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CENTENNIAL
HISTORY

OH" 'i^MK

TOWN OF SUHNER, ME

1798 = = = 1898.

WEST SUMNER:
CHAS. E. HANDY, JR., PUBLISHER.
1899.

PREFACE.
At its annual meeting in March, 1898, the town of Sumner
voted to observe its Centennial Anniversary, and made a small
appropriation to defray the necessary expenses.
Former citizens of the town, with an inherent regard for the
place of their nativity, generously added to the fund, with the
result that when the Centennial was over and all expenses were
paid^ a small surplus was still left in the hands of the committee.
The question arose as to the dispositon of this surplus, and
this modest little volume is the ans^wer.
While the limited sum at, the disposal of the committee
necessarily caused limitations in the volume, it is hoped that it
will serve as a pleasant reminder of the day we celebrated, and
at the same time perpetuate an important part of the early his
tory of our town that might otherwise be lost to coming gener
ations. The thanks of the committee are especially due to Rev.
LucienM. Robinson of Philadelphia, who has rendered valuable
tissistance in the preparation and arrangement of the work, and
to M,Ts. L. B. Bisbee of Camden, Me., J. F. Cobb of Auburn,
Prentiss Cummings of Boston, Mrs. J. L. Derby of South
Weymouth, Mass., George R, Drake of West Medway, Mass.,
Mrs. Francetta Fletcher of South Paris, Mrs. George H. Hawes
of Fall River, Mass., Hersey Heald of Sandwich, Mass., L)-
\sande'r and A. C. Heald of South' Weymouth, O. K. Gerrish
of Lakeville, Mass., Freeland Howe of Norway, Mrs., Julia'
Fason of Medway, Mass., W. E. Pulsifer of New York,
Wallace Ryerson of South Paris, J. H. Stetson of South
Weymouth, Mass., J.. Walter Stetson of Auburn, Gilbert Tuell
of Bethel, Hiram Tuell of Milton, Mass., whose cash contribu
tions made its publication possible. Also to Johii and Horatio
G. Turner of Boston, for the gift to the town of a large and
beautiful flag.
i, Sharon Robinson, ^ j
W. H. Eastman, (Centennial Committee.
G. M. SiMALI,, )

PROGRAM  OF 
SUMNER CENTENfjIAL, JUNE 13, 1898.
Cjipf. G. ]VI- Small, Prfisident of the Day.
6:00 A. M. Ringing of Bells. Salute of loo Guns.
9:30, Presentation of Flqg, John Turner.
Acceptance, Dr. J. Blake Robinson.
10:00, Prayer, Rev. A. G. MuRRA^¦.
Chorus, "Praise Ye the Father."
Adclress of Welcome, Mrs. Apaline H. STET3qN,'
Response, W. E. Pulsifer.
Singing of ^'Centennial Ode."
Poem, Mrs. Helen S. Robertson.
Reading, Walter Chandler.
Reading, LEp^[ V. Walker.
Song, "Star Spangled Banrier."
12:00 M. Dinner.
1 :30 P. M. Sopg. R- N. Stetson.
After-dinnerSpeeches,W.H.EASTMAN,Toastmaster Reading, Mrs. Annie B. Smali,
Historical Address, Rev. Lucien M. RoBi>fSQN.
"Centennial Hymn," Mrs. Alicp Maxim.
Benediction, Rev. A. G. Murray.
MUSIC BY BUCKFIELD BANt).

ADDRESS of WELCOME
 BY 
Mrs. Adaline H. Stetson.
It was a great surprise to me when informed that
the committee of arrangements had assigned me
this part in the exercises of the day. I said they
would have to excuse me; most certainly they would
till I remembered the littlest child in the family is al
ways given the best place. Thanking them for this
favor, I cheerfully accept my commission.
Thus, in behalf of the citizens of this town, I ex
tend a cordial welcome to all visitors, and all who
come to participate in the festivities and enjoy
ments of this Centennial Celebration. An especial
welcome to the sons and daughters of old Sumner,
those who have long been away and are come back
to the scenes of their childhood, laden with precious
memories of early years.
My heart speaks to you in words of another. "We
who are old and about to die, salute you. Kail you,
take your hand in ours, and crown you with our
welcome, as with flowers."
The great interest in all family gatherings and re
unions is in retrospection; who does not love to talk
of old times, old friends, and associations .'' Some-

8 SUMNER centennial.
times my old heart grows so warm even at the
thought of them, ere I am aware I am singing:
"Backward, turn backward, oh ! Time, in your flight;
Make me a child again, just for tonight,"
May we all, aroused by the spirit of the hour, en
joying so highly these ceremonies and pleasures, feel
our youthful vigor renewed for a time, and lodk
back with sweet remembrance to this festal day.
RESPONSE,
By W. E. Pulsifer.
Mr. President, fellow-townsmen and friends: —
Oh behalf of the visitors and those ' who have
come back to their old homes to help celebrate its
centehnial birthday, I extend to you our hearty
thanks for this most beautiful and cordial welcome
from one whom many of us have known as a motheir
in Israel.
The heart can never find expression through vo
cabularies or books. Neither can it ever be fittingly
represented by speech. And so we sons and daugh
ters of this rock-ribbed town who have gone out into
the busy world to do and dare in our chosen voca
tions, are called back to the scenes of our childhood
to meet those wh6 have remained' to care for the in
terests of the home, and help them fittingly cele
brate a centennial anniversary, words can hardly
portray the emotions we feel.

SUMNER centennial. ' 9
Every hill and valley, every pond and stream,
every forest and meadow, every road and lane are
sacred, to our memories. Under the sunny skies and
the twinkling stars of the night as children we have
in these rural homes had our visions and dreamed bur
dreams. Here the pure air, the clear water, the
plain but wholesome food nourished well the bodies
and 'developed the brains of the men and women
who going hence have honored the town that gave
them birth. >,
The Mkine man has been proverbial the world
over for the strength of his spinal column; and I
have thought that the granite of these hills must
have in some inexplicable manner found its way into
it. I hold the man fortuna!te who has had his birth
and early training in a rural community like this.
He learns some lessons never taught in books. "He
knows how life unto experience looks." Here he is
so trained that he forms habits of sobriety, industry
and economy, without which no man can succeed.
iHere he sees living examples of sterling morality
and' true religion. Here he learns to respect the sa
credness of the home and to hold inviolate the
honor of his State and his country.
"Among the hills," Webster, the great defender of
the constitution, was born, arid hundreds of^ other
men who have written their names high up on the
scroll of their country's history first saw the light in
the humble homes that dot the hill'sides of glorious
old New England. v

10 ' SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
A hundred years is a long time; it far more than
measures the span of human life.
When Isaac Sturdivant called the first town meet
ing of Sumner after its incorporation, King George
III was on the English throne, and the great Napol
eon was changing the map of Europe. John Adams
was President of the United States. The Constitu
tion of the United States had been adopted eleven
years before. Washington, the first president, had
been inaugurated only nine years prior, to this time,
on the balcony of the Federal Building in Wall
Street, New York.
In 1790, two years later, the city of Philadelphia,
now having a population of over a million, then had
about 42,000. New York, now having a popula:tion
of three and a half millions, then was a city about
the size of Lewiston and Auburn. Boston had but
18,000 people then, and Baltimore only 13,000. The
total population of the country was about four mill
ions, and we were then about on the level, or decided
ly inferior in wealth and population to the small
countries of Denmark, Portugal and Belgium. We
were at that time a third rate power. On the other
side of the Allegheny mountains there' were only
about 100,000 people, mostly in Tennessee and Ken
tucky) and the country was almost wholly occupied
by Indians, where now the Great Empire of the West
has its seat.
The occupations of the people in that day were
extremely simple. There were few manufactures.

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. I I
In the East there were many merchants, seamen and
fishermen, but most of the people were farmers
who lived upon what they raised on their own
farms. People seldom undertook long journeys and mails
were not very regular. I could now come from New
York here in sixteen hours. Then it would have
taken nearly two weeks to make the journey by
stage-coach. I should have been obliged to cross
the Connecticut, the Merrimac, the Saco and the
other rivers and large streams that could not have
been forded, on ferry-boats, as there were no bridges
across the larger streams.
The people in the various parts of the country
knew ver}' little about each other, and almost noth
ing about the people on the other side of the Atlan
tic. A man in those days who had been to Europe
was looked upon with about as much curiosity as we
should regard a human being who should now be
privileged to visit the moon. "There's a man who
has been to Europe," the envious people used tosay.
There was then no cooking-stove, no furnace, no
steam heating apparatus, no illuminating gas in this
country, though in 1798 it was just being tried in
England. No electric lights, no steamboats, no rail
roads, no telegraph nor ocean cable, no telephone or
any other application of electricity for the comfort-
and convenience of the people. There was no sew
ing machine, no mowing machine or reaper, no cot
ton-gin, no National Banks, no Clearing Houses, no

12 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
systems of credits — none of these things existed
even in the imagination of the inhabitants of this
country in 1798 when this town was born.
If Dewey had one hundred years ago to-day storm
ed Manila, and you were living then, you might pos
sibly have heard of it in a year if the sailing vessels
that -brought the news had a good . voyage and you
were lucky enough to get the Boston paper a week
or so after its issue. ;
Think what has happened since this town was in
corporated. You now cross the continent as quickly
as our illustrious forefathers went from Boston to
New York, a distance of two hundred and thirty
miles. You have your luxurious sleeper, your din
ing car, your barber shop, your writing room and
your library on wheels,- and you speed across country
at the rate of sixty miles an hour. You read at your
supper table the morning's news of the other side of
the world. You whisper across the Atlantic in the,
flash of an eye to your friends in London; you starjd
in your Boston office and talk with your partner in
New York or Washington as if he stood on the other
side of the counter in your store. You light your
house by touching an electric button. You propel
your street cars without horses or steam' but by a
subtle fluid that has a power inconceivable. You
issue your check and satisfy your creditor in Cal
ifornia, and you do scores of other things that would
astonish our good forefathers should they have a
Rip Van Winkle awakening to-day, and give them

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. I'-
good reason to think the millennium had indeed come
To-day this country has a wealth amounting tc
87,000,000,000 of dollars, larger by considerable thar
the wealth of Great Britain, or the combined wealtl
of France and Germany, and is one third of the to
tal wealth of all Europe.
My friends, we have been fortunate to live in the
Golden Age of the world. What shall the future
bring to us ? Can as much progress be made in the
coming century as in the last .'' Will another Long
fellow sing his songs, another Emerson utter his
philosophy, another Edison read the mysteries oJ
nature.' No man can tell; but I am sure that what
ever the future may reveal for the good of mankind
the sons of Sumner will, as in the past; act wel'
their part and do in their place and time the things
that good men and women always find to do to help
on the amelioration of humanity.

14 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
CENTENNIAL ODE.
(Written by W. Stanwood Field.)
Mountains, hills, and valleys.
And lakes and forests gay.
Since they named thee Sumner
A century's passed away.
Passed from the rush of the present
Back into memory's chain,
Gone are our boyhood's old- pleasures,
Those years will not come again.
Hillsides covered with flowers,
And children filled thy door,
Babies grown to manhood
And many gone on before;
Sons and daughters have left thee
Faithful as histories tell;
Many are tilling your valleys.
Keeping and guarding thee well.
Sumner,_ dear old Sumner,
Be bright thy coming day,
Grand the future century
As this that's passed away.
Loyal may we be forever.
Faithfully seeking our crown, .
True to ourselves and our kindred,
Trye to old Sumner our town.

SUMNER CENTEXXIAL. I 5

HISTORICAL ADDRESS

-BY-

Rev. Lucien Moore Robinson.

"We walk today the halls of story,
Mid pictures of the olden time.
And voices, from an ancient glory
That charmes us like a silver chime."
"A people which takes no pride in the noble
achievements of remote ancestors, will never achieve
anything worthy to be remembered by remote decen-
dants." Macaulay.
It is a sure mark of savagery and barbarism not to
care for the past or provide for the future. The sav
age lives for his little day, and his horizon is bound
ed by his own life, he has no records of the past and
knows not how he came to be where he is, and leaves
no footprints on the sands of time, which in the future
some brother man may see and take heart again. He
lives in and for the present and for that alone, not
knowing whence he came and caring little whither
he goeth. But with the advent of civilization there
comes a most marked change in the attitude of man
toward his past history and his future reputation.

l6 SUMNER centennial.
If we look to the oldest civilization ~Df the world,
in that wonderful mysterious valley of the Nile,
there we find monuments of stone and records in the
hardened clay, without which we of this day would
be in total ignorance of a people whose arts and
sciences are the wonder even of our boasted civiliza
tion. I
All history is but a record of the past and no
nation, or country, or family, can have a history un
less their deeds and words have been pres.erved in
enduring monuments, graven in brass, cut in polish
ed stone, or written on parchment.
Gazing backward along the track of past ages of
the world's history, we note with interest the changes
wrought by the passage of time; We behold as in a
magic mirror the mighty men of bygone times.
"We enter the tent of the general, talk with the
philosopher, and listen to the poet." But amid that
throng are also our own ancestors, and how eagerly
do we scan the multitude to discern their forms, and
how gladly would we question them as Dante or
Virgil did of old, about their life while here in the
flesh. "We delight to examine into their character and
actions and as we find them worthy or unworthy our
hearts swell with pride or our cheeks glow with
shame," we treasure up in memory their deeds and
recall their sayings. The very instinct of our nature
binds us to the past and links our fates with those
of our forefathers. We are all children of the ages,
inheritors of the past.

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. I7
We meet today to commemorate a hundred years of
the history of a town. A space of time short in com
parison with the long ages of the past, yet the ut
most span of one human life. And what a century
it has been ! To us it seems that this Nineteenth
Century is the culmination of all civilization; in it
the nations have- mad'e the greatest progress, the
world has seen the most wonderful inventions, and
the people of all nations have drawn closer together.
But the story of this town does not begin with the
13th of June 1798; that day, indeed, marks the end
ing of one epoch and the "beginning of another. It
was on that date that the vigorous young plantation
received its freedom suit, and having reached its ma
jority took its place among its fellow-members of that
great Commonwealth, extending from Cape Cod to
Nova Scotia.
Let us not forget, however, in our thanksgiving
for a 'hundred years of growth and prosperity,
those early days of struggle and hardship, when, like
Israel of old, the land was yet to be subdued, when
there was need of courageous hearts and strong
hands, of perseverance and pluck, of earnest and
almost ceaseless toil.
The story of these early years begins in that most
important era of our country's history, the War for
Independence. The sound of that "shot which was
heard around the world," called forth from their
quiet firesides those men who after seven years of

15 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
fighting to win their freedom and establish in this
western world a new "Republic of freemen," were
to be the founders of this town; to set up here in the
wilderness that "cradle of liberty," the New Englan-d
town-meeting. When the success of the war was assured the citi
zen soldiers returned to their homes, often to find
them in a very unsettled state; the cultivation of the
farm had been abandoned, the mill and- the workshop
were out of repair; they had been forced to receive
their pay in paper'money worth scarce a fortieth of
its face value; the commercial and financial world
was in confusion; it was a time of change.
For a century and a half previous to this, however,
son had succeeded father in regular rotation on the
lands of their ancestors, and there had been no incli
nation to wander from the old homestead. But now
for seven years many of the younger men had tramp
ed in the army from the northern wilderness of
Maine and Canada to the great plains of New Jersey
and Maryland, and the swamps of the Southland.
A restless spirit was begotten in them which made
them no longer content to sit by the old ancestral
hearthstone. These days immediately succeeding the War for
Independence were days of emigration and new set
tlements in the wilderness which stretched almost
unbroken from the shores of the Atlantic back to
the St. Lawrence. But before describing the first

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. 19
settlement of our town, let us glance for a moment
at the early history of that territory into which these
hardy settlers came.
The French early claimed all these lands by right
of discovery and settlement, and the King of France
had made a grant of them, under the name of Arca
dia, as early as 1603. But the English also claimed
the territory under the same right of discovery and
settlement, and King James included it in his grant
of North Virginia in 1604. For the next century
and a half there was almost a continuous struggle to
determine which of these powerful nations should
control the land on which we stand today. For one
hundred and fifty years it was doubtful whether the
issue would favor France, and this would be Nciu
France, or whether England would in the end make
good her claim and establish a New England. The
fortunes of war favored first one and then the other,
and the land from which our town was later carved
was alternately French and English soil.
In this long struggle the Indians usually took the
part of the French, who had been most zealous in
sending missionaries among them, and teaching
them as a part of their creed, hatred of the English.
The tales of heroism and bravery, of captivity and
slavery, of burning houses and slaughtered col
onists, of scalping knives and tomahawks, flint lock
and cannon, forms one of the most thrilling parts of
our national history. And this territory was the de
batable ground. On, the banks of the Androscoggin

20 SUMNER CENTENNIAL-
lived the most dreaded of the Indian tribes, the An-
asagunticooks, with their blood thirsty chief, who
boasted in the Council Chamber of France, before
the French King, that with his own hand he had
slain one hundred and fifty English. In return for
this great benefit the King immediately knighted
him, and made him a nobleman.
There was no safe dwelling place in this country
until Wolfe met Montcalm on the heights of Abraham,
and the fortunes of war (or rather let me say, He
who watcheth over all ) decided that this country
should be the possession of the great English speak
ing race.
Then for a few years there was quiet,, and settlers
flocked into the new land. Some found their way up
the Androscoggin as far as Livermore on the east,
and others up the Saco to Fryeburg on the west.
But soon the mutterings bf another storm put an
end to this tide of immigration. The storm broke,
and this country wasjagain the barrier between two
contending armies, but now, alas, of one blood ! Up
through the wilderness marched brave Benedict
Arnold, with the vain hope of capturing Quebec.
Better had it been for him if he had fallen, as Wolfe
before him had done, in the attempt. Finally after
years of fighting, peace again settled upon a free
nation, but heavily loaded with debt and with great
ly impaired credit. "The paper currency which had
been floated along by hope and credulity and buoyed
up by a spirit of patriotism, sunk in value, all con-

SUMNER CENTEImXIAL. 21
fidence fled, and the war-worn soldier reluctantly
yielded to the course of law which took from him his
last penny and left his family beggars. Heavy taxes
were laid to pay the interest on the public debt,
which the people could not meet, and for the pay
ment of which their cattle were distrained and they
were otherwise reduced to extremities."
This is no fancy picture from imagination, but the
very words of one who lived through these
times that jtried men's hearts, and was himself a
prominent actor in them, the man whose name this
town bears. To escape these ills men were ready
to emigrate to new lands and find new homes. The
great Commonwealth of Massachusetts encouraged
these new settlements. She most naturally turned
to that immense tract of laijd "to Eastward"
which she had acquired by purchase and conquest,
which was then nearly in the state of nature, a vast
wooded wilderness; only a thin barrier of towns
hugged the sea coast and straggled a little -way up
the banks of the great rivers, not reaching across
the southern border of our state and scarcely ex
tending inland at all.
A land office was soon established in Boston and
notice given that these wild lands would be offered
for sale and soldiers' notes or the consolidated secu
rities of the Commonwealth taken in payment. The
State offered to any one desirous of settling upon
these new lands 150 acres anywhere upon the rivers
or navigable waters at the small price of one dollar

22 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
per acre. In any other portion of the vast domain
the State promised to give loo acres free to anyone
who would clear sixteen acres in four years. This
promise continued until 1784, and under it the
first settlers came to this town.
Many companies were formed in different parts of
the Commonwealth to purchase whole townships and
promote emigration, hoping for great profits from the
sale of lots. These companies petitioned the Gen
eral Court for a grant of land, specifying the location.
After the public survey the grant was usually made
with certain restrictions. The Commonwealth pre
scribed that certain lots should be reserved for the
first settled ministfer, grammar schools, and Har
vard College, and sometimes other conditions were
imposed on the Proprietors. These Proprietors were
in most cases inhabitants of the same locality and
held meetings to make arrangements for the opening
up of their plantations and inducing settlers to enter
upon the, land. ( Records of these meetings were
preserved. * )
As early as January, 1781 a petition was sent to
the General Court by Samuel Butterfield of Dunsta
ble, Mass., and others, for land on the north of land
petitioned for by Abijah Buck and others ( now
Buckfield ) , to the value ef six miles square, "upon
such considerations or for sucfi sum as you in your
wisdom shall think best for the good of this State,
your petitioners being desirous of making a settle
ment on said land if granted, which would not only
* See Appendix A.

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. 23
be a benefit to themselves, but to the community- at
"large, and the wilderness become a fruitful field." *
This is the first refereice to Samuel Butterfield,
from whom the plantation took its name. He was.
a native of Dunstable, Massachusetts.
This petitiin wis not granted, the land had not
yet been surveyed and no bounds could be given.
But in 1785 John Jordine surveyed for the State land
in this vicinity, including the present town of Buck- '
field, then called "No. 5," and the southern half of
the present Hartford and Sumner, which he called
"No. 6,"' containing 23,000 acres.
The next year another gpvernment surveyor,
Samuel Titcomb, continued the survey northward,
and ran. out the lines of another township, "Np. 7,"
lying just north of "No. 6," and containing 24,000
acres. On June 22, of that same year (1786) a Deed of
/^.greemeht was made between the State's committee
and Joel Parkhurst of Dunstable and his associates,
by which the Commonwealth, agreed to deed the
townships Nos. 6 and 7 on payment of the price
agreed upon.
On November 22, in the following year, 1787,
this deed was given to Ebenezer Bancroft of
Dunstable, and his associates, who are all men
tioned. The shares were made one sixtieth, and
the names of the Proprietors with the number of
shares each owned is as follows:
Samuel Butterfield, 5. John Merrill, 6. Ebenezer
* See Appendix, B

24 SUMNER -CENTENNIAL.
Bancroft, 3. Joel Parkhurst, 3. Benjamin French, 3.
Joseph. Danforth, 2. Oliver Cummings, 2. Ebenezer
Allen, 2. The following had one share each:
James Abbott, Loammi Baldwin, Oliver Bailey,
William Blodgett, Asa Butterfield, Leonard Butter
field, Peter Colburn, James Cummings, Jeremiah
CummingSjJosiah Cummings, Oliver Cummings, Jr.,
Mary Emerson (widow), Frederick French, _Thomas
French, Apollos Hall, Benjamin Heald, Peter Haz-
elton, Benjamin Hosmer, Cyrus Hosmer, William
Hunt, Israel Hutchinson, Nathaniel Jones, James
Lawrence, Samuel Marsh, Samuel Pollard, Increase
Robinson, Thomas Russell, Benjamin Smith, Benja
min Smith, Jr., Oliver Taylor, Asa Thompson, Ben
jamin Woodward, Joseph Winn, Jr., Richard Whitney.
These were the original owners of the soil of the
two plantations, containing nearly fifty thousand
acres, and their holdings ranged from five hundred
to five thousand acres, each. Among them were
men of note, leaders in the events of their own time,
and to them are to be traced nearly all titles to the
farms in our town.
Six names represent the ownership of one half of
the two townships; these are, Bancroft, Butterfield,
Cummings, French, Merrill and Parkhurst.
Col. Ebenezer Bancroft was for many years the
clerk of the Proprietors, and the meetings of the
Proprietary government were held at his house in
Dunstable, Mass. All the land about North Pond
and the Pond itself was granted to him in recogni-

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. 2$
tion of his valuable services as Secretary. He was
one of the committee in 1791, to lay off the one
hundred acres to each of the original settlers.
Col. Bancroft was in command of a company at
Bunker Hill where he was wounded.
* * * #
He served through the war and at its close return
ed to Dunstable, where he died in 1828, in his nine
tieth year.
John Merrill was a public surveyor of lands for
Gov. Bowdoin in the District of Maine. He thus be
came interested in the purchase of lands from the
Commonwealth and was a shareholder in a number
of such plantations. He was early at Topsham, and
later removed to Farmington, Maine.
The Cummings family were among the oldest and
most influential families of Dunstable. They were
a large family, and five of them were among the Pro
prietors, and one of them an original settler of the
Plantation; his grandson long lived at West Sum
ner, and was for nearly twenty years Postmaster in
this village.
The Butterfields were also a very numerous fami
ly in Dunstable, and the names of three appear in
the list of Proprietors. They were large owners, and
the new township was named for them, East and ,
West Butterfield.
The name of another of the Proprietors is a house
hold word in England and America. Col. Loammi
Baldwin, a Proprietor of this plantation, was the
first propagator of the famous Baldwin apple.

26 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
As soon as the Proprietors received their deed,-
they made arrangements for lotting out the two
plantations. Instead of taking the division line
made by the public surveyor running through the
center of the plantations east and west for ten and-
onfe half miles from Paris to Livermore, they made a
new division line running north and south, leavings
some eight thousand - acres more in' the east part
than in the west.
This line dividing the two _ plantations ran due
north and south, just east of the old Hezekiah Stet
son and John Briggs farms, thus throwing the new
.settlement and mills at East Sumner into the East
Plantation. From this division line the committee- ran put the
lots, first running range lines north and south paral
lel to the division liixe. ' The lots in the two planta
tions were originally intended to be of the same size,
containing one hundred and twenty five acres each,
but later the lots in West Butterfield (Sumner) were
made one hundred and thirty six acres, while those
in East Butterfield (Hartford) remained one hundred
and twenty five acres each.
There were one hundred thirty five lots ' in ,the
West Plantation, and one hundred and seventy in the
East besides numerous gores. * ^ ^
These lots were laid out in the fall of 1786, and
then were drawn by the Proprietors in proportion to
* A map of the original lottings has been constructed and
was on exhibition at the church.

SUMNER. CENTENNIAL. 27
their shares; a single share entitling its' owner to
about six hundred acres of land.
The "Propriety" held its meetings in Dunstable
as late as 1 804, but the original book Of records has
been lost. They employed Oliver Cummings, Jr.
and others of the early settlers to build roads through
the new plantation in order to open up their lots, for
sale, and they usually paid for such labor by grants
of land.
Before 1804, it would seem that all the land- had
either been sold or assigned to the various Proprie
tors in severalty, as in that year the Proprietors
ordered their clerk to have all sales ¦ and allotments
of land in the two towns recorded in the Cumberland
Registry of Deeds.* And thus ended the acts of
the Proprietary governments.
I Let us now return to the story of the earliest in
habitants, the founders and settlers., t
The first immigrants were all from the Old Colony
of Massachusetts, from Plymouth Count}s- and
especially from Pembroke and the surrounding
towns of Halifax, Plympton and Middleboro.
* See Appendix. A.
t A full account of these families will be found in, the Lewis-
ton Evening Journal of June 1 1 , 1898, written by Sharon Rob- ¦
inson, who has given much time to the preparation of the arti
cle which appears there, and for this reason the portion of the
address devoted to a particular description ^f the earliest settl
ors was oniited.

28 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
Fourteen of the founders came from this section,
and later the families of Cobb, Cushman, Soule,
Thompson, Sampson, Barrows, Bartlett, Tillson,
Palmer, Doten, Churchill, Harden and others joined
their neighbors in the new plantation. A few of
them had found a half-way stopping place at New
Gloucester, Yarmouth or Turner, biit eventually
made their homes in this town.
Meanwhile another stream of immigrants started
from the home of the Proprietary in Dunstable and
the surrounding towns.
A few years earlier, the Bucks, Aliens and Spauld-
ings had come from this region to make their homes
in Buckstown, now Buckfield.
These were soon followed by a band from the same
neighborhood who took up land in the new planta
tion north of Buckstown. Among these immigrants
from Dunstable and vicinity were the Healds, Cum
mings, Bucks, Parlins, Fletchers, Barretts, Chand
lers, ^Coburns, Abbotts, and others.
These latter chose their lands at the center or
western part of this town, while those who came
from the Old Colony settled in the eastern part
along both sides of the division line.
Thus it will be seen that the .lands in the central
and eastern parts of the township were first taken
up. It was not until ten or fi'fteen years later that
settlers came into the western part, and improved
the lands about the present Jackson Village.
The Proprietors sold many lots between 1786 and

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. 29
1796. .- A road was laid out from Buckfield through
the whole length of the township north and. south,
and so to New Pennacook (Rumf ord) before 1788.
By the opening of the year 1784, twenty one set
tlers had taken up land and made permanent improve
ments within the limits of the old plantation. Many
of them had brought their families with them, and
all of them spent the remainder of their lives here.
We honor these as the true founders of this town,
and here record their names:
Simeon Barrett, Charles Bisbee, Elisha Bisbee,
Isaac Bonney, Noah Bosworth, John Briggs, Moses
Buck, John Crockett, Oliver Cummings, Jr., Charles
Ford, Joshua Ford, Benjamin Heald, John Keen,
Meshac Keen, Daniel Oldham, Simeon Parlin,
Increase Robinson, Joseph Robinson, Hezekiah
Stetson, Isaac Sturtevant, William Tucker.
Of these founders three, viz: Benjamin Heald,
Oliver Cummings and Increase Robinson, were also
Proprietors. Each of these twenty one founders re
ceived a deed from the Commonwealth of Massachu
setts of one hundred acres of land laid out so as tp
best include his improvements.
A plantation government was soon formed, assess
ors and collectors were elected, and plantation meet
ings were usually held at the dwelling house of Dea.
Increase Robinson, or the barn of Hezekiah Stetson,
or later in the school houses; here the early inhabi
tants discussed matters of common interest, cast
their votes for State and plantation officers, taxed

30 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
themselves to build school, houses and establish
schools. In 1794 the plantation chose Dea. Increase Robin
son to superintend a -survey of the township and
make- a plan of the same to be sent to the office
of the Secretary of State in Boston; with the help of
Noah Bosworth, Jr. stich a survey was made, a map
drawn, which is still preserved at the State House
in Boston. *
Among the first officers of the old plantation '^ve
find the names of John Briggs, Benjamin Heald,
Enoch Hall, Timothy Cobb, Freeman Ellis, Wjlliam
Hayford, J9hn Elwell, Seth Sturtevant and others.
Settlers fast poured in and bought the most avail
able lots, and before the date of , incorporation the
number of inhabitants in the two plantations was
about four hundred, of whieh nearly one half were
within the present limits of the town of Sumner.
.And what of the character of these early inhab
itants .¦"
'Tis said "the first settlers of a town are not only
the physical parents of the future generations of
that town, but give to their moral qualities a shape
and character as distinctly marked as the complex
ion or pefsonal habits which distinguish- families
from each other."
These early settlers of our town, came df the hardy
Puritan, Pilgrim Stock which hag made the name of
. * A copy of it w^s on exhibition at the,Centenniall

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. 3 I
New England famous throughout the world.
A variety of circumstances tended to cultivate in
them habits of thought and self-restraint. Social
equality and individual freedom prevailed every
where among them; they had imbibed strong relig-,
ious principles in their old Massachusetts homes,
they possessed a sturdy indepaidence, owning and
tilling their own farms, and were servants to no man.
^ ^ tF lP
"The sterile soil became productive under their sa
gacious culture, and the barren rock, astonished,
found itself covered with luxurient and unaccustom-.
ed verdure."
These owners and founders and early settlers
were filled with the spirit oi patriotism.
On the nineteenth of April 1775, when Paul
Revere set out on that famous ride to spread the
alarm through every "Middlesex village and farm,"
there started from one single Parish in Pembroke,
ten Bonneys and a lesser number of Bisbees, Briggses,
Coles, Hollises, Hayfords, Robinsons, Stetsons and
Tillsons; while at the same time in this north-east
corner of the old Commonwealth about the town of
Dunstable, the Cummingses, , Chandlers, Abbotts,
Butterfields, Fletchers, Barretts, Healds and others,
were getting out flint-locks and buckling on their
swords. No wonder, when less than a hundred years later
there came afi^other call to arms to defend the Uniop,
that the decendants of these sturdy old Continental

32 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
heroes were among the first to respond and give
their lives in defence of that freedom which their
ancestors had established. Sumner found no diffi
culty in filling her quota from her own sons,
"Whose faith and truth
On war's red touch-stone rang true metal,
Who ventured life and love and youth.
For the great prize of death in battle."
Such were the men that gave the stamp of their
strong character to this town a hundred years ago.
"We could not, if we would, forget
Their matchless service or their worth ;
No sun of hope shall ever set
While such remain to bless the earth."
* #. # *
Just ten years after the first comers, there were
enough people in the plantation to warrant them
in applying for a corporation. It then became a
question, whether the two plantations should be in
corporated separately or into two distinct towns.
The original intention when the land was sold to the
Proprietors, was that it should be eventually incor
porated as two towns, as there was sufficient land to
make two of the usual size of six miles square; but as
a plantation, the two parts had acted together, and a
few thought they ought to be united in one town.
The majority, however, were decidedly in favor of
two, and voted to act independently of each other.
In May 1793, a petition was signed by the inhab
itants of West Butterfield, setting forth the great
difficulties and disadvantages under which they were

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. 33
laboring, for lack of proper roads, schools and relig
ious instruction, and asking for incorporation. This
petition had seventeen signatures, representing the
names Hall, Bisbee, Allen, Crockett, Bosworth, Ford,
Fletcher, Parlin, Robinson, Keen, Buck and Tucker. *
In the following August, a, similar action was taken
in East Butterfield by a committee appointed by the
town, headed by Dea. Increase Robinson, t These
petitions yere refered to the proper committee by
the General Court, and were there killed; probably
through the influence of the majority of the Proprie
tors, who naturally opposed the incorporation as in
creasing their taxes.
In December 1793, the West plantation chose a
committee headed by John Briggs to prepare another
petition, which they did, and asked to be incorporated
under the name of New Hancock, t (Hancock was then
Governer of Massachusetts.) This petition received
the same treatment as the preceding one.
It was not till December 1795, that the inhabitants
of the East plantation drew up their second petition,
which set forth in detail the facts concerning the
purchase of the plantations and their division, and
asked for incorporation by bounds as fixed by the
Proprietors. || With this petition was sent a map
showing the boundary line.
In thfe same month a third petition from the dwell
ers in the western part was sent to the General
* See Appendix, C. f Appendix, D. t Appendix,'E.
II See Appendix, F. _

34 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
Court, showing the want of civil regulations to im
prove the preached gospel and the seminaries of
learning, and the lack of convenient roads "through
our barren and uncultivated lands. And as your
humble petitioners are willing to support a civil gov
ernment, we pray your honors would not den)' us
the privilege of the same, and would incorporate us
into a town by the name of Oilman." *
This petition was signed by twenty nine men,
more than three-fourths of the voters at that time in
the plg,ntation; but action in the General Court was
once more postponed.
Then a petition from the voters of both plantations
was drawn up in December 1797, and this is the first
petition which asks for incorporation with east
branch of the twenty-mile river as the division line
' between the proposed new towns. The reasons for
desiring a change in, the division line are given in
the petition, and were briefly these, that there were
eight thousand acres more in the East plantation,
and twenty more voters. This petition was drawn
by Dea. Increase Robinson, who had built the mills
^t East Sumner about 1784, and desired that these
mills, the only ones in the new settlement, should
become a part of the West town.
This petition obtained forty eight signatures,
some thirty five of them being those of inhabitants
of West Butterfield, and the others those living just
east of the old plantation division line, t
But the other inhabitants of the East plantation
See * Appendix, G. f See Appendix, H.

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. 35
I
did not silently submit to the loss of such a valuable
part of their territory, and some of them thought the
best solution was an incorporation of both plantations
into one town. And a petition to this effect was
immediately drawn up, explaining at length the ob
jections to the river as a division line, and asking
for incorporation as one town. This petition re
ceived thirteen signatures. * However, before the
following spring the most of the objectors in the
- East town seem to have become reconciled to the
'proposed new line and sent in a petition declaring
their approval of it. t
Meanwhile, the two plantations had each appoint-
-ed a committee of six to make one final attempt for
incorporation. The committee for the eastern part
was composed of Dea. Increase Robinson, John El
well, Dr. Micah Allen, Isaac Bonney, William Hay
ford and James Irish; that from the western part of
Isaac Sturtevant, Elisha Bisbee, Benjamin Heald,
Joseph Robinson, John Briggs and Hezekiah Stetson.
This joint committee drew up a very strong peti
tion explainihg the difficulties which seemed to en-^
counter them in their attempts to gain incorporation,
and implying that the only opposition arose from the
Proprietors who wished to avoid the payment of
taxes, t
The plantation had met with so little success in
sending petitions to the General Court in Boston,
that they concluded to send an agent with this one
to smooth the way for its acceptance, and the granf-
* See Appendix, I. f Appendix, K. t Appendix, L.

36 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
ing of their wishes in the matter. They chose Dea. -
Increase Robinson, and he went at the beginning of
June 1798, carrying this petition signed by the joint
committee. By his efforts it avoided the fate of the half dozen
preceding ones, and at last after five years' attempts,
the two plantations were incorporated on Wednes
day, June 13,^798, by the names of Hartford and
Sumner. * This town was the ninth town incorpo
rated in the present limits of Oxford County, and
had it been incorporated when the first petition was
presented it would have been the fourth, only Frye
burg, Hebron and Paris preceding, but during the
five ypars that the settlers were petitioning, Buck-
fieM, Bethel, Waterford and Norway had been
incorporated. Sumner was the one hundred and
twenty-first town incorporated in the district of
Maine. The new town received its name from Increase
Sumner, the Governor of Massachusetts at the time
of incorporation. A copy of his picture" graces our
pirogram today. He was born in Dorchester Mass. in
1746, and was graduated at Harvard College at the
age of sixteen, was a member of the Massachu
setts legislature at thirty, elected a congressman at
thirty-five, appointed supreme judge at thirty-six,
elected governor of the Commonwealth in 1797, and
re-elected in 1798, again in 1799, when his election
was almost unanimous. He died in office in June
1799, in the fifty third year of his age. His funeral
* See Appendix M.

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. 37
was attended by the President of the United States,
and was the most solemn and imposing that had
ever been witnessed in Boston.
TT tF TT '7^
Such was the man whose name this town bears,
and she may well be proud of his record, as he
certainly would be of his name-sake if he could
be with us today.
The act of incorporation was the first act of the
General Court at their June session 1798, and this
day completes the full hundred years since that act
went into effect and a new town was added to the
great Commonwealth. "A hundred years have passed away
Since first the forests' solitude,
Welcoming our fathers to its shade,
Offered an habitation rude.
A hundred yfears have passed away ;
And now upon their well earned ground,
With loyal hearts of joy and pride,
We hail the birthday of our town.

Strong hearts and willing hands were theirs
To wield the ax or till the soil,
And from the depths of forest shades
Grew fields of plenty for their toil ;
Brave souls and true have followed them,
Ready to serve their country's need,
A sterling stock throughout the years
Renowned by many a kindly deed.

38 ' SUMNER CENTEl^NIAL.
One hundred years ! a glance around ;
, We see the rugged wooded hills.
The village with its tapering spires.
The meadow, by the limpid rills ;
All things seem beautiful and grand
Throughout the bright arid joyous earth ;
Where can we find a lovelier spot >
Than this blest' land which gave us birth ?"
What would we not give now for a sketch of the
life in the new town of Sumner at the opening of
the ' present century, drawn by one who was a part
of that life ! But we must be content with glimpses
found in old letters, and handed down by tradition.
We find no great achievement as the world counts
greatness, but a persistent holding up through pov
erty, trial, self-denial and opposition, that banner
of rightQusness, integrity and truth. It is such lives
as these that build the great framework of a nation's
honor. , .
But sometimes toil and labor put on the garb of
pleasure and social enjoyment, when neighbors came
together to rai^e each others buildings, or by the
lighj; of smoky lantern husked, one another's corn,
always on the lookout for red ears, or crowned the
achievements of a new co-operative bed quilt by an
evening of cheerful hilarity. Spelling matches and
singing schools gave the young people an opportu
nity for forming acquaintances which often resulted
in the formation of new households.
We catch a slight glimpse of the town in 1806,
from the journal of Paul Coffin, , who made a mission-

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. , 39
ary tour through this section in that year. We
quote the following:
"Sat., Sept. 6. Rode to Sumner through a good
road and put up with Joseph Robinson, son, of the
Deacon, a pleasant family it was.
"Sept. 7, Sabbath. In Sumner. Preached to a large
and serious assembly from Luke i6 : 29, 30 and Ro
mans 8 : 16. Preached in the barn of Hezekiah Stet
son. The audience was large and not very much
divided, consisting of people not turned with the
traveling doctrines of the day. Mr. Isaiah Cush
man, lately from North Yarmouth, was greatly taught
and relieved by the sermon on Romans 8:16.
"This town is settled on a road running north and
south six miles. '
"Rode on my way to Hartford after supper and put
up with Dea. Robinson. He has two houses; two
barns, a saw and a grist mill, and a potash. He lives
well and trbated me with water mellons having white
seeds." The next day the Missionary went on to Hartford,
but records no more "treating."
The fecclesiastical history was told yesterday, by
the Rev. P. E. Miller, in his historical sermon, and
need not be dwelt on farther.
One of the first things the settlers did long before
in'corporation was to provide for schools, ¦!>oluntarily
taxing themselves for their support, and we find
in the early plantation warrants, articles for this
purpose.

40 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
In 179s, the two plantations were divided into six,
school districts.
The first district included the north part of the
town from the old Parlin place to the Benjamin
Heald place on Sumner Hill.
The second district began at the Cobb place, just
east of Sumner Hill, and took in the settlement
.about the mills at the east side of the plantation,
and down toward Buckfield as far as Wm. Tucker's.
The school house stood near the John Briggs "^ place
above Potash Hill.
The third district included the south part of the
town from the Bonney place to the Buckfield line. *
Sumner has a military history of which she miy
well be proud. Of the twenty-one founders, sixteen
were Revolutionary heroes whose services in the
Continental army are recorded in the Archives of
Massachusetts. At the begining of this century a majority of the
voters in this town were veterans of that great
struggle. Not less than forty men who fought to
establish independence have found a home in Sumner,
and nearly the same number took part in the war of
1812, while more than a hundred of her sons went
to the front in the struggle to maintain the' Union,
a record scarce paralleled any where. They proved
themselves worthy sons of patriot sires, t
In the early days the mails were like angels' visits,
few and far between. There was no post-office in
town until 181 2, when one was established on Sum-
See • Appendix, N. f See Appendix, O.

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. • 4I
¦ner Hill at Simeon Barrett's, and he was Postmaster
until 1840.
The early settlers got their mail from New Glou-
chester. The first post-rider in this part of the
country was Jacob Howe, the ancestor of all the
Howes yet living in town. He rode on horse back
with his mail from Portland to Waterford once each
week. Post-offices were established in Paris' and
Buckfield in i8oi.
The second post-office in Sumner was established
at East Sumner in 1832, with Dr. Bethuel Cary as
postmaster, an office he continued to hold for
twenty seven years.
The western part of the town got their mail from
Paris for many year^; this part of the town was not
settled as soon as the East.
The first settlers here came about 1800, and in
181 1, William Cobb bought the lot containing' the
mill privilege from the state of Massachusetts, it be
ing the lot reserved by the State in 1787. He prob
ably built the mills here about 1812, and afterwards
sold them to Alphaeus S. Drake who ran them for
some years.
The third Post-office in town was established in
1833, here in West Sumner. Henry Howe was post
master. He was succeeded in 1837 by Whitney
Cummings, who held the office until 1855.
-The town had a steady growth for the first fifty
years of its coporate life.
In 1790 there were one hundred and eighty-nine

42 SUMIJER . CENTENNIAL. 1
persons in both plantations. The population ' in
creased rapidly, and in i82o, at the time of the sepa
ration from Massachusetts, there were' one thousand
inhabitants in Sumner alone. These increased to
nearly thirteen hundred in 1840, but the census in
1850, showed a decrease which has progressed stead
ily until in the census of 1890 Sumner was credited
with nine hundred inhabitants.
The causes of this decrease are not far to seek.
Between 1840 and i860 the great west ^was opened,
and young men emigrated to those fertile prairie.
lands. In 1849, gold was discovered in California,
and drew still others from the town.
From i860 to 1870, the civil war decimated the
ranks of the younger men, and the population fell
nearly fifty between 1870 and 1880. In the. next ten
years the town lost only fifteen. To-day the tide
has turned, and Sumner probably has a greater popu
lation than ten years ago.
J purposely refrain from mentioning the events of
the last half century. These will be rehearsed here
this afternoon by those who have, been actors in them.
We have with us today those whose lives and
memories cover almost the full cehtury of Sumner's
history. It has been my task to recall the memories of
still more ancient times; of the founders and the
fore fathers. But the history of a century cannot be
crowded into an hour, and time forbids us to dwell
longer on this theme. ,

SUMNER (;;entennial. 43
It is not necessary to claim that our ancestors on
this soil were in all things perfect or altogether
faultless men in order to point' to them as in many
ways our benefactors.
Their toils and struggles, their sacrifices and pray
ers, their counsels, faith and patience, have all en
tered into the long process through which this town
has become what it is ; and have had their results
in the material, the moral, the intellectual, and the
spiritual well being which we recognize as our
heritage today.
"The good men do lives after them; the ill is oft
intered with their bones."
Then all honor to these men.
But what of the coming century ?
At the celebration of the Bi-centennial of this
town in 1998, what will be said of us .'
Shall it be said of us that we maintained the
integrity, fidelity and honesty which was our inheri
tance from our fathers 1
Amid all this rejoicing and jubille let us' not for
get their examples, and strive to emulate their
virtues. '
"God of our days ! Thy guiding power
, Sustained the lonely pioneer
Who first beneath the forest's shade
His evening hearth fire kindled here;
To Thee a welcome sacrifice ;
It's smoke ascending to the skies.

44 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
"God of the centuries ! today
A hundred years their tale have told.
And lingering in their solemn shade
We listen to the days of old.
To Its how vast the century's flight f
To Thee as watches in the night.
"God of eternity \ Thy hand
To nobler hills has beckoned on
The fathers, who, by many toils
For us this pleasant dwelling won; *
With them hereafter may we raise
Celestial anthems to Thy praise."

"God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line.
Beneath Whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet.
Lest we forget — lest we forget !
"The tumult and the shouting dies,
The captains and the kings depart;
Still stands Thine ancient Sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet.
Lest we forget — lest we forget !"

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. 45
GBNTBINNIAU POEM.
( Written by Mrs, Helen S. Robertson. )
Hail Sumner! proudly we hail thee to-day.
Thou hast reached a milestone on thy way.
And for once from care and toil we are free ; '
We consecrate this day to God and thee.
Then hail ! we'll make the welkin ring with cheers,
In honor and praise of thy crowning years.
From Mt. Benson's summit bold and grand.
Throughout the length and breadth of the land.
Hail Sumner ! gladly we hail thee again.
In honor of the brave women and men
Who the perils of the wilderness dared,
And many privations and hardships shared.
That to posterity they might hnind down
Freedom and homes in this delightful town.
These pioneers lived lives good and true,
Their tastes were simple and their wants were few.
They built their cabins by the wild beast's lair.
Their paths were crossed by the wolf and bear ;
The stealthy panther in the forest stayed ;
The Indian in feathers and blanket arrayed,
Reared his bark wigwam on the mountain side,
No roads, only spotted trees for a guide ;
Brave and undaunted, many dangers they faced ;
Their names on the honor roll should be placed.
Time pauses not, it has forged ahead
Until one hundred years have sped.
A century has wrou^t.a wonderous change —
We can scarcely believe it, 'tis so' strange.

46 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
Now neat farmhouses dot hillside and plain.
With fruitful orchards and fields of grain;
Here and th^re church spires dot in the sun.
And schoolhouses open to every one.
, Then, fondly loved Simmer, we hail !
Thou'rt lovely. When rnists thy mountain veil.
And every lake within its rocky bed
Mirrors trees and flowers, while overhead
The azure sky with clouds of faintest gray, ^
Just touched with pink, at the dawn of day.
Surmounts a scene of such rare loveliness
That words can but im|)erfectly express.
Hail Suniner ! loudly -we hail thee and well ,
In memory of our heroes who fell
Defending their country — fighting for the right.
Forget not heroes that are yet in sight.
They have been ready in their country's cause.
Sumner's men have done duty in all wars —
Stood by their colors as ift rnattered not
When surrounded by flying shell and shot.
We stand to-day on the selfsame sod
Which was by 'our forefathers trod.
What a boon to us they did bequeathe !
There's freedom in the air we breathe —
We pledge ourselves this boon to keep.
Great Keeper, who doth not slumber nor sleep.
With thy help our town shall be free
For many and many a century.

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. 47
THE TOASTS.

Our Oldest Inhabitants: Sumner present joins
hands with Sumner past, and seeks her benediction
on Sumner future. Response by Capt. Lewis Bisbee.
Onr Ancestors : May the industry , and integrity
that characterized their lives be emulated by their
posterity. Response by Henry B. Hersey.
Ye Pedagogues : The masons who wield the
trowel. If the boys of Sumner have builded well in
the architecture of life, it is because the foundations
were well laid. Response by James B. Chaffin.
. The Boys of the old-time District School,
The pranks they played and the master's rule.
Response by Sharon Robinson.
Sumner s first Sunday School: Recollections of a
charter member who has never graduated.
Response by Dea. Josiah T. Stetson.
The Church: Inseparably connected with Sum
ner's past history, her present good name and her
future hopes. Response by Rev. P. E. Miller.

48 SUMNER CENTENNIAL,
The Sons of Sumner : Be they far or near our
hearts are with them, and we rejoice at their success.
May their native heath ever occupy a warm corner
in their memories. Response by Nahum Moore.
The Daughters of Sumner: We love them. - ,
Response by Albert D. Park.
Sumner in the War : Her quota was always full.
itesponse by Capt. Charles H. Prince.
Sumner at the Bar : May she in her practice be
instrumental in closing the "open bars," and in plac
ing offenders behind the bar.S|.
Response by Prentiss Cummings.
Our next Centennial . May our children's children
do it honor. Response by Joseph A. Noyes.
Long Suffering Cuba: May she soon be free.
Response"by W. Stanwood Field,
The Pine Tree State: Physically, intellectually
and morally, she furnishes timber for the Union.
Response by Hon. Enoch W. Woodbury.

SUMNER CENTENNIAL, 49
GBNTENNIAE HYMN.
( Written by Alice E. Maxim, )
O God'above ! to Thee we raise
Our praiseful song this day of days !
Our fathers loved and worshiped here ;
O grant this day their presence near.
Give us the power to feel that they
Unite with us to sing and pray,
And something yet of interest see
In our dear town's prosperity.
Our ancestors were led by Thee
To make their home this fair country ;
And Thou their toilsome lives did bless
With flowers of mercy numberless .
These lands of forest growth were shorn
To yield rich fruits and golden corn ;
And many pleasant homes were reared,
Which their descendants hold endeared.
These rocky hills and pleasant vales,
These lakes where youthful pleasure sails,
Are dear to all our hearts to-day.
As to our grandsires passed away.
The roses by the road-side grow,
Our grand-dames planted long ago ;
And bloom as sweet this dewy morn
' As if in Eden newly born.

50 SUMNER CENTENNIAL.
The choicest fruitage of the years,
Attained by struggles, prayers and tears,
Is not of gold, but faith in Thee,
Great love and sweetest charity.
And in the fiiture, as the past, '
May Thy strong arms, around us cast.
Make all our labors go to prove
That in Thy love we live and move.

f * *. * m
"*>.. '0.

PRENTISS CU-MMINGS.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 53
OLIVER CUMMINGS
AND HIS DESCENDANTS.

By Prentiss Cummings.

Oliver Cummings was born in Dunstable, Mass.,
July 12, 1756, and died in Sumner, July 2, 1823. He
was son of Capt. Oliver Cummings, and was himself
a soldier in the war of the Revolution. The family
was Scotch, and the name was spelled Comings,
Cumings, Comins, Cumins, and in other ways ; and
the early settlers pronounced the name as if it had
no "g". It was at my father's suggestion that the
present spelling was adopted by the family generally.
The original emigrant is said to have been Isaac
Cummings, who settled in Topsfield, Mass., in 1632.
The family was reputable, and very religious ; and
among them were a number of brave soldiers.
When a child I heard it talked in the family that my
grandfather, being one of the original proprietors,
came early to Sumner to locate his land and settle, as
he was engaged to be married to Betsy Bailey, a girl
brought up in his father's family. He brought with
him a plan of the grant which had on it the two
ponds now known as Pleasant and Labrador. His
land was located in fact about a mile southwesterly
of Labrador Pond, where he afterwards lived and
built a house which is still standing ; but he mistook
what is now called Moose Pond in Paris for the

54 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
westerly one on his map, and therefore began his
clearing near Pleasant Pond on or near what was
later the Charles Buck place. After he had got started
he climbed the hill near by, and seeing another pond
in the east, became aprehensive he had made a mis.T
take. He spent several days invfestigating ; but
there were no settlers within many miles, and he
had no "means of satisfying his doubts. He therfefore ,
returned to Dunstable; and did not come back until
he had married and had orie or two children. He
thus missed being tbe earliest settler in the town.
While he was making his clearing in the center of
the town and building a cabin, his wife and children
boarded in a house which is now the ell of the Col.
White place in Buckfield. He passed Sundays with ,
his family, and kept run of the days by cutting,
notches in a stick. Once he forgot to, do so and
Worked all day Sunday ; and his conscience was much
troubled that he had allowed his private interests to
make him careless enough to violate a duty.
I know little of my grandfather beyond the fact
that he was a prosperous farmer, and fond of music.
At the age of sixteen he was a drurtmer-boy in his
father!s company ; and when he became a man sang
tenor, and played the bass-viol. I think he played
in parson Sewall's. church. My grandmother had
one of those high soprano voices known as counter ;
and when tl^e children were young enough to sing
alto, he, by means of his bass-viol, made up a
family quartet.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 55
\
By his first wife, Betsy Bailey, he had two child
ren, Sibyl and Oliver.
SIBYL, married Zadoc Bosworth of Sumner, and
left five children. Several of her descend
ants are still living.
OLIVER, died many years ago in New York city.
He married Polly Churchill, (a sister of his
father's second wife), and had seven child
ren, three of whom, Lawrence P., Harriet,
' and Mehitable, lived to marry. Of these
Lawrence P. was a piano manufacturer in 'New
York city, and when he had accumulated
a competency he became apresbyterian
ininister, and was a man of high char
acter and great thoughtf ulness. He
married Rebeckah Doremus, and had
three daughters. His widow is now
living in New York with her, unmarried
daughters, Henrietta and Sarah. The
third daughter, Harriet, is wife of Dr.
Chamberlain, has children, and lives in
Springfield, Mass.
Harriet, (twin sister of Lawrence P.), married
Aretas Damon of Sumner, has no child
ren, and is now a widow living in
Buckfield.
Mehitable, married Merritt F. Damon of Sum
ner, is living, and has several children.
For his second wife my grandfather married, Feb.
I; 1804, Phcebe Churchill, daughter of Andrew
Churchill of Sumner, who with five of his sons were
Revolutionary soldiers. She in her latter years lived

56 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
with my father, and was well known in the commun
ity as "Aunt Phoebe". She died at an advanced
age. By her husband she had three children, Betsy
Bailey, Larnard, and Whitney.
BETSY BAILEY, born Dec. 3, 1804, and died at
the age of twelve.
LARNARD, born Aug. 13, 1806, and died in Sum
ner in 1884. He was a farmer, miller, and
Free-will Baptist preacher, was very eccen
tric, and noted for droll, original, and un
expected sayings. His attachment to his
brother Whitney, and indeed to all his rela
tives was very strong. He married Nancy
White, who is still living in Sumner at a
very advanced age. ' They had three child
ren who lived to grow up, as follows : —
Julia Ann, married Caleb Thomas of Hartford,
and died leaving a large family of child
ren. Mr. Thomas is still living.
Marilla, lived with her mother and died unmar
ried. She was a noble, self-sacrificing
woman.
James Larnard,, married Clara Washburn of
Sumner, and has two daughters.
WHITNEY,(01iver's second son by Phoebe Church
ill), was born Dec. 18, 1808, and died in
Buckfield, March 4, 1881. He was a farm
er, beginning on his father's place, later at
West Sumner, and afterwards at Buckfield.
At various dates he also owned and run all
the different mills > at West Sumner. He
was for many years deacon of the Baptist
church, and held various town and other

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 57
offices. He married Mary Hart Prentiss,
daughter of Henry Prentiss of North Paris.
She was a school-teacher of local note, was
a great reader of good books, with a great
memory, and an acceptable writer both bf
prose and verse for several newspapers.
She took much interest in young people,
to whom she had the gift of imparting
something of her own inspiration and am
bition. Both she and her husband are
buried in the cemetery at North Paris.
They had three children, Isabella, Prentiss,
and Mellen, the last of whom died in child
hood.
Isabella, was born in the old Oliver Cummings
house April 15, 1834, and married
Joseph S. Ingraham, an apothecary in
Bangor, Maine, son of Rev. Johrk S.
Ingraham of Augusta. She is a widow,
and has a summer place on Paris Hill.
She has two children, the elder of
whom, Paulina, is unmarried and lives
with her mother. The second ' daugh
ter Mary, is 'wife of Albert E. Davies,
a id lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Prentiss, was born in West Sumner, Sept. 10,
1840. Owing to a theory of his mother
that eveiy man should have a, trade, he
worked three years between the ages
of fourteen and seventeen at p: inting in
the Oxford Democrat office. He then
began fitting for college under Free-
land Howe and at Hebron Acadamy,
and later took a two-years course at
Phillips Acadamy, Exeter, N. H. He

5^ PERSONAL SKETCHES.
graduated from Harvard College in
1864. The following year he acted as
principal of the Portland High School, ,
• and began the study of law in the office
of Nathan Webb, now U. S. District
Judge for Maine. In the fall of 1865
he entered Harvard Law Schook
While there, owing to some sudden
changes among college professors, he
was unexpectedly appointed Tutor in
Latin, and had charge of the Sopho- -
more Class in that department until-
the winter of 1870, when he entered a
law office in Boston, having previously
graduated at the Harvard Law School.
In the summer of 1870 he was admitted
to the Boston bar, and commenced
practice. In 1874 -he was appointed.
chief assistant to the U. S. Attorney
in Boston, and until i88o had almost ex
clusive charge of the law business of the
government in that important district.
In the years 1881,1882,1883, he rep
resented the great business ward of the
city in the Common Council, and in
1884 and 1885 in the Legislature. In
1885 he was elected president of the
Cambridge Railroad, and held that
office until 1887 when the company
was consolidated with the^ other Boston.
Street-railways as the West End com
pany. He then became Vice-president
of the new company, and so continued
until in 1897 it was leased, to the Bos
ton Elevated Railway ; and since has
been advisory counsel of the last

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 59
named corporation. His corporate
duties have always been chiefly legal.
His home is in Brookline, where he is
Trustee of the public library and of
the local savings bank, is a member of
the school committee, ^nd has held other
offices. He is also member of many
clubs and societies, has been president
of many of them, and has given papers
and lectures on scientific and literary
subjects. He has made a specialty of
Homer and Homeric literature for
recreation, and also of chess, and was
for many years president of the Boston
Chess Club. Of the various offices
and business positions he has held he
never sought one directly or indirectly.
It is perhaps worth noticing that all
his male ancestors on his mother's side
as well as his father's whose age made
it possible took~ an active part in thc
Revolution ; and one of them. Dr. John
Hart, he succeeds in the Society of the
Cincinnati. On Feb'y 25, 1880, he
married Annie D. Snow of Cambridge.
He has no children.
It thus appears probable that in the next genera
tion the original settler will have no descendant
bearing the name of Cummings. Many of the earli
est and most important dates above given were
recorded in the family bible by my mother ; and are
inserted here for preservation against the next
centennial.

60 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
THE PULSIFER FAMILY
SN SUMNER.
Jonathan Pulsifer, second, married Nancy Ryerson
and settled on a farm in Sumner, March 3, 1828.
There, was deeded to Jonathan Pulsifer at that-time,
a certain jDarcel of land, situated in said 'Sumner
and bounded as follows :
"Beginning at the northwest corner of the town of
Sumner, thence southwardly on the line between
the town of Sumner and Woodstock, one hundred
(lod) rods to the "Great Brook", so called ; thence
down, said' Brook, as it now runs, to Stake- and
.Stones, to John Cox's land; thence north to the-
north line of the town of Sumner ; thence
westward on the town line, to the point first men
tioned, containing seventy-five acres, more or less."
This farm was deeded to Jonathan Pulsifej by
Willard Doble.
Jonathan Pulsifer, second, ;on cf Ephraim'
Pulsifer, was a descendant cf Benedictus Pulsifer,
who settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts, a few
years after the landing of the "Mayflower".
Benedictus Pulsifer was a "Round-Head" and was
banished from England bee -.use of his political views.
Jonathan and Nancy Pulsiier raised seven children,
namely: Christiana, born -March 29, 1817, Charles,
born August 23, 1818, Joseph, born July 22, 1824
Hiram, born January 10, 1826, Moses, born Novem-

JONATHAN PULSIFER.

'personal SKETCHES. 63
ber 2, 1828, Horatio, born December i8, 1833, a-^d
Sarah, born August 19, 1837.
The sons of Jonathan have owned farms in Sum
ner, and have been known as thrifty and forehanded
citizens of the town.
Charles Pulsifer lived for a time in Lewiston, and
was connected with one of the cotton mills.
Moses Pulsifer lived for a number of years in Jack
son Village. He was known and respected as one of
the most enterprising and progressive men of the
town. , He was at different times, during his resi
dence in Sumner, engaged in the cattle business, as
a merchant, as a farmer, and as the proprietor of a
house which gave hospitality to transients and sum
mer visitors. He died at Auburn, where he took up
his residence after leaving Sumner, and was buried
in the new cemetery in that city.
Charles Pulsifer had three children, Charles, Jr.,
Marcia and George.
Joseph Pulsifer had five children, LeRoy,(deceased),
Lizzie, Nellie, Hattie, and LeRoy, a son now living.
Hiram Pulsifer had seven children, Ella, George,
. Edgar, Walter, Pearl, Lewellyn andLouisa.
Moses Pulsifer had four children, William, Lovina,
Camille and Annie.
Horatio R. Pulsifer had three children, Henry,
.(deceased), Emma and Frank.
Sarah Pulsifer, who married Alonzo F. Barrows,
had five children, Bertie, Frank, Charlie, Fred and
Sadie.

64 personal SKETCHES.
William E. Pulsifer, oldest child of Moses Pulsifer,
received his education in the common schools of
Sumner, in the private high schools of Buckfield,
and finished his preparation for college at West
brook Seminary, where he graduated in June, 1870.
He was a student for a time at Kents Hill Seminary.
He received from Bates College, the degree of A. M.
After teaching in the town schools of Paris, Sumner,
Waterford and Andover, he was elected principal of
West Lebanon Academy, where he taught success
fully for two years. He was elected in the spring
of 1876, the principal of the Stoughton, Mass., High
School, where he remained for seven and one-half
years, when he was called to the superintendency of
the public schools of Leominster, Mass., where he
remained two years, at the end of which time he was
invited by the firm of Ginn, Heath & Co., — a large
Boston publishing house — to take a position as sales
man for that house. After five years' service with
Ginn, Heath & Co., Mr. D. C. Heath, who had re
tired from the firm of Ginn, Heath & Co., asked Mr.
Pulsifer to unite with him as a partner in the house
of D. C. Heath & Co. Mr. Pulsifer is at the present
time the Treasurer of the corporation of D. C. Heath
& Co., one of Boston's best known publishing hquses.
His responsibilities as treasurer and office manager
for the New York branch, are large and exacting.
William E. Pulsifer is the father of two child
ren, Mary G. Pulsifer, who is at present a senior in
Smith College, and Lester S. Pulsifer, who is a
senior at Amherst College.

MOSKS PULSIFER.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. (i"]
Mrs.' Ella Cotton, the daughter of Mr. Hiram Pul
sifer, resides at Windsor, Vt. She is the mistress
of a spacious and beautiful home, over which she
presides with great dignity. She is connected with
a number of religious and charitable enterprises, and
is well and favorably known throughout that section
of Vermont.
George E-, the son of Charles Pulsifer, who at the
present time resides at Jackson Village, is connected
with the Nursery firm of Homer N. Chase & Co.
George B., the son of Hiram Pulsifer, resides at
South Paris, Me., and has held a number of positions
of trust, and is known as a very useful citizen.
Lewellyn, the youngest son of Plirani Pulsifer,
is proprietor of a boot and shoe store at South Paris,
where he also resides., The other sons of Hiram
Pulsifer reside in Massachusetts, as does LeRoy,
the son 'of Joseph Pulsifer.
Lovina Pulsifer, married Dr. H. W. Field, and
resides at Auburn, Me.
Camille Pulsifer, who taught school successfully
in Sumner, married Ardon Tilton, and also resides
in Auburn, as docs Annie Pulsifer, who married
George Merrill.
Charles Pulsifer, Jr., resides at Norway Me. \
The children of Sarah Pulsifer reside at South
Paris, Me.
Of the daughters of Joseph Pulsifer, Lizzie, who
married Mellen Chandler, resides in Lynn. Nellie,
who married Herbert Ryerson, resides in 'South-

68 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Paris. Hattie, who married Oscar Swift, resides in
Sumner. The Pulsifer family has been known and respected
everywhere as honest, reliable, temperate and indus
trious, people. All the members of the family are
persons of strong convictions, and, for the most part,
they have the courage of their convictions. Many
of them have accumulated considerable of this world's
goods, which they use with credit to themselves
and with honor to the places in which they . reside.

WILLI.A.M E. PULSIFER.

GEORGE ELMER PULSIFER.

PERSONAL SKETCHES, 7I
GEORGE B. PULSIFER.
George E. Pulsifer, youngest son of Charles
Pulsifer, was born March 19, 185 1. He married
Flora H. Ripley, born September 21, 1851, daughter
of Col. Orison and Hannah Ripley of Paris, and had
three children, namely ; Harry E., born June 27,
1875; Arthur M., born Sept. 23, 1877; and Bertha,
born Jan. 16, 1882. Of these,
Harry E., received his education in the public
schools of Sumner. At the present time
he resides at his home in Sumner.
Arthur M., received his education in the common
schools of Sumner ; was a student at He
bron Academy, and graduated from Shaw's
Business College at Portland, Maine. He
successfully taught several terms of school
in Sumner, and was much liked as a teach
er. At the present time he holds a respon
sible position in the office of the Lewiston,
Brunswick and Bath Street Railway Com
pany at Lewiston, Maine.
Bertha, died in infancy.
George E. Pulsifer has been in the nursery busi
ness for a number of years, and is well and widely
known, not only in Sumner, but over New England,
as one of the ablest salesman and most enterprising
business men of our time. He owns a nicely located
stand in town where he and his family reside. Of
the large number of Pulsifers, descendants of Jona
than and Nancy Pulsifer, the family of George E.
Pulsifer is the only family by that name in town to-day.

72 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
THE NOYES FAMILY.
The Noyes family in town to-day are descendants
of Capt, Edward Noyes of Portland, Me.
Capt. Edward Noyes had four children, Edward,
Jr., James, Harriet, and Mary Ann. Of these,
Edward, Jr., immigrated to this section, married
and had ten children, Rufus, (deceased), Philemon,
Lydia, (deceased), Orelia, Joseph, John, James,
Mary, Edward, (deceased), and Louisa, (deceased).
Joseph A. Noyes, son of Edward, Jr., married
Sylvina P'aunce, and had eleven children, Lillian,
Josephene, Mary, George, Eva, Jessie, Tracy,
Cecil, Maurice, Arthur and Leon. Of thesp,
Lillian, married Eugene S. Hammond of Peru,
and has children. '
Josephene, married Rev. John E. Berry . of Sum
ner, and died having no children.
Mary, an estimable young lady, died unmarried,
George, married Abbie Davenport of Sumner,
and settled on a farm in town. He has
one child, Arthur.
Eva, married Fletcher Parlin, has one child and
resides in Paris.
Jessie, married Albert Ames of Hartford, She
has one child.

PERSONAL SKErCHES. 73
Trac)-, married W. E. Bowker, a prominent and
successful farmer who has been one of the
selectmen in Sumner for several years,
They have one child.
Cecil, married Lincoln Davenport of Sumner,
and died without children.
Maurice, resides at South Paris, where he is em
ployed.
Arthur, died in infancy, :
Leon, the youngest child, is yet at school and'
resides at home.
Joseph A, Noyes enlisted in the Sth Maine Reg
iment, August 24, 1 86 1, and served four years, five
months and eight days, which was, as near as the
writer can learn, the longest time served by any
man who enlisted from this town during the civil
war. While in the service he was present and did
his part in twenty-seven different battles. He was
a good soldier and has a splendid war record. He
has served as Commander of Barrows Post, G, A. R,
of this town, of which orga'nization he is a promi
nent member. At the present time he is chairman
of the Republican town committee. Mr. Noyes is a
generous-hearted, temperate, industrious and hard
working farmer, and owns a good farm in this town,
on which he resides,

74 . PERSONAL SKETCHES.
THE GOWELL FAMILY-
The Gowell family were original settlers of Bow
doin, Me., and are said to be of Scotch descent.
Charles Gowell, who immigrated to Sumner, from
Bowdoin, some time in 1813, and settled on land
near the present Labrador Pond, being the first
Gowell to settle in Sumner.
Like all of the earliest settlers he commenced by
building a log cabin and making a clearing. He
afterwards built a framed house on land at south-,
east corner of Labrador Pond. The house is yet
standing and at the present time occupied by George
Foster The Gowells were industrious and prosperoq*.
farmers, equal to any of their time, and were well
represented in the war of 181 2 and 1861, several
of their number being killed in the latter.
CHARLES GOWELL, first, was born June 16,
1760, and died July 14, 1835. He married
Ann,a  born Mar 31, 1758, and died Nov.
14, 1829. They had eight children, Jerusha,
born July 11, 1783; Joseph and Jenne, born
Jul}' 19, 1786; Joanna, born August 4, 1788;
Rebecca, born August 11, 1790. The sixth
child was a son, born Dec. 26, 1792, and died
the 27th of the same month. Anna, born
June 26, 1794 and died Feb: 28, 1796; William, .
born Jan. 9, 1797.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 75
Jt)SEPH, son of Charles, first, married Hannah
Bessey Whiteman, born April 14, 1797,
and had nine children, Anna, Charles, Su
san Devine, Robert Whiteman, Mary Ann,
Joan Bonney, William, James Whiteman
and Sally Hall. Of these
Anna, born Dec. 16, 1816, married Allen
G. Abbott of Sumner, and settled on a
farm in the center of the town. They
had seven children.
Charles, born Sept. 9, 181 8, married Emeline
McAlister, and had five children, Charles
A., Leroy A., Robert A., Emeline and
Henry H. After the death of his first
wife, he married Elizabeth St. Clair, and
had two children, George St, Clair, who
died at the age of, three years, and George
Weston, who at present resides at Lynn,
Mass. He enhsted in the 9th Me.
Regiment U. S. Volunteers June 23, 1863,
and gave his life in his countr)'s cause.
Of the children by his first wife, Emeline
McAlister,
Charles A., born June 21, 1843, married
Martha E. Bowker, and had five child
ren, Ellen Emeline, who married and
had two children; Lizzie Eudora, who
also married and had one child; and
three boys who died in infancy.

j6 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Robert A., born Aug. 9, 1847, married Lucy
Ann Staples of Hartford, Me., and had
one child, a son, who lived to be six
teen months old. After the death of
his first wife he married Mary J. Little-
field of Melrose, Mass. They have
one child, Fred Addison, born P"eb,
12, 1887,
Leroy A., the third son, enlisted in the
32d Maine Regiment U. S. Vblunteers, "
and was killed in battle at Spottsylva-
*nia Court House, June 3, 1864.
Emeline, was born Feb, 11, 1851. When
but three years old her mother died,
leaving several small children, which
were all put out with different families,
' and she, at the age of four, was adopted
by Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Gurney of
South Weymouth, Mass. She married
Noah Franklin Vining of South Wey
mouth, who enlisted, in Jan., 186.4, i"
Co. E. 4th Mass. Cavalry, and was in
the Petersburg Campaign; was also
present at the surrender of Lee' and
evacuation of Richmond. At the pre
sent time Mr. Vining holds the respon
sible position of Cashier in the Bank
ing House of Fogg Brothers, 48 Cong
ress St., Boston, Mass., a position he
has successfully held for years. He

PERSONAL SKETCHES. "]"]
has a nicely located stand in South
Weymouth, where he and his family
reside. They have five children, Sam
uel Albert, who was born Oct. 23, 1873,
and educated in the schools of Wey
mouth, and was a graduate of Comer's
Commercial College at Boston. After
completing his studies, he accepted an
office position with the firm of Alden
& Nevin, wholesale coal dealers in
Boston, and at the present time is a
successful and popular traveling sales
man for the above named firm. The
second child, Fannie Maria, born
March 31, 1875, was also educated
in the schools of Weymouth, and
was a graduate of the Weymouth High
School, class of 1894. At the present
time she resides at home. Robert
McAlister, born Oct. 8, 1876, received
his education in the schools of Wey
mouth, being Valedictorian of his class
in both the Grammar and High Sqhool.
At present he is taking a five-years
course in Mechanical Engineering at
the Mass. Institute of Technology; will
graduate in June, 1899. Louisa Eme
line, born Sept. 2, 1886, and Mary Ara-
bel, born June 30, 1888, are still at
.school and reside at home.

78 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Henry H., died Dec. 15, i860, at the age of
seven.
Susan Devine lived at home and died unmar
ried, Oct. 25, 1866.
Robert Whiteman, born June 21, 1822, mar
ried Eliza Bishop, and had five children, Willis,
Frank, Loren, Alonzo A, and Herbert. He
enlisted in the civil war and died while in the ,
service, and was buried at sea on his way home.
Mary Ann, born Jan. 25, 1825, married and had
five children.
Joan Bonney was born Mar. 7, 1827, and died
at the age of four.
William, born Oct. 31, 1830, married Mary'
Brown and had eight children, Henry, Ida,
Lorenzo, George, Lewellyn, Sarah, Robert
L. and Carrie.
James Whiteman, born Apr. 21, 1832, married
and had three children, Elmer, Susan ' and
Charles.
Sally Hall, (deceased), born Mar. 7, 1835,
married Henry Lawler of Mass. and had one
child, Henry Herbert, who is married, has
one child and resides in South Weymouth.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 79
CAPT. GILBERT M. SMALL.
*
Capt. Gilbert M. Small, who at the present time
resides in Jackson Village, is great-grandson of
John Small, who removed from Cape Elizabeth to
whcit is now Milbridge, in 1762; grandson of Dea.
Elisha Small, who was one of the early settlers of
Cherryfield; and son of Benjamin Small, who married
Serena Wakefield, and also resided in Cherryfield,
At the age of eighteen years, he hired on a sailing
vessel "to go before the mast," and continued in
that capacity, with a salary of from eight to sixteen
dollars per month until he had saved money enough
to pay his way at an Academy in Gorham, at which
place he took a course in navigation. After com
pleting his studies he returned again to his sea-far
ing life, and was soon promoted to the position of
captain. He served as captain of merchant vessels
doing business in foreign countries, up to the time
of the civil war, and seeing his country's need of
officers in the navy, he enlisted as "acting master,"
and served one year, part of that time on the ship
"Ohio." At the close of the war he returned to his
home, and having contracted disabilities which made
him physically unable to follow his chosen vocatiori,
that of following the sea, he commenced the study
of medicine. He continued the practice of medicine
for a term of ten years, at which time his old long
ing for the sea came back to him, and he again
served as captain of merchant trading vessels until

80 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
1880, when he retired from the sea and remoi'ed to
Sumner. In 1847 he married Eleanor G. Moore,
and had three children, Helen S., who is wife of
Capt. J. A. Robertson, resident of Harrington ;
Byron M., an attorney at law and clerk of courts
for Franklin County, who resides in Farmington;
and Daniel D., a successful farmer of Sumner.
HENRY H. MAXIM.
Henry H. Maxim, an enterprising and successful '
farmer of Sumner, is son' of Benj. Maxim oi Buck-
field, was born March 28, 1841. He enlisted in the
1 2th Maine Regiment, U. S. Volunteers, and served
three and one-half years, and is spoken of by his
officers and comrades as having been a good soldier.
The writer recently read in the "Oxford Democrat,"
issue of April 12, 1898, an interesting account of an
exciting and hazardous experience of his in rescuing
two wounded comrades from the battle-field during
the first day's battle at Port Hudson. The account
was written by himself, and its truth is vouched for
by responsible testimoii)-. The writer of this sketch
has seen the letter containing the sworn statement
of the party he rescued, in which they acknowlege
in most glowing terms the daring and bravery h6
displayed in sa\ ing their lives at the risk of his own.
He was married July 4, 1865, to Alice E. Ripley,
daughter of Col. Orison and Hannah Ripley of
Paris. They have one child, Henry B., who was
born July 17, 1868.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 8 1
DEA. INCREASE ROBINSON
AND DESCENDANTS.
Dea. Increase Robinson, the progenitor of thc
Robinsons that have since lived in Sumner, was
born in 1739, and his wife, Rebecca Bourne, in 17313.
They moved into town from Pembroke, Mass., in
1783, being the sixth family to settle in the east part
of the town. They brought with them eight child
ren, four boys and four girls. The names of the
children, by order of their birth, were as follows :
Joseph, Priscilla, Asa, Elizabeth, Alvin, Myrtilla,
Susan and Increase. With the exception of Priscilla,
who married John Keen, and settled at North
Turner, and Myrtilla, who remained single, the
children all lived and reared families in Sumner.
Joseph, the .eldest, married Patty Spaulding of
Buckfield, and had nine children, Rebecca,
Joseph, Jr., Lydia, Loami, Stephen, Patt)',
Leonard, Susan and Spaulding.
Priscilla, who married John Keen, had eight
children, Anna, Priscilla, John, Jr., Jacob,
Josiah, Jerusha, Rebecca and Thomas.
' As.v married Deborah Briggs and Margaret Bart
lett, and reared a family of nineteen child
ren, Asa, Salome, Margaret, Deborah, Lucy,
Orrin, Sumner, Sab/ina, Sophronia, Livona,
^ Ervin, Susan, Wealthy, John, Daniel, A.
Judson, Lucius, and George Dana,

'82 personal SKETCHES.
Elizabeth married Simon Parlin, and had ter
children, Merinda, Ira, Almond, Oliver,
Harvey, Robinson, Simon, Jr.,' Elizebeth,
Wealthy and Vincent Cooledge.
Alvin married Lydia Soule, and had seven child
ren, Alvin, Jr., Abigail, William, John, In
crease, Zebulon and Isaac. ,
Myrtilla did not marry, as before stated.
Susan married Judah Keen, and had nine children,
Cyrus, Judah, Jr, John, Joanna, Myrtilla,
Elvira, Juliette, Asher and Lydia.
.{ncrease, Jr., married Abigail' Parlin, and had
six children, Zury, Anna, Almeda, Sharon,
Rebecca and David Brainard.
Nearly all of them reared large families, that in
time married and multiplied, until the names of
Robinson, Keen, and Parlin, were as familiar as
household words.
DEA. INCREASE ROBINSON was, in his
early days in the new settlement, a useful citizen,
as he ererted the first saw, shingle and grist-mills,
and opene,d the first place for the sale of groceries.
He also was a cooper, and made many useful wood-
' en utensils for pioneers' use. The first public religi
ous meetings were held in his house. The house
that he built was the first framed house in town, and.

personal sketchks. 83
ed by his son, Dea. Sharon Robinson, who operated
the mills many years, and lived and died at the old
homestead. "Dea. Sharon," as he was familiarly called, was
also a useful and respected citizen, a devoted chris
tian man, a hard-working and honest person, with a
character above reproach. His son, Sharon, Jr., at
date of this sketch, still lives upon the old farm,
and was the author of the three-page account of the
"Sumner Centennial," published in the "Lewiston
livening Journal," June 11, 1898.
Tradition says that the numerous families bear
ing the name of Robinson in New England, sprang
fi-Qm one of two brothers that came over from Eng
land, and one of whom settled in New Jersey,, and^
the other in Massachusetts. As will be seen in the
foregoing paragraph of this sketch, Dea. Increase
Robinson came from Massachusetts. History and
observation show that the Robinson race were hardy,
industrious, temperate and useful in their day and
generation.
CHARLES E. HANDY, JR.
Charles tidward Handy, Jr., the publisher of this
little volume, who for the past twelve years has
been a resident of Sumner, was ,^born in Andover,
Me., Feb. 4, 1865. His father, Charles E. Handy,
who served as-Cbporal in the civil war nearly four
years, and at present is a , carpenter and contractor

84 personal sketches.
in Lewiston, is son of Samuel Handy of Norridge-
wock, who is yet living, having attained the ripe old
age of ninty-nine years. His mother, who died
March 26, 1894, was daughter of- Reuben R. and
Joan Barrett, who were among the early settlers of
Andover, Me. He received his education in the
schools of Lewiston; was a graduate of Smith's
Business College, class of 1880, and for one year he
continued at the same school as assistant instructor,
at the end of which time he entered the employ of
the "Lewiston Weekly Gazette," as general office
hand, to learn the trade of a printer, and has since
conducted various kinds of business. In the fall of
1886, he removed to Sumner, and for ten years con
ducted a, horse-shoeing and carriage- making shop.
In May, 1898, he purchased the entire printing plant
of Harold Chandler, in Sumnerj and is at present
conducting a publishing and printing establisliment
at West Sumner. He is a member of A. C. Pray
Camp, Sons of Veterans, of Auburn, and the West
Paris, No. 15, Lodge of Odd ]'\-l]nws. Sept. 25,
1887, he married Mary Emma McAlister, daughter
of Hannabel H. and Isabel C. McAlister of Sumner,
and has three children, Francis Carlyle, born Juh-
24, 1888; Archie Revere, born Sept. 23, 1890; and
Florence Alma, born Alar. 2, 1898.

WELLINGTON H. EASTMAN.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 87
THE EASTMAN FAMILY.
ROGER EASTMAN,' the father of all the East
mans in America, was born in Wales in 161 1, and
settled in Salisbury, Mass,, in 1640. Thomas,= his
fourth child, was born Sept. 1 1, 1646, married Deb-
(U'ah Corlis, and settled m Haverhill. Jonathan, 3
only son of Thomas, was born Jan. 8, 1683. He
married Hannah Green. Dea. Richard,4 fifth child
of Jonathan, was born. Aug, 9, 1712, He was
chairman of the first board of selectmen in the town
(if Fryeburg, and for many years deacon of the
Congregational church there. He died Dec. 9, 1807.
Daniel, 5 thirteenth child of Richard by his first wife,
Sarah Abbott, was born in April, 1766, and married
Sally Whiting. Dea. Isaac,^- ninth child of Daniel,
was born Mar. 2, 1883, married Esther Woodbury,
and settled in Sweden, Me. He died June 16, 1887.
The Eastman name is represented in Sumner by
Wellington Harris, 7 the eighth and youngest child
of Isaac. He was born Jan. 6, 1853. The first ten
years of his majority he was engaged at the
printing trade and in nevyspaper work in this
state and Massachusetts, Jan. 26, 188.1, he Was
married to Rachel Willey Stetson, and a year later
settled at East Sumner, where he , established his
seed business in 1885. He has four children, Ella
Leona (adopted), born Sept. 9, 1887; Esther Her-
,sey,8 born Dec. 10, 1892; Augusta Tillson,^ born Jan.
14, 1895; and Roger,^ born Jan. 22, 1897.

.SS PERSONAL SKETCHES.
THE STETSON FAMILY.
The Stetsons were among the earliest settlers of
the present town of Sumner. Hezekiah Stetson,
one of the founders of the town, came here from
Pembroke, Mass., in April, 1775, and settled in the
"West Town," and with him originated all the Stet
sons who reside in Sumner to-da'y.
Hezekiah Stetson had eight children, Elisha,
Abel, Zenus, Tillson, Hezekiah, Jr., Ephraim, Lydia
and Mary.
Abel Stetson, Jr. was born Jan. 21, 1824,- and-
married Adaline H. Howe, born Jan. 10, 1822,
daughter of Jeremiah and S)'lvia Howe, and
had three children, Cornelia B., Carlton B.,
and Rollin Neal.
Cornelia B., born Sept. 27, 1852, married J. 1'
Moody, a then professor at Hebron Acad
emy, and had two children, Mary Ada-
line and John Franklin.
Carlton Beecher, born Feb. 28, 1855, married.
Mar. 25, 1891, Mary Belle Bigelow,, and
has one child, Carlton Beecher, Jr., born
¦ Feb. 10, 1893.
Rollin Neal, born Sept. 15, 1866, married Addie
Belle Heald of North Buckfield, and had
one child, Althea Heald, born Nov. 7,
1891. He succeeded his father on the
farm, and is well and favorably known as

SAMUEL HERSEY,

PFKSOXAI. SKETCHES. 9I
one of Sumner's must successful and "up-
to-date" farmers. In 1895 he was elected
one of the selectmen of Sumner, and was
re-elected in 1896-97, an office he held
with credit to hifnself and the town.
DI:A. ABEL STETSON. JR. succeeded his
father on the farm at West Sumner; where he con
tinued to reside until his death, which occured Oct.
29, 1891. Dea. Abel and wife were charter mem
bers of the Baptist Church at West Sumner, and he
was elected a deacon at its first meeting.
The Stetson family are known and respected as
honest and upright christian people, hard but will
ing workers in and for the church, generous and
charitable to the need)', and bcl(i\ed by all.
. A REVOLUTIONER.
James Hersey was born in 1759, and was of the
fifth generation from William Hersey, who came
over from England in 1635 and settled in Hingham,
Mass, He was a soldier of the American Revolu
tion; married Alethea Poole, and first settled in Ab-
incrton, Mass.; later removed to Minot, Me., and in
1 80 1 came to Sumner, and settled in the south-west
part of the town.
JAMES and ALETHEIA HERSEY had twelve '
children,, one died in infancy. The names of
eleven are as follows: Simeon, James,
Samuel, Alethea, Anna, Susan, Ruth, 01i\e,
Maria, Ira and Sophronia.

92 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Simeon married Lois Warren, and settled in
Sumner. . They had eleven children, Nancy,
Sabrina, Simeon, 2nd, Almira, Warren,
Alva, Lois, Levi, John Milton, Tristam and
Mary Jane.
J A. MES, 2nd married Olive P'reeman, and set
tled in Sumner.. To them were born seven
children, Jane, Samuel F , James 3d.r Mary.
Ann, Cynthia Eveline, Sophronia Maria
and Lewis G, His second wife with whom,
he lived many years was Abegail (Bradford)-
Chase.
•Samuel married Eunice Bradbury, and settled
in Sumner. They had six children, Wm. R.,
Hiram, Samuel, 2nd, Moses B., Jascin
and Julia Ann. By his second wife,
Mary or Polly, a sister of Eunice his first
wife, were born Henry B. and Eunice M,
The last named being the mother 'of
I'lUGENE H. ANDREWS, M. D., a graduate.of
J^owdoin University Medical School, now practicing
his profession with success in Sumner, who was,
born in Paris, July 30, 1862. He is son of the late
Alfred P. and Eunice M. (Hersey) Andrews, the
former of whom was born in Paris, Sept. 15, 1837,
and died in Groveton, N. H., June 26, 1882; and the
latter born in Sumner, July 18, 1835, and died in
Paris, Aug. 25, 1862; grandson of Sullivan Andrews, .,
of Paris, and great-grandson of Edmund Andrews,

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 93
Alfred P. Andrews was an able business man,
who for many years was engaged in trade at
North and West Paris. He acted in the capacity of
a justice of the peace and was highly regarded b)-
his fellow townsmen. After the death of his first
wife Eunice, he married Ada M. Lane, daughter of
John M. and Sarah (Coburn) Lane of Sumner, and
had two children, Sullivan L., who is at present
studying medicine; and Alma L., desceased.
Eugene H. Andrews acquired his early education
i-n the common schools of Paris, and at North Bridg-
ton Academy. After leaving school he took up the
study of painting and decorati\'e art, and pursued it
for ten yearsj during which period, however, he ¦
taught school for a time and served several years on
the School B )ard of Paris. In 1890 he began the
study of medicine. Later he attended the Maine
General Hospital and the Portland school of Medical
Instruction the term of two years. He then entered
the medical department of Bowdoin College, from
which he graduated in June, 1894. He first located
in Paris, where he practiced one year. In 1895 he
removed to West Sumner, where he is fast establish
ing a reputation as a skillful physician, and haviii,^-
gained-the confidence of the community, enjoys a
wide field of practice. He is a charter member of
the O.Kford County Medical Society; and is connect
ed with the Masonic fraternity, being a member of
Granite Lodge, No. 182 of West Paris, and of thc
Chapter, Council and Commandery. Sept. 26, 1888,

94' ri:RSONAL skktches.
he was united in marriage to Annie Bartlett Burgess,
daughter of Charles G. Burgess, a retired merchant
of Brunswick, Me. They have two children, Ruth
Burge.ss, born Sept. 20, '1893; and Mariam liunice,
born May i, 1898.
-\lethe.\ married John Bradbury, and settled
in Bangor, Me. ' Children born to them
were two, Albion and Matilda.
Anna married Mesack Keen, and settled in
Sumner. They had nine children born to
them, Alethea, Lucius and Louisa, twins;
Asia and Africa, twins; Anna, Mary Jane,
Samuel and Nancy.
Sus.VN married John Thayer, and settled in
Buckfield, Me. They had three children, •
Washington, John Greenlief and Isaac.
Ruth married Benjamin Hammond, and settled
in Lincoln, Me. Eight children were born
to them, Frederic A., Maria H., Althea P.,
Rebecca S., James H., Peter C, Benjamin,
2nd and Edwin B.
Olive married Stephen Cobb, . and settled in
Sumner. Children born to them were fi\'c,
Mary W., Olive R., John F., Rosette and
Lewis A.
Maria married Ezra Cobb, and settled in Sum
ner. Three children were born to them,
Cynthia, Horace B. and Matilda,

EUGENE H. ANDREWS, M. D.

PKRSdX.M. SKETCHKS 97
Ik.\ married O.nittee Fletcher, and fir.t sjttled
in Sumner, but later went West. They
had seven children, Sylvinia, Timothy.
Charles, ICunice, Alethea, James and Albert.
S')Pi[K()xi.v married Hiram Heald, and settled
in Sumner. They had eleven -children,
^larsclla, Lysander, Hiram H., Albert,
Abel S., Stephen C, Kmogene, Alethea,
James, Franklin and Oscar,
HANNIBAL H. MgALISTER.
The Mc.A.listers were a clatn in the south of Scot
land. Trouble arose among them which caused
them to divide, part of them emigrating to Ireland
and the others to America, Those who came to this
country finally settled in what is now Lovell, and
the .descendants of those sturdy old Scotchnien
are now scattered from Maine to the Pacific coast.
The writer, in making research, has discovered
.¦^cveral ways in \Vhich the name is spelled. One of
the ol(l Scotch vva)'s of spelling the name was
••Mac.-Mister,'' and other ways found to-dav are
'¦McCollister," ¦McAllister" and "McAli.ster," the
J:ist named being the most proper.
H.\.\NIBAL H. McALlSTER, the subject of
this sketch, was bfTi'n in Paris, Sept. 4, 1838, and
died in -Sumner, Mar. 19, 1897. He was son of
.Samuel and Lydia McAlister, who li\-ed\on thc
''Bisco farm" in Paris. His mother died when he

98 I'ERSON.VI. SKETCHlvS.
wa^s young, leaving eight children, and the'\ounger
ones were put out in different families, he going in
to the family of Dea. Soloman Doble, who li\ed on
tlie farm where Mrs. Julia Thorne, widow of the late
Barnet Thorne, now resides. He was connected
with the Masonic fraternit)-, being raised to the Sub-
' lime degree of a Master Mason, Oct. 2^, 1882, in
Granite Lodge, No. 182, of West Paris. .\s his
father before him figured very prominent! \ in the
above named order, it would, perhaps, be of interest
to quote from "History of Granite Lodge," one
little scrid of romance, founded on facts, in which
.Samuel McAlister figured as hero. Oxford Lodge
furnishes the ground-work and the development js
left to Granite Lodge. Samuel Mc--\listei- applied
to Oxford Lodge May 26, 1S25, was accepted > and
initiated Aug. 25, crafted Oct. 20, and raised Dec.
22d, same year. He served as T\ier from Se]3t. 18,
1828, to Sept. 30, 1830; was present Mai. 24, 1831,
that being the last meeting of Oxford Lodge until
1853. After the st;ited communication, Dec. 22,
1825, when he took his third degree, the eclipse
came, known as the "Morgan Scandal," a twin sister
to "Salem Witchcraft," which tor the time cast a
shade over the light of Masoni)-.
In the meantime, he took to himself a wife, raised
a family of children, and removed to Massachusetts.
( )n Aug. 28, 1882, he visited his native loil,u;c, found
himself a stranger in his own home, among scores of
his brethren, none of whom could avouch for him;

PRKSONAI. SKFCICHKS ()<)
but by a complete record, his identity was soon
jiroved. ( )n the 25th of October following, he visited
(iranite Lodge, and for the first time witnessed
work in the Third degree, his only living son, Han
nibal H., being raised to the Sublime degree of a
Master -Mason.
Father and son ha\e laid down their armor and
are at rest, but their memory still li\-es on perpetual
lecord. Hannibal H. McAlister married Isabel C. Chad-
bourne, born Feb. i, 1842, daughter of John
R. and Rhoda C. Chadbourne of Sumner.
l"hey had four children, as follows:
l<"rancis A., born Feb. 2, 1867, married, Nov. 23,
1891, Gertrude Louisa Buck, born May 16,
1866, daughter of Henry Clinton Buck of
Sumner, and settled on a farm in Sumner.
They have two children, Edith Belle, born
-Nov. 14, 1892; and Gracie Clintie, born
Oct. 4, 1894.'
Marv Emma, b(n'n Feb. 2, 1869, and died in
infanc\'.
Mar\- Emma, named after the abo\e, .was born
Feb. 27, 1871, married Charles E. Hand),
and has three children, P'rancis Carlyle,
Archie Revere and Florence Alma, (see
page 84).
Cora A., born -Aug. 2.S, 1873, married Peiie)- ,'\.
Crawford of Paris, and has one child, John
Hamlin.

(Op PKKSOXAL SKETCHICS.
II. H McAlister had three brothers and four sis
ters, namely:
luneline, born Mar. 31, 1823, married Charles
(jowell, and died Mar. 14, 1854. (See page 75).
, Lydia married a Mr. Olmstead, and had three
children. /.. Lewis, a carpenter and contractor,'
resides in P'almouth, is married and has
children; Alma, who married a \'ining, settled
in San Francisco, and had one child, Susie;,
Emma, who married, a Clark, also I'esidesin
San Francisco.
Arabel married Albert Bisbee, and had three
children, Albert, Cora and Ida. She died in
Minneapolis, where they lived many )'cars.
N'ancy R., born May 19, 1829, and died l\lar. 26,
1854, was the first wife of J. J. Abbott of
Sumner, and had one child, lilla R. (deceased),
born Sept. 9, 1851.
l'"rancis served in the Ci\ il war and died unmarried.
Eldridge went West and died unmarried.
.Augustus, born April i, 1837. lie enlisted, in
Aug., 1861, in Co. G., 16th Mass. Re,^;-., and
died in hospital in Washington, Mar. 2, 1863.
He married Mary Young, and had three child
ren, Edward Warren, born Oct. 8, 1856; How
ard, born Mar. ^30, 1859, and drowned at sea
Apr. 17, 1896; and A. Waldo, born Mar. 29,
1862, and died Dec 2, uS()2.

HANNIBAL H. MCALISTER.

i'f;ks{)nai. sketchks 103
HIRAM B. CHANDLER AND DESCENDANTS.
Personal sketches of our resjiected and honored
citizens would be very incomplete without reference
to "Uncle" Hiram Chandler, who faithfuU)' scr\ed
as po.stmaster at West Sumner for over forty '\-eaTs
with only one interuption of only a few months in
l^ierce's administration. He also served for o\ei-
twenty-fi\'e years consecutivel)' as town treasure/,
and it is no disparagementto any one to say' that
the town never had a more honest servant. He was
in trade for many years and his son, G. A. Chandler,
succeeds him in the business. Honest)', integrit)-,
and upright dealing with all characterized his use
ful arid honored life. , Uncle Hiram's word was ;is
good as his bond, and his life one of usefulness,
HIRAM B. CHANDLER, son of Reuben and
Abigail (Barrow.s) Chandler, who were among
the early settlers of Paris, Oxford Count),
and Minot, a few miles distant, but passed
the latter part of their life in Sumner, where he
diedat the age of fifty-six years, was born in
Minot, Androscoggin County, Feb, 13, 181 |
He built his shops in Sumner, and followed the
trades of a cooper and wheel-wright until about
1846, at which time he engaged in mercantile
pursuits, establishing and conducting, for man)
\-ears, or till his death, the business in West
.Sumner, which has since Iseen carried on -b)-

104 PERSONAL sketches.
two of his sons. He was, for many years, an
active member of the Universalist church. On
Nov. 19, 1,838 he married Emeline O. Coburn,
daughter of Samuel Coburn, born Nov. 10, 1819,
and died January 26, 1899. They had eight
children. Of these,
Mary E., the eldest, born Dec. 16, 1839, mar
ried Kingman Gurney, and died Aug. 6,
1 862, leaving one daughter, Flora L., who
was born May 21, i860, and is now wife of
Elbridge Tuell, and has two children, Mary
E. and Emily.
Iui.ia'A., the second child, was born June 1.
1841, married Horace Gurney, and died
Nov. 22, 1864.
Victoria A., the third child,*" was born Feb. 7,
1843, married William T. Bonney, and has
the following children: Corry A., who was
born Sept. 23, 1864, married Anna Heald
of North Buckfield, and had one child,
Lizzie. After the death of his first wife he
married Effie Abbott, daughter of Wm. G.
.Abbott of Sumner, and has three children,
Elva E., Walter and Owen Hubert; Agnes
E.., horn May 23, 1871; and William A..
born Sept. 15, 1878.
K,i.iZA G, the fourth child, married George \-'..
Forbes, and died without issue, May 2(1..
1870.
()sc.\R G, the eldest son, a resident of .Sumner.
who was born July 2, 1848. B\ his first

I'EKSONM, SKETCIIEt IO5
wife, Ella Whitman, he had one child, Elton,
who was born Now i, 1874; and b)' his
second wife. Abbie l-'arrar, a son, Leslie,
born Feb, 2, 1879.
.\(;.\i;s F.., the sixth child, was born Jan. 17,
1S51, married the Rev. Ceorge I-;. l''orbes,
and died Ma\' 12, 1885, leaxing one child,
.Murra\' 1^,
<ir,()R(:r. .\., the seventh child, was born Fel). 2!,
1858. He acquired his education in the
common and high schools. .Aftc conv
pleting his studies he taught nine terms of
school, after which he eng.iged in the mer
cantile business, which, since the death of
his father, he has managcxi as an actjxe
pai'tner, with Harold, his.xounger brother,
J le is now carrying a l-ugc and varied line
of general merchandi.se, embracing un
numbered aiticles for domestic, agricultural,
.and mechanical use; and they not onl)- ha\e
the most profitable trade in the village, but
;supply a numerous ])atronage fr<jm the
.a.djacent towns. He .'-.erved as town clerk
for ten consecutive years, postmaster for
tight years, besides holding «ther town
•offices, and has served efficiently for three
N'ears as a member of the school board, be
ing deeply interested and well versed in
(educational matters. He is connected with
tbe West Paris, No. 15., Lodge of _C)dd

I06 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
bellows, and the Onward Rebekah Lodge,
I. O. O. F., and is an active member oF
the Universalist. church. Oct, 12, 1879, he
married Helen Tuell, daughter of Benjamin
Y. Tuell of Sumner, They had two child
ren, Linnie T., who was born Sept. 2, 1880,
and died Apr, 5, 1898. She was an estim
able young lady, smart, capable, and much
Uked by all, assisted her father in the post-
office and store, and was, just prior to her
death, attending Hebron Academy, with ,1
view to graduate from that institution.
H. Benjamin T., their second chi'.d, born
Dec. '8, 1884, is still attending school and,
being capable of his age, assists his father
about the post-office and store,
JIarold, the youngest child of Hiram,- was
born Mar. \, 1868, After finis"bing hi.s
studies he entered his father's store as
clerk; and, at the death of his father he, to
gether with his brother, George A., suc
ceeded to its possession, and carried on the
Inisiness under the firm name of "G. A.
Chandler & Co.,'* until his death, which
occured Oct. 7, 1898. He possessed me
chanical genius of a- high order; and, hav
ing acquired a knowledge of printing v^fith-
. out the aid of instruction, when he had
become proficient in the business, and de
sired to apply steam-power to his presses,

GEORGE R. DRAKE,
Son of William H. and Desier B. Drake, born in
.Sumner, January 13, 1829.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. I09
he built an engine, which performed the
required service in the office. He carried
on quite an extensive business as a job
printer, doing a great deal of work for the
town, besides filling numerous orders for
private individuals and business concerns;
and the little enterprise proved very profit
able to him. He was an honest, upright,
and capable young man, much liked by all,
and at his death the town lost a good and
useful citizen.
THE COLBY FAMILY.
William H. Colby was born in Gardiner, Me. in
1841. He joined the Union a,rmy in 1862, enlisting
with the Rock Island Volunteers, and served in the
navy ou'the "Ohio." In the fall of 1874, he came
to Sumner, where he conducted a blacksmith' shop
until his death, which occured Oct. 22, 1887. He
married Addie L. Barrett, daughter of Reuben and
Joan Barrett of Andover, and had two children,
Fred Bennett, who was born in Andover, May 30,
1869. At the age of five he came to Sumner with
his parents, and lived there till the age of eighteen,
taking advantage of the best school facilities which
were offered. In the fall of 1887 he went to Auburn
to attend the Edward Little High School. During
the winter of this same year he taught school in the
p"arrar's Mills district, and then resumed studies at

I lO PERSONAL SKETCHES.
the high school, where he remained two years, at
the end of which time he entered Hebron Academy
to finish his academic course. Taught school both
winters while at Hebron, during the holiday vaca
tion. Graduated in June, 1891, having the honor of
Class Historian. The two years at Hebron were
busy and profitable. Like many other students
there at the time he had to work his own way and >
found it no easy matter. In the fall of 1891 heentfir^
ed Bowdoin College to pursue special studies in the
scierfces, and particularly to lay a foundation for thd
study of medicine. After pursuing this course for
two years he entered the Medical department, wh.ere
he remained two years, and then entered Dartmouth
Medical College to finish his studies. By taking
this step, although it was much harder, he was able
to graduate six months earlier than if he had re
mained at Bowdoin. Received liis degree in Med
icine from Dartmouth, Nov. 26, 1895. The week
after graduation he accepted a position in a large
hospital in Bridgewater, Mass., where he remained
nearly a year, when he was appointed to a position
on the Medical Staff at the Boston Insane Hospital;
which position he has held since Nov., 1896.
Ethel S., was born in Andover, Oct. 6, 1870, and,
carrie to Sumner in 1874. She married Henry R.
Porter of Andover, who is well known in that vicin
ity as an extensive lumber contractor a>nd Rangely
Lake guide. They have three daughters.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 1 1 1

THE BISBEE FAMILY.
 BY 
Capt. Levi Bradford Bisbee.
Charles Bisbee,' the seventh pioneer of Sumner,
was adirect descendant of, and the fifth generation
from Thomas Besbedge (which was the original '
- spelling of the name), who sailed from Sandwich,
England, in the ship Hercules, and landed at Scit
uate harbor in the spring of 1634.
Charles, soon after the revolutionary war, in
which he took part, moved with his family to a town
ship in Marine, then called Sharon, afterward Butter
field, and finally, Sumner. They arrived on horse
back, June 5, 1784, and settled on land now known
as the Capt. Lewis Bisbee farm. They had nine
children, Elisha, of whom we will make mention
later; Charles, b. 1758, m. Desire Dingley; Mary, b.
Apr. 28, 1760, m. Charles P"ord; Moses, b. Feb. 21,
1765, m. Ellen Buck; John, b.  m. Sarah Phil-
irick; Solomon, b. Sept. 3, 1769, m. Ruth Barrett;
Calvin, b. Oct. 14, 1771, m. Bethiah Glover; Rouse,
b. Oct. 17, 1772, m. Hannah Carrell;' Celia, b. May
7, 1774, m. Joshua Ford.
Elisha," the eldest son of Charles, was a Lieut, in
the Revolutionary war; b. Mar 4, 1757, m. at Dux
bury, Mass. in 1779, Molly Pettingill of Duxbury, b.
Jan. 9, 1760, d, Aug. 20, 181 1. He came to' Sumner
with the rest of the family, and settled on land now

112 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
known as the Elmer Frazier farm. The house he
built in ,1796 is still standing, and is in a good
state of preservation. He died December i, 1826.
They had ten children, as follows; Susan, b.
Mar. 28, 1780, m. Nathaniel Bartlett of Hartfard;
Sally, b.  , m. Gad Hayford of Hartford; Anna, b,
_.  , m. Stephen Drew of Turner; Elisha, Jr., b.
May 8, 1786; Daniel, b. May 7, 1791, Hopestill, b,
Nov, 24, 1796; Molly, b. Jan, 4, 1794; Thersea, b,
 , m, Barney Howard of Hartford; Huldah, b:
 , m, Sampson Reed of Hartford; Horatio, b,
Aug, 13, 1800. All of his children, except the two
oldest, were born i-n Sumner, and only one, Elisha,
Jr, the fourth child born in town, settled in Sumner.
Elisha, Jr., 3 m. Joanna Sturtevant of Sumner, by
Isaac Sturtevant,' Esq., Apr. 15, 1810. He lived for'
a short time in Buckfield Vill., and then exchanged
his stand there with Zcbediah Austin, for the farm
on Sumner Hill, which is still owned by his de
scendants. Fle served the town several years as
treasurer; was also several times a member of the
board of selectmen. Of his children,
Elbridge 0.,+ b. in Buckfield, Feb. 8, 181 i,d. Ocf.
2, 1812. I
Thomas J., -* b. July 6, 1812, m. in June, 1840,
Sylvia Stetson, moved to Rumford, and had
¦ Mary A. ,5 b. June, 1841; Augusta, b. 1843, m. in
1862, Pearl Putnam of Rumford.
George W.,4 b. in Buckfield, Ji,ily 6, 1812, m., Jan,
I, 1836, Mary B, Howe of Rumford, and had

ELISHA BISBKK, JR.
.Said to be the second white male child born in
.Sumner,

PERSONAL SKETCHES, IIS
George Dana,5 b, in Hartford, July 9, 1841, m,
Anna Louise, daughter of Isaac N, Stanley of Dix-
field, July 8, 1866, and has had four children, twij)
of whom survive, Stanley and Mary Louise. FJe
Served three years in the Civil War, was an' officer
in the ,i.6th Maine Volunteers, was severely wound
ed at Battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 1862, and cap
tured at Gettysburg, July i, 1863, held a prisoner of
war eighteen months, parolled and specially ex
changed, and joined his regiment in season to par
ticipate in" the battle resulting in the surrender of
Lee's army .at Appomattox, and returned to Maine
with his regiment June, 1865. He was admitted to
the Oxford County Bar- at the December term 1865,
settled in Buckfield, January, 1866, resided in Buck-
till December, 1894, when he jettled in Rumford
Falls where he now resides and is actively engaged
in the practice of his profession, and has been pro
minent since 1892 in the deVelopement of Rumford
Falls. Mr. Bisbee has held various public offices, was
County Attorney of Oxford County six years, a
member of both branches of the State Legislature,
was United States Marshall for the District of
Maine four years, also State Bank Examiner, has
had a long connection with the railroad once known
as the Buckfield Branch, and at the present time is
a Director of and Attorney for the 'Portland arid
Rumford Falls Railway, also President of the Rum
ford F.'dls Trust Comnanv.

I l6 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
• Stanley,^ b. Apr. 25,1867, m., Nellie B., daughter
of Cyrus C. Spaulding, Mar. 12, 1889, and has two
children, Spaulding, b. Jan. 6, 1890; and Louise,
b. July 23, 1896. He was a merchant in Buckfield
seven years, also Chairman of the Board of Select
men, moved to Rtimford Falls March, 1893, and is a
member of the firm ' of Lander & Bisbee, general
hardware. Mary Louise,6 b. Aug. 6, 1873.
Elisha S-J4 b. Apr, 1822, d. Sept. 24, 1823. '
Mary P.,-* b. June 6, 1815, m. Freeman Reed of
Hartford, and had five children, 
Elisha, Jr., 3, m. for second wife, Fanny Biyant, and
had Sabra W., b. Feb. 21, 1826, m. Orville Robinson,
then of Hartford, since of Peru, and had Fanny B.,
who m. Llewellyn Fleald of Sumner, and died soon
after; andHenry R.; Sophia G., b, Apr. 7, 1827, • is
now resident owner of the Elisha, Jr. homestead;
Levi Bradford, Daniel H., Jane Y., Elisha Sylvester,
Hopestill R., Asia H. and Hiram B- Of these, ¦
Levi Bradford, 4 b. July 16, i828,m., May 18, 1852,
Eliza A. S. Heald, and had Lietta ]., h. Dec. 8, 1853,
d. Dec. 20, 1858; Estella M., b. Sept. i, 1855, d. Dec,
24, 1858; Anna E., b. Sept. 10, 1857. d. Dec. 22, 1858;
Minnetta B., b. Dec. 26, 1859, m. Cleon S. Osgood;
Harry H., b. May n, 1865, m. Lillian M. Bennett;
Fannie IT., b. Apr. 4, 1868, m,. Arthur E. Sampson;
Bennie FI., b. May i, 1870'; Fred W., b. Sept. 23,
[873. ^ Levi Bradford Bisbee enlisted, at the first
call for volunteers, in the 4th Maine Volunteer In
fantry, After the first battle of Bull Run, July ist,

GEORGE W. BISBEE.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. I I'-j
1861, he was promoted to Sargent Major, then,, to
Lieutenant and Captain, He took part in the fol
lowing engagements: First Battle Bull Run, Siege of
Yorktown, Battle of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Se\en
Pines, Charles City, Cross Roads, and Malvern Hill,
Elisha Sylvester,* b. Apr. 15, 1830, m.,Jan, 4, 1857,
-Martha Parsons of Hartford, and had Lietta ]., b. May
JO, 1858,' m., first, Levi G. Robinson, second, Adney
Barrows; Hattie E., b. Aug, 11, 1861, m. A, Free-
mont Hollis; Hiram S., b. Sept. 13, 1866, m., first,
Mamie W. Andrews, second, Annie Holmes, Elisha
Sylvester li\-ed, and died Mar. 28, 1897, on his
father's homestead, and was an honored citizen.
, Asia H.,t b. Jan. 6, 1832, m,, at Portland, Oregon,
and died June I, 1875, leaving two children, Elisha
and Eddie.
Daniel H., -> b. Oct, 9, 1833, m., Jan. 7, 1877, at
S^irginia City, Nevada, and d. at Auburn,' Me., Oct,
(3, 1892, leaving three children, viz; Amelia J,, b,
at Virginia City, June 21, 1878; Alice S., b. Oct. 13,
1884; and Fannie S., b. Dec, 28, 1888, '
Jane Y,,4 b. July i, 1835, m. James McDonald,
(.)ct. I, 1855.
Hopestill R,, i b. June 21, 1837, m. Ella Bjram,
Sept. 14, 1 87 1, at Virginia City, Nevada, and had
.Daniel E., b, ip Boston, Mass., Nov, 14, 1872; Wilh
ard H., b. Aug. 18, 1874, d, Feb. 9, 1886; MelvinaL,
b. Feb. 26, 1877; Mary C, b. Nov, 13, 1879, The
last thre^ were born in Auburn, where Hopestill
,0OW r(;side.S,

120 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Hiram B., *h. Dec. ii, 1839. Shot dead at Ber
muda Hundred, Va., May 24, 1864; Serj. in Co. F
9th Maine Volunteers, He enlisted as a private,
and was promoted to Sargent for meritorious service,
Daniel, s. fifth child of Elisha ist, b. May 7, 1791,
(1. Apr, 24, 1824, m. Silvia Stevens of Sumner, b.
Oct. 28, 1797. We have no record of her death.
Their children are:
William- S.,'-» b. June 4,,l8i7, m. Apr, 23, 1838,
Emeline Spaulding of Sumner, d, Sept. 10, 1865.
Children: Francis M., b, Sept. id, 1838, m. Cyn
thia E.' Fleald of Sumner, Apr. 29, 1867, had Wm.
C, b. July 9, 1874, m. Mabel Damon, Oct. 29, 1894,
had Francis B., b. Aug. 10, 1895 and Claude Leon,
b. Aug. 8, 18.98.
Danville Bisbee, 4 b. Dec. 3, 1819, d. ^ov. 7, 1858,
m. Martha A. Robinson of Hartford, June 10, 1847,
h. Nov. 16, 1827, d. June 20, 1874. Children:
Martha Anna, s b. June 27, 1848, m. Oct. 17.'
1869, Horace K. Richardson of Medford, .Mass., b,
Oct. 30, ,1848, -Children: Laura E., b. Apr, 1872;
IT. luigene, b. Mar 8, 1874, d. May 15, 1874; Pearl
C, b. Sept, 18, 1878; Horace K., Jr, b. May 6, 1880.
Mary Emma,s" b. July 14, 1853, m. Arthur B. ,„
Briggs of Sumner, July 16, 1871. Children: Arthuf
M., b. Aug. 8, 1872; Frank W., b. June 10, 1883;
Carl B.,,b. May 13, 1886; Horace B., b. Aug. 19,
1 891. All were born in .Sumner.
Ezra S.,* b. May 27, 1821, m. Margaret Spaulding.
of Buckfield. We have no record of his death.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. ' 12 1
Sylvia F.,t b. Nov. 1,3, 1824, m. Robert E, Stewart-
son of England, Oct. 24, 1846, and had Addie E.,
b. Apr. 12, 1850; Eugene A., b. Aug. 27, 1852, died
young; Lilligene L,, b. June 3, 1854; Jennie L., b,
June 18, 1856, d, June 9, 1865; Willie E., b, Aug,, 13,
1858; Ida E, and Inez E., twins, b, Dec. 19, 1863;
Lottie D., b. June 22, 1865, residence. West Med-
v\-ay, Mass.
Hopestill, 3 b, Apr, 2"], 1796, in Sumner, m., Dec
1 8, 1 8 17, Martha Sturtevant of SUmner Children:
Deplura,^ residence Camden, Me,, b. July 11, 1818,
d. Oct. 4, 1893, m. Jan. 1846, Lydia ' B. Heald of
Sumner, and hac| Alfaretta, b. Dec. 19, 1847, d. Mar.
24, 1852; Columbus H., b. Dec. 4, 1849, m, ITelen
Simonton; Fred W., b. Sept. 2, 1856, d, Oct, 2,
1872; W, Frank, b, June 17, 1859, m. Susie Ogier'!
Deplura Bisbee was an honored citizen of Camden,
and a successful business man. He represented his
town in the Legislature, and was several times
elected Mayor of Camden. In i875, he was' chosen
a director of Camden National Bank and. was it's
President when he died.
Lovinia B.,^ b. Sept. 10, 1820, m., Sept. 18, 1844
Stephen R. Robinson of Sumner, and had Horatio
Nf., b. Aug, 9, 1845.
Horatio. M., 4 b. Nov. 2, 1822, d. Dec, 2, 1844.
Martha J,,4 b. Apr 4, 1828, d. Sept, 25, 1894,. m.
M. Chauncy Osgood of Hartford, Nov, 25, 1852, and
i).rd Merrick H,, b. Feb, 15, 1857, m,. May 19,  .,
Maij' Bridgeham of Hebron; Cleon S., b, July 22,

122 ¦ PERSONAL SKETCHES.
1859, m. Minnetta B. Bisbee of Sumner, Nov. 24,
[880, and had Eva C, b. Nov. 15^-1881.
Harriet B,,4ib, June 26, 1838, m. Geo. C. Thomp
son of Hartford, Feb. 14, 1856, he died Aug. 17,
1863. She m. Dr. Leonard H. Maxim of Peru, and
had Flo ward, b. July 20, 1866, d. Aug. 14, 1888;
Wilma, b, Apr. 10, 1869, m., Aug. 13, 1890, Jame.s
E. Irish of Hartford, and had Howard M., b. Jan.
28, '1893.
Molly B.,3 b, Jan. 4, 1794, m., first, Nehemian
Bryant, and had Hannibal, b. Jan. 12, 181 1, m..
May 19, i833> first, Betsey B. Stetson, and second,
Mary A. Ross of Turner, Oct. 16, 1854. Children
by first wife: Mary Ann; b. Nov. 20, 1836, m. Chas.
Pratt; Huldah R., b. Dec. 25, 1838, m. Wm. Harlow;
Elisha S,^ b. Feb. 14, 1841, killed in the army. May
2^, T864, at North Anna River; Hannibal, b. Dec. 9,
1*842, m. Lucy A. Bicknell; William H., b. July 16,
1846; Roland E., b. May 22, 1849, d. Apr. 23, 1850;
Betsey S., b. Feb. i, 1852, m. Wm. Haney; Lewis C
b. June 7, 1834. Children by second wife: Russell
E., b. May 14, 1856; Dennis, b. Oct. i, 1857; Martha
H., b. June 16, 1859.
Horatio,3 b. Aug. 13, 1800, m. Eunice White of
Sumner, Mar 27, 1823. Children: 1 Esther H., b.
Oct. 29, 1823, m. Elbridge Gammon of Hartford,-
July 4, 1843, and had Roscoe, b. Mar., 1845, ''•''-
Clara Reynolds; Thomas W., b. Feb., 185 1, m.
Estella Varney; and
Daniel, 4 b. Jan. 25, 1826, m. Philindia Lbmbard of
Turner, June 6, 1847, and had five children-.

CAPT. HOPESTILL BISBEE.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. I 25
Charles M.,5 b. Nov. 21, 1848, m. Ella R. Tucker,
Aug. 6, 1871, and had Harlan M., b. Jan. i, 1875,
who graduated from Hebron Academy in 1894, and
from Bowdoin College in 1898, taking a high rank
in his class. At the present time he is teaching in
the Rumford Falls High School; and Chester G, b.
Sept. 16, 1880. m., second wife, EllaC. Abbott, June.
5, 1893. Chas. M. Bisbee, after graduating from
the State Normal School at Farmington in 1867,
and from Bowdoin Medical School in 1871, settled
in Sumner. '^ He was a man of much influence, and
had an extensive practice there for over twenty
years. He was U. S. Examining Surgeon for six
teen years, and afterwards served four years on the
County Pension Board of examining surgeons. He
is -now located at Rumford Falls, where he also
enjoys a wide field of practice, and is surgeon for
the P. & R. F R. R., and for the International
Paper Co. at Rumford Falls.
Huldia L.,5 b, Dec, 7, 1850, m, Reuel G, Jackson,
Sept, 18, 1870; Geo, E., b, Aug, 30, 1853, m. Anna
M, Jones; Edward L., b. Nov. 6, i860, m. Florrie
Staples, F'eb. 3, 1881, and had five children, Stanley,
b, Aug. 6, 1882; Eldon G., b. July 23, 1885; Dwight
A,, b. Dec. 22, 1889; Marie L., b. Nov, 6, 1893; and
Eunice I., b, Sept. 15, 1896.
Elisha F.,5 b. Sept. 27, 1862, m., Sept. 27, 1897,
Medora McCrag of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Elizabeth H.,4 b. Sept. 25, 1828, m. Thomas J.
Gammon, Dec. 31, 1846, and had Fairfield, b. Nov.-

120 !'y, PERSON. \L SKL-J-CIIES.
4, 1847, m., Jan. 31, 1869, Jo,sie Hall; George D., b.
June 6, 1850, m. , Betsey Leonard, Jan. i, 1870;
Alfred T., b._Apr 28, 18,51, pr. Lucitta Townsend of
Auburn, Me.; Arthur H., b. Nov. 18, 1856, _m. Nora
Blethin of .Aabu.-.i, .VIe,;,Flo:illa E., b. Jan. 7, 1859, '
m. John McClennan of New York.
Susan, 4 b. Apr. 25, 1829, m. Robert Brigg.s, Mar,
20,' 1853.- Children: Walter S., b. Mar 12, 1854;
Otis H., b, Sept. 30, 1858; John H. b. July 5, 1863;
Fred A., b. Aug: 29, 1866,
Dolly K,i, b. Feb. 4, 1831,' m. Daniel W, Tyler of,
China, Me,, Sept, ii, 1853, and had William- T.,ib.
July 21, 1854; John L,, b, Jan. 25, 1858.
Abbie F.,4 b. Apr. 4, 1S33, m., May 16, 1852, Wm.
A. Goddard, and had Julie M. b. Apr. 9, 1S53, m. I.
S, Reynolds, and had Abbie E., b. May 23, 1859.
Eunice' W.,)|. b. Jan. 12, 1837, m. Samuel P.
Merrill, March '5, 1854, and had Matilda A., b, Dec.
3, 1854, d. Apr 19, 1875; Lizzie M. b. July 27, 1856; ,
George IT. b, Dec. 19, 1857^
Horatio, Jr., 4 b. May i, 1839, at Canton, Me., m.
Florida Flotarcl, Apr. 5, i863Sancl hadMUgpichildren,
Eldon, and Ralph, both of wNigm gradi;;i?^d from
Harvard College arid Harvard Law ScJtooI, a^jd are
now engaged in the- vvt-ircLice of law,, the forn^Ln- in
New York City, /the latter in Portland. Oi-egou.;.
Genevieve, and Afda, both of whom were educated in.
Europe, and noA'if' reside in New York City. Horatio
Bisbee, Jr, whi'ie a student at Tufts College, re
sponded to President Lincoln's first call for voluri-
feers, enlisting, for three months, in a Massachu-

i'i:ks(>nal sKETCHics. 127
setts regiment. At the expiration of thi.s service,
he returned to Maine, enlisted in Co. F 9th Maine
Volunteers, and was ^commissioned its Captain; was
promoted, first to Lieut.^ Colonel, and afterwards, to
Colonel of his regiment, subsequently resigning on
account of ill health. He studied law at Rockfprd, ¦
III., was admitted to the bar, and, located ip Jackson
ville FJorida, where he now resides. He has been U.
' ,S. District Attorney for the District of Florida, and
. has served two full terms in Congress, .from the'
Jacksonville District. He noW has a very extensive
and lucrative pra,ctice, having-a wide field in both
the Strate and United States Courf.s, "and ptands .at
the head of his profession in Florida. Col. Bisbee
has alvyays found time to take an active interest in^
political matters, both State and National, his .ser-
, vices having been sought as a stump speaker, not •
I only .in Florida -and other Southern States, but also
in hi.s irative state of Maine.
Elisha,4 b. Feb. n, 1843, vvas a member of Co. F.
9th , Maine Volunteers, and died at Hilton Head,
Jan. 4, 1862.
¦ Maria H.,4 b, June 13, 1847, graduated from the >
State^Normal School in 1867, and Ijas since, been
teaching- at'Evansville, Ind,, where she is now Prin-
., cipal of a large grammar school.-
- Mary Bjsbee,^ ihe third child of Charles, the pion
eer, m. Charles Ford of Pembroke, Mass,, and re
moved to Sumner Her second son, , Charles, ' Jr,,
was the fir.st white child bopi, in town.

128 pe'rsonal sketches.
John,= the fifth childpf Charles, the pioneer, ^settled
on a farm about one-half mile south from Labrador
Pond. He was a noted bear trap,per. He raised a
large family, most of whom settled in other towns.
His daughter, Dolly, m. Thaddeus Thompson, and
lived for many years on the "Uncle Johny" Bisbee"
homestead., Solomon,^ the sixth son of Charles, the pioneer,
settled on a farm opposite the "Uncle Johny" place.
He was also a blacksmith. J He bought the farm of
Moses, his brother, Oct. 28, 1791. At that time
very little clearing had been done, I and to Solomon
belongs the credit of reclaiming it from the wilder
ness. He m. Ruth, daughter of Simeon Barrett,
and sister of Simeon, Jr., May 10, 1795. Of their ten
children only three settled in town. Abel W., ,their
second child, was an expert blacksmith and, after
living for a time in Paris, bought the Oliver Cum
mings faim, which is. now owned by his son Antipass.
,He, was postmaster at Sumner, twenty-two years;
often held town office, and was a member of . the
Legislature in 5850. First, he m. Polly Record^.
and had George; second, m. Nancy Durell, and had
Polly, Nancy and Antipa.ss.
Anna,3 the .sixth child of Solomon, m. AbeJ Fletch
er who, at the age of ninty-three, is the oldest per
son now.living in town. Aunt Artnie, as 1 she was
familiarly known, was beloved by all. Their child
ren were, Harriett A., m. Luther Hollis; Rachel R.,
m. Addison Parlin; and Abel Thomas, who was
accidentally shot.

personal sketches. 129
, Solomon, Jr., 3 the seventh, familiarly known as
"Dea. Bisbee," lived for a few years in Waterford,
but at the death of his father came to Sumner and
cared for his mother, on the old homestead, where
he lived and died. He was postmaster several, and
treasurer of the minister fund for the town many
years. He m. Hannah P., daughter of Benjamin
Heald, Jr. Of their children, Timothy H. went to
California at the age of twenty, and now resides in
Oregon, where he has a family; Maria m. Orrin P.
Houghton, and resides in Kansas; Lewis H. lives on
the old homestead, and has a family of four children.
He has been a member of the board of selectmen.
Calvin,^ the seventh son of Charles, the pioneer,
lived and died on his father's homestead. He was a
member of the convention which framed the State
Constitution, often held town office, and served as
member of the Legislature. Of his children, Lewis,
known as Captain, only remained in town, and still
lives with his aged wife on the old homestead. They
had two daughters, and have made a home for nine
teen orphan" children and five old people. The
Captain has been a member of the board of select
men, several years.
George W. Bisbee, * son of Elbridge G., settled in_
Hartford, where he carried on the blacksmith busi
ness. He removed to Peru, in 1857, where he died
Jan. "27, 1872, His wife, Mary B., died in Buckfield,
June 25, 1885.
* An addition to last paragraph, page 1 12.

130 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
CAPT. LEWIS 'BISBEE, son of Calvin, and
grandson of Charles, was born in Sumner, at the old
Bisbee homestead, August lo, r8o8, and at the date
of this sketch (March 4, 1899,) is still living upon
the old farm of his father and grandfather. He was
married Dec, 31, 1829, to Elizabeth Sampson of
Hartford, by Dr, Bethuel Cary, The children of
this worthy couple were:
Amanda M., born July 11, 1830, and married,
June, 7, 1850, Fred A. Spaulding of Buckfield, who
died June 12, 1856, after which she married Rufus ¦
K. Harlow, and since the latter's death has remained
single and kindly cared for her aged parents.
Amerilla, born June 13, 1832, married, Oct. 26,
1852, William F Bard of Hartford, and died May 29,
1853. On December 31, 1879, about 125 of the friends
and relatives of Capt. Bisbee and wife assembled at
his residence and celebrated in an interesting man
ner their fiftieth wedding anniversary. June 9, 1874,
there was a pleasant reunion of the Bisbee family at
the old homestead, a result of which was the pub
lishing of some of the family records from which we
gathered dates used in. this sketch.
Calvin Bisbee, father of Capt, Lewis, was a prom
inent citizen in town for many years, and one of its
municipal officers for a long time, as the records will
attest. He was also a member of the convention
which framed the Constitution of the State, and
.subsequently served as a member of the Legislature.

i-:i.i/.ABi-;i H {.'-.xmi'son) bishkk

CAPT. 1,1-: WIS BISBEE.

PERSONAL SKETCHES.

IJ.-I

Capt. Lewis Bisbee has been similarly honored, as
he has served faithfully and long as one of Sumner's
town officers, and in 1854 was chosen to represent
the district m tlie State Legislature, being a suc
cessful opponent to the Hon, F, O. J, Smith of the
Buckfield Branch R, R, notoriety. The Captain
sometimes speaks of his triumphant election ovei-
such a candidate, as one of the proudest e^•ents of
his life.
During the late Civil War, the Captain was very
loyal and of valuable assistance in filling quotas and
raising money for defraying town e.xpenses, some
times giving his own note to satisfy the timid and
tloubtful. In the early agitation of the Washingtonian tem
perance movement Capt. Bisbee signed the pledge,
and has faithfully kept the same inviolate to the
present time. At the town of Sumner's Centennial
Celebration he, with his faithful wife, was present
and responded to a sentiment proposecl for "Our
aged citizens." To him, more than any other man,
js the author of this brief sketch indebted for the
early history and personal incidents which have
been collected and made a record in the columns of
the Lewiston Journal of June 16, 1898, a part of
which is published in this little volume.
His faithful wife and congenial companion, at the
;.ige of 91, is still a cheerful helpmate and comfort
ro hhv in declining years.

136 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
In works of neighborly kindness, charity, and'
kindly sympathy for the unfortunate, this worthy
couple are deserving of emulation, and the town's
history would be incomplete without special men
tion of them. "Slocum."
Since the above sketch was sent in to the Publisher, we learn
that the Captain's wife, Elizabeth (Sampson) Bisbee, died
Mar. 10, 1899. Publisher.
SBTM STURTBVANT,
ONE OF GEN. WASHINGTON'S LIFE GUARD.
" I was born in Halifax, Plymouth County, Mass.,
June 4, 1760. My parents were of Scotch descent
and were common farmers, with whom I lived until
I was sixteen years old. The Revolutionary spirit
run so high that I entered the service at sixteen, in
the year 1776, in Capt. James Harlow's company at
Plympton, of Col. Gary's regiment of Bridgewater.
"I enlisted for five months, marched to. New
Yorki was present at the time of the fight on Long-
Island, made a retreat from New York vvhen the
British took the city, Sept. 16, 1776, served out the
five months and received a discharge on the ist of
December, 1776.
"1777, June 6, second enlistment, for three years,
Capt. Amos Cogswell's Company, Col. James Wes
son's Regiment, Gen. Arnold's Brigade of Massachu
setts. We marched from Boston and joined- Gen.

SETH STURTEVANT.
One of General Washington's bodyguards.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. ,139
Gates' Army at Stillwater in the state of New York.
Was in the Battle of the 7th October, 1777, when we
gained a complete victory over the British army un
der the command of Burgoyne, and was present at
the surrender of his army ten days after the Battle. '
This surrender was on the 17th of Oct., 1777. A
good haul upon the British Boys of over 6,000 men.
"About the first of November in this year, march
ed with Gen. Gates' army to Pennsylvania at a place
callecl White Marsh, a long tedious march, suffered
greatly for shoes, clothes and provisions. Some of
the soldiers died on the way and sqme were obliged
to leave ort account of their sufferings.
"At White Marsh we joined Gen. Washington's
grand army and soon after our whole army marched,
to Valley Forge, about thirty miles from Philadel
phia, on the Schuylkill river, where we built huts
and wintered.
"Gen. Washington divided his men into parties of
twelve, and ordered each party to build a hut for its
own accohrmodajiion. These rude structures, sixtefen,
feet long and fourteen feet wide, with walls six and
a half feet high, -were built of logs and lined with
clay, with rough chimneys. The officers' quarters
were like these, but' a little larger. The weather
became bitterly cold and the sufferings almost be
yond endurance. Both Washington and Congress
Were powerless to provide new clothing. Our bare
feet wete through our worn-out shoes, nearly ' nalced
from th,e tattered remains of our only pair of stock-

140 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
ings, our tjreeches hanging in strings, our faces thin
from hunger, and a forsaken look on all. The horses
died of starvation, and the men harnessed them
selves to sleds and hauled their wood and scanty
provisions. "Surely we, who enjoy the blessings of Liberty,
will remember the terrible winter at Valley Forge,
1778. "About the |irst of April I was transfered froni
this Regiment to Gen. Washington's Life Guard,
commanded Ipy Caleb Gibbs, Major, belonging to
Massachusetts, William Livingston of New York,
Captain, William Colfax of Connecticut, ist] Lieu
tenant, John Grimes of Virginia, 2d Lieutenant, — —
Edwards of Connecticut, 3d Lieutenant,  Notch
of Virginia, 2d Sargent,  Harris of Connecticut,
3d Sargent,  Young of Virginia, 4t4i Sargent,
 Jones of Virginia, 5th Sargent, Seth Sturtevant
of Massachusetts, ist Corporal, Ephraim Eddy of
Massachusetts, 2d Corporal,  Forbes of Rhode
Island, 3d Corporal,  Randolph of Virgihia,
4th Corporal,  Law of Connecticut, 5th Corporal.
All told, one hundred and fifty Rank and File.
"Headquarters remained at Valley Forge until
the British army evacuated Philadelphia in June,
and then Gen. Washington pursued the British
army and overtook them at Monmouth, New Jersey,
on the 28th of June, where a severe battle was
fought. Gen. Washington's army had the pre-emi
nence, causing the British to retreat to Sandy

I PERSONAL SKEl'CHES. I4I
Hook at night, where they went on board of their
shipping which carried them to the city of New
York. " Seventy -two of the Life Guard, myself among the
number, were detached to Col. Morgan's Reg. of
Riflemen, as a Flank Guard at the Battle of Mon
mouth. Gen. Washington's army then marched up
the west side of the Hudson river and crossed the
ferry to White Plains, New York, I remained in the
Life Guard until my three-years' enlistment had ex
pired, when I received an honorable discharge. The
foTowing is a copy:
COPORAL SETH STURTEVANT of the Corps of Guard,
having served the time out for which he was engaged, is dis
charged the service of the United States.
Given under my hand at Headquarters, Morristown, this
first day of June , 1 780.
C. GIBBS, M. C. Guards.
RECOMMENDATION.
I do certify that Coporal SETH STURTEVANT has served
two years and three months in his Excellency's, Gen. Wash
ington's Life Guard, under my command, that during this period
of time he has not been absent from the Guard 24 hours unless
on duty. *
I furthermore say that he has been vigilent and attentive tb
every duty of his office, and is worthy of the esteem of his
Country. Head'quarters, Morristown, New Jersey, June ist, 1780.
C. GIBBS, M. C. Guards.

142 PERSONAL SKETCHES. «
"Soon after Peace was made I married Miss Aba
gail Cushing of Duxbury, Mass., by whom I had three
children, in Massachusetts, one of them died and I
moved my family from Halifax, Plymouth County,
Mass., on to the Province of Maine to West Butter
field, now Sumner, 20th of July, 1795. Two' years
later my honored mother, Joanna Sturtevant, came
to live with me. She died May il, 181 5, aged 79.
years, and was buried at East Sumner.
"1802, April 22, I was baptised by immersion and
joined the Baptist chufch at Buckfield, May 22. I
had two children born in fhis County."
"I have outlived my wife and all of my childrefi
but one. I lived in Sumner 55 years. I am living
in Hartford with pay only living child, Martha, wife
of Capt. Hopestill Bisbee.
"I write this statement of my life at the age of 87
yea'rs. With the few dates kept while in the ser
vice it has been written from memory and without
the aid of glasses. (
"I wish well to my Country s good."
Seth Sturtevant,
A true copy By Harriett Bisbee Maxim.
DIED
In Hartford, July 11, 1852, Seth Sturtevant, aged
92 years one month.

INCREASE SUMNER.

HISTORICAL SKETCH

.  BY 
SHARON ROBINSD.X.
(Condensed from Lewiston Evening Journal of June ii, 1898.)'
Barney Jackson and wife were the first white
couple that spent the night in what is now the town
of Sumner, and they pitched their camp near thc
present residence of Capt. Lewis Bisbee. They did
not, however, locate permanently in town. Michael
Kinley made the first clearing, but was not a per
manent resident. The first permanent family was
Noah Bosvi^orth's, who moved from Plyjnpton, Mass.,
probably about 1782. This place is now occupied
by H. S, Palmer, The second family was Daniel
CJldham's from Pembroke, Mass., who located on
the place so long known as the Russell farm, and
now occujpied by H. B. Cojsb. The third family was
Charles Ford's, also from Pembroke, and is the farm
now occupied by Thomas Stephens. As to the
fourth family it is not certain.
The fifth family to move into the new settlement
was William Hayford's of Pembroke, who located
upon the place now occupied by A. Pomeroy. The
sixth famil}- was Increase Robinson's, also from
Pembroke, Mass., who mo\-ed to what is now East
-Sumner in 1783 and erected a cabin, and the next
season built the first saw mill, and shortly after-
¦vvards built the first framed house in town, which is

146 HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Still in good condition and occupied by two of his
great-grandchildren. The original site of the mill is
occupied as a saw mill. A few years later a grist
mill was built near by and operated many years, but
the last relics were consumed by fire in 1871. These
mills were operated until the advent of the fourth
.generation by the Robinsons. Dea. Sharon Robin-
sqn of the third generation used to tend both mills
at the same time by .starting the old "up and down"
saw in a log, and then hurrying into the grist mill
to attend to that, thus running from one mill to the
other. He has ground many bushels of corn, loaded
it by night upon a horse-sled and hauled it with one
horse to Portland market, a distance of over fifty
miles. It took three days to make the trip. The
farmers used to bring, usually, a half bushel of corn
or rye on their shoulders.
The seventh family was Charles Bisbee's, also of
Pembroke,' Mass., who located upon the farm now
occupied by Capt. Lewis Bisbee. Some of the
seventh generation still reside upon the farm,
(children of Lewis Spaulding). Charles Bisbee
moved from Massachusetts in 1783, coming in a
sailing vessel to Freeport, Me., thence to Sumner
with, all his effects on the backs of two horses. As
all could not ride, the women took their turns in
riding. Capt. Lewis and his father, Calvin, each
served the town many years as one of the select
men, and each have represented the town in the
State Legislature. Each have been prominent and
worthy citizens, always loyal and true.

HISTORICAL SKETCH. I 47
It will be noticed that quite a portion of the early
settlers that came into Sumner were Revolutionary
soldiers. This may be partially accounted for by
the fact that they were paid off in soldiers' notes,
which had but little purchasing value in Massachu
setts, but were capable of being used at their full
value to purchase lands in the District of Maine,
Then many of them had been away from home in
the army for years. Some of them might have visit
ed this part of the district while in the service, and
at the close of the war were not adverse to making-
it their permanent home. Another cause of the
rapid development of this section after the Revolu
tion was the spirit of speculation which always seems
to follow in the wake of every war. Many com
panies were formed to purchase townships and pro
mote immigration with the expectation of realizing
great profits from the future sale of lands after the
townships had begun to fill up. It was natural then,
as now, for people to want to invest in any new en
terprise that gave promise of being a good invest
ment. Massachusetts was fast filling up, and lands
were advancing in value continuously, while the
District of Maine was very sparsely settled and that
confined to places along the coast. Those old heroes
of the Revolution did a fine thing for the country
after the war in opening up'the now noble State of
Maine. From 1782 to 1798 the settlement was called
West Butterfield. The first tcwn meetirg of Sum-

148 . HISTORICAL SKETCH.
ner was held Aug. 13, 1798. Following is the
warrant; Commonwealth of Massachusetts
LS Cumberland ss
To .'^Ivan Robinson of Sumner in said County^ Greeting.
In persuance of a law of this commonwealth directi-ng me to
issue my warrant to some suitable inhabitant of said Sumner.
I do hereby request you forthwith to notify and warn the
inhabitants of said Sumner to meet at the dwelling house of
Hezekiah Stetson in said Sumner on monday the thirteentli
day of August next at ten of the clock in the forenoon then
and there to choose all such officers as towns are by law requir
ed, to choose in the month of March or April annually and
make return of this warrant and your doings^ thereon to the
-Moderator and Town Clerk that shall then and there be chosen.
Given under my hand and seal dated at said Sumner the
tvi-enty-thiid day of July -in the year of our Lord one thi)iisand
seven hundred and ninty-eight. Lsaac Sturtevant Just Peace.
Persuant to the foregoing warrant to me directed I hereby
notifv and warn the inhabitants of the said town of Sumner Ui
meet at the time and place for the purposes therein expressed.
,\lvan Robinson.
Sumner, August 13, 1798.
Pursuant to the within warrant to me directed I have notified
and warned the inhabitants of the said town of jiumner to meet
at the time and place and for the purposes within mentioned.
Alvan Robinson.
The first town officers were as follows:
¦Moderator, Increase Roliinson.
Clerk, Alvan Robinson.
Selectmen and assessor.s, Benjan-.in He.ild, Increase
Robinson, .Simeon Barrett.
Trc-isurer, Joseph Robinson.

HISTORIC.VL SKETCH. I49
Collector, John Briggs. (at 25cts. per pound). In
crease Robinson was his bondsman.
Surveyor of highways, Meshack Keen, Benj. Heald,
Alvan Robinson.
-Surveyor of boards, plank and shingles, Timothy
Cobb.
Surveyor of staves and hoops, Jonas Coburn,
P'ence viewers, Noah Bosworth, Enoch Hall, Wm.
Hayford,
Thythingmen, Joshua Foord, Isaiah Cushman,
SealerS;Of leather, Isaac Sturtevant, Alvan Robinson.
Deer-reeves, Benj, Heald, Levi Crockett.
Mog-reeves, John Bisbee, Noah Bosworth, Jr., In
crease Robinson, Jr,
J'ield drivers, John Crockett, Jr„ Wm. Tucker, Wm.
Hayford. '
Pound keeper, Hezekiah Stetson. '
At a meeting held two weeks la,ter (Aug, 27), vo
ted to allow the road laidout from Joseph Robinson's
to Simeon Parlin' s, also to allow the road from the
mills to John Briggs', also the road from Asa Rob
inson's to Isaac Bonney's, The road first men
tioned is that now leading from W, H. Downs' to
Hiram H. Buck's. The second leads from East
Sumner to H. C. Buck's, The third is the road
from Sumner Corner to John H. Bonney's, {Old
Buckfield roacL)
The town also voted that Elisha Bisbee shall build
a pound for nine dollars. April I, 1799, Alvah Rob-
ansoUj 'Benjamin Heald and Isaac Bonney were

150 HISTORICAL SKETCH.
chosen the first school committee of the town.
Voted $100 to be experided for schools. At a sub
sequent meeting a discussion arose as to the place
where publishment of parties intending marriage
should be posted. For some time no agreement
could be made, when finally Increase Robinson, Jr.,
(then unmarried), made a motion that the notices
should be posted on Seth Allen's hog-stye, (an out
of the way place at the end of the lane). The mo
tion pjrevailed and singularly enough, the author of
the motion was the next one to be published and
his intentions were literally carried out.
The first white male child born was Charles
Ford. The first white female child was Rebecca
Robinson who married Cyrus Thompson, esq., of
Hartford. '"•
The I first death was that of a man named Beals
who was buried near where A. W. Kprton resides.
The first schoolhouse stood near the sani,° spot, the
timbers of which now constitute Capt. Bisbee's
woodhouse. The first store (if such it may be called) was kept
at- Deacon Increase Robinson's who also made and
sold cooper ware. In an old account book of the
deacon's the most frequent charges are— "a peck of
corn," "a peck of rye," "2 quarts of rum."
The first blacksmith shop was located near where
Asa Robinson now resides, and Asa Robinson, ist,
was the smith. In those days each customer had to
furnish his own iron and steel and sometimes thc

HISTORICAL SKETCH. I5I
coal. Except in very icy traveling, horses and oxen
were not shod except the doctor's and minister's
horses. The first doctor was Micah Allen, located near
Jefferson Russell's present abode.
The first potatoes grown in town were raised on
the Bosworth place now occupied by Horace S.
Palmer. Some of the timber of the first barn is now
a part of Palmer's woodhouse.
Levi Cushman was the youngest prisoner of the
Revolutionary war, (a son of Dea. Isaiah Cushman).
He was about two years old when liberated.
The first cast iron plow was brought from Mas.s-
achusetts by Isaiah Cushman and sold on trial to
Elisha Bisbee on condition that it plow a certain
rocky piece of land without breaking. It was tried
and stood the test.
On Capt. Lewis Bisbee's barn are boards that
were twitched by oxen through the woods by spot
ted trees from Buckfield, a distance of nearly two
miles. The boards then were sawed by an upright
saw and were not split apart at one end until needed.
The first meetinghouse was erected on Sumner
Hill in 1 8 19. Some of thfe timber is now doing
service in the Congregational church on the hill.
In 1802 a Congregational church was formed and
had various supplies until 1812, when Rev. Samuel
Sewell of Bath was called to be pastor, a position
he retained until 1845,

152

HISTORICAL SKETCH.

Probably the first public religious meetings were
held at the home of Dea. Increase Robinson in 1783.
For several years a few faithful disciples met here
and worshiped according to the custom of those days,
until the first log schoolhouse was erected, when
public services were held there. Meetings on the
Sabbath were thus maintained in those rude huts
and old "family kitchens" until the first Congrega
tional church was erected on Sumner Hill in 18 19.

SUMNER S FIRST CHURCH.

This old meeting house did duty until 1854, when it
was taken down and rebuilt near Parson Sewall's,
residence, where it still is in use for regular Sabbath
services. The Baptist people, however, settled the first
minister, Elder Macomber, who received the grant

HISTORICAL SKETCH. 153
of land given to the town's minister. This land,
however, was afterward given back, and the pro-
ceeds-of its sale still constitute a permanent fund,
the interest of which is divided annually among the
several religious societies in town. The Baptists
have been supplied by various pastors among which
were Joseph Palmer, who labored for years preach
ing at different schoolhouses in town and other pla
tes. On March 20, 1833, Elder Manassah Law
rence moved into town and began a faithful ministry
which-continued until 1858, a pastorate of twenty-five
years. The church numbered when he came fifty-one
members. When he left it numbered one hundred
and thirty-three.
Various societies have sprung up in town and.
flourished more or less at di.d'erent periods of the
town's, history, but the only societies that ha\ e
erected church edifices are the Congregational, Bap-
rtst and Universalist, of which to-day the Congrega
tional has two, tbe Baptist two, and Universalist
one, making fivecburch. buildings kept in good repair '
and -regular Sabbath services held in foiir of them,
and occasf^nal services in the other. This in a rural
towiT of about 900 inhabitants may show that the
town is not lacking in love ^and respect for mora!
and religious observances. There are at present
three "\' P, S. C, E, societies in town that meet
week!)'. The first Sabbath school was organized in
town in. or about the year 1832, by thc Re\'. Asa
Bullard of Boston, Each of the fi\ e churches main-

154 HISTORICAL SKETCH.
tain schools, besides additional ones in the summer
season. Originally, the pews in the Baptist church faced
the high gallery, and the pulpit back joined the gal
lery front so that the minister could not see the sing
ers unless he faced about, and only those occupying
the front seat in the gallery could see the pulpit.
At the time the church was erected it was con
sidered a fine arrangement, as the occupants of the
pews could face the minister, the choir, and see all
the late comers and strangers.
The choir in those clays was large and frequently
filled four long, unpainted wooden benches. Several
of the grandchildren of those old singers are now
serving in a smaller choir near the minister's right.
The old "Carmina Sacra," by Lowell Mason, was
the tune book.
The first choir that we can remember was com-
|)osed of about a dozen persons, none of them young,
and was led by Col. James Hersey. After the min
ister had finished reading one of Watts' hymns, the
colonel would announce Barby, Marlow or Rock
ingham as the case demanded. Then after a trem
ulous far-sol-la, all hands would sing usually four to
six verses at a rather slow feed, and usually end half
a note, or more, below the key note. No anthems,
or set pieces ever greeted our ears then. The sa
cred music then vvas of a doleful slow cast and not
calculated to awaken much enthusiasm. Things
went on in this way until one winter a Mr. Bonney

HISTORICAL SKETCH. I 55
taught a singing school, after which a new choir was
organized with John Conant as leader. Then came
quite a change. New singing books were introduced
and the music was of a more lively order. About
this time instrumental music by way of fiddles and
bass viol came into use here. Greenleaf Conant and
Stephen Heald, who had sustained the alto part in
singing, were taken out and learned to manipulate
the fiddle and bass viol. Bradford Bisbee also assist
ed. It seemed to our boyish mind that the music
had reached the climax of perfection. Mr. Conant,
the chorester, was of a quick and impulsive nature,
and there was some jingle in the selections. How
we used to stand at a safe and respectful distance
and gaze with open mouth and dilated eyes to the
music and wonder if we should ever get there. The,
singing book was the Old Psaltery, and many of the
closing pieces are still fresh in mind. How I de
lighted to tell about our singing. Why, I honestly
thought it could not be excelled by anybody.
Singing was becoming an important factor in
church services. Mr. Conant led the choir for sev
eral years, and after his removal Milton Hersey led
the singing for a while, and as he was our first Sab
bath school teachei, we thought he was hard to beat.
After Mr. Hersey came our well known and efificient
chorestet, Stephen C. Heald, who commenced in
that capacity while but a ^ outh of twenty-one and
served many years.

156 HISTORICAL SKETCH,
The .first established mail route through Sumnei-
started from' Buckfield, came up past Capt, Bisbee's
over Sumner Hill to Esq, Barrett's, then back by
East Sumner, and through Hartford to Canton, One
trip a week was made, and this mail was usual!)-
carried on horseback. The driver blew a trumpet:
before passing houses, as some of the settlers used
to pay him a trifle to deliver their mail, and carr\-
-letters to the office for them.
Simeon Barrett, esq., was the first postmaster. .
Later on, as the town became thicker settled, an-
'other office was established at the east part of the
town, then known as "Sumner Corner," where Dr.
Bethuel Cary was postmaster for many years. After
-the Buckfield Branch railroad was extended to East
Sumner, the office was removed to the Flat near the.
niilLs, where it is now l-cept.
But years before this latter event took place an
office was established at ,\bel Fletcher's and one -at
West Sumner, in place of the one at Esq. B.irrett's.
The mail route then started from Paris Hill, came
through Sumner over the hills to East Sumner,
through Hartford, Canton to Canton Point, the ter
minus. One trip per week only. \'et the entire
week's mail for all the section traversed was not
nearly as heav)- as one of the two daily mails that
mjw arri\'e at East Sumner. Probably the number
of Lewiston Weekly Journals that arrive every
Thursday P. M. at East Sumner exceeds all the
weekly newspapers then delivered over the entire

HISTORICAL SKETCH. I 57
route for the week. A few copies of the "Christian
IMirroT," "Portland Advertiser," "Eastern Argus,"
and "Oxford Democrat," were taken by the "wealthy"
families, and that was about all. Postage rates on
letters coming from IVIassachusetts were eighteen
-and three-fourths cents, requiring an old nine pence
and "four-pence-happeny" to make the change. Not
riiany years ago subscribers to weekly newspapers
had to pay twenty cents annually for postage, "Uncle
Sana" will now carry nine letters to California or
(Oregon as cheap as he. used to carry one to BQston,
In a recent interview with Sumner's oldest citizen,
"Uncle Abe" Fletcher, we inquired as to the first
inilitia company in town. He thinks the first com
pany was organized by Joshua Carpenter, but is
unable to give the date. Two annual "trainings," as
. they were called, were required, one in May and the
other before the annual "field muster" These mus
ters were lield in East Hebron and Paris, and were
tile leading events of the year Each soldier must
appear -with an equipment consisting of two -spare
flints, powder horn, bullets, primer, etc.
, After the great temperance movement in the
"thirties," an independent company called the Stun
ner and. Hartford Rifle Company was formed, made
lip mainly of young men and total abstinence men.
This_ was a uniformed company and such a uniform
now would make a good target for the foe. They
evidently believed ia supporting the colors as the
gaudy outfit consisted of bright , red pants, light

158 HISTORICAL SKETCH.
grepn coats with two rows of bright brass buttons on
the waist several inches apart, with bright yellow
braid across from one button to the other. And the
head gear would have made a Comanche Indian turn
green with envy. A tall straight stove-pipe hat
without rim except in front, surmounted by a tall
fountain feather plume of white feathers tipped with
red, and then the victim was ready for — gore.
.The annual trainings were usually held at "Sum
ner Flat," the only piece of smooth land big enough
to turn a company on with safety. The writer has,
since those gala days, wept bitter tears of sorrow
and anguish while pulling barn grass and pig weed
upon the same soil where this gaily bedeckjfed mil
itary company performed their evolutions.
Perhaps it was the patriotic spirit engendered by
this gay dashing company that caused in after years
nearly one hundred men to don the uniform of blue
and go from the town to battle for the national col
ors of red, white and blue. The band of music con
sisted of a snare drum, bass drum and fife. In our
remembrance of those bright letter days "Uncle Bill"
Rice pounded the big drum, Ephraim Gammori, late
of Mechanic Falls, rattled the small drum and
squealed the fife.
"To be a Roman in those days, was better than
to be a -King."
After the formation of uniformed light infantry
companies, the old militia-men were called "string
bean" companies. It was said that, at the first train-

HISTORICAL SKETCH. 159
ings of the old militia, it was customary to make a
large X on the cowhide worn on the left foot, hence
the order when about to march — "Chalk foot for
ward — march."
In the early times each town was obliged to keep
on deposit in some safe place a quantity of powder
and shot ready for an emergency. Sumner's pow
der house stood on the common near the old Con
gregational church.
The list of Sumner's soldiers* is compiled from
the adjutant general's report and other available
sources. Of course such a list, prepared 33 years
after the close of the war, and made up in part from
the memory of some of our aged citizens, may not
be absolutely correct, but we think the list is very
nearly if not quite complete. Old Sumner has a
noble record for loyalty and patriotism, and many of
her sons laid down their lives for a noble and vic
torious cause. It requires annually about 100 flags
to mark the last resting places of her honored dead,
including the Revolutionary and 1812 heroes.
In the early days bf the first settlers. New Eng
land rum was considered indispensable at weddings,
funerals, marriages and births, also at sheep wash
ings and shearings. People then did not havetovisjt
Maine lakes and brooks in fly time in order to "take
a smile," It was used freely and no attempt at di.s-
guise. * See Appendix O,

l60 -HISTORICAL SKETCH,
It was kept at grocery stores and in nearly all
families and with such frequent use the quality oiiust
have been much better than the present vile, forty- -
rod, crazy compounds^ .Occasionally an old or mid
dle aged man would be seen coming from the gro^
eery with a little too much New England in one jug
to bala-nce the molasses in the other and it was a
trifle difficult to balance the gait. Quite different
from the present time, it was a rare sight _to see a
young man "plumb full" and boisterous. Even the
minister was expected to take ~a "smile" when he
went to comfort the afflicted or kiss the bride.
When the first "old Orthodox" minister, Parsoir
Sewall, was installed, stands were erected where
gingerbread and new rum were dispensed with - a
gospel flavoring and relish. Sumner was not unlike
other towns in this regard, but for the past half cen
tury few towns in the State haye been so free from
the blighting curse of intemperance a,s old Sumner.
In a recent interview with Capt. Bisbee, whose
statements are always taken without salt, he re
marked the freedom of the town from a. bad use of
alcoholic stimulants.
Refering to the great Washingtonian movement
in 1 841 the Captain said that "Old Father Hayes"
delivered the first temperance lecture at Buckfield
on Nov. 6, 1841, and "I signed the pledge and have
kept it ever since," a statement which no one will
doubt. That movement picked up and saved man\
old pioneers of that time and the signers of the
pledge generally kept the pledge.

HISTORICAL SKETCH. l6l
Let US here state an incident that shows the
power and efficacy of a Christian mother's example.
Many years ago at Sumner Corner, which was then
the "Hub" of a large territory, "Uncle Nat Briggs"
kept a small grocery, and of course, the chief neces
sary of life was New England rum, which was then
hauled by horse power from Portland. It was dis
pensed freely to all that had the usual "three cents,"
and those who lacked the necessary fund, did chores,
handled potash ashes and did sundry jobs to procure
the "nipper." Within a stone's throw of this grog
shop lived "Uncle Asa" Robinson, son of Dea. In
crease Robinson. Asa and "Aunt Margaret" reared
a family of nineteen children and many of the boys
were brought up right under the shadow of the re
tailer's shop, and strange to state, not o:re of them
ever became addicted to the use of liquors. Every
one of them grew up a staunch, total abstinence
man, and all but two have passed away and all kept
the faith, Adoniram Judson and Lucius still live
and are inveterate haters of rum and tobacco. Their
mother early taught them to touch not the accursed
thing. After the Washingtonian movement came the
Temperance Watchmen Club, which flourished in its
day and had a good support.
In 1869, March 3d, Dr. William Lapham of Au
gusta instituted Invincible Lodge of Good Temp
lars, which has had phenomenal success. Its roll of
members shows nearly fi\e hundred names, which is

1 62 HISTORICAL SKETCH.
more than one-half of the present population of the
town. It still lives, owns a good hall and has a li
brary of over 3,000 volumes.
To-day, an intoxicated resident of the town would
be a rare sight. If s\ich sickening sights are ever
seen, it is usually a young man who drives through
the place and carries the "critter" with him. Drunk
en brawls and street riots are comparatively unknown,
and still they occur in smaller towns than this. The
general sentiment of the town is for law and order,
and loyalty to the government.
"fhe only instance of anything like a mob or riot
occured rrore than half a century ago. A certain
man of doubtful repute was generally supposed to
be living an intimate and dissolute life with his sis
ters, and the people becoming disgusted with the
affair decided to rid the town of his presence. As
gentle hints did not avail they decided to procure an
"all rail" line for him with a complimentary ticket
for him to Buckfield. As this ' occured before the
days of the steel rail, no other method seemed to be
available but a wood fence rail. They went by
night, and kindly made up the train at his door and
invited the victim to a free ride, giving him the pre
ference of the center seat on the carriage. They
assisted their honored guest to the best seat, and
the train started and did not stop at way stations
until the conductor whispered "Buckfield." As this
was the terminus of the line the train stopped, the
victim dismounted and the train men after taking—

HISTORICAL SKETCH. 1 63
water(.'') started home. The company only made
one trip, as it proved effectual. Some of the lead
ing citizens helped make up the party, and for neat
ness and dispatch it eclipsed the old F. O, J. Smith
line and made better tjme.
When Tabitha Bisbee, sister of Capt, Bisbee's
father, was married to William Brown, Parson Scott
came up from New Gloucester to perform the nup
tials and received for his fee one bushel of rye, which
he carried home with him on his back. Capt, Bisbee
also states that his grandfather brought gait upon
his back- from New Gloucester to salt down two
moose. During the first winter in town the family
subsisted largely on moose, bear, deer, ducks and
partridge, Sumner has made a home for a score or more
of ministers, but a lawyer has never tried to starve
in town.
Several physicians have at various times Uved
and practiced in town, Dr, Micah Allen was the
first, then followed Drs, Conant, Adams, Cary,
Comstock, Faunce, Wight, Bisbee, Andrews, and
Robinson, Early in the history of the town the citizens show
ed their desire for more liberal education of their
children than they had enjoyed. In the same sea
son when the town was incorporated when the list
of voters numbered less than thirty, the town voted
^100 foi" schools, making a per capita tax of over $'^

164 HISTORICAL SKETCH.
each, a much larger sum for each than the amount
now raised by vote of the town for each inhabitant
to bear.
For years, and until the district system was abol
ished, the town maintained 17 districts with 16
schools. The town has sent many pupils to Hebron
Academy, several to Edward Little Institute, Au
burn, and quite a number to the Normal School at
Farmington. Four pupils from the town graduated
last season from the latter school.
Several pupils from the town graduated at Colby
and Bowdoin, and others are still pursuing their
college course, or fitting for future entry ,-
While the town cannot boast any fine school
buildings as larger and wealthier towns can show,
yet the desire and importance of good school facili
ties is felt. Improvements are continually going on
in methods of instruction, and the town ranks well
with rural country towns.
In brief, the early settlers evidently believed in
the importance and necessity, for their future wel
fare, of churches and schools.

PERSONAL SKETCHES,* 1 65
BENJAMIN HBALD
and DBSGBINDAINTS.
A history of the Healds, as connected with the
early settlement of Suninfer, began in the person of
Benjamin Heald, who came from Carlisle, Mass,,
about the year 1784, then a young man about twenty
years of age.
Possibly a year or two after Benjamin Heald took
up his residence in what is now the town of Sumner,
he married Rebekah Spaulding. They began their
life together on Sumner Hill, near to where the
present Heald farm buildings now stand.
Benjamin Heald' was born June 25, 1764, and
died Oct. 12, 1841. His wife, Rebekah, was
born Nov. 10, 1766, and died June 10, 1858.
The following are names of children born to
them while living in Sumner:
Benjamin, Jr., born Sept. 13, 1786; Susannah,
born Jan. 29, 1788; Israel, born Jan. 22, 1793;
Charlotte, born Mar 10, 1795, and died May 8,
1801; Hiram, born July 19, 1797; Harriet, born
Jan. 14, 1800; Washington, born July 23, 1802;
Joseph W., born Sept. 28, 1804; Jefferson, born
Nov. 16, 1805; Charlotte, born Feb. 23, 1808;
Columbus, born July 21, 1810.
We shall now give a brief sketch of the descend
ants of the members of this family in the order of
their birth.
* [Note : The Personal sketches that follow were received
too late to be inserted consecutively with the others. — PuB.l

1 66 PERSONAL SKETCHES,
Benjamin, Jr,= married Achsah Hall. Children:
Hannah B., born Feb. i8, 1813; Andrew J.,
born. May 6, 18 15; Timothy, born April 18,
1817; Elias, born Feb. 14, 1819; George W.,
born Sept. 20, 1820; Christopher C, born
Dec. II, 1822; Lydia B., born Jan. 30, 1825,
married D. H. Bisbee; Abner O., born May 27,
1827; Amasa R., born Jan. 14, 1829; Btojamin
F., born July 11, 1831; John, born Oct. 6,
1835; Charles B., born Oct. 14, 1837.
Hannah B.^ married Solomon Bisbee.
Children:
Timothy H., Mariah, George G., Lewis H.
Andrew J, ,3 married Sarah Austin, Children:
Sarah, Adah, Jenny, Laura, Angle, Mary,
Herbert, Clinton, and two others who died
young.
Timothys married Adeline E, Huntress.
* _ Children:
Gemn\a L,, born Dec. 11, 1870; Benjamin
H., born Feb. 9, 1874; Clara Gertrude,
born Jan: 23, 1880.
George W.,3 married Matflda Williams,
Emigrated to .Wisconsin in the early fifties.
Five children were born to them. Names
l)ave not been furnished.
Christopher C.,3 born Dec. 11, 1822, died
Dec. '9, 1846.
Capt. Abner Otis^ married Sarah Martin.
Enlisted in the ist Wiscopsin' Infantry,

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 1 67
Sept., 1861, and was killed at the Battle of
Chickamauga, Sept, 19, 1863.
.Amasa R,,3 born in Sumner, June 14, 1829,
rnarried Julia Prentiss Howe of Paris, July
18, 1 86 1, Children:
Alice, born Mar. 28, 1863; Lucinda B., born
^ov, 25, 1864; Henry H,, born Oct, 6,1866;
Mary C, born May 24, 1868; Charles, born
Apr 6, 1870; Ernest, born Jan, 18, 1872;
Benjamin H., born Nov. 26, 1873; George
M., born Oct. 17, 1875; Herbert born Oct,
22, 1877; Walter, born Feb. 22, 1881; Arthur,
born Mar. 13, 1883; Edward B., born July
26, 1887.
Alice,* married Wilmot H. Wheeler, Aug. -
II, 1891. Child;
Julia B., born Sept. 14, 1892.
Benjamin F.,3 born July' 11, 1831, married
Mary E. James, born June 26, 1844.
Children:
Abner O., born Apr. 16, 1866; Mary A.,
born Oct, 4, 1872; Charles B,, born Apr, 21,
1875.
Abner O.t married Helen Bryant, Sept, i,
1894. ,
CharleSiB.4 married Sarah Van Ouwerkerk,
Jan, 27, 1897, Child:
Benj, F., 2nd, born Aug, 9, 1898.

1 68 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Johns born Oct. 6, 1835, married Margaret P.
Jordan, June 12, 1876. Children:
Mary A., born Feb. 5, 1877; Ethel L., born
Dec. 23, 1878.
Charles B.,3 born Oct. 14, 1837, married Lydia
J. Richardson, Nov. 17, 1872. Children:
Jennie Morrsll, born Jan. 21, 1874; Elbert
Abner, born Dec. 3, 1875; Charles Arthur,
born Mar 16, 1878.
.Susanah" married Joshua Carpenter. Children:
I Gaines, Decatur, Rebpcca, Franklir,Jefferson,
Harriet and Elvira.
Israel^ married Jane Standish. Children:
Jane L., born Aug. 28, 1816; Israel, Jr., born
July 19, 1818; Mary G., born Dec. 8,1820;
Nancy, born July 8i 1822; Eunice, born Oct.
18, 1826; Benjamin, PI elen, Augusta, Harriet,^
and John, who was a member of ist Maine
Cavalry, and died in the service.
Hiram'' married Sophronia Hersey. Children:
Marcella, b. Apr. 4, 1825; Lysander, b. Dec.
20, 1826; Hiram H., b. Nov. 12, 1828; Albert
H., b. Dec. 9, 1830; Abel S., b. Feb. 13, 1833;
Stephen C, b. June 12, 1835; Emogene S., b.
Apr 18, 1837; James H.,. b. Apr 30, 1839;
Althea P., b. Oct. 2, 1841; Benj. F., b. June
23, 1843; Oscar F., b. Oct. 12, 1846.
Lysander3 married Margaret A; Vining.
Children;

REBEKAH (SPAULDINCi) HEALD,

PERSONAL SKETCHES. I7I
Arthur C, b. Apr. 7, 1861; Eva, b. May 31,
1869; Marion V,, b, Jan, 29, 1874,
Arthur C.,* married Charlotte Bates
Tower, Dec. 31, 1883, Children:
Charies T., b. May 18, 1888; Stanley, b,
June 8, 1891; Margaret, b, Sept. 13, 1892;
Darthea, b, Feb. 10, 1898,
Hiram H.^ married Francis Borne, Nov. 14,
J 852, Children;
William H., b. Mar 19, 1857; Ida, b. No\,
28, 1 861,
\\'illiam< H.* married Annie H. Bangs, Sept,
13, 1881. Child:
Trevor, b. July i, 1886,
Albert H.j married Lottie Cook, who died
Feb. 13, i860. Second wife, Sarah Hough
ton. Child: Hiram. Third wife, Priscilla
Thomas.
Abel S.^ married Mary C. Anderson. Children:
J. Franklin, b. May, 1864^ Jennie M,,^b, Sept.
14, 1870.
Stephen Cj married Abbie A. Rowe, Sept.
12, 1858, who died May 16, 1873. Children:
Samuels,, b. Aug, 12., 1,863; James H,, b,
Feb. 2&, 1 871, married Tinnie Keen, May
^2, 1893; Ernest R., b. May 12, 1873, He
married for second wife, Ella S. Robinson,
Mar 10, 1875, and had one child, Amy E,,
h. Mar. 12, 1879, who married Ernest L
RiLssellj Max. 12, 1899,

172 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Emogene S.3 married Jacob M. Willey, Sept.
12, 1858. Child:
Joseph Ten Brock, b. Dec. 1859.
James H.3 enlisted in 1861, in the 29th
Mass. Regiment, and diedat Annapolis, Md\,
Oct. 10, 1862.
Althea P.3 married Allen Weatherhead.
Benjamin F.3 enlisted in the 20th Maine
' Regiment in 1862, was wounded, at the
JBattle of Spottsylvania, and died May 17,
1864.
Oscar F.3 married Almatia Richardson, Dec,
23, 1868. Children:
Isaac Burton, b. May 6, 1871; Oscar Leslie,
b. Feb. 15, 1879.
Harriets married Reuben Carpenter Children:
Nancy, Thomas B., Arabella, and Josephine.
Washington^ married Eliza A, Allen. -Children-:
Betsey W., b. Aug. 28, 1825; Rebecca S., b.
July 23, 1827; George W., b. Nov. 18, 1828;
Joshua C, b. Mar. 24, 1830; Caroline D., b.
May i8, 1834; Eliza ]., b. Nov. 13, i837;Wm.
A., b. Jan. 31, 1841; Benjamin F., b. Sept. 13,
1843; Enos D., b. July 7, 1845.
Joshua C.3 married Olynthia Swallow.
Children:
P^red E., Clinton S., Anna R., Preston C.,
Harry M., and I. Maud.
WilUam A,,3 married Elva Swett.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 173
Innjamin F.3 married Rosilla Monk,
Children:
Washington, Adalaide "B,, Elva L,, and
, Margaret P,
Pmos D,3 married Ella A, Mitchell.. Child;
Carl M. Second wife, Jane C, Swallow
Fred E, t married Florence A, Monk,
Child: Helen M,
)efferson''' married Jane Hersey, Children;
Olive F„ b. May 17, 1832; Eliza A., b, Mav
12, 1834; Cyrus B,, b,Mar 24, 1838; Mary A.,
b, July 20, 1840; Llewellyn B,, b, Oct. 25,.
1.842; Emma M. J,, b. Mar 23, 1851,
Cyrus B,3 married Elvira H. Brigg.s, Knv. 10.
1 861. Children;
Llewellyn B,, 2nd, b. Sept, i, 1862; Hattie
L,, b, Sept. 19, 1864, married George W,
Hammon, Nov. 27, 1889; Alice W., b. June
17, 1868, married Frank W. Snell, Dec, 22,
1890; Benjamin, b. May 5, 1873; Jefferson,
b. May 5, 1873; Agnes M., .b. Jan. 21, 1.876;
Winslow ]., h. Jan. 22, 1878.
PVIary A. married Albian W. Robinson,
Llewellyn B. married Fannie B. Robinson,
Dec. 17, 1867, who died May 22, 1869. Oct,
15, 1871, he married second wife, Ada F
Bonney. Children;
Annie H., b. Jan. 29, 1873; Sabra R., b.
July 5, 18-76; Estelle J., b. Apr 10, 1878,;
Emma A,, b. Mar, 19, 1880, The following
is 'a Statement of Llewellyn B. Heald'.s

174 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Capt.E. S. f arnsworth > Headquarters, 20th Maine
A. A. A. Gen, 3d Brigade. ^ Vols., January 28, 1865.
Captain : I have the honor to submit the following as a
true Statement of Sargent Llewellyn B. Heald's military
history: He was private in Co. C, August 29, 1862, at which
time the regiment was organized; was in the Battle of An
tietam, Sept. 17, 1862, Blackburn's Ford, Sept. 20, 1862,
Chancellorsville, May 2nd and 3d, 1863, Aldie and Middle
burg, June 21, 1863. Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, where he re
ceived a wound in the thigh; was subsequently prompted to
Corporal for gallantry in action ; was at the Battle of Mine
Run, Nov., 1863, and has been in every battle this Corps has
been in since May i, 1864; was promoted to Sargent, July i,
1864, for gallant and meritorious service. He is a good;-
and true Soldier, in Battle or in Camp. .
Respectfully your Obt. Servant,
Chas. D. Gilmore.,
Lt. Col. Commanding, 20th Maine Vols.
Charlotte^ married Charles A. Buck, Jan, 27,
1829. Children:
dementia, b. Mar. 13, 1832; Harriet, b. Mar.
17. 1837; James M., b, Nov. 22, 1838.
Clementia3 married James J. Abbott, Jan. i6v
^ 1856, and had one child, Ella C.
Harriet^ married Hiram Howe.Sept. 16, 1852.
and had two children, Luther C. and
Lottie A.
James M.3 married Alice Leighton, and had
one child, Charles A.
Columbus^ married Nancy W. Buck, May u
1834. Children:
Adaline E., b. Jan. 16, 1838; Mary A., b.
Mar 10, 1839, married Harlan P. Ricker,
May 30, 1.862; Cynthia E., b. Nov. 26, i84q.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 1 75
CUBOIN S. OSGOOD.
Cleon S. Osgood, a son of Chauncy Osgood of
Hartford, who married Martha J.,* daughter of
Hopestill Bisbee of Hartford, is a great-grandson of
Seth Sturtevant, who was one of Gen. Washington's
bodyguards in the Revolutionary war, of whom
mention is made on page 136.
Cleon S. married Minnetta B., daughter of Capt.
L. B. and Eliza A. Bisbee of Sumner, Nov. 24, 1880,
and have one daughter, Eva C, born Nov. 14, 1881.
In his early boy-hood he commenced with pick
and shovel to learn the art of Rail-roading, and by
his ability and faithful discharge of duty has won
promotion to the position of roadmaster, which posi
tion he now holds with the Portland and Rumford
Falls Railway .In 1888-89 he represented his district
in the State Legislature, which position he held
wi:h credit to himself and his constituents.
Mr. Osgood is well known and respected for his
executive ability and integrity, and commands re
spect whereever known. His present residence is
Rumford Falls, Maine.
HDINRY R. ROBINSON.
Henry R. Robinson of Peru, Me., a son. of Orville
and Sabra W. Robinson, and a direct descendant of
Elisha Bisbee, Jr,t was born Oct. 16, 1853. He Ls
* See page I2i. f See page 116.

176 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
an industrious, practical, thrifty, and successful
farmer, and has been elected to the office of select
man many terms, which bespeaks for him the confi
dence of his fellow townsmen. Oct. i, 1880, he
married Mary F. Keene of Sumner, born May 17,
i860. Their children are: '
Clarence Henry, Ethel Lucia, and Carrol Lucien,
GAD HAYPORD.
Gad Hayford of Hartford, married Sally, the
second daughter of Elisha Bisbee, first.* Of their
children, AXEL, born in Hartford, April 20, 1814, married,
Jan. 14, 1837, Elizabeth Bicknell of Hartford, who
died July 25, 1844. They had one daughter, Olive,
born in Hartford, Jan. 12, 1839. In 1845 he ie-
moved to Belfast. He married, for second wife,
Mary Cotrell of Belfast, Jan. 20, 1845, an^ had two
sons, Arvida E., born Oct. 22, 1845, and died June
3, 1874; William L., born Aug. 2, 1847. Mary, his
second wife, died April 17, 1885.
Mr. Hayford was an influential and energetic
business man, and one of Belfast's foremost citizens.
He was several times elected Mayor of Belfast, and
was President of the Moosehead Lake Railroad
during its construction. He was a large dealer in
corn, flour and lumber, etc. He was a progressive
builder and erected several fine residences in Bel-
• See page n i .

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 1 77
fast, also a large brick and granite block, known as
the "Hayford Block," a credit to himself and an
ornament to the City.
HARRISON, born in Hartford, July 31, 1834,
married Julia Childs of Hartford, Oct. 6, 1843, and
removed to Belfast, Me., in 1845.
Mr. Hayford was a man of business ability, public
spirited, enfluential, kind and benevolent to the
poor and unfortunate. He was overseer of the
poor for the city of Belfast, assuming, by contract,
all responsibility, for nearly fifty years. He was an
extensive farmer, very popular with his fellow citi
zens, and had hosts of friends. He died March 9,
1897, two years after the death of his wife, which
occured May 28, 1894. They had three children,
Francelia, born Oct. 21, 1844, and died Jan. 14,
1858; Lizzie M., born Sept. 23, 1849; Loretto, born
Apr 4, 1852.
Loretto Hayford is a perservering business man,
and succeeded his father as overseer of the poor
for the city of Belfast.

178 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
AUANSON M. GHANDbBR
and DBSGBNDANTS.
Alanson M. Chandler was born Nov. 5, 1815, in
Paris, Me., and died Aug. i, 1885, in North Turner,
Me. He married, July 9, 1839, Harriet N. Mann,
daughter of Deacon Isaac Mann of West Paris.
She was born in Canton, Mass., Apr. 10, 1817, and
died in West Sumner, Feb. 13, 1884.
Mr. Chandler was a carpenter, and came to Sum-,
ner with his brother Hiram, where he worked at
his trade. Children:
Susan F., born in Buckfield, Jan. 31, 1840,
married, Nov. 24, 1859, M. D. Dow of West
Sumner, and died in West Sumner, March
7, 1865. They had two children, Charles W.,
born Jan. 2, i86i, and died Feb. 18, 1861;
Hattie M., born Dec. 8, 1861, married Arthur
Bessey of Bryant's Pond.
Abbie L., born in Paris, Me., Aug. 2, 1842,
married James Dexter Bosworth of Sumner,
and died in Sumner, Aug. 30, 1866. They
had one child, Epyrus, born June 7, 1866, who
married Hattie M. Bonney.
Mary T. M., born in Paris, Me , Sept. 22, 1844,
married Lewis Phinney of Turner, Me., Feb.
16, 1 86 1, and had eight children, Leonard C,
born Nov. 10, 1861, and married, first, R^se
Chambers, second, Hattie Chambers. They
reside in Baraboe, Wisconsin; Mark F"., born

EDWI.N WALLACE CHANDLER.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. i8l
July 30, 1865, died Oct. 17, 1887; Edwin L.,
born July 12, i'867, married Bertha Decoster,
who is now dead; Mary A., born Feb. 14, 1870,
married Henry Harlow of Turner; Abbie F.,
born July 16, 1873, died Dec. 23, 1894; Ruth
B., born Apr. 11, 1876, married Ernest B,
Morse of Turner; William H., born Feb, 17,
1878; Alanson Wallace, born Aug. 19, 1882,
Edwin Wallace, born June i, 1849, in West
Sumner, married Luella E, Staples of Turner,
__ Nov. 29, 1868, and have one child, F\ May,
born Oct. 13, 1874, who married Llewellyn E.
Pulsifer, a merchant, of South Paris, Maine,
Mr. Chandler early acquired the trade of a
carpentei-, arid made that his business for a
number of years. At the present time he i.s
the owner and conductor ot a mill at West
Sumner, where he does an extensive business
in the manufacture of doors, windows, build
ers' finish, hard wood flooring, mouldings of
all kinds, matched sheathing, etc.
I'^llery F., born in West Sumner, Feb. 19, 1852,.
died June 28, 1853.
Reuben Mellen, born in West Sumner, June 10,
1854, married Lizzie A. Pulsifer of West
Sumner, Oct. 27, 1875, and died in Lynn,
Mass., Apr 18, 1890. They had one child,
Walter M., born Sept. 12, 1876. Mr. Chand
ler was a carpenter

l82 PERSONAL SKETCHES.

I. O. SWIPT.

I. O., Swift, the oldest son of Ira F. Swift, was
born in Paris, Sept. 3, 1853. He married Hattie M.
Pulsifer, born Feb. 3. 1864, daughter of Joseph R.
and Mary J. Pulsifer of Sumner, and has had tljree
children, namely:
Lora E,, born Aug. 17, 1880, died Oct. 18, 1881.
Mary E., born Mar. i, 1891, died Apr. 21, 1891.
Bertha A., born July 30, 1898.
Mr. Swift is one of Sumner's most enterprising
and up-to-date farmers, and is much liked by his
fellow townsmen. April i, 1881, he bought the old
".Swift" farm in Sumner, which at that time was
somewhat run out, both the buildings and land, and
by hard work and carefnl management he has
brought the farm up with the best and built an
entirely new set of buildings thereon. The farm is
vety nicely located, commknding a good view of
Pleasant Lake and the surrounding country, and is
considered one of the most desirable and productive
farms in town.
Mr. Swift is also a lover of fine cattle, carries a
large stock, and deals quite extensively in them;

PERSONAL SKETCHES. I 83
THE TURNER P/VMIUY.
CHARLES TURNER settled in Sumner, about
1830, on a farm adjoining the Ryerson farm on the
north, Sturtevant farm on the west, and Hersey
farm on the- south. He married Eliza Briggs of
North Salem, Maine, and there were born to them
nine children, of whom only three are now -living,
John and Horatio G. who are the oldest, and Eliza,
who married A, M, Tucker, and now resides in
I_-exington, Mass, Mrs. Turner died Feb. 3, 1845,
and the family scattered to look out for themselves.
John Turner was born in North Salem, Maine,
Jan. 23, 1827, where he lived until he was three
years old, when his folks moved to Sumner. He
was educated in the district school in Sumner, In
1845 he went to Lowell, Mass., and found occupa
tion in a factory, where he remained five years. In
1850 he married Betsey Knights, of Paris, Maine,
Being ambitious for a more lucrative occupation, he
left Lowell, and started to learn the paving and
contracting business in Boston, and finally became
a mem"ber of the firm, in which he remained for ten
years. Ih 1865 he organized the firm of John
Turner & Co., which has been, perhaps, the most
successful firm in that business in Boston.
Mr Turner was a member of the Charlestown
School-board the five years previous to annexation
to. Boston. He represented Ward 4, Boston, in the
Legislature in 1877 and 1878, He was Treasurer

184 personal sketches.
of the Winchester Home for Aged Women for
three years, and was later elected President. He is
a member of the Hunt Asylum for Destitute Child
ren corporation, and at present is chairman of the
Executive Committee. He was a member of the
Overseers of the Poor for the city of Boston in 1890,
'91, and '92. He was President of the Boston
Finance Association, and is a Director of the
Charlestown Gas and Electric Company, is a member
of the Board of Investment of the Warren Institu
tion for Savings, and a Director of the Bunker Hill
National Bank. He is a member of Henry Price
Lodge, F, & A, M,, St. Andrew's Royal Arch Chap
ter, Melrose Council, Royal and Select Masters,
and Coeur de Lon Cornmandery, Knights Templar.
He is a 3zd degree Mason. He is also a member of
Bunker Hill Lodge, No. 14; Bunker Hill Encamp
ment, No. 5, and Grand Canton Bunker Hill, No. 7,
I. O. O, F.., Paul Revere Lodge, No. 824, Knights
of Honor, and 999th Artillery Association. •
Mr. Turner has one son, J. Fi-ank, teller in a local
bank. Mr. Turner's office is at 19 Milk Street,
Boston. He has resided in Charlestown forty-two
years, and has accumulated much property; He is
in fact, one of the heaviest tax-payers of the district.
He resides at 351 Main Street, Charlestown, Mass.
Horatio G. Turner (rsidence, Dedham, Mass.),
was born in Salem, Maine, Jan. 14, 1829. His par
ents moved to Sumner, about 1830. He received
his education in the district schoolj worked at farm-

HOK.\ri() <,,\-|-i-:s ¦rL'KM-;R.

JOHN TURNER,

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 1 89
ing three or four years, then desiring tb better him
self financially, he w'erit' to Massachusetts, and
worked at the boot and shoe business several years
in Abbington and Weymouth. In 185 1 he married
Justina Heath, of Salem, Maine. He has two
children, living, Charles A. and Adelia F. In 1855
he commenced paving, and went into business with
his brother about 1867, the firm name being John
Turner and Company, where he has continued ever
since. He has served the town of Dedham in sev
eral important offices.
Mr. Turner is a member of Bunker Hill Lodge,
No. 14, I. O. O. F., a member of Constellation Lodg^,
F. and; A. M., Norfolk Royal Arch Chapter, Cyprus
Commandery, Knights Templar, and Past Com
mander of Charles W. Carroll Post 144, G. A. R.
John and Horatio G. Turner have a lot in the
cemetery at West Sumner village, where their
grandfather, Oliver Turner, mother, brother, and a
sister are buried. The names and ages are inscribed
on the monument which stands on the lot, and are
as follows:
Oliver Turner died April 8, 1 843, aged 78 years.
P^liza Turner died Feb. 3 1845, aged 37 years and
5 months.
¦Thomas D. Turner died Mar. 28, 1836, aged i
year and 5 months.
Mary Ann B. Turner died Jan. 17, 1845, aged 2
years and 5 months.
Charles Turner, Jr died F'eb. 24, 1852, aged 20
years and 8 month.s.

190 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
GILBERT TUELL and DESCENDANTS
(Note : No attempt has been made to make the list com
plete except in the male line, as it is assumed that the others
will appear under their family name.)
Gilbert Tuell was born in Paris, March 4, 1 788.
He was the youngest son of John Tuell, who came
to Paris from Taunton, Mass., about 1787. When
twenty years old he began clearing the farm in
West Sumner, upon which he lived until his death,
which occured Oct. 20, 1861. He was a man of
great industry and energy, and cleared a large farm,
though for many years before his death he was un
able to engage in physical labor in consequence of a
persistent asthmatic trouble.
Mr. Tuell was twice married. His first wife was
Polly Benson, his second was Sarah Young.
Children of Gilbert and Polly Tuell.
, Louisa, born Oct. 26, 181 1, died Apr. 23, 1892.
Mary Ann, born Feb. 24, 1814, died June
28, 1878.
Children of Gilbert and Sarah Tuell.
Charles Y., born Aug, 2, 1819, died Dec, 5,
1890.
Hiram, born Oct. 11, 1820, died July 26, 1824.
Benjamin Y., born July 19, 1822, died Nov. 5,
1889.
Abagail, born Nov. 28, 1824.
Lydia M., born Nov. 26, 1826, died Apr i, 1893.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. IQI
Henrietta, born Oct. 23, 1829, died May 11,
1854.
Louisa Tuell married George Washington Buqjc,
and had seven children, six of whom are now
living, Polly, the wife of Frederick Farrar;
Charles T., Clinton, Henrietta, the wife of
Freeman Farrar; Luville, Orville.
AH except Charles, who lives in Paris, and Luville,
who lives in Livermore, are inhabitants of Sumner.
Mary Ann Tuell married Seth Gurney. Their
children were Manderville, Victor, Arlette,
who married John B. Ffoster; Adna, and
Romandel.
Charles and Benjamin Y. Tuell spent their lives
upon the home farm, which was divided between-
them as soon as the younger reached his majority.
They were hard-working ard prosperous farmers,
and enjoyed in large measure the respect and con
fidence of their fellow citizens. Benjamin taught
school several winters when he was a young man.
They each served eight years on the board of select
men of the town. Each represented their district
in the State Legislature one term, and Benjamin
was County Commissioner for three years. Both
were much in demand as administrators of the es
tates of deceased persons and as guardians of
minors. Their devotion and deference to each
other was very marked throughout their lives,
Charles was a deacon of the Baptist church, and
Benjamin y^as a Universalist in faith.

192 PERSO.NAL SKETCHES.
Charles married Emily Stetson, and had six child
ren, all of whom are now living,
Hiram, born March 16, 1844.
Francis B,, born June 25, 1847.
EllaM., born Dec. 26, 1849.
Sarah Abbie, born Jan. 2, 1852.
Gilbert, born July 23, 1854.
Elbridge Stetson, born Feb. 7, 1856.
Iliram fitted for college at North Bridgton,,AcacI-
emy, and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1869.
After graduation he served as Principal of Black
stone High School for about three years, then as
Principal of Marlboro High School for six years, and
Principal of Milton High, School for nearly nineteen
\ears. He is now living, in Milton, Mass., and is
c(mnected with the law office cf John C. Coombs of
Boston. He married Mary C. Daniels of Milford,
Mass., and has two daughters, Harriet Emily and
Annie Kimbal, both graduates of Wellesley College.
Harriet Emily received the degree of Ph. D. at
Cornell University in 1894, being one of the
first thirty women in America to receive that
degree. She is now teacher of History in
M. C. Durfee High School of Fall River,
Mass.
Annie Kimball is a teacher in Westbrook Sem -
inary in Portland.
F'rancis B. studied dentistry with Dr. Jones of
Norway, and has practiced in Bethel up to the pn. -
sent time. He married Sadie Mason, and has three

PERSONAL SKETCHES. I93
children, Ella Mildred, Gilbert Woodsum, and Chas.
F^rancis. Ella Mildred and Gilbert Woodsum are now
pupils at Gould's Academy. Gilbert W. and
Charles F. are the only male descendants of
Gilbert Tuell, of the fourth generation, who
bear the name of Tuell.
Ella M., after teaching a short time in the High
School of Fall River, married George H, Hawes, a
prominent print cloth broker of that city. She has
one son, Charles, who is about to enter Harvard
College, /
Sarah Abbie has been for many years a success
ful teacher in Fall River.
Gilbert is a carpenter and builder, and resides in
Bethel. He married Mellicent Smith, and has no
children. Elbridge Stetson has always lived on the home
farm, and is a worthy representative of the family
and the . name in his native town. He married
Flora L. Gurney, and has two children, Mary Elleuj
and Emily.
Benjamin Y. Tuell was twice married. His first
wife was Belinda Heath, They had four child
ren, all of whom are now living,
Francette, born July 27, 1850.
Henrietta, born Feb, 23, 1854,
Helen, born Apr 27, 1857,
Belinda A,, born Jan, 11, 1859,
Belinda (Heath) Tuell, died Jan, 11, 1859,

194 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Benjamin Y. married for his second wife. Rose
L-wejoy. Francette married Eugene Fletcher, and has one
son, William Roscoe, a graduate of Bates
College, who has been Principal of East
Bridgewater, Mass., High School, also Fox-
craft, Me., and is now Principal of Oxford
High School of Mass. He married Helen
Rollins, of Lewiston, Me., and has two child
ren, a son, Earl Wingate, a daughter, Rosilla
Francette.
Henrietta married James A. Tuell, May 17, 1878.
After their marriage they resided at James A.
Tuell's old homestead in "Taunton Green," of Paris,
for a while, then removed to West Paris, where he
conducted a meat store. At present they reside in
Norway, Me.
Helen married, Oct. 12, 1879, Geo. A. Chandler
of West Sumner, where they have lived since their
marriage. They had two children, a daughter,
Linnie T., who entered Hebron Academy in
the fall of 1897, but owing to failing health
had to leave, and died Apr. 5, 1898; a son,
Hiram Benjamin Tuell, who is in the employ
of his father as clerk.
Belinda A. married Edwin L. Tuell, Oct. 25,
1884, and has been a dress maker since. They re
side in Watertown, Mass. They had one child, a
daughter, Marion Rosilla, born Dec, 2, 1894,
died May 6, 1895. '

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 195
Abagail married Albion P. Bonney of Buckfield,
and is now living in Auburn. She has no children,
Lydia M. was twice married. By her first husband,
Charles H. Curtis, she had one child, Mary Abbie,
who is now living in Norway. Her second husband
was Edmund Curtis.
Henrietta, the youngest of Gilbert Tuell's daught
ers, died unmarried.

196 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
GAPT. HOPESTILL BISBEE.
Capt. Hopestill Bisbee, a likeness of whom is
shown on page 123, was the third son of Elisha
Bisbee of Sumner. He was in the war of 1812.
He was a man whose youth was not blessed with
the advantages of education, yet who possessed
native ability, and always had at heart an interest
for schools, anxious for the coming generation to
extend its usefulness by education. He was a citi
zen of public spirit, interested in all matters pertain
ing to the welfare of his town, and was often select
ed as an appraiser of estates.
At the time the great temperance movement
which was sweeping over the country made its ap
pearance he became one of its chief promoters,
establishing what was then known as the "Wash
ingtonian Society."
When an Abolishionest was almost an outlaw, he
championed the cause of anti-slavery. On this
question he had no doubts. Early he had espoused
-the cause of universal freedom and the extirpation
of chattel slavery.
In season and out of season he spoke against this
national sin, and contributed from his means to the
practical solution of the question, as the anti-slavery
societies and the poor negro could testify. For
Seven years he voted with five other citizens who
desired freedom to all. He lived to see the day- of
the emancipation of the negro race in our country.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 1 97
Through his industry and good management he
made his home one of the finest farm residences in
the vicinity, an ornament to the town. Not the
least among its attractions was the influence of mu
sic which pervaded the home circle. He was a fine
bass singer. We can, even now, remember how,
with rapt attention, we listened to the sweet tones
of his voice, and the clear, high soprano of our moth
er, in the "Anthem for Easter," "Lift up your
Heads, Eternal Gates," and "The Heavenly 'Vision.''
They were leading musical characters in their day,
and long stood in the church choir.
The fine row of maples near the homestead were
set by him. His family are all now dead, except
the youngest daughter, "the last leaf on the tree."
Interred in the family lot at Hartford Center, once
East Butterfield, rest the remains of Capt. Hopestill
Bisbee and his wife.

igS PERSONAL SKETCHES.
ELISHA BISBEE, JR and PAMILY
Elisha Bisbee, Jr., born May 8, 1786, married
Joanna Stiirtevant of Sumner, by Isaac Sturtevant,
Esq., her father, April 15, 1810. He lived for a
short time in Buckfield VillagCj and then exchanged
his' stand there with Zebediah Austin for the farm
on Sumner Hill, which is still owned by his descend
ants. The farm is pleasantly located on an em-
dnence which commands a fine view of the White
Mountains, Labrador Pond and the surrounding
country north and west. He served the town sev
eral years as Treasurer, and was alsp several times
a member of the board of selectmen. He was noted
as a man of sound judgment and sttict integrity.
He had five children by his first wife. Three grew
to man- and woman-hood.
Elbridge G., born in Buckfield, Feb. 8, 1811, died
Oct. 2, 1812; Thomas J. and George W., twins, born
in Buckfield, July 6, 18 12.
Thomas J. married, in June 1840, Sylvia Stetson
of Sumner, and moved to Rumford, where he be
came a prosperous farmer, holding town offices for
many years. They had one daughter.
George W., a likeness of whom appears on page
117, married, Jan. i, 1830, Mary B. Howe of Rum
ford. He commenced business for himself as a
blacksmith, in Hartford, where, with his public
spirited wife, he did much to sustain the ministry.

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 1 99
and entertain those who came from the country,
around. Stable accommodations were essential,
this also was provided without pay.
Mrs. Bisbee was one of the first ladies of the-
town. President of the Daughters of Freedom, and
Vice President of the Ladies' Temperance Band.
Her musical talent made her welcome on all occa
sions. She was a model house-wife, a well informed
woman, and-belo-ved by all her neighbors and
acquaintances. They had one son; while yet a lad
the father removed with his family to Peru, where ,
he died.
Mary P., born June 6, 1815, married Freeman
Reed, of Hartford, and had five children. Their
last years were lived in Massachusetts. Both died
the same week and were brought to Canton, Me.,
for burial.
, Ehsha Jr's. first wife died Jan. 30, 1825. For
- second wife, he married Fannie Bryant of Sumner,
born June 12, 18 16, died May 10, 1869. They had
nine children. Of these,
Sabra W., born Feb. 21, 1826, married Orville
Robinson, then of Hartford, since of Peru. He en
gaged in farming, and through enterprise and care
ful management became one of the foremost and
thrifty farmers in town. They had two children.
M-r. Robinson died several years ago, and his wife
lives with their son on the Peru homestead.
Sophia G., born Aprill 7, 1827, is now resident
owner of the Elisha Bisbee homestead, which is one

200 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
of the most attractive residences in Sumner. She
never married. She won honors to herself in car
ing for her aged parents in their last days, and in
the bringing up of the six young children that were
left in her care.
Levi Bradford, born July i6, 1828, married, May
18, 1852, Eliza A. Heald of Sumner, and removed to
Belfast, Maine. They had eight children. Early
in life he learned the carpenter's trade, and followed'
carpentering and ship-joinery until 1861, when he
enlisted, at the first call, in the 4th Maine Volun
teers. Enlisted as a private. After the first battle
at Bull Run, July 21, 1 861, he was promoted, July
22, 1861, to Sargent Major, after which, to Lieuten
ant and Captain. He took part in the following
ertgagements: First Battle of Bull Run, in which
engagement he was severely wounded; Siege of
Yorktown, Battle of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Seven
Pines, Charles City Cross Roads, and Malvern Hill.
He was many times detailed with his company for
special service, and his promotions speak for his
abilities as an officer in the war. He has an hon-
qrable discharge, and receives a pension for disabil
ities contracted while in the U. S. Service. After
the war he removed to his native town, built the
first store at East Sumner, and went into trade;"
also dealt in wood, bark and lumber, shipping via
R. R. to Portland and other points; later sold out
the business and rented the stoi^e which was burned
without insurance. He had charge of bridge build-

PERSONAL SKETCHES. 201
ing for the Portland and Oxford Central R. R, Co,
In 1877 he went to Virginia City, Nevada, and en
gaged in mining and mill-wright work. In 1885
he was at Araconda, Montana, engaged on the Ar-
aconda Copper Milling Works, and returned hom^
in 1886.
Capt. Bisbee has done most faithful work in
collecting dates and facts of interest, of the Bisbee
family and their connections, and putting them in
convenient form for this work. He will have the
thanks of the present generation, and its value will
increase as the years go by.
Elisha S., born in Sumner, April 15, 1830, mar
ried Martha J. Parsons of Hartford. He was a
beautiful type of manhood, a man of sound judg
ment, and a practical, thrifty and successful farmer.
He was esteemed by his fellow citizens for his many
good qualities of mind and heart. They had three
children. He died Mar 28, 1897, on the Bisbee
homestead. Asia H. born Jan. 6, 1832, went to California in
1854, and later went to Portland, Oregon, engaged
in mining, married, and died at Portland, Oregon,
in 1875, leaving two sons.
Daniel H„ born in Sumner, Oct. 9, 1833, went to
California in 1854, worked at placef-mining, removed
to Virginia City, Nevada, engaged in mill-wright
work, and later as foreman and superintendent for
the Mining and Smelting Co., for the reduction of
mineral ore, for about thirty years. He had the

202 PERSONAL SKETCHES.
handling of many millions of dollars' worth of bull-
Jon. He returned to Maine iri 1889 , and died in
Auburn,. Oct. 13, 1891. He had three children.
Jane Y., born July i, 1835, married James Mc
Donald, Oct. I, 1855.
Hopestill R., born in Sumner, June2i, 1837, went
to California in 1855, engaged in mining, -lateir re
moved to Virginia City, Nevada, and engaged in
mill-wright work, as master builder. As a -mechanic
he was rated among the first, and built some of the
finest ' mill-works for milling mineral ore in the
West. He returned to his native town in 1872, and
removed to Auburn, where he now resides, and en
joys his vacations in his "cottage by the sea." He
married Ella Byram, Sept. 14, 1871, at Virginia City,
Neveda, and they have had four children,
Hiram B., born Dec. 11, 1839, enlisted as a private
in Company F 9th Maine Volunteers, and was pro
moted to Sargent for meritorious service. He was
shot dead at Bermuda Hundred, Virginia, May 24,
1864.

APPENDIX.

A. Extracts from Proprietors'' Records,
May 1, 1788, The Proprietors of Butterfield
township or No. 6 and No. 7 this day meet at the house of
Ebenezer Bancroft in Dunstable agreable to a warrant for
that purpose and part of the votes passed at said meeting are
as followeth: Voted and choose Ebenezer Bancroft Clerk
for said Proprietors. The surtificate entered on the Book of
his. being sworn as clerk, are in words as followeth :
Middlesex ss. May the ist, 1788, Personally appeared Eb-
e-nezer Bancroft, Esq,, and took the oath of Clerk for the Pro
prietors of Butterfield township, orl^Io. 6 and N0.7.
Before me, Joel Parkhurst, Justice of Peace.
Then voted choose agents to act in behalf of said Proprie
tary, then voted to choose three persons as agents, and chose
Ebenezer Bancroft, Samuel Butterfield and Peter Coburn; and
voted to direct s.iid agents to settle with all those sellers that
are intitled to a hundred acres of land in Butterfield, or No. 6
and No. 7, by a resolve of the General Court, by Measuring off
to e'ach, his hundred acres and making bounds accordingly.
And iri .September the 22, 1791, the Proprietors at a legal
meeting voted to accept of the plan.and report of the Commit
tee chosen to measure off the settlers lots to each settler, one
hundred acres, and that said plan and report be recorded ¦ on
the Proprietors Book, and according to said plan and report,
vvas set off to each settler as followeth, viz : [Allotments are
here given to the following settlers : "In the Wgst town," to

II APPENDIX.
James Keen, Hezekiah Stutson, John Briggs, Isaac Sturtivant,
Benjamin Haild, John Crokit, Moses Buck, Oliver Cumings,
Jun'r, John Bisbee, John Fletcher, Levi Crocket, Simeon Bar
ret, John Keen, Moses Bisbee, Joshua Ford, Simeon Parlin.
"In the East town", to Asa Roberson, William Heaford, In
crease Roberson, Meshek Keen, Joseph Roberson, William
Tucker, Isaac Bonney, John Bonney, Charles Bisbee, David
Oldham, Charles Ford, Elisha Bisbee, Noah Bozworth.]
Attest: Ebenezer Bancroft, Clerk to said Proprietary.
Reed Sep' 22, 1804, and Record"! from the Original
att Elias Merrill, Reg' .
• * * * *
At a meeting of the Proprietors of Butterfield, or No. six and
No. seven, in the County of Cumberland, legally assembled on
May the eighteenth, 1801. Voted, that the Clerk of this Pro
prietary make out a copy of all the records relating to the divi
sion and drawings of all the Lands in the Plantation of Butter
field, and transmit the same to the Registet of Deeds for the
County of Cumberland, in o/der that the same may be put upon
record, which is as follows, agreeable to the Records and Plan
of the West Town :
Government's Land. Lot No. 10, in 6th Range, lot No. 10,
in s R.
Ministers. Lands. Lot No. 10, in 4 R. and the south half of
lot No. II, ins R-
Ministry Land. Lot No. 11, in 4 R. and North half of lot
No. II, in 5R.
Grammar School Land: North Gore in the first range.
North gore in the second range, North gore ia the third range,
271 acres.
The aforegoing couplings together with assignments of public
land was agreed to and voted by the Propriety November 26,
1786.

APPENDIX. Ill
Public Lands in the East Town.
- Government Land : Lot No. 13, in 6 R. Lot No. 12, in 6 R,
Minister Lands : Lot No. 12, in 7 R. North gore in 9 R. of
78 a.
Ministry Lands : Lot No. 11, in 5 R. North gore in ro R.
of 67 a.
School Land : Lot No. 17, in i R. North gore in i R. 91 a.
North gore in 2 R. 21 a.
B. First petition for grant of land in present toTxln of
Suniner.
To the Honorable the Senate and the Honorable the
House of Representatives of the Common Wealth of the Mass
achusetts Bay. In general Court assembled.
, The Petition of Samuel Butterfield of Dunstable for himself
and in behalf ot Several Persons here after named, For a tract
of Land now the Property of this State, Lying and beingjn the
County of Cumberland and joining has Northerly Lands Peti
tioned for by Abijah Buck and others and North easterly of
No. Four. To the value of six miles square or a Sufficient num-
bea of Acres for a town To be laid out as agreeable to your Peti
tioners as maybe — upon such considerations or for such a Sum^
as you in your Wisdom shall think best for the good of this
State, your Petitioners Being Desireous of Making a Settlement
on Said Land if granted, whichnot only would be a Benefit to
them Selves but to the Comunity at Large and the Wilderness
become a fruitfull field. Your Petitioners relying on your Wis
dom, care and Tenderness Pray the Above Said Lands may be
granted as you in your Great Wisdom may Direct. Your Peti
tioners as in Duty Bound shall Ever Pray
January the 24th 1781 . (Signed) Samuel Butterfield,
Alexander Payson
Mark Hobbs and others

IV APPENDIX,
C. First Petition for Incorporation of West Butterfield.
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives in
General Court assemble"! ,
The Petition of Elisha Bisbee Gentleman and others the sub
scribers Inhabitants of a Place or Plantation commonly called
the Westerly Plantation in' Butterfield in the County of Cumber
land and Common wealth of Massachusetts humble" sheweth —
That it is now about ten years since the said Plantation be
gan to be setled, that it now contains twenty four heads of
Farnilys : That your Petitioners ever have* and stil do labor
under Great difiiculty, and great Disadvantages on many account
more especially on account of the want of, Roads Bridges Cas-
ways ; that your Petitioners labor under great Disadvantages
on accoant of Schools and diverse other matters, being under '
no Kind of Regulations or suppurt of Minister, or towards the
suppurt of schools and the like, and many otherDisadvantag-
es your Petitioners labour under, of which they presume they
might in a great measure at least, be relieved provided the said
Plantation was Incorporated — ,
Where upon your Petitioners humble pray your Honors to
take this their unhappy situation under your wise and judicues
Consideration, and thai your Honors will be pleased to
pass an act for the Incorporation to said. Plantation into a Town
by such Name 2& your Honors shall think proper with all the
Privilages Immunities of the other Towns in the Commonwealth ;
and your J?'etitioner's as in Duty bound will ever pray,
£)ated at westerly Butterfield the i day of May Anno Domini
one thousand seven hundred and ninty three
Enoch Hall Simon Parlin _ Solomon Bisbee - '
Elisha Bisbe William Tucker Joseph Robinson
John Keen Joshua Foard Judah Keen
Moses Buck ¦ Seth Allen ¦ Noah Bozworth
John Croket Jeames Keen Noah Bozworth juner
John Fletcher Meshadi Keen

APPENDIX. V
D. First Petition for Incorporation of East Butterfield.
Sir At a Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Plantation of East -
Butterfield or N"- 7 So Called in the County of Cumberland
Common wealth of Massechusetts on the 20th Day of this In
stant Aug' the Peeple made Choose of us the Subscriburs for a
Committe to patition the Legislature of said Common wealth
for an Incorporaiion of said plantation We therefore pray your
honour to draw a patition for that purpose and Subscribe our
names to the Same, (and this our request shall justify you in
so doing) and lay the same before the General Court at their
next Sessions, and procure us an Incorporation as soon as it
can be reasonably be doon^Doing which you will oblige us your
Humble Servents in particular and the People in general
East Butterfield Aug' 22'h 1793 ,
To William Wedgry Esq'
Increase Robinson William Soule
William Hayford Charles foord
Isaac Bonney
E. Second Petition for Incorporation of West Butterfield.
Butterfield Cumberland Comity Decemb"- 10* A D 1793
To the Honrb' Genr' Court of Massachusetts— we your Peti
tioners Being A Committe Chusen at A Legal Meeting of the In
habitants of the west^ Plantation of Butterfield So Cawled —
Humbly Pray that your Honners would Incorperatethis Planta
tion Into A Town by the Name of New Hancock & grant us the
Privileges of other Incorperate towns of this Commonwealth as
Soon as your Honners In your Wisdom Can find It Convenient
& your Petitioners as In Duty Bound Shall Ever Pray
John Briggs Elisha Bisbee ^x
Isaac Sturtevant Benjamin Halde (Plantation
Enoch HaU - Hezakiah Stutson) Committee

VI APPENDIX.
F. Second Petition for Incorporation of East Butterfield.
To the Hon. Senate and the Hon. House of Representatives
in General Court assembled
The petition of the subscribers respectfully sheweth —
that your petitioners inhabitants of the plantation of East
Butterfield in the County of Cumberland being the East part of
two tracts pr townships of land Containing 45525 acres con
veyed by the Committe for the sale of eastern lands to M'-
Eben'- Bancroft and others on the 22 "! of Novem"- 1787 which
the proprietors have since divided into two townships by
a line drawn north ahd sputh through the same — have lived in
said plantation a number of years labouring under all the in
conveniences that attend unincorporated Plantations which op
erate Greatly to their disadvantage in numberles instances two
many to be enumerated here and which will Still operate against
them so long as they remain in their present situation : Altho
they pay and have payed for a number of years their proportion
of taxes towards the support of those laws and regulations which
they wish to enjoy in Common with their fellow citizens of in
corporated towns but must of consequence be deprived off so
long as they remain in their unincorporated State — Your
petitioners are induced and incouraged to address the legislature
on this subject in full confidence and with the pleasing satis
faction that the General Court is at all times disposed to remove ,
inconveniencies and redress grievances that any of the people
of the Commonwealth may at any time labour under, when
made known to them —
They therefore pray the honorable legislature to take their
disagreeable situation under their wise consideration and in
corporate them into a Town by the name of  by the
following Boundaries Viz begining at the South east corner of
said Plantation and the north east corner of Buckfield then
running north eighty one deg : west on Buckfield line 4

APPENDIX. VII
miles and 226 rods to the" said division line of said townships
then north 7 miles and 40 rods on said division line to the
north line of said towns then south fifty six deg : east i mile
and 180 rods by commonwealths land, 'then south eighty one
deg : east 4 miles and 160 rods by common wealths land to
the north east corner of of said Plantation then south 3 miles
and 260 rods by common wealths land to Turrier north west
corner, then South twenty six degs : west 2 miles and 300
rods on Turner line to the bounds first mentioned — ¦
And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray
East Butterfield Deem' 21st 1795 — '
-David Jennings Benjamin Gennens Dennis Newbegin
W™ Hayford John Bartlett - Arviday Hayford
gustavus Hayford Philemon Parsons ' Ephraim Riker
Davis Par.sons Daniel Riker Samuel Alley
' Ebenezer doan William Baird Edmon Irish
Ephraim Tinkham Increase Robinson Micah Allen
Lemuel Keeii James Bonney Daniel Oldharn
Charles foord Isaac Bonney W^ Hayford jr
Alvan Robinson Thaddeus Thomson Richard Dearborn
Josiah Tillson Asa Robinson James Tilson
Berzellia Hollis Nathan PloUis Anson Soule
W™ Soule Abel Ames Broadstreet Mason
Freeman Elis Jonathan Bozworth Benjamin Ellis
Stephen Bozworth •
your Petioners pray that the Town may be incorporated by
the name of Lisbon if it may be & if not Hartford.
G. 'I hird Petition for Incorporation of West Butterfield^
To the Hon Senate and House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts in^general Court assembled
January — 1 796 '
The Petition of the Subscribers of West Plantation of Butter-

VIII APPENDIX.
field So Colled Humbly Shews the many Inconvenincies Par
ticularly Aliening Us In our Present Settuation For the want
of Sivel Regulations others of Our Fallow Men Injoy
We feel Vary Unhappy We Injoy But Little of these Religious
Liberties and Privilege Which Is Injyed In all Regular Towns.
Many Yeares has this West Plantation Ben Settl^ed The long
Continuance with out order Causes Many to Be come Enemies
To Order and Good goverment and your Humble Petitioners
Further Shuing the Want of Sivel Ragulalions lo Improve Both
the Preached Gospel and Simmenarais of Laming which Cannot
Be Propaly Regulated and Suported Under the Plantation head
your Humble Petitioners Further Shews another Evil attening
Us and All our Contry Men and Falow Citizenes that Is the
Want of Convenant Roads through our Barran and Uncultivat
ed Lands and as your Humble Petitioners Wiling help Support
Sivel goverment We Pray your Horners would Not Deni Us
the Privilegs of the Same
and as your Honers Stand at the helm of goverment We
your Humble Petitioners Have Confidence to Bplive Will Not
Deni Us of this our humble Petition and your Humble Petition
ers humbly Pray that your Honers Would Incorporate In to a
Town B the N^me of gilman and grant Us all the Liberty and
Privilegs of other Incorporated Town and a In Duty your Peti
tioners Will Ever Pray — By the Boundaries of this West Plan
tation Beginning a Buckfeeld North West Corner From thence
Running South 8 id East 3 Miles and 294 Rods To the Pro
priety Division Line then North 7 miels and 30 Rods then
North 65=1 West 260 Rods then South 8od West 4 Miles and 40
Rods then South i miles 220 Rods Then South i3<l1East 2
m.iles and 184 Rods To the Bounds Furst mentioned
Isaiah Cushman John Briggs Enoch Hall
Simeon Barrett John Croket Oliver Comings
Timothy Cobb John Keen Moses Buck
John Crocket Benjamin Heeld Joshua Fooard

.VPPr.NDIX, IX
Levi Crocket John flectcher , Simon parlin
Isaack Sturtevant Solomon Bisbe Thomas fletcher
Joel Crocket Jacob Bradbury Seth Sturtevant
Seth Allen Joseph Robinson Mesach Keen
Noah Bosworth JMoah Bosworth Jur Elijah Bisbee
Welem Tucker James Keen
H. . Petition for Incorporation of West Butterfield, with
the River as dividing line.
To the Hon: the Senate and the Hon House of Rei^resenta-
tives in General Co\irt assembled
. We the Subscribers your petitioners inhabitants of the plan
tations of Butterfield by this our humble petition beg leave to
represent. That when the proprietors purchased the two tracts
or townships of Land known by the name of Butterfield of the
Commonwealth, there was then twenty nine Settlers living on
the west side of the east branch of , twenty mile river so
called within the limits of Said townships said river running
nearly north and south through Said towns. That twenty one
of said Settlers settled under the Commonwealth the other
eight purchased, their land of the proprietors, that when the
proprietors loted out said townships tbey ran a rang liue north
and. south through town between the settlers and loted said
towns from said line .declaring said line to be the division line
, of said towns, turning twenty two settlers into the west town
the other seven being some of both the aforesaid description
with the two mills which is all there is ia said towns to this day
which one of the first settlers built intirely at his cost into the
east town that there might be settlers in each town bringing
them on the skirts of the same. That on Survaying the plans
of each town there appears to be 8365 acres of land more in the
east town then there is in the west, that on numbering the in
habitants-three fifths of the rateable polls are found in the
east town 
Your petitioners therefore concieve it to be a very great hard-

APPENDIX.

ship that any of the first settlers should be turned over with
the mills lo the east town, when by making the said east branch
of twenty mile river the division line of said towns when it
will lay the towns in as good or better forms then the said rang
line will which may be seen by viewing the plan and equaly di
vide the settlers and give the east town then 4475 acres the
most, and as the same proprietors ownes both towns it cannot.
be injurious lo them
Your petitioners therefore pray the Hon: legislature to take
this our' petition into their wise consideration, and incor
porate the west plantation of Butterfield into a distinct town
by the name of-^  by the boundaries accompiiiying
this petition making the said east branch of twenty mile river
the dividing line of said towns that tbe west town may have its
share of settlers and land and save some of the settlers one
half of their travel lo do publick business , (
As in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray
' Butterfield December 18 A D 1797

Lemuel Keen Daniel oldham
Charles Foord W"" Hayford j"-
Calvin Bisbee Solomon Bisbee
William crocket Triads Tomson
Luis Crocket Joseph Robinson
Meshach Keen James Tilson
Simeon Barrett Reuben Procter
Jonas Coburn William Doble
Zadock Keen Juda Keen
Micah Allen Isaac Bonney
John Briggs Joseph Crocket
John Keen Seth Allen
his his
James X Keen John X Crocket
mark mark
Asa Robinson Benjamin Heald
Noah Bozworth jun .Simon Parlin
Increase Robinson jr Timothy Cobb

Increase Robinson
John Fletcher
Joshua Foord
John Crocket ]'
Hezekiah Stetson
Thomas Frasher
Thomas Fletcher
Asa Coburn
John Cole
Isaiah Cushman
Alvan Robinson
Isaac Sturtevant
his
Will X Tucker
mark
Noah Bosworth
Seth Sturtevent
Josiah Tilson

, .\PPE\piX. XI
T. Petition for Incorporation of both Plantations as one Tovm,
To the Honorable Senate and house of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Mas.sachusetls, The Petition and Remon
strance of us the Subscribersj^ Inhabitants of the Plantation of
-^ast Butterfield, in the County of Cumberland. Humbly
Sheweth That, whereas there is a Petition before the Honorable Court,
for incorporating the said Plantations into two distinct Towns,
we are not able to reconcile our minds lo the proposal for the
present ; but should much prefer their being both incorporated
"together at present into one Town, in order to remedy the
great evils we suffer for want of incorporation, our principal
reasons, and which we think to be weighty, are, that there are
scarcely Eighty Families in both the Plantations, and as to
many, especially in East Butterfield, their settlements are very
new, and their improvements small. ,it is our Sentiment there
fore that the People are not at present sufficiently able to beir
the expense and burden of two d'sti-nct incorporation's, we
have no doubt but it will be most proper and convenient that
the two Plantations Should be- formed into two Towns, in some
fiilure Period ; but think we are not at present equal to the Task
of supporting them. We beg leave further to represent, that
whereas some among us have it in contemplation that
about three thousand Acres of Land with a number of families
thereon. Should be taken off from East Butterfield and incor
porated with West Butterfield, if this should take effect, the
remainder of East Butterfield, with its present small improve
ments,- would form an incorporation of very Slender abilities
indeed ; or otherwise, would remairi under all the disadvantages ,
attending an unincorporated Place. On the whole, as it appears
to us that two distinct Incorporations, or any plan, under exis
ting ircumstances would be attended with greater inconven
iences than that of travelling lo Town meetings, in the Com
mon Center, of the two Plantations, and others , mentioned in
the Petition for two Incorporations, Our Humble Petition and

XII APPEXniX.
prayer therefore is tliat the Honorable General Court would be
pleased to* lake the Ideas we have Suggested, logtether with the
other matters relative lo the Subject, into their wise consider
ation, and incorporate East and. West Butterfield into one
Town : and as in duty bound shall ever pray
December 19, 1797
William Soule 3arzillai Hollis Anson Soule
Nathan Hollis Nathan Hollis jui^ ^ Davis Parsons
Samuel Alley James Ricker Ephraim Ricker
Ebenezer doan William Baird Benjamin Elwell
John Elwelle
K. Petition for Incorporation of East Butterfield, witlt'
the River as dividing line .
To the Honourable Senate and House of Representatives in
General Court assembled — Most Humbly Sheweth that your
petitioners inhabitants of the plantation of East Butterfield in
the County of Cumberland being a part of two tracts or town
ships of land granted to M'^ Ebenezer Bancroft and others thai
your petitioners having taken into thire Consideration the
reasons alledged in a petition of the inhabitants- of west Butter
field so Called praying your Honnours to incorporate them into
a dislink Town making the East branch of twenty mile riyer
the deviding line between the Said East and west Butterfields— '
upon mature deliberation all circumstances considered your
petitioners think it lo be an equitable division of inhabitants
and land as that of the Proprietors & that many of the inhab
itants are better aocomadated then they will be by the proprie
tors line being desireous to put an end to any further dispute
on the matter and to get our plantation incorporated — your
petitioners pray your Honners to tak this our petition in to
your wise consideration and incorporate the Said East Butter
field into a destine! Town by the name of -W'lsSton — and the
boundaries accompanying this petition leaking the Said East,

APPENDIX. XIII
branch of twenty mile river the division line of the Said Butter
fields as in duly bound your petioners will ever pray —
Butterfield April 7'^ 1798
Ebenezer doan Eph™ Tinkcom James Ricker
Andrew (^ushman Jonathan Bozworth Joseph Chandler
Malachi Bartlett Gustavus Hayford Enoch Leathers
Peter Silley Edmund Irish Dennis Newbegin
Nath' Cushman Paul mc Daniels Richard Dearbon
Levi Hayford Samuel Alley W"" Hayford
John Pumpilly Davis Parsons Joseph Mason
Anson Soul Arvida Hayford Andrew Russell
Jeremiah Rusell Stephen BozworlR
L. Joint Petition for Incorporation as Two Towns.
To the Hon Senate and Houfe of Reprefentatives in General
Court aisambled
We the Subscribers inhabitants of the plantations of East
and west Butterfield in the County of Cumberland being two
townships of land known by the names of N° 6 : and N° 7 Con
taining 45525 acres which was conveyed to M' Ebenezer Ban-
_ croft and others by the Committe for the Sale of eastern, lands
on the 22^ day of Novem"- 1787 —
In behalf of ourselves and the inhabitants who have deputed
us by this our humble petition beg leave to lay our grievances ^
before the Hon : legislature
'Some of the inhabitants of the said plantations have for
more then fifteen years and others for, a shorter term been la
bouring under all the inconveninces that attend unincorporated
towns untill they have become almost intolerable and while we i'i>
have been strugleing with our difficulties we have for several
years been petitioning to have them removed by .incorporation
but -vye are so unhappy as not to obtain them yet for reasons
¦unknown to us except it is an opposition that has been made by

XIV APPENDIX.
the proprietors who live many of them out of the Common
wealth whose interest it is, lo screen their land from town taxes —
Your petitioners beg leave to remonstrate thai from the ex
pressions and reservations in the proprietors deed it is evident
that the said tracts of land was intended for two townships^ and
they were allways' considered as such untill they were .blended
together in the matter of taxation that all the settlers have had
the same held up to their view which they have considered as a
valueable privilege : for if they are incorporated together it will-
by reason of ponds and bogs subject some of the settlers lo
more then eight miles travel to reach the center of the town —
trial trie proprietors have ever considered them as such and
have divided them and layed out a publick right in eacli town
what ever they may hold up to view in trie matter of incorpora
tions Therefore that friendship and good order may pervade all our
publick affairs and that the inhabitants of each plantation when
incorporated may lay out and make roads and build houses for
publick uses in those parts of trie towns where they shall be
most beneficial to trie inriabitants in future —
without being harafsed with a party s]))irit and to prevent any
disputes arising ^in future as to trie time and manner of a seper
ation Your petitioners in berialf of ourselves and our constitu-
ants pray trie Hon legislature to take triis our petition witri trie
{>apers trial accompany it into trieir wise consideration and re
move their embarrassments by incorporating them into two
distinct towns by the names of  By trie boundaries sett
fortri in one of trie aforesaid papers as in duly Bound your pe
titioners will ever pray- 
Increase Robinson W™ Hayford John Elwell
Micari Allen Ifaac Bonney James Irifh
Ifaac Sturtivant Elisha Bifbee Benjamin Heald
Jofeph Robinfon Jorin Briggs Hezekiah Stetson

APPENDIX. XV
M. Act of Incorporation by General Court of Massachusetts.
An Act to incorporate the Plantation called Wejt
Butterfield, in the county of Cumberland, into a town by the
name of Sumner. BE it enacted by the Senate and Houfe of Repre
fentatives in General Court afTembled, and
by trie authority of the fame,
That the plantation of Weft Butterfield, in the county of Cum-
- berland, bounded as follows, viz. Beginning at the north-
weft corner of Buckfield on Paris line ; thence running north
thirteen degrees weft four miles and one riundred and eighty-
four rods ; thence north one mile and two riundred and' twenty
rods ; thence north eighty degi'ees eaft four miles and forty
rods ; thence fouth fifty-five degrees eaft two riundred and
twelve rods to the middle of the eaft branch of Twenty-miles-
river ; thence down the middle of faid river, until it comes to
Buckfield north line ; thence north eighty-one degrees weft on
Buckfield north line four miles and two hundred fifty four rods
to the bounds firft mentioned, with the inhabitants thereon,
be, and they hereby are incorporated into a town by the name
ni Sumner. And trie faid town is hereby vefted with all the
powers, privileges and immunities which other towns in this
Commonwealth do or may by law enjoy.
Sect. 2. Be it further enacted. Trial Isaac Sturdivant,
Efq. be, and he hereby is empowered to iffue riis warrant directed
to fome fuilable inriabitant wilriin faid town, requiring him lo
warn a meering of trie inriabitants thereof at fuch lime and
place as friall be expreiTed in faid warrant for the purpofe of
crioofing fuch town officers as other towns are empowered to
choofe in the month oi March or April annunUy .
[This Act paffed June 13, 1798.]

XVI

APPENDIX.

N.

Division into School Districts .

Butterfield Jenuary i6 1795
this Day met at mr Jorin Bridgs trie sade Commeta Criosen
iBy sade plantaon to Destrickt sade planlaon and agred as" folars
fust Districkt
Simon parlin Jorin Fletcrier Solomon Bisbee
Thomos Fletcher John Bisbee Josha Ford
Alover Coming John Keen Moses Book
\ Semeen Bare! Enoch riole John Croket
Jorin Croket jur Joel Croket William Croket
Levi Croket Joseph Croket Bengemon Ha+d
Sekent Dest
James Folett

Timethe Cobb
Increase Roberson Alven Roberson
Asaph Roberson ,Will hayford
Hezekiah Stetson Seth Alen
Meshek Keen Joseph Koberson
Noah Bozworth Jur Lisrier Bisbee
Wiliam Tucker Third Destrick
Charls ford
Lemehel Keen
James Bonney
Juder Keene
forth Dest
Ephrem Tinkam
Bengemon Ales
Arvidia hayford
Joseph Sold
Fifth Dest
Samuel Allev

Isaac Bonney
> D miker Alen
Chals Bisbee
Rous Bisbee
Jorin Bartelet
Frem Ales
'Nathanel Bartlet
Bezer Sold
W"> Soul

Philemon Parsons John Elwill
W™ Beard Edmond Smith
Ebenezer done

Isaac Stettefapl
Increase Roberson Jur
Jorin Briggs
James Keen
Noah Bozworth
Stephen Bozworth

John Banks
Danel olham
Calvin Bisbee

Ansen Soul
Bengemon genes
gustavus hayford
Joiiothan Bozworth
Davi.s Parsons
Eliser Parsons
Berzillah Hollis

APPENDIX,

XVII

the Sixth dest
Begining at burcri point and runing thence lo Livermore
Town and from thence on trie town line to Raged Afs and from
thence to the first mentioned bounds
Given under our hands this 16 day of January 1795
Isaac Bonnoy W" Hayford Jr Jorin Briggs
Simeon Barrett Epriraim Tinkriam

O.

SUMNER'S SOLDIERS.

IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Micari Alien
Setri Allen
Jorin B,irtletl
Elisha Bisbee
Isaac Bonney
Jorin Briggs
Levi Bryant
Josriua Criurchill
Oliver Cummings
Isaiah Cushman

Daniel Abbott
Joseph Barrett
Leonard Benson
Asa Bonney
Isaac Bonney
Jorin Bonney
' Jorin Briggs
Levi Bryant
Stephen Cobb
Asa Coburn
Jonas Coburn

John Fletcrier
Charles Ford
Josriua Ford
Enocri Hall
Benj. Heald
James Hersey
James Keen
Lemuel Keen
Meshack Keen
Asa Robinson
IN THE war of 1812.

Increase Robinson
Joseph Robinson
Sylvanus Stephens
Hezekiah Stetson
Isaac Sturtevant
Setri Sturtevant
Oliver Turner
William Tucker
Abijah Warren

John Cox
David Cox
Joseph-Crockett John Crocket
Levi Cushman
David Dutton
Jonathan Frye
Joseph Gowell
Lot Hall
Israel Heald
James Hersey

Andrew Keen
James Keen
John Moore
Enoch Morrill
Thaddeus Oldham
Almon, Pariin
Asa Robinson, 2d
Steprien Spaulding
Hezekiari Stetson, Jr.
William Tucker

XVIII

APPENDIX.

IN THE CIVIL WAR.
1st Maine Infantry.
William A. Barrows Samuel C. Irish
Eliab Bisbee Roscoe J. Kidder
James M.Buck 4th Maine, Infantry.
L. B. Bisbee 5tri Maine Infantry.
Cyrus B. Lawrence Criarles H. Ryerson
W, Scotl Robinson 8lh Maine Infantry,
Charies G, Abbott Henry C, Barrett
Luther C. Abbott Joseph A. Noyes
glri Maine Infantry,

George W, Abbott
James J. Abbott
William G. Abbott
Alonzo F. Barrows
Harlan C. Barrows
Thomas H. Barrows
William A. Barrows
William D. Berry
Zeri Berry
Hiram H. Bisbee
Criarles B. Bonney
Isaac Bonney
Isaiah Cushman
Byron Ford
Charles Gowell
Willard Hall
Albert H. Heald

Oscar F. Heald
LaForesl Howe
Ira F, Murch
James D. March
Martin L. Page
Addison G. Parlin
Levi L. Proctor
Lucius L. Proctor
William H. Proctor
Richard R. Robbins
G. D. B. Robinson
Daniel A. Rowe
George W. Ryerson
Gustavus H. Ryerson
Roscoe G. Stephens
Edmund Thorne
Daniel S. Warren

Benj. F. Heald loth Maine Infantry.
Elisha T. Bisbee Roscoe J. Kidder
Elbridge Murch

APPENDIX, XIX
iitri Maine Infantry,
J. Bradbury Damon 12th Maine Infantry.
Henry H. Maxim Wellington McCorrison
1 6th Maine Infantry.
Almerin A. Foye 17th Maine Infantry.
William H. Downs Barnet Thorn
19th Maine Infantry.
Greenleaf G, Russell
20tri Maine Infantry.
Adroy E. Barker Lewellyn B. Heald
Charies A. Bucknam Hannibal H. McAlister
Charies T. Buck Triomas B. Morrill
Benj. F. Criase Triomas G. Morrill
Elliot L. Fogg Albion W. Robinson
Benj. F. Heald, 2d. A. Jack Roberts
23d Maine Infantry.
George H. Barrows Daniel R. Palmer
James M. Buck Mark L. Ricriardson
George V. Criilds Sharon Robinson
Stephen C. Heald Wm. R. Sewall
Henry Milner , Freelon Slarbird
Sidney S. Monk " S. F. Stetson
John L. Noyes Jacob M. Willey
29lh Maine Infantry.
George Canwell Henry Milner
Freeman Farrar Oliver Redding
Henry Houghton Amasa B, Robbins
James F. Houghton George G, Russell'
Benj, R. Irisri Almond T, Slarbird
30th Mainfe Infantry,
Alpheus A. Abbott Samuel Thorn

XX APPENDIX.
32d Maine Infantry.
Freeland Q. Andrews £)avid Sewell, Jr.
Leroy A. Gowell Henry W. Tucker
Samuel N. Stetson *ist Maine Cavalry.
Edmond C. Bowker Paniel G. Irish ¦
WinfieldS. Bucknam Benj. F. Stetson
James Canwell Hezekiah Stetson
Hanson S. Fields Coast Guards.
John Murch U. S. Navy.
J. Blake Robinson
Narnes of soldiers who have moved into town
since the war and wlio are at present residents,
in town : —
David Andrews L. L. Gardiner
James A. Barrows Chase M. Harris
S. Weston Briggs Josiah S. Hodgdon
Frank Brown Dan Jack
W. H. Brown Alonzo Pomeroy
E. G. Doble Capt, G. M. Small
' Hacker Davis ^ R. 0. Saunders
Sidney A. Farrar William Whitman
Names of.former Sumner men wrio served in
regigients not included in the Maine list : —
Joel E. Barrows Freeman Keen
Benj. Barrett Melzar Keen
Levi Bonney Samuel Keen
Ansel S. Briggs John Keen
Frank W. Briggs Horace Mathews
Jorin Briggs Francis McMister
James A. Canwell D. Winslow Morrill
Hiram S. Coburn S. Eugene Morrill

APPENDIX,

XXI

David R, Coles
Amaziah Cox
Criandler Cox >
Nelson Cox
Jason Crockett
Daniel Dunn
Milton Dunn
Ezekiel F, Fogg
Abner Heald
Lysander Heald
James H. Heald
IN THE SPANISH

Robert W. Morrill
Calvin B. Pariin
Edward Ryerson"
Jefterson Ryerson
Dummer Sewall
Andrew J, Stetson
Benj. F. Thompson
Leander Thompson
George Thompson
Horatio Turner
James R. Tucker
-AMERICAN WAR.

Light Battery M;
William J. Slattery

7th U.S. Artillery.

P. List of Voters in West Butterfield, May 24, 1797,

Noah Bozworth
Mesach Keen
Timothy Cobb
Oliver Cummings
Calvin Bisbee
Zadock Keen
Seth Sturlavant
Moses Buck
Simon Parlin
Noah Bozworth, Jr.
John Briggs
Simeon Barrett
John Bisbee

William Tucker
Isaiah Cushman
Enoch Hall
Joel Crocket
Jonas Coburn
James Keen
Benjamin Heald
Josriua Foord
Reuben Proctor
Judah Keen
Jaccob Bradbury
Jorin Keen
Jorin Crocket, Jr.

Josepri Robinson
Isaac Sturlavant
Levi Crocket
Jorin Flitcher
Elislia Bisbee
Hezekiah Stutson
Joseph Crocket
Solomon Bisbee
Jonas Coburn, Jr.
Seth Allen
John Crocket
Triomas Flitcrier
William Double

XXII

APPENDIX.

Q.

POSTMASTERS.

Office,

Sumner,

East Sumner.

PosEmaster.
Simeon Barrett
Abel W. Bisbee
Antipass Bisbee
Solomon Bisbee
Enocri Morrill
Gilbert Tilton
Columbus Heald
Eliprialet Morrill
William F, Bonney

Date of appointment.
Oct. I, 1811
Jan. 28, 1840
May 5, 1862
Oct. 13, 1863-
July 2, 1867 '
July 7,^1870
May 26, 1874
Mar. 24, 1884
May 26, 1884

Betliuel Cary
Roswell Briggs
William Packard
Roswell Briggs
Newell M. Varney
David Sewall
Hiram H . Berry
Roswell Briggs
Wellington H. Eastman

Jan. 12, 1S32
Jan. 4, 1859
Sept. 26, 1859
Oct. 25, 1859
Apr. 16, 1866
May 23, 1867
Feb. 25, 1872
Sept. 3, 1879
Feb. I, i886

West Sumner.

Henry Howe
Wriitney Cummings
Jacob F. Howe
Hiram B. Chandler
George A. Criandler
Henry A. Young
George A. Criandler

Apr. 6, 1833
Apr. 15, I837
Aug. 17, 185 s
Nov. 16, 1859
Apr. I, 1889
June 13, 1893
June 4, 1897

APPENDIX.
R. TOWN OFFICERS 1798-1S

XXIII

SELECTMEN.

1798.
Benjamin Heald
Dea. Increase Robinson
Simeon Barrell 1800.
Isaac Bonney
Simeon Barrell
Elisha Bisbee 1802.
Elisha Bisbee
Hezekiah Stetson
James Hersey 1804,
James Hersey
Increase Robinson
John Briggs 1806.
Isaac Sturtevant
Benjamin Heald
Stephen Ellis 1808.
Benjamin Heald
Stephen Ellis
Timothy Cobb
1810.
Benjamin Heald
Calvin Bisbee
Simeon Barrett, Jr.

1799-
Benjamin Heald
Simeon Barrett
Isaac Bonney 1801.
Simeon Barrett
Isaac Sturtevant
Elisha Bisbee 1803.
James Hersey
Elisha Bisbee
Simeon Barrell
1805.
Isaac Sturtevant
Elisha Bisbee
Simeon Barrett
1807.
Benjamin Heald
Steprien Ellis
Simeon Barrett
1809.
Benjamin Heald
Steprien Ellis
Calvin Bisbee 1811.
James Hersey, Jun.
Calvin Bisbee
Simeon Barrett, Jr,

APPENDIX.

I8l2.
meon Barrett
ilvin Bisbee
Qses Buck 1814-
meon Barrett
ilvin Bisbee
sse Howe 1816-18,
dvin Bisbee
ephen Ellis
mes Hersey 1821.
dvin Bisbee
sepri Robinson, Jr.
ephen EUis
' 1823.
crease Robinson
ephen Ellis
mes Hersey, Jr.
1825.
ilvin Bisbee
mes Hersey, Jr.
ivid Morrill 1827.
.Ivin Bisbee
mes Hersey, Jr,
szekiah Stetsoa, Jr.
1829.
Ivin Bisbee
3se Howe
ivid MorriU

1813.
Calvin Bisbee
Simeon Barrett
Jesse Howe 1815.
Simeon Barrett
Calvin Bisbee
Steprien Ellis
1819-20,
Capt. Jesse Howe
Abel Stetson
Joseph Robinson, Jr,
1822.
Calvin Bisbee
Abel Stetson
David MorriU
1824.
Calvin Bisbee
David Morrill
Abel Stetson 1826.
Jorin Briggs
James Hersey, Jr.
Simeon Barrett, Jr,
i8a8.
Calvin Bisbee
James Hersey, Jr.
Josepri Robinson
1830.
Jesse Howe
Elisria Bisbee
John Briggs, Jr.

APPENDIX.

XXV

.1831.
Elisria Bijbee
Joseph Robinson
Stephen Ellis 1833-
Abel Stetson
Obadiah Field
Bethuel Cary 1835-
John Briggs
Obadiah Field
Leonard Benson 1837-
Levi Bryant
Joseph Robinson
John Briggs . 1839-
AbelW. Bisbee
Levi Bryant
Jesse Howe 1841.
Benjarnin Heald, Jr.
Zacheus Stepriens
Samuel Coburn 1843.
Timotriy Crockett
Abel W. Bisbee
Freman Keene
1846-47,
Abel W, Bisbee
Reuben Chandler
Rolan Crocker

1832,
Elisha Bisbee
Joseph Robinson
Calvin Bisbee
¦ 1834.
John Briggs
Jeremiah Howe
Joseph Robinson 1836.
Leonard Benson
Levi Bryant
Hu'am Heald 1838.
Levi Brjanl .
Abel Stetson
Abel W. Bisbee
1840.
Zury Robinson
James Hersey, 3rd,
Nathaniel O. Ryerson
1842.
Benjamin Heald
Zacheus Stepriens
Timotriy Crockett
1844-45.
Joseph Robinson
Alaxander Libby
Benjamin W. Briggs
1848-49.
James Hersey
Bejamin Y. Tuell
Hiram Heald

XXVI

APPENDIX.

1850.
Benjamin Y. Tuell
John M, Lane
Benjamin W. Briggs
1852,
Rolan Crocker
Beiijamin W. Briggs
Charles Y. Tuell
1854,
America Bonney
David Morrill, Jr.
Whitney Cummings
1856.
Benjam.in W^ Briggs
David Morrill
Cyrus H.'Howe
.. , 1858,
GiiberfBarrett
Joseph Field
Lewis G. Hersey
- i860,.
Eleazer Ellis
Eliphalet Morrill
Nahum Barnes
1862-63.
Benjamin Y. Tuell
Benjamin W. Baiggs.
Eliphalet Morrill
1866-67,
Lewis Bisbee
Charies Y, Tuell
S. C. Heald

1851.
John M..Lane
Benjamin W. Briggs
Rolan Crocker ,
1853-
Charles Y. Tuell
America Bonney
David Morrill, Jr.
1855.
America Bonney
Whitney Cummings
Wm. H. Drake
1857.
Gilbert Barrett
James S. Benson
Joseph Field
1859^'-
Eleazer EUis
Ira W. Coburn
Eliphalet Morrill
,1861.
Eleazer Ellis
Nahum Barnes
Nathaniel Gerrish
1864-65.
Eliphalet Morrill
S. G, Cushman
Lewis Bisbee 1868.
C. v. Tuell
S. C. Heald
Lewis Bisbee

APPENDIX,

,\x\-ii

1869,
Lewis Bisbee
B. W, Briggs
Asia Ricker 1871-72,
Eliphalet Morrill
B, Y. Tuell
15. W. Briggs 1875.
Eliphalet MorriU
J . H . Robinson
H. B. Hersey 1877.
C. Y. Tuell
Eliphalet MorrUl
J. H. Robinson 1879-
S. F. Stetson
N. H. Stowe
M. D. Dow 1882,
M. D, Dow
J, J, Abbott
S, C, Heald 1885.
J. H. Robinsou
G. M, SmaU
L. B, Heald 1887.
5. F, Stetson
L. B, Heald
1\, M, Varnej

1870,
B. W, Briggs
Asia Ricker
B. Y. Tuell I 873-74-
Eliphalet Morrill
J, J. Abbott
J, H, Robinson 1876,
Eliphalet Morrill
J, H, Robinson
C, Y. Tuell 1878.
C. Y. Tuell
L, L, Gardner
S, F, Stetson 1880-81,
is, F. Stetson
M. D.Dow
H.. B. Hersey 1.883-84.
Eliphalet MorriU
J, H. Robinson
G. M. SmaU 1886.
S., F, Stetson
M. D. Dow
S, I. Crockett 1888-89,
S. F. Stetson
L. B. Heald
G.. H., Barrows

XXVIII APPENDIX,

1890,

1891.

S. F. Stetson

J. H. Robinson

G. H. Barrows

0. L. Newell

Oscar Newell

J. E. Berry

1892,

1893.

S, F. Stetson

S. F. Stetson

J. E. Berry

L. H. Bisbee

L. H. Bisbee

G. H. Barjows

1894.

1895.

S. F. Stetson

L. H. Bisbee

G. H, Barrows

C. W. Field

W. E. Bowker

R. N. Stetson

1896.

1897.

S. F. Stetson

S. F. Stetson

G. H. Barrows

W. E. Bowker

R, N, Stetson

R. N. Stetson

1898.

S, F, Stetson

W. E. Bowker

•

0. L, Varney

TOWN

CLERKS,

. 1798.

1799-

Alvan Robinson

Timotriy Cobb

1800.

1801-03.

Isaiah Cushman

Isaac Sturtevant

1804.

1805-06.

Timotriy Cobb

Isaac Sturtevant

1807-.

1 808- 1 a

Simeon Barrett

Stephen EUis.

1811-12.

1813-16.

Capt. John Barrett

Stephen EUis.

APPENDIX.

I8I7-2I.

1822-30.

Simeon Barrett

Bethuel Cary

1831-36.

1837-43-

Zenas Stetson

Betriuel Cary

1844-51.

1852.

Abel Fletcrier

Natrianiel Foster

1853-55-

1856-57.

Reuben Criandler

B. B. Freeman

1858.

1859-64.

Ira W. Coburn

J. T. Stetson

1865-68.

1869.

H. S. Coburn

G. S. Davenport

1870.

1871-77.

H. S. Coburn

N. H. Stowe

1878-79.

1880-82.

H. S. Coburn

L. B. Heald

1883-92.

1893-98.

G. A, Chandler

L. B. Heald

TREASURERS,

1798,

1799-1801.

Joseph Robinson

Jorin Briggs

1802-03,

1804.

Simeon Barrett

John Briggs

1805-10,

1811-12.

Benjamin Heald

Timotriy Cobb

1813-15-

1816-17.

Jorin Barrett

Timothy Cobb

1818.

1819-21.

Jorin Briggs

Simeon Barrett

1822.

1823.

Timothy Cobb

John Briggs

1824,

1825-26.

John Briggs, Jr.

Timothy Cobb

XXIX

1827-29.

1830.

John Briggs

John Briggs, Jr.

1831-36.

1837-39-

Zury, Robinson

Elisha Bisbee

1840,

1841-42.

Simeon Barrett

Abel W. Bisbee

1843.

1844-51.

Elisha Bisbee

Abel Fletcher

1852-56.

1857-58.

Hiram B, Chandler

Sharon Robinson

1859-62.

1863-87.

Jotham S. Davenport

H. B. Criandler

1888-98.

W. H. Eastm-n

CONTENTS.

SUMNER CENTENNIAL. Page.
Address.of Welcome  7
Centennial Hymn  49
Centennial Ode  14
Centennial Poem  45
. Historical Address  ,  15
Program of Sumner Centennial  6
Response  8
Toasts, The  47
PERSONAL SKETCHES.

Page.
iBisbee Family, The  1 1 1
Bisbee, Elisha, Jr.
and Family  198
Bisbee, Capt. HopestUl. . ..196
Criandler, Alanson M.
and Descendants  178
Chandler, Hiram B.
and Descendants  103
Colby Family, The  109
Cummings, Oliver
' and Descendants  53
Eastman Family, Trie  87
Gowell Family, The  74
Handy, Chas. E., Jr  83
Hayford, Gad  176
Heald, Benjamin
and Descendants  165
Hersey Family, The  91
HISTORICAL, SKETCH 

Page.
Maxim, Henry H  80
McAlister, Hannibal H  97
Noyes Family, The  72
Osgood, Cleon S  175
Pulsifer Family in Sumner. .60
Pulsifer, George E. ;  71
Revolutioner, A  91
Robinson, Dea. Increase
and Descendants  81
Robinson, Henry R  175
Small, Capt. GUbert M  79
Stetson Family, The  88
Sturtevant, Setri  136
Swift, I, O  182
Tuell, Gilbert
and Descendants.  190
Turner Family, The  183
 145

CONTENTS— Continued.
PORTRAITS. Page. I Page.
Andrews, Dr. Eugene H  95 Heald, Rebekah  . . 169
Bisbee, Capt. Lewis  133 McAUster, Hannibal H  loi
Bisbee, Elizabeth  132'Pulsifer, Moses  65
Bisbee, Elisha, Jr  i i3[Pulsifer, Jonathan  61,
Bisbee, George W  1 1 7|Pulsifer, William E  69
Bisbee, Capt. HopestiU. . . 123'Pulsifer, George E  70
Priandler, Edwin Wallace, .179 Sumner, Increase  143
Cummings, Prentiss  51
Drake, George R  107
Eastman, WeUington H  86
Handy, Criarles E., Jr.  2

Hersey, Samviel  89
APPENDIX,

Sumner's First Church. ...152
Sturtevant, Seth  137
Turner, John  186
Turner, Horatio G  187