USA > Maine > Oxford County > Norway > A history of Norway, Maine : from the earliest settlement to the close of the year 1922 > Part 31
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On reaching his neighbor's house, he was much alarmed to find that they had started for home some time before his arrival. There were two paths between these settlers' habitations-one the more direct way, the other a circuitous route that ran a part of the way through a heavy growth of trees in which flowed a small brook. He took this latter path home, but saw no trace of the children, or heard anything from them, though he loudly called their names at intervals.
On reaching his habitation, he found his wife in great agitation and apprehension over the disappearance of the children.
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She had seen her husband enter the clearing without them and she knew that they had strayed away and were lost or had been captured by the Indians. While they were considering the matter of raising the neighbors to go in search of the missing ones, they saw a hunter approaching which proved to be Joe the scout, a noted character of that region, and they thought it best to ask his advice.
The new-comer was indeed a character. He was six feet tall and muscularly built with broad shoulders and well-rounded chest.
His face was darkly browned from exposure in all kinds of weather and well wrinkled by time and when in repose his countenance had a good-natured expression. When thoroughly aroused it under- went a complete transformation. A bold determination, undaunted self-confident and crafty cunning, with a contempt and recklessness of danger, might be read in every lineament. His somewhat stoop- ing figure then became erect and the loose, heavy, swinging gait, was succeeded by a light, springy step, like that of the panther or wild cat.
His dress consisted of a cap made of the skin of some wild animal, a loose hunting jacket, girdled at the waist by a belt that held a hunting knife in a sheath. His lower limbs were encased in leggings of undressed hides and instead of shoes he wore moccasins made from the skin of a moose.
The scout was a great hunter, not only of all kinds of game, but of the red man whom he equalled if not excelled in craftiness and cunning, as well as in every species of wood craft.
During the last Indian war, while returning from a hunt in the forest, the scout had seen his habitation set on fire and burned to the ground by a large party of savages and his wife and children mas- sacred without the power to prevent this destruction. The Indians were too many to attack openly and he withdrew into the woods. Lifting his right hand to heaven he took a solemn oath to be avenged on every one of these wild beasts in human form, who had destroyed his home and murdered his family. From that time on he hunted the band which had blighted his life, and before the war was over he had shot and killed most of the murderers.
There were yet two others remaining, who had hitherto eluded his avenging arm.
The scout, having heard the story of the disappearance of the children, remarked that the pesky redskins were no doubt the cause of their absence. Capt. Joe Woodman, his commanding officer, an- ticipating an Indian outbreak, he said had directed his minute men to be on the alert, and he was looking around in obedience to the order to watch for any indications of the presence of the savages. He thought in case the Indians had captured the children that they would take them to Canada to hold for a ransom or to dispose of to the French for large bounties.
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Bidding Mr. Allen not to follow him as he could make an inves- tigation better alone, the scout started off into the woods. In about an hour he returned with the information that the children had been captured by Indians. He found their tracks near the brook already mentioned. The savages had gone northward, probably far enough to prevent pursuit that night and would likely be astir very early and on their way to Canada by the first light of day.
It was finally decided after much discussion that the scout and Mr. Allen should go in pursuit-the former at first insisting that he should go alone, as he could do much better by himself. To this the parents would not listen, and the scout reluctantly consented to Mr. Allen's accompanying him, provided he yielded implicit obedience to whatever was required of him. Mr. Allen assented to this con- dition, as he had great confidence in the scout's sagacity and good judgment.
Preparations were accordingly made for a very early start on the following morning. The parents got very little rest that night, but the scout slept soundly, as if nothing unusual was on hand for the morrow. He awoke, however, while the stars were shining, and eating a hearty meal, he slipped his right arm and head through the straps on his powder horn and hunting bag, the latter containing a hatchet, a flint and tinder, some dried meat and corn bread, then he picked up his rifle to see if the priming was satisfactory and finding it so he turned to Mrs. Allen and said: "Don't worry about the children, we will overtake the varmints who have carried them away, in the course of two or three days. Old Joe knows how to outwit them."
Here he uttered a low, self-satisfied chuckle as if he had already accomplished the feat and had the savages in his power. The con- fidence of the scout gave the mother considerable courage.
The scout and Mr. Allen began their long tramp at break of day, but before going, Mrs. Allen put into the already well filled game bag of her husband, some delicacies for the children.
The Indians having made captives of the children while returning home as was feared, started as anticipated for Canada with them be- fore the sun was up. As the scout concluded, they had gone only far enough the night before to insure not being pursued. This way was a severe one for the children. One of the savages led the way, followed by Rebecca, John and Susan in single file with the other Indian bringing up the rear to keep the children in line and prevent them from going through soft places where their tracks might be left, and from breaking any twigs along the way to show that they had passed over the route.
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The savages hurried them along as fast as they could go. They were beset with black flies and mosquitoes, till their faces and hands were covered with blood. At one time the boy burst out crying, whereupon the Indian who followed the children raised his tomahawk and threatened to cut his head open. Rebecca darted in front of the savage and clasping her brother in her arms to shield him from the anticipated blow told the Indian hotly that he should not hurt John. This action enraged the savage and he was about to strike her, when the spartan spirit of Susan rose superior to the crisis. She told the barbarian to let her brother and sister alone. "A little cry from John," she said, "will ease his feelings and do you no harm. Why can't we have some twigs to keep the mosquitoes from eating us up? Come, John, be brave and stout-hearted and don't cry. Papa will come by and by and take us home."
What she said appeared to have weight with the other savage, for after an earnest conversation with his companion in words the children didn't understand he went off a considerable distance and came back with some evergreen twigs which were given the chldren, to ease in keeping off the insects; then the Indian who had brought up the rear took the lead and the tramp was resumed.
They were not allowed to stop even to eat anthing, but the dried meat given them for food was eaten while in motion. They did not lack, however, for good nice cool water. There were numerous springs along the way from which the savages drank and allowed their captives also to drink, the water being dipped up in birch bark drinking cups which the Indians carried with them.
About sundown, the children being very tired, they were taken by one of the Indians to a place off from the trail, where they might camp for the night, leaving the other to ascertain whether they were being followed.
The scout and Mr. Allen had not reached that far and the Indian, after a long wait, having settled in his own mind that they were not being pursued, joined his associate. The children went to sleep in tears-both girls having their arms around John, as if to shield him from harm.
The second day's journey was but a repetition of the first except that it was a more tiresome one for the children. Their feet had become sore and their limbs ached. Insects had troubled them as on the previous day, but not so severely.
They felt a great relief when a place was spotted for their night's stay on the height of land, near a pond, now called Bryant's Pond in Woodstock, which was one of the sources of the Little Andros- coggin river. The Indians had seen no indications of pursuit and thought they could throw off some restraint, and relax their vigilance. This was precisely what the scout had calculated upon.
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While Mr. Allen, on setting out, desired that they keep in motion through the day at as rapid a pace as possible, the scout wished not to get near enough to the savages to be discovered till the time came to act. This he thought would come at the end of the second or at most the third day. It was absolutely necessary for the success of his plan that the savages be thrown off their guard, otherwise though they might accomplish the destruction of the Indians, the lives of some at least of the children would be put in jeopardy. They found no serious difficulty in following the trail, for while strict orders had been given the children not to break a twig or travel over soft places where their footprints would be left, there would be some places, where traces remained. The spot where the Indian threatened to tomahawk the boy was long and carefully examined by the scout. At last he made it all out, but wisely said nothing to the anxious father.
On the second day they pressed their pursuit with all their endur- ance and energy. In crossing a brook the scout discovered partially covered with leaves a track of one of the children's feet which had been freshly made. After reaching the top of a hill about sunset the scout directed Mr. Allen to stop where he was while he went forward to reconnoiter. In a short time he returned with the welcome intel- ligence that the Indians were near at hand with the children.
They made a detour and came into the vicinity of the party behind a little ridge of land. Selecting a spot thickly covered with bushes, they crept to a place where they could observe the movements of the savages, without being themselves seen. The ground from here gently sloped to the pond. The father eagerly noted that the children were under a tree, the boy lying on the ground, apparently asleep, with his head in Rebecca's lap, while she leaned against the trunk, and kept off the flies and mosquitoes from her little brother's face.
Near them sat Susan with her eyes intently fixed on some object near the pond.
In looking in that direction they noticed that a deer stood near the water and one of the Indians was trying to get near enough to it, unobserved, to shoot it. The other Indian, who had been acting as guard, had moved a short distance away to get a better view of the animal and to see how his companion managed, leaving his gun leaning against a tree.
It was time for the scout to act, and that quickly. Leaving Mr. Allen to perform his part, according to instructions, at the proper moment, he hastily, yet as noiselessly as possible, crept back out of the bushes and to the other side of the tree against which Rebecca was sitting. In a whisper he said, "Don't stir, I am old Joe, the scout. Your father is near and we have come to save you. Tell Susan to get that Indian's gun when she hears the report of my rifle." Rebecca leaned forward over the form of the sleeping boy, and whispered her
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instructions to her sister while the scout moved to another place where he could better watch the movements of the Indian, who was intent on shooting the deer. The animal started at some slight noise, pricked up its ears to listen when the sharp report of the savage's rifle rang out through the forest, followed by another, and the death yell of the Indian. The other Indian, who had been intently watching the animal, turned and, realizing the situation, sprang for his gun but Susan had secured it, and as he reached forth his hands to take it the brave little girl, impelled to action by her father shouting, "Fire, Susan! Fire for your life!" discharged it point blank at the savage's breast and he fell to the ground and in a few moments breathed his last.
John awoke with a cry of alarm, but his father was soon on the spot and clasped him to his breast. They all wept for joy. Another place was selected for their stay over night. It was on higher ground, where the insects did not trouble them so much. A shelter of boughs was hastily constructed in which other boughs were laid, that made a soft bed. Fires were built around the place to keep off wildcats and panthers, for these animals were numerous in that part of the country. The scout brought hither the carcass of the deer which the Indian had killed and he had skinned. The bodies of the slain savages were left where they fell, after he had cut off their scalps.
Choice steaks of venison were nicely roasted, and all partook of a hearty supper. Then all but the scout went to sleep. He thought it best to keep watch, and he spent his time in roasting such parts of the deer as they would need for food on their two days journey home.
During the night he heard the screech of a panther off on the mountain, on the other side of the pond. At intervals it sounded nearer and nearer, and he knew that the animal was approaching the place where they were. He put fresh fuel on the fires, and quietly went on with his work. Soon the cries of the panther ceased, and he concluded that it had found the bodies of the Indians and remains of the deer, and was devouring the flesh. Toward morning Mr. Allen awoke and took his place as sentinel, while the scout should get a little rest.
The sun had been risen some time when the scout awoke. He found that Mr. Allen and the children had already breakfasted and were in readiness to begin their journey home. They did not have long to wait. Filling his game bag with cooked venison, as Mr. Allen had already, done, he stopped only long enough to eat a little of the bread he had brought with him, then he led the way towards the settlement, eating the meat, to finish his breakfast as he went along.
Below the falls to which Capt. Jonathan Snow afterwards gave his name they constructed a rude raft on which they floated with the current, till the course of the river changed to the eastward.
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About sundown on the fourth day of their absence they emerged from the woods, into Mr. Allen's clearing. A shout of joy went up from the children which brought the mother to the door. She had just gone into the house disappointed, at seeing no signs of them, though she had looked a hundred times that day. Shading her eyes with her right hand to shut out the glare of the setting sun in her face she caught sight of the children, her husband and the scout approaching.
Waiting only to make sure that her children had indeed returned safe, Mrs. Allen fell on her knees and uttered a fervent prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God. So the children running to her found her. They clustered around her and almost smothered her with kisses. When Mr. Allen reached his wife he raised her up and led her into the house. Then they turned to speak to the scout, but he had vanished. In Mr. Allen's pocket, he found the scalp taken from the head of the Indian slain by Susan, carefully wrapped in some leaves of moosewood.
Another Indian war (the last) in Maine soon broke out and Mr. Allen like many others moved his family to a place of safety till it should be over. As in previous wars with the savages, the General Court at Boston gave bounties for Indian scalps. As one war suc- ceeded another, these bounties had been increased till in the last one it amounted to two hundred pounds, a sum equal to about one thou- sand dollars. The scalp taken from the head of the Indian killed by Susan was presented to the authorities with others by the scout Joe and the bounties were paid him. Susan divided the sum she received with Rebecca "share and share alike," and these with ac- cumulated interest according to tradition among their descendants constituted their dowry, when they were married.
Just how much the scout received for Indian scalps during the war is not known. But it was enough to keep him from want till death, at a ripe old age. He always declared with great gratification that the two savages, slain while attempting to carry the Allen chil- dren into captivity, were the last of the band that had destroyed his home and massacred his family.
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PART IV GENEALOGIES
The family statistics are not so full and complete as the author would like to have them. It is chiefly the same old story,-lack of co-operation and interest on the part of those who should have rendered assistance. Collateral branches have not been gone into extensively lest the work be made too voluminous. Family lines have been traced, where possible, to immigrant ancestors and dates will be found quite full-much more so, than in ordinary town histories. No apology, however, is offered-this part of the history being the best without weeks more of hard labor and research, that the author could produce.
Аввотт.
John and Hannah (Farnum) Abbott were early settlers in Andover. Their son Jonathan m. Ruth Bragg. Of their children was Enoch, who m. Sarah Farnum, and Thomas, their son, m. Eliz- abeth Simpson and had James Monroe, b. Andover, Jan. 13, 1823, who m. Sarah Jane Berry of Norway. After living awhile in Norway he removed to Oxford. One of their children, Laura Ella, b. Sept. 21, 1852, m. Rufus S. Penley of Norway. Thomas Abbott, the father of James Monroe, was a blacksmith, settled in Oxford and died there, Mar. 26, 1877. The descendants of John and Hannah (Farnum) Abbott are very numerous and reside in many of the towns in northern Oxford County.
George G. Abbott, son of William and grandson of Enoch, b. abt 1848, m. Flora Morse. They lived in the extreme N. W. part of the town in the Pierce neighborhood, originally the Stephen Pingree farm. He d. Feb. 20, 1917, aged 68. 7 ch. Wid. lives on home farm with youngest daughter.
I. Florence Eunice, b July 5, 1876 m J. Edwin Marston.
II. Geo. Jacob, b Jan. 14, 1879 d. Apr. 1879.
III. Edward Spalding, b. Mar. 25, 1880, m. Lydia (Stetson) Powers.
IV. Calvin, b. Nov. 12, 1882, d. unm. July 13, 1914, aged 32.
V. Ethel Sherman, b. Apr. 23, 1885 m. Eugene O. French.
VI Stevens Morse, b. Dec. 13, 1887 m. Vera West.
VII. Esther Gladys, b. Jan. 15, 1894; m. Caroll R. Greenleaf. Ulysses S. Grant, bro. of George G. Abbott, b. Upton May 3, 1869; m. Viola Brown. No ch.
Philip, Isaac, Timothy and Nathaniel from Andover, were set- tlers in Norway about 1807. The three latter were sons of Philip, who married Susan Frye.
ISAAC, one of the brothers, born in Andover, Mass., about 1789, married Betsey, daughter of Asa Lovejoy the Rev. soldier, born May 31, 1793. They had eight children:
ISAAC W., the youngest, b. 1833; m. Clara Hawes. She d. July 6, 1897, "aged 64." He is (1922) living with his daughter near Steep Falls. Children:
Florence E., m. 1896 Newton W. Green of Otisfield (one son). Lulu C., living on the old homestead, unmarried.
Horace L. Abbott, d. Jan. 21, 1861, at nearly three years of age.
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HOSEA E. ABBOTT, born 1853, married Caroline A. Guptill, born 1865, and came here from Fryeburg or vicinity in the eighties. He died Aug. 18, 1919; widow died Sept. 24, 1920. Children :
Emma Blanche, m. 1911, Albion L. Buck.
Alice Maud, m. 1914, Leslie N. Wood of Auburn.
AKERS.
CAPT. CHARLES S. AKERS, born Nov. 11, 1863, married Effie Isa- belle Milner, daughter of Charles Grosvenor and Margaret (Steele) Milner and a granddaughter of Rev. Reuben Milner, a Baptist preacher b. in Yorkshire, England, in 1780. On the maternal side she is descended from Priscilla Mullens of the Mayflower. She has been in the postal service for about 20 years and is very popular with the patrons of the office.
CAPTAIN AKERS is the son of Sylvanus and Mary (Crockett) Akers of Errol, N. H., and grandson of John and Nancy Ann (Leonard) Akers.
SYLVANUS, born Errol, N. H., July 5, 1823, died in Andover, Nov. 25, 1866; widow died in Norway after 1886. They had two children :
1. Elizabeth Ann, b. Sept. 23, 1849; m. John T. Crooker; d. June 7, 1921; no issue.
II. Charles Sylvanus, was C. of the Norway Military Co. and village Postmaster for eight years; clerk in shoe factory; 2 ch:
1. Vivian Milner, b. Dec. 6, 1886; m. 1915, Edith B. Verrill. He is an accomplished artist and an expert photographer.
2. Ruth Crockett, b. Apr. 10, 1900.
ALLEN.
ELBRIDGE G. ALLEN, son of William, born in Poland, Sept. 5, 1819, came here in 1846 and engaged in the trade of a blacksmith which he followed to his death. He married in 1849, Louisa Dudley, born Nov. 4, 1824; died Jan. 16, 1898; she died Jan. 29, 1913. Children: I. Sarah E., b. Apr. 23, 1850; m. Geo. A. Cole.
II. Charles B., b. Dec. 13, 1852; m. Eva Lucas; shoemaker; served several times as juryman; a good citizen; no children.
III. Wm. E., b. Jan. 7, 1858; m. Lillian Whidden. She d. some twenty-five years ago. Res., Lynn, Mass. No children.
A MES.
SAMUEL AMES, born Haverhill, Mass., Feb. 25, 1759, married Jerusha Baker, born 1760. His real name was Samuel Buck, and under that name he served in the Rev. War and was a drummer. He beat the drum at Gen. John Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga, N. Y., Oct. 19, 1777. He beat the drum at the first regimental mus- ter in Norway in 1802. He was the first resident of Rust's Mills, afterwards Norway Village. Was the first miller also in the place. He was a man of note in the village. His mother's name was Ames, which for some reason he assumed before coming to Maine. He was descended from William Buck, "plow-wright", who with four sons came to Massachusetts about 1635, and settled at Cambridge. Robert the youngest, then 18, lived at Cambridge with his father.
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He had 3 sons, John, Samuel, and Ephraim who married Sarah, daughter of John Brooks. They had four sons, Ephraim, John, Samuel and Ebenezer. Samuel Ames was the grandson of one of these four brothers. Abijah Buck, for whom Buckfield was named, born 1742, was grandson of this John. It is known that Samuel Ames was closely related to Abijah Buck and Capt. Jonathan Buck of Bucksport, one of the heroes of the Revolutionary War. They were all born in the same section of Mass.
Mrs. Clara A. Hayden in her 93rd year wrote:
My grandfather's mother was Hannah Ames, daughter of Joseph Ames of Box- ford, Mass. She was born Sept. 30, 1728, and married Jacob Buck of Haverhill, May 7, 1752, and died Mar. 18, 1809. The children of Jacob and Hannah (Ames) Buck were Moses, Asa, Hannah, Samuel, born Feb. 25, 1759 (my grandfather), Phebe, Jacob, Eliphalet, Mary and Nathan."
Samuel Ames died Mar. 19, 1852. His wife died Jan. 8, 1844, aged 83. 11 children-4 of them at two births. One of the three sons, John, died in infancy; Mary, the oldest, born 1783, married Amos Ordway. Eliza b. 1788; m. David Webber of Oxford. The school-house in the vicinity where they lived is called the Webber school-house to this day.
IX. Baker, b. Apr. 9, 1797; m. Rebecca, dau. of Nathaniel Stevens, a pioneer at Center Norway. He lived at the head of the village near the mills. He d. Apr. 24, 1853; wid. d. Dec. 11, 1859. Three of their 7 children married and settled in Norway. 3 Edmund, b. Jan. 31, 1824, m. Clarissa A. Smith. He d. Apr. 10, 1902; wid. d. Aug. 7, 1908; 8 ch.
1 Ellen F., b July 16, 1848; d. Sept 10, 1849.
2 Ida J., b Feb 16, 1850; m O. A. Wilkins; d Oct 10, 1881.
3 Fred F., b Jan 20, 1852; m Maria Harrington. Ch: Eddie Francis, b Mar 18, 1881; m Letitia Legrow; Georgia Anna, b Feb. 16, 1884; Frank, d young, and Hobart, d Dec 9, 1891; w. d June 22, 1892, and he m 2. Jessie E. Hill. He d June 24, 1900.
4 Lizzie R., b Apr 25, 1856; d Sept 3, 1902.
5 Nellie J., b Jan 2, 1858; d Dec 21, 1860.
6 Harry F., b Nov 6, 1860; m Carrie Farrar.
7 Geo. M., b Oct 27, 1862; m Fanny Johns of Nova Scotia and has 2 ch., Clara and Francis.
8 Lilla E., b July 29, 1867; m Charles Scribner of Otisfield.
5. Clara A., dau. of Baker, b. Jan. 25, 1829; m. John J. Hayden; d. Apr. 28, 1922.
X. Moses, son of Samuel, b. Jan. 20, 1799; m. Harriet Ellis, b. Apr. 4, 1808. He lived in the corner formed by Main and Fair streets in the village. He d. Jan. 20, 1881. His wife d. Jan. 25, 1841. Two of their four children d. young.
1. George Sewell, b. Oct. 19, 1829; m. Julia F. Cram of Canton, Mass. They lived many years in Norway Village, where his wife was a music teacher, and he a manufacturer of piano keys. The family removed to Mass .; one of their two children died in infancy. Mary C. was b. in Canton, Mass., Oct. 11, 1864. He d. Nov. 29, 1917.
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