The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-05-09
Mrs. Cordella Reed the First Woman
to Visit the Wilds of Northern Maine

The following interesting letter
was recently received from Mrs. Cor
della Reed of Canaan, describing a
trip far into the big woods of North
ern Maine back in 1863. To many of
the young people of these days such
a trip would seem almost impossible.
considering the primitive mode of
travel employed in those early days.
Mrs. Reed is now II years of age.
Canaan, March 3D. 1918
Dear Editor
1t was June I'D, 1863. My hus
band. Mr. Grendall Holt. was working
for william COrnor of Fairfield, in
Granville Sapling Cornors Camp
was where he was boss. Our route
from Canaan was to go TO clinton,
take the train to Newport, and then
take the stage to Dexter, Parkman,
Monsoon. Shirley and Greenville,
where we arrived at o'clock at night.
We stopped there that night, and next
morning went up across Moosehead
Lake in the steamboat they called the
airy. VIZ dHtlOi W ct ~ A'tAsAe~
Dam. and then had to walk in one
mile to what was then called the Fogg
& Newall farm, where we stayed all
night.
The next morning We began our
seven mile journey thru the woods on
an OK sled with a yoke of S-foot oxen
right in June with the mosquitoes and
black flies swarming. | would sit on
the sled and ride as long as | could
stand it, and then | would get off and
walk a mile or SO while my husband
kept bush switching to keep the
flies away from me as best he could
We came to the stream called Chur-
chill, and there we halted, not know
Ing what to do, for the water was
deep Mr. Holt cut some long stakes
to stick in the sled. We had large
trunk full of bedding, and an old fash
toned kitchen chair that he had taken
from the Fogg house, and some bed
cord that he had brought from the
foot of the lake. He dashed the chair
to the top of the trunk, and had me
step ND into the chair and hold on
to the tall stakes. He stood on the
front part of the sled and then came
the plunge of the oxen into the stream
They we're old woods oxen and knew
their business, and we reached the
other side of the stream in safety.
When we were within two miles of
Cornor's farm our sled runners broke
from humping over so many rocks.
Mr.. Hole asked me IL l was good for
a two mile walk, and l said yes, althc
was very hungry, for it was then
past twelve o'clock But we were in
for it. so he took the oxen off the sled
and started them ahead, for bears
were plenty in those days, but they
would not come near the, cattle. So
old Bright and Broad, as Mr.. Holt
called them went on ahead, feeding
and BROWSING along, and we soon
came out of the woods There on
the top OF a little hill in the middle
of the Cornor's farm, sat log house.
and quite large barn surrounded by
big black stumps, the whole thing sur
rounded by large pine trees, with
some spruce and fir mixed in. It
was a pretty shut-in place for a wo-
man to live three months and not see
one of her own sex; but I had my
husband with me and he was all the
protector | needed. Well, dear
friends, that was a happy three
months to me, right In the midst OF
the Civil War, but have seen some
sorrow since. | will now close.
MRS. CORDELIA REED.