Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-25

| to the tragedy but little boy play
mate. who, but too late. went to the
mother with the startling news,
calmly informing her that Johanna
was sin the water" Up Always at
the left facing four square, and little
changed outwardly, in the past 60 or
more years, still stands the old Har-
rison Parlin house. Mr.. Parlin was
musical genius as well as a skilled
mechanic. as witnessed by his
building and setting up in the church
with his own hands a good pipe or
gan which may still be on duty. Mr..
Parlin left no male descendants. The
little red brick school house, nearly
opposite here for so long, has within
a few years disappeared. 1t once en-
ployed the best Of teachers and East
Winthrop became quite an Education
center" The most notable Of these
teachers was one Nathaniel Butler
who taught all grades, including what
was then classed as the higher
branches and hundred or more
years ago 100 scholars were in at
tendance at this school at one time,
coming from the countryside about
and further.
One item OF historical interest
connected with this school and the
church is that coming as students and
studying, and singing together here,
were the two, who, afterwards be-
came the parents of the famous sing
err Annie Louise Cary. The future
Mrs. Cary a fine singer herself was
somewhat engaged to another youth
before coming to East Winthrop, but,
in course of time, declared that she
would rather wed and sing with
young Cary than marry any man in
existence even if she had ito live on
one potato day forever after" Such
is youth and love and song.
Next above the church was once
the old mansion Of Uncle Ben"
Packard. used at one time and per-
haps built for a stage tavern, where
many teams stopped on their way be-
where, also, according to the custom
of the times, many a glass Of what
would now be classed as contrabanG.
was passed over the bar, but evca
then, be it said, to the shame and
, confusion and against the protest of
at least the wite's family. But in
time the bar itself passed. and the
writer as child, only remembers
Uncle Ben with his pipe and Bible.
There were seven Packard children,
perhaps more, but none remained un-
der the paternal roof. which was at
| last destroyed by fire-Simeon, the
oldest son, built the little cottage
across the road where he lived to a
good age and would have lived long
err, but, coming to Augusta one cold
| day for much needed overcoat, ne
| left it neatly rolled up under the seat
Of his wagon, where the storekceper
| had placed it and rode home facing
the November wind without thinking,
! till his journeys end that he could
stop, unite, unwrap and put it on.
Dear old Simeon. he never needed it
| again. Edwin, his only son and child
| was somewhat handicapped physi-
| cally for normal mans work, but
with a little hand printing press al
| home he worked along at small jobs
until able to build an Office by the
side of the road" and work up a bIsi-
ness requiring six hands, printing
cards, bills, &c; publishing a month
ly local paper called THE East Win
throp Banner" and also obtaining
through the kindly interest of Mrs
Hannah J. Bailey, the printing Of w
, C. T. L. literature amounting tt
| $1,000 a year. one of the many of Mrs
Bailey's kind deeds. But all this i:
| now what was and we have come t
the end of the road where in pass
ing, only places most familiar have
been noted: and this little sketch is
but the gathering of a few fragments
of personal recollection and from
what has been told by saintet
mother, a descendant of the Richards
family and closely related to all here
| ir mentioned and who once could
| easily have added something Of in
terest relating to every house in the
little village.
| (Signed) MRS. NJ. z. FULLER.
Augusta.