Editing Parsonsfield, Maine (section)

==History==

This was part of a large tract of land sold on November 28, 1668, by Newichewannock [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indian]] Chief Sunday (or Wesumbe) to [[Francis Small]], a trader from [[Kittery, Maine|Kittery]]. The price was two large Indian blankets, two gallons of [[rum]], two pounds of [[gunpowder]], four pounds of [[musket]] balls and twenty strings of Indian beads. Small then sold half his interest to Major Nicholas Shapleigh of what is now [[Eliot, Maine|Eliot]]. In 1771, heirs sold the township to Thomas Parsons and 39 associates, upon which it was surveyed into {{convert|100|acre|km2|adj=on}} lots. Called Parsonstown Plantation, it was first settled in 1772 by 12 families.<ref name=Coolidge>{{Cite book | last = Coolidge | first = Austin J.|author2=John B. Mansfield | title = A History and Description of New England| publisher = A.J. Coolidge | year = 1859| location = Boston, Massachusetts| pages = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n284 249]–250| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ| quote = coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.  }}</ref>

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 architecture|Federal style]], was built in 1812. [[Parsonsfield Seminary]] was founded in 1832 and closed in 1949.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.angelfire.com/me4/parsem/|title=History of Parsonsfield Seminary 1932 Centennial Edition|website=[[Angelfire]]}}</ref>

The surface of the town is rough and hilly, its soil rocky but fertile for [[farming]]. Chief crops were [[grain]] and [[hay]]. [[Watermill|Mills]] were built at pond outlets and on the [[South River (Ossipee River)|South River]]. The largest [[water power]] source was on the [[Ossipee River]] at Kezar Falls, where the village of Kezar Falls straddled the stream into [[Porter, Maine|Porter]]. Parsonsfield had seven [[sawmill]]s and seven [[gristmill]]s. In 1880, John Devereux and George W. Towle built the Kezar Falls Woolen Mill, a [[woolen]] textile factory which became the most important business in Parsonsfield.<ref>{{Citation
 | last = Varney
 | first = George J.
 | title = Gazetteer of the state of Maine. Parsonsfield
 | place = Boston
 | publisher = Russell
 | year = 1886
 | url = http://history.rays-place.com/me/parsonsfield-me.htm }}
</ref>

<gallery>
File:Blazo Leavitt House Parsonsfield Maine.jpg|[[Blazo-Leavitt House]] {{circa|1900}}
File:West Pond, East Parsonsfield, ME.jpg|West Pond {{circa|1915}}
File:Woolen Mills, Kezar Falls, ME.jpg|Kezar Falls Woolen Co. mill in 1907
</gallery>