From a photograph by A. G. Lowell. Bird's-eye View of Canaan Village. to commence with a pen picture of the town or grant previous to the advent of the pioneer. Let us take our eyes off from its lovely landscape and luxuriant fields of to-day, and, glancing back into the dim and distant past, picture in our imagination a scene in a solitary wilderness, amid the monarchs of the forest, the extent of which the royal grantors of charters had never imagined. Tradition says the stretch of country from Cardigan's rocky summit. to Lebanon's line, now comprising Canaan and Enfield, was covered by the primeval forest, so dense that the noonday sun scarcely penetrated its sombre depths. Through these vast leafy courts the wild animals of the forest roamed with perfect freedom, while the Indian lured the speckled beauties from the swift waters of the river which now bears his name, or paddled his canoe on Mascoma lake's placid bosom, in peaceful commune with nature. And what has been the effect of the onward march of civilization upon this wild and romantic region? Scarcely one hundred and twentyfive years have elapsed since the smoke from the first white man's cabin went curling skyward, a symbol of the paleface's supremacy, but we find a typical New England town, possessing rich meadows, fertile uplands, and beautiful scenery. The civil history dates back to January, 1766, when John Scofield gathered his personal effects onto a hand sled and set out in search of "the promised land." Scofield made this journey, a distance of fourteen miles, over the snow crust. The hazardous undertaking of traveling through the unbroken forests was The Old Academy. was compelled to make a journey on foot to Lebanon, a distance of some fourteen miles. It was in the spring of the year, and during his absence much rain fell, swelling the Mascoma so that it overflowed its banks and the extensive intervales on either side. It would have been folly to trust to a raft on the violently rushing stream, and for several days he was unable to go across to his family. At this time his wife was the only person in the new township, and was obliged to remain alone in their rude domicile during her husband's protracted absence. The charter was granted, July 9, The Town House. 1761, nearly five years previous to the first permanent settlement, to sixty-two persons, all of whom except ten belonged in Connecticut. It consisted of 23,000 acres, a tract six miles square, and was named after Canaan, Connecticut. The first meeting for the choice of town officers was held on the third Tuesday of August, 1761, and Thomas Gustin was appointed moderator. The charter named certain conditions which were to be fulfilled, otherwise the rights would be forfeited. Among them were the following: Methodist Church, at the Street. Baptist Church, at the Village. "That a tract of land should be reserved in the centre of the township for town lots." "Yielding and paying therefor to us, our heirs and successors, for the space of ten years, to be computed from this date, the rent of one ear of Indian corn only on the twenty-fifth of December, annually, if lawfully demanded; the first payment to be made on the twentyfifth day of December, 1762." "Every proprietor, settler or inhabitant shall yield from and after the expiration of ten years, commencing on the twenty-fifth day of December, 1772, one shilling Proclamation money, for every hundred acres he owns or settles." The charter bears the signature of His Excellency, with advice, etc., Benning Wentworth, and Theodore Atkinson, secretary. It was recorded in the book of charters July 9, 1761. The first legal meeting of the proprietors was appointed July 19, 1768, at the house of John Scofield. Few and weak in numbers, indeed, was the mere handful of men who assembled that day to wrestle with the public affairs, but, with their hardened visages sternly set toward the Catrolic Church, at the Village. sunrise of prosperity and development, they did what seemed for the best. George Harris acted as moderator at this meeting, and Joseph Crow was elected the first proprietors' clerk. At this meeting, it was voted to Methodist Church, at the Village. |