The Dyer Family & the  OLDEST HOUSE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY                
from the Sprague's Journal of Maine History; vol 11 page  33
Courtesy of the Androscoggin Historical Society
<http://www.rootsweb.com/~meandrhs>
        

                          (Franklin Journal, June 12, 1914)
                OLDEST HOUSE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY
          (Historic mansion on the Dodge Farm in Freeman has many unusual anecdotes)

            Ninety-six years ago the fourth of June there passed away
        in the town of Freeman, a woman whose history was closely
        allied with that of the nation's struggle for independence, and
        within the confines of her son's estate at West Freeman her
        body now rests in a grave marked with a simple white marble
        ,lab inscribed: "My Mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Dyar, died June 4,
        1818, aged 67.  All flesh is as grass." It was erected by Elder
        Joseph Dyar, her oldest son, who emigrated from Malden,
        Mass., to the province of Maine, in 1806, and settled in Phil-
        lips, where he became the leading Free Baptist of that section.
            Elizabeth Nichols, the mother, was born in 1751, and was
        united in marriage with Joseph Dyar, May 2, 1771.  Mr. Dyar
        was born in England in 1747.  When still a young man he
        came to this country and became a sea captain, sailing from
        Boston in the foreign trade.  At the outbreak of the Revolu-
        tionary War he was engaged in carrying supplier for the
        American Army to Long Island.  In this hazardous under-
        taking he was seized nine times by the British in their en-
        deavor to make him desert the American cause.  The last time
        I his occurred he was stripped, severely flogged and kept with-
        out food for three days, from the effects of which he never re-
        covered.  Dec. 16, 1773, he was the leader of the "Indians"
        who boarded the ships in Boston Harbor and formed the fa-
        mous "Tea Party,   and his good wife Elizabeth, then but 22
        years of age, was one of those who prepared and applied the
        stain that transformed white men into fierce Mohawks.  At

                               Page  35

     east corner of the farm is this sinlge mound burying ground,
     where reposes the remains of one who helped to make Ameri-
     can history.

* * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and 
libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter 
information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other 
sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any 
other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of 
contents. 



* * * *
The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the 
information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information 
must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is 
always best to consult the original material for verification.