The History of Cornville

By Elizabeth Perkins and Brittney Vigue

Stacie Sousa (iMovieof Ladies Aid Dinner)

Have you ever wondered what Cornville was like way back in time? Or, have you thought about how the little town came to be called Cornville? It is very interesting learning about the background of this town. Cornville has had many good times as well as its share of hard times. Cornville is located five miles north of Skowhegan. Throughout time it has become very independent. Cornville is a perfect square, six miles each way. It was first sold to Moses Barnard, and a couple of other people. In the very beginning, Cornville was called Barnards Town. Later, the townspeople decided to change the name to Cornville, because corn grew so well on the fertile land. It is known for both its corn fields and dairy cattle. The town was incorporated in 1798. In the late 1700's, people started moving into Maine. The settlers came from Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Families traveled by horses. Cornville was first settled around 1749. Men cleared the land and built log cabins with shaker roofs and stone chimneys. On the Wesserunsett Stream, mills were built. A Colonel Joseph Hilton owned one-third of the town. Cornville, with its democratic type of government, had town meetings and still does today. People enjoyed them in the old days and thought they were fun. The town meetings usually lasted all day with many activities for the people to do. The very first town meeting place was the town hall. In 1883 the town had 12, one room schoolhouses. In each school you would find desks, at least two chalkboards, an outhouse for the kids to go to the bathroom, and a stove to keep the schoolhouse nice an cozy in the ice cold winters. The teachers were paid for cleaning, teaching, and once in a while transporting the students. Most of the time the teachers taught 1st through 8th grade. All of the children had walk to school and later on in time they went by car. In 1913 there were only seven schools. As time went on, there were even fewer schools. The first school built (1802) is now the town office. In the 1800's, Mr. Kinsman gave a schoolhouse to Cornville which is now used for the Ladies Aid, a charitable group that helps many people. It's located on the West Ridge Road and is still very active. By 1944, Cleveland and Molunkus schools were closed. In 1951 Center school was closed. Today there is only one school for grades K- 6. Students found their own way to school until 1951, when a man named Harold Bosworth got a bus to transport students. School Revere School   THE LADIES AID Present day town office In the late 1700's and early 1800's there were no hospitals, but there were traveling doctors and midwives. There were only a few doctors back then. If a person was hurt or sick someone would have to travel to get the doctor. Some people died of simply having a broken arm because there weren't any antibiotics for infections. The doctors didn't have high tech. equipment. When it was time for a pregnant women to have her baby she would have to go to a midwife's house to have it delivered. The one midwife that lived in Cornville was Inez Huff. Cornville had three taverns. Two still stand as private homes and the other burned down. One tavern was the Old Fogg Tavern. It was on the West Ridge Rd. opposite from the old brick school house (current town office). It was run by two men who are now thought to have been brothers with the last name of Fogg. There was also the Red House Inn on Chase Corner an intersection on Route #150 which still stands. It was operated by Peter Willey. Currier Tavern is the last one. It is located on the Oxbow Road and is now the home of Peter Mills an attorney and state senator. For breakfast the people staying in the tavern would have coffee, bacon, eggs, or flap jacks. For dinner they would have meat, vegetables, bread, water, or beer. There was no lunch served. The Red Horse Inn Home of Peter Mills/ Currier Tavern One bridge in Cornville is the Walton bridge. It was built in 1920 by Martin McDaniel. It was built so that hay could be delivered from the East to the West Ridge instead of going all around Huff Hill. Another bridge is the Old Country Bridge This bridge was repaired three times. It was a very scary bridge according to some local people. Farms were very important back then because that is how families got their milk and dairy products. There are still four large farms remaining in Cornville. Two of them sell milk commercially.   Eddie Richard's Farm On 1970 Cornville built the first fire station. Fire stations from Pennsylvania and Connecticut donated suits, hats, hoses and other things to get them started.

Cornville's first church 1825

 

Here are a few cemeteries that can be found in Cornville.