Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-10-20

My grandfather, John Foster, and
three others, Abner Holt, Mr.. Cham
berlain and Mr.. Chandler, left Andover,
Mass, in the early spring of 1893, to
take possession of tract of land in the
then territory of Maine, said land owned
by ''trust" composed of Massachusetts,
men. These four came to McElwain's
Opening in Waterford, and from there
made their way to the vicinity OF
North Waterford, thence up Crooked
River some three miles, when turning to
the east they climbed up the hills. They
made camp on the hillside which was
afterward the Stephen Cummings farm.
While making camp and preparing sup
per Abner Holt felled spruce tree to
Get the boughS for their bed. In relating
this incident Mr.. Holt would say, ~ am
the first white man who chopped down a
tree in Albany" My grandfather was a
land surveyor, and during the summer
devoted much of his time to surveying
the township.
These men returned to Massachusetts,
in the fall, and in the spring of 1900,
with their families and others, took up
their Journey ''down east" my grand
mother Elizabeth and her baby boy Will
liam being of the number. They came
to McElwain's, where they left their
rude carriages, and with more primitive
appliances continued their journey.
Grandmother rode on a mans saddle,
with drag poles fastened into the stir
rups, and on these were placed a barrel
of pork and barrel of rum.
Grandfather was man of powerful
physique, feet, inches tall, straight
as an arrow. My father showed me
some of his blazings as surveyor on
some forest trees near Square Doch
Mountain in 1860. He died in Albany
June 6, 1906, leaving his widow and two
sons, William, and Uriah, my father. His
widow married Benjamin Clark, by
whom she had two sons, Benjamin, and
Daniel, who now lives at Bolster's Mills
in Harrison, and if he lives till Sept. 18TH
will be 81 years old.
Grandmother was best known as
Grandmarm Clark, and was in demand
as a doctress and nurse for many years
Grandmarm Clark must make the we'd
ding cake, and when the bond of af
lection signalled for deliverance, Grand
marin Clark must be present to receive
and welcome the stranger from Nc
Mans Land"
But these names, Foster and Clark
have become obsolete in Albany, yet not
wholly forgotten. l might speak OF
other sturdy, honorable, noble pioneers
of the town, who builded well and left tC
the world sons and daughters who have
been an honor to their ancestors. The
Hollis, LovejOys, Abbotts, Jordans,
Dressers, Flints, Cummingses not few,
Frosts, Wardwells, Hutchinsons and
others too numerous to mention, acted
well their respective parts in their
adopted and native town, and their
descendants have gone forth throughout
the lands founding communities and
building up the waste places, always by
their acts and deeds rendering homage
to their ancestral people and their native
town.
Here is to dear old Albany. May
her contennials be many and her in.
habitants and their descendants ever
show forth the sturdiness of her contour
and environment, and their proudest
boast be, II am an Albanian born and
bred"
HENRI RENSSELAER, FOSTER.
Born May %, A. ID. 1887, son of Uriah
and Lydia Freeman pike Foster.
Denver, Col, August s, 1908, this being
the 90th anniversary of my coming to
Colorado.