USA > Maine > Oxford County > Norway > A history of Norway, Maine : from the earliest settlement to the close of the year 1922 > Part 16
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Orin Hobbs of Norway was one of the old stage drivers of that period who became very popular, as did also Addison A. Latham, who had come to Norway from Vermont and married Miss Abigail Holt, one of the seven daughters of Daniel Holt, blacksmith-noted for their beauty and charming qualities. For many years Hobbs and Latham were in the employment of Waterhouse. And these three were the men to win or lose for Portland the terminus of the road. Orin Hobbs was selected to drive over the first hundred miles, Latham the second part of the line and Waterhouse the last hundred miles. The day selected for starting was March 29. An English steamer, with mail aboard for Montreal, on its trip to Boston was intercepted off the harbor by a tug boat which took this mail and delivered it to Hobbs who was waiting on the wharf for it. Just how this could have been arranged beforehand is not quite clear. It was about five o'clock in the afternoon, when Hobbs started with it for Gray Corner, where he was to make 'his first change of horses. A large crowd had col- lected to see him start off, and they cheered lustily as Dr. Stephen Cummings' racking mare, famous for its speed, flew away like the wind for Brown's Hotel at Gray Corner, 16 miles distant. It was reached in a little less than an hour. The next stopping place for changing horses was at Proctor's Hotel, Ricker Hill. The change being made, Hobbs flew away again over the road towards Welch- ville, where a fresh horse awaited him. Before he got there the sleigh was upset in a bad place in the road and both thills broken. Detaching the horse from the wreck, Hobbs seized the mail bag and leaping upon the back of the horse, rode him at breakneck speed to Welchville. Little time was lost there and soon with a fresh horse and another sleigh, Hobbs was on the road over the plains towards Nor- way which he reached in two hours and forty-five minutes from Port- land. He had averaged about 18 miles an hour. He did not stop,
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however, in the village but pushed on to Noyes' Tavern at Norway Center, four miles away. There a very spirited horse was being held by two men-perhaps "Whit" Hobbs' famous roadster-waiting the arrival of Orin Hobbs. It was the work of a minute or two to shift the horses, and winding the reins around his arms, Hobbs, standing up in the sleigh called upon the two men to let go the fiery beast's head and away he went with that horse on the run. The distance to Greenwood City was made without mishap and in very quick time. It was the fastest time, in fact, made on any part of the route by any driver. This is a sample of how the three stage drivers rode.
At Braggs' Tavern, Upton, Latham relieved Hobbs. No special in- cident of Latham's ride has come down to us, but he reached his des- tination on the time allotted him. His route was through Dixville Notch, Colebrook, N. H., and Canaan, Vt., into Canada. At the end of his ride, Waterhouse relieved Latham. On the last part of his route Waterhouse drove four white horses hitched to a new or freshly painted carriage on runners. In his fox skin cap and wolf skin over- coat and robe, he presented a very striking appearance. The robe he had over his legs was also made from the skins of wolves. He drove across the St. Lawrence on the ice and reached Montreal and delivered the mail about six o'clock P.M. on the 30th of March-25 hours from Portland-an average rate of 12 miles an hour. Water- house had beaten the Boston rider by four hours and secured for Portland the railroad from Montreal and Quebec and the winter port of Canada.
It took three days for the news to reach Portland, where it was received with the greatest rejoicing.
When the road finally went into operation, all three of these stage drivers were given positions as conductors on the passenger trains, which they had so deservedly earned.
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CHAPTER XXVI.
NORWAY HAMLETS.
Norway Center for more than a century has been the ideal hamlet, as that name has now come to be understood-"a small collection of houses in the country." There are not so many dwelling houses and other buildings there now as formerly, but it has remained essentially the same. It owes its existence as a hamlet to the genius and enter- prise of one man, Maj. Jonathan Cummings, Jr., son of the proprie- tor of the Cummings Purchase, and the most popular of the leading men of Norway in his day. From what we learn of him, he was the ablest man in town of that period. Had he let alone the speculation in Phillips Academy lands-now a part of Greenwood-and paid his attention towards the development of the little hamlet at Norway Cen- ter, he would have appeared in these times in his true light and been fully appreciated. Instead he comes down to us as having been dis- appointed and having failed in his projects and ambitions, which weighed upon his mind so heavily that in a period of deep melan- cholia, he took his own life.
The Hobbs Pond is capable of being made several times the reser- voir it is today, and if it had been fully developed in the early days, mills might have been operated there for a good part of the year on the water power furnished by the outlet of the pond. When I think of the little grist mill on a mountain stream, run by Bela Churchill near Owl's Head in Buckfield, in my boyhood, which was such a convenience to the people living in that section, I have great faith in the power that might have been developed from the Hobbs Pond by increasing its efficiency as a reservoir and bringing the waters to a lower level by a penstock.
In 1804, Major Cummings built a saw mill on the outlet of the Hobbs Pond. Shortly after, William Hobbs opened a store, and a public house in the vicinity. About the same time, a school-house was built there. Then a blacksmith shop soon was in operation. The town clerk's office had been established in the place when Norway was incorporated in 1797. Major Cummings built the Congregational church there in 1809. For a year and four months, beginning in October, 1866, the people of that section had a post office. Rural delivery of mail matter now renders such an office unnecessary.
Could these all have been in operation today, with the fertile and productive farming country adjacent, what more delightful place to live and spend one's days in, could there possibly be?
FULLER'S CORNER.
Fuller's Corner, where two main thoroughfares cross each other in the northerly part of the town, is another little hamlet, which made a center for the surrounding thrifty farming community. Benjamin Fuller, for whom the hamlet received its name, Dea. John Horr, Amos Upton, Aaron Wilkins and Uriah Holt, gave it its prominence in the town in early times. Mr. Wilkins afterwards lived at Norway Center near the church, and Mr. Holt passed the last years of his life
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on the Maj. Jonathan Cummings place, within easy distance of it. But in the early days, religious meetings of the Congregationalists were held at the house of Amos Upton, just south of Fuller's Corner. Benjamin Fuller's place was not at the four corners as might be sup- posed but a few rods west on the height of land on the old Waterford. road. His for many years was a public house. A store with vary- ing fortunes has always been in operation near or at the four corners. In 1808 Daniel Towne from Andover, Mass., began blacksmithing there but before he came Amos Upton, a natural mechanic, made articles for domestic use and farming purposes. And Stephen Latham, about the time of the coming of Daniel Towne commenced in the vicinity the business of making nails.
Jonathan Swift in the twenties and thirties, kept a store there and was so prominent, that the place came to be generally called Swift's Corner, which name one very frequently hears to this day. Mr. Swift was a politician and an influential leader of his party. He served several years on the board of selectmen and assessors, was county commissioner and representative to the legislature and a senator in that body. The place today is generally called North Norway.
THE CHAPEL.
The chapel, situated at the four corners about a mile west of Fuller's Corner, had two desirable things which the latter lacked- a house of worship and a grist mill. In recent years a place where goods and groceries have been kept for sale, has been in operation there. The first mill was erected on the stream that runs through the valley and empties into the Crooked River, by Amos Upton, and in the spring and autumn quite a business was done.
NOBLE'S CORNER.
When the new road from Greenwood to Norway Village was opened about 1823, Nathan Noble, son of the early settler of that name, built a store at the four corners made by the new road crossing the old Waterford road, and was in trade there so long that the ham- let has since been called Noble's Corner. Besides the store which has been in operation to this day, it has maintained a blacksmith shop. Its school-house is about half a mile to the east. It ought to have been moved long ago to the vicinity of the four corners. It was anciently called the Gurney school-house but for about fifty years it has had the name of the Noble school-house. For a period during and after the war, the post office for that part of the town was kept at Noble's Corner.
A larger number of dwelling houses have been erected at this place than at all three of the little places previously mentioned.
At one time, there was quite a little settlement on the Crooked River in Norway and Waterford, which flourished on account of the mills, located there. Naturally it should have been called Holden's Mills from David R. Holden, who either alone or with others operated for many years a saw mill there and did a considerable business.
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On the outlet of the North Pond in the Lee's Grant, William Foye, in the early days, erected a saw mill. This stream is known as the "Foye Brook" to this day. The water power privilege and mill later came into the possession of Col. John Millett and quite a business was done there for many years, but the surrounding country was not suit- able for settlement and this mill after a time fell into decay and ceased to be operated.
NORWAY LAKE.
More extensive than all the other hamlets together of the town is the little place two miles distant from the village, at the foot of the Pennesseewassee Lake. It has borne several names: first, Ford's Corner, from John B. Ford, the second trader there; second, Frost's Corner, from William Frost, 3d, the son of Robert Frost, one of the early settlers on Frost Hill. Mr. Frost traded there during the forties and after he went out of trade bought and lived on the farm recently owned by the late Benjamin Tucker. After the development of the lake shores and islands by the erection of summer cottages the post office name was changed to Norway Lake. It has now one store, a post office, a blacksmith shop, school-house and a club hall. It is a place of considerable business and the residence of Dr. C. A. Stephens, the author. The place contains a large number of dwelling houses and has the double advantage of combining lake residences with village advantages.
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CHAPTER XXVII.
FRATERNAL SOCIETIES.
FREE MASONS.
At the head of all secret associations of the world, stands the Masonic Order. Speculative Masonry as it is known today, dates back into the Middle Ages, and operative Masonry from a remote period. It teaches a pure morality, the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. It may be said to be the father of all fraternal associations, for probably in all of them are some things taken from its ritual and teachings.
The first Masonic lodge formed in Oxford county was chartered in September, 1807, by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, of which Maine was then a part. There were nineteen petitioners, principally from Paris, Norway and Buckfield. Henry Farwell, who had been a law student in the office of Luther Farrar at Norway, and that year admitted to practice-the first in the new county, headed the petition, and at the organization of the lodge-named Oxford Lodge-he was chosen Master. Of the petitioners from Norway were Luther Farrar, Joseph Gallison and Joseph Rust. From Paris were Elias Stowell, Daniel Stowell, Seth Morse, Abram Dean, and Levi Hubbard, and from Buckfield were Dr. Wm. Bridgham, Abijah Buck, Larnard Swallow, Oren Record, and Barnabas Perry.
The lodge meetings were held in Hubbard's Hall, Paris Hill. In 1820, the lodge was removed to South Paris, where for ten years it occupied the second story of the school-house. A period of twenty- three years followed, when no meetings were held. This was caused by public hostility growing out of the disappearance of William Mor- gan in New York, who it was claimed had been murdered for reveal- ing the secrets of the order. The excitement all over the country was intense and hostility to the order lasted for many years-a political party being organized in opposition to it.
That event was long talked about in the homes of the common people, and the author remembers the horror it created in his mind in his early days, but later, the copy of a book on the life of Benjamin Franklin fell into his hands in which he calmed the apprehensions of his mother about this society which totally changed his sentiments and views. What Franklin wrote to his father about it is worthy of reproduction here:
"As to the Free Masons, I know of no way of giving my mother a better account of them than she seems to have at present (since it is not allowed that women should be admitted into that secret society). She has, I must confess, on that account, some reason to be displeased with it, but for anything else, I must entreat her to suspend her judgment, till she is better informed, unless she will be- lieve me, when I assure her that they are in general a very harmless sort of people, and have no principles or practices that are inconsist- ent with religion and good manners."
The excitement and hostility having subsided, efforts were made to resuscitate the old lodge in 1853-Abijah Hall, Rufus Stowell, and
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Stephen Emery of Paris, and Maj. Henry W. Millett of Norway, being prime movers in the matter. Wm. Wirt Virgin, Otis True, and Col. Geo. W. Millett of Norway joined the order. The next year the lodge was moved to Norway. In the second story of what is now the Advertiser office building, then Mixer and Watson's shoe store block, the lodge meetings were held for many years. In 1868, the lodge re- moved to more commodious quarters over the Noyes Drug Store.
Oxford Lodge now owns a fine businss block on Cottage street, in the third story of which it holds its meetings. It has a large member- ship, a good bank fund, and is in a prosperous condition.
A Chapter of the Royal Arch was instituted at Mechanic Falls, in 1873. In 1882 it was removed to Norway. Its meetings are held in Masonic Block. The Chapter has flourished since it was located here, far beyond expectation. The membership is large, and it has the reputation of being one of the finest in Maine.
The wives and daughters of the members of the blue lodge have an organization, and "Ladies' Night" once a year is a prominent feature.
ODD FELLOWS.
Norway Lodge, No. 16, I. O. O. F., was instituted in Norway in 1874. Arthur E. Denison was the first Noble Grand and Ai J. Rowe the first Secretary. Its membership is very large and it has a large invested fund. The lodge has always been in a flourishing condition, owing to the good business management of the leading men in the association. It owns a fine brick block on Main Street, in the upper story of which its meetings are held.
The Daughters of Rebekah, as the female branch of the institution is called, has also a large membership and serves to promote great interest in the order.
Wildey Encampment, I. O. O. F., was formed here the same year that the lodge was. Dr. O. N. Bradbury was its first Chief Patriarch and Wm. H. Whitcomb, Scribe. It also has flourished and has a good membership and an invested fund.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
Pennesseewassee Lodge No. 18, K. of P. of Norway, was chartered in 1878 with sixteen members. Fred H. Gibson was the first Chan- cellor Commander, and Ai J. Rowe, K. of Records. It at once at- tained great popularity which has continued to the present time. It owns the building in which its meetings are held, in the vicinity of Clark's Drug Store, besides having a large invested fund.
THE GRANGERS.
Norway Grange, No. 45, P. of H., was organized at Norway Lake village in 1874. The leading promoters were Charles W. Ryerson, George E. Gibson, Thomas Witt, Merrill J. Rowe, Ansel Dinsmore and Edwin A. Morse. Charles W. Ryerson was chosen Master,; Mer- rill J. Rowe, Overseer; George E. Gibson, Lecturer; Ansel Dinsmore, Chaplain; Edwin A. Morse, Treasurer, and Thomas Witt, Secretary. For many years the grange meetings were held at the residence of Ralph S. Freeman on the east side of the lake-his large roomy house furnishing for a period ample quarters. Later the third story of
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what is now the Advertiser building, furnished the place of meeting, till the fine building on Whitman street was built and occupied. The association is now out of debt and in a very flourishing condition. No organization has dore so much for the farmers of Maine and their wives and children as the Patrons of Husbandry. Their general con- dition has been greatly improved-socially as well as materially. No fraternal order in the state has so large a membership.
THE G. A. R.
Harry Rust Post, No. 54, Grand Army of the Republic, was in- stituted at Norway in 1882. There had previously been one organized here in 1867, but it had become defunct. The ritual of the order had been revised, and new interest revived. Henry M. Bearce was se- lected as Commander; Henry R. Millett, Sen. V. Commander; Alonzo J. Nevers, Jun. V. Commander; Cyrus S. Tucker, Adjutant, and Horace Cole, Quartermaster. The first meetings of the Post were held in Odd Fellows Hall. Later in other places, and now in the old Cummings furniture building on Main Street, which is also occupied by a branch of the order of the American Legion.
As the membership decreased by death, honorary members were added, who by their financial aid, help to keep the treasury in neces- sary funds. Every year on Memorial Day, the soldiers' graves are decorated and appropriate services held.
In Dec., 1922, only seven men were living who enlisted on Nor- way's quota, so far as could be ascertained. Their namees were: W. Frank Cox, Charles F. Millett, W. Oscar Needham, David Flood, Clarence M. Smith, Levi E. Holden and Edward F. Stevens.
A Ladies' Relief Corps was organized in connection with the Post. It has always had a large membership of effective workers, which has greatly aided in keeping up the interest in the order and fur- nishing relief.
There are (1922) several other associations, among which are the American Legion and Order of Moose which are in a flourishing condition.
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.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
REFORM MOVEMENTS.
The moral standard of the Pilgrims and Puritans was scarcely ever equaled, and never surpassed by any people on earth. But even the Mayflower passengers, as Gov. Wm. Bradford states, had a few persons of questionable character "shuffled somehow into their company." Such manage in one way or another, to get into the society of the best, in church and community. Nothing this side of Heaven has been, or will be, absolutely pure and clean.
Freebooters and adventurers, in the early times following the Discovery of America in 1492, by Columbus, found among the savage tribes, fertile fields for their rapacity and unrestraint of passion. And in later times, as the Eastern Country was being settled up, by immigration from the settled communities, the influx of baser foreign elements, lowered the general high standard which had prevailed among the descendants of the early English settlers in all the colonies. During the Revolution the gay French soldiers, who had come over seas in the best of causes to assist in freeing the country from British rule, sowed the seeds of materialism and immorality that Voltaire, Diderot and others of the preceding generation had planted in France. War is destructive not only of life and property but of moral worth. In the track of an army, disease, crime and immorality flourish. Even the wars of the crusades were no exception in this respect.
There has always been, and always will be, need of individual ef- fort for moral uplift. In the earliest times, missionaries went among the Indians to teach moral and spiritual truths, and the value of leading blameless lives. But later it became apparent that combined efforts towards the eradication of social evils, especially the drink habit among the people, was a pressing necessity.
The War for American Independence closed in 1783 by the ratifi- cation of the Treaty of Peace between Great Britain and the United States, and this section of the country was generally settled after that event and largely by men who had served in the Continental Army. The County of Oxford was incorporated in 1805, and twenty years thereafter the Oxford County Moral Society was organized at Paris Hill in September of that year, during a session of the Common Pleas Court. In Norway a local society was formed called the "Moral Society of Norway." In 1829, the secretary of this society issued a call for the temperance people of the county to meet in Norway, July 7, for the purpose of organizing a county temperance society. On that date a large number of the leading men of the county and others met here. Levi Whitman of Norway was selected as chairman, and Samul F. Brown of Buckfield, secretary. It was decided to call the association "The Oxford County Temperance Society." Judge Luther Cary of Turner was chosen President; Stephen Chase of Frye- burg, Vice-President; Samuel F. Brown of Buckfield, Secretary; and Jere Mitchell of Norway, Treasurer. Levi Whitman was chairman of the Executive Committee. A local society subordinate to it was formed in Norway in 1833. Uriah Holt was its President and Benj.
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Tucker, Jr., Secretary. Three hundred members were enrolled in town that year.
The old Washingtonian Reform Movement originated among drunk- ards in Baltimore, Md., about 1840, and spread rapidly through the country. It was the first general national temperance movement in the United States. It reached Maine two years later or thereabouts, and was everywhere received with enthusiasm. Thousands signed the pledge which a great many kept through life, and became respected and honored citizens. A county society was organized and local ones in nearly all the villages and towns. Norway had a strong organiza- tion which did a great amount of good.
A tent of the Order of Rechabites was started here in 1846. James N. Hall was Chief Ruler; Peter B. Frost, Deputy Ruler; William Andrews, Secretary; and Loren H. Wrisley, Treasurer. John G. Robinson, Shepherd and Ephraim H. Brown, Levite. The organiza- tion lasted about two years and then went out of existence.
The Sons of Temperance, a movement that started in New York in 1842, was introduced into Maine in 1844. The next year the State Grand Lodge was organized. "Aqua Division," No. 147, was insti- tuted at Norway in 1850. The leaders in the movement were Wm. Wirt Virgin, Geo. L. Beal, Rev. John L. Stevens, Lee Mixer, Mark H. Dunnell, Samuel Favor, Cyrus Brown, Wellington Hobbs, Edwin W. Howe, Isaac A. Denison and Osgood N. Bradbury. Wm. Wirt Virgin was the first Patriarch and Mark H. Dunnell the first Secretary. The order was very popular and existed in some parts of the state till into Civil War times or later, but it did not last long in Norway.
Another organization called the. Temperance Watchmen, whose tenets were prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors, was formed in Norway about the same time as the Sons of Temperance. The meetings were held at Norway Lake village. The leaders in the movement were Dr. O. N. Bradbury, who was chosen presiding offi- cer of the club, Sylvanus Cobb, Jr., Rev. John L. Stevens, Simon Stevens, James L. Partridge, A. Oscar Noyes, Capt. Jonathan White- house, and Hannibal I. Kimball. There was not interest enough among the people to support two such lodges or clubs at the same time and both appear to have died in 1854.
A lodge of Good Templars was organized here in 1874. For per- manent officers, chosen in Norway, Fred H. Gibson was Chief Templar; Geo. H. Shedd, Secretary, and Emma O'Brion, Treasurer. The charter was surrendered during the latter part of the year 1875.
A movement which lasted for ten years here was organized in April, 1875, and called the Norway Reform Club. Its first President was David Knapp. A Ladies' Aid Society in connection with it was formed in July of that year, and Mary L. Howe was chosen Presi- dent; Alice Burnham, Secretary; and Nellie A. Jewett, Treasurer. No temperance work in Norway can be compared with that done by these two organizations.
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