Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-09-06

Snow fell under the savage attack. Jona-
than Butterfleld and Oliver Blodgett
hastened their flight from the place on
discovery Of the dead man. They vent
ure no opinion as TO the fate OF their
associate Samuel ButterHeld.
3. The CHANGED NAME. 1t is some
what surprising that 30 nearly all the
Paris accounts perverted the name and
nut Stinchfield for Butterhald. I sup
pose that fifty years ago any narrator
would have been abruptly called down
who should use the latter name, 90 firm
" had New Gloucester name and per-
son been attached to the common story.
Also two men had been dropped from
the company as the repetition OF the
story made some points dim. But l
presume the erroneous name gained
place because Mr.. Stinchfield was the
leader OF the party which went up from
New Gloucester 70 bury the mangled
body. after being informed by the fugi-
tive hunters on their retreat.
4. RESIDENCE l have been unable
to trace these mems names or even the
family names In early records or In lists
OF prOprietors or settlers In New Giou-
cester. Gray or North Yarmouth. The
deposition was indeed signed In North
Yarmouth because doubtless there first
In the hasty journey they found maeis-
trate: IL does not determine their resi-
dencc. Still my search gained certain
facts Thirty years later-l7S7--a
Samuel ButterAeld with Leonard and
ASS, and William Blodgett were among
the purchasers and original proprietors
Of the township named "Butterfleld"-
now Sumner and Hartford. This Samuel
was then living on Sandy River, the
others belonged to Dunstable, Mass. A
look st the early history of the latter
town has shown that then Butterdeids
were as plenty 10 Il as butterflies In q
fiower garden. Several were prominent
In town affairs: It was leading name In
lists of soldiers Of the Revolution, both
officers and privates. Blodgett was an.
other family name. Capt. LOvewell Of
the noted Pequawket fight belonged
here as did his lieutenant Farwell who
was wounded and died In the retreat.
Hence when | find that men OF Dun
stable were pioneers Ia q new plsnta-
ton In Oxford county (yet To be) and
also find that four family names OF
that town, Butterfield, Blodgett, Far
well, Taylor, were borne by men who
fell into very undesirable relations TO
some Indians In the vicinity Of Little
Androscoggin, then will arise we'll
supported guess that these men belonged
to that town. A Samuel and Leonard
ButterAeld are brothers; both names are
borne by Revolutionary soldiers, the lat
ter captain. Complete family records
might disclose Oliver Blodgett and COM
panion. The facts obtained give not
proof but probability. But II Samuel
the brother OF Leonard was the Samuel
OF the hunting party at SHOWS Falls,
then by the family record he was at the
time but seventeen years old.
Ia regard TO the Indians victim. learn
that Capt. Jonsthsn Snow was In com
msnd Of company OF scouts ln the year
1850, for two muster rolls OF his COM
pany Of thirty men ranging the frontier
we're presented In the New Hampshire
House Of Representatives In 1888.
must think this is the man whose des-
perate purpose cost him his life.
II will be recalled that the deposit
ton reads,-"found the said Jonathan
(as ,ee judgedD.r Why judged, as II un-
certain? Plainly because the dead man
had been so vindictively hacked and
mangled and probably stripped Of cloth
Ing, as to be unrecogniztble, and the
deponents must speak cautiously and
exactly In sworn statement.
3. THE ENEMY. Probably only four
Indians made this squad OF the rsiiing
party. Their captives made mp the
seven disclosed by the trail. The de-
ponents say, "Seven, as zee then sup
posed" Evidently before they reached
North Yarmouth they learned the capt
ure OF two men and so modify their con-
clusion. During score OF years pre-
vious to 1850, small rowing bands Of
Indians, esger hunters OF men, women
and children, prowled about the frontier
settlements OF New England.
6. THE CAPTIyEs. There are lists In
the Massachusetts state papers showing
hundreds taken In the Indian wars. In
one report are Joseph Taylor and Samuel
Butterfield "taken In New Gloucester"
In May 1855. Jonathan Farwell was an
other captive 10 the same month. This
record reveals the fate Of the companion
OF the murdered Snow. The sudden dis
appearance OF man or boy In these af-
frighting years hardly required explana-
ton. The narrative OF Isaac Parsons,
ESQ, mentions two men,-no names
taken In New Gloucester, "who belonged
to the fort" Taylor and Farwell must
be the men, and were probably two OF
the six whom the proprietors had hired
a. private soldiers for the common de-
fence. Butteriield taken outside the
bounds OF any town was assigned TO the
nearest town In the brief inexsct record
and joined with Taylor. He lacking
SHOWS deep sntipathy, and resolution
to resist, indeed wiser to save life ut
such cost. yielded to the inevitable, and
followed the captors' trail to Canada.
This tragic event In the wilderness OF
the Little Androscoggin Is narrated by
that valuable work published In 1882 Is
beyond the reach Of most readers OF the
Democrat. Its story however Is needed
for comparison with that In the History
Of Paris. In the attempt to copy from IL
an unexpected path WAS opened to me.
A marginal note Vol. 2, p. 27l shows
the historian derived his information
from u. 5. Holmes, Esq" 1t occurred
to me to examine some MSS. Of historian
Williamson now In custody Of the Maine
Historical Society. 1 found the very
letter Of Mr.. Holmes. think the edit
ors and readers Of the Democrat will
prefer the original to the historians
abridgement.