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 42
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You who have lived here, and especially you who were born here and have gone away, yea, even you who have come today from the surrounding towns, our relatives, neighbors, and friends must feel with us, a pride in the characteristics of the people of old Oxford County - well illustrated and shown here this day.
In the midst of the rejoicings of the hour we pause a moment to think of the future and what another hundred years will present. What of our descendants, we know not, and it is idle to speculate, but under God with a faith as strong as that of our fathers, I feel that they will not be unlike their ancestors and ours of the olden time, whose principles and sterling qualities are as enduring as the granite of these our native hills,
" Whose characters of living light From mighty words and actions wrought ; And these beyond the reach of time Shall live immortal as our thought."
MINISTRY AND THE MINISTERS.
The above sentiment was responded to by Rev. Caroline E. Angell, pastor of the Norway Universalist church, in the following terms : -
All through this session, by spoken or written word, there has been given to you a report of people and things ; of people and the circumstances that have brought them into notice; of people and the times that made them conspicuous. I cannot tell how well I think of this, nor need I explain how desirable has been this procedure.
In constituting a history, it were necessary to evoke the events and disclosures which make up such a record ; necessary too, to take them in the order of their existence and unfolding ; not this alone either, but requisite too, to present the people in their motives, and the deeds in their significance, for, how else could the relation of times and doings be traced, or how else could the actors be esteemed at even their relative importance ?
We have heard with interested satisfaction the century of Norway recounted. Its settlers, its founders, its disclosers have been brought before us in orderly array, and there is great joy in recalling the beginning of this corporation, and comparing it with how it now stands. Lovely in its situation, bright with its enterprise, growing in thrift, how contentedly must our centenarians view all this development, and how expectantly the young can look forward, pur- posing to elaborate their social and industrial structure, the foundations of which have been so solidly and happily laid.
To have had recounted to us the names and the doings of the people who constitute the real history of the town, is indeed the way of a centennial observance; but in handling the subject assigned me, I shall be forgiven if I depart from this method, and take it up on gen- eral principles merely.
In the first place, a town, as evidence of its enterprise and improvement, points to its religious life no less than its industrial ; for its church and its Sabbath-school declare the temperature of the moral, as the academy and the primary school tell of the educational atmosphere. Always the religious societies are a pride to the town, and it is toward the pro- motion of such a society that the spirit moves as soon as there has been a foot-hold obtained.
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We take for granted - because all history has declared it so - that the sentiment of faith is the last one in the nature to revolutionize or liberalize. Why, we do not attempt to define, but all up through the ages, we have seen how slowly the attitude of soul toward soul has softened, even though every surrounding of the physical life has been carried into associate beauty and utility.
And this fact - of a very reluctant growth by the spirit - while the life of the world has not overlaid the department of the ministry, not even jeopardized such an order, it has yet been a province hard to administer, because those ordained to fulfil it have not been so greatly ahead of the people in this matter of the spirit as to be able to furnish example as well as precept of true Christianity.
We are assured that teachers of academical branches can carry their pupils only so far as they themselves have gone. They can point them farther along it is true, but unless they too stride forward, there will be a place where the pupil will take the lead. And the same is true of spiritual instruction. Unless the minister see to it that his heart appropriates his maxims of life and his soul explains in conduct the principle on which he bases his hope of heaven ; unless he seek diligently to be the character toward which, in his teaching, he is directing his hearers, there will be a point when he will be, not only surpassed by the laymen, but judged by the general people as incompetent, because they will see how his soul has not warmed to all the needs and attitudes of the world, but grown conservative in patience and mercy, when these are sentiments that should endure forever.
Taking the world at large, we see how the time which Norway counts as its century, has disclosed a quality of softness in the civilized class. Not commensurate with other advances that have been made; not at all relative to the inventions and discoveries which have been for universal man; but there has come a degree of fraternalness, full of promise, and which must augment in the coming hundred years; augment on the principle that, after the root growth, there is an increase of unfolding which is in greater ratio.
An hundred years ago, different denominations so denounced the idea of an intrinsic value in human nature, as that they who declared for the same were unworthy to be clasped by the hand in a common ministry. There was no greeting of courtesy between them, no outward helpfulness of any kind. Now, by virtue of a real growth in all lines of doctrinal faith, (the liberal included as well,) there are standing grounds of labor where they recognize a brother- hood, and the world is seen to grow faster in benevolence since this fraternalness has been taken on. It would seem as if the department of the ministry was being differently and bet- ter apprehended.
That it is not for a disagreement in doctrine so much, as for a likeness in life; not so much to start problems for the intellect as to advocate methods for the heart; not so much to widen the distance between creeds, but to lessen the disrelish between churches - to tear down par- tition walls and let people look eye to eye, when they will see that, notwithstanding how they may view dogmas or hold to doctrines, heart can speak to heart, and so be discovered the only fruits that bear the test, the fruits of the life.
We hardly know what signally has caused the difference in understanding the ministry. Ministers have been differently instructed - perhaps this is one reason. But they have been more wisely taught because there is a growing demand among the people to be helped, edu- cated, enlightened upon the disposition of God, and the purpose of life. A wish to know if they have not quite as much to do in preparing to live as in living, or to prepare for death and to die. A multitude of things has conspired to broaden and dispense the notion of the
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ministry and the dispositions of the ministers, which is a blessed and grateful reality. And when we see how by virtue of the assistance of this department at least, there is an increase of friendliness, of helpfulness, of benevolence all over the globe, we can rejoice in the culture of soul that is helping on the relationship of people, as we can rejoice in the material develop- ments which are improving their outward attitudes.
In the vicissitudes of this department of the ministry and its instructors, Norway has naturally exhibited its part. It has seen an advancement in Christian sentiment and in broth- erly carriage. Where once there was between the churches a greeting that was of austerity, now there is invariable courtesy and good will. Instrumentalities they esteem themselves, to help forward these great causes, that of educating the people in morality of life and exempli- fying to them kindness of heart. Truly God has set no department higher than the ministry, and the circumstances of life have declared the ministers are a necessity to its unfolding.
Owning such a province of labor and such a class of workers in your community, do them justice by profiting of their toil, and by seconding and sustaining their efforts.
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
" Our Public Schools " was responded to by George F. Leonard, A. M., of Newton, Massachusetts, formerly Principal of the Norway Liberal Institute. Mr. Leonard's mother was Clarissa French of Norway.
About two centuries ago there occurred in Salem, Massachusetts, one of the most heart- rending scenes that ever was enacted in New England. It was the public execution of nineteen innocent victims. The terrible drama lasted several months. The martyrs consisted of old and young, of men and women, of clergymen and laymen. These persons were accused of no real crime; ignorance and superstition had conjured up an imaginary offense against God and the State. Little children of five years were thrown into prison for making contracts with Satan; aged women of nearly seventy years were ignominiously hung between heaven and earth because suspected of signing their names in the Devil's black book. Honored clergymen were made to swing from the gibbet because accused of blowing a trumpet whose echoes penetrated the remotest corners of New England and bade witches to mount their stick and fly through the air to their great gatherings. Devoted wives, sometimes upon the testi- mony of their husbands, were executed and buried like dogs in the holes of the earth, not being allowed a decent burial.
Perhaps the most accomplished victim of the nineteen was an aged lady nearly seventy years old. Her name was Rebecca Nourse. She had brought up a large family of sons and daughters who loved and respected her, and was surrounded by numerous grandchildren that were the delight of her declining years. She was honored not only in her own church, but also in neighboring churches as a mother in Israel. Her intelligence, refinement and nobility of character caused her to be esteemed by a host of friends. It was a sad day for Salem when this lady was brought into court and charged with being in league with the Devil. Her brothers and sisters in Christ knew very well it was but a short distance from this court to the gibbet on Witch Hill. Yet they dared not sympathize with one whom they believed to be a rebel against their God. Even her judges struggled between their supposed duty to God and their respect for this woman. In accordance with their decision, Mrs. Nourse was sent to prison and loaded with chains.
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On Sunday afternoon previous to her execution on Friday, the church was well filled at an early hour with an expectant crowd awaiting some unknown ceremony. After some delay there was heard the clanking of chains, and Mrs. Nourse was led by an officer into one of the pews. Her pastor then performed the last act but one of this terrible tragedy. He erased the name of this noble woman from the church roll, pronounced her excommunication and consigned her body and her soul to hell. What anguish must have pierced this aged mother's heart during such an ordeal. Oh! for an angel's avenging hand to rescue her from these deluded persecutors.
Friday brings the closing act, and Mrs. Nourse passes beyond the reach of personified ignor- ance and blind superstition. Let us pity both the persecuted and the persecutors. But let us be glad and rejoice that in the light of our common schools we are no longer in danger of being either actors or victims in such a sad tragedy as the Salem Witchcraft.
"NORWAY INDUSTRIES."
The above sentiment was responded to by Hon. Henry M. Bearce, a lawyer, and leading business man of Norway, who said : -
MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN : -
To the returning sons and daughters of Norway, coming from the busy manufacturing and commercial centres, where millions of capital turn millions of spindles and sail thousands of ships, where more business is carried on in one day than is transacted here in a whole year, it may seem presumptuous in me to talk of the industries of a way-back country town like this, with no sea-coast, no large rivers, no rich intervale farms, and no wealthy men to lend a fos- tering hand to new enterprises.
But everything should be looked at through its own surroundings. Things small to individ- uals or towns of unlimited resources, are of more account to us, of small capabilities. When we look at the barren, rocky hills, the sandy deserts, and miasmic swamps, of which a large part of the earth's surface is made up, and the seeming cruel inequalities in the conditions of its inhabitants, it seems as though the world was hardly worth the making, or a work of small merit at best ; but if we adopt the theory that this world was made in seven days, and out of nothing at that, we must give the Almighty credit for doing a pretty fair job, considering the time and material at His command, and in that light you must look at our industrial efforts - though we do not complain so much at the lack of time as want of material.
In looking up the industrial history of the town, I find that, like most new towns, she spent the first sixty years after her settlement, almost wholly, in felling trees and raising burnt land corn, and babies, and I judge she got up quite a boom in that direction both in quality and quantity. She then found that most of the available farming land was cleared and her inhab- itants were slow to change their mode of farming or manner of life by engaging in other bus- iness enterprises. She had no use for any more boys and girls, and the town seems to have stopped to take breath and look around, and as near as I can judge it was all of twenty years before she got her second wind. In fact, from 1850 to 1870, the number of inhabitants decreased just nine. About that time (1870) the town seems to have awoke to the fact, that the hardest thing in the world to do is to stand still. If you are not going ahead you are pretty surely going backward, and she resolved not to make any more back tracks. Norway was then the fourth town in the county in valuation and third in inhabitants. Her industries - always before that time spasmodic - were nearly at a standstill, not more than one hundred
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journeymen workmen finding employment here according to the best information I can obtain, and from about that time dates her second lease of life. The Savings Bank was chartered just before that date, the National Bank just after. Mr. J. L. Horne, to whom the town is indebted for quite a percentage of her prosperity, concluded he had traveled in the old ruts long enough, and set about to adapt himself to the new order of things, doubling again and again his business in a few years' time. Others caught the spirit and started new enterprises or increased those already in existence.
In 1873, the town built the first shoe factory, at a cost of some sixteen thousand dollars, and leased it to B. F. Spinney & Co. at a nominal rent for a term of ten years. This brought other industries, such as box-making, heeling, and paste shops, and all these brought good men and women into the town, and the carpenters were kept busy in building houses to hold them, so that, when the census of 1880 was taken, we found our town only second, both in valuation and population. Since then the railroad has been built. It cost a struggle, but by perseverance and united effort it was done, and is a blessing to the town. In 1882, finding that our numbers had so increased that we had no suitable place in which to hold our town- meetings and other public gatherings, Norway Hall was built by a corporation organized for that purpose. It is one of the best halls to be found in the State outside the cities. Last year B. F. Spinney & Co. concluded to move their entire business to Norway and a new factory was built for them, two hundred feet long by sixty feet wide, and is now in successful operation. This was also built by a corporation organized for this purpose, shares being only twenty-five dollars each. About seven hundred hands are employed in the two shoe shops, pay-roll being over six thousand dollars per week. The town has always found B. F. Spinney & Co. honor- able and enterprising men.
The latest enterprise is the introduction of water into Norway Village by the Norway Water Company, at a cost of fifty thousand dollars, it was tried for the first time on our streets, September 7th, 1886. The result shows that the old hand-tub must go to the rear. While these enterprises have been going on, the farming interests have not been neglected. A prosperous Grange has been in existence many years, and good has come of it. A corn canning establishment has been built and is in successful operation under the superintendence of Benjamin Tucker, one of our largest and most enterprising farmers. Association and dis- cussion has in a great measure modernized our system of farming, and I believe our farmers, as a rule, are prospering - their well-kept farms, their neat buildings, their good horses and carriages, their blooded cattle, their musical instruments, and above all, their libraries and well-informed minds show it.
The present decade is but midway, but we find that in this year, 1886, our valuation books show a greater number of polls than any other town in the county, from which we may infer that we are no longer second in population, and we give our rival sister warning that she must be up and doing if she would not be entirely passed on the last half. There will be no heated contest between us - there cannot be, because we have formed an alliance founded on cold water - but just a good-natured, healthy rivalry.
And now just a word to the boys. This generation is not through with its work yet, it intends to do much more before taking to the chimney-corner, but when it does, we want you to be ready to take up the work and push it on until old Oxford County may count one city within its borders.
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THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.
Rev. Oliver S. Pillsbury of the Methodist Church, responded in behalf of the temperance cause in the following words :-
MR. CHAIRMAN : -
The temperance cause has gathered much fruit from the century just closed. Speaking in a general way, we have learned something concerning this great and all important subject, at least one lesson for every decade of the century.
First. We have learned what temperance means, viz. : Total abstinence from all that intox- icates. Half a century ago even, a moderate drinker, one who became intoxicated only on special occasions, like the Fourth of July, etc., was considered a temperate or temperance man.
Second. We have learned something of the evils of the social drinking habit of earlier times, and, thank God, it has passed away with the century.
Third. We have learned more of the nature of the liquor traffic, and respectable traders and worthy deacons are no longer rumsellers. The past century has stigmatized the traffic as the " Gigantic crime of crimes."
Fourth. We have learned that malt liquors and wines are not temperance drinks.
Fifth. We have learned that the saloon is the fountain of pauperism, misery, and crime, and the common enemy of home, state, nation, and church.
Sixth. We have learned that license and taxation are legalization and protection, not exter- mination or restriction.
Seventh. We have learned that the only effectual remedy for intemperance is legal prohi- bition of the liquor traffic.
Eighth. We have learned that to be permanent, prohibition must be constitutional in State and nation.
Ninth. Some have learned, or think they have learned, that for prohibition to prohibit there must be behind the law a political party pledged to its enforcement. And, in the fact that the close of the century has witnessed the organization of such a party in almost every State in the union, to the standard of which thousands and tens of thousands are now flocking, they see the "beginning of the end" of this monstrous evil.
Tenth. And last, but not least, we have learned that the influence of woman is an impor- tant factor in the settling of this great problem as to how we may destroy this Hydra-headed monster. And, having been thus instructed out of the century now passed, may the God of all grace, wisdom, and power, help us to so put in practice what we have learned that, speed- ily we may bury this most iniquitous traffic beyond the hope of a resurrection.
The medical profession was responded to by Dr. Osgood N. Bradbury. Governor Robie being called upon for remarks, responded as follows :- MR. PRESIDENT : -
I thank you for your kind introduction, and my fellow-citizens for their cordial greetings. I shall not trespass upon your time with extended remarks. I have not the honor of being a native or even a resident of the beautiful and hospitable town of Norway, and therefore, on this account should be silent; but representing the State of Maine, of which you are an
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important integral part, I am not an idle or uninterested spectator to that which constitutes your prosperity and greatness. The elements of our strength as a State spring from the moral worth, the intelligence, the loyalty and the enterprise of just such people as have built up and sustained this prosperous agricultural town of Norway. We all honor the town and its history, and point with pride to its village of churches, school-houses, mechanical indus - tries, and happy homes.
This is a true representative New England village which so conspicuously nestles in a beau- tiful valley among the rocky hills of Old Oxford. Nature has not here been particularly lavish with her best gifts of an easy and fertile soil. We are subject to the snow, and bleak winter winds from the mountains of a high northern latitude. The summers, splendid as they are, are very short, but we have many compensations, in seed-time and harvest, in natural resources ; and our climate has produced a hardy and healthy race of men. Intelligence, fru- gality, and enterprise are the constituent elements of character which have cleared the forests and built up the villages and cities of Maine. From such towns have gone forth the best specimens of American character, educated by the fathers and mothers of Maine, for every department, responsibility, and duty of life. You have one of the best and most wealthy towns in the State, and for its size one of the most prosperous in the country.
The similar historic experiences of the several towns and cities of our State, have written upon the pages of history the inspiration and genius of our beloved State of Maine.
I noticed in your grand procession today a miniature representation of the log-cabin of Joseph Stevens, the first settler of your town. What mighty memories are associated with these primitive ancestral abodes. Daniel Webster, the great New England statesman, elo- quently said, " It did not happen to me to be born in a log-cabin, but my older brothers and sisters were born in a log-cabin, raised among the snow-drifts of New Hampshire, at a period so early that when the smoke first rose from its rude chimney, and curled over its frozen hills, there was no similar evidence of a white man's habitation between it and the settlements on the rivers of Canada. Its remains still exist. I carry my children to it to teach them the hardships endured by the generations before them. I love to dwell on the tender recollec- tions, the kindred ties, the early affections, touching narratives and incidents connected with that primitive family abode." Let us always cherish the lessons of frugality, simplicity, and the manly and womanly virtues taught in the log-cabin home.
True to the fundamental principles of the Pilgrim Fathers, to the teaching of our ancestors - and New England civilization, you have built an historic monument, and today it is planted as the centennial milestone in the history of your town, the glory and admiration of the present generation, and may its shadow never be less. I congratulate the sons and daughters of this distinguished and agricultural and manufacturing town, that the sunlight of prosperity falls upon all your several industries. It is the product of associated good will, and a friendly and intelligent co-operation among all its business interests.
May this reciprocity of interest continue to mark your future history. Agriculture is the prime source of wealth, but the collateral auxiliaries of mechanical and professional labor are its essential help-meets. Let all interests stand shoulder to shoulder for future developments. I thank you for this opportunity to extend to you all the greetings and congratulations of the State, and wishes for your continued prosperity.
I have just returned from an extended tour through the country, in company with General G. L. Beal, one of your distinguished and representative sons, brave in war, and a true citizen in time of peace. No one can fully realize the powers or possibilities of this great republic
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