Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-08-01

uieeehoub iumUoEiuS OpoIetou % suess
Hardly man who entered the woods on
that Inflated job came out well and
whole. One man, John Bennett, Jr., a.
before mentioned, was instantly killed
by falling tree; another who stood BY
bis side was injured and narrowly 90.
capped death by the same stroke; team
ster was afterwards jammsd between his
sled and wsyside stump; and finally
Mr.. Sturtevant himself Was struck above
the knee by the whole blade of an axe,
and saved from death only by the most
vigorous efforts OF the crew, who con-
veyed him to his home as soon az possi-
BILE, dashing snow In his face continually
to keep the breath of life In his body.
Many months elapsed before he was
again on his feet, but with oil the surgi-
cal skill they could obtain, he never re-
covered the use OF his knee joint, and the
amount of labor since performed by him
on that straight and rigid leg, has never
been surpassed by any neighbor, however
nimble, healthy or sound.
In 1S47 the young hero commenced
the erection of saw mill and dam, on
the outlet of what has since been known
as Sturtevant's Pond, where the loose
nature of the shores rendered the sue
cess of the project somewhat doubtful.
he had hardly got the dam completed
and the mill In operation when the
treacberous bottom gave way, and the
labor and hopes of many months were
apparently snnihilated, but not so In the
mind of the indefatigable proprietor.
He Immediately repaired the damage and
resumed business, when away went the
water supply again, and away went the
hopes of every one but himself In the ul-
innate success of the enterprise. Again
was the dam repaired, and again swept
away, by which time Mr.. Sturtevant,
concluding he had lost enough by build.
ing on 80 uncertain Q foundation, aban-
doned the project and his expensive saw
mill to oblivion and decay.
Meanwhile Mr.. Sturtevant had been
numbering to some extent In winter, and
farming in summer. Not long after the
events Just narrated, ahd soon after har-
vest, bis barn took fire and was con-
sumed, with the years crops. together
with valuable young horse. The barn
was Immediately replaced, but Mr.. Stur-
tevant soon after took up larger farm,
engaged In agriculture on heavier
scale, took to himself wife, and rapidly
advanced, both in prosperity and pos
terity.
In 1851 the dreadful scourge Of dipthe-
ria broke out In his infant family, and
swept away bis young wife aud five
children, leaving only the youngest, q
boy babe of one year, as an inducement
for the half-distracted father longer to
live. But employment OF the hands Ia
great regulator Of the mind, and Mr..
Sturtevant, by plunging desperately into
the cares and duties Of bis several
farms, avoided what under no worse cir
Gu instances has been the sad fate Of
Thousands. he thenceforth recovered
rapidly from his financial embarrass.
ments, came into possession of more real
estate than any four other men on the
river, and was virtually landlord and
banker of the whole settlement. But
misfortune bad not yet lost sight Of her
favorite victim. In the autumn of 1879,
again his well.filled barn and all his
other buildings were burned to the
ground, and not cent of insurance was
there to atone for the loss.
The calamity, however, bore not as
heavily on him as those OF previous
years. His SON bad now become sub
stantial help In bis business, and to-
gether they soon had q new and elegant
set of buildings, including barn 100
feet long, and small store building,
now we'll filled with the great variety Of
goods indispensable to back-country
trade. Mr.. Sturtevant Is now In bis
eighty.sixth year, hale and hearty.
weighs as usual something like 225
pounds, drives bis own team in summer
or winter as occasion requires, attends
church as often as opportunity offers,
and is favorsbly known throughout q
wide extent of country.
This hasty and incomplete glance at
the pioneer experience of the more
prominent and best known OF the Ma
gallowsy's early settlers Is now nearly
concluded, and "what shall I say more"
for the time (and information) would
fail me to tell of Jacob York, the son of
Isaac, and of Joseph, the son Of Jacob;
of Richard Caldwell, George Tucker,
Abel Heath, Simeon Shurtleff, Benjamin
Knight, of David Lombard also, and Of
Samuel, and the Sawyers and Hibbards,
who through faithfulness subdued for.
ests, stopped the mouths of bears and
wolves, quepched the violence Of forest
fires, escaped the edge of the tomahawk,
and who wandered In deserts and noun.
tains, being destitute. afflicted, and tor.
mented by black flies and mosquitoes.
And these all having obtained a good
report through faithfulness, received
not the promise, but having seen it afar
off, were persuaded of, and embraced 1t,
and declared plainly that they looked
there for q better country.
BOSTON, MASS, March, 1904.