The Portland daily press., 1881-08-18
OLD FRYEBURG.
It's History and It's Legends,

Summer time has come again, and with it
comes to man a strong desire for change He
longs to steal awhile away from his daily
routine of work, that has grown hard and irk-
some, and seek renewed strength of body and
mind at the shrine OF nature, to hear what
the wild waves are saying down by the rest
less, heaying sea, or to listen to the golden
speech of silence amid the quieter beauties of
the wooded hills. Although, swe think, chow
ever far we may roam, there's no place like
home" yet in attractions for the visitor, few
villages can surpass Fryeburg, Maine, which
is situated in the Saco valley. Through this
valley, slowing turning in and out, now in
sight, and how hiding itself in the dark forest
shades, winds the Saco river, which owes its
Indian name to these Same crooked turns.
Midway on its course from the mountains to
the sea, it bears on its right bank, this gem of
its hamlets, beautiful Fryeburg. This village
well deserves the highest praise one can offer,
at any season of the year, but more especially
now when every tree and shrub is robed in the
richest green. Those old elms of Main street,
meeting in lofty arches, arc far more noble
and grand than the storied columns and tran
septs Of the old world. Our ancestors who
planted these builded better monuments than
they knew, and each passing traveller, rejoic-
ing in the shade, gratefully honors their mem
DRY. AS long as these trees rear their heads
heayen-ward, spring will keep a fitting memo
rial day. When she visits the earth, she will
lavishly decorate them with wreaths of living
green. while among the branches the little
birds will sing a cheering requiem. Every
year. to our eyes, Fryeburg is more and more
beautiful yet our mothers growing old, al
ready more than a century's heavy
weight of years has passed over her head.
| These years leave on her brow no furrow deep
| but only added dignity and grace.
| Look back down the long vista of years to
| 1850! What do we see now? In the place of
these happy homes, there is nothing but
vast unbroken forest, stretching far and wide,
| the true home of the savage and the bear.
| Should we chance to be on one of the neigh
boring hills, we might see here and there
| tiny pond sparkling among the trees, or a
| small opening whence arises little smoke,
| telling where lives the last remnant of the Pc
| quakets.
| Some years later, two men from New
Hampshire bearded cattle on the interyales,
| where neither gates nor bars bounded the rich
| ptSbuTeS Ou6 Oh LILO I10u was Wulte, blo Gull
| er, of African birth, whose name was Limbo.
He lived in Fryeburg many years, and to-
wards the cloae of his life, was sold TO sanother
farmer for yoke of oxen, his old master
over afterwards regetting the sale. Though
men sold the body they could not sell the
sonl for that was free indeed. He now lies
buried in the cemetery in the upper part Of
| the village.
About this time this township, in what was
then the District of Maine, was granted to
1 &c Me-, III, :,
tinguished civil and military services, by the
| government of that State. The old Indian
| name, Peqauket, was changed to Fryeburg in
| honor of General Frye. Soon after this, seven
| settlers, mostly from Massachusetts, came to
make new homes for themselves in the wilder
mess.
"What sought they thus afar?
Bright jewels of the mine?"
ay,'they needed them not for then men,
not jewels, were valued most. They marked
near the present Weston's bridge, and
the others on Main street which
was then only line of spotted
trees They soon built log cabins, and little
by little approached civilization The only
| recreations were visiting and tea parties 1t is
related of one lady, Mrs. Ames, who was the
fortunate possessor of the first silver spoons
and China tea-set in the settlement, that
whenever she visited her neghbors she carried
them along with her. When the supply OF
fresh meat fell Short all the men went on a
| bear hunt.
Kindness and neighborlsscourtesy prevailed
in those primitive times. What one family
had was shared with all the rest The whole
settlement was only one great family, and in
all their dealings with one another they we're
as straight as pine tree. Everything abont
them was solid and substantial; no sham what
ever was seen. The intelligence and the good
character Of the people gave this town high
rank in the country. Fryeburg by her sons
| and daughters. is now reDreSonted in all DartS
of the union, but wherever they may be their
hearts oft turn back, with fond recollections to
the homes of childhood in their ssain countrie %