USA > Maine > Oxford County > Norway > The history of Norway [Me.] comprising a minute account of its first settlement, town officers, interspersed with historical sketches, narrative and anecdote > Part 3
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In 1794, there was a State tax laid on Rustfield, and the following is a copy of the assessment, as made by the assess- ors, verbatim et literatim; and this tax will show who were the inhabitants of Rustfield at that carly period :
THE COPPY OF AN EXECUTION.
£ 5
S. 11
8
Travel,
-
1
8
4
Coppy,
-
0
2
0
Serv.,
-
0
1
4
1 11
8
Sum total,
7
3
4
Rustfield, November th 7, 1794.
Assessed the sum of seven pounds, three shillings and four pence upon the polls and estates, to be collected by the 5 day of December next.
BENJAMIN WITT, NATHAN NOBLE,
Assessors. WILLIAM PARSONS,
d.
Tax,
30
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Polls.
Real Estate.
Personal Est.
Sum Total.
£ s. d. qrs
€ s. d. qrs
0 0 19
10d
0
3
0
0
0
1
8
3
0
5
6 0 1 3
10d
0
3
9
0
0
2
3
0
1
0
5.
0
3
0
3
6
0 1
William Stevens,
10d
0
0
8
1
0
0
7
1
0
2
1
11 0
Samuel Perkins, Amos Hobbs,
10d
0
1
9
3
0
0
3
1
0
2
3
2
11 0
Anthony Bennett,
10c
0
1
3
2
2
0
1
4
2
0
5
5 0
Benjamin Rowe,
10c 0
0
9
3
0
0
9
0
0
2
1
5
2
1 0
Thomas Cowen,
10d 0
0
6
2
0
0
2
2
0
1
7 0
Zebedee Perry,
10d 0
0
8
0
0
0
5
2
0
0
1
5
0
Nathan Noble,
10d 0
Benjamin Herring,
10d
0
2
7
0
0
3
5
1
3
0
2
6
3
2
1
John Parsons,
10d 0
4
3
2
0
2
4
3
0
7
6
1
James Stinchfield,
0 0
2
7
3
0
0
0
0
0 0
2 3 4
1
0 0
1
3 2
Benjamin Stinchfield, William Nash,
10d
0
0
9
3
0 0
0 0 0 3
4
0 0 3
0 0
1 1
11 3
Moses Twitchell,
10d
0
0
7
4
9
1 1
0 0 0
1
9
1
0
5
Daniel Trickky,
10d 0
0
10
0
0
0
0 0 0
0. 0 11 0
7 7
2
0
0
5
1
0
2
11 0
4 3
Asa Dunham,
10d 0
0
7
3
0
0
3
8
3
0
0 0
Benjamin Witt, Peter Buck,
10d 0
0
7
3
0
0
6
2.
0
0
5
6
1 1 3
Ebenezer Whitmarsh,
10d 0
Joshua Smith,
10
0
1
8
0
0
0
8
9
2
1
0
10d 0
10d
0
0
5
2
0
0
0
10d
0
0
7
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
4
6
0
0 0
William Parsons,
100
9
0
2 9 5
8 3 1
0 0000 0 0
07401 0
It appears that the Lee Grant was not liable to taxation until 1807, and I have not been able to ascertain whether Cummings Gore paid any tax at this time or not, but it is probable that the few inhabitants did pay in some shape or other. It thus appears that in Rustfield there were thirty- two taxable polls, and three other persons taxed for property ; but as yet we have no account of any highway tax, except what was done voluntarily. In 1796 the first road in the place was laid out by a Court's Committee from Cumberland.
Henry Rust, Joel Stevens, Joseph Stevens, John Pike,
Samuel Ames,
10d
0
3
9 8
2
0
0
5
2
5,
1 0
Jonas Stevens,
10d 0
1
1
3
3
0
1
0
1
0
2 0
Nathaniel Bennett,
10d
0
1
2
0
0
5
1
0
0
9 0
10d 0
3
5
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
3
0
6 10
0 11
0
0
0
9
David Gorham,
10d 0
1
5
2
3
2
0
8
1
7 1 10 6 1
3 1 3
John Millett,
10d 0
Solomon Millett,
Nathaniel Millett,
10d 0
0
7
0
1 10
2
0
1
5 1
10d 0
2 10
0
0
2
0
£ s. d. qrs 2 1 3
1
1
0 6 10 0
1
0
0 11
10d 0
George Lessley,
10d 0
1
0
1
0
9
0 0
9 2
Dudley Pike,
0
11
0 0 11
9
3
1 11 2
John Cushman,
9
31
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
County, to which we then belonged. The road in question commenced at the north line of the town, and ran about south, twenty-five deg. cast, over Cummings hill, thence southeasterly to Jeremiah Hobbs' lot, thence southerly by Esquire Eastman's and Deacon William Parsons', around Horse hill, and over the Craigie hill to Craigie's mills in He- bron-now Oxford. Horse hill received its name from the following circumstance : In June, 1787, when Deacon Wil- liam Parsons, his brother, John Parsons, and Benjamin Herring, came into the place to fall trees, they had two horses to bring their provisions ; and there being no pasture, they turned the animals out in the woods. One night they were alarmed by a bear, or some other wild beast, and ran off in a fright; they could not be found while the men re- mained at their work. Late in the fall they were discovered on this hill in a very poor condition. Hence the name of Horse hill. This was the way that the first settlers wended their way to Portland with their surplus produce. They generally went with their ox-teams, in the winter, through deep snows and poor roads, and often returned home them- selves to lodge the first night.
Previous to this time there was but one horse in the Cum- mings Gore, and that an old white-faced mare, owned by Amos Upton ; and she was used by all the neighbors to go to mill. They used to lash the bags on to the saddle, a huge, coarse thing made for that purpose, and let the old mare plod her way along the little pathway. Aaron Wilkins says (and he knew all about it) she would crook around the trees and rocks very carefully, so as to avoid hitting the bags against them. Before they had any other practicable conveyance to Portland, Francis Upton, the oldest son of Amos Upton, went to Portland with the old mare, and carried a small hog to market, having it laid across the pack saddle, and strongly lashed on with cords; he went on foot himself, leading or driving the old mare, and only reached Dudley Pike's the
32
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
first day, and put up there that night. In 1790, Dudley Pike obtained one ox, and John Parsons one other. They put them together, and worked them alternately, helping their neighbors with them when they could. The next year they purchased two more, and then had each of them a yoke. That was the way they did up things in those early days.
Joshua Crockett, formerly of Gorham, moved to Hebron, on the Craigie hill, and lived a few years, and in 1796 moved into Rustfield. He lived awhile in the Rust house on the hill, and then went upon the Crockett farm, where he lived till his death. Samuel Perkins had, sometime before this, begun on a lot between Crockett's and Anthony Ben- nett's ; in a few years Crockett and Bennett bought Perkins out, and divided the lot between them. Silas Barker had, previous to this time, commenced on lot No. 14 in the 13th Range of the Waterford plantation ; he did something on the land, and soon sold out to John Upton, a cousin to Amos Upton ; after a few years Upton sold out to a Mr. Pingree. This year, Joel Frost, born in Tewksbury, Mass., came into the Waterford plantation, in June ; he felled trees immedi- ately, and commenced for a farm where he and his second son, William Frost, now live. His lot lies east of where Darius Holt then lived, and was lot No. 15 in the 9th Range of the Waterford plantation.
About this time the subject of having the town incorpor- ated was called up, and, as is almost always the case, there were different opinions. They had a plantation meeting in the Waterford plantation, to see if they would consent to have the three tiers of lots set off to help make up the town of Norway, and after much discussion on the question, it was decided in the affirmative. The same year the inhabitants of Rustfield and Cummings Gore, and a few squatters on the Lee Grant, also had a similar meeting, to consult on the ex- pediency of an incorporation ; and finally determined in favor of the measure. This primary meeting was held in Samuel
33
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Ames' house, near the mills ; and measures were accordingly taken to bring about the thing in its proper time. The meet- ing took place Sept. 29th, 1796.
In order to show who were in Rustfield previous to the in- corporation of the town, I shall have recourse to a tax bill committed to Joseph Stevens as Collector for the year 1796, for a State tax, which amounted to thirty-eight dollars and fourteen cents. A poll tax in this bill was twenty-eight cents ; and the highest tax on real estate was eighty-four cents to William Parsons, and the lowest was one cent to John Cushman. The highest tax on personal estate was fifty-four cents to Benjamin Herring, and the lowest was nothing to Thomas Cowen, and one cent to Levi Bartlett. There were a few who were taxed for a poll only. A plant- ation tax was assessed the same year, and for about the same sum; although the poll tax was only twenty-five cents, yet the tax on the several estates was the same as the State tax. The following are the names of the persons taxed, with the sum total of their respective taxes :
William Parsons,
$1,83|Nathaniel Millett, $ ,51
John Parsons,
1,55 David Gorham, ,77
Dudley .. Pike,
1,50 Ebenezer Whitmarsh, ,95
Thomas Cowen,
,32 William Nash,
,48
Samuel Ames, grist-mill,
1,50 Benjamin Stinchfield,
,41
John Pike,
1,20 Joshua Smith,
,90
John Millett,
1,20 Anthony Bennett,
1,71
Solomon Millett,
,66 Peter Buck,
,68
Moses Twitchell,
,61 Thomas Hill, ,39
John Cushman,
,29 Elisha Cuminings, ,39
,53
Nathan Noble,
1,14 Reuben Hubbard,
,67
Amos Hobbs,
,96 James Stinchfield,
,62
John Eaton, saw-mill,
1,15 Levi Bartlett, ,79
Benjamin Herring,
1,53 Samuel Pearse,
,33
Benjamin Rowe,
,64 Isaac Cobb,
,33
Joseph Stevens,
1,58 Henry Rust,
,8.1
Joel Stevens,
1,18 Zekiel Roberson, ,38
Jonas Stevens,
,88 Ephraham Briggs,
,19
William Stevens,
,59 Cimion Shertleef,
,28
Benjamin Witt,
,64 David Woodman, ,28
George Lessley,
.1,05 Jonathan Woodman, ,28
Asa Dunham,
,41|Joseph Eveleth, ,28
Zebedee Perry,
,55 Thomas Furlong,
,28
3
Whole sum thirty-eight dollars fourteen cents.
$38,14
Joshua Crockett and Mr. Rust, 1,58 Samnel Perkins,
34
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
The following settlers were on the Cummings land previous, to the incorporation of the town, viz :- Jeremiah Hobbs, Nathaniel Stevens, Job Eastman, Jonathan Cummings, Na- than Foster, John Henley, Amos Upton, Benjamin Fuller, Silas Meriam, Francis Upton, the son of Amos Upton, who had now become of age, and Aaron Wilkins, about, or quite of age. On the Waterford three tiers were Joseph Dale, Jonathan Stickney, Joel Frost, Darius. Holt, Lemuel Shed, Phinehas Whitney, Jabez Chubb, Benjamin Flint, Asa Case, and Silas Barker. On the Lee Grant were Daniel Knight, William Gardner, Isaac Cummings, Joshua Pool, William Dunlap, and Jacob Tubbs. Perhaps. there might possibly have been a few more settlers within the limits of the several tracts of land which afterwards made up the town of Norway.
It appears from an old order, on Joseph Stevens, as a Col- lector, that Joshua Smith and Levi Bartlett were assessors of Rustfield at some period previous ,to the incorporation of the town.
ACT OF INCORPORATION.
An Act to incorporate several tracts, or grants, of land situ- ate in the County of Cumberland, into a town by the name of Norway :
SECT. 1 .- Be it enacted, by the Senate and House of Rep- resentatives, in General Court assembled, and by the author- ity of the same, That one tract, or grant, of land, known by the name of Rustfield; another by Lee's Grant; a third by Cummings' Grant; together with the three tiers of lots, which formed a part of the plantation of Waterford, lying next to, and adjoining the easterly side of said plantation -- the outlines of the said town of Norway being as follows, viz :- Beginning at a certain birch tree, standing on the westerly side line of Paris, and on lot number thirteen, well marked, thence running northerly, one thousand one hundred and sixty rods, by said Paris line, to a spruce tree, marked;
35
1235112 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
thence south, seventy-six degrees west, one thousand and four rods, to a cedar trec, standing on the easterly side line of' Cummings' Grant; thence north, twenty-five degrees west, fifty-five rods, to the northeasterly corner of said Cummings' Grant; thence south, sixty-five degrees west, four hundred and eighty rods, to the casterly side line of said plantation, (of Waterford;) thence north, twenty-five degrees west, on said easterly line of said plantation, about three hundred and thirty rods, to the northeasterly corner of the plantation aforesaid ; thence south, sixty-five degrees west, on the north- erly side line of said plantation, crossing three tiers of lots. to the dividing line between the third and fourth tiers of lots, from the aforesaid easterly side line of said plantation ; thence south, twenty-five degrees east, on said dividing line, by the town of Waterford, as incorporated, to the southerly side line of said plantation ; thence north, sixty-five degrees east, on said southerly side line of said plantation, crossing the ends of the aforesaid three tiers of lots, about three hundred and thirty rods to the southeasterly corner of said plantation ; (the last-named distance ought to be four hundred and eighty rods ;) thence south, twenty-five degrees east, by Phillips' Gore (so called) six hundred and twenty-four rods, to He- bron line ; thence north, fifty-four degrees cast, by Hebron line, about one thousand and seventy-four rods, to a tree standing on the westerly side line of Paris, marked; thence northerly by said Paris about nine hundred and seventy rods to the first bound; together with the inhabitants thereon, be, and hereby are incorporated into a town by the name of Nor- way ; and the said town of Norway is hereby invested with all the powers, privileges and immunities which other towns in this Commonwealth do, or may enjoy. Provided, never- theless, that Waterford, as incorporated, exclusive of the before-mentioned three eastern tiers of lots, are and shall be entitled to four-fifths of all public lots lying within the afore- said three tiers of lots. Provided, also, that no taxes of any
36
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
kind be laid on any part of the land contained within the bounds of Lee's Grant until the expiration of ten years from the passing of this act.
SECT. 2 .- Be it further enacted, by the authority afore- said, that Enoch Perley, Esq., be, and he is hereby empow- ered to issue his warrant, directed to some suitable inhabitant of the said town of Norway, requiring him to notify and warn the inhabitants thereof, to meet at some convenient time and place for the purpose of choosing all such officers as towns are by law required to choose in the months of March or April, annually.
This act passed March 9, 1797.
Gentle reader, we have now got into Norway ;- not the beautiful Norway of the present day, but Norway in its in- fancy. I have conducted you through a long journey, and mostly through a dreary wilderness. We have wandered, not quite so long a time as the children of Israel did in reaching the promised land, but for the space of almost ten years after females first showed themselves in the plantation, which was in the spring of 1787. Our ancestors, the first settlers, waded, not through seas of blood, like some mighty conquerors, but through mud and water, thick forests, burnt trees, and black logs, oftentimes suffering hunger and hard- ships. They were thinly scattered about in small clearings dotted here and there with little huts, log houses and log hovels, many of them surrounded with large families of young children, many times poorly clad, and poorly fed. Yet think not that "they were of all men," and women, " the most miserable; " for if we may believe the testimony of the few who are still living, we shall find that they had their comforts and consolations as much, or more, than at the present day. As a general thing, they were like a band of brothers, and stood by each other in times of need; and by dint of patient industry and perseverance, they 'finally
37
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
achieved a glorious victory over the dark wilderness, causing it to bud and blossom as the rose. The soil proved fertile and productive, and under the guidance and smiles of Provi- dence, they laid foundations for happy, happy homes. They could, with heartfelt gratitude, adopt the words of the Psalmist:
" He sends the showers of blessings down To cheer the plains below, He makes the grass the mountains crown, And corn in vallies grow."
I have not been able to learn precisely on what day the first annual meeting was held for the choice of town officers, nor with certainty at what place; but it is believed by the oldest settlers now living, that it was held at the house of Job Eastman, May 3rd, 1797, and the following persons were chosen Selectmen and Assessors for that year, viz : Job East- man, Benjamin Witt, and Joseph Stevens: Joshua Smith, Town Clerk; Job Eastman, Town Treasurer: and Ebenezer Whitmarsh, Constable and Collector of Taxes.
In order to show who were the inhabitants of the town at the time of its incorporation, I here give the names as stand- ing on the first valuation, and assessment of the first tax after the organization of the town :
PERSONS' NAMES.
PERSONS' NAMES.
Ames Samuel,* :
Dunlap William,
Bennett Anthony,
Eastman Job,
Bennett Nathaniel,
Fuller Benjamin,
Buck Peter,
Frost Joel,
Bartlett Levi,
Gorham David,
Bartlett Capt.,
Hobhs Jeremiah,
Case Asa,
Hobbs Amos,
Cummings Jonathan, .
Huhbard Renben,
Crockett Joshna,
Herring Benjamin,
Cowen Thomas,
Holt Darius,
Chubb Jabez,
Henley John,
Cummings Elisha,
Hill Thomas,
Lessley George,
Dunham Asa, Dale Joseph,
Lovejoy Asa,
* The name of Samuel Ames has stood at the head of all our valuations, tax lists, and lists of voters, probably every year since the incorporation of the town. At all events, I have never seen one otherwise.
38
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
PERSONS' NAMES.
PERSONS' NAMES,
Millètt John,
Upton Amos,
Millett Solomon,
Upton Francis,
Millett Nathaniel,
Witt Benjamin,
Meriam Silas
Whitmarsh Ebenezer;
Noble Nathan,
Whitney Phinehas,
Nash William,
Whitney Jonathan,
Parsons William,
Work William,
Parsons John,
Foster Nathan,
Pike Dudley,
Flint Benjamin,
Pike John,
Curtis
Perry Zebedee;
Beals William,
Perkins Samuel,
Briggs Ephraim, Bird
Rowe Benjamin.
Woodman Jonathan;
Robinson Ezekiel,
Young Nathaniel,
Stevens Jonas,
Yates William,
Stevens Joseph,
Tubbs -
Stevens Joel;
Furlong Thomas,
Stevens Nathaniel;
Knight Daniel,
Stevens William,
Witham Jeremiah,
Shed Lemuel,
Richardson
Shirtlef Simeon,
Webster Simon,
Saunders Jonathan,
Cobb Isaac,
Smith Joshua,
Crooker Calvin,
Stinchfield James,
Stinchfield Benjamin,
Crooker Ebenezer, William Reed.
Making seventy-nine taxable residents, and as polls were then taxable at sixteen years of age, there were eighty-six polls taxed, as some of the boys had reached the age of six- teen years.
The non-resident proprietors of land were assessed,
The settlers were assessed, -
$ 89,94 945,49
Total assessment, - - $1035,43 A poll tax in this assessment was one dollar and sixty cents, and the assessment probably included the State, County, and town tax, though the book does not positively show the fact. There was a highway tax assessed the same year for the sum of - - - -
$342,49,8
The non-residents paying - -
17,78,4
The residents the remaining $324,71,4 A poll tax was $1;56. In 1798, a money tax, including
Rust Henry,
39
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
State, County, and town, was assessed, amounting to $296,73; a poll tax was $1,00, and the number of polls 95. A high- way tax the same year amounted to $498,93, and a poll tax was $2,50. In 1799 it appears that a State tax for $41,02 was assessed; a poll tax was thirteen cents, and there were 107 polls. The total valuation of the real and personal es- tate in the town amounted to the sum of $21,119. I find a small remnant of a tax, which was called a minister tax, in which a poll paid seventeen cents; and another fragment. which was probably a town tax, in which a poll paid sixty cents. From what can be gleaned up, it appears that the taxes for the year were about as follows :
State tax, - -
Minister tax, (nearly)
Town tax, (money) -
-
$ 41,02 52,00 200,00
do. do. (highway) - 350,00
Making a total of $643,02
In 1800 it appears there were 115 taxable polls in the town ; the amount of money tax not ascertained, but estimated the same as last year, $296,73. Highway tax $611,02.
In 1798 Joshua Smith was chosen Town Clerk; Job East- man, Treasurer ; Job Eastman, Benjamin Witt, and Joseph Stevens, Selectmen ; Ebenezer Whitmarsh, Collector. In 1799, Job Eastman, Clerk ; Job Eastman, Treasurer; Job Eastman, Joshua Smith, and Benjamin Witt, Selectmen. In 1800, Job Eastman, Clerk; Job Eastman, Treasurer; Job Eastman, Anthony Bennett, and Jonathan Woodman, Select- men ; Ebenezer Whitmarsh, Collector. Soon after the in- corporation of the town, Job Eastman was appointed a Jus- tice of the Peace, and acted in that capacity for the space of forty-eight years.
During the summer and fall of 1799, John Parsons built him a new one-story house, 30 fect by 36; he had nearly completed the finishing of it in January following, and had moved his family into the same. One evening, as one of the
40
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
joiners was working at the bench, he cut his finger badly, an l went into the room where the family lived to bind up his wound; in jumping across the bench he knocked over the candle, and not observing it while doing up his finger, the house was wrapped in flames almost instantaneously, as there was a large quantity of shavings on the floor. This was a sad loss. Mr. Parsons went courageously to work, and by the help of his kind neighbors, rebuilt the house, and got into it before spring work commenced.
The following persons came into the town from the time of incorporation up to, and within, the year 1800, viz : Cad F. Jones, in 1797; Edward Wells, and his son Edward Wells. Jr., John Richardson, Jr., James French, Joseph Small, Da- vid Morse, John Upton, Ebenezer Cobb, Josiah Bartlett. Nathaniel Bancroft, Joshua Pool, Barzilla Dwelly, Richard Blake ; Daniel Hobbs, a son of Jeremiah Hobbs, and Amos Upton, Jr., a son of Amos Upton, had become of age, and. were taxable citizens in 1798. In 1799, there is the addi- tion of Amos Blanchard, Darius Wilkins, John Upton, Moses Abbott, Samuel Godding, William White, David Upton, Jo- seph Martin, and probably some others came in, in order to make arrangements for a settlement as soon as convenient. In 1800, there were added, Tilden Bartlett, Rufus Bartlett. Jacob Bancroft, Stephen Curtis, Jacob Frost, Edmund Mer- rill, Jacob Parsons, Alfred Barrett, Ward Noyes, Bailey Bodwell, Samuel Andrews. At this time there were fifty- seven houses and forty-seven barns in the town.
This year the Militia was organized in Norway, and the- first officers were Jonathan Cummings, Captain, Anthony Bennett, Lieutenant, William Reed, Ensign.
In 1801, the town officers were as follows : Job Eastman, Clerk; Job Eastman, Treasurer; Job Eastman, Jonathan Woodman, and Cad F. Jones, Selectmen; William Hobbs. Collector.
Highway tax $720,68 ; moncy tax, of all kinds, $1690, -
41
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
54; number of polls 129; poll tax on the highway $2,00. This year, or last, Joseph Rust built a grist-mill at the Steep Falls, and it appears that he was taxed for the Rust property by the valuation.
Previous to 1800, Amos Upton had built a large one-story house, and in January of that year Ward Noyes moved from Andover, Mass., into Mr. Upton's house, and lived there until the next fall. In July there was a terrific tempest of lightning, thunder, rain and wind. The house was struck by lightning at the casterly end of the ridge-pole; the elec- tric fluid ran down the rafter and other timbers, and went almost over the whole house. Seven persons were knocked down by the shock, and Ward Noyes was insensible for a long time ; probably he never would have recovered had it not been for the application of cold water, which by Mr. Up- ton's direction was poured upon him by pailsfull-he having. a short time previous, seen in a newspaper an account of its efficacy. Large spaces of thick forest were prostrated by this wind, and considerable damage done otherwise.
The first post-office in Norway was established in 1800, and William Reed appointed post-master. He remained in office about forty years, and was a vigilant, faithful officer ; he also continued to keep a store of goods, and traded largely for that day, for many years. He engaged extensively in farming, and in all kinds of business was a very energetic, persevering man.
While speaking of the establishment of the first post-office and first post-master, I will give an account of the mail at that time, the first mail-carrier, &c. Jacob Howe, grand- father of Jeremiah Howe of Norway Village, was the first mail-carrier, and rode on horseback with the mail-bag, and a large pair of saddle-bags, in which he carried a few news- papers. He came from Portland, through Gray, New Glou- cester, Poland, Hebron, to Norway, and then to Waterford, Bridgton, Raymond, Standish, Gorham, to Portland again,
1
42
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
once a week; and the time of his arrival at this, and other places, depended on circumstances, the state of the weather, and the situation of the roads. The newspapers were mostly the old Portland Gazette and Eastern Argus; for there were at that early day two political parties, though not many third parties, or "one idea" parties. The carrier had an enor- mous tin horn, or trumpet, which he sounded just before his arrival at the respective post-offices, and also in neighborhoods where a man or two took a newspaper; then the boys and girls would run out to get " father's paper," and soon all the neighbors learned the news. Mr. Howe carried the mail sev- eral years, and was succeeded by a Mr. Smith; after a few years, Joshua Pool, of this town, succeeded Smith, and Wil- liam Sawin succeeded Pool-all of them carrying the mail and newspapers in the same way. About 1812, a Mr. Brown, of Waterford, became a mail-contractor, and ventured to con- vey the mail in a one-horse wagon, (one-horse wagons came into being about that time, ) and once in a while would carry a passenger or two to Portland, or some other place. James Longley succeeded Mr. Brown, and the mail-route was so altered that a mail ran direct from Portland to Norway Vil- lage and Paris Hill. Longley had the hardihood to run a pair of horses and double-sleigh in winter, and a four-wheeled carriage in summer, though his patronage in the way of passengers was rather small. However, by perseverance and attention, Longley in a few years built up a pretty good busi- ness, and was finally succeeded by John B. Stowell. He owned the line for a few years, and was succeeded by G. G. Waterhouse, who owned the line, and most of the time han- dled the reins himself, until the railroad went into operation, when he was transferred to the cars as conductor on a passen- ger train. I must be permitted to say a word about Water- house, as a stage-driver ; (not intending, in the least, to speak disparagingly of his predecessors.) He was ever attentive to the wants and comfort of his passengers, and very correct
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