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 8
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16
97
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
MILITARY HISTORY.
As I have now disposed of the religious affairs of the town, (which has been a serious matter with me, so far as writing is concerned, and ought to be with all in practice, ) I shall now devote a small space to the military history ;- as the science of arms was considered of great importance by our forefathers, and by many who are now upon the stage of action. And it is all right that it should have been so con- sidered; for, under the the guidance of Divine Providence, it was the powerful instrument which achieved our Indepen- dence, and gave us a rank among the nations of the civilized world. Without it, our glorious Declaration of Independence must have fallen ingloriously to the ground, and would have become a by-word and a reproach to us as a people ; and long before this it would have been among the things which are forgotten.
Early in the winter of 1807, William Reed, who was the first Ensign chosen in the company at its organization, ob- tained his discharge, and at the May inspection, Amos Town was chosen to supply his place. After the lamented death of Capt. Anthony Bennett, in the spring of 1808 Ward Noyes was chosen Captain, Amos Town, Lieutenant, and Ephraim Twombly, Ensign. The company of militia at that time numbered about 120 in all; for sick soldiers were scarce then, and a regimental surgeon hardly had to black a piece of paper by giving a certificate for inability to perform military duty. Beside the militia company, there was a company of cavalry raised in the regiment, and the town of Norway fur- nished several privates and non-commissioned officers in that company, and one commissioned officer, viz., Lieut. Nathaniel Bennett, a twin brother to Capt. Anthony Bennett. In the winter of 1808-9, Capt. Ward Noyes, with the consent and approbation of his company, petitioned the General Court and Governor of Massachusetts, to have the company divided, and
7
98
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
form a new company. He obtained the prayer of said peti- tion, as appears by General Orders, Head Quarters, Boston, March 27, 1809. This division left the companies about equal in numbers, but the south company was without officers, all the commissioned officers falling within the north company. June 27, 1809, the south company met according to regi- mental orders, and made choice of Bailey Bodwell, Captain, William Twombly, Lieutenant, and Daniel Holt, Ensign. In the winter of 1809-10, Capt. Ward Noyes resigned his com- mission, and obtained his discharge. On the 7th of May, 1811, Lieutenant Amos Town was elected Captain, and En- sign Ephraim Twombly, Lieutenant; on the 23d of August, William .Parsons, Jr., was elected Ensign.
Pursuant to order from the Commander-in-chief of the militia of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Captains Amos Town, of the north company, and Bailey Bodwell, of the south company, made drafts from their respective compa- nies as follows : From Capt. Town's company, privates- Benjamin French, John Hobbs, Josiah Hill, Jr., Cad F. Jones, Enoch Merrill, Jr., Benjamin Peabody. From Capt. Bodwell's company-Jared Buck, drummer, Moses Houghton, Daniel Noble, Enoch Knight, Jeremiah Farmer, Nathan Coy, William Corson, Samuel Jordan. This detachment, however, was not called for, but were ordered to hold themselves in readiness to march at the shortest warning. On the 18th of ) June, 1812, Congress declared war against Great Britain, and this declaration caused the minute-men to burnish up their arms, and put their shooting apparatus in the best order possible.
In the fall of 1812, Capt. Bailey Bodwell undertook to raise a company of volunteers to serve one year in the war ; and late in the season obtained a full company from this and neighboring towns. After completing the complement of men, they chose Bailey Bodwell for their Captain, William Twombly, Lieutenant, and William Reed, Jr., and Gustavus
99
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
A. Goss, of Paris, second and third Lieutenants ; they finally marched to Burlington early in the winter. Bodwell, on account of some improper conduct, left the army and returned home, some time in the summer of 1813; but the company generally served out their year, and then mostly returned home. Seth Pike, a son of Dudley Pike, died in this cam- paign, as also did Jacob Tubbs, Jr., a son of Jacob Tubbs. Joseph Dale came home sick, and never recovered; he died in a few months, leaving a family of nine children to the care of his widow, with little or nothing for their support.
It appears by the record that Lieut. William 'Twombly ob- tained his discharge in the summer of 1813; and on the 11th of September, William Parsons, Jr., was promoted to Lieu- tenant, and Cad F. Jones was elected Ensign. The company then had 70 privates, exclusive of commissioned officers and Sergeants ; and the south company numbered nearly as many more, altogether making quite a formidable military force.
Sometime in the summer of 1816, Capt. Amos Town was promoted to the rank of Major, and subsequently to Colonel of the regiment ; and as a natural consequence, by regimental order, the company met and elected Lieut. William Parsons, Jr., for Captain, Ensign Cad F. Jones, for Lieutenant, and John Whitmarsh, Ensign.
On the 10th of Oct., 1815, a Court Martial convened at Paris, for the trial of Capt. Bailey Bodwell, on several charges exhibited against him by Enoch Knight, and fourteen others. After hearing all the testimony and arguments, pro and con, the Court decided that Capt. Bailey Bodwell be re- moved from office, and disqualified for holding any military office under the Commonwealth for one year.
In the meantime, Ensign Daniel Holt had resigned his commission ; and according to regimental orders, the south company met in the Village, their usual place of parade, on the 23d of March, 1816, and made choice of Henry Rust, Jr., Captain, John Millett, Jr., Lieutenant, and Isaac Ben-
100
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
nett, Ensign; all of whom accepted, as military offices, at that period, were considered matters of high importance.
At the May inspection, in 1818, the company, then com- manded by Henry Rust, Jr., "after inspection, the reading of the law, and partaking of some refreshment, was marched to the ground selected for the purpose, and attended to target- firing. The judges appointed for that purpose, awarded the first prize, $5, to Mr. E. F. Beal for the best shot; the sec- ond, $3, to Mr. Stephen Greenleaf; and the third, $2, to Mr. Malachi Bartlett."
Perhaps some of the great guns among the modern peace societies, and other modern reformers, may turn up their noses and sneer at such historical matter as this ; but they ought to remember that our forefathers, and even many who are now upon the stage, have seen the times when a good military force, well equipped, with twenty-four ball cartridges in their boxes, was a much more solid argument against an invading foe, and made a far deeper impression, especially if used, than all their paper manifestoes. But still we should all rejoice to see the time arrive, "when men shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, and learn war no more; " but the present aspect of things does not look much like such a conclusion.
I ought to have stated, in the proper place, that in the fall of 1814, early in October, the militia in this vicinity was called to Portland to aid in defending that place against an expected attack from a naval squadron of Great Britain, which hovered around our shores. Most of the soldiers marched off in high spirits, but some felt quite unwell. Happily, they did not come in contact with the enemy ; and a few days after their arrival in Portland, a detachment was made from the whole-probably about one-sixth part-and the rest returned home, very well satisfied with going a soldiering. The drafted men served about one month, or a little more.
On the 27th of Aug., 1818, the north company was called
101
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
out for a choice of officers, as Capt. William Parsons, Jr., had just been promoted to a Major, (and in regular rotation afterwards to Brigadier General.) The company promoted Lieut. Cad F. Jones to Captain, Ensign John Whitmarsh to Lieutenant, and elected David Noyes, Ensign. Previous to the May inspection, in 1820, Capt. Jones had resigned, and the company on that day proceeded to make choice as follows : John Whitmarsh, Captain, David Noyes, Lieutenant, and Thompson Hall, Ensign. Previous to May 12, 1821, Capt. Henry Rust, Jr., had retired from office; and according to orders, the south company met for the purpose of electing a Captain, and filling other vacancies ; John Millett, Jr., was promoted to Contain, Isaac Bennett to Lieutenant, and Amos Millett elected Ensign. Previous to the 10th of April, 1823, Ensign Amos Millett was selected as one of the Aids of Gen. William Parsons, Jr., and on that day the company elected John Richards (now John Lee) as Ensign. Previous to April 9, 1823, Ensign Thompson Hall was appointed Brigade Inspector, and in consequence the north company met on that day, and elected Jeremiah Foster as Ensign. May, 6, 1823, the south company made choice of Ensign John Richards for Lieutenant, and Malachi Bartlett for Ensign. About this
time, Henry W. Millett was promoted to the office of Major of the battalion of cavalry in this brigade. Capt. John Whitmarsh having retired from his command in the north company, said company met on the 2d of October, 1824, and elected Lieut. David Noyes, Captain, Ensign Jeremiah Fos- ter, Lieutenant, and Nathan Foster, Jr., Ensign. Previous to Oct. 25th, 1824, Capt. John Millett, Jr., having been promoted to a Major, (and subsequently to Colonel) the south company met on that day, and chose Lieut. John Richards, Captain, Henry C. Reed, Lieutenant ; and the following July "Thomas J. Cox was chosen Ensign in the same company. Prior to the 8th of April, 1826, having reaped a large har- vest of military glory, and resigned his commission, Capt.
102
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
David Noyes took leave of his company, which met on that day, and promoted Lieut. Jeremiah Foster to Captain, and elected Benjamin F. Hall, Lieutenant, and William Needham; Ensign, (Ensign Nathan Foster, Jr., being removed from us by death on the 19th of January previous.) After the resig- nation of Capt. Jeremiah Foster; the company, on the 22d of Aug., 1828, promoted Lieut. B. F. Hall to Captain, Wil- liam Needham to Lieutenant, and elected Ansel Town, Ensign. It appears that after the resignation of Capt. John Richards, in process of time the other two commissioned offi- cers also resigned their commissions, and Aug. 11, 1830, the south company elected Joseph Bennett, Captain, Hiram Mil- lett, Lieutenant, and William Hayes, Ensign. In 1831; Capt. B. F. Hall retired, and Ensign Ansel Town was chosen Captain, and William Stevens, Ensign; and on the 24th of Oct., 1832, William Stevens was promoted to Lieutenant, and Henry L. Noyes was elected Ensign. Prior to Sept. 13th, 1832, Capt. Joseph Bennett having been promoted to the rank of Major, the south company on that day promoted Hiram Millett to Captain, William Hayes, to Lieutenant, and elected Cephas Sampson Ensign. On the 20th of April, 1836, Capt. H. Millett and Lieut. Wm. Hayes having resigned their offices, the south company met, and Ensign Cephas Sampson was elected Captain, William Noble, Lieutenant, and Alanson M. Dunham, Ensign. They continued to serve the company for several years, till Capt. Sampson resigned, and was succeeded by Lieut. William Noble, and Ensign Dunham was promoted to Lieutenant ; after a while they both resigned their com- missions. Since that time several abortive attempts have beenr made to elect officers. David Sanborn was the last Captain elected in this company. He has never called the company out since he was commissioned, and he informs the writer that he has obtained his discharge. Previous to the first Tuesday in May, 1835, Capt. Ansel Town, of the north company, was promoted to the rank of Major, and Lieut. William Stevens
108
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
was raised to Captain, Henry L. Noyes to Lieutenant, and Amos F. Noyes was elected Ensign. Prior to May, 1836, Henry L. Noyes resigned his commission on account of lame- ness, and Amos F. Noyes succeeded him as Lieutenant ; Alva Hobbs was chosen Ensign. Sometime in the summer of 1836, Amos F. Noyes was promoted to Captain, Alva Hobbs to Lieutenant, and Washington French was elected Ensign. At the time of the Madawaska war, Capt. Amos F. Noyes, Lieut. Alva Hobbs, and Ensign Washington French were detailed as officers to march to Augusta, where they gained bloodless laurels with the rest of the officers and sol- diers in that campaign, and received the praise, from the soldiers under their command, of being strict in discipline, but attentive to the wants and comforts of those under them. After this war, Capt. A. F. Noyes was promoted to Lieu- tenant Colonel, Alva Hobbs to Captain, Washington French to Lieutenant, and James French elected Ensign. In 1842, Capt. A. Hobbs having resigned, Washington French was promoted to Captain, James French to Lieutenant, and Henry Upton elected Ensign. The next and last change elevated James French to the office of Captain, Henry Upton, Lieu- tenant, and Ebenezer Crowell, Ensign.
The last-named board of officers in the north company, and Capt. David Sanborn in the south company, were the last of the Military Heroes in the town of Norway- as the militia system in the State has now become defunct. Thus we see the end of an institution which all must acknowledge was formerly of the greatest utility and importance to the State and nation, but which, like all sublunary things, has faded away, and become obsolete. And probably many of the in- stitutions and associations of the present day are doomed to the same inglorious fate. Therefore, let none exult in a momentary triumph ; but remember the prophetic declaration of one of our finest poets, who says :
" Princes and lords may flourish, or may fade :
A breath can make them, as a breath has made."
104
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
I shall now, after humbly asking leave, go back to the old track, where I left off to take up the religious and military affairs, and commence with 1811; but before entering upon the affairs of that year, I will mention a few items which escaped my recollection at the proper time and place."
Samuel Ames, our venerable miller, had a child, aged six- teen months, drowned in the mill-pond in 1802.
In 1806, William Reed, Esq., our first post-master, had a sprightly little boy, aged three or four years, killed in the Village in a very sudden manner. His workmen had taken off the short cart-body for some cause, and left it standing on one end, by propping it up. Several little children, playing in the street, happened to get around this cart-body, and probably endeavored to climb upon it, when it fell upon this little boy, and killed him almost instantaneously. Thus were the fond hopes of the parents blasted in a moment. It was their oldest child.
In 1808, Daniel Town came to Norway, from Andover, Mass., and set up the blacksmith business at Fuller's Corner. He continued the work for many years, and was succeeded, in another shop, by his son-in-law, P. D. Judkins, who, two or three years ago, sold out his stand to E. R. Merrill, and went to farming. Town was the first blacksmith in the upper part of Norway, and at that time the inhabitants thought it a great convenience. Stephen Latham, about the same time, had a little shop near the Corner, for making nails. Wrought nails were then in vogue, and were worth one shilling per pound. He made most of his nails from refuse iron, such as old horse-shoes, ox-shoes, and other old affairs, which farmers could pick up. Maj. Cummings, while building the meeting- house, purchased his nail-rods in Portland, hauled them to Norway, and Mr. Latham made the nails; and some of us frequently had to go to Latham's shop to get nails to use about the house. Cut nails, above the size of shingle and clapboard nails, were hardly in use at that period.
105
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
The want of a store was considerably felt in the upper part of the town. In 1807, Deacon John Hor put up a frame for a small store on a corner of his land, near Fuller's Corner ; in 1808, William Lessley moved it across the road, partly finished it, and sold out to Uriah Holt, Esq. ; he fitted up the building, and Aaron Wilkins commenced trade in 1810, and traded there about three years. The store then stood unoc- cupied until May, 1817, when William Pingree went into it ; he traded about one year, and sold out to Jonathan Swift and Ansel Field. In about two years after, Swift bought out Field, and has been in trade in that place most of the time since. He, however, let his store to William Pingree in 1827, who occupied it about two years. He has sometimes had a partner, but at present the trade is conducted by his only son, Newton Swift. There has been a large quantity of goods sold at that Corner. Another store has recently been put up there by E. R. Merrill. I have thus run along with the story of the little place, just to show its beginning and progress.
Town officers for 1811: Job Eastman, Clerk; Joshua Smith, Treasurer; Nathan Noble, Solomon Millett, Henry Rust, Selectmen ; William Hobbs, Collector. Joshua Smith, Representative.
Total valuation, $48,204. Number of polls 224.
Money tax. For schools, - -
$600,00
Support of poor, and town charges, - 140,00
State tax, -
- - 77.33
County tax, - -
-
115,42
Total,
- -
- - $932,75
Highway tax on common roads, - $1244,93
For a new County road to Waterford, through the Hall neighborhood, - -
304,41
Total highway tax, - -
- $1549,34
The traders, as they were then called, stood on the valua- tion, for store and goods, as follows :
106
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
William Reed, -
A
$110,00
Joshua Smith, -
-
60,00
Cox and Robinson,
200,00
William Hobbs,
-
-
45,00
Aaron Wilkins, -
160,00
Value of stores and goods, - $575,00
This year was marked by very small additions to the popu- lation. The new immigrants were - James Small, James Bickford, John Small, John Thurston. Those living in the town, and becoming of age : Ebenezer Hobbs, Samuel Pike, James Crockett.
Town officers for 1812: Job Eastman, Clerk; Joshua Smith, Treasurer; Nathan Noble, Solomon Millett, Uriah Holt, Selectmen; William Hobbs, Collector. Joshua Smith, Representative.
Money tax. Schools, -
$600,00
Poor, and town expenses,
130,00
State tax, - -
-
138,66
County tax, - -
118,32
Extra County tax,
-
-
- 118,32
Total,
$1105,30
Highway tax, including extra roads, $1355,73. Number of polls, 242.
New immigrants : Edmund Bickford, George W. Cummings, Frye H. Eastman, Josiah Hill, Jr., Lemuel Lovejoy, William Noyes, Brackett Marston, William Pierce, Nathaniel Shaw, John Shed, Joel Town, Levi Whitman, Daniel H. Warren, Hosea White. Those arriving of age : Rufus Bartlett, Jr., Benjamin French, Israel Millett, Robert Pike, Job Perry, Melvin Pool, Asa Pool, Nathaniel Stevens. There was a large accession this year, but the reader must not conclude that the town retained all the additions noticed-as many of the young men, and some old and middle-aged, yearly left the place, either by removal to other places, or by death.
Town officers for 1813: Job Eastman, Clerk; Joshua
107
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Smith, Treasurer; Nathan Noble, Uriah Holt, Joshua Crock- ett, Selectmen; Jacob French, Collector. Levi Whitman, Esq., Representative.
Amount of valuation, $51,408. Number of polls, 230; number of scholars over four years and under twenty-one, 483.
Highway tax. Town voted, $1000.
Moncy tax. Schools,
$500,00
Poor, and town expenses,
-
100,00
State tax, -
-
- 138,66
County tax,
-
-
118,32
=
Total,
$850,98
New immigrants since the last valuation : Joseph Clifford, Elijah Hall, Jeremiah Henley, James Munroe, Bela Noyes, Charles Newell, Abner Pingree, Moses Roberts, Samuel Lord, Andrew Gould, John Haynes, Stephen P. Watson, William Morrell, Asa Noyes, Levi Frank, Joseph Dolley, Josiah Hill, Artemas Rawson. Those who resided in town and had become taxable : Joshua Crockett, Jr., Peter Frost, William Frost, John Needham, Jr., William Pingree, Henry R. Parsons, Amos Stevens.
In the course of 1812, the "Lee Grant," so called, was purchased by Edward Little, Esq., and this year was taxed to him ; it was also lotted out, and offered for sale. This had been much desired by many young men in town for several years.
Near the close of this year, or early in Jan., 1814, a very remarkable incident took place, in the disappearance of a young man, a son of Benjamin Witt, the first blacksmith in Rustfield. On Thursday morning Mr. Witt killed a couple of hogs for the market, and about noon started for Portland, leaving his son, who had assisted him in butchering, to sec to the cattle, &c., in his absence. In the afternoon, the weather being stormy, Mrs. Witt noticed that the cattle were not put up in the barn, but concluded that her son had gone to school ; she therefore gave herself no uneasiness until the other chil-
108
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
dren returned from school, and she learned that he had not been there. They sent to several of the neighbors to inquire for him, but could learn nothing. The next day diligent search was made, but no trace of him found; and the search was continued for several days by many men, sometimes, probably, nearly one hundred, but without success. Mr. Witt reached home on Saturday night, with a heavy heart, having heard the sad news on his way. There were eight or ten inches of snow on the ground, which lay very still and level, and every track was followed to its termination, but nothing led to the least discovery of his whereabouts ; and no intelligence has ever been gained of him to the present day. Mr. Witt was one of the volunteers in Capt. Bodwell's company, which marched one year before to Burlington ; he took his two oldest sons with him as soldiers in that campaign, and had returned in safety but a few days before this wonder- ful disappearance of his son. To add to the strangeness of the thing, he went away with his old clothes on, which he wore about the butchering, leaving a new suit in his chest, and also a considerable lot of change. Some almost harbored the idea that he was murdered; but the dead make no revela- tions, nor have the living, on this subject.
Town officers for 1814: Job Eastman, Clerk; Joshua Smith, Treasurer; Nathan Noble, Uriah Holt, Joshua Crock- ett, Selectmen ; Jacob French, Collector. Levi Whitman, Esq., Representative.
Highway tax, $1200.
Schools, - -
-
-
$500,00
Poor, and town expenses,
-
-
130,00
State tax, - -
-
-
138,66
County tax, -
- -
- 118,32
Total money tax,
-
-
1
$886,98
There is a little obscurity about matters this year, and I shall only add as new-comers-Philip Hezelton, Jonathan
109
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Hall, Ichabod Leighton, Adam Bradbury, a son of Joseph Bradbury, and Alvin Boyden.
Town officers for 1815 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua Smith, Treasurer; Nathan Noble, Uriah Holt, Aaron Wil- kins, Selectmen; Jeremiah Hobbs, Jr., Collector. Levi Whitman, Esq., Representative.
Valuation, $50,217. Number of polls 245. Highway tax, as assessed, $1255,24.
State tax, - -
- - $218,71
Town and County tax, by the bills, -
922,66
Total money ta .: , - -
- $1141,37
There was quite an accession to the population this year ; but it is possible that some of them came in 1814, as the old papers of that year were rather lean. Immigrants : James D. Sawyer, Allan Bartlett, Josiah Smith, William Cordwell, William Corson, Charles Cleaves, John Davis, David S. Hall, Thompson Hall, Abram Jordan, John Jordan, Nathan Morse, Ephraim Crockett, Samuel Shackley, Isaac Smith, John Twitchell, Peter Town. Old settlers' sons as follows : Simeon Noble, Joshua Perry, Jonathan Stevens, Nathaniel P. Shed, Nathaniel Young, Jr., Samuel Crockett, John Hobbs, John Witt. The opening of the "Lee Grant " for settlement con- tributed some towards an increase of population; the whole tract began to be dotted with openings and houses, (some of them log-houses ) and other beginnings towards making farms.
Towards the latter part of February, the news of peace reached us, and joyful news it was. The Treaty of Ghent was ratified by our government Feb. 17, and our jollification and rejoicing occurred about the 20th. In 1814, I left my school to make ball-cartridges for the soldiers when they marched to Portland, but now I left it rather early in the afternoon to help the boys, and even the men of all classes, make preparations for their evening rejoicing. Several of the larger houses were handsomely illuminated, and the delightful
110
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
word, "PEACE," exhibited in many a window. The boys had a little home-made artillery-piece, and although gunpow- der was very dear, there was a plenty furnished; crackers and squibs were also added to help along; and to cap the climax, uncle Nat Bennett happened to have a tar-barrel, with a few gallons of tar in it, which was sent for, mounted on a hand-sled, set on fire, and drawn through our beautiful street, amidst the popping of crackers and squibs, the roar of the boys' artillery, and the loud huzzas of boys of " larger growth." And though there might have been some diversity of opinion in regard to the policy of the war, one thing is certain, that here in the country, and in the sea-ports, all were united in hailing with joy the news of peace. But per- haps some of my young readers will ask for what cause this war was declared by our government ? I will tell them as well as I can. At that time, and for several years previous, Europe was convulsed with war, and England stood almost alone in resisting the power of France, which, under the lead of the great Napoleon, was fast climbing towards the pinnacle of military glory-that is, to universal rule in Europe. England of course 'wanted, and probably needed, all her sea- men-as her naval force was her main instrument both of defence and attack. Under a long-cherished, though false- founded, notion that she had a right to take her own native subjects, in whatever land or ship they might be found, she had long made a practice of searching our merchant-vessels, and sometimes armed vessels, to find British-born subjects ; and oftentimes would make mistakes, and impress American- born seamen. This assumption of the right of search was a crying sin in the sight of our people and government; and, among a multitude of other grievances, this caused the war of 1812. An exemption from unreasonable searches and seizures is guaranteed to the people of the United States, and of this State, in the strongest constitutional manner ; and therefore ought to be forever maintained at all hazards. The
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.