USA > Maine > Oxford County > Norway > Centennial history of Norway, Oxford County, Maine, 1786-1886, including an account of the early grants and purchases, sketches of the grantees, early settlers, and prominent residents, etc., with genealogical registers, and an appendix > Part 21
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1883. At the annual meeting of the Grand Chapter in May permis- sion was granted the chapter to continue to hold its meetings in Nor- way until October, 1885. Samuel R. Knowland, H. P. ; Irving Frost, K .; Frank Seavey, S .; Samuel L. Crockett, Tr. ; Howard D. Smith, Sec.
1884. Samuel R. Knowland, H. P .; Irving Frost, K. ; Frank Seavey, S .; Samuel L. Crockett, Tr. ; Howard D. Smith, Sec.
1885. Irving Frost, H. P .; William A. Frothingham, K .; Frank Seavey, S .; Samuel L. Crockett, Tr .; Howard D. Smith, Sec. The Grand High Priest Manly G. Trask issued a dispensation authorizing the chapter to continue to hold its meetings in Norway until the annual meeting of the Grand Chapter in May next. The growth of the chap- ter since its removal to this town has been remarkable. During the ten years of its existence at Mechanic Falls some fifty-five members were admitted and during the three years and a half that the chapter has been at Norway forty-four new members have been admitted.
The chapter now has the reputation of being one of the best in the State.
ODD FELLOWSHIP.
Norway Lodge, number sixteen, Independent Order of Odd Fellows was instituted in Norway Village, June 30, 1874. The following are the charter members : A. E. Denison, H. M. Bearce, I. A. Denison, O. M. Cummings, A. J. Rowe, F. H. Sargent, G. A. Cole, S. F. Sargent, W. H. Jewett, H. Cole, M. M. Fuller, A. G. Charles, O. N. Bradbury, C. M. Smith, James Danforth, S. G. Hatch, Joseph Churchill, E. C. Andrews, C. E. Evans, G. P. Rowe, W. H. Whitcomb, A. B. Crockett, J. L. Horne, H. C. Oxnard.
The following have filled the three principal offices since the Lodge was instituted :-
Noble Grands, A. E. Denison, H. C. Oxnard, A. J. Rowe, Free- land Howe, C. F. Whitman, C. H. Chase, J. A. Brown, J. L. Horne,
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Edmund Ames, W. H. Jewett, H. M. Bearce, S. F. Sargent, W. W. Whitmarsh, G. P. Young, O. N. Bradbury, C. F. Millett, A. L. F. Pike, W. W. Hooper, J. W. Crommett, A. B. Richardson, J. H. Crockett.
Secretaries, A. J. Rowe, Freeland Howe, O. M. Metcalf, C. F. Whit- man, M. F. Brooks, W. C. Leavitt, C. H. Chase, W. H. Jewett, J. D. Wilson, M. M. Durgin, T. H. Moore, A. B. Richardson, George P. Rowe, A. L. F. Pike.
Treasurers, E. C. Andrews, O. N. Bradbury, J. L. Horne, J. A. Bol- ster, J. D. Wilson, J. A. Brown, C. G. Mason, E. Ames.
The membership at the close of the year 1885 was one hundred and sixty. Since its organization up to that time, the lodge had paid for sick and funeral benefits, two thousand seven hundred dollars, and had invested funds amounting to two thousand dollars.
WILDEY ENCAMPMENT.
Wildey Encampment Number Twenty-one, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted, November 19th, 1874. The charter members were William H. Whitcomb, J. L. Horne, A. E. Denison, Horace Cole, F. H. Sargent, Osgood N. Bradbury, and George P. Young. Up to January Ist, 1886, this encampment had paid for sick and funeral benefits, four hundred and fifty dollars, and had funds on hand amounting to nine hundred dollars. At that time, its member- ships amounted to seventy.
The following have filled the three principal offices since the Encamp- ment was instituted :
Chief Patriarchs, Osgood N. Bradbury, I. A. Denison, Freeland Howe, Herrick C. Davis, E. N. Clement, C. H. Sargent, F. H. Sargent, William W. Whitmarsh, F. J. Brown, George A. Cole, A. L. F. Pike, Edwin W. Howe, G. P. Rowe, F. H. Tilton, E. Ames, J. W. Crommett, F. Seavey, J. H. Crockett, George E. Walker, and M. M. Durgin.
Scribes, William H. Whitcomb, Horace Cole, F. H. Sargent, Edwin W. Howe, C. G. Blake, A. O'Brien, Charles L. Hathaway, A. J. Rowe, George P. Young, W. H. Jewett, C. H. Chase, E. G. Burnell, M. M. Durgin, and A. L. F. Pike.
Treasurers, John L. Horne, George W. Russell, George A. Cole, and E. Ames.
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
Pennesseewassee Lodge Number Eighteen, of the Knights of Pythias, was instituted at Norway Village, July 11th, 1878, by Benjamin T. Chase. The following were the charter members : A. Oscar Noyes, F. H. Sargent, A. J. Rowe, J. E. Long, John J. Hayden, Horace Cole, H. J. Morton, F. J. Brown, W. E. Mann, E. N. Clement, F. H. Gibson, F. E. Drake, George L. Beal, George A. Gunn, S. R. Curtis, and W. S. Abbott. The first board of officers were: E. W. Clement, P. C .; F. H. Gibson, C. C .; H. J. Morton, V. C .; F. H. Sargent, P .; A. Oscar Noyes, M. of E. ; Horace Cole, M. of F .; A. G. Rowe, K. of R. and S .; F. J. Brown, M. at A .; W. E. Mann, I. G .; J. J. Hayden, O. G.
Since the Lodge was instituted, the following persons have filled the chair of P. C .: E. N. Clement, George L. Beal, A. J. Rowe, J. E. Long, F. H. Gibson, H. J. Morton, F. H. Sargent, F. J. Brown, Edmund Ames, M. F. Kirwin, F. H. Tilton, E. W. Edwards, A. L. F. Pike, W. F. Rounds, Orin Stevens, F. E. Drake, and Charles L. Hathaway. The number of members in good standing at the close of 1885, was seventy- six. The following have died : Amos Oscar Noyes, W. E. Edgecomb, and Elmer H. Chapman. There have been paid out for sick and funeral expenses, six hundred dollars, and the Lodge property, including cash, amounts to eleven hundred and fifty-five dollars. Those who have held the position of K. of R. and S. are A. J. Rowe, S. R. Curtis, A. H. Williamson, Asa D. True, L. D. Tubbs, C. G. Mason, M. F. Kirwin, and H. H. Crockett; M. of E., Amos Oscar Noyes, J. E. Long, and C. G. Mason.
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
A Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, known as Norway Grange, number forty-five, was organized at the school-house at Norway Lake, October 24th, 1874. The charter members were as follows: W. R. Crockett, R. S. Freeman, E. A. Morse, A. T. Hall, George E. Gibson, Thomas Witt, Merrill J. Rowe, Charles W. Ryerson, Ansel Dinsmore, James Bennett, C. F. Millett, E. B. Tubbs, Calvin Richardson, H. E. Brown, J. T. Crockett, Robert Hall, William Knight, and the following ladies : Mrs. Calvin Richardson, Mrs. Ansel Dinsmore, Mrs. E. A.
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Morse, Mrs. R. S. Freeman, Mrs. James Bennett, Mrs. Mary Hall, Mrs. George E. Gibson, Mrs. Thomas Witt, and Mrs. Merrill J. Rowe ; twenty- eight in all of charter members.
At the organization, the following officers were chosen : Charles W. Ryerson, Master ; Merrill J. Rowe, Overseer ; George E. Gibson, Lectur- er; J. P. Crockett, Steward; W. R. Crockett, Assistant Steward, Ansel Dinsmore, Chaplain ; E. A. Morse, Treasurer ; Thomas Witt, Secretary ; R. S. Freeman, Gatekeeper; Mrs. Charles W. Ryerson, Ceres ; Mrs. Merrill J. Rowe, Pomona; Mrs. James Bennett, Flora, and Mrs. R. S. Freeman, L. A. Steward. This first board of officers with the exception of J. P. Crockett and Mrs. Merrill J. Rowe, who did not desire a re-elec- tion, held office as follows : Charles W. Ryerson as Master, eight years ; Merrill J. Rowe as Overseer, one year ; George E. Gibson as Lecturer, two years; A. T. Hall as Steward, one year; W. R. Crockett as Assist- ant Steward, two years; Ansel Dinsmore as Chaplain, two years ; E. A. Morse as Treasurer, five years; Thomas Witt as Secretary, two years ; R. S. Freeman as Gatekeeper, one year ; Mrs. C. W. Ryerson as Ceres, two years ; Mrs. Mary Hall as Pomona, one year; Mrs. James Bennett as Flora, two years ; and Mrs. R. S. Freeman as L. A. Steward, one year.
The succeeding masters have been B. W. Marston, Nathan W. Millett, Overseers, B. W. Marston, S. E. Hall, J. A. Bolster, E. H. Brown, A. A. Grover, and E. A. Cox.
Lecturers, F. H. Gibson, Ira Johnson, Henry C. Reed, Frank A. Dan- forth, S. S. Smith, and W. H. Tracy.
Stewards, C. F. Millett, L. A. Carter, A. H. Stuart, Fred Rowe, and D. A. Gorham.
Assistant Stewards, H. G. Dinsmore, S. E. Hall, G. W. Richardson, B. W. Marston, A. T. Crockett, and W. H. Hobbs.
Chaplains, Mrs. E. E. Bennett, M. J. Rowe, R. S. Freeman, J. P. Jordan, G. E. Gibson, Nathan W. Millett, and A. E. Delano.
Treasurers, Simeon Frost and Merrill J. Rowe.
Secretaries, Mrs. C. W. Ryerson and H. C. Oxnard.
Gatekeepers, Robert Hall, E. B. Tubbs, W. R. Crockett, and Calvin Richardson.
Ceres, Mrs. G. E. Gibson, Mrs. H. T. Stuart, Mrs. L. E. Richardson, Mrs. E. F. Rowe, Mrs. S. H. Davis, and Miss E. E. Towne.
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Pomonas, Mrs. B. W. Marston, Mrs. C. F. Millett, Miss Alice Free- man, Mrs. M. E. Brown, Mrs. I. A. Cox, and Lizzie C. Ryerson.
Floras, Mrs. Thomas Witt, Miss A. D. Hall, Mrs. Calvin Richardson, Mrs. H. M. Richardson, Mrs. M. E. Brown, and Miss E. W. Marston.
Lady Assistant Stewards, Mrs. Calista Richardson, Mrs. Thomas Witt, Mrs. A. M. Marston and Mrs. A. C. Tracy.
The Grange in this town has been a success from the start, and has accomplished much in the interests of agriculture which constitutes the chief employment of our citizens and will continue to do so. The co- operative system adopted by the Patrons has enabled them to purchase their fertilizers, their cattle feed, their flour, and many of their other family supplies without being obliged to pay profits to middle men, while the intellectual and social advantages it has afforded to our too much isolated farmers and their families have rendered the institution indis- pensable and given it a popularity which no other farmers' organization has ever enjoyed. At the close of 1885 Norway Grange had a member- ship of two hundred strong, and had property and cash to the amount of six hundred dollars.
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.
The military order of the Grand Army of the Republic, an out- growth of the War of the Rebellion, was established soon after the close of the war, and the first National Encampment was holden at Indianapolis, Indiana, November 20th and 21st, 1866. The attendance was largely from the Western States. S. A. Hurlburt, of Illinois, was chosen Commander. The first Post organized in Maine was at Bath, June 28th, 1867, and General Thomas W. Hyde was chosen Post Com- mander. By virtue of an order from National Headquarters, a Pro- visional Department was organized in Maine in December, 1867, and General John C. Caldwell was appointed Provisional Commander. Jan- uary Ist, 1868, a general order was issued, calling a convention of the Department of Maine on the 10th of January, for the purpose of electing Department officers. There were then fourteen Posts in the State, located at Bath, Portland, Boothbay, Saco, Westbrook, Gardiner, Nor- way, Waldoboro, Lewiston, Damariscotta, Brunswick, Bangor, Castine, and Kittery. At this convention, General George L. Beal, of Norway,
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was chosen Grand Commander; General Thomas W. Hyde, Senior Vice Commander ; General A. B. Farnham, of Bangor, Junior Vice Com- mander ; General Charles P. Mattocks, Assistant Adjutant-General ; and Major H. A. Shorey, of Bath, Junior Vice Commander.
The eighth Post organized in Norway was called George L. Beal Post and was organized November 21st, 1867. The following were the charter members : Henry M. Bearce, John F. Fitz, H. S. Warren, Cyrus S. Tucker, Jonathan Blake, Horace Cole, William W. Whitmarsh, Henry R. Millett, and Charles L. Hathaway. The headquarters were established in Mason Hall of Mixer Block.
The following were the first officers : George L. Beal, Commander ; Henry R. Millett, Senior Vice Commander ; William W. Whitmarsh, Junior Vice Commander ; Henry M. Bearce, Adjutant; and Jonathan Blake, Quartermaster. During the remainder of the year there were admitted, James H. Dan- forth, C. M. Smith, D. H. Elliott, Grosvenor Crockett, E. H. Brown, Charles Pike, Amos F. Noyes, George A. Cole, W. D. Earle, D. G. Millett, William F. Cox, Mark G. Webber, S. H. Burnham, W. W. Twombley, and D. S. Sanborn. The officers elected January Ist, 1868, were : William W. Whitmarsh, Commander ; Amos F. Noyes, Senior Vice Commander ; Cyrus S. Tucker, Junior Vice Commander ; Henry M. Bearce, Adjutant; Jonathan Blake, Quartermaster. George L. Beal was elected delegate to the State convention of Posts, and was elected Department Commander. During the first half year, there were mustered : John M. Lord, Claudius M. Favor, Ira A. Kneeland, Henry Rust, F. S. Oxnard, A. D. Aryling, James M. Favor, G. P. Jordan, A. D. Jordan, W. C. Cole. The first decoration of comrades' graves took place in connection with Post number twenty-three at South Paris, June 19th.
The following officers were elected June 29th : Henry M. Bearce, Commander; Cyrus S. Tucker, S. V. C .; D. C. Saunders, J. V. C. ; E. H. Brown, Adjutant ; and Claudius M. Favor, Quartermaster.
Members mustered during the year : C. F. Millett, F. H. Reed, Oliver Shackley, A. J. Nevers, Jason F. Rowe, Granville Cash. At the next election of officers, Amos F. Noyes was chosen Commander, E. H. Brown, S. V. C .; Grosvenor Crockett, J. V. C .; C. M. Smith, Adjutant ; and George A. Cole, Quartermaster. This was the last election in this
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Post. Fifty-two members were mustered, and only one applicant was rejected. The machinery of the early organization was very compli- cated and soon became unpopular. The initiation ceremonies were repulsive to many, and if a radical change had not been made, the order would long since have gone out of existence. Many Posts became defunct, and among them the Post at Norway, after an existence of a little less than two years. Of the members of George L. Beal Post, No. 8, the following persons have deceased : John F. Fitz, D. H. Elliott, Grosvenor Crockett, Rodolphus Young, Henry Rust, Claudius M. Favor, James M. Favor, Asa D. Jordan, F. S. Oxnard, and F. H. Reed.
Harry Rust Post, No. 54, was instituted at Norway, March 20th, 1882, by George H. Abbott of Bosworth Post of Portland. The charter members were H. S. Warren, Henry R. Millett, Henry M. Bearce, J. R. Sanborn, Cyrus S. Tucker, George W. Whitman, A. J. Nevers, E. W. Ayer, Aaron Paige, Horace Cole, A. B. Richardson, E. H. Brown, John F. Fitz, G. F. Andrews, J. A. Keen, J. E. Long, D. A. Edwards, and William C. Cole. The first officers of this Post were Henry M. Bearce, Commander ; Henry R. Millett, S. V. C .; A. J. Nevers, J. V. C .; William C. Cole, O. D. ; C. S. Tucker, Adjutant ; Horace Cole, Quar- termaster. The first meeting was held in Odd Fellows Hall. Subse- quently, Grange Hall was made headquarters, and remains so to the present time. Henry M. Bearce resigned his position as commander, May 5th, and May 12th, Ira G. Sprague was elected to the vacancy. Horace Cole resigned as quartermaster, and E. N. Clement was elected in his place. May 30th, assisted by other organizations, the Post dedicated the graves of their comrades, and observed the annual memo- rial occasion in due form. The principal officers for the year 1883 were, Ira G. Sprague, Commander ; Cyrus S. Tucker, Adjutant; and E. N. Clement, Quartermaster. The commander resigned August 3d, and Ephraim H. Brown was promoted to the vacancy. Memorial Day was observed in due form.
At the annual meeting, December 7th, Lucius I. Bartlett was chosen Commander, but declined the office, and J. R. Sanborn was elected ; G. H. Whitehouse, Adjutant ; and E. N. Clement, Quartermaster. On the occasion of Memorial Day, a fine portrait of the late Henry Rust was presented to the Post by his sister, Mrs. Mary Rust Merrill, of
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Haverhill, Massachusetts. Funeral services, commemorative of the death of General Grant, were held August 8th, 1885, when an address was delivered by Rev. O. S. Pillsbury. At the annual meeting, December 4th, 1885, J. R. Sanborn was elected Commander ; G. H. Whitehouse, Adjutant ; and E. H. Brown, Quartermaster. The Post has mustered one hundred and fifty-one recruits. Six members have transferred ; three have died. At the close of 1885, the Post had one hundred and forty-one members and a fund of seven hundred and thirty-six dollars in the treasury.
CHAPTER XVIII.
EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.
THE importance of educating the children was duly appreciated by the early settlers of Norway, and as soon as the new town was in run- ning order, they began to appropriate money for the support of the public schools. The first sums were small, necessarily so, for the founders of Norway were not rich in this world's goods and what little money they did expend for schools and for other town purposes, had to be extracted from a new and stubborn soil. Previous to the incorporation of the town, private schools were kept and were sustained by the contributions of those who patronized them. According to Mr. Noyes, the first school taught in town was by Susan, wife of Peter Everett, and was kept in her own house. The next woman's school was taught by Abigail Symonds who was a sister to Ruth, the wife of Lemuel Shedd. This school was kept in the barn belonging to Major Jonathan Cummings. The first male teacher was Job Eastman, the veteran town clerk of Norway. He came into the town in 1792, and taught school the following winter. The loss of the town records by fire, renders it next to impossible to state correctly just what was done in the interests of education prior to the incorporation of the town, and for a few years after. Mr. Noyes gives us but little information on the subject in his history, and we are left to infer, and from the character of the early settlers it is entirely safe to do so, that they did what they could.
In 1803, seven years after the incorporation, the town voted three hundred dollars for school. Probably money was raised for this purpose in preceding years, but we have no record of it. This was a liberal sum considering the fact that there were in town only one hundred and sixty-two polls.
The first school-house was built in 1794, on land belonging to Amos Hobbs, near the center of the town. Job Eastman and Abigail Symonds were the first two teachers therein. David Noyes was a veteran school teacher ; he taught in the Millett district in the winter of 1809-10, and
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he tells us that he had thirty-five scholars bearing the names of either Millett or Parsons. The school-house in the Parsons district was built about the year 1800, the one in Norway Village in 1805, the one in dis- trict number one in 1806, and one at Fuller's Corner, and another in the Bennett district about the year 1807. From 1810 to 1815, Mr. David Noyes taught the town school in Norway Village, and in summer taught a school which was sustained by voluntary contributions. During these years Rev. Noah Cressey was supervisor of schools and took great interest in their progress and management. The winter schools generally closed with an exhibition in which music, declamations, and select readings constituted the programme. Mr. Noyes retired from the school room to the farm where he spent the remainder of his busy and useful life. In the winter of 1816, the school-house in district num- ber five was burned and most of the books belonging to the district. This was the first school-house built in the town. A new house was built on the same spot in 1817, and this was replaced by a better one in 1851. The school-house in district number one, in the northwest part of the town was destroyed by fire in January of 1819, and rebuilt the following summer. These few items relating to the town schools have been gleaned from different parts of Mr. Noyes's book. They are meager, but in the absence of town records, they are all that can be given. The amount of money raised each year, showing the gradual increase as the town increased in population and wealth, is given in the annals.
Rev. Noah Cressey, the first Orthodox minister, was a man of culture, and was in the habit of giving instruction to private pupils of which quite a large number availed themselves. He taught both English and the classics, and all the higher branches usually taught in first class acade- mies. Mr. Noyes says he gave a strong and lasting impulse to educa- tion, the effect of which was felt for many years. As supervisor of the town schools, he looked after their welfare with a fatherly care. Among his private pupils residing out of town, were Dr. John Grover, of Bethel ; Rev. Asa Cummings, of Albany, long the able editor of the Christian Mirror in Portland ; Rev. Josiah Houghton of Waterford ; Hon. Timothy J. Carter, of Bethel, afterward member of Congress ; and Levi Stowell, of Paris. Private or High schools were taught at the village from time to time. After Rev. Charles Soule's dismissal from the Congregational
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Church he advertised a classical school, and taught for a limited time. This was about the year 1845. Many of the Norway scholars who desired more education than the common schools afforded went to Hebron Academy, and some to Bridgton or Bethel.
The Norway Liberal Institute, according to Mr. Noyes, was opened in 1847, though the charter is dated two years later. The first teachers were as follows: Ebenezer P. Hinds, Principal; Jacob W. Brown, Assistant Principal; John O. Coolidge, Charles H. Nickerson, Silas S. Gifford, and Lemuel Bourn, Assistant Teachers; Isaiah H. Baker, Teacher of Penmanship; Miss Mary F. Chase, Preceptress; Miss Mary A. A. Additon, Teacher of Music; Miss Anne N. Deering, Teacher of Drawing and Painting. The whole number of scholars was one hun- dred and seventy-four; males, eighty-three; females, ninety-one. The charter granted by the Legislature is as follows :-
An Act To incorporate the Norway Liberal Institute.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Legislature assembled as follows :
SECT. I. Franklin Manning, Ezra F. Beal, Benj. Tucker jr., Horatio G. Cole, Isaac Bradbury, Luther F. Pike, and Lorenzo. Hathaway, their associates, successors and assigns are hereby constituted a corporation by the name of the trustees of the Norway Liberal Institute ; and by this name may sue and be sued; have a common seal; make such by-laws, not repugnant to the laws of this State as they may deem expedient for the management of their affairs; fill all vacancies occurring in their number; take and hold real and personal estate that they may now possess or may hereafter receive by donation or otherwise, the annual income of which shall not exceed two thousand dollars, said income to be faithfully applied to promote the cause of education; and the trustees aforesaid are intrusted with all the powers and privileges incident to similar corporations.
SECT. 2. The first meeting of the trustees may be called by either of the corporators above named, by giving each incorporator a written notice of the time and place of meeting, seven days at least prior thereto.
SECT. 3. This act shall take effect from and after its approval by the governor.
Approved June 25, 1849.
The following year, ( 1848-9), Mr. Hinds took charge of the Oxford Normal Institute at South Paris, and the teachers at the Liberal Insti- tute were: Jonathan G. Eveleth, Principal; Walter M. Hatch, Assist- ant; Miss Nancy M. Shaw, Preceptress, with a liberal corps of assistant teachers. In 1851 Mark H. Dunnell came to Norway and took charge of the academy. He was assisted by Thomas F. Barton, Warren F. Barnes, and Miss Catherine Woodman. In 1852 Mr. Dunnell went to
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Hebron to take charge of the Academy, and soon after entered politics, which he has since made a success. He was succeeded in Norway by William D. Putnam as Principal, and Miss Emeline F. Wright as assist- ant. Mr. Burbank took charge of the school in 1853. He had a good staff of instructors, was a teacher of much ability and enterprise, obtained philosophical apparatus, and placed the school upon a good basis. He was followed by Mr. Powers, who remained a year, and was succeeded by Henry N. Merrill, who taught until the summer of 1856. About this time the Norway Village District purchased the academy building, and the Liberal Institute became the Norway High School. In 1856 Byron D. Verrill took charge of the school, and, with the exception of the winter term of 1857-8, which was taught by Ozias Whitman, he remained in charge until the summer term of 1859. Sewall Brown followed Verrill, and was himself succeeded by Mr. Lowell. In the spring of 1861, George F. Leonard, a graduate of Dart- mouth College, came to the school, and had charge of it four years. Under his management the school was prosperous, the pupils sometimes numbering one hundred and seventy-five. Among the teachers since that time have been Charles A. Stevens, C. A. Black, Orville W. Collins, Amanda M. Perham, Z. W. Kemp, of Otisfield, and more recently, Frank J. Brown, of Bethel.
In March, 1843, the town records having been destroyed by fire, a committee was chosen to redistrict the town for school purposes, and at a special meeting in June following, this committee submitted the following report :-
The Committee chosen to divide the town of Norway into School Districts, ask leave to make the following report : -
District No. I Bounded on the North by Albany and Greenwood to the North East Corner of Wm. C. Pierce's land, thence South to the South Easterly corner of said lot, thence Westerly to the Waterford three tier, thence Southerly to the North East corner of John Coffin's land, thence Westerly to the Western line of said Coffin's land, thence Southerly to the land of Darius Holt jr., thence Westerly by said Holt's land to Joseph Holt's land, thence Southerly to the North easterly corner of the town farm, thence Westerly to Water- ford line, thence northerly to Albany.
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