Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-09-01
Centennial Observance.
CELEBRATION OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROBINSON
HOMESTEAD.

Wednesday afternoon, August 20, 1905
was the occasion of the celebration, a
the home of Mr.. Stephen Robinson Pal
sons in Paris, of the hundredth annivel
sary of the completion of the house b
Stephen Robinson in 1903. FOrty-tw
relatives and friends met in honor of til
occasion.
Stephen Robinson Parsons is the grand
son of Stephen Robinson, through hi
mother, Mrs. Apphia (RObinsonl Pal
sons, and became owner OF the home
stead by inheritance in April, 1868.
| Nineteen direct descendants ="
Stephen Robinson were present. lie
sides Mr.. Parsons's large family, tn
guests included: George o. Robinson
Esq, and daughter, Miss Florence Rob
inson, of Cambridge, Mass; Mr.. join
ID. Parsons of Santa Ana, CAL; Mis-
Grace K. Toky, of New York City; Mrs
Burton A. Kinney and daughter, Mis-
Dorothy Q. Kinney, of Lowell, Mass.
Miss Mary f. Dwinal, of Mechanic Falls
Me-; Mr.. Harlan A. Pratt, Mr.. Henry Z
Pratt and Miss Ruth S. Pratt, of Eas
Orange, n. j.; Mr.. Robert &. Thomas
and daughter, Miss Rose Parsons Thorn
rs, of Oxford, Me-; DR.. Dean S. Thomas
of Yarmouth, Me-; Mrs. E. E. Hagei
and Miss Jennie Robinson Stevens, nov
residing with Mr.. ParsonS's family; Mr.
and Mrs. Walter III. SWEET, Miss Eunict
w. Fobes, Mr.. and Mrs. Wallace X. Cliff
ford and family, Mr.. and Mrs. Frank a
Shurtleff, and Master Stanley Shurtleff
Mr.. and Mrs. Hudson Knight, Miss Anna
Parsons Morse, Mrs. Ansel Swift and
Mrs. William J. Wheeler, all of South
Paris, Me.
The following address was made by
Miss Annie Isabel Parsons:
Ladies and gentlemen:
We have met to commemorate the
hundredth anniversary of the Robinson
homestead, and it gives me great pleas.
ure to welcome you all here to-day.
Generations have come and gone,
wind and storm have beat hard upon her,
and the old house stands monumental
evidence of the high-clasS skill and pro-
ficient workmanship of old time archi-
tects.
The very early history of the house
has not been handed down to us, but it
is presumed that when sturdy Stephen
Robinson took the fair Jemima Haskell
home to his log cabin, bride of seven
teen years, and the wind blew through
the crevices and made her SILVER and the
smoke poured down the chimney and
made her pretty eyes blink, Stephen
swore "he'd build hause that would
beat the tauwn, the caunty and all the
world araund." 1t was not, however,
until ten years had passed, when by his
industry, he had become one of the
wealthiest men in South Paris, that he
made brick kiln in the south field in
the vicinity of the tennis court, and laid
the foundation of the present structure.
He then was the happy possessor of five
daughters, and DESTROYS that they should
enjoy the full pleasures of the dance, he
erected his house with cOmmodious
hall for dancing purposes.
We read to-day of the wonderful feats
accomplished by women in athletics,
and are apt to think of our grandmothers
as being very prosaic and best adapted
to weaving and spinning, but, while the
house was yet in process of construction,
Stephen Robinson's daughter Sally
climbed to the roof and walked the ridge
pole out of mere love of sport.
The children, too, in those days could
not have been diSsimilar from the pres
ent generation, at any rate, we know
that one escaped the ever vigilant eyes
of Great-grandmother Jemima, and il
YOU care to visit the clark bedroom"
you may see the print of his little hand
in the new laid plaster where he had
wandered to crafty the rowing spirit
with which the Robinsons have ever
been possessed.
Some time in the year 1903, the NOV
ing from the log cabin in the south field
to the new house on the hill crest took
place, therefore, we celebrate to-day.
The house is built in a style of archi-
lecture which prevailed in the early days
of the nineteenth century-the ell and
sides of wood with brick ends, having
iron rods which extend from one to the
other, and these are capped by the let
tiers S and /, which do not, as once
supposed, stand for the initials of great
grandfather, but are representative of
two things which he loved-beauty and
duty, and as
Curved Is the line Of beauty.
And straight the line Of duty"
the choice of these letters is significant.
Eleven rooms with numerous closets,
entries, halls and large attic comprise
the interior of the house. Forty-seven
doors is the inventory have made, and
thrty-seven windows let in the light OF
day. The nine fire-places which the
house originally contained were no doubt
sources of great delight to Great-grand-
father Stephen in wood cutting time,
for, in the language of the street. "they
had wood to burn" in those primeval
days, and possibly some one of the ten
daughters with which he was blessed
may, as she roasted her plump cheeks
beside the open fire, have hummed over
her knitting the words of the now pOpu-
lar song SIN the Good Old Summer
Time"
Thirteen children have for the first
time opened their eyes within its sunlit
walls, and, in legal parlance, on informa,
ton and belief, eleven marriages have
taken place.
The many grandchildren and great.
grandchildren of Stephen Robinson have
loved to disport themselves at the old
ancestral home, and have sounded its
praises far and wide, and, possibly, like
your humble servant have been accused
of making South Paris known from Tor,
rid unto Frigid zone. One of these
grandchildren, Mr.. John d. Parsons OF
Santa Ana, California, who was reared
L,ro hoe ;ucf roturpa6 offor ON ahcancf
of thirty-eight years, and says he is more
in love with the old place than ever.
We invite you all to inspect the ole
home, and to feast your eyes on the fat
ness of the land from Great-grandfathel
Robinson's attic windows.
In the small room in the garrett, yol
will find an exhibition of old time i'm
Elements, cooking utensils, clothing
ETC., and in the west room on the secont
floor you will find Great-grandmOthe
Jemimas brass andirons and candle
sticks. request you all, as you maxi
your tour of inspection, to leave you
name in the book provided for that pur
pose, which is TO be kept for pOsierit.
| in commemoration of this anniversary.
Many of the necessities, which cam
into the house hundred years ago, hav
passed into disuse; the buzz of the bus
HOUSEWIFE wheel is no longer heard
the candlestick is only valued orna
ment now, and the blazing fires tina
were wont to make the chimneys roa
have given place to more suitable mean
of making Maine winters comfortable
but to-day in the old time home, whcr
these have prevailed, let us do homag
to the old time things, to the old tim
customs, to the old time boys aud girl:
and let us have good time in the oil
fashioned way.
i DrLn hn,,.a caa,,,r ranlu ard m hlo a