USA > Maine > Oxford County > Norway > The history of Norway: > Part 5
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
when the ladies rode to a meeting or a party. In the sun- mer, or fall, when the ladies rode, it was on horse-back, either alone, or behind their husband or beau ; and if behind, often on a pillion, if they had one. Now, girls, don't laugh; for I have seen as pretty girls ride in this manner as I ever saw in my life, as old as I am.
The first fire in the Village took place about this time ; the building was a potash-loss not very distressing. There was one other potash in the town, first put up by Maj. Jona- than Cummings, and after a few years purchased by Benjamin . Fuller, and moved up to Fuller's Corner. Fuller used to take ashes of the inhabitants in that part of the town, and pay them in molasses, salt-fish, salt, &c., which he received in exchange for his potash. It helped make business for Mr. Fuller, and he was a business man at that day.
In 1805, Town officers as follows : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Job Eastman, Treasurer ; Henry Rust, Jr., Nathan Noble, and Aaron Wilkins, Selectmen ; Aaron Wilkins, Collector.
Valuation of taxable property, $41,717. Number of polls, 187 ; houses 80 ; barns 79. Town voted to raise money as follows : For schools, 400,00 -
For support of poor, and town charges,
200,00
To pay Collector, - - -
24.00
$624,00
State tax, - - -
$77.33
Overlaid to pay Collector,
-
2.93
$80,26
I can not determine the exact amount of highway tax, but think it to be about $800.
The following persons became inhabitants of the town pre- vious to the taking of this valuation : Ebenezer Jenkins, Moses Ayer, Luther Farrar, Josiah Farrar, James Flint, Elijah Flint, Moses Holt, Daniel Holt, Jesse Howe, John Needham, Stephen Pingree, Hezekiah Pingree, Solomon
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Root, Joseph HI. Root, Joseph Shackley, John Thomas, John Shaw, Eliphalet Watson, Ebenezer Watson, Asa Ricker, Jou- athan Shed, John Bennett, Thomas Beal. The following persons, sons of the older settlers, had now become of age, and were taxed for their own polls, and property, if they had acquired any, and many of them were beginning to make farms for themselves : Asa Lovejoy, Jr., John Pike, Jr., Enoch Lovejoy, Enoch Knight, James Buck, Jared M. Buck, Stephen Bartlett, and probably some others, both of new im- migrants, and those arriving at the age of twenty-one years.
I must say a word about some of the new immigrants into the place. Moses Ayer I have already spoken of as one of our doctors. Luther Farrar was of the legal profession, (a lawyer, as the common phrase is, ) and as a lawyer his char- acter was (I was almost on the point of saying) spotless; and if any should say that he was not a great man, I think there are none to say that he was not a good man. Ever bland and courteous in his deportment and intercourse with all, he was emphatically a peacemaker among his fellow-men. He never encouraged any frivolous, dirty litigation, but endeav- ored to bring about an amicable adjustment of such difficulties as ought to be settled without resort to legal process. He married Mercy A. Whiting, from New Ipswich, N. H. She came here in the fall of 1806, and the probability is that he came some time in 1804. His health while here was rather delicate, and his debility finally terminated in consumption, of which he died, much lamented, early in the spring of 1812. He had an extensive run of business, and built the house and office now occupied by Levi Whitman, who became a partner in business with Mr. Farrar a few months before his death ; and finally succeeded him in almost everything-that is, in business, property, (partly by purchase, ) and wife-as after a few years he married Mr. Farrar's widow, who was, and still is, a very amiable and capable woman ; and what I consider as another item of importance, Mr. Whitman has always pur-
58
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
sued the same peaceful course as his predecessor, by discoun- tenancing all frivolous and mean litigation. During Mr. Farrar's lifetime, another attorney by the name of Adams made an attempt to settle here ; but the soil did not at that time prove strong enough to bear two lawyers, and he retired. In 1832 and '33, William A. Evans made a short stand in Norway, as an attorney, and did some business for the time he was here, but finding the feed rather short, sought a better field. Moses B. Bartlett, an attorney from Bethel, and Wil- liam W. Virgin, an attorney from Rumford, came into Norway Village three years or more ago ; they are doing a decent business, and bid very fair to become useful and eminent gentlemen of the legal profession. I do not feel disposed to eulogize living characters too strongly, lest it might excite feelings of vanity in the subjects, and of envy in the minds of others ; but I will add one word in regard to Mr. Virgin, who has commenced one very important suit since coming here, and it has had a happy termination in his marriage with a daughter of H. G. Cole, Esq. Mr. Bartlett married a lady from Brunswick before coming to Norway.
Josiah Farrar, a brother to Luther Farrar, was a clothier ; he stayed here a few years only, and then went to Waterford. Daniel Holt and Moses Holt were blacksmiths, and worked in the Village. Moses died many years ago. Daniel was always a persevering mechanic, till old age abated his activity. He still lives in the Village, enjoying a competence-the fruit of an industrious life. John Shaw put in operation at the Steep Falls a carding-machine, the first in the town or vicinity. Ile was succeeded by Samuel Ratcliff, in the same machine, a few years after. Carding and clothier's work, at that period, and for twenty or thirty years after, were almost indispensable to the inhabitants. Few people wore any finer cloth than that made in their own families ; and, in fact, gentlemen were proud to appear dressed in a suit of clothes spun and woven by their own wives and daughters. The spinning-wheel and
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
the loom made cheering music in almost every house. Gen- tlemen in broadcloth, and ladies in silk were rather rare articles, and appeared but seldom in this "down east " coun- try at that early period. Joseph Shackley undertook the management of Rust's tan-yard, where he continued to tan and curry hides for many years, and did well, too, in the old fashioned way.
This year, the first saw-mill in the Village was destroyed by fire, in March, but was rebuilt during the summer fol- lowing. William Beal. had tended the saw-mill for several years previous, and continued to for four or five years after.
The County of Oxford was organized this year, it having heretofore formed a part of Cumberland County. Joseph Rust, of Norway, was chosen Register of Deeds for said County, and served in that office till his death, which took place in the spring of 1815. He was an excellent Register, as the books will now show on examination. In order to avoid mistakes as to dates, among such a multiplicity of items to be noticed, I shall here give a list of such persons belong- ing, or having belonged to the town, as have served as officers of the County since its organization :
Joseph Rust, Register of Deeds, served ten years. 1807: Henry Rust, County Treasurer, and served till his decease in 1820, thirteen years. 1815 ; Levi Whitman, County Attor- ney, and served till 1833, eighteen years. 1820; Henry Rust, Jr., County Treasurer, and served till 1829, ten years. 1838; David Noyes, County Commissioner, and again in 1841, served two years. 1838; Henry W. Millett, Sheriff, and again in 1841, served two years. 1842; Jonathan B. Smith, County Commissioner, and served till 1845, four years. Jonathan Swift has been Senator in the State Legislature two years.
I will now return back to the old track, and begin again with 1806. The name of the town Clerk has now become stereotpyed, and will remain so for forty years.
60
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
In 1806, Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Rust. Treasurer ; Joseph Rust, Anthony Bennett, and Aaron Wilkins, Select- men ; James French, Collector of taxes.
Money tax, embracing State, County, and town, $816,11. Poll tax in the assessment, $1. Highway tax, as assessed, $1016,68. Poll tax in the same, $2. Number of polls, 181; scholars, 393.
The following persons moved into town previous to the taking of the valuation for this year : John Wagg, a Baptist minister, Ephraim Twombly. Willis Sampson, Aaron Shackley, Jonathan Pollard, Benjamin Peabody, Edward Oaks, Thomas Judkins, Moses Houghton, Stephen Greenleaf, Holmes Doten, Thomas George. The following became of age, and were taxed in their own names : Anjier Tubbs, James Packard, Jr., Zephaniah Frost, Frederick Coburn, who came from Massa- chusetts in 1800 with Ward Noyes, and was an apprentice at the carpenter and joiner business, Daniel Cummings, John Cummings.
There was a total eclipse of the sun on the 16th day of June, and it was so dark that a few stars were visible ; birds acted as though they were retiring for night, and all things appeared gloomy and dark.
Town officers in 1807 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Rust, Treasurer ; Aaron Wilkins. William Parsons, and Cad F. Jones, Selectmen ; James French, Collector of taxes.
State tax for 1807, -
$107.33
County tax, - - -
Town tax, - - -
89.54 750,00
37,43 Deficiency of highway tax for 1806, - Overlayings, - 29,89
Total amount of Collector's bills, -
$1014,19 Highway tax, $1208.65. Poll tax on highway, $2, and in money tax, $1,50. Number of polls, 184; scholars, 407.
New immigrants into the town this year : Joseph Brad- bury, Isaac Lovejoy, Daniel Smith, Jonathan Shed, Jr.,
61
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Elijah Jordan, John Clifford, Francis Butcher, David Major, Increase Robinson. Those arriving at twenty-one years of age. and taxed in their own names, were : James French. Jr., Jeremiah Hobbs, Jr., Jeremiah Hobbs, 3d, Benjamin Her- ring. Jr., Enoch Holt, William Pike, Joseph Stevens, Jr., Charles Stevens, Charles Tubbs, John Woodbridge, Charles Young, Alexander Hill.
In May, this year, a shocking accident happened. Joel Stevens, Jr., and William Stevens, sons of Joel Stevens, and Francis Butcher, a hired man, went to a brook between the Mud pond and the Sand pond for the purpose of catching suckers, a kind of fish very plenty in that brook in the spring season. There was a large, high rock near the fishing-place. against which fishing-parties were in the habit of building fires, and there had been built a kind of camp for a shelter
when not fishing. After fishing awhile, they laid down in the camp in front of the fire, when suddenly the rock split asun- der, and a large portion of it fell upon the camp, crushing it down upon them; and William Stevens was so crushed by the weight of the rock, that he was carried home in a shock- ing condition, and lived about three days, suffering the most excruciating pain till his death. Joel Stevens was so con- fined down by parts of the camp falling on him, that he could not get out till Butcher, who fortunately was not confined, took their axe and chopped off the poles, and thus liberated him ; although considerably bruised, he was not dangerously hurt. William Stevens was a very amiable, sprightly young man, and his sudden death was deeply lamented, not by his family only, but by all around him. A funeral sermon was preached by Noah Cresey, who came here as a preacher a few weeks previous, from the following text : "For man also knoweth not his time : as the fishes, that are taken in' an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them."-Ecclesiastes, ix., 12. I shall never
62
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
forget the fervor and solemnity of that discourse, and I then set it down in my mind that he was a man who could cut without patterns. But I shall speak more of him when I take up the religious affairs of the town.
The school-house in district No. 1, or Capt. Jones' district, was built in 1806; one in the Village in 1805; one in tho Parsons district prior to 1800, time not exactly known ; one in the Bennett district about 1807, and one at Fuller's Cor- ner about the same time.
A saw-mill was built by Jonathan Cummings on the outlet of the little Pennessewassee pond as early as 1804, and in 1806 it was taken to pieces and moved down the stream a few rods ; but it never did a great business, and rotted down many years ago.
In the spring or summer of this year, (1807) a flagrant outrage was committed by a British armed ship-of-the-line on the United States frigate Chesapeake, from which the British commander took three seamen, under the pretence that they were British subjects. Our government was highly incensed at the proceeding, and by way of putting the nation in a posture of defence, ordered a draft of one hundred thou- sand militia. Capt. Anthony Bennett was ordered to make the requisite draft from his company ; but he, thinking a sufficient number would volunteer their services, beat up for volunteers ; when, behold ! every man, with the exception of one, turned out, and he stood in no enviable position alone, where the ranks stood a few minutes before. . Thus the reader can see that the Maine boys were ready to resist the right of search at that early day. The Captain finally had to make the draft of the requisite number, but happily, the drafted soldiers were never called for. I will here add that Capt. Anthony Bennett performed his last military services in the fall of this year. He was a carpenter and mill-wright, and was at work on a mill at Craigie's Mills, in Hebron, (now Oxford) when the staging gave away, and he fell upon his
63
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
broad axe, cutting his thigh in a shocking manner ; the in- flammation of the wound produced a mortification which caused his death October 28th. The soldiers lost a highly-respected officer, and the town a highly-respected and useful citizen.
In 1808, town officers as follows : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Rust, Treasurer ; Aaron Wilkins, Joshua Smith, and Cad F. Jones, Selectmen ; James French, Collector of taxes.
Valuation of taxable property, $50,540. Number of polls 193.
State tax, - -
- - $109.33
County tax, -
- -
96.52
Sum voted by the town, - - 630,00
Deficiency of highway tax in 1807,
- 31.36
Overlayings,
-
37,71
Overlayings in County tax, - -
4.86
Total money tax, - -
$909,78
It appears by an old book that a tax bill for $102,54 was committed to James French, dated Jan. 11, 1809, to be paid into the town treasury on or before the first day of March next ;- thus making the whole money tax $1012,32. High- way tax for same year, $1009,39.
The following persons came into town previous to this last valuation : Philip Abbot, William Cox, Josiah Covel, John Haynes, Ephraim Packard, Stephen Sanborn, Daniel Town. The following are such as arrived to the age of twenty-one : Robinson Hobbs, Hoyt Pingrec, Jacob Russell, Ebenezer Bancroft.
In the winter of this year a very sudden death occurred in the northwest school-district. At noon-time the boys, as is often the case, were playing goal, or " goold," as boys call it, and a Francis Major, a boy about fourteen years of age, started to go round, and Abial Holt, a boy on the other side, pursued him ; the snow-crust bore them very well, but Fran- cis slumped through very suddenly, and pitched forward on the crust ; he sprang again upon his feet, and instantly fell
64
IHISTORY OF NORWAY.
on the snow a corpse. The writer was standing with the teacher, Mr. Thomas Wood, before the school-house door, watching the game, and ran to him in two minutes from the time he fell, and there was no pulse to be felt, or any sign of life to be discerned. It was supposed by the doctor that the sudden jerk of the neck, as he fell, broke the pith, or spine, of the neck, which produced instant death.
Town officers for 1809 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Rust, Treasurer; Joshua Smith, Cad F. Jones, and Nathan Noble, Selectmen; Joseph Bradbury, Collector and Constable.
At the annual meeting in March, the town voted to raise for the highway, - $1000,00
In August an additional sum of -
150.00
Subsequently a third tax of - - 190,00
Total, -
- - - $1340,00
Money tax, including State, County, and town taxes, with overlaying, &c., $911,17. Value of taxable property, $50,- 756. Number of polls 212; scholars 410.
The following persons came into town previous to the taking of this valuation : Nathaniel Abbott, Timothy Abbott, Isaac Abbott, Isaiah Hall, Daniel Leighton, John Manchester, Ab- ner Stubbs, William Twombly, Jr., John Fifield, Samuel Nute, Paul Lombard. The following became of age before this valuation was taken : William Foye, John Herring, Peter Everett, Jr., Amos Noble, John B. Everett, Henry Rust, 3d.
This year the town of Norway sent its first Representative to the Legislature of Massachusetts, viz., Luther Farrar, Esq.
Town officers for 1810 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Aaron Wil- kins, Treasurer ; Aaron Wilkins, Cad F. Jones, Solomon Millett, Selectmen; Joseph Bradbury, Collector and Consta- ble. Luther Farrar, Esq., Representative.
Money tax, for State and town, - $898,46
County tax not found, supposed, - 76,72
Total,
- $975,18
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Highway tax, $1000. Number of polls 202; scholars 421. Number of inhabitants in the town 1010, by the census.
New immigrants : Reuben Brackett, George Bridgham, Thomas Crocker, Calvin Crocker, Daniel Cummings, Hum- phrey Cleaves, Benjamin Eastman, Abiathar Eastman, Uriah Holt, Samuel Hall, Daniel Watson. The following became rof age previous to the taking of this valuation : David Noyes, Jacob French, Isaac F. Lovejoy, Thomas Pool, John Perry, Joseph Stevens, 3d, Amos Young.
In September, this year, Benjamin Peabody's house was burnt in the night, about eleven o'clock. The fire caught, as was supposed, in the catting, or topping out, of the chimney.
CHURCH HISTORY.
UNIVERSALIST DENOMINATION.
I have as yet said nothing about the religious affairs of the plantations, or town, since its incorporation. But we are not to suppose that affairs of a religious nature were wholly neg- lected. By the laws of Massachusetts, at that time, towns having a certain number of inhabitants were obliged to have a certain quantum of preaching in each year ; and no other than the standing order, (as it was sometimes called) or orthodox, or otherwise, the Congregational order, was consid- ered as coming within the meaning of the law ; therefore all taxable persons were under the liability of being assessed for the support of preaching, whether the doctrine preached coin- cided with their particular religious sentiments or not. Hence, some little difficulties arose in regard to raising money to hire preaching. Under these circumstances, whether the law made the provision or not, the time soon arrived when it was no uncommon thing for individuals possessing religious sentiments different from the faith sanctioned by the State, to form them- selves into regular societies, and draw their tax back from the town treasury, in order to apply it to the support of preach- ing adapted to their own sentiments. The following extracts
5
66
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
from the old Society record will show the state of things in early days. Extract from the record here follows:
November 20th, 1798.
Whereas it is contemplated, as a matter of publick utility and advantage, to have the Doctrine of the Grace of, God dis- pensed among mankind for their mutual comfort and edification, that they thereby understand the nature and character of their Creator God, may be led to put their trust in him at all times, and thereby feel their hearts inclined to love him, and one another, and not only view in prospect, but know in reality how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity-where all discord will cease, and party spirit Come to an end. It is likewise contemplated to invite Brother Thomas Barns (who is a man of sobriety, and sustains a good moral character, whom we conceive to have a good degree of under- standing in the Doctrine of the Grace of God, and favoured with a gift to dispense the same to his fellow-men) to move his family into these parts, where it is conceived he would be of great use in the regulation of societies, whose decorum, and good deportment would greatly adorn our profession. It is furthermore considered expedient (lest we should bring a bur- den on him and his family unable to support) to assist him in procuring a place where his family may be comfortably situated.
We, therefore, who have hereunto subscribed, agree to be- stow upon him, of freedom, and choice, the sum affixed to our names ; in case he move his family into these parts for the purpose as above --
PARIS.
Levi Hubbard, Ten dollars. Daniel Staples, Ten dollars.
NORWAY. Nathaniel Bennett, five dollars. Benj. Witt, five dollars. Levi Bartlett, five dollars. Anthony Bennett, five dollars. Benj. Herring, five dollars.
A true Copy from the original,
Attest, JOSEPH RUST, Clerk.
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
We, the subscribers, Inhabitants of Norway and the adja- cent Towns, believing it to be the right as well as the duty of men to join in society, and publickly, at stated times and seasons unite in the worship of the only living and true God, and as some of us have made voluntary provision for the sup- port of a publick Teacher of piety, religion and morality ; we do agree to establish an annual meeting, and also to appoint other Society meetings as shall be thought proper by the sub- scribers for the purpose of choosing a publick teacher, or teachers, a Clerk and Committee, and other officers as shall be thought necessary by the subscribers for the peace and good order of the society ; we also agree that at such society meetings subscriptions shall be opened for the purpose of de- fraying the expenses of the society, such as the Building, or Hiring a convenient place for publick worship, for the support of publick teachers and other expenses, which may arise according to the vote of the society, which subscription shall be disposed of by the vote of the society ; each subscriber having an equal right to vote in this, and all other matters that pertain to the regulations of this society ; and we do agree as Disciples of Jesus Christ to live in peace among our- selves ; Claiming no right to exercise authority over the con- sciences of each other in spiritual matters, but henceforth stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. And furthermore we agree that this Society composed of the following subscribers shall bear the appellation of the first Religious society in Norway, and subscribe ourselves " Chris- tian Independents " believing in the doctrine of the Salvation of all men by Jesus Christ.
March 2d, 1799.
Daniel Staples, Moris Shannon, Levi Bartlett,
Levi Hubbard, Samuel Ames, William White,
William Babb, Anthony Bennett, Nathaniel Young,
Elisha Cummings, Benjamin Herring, Joseph Rust,
Benj. Witt, Nathaniel Bennett, Josiah Bisco.
A true copy from the original,
Attest, JOSEPH RUST, Clerk.
168
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
The following receipt will show that Thomas Barnes had really become a regular preacher in this socicty.
Norway, April 12th, A. D., 1800.
Then settled with ;the Committee of the religious society in Norway, and received full compensation for my services as a preacher of the Gospel in that society for the year 1799. Signed By me, THOMAS BARNES. A truc Copy from the original, Attest, JOSEPH RUST, Clerk.
In 1801, I find the names on the record to be nineteen in number. It appears that this society erected a meeting-house in 1801, and probably covered the outside, and completed it in the course of the ensuing year. I find the following to prove its erection :
NOTIFICATION .- The Universalists, or the Christian Inde- pendent society of the towns of Paris and Norway are hereby Notified that their annual meeting will be held on Monday the tenth day of May next at the Meeting-house in Norway at 2 o'clock P. M., for the following purposes viz :
1st, To choose a Moderator for said Meeting.
21, To choose a Clerk for the society for the ensuing year.
Sd, To choose a Committee to transact the necessary busi- mess of the society.
4th, To choose a Committee especially for the purpose of giving Certificates to those of the society, who may apply for the same, in order to obtain the money that they may be obliged to pay as Minister tax to any town Corporation, or other society, who may presume to exercise authority over them.
5th, To choose a Collector, and Treasurer for the society, and to transact any other business thought proper when met.
Per order of the Committee.
Norway, 26th April, 1802.
JOSEPH RUST, Society Clerk.
A true record. Attest, JOSEPH RUST, Clerk.
When called to act on the fourth article, Anthony Bennett,
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HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Joseph Rust, Levi Bartlett, were chosen as said committee. In order to show the use of such a committee, I here insert an old document on the subject :
We, the subscribers, Thomas Barnes, publick teacher of a society in the religious seet, or denomination called Univer- salists in the town of Norway, and Anthony Bennett and Joseph Rust Committee of said society do hereby certify that Benjamin Tucker doth belong to said Society, and that he frequently and usually, when able, attends with us in our stated meetings for religious worship.
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