Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary, Part 34

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Portland, Me., The author
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > Maine > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 34
USA > New Hampshire > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 34

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Having baptized these young men and their wives in infancy, and cate- chised them while passing through the "slippery paths of youth "; having pronounced their marriage ceremony at the sacred altar where he had so long ministered, he did not relinquish his spiritual fatherhood or pastoral oversight when they went forth from the immediate precincts where he bestowed his more public labors, but followed them into the new clearings with his sympa- thies, prayers, and -"old black mare."

Being the only settled minister within the radius of many miles, he could catch spiritual seals without regard to any "three-mile limit " prescribed by other denominations. At this time a spirit of respect and reverence was cher- ished and inculcated for the house of God and ministers of the gospel, and when health, weather, and the condition of woodland roads would admit of traveling, the people from far and near regularly attended divine service. It was no unusual thing, in the pleasant season, for representatives from twenty families in the plantations of Little Falls and Little Ossipee, now Hollis and Limington, to be present at Parson Coffin's meetings in Buxton, from five to ten miles from their homes. One can scarcely imagine a more picturesque and pleasing rural spectacle than that of a scattered throng, some on foot, others on horseback, grouped along the forest-bordered roadway, moving cheerfully and pensively forward toward the sanctuary on a Sabbath morning.

To reach the place of worship in season required very early rising and

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preparation. The chores were numerous enough, but the toilets to be attended to were not elaborate. From the settlements in Limington came the Edge- combs, Nasons, Chases, Sawyers, Boothbys, and Towles, who were joined along the way, at Hollis, by the families of Field, Lewis, Cousins, Redlon, and Townsend.

Those who had horses "rode double," the husband and wife, or the brother and sister, on the same beast, one upon the saddle, the other on the "pillion " behind; and the women who went on foot carried their shoes and honest stockings - no hose then but iron hoes-in their hands or under their shawls till near the meeting-house; then they sat down upon log or stone and dressed their feet, reversing the custom of those who, in ancient times, removed their sandals when walking on holy ground.

Our mental survey impels us to candidly state that these worshipers at the Orthodox shrine established at " Buxton old corner " had a twofold motive, many of them at least, in making such long journeys to attend the religious services there. As the dear old Scotch woman said to me, at her cottage door in the Highlands, those were " sweet-hearting days," and beautiful visions of blooming cheeks and sparkling eyes, to be literally seen in Parson Coffin's congregation, made the young men's step very elastic. Besides, nearly all the families in the older settlement, "down river," and those "up river" were connected by ties of blood. When Thomas Redlon and his wife, Pattie, daughter of Lieutenant Merrill, of Bunker Hill fame, rode to the horse-block at the meeting-house door, they were sure to find in waiting her sisters, who married with the Wentworths, Lanes, and Bryants. The wife of Thomas Lewis was a Boston, from old York, and far from her father's home, but if she went down to the good parson's meeting she found her beloved sister Susie, wife of Joshua Decker, there, and during the long noon-time inter- missions, while the male persuasion were at Marm Garland's tavern, not far away, to get what was locally called their "Sabba-day hock," these wives and sisters would have merry times eating lunch under the shadow of the spread- ing hemlocks.

Parson Coffin illustrated the theory that a house-going minister makes a church-going people. He was accustomed to make annual or semi-annual visits to the remote neighborhoods, for the purpose of inquiring after the spir- itual welfare of the heads of families and to catechise and baptize the children. These visitations of the learned parson were looked forward to with great interest and pleasure by those families comprising the settlements on the west side of the Saco river; they were occasions of social enjoyment and a break in the monotony of daily toil which stimulated hope and made existence more tolerable. At such times the deportment of all would be prudently decorous and, of course, somewhat serious, but not altogether devoid of the mirthful and hilarious elements, as will appear. All who were familiar with Parson

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Coffin knew that he was, constitutionally, a man of much humor, who could not only appreciate a witticism or a harmless joke, but was sometimes known to take part in a laughable comedy.

It was at the close of his sermon, on the afternoon of a pleasant Sep- tember Sabbath, that he gave notice of an intended visit, Providence permit- ting, to the good people in the plantation of Little Falls during the week following; and, Providence still permitting, that he might continue his pas- toral progress into the plantation of Little Ossipee. Several families from these far-away hamlets were present at the services on that day, and on their return home not only advised every one of the pastor's coming, but nearly completed arrangements for his entertainment.

The house of Daniel Field was as large and centrally located as any in the neighborhood, and it was decided that on this occasion the parson should find a home there. It must be understood that when these pastoral visits were made the minister did not alternate from house to house, but located at some comfortable dwelling, and the people assembled there to listen to his counsel and minister to his temporal needs. In consequence of this custom, the entertainment provided for the tables was never limited to the good parson's appetite, but was sufficiently abundant to supply every man, woman, and child in the community; hence, all contributed toward the feast.

The minister would not reach the Little Falls settlement before Tuesday. At an early hour Monday morning the mothers, with children in arms, began to assemble at the house of Aunt Rachel Field to assist in arranging the house and preparing the necessary food. Some grown-up daughters were put in charge of the small folk, while the robust matrons, with skirts tucked up and arms laid bare for business, went to work with a cheerful good-will to " rid up the house" and make all things tidy. There was Hannah Cousins and her next-door neighbor, Katy Lewis, with soap, sand, and scrub-cloth, who went down upon the puncheoned floor and scoured it unto snowy cleanness. Mean- time, the much beruffled, white-capped Mrs. Field, supported by her two buxom daughters, Sarah and Anna, was busy between meal-chest and dresser-room, making "rye'n'Injun " bread and ponderous puddings for the great stone oven. A select requisition had been served on the "speckled harem " at the barn the evening previous, and half a dozen of the best-favored fowls transferred from the roost to the capacious bake-pan.

At the same time Mrs. Temple, Betsey Bryant, and Judy Townsend were cooking at their own homes to help supply the tables at the house of Aunt Rachel, while the lads and lassies were bringing chairs from near and far. The wife of Ichabod Cousins had received as part of her marriage dower a china tea-set, of delicate design and great beauty, which she had kindly and carefully brought down to ornament the table. To lend an air of dignity, a large, green-bordered platter was sent up from the home of Nathaniel Town-

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send. Thus every one wrought and contributed freely to provide all things decent and ample for the great occasion.

Tuesday morning's dawn found everything in readiness for the parson's reception. Two boys were sent forward to watch from the hill-top and herald his approach. Before the sun was four hours high, the white-faced mare upon which the good man rode, was descried in the distance, slowly cantering up the river-side, and the lads ran with all haste to advise the anxious and wait- ing members of his congregation of the fact.

Here fertile fancy, like a mental lasso, gathers within her swinging circles many an object of beauty in this picture of pioneer life and hospitality, and we can scarcely limit our description of the charming scene within our proper space.

But few, if any, of those who were to sit at the feet of the learned and saintly parson, on occasions like this, had associated with cultured and polished society. They were the sons and daughters of a frontier settlement, inured to hardships and daily toil from childhood, and in the "struggle for exist- ence " found no time or inclination for following the fashions or cultivating the manners of such as were reared in the towns where conventional customs were observed. The men were clad in garments from the wool of their flock and the flax of their fields, all dressed and woven by the fingers of their frugal wives and daughters-full-cloth coats, tow shirts, moccasined feet, and heads protected by caps made from the pelt of coon or fox. The women and girls wore their small-checked "linsey-woolsey" gowns, neatly aproned, and ker- chiefed at the neck, and upon their heads caps of lace neatly bordered and ribboned.

Nearly all of the elderly fathers had served in the army of the Revo- lution, leaving their wives and children at home, in the midst of a howling wilderness, in poverty and but poorly protected. These sons of the clearing were hard-handed and bronzed by exposure, but there was no sham about them; they were just what they appeared to be; brave, generous hearts were beating under their homespun to the tune of an honest purpose. Their speech was unclassical and somewhat rude, but it was not the vehicle of a villainous soul; they "said what they meant, and meant what they said."

On the other hand, Parson Coffin had enjoyed and improved the advan- tages of education and cultivated society; had been reared in a home of refinement and wealth. Best of all, he was a practical man, possessed of the hard coin of common sense, and could easily adapt himself to the conditions, primitive though they were, of his parishioners. He had eaten moose meat with the council of ministers at the feast prepared for his ordination, and was not too fastidious to relish the wholesome, homely fare provided by the set- tlers' wives for his pastoral visit.

When Parson Coffin reined his mare into the log-fenced lane leading to

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the door-yard of the home of Uncle Daniel Field, on that fine autumn morn- ing, he saw groups of stalwart men, standing at ease or sitting on saw-blocks, engaged in discussing the prospects of their harvests, the prices of lumber, or the latest news that had reached the settlement. His greeting was unpre- tentious, but cordial. While Caleb Kimball was removing the saddle from his mare, he grasped the hand of each one present; then was led to the house, and in the entry-way paused to partake of the refreshment which his host so generously proffered as the proper liquid entertainment for his learned and reverend guest. He was made at home in the "fore room," while, one by one, the "brethring " came in and were engaged in conversation by their socially-disposed pastor.

The several heavy, home-made tables brought from the neighbors' had been united under several yards of snow-white, domestic linen, and extended the entire length of the great kitchen. When the plain, steaming dinner was served every seat was filled ; the young folk, meanwhile, lingering near, like Mary's lamb, waiting for their turn at the bounteous board. Parson Coffin, of course, was placed in the seat of honor at the table head, being supported on the right and left by the two brothers, Thomas and Ebenezer Lewis, both of them local preachers, who undertook coarse work in their line when called upon by a gospel-hungry people. Below these were the venerable and saintly deacons, Chase and Nason, from Little Ossipee, while ranged down the sides of the various sections of the spread were nearly all of the heads of families in the plantation. At the foot were several of the unmarried sons and daugh- ters, who had been placed there to "fill the complement." Near the pantry door stood Aunt Rachel Field, with her two blooming daughters, and Susie Decker, who had come up from Narragansett to visit her son and daughter, recently settled at Little Falls.

It had long been known from Saco to Pearsontown that Parson Coffin not only took kindly to, but was extremely fond of, such Indian puddings as these old mothers knew how to make, and on this august occasion his hostess had not ignored the choice of his palate, but catered thereto. On the great platter this delicious article was burning incense to the good man's dilating nostrils, and toward it, while the finishing preparations were being attended to, he cast many a longing look.

Moreover, it was a custom in those days to pass the food to each guest and allow them to appropriate as much as was deemed sufficient to meet the demands of an appetite the compass of which each was supposed to know best. When the platter containing the favorite food was held before the parson, he excited no surprise by dipping deep and long, until his capacious pewter plate was filled to the brim. When each had been supplied, silence was enjoined by a sharp rap on the table by Uncle Daniel Field, who imme- diately announced : "Parson Coffin will now exercise marcy." Rising slowly

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from his seat, the saintly servant of the Most High raised his spreading hands, closed his eyes, and said an extensive and comprehensive grace.

Taking advantage of the moment, Thomas Lewis quickly seized the great spoon and transferred the minister's pudding to his own plate, while the younger of the assembled guests, whose eyes had not been closed so com- pletely as such occasions demanded, witnessed the amusing performance with expressions of face better imagined than described. Just as the last portion was disappearing from the plate of the honored guest, he had finished his invocation, and turning his eyes downward cried out: "Ho! ho! Brother Lewis, what are you doing with my pudding?" "I beg a thousand pardons, Parson Coffin," responded Thomas, " I thought I was dipping from the platter."

This joke was well received by all and proved to be the key-note to a mirthful and animating conversation, that was not abated till the dinner was done.

When these had sufficed, they retired to the "fore room " for social inter- course, while relays of the young people took their places about the table.

"After-dinner speeches," in those days, were woven into the general con- versation that followed a well-patronized meal, and the themes led forward for discussion on these occasions were by no means restricted to a religious province, but branched broadly and boldly out into wide and expansive chan- nels, and were not allowed to become commonplace for the want of irony, hyperbole, and harmless witticism. The men with whom the parson had to do were possessed of the same human nature with which he was himself freighted; they had personal and legitimate interests to be considered; there were forests to subdue, fields to clear, fences to build, and families to provide for; hence, theirs were lives of toil from before the dawn of day till all was silent save the wakeful house dog, barking at the echo of his own voice.

A farmer himself, and possessed of a store of practical knowledge per- taining to nearly every branch of work incident to the existence of a pioneer, the minister could enter heartily into the discussion of those questions which were most interesting to those he was visiting. In thus manifesting a lively concern for the temporal, as well as for the spiritual, needs of those with whom he lived and labored, his pastoral visits were made of double import- ance. While the hours of that pleasant afternoon were passing they talked of masts for the ship-yard at Saco, of shaved shingles and clapboards to be transported down river to the lumber-yards of Col. Thomas Cutts, and of peltry for the fur dealers.

The facilities for communicating intelligence at this time were limited and inadequate; and when news from the cities and centres of commercial, political, or military activity had reached these inland plantations, it was eagerly seized upon and conveyed from house to house, until every person in the community was made acquainted with all the particulars. Parson Coffin

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kept up a considerable correspondence with men of learning in various parts for many years, and sometimes made journeys to distant parts, so that his presence was sought for by those who had not such opportunities. To such his conversation was entertaining and highly instructive, and his presence in any part of his almost boundless parish was heralded with great satisfaction; and long after his departure his influence was embalmed in the daily conver- sation of the settlers' families, who had come to regard him as their oracle in all things.

Once in two years, as regular as the change of seasons, a little stranger's advent was looked for in the homes of these planters; consequently, there were duties of a purely professional character to be attended to whenever the pastor visited the several neighborhoods in his parish. For the purpose of baptism, each mother had brought the babe that had made its appearance since the last visit of the administrator, and these were made the recipients of such blessings as were supposed to flow into the lives of those children thus consecrated by the imposition of holy hands. The records kept by Par- son Coffin, now before me, show that on some of his visits to Little Falls and Little Ossipee he had administered the sacred rite to from eight to twelve children.

When he had devoted sufficient attention to the heads of families and the babes, the timid youth were called in and prudently instructed and kindly admonished. This done, the Scriptures were read with a musical intonation of voice and the holy man went before the throne of grace in prayer; a prayer long and broad enough to comprehend, singular and sundry, every need of every soul in the community; yes, of the whole wide world.

The shadows were now falling deep and dark across the borders of the clearing, the distant tinkle of cow-bells was a summons to the milking yard, and with many a cordial "good-night" the fathers and mothers, the sons and daughters, of the plantation of Little Falls took leave of their beloved pastor and left him to his nightly repose.

Carly Saco Valley Caverns.

"Around the fireside, at their ease, There sat a group of friends, entranced With the delicious melodies; Who from the far-off, noisy town Had to the wayside inn come down." -Longfellow.

HE colonial tavern was called an "ordinary," and the early notices of them in the old records are under this name. Old-fashioned people, who had occasion to travel, used to speak of them as the "putting-up place"; or, when of long standing and well known, they were designated simply by the name of the landlord, as "down at Thoms'" and "at Warren's." These old institutions are worthy of more than a hurried notice, and no description of them would be complete without a pen-picture of the "tavern-keeper," for he was part and parcel, yea, the life, of the establishment. The old-time "ordinary " was in vogue when the coun- try was thinly populated, and was usually connected with a river ferry on some bridle-path, where now and then a belated traveler found a lodging for the night and straw and provender in the log-hovel adjoining for his jaded beast. Of course these places of entertainment were but private dwellings, fitted with a "spare bed " under the roof, and were small and sparingly furnished; nevertheless, they afforded shelter and a bite of homely fare, and there was not half the growling by guests one hears today. Those were rough old times, and people who were on a journey, whether magistrate or merchant, adapted themselves to the conditions they chanced to encounter. The "ordinary" sign-board was a shaved shingle, lettered in primitive runes, that advised the traveler of accommodation for himself and horse.

But let us leave this colonial period behind us and turn our attention to the regular taverns of more pretentious proportions and appurtenances. These were usually great, square, high-gabled, rambling houses, fronted by wide- spreading elms and approached by a circuitous drive-way. Upon a sturdy limb of a tree, or swinging from the arm of the leaning post erected for the purpose, the great square or shield-shaped sign-board creaked in the wind as it beckoned a welcome to the approaching stranger, and, by the emblems painted upon its face, symbolized the refreshment to be found within the hostelry. Fronting the tavern

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"Across the road the barns displayed Their lines of stalls, their mows of hay,"

where the important-moving grooms take charge of the horses.

Upon the heavy, oaken, much-moulded front door a heavy brass knocker. with lion's head cast thereon, invited the traveler's attention; and dis- mounting at the horse-block near, he dropped the bridle rein over his arm, stood upon the broad door-stone, and hammered away until the old tavern quaked and he who kept the same came forward to respond to the noisy summons.

These early landlords were men of consideration in their community, men of portly physique, who, being justices of the peace, were called "Esquire"; . and they were not unconscious of the dignity of their office and the import- ance of their business as an accommodation to the general public. They con- sidered themselves to be gentlemen, and dressed in attire becoming to their quality. To be popular and make his house a favorite resort, the old-time landlord must be found presentable in person and conversation; a graceful, genial, smiling, winning man, who could quickly measure the capacity of his guest and lead discussion into channels that were entertaining. Such appre- hended the wishes of their company before they were expressed; were atten- tive, obliging, painstaking. His hat was rough-furred, bell-crowned, and white; his turn-down collar, wide and tidy; his watch-chain of silver, bedangled with a heavy fob; his cut-away, narrow-tailed coat gave full display to his rotund middle and the buff vest thereof; his buttons were garnishing and bright. Red-faced and plump-cheeked, he appeared the personification of all authority and good nature, of all wisdom and decorum. With what graceful demon- strations he escorted his incoming gucst to a chair at the fireside ; how politely he handed the ladies into the parlor, and how delicately he complimented each one! He motions to the attendant to replenish the fire and ingeniously engages his company in spirited conversation ; he soon suggests refreshment and gracefully walks behind the counter.

Those were days of wide fire-places and ample hearth-stones; plenty of hard wood and pitch knots; ample room and comfortable chairs; pure air and wholesome food. There was no stint at the table; no food on sideboards, out of reach, nor gibberish of table-girl to tell you what you could have to eat. The food was placed upon the table, where it should be, the guests kindly passed the plates to each other, and all went well. Dinner was announced by ringing bell and was ready before you were called. The landlord, with great cheerfulness and politeness, escorted his guests to the dining-room and saw them seated, then quietly retired.

The group gathered about an old-time tavern fireside, on a winter even- ing, formed a picture worthy of description; we mean the typical group, made up of persons of various employments and professions, persons of dissimilar

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build and size, of diverse facial characteristics and expressions, and of an- tipodal temperaments.

"Let me in outline sketch them all, Perchance unconthly as the blaze With its uncertain touch portrays Their shadowy semblance on the wall."

Here came an old-school judge and a trio of lawyers on their way to court, guests whose tastes the landlord did well to cater to. His honor was a man of great gravity and dignity of deportment, whose smoothly shaven face and towering brow above betokened profound learning and clear judgment. His cool gray eyes, surmounted by jutting brows, his serious expression, and restricted conversation forbade any approach to familiarity, and around him there was an atmosphere of awe. His hair of iron gray was smoothly combed from his classic temples and tied in the fashionable cue behind; his wide neckcloth was of snowy whiteness, and the lofty dickey that rose above it guarded his square-cut chin. He was the "court," and the lawyers over whom he was soon to preside and "rule " showed him the deference that was due.

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Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary, Part 34

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Portland, Me., The author Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Portland, Me., The author
Number of Pages: 1424