The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-05-01
SKOWHEGAN HAS A
MUSEUM
Reveals History of Town
and County
Facts of Universal Interest are Found
at Home Of Sewell W. Smith on
Bloomfield Street

Few people realize that there is q
dwelling house in Skowhegan that
has become a museum of collections
of natural scientific and literary
curiosities that surpasses any muse
UNI in Maine the State museum not
excepted AT the residence of Sewell
w. Smith on Bloomfield street there
are thousands of collections tina, por
tray the history of the beginning OF
the first settlement in Maine, the
wars of the Indians, the tragedy If
the Indian priest, Father Raslcs, the
events of the Revolutionary. the In
dian, Mexican. Civil and Spanish
wars. In this collection are articles
that are only duplicated in Harvard
College Museum. Among these is q
spoon found at Father Rasles' monu-
ment at Old Point, Madison for which
Mr.. Smith has been offered a big sum
of money.
Mr.. Smith is now 76 years old and
this collection represents his lifetime
of research for these things. He is
the only man in town that has full
set of Harper's magazines and these
have been bound by himself by hand,
each one having complete
cloth binding. He probably is the
only person in this section of the
state at least that has the English
ballads that are over 200 years old.
Several years ago he sent to England
for them.
This museum occupies one end OF
Mr.. Smiths home, a room that has
been fitted by him for this purpose
He has curiosities that represent
nearly every country in the world :
Mud turtles from India; shells from
Italy and knives used as weapons OF
war from the various countries. He
has a book known as "Primitivt
Christianity" printed in London that
is $50 years old. He has string o.
bells that date back 100 years and ar
ranged to represent the styles of bells
from that time to now. Bells used
100 years ago were as large as ar
ordinary cup and they descend in size
to the size of a small hens egg.
Much of his material represents his
ancestors and the part they played in
the Revolutionary War He has /
bayonet that was used at Bunker Hill
by his great grandfather; flint LOCK
gun used in the War of 1912 by his
grandfather. He has the fints thai
were. kept in the first meeting house
built in Skowhegan ready for any at
tack that should be made by the In
dams during any church service.
extent things of Mr. Smiths own
work. He has chains Of wood that
he has carved himself, the links be-
ing of perfect shape and in perfect
action, being made from one piece OF
wood. There is a bottle containing
an anchor, the size of the body of the
bottle with a chain hitehed to it that
was made and put together through
the mouth of the bottle about a quart
er OF an inch wide. He has Indian
relies OF many kinds that he has from
time to time found along the Kenne-
bee river.
Nh Smiths knowledge Of history Of
Somerset County makes him a com
pendulum of usefulness to all histori-
ans who have ever compiled works OF
the kind in this section. Through
himself and his daughter, the late
Miss Lillian G. Smith. the only his
tory of the town has been writ
ten and plans are being made to have
it published there being crying de-
mand for the work.
TIE OLDEST FRAME HOUSE IN
SKOWHEGAN
There are few people in town who
know where the oldest house of the
town is situated and the history con
nected with it. MIR. Smith has the
information at hand that makes this
house an interesting object when the
facts are learned about it. 1t is
owned by Mrs. Clara f. Norton and is