The 26 Star Flag
.
1837-1845On July 4, 1837, this became our official flag. The 26th star commemorated the entry of the great state of Michigan into the Union on January 26, 1837. This flag would fly for eight years.
In the United States and the world:
- Presidents were:
- Martin Van Buren (1837-1841). Historical legend has it that Van Buren was nicknamed "Old Kinderhook" , which was abbreviated as "OK" during one of his campaigns, thus spawning this most used word. OK? OK.
- William Henry Harrison ("Tippicanoe and Tyler, Too!") 1841
- John Tyler (1841-1845)
-
James Polk
(1845-1849)
- 1838
- Queen Victoria's coronation.
- On the bestseller list - "Oliver Twist" and "Nicholas Nicklelby" by Charles Dickens.
- William Clark, of Lewis & Clark, dies.
- Navy statistics - Brittania still rules the waves, with 90 ships of the line. Russia has 50, France 49, and the US has 15.
- 1839
- Uraguay declares war on Argentina.
- Charles Goodyear discovers the process of "vulcanization".
- First electric clock. In Switzerland, where else?
- In Cooperstown, NY, Abner Doubleday lays down the first baseball diamond and conducts the first baseball game.
- First bicycle.
- 1840
- Queen Victoria marries Price Albert.
- Lower and Upper Canada united by Act of Parliament.
- James Fenimore Cooper writes "The Pathfinder".
- Construction of the Houses of Parliament begins in London.
- Tchaikovsky born.
- 2,816 miles of railroad in US.
- 1841
- Adolphe Sax of Belgium invents a musical instrument. Hmmm. Wonder what he called it?
- There are 18.5 million people in Great Britain, 17 million in the U. S., and 8 million in Ireland.
- The first university degrees are granted to women in the U. S.
- 1842 - Boston and Albany connected by railroad.
- 1843
- Dickens writes "A Christmas Carol".
- Samuel Morse gets $30,000 from Congress to build the first telegraph line (Washington to Baltimore)
- 1844
- Morse's telegraph line between Washington and Baltimore used for the fist time.
- Freidrich Gottlob Keller invents wood-pulp paper.
- James Knox Polk elected 11th President of the United States.
- 1845
- Andrew Jackson dies.
- U. S. Naval Academy opened.
- Edgar Allen Poe publishes "The Raven and Other Poems.
In the State of Maine:
- Governors were:
- Robert Pinckney Dunlap (1834-1838)
- Edward Kent (1838-1839)
- John Fairfield (1839-1841)
- Richard H. Vose (1841 - for one day in January)
- Edward Kent (1841-1842)
- John Fairfield (1842-1843)
- Edward Kavanaugh (1843-1844)
- David Dunn (1844 - for one day in January)
- John W. Dana (1844 - for two days in January)
- Hugh J. Anderson (1844-1847)
- 1839 to 1842 - The infamous "Aroostock War" in which the
U. S. and Canada disputed Maine's northern boundary. It was finally resolved
by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842. This is a very interesting story
and well worth a visit to
The Aroostock War
to learn more.
And in the Town of Franklin:
- Selectmen were:
- 1837 - John West, David Springer, Jr., and John Scammon
- 1838 - Stevens Gould, Russell Wooster, and Daniel W. Dorman
- 1839 - David Springer, Jr., John West, and Melatiah J. Scammon
- 1840 - David Springer, Jr., Nathan A. Swan, and Stevens Gould
- 1841 - David Springer, Jr., Samuel Bragdon II, and Nathan A. Swan
- 1842 - David Springer, Jr., Samuel Bragdon II, and John West
- 1843 - David Springer, Jr., Samuel Bragdon II, and John West
- 1844 - John West, Joseph Scammon, and Oliver C. Donnell
- 1845 - John West, Joseph Scammon, and George W. Springer
- 1837 - The State Legislature formally recognizes Martin's Ridge as part of Franklin.
- 1839 - Schooner Galena launched - 98 tons.
- 1840 - Schooner Ospreylaunched - 32 tons.
- 1839 to 1842 - Sabin J. Hardison is Franklin's only participant in the Aroostock War.
- 1844 - First stray animal pound in Franklin. Nathan French
is the first keeper.
- They were using money like this:
and this: 
(click on images for larger picture)
