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 32
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
JOHN M. ADAMS.
John Milton Adams was the son of Nathan and Susan (Merrill) Adams, and was born on the Adams homestead at the junction of the Androscoggin and Ellis Rivers, in Rumford, September 22d, 1819. His grandfather, Nathan Adams of Andover, Massachusetts, was a proprietor of Andover, Maine, and moved there, but subsequently moved to Rum- ford. He was a Revolutionary soldier. Nathan Adams Jr. was a farmer and school teacher, and the first postmaster in Rumford. Susan Merrill was the daughter of Ezekiel Merrill, the first settler in Andover, Maine and the first white child born in that town. John M. Adams attended the town schools, and a grammar school in Turner, attended at Bethel and Bridgton Academies and graduated at Gorham Seminary. He after- ward attended a year at St. Hyacinth. College, in Canada, to perfect him- self in the French language. He commenced teaching at seventeen years of age, taught in Bethel, Rumford, Westbrook, Norway, and nearly two years in Maryland. He studied law with Fessenden and Deblois, of Portland and was admitted to the Bar in 1846. He was in company with John A. Poor, and afterward with Nathan Clifford. He had charge of the Eastern Argus for Hon. John Appleton, while he was Sec- retary of Legation to England, and became permanent editor and manager in 1857. Meantime, he crossed the ocean and visited the prin- cipal countries of Europe, writing letters while abroad, to the Railway Gazette. He became sole owner of the Argus in 1866, and has con- tinued owner and editor since that time. Under his management, the subscription list has more than trebled. Mr. Adams was Orderly Ser- geant in the Aroostook War, Colonel, on the staff of Governor Hub- bard, was School Committee in Portland, and County Supervisor for Cumberland County, was Reporter of Decisions of the Supreme Judicial Court, and has served two terms in the Legislature from the town of Deering. He has a pleasant home in Deering, two miles from his place of business, Portland, with which he is connected by horse-cars and telephone. He married Adela S., daughter of Wm. W. Hobbs. (See Genealogical Registers.)
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
ICHABOD BARTLETT.
Conspicuous among the native-born citizens of Norway for many years, was Ichabod Bartlett Esq. He was the son of Levi Bartlett, and was born in Norway, January 19th, 1797. He was in trade many years at the village, but was better known in the county as a stock- drover. Stock-driving, before the days of railways, was an important business, requiring capital, judgment, and foresight. Late in August, or early in September, the drover traveled through the county, visiting the farms, and purchasing the surplus cattle and sheep that were fitted for market, and marking them, arranged to have them driven to a cer- tain rendezvous, on a given day, where the drove was made up and started on its journey for the Brighton markets. The business was generally quite remunerative, and it was also a good thing for the farmers. Mr. Bartlett, during his entire life, was one of the strong pillars of the Universalist Church and society in Norway. He was associated with Ezra F. Beal as a committee in the erection of the Universalist Church edifice, and the faithful manner in which the duties were performed, is told elsewhere in the dedicatory proceedings. Mr. Bartlett served in town office, and for three consecutive years was a member of the Maine Legislature. He was early identified with the cause of freedom for the African slave, and lived to see the shackles removed from every bondman in America. He was also an early worker in the temperance cause, and from small beginnings, he lived to see it placed upon a firm and substantial basis. Mr. Bartlett's family record will be found elsewhere.
EZRA F. BEAL.
Few citizens of Norway whether native-born or otherwise, ever took a deeper interest in the welfare and prosperity of the town, than the late Ezra F. Beal. To him there was no place like Norway, and it was ever his delight to dwell upon its attractiveness and its business facilities. A mechanic by profession, an architect and builder of marked ability, he devoted his talent and much of his time to the building up and embel- lishment of the village. He was ever foremost in every movement cal- culated to benefit the place, and though not always successful, in the accomplishment of his desires, he never yielded without a persistent but
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honorably conducted contest. Ezra Fluent Beal, son of William and Jerusha (Fluent) Beal, was born in Norway, June 17th, 1797, the year the town was incorporated. He was educated in the common schools of his town, such as they were, and his aptitude for learning is shown in the fact that in quite early life he became a teacher of schools, and took high rank as such, both in and out of this town. He excelled especially in mathematics, which took form in mechanics, and he became one of the most successful builders in the State. In 1834, Mr. Beal removed to Portland in order to have a larger field for the exercise of his business. His heart, however, was with his native town and he returned here after a residence in Portland of seven years. He then purchased the William Reed estate, at the village where he spent the remainder of his life. Mr. Beal's genius and handiwork are seen in some of the finest buildings and blocks in the city of Portland. The original Merchant's Exchange, Park Street Block, United States Hotel, Brown's Sugar House, Falmouth Hotel, and Grand Trunk Depot, are among the buildings erected by him. Many dwelling-houses were also built by him.
He early became interested in the construction of a railway through Oxford County, and was one of the chief promoters of the connection by rail, of the Atlantic Ocean with the St. Lawrence River. He was one of the first Board of Directors of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Rail- road, and continued in that position until that road was merged into the Grand Trunk. He had charge of the construction of all the station buildings on the line of this road between Portland and Island Pond, and settled all the land damages involved. He also constructed the Alpine House at Gorham, New Hampshire, and the Glen House at the foot of Mount Washington.
Mr. Beal took great interest in agriculture, was one of the founders of the Oxford County Agricultural Society, and one of its first Trustees, which office he held for several years. He was an early advocate of temperance, and was identified with the early movement for the sup- pression of dram shops. He was one of the strong pillars of the Uni- versalist Church in Norway and contributed largely of his means in its support. With his life-long friend, Ichabod Bartlett, who was associated with him on the committee, he rebuilt the Universalist Church edifice in Norway Village, an account of whose dedication will be found elsewhere.
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He was one of the founders of the Norway Savings Bank, and its second President. While in Portland he served in both branches of the City Government. He was often solicited to take office, but he invariably declined, preferring to give his time to his chosen pursuits. His last business act was the conversion of the dwelling-house where he had spent thirty-two years of his life into the fine hotel which perpetuates his name. He died December 19th, 1871. In 1820, Mr. Beal married Mary Ann, daughter of Capt. Anthony Bennett who survived him a number of years. His family record is given elsewhere.
GENERAL GEORGE L. BEAL.
George Lafayette Beal, son of Ezra F. Beal, was born in Norway, May 21st, 1825. He received his education in the common schools of Norway, and at Westbrook Seminary. He learned the trade of book- binder in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and engaged in the business with Robert Noyes in Norway, under the firm name of Noyes and Beal. In 1853, he was appointed agent of the Canadian Express Com- pany, and had charge of the company's business in Norway until 1861, when he went into the army, and commanded the first company that enlisted from Oxford County. This was the Norway Light Infantry, which became Company G in the First Maine Regiment. His personal service in the War of the Rebellion is given elsewhere. He continued in the service until January 15th, 1866, when he was mustered out as Brigadier-General of United States Volunteers. His command was the First Brigade of the First Division of the Nineteenth Army Corps.
He was a delegate to the convention that nominated General Grant for President in 1868, and an elector at large on the Republican ticket the same year. He was appointed Pension Agent at Portland in 1872, and held the office until the consolidation of pension agencies in 1876, removed the office from the State. He was elected Adjutant-General of the State in 1880, by the Legislature, and held the position by annual re-elections, until January, 1885. Since that time he has resided in Norway. He was the first Department Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic elected in Maine. General Beal was the only full Brigadier-General appointed from Oxford County in the late war, and his promotions were earned in the field, and not the result of polit-
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ical influence. He had the reputation, among his comrades of being a brave and efficient officer, and was very popular with the men under his command. He married Belinda, daughter of John Thompson Esq., of Rumford, and his family record will be found elsewhere.
FRED E. BOOTHBY.
Fred E. Boothby, son of Levi T. Boothby, was born in this town December 3d, 1845. His father was a blacksmith in the village, and afterward moved to South Paris. Fred E. attended the schools at South Paris, and for several terms at the Norway Liberal Institute. His father removed to Waterville in 1857, and here Fred attended the High School, and finished his education at the Waterville Classical Institute. Mr. Boothby was station agent of the old Maine Central Railroad Company, at Waterville, and when Fred left the school, he went to the assistance of his father in the charge of the station. His promotion was quite rapid, considering his years. He was appointed to the responsible position of acting paymaster for the company in 1871, and held the position until 1874, when he was appointed General Passenger and Ticket Agent. Since that time, by the consolidation of nearly all the Maine railways, the position has grown into one of great responsibility and trust, and ranks among the first of similar railway positions in New England. In addition to his other duties, Mr. Boothby is charged with the care of the company's advertising, which adds materially to his labors and responsibilities. In all his varied positions, Mr. Boothby has proved a very faithful and pains-taking official, and not only enjoys the fullest confidence of the management of the road, but of all whose business brings them in any way into relations with him. He married, October 25th, 1871, Adelaide E., daughter of Charles H. and Vesta B. Smith, of Waterville. They have no children.
TITUS O. BROWN, SENIOR.
Titus Olcott Brown was born in Tolland, Connecticut, August 25th, 1764, and after his marriage, settled in Lancaster, New Hampshire, where most of his large family of children were born. He was engaged in the hotel and transportation business, and was the first person to carry the produce of the upper Coos through the notch of the White
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TITUS O. BROWN.
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Hills, to the sea at Portland. He accumulated property and was able to give his children a substantial education, but meeting with some rever- ses he accepted an agency of parties engaged in the land and lumber business, and moved with his family through the notch into the town of Bartlett, New Hampshire. After a few years there, he moved to Gray Corner and kept the hotel at that place. His hotel was the favorite stopping place of travelers and teamsters, and his extensive acquaint- ance in northern New Hampshire, a large share of whose travel then came down the Androscoggin to Bethel and thence through Greenwood, Norway and Poland, by the way of Gray to Portland, insured him a large share of patronage. About the year 1833, with his son-in-law, Amos Purington, he came to Norway and bought out the hotel fitted up and kept by Ezra F. Beal, and subsequently, by Anthony Bennett, and Joseph Bennett. Messrs. Brown and Purington retired from the hotel, having sold it to Anthony Bennett, about the year 1842. Mr. Brown continued to reside in Norway until his death, which occurred February 23d, 1855, at the advanced age of over ninety years. His family record will be found elsewhere.
TITUS O. BROWN JR.
Titus Olcott Brown Jr. was born in Lancaster, New Hampshire, February 18th, 1800, and died in Norway April 2d, 1878. Mr. Brown's boyhood was spent in Bartlett, New Hampshire. From there he went with his father to Gray. After his marriage, he moved to Randolph, New Hampshire, almost in the heart of the White Hills, and resided there until 1832, when he came to Norway. Here he resided until his death, a period of forty-six years. He built a house at Steep Falls, and engaged in the tanning business. Afterward, in company with Franklin Manning, he established a foundry, manufacturing stoves and other articles, and in connection therewith, opened a general store, the firm name being Brown and Company. At the death of his father, he moved to the homestead farm, and afterward resided there. He mar- ried at Gray, in 1820, Sophia Furbush, who survived only a few years, and in 1827, he married Nancy C., daughter of Isaac Dennison Esq., of Burke, Vermont. His children will be found with family records.
Mr. Brown was a man of strict integrity, of high Christian character,
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and of refined and sensitive disposition, combined with firmness of pur- pose and decided opinions. He was much respected by all who knew him. As a citizen and neighbor, his kindly and sympathetic feelings will long be remembered. He was one of the original members of the Congregational Church in the village. His second wife died September 6th, 1861, and July 19th, 1863, he married Mrs. Harriet P. Whitcomb, who still survives.
CHARLES D. BROWN.
Charles Denison Brown, son of Titus O. Brown Jr., was born in Norway, February 16th, 1836. He received his education in the public schools of this town and at the Norway Liberal Institute. At seven- teen years of age, he entered the Sugar House of his uncle, the late John B. Brown, of Portland, where he remained four years. In 1867, he formed a copartnership with Charles F. Manning in the wholesale prod- uce and provision business. In 1863, he commenced the manufacture of paper at Yarmouth, and carried on the business until the mill was burned in 1870. Near the close of 1870, in connection with another, he commenced the manufacture of wood pulp, at Brunswick, and the same year organized the Androscoggin Pulp Company. In 1873, they obtained a patent for wood pulp board, and have continued the manu- facture of wood pulp and wood pulp board, since that time, at mills in various parts of the State. Mr. Brown is a director and one of the man- agers of the Androscoggin Pulp Company, at Portland, and of the Umbagog Pulp Company, at Livermore Falls. He is also President of the Somerset Fibre Company, of Fairfield, and of the Indurated Fibre Company of Portland. He is one-third owner and director of the Ken- nebec Fibre Company, of Waterville, and is also largely interested in other mills and water powers in the State, including that at Rumford Falls. He was in the Portland Common Council in 1881 and 1882. He married Abbie F. Shurtleff, of South Paris ; his family record is with Genealogical Registers.
EPHRAIM H. BROWN.
Ephraim Heald Brown (see Genealogical Registers) came to Norway with his father's family in 1818. He spent most of the time with his father on the farm until 1837, when he went to Massachusetts, and
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went to work at carpentering. The following autumn he returned and worked at the same trade with the Kings in Paris. He continued in this vicinity until 1841, when he went to Boston and worked there and at Grafton until 1843, when he returned to Norway, worked at his trade, was married, and finally went again to live with his father, who died the following year. In 1847, he went to work for Brown and Com- pany as carpenter in the foundry, and remained until 1854, when the business manager died, and in company with others, Mr. Brown bought out the foundry. There were several changes in the firm, and in 1860, Mr. Brown took as a partner Hosea B. Bisbee, and in connection with other work, manufactured the Gibbs Cylinder Plow, and also carried on the stove business. In July, 1862, Mr. Brown enlisted in the Seven- teenth Maine Volunteers, and served as stated in military records. In the fall of 1865, he again went into business with another, fitting lumber for building and other purposes. They bought the machinery in the Tucker Mill at the Falls, and Mr. Brown continued the business for several years. In 1874, he sold out, and bought a grocery store, which he occupied for six years, and then sold out. He has served as town clerk, and three years as chairman of the selectmen. He has always been active in the cause of temperance.
SUMNER BURNHAM.
Sumner Burnham Esq., was not a native of this town, but came here from Harrison, in 1858, exchanging his property there for real estate in the village, with Francis H. Whitman. He was a man of means and at once took a leading part in the business of the village and town. He was one of the founders of the Norway National Bank and its first President. He was the fifth son and child of Nathaniel Burn- ham, who was born in Bolton, Massachusetts, in 1769, and of his wife Nabby Scribner, of Waterborough. He was born in Harrison, November 16th, 1809. The grandfather, Reuben Burnham, came from Bolton, Massachusetts, to Bridgton in 1774, and in that year was killed by a tree falling upon him. His son Nathaniel, father of Sumner, settled in Harrison, on the same place afterward occupied by Sumner. It is a nice farm and was kept in a high state of cultivation. In addition to his farming operations, Mr. Burnham served for many years as Deputy
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Sheriff and Detective, and was a most efficient public officer. As a State Detective, during the War of the Rebellion, he performed important services, and after the war, he was employed by the Collector of Port- land, to look after smugglers who had been very active and successful along the Canadian border during the war. Mr. Burnham had served much in town office, and was a candidate for Representative to the Legislature from Harrison. He was Representative from Norway in 1862. He was the first President of the Norway National Bank, and served until his death.
Mr. Burnham married Christiana, daughter of Manassa Washburn, of Hebron, and left several children. He was a man of commanding pres- ence, standing over six feet, and finely proportioned. He was genial, social, and kind-hearted. His wealth did not, as is too often the case, bring pride and arrogance. He was liberal to the poor, and contributed freely of his means for every good cause. He was a fine type of well- developed manhood, both physically, mentally and morally, combining, in an unusual degree, those excellent qualities which go to make up the good citizen and Christian. He died suddenly of apoplexy, at Norway, June 22d, 1878.
SYLVANUS COBB.
Rev. Sylvanus Cobb D.D. was born in Norway, July 17th, 1798, and spent his youth upon his father's farm. (See Genealogical Registers.) He attended the brief terms of the town school, one of his earliest teachers being Jonathan Woodman. Later he attended several terms taught by Rev. Noah Cressey. He was brought up in the Calvinistic school of theology, his mother being his instructor in the Westminster Catechism, but in 1813, as the result of his own researches, he became converted to the Universalist faith. 3 In 1817, he commenced teach- ing his first school in the town of Waterford, and the following spring attended an academic term of school at the house of Mr. Cressey. The summer he spent in labor upon the homestead farm, and this routine of teaching, study, and work upon the farm, he followed until he was twenty-one years of age. In 1819, he attended a term of school at Paris Hill, taught by Stephen Emery and Elijah L. Hamlin. The following winter he again taught school in Waterford, and in May
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following placed himself under the instruction of Rev. Sebastian Streeter, of Portsmouth, with the view of studying for the ministry. In June, he preached his first sermon in Mr. Streeter's church, and after that, during the year, he preached in various places, among others, in Rochester, New Hampshire, and Portland. In the fall of 1820, he began a missionary tour in Maine, holding meetings at various places, Livermore, Winthrop, Waterville, and elsewhere. There was not then a settled Universalist preacher in the State of Maine. In 1821 he taught school in Norway, and afterward recommenced his missionary labors. His first settlement was with the Winthrop and Readfield society, which was only temporary, and in July, 1821, he accepted a call to the society in Waterville. He resided in Waterville about seven years, and during that time, twice represented the town in the Legislature. He also did a vast amount of missionary labor, preaching at different times in all parts of the State. In 1828, he accepted a call from Malden, Massa- chusetts, and commenced his labors on the 20th of April. He was installed July 30th, 1828. In 1834, he represented the town of Malden in the Legislature, and again in 1837. In July of this year, he resigned the pastorate of the church in Malden, and the following, accepted a call to Waltham. In the spring of 1839, he commenced the publication of the Christian Freeman, a denominational paper, and also devoted to temper- ance, and opposed to slavery. The publication of this paper became the distinctive business of twenty-five years of the prime of Mr. Cobb's life. He died at East Boston, October 31st, 1867, aged sixty-nine years. Mr. Cobb preached at different times to the leading societies, and before the leading assemblies of the denomination in different parts of the country, published several denominational volumes, and was a volumi- nous writer for the press; he was an able preacher, a concise and logical writer, and perhaps the ablest controversialist of his denomination. He also lived the faith which he preached. His life, from early manhood, was consecrated to the cause he loved and cherished. Few men, in his day and generation, accomplished more good, and few have been more widely and deeply mourned.
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SYLVANUS COBB JR.
To Sylvanus Cobb Jr .* Norway was the vacation home of his boy- hood. Here, with his uncles, his aunts, and his cousins, he spent many a happy season. Later, when he had determined to find a home away from the turmoil of the city, his thoughts turned instinctively to the home of his fathers; and thither in the summer of 1852, he removed, with his family, where he lived until the spring of 1856. He built a house in "Yagger," where he resided until November, 1855, when he sold his farm, and removed to the village. He lived here until the fol- lowing April, when, having made a contract with Mr. Bonner of the New York Ledger he removed to New York. At the expiration of a year and a half, he returned to Norway where he remained an active citi- zen until November, 1867, when he moved to East Boston. A year later he erected a fine suburban residence in Hyde Park, Massachsetts, where he has since resided.
Mr. Cobb, was born in Waterville, Maine, June 5th, 1823. In the spring of 1838, his father moved from East Boston to Waltham, where Sylvanus Jr. entered upon the threshold of his life's occupation. It had been the plan of his father that he should prepare for college, and he entered a private academy for that purpose. Shortly after this, the father started his denominational newspaper, The Christian Freeman, which required the establishment of a printing-office, and Sylvanus deter- mined to enter the office and become a printer ; and in less than two years he was amply qualified to take charge of the office. He had become a good printer, and a printer he has been proud to call himself ever since.
In 1841, he shipped in the United States Navy. He went to the Mediterranean in the Brandywine frigate, sailing from New York in June, 1841. At the expiration of little less than a year he was transferred to the sloop of war Fairfield, on board which vessel he remained over two years, visiting in that time, every place of note-European, Asiatic and African-on the historic shores of that grand old sea. He came home in the line of battle ship Delaware, in the early spring of 1844, and on his discharge from the Navy he at once resumed his old place at the
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