USA > Maine > Oxford County > Buckfield > A history of Buckfield, Oxford County, Maine, from the earliest explorations to the close of the year 1900 > Part 27
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
1830.
Noah Prince was elected one of the selectmen this year. It was the beginning of a long career of usefulness to his town and honor to him- self and family .-- The town appeared to be much troubled over the pauper expenses .- The democratic-republicans this year attained a sweeping ma- jority over the national-republicans. The vote on governor stood 234 to 54 .- Samuel F. Brown was appointed to petition the legislature for au- thority to dispose of the ministerial and school funds .- Virgil D. Parris was chosen to draft a petition to the legislature to change the time of holding its sessions .- When the census of this town was taken this year, there were 78 persons between the ages of sixty and seventy; 30 between seventy and eighty; 4 (all males) between eighty and ninety and I man between ninety and one hundred. There were four negroes, three of whom were females .- On the 25th of April, while on a trip to Portland with a two-horse team, Lewis Morrill, aged about 22, was fatally injured. As he was passing down a hill in Falmouth, his horses became frightened from the breaking of a breeching strap. He was thrown to the ground and the loaded team passed over his body. He survived but a few days. -- Caleb Young, one of the original 47 settlers, died Feb. 2, at the age of 82. Nathaniel Gammon, another one of the original settlers, died on the 13th of September, at the age of 77. He had occupied his settling lot for some 50 years.
1831.
The sum of $525 was raised for the support of schools; $3000 to be expended in labor on the highways and bridges. Voted to repair "Shaw's bridge to answer to pass over the present year."-Voted to accept of a road "beginning at the middle of the road near Nathaniel Shaw's bark house, then a straight line striking the road on the hill near Axel Spauld-
372
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
ing's dwelling house."-At a town meeting in September, it was voted to build a new bridge over the East Branch near Nathaniel Shaw's .- Voted "that the Selectmen may deal out the powder now remaining in the mag- azine, for the use of the highway" and "to raise $18 and lay out the same for a cow for Mr. Samuel Webb."-The following persons and firms were licensed to sell liquors this year: Nathaniel Harlow, Samuel W. Ingalls, William Bridgham, Morrill & Atwood and Enoch and Luther Crocker. Jonathan Buck was licensed as inn holder .- The vote for governor this year was as follows: Samuel E. Smith, Dem .- Rep., 188; Daniel Good- now, Nat .- Rep., 40 .- For representative to the legislature, Henry H. Hutchinson had 130; Virgil D. Parris, 86; James Bonney, Jr., 4; Daniel Chase. I .- On the 25th of September of this year, passed away Dea. Job Prince at the age of 66. He had settled in Buckfield about 1790 and raised a family of children, several of whom became noted. Two of his sons were presidents of the Maine Senate. One grandson served one term in Congress and another, but for his untimely death, would probably have been governor of this state.
1832.
Virgil D. Parris was elected town clerk, Larnard Swallow, trustee of the ministerial and school fund .- William Bridgham, William Cole, Benj. Spaulding, James Jewett and Lucius Loring were appointed "Fire Wards."-The following persons and firms were licensed to sell ardent spirits this year: Ephraim Atwood & Co., Samuel W. Ingalls & Co., Melzer Buck & Co., Nathan Atwood, Luther Crocker, Hiram Hall, Amos B. Morrill, Jonathan Buck and Nathan Harlow .- At a meeting in October, called to hear the report of the committee and observations of Squire Hall and others who may see and think proper to speak concerning the case between the town and Squire Hall in the matter of the pauper, Abigail Furbush, it was voted to discontinue the action of the town against Enoch Hall .- Virgil D. Parris was elected representative to the legislature by the following decisive vote: Virgil D. Parris, 158; Daniel Chase, 94; Henry H. Hutchinson, 18; Noah Prince, 4; James Bonney, Jr., 2 .- At the presidential election in November, the "Jackson Ticket" received 229 votes, the "Clay Ticket" 45 and the "Wirt Ticket" 2 votes .- The "limits" . of the militia companies, as required by an act of the legislature, were established this year by the selectmen. That of Capt. David Farrar's company of infantry was "the West part of the town from the Hebron road and county road leading to Sumner by James Bonney's."-Capt. George Bridgham's company, "the northeast part of Buckfield to Twenty Mile River, thence by Mark Lowell's to Bog Brook, the Whitman Pond and Hebron Line."-The southeastern part of the town was in the limits of Capt. Robert Martin's company, composed of men from Hebron, Buck- field, Turner and Minot.
1833.
At the annual meeting, Ephraim Atwood was elected town clerk and Virgil D. Parris, town agent .- James Bowker, Joseph Gilkey, Bennett Pompilly, Obadiah Berry and Ira Gardner, "Saxons." Voted "to author-
373
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
ize the constable to sell at auction to the highest bidder, Williamson's History of Maine after giving suitable notice."-"George and Orville Bridgham in Co., Cole, Taylor & Co., Ephraim Atwood & Co., and John and George Brock" were licensed this year .- Virgil D. Parris was re- elected representative to the legislature by the following vote: Virgil D. Parris, 128; Daniel Chase. 73: Henry H. Hutchinson, 15; Benj. Spauld- ing, 8; Zadoc Long. 1; Noah Prince, I.
1834.
Axel Spaulding was elected tythingman. None had been elected for two years .- It was decided to prohibit neat cattle from running at large ; also, that warrants for future town meetings be posted in Ephraim At- wood's store .- H. H. Hutchinson, Noah Hall and Daniel Chase, a com- mittee chosen to settle with James Bonney, "ex-treasurer," reported that they had performed the duty assigned them, and were "of opinion that the said Bonney has performed the duty that was entrusted to him by the town with honesty and faithfulness according to the best of his ability, but that they were informed by him that there was $29.38 due from Mar- shall Andrews, collector for the year 1830, which, he said. Andrews re- fused to pay, alleging that the same had already been paid." Voted to discharge James Bonney from all liability as town treasurer and to collect the amount due of Andrews .- Artemas Cole entered into partnership with Ephraim Atwood. They did a large business for many years .- A vote passed to allow the selectmen and other town officers 75 cents a day for the time they were employed in the service of the town .- There were several candidates for representative to the legislature. Virgil D. Parris was again elected. He had 162 votes, a large majority over all.
1835.
George Bridgham, Jr., was elected town clerk and Sydenham Bridg- ham was chosen collector of taxes .- The vote for representative to the legislature was as follows: Virgil D. Parris. 109; Henry H. Hutchinson, 13: James Bonney, Jr., II ; Daniel Chase, 9; Zadoc Long, 6; Noah Prince, 7: Ezekiel Dammon, I .-- Enoch Hall died Dec. roth. He was born Nov. 10, 1763. His wife died a few years after at her daughter's, Mrs. Abigail Doble's in Livermore .- Nathan Hall died July 22. He was a remarkably fleshy man and for some years before his death was nearly helpless from this cause.
1836.
Samuel Chesley was chosen collector of taxes. He was voted $22.50 for his services. James Bowker, Boardman Faunce and Joseph Turner were accepted as his bondsmen .-- Ira Gardner, Mark Lowell, Noah Hall and Obadiah Berry were selected as sextons .-- The "limits" of the militia companies were again defined and established. The dividing line between the east and west companies was as follows: "The county road from the Sumner line near Col. James Bonney's to Dr. William Bridgham's and the river bridge in the village and the highway from said bridge by Rolan
374
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
Foster's and Jesse Packard's to Hebron line. The territory south and cast of the following line to be the limits in Buckfield of the company made up from parts of the towns of Buckfield, Hebron, Turner and Minot : Following the Twenty Mile River from Turner line to the Lowell Brook, up said brook to the Whitman Pond, then from said pond on Bog Brook to the Hebron line." The rest of the town to be the limits of the east company .- The town chose Samuel F. Brown, Doctor Com- stock, Virgil D. Parris, Joseph Turner and Aaron Parsons a committee "to ascertain a better course for the support of the poor than that which we have heretofore pursued, if possible." -- The Van Buren democratic electors at the presidential election had 146 votes. The whig electors had 15 .- The vote on representative to the legislature this year was not quite so one-sided. Virgil D. Parris had 153; Noah Prince had 48; Thomas Irish had 6; Daniel Chase had 2 .- There died in Woodstock, at the home of his son, Stephen, Feb. 27, 1836, in the 87th year of his age, Daniel Packard, one of the early settlers of Buckfield. His remains were buried in a ground or yard near where he died. His wife had died several years before and is said to have been buried in the cemetery above the village. Their earlier lives had been one of stirring incidents, adventure and in- terest. She had been a pretty Irish lass, who liked to play around the wharves in her native cove of Cork and talk with the sailors. An un- scrupulous captain enticed her aboard his vessel and brought her to Bos- ton where she was abandoned. Daniel Packard was of one of the first families in Bridgewater, Mass., and is said to have been engaged to be married to a daughter of high standing in the town. Where or how he met the bright-eyed Irish girl is uncertain but once seeing her, he had no heart for any other to the day of his death. He was straight as an ar- row, had a swarthy complexion, piercing black eyes and a stentorian voice. The admiration for each other was mutual and they were married. Their first child was born in 1774. On the outbreak of the Revolution, he enlisted and went into the army, serving on the Hudson. His wife followed him and in a small way carried on the business of a sutler. Packard was at the Storming of Stony Point, one of the most brilliant feat of arms of the whole war and the battles of Saratoga. They must have attained considerable notoriety, for the stories about their exploits and lives in the army in after years came to the ears of J. Fenimore Cooper, the novelist, who made them the principal characters, "Sergt. Hollister" and "Betty Flanigan" in his story, "The Spy." Any one who has heard the traditions which have come down to us about them when living in Buckfield will at once recognize how true to life Cooper repre- sented them in The Spy. But we have further evidence. Stephen D. Hutchinson, formerly town clerk of Buckfield and afterwards register of deeds for Oxford County, on a certain trip from Portland to Boston by boat was introduced to a Captain Coyle, who on learning that Hutchinson was from Buckfield said: "Ah from a famous town where Daniel Pack- ard and his wife lived. They were made the principal characters by Fen- imore Cooper in his novel, 'The Spy.' I passed a day with him recently and he told me this himself."
375
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
1837.
Virgil D. Parris was chosen as agent of the town to receive its pro- portion of "Surplus Revenue" from the general government. This money was given by the government to the states. By an act of the legislature of Maine, this state's part was distributed to the towns. It was a source of much contention in Buckfield what to do with this money. It was at first decided to buy a town farm for the poor with it. $2000 was voted and a farm was purchased. After a number of meetings, it was voted to distribute the money received from the surplus revenue to the people, each person to have his equal share. Several paupers, as the records show, received their portion .- Zadoe Long, Larnard Swallow, S. F. Brown, Doctor Comstock and Virgil D. Parris were chosen a committee "to draft a set of by-laws to govern the poor house." The report of this committee at a future meeting was accepted .- This was the year that Maine first "went hell-bent for Governor Kent," but Buckfield did not go that way. There was almost 200 majority for Gorham Parks, the demo- cratic candidate .- As for several years past, there was a number of can- didates for representative to the legislature. Virgil D. Parris had 136; Noah Prince had 66; Henry H. Hutchinson had 22: Zadoc Long had 18. The Foster farm on the Hebron road was purchased for the town's poor. -There was an epidemic of scarlet fever among the children this year. The disease was unusually fatal. Five children died with it out of the family of Henry DeCoster.
1838.
The third Monday of May was set for the selectmen to d aw orders for the people. for each one's share of the "Surplus Revenue." The scenes around their place of business, when it was transacted. can better be imagined than described. It is worthy of an artist's pencil .- The town farm having been put in order, the paupers were taken to it and an over- seer engaged to run it .-- The special election for a Representative to Con- gress, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Hon. Timothy J. Carter of Paris, resulted in the choice of Hon. Virgil D. Parris. The vote in Buckfield stood thus: Virgil D. Parris, 211; Zadoc Long, 50: Nath'l S. Littlefield, 7: Joseph G. Cole. 10; scattering, 6. At the regular election, for the full term, the ballot was as follows: Virgil D. Parris, 245; Zadoc Long, 57; Judah Dana. 3; Harrison Blake, 2; Jesse Packard, I .- This year occurred one of the most exciting contests for representative to the legislature that Buckfield ever experienced. The principal contestants, at first, were Noah Prince and William Irish. The former on the first ballot had 105 votes, the latter 88. Henry H. Hutchinson had 29. Daniel Chase and Axel Spaulding, 11 cach. These men were all of the same party, the democratic. James Jewett. the whig candidate. started in with 41 votes. Two ballots were taken when the meeting was adjourned. On the second ballot, the vote stood: Noah Prince, 126; William Irish, 109; James Jewett, 24; scattering, 8. On the adjourned day, two ballots were taken-the second one showing William Irish out of the contest and Daniel Chase in the lead as Mr. Prince's chief opponent, though lacking
376
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
42 votes of the number Mr. Prince received on that ballot. Again the meeting was adjourned to a subsequent day, when Mr. Prince's vote rose to 130 and Daniel Chase's highest, to 113. James Jewett's highest vote was 28. The meeting adjourned for the third time and, on that day, two ballots were taken before the contest was decided. The first one was as follows: Noah Prince, 133; Daniel Chase, 141; James Jewett, II; Will- iam Irish, I. Apparently, the bulk of Jewett's men, who had stuck by him up to this time, went over to Chase. The final vote stood : Daniel Chase, 153; Noah Prince, 141; James Jewett, 7: H. H. Hutchinson, I; Henry DeCoster, I.
1839.
Capt. Noah Prince was chosen chairman of the board of selectmen, which showed that his hold on the voters of the town was still strong, notwithstanding his defeat for representative the year before. It fore- shadowed a renewal of the contest in September .-- Jesse Packard, Abra- ham Lothrop and Albert Record were elected supt. school committee, This was done for sport. They qualified, but, at an adjourned meeting, others were chosen in addition. There were some fun-loving people in Buckfield in those days .- For some reason, questions growing out of the distribution of the "Surplus Revenue" came up several times this year in the town meetings. The action of the town, the year before, in distrib- uting it per capita was sustained .- It took three ballots to decide the elec- tion for representative to the legislature. On the third, Capt. Noah Prince was elected. The following are the first and third ballots : First, Noah Prince, 116; Daniel Chase, 88; William Irish, 29; James Jewett, 20; Stephen Hutchinson. 10. Third, Noah Prince, 121; Daniel Chase, 92; James Jewett, 14; William Irish, 8.
1840.
The people of Buckfield voted twice this year for a representative to Congress. At the first ballot, Virgil D. Parris had 228, Zadoc Long, 71; N. S. Littlefield, 36; scattering, 6. At the special election, the vote was as follows: Joseph Tobin, 120; Zadoc Long, 62; Joseph G. Cole, 40; N. S. Littlefield. 57 ; scattering. 9 .- It took two ballots to decide the election of a representative to the legislature. the balloting being on two dif- ferent days. The following is the record of the votes: First, Noah Prince, Dem., 118: Nathan'l Leonard, Whig, 63: Daniel Chase, Dem., 60; Joseph Turner, Dem., 50: scattering, 5. Second. Noah Prince, 119: Nathan'l Leonard, 43; Daniel Chase, 41; George Bridgham, Jr., 16; Joseph Turner, 4 .-- At the presidential election, the Van Buren electors had 274 votes, while the Harrison electors had only 76 .- Maine had again gone "hell-bent for Governor Kent" and also for Gen. Harrison for pres- ident, but Buckfield showed no indications of the great political over- turn. One of the electors on the democratic ticket was Hon. Job Prince of Turner, a native of Buckfield.
377
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
1841.
On the 18th of January, a special election was called "for the people to give in their votes to the selectmen for a representative, that is, an in- habitant of Oxford Congressional district to represent the inhabitants of their State in the Congress of the United States." David Hammons had 68; Zadoc Long. 66: Joseph G. Cole, 60; Nathan'l Littlefield. 58; Joseph Tobin, 5; Jesse Drew. 2; A. D. White, 2 .- Stephen D. Hutchinson was elected town clerk. This was a "Hutchinson year," several of that name being elected for the principal officers. Voted "when Alvah Gilbert satis- fies the surveyor of his district that he has worked out his tax on his own road, the surveyor cross his tax."-The act of the legislature appor- tioning the representatives and senators caused a great deal of feeling in Buckfield, and a committee consisting of Hon. Virgil D. Parris, Col. Aaron Parsons, H. H. Hutchinson, William B. Bennett and James Bon- ney, Esqs., was chosen to draft resolutions to present to the town for its action. At a meeting called in May, the resolutions were presented and adopted. The town clerk, S. D. Hutchinson, recorded the resolutions in full. They directed the selectmen "to call a meeting to choose a repre- sentative to the legislature notwithstanding the act of apportionment."- At the governor election, the people of the town accordingly voted for a representative to the legislature as follows: Noah Prince, 165; Win- chester Spaulding. 9; William B. Bennett, 2; scattering. 3. Capt. Prince held his seat .- Virgil D. Parris, for one of the senators voted for by his party, had 267 votes. The highest on the whig ticket was 59 .- By an act of the legislature approved April 16th, David W. Swett and Chas. F. Davis were authorized to erect a gunpowder manufactory on "Basin Falls."
18.12.
At the annual town meeting, Cyrus H. Coolidge, Virgil D. Parris and Thomas Irish, Jr., were elected superintending school committee. Capt. Joseph Turner was elected town agent .- It was voted "to raise $37 to help build a school house in Rolan Foster's district."-Voted "that the Overseers of the poor pay to Polly Hodgdon her proportion of the sur- plus money" Also that "the Selectmen be instructed to make out an order to Miss Fobes for her part of the surplus money." Another vote passed to the same effect in the interest of Lucian Philbrick .- Voted for the selectmen to make an annual report of their doings .- Virgil D. Parris was again elected as one of the State senators .- The selectmen were in- structed to have guide boards put up in necessary locations .- Voted to receive the inhabitants of Hartford who had petitioned to be annexed to Buckfield .- Voted to have the town books kept in "Mr. Brown's office, if he will permit it free of expense."-At a meeting of delegates from Buckfield, Sumner and "Plantation No. 2," held at Jackson village July 6th, to determine what years each town should send a representative to the legislature, Capt. Noah Prince of Buckfield was elected chairman and Luther Crocker of Sumner, secretary. The Buckfield delegates were : Noah Prince, Daniel Fletcher, Joseph Turner, Ximenes Philbrick, Jonas
378
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
Spaulding and James Hussey. It was voted that Buckfield select the can- didtes for the years 1842-'44-'46-'48-'50; Sumner for 1843-'45-'49; Pl. No. 2 for 1847 .- The vote in Buckfield this year for representative resulted as follows: Noah Prince, 211; Nathaniel Leonard, 32; Tobias Ricker, Jr., 13 .- In December of this year, at the age of 89, Jacob Whitman, a soldier of the Revolution and one of the first 47 settlers who were given 100 acres of land by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, passed to the higher life. His wife, Abigail, died in 1837, aged 81. All of their children, except one, who died in infancy, lived to be over 70. One, Jacob, Jr., was 94 when he died.
1843.
The guide boards were set up at the following corners: Near Henry DeCoster's, James Bicknell's, Hall's bridge (2), Ezekiel Record's, Capt. Parris' house, Samuel F. Brown's office (2), Doctor Bridgham's (2), Capt. Jonathan Buck's (2), Mark Lowell's barn (2), Mark Lowell's house, William Morrill's (2), and Artemas F. Cole's store, "directing to Hebron."-The treasurer was instructed to burn a $3 bill of "uncurrent money."-It was voted "to allow Virgil D. Parris his account as Supt. School Committee, $1.00." Also, to allow Daniel Chase's acc't. of $0.76 and Noah Prince's of $0.38 "for town services."-Sumner sent the represen- tative to the legislature this year. It appears from the records that Buck- field voted twice, once in September and once in November. Alexander Ryerson and Capt. Lewis Bisbee were the principal candidates. The for- mer was elected .- A Buckfield correspondent of a county newspaper sent the following list of Revolutionary soldiers and pensioners living there on the 4th day of July of that year: Jonathan Record, Josiah Par- ris, Eleazer Parsons, Jabez Churchill, Thaddeus Pratt, Benjamin Wood- bury, Josiah Parsons, Tobias Ricker, David Lowe, 'Sial Smith, Thomas Bradbury and Job Packard .- It was stated that the first was 95 years old and the youngest, 81, and that they represented nearly every important battle of the Revolution. Jonathan Record was but 93 at that time. Rev. Nathaniel Chase's name is missing from this list .- Jabez Churchill died August 16. He was born at North Bridgewater, Mass., in 1759. He served four years and nine days in the war. In 1782 he first settled in Hebron, Me., and removed his family to Buckfield in 1798. His wife was Maria Benson. They had 9 children, 24 grandchildren and 92 great- grandchildren.
1844.
Ezekiel Record was chosen agent to take care of the town house. It was voted to move the town house to some place that the town can pur- chase nearer the village. Ira Gardner, David B. Record and Noah Prince were selected to purchase a lot of "Mr. Parris or some other person."- The following persons were licensed to sell at retail strong liquors "to travellers to be drank in his shop and to town's people to be carried away :" Ephraim Atwood, Lorenzo Atwood and Levi Cushman "in Co.," George Bennett and James Murdock and Ambrose Buck "in Co." Syden-
379
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
ham Bridgham as innholder was "forbidden to sell to anyone who is known to use liquors to excess," and N. Harlow was licensed to sell liquors of all kinds for one year, but was forbidden to "sell to any but steady, sober people for medicinal and mechanical purposes."-Washington Long was one of the Whig candidates for state senator this year. He polled the full strength of his party in town, 53 votes .- The vote for rep- resentative stood as follows : Daniel Chase, 145; James Bonney, 120; Jacob Leonard, 49; scattering, 4 .- At the presidential election, the "Polk Ticket" had 252 votes, the "Clay Ticket" 46, and the "Birney Ticket," S.
1845. 1
Ephraim Lowe was chosen collector of taxes. He was voted $17.50 for his services, as he had agreed to take that sum. He was also elected constable in accordance with his agreement "to do the town's business free of expense."-The assessors were instructed to take a valuation of per- sonal property .- It was voted to offer "Mr. Allen" $75 for the land on which the town house stood .- Sumner sent the sepresentative to the leg- islature this year. Alexander Libby was chosen.
1846.
It was voted at the annual town meeting that Capt. Noah Prince, who had been elected chairman of the board of overseers of the poor, "attend to the business himself, unless he thinks best to consult the others."- The building of the Hall and Morrill bridges, "lately washed away" was authorized. Ezekiel Record and Martin Drake were selected to super- intend the erection of the Hall bridge and Henry H. Hutchinson and William Irish, the Morrill bridge .- Stephen D. Hutchinson was elected this year register of deeds for the eastern district of the county. On entering upon the duties of his office in 1847, he went to reside at Paris Hill, which he made his home until his death, about 1898 .- Buckfield sent the representative to the legislature. The vote in town was as follows : Ximenes Philbrick, 179; Albert D. White, 34; David B. Record, 24; scat- tering, 3.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.