USA > Maine > Oxford County > Norway > A history of Norway, Maine : from the earliest settlement to the close of the year 1922 > Part 4
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Nathaniel Bennett married Betsey Blake, a sister of Anthony's wife. They had no children. They settled in Rustfield in 1793, on what was known as the Solomon I. Millett farm, now owned by Mr. Don C. Seitz. Nathaniel and Anthony together bought the tract con- stituting their two farms, and divided it, June 1, 1796-Nathaniel taking the northerly half and Anthony the southerly part. "Uncle Nat" Bennett was one of the pillars of the Universalist Church, and for many years, both summer and winter, was a very familiar figure on the streets of the village. He died March 15, 1855.
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Joshua Smith from New Gloucester, came to Rustfield this year and selected a lot south of the one first settled on by Samuel Ames on the southerly slope of Pike's Hill. Old residents know it as the Bradbury farm. The next year (1791) he moved here. He brought a bushel of the seed ends of potatoes, on his back, which he planted on burnt ground and raised fifty bushels. This is the first account of potatoes being grown in what is now the town of Norway, though it is not probable that these were the first ones raised here.
As there are no tax lists now in existence prior to 1794, we must rely upon tradition for the particular year certain of the first set- tlers came here. During the latter part of 1790, William Gardner built a house (the second in what is now the village-Samuel Ames having built the first) on what is now the corner of Main and Whit- man streets, and Daniel Knight moved into this house with Gardner and stayed there for a time. Both were in No. 4 (Paris) with their families when the census was taken.
Zebedee Perry, a Revolutionary soldier, came in 1791 and selected a lot for a farm south of Nathan Noble's. Mr. Perry was born in Middleboro, Mass., May 25, 1756, and married, July 16, 1786, Judith Tucker, born at Cape Ann, December 5, 1760. The farm he wrought out of the wilderness, is still owned by his descendants of the family name. He died about 1815. She died Sept. 16, 1839, "aged 81."
About this time David Gorham, a Revolutionary soldier, came and settled on a lot near Zebedee Perry's. He was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, August 7, 1763. He married Hannah Pratt of Middle- boro. Gorham was in No. 4 without a family when the census was taken. He died on his farm, May 29, 1834. She died March 27, 1848, "aged 80."
Peter Buck was in No. 4 with a family when the census was taken and shortly after came here and settled on a lot on what is now Pleas- ant street, in the village. He was the first shoemaker in the place. His father of the same name, was a French Huguenot. He married Jemima Fay. She died Sept. 10, 1839, "aged 80." He died Nov. 6, 1842, "aged 94."
In 1791 on the 17th of May, the first marriage in the little settle- ment occurred. The parties were Nathan Foster and Miriam Hobbs, who were living on the Cummings Tract. And the same year Benja- min Witt and Betsey Parsons of Rustfield were married. Rev. Nathan Merrill of New Gloucester, officiated. The marriages thereafter, for some time, averaged about one a year and one no doubt then was the subject of more gossip than a dozen ordinary ones of the present day. But John Parsons was the first resident to be married. He went to New Gloucester and married there for his second wife, Dorothy Stevens, before the census was taken in 1790. And Lemuel Shedd in 1791 or 1792, married Ruth Symonds in Bridgton.
There died in September of 1791, Susanna, the little two and a half years old daughter of Nathaniel and Rebecca (Cobb) Stevens. It has been stated that this was the first death in the settlement, but this is an error as we have seen. It was the first one, however, on the Cummings Purchase. Probably buried in what is now called Nor- way Center cemetery.
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A sad drowning accident happened the same year. Daniel Cary, who had begun a clearing on the Lee's Grant on the east side of the great pond north of what is now the Dunham place, and was working for Captain Rust at the mills, started to go to his clearing one after- noon after his work was done. Arriving at the outlet of the pond in the vicinity of the present Crockett Bridge, he found that the boat he had used to cross the stream, had been taken by some one going to the Perkins or Bennett clearing and left on the other side. In at- tempting to swim or wade the stream, hewas drowned. The next day his body was recovered, and in due time, buried.
Joel Stevens, William Stevens, Solomon and Nathaniel Millett, Benjamin Rowe, John Cushman, and Ebenezer Whitmarsh were here to be taxed in Rustfield in 1794. William Stevens was the son of Jonas Stevens, and had reached the age to be taxed. John Cush- man was here to be taxed in 1796 but not in 1798. He lived some- where on the brook that crosses Main Street below the Tubbs store, long enough for it to be called for many years the Cushman Brook. Joel Stevens was born in Townsend, Mass., about 1755. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and is said to have settled here in 1793. His second wife died after their child, Polly, was born and he married the next year Olive, the oldest child of Jeremiah Hobbs. She was born May 30, 1771, and was 23, while he was 39. They had 11 chil- dren. He died May 18, 1850, "aged 95." His wife survived him sev- eral years.
Benjamin Rowe began on a lot south of Joel Stevens' on the old county road afterwards laid out. He was a descendant in the 4th generation from John Rowe who in 1651 was in Gloucester, Mass., where Benjamin was born Feb. 8, 1767. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was taken prisoner. Benjamin Rowe was twice married; first to Judith Rowe of New Gloucester, who died in 1790, and second to Elizabeth Jordan, who died Oct. 17, 1852. He had one child by his first wife and seven by the second. He died in Norway, Jan. 13, 1859.
Solomon and Nathaniel Millett were younger brothers of John Millett, Jr. Solomon was born in Gloucester, Mass., Dec. 24, 1769, and married Elizabeth, daughter of David Dinsmore. They had 10 children. Their oldest son, Samuel, settled in Texas, and three of his sons were in the Confederate service. He died Dec. 16, 1857.
Nathaniel Millett was born in Gloucester, Jan. 8, 1772. He was twice married; first to Susannah Parsons, who bore him three chil- dren. She died Jan. 21, 1803, and he married Martha Merrill in 1804, by whom he had eleven children. He died April 9, 1852. She died July 29, 1865.
Ebenezer Whitmarsh from Bridgewater, born about 1757, was a soldier in the War for American Independence. The English immi- grant ancestor John settled in Weymouth. Ebenezer Whitmarsh was twice married: first to Mary Humphrey of Gray and second to Mary Rich. He was a prominent citizen among the early settlers, and was a constable and collector of taxes for many years. He lived in the extreme southern part of the town and after his death, June 6, 1827, the family moved to near Fuller's Corner, and ultimately to the village. He was buried in the Pike's Hill burying ground. The
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grave is marked by a marble slab. In the list of deaths for the year 1827 one finds this statement: "June 6, Mrs. E. Whitmarsh 70." This is an error as the grave stone shows. It should be Mr. E. Whit- marsh, 70.
Asa Dunham, born in Massachusetts, in 1759, married Lydia Cobb, a sister of Isaac Cobb, afterwards a settler here. He was a direct descendant from Deacon John Dunham the immigrant ancestor. Asa Dunham was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and also in Capt. Bailey Bodwell's Norway company which was in service in the vicin- ity of Lake Champlain in the War of 1812. He died at Burlington, Vt., Oct. 13, 1813. He left a family of ten children, all of whom lived to grow up and have families of their own.
There had come into Rustfield from the time the state tax was assessed in 1794 to the assessment of a similar tax in 1796-the year before the incorporation of the town-as new settlers, Joshua Crockett, James and Benjamin Stinchfield, Elisha Cummings, Reuben Hubbard, Levi Bartlett, Samuel Pierce, Isaac Cobb, a Revolutionary soldier, Ezekiel Robinson, David and Jonathan Woodman, Simeon Shurtleff, Joseph Eveleth and Thomas Furlong. The last soon removed to the Lee's Grant. Eveleth shortly after went away, as did Ezekiel Robinson and Samuel Pierce. Reuben Hubbard from Paris Hill, who came here as a carpenter, returned there before 1798. Isaac Cobb, a few years later settled on the Lee's Grant.
Joshua Crockett from Gorham, born in Windham, June 4, 1765, married Nov. 29, 1787, Sarah Hamblen, born in Barnstable, March 31, 1867, came to Norway about 1795 and lived for a time in the Rust house on the northeast side of Pike's Hill. In 1799, he purchased of Benjamin Witt what was for many years known as the Crockett place, where he and his son Joshua lived and died.
Both were prominent citizens of the town in their day. Joshua Crockett senior died Oct. 11, 1819, and his wife died Sept. 8, 1844- having survived him 25 years. It is a remarkable fact that Joshua Crockett, Jr., died in 1845, aged 54-at the same age of his father at his death.
David, probably a Revolutionary soldier, and Jonathan Woodman, apparently father and son, settled in the southeastern part of Rust- field. Jonathan Woodman served several years on the board of selectmen. He died July 20, 1850, at the age of 76. David Wood- man died November 6, 1840, "aged 93."
Levi Bartlett from the old Colony of Massachusetts, a blacksmith by trade, bought "a part of the mill lot" in the village, of Henry Rust, Sept. 10, 1794, and built a shop on the south side of the stream be- tween the two bridges. He used a trip hammer, operated by water power. Levi Bartlett was born at Plymouth in 1772 and married Polly, daughter of Ichabod and Mary (Gorham) Tinkham. He did a big business for those times and for a period served as one of the plantation assessors. He died in 1818.
James and Benjamin Stinchfield from New Gloucester were cousins. They lived here with their families where several children were born, then went elsewhere.
Elisha Cummings, born June 15, 1755, was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. He married Mary Dolly of Gray and they came
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here and settled on a lot in the northeast section of Rustfield. They had nine children. He was one of the founders of the Universalist Church society. He died quiet aged, in Richardson Hollow, Green- wood, at his daughter Charlotte's who had married Andrew Richard- son, and his remains were interred in the burying ground there.
Simeon Shurtleff, born in Middleboro, June 23, 1758, served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He married in 1781, Submit Kingman of Bridgewater, and they had 11 children-six having been born before they came here. He died November 2, 1808, and she married Edward Baker of Waterford. She died June 31, 1850.
The first county road in what is now the town of Norway was laid out in 1796. It began at the northern limit of the first Cummings Purchase-and ran through Fuller's Corner and over the ridge down near Jeremiah Hobbs', then turned south and followed almost a straight line by William Parsons' and Benjamin Herring's over the hill into Hebron, now Oxford, and thence to Craigie's Mills, now Ox- ford Village.
1
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CHAPTER VII.
PIONEER PERIOD OF CUMMINGS PURCHASE.
The first settlers on the Cummings Tracts in their order, as we have seen, were Jeremiah Hobbs, Nathaniel Stevens and Peter Everett.
In 1789, Jonathan Cummings engaged Darius Holt and Nathan Foster to fell trees on his first purchase. They were here at the rais- ing of the frames for the mills in June of that year. The clearing they made was on the place where Jonathan Cummings, Jr., after- wards lived and died. Old residents know it as the Amos T. Holt farm. Darius Holt selected a lot for himself on the height of land afterward called Fuller's Corner-in later years called the Rollin Towne farm. He lived here several years and removed to a lot on the Waterford Three Tiers. Nathan Foster selected three lots north of the Cummings farm where he afterwards lived and died.
DR. STEPHEN CUMMINGS
OLD JONATHAN CUMMINGS HOUSE, ANDOVER, MAINE
Darius Holt, born in Andover, Mass., March 6, 1763, married in 1785, Chloe, daughter of Abiel Holt. He was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary War, and was pensioned under certificate No. 9997. He died in August, 1854, aged 89, and was the last survivor of Norway's Revolutionary Patriots. His wife died October 11, 1849.
Nathan Foster, also a soldier in the Revolution, was born in Tewksbury, May 14, 1762. He married Miriam Hobbs (the first mar- riage in the settlement). They had six children. She died and he married her younger sister, Sally Hobbs, by whom he had 11 more. He died Feb. 5, 1836. She died after 1850.
In 1789, Amos Upton from Reading selected a lot for a settlement just south of what was afterwards called Fuller's Corner, and felled trees for a clearing, and built a habitation. In September, 1790, he moved his family here.
Amos Upton, born at North Reading, October 3, 1742, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was at Bunker Hill. He was three
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times married, first to Edith Upton, his cousin, second to Joanna Bruce, and third to Hannah Haskell. His six children were by his first wife, who died before 1802. He died April 3, 1838, in his 96th year. His last wife died, April 20, 1847. He was buried in a field on the road from the James B. Frost place to the Chapel, and the U. S. Government furnished a headstone for his grave, procured by the author of this history. Amos Upton was a good citizen and a zealous member of the orthodox church, and one of its early pillars in Norway. He was a natural mechanic, could perform carpenter and all other kinds of work needed in a new settlement. He made many useful household utensils and farming tools in his little shop. He also built a grist mill on the stream running near the chapel which was a great convenience for many years to the people living in that section of the town.
Job Eastman from the vicinity of Fryeburg, but born in Pem- broke, whose sister, Jonathan Cummings, the proprietor of the Cum- mings purchases, had married, settled there in 1792, going to live for several years in the house built for his nephew, Jonathan Cummings, Jr. He afterwards built on the lot occupied for a time by Peter Ev- erett, where he lived and died. His habitation was on the east side of the old county road, south of Jeremiah Hobbs'.
On the incorporation of the town in 1797, he was elected chairman of the selectmen and town treasurer. He was clerk of the town for about 40 years, and an active Justice of the Peace 47 years. He died February 28, 1845, "aged 95." His widow died after 1852. They had no children.
In June, 1793, came Benjamin Fuller and Silas Merriam from Middleton who purchased lots north of what was afterwards called Fuller's Corner. They felled trees on a considerable tract which was burnt over in August, when they went back to their Massachusetts homes. They came again later in the autumn, Mr. Fuller bringing a yoke of oxen and a horse and moving Asa Case and family with their household goods in an ox-cart. Case settled on the Waterford Three Tiers. Fuller and Merriam sowed winter rye on their burnt grounds, then went back home for the winter. Fuller had made arrangements with Amos Upton to build him a house and barn the next spring pre- paratory to his moving his family here.
In the spring of 1794, Silas Merriam, Aaron Wilkins, a young man in the service of Benjamin Fuller, and Joseph Dale, who was hired by Fuller and Merriam for the season, came from Middleton to Salem and took passage on a wood sloop for Falmouth, which they reached about the 10th of April, after a stormy voyage. The night after their arrival, they stayed on the vessel on account of a snow storm, and the next day the weather having cleared, they started on foot through the snow with their packs on their backs, for Cummings Purchase. When they got there, they found a foot or more of snow on the ground and the settlers making maple syrup and sugar.
In a short time the snow having disappeared, they began felling trees, and in due time sowed grain and planted corn and vegetables. In June, Benjamin Fuller came with his family in an ox wagon with a pair of cattle and two horses. It was with great difficulty that the team was driven around the pond and up to Amos Upton's, where
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Fuller stayed with his family till into the autumn, as Upton had done nothing towards the erection of a house and barn for Fuller, as he had expected, but with Fuller and his hired help, he set resolutely at work in cutting and preparing the timber and material and had the barn 32x50 feet completed in time to put in his grain-(he had not then begun to raise hay). The house 20x38 feet, 11/2 stories high, was completed for occupancy by November. The boards used in these structures were procured at Rust's Mills and rafted up to the head of the pond and from there, hauled to Fuller's lot. These buildings were the largest of any on the Cummings Purchase.
John Henley, a Revolutionary soldier from Reading, came here in 1794, and selected a lot south of Fuller's Corner. He built a small house on the west side of the county road, as it was afterwards laid out. He was a large sized man and moderate in his movements, yet it is said he could fell an acre of trees a day. He and Darius Holt felled twelve acres of heavy growth for Benjamin Fuller one week and finished the job at Saturday noon. Holt felled 101% acres for Jonathan Cummings in nine and one-half days. Verily there were men in those days who could handle an axe. Henley's and Holt's fame as woodchoppers has survived to this day. Jonathan Cummings settled on the tract of his father either in 1794 or 1795. Amos Cummings did not come till some time after. Aaron Wilkins did not select his lot for a settlement till several years afterwards. It was on the east side of the county road near Fuller's Corner.
Silas Merriam, born in Reading, about 1768, married August 10, 1798, Hannah Upton, daughter of Amos Upton, born July 15, 1779. He cleared a good farm north of Fuller's Corner on the old county road, which remained in the family name till a very recent period.
He was a good citizen, and was respected by all who knew him. He died July 30, 1844, "aged 76." His wife died March 19, 1835, "aged 55."
Aaron Wilkins, born about 1780, came here in the employment of Benjamin Fuller, when about 16 years old. In after years he became very prominent in town affairs. He was first in trade at Fuller's Corner, and for eight years he served on the board of selectemen. He was a member of the Maine Constitutional convention of 1819, and of the Maine Legislature of 1822 and 1823. After he had retired from business he lived at Norway Center on or near the lot once oc- cupied by Job Eastman. He did a considerable amount of convey- ancing and other business transacted by Justices of the Peace. His wife was Maria Martin, born about 1800. She was 20 years his junior. They had no children. Mr. Wilkins always was faultlessly dressed and was a constant church attendant. He passed as the well dressed gentleman of the town of his day, and he felt his importance and position in society. His death occurred about 1858, "aged 78," and his widow in 1860 married Deacon Thomas G. Goodwin-her second husband and his second wife.
Major Jonathan Cummings, son of Jonathan Cummings, the Rev- olutionary soldier, who purchased the Cummings tracts, was born in Andover, February 15, 1771. He married Joanna Cobb. They set- tled on what was later called the Holt farm about 1795, where Job
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Eastman was living. Jonathan Cummings, Jr., was the most influ- ential man in Norway in his day. He was the first captain of the Norway military company and was promoted to Major. He built the first Congregational church at Norway Center. He died July 12, 1820. His widow married Capt. Charles Barbour of Gray and had two daughters by him. She had three children by Jonathan Cum- mings. She died June 30, 1844.
Benjamin Fuller, who gave his name to the little hamlet called Fuller's Corner, in the early days, was the best situated financially of any of the early settlers. He cleared up "three good farms and erected three good sets of buildings." He was also in trade at Fuller's Corner for many years. "He was a member of the orthodox church and maintained a character consistent with church member- ship." Fuller was one of the first signers of the pledge. His wife was a sister of his neighbor, Silas Merriam. They had four children, Archelaus, Lydia, Eliza and Silas. "Archelaus married Eliza Eaton and soon after died and his widow married Sumner Frost." Lydia, a successful school teacher, died at the age of 26, Eliza died, aged about 30, unmarried. Silas was a bachelor, acquired a fair property, but lived many years in the family of his cousin, Silas Merriam, Jr.
Archelaus Fuller, grandson of the founder of Fuller's Corner, was a soldier in the Civil War from Norway. He was a corporal in Co. G, 14th Me. Vols.
Benjamin Fuller, when old age came upon him-having lost his wife and daughters-found himself alone in a desolate home. After failing to obtain the right parties to take care of him though he had property enough, he made arrangements to be cared for on the town farm, where he died in 1850, probably at about the age of 80.
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CHAPTER VIII.
PIONEER PERIOD OF LEE'S GRANT
There is very little known, except from tradition, about the early history of Lee's Grant. Many pioneers went there to make homes while contiguous territory was being rapidly settled up, under the general encouragement given by the Commonwealth and land-holders for the settlement and development of the public and other lands by bringing them into a state of cultivation and establishing upon them settled communities. The matter of "quieting" settlers in their hold- ings and possessions, had long been the policy of the State. There were many inducements for settlers to occupy this tract of land. They did not have to get in debt at first for their lots, and if thrifty, had ample time to prepare for the day of payment, and when they would be in better circumstances. And besides there were no taxes to pay. Upon the incorporation of the town in 1797, it was provided that no taxes should be assessed upon this tract for ten years. This action could not have been anticipated by the first settlers but must have been an inducement for others after the incorporation of the town, to go there, while it helped those already on the grant. But in the meantime there had been a great change in conditions which affected the people there.
The "Betterment Act" was passed by the General Court at Boston and received the Governor's approval early in 1808, but we have rea- son to believe that none of its wise provisions could be taken advan- tage of by the settlers on the grant, for the reason that the owner had already made arrangements with them whereby they had become tenants holding under annual leases. This prevented their claiming any rights for the improvements they made. What terms the owner had originally made with them, or how advantageous it might have been to them there, we have now no means of knowing, nor at what time they were reduced to tenants. From what is here written and elsewhere stated about the equity and justice of the Betterment Act, it may well be concluded that the author's sympathies are wholly with the settlers. Indeed one of the motives he had in writing this history was that the truth about them might be known, and justice be done them.
Before taking up the narrative of the settlement of the grant, let us give a summary of what we know took place regarding it.
In 1780, a tract of 6000 acres was granted by the General Court, to Arthur Lee of Virginia, for services to the Commonwealth, in Great Britain in 1775. Its location was indefinite,-"lying eastward of Saco River." In 1785, the tract having been surveyed and a plan of it made, it was "confirmed" to him by another act of the Legislature.
Nothing, however, was done towards its settlement, and Arthur Lee died in December, 1792, having made a will devising his grant to his nephew, Francis Lightfoot Lee. Still there was nothing done by the nephew for some years, but evidently when the town of Norway was incorporated, he, through his agents, on account presumably of his not being ready to take up the matter of its settlement as Cap- tain Rust had done with his purchase, procured a proviso in the act
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of incorporation that the grant should not be taxed for ten years. In the meantime several pioneers had settled upon the tract and made extensive clearings, and in the autumn of 1797, the selectmen of the town had laid out a town road to near the vicinity of the present school-house on the east side of the lake, to accommodate the people in that section. There were a few settlers farther away, who had bridle paths from the end of this road to their habitations.
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