The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27


NIT of human achievement. Many
come and many go each doing tue
daily task Ill or well as nature or
environment has fitted them, and
ruthless time grasses their manner
from the page of recollection. Those
maryelously endowed spiritually and
mentally, those whom circumstance
has rendered pre-eminent, and only
those live for age in the annals of
Time.
Fifteen years ago the thirteenth,
charter members of this chapter wrote
anew the name of Eunice Farnswcrin
on the tablets of memory. To some
of us hers had been the name of
great-grandmother. to others that of
the wife of first settler, to still others
was it entirely unknown. Today Eu-
nice Farnsworth is more than name
to all She stands as type Of that
dauntless, exalted womanhood, which
the struggles of the early years of our
country produced.
Groton, in the then Colony of Massa
chusetts, was the birthplace of our
heroine, and November 26, 1875 the
date distinguished by that event.
Each may paint her image as fancy
dictates, since no portrait of brush or
pen exists. Tradition alone is there
to guide us and it is most generous
! for it has handed down through the
years that Eunice Farnsworth was the
! handsomest woman that ever stepped
in Concord Westinghouse. The su-
perlative would indicate woman of
good heighth, and erect carriage and
/ this is borne out by the testimony of
her grandson. To whom 1t may also
suggest the brilliancy and sparkle of
| the brunette with hair of glossy black
and expressive eyes of brown. Rather,
was she not fair haired and azure
eyed as the long line of her English
ancestry, which dates back to Queen
/ Elizabeth's time, would seem to pre-
dictate The bloom of perfect health
we may surely add, aud that she had
pleasing manner has also been
: chronicled by her grandson. From
/ the same source we have a sugges-
/ ton of her spiritual attributes she
was brave to bear the sorrows and
/ ills of life and strong to meet its in
creased responsibilities" Not only
brave and strong. but cheerful, opti-
mistic. faithful and sympathetic must
she have been to be a worthy help
meet to her sturdy pioneer husband.
! AT twenty-one the bride of Joseph
/ Weston, a tailor in Concord, we find
her remaining alone there fifteen years
later with seven of their children
while he journeyed into the Maine
wilderness, taking with him their
fourth son, Eli What must have
been her keen maternal anxiety for
this twelve year old boy who when her
husband returned to bring his family
in the fall of that same year, III,
was left on an island in the Kenne-
bee river, twenty miles from the
nearest white settlement, his only com
panion youth four years his senior
Although preparations for the new life
were Immediately made, and they sat
out on their journey the middle OF
November so slow was their mode Of
travel and so severe the winter sea
son that it was the last of April
when they reached their destination.
Joseph Weston made the last entry
in his diary of the journey: goth day
of April we got to my own house, -
his own house being a cabin twenty
feet square, the roof probably covered
with bark. 1t was situated on the
west bank of the river about one-half
mile below the present site of the old
cemetery.
1t was three years later, in the fall
of 1775, that the services of Joseph
Weston were enlisted to pilot Arnold's
Quebec expedition up the river. In
this capacity he served to the falls
at Norridgewock when he was com
PEELED to return home by severe cold,
contracted through hardship and eX-
posture. Widowed by his untimely
death which soon followed, it certain
ly required "a woman brave to bear
the sorrows and ills of life and strong
to meet its increased sponsibiities'
to fact the future.
Nine children were there now, the
Oldest twin boys not quite eighteen,
the youngest baby of few months.
The spinning and weaving alone for
such a family would seem more than
one woman could compass. Their |
simple manner of living did not neces |
state much homework. however, am /
there were plenty of children to help. |
Wool to spin there was none as bears
and wolves were too numerous to al !
low sheep to be kept. Moreover, she |
was assisted in making the boys
clothes by her son, Joseph, who was
a tailor, and as leather breeches were
commonly worn, so much was saved
from tho SHINING and weaving !