Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-04-01
For the oxford Democrat.
E1rIy History Of Summer.

IIavingrcad recently several interesting
sketches with regard to The early settle
mcnt of several towns in our beloved
State, and believing that n few words cx'
pressing the condition of the early settlers
OF this town, may be read with interest
by many of your readers, have been in
duced to furnish for publication, some
facts that have been given me concerning
the early history OF the town OF Sumner.
Previous to the organization OF the
towns of Sumner and Hartford in 1893,
the territory comprising said towns. was
known as the Plantation Of Buttcrficld,
the records of which have been preserv-
ed from the year 1874. From the records
we find that meeting OF the inhabitants
of the Plantation WAS held on March l6
1903, ut the dwelling house OF Dea. In
crease Robinson, Ohe same house is now
occupied by his grandson, Dea. Sharon
Robinson) when the following votes were
passed, verbatim ct lltcratlm.
voted, "that west and East butterlicld
go hand In hand In gittin the plantation
Incorpiratcd Into two DeStinct Towns"
voted, THAT Either Increase Robinson
or Benjamin hcald and But one of them,
is Empowered hereby to attend at the first
Session of the next general Court, in be :
half of the Inhabitants of each plantation
tor the purpose Of obtaining Seperatc In
corporations for Each plantation agreeable
to their petitions and the Order of Notice >
In accordance with the above, Gov. In
crease Sumner, Of the Commonwealth OF
Mass. directed Isaac Sturteyan., Esq, 10
call upon some suitable person TO issue n
warrant for a town meeting, and Alvin
Robinson was accordingly directed to
issue warrant for meeting to be held
at the dwelling house of Capt. Hezekiah
Stctson, on Aug. -, 1898. In order TO
give your readers the names Of some OF
the worthy sons of toll and hardship at
this period, we subjoin the following list
of officers elected at the first meeting OF
the town:
Dca. |. Robinson, Moderator; Alvin
Robinson, Clerk Benjamin Heald, Dca.
|. Robinson, Simeon Barrett, Selcctmen ;
Joseph Robinson, Treasurer; John Briggs
Collector; Mescch Keen. Benz. Heald,
Alvin Robinson, Highway Surveyors =
Timothy Cobb, Jonas Coburn, Surveyors
of boards, slaves and hoops Joshua Ford
Isaiah Cushman, Tything men; Benz.
| Head, Levi Crockett, Deer-rceves; Noah
Boswortn, Jr., Increase Robinson, Jr.,
Hog reeves; John Tucker, VIM. Tucker,
VIM. Hayford, Field drivers; Hezekiall
Stetson, Pound keeper.
I Other names that are familiar TO our
oldest inhabitants are Oliver Cummings,
Charles Ford, Elisha Bisbee, Isaac Bon
ney, Lemuel Keen, DR.. Micah Allen,
Freeman Ellis, Noah Bosworth, Enocl,
Hall. John Bisbec, Calvin Bisbee, Abijal
Buck. Simon Parlin, Thomas Fletcher
Seth Ford, John Fletcher, Seth Sturtevanl
Judah Keen, and others probably whose
names your correspondent never heard
On Dea. |. Robinson's tombstone We
read that she moved from Pembroke
Mass, in 1888, and his family constituted
the sixth one of the town. On the or
ganization of the Congregational Churcl
in 1902. he was chosen for their Deacon
and in 1912 Rev. Samuel Sewell was or
dained its Pastor. Elder Macomber wa:
the first settled minister OF the town, ant
was of the Calvinist Baptist persuasion
The town gave the tract Of land now oc
cupied by Mr.. n. II. Stowe. to the Elder
as the grant to the first settled town
minister, on the condition that when hs
left, it should again become the town.
property. This arrangement gave rise u
the present Minister fund.
The early pioneers, true to the mora
principles inculcated by their worth.
sires and Puritanical ancestors, early de
yised means to secure the great blessing
afforded by free schools and religious pri
vileses; blessings for which we arc to-da..