USA > Maine > Oxford County > Paris > History of Paris, Maine, from its settlement to 1880, with a history of the grants of 1736 & 1771, together with personal sketches, a copious genealogical register and an appendix > Part 37
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HAT-MAKING.
The first hatter's shop in Paris was built by Nathan Woodbury, "Hatter." It was on the site of the present store of Stephen D. Hutchinson. Major Dennett's mother and step-father moved into this shop in 1804, and lived here. The second shop was built by Moses Perry in 1815, between the Simeon Cummings stand and the house of Miss Calista Cummings. This building has been re- moved .*
POTATO WHISKEY.
The distilleries were among the early institutions of the town- almost every school district being provided with one. There was one at Stephen Robinson's, one at Gustavus A. Goss', one at Seth Carpenter's, and others at Samuel Chesley's. John Robinson's, and Jairus Shaw's, besides two others, making eight in all, as stated by John Dennett, William Stowell and Edmund Dean. It made a large demand for potatoes, the farmers often exchanging a bushel of potatoes for a quart of whiskey. Stephen Robinson at one time had between twenty and twenty-five acres in potatoes, raising nearly five thousand bushels.
POTASH.
Potash was quite extensively manufactured in previous years. Daniel Stowell was engaged in its manufacture at an early date. The Potash stood near the barn of William Rice. There was one also near the north-west corner of the old cemetery on Paris Hill. Its location is pointed out by Samuel R. Carter as being a few rods below the cemetery and on the southern slope of the bank across the run. Simeon Cummings also entered into the manufacture. The site is now occupied by the stand of Stephen D. Hutchinson. In later years, Francis Bemis operated a potash on the site of the Elmer H. Marble stand. There were probably others.
PLOW-MAKING.
Among the early industries of this town, was the manufacture of plows. David Durell seems to have been the pioneer, followed at a later day by Moses Hammond and Richard Morton. Specimens that have been preserved as curiosities or heir-looms, show them to
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have been of rude manufacture, yet in keeping with farming utensils of that day. The mould-boards were of wood, plated with thin strips of iron. The plow-share and point were of one piece and were held in place by the coulter being hooked in the point and keyed into the beam. The first innovation from the wooden plow in its manufacture in this town, was attempted by Simeon Hersey and Perez Record, who came here from Sumner in 1835, and in company with Richard Morton, built a small foundry near his house in South Paris, the same now occupied by Mrs. Dudley. A cast-iron mould- board was substituted for the clumsy wooden one, Richard Mor- ton doing the wood-work in the manufacture of these plows. The business was soon moved to the Stony Brook, Mr. Hersey having built the dam. Alvah Hersey, a brother of Simeon, came here in 1837, and went into company with him under the firm of S. & A. Hersey. Buildings, consisting of a foundry, blacksmith-shop and wood-shop, were erected on what is now Merrill's upper dam, new patterns made, and the Hersey Plow had its beginning. The build- ings were all burned in 1842. The dam on which the present foun- dry is situated, was at once commenced and buildings erected. Simeon Hersey withdrew from the firm and his place was filled by another brother, Tristram, under the firm name of Hersey & Brother. Then Warren Hersey united with the company, under the firm name of Hersey Brothers, in 1846. Warren Hersey died in 1848, and Alvah retired from the firm. The business was continued by Tris- tram Hersey, until its purchase by F. C. Merrill, the present pro- prietor. The Hersey plow became widely known and justly cele- brated. The exact surface of a perfect mould-board has long been a mathematical problem. Thomas Jefferson attempted to solve it, in a paper read before the French Institute. F. C. Merrill, by patient study and repeated trials has come as near and perhaps nearer its true solution than has ever been obtained. His patent is based on diagonal lines crossing horizontal straight lines, and as a result, he lias placed in the hands of the farmers the O. K. Plow ..
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CHAPTER XLIII.
MUSICAL CELEBRITIES.
Musical talent of a high order has often manifested itself among the people of our town, and we have had many "sweet singers," but comparatively few have had that severe training and the long, patient practice so essential to the full development of their musical powers. Our several church choirs have always been creditably sup- plied with native talent, and it has never been difficult to organize a band, while in many of our homes the piano and organ are played with taste and precision. Indeed, quite a number of our citizens have successfully taught the musical art during the long winter evenings when "going to singing school" was among the most en- joyable pastimes of the youth of both sexes, but only a passing notice can be given of those who have only practiced music as a pastime, or taught singing school for the pleasure and the small compensation it afforded ; while a few who have made music a pro- fession and have become distinguished in the divine art, are entitled to the same notice that is accorded to tliose engaged in other depart- ments of professional life. Foremost among those of our town's people who have distinguished themselves in vocal music is Mrs.
FLORA E. BARRY.
She is the daughter of Isaac Harlow, and was born in Paris, September 19, 1836. When eleven years of age, she removed with her parents to Boston. She early developed a love of music, and when very young she had a voice of wonderful compass and sweet- ness. She secured her musical education by persevering effort, and became the leading artiste of the Mahn English Opera Company. Many were the flattering notices published of her while connected with this company, in the leading journals of this country and in Europe. The Albany Argus pronounced her "one of the best con- traltos on the operatic stage." The Brooklyn Times spoke of her "prepossessing and winning manner ; of her sweet, sympathetic voice, her easy and graceful gesture, and of her way of imparting sunny brightness to passages that in other hands might lack that important quality." The Boston Transcript said of her, that "she delivered the alto arias (Messiah) with rare power and genuine feel- ing, showing a conception adequate to the lofty work in hand,
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greatly and profoundly moving the audience." L' Italia, of Flor- ence, Italy, said "she interpreted her role with great dignity and grandeur," and another journal published in the same city, declared that "she performed her part exquisitely." After leaving this com- pany, she purchased a fine residence in Boston, and since then has received pupils in vocal music, giving particular attention to the preparation of artistes for the concert and operatic stage.
WINFIELD SCOTT RIPLEY.
He was born in Paris, February 3d, 1839, the son of Orison and Hannah (Maxim) Ripley. He was a natural musician and easily learned to play all the various instruments employed in a band. At the breaking out of the war of 1861-5, he enlisted as a musician on board of a receiving-ship at Charlestown, Mass., and at the termi- nation of his enlistment he resolved to adopt music as his life-work. He is an instructor in band music and has probably had more bands under his instruction than any other person in this country. He can play with proficiency on all the instruments used, and is also an ex- tensive composer of band music. At the band tournaments at Maranocook the past two years, he has been one of the judges. He has also composed the music for several of the patriotic songs, among them, "Dip the Flag Reverently ;" words by Mrs. Alice E. Maxim of Sumner. Of his memorial march, "We Honor the Brave," over four thousand copies have been sold. Mr. Ripley resides in Wakefield, Mass., but his place of business is in Boston, where he is yet in the full. tide of success. He married Mary J., the widow of Nehemiah Davis, and daughter of Joshua Perham of Woodstock. She has a son, Richard Davis, by her former husband, who, under the instruction of his step-father, has become very pro- ficient in band music, and, with the same practice, may yet become his equal.
WILLIAM HENRY DENNETT.
He is the son of the late Major John Dennett of South Paris, where he was born. He has fine natural gifts and has received a thorough musical education, partly in this country and partly in Europe. It was more than thirty years ago, that at a little enter- tainment at which we were present, he drew such exquisite sounds from his violin, that they linger in memory even to this hour. He
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resides in Portland, is a fine singer, and has made one of several distinguished quartettes. He is an instructor of music and makes this his profession.
STEPHEN EMERY, JR.
The musical taste and talent of Hon. Stephen Emery, have already been spoken of, and these qualities were transmitted to his son, Stephen Emery, Jr. He resides in Boston, makes music a pro- fession and has composed several fine and popular pieces. He is the son of Stephen and Sarah (Stowell) Emery, and was born in Paris, November 16, 1822.
HENRY NEWELL HALL.
He was the son of Haven and Rachel (Shurtleff ) Hall, and was born in Paris, June 5, 1830. He had a fine, well-trained voice, and was passionately fond of music. He was also a good performer on stringed instruments and on the organ. His work and reputation were limited to this and the neighboring towns, but as one of the best of our local musicians, and one who introduced musical instru- ments in a good many families, he is entitled to this brief notice. He led the choirs in several of our churches, and taught vocal music in various neighborhoods and towns during the winter season, for several years before his death. He died of consumption, January 17, 1870, when but little past middle life. He married Mary P., daughter of America and Caroline (Prentiss) Thayer.
CHAPTER XLIV.
ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS.
"THE OLD MAN IN THE CORNER."
Henry Prentiss was a well-educated and well-read man for his times, but never showed off his knowledge in a pedantic manner. At one time when he was going to Boston, it happened that two literary gentlemen were his fellow-passengers. They talked of books and authors, and finally fell to quoting poetry. After a while one of them turned to the quiet old gentleman in the corner of the coach and asked his opinion of the verses he had repeated. After
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expressing it in a manner that surprised his hearers, he asked them if they knew the author. They frankly replied that they did not. Mr. Prentiss then began where they had left off, and repeated the rest of the poem and also the portion preceding their quotation, closing by giving the name of the author and informing them where the poem might be found. The literary gentleman were more cir- cumspeet in their conversation during the rest of the journey, and treated the old man in the corner with marked respect.
"SPEAKING IN MEETING."
Patience, the good wife of Dea. John Willis, whose home was near the meeting-house, usually took a nap at home between the ser- mons, two services a day being held in those early days. Elder Hooper's sermons were an exception to the rule of long discourses in which ministers generally indulged, and one Sunday, Mrs. Willis, being tired out with household cares and duties, slept too long and stepped into the meeting-house door as the Elder was pronouncing the benediction. Using her favorite expression, she exelaimed aloud, "Of a truth I have got here."
NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE.
Eleazer Cole from Bridgewater, settled on a lot in the Swift neigh- borhood. He was rather undersized, but aetive and of uncommon strength. One day he had trouble with Joseph Swift, one of his neighbors, and, as was too frequently the ease in those days, from words they came to a trial of strength. Swift was much the larger of the two, but Cole was quickest and soon got the better of his antagonist. Instead of carrying the matter into court, they agreed to leave it to their neighbors, who doomed Cole to two days' work hoeing corn for Swift. The corn-field was by the side of the public road, and Cole, while performing his enforced labor, hailed every- one that passed and explained that he was paying for giving Swift a whipping. The latter, who was hoeing with Cole, was much an- noyed by these frequent explanations, and was no doubt glad when justice was satisfied and Cole had gone home.
THE LOST BOY.
Job Macomber, an early settler, is said to have lived on the farm since occupied by Soranus Shaw. After Macomber died, the family
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was broken up. The widow, whose maiden name was Catherine Pratt of Middleboro,' married Dea. William Barrows of Hebron. Daniel, one of the sons, learned the blacksmith trade, and had a shop in the Partridge district. Isaac, the youngest son, went to live with his uncle Gorham. On one occasion, this boy was sent to Stephen Robinson's, who lived on the farm since the homestead of Dea. Stephen R. Parsons, to get an iron wedge. The boy not re- turning when expected, Mr. Gorham became uneasy and went to find out the reason of delay, and was surprised when told by Robinson that the boy had taken the wedge and gone toward home. A gen- eral alarm was given, and Robinson started for Hebron, calling on the people by the way to turn out and assist in the search for the missing boy. The search was protracted and careful; woods and fields for miles around were travelled over and over again, and no nook or corner left unexplored. But it was all to no purpose ; no vestige of the boy was ever found, and his mysterious disappear- ance became the subject of conversation at the firesides of the inhabitants for years afterwards. Various theories were suggested, but the mystery was never satisfactorily explained.
"IN A DESTITUTE CONDITION."
"Aunt Katy Macomber," as she was familiarly called, the widow of Job Macomber, was engaged to be married to Joseph Cole, but Seba Smith advised her not to marry Cole, but to go to Hebron and keep house for Dea. William Barrows, who had lost his wife and wanted a housekeeper. She heeded Smith's advice and went to Hebron, and in process of time became the wife of Barrows. Under the law of that day, the husband was liable for the debts of the wife contracted previous to marriage, unless she came to him in a destitute condition. In order to evade the conditions of the law and relieve her proposed husband from the responsibility of paying her debts, Aunt Katy, on the day of her marriage, repaired to the barn opposite the Deacon's house, and, disrobing herself, ran back across the road clothed only in her underwear.
A QUEER TEAM.
It is related of Gen. Levi Hubbard, that during his pioneer farm- ing on the Andrews lot, he had ten acres of ground ready to sow to grain when one of his oxen became lame. But, with true Yankee expediency, he made a single yoke with a lever end some ten feet
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long, which he carried himself, and in this way succeeded in harrow- ing in his grain.
CALLING TOGETHER THE COURT.
In the early times, before the court-house was built, the terms of the court were held in the Baptist meeting-house. The judge always stopped at Dr. Cyrus Hamlin's, and court was called together by the beating of a drum, the drummer standing at the south-west cor- ner of the meeting-house.
THE SPIRIT MOVED.
Two Quaker women came to Paris on a certain occasion, to hold a meeting on a week day, and a large audience turned out to hear them. But the spirit did not move and there was no talking. After waiting a full hour, the patience of the audience being well nigh exhausted, Lemuel Jackson, Jr., arose and said the people had come together to hear the women speak, and if they had anything to say, they desired them to begin or the audience would disperse. This decided action seemed to give the spirit a jog, for first one woman spoke and then the other.
FIRST WAGON, AND CLOCK.
The first wagon in Paris, it is said, was owned by Abijah Hall. It was brought here from Massachusetts by Hall's wife's father, whose name was Matthews. Though it had no springs, the body being bolted to the wooden axle, and was large and unwieldly, yet it was very convenient and was considered a great luxury for the times. Mr. Matthews also brought to town at the same time, a clock, which was doubtless the first one here. It has been pre- served and is now in the possession of Capt. H. N. Bolster, a grandson of Abijah Hall.
A FALSE ALARM.
Eleazer Cole was fond of playing practical jokes upon his neigh- bors-John Billings was one of them. Billings had commenced a clearing, built him a log hut and was keeping "old bachelor's hall." He had a field of corn near his hut, and one day while at dinner he heard a cow-bell in his field, and thinking a neighbor's cow might be trespassing, and rushing out he was surprised to find no animal in sight. A second alarm caused him to make a more thorough
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search, when the disturbance was explained by finding Cole seated upon a log and hidden from view by the growing corn, with an old cow-bell in his hand. Billings afterward married Cole's daughter, Phebe.
PROPRIETORS OF LINCOLN.
Citizens of Paris became proprietors of the town of Lincoln on Penobscot river, and its first settlers were from this section. The proprietors were Simeon Cummings, Gov. Enoch Lincoln, Moses Hammond and Jacob Jackson. Among the early settlers there who went from here, were Dea. Smith, Alfred Gates, Mr. Wyman and some of the Hammonds and Chesleys. Dea. Stephen Chase of Woodstock was there with the first. The town was named for Gov. Lincoln.
TOWN CLERK'S DILEMMA.
For years after Paris became a town, intentions of marriage were published either by posting notice thereof in the church, or by oral notice in church given by the town clerk. At one time Dr. Benj. Chandler, who was then town clerk, undertook to "cry" a couple, and after announcing the name of the male of the contracting par- ties, he stopped suddenly, being unable to recall the name of the female. But Lemuel Jackson, Jr., who was present and knowing the parties, came to the rescue of the clerk and announced the name of the lady, when the clerk finished his duty and sat down. This was but a trifling incident, but such trifles in those days, in a new and interior town, where happenings were few, created no little mer- riment at the expense of the clerk, and furnished food for the gos- sipers for a whole week.
BEARS.
Bears were quite plentiful for some time after the first settlers came, and it was no uncommon thing for a person to come across one when out exploring in the woods. But bruin was generally much the more frightened of the two, and rarely manifested a desire to interview the other party. When meeting children, however, the case was sometimes different. Harvey and Orison Ripley, sons of Uriah, aged ten and eight years, were one evening sent by their mother to the house of Daniel Macomber, carrying some meat and a flat-iron done up in a package. When passing through a piece of woods, they saw an animal approaching them, and as it
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was bright moonlight they saw him when some distance off. The boys, to whom the sight of bruin was a stranger, thought it was a black hornless cow, and kept on until within a few feet of him and then stopped. The confronting parties looked at each other for a moment, when the bear stepped out of the road, and the boys passed on. Beech nuts were plenty, and probably the bear was not hungry, otherwise he would probably have investigated the boys' bundle, if indeed he had left them unharmed.
FIRST SETTLERS' CAMP.
There were hunters' camps in Paris several years before the first settlers came, and the parties who surveyed and lotted out the town, had a camping-place on Stony brook, but the first settlers' camp, beyond a reasonable doubt, was built by the Jacksons, and was located near the site of the old burying-place on the Hill.
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.
A Fourth of July celebration was had at Isaac Bolster's, probably about the year 1800. Bolster furnished dinner and all the liquor wanted at one dollar each. Tradition comes down to us through this long vista of years, that it was a very hilarious occasion ; that there were five doctors there and all became intoxicated, three of them together in one bed. This may seem almost incredible to the youth of to-day, but those of us whose memory covers a period of fifty years, have witnessed similar scenes and almost as bad as the one here related. When ministers drank daily and openly, and physicians became helpless from intoxication, what could be ex- pected from the masses of the people? It is said that many young men got intoxicated on that occasion, and the girls whom they car- ried there were obliged to go home alone.
A MOCK TRIAL.
Lemuel Jackson, 3d, had a dog named "Slugar," against which charges had been preferred for depredations on the Bisco farm. Jackson, who was something of a wag, decided that the dog should be tried in regular court style. Accordingly counsel were assigned, a jury empanneled, the dog arraigned, and a scene followed so ridiculous that it is difficult to describe it. Liquor was freely passed between judge, jury and counsel, and in a short time the defendant dog was the soberest one in the crowd. "Slugar" was brought
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in guilty and sentenced to be hanged. He was placed in a wagon, escorted to a tree, and a rope placed around his neck. He was then reminded that if he had anything to say why the sentence of the court should not be executed, he had an opportunity. The culprit was silent, the wagon moved on and poor Slugar was left suspended in mid-air.
DR. LEVI WILLIS.
Dr. Levi Willis, whose early death was mourned by a very large circle of friends, had a remarkable memory, inheriting this trait from his mother whose memory of dates was almost phenomenal. While attending lectures at the Maine Medical School at Brunswick, in the early days of that institution, after delivering his lecture, it was the custom of the professor to question the class upon the topics em- braced in it. On this occasion he asked young Willis a very hard question, and in a manner that conveyed the idea that he did not expect a correct answer ; but to his surprise and that of the class, it was answered promptly and in a way that indicated that he thor- oughly understood the subject. This led to another question and then another, until the whole time was spent in questioning young Willis. After closing his catechism, the professor asked him how long he had been studying medicine, and was surprised to learn that he had just commenced, and still more surprised when Willis in- formed him that all the knowledge he had of the subject upon which he had been questioned, he had gained by hearing the professor's lecture. He had, in fact, taken in the whole of it; not an idea had been overlooked or forgotten.
ELDER WITHAM'S ADVENTURE.
The Little Androscoggin river, in its passage through Paris, on ordinary occasions, except at Snow's Falls, is a very sedate and quiet stream, meandering through green meadows or rippling along its rocky bed ; but it quickly feels the influence of rain and is often transformed into a roaring, seething torrent, its banks and barriers over-run, and its surface covered with foam and the debris of over- turned fences and dismantled bridges. At such times it is very dangerous crossing with a boat, though many years ago, when bridges were farther apart than now, the settlers found it necessary to do so. At one time, before the Witham bridge was built, Elder Witham and an Irishman named Dennis O'Brien, had occasion to
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cross the river to go to mill. They crossed over in a rude boat, called a "dug-out," but while they were absent there came a sudden and violent rain, which caused a rapid rise in the river and rendered it hazardous crossing. But the Elder was anxious to get home, and placing his bag of meal, an axe, and a few necessaries which he had purchased, in the boat, he and O'Brien embarked. Before they were half over the boat capsized and floated down the river, leaving its late occupants floundering in the water. O'Brien could swim and boldly struck out for the land, but the Elder could not. He had on, however, an overcoat, which spread out and buoyed him. up, and he floated down to a point of land where parties who had witnessed the catastrophe were ready with poles to drag him ashore. His bag of meal and "store" things were lost, but the axe was re- covered by Levi Berry, Jr., who floated in the boat down over the spot where it sank, and having previously tied a steel trap to the end of a pole and set it, he sprang it over the end of the upright helve and drew the axe up. By this ingenious process and with consid- erable risk of a ducking, he earned twenty-five cents.
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