USA > Maine > Oxford County > Rumford > History of Rumford, Oxford County, Maine, from its first settlement in 1779, to the present time > Part 21
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In early times, the young people living on Ellis river often walked to Rumford Center, a distance of eight miles, or to Andover, distant five miles, to meeting on the Sabbath, and thought nothing of it. Mrs. Timothy Walker recently told the writer that when she was a girl, she and her sister. Mrs. William Moody, had frequently walked to the house of Dea. Abijah Lapham, who lived on the Paris road near Bailey's Corner, to attend meeting, one of the attractions being the fine singing of the young wife of Deacon Lapham's son. Young ladies would hardly consent to ride as far to attend meetings in our day. The practice was to wear old shoes until they got near the church, then change them for better ones, hiding the old ones to be put on again when they started on the homeward journey. There was once a log near the Center meeting house, upon which the girls would sit to make the exchange. Many people were desti- tute of good clothes in those days, and on funeral occasions they had to borrow of those who had them, in order to appear decent.
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At weddings, also, guests often appeared in borrowed finery, and a pair of ealf-skin boots often did service for all the men in a neigh- borhood.
As stated elsewhere, when the first settlers came to Rumford, there were strolling bands of Saint Francis Indians frequently in the settlement. They sometimes brought their furs here for sale, which they had secured in the region of the lakes and their tribu- taries. Soon after Philip Abbot came he made a journey to Fryeburg and purchased some ardent spirits and brought them here hoping thereby to get the good will of the savages and secure their peltry. But alas for human foresight ! The Indians drank his rum and became so crazy drunk and demonstrative that he was obliged to take his family and flee into the woods, where he remained until the savages had sobered off and left. They took their furs with them, and Abbot had his long and tedious journey to Fryeburg for nothing.
John Howe of Marlboro bought Rumford lands, and came here in 1800. The first land he purchased was of B. Rice who had it of John Barnard, and he of Jonathan Stickney who was the original grantee. His other lot he purchased of Samuel Brigham of Berlin, Mass. This lot contained one hundred acres. Many of the early settlers preferred the uplands because as new lands, they were much more productive, and so the lots purchased by Mr. Howe remained unsold and unsettled for over twenty years after the first settler came. Mr. Howe purchased them for two hundred dollars, and they made one of the most productive and valuable farms in town. He was a cooper as well as farmer, and the former trade was very useful and valuable in a new settlement. He and his wife belonged to a church in Andover which was nearer to him than the one at Rumford Centre, and when they died their remains were carried to that town for interment.
In the early times, the Fourth of July was always a great day in Rumford. There was an abundant supply of the ardent, and young men, middle aged men and sometimes old men engaged in parades, sham fights and the burning of gun powder. Politics were laid aside for the nonce, and Whig and Democrat vied with each other in patriotie devotion to the great achievement which the day repre- sents. But on one occasion the Democrats had a strictly party celebration at Leach's tavern in the East part of the town. This was July 4, 1838, when the north eastern boundary question caused
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considerable excitement in Maine and party lines were closely drawn. Gen. Alvan Bolster presided and Abel Wheeler was Vice President. There was an oration, and afterward a dinner followed by toasts and sentiment. Some of the toasts were of a party char- acter and some were not. David Knapp offered the following : "Our host, John B. Leach, may his heart be as free from guile as his head is from hair ;" and one from David H. Farnum : "Ameri- can ships and the ladies : may the first be well rigged and the second be well manned."
Phineas Howe of Berlin, Mass., father of Abram, Silas, Phineas, Jr. and Samson Howe who settled in Rumford, was a veritable giant. His height was six feet and nine inches, and he was other- wise built up to correspond. Most of the family were stalwart in size. Phineas, Jr., who came to Rumford was six feet and five inches tall. Phineas Howe, Senior, had a daughter Polly, who married Abel Baker, who moved from Berlin to Concord, N. H. She was six feet tall and weighed over two hundred pounds. Baker was a millman and his wife worked with him; she could take the grists from the horse's back to the mill and back again with as much facility as the strongest man. She could easily handle three bush- els of corn in a bag. She had a daughter Susan Baker, born in 1799, who was six feet and two and a half inches tall.
David Knapp, son of Nathan Knapp, who was drowned in Rum- ford Falls, was a man of marked ability. He lived at Rumford Falls, and like almost everybody else, in his early manhood, was addicted to intoxicating drink. He came out with the Washingto- nian movement, and was a very efficient speaker and advocate of the cause. The first temperance address ever heard by the writer was made by David Knapp, on the 4th of July, at a grove near North Woodstock. It was very effective and hundreds on that day and occasion took the total abstinance pledge. To illustrate one of his points, showing the importance of taking the pledge now, and breaking off from the habit at once and forever, he said that he had been into the store at the Falls to take his last glass, more than a hundred times. He was member of the Legislature and Register of Probate. He died in Norway.
Joseph H. Wardwell was the first cabinet maker in Rumford. He opened a shop at the Corner and operated it until he bought the store and tavern of Solomon Crockett in 1831. He was succeeded
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in the business of cabinet making by his cousin, Jeremiah Ward- well, who continued it until the time of his death. Joseph H. Wardwell was an able business man, and the most prosperous period ever enjoyed by the Corner was when he carried on business there. He was a man of great suavity of manner and disposition, but when imposed upon, no man knew better how to resent it. His mother was the daughter of Rev. Dr. Hemmenway of Wells, one of the most noted Maine ministers of the eighteenth century. Mr. Ward- well was captain of the Light Infantry in Rumford, and was a fine military man, qualities which he inherited from his father. He reared a large family and died comparatively young. He and his father died on the same day, March 5, 1849. He died in Hanover where he moved when he sold out to Ross.
There have been several taverns in Rumford. The early inn- keepers were required to take out a license as such, and if they sold liquors they were required to take out a license for this privilege also. Levi Abbot opened a tavern at Rumford Falls in 1833. It was subsequently kept by Benjamin H. Blanchard, a Mr. Wins- low, John B. Leach and A. W. Adams. It was burned in 1880. Philip Abbot opened his house to the public in 1791, and in 1822, he put up a sign. He lived on the south side of the river opposite East Rumford. William Wheeler kept a tavern at East Rumford prior to 1806, and was succeeded by Alvan Bolster. The first tavern at the Center was kept by Joshua Graham, and the house was continued by Joshua Graham, Jr. Asa Graham opened a house here and with his son-in-law Knapp, run it till 1850, when it was sold to James M. Dolloff and named the Central house. It was burned in 1875. Wm. D. Abbot opened a house here in 1864, called the Union House. The Abbots sold to Wm. J. Kimball, who now runs it. Moses F. Kimball, and later, his son Charles A. Kim- ball have kept public houses at Rumford Point. For a long time, there has been no tavern at the Point, but travellers have been en- tertained at private houses.
The first tavern at Rumford Corner was built and opened by Samuel Bartlett. He was the son of Jonathan Bartlett of Bethel. He sold his place after a few years, to Solomon Crockett from An- dover, and moved to a farm opposite the Center. In 1831, Mr. Crockett sold out his store and tavern to Joseph H. Wardwell and moved to Portland. The house was well patronized while Mr.
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Wardwell owned it, and he also did a large business in the store. But his health failed and he gave up the business to a Mr. Ross and moved to Hanover. The buildings were soon after burned. In 1846, Jonathan Virgin bought the house at the Corner, built but not finished by Francis Keyes, and having finished it, he opened it as a tavern in opposition to Wardwell. It was called the American House, and Virgin soon sold out to Benjamin B. Barden, a veteran in the business. He sold out to James H. Farnum, who in turn sold to David George Martin and moved to Bryant's Pond. Martin died, and was succeeded by Lowell and Fox, and they by A. H. Price, who kept the house from 1870 to 1886, when he sold out to E. E. Jackson. The house was soon after burned. Mr. Barden went from Rumford to Bethel Hill, and was afterward at Dixfield, Phillips and Farmington. He died in Topsham in 1889, aged 80.
The first public ferry across the Androscoggin in Rumford, was owned by James C. Harper, and was known as "Harper's Ferry." It was situated a mile below the Point. and was discontinued in 1809. It was then established between the Point and the Corner, and was owned respectively by Moses F. Kimball, John Estes and Porter Kimball, until the bridge was built. After the bridge was carried away in 1839, a ferry was re-established and Porter Kimball became sole owner. Ile sold out to Charles A. Kimball, who, after a few years, sold it to Frank Martin. Roscoe Knight now runs it. Stephen Putnam, Jr., established a ferry at East Rum- ford in 1811. His brother, Jacob Putnam, afterward had it, and from him it passed to his sons. It has always been known as Putnam's Ferry. Aaron Graham established the ferry at the Center ; from him it passed to Joshua Graham and his son, Joshua Graham, Jr. Then Asa Graham and his son-in-law, Albion K. Knapp, had it, and in 1850 it was sold to James M. Dolloff, whose son, Ronello C. Dolloff, now operates it. From records of real estate transfers, it would appear that John Emery Adams once had the ferry at Rumford Center, and he may have been the first.
The Lufkin family of Rumford has been conspicuous in various ways. Benjamin, the patriarch, came here in 1787, and his son Samuel, August 15, 1788, was the first child born in the town. Of the other sons of Benjamin Lufkin, Joseph, Benjamin, Jr., and Moses became preachers. Most of them left Rumford quite early, but Joseph came back and settled on a farm a little north of Rum-
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ford Center, and died here. His son Orin, was a successful school teacher, was married here, went to Massachusetts and died there in 1862. Merrit Newell Lufkin, another and the only surviving son of Joseph Lufkin, resides on the old homestead. He is an intelli- gent and progressive farmer, a contributor to the agricultural press, and a valuable citizen of the town. He has served as one of the selectmen, and also as town clerk. Nathan S. Lufkin, son of Jacob Lufkin, was in trade several years at the Center, and served the town in various capacities. He moved to Caribou in the county of Aroostook, and engaged successfully in farming. He has been in town office more or less in Caribou, and also served as county commissioner.
The five sons of John and Mary (Newton) Howe were closely identified with the history of the town for many years, some of them for more than half a century. All save Calvin, were born in Massachusetts, and came here with their parents about the year eighteen hundred, and all tilled portions of the land purchased and cleared up under the direction of their father, on the West side of Ellis river. Three of the brothers, John, Jr., Otis and Calvin, always remained here, and were here gathered to their father. Joel and Eli moved into Howard's Gore, which now constitutes a part of Hanover, and here they spent long and useful lives. They were all stalwart men, and as much noted for their strength of mind as of body. They were men of strict integrity ; industrious, prudent and thrifty. Without brilliancy, they were men of sound judgment, peaceful and law-abiding, just such characters as are essential to the complete success of a Republican form of govern- ment. Their farms and farm buildings were models of neatness and order. Plenty reigned in their households, and they dispensed their bounties with old fashioned hospitality. Their religion was that of the heart, and was carried into their every day lives. They were careful about giving their word, but when given, it was as good as their bond. Without being clannish, they enjoyed the society and companionship of their own families better than they did anybody else. They kept out of debt, paid their taxes prompt- ly, contributed liberally to the support of the Christian ministry, fully recognizing the fact that " no man liveth to himself." Such was the character of these good people as the writer has known it, and heard it from those much better acquainted with them. Their
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memory is fragrant in the town of their adoption, and the priceless legacy of a good name is the inheritance of their numerous posterity.
The bears were unusually plenty in the mountainous portions of the town during the season of 1889, and were often seen prowling around the sheep pastures. In the early part of September, while Main's circus was performing at the Center, a bear came out of the woods in plain sight of the Village and having watched the crowd and performing tent for a short time returned to cover in the woods. The unusual appearance seemed to excite his curiosity, but he did not deem it prudent to pursue his investigations too closely.
Col. William Wheeler was not among the earliest settlers in Rumford, but he was a man of marked ability and was a leader in town. He was a trader and inn-keeper, was much in town oflice and was the first representative from Rumford to the Massachu- setts Legislature. He was a civil magistrate, and was also a leader in military affairs. He commanded the company of militia raised in this vicinity for the defence of Portland during the last war with England, aud was afterwards Colonel of the Regiment. He was a man of great energy and perseverance, of sound judgment, and one whose influence would be felt in any community. His wife having died, he moved to Vermont, and his early removal was a severe loss to the town. He was succeeded in business, and in many other respects by his son-in-law, Gen. Alvan Bolster.
In the days of home-spun clothing, carding and fulling mills were very essential in every community. There was once an estab- lishment for dressing cloth below Abbot's Mills, on Concord river. It was owned by Mr. Samuel Page of Brunswick, and was operated by Mr. William Walcott, and also by Benjamin Morse ; later, by Harvey Willard and Joseph Peverly ; at one time it was owned by John Harris of Bethel. There was a fulling mill at the Falls in. 1833, owned and operated by Moses T. Cross, who came here from Bethel, and returned there. Mr. Cross carried on a similar business. near Bethel Hill for many years. He then went into trade on the Hill, and died there some years ago. His first wife was the daughter of William Staples, and his second of Ezra Smith, both of Hanover. He was a twin, his twin brother being named Aaron, a farmer in Bethel. Their father, Jesse Cross, came from Andover, Mass., to Bethel, and married a daughter of Eleazer Twitchell. There was also at one time a carding and fulling mill on Split
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Brook, and there is still a mill for carding wool in Hanover ; but fulling mills have long been numbered with things of the past.
The name of Pettingill does not appear upon Rumford records until about the year 1862, when Oliver Pettingill bought and occu- pied the Colman Godwin farm on the north side of the river, above Rumford Center. Waldo Pettingill, his son, succeeded his father on this farm, and the union of the two Godwin homesteads gave him one of the largest, best and most productive farms in the town. Mr. Pettingill has been considerably in town office, has served as county commissioner, and is regarded as a first class business man. He aided in settling the estate of the late Timothy Walker, one of the largest estates ever accumulated in town, is a prominent Mason and has served as Deputy Grand Master for the District in which he resides. He is yet in the prime and vigor of life, and does considerable business besides looking after his important farming interests.
Stephen Putnam once had a mill on Swain's brook, which flows into the Androscoggin below Rumford Falls. It has long since disappeared, but the ruins of the dam are still seen. Mr. Putnam was once at work by the side of the road when a caravan was passing by, and in advance was an elephant. This was the first animal of this kind that had ever entered the town, and the first one that Mr. Putnam had ever seen. To say that he was frightened as the huge pachyderm waddled by, would be putting it very mildly, and springing away to give the monster a wide birth, he exclaimed, " My God, what a toad."
There have been several deaths by drowning in the Androscoggin river. In 1848, on the fourth of July, Charles Wood, son of Phineas Wood, and two of the sons of Daniel Hinkson were drowned at Rumford Point, while bathing. Henry Peabody was drowned at the Point in 1852, and a son of Jackson Howard in 1857. About the year 1820, three men in a boat below Rumford Point, were capsized and Benjamin Elliot, Jr., was drowned. His widow married Increase Dolly in 1824, and their son Benjamin Elliot Dolly was also drowned below the Point, distant about two miles.
Stickney Virgin was a bachelor, and for several years was in the employ of Dexter D. W. Abbot, at the Mount Zircon House. On one occasion Mr. Abbot sent him to Bryant's Pond with a team,
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and gave him an order on the tavern keeper there "for a dinner, baiting for his horse, &c., &c." After he had eaten his dinner, Virgin sat round a while and then timidly approaching the landlord, asked if there was not some "and so forth" on the order from Mr. Abbot? The point was seen by the landlord, and the article promptly supplied. Virgin then lighted his pipe and sat down contented, but after an hour or so he again interviewed the land- lord and asked if there were not two " and so forths " on that order ? Receiving an affirmative answer, he again imbibed, and then hitching up his team he started for home.
Stickney Virgin had a horse that was very lazy and as a reminder when he wanted him to go faster, Virgin had a goad stick with a long brad in it with which he would prod the poor beast, and some- times most unmercifully. On some occasion not now remembered, he was driving another horse but had the ever-present goad stick in his hand, and forgetting himself he applied the prod in his usual way. The result was a surprise to him. The animal's rear feet came at once in contact with the dasher and in a twinkling the front part of the wagon was demolished. Virgin exclaimed, "if you are going to get in I guess I'll get out," and out he got from the rear of the vehicle which the horse ran away with and completely ruined.
It has been stated elsewhere that James C. Harper established and owned the first ferry across the Androscoggin in the west part of Rumford. This was known as "Harper's Ferry," and was situ- ated about a mile below the present one. During the war of the Rebellion when Harper's Ferry began to be spoken of in connection with army operations, Mr. Edmund Bean, a respected but illiterate citizen of Bethel, familiarly known as "Mister Ned," was down at the Point one day, and hearing some one speak of the union defeat at Harper's Ferry, exclaimed : "I'll bet that's Jim Harper that owns that ferry ; he always would have a ferry let him be where he would." It is needless to say that James C. Harper had then been dead many years, and had he then been alive, would have been con- siderably more than a hundred years old.
The first store in town is said to have been kept by John Whitte- more. His place was between the Center and East Rumford. He did not keep a large stock of goods, but he supplied the needs of the inhabitants for a short time, and then moved from town. He
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and his wife died near Dixville notch, and their grave stones can be seen by the traveler, by the roadside. The first store at the Point was kept by Ezra Smith, whose residence was Howard's Gore. Subsequent traders at the Point, were Moses F. Kimball, Otis C. Bolster, Francis Cushman, Charles A. Kimball, and later Charles W. Kimball. William Wheeler was an early trader at East Rumford, and Alvan Bolster and James H. Farnum at the Falls. Joshua Graham early opened a store at the Center, and there have been many since that time. But there has been a great falling off in trade in Rumford since 1850, when the Atlantic and Saint Lawrence railroad was put in operation through the county. Villages sprang up on the line of the road, at the expense of those situated away from it.
There was considerable trepidation in Rumford and throughout the State, when the call for troops was made to defend our eastern boundary, but this was by no means shown by all. When the draft was made in Rumford, Benjamin, son of Dea. Hezekiah Hutchins, had the misfortune to draw a prize. The young man did not care so much about it, but his father shed tears of anguish to such an extent as to move the heart of John M. Adams, then a minor, who was willing to go in place of Hutchins. In fact, he really desired to go, but knew his mother who was then a widow, would not consent for him to volunteer; so he arranged it with those who manipulated the draft, to have his name put in and drawn out, "to go." He went as Orderly Sergeant, and enjoyed the twenty-four days' visit at the State capital very much. While there he had the privilege of seeing, in addition to other celebrities, General Winfield Scott, and also Robert E. Lee, who was a member of the General's staff. It was a very pleasant outing.
In our chapter on Rumford Physicians the names of Dr. Simeon Fuller and James Bullock were inadvertantly omitted. Dr. Fuller was the son of Aaron and Hannah (Pond) Fuller, and was born in Paris, Oct. 3, 1799. After preparing himself for the practice of medicine, he married Mary Ann, daughter of Capt. Samuel Rawson of Paris, and settled in practice at Rumford Corner. He was suc- cessful in his business, but died in middle life Nov. 29, 1841. His widow married for a second husband, Dr. James Bullock of Reho- both, Mass., who succeeded to the practice of Dr. Fuller. He was a well educated man, had travelled and seen much of the world,
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but while here he did not choose to confine himself very closely to practice. He was for some years collector of taxes in this town, and died while in office in 1857. His widow survived him several years. Both Drs. Fuller and Bullock resided in the stand now oc- cupied by Sullivan R. Hutchins. There is no representative of the family in the town or state.
Stephen Putnam, Jr., was the first blacksmith in Rumford, but there have been many since. Samuel Putnam, Jr., was also a blacksmith. Moses F. Kimball came to Rumford to work at this trade, but soon engaged in other business. Porter Kimball became forehanded by hard work at the forge and anvil. Other blacksmiths have been Asa Howard, William Morse, Samuel Hinkson, Aaron Marean, Thomas N. Ricker, Loammi B. Peabody, Hall Torrey, D. A. Thurston, Otis Howe, Warren M. Adams, David F. Adams, Cyrus Small, Peter D. Brackett, Nathan Handy, Loring Glover, Joseph Arnold and Abraham Maxfield.
Among the cordwainers (shoemakers) in Rumford have been Benjamin Morse, Charles Ford, Warren Mansur, Aaron Stevens, Nathan W. Ethridge and Joseph P. Small. This trade was of great importance to the early settlers. There were then no ready made shoes on sale, and the shoemakers usually visited the houses in town in spring and fall, when the whole family were shod. Cowhide was usually worn by the men, and calf-skin by the women. They were not quite as handsome as the foot-wear of our day, but they were made upon honor and did good service. Shoe and boot-making is mostly done by machinery now, and repairing is all that is left for the country cordwainer.
Francis Hemmingway settled the farm in Bethel by the side of the " Whale's Back," which he exchanged with Benjamin Sweat for a lot above Abbot's Mills. He was a cooper by trade, and supplied the town with wash-tubs, leach-tubs, cheese-tubs and the like, for many years. He was fond of a social glass, and the habit was so strong upon him that he found it very difficult to deny himself. On a certain occasion a severe freshet rendered Concord river bridge impassable, and for two or three days Hemmingway had been with- out his favorite beverage. He felt that he could do without it no longer, and as there was no boat at hand, he undertook to cross Concord river in one of his tubs. The water was subsiding and
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