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The
First Settler in Peru |
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H
istory has it that in 1794, Merrill
Knight of Falmouth (now Portland), Maine, was the first to have made a
permanent home within what was than called Plantation # 1.
It is said that he came during the fall of 1793, when the leaves were
off the trees, so as to better view his newly acquired 4,880 acres,
which he co-owned with a Mr. Daniel Lunt Sr., also of Falmouth.
I take it that he liked what he saw,
for the following spring, he returned with two of his oldest sons,
Harry and Goin, to what is now Peru Center. Here they
selected a suitable site to make a home, and began to cut the trees
needed to make a clearing and made them ready for burning the following
year. In the spring of 1795, they retuned, burned the trees,
planted and sowed a small garden, and built a crude log cabin.
By fall, they had completed enough so that Merrill returned
to Falmouth to retrieve the rest of his family.
Roads, as we know them, during this
period of time had not yet been built, so the mode of travel was
usually by foot, or if they were lucky, on horseback, using an old
Indian trail, with spotted trees to guide them. Upon
arriving at a river, one would follow the riverbanks, and during the
winter months, travel on the ice. From history, we find that
when one traveled with his family and household goods to his new home,
they usually choose to do so during the winter months, when the rivers
were froze over. This was so they could use sleds to carry
their belongings, and fore go the up and down of rough trails, which
usually couldn’t handle a wagon or sled, little on, a horse
or oxen. This is most likely how our first pioneer settler
and his family came to Peru. They would have left Falmouth
via an Indian trail to Brunswick Falls, where they would come upon the
Androscoggin River. From there they’d follow the
banks up river.
When Mr. Knight returned with his
family, he traveled this route on foot, while his heroic wife rode on
horseback, bearing their youngest son, Merrill Jr., in her arms. There
were 10 other children then living, 3 sons and 7 daughters. All of who,
if they didn’t come with their parents, evidently soon
followed. Merrill furnished to each of his sons, a 100 acres lot, to
build and farm upon, and the lucky fellow who choose to marry one of
his daughters, also received a 100 acre lot.
We now find Mr. Knight and his family,
at least most of them, in their new home in the wilderness, busily
engaged in the fall harvest. In addition to the usual crops
of corn and vegetables, they’d have a patch of flax to
convert into cloth for garments. Tow cloth, as it was
called, was the common wear for shirts and trousers. At
first wearing and pending several washings, the shrives of flax still
fastened to the cloth, would chafe the skin to a painful degree.
Completing the harvest, the beef animals were killed and quarters were
hung from the rafters in the chamber of the house. The flax
was also stored in the house, so that during the long winter months,
tow cloth could be made. The bounteous harvest gave good
cheer, and all went merry and well. But, alas!
Mortal man little know what is in store for him. Somehow,
during the night, fire came in contact with the flax, setting the house
on fire (no one really knows, for there are several accounts as to what
actually happened).
The Wilson farm in Jay (now Canton
Point) was their nearest neighbor, plus was a general rendezvous place
for the early traveling public. It was here that they sort
refuge after the fire, and complicated the move back to the land of
their nativity. Mr. Wilson made known to the local setters,
of the distress and discouragement of Mr. Knight and his family, and
they all responded promptly. These generous and noble
people, though residents of another town induced their new neighbor not
to return to Falmouth, but to return to their chosen lot of land in
Peru, and with their help, rebuild a new house. They accept
the proffered charity and work was soon begun on the new house, most
likely also a log cabin. Their frame house was a two room,
with a large loft above, which still existed today, has been over the
years since, added to and enlarged. His farm and its
buildings were destined to be the hub of the new township, and were
important factors in town affairs in colonial days.
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The First Pioneer, Ferry and Cemetery | |
Little knowledge of his wife is available, but we do know that she was alive during the winter of 1819, for she is listed as living with her son, Merrill Jr. on the home farm. Her name does not appear in the 1820 US Census, and no gravestone has been found in the family lot. Evidently she died before the census.
Eight of his eleven children, four sons and four daughters, made their homes in Peru. Goin, the eldest son had the second lot back and west of his father’s farm, on the "New County Road", so called. He cleared and lived on this lot, a prosperous farmer through life.
His youngest son, Merrill Jr., was successor to the home farm and the ferry. Merrill Jr. operated it up to about 1828, when it was discontinued, and a new service was established about one-half mile up the river by Jeremiah Hall.
The ferry boat landing on the Peru side of the river, was terminus of the "New County Road", that is mentioned in the early records of the town. At the time, it was the only road from west and east of the river to Sumner, Hartford, and to the County Court House at South Paris.
Until they had a schoolhouse, all schooling was done at his home. After the burning of his log home, he built a 2-story frame house, and it is believed that the 2nd floor loft was where the meetings and schooling were held.
He was chosen as the first moderator at the first plantation meeting held on 23 Mar 1812, when the township was incorporated as Plantation #1, which was held at his home. Until the plantation built its first meeting place, it is believed that all meetings were held in the home Mr. Knight.
Mr. Knight gave and set apart one acre of his interval land for public use as a cemetery, still known today as the "Knight Cemetery". It set on the right side of the "New County Road" from his farm to the ferry at the river. His grave is near the line at head of lot. A slate headstone bears the inscription, "Merrill Knight, died April 1st 1817, in his 72nd year". He was an industrious, honorable man. It is due to his enterprise, foresight and resource that the wilderness was made to bloom and the town had its birth.
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The
Incorporation of Plantation No. 1 |
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The
earlist
record that can be found of the Town of Peru, begain with the
organization of the township as Plantation No. 1, (also known as
Partragetown), on March 23, 1812. When the inhabitants of the township
assembled at a legal meeting, as warned by order of the County
Treasurer of the County of Oxford, Henry Rust, Esq. Chose John Holland,
Esq., as Moderator. Hezekiah Walker was elected as Plantation Clerk, a
position which he held till the March 9th 1929 town meeting, when
Stephen Gammon replaced him. Amos Knight, James Lunt, and William Kyle
as assessors for the present year. Collection of taxes was bid off by
Adam Knight at ten cents on the dollar.
The next meeting was held on April 6,
1812. This was most likely held in the home of Merrill Knight Sr., for
the purpose of casting votes for the Governor for the Commonworth of
Massachusetts, and Senators for the District of Maine. After voting
Merril Knight Sr. as the moderator, 20 votes were cast for Elbridge
Gerry for Governor, and Eleazer W. Ripley, Jonathan Page and Ebenezer
Poor for Senators.
Each year we find the names of new pioneers that
arrived in town, and are on the record for the first time.
1812: From the
record, their were 20 votes cast, so we know that there were 20 adult
males within the Plantion at this time.
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The
Incorporation of the Town of Peru. |
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State of Maine. In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one.
An act to establish the town of Peru in the County of Oxford.
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Legislature assembled: That the plantation heretofore called No. 1, in the County of Oxford, as contained within the following described bounds, be and hereby is, with the inhabitants thereon, established as a town by the name of Peru, and bounded as follows, to wit: Westerly by lthe town of Rumford and Plantation No. 2 (Franklin Plt.); south by the town of Sumner; east by the town of Hartford and Jay (now Canton), and north by the Androscoggin River. And the said town of Peru is hereby vested with all the corporate powers and privileges, and shall be subject to all the duties and requisitions of other corporate towns, according to the constitution and laws of the state.
Section 2. Be it further enacted that Stephen Barnard, Esq., of Mexico, in said county, upon application therefor, is bereby empowered to issue a warrant directed to a freehold inhabitant of said town of Peru, requiring him to notify and warn the inhabitants of said town to meet at such convenient time and place as shall be appointed in said warrant for the choice of such officers as towns are by law empowered and required to choose at their annual town meetings. In the House of Representatives, January 30, 1821.This bill having had three several readings, passed to be enacted.
Speaker.
In
the Senate,
January 31, 1821.
This bill having had two several readings, passed to be enacted.
President.
February 5, 1821: Approved,
Govenor
A True Copy Attest:
Secrrtary of State
Seal.
Oxford, ss.
Stephen Barnard, Esq., issued his warrant to Major William Brackett, calling for the meeting to be held on April 4th 1821, at the Peru Center Schoolhouse. The following town officers were chosen to man this new government for the ensuing year.
Amos Knight was chosen as the moderator of this meeting. Hezekiah Walker chosen to continue as clerk; James Lunt, Josiah Curtis and Amos Kningt were elected to serve as selectmen and assessors; William Walker elected as treasurer; William Brackett the collector of taxes and constable; George Walker, James H. Withington and Abial Delano as tythingmen.
The next meeting was held on April 16, 1821, and Major William Brackett was elected as Town Agent; $700.00 was voted to be raised for highway repairs; $150.00 for the support of schools, and a like sum to defray town charges. In answer to an article in the town warrant, the town voted to settle Enoch Jaques, as the town minister, and that he shall have one half of the ministerlands in the town and to preach in town.
East Peru School - 1906
The
First
School Districts and Schoolhouse.
I
n
1813,
the first school districts were laid out
for the township. District #1, East Peru, was from the Jay
line (Canton), up the river to Daniel Lunt's farm. District
#2, Peru Center, extended from Mr. Lunt's farm, up the river to the
Rumford line. no one was living at West Peru at this time.
District #3, the Valley, High Street and Worthly Pond,
extended from Amos Knight's farm on the New County Road, to the Sumner
line. These became known as the lower, upper and western
districts. They raised $50.00 in school tax, and appointed a
school committee, Roberson Turner Sr. for the Lower district, Ephraim
Kyle for the Upper district, and Josiah Smith for the Western district.
It was voted to have 6 months of schooling for the year, 2
months this winter at the home of Merrill Knight in Upper district, 2
months next summer in the Lower, and 2 months in the Western district.
At the May 1816 meeting, the township
voted to raise $150.00 to build a schoolhouse at Peru Center.
Up to this date, all schooling was held in private dwelling
houses. The school committee choosen was, Robinson Turner
Sr. for the Lower district, Major William Brackett for the Upper
district, and Adam Knight for the Western district. Goin
Knight, Moses Dennett, Abial Delano and Perkins Turner names appear on
the record for the first time.
I take it the $150.00 was a little to
high of a tax for some of the farmers, for at the September meeting, it
was voted that the building of the school should not be a money tax,
but with personal labor and material, and it was voted that each
inhabitant should turn in their share of the tax, in labor and/or
material, by the first of December, next. They than choose
Robinson Turner, James Lunt, Adam Knight, Hezekiah Walker, and Major
Brackett as a committee to overseer the building of the school, which
was to be built on the hillside (Townhouse Hill), above Merrill Knights
house, on the New County Road.
The last town meeting held at the home
of Merrill Knight was April 1818. School agents choosen were
Robinson Turner Sr., J. H. Withington, and Edsel Grover.
That year, Levi Ludden name appears on the reord for the first time.
After that, all meetings were held at the new schoolhouse. This
building served as school and townhouse till September of 1842, a
period of almost 25 years. In 1822, there were 6 school districts, and
school agents for that year were, Amos Kyle, William Walker Jr., J. H.
Withington, William Brock, Stephen Wing amd Edsel Grover.
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The New County Road. | |
The
first
public road within the township, from the
settlements west and east of the Androscoggin River, to Sumner and the
County Court House at Paris Hill in South Paris, was laid out years
before the township was incorporated as Plantation #1 in 1812, and is
noted in the early records as the "New County Road". It
begain at the ferry landing of Merrill Knight Sr., in Peru Center, on
the south side of the river, thence southernly across his intervale, by
the cemetery, and up past his house. From there it went up
and over what was known as "Town House Hill", to the Goin Knight's
farm, thence westerly to the farms of Leonard and Amos Knight (sons of
Merrill Sr.) and Francis Waite, thence bearing southeast to the farms
of Harry Knight, Josiah Smith and John Hodgdon, closely nestled in the
basin at the foot of a mountain range known as the Pinnacle.
This area of town became known as the "Valley". From here,
the road went up and over the mountain, and down to Thaddeus Oldham's
farm, in the valley of Worthly Pond. Thence southernly along
side the hillside, than down to the pond, and out into what is now
known as the Greenwoods, to the Sumner town line..
To build and maintain such a road
during this period of time must have been a gigantic undertaking, and
from the records, it proved to be very expensive, and a source of many
accidents and complaints from the public. In 1817, the
plantation raised $750.00 in highway taxes, and $400.00 of it was used
on this road. In 1829, the condition of the road was in such
poor shape, that the County Court at Paris, fined the town the sum of
$300.00, payable in cash. By 1841, the public travel ceased
on the mountain range, for a new road had been built on the west side
of Worthly Pond, making connection with the River Road at East Peru.
Worthly Pond Road, from Rt. 108 East Peru to the foot of Worthly pond.
East side of pond.
West side of pond
Greenwood Road, from head of pond to the Sumner town line.
Ridge Road
Dickvale Road
Valley Road
Concord Pond Road
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The Mountains in Peru. |
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Hedgehog Hill.....1,100', Morrill Ledges.....1,160', The Pinnacle.....1,720', Poland Mountain.....1,300',
Ragged.....1,540', Red Hill.....1,120', Speckled Mountain.....2,207', Stockwell Hill.....1,701', Trask Mountain.....1,700', Tumbledown Dick.....1,520', Mt. Zircon.....1,240'.
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Railroad Stations and Agents |
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East Peru Station
Hollis Trumer, Daniel W. Walker, E. A. Campbell,
Merton O. Walker, and Daniel H. Conant.
Peru Center Station
Edgar M. Howard, Mr. Hutchins, E. L. Gordon, W. J. Weld,
J. F. Gallant, H. B. Phillips, Wendell C. Poland, and Thomas J. Rolls.
West Peru Station
(also called the Dixfield Station)
N. B. Woodsum, R. D. Lindsey, R. O. Dill, E. Comstock, E. M. Pierce,
G. E. Cowley, H. P. Ellis, Charles O'Halloran, Charles Whittacker, and Howard Donahue.
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War
Memorial |
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In 1951 the Town voted to raise and appropriate $300.00 for an Honor Roll - no money was expended that year and the following year another $300.00 was raised and appropriated. Also, this year a small parcel of land was donated by the Farnham Heirs to be used for a Memorial. Donations were received from the Mother’s Club, Worthley Pond Sunshine Circle, Dickdale Christmas Club, West Peru Baptist Church and the Sewing and Reading Club. The amount of $600.00 was expended for the monument. The committee, Isaac Searles and Frank Norris, recommended that $300.00 be raised for loam, seeding and a flagpole. So far all the labor had been donated except the grader from the Oxford Mill. Prior to this an Honor Roll, which was started by West Peru Grange, listing the names of all the Servicemen, was located on the lawn of the West Peru Baptist Church and later on the present Memorial.
The new Memorial now reads: "Erected and dedicated by the citizens of the Town of Peru 1952 in memory of those who have served and to those who gave their lives in the service of our country."
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The
Peru American Legion |
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<The Peru American Legion, which was part of the Dixfield Post at the time, was organized in 1952 by Donald Lane and assisted by Rodney Haynes Sr., Rodney Haynes Jr., and Donald Brown. The Post received its temporary charter on May 19, 1953 with 25 members. They were as follows: Donald Lane, Rodney Haynes Sr., Rodney Haynes Jr., Robert Haynes, Donald Brown, Elmer Child, Thurl Dyment, Walter Dyment, Donald Jarvis, John Casper Jr., Omer Richards, Frank Norris Jr., James K. Palmer, Arthur Child, Bernard Brown, Joseph Raymond, Frank Marena, William White, Walter Casper, Merwin Philbrick, Real Dupont, Conrad Hall, Malcolm Priest, Earl Witherell, and Clinton Delano.
On August 3, 1953, the permanent charter was received and the name of Chenery/Dyment Post No. 199, Peru, Maine was adopted. The new Post was named for Elwin Chenery, the first Peru boy killed in World War II and Marlan Dyment, the first Peru boy killed in the Korean War. New names added to the charter were: Richard Barnett, Lawrence Richard, Shelton Dyment, Damon Palmer, Erwin Payne, Frank Campbell, Joseph Cyr, Merle Hodge, Lewis Donahue, Norman Hanson, George W. Donahue, Perley Delano, and Sherman Irish. Ralph Merrow of Newport, Maine, was the Department Commander at the time the charter was signed.
The first Installation of Officers was held in the West Peru School with James Lassiter, County Commander, as the Installing Officer, The new officers were as follows: Donald Lane, Commander; William White, 1st Vice; Thurl Dyment, 2nd Vice; Walter Dyment, adjutant; Rodney Haynes Jr., 2nd Adjutant; Omer Richard, Finance Officer, and James Palmer, Chaplain. The first initiation of the new members was done by a degree team from Augusta.
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