NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES
3 3433 08178204 1
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THE
HISTORY or NORWAY:
COMPRISING A
OFFICERS, THE ANNUAL EXPENDITURES OF THE TOWN, WITH
OTHER STATISTICAL MATTERS:
XTERSPERSED WITH
HISTORICAL SKETCHES,
2CARRATIVE AND ANECDOTE, AND OCCASIONAL REMARKS
BY THE AUTHOR.
BY DAVID NOYES.
NORWAY: ^^^:' ^ ;. ;
PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. * '. i j ! . V \'
1852. 'r>', V/-
GEORGE W. MILLETT, PRINTER^
ADVERTISER PRESS,
NORWAY VILLAGE.
PREFACE.
I suppose I must write a preface before I enter one step
on my work, and tell lohy I am going to write a book, and
vhat I am going to write about. The ivhy is because many
of our good citizens wish for such a work ; but the what is
more than I can tell, as I may feel very differently to-mor-
row from what I do to-day ; and therefore I am unable to tell
in what kind of a channel my ideas may take a notion to flow.
But first, I intend to give as minute an account of the early
settlement of the town as the best data in my possession will
enable me to do ; and also of the expenditures of the town
for the benefit of its inhabitants ; the immigration of new
settlers since the commencement of the settlement ; the acci-
dents, and remarkable incidents, that have taken place ; histor-
ical sketches, narrative and anecdote, occasionally interspersed
with just such ideas as happen to run in my noddle while
writing. I shall not attempt to tell a good story, or to crack
a good joke, for the sake of producing a good hearty laugh ;
for such things always hit somewhere ; but I am bound to
get along without running against anybody, if I can help it.
I intend to tell the truth as far as I tell anything : I shall
" naught extenuate, nor set down aught in malice," and intend
to wholly avoid bringing any "railing accusation" against
any one. I humbly acknowledge the many kindnesses re-
ceived from different individuals in furnishing me with facts
IV PREFACE.
and materials, as tlicj Avere able, for tlie commencement and
prosecution of the work ; among which persons are first.
Samuel Ames, (he has almost been my standing register
about the first settlement.) and also Benjamin Flint, Aaron
Wilkins, Darius Holt, Nathaniel Bennett, Joel Frost. John
Pike, Daniel Knight. Jr., and Daniel Stevens; and among
the females are the Avidow Olive Stevens, Mrs. Ruth Lovejoy,
Mrs. Mary Stevens, the wife of Jonas 'Stevens, and -Mrs.
J\lary OrdAvay, the wife of Amos OrdAvay ; — as they were- the
children of the very first settlers^ and were old enough to
retain their early impressions about matters and things of
those early times. Mrs. Mercy A. Whitman has my warmest
thanks for her carefully-preserved record of the deaths in the
town since 1820. The town authorities are kindly thanked
for the use of the Selectmen's books ; and the town Clerk for
Lis records since 1843, and the same to .the Treasurer.
The several religious societies will accept my thanks for
their aid generously furnished me, and with my warm thanks,
a warmer wish, that our Heavenly Father may ahvays con-
tinue to smile jjropitiously on them, and fit them, more than
ever^ for the full enjoyment of a blessed immortality.
To the officers of the Militia (I can *t find any now, but I
liave found the old books) I present my thanks for the old
records : and all the officers of the Militia are entitled to
much praise for the correctness with which the books have
been kept. To be sure, we all desire to see the time " when
men shall learn war no more," but perhaps it may be well to"
keep the " tools ready " for fear they may be wanted.
And this scrawl I am going to call my preface to the fol-
lowing work, which I shall humbly inscribe to the good
citizens of Norway, hoping it will afford them as much j^laas-
vre in reading, as it has afforded me labor in Avriting. It is
possible that some things are noted which some may not de-
sire ; and that other things are omitted which some would
like to see ; but I can "t help that; I never bargained to suit
PHEFACE, . V
e-verybody. Doubtless there are some mistake:? in regard to
dates, but instead of "wondering at a few mistakes, it should
be a greater "wonder that there are not more:- for on an ex-
amination of the "work, it Avill be readily seen that I have
had a great many ''irons in the fire" at the same time.
Many of the ne"w. immigrants probably came into the to"wn
some months, and possibly a year before they are named, as
I name them "when they appear on the tax-books. Many of,
the old settlers' sons, perhaps, do not appear in the year "when
they arrived at 21 years of age, as many of them, possibly,
"svent off to "work, out of town, for a year and perhaps several -
years } and in some instances they may be classed among the
new immigrants : but I hope such trivial matters will give no
unpleasant feelings to any one, or in any degree detract from ,
the merits or usefulness of the work. The town has kindly
afforded; me a shelter and a home for nearly half a century ;
so long, that it seems to me that I have become a '• part and
parcel'' of the same : and should it ever be so ordained, in
Providence, that I should leave the place, I know I should
feel a •' longing for the flesh-pots " of old Norway, for " with
all thy fliults I love thee still."
The citizens of NorAvay will please to accept my thanks
for the many favors received during a long series of years,
and should you be pleased to liberally patronize the present
work, it will greatly serve to smooth the down-hill of life,
Avhich I am fast descending, and will be productive of the
lusting gratitude of
Your most obedient and humble servant,
DAYID NOTES.
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
The town of Norway is made up of the following tracts,
or grants of land, viz : the tract of land formerly known as
Rustfield, purchased by Henry Rust, of Salem, Massachu-
setts, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in December,
1787, estimated at six thousand acres; the Lee Grant, esti-
mated at six thousand acres exclusive of water ; the Cummings
Gore, containing about three thousand and six hundred acres ;
and three tiers of lots taken from the easterly side of the
town of Waterford, viz : a strip one mile and a half wide,
and seven miles long, estimated to contain six thousand seven
hundred and twenty acres ; and another tract called the
"Gore," or " Rust's Gore," lying south of the Waterford
three tiers, and bordering on the northerly line of Otisfield,
containing about seventeen hundred acres more or less, making
in the whole a trifle over twenty-four thousand acres ; but at
that time it was rather a custom to make quite liberal meas-
ure in eastern lands, therefore we may safely calculate the
quantity to be, at least, twenty-five thousand acres, or more.
CThe Waterford three tiers, and the " Rust Gore," last de-
scribed, lying south of the three tiers, form the westerly side
of the town, making the whole length eight miles and one
hundred and thirty-eight rods. The Lee Grant lies in the
northeast corner of the town, the Cummings Gore between
the Lee Grant and the northerly part of the Waterford three
S HISTORr OF NOKWAY,
tiers, and tliat part called Knstfield lies south of tlie Lee
Grant and the Cummings Gore, being the southerly part of
■what is now called the town of Korway.
The Cummings Gore proper, or what is now known as the
Cummings Gore, did not extend south any fiirther than the
southerly line of the old Major Cummings farm, now owned
by Amos T. Holt ; but there is a gore of land lying south of
the Cummings Gore, extending from the southerly line of the
Cummings Gore proper about tAvo hundred and eighty rods
on the Lee line to the northerly line of Rustfield, and about
one hundred and ninety rods on the easterly line of the Wa-
tw'ford three tiers, and one mile and a half east and west,
wliich was at first in dispute betvreen Henry Rust, the pro^
prietor of Rustfield. and Jonathan Cummings, the proprietor
of the Cummings Gore : but by an arrangement betAveen the
parties the land Avas held by the said Cummings. I have
been thus minute in pointing out the different tracts and pieces
of land noAY composing the town of NorAA'ay, in order that
the reader, and those interested in the first settlement may
the better know AA^here the- early settlers commenced operations
when they came into the Aviklerness to found a home for
themselves and posterity.
1T86. — This year five individuals, viz : Joseph Stevens,
Jonas SteA'ens, Jeremiah Hobbs, Amos Hobbs, and George
Lessley, from the tOAvn of Gray, came into the place, and
felled trees on the tract called Rustfield, excepting Jeremiah
Hobbs, Avho commenced on the lot easterly of Avhere the
Congregational meeting-house noAV stands, and then supposed
to be Avithin the limits of Avhat Avas afterAvards called Rust-
field ; George Lessley commenced on Avhat has since been
knoAvn as the Isaiah Hall farm, noAV owned and occupied by
William Frost, 3d, and brothers : Amos Hobbs commenced
on the farm Avhere his youngest son, Amos Hobbs, noAV lives ;
Joseph Stevens commenced Avhere his youngest son, Simon
Stevens, hoay Ua^ es ; and Jonas Ste-A'ens commenced on the.
HISTORY OF XORWAY. 9
place now owned by Amos F. Nojes and Lorenzo D.
Hobbs.
During the first summer and fall, these hardy pioneers of
the wilderness made what preparations they were able to
make, in order to move their families the ensuing spring and
summer ; and from such accounts as the writer can gather,
Joseph Stevens built a small frame house early in the spring
of 1787, sixteen feet by twenty ; he split out pine rift clap-
boards, and clapboarded on the studs, and long-shingled the
roof, built a stone fire-place high enough on which to lay a
wooden mantle-piece, and after a short time topped out the
chimney by what used to be called catting : that is, by laying
up split sticks, cob-house fashion, in clay mortar, mixed Avitli
Straw, chopped fine, to make it adhere more strongly to the
!<ticks. After getting fairly into their new settlement the
other four built themselves houses of the same size and con-
struction. They split out basswood plank and hewed them
fi>r a floor, and each one brouglit a Ijoard from a mill in Paris,
on Stony brook, called Jackson's ^Mill, to make an outside
door. Some of them had a board window which they could
take down in fair weather, and put up in foul, cold weather ;
and some of them say the most stylish had a paper windoAv
made of white paper well coated with oil, perhaps goose oil.
At the time these first settlers were falling trees, Samuel
Ames (now living in Norway Village — then living in Paris,
and tending the first grist-mill built in that tOAvn, on Stony
brook — and he says he ground the first grist in that mill.)
came over to what vras afterwards called Rustfield, and went
ttp the pond, called the great Pennessewassee, and visited
them while fiillino; their first trees. Previous to movinor into
the wilderness, these first settlers moved the principal part of
their families into what is now called Paris, (incorporated in
1793) and into Shepherdsfield, now Hebron and Oxford, that
they might be nearer their contemplated place of location.
1787. — In the spring of this year, either the last of April
10 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
or first of May, Joseph Stevens moved his family, consisting
of himself, his wife and four children, Daniel, Jonas, Amy
and Aphia, (Jonas did not come in at that time, he remaining
at Gray with his grandflither) into his new habitation. They
came from their temporary abode to the foot of tlic pond, and
then proceeded up the pond in a boat to nearly opposite wherd
he had built his rude habitation ; but it being cloudy, and
night coming on sooner than they expected, and having by
accident got their tinder and fire-works wet, they were unable
to strike a light ; and having no other guide than a spotted
line, they were compelled to take up their first night's lodg-
ing in the woods by the warmest side of a large tree ; and in
the morning they cheerfully pi*oceeded to their future home.
The writer has often heard Mrs. Stevens, Annt Betty ^ as wc
used to call her, say that she had a grand night's sleep, and
felt very thankful when they reached their camp, or house.
George Lessley moved in the next day after Joseph Ste-
vens, and moved into Stevens' house ; and in a few weeks
after, say the first of June, Amos Ilobbs moved into the
same house, making only three fiimilies in one house, sixteen
feet by tAventy. When Amos Ilobbs moved in, they came to
the foot of the pond at the westerly end of what Ave now
know as Ames' point, about one hundred rods westerly of
the mill, on the northerly side of the stream, where they ex-
pected Joseph Stevens would meet them with a boat ; but it
being very windy, he did not dare to venture the voyage ;
and after waiting awhile, Mr. Ilobbs went round by the
southerly end of the pond up to Mr. Stevens', and they then
came down with the boat, took the family aboard, and pro-
ceeded to their habitation, where they all arrived in safety.
I have lately heard a description of their stop on the point,
while waiting for the boat nearly half a day, from Mrs. Jonas
Stevens, who wns the oldest child of Amos Ilobbs' family,
and she said that was the first time she ever saw her mother
cry. She theii had an infant in her arms, born the IMarch
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 11
previous, (the infant was Robinson Hobbs) and the mosqui-
toes and black flics were so numerous that it seemed as though
they should be devoured. In the intermediate time between
the moving in of Joseph Stevens and Amos Ilobbs, Jonas
Stevens, in the fore part of May, came in with his family in
about the same manner ; and Jeremiah Ilobbs moved his
family in September following.
Perhaps I may as well here mention how the first settlers
became acquainted with the place, previous to their making a
settlement. After the close of the revolutionary war, many
old, middle-aged, and young men found themselves poo7'^ and
in rather a poor situation to support their families, and with
little or nothing to purchase a farm, or even a piece of land
wherewith to make a permanent home for themselves and
families. A Mr. James Stinchfield, and Jonas Stevens, (who
had been a soldier through nearly all the war) and some oth-
ers, came into the place on a hunting excursion around the
great Pennessewassee pond, and other ponds and streams in
the vicinity ; and seeing the beautiful growth of wood and
timber, and the indications of a fertile soil, came to the con-
clusion that, with the smiles of Providence, they could locate
themselves in this place, then a howling wilderness, and thus
Becure a permanent home for themselves and families ; and it
appears by subsequent events that their manly exertions were
ultimately crowned with signal success.
During the first two years of the early settlement there
was no mill in the place, and the settlers were obliged to go
to Paris to Jackson's mill on Stony brook, which was but a
poor, rude apology for a mill, or to what is now called Otis-
field to what has since been called Ray's mill, where they
sometimes in the winter went on snow-shoes, with a bushel or
two on a hand-sled. But to remedy this inconvenience, they
took a piece of a large hardwood log, about two feet long, and
dug out a cavity in one end with what they used for a tapping
iron, (an a3:^icle for tapping maple trees for the purpose of
12 IIISTOKY OF XORWAY.
making maple sugar) and tlicn burnt out the cavity as smooth
as possible, and in this pouneled their corn into what they
called samp or hominy ; from that material they made what
the boys and girls of that day called samp porridge, and ate
it in various ways, and considered it very good, too.
In the spring after first moving in, Jeremiah Hobl)s. who
had a large family of children, say eight in number, had the
misfortune to lose his only cow, which they calculated would
do much towards the support of his familJ^ This was a se-
rious loss at that time, and in such circumstances ; and either
that spring or the next, Mr. Lcssley met with a similar mis-
fortune : but Mrs. Lessley, like a true woman, preserved the
calf by feeding it with gruel, and a little milk obtained from
her few, but friendfy neighbors. Amos Hoblis als'o met vrith
a serious loss about this time ; he had obtained hiilf a bushel
of corn, which he carried to the Stony brook mill, and had
to leave it : when he i¥ent for it, the meal, bag and ail, was
gone — probably to- feed some other hungry family. This,
jilthougli very trivial', was a severe loss to him and family in
such a time of privation, and almost starvation. Before th'e
new crop of grain could be got off to make bread of, Mrs.
Lessley shelled out wheat by hand and boiled it for food for
herself and family. Let the mothers of the present day
render thanks to a kind Providence, that tliey are not reduced
to such straits to feed their families.
Li the summer of 1787, "William Parsons, John Parsons,
and Benjamin Herring, and also Dudley Pike, came into
Rustficld, and felled trees in order for a settlement, commenc-
ing on the farms where they afterwards lived and died, The
writer has good reason to believe, from sufficient authority-,
that William Parsons and John Parsons came mto Rustficld
the first of June, 1786, and looked out their respective lots,
and actually commenced falling trees. on the third day of
June: the first tree cut down was a iLirge hemlock on Jr)hn,
i^iU'Sons' lotj and the roots of that tree are said to be still m
HISTORY or XOPwWAY. 18
tJicir primitive place — at least they -were till since his death,
-which took place December 6, 1847, aged 85 years. A short
time before his death, his son, George W. Parsons, was
ploughing in the field where the old stump had stood from
the time the first tree in the place was felled, and the old
<jentleman seein;]^ that the old roots were about to be torn
from their bed, entreated his son to spare them while he re-
mained on the earth, and they were accordingly sacredly pre-
served. They felled but a small opening in 178G, enlarged
it the next year, and moved their families as follows.
1788. — This year Dudley Pike moved his fiimily into
Rustfield, March 26, and had scarcely got into his humble
habitation, when the three other pioneers, William Parsons,
John Parsons, and Benjamin Herring, arrived at his house,
that is, at night on the 27th of March ; and the road not
being quite as good as at this time, they put up with him for
the night, and the next day pr-oceeded to their own habita-
tions, which were nothing but humble log; houses. About
this time. Lemuel Shed and a Mr. Jonathan Stickney com-
menced on two adjoining . lots on the Waterford plantation,
which is now the Waterford three tiers ; Stickney on the
farm where Benjamin Flint now lives,. and Shed where John
S. Shed now lives, which is on the Waterford three tiers, and
now on L the old County road leading from Swift's Corner to
Waterford. . Shed camped with Stickney on the Flint farm.
Lemuel Shed was a soldier through about all the revolu-
tionary war, and was, as he has often told the w^riter, one of
Washington's life-guards ; and previous to the taking of Bur-
goyne. he was sent from Washington's head-quarters with an
express to General Gates. He had to pass through a portion
of country thickly infested with tories, and run many risks
and hair-breadth escapes ; finally he had to leap from his
horse and abandon him, and make his escape the best way he
could — Avliich he did by taking shelter l3ehind a sheet of water
.which fell over a cataract, leaving an open space behind .the
14 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
water ; and after remaining until the search for him waa
over, pursued his way on foot, and delivered his message ac-
cording to orders ; and it is possible that the subsequent
important victory might, in some measure, depend on the
advices carried by this faithful soldier.
Previous to the building of the niills, Samuel Ames built
him a camp, about on the spot where the mill-shed now
stands, which served for a shelter while at work on the mill.
This was the first shelter, or camp, built in what is now Nor-
way Village ; it was built by putting down in the ground
three posts of a proper height, and cutting off a birch tree
at the same height for the fourth post, and covered with bark.
On the 17th day of October, 1787, Sarah Stevens, the
daughter of Jonas Stevens, was born. She was the first
white child born in the place, and the eighth child of the
family, and is now the wife of Jonathan Edwards, of Otis-
field. The first male child born in the place, was Joseph
Stevens, the son of Joseph Stevens, who was born May 31st,
1788. Ebenezer Hobbs, the son of Amos Hobbs, was the
next child born in the place ; he was born August 24th,
1789. Nathan Noble came into the place probably in the
spring, this year, and had a child born the same year, which
died in infancy.
Nathaniel Stevens felled trees in the same year that his
brothers, Joseph and Jonas, moved into the place, and moved
his family in 1788. His lot was westerly of Jeremiah Hobbs'
lot, and his first habitation was about northwesterly of where
the meeting-house now stands. Soon after he moved in, he
had the misfortune to get his leg broken while falling trees,
and his wife and three small children were left in a very des-
titute condition ; as the few new settlers had scarcely enough
for their own families, and provisions had to be brought from
a considerable distance, even if these ^ew settlers had the
wherewith to pay for the same. Mrs. Stevens about this
time was reduced to such necessity for food, that she felt
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 15
herself justified in digging up a few potatoes from the hills
where they had been recently planted by her neighbor, ]\Ir.
Jeremiah Hobbs, in order to feed her iiungry children. Al-
though Mr. Stevens was so unfortunate, he was not forsaken
by his few neighbors, who generously turned out and felkd
trees for him, and assisted in taking care of the little crop he
had put into the ground ; and although Mrs. Stevens dug up
her neighbor's potatoes, let no one thinjc amiss of her moral
character on that account, as all her neighbors can not speak
otherwise than loell of her through a long life.
In 1789, Capt. Henry Rust, the proprietor of Eustfield,
commenced building a grist and saw-niiH on the same site
now improved for similar mills at the upper end of Norway
Village. The grist-mill was completed in October, 1789,
(the saw and grist-mills were raised in June) and Samuel
Ames ground the first grist ever ground in the place, and
continued to tend the same mill for more than forty years^.
and probably for forty-five years, after.
Thomas Cowen, who came from Paris, tended the saw^
mill, under the superintendence of Mr. Ames, after it was
ready to run, about two or three years. He built a little hut
nearly opposite the saw-mill, and when he left the mill he
went on to a piece of land, now owned by H. G. Cole, north.;
of the old Peter Buck farm, and subsequently removed to
Paris. Reuben Hubbard afterwards built the two story house
now standing on the place.
While Capt. Rust was building the mills, he employed the
new settlers on his plantation to work for him as much as
they wished, allowing them half a dollar per day towards
their land, which he sold to them for half a dollar per acre ;
thus every day's work paid for an acre of land. As a land-
holder, Capt. Rust performed man j acts of kindness to the
settlers on his land, not only by selling his land very cheap,
but in trying to add otherwise to their comforts and conve-
niences. Among other things, he brought down from Salem
16 HISTORY OF XOllWAY.
quite a lot of small six-squared ^vindows of six by eigbt
glass J -vvliich he distributed among the s.ettlerg, a ^vindow or
two to each ; and .this was a valuable present .to them, as this
was the first glass Ivnown in the place^
Peter Everett came into the place in this year, and com-
menced on the east end of the Esquire Eastman farm, and
supposed that it was on the Bust Grant at the iime of build-
in fr a small frame house, where he lived a few years ; and
after Rust and Cummings setl^led the question of title to that
tract of land, and it being held by Cummings, Mr. Rust gave
Mr. Everett a lot of land lying west of William Parsons' lot,
where he moved his house, and lived till his death, which
took place March 2T, 1821. When Mr. Everett lived on the
Esquire Eastman lot, his wife kept a little school for the in-
atruction of the small children in tlie neighborhood. This
school she kept in her own house, and was the first school of
any description ever kept in tlie place.
This year Darius Holt and Nathan Foster came down — -
Holt from Andover, and Eoster from Tewksbury, Mass. — to
work .for Jonathan Cummings, the proprietor of the Cum-
mings-Gore, and commenced where his son Jonathan Cum-
mings afterwards lived and died. They were here at the
raising of the mills in June, 1789. Nathan Foster after-
wards purchased the tier of lots north of the Cummings fiirm,
and afterwards lived and died on the same. Darius Holt
afterwards bargained for the seventh tier of lots on the Cum-
mings Gore, and built a small frame house where Daniel
Town now lives, and the house built by Holt makes a part of
said Town's house. Mr. Holt lived at what was afterwards
called Fuller's Corner about four yea^rs, and then moved into
Waterford plantation, near Lemuel Shed's lot.
.This year Amos Upton came down from Reading, Mass.,
and felled trees on the, lot south of Fuller's Corner, and
moved his family in Sept., 1790. Nathan Noble moved his
fAinily into. Amos Hobbs' house in the spring of 1789, ciwi
HISTORY OF NOHWAY. 17
built a small frame house where he afterwards lived, in the
course of the summer following. Benjamin Witt came down
with Capt. Rust subsequent to the erection of the mills, and
was the first blacksmith that ever hammered iron in what is
now called Norway.
Phinehas Whitney, about this time, commenced on the hill
westerly of Lemuel Shed, on the Waterford plantation, and
came from Harvard, Mass. He was a soldier in the revolu-
tionary war, and Avas in the battle of Bunker Hill, and Amos
Upton was likewise in that memorable battle ; they were both
pensioners, and also Lemuel Shed, Darius Holt, Jonas Ste-
vens, Samuel Ames, Daniel Knight, Stephen Curtis, Joseph
Gammon, James Packard, Joel Stevens, John Needham, and
Jacob Frost.
jMr. Ames moved into Rustfield the year before the mills
were built, and commenced on a piece of land where Ephraim
Briggs now lives, and raised corn one year on that place ; he
afterwards sold out to a Moses Twitchell, and afterwards lived
near the mill which he tended. When he moved in from
Paris, as his oldest daughter says, he had three children, and
the way he conveyed his family would look rather picturesque
at the present day. He procured a steady horse, and put a
sack, like a pair of panniers, across the saddle ; he then put
the two youngest, one in each end, with the oldest on the
horse's back, holding it on in the rough places, and led the
horse himself ; his wife traveled on foot, carrying some neces-
sary articles in her hands ; and thus they ascended what is
now called Pike's hill to their new habitation. Mr. Ames
built the first house in Norway Village — a frame house,
eighteen feet by thirty-six ; some twenty-five years ago the
house was moved up about one mile north of the Village, and
is now occupied by Elijah Jordan. The next house built ia
the Village was near the site of Levi Whitman's house, and
built by William Gardner, who afterwards commenced on the
jLoG Grant above Nathaniel Bennett's. In 1790 Daniel
18 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Knight moved from Paris, and went into the house with "Wil-
liam Gardner, and lived with him a short time ; he then
returned to Paris, remained one winter, and then came hack
again, and commenced on the place now owned hy Alanson
M. Dunham, where he lived ahout four years ; then he sold
out his betterments to Jeremiah Witham, from New Glouces-
ter, and began on land on the southerly end of North pond.
Isaac Cummings soon bought out Mr. Gardner, and moved on
the same lot, and afterwards sold his betterments to Josiab
Bartlett, about 1802. The farm has had many different
owners, and is now owned by Joshua Kichardson, Esq., of
Portland.
Jonathan Cummings, the proprietor of Cummings Gore, in
order to forward a beginning for a farm for his son, Amos
Cummings, hired a few acres of trees felled on the third tier
of lots on said Gore, (the same now owned by Thomas Mel-
zeard,) and hired Daniel Knight and Isaac Cummings to fall
the first trees that were cut down on that farm ; and he paid
to each of them a new axe and a cow-bell, (he was. a black-
smith, and made such things himself,) both articles being very
necessary to the new settlers — the axe to cut down the forest,
and the bell to put on the old cow so that the boys could find
her in the woods, as they had no pastures until they got them
cleared and fenced. Mr. Knight is still living, aged 92.
'in 1T90 Anthony Bennett and Nathaniel Bennett, twin
brothers, came from New Gloucester, and felled trees on the
lots where they afterwards continued to live — Anthony till
the time of his death, and Nathaniel is still living on his first
premises. This year, or the year before, Joshua Smith came
into Rustfield, from New Gloucester, and commenced on the
place now owned by Jacob Bradbury, and formerly by his
father, Joseph Bradbury, who purchased of Smith. The
year after Mr. Smith felled his first trees, he brought about
one bushel of the seed-ends and eyes of potatoes from New
Gloucester on his back, and planted them on burnt ground,
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 19
and raised fifty bushels of potatoes from the same. I believe
the account, having heard it from his own mouth.
Anthony Bennett moved his family into Rustfield in 1791,
and Nathaniel in 1793. About this time Elisha Cummings
purchased the lot east of Benjamin Witt's farm, and began
on it, and about five years after sold the east half of the
same to John Bird, "who commenced making a farm, and con-
tinues to live on it at this time. Zebedee Perry came in this
year from Paris, and commenced on the lot south of Nathan
Noble's lot. When he moved from Paris he had one child,
John Perry, who lives on the old homestead farm, but has
erected buildings on a different part of the lot.
This year wa& made memorable to the settlers on account
of the first death in the place. This was a female child of
Nathaniel Stevens, aged about five years. During this year,
also, another very sudden death occurred. Mr. Daniel Cary
had commenced on the Lee Grant, near where Alanson M.
Dunham now lives, or where Jacob Tubbs afterwards pur-
chased. He had been at work for Capt. Rust, and was re-
turning home in the evening, and arriving at the outlet of
the pond, near where the Crockett bridge now stands, expected
to find a boat on the south side of the stream ; but some per-
son crossed over the stream during the day, and had left the
boat on the other side, and he feeling anxious to reach home,
attempted to swim over, and when more than half across,
sank and drowned, unknown to any person. The next day
Jonas Stevens went down the pond in his boat to mill, and
picked up a hat on the water near the outlet of the pond, and
taking it down to the mill, the hat was shown to Mr. Ames,
who at once knew it to bc' Gary's hat. Mr. Ames with some
others immediately returned with Mr. Stevens, and soon
found the body, which was brought down to the mill, and
thence to Capt. Rust's house on the hill, (then occupied ia
part by Benjamin Witt) and in due time was properly in-
terred.
20 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Benjamin AYitt after living aAvliile at, or near the mills,
purchased the lot on which Joseph Small afterwards lived,
and erected the barn now standing on the farm ; and after
living there a few years, purchased a lot east of Nathaniel
Bennett's lot, and commenced a farm where he afterwards
lived and died ; and his son Benjamin Witt still lives on the
same farm.
This year Peter Buck, who had a short time before come
from Worcester, Mass., to Paris, moved into Rustfieid, about
half a mile north of the mill ; and he was the first shoe-
maker in the place. The same farm, or the southerly half
of the same, is now occupied by his son, Austin Buck. James
Kettle was the first trader that ever kept goods for sale, as a
store-keeper, in the place, and kept his goods in Samuel
Ames' house — that is, in one room of the same. He was
called a very honest, fair trader, which is a pretty good enco-
mium on his character as a man. And while speaking of
traders, I will continue the subject through the infantile years
of the settlement. William Reed was the next trader, (we
did not have merchants in those days) and commenced trade
in a little house, formerly called the saw-mill house, which
stood about south of, or opposite the saw-mill, and near where
Cowen's cabin once stood. Pie traded here a few years, and
probably commenced about 1792. After some years he built
a two-story store, where he traded for many years. William
Hobbs, the second son of Jeremiah Hobbs, was the third
trader in the town. He commenced near his fiither's farm, a
little east of the Congregational meeting-house, where he
continued to trade occasionally till his death, which occurred
in Feb., 1843. Bailey Bod well, who came from Methuen,
Mass., built the first two-story house in what is nowNorAvay
Village, viz., the house lately occupied by Ichabod Bartlett,
Esq. ; and also put up the first clothier's w^orks in the place
on the privilege now occupied by H. Gr. Cole as a clothier's
and carding establishment. He also built the first saw-mill
HISTORY OF XORWAY. 21
■it tlic Steep Falls, and the first clothier's works at that place.
The first tannery set up in this place was the Rust tan-yard,
and Avas put in operation by William Reed, under Capt. Rust.
Jacob Frost, Jr., afterwards superintended the 3^ard, and a
few years later Joseph Shackley succeeded him, and lived in
the tan-yard house for many years. The house now owned
by John Deering was the third two-story house erected in the
Village, about 1803, and moved into by John Ordway, the
builder, in 1804. There was a two-story house built about
the same time where Esquire Yvliitney's house now stands^
known as the Smith house, it being built by one Samuel
Smith, but was many years after pulled down by Increase
Robinson, who built the house now occupied by William C.
Whitney, Esq. The next two-story house, in the order of
building, was Luther Farrar's, Esq. — now occupied by Levi
Whitman, Esq. — built in 1806. Capt. Henry Rust, Jr.,
built a large two-story house about the same time ; also Levi ;
Bartlett built the two-story house in which he afterwards .
lived till his death, which took place in the summer of 1818 •
his two youngest children also died in a few days after. In
1807, William Reed built the two-story house now occupied
by E. F. Beal. A part of the Elm House was built for a
store by Joshua Smith, in 1806, and afterwards an addition
was made to it in order to make a dAvelling house and store
in the same building. I have rather run along a little ante-
cedent to the time, in regard to the erection of some particu-
lar buildings in the Village, in order that people may under-
stand the progress of things in their early stages.
Job Eastman came from the Pigwacket region, either from
Fryeburg, or vicinity, about 1792, in the spring; and moved
in \N-ith Jonathan Cummings, Jr., the son of the proprietor of
Gummings Gore, and lived in his house for several years. He
afterwards commenced on the lot on which Peter Everett first
commenced, though not in the same place.' Job Eastman was
a brother to Jonathan Gummings' wife, the proprietor of the-
22 HISTORY OF XORWAT.
CunmuDgs Gore ; and in consideration of his services in the
Cummings affairs, he had the promise of a lot of land ; but he
never ha\'ing any children, when his deed was given, it "vvas
only during the life of himself and his wife ; and although he
had no children to inherit the fruit of his labor, he still thought
the thing was not exactly right, and others, who knew the
circumstances, thought just so. Job Eastman taught the first
man's school in the place, in 1793, in Jonathan Cummings'
house. Abigail Symonds, a sister to Lemuel Shed's wife, kept
the next woman's school, after Mrs. Everett, and kept it in
Cummings' barn. Thus it seems that our first teachers had ■
rather humble places in which " to teach the young idea how
to shoot."
About the last of June, 1T92, Benjamin Flint came from
Reading, Mass., and purchased a lot on the Waterford planta-
tion, (since known as the Peter Town farm, and now OA\Tied by
Ansel Town, and the west part of the same lot recently owned
by James Smith,) and felled trees on the same. The next
spring he came down to work on his lot, and on the 13th of
June, 1793, exchanged lots with Jonathan Stickney, who had
five or six years before commenced on a lot near Lemuel Shed.
Jonathan Holman had begun on the lot east of the Peter Town
farm previous to Fhnt's purchase ; he lived there a few years,
and then sold to Asa Lovejoy, and soon went to Canada.
The first marriage in the place was Nathan, Foster and Mir-
iam Hobbs, the second daughter of Jeremiah Hobbs, which
took place the 17th of May, 1791 ; the couple were united by
Kathan Merrill, of Gray, a Baptist preacher. The next mar-
riage in the place was probably Benjamin Witt and Betsey
Parsons, a sister to William and John Parsons. The next
marriage was between Joel Stevens and Olive Hobbs, the old-
est daughter of Jeremiah Hobbs. This marriage was on the
16th day of June, 1794, and in July following Benjamin
Flint was married to Elizabeth Foster, a sister to Nathan Fos-
ter. These two last mamages were solemnized also by Nathan
HISTORY OF NORWAY, 23
Merrill, and the parties were published in Gray ; and afterwards
some publishments were posted up in the grist-mill as the most
public and conspicuous place in the plantation. Lemuel Shed
was married in Eridgton, bj the Kev. Mr. Church, about 1791,
and John I'arsons was married to his second wife about the
same time, lait was probably married in New Gloucester.
Joel Stevens moved into Eustfield in the spring of 1793,
and had buried his first wife, by whom he had two chikben, a
few years before, and had his second wife when he moved in^
])y whom he also had two children. He buried liis second
wife in the following October, and in the next June married his
third wife, Olive Hobbs, by whom he had fifteen more children.
Pie died in April, 1850, at the advanced age of 94 years, and
his widow is still Hving in tliis town.
In June, 1793, Benjamin Fuller and Silas Meriam came
down from ^Middleton, Mass., and purchased land on Cumming's
Gore, north of what has since been called Fuller's Corner, and
felled trees themselves, and hired a considerable of an opening
felled, and had it burnt over the ensuing August. They came
flown again in the fall, cleared a part of their burnt piece, and
sowed winter rye, and then returned again to Middelton. When
they came down in the fall, Mr. Fuller drove a yoke of oxen
and a horse, with a common ox cart, and moved Asa Case
and family, consisting of liis wife, two daughters, and Rebekali
Curtis, an adopted daughter, with their household stufi" — such
as they could bring. To be sure, such a conveyance was not
quite as comfortable as the cars would be at the present day,
but it did pretty well for that time. Mr. Case went to work
on the lot adjoining Benjamin Flint's on the north, on the Wa-
terford plantation. Ftiller agreed with Amos Upton, (who
was a kind of carpenter, and also partly a blacksmith) to erect
a house and barn for him, early in the spring and summer of
1794, with the intention of moving his fiimily to his new home.
Early in the spring of 1794, Silas Meriam and Aaron Wil-
kins, (who was a young man hving with Mr. Fuller) and Jo-
2-I' niSTORY OF NOR^YAY.
seph Dale, a young man hired by Fuller and !Meriam for the
season, started from ^Middleton and went to Salem, with their
tools and bagga2;e. They took passage aboard a -wood-sloop,
and an'ived in Portland after a stormy, bad voyage ; and then
from Portland traveled on foot to Cummings' Grant, "with their
packs on their backs, w'here they arrived about the 10th of
April. They tarried one night in Portland, and staid on board
the sloop. During the night there was a consideraljle fall of
snow ; and when they arrived at their future residence they
found a foot or two of snow, and the few settlers engaged in.
making maple sugar. In a few days, however, the snow dis-
appeared, and they commenced their clearing ; soAved grain,
and planted corn, potatoes, beans, &c.
Ill June Mr. Fuller moved his family down. He came with
an ox- wagon, one yoke of oxen, and two horses ; and having
arrived at what is now Norway Village, he went up to his new
home, and Aaron AYilkins went down with another yoke of"
oxen and helped drive the team around the pond, up to their
new habitation. This was probably the first wagon that ever
cane into the town above the Village, and !Mr. Wilkins says it.
Avas with much difEculty that they got through to Fuller's
house. At that time there had not been any road located in
the place : but the settlers had, from necessity, cleared out the
trees, so as to be able to get from one to another, and that was-
about all that had been done in regard to any road.
I said that Mr. Fuller moved his family to his- house ; but
Mr. Upton had not yet erected the house as Fuller expected ;
therefore he went into Mr. Upton's house, and there remained
till late in the fall. After Fuller's arrival, Mr. Upton com-
menced in good earnest about the buildings. They went into
the woods and cut timber, and erected a barn in season to put
in his grain, and a house as fast as they could. Fuller pro-
cured boards at Rust's mill, and rafted them up to the head of
the pond, and then hauled them up to where they were to be
used. The barn was thirty-two feet by fifty, and the house
inSTORY OF ^fORWAY. 25
twenty feet by tliirty-eiglit, and a story and' a half liigli — tlio
largest establishment in the Cummings Gore; they got the
house so as to move into it, in Novem]:)er. Mr. Fuller, proba-
bly, was in the best pecuniary circumstances of any new set-
tler who had moved into the place ; and he was a very ener-
getic, working kind of a man, and remained so till old age
disabled him from laljor. He made three very good farms, and
erected three sets of good buildings for that day, and probably
paid as large an amount of tax as almost any farmer in tlie
town ; he was adchcted to no particularly bad habits, but still,
from the mutability of this world's aifairs, he died on our poor
form in 1850. He probably rests as quietly in his grave as
though he had died possessed of milhons ; and could with pro-
priety adopt the words of Watts : — •
" Princes, this clay must be your beJ^
In spite of all your towers;
The tall, the wise, the reverend head
Must Me as low as ours."
Joseph Bale, who came down to work for Fuller and Mer-
jam, in a year or two bouhgt a half lot easterly of where Ben-
jamin Flint first began, viz., the east half of lot No. 14, in the
^th Range on the Waterford plantation, and soon after married
Phebe Martin, of Andover, Mass., and moved on to his land.
John Pike, a brother to Dudley Pike, came into Rustfield either
in 1794, or the year previous, and commenced on the lot east
of Dudley Pike's; he lived there for more than forty years,
and then moved to Oxford, where he afterwards died. He was
a very large, athletic man, of stentorian voice, and was often
employed as master-carter, or superintendent in moving build-
ings, and the way he would sing out to the men was not in a
very low tone. It was often the case that the new settlers did
not get their first barn on the spot that suited, them after they
haxl made considerable progress in clearing up their farms.
Hence the repeated calls for moving tli^r first barns and other
buildings.
26 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Benjamin Rowc began on the lot south of Joel Stevens' lot,
as early as 1704, and occupied it a few years, and was suc-
ceeded by Eli})liak't AVatson and his son Ebenczcr Watson ;
they lived there a few years, and then sold out to Jeremiah
Jlobbs, the oldest son of Amos Hobbs. Ebcnezcr Jenkins,
who marrietl a sister to the Pikes, catne into Rustficld about
this time, or a little after, and commenced a httle south of where
Kathaniel Millett now lives ; and Jonathan Woodman likewise
commenced where Jacob Parsons now lives, soon after the same
period ; and probably some others in different parts of the town,
of which the writer has not been able to ascertain the particulars.
In 1794 the first school-house in the place was built, on
Amos Hobbs' land, on the road leading from the centre of
Norway by William Parsons'. Job Eastman taught the first
school in that house, and Abigail Symonds kept the first wo-
man's school in the same.
This year John Henley came from Massachusetts, and com-
menced on the lot south of Amos Upton's, in the Cummings
Gore, and built a small frame house on the AACst side of the
road. Henley was rather a large-sized man, and very moder-
ate in his movements ; but there were few men who could com-
pete with him in using an axe. lie and Darius Holt, soOii
after he came into tlie place, together felled twelve acres of
trees of heavy growth in one week, for Mr. Fuller, and, as
they have told the writer, finished the piece by the middle
of the afternoon on Saturday. Mr. Holt says he felled ten
ju:'rcs for Jonathan Cummings, alone, in nine and a half days.
About this time John Millett and Solomon Millett began on
their respective lots, wliich are situated southerly of William
Parsons' lot. They had previously worked for William Parsons
for a considerable space of time, and were brothers to Parsons'
wife. Their brother, Nathaniel Millett, being younger, did not
come into Rustficld quite so early as his brothers, but in a very
few years after, and located himself where he now resides.
While writing concerning the Parsons and Millett famihes,
HISTORY OF NORWAY. ^ 27
it brings to mind the number of smart, healthy children be-
longing to them in former times. The Avriter taught the
school in that school district in the -winter of 1809-10, and had
thirtj-five scholars Avho bore the name of ^lillett or Parsons.
The noted cold Frida-y occurred in Februry, while in tliis
school ; and the severe cold prevented more than half of the
usual number from getting to the school-house, and more than
half who did get there were more or less frozen, and some of
them badly. And while writing of these families, I can not
withhold the tribute of gratitude which I owe to old Deacon
Parsons and wife. She was a mother, not only to her own
children, but to all around her. My health at that time was
very feeble, and Mrs. Parsons nursed me with a mother's care.
During the last month, the old Deacon used to harness his old
mare and carry me to school, and at night would contrive to
get me home again. lie provided the fuel for the school, and
would go in the afternoon to cut and split wood ; when cold
he would enter the school-house to get warm and smoke his
pipe, and at night carry the master and his girls home. Blessed
days were those. He was, in my humble opinion, a sincere,
practical christian. He never failed to offer up the morning
and evening prayer, and to read a portion of the Holy Bible.
His family government was firm, but very mild ; and perhaps
no family at that day conducted with more propriety and sobri-
ety than his. In the summer and fall of 1807 the writer
worked, probably six months or more, on his new house, and
had an excellent opportunity to knoAv his firm, but mild gov-
ernment. I must relate one little anecdote in regard to his
management of his boys — and he had a lot of them. One day
Joshua and Solomon, boys about ten and twelve years of age,
happened about the house, and were rather full of noisy play,
like other boys of that age ; Mrs. Parsons getting rather out
of patience with the boys, and the Deacon happening to come
in at the time, she said to liim, '' Mr. Parsons, Joshua and
Solomon want a good whipping as much as ever two boys did.''
28 ^ HISTORY OF XOR^TAY.
The Deacon listened to her with attention, and then called out.
'•Josh." The boy responded, "Sir?" "Come here."
The bo J promptly came forward. "Your mother says you
want to be whipped — do you?" "No sir." "' Well, then,
go about your work." He then called out, " Sol." " Sir ] "
' • Come here. ' ' He immediately came forward. ' ' Your mother
says you want to be whipped — do you ? " "No sir. " " Then
go along to your work." And then turning to his wife, said,
''Why, mother, the boys say they don't want to be whipped,
and I guess they'll do well enough without it." The boys
knew better than to take any advantage of their father's len-
ity. But there ! I have run off the track a little to far, I
confess ; but I will try to keep on better for the future.
Jacob Tul)bs came into the place in 1795, and commenced,
on the Lee Grant ; although that grant was not lotted out till
about 1810 — it being a conchtion in the original grant that the
tract should be exempt from taxation till after a certain lapse
of tim.e ; therefore it was not put in the market for sale while
it vras not liable to taxation. For this reason, that part of the
town was not settled till long after the other parts had made
considerable progress in settlements. Mr. Tubbs, however,
liad the good fortune to purchase two hundred acres, selected,
to his own mind, and he made an excellent choice. The other
few settlers on the Lee Grant were what were termed squat-
ters, and occupied without any title.
Isaac Cobb and Asa Dunham came into Rustfield in 1795.
Dunham purchased the lot where Rufus Bartlett afterwards
lived till his death ; and Cobb moved into Dunham's house,
and lived with him till the next spring, when he moved in
with Zebedee Perry ; he soon after purchased the lot south
of Perry's, on which he built a small house, where he lived
ubout four 3'ears, and sold out to Daniel Ilobbs, the oldest
son of Jeremiah Hobbs ; he then purchased where he after-
wards lived till his death, which took place in May, 1825.
Levi Bartlett came to Rustfield about this time, and set up
HISTOKY OF XORWAY. 29
«
the blacksmith business ; he built a large shop, Tv^ith a trip-
hammer, and carried on the business, on a large scale for
those days, till his death in August, 1818. William Work
was married to Betsey Stevens, the oldest daughter of Jonas
Stevens, in 1795. In 1796, Benjamin Flint built his barn,
"which was the first barn erected westerly of Fuller's Corner.
He had used a log hovel previous to that time, as also did the
other settlers : the most of the houses were also built of logrs,
and the roofs covered with spruce bark, fastened on with long
spruces laid across it, and confined with withes. When Ben-
jamin Flint moved his wife home, two years before building
his barn, he borrowed a cart of Mr. Fuller to carry a few
household goods from Nathan Foster's, and he says that was
the first cart ever driven west of Fuller's Corner, and much
difficulty was experienced in getting it back again.
In 1794, there was a State tax laid on Rustfield, and the
following is a copy of the assessment, as made by the assess-
ors, verbathn et literatim ; and this tax will show who were
the inhabitants of Rustfield at that early period :
THE COPPY OF AN EXECUTION.
£ S. d.
Tax, ^ 5 11 8
Travel, -
Coppy, -
Serv.,
1
8
4
0
2
0
0
1
4
1
11
8
Sum total, 7 3 4
Bustjield, November th 7, 1794.
Assessed the sum of seven pounds, three shillings and four
pence upon the polls and estates, to be collected by the 5 day
of December next.
BENJAMIN WITT, )
NATHAN NOBLE, [Assessors,
WILLIAM PARSONS, )
80
HISTORY OF XORWAY.
Henn' Rust,
Joel Stevens,
Joseph Stevens,
John Pike,
Samuel Ames,
Jonas Stevens,
William Stevens,
Samuel Perkins,
Amos Hobbs,
Naiiianiel Bennett,
Anthony Bennett,
George Lessley,
Benjamin Rovie,
Asa Dunham,
Benjamin Witt,
Peter Buck,
Tiiomas Co wen,
Zebedee Perry,
John Cushman,
]Sathan Noble,
Benjamin Herrinfr,
Ebenezer Whitmarsh,
Joshua Smith,
John Parsons,
James Stinchfield,
David Gorham,
John Millett,
Solomon Millett,
^'athaniel Millett,
Benjamin Stinchfield,
William Nash,
Moses Twiichell,
William Parsons,
Dudley Pike,
Daniel Trickky,
Polls.
0
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
0
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
lOd
0
Real Estate.
£ s. d. qrs
0 19 9 2
0 3 0 0
0 3 9 0
0 2 10 0
0 3 9 2
0 1 8
0 0 8
1
1
1
1
3
0 0 9
0 0 7
3 5
0
0 0
0 0
0
0
0 2
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 4
0 0 8 0
0 0 7 0
0 1 10 2
0 2 7 0
0 0 11 0
1 8 0
4 3 2
7
0 2 10 0
0 0 11 0
Personal Est.
£ S. d. qrs
0 12 3
0 1 8
0 2 3
0 1 9
0 0 5
0 0 11
0 0 7
0 0
0 1
0 0
0 0
0 1
0 0 9 0
0 0 3 1
0 0 8
0 0> 6
0 0 2
0 0 5
0 0 0 0
0 2 13
0 3 5 1
0 0 9 3
0 0 8
1
0 2 4 3
0 0 0 0
0 0 9 2.
0 19 1
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 4
0 0 4
0 0 6
0 3 11
0 1 9
0 0 0
0
0 2
0 1
0 2
0 3
0 4 10
Sum Total.
£ s. d. qrs
1 0 I
5 0 3
6 10 0
5 5 1
5 10
3 6 0
2 1 1
2 11
3 2
0 2 11
0 2 11
5 5
0 0
1 0
7 0
1 11 2
1 5 0
5 0 1
0 6 10 1
6 3
I
1
8
L
3
1 0 1
1 3 2
1 9 2
1 11 3
2 0 0
9 8 3
5 5 1
0 0 11 0
0 0000|00 0 0740 1
It appears tliat tlic Lee Grant -was not liable to taxation
until 1807, and I have not been able to ascertain whether
Cummings Gore paid any tax at this time or not, but it is
probable that the few inhabitants did pay in some shape or
other. It thus appears that in Rustfield there were thirty-
two taxable 'polls, and three other persons taxed for property;
but as yet we have no account of any highway tax, except
what was done A^oluntarily. In 1796 the first road in the
\)hm was laid out by a. Court's Committee from Cumberland
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 31
County, to wliich we then belonged. The road in question
commenced at the north line of the town, and ran about
south, twentj-five deg. east, over Cummings hill, thence
southeasterly to Jeremiah Hobbs' lot, thence southerly by
Esquire Eastman's and Deacon William Parsons', around
Horse hill, and over the Craigie hill to Craigie's mills in He-
bron— now Oxford. Horse hill received its name from the
following circumstance: In June, 178T, when Deacon Wil-
liam Parsons, his brother, John Parsons, and Benjamin
Herring, came into the place to fall trees, they had two
horses to bring their provisions ; and there being no pasture,
they turned the animals out in the woods. One night they
were alarmed by a bear, or some other wild beast, and ran
off in a fright ; they could not be found while the men re-
mained at their work. Late in the fall they were discovered
on this hill in a very poor condition. Hence the name of
Horse hill. This was the way that the first settlers wended
tlieir way to Portland with their surplus produce. They
generally went with their ox-teams, in the winter, through
deep snows and poor roads, and often returned home them-
selves to lodge the first night.
Previous to this time there was but one horse in the Cum-
mings Gore, and that an old white-faced mare, owned by
Amos Upton ; and she was used by all the neighbors to go to
mill. They used to lash the bags oif to the saddle, a huge,
coarse thing made for that purpose, and let the old mare plod
her way along the little pathway. Aaron Wilkins says (and
he knew all about it) she would crook around the trees and
rocks very carefully, so as to avoid hitting the bags against
them. Before they had any other practicable conveyance to
Portland, Francis Upton, the oldest son of Amos Upton,
went to Portland with the old mare, and carried a small hog
to market, having it laid across the pack saddle, and strongly
lashed on with cords ; he went on foot himself, leading or
driving the old mare, and only reached Dudley Pike's tho
o2 HISTORY OF :s01lWAY.
first daj, and -put up there that night. In 1790, Dudley
Pike obtained one ox, and John Parsons one other. They
put them together, and YvOrked them alternately, helping
tlieir neighbors Avith them when they could. The next year
they purchased two more, and then had each of them a yoke.
That "was the way they did up things in those early days.
Joshua Crockett, formerly of Gorham, moved to Hebron,
on the Craigie hill, and lived a few years, and in 1796
moved into Kustfield. He lived awhile in the Rust house on
the hill, and then w^ent upon the Crockett farm, wdiere he
lived till his death. Samuel Perkins had, sometime before
this, begun on a lot between Crockett's and Anthony Ben-
nett's ; in a few years Crockett and Bennett bought Perkins
out, and divided the lot between them. Silas Barker had,
previous to this time, commenced on lot No. 14 in the 13th
Range of the Waterford plantation ; he did sometliing on the
land, and soon sold out to John Upton, a cousin to Amos
Upton ; after a few years Upton sold out to a Mr. Pingree.
This year, Joel Frost, born in Tewksbury, JMass., came into
tlie "VYaterford plantation, in June ; he felled trees immedi-
ately, and commenced for a farm where he and liis second
son, "William Prost, now live. His lot lies east of where
Darius Holt then lived, and was lot No. 15 in the .9th Range
of the Waterford plantation.
About this time the subject of having the town incorpor-
ated was called up, and, as is almost always the case, there
were different opinions. They had a plantation meeting in
tlie Waterford plantation, to see if they Avould consent to
liave the three tiers of lots set off to help make up the town
of Norway, and after much discussion on the question, it was
decided in the affirmative. The same year the inhabitants of
Rustfield and Cummings Core, and a few squatters on the
Lee Grant, also had a similar meeting, to consult on the ex-
pediency of an incorporation ; and finally determined in favor
»of the .measure. This primary mefiting was held in Samuel
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
33
Ames' house, near the mills ; and measures were accordingly
taken to bring about the thing in its proper time. The meet-
ing took place Sept. 29th, 1796.
In order to show who were in Rustfield previous to the in-
corporation of the town, I shall have recourse to a tax bill
committed to Joseph Stevens as Collector for the year 1796,
for a State tax, which amounted to thirty-eight dollars and
fourteen cents. A poll tax in this bill was twenty-eight
cents ; and the highest tax on real estate was eighty-four
cents to William Parsons, and the lowest was one cent to
John Cushman. The highest tax on personal estate was
fifty-four cents to Benjamin Herring, and the lowest was
nothinor to Thomas Cowen, and one cent to Levi Bartlett.
There were a few who were taxed for a poll only. A plant-
ation tax was assessed the same year, and for about the same
sum ; although the poll tax was only twenty-five cents, yet
the tax on the several estates was the same as the State tax.
The following are the names of the persons taxed, with the sum total of their
respective taxes :
William Parsons,
$1,83
Nathaniel Millett,
$ ,54
John Parsons,
1,55
David Gorham,
,77
Dudley Pike,
1,50
Ebenezer Whitmarsh,
,95
Thomas Cowen,
,32
William Nash,
,48
Samuel Ames, grist-mill,
1,50
Benjamin Stinchfield,
,41
John Pike,
1,20
Joshua Smith,
,90
John Millett,
1,20
Anthony Bennett,
1,71
Solomon Millett,
,66
Peter Buck,
,68
Moses Twitchell,
,61
Thomas Hill,
,39
John Cushman,
,29
Elisha Cummings,
,39
Joshua Crockett and Mr. Rust, 1,58
Samuel Perkins,
,53
Nathan Noble,
1,14
Reuben Hubbard,
,67
Amos Hobbs,
,96
James Stinchfield,
,62
John Eaton, saw-mill.
1,15
Levi Bartlett,
,79
Benjamin Herring,
1,53
Samuel Pearse,
,33
Benjamin Rowe,
,64
Isaac Cobb,
,33
Joseph Stevens,
1,58
Henry Rust,
,84
Joel Stevens,
1,18
Zekiel Roberson,
,38
Jonas Stevens,
,88
Ephraham Briggs,
,49
William Stevens,
,59
Cimion vShertleef,
,28
Benjamin Witt,
.64
David Woodman,
,28
George Lessley,
1,05
Jonathan Woodman,
,28
Asa Dunham,
,41
Joseph Eveleih,
,28
:Xebedee Perry,
,55
Thomas Furlong,
,28
Whole sum thirty-
3
eight dc
dlars fourteen cents.
$38,14
84 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
The following settlers were on the Cummings land previous
to the incorporation of the town, viz : — Jeremiah Ilobbs,
Nathaniel Stevens, Job Eastmaa, Jonathan Cummings, Na-
than Foster, John Henley, Amos Upton, Benjamin Fuller,
Silas Meriam, Francis Upton, the son of Amos Upton, who
had now become of age, and Aaron Wilkins, about, or quite
of age. On the Waterford three tiers were Joseph Dale,
Jonathan Stickney, Joel Frost, Darius Holt, Lemuel Shed,
Phinehas Whitney, Jabez Chubby Benjamin Flint, Asa Case,
and Silas Barker. On the Lee Grant were Daniel Knight,
William Gardner, Isaac Cummings, Joshua Pool, William
Dunlap, and Jacob Tubbs. Perhaps there might possibly
have been a few more settlers within the limits of the several
tracts of land wdiich afterwards made up the town of Norway.
It appears from an old order, on Jostjph Stevens, as a Col-
lector, that Joshua Smith and Levi Bartlett w^ere assessors
of Rustfield at some period previous to the incorporation of
the town.
ACT OF INCORPORATION.
An Act to incorporate several tracts, or grants, of land situ-
ate in the County of Cumberland, into a town by the name
of Norway :
Sect. 1. — Be it enacted, by the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives, in General Court assembled, and by the author-
ity of the same. That one tract, or grant, of land, known by
the name of Rustfield ; another by Lee's Grant ; a third by
Cummings' Grant ; together with the three tiers of lots,
which formed a part of the plantation of Waterford, lying
next to, and adjoining the easterly side of said plantation —
the outlines of the said town of Norway being as follows,
viz: — Beginning at a certain birch tree, standing on the
westerly side line of Paris, and on lot number thirteen, well
marked, thence running northerly, one thousand one hundred
and sixty rods, by said Paris line, to a spruce tree, marked ;
];iISTORY OF NORWAY. S5
thence south, seventy-six degrees west, one thousand and foui*
rods, to a cedar tree, standing on the easterly side line of
Cummings' Grant ; thence north, twenty-five degrees west,
ftfty-five rods, to the northeasterly corner of said Cummings'
Grant ; thence south, sixty-five degrees west, four hundred
and eighty rods, to the easterly side line of said plantation,
(of Waterford;) thence north, twenty-five degrees west, on
said easterly line of said plantation, ahout three hundred and
thirty rods, to the northeasterly corner of the plantation
aforesaid ; thence south, sixty-five degrees west, on the north-
erly side line of said plantation, crossing three tiers of lots
to the dividing line between the third and fourth tiers of lots,
from the aforesaid easterly side line of said plantation ; thence
south, twenty-five degrees east, on said dividing line, by the
town of Waterford, as incorporated, to the southerly side line
of said plantation ; thence north, sixty-five degrees east, on
said southerly side line of said plantation, crossing the ends
pf the aforesaid three tiers of lots, about three hundred and
thirty rods to the southeasterly corner of said plantation ;
(the last-named distance ought to be four hundred and eighty
rods;) thence south, twenty-five degrees east, by Phillips'
Gore (so called) six hundred and twenty-four rods, to He-
bron line ; thence north, fifty- four degrees east, by Hebron
line, about one thousand and seventy-four rods, to a tree
standing on the westerly side line of Paris, marked ; thence
northerly by said Paris about nine hundred and seventy rods
to the first bound ; together with the inhabitants thereon, be,
and hereby are incorporated into a town by the name of Nor-
way ; and the said town of Norway is hereby invested with
all the powers, privileges and immunities which other towns
in this Commonwealth do, or may enjoy. Provided, never-
theless, that Waterford, as incorporated, exclusive of the
before-mentioned three eastern tiers of lots, are and shall be
entitled to four-fifths of all public lots lying within the afore-
*jaid three tiers of lots. Provided, also, that no taxes of any
^36 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
kind be laid on any part of the land contained ^vithin the
bounds of Lee's Grant until the expiration of ten years from
the passing of this act.
Sect. 2. — Be it further enacted, by the authority afore-
said, that Enoch Perley, Esq., be, and he is hereby empow-
ered to issue his warrant, directed to some suitable inhabitant
of the said town of Norway, requiring him to notify and
warn the inhabitants thereof, to meet at some convenient time
and place for the purpose of choosing all such officers as
towns are by law required to choose in the months of March
ov April, annually.
This act passed March 9, 1797.
Oentle reader, we have now got into Norway ; — not the
beautiful Norway of the present day, but Norway in its in-
fancy. I have conducted you through a long journey, and
mostly through a dreary wilderness. "VYe have wandered,
not quite so long a time as the children of Israel did in
reaching the promised land, but for the space of almost ten
years after females first showed themselves in the plantation,
which was in the spring of 1787. Our ancestors, the first
settlers, waded, not through seas of blood, like some mighty
conquerors, but through mud and water, thick forests, burnt
trees, and black logs, oftentimes suffering hunger and hard-
ships. They were thinly scattered about in small clearings
dotted here and there with little huts, log houses and log
hovels, many of them surrounded with large families of
young children, many times poorly clad, and poorly fed.
Yet think not that " they were of all men," and women,
" the most miserable ; " for if we may believe the testimony
of the few who are still living, we shall find that they had
their comforts and consolations as much, or more, than at the
present day. As a general thing, they were like a band of
brothers, and stood by each other in times of need ; and by
dint of patient industry and perseverance, they finaJlj
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 37
achieved a glorious victory over the dark wilderness, causing'
it to bud and blossom as the rose. The soil proved fertile
and productive, and under the guidance and smiles of Provi-
dence, they laid foundations for happy, happy homes. They
could, with heartfelt gratitude, adopt the words of the Psalmist :
" He sends the showers of blessings dowa
To cheer the plains below,
He makes the grass the mountains crown,
And corn in vallies giow."
I have not been able to learn precisely on what day the
first annual meeting was held for the choice of town officers,
nor with certainty at what place ; but it is believed by the
oldest settlers now living, that it was held at the house of Job
Eastman, May 3rd, 1797, and the following persons were
chosen Selectmen' and Assessors for that year, viz : Job East-
man, Benjamin Witt, and Joseph Stevens ; Joshua Smith,
Town Clerk ; Job Eastman, Town Treasurer ; and Ebenezer
Whitmarsh, Constable and Collector of Taxes.
In order to show who were the inhabitants of the town at •
the time of its incorporation, I here give the names as stand-
ing on the first valuation, and assessment of the first tax
after the organization of the town :
PERSONS' NAMES.
Ames Samuel,*
Bennett Anthony,
Bennett Nathaniel,
Buck Peter,
Bartlett Levi,
Bartlelt Capt.,
Case Asa,
Cummings Jonathan,
Crockett Joshua.
Cowen Thomas,
Chubb Jabez,
Cumminos Elisha,
Dunham Asa,
Dale Joseph,
PERSONS'" NAMES.
Dunlap William,
Eastman Job,
Fuller Benjamin,
Frost Joel,
Gorham David,
Hobbs Jeremiah,
Hobbs Amos,
Hubbard Reuben,
Herring Benjamin,
Holt Darius,
Henley John,
Hill Thomas,
Lessley George,
Lovejoy Asa,
*The name of Samuel Ames has stood at the head of all our valuations,
tax lists, and lists of voters, probably every year since the incorporation oiT
the town. At all events, 1 have never seenone othervvL^e.
3S
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
PERSONS' NAMES,
Millett John,
Milieu Solomon,
Millett Nalfianiel,
Meiiam Silas
Koble Nathan,
Nash Williann,
Parsons William,
Parsons John,
Pike Dudley,
Pike John,
Perry Zel)e(lee,
Perkins Samuel,
Rust Henry,
Rowe Benjamin,
Robinson Ezekiel,
Stevens Jonas,
Stevens Joseph^
Stevens Joel,
Stevens Ndthaniel,
Stevens William,
Shed Lemuel,
Shirtlef Simeon,
Saunders Jonathart^
Smith Joshua,
Stmclifield James,
PERSONS' NAMES,
Upton Amos,
I'pton Francis,
Witt Benjamin,
Whitmarsh Ehenezer,
Whitney Phinehas,
Whitney Jonathan,
Work William,
Foster Nathan,
Flint Benjamin,
Curtis
Beals William,
Brip-gs Ephraim,
Bird
Woodman Jonathan,
Young Nathaniel,
Yates William,
Tubbs -- —
Furlong Thomas,
Knight Daniel,
Wiiham Jeremiah,
Richardson - — —
Webster Simon,
Cobb Isaac,
Crooker Calvin,
Ciooker Ebenezer,
William Reed.
Siinchfield Benjamin,
Making seventy-nine taxable residents, and as polls were
then taxable at sixteen years of age, there were eighty-six
polls taxed, as some of the boys had reached the age of six-
teen years.
The non-resident proprietors of land wero assessed,
$ 89,94
The settlers were assessed, - - 945,49
Total assessment.
$1035,48
A poll tax in this assessment was one dollar and sixty cents^
and the assessment probably included the State, County, and
tOAvn tax, though the book does not positively show the fact.
There was a highway tax assessed the same year for the
sum of - - - - $342,49,8
The non-residents paying - - 17,78,4
The residents the remaining
A poll tax was $1,50. In 1798,
$324,71,4
money tax, including
HISTORY OF NORWAY* S9
State. County, and town, was assessed, amounting to $296,73;
a poll tax was $1,00, and the number of polls 95. A high-
way tax the same yoar amounted to $498,93, and a poll tax
was $2,50. In 1799 it appears that a State tax for $41,02
was assessed ; a ]X)11 tax was thirteen cents, and there were
107 polls. The total valuation of the real and personal es-
tate in the town amounted to the sum of $21,119. I find a
small remnant of a tax, which was called a minister tax, in
which a poll paid seventeen cents ; and another fragment,
which was probably a town tax, in which a poll paid sixty
cents. From what can be gleaned up, it appears that the
taxes for the year were about as follows :
State tax, - - $ 41,02
Minister tax, (nearly) -'- 52,00
Town tax, (money) - 200,00
do. do. (highway) - 35t),00
Making a total of - - $643,02
In 1800 it appears there were 115 taxable polls in the town ;
the amount of money tax not ascertained, but estimated the
same as last year, $296,73. Highway tax $611,02.
In 1798 Joshua Smith was chosen Town Clerk ; Job East-
man, Treasurer ; Job Eastman, Benjamin Witt, and Joseph
Stevens, Selectmen; Ebenezer Whitmarsh, Collector. In
1799, Job Eastman, Clerk; Job Eastman, Treasurer; Job
Eastman, Joshua Smith, and Benjamin Witt, Selectmen. In
1800, Job Eastman, Clerk; Job Eastman, Treasurer; Job
Eastman, Anthony Bennett, and Jonathan Woodman, Select-
men ; Ebenezer Whitmarsh, Collector. Soon after the in-
corporation of the town. Job Eastman was appointed a Jus-
tice of the Peace, and acted in that capacity for the space of
forty-eight years.
During the summer and fall of 1799, John Parsons built
him a new one-story house, 30 feet by 36 ; he had nearly
completed the finishing of it in January following, and had
inoved his family into the same. One evening, as one of the
40 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
joiners was working at the bench, he cut his finger badly, and
■went into the room where the family lived to bind up his
wound ; in jumping across the bench he knocked over the
candle, and not observing it while doing up his finger, the
house was wrapped in flames almost instantaneously, as there
was a large quantity of shavings on the floor. This was a
sad loss. Mr. Parsons went courageously to work, and by
the help of his kind neighbors, rebuilt the house, and got
into it before spring work commenced.
The following persons came into the town from the time of
incorporation up to, and within, the year 1800, viz : Cad F.
Jones, in 179T ; Edward Wells^ and his son Edward Wells,
Jr., John Richardson, Jr., James French, Joseph Small, Da-
vid Morse, John Upton, Ebenezer Cobb, Josiah Bartlett,
Nathaniel Bancroft, Joshua Pool, Barzilla D welly, Richard
Blake ; Daniel Hobbs, a son of Jeremiah Ilobbs, and Amos
Upton, Jr., a son of Amos Upton, had become of age, and
were taxable citizens in 1798. In 1799, there is the addi-
tion of Amos Blanchard, Darius Wilkins, John Upton, Moses
Abbott, Samuel Godding, William White, David Upton, Jo-
seph Martin, and probably some others came in, in order to
make arrangements for a settlement as soon as convenient.
In 1800, there were added, Tilden Bartlett, Rufus Bartlett,
Jacob Bancroft, Stephen Curtis, Jacob Frost, Edmund Mer-
rill, Jacob Parsons, Alfred Barrett, Ward Noyes, Bailey
Bodwell, Samuel Andrews. At this time there were fifty-
seven houses and forty-seven barns in the town.
This year the Militia was organized in Norway, and the
first officers w^erc Jonathan Cummings, Captain, Anthony
Bennett, Lieutenant, William Reed, Ensign.
In 1801, the town officers were as follows : Job Eastman,
Clerk; Job Eastman, Treasurer; Job Eastman, Jonathan
Woodman, and Cad F. JoneSj Selectmen; William. Hobbs,
Collector.
Highway tax !$720j68 ; money tax, of all kinds, $169a,'
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 41
r>4 ; number of polls 129 ; poll tax on the highway ^2,00.
This year, or last, Joseph Rust built a grist-mill at the Steep
Falls, and it appears that he was taxed for the Rust property
by the valuation.
Previous to 1800, Amos Upton had built a large one-story
house, and in January of that year Ward Noyes moved from
Andover, Mass., into Mr. Upton's house, and lived there
until the next fall. In July there was a terrific tempest of
lightning, thunder, rain and whid. The house was struck
by lightning at the easterly end of the ridge-pole ; the elec-
tric fluid ran down the rafter and other timbers, and went
almost over the whole house. Seven persons were knocked
down by the shock, and Ward Noyes was insensible for a
long time ; probably he never would have recovered had it
not been for the application of cold water, which by Mr. Up-
ton's direction was poured upon him by pailsfull — he havings
a short time previous, seen in a newspaper an account of its
efficacy. Large spaces of thick forest were prostrated by
this wind, and considerable damage done otherwise.
The first post-office in Norway was established in 1800,
and William Reed appointed post-master. He remained in
office about forty jears, and was a vigilant, faithful officer ;
lie also continued to keep a store of goods, and traded largely
for that day, for many years. He engaged extensively in
farming, and in all kinds of business was a very energetic,
persevering man.
Wliile speaking of the establishment of the first post-office-
and first post-master, I will give an account of the mail at
that time, the first mail-carrier, kc. Jacob Howe, grand-
father of Jeremiah Howe of Norway Village, was the first
mail-carrier, and rode on horseback with the mail-bag, and
a large pair of saddle-bags, in which he carried a few news-
papers. He came from Portland, through Gray, New Glou-
cester, Poland, Hebron, to Norway, and then to Waterford,
Bridgton, Raymond, Standish, Gorham, to Portland again,
42 HISTORY OF NORWAYi
once a week ; und the time of his arrival at this, and other
places, depended on circumstances, the state of the -weather,
and the situation of the roads. The newspapers were mostly
the old Portland Gazette and Eastern Argus ; for there were
at that early day two political parties, though not many third
parties^ or '^ one idea ^' parties. The carrier had an enor-
mous tin horn, or trumpet, which he sounded just before his
arrival at the respective post-offices, and also in neighborhoods
where a man or two took a newspaper ; then the boys and
girls would run out to get " father's paper," and soon all the
neighbors learned the news. Mr. Howe carried the mail sev-
eral years, and was succeeded by a Mr. Smith; after a few
years, Joshua Pool, of this town, succeeded Smith, and Wil-
liam Sawin succeeded Pool — all of them carrying the mail
and newspapers in the same way. About 1812. a Mr. Brown,
of Waterford, became a mail-contractor, and ventured to con-
vey the mail in a one-horse wagon, (one-horse wagons came
into being about that time,) and once in a while would carry
a passenger or two to Portland, or some other place. James
Longley succeeded Mr. Brown, and the mail-route was so
altered that a mail ran direct from Portland to Norway Vil-
lage and Paris Hill. Longley had the hardihood to run a
pair of horses and double-sleigh in winter, and a four-wheeled
carriage in summer, though his patronage in the way of
passengers was rather small. However, by perseverance and
attention. Longley in a few years built up a pretty good busi-
ness, and was filially succeeded by John B. Stowell. He
owned the line for a few years, and was succeeded by G. G.
Waterhouse, who owned the line, and most of the time han-
dled the reins himself, until the railroad went into operation,
when he was transferred to the cars as conductor on a passen-
ger train. I must be permitted to say a word about Water-
house, as a st?ige-driver ; (not intending, in the least, to speak
disparagingly of his predecessors.) He was ever attentive
to the wants and comfort of his passengers, and very correct
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 43
iii doing the thousand errands intrusted to his care. He
finally raised the character of the line to an eminent pitchy
and before the conversance 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 NorAvay 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 linCj till superseded
by the railroad. Anthony Bennett, the son of Capt. Anthony
Bennett, was one of the company, and was the driver for sev-
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
I'oute, 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-
teemed 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 Ames, 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 tlio
44 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
only one living. I ask pardon for getting 80 for ahead, as*
to dates ; but I thought tlie 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 abo<ve the old one, and
did 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, Phinehas 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 tlie
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.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 45
Jacob Frost, who moved from Tewksburj, Mass., into Nor-
way, in 1800, was also in the battle of Bunker Hill. He
was severely Avounded 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 fite. 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 liis companions
in suffering proved true and faithful friends, and did not leave
him, but helped him along — oftentimies 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
46 HISTORY OF NORAVAY.
they had saved from their scanty daily allowance while they
were j^reparing the way to escape. After their old, mouldy
crusts were gone, they were almost driven to desperation ; an.d
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 M^;.
Frost has said that was the sweetest morsel he eyer 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 hunger, they ventured up to a house,
and rapped at the door ; ji 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 sufiering, 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 ho
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
Vriter tha-t it never had been extracted ; but it was finally
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 4T
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 Q5, 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, Benjamiu 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 tlie place. Dr. Shajinon was the first,
48 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
>vho 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 vvery good physician. He then removed to
Sangerville, but in the latter part of his life was subject to
insanity, and died in the insane hospital a few years since.
Dr. Asa Danforth come into Norway about 1821, and remains
here si the pi'^sent 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.
IMillett, 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
HISTORY OF IsORWAY. 49
settled in this town about the time Dr. Roberts left ; after a
short practice he removed to Wakefield, N. H. Ho married;
the only daughter of William Hobbs. Dr. Leander Tripp also
settled in the upper part of the town, near SAvift'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. Li short, no town has more reasoa
to be satisfied with its physicians than the town of Norway
for 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 ^lay, 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 Httle
bowhng-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
other 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
50 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
leveled the inequalities of the ground as -well as they could fur
this important occasion. Martial music at that day, in tliis
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
pewter 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,
Bumford, Francis Keyes, Captain, Hebron, Paris, Otisfield,
Mores, Captain, Norway, Jonathan Cummings, Captain.
Six companies in all ; — a pretty formidable mihtary 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-comered 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 Beed 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 httle
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 51
liquor, such as good old "white-face and molasses," known
then by the sober cognomen of black straps 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 wliite
pants looked tremendously — for many of them appeared as if
they were putting on mourning for the wash-tub.
The regiment |^erformed many maneuvers and evolutions
laid down by old '' Steuben," and other military tactitians.
Both soldiers and officers received the hearty applause and ap-
jjrobation 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 acliieved
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 mihtary
parade and glory have passed away, and are now numbered
among the things that are not ; and probably a like fate awaits
Qnany of the things of the present day.
Adjutant Wilham C. Whitney is still amongst the livingy
and resides in this town. He came into this new country, to
Hebrouj when a young man, and has passed through much
52 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
hard lalx>r 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 T>orld's goods, Avhich, 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 fam.ous 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 tQ
that time, and after, retained liis physical and mental faculties
in a remarkable manner. I have spent days with him, t^kir^g
notes of events that occurred in the early settlenaent of thi^
town, prior to my personal knowledge of the place and peopje.
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 coujite-
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 hve 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 Eust, Clerk ;
Job Eastman, Treasurer • Benjamin Witt, Natha«i •Noble,
and Timothy Stone, Selectmen,
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 53
State tax, -.-,.§ 77^33
Town voted to raise for schools, - 300,00
T-own charges, - -^ - 20,00
Total, . . -. . $5397,33
Number of Polls 162. Highway tax same year, f 803,18.
Can not find any County tax for this year. At another
meeting 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 Rustfield, 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
liad now become of age, and Avere 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 ; lie
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 "\Yaterford
three tiers ; he raised corn one year, and then sold out to the
Pingrees. Mr. Stevens lived in the town many years, and
in many places, and died in Otisfield, 1847. Daniel Davis,
John Case, Morton Curti?, Noah Curtis, Levi Frank, George
Doughty, and Thomas "Wood, were new-comers into the town.
Among the sons of the old settlei^s, besides those already
nawiod, were Amos Upton, Jr., Daniel Stevens, Jonas Ste-
vens, Frye Lovejoy, Micah Upton, Daniel Knight, Jr., and
j)robably some others.
The military affairs underwent some change this year.
Capt. Jonathan Cummings was promoted to a Major in the
legiment, and Anthony Bennett promoted from a Lieutenant
to Captain, and Ward Noyes chosen Lieutenant.
54 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, Elaine*
Daniel Young, this year, came from New Gloucester, and
bct 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
HISTORY or NORWAY. 55
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
jiropert J in the town of Norway, as taken by the assessors in
the year of our Lord 1804, $40,977.
I came from ^lassachusetts into the town of Norway, Feb.
12th, 1804, and must be pardoned if I give a short descrip-
tion of the appearance of the place at that early day. There
were three two-story buildings in the Village, viz : the Reed
store, which has lately been remodelled, and an addition put
to it, by Robert Noyes, the old house recently occupied by
Icha1x)d 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-
A'ens' , 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
>?alem ; 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 beech, and a seat to lay across
56 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
when the hidies rode to a meeting or a party. In the sum-
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, do n'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, - - - -. |77,83
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
HISTORY or NORWAY, 67
Root, Joseph H. Root, Joseph Shackley, John Thomas, John
Shaw, Eliphalet Watson, Ebenezer Watson, Asa Ricker, Jon-
athan Shed, John Bennett, Thomas Real. 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 maii^ I think there
are none to say that he was not a good man. Ever bland
4ind courteous in his de^wrtment 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 ]\Ir. 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 ^Ir. Farrar' s widow, who was, and still
is, a very amiable and capable woman ; and what I consider
5S another item of importance, Mr. AVhitman has always pur-
58 niSTORY OF NORWAY.
sued the same peaceful course as his predecessor, Ly 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 1882 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. Bartlctt, 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
euloo-ize 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 Brunsvv'ick 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. Closes 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 industi'ious life. John Shaw put in operation at the
Steep Falls a carding-machine, the first in the town or vicinity.
He 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 t!heir own wives and daughters. The spinning-wheel and
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 69
the loom made cheering muf?ic 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 Avell, 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
Kust, 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. 180T ;
Henry Rust, County Treasurer, and served till his decease in
l820j 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 tvro 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 Paist, Treasurer ;
Joseph Rust, Anthony Bennett, and Aaron Wilkins, Select-
men ; James French, Collector of taxes.
Money tax, embracing State, County, and town, $810,11.
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 Avere visible ; birds
ucted as though they were retiring for night, and all things
^appeared gloomy and dark.
Town officers in 1807 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Bust,.
Treasurer : Aaron Wilkins, William Parsons, and Cad F..
Jones. Selectmen ; James French, Collector of taxes.
State tax for 1807, -
$107,3a
County tax, - - - -
89.54
Town tax, -
750.00
Deficiency of highway tax for 1806,
87^43
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.,
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 61
Elijah Jordan, John Clifford, Francis Butcher, David Major,
Increase Robinson. Those arriving at twentj-one years of
age, and taxed in their own names, were : James French, Jr.,
Jeremiah Hobbs, Jr., Jeremiah Ilobbs, 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
suckerSj 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 mosli
excruciating pain till his death. Joel Stevens was so con.:^
fined down by parts of the camp falling on hiin, 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 w^ 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 funej-al sermon was
preached by Noah Cresey, who came here as a preacher a few
weeks previous, from the following text: "For man alsa
knoweth not his time : as tho 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
suddeply upon them."— EcclosiasteSj ix., 12, I shall iievet^
62 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
forget the fervor and soleninity 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 the
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
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 63
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 highAvay 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 Pingree, 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 liis feet, and instantly fell
64 niSTORY OF ^'ORAVAY.
OR the snow a corpse. The writer was standing with the
teacher, I\Ir. 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 takipg
of tliis 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 iaken : Wiljiam Foye, John Herrings
P«ter Everett, Jr.., Amos Noble, John B. Everett, H^nry
Eust, 3d.
IThis year the tow» 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, T^L^asurer ; Aaron Wilkins, Cad F. Jones, Solomon
Millett, Selectmen ; Joseph Bradbury, Collector and Consta-
ble. J^uther Farrar, Esq., Representative.
Money tax, for State and town, - $898,46
Cojinty tax not found, supposedj - 76,72
Total, - . - . $975,18
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 65
Highway tax, $1000. Kumber of polls 202; scholars 421.
Number of inhabitants in the town 1010, by the census.
New immigrants : Keuben 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
of 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 HISTOBY.
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 w^ere 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
(}Q 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 afiixed to our
names ; in case he move his family into these parts for the
purpose as above —
PARIS. NORWAY.
Levi Hubbard, Ten dollars.
Daniel Staples, Ten dollars
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.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 67
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 Buildings or
Hiring a convenient place for publick Avorship, 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
Keligious 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 Bust,
Beaj. Witt, Nathaniel Bennett, Josiah Bisco.
A true copy from the original,
Attest, JOSEPH RUST, Clerk,
rG8 5IIST0Rr OF NOR^'AT.
The following receipt will show that Thomas Barnes had
reallj become a regular preacher in this society.
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 true Copy from the original,
Attest, JOSEPH BUST, 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 fiuad 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 IModerator for said Meeting.
2d, To choose a Clerk for the society for the ensuing year.
3d, To choose a .Committee to transact the necessary busi-
ness 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,
iind to transact any other business thought proper when met.
Per order of the Committee.
Norway, 2Qth April, 1802.
JOSEPH RUST, Society Clerk.
A true record. Attest, Joseph Eust, Clerk.
When called to act on the fourth article, Anthony BfiUD£.tt.
HISTORY OP XOHWAY.- 69>
Joseph Rust-, Levi Bartlett, were chosen as said committee.
In order to show the use of such a committeCj I here insert
an old document on the subject :
We, the subscribers, Thomas Barnes, publick teacher of a
society in the religious sect, 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 m our
stated meetings for religious Worship.
Thomas Barnes,
Joseph Rust,
Nonmy, January Vith^l'^Oo . Anthony Bennett.
On the back of the foregoing certificate are the following
endorsements :
Norway, Sept. lit/i, 1803.
Sir, please to pay Mr. Thomas Barns sixty- three cents it
being Benjamin Tucker's proportion of Minister tax for the
year 1802. BENJAMIN WITT, / Selectmen
NATHAN NOBLE, ) ofNorivay.
To Job Eastman, Esq., Toiim Treasurer.
To Mr. William Hobbs Collector of the town of Norway,
please to pay the contents of the underwritten order, and this
sliall be received in the Treasury the same as cash.
Job Eastman, Treasurer.
N. B. — The certificate was duly backed over by Tucker.
The Baptist denomination labored under the same embar-
rassments, as the following certificate will show :
This certifies to whom it may concern, that John Parsons
of Norway joined the Baptist Church of Christ in Paris in
the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six, and lias,
and does now attend publick worship with us.
James Hooper, Minister.
John Willis, / ^ -vv •
T , , T , CommUteCr
Lem L Jackson, )
Paris, June the G, A. 1)., 1801.
to llISTORY OF NORWAY.
It appears by the record, April 21, 1804, that tlie society
numbered thirty-six.
The meeting-house built in the Village was the first in the
town, and as some (>vho ought to know) say, was the first
Universalist church erected in the District of Maine. In
1805, the Universalist Society of Paris and Norway was in-
corporated by an act of the Legislature of Massachusetts.
During several successive years things went along wdth the
usual progress of matters, like all other societies. Mr. Barnes
continued to preach with them, with occasionally some other
preachers, and among others Sebastian Streeter. In 1822,
there w^ere forty paying members, (and such are, in all soci-
eties, the best members.) Nov. 22, 1828, the society, having
it in contemplation to build a new house, voted to sell the old
one. Nov. 28, 1828, they voted to build a new house, and
chose the following committee to superintend the building of
the same : Nathaniel Bennett. Elijah Hall, Asa Danforth,
Asa Barton, and Joshua Crockett. Benjamin B. Murray
became the preacher in this society a short time previous to
building the new house, and continued till some time in the
year 1832. The new house was finished and dedicated in
1829. In 1833, the Rev. Henry Hawkins was invited to
preach to the society, and continued its teacher and preacher
for a short time. In 1837, Rev. Luke P. Rand was called
by the society to become its religious teacher, and remained
till some time in 1840. In 1838, there was a great revival
in the society, and an addition of twenty-six members was
made, which was almost four times the number of its first
founders. Soon after the withdrawal of Mr. Rand, the Rev.
T. J. Tenney was invited to become the teacher of the soci-
ety, and remained till 1846. In 1849, Rev. J. L. Stevens
was called to become the pastor of the society, and continues
with it up to the present time. In 1851, the society remod-
elled and rededicatcd their house, and put into it an elegant
organ. As a religious society it appears flourishing. The
paying members now number fifty-eight.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 71
Since the jBrst organization of the society, very many of
the old members have bid adieu to all sublunar things, and
passed to the spirit land, " from whose bourne no traveler
returns ; " but their places seemed to be filled with others,
(with many additions) who are springing up after them.
May the society, and its teachers, ever enjoy the smiles and
guidance of that Being, " whose right it is to rule."
CONGREG-ATIONAL DENOMINATION.
I now proceed to give some account of the Congregational
'church and society in Noi'way, as that Was the next in order
of organization, except what was done to fulfil the require-
ments of the law, before any society was formed.
It seems, by the best authority within my reach, that Mr.
Gould, some years afterwards settled in Bethel, was the first
minister that was hired to preach in the town ; and it being
summer-time, he preached in Jeremiah Hobbs' barn — length
of time unknown. A minister by the name of Chapman,
who probably resided in Bethel, used sometimes to pass through
the towh, and preached a few times ; and occasionally a mis-
sionary made a visit, and ministered to the people. Mr.
Nathan Merrill, of Gray, a Baptist preacher, sometimes vis-
ited the settlement, even before its incorporation, and generally
preached when he came here ; he likewise solemnized several
of the first marriages in the place.
A minister by the name of Stoddard, about 1801 or 1802,
preached for a considerable time, and the people were so well
satisfied, that they came to the conclusion to settle him ; but
some things derogatory to his character as a preacher coming
to light, they finally dismissed him from any further duty—
as they believed him to be a wolf in sheep's clothing, who
might devour some of the lambs. Mr. Stoddard was proba-
bly witty ^ if not good ; and thinking (rightly too) that Capt.
Jonathan Cummings exerted considerable influence adverse to
his settlement in the town as a minister of the gospel, on
72 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
preaching v^hai lie termed his farewell sermon, he paid rather
a sarcastic compliment to Cummings. He pretended to have
had a remarkable dream, and obtainecl the latest news froni-
the infernal regions. Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils, had
hastily summoned a grand council of his co-workers in evil,
to consult on the furtherance of his nefarious designs. Ho
stated to his compeers that he had received intelligence that
the town of Norway, on this earthly ball, was about to settle
a minister of the gospel, and that there must be some plan
contrived to prevent such a terrible obstacle to his own rule
and reign in poor Norway. After much elaborate discussion,
his Satanic Majesty ordered his best and fleetest horse to ]>c
brought up, while he was making hasty preparations for his
journey. In the meantime, some one of his sage counselors
inquired of him if there was not some person in Norway who
could be furnished with an agency to do the business for him,
and save the journey. He began to deliberate on the subject,
and suddenly exclaimed, " 0 yes ! there is Jonathan Cum-
mings ; I had at first forgotten that he was there : he can do
the business just as well as I can, so you may put up my
horse again." And it seems he was not mistaken in his
agent, for he has done the business just as well as his mastei'
could, had he come on purpose.
On the 6th of October, 1802, the Congregational Church
was organized, and the following are the '^Articles of Faith :"
1st. — We believe that there is one God, who is the Creator,
Lord, Governor and Judge, both of angels and men, and tlie
Sovereign Lord of providence and grace, and who is eternal,
self-existent, almighty. Infinite in knowledge, wisdom, love,
goodness and holiness.
2d. — We believe that in the unity of the Godhead there
are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ;
that these three are equal in power and glory, and that equal
honour belongs to them.
od. — We believe that God made man in his own image in
HISTORY OF NORWAT. To
moral nsctitude ; that man fell by eating the :^>rhidclen fruit,
involving his whole posterity with himself in sin and ruin ;
that all, who, by natural generation, are born of flesh, arc
depraved and children of death ; that no one without being
born again, can enter into the kingdom of God.
4th. — We believe that as God reserves fiillen angels to the
Judgment of the great day, so he might justly have left all
mankind to everlasting death ; but in the riches of his sov-
ereign love he gave his son to be born and die for them ;
raised him from the dea?l' for their justification and salvation,
and by his spirit keeps all, who truly believe, to eternal life
in heaven.
5th.— We believe the scriptures of the old and new testa-
ment to be the word of God ; and a revelation from him of
his ivill and man^s duty^ and that it is a perfect rule both of
faith and practice, teaching the true knowledge of God, the
redemption of man by Jesus Christ, the justification of be-
lievers by his righteousness, and the renovation of the elect
h^ his Spirit.
6th. — We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ requires the
first day of the week to be sanctified as the Lord's day ; that
he has appointed his ministers to preach his word and to ad-
minister christian ordinances, particularly baptism to believers
and their seed, and the Lord's supper to Christ's fiimily, a&
the memorial of his death, and that he requires secret, family,
and publick worship of God, the singing of his praises, and
the reading of his word, with the keeping of all his moral-
commands.
7th. — We believe that God does all things by Jesus Christ
according to his eternal counsels and decrees, and requires
mankind to do all acts of obedience, and worship in Christ's
name and with the assistance of his grace, going always to
God through Christ, and by the holy spirit.
8th. — We believe that Christ, who is exalted at the right
hand of the Father, and governs the world as head over all
74 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
things to the church, will at the last day descend from heaven
in glory with the holy angels, will raise the dead, and judge
the world in righteousness, condemning the wicked according
to their works to eternal death, and giving to the righteous
eternal life in the kingdom, and blessed presence of God.
Covenant. — In presence of the Holy God, and in the be-
lief of the glorious truths of his word, we avouch the Lord
Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost to be our God, and do
solemnly covenant with him, and promise, in dependence on
his grace, to believe, worship, and obey him in all things, at
all times, according to his word ; making the scriptures the
supreme rule of our faith and practice ; honouring him in all
his ordinances ; doing every duty in the name of Christ ; re-
lying on the grace of his spirit, and walking with his saints
as joint members of Christ's body, keeping the unity of the
spirit in the bond of peace, hoping in the Lord Jesus Christ,
and waiting for his coming unto eternal life. Amen.
The names of those who signed the Covenant :
Joanna Upton, Amos Upton,
Lydia Fi-ost, Jacob Frost,
Rachael Stone, Joseph Stone,
Miriam Foster, Nathan Foster,
Lydia Stone, Timothy Stone,
Joanna Jones, Chad Wallader F. Jones,
Mary Bancroft, John Hor,
.Huldah Case, Enoch Merrill,
Benjamin Flint,
Jonathan Gurney,
Norway^ October 6, 1802.
The foregoing confession of faith and covenant were assent-
ed to, and signed by the subscribers, whose names are above
written, whom we declare to be a regular Church of our Lord
Jesus Christ, denominated the Church of Christ in Norway,
bone with the approbation, atid in the presence of us Mis-
sionaries and Pastors of Churches.
Enoch Hale, of West Hampton,
Seth Payson, of Binge,
Jonathan Grant, of Hawley.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 75
October 6, 1802. The church being formed, chose Timo-
thy Stone Deacon, Moderator and Clerk.
Enoch Hale, ) n/t- ^•
T^,_ .^ ^ nl ...rr, i Missionaries.
Jonathan Grant, ^
It appears that the church records were to be kept in the
house of Amos Upton, who had previous to this time built
himself a large house for that day, and for many years it was
used as a place for religious meetings. He was a zealous
professor, and spent much time in fitting his house with seat3
to accommodate those who attended meeting on the Sabbath.
On Saturday afternoon he would bring in blocks and planks,
or boards, and arrange seats in his long kitchen, in prepara-
tion for meeting the next day. Mr. Joseph Martin was a
good singer, and understood the rules of church psalmody well
for that early day^ Occasionally a missionary would come
along, and stop and preach a few Sabbaths with the church
and people ; and sometimes a minister was hired to preach a
Sabbath or two, or a month, and once or twice for three months.
In 1803, June 24, I find there was a town order given to
Timothy Stone, for money paid by him to Rev. Enoch Whip-
ple, for preaching two Sabbaths, $10,00. And the same
year, an order to Nathan Noble, for money paid by him to
Rev. Mr. Smith, for preaching one Sabbath, $5,00. In
1805, there was an order given to Joseph Stevens, for money
paid Mr. Spaulding, for preaching eight Sabbaths, at $5,50
per Sabbath, $44,00 ; and another town order was given for
boarding the said Spaulding, and horse, $16,00.
Thus it appears that we were not entirely destitute of the
preached word ; and when there was no minister, the people
assembled in Mr. Upton's house, and held what used to be
called a Deacon's meeting; there would be. a sermon read,
(the writer has read many in our Sabbath meetings,) and
prayers ofiered up by some of the more gifted members of the
church, and singing, good enough. There were many good
singers of the old school method of singing, and uncle Jo
76 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Martin (as we used to call him) would give us the pitch of
the tune with his pitch-pipe, and we could make first-rate
church melody of such tunes as Old Hundred, St. Martins,
Wells, &c.
In the summer-time, when there was a minister, the meet-
ings were often, and usually, held in some barn — perhaps in
Jeremiah Ilobbs', or Esquire Eastman's — and the elderly
people with the ladies generally occupied the lower part of
the bar:a, while the boys and younger portion of the assembly
ascended to the scaffolds. In such humble places of worship,
the little swallows would twitter the praises of Almighty God
over ®ur heads, while an attentive audience would eagerly
listen to the words of truth which flowed from the mouth of
the speaker.
Thus things went along till the early part of the spring of
1807, when Noah Cresey came to Norway, and w^as employed
to preach by the Congregational order. He gave almost uni-
versal satisfaction to all hearers, especially to those of his
own denomination : but an attempt to settle him proved abor-
tive, on account of there being many Universalists. Baptists,
and some few ^lethodists, who were just beginning to appear
amongst us as a religious sect.
In 1808, Maj. Jonathan Cummings, though not a professor
of any particular order of religion, undertook, on his own
responsibility, to build a Congregational meeting-house, on
the same site now occupied for a similar house. The building
ing was large — forty-eight feet by sixty, and thirt}^ feet posts.
It was raised early in July, and nearly finished in that and
the succeeding year.
The attempt to settle Mr. Cresey having failed, only served
to stimulate the church and society, and they then applied to
the Legislature for an act of incorporation. They finally
obtained their request, as will be seen by the following act :
An Act to incorporate a religious society in the town of
Norway :
HISTORY "OF NOEWAY. 77
Sect. 1. — Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same; That the following persons, viz., Joseph Brad-
bury, Job Eastman, Joel Stevens, Cad W. F. Jones, John
Hor, Benjamin Fuller, James Flint, Joshua Crockett, Jona-
than Pottle, Darius Wilkins, Eliphalet Watson, Silas Meriam^
John Pike, Aaron Wilkins, Amos Hobbs, Amos Town, Increase
Robinson, Asa Noyes, Enoch Holt, William Lessley, Ward
Noyes, John Needham, Stephen Pingree, Jr., Micah Upton,
Jonathan Gurney, Joseph Martin, Benjamin Flint, Robinson
Hobbs, Enoch Merrill, Joel Frost, Thomas Wood, Jeremiah
Hobbs, Jeremiah Hobbs, Jr., Daniel Hobbs, Jeremiah Hobbs,
3d, Jonas Stevens, Jr., John Case, Daniel Holt, Jacob Rus-
sell, Frye Lovejoy, Ephraim Twombly, Francis Butcher,
Dustin Patch, Zephaniah Frost, Philip Abbott, John Ordway,
Jacob Frost, Daniel Town, Amos Upton, Amos Upton, Jr.,
Jonathan Shed, Jonathan Cummings, Luther Farrar, William
Hobbs, Benjamin Peabody, Amasa Lessley, Joseph Stevens,
Jr., Moses Ayer, Elijah Flint, Amos Cummings, Jonas Ste-
vens, Nathan Noble, Ebenezer Watson, Stephen Bartlett,
Timothy Stone, Nathap Foster, Isaac Lovejoy, Ebenezer
Bancroft, together with their families and estates with them,
be and they are hereby incorporated into a Society bj the
name of the Congregational Society in Norway, with all the
power, privileges and immunities to which other Religious
Societies are entitled by the Constitution and laws of this
Commonwealth.
Sect. 2. — Be it further enacted that any Justice of the
Peace in the County of Oxford is hereby authorized and em-
powered to issue his warrant directed to some suitable inhab-
itant of said town of Norway requiring him to notify and
warn the members of said Congregational Society to meet at
such convenient time and place, as shall be expressed in said
Warrant for the purpose of choosing such officers as Parishes
78 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
are by law empowered to choose at their annual meetings in
the months of March or April.
In the House of Representatives Feb. 25, 1809. This
Bill having had three several readings passed to be enacted.
TiiMOTHY BiGELOAV, Speaker.
In Senate Feb. 28, 1809. This Bill having had two sev-
eral readings passed to be enacted.
H. G. Otis, President.
Approved March 1, 1809. Levi Lincoln.
Secretary's Office, March T, 1809.
True Copy. Attest Wm. Tudor,
Sec. of CommoJiwealth.
The first annual meeting of the society under their act of
incorporation, was called on the tenth day of April, 1809,
and measures were taken to give Mr. Cresey a call to become
tlieir pastor and teacher, and to be ordained over the church
and society at some suitable time. In accordance with this
resolution, the following Committee was chosen to carry this
matter into effect : Job Eastman, Nathan Noble, Joseph Ste-
vens, and John Hor. They forthwith addressed to him the
following Call :
To Mr. Noah Cresey, Candidate for the Gospel Ministry.
Dear Sir : — The church and people of the Congregational
Society in the town of Norway, being united in their desires,
to have you continue with them to preach aind administer to
them the ordinances of the Gospel, and as a manifestation of
tlieir attachment to you as their teacher and instructor in di-
vine truth, their approbation of your walk and conversation,
their thanks for your love and labour with them in the Gospel
hitherto — Have at a legal meeting held on the tenth day of
April Inst, by said society, unanimously voted to renew their
invitation for you to settle, and be ordained as Pastor and
Minister over said church and society. And for your encour-
agement to settle and labour with them in the Gospel, do
agree and engage to pay you two hundred and sixty-six dol^
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 70
lars and sixty-seven cents as your salary for tlie first year ;
and add sixteen dollars and sixty-seven cents yearly, until
the sum amounts to three hundred and thirty-three dollars
and thirty-four cents to be your stated salary, so long as you
shall labour with the church and society in preaching the
Gospel, and administering the ordinances thereof to their sat-
isfaction as a teacher, and you be satisfied in them as a people
under your care and charge. And for your further encour-
agement, do agree to pay you three hundred dollars as a
settlement, to be paid in labour and materials for erecting
buildings for yourself in said town of Norway as you may
want. And may God direct you in the path of duty, and
grant you all needed aid and assistance whereby you may be
enabled to came unto the church under your care and charge
from time to time in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel
Committee
of the
Congregational
Society.
of peace. Job Eastman,
Nathan Noble,
Joseph Stevens,
John Hor,
Nonvay, April 13, 1809.
A true record. JOB EASTMAN, Clerk.
After taking a short time for consideration of the subject,
Mr. Cresey returned the following answer to the aforesaid
Call:
To the Congregational church and society in Norway : —
Brethren and Friends, as you have renewed your invita-
tion expressing as you have formerly done, a desire to have
me become your Pastor and teacher, I now proceed to com-
municate my answer to the same.
The Gospel is at once the most glorious and important
object, which ever engaged the attention of man. It origi-
nated in the love and compassion of God : and is now in
operation in the world for the merciful purpose of destroying
sin, of reclaiming fallen men, and guiding them to Heaven
and eternal happiness. From the instruction of this Gospel,
:80 HISTORY OF XORWA^Y.
■which lias been .©iderecl to be preached in the world, results
that important relation, which subsists between a minister and
people. In forming a connexion of this nature, serious great
tmd interesting consequences approach in view. Though this
connexion may dissolve, yet ,the consequences resulting from
it remain eternal. A Minister should not choose to take the
charge, and moral instruction of a people for any other pur-
pose than to advance the Glory of God, and to seek the
salvation and happiness of immortal souls. And a people in
settling a Gospel minister should be actuated by the sincere
/and laudable motives of gaining spiritual knowledge, and pro-
moting their future peace and welfare.
You have invited me to an important situation, to take upon
me a solemn charge, :^o engage in a work, in which the Glory
of God, the prosperity of Zion, and your own salvation are
deeply concerned. Here my thoughts extend beyond the
grave and bring into view the interesting realities of eternity.
I shrink from the sacred and solemn task. This is a gi-eat
resolution to form, it is a weighty trust to devolve on a mortal.
After much serious consideration upon your situation, and the
.sincere attachment, which you have manifested to me, in an-
, swer to your invitation as an incorporated society J cordially
consent to become your Pastor and teacher ; praying that the
Lord would make me a faithful embassadour of Jesus Christ ;
that he would grant jiis blessing to our expected union, and
make it a means of promoting his glory and our eternal
salvation. Noaii Cresey.
A true record. Attest JOB EASTMAN, Clerk.
In the meantime, ;Maj. Cummings was pushing the building
of the meeting-house along rapidly. The time fixed for Mr.
Cresey's ordination ,was the twentieth day of Sept., 1809.
The affairs of the church and society were going along very
prosperously, and Ixjstli minister and people indulged pleasing
anticipations in regard to their futuxe prospects.
It will be recollected that the sjociety was to give.Mr. Cresey
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 81
$'300 as a settlement, to be paid in materials and labor towards
erecting buildings ; and in the summer of 1809 he erected a
house on the hill above the meeting-house. It was raised in
August.
In old times, in this town, it was a custom at the raising
of buildings, when the frame was completely up, to have what
was called a name for the frame, which Avas always either a
poetic couplet, or several verses, according to the taste or
inclination of the person giving the name. The ceremony
of naming a frame was as follows : The hands on the frame
paraded either on the ridge-pole, or front plate, and the two
persons who were to be the speakers were stationed, one at
each end ; a bottle of good liquor was sent up by the owner,
and after it had passed from one end of the frame to the
other, one of the speakers sung out, ''Here's a fine frame,
that deserves a good name, and what shall we call it? " The
other speaker then gave the name, and when through, the
first cried out, "Will that do 7" Those on the ground
answered, " 0 yes ! " The hands on the frame then gave
three rousing cheers, which were responded to by three more
from those on the ground ; then one closing cheer from the
frame, and the bottle of liquor was thrown from the frame by
the person who gave the name. The circumstance of raising
a house for a favorite minister called forth the following poetic
^effusion for a name from one of the boys — D. Noyes.
It 's customary in this town
Our buildings for to name —
I '11 thank you all who are standing round
To listen to the same.
And since the task I undertake,
A name for to compose,
Don't censure me if I mistake,
And do myself expose.
According to the owner's will
We 've raised this stately frame ;
'6
82 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
May love and friendship ever fill,
And peace adorn the same.
Long life and health may he enjoy,
And sweet contentment find ;
And in God's work find full employ
To exercise his mind.
As the good shepherd guards his sheep,
In danger them protects,
So may this man his followers keep,
Through life their steps direct.
The sacred desk long may he fill,
With honor and applause ,
May he be fired with Heav'nly zeal
To aid Religion's cause.
A pattern of true piety
I hope this man will stand ;
And instrumental may he be
In saving fallen man.
In days of old, the Isiaelites
Were through the wilderness
Led by a cloud, and fire by night,
Safe to the land of rest.
A fire by night, and cloud by day.
Instead of, may he stand,
To guide mankind in the right way
Safe to the Heav'nly land.
May good success his works attend,,
And wisdom him direct,
The way of truth may he defend^
And error's ways reject.
And may the aged quickly break
Off fiom their vicious ways,
The young their vanity forsako
Isow- in their youthful days^
HISTORY OF XORWAT. 83
And if he with some maiden fair
In wedlock's bonds shall join,
May py attend the happy pair —
May they much comfort find.
In peace and plenty may they live
While they on earth shall dwell ;
In virtuous actions may they strive
Each other to excel.
Easy and calmly may they sail
O'er life's tempestuous sea,
And wafted by each gentle gale
In peace and harmony.
Through life may he act well his part,
With honor quit the stage,
Possessed of a virtuous heart,
And crowned with good old age.
And- since this stately frame we 've raised,
We '11 gay and cheerful be ;
With civil mirth we '11 end the day
In peace and harmony.
The good West-India round this frame
In plenty shajl appear,
With cheerful hearts we '11 drink the same,
Our spirits for to cheer.
I hope in peace we all shall part
When we have spent the day ;
Here 's health to all with all my heart —
So I no more will say.
So much for raising. Now for ordination.
At a legal meeting of the Congregational society, holden on
Wednesday, Aug. 30th, voted to choose a Committee to agree
with some person to entertain the Council appointed to ordain
Mr. Noah Cresey to the Pastoral care of the Congregational
church and people of Norway. Chose Messrs. Joseph Ste-
vens, Nathan Noble, and Amos Hobbs.
84 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Voted tliat Mr. Benjamin Eastman be President of the
singing on the ordination day, and that Joseph Martin, Amos
Cummino-s, and AYilliam Ilobbs be a Committee to assist and
advise with the President for the good regulation of singing
on said day. Voted that the foregoing Committee advise with
Mr. Cresey and agree upon such measui-es as shall be thought
proper, and requisite with respect to waiting upon the Council
to the Meeting-house &c. Also voted that Mr. Ephraim
Twombly be Marshal of the day, and Jeremiah Hobbs 3d and
Ebenezer Watson be assistant Marshals to prevent disorderly
conduct at the Meeting-house by thronging the doors, crowd-
ing, or any indecent or irregular behaviour.
A true record. Attest JOB EASTMAN, Clerk.
Thus the reader can plainly perceive that the ordination
was viewed as a great and important affair. And truly it
was at that day. It was a day of solemn, serious considera-
tion to the religious portion of the community, and a day of
hilarity to the younger portion.
The long-anticipated day arrived ; the large meeting-house
was filled to overflowing ; the services were solemn and de-
vout ; the singing first-rate ; the conduct of the crowded
audience was very orderly and still ; and finally, everything
went off in grand style, and every face beamed with the
expression of delight.
After the religious services of the day were over, many of
the young people repaired to the new hall of Mr. AVilliam
Hobbs, a few rods from the meeting-house, and "tripped the
light, fantastic toe" to the music of Thomas Wood's fiddle —
who, by the way, was a first-rate violin-player, both for sacred
and convivial music.
The society then numbered about seventy, and additions
continued to be made for several years following ; although
there was once in a while a loss by withdrawal or by death.
On the 23d day of October, 1809, the committee appointed
by said society for the purpose of regulating singing on days
HISTORY OF KORWAT. • 85
of divine "worsliip, made choice of Benjamin Eastman, first
chorister, Joseph ^lartin, second, Thomas Wood, third, and
Amos Cummings, fourth.
From 1809 to 1813, and after, the affairs of the society
moved along in a broad and smooth channel, with scarce an
obstacle to cause the smallest ripple. It was in the zenith of
its glory, and it is a pity it could not have sustained its ele-
vated position : but the love of some began to wax cold, and
things did not seem so flattering as at first. Nov. 1, 1810,
agreeable to an adjournment, the society met, and heard the
report of the committee chosen to consult the Rev. Noah
Cresey with respect to his preaching for the future — a part
of the time with the society in Norway, and the other part in
Paris, as should be agreed upon by the two societies ; the
report was as follows : That the Rev. Noah Cresey did not
see cause- to give a direct answer. They then tried the vote
to see if the society w^ouM raise money to pay the Rev. Noah
Cresey' s salary the ensuing year, which vote was in the neg-
ative. The society then voted that their former committee,
viz., Joseph Bradbury, Jonathan Cummings, and Deacon
John Hor, should inform Mr. Cresey the result of said
meeting. — Extract from the record.
It fully appears by the records that no serious cause for
any misunderstanding existed between Mr. Cresey and the
church and society ; but as the society, from various causes,
had greatly diminished, the remaining members thought the
l)urden rather heavy, and possibly some few were wiUing to
have a change.
Soon after the ordination of Mr. Cresey, as early as May
18, 1810, the church chose John Hor a deacon, in conjunc-
tion with Timothy Stone, who was chosen at the organization
of the church. On the 20th of May, the following additions
were made to the church, viz., Daniel Watson, and Polly, his
wife, Abiathar Eastman, and Susan, his wife, Polly Watson,
wife of Ebcnczer Watson, and Sophia Cresey, wife of Noah
8(j HISTORY OF NORWAt,
Cresey. May 19. 1811, the following were added: Luther '
Earrar, and Mercy A. Farrar, his wife, Tabathy Bradbury,
wife of Joseph Bradbury, Betsey Flint, wife of James Flint,
and Joel Frost. Job Eastman, and Sarah, his wife, were at
the same time received into full fellowship, on a letter of
recommendation from the church in Fryeburg. Twenty-one
members were added to the church, from the settlement of
Mr. Cresey, up to May 24, 181G ; and at that date, Jona-
than Gurney and Benjamin Herring, Jr., were chosen deacons
in the church. Sixteen members more were added previous
to Dec. 7, 1819, on which day, according to a previous ar-
ranfl^ement made between Mr. Cresey and the church and
fjociety, an ecclesiastical council met at the house of Mr. Cre-
sey, for the purpose of sundering the relation between him
and the church and society over which he had long been
settled.
On the 29th of Nov., the church and society chose Joseph
Bradbury, Jonathan Cummings, and Deacon John Hor, a
committee to appear before the council, which was to convene
on the Tth of December. The Council met as arranged, and
was composed of the following members : From Bridgton^
llev. Nathaniel Church, Brother Ezra Goi^ld, delegate ; "Wa^
terford, Rev. Lincoln Ripley, Deacon Ephraim Chamberlain^
delegate ; Bethel, Rev. Henry Sewal, Deacon Samuel Barker,;
delegate; Otisfield, Rev. L G. Merrill, Deacon Elias Han-
cock, delegate. Council chose Rev. Nathaniel Churchy
Moderator, and Rev. I. G. Merrill^ Scribe; and after due
deliberation and hearing a full statement of both sides of the
question, closed a long report as follows :
" Happy in finding nothing alleged against the character
of the Rev. Noah Cresey, as a reason for hi» dismission, and
as we know nothing of the kind ourselves, We cwdially
recommend him to the Christian charity and fellowship of
God's people wherever in Divine Providence he may be called.
We now humbly, and with fervency commend our Rev.
HISTORY OF NORWAY; 8T
Brother, and this church and society to God, and to the word
of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you
an inheritance among all them that are sanctified."
"\"oted unanimously to accept this report.
Signed in behalf of the Council,
Nathaniel Church, Moderator,
Isaiah G. Merrill, Scribe.
Thus we soe very strong, if not the strongest, religious
ties sundered without the imputation of a single fault ; so we
must conclude that the occurrence happened from no other
cause than that the ''love of many waxed cold." Ami while
meriting, the message which St. John Avas commanded to write
to tlie church of Ephesus bears so strongly upon my mind
that I must quote the latter part of it: "Nevertheless, I
have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first
love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and
repent, and do the first work ; or else I will come unto thee
quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place,
except thou repent."
I have thus touched on the most important events up to
the time of Mr. Cresey's dismissal ; but I must, in justice to
him. and my own feelings, say a fcAV words about him in an-
other sphere, than as a preacher. Previous to his coming into
the town, our schools, and all educational affairs, were at a
low ebb. Our school teachers were picked up wherever they
could be found, and many of them were very limited in their
literary acquirements. The first settlers had found hard work
to get along with their families, and erect comfortable build-
ings, and in most cases were unable to incur much expense in
educating their children ; although they felt anxious to do all
in their power, still there seemed to be something wanting to
produce the desired effect. But Mr. Cresey seemed to be
instrumental, u;ider Providence, in greatly improving our
nftairs in regard to education. He Avent into our town schools
»s a teacher, winter after winter ; he taught five days and a
88 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
half in a week, and wrote his two sermons in the evenings,
and on Saturday afternoon. As soon as he got into his house,
he took many scholars there, and instructed them in all the
different branches of education usually taught in our first
academies, and particularly such branches as were necessary
to fit them for teachers. In fact, he seemed to infuse a real
thirst after knowledge into the minds of all who were within
reach of the influence of his exertions. It was but a few
years after he came amongst us before we had good teachers
of our OAvn to instruct all our own schools, and as many more
to send into the neighboring towns. He thus gave a strong
and lasting impulse to education, the effects of which were
felt for many years, and, in some degree, to the present day.
Our school laws were not very definite at that day, but not-
withstanding, he visited all our schools with a fatherly care,
and his influence was as great and as useful as though the
town had paid him fifteen or twenty dollars per year. The
writer received much of his education under the instruction
of Mr. Cresey, and will ever retain a lively sense of his
kindness, and of his assiduity in imparting instruction in every
desired branch of study. The following persons studied more
or less under his tuition — about the same time and subse-
quently : Dr. John Grover, Bethel, Rev. Asa Cummings,
Portland, Jacob French, deceased. Rev. Josiah Haugton,
Hon. T. J. Carter, Levi Stowell, Esq., Rev. Sylvanus Cobb,
Samuel Cobb, Esq., Samuel Ililbourn, and S. B. Hilbourn,
of Minot, and many others belonging to Norway, and from
other towns.
Immediately after the dismissal of Mr. Cresey, the church
and society began to concert measures to supply preaching.
August 4, 1820, I find Robert Page, Jr., (a candidate for
settlement in the ministry,) was chosen as Moderator, in a
church-meeting ; he continued to preach with them a few
months — the time not exactly known.
August 10, 1821. I find, at a regular meeting of the Con-
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 81?
gregational Church, the Rev. Joseph Walker was chosen
Moderator. This shows about the time Mr. AValker began
his ministerial labors in Norway ; and it appears on the 10th
of Nov., 1821, the church and society voted to give him a
call to settle with them, in connection with the Congregational
Society in Paris, and to preach one-half of the time, alter-
nately, in each place. The call was formally given on the
12th of Nov., and an answer in the affirmative returned Nov.
27tli. But the records do not say when the ordination took
place, nor where.
The members of the society at this time numbered about
seventy ; and the number admitted into the church from the
dismissal of Mr. Cresey up to the close of Mr. Walker's
labors, appears to be sixteen ; and it seems that his labors
closed about the beginning of the year 1826, as I find that
on July 6, 1826, " at a regular meeting of the church, -voted
that H. A. Merrill be requested to take the records, and act
as Scribe of the church."
" Sept. 6, 1826. After preparatory lecture, 13 active
members present. Voted, unanimously, to adopt as their
Creed and Covenant^ the printed copy adopted by many of
the Congregational Churches in this County.
Attest H. A. Merrill."
I find in the Society records of Sept. 19, 1826— '• Met
agreeable to adjournment. Voted, 1st, to give the Rev.
Henry A. Merrill an invitation to settle over the Congrega-
tional Church and Society in Norway for five years from the
second of April last past."
Chose, by the church, Joseph Bradbury, Deacon Benjamin
Herring, and Joel Frost, a committee to extend a Call to Mr.
Merrill to settle.
It appears the said committee performed the duty devolving
on them, and received an answer in the affirmative ; and the
same Committee were appointed to wait on the Council to be
convened at the dwelling-house of William Hobbs, on Tuesday
90 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
the first day of November, for the installation of the ReVi
Henry A. Merrill over the Congregational chuix-h and society
in Norway.
I find no definite record of the time when Mr. Merrill
closed his ministerial labors, but it was, probably, about the
end of the year 1834. Near the commencement of ^Ir. Mer-
rill's ministration, or soon after, there seemed to be a great
awakening, and nineteen (all females but three) were added
to the church ; and during the remainder of his labors, up-
wards of thirty more — some of them by recommendation, but
mostly by profession. Some severe cases of discipline oc-
curred, as is almost always the case in all churches and
fimiilies. On the 15th of Nov., 1834, I find a committee
was chosen to settle with Mr. Merrill, and confer with him in
calling a council for his dismission.
The next thing, above common-place affliirs, is a ''meeting
of the Church at the dwelling-house of W'illiam Hobbs, Sept.
15, 1836. Voted to raise a standing Committee to examine
Candidates for admission into the Church. Chose Rev.
Charles Soule, Dea. John Hor, Dea. Benj. Herring, and
Joel Frost."
Thus it appears that Rev. Charles Soule had commenced
his labors as a preacher previous to this time ; and was in-
stalled June 7th, 1837, under a contract for five years. The
records are rather meagre during this time, but from personal
knowledge, I am convinced that afiairs moved along about in
their ordinary channel ; nothing very remarkable occurring
either in the church or society, excepting the taking down of
the old meeting-houvse, built by Maj. Jonathan Cummings, in
1808-09, and building a new house on the same site. The
new house is much smaller than was the old one, and is very
handsomely finished ; it would accommodate the society as
well as any other house, if they chose to be so accommodated.
At a legal meeting ty^ the Congregational society, held on
the 2d day of July, 1845, they proceeded as follows :
HISTORY 01^ NORWAY. 91
1st, Clioi^e Dudle}^ "Woodbritlge, Moderator.
2d, Chose Simon Stevens, Clerk, James Flint, Jacob
l3radburj, and Amos T. Holt, Assessors, and Simon Noble,
Treasurer.
3d, Voted that tbe arrearage of interest on tlie ministerial
fund up to Ma}', or June, last, be paid to Kev. Mr. Soule.
Voted that the assessors get up a subscription to hire the
Rev. Charles Packard to preach six weeks, alternately, at
tlie Consrreoiational meeting-house at the ciehter of the town^
and in the Village. Voted that the Clerk write in behalf of
the Society to the Rev. Mr. Packard, -when the money shall
have been raised to pay him.
At this meeting it appears that twenty members were add-
ed to the society.
On the 17th of Feb., 1846, I find it ''voted that the
Congregational Church and Society in Korway give the Revi
Charles Packard a call to become their Pastor for the term
of five years."
It appears by a subsequent record, under date of April 7,
1846, that the committee extended an invitation to Mr. Pack-
ard to settle over the church and society for five years, and
received an answer in the affirmative ; the first Wednesday in
May, follo^ying, was fixed on as the day of ordination.
^Mr. Packard continued to labor with the church and society
till the spring of 1850, and was succeeded by the Rer. H.
W. Strong, who is the present pastor and teacher. During
Mr. Packard's ministry, fourteen members were added to the
church, and four more since Mr. Strong commenced preaching
in the place. The whole number of members of the church j
of both scxcs, at this time, is one hundred and five.
The much-lamented Luther Farrar, Esq., previous to hia
death in 1812, bequeathed $20 to the Congregational church,
for the express purpose of purchasing suitable vessels for
their Communion Service ; which sum was promptly paid
over, atid appropriated for the purpose intended by the donor*
92 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
It appears that a Sabbath School Society, in the Congre-
gational church, was organized May 11, 1822, and continued
in operation, during the summer season, until tlie 12th of
May, 1832, ■when it underwent a new organization, and be-
came an auxiliary to the Sabbath School Union. A Tract
Society was also organized Nov. 29th, 1827, for the gratuitous
distribution of religious tracts among the families of the town.
There is a small " ministerial fund" belonorinor to the Con-
gregational society, which accrued from the sale of land
granted for that purpose by the State, when a part of Massa-
chusetts. It produces only §11 per annum at this time.
BAPTIST DENOMINATION.
The Baptist church and society claim the next notice in
point of time ; and though their number is not so large as
those already noticed, yet in this town they have always
maintained a very steady and consistent course. Not being
in possession of the records of the society, I shall avail my-
self of the Minutes of the Oxford Baptist Association, so far
as relates to the Baptist church in Norway ; they were fur-
nished me by Elder Reuben Milner.
"A small church was constituted, consisting of ten mem-
bers, in 1806. The original members were dismissed from
the church in Paris in order to form a church in Norway.
For several years Baptist Ministers visited the place with
little success, as this was one of the strong-holds of errour,
and the pure gospel was disregarded by a majority of the
people; yet the gospel has proved the power of God to the
salvation of many souls.
Pastors. — The first pastor was John Wagg, who was
ordained October, 180G, and officiated until 1809, with small
success. Elder John Haynes was chosen Pastor in 1827,
and resigned in 1836. During this period a considerable
number were added to the Church. Reuben Milner was
received as Pastor the same year, and continued till March.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 93
1845, when Joseph B. Mitchell, a hcentiate from Boston,
preached for the church one year, and then was dismissed.
Since that time R. ^lilner has supplied the church most of
the time till the present.
Places of worship. — Previous to 1829 the church had
no regular place of worship. They now began to feel that it
was time to open a public sanctuary. Towards accomplishing
this object Mr. John Rust (a son of the old proprietor of
Rustfield) a worthy member of the church, made the first
sacrifice by the gift of a lot of land, on which to build a
meeting-house. The church encouraged by this act of pious
interest, purchased the meeting-house owned by the Univer-
salistSj and moved it to the spot given by Brother Bust, and
it now remains their place of worship.
Officers of the church — Clerks. — The first was Bufus
Bartlett, who continued to serve the church till increasing
infirmities disabled him from further service, and Brother
Asa Thayer was chosen in his place. Deacons. — Brother
"William Parsons was the first Deacon, and fulfilled his office
to the satisfaction of the church ; he was succeeded by Martin
Stetson, their present Deacon.
Revivals. — In June, 1840, we had a powerful revival of
religion in the town. Eight were baptized and added to the
church. Since that time we have had no additions, and the
greater number of our aged members are dead, so the church
at present is very small ; yet the church still hopes and prays,
' Lord revive thy work.' "
In behalf of the church, Reuben Milner.
The present number of members in the church is thirty-
eiglit ; and there probably are more who consider themselves
as belonging to that society, and render pecuniary assistance
in supporting their preachers.
The writer was personally acquainted with John Wagg, their
first settled minister, and has heard him preach many times,
iboth in houses and barns. He told the writer that in his
94 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
younger days he was very illiterate, and awfully profane ; and
that when he was married he could not read, or write a word.
But about that time his heart being touched with a lively
sense of his wickedness, and believing that a gracious God
had given him a new heart, and blotted out his sins from the
book of remembrance, he felt a strong desire to read the word
of God, in which he behoved was contained the words of eter-
nal life ; and by turning his attention to reading, by the help
of his wife, he soon became quite a proficient in reading the
Bible and hymn-book. In process of time he devoted him-
self to the ministry ; and among other places which he visited
was Norway. Preaching of any kind, at that time, was rather
a scarce article, and his meetings were well attended, not by
the Baptist order only, but by very many of other denomina-
tions, as well as by those professing no particular creed. As
a preacher, his voice and manner were grave and solemn, and
his deportment and discourses seemed to produce a religious
impression on his audience ; and had he possessed such liter-
ary attainments as many ministers of the present day, the
preachers would have been scarce who could so firmly rivet
the attention of an assembly as he. Under his ministration,
quite a number of members were added to the church ; but,
alas ! very many of the old members now sleep in the silent
grave. Towards the latter part of his ministry, there seemed
to be a certain indefinable something that caused a coldness
between him and the church, which resulted in his dismission.
METHODIST DENOMINATION.
I now proceed to say something about the religious denom-
ination called Methodists. But my heart and courage almost
fail me, lest I should not be able to do them justice, as I
have not a scrap of any record to refer to ; but should I failj
they will have this consolation, that ''the Lord seeth not as
man seeth ; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but
God looketh on the heart."
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 95
About the first preacher of this order, in tl>e town, -svas a
Mr. Parker, who preached occasionally in the Village, and in
some other parts of the town, about 1812-13 ; and sometimes
other ministers came along and preached, without having any
stated times or places for their labors. Thus things pro-
gressed for several years. Benjamin Stevens, the oldest son
of Jonas Stevens, (one of the first settlers in Rustfield) used
sometimes to come from Otisfield, where he then lived, and
preach and exhort among the brethren of this order. As
early as 1815, and for some time after, Edward Whittle and
William Yates, of Greenwood, often, afterwards, known as
Father Whittle, and Father Yates, used to come and preach
and exhort among the brethren ; and many converts to their
faith were made under their humble teachings. In a fe\v
years, such a field was opened that the Methodist Conference
appointed regular circuit preachers to preach at stated times
and places in Norway, which helped to make up a regular
circuit, in which they were to confine their ministerial labors.
The religious affairs of this denomination Avent along in such
manner for many years, but gathering strength and numbers
yearly.
The writer can well remember the by-gone days, when the
few preachers and exhorters who occasionally came amongst
us were looked upon with coldness, if not with disrespect, by
some other denominations of professed Christians ; but it seems
that, like the children of Israel when in the land of Egypt,
the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied ; and
they soon became so numerous as to have their regular preach-
ers, who were located in a circuit embracing one or moro
towns, according to the- numbers of their order ; and it seems
that it is a regulation of their order to appoint, at their
yearly conference, each circuit preacher to his particular field
of labor, where they often, remain two years, if the preacher
and people desire such continuance*.
96 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Previous to 1837, the Methodists had no house, other than
school-houses or dwelling-houses, in which to hold their meet-
ings; and sometimes^ in warm weather, in some barn, or
grove. But many were the anxious desires to have a meeting-
bouse (like other denominations) in which they could meet
for the public worship of God. Pride, convenience, and
piety, are all powerful stimulants to action, especially if the
object to he obtained be a laudable one ; and surely no one
can -doubt the laudableness of their exertions to provide a
house for public worship. Accordingly, in 1837, they erected
an elegant and convenient house of worship about midway be-
tween the Village proper, and the Steep Falls. The next
3'ear, the Methodists in the upper part of Korway, and some
in the southwesterly part of Greenwood, erected another house
of worship about three-fourths of a mile west of Swift's Cor-
ner, where they have preaching nearly all the time, that is,
on the Sabbath. They have likewise built a small, snug
house and barn near Noble's Corner, for the accommodation
of their minister, who is appointed for that circuit, from time
to time, by the officers of their yearly conference. The
meeting-house in the upper part of the town was dedicated
June 19, 1839. In consequence of a Methodist meeting-
house being built at South Paris, they do not have constant
preaching in their house in the Village, as their number is
small there in comparison Avith the upper part of the town.
According to the best information obtained on the subject,
the Class in the Village and vicinity numbers about thirty or
forty, and in the upper part of the town probably between
seventy-five and one hundred. Thus we see that from a
small beginning they have grown to a large and respectable
religious church and society, in point of numbers and Chris-
tian Graces ; and may both preachers and hearers always
remember, ''that Paul may plant, and AjdoHos may water,
but God giveth the increase."
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 97
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 frave us a rank amono; 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 NorAvay 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.
BodwelVs company — Jared Buck, drummer, Moses Houghton,
Daniel Noble, Enoch Knight, Jeremiah Farmer, Nathan Coy,
William Corson, Samuel Jordan. This tletachment, 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 Gustayus;
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 99
A. Goss, of Pni'is, second and tliird liieutenants ; they finally
marched to Burlington early in the winter. Bodwell, ou
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 caro
of his widoAv, 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 lltli
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 IIISTORY 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. E. 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 Avho 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 di^afted
men served about one month, or a little more.
On the 27th of Aug., 1818, the north company was called
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 101
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 Nojes, Ensign. Previous to
the Maj 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 Captain, Isaac Bennett to Lieutenant, and Amos
Millett elected Ensign. Previous to the 10th of April, 182o,
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 nortli
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 insTonY of >'ob'^vay,
David Noyes took leave of his company, -wliicli mwi on that
day. and promoted Lieut. Jeremiah Foster to Captain, and
elected Benjamin F. Hall, Lieutenant, and William Needham.
Ensign, (Ensign Nathan Foster, Jr.i being removed from us
hy 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 To^vnj
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-
iett, 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., 1882, William Stevens was promoted to Lieutenant, and
Henry L. Noyes was elected Ensign: Prior to Sept. 18th.
1832, Capt. Joseph Bennett having been promoted to the
rank of Majol', the south company on that day promoted Hiram
Millett to Captain, William Hayes, to Lieutenant, and elefted
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 been
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
lie has obtained his discharge. Previous to the first Tvesday
in May, 1885, Capt. Ansel Town, of the north company, was
promoted to the rank of Major, and Lieut. William St&venir
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 108
was raised to Captain, Henry L. Noyes to Lieutenant, and
Amos F. Noyes was elected Ensign. Prior to May, 1830,
Henry L. Noyes resigned his commission on account of lame-
ness, and Amos F. Noyes succeeded liim as Lieutenant ;
Alva Hobbs was chosen Ensign. Sometime in the summer
of 1886, Amos F. Noyes was promoted to Captain, Alva
Hobbs to Lieuten>ant, and Washington French was elected
Ensign. At the tnue 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 tlie officers and sol-
diers in that campaign, and received the praise, from the
soldiers under their command, of being strict in disciphne,
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 Hobl3s to Captain, Washington French
to Lieutenant, and James French elected Ensign. In 1842,
Capt. A. Hobbs having resigned, Washington French was
pix)moted to Captain, James French to Lieutenant, and Henry
L'pton elected Ensigu. The next and last change elevated
James French to the office of Captain, Henry Upton, Lieu-
tenant, and Ebenezer Croweli, Ensign.
The last-named board of officers in the north company, and
Capt. David Sanborn in the south company, were the last of
tlie IMilitary 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 wag
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-
v«titutions and associations of the present day are doomed to
tlie 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 rriadd,
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 affiiirs 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 affairj^, 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 sliinglc and
clapboard nails, were hardly in use at that peiiod.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. lOo
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 tliree years. The store then stood unoc-
cupied until May, 1817, when WiUiam 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 j)lace most of the time
since. He, however, let his store to William Pingree in
1827, who occupied it about tw^o 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, ,<t?48,204. Number of polls 224.
Money tax. For schools, - - $600.00
Support of poor, and town charges, - 140,00
State tax, - - . . 77,83
County tax, - - - - 115,42
Total, .... .$5932,75
Highway tax on common roads, - ,f 1244,93
For a new County road to Waterford, through
the Hall neighborhood, - - 304,41
Total highway tax, - - - |1549,84
The traders, as they were then called, stood on the valua-
tion, for store and goods, as follows ;
106 ItlSTOl^Y OF xonwAY.
William Rood, - - - 111 0,00
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 inarked 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; WiUiam Hobbs, Collector. Joshua Smithy
Representative.
Money tax. Schools, - - $600,00
Poor, and town expensed, - - 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. Numbel*
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 Eastmanj Clerk; Joshua
HISTORY OP XORWAY. 107
Smitli. Treasurer ; Nathan Koble, 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.
Money tax. Schools, - - $500,00
Poor, and town expenses, - - 100,00
State tax, - - - - 138.66
County tax, ----- 118,32
l^otal, - - - - $850,98
New immigrants since the last valuation : Joseph Cliiford^
Elijah Hall, Jeremiah Henley, James Munroe, Bela Noyes,
Charles Newell, Abner Pingree, Moses Roberts, Samuel
Lord, Andrew Gould, John Haynes, Stephen P. Watson,
AVilliam ^lorrell, 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, Am<?s Stevens.
In the course of 1812, the "Lee Grant," so called, was
purchased by Edward Little, Esq., and this year was taxed to
liim : it Avas also lotted outj and offered for sale. This had
heen 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 see to
the cattle, &c., in his absence. In the afternoon, the weather
b^ing 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 cliil-
108 HISTORY OF XORWAY.
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 -vvas 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 ; ho
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
tlie 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 AVhitman,
Esq., Representative.
Highway tax, $1200.
Schools, .... $500,00
Poor, and town expenses, - - 130,00
State tax, .... 138.60
County tax, - - - . 118,32
Total money tax, - - - $880,98
There is a little obscurity about matters this year, and I
shall only add as new-comers — Philip Ilezclton, Jonuthau
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 109
Hall, Ichabod Loighton, 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 "VMl-
kins, Selectmen; Jeremiah Hobbs, Jr., Collector. Levi
"Whitman, Esq., Bepresentative.
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 tax, - - - $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
J). 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," cxliibitcd 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
liad long made a practice of searching our merchant- vessels,
and sometimes armed vessels, to find British-born subjects ;
and oftentiihes 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
HISTORY OF NORWAY. Ill
British govermnent lias since the war quietly yielded the right
of search.
This year (1815) seems fraught with many incidents, of
interest to myself, and doubtless was to many others. In tho
spring I left the Village school, where I had been employed
for five successive winters in the town school, and during the
intermediate summers had been engaged in a private school,
or what now-a-dayi3 would be termed a high school. About
the close of the winter school, some friend, Capt. Rust, Esc^uire
Reed, Mr. Bartlett, or some other person, would get up a
subscription paper, and go round to get enough subscribed to
support a school through the following summer— averaging
the expense in proportion to the number of scholars which
each subscriber should send. The number of pupils in the
winter was generally from eighty to ninety, and in summer
about forty. Thus I spent many of my happiest years in
Norway Village, teaching the '^ young idea how to shoot."
After the close of the winter school, we used to have a splen-
did school exhibition. The scholars were not permitted to
devote any of their school hours in preparation for the exhi-
bition ; that was done by evening study and rehearsals ; and
after the close of the term I always gave them one Aveek to.
prepare for the occasion. The parents erected a stage in the
meeting-house, and the ladies furnished their best carpets to.
cover it, and their best bed-dresses for curtains ; and any
articles wanted from the stores were always proffered for our
use. Good music was furnished to enliven the sceme, and we-
never failed of having a crowded audience. Our excellent
superintendent of schools, the Rev. Noah Cresey,. always-
honored us with his presence ; and good old Esquire Eastman,
with some other privileged old characters, were ever furnishcul
with a seat upon the stage. The scholars, each one ambitious
to excel in his parts, and feeling such perfect confidence in,
their good memory and action, were never known, when on
the stage, to make a failui'e. The pai-ents sa.t. their counte-
112 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
nances beaming ^vith satisfaction, -witnessing these early
developments of the oratorical faculties of their offspring.
Many of our speakers were very young, and as an illustration
of how we '-went it" in those days, I will give a little piece
of original bombastic egotism, spoken at one of our earliest
performances by Henry C. Reed, son of William Reed, Esq.
Respected audience, liere behold
An orator full six years old,
Who at some future day will raise
Our nation's fame above all praise ;
And if to Congress I should go,
'T will save our nation's overthrow ;
For on that floor my voice shall thunder,
More eloquent than Troup, or Grundy.
If grumbling critics, with sarcastic
Tone, should even hint that I 'm bombastic,
A prettier method of haranguing
I '11 teach them all by dint of banging; —
For know, you grumbling set, that I
Am very nearly four feet high ;
Besides, I always keep a cudgel
For those who of my talents judge ill ;
So if you wish to 'scape a drubbing.
Good gentlefolks, pray please to curb in,
For 1 no love nor favor '11 show
To such a grumbling, carping crew.
In literatuie I do profess
To be quite good, if not the best ;
I write, and read, and also spell,
And many things too much to tell.
The liatin non intclligo,
Likewise the Greek I do not know ;
iJut English grammar is my hobby,
I mount more oft than papa's nobby.
But lest yoiir patience I should tire,
I '11 stifle my poetic fire ;
Then I, the wonder of this age.
Will make my bow, and quit the stage.
And, as the papers say of new actors Avben they make their
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 113
debut on tlie stage, "he met -with unbounded applause."
While in this school my health was rather feeble, and some-
times I found it necessary to leave the school for an hour or
two ; and when this occurred, I selected certain scholars to
teach particular branches ; and on returning to the school-
room after resting, everything would be "all right." Such
was the good feeling subsisting between teacher, scholars and
parents, that there never was a word of fault found on that,
or an}^ otlier account, though I sometimes left for half a day
or more at a time. But there ! I wo n't say another word
about my old scholars. In a few weeks after leaving the
school, I commenced on a new lot of land, and had to prepare
myself to cut down the trees, and pile up the black logs.
Town officers for 1816 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer ; Nathan Noble, Aaron Wilkins, William
Hobbs, Selectmen ; Moses Ayer, Collector. Levi Whitman,
Esq., Representative.
Valuation, 152,732. Number of polls 264; number of
scholars 519.
Highway tax, $1640,23.
Town tax, - - - - |756,59
State tax, . - - - 182,6T
County tax, - - - - 236,64
Total money tax, - - - |1175,90
New Immigrants : Enoch Crocker, John Bust, Thomas
Clark, Benjamin Joseph, William M. Lovejoy, John March,
Jeremiah Mitchell, Edward Mitchell, John Phipps, James
Yarney, Joel Town, Dudley Woodbridge. Old settlers' sons :
Lemuel Bartlett, Flavel Bartlett, Thomas Briggs, Cyrus
Cobb, Ebenezer Cobb, Jr., Nathan Foster, Jr., Samuel B.
(Turney, John Lovejoy, John Noyes, Nathan Noble, Jr.,
Nathaniel Pike, Samuel Tubbs, John Millett, Jr.
This year was noted for its cold summer, and not only cold,
but extremely dry. The spring was unusually cold and back-
8
114 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
"vvard ; there were snow-squalls on the Ttli, 8th, and 9th days
of June, and on the 7th, plowed ground actually froze in many
places.
The spring of 1815 was also very cold and backward. On
the 18th d:iy of May a snow-storm commenced, and the next
morning the snow was eighteen inches deep on an average.
The funeral of Charles Stevens, the oldest son of Nathaniel
Stevens, took place on the 19th, and people had hard work to
get to the funeral with sleighs, on account of the snow ; but
the sun shining out warm, carried it off very suddenly.
On the 7th of June, Mr. James Flint, and Jeremiah Sta-
ples, a young man living with him, and Mr. Joshua Young,
of Greenwood, set out with a large raft of mill-logs from the
shore of the pond against the writer's farm, intending to take
them down the pond to the mill. The morning was still, but
by the time they had reached the middle of the pond, squalls
began to rise, and soon the wind blew a gale. Their raft
parted its fastenings and went to pieces ; Mr. Flint succeeded
in getting astraddle of a large log, and Young and Staples
were lucky enough to do the same thing, both of them on one
log. Thus, in this perilous situation, they floated down the
pond, with the waves breaking over them, and running feath-
er-white, for the distance of two miles. When they reached
the shore, many men, who had in some way learned their
situation, but could do nothing to help them, were there to
assist and welcome them to terrafirma. They were so chilled
and benumbed that they could hardly stand ; and it might
truly be considered as a wonderful escape from drowning.
About this year, or a little previous, Mr. Jabez Chubb was
drowned in Crooked river, between Norway and Waterford,
while driving logs, in the spring season. He was an early
settler in the town, and married a daughter of Mr. Phinehas
Whitney, the old soldier.
The crops in 1816 were very much injured by the cold and
drought, and an early frost almost destroyed the corn. The
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 115
writer this year planted the first corn on his new farm, on a
piece of burnt ground by the side of the pond ; and when the
early frost came, the fog from the pond went over the corn,
and saved it from injury in a great degree ; and he probably
had more sound corn than all north of the center of the
town. Seed corn towards spring was worth $3 or more per
bushel ; and Maj. Jonathan Cummiiigs, who then owned the
Phillips Academy half- township in Greenwood, bought four
bushels of seed corn of the writer to furnish the poor settlers,
in part, on his new settlement. This was a praiseworthy act
of benevolence.
Owing to the great drought, in the fall, the fires made
dreadful ravages, and hundreds, even thousands, of acres of
forest and woodland Avere destroyed. Many buildings were
in imminent danger, yet only one in this town was burnt ;
that was a barn belonging to Mr. Samuel Pingree, with all
his crops, with which it was well filled.
Benjamin Joseph, mentioned among the new immigrants,
did not come here in 1816, but as early as 1807. He was a
full-blooded West India negro, from Cuba. When a boy. Dr.
Stephen Cummings, of Portland, brought him to that city ;
but thinking it would be far better for him to be brought up
in the country, he let his brother, Maj. Jonathan Cummings,
have him, not as a slave, but as a servant. Here he was well-
treated, well-fed, clothed and schooled, and when he became
twenty-one years of age, had his time and earnings for him-
self ; he was accordingly taxed after becoming of age. His
native simplicity, and mild disposition, made him rather a
favorite in the family and neighborhood as long as he resided
in the place. He afterwards went to Portland, where he still
resides, and has a family. He is the only colored person who
Jias lived in the town during the last half century.
Town officers for 1817: Job Eastman, Clerk; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer; Nathan Noble, Aaron Wilkins, William
116 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
IlobbSj Selectmen : James Crockett, Collector. No Repre-
sentative chosen.
Valuation, $49,889. Number of polls 262; number of
scholars 558.
Highway tax, by the bills, $1207,35.
Town tax, - - - - $1172,62
State ±ax, - - - - 182,67
County tax, - - - 177,48
Total money tax, - - - $1532,77
New immigrants : Israel Dresser, Benjamin Richards, Jer-
emiah Staples, Jonathan Swift. Old settlers' sons, arriving
at twenty-one years of age : Clement Bartlett, Sylvanus
Rartlett, John Merrill, Daniel Witt.
The spring and early part of summer Avere noted on account
of the great scarcity of provisions of almost all kinds, owing
to the short crops of the year previous. Many families were
often destitute of bread for many days together ; potatoes were
•nearly as scarce, and meat not much more plenty. I saw the
'\vidow Dale pay $2,50 for one bushel of rye to feed her
fatherless children. Flour was worth here in Norway $16
per barrel; pork from 17 to 20 cents per pound, and scarce
at that ; and the war having so recently closed, all store arti-
cles were proportionately high.
But Providence did not always frown upon us, for this
year the harvest was abundant — perhaps never better. Al-
though pressed by pinching want, people put a great deal of
seed into the gi^ound, and evei^ything seemed to grow with
great luxuriance. There were hundreds of acres which were
burnt over the fall before, and this spring the small stuff was
picked up, and rye sown, with a scanty allowance of seed,
say, one peck sometimes, and at most, a half bushel to the
acre ; and the crop was abundant, often twenty to twenty-five
bushels per acre. Thus the labors of husbandmen seemed td
be blessed in the time of their greatest need.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 117
Town officers for 1818 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshuji
Smith, Treasurer ; Aaron Wilkins, Uriah Holt, Henrj Rust,
Jr., Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. No Representa-
tive chosen.
Valuation, $49,403. Number of polls 269;, number of
scholars odQ.
Highway tax, by the bills, $1651,92.
Town tax, - - - - $898,79
State tax, - - . . 176,67
County tax, - - - - 88,00
Total money tax, - - - |1168,46
New immigrants : William Churchill Samuel Davis, Mar-
tin Girts, Samuel Howe, Henry McKenney, Matthew Lassell,
Seneca Landers, Samuel Martin, Samuel Perry, Andrew
Richardson, Elijah AYhiting, William Yates, James Eastman^
Ansel Field. Old settlers' sons : Baker Ames, Benjamin
Flint, Jr., Consider Hill, Stephen Jenkins, Solomon Millett,
Jr., Henry W. Millett, Bcla Noyes, Jr., Evi Needham, Wil-
liam Shed, Silas Shed, William Young, Ezra F. Beal, Lewis
Crockett, Solom.on Crockett, Henry Pike.
This year, on the 23d day of June, Lemuel Shed was killed
while assisting in raising a house for his oldest son, N. P.
Shed. The accident happened in the following manner : The
house was to be a story and a half high ; the west end had
])cen raised and leaned out ag;\inst two timbers to hold it up
while they raised the middle band; Mr. Shed had prepared
himself to hold one of the posts, and Capt. Ward Noyes the
other ; they stood with their backs towards the end that wa;^
raised. The hands had just taken hold of the timber tO" raise
it up, when there came a strong gust of wind and blew the
end over upon them ; the other men seeing the timber falling,
made their escape from under it ; but the beam struck Mr.
Shed on his head, crushing it against the post he was about
to hold, and dashing it to pieces in a shocking manner, even
118 IirSTORY OF KOinVAY.
driving some of the bones into tlic timbers. He was killed in
an instant. It also struck Capt. Nojes on his thigh and
knee, breaking his leg very badly. The wife and only daugh-
ter of Mr. Shed were both present to see his son's house
raised ; but instead of witnessing that pleasing sight, they
l)eheld the instantaneous death of a beloved husband and Ei-
ther. Thus suddenly perished the good and faithful old
soldier, who had braved the dangers of a seven years' war.
Capt. Noye^, after a long confinement, finally recovered, and
continued to follow the carpenter's business until his death,
which took place April 23d, 1822. He was a very indus-
trious, persevering man, and j)robably framed and raised more
buildings than any other man in the town : as he came here
in 1800, just as people were beginning to erect frame build-
ings. He left a family of nine children.
Town officers for 1819 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer ; Uriah Holt, Henry Rust, Jr., Jonathan
Woodman, Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. No Rep-
resentative chosen.
Valuation, $50,406. Number of polls 250 ; number of
scholars 550.
Highway tax, $2118,14.
Town tax, - - - - $1060,83
Second assessment, - - - 79,96
State tax, - - - - 122.67
County tax, - - - ' 204,48
Total money tax, - - - $1467,94
New immigrants : Thomas Davis, James Corson, Joseph
Gammon, Oliver Hale, Ilatevil Hall, Charles McKcnney,
William Lord, Ebenczer Lord, George Lord, Martin Stetson,
William Yates, Jr. Old settlers' sons: Ichabod Rartlett,
Jeremiah Foster, George French, Reuben Knight, Simon
Noble, Charles Pike, Levi Shed, Nathaniel Twombly, Ben-
jamin Witt, Jr., Jabez Chubb, Edmund Frost.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 119
Town officers for 1820 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
^mith. Treasurer; Uriah Holt, Henry Rust, Jr., Jonathan
Woodman, Selectmen; James Crockett, Collector.
By measures adopted during the preceding year, Maine was
separated from Massachusetts, and erected into a separate
State. Aaron Wilkins, Esq., Avas chosen as a delegate from
Norway to form the Constitution, and Henry Rust, Jr., was
chosen Representative to the first Legislature, which met in
Jan., 1821.
Valuation, $76,671. Number of polls 250 ; number of
scholars 526.
Highway tax on common town roads, §1049,74
•' "on County, or extra roads, 523,81
Total highway tax, - - - $1573,55
Town tax, - - - - $960.01
State tax, . - - - 122.67
County tax, * - - - 233,79
Total money tax, - - - $1316,47
New immigrants — very small number : Ambrose Parris,
John H. Rand, Horatio G. Cole. Old settlers' sons : Amos
Millett, Levi Noyes, WiUiam Pool, David Smith, John S.
Shed, William Foster, Amos Hobbs, Jr., Simon Stevens,
David Noble.
By an old list of voters who voted on the question of sepa-
ration from Massachusetts, I find the whole number 199.
In the little sketch of the religious affairs of the town, I
•said something of Maj. Jonathan Cummings, who built the
Congregational meeting-house. He was a son of the propri-
etor of the Cummings Gore, and probably came into the
plantation under the most favorable circumstances of any early
settler. He was naturally of an obliging, kind disposition,
iind very cheerful and social in his every-day deportment,
which caused him to become a favorite with all who became
iicquainted with him. From the early settlement of the town
120 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
up to nearly the time of his death, tliere prol^al)!^ was no man
in the place who could exercise so great an influence as Maj.
Cummings. He was thought to he rich, and probably was,
during part of his life. About 1806, he purchased the half-
township, now in Greenwood, belonging to the " Phillips
Academy,"' and gave back a mortgage to secure the payment
of the purchase-money. He sold many lots of land, on which
the purchasers commenced clearing and building, and he re-
ceived large quantities of lumber, and a great amount of
labor towards these lands, while building the meeting-house :
he likewise employed much help about farming, which he
carried on largely. He built a saw-mill on the outlet of the
little Penncssewassee pond, which did but little business ; he
also built mills in the Academy half-township, which produced
small profit at that early stage of the settlement of Green-
wood. Thus things ran along for many 3'ears, without any
apparent interruption, and the settlement in Greenwood was
progressing rapidly, as he was very accommodating in receiv-
ing almost any commodity in payment for land. Some paid
Up in full for their lots, and some had the precaution to insist
on his getting an acquittance of their particular lots from the
Trustees of the Academy, who held the mortgage ; and, to
accomplish this, he mortgaged his own farm to them to keep
their securit/ good. He was, in the first place, to give
$4500 for the land ; and in a few years he sold enough to
have paid up the sum, with interest ; but, from the multi-
plicity of his concerns, he applied his receipts to other
purposes, while his debt to the Trustees was fiist accumulating.
Any calculating man can discover that interest money is the
" worm that never dies : *' and, with him, it ate out all hope
of ever being able to extricate himself from his pecuniary
embarrassments. About 1819 his affairs were approaching a
crisis, and by the spring of 1820 his difficulties so harassed
llis mind that it seems he could not bear up under the burden.
Near the first of May he was driven to such desperation that
HISTORY OF XORAVAY. , 121
he took his razor and repaired to his barn very early one
morning, and applied it to his throat, partly severing tho
windpipe and some krge veins ; he would have shortly ex-
pired had he not been discovered by his wife, who, having
occasion to pass by the barn, saw him weltering in his own
blood. She took a handkerchief from her neck and bound
lip his wound, and called for help. A surgeon was summoned
with all possible dispatch, and the wound dressed in so careful
a manner, that in a few weeks he was restored to tolerable
bodily health, and seemed to have become very sensible of the
awful deed which he came so near executing. He converseil,
freely with his friends about the sad affair, and expressed a
firm determination never to yield to such wrong impulses for
the future. His proud spirit was humbled, and he seemed to
acquiesce, and submit to come down from the high position
he had occupied. All pitied him ; and, in fact, almost for-
gave him for the rash act he had committed. His creditors
felt for him ; they even offered to lend a helping hand to keep
him up : but all human strength seemed unequal to the task
of sustaining his good resolutions, and about the middle of
July he put a period to his earthly troubles by cutting the
jugular vein on the right side of the neck with his jack-knife.
Some time in the forenoon he left the house, telling his wife
he was going to the field where his men were mowing ; but
he went into the nursery a few rods from the house and com-
mitted the fatal deed. The writer summoned a coroner's
jury, and assisted in taking up the body ; and never, never
did he behold so horrid a spectacle as that. The wound was
below, and a little behind the point of the right jaw, two and
a half inches deep, and five-eighths of an inch wide — ^just the
width of the knife. After the wound was given, he shut up
the knife, and still held it in his hand when found. The ver-
dict of the jury was, that he put an end to his life in a state
of partial derangement. He fell in the full strength and
pride of manhood, aged forty-two years. Thus the high hopes
122 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
of his intei-esting family were prostrated, as it were, in a mo-
ment. He occupies a little space in our grave-yard, and that
is the only spot of ground, of all the Cummings land in Nor-
way, that is now retained by any of the descendants. Thus
we may see the instability of all earthly possessions. But I
will write no more, for the tears of pity drop at the sad recol-
lection of his untimely end.
Without leave, I will revert back to the winter of 1816.
In January, or thereabout, the school-house in district No. 5
was burnt in the night, and many books were destroyed with
the building. This was the first school-house built in the
town, or rather plantation, as it was built before the town was
incorporated. Another house was erected on the same spot
the ensuing summer, which gave place to a new one in 1851.
The school-house in district No. 1, in the northwest corner
of the town, was also burnt in Jan., 1819, and rebuilt in the
ensuing summer.
I have traced things up along to the time when Maine be-
came a State, and our town was commencing a new era ; but
as yet have said nothing about our public-houses ; and lest
the reader should be fatigued and wish to put up, or take a
little refreshment, I will now give some account of them.
Joseph Stevens, one of the very first settlers, kept the first
tavern in the town, and it was a good one for that early day.
He began to put up " strangers and travelers and others " as
early as 1800, but had no license until the County of Oxford
was organized. He afterwards had a license until he gave up
the business, a short time before the organization of the State.
About 1806, a Dr. Case came into Norway Village and
stopped a year or more, (he did not act the physician much
while here,) and opened a tavern in the old Samuel Smith
house, on the site now occupied by "William C. Whitney's
house ; but there was not sufficient head to make it go, and he
emigrated elsewhere. About 1812, Joshua Smith, Esq.,
opened a public-house in the Village, and did a good business
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 123
till about 1843, Avlien he died, aged 73 years. James Bick-
ford attempted to keep a public-house in the old Samuel
Smith house, about 1813, but made rather a failure, and quit
the business. In 1807-8, William Hobbs built a large house
at the center of the town, and opened a tavern in 1809 ; he
continued it until nearly 1820, but the travel was then small
through that part of the town. About 1821, Ilezekiah Pin-
gree opened a public-house at Fuller's Corner, in North
Norway, but the business was rather small, and he soon
abandoned it. After the building of the new County road
from Bethel to Norway, which was made passable in 1823,
the WTiter put up travelers as occasion required, and on the
1st of Jan., 1821, he received a license from the town au-
thorities for keeping a public-house, and continued the business
until April, 1851, when the railroad rendered it unnecessary
for the public accommodation. Innholders' licenses, from the
organization of the State, were for many years $6,25, in-
cluding the Clerk's fee, amounting to 60 or 75 cents per
year, which was paid into the treasury. Increase Robinson,
after building his new and commodious house, on the site of
the old Samuel Smith house, opened a tavern ; but at that
time the Village did not seem to require two public-houses,
and lie continued the business but a few years. William Reed
likewise tried a public-house a short time, about 1820. About
1830, Ezra F. Bcal fitted up a public-house near the center
of the Village, and kept it a few years ; and, on removing to
Portland, leased the house to Anthony Bennett, (son of Capt.
Anthony Bennett.) who, in a few years, was succeeded by hfe
brother. Col. Joseph Bennett. In process of time, Mr. Beal
sold the stand to Titus 0. Brown, who previously had kept a
tavern at Gray Corner for many years, and he and his son-
in-law, ^Ir. Amos Purington, managed the house till about
1842, when Anthony Bennett purchased the stand ; he soon
after made additions to the house and stable, and fitted up a
large and commodious establishment, which he occupied until
124 HISTORY OF ZfORAVAY.
Sept. 23, I80I, ^vlicii all his Imiklings and most of his funii-
ture were de^>troJed by fire. But I shall speak of this hereafter.
In 1844, William Hayes fitted up a house at the Corner, one
mile and three-fourths west of the Village, and entertained
strangers and travelers four or five years. About 1846, a
company of gentlemen purchased the old tavern-stand so long
occupied by Joshua Smith, Esq. ; they added a third story to
the house, and finished the Avhole in an elegant and convenient
style. When completed, James N. Hall opened a public-
house, known as the '• Elm House," and managed it a year
or more ; he was succeeded by S. T. Dutton, who kept the
house about a year and a half, when Otis True assumed the
management of the establishment, which he yet continues.
This is the only public-house in the town at this time.
Town officers for 1821 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer : Uriah Holt, Henry Rust, Jonathan
Woodman, Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Norway
and Hebron were classed together, and a Mr. Greenwood, of
Hebron, was Representative.
Valuation, f 77,183. Number of polls 2G2 ; number of
scholars 591.
Highway tax, - - - #1009,43
Tax on County roads, - - 504,02
Total highway tax, - - - $1513,45
Money tax, town, County, and State, #1385,74.
New immigrants : Stephen Cummings, Isaac Clark, Robert
Frost, Benjamin Furlong, Thomas Goss, Samuel Jordan, Ben-
jamin Jordan, Henry C. Lawrence, John Morse, Abberdean
Pratt, William Rich, John Pike, Jr., Paul Twombly, William
Shackley, W^illiam Tothcrly, Zachariah Weston, John WY^ston,
Amos Downing, John llix. Old settlers' sons : Jacob
Bradbury, Nathaniel Bodwell, Nathaniel Cobb, George Frost,
Daniel Herring, Darius Holt, Jr., Joseph Lombard, Na-
thaniel Millett, Jr., Nathan Noble, Jr., Israel Pike, Sylvanus
Bartlett.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 125
In tlie summer of tliis year, or a previous year, Betsey
Gammon fell down the cellar-stairs in Benjamin Fuller's
liouse, and wa.s instantly killed, lier neck being broken by the
fall. She was living at Mr. Fuller's.
In the T\inter of 1821, during the first session of the first
Legislature of the State of Maine, the '-Rust Gore," so
called, was annexed to Norway. As before noticed, it lies
south of the Waterford three tiers, and probably contains
about 1800 acres. By this annexation, five or six fiimilies
were added to the town, viz. : John Pike, Jr., Benjamin Jor-
dan, William Frost, Robert Frost, Zachariah Weston. They
had long desired the annexation ; and it was owing to an over-
sight in draughting the first act of incorporation, that the
Gore was omitted.
Town officers for 1822 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer ; Uriah Holt, Nathan Noble, William Par-
sons, Jr., Selectmen; James Crockett, Collector. Norway
classed with Greenwcod — Uriah Holt, Representative.
Valuation, .$77,211. Number of polls 275 ; number of
scholars 620.
Highway tax, common roads, - ^1300,00
Overlaid in assessing, - - 42,08
Extra road tax, with overlayings, - 528,95
M " " '' ' " 522,34
Total road tax,
_
$2393,37
For schools, -
_
$600.00
Poor, and town expenses,
-
200^00
County tax, -
-
338,68
State tax,
-
177,72
Overlaid in assessment.
-
25,68
Delinquency of highway
tax for 1821,
56,97
Total money tax, - • - - $1399,05
The extra road tax this year was large, in consequence of
making a new County road half the length of the town, which
opened a great thoroughfare from the valley of the Connecticut
12G HISTORY OF NORWAY.
river to Portland, and was very mucli traveled until super-
seded by the railroad. Many were much opposed to the road
at first, but it proved of great utility to Norway Village, and
to tlie public travel.
New immigrants : Benjamin Barrows, Reuben Chandler,
John S. French, David H. Gamble, Reuben Hill, John Mc-
Allister, Joseph York, Amos Downing, Dr. Asa Danfortb.
Old settlers' sons : Archelaus Fuller, Edmund Merrill, Jr.,
Zenas Pool, Moses Ames, Joel Parsons, Nathan Bradbury,
Nathan ]\Iillett.
In Dec, 1822, Bela Noyes, Jr., (now Bela Noyes) was
visited with a severe calamity, by having his house burnt.
He was then unmarried, (but approximating very nearly
towards that blissful state,) and was finishing his house in
order to found a home for a family. A young man, Daniel
Major, who had lived several years, previous to this time, with
the writer, was at work on the inside of the house, in which
he and Mr. Noyes lodged, and cooked their food. On the
evening previous to the fire, they went to bed at the usual
hour, and about midnight were alarmed by the crackling of
flames. They sprang suddenly from their bed, and on opening
the door of the room where the fire commenced, it burst upon
them with such violence that they were obliged to make their
escape in the quickest way possible. Mr. Noyes broke through
a panel door, without stopping to open it, and then went out-
of-doors through a window, bursting O'Jit the sash and glass.
They escaped with nothing on but their shirts, and in the
midst of a clear, cold December night, in this nude condition,
they remained on the spot to save the barn from destruction,
as the wind drove the flames and sparks directly upon it for
more than one hour ; finally, by the aid of a few neighbors
who came to their assistance, they saved the barn and its con-
tents. This fire caused quite a loss to Mr. Noyes ; though
the amount of property was not great, compared with many
other losses of this kind, yet it swept ofi" his little «//— the
HISTORY OF XORWAT. 127
earnings of several years of hard labor. Danie) Major had
his chest in the house, containing his clothes, tools, pocket-
book, &c., -with about $50 in money, and $200 in notes, and
lost everything but his shirt in which he escaped from the
flames. The notes were against such men as made no objec-
tion to paying him honorably, when called upon ; but still it
was rather a severe loss to him, as he was a poor orphan boy,
and had no father's house for a shelter in his misfortune.
Town officers for 1823 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer; Uriah Holt, James Flint, Elijah Hall,
Selectmen; James Crockett, Collector. Uriah Holt, Repre-
sentative.
Valuation, $79,015. Number of polls 290 ; nvimber of
scholars 631.
Highway tax, common roads, - $1 330,46
Extra road tax, _ _ _
839,93
Total, . - . .
$2170,39
Schools, - , . .
$600,00
Poor, and town expenses.
200,00
County tax, - - - -
260,18
State tax, _ . - -
177,72
Overlaid in the assessment,
44,49
Delinquency of highway tax for 1822,
74,29
Total money tax, - - - $1356,68
New immigrants : Ephraim Brown, Abbot Holt, Lewis
Hutchinson, Abijah Ingalls, Jacob Kimball, John R. Swift,
John Wolcot. Old settlers' sons : Josiah Blanchard, Jr.,
Ephraim Briggs, Jr., Edmund Frost, George French, Nehe-
miah D. Frank, Daniel Hobbs, Jr., Cyprian Hobbs, William
Hor, Natlian Hor, Levi Lovejoy, Stephen Lovejoy, Samuel
Merrill, Levi Millett, Andrew Mills, Solomon Noble, John
Richardson, Jr., Elliot Smith, Job E. Stevens, Daniel Wat-
son, Jr., John Andrews.
This year, in the spring, or in June, James French (son
of James French, the early settler) had the misfortune to
128 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
liave his house burnt, together with considerable other prop-
erty. The house was built by his father in 1800.
In July, this year, a saw-mill built by Maj. Elijah Hall,
and his son, Thompson Hall, in 1819, was burnt, and much
lumber lying about the mill was also destroyed. The accident
M'as caused by a fire running in the woods, it being extremely
<lry at that time. The owners rebuilt the mill, and about
1830 sold it to Isaiah Hall and Darius Holt, Jr. In 1836,
or thereabout, it was again burnt, and a second time rebuilt
by Mr. Hall and others ; and in 1844 was burnt a third time.
The last two burnings were caused by fire from stoves used
for warming the mill. While sawing shingles on the day the
mill was last burnt, Edward C. Hall, a son of Isaiah Hall,
by some accident had most of the fingers of his right hand
cut off with the circular saw ; and while his wound was being
dressed, in a house, the mill took fire and was destroyed in
spite of all efforts to save it. A year or two subsequent,
Dudley B. Holt, a grandson of old Mr. Darius Holt, rebuilt
the mill again — the fourth building : it is now owned by David
P. Stowell, Esq., of Paris. This succession of saw-mills
have been built on the same stream on which Amos Upton
erected a grist-mill soon after the town was settled ; but his
mill was a mile from the saw-mill, up the stream.
In Sept., 1823, a very mortal sickness prevailed in the
northwest part of the town, and to some extent in other parts.
The disorder was something like the dysentery, accompanied
with high fever, and baffled the skill of the physicians in most
cases. Thirteen persons died in one little neighborhood in
three weeks. Infancy and age alike fell before the destroyer.
Town officers for 1824 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer ; AYilliam Hobbs, Simeon Noble, Job East-
man, Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Frederick
Coburn, of Oreenwood, Representative.
Yaluation, $75,495. Number of polls 268 : number of
Bcholars 571.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 129
Highway tax, common roads,
Extra roads, - _ _
Total, - - - .
Schools, - _ _ .
Poor, and town charges.
County tax, - - - .
State tax, _ - - .
Overlaid, _ _ _ .
Deficiency of highways for 1823,
#1226.02
1170,19
#2396,21
#550,00
250,00
182,18
198,85
41,39
81,2T
Total money tax, - - - #1303,69
New immigrants : Thomas Morey, Ahial Pratt, Thomas
Pollard, James Smith, Timothy Smith, Enoch Whitney.
Old settlers' sons : Andrew Case, Amos Foster, William Hall,
Silas Meriam, Jr., William Needham, Jonathan B. Smith,
Dresser Stevens, Ezra Twombly.
Previous to this valuation, probably in 1823, Job E. Ste-
vens had put up a little store at the Corner, since known as
Ford's Corner, Frost's Corner, &c. This was the first build-
ing erected at that place; the next was a blacksmith's shop,
built by William Foster in 1829 ; and we may very fairly
call him and Stevens the first founders of that little settle-
ment. Mr. Foster hammered out a good many dollars in that
shop, and has been succeeded by several others ; Wm. Hayes
now works in the same shop. John B. Ford, from Gray,
succeeded Stevens in the store, and did a good business ; and
many others have tried trade at the Corner with various
success.
Town officers for 1825 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer : Uriah Holt, William Hobbs, Levi Whit-
man, Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Uriah Holt,
Kepresentative.
Valuation, #99,453. Number of polls 267 ; number of
scholars 635.
Highway tax, 1741,41.
9
130 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
S chock,
-
$550,0(J
Poor, and town charges,
-
300,00
County tax, -
. -
208,21
State tax,
-
198,85
Overlaid in assessment,
_
57,14
Deficiency of highway tax for 1824, -
50,08
Total money tax, - - - $1364,28
No additions to the population worth naming.
Nothing very remarkable occurred this year, excepting the
destruction of Elijah Flint's barn, in April, from a singular
cause. Mrs. Flint was about to set a goose on some eggs,
and carried some ashes to the barn to put under the nest ;
there happened to be a little too much fire in the ashes, and
the barn was soon in flames. "VYe have read the old story of
geese once saving ancient Rome, but we never heard of their
burning buildings before this occurrence.
Town ofiicers for 1826 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer ; Uriah Holt, William Hobbs, Levi Whit-
man, Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Uriah Holt,
Representative.
Valuation, |99,826. Number of polls 265 ; number of
scholars 624.
Highway tax, |1721,57.
Schools, . - . - $550,00
Poor, and town charges, - - 350,00
County tax, - - - - 210,53
State tax, -.-... 220,10
Overlayings, and deficiency of highway, 89,12.
Total money tax, - - - $1420,35
New immigrants : John Ayer, Charles Gammon, Benjamin
Herrick, Walter B. Drew, Daniel Lufkin, John Marston,
John Rice, David Woodman, Eli Whitney, Asa Johnson,
Joseph Durgin, Dr. J. S. Millett. Old settlers' sons : Sam-
uel Bird, Samuel Cobb, Elijah Flint, Jr., Hiram Millett,
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 131
David Wilkins, David Young, Daniel Pottle, William Rowc,
Henry C. Reed, Joseph Bennett.
In ]\Iay, this year, William Pierce, who lived on the north-
westerly corner lot of the Cummings Gore, was fatally injured
by the fall of a tree upon him, while at work felling trees.
The injury was principally across the small of his back — as
his lower extremities were entirely helpless until his death.
He lived about a fortnight, and died June 3d, after much suf-
fering, aged 40. He left a wife and six children bereft of a
kind husband and father. He was a very upright, industrious
man, and set a good example for his family, and that example
has been well followed. His widow and sei^ond son now live
on the same farm, which ranks among the best in that part
of the town.
Town officers for 1827: Job. Eastman, Clerk; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer ; Uriah Holt, William: Hobbs, Da^dd Noyes,
Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Uriah Holt, Repi'e-
sentative.
Valuation, $101,037. Number of poUs 256 ; number of
scholars 610.
Highway tax, common roads^ - $1212.61
Extra roads, - r. -> 992,12
Total highway tax, - - -
$2204,73
Schools, - _ ., -
$550,00
Poor, and town charges,
425,00
County tax, - - - -
234,90
State tax, - - ^ -.
220,15
Overlaid in assessment.
25,32
Delinquency of highway tax for 1826,
47,30
Total money tax, - - - $1502,67
New immigrants : Asa Barton, Hiram Barrows, Samuel
Brown, Rev. John Haynes, Ira Johnson, Thomas McKin-
nee, Elias H. Leighton, Widow Betsey Latham, Rev. Henry
A*. Merrill, George Morrell, Amos Ordway, J. Y. Webster,
132 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Joel Parkhurst. Josliiiu Ricker. Okl settlers' sons": James
Bennett, William Beal, Jr., William Merrill, Benjamin Pea-
bod j, Jr., Joseph Saunders, Zachariah Weston, Jr.
Town Officers for 1828 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer : Uriah Holt, David Noyes, Ezra F. Beal,
Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Paul Wentworth, of
'Greenwood, Representative.
Valuation, $106,090. Number of polls 258 : number of
scholars 637.
Highway tax, common roads, - $1207,52
Extra road tax, - ' . - ' 1524.69
Total highway tax, - - $2732,21
State tax, - « . - §220,15
County tax, - - - . 234,90
Schools, - - . . 550,00
Poor, and town expenses, - - 450,00
Overlaid in the assessments, - - 69,64
■Delinquency of highway for 1827, - 44,11
'Total inoney tax, - - - $1568,80
-New immigrants : Daniel BuUen, Joseph Cushman, Ros-
"^ell Cummings, Luther Gillson, John Gurney, Rev. Benjamin
B. Murray, Amos Work, Cyrus S. Cushman, James D. Saf-
ford. Old settlers' sons : Moses Bradbury, William Frost,
Jr., Levi Gorham, Simeon Herring, Charles Hill, Joseph
Holt, Isaac Hall, Henry Noble, Jacob Parsons, Jr., Mark P.
Smith, Samuel Flint, John Beal, Joseph Dolly, Jr.
Town officers for 1829 : Job Eastman, Clerk : Joshua
Smith, Treasurer ; David Noyes, Thompson Hall, Nathan
Noble, Jr., Selectmen : James Crockett, Collector. Uriah
Holt, Representative.
Valuation, $106,253. Number of polls 271 ; number of
scholars 600.
Highway tax, common roads, - ' $1248,26
Extra roads, - - . 941,91
Total highway tax, - - - $2190jlL7
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 133.
State tax, ... - $220,15
County tax, - - - - 260,98
Schools, . - - - 550,00
Poor, and town charges, - - 500,00
Building bridge, over layings, &c., - 152,71
Total money tax, - - - $1683,84
New immigrants : Nathaniel K. Emery, Seba Gammon,
William E. Goodnow, John Howard, Edmund Mill'ett, William
P. Phelps, Eben Rich, Jonathan Sawyer, Joseph Woodman,
Harvey Wade. Old settlers' sons : Stephen Cummings, Jr..
Andrew Case, Thomas J. Everett, Benjamin E. Hall, Joel
Millett, Thomas J. Needham, Isaac Parsons, John Saunders,
Ira Hobbs.
This year, on the 7th of May, Solomon Millett, one of the
old settlers, lost his barn by fire. He had a cow sick witli
the horn distemper, and carried to the barn a kettle with some
live coals in it in order to smoke the cow's head — producing
a smoke by burning pieces of old shoes and woolen rags. He
stepped out of the barn, leaving the kettle under the cow's
nose ; by some means the fire extended beyond the kettle, and
the barn was almost instantly in flames. He lost four oxen,
eight cows, four three years old cattle, and two valuable
horses, with several tons of hay and considerable grain ; the
young stock was fortunately in pasture. This was a severe
loss ; but many citizens cheerfully lent a helping hand, in
labor and materials, towards erecting another large and com-
modious barn, though but a trifle in comparison with his loss.
Mr. Millett had always been a very laborious, prudent man,
and by industry had accumulated a competence of this world's
goods ; and for this reason his loss was not so distressing to
him or his family as it would have been had he been in pooi-
circumstances.
On the 18th of April, this year, Lpvi Frank, senior, aged
63 years, was killed by falling i^to a cellar, while moving a
house for John Parsons, Jr. The house stood on the farm
134 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
■\vlicrc Jacob TuLbs first purchased, on the Lcc Grant, and
■vvas built by said Tubbs. Mr. Tubbs now sleeps in the silent
grave, and his farm has had several proprietors, and is now
owned by Joshua Richardson, Esq., of Portland, and improved
by his son, Tliomas H. Kichardson ; it is one of the best
farms in the town. Joshua Richardson has also recently pur-
chased the farm above Nathaniel Bennett's, where "William
Gardner first commenced on the Lee Grant, as early as 1790:
It is now a fine farm. It has had many diifcrent owners, but
is now occupied by William P. Richardson, a son of the owner;
Town officers for 1830 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer; David Noyes, Thompson Hall, Nathan
Noble, Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. "William Par-
^sons, Jr., Representative.
Valuation, $107,915. Number of polls 274 ; number of
scholars 620.
Highway tax, common roads, - $1562,80
Extra road tax, _ - - 519,78
Total highway tax, - - -
$2082,5g
State tax, _ _ - -
$220,15
County tax, _ - - -
Schools, - - - -
260,98
700.00
Poor, and town charges,
550.00
Overlaid in assessment.
79;87
Delinquency of highway.
Supplement added after assessment,
9.19
13.90
Total money tax, .- - - $1834,15
New immigrants: Ephraim Barrows, Howard Decoster/
Joseph Mitchell, Ethiel Stevens, Isaac Titcomb, Rodney Tit-
comb, John C. "Walker, Jeremiah Woodward, Dr. Nathaniel
Grant, Zachariah Wardwell. Old settlers' sons : John Bird,
Jr., William Cox, Jr., Amos Downing, Jr., William Everett,
Silas Fuller, Samuel Foster, Woodward W. Latham, Amos
Meriam, Seth Morse, Alonzo Morse, Ward Noyes, William
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 135
Sttivens, Moses A. Stevens, John Tucker, Ansel Town,
James Tubbs.
In August, this year, John Parsons, Jr., lost his barn, well
Blled with hay, by its being struck with lightning, and set on
fire. He then owned, and lived on the farm first purchased
by Jacob Tubbs. The loss was considerable, especially in
hay. His grain, fortunately, was still in the field.
One other thing, happening this year, may be worthy of
note. There probably was a greater addition made to Nt)rway
Village, in the way of biildings, than in any other jetir since
"the settlement of the town. The three brick buildings in tho
central part of the Village were built this year, and many
others of various kinds and for various uses, making the whole
number thirty.
In April, this year, Benjamin Witt, had his house burnt
in the daytime-^cause unknown. It Was a large house, two
stories in front, and one on the back side, and was decently
finished. He lost considerable household stufi", as the fii-e
spread so rapidly there was little time to save the contents of
tlie house.
Town officers for 1831 : Job Eastilian, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer; Uriah Holt, Ichabod Bartlett, Nathan
Noble, Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. "William Par-
sons, Jr., Representative.
Valuation, $109,236. Number of polls 263 ; number of
scholars 651.
Highway tax, common roads, - $1569,96
Extra roads, ' - - • - 310^51
Total highway tax, - - -
■State tax, - - - -
€ountytax, - - - -
Schools, - _ > -
Poor, and town charges,
Eor building river bridge, - *
Overlayings, dehnquency of highway.
$1880,47
$250,86
318.60
675:00
700,00
400,00
24,50
136 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Supplement, - - - 6,89
Total money tax, - - - $2375,85
New immigrants : Thomas Austin, Matthias Furlong, Ed-
mund Phinnej, William Gaines, David P. Hannaford, Na-
thaniel Libbey, Alexander H. Piper, Thomas Roberts, David
Cilley. Old settlers' sons : Samuel Andrews, Jr., Rufus F.
Beal, Charles Frost, Stephen Greenleaf, Jr., Alva Hobbs,
Charles Tubbs, Abner Downing.
This year, the citizens of Norway and vicinity celebrated
the anniversary of our National Independence at Norway
Village. In this celebration there was no political party
known, and no political feelings were indulged — ovt loud —
whatever individuals might think. Ezra F. Beal had, a short
time before this, opened his new tavern, and furnished the
dinner with the requisite trimmings — such as hquors, punch,
wine, and beer. He did the thing up handsomely, and no
fault found, nor was there occasion for any.
The procession, after being formed, moved to the meeting-
house, where the throne of grace was addi-essed by the Rev.
B. B. Murray, the Declaration of Independence read by
David Noyes, and an oration pronounced by Dr. J. S. Mil-
lett. The oration was chaste, classic, and eloquent, free from
anything pointedly political, and appeared to be delivered with
good feeling ; it was received with equal good feeling by a
crowded audience. After the cloth was removed, the follow-
mz thirteen re2;ular toasts were drank amidst the roar of
cannon, and the cheering strains of excellent music.
1. — The 4th of July— Tho birth-day of our Nation's
Independence. May that spirit, which animated the Patriots
of '76 to burst the bonds of tyranny and oppression, never
cease to glow with increasing ardor in the bosoms of their
offspring to the latest posterity.
2. — The Constitutio7i of the United States — Framed bj
the Heroes and Sages of the Revolution — may it long remain
a memento of their virtue, humanity, and patriotism.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 13T
3. — The Union of the States — Distraction to the brain,
and palsy to the arm, that would sever the weakest tie that
binds us together.
4. — The yeomanry of Maine — A free government needs
no other support than an enlightened community.
5. — Agriculture^ Commerce^ Manufactures^ and the Me-
chanic Arts — The four grand pillars which support the fabric
of our National Independence.
6. — Our Northeastern Boundary — Let Justice mark the
line, and Yankee bravery establish it.
7. — The memory of Washington — '' First m peace, first
in war, first in the hearts of his countrymen."
" He burst the fetters of our land,
He tauoht us to be free ;
He raised the dignity of man-.
He bade a Nation be.''
And it was so.
8. — General Lafayette — An herald proclaims before
him, that he is the man that Freemen delight to honor.
9. — The Heroes of the Revolution — Although most of
them have withdrawn from the festivities of this day, yet
their achievements are fresh in our memories.
10. — American Independence — The center of the great
Solar System of civil and religious liberty. ]May its efful-
gence dispel the darkness of despotism and bigotry, and light
the flame of liberty throughout the universe.
11. — Poland^ and all other Nations struggling for
liberty — May God speedily break the rod of the oppressor,
and let the oppressed go free.
12. — Our Schools. Academies^ and Colleges — The safe-
guards of our liberties.
13. — Our mothers and sisters, our wives and sioeet-
hearts — The nearest, dearest, and most beloved objects of our
affections ; may they instil into the minds of our offspring,
and youth, the love of virtue, liberty, and independence.
1158 HISTORY OF NORWAYv
There -were several volunteer seiitiments oflfered, after iht
i-egiilar toasts ; but by a previous arrangement, everytliing of
the kind -was penned do-wn, and passed the ordeal of the com-
mittee on toasts : and if free from any obnoxious sentiments,
vras passed to the toast-master and ^iven to the company.
Thus everything went along in the utmost harmony, with
nothing to jar, or to jnar, the good feelings that seemed to
pervade the crowded tables. The writer happening to be
toast-master at this grand celebration, has the original toasts
in his possession, and thought it might amuse some readers to
.peruse such old, by-gone things. He finds inscribed on the
old paper the following motto : '• Then Men felt free.^''
Town officers for 1832 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer; David Noyes, Ichabod Bartlett, Nathan
Noble, Selectmen; James Crockett, Collector. Ichabod
Bartlett, Representative.
A^aluation, $115,697. Number of polls 278 ; number of
scholars 657.
Highway tax, common roads, =- $1567,15
Extra roads, - - - 520,29
Total highway tax, - - -
State tax, - - - -
"County tax, - - - *
Schools, - - - .
Poor, and town charges, - \
Overlayings, and delin(|Ucncy of highway,
$2087,44
$250,86
127,70
675,00
500.00
32.62
Total money tax, . . - $1586,18
New immigrants : Samuel Dunn, Joseph C. Green, James
Hill, Asa Holt, Jonathan Martin, Anthony Martin, Ransom
Ripley, Joseph S. Rounds, John M. Wilson, William C.
Whitney, Lee Mixer, Asia Ford. Old settlers' s sons : Rufus
Rriggs, Solomon Downing, Alpha B. Everett, Charles Gam-^
mon, Orin Hobbs, Richard W. Houghton, Charles Parsons,
John Tucker^
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 139
Town officers for 1833 : Job Eastmati, Clerk : Joshua
Smith, Treasurer : Uriah Holt, Jonathan Swift, Elliot Smith,
Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Ichabod Bartlett,
Representative.
Valuation, |116,374. Number of polls 302 ; number of
scholars 657.
Highway tax, $2510,26;
State tax, •- . . - $250,86
€ountjtax, - - - - 191,55
Schools, _ - * - 675.00
Poor, and town charges, - - 500,00
Overlayings, and delinquency of highway, 74,58
Total money tax, - - - $1691,99
New immigrants * Micah Allen, Austih Buck, Rufus
Chadbourn, Richard Evans, William A. Evans, Columbus
Holden, Perry D. Judkins, Emery Livermore, Thomas Mar-
tin, John Martin, Levi Roberts, William Stanley, Hiram
Stevens, John Tuttle, Ephraim Whitcomb, Augustus Wilkins,
Isaac Wetherbee. Old settlers' sons : Lyman Bird, James
Do-wTiing, William Frost, 3d, Simeon Frost, James French,
jr., Stephen Hall, Pleaman Holt, William W. Hobbs, Wilson
Hill, Cyrus Lord, Noah Meriam, Henry Merrill, Eli Merrill,
Daniel L. MiUett, Moses Parsons, Moses A. Stevens, Cephas
Sampson.
Town officers for 1834 : Job Eastman, Clerk : Joshua
Smith, Treasurer ; Jonathan Swift, Elliot Smith, John Mil-
lett, jr., Selectmen; Henry W. MiUett, Collector. Ichabod
Bartlett, Representative.
Valuation, $119,570. Number of polls 309 ; number of
scholars 687 ; number of voters 355.
Highway tax, $2017,70.
State tax, - - . . $250,86
County tax, - - - - 255,45
Schools, - - ^ - 675,00
Poor, and town charges, * * 300,00
140 mSTOKY OF XOBWAY.
Overlayings, delinquency highway , supplement, 97,01
Total money tax, - - - $1578,31
New immigrants : Joel Barrows, Titus 0. Brown, Gardner
Chadbourn, Sampson Dunham, William Favor, Jotham Good-
now, John Harmon, George Kimball, Joseph Morse, William
H. H. McGillfry, Sumner Shed, Joshua B. Stuart, Benjamin
Sturtevant, Daniel Thurston, David Whitcomb, Elhanan
Winchester, Jonathan Whitehouse, James Yeatten. Old set-
tlers' sons : Hiram Stetson, Samuel Andrew^s, jr., Samuel
Beal, Asa Hix, jr., Chandler F. Millett, Henry L. Noyes,
Simeon W. Pierce, Francis A. Reed, Lorenzo D. Shackley,
William Witt.
About the fore part of May, this year, Pleaman Holt had
a barn burnt, about 12 o'clock at night, with some hay, &c.,
in it. This fire was believed to be the Avork of an incendiary,
but the thing was shrouded in so much mystery that the facts
were never proved.
Town officers for 1835 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer ; Jonathan Swift, John Millett, jr., Henry
W. Millett, Selectmen ; Jacob Bradbury, Collector. William
Parsons, jr., Representative.
Valuation, $129,949. Number of polls 306 ; number of
scholars 663.
Highway tax, $2345,18.
State tax, - - - - $250,86
County tax, - - - - 255,45
Schools, - - . - 675,00
Poor, and town charges, - - 350,00
Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement, 42,44
Total money tax, - . - $1573,75
New immigrants : D wight Avery, Pinkney Burnham^
Ballard, Frederick Coultman, Isaiah Daily, Lyman
Daniels, Jonas Eastman, Scth Philpot, Edmund Foster, Rich-
ard Garland, Ebenczer Holmes, Hiram Harris, Augustus
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 141
Hams, Timotliy Jordan, Charles Penley, Jolm Pierce, Asa.
Tiiay-er, William Wilkins, Loren H. Wrisley, Azel Tuttle,
Davad R. Holden. Old settlers' sons : Benjamin Bird, Cad
J. Blanchard, John Frost, jr., Amos T. Holt, John Hill, Ka-
th^n Morse, jr., William W. D. S. Millett, Ebenezer J. Pottle.
Mark S. Richardson. Uriah Upton, Amos F. Noyes, Wash-
ington French, William Noble.
On the 27th of April, 1835, Mr. David Whitcomb, for-
merly of Waterford, was killed at Hall's saw-mill, by logs
rolling upon him. He was about 65 years of age, and had
lived in Norway but a short time. Ephraim Whitcomb, a
blacksmith, was his son, and came to Norway in 1833 ; he
has resided in town most of the time since, but died in Paris
in 1851, of hemorrhage of the lungs.
Town officers for 1836 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Josb^t&
Smith, Treasurer ; John Millet*, jr., Simon Stevens, Cyrus.
Cobb, Selectmen : Joseph Bennett, Collector. Henry W.
Millett, Representative.
Valuation, $127,60T. Number of polls 306 ; mmlex oT
scholars 664.
Highway tax, $2^7,76.
County tax, - - - - $3Sl,25v
Schools, . - . - 67:5,00-
Poor, and town charges, - - 350,00
Additional sum afterwards raised for town charges, 200,00-
Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement, 66, 8T
Total money tax, - - ^ .$1643,12
New immigrants : David M. Brown, William W. Berry,,
Elbridge G. Fuller, Jeremiah Howe, Williaift Hall, jr.,.
Francis Holden, Benjamin Holden, Addison A. liatham, John.
Maii:in, John Millett, 3d, Hezekiah McI^+iier, Richard Mc-
Intier, William Pratt, Samuel Pierce, Jaifles Yates', Richard
Lombard. Old settlers' sons : Asa Packard, Ebenezer Ban-
croft, jr., Samuel Crockett, Pi^ley French, David 0. Holt,.
Jeremiah W, Hobbs, Seth Pikg. WiUiam Pingree. j^r., Graa^
142 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
ville L. Reed, James Shackley, Daniel G. Town, Jacob Tubbs-,
Kimball Holt, Nathaniel Andrews.
On the 5th day of Feb., this year, Na^than Foster, one of
the early settlers, died in a very sudden manner. He went
to his barn about 9 o'clock, A. M., carrying with him some
potatoes for his calves ; in a short time after, he was wanted,
and when sent for, was found dead in his barn-yard. He
had sometimes been subject to faint spells, and the probability
is, that he was taken in one of his fainting fits, fell upon the
icy yard, and was stunned by the fall, or died in a fit. He
left a large family to mourn his sudden exit.
Town officers for 1837: Job Eastman, Clerk; Joshua
Smith, Treasurer ; Simon Stevens, Cyrus Cobb, Jonathan B.
Smith, Selectmen ; James Ci^ockett, Collector. Jonathan B.,
Smith, Representative.
Valuation, $123,719. Number of polls 822 ; nuinber o^
scholars 723.
Highway tax, $3094,17.
County tax, - - - . $383,17
Schools, . - . _ 675,00.
Overlaid in the assessment, -. -. 46,13
Delinquency of highway^ - - 23,70
Supplement, - - _ 34,66
Total money tax, - - . $1162,6^
New immigrants : Titus 0. Brown, jr., Ebenezer Crowell,.
John Deering, Timothy H. Hutchinson, Edwin E. Hutchin-
son, Ebenezer N. Holmes, Erastus Hilbourn, Richard M.
Jordan, Peter Knight, Asa McAllister, John McAllister,
George J. Ordway, Timothy Smith, Rev. Charles Soule,
John B. Stowell, Samuel Stowell, Cyrus S. Thayer, WiUiam
Verrill, Silas W. Bumpus, Rev. Reuben Milner. Old set-
tlers' sons : George W. Cox, Luther F. Foster, Timothy J.
Frost, James S. Greenleaf, Samuel Hill, Eben C. Shackley,
Francis Upton, jr., David F. Young, Joel S. Frost, George
W. Everett.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 14S
Tliis year, a town census was taken on account of tlie sur-
plus revenue. The inhabitants, of all ages, numbered 1791.
The first instalment was. loaned in sums of $25 to $50 ; the
second instalment was loaned in smaller sums of $10 ; and
after the legislature passed an act giving towns the power to
distribute the money, the town, or a large part of it, was
anxious for the distribution, and it accordingly took place —
the sum averaging $2 p^r head, besides the expense. It was
quite an unnatural measure for government to disti:ibute money
to the people^ while the government is supported by the
people.
Oil the 4th of July, this year, Bradley Foster, aged 13
years, was drowned. There was a sort of celebration in the
adjoining town of Greenwood, and he, with other boys, went
to participate in the recreations of the day. A company of
boys resorted to a mill-pond fOr the purpose of bathing, and
by some mishap he got into too deep water, and drowned be-
fore he could be rescued. He was the son of Nathan Foster,
jr., and grandson of Nathan Foster, sen. His father died on
the 19th of Jan., this same year, and his grandfather w^as
found dead in his barn-yard oi^ the 5th of Feb., 1836. The
mother of the unfortunate boy still remains a widow, and
resides in the city of Lowell, as also do several of her
children.
Tow^n officers for 1838 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Rust,
Treasurer ; Simon Stevens, Jonathan B. Smith, John Whit-
marsh, Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Elliot Smith,
Representative.
Valuation, $115,924. Number of polls 325 ; number of
scholars 726.
HighAvay tax, $2092,49.
County tax, - - , ^ $ 383,17
Schools, - - . . 675,00
Poor, and town charges, - - 1000,00
For building town-house, - - 500j00
144 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
0 veriayings, delinquency higlnvay , supplement, 126,81
Total money tax, - - - $2684,98
Kew immigrants : Daniel H. Blake, Salmon Cushman.
Alonzo Curtis, Oilman Davis, Walter B. Drew, Charles
Gardner, Timothy Hodgdon, Lorenz.o Hathaway, John Howe,
Jacob Herrick, James Haskell, Josiah Libby, Lewis Mixer.
Wai'd Mclntier, Samuel Partridge, Joseph Richardson, Rev.
Luke P. Rand, Stephen Rowe, David Sanborn, George W.
Smith, Daniel B. Sawyer, Dr. Leander S. Tripp, Amos Pu-
rington, Ephraim Brown, jr. Old settlers' sons : John
Bancroft, Amos W. Briggs, William Briggs, Joshua Frost,
John Gallison, William Hill, William Knight, Henry Love-
joy, Solomon I. Millett, Nathan K. Noble, George W. Parsons.
Moses A. Young, Daniel H. Buck, Simon P. Everett.
This year, ihe town built a suitable house in which to hold
town-meetings, and for other town business. After the erec-
tion of the Congregational meeting-house by Maj. Jonathan
Cummings, the town-meetings were held in that building ; but
they made rather dirty work in the house, and some fault was
found — probably not without reason ; so the town concluded
to build a house for its especial use. There was some excite-
ment on the question of a place for the house ; but the
committee chosen for the purpose of selecting a central and
convenient spot, selected the site now occupied, on the land of
David Noyes, and he gave the land free to the town for so
long a time as the house shall be used exclusively for the
transaction of town business.
Town officers for 1839 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Rust,
Treasurer ; Simon Stevens, John Whitmarsh, Henry C. Reed,
Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Elliot Smith, Rep-
resentative.
Valuation, $114,968. Number of polls 318 ; number of
scholars 717.
Highway tax, .p218,99.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 145
County tax. - - - - $ 348,62
Schools, - - . - 675,00
Poor, and town charges, - - 1000,00
Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement, 81:), 12
Total money tax, - - - $2112,74
New immigrants : William Bisbee, Alva York, Caleb
Cushman, Alvan Clifford, Henry Clifford, James F. Carter,
John Coffin, Alvan Dinsmore, Ara S. Fuller, Isaac Farring-
ton, ^Mark S. Grover, Saunders Kimball, Magnus Ridlon,
Moses Swan, Samuel Whitney. Old settlers' sons : David
Andrews, Asaph Bird, Henry L. Crockett, Hiram Everett,
David Frost, William Lord, Jr., James Lassell, Leonard
Young, Jacob F. Holt.
On the 15th day of June, this year, John S. Shed's house
was burnt ; cause of the fire unknown. Mr. Shed was ab-
sent, about one mile distant, and did not get home in time to
do anything towards saving the contents of the house. The
house was 28 feet by 36, the outside well finished, and a con-
siderable part of the inside ; it was rather a hard loss for the
owner. His father, who was killed in 1818, in raising N. P.
Shed's house, built the house in 1806, on the farm where ho
first began in 1788.
Town officers for 1840 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Rust,
Treasurer ; Simon Stevens, Henry C. Reed, Solomon Noble,
Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Simon Stevens,
Representative.
Valuation, $116,887. Number of p)olls 321 ; number of
scholars 713 ; number of inhabitants, by the census, 1786.
Highway tax, common roads, - $1881,84
Extra roads, _ _ _ 528,11
Total highway tax, - - - $2409,95
State tax, - . . - $487,60
County tax, - - - - 196,18
Schools, - . - . 675,00
Poor, and town cliarges, - - 2500,00
10
146 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Overlayings in assessment, - - 11 2,95-
Delinquency of highway, and supplement, 55,73
Total money tax, - - - $4027,46
Now I hope our good citizens, and others, wo n't be startled
at our enormous tax for this year, as the town then purchased
a farm for its poor, which cost $1110, with several? hundreds
of dollars additional for repairs of buildings, furniture, stock,
and farming implements ; besides all this, the town incurred
considerable expense in 1839 in fitting out the soldiers for the
]\Iadawaska war, which left the treasury rather low at the
commencement of 1840.
New immigrants : Depleura Bisbee, Benjamin Cummings,
Archibald B. Ward, Charles Cushman, William Coleman,
Thomas Ellis, Jonathan Merrow, Horsley Shed, Winslow
Kamsdale, Reuel Shaw, Theodore Verrill, Joshua H. Whit-
ney, John Davis. Old settlers' sons : Daniel Bancroft,
Ephraim S. Crockett, Samuel P. Frost, Robert Hall, Brad-
bury C. A. Pingree, Amos Upton, Jr., Joseph Eastman,
Lewis H. Hobbs, Perez B. Latham.
In December, this year, there was a small fire in the Vil-
lage. Daniel Holt's blacksmith shop was burnt in the night
time, and his coal-house adjoining, or very near, was also
burnt; the wdnd being westerly, no other buildings were
injured. Loss not very great, or distressing, but yet it caused
considerable loss and inconvenience to the owner.
Early in the fall, 1840, widow Esther Millett lost her barn
and its contents by fire. The cause of the fire ought to be a
caution to all hoys^ and men, too, about discharging guns in
or about their buildings. One of her boys seeing a squirrel
On the barn, running along under the eaves, got his gun and
shot the poor little animal ; and probably some part of the
wad passed through a crack between the boards, and was un-
noticed at the time, but shortly after the brrn was discovered
in flames. Mrs. Millett, in May, 1826, lost her husband, ia
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 147
the full vigor of manhood, aged 40 years, and had with un-
common fortitude and industry encountered all the hardships
and inconveniences of a widowed hfe ; she had nobly suc-
ceeded in keeping her family and farm together, and finished
a new house which was partly built when her husband died ;
yet she was not exempted from this heavy loss. The next
year she replaced the old barn by a much lai'ger and better
one, and is still living on the same farm, in good circum-
stances.
Town officers for 1841 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Elliot Smith,
Treasurer ; Henry C. Reed, Solomon Noble, Ichabod Bart-
lett, Selectmen. Simon Stevens, Representative.
A^aluation, $114,423. Number of polls 310 ; number of
scholars 723.
Highway tax, common roads, - $2318,35
Extra roads, - - - 1262,16
Total highway tax, - - -
$3580,51
State tax, - - • -
$720,91
County tax, - - - -
282,08
Schools, - - - -
750,00
Poor, and town charges.
1500,00
Overlayings, _ - ,
70,19
Delinquency of highway,
28,79
Supplement added after assessment,
66,07
Total money tax, - - - $3398,04
On the 12th day of Sept., the town voted to raise money
for making the new County road from Ford's Corner to Otis-
field line — the road to be let out in small sections to the lowest
bidder ; and the sum was accordingly assessed, amounting to
$1262,16. This made a large addition to the already heavy
money tax, making the whole for this year $4660,20. The
road was made that fall, and has proved a very useful one.
New immigrants : Isaac Abbott, Ephraim H. Brown, James
Hale, Richard Jackson, Noah Jordan, Aruna Judkins, Dean
I'^S HISTORY OF NORWAY,
A. Ivilgorc. "William Kellej, Alexander Libby, Joseph Tur-
ner, Eugene Upton, Simeon "Walton, Nathan Hathaway,
Moses Hanscum, James N. Hall. Old settlers' sons : Joseph
li. Ames, Benjamin G. BarroAvs. Iliram \V. Peering, Henry
Upton, Jonathan G. Noble.
The first new immigrant mentioned this year is Isaac Ab-
bott. I speak of him here because I find his name on the
tax list, but I hope his tax was abated. He came into the
town in 1808, and has lived here mostly since, but a part of
the time in Oxford. He has been a very unfortunate man.
and is deserving the sympathy of all who possess the proper
feelings of humanity. His father, with a large family, emi-
grated from Andover, Mass., to East Andover, (as it was
then called) in Maine, probably about 1800. The place was
then new, with but few settlers. About the winter of 1804,
a family wished to move from East Andover to Errol, N. H.,
on the west side of Umbagog lake ; and Isaac Abbott, then a
"very active, vigorous young man, went to drive an ox-team,
among others, for the conveyance of the household goods and
family. There was little, or no road through Letter B town-
ship, and they had to cross Umbagog lake with their teams.
On their return home, they found the water had risen over
the ice ; they were overtaken by a violent storm and cold
squalls, which completely hid the poor track ; they were
almost lost in the storm, and the whole company came very
near perishing on the lake. They finally unyoked their oxen,
Jind succeeded in getting out to a settlement with their lives
spared. Mr. Abbott was frozen in a shocking manner, having
both feet, nearly, or quite, to his ancles, frozen hard ; and
traveled for several miles, after his feet were hard as ice, by
holding to the tail of a gentle ox. He was conveyed home,
and after intense pain and suffering, had both feet amputated
at the ancles ; but the thing Avas probably not \cry skillfull}-
done ; he suffered a long time, and finally, before his legs
could be healed up, he underwent a second amputation of l)oth
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 14 i)
legs about eiglit inches below the knees. After the hist am-
putation, his stumps healed up sound, and he ever since has
walked on his knees^ and has, wonderful to relate, perfoi-med
much hard labor. A few years after his legs were amputated
tlie last time, he married a daughter of Asa Lovejoj, (one of
the -early settlers on the Waterford three tiers.) and has
brought up a family of several children.
I ought to have noticed, in the account of 1840, that Baker
Ames had a son, John Ames, drowned in the mill-pond, above
the Village mills ; he, went upon the ice to play, with other
boys, and broke through, and before help could be procured,
<ank to rise no more. He was drowned Dec. 4, 1840, aged
J line years.
There have been several very narrow escapes from drowning
in the pojid, by venturing upon ice when not strong enough to
be safe. About 1833, on tbanksgiving day, Ephraim S.
Crockett, a son of Ephraim Crockett, who lives on the east
fciide of the pond, nearly opposite the writer's farm, thinking
to have a fine time skating on the ice, crossed the head of the
pond to D. Noyes', and Claudius A. Noyes, then about twelve
years of age, went with him to participate in the amusement
*-f skating. They skated awhile, and growing more venture-
some, went near the middle of the pond, when Crockett broke
in. and could not get upon the ice again, as when he attempted
to spring upon it, it would break, Avithout assisting him from
the water. In this dilemma, C. A. Noyes, although but a
>mall boy, told him to hold upon the edge of the ice, and he
A\ ould soon help him ; he then skated quickly to the shore,
jind took a long, slim pole from a fence, and going, within the
length of the pole, to the other boy, he laid himself doAvn on.
the ice, and reached him the small end, which he grasped
tightly, and giving a smart spring, was pulled out of the
water, and draAvn to where the ice was strong enough to bear
tliem. They liad had skating enough for one thanksgiving.
James Bennett, about the s;imc year, broke through the ice
150 filSTORY OF NORWAY.
while skating, and being alone, came very near drowning*
He kept trying to spring upon the ice, which continued break-
ing, until it was broken to a place strong enough to hold him
up, when he succeeded in getting from tlie water, but was
nearly chilled to death. He says that was a sufficiency of
skating for him.
Town officers for 1842 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Elliot Smith,
Treasurer ; Henry C. Reed, Solomon Noble, Ichabod Bart-
lett, Selectmen. Benjamin Tucker, Jr., Representative.
Valuation, $154,018. Number of polls 300 ; number of
scholars 690.
Highway tax, $2615,38.
State tax, - - - ^ $Y20,91
County tax, - - - . 314,43
Schools, . - - - 750,00
Poor, and town charges, - - 600.00
Overlayings, - - - 79,99
Delinquency of highway, and supplement, 50,13
Total money tax, - - - $2515,46
New immigrants : Elias Adams, Nathaniel G. Bacon, Isaac
Bolster, Alfred P. Burnell, Henry R. Cushman, Caleb Hor-
sey, Jacob Herrick, James M. Lewis, Bartle Perry, Gardner
Rowe, William Stowell, Elias Stowell, Rev. Timothy J. Ten-
ney, Foster Wentworth. Old settlers' sons : Steadman
Bennett, Joshua B. Crockett, Calvin L. Herring, Samuel
Lord, 2d, Edwin Morse, Edward H. L. Morse, Israel D. Mil-
lett, David B. Noyes.
This year, on the 18th day of March, Col. John Millett's
house was burnt, and but little saved from it. It was a good
farm-house, and the loss large. Origin of the fire unknown.
Town officers for 1843: Simon Stevens, Clerk; Elliot
Smith, Treasurer ; Jonathan Swift, John Parsons, Jr., Ben-
jamin Tucker, Jr., Selectmen; George J. Ordway, Collector.
Classed with Oxford, and John J. Perry, of Oxford, Repre-
sentative.
HISTOaY OF NORWAY. 151
Valuation, $150,312. Number of polls 347 ; number of
•scholars 713.
Highway tax, $3610,01.
State tax.
-
-
$720,91
County tax, --
-
-
262,02
Schools,
-
-
750,00
Poor, and town charges,
_
-
800,00
To build bridge pier,
_
_
50,00
Overlayings, delinquency ]
iiighway, supplement,
134,84
Total money tax, - - - $2717,77
New immigrants ; William Andrews, Solomon Cloudman,
Adna C. Denison, !Moses G. Dow, Samuel Favor, Elhanan
AY. Fyler, Thomas Higgins, Nathaniel 0. Hicks, Darius
Holt, 3d, Ezekiel Jackson, William Hutchins, John Wood-
man, Edmund S. Dean. Old settlers' sons : Ebenezer Ban-
croft, Jr., Levi Bartlett, Wilham Buck, Churchill Cobb,
Nathan M. Crockett, Eliab Frost, Cornelius Hobbs, Lyman
Hobbs, Ora Hix, Solomon S. Hall, Jeremiah Hall, Stephen
Hall, William Merrill, Benjamin Marston, Claudius A. Noyes,
Simon Stevens, 2d, Oren Tubbs, William Upton, Daniel M.
Young.
This year wdll ever be memorable in the annals of Norway,
on account of the destruction of Esquire Eastman's dwelling
house by fire, and the records of the town from the time of
its incori3oration. It is supposed, but not certainly known,
that the fire communicated to the house from ashes in the
wood-house. When the fire was discovered, the inmates had
not a moment to spare, but made their escape by the back
door, which had not been used for the w^inter. They got out
with nothing on them but their night-clothes. Esquire East-
man was then about 93 years old, quite unw^ell, and could
hardly walk in the house ; the snow was four feet deep from
the door to the road, with a fence to be got over in the way.
Mrs. Eastman, with almost superhuman strength, dragged
him through snow nearly up to her arms, put him over the
152 HISTORY Olf NORWAY.
fence, and got liim into the barn-yard, as much from the-vfind;
iis possible, and then Avrapped him in a coverlet, which she
had fortunately dragged from the lx;d "with her husband. Ann
A. Shaw, a granddaughter of Mrs. Eastman, about fifteen,
years of age, escaped in the same nude condition as tl.ie others,
and rendered her grandmother all the assistance in her power.
They were exposed to the severe cold for a considerable time.
The fire was at length discovered from !Mr. William Hobbs' —
the alarm being given by old !Mrs. Richardson — when his boys
hastened to the scene of distress. As soon as they arrived at
the burning house, One of them ran home, hastened back with
a horse and sleigh, and carried the family to Mr. H^afcbs* iii-a
piteous condition. Mrs. Eastman's feet were shockingly
frozen ; and as soon as the frost was out, they were a com-
plete blister nearly to her ancles, excepting the upper parts.
The girl was con.^iderably frozen, but nothing compared to
^Irs. Eastman. Esquire Eastman was very much chilledy
but his wife had wrapped him in the coverlet, so closely that
he got frozen but a little. For more than a month ^L'S. East-
man was unable- to walk, or stand ; but by good' care she at
length entirely recovered, and has, till recently, been able,
and willing, to perform much labor for an old lady. "But ou
the evening of Feb. 13, 1852, she met with another aflliction :
she accidentally fell upon the floor and. injured her hip, so
that she is entirely confined to her bed. How long her lame-
ness will continue is uncertain, but the writer hopes not long.
The name and services of Job Eastman, for many, many
years, were as familiar as household words to almost every
man, woman, and child, in the town of l!<J'orway. After tlie
incorporation of the town, Joshua Smith was tOv^^n Clerk dur-
ing two years, and in 1803, Joseph llust was Clerk one year ;
Job Eastman filled the office all the other years until 1843.
He was fijTst Selectman, and town Treasurer, for nine years
after the to^vn was incorporate! ; and was an acting Justice
HTSTORY OF XORAYAY. 153:
of the Peace from- 1797 until his death, ^vhich took place
Feb. 28, 1845, at the age of 95 years.
Mark S. Richardson and wife, with one young child, auci
his mother, lived in the west end of Esquire Eastman's house
at the time of the fire. They escaped by the front-door with
much less danger and difficulty than the Eastman family.
In the spring of this year, there was a remarkable freshet,
which flooded many cellars, and carried oif many bridges.
Ephraim Brown then owned the old grist-mill at the Steep
Falls, below the Village, and it was swept away by the flood ;
his peg manufactory, also, shared the fate of the mill.
By a request to the Selectmen, there was a special town-
meeting- called on the Saturday previous to the first Monday
in May, for the purpose of instructing the town authorities in
regard to licensing suitable persons to sell spirituous liquors
for medicinal and mechanical purposes. The meeting was
rather thin, but the Selectmen wTre instructed to license no
person, except the town Clerk and town Treasurer, to sell for
the above purposes ; and the profits, after paying the expense
of selling, to go into the town treasury for supporting the
poor. What the profits amounted to, is as yet unknown to
the town, as no report has beeii made.
A very melancholy affair happened in this town on the
evening of the 6th of October, 1843. Mr. Dresser Stevens,
next-door-neighbor to the writer, as is very common among
farmers, made a husking for the evening, and invited his
neighbors to assist him. In the course of the evening, some
rather rude joking was indulged in by a portion of the coni-
pau}^ at the expense of a youngster named Hiram Totherly,
a.nd his making rather a tart reply irritated the feelings of a
few present, which caused hard Avords between the parties.
At the close of the husking, Ebenezer Hobbs made an assault
on Totherly, and they soon closed in with each other, aiid
hoth fell on the floor in the squabble ; Totherly, with his
jack-knife, stabbed Hobbs in many places^ and a wound jmz
154 HISTORY OF ^'ORWAY.
over the collar-bone, proved mortal. The affray took place
-about eleven o'clock on Friday night, and he died near five
d' clock Saturday morning. Totherly was immediately arrest-
ed, and the next day committed to jail. At the following May
term of the Supreme Judicial Court, he had his trial, but was
^not convicted, the jury not agreeing. The first indictment
by the grand jury was for murder ; but at the October term
•the case was put to the grand jury a second time, and a bill
was found against him for manslaughter. The next spring
he had a second trial, was convicted of manslaughter, and
sentenced by the Court to one year's imprisonment in the
County jail. After the expiration of his imprisonment, he
went to Portland, and finally enlistedv^s a soldier in the Mex-
ican war, where he was wounded, and died in a hospital.
But I forbear to enlarge upon the subject, lest it should open
afresh the deeply-wounded feelings of relatives and others.
The mild sentence of the Court very plainly shows that they
did not think all the blame ought to be attributed to him.
Both the youngsters were about eighteen years of age at the
time of this sad tragedy.
Town officers for 1844 : Simon Stevens, Clerk ; James
Crockett, Treasurer; Jonathan Swift, William Parsons, Jr.,
Mark P. Smith, Selectmen: George J. Ordway, Collector.
Jonathan Swift, Bepresentative.
Valuation, |153,178. Number of polls 321 ; number of
scholars 667.
Highway tax, $2039,05.
State tax, - - - - $540,68
County tax, - - - - 374,26
Schools, .... 750,00
Poor, and town charges, - - 900,00
0 verlayings, delinquency highway, supplement, 119, 78
Total money tax, - - - $2684,72
New immigrants : Noble Blossom, James Blossom, Ira
Berry, Levi T. Boothby, America Briggs, John A. Bolster,
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 155
Benjamin l^obbins, Thomas G. Brooks, James Dow, JPetei- B.
Erost, Samuel Favor, Joseph Haniford, Edwai-d Higgins,
Kobert Noyes, "William D. Paine, Reuben S. Bich, Amos
Thurlow, Daniel Whitehouse, Charles Walton, Oren Wilbur.
Old settlers' sons : David B. Everett, Joseph Hor, Henry H.
Hobbs, Lorenzo D. Ilobbs, George W. Knight, Newton Swift.
In the Ml of this yoar, Bichard W. Houghton's house,
near the St^ep Ealls, was burnt ; origin of the fire unknowii.
Also, on the night of the ^1 9th of Nov., Holden's mills, on
Crooked river, w^ere burnt ; origin of the fire unknown, but
thought by many to be the work of an incendiary.
Town officers for 1845 : Simon Stevens, Clerk ; James
Crockett, Treasurer ; William Parsons, Jr., Mark P. Smith,
Henry W. Millett, Selectmen; George J. Ordway, Collector.
Mark P. Smith, Bepresentative.
Valuation, $165,701. Numte of polls 330 ; number of
scholars 664.
Highway tax, $1592,29.
State tax, - . . . $489.3^
County tax, - - - - 322.68
Schools, - - - - 750^00
Poor, and town charges, - - .700,00
Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement, 90,10
Total money tax, - - - $2352,06
New immigrants : Jairus Bryant, Zachary Carey, Aaroh
Chandler, John Davis, Johnson Edwards, William Evans,
Wilham Howe, David McAllister, Samuel L. Preble, John
Penley, Joshua Bichardson, David Bowe, Benjamin Wade,
Daniel Stone, Moses Town. Old settlers' sons : Edmund
Ames, Albion Buck, Cyrus C^bb, Jr., Bobert I. Erost, Sam-
uel Lord, Jr., Orren E. Millett, Ebenezer Marston, Prescott L.
Pike, Daniel Pike, Otis Stevens, Erancis H. Whitman,
Oeorge P. Whitney.
This year seems rather remarkable for the record of many
deaths of the early settlers of this town. Among those ^vho
150 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
(lied Avcrc Deacon AVilliam Parsons, aged 85 years-, Benjamin
Herring, 84, Josiah Hill, 80, Job Eastman, 95, Mrs. Asa
Hix, 64, Mrs. Peter Town, 59, Mrs. Joseph Bradbury, 79,
Daniel Watson, 83, John Frost, 77, Joshua Crockett, son of
Joshua Crockett, the old settler, 54, Mrs. Mary Hall, 51 ;
and many others.
Town officers for 1846 : Simon Stevens, Clerk : James
Crockett, Treasurer ; Mark P. Smith, Henry W. Millett^
Simeon Noble, Selectmen; Henry "VV. Millett, Collector.
Isaac A. Thayer, Oxford, Representative.
Valuation, §172.036. Number of polls 320 ; number of
scholars 714.
Highway tax, .$2355,24.
State tax, - - - . $652,44- .
County tax, - - - - ' 322,65-
Schools, - . . . 750,00
Poor, and town charges, - - 500.00
Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement, 129,64
Total money tax, - - - ,$2354,73
New immigrants : Levi B. Abbott, James Corson, Ebenezer
Carsley, Alva B. Davis, Ebenezer P. Fitz, Jameson Gammon,
Edwin Plummer, Reuben Penley, Ansel Ross, Amos Smith,
Joseph Tuttle, Joshua Weeks. Old settlers' sons : Cyrutj
W. Buck, Mahalon Crockett, Milton ^X. Hobbs, Oliver A.
Hall, Samuel S. Mil'lett, John II. ]^Iillett, Wilham Marston,
Stephen Merrill, Osgood Perry, John I. Pike, Jonathan Cr.
Town, Albion Hall.
Town officers for 1847 r Simon Stevens, Clerk ; Ebenez<?r
C. Shackley, Treasurer ; Henry W. ]\Iillett, Henry C. Reed,
Solomon Noble, Selectmen; Henry W. Millett, Collector.
Simeon Noble, Representative.
Valuation, $182,039. Number of polls 327"; number of
scholars 668.
Highway tax, common roads, - $1042,54
Extra roads, - - - 1042,54
Total highway tax, - - - $2085,08
HISTORY OF XOEWAY.
1^7
State tax. ... - P26,22
Coiuitjtax, - - - - 322,0-)
Schools, _ - ^ * 750.00
Poor, and town charges. - - 900,00
Overlayings and supplement, - - 50,19
Total money tax, - - - |2349,06
New immigrants : Thomas Blake, Jairus S. Chipmaxi.
Charles Callahan, Sumner Frost, John S. French, EdwiaW.
Howe, Ebenezer P. Hinds, Charles Kendall, Clark Kaight^
James H. Merrill, Franklin Manning, Rev. Charles. Packaj-d..
Horace Paine, Clemens Randal, Jonathan Eichards, lex'i
Thaver, Thomas Thorn. Old settlers' sons: George L. Real.
James H. Cox, Rarzilla S. Cobb, David 3. Crockett^-, Pa^vie"^
"\V. Frost, Osgood French, William H. Foster, Dardel Holt.
8d, Isaac Jordan, Levi W. PingrcQ, IceAyis Shackl^y, Geo^'ge
Wilkins.
On the 12th of April, this year^ Joseph York, Jr.^ a young
man employed in the saw-mill at the Steep Falls, received a
death-blow, by aceiderit. He was t^ssisting in placing a log
upon the mill-carviage, and by some means a* handspike was.
wrenched from his grasp^ one entt of w^hich st^ugk hiiga upou
the right side of the abdomen, producing mortal iisijury inter-.
iiall}^ He survived the accident fropa I\Ionday afternoon till
Thursday mojrning.
Ou the ?norning of the 18th of November, this, year, Cyrus.
Cobb, Esq., met ap untimely death by a fall in his barn. He-
went to his bar^ for the purpose of feeding his cattle^ and.
went up over the beams to throw down hay, when a board
gave way and precipitated him into the barn-floor, killing him
instantly, as was supposed, his neck being broken by the falk
This was a severe loss to hi& family, and also to the commu-.
nity, as he was a very industrious and useful ipan. Thd
family still feel as though their loss was irreparable. He was
the son of Ebenezer Cobb, who was among the early settlers
of this town, aud liv^d ou the old howQst^ad of Iiis futUcr.
158 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Town officers for 1848 : Simon Stevens, Clerk ; Ebenezer
C. Shackley, Treasurer ; Henry "W. Millett, Henry C. Reed,
Solomon Noble, Selectmen ; Samuel Favor, Collector. Ben-
jamin Richards, Oxford, Representative.
Valuation, $193,575. Number of polls 363 ; number of
scholars 752.
Highway tax, $1042,41.
State tax, - - - - | 652,44
County tax, - - - - 376,43
Schools, . - - - 750,00
Poor, building roads, and other town charges, 2700,00
Overlayings and supplement, - 52,38
Total money tax, - - - $4531,25
New immigrants : Elbridge G. Allen, James M. Abbott,
James C. Bennett, Philander Barnes, Hosea B. Bisbee, Charles
D. Bisbee, William Blake, Moses B. Bartlett, D. H. Blake,
Cyrus W. Brown, William M. Cushman, Job Cushman, Be-
zaleel Cushman, Leander Dorman, Albert B. Davis, Luke
Fletcher, Jonathan Fairbanks, Charles; L. Francis, Freeman
Higgins, Danforth Jordan, Joseph Judkins, Charles P. Kim^
ball, Josej)h A. Kendall, Amos T. Murphy, Ransom Morton,
James P. Morton, John W. Noble, Charles Newhall, Peter
C. Putnam, Isaac Pressey, Asa H. Phinney, Edwin F. Quinby,
Alfred Raymond, Alfred Shattuck, Orsamus Smiley, Israel
8wett, George W. Seaverns, John G. Swett, Jonathan M.
Smiley, William Stone, Otis True, Ephraim H. Wood, John
Walton, William Walton, G. B. Wentworth, Joseph Whitman,
George J. Wardwell, Joseph Wilson. Old settlers' sons :
Joseph Bullen, Isaac Bartlett, Benjamin Dale, Levi Frost,
William P. French, Jonathan Holt, Cornelius W. Hobbs,
Lewis Lovejoy, Theodore L. Lassell, Coleman F. Lord, Hiram
Lovejoy, Ceylon Watson.
This year there was a gi^eat accession to the number of new
immigrants, in conseqence of the railroad operations ; and if
ihey can all get a good living, and make money, or other
HISTORY OF XOKWAT. 15^
property, we bid them welcome ; but tlie old settlers have
always found it necessary to attend closely to some regular
business, and I guess the new ones will find the same course,
eventually, for their permanent interest.
Town officers for 1849 : Simon Stevens, Clerk : Ebenezer
C. Shackley, Treasurer; Mark P. Smith, Henry W. Millett,
Solomon Noble, Selectmen ; Ansel Ross, Collector. Henry
C. Reed, Representative.
Valuation, $200,982. Number of polls 369 ; number of
scholars T42.
Highway tax, §1245,55.
State tax, _ - -
$ 652,44
County tax, - - -
484,91
Schools, - . -
T50,00
Poor, and town charges,
1150,00
Overlayings and supplement,
153,55
Total money tax, - - - $3190,90
New immigrants : James Anderson, A. A. Adams, G. H.
Barnard, David N. Cushman, Rev. E. K. Colby, S. T. But-
ton, David P. Flood, EH Grover, L. D. Foster, William
Hutchins, Benson Hawkins, Abner Jackson^ John Johnson,
Wilham W. Kimball, George Kimball, Joseph Lovejoy, Jon-
athan Ryerson, Thomas Richardson, George W. Stevens,
Samuel Sumner, Joshua B. Stuart, G. E. Shattuck, Clark
P. True, Charles Thompson, John F. True^ George Hum-
phrey, Henry B. Upton, William W. Virgin. Old settlers^
sons : John D. Beal, Josiah Danforth, George A. Frost, Jon-
athan S. Millett, 2d, Edwin Millett, Washington Noyes, Noah
Pike, Henry S. Small, Edwin Stetson, Ezra Shackley, Wil-
liam B. Upton.
Early in the morning of March 31, 1849, the store of
Moses A. Young was discovered to be on fire. The store was
saved, but the goods (a small stock) were considerably injured
by fire, smoke, and Avater. The origin of the fire yet remains
unknown.
IGO HISTORY OF.IsORWAi'.
On tlie 21st .of June, this year, Uriah Holt, JEsq., died.
His sickness was very short, about four or five days ; his dis-
order "was gravel, combined with other complaints. His family
felt their loss severely, as well as the neighborhood and town.
He had been in town office much, from the time he came into
Korway, and was a very correct man in any business which
he undertook. I must be pardoned if I indulge my own feel-
ings a little in regard to his death. We had been associated
:inuch in business from 1811 up te the time of his death, and
many times on important affiiirs : and, whether owing to his
(.lisposition, or mine, or both, we never had the first word of
disaoTcement in anv of our business. I was with him throudi
the most of his last. sickness, and with a heavy heart performed
the last sad offices due to an old friend. His wife, Hannah
Holt, who had been a youthful companion of my own wife,
previous to the marriage of either, died of consumption. Feb.
4th, 1835.
Almost everybody, in this vicinity, knows that old Uriah
Holt and old David Noyes have been practical surveyors for
many years ; and from this circumstance, we were much to-
gether in such business. We have traversed the w^oods in
company through many wearisome days, and passed many
dreary nights in the forest, with no other bed than some hem-
lock or fir boughs, and no other shelter than .the heavens,
except in rainy w^eather, wheai we used to erect a little camp^
covered with spruce bark, which we could build in a few min-
utes. At one time, in 1835, we were in the woods, and saw
no living person, except two Indians, and our own assistants,
for sixty days ; and if those were not times to " try men's
souls,*' they Avere to try their "stomachs," when the grub
fell short ; and once, m particular, we had to pinch down to a
small pittance, at only morning and night, for two days, and
on the third day ate nothing till afternoon. By that time wo
had excellent appetites, and the food tasted good without many
trimmings to make it relish.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 161
At the annual meeting on the 5th of March, 1849, the
town enacted, or, rather, passed a vote to adopt a code of by-
laws, in regard to a bowling-saloon, and ball-playing in the
street, and afterwards applied to the County Commissioners to
ratify, or sanction, said by-laws. By these by-laws, the game
of ball was not allowed to be played in any street, or public
place, within ten rods of any house, store, or shop, nor, to be
thrown by any person, a snow-ball, brick-bat, stone, or other
thing liable to injure any person or property, under a penalty
of one dollar for each and every offence ; and no person al-
lowed to keep any place for playing at bowls, or other noisy
game, within half a mile of any dwelling-house, meeting-
house, or school-house, or within eighty rods of any public
highway, under a penalty of five dollars, and any person
playing at any such games in such places was liable to a
penalty of two dollars. The Selectmen were clothed with
l>ower to appoint a police-officer, under the imposing title of
'• Inspector of Police," to carry out the provisions of said
by-laws.
The thing, like other new notions, caused some little excite-
ment among the boys and men, when the snow got off in the
spring, and they began to hunt up their balls ; and a notice
in the Village paper, warning persons not to visit particular
places, was rather hard spelling and reading for some ; but
happily, the threatened little storm has mostly blown over,
and our atmosphere has nearly resumed its accustomed seren-
ity. The bowling-saloon still stands, just south of where
Denison's stable was burned, at the time of the calamitous
fire last fall ; and, wonderful to relate, the poor little thing
seems to stand as a monument of sparing mercy, for it must
have had a shower of fire over it during the conflagration.
It has been open but little since the fire.
A careful observation, at different times, and in different
places, will convince any reasonable person that severe restraint
is generally a weak preventative of common and civil recrea-
162 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
tion among almost all classes of the community ; and tlio
more stringent the law, the more strong the inclination to taste
the "forbidden fruit." For '^ still, still man's heart will
draw the secret sigh for pleasures unenjoyed." Mankind are
so constituted that something recreative and gratifying to the
sense, (or reason, if you please so to call it,) in some shape
or other, will be sought for by every human being, while
physical and mental faculties are capable of enjoyment. For,
as a great poet says — .
" Behold the child, by nature's kindly law,
Pleasrd with a rattle, tickled with a straw.
Some livelier plaything gives his youth delight,
A little louder, but as empty quite.
Scarfs, garters, gold, amuse his riper stage.
And beads and prayer-books are the toys of age.
Pleased with this bauble still, as that before,
Till tiled he sleeps, and life's poor play is o'er."
No individual has a right to expect that the views and feelings
of all others should exactly coincide with his own ; therefore
it is not acting with candor to be too tenacious of our own
opinions and practice, or too illiberal and censorious in regard
to the opinions and practice of others, who do not tally exactly
with us in all things. For " whatsoever ye would that men
should do unto you, do ye even so unto them." And this is
a Divine injunction, which all are bound to follow. Such
illiberal, censorious persons do not seem to be very deeply
imbued with the spirit of our Heavenly Father ; for "He
maketh his sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and
sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."
Now, to further illustrate the bearing and effects of the
illiberal, overbearing, down-treading feelings and views mani-
fested by a certain portion of mankind in regard to the feelings
and views of other portions of the human family, the writer
will relate a little anecdote of an affair which once took place
in the town of . In the dining-hall of a fashionable
hotel, a splendid table was spread for regaling the appetites.
HISTORY OF XOPaVAY. 163
of the numerous guests ; — there was one disli, in particular,
containing a rare and choice delicacy. A certain gentleman,
who counted himself as one of the "upper ten," after carving
up this choice dish, took the pejoper, and gave the whole a
most liberal sprinkling, observing, at the same time, " Gen-
tlemen, I suppose you all like pepper ; I am very fond of it
myself." A little French gentleman, though not at all lacking
in good manners, and good breeding, but wishing to impress a
useful lesson upon the mind of this assuming gentleman,
thereupon drew from his pocket a capacious snuff-box, and
gave the same delicate dish a thorough sprinkling of good old
maccaboy, and says, " Gentlemen, I suppose you are all fond
of snuff; I like it very much myself." You can easily judge
what were the feelings of the disappointed guests, in conse-
quence of this improper assumption by one of their number,
thus to endeavor to prepare the whole dish to suit his OAvn
particular palate, without regard to the tastes of others.
The effects are about the same where one, or a few, set out
to regulate and restrain decent and common amusements in
the community. For we all very well know that one likes to
fiddle, another to dance, another to sing, another to thump
the piano, another to play ball, another cards, dice, or back-
gammon, another seeks amusement in the bowling-saloon ^
some drive fast horses and crack elegant whips, some fish,
some hunt, others read frivolous, and even obscene tales and
novels, while others choose useful and instructive books and
periodicals, &c., &c. Now all these things, although not
productive of any positive good, are nevertheless better than
worse, and more corrupting amusements ; and if there are
any who prefer no amusement at all, it is nobody's business ;
and they, like all others, ought to have the privilege of self-
gratification (avoiding all excess) in their own way, provided
they do not infringe on the rights and enjoyments of others.
^hj^ is a wide world — wide enough for all to get along pretty
164 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
comfortably, provided each one will avoid running against
liis neigrlibor.
o
" In faith and hope the world will disagree,
But all mankind's concern is charity.'"
It has, of late years, become very fashionable for many,
especially from crowded cities, to make excursions into various
parts of the country — sometimes on business, sometimes for
pleasure, and occasionally for both — and they often Avish to
stop for a few days, or a few weeks, for the purpose of relax-
ation from business, and to enjoy the social amusements of
the place ; to view the beauties of lakes, ponds and rivers,
of mountain, hill, dale, kc. "VYe think our town, and Vil-
lage, by due attention to the wishes and Avants of visitors, may
be made a very attractive and agreeable stopping-place for
such persons ; and who, among our citizens, can indulge in
any other feelings than a desire for the up-building and pros-
2)erity of the place. We need not caution strangers, and
others, not to visit us, or particular places in our town. It
savors rather too strongly of the old Connecticut " blue-laws "
for this enlightened age.
Such persons as delight in rural sights and sounds, whether
strangers or residents, I would invite to take a ramble up the
side of the " Pike Hill," and seat themselves, on a summer
forenoon, under some refreshing shade, and listen to the con-
tinual hum of business and pleasure proceeding from the busy
multitude below, and around. Hark ! hear the busy clip,
clip, clip, clip, of the saw-mill, the buzz of circular saws,
turning-lathes, &c., the monotonous rumble of the grist-mill,
in its various departments, the click of the mason's trowel,
attended with the well-known cry of "mort, more mort," the
clipping and hammering of stone by the stone-cutters, the
lively clap of the joiner's hammer, the heavy thump of the
carpenter's mallet, the clink of the blacksmith, (not forging
fetters for serfs and slaves, but agricultural implements for a
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 165
free yeomanry, u-ho wonH he fettered.) and, in sliort, almost
every sound attendant on the prosecution of almost every
mechanical business ; all intermingled with the rattling uf
carriages, from a gig to a six-horse coach, or wagon, and oc-
Ciisionally the loud, rough voice of the teamster to his oxen,
" While down the rough slope the ponderous wagon lings,"
heavily loaded with rough granite for the foundations of nu-
merous buildings in progress of erection ; interspersed with'
all these, occasionally you -will hear the sweet notes of tlie
piano, and other musical instruments ; and the noise also of
'•'■ The playful children just let loose from school ; "
the tinkle of the tea, dinner, school, and ftictory-bell, and the
beautifully toned church-bell ; and to crown the whole, some-
times, (when they used to roll) the low rumble of the famous
bowling-saloon, Avhich serves as a fine thoroagh-bass to tlie
varied concert. And now let me ask, who, among the lovers?
of rural scenery, but must be delighted with such enchanting
sights and sounds ?
The writer is no advocate for the bowling-saloon, or any
other vain amusement, when carried to the least excess ; lie
never rolled a ball in the saloon, and hardly in any otlior
place ; but thinks we all ought to live and conduct in such ;i
manner, that, when we are young, we may consider that we
may one day be old ; and Avhcn Ave are old, we ought also to
consider that we have once been young.
"We have in this town very many jTersons, of both sexen,
possessing great intellectual and physical powers, exercising
tlieir minds, or bodies, or both, in laudable and useful em-
ployments ; and some few idlers, loafers, and go^ips, (would
to God we had less) which seems to be the common lot of
almost all places, of any note, or business. But perhaps it
would be well for those who are so anxious to root out one
166 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
particular evil, to remember the parable of the tares and the
wheat, and to act with candor and moderation, ^' lest while ye
gather up the tares, ye root up also the ^vhcat with them.''
For the command to the servants was, to '• let both grow to-
gether until the harvest ; and in the time of harvest. I will
say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bind
them in bundles to burn them ; but gather the wheat into my
barn." But a word of candid advice to the lovers of pleasure
and amusements I know will be received with good feelings ;
and that advice is, to be "temperate in all things."
Town officers for 1850 : Simon Stevens, Clerk ; Ebenezer
C. Shackley, Treasurer ; Mark P. Smith, William Hall,
Ichabod Bartlett, Selectmen ; Jonathan Blake, Collector.
E. R. Holmes, Oxford, Representative.
Valuation, §200,594. Number of polls 400 : number of
scholars 7T9 ; whole number of inhabitants, by census. 1962.
Highway tax, $1539,54.
State tax, - - - - § 652,44
County tax, - - - - 431,03
Schools, . - . . 750,00
Poor, roads, and town charges, - 1500,00
Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement, 118,42
Total money tax, - - - $3451,89
New immigrants : Hiram E. Abbott, Francis Bennett^
Thomas F. Barton, George W. Crockett, Bethael F. Drake^
Mark H. Dunnell, Isaac A. Denison, George Eveleth, Ste-
phen Fuller, William Getchell, Oliver Goddard, Ezra Jewell,
George W. Johnson, Peter Kimball, Otis F. Mixer, Charles-
Mallett, John H. Moore, George H. ^Merrill, Ausburn Mer-
rill, William P. Merrill, Jackson Pillsbury, Charles Pike,
William A. Parsons, S. J. Seavey, Zephaniah Starbird, James
Stanley, George W. Slioles, Franklin Sargent, Samuel Vance,
Frederick L. Young. Old settlers' sons : ' Erastus G. Brad-
bury, Franklin P. Bolster, Osgood N. Bradbury, Sewall
Crockett.. Grovesnor Crockett, Joseph A, Danforth,. Albert
HISTORY OF XORWAY. 167
G amnion, Elijah Ilobbs, Benjamin G. Holt, Jeremiah Hall,
2d, Hanson Lord, David F. Noyes, Aaron Noble, John
Smith, Calvin Shed.
In December, this year, the grist-mill at the head of the
A^illage was burnt. It is supposed the fire took from a defect
in the stove-funnel. The fire occurred in the night, and the
destruction of the building, with all its contents, was com-
plete, as little was saved from the devouring element. The
mill was large and commodious ; it had four run of stones,
t^N'O bolts, a cleanser, and corn-cracker ; and much inconve*
nience was experienced by the town until another was built.
The establishment Avas owned by a wealthy company, viz :
Levi Whitman, Ezra F. Beal, Ebenezer Hobbs, Nathaniel
Bennett, and John B. Brown, of Portland, and was built new
some fifteen years ago. Owing to their pecuniary circum-
stances, the distress of the owners was not so great as often
follows the burning of a poor man's buildings. In 1851, the
Company rebuilt the mill in a very substantial manner, and
have calculated a part of it for the manufacture of superfine
flour, equal to the choicest fancy brands. They have, during
tlie winter of 1851-2, purchased western wheat, from which
they make very nice flour, said to be equal to the best.
Tomi ofiicers for 1851 : Simon Stevens, Clerk ; Ebenezer
C. Shackley, Treasurer; Ichabod Bartlett, "William Hall,
Ansel Town, Selectmen ; Jacob Bradbury^ Collector. Lee
!Mixer, Representative.
Valuation, $211,312. Number of poUs 434 ; number of
scholars 800.
Highway tax, $2110.00.
State tax, - - - -, $ 656,64
County tax, - - - -' 404.72
Schools, - - - . 950^00
Poor, and other town charges, - 1000,00
Overlayings, - - - 64,04
Total money tax, - '^ - $3075,40
168 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Xew immigrants : Hezekiali B. Bisbec, Ephraim Beaii^
Hanej Blake, Smith Bartlett, C. B. Coffin, Job B. Crookcr,
Isaac Copps, Edwin Cummings, Benjamin Cobb^ Asa Green,
William Green, Ricbard Hammctt, Dr. Jesse Howe, Enoch
Holt, George Jackson, J. H. Kemp, Josiah P. Lovejoy, G.
W. Mann, William D. Merrill," Aaron D. Mussey, Josiah
Monroe, E. J. Pillsbury, Isaiah Penley, Melvin Pool, Wilham
T. Raymond, Calvin Richardson, Levi D. Stearns, Rev. H. W.
Strong, Jonas Stevens, Rev. J. L. Stevens, Michael Welch,
Thomas Melzeard, Old settlers' sons : William Cushman,
Ansel 11. Cushman, James Crockett, 2d, James S. Crockett,-
Amos French, Jeremiah Fostei, 2d, Cyrus S. Cobb, Timothy
Gorham, Benjamin F. Hall, William C. Hobbs, George A.
Noyes, John W. Pingree, Jr.,*Albert Small, Jonathan M.
Shed, Isaac N. Small, Jacob Tubbs, Rollin Town, Alansoii
B. ^Vatson, Jolm 11. Witt.
In ^larch, this year, Joel Parkhurst, while sawing shingles,
received a severe wound on his left hand from the circular
saw. The tendon, or cord, attached to the third finger, was
cut entirel}^ off, and the finger rendered powerless ; one end
of tlie cord protruding from the wound, it Avas removed with
scissors. His hand was so injured that many thought it would
never again be fit for active use ; but it has been in a great
me.isure restored by persevering in the '' cold-water-cure "
treatment ; even when most inflamed and painful, no dressing
but water was applied, and that always with comforting effect.
In 1830, the same hand was severely wounded by a premature
explosion, while Mr. Parkhurst was engaged blasting rocks,
and it has suffered injuries from, machinery several times :
yet,, though not so convenient as an unmaimed hand, it is in
tolerable repair, and serves quite well its OAvner, who is thankful
it has so well endured the various accidents.
This year, on the night of tlie 22d of Sept., (or the early
morning of the 23d.) a great calamity, by fire, befel the
Village, the sad effects of which arc felt by the whole to\yn.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 169
The fire was first discovered in the stable of Anthony Bennett,
who kept the Eaih-oad House, about midnight. The flames
spread so rapidly, that Mr. Bennett saved but a small part of
the contents of the house, as it was large, and contained much
furniture of various kinds. The conflagration spread from
building to building, until eighteen, of all kinds, were burnt,
and one, a wood-house of Mrs. Young, was pulled down t<>
stop the fire. The following persons were the sufferers :
Joseph Shackley lost his house, barii, and two sheds ; A. C.
Denison a very large store, stable, and shed ; aK extensive
stock of goods of almost every description was in the store,
owned by Isaac A. Denison and Joseph A. Kendall, who oc-
cupied the building ; Anthony Bennett lost house, stable, a
large wood and carriage shed, five valuable horses, one cow,
one hog, harnesses and carriages ; part of the horses were
owned by other persons; Benjamin Tucker, Jr., lost house,
barn, and two large sheds, with a quantity of hay and grain,-
carriages, harnesses, &c. ; Henry Rust, Es<;[., a very large,
well-finished house, and three large outbuildings for necessary
uses. There probably was more stuff" saved from the last-
named houses than from Mr. Bennett's, as there was more
time for removing the goods. This was a sad blow to 'the
Village, and even to the whole town, and tenfold more so ta
the owners. It seemed to almost paralyze all business for a
while, and it will require a long lapse of time to fully recover
from the shock. The origin of this fire is still shrouded in
mystery ; but scarcely a doubt rests on the mind of any one
but that it was the work of an incendiary. One individual,
yea, two, were firrested, and examined before a magistrate
touching the matter, but, the evidence not being very positive,
were discharged ; still, public opinion awards a verdicfi of
guilty, on some person ; but that is not legal proof But^ an
all- wise Providence, perhaps, will not let justice slumber al-
v:ays ; but will yet visit the atrocious wickedness of this deed
upon the head of the guilty one.
170 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
On the night of the 28th of December a horrible affair
took pkce near the middle of this town. A number of young
men met for the purpose of " serenading "' a party who had
been recently married. In the midst of the performance,
some one in the house discharged a gun, loaded with shot and
peas, at the crowd. The charge principally took effect upon
the person of a young man named Foster, a son of Capt. Jer-
i-miah Foster, injuring him severely, and it was at the time
feared fatally. He received from twenty to thirty shot and
peas in his face and neck, one of -which lodged in one of his
I'yes, destroying it entirely ; several took effect in one of his
hands, breaking the bones, and otherwise injuring it. It is
reported that some others were struck by the scattering shot,
but not severely injured. The horrible transaction has been,
and is still to come under a judicial investigation. The young
man has pretty much recovered from his wounds, but with the
complete loss of his injured eye. Much excitement existed
at the time, especially against the individual who was supposed
to have fired the gun. This " serenading " is not very com-
mendable, but yet it is one of the fashionable follies of the
present day ; and a person of common sense and humane
feelings can plead no excuse for so wanton and wicked an act
as firing into an indiscriminate crowd of men and boys.
Town officers for 1852 : ^\m. Wirt Virgin, Clerk ; Ebenezer
C. Shackley, Treasurer ; Simon Stevens, Simeon Noble, Lee
Mixer, Selectmen; Jonathan Blake, Collector. Asa Dan-
forth, Representative.
Valuation, $208,887. N^miber of polls 406 ; number of
scholars 797 ; voters in March 478 — in September 503.
Highway tax, as voted by the town, .§-2200,00.
State tax, - - . . $ 606M
County tax, - - - - 522.35
Schools, .... 950,00
Poor, and town charges, - - 1000.00
Extra road money, - - . - 200,00
Total money tax, - - - $3829.01
HISTOKY OF 2s^0R\YAY. 171
Kew immigrants : E. W. Collis, John Dealy, Edgar Emery,
Benjamin B. Francis, Samuel Gibson, John C. Kimball,
Joseph F. Heri'ick, John J. Hayden, Henry Houghton, Charlea
Jackson, Ezekicl Jackson, Elijah G. Knight, James Lyndes,
Joseph M. Little, John McGee, Alexander H. Muzzey, Isaac
Merrill. Francis W. Mallett, Stuart H. Noble, James L.
Paine, Thomas Plummer, George L. Plummer, Charles A.
Radford, E. Robinson, John W. Raymond, Erastus Richard-
son, Franklin Sargent, W. H. Stillson, George Titcomb,
Marshal Warren, Charles Wolcot, Ephraim F. Wood, Solo-
mon N. Cloudman, Horace P. McAllister. Old settlers' sons :
Joseph Bullen, William R. Danforth, William Frost, 4th,
Elijah H. Hobbs, Darius M. Holt, Aurelius C. Noble, Ben-
jamin G. Holt, Benjamin Tucker, od, Amos H. Needham,
Henry A. Bradbury, Servilla A. Bennett, Charles H. Evans,
Wilson Hill, Jr., Simon Stevens, 2d, Daniel Herring,
George W. Millett, Edward Morse, Joshua B. Crockett,
Charles F. Parkhurst.
On the 11th day of May, this year, Daniel H. Witt, a son
of Benjamin Witt, and grandson of Benjamin Witt, the old
settler, was suddenly killed on the railroad ; he lived one
hour and ten minutes after being run over. He was employed
as fireman on an engine.
The following persons, in Norway, hold commissions as
Justices of the Peace, and of the Quorum, viz :
Justices Peace and Quornm — Moses B. Bartlett, Levi
Whitman, Samuel Cobb, Samuel Gibson,^- William E. Good-
now, David Noyes, Jonathan B. Smith, Jonathan Swift, Wm.
Wirt Virgin. Justices Peace — William Foster, David F.
Frost, Simeon Noble.
There have, since the first settlement of this town, been
many difierent individuals who have engaged in trade, and
have prosecuted that business for a long or short time, as
* Samuel Gibson formerly resided in Denmark, and is Sheriff of the
County of Oxford. Asa Thayer is Deputy Sheriff at tliis time.
1T2 HISTORY OF XORAVAY.
suited their interest or inclination, -with various success. I
here give the names of such as can be recollected, without
pretending to give dates as to the time "vvhen, or how long :
James Kettle, William Reed, William Hobbs, Joshua Smith,-
Daniel Smith, William Cox, Increase Robinson, Allan Bart-
lett, Jacob French, Jeremiah Mitchell, Edward Mtchell,
Aaron Wilkins, William Pingree, Jonathan Swift, Ansel
Field, Job E. Stevens, John 13. Ford, Samuel Dunn, Jona-
than Stevens, Asa Barton, Emery Livermore, George J.
Ordway, Stephen Cummings, Ichabod Bartlett, Lemuel Bart-
lett, Anthony Bennett, David Smith, Jonathan B. Smith,
Lee Mixer, Samuel Houghton, John Tucker, Stephen Green-
leaf, Jr., William E. Goodnow, William Frost, 3d, William
Hayes, Otis True, Josephus Harris, Cyrus Thayer, Daniel
Hubbard, Jotham Goodnow, James K. Hall, Moses G. Dow,
David R. Holden, Moses A. Young, Bailey Bodwell, Ezra
Jewell, James Crockett, Henry L. Crockett, Ebenezer C.
Shackley, Samuel Favor, Adna C. Denison, Clark P. True^
Elhanan W. Fyler, Isaac A. Denison, Joseph A. Kendall,
Franklin Manning, Jeremiah Howe, Edwin W. Howe, Charles-
P. Kimball, M. L. Burr, Charles Tubbs, Orin Tubbs, Nathan
Noble, William Hor, Newton Swift, David Crockett, Elijah
R. Merrill, Henry L^pton, James H, Merrill, William Foster,-
James French, Jr., George French, Asa Noyes, Joseph Ben-
nett, William Buck, William Howe, Kendall Deering, Henry
Houghton, Francis H. AVhitman, George A. Frost, George
W^. Knight, Charles Penley, James Tubbs, David N. Cushman.
In addition to this long list, a large number of females have
kept milliner's shops, for furnishing articles in the female
department.
Among this multiplicity of traders are many who, in their
day, did a thriving business, and many more who did not lay
out to do but little. Some continued in business many years,
and others but a short time. Some got rich, and others prob-
ably did not • but it takes evci-ybody to do everything, and
HISTORY OF XORWAY. 173
men TNill generally do -v\'liat tliej like best if they can. The
method and character of trade has undergone great changes
since the early settlements in this town. Formerly it was
very difficult to sell any articles of produce for cash ; hence
the farmer was under the necessity of carrying much of his
surplus produce to Portland in order to get a little money :
and then it was quite a trick to get much, say one-half money,
at best, for good staple articles. But at the present day,
good staple articles will command cash, if required, at home,
and but few farmers carry their surplus produce to Portland
themselves. And we do sincerely hope that the town will
always be blessed with good, fair, honest traders, rich enough
and willing to pay the hard-laboring farmers cash when they
need it.
I will here mention, though a little out of place, that Ste-
phen Greenleaf, senior, was the first cabinet-maker in Norway
Village, and in early times was considered a fine workman.
He has performed the duty of sexton in the Village for many
years ; but is now verging toward the grave himself, as he is
quite aged.
Gentle reader, I have led you along, year by year, marking
out the way through piles of old documents, and new scraps
of memoranda collected with much labor, and have consulted
both the living and the dead (as I have sometimes visited the
gi'ave-yard to procure dates of certain matters) to enable me
to point out things in their true light and under proper dates ;
and now* I shall proceed to show the present situation of things
'• about town," that you may be able to make a fair compari-
son between the situation of the place in 1786, and in 1852,
comprising a space of 66 years. The great and principal
business of the town is agriculture, although there is much
mechanical and other business done at the present day, and
for that matter, always has been, since its first settlement.
lEhere are now fourteen school-houses, and the same number
174 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
of school-districts, containing eight hundred scholars, and one
academy, of which I shall speak hereafter. At the first-
named period, this town was a howling wilderness — one
unbroken forest, destitute of the first mark of civilization :
now, few towns can boast of fairer fields, or a more pleasant,
thriving Village. In regard to the business done in the town,
besides that of farming, (which is the basis of all other busi-
ness.) I will commence with afiairs at the Steep Falls.
The stream which furnishes the water-power is the outlet
of the great Pennessewassee pond, and the whole fall is about
sixty-five feet, within a distance of twenty rods, or less. The
upper privilege is occupied by the paper-mill of Dr. Asa
Danforth ; it is built on the most improved plan, and does a
good business. This establishment uses up 100 tons of rags,
175 cords of wood, 150 casks of lime, 12 casks chloride of
lime, 960 pounds oil of vitriol, and turns out $15,000 worth
of paper annuallj^ Three men and three girls are employed.
George W. Seaverns foreman and superintendent. This is a
very fine privilege for the paper-making business, on account
of the clearness and softness of the water, which far surpasses
many other privileges improved for like purposes. The mill
was put in operation in Jan., 1848, and the paper manufac-
tured in it has already established a high reputation.
On the next fall is a shingle-machine, and an engine-lathe,
owned by Joel Parkhurst, who saws 200 thousand of shingles
per year, and sometimes more, besides other business.
On the lower fall is A. C. Denison's saw-mill, Avhich cuts
out about 600 thousand of lumber per year. J. B. Crooker
foreman.
On the lower fall, also, opposite the saw-mill, is Brown &
Co.'s iron-foundery, in which are manufactured, largely,
stoves, fire-frames, ash, oven, and boiler-mouths, agricultural
implements, wheel-hubs, and almost anything else made in
such establishments, besides a large business in the manufac-
ture of butt-hinges, latches, &c. ; they have two engine-lathes,
HISTORY OF XORWAT. 175
and are prepared to execute almost any work in vood or iron
that is called for ; there are used 150 tons of ii'on, and 50
tons of coal per year. Connected Avith this establishment, is
a shop for working tin and sheet-iron, and a large store of
goods of almost all kinds, which are sold to the amount of
$25,000 per year, exclusive of their castings. J. B. Brown,
of Portland, principal, or sole owner; Franklin Manning,
superintendent. Works started in 1 84 7, and yearly increasing.
A new store has been opened near Brown & Co.'s by Henry
Houghton, within the past year, not long enough since to de-
termine, with much accuracy, the amouBt of business ; but
probably about $G 000 to $8000 per year.
Adna C. Denison came from Vermont to IST^rway in 1842,
and commenced trade in the store of J. B. Brown, at the
Steep Falls, (the same store now occupied by Brown & Co..)
and in a short time did a great business for a country store.
He carried on trade on a diiferent scale from what had previ-
ously been customary in this section of the country : he bought
almost every commodity offered, which could be considered a
proper article of traffic, and for staple articles paid cash, if
required ; in this way he soon drew around him a large amount
of business. He remained at the Falls about four years, and
then moved his quarters to near the center of the Vilage ;
soon after, he purchased the stand next door east of Bennett's
tavern, where he made large additions to the building, and
erected a stable and other things necessary for his large busi-
ness; his trade amounted to about $50,000 per year. This
trade was under the name of Denison & True ; afterwai'ds,
Denison, True & Kendall ; and at the time of the destructive
iire, his brother, Isaac A. Denison, and Joseph A. Kendall,
occupied the store, and were, with others, great suiferers.
Isaac A. Denison and Joseph A. Kendall have resumed trade
since the fire, and now occupy the store near the center bridge ;
they are doing a good business, probably at the rate of $30,-
000 per year ; and it is hoped that the trading community
iT6 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
will not be unmindful of tlicm, as a good run of custom would
<lo much to make them forget their heavy loss.
Jeremiah and Edwin "W. Howe are carrying on trade in the
brick store near the center of the Village, built in 1830, and
iirst occupied by Emery Livermore. Jeremiah Howe com-
menced trade in tliis store in July, 1835, and has continued
since in the same building. His brother, E. W. Howe, is
now a partner in the business ; their trade amounts to some-
thing like §20,000 per year. Pretty good business for the
.old mail-carrier's descendants. They are grandsons of Jacob
Howe, who carried the first mail through Norway, and used
to sound his tin horn, as he approached the post-office, and
neighborhoods where any one took the old "Portland Gazette,''
or '• Eastern Argus ; " and even tlvese papers^ at that day,
were only in their swaddling-clothes, compared with the pres-
ent time.
James H. Merrill carries on trade in a store built, a few
years since, by George J. Ordway ; he deals in English and
"West India goods, and ready-made clothing ; does a pretty
good business, amounting, probably, to about $8000 or $10,-
000 per year.
Ebenezer C. Shackley and Samuel Eavor trade near the
head of the Village ; they keep a good assortment of articles
of almost all kinds, and do a thriving business, probably about
SIO.OOO or §15,000 per year; among their stock is a good
assortment of joiner's tools and hardware.
James Crockett trades at the head of the Village, and has
traded there for many years ; he never kept a large stock of
goods, but does a steady, snug little business, and probably
makes as good a living as any of them. He is the town agent
for selling spirituous liquors for medicinal and mechanical
purposes. He has long been licensed as a retailer, and is as
careful and discreet in selling the article as the most fastidious
could wish. AVhcn his fiither, Joshua Crockett, moved into
the place, he was a small boy, and has seen the town grow up
HISTORY OF XORWAY. 17T
to its present state. In 1817, he was- chosen Constable and
Collector of taxes, and since that time lius collected the taxes
of the town twenty-three years, and been Constable ever
since, and Coroner for many years, also ; and when the taxeS'
were collected, the money w^as always put in the right place,
and that is saying considerable.
The tanning business is carried on largely in the Village-
by Mark P. Smith. He commenced in 1841 with fifteea
pits, and has been making additions to his buildings and pit*
ever since : and at the present time has fifty-six pits. He
takes in 400 slaughter hides yearly, and tans at least 170^
hides and 400 calf-skins annually ; he uses 200 cords- of bark,
and .$'200 worth of oil and tallow in finishing his leather.
Ebenezer Hobbs, the third child born in Rustfield, has car-
ried on the blacksmith and plow" business for many years ; he
makes from 50 to 150 plows annually ; and from 1820 up t&>
1842, when the old-fashioned plows were used, he made many
more than that number. He has done a large business in*
ironing carriages and sleighs ; for several years he has had a
small foundery, and does his own castings ; and the probability
is, that he has hammered out on his anvil, and cast in his
foundery, a good many hard dollars — and he has worked hard
to get them.
While speaking of plows, I will give the history of the first
one ever made, or used, in the place ; and that plow was con-
structed for Mr. Dudley Pike. In the spring of 1790,
Anthony and Nathaniel Bennett came up from New Glouces-
ter to look out land, in order to purchase and settle on the
same, and went to Dudley Pike's to stay over night, on their
arrival in Rustfield. After exploring and selecting their lots,
they returned to the same hospitable cabin for another night's
lodging before returning home. Mr. Pike happened to have
a set of old plow-irons, and they tarried another day with
their host, and made a plow for him, which was a very valu-
able acquisition to his new farm, and probably did not come
12
ITO HISTORY OF NORWAY.
amiss to his few neighbors. And posterity may set it down,
that Capt. Anthony, and Lieut. Nathaniel Bennett, were the
builders of the first plow in Norway.
Horatio G. Cole cards wool and dresses cloth. He came
to Norway in 1820, and tended a carding-machine a few years
for Nathaniel Bennett, near the grist-mill ; he then bought
the machine, and afterwards purchased the privilege where
Bailey Bodwell first erected clothier's works, and since has
carried on both branches ; thus he has had a very good chance
to ' ' pull the wool over the eyes ' ' of the whole town. He
cards, or has carded, from 15,000 to 20,000 pounds of wool
annually ; but carding and cloth-dressing are not so fashion-
able as they were thirty years ago. Then you could hear the
music of the spinning-wheel and loom in almost every house,
and men and women, boys and girls, were clad in home-spun
and home-dressed garments.
We ha\^ a few men to cut up leather after Mark P. Smith
tans it. Solomon S. Hall manufactures 600, or more, pairs
of boots and shoes annually. Lee Mixer has done a large
business in the shoe line, probably to the amount of $4000
per year. Hawkins & Stearns do about $2500 per year.
Many others in different parts of the town do much custom
work, and use a large quantity of leather. Benjamin Tuck-
er, Jr., also helps off" the leather ; he works at the harness-
making and carriage-trimming business, to the amount of
.$500, annually.
Thomas H. Kelley, a tailor, cuts up Cole's cloth, and that
of everybody else, which comes in his way. The amount of
work done in his shop probably amounts to $2000, or more,
annually. He makes good Jits — otherwise he would do
imich less.
An apothecary store is kept by Robert Noyes in the old
store first built by William Reed ; but the building has a large
addition to its former size, and is fitted up in good style.
Amount of drugs and medicines sold annually, $1000. la
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 179
the same building is a bookstore and bindery, managed by
Robert Noyes and George L. Beal ; amount of business about
$1000 annually.
Bulpit & Barnard, formerly of Boston, carry on a large
business, for a country place, in the cabinet and furniture
manufacture. They have very nice machinery for doing much
of the labor, and can probably sell furniture cheaper, for the
quality, than any other concern of the kind in this section of
the country. They turn out about $15,000 worth annually.
The mills at the head of the Village, owned by the com-
pany before spoken of, do a good business ; the grist-mill
gi'inds from ten to sixteen thousand bushels per year, and
sometimes more ; and the saw-mill cuts out from two to three
hundred thousand of lumber per year. There are four other
saw-mills in the town besides those at the Village and the
Falls, viz : Col. John Millett's, on the outlet of North pond^
which cuts out from one hundred to one hundred and fifty
tliousand annually; Holden's mill, on Crooked river, which
saws from two hundred to eight or ten hundred thousand per
year, with a shingle-machine which manufactures from two
hundred, to six or eight hundred thousand of shingles annu-
ally. Another saw-mill and shingle-machine stands on the
Upton brook, and does considerable business — amount un-
known to the writer. The latter mill, as previously stated,
has been three times destroyed by fire, and Holden's mill
once burnt. Jonathan Swift, Esq., has a grist-mill and a
shingle-machine near the old Upton privilege, which do some
business, but the stream being small, does not afford a suffi-
cient supply of water in dry times. Capt. Richard Lombard
has a saw-mill on the Everett brook, and cuts a large quantity
of lumber each spring.
In 1847, Charles P. Kimball came into Norway Village,
and. commenced the sleigh and carriage-making business. At
first he had from two to four hands employed in his shop, and
had his iron- work done in other shops ; but his work proving
180 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
quite satisfactory to purchasers, lie gradually increased his
help from six to fifteen, or more, hands. In the spring of
1850, he purchased a water-privilege near Mr. Cole's works,
and erected a large shop, 100 feet hy 32, and three stories
high ; the lower story is built of split stone, and used for the
blacksmith shop, where he has all his sleighs and carriages
ironed under his own direction ; the machinery of the estab-
lishment probably cost more than $2000. He now employs
about forty hands in all departments of his business, that is,
on the wood- work, ironing, painting, and trimming. He uses
a large amount of lumber, iron, coal, leather, paints, oil, and
varnish, and sells more than one hundred wheel carriages, and
two or three times that number of sleighs ; besides doing a
great deal of small jobbing and repairing. His carriages and
sleighs go into almost every part of the State, and many into
New Hampshire and IMassachusetts. He has recently estab-
lished a depository for his carriages in Portland, and has a
salesman to sell the same as opportunity shall offer. Last
year he purchased the old stand where William Cox formerly
traded and lived, and has almost built the store anew, and fit-
ted it up in a handsome style for the purpose of trade ; and
a large quantity of articles are wanted by the men in his
employ, and by other people, who can as well trade with him
as with any other person, provided he sells articles as good
and as cheap as others. The old Cox house, it will be recol-
lected, was the first two-story building erected in the Yillagej
and was occupied by Mr, Cox from 1808 to 1843. Whiie
trading here, he sold a great amount of goods, and accumu-
lated a decent property, besides bringing up a large family of
children ; he now sleeps in the silent tomb.
Perhaps the reader will wonder what so many folks in the
Village live on; I will just tell what helps them some about
living. Maj. Henry W. Millett kills and cuts up from 120
to 150 head of beef cattle, 40 or 50 round hogs, 1 50 veal
calves., and from 600 to 1000 sheep and lambs annually, and
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 181
keeps liis meat-carriage running sufficiently to supply the
needy and destitute. And near Maj. Millett lives Josiah
Munroe, a baker, -vvlio bakes up the good, little and great
cakes, which the children love dearly — even the "children
of larger growth." He uses from eight to ten barrels of
flour per week, and sometimes more.
There are a number of blacksmiths in the town, several of
whom are in the Village : E. G. Allen, Amos T. Murphy,
Hosea B. Bisbec, Joshua B. Stuart, Sumner Hale, "William
Hayes, Dudley Woodbridge, P. D. Judkins. Amos T. Mur-
phy now owns the same anvil and bellows used by the
first blacksmith in town, Benjamin Witt. The bellows has
been newly leathered several times, but the anvil is a hard-
faced old fellow, and stands the blows well yet.
There are three watch-menders and jewelers near the cen-
tral paj't of the Village, viz : Simeon Walton, old, honest,
and experienced — he also rings the bell, and is always very
exact about the time ; C. B. Coffin works in the same shop
with Mr. Walton ; and William M. Cushman, whose sijzn is
near the apothecary store.
Then, for gentlemen's convenience, there is a barber, Jon-
athan Blake, who shaves and tonsures in genteel style ; and
in a part of his shop sells confectionary, fruit, nuts, &c.,
making a pretty little business of the whole concern.
Loren H. Wrisley manufactures rifles, fowling-pieces, pis-
tols, and many other things in his line ; and all -work goes
out of his hands in a highly-finished style.
Jeremiah Hobbs, C. W. Hobbs, and Alanson B. Watson,
make pumps and lay aqueducts.
Thomas Higgins has an establishment at the head of the
Village for working tin and sheet-iron.
In short, we have mechanics and workmen that can furnish
almost any article, from a tin whistle to an omnibus, and even
to a book, as this book is entirely of home-manufiicture. The
materials for the work had their origin in Norway ; the writer.
182 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
the paper-maker, the printer, and the book-binders, are all of
Norway ; and ^ye earnestly hope to find a corresponding lib-
eral patronage in the old town of Norway.
E. P. Fitz must not be overlooked among the other useful
members of our little community ; he is a glazier, painter,
and paper-hanger of the first order ; his graining on inside
finishing looks rich and beautiful, and he likes to be called on
in his business line.
The town is well supplied with carpenters and house-join-
ers : the following are in and about the Village : Enoch L.
Knight, Granville L. Reed, Richard Evans, J. A. Small,
Lorenzo HathaAvay, James S. Greenleaf, Stephen Greenleaf,
Jr., Ansel Dinsmore, George Jackson, John Peering, Amos
Ordway, George W. Sholes, Ephraim H. Brown, Otis E«
Mixer, and George W. Mann, sash, door, and blind-maker ;
in other parts of the town are. Col. Amos F. Noyes, Henry
Small, Isaac N. Small, Samuel R. Gurney, Capt. J. Whit-
marsh, Clark Knight, Lemuel Lovejoy, Thomas Lovejoy,
Capt. Cephas Sampson, Theodore L. Lasseil, Eben Mar&ton,
and some others who do common work when necessary.
I have said much about ornamental things, but just now
permit me to refer to one very useful and profitable affair ;
that is, Jonathan R. Smithes nursery of fruit trees. He has
several acres covered with fruit trees, mostly of the apple
kind, and probably has of all kinds nearly, or quite, half a
million ; they are mostly budded or engrafted, of all ages and
sizes, from the little pips of one year old, up to a handsome
size for transplanting, and of the best standard kinds of fruit.
He has raised them on purpose to sell : and now, gentlemen
farmers, don't let this fine nursery grow up like a forest, and
become worthless for want of a ready sale. Rut to encourage
vou to purchase some of these fine trees, I will tell you a
little matter-of-fact story about apple trees. In the spring of
1815, I commenced on a new lot of land where I now live,
and as soon as I had cleared and prepared land suitable for
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 183
such purposes. I sowed a small nurserj ; and when the trees
became big enough, transplanted some of them for an orchard,
and sold the rest ; and have since then raised many thousands
of trees for sale, and have continued to set more trees every
few years up to the present year. I have engrafted all my
trees except those set within a few years, and raise no fruit
but that which is engrafted. Mj orchard now produces sO
many apples that I sell one hundred barrels yearly, and have
enough for home use ; and in fact, in my humble opinion, a
farmer can not invest his money and labor in any way on his
farm to so much profit as in the right cultivation of the apple.
No State in the Union can produce so good apples for ship-
ping as Maine ; and if the wheat crop should continue to fail
us, we can easily raise our flour on apple trees. I am not a
partner in Mr. Smith's nursery, but I wish to see our farmers
awake to their own interests ; and as apple trees are my hobby
which I ride every spring, you will pardon my notice of Mr.
Smith's tree-garden. The writer has set sixty thousand scions
within the last ten springs, besides his own, and never made
a biid failure.
The printing business in Norway commenced on a small
scale as early as 1826. Asa Barton then commenced pub-
lishing the "Oxford Observer" in this Village, (he had
previously published a paper of the same title on Paris Hill,)
and from 1828 William P. Phelps was associated with him
till April, 1829, when William E. Goodnow bought out the
interest of Asa Barton, and the paper was published by Good-
now and Phelps till October, 1830 ; at that time Goodnow
bought out the interest of Phelps, and published the Observer
till June, 1832, when the title of said paper was changed to
the " Politician," edited by William A. Evans, to conform to
the high state of political feeling then existing, on the eve of
■a Presidential election. The Politician was continued till
April, 1833, when the establishment was sold to Horatio King,
of Paris, who took it, with tJic " Jefferson ian " establishment)
184 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
to Portlaml, and the County was destitute of any paper till
June, 1833 ; at that time Asa Barton commenced the publi-
cation of the " Oxford Oracle," an independent paper, and
having issued seven numbers, sold tlip establishment ; and the
'• Oxford Democrat" was then started in Paris by George W.
Millett, who continued its publication nearly eighteen years.
In April, 1832, the "Journal of the Times," a small, inde-
pendent, weekly paper, was commenced by William E. Good-
jiow, and published about three months, but was then discon-
tinued, from the fact of its interfering with the subscription
list of the Politician. In March, 1830, a small, independent
paper, called the "Village Spy," was commenced by Asa
Barton, and in a short time discontinued for want of patronage.
Asa Barton became an attorney some years before his death.
The "Norway Advertiser," an independent family paper,
was commenced by Ira Berry, in March, 1844, and subse-
cpiently published by Ira Berry and Francis Blake, Jr. ; and
after the dissolution of the copartnership, by said Berry alone,
again. The paper was then published by Edwin Plummer,
then by Albert B. Davis and Cyrus W. Brown, then by
Thomas Witt, and lastly by Mark II. Dunnell ; he soon al-
tered the name to the " Pine State News," but the pines are
become so scarce in this vicinity, that it seemed to be rather
lonesome, and finally Avas discontinued in Jan., 1851. In
July, 1851, a new paper under the old name of the Norway
Advertiser, printed on a large, handsome sheet, was estab-
lished by Moses B. Bartlett, Esq. : it was subsequently
purchased by George W. Millett, who now owns and publishes
the same, and has a handsome patronage. Up to the present
paper, with the exception of the Politician, the Norway papers
have been what, in common parlance, are styled neutral pa-
, pers ; but within a few months the Advertiser has shed its
old neutral skin, and appears at this time in a democratic
garb. This course, in my humble opinion, is about right, for
I should think an editor and publisher, of any mind and tal-
HISTORY OF XORWAY. 185
f^nts must feel as though he -vvere in a straiglit jacket, to be
all the time catering for a set of nobodys and nothings, ^lio
do not belong to any party, but are ready to join any popular
current which happens to be in the ascendancy. For myself,
I always wish to be pretty certain about knowing to what
particular genus every creature which I feed belongs, whether
it be pig or puppy. I should have liked the paper full as
well had it come out under whig colors ; but the editor and
myself shall probably never quarrel about opinions, for he
has as good right to enjoy and exercise Jtis as I have mine ;
but at all events, these papers of the neuter gender I do n't
think much of, except they are, in reality, literary papers.
They remind me, too much, of the man who prayed, first to
the Loixl, and then to the devil, because he did not know cer-
tain " into whose hands '" he might hereafter fall.
Among other improvements in the town and Village, is a
first-rate engine for extinguishing fires ; although it is desir-
able to have but little use for it, yet should another calamitous
fire, like that of last fall, happen, we hope it may be instru-
mental in saving much property from the devouring element.
The two A^illage school-districts have become a corporate body
for the purpose of procuring an engine, and the town very
liberally voted to pay $500 towards the same ; and we fer-
vently hope that no tax-payer will ever have cause to regret
the appropriation ; it is also hoped that the members of the
engine company may never grow cold in their attachment to
the " Oxford Bear."*
Late in the evening of the 29th of April, 1852, the house
of Moses B. Bartlett, Esq., was discovered to be on fire.
The alarm was instantly given, and in a few minutes the en-
gine company with the '• Bear" were on the ground; shortly
ufterAvards the fire was extinguished, and the house saved.
This was their first essay in squirting water at the ' • real
* The name of the engine.
186 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
clement,'' and they were signally successful. May they long
wait for another trial of their skill and prowess.
The "Norway Sax Horn Band" has been recently organ-
ized, and bids fair to become celebrated for ' ' discoursing sweet
music." Such an organization is useful as well as ornamental,
and was much needed on some occasions. Success attend the
enterprise.
And now, almost last, but not least, is the Academy to be
noticed. This institution is incorporated under the title of
'• The Norway Liberal Institute." The building is large and
commodious, stands on a very dry and handsome elevation,
open to a good, wholesome circulation of pure air, and seems
every way fitted, under proper management, combined with a
proper disposition in the students, to be a fine place for the
acquisition of useful knowledge. It was opened in 184T,
under favorable auspices ; in a catalogue for that year, I find
the teachers were as follows : Ebenezer P. Hinds, Principal ;
Jacob W. Broun, Vice Principal ; John 0. Coolidge, Charles
H. Nickerson, Silas S. GiiTurd, Lemuel Bourne, Assistants ;
Isaiah H. Baker, Teacher of Penmanship ; Miss Mary F.
Chase, Preceptress ; Miss Mary A. A. Additon, Teacher of
Music : Miss Anne N. Peering, Teacher of Drawing and
Painting. Number male students, 83, female, 91 ; total, 174.
In 1848-49, the school was under the direction of J. G.
Eveleth, Principal ; Walter M. Hatch, Assistant ; and Miss
Nancy F. Shaw in the female department. In 1850, the
school was taught by Maik H. Bunnell, Principal ; Thomas
F. Barton, Warren F. Barnes, Assistants ; and Miss Cath-
erine Woodman in the female department. Such other assist-
ants were employed as were necessary for the instruction of
the various branches required to be taught in the institution.
The institution has no permanent funds for its support, like
many other, and older. Academies, but has to rely on its own
earnings to support itself; and it is hoped that a discerning
public will patroniae this self-^supported school as much^ at
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 187
least, as tlicy would one which has been endowed with funds
by the State. And while thinking and writing on this sub-
ject, I will at once enter my caveat against our Legislature's
granting land or money to any incorporated literary institution.
The reasons why they should not, are obvious to my mind,
and I hope they will for the future be to the members of the
Legislature. In the first place, as a general thing, the sons
and daughters of the more opulent class enjoy, by far, the
greatest advantages of such schools — as the poorer classes are
not able to be at the expense of sending their children to
schools of so high a grade ; and, furthermore, the rich are
abundantly able to provide such schools without the aid of the
State. I would not be understood as wishing to throAv any
impediment in the way of the education of our youth ; but
contrary to that, I would open tclde, and wider, the door for
the education of the poor ma7i's child, as well as the child
of the rich man. If the State has anything to bestow for
the encouragement of education, let it be granted towards the
support of our primary schools ; in this way the benefits will
reach all classes of the community, poor as well as rich.
This would be acting a little in imitation of our Heavenly
Father, " who causeth the sun to shine on the evil and on the
good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." In
fact, I think the best disposition that could be made of a por-
tion of our State lands, would be to grant it for the purpose
of raising a fund for aiding our primary schools. Doubtless
some argue in this way, that our primary schools do not aiford
such advantages as they Avish their children to enjoy ; very
good ; then send them to a higher school, but not at the ex-
pense of the State. Furthermore, if our primary schools are
not of so high a grade as some desire, then I say, apply the
right remedy, and do something in a substantial way to raise
them to the proper standard. For it must be obvious to every
reflecting mind, that our primary schools are the great nurse-
ries, from which are transplanted all those towering geniuses
188 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Avliich ornament our academieSj colleges, the learned profess-
ions, and halls of legislation, throughout our happy land.
But I must stop this tirade, lest some should think that I am
arguing the cause of education before our grave legislature ;
and I fervently hope thej will be assailed with stronger
arguments than these on the subject hereafter.
The present teachers in the Institute are Wilham D. Put-
nam, Principal, and Miss Emeline F. Wright, Assistant. It
is. presumed that the advantages for students, male or female,
at this institution, are equal, at least, to any similar institu-
tion in this section of the country.
The town has a small school fund, the interest amounting
annually to $13,70, which accrued from the sale of some land
granted to the town by the legislature of ^Massachusetts, prior
to our separation from that State. At the time of the dis-
tribution of the surplus revenue, the writer believed it would
be good policy for the town to convert the money into a per-
manent school fund, and expend the interest annually towards
the support of our primary schools ; a few others were of the
same opinion, but the majority thought otherwise. Probably
they made a very prudent calculation, as some are careful to
see to the spending of all their earnings, lest the next gener-
ation sliould not appropriate them to proper purposes. But
such a fund would have been an honorable monument to have
erected ; and would have been productive of much benefit to
posterity.
The whole amount of taxes assessed and paid in the town
.since its incorporation is as follows :
Highway tax, - - - $94,15198
Money tax, including State and County, 91,898 08
Total amount of taxes, - - .$185,550 06
Individuals in the town of Norway own about 230 shares
in the Atlantic & St. Lawrence Railroad, which we hope will
ultimately be beneficial to the business of the town and Vil-
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 189
lage. E. F. Beal, Esq., is one of the Directors, and lias been
since its commencement.
At the first establishment of the post-office in Norway, or
soon after, the receipts in the office for one quarter amounted
to 18 3-4 cents, (this -was the very lowest extreme;) the
amount of receipts for the quarter ending June 30th, 1851,
being the last quarter under the old law, was $195,05 1-2
cents ; and for the quarter ending March 31st, 1852, being
the last quarter under the new law, $104,73. This is rather
a wide contrast, but many other things have expanded in nearly
the same ratio. The receipts in the post-office at North Nor-
way are unknown to the writer, but probably are rather small
compared with the Village office : still it is a great convenience
to the upper part of the town. Daniel Noble is post-master.
I must begin to think about drawing towards the close of
this imperfect sketch, but before I do that fully, I must be
indulged in making a few comparisons of matters and things,
although comparisons are said, by some, to be invidious ; but
I will try and not hit any one hard if I can help it ; and,
furthermore, I do not mean comparisons about persons, but
about things.
Half a century ago, our beautiful Yillage consisted of a
rude corn-mill, a saw-mill, a blacksmith's shop, and one store,
where was kept for sale, rum, molasses, sugar, (mostly maple
sugar) a little tea and coffiie, tobacco, salt, salt-fish, and a few
other groceries ; a little calico, (oftentimes purchased by the
pattern, say six yards to a pattern in those days) a little India
cotton shirting and sheeting, a bag of cotton-wool, as it was
then called, and other little etceteras to make up an assort-
ment; and was finally a pretty good store for that day.
There was no school-house in the Village at that time, and
but two in the whole town. Houses small, poor, few and far
l)etween, with here and there a barn ; and most of the new
farms were dotted with a log house and lag hovel, and maajr
190 HISTORY OF XORWAY.
with nothing but a rude hut to afford nightly shelter to the
brawny laborer who was reclaiming the land from the wilder-
ness. Roads w^ere few and poor, and the vehicles of conveyance
poorer. The new settlers generally had large families of
half-clad, hungry children around them, and everything wore
the aspect of poverty and want.
I hope no fastidious reader will sneer at the uncouth ap-
pearance of our town while she was dressed in this simple and
homely garb of childhood ; for, even at that day, there was
good promise that improvement in the circumstances of life,
conveniences, manners, and morals, would succeed those days
and years of poverty and privation. Now some one, perhaps,
will ask, what were the grounds of hope for improvement in
that dark time ? I will tell you. There were many hard
hands, stout arms, and courageous hearts, not only in the
fields and woods, but in the houses also ; — hearts that did not
quail at a little hardship. The fathers wielded the axe, the
handspike, the crowbar, shovel and hoe, with all the other
implements necessary for new farming, and also all the imple-
ments necessary for the mechanical business of the times ;
the sons followed in the footsteps of their fathers. The good
mothers were well acquainted with the dish-kettle, the frying-
pan, the churn, and cheese- tub, and almost daily and nightly
furnished sweet music on the spinning-wheel and loom ; the
fair daughters did the same. And it is not at all surprising
to a careful observer, that such causes should produce a great
and important change in the lapse of half a century.
But where, now, let me ask, are the first founders of our
town '? Where the Rusts, the Cummingses, the Eastman, the
Stevenses, the Hobbses, the Bartletts, the Parsonses, the Witt,
the Milletts, the Smith, the Woodman, the Pikes, the Her-
ring, the Noble, the Fuller, the Meriam, the Bennett, the
Uptons, the Foster, the Holt, the Noyeses, the Sheds, the
Farrar, the Reed, the Crocketts, the venerable Ames, with a
host of other equally venerable and meritorious names, -who
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 191
bore the heat and burden of the day in the settlement of this
town and Village? Alas ! they have gone to that spirit land,
from whose bourne no traveler returns ! Let us erect a mon-
ument of gratitude in our hearts to perpetuate the remembrance
of the founders of this our beautiful town, who so nobly bat-
tled with hardships, toil, and sometimes hunger and cold, m
subduing a wilderness, that they might leave to their poster-
ity a land flowing with milk and honey. And may posterity
learn wisdom and prudence from their departed ancestors,
covering with the mantle of charity their faults and frailties',
if any they had, and imitating and multiplying their praise-
worthy acts.
Now, let us take a careful view of the advantages, improve-
ments and conveniences which Ave enjoy, and see if we, as a
community, have not a little ground for an honest pride ; and
cause for great thankfulness for our present situation and
prospects, when compared with former times. Tor by the
long-continued practice of industry and economy, our town
and Village have made rapid advances in agricultural improve-
ments, in buildings, in mechanical business of almost all kinds,
and in the mercantile line. We have now no less than four-
teen school-houses, a splendid academy, five meeting-houses,
twelve or fifteen stores, ten or more blacksmith's shops, two
iron-founderies, seven saw-mills, two grist-mills, clapboard,
shingle, and lath-machines, plough manufactory, one large
carriage manufactory, beside several smaller ones, goldsmith's
and gunsmith's shops, milliner's and -dress-maker's shops,
(and fine fingers to do up these matters in elegant style,)
large shoe and boot establishments, besides many other smaller
establishments for the accommodation of different parts of the
town, a large furniture warehouse, a printing-press and weekly
newspaper, (which, by the way, does up things pretty well.)
a large paper-mill of the latest improvement, an extensive
tannery, apothecary and barber's shops, a book-bindery, card-
ing and clothier's mills, and tailors to work up the cloth in as
192 • HISTORY OF NORWAY.
good as Boston or New York style, two post-offices, three
attorney's offices, all ably filled, three regularly bred physi-
cians, all in deservedly high repute, dentists occasionally, (I
may almost say continually) and patent medicines almost
anywhere, a splendid hotel in the Village, with a gentlemanly
landlord, a baker and butcher to supply the daily wants of
the hungry, besides many other things necessary and con-
venient.
And now, after seeing you all so well provided for, I must
commit you to the care of a kind Providence, and bid you
adieu, fondly hoping that the next half century will be as
productive of improvements in the condition of the town as
the preceding half has been. If any should think that I have
rated things on too low a scale, they must impute it to my
dull apprehension ; and if too high, the citizens of the town
must strive to come up to the standard.
HISTORY or NORWAY. 193
RECORD
Of deaths in the town of Norway, from 1820 to 1852, as kept, and kindly furnished
by Mrs. MERCY A. WHITMAN.
18 2 0.
May 2, Mrs. Mary Cleaves, aged 92 years. June 21,
Solomon Smith, 23, fits. July 12, Maj. Jonathan Cummings,
42, suicide. Aug. 23, Judith Ayer, 2, fever ; 25, Capt.
Henry Rust, 59, consumption ; 30, Edwin P. Reed, 2, dys-
entery. Sept. 8, Mrs. Whiting, 32 ; 10, Martha C. Tucker,
8 months; 2Q, Asa Lovejoy, jr., 47, consumption. Nov.
20, Child of J. Dolley, 7 months. Dec. 24, Mrs. Tubbs, 68 ;
26, Miss Martha Davis, Q5, fever.
18 21.
Eeb. 5, child of Anjier Tubbs, 17 months ; 21, cliild of
William Twombly, 5 months. March 17, child of James
French, jr. ; 27, Mr. Peter Everett, senior ; one of the early
settlers, and a native of Erance ; he came to this country
previous to the revolution ; 27, child of John Case, 17 months.
Aug. 25, Martha Twombly, 3, dysentery. Sept. 15, Mrs.
Churchill, 25, consumption. Oct. 29, child of Mr. Lord, 3
weeks. Nov. 7, Emma Stevens, 38, consumption.
1822.
Eeb. 2, child of John Case, 18 months, fever ; 24, Mrs.
Bartlett, 43, mortification. March, child of Joseph Small,
17 months ; 26, Mrs. Sarah Eastman, 71, rheumatic con-
sum.ption. April 23, Capt. Ward Noyes, 50, fever. May 7,
Widow Bartlett, 65, apoplexy. Dec. 10, Joseph Erost, 18,
scrofula : 10, child of Joseph Shackley.
1823.
Jan. 2, child of S. Emery, 6 weeks. April 1, child of
Thomas Judkins, 18 months ; 2, child of William Reed, 4
weeks ; 14, ]\Irs. Moses Houghton, 42 ; 22, child of J.
Rowe, 10. July 10, child of Mr. Howe, 7, fever. Aug. 9,
Mi\ Enoch Merrill, 80 ; came to Norway in 1802 ; 26, child
13
'104 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
of JoiiatliJin Stevens, dysenteiy ; 27, IMartlia B. Hull, 4,
fever; 27, cliild of Jool Stevens, 1, -\vlu)()})in«;-('()u«;li ; 27,
child of William Corson. Child of John Merrill. Child of
E. Bancroft, dysentery. Sept. G, child of N. ^lorse, lung
fever. Child of J. Bancroft, dysentery. Sept. 12, Mrs.
Benjamin Peahody, dysentery; 18, child of Benben Hill,
18 months, dysentery. Three children of ]Iezel<iah Binujrec,
dysentery. Child of E. Merrill, jr., dysentery. Child of
E. ^lerrill, dysentery. Child of Mr. Bancroft, dysentery.
Sept. 14, Mrs. Elijah Flint, dysentery; 20, child of J. Hall,
1, couo'h. Child of Mr. Hutchinson, dysentery. Oct. 6,
child of M. Lassell, dysentery ; 8, child of Simeon Noble, 4,
dysentery. Cliild of David Morse, 0, dysentery. Nov., child
of John Ca^e, fever.
18 2 4.
Jan. 2, child of J. Knight, fever ; 28, child of Dea. B.
Herring, (quinsy. Feb. 1, Mr. Stephen Latham, 55, colic ;
IG, Andrew Meriam, 10, decline. April 14, child of Israel
Millctt, fever ; 30, Fatima Millett, 1 0, quinsy. I\Iay 10, Mrs.
Shed, consumption ; 18, child of Aaron Shachley, 7 weeks,
fits. June 18, Mrs. Jeremiah Hobbs, 70, lung fever ; she
was one of the oldest settlers. Aug. 1, child of C. Pike, 4,
dysentery. Aaron 0. Hall, 18 months, fever. Aug. 8, C.
F. Pike-, 4, dysentery; 23, Martha Bartlett, 10 months, dys-
entery. Sept. 5, M. E. Greenleaf, 15 months, dysentery ;
(), Orvella l^icker, 3, canker; 7, Laura S. Morey, 2; 27,
Catharine Knight, consumjition. Oct. 14, AVilliam F. Beal,
15 months.
18 2 5 .
Jan. 17, child of J. ]*ike. James Noyes, consumption.
]\rarch3, child of AV. Mitclicll, 2, fever; 2G, Mrs. H. Noble,
58, consumption. April 20, child of J. Hobbs, 8 months.
May 2G, llebekah Downing, IG, fever. July 12, ]\Irs. H.
Archer, 84 ; 20, I\Irs. Case, 00, dropsy ; she moved into Nor-
way in 1703, in an ox-cart, from Middleton, Mass. Aug. 2,
IllSTOKV OK NOUWAV. liK")
fliild of .). Sniilli, 1, I'l'vcr; IT), cliil.l of Darius Jlolt, jr.;
L'7, cliild of Uvuhvu Hill, 1>, dysciitt'iy. Sept. Ji, cliiM of J.
SliaclJcv. caiikcr; (I, child ot* William Lonl, I, dysentery;
HI, Lydia, M. Kiiilei-, n-ver; 1>I, el.ild o\' William* I-Vost, 4,
dysentery; 1^1, eliild <.i" d. Tike, l\ dysenleiv ; -»l, ehild of
11. Pin^^ree, )> ; l!!', Mrs. S. Smith, 17, jaundieo.
1 S 1^ 11.
Mareh 1 1!, Mr. David VvoM, S;;, inllnen/.a,. May \l Mr.
l^hen (\>hh, Tt), eonsnmiilion ; IS, Mr. Israel Millell, 10.
dune )). Mr. William TiiM-ee, -10; killed hy a, ti-ee fall in;.;; on
him ; he lived a few days after the neeident. Dec. l!l, i'olly
( 'hui'ehill, )) months.
1 S !> 7 .
dan. D>, Nathan Nohle, (!;") ; injured fatally hy the fall
ol' a. tree. Hravet.y Marston, \f\ voWc. .Ian. 'J.S, Mrs.
Saunders, 45, eonsnmption ; l!7, lju<'inda. A. Sluiekley, IH,
dropsy. IMarehO, eliild of J. Jiall, I. May S, Mrs. Wiidi-
ley, jajiiidiee; I'd, Lydia, 0. Nohlo, Avife of S. Noldo, 22.
dune 0, Mrs. V). Whitniarsh, 70; 20, Mrs. WhitiK'y, old iv^v]
her liouse was the Jlrsi l)uildin;r burned in Norway, duly '2\\
<'hild of ,1. Hall, 4 months, (piinsy. Au^l;;., Mi*, llownrd.
Sept. I>, Mrs. I'Vench, (IS, consumption; 11, ehild of II. Tin-
;rree. Oet. I, <'liild of D. Holt; I'd, ehild of M. I'pton.
Nov.. child of William I'a.rsons, jr., (piinsy. Child of Wil-
liam Hor. \)vr. 2.S, Mrs. Jsi-acl Tike, consumption.
1 H 2 H .
Jan. 12, child of Asa Ikrton, 5. Child of Mrs. Cushman,
JM months. March 2(1, Mrs. Bvowu, J)7, fits. May 12, Ju-
dith P. Tucker, 4, <piinsy; 2IJ, Olive Latham, 22, consump-
tion. Juiu' 1, Harriet Foster, 8, fits; 4, child of J. Hall;
21, Mrs. Sally Shackley, 42, conHuniption. Au;^^. !!>, child
of Josei)h York, 4, dysentery; 2.'5, eliild of Joseph York, 2,
dysentery. Sej)t. 2, Sally (ireenhMif, 22; 4, child of Capt.
H. HiiHt, 14 months; tl, ehild of J). Yoiin;^, 4, <[uinsy. Oct.
'), ehild of J. JJennett, T), (piinsy. Nov. 5, Sarah Kust, 4 tJ-4,
196 HISTORY OF XORWAY.
quinsy : 11, Henry Kust, 3, quinsy. Dec. 28. cliild of J.
Bradbury.
18 29.
Jan. 1, Mrs. Witt, wife of Benj. Witt, 50, consumption;
IT, Hannah Gorham, 20, consumption. March 1, Mrs. Jo-
siah Blanchard, 48, fever; 8, John Robinson, TO, dropsy.
April 18, Levi Frank, 63 ; killed by falling into a cellar
Avhile moving a house. May 14, Mrs. Ruth Cade, 88. June
25. Jacob French, 40, fever. July 10, child of Nathaniel
Millett, 2, lung fever. Aug. 2, child of Levi Shed, dysen-
tery. Sept. 2, Woodman Bartlett, 8, fever; 30, child of
Simon Stevens, 16 months, quinsy. Oct. 20, ]\Irs. John S.
Shed, 30, consumption. Nov. 19, Harriet Buck, 12, fever;
25. Mrs. S. Buck, 42, fever ; 28, child of Mrs. Hall, 4
months. Dec, child of William Lovejoy.
18 3 0.
Jan. 2, child of Hoyt Pingree, 13 ; 28, child of John
Witt, 3, quinsy. Feb. 9, David Smith, 30, fever. May 1,
]\Irs. Jordan, 94, old age. Stephen Curtis, palsy and old
age. May 25, Clarissa Small, 24, consumption ; 2T, child
of Rufus Bartlett, jr., 6 months. June, Mr. Phinehas Whit-
ney, 80, consumption ; he had a leg amputated in 1824.
July 8, Mr. Thomas Hill, 84 ; he was one of Burgoyne's
men, and finally adopted the country he came to fight. Child
of H. Pike, whooping-cough. July 26, George L. Smith,
15. consumption. Aug. 14, Joseph Stevens, TT, decline ; he
moved the first family into Rustfield ; 30, child of C. Cobb,
dysentery. Sept. 30, Mrs. Churchill, 50, fever. Oct. 15,
child of William Churchill ; 23, child of L'a Johnson, 14
months ; 15, Mrs. M. Millett, 38, fever.
1831.
March 2, Edmund Merrill, 52, consumption ; 11, child of
B. B. Murray, 1. May 18, child of John Witt, 3 months.
June 30, Otis S. Noyes, son of D. Noyes, 16, consumption.
July 5, child of John M. Wilson, 6, dysentery. Sept 17,
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 197
diild of M. Smith, 1 montli. No-7. 14, child of J. Shacklcyj
18 months, measles : 16, Simeon Herring, 23.
18 32.
!March 20, child of Charles Cleaves, 5, scarlet fever ; 23,
child of same, 7, same disease ; 28, child of same, 3, same
disease. April 12, child of Dea. B. Herring, 4, same. Child
of Mr. Rich, 5, same. Child of same, 3 months, same.
April 13, son of Dea. B. Herring, 17, same; 17, child of
Benjamin Peahody, jr., 3, same: 20, child of Mr. Rich,
same: 21, Henry Herring, 13, same; 23, child of Robert
Frost, 4, same. Child of ^fr. Rich, 3, same. May 6, child
of J. Holt, 2, same; 9, child of same, 4, same; 11, Mr&.
Barrows, 27, fever ; 19, child of Cyrus Cobb ; 24, child of
J. Andrews, 1, canker rash. June 11, child of Mr. Tucker,
2, lung fever ; 19, child of William C. Whitney, 3, canker
rash ; 24, child of Gen. William Parsons, 5, lung fever.
July 14, child of J. Eobbs, 3 months ; 15, William Tother-
ly, 48 ; 20, child of James Hill, 2, canker rash; 25, child
Df same, 12, same. Aug. 11, child of Reuben Hill, 1, same ;
16, Mrs. Jere Henley, 35, consumption. Sept. 6, child of
]j. Barrows, 5, canker rash ; 16, Algernon Cox, 6, same,
Oct. 4, child of Dr. J. S. Millett, 1 month; 27, Mrs. John
fJurney, 32. Xov. 15, Mrs. Frost, 78.
18 3 3.
Feb. 9, Jonas Stevens. 84, palsy ; 24, Elizabeth Real, 12,
typhus fever ; 27, Mrs. Joseph Rounds, consumption. April,
child of E. Merrill, 6. July, child of A. Fuller, 5, canker
rash. Aug. 25, David Stevens, 2 1-2, same. Sept. 28,
c-hild of J. Holt, same. Oct. 3, child of Mr. Hale. Dec.
16. child of J, Hobbs, 8.
18 3 4.
Jan. 5, ^Irs. Rabbins, 48, fever; 18, Mrs. Ephraim Briggs,
dropsy ; 24, Mrs. Twombly, fever. Feb. 1 , child of Daniel
<.'umming3, 1 ; 14, Eliza Fuller, consumption ; 15, wife of
William Frost, 41, fever ; 18, child of same, 2 weeks. March
108 HISTORY OF XOllWAti
7, child of A. Fuller, 1. May 17, Charles L. Hobbs, 18,
fever ; 26, Capt. John Rust, 72, erysipelas ; 29, David Gor-
ham, 72, consumption. June 19, child of Henry Pike, 7.
Sept. Jacob Parsons. 58, consumption. Nov. 22, Mrs. Kan-
cv Cummings.
18 3 5.
Feb. 4, Hannah Holt, wife of Uriah Holt, 46, consump-
tion ; 25, Mrs. Riggs, 19, same. March 19, wife of Silas
Meriam, 55, same ; 28, child of Benjamin Tucker, 6 months.
April 22, David Whitcomb, 65, killed by logs rolhng on him
while at work. June 9, Mrs. Sally Smith, 37, consumption ;
13, child of Hiram Millett, 10 months ; 13, Elmira Hor, 18,
consumption ; 28, Mrs. Eunice Bartleit, 38, in a fit. July
11. Mrs. Gammon, 65, suddenly; 25, child of Elliot Smith,
10 months; 28, Mary Crockett, 20, cancer. Aug. 8, Sew-
all G. Ordway, 29, consumption ; 27, Mrs. Joseph Morse,
25. same. Nov. 12, Mrs. Adaline A. Real, 28, same. Child
of William Brown, 3 months.
18 3 6.
Jan. 16, child of J. Rounds, 9 months ; 17, Louisa Cush-
man, 27, consumption. Feb. 5, Nathan Foster, senior, 72,
found dead in his barn-yard. March 19, Zachariah Weston,
75. decline ; 22, child of Andrew Mills, fever. April 4, Jo-
seph Bradbury, 67, erysipelas; 22, child, of Asa Thayer, 1
month ; 29, child of H. C. Reed, 15 months. May 21, Mrs.
Alexander Mills, 60, decline; 31, Martha Hobbs, 11, disease
of the heart. July 30, Mrs. Mary Cushman, 28, dropsy.
Aug. 1, Mrs. Anna French, 40, consumption ; 3, Mrs. E.
Hall, 60, same ; 5, Mrs. John Case, 47, cancer ; 11, child
of Thomas Pool, cough. Sept. 28, wife of Thomas Chase,
28, consumption. Oct. 11, Elizabeth, wife of Benjamin
Flint, 70, same ; 21, wife of Stephen Pingrce, senior, 84,
same; 30, Mary Jane Upton, 28, same. Nov., Maj. Elijah
Hall, 72, cancer. Dec. 20, Mrs. Daniel Knight. 74, con-
sumption.
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 199
18 3T.
Jan. 8, Col. Amos Town, suddenly ; 19, Nathan Foster,
jr., 45, fever. Feb. 6, child of M. Lassell, 5, fever ; 14,
child of Asa Pool, quinsy. March 10, Sally, wife of David
Noble, 30, spine complaint; IT, Sally Crockett, 30, dropsy.
April 14, Jane Bodwell, 27, consumption. June 21, child
of A. Fuller. July 4, Bradley Foster, 13, drowned in mill-
pond in Greenwood; 20, child of Titus 0. Brown, jr., 2 1-2)
canker rash ; 24, John Brown, 14, same. Aug. 14, child of
Henry Pike, 18 months ; 24, Mr. Carr, a stj'anger, 60, colic ;
25, child of "William Pingree, 6, canker rash ; 29, Lorenzo
D. Shackley, 24, consumption. Sept. 11, child of M. P;
Smith, 23 months. Nov. 11, Ann J. Witherbee, 13, canker
rash ; 30, child of S. Merrill, 4, same. Dec. 5, S. Coffin,
24. consumption.
18 38.
March 1, Mrs. Abagail Fuller, 72, influenza ; 29, Martha
M. Young, 11, fever; 30, child of L. Millett, 8, canker rash.
April 3, Amos Upton, 96, old age ; 19, child of Paul Twom^-
l»ly, 1. Child of Jabez Chubb. May 18, child of Dresser
Stevens ; 23, Cyrus Lord, 26, consumption ; 30, Ephraim
Barrow^s, 77, decline. July 15, Archelaus Fuller, 35, colic ;
80, Dudley Pike, 73, decline. Aug. 9, child of Wm. Hallj
2 weeks; 16, child of Dr. L. Tripp, 16 months. Sept. 13,
child of J. Greenleaf, 1 month ; 25^ child of E. Flint, 4.
Mrs. WiUiam Frost, 44. Nov. 12, wife of William Hall,
32, consumption. Dec. 15, Jonathan Saunders, 62, insanity ;
lie attempted to destroy his own life several years before, by
cutting his throat, but did not cut quite deep enough, and
most of the time afterwards was a raving maniac.
18 3 9.
Jan. 21, Jacob Frost, 84, old age; he was wounded at
Bunker Hill. Feb. 2, daughter of John Perry, 8, quinsy.
Child of William Lord, 4 months. Samuel Andrews, 68,
consumption. Child of William Twombly, 5, canker rash.
200 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
March 10, cliild of Amos Briggs, 9 months; 19, Chloe Cobb,
78, consumption; 20, child of Joel Millett, 10 months; 31,
child of J. Stanley, 18 months. April 10, Mrs. John Mil-
lett, 78, consumption ; 30, wife of Dudley Pike, 82, dropsy.
John B. Ford, 38, consumption. May 4, Mrs. L. Houghton,
37, same. June 3, Amos Hobbs, 77, dropsy — one of the
first settlers : 19, Sally Parsons, 21, palsy. July 16, child
of Henry C. Reed, 5 months. Aug. 0, Sally S. Hale, 11,
colic; 17, child of Wm. Beal, 5, d^^sentery. Child of Dr.
L. Tripp, 1 month. Sept. 10, Mrs. Peter Buck, 80, con-
sumption ; 16, Mrs. Zebedee Perry, 81, dropsy. Child of
Mrs. Town, 2, dysentery. Sept. 19, child of Henry W. Mil-
lett, 7 months. Child of J. Saunders, 15 mouths. Oct. 16,
Edmund Frost, colic. Dec. 22, child of David P. Hanaford,
18 months ; 29, Josiah Blanchard, 70 ; 30, M. A. McAllis-
ter, 16, dysentery.
1840.
Jan. 13, Mrs. Thomas Hill, 90, old age March 21, Miss
Pool, 18, colic ; 4, Mrs. H. Giles, GQ, consumption ; 25, child
of Simon Stevens, 7. April 24, John Needham, 80, palsy ;
25, Mrs. Joel Frost, 64, apoplexy. May 18, Elizabeth Whit-
man, 42, dropsy. June 27, Mary A. Colins, 22, consump-
tion. Sept. 22, child of Elliot Smith, 2 ; 3, Miss Stevens,
05, consumption. Lovejoy, 16, fever. Oct. 18, Mrs. Pool,
30, same ; 21, Mrs. Thaddeus Brown, 64, dropsy — she was
the widow of Capt. Ward Noyes. Nov. 6, David Woodman,
93 ; 7, Mrs. H. Shacklcy, 52, consumption ; 30, Mrs. Ebeii
Bancroft, 56, same. Dec. 4, John Ames, 9, drowned ; 31 ,
wife of Joshua Smith, Qd, consumption.
184 1.
Jan. 3, Joel Town, lung fever ; 7, Henry L. Noycs, son
of D. Noyes, 28, consumption. Feb. 25, Mrs. Chubb, fever.
March 10, wife of Henry Noble, same; 21, child of M. P.
Smith, 8 months. April 10, widow of Joscjdi Stevens, 83,
hurt fatally by a fall — the first woman who came into Nor-
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 201
way : iiO. cliild of Moses Ames, 5 months. May lo, wife
of M. P. Smith, 31, consumption ; IT, Willis Sampson, Go,
cancer and dropsy. June 2, Josephine Young, 33, consump-
tion ; 25, wife of Moses Ames, 33, same ; 26, Mr. Francis,
70, stoppage. Aug. 2, Diana xVmes, 9, fits. Sept. 14,
Nancy Jones, consumption: 24, child of Dr. N. Grant, 1,
ilysentery. Oct. 21, child of E. Brown, 1 month; 29, child
of J. Turner, 2 months.
18 4 2.
Feb. 12, Malvina Frank, 5: 18, child of ^Y. Ramsdell, 4,
-canker rash ; 22, child of same, 2, same ; 24, child of Aaron
Shackley, 4, same. March 2, Desire Tubbs, 19, consump-
tion ; 5, child of Cephas Sampson, 2, canker rash ; 20, child
of Seba Gammon, same ; 22, child of J. Richardson, scarlet
fever. April 3, child of Amos Briggs, same ; 21, Mrs.
Churchill, 76, consumption ; 24, child of H. W. Millett, 2 ;
29, child of Rev. T. J. Tenney, 15 months, canker rash : 29,
Jonathan Hall, 52, apoplexy. May 5, child of A. Thayer,
I, canker rash: 12, child of A. A. Latham, 2 1-2, same;
14, child of A. Thayer, 3, same; 31, Sarah Maria Noyes,
only daughter of D. i^oyes, 18, consumption. June 4, child
of Wm. Hall, 6, canker rash ; 15, Catherine Tubbs, 9, con-
sumption. Child of Mr. McAllister, 7, canker rash, July
II, WidoAV Prince, 73, apoplexy. Aug. 11, Asa Pool, 50,
consumption; 14, Wm. Lord, Jr., 26, sciatica; 31, Hannah
Tubbs, 16, consumption. Sept. 20, John Pierce, son of
Wm. Pierce, 24, canker rash ; 22, child of E. L. Knight.
Wife of Henry Pike, 43, fever. Mrs. Thompson, 91, old age.
Oct. 9, Maria P. K. Holt, daughter of Uriah Holt, 18, con-
sumption; 10, Lydia Frost, 21, dropsy; 23 and 24, two
children of Reuben Noble, canker rash ; 28, wife of Lee
Mixer, 34, consumption. Benjamin Witt, 77, palsy — the
first blacksmith. Nov. 6, Peter Buck, 94, old age — the first
shoemaker; 24, Mrs. Ruth Rust, 79, jaundice. Son of
Daniel Town, 10, canker rash. Dec. 13, child of William
Hall, 3, scalded. Mrs. Serena Frost, 31, fever.
202 HISTORY OF XORWAY*
18 4 3.
Feb. 20. Ricliard Morse, 15, fever. William Hobbs, 63.
"Consumption. Feb. 21, Dorcas Knight, 18, same ; 22, child
of J. Morse, jr., 8 weeks. April 4, Mrs. Bullen, 48, con-
sumption; 6) Sarah Rust, 13, erysipelas; 10, Joel Frost,
jr., 53, fever. Child of Mr. Smith, 2. May 2 and 3, Jo-
sephine, 2, Harriet D., 4, children of J. N. Hull, whooping
cough: IT, child of Pleaman Holt: 26, Catharine G. Noyes,
wife of H. L. Noyes, 32, consumption. Esther Herring,
insanity. June 23, widow of Eben Cobb, 90, consumption.
July 10, Mrs. Amelia Wilkins, dropsy. Sept. 21, Harriet
Crockett, 19, fever ; 23, child of John Howe, 14 months.
Oct. 8, Ebenezer Hobbs, 2d, 17, from wounds received at a
husking ; 26, Joshua Smith, 73, consumption. Nov. 8^
Catharine Morse, 11, fever. Dec. 1, John Millett, 76, in-
fluenza ; 7, Mrs. Israel Pike, fever.
1844.
Jan. 8, wife of Samuel Ames, 85, influenza. Feb. 11 ^
child of Silas Meriam, jr., 8 months. Child of John S.
Shed, 14 months, scalded. Feb. 29, Samuel Cutter, 56, ap-
oplexy. March 13, Mrs. Cushman, 47, lung fever : 4, Mrs.
Herring, 83. April 16, Thomas J. Everett, 38, brain fever.
May 16, child of Otis True, 1, scarletina. July 20, wife of
Wm. Parsons, S3; 30, Silas Meriam, 76,, palsy. Sept. 8,
]\lrs. Sarah Crockett, 77, dropsy ; 13, Theodosia E. Stetson,
18, consumption. Oct. 7, Mrs. John Swift, 82 ; 25, Martha
Whitmarsh, 27, consumption ; 29, Ephraim Brown, 56.
Nov. 2, wife of J. N. Hall, consumption.
1845.
Jan. 8, Dea. Wm. Parsons, 85, old age ; 18, Mrs. Mary
Hall, 57, consumption. Feb. 4, Benj. Herring, 84, old age ;
23, Josiah Hill, 80, palsy ; 28, Job Eastman, 95, old age.
April 11, Harriet E. P. Goodnow, 14, diabetes ; 12, wife of
l^leaman Holt, 34, consumption, June 4, wife of Asa Hicks,
^')4, dropsy. July 6, Hari'iet W. Heiiley, 20, consumption j
HISTORY OF XORWAY. 20§r
20, Catharine Hobbs, IT, fever. Aug. 10, Mrs. Peter To^vn,
69, ferer ; 20, child of Samuel Foster, 1 ; 24, Mrs. Brad-
bury, 79, decline. Child of Mr. Jordan, 3. Sept. 15, Hen-
ry L. Crockett, 28, fever ; 23, Mary M. Phelps, 21, same ;
27, Avife of J. Rounds, 27, consumption. Oct. 80, Joshua
Crockett, 54, from obstruction of the swallow and stomach.
Dec. 16, wife of Henry Noble, fever ; 24, Daniel Watson,
senior, 83, asthma and consumption ; 29, John Frost, 77.
1 8 4 (3 .
Jan. 7, wife of L. Hathaway, consumption. Feb., Mrs.
Mercy Hobbs, same. April 11, Daniel Young, 64, same.
Child of Mrs. Everett, 2. April 27, Miss Tarbox, 80, jaun-
dice. June 18, wife of H. Rust, 55, consumption ; 28, Mrs.
Anie Morse, 68, same. Aug. 4, Mrs. Sarah Rust, 83 ; 18,
child of D. Cummings. Sept. 1, Mrs. Mercy Woodman, 75,^
consumption ; 22, wife of J. B. Richardson, 29, and twin
children. Oct. 6, wife of Lemuel Shed, 88, consumption ;
22, Wilson Hill, 19, fever. Nov. 19, wife of S. Greenleaf.
jr., 38 : 27, Asa Danforth, jr., 5, fever. Dec. 16, Mrs.
Hanr_ah Hill, 45, fever.
184 7.
Jan. 17, Mrs. Lydia Tubbs, 61, consumption ; 19, Mrsv
Rebckah Frost, 80 ; she was the widow of Nathaniel Stevens,
one of the early settlers, whose family was at one time dis-
tressed for want of food. Feb. 17, child of J. Bancroft, 20
months. March 31, Mrs. Sargeant, 22. April 15, Josei)h
York, jl*., 19, hurt in a saw-mill: 16, Helen M. Noyes, 5,
ilropsy : 17, William Cox, 73, consumption ; 20, widow of
Amos Upton, consumption ; 26, Mrs. Nancy Hobbs, 59, con-
sumption. May 2, child of Cephas Sampson, 2, croup.
June 3, son of Andrew Mills, 13, consumption ; 13, Lucy
Jane Pe*iTy, 20, same ; 16, wife of John Frost. 72, fit : wife
of Wm. Lord, 50, fever. July 3, Mrs. Mercy Bartlctt, 80,
consumption ; 11, child of L^nnan Bird, 2 : 16, George E.
Smithy 15 ] 23, wife of Jacob Parsons, suddenly : 27, Mrs.
204 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Estlici* Jordan, To, consumption. Sept. 3, wife of John
IMarcli, 77. same ; 10. child of Wm. C. Pierce, 2 ; 30, wife
of Aaron Shackley, 47. cancer. Oct. 7, child of "VVm. Brown,
€ : 8, child of Amos F. Xoyes, 3, fever ; 24, wife of Col.
A. ToAvn, 67, fall, and dropsy. Nov. 18, Cyrus Cobb, 54,
killed by a fall in his barn ; 25, David Morse, 75, dropsy.
Dec. 6, John Parsons, 85 ;' 7, child of J. S. French, 20
mouths : 20, child of M. P. Smith, 9 months.
18 4 8.
Jan. IG, Caroline Pike ; 29, Emily Chandler, 27, con-
sumption. Feb. 1, Asa Barton, 54, same ; 10, Matthias
Smith, 42, found dead ; 21, James Packard, 89, old age.
March 5, daughter of !Mr. Herrick, 14, dropsy ; 27, Mrs.
David Gorham, 80, consumption. April 20, ^Irs. Merrill,
85. May 30, Jonathan Gr. Town, 28, brain fever. June 11,
wife of Matthew Lassell, 53, consumption ; 29, child of E.
L. Knight, 4 1-2, fever. July 19, Pvufus Bartlett, 87, old
age ; 25, Zephaniah Frost, 63 ; 29, Ann Lassell, 27, con-
sumption. Sept. 4, Joseph Small, 74, same ; 7, ^vife of Amos
Ilobbs, 89, old age — one of the first settlers ; 16, John Case,
75, cancer. Oct. 2, Mrs. John Parsons, <S0. Nov. 2, child
of Mr. Rowe ; 26, William Walton, 45, fever ; 28, William
Reed, the first post-master, 73, consumption. Dec. 29, Ellen
Flint, 17, same.
18 4 9.
^larch 10, child of J. Morse, 10 weeks ; 17, child of James
IMerrill, 2, whooping cough. Timothy Jordan, 82, old age.
Child of Hiram Millett. April, Ezra Stevens, 40, fits ; 25,
Sophia L. Frost, 13. Susannah Tubbs, 90, 7wn compos
mentis. ]May 13, widow Ripley, 68, cancer; 26, child of
A. P. Burnell, 14 months. June 9, child of Mr. Tucker ;
21, Uriah Holt, Esq., 73, gravel. July 12, Charles Tubbs,
68, consumption : 21, Avidow Antliony Bennett, 70, same;
24, wife of Solomon Millett, 76, same ; 27, Rebekah Everett,
14. croup; 31, child of Asa S. Pool, 14 months. Aug. 25,
HISTOEY OF XORAVAY. 205
Annie Shattuck, 2, dysentery ; 21, Frederic Tucker. 2 1-2,
same ; 24, cliikl of A. Smith, same ; 25, child of J. H. ]\Ier-
rill, 2 1-4, same : 28, child of Mr. Stevens. Sept. 3, child
of F. Manning, same ; 4, Mrs. Ridlon, 50, same ; 5. ^Irs.
Stevens, 31, same ; G, Gilbert Noble, 21, same ; 10, child of
E. Ames, 14 months, same; 11, child of P. L. Pike, 11
months, same ; 12, child of J. Morse, 4, same ; 15, child of
E. P. Fitz, 19 months, same ; 19, child of Ezra Shacklej, 9
months, vsame; 20, child of J. H. Morse, 1, same ; 21, child
of Mr. Raymond, 9 months, same ; 22, Mr. Woodbury, 65,
same : 23, child of Thomas Higgins, same ; 24, child of Mr.
Holden, 1, same. Child of James Merrill, 3, same. Oct.
11, Mrs. Cliloe Holt, 80, consumption; 13, Mrs. Mason, 50,
dysentery. Child of Mr. Sargent, 2, same. Nov. 5, Aaron
Chandler, 30, same.
18 5 0.
Jan 12, T\-ife of E. J. Pottle, 35, consumption ; 15, wife
of A. Thayer, 40, fever. Mrs. Clark, fever. William C.
Brooks, 74, dysentery. Child of William Hall, same. Child
of Daniel Hobbs, same. Daniel Davis, 24, consumption.
Feb. 15, Jeremiah Hobbs, 64, same. Joel Stevens, 95, old
age. Wife of G. W. Seaverns, 25, consumption. Josiah
Hill, 30, same. May, Michael Welsh, 9, scrofula. Harriet
N. Noyes, 30, consumption. Harriet B. Morse. Child of
Reuben Noble. July 20, Jonathan Woodman, 78^ sudden.
Child of A. Smith, 13. July 30, wife of Jonathaa Pottle,
82. Aug. 3, wife of James Crockett, 59, diarrhoea : 10,
Wm. Churchill, 54, consumption ; 12, David Woodman
Bartlett, 19, brain fever. Child of J. Hannaford, J, dysen-
tery. Mrs. Brown, 70, consumption. Aug. 18, child of
Ephraim H. Brown, 2, dysentery ; 24, daughter of John.
Bird, 19, brain fever. Child of Edmund Merrill, 2. Sept.
3, daughter of Sewall Crockett, 21, fever ; 11, child of Charles
Parsons, 8, same ; 22, Eli Grover, 34, same ; 25, child of
Henry Small, 14 months. Oct. 5, wife of L. Hathaway, 34,
206 HISTORY OF NORWAY.
consumption ; 6, child of William Cox, 4 months ; 10, wife
of Simeon Walton, 72, fever ; 13, child of M. P. Smith, 18
months ; 23, William Beal, 81, old age ; 28, Eunice Ban-
croft, 28, consumption. Nov. 3, wife of ScAvall Crockett, 50,
fev^r ; 14, wife of S. S. Hall, 30, consumption. Child of
J, Greenleaf, 8 weeks. Nov. 24, wife of D. Pottle, 44, con-
«uaiiption. Child of Wm. C. Pierce, 7, dysentery. Dec. 7,
child of A. T. Murphy, 1, scalded; 30, Ansel Ross, 30, con-
.sumption. Four children died in the north part of the town ;
n^nes unknown.
1851.
Jan. 2, daughter of Horsley Shed, 7, canker rash ; 17,
Plannah Jordan, 76; 15, child of Mr. Gelderman, 1; 25,
Betsey Witt, 48, consumption. April, Mrs. Forbes, 70,
l^alsy; 21, Lois T. Cobb, 15, consumption. May 22, Ann
M. Woodbridge, 19, same ; 25, Levi Shed, 55, same. June,
daughter of M. Parsons, 15, same ; 17, Daniel Watson, 50,
same ; 25, wife of Samuel Foster, same. July 14, child of
J. B. Stuart, 8 months ; 26, James Foster, 6, fever. Aug.
4, child of T. J. Needham, 4, canker rash : 4, Mrs. Benja-
min Jordan, 60, consumption ; 23, Mrs. William Frost, 48,
same ; 27, child of Rev. E. F. Quinby, 4, croup. Child of
Lewis Shackley, 3 weeks. Sept. 2, Mrs. Wentworth, 72,
jaundice; 10, child of W. W. Hobbs, 4, cholera morbus; 10,
wife of H. W. Strong, 37, consumption ; 18, wife of William
Frost, 3d, 28, same. Oct. 7, child of H. W. Strong, 5
months ; 24, Abigail Parsons, 54, fits ; 30, wife of Titus 0.
Brown, 82, congestion of the lungs. Nov. 4, wife of Daniel
Holt, 68, consumption ; 24, child of Clark Knight, 4. Dec.
25, child of Mahalon Crockett.
1852.
Jan. 4. child of Charles Walton, 5, croup ; 14, Elizabeth
Cobb, 20, consumption. John Richardson, 80, same. Jan.
27, H. Mclntire, 83, dropsy ; 28, Widow EUis, 82, consump-
tion ; 29j child of Reuben Noble, 5, canker rash. Feb. 2,
HISTORY OF NORWAY. 207
A. Dunham, 46, decline. March 1, I. Merrill, 32, eonsuuip-
tion ; 6. Mrs. Frances Chandler, 58, stoppage ; 8, Mrs. Sarah
Far well, 63, consumption ; 18, Samuel Ames, 93, palsy ;
28. Nancy Morse, 8. April 9, Nathaniel Millett, 80, dropsy
and apoplexy. Ellen F., 7, 22, Kebecca G., 1 5-6, daugh-
ters of Dr. Jesse Howe, both congestion of the lungs. May
11, Daniel Witt, 24, killed on railroad. June 15, Mrs. Ma-
ry Frost, 68, consumption. William K. Emery, 54. same.
July 12, wife of John Bird, 76, same : 21, Clara Sophia,
(laughter of Gen. William Parsons, 17, fever : 10. wife of A.
A. Latham, 36 ; 24, wife of Daniel Herring, dropsy : 29,
Gen. William Parsons, QQ, fev^r. Aug. 3, wife of William
B. Upton, 24, consumption ; 24, wife of Martin Stetson,
palsy : 26. Rev. Edwin F. Quinby, just from California, fe-
ver. Sept. 29, wife of Otis True, 31, consumption. Oct.
11, William B. Upton, stoppage of stomach ; 19, wife of
Benjamin Rowe, 82, dropsy ; 25, Ebenezer Bancroft, jr.,
fever. Wife of John Witt.
PATRONS.
As a grateful acknowledgment of tlie liberal patronage
bestowed on the preceding work by the citizens of the town
of Norway, and by many gentlemen of other towns, the writer
cheerfully embraces the opportunity of publishing a list of its
patrons at the close of the book, believing that it will be
gratifying to future generations to look back, and see the lib-
erality displayed for the purpose of preserving from oblivion
the memories and names of those who have patiently and
perseveringly labored to build up the town to its present
prosperous condition, from what was formerly a howling wil-
derness, and only the abode of savage beasts, and more
savage men.
The reader will probably see, and if not, may plainly
understand, that the writer has purposely omitted saying
anything about political parties of any description, or any of
the prevailing isms of the present day ; as he thinks there will
be enough of the acrimony and bitterness of party strife go
down to future generations without making a book record for
its preservation. Neither does he intend to hide himself be-
hind the oft-resorted-to-screen of belonging to no party, or
sect; for his political course has always been distinctly
marked, and known, and probably will continue the same,
until he sees a sufficient reason for changing his opinion.
The present age is an age of progress, and (he hopes) of
improvement, in the diffusion of knowledge, and in the ame-
lioration of the condition of the human family ; and time only
14
210
NAMES OP PATRONS.
■R-ill develop whether tlie conflicting exertions of the various
parties and organizations will ultimately tend to promote the
prosperity and happiness, first of our own nation, and then
of the whole human family. This is a momentous question,
the consideration of which ought to have a large place in the
mind of every considerate and candid person.
NAMES OF PATKONS.
William Wirt Virgin,
2
Solomon S. Hall,
Moses B. Bartlett,
2
Jeremiah Howe,
Edwm W. Howe,
Jeremiah W. Hobbs,
Dr. Jesse Howe,
Asa Thayer,
John Peering,
Mark P. Smith,
Adna C. Denison,
Elbridge G. Allen,
Otis True,
Enoch L. Knight,
Levi Whitman,
Ceylon Watson,
Ezekiel C. Jackson,
Henry Bust,
George F. Kimball,
Loren H. Wrisley,
Thomas F. Beal,
Dudley Pike,
Joseph A. Small,
Aaron Shackley,
John C. Kimball,
Franklin Manning,
James Crockett,
Granville L. Beed,
Samuel Favor,
Samuel Crockett, Oxford,
Robert Pike, Oxford,
Ansel Dinsmore,
Ebenezer C. Shackley,
Oren Hobbs, Portland,
Edmund Ames,
William B. Danforth,
William Parsons,
Francis A. Danforth,
Thomas Higgins,
Nathaniel Bennett,
Ebenezer Hobbs,
Josiah P. Lovejoy,
Thomas G. Benson,
John Beal,
Aurelius C. Noble,
George W. Seaverns,
James H. Merrill,
Titus 0. Brown, jr.,
Chandler F. Millett, Oxford, 1
John W. Baymond,
Thomas H. Kelley,
1
Francis H. Whitman,
NAMES OF PATRONS.
211
Isaac A. Denison, 1
Lee Mixer, 1
Amos T. Murplij, 1
Horatio G. Cole, 2
Joshua B. Stuart, 1
Jonathan Blake, 1
Silas Bates, 1
William M. R. Lunt, 1
John Dealj, 1
Thomas Pool, 1
Charles Pike, 1
William D. Corclwell, Paris, 1
Isaac Bartlett, 1
Elliot Smith, 1
William Neeclham, 1
Henry W. IMillett, 1
Cephas Sampson, 1
Thomas T. Hobbs, 1
Ebenezer P. Fitz, 1
Kicharcl Evans, 1
Samuel Gibson, 1
Elijah R. Merrill, 1
George H. Bernard, 1
James C. Bulpit, 1
Grovesnor Crockett, 1
Ichabod Bartlett, 2
Otis F. Mixer,
Isaac Bolster,
Moses Ames,
Ephraim H. Brown,
John S. Hutchins,
David McAllister,
Joel Parkhurst,
Dr. Asa Danforth,
2
James S. Greenleaf,
1
George L. Beal, 1
J.W. B.AVelcome, Oxford, 1
Isaac Bennett, 1
Benjamin Barrows, 1
Sewall Crockett, jr., 1
Alfred P. Burnell, 1
Zebulon Rowe, 1
George W. Mann, 1
Peter W. Buck, Greenwood, 1
William C. Whitney, 1
Moses A. Young, 1
Charles S. Mallett, 1
Samuel Partridge, 1
Jeremiah H. Hall, 1
Sumner Hale, 1
Samuel Cobb, jr., 1
William Hayes, 1
Samuel P. Frost, 1
Ezra F. Beal, 2
Edwin Stetson, 1
Stuart H. Noble, Portland, 1
Charles P. Kimball, 6
John Woodman, 1
James L. Shackley, Paris, 1
Jesse Howe, Sumner, 1
Jonathan B. Smith, 2
William P. Witt, 1
Luther F. Foster, 1
Daniel Holt, 3d, 1
William B. Upton, 1
Simon Stevens, 2d, 1
Anthony Bennett, 1
Nathaniel G. French, 1
Charles Parsons, 1
Isaac Farrington, 1
212
NAMES OF PATRONS.
Waslilngton Noycs, 1
Eeubcn Noble, 1
Aaron Wilkins, 1
Theodore L. Lassell, 1
Rufus Bartlett, Greenwood, 1
WilHam P. Buck, 1
James Merrill, 1
Simon Stevens, 1
William D. Paine, 1
Uriah H. Upton, 1
James Tubbs, 1
Calvin Shed, 1
William Pingree, 1
Perry D. Judkins, 1
Darius M. Holt, 1
William Frost, jr., 1
John S. Shed, 1
Dudley B. Holt, ,- 1
Simeon Noble, 1
David B. Crockett, 1
Horsley Shed, 1
William Hall, 1
William Cox, 1
Augustus Herrick, 1
Thomas Melzeard, 1
Amos T. Holt, 2
Elijah H. Hobbs, • 1
Simeon Frost, 1
Ansel Town, 1
Jeremiah Foster, 1
Luke Fletcher, 1
George W. Sholes, 1
John Bird, jr., 1
George Frost, 1
Henry C. Bccd, 1
Nathan Millett, 1
Rev. J. L. Stevens, 1
Joseph A. Bradbury, 1
Johnson Frost, 1
Thomas Witt, 1
Amos F. Noyes, 1
John Millett, 1
Lorenzo D. Hobbs, 1
Charles Penley, 1
David B. Noyes, 1
Mahalon Crockett, 1
Joel Millett, 1
James Bennett, 1
David T. Frost, 1
Henry Pike, 1
Rodolphus Young, 1
Dudley Woodbridge, 1
Thos. Judkins, Greenwood, 1
Brackett Marston, 1
Nathaniel Pike, 1
Ethiel Stevens, Greenwood, 1
W. Stevens, Cambridge, Ms. 1
John A. Holmes, Paris, 1
Addison A. Latham, 1
Joseph A. Kendall, 1
William Frost, 3d, 1
Elhanan W. Fyler, Minot, 1
Henry Upton, 1
Lawson Coburn, Greenwood, 1
James Hill, 1
Jacob F. Holt, Pennsylvania, 1
Benjamin Jordan, 1
Stephen G. Seavey, 1
George P.Whitney, Oxford, 1
William E. Goodnow, 1
NAMES OP PATRONS.
213
Joseph S. KoundSj
James Smith,
Isaac N. Smallj
Nath. Andrews, Otisfield,
Eben. Marstoiij'Waterford,
Lewis Crockett, Andover,
Benj. Marston, ''
James N. Hall,
Albion Buck,
Henry R. Webber, Oxford,
Charles Newhall,
John Merrill,
Ephraim Briggs,
Dan. Merrill, Methuen, Ms
. 1
Jacob Parsons,
Samuel W. Saunders,
Luther F. Pike,
Stephen Merrill,
Jonathan Pottle,
Henry Merrill,
George W. Parsons,
John Bancroft,
William Hall, 2d,
Sumner Frost,
Solomon Millett,
Andrew Case,
Hiram Millett,
John Coffin,
Seba Gammon,
Joel Frost,
Richard Lombard,
Ebenezer Crowell,
John P. Jordan,
William P. French,
John Pike,
Elijah Flint,
William Frost,
Amos Upton,
Zachary Carey,
William C. Pierce,
John Frost,
Enoch Holt,
Samuel Lord,
Jacob Herrick,
George W. Everett,
Rollin Town,
Alpha B. Everett,
Jonathan Swift,
Wilson Hill,
John Whitmarsh,
Osgood Perry,
Charles Frost,
Henry Noble,
William Frost, 4th,
William W.D.S. Millett,
Elijah Jordan,
Jonathan Whitehouse,
Nathaniel S. Frost,
Thomas Hill,
Silas Meriam,
Benjamin Tucker, jr.,
Daniel Hobbs,
Alanson B. Watson,
Bela Noyes,
Nathaniel G. Bacon,
Noah 0. Stevens,
Charles Jackson,
David Wilkins,
Charles L. Francis,
Jacob Tubbs,
214
NAMES OP PATRONS.
William Knight, 1
William R. Crockett, 1
Nathan Morse, 1
Ephraim S. Orockett, 1
Joseph G. Penley, 1
Alanson M. Dunham, 1
William P. Richardson, 1
Thomas H. Richardson, 1
Joseph F. Crockett, 1
Sewall J. Crockett, 1
Joseph York, 1
David M. Brown, 1
John Richardson, 1
Moses Parsons, 1
Hiram Lovejoy, 1
Levi Millett, 1
Jared M. Buck^ 1
John H. Millett, 1
Thomas Briggs, 1
Samuel S. Millett, 1
Joseph F. Merrill, Oxford, 1
Daniel Cummings, 1
Calvin Richardson, 1
Benjamin Witt, 1
Mrs. Austin Buck, 1
Cha's Young, jr. Greenwood, 1
Daniel Green, 1
Levi Frank, 1
James C. Bennett, 1
Thomas R. Lovejoy, 1
Lemuel Lovejoy, 1
John B. Brown, Portland, 1
Robert Noyes, 1
David S. Andrews, Otisficld, 1
Geo. W. Patch, Greenwood, 1
S. H. Houghton, Greenwood, 1
Elias H. Bemis, 1
Samuel A.Webber, Oxford, 1
Ich. B. Verrill, Greenwood, 1
Alexander Crooker, Minot, 1
William S. Allen, Oxford, 1
William Young, 1
William Gallison, Paris, 1
William K. Kimball, " 1
Joshua B. Crockett, 1
Alva B. Davis, 1
William W. Hobbs, 1
Cornelius W. Hobbs, 1
Reuben Favor, Paris, 1
John W. Noble, Waterford, 1
Hon. E. Gerry, " 1
Benjamin G. Holt, 1
Henry H. Hobbs, 1
Henry Houghton, 1
Dr. J. S. Millett, 2
David F. Noyes, 1
Bezaleel A. Cushman, 1
Rev. H. W. Strong, 1
Levi T. Boothby, Paris, 1
George J. Ordway, Portland, 2
Thomas J. Cox, Augusta, 1
Benjamin Crockett, Oxford, 1
Dr. Thos. Roberts, Rumford, 1
John Parsons, Paris, 1
Ward Noyes, Portland, 1
Bowers Barton, Boston, 1
Ajalon Godwin, Rumford, 1
John Dennett, Paris, 1
Wm. H. Sweetser, Boston, 1
G. G. Waterhouse, Portland, 1
NAMES OP PATRONS.
215
Alva Hobbs, Greenwood, 1
Cha'sH. Crocker, '' 1
John Nojes, " 1
Simon Noble, 1
Mrs. Rebekah Ames, 1
Asa S. Pool, Portland, 1
R. R. Robinson, " 2
Increase Robinson, Skow'g'nl
Samuel Cobb, 1
Sylvanua Cobb, jr., 1
Fred. Coburn, Greenwood, 1
Malbory Brown, Waterford, 1
Daniel Chaplin, " 1
N.Abbott, 2d, Andover, Ms. 1
Thomas Crocker, Paris, 1
Thomas Ellis, 1
George W. Millett, 6
Charles F. Parkhurst, 6
ERRATA.
Page 13, bottom line, for "cataract" read precipice.
" 23, 15th line from bottom, for "Middelton" read Middleton.
" 25, 16th " " " "bouhgt" read bought.
" 27, 5th line from top, for "Februry" read February.
«' 28,12th " " " " to far " read too far.
*' 59, bottom line, for " stereotpyed " read stereotyped.
*' 79, 14th line from top, for "came" read come.
" 97, 9th " " " " the the " read the.
" 125, 18th " " " "Greenwcod" read Greenwood.
" 129, bottom line, for " 1741 " read $1741.
" 146, 2d line from bottom, for "brrn" read barn.
*' 158, 2d " " *' " conseqence " read consequence.
" 205, 7th " " " "J, dysen-" read 2, dysen-.
The printer regrets that these typographical errors were not de-
tected until an hour too late for their correction. They are as
mortifying to his eye as they can be odious to that of the reader.
But, as the author says in his preface of his own errors, " instead
of wondering at a few mistakes, it should be a greater wonder that
there are not more ; " for, if the compositor has not had many
" irons in the fire," he has had perplexities of which readers can
not know. In the revised and enlarged edition of 1952, the errors,
doubtless, will be expunged.
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