A^-^'.-^str ^r^« (rtHsu- CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library r 29C52 S5 olin 3 1924 028 809 980 The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028809980 HISTORY OF CHESTERVILLE, MAINE BY THE LATE OLIVER SEW ALL, Esq. FARMINGTON, Me. PUBLISHED BY J. S. SWIFT. 1875. H IS TORY OF CHESTERVILLE, MAINE BY THE LATE OLIVER SEW ALL, Esq. FAKMINGTON, Me. PUBLISHED BY J. S. SWIFT. 1875. Ko C52,S5" /[ tii?t>i>-l PREFACE. A Farmington paper dated June 8, 1861, contains the following paragraph : — " In the death of Oliver Sewall, Esq., recorded in our last, the community meets with a twofold loss. Through a long life Mr. Sewall was an industrious, liberal, public spirited and exemplary citizen ; and, more than this, he was a sin- cere Christian, and while cheerful and active in all the sodal and political relations of life, he never for- got the higher interests and responsibilities associated Vith the life which is to come. The Congregational Church, of which he was a member, will miss his presence and his counsel. Mr. Sewall's observations and recollections embraced almost the whole period of the history of the settlement and progress of the region of territory embraced in our county, and he has left many valuable papers. A few years since he finished a detailed history of Chesterville, with a view to its publication. We feel that justice to the mem- ory of a departed friend like Mr. Sewall requires a more extended biographical sketch than we are now prepared to give, and which we shall embrace a fu- ture opportunity to present." The history referred to in the paragraph here quot- ed is the work now. for the first time presented to the public. And it is an invaluable legacy which its 4 History of Chesterville. — Preface. authorwith indefatistable and exhaustive research, pre- pared — not for anticipated pecuniary remuneration — but for the gratification and instruction of succeeding generations, within the limits of the locations he lov- ed as the region of his birth, of his childhood's recollec- tions, and as the scene of the useful labors of a long life. The manuscript has been followed almost ex- actly, leaving the original work as an enduring mon- ument of the ability and taste of the author. The latest addition made by the author to the manuscript seems to have been made early in 185S; consequently the history lacks some eighteen years of coming down to the date of publication. This fact imposes upon the publisher the necessity of preparing an appendix to follow Mr. Sewall's history, and fill, up the interven- ing time, and illustrate the original by reference to changes which time and progress have wrought. Mr. Sewall kept a journal from his boyhood to within a few days of -his death, in which he recorded the employments and observations of each day, and this, with the habit which the practice confirmed, en- abled him to make the early History of Chesterville remarkably complete, and it is hoped that the ap- pendix-— the publication of which will follow as soon as pmcticable -. — ^will make the whole work a model town history. The plan proposed for the Appendix to the Histo- ry of Chesterville will make it somewhat more exten- sive than the original work. It is proposed, among other things, to give a few additional papers by Mr. Sewall ; somewhat extended biograpeical sketches of the author of the original history, Rev. Jotham Sewall, Father Foster, and some others who have been prominent citizens; and the gen- ealogy, as far as it can be procured, of each family. History of Chesterville. — Preface. 5 It is proposed likewise to give a brief description and sketch of the history of each farm — a feature nev- er before attempted in a town history. Among the subjects for distinct sections of the ap- pendix for which more or less preparation has been made, may be enumerated the following ; — Geology of Chesterville — Botany of Chesterville — Agriculture of Chesterville— Manufactures of Cheltemlle — The Future of Chesterville — Orcharding in Chesterville — Water Power of Chesterville — Scenery of Chester- ville, &c., &c. Phblisheri INDEX. [The figures refer to the Sections, not to Pages.] 1 Introductory. 2 Name. 3 Description, — Boundaries, &c. 4 Purchase— Boundaries of different pilrehaSeSt Dates and Purchaser^. 5 Natural Curiosities— Granite Cliffs and Precipices. 7 The Ridge. 8 Streams. 9 Ponds. 10 Plains. 11 Geological Conjecture— Supposed Ancient Lake. 12 Early Settlers— Abraham Wyman. 13 Dummer Sewall. 14 Samuel Linscott. 15 William Bradbury. 16 John Mitchell. 17 Jotham Sewall. 18 John Bradbury. 19 Abaham and Thomas Davenport. 20 Joshua B. Lowell. 21 Edward Locke. 22 John Wheeler. 23 Samuel Judkins. 24 Daniel Wyman — A remarkable Hunter, — Successful Shot. 25 Samuel Perry. 26 Mr. Russell — Andrew Dunning. 27 Jeremiah Bragdon. — A Phenomenon. 28 Joseph and Moses French — Bear Story. History of Chesterville. — Contents. 7 29 Jonathan Fellows — Moses BacheliJer — Phiaeaa Baohelder — Jesse Soper. 30 Samuel W. Eaton. 31 Joseph Jones. 32 Aaron^^Fellows — Adventure on the Ridge Road. 33 Moses Walton — Jacob Carr. 34 Samuel French. 35 John JBean^Corn-house Arohiteoture. 36 William Hathaway. 37 John Wheeler, Jr. 38 Clarke Whittier. 39 Moses Whittier. 40 Thomas Gordon, Senior. 41 Phineas Whittier — Richard Maddooks. 42 Thomas WlUiams, Sen. '43 Newell Gordon. 44 John Cakes. 45 Memorable Accident. 46 David Morrill. 47 ' Town Meetings. 48 Mills. 49 Timber Lands. 50 Keith's Mills. 51 E. Rennet's Auger Factory — Jos. Keith's Fulling and Carding Mill. 52 Collins Lovejoy's Axe Factory. 53 An Unfinished Sawmill. 54 Change of Town Line. 55 Mills at Farmington Falls. 56 Wing's Mills. 57 Accident to Eli L. Wing. 58 Melancholy Death of Daniel Baohelder. 59 Mill below Sand Pond. 60 Mills on'McGurdy's Stream. 61 Sawmill Above Whittier's Pond. 62 Starch Factory. 63 Tanneries. 64 Were's Tannery. 65 First Meeting-House. 8 HisTonY OF Chesteryiixe,— Contents. 66 Bemova.! of Meeting-House. 67 Meeting-House at Chesterville Center. 68 School Houses. 69 School Districts. ■ 70 Villages— Center Mills. 71 Other Villages. 72 Beads. 73 The Co-OS Road — Opened by Jacob Abbot, Esq. 74 Bridges. 75 Religious Societies. 76 Physicians. 77 Stores. 78 Lawyer. 79 Tobacconist. 80 Blacksmiths. 81 Carriages. 82 Musical Instruments. 33 Libraries. 84 Representatives. 85 Wild Animals— Bear Stories. 86 Beaver Dams. 87 Fish. 88 Serpents— Power of Fascination— Remarkable Incidents. 89 Temperance. 90 Masts and Spars — Veteran Oxen. 91 Destructive Wind. 92 Avalanche. 93 Town Officers. HISTORY OF CHESTERVILLE. by the late oliver sewall, esq. 1. — Introdoctory. Chesterville was formerly a wilderness. Eacroach- ments were made upon the primeval forest by a few individuals, who, with the intention of making perma- nent homes, began to make clearings and erect log cabins not far from 1780. At that time the territory afterwards constituting the town of Chesterville was a part of the " District of Maine," then a part of Massa- chusetts. Maine continued, a "district" some forty years after the date referred to, when it was separated from the mother commonwealth and became a state. The territory of Chesterville was first included in Lincoln County which at the time extended from the ocean, near the Kennebec Hiver, northerly to the Can- ada line. Out of this long county the County of Ken- nebec was formed, about the close of the eighteenth century. Still later, at diflferent times, the counties of Somerset, Franklin, Sagadahock, and parts of some others have been chiefly taken from what was formerly the County of Lincoln. Chesterville is now one of the southerly towns in the County of Franklin, whose seat 10 History (.p Chesterville. of justice is in Farmington, the shire town. Before the organizlation of Franklin Gountyin 1838 Chester- ville was in the County of Kennebec. 2 — Name. Several of the early settlers in the central part of the town were singers. They sometimes met in their camps to spend an evening in the practice of sacred^ music. On one of these occasions, (possibly when there were few if ai;^y families in the place,) they sung a tune named Chester, supposed to have been com- posed by Billings, and were much pleased with it. — After extolling the tune awhile their thoughts seemed to revert to their situation — only a few — almost alone in the forest. Dummer Sewall proposed to call the new settlement Chester, a proposition which was agreed to without dispute. From that time to the in- corporation of the town that section bore the name of Chester Plantation, while the southerly part of the town was called Woman's Plantation, no doubt in honor of the first inhabitant, Abraham Wyman. When the settlers petitioned for incorporation as a town one of their requests was that the new town should be named Chester; but as there was a town of that name in Massachusetts the legislature added ville, and the new town came up Chesterville. 3. — Description. Chesterville was originally "State's Land," but , I'plike most other towns in the vicinity it was purchased History of Chesterville. 11 * in sections by diflferent companies and individuals at various times. The town in length, from north to south is seven or eight miles, its width at the north end about six miles, and at the south end four or five miles, while it is scarcely three miles in width a little South of the middle. Chesterville is bounded on the south by Fayette, west by Jay, north-west by Wilton, north by Farmington, north-east by New Sharon, and east by Vieuiia. It has a water line dividing it in part from Farmington and Vienna and wholly from New Sharon, consisting of Wilson's Stream below the mouth of the Little Norridgewock; the Sandy Eiver thence to the mouth of McGurdy's Stream; up that stream, through Whittier's Pond, some four miles or more, — about two hundred rods of Lane's Brook, a tributary of Parker's Pond, at its mouth and above, and through Parker's Pond thence to Fayette line. The best farm- ing land lies in the extremities of the town, much near the centre being bogs, swamps, plains, or ponds. 4. — Purchases. "Chester First Purchase," as it has been called, was conveyed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, about 1790, to Dummer Sewall, Esq., of Bath, and his associates, and contained 8000 acres or more. It was bounded easterly by a part of McGurdy's Stream and the northerly pond through which it runs to Sandy Eiver, north by the south line of Farmington, to a cor- ner on the west side of Beaver-Dam Brook, near the present dwelling house of the late Josiah Norcross; 12 HlSTOR-^ OF CHESTERVrLLT!. west by a line thence to Locke's Pond, by that and Sand Pond to the south end of the latter, and] a line south 30 deg. east to a hemlock tree about thirty rods west of Little Norridgewock Stream, and south by a line north 65 deg. east, — including the water power at what is now Parks' or Central Mills,— to |McGurdy's Stream It is said that Benjamin Whittier, Esq., then of Farmington, was one of the purchasers ,^and that on division he took his psirt on*, the eastern side* of the purchase. It is believed that the south part of the town was bought and lotted oflF with what is now Vienna, as far west as the Little Norridgewock Stream and Pond, to a point a little further north than SethNorcross' dwell- ing house; as the bearings of the lines are very similar. North of this point it was bounded on the north-west by McGurdy's Brook, Pond and Stream. Another purchase containing about 1500 acres was made by Samuel Linscott. It included the land north- west of McGurdy's Stream to Chester First Purchase; and was bounded west by Little Norridgewock Stream, and south by a line run due west from the outlet of McGurdy's Pond to the Little Norridgewock. In the south-west corner of the town is the pur- chase of Clifford & Judkins, extending about a mile north from the Fayette line, and from the Little Norridgewock Stream and Pond to the Jay line.< Immediately north of this, and extending east to McGurdy's Brook, is a tract of 1000 acres', which was granted to the town for public uses. The worth History of Chesterville. 13 of this tract was small, (as was found when sold,) for it contained a large portion of bog and pond. North of this lay the purchase of Plumer & Eaton; but it extended east only to the Little Norridgewock Stream. This left some 100 acres between the grant to the town and Linscott's Purchase, extending east to McGurdy's Brook and Pond. This small tract was the last purchased from the State. It was made about 1820. Bean's Purchase llay in the north-west corner of the town as incorporated. It extended south of the south- west cove' of Sand Pond some 180 rods, thence west to the Jay line. It was bounded east by Chester First Purchase to the north of Sand Pond. South of this pond, between the two coves which form its south end, and extending some 140 rods further south than Bean's Purchase, are two lots of about 130 acres each, one where Enoch Black now lives, bought by John Wheeler, senior, and the oth- er by his son, Edward T. Wheeler. The remainder, situated south and east of the three last mentioned tracts, bounded east by Chester First Purchase, and Linscott's, south by Palmer & Eaton's Purchase, and west by Jay . line, containing about 1500 acres, was bought by John and William Chany, about 1812. Except the small tract before mentioned this was the latest purchase from the State. Not many years after its incorporation the town was enlarged by the annexation of a few lots from Wilton, containing what is now J. W. Butterfield's farm and the land around it. 14 History of Chesterville; 5;^— Natural Curiosities. One of the natural curiosities of Chesterville is found on the east side of Blabon, fornierly called McGurdy's Hill, and partially connected with it, call- ed "Old Bluff." On the west side of the hill there is a ledge about 70 feet in hight, a number of rods in length, and almost perpendicular. The south-east side, however ,'Ipossesses the most'. value and excites the highest interest. Here lie beautiful sheets of granite, of almost any desirable thickness, rising some 200 feet, rather steep, yet falling back some- thing like stairs, with occasionally a broad step of a wide sheet laying uncovered. At the base the mass of stones, of almost every conceivable shape excepting round, indicates that by frost or some other power granite sheets have lost their place in this mountain ledge, and have been accumulating, for ages ; having been broken by the fall or some convulsion into vari- ous shapes and sizes. Many pieces here bear a strik- ing resemblance to sheets far up the hillside. As they lay in place these sheets are generally thicker be- low than above. Years ago a stone, somewhat spher- ical, of some two tons Weight, lay perched just above this ledge. In 1815 two men undermined one side and rolled it down stairs. It went down at a rate not slow, and as the men followed down its track, they saw where it leaped from one step to another, frequently breaking out fragments. They heard it too, away below them, jumping its way down to a , History of Chesterville. 15 place of repose. Near the base they found a flat stone, some eight or ten inches in thickness, and in size about ten by fifteen feet, so nearly balanced on the points of three stones beneath, that half the weight of a man settled one end about six inches, and when the weight was removed, it resumed its former po- sition with a loud and singular noise, probably oc- casioned by the many cavities it partially covered. On another spur of the same hill, some half mile north of this, is situated a fine ledge of granite, from which' many valuable stones are quarried. It is called " Crowell's Ledge." Still another, called " Lakin's Ledge," on the north-west front- of the hill, affords many ^ood stones. Granite also crops out on other parts of the same hill. The part called "Old Bluff" is thought by some to exceed any other hill in town in altitude. Another natural feature of the town, somewhat re- markable, is called "The Bluff." It is situated some thirty or forty rods north-west of Sand Pond, and is a ledge of rock almost perpendicular, facing the pond, very nearly 100 feet high. At its base are rocks and stones of various shapes and sizes, in apparent con- fusion for several feet in front of the ledge. Above the land mounts still higher a few rods and then falls off to the north-west. The higher part of the bluff is about thirty rods in length. Years ago, when pine timber was much more plenty than at present, there stood above and a little back'of the "Jumping off Place," and leaning somewhat towards it, a pine ' ' -^^ •'"'"='+ i-n <^iameter, with a 16 History of Chester ville. well proportioned body. It looked so inviting that some youngsters wishing to see a " pitch pole," cut it down. And down it went, as if hurried into the abyss below, almost top foremost. The top was not only broken oflF, but broken and split into pieces,-— some of which were "almost as fine as ovenwood." Some forty feet of the 'but, however, stood the shock very well, but ended over and came to rest among the trees and rocks, with its top towards the stump, 7. — The Ridge. What is esteemed as at the head of nature's va- rious works tin Chesterville is "The Ridge." It is what its name imports, a narrow ridge of land, to appearance composed of small stones, sand and grav- el, some four miles long. The sides are generally steep — sometimes double or wide, and varyirig from six or seven to seventy or eighty feet in hight. It commences about three-fourths of a mile south of the Centre Mills, and extends in a south-westerly direc- tion, somewhat crooked, and of unequal, hight and width, some forty rods into Fayette. For the most of this distance it appears to divide the waters of the Little Norridgewock and McGurdy's Streams. A brook, however, running from the south-east, through Per- kins' Meadow in Fayette, comes to the Ridge on the east, several rods north of its southern extremity, re- ceives a few tributaries from the north-east, and runs around the south end of the Ridge into Lane's Pond, near its outlet. This outlet is the main branch of History of Chestervilli-:. 17 the Little Norridgewock Stream, which passes through Norridgewock or Moose Horn Pond, receives the Bog Stream from the west, and a few smaller streams, and joins Wils6n's Stream, (which is rapid,) some mile or more above its mouth, which is at Farmins"- ton Falls. Besides the last pond above mentioned, two others, Bound Pond and Sheldrake Pond, lie on the west side of the Ridge, all very near it. It is generally thought that Sheldrake Pond leaks out— slowly no doubt — under the Ridge in two places, into McGurdy's Pond on the east side, and some- what lower. The evidences of these outlets under the Ridge, are, first, two hollows or depressions in the Ridge near Sheldrake Pond; second, not far from the northerly of the two hollows, water appears to come up in a bog, almost on a level with McGur- dy's Pondi which is so warm that it never freezes ; thirdly, the writer saw, April 23, 1829, east of the southern hollow, a strip of open water, clear from ice, extending quite a;cross McGurdy's Pond, towards the outlet, and very straight, while the ice north and south of it remained undissolved. This is probably so every year, as others have frequently noticed such an appearance at that season of the year. It seems not only probable but almost certain that such a road through the ice was made by a current of warm water. The hollows in the ridge may owe their ori- gin to some other cause, or they may have been the . effect of a leak underneath. These leaks must be small or they would j^draw off Sheldrake Pond to a level with the other. The former, however, may be 18 History of Chesterville, fed by springs sufficiently large to hold the balance. It would seem that these outlets descend very deep to send up warm water. Sheldrake Pond has no other outlet excepting over a bog towards the north- west, in time of freshet. At such times the water backs in from the Little Norridgewock, and only runs off as the flood subsides. 8. — Streams. McGurdy's Stream rises on the east side of the Eidge, in Chesterville, not a great distance from the south line, and passes through McGurdy's and Whit- tier's Ponds, receiving several brooks on both sides? .and loses itself in the Sandy River, about a mile below Farmington Falls. Wilson'^ Stream, a rapid stream, rising in No. 4, and Temple, and running through Wilton, runs only a mile or two on the boundary of Chesterville. Little Norridgewock and McGurdy's Streams have little descent and afford but few mUl sites. They are fed, partially at least, by swamps. - Their shores in many places are skirted with meadow lands, which afford a cheap coarse hay, of no inconsiderable ben- efit to the farmers. Some ipi these were natural meadows. Tradition says that some men residing in Winthrop formerly cut and stacked hay near ' McGur- • dy's Stream, drove up cattle to consume it in a shel- tered place in the woods near by, and then drove them home again. One small meadow on McGurdy's Stream is called History op Chesterville. 19 "The Horse Meadow." In connecti'on with this name, as the circumstance in which it originated, — the fol- lowing story is told. Mr. Linscott, the owner, had cut and stacked the hay as usual^ one season. Late in the fall some one in Farmington lost a horse, and after a fruitless search, being unable to learn any- thing of its whereabouts, he concluded that it was hopelessly lost. Some time in the winter Mr. Lin- scott went after his stack of hay, when the mystery of the absence of the horse was solved. There was the horse but the hay was mostly gone. To all ap- pearance the horse had been living on it thus far, and for drink he had kept a path to a spring not far off, and had contrived to keep it open. [We have a well authenticated record of an instance where a horse had been left to himself, that displayed the singular instinct of going frequently to its watering place in cold weather, and pawing open the ice.] 9. — Ponds. North Pond is situated some short of two miles west of Parks' Mills, contains an area of more than 100 acres, and sends its surplus waters into the Bog Stream. Chesterville contains several ponds not yet described. The largest of these, of some 80 acres surface, in the southeast part of the town, (a small portion of it being in Vienna,) is called Perry's Pond, and empties into McGurdy's Stream. Whortleberry Pond lies north of North Pond, into which it runs by a stream of the same name. Sugar Stream, of about the same magnitude as Whortleberry Stream, 20 History of Chestervilk. rises in Jay and joins Whortleberry Stream from the west. At the south-east border of the town is a large and beautiful sheet of water known as Parker's Pond. — This pond contains several picturesque islands. In the southern part of the town there are several brooks and streams, whose waters find their way to the Androscoggin through Parker's and a chain of other ponds in Mount Vernon, Fayette, Wayne, and Leeds. 10. — The Plains. Among the natural features of the town "The Plains" deserve notice. These are, some two miles long and half a mile wide, and, lie east and south-east of Parks' Mills. The tract is by no means level ; still there are patches that are nearly so. There were but few bushes or trees on The Plains when the settlement of the town was commenced, but there was quite a growth of blueberries, strawberries and grass. The tract had probably been frequently burned over by the Indians, which checked the growth of timber but promoted that of shrubs and grass. The pioneer set- tlers used The Plains as a common pasture for many years. 11. — Geological Con.jecture. It is the opinion of some that almost the whole of Little Norridgewock and McGurdy's Streams, with a part of Wilson's Stream and Sandy River were once History of Chesterville. 21 engulfed in a large pond or lake, the outlet of which was near what is now called Smith's Mills, in Fay- ette, into the Androscoggin, .and that the Ridge was then formed by the current. If the hills showing themselves on each side of New Sharon Falls were at some past period joined in one so as to stop the Sandy River in that direction, this state of things did exist, and such a conjecture is well founded. — The appearance of the bed of the river at the Falls and below, and the make of the intervales for quite a distance down river, ( first a mixture of loam and coarse gravel, a little farther down fine gravel, and farther yet, sand, coarse and then fine,) indicate that such a cutting through the hills and running away of a lake did once take place. This opinion is ren- dered more plausible when the steepness of the hills on each side of the Falls is taken into account. We rarely find such shaped hills where no current has operated, unless formed of ledge. The Falls once thus submerged, testimony of the existence of such a lake is found in a deposite apparently formerly the bottom of a lake, and now slightly in some instances covered with soil. Another fact corroborative of this belief is the ex- istence of narrow patches of intervale, one at and above the mills at the Falls, on the north side of the river, and another just below on the south side- This shows that a larger, wider channel than is need- ed for the ordinary flow of the river was made when the lake was drained, and as' a matter of course has been partly filled up since. Nor is this a solitary 22 HisTosY OF Chesterville. instance. The pond, hills, and stream near Wilton Upper Village, with the inttrvales at, below, and southwesterly, to the Androscoggin, form a case in point. At the south end of Wilson's Pond, near the road to Bartlett's Corner, the land is only about twenty feet higher than the surface of the pond at its usual hight. The hills at the village are doubt- less somewhat higher, and if connected by an inter- vening ridge, would stop the stream and raise the pond, Avhich, in such a case, would send its waters into the Androscoggin, not far above Jay Bridge.' — ' The steep hills on the sides of the stream at the village, and the make of the bed of the stream and the land near it below, plainly show that the stream once cut its way through these hills. 12. — '■ EARLt Settlers.-'— Abraham Wyman. Abraham Wyman was the first white inhabitant of what is now Chesterville. He began on the farm which has for several years been owned and occu- pied by Seth Norcross — about the year 1782. His family was the only one for about a year between Eeadfield or Mount Vernon and the Sandy River. — They lived in a quite lonely condition, having few if any callers or visitors, until Mr. Sewall and Mr. Lin- scott moved in, about three miles north of them, Af- ter this, (as Mrs. Wyman stated in after years,) Mrs. Sewall and Mrs. Linscott being sisters, used frequently, to walk down to visit her, barefoot! After a few years Mr. Wyman moved to Livermore. He did not reside there however many years, but re- History of Chesterville, 23 turned and lived with his son Daniel. He died in 1802, his wife in l81T. #y< : IS. — DUMMER SewaLL, On the 23d day of March, 1783, after a toilsome journey of six days, with ox teams from Bath, Dum- mer Sewall, son of Col. Dummer Sewall of Bath, — arrived mth his family, and commenced a residence on the farm lately occupied by his son, Otis C- Sewall. He had previously made a clearing and put up a camp, in which he and Mr. Linscott, with their families, took up their abode. Here they liv- ed together for some time, or till Mr. j^Linscott had prepared a rough dwelling. Some time in 1783 Mr. Sewall constructed a sleigh, the first made in the town, and probably the first in Franklin County. If now in existence it would be esteemed a great curiosity. The bottom was framed like others of that day, but with little if any iron work on it. The sides, forepart, and back of the top were of birch bark, doubled to make it more firm, and to show the same side of the bark outside and in. He and his wife and child rode in it to Bath, and returned again in it. Their visit to Bath ■ was about ten months after their location in their wilderness home. Mrs. Wheeler, who informed the writer of this incident, had tested the sleigh by rid- ing a short distance in it. Two years after this Mr. Sewall built a double sleigh, as perhaps we should esteem it. He owned 24 ' History (,f Chesterville. no horse. Contemplating another journey with his family to Bath in this, he engaged one owned by Mr. Linscott, and to match it another belonging to Mr. Eaton of Sandy Eiver. A day or two before his journey he got them together and harnessed, all but the long bridles, Mr. Linscott helping and his wife, with their child Andrew, four years old, looking on. The horses "were regarded as very steady and gentle. Mrs. Linscott, with some urging, got in with her child. Immediately on this the horses started, and were soon in a fast run, up by Mr. Linscott's, he and Mr. Sewall endeavoring in vain to overtake them. Mrs. Linscott did her best to keep her child and herself from being hurt, but she could not keep her seat, but was tossed about in all parts of the sleigh. The horses ran on some two and a half miles, when, some half way down the north side of Locke's Hill, the strap holding up the tongue gave way, and the tongue was driven into the snow and even into the ground, tipping the sleigh and^ stopping the team. The shock threw, the riders several feet into the snow, but did not hurt them. Mrs. Linscott -being thinly clad, was poorly prepared for such a ride, and on clambering into the road, found her feet so cold that . she sat down, rubbing them in, the snow. She had ; barely finished this when her husband came up, and soon after him Mr. SewijU, who had been delayed a little by looking for the child beside the road. They soon got the team in such order that the horses gave Mr. Linscott a slow ride home. HusrOKY OF Ch ESTER V ILL E. 35 Mr. Sewall, with others, m 1784 and 1785, built the first saw and grist mill in the town, on Little Norridgewobk Stream, near the present site of Park's Mills, to which Stephen Titcomh of Sandy River, as tradition says, hauled the first log and helped «aw it into boards. Mr. Sewall put up two or three other mills in later years, being a carpenter by trnde. He raised quite a family, the oldest of whom, Dum- mer, was the first white child born in Chestervllle. He was born Aug. 22. 1783. A lot of land near John Butterfield's was bestowed as a birthright, which was sold about the time he attained the age of 21. Mr. Sewall made and repaired cooper's ware soon after he became a resident in Chestervllle. He lack- ed some of the tools necessary in this business. — Needing a "croze" he broke a piece from the point of- a handsaw and made one. A piggin, a vessel with one stave extending higher than the others for a handle, would be a rare sight now; but the writer used to see them in his boyhood. They ordinarily contained about six quarts and were mostly used in milking. A two story house, raised' Sept. 12, 1188, was built by Mr. Sewall, in which he lived many years. Mrs. Sewall once said, " It has stood sixty years and not a single death has occurred in it." This house has since been taken down. Mr. Sewall was the first Postmaster and Justice of the Peace^in the town, both of which offices he filled several years. . He died in February, 1846, at the age of 85 years. His wife died in May, 1852. [Mr. Sewall was con- spicuous for industry, and his long life was one o£, great usefulness."] 26 History of Chestervillf. 14. SaMCEL LiNSCOlT. Samuel Linscott moved into the place with Dum- mer Sewall. He began on the next lot north of Mr. Sewall's. He helped build and cairy on the first i mills in the place, and owned one half of a sawmill built some eighteen jears later. He carried on farm- ing rather more extensively than his neighbors. He made one of the purchases of the town, and' served 1 the" town as treasurer for .the first two years after | its incorporation, and as constable and collector dur- ing three years. Capt. Wynian, his brother and Mr. Linscott, once went on snowshoes to Moose Hill hunting. They found three moose and each select- ing his object, fired. Two dropped dead, while one remained almost or entirely unhurt. Their dogs worried this one to madness, when it rushed towards Mr. Linscott; Capt. Wyman in the mean time load- ing for another shot. Mr. L. dropped his gun and siezed his axe, waiting the assault. The moose came rushing tovyards him, and just as he was crouch- ing for his final spring, Mr. L. settled the axe into his head and thus killed him. One of the first years of his residence liere, Mr. Linscott needed potatoes to plant. Stephen Titconab had some to spare. Mr. Linscott with his axe went and labored for Mr. Titcomb two days for two bush- * els of potatoes. At night of the second^day he shouldered his potatoes and started for home. The stream had risen a little where he had crossed on a tree, so that when he was fairly on it with his load he found that it was afloat. He lost his axe, History of Chesterville. 27 and had to lay his bag of potatoes across the tree mostly in the water. Watching the most favorable opportunity, as well as he could judge in the dark- ness, he jumped for '■ dear life" towards the shore, Ho then went honip. The next morning, with some help, he recovered his axe and potatoes. But the potatoes yielded him but a light return for all his labor and risk, as few of them ever grew. Mr; Linscott's son Daniel, about eighteen years of age. was drowned in May, 1797. He was drowned just above the first sawmill, after it had been remov- ed up stream, and his was the first death by drown- ing among the settlers of the town. He was tending the mill alone, and as is supposed went to haul up a log, and that in doing it he got into the millpond, perhaps by sliding down between two logs. A man coming down the stream to mill in a canoe, seeing a hat upon the water and the mill-* running, gave the alarm. The body was not found till the, next day. Mr. Linscott's younger son, Joseph, died i.a August 1789, at the age of about 18 months. This was the first death of a white person within the town. Mr. Linscott died in Nov., 1816; his wife in July, 1843. In the same house a sister of Mrs. Linscott — widow Hannah Foster, — died in May 1846, at the age of 94. Hers was the death of the old- est person to be found on the town records in 1856. 15. — William Bradbury. A few years after the settlements just recorded, William Bradbury began to clear the lot next north 28 HisTORT OF Chestervii.le. of Mr. Linscott's, the farm on which his son Wil- ; Ham O. Bradbury, Esq. afterwards lived and died.j He was a carpenter by trade, and he superintended! the framimg of many buildings in the vicinity. Soon after he made a beginning on his lot,— possibly be- fore he had a family,— he wei>t to Winthrop to mill, with a hand sled. He helped build and occupy one sawmill, owaing one eighth part. This was the, mill of which Mr. Linscott owned half Mr. Bradbury worked on the first sawmill erected in Chesterville for others, but owned no part of it. He was one of the first board of Selectmen and Assessors of the town, and served in that capacity at different times seven years; as Clerk, fourteen years; and as Treas- urer, twenty-six years. Out of the fifty-four years of the town's corporate existence up to April, 1856, he and his son, Wm. O. Bradbury, have had care of the town's treasury, in the same house, forty-one years. In later years he was deacon of the Baptist church in the town. Before and after this he fre- quently conducted religious meetings on the Sabbath, reading printed sermons when no minister was pres- ent. He commenced this practice soon after Rev; Jotham Sewall commenced preaching, — ^he having conducted such meetings previous to that time. — These meetings were called " Society Meetings," in former days. They originated August 27, 1786, in Thomas Davenport's camp. The Wednesday evening prayer meetings, which were kept up with very few interruptions some forty-five or fifty years, originated in the same camp, May 21, 1788. Mr. Bradbury History of Chestervii.le. 29 conducted these many years, as ^Vell as the' slrrglng in all such meetings in the Plantation some twelve* or fourteen years prior to IblO. He died in Nov., 1846, at the age of upwards of 80. His wiffe died in Nov., 1821, at the age. of 67. 16. — John MrrcHELL. About the date of Mr. Bradbury's commencement of improvements on his lot, John Mitchell began to clear the lot 'now, [1856] owned in part by David M. Hamilton, it being the second lot north of Mr. Bradbury's. He cleared some land and put up build- ings a few years before he married and moved into his house. He had an interest in one sawmill at least, and did something at lumbering for a number of years, besides carrying on his farm. In the ear- lier days of the culture of the soil of this region, cultivators were unknown. Com and potatoes were managed wholly by the hoe. No plow was introduc- ed for several years. The first that the writer re- members of any operation of the kind was started by Mr. Mitchell. He prepared a yoke so that the oxen could walk with one row between them, — the ring and staple being placed close to the near ox. In this way, by shearing the plow a trifle, it could fol- low the near ox and do the work. Many pieces of corn and potatoes were cultivated in this way. After a few years, however, this mode was superseded by the horse and a light plow. Mr. Mitchell was chosen ensign in 1804, when the militia was first organized in town. He was promoted to the lieutenancy, 30 History of Chesterville. and not long after, in 1810, resigned. He died at his sons in Bloomfield in January, IHoO, at the age of !>8 years, and was brought to Chesterville for in- terment. His wife died in Feb. 1839, at the ago of 7) years. 17, JOTHAM SeWAIJ- Jotham Sewall established his home on the lot north of Mr. Mitchell's — the farm where he lived and died, — in March, 178S. Like others of the pioneers he began to do something on his land about five years earlier. He planted a nursery of appletrees, — probably the first in what is now Frank- lin County, — in Sept, 1783. Some ten years after this he set out the first orchard. He once carried a grist to mill at Winthrop, on a handsled. He car- ried on his farm, working occasionally at his trade — that of a mason, — until about 1798, when he engag- ed in preaching the gospel. Much of his time- after this, when health permitted, Avas spent in missionary labor, mostly in this state, though sometimes extend- ed to other states. When he first raised apples to spare they could be exchanged, bushel for bushel, for corn. He died Oct. 3, 1850, at the age of 90 years. [See Appendix to this history for the most complete biographical sketch of E.ev. Jotham Sewall now in existence.] 18. — John Bradbury. John Bradbury began on the lot next north of Mr. Sewall's, soon after him. He was a joiner and History of CHEbTERViLLi;. 31 glazier by trade, and for many years made most of the window sashes used in the vicinity. He also, in addition to his farm work, finished off many rooms- He always appeared to entertain a dread of poverty. Before he was married he was sleeping one night in his camp, on a bench, or rough temporary bed, when he dreamed he saw poverty, in the form of a large two story house, moving slov^'ly in various di- rections. In his dream he had fears lest it should run over him and he watched its motions with intense interest. Soon it seemed to be moving towards him, and running in a direct line, was now about to run over and crush him sure enough. He put forth his utmost strength, and made a desperate leap and found himself awake several feet from his bunk. Striking the floor no doubt awoke him. Whether the dread above mentioned was hereditary or premonitory, or came over him in accordance with his natural tem- perament, it is not easy to decide. He became poor, however, before his death, which occurred in July, 1851. His first wife died in April, 1831. l9. — Abraham and Thomas Davenport. Near the same time, Abi-aham and Thomas Daven- port began respectively on the two lots next north. The wife of Abraham Davenport was sister to the wife of Rev. Jotham Sewall. Thomas Davenport' married a sister of John and William Bradbury, and his first child, Nathaniel, was born Feb. 29, 1792. It was said of him that his birthday came only once in four years. It was an occurrence very rare for a birth to take place on that day. 32 History of Chesterville. Not many years elapsed before they retm-ined Hallovvell where they had formerly resided, Tl former left about two years before the latter, w\ left in April, 1799. The former carried on the t£ low chandler's business in Hariowell a number years, but died at his son's in Mobile, Alabama, aboi 18S1. His wife died in Hallowell. Thomas is su] posed to have resided in Hallowell the remainder ( his life. 20. — Joshua B. Lowell. The next lot north was taken up by Joshua I Lowell, son of Reuben Lowell, one of the early sei tiers in Farmington. He opened the first house fc the entertainment of travelers, within the limits c the present town, while it was yet a plantation. H was chosen the first Clerk, and served the town i that office nine consecutive years. He served als as Selectman and Assessor six years, and was th second Postmaster in the town. A paralytic shoe] rendered him helpless some four years before hi death, which took place in March, 1821. His ag was 55 years. His wife died in November, 1822. 21. — Edward Locke. Pretty early among the settlers last described, Ed ward Locke arrived from New Hampshire. His fani ily lived a short time in John Mitchell s house, whil he was making a beginning on the lot next north o History of Chesterville. 33 was considerably larger than others south of it. He prtsached occasionally, mostly in places adjacent. It was not, howeve) , many years before he left the place. Some of his sons occupied the farm, and he, occa- sionally, with several changes, and a few interrup- tions, until about 18'J8, when it Avas divided and passed into other hands. On this large lot there are now four residences, and about ten others own parts of it. Mr. Locke was supposed to own more prop- erty than any other man in the place; for he had ?everal pieces of real estate in other towns. 4^t the time of his decease he owned a house and lot in Augusta. He died in March, 1824. His son Ward, a preacher of the Freewill Baptist denomination, oc- cupied the farm some ten years, the closing part of his life. He died in November, 1828. 22. — John Wheeler. John Wheeler, senior, moved into the place from York in 1793. He had several children, lived a year or two in a log house then recently vacated by the removal of Jotham Sewall into- the framed house he had built, and then moved to the place he afterwards bought of the state, where Enoch Black now [1856] resides, south of Sand Pond. Mr. Wheeler was a tailor by trade, the first in the town — at which trade he worked a part of the time. He was born in May, 1750, as appears by the town record. His wife died of typhus fever in March, 1814, and his daughter Sally, about two months after. His son's wife, liv- ing near, died May 8, and Mrs. Chandler, a married S4 History of Chesterville. daughter, May 15, of the same year. . A few years after these afflictive, events he sold and went to Wil- ton, hving in the family of Mr. Hiscock, who married his youngest daughter, Where it is understood he died some years ago, at the age of about 90, It was ^gene- rally believed that he was born in England. Mra Wheeler, when probably about fifty years old, more than once went to her son John's, fully three miles, over bad roads, carrying her flax, and spun two double skeins of linen, and returned home at night, traveling both M'ays on foot. 33. — Samuel Judkins. Samuel Judkins, senior, was the second^ settler in the south part of the town, then called Wyraan's Plantation. He first lived near a large spring south of the dwelling house of Moses French. This was' probably about 1 786 or 7. Not long after he took up a lot west of the Ridge, where Burnham Morrill now lives, and where Mr. Judkins put up buildings and resided the remainder of his life. He died in July, 1803. His body was carried about two and a half miles to be buried. For this purpose a long bier was prepared. The poles were placed a suffi- cient distance asunder to admit a horse between them. When ready, with the coffi,n upon it, — a saddled horse at each end of the bier, between the^poles.'i— the bjer was raised, and each end of a pole placed in a stirrup of the saddle, and thus conveyed to the place of interment by two horses. Mr. Judkins had several sons. SaTnnel. ir.. was rpmnrlraWo fr.1. tho History of Chesterville. 35 ability to turn one heel forwa]^d, .standing with his feet parallel, — toe to heel, — beside each other. He lived a few years near where his father began, but ■subsequently resided in different places. Joseph and Benjamin were fifer and drummer to the militia company when first organized. Of the latter Rev. Jotham Sewall in his Journal of May 10, 1800, says, " With S. W. Eaton visited Benj. Judkins, who was very low. He had been struck in the ham by a porcupine's tail, and some of the quills had worked through his leg." 24. — Daniel Wyman. While Mr. Judkins lived near the large spring, Daniel Wyman, son of Abraham Wyman, came from Beadfield, built a house and resided a little north of him. He lived here till about two years after he was chosen Captain, (as elsewhere stated,) when he removed to Livermore. A year or two after, how- ever, found him returned, with his father and moth- er. Not far from this date he built a house and be- gan to reside where Franklin Currier now lives, which is on the same lot where he first built. He lived here quite a number of years. He was somewhat noted as a hunter, and in the latter years of his life he was heard to say that he had shot one moose at least on every square mile for several miles around. A few years after 1820 he sold his farm and moved to Kingfield, living with one of his sons. When almost 70 years old he visited another son residing near the Dead River. Here he was on the day that 36 History of Chesterville. completed his " three score and ten." That day, with his favorite, the gun, well loaded, he made a hunt- ing excursion, with one attendsmt. 'As they were in a canoe on the Dead River; they espied two moose swimming across. He was told to fire. " Not yet," said he. The moose were soon climbing the river bank near each other. Then he fired. On examin- ation it was found that the ball had passed through the vitals of one, killing it outright, and then broke a leg of the other, so that he was soon dispatched,. Thus he killed two moose at one shot the day he was seventy years old. Two credible persons inform- ed the. writer that they had seen the ball that exe- cuted this feat. In the days so far back towards our Revolutionary struggle, as were those that dawn- ed upon the early settlement of this region, the mil- itary spirit prevailed. Wyman's Plantation, with a part or all of the present town of Vienna, ' ( then called Goshen,) united in forming a company of mi- litia, some years before either town was incorporated. At the organization of this company Daniel Wyman was chosen and commissioned Captain, and ^he con- tinued in office about two years. He found the cost of uniforming and equipping himself, and the "treat- ing" then customary, bore too heavily upon his purse. He served in the Revolutionary "War and has been known to say that he had taken as good aim at a man as he ever had at a moose. He rendered much assistance in 1804 and 1805 to the oiScers of the company in Chesterville, then recently organized. History op Chtjsterville. , 37 2). — Samuel Perry. Samuel Perry settled on the present Elisha Perry farm about the date of the settlement of Daniel Wy- man. He had been a Eevolutionary soldier, and his wife, who outlived him more than thirty-four years, drew a pension on account of his services. He built a house of hewn timber, put up something like a log house, where he lived many years. This house was taken down several years ago. He died in 1821, at the age nf 86. His wife died in 1855, at the age of more than ninety. 26. — Mr. Eussell — Andrew Dunning. In the south-west part of the town, where David Gordon now lives, a Mr. Russell, father of Dr. L. W. Russell, settled at an early day. Being one of the first settlers west of the Ridge, that neighbor- hood took its name, — Russellborough, — from him. He left the town not many years after. Near the same time Andrew Dunning settled not- far from Isaac Eaton's present location but continued there only a year or two. 27. — Jeremiah Bkagdon. Not much, if any, after the preceding, Jeremiah Bragdon settled where Moses French now lives. Be- ing a blacksmith he carried on blacksmithing as well as farming. He was the first blacksmith in town. He joined the Congregational church in 1797, and being a good reader he frequently read sermons and 38 History of Chesterville; conducted religious meetings in Wyman's Plantation, on the Sabbath, when no minister was in attendance. He probably had improved better advantages of ed- ucation th/;n most of those around him. About the commencement of the present century he became, in- sane. He was an athletic man, and three of his neighbors had their hands full to confine him when first taken. He would contrive to do some mischieif even when bound with a little slack chain. If near enough, he would get his head into* the fire, unless closely watched. He was taken care of at different places, but mostly at home, by those living in the vicinity, for a year or two, at least. His insanity afterwards measurably left him. In after years he seemed to think that he must sound every letter in all his words when talking. It was amusing to hear him do this in such words as, though, bought, slaugh- ter, could, would, &c. He would not only give a quick sound to gh, and 1, in these and like words, but to u the full sound, as of w in cow, and the w a like sound, or speak the letter in all words where it is silent. He died in Nov., 1812 ; his wife in Nov., 1806. 28. — Joseph and Moses French. The closing ten years of the last century brought a number of inhabitants into Wyman's Plantation. Jo- seph French, a native of New Hampshire, lived and died where Isaac French now resides. In Ajiril, 1791, he came by a spotted line for three miles, by way of Starling, now Fayette, to begin, on his lot. He and his brother Moses built and lived in a camp HisToaY OF Chestervii.le. o9 near the south line of the town, while they were making a beginning in clearing their land. They came on foot from South Hampton, N. H., with packs on their backs and six day's provisions. Joseph French was then nearly twenty-one, and had not pre- viously been thirty miles from home. The spotted line above mentioned was south of the late Daniel Bachelder's, now in Fayette, who had settled on the place .where he lived many years, a short time before. Here Mr. French and his brother made a short stay, until they put up a camp. He labored on his lot in summers, and went back to New Hampshire to spend the winters, for three years. He and his brother camped together a part of the time, and husk- ed their corn in the camp by firelight or moonlight, in the evenings of Autumn. One evening, while thus employed, a bear came snuffing around, looked in, and snapped his teeth, but dared not venture in, for fear of the fire. The next morning Mr. Judkins eame along with his dog where they were gathering corn. The dog scented the bear and found him in the edge of the woods asleep, but they did not cap- ture Jiim. Mr. French took many a load of corn to Hallowell with his oxen, and sold it for two shillings a bushel. On returning he not unfrequently moved up families who were emigrating to the forest fron- ter. In one instance he was obliged to tie a wo- man and child on the top of a load, to keep them from falling off. Occasionally he would drive all night. He served the town as Selectman and Asses- sor seventeen years, anii was a Justice of the Peace one or more terms. He served the Congregational 40 History of Chestjerville. Church as Deacon, thirty-two of the last years of his life. He was a joiner by trade, and worked at his trade in connection with his farming operations. — He was a successful farmer and an industrious citi- zen. He died in Nov., 1841 ; his wife in Nov., 1855. '29. — JoNA. Fellows, Moses Bachelder, Phineas Bachelder, Jesse Soper. Jonathan Fellows, senior, lived near the present residence of Henry Whitney. - He served the town as Selectman two years. He died in April, 1854 ; his wife in July, 1821. Moses Bachelder on the south, and Phineas Bachelder on the north of Mr Fellows, and Asa Soper, near where Jesse Soper now lives, all began settlements in this period. Mr. Soper died in 1842, at the age of 76 ; his wife in 1844, at the age of TO. Moses Bachelder died in 1844) Phineas Bachelder died in 1856; his wife several years before. 30. — Samuel W. Eaton. In 1794, Samuel W. Eaton settled where his son, John Eaton, now resides. He occupied the farm for the remainder of his life as his home, though he spent most of his time, for fifteen years or more, prior to 1827, at sea. He made no foreign voyages, except one to the West Indies, but was engaged mostly in coasting and fishing. Though he never studied navigation, he was so well acquainted with the rivers and harbors on our sea coast that he was esteemed a good pilot. He died in 1831; his wife in 1842. History of Chestervii.le. 41 31. — Joseph Jones. Joseph Jones, the' second blackstoith in town, a trade at which he worked a part of his time, settled where Gustavus Clalrke now lives. He was the first lieutenant in the militia of the town and was pro- moted to the rank of captain. While he was an of- ficer, or soon after, he sold his farm and bought where William Hathaway began ; but he lived there but a few years, when he exchanged farms with Phineas Whitney, and removed to Cumberland County- He is supposed to beyet[13o6] living in Aroostook County. 3'i. — Aaron Fellows Aaron Fellows, sen., settled where his son Aaron now 'lives. He was one of the Selectmen during the first two years of the town's corporate existence. — He worked at sho^making as well as farming. He attended the annual townmeeting, March 7, 1853, then near eighty years of age. He died a little more than a year after. Mrs. Fellows died in 18i9. About the year 1797, Mr. Fellows was hauling a load of boards from the Center Mills, with four ox- en and a pair of wheels. When he got on the Ridge, nearly opposite the bog north of McGurdy's Pond he missed something which he had supposed to be on his load. Leaving his team he went back, «5xpecting every moment to find the missing article He reached the mill, however, before he found it ; and returning as expeditiously as he could, he found his load, wheels and oxen, tumbled down the east 42 History of Chi-sterville. side of the Ridge; which there is rather steep.— The load was lodged against a bunch of birch bush- ^ es near the foot of the Ridge, the hind oxen in quite an uncomfortable position — one on the other, the other still fast to the cart. His first movement was to cut off the bow and liberate the upper ox; but finding this difficult and risky, he cut off the tongue of the cart. He then drove the oxen up the side of the Ridge, as fast as he could and went home with them. The next day, with some help,, he gQt|up the cart and boards. 33. — Moses Walton, — Jacob Carh. Moses Walton, sen., moved from Salisbury, Mass., to Sterling, now Fayette, about 1790. Six years later he settled in Wyman's Plantation, where Charles Walton, his grandson, now resides. About the same time, or a little earlier, Jacob Carr settled near Mr, Walton's. Mr. Carr was Constable and Collector three years from 1813. Not long after this he sold his farm and left the town. 34. — Samuel French. Early in the present century Samuel French, sen., settled where Benj. S. French now resides. He died in 1831. Near the same time Dearborn French be- gan to clear the farm where he now resides. 35. — -John Bej AN. Early in the closing decade of- the last century John Bean, son of Joshua Bean of Readfield, built History of Chestervillic. 43 a house and settled on the farm where he lived and died, near the west line of the town. He was an enterprising farmer. His improved land was much of it in Jay. John Locke, son of Edward Locke, began in Jay on the lot next north of Mr. Bean's, at the same time. The first trees they cut lay side by side. They labored much together. When chop- ping down their first trees they planned for their corn-cribs. They selected four trees, about twenty- five feet apart, nearly in a square; these they cut some six feet from the ground, as squarely as they could, on the tops. Before the next corn harvest they placed two sizeable spruce logs on these stumps, as distant from each other, and as nearly parallel to each other as they could. Across these thef placed several others, spotted so as to lay steadily. On the last sleepers they built their corn cribs, of poles, covered with spruce bark or corn stalks, to shed oflf the rain. Here the corn was well preserved, and was so high that the bears could not get to it. It was threshed and marketed the following winter. — Mr Bean served the town as Moderator at thirteen annual meetings, as Selectmau one year, and as Con- stable and Collector four years. He died in 1854, at the age of 84. His wife died in 1850, a:ged 76. 36. — William Hathaway. About the time of the settlement of Mr. Bean, William Hathaway began on a lot near where Ja- cob W. Butterfield now resides, .and where Zebulon Taylor recently resided. After a few years he sold 44 History of Chesterville. to Capt. Jones, and left the town. When Mr. H. began to clear his lot it was in Tyngtown, now Wil- ton, and the lot was one of the northerly ones, af- terwards set off from Wilton to Chesterville. 37. — John Wheeler, Jr. Having previously cleared some land and built a house, John Wheeler jr., who had married Mr. Linscott's eldest daughter, took up his residence on a lot on Linscott's Purchase, about a mile easterly from the Center Mills, in the year 1800. He con- tin'ufed to reside there about twenty-three years, when he bought a farm not far from the Mills, and remov- ed there. A few years after he took down the buildings on his back lot, but still continued to own and improve it. He was a very industrious man. He died in 1^,55. Mrs. Wheeler, his widow, is. the only known survivor of the first settlers in Chester Plantation. She was about six years old when her father moved into the place, which was in March. 1783, and an event she very well remembers. Not far from 1840 she became blind. At first she could distinguish day from night, but latterly it is all one continued night to her bodily eyes. She distinguish- es her acquaintances by the tones of their voices, and seems very intelligent and of good memory. — The writer is indebted to her for many incidents he has recorded. 38. — Clarke Whittier, Is said to have been the earliest settler in the north-east part of the" town. He began on the farm History of Chesterville.. 45 now occupied by Mr. Dike; sold to Thomas Wil- liams, sen., and not long after left the town. 39. — MosEs Whittier Commenced not far from the present residence of JohnW. Sanborn, about the same time, which was not far from 1788. 40. — Thom.as Gordon, Sen., Settled on the farm where Benning Glines now lives, in 17P0 or l'/91. He resided on the place a number of years. He died in 1825 at the age. of more than 80 years. 41. — Phineas Whittier, — Richard Haddocks. Other settlers in that vicinity followed within. the next four or five years. Phineas Whittier settled where Peter Whittier now lives , and Richard Mad- docks, sen , where his son Richard resides. John" Butterfield, sen., settled where his son John resides. 42. — Thomas Williams, Sen., About this period, bought of Clarke Whittier. Mr. Williams was a joiner by trade. He was Selectman for the first three years of the town's corporate ac- tion, and the first. Captain of the militia company in the town, to which office he was elected in 1804. — He died in 1810, Phineas Whittier in 1828, Mr. Haddocks in 1839, and Mr. Butterfield in 1818. 43. — Nevpell Gordon. A little later than the date of the last stated set- tlements, Newell Gordon began to clear the farm 46 History of Chesterville. now occupied by Mr. Lufkin. He served the town two years as Selectman, and as Constable and Col- lector two years. He died in 1848. 44 John Oakes. Where David Oakes now resides John Oakes his father commenced living in 1808. The two lots owned and occupied by him had been partially cleared by his brother, Eben Oakes, who is said to be still living in Madrid. Otis Corbet, afterwards of Farmington, had also made a beginning. Mr. Oakes died in 1839. In this part of the town, David Wil- liams, John Allen, Daniel Streeter, and perhaps oth- ers, were among the early inhabitants, but the writ- er is not acquainted with their history. 45. — Memorable Accident. Aij accident of a serious character took place in this part of the town not far from 1809. Some half a mile easterly from John Butterfield's, Horatis Gr. Quincy was engaged in felling trees. A tree he had cut lodged on another, and he stepped forward and cut upon the tree that held the other lip. • It soon gave way, split up, broke, and, slid back, the sharp end catching one of his legs at the ancle, and drove it into the ground. When the tree fell it: threw out his foot, but it was almost severed from the leg,— only the strong cords at the heel holding it. After some delay, physicians being called in who dared not amputate, — Dr. Mann of Hallowell, arrived. He did not arrive, however, till some twen- lIlSl'OHY OF CllliSlEUVILLE. 47 ty-five or thirty hours after the occurrence. He am- putated the leg ; Mr. Quiucy recovered, ;ind after- wards became a healthy and robust man. ■iH. Da"VID MoKRlI.L. The pioneer of the village at Farmington Falls, on the Chesterville ^ide of the river, was David Morrill. He was a native of New Hampshii'e, and removed with his father's family to Keadfield when he was about fourteen years old. He served an ap- prenticeship with Thomas Williams, sen., and was married to a daughter of Deacon J. F. Woods in IbOl. He built a house a little north-easterly of Deacon Woods', where he lived a few years. He then built the house which is the present residence of T. Croswell, Esq., and removed his family into it. He next built a house on the Chesterville side of the Sandy River, into which he removed his family in 1810. A short time before this there was little, if any, cleared land near the river at this place. — Mr. Morrill was Justice of the Peace, and one au- thorized to -qualify civil officers, for several years; He served the to^n as Selectman four years, and as representative two years. He was a carpenter, join- er, and brick mason, and worked occasionally at all these trades as well as farming. He was killed by a fall in his barn, which produced death almost in- stantly. His death occurred in December, 1842, at the age of 63. Mrs. Morrill died of paralysisj in Oct., 1857, at the age of 77. 48 History op CHysTERvtLLE. 47. — Town Meetings. According to a journal kept by Rev. Jotharn Sewall the question of the separation of Maine from Massa- chusetts was agitated in 1792. Monday the 7th day of Meiy of that year was appointed for the people of Maine to meet and vote on the question. He writes ; " Met in the iifternoon at Dummer Sewall's. Nine votes for, and two against separation." The inhabitants of Chester Plantation, (see record' made by Dummer Sewall,) applied to Stephen Tit- comb, Esq., to ciill the first Plantation Meeting of which the writer has been able to find any record. Pursuant to his warrant the meeting was held at Joshua B. Lowell's, Innholder, the 3rd Monday in March, 1799. Dummer Sewall was chosen Clerk, Thomas Williams, WilUiam Bradbury, and Joshua B. Lowell, Assessors ; and Samuel Linscott, Thomas Gordon, and John Butterfield, Surveyors. The 1st Monday in April of the same year another meeting ' was held at Thomas Williams' where it was voted to raise ^200 to repair highways, fixing the price. of labor on the highways at one dollar a day in June and July, eighty cents in August and Sep,tember, and sixty-six cents in October and November. An- other meeting was convened at Joshua B. Lowell's, March 10, 1800, at which the Clerk and Assessors were reelected, and more surveyors chosen. The price of labor on the highways was fixed at the same rates as the year before, with the exception of a change to fifty cents for October and November. The rates of ox labor were the same as those for History of Chesterville. 49 men. April 6, 1801, a majority of the Plantation agreed to repair or rebuild the bridge at Sewall's Mills, and subscribed forty-five dollars for the pur- pose, "if the rest -would help ;" the amount to be paid in work at a dollar a day. The act incorpo- rating the town bears date Feb. 20, 1802, and au- thorized Stephen Titcomb, Esq., to call the first meeting. His warrant for the purpose, directed to Dummer Sewall, one of the inhabitants, was dated March 10, 1802. Pursuant to this the first meeting was held on the first Monday in April following the 5th day, at which time they not only organized, but voted for State and County officers. Jotham Sewall was the first Moderator. The meetings of the town, for the first few years, were held at Joshua B. Low- ell's. Afterwards for several years in the Schoolhouse in School District No. 1. Once each, at least, they met in the Schoolhouses of Nos. 2, 4, and 7, in later years. After this the gallery of the old Meeting- house was used for this purpose a number of years. Since 1851 the town has met, mostly, in Robinson's or Whittier's Hall, near the Center Mills. 48. — Mills. The first Sawmill in Chesterville was el-ected by Dupimer Sewall and a few others, in April, 1784, and was put in operation the following year. In 1785, too, the first Gristmill was put in motion, either under the Sawmill roof, or in a small addition attached. It had one run of stones. This mill stood near the pi'esent site of Park's Mill. The dam' be- 50 History of Chesterville. iag rather low, so that the head was small, and the backwater retarding the motion of the wheels con- siderably, the mill was taken down, July 6, 1793, and six days after re-erected some fifteen or twenty rods further up-stream, where a new dam was built the first dam being taken up. Mr. Sewall and Mr. Linscott owned and run the Gristmill together. Be- fore this w.-^.s entirely worn out Mr. Sewall built a Sawmill near; but a little belovv. A building con- nected with this was the third Gristmill in town. It had one run of stones. A shop was built a few years later, north-west of these, but near, in which a small saw was put in motion for splitting plank, &c. He added in width to the Sawmill enough to accommo- date another saw. Not long after this the shop was taken down, and the Sawmill and Gristmill sold. — Another saw was put into the Sawmill, run a few years and then taken out ; the irons being sold to Uummer Sewall. These mills were burned in the Spring of IS 19, just after J. W. Butterfield had sold them. The first Sawmill having become decayed and useless, in 1803 or 1804, Samuel Linscott and others built a Sawmill some distance below these, and drew water to carry it through a very long flume. This having become partially decayed, in 1819 it was taken down. Some of the old owners selling out, and others joining in the enterprise-, a double Sawmill was erected in October 1819, where Parks' Mill now stands. A new dam was built just above this mill, with a wasteway on its south-east side ; and a Gristmill was put up on the other side History of Chesterville. 51 of the wasteway. These mills did a fair business for several years. A Fullingmill, too, adjoining the Gristmill was in operation some time. The Sawmill was reduced to one saw, and Clapboard and Shingle Machines put in the place of the other. In Jan. 1849 these mills were burned, and the present ones were erected soon after. About 1823, or 4, Dummer Sewall made anbther dam some distance below, and put up a Sawmill. At this some business was done in sawing boards, clapboards. Sec, for several years. It became some- what decayed and was taken down a number of years ago. It stood near the pi-esent site of the Starch Factory. 49. — Timber Lands. Around the Center Mills, and in several other parts of the town, there were originally extensive growths of pine ; which, if standing now, at the present worth, would be of immense value. The ad- vance in the price of pine timber has been great since the early settlement of Chesterville. A few facts will illustrate this statement. A tract esteemed one of the most valuable and beautiful in the town, not far from 1817, was purchased for ^1400, which had almost trebled in value within the five previous years. Within the next eighteen years enough was cut off and sold, amply to refund the purchase mon- ey, when it was sold for nine thousand dollars. — Another tract, though formerly of small value, was bought for ^35. During the next twenty-four years 52 History of CriESTERViLLE. three hundred dollars was realized for timber cut off. It was then sold for one thousand seven hun- - dred dollars. In 182"), a seven acre lot in the north- east part of the town was valued by an appraising committee at ^22. About eighteen years after a similar committee set the same lot at, ^150. Con- siderable timber had been cut off in the interim. 50. — Keiths Mill's. The Sawmill built in 1T92, on Wilson's Stream, at what has since been called Keith's Mills, although on the north side of the stream, as it then was , stood, no doubt, within the present limits of Chester- ville ; and was the second in the town which was put in operation. The Gristmill erected about the same time, stood north, or in shore of the Sawmill, and just outside, in the stream of the preselit Saw- mill. The town line, probably, laid through this Gristmill. As the propelling wheel was in the southerly part of the building, and the stones not. far from the middle, it may not improperly be called the second Gristmill in the present town. These mills were built by Samuel Sewall. Not far from the beginning of the present century he sold to Ru-. fus Davis. After occupying them a few years Mr. Davis sold to Edward Locke. He occupied them very little, and they ran down. The upper part of the Sawmill frame was taken down, moved to the Locke farm, and became a cider house. A freshet destroyed the dam immediately above tbe Gristmill, I -I 1 I History of Ciiesterviixe. 53 and undermined and partiallj' carried it away. Just before this a new Sawmill standing nearly or quite its length down-stream of the present one, had been raised by the predecessors of the owners of that now existing. This was about 1809. The first Gristmill on the south side of the stream at this place was built by Edward Locke and his son not far from 1811 The stones of the old mill were used This underwent some alterations, the frame being once rebuilt ; but, in August 1828 it was sold to Jonas Davis, who built a new mill, which did a fair business. Within a few years he has put in Burr stones for wheat, which, with a good bolt and cleanser, and a corn-cob cracker, makes this a valuable mill. He has also a shingle machin.e, a circular cross-cut saw, and a machine for washing clothes, propelled by water. Lately he has added a thresher and some other machinery. 51. — E. Bennet's Auger Factory. — Joseph Keith's Fulling and Carding Mill. About 1816 Elisha Bennet, jr. put up a shop just below the then existing Gristmill, and put in motion a trip-hammer, the second in town. He carried on the auger making business, and some other kinds of smith work for a year or two and then sold out and left the town. Joseph Keith was the purchaser. — He run carding machines in this building, fulled, colored and dressed cloth, a few years, when he moved it off and put up the present fulling and carding mill. Here, with some partners at different times, he has done a good business. 54 History ok Ciie^jtervilli:. 52. — Collins Lovejoy's Axe Factory. In 1840 Collins Lovejoy, jr., built a shop a few rods below Keith's Fulling-mill. He put in motion a trip-hammer, and applied water power to propel a grindstone, emery polishing wheels, blow his fires, &c. Here he carried on the axe making business a few years, to a greater extent than any one else in this region. Although the stream at this place is not the town line, still the Sawmill on the north side is in Farmington, This has been much improv- ed of late, and includes a Threshing Machine, Shingle Machine, Circular and Jig Saws, a Circular Crosscut Saw, a Lathe, and a superior Planing Machine, 53. — 'An Unfinished Saavmill. In 1783 Benjamin Whittier and one or two others with him built a dam across Wilson's Stream a few rods below what is called the Whittier Bridge, and erected a Sawmill. This, however, was never put in operation ; for within a year or two a freshet gullied around the end of the dam, and swept almost the whole structure down river. The soil being sandy, with a bed of clay underneath, ii dam could not well stand unless very thoroughly made and secured, which would not repay the cost. 54. — Change of Town Line. This was in the territory included in Chesterville at its incorporation, as Farmington was bounded by a direct line from the mouth of the Little Norridee- wock to the" mouth of Wilson's Stream. This placed History of Chesterville. 55 the stream wholly in Chesterville at the site of this mill. Between the two points above mentioned the stream was made the town line, a few vears after the incorporation of Chesterville. This was the second Sawmill erected in this town. 55- — Mills at Earmington Falls. The first mill in Chesterville at Farmington Falls was built about 1830 for dressing hemp. The hemp mania, (if this is the right term,) which had raged awhile, dying away, the building was used for card- ing wool and various other purposes. It has a Plan- ing Machine, Lathe, Circular Saw. &c. A few years later a Sawmill was built just above the Hemp Mill. It did a good business for several years, and contained some other machinery under the same roof. In Oct. 1855 it was carried away by a freshet, and rebuilt in 1857. That freshet was believed to have been the highest and most power- ful freshet within the memory of the oldest inhabi- tant, not excepting that of 1820, which swept off the bridge and all the mills at Farmington Falls. — The freshet of 1855 rose twenty-two feet above low water mark at the bridge. A building has been put up and finished within two or three years past, just below the old Hemp Mill, and near the Bridge, intended for a Machine Shop. It contains a Shingle Machine and Threshing Machine. (Now, 1875, used for a Spool Factory and Gristmill.) 56. — Wing's Mills. In 1805 Allen Wing built a Sawmill in the south- east part of the town, on a stream rising in Fayette 56 History of Chestervitle. and. falling into Parker's Pond This mill did a good business under the management of David and Alden Wing, sons of Allen Wing, for years. Quantities of red oak for ship's plank were sawed here. A Grist- mill, Shingle Machine and Clapboard Machine were afterwards put in operation a little below the Saw- mill. In these mills mtich grinding has been done, and much lumber has been shaped for market. 57. — Accident to Eli L. Wing. By a belt connected with some of the machinery of these mill?, Eli L.' Wing, David Wiag's son, lost his arm in 1837. As he was adjusting a belt his hand was caught, and in a moment his arm with the shoulder blade was torn from his body. He was little better than dead when found a few minutes af- ter, but by good attention he finally recovered. An individual who viewed the place soon after the oc- currence informed the writer that by the blood spat- tered overhead and around the walls of the room it was evident the arm must have been carried around with the belt many times. 58. — Melancholy Death of Daniel Bachelder. On the 15th day of January 1858, a still more serious occurrence took place in the building, and within a few feet of the same spot where young Wing lost his arm. Mr. Daniel Bachelder, dged about 50, who owned the Shingle ^fachine and Grist- mill, went below to help start his shingle wheel, which was somewhat fastened with ice. He took History osf CHiisiEiivuiK 57 "with him an axe and an iron bar. About an hour after he was found dead, by David Wing, who hap- pened to be there on business, near where he found Ms son in 1839. The wheel was going. The body of Mr. Bachelder lay balanced across a fence or rail- ing near the wheel, his feet touching or very near it. The iron bar was standing against this railing as though placed there after being used. The axe w^as found in another place. On one arm of a wheel just above the platform covering the waterwheel was a mark evidently made by a blow from the bar point. Some violent blow had bruised and injured the side of Mr. Bachelder's face, and had broken his neck. The probability is that the blow came from the bar on the starting of the wheel, and that his death was instantaneous. He is represented to have been a very worthy citizen, an honest man and a humble Christian. Wing's Mill's after being purchased by Benjamin and Daniel Bachelder, were considerably improved. 6y. — Mill below Sand Pond. In th-e early part of the present century William Bennet put up a shop on the brook between Sand Pond and Locke's Pond, and set in motion a trip- hammer, the first in town, together with some other machinery. The stream at the place is small, but the power is increased by a fall of about twenty feet. Mr, Bennet sold his interest a few years after, and a Shingle Machine or Clapboard Machine, or both, were run some time, and then a Lathe, but the power had ceased to be used in 1856. 58 History of Chesterviixk. 60. — Mills on McGurdy's Stream. About 1816 Francis Tufts put a dam across Mc- Gurdy's Stream near its mouth and built a Sawmill. Some three years after he sold to John Oakes and others, who put up a frame for a Gristmill, but never put the mill in operation. They repaired the dam which, resting on a bed of sand, had been un- dermined, and run the saw. Part of these owners sold to Leonard and Joel Billings in 1824, and soon after the latter put in operation the first Oil Mill in the town. In 1827 the privilege was destroyed by a freshet. Not long after Billings and Russ built a dam a few rods above the site of the old one and put up a Sawmill, and Joel Billings erected an Oil Mill at the same time. A few years later the mills changed ovraers and a Shingle Machine was intro- duced. About 1842 the mills having become dilapi- dated by age were abandoned, and the power has not been since used. McGurdy's Stream is peculiar for the warmth of its w^ater, has comparatively little descent or fall in its course, and runs along a sandy valley through a channel in which few stones ap- pear. The volume of water is not large, and a dam and mill above Whittier's Pond interfered somewhat with the operations of the mills whose history is here given. 61. — Sawmill Above Whittier's Pond. In 1827 a Sawmill was built in Chesterville by several men residing in Vienna. This was on Mc- History of Chesterville. 69 Gurdy's Stream, some three-fourths of a mile above Whittier's Pond, and less than half a mile northerly from the bridge and road near Cyrus S. Whittier's residence. The mill run down by decay about 1844, and a new one was built in 1845 by Saunders Mor- rill and Thomas Dow. Mr. Dow afterwards suc- ceeded to the whole ownership. Both the first and second, mills had a profitable amount of business. 62. — 'Starch Factory. A stai'ch Factory, the tii'st and only one in town, was erected in 1844 on the lower mill privilege at the Center Mills. It stands on or near the ground which had been occupied by the last Sawmill built by Dummer Sewall. It was profitably operated for a few years, when an unforeseen calamity, the potato rot, interfered with the business. It was run, how- ever, to a limited extent, many years after every oth- er similar establishment in the county had been abandoned. 63. — Tanneries. The first Tannery in town was started by Barna- bas P. Merrick about 1807. It was on the south side of the stream, near, but a little above the Bridge, at the Center Mills. Water drawn from the long flume of Linscott and others propelled a stone for grinding bark a number of years. Mr. Merrick likewise manufactured boots and shoes. About 1822 he sold his tannery and moved to Pittsfield. A year or two after Mr. Merrick started his business at the 60 History of Chestervii.lk. Center Mills, Billings & Maddocks started the busi- ness near the residence of the latter, in the north- east part of the town. They c-rried it on together till about 1816, when they dissolved partnership. — After this Mr. Maddocks prossecuted the business a few years at the old stand. Mr. Billings put down vats and built a tan-house on his own land, (the Clarke Whittier farm,) and ca;rried on the business several years. Neither of the yards are now used. About lH24r Stephen and John Gilman made a beginning at the yard now existing at the Center Mills, opposite the Starch Factory. They soon fail- ed, hoAvever, and removed from the place. Sever*! others have successively owned and improved the yard. In 1S56 a cast iron Bark Mill, propelled by water power, prepared the tan for use, a large building covered the vats, with an attic for finishing leatherl It was then carried on by Riggs & Phil- brick. [Mr, Biggs has since become sale proprietor and an account of the improvements he has intro- duced will make an interesting chapter of the ap- pendix to this history.] A little west of this tan-yard are two or three buildings used for the manufacture of matches- 64. — Were's Tannery. About 1833 Joseph E. Were put up buildings and made a tan-yard at Farmington Falls on the Ches- terville side of the river not far below the Bridge. This establishment had many conveniences and fecili- ties for saving labor and tanning at any season of History of Chesterville. 61 the year. It was on a scale superior to most tanne- ries in the vicinity. After a few years it was de- stroyed by fire, and rebuilt on a somewhat smaller scale. The business was carried on a few years longer by Mr. Were and Mr. Bunter, but was at length abandoned, and the buildings taken down or converted to other uses. 65. — First Meeting - House. The first Meeting-house in Chesterville was raised June 15, 1815. The dimensions were about forty- ^ve by thirty-six feet, with nineteen feet posts. It was put up mostly by the Congregationalists and Baptists, and was started by voluntary subscription. It was boarded and the roof was shingled, so that a Sabbath meeting was held in it on the 16th of July of the same year. The stand for the preacher was made of rough planks placed on carpenter's saw- horses, and two of them were the pieces of a plank which broke under two men while placing the raf- ters in raising. The men saved themselves from falling with the plank by catching on the timbers, although one of them had a broad axe in his hand. The seats, too, were all rough and temporary. The house was clapboarded, the doors were hung and the pulpit built within the next two or three years, but the pews were not made till 1820. The previous year the pews were sold and conveyed according to a plan, for enough to pay for 'the house ; at which time some other denominations became owners. Af- ter several" years it was re-clapboarded and painted 62 History of Chesteiiville. white, and the pulpit, which had been highj lower- ed down. It was used for meetings on the Sabbath and at other times, on its first location, a little south- east of the Center Mills, till March 1851. Rev. Jo- tham Sewall preached the first, and Rev. Samuel Wheeler the last sermon in it, as it then stood. A few of the choir, with the same leader, attended on both occasions, although the term between them was almost thirty-six years. 66. — Removal of Meeting -House. March 25, 1851, the taking down of the Meeting- house was commenced. This was eff"ected without accident, except that Abner Pierce was rendered temporarily lame by the swinging of a post which struck him near the hips. The house thus demol- ished was removed to Keith's Mills, or North Ches- terville, where it was rebuilt in a diflferent form, the same year, and 'dedicated in December. The di- mensions at the sills and beams are the same as be- fore, but it contains a less number of pews, for a piazza occupies five feet across one end. The posts are shorter, the roof steeper, the windows fewer and larger, and a belfry is added. Here hangs a bell, weighing about 400 pounds purchased by Rev. Jo- tham Sewall, a year or two before his death. This is the first and the only bell in the town. 67. — Meeting - House at Chesterville Center. While the first Meeting-House was being rebuilt at Keith's Mills another Meeting-House wa? erected History of Chesterville. 63 and finished at Chesterville Center. This house is somewhat larger than that at North Chesterville and likewise has a belfry. Both houses are union hous- es, and they are the only Meeting-Houses in town. Some of the inhabitants in the southern part of the town own pews in North Eayette Meeting-House, situated about a half-mile south of the town line. Similarly situated are some in the north-east part of the town who attend meetings in the union Meeting- ilouse at Farmington Falls. 68. — School Houses. The first School House in Chesterville was built by subscription several years before the incorpora- tion of the town. It stood on the John Mitchell lot, near the present dwelling of David M. Hamilton, but was never fully finished. It was iised for schools and religious meetings a number of years. The earli- est school in the settlement was here taught by a mistress, Miss Philena Whitaker, commencing early in the season of 1797. She taught here two sum- mers, giving general satisfaction. Soon after closing the last school of the two, in August 1798, she was married to Rev. Jonathan Ward of New Miford, now Alna, by Eev. Mr. Gillet of Hallowell, in a public meeting at the house of Jotham Sewall. This is believed to have been the first marriage in the place, and that only one, while an inhabitant of the town, was married at an earlier date. William Whittier of Farmington was married to Agnes, daughter of John Butterfield, sen., at Mr. Butterfield's house in t34 History of Chesterville. the north-east part of the town, some three and a half or four years before. Another School House was built by subscription, near Mr. Bragdon's, a few years before the plantation became a town, which was used a short time and then sold. The first school in that vicinity was taught by a Miss Smith, before the School-house was put up, in Mr. Bragdon's barn. She was afterwards married to Josiah Norcross, sen., of Farmington. The first school that was taught in the first school- house after the town was incorporated was taught by a Miss Eobinson. The house was used for schools and meetings till another schoolhouse was built. It was at length sold to Wm. Stickney for a dwelling house. 69. — School Districts. For several years after the town was organized it Avas divided into four school districts. A school- house for District No. 1 was built near Jotham Sew- all's south line, which was used for schools and meetings a number of years. About 1816 it was re- moved, on a division of the district, and stood several years where the brick one at the Center Mills now stands. The brick schoolhouse was erected in 183^. This district was' originally large in territory, em- bracing all the central iind northerly part of the town, excepting the neighborhood in the north-east part. District No. 2, at first embraced the southern part of the town east of the Ridge, and one or two fami. History of Chesterville. 65 lies west of it. For this a schoolhouse was built at the road angle south-east of the residence of Moses French. When this became old and out of repair the district was divided, and two schoolhouses were erected, one on each leading road. What was once called Russellborough, in the south-west corner of the town, formed District No, 3. The inhabitants of this district, not being numerous, got along without a schoolhouse many years, but at length one was erected. This is believed to be the only school district in the town remaining unaltered from its formation to the present time. It is too small to divide, and has no neighbors so situated as to ask annexation. District No, 4 was constituted from the northeast part of the town. Its schoolhouse stood near the residence of Peter Whittier for several years. This territory now embraces three districts, each having a schoolhouse. ^ As before remarked District No. 1 was originally large. By divisions made at different times it made eight districts about 1853. One of these eight never belonged to No. 1, except as wild land. It was settled after some of the divisions were made. Just previous to 1854 the town contained fifteen districts. That year quite an overturn was made and several districts were annihilated by annexing them to oth- ers. This- work was mostly confined to the territory formerly included in District No. 1. All the fifteen ■districts excepting two had schoolhouses, several of which were thrown out of use and subsequently, sold 66 History of Chester-villx-:. • or taken down. This reduced the number of dis- tricts to eleven. 70.— Villages. — Cknter. Mills. The largest village in Chesterville is at the Center Mills. Within a few years past, it has contained a tavern, two or three stores, two blacksmith's shopsy a Post Office, a harness maker, a wheelwright, pail, match, organ-pipe, and starch factories, and some other establishments. Tl. — Other V^illages. The village second in size is at Keith's Mills. It has a Post Office, tavern, store, two smith's shops, with several other shops and mills. The village on the Chesterville side of Farmington Falls contains one store, three mills and machine-shops, one smith, and a few other establishments. 72. — Roads. The first road through Chesterville was cut. and cleared in 1780. Erom the Sandy River settlements., (afterwards Farmington,) it passed near Keith's Mills, over Locke's Hill, by the Center Mills, along on nature's turnpike — The Ridge — to a point near the present residence of Seth Norcross, then turned south-easterly by the residences of Mr. Norcross and Moses French, just beyond which it entered what was then called "The Five Mile Woods," (there be- ing no settlers there for tha,t distance for some time History of Chesterville. 67 after the settlements were made farther north,) — and thence to the Stone Mills, then called Taylor s Mills. On the second hill on this side of Taylor's the road was at first cleared and used east of the present lo- cation, and nearly over the top of the hill, which is an elevated point. On the southerly cant of this hill, a little below the summit, was a spot of very thick evergreen timber, through which the road passed, and which bore the name of "The Dark Entry." In December 1790 a road was cleared which left the £rst north of McGurdy's Pond, and passed over the Bachelder Hill, and joined the other about half a mile south of the residence of Elisha Perry. On one of these roads the mail was carried from Hallowell to Farmington, on horseback, for years. It was also the main road used for marketing produce and trans- porting goods to the Sandy River region. A branch from the first road near the residence of Isaac Eaton, and another following the Eidge almost to its end, as well as one from the first, south-easterly of the residence of Moses French, — all leading to Fayette thrpugh different neighborhoods, were opened at a later date. A continuation of the river road, on the west side of the river in Farmington, by the settlements of Mr. Maddocks and others, in the , north-east part of the town, led to Pilsbu-ry's Corner in New Sharon ; from whence it led one way to Vienna and the other to New Sharon and Mercer. 73. — The Co-os Eoad. Another road leaving the first dt Jotham Sewall's 68 History of Chesterville. south line led to John Bean's. This was named "The Coos Road," as it was cleared out from Ches- ter to Coos, New Hampshire. It was done in 1793 by .Jacob Abbot, Esq., then of Andover, Mass., under a contract he had made with the State. He hired a part of his men in Chester, and beginning there he grubbed a road, bridging the brooks and streams crossing his route, by Sand Pond, through a corner of Jay, (formerly "Phipp's Canada,") Tyngtown, now Wilton, (not far below the Upper Mills,) No. Four, No. Five, (now Weld,) and through Andover to the New Hampshire line. Mr. Abbot and his men wei'e employed in this enterprise several months. They carried their provisions into the wilderness, and camp- ed there at night. Sometimes a team was driven in as far as practicable with edibles, and an animal for beef driven in and slaughtered. Among the articles at that time deemed necessary, and almost indispens- able, was a barrel of lum. When by laboring on, the barrel was left in the rear^ two or more men would go back, and with the barrel suspended under a long pole, carry it forward. Mr. Abbot and se,ve- ral of his hands were professors of religion and sing- ers. Mr. Abbot carried the Bible, Hymn Book and one or two volumes of Sermons, and it was the prac- tice of the party to read in the scriptures and have prayers morning and evening. Labor was suspend- ed on the Sabbath, and sermons were read, preceded and followed by devotional exercises. At the pres- - ent day such close companionship between the Bible and rum cask would produce the conviction that these professedly good men were not very sincere. — History of Chestebville. 69 Let it be remembered that at a time many years af- ter this the "critter" was used, and thought to be absolutely necessary in the performance of jobs much inferior to this, and by Christians whose lives show- ed their devotedness and sincerity. Even preachers of the Gospel are said to have imbibed " a dram" during the intermission of religious services on the Sabbath. If we look back half way to 1793, we shall see times when it was used on almost all im- portant, and on some unimportant occasions. In such cases we should heed the Scriptural command, — " Judge not." The roads just described, with that leading by Mr. Soper's to Vienna, were for many years the main roads in the town. It was not. till about 1812 that the town road over the Blabon Hill, and still later, one to Vienna near Cyrus S. Whittier's, were located. In latter years the town has been considerably bur- dened with roads, as several county roads have been established in various directions. As there is quite a portion of level land in the town, the communities north of us demand a number of thoroughfares through different parts. 74. — Bridges. The largest of these spans the river at Farmington Falls, of which Chesterville supports one third or more. The first bridge at this place was built by voluntary subscription. In earlier times the river was crossed by a ferry above, and by fording below. The fording was difficult on account of the stones in 70 History op Chesterville. the bed of the river. Quite a number of bridges at the Falls have been swept away by freshets. Another bridge across the Wilson Stream costs the town no small sum. It is the first bridge above the mouth of the stream, and is known as Whittier's Bridge. Chesterville has to maintain more than one half of this, and the ground being lower on the south- east side of the stream, it sometimes happens, — as after the freshet of Oct. 1855, — that Chesterville is obliged to rebuild when Farmington is not. Another bridge spans the Wilson Stream at Keith's Mills. This place has been left bridgeless after ma- ny a freshet. Sometimes it has been only partially swept off; and once in a while part of the lumber used in its construction has been saved by efforts made below. In consequence of a rain on the 6th of April 1857, a severe and destructive freshet oc- curred. The water did not rise so high as at many other times, but the damage was chiefly done by the ice which had become thicker than usual during the previous winter. Neither had there been, up to the time of the rain, much weather tending to weak- en it. The banks of the stream too, above the place, were more destitute of trees and bushes to hold back the ice, than they had formerly been. As a consequence the ice came dowa in large cakes and with amazing force. During the night of the 6th the little which lay within some twenty rods above the bridge, had partially demolished one of its wooden piers, and a jamb of ice had formed just above the opening thus made. Hopes were enter- PIlSTORY OF CtlESrERVlLLE. 71 tained that this jamb would hold on till the water subsided, but these were vain hopes. About noon of the 7th, that, with* other ice from above had fin- ished the broken pier, smashed up the other, and set most of| the plank? and stringers afloat. The stone pier in the middle of the stream, as well as the stone abutment on the north side, were sadly disfigured ; many stones being thrown into the stream. Some of the timber> was recovered, being stopped by a jamb of ice which rested a few hours below the mills. A shop standing near the bridge and 'partly over the stream was seriously damaged. Mr. Lovejoy, the OAvner, sustained considerable loss, as the shop had to be taken down and rebuilt. A new bridge in place of the one carried away was not made passa- ■ ble till the following September. This is, apparently the best bridge ever erected at this place. The stone pier and abuutments were built over or repaired, rendering the bridge higher than any of the preced- ing bridges had been. On the whole it has been very expensive maintaining a bridge here. Across the Little Norridgewock we have bridges of greater or less magnitude. Most of these are rarely destroyed by floods. One or two nearest the mouth of the stream are somewhat exposed. In the freshet of Oct. 1855 the lowest of these took a short trip "up stream." This not unfrequently happens to bridges across McGurdy's stream, not far from its mouth, also across some flat ^brooks. The Sandy "River and Wilson's Stream rise so much more rapid- ly than their lower tributaries that the current for a 72 History. OF Chestervii.IvE. while sets with no small force in a direction oppo- site to its usual course. • In later years some of th-ese bridges have been loaded with stoues, so that they do not float even when the water covers them seve- ral feet. There are four bridges across McGurdy's Stream, the two lower ones in exposed situations. — The water of this stream is much warmer than the water of other streams in the vicinity, which is sup- posed by some to produce damage to bridges by hastening the rotting of the wood-work. 75. — Eeligious Societies. The earliest efforts to form a church within the limits of the present town of Chesterville were made in 1789. These resulted, after some delay, in organ- izing a Congregational Church of nine members, five of whom resided in Hallowell, (which then contained Augusta,) and four in Chester Plantation and vicin- ity, Feb. 25, 1790. It was called the church in Chester Plantation, as there existed another in Hal- lowell, or what is now Augusta. A few years after the name of Hallowe];l Church was assumed. Later still it' was joined with the old church, and after more than a year separated again from it. The Hal- lowell and Chester members, others having joined them, remained together till August 1796, about a year after Rev. E. Grillet was ordained pastor of the church, when they became two distinct organizations. The part embracing Chesterville took the name of a Congregational Church of Christ in Chester and' Parmington. This was the first Congregational History of Chesteuvili.e. 13 Church and the only one in this region for a number of years. Individuals in several of the adjoining townships became connected with it, and 'of these, with others, ultimately, other churches in New Sha- ron, Farmington, Strong, and Wilton were formed. Eight of the members of this church have become min- isters. This church is now considerably smaller as to numbers than it has been in some past periods of its existence. The next church organized is suppos- ed to have been the Freewill Baptist Church in the north-east part of the town, mentioned in Judge Par- ker's History of Farmington. Another Freewill Bap- tist Church was organized in the central part of the town in the spring of 1819. This church has been enlarged by additions at various times. Two or three of its members have become preachers. A year or two later a small Calvinist Baptist Church was organized. Years before this individuals in Chesterville had joined a church in Fayette of this denomination and now united with the church in Chesterville. It prospered for several years, when it became divided on matters of discipline, and was ul- timately dissolved. Some of its members joined the Freewill Baptists, some left the town, and a few have died. One belongs to a church of the same name in Hallowell. There has been for years a number of Methodists in town, though somewhat scattered. — More of these, perhaps, live in the south part of the town than in other sections, who are connected with the society worshipping in the meeting-house in North Fayette. A society of the Christian order probably 74 History of Chesterville. never existed in Chesterville, though some adhering to the views of the denomination lived in the town. Elder Peter Young, a preacher of the Christian sect, lived and preached for a while in the town, where he died in 1838, For the last fifty years there has been a number of professed Universalists in the town. Within the early part of this period there appeared quite an increase among them. At different times, either statedly or occasionally, they have had preach- ing at the south part of the town, the Center, and at Keith's Mills. 76. — Physicians. About 1808 Dr. Joseph Butterfieid came into Chesterville and commenced practice. He boarded awhile in the family of Eev. .Totham SewalF, and at length removed his family and resided in a house built by Abraham Davenport. He was the first phy- sician, and after a residence of six or seven years removed from the place. The next physician was Dr. John Wing, who came to Chesterville in 1814, while, the typhus fever was raging, and before Dr. Butter- field moved away. Dr. Wing, after a residence of a few yearSj removed to New Sharon, where he died in 1818. Dr. John Gordon, who married Dr. Butter- field's daughter, was probably the next resident phy- sician. He lived where J. W. Lothrop now lives. After he left Drs. Sanborn, Fpgg, Davis, Hale, Saw- yer, and Jewett, respectively lived and practiced for longer or shorter periods in town. [In the Appen- dix fuller details of personal history may be expected ] History of Chesterville. 75 77. — Stores. The first goods brought into tavvn for retail were kept in a room in the house of Jotham Sewall, by Abraham Davfeliport, between 1793 and 1797. Over the front door of the house was placed a sign con- taining the word "Goods." The variety of arti- cles kept and sold here was of course limited. How long the business was carried on here is unknown to the writer, but it is probable that it was for a year or more. He well remembers, however, that Reuben Bean of Jay, once hauled a load of shelled com to Mf. Davenport with a team of four or six oxen. The sled was longer than common, with a box the whole bigness of the sled, some three or four feet high, and made so tight that corn was hauled in it without bags or smaller boxes. The corn was pur- chased by Mr. Davenport, measured and stored in the chamber of the house. The next store in the place is believed to have been Opened by a Mr. Watson from FayettOv It was kept in a joiiier's shop, a few rods north of the present dwelling-house of Bartlet Lowell. Mr. Wat- son traded here only a year or two, and then return- ed to Fayette. This was probably within the first three or four years of the preset century. The shop was burned with a part of Mr. Watson's goods. The first store at Keith's Mills was opened by Snow & Quimby about the year 1816, who continued to trade there only a year or two. Col. J. E. Bachel- der, then of Mount Vernon, was supposed to have some interest in the goods sold here. ' Since that 76 History of Chesterville. time several individuals have traded at Keith's Mills, each trading for awhile, closing up business and be- ing succeeded by another. Sometimes there has been no' merchant in the village, and once or twice there have been two at the same time. The earliest store at the Center Village was open- ed by "Samuel Melvin, jr., about the year 1817. He continued the business some four or five years, when he sold to Foss & Moore. They remained only two or three years when they sold and the business was carried on by others. Quite a number of merchants have traded in this village, some for a longer, and others for a shorter time. A few times the place has contained two stores at once. The first store in the south part of the town was kept by William Wyman in a part of his father's house, where F. Currier now lives. He continued the business about a year and then quit. It is not known that any other store has been kept in that part of the town, except recently in Abiel Mosher's house, west of the Eidge. As mentioned before, there is one store in the north-east part of the town, and has been for years. [That of the late William Whittier, Esq., which was closed after his decease.] 78. ' — Lawyer. About 184.3 William Tripp opened an oiffice at Keith's Mills. He made but a short stay there, and removed to Wilton. It is not known that any oth- er lawyer ever opened an oflace in town. History of Chesterville. 77 79. — Tobacconist. William Stickney, formerly a resident in Hallowell, settled on the lot between those of William Bradbu- ry and John Mitchell, about the year 1808. By oc- cupation he was a tobacconist. He manufactured figs fl'ora the leaf, which he sold in considerable quantities. After a few years he dropped the pur- suit and turned his whole atttention to farming. 80. •—- Blacksmiths. Alexander Allen, it is believed, was the first black- smith at the Cehter Mills. After a few years he left apd was succeeded by Elisha Bennet, who re- moved to the place from New Bedford Mass., in 1806, Mr. Bennet worked at the Mills about a year, when he bought a part of the Thomas Davenport lot, put up buildings and carried on the .business several years. He made steelyards, screw augers, chisels, &c. After about eleven and a half years his health failed. He and his two sons manufactured the first, and perhaps the only steelyards and screw augers made in the town. He died in 1819. Nathaniel Staples was the first blacksniith at Keith's Mills. — Within forty years several individuals have carried on blacksmithing at Keith's Mills and at the Center Village, and but few times are called to mind when a. journey to some other town Avas necessary to ob- tain iron smith's work. 81. — Carriages. About^ six or seven years after tlie close of the 78 History oi? Chesterville.- \ last century, or possibly a little later, the chaise be- gan to be introduced into the town. In 1808 few double horse \Yagons existed in this region. Much of the transportation of goods, to this town at least, was done in horse-c^rts in the summer season. At this period and earli&r, strong ox-wagons traversed the town in moving goods from Hallo well to Farm- ington. The first single horse wagon in this -town was built and used by Joseph Trench, about 1809, or 1810. A year or two later Dummer Sewall, jr., had a similar one. These were plain farm wagons, without springs of any kind. Not long after this single riding wagons began to be used. Most of them were destitute of springs under the body, and were much heavier and less convenient than those introduced at a later date. 82. — Musical Instruments. The first musical instrument owned and used in Chesterville was a bass-viol brought by Jotham, Sew- all when he removed his family if not before. Sev- eral of the kind have been made by Jacob Ames, and perhaps by others at a later day, as well as violins and tenor viols. The first flute owned in the town was Joseph Bradbury's, about the year 1800. The first, and so far as the writer knows, the only, pi- ano-forte ever in the town, was in the family of Jacob Safi"ord, about 1840, or perhaps earlier. At a later date a few melodeons were owned and used in Chesterville, These were soon superseded by reed organs made in New Sharon. In a few cases these History of Chesterville. 79 have been, and still are used advantageously to help church music. About 1855 Lathrop C. Tilton com- menced business at the Center Village. His employ- ment has been preparing lumber and making pipes for wind organs, which he sends to Boston. Since commencing his business here he has built an instru- ment of this kind, which is not only the first in the town, but the earliest manufactured here, and proba- bly in the county. It was finished in 1857, and plac- ed in the Center Village Meeting-house for the sum of two hundred dollars. The instrument is eight feet in hight, three feet in width, and six feet long. Its compass is four and a half octaves. It has six stops named as follows; viz.. Principal, Diapason Bass, Open Diapason Treble, Melodia Treble, Dulciana, and Flute. Its longest pipe is four feet three inches, — four by five inches. It has sufficient power to fill the house well. It appears to be correctly tuned, making excellent and pleasant music. 83. — Libraries. There is but little doubt that a library existed in Chesterville among its early settlers, perhaps as early as 1793. No records of it have been found, and all that is known about it is found in the private Jour- nal of Jotham Sewall. He mentions meetiiag the "Book Society," and that the books had arrived. — How long it existed, and how many volumes it con- tained is unknown. A Library was started at the Center Village not far from 1820. It lived but a short time. The books were divided among the share- 80 PIlSTORY OF ChESTERVILLE. holders. Another library Avas more, successfully start- ed in the south part of the town about the time of the commencement of that at the Center. It is said still to exist, while another organization of a similar character — some individuals owning shares in both — has been in operation there a few years. Jn 1832 a Library was organized at Keith's Mills which has kept along quite regularly these twenty- six years. It has purchased more than 300 volumes, and most of them — if we may judge from their worn condition — have been well read. It has given much information to, its shareholders — thirty or more in number — and has excited a thirst for more. One person has been clerk of the association ever since its start, and librarian twelve years. 84. — Representatives. Chesterville, being a small town, never elected a representative while under the jurisdiction of Massa- chusetts. An approximation to this privilege was first enjoyed under the act of separation which allowed one delegate each, even from small towns, -to meet in a Constitutional Convention. To this Convention the town sent Ward Locke, in 1819, and raised a Committee to furnish him with written instructions, which he accordingly received. Mr. Locke was also the first representative of Chesterville under the Con- stitution of Maine. Pursuant to this constitution and the classification laws enacted by its authority, the town ha? been allowed representation every two or History of Chesierville. 81 three years. A list of those chosen to represent the town is as follows : 1821 Ward Locke lyV4 David Morrill 1827 David Morrill 1830 Dearborn French 1833 Jotham Bradburv 1835 Seth Norcross 1837 Dearborn French lb40 Cyrus Pierce 184-i Cvnis Pierce 1847 John Baker 1851 Oliver Sewall 1852 Oliver Sewall 1855 Elias H. Brown 1857 David H. Chandler In 1852 Reuben Lowell was chosen one of the electors of president and vice president of the Unit- ed States, for this State. Up to the commencement of 1858, no State Senator or Counsellor has been selected from Chesterville. 85. — Wild Animals. As has been before suggested moose were plenty in the vicinity in the days of the early settlers. — Bears were still more abundant, and in spring and autumn rather troublesome, often killing sheep, cattle, and hogs. William Bradbury lost three young cat- tle by them at one time. In summer the bears fed much upon blueberries, and in some instances seve- ral of them were seen feeding together on the Plains. Tradition as well as written sketches preserve several anecdotes relative to them. On one occasion when Mr. Linscott was in quest of his cattle, he stopped to pick and eat some strawberries, moving about on his hands and knees. He soon saw a bear at a dis- tance, apparently in '^a state of wonderment," having just espied Mr. Linscott, and seeming to be trying to make out what sort of an animal he was. He would 82 History of C'HEsTEaviLLE. come a little nearer, rear on his hind Ipgs, and look intently at the object before him. Mr. L. kept on picking berries, crawling neai-er and nearer to the bear. When he found himself within a rod or two of the bear, and had got hold of a pitch-knot, he suddenly raised himself to an upright position, tak- ing off his hat with one hand, and throwing the knot at his black associate with the other, he spread out his arms, gesticulated as frightfully as possible, and shouted at the top of his voice. His sable friend seemed thunderstruck and motionless for a moment, then recovering from his consternation he made the best possible use of his locomotive powers in a speedy flight. At another time Mr. Linscott found his cattle huddled together, the smaller ones in the middle, and a bear moving around, seeking to make fast to a victim. When the bear in his earnestness would venture up near the cattle, one or two of the larger animals would run at him and drive him back a lit- tle way. Soon he would return again, and again have to retreat before the threatening horns of an ox or two. Mr. Linscott was somewhat amused with their evolutions and watched them awhile. — Whether he shot bruin or tried his luck in giving him a fright, tradition saith not- Opposite the two story dwelling-house in which Dummer Sewall lived many years, lay a large pine, some three or four feet in diameter, probably cut for a fence on the east side of the road. Beyond thi'3 he had a hog-yard. Bruin called there once, somewhat hungry no doubt, to borrow a little live pork. Mr. History ok Chesterviixk. 83 Sewall, not choosing to accommodate him, rested his old war musket over the pine log, and put a qui- etus to any future attempts of the sort.- So the bear furnished instead of filching pork. Stephen Titcomb, Esq., once called to pass the night at Diammer Sewalls, on a journey to Topsham. In the course of the evening Mr. Sewall asked Mr. Titcomb if he would like some bear steak for break- fasti "I should," said Mr. Titcomb ;" Have you any I" The reply was — " No. But I think we can get some in the morning." When morning came they were up betimes, and Mr. Sewall took his gun, and Siiid to Mr. Titcomb, '-Yoke my oxen in the yard, there, take the drag and drive over towards a small pond near the Plains," pointing out what di- rection to go; "and," said he, "when you hear the report of the gun, drive towards it." Both did as indicated. Mr. Sewa,ll came in sight of several bears, which were eating berries, selected his victim, fired, and ran up . and bled the animal. The team was not far behind ; so they loaded their booty, hauled it home, and had fresh meat for breakfast. Early in the morning of June 8, 1794, Jotham Sewall and a few of his neighbors were alarmed by the bellowing of some creature in distress. They hastened towards the place from which the sound came, and found a small ox wounded and disabled by a bear, on the east side of the Little Norridge- wock, easterly from his residence. As they drew near the bear moved off. They looked up the owner, John Butterfield, who concluded it best to kill and skin the ox, which wa-s accordingly done. A trap S4 HisioRY OF Chesterville. Avas set, bated by the carcass, and in a few days af- ter bruin -was found in the trap. He was soon put where he would "stay put," and gore no more oxen. At the early period of the first settlement of Ches- terville the country abounded in game. Of the ani- mals valued for their fur, beavers and otters were not unfrequently trapped. Foxes, minks, and muskrats were also sought for their fur. These were caught in great numbers at certain seasons of the year, by those who made it their business, 86. — Beaver Dams. About the year 1821, John Morrison and Henry Titcomb, in straightening the Beaver Dam Brook, a tributai-y of Wilson's Stream, to facilitate the running of logs, cut through a beaver dam, across where the brook undoubtedly once ran. This was about iifty rods southerly of the dwelling-house of the late Josi- ah Norcross, Jr. They found the teeth-marks on the ends of limbs and sticks. Apparently these indus- trious and sagacious animals had felled a pine tree, some eighteen inches in diameter, across the brook, and stuck down and wove together limbs and sticks, filling in earth above, thus forming a dam about five rods long, and from two to six or seven feet in hight, so firm that it was not easily removed. In- deed, it had to all appearance turned the natural course of the brook around the west end of the dam. This brook is the outlet of Locke's Pond. Its bed lays so low that in a quicl^ rise of Wilson's Stream the water rushes back into the pond, with quite a History of Chesterville. 85 current. There is supposed to have been a beaver dam, ancient! j^ across the Little Nor ridge wock, about a hundred rods above Park's Mills. When passing lip and down the stream in a canoe, in a bright summer day, a ridge or embankment may be seen un- der water, extending across the stream, with a break- age a few feet wide, in or near the middle of the channel. 87. —Fish. Fish were plenty when Chesterville began to be settled. Alewives were very abundant. Mrs. Wheel- er says that her father, Mr. Linscott, had a barrel of them at one time. When a dam had been built at the Center Mills it checked their course up-stream, so that the water below would be almost black with them. When going to the sea they were seen in great numbers passing down the wasteway. As soon as they found themselves going through it, in quick water, they would turn head to the curreiit, and thus back down, no doubt to save the shock below, or pos- sibly to avoid striking anything below with the head. Alewives were so plenty in Wilson's Stream that Mrs. Samuel Sewall caught enough one morning, with on- ly her hands, to breakfast her family. Trout and some other varieties of fish were caught and afforded an important help to the pioneer settlers. Occasion- ally they were fortunate enough to enjoy the luxury of a salmon. It was a problem of exceeding difficulty to solve, that pickerel were not formerly found in any of the 86 History of Chesterville. tributaries of the Kennebec in this region, while they were somewhat plenty in those of the Androscoggin. It was currently reported and believed that Col. Charles Morse of Wilton, about thirty [years ago, brought seven of these fish in a tub of water from some tributary of the Androscoggin and put them in- to Wilson's Pond, in Wilton. From this or some other cause, however, pickerel have been quite plenty in the Kennebec waters of this vicinity for several years. 88. — Serpents. — Power of Fascination. This article is not introduced to exhibit a learned description of the several species of this legless rep- tile. Were the writer competent for such a task,^ which he is not, — the labor would be by no means inviting ; nor would it furnish instruction or enter- tainment to such as might undertake its perusal. — The object is, rather, to save from oblivion a few in- cidents the accounts of which are deemed authentic, and which show the fascinating power of common snakes. It was not until the writer heard one of these incidents, in June 1856, that he had the faint- est idea — the smallest thought — that this wonderful power was possessed by such serpents as are common in this region, or , even by one of them. But to the anecdotes : — Jason Sewall, the third son of Samuel Sewall, who began the first settlement near Keith's Mills, and who lived where J. B. Morrison, Esq., now re- sides several years, relates, that when he was about UssTORY OF Chesterville. 87 seveu years old, as he was returning from "putting the cows to pasture," with a stick in his hand, com- ing near the end of a log which extended angling, away from the road, not far from the present dwel- ling of R. M. Morrison, in Farmington, he heard an uncommon sound, and stopped near the end of the log to listen. The first object that caught his eye was a small bird, perhaps a sparrow, in a fluttering, agitated state, on a bush, beside the log, now and then uttering a singular cry. ?t soon left the bush for another on the other side of the log, alighting a little lower than where he first saw it. It was about this time that his eye fell upon a serpent of the com- mon sort, about two feet long, lying on the log, with its head somewhat elevated, and at intervals making a slight noise. The bird continued in an agitated state, occasionally flying from one bush to another across the log, every time coming nearer to the ser- pent. The serpent appeared to be watching the movements of the bird, turning its head so as to look directly towards it. When the bird had changed its position several times, and had alighted much nearer the serpent than when first ?een, it flew in a direct line into the open mouth of his snakeship. Our friend who had been hearing and seeing now thought it time to act. So bringing his stick with a quick, smart motion across the snake he broke the spell and lib- erated the bird, Avhich flew ofl', apparently rejoicing to regain its liberty. Peeling a measure of that en- mity put between the seed of the woman and that of the serpent, he repeated his blows till the charmer, though charming never so wisely, was slain. 88 History of Ghestkkville. An June 1855, Arthur, son of Reuben Lowell of Chesterville, saw a serpent of a species common in the vicinity, about eighteen inches long, coiled up on the upper side of the stump of a pine tree, which had been turned up by the roots. Some five or six inches of the serpent's head, neck, &c., being ele- vated. He was making a hissing sound, but contin- ued motionless, with open mouth. Some four feet above him was a small bird, flying around in a circle about three or four feet in diameter, uttering a chirp- ing, but uncommon sound. In its spiral flight it came still nearer and nearer to the snake, evident- ly verging into the open mouth. When within about four inches of that point Arthur deemed it proper to interfere, lie raised the axe he had in his hand, and cut the snake in two, which broke the spell, for the bird instantly flew away. The following tends towards the conclusion that this power is exerted over other animate creatures as well as birds. But one would not naturally imagine that it could subject one so spry as a frog to its con- trol. About the year 1850 Otis H. Sewall, then of Chesterville, as he was passing through a small field near his house, noticed a frog making short jumps, in a zigzag course, gaining slowly towards a striped snake, some twenty inches long, with the head some- what raised, laying on the ground, a little farther on. When the frog in one of its jumps had landed about eight inches from the snake, the latter sprang and caught it by the hind leg. The frog cried out some- thing like a cat, and struggled for "dear life," but there he was. Mr. S. struck the serpent which imme- ^ Hisi-oRY OF Chesterville. -89 diately opened its jaws. The frog now liberated leaped off, not as he came up, but to the tune of four or five feet at a leap,, increasing the distance between him and his captor with all possible speed. As the wiiter had these incidents from credible witnesses he cannot doubt their general correctness, '^a^l — Temperance. The first .efforts, to form a society in Chesterville for the promotion of the cause of Temperance were made at a meeting of a few friends of temperance movements held at the School-house in District No. Eight, not far from the residence of Jacob Ames. — The meeting was held in April, 1828. From the rec- ords it appears that some previous labor had been bestowed in preparing a Constitution for a society, as most, perhaps all, present signed one on the spot. The earliest intimation of a desire to fprm a Society here within the recollection of the writer, was drop- ped by Jeremiah Eaton at a town meeting, probably in the March previous to the a,bove date. It is no doubt true that there were many temperate people in the town before this, and perhaps a few total abstainers; still, without an abuse of language, it might have been averred that some were drunkards.. But the evil intended to be cured at the above date was not so much drunkenness as the habit of taking a dram on almost any occasion. Its mission, as we look back upon it, seemed to be to break up the customary use of ardent spirits as a beverage, which was old and time honored. 90 History of Chksteijvili.e. At the meeting before mentioned it was agreed to have another on the second Saturday in the follow- ing June, to organize a Society.. This was according- ly held, when Tobias Moore was chosen Chairman, and Dr. James Fogg, Secretary. As the Doctor was absent William Cbaney was chosen Secretary, pro tem. This meeting was adjourned to the fourth of July following, at which time Dr. Fogg declined the secretaryship and John (Jhaney, Jr., was chosen to that office. He was continued in the office during about two years, during which time the society met some four or five times. Printed addresses were read at some of these meetings, and alterations to the Constitution proposed, discussed and adopted., I'his society kept up its organization till the be- ginning of 1836, the last meeting being in March. Sometimes the meetings were held quarterly, and sometimes monthly. A list of the members found on record, (which probably included only those received up to July 1833,) contained 199 names, 78 of whom are males, the others females. Afterwards more than 100 became members. Forty-six were excluded. In 1834 quite a number of members joined, and among others one whole family of ten persons, — Jotham Bradbury's,— -at one time. — The society had addresses or discourses from different individuals, as follows — June 28, 1836, by Rev. Jotham Sewall, Jr., July 9, 1831, by Dr. J. Caldwell of i'armington, July 5, 1832, by Wm. Emmons, Esq., of Augusta. Feb. 26, 1833, by Mr. Daniel Sewall, Sept. 4, 1833, by Rev. Jotham Sewall, Jr., Dec. 3, 1833, by Mr. Elisha M. Tobie, History of CutsTE.JviLLE. [il I^eb. 18, 18.34, by Mr. E. iM. Tobie, followed by Rev. S Curtis and Col. C. Morse, at Bean S. H. .fuly 4. 1884, by "Rev. S. Curtis, •Tuly 4, 183o, by Mr. Daniel Sewall. At the last meeting but one, found on record, held March 15, 1836, the following question, intro- duced at a previous meeting, was discussed; viz : — "Whether respectable temperenco men, refusing to Unite with temperance societies, or notorious drunk- ards are doing most injury to the cause of Tempe- rance]" It was discussed by H. Mayhew, Josiah Cha- ny, Elder Clark and others. Thanks were voted to Elder Clark for his able remarks on the question. It was also, voted unanimously, that the respectable temperance man who drinks moderately, is doing greater injury to the cause of Temperance than the open drunkard. Not long after the last date given above, the Wash- ingtonians surprized the country, threw the old tem- perance people into the back ground, and took the work into their own hands. The Washingtonians aimed at reclaiming the sot, and many of them no doubt thought it was a new idea in the world. But the records referred to above show it to have been an object with temperance men years before. It is true, however, that this was considered a rather up- hill business formerly; still it is believed that one guch, if no more, was reformed through the efforts of the old organization. The writer lacks information as to the amount of good done in , this town by the Washingtonians. Several temperance societies, in various forms, have been started and flourished for a 92 HrSTORY OF CfJEbTEUVILLK. ' - time, since the above irtentiohed efforts. All Mve doubtless, done more or less good to the cause. 90. — Masts and S'fars. It is supposed that the first masts cut in Chegter- ville were prepared and hauled from the farms of Moses and .Joseph French, about the year 1825. This was done by men engaged in building vessels at or near Hallowell. Within six or seven years after this several sets of masts were obtained in a similar man- ner, as they were needed in shipyards. In the win- ter of 1832 the business of furnishing masts wasim- derta'ken by inhabitants of the town. Col. Samuel French, Jr., (who bv the way was the first, if not the only militia field officer taken from this town,) cnt and hauled to Hallowell from his farm,. 22 masts. It was while loading the first of these for Hallowell, Janr. 8, 1^32. that it came down from the sled, crush- ing the legs of his brother, BenJ. S. French, on the frozen ground, with but little snow. It literally ground the bones, of the right leg in many pieces, and dis- located the ancle, and broke one bone of the left leg twice. By the skill of Drs. Baldwin and Sanborn he became able to stand' erect without any support but these legs, in four weeks and three days after the' injury. His legs were weak for a long time, as it was about a year before he could trust them in all plac- es. In 1833 Col. French cut and hauled 20 more masts. Since 1825 there have been cut in the south part of the town, on different fai-ms, by different per- sons, about 400 masts, besides many spars and much other ship timber, including red oak plank. A few have been marketed from other parts of the town. Masts standing, such as were sold in 1825 for ^3, are sold latterly for ^40. Transporting them to Hal- lowell now costs about double the amount of ex- History of Chesterville. 93 pease as at that time., Within ten years previous to 1856 Isaac French hauled about 175 masts, from 20 to 36 miles, generally landing them in Hallowell. Part, however, were left at Augusta, Gardiner and Pitts- ton. Besides these he hauled many loads of spars and other ship timber. He drove an ox team to Ken- nebec River in this business 346 times, One pair of oxen, which he raised, were in the team every trip, Notwithstanding all this travel, in addition to no small amount of labor on the farm, this pair of oxen lived until they were slaughtered in Dec. 1855, at which time they lacked only two months of being twenty years of age." Tn the Farmington Chronicle of April 20, 1854, appeared the following ; — "Mr. Isaac French of South Chesterville, has a yoke of oxen, 18 years old, which have been driven to the Kennebec and back again SW times, making an aggregate distance traveled of 17,000 miles. Besides this they have done the ordinary ox work on a farm. They are vet- erans." , . 91. — Destructive Wind. On the 29th day of June 1865, there came up a smart shower, accompanied by a tornado, which was especially powerful in the south part of Chesterville. It unroofed several buildings, moved a few from their foundations, and demolished a few sheds. It also blew down several appletrees, and many forest trees, overturning alike the lofty pine, the sturdy oak and the strong sugar maple, and the evergreen hemlock, which had stood the blasts of centuries. In many places these trees with others large and small, were prostrated in a heterogeneous mass, much to the dam- age of the owners. It also displaced a fence made of lai-ge pine stumps, which had been built several years, and of course had become partially imbedded in the soil. 94 History of Chesterville. 92. '■ avalamche. The followinfif is from the Chronicle of May 21, 1857. — " Land Slide in Chesterville — A correspond- ent, S. B., writing from Chesterville, tells of a slide of soil, rocks and trees from a hill in this vicinity, during the heavy spring rains in April. We had before heard it spoken of as a notable curiosity. He says; "During the great rain storms in April a piece of land, six rods in length nnd four in width, slid otF a depth of from four to six feet, carrying trees a foot or more in diameter, and a number of large rocks, one of which is e?timated to Weigh twenty tons. — ' The strip of land was situated upon the easterly slope of a steep [Blabon] hill, on land owned by Nathaniel Whittier, Jr., and known as the Esq. Morgridge Farm. At the eastern side or foot of this slope -was a narrow swatop containitg a large quantity of muck and spring . water. The slide went directly into the swamp, and with such irresistible power as to force up fi'om'fits bed, and over a second slope, a great quantity of the former contents of the bog. A part of the slide,^con- taining the trees and rocks is now resting on the bed of the swamp." 93. — Town -Officers. 1802— Selectmen ; William Bradbury, Thomas; Williams, Aaron Fellow* ; Clerk, Joshua B. LoTT ell; Treasurer, Samuel Linscott. 1803— All the officers (he same as in 1802. 1804 — Selectmen ; Joshua' B. Lowell, Jonathan Fellows, Thomas Williams ; Clerk; Joshua B. Lowell ; tr.i William Bradbury. 1805— Selectmen ; Joshua B. Lowdi, Jonathan Fellows, Richard Maddocks.; Clerk: Joshua B. Lowell; Treasurer; William Bradbury. 1806— Selectmen ; Joshua B. Loweli, Richard Maddocks, Joseph French ; Clerk; Joshua B.Lowell; Treasurer; Wm. Bradbury. 1807— Selectmen; J. B. Lowell, Joseph French, Newel Gordon ; Clerk;. J. B. Lowell — Treasurer; Wm. Bradbury. 1808— All the town officers the same as in the preceding year. 1809— Selectmen; Joseph French, Henry Whitney, Wm. Bradbury ; Clerk and TreaEuier fame OS pieer ding year. HisTouY OF Chestervillf. 95 1810— Ssleotmsn; \Vm. Bradbury, Joseph French, Henry Whitney ; Clerki and Treasurer same as preceding year. 1811— Selectmen; Wm. Bradbury; J. French. John Bean; Clerk; Wra. Brad- bury; Treasurer; Wm. Bradbury. 1812— Selcctmeu;JoshuaB. Lowell, Wm. Bradbury, Joseph French; Clerk and Treasurer same as preceding year. 1813— Selectmen; Wm. Bradbury, Joseph French, Oliver Sewall; Clerk and Treasurer; same as preceding year. 1814— Selectmen; Joseph French, 0. Sewall, Leonard Billings; Clerk; Samuel Linseott, Jr. ; Treasurer. 1815— Selectmen; same as preceding year; Glerk; Wm. Bradbury; Treasurer; same as preceding year. 1316 — All the officers same as precedieg year. 1817 — All the officers same as jpreceding year. 1818— Selectmen; 0. Sewall, Leonard Glidden, Daniel Gorden; Clerk; Tobias Moore; tr.Wm. Bradbury. 1819 — Selectmen; 0. Sewall, Jos. French, Leonard Glidden ; Clerk and Treasur- er same as preceding year. 1820— Selectmen; 0. Sewall, Jos. French, Ebenezer Hutchinson; Clerk; Wm. Bradbury: Treasurer; same as preceding year. 1821— Selectmen; John Bean, L. Glidden, David Morrill; Clerk and Treasurer same as preceding year. 1822 — Selectmen; 0. Sewall, Jos. French, David Morrill; other officers Bame as preceding year. 1323 — AH town officerssame as preceding year. 1824 — All town officers same as preceding year. 1825 — Selectmen; Jos. Keith, Thomas Gorden, Moses Walton, Jr.; other officers same as preceding year. 1826 — All town officers same as preceding year. 1827 — Selectmen; Jos. Keith, M.Walton, Jr., Thomas Gordon; other officers same as preceding year. 1828 — Selectmen and treasurer same as preceding year; clerk, Tobias Moore. 1829 — Selectmen and treasurer, same as preceding year; Cyrus Whitney a short time, and then Bartlett, clerk. 1830 Selectmen, Jos. Keith, Oliver Billings, Enoch Whittier; Bartlett Low- ell, clerk and treasurer. 1831 Selectmen, O. Billings, Reuben Lowell, ^Thomas Oorden, clerk and treasurer same as preceding year. 1832 Selectmen, R. Lowell, Thomas Gorden, 0. Billings; clerk and trea.surer same as preceding year. 1833 All town officers same as preceding year. 1834 Selectmen; 0. Billings, Edward P. Tobie, Jos. Keith; clerk same as preceding year, Wm. 0. Bradbury, treasurer. 1835 Selectmen; 0. Billings, Jos. Keith, Wni. Whittier; clerk and treasurer same as preceding year. 96 , History of Chesterville. 1836 ^Selectmen E. P. Tobie, Jesse Soper, Wm. WMttier; olerk, B. Lowell Treasurer, Jos. Keith. 1837 Selectmen ; Jos. Keith, Stephen Sanborn, William Whittier; B. Lowell, olerk; treasurer, W. 0. Bradbury. 1838 Selectmen; W. 0. Bradbury, Henry Whitney, Jr., John W. Morrill; Hebron Mayhew, olerk, Samuel Wheeler, treasurer. 1839 Selectmen ; Reuben Lowell, Stephen Sanborn, Wm. Whittier ; elerk and .treasurer same as preceding year. 1840 All town officers same as preceding year. 1841 Selectmen; B. Lowell, David Gorden, Thomas Gorden, Amzi Sanborn clerk, treasurer same as preceding year. 1842 Selectmen ;" Cyrus Pierce, Columbus Lane, Jjohn Oakes, clerk, 0. Sewall, treasurer, W. O.Bradbury. 1843 Selectmen ; Cyrus Pierce, Columbus Lane, Wm. Whittier ; clerk, and treasurer, same as preceding year. . 1844 Selectmen ; Cyrus Pierce, Elias H. Brown, Wm. Whittier ; olerk, Amzi Sanborn, treasurer, Elisha Park. 1845 Selectmen; Reuben Lowell, Elias H. Brown, John W. Sanborn, clerk, Amzi Sanborn, treasurer, Wm. 0. Bradbury. 1846 Selectmen ; same as preceding ; clerk, Jotham D. Bradbury, treasurer, W. 0. Bradbury. « 1847 Selectmen, Zibeon Field, L.M.Brown, J. W. Sanborn; clerk, OMver Sewall, treasurer, Otis C. Sewall. 1848 Selectmen; Cyrus Pierce, L . M. Brown, Wm, Whittier; clerk, B. F. Atkinson and 0. Sewall, treasurer W. 0. Bradbury. 1849 Selectmen; as preceding, olerk, 0. Sewall, treasurer, as preceding. i| 1850 Selectmen; Collins Lovejoy, Charles Walton, Dudley G. Morrill, clerk, B. Lowell, treas. as last year. 1851 All same as last. 1852 Selectmen ; Shepard Linscott, C. Waltan, Thomas Williams, clerk and tr. as last. 1853 Selectmen; Freeman Burley, E. H. Brown, Phiueas Whittier, others. as last. 1854 S. men ; F. Burley, E. H. Brown, P- Whittier ; o'k, B. Lowell, tr.as last 1855 S ; F. Burley, G. Clarke, BeuningGlines, o'k, J. C, Wheeler, tr. same 1858 S. W. F. Lowell,©. Clarke, S. P. Morrill, ok. as last, tr. G. L. '. 1857 S. Wm. F. Lowell, E. French, S. P. Morrill, ck. and tr. as last. Ig58 S. W. F. Lowell, E Errnch, G. W. Davis, ck. and tr. as last. APPENDIX — ADVERTISEMENT. B Mr. Sewall feept a jetiTiIal from his boynbod to within -a' few days of hi«:,.deaJth, in which he recoirded the employments and obseryations of each daj^tand thisi, with the habit which the practice confirnied, «n:-^' abled him tq. make the early History of Chesteryille; remarkably complete, and it is- hoped that the ap- pendix-^the publicatioii' of 'W.hich will folloif; as,^§n as pimcticable -^-will; hi^ake the whole ^'ork a model town history/ ' The plan praposed for the Appendix to the Histo- ry of Chesterville will make it sonaewjiatradre exten- sive than the original work.. - '1^ '' ■ It is proposed, \am0ng other thing's, to '^^e a few additional^ papers by ]Vt& Sewall ; somewhat^ extended biographical- sketches of the author of the origih^; history. Rev. Jotham Sewall, Father Poster, and some others whahave been proniinent citizens; andUhe gen^ ealogy, as far as it can be procured, of eafcli.'' familjf. It is proposed lilfet^ise to give , a brief description and sketch of the history of each farm-ssva featxij^e nev- er before attempted in a town history. Arhong the subjects for distinct sections of the ap-. pendix for which more or less preparation has been made, may be enumerated Vke follp'sfing ;— Geojdgy'* of C'hesterville — ; Botany of Chesterville— Agri^ptttoe of Chesterville^Manufactures of Chestery3:|l!|^The Future of Chesterville —Orcharding in Chesteryill;e,r— Water Power of Chesterville — Scenery of Chtesifer- vilte, &c., &c. . . ' PobushM'. it 'W**^ m. i vn^ r<^]