Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-12-05
HISTORY OF WOODSTOCK MAINE.

press Of Stephen Berry of Portland in
volume Of three hundred and fifteen pages,
bound in cloth, very excellent and CON-
plete history of the town Of Woodstock.
Town histories are always improbable
to the author, but very valuable to his
townsmen and to the general historian,
and exceedingly interesting to the pub
lie when they preserve, as does this, an
ecdotes of individuals which illustrate
the manners and characteristics of our
ancestors. The Doctor was native OF
the town, and the work was labor Of
love to him. Ii is eighty-four years
since the FIRST clearing was made, and
sixty-seven since it was incorporated as
a town, and Of those who participated in
the organization the las, have passed
away, 1t is interesting to note how
many familiar names occur in the history,
showing that the children Of the early
townsmen have found homes in Portland
as well as elsewhere. Like all New
England towns, Woodstock has sent out
It's children broadcast over the land to
make homes for themselves in more fav-
ored spots, and wherever they may have
settled, we are sure they will hail with
delight this story of their native town
and of their old townspeople. Space
will not permit summary of the nara
tive, but it is a familiar picture OF early
New England life, with its struggle with
the wilderness, its pinching economy,
hard labor, scanty schooling, clearing of
forests and building Of roads Its long
journeys to markets, Its forest fires, and
sufferings in the frequently recurring
hard times. Woodstock was early and
prominent in the Washingtonian move
men,, and the result was prosperity, and a
rolling of Of the burden of debt that had
hung over the inhabitants. This is
significant comment on the argument
that free trade in liquor would make
prosperity in business. The town has
given one governor to the State, in the
person Of Sidney Perham, and many dis
tinguished names are found in these pages.
We ind here answered a question Oft
en- asked as to why so many Of our Ok
ford towns were named after old tunes
1t seems the old composer Maxim was in
the habit Of naming his tunes after the
towns. He composed Woodstock" at
a wedding feast, where it was sung with
great JUNCTION BY the guests. HallOwell,
Hebron, Turner and Buckheld were also
honored by his compositions
The following is so connected with
our own history that we give it in full
HUNTING FOR BURIED TREASURE.
Old Doctor Bryant, one Of the first
two settlers Of Woodstock, also called
from his roOt.disging propensity, Dr.
Diego was firm believer in ghosts
and witches. He also believed that Jew
ellis Island, in Casco Bay, was the place
where Capt. Kidd deposited his money,
and he often went there and searched for
II. His idea was that Capt. Kidd. after
burying his treasure, made one Of his
men swear TO guard il, and then killed
him and buried him above the iron chest
containing the gold. When anyone
searching for the gold struck the chest,
the sentinel ghos; would always make
some demonstration 10 frigh,en him
away. II the searcher could only hold |
his peace and keep on with the work he
would succeed but if lie was frightened |
into speaking a word, the charm would |
be broken and all would be lost. DR..
Bryant once told in the hearing of the |
writer how he and Hector Fuller. a COL
ored man, once went 10 the Island fully
10 brave everything and bring
away the coveted treasure. So, nerving
themselves by the free use Of elixir Vita
and laying in little store in case OF
need, they proceeded to the Island. OBJ
serving all the required formalities, they
TO dig, the moon shining
brightly the while. After digging down
several feet, one of them took the crow
bar and striking into the earth at the bot
tom Of the pit, 1t hit upon something tina,
had a decided metallic ring, when in
s,antly there appeared in the hole they
had made, SOW with family Of pigs.
They understood this to be demons,ra-
tion Of the guard, and resolved to stand
their ground, but the animal became fe-
rocious and caught one of the diggers BY
the leg, which brought from him pro-
fame ejaculation, when 10 and behold, the
animal and her family disappeared, the
pit was filed up and they found them
selves sitting upon the shingly beach
with the tide water almost touching
their feet. Listeners to this marvellous
story generally believed it was an hallu-
cinatiOn caused by their pO,a,ions. bu,
nothing would so offend the Doctor as to
hint at such thing"
To illustrate the poverty Of early days
in Maine we select the following
LOG CABINS.
"Mrs. Lucretia Nutting, who died a
year or two ago in Perham, Aroostook
county, at great age, came into Wood
stock 10 work whom she was on;,s vonn,