Gazetteer of the State of Maine With Numerous Illustrations, by Geo. J. Varney

BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY B. B. RUSSELL, 57 CORNHILL. 1882. Public domain image from

PARIS.

Palermo was earliest known as Sheepscot Great Pond, from the
body of water in the southern part of the town through which the
Sheepscot River runs, and around which were the first settlements.
The petition for liicorjioration was presented in 1801, and set forth
among other things that they had *a great proportion of roads to make
and maintain within their bounds, and 10 miles of road at least out of
their limits, which road led to the head of navigation on Sheepscot
River, their nearest market.’ Among the 55 signers of this petition
were Gabriel Hamilton, Jacob Greely, Jabez Lewis, James Dennis,
William C. Hay, Joseph Whittier, Charles Lewis, Samuel and Stephen
Longfellow, John Gliddon and Joseph Bowler. The township was
surveyed in August, 1800, by William Davis. The act of incorporation
was passed June 23, 1804.

The churches in this town are those of the Baptists, Free Baptists,
and Methodists. The number of public schoolhouses is 13 ; and their
value is set at $3,500. The population in 1870 was 1,223. In 1880 it
was 1,118. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $241,433. In 1880 it
was $254,966.

Palmyra lies in the south-western part of Somerset County,
20 miles east by north-east from Skowhegan. It is bounded on the
north by St. Albans, south by Detroit and Pittsfield, and west by the
latter and Hartland ; on the east, it is bounded by Newport in Penob-
scot County. There are six ponds shown on the county map, three of
which are very small. Palmyra Village lies at the centre of tbe town
on a stream connecting two ponds,—one just north-east, the other near
by on the south-west of tbe village. There is water-power on this
stream at the village, occupied by a shingle-mill. Others are on
Madawaska and Indian streams. Sebasticook River, the outlet of
Moose Pond in Hartland, runs through the western part of the town,
but has no considerable fall in Palmyra. The occupation of the people
is almost wholly agricultural. The surface of the town is rolling, but
without high hills. The soil is quite productive, especially in hay and
grain. Large stocks of cattle are kept, and most farmers have saved
money. The roads are generally good, and the scenes are pleasant to
look upon. A stage-line from the Maine Central Railroad station in
Pittsfield passes through Palmyra to Cambridge, and the village is
also the terminus of the daily mail-stage to Newport.

This township was purchased of Massachusetts by a Mr. Barnard
of New Hampshire, for 12£ cents an acre, and subsequently sold by him
to Dr. John Warren of Boston; and in 1798, it was surveyed by
Samuel Weston. The first settlei was Daniel Gale, w^Tho removed his
family here in 1800. The town was incorporated in 1807, and in 1824
a national post-office was established here.

There are Christian, Free Baptist, Methodist and Advent societies
m the town, and also a Union Church edifice. The number of public
schoolhouses is 15, having a value of $5,000. The population in 1870
w^ras 1,322. In 1880 it was 1,271. The valuation in 1870 was $347,097.
In 1880 it was $357,461.

Paris is an interesting town in the south-eastern part of Oxford
County, of which it is the capital. It is 46 miles N.N.W. of Portland
on the Grand Trunk Railway. Woodstock bounds it on the north,