The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-12-04
SELECTED.
Old Times at kovrId9eWock
The Gazette

Mr.. Editor Your description of Nor
ridgewock, and Of some Of the residents
Of that town, in your paper Of Oct. 18th,
WAS doubtless very pleasing to those who
are old enough to remember them; and
perhaps q still farther notice of some Of
them may be acceptable to the readers Of
your Journal.
Among those who deserve . more par
ticular mention, the most prominent Is
John Ware though he can scarcely be
called one Of the first settlers, as there
WAS quite q number there when Arnold
led his expedition up the kennebec,
twelve years before. Hanson's history
of Norridgewock and Skowhegsn, states
that Mr.. Ware came from Groton, Mass.
in 1887. and that he died in 1929 aged g.
This would make him 20 years old when
h. came. That his trade was chiefly 10
furs which he bought from the Indians
is statement that will not bear close
examination. The total overthrow and
destruction OF the Norridgewock tribe
WAS about sixty-hve years before this
time; the remnant that escaped fed to
Canada, and Indians were about as rare
as wild roses at Christmas. As for the
myth of his hand weighing . pound
every body knows that WAS what was
said of the first Dutch settlers OF New
York. and any one who would believe 1t
of MI. Ware would be credulous enough
to believe that Jonah swallowed the
whale.
Here is the history Of John Wares
early efforts, learned partly by tradition
and partly from documents now In my
possession. 1t was said that he brought
very little with him except his clothes and
| a set Of cooper's tools. He got up ten
by twelve shop where he went TO WORK
at his trade. He soon got rich enough
to have one of his kegs filed with New
England rum which sold out by the glass
Welded large profit. As his means In
creased he added to his stock, sugar, tea,
tobacco, etc, still diligently working at
his trade. la 1871, my father, samuel
Weston, Esq, Of Canaan opened an &C
count with him, giving him credit Tor
barrels received from him. In 1893 he
brought suit before my father q justice
| of the peace.) John Ware, cooper plain
tiff, and Jason Russell OF Seven Mile
Brook. defendant, on . note for sum
in bounds. which In decimal currency was
over twenty eight dollars. This shows
how his business had increased In six
wears, and how his trade extended ten or
fifteen miles up the river. From this
time on, his name appears frequently on
nv fathers docket. In l796 he made
further advance-he was John Wade,
trader. And notice here, 10 May Of that
wear he sued George Mcclellan ON note
ated the December before for thirty.two
dollars, six cents and nine mills; and
from some time In 1875, dollars and cents
were always given instead Of pounds
NV father was in trade, too, and Han
aon's history says that he and Mr.. Ware
were in partnership. The only founda.
tion for this story was that they bough,
their goods In Boston, and . journey
there was quite formidable undertaking
e II was generally made ON horseback
e. vhen one Of them went he would taxi
: memorandum from tho other. and buy
ao0de for both. They were both. too
manufacturers Of potash, and sent theil
products toaethsr, - large lots broush
better prices.
Some twenty ysars later. years Of pros
peiity for NJ. War, be had . desire Il
have some on With him who would fee
erost1e Interest In his business than I
Sired clark would. He had two nephew
IL CarrAaank, I believe. sons Of . d
oeasod brother, ~ sent 70 thelr moths
70 bsjng then 70 hin. end u an thing
VOC aSrooahlo, ~ would tAks one o.
49, "a Do Wsu with hin. Thev ver!
IbgighA bagA - WAs wsn plsassd viii