While Deacon Robert Herring was selecting his tract of land atGuilford in 1804, his son, Robert, followed from New Gloucesterand took up land westward of Low's Bridge near Piscataquis Riverand made his opening. With him was Robert Low, Jr, who also tookup land nearby. Herring and Low were cousins -- double cousinsso to speak. Low's second wife was Anna Penney, daughter ofThomas Penney and Lydia Herring. Lydia Herring was the daughterof Benjamin and Experience Annis. Also, Herring and Low werefirm friends and to a considerable extend carried on their worktogether. To their energy and cooperation was due in greatmeasure primary success and subsequent progress of the newsettlement. The year after their arrival, 1805, they raisedtheir first crop of corn and potatoes and built their log houses. They brought their families from New Gloucester in1806, becoming pioneer settlers of Guilford. The trip was made inmid-winter with a yoke of oxen and a sled -- slow and tedious, but sure --taking a week, involving considerable hardship. Robert's family comprisedhimself, wife and 2-year-old daughter. On the sled were the fewabsolutely indispensable household articles necessary even for a log cabin.The wife's seat was an "old-fashioned" kitchen chair which she everafter kept for her individual use, it being known as "mother's chair" aslong as she lived. This chair in 1907 was possessed by her daughter-in-law,Mrs. Cynthia (Pratt) Herring of Foxcroft, the posts worn nearly tothe lower rungs from constant use, then considerably more than 100 yearsold. Robert and Captain Bennett in 1815 guilt on Salmon streamthe first sawmill in Guilford. It was abaondoned after some 10years' struggle on account of varying and frequent insufficientwater power. In 1824, Robert bought the mill privilege whereGuilford village now stands from Moses Stevens, theconsideration being a cow. Building a dam across the Piscataquisa sawmill was running the fall of that year. Thus, 20 yearsafter the sound of this pioneer's axe had christened the quietof those primeval forests, Robert was resopnsible for thebeginning of Guilford Village. Dwellings were erected, otherindustries added, the village grew apace. Eventually, Robert disposed of his farm near Low's bridge and bought a largetract of land with sawmill privilege at what was then known as Brainerd'sMills at North Guilford, moved his family their, rebuilt the previouslyburned sawmill, which he owned when he died, and the section wasthereafter known as Herring's Mill. His death undoubtedly washastened by the death of Alvin, his youngest son and businesspartner, by accident, which he witnessed while felling trees. Robert never recovered from theshock and soon followed his son to the unknown beyond. Robert waswell-fitted for pioneer work in which so many years of his life were passed.Robust in mind and body, no combination of obstacles and hard laborchanged his course once he determined upon the accomplishment of a certainpurpose. He enjoyed overcoming difficulties -- the greater theywere the greater his satisfaction when they were surmounted. Thesight of suffering, in man or beast, moved him to tears. No onewas ever turned from his door unwarmed or unfed. No neighbor indifficulty or distress ever appealed to him in vain for aid. Heand his wife were consistent followers of Baptist faith, carriedtheir religion into daily life, practised as they preached. Bothwere widely missed when they departed this earth. Mrs. Herringsurvived her husband some 21 years. By marriages of their daughters werefounded some of the prominent families of the county. The twosons, one by reason of accidental death, did not perpetuate thename. He was married to *Mary WAGG on 14 Dec 1802.