The Portland daily press., 1897-03-10
NEAL DOW IN i845.
some Account CT the Temperance Move
ment at that Day.

George q. Shirley in National Temper.
ance AdvocHte.)
My father was born in Fryeburg, Ok
ford Co., Maine. At one time I had
many relatives and friends in that and
adjoining towns. was anxious that
they should be benefited by some temper
ance meetings, and that they should
listent to the eloquent appeals and clear
logic of Mr.. Dow, and become converts
20 his faith.
So we planned trip that would take
us as far as North Conway, N. H., and
to part of it which would be nearly
seventy miles from Portland. can give
you the particulars of this excursion, hui
it is only one of a great many similar
ones.
Our trips were generally In the winter,
because the country people were less en-
gagged in farm work. The winter roads
in Oxford County were largely used for
double and logging teams, and not for
city sleighs. Mr.. Dow had the arms of
his double sleigh SO altered that it could
be adapted to any road.
Sometimes we travelled when the ther-
mometer was 10 and 10 degrees below
zero. or even more. He had some
buffalo boots made with very long leg
gings, with. the hair inside and open in
front. These we put on FOYER the boots
we commonly wore. and with istraps and
buckles they were fastened tight around
and fer up our legs.
Thus equipped. and with two or three
large buffalo robes and John L. Walton,
who often acoomLanie us, we started on
this Oxford County trip Thursday, Feb.
13, l845.
We held two meetings in Standish
one in school house-the delegation
dividing.and part going to the school
house. The meetings wereEcrowded.
Friday afternoon and evening We had
crowded meetings at the Congregational
meeting house in Baldwin. The people
came from the surrounding towns with
four horse teams and in hay racks, with
cold water banners Tying!
Our delegation divided here, and one
of our number went to schoolhouse in
Hiram.
Saturday forenoon we held a meeting
in5H Tram at ten land continued it till
D. M, and then the audience were very
10 ath to have us leave. Twenty four
signed the pledge.
Saturday evening we held meeting In
the Congregational westinghouse in
Brownfeld, and at night found rest in
the public temperance house of Mr..
Stickney.
Sunday forenoon we reached the old
congregational westinghouse in Frye
burg village, where Daniel Webster de-
livered his first Fourth OF July grafton,
and listened to an appropriate sermon
from Rev. Carlton Hurd from the text,
ssThose that have turned the world up
side down are come hither also. -
Sunday evening, had a crowded meat
ing in the large vestry. DR.. Barrows.
the physician. spoke and said he was 49,
quainted with thirty widows in the
town, made such by the intemperance of
their former husbands!
Monday we went to North Conway, N.
H.. and held meetings Monday afternoon
and evening in the Baptist westinghouse
and spent the night with a cousin of
mine under the shadow of Mt. Kear-
sarge.
Much interest was awakened.
Thursday we turned back to Fryeburg
and held n meeting in the afternoon in
the schoolhouse on the left bank of the
Saco, near whore my father was born.
Rev. Mr.. Hurd and others came from
the village, and the house Was SO crowd
ed many were unable to gain admittanoe
The wife of rumseller was present
and wept profuseiy. She had sons she
wasSthinking Of
Tuesday evening we held meeting in
a schoolhouse in Chatham, N. H., nnera
we tarried for the night with cousin of
mine.
Wednesday forenoon we turned back to
North Eryeburg and held meetings in
the Uniyersalist chapel Wednesday after
noon and evening. This place, from the
baleful influence of rum. had been nick
named Sodom, but We did our best to
turn it into an Edeni
We now turned homeward. and Thurs
day afternoon held meeting In the