Titcomb in Corinna Maine - Excepts from Book

A Brief History of corinna Maine,
from its purchase in 1804 to 1916
excerpts from chapters 1-2
By LILLA A. WOOD
j.p.bASS publishing company, Bangor, Maine 1916

"Chapter 1: Purchase and First Settlement

"The period following the Revolutionary War was a period of emigration for the inhabitants of Massachusetts to what is the state of Maine, the emigration being due partly to the spirit of the pioneer which makes him always ready to leave the haunts of his fellows and push on to new land to settle, but doubtless greatly influenced by the various acts of the legislature of Massachusetts, which gave large tracts of land to the soldiers of the Revolution, their widows, or children, on condition of their clearing the land and residing thereon.

"Corinna, however, was not settled in this manner, though doubtless many of her pioneers came to Maine in consequence of these acts, for we know that among the first settlers were several veterans of that war.

"At Two Cents an Acre
"It became the fad to buy a tract of land in the wilderness of Maine as a speculation, and in this manner the purchase of Corinna was first negotiated, but when the date arrived, the unknown young man who was to buy it lacked the necessary funds, and in 1804, it was sold to Dr. John Warren of Boston, the whole tract being sold for two cents per acre. There are 23, 040 acres in the town, which would make the purchase amount to $460.80. Today [1916] the valuation of Corinna is $528,300."

"The apparent worthlessness in the pioneer days of the land now the east side of Corinna Village is illustrated by a story told by the late Joel Young. His father and mother, "Uncle Jim" and "Aunt Hannah" Young went to call upon "Uncle Robert" Moore and his good wife one day taking with them their dog. The dog in question was of that kind commonly known as a 'yaller' dog, but possessed some charm for "Uncle Robert," who tried to trade for the animal. Finally Mr. Moore offered to deed him what is now Selden Knowles' farm with several acres adjoining it in exchange for the yellow cur, but Mr. Young considered 'the Cedar Swamp' as worthless, and refused to trade."

"Joseph Pease was a pioneer of Exeter as well as of Corinna. He settled in the eastern part of Corinna, and sold his farm to Henry Dearborn, a tanner and shoemaker of North Durham, N.H. Mr. Pease was one of the first board of selectmen.

"Early Homes
"First homes were of hewn logs, furniture was mostly built by the settlers themselves, and their lives were simple in the extreme.

"Every One Worked
"Every one worked, men, women, and children, and everyone needed to work to sustain life in the hard struggle of those first years in the wilderness.

"Chapter 2: Incorporation

"In 11 years after the purchase of the township by Dr. Warren, the population had increased until in 1815 there were about 25 or 26 families, for in May of that year the following petition was drawn up, signed and presented to the Massachusetts legislature.