These two men lived most of their lives in Norway, Maine. Howe was the son of Freeland, Sr. who was a prominent business leader in Oxford County. His career started hopefully and he was an insurance agent and newspaper reporter, out of state, but he returned to Norway, never to leave again. Howe was a leader of the Norway Light Infantry for many years as well as an insurance agent. When his heart was broken, September 18, 1893, he was advised to seek a hobby which would sustain him. He turned toward nature studies and, eventaully became a well-known naturalist. In August, 1898, he founded a youth group which contained Vivian Akers, his nephews, and several others. By 1902, The Woodcrafters Organization was founded in imitation of his efforts. In 1904, a newspaper photograph featured George and his group with the title "The Boy Scouts". In 1905, the "Sons of Daniel Boone" was formed, also in light of the nationwide publicity Howe received. Howe's group eventually reached 70 members, including the world's first girl's youth group. Howe was later an adisor to many Maine miners, founded the Maine Academy of Science, was a counsellor for a large number of summer camps, and maintained a marvelous garden open to all visitors - one day, over 1,000 people are recorded.
George "Shavey" Noyes was also the son of an influential business family. He became a naturalist of his own and was an artist. Noyes joined the Howe youth group as an advisor and did much to help that group. Noyes was a generally a loner.
Both George's lived to advanced age and there is still living memory of them both, albeit of the portion of their lives when they were essentially in "retirement".
They lived in an interesting era. Howe remmembered seeing the troops march down the street after they'd returned from the Civil War. Howe's and Noyes's helped build Norway. Their minister was the famous Charlotte Angell. |
