USA > Maine > Oxford County > Norway > A history of Norway, Maine : from the earliest settlement to the close of the year 1922 > Part 11
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
Nathan Foster, buried in National Cemetery at New Orleans, La. David Francis Frost, buried at New Orleans, La. George W. Frost, buried in National Cemetery at New Orleans, La. John G. Hayes, buried in National Cemetery at New Orleans, La. Harrison B. Holden, buried at New Orleans, La.
Chandler Hutchinson, buried at New Orleans, La.
David A. Morse, buried in National Cemetery at New Orleans, La. Josiah H. Smith, buried in National Cemetery at New Orleans, La. Benjamin F. Whitcomb, buried at New Orleans, La. Total 48.
Kenneth L. Bartlett was the youngest of these soldiers to die. He was 17. The oldest was James Merrill, whose age was 47. The first one to die was George E. Needham, at Ship Island, April 11, 1862. The first to be killed in battle was Sergeant Austin C. Hayes at Baton Rouge, Aug. 5, 1862. The last one to perish on the battlefield was John H. Lovejoy, at Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864, a few hours later than Andrew P. Greenleaf. The last one to die while in the army was Joseph H. Herrick in the Rebel prison at Salisbury, N. C., Novem- ber 21, 1864.
109
HISTORY OF NORWAY
Lucius I. Bartlett and Kenneth L. Bartlett were taken prisoners at Culpepper Court House; Charles W. Dinsmore at Chancellorsville; Ezra A. Merrill, George S. Foster and Daniel Pike at Baton Rouge; Nathaniel G. Frost, Henry N. Judkins and Joseph H. Herrick at Mine Explosion, Petersburg. All were paroled and exchanged but Kenneth L. Bartlett, Daniel Pike and Joseph H. Herrick.
110
HISTORY OF NORWAY
HAILROAD
CROSSING
NORWAY, MAINE, APRIL 1898. CO. D. N. G., CAPT. FRANK BARTLETT, MARCHING TO STATION ON THEIR WAY TO CHICKAMAUGA, TENN .- TO AWAIT ORDERS TO GO TO CUBA. SPANISH WAR.
111
HISTORY OF NORWAY
CHAPTER XIX.
NORWAY IN THE SPANISH WAR.
The war between the United States and Spain was caused by the destruction of the battleship Maine in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, February 15, 1898, by which 266 officers and men of the United States Navy were killed. After an official investigation, during which prep- arations for the struggle were vigorously pushed, war was declared on the 25th of April, following. At first there was a fear among the people of the Atlantic coast states, that their cities and towns would be bombarded and destroyed by the fleets of the enemy, but this was soon dissipated by the order of the British Government, restricting the coaling of war vessels and their stay in English ports. At last Great Britain had come to see that its best policy was to cultivate friendship with her kindred on this side of the ocean. It was an im- partial order theoretically but as Spain was so far away and had so few ports in America which would be of any practical use in time of war, it worked out favorably for the United States. The war was short and very few lives on the part of this government were sacri- ficed. Nothing like it in this respect in the history of any war was ever known before. The brilliant feats performed by the forces of the United States, were the destruction of the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay in the Philippine Islands by Commodore George Dewey, without the loss of a single marine, May 1; the capture of San Juan Hill, Cuba; the campaign of General Nelson A. Miles in Porto Rico; the race of the battleship Oregon from San Francisco, California, through the Straits of Magellan to reinforce our fleet of war ships in West Indian waters; and the destruction, without loss, of Admiral Cervera's fleet off Santiago, Cuba, July 3, which virtually brought the war to a close. Spain acknowledged the independence of Cuba, and ceded Porto Rico, the Philippines, Guam and some other small islands to the United States.
On the declaration of war, one regiment was called from Maine and one company was largely recruited from the company of the National Guard here, composed of men from Norway, Paris and neighboring towns. It was denominated Company D of the regiment, which was camped on the old battlefield of Chickamauga, Ga., till the close of hostilities, when it was ordered home. The officers and men of the company were mustered out at Norway the last of October, after a service of six months. Only one Norway soldier died, Capt. Frank T. Bartlett, July 3, who had been sick but two or three days. His remains were brought home for burial. Several boys from Nor- way contracted diseases from which they never recovered, and one or two died.
The following are the names of the Norway boys who served in the regiment :
Capt., Frank T. Bartlett Sec. Lieut., John W. Nash Ord. Sergt., Wallace W. Sheen Q. M. Sergt., Merton L. Kimball Musician, Ralph I. Trask
112
HISTORY OF NORWAY
Charles S. Bartlett Horace H. Cole
SERGEANTS.
Benjamin F. Faunce Alfred L. Lafarriere
CORPORALS.
Ray Bradbury
Ross L. Bickford
C. C. Adams
PRIVATES.
Ervin A. Bean C. E. Cragin S. A. Jackman H. S. McAllister
A. H. Bodkin Herbert I. Holt Jos. H. Jewett Chas. Morse
Earl D. Brown T. L. Heath J. Lummis, Jr.
Maj. B. F. Bradbury, Brigade Surgeon Sec. Lieut., A. J. Stearns, Co. C.
A number of Norway boys went to Augusta to be mustered into Company D, but were rejected by the examining surgeons. Among these were W. A. Lewis, Eugene F. Hayden, W. M. Heath, George H. Cullinan, Charles W. Jackson, F. A. Wentworth and Lee M. Watson.
H. Denison Cole was in the hospital service of the regular army, in the Philippines, and came home by way of the Sandwich Islands and California-completing a trip around the world.
Myron Cherry served in another organization and died October 18, 1898, in his 21st year. James H. Jewett and Ralph I. Trask con- tracted disabilities while in the army, and died after their discharge.
113
HISTORY OF NORWAY
CHAPTER XX.
NORWAY VILLAGE IN 1825.
I was born in Norway village, February 1, 1819, and am I believe the oldest living person who is a native of the place. My parents were Daniel and Susan (Bennett) Smith. They were born in New Gloucester, then a frontier town in the District of Maine. My mother was a cousin of Uncle Nat. Bennett, one of the first settlers in the township, afterwards called Norway and one of the most interesting characters of his day. My grandfather Josiah Smith was a native of Beverly, Mass. All my ancestors, as far back as I can learn were men of peace. None of them or of my descendants has ever figured in courts of law, either as plaintiff or defendant.
My father, however, was a deputy sheriff for awhile, after the County of Oxford was incorporated, but he disliked the business and gave it up.
-
SEBASTIAN S. SMITH
At the time of my earliest recollection, there were but about 35 dwelling houses in the place. At the head of the village where Mr. Gorge A. Cole resides, Samuel Ames lived in 1825. His business was to tend the grist mill built on the north side of the "outlet" to the great pond. It was on the site of the old mill now used by C. B. Cummings & Sons as a lumber mill. The first grist mill was erected by Henry Rust, the proprietor of Rustfield (the southern part of the present town of Norway) in 1789. Mr. Ames was the first miller- a position he held for over 40 years. At first he also had the man- agement of the saw mill erected on the south side of the stream at the same time the grist mill was built. One has been in operation on the same spot ever since. It was all custom grinding in 1825, and con- siderable business was done for those times. Millers then took toll- that is a certain quantity out of the corn, wheat, and rye-which they ground.
Mr. Ames was a very well informed man and one of the pillars of the Universalist Church. He had been a soldier in the Revolution
114
HISTORY OF NORWAY
and was a drummer. His native place was Haverhill, Mass. He told me that he was one of those who beat the drum when the British general, John Burgoyne, paraded his troops for their surrender to the Americans at Saratoga. He beat the first drum at the first muster ever held in the town of Norway.
Mr. Ames' true name was Buck-a distant relative of the Bucks, who settled in Buckfield. Why he changed his name I do not know. He lived to be 93 years old.
Near the buildings of Samuel Ames were those of his son, Baker Ames. There was a store on the common in front of Baker Ames' house, in which first one and then another traded.
There was only one house on what is now called Pleasant street and in this a man by the name of Peter Buck lived. He was said to have been of French descent. The house was on the site now occu- pied by the residence of Wm. F. Jones.
Above the mills on what is now called Water Street, there was no house but one and this was in the vicinity of the present corn factory. A Mr. Hicks lived there.
On Water Street-the lower part of which was called "Pooduck"- there were only three houses in 1825. Ichabod Bartlett lived in a large two-story house on the north side of the road, and between it and the stream. The house was built by his father, Mr. Levi Bartlett, who was a blacksmith and had a trip hammer run by water power. The house hasn't changed much to this day. Lee Mixer, who was a trader in the village for many years, town treasurer and rep- resentative to the legislature, made it his home for the greater part of the time he lived in Norway and died there. Mr. Bartlett traded in a store in 1825, situated in the corner of the two roads where Mr. Jackson Clark's residence now stands. Back of the store and a little farther up on the stream was a blacksmith shop, operated by Mr. Eben Hobbs, who made such implements as picks, hammers, nigger hoes and old fashioned wooden plows. He did no ox or horse shoeing. Mr. Hobbs lived across the road, in the corner where the dwelling house of Mr. W. A. Bicknell now stands. This building is nearly the same now as it was 80 years ago. The third house in that section was Mr. Daniel Holt's, situated near the entrance to the C. B. Cum- mings & Sons mill yard. Mr. Holt had a large family of girls and his house was one of the most popular places of resort for the young people of that day in the village or town.
One of the girls who married Mr. Samuel Favor, was regarded as the belle of the place. The house in later times was moved to South Paris and was used for many years by the late A. C. T. King, as a carpenter shop. Mr. Holt was a blacksmith, and he had his shop near his dwelling house. The old barn on the east side of the road leading over Pike's Hill, is the only structure of the village which looks exactly today as it did 80 years ago.
With the exception of the section called "Pooduck," which I have just been describing, the village had only one road through it, now called Main Street. There were then no lateral or side streets or roads. I will now give the houses and places of business on the south side of this main road along the stream.
115
HISTORY OF NORWAY
On the corner on the site of the building in which the late Eben C. Shackley traded for many years, was a store in which my brother, Jonathan B. Smith, did business. It was a one-story building. My brother had married a daughter of Joseph Rust, the first Register of Deeds in the county, and afterwards represented the town in the legislature.
Mr. Horatio G. Cole, just below the grist mill, had a little wool- carding mill. It was built over a part of the stream, or very close to it. This building was afterwards hauled to the vicinity of the Millett Corner on the Paris road and changed into a dwelling house. This wool carding industry was quite a business in those days and for a short period each year the mill was run night and day. I have seen a pile of fleeces about Mr. Cole's mill that would fill a hay rack heaping full.
The village schoolhouse stood on the spot where the upper pri- mary now stands. Above it was quite a pond which had been made by the stream at high water washing away the bank. The water was two feet or more deep. In fall and often in winter, it was a fine place for skating.
Many years ago it was filled up and buildings erected over it. There was a partition through the schoolhouse to separate the very smallest from the largest scholars. The first school I attended was in that building. There were but two terms a year-the big boys attending only in the winter. My first teacher's name was Miss Allen. She punished her pupils in strange ways. She would often split the ends of sticks and put them on the children's noses. The longer the stick the more ashamed the scholars were. This reduced them to strict obedience.
The old schoolhouse was afterwards burned down. It was in the winter time, and the old fire engine which they had then for putting out fires was frozen up, and by the time it was thawed out, the structure had been nearly all consumed. A new house was then erected.
Below the schoolhouse, next to the bridge, where the grange buildings now stand, was a structure for making potash. In the early days, the manufacture of potash was quite an industry, and nearly every town had one or more. Near the potash was a narrow building in which was a set of hay scales. Into this building people drove their teams, when there were large loads to be weighed. Ropes were fixed around the carts, hay racks, etc., and raised by a windlass. A little room was partitioned off in one end of the building, in which the owner kept the steelyards, pulleys, etc. My uncle, Joshua Smith, then landlord of the hotel where the Elm House now stands, owned the concern. Below the bridge in the corner, stood a two-story build- ing with a hip roof, used as a store. It was painted yellow. There were but two or three other painted buildings then in the village. I think a man by the name of Mitchell traded there and after him to this day it has been a place where business has been carried on.
On the spot occupied by the Bartlett store was the stable owned by Joshua Smith which was afterwards moved across the street and joined to the Elm House stable.
116
HISTORY OF NORWAY
On the site of the Hathaway block stood a one-story unpainted house, occupied by Solomon and Amos Millett, cloth-dressers. An ell extended toward the Smith stable and quite close to it, which, after undergoing some changes, has become the present old Hathaway block, said to be the best renting property in the whole village. In a part of this building were the rooms used by the Milletts for their business. Another part was used for a stable. In that old stable was exhibited the first caravan as it was then called, ever seen in Norway village.
In front of the stable a high board fence was erected, inclosing space enough to hold about fifty people, and into this the spectators were admitted by removing a board.
. An old bark house stood near the present dam, just a little farther down stream. The tan pits were constructed out of doors. In winter there was no tanning of leather done, but the pits were filled with hides in the fall and covered with tan to prevent freezing through the cold season.
A house one and a half stories high, occupied by the tanner and his family, stood near. It was destroyed in the great fire of 1894. A building used as a storehouse stood near the old bark house.
On the site of the A. L. Sanborn clothing store was an old two- story tumble-down building. The lower part was used as a currier shop and the upper part for storing leather.
Where the. Noyes drug store now stands, was the Henry Rust mansion house, as it was called. The barn and cow yard were situ- ated where Mr. C. L. Hathaway's and Dr. B. F. Bradbury's residences now are. The great elm tree in the doctor's yard, then of younger and more vigorous growth (it now shows the marks of age), stood right in the corner of the Rust barn yard. An open shed was located so near the road, that water from the eaves dropped into what is now Main Street and a board fence extended up the road from it to the tan yard lot.
On the easterly side of the mansion house was a small house in which the 3d Henry Rust lived. His father having died a few years before, his mother occupied the mansion house with several members of the family.
A corridor connected this small house with the mansion house. These houses were destroyed during the fire of 1852 when the railroad hotel kept by Mr. Anthony Bennett and several other buildings were burned. Then the Rusts built the house where the late John L. Horne lived during the latter part of his life, he purchasing it of the 4th and last Henry Rust, who was brevetted a brigadier-general in the Civil War.
The Mrs. Henry Rust, who lived in the mansion house in 1825, had been employed as a domestic in the family of the first Henry Rust and his son, Henry, fell in love with and married her. She was much puffed up on account of it, as is frequently the case, and greatly over- estimated the importance of her position in society. Her husband was a man of marked ability, however, and had no occasion "to put on airs." He held the office of County Treasurer for many years and was much in town office. He died universally lamented in 1820.
117
HISTORY OF NORWAY
There was a marked contrast between the wife of Henry Rust and of Joseph Rust.
In my younger days I worked considerably for my brother, Jona- than B., who had married one of the daughters of Joseph Rust, who had died in 1815, leaving a widow and two children.
And during all the time I was there I never heard a cross or im- patient word uttered in the family. If any requests were made or directions given, it was always "Please do this," or "Will you please do that?" Theirs was the ideal family life, if there ever was such.
On or near the spot where the Tucker harness shop stood, was a little one-story house, in which Lewis Crockett, a saddler, lived. My father's house stood where Dr. A. N. French's residence now stands. There I was born and lived till my father sold out and bought the place in 1824, where Mr. E. B. Tubbs now lives. And after living there a few years, my father bought the farm on Fore Street, in 1829, which has been my home ever since.
The first event of my life that I can recall is a fire, which occurred in a building across the road. Over 80 years have passed since then, yet nothing in my whole life is more vivid than the burning of that structure.
Dr. Asa Danforth settled in the village about 1820 and first boarded at Mr. Benjamin Tucker's, whose dwelling house was situated on the site of the Tubbs store. I have been told that I was the first patient he was called to treat. The doctor told my wife this. Some- thing was wrong with me and my parents thought they would call the new doctor to see the baby.
Daniel Young, a hatter, resided in a house on the lot where George Austin now lives. His shop was between his and my father's houses. Dea. Martin Stetson, of the Baptist Church, lived where the Baker sisters now reside. The old structure, which was burned, was re- modeled from a barn.
The last house on that side before reaching the brook was that of Mr. Stephen Greenleaf, a cabinet maker. His shop was situated where or very near the Hobbs variety store now stands. From the brook, which crosses the road to the Steep Falls, on that side of the street there was no house or building of any kind in 1825.
On the other side there were but four. At Steep Falls, on the flat near the stream, was the old Capt. Bailey Bodwell house. In a part of this building was his clothing works, the machinery being run by water power.
Capt. Bodwell had been an officer in the militia and in the War of 1812. When he first came to Norway he did considerable business, but he soon became involved in many law suits, which he never en- tirely was free from through the rest of his life. He liked "white eye," not wisely but too well, and often drank to excess and neglected his business. Many years ago this building was torn down.
On the line of the road next to the bridge was a grist mill, tended in 1825 by Mr. Benjamin Barrows, who was also a wheelwright. His house was situated where the Crooker blacksmith shop stood. Mr. Barrows' father, Ephraim Barrows, was a Revolutionary soldier, and a cousin of Dea. William Barrows of Hebron. He came here from
118
HISTORY OF NORWAY
that town and lived in a house near his son, but farther back from the road.
Near a well in an adjoining field, in which a pump may still be seen, was the residence of Mr. Richard Houghton. It afterwards took fire mysteriously and was burned. The house was never rebuilt.
From that place down to the Stanton bridge-in late years called the covered bridge-there was no building whatever on either side of the road.
In the corner made by the main road and the road to South Paris was a one-story structure where Mr. Moses Ames lived. It was after- wards moved, and is now the home of Mr. Howard Young.
Where Mr. Cyrus Woodsum now lives Mr. Aaron Shackley resided in 1825. He was employed much by the Rusts. This Mr. Shackley was the father of Mr. Eben C. Shackley, the trader before mentioned.
On the site of the bakery store now occupied by Mr. L. I. Gilbert, stood the farm buildings of Mr. William Cordwell. The barn and barn yard were situated on the hill where the high school building is located. Mr. Cordwell's house was a two-story structure, in the back part of which was a hatter's shop. Mr. C. carried on the business of making hats, to some extent.
On the site of the residence of Mr. Arthur Hebbard was a one- story house where John Richards lived. He was a shoemaker, and had a small shop just east of his house, on the same side of the road. Mr. Richards afterwards moved to Oxford, and died there.
As before mentioned, Benjamin Tucker's house stood on the site of the present Tubbs store. Mr. Tucker was a harness maker, and his shop was situated a short distance from the house towards the brook. Back of his house was his barn. The shoe factory buildings are located on what was once Mr. Tucker's land. He was a prosper- ous business man and one of the leading men in the Universalist society.
Where Mr. Clarence M. Smith now lives the family of Mr. Stephen Latham resided. He had died in 1824. His business was nail making, and his little shop was situated just above the house. It was the burning of this structure that produced such a vivid im- pression on my youthful mind, as before related. The house was an old one, without clapboards or underpinning. Mr. Elliott Smith, the father of Clarence M., afterwards purchased it and fitted it up for a residence. It has been in possession of the family ever since.
There was near by, a little farther back from the road, a little low roofed house of two rooms. As long ago as I can remember, Rev. Benjamin B. Murray, then the pastor of the Universalist Church society, lived there. Here his son, who was Colonel of the 15th Maine Regt. in the Civil War, and since Adjutant General of the State, was born. Near this house was a small jeweler's shop, owned by a Mr. Weston. I have still half a dozen silver spoons which he made in that little shop. This building is now a part of Mrs. Betsey Greenleaf's dwelling house.
All Norway people are familiar with the Dr. Asa Danforth brick residence, now owned by Dr. H. L. Bartlett. Mr. Joseph Gallison once owned the place when a wooden structure occupied the spot where the fine brick house stands. Mr. Gallison was a hatter, and
119
HISTORY OF NORWAY
his shop adjoined his house. Between the Weston shop and the Galli- son house was a board fence, on the line of the road.
There was a little one-story house on the lot now occupied by the A. J. Nevers store, but I don't remember who lived in it. It was afterwards moved off, to give place to the structure which was built there.
William Reed, the first postmaster in the village and who served for about 40 years, lived in a large two-story house, which became a part of the present Beal's hotel, when that place was built. Mr. Reed was a trader. His store was an old rattle trap concern, and passed into the possession of the late Mr. Robert Noyes, now owned by his daughter, Miss Helen Noyes.
The gross receipts of Mr. Reed's post office business, at first, as he told me were but $5 per annum. Mail then came to the office from Portland, only twice a week. People had but a few letters, and only here and there, a person took any newspapers. The mail was brought by post riders on horseback.
Mr. John Ordway lived in a house now the property of George- L. Noyes. He was a wheelwright by trade and made carriages and other things. His shop was connected with the house.
On the site of the Crooker and Leavitt hardware stores, Mr. Wm. Cox had his dwelling house and store. He was the grandfather of Wm. F. Cox of the village.
The present Elm House, which has been enlarged and built over, was owned by my uncle, Mr. Joshua Smith, as already mentioned. He was an "all round man" of much ability and a land-surveyor of great experience. He assisted in lotting the "Lee's Grant" and draw- ing a plan of this tract and of the town.
Next above the hotel was a small structure, once common enough in the villages of the state, but now rare, where Levi Whitman had his law office. It was built by Luther Farrar, Norway's first lawyer, whom Mr. Whitman succeeded. This office became a part of the building now occupied by Mr. Owen P. Brooks as a meat market. Mr. Henry J. Bangs, the merchant, now owns and resides in the dwelling house which has been enlarged and built over since then where Mr. Whitman made his home. It was one of the few painted buildings in 1825.
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.