USA > Maine > Oxford County > Buckfield > A history of Buckfield, Oxford County, Maine, from the earliest explorations to the close of the year 1900 > Part 10
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On the same side of the road leading to Paris Hill was the academy building. Farther up the hill was the residence of Rev. William Pidgin, once the Oren Record place. Farther northwest on the other side of the Sumner road was the Dr. William Bridg- liam stand. Levi Bryant had a residence in the vicinity. On the south side of the Paris Hill road and opposite Dr. Bridgham's place was the dwelling house of John Chaffin, a pump maker. Next nearer towards the village was the residence of Nathan At- wood-painted red. Still farther down was the fine two-story residence of James Jewett, now the Wilson Shaw place. Down near the foot of the hill was the dwelling house of Mr. Rich, the miller. His wife called him "Mr. Itch" by reason of an impedi- ment in her speech. In the vicinity were the residence of Ben- jamin Spaulding, Jr., and a house afterwards owned and occupied by Ephraim Atwood. At the end of a lane leading up the river was an old two-story house, the residence of Enoch Crocker. It was once the residence of Mark Andrews and was probably built by Edmund Chandler.
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HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
On the present site of the mills were a grist and saw mill and an old shed adjoining. In this vicinity was a blacksmith shop owned by Thomas R. Waterman which had a trip hammer run by waterpower. Near the present site of the store in the corner made by the Paris Hill road and the river was a building in which several parties had traded at different periods. This store was afterwards burned and the old grammar school building was pur- chased and moved here. It was converted into what has since been known as "the Morrill store."
The following persons were doing business as traders in the village in 1825: Zadoc Long, Lucius Loring, Nathan Atwood, Enoch Crocker and Spaulding Robinson.
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HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
CHAPTER XVII.
ANNALS.
1795.
Transactions at town meetings :
Thirty pounds were appropriated for schools, 150 pounds for roads and highways. It was voted "to allow the service" of the town officers. The proposition to raise money for a town stock of ammunition was voted on .- The same sums for labor on the roads for men and oxen were al- lowed as the previous year .- Jonas Coburn, Abijah Buck and Benj. Spaulding were chosen to take charge of the school lots and look after their preservation .- The road, "as laid out from the bridge near Benja- min Spaulding's mill to the mill aforesaid" was accepted .- Thomas Joselyn (spelled on the records "Joslin") was voted 15 shillings "for his Services in Surveying and Drawing a Plan of the Town."-It was decided to have two guide posts erected, one at the "crotch of the road Leading to But- terfield" and the other "near Simon Records."
1796.
Sixty pounds were voted for schools and 200 pounds for repairs of the roads. The selectmen were instructed to expend the money raised for repairs of highways. The sum of $60 was appropriated "to defray charges the year past."-Jeremiah Hodgdon's "rate 6s., IId. half penny" was "voted off," also John Brown's "poll tax o. 6. 4."-Voted "not to vote off" Tristram Warren's tax .- The assessors were directed to go in person to the inhabitants to take the valuation .- It was also decided not to send a representative to the General Court this year and that "the Town en- demnity the Selectmen in case a penalty is incurred."-The following roads were accepted: Ist. That from "the Hebron road to Stephen Rider's ;" 2nd, "the one by David Gaminon's;" 3rd, the "road from Na- thaniel Chase's to Turner town line ;" 4th, "the road from Joel Foster's to Abijah Lapham's ;" 5th, "that from the bridge near the Mills to the N. W. corner of Isaac Foster's settling lot."-At the Presidential election but one elector was voted for, Stephen Longfellow, Esq., who had 21 votes.
1797.
The same amounts as in 1796 were voted for the support of schools and for the repair of highways .- The town treasurer was allowed four dollars a year for his services .- The selectmen's bills for their services the past year were as follows: Lemuel Crooker, $3.50; Benjamin Spaulding, $6.17; Samuel Andrews, $3.31. Thomas Allen for his services as town clerk was voted $9.52 .-- The selectmen's settlement with the town treas- urer for the years 1795 and 1796 was accepted .- They reported that they found in the treasury $73.07, "due from the Collector for 1795, $23.76. Due from the Collector for 1796, $84.51 .- The demand the Town hath on the Treasurer is $181.51."-At a meeting held in September, "voted for
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the Selectmen to acquaint the town with the reasons for chusing another Collector" and it was further, "voted not to commit the Bills to Ephraim Ilathaway" and to have another collector .- The collectorship was "set up to vendue and the Taxes were bid off to collect for IId. per pound." David Warren was chosen as the new collector and Enoch Hall was ac- cepted as his bondsman .- The laying out of several roads was accepted ; ist, one between Thomas Lowe's and Daniel Merrill's lands and running over land of Andrew Twombly and land of Valentine Mathews to Hebron line. 2nd, from the N. W. corner of John Hussey's land to S. E. corner of "Mr. Lapham's land, then turns a square corner on Levi Cushman's land till it joins the road already laid out." -- "Voted to continue the road from John Hussey's to the Hebron road" and the one from "Moses Bis- bee's to John Hussey's" was discontinued.
1798.
Hon. Increase Sumner was the only candidate voted for this year for Governor. He received 40 votes .- David Warren was re-elected collector of taxes and Jabez Pratt was accepted as his bondsman .- The same sums were appropriated as in the two previous years for schools and repairs of the roads .- It was also voted "to put up to vendue to maintain John Brown and his wife-struck off to James Waterman at sixty-five dollars one year exclusive of Doctor's bills." --- It was further voted that "the Se- lectmen shall proceed to take the Steps of the Law to know whether the heirs of John Brown shall maintain him, or whether he shall be main- tained at the expense of the Town."-The highway tax of Caleb Young and the poll taxes of Jesse Turner, Consider Sampson and Samuel Tyler were "voted off."-It was decided "to establish a road that leads from James Waterman's and Thomas Joscelyn's to Paris" and that "the bars upon the roads be kept up that have been up heretofore." -- At a town meeting held in May, it was decided to send a representative to the General Court. The election resulted as follows: Samuel Andrews, 45; Benj. Spaulding, I; Dominicus Record, I. Lemuel Crooker, Abijah Buck and Dominicus Record were requested to give him instructions .- A controversy over the boundary line between Hebron and Buckfield had arisen, as elsewhere re- lated, which explains the action of the town relating to instructions .-- There is the record this year of a strange proceeding, sixteen persons with their families, and Dr. Samuel Frink and nine others withont families, who had come into town for the purpose of settling "not having obtained the Town's consent" were warned to depart within fifteen days.
This action seems a little "previous" and hasty. Some good people and desirable settlers were driven away. Others must have got the consent of the authorities to stay, for they continued to reside here and were later regarded as among the desirable citizens of the town. The descendants of some of these people reside in Buckfield "unto this very day."-The General Court passed an act in November of this year, giving the town $257.49 for taxes which had been illegally assessed against Buckfield, and abating the tax for the year 1798, "said town being exempt by law from State and Continental taxes until November, 1798."
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1799.
The annual town meeting appears to have been somewhat exciting. Samuel Andrews was elected moderator and Enoch Hall and Simon Rec- ord, "monitors." The meeting was called at the house of Samuel An- drews. After choosing the town elerk and deciding to elect the selectmen by written ballot, a vote was passed to adjourn to the house of Dominicus Record, where the meeting began "forthwith." The first vote taken was not to reconsider the vote taken for town clerk and the action in electing him by "hand vote" was approved. Samuel Andrews, Enoch Hall and William Berry were chosen selectmen. They were also elected "by hand vote" for assessors. Mark Andrews was chosen treasurer. "The Col- lector's office was put up to vendue and struck off to collect for Seven pence per pound by Simeon Bicknal." He was one of those who, the year before, had been ordered to leave town "with all under his care." After an adjournment for half an hour to permit voting for governor, senators and councillors, the "Collector's office was put to vendue a second time and was bid off to collect for Nine pence per pound," by Enoch Philbrick. Nathaniel Chase was accepted as his bondsman. The same sum (60 pounds), as in the previous years, was appropriated for schools, but the amount usually raised for repair of the roads was cut down one-quarter.
The laying out of several roads was accepted .- David Warren was al- lowed $6 "for warning Sundry Persons out of Town."-At a meeting in May, Nathaniel Chase, Samuel Andrews and Enoch Hall were selected as a committee to "perambulate the Town roads" and alter them where necessary, and locate new roads where required, and "to procure the min- utes of the County Road and alter it where they think necessary, and to erect monuments at proper places to preserve the memory of the roads." -It was proposed to refer to disinterested persons the matter between the town and the proprietors respecting the public lands. It was voted not to send a representative to the General Court. "Voted that the roads which have been bridle roads remain so the ensuing year."-Captain Mark Andrews was chosen a committee "to request of Congress for a Post to come through this Town."-Nathaniel Chase, at a meeting in December, was chosen one of the selectmen, Samuel Andrews having moved out of town .- A town way "from Turner line to Hartford by Nathaniel Chase's and Joseph Roberts, Jr.'s," was accepted. Also, "a road from Joseph Roberts' to Richard Taylor's bridle road" and one "from Sumner line by Tristram Warren's to Luther Gardner's."-Those quali- fied to vote according to the warrant this year were required to be able to pay "to one single tax, besides the Poll Tax, a sum equal to a Poll Tax."
1800.
The law regarding the qualification of voters appears to have been changed since the meetings of the previous year. Now it was only re- quired for one to be a voter that he be able to pay a single poll tax and a sum in addition equal to two-thirds of a poll tax .- Oren Record was elected collector of taxes at eleven pence on the pound. The sum of
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$200 was raised for schools and £200 for the repair of highways .- A road "leading from Jacob Whitman's to the County Road" was accepted. Also, the road leading from the county road "to Samnel Webb's by Enoch Hall's. The road "from Nathaniel Chase's to Daniel Crockett's" called the "last road laid out in that quarter" was discontinued. Later in the year other roads were accepted and discontinued ; first, the one "leading from Jonah Fobes' to the bridge near John Carsley's" was accepted. That "from Jonah Fobes' to Samuel Tobins'" was discontinued. Also, the road "near Carsley's bridge betwixt John Young's and John Roberts' land to the road leading from Joseph Roberts' to Tobias Ricker's."-At a town meeting September 22d, it was voted "not to accept of Mr. Nathaniel Chase as a Town Minister in case he is or- dained." Joseph Roberts, Jr., Simon Record and Lemnel Crooker were chosen "to inform the Council that the Town does not accept him for a Town Minister."-The record does not show that the people of the town voted this year for electors for president and vice-president. A U. S. census was taken this year. It shows that Buckfield had more population that any other town in what was originally the county of Oxford.
ISOI.
The annual election this year was "held at the school house between Abijal Buck's and Thomas Allen's." George Ricker was chosen collector of taxes. The appropriations for schools and repair of roads were $200 for the former and £200 for the latter .- The vote for governor in April showed that the people of the town still clung to the doctrines of the federal party. Gov. Caleb Strong had 23 votes, Elbridge Gerry had 12 votes. The following entry on the Clerk's records showed the financial standing of the town: "Settled with the Town Treasurer and found in the Treasury sixty-seven dollars and five cents. Due from Oren Record $172.94."-A post office was established at the village Jan. Ist, and Capt. Mark Andrews was appointed as postinaster.
1802.
The sum of $500 was voted for schools and £200 to be expended on the roads. Joel Foster was chosen collector of taxes at one shilling and one penny on the pound, and Dominicus Record was accepted as his bondsman. Voted "to excuse Hatevil Hall from being Hog Reeve." The poll taxes of David Bryant and Silas Coburn, also eight shillings and sixpence-what remained due from Jacob Doty-were "voted off." It was decided to get the timber to build a town pound off the public land. "The pound to be 30 feet square with cedar posts 7 feet above ground and cedar rails and a good gate." The construction was awarded to Enoch Philbrick who had been pound keeper for several years. He was to have $25 for building it. The first regimental muster in this part of the county was held at Norway this year. There were six companies from the towns of Buckfield, Norway, Paris, Oxford, Rumford and Otisfield. Col. Levi Hubbard of Paris was in command of the regiment. Mark Andrews of Buckfield and William Livermore of Livermore, Majors, and William C.
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Whitney of Hebron, Adjutant. The officers of the Buckfield company were: Josiah Parris, Captain ; Jasiel Smith, Lieutenant; Enoch Philbrick, Ensign. The road from Sumner town line to Benjamin Spaulding's and the alteration of the road from the bridge near Abijah Buck's were ac- cepted. The road from Turner line to "Irish's bridge" was discontinued. The poll taxes of Philemon Parsons and Samuel Thomas were "voted off."
1803.
At the annual meeting, it was voted "to accept of voters, as has been practicad usually at former town meetings ,and to endemnify the select- men from any penalty on that account, including all who are upwards of twenty-one years of age and pay taxes in this town." At a subsequent meeting, it was voted "to reconsider a former vote which gave Liberty for men to vote that were not qualified voters." Henry Parsons was chosen collector of taxes at four cents on the dollar. William Lowell and Job Packard were accepted as bondsmen. It was voted "that Nathan- iel Chase be taxed as other Inhabitants are in the town." $200 was raised for schools and £200 for repair of roads. It was decided to fence the burying grounds in town and that "Each District shall fence their own burying ground by the Last Day of June next." David Briggs, Ephraim Hathaway, Benjamin Spaulding, Abijah Lapham, Tobias Ricker and Enoch Hall were chosen "to call their Districts together in order to complete the aforesaid business." Benjamin Spaulding, Jr., was selected to go "in company with Nathaniel Chase to enquire of some Lawyer, if his Taxation is Lawfull."
1804.
Enoch Philbrick, son of Jonathan Philbrick, one of the first 47 settlers, was chosen town clerk this year. Thomas Allen, who had served in that capacity from the incorporation of the town, had moved to Hartford where he afterwards lived till his death. John Carsley was chosen to collect the taxes at 41/2 cents on the dollar. Benjamin Spaulding and Enoch Hall were accepted as his bondsmen. The sum of $43.21 was raised to defray the expenses of the town the past year. The several items were as follows: "William Berry's acc't. ag't. the town, $3.64; Enoch Hall's acct. ag't. the town, $4.66; Benj. Spaulding's acc't. ag't. the town, $8.06; Benj. Spaulding took out of the Treasury, $2.601/2; Thomas Allen's acct. ag't. the town, $6.80; Abiel Drake's acct. ag't. the town, $2.00; Ephraim Hathaway's acct. ag't. the town, $5.66; Thomas Josselyn's acct. ag't the town, $3.00; Dominicus Record's acct. ag't. the town, $6.77; total amount of above accounts, $43.21." It was voted to raise $40 for "the support of the Poor" of the town. This was the first appropriation of the kind recorded. One shilling was allowed "for every crow killed within the limits of Buckfield." The qualified voters cast their ballots this year for electors for president and vice-president. It was necessary that the voters be "male Inhabitants of said town being 21 years of age and Resident in said town for the space of one year next Preceding, having a freehold Estate, within said town. of the annual In-
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HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
come of ten dollars, or any Estate to the value of two hundred Dollars." The republican candidates for electors received 25 votes, the federal electors. 7 votes.
1805.
A new county by the name of Oxford was organized this year with Paris as the shire town. Daniel Howard, Esq., who had within a few months moved into the place from Turner-Buckfield's first lawyer- represented the town at the courts of "The General Sessions of the Peace," held in June and October. He with Dominicus Record was selected to remonstrate in behalf of the town against making Fryeburg a half shire town .- John Carsley was appointed a deputy sheriff, the first in town that we have any record of. He was one who had been warned out of town in 1798 .- The appropriation for the repair of the roads was increased to $1000, one-third of which was to be expended in labor. The sum of $40 was raised for the support of the poor. The war on the crows continued and $10 was raised as a "crow tax." It was also decided "to tax all the Ministers excepting a poll tax." -- Among the new names of the minor town officers for this and the preceding year first appearing on the records, are those of Benjamin Woodbury, Elijah Jordan and Joseph Lothrop. They had served in the War of the Revolution .- The ballots cast at the gubernatorial election showed that the town had fully passed into the hands of the republican party. James Sullivan, its candi- date, had 61 votes, while the federal party candidate, Gov. Caleb Strong, liad only 20. The strength of the federal party in town was at East Buckfield where it held out for a long time afterwards.
1806.
The "crow tax" was reduced to $5. Enoch Hall was selected by the town to defend the law suit brought by Nathaniel Chase against the assessors for taxing him in 1805. Zach. Soule was Chase's attorney, and Emery and Howard were for the assessors. The action was entered "Neither Party" at the May Term, 1807 .- On June 16th, a total eclipse of the sun occurred. It became so dark that some stars were visible. In some places, it is said, candles were lighted. The superstitious thought that the judgment day had come and were badly frightened. There was a general feeling of relief when the sun fully shone again .- Enoch Hall was allowed $79 for building the bridge over the East Branch. It has since been called "Hall's Bridge." The selectmen and school co.n- mittee were instructed to "district the town into School Ricks." They made seven school districts substantially as follows: No. 1. The N. W. part of the town from the Sumner line on the county road near James Bonney's, then following the road and line between lands of Nathaniel Buck and Benj. Spaulding to the John Buck hill, then on the Paris Hill road to Paris line. No. 2. The S. W. part of the town. No. 3. The S. part of the town to South Pond. It included the Whitman, Jordan and Lothrop neighborhoods. No. 4. The central portion of the town in which were the Foster and Leonard neighborhoods. No. 5. The N. part of the
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town, part of village and a portion of North Hill to South Pond. No. 6 The S. E. portion to the Twenty-Mile River and to the boundary of No. 5 on North Hill. No. 7. The N. E. part of the town. The follow- ing persons "had the privilege of forming themselves into a School Dis- trict ;" Abijah Buck, Nathaniel Buck, Moses Bisbee, Benj. Spaulding, Abel Spaulding, Leonard Spaulding, Larnard Swallow, John Warren, Abijah Buck, Jr., Jonathan Buck, John Allen, Nathaniel Buck, Jr., Dennis New- begin, and David Bryant.
1807.
This year the appropriations were increased $400 for schools, $100 for support of poor, $250 for building bridges, $1,000 for the mending and making of highways and town ways, and $63.69 for "town accounts." The following were the members of the school committee elected : Samuel Tucker for Ist district, John Buck for 2d district, Jacob Whitman for 3d district, Daniel Faunce for 4th district, John Loring for 5th dis- trict, William Lowell for 6th district, Stephen Drew, Caleb Young, Zadoc Fobes, for 7th district ; Larnard Swallow for 8th district. James Hussey, Josiah Keene, Joshua Irish and Israel Smithi were allowed to draw their school money and expend it in Hartford. The "Widow Sarah Irish was struck off for six months to Simeon Buck at five shillings per week to be supported with victuals house room, fireing, and in case of sickness and for her necessary clothing the town is to provide." It was decided by a vote in town meeting to settle the suit of Nathaniel Chase against the assessors. "Hannah Damon was put up at vendue, and struck off to Jonathan Record at five shillings, six pence per week." Enoch Hall was elected representative to the General Court. It was "voted for him not to attend the Winter Session of the Legislature." At an adjourned meeting held at the school house "between Stephen Bosworth's and Doc- tor Samuel Frink's," it was voted to have "king posts" for the Hall bridge. The town lines were "perambulated" this year .- Ephraim Hathaway was indicted at the May term of the court of common pleas for disturbing a meeting. The indictment sets forth : "That Ephraim Hathaway of Buck- field, in the County of Oxford, yoeman, on the ninth day of April, now last part,-said day being appointed by his Excellency, the Governor of said Commonwealth, as a day of fasting and prayer, at Buckfield afore- said, with force and arms, entered into a house usually occupied as a place for the public worship of God by the Second Baptist Society, in said Buckfield and by other good people, who had then and there assembled together for that purpose, and wilfully interrupted, and, in a rude and indecent manner, wickedly disturbed the said assembly, who had, for the purpose of public, social and religious worship, met together, against the peace of said Commonwealth and contrary to law !" The defendant, at the September term, pleaded not guilty and was tried. The jury returned a verdict of guilty and he was sentenced to pay a fine of $4 and costs, taxed at $21.96. He paid and was discharged. The State's witnesses were: Jacob Doty, Nathaniel Harlow, and John Sini- mons.
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HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
1808.
Henry Farwell, William Bridgham and Daniel Hutchinson were chosen as a committee "to Inspect the Schools through the town."-The "town accounts" voted this year amounted to $102.08 .- It was decided "to bring suit against the town of Gorham for the support of Sarah Irish, widow of John Irish."-Suit was brought and Buckfield was beaten when the case came to me heard in court .- Enoch Hall was re-elected repre- sentative to the General Court .- William Doble was selected "to clear the jams from the bridge near his house." Voted that "Mr. Nathaniel Chase have the Privilege of a gate on the road that leads from his house to John Swett's."-David Bryant was allowed $3.36 for making guide boards .- It does not appear from the records that electors for president and vice-president were voted for, in Buckfield this year.
1809.
Henry Farwell was chosen one of the field drivers and hog-reeves. Henry Farwell, William Bridgham and John Loring were chosen school committee ; John Loring, Josiah Parris and Levi Bryant, committee on accounts. Mr. Parris was usually selected as one of this committee. The school agents were: John Drake, John Loring, Nathaniel Robinson, Caleb Cushman, David Farrar, Jr., Nathan Hall, Jacob Whitman and Abel Spaulding .- The sum of $300 was raised for the support of schools. A vote passed to take $100 of this sum and expend it for the support of the poor. Afterwards, $100 more was raised for schools. The town ex- pense account was $83.59 made up as follows: Enoch Hall's acet., $11.09; William Doble's, $3.00; Daniel Hutchinson's, $5.86; Oren Record's, $31.05 ; Benj. Spalding, Jr.'s, $8.37 ; Dominicus Record's, $2.34; Nathaniel Buck's, $2.13; Enoch Philbrick's, $8.75; Ephraim Hathaway's, $8.01; Joel Fos- ter's, $1.33; Abijah Buck's, $1.66; total, $83.59. It was voted "that it shall be the duty of each school agent to take the voice of the District in which he Resides upon who shall teach and what time they would have their school commence & that, after a teacher Shall be agreed upon by the District, it shall be the duty of the School Agent to cause the person agreed upon for a teacher to procure a Certificate Signed by one or more of the School Committee, of his qualifications, previous to his taking the charge of any school in this Town."-In the contest for representative to the legislature, Enoch Hall had 51 votes and William Lowell 18. Hall was a republican-Lowell a federalist .- The sum of $75 was raised at a town meeting in November, "to build a bridge near the town line on the road that leads to Turner by Teague's Mills;" $15 "to repair the bridge over the outlet of South Pond;" $50 "to repair the bridge over a brook near Abijah Buck's & to finish building a bridge between \bijah Buck's and Moses Buck's" and $20 "to repair the bridge near Record's Mills."
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