USA > Maine > Oxford County > Norway > The history of Norway: > Part 4
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
in doing the thousand errands intrusted to his care. He finally raised the character of the line to an eminent pitch, and before the conveyance by cars took place, it was not un- common to see three, or more, four-horse coaches come into Norway Village, all loaded to overflowing-bringing some- times sixty passengers.
About December, 1819, a company of sixteen individuals got up a two-horse stage to run from Norway Village to Bethel, and finally to Lancaster, New Hampshire. We en- countered much opposition at first in regard to the mail, but at length made it a popular and profitable line, till superseded by the railroad. Anthony Bennett, the son of Capt. Anthony Bennett, was one of the company, and was the driver for sey- eral years, and raised the character of the line, as business on the route increased, so much, that the company sold out the concern without any loss or trouble; which was doing pretty well for so wild a project, as it was called at the be- ginning. Orren Hobbs, a grandson of Jeremiah Hobbs. drove some on this route, and on the Portland route in Waterhouse's employ; afterwards he was on the route from Portland to Augusta. For a few years previous to the commencement of railroad conveyance, A. A. Latham drove a four-horse coach from Norway to Bethel and Shelburne, on the Lancaster route, and he was considered a very gentlemanly driver. Both Hobbs and Latham have been transferred to the cars as conductors, which shows pretty clearly how they were es- tecmed as drivers of coaches for public conveyance.
After Mr. Reed retired from the post-office, G. J. Ordway, (a son of Amos Ordway, who married, for a second wife, Mary Ames, the oldest daughter of Samuel Amnes, the first miller in Rustfield, ) was appointed post-master, and kept the office a few years ; he was succeeded by Asa Thayer, who a few years before came from Paris to Norway ; and in 1849, Elliot Smith, the present incumbent, succeeded to the office. Elliot Smith is the youngest son of Joshua Smith, and the
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
only one living. I ask pardon for getting so for ahead, as to dates ; but I thought the reader would better understand the matter in regard to our post-office and mail concerns, if it was related altogether-therefore I have made this digress- ion ; but I will now return back to 1801.
In 1801, Amos Upton built a grist-mill on a brook about three-fourths of a mile westerly of Fuller's Corner. It was rather a rudely constructed thing, as he did almost all the work himself, even to the making of the mill-stones. His oldest son, Francis Upton, afterwards owned said mill, and tended it for many years. In the drought of summer there was not sufficient water to grind ; but at other times it did considerable business, and was a great convenience to the settlers in the northwest part of the town. Amos Upton, Jr., another son of Amos Upton, succeeded his brother Francis ; he built a new mill on the same stream, a little above the old one, and lid considerable business in grinding. Jonathan Swift, some twenty-five years ago, succeeded Amos Upton, Jr., and after- wards built a new mill, which is still in operation.
This year, Phinchas Whitney, on the Waterford three tiers, had the misfortune to lose his house by fire. It was a log house, to be sure ; but it was all he had. It was quite a dis- tressing circumstance to him and his family, who were in rather poor circumstances before the loss. Mr. Whitney was a soldier through all the revolutionary war. He was in the battle of Bunker Hill, and I have often heard him tell the story of that memorable contest. He said that just as he had put his last charge into his gun, the British forces had about reached their rude breastwork; a British officer mounted the embankment, and cried out to his soldiers to " rush on, as the fort was their own; " Whitney then took deliberate aim at him, and, to use his own language, "let him have it," and he fell into the entrenchment. He then clubbed his musket, and cleared his way the best he could, and finally made good his retreat.
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Jacob Frost, who moved from Tewksbury, Mass., into Nor- way, in 1800, was also in the battle of Bunker Hill. He was severely wounded in the hip by a musket ball, and taken prisoner. Afterwards he was carried to Halifax, where he was immured in a filthy prison, and his wound poorly attended to-the ball never being extracted ; he remained there several months, and suffered almost everything but death. While yet very lame, he, with three fellow-prisoners, planned a way to escape, by removing a stone, and digging out under the wall of their prison. This they effected without discovery ; but, sad to relate, one of their number was too large to get through the opening, and after using every possible exertion, he had to be pushed back into his cell, and left to his lonely and miserable fate. Frost and the other two made their way to the nearest thicket, or woods, and as soon as daylight began to appear, they concealed themselves as best they could, where they lay till darkness again covered their flight. Mr. Frost was still too lame to make much headway, but his companions in suffering proved true and faithful friends, and did not leave him, but helped him along-oftentimes carrying him on their backs. Frost was concealed under a large tree turned up by the roots, and a quantity of old leaves thrown over him, dur- ing the first day. In the morning they were missed; pursuit and search were immediately made for them, and while he was under the old tree, some soldiers came along on the trail of the fugitives, and sat down to rest themselves, and talked over the matter of the escape of the prisoners, on the same log under which he lay concealed. Kind reader, can you imagine how the poor lame soldier felt while his pursuers were sitting on the log and discussing the subject ? Don't you think his heart went pit-a-pat ? However, as a kind Provi- dence ordered it, the fugitives were not discovered, and as soon as night spread its sable mantle over the earth, they groped their way along as fast as possible ; they suffered very much from hunger, having no food but a few dry crusts, which
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
they had saved from their scanty daily allowance while they were preparing the way to escape. After their old, mouldy crusts were gone, they were almost driven to desperation ; and one night they carefully approached a house in hopes of find-' ing something to appease their hunger; but after a long search they could find nothing for food, except an old shoe, which they tore to pieces and chewed the leather; and Mr. Frost has said that was the sweetest morsel he ever ate. Oc- casionally they could steal a hen from some farm-yard or barn; but then they had to eat it raw, lest they should be discovered by the smoke of their fire if they attempted to cook it. Thus they wandered many nights, and concealed themselves many days, until they had left a long distance be- tween them and their loathsome prison; and they then began to venture out cautiously in the daytime. One day, being sorely oppressed with bunger, they ventured up to a house, and rapped at the door; a woman came to the door, and they asked her for something to eat. She eyed them closely, then bade them enter, and hastily set food before them; she told them to eat what they would, take some to carry with them, and hasten away as soon as possible: for if her husband should come in he probably would secure them if he could. What a heavenly trait there is in woman ! Her heart is al- ways touched with sympathy for the distressed. They prob- ably oftener act from the impulse of the moment than the stronger sex ; but that they possess more tender feelings of benevolence to the suffering, can hardly be doubted by any one who has carefully studied human nature. After filling their stomachs and pockets, they stole away as carefully as they came. After a long and hungry wandering, they finally completed their escape. Mr. Frost reached his native town, and afterwards emigrated to the town of Norway, where he lived to a good old age. He like to have died, however, with the bullet in his hip; he often, in former times, told the writer that it never had been extracted; but it was finally
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
removed a few years before his death. He was a little lame, and had a stiffness in his hip till he died, January 28th, 1839, aged 84 years.
Previous to 1802, I find the following increase of new set- tlers, viz: Josiah Blanchard, John Bancroft, John Case, Enoch Merrill, Enoch Merrill, Jr., Daniel Merrill, Alexan- der Mills, Amos Cummings, (son of the proprietor of Cum- mings Gore) William Bartlett, Daniel Holt, William Hobbs, second son of Jeremiah Hobbs, James Packard, Jonathan Pottle, Timothy Stone, Joseph Stone, Paul Twombly, Wil- liam Twombly, John Hix, Asa Hix, Daniel Davis, John Hor, Samuel Pingree, Joseph Gallison, Samuel Smith. John Ord- way, Samuel Watson, Benjamin Tucker, Dr. Heath, and probably a few more, that have not come to the knowledge of the writer.
Town officers for 1802-Job Eastman, Clerk ; Job East- man, Treasurer : Job Eastman, Cad F. Jones, and Jonathan Woodman, Selectmen.
State tax, $77,33; Town and County tax, $1845,60; number of polls 160; number of houses 65, barns 55. It may be understood that they did not tax log houses and barns, and this accounts for the small number of houses in propor- tion to the polls. I have not been able to find any highway tax for this year ; but it probably was about the same as the money tax, and blended with it, as the whole sum is large.
This year, William Hobbs, (second son of Jeremiah Hobbs) commenced trade ; his shop was valued at $20-stock in trade $50. Benjamin Tucker, born in Canton, Mass., came from Worcester, Mass., to this town, the same year, and set up the saddle and harness-making business-the first in the town. He engaged in the business successfully for many years, and his oldest son, Benjamin Tucker, Jr., continues it to very good advantage.
I find a Dr. Heath on the valuation this year, but he was ~ not the first doctor in the place. Dr. Shannon was the first,
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
who stayed but a short time, and was succeeded by Dr. Bar- rett, who soon gave place to Dr. Heath. About 1803, he was succeeded by Dr. Swett, who left in 1805; and in the fall of that year Dr. Moses Ayer came into the town, and continued to practice till about 1824, and was generally es- teemed as a very good physician. He then removed to Sangerville, but in the latter part of his life was subjeet to insanity, and died in the insane hospital a few years since. Dr. Asa Danforth come into Norway about 1821, and remains here at the present time; he has had an extensive practice. Dr. Jonathan S. Millett, (a son of John Millett) was born in this town. After studying his profession, and trying some other places, he settled down in his native town about 1825, and has ever had a large practice. Dr. Danforth and Dr. Millett, at the present day, and for many years past, proba- bly stand as high in the estimation of the community as any medical characters in this section of the country. Dr. Jesse Howe has recently settled in this town, and so far appears to be successful. He is a grandson of our first mail-carrier. I had almost forgotten to mention one other physician and sur- geon, Dr. French, who resided in the town a year or more .about 1825. He performed a critical operation on a child of the writer, for blindness, caused by cataracts in both eyes, and was successful in restoring the child's sight in a great measure. He also amputated a leg for Phinehas Whitney, the old soldier, when he was seventy-five years of age ; the old gentleman did well, and lived five or six years after, en- joying good health for so old a person. I speak well of the surgeon's skill, but no further. Dr. Thomas Roberts, a stu- dent of Dr. Millett, partially located himself in the upper part of Norway, after completing his studies, about 1831 ; he practiced a few years with very good success, and much to the satisfaction of his employers. He then removed to Rum- ford, where he still continues his practice, and has the repu- tation of a good physician. Dr. Nathaniel Grant partially
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
settled in this town about the time Dr. Roberts left; after a short practice he removed to Wakefield, N. H. He married the only daughter of William Hobbs. Dr. Leander Tripp also settled in the upper part of the town, near Swift's Corner, about 1840, and remained there a few years, not having a very ex- tensive practice. There was also a Thompsonian practitioner, of the name of Carsley, from about 1846 to 1848, but much need not be said of him. In short, no town has more reason to be satisfied with its physicians than the town of Norway fer the last forty years, and we hope to be as fortunate for the next forty.
Joel Frost had the misfortune to have his barn burnt on the fourth day of May, this year. It was caused by fire flying from a felled piece, which Ward Noyes, his nearest neighbor, was burning. Mr. Frost had been assisting him in setting the piece on fire, and they thought there was no danger; but the wind shifted suddenly, and fire was blown among the litter at the side of the barn, enveloping it in flames in a few minutes. This was a serious loss to Mr. Frost, as the barn was nearly new, and large for that day ; and much difficulty and expense attended the transportation of boards from Rust's mill at that time, owing to the newness and roughness of the road. This year Benjamin Flint built a good house, having lived till this time in one of logs.
In the fall of 1802, we had the first regimental muster, probably, that took place in the County of Oxford-at all events, the first in this regiment. The place of parade was on the spot which I shall now call the burnt district, about where Anthony Bennett's buildings stood, and just west of the little bowling-alley. The land was then new, and not much cleared, but had had the trees and bushes cut down and burnt over a short time before. This muster was a great day among the ether days of that time. The citizens of the place turned out voluntarily, and cleared off the logs and wood remaining on the ground; they pulled and knocked up the small stumps, and
4
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
leveled the inequalities of the ground as well as they could for this important occasion. Martial music at that day, in this place, was an enlivening/affair, as we had but little of it; and in order to be well prepared for the occasion, John Bennett, a younger brother of Anthony and Nathaniel Bennett, then quite a young man, went down to New Gloucester and obtained a perter fife, and on the evening before the muster, delighted the boys and girls, and even older ones, by playing a few tunes as a kind of prelude to the much-longed-for, coming day.
The officers of the regiment were as follows :- Levi Hub- bard, of Paris, Colonel ; Mark Andrews, of Buckfield, William Livermore, of Livermore, Majors ; William C. Whitney, of Hebron, Adjutant. The Companies were from Buckfield, Rumford, Francis Keyes, Captain, Hebron, Paris, Otisfield, Mores, Captain, Norway, Jonathan Cummings, Captain. Six companies in all ;- a pretty formidable military force, and armed with muskets of every color, length, and caliber ; some with bayonets, and more without ; but the greater part would burn powder, which some of them had learned the smell of at Bunker Hill, Saratoga, Yorktown, and other places, during our revolutionary struggle. The officers of the several companies, at least the captains, were armed with a sword and a spontoon ; and the uniform was a tri-cornered cocked-hat, deep blue coat, faced with bright red broadcloth, the facing turned out about four inches on each side of the front, buff or yellow vest and pants for the field officers, and white or cream-colored vest and pants for the company officers ; and they looked grand, I tell you-especially those who bore a shining epaulette on one or both shoulders.
On the opposite side of the street, about where the post-office and Beal's block now stand, Ensign Reed had a lot of boards piled along by the side of the fence ; and these served nicely for the " shanty fixings," where some of the good dames sold cakes, pies, maple sugar, (candy was hardly born then) and other little refreshments ; while men and boys sold a little
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
liquor, such as good old "white-face and molasses," known then by the sober cognomen of black strap, with a little old Holland and Cogniac for the use of the officers and other gen- tlemen of distinction-but all good enough. No fault was found either with the cakes, liquor, soldiers, or officers-in fact, everything seemed propitious, excepting that in the afternoon the wind blew rather strong, and the dirt and dust becoming pretty thoroughly stirred up by the horses' hoofs, and being rather dark colored from recent burning, the buff and white pants looked tremendously-for many of them appeared as if they were putting on mourning for the wash-tub.
The regiment performed many maneuvers and evolutions laid down by old "Steuben," and other military tactitians. Both soldiers and officers received the hearty applause and ap- probation of all the lookers-on, and that was "glory enough for one day." The place felt proud of the parade, the soldiers felt proud of their officers, and the officers felt proud of their soldiers, but much more so of themselves. In short, it was a day of high exultation with all, as it seemed to revive up, and rekindle the patriotic feelings which had pervaded the bosoms of many old soldiers through the long war that had achieved our National Independence.
The concourse of people was immensely large, and fortunately no accident occurred to mar the enjoyments and festivities of the day. The regiment, although afterwards curtailed of a part of its territory, continued to increase in numbers and " military graces," until it embraced within its limits ten com- panies of infantry, one of artillery, one of riflemen, one of cavalry, and two of light infantry. But those days of military parade and glory have passed away, and are now numbered among the things that are not ; and probably a like fate awaits many of the things of the present day.
Adjutant William C. Whitney is still amongst the living, and resides in this town. He came into this new country, to Hebron, when a young man, and has passed through much
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
hard labor and toil, and many offices of honor and profit. (the office of Councillor to the Governor several years, and sheriff of the County of Oxford for many years more, ) and has accu- mulated a large share of this world's goods, which, according to the course of nature, he must, in a few years at most. leave to others. Thus we are all passing away, like the rippling waters of a stream, every day carrying us nearer to the ocean of Eternity.
This train of thought about old by-gone things brings freshly to my mind another of the old worthies of the revolution, and of the first settlement of this town, Samuel Ames. He was the drummer at this famous muster, and the first man that beat a drum in the town of Norway. He was the first miller, and made about the first wagons that were built in the town; and he was first in many other things pertaining to those old-fash- ioned times. He was 93 years old Feb. 25, 1852, but up to that time, and after, retained his physical and mental faculties in a remarkable manner. I have spent days with him, taking notes of events that occurred in the early settlement of this town, prior to my personal knowledge of the place and people. He was very clear on all subjects which ever came within his notice, and particularly so in regard to dates. It makes my heart feel sad to be so often called upon to part with these standard settlers. Since his last birth-day, while discoursing with him about "old things," he, with a smile on his counte- nance, observed to me that he delighted to help me to every thing within his recollection, but added he, "I feel a presenti- ment that I shall not live to see the book." And it seems his presentiment was verified, for he departed this life March 18, 1852, much lamented.
In 1803, Town officers as follows : Joseph Rust, Clerk ; Job Eastman, Treasurer ; Benjamin Witt, Nathan Noble, and Timothy Stone, Selectmen.
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
State tax,
-
Town voted to raise for schools, -
$ 77,33 300,00
Town charges, - -
20,00
Total, -
- - $397,33
Number of Polls 162. Highway tax same year, $803,18. Can not find any County tax for this year. At another niceting held at the house of Joseph Stevens some time this year, the town voted to raise $150 to repair the pond bridge, so called, near Rufus Bartlett's.
This year, Henry Rust, Jr., a son of Henry Rust, the proprietor of Rustfiekl, became an inhabitant of the town ; also Samuel Pingree, Stephen Pingree, Jr., Elijah Flint, Charles Kinsman, and some others. Besides the addition made by new-comers, several of the sons of the early settlers had now become of age, and were many of them beginning to make settlements for themselves. William Lessley and Amasa Lessley had become of age, and now lived on the same farm on which their father, George Lessley, began ; ho being one of the first five settlers who came into Rustfield, and died in 1800, as I find the estate taxed to his widow in 1801. Joel Stevens, Jr., the oldest son of Joel Stevens, about this time, or previous, began on a lot on the Waterford three tiers ; he raised corn one year, and then sold out to the Pingrecs. Mr. Stevens lived in the town many years, and in many places, and died in Otisfield, 1847. Daniel Davis, John Case, Morton Curtis, Noah Curtis, Levi Frank, George Doughty, and Thomas Wood, were new-comers into the town. Among the sons of the old settlers, besides those already named, were Amos Upton, Jr., Daniel Stevens, Jonas Ste- vens, Frye Lovejoy, Micah Upton, Daniel Knight, Jr., and probably some others.
The military affairs underwent some change this year. Capt. Jonathan Cummings was promoted to a Major in the regiment, and Anthony Bennett promoted from a Lieutenant to Captain, and Ward Noyes chosen Lieutenant.
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
This year; David Frost, an old gentleman, and John Frost. his oldest son, and three other sons, Robert, Peter, and Wil- liam, moved into Norway, upon Frost's hill, so called; also Samuel Andrews and Moses Gammon commenced farms in the same neighborhood. They came from Gorham, Maine. Daniel Young, this year, came from New Gloucester, and set up the hatting business with Joseph Gallison. I find William Bartlett on the books this year ; he moved here from Hebron, where he had lived two or three years, but originally came from Plymouth, Mass. He had a family of several children, the oldest of whom was Esther Bartlett, well known for many years as a tailoress. She and her sister Emily plied their needles with diligence for many years, and during the last years of their parents' lives, who lived to a very ad- vanced age, they manifested the most filial affection towards them, always doing all in their power to render their old age comfortable and happy. An example worthy of imitation by all future sons and daughters. Amos Town, from Andover, Mass., came into Norway this year, and felled trees on the Cummings Gore, in order to settle permanently in the place.
Town officers for 1804 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Job East- man, Treasurer; Benjamin Witt, Nathan Noble, and Timothy Stone, Selectmen ; Jonathan Swett, Collector .. It appears that Ebenezer Whitmarsh was mostly Collector of taxes from the incorporation of the town up to 1804; and the bills were this year taken from Swett and given to Whitmarsh, and he was succeeded by Aaron Wilkins, who collected the taxes for one year.
At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Nor- way, held at the house of Maj. Jonathan Cummings, in said town, March 5, 1804, the following sums of money were voted to be raised, viz : Voted to raise nine hundred dollars to be laid out in repairing the highways, $900,00
Voted to raise for the support of schools, 350.00
Voted to raise to defray town charges, 120,00
.
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Voted to raise to purchase Weights and Measures, 75,00 Voted for the support of the poor, 150,00
$1595,00
State tax, $77,33. County tax missing. Number of polls 169 ; number of scholars 320. Total value of rateable property in the town of Norway, as taken by the assessors in the year of our Lord 1804, $40,977.
I came from Massachusetts into the town of Norway, Fcb. 12th, 1804, and must be pardoned if I give a short deserip- tion of the appearance of the place at that early day. There were three two-story buildings in the Village, viz : the Recd store, which has lately been remodelled, and an addition put to it, by Robert Noyes, the old house recently occupied by Ichabod Bartlett, Esq., and the old Samuel Smith house; which formerly stood where William C. Whitney's house now stands. There were a few other houses in the Village, but mostly small and poor. There were six more two-story houses in other parts of the town, viz : Nathaniel Bennett's, Dudley Pike's, the Rust house on the hill, Amos Hobbs', Joel Ste- vens', and Jonathan Cummings ; and the house in the Village now owned by John Deering was in progress of building, by John Ordway. I think that about that time, or soon after, Capt. Henry Rust brought a chaise into the Village, from Salem ; and there was no other wheeled carriage in the town, except a very few ox-carts and ox-wagons, which were scarce articles at that time. There was not such a thing as a cart or wagon west of Fuller's Corner, and not a one-horse wagon in the town before 1809. The vehicles for winter conveyance were about of the same character as those for summer. The farmers who were able had a double market sleigh or sled, and generally a one-horse pung, as they used to call them ; they were usually made by setting the studs into the top- pieces, and bending on the runners, which were made of a straight, tough leverwood or becch, and a seat to lay across
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