Oxford County ME Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Biographical Sketch of Allen, William

Allen, William, son of William Allen, was born at Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine, March 31, 1822. He is a grandson of the Rev. Thomas Allen, the “fighting parson” of the noted Berkshire militia, who performed such conspicuous service under General Stark of Revolutionary fame. His father was a clergyman of Pittsfield, a scholar of eminence, and at one time president of Bowdoin College. After obtaining his preliminary education at the public schools, Mr. Allen fitted for college at Phillips Academy, Andover, and at the North Yarmouth Academy, in Maine, and entered Bowdoin College in 1834. After a few months spent … Read more

Fryeburg Village Fire Companies ~ Fires

This corporation was chartered March 1, 1887, for the purpose of organizing for protection from fire. On the last day of the month an organizing meeting was held at which John C. Gerry was chosen clerk; Thos. C. Shirley, treasurer; Asa 0. Pike, Wm. Gordon and John Weston, assessors; and A. R. Jenness, F. L. Mark and Seth W. Fife, fire wardens. This action followed the burning of the original and celebrated Oxford House which occurred Feb. 14, preceding. The earliest DESTRUCTIVE FIRE of note was in 1 843, Sept. 15, when “Eastman’s Coffee House,” with two stores and two … Read more

Patrons of Husbandry

Fryeburg Grange, No. 197, was organized at Fryeburg Centre in Feb. 1888, with 18 charter members. B. Walker McKeen was chosen the first master, and has been followed in this capacity by John F. Charles, A. P. Gordon, John S. Ames, David Chandler, E. C. Buzzell, I. A. Walker, Simeon Charles and A. W. McKeen. This order now numbers fiftyeight members. The leading officers chosen for 1907 are A. W. McKeen, master; Leon D. Charles, overseer; Mehitable McAllister, lecturer; Rosina McKeen, chaplin, Simeon Charles, treasurer, and I. A. McKeen, secretary.

Bean and Bane Family Genealogy of Saco Valley Maine

Tradition makes the ancestor of this family who first came to our shores a native of the Isle of Jersey, but I doubt the truth of the statement. I have not found the name, or one resembling it, in any record or book relating to Jersey. The surname Bain, and Bane, are derived from the Gaelic word bane which signified white or fair complexion, as Donald Bane, who usurped the Scottish throne after the death of his brother, Malcolm Canmore. An ancient branch of the family in Fifeshire, Scotland, have spelled the surname Bayne. The Highland MacBanes were a branch … Read more

Fryeburg Water Works

In 1882, the Fryeburg Water Co. was organized by local citizens under the direction of Dr. D. Lamson Lowell, for the purpose of installing a system for supplying pure water from Green Hill mountain in Conway. There a series of boiling springs was dammed back, forming a reservoir covering about an acre less than three miles from the village. A system of 10, 8, and 6 inch pipe conducts the water to the village, 156 feet below, the pipe passing under the Saco 300 feet below Weston’s bridge. A natural force of 65 pounds is produced giving ample fire protection … Read more

The Pequawket Expedition

On April 16, the company bade farewell to their friends and kindred in Dunstable, Mass., the home of many of the party, and proceeded to Contoocook, and to the west shore of Ossipee Lake. Here they halted and erected a fort which should serve as a rallying point and base of supplies. By this time two men had become disabled. One had returned home accompanied by a friend, Benj. Kidder was left at the fort, with the surgeon and a guard of eight. The remaining thirty-four men took up the trail to Pequawket with good courage. On Tuesday, two days … Read more

Early Settlement of Fryeburg, Maine

A grant of the township of Fryeburg was made to Gen. Joseph Frye by the General Court of Massachusetts for his valiant services in the expedition against Louisburg, and as commander of a regiment at Fort William Henry on Lake George, in 1757. This grant made Mar. 3, 1762, gave Gen. Frye the privilege of selecting a township six miles square, lying on either side of the Saco river between the Great Ossipee and the White Mountains. The territory selected is comprised mainly within the present town. The northwest corner proved to be within the State of New Hampshire, and … Read more

Benton Family of Oxford County Maine

saco valley settlements and families cover

Dr. Joseph Benton came from Westmoreland, Conn. , to Fryeburg with his family and practiced medicine there several years. He removed to Denmark previous to 1806, and after continuing in practice there nearly a quarter of a century he removed into Baldwin, near the Hiram line, where he d. Aug. 21, 1838, aged 76 years. He was a very skillful physician and took high rank among the practitioners of his day. Note: Dr. Benton was once called to New Hampshire during the ravages of a malady of a very fatal nature and was successful in healing those who were seized … Read more

Professional Men of Fryeburg, Maine

Physicians The earliest skilled physician to locate in Fryeburg was Dr. Joseph Emery who came here from Andover, N. H., in 1778. He was also the earliest merchant. He was followed by Josiah Chase of Canterbury, two years later. Joseph Benton, Stephen Porter, Oliver Griswell, Eliphalet Lyman, a graduate of Yale, removed to Lancaster, N. H., about 1820; Dr. Ruel Barrows of Hebron, as early as 1820; Dr. Ira Towle, from Newfield, and his son, Wm. C. Towle were the next physicians. Dr. D. Lowell Lamson, a native of Conway, N. H., began his practice in Fryeburg where he died … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William S. Lougee

Lougee, William S.; asst. building inspector; born, Buckfield, Me., Jan. 29, 1867; educated in Boston, Mass.; studied architecture with Tristram Griffin, Boston, Mass., eight years; in 1890, came to Cleveland; associated with John Eisenmann 1890-1900; asst. architect Board of Education until 1905; when appointed to present position.

The Maine Indians

Before the encroachment of pale faced settlers, the entire valley of the Saco and its tributaries was peopled by the numerous Sokokis Indians. These were considered the parent tribe of the Abenaki Nation, which at one time peopled the whole of Maine. One of the most eloquent and statesmanlike of their chiefs once said in council, “We received our lands from the Great Father of Life; we hold only from Him.” Their title was unquestionable and unmolested, they roamed the valley from their village at the Lower Falls (Saco) to the settlement on the great bend, on the intervales of … Read more

Act of Incorporation – Organization of Fryeburg, Maine

In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six. An Act for erecting a Tract of Land Coold Fryeburg of two thousand one hundred and seventy two Rods square Lying in the County of York, which was granted as a Township to Joseph Frye, Esq., Anno Domoni seventeen hundred sixty-two and Confirmed Anno Domoni seventeen hundred sixty-three into a town by the name of Fryeburg. Whereas the Inhabitance of that tract of Land Consisting of Proprietors & non Proprietors Promiscuously settled thereon Having lately been united in ordaining a Minister of the Gospel among them, are … Read more

Biography of Hon. L. F. Grover

HON. L.F. GROVER. – Governor La Fayette Grover was born in Bethel, Maine, November 29, 1823, of ancestry on both sides distinguished in the early and late history of Massachusetts. He is a brother of Major Abernethy Grover, a man of distinction in the politics of Maine and in the war of the Rebellion; of Professor Talleyrand Grover, an eminent classist; and of General Cuvier Grover, a skillful commander in the war of the Rebellion. He was educated at the Classical Academy of Bethel, and at Bowdoin College, Maine. He studied law in Philadelphia under the instruction of the late … Read more

Bridges, Canal, Post Offices of Fryeburg, Maine

Dea. Richard Eastman operated a ferry for many years near the point where the toll bridge was erected in 1870; this bridge is 76 feet long, being the shortest of the seven bridges which span the Saco and Canal. The first bridge built was at Swan’s Falls about 1780. The oldest now in use is Weston’s bridge, 250 feet long, built in 1844, according to Wm. Gordon. Canal bridge 272 feet long, was built in 1846; Walker’s bridge 164 feet, in 1848; Charles river bridge (a tributary) 87 feet, in 1856; Island bridge, 110 feet, in 1862; Hemlock bridge 116, … Read more

Pequawket Tribe

Pequawket Indians (a name of disputed etymology, the most probable rendering, according to Gerard, being ‘at the hole in the ground,’ from pekwakik). A tribe of the Abnaki confederacy, formerly living on the headwaters of Saco River and about Lovell’s Pond, in Carroll County, New Hampshire, and Oxford County, Maine. Their principal village, called Pequawket, was about the present Fryeburg, Maine. The tribe is famous for a battle fought in 1725 near the village, between about 50 English under Capt. Lovewell and 80 Indians, the entire force of the tribe, under their chief, Pangus. Both leaders were killed, together with … Read more

Public Schools of Fryeburg, Maine

The first appropriation made by the voters of Fryeburg for the maintenance of public schools was in September 1777, at a meeting held for providing for assessing taxes on all the property in town. £60 was voted for schools. The following year but one school was kept in town, and as yet no house erected for its use. A committee was that year appointed “to see how and where a school house shall be built” and the sum of Y250 raised for education. From these meager beginnings there gradually developed a flourishing and elevating though not always harmonious school system. … Read more

Canning Factories of Fryeburg, Maine

The large canning factory at Fryeburg village was built by Asa 0. Pike, who rented it to the Portland Packing CO. about thirty years ago. After Mr. Pike’s death his heirs sold the factory to Tobias L. Eastman who carried on the business until the fall of 1905, when he sold to the present owners, H. C. Baxter & Bro. of Brunswick. This factory has a capacity of 1,000,000 cans of corn, requiring the product from 150 acres. The factory at North Fryeburg was built in 1890, by H. C. Baxter & Bro., the present operators. Capacity 1,000,000. M. F. … Read more

Fryeburg Churches

Rev. Paul Coffin, D. D., of Buxton, visited this region in 1768, on a missionary journey “to Pigwacket” and was elaborately entertained at the mansion of Capt. Henry Young Brown and at the home of John Webster. At these and other places he delivered sermons, being the earliest ordained preacher, except Rev. Timothy Walker of Conway, to preach the gospel in town. The CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH was organized Aug. 28, 1775, and Rev. W m. Fessenden, a graduate of Harvard, was ordained pastor and town minister on October 11th following. His salary was paid in Indian corn at three shillings per … Read more

Biography of Bezaleel Freeman Kendall

Bezaleel Freeman Kendall, like Elwood Evans, crossed the continent in 1853 with Stevens. He was a native of Oxford, Maine, and a graduate of Bowdoin College. His talents are highly praised by all his biographers. Evans, who knew him well, says that he possessed a grand physique, was a fine scholar, able writer, powerful speaker, hard student, and of thorough integrity, but ambitions, aristocratic in his feelings, bitter in his prejudices, and indiscreet in his utterances. The newspapers cannot too highly paint his contempt for the opinions of others, his bitterness of expression, his unqualified style of assault upon any … Read more

1907 Fryeburg Maine Census

The population of the towns of Fryeburg, Lovell, Sweden Stow and Chatham has been arranged in families, where that arrangement has been possible. In these families, in addition to the resident living members, the names of the nonresident members are included. It should be borne in mind that this plan does not include the names of all former residents of this town, as the names of the non-residents appear only when one or both of the parents are still living in the town. After the name of each non-resident will be found the present address, when such address has been. … Read more