Parsonsfield is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

York County, Maine York County is both the southernmost and the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Maine, along the state of New Hampshire's eastern border. It is divided from Strafford County, New Hampshire, by the Salmon Falls River and the connected ti ...

, United States. The population was 1,791 at the 2020 census. Parsonsfield includes the villages of Kezar Falls, Parsonsfield, and North, East and South Parsonsfield. It is part of the

Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area The city of Portland, Maine, is the hub city of a metropolitan area in southern Maine. The region is commonly known as Greater Portland or the Portland metropolitan area. For statistical purposes, the U.S. federal government defines three differ ...

History

This was part of a large tract of land sold on November 28, 1668, by Newichewannock Indian Chief Sunday (or Wesumbe) to Francis Small, a trader from Kittery. The price was two large Indian blankets, two gallons of

rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced i ...

, two pounds of

gunpowder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal (which is mostly carbon), and potassium nitrate, potassium ni ...

, four pounds of

musket A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually dis ...

balls and twenty strings of Indian beads. Small then sold half his interest to Major Nicholas Shapleigh of what is now Eliot. In 1771, heirs sold the township to Thomas Parsons and 39 associates, upon which it was surveyed into lots. Called Parsonstown Plantation, it was first settled in 1772 by 12 families. On August 29, 1785, the town was incorporated as Parsonsfield after Thomas Parsons, one of the largest proprietors. The Blazo-Leavitt House, a fine example of the

Federal style Federal-style architecture is the name for the classical architecture built in the United States following the American Revolution between 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815, which was influenced heavily by the works of And ...

, was built in 1812. Parsonsfield Seminary was founded in 1832 and closed in 1949. The surface of the town is rough and hilly, its soil rocky but fertile for

farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

. Chief crops were

grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached husk, hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and ...

and

hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticate ...

. Mills were built at pond outlets and on the South River. The largest

water power Hydropower (from Ancient Greek -, "water"), also known as water power or water energy, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kin ...

source was on the Ossipee River at Kezar Falls, where the village of Kezar Falls straddled the stream into

Porter Porter may refer to: Companies * Porter Airlines, Canadian airline based in Toronto * Porter Chemical Company, a defunct U.S. toy manufacturer of chemistry sets * Porter Motor Company, defunct U.S. car manufacturer * H.K. Porter, Inc., a locom ...

. Parsonsfield had seven

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

s and seven

gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that h ...

s. In 1880, John Devereux and George W. Towle built the Kezar Falls Woolen Mill, a

woolen Woolen (American English) or woollen (Commonwealth English) is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn. Woolen yarn is in contrast t ...

textile factory which became the most important business in Parsonsfield. File:Blazo Leavitt House Parsonsfield Maine.jpg, Blazo-Leavitt House File:West Pond, East Parsonsfield, ME.jpg, West Pond File:Woolen Mills, Kezar Falls, ME.jpg, Kezar Falls Woolen Co. mill in 1907

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Parsonsfield is drained by the South River and Ossipee River. The town's highest point is Wiggin Mountain, above sea level. The town is crossed by state routes 25, 160, and NH 153. It is bordered by Effingham and

Wakefield, New Hampshire Wakefield is a New England town, town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,201 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The town includes the villages of Wakefield Corner (the o ...

to the west,

and Hiram to the north, Cornish and

Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

to the east, and Newfield to the south.

Demographics

2020 Census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2020, there were 1,791 people, 694 households, and 508 families residing in the town. The population density was 30 inhabitants per square mile (11.7/km2). There were 1,166 housing units in total. The racial makeup of the town was 94.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.3%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population. There were 694 households, of which 20.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54% were married couples living together, 26.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 15.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.8% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.92.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 1,898 people, 764 households, and 514 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 1,174 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.0%

, 0.2%

, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population. There were 764 households, of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.7% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age in the town was 42.4 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.3% were from 25 to 44; 31.5% were from 45 to 64; and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,584 people, 634 households, and 438 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 996 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.17%

, 0.13%

, 0.25% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.06% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population. There were 634 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were

living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.89. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $32,214, and the median income for a family was $36,016. Males had a median income of $30,815 versus $20,917 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $16,968. About 10.5% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Geographical description in 1888

Note: ''The following section is largely copied from the book "History of Parsonsfield, Maine: 1771–1888," published by Brown Thurston & Company, 1888.'' The town of Parsonsfield is in the extreme northwest corner of York County, Maine. Center Square, on the northern slope of Cedar Mountain, is about from the ocean, at Old Orchard and thirty-two from Wells Beach on an air line, and west-north-west from Portland. Its northern boundary is the Great Ossipee River (Ossipee signifies "River of Pines" in the Indian dialect.) The towns of

and Hiram are north of the river. Effingham and Wakefield, NH, are on the western border, Newfield is on the south,

and Cornish on the east. The outer lines of the town have been measured several times, giving an area from 62.23 to 64 square miles (161 to 166 km²). The length of the western line is nearly 8., the eastern something over , the northern and southern about 7.. The surface of Parsonsfield is quite broken, or more properly, rises into high swells. Ricker's Mountain, in the southwest, is the highest, it being not far from above the level of the sea. Cedar Mountain, in the center, comes up within one hundred feet of Ricker's, while Randall's Mountain in the east, may fall below Cedar. The Seminary varies but little from above sea level, while the average altitude of the town is estimated at . After Parsonsfield Seminary burned in 1854,

Bates College Bates College () is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian ...

was founded as a replacement. Ricker's Mountain takes its name from Dea. Dominicus Ricker, who lived and died near the summit. Cedar is so called from the mountain cedar growing there. A legend tells how a hunter named Randall perished from cold on the mountain called by his name. Another tradition goes something like this: "Many years ago a famous hunter, named Randall, hunted hereaway among these mountains and caught much game. He usually reposed on the top of the high mountain by the rivulet, where it is supposed he was murdered by another hunter for his furs. The supposed murderer was absent only a few days from the settlements and returned heavily laden with valuable skins." The high ridge, of which Cedar Mountain is the apex, runs east and west across the town. It is the water-shed, or divide, between the Great and Little Ossipee Rivers. The town is dotted all over with hills and swells, some of them hard to climb, but generally productive. The principal river is the Great Ossipee. By estimation, the average yearly discharge is nine billion cubic feet (8 m³/s), the length , draining an area of about . There is an excellent water power at Kezar Falls, the descent being . South River is next in size. It enters the Ossipee above Porter Bridge. The privilege at Lord's mills is the best within the town. The Bickford and Blaisdall mill streams run into the Little Ossipee. Smaller brooks are found in all parts of the town. It would be hard to find a lot of land not having one or more living springs, and as many never failing rivulets. A small part of Province Pond is in Parsonsfield. The state line is from the eastern shore, and the distance across, by that line, is about . Long Pond, in the northeast, is a beautiful sheet of water, long, and about one-third (800 m) that in width. West Pond, separated from Long Pond by a ridge, is nearly half as large. Smaller ponds are found among the hills. Coarse granite rock projects here and there, but surface ledges cover only a small part of the town. Less than half the wells extend down to the rock bed. The prevailing soil may be denominated granite. There are patches of sand, but clay, even of inferior quality, is scarce. From one to two feet (300 to 600 mm) below the surface there is a hard pan or subsoil. There are but few swamps or bog meadows, for the reason that the surface is tilted this, that, and every way, but valuable intervales lie along the brooks and rivers. There are very few farms without stones enough to fence them. A large surplus of this imperishable fence material is the rule. The original forest growth was maple, beech, hemlock, pine, birch, oak, and ash, with scores of other trees interspersed. Each variety prevailing in its favored locality, but not holding exclusive possession of a single farm. Where a second growth has been allowed to spring up, the soft woods in many cases have succeeded the hard, while the hard has been followed by soft. It is known that the present growth is a little more mixed than the first. Roughly 20 percent of the town of Parsonsfield falls within the Leavitt Plantation Forest, the largest contiguous block of forest land south of Sebago Lake. When the tract of forest was slated to be sold into smaller parcels,

the Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, United States. it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US. Founded in ...

and the state of Maine intervened, purchasing a conservation easement on the entire parcel and keeping it intact. That easement will protect Leavitt Plantation in perpetuity, while allowing sustainable forestry practices.

Local schools

* Sacopee Valley Middle School * Sacopee Valley High School

Sites of interest

Parsonsfield-Porter Bridge, a 2 span covered bridge built in 1876

Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society & Museum (in Porter)
* West End House Boys Camp - on Long Pond since 1908. Founded by James Storrow. Attended by Reggie Bird (Basketball player), Leonard Nemoy (Star Trek), Louis Kane (former owner of Au Bon Pon) Dan Andelman (host of Phantom Gourmet), Hatchet Harry, musician “Yonas” and musician Jeremy Zucker.

Notable people

* James W. Bradbury, senator * Contessa Brewer, news anchor * Nathaniel Burbank, journalist * John Buzzell, clergyman, writer *

Oren B. Cheney Oren Burbank Cheney (December 10, 1816 – December 22, 1903) was an American politician, minister, and statesman who was a key figure in the Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist movement in the United States during the later 19th cent ...

, clergyman, educator * Carolyn Chute, writer * Luther Orlando Emerson, musician, composer, music publisher * Charles Augustus Hilton, preacher * Louise Lamprey, writer, journalist * Jerry Korn, pilot, author * Robert Greenleaf Leavitt, botanist * Rufus McIntire, US congressman * Daniel Page, politician, businessman * Alzina Parson Stevens, labor leader * Lorenzo De Medici Sweat, US congressman * Amos Tuck, US congressman

References

External links

Town of Parsonsfield, Maine

Kezar Falls Circulating Library

Parsonsfield Public Library

Francis Small Heritage Trust

Parsonsfield, Maine – Topix

Parsonsfield weather

Maine Genealogy: Parsonsfield, York County, Maine
{{Coord, 43, 43, 37, N, 70, 55, 43, W, type:city_region:US-ME, display=title Portland metropolitan area, Maine Towns in York County, Maine Towns in Maine