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 9
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MOUNT MICA AND STREAKED MOUNTAIN.
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HISTORY OF PARIS.
the smaller growthis, were found the alder, the wild pear and cherry, the white birch, poplar, moosewood, dogwood, and upon the sunny slopes, the sumach. The American linden or baswood was a valua- ble forest tree, and in the swamps was found the fragrant white cedar. The long list of noxious weeds so damaging to the farmer, was unknown to the early settlers, except so far as they had obtained knowledge of them before coming here. Many of them have found their way across the sea, from the old country, since Paris was settled. Here in the spring time, blossomed the Benjamin, both the white and scarlet varieties, the Solomon's seal, the Sanguinaria, and scores of other indigenous plants which for ages, had "wasted their sweetness on the desert air ;" around the ponds and along the bot- tom lands of the river, blossomed in beauty, the rhodora, the hard- hack and the laurel. The flowering shrubs were the wild pear, wild cherry, the dogwood, the wickopy, the mountain ash and the elder. All along the Androscoggin, in early spring, the scarlet blossoms of the white maple were conspicuous, while the curious fronds of the many varieties of fern then as now, found their way out of the cold, damp earth, in a most mysterious manner. Brambles then grew in open glades, and in their season blossomed and bore delicious rasp- berries and blackberries which bird and beast appropriated ; the mild eyed violet looked up from its lowly bed by the stream, and even the wild strawberry was growing, blossoming and bearing its fruit here, with all the others, long before the advent of man. The fireweed too, must have been indigenous here, for it readily sprang up on the margin of every burnt piece, and the growing crop was, ere long enclosed in a border of pinky bloom. Such was the flora of Paris when a committee of the grantees first came to this region in 1771 for the purpose of locating a township for settlement. It is doubtful however, if their attention was as much directed to these forms of beauty, as to the strength and richness of the soil as indi- cated by the luxuriant growth of the trees, the size of the streams and their capacity for propelling machinery, and the outlook gener- ally for a good agricultural town. And a noble primeval forest growth doubtless covered the entire township at the time. All the evidence which has come down to us, goes to show that the view of this region from the top of Streaked mountain, as Josiah Bisco and his party saw it in 1772, was grand and beautiful. The density of the forest hid the inequalities of the land, and on that leafy June day, the explorers might well think themselves looking down upon an emerald sea.
88
HISTORY OF PARIS.
All accounts agree that wild animals were very plenty here before the settlers came to disturb them ; this was a favorite hunting ground for the Indians, and later for the settlers in the border towns. Here Snow had a camp and hunted with his companion, Stinchfield, and it was near Snow's Falls that he met his tragic death at the hands of the enraged Indians whose chief he had slain. Moose and deer were plenty and also bears and wolves. Of fur-bearing animals, foxes and sable were found in the woods, and mink, otter and beaver around the ponds and on the river and larger brooks. The most formidable wild animal was the American panther, but fortunately they were only occasionally met with. After the settlers came, one of these animals chased a man named Macomber from the north part of Woodstock to Paris, and was seen prowling around the house where his intended victim had taken refuge. Then there were wild cats, loupcerviers, raccoons, and several varieties of the squirrel, including the black, gray, red and striped, or chipmunk. Partridges were in plenty and easily secured, as they were but little acquainted with man and his wicked ways. Ducks were also abundant in the ponds, aud pigeons in their season. Trout could be taken from the brooks at any time with the proper appliances. The memory of the writer goes back to the time, fifty years ago, when speckled beauties . weighing from one to two pounds, were quite abundant at the "rips" and in the "deep holes" of the Little Androscoggin at West Paris, and the patient angler with baited hook, rarely went home disap- pointed. Fly-fishing was then unknown in that region. The Ham- monds had hunted here before they came to settle, and probably others whosc names in this connection, have not come down to us. Many of the early settlers were experienced and expert woodsmen, and as the settlement grew and the surrounding towns became dotted with clearings, as their foes increased, the larger game retired before the advancing civilization to the northern wilderness in the lake region, and hunting as a business in the settled towns became profit- less and was abandoned except by the thriftless.
From what has been said of the character of the rocks, it will be readily understood that Paris has a granitic soil. In other words, that the basis of the soil was formed by the disintegration of granite and that the constituents of the granite which are quartz; feldspar and mica, form the bulk of the soil. Lime has been spoken of as existing in connection with gneiss, and small quantities of lime will be found mixed with the other constituents. This soil had been
89
HISTORY OF PARIS.
"gathering fertility from the repose of ages," and every year's crop of forest leaves which had drawn nutrition largely from the atmos- phere, added fresh fertility to the land. Vegetable mould was there- fore, mixed with the granite constituents, forming a strong and fer- tile soil, all ready as soon as the trees were cut and removed and the land subdued, to produce heavy crops of corn, potatoes, the cereal grains and the best grasses. Such a soil when boulders and cobbles abound, is hard to subdue and bring into cultivation, and hard to cultivate, but when once subdued and when well treated, it will always respond in bountiful harvests. Paris is a good town for stock husbandry, and this industry should be made more of a spec- ialty. The hills afford the best of grazing, and a. large proportion of the arable lands of the town is excellent for grass. The town is well watered ; some localities are springy, and such places would be greatly improved by drainage. On the river are belts of bottom land composed of alluvium, narrow generally but occasionally widen- ing into broad and fertile fields. Above Snow's Falls is quite a large area of low ground, known years ago as the "Bemis Meadow ;" this has been found very profitable to the owners, yielding large crops of grass year after year without expense in dressing or tillage. The southwest part of the town is more level, it being the begining of that broad plain which takes in the south part of Norway, and extends far into Oxford. The soil here is a sandy loam, easily culti- vated and excellent for corn-culture and truck-farming.
As a whole, Paris is above the average of Oxford county towns for purposes of agriculture, and cultivated to its full capacity, it would support a much larger population than it ever has. The time will doubtless come when the tide of emigration toward the cities and toward the far west will be staid. Let us hope that the day is not far distant when the hill-side farms of Paris will be reoccupied, the worn out lands be recuperated, the now waste places be made productive, and the young men and women of the town seeking and finding useful and remunerative employment at home, instead of going to the west, to the land of inundations, blizzards and cyclones, or rushing off to the cities where the whirlpools of dissipation and crime are even more dangerous and destructive. The committee of the grantees who selected and mapped out this township, were men of judgment and foresight. They intended it as a farming town, to be occupied by a people who would engage in agricultural and pastoral pursuits. The first settlers, generally men of intelligence
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HISTORY OF PARIS.
and of the strictest integrity, came here to subdue and cultivate the soil, and we have no evidence that any one of them put his hand to the plow and longingly looked back to the exhausted farm and over- populated town he had left in the old Bay State. They desired to make homes for themselves and their posterity, but how many of the names of the early settlers have become extinct in Paris ! And how many of those found here, have tired of the farm, and are try- ing to get a living in some easier way !
CHAPTER XVI.
ANNALS OF PARIS.
Town Officers to 1800 .- Town Proceedings .- Accidents and Inci- dents .- Direct Tax of 1798, Showing Persons and Property Taxed, and amount of Tax assessed.
1794.
The meeting this year occurred on the last day of March at the house of Lemuel Jackson. Jonathan Hall presided and Daniel Stowell was chosen clerk. The following town officers were elected :
For Selectmen, Isaac Bolster, Daniel Staples and Jonathan Hall. For Treasurer, William Stowell.
For Assessors, David Andrews, Abijah Hall, and Thomas Stevens.
Abijah Hall was chosen Collector and Constable, agreeing to collect for sixpence the pound.
For Tythingmen, Isaac Bolster, Daniel Staples, Abner Shaw, Lemuel Jackson, Nathan Pierce and Merodach Smith.
Highway Surveyors, Isaac Bolster, Joseph Swift, Seth Morse, Thomas Stevens, Nathan Pierce, Lemuel Perham, Joshua Besse, Jr .. Caleb Cushman and John Gray.
For Fence Viewers, Thomas Stevens and William Stowell.
For Deer Reeves, Benjamin Hammond, Abner Rawson.
For Hog Reeves, James Morse, John Daniels, Levi Jackson and Eleazer Cole.
Solomon Bryant was chosen surveyor of lumber, Merodach B. Smith, surveyor of short lumber, and Isaac Jackson poundkeeper.
Twelve roads laid out by the selectmen were accepted at this meeting.
At a meeting the 7th of April, it was voted to accept the cross
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HISTORY OF PARIS.
roads as agreed upon by the proprietors of the town, and then the vote was reconsidered and the subject referred to the selectmen.
Fifty pounds were raised for the repair of roads, fifty pounds for the support of schools in addition to that raised the year previous, and the several districts were allowed to have the unexpended balances of last year. It was voted to raise no money for preaching.
A large number of bills for services in various directions were allowed. largely for laying out roads. Jacob Twitchell was allowed nine shillings for keeping Mehitable Honeyfoot, Dr. Cyprian Stearns the same sum for doctoring her and Nathan Nelson two pounds and seventeen shillings for caring for her and running her out of town.
The next meeting occurred on the seventh day of April for the purpose of voting for State and county officers. The qualifications for voting as expressed in the call, were that they must be male inhabitants, twenty-one years of age and upward, having a freehold estate within the Commonwealth, of the annual income of three pounds, or any estate to the value of sixty pounds. The voting showed the following results :
For Governor, Samuel Adams, 32.
For Lt. Governor, Moses Gill, 37.
For Senators,
William Widgery, 42.
Joseph Noyes, 28.
Josiah Thatcher, 8.
Another meeting was held June 16th, when several roads were accepted and the selectmen were instructed to make alterations in school district limits when requested by the inhabitants. This meeting was adjourned to September 1st, when Jonathan Hall was chosen agent of the town to attend the General Court on account of taxes. A committee of five was chosen to survey and measure the town and make a plan of it, the same to be returned to the secre- tary's office in Boston, on or before the first day of June following. Isaac Bolster, Nathan Pierce, Daniel Stowell, Josiah Bisco and Joshua Besse, Jr., were chosen as the committee. The committee was allowed each four shillings a day for services, except Daniel Stowell, surveyor, who was allowed five shillings. A proposition to send a delegate to Portland convention, was again negatived.
The first Monday in November, a meeting was held to vote for a member of Congress ; William Widgery had 14 votes and Peleg Wadsworth 8.
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HISTORY OF PARIS.
At a meeting on the 17th of the same month, it was voted that. each school district should be entitled to receive the money for school purposes which such district should pay into the treasury. Thirty pounds were raised for defraying the expenses of the town. Another effort was made to choose a member of Congress, at a meeting at. the house of Levi Jackson, January 12, 1795. The vote stood, William Widgery 34, Peleg Wadsworth 20. It was voted to have Mr. James Hooper preach upon probation until the next March meeting, and a committee consisting of Thomas Stevens, David. Andrews, Levi Hubbard, Josiah Bisco and John Willis, was chosen to see how Mr. Hooper would settle as a minister in the town.
It was voted to have five burying places in the town and Abijah Hall, Levi Hubbard, Josiah Bisco, David Andrews and Nathan Pierce were made a committee to lay them out.
1795.
The annual meeting was held on the sixth day of April. David Andrews was made moderator and Josiah Bisco clerk.
Town Officers :
Selectmen, Lemuel Jackson,
Levi Hubbard. Nicholas Chesley.
The selectmen were also chosen assessors of taxes.
Tythingmen, Daniel Whitney, Nathan Nelson, Japheth Washburn, Lemuel Jackson, Jr., John Besse and Joseph Swift.
Surveyors of highways, Isaac Bolster, Luther Pratt, Jonathan Hall, Peter Durell, James Bowker, John Willis, Benjamin Hammond, Daniel Staples and Edward Andrews.
Fence viewers, Asa Barrows, Isaac Bolster.
Deer reeves, Winslow Rickard, Caleb Cushman.
Ilog reeves, Wm. Stowell, Joseph Hammond, Lemuel Perham and . Timothy Smith.
Surveyors of lumber, Solomon Bryant and Merodach Smithi.
Constable and collector, Abiezar Andrews.
Poundkeeper, Isaac Jackson.
School committee, Daniel Stowell, Thomas Stevens, Nathan Pierce, Caleb Cushman, Lemuel Jackson, Josiah Bisco, Abner Raw- son and David Andrews.
It was voted that all roads laid out by the town up to this date, might remain unfenced, provided the owners of the land should place no obstruction across them except good gates or bars.
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HISTORY OF PARIS.
The report of the committee to confer with Mr. James Hooper was accepted, and the town made choice of Mr. Hooper as its minister. A hundred pounds were raised for the repair of ways, fifty pounds for schools and sixty to defray town charges.
On the question of separating Maine from Massachusetts, the votes stood 19 in favor, and 20 opposed.
On the same day votes were thrown for Governor and Senators as follows :
For Governor, Samuel Adams, 56.
For Lt. Governor, Moses Gill, 33.
For Senators, Wm. Widgery, 20.
Joseph Noyes, 24.
Stephen Longfellow, 16.
William Martin, 11.
On the 6th day of May, a meeting was held when a unanimous vote was passed in favor of a revision of the constitution of the commonwealth.
On the 30th of November, at a meeting called for that purpose, Lemuel Jackson was chosen delegate to a convention in Waterford, called to consider the question of erecting a new county from the northerly portions of York and Cumberland. The meeting was adjourned. to Dec. 7, when Mr. Jackson made a report. A com- mittee was chosen to confer with the towns in the northern part of Cumberland "and York, with reference to the formation of a new county, and Josiah Bisco, Daniel Stowell and Jonathan Hall were selected as the committee. Josiah Bisco was chosen a delegate to the second Waterford meeting, which was to assemble at the house of Nathaniel Chamberlain.
1796.
The annual meeting took place March 31. David Andrews was chosen Moderator and Josiah Bisco Clerk.
Selectmen, Isaac Bolster, Levi Hubbard and Nathan Nelson.
Assessors, Daniel Stowell, Abijah Hall and Jairus Shaw.
Treasurer, John Willis.
Collector and constable, Lemuel Jackson, Jr.
Tythingmen, Seth Morse, Timothy Smith, Edward Andrews, James Bowker, Samuel Durell and Levi Jackson.
Surveyors of roads, Jonathan Hall, Isaac Bolster, Lemuel Holmes, Abijah Warren, Nathan Pierce, Samuel Durell, Daniel Staples, Asa
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HISTORY OF PARIS.
Perry, Jacob Twitchell, Abner Rawson, Jairus Shaw and Asa Bar- rows.
Fence viewers, William Stowell and Seth Carpenter.
Hog reeves, Allen Dwelley, Isaac Bolster, Jr., Solomon Bryant, Jr., John Nason, Benj. Hammond, and James Lebroke.
Field drivers, John Daniels, Jr., Allen Dwelley and Sylvanus Robbins.
Surveyors of lumber, Solomon Bryant and Merodach B. Smith. Poundkeeper, Lemuel Perham.
School committee, Abijah Hall, Joel Robinson, Joshua Besse, Jr., Nathan Pierce, John Willis, Joseph Swift, Ebenezer Rawson, David Andrews and Abner Rawson.
A committee on accounts was chosen, which was also directed to hear complaints concerning over-taxation. Joel Robinson, Jonathan Hall and Seth Carpenter were chosen.
It was voted to raise fifty pounds for the support of schools, and twenty pounds to purchase a stock of amunition for the town. One hundred pounds were raised for the repair of ways, and thirty pounds to be laid out in clearing out the new county road through the town. This road was laid out from the southeast corner of the town of Paris, diagonally through the town, through No. 3 (Wood- stock) and a part of Bethel, to Rumford. It was "voted to choose a suitable person for a magistrate," and the choice fell upon Josiah Bisco. The committee on accounts, reported that John Caldwell was overtaxed for the year 1794, and recommended a reduction. At an adjourned meeting, an abatement was made to Seth Morse and Peter Durell. The votes this year stood :
Governor, Samuel Adams, 54.
Lt. Governor, Moses Gill,
27.
Increase Sumner,
13.
Senators,
John K. Smith, 31.
Daniel Ilsley, 20.
Daniel Davis, 5.
Stephen Longfellow, 4.
Jonathan Hall, 1.
It was voted to choose a committee to join any towns in any proper measure respecting the proposed new county, and Isaac Bol- ster, Josialı Bisco and Daniel Stowell were chosen.
It was voted to allow the accounts of the several persons who worked on the county road, amounting in the whole to thirty-one
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HISTORY OF PARIS.
pounds, one shilling and sixpence. Among those who worked are the following whose names had not before appeared in the records : John Tuell, Stephen Warren, David Dudley, James Brooks and Jacob Gurney.
John Greenwood was allowed $4.27 as the part of Paris, for his services in attending the General Court relating to the proposed new county. This is the first time in the records that dollars and cents are used to express the currency.
Rev. Paul Coffin visited the town June 25th, and in his Journal, says : "T'is a good place ; the clover and herdsgrass were headed in the road." He adds : "26th, Sabbath. Preached all day from John 15 :14, to about three hundred hearers, very attentive, decently dressed and well behaved ; making the largest and most hopeful assembly to which I have as yet spoken. We met in a barn of Capt. Bolster's. He is sociable and hospitable."
1797.
The annual meeting was at Lemuel Jackson's, March 30th. ^ David Andrews was made moderator and Abijah Hall, clerk. The following were chosen :
For Selectmen, Lemuel Jackson, Isaac Bolster and Levi Hubbard.
For assessors, John Willis, Daniel Stowell and Jairus Shaw.
For treasurer, John Willis.
For collector and constable, Lemuel Jackson, Jr.
For Tythingmen, Isaac Bolster, Jr., Sylvanus Robbins.
For Highway surveyors, Jonathan Hall, Isaac Bolster, David Dudley. Abiezar . Andrews. James Bowker, Jonathan Shurtliff, Abner Rawson, Asa Perry, Jacob Twitchell, William Stearns, Josiah Bisco, Thomas Stevens and Solomon Shaw.
For Fence viewers, Daniel Staples and Daniel Whitney.
For Hogreeves, Nathaniel Pratt, Eleazer Cole, Daniel Whitney, John Billings, John Daniels and Edward Andrews.
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For Field drivers, Daniel Whitney, Samuel Hammond and Lemuel Perham.
For Surveyors of lumber, Solomon Bryant and Merodach Smith.
For School Committee, Jonathan Hall, Caleb Prentiss, Nathan Pierce, Joshua Besse, Jr., Lemuel Jackson, Lemuel Holmes, Abner Rawson, David Andrews and Simeon Pond. Sixty-five pounds were raised for schools, and it was voted to "annex the inhabitants on the county road in the Perry district, to the Solomon Shaw dis- trict." It was voted to abate Samuel Bennet's taxes, and the poll tax
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HISTORY OF PARIS.
of Merodach B. Smith, Joshua Besse and Abiezar Andrews. A committee was chosen to regulate the road and school districts. Voted to build a bridge across the river at Bisco's Falls. A road was accepted from between the house and barn of John Rickard upon lot No. 1 in the 9th range, and ending at a point described between Paris and Hebron. Two hundred pounds were raised for repair of roads and one hundred dollars to defray town charges. The town was gradually adopting the decimal currency system, though seemingly attached to the old method of pounds, shillings and pence. The bridge to be built at Bisco's Falls, was put up at auction, and bid off by Josiah Bisco at sixty-seven dollars.
Politics does not seem to have run very high in Paris in those early years of the town, for though there were more than a hundred voters in town at this time, less than half that number voted for Governor, at a meeting on the 3d day of April. Moses Gill had 35, Increase Sumner 7 and Elbridge Gerry 3. At a meeting on the 10th of May, the town voted on the question of separation from Massachusetts, 27 in favor and 17 opposed. A committee was chosen consisting of Abner Shaw, William Stowell and Jonathan Bemis to settle a con- tested road case, between David Andrews and Abijah Warren. Rev. Paul Coffin came again and preached here Sept. 3d. He say's : "The Baptists heard Mr. Hooper and the Methodists heard a Stone- man so that I had only about one hundred hearers, very attentive and respectful. Paris would make a fine Parish, if united."
1798.
Isaac Bolster, Levi Hubbard and Jonathan Bemis were made selectmen, and Daniel Stowell, Jairus Shaw and Abijah Hall, assesors. Lemuel Jackson, Jr., again bid off the taxes and was chosen collector and constable. For surveyors, JJonathan Hall, Isaac Bolster, Timothy Smith, Edward Andrews, James Bowker, Elias Partridge, Asa Perry, Lemuel Jackson, Jr., Jonathan Bemis, Asa Barrows and Samuel King. For Fence viewers, Nathan Pierce, Isaac Bolster and Ebenezer Rawson. For Hogreeves, Caleb Pren- tiss, Abraham Bolster, David Ring, Jacob Gurney, Joseph Han- mond, Wm. Faunce and Job Lurvey. For Fiekl drivers, Robert Wightman, Daniel Whitney and Lemuel Perham. Simeon Pond, Samuel King, Thomas Stevens and Jairus Shaw, were chosen sur- veyors of lumber. For School committee, Lemuel Jackson, Jona- than Hall, Caleb Prentiss, John Besse, Lemuel Holmes, Caleb Cushi- man, David Andrews and Simeon Pond. Surveyors of brick moulds, Thomas Stevens and Job Frenchi.
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HISTORY OF PARIS.
Simeen Pond. Win. Stearns, Jonathan Bemis, Job French, Aaron and Caleb Fuller were declared organized into a school district. "Voted that the inhabitants to the north and northeast corner of the town from Mr. Gurney's, be a separate school district." At an adjourned meeting at the house of Lemuel Jackson, April 2d, a move to adjourn to Mr. Jackson's barn was voted upon and carried. The report of the committee to regulate the road and school districts was not accepted. Only twenty-eight votes were thrown for Governor this year. twenty-seven being for Increase Sumner. For Senators Stephen Longfellow had twenty-five votes and Daniel Davis twenty- five.
Mr. Coffin, the Missionary, preached here at the house of David Andrews. "With him, a good man, I had much religious discourse. Called at Seth Carpenter's and gave counsel to his wife and Taylor's sermons. Visited the wife of John Nason and gave her Hemmen- way's sermons. Counselled the wife of Abraham Bolster and gave her Taylor's sermons."
A direct tax was assessed upon the real estate of the county this year. and as showing the land owners in Paris, and showing their financial standing at this time, it is here given in full. A large pro- portion of the inhabitants were not taxed for houses, indicating that the log cabin having but little money value, was still the abode of many.
"Valuation of Houses and Out-buildings in Paris, and house-lots not exceeding two acres. as a basis for the direct tax of 1798. Daniel Stowell was Assistant Assessor.
NAMES. ASSESSED VALUE.
NAMES.
ASSESSED VALUE.
Isaac Bolster.
$410 00
Levi Jackson,
290 00
Isaac Bolster, Jr.,
120 00
Samuel King,
150 00
Abraham Bolster, . 175 00
Seth Morse, 550 00
James Bowker,
100 00
Simeon Pond,
120 00
Jonathan Bemis,
250 00
Nathaniel Pierce,
110 00
Joseph Blake,
150 00
Caleb Prentiss,
145 00
Stephen Blake.
120 00
Ebenezer Rawson,
150 00
Philip Caldwell,
180 00
Abner Rawson,
215 00
Nicholas Chesley,
306 00
Stephen Robinson, 180 00
Caleb Cushman.
335 00
Joel Robinson,
150 00
John Daniels.
335 00
Timothy Smith,
200 00
John Daniels. Jr ..
130 00
Daniel Staples,
150 00
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