding. It was Flat steel with ribs and the largest one was 6 x 4 inches. I feel this confirms the location of the outbuilding. Using this info and pictures we can approximately estimate the location of the house. I believe it was located on what is now the road that goes through there.
Absalom and Jane Ann Lowell Wallace House: This was the oldest house on Acre Lot, According to the Sebasco Village vol I. Also located in this book on page 58 is a picture of the house. This confirms that his House was located southwest of Edward Wally Wallace’s house.
Gerald McKenney and his wife, Mary Judith’s House, was shown in a Pic in Sebasco Village Vol I page 73 shows this house on the Rock Ledge on the Flat part of Acre Lot. I believe this house was located in the northwest corner of Acre Lot. It is hard to tell, but, I believe if you look at the picture you can see the rock ledge formation. If you walk out on pier and look back at the coastline I believe this was located to the north ( or Left) of pier. It is hard to tell as when the road was created their was fill and large rock placed in that area. If you walk over to that area I believe there is enough of the rock ledge exposed to identify this area. On the acre lot plot Gerald and Sheila lived in Percival Wallace’s house. I am not sure how this fits in.
Percival’s Gap: In Gloria Gray’s book Sebasco Village Vol I. page 81, she talks about Percival’s Gap. This indentation in the Ledge called “ Percival’s Gap”. You could ride through the cut in the ledge in a small sailboat or dory when the was coming in to lift you up over the ledge. I was down there while the tide was coming in and you could see the indentation and also the ledges in the water that would be under water at high tide.
On October 5th, 2019, a group of volunteers, from the Cemetery Committee went to Acre Lot. After getting permission from the town Selectman to clean out the under brush around where the graves were suspected to be. It is important to note that no trees were cut down and only the under brush was cut and cleaned out.
What We Found:
After about 2 hours of intense work, we found 2 rows of 5 stones, which was consistent of what we were told about the graves. We also did some metal detecting in the area and found a few items. We found and old chain about 3 ft long, then we found 3 spoons with the initials EP on the handle. We also found a rock splitter and a rusted Broche.
At the end of the work session we all gathered to look at the things that we found.
I found some information in the 1987 Phippsburg Town Report:
Acre Lot Committee Report
The seven member Acre Lot committee was appointed by the Selectman as approved by the voters in the March 1987 Town Meeting. The first organized meeting was held June 8th, 1987. Since that time the committee has met ten additional times (as of Feb 4th). Much progress has been made has been made towards the development of the town landing at Acre Lot.
The more significant accomplishments are: completion of a legal survey of a proposed right of way (to be taken by eminent domain, if necessary, as directed by March 1987 Town Meeting); approval in the June 1987 Town Meeting of an article raising appropriating $15,000 to build a 10’ by 70’ pier on Acre Lot; completion of what turned out to be a frustrating, (but Successful), DEP wharf permit procedure; advertising for bids for the wharf construction; selection of a wharf builder (Skip Rideout, West Southport); Appraisal of the lands involved with the right-of-way (Eastern Appraisers); construction of the wharf and development of a proposed ordinance relating to the use of Acre Lot and wharf. Plans for the immediate future include completing the process of securing the right-of-way to the Acre Lot, planning the physical layout and use of the Acre lot; and getting the road built.
The committee thanks you for your support and patience. We are doing our best to enable the Town of Phippsburg to achieve its goal of having a useable landing at the Acre Lot.
Respectfully submitted.
Peter Roberts. Chairman
Sam Burgess
Bob Cummings
John Morse
Jack Percy
Arthur Pierce
Newbold Varian
This information I found in. The 1988 Phippsburg Town Report:
Acre Lot Committee Report
The five member Acre Lot Committee has met five times since the town meeting last March. Many of these meetings were concerned with getting the town’s right of way to the Acre Lot finalized. After wasting much time trying to negotiate with one of the Acre Lot abutters, it was obvious to the committee that the eminent domain procedures authorized by the town would have to be used. It was also decided to proceed by eminent domain against the abutter to the rights of a small piece (“Percival Wallace Lot so-called”) on the back corner of Acre Lot which the town has claimed for years. This piece is considered important for the use of Acre Lot.
After executing the eminent domain procedures, but before the town exercised its legal right to build its road across the piece of land the abutter succeeded in getting a temporary restraining order against the town, keeping the town from this small other wise useable, inaccessible piece of land in question. The town has been trying to get this restraining order lifted, but could not get scheduled in court until December 28th , and this was postponed at the request of the abutter. The committee is now awaiting a new date and is confident that the town will prevail when the court hears the facts.
In the meantime the Town has constructed a a road into the Acre Lot up to the boundary up to the disputed land and is awaiting the lifting of the restraining order before proceeding further. The committee also met at the Acre lot along with the selectmen and a conservation committee member to develop plans for the layout and use of the land at the Acre Lot. Base on that meeting a plan was developed by Deidre Whitehead.
Plans for immediate future including getting the restraining order lifted, completion of the road loop by the end of the Town wharf, installation of a pole and security light and development of a small boat ramp.
Respectfully Submitted: Bob Cummings
Peter K. Roberts, Chairman John Morse
Sam Burgess Arthur Pierce
This information I found in the 1989 Phippsburg Town Report
Acre Lot Committee Report
The Acre Lot committee ceased to exist short after the 1989 Town meeting. The Selectman felt that the committee had sufficiently accomplished its goals as authorized by the 1987 Town Meeting. It could be said that the committee worked itself out of a job and the Town was the beneficiary.
The access road to Acre Lot has been completed and now joins up with the shore end of the wharf so vehicles can be driven on the wharf for loading and unloading. Culverting of the road has been done to accommodate run off. Some large rocks have been positioned on the shore to help retain the gravel and act as safety barriers. As with all gravel roads some yearly road maintenance work will be needed.
This “new” Town Landing has seen increasing as more people has realized its potential and as other access to the water has tightened up. Several lobster men have used the wharf in the months since the road’s completion for loading their traps and bait and unloading some of their catch. On at least one occasion a local dragger used the wharf to have some work done which required a maintenance truck be driven up to the boat, something that can not be done many places in Town. This past winter the road and wharf have seen extensive daily use by Sea Urchin harvesters who have parked their vehicles while “fishing” and have used the wharf for unloading their urchins. In short, people are utilizing and benefiting from the Town’s investment.
There were some things which the committee seriously considered, but did not get finalized. It was felt that there should be some type of security lighting, particularly by the wharf. There was consideration for application to DEP to make a small boat ramp in the existing cove south of the wharf. Discussion concerning the management of parking to include unattended parking permits occurred but was not finalized. The posting of a vehicle load limit at the shore end of the wharf was discussed. It was also felt there should be a sign somewhere on the access road which clearly indicated the facility was only for Phippsburg resident/taxpayer use. These and other questions should probably addressed by the Town Landing Committee, under whose auspices the Acre lot now falls.
Respectfully Submitted
Peter K. Roberts
Chairman, Ex Officio
Acre Lot Committee
Acre Lot Committee, Ex Officio
Sam Burgess
Bob Cummings
John Morse
Arthur Pierce
Peter Roberts
On March 31st I went back to Acre Lot after spending the winter in Florida. It was still winter so the underbrush had not grown back and it was a great way to see the area. All leaves were gone and the Acre Lot looked completely different than it did back in fall after we cleaned it out. The first thing I noticed was someone had put orange sticks to mark 5 of the rocks than we and identified as grave markers.
As I always do, I broke out my metal detector and found a few Items. I found quite a few nails at the beginning of the old road, (in from Parking Lot), These were larger than normal nails I usually fine. They were also square nails which mean the were made somewhere between 1810 and 1890. I also found a head of an ice chipper. Check out the picture below.
I always have fun with my metal detector, but the best time I had was getting to know the Descendants of this special place, and the finding of all the articles of the people that came before us. This was a special project, and i am grateful to all the people I got to Talk to and the stories they told. That’s the history we can’t loose. Also, Many thanks to the Cemetery Committee of Phippsburg and all those that came out to clear the old brush, so we could find the souls of those people buried at Acre Lot.
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