Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-05-01
For the Oxford Democrat.
OLD TIMES IN SOUTH PARIS.
REVIEW Oh TIE MILL INTEREST IN PARIS
BY s. p. M-ASp REFERENCE TO THE
ARTICLE OF "ABsENTKE By ID. p. s.

ARTICLE OF ABSENTEE" BY ID. p. s.
was very much interested In the arti.
Gle OF s p. NJ, on the mill interests OF
Paris, knowing that he had given much
time and research for material to develop
and establish, as well as to perpetuate the
early history of the town. 1t Is obvious
to every one, that In writing from recol-
lection, and especially OF more than three
score years, that one must experience
great difficulty If required to produce
vouchers for every record, however dimly
made on the parchment OF memory. Writ
ing Rscollectious and writing History are
two distinct pursuits. The former has for
Its base the treasure-house OF Memory !;
and from that vast labrstory 1t selects its
choicest facts, not from what fancy paints
but from what Imagination sculptures.
5. p. NJ. very cvurteously suggests that
ID. p. s, In Early Recollections, must
have been mistskened in stating that pre-
vious to sixty years ago, Elias Stowell,
having purchased large tract of land
from one to two thousand acres-embrac-
ing all the lands which now constitute the
village OF South Paris, as we'll as all the
water power included, and had erected .
dam and built mills which, At that time,
were the only mills in town; this can not
be correct history, intimates S. p. NJ, as
this dam and these mills were built many
years previous 10 1904, when Elias Stowell
first moved from Worcester, Msss., into
No. At being "a number OF years later
than did William aud Daniel Stowell"; and
1t was at this time (lsO4) Elias Stowell
purchased OF one Jackson the mills and
water power before mentioned"
cannot demurr 10 S. p. NJ; II / do.
shall be obliged TO admit his statement as
true, but will plead the general issue, and
try the case on the facts.
Ia l19l-not ls04-Elias Stowell located
aud made the first opening on Lot No. 10,
in the fourth range of lots In No. NOW
Paris; In 1892 he built the first frame barn
In Paris. and Oiled IL with rye that year
grown on said land. In 1893, Elias Stow
ell conveyed this farm to Cyprian Stevens,
the father OF the late Simon aud Cyprian
Stevens, and also OF Sally (the widow OF
the late Maj. Rufus StowelD who Is now
living in her eighty third year. This farm,
with the original barn, now standing, Is
situated south OF Paris Hill-sdjoiuing the
Hooper farmland has long been known rs
the Simon Stevens farm. Elias Stowell
then purchased the Jackson mills property
on the Stony Brook. and al the land sd
Joining; after which he commenced TO
build the dam aud mills on the Little An
droscoggiu. s. now locsted-rurnlng the
Jackson mills during the time OF building
the new ones, which were abandoned and
suffered 10 go to decay after the new ones
were completed, leaving the new mills 81
this time the only mills in No. Al. e.
Paris, as stated by d. P. S. in Early
Recollections."
The relics OF the old Jackson mills, to-
gether with the land and right OF nowage
as described, was sold by said Stowell, on
the 26th day OF March, A. u. 1906, to Rowse
Bisbee. OF Davis Town, Hancock County
blacksmith by occupation,-for one hun
dred dollars; said Bisbee in 1905, then
haillug from Portland conveyed the same
20 William Reed OF Norway-his wife,
Hannah, reliuquishing dover in the same,
consideration, eighty dollars. Rowse
Bisbee afterwards settled In Woodstock,
aud his descendants may be reckoned
among the most noble and respectable OF
the sons and daughters OF Maine'-and
among whom, If mistake not, Is Ex-Gov.
Sidney Perham, self-made man, accus-
toned 70 hard manual labor for many
wears after arriving st maturity, who was
called from the plow, as was Cincinnatus,
TO the highest Office in his native State.
Elias Stowell, after purchasing the Jack
son mill property, built small store on
the spot where the corn canning mill Is
now situated, which was probably the hrst
store built In town. In 1903, Stowell sold
this store and lightweight acres OF land,
including the dwelling-house aud out
buildings. to George King, Joseph Haven
Hall and Seth Morse, obligating himself
not TO engage in selling goods after this
sale; this deed conveyed all the lands on
the east side of the stream and south side
of the road between William and Daniel
Stowells' lands TO the river, including the
right 10 take water from the pond at the
east end of Stowells mills sufficient to
carry trip hammer, which was never used
for that purpose.
In the year 1918, He nry Rust Parsons OF
Waterford, purchased OF Seth Morse a
-mall strip OF land, including this water
power. as follows, which may be found re-
corded in Oxford Records, Vol. 9, page
POI. to-wit: "A certain piece OF land n ear
Stowells Mills so called In Paris, begin
ming at stake and stones standing two
rods and twenty links from the top OF the
rock in the mill stream, eighteen feet dis
tsnt from the easterly corner OF said
Norse's wood house, thence on parallel
liue with said wood house to the middle
If the stream, thence up the middle OF the
stream to the County road near the bridge
across said stream, thence by the County
road sasterly till line south sixty-six de-
,rees west will hit the bound nrst men,
toned. with the privilege Of taking water
for Trip Hammer as expressed in Stow
ellis deed to King, Hall and Morse, with the
| privilege OF an eighteen feet passage way