The following text was taken from The Town Register, Harry E. Mitchell; Brunswick, Maine; 1907; with corrections and additions made by David A. Crouse, 1995.
			Many of the pioneers of the town of Stow were sons and daughters of the settlers of Fryeburg, of which town the southern half of this formed a part under the name of Fryeburg Addition. This part consisting of 4,147 acres, was granted by the General Court to the proprietors of Fryeburg to offset that part of the original town which was found to lie across the line in the adjoining state of New Hampshire. The northern half of the town is made up of grants to Bradley and Eastman. The valleys of the Cold River Streams form extensive and valuable farm lands in the south and central portions, while in the north the surface is very rugged. William Howard was perhaps the earliest settler in Stow, locating where James Irish's brick house was burned during the summer of 1906. The Howard House was located .3 miles south of the Stow Corner School on the west side of the road. He was succeeded by his son-in-law, Amos Hastings (1785-1857). Samuel Farrington settled just east of Stow Corner. His father, John, was one of the early men of prominence. Isaac, James, Micah, and Simeon Abbott came from Andover, Mass., James and Simeon came to Stow Corner from Frryeburg and together erected the large square house in the corner in 1804. Together they erected the earliest saw and grist mills in town, about 1800. These brothers lived in the large corner house house until each had seven children, then Simeon built the house once occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Maria Clay. Mrs. Clay's house stands .25 miles west of Stow Corner on the south side of the road to Chatham Center. The Abbott's received a large tract of land, over one square mile, extending from the Chatham line across Great Cold River, taking in the level land, and extending one-half mile north and south of the mills, except Farrington's, and perhaps one or two other settler's lots.
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