Strong, a Mussul Unsquit village

Text By: Valerie Tucker

How We Got Here From There
Strong’s history, like that of many Maine towns, starts with Native American settlers. In 1780, an Indian named Pierpole moved to the area that is now Strong. His wife was Hannah Susup, and they had six children: Molly Pierpole, Molly Susup, Katie, Hannah Oppalunski, Iganoose, and Joseph Susup. No records document where he was raised, but some believe that he came from the Norridgewock tribe. One story claims he was captured by the Norridgewock tribe and was freed by Hannah, who fled with him and later married him. Other stories claim he was from the Penobscot or Androscoggin tribes. In 1793, he was one of several Indians asked to determine the boundaries of certain lands lying around the Androscoggin River listed in the Pejepscot Claim. This tribe was friendlier with the English, so historians speculated that he learned English from them. He was friendly with settlers, but his wife was not.

Incorporation
Strong was part of Massachusetts, and this northwestern section was called Township No. 3, First Range North of Plymouth Claim, West of Kennebec River (T3 R1 NPC WKR). As settlers moved to the area, it became known as Middletown and Readstown. William Read was one of the first settlers, coming from Nobleboro in 1784. When Read received a land grant from Massachusetts Governor Caleb Strong, he reserved specific lots for individuals located in the territory or others entitled to claims. Readstown was incorporated on January 31, 1801, and was re-named for Caleb Strong, a Governor of Massachusetts.

Many settlers came from the settlements along the Damariscotta River area to this area known as the Sandy River Territory. By the end of the 18th century, townspeople asked that the area be incorporated. Governor Caleb Strong, of Massachusetts, decreed on January 31, 1801, that the town be known as Strong. The first town meeting was called to order on April 6, 1801.

Growth and Prosperity
Strong grew and prospered after the beginning of the 19th Century. Thomas Hunter built a wood mill in 1813 and a gristmill soon after. William Pottle built the first tannery. Captain William Hitchcock commanded the first military company in the area. Starting in 1822, horseback riders delivered mail to Farmington, Strong, Phillips, Kingfield, New Portland, and Anson. When a bridge was built in 1828 across the Sandy River, the stagecoaches replaced those equine mail carriers. As Strong grew, townspeople added churches and schools. Wood-fired locomotives of the Narrow Gauge Railroad brought tourists and fueled other industries, giving way only when automobiles and trucks became affordable.

Around 1880, the town experienced an industrial boom. A boot and shoe factory, a brick mill, a sawmill and a clothespin factory opened, and other businesses that followed also flourished because people had jobs and money to spend in town. In 1840, the population was listed at 1,109 residents; today, more than 170 years later, the population has changed little, with an estimated 1,200 citizens recorded in the 2012 census.

Not all Strong businesses were stores or mills. According to 1909 records, the railroad carried 70,000 passengers and 70,000 tons of freight. Farms were an important role in the town’s growth and prosperity. A good blacksmith was invaluable. A dance hall provided entertainment, as did traveling theater companies, minstrel shows and the movie theater, showing silent films accompanied by a local piano player. The town did not sell liquor but did have a beauty shop, greenhouse, garage, creamery, butcher shop, and livery stables.

A Legendary Doctor
After Strong’s first physician, Dr. John Cottle, retired in 1816, a series of doctors worked in the town. One of the most beloved was Dr. Charles Bell. The nearest hospital was in Lewiston, but Dr. Bell traveled to residences no matter what the weather. He would operate by candle or lamp light in the kitchen, if necessary.

One variation of such dedication tells of a trip to New Vineyard across Porter Lake. This was in the spring, and the ice had begun to melt. Dr. Bell was making one of his famous emergency calls, and he and the driver had to keep their feet on the dashboard to avoid the water that seeped into the sleigh. Dr. Bell performed an emergency operation, while the driver held a kerosene lamp for him. Because the two dared to take the risk, some fortunate person lived to see another day!

When he began to take cases into his own home, his wife assisted him. When mill owner Charles Forster died, his estate funded a 16-bed hospital. Doris Clark was Bell’s nurse for 18 years. In 1937, the hospital closed, and Dr. Bell began working at the first Franklin Memorial Hospital building in Farmington. Today, Strong has its own health and dental center, and the Farmington hospital continues to serve residents for more serious issues.