Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-02-11

the Qdte IIltO l1Of, IL UISdkS LhoA
harshly into the consistencies c
history.
| Somewhat however may be conceded
| Mollockett could possibly have fallen
with one of that party in Canada some
time and gotten story of the raid an
the scalp and captives. If this did hap
pen, then she might in Oxford Count
tell stories of the Shows Falls horro
out of an aged woman's broken memo
ries of 40 years. Or if the keen an
cunning woman did tell what others di
not already know, no accurate idea O
it can now be drawn out of warpe
and padded tradition.
Hon. w. D. WILLIAMSON.
In 1892 was published by Hon. w. Z
Williamson, his valuable, accurate AM
now scarce History of Maine. The au
thor briefly sketched the tragedy o
Shows Falls. Concise and clear, it
precise details declare information OBJ
tainable alone more or less directl.
from witnesses. In comparison MI
Hamlin's is inadequate and at point
mistaken. From whom obtained tn
historian tells in the margin by tn,
name,-J. S. Holmes, Esq He was at tn
time settled in Foxcroft, and has beef
styled by biographer, THE Pionee
Lawyer of Piscataquis Co.," but was ;
native of Oxford and became studen
at law on Paris Hill in the Office o
Hon. Enoch Lincoln, governor in 1928
The historians request to Mr.. Lincoln
in respect to history of the town wa!
passed to Mr.. Holmes for answer
The very communication he made wa:
discovered some years since among Mr.
WilliamSon's papers possessed by tht
Maine Historical Society. 1t wa!
written in 1921, and on the matter o.
Indian history had only the story Of
Shows Falls. 1t was a lucid, circum
stantial account, concisely written, oi
the fatal affair and connected Incl
dents. The historian transferred il
with slight abridgement to his page, a:
of full authority.
Nevertheless that important detail oi
Paris history was shut away in a large
two-volume work from most of the
people, and probably few in town dur
ing 80 years ever saw it. 1t has had
no force to instruct and to form opin-
ions; instead, tradition, what the father
told his son or neighbor, has been &C
ceptcd, yet always subject to variations
and errors by repetition.
DEPOSITION.
The Deposition by Butterield and
Blodgett, an important document, has
also been buried for 140 years in mass
of state papers at Boston, and therefore
useless for history. 1t now corrects de-
hected traditions and adds luminous
facts. The deposition and the narra-
ton by Mr.. Holmes, have been COM
bined in the previous pages to set forth
a very complete recital of the Indian
foray and tragic results. They present
a comprehensive view of all that is ever
likely to be known Of this episode OF
the war.
Still the question, if so trustworthy
whence the statements by James Stuart
Holmes?
HOLMES, TAYLOR, RAwsoN.
One of the detected prisoners driven
up the Androscoggin Valley was Joseph
TAYLOR. He remained in Canada till
the fall of Quebec; became fully yersed
in Indian tongues and the French; was
interpreter for Gen. Amherst became
instructor of Indian youth in Dartmouth
College; sought pupils for it in Can
ada; in 1776 enlisted Canadians for the
Revolutionary War; was then a lieu
tenant, but in 177s his name appears as
captain in a New Hampshire regiment
acting against Canada. He made his
home in Cornish, N. H., and died there
in 1913, aged 81.
His eldest daughter Elizabeth, be-
came the wife of young man residen,
in the town, Ebenezer Rawson, native
of Sutton, Mass. Mr.. Rawson pur-
chased land in Paris in 1887, and re-
moved to make a home there in 1890
though the year is not precisely known
and was married about that time.
One needs not to say that young Raw
son by intimate acquaintance with the
family became informed of Capt. Taylor
chief activities and striking experiences ii
such harsh, hard school of life. What
old man fails to tell of former years
But when the young man prepared to
make a home in Paris, again would be
told details of the humiliating journe,
and the ghastly scene near the Falls
Even Capt Taylor's visit to his daugh.
ter's home may be presumed, when
would be recalled the terrors OF thai
hunting camp, or visit made to the
spot only two miles distant. Assuredly
therefore, Col Rawson-his later mill
tary title-was fully acquainted witt
everything associated with the desperate
affray, for Capt. Taylor had a part II
all, trod the whole weary way iron
Sabbada pond up by the blood-stainee
Androscoggin camp onward into th'
forests of Canada. His son-in-law ane
wife brought to Paris, in addition to th'
general fact previously known, full cir
cumstantial particulars OF the entir!
series of events pertaining to the deatf
of Capt. Snow. Nor can there b'
named another person in town having
any similar knowledge of the matter.
One other pertinent fact must b'
added. A sister of Ebenezer Rawsol
was the mother of James S. Holmes
The law student among strangers hat
an uncle's home only two miles away
One need not ask if he was frequen
visitor. And when he essayed to fur
| nish to the historian facts of lndiai
history there was an open familiar patl
to the home of Col. Rawson who coult
give fullest and most authentic informa
| ton regarding the only matter OF Pari
history which had respect % the lndial
race.
Mr.. Holmes narrative has no mention
of source nor name, but privately n
must have referred to it, for MI
Williamson in the marginal note add
to the name of Mr.. Holmes, a mentlo
that Col. Rawson married a daughte
of Capt. Taylor. The reason for sue
a note is apparent
SHOWS FALLS.
The story fully told was to the .pl
oneers of Paris a startling tale-a voice
rather an echo out of the wilderness
from the fierce shrek of deadly onse
when blood of two races flowed almo:
together on the high land by the rive
Iby reason of chance meeting OF retii
ling barbarism and advancing civilizs
ltion. AS the tale was repeated b
neighbor to neighbor and the new
conner, the shocking deed was alway
linked with the place till-no one ca
tell how early-the town gained II
"Snow's Falls"
| DATE CERTIFIED.
| A perplexing range of dates appear
Mr.. Holmes wrote ia
yet admitting the precise date could nj
be ascertained, and doubtless fixing G
that year by events in Capt. Taylor