Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Love in 1775 -- Part Two


I don't care what you believe in or what you don't. There is something to be said when you have an experience when you walk into a room or touch a door or smell a particular smell and it just makes you feel "off" so to speak. You feel so "off" that it leaves you scratching your head for either the rest of the day or even the rest of the week, if not longer. Have you ever felt something that touched you so much that made you feel that intense and you had no idea how or why?

Me either. Well, not until Friday that is.

Yesterday John wanted to show me an old one room schoolhouse that was left behind in the area where he grew up. We drove down the street to find that it was no longer there. But there was a peculiar barn house just behind on the same road that looked interesting and I asked John to stop there so I could take my camera and check it out.

He went on to tell me that this particular barn house was rumored to be haunted. A couple of kids tried spending the night there back when he was in High School and apparently they didn't even make it through half of the night. They gave "too many mosquitoes" as their reason for not staying. Kids have repeatedly been kicked off the property for snooping around by the neighbors (whom we assume owns the property) but even when I was there yesterday there is not a single "No Trespassing" sign posted.

What was visibly odd about this house, though, is the fact that it appeared as though there were some minor repairs to the house done. But only enough to keep the house STANDING versus crumbling to the ground. So if the neighbors own this property, why keep it up if they are so annoyed by curious passerby? My theory? There is 'something' about this house that they just aren't going to let on to anyone. Which, by the way, make me all the more curious!

We parked by the barn house and I walked over to it. Since the whole rear wall has crumbled, I had a wide open area just inviting me in to come and take a peek. At first, all I could think was, “this is so darn cool!” Then I got to an area that appeared to be the living room and my curiosity turned into an odd feeling in the pit of my core, and then that turned into this strange, almost panicky, “I've got to get the heck out of this house.”

Right when I started to feel this strange feeling, I took some pictures of one of the rooms just to get some last shots before I left. I didn't realize it at the time, but here is one of the shots that I took, almost looks a little eerie. I'm not sure if this is a mistake on my part, or something "there" but either way, it gives me the chills.





Here is the exact same angle of the exact same room about 30 seconds later.









Looking at the first picture, it almost looks like a female figure, walking away into the far left corner of the room. Before this, I remember being frustrated that there were NO doorknobs in any of the doors for me to get some nice details shots of one of the doors. Notice in this picture there is a doorknob left on the door to that closet...I really wanted to go to that closet. But this feeling that I felt, wouldn't let me bring my feet to walk over to it. I almost felt as though something was being protected in that corner, either a memory of the house, something sentimental, and no one, even before me as all the knobs were stolen except for this one, was going to be allowed over there.

I sure as heck wasn't going to attempt to piss anyone, or anything off during my first visit. So this is when I left the house and went to visit the cemetery out back. At first glance of he cemetery, it was uninteresting. About 20 people buried there (I later found out my internet research there is exactly 24 people buried there) and on the cemetery sign there is the number 1785, which at first I assumed to be a street number. I later found out that the very first person buried at this location was a 3 year old girl, who died on Christmas Day, 1785. She was buried there by both her surviving parents. Dad died 44 years later 1 week before the anniversary of his daughters death. Mom died 9 years after dad, right around the anniversary of her daughter and husbands death. They are all three buried at this location, along with 21 other family members.

Who were Mom and Dad?? You got it...Mr. And Mrs. William and Sarah Dearing the first owners of this massive barn house that is still standing (albeit barely) today. Amazing isn't it?

Here is the grave sites of William Dearing and Sarah Dearing the original owners of this spectacular house.

Here is Mary Dearing, the daughter of William and Sarah who died at just three years of age. She was the very first person to be buried here.

Here is the entrance to the cemetery, the "Dearing" family later became the "Deering" family. And I'll save THAT story for a little later, that is the best one yet! :)




Saturday, March 27, 2010

Love in 1775

The year is on or around 1765 and young William Dearing and two of his friends sent off with guns and provisions for several days. They are looking for adventure, they are looking to create their life as they are fine and old enough now to break away and create names for themselves.

Crossing the Saco River, then heading towards Alfred, they spend their first night at Mast Camp. Greedily, William's two friends find and stake a claim on their first sights nearby. Patient William goes off to find something more suitable . He wants to “see” the land and notices a hill, continuing to the top of of the hill so he may get a better view of his surroundings. This hill I write of is known to us today as Ossippee Hill. Still, not yet finding the land suitable for him, he spends another night here, keeping the wolves and other animals at bay with a fire.

William finally settles on a piece of land which appears to have already been cleared by the Indians on the high part of the ridge. He eventually is bothered by the lack of water high up on this ridge and he builds a camp on the lower side, which today is known as “Deerings Ridge.”

Needing supplies and food, William travels to Biddeford on occasion. Jonathan Rummery and his family who lived in “the last house in Biddeford” became accustomed to young William. They graciously opened their doors to him, allowing him to spend nights there on his journeys back and forth. Curious, Mrs. Rummery inquired as to if he was married, and was happy to hear that he was not as their 19 year old daughter, Sarah, had taken quite a fancy to young William.

Sarah later questioned William as to how many cattle he had and made it quite clear to him that she thought that they should be married. Well, William was young and free as a bird, he wasn't so sure that marriage was quite the thing for him. William thought Sarah's proposal over and then accepted. He announced that they were to be married on his next trip to Biddeford.

William Dearing and Sarah Rummery were married on April 3, 1775, with the ceremony being performed by Rev. Peletiah Tingley, a Baptist minister. Sarah was escorted by William to his home by horseback after the ceremony. Shortly thereafter, he built them a new home of logs in her honor which was built on Deerings Ridge Road, being over Deerings Ridge.




I tell you this story today with research that was done and it is told according to family tradition. It is here, with William bringing Sarah back to his home by horseback and building her a new home of logs in her honor, where MY photographic story begins.

To be continued...but here is a teaser photo below.






Renée

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Spring is in the air...FINALLY!

Not that it's LATE or anything! But man this spring (at least for me) was more awaited than the day I was to go on my trip to Puerto Rico in 2005. (I'll post pics of that another time!) The weather is starting to brighten, and the amazing awakening of nature is beginning! I have been able to open my windows (a couple of times) already to let the fresh air in. I have even begun some yard work preps and dreaming of having a beautiful flower garden (a small one!) in my back yard this year! Even Jovi, my pug, is glad to see the nicer weather and not have Mom (me) garb her up to go outside. I don't do that all of the time, but it sure is awful darn cute to see! This year I'm thinking Jovi needs a pretty little sundress...I seriously hope that she didn't hear that!!

Well, cheers for spring. Here's to a healthy, happy one for all of you! :D

Just in case you needed a smile today...here is a pic I took of my 19 month old son yesterday. He is rockin' his rockin' glasses for sure!
















Cheers!
Renée