Norway, Maine: Fragmentary Notes for DAVID NOYES, HISTORY OF NORWAY, Published in 1852 First Churches and Meeting Houses. Capt. Jonathan Cumming's Dream The Old Time Raisings, and Musters. (continued from page 27.) Sprague's Journal of Maine History No. II Vol. VII AUG. SEPT. OCT 1919 pages 82-85 Norway, Maine Fragmentary Notes for DAVID NOYES, HISTORY OF NORWAY, Published in 1852 First Churches and Meeting Houses. Capt. Jonathan Cumming's Dream The Old Time Raisings, and Musters. (continued from page 27.) The meeting house built in the village was the first in the town, and, as some (we ought to know) say, was the first Universalist church erected in the District of Maine. In 1805, the Universalist Society of Paris and Norway was incorporated by act of the Legislature of Massachusetts. I now proceed to give some account of the Congregational church and society in Norway, as that was the next in order of organization, except what was done to fulfil the requirements of the law, before any society was formed. It seems, by the best authority within my reach, that Mr. Gould, some years afterwards settled in Bethel, was the first minister that was hired to preach in the town; and it being summer-time, he preached in the Jeremiah Hobbs' barn--length of time unknown. A minister by the name of Chapman, who probably resided in Bethel, used sometimes to pass through the town and preached a few times; and occasionally a missionary made a visit, and ministered to the people. Mr. Nathan Merrill, of Gray, a Baptist preacher, sometimes visited the settlement, even before its incorporation, and generally preached when he came here; he likewise solemnized several of the first marriages in the place. In 1832 and '33, William A. Evans made a short stand in Norway, as an attorney, and did some business for the time he was here, but finding the feed rather short, sought a better field. Moses B. Bartlett, an attorney from Bethel, and William W. Virgin, an attorney from Rumford, came into Norway village three years or more ago; they are doing a decent business, and bid very fair to become useful and eminent gentlemen of the legal profession. I do not feel disposed to eulogize living characters too strongly, lest it might excite feelings of vanity in the subjects, and of envy in the minds of others; but I will add one word in regard to Mr. Virgin, who has commenced one very important suit since coming here, and it has had a happy termination in his marriage with a daughter of H. G. Cole, Esq. Mr. Bartlett married a lady from Brunswick before coming to Norway. A minister by the name of Stoddard, about 1801 or 1802, preached for a considerable time, and the people were so well satisfied, that they came to the conclusion to settle him; but some things derogatory to his character as a preacher coming to light, they finally dismissed him from any further duty-- as they believed him to be a wolf in sheep's clothing, who might devour some of the lambs. Mr. Stoddard was probably witty, if not good; and thinking (rightly too) that Capt. Jonathan Cummings exerted considerable influence adverse to his settlement in the town as a minister of the gospel, on preaching what he termed his farewell sermon, he paid rather a sarcastic compliment to Cummings. He pretended to have had a remarkable dream, and obtained the latest new from the infernal regions. Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils, had hastily summoned a grand council of his co-workers in evil, to consult on the furtherance of his nefarious designs. He stated to his compeers that he had received intelligence that the town of Norway, on this earthly ball, was about to settle a minister of the gospel, and that there must be some plan contrived to prevent such terrible obstacle to his own rule and reign in poor Norway. After much elaborate discussion, his Satanic Majesty ordered his best and fleetest horse to be brought up, while he was making hasty preparations for his journey. In the meantime, some one of his sage counselors inquired of him if there was not some person in Norway who could be furnished with an agency to do the business for him, and save the journey. He began to deliberate on the subject, and suddenly exclaimed, "O yes! there is Jonathan Cummings; I had a first forgotten that he was there; he can do the business just as well as I can, so you may put up my horse again." Ad it seems he was not mistaken in his agent, for he has done the business just as well as his master could, had he come on purpose. In the old time, in this town, it was a custom at the raising of building, when the frame was completely up, to have what was called a name for the frame, which was always either a poetic couplet, or several verses, according to the taste or inclination of the person giving the name. The ceremony of naming a frame was as follows: The hands on the frame paraded either on the ridge-pole, or front plate, and the two persons who were to be the speakers were stationed, one at each end; a bottle of good liquor was sent up by the owner, and after it had passed from one to the other, one of the speakers sung out, "Here's a fine frame, that deserves a good name, and what shall we call it?" The other speaker then gave the name, and when through, the first cried out, "Will that do?" Those on the ground answered "O yes!" The hands on the frame then gave three cheers, which were responded to by three more from those on the ground; then one closing cheer from the frame, and the bottle of liquor was thrown from the frame by the person who gave the name. The circumstance of raising a house for a favorite minister called forth a poetic effusion for a name from one of the boys. In the fall of 1812, Capt. Bailey Bodwell undertook to raise a company of volunteers to serve one year in the war; and later in the season obtained a full company from this and neighboring towns. After completing the compliment of men, these chose Bailey Bodwell for their Captain, William Twombly, Lieutenant, and William Reed, Jr., and Gustavus A. Goss, of Paris, second and third Lieutenants; and finally marched to Burlington early in the winter. Bodwell, on account of some improper conduct, left the army and returned home, some time in the summer of 1813; but the company generally served out their year, and then mostly returned home. Seth Pike, and son of Dudley Pike, died in the campaign, as also did Jacob Tubbs, Jr., a son of Jacob Tubbs. Joseph Dale came home sick, and never recovered; he died in a few months, leaving a family of nine children to the care of his widow, with little or nothing for their support. It appears by the record that Lieut. William Twombly obtained his discharge in the summer of 1813; and on the 11th of September, William Parsons, Jr., was promoted to Lieutenant, and Cad F. Jones elected Ensign. The company then had 70 privates, exclusive of commissioned officers and Sergeants; and the south company numbered nearly as many more, altogether making suite a formidable military force. Sometime in the summer of 1816, Capt. Amos Town was promoted to the rank of Major, and subsequently to Colonel of the regiment; and as a natural consequence, by regimental order, the company met and elected Lieut. William Parsons, Jr., for Captain, Ensign Cad F. Jones, for Lieutenant, and John Whitmarsh, Ensign. On the 10th of Oct., 1815, a Court Martial convened at Paris, for the trial of Capt. Bailey Bodwell, on several charges exhibited against him by Enoch Knight, and fourteen others. After hearing all the testimony and arguments, pro and con, the Court decided that Capt. Bailey Bodwell be removed from office, and disqualified for holding any military office under the Commonwealth for one year. At the May inspection, in 1818, the company, then commanded by Henry Rust, Jr., "after inspection, the reading of the law, and partaking of some refreshment, was marched to the ground selected for the purpose, and attended to target-firing. The judges appointed for that purpose, awarded the first prize, $5, to Mr. E.F. Beal for the best shot; the second, $3 to Mr. Stephen Greenleaf; and the third, $2, to Mr. Malachi Bartlett." Perhaps some of the great guns among the modern peace societies, and other modern reformers, may turn up their noses and sneer at such historical matter as this; but they ought to remember that our forefathers, and even many who are now upon the stage, have seen the times when a good military force, well equipped, with twenty-four ball cartridges in their boxes, was a much more solid argument against an invading foe, and made a far deeper impression, especially if used, than all their paper manifestoes. (c) 1998 Courtesy of the Androscoggin Historical Society ************************************************* * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. 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