USA > Maine > Oxford County > Peru > The history of Peru in the County of Oxford and State of Maine, from 1789 to 1911. Residents and genealogies of their families, also a part of Franklin plan > Part 4
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Rev. J. D. Graham from Rumford Falls church supplied during 1897 and 1898. Rev. H. G. Clark from Canton preached during 1901.
Since that time the Peru church has been supplied by students and others for short periods of time, but the membership of the church has become so small that a pastor could not be supported throughout the year. State Missionary E. A. Davis now has over- sight of the field and helps by sending supplies and doing personal work among the people. Three were baptized by Mr. Davis and united with the church during 1904.
A Sunday-school has been maintained for about fifty years and in the last few years the Sunday-school interest has been good even when we had no other church service. The average attendance is about twenty.
The Deacons who have served the church since its organization are: Gilbert Hatheway, James White, Scammon Starbird, Sumner Robinson, Winfield Shackley, W. H. Walker, Charles Lapham.
Those who have served as clerks are: Gilbert Hatheway, J. C. Wyman, Sumner Robinson, Sumner Robinson, Jr., Benjamin Allen, W. S. Shackley, W. H. Walker.
A legacy of two hundred dollars was left the church by Deacon Winfield S. Shackley. About sixty have been added to the church by baptism and about twenty-five by letter and experience since organization. The present membership of the church is twenty with a resident membership of twelve. 1910 resident membership, four, preaching service, ten Sabbaths.
Members who joined Peru Baptist church after its organization, and the year: Abial Delano, 1818; Sophia or Sarah Delano, his
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wife, 1819; Lillis Turner. Abijah Delano, James White, Nancy White, 1820; Elizabeth Turner, Rebecca Marsh, Andrew Marsh, 1823; Abigail Delano, Lydia Lunt. 1824; Mason Hinkley, John Delano. Mehitable Delano, 1825 ; Jabez Delano, 1828 ; S. S. Wyman, Joanna Oldham, Abigail Bonney, 1831; Wm. Smith, Hannah Smith, 1832; James Knox, Sally Knox, Mehitable Wyman, 1833; Henry H. Wyman, 183; Hannah Starbird, Scammon Starbird, 1840 : Therzy Bassett, James Bassett. Wm. Delano, Nathaniel Star- bird, Francis Delano. Nancy Wyman, Polly Parks, Gilbert H. Bailey, Hiram R. Knox, Elias N. Delano, Sarah Delano, 1843; John C. Wyman, Betsey T. L. Wyman, Susannah S. Wyman, 1844; Francis Lunt, 1845; Sumner Robinson, Sumner Robinson, Jr., Benjamin Allen, 1849; Cordelia Robinson, 1850; Joseph Hall, Betsey A. Walker, 1853 ; Eliza Y. Wyman. 1855 ; Sabrina Walker. 1859; Nancy W. Wyman, Winfield S. Shackley, 1860; Eliza Y. Gammon, 1862; Mary A. Wyman, Eveline Burgess, 1864; Abbie G. Newton, Geo. Washington Bisbee : Mary H. Bisbee, Elisha S. Wyman, Matilda K. Wyman, Orville Robinson, Sabra W. Robinson, Walter S. Newton, Wm. H. Walker, Albert Webster, 1866: Sarah M. Walker (wife of Wm. Chandler), Martha M. Arnold, Thomas E. Coombs, Eunice W. Merrill, Daniel S. Bickford, Lovesta Bick- ford, 1866; John F. Hazelton. Lydia J. Hazelton. Sarah White, 1867; Rev. Chas. Bisbee of Wilton, F. B., 1869; Mary K. Bar- rows (wife of James A.), 1871; Samuel F. Robinson 1877; Ar- thur S. Hazelton, Geo. O. Hayford, Maria M. Newton, Esther I. W. Gibbs, Mary E. A. Bent, Eunice G. Hayford, 1879. Other members who joined later or were identified as members of the faith : Henry R. Robinson, Windsor H. Wyman, Florence E. Wy- man, Ozroe A. Wyman, Ida H. Hazelton. Charles S. Walker, Liz- zie M. Walker, Iola M. Walker, Alma C. Walker.
The Methodist Meeting House at Cent. of Peru was erected and dedicated in fall of 1838. The pews were built and house com- pleted in summer of 1839. The land was a part of Wmn. Walker's farm, and given by son Hezekiah to the M. E. Church, and title of house and lot given to the Bishop of the M. E. Church. By this act the pew owners had no vested rights. except to occupy the house. In 1894 the Bishop sold the house and lot to the Baptist Church in Peru for one hundred dollars, cash.
Peru Methodist Church
We regret that the records of the organization and subsequent acts of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Peru are not available,
The old Methodist Meeting House, dedicated 1838, Peru Center.
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by reason of the death of nearly all the church officials forty years ago. James Lunt, the last surviving member, died in 1872. His daughter, Mary A., the wife of Rev. Robert Hall, was the last member resident in town in the middle eighties. She d in 1888. This church dedicated its house of worship at Peru Center in the fall of 1838. The first pastor that writer recollects was John Lufkin, of Rumford, in early forties. He was the type of giant stock, tall, dignified and stern, and preached some pretty warm sermons. Next or soon, followed Rev. Seth B. Chase in 1844. He was a native of Paris, a relative of Salmon P. Chase, Chief Jus- tice of the U. S. Supreme Court. He was licensed to preach in 1843, and his first appointment was at East Rumford, the same year, where he reported a claim at the end of the year of $107, of which he received $82. His second, appointment, was Peru and Hartford, where he reported 126 members in a society that had never before reported a membership to the Conference. His whole claim this year was $104, of which he got $55. We can but conjecture what part of the members were of Peru. Twenty or more families of this persuasion, averaging three members at least were regular attendants at this church, leading to the probability that one half or more, of the members were of Peru. The fore- going extracts are from the New England Southern Conference Report, 1902. Rev. Chase was muchi liked and highly respected by all. He was sure to have a full house. Most everybody went to meeting in those days on Sunday regardless of denomination. The audience would contain often nearly as many non-professors as pro- fessors of religion. The ministers of that day though not scholarly, were endowed with great power and uplift in prayer, seldom found with the best educated ministers of the twentieth century. Rev. Chase was no exception to the rule. We quote from his obituaries : "At one time he entered a sick room, and seeing some flowers that had been brought to the sick one, he remarked. There will be beau- tiful flowers in heaven.' The sick one writes: 'The expression was such it seemed to me that Father Chase stood on the very border- land of glory, and could see the glories of the heavenly home.'" Many of the church registers of the charges he served record bap- tisms and admissions by him. "In the great day of accounts many will rise up and call him blessed." "He had great power in prayer, seeming to talk with God as few men do." "While living at Rocky Hill, Conn., where he spent the last years of his life, he frequently supplied the pulpit and officiated at many funerals."
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Methodist Church
Methodist services were held more or less for a period of twenty- five years, though very irregular the last half of that period. For want of ready cash to pay the circuit preacher, the conference was not asked to furnish a pastor only a portion of the time. The pulpit was supplied largely by home talent. The membership of the church was the largest from 1838 to about 1850. In the early fifties a woman preacher, who was designated "Sister Parker," and a woman companion made their home with a family at Worthly pond several months. They held meetings in the school- houses there and had a general attendance and several conversions. Miss Parker sought to obtain a license from the Methodist confer- ence to exhort or to preach. The presiding elder would come round once a year and hold an all-day service, and this lady waited his coming to present her request in a written letter.
Rev. Arthur Sanderson, who had held the last service, was so cordial, genial and spiritual that the candidate, though of the oppo- site sex, had hope of recognition at least in the good work she was doing. Perhaps she was not aware that the rules or laws of the creed would not allow her request. The day dawned, and a new official was to decide the fate of Sister Parker. She was there with her band of parishioners. They formed half of the audience that forenoon, and the house was quite well filled. The presiding elder preached his forenoon sermon, and, having knowledge of the event, gave Miss Parker an opportunity to show her ministerial ability. She gave impromptu a short dissertation. The minister remarked at the table that noon, "She is an able woman." In denying the request, he said, among other things, "It is an . innovation." It was a sore disappointment to both Miss Parker and her followers. The worst feature of the event was the great lack of the spirit and sympathy of Christian fellowship on the part of the high official. He could at least, had he been so disposed, have bid her God- speed in the good work she was doing, and encouraged her to per- severe, though he was unable to grant her request. But he mani- fested no appreciation of her services. His reply was taken to mean a rebuke to women preachers. The Pond contingent withdrew immediately. That was the last Methodist conference in that house. From that event, Methodist service declined and died in town. Sister Parker felt the rebuke so much that she left the service.
REV. SETH B. CHASE --- 1818-1902.
WIFE OF REV. S. B. CHASE --- 1821-1899.
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Hartford, Conn., Superintendent of Agencies Travelers Insur- ance Co. Robert B. Starkweather b Hartford Conn., June 8, '80, clerk in Travelers' Ins. Co., Chicago. Richard Holmes Stark- weather, b Hartford, Conn., Mar. 15, '83, clerk in Travelers Ins. Co., New York City. Chil. of Mary Elizabeth Chase and Henry J. Ladd, b July 29, '48, bookkeeper in Rocky Hill, Conn., where he died Dec. 4, '90. Chester William Ladd, b Mar. 4, '82, at Thompsonville, Conn., m at Hartford, Conn., Apr. 23, 1907, Elsie H. Cleveland. Mary Elizabeth Humphrey had no issue.
Rev. Chase was b in Paris, Me., Nov. 30, 1818, at d at Rocky Hill, Conn., Jan. 21, 1902. He was educated in the common schools of his town and at Kent's Hill Seminary. Mary Eliza- beth Holmes was the daughter of Capt. Samuel Holmes and Clarissa Marston the second child of nine children. She was a woman of sterling qualities, penetration, high ideals, energetic and full of business, a broad-minded Christian. Her qualities are transmitted and in evidence in the present generation. "Her health failed several years before her translation which took place May 18, 1899."
First Meeting House at West Peru
It seldom falls to the lot of an historian to relate an act similar to the one that follows. West Peru had for over fifty years been in need of a meeting house. It would have been occupied regu- larly by Rev. Wm. Woodsum from 1830 when he came to town, until about 1862 when his home was broken up by the loss of his wife, Rosannah Woodman. But where was the money to come from to supply the want? The members of this church were few in number and of small means. Had some prophet foretold ten years before, that some one then living in town, would voluntarily and unsolicited provide the means, no one would have suspected that Alpheus C. Small would have filled the prophecy. He made provision in his will for the purchase of a lot and the building of the church, as dedicated by the Free Baptists, 1894. This act vol- untarily and unsolicited seemed to be contrary to his general trend of life. If he had ever contemplated this bequest, he kept the matter a secret. What finally induced him? Did his guardian angel at the opportune moment impress upon his mind the pre- cepts and example of fond parents, when in his youth he went with them to church every Sunday? In his musing he recalls the sweet pleasure father and mother took in church service, the anxiety they manifested for his welfare and their desire that he
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1817. Levi Ludden, first local land owner here of one square mile. He was in town office 1818. was probably erected about this period. West Peru Village back view south,
Curtis mill
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1115, -. MEX AND TLEN UVAUATIONS.
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should grow up a good and useful man; hence he was impressed with the debt of gratitude lie owed them and the little he had done to perpetuate their virtues and the family name; then a sense of duty lead him to spring a joyful surprise on the com- munity. This narrative is based on personal observation and the talk of testator at making of will.
School Exhibition
An old time town school exhibition comprising the Wormell district and the Waite district was held at the Methodist meet- ing house in the early forties. This is worthy of note, it being the only instance this church suffered their house to be desecrated by dance music during organization. Program was made up of declamations, dialogues, drama and songs. The only music avail- able was Wilson's string band, two fiddles and a bass viol. Amos Kyle plead with his uncle Hezekiah Walker half an hour before gaining his consent to occupy the house. No dancing behind the curtain. Every thing orderly. Mr. Walker decided the music was a little too quick for a house dedicated to church service and that settled it during their life time. This exhibition was notable. Several of the parts were taken by some of the best talent in town. Orville Knight had recently reached the stage of action, served on the school board and was appointed major in State militia. He was easy and fluent in speech. Sumner R. Newell was a pioneer school master, a great debator and interesting speaker. There were lots of school pupils whom writer is unable to recall by name after 65 years or more. It was on this occasion that Peru's poet and orator "Little Jacob" as his neighbors called him, gave evidence of much promise. Jacob Lovejoy was then about sixteen years old. He delivered a declaration, occupying nearly half an hour, declamatory, whose rendering would have done credit to Daniel Webster. One master scene of the program, was David killing Goliah. The parts were well sustained. Roscoe G. Newell, 4 yrs old, impersonated the young hero armed with sling and five small stones. Albion K. Knight the champion Philistine, clad in war armor, stood in height six feet and a span. See I Samuel, Chap. 17. "And the Philistine said I defy the armies of Israel this day ; give me a man that we may fight together. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David he disdained him, for he was but a youth and ruddy and of a fair countenance and the Philistine cursed David by his gods, and said, come to me and
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I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to ine with a sword and with a spear, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee. And it came to pass when the Philistine arose and came to meet David, that David ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took a stone and slung it and smote the Philistine in his head." The Goliath in the play, fell with a crash on the stage and every person in the house felt the thud. David rushed to the prostrate body drew from it a sword, and was to view, about to complete the threat, when the curtain dropped. Stephen Fletcher, Amos M. Kyle, Winslow Kyle, Jona- than Hall, Jr., Joseph E. Bartlett, his daughter about 15, sang alone. The leading violin caught tune, played interlude in gallery. Jane Lunt and sisters, Clarissa Holmes, Rothrus Waite and broth- ers, James M. Gammon, Geo. Walker and many others contributed. Simeon Bicknell of Canton gave vocal music. All good.
Representatives in Legislature
Names of persons who represented Peru and her district in the Legislature of Maine since incorporation, and the year of their election and residence; Adam Knight, 1823, Peru; Silas Barnard, 1828, Dixfield; Silas Branard, 1830; John M. Eustis, 1831, Dix- field ; Rev. Wm. Woodsum, 1832, Peru ; Abiatha Austin, 1833, Can- ton; Isaac N. Stanley, 1838, Dixfield; Farewell Walton, 1839, Peru; Thos. J. Cox, 1840, Dixfield; Thos. J. Cox, 1841, Dixfield ; Richard Hutchinson, 1842, Hartford; Orville Knight, 1843, Peru ; Wm. K. Kimball, 1844, Canton ; Joseph Child, 1845, Hartford; Sumner R. Newell, 1846, Peru; Caleb P. Holland, 1847, Canton; Sampson Reed, 1848, Hartford; Isaac Chase, 1849, Peru ; Caleb P. Holland, 1850, Canton ; Joseph P. Child, 1852, Hartford; Lyman Bolster, 1853, Peru ; Samuel Poor, 1854, Andover ; Richard Taylor, 1855, Byron ; Joshua L. Weeks, 1856, Roxbury; Chas. A. Kimball, 1857, Rumford; Samuel Holmes, 1858, Peru; James W. Clark, 1859, Andover; Patrick Hoyt, 1860, Rumford; Thos. J. Demeritt, 1861, Peru; Ira Wadell, 1862, Rumford; Joseph L. Chapman, 1863, Andover; Henry S. McIntire, 1864, Peru; Francis A. Ba- con, 1865, Rumford ; Cyrus Dunn, 1866, Peru ; Andrew J. Church- ell, 1871, Peru; Moses Alley, 1872, Hartford; John P. Swasey, 1873, Canton; Wm. Woodsum, 1875, Peru; Gilbert Tilton, 1876,
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Sumner ; Henry B. Hersey, 1878, Canton; Joseph S. Mendal, 1879, Hartford; Henry Rowe, 1880, Peru.
Wm. H. Walker 1884 in Peru, was her last Representative. Under a new classification the party machine ostracised Peru from further Representatives in Legislature. Any thing is counted honest and fair that can win now-a-days, in politics. Twenty-five years have passed. Henry R. Robinson of Peru is Representative, 1910-1911.
Citizenship --- Its Rights
In noting the acts of the early settlers, it is amusing to ob- serve the disregard that was manifested in a few instances for the rights of citizenship in a free republic. Among the pioneer set- tlers of Winthrop there chanced to be one who was not a free- holder. And though he was peaceable and well behaved he was held in derision and bore the epithet, Fiddler, a useless fellow and must be got rid of ; accordingly, he was waited upon by the Magis- trate, who warned him out of town and "off the face of God's earth." The poor fellow with a broken heart asked: "Where then shall I go?" "Go! go to Wayne." There was an instance on rec- ord showing a citizen was warned out of town, who was not a Fiddler (Peru always had great respect for that accomplishment). The case at point will appear. Joseph Orcutt of Monmouth, b North Bridgewater, Mass. (now Brockton), Sept. 14, 1781; m 1st Nov. 29, 1806 Naomi Chesman, who d Feb. 20, 1819, of same town. Their dau Naomi, b Feb. 16, 1819; m Nov. 9, 1840, Jedediah P. Hopkins in Peru. Prior to daughter's marriage Mr. Orcutt moved to Peru and was chosen School Agt., in district No. 11, 1838, pre- sumably at March meeting. At April meeting of same year he presented Art. 6, a claim for injury to person sustained on highway, by horse breaking through culvert. Voted to pass the Article by.
At a subsequent town meeting, in the same year, he was warned by ballot to leave town. He obeyed the injunction and re- moved to Monmouth where he died Feb. 13, 1839. What would be said if similar events should occur in the twentieth century? The fact that the voters at that April meeting refused to recognize Mr. Orcutt's claim is not unusual, or was not at that date, but that they should assume authority to expel a man from town for receiv- ing an injury in consequence of town's neglect to keep highways in safe repair, and that seems a just interpretation, reflects sadly a lack of intelligence and benificence of the community, or at least
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of the voters who favored the act. In 1640 Edward Hall of Dux- bury, Mass., Progenitor of Peru Halls, had to get a license from Plymouth Court to build him a rude house on his own land where there was no settlement. That was under the Government of Kings, who claimed to rule by Divine Right. That right was ab- rogated 1776 by the "Declaration of Independence."
Lawyers
Peru does not boast of resident lawyers, though she had one man who delighted to be in law and who spent a handsome prop- erty in contests at law covering a period of twenty years. He owned large tracts of land and refused to pay the taxes assessed thereon year after year, claiming illegality. His lands were sold for taxes over and over a term of years, and bid off by individuals who held a tax deed for title that availed nothing without posses- sion, and the land owner only laughed, knowing there was no prec- edent in law that would give possession. Prominent lawyers had expressed the opinion that the High Court would not sanction the taking of tracts of land for its tax. Several who had invested in tax deeds, fearing the uncertainty pending, stopped attending land sales. Finally Mr. Jonas Green, having to do with town af- fairs, became interested to know what constituted a legal tax, and resolved to test the matter in high court. He began prosecution with a batch of over twenty counts March term of S. J. Court at Paris, 1864. Alvah Black of Paris was Lunt's attorney. It was agreed that the case be sent up to full bench without trial at that court. Mr. Lunt was considerable of a lawyer and well knew the Town Records would be the principal evidence in the case. He was living in the Cyrus Dunn Brick house, West Peru, near corner of road to Rd. Falls. Wm. Woodsum was Town Clerk and the records of the town were kept in a small room on the back side of his store, fitted up with a desk and shelves for books and papers and lighted by a window on that side. An unusual incident oc- curred here a few weeks before the court session at Paris. Mr. Peter Smith then living in his residence opposite the bridge had occasion to get up in the night by reason of a sick child and as he entered the room fronting the west end of the store, he saw a light, a blaze near the ground under the window on the back side of the Woodsum store. He went to inspect the cause and found that fuel had been placed against the store under the window, and set on fire. It had burned through the outside boarding and was dis-
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covered just in time to save the room. the town records and the store. The yell, fire! fire! brought out the neighbors including Mr. Lunt promptly. The decision of the courts of March 1864 was very favorable for the defendant, and if he had stopped litigation then and settled all just demands to date, he would have re- tained the greater portion of his real estate. Of the twenty-two or three counts the prosecution held only six or seven. The ruling of court on those counts determined the defects of record or proce- dure that rendered, say sixteen counts illegal. The knowledge thus revealed was an educator to all town officials. It enabled Mr. Green to mend up the defects next time and by keeping the mill grinding as the years rolled on, bidding in tax sales and continu- ing to bring new cases before the High Court, he finally divested Mr. Lunt of nearly all his land. The last lot not involved was attached by Mr. Black for attorney's fees, and sold for two hun- dred dollars. This case was the means of swelling the next volume of Law Reports. It established for the first time well defined statute law in Maine for the taxation of property in all its details. It cost Mr. Lunt several thousand dollars for the illustrations of the law and the knowledge gained, yet the object lesson failed to gratify the people. Mr. Lunt never got any thanks.
A Few Stray Items
The population of Peru in 1837 was 854. The population in the census of 1890 was 473 persons. In the War of the Rebellion Peru furnished 115 soldiers of whom 30 were killed or died in the service. She paid in bounties the sum of $7,720. The name of Androscoggin river is an Indian name given by the Anasagunti- cooks whose camp Rocomeco for many years was on the east bank of the river south of Dixfield line. This territory (afterwards Jay) was first known as Phipps, Canada. The tract was granted to Capt. Phipps and 63 others for service rendered in the Indian wars. It is well known that a part of Jay was set off and incor- porated town of Canton, 1821, the same year as Peru.
Lots of ponds in Kennebec county have become lakes under Indian names. In Monmouth Ctr., there is Lake Cochnewagen, named after Cochnewagens, a branch of the Anasagunticooks. The town of Sabattus takes its name from an Indian chief who acted as guide to Benedict Arnold in 1775 when he ascended the Kennebec river on his way to Quebec. Franklin plantation fur- nished twenty-seven soldiers in the Civil War. Peru produced
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in 1837, 3457 bushels of wheat. Population of Canton in 1837 was 827. Crop of wheat 3114 bushels. Pop. in 1910, 1013. Pop. of Peru 1910, 746.
Dixfield was incorporated 1803. Population in 1837, 1148. Product of wheat same year 5522 bushels. Pop. in 1910, 1056.
The First Free Baptist Church in Peru
The early records were taken and not returned by the executors in the estate of A. C. Small and his bequest to the church. A cyclopedia states the first F. B. Church here was organized in 1823. Rev. Wm. Woodsum was ordained that year at Sumner. It is probable he organized the church. Members in part : Demus Bishop and wife, Isabel C. Bishop, Amanda M. Walker, Mercy Walker, Amanda Walker, Alfred B. Walker, Mary Lucia Walker. In 1833 the church joined the Farmington Quarterly Meeting. In 1842 it joined the Otisfield Q. M. where it con- tinues. Rev. Woodsum moved to Peru in 1831 and was the only pastor of this church during his life. He passed to higher life July 24, 1872. It appears that previous to his death a branch of this church had been organized at Worthly Pond and on the 28th day of May, 1873, the members of the First F. B. Church of Peru met with the branch at the schoolhouse at head of pond and voted to unite with the branch and form one church, and the members of said branch of whom Freeman Irish was deacon, voted to unite with said First F. B. Church and form one church. This church. still exists and maintains church service at West Peru.
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