Oxford County ME Genealogy – Page 2 of 2

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

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

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

West Oxford Agricultural Association

The WEST OXFORD AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION AND FAIR was organized and established in 1851. For over half a century this has been an important factor in the life and social and commercial developement of a wide field.

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

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

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

Grover Post

Grover Post, No. 126, was organized by sixteen veterans of Fryeburg and Lovell on Dec. 24, 1884. Wm. C. Towle was chosen first commander, Tobias L. Eastman and others completing the staff, the itemized list of which was burned in the recent fire. The membership increased until at one time there were sixty-nine members. For about two years the meetings were alternated between this village and Lovell, which arrangement was followed by the formation of Parker Post at the latter village. Grover Post now numbers 35 members. Grover Circle, No. 11, was formed by the ladies as a relief corps. … 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

Fryeburg Academy

The question of a free grammar school in Fryeburg was first agitated by Rev. Wm. Fessenden, D. D., the first gospel minister settled in town. Through his efforts such a school was established in 1791, and was held in a little building at the foot of Pine Hill where fifty pupils were gathered. The year following Rev. Mr. Fessenden, Rev. Nathaniel Porter, David Page and Jas. Osgood of Conway; Moses Ames, Jas. Osgood and Simon Frye of Fryeburg, and the preceptor of the school, Paul Langdon, were made the trustees of Fryeburg Academy by an act passed that year incorporating … Read more