The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-03-24
A Sketch of Ephraim Stimson,
Brother of Richard, The First Settler
of SearspOrt.
[Concluded

Brother of Richard, The First Settler
of Searsport.
Concluded.
Let us look at some of the tolls and
privations of the early settlers of Mount
Ephraim, for they bore their part of the
sufferings incident to the early settlement
of New England. Here were at first only
four families, the vanguard of civiliza-
ton, living in a primeval forest; their
houses nothing but rude huts, built of
logs, with no religious or educational
privileges, living over one-fourth of a
mile apart, with nothing but spotted trees
to guide them from one to the other.
They had no cattle of any kind for the
first few years, depending chiefly on game
for subsistence, and no market nearer
than Bagaduce. When they raised grain,
they either pounded it in a mortar or car
ried it on their backs through the woods
to the shores, then took boat and rowed
to Bagaduce, had it ground, and returned
as they went. Surely they must have had
more ''fasts than feasts.' With them
hard times was a reality.
In the fall of 1888, POSSIBLY one or two
years later) Richard Stimson and Colson
went to Marsh Bay to cut a freight of
NOOu. lucy QSudIly CdIIltu plOSiSlOu
enough to last them the first part of the
week, and THEN boys, aged about fifteen
years, would take fresh supply to them
about the middle of the week. Their
route lay over the north side of Mt.
Waldo, about midway between the base
and summit. 1t was near the last of
December that the boys left home. They
arrived at the camp, and stopped and took
dinner with their fathers 1t was cold and
showing at the time they left to return.
That was the last seen of them alive.
The fathers had no doubt of their safe re-
turn, the mothers supposed that on ac-
count OF the storm they had remained at
the camp. When the fathers came home
Saturday night and found that the boys
were missing. they knew that they had
persisted. Sunday morning they summon
ed Bell and Ephraim StimSon, and went
in search of the bodies. They found them
on the western slope of Mount Waldo.
They had laid down by the side of a
fallen tree and there persisted. The Slim
son boy in his death struggle had raised his
arm 50 that the hand protruded through
the surface of the snow. AS they passed
over the place Richard S snow-shoe struck
the hand. Their remains were brought
home and buried near Richards house.
To commemorate this sad event the place
was for several years called Mt. Misery,
but has since changed to Mt. Waldo.
In 1888 or 1884 the little colony had two
additional families join them-Robert
Porter and James L. Frye, both from
Peterboro. Porter had had somewhat of
romantic life. His original name was
Fimby, and he was born in England. When
old enough he was impressed into the
British military service, and sent to Can
ada, probably under Sir John Burgoyne.
At the first opportunity he deserted and
travelled through the woods to New
Hampshire. To evade capture he chang
ed his name to Porter, which name he
and his posterity have always retained
1t was his mother S name before marriage.
In New Hampshire he became acquainted
with the Stimsons, and married Catharine,
sister of Richard and Ephraim AS be-
fore stated his mother-in-law and her two
unmarried daughters came here with him.
He took what is known as the Gould
farm, also the farm now owned by Osman
Curtis. Being of great mechanical inge-
nuity he was just the man to settle in a
| new colony. He could make anything
from a pillow to a spinning wheel. Frye
settled on what is known as the James
Cunningham place and lived there several
years, when he exchanged places with
enjamin Carr and moved to North Haven.
Richard Stimson lived ON his farm until
about 1892, when he sold his ''Right of
Possession'' to William J. Treat, who
had married his daughter Huldah. Slim
son built a sawmill on Goose River at
what is known as Mason's Mills in Bel
fast and moved there, where he lived some
twelve years. He then disposed of the
mill and built grist- mill op Half way
| Creek, where George Merrill's mill now
stands, and also built small framed house
! just west of where Mrs. Simonton now
| lives. The country had become SO thick
ly settled by this time, and each man rails
| ing all the bread he consumed, Stlmson
did profitable business. He lived here
| till 1913, when he was taken suddenly sick
and only lived a short time. His grave
| is unmarked. No one knows where he is
buried. His house was afterwards moved
near the shore and is now occupied by the
Blake family. Richard Stimson was de-
scribed by the early settlers of Mt. Eph-
rain as short, thick set man, with a
keen black eye and very quick in his
movements. He was somewhat quiet ano
reserved in speech and did not mix with
others to a great extent, but was always
friendly.
Ephraim lived on his place until about
1910, when he exchanged places with Will
liam Merithew and moved to North
Haven, where he was afterwards drowned.
He was man of good information ant
social and easier to get acquainted witt
than Richard. When anyone in the
neighborhood wished for any advice or in
formation on any subject he would con
suit with 'suncle Efrum." The Stimsons
were men who lived more by practic
then theory, hence but little has ever beel
said about them. They we're very hospit
| able ALWAYS kent their latch string hun