Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-10-23
From the Maine Farmer.
Notes from, the Country.
BRYANr's PoND, Sept. 1877,

This is one OF The numerous little
villa. es which owe their origin to the
opening OF the Atlantic " 81. Lawrence
railroad, about twenty seven years ago.
Al the time This railroad was built there
was only one family living here and that
enc had been here only short time
Thirty years ago this whole tact OF
country was covered with wood and Tim
Der, aud was the favorite hunting-ground
OF the sportsman. Foxes, partrid8os and
rabbits constituted the principal game.
When railway communication was open
Cd with Portland, station became nee
essary here 10 accommodate the travel
and trade 10 Rumtord, Andoyer, Dixtieid
and the neighboring towns. a hamlet
sprang up around the station, which
soon increased 10 village OF respectable
size. There is neither water nor steam
power and the business Is co3Laed 10
small manufactures and trade. Brysuts
Pond, which deserves TO be called iAAe.
is one of the finest bodies OF water 10 the
State. 1t is nearly two miles long, aud,
being fed largely by springs, the wasor
is clear and comparatively cool, even ~
midsummer. IL is the natural home oil
the trout. and years ago, before they
were driven out by the introduction OF
plckerel. the pond was literally alive W!th
them. This village having no wafer
power or other permanent business loEn-
datiou, has Suffered severely l!Om me
dull times and at tho present ume has e
decsying appearance. About tue only
exception 10 this is the hotel, which,
during The psst year, has been enlarged
and put in iirst-ra,e order, but we tear
the proprietor is not getting adequate re-
turns Tor his large outlay.
Woodstock is more than billy town ;
il is mountainous, and most OF rs arabic
land is rugged and stony. Bat The soil
is strong and when once the land IS SUBJ
dued II ields bounlifully. The high
hills and mountain sides furnish excellent
grazing for sheep. and sheep husbandry
has been made specially here Since TIE
town was first settled. Years ago more
sheep were kept in Woodstock than IN
any other town OF its population IN the
State; but recently We think there has
been falling of in this respect, though
No cannot understand why il should De
SO, for in a town so we'll adapted TO This
industry il must DO as remunerative Is
anything. We noticed as We passed
through the town, that hop growing
is becoming quite common-almost ever
farmer having 9 patch greater or less y
size. When hops sell we'll it Is - protta-
bic crop; but there is nothing farmer
raises, tho price OF which is so subject 70
fluctuations in The market. We noticed
lhst this years crop, especially Ia old
fields, is badly damaged by vermin.
The mining fever has taken very
deep hold OF some of the people OF ibis
town and dreams OF sudden riches haze
evidently been quite freely iudulgec IN
by some. We doubt!t th,se dreams arc
ever realized Wo do not believe .ho,
any great amount OF either silver or gold
viii ever be found IN the mountains Of
Oxford County, Tor the reason that We 10
no, believe it exists there; and this opln-
ion is shared by those who have inte!i-
gently and carefully studied the rocky
formations OF these localities for msuy
years. Traces OF gold and silver may
have been found they arc found almost
everywhere, hu, the places where they
exist in paying quantities axe tew and lar
between.
The rough AMI uninyiting aspect OF
the country, comprising tbs town OF
Woodstock. prevented is settlement lor
several years after the adjoining towns
had been settled. The frs! petmaneE.
settlement was made in 1910, Icy Chns-
TOPPER aud Solomon Bryant, Jf., and
Luther Briggs, all from Paris. In Tact a
large proportion OF The early settlers
came from Paris. In 1856, "A road vas
located and built between Paris and
Rumford. which passed d!agonaliy
through Woodstock, and this iaciillated
the settlement of the town. Tho first
settlers were squatters, the land belong
ing 10 the State of Massachusetts. The
Bryanls run out q thousand acres, nye
lots on each side OF the new road which
they aud their relatives settled upon.
We think the following embrace oil the
families residing in Woodstock at me
close oil the year 1900: Christopher,
solomon and Samuel Bryant, " N Swan,
formerly of Woburn, Luxe Ovens, an
Irishman, deserter from an English
ship, Jacob and Luther Whitman from
Buckfeld, Levi Berry from the same
town, Luther Briggs from Paris, and
John Mason.
After the township was settled it was
granted by the Massachusetts Legisla-
tnre, half 10 Gorham ana half TO Dam-
mer Academy. Itsoon after passed into
the hap ds of other parties. one Of the
largest owners being Michael Little Esq 4,
of Lewiston. Stephen Chase. Esq,
moved into town from Mino. in 1904, and
was the agent of the proprielors Tor over
twenty years. He was the first Justice
of the Peace in town, and the first Rep
resentative to The Legislature. lie went
to Linco In in 1925 and died there.
Woodstock was incorporated in 1873
aud then had fortytwo families. The
population increased quite rapidly for
few years after the Incorporation, but
we believe it has never at any time ex-
ceeded twelve hundred. The property
in Woodstock is more evenly divided
than in most towns; there are none rich
and few who are very poor. There are
many excellent farmers in town, among
whom we may mention Perrin Dudley
whose father was of Sudbury, Mass;
Alden Chase, who returned to his farm
after having served as Register OF Deeds
for ten years; Alorzo Felt. grandson OF
one of the early settlers, who married
The grand daughter of another; Danville
j. Libby, BY trade a carpenter, but pre-
fers farming; Kilbon Perham; Elijah
Day: Stephen c. Davis; nearly a score
of Curtises; Albion P. Bowker, another
oornon,or 70 rpoar. VIM n PEARSON. an