7^ -^ * ■>> ->:> t j..;>:> > >\5r> ■> » >> " •> ■>■ o »' ; "> > j:^ .--;•> 3> ^:> » .. j> > ■ i>- 5 o -0 > '-', r:^-^^ r; ;jc.C-a.Q«.rjr;-a- ^:> _^ ■^i^ '§'; .-^^Jk^KkOi^V-fcrTS' - :^ 1.S S>^ 3> ^ :^ ^ .) > ;> '.^-t ^^ Y3, a>, ^:> i LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. S^ S^UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. | -> > > ^ ^ :> > » > » :> > :3»» . >^ - ^ -^ -, -5 3> if -^'^ --> v>-> >» .. > » ._ :5 •> ^ ^ ) 5 J>» ^^•> ^? tlliff .v'S :> >z> =- 3> y2> i> 11= S> > ^ 13> ;i> 15 • ;>!> :^5 :) y .> ^ :> . 5) ■ ^ :? T3 :> £> >> -> t) ■:> ^ :) ^ ^ > '~> > 3 "7> > . ^ >> 3> \> l3 m >V2> -i> •2Z> 3 >^^ a>3 ^ :> 5> 3 p 3 3^ s> s> > r> > s> :> y >> > > HISTORY OF CHESTERVILLE, MAINE. BY THE LATE OLIVER SEWALL, Esq. FAllMINGTON, Me. PUBLISHED BY J. S. SWIFT. 1875. ^ PREFACE. A FARMI^"GTON 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 social and political relations of life, he never for- got the higher interests and responsibilities associated with 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 inval uable legacy which its 4 History of Chesterville. — Preface. author with indeflitifrable and exhaustive research, pre- pared — not for anticipated pecnniarv remuneration — but for the gratification and instruction of succeedino^ 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 lotig life. The manuscript has been followed almost 6"x- 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 1858; consequently the history lacks some eighteen vears of coming down to the date of publication. This fact imposes upon the publisher the necessity of preparins^ 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 ]n-actice confirmed, en- abled him to make the early History of Chesterville remarkablv comyjlete. and it is hoped that the ap- ])endix — the publication of which will follow as soon as practicable — 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 j)apers by Mr. Sewall ; somewhat extended biogra])eical sketches of the author of the original history, Kev. 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 k^ss preparation has been made, may be enumerated the following ; — Geology of Chesterville — Botany of Chesterville — Agriculture of Chesterville — ^lanufactures of Chesterville — The Future of Chesterville— Orcharding in Chesterville — Water Power of Chesterville — Scenery of Chester- ville, &c., &c. Publisher. INDEX. [The figures refer to the Seciions, not to Pages.] 1 Introductory. 2 Name. 3 Description, — Boundaries, &c. 4 Purchase — Boundaries of different purchases, Dates and Purchasers. 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. IG 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 Bacbekler— Phineas Bachelder— Jesse Soper. 30 Samuel W. Eaton. 31 Joseph Jones. 32 Aaron"Fellows— Adventure on the Ridge Road. 33 ;\Ioses Walton— Jacob Carr. 34 Samuel French. 35 John_,Bean — Corn-house Architecture. 36 William Hathawa}'. 37 John Wheeler, Jr. 38 Clarke Whi ttier. 39 Moses Whittier. 40 Thomas Gordon, Senior. 41 Phineas Whittier — Richard Maddocks. 42 Thomas Williams, Sen. 43 Newell Gordon. 44 John Cakes. 45 Memorable Accident. 46 David Morrill. 47 Town Meetings. 48 Mills. 49 Timber Lauds. 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. 66 Wing's Mills. 57 Accident to Eli L. Wing. 58 Melancholy Death of Daniel Bachelder. 59 Mill below Sand Pond. ^ 60 Mills on McGurdy's Stream. 61 Sawmill Above AVhittier's Pond. 62 Starch Factory. 63 Tanneries. 64 Were's Tannery. 65 First Meeting-House. History of Chesterville. — Contents. 06 Removal of Meeting-House. 67 Meeting-House at Chesterville Center. 68 School Houses. 69 School Districts. 70 Villages— Center Mills. 71 Other Villages. 72 Roads. 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 C HESTERVILLE. BY THE LATE OLIVER SEWALL, ESQ. 1. — Introductory. CHESTE[iviLLE\vas formerly a wilderness. Encroach- 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 Avhich at the time extended from the ocean, near the Kennebec l.iver, 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 different 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 (F Cmesthrville. of justice is in Farmington, the shiie town. Before the organization of Franklin County in 1 808 Chester- ville was in the County of Kennebec. -NAMi 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 any families in the place,) they sung a tune named Chester, supposed to have been com- posed by Billings, and were much pleased w4th 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 "'vhich was agreed to without dispute. From that time to the in- corporation of the tow^n that section bore the name of Chester Pla:station, w'hile the southerly part of the town was called Wyman's Plantation, no doubt in honor of the first inhabitant, Abraham Wynian. When the settlers petitioned for incorporation as a towai 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 unlike most other tosvns in the vicinity it was purchased History of Chester\ ille. 11 in sections by different 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 Vienna. 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 River 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 Parkers 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 P'irst Purchase," as it has been called, was conveyed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, about 1790, to Dumraer 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 River, 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 History of CHESTfeRtiLLF^ 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 Jrods 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 pnrt on the ^ eastern" side of the purchase. It is believed that the south part of the town was bought and lotted off with what is now Vienna, as far west as the Little Norridgewock Stream and Pond, to a point a little further north than Seth Norcross' 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 cornet 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 Chfstekvillf. 10 of this tract was small, (as was fonud when sold,) for it contained a large portion of bog and pond. North of this lay the pnrchase of Pluraer & 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 lay 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. 1-i HisTOKY OF Chest Ell N ILL I" 5. — Natural Curiosities. One of the natural curiosities of .Cliesterviile is found on the east side of Blabon, formerly 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 higbt, a number of rods in length, and almost perpendicular. The south-east side, however,Tpossesses 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 ov 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 " Crow-eiFs Ledge." Still another, called " Lakin's Ledge," on the nortli-west front of the hill, affords many j^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 ]3art 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 tree, some two and a half feet in diameter, with a 16 HlSTOKY OF CUESTERVII.LE, well proportioned body. It looked so inviting that some youngsters wishing to see a " pitch pole," cut it down. And down it Avent> as if hurried into the abyss below, almost top foremost. The top was not only broken off, 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 amo.ag the trees and rocks, with its top towards the stump.. 7. — The Hidge. What is esteemed as at the head of nature's va- rious works in 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 varying 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 Ilidge 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 Kidge into Lane's Pond, near its outlet. This outlet is the main branch of History of Chesterville. 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 Wilson's Stream, (which is rapid,) some mile or more above its mouth, which is at Farming- ton Falls. Besides the last pond above mentioned, two others, Eound Pond and Sheldrake Pond, lie on the west side of the Ilidge, all very near it. It is generally thought that Sheldrake Pond leaks out — slowly no doubt— under the Ilidge 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 Pond, which is so warm that it never freezes ; thirdly, the writer saw, April 2o, 1829, east of the southern hollow, a strip of open water, clear from ice, extending quite across 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 ly 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 Ridge, 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 lliver, about a mile below Farmington Falls. Wilson's Stream, a rapid stream, rising in No. -1, 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 mill sites. They are fed, partially at least, by swamps. Their shores in many places are skirted with meadoAV lands, which afford a cheap coarse hay, of no inconsiderable ben- efit to the farmers. Some . of tliese 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 of Chesterville. 19 "The Horse Meadow." In connection 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 pawiilg 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 Avaters 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 Streaiji, of about the same magnitude as Whortleberry Stream, 20 History of Chestervile. 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 tlie 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.iecture, 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 hiis been partly filled up since. Nor is this a solitary 22 History of Chf.stecvillti. instance. The pond, lulls, and stream near Wilton Upper Village, with the inttrvales at, below, and southwesterly, to the Androscoggin, form a case in point. At tlie south end of Wilson's Pond, near the road to Bartlett's Corner, tlie land is only about twenty feet higher than the surface of the pond at its usual higlit. 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, which, 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. — Early 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 Setli Norcross — about the year 1782. His family was . the only one for about a year between Keadfield 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 Chesteiiville. 2'S turned and lived with his son Daniel. He died in 180-2, his wife in l817. lo. DUMMEll 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. Uummer Sewall of Bath, — arrived with his family, and commenced a residence on the farm hitely occupied by his son, Otis C- Sewall. He had previously made a clearing and put up a camp, in which he and Mr. Linscott, witli their faraihes, took up their abode. Here they liv- ed together for some time, or till Mr. 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 ta 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 Ri-ser. 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, 'jp by Mr. Linscott's, he aad 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. Sewall, 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. HiSiOKY OF ClIKSTERVILLF. '26 Mr. Sewall, with others, in ITS-t and 178"), bnilt the iirst saw and grist mill in the town, on Little iNorridgewock Stream, near the present site of Park's Mills, to which Stephen Titcomb of Sandy River, as traditi >a says, hauled the first log and helped saw it into boards. Mr. Sewall put up two or three otlier mills in later years, being a carpenter by tr:ide. He raised quite a family, the oldest of whom, Diim- mer, was the first wiiite child born in Chesterville. He was born Aug. '22. 178o. 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 coopers ware soon after he became a resident in Chesterville. 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 liis boyhood. They ordinarily contained about six quarts and were mostly used in milking. A tv/o story house, raised Sept. 12, K8s, 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 ofifices he filled several years. He died hi February, 1846, at the age of So years. His wife died in May, 1852. [Mr. Sewall was con- spicuous for industry, and his long life was one of great usefulness.] 26 History of Chestervillf. 14. — Samuel Linscoit- Samuel Linscott moved iijto the place with Dum- mer Sewall. He began on the next lot north of Mr. Sewall's. He helped build and carry on the first mills in the place, and owned one half of a sawmill built some eighteen years later. He carried on fiirra- ing rather more extensively than his neighbors. He made one of the purchases of the to'vn, and served the town as treasurer for the first two years after its incorporation, and as constable and collector dur- ing three years. Capt. Wyman, 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 towards 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 Titcomb had some to spare. Mr. Linscott with his axe w^ent 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 alloat. 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 in 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 History of Chestervule. of Mr. Linscott's, the farm on whicli his son Wil- liam O. Bradbury. Esq. afterwards Ywod and died. 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 went to Winthrop to mill, with a hand sled. He helped build and occupy one sawmill, owning one eighth |)art. 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, 856, 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 vSabbath, 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 well as the siug-iir^ in a'l such meetinp;s in the Plantation some twelve or fourteen years prior to \>W. He died in Nov., 1846. at the ao-e of upwards of 80. His wife died in Nov., 1821, at the age of 67. 16. — John Mhchef-l. About the date of Mr. Bradbury's commencement of improvements on his lot, John Mitchell began to clear the lot now, [i856] 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, rultivators were unknown. Corn 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 prepered 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^ :]() lIi>TOKV OF Ci.ii:sti:rvili.e< and not long after, in 1810, resij^ned. He died af his soil's in Hloomfield in January, looO, at the age of ^8 years, and was brought to Chesterville for in- terment. His wife died in Feb. 1839. at tbe age of 7i years. 17, JOTHAM SeWALL. 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 soTnething 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, was 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, 18o0, at the age of 90 years. [See Appendix to this history for the most complete biographical sketch of Kev. Jotham Sewall now in existence.] 18. — John Bradbury. Jolin Bradbury began on the lot next north of Mr. Sewall's, soon after him. He was a joiner and History of Chesteumi.m:. 3^ o-lazier bv trade, and for maDV years made most of rh€ window sashes used in the vicinity. He also, in addition to his farm work, finished off many rooms- He always appealed to entertain a dread of poverty. Before he was married he was sleeping one night in bis camp, on a bench, or rough temporary bed, whtn he dreamed he saw ])overty, in the form of a large two story house, movnig slowly in various di- rections. In iiis dream he had fears lest it should run over lum and he watched its motions with intense interest. Soon it seemed to be moving towards him, and runnhig 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. i9. — Abraham ajs^d Thomas Davenport. Near the same time, Abraham 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 < r Chlsthrville. Not many )ears elapsed befoio they returned to Hallowell where they had formerly resided. The former left about two years before the latter, Avho left in April, 1799. The former carried on the tal- low chandler's business in Hallowell a number of years, but died at liis son's ni Mobile, Alabama, about \^o\. His wife died in Hallowell. Thomas is sup- posed to have resided in Hallowell the remainder of his life. 20. — Joshua B. Lowell. The next lot north was taken up by Joshua B. Lowell, son of Reuben Lowell, one of the early set- tlers in Farmington. He opened the iirst house for the entertainment of travelers, within the limits of the present town, while it was yet a plantation. He was chosen the tirst Clerk, and served the town in that office nine consecutive years. He served also i\s Selectman and Assessor six years, and was the second Postmaster in the town. A paralytic shock rendered him helpless some four years before his death, which took place in March, 182 L His age was 55 years. His wife died in November, lb'2'2. 21. — EnwAiiD LocKE. Pretty early among the settlers last described, Ed- ward Locke arrived from New Hampshire. His fam- ily lived a short time in John Mitchell s house, while he was making a beginning on the lot next north of Mr. Lowell's, and juitting up a lug house. His lot History of Chesterville. 33 was considerably larger than others south of it. He preached occasionally, mostly in places adjacent. It was not, hov/ever, many years before he leii: the place. Some of his sons occupied the farm, and he, occa- sionally, with several changes, and a few intc^rrup- tions. until about 18'-2S, when it was 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 feveral pieces of real estate in other towns. At the time of his decease he owned a house and lot in Awgusta. 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 17^)3. He had several children, lived a year or two in a log house then recently vacated by the removal of Joth^m Sewall into the framed house he had built, and then moved to the place he afterwards bought of the slate, where Enoch Black now [1856] resides, south of Sand Pond. Mr. AV heeler was a tailor by trade, the iirst 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 t}phus fever in March, 181-1, and his daughter Sally, about two months after. His son's wife, liv- ing near, died May 8, and Mrs. Chandler, a married si History of Chesterville. daughter, May 15, of the some year. A few }ears after these afflictive events he sold and went to Wil- ton, living 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 yO. It was gene- rally believed that he was born in Enghmd. Mrs. Wheeler, when probably about lifty 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, und returned home at night, traveling both ways on foot. 23. — Samuel Judkins. Samuel Judkins, st-nior, was the second^ settler in the south part of the town, then called Wyman's Plantation. He first lived near a large spring south of the d^velling house of Moses French. This was probably about 1786 or 7. Not long after he took up a lot west of the Kidge, 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 coffin upon it, — a saddled horse at each end of the bier, between the poles, — the bier 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. Samuel, jr., was remarkable for the History of CuEbTERviLLK. 35 ability to turn one heel forward, standing with his feet parallel, — toe to heel, — beside each other. He lived n few years near where his father began, but subsequently resided in different places. Joseph and Benjamin were tifer 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, Avho 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 Readfield, 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 tliat 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. Avith one attendant. As they were in a canoe on the Dead River, they espied two moose swim.ming across. He was told to fire. '• Not yet," said he. The moose were soon climbiiio^ 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 v.^as 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 officers of the company in Chesterville. then recently organized. History of Ciiesterville. 37 2). — Samuel Perry. Samuel Perry settled on the present Elislia Perry farm about the date of the settlement of Daniel AVy- man. fie had been a Revolutionary 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 severa.1 years ago. He died in 1821, at the age >f 8f). His wife died in 1855, at the age of more than ninety, 26.— Mr. Russell — Andrew Dunning. Tn 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 timxe Andrew Dunning settled not far from Isaac Eaton's present location but continued there only a year or two. 27. — Jeremiah Bragdon. Not much, if any, after the preceding, Jeremiah Bragdon settled where Moses French now lives. Be- ing a blacksmith he carried on biacksmithing as well as farming. He was the first blacksmith in town. Pie joined the Congregational church in IT 9 7, and being a good reader he frequently read sermons and 38 History of Chestervilli'. conducted reliijrions meetings in Wyman's Plantation, on the Sabbath, when no minister was in attendance. He ]:>robably 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 then' hands full to confine him when first taken. He would contrive to do some mischief 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 ail words where it is silent. He died in Nov., 181 i ; 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 April, 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 History of Chesterv[i.lk. o9 near the south line of the town, while they were making a beginning in clearing their land. They eame 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- viousl} been thirty miles from home. The spotted line above mentioned was south of the late Daniel Jiachelder'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 die 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 him. 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, and was a Justice of the Peace one or more terms. He served the Congregational 40 History of Chesterville. 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- ze.Q. He died in Inov., 1841 ; his wife in Nov., 1855. *29. — JoNA. Fellows, Moses Bachelder, PF^^"EAS Bachelder, Jesse Sopeil 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, alid Phineas Bachelder on the north of ]Mr Fellows, and Asa Sopcr, near where Jesse Soper now lives, all began settlements in this period. Mr. Soper died in 1842, at the age of 16 ; his wife in 1844- at the age of 10. Moses Bachelder died in 1844^ Phineas Bachelder died in 1856; his wife several years before. 80. — 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. HisTOKY OF Chestervii.le, 41 31. — Joseph Jokes. Joseph Jones, the second bhicksmith in town, a trade at which he worked a part of his time, settled w^here Giistavus Clarke 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 Phiueas Whitney, and removed to Cumberland County- He is supposed to be yet [1356] living in, Aroostook County. 3*2. — 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 shoemaking as well as farming. He attended the annual town meeting, March 7, 1853, then near eighty years of age. He died a little more than a year after. Mrs. Fellows died in 1849. 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, expecting 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 Chkstekville. side of the Ridgo; which there is rather steep. — The load was lodged against a hunch of hirch hush- es near the foot of the Ridge, the hind oxen in quite an uncomfortahle position — one on the other, the other still fast to the cart. His first movement Avas to cut oflf the how and liberate the up[)er ox; but findinir this difficult and riskv, he cut off the tongue of the cart. He then drove the oxen up the side of the Ridge as fast as he could antl went home with them. The next day, with some help, he got up the cart and boards. 33. — Mos£s Walton, — Jacob Carr. 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. So. — John Bean. Early in the closing decade of the last century John Bean, son of Joshua Bean of Readfield, built History of C'hestervili/.:. ^-^ 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 Jav. John Locke, son of Edward Locke, beo-an 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 they placed several others, spotted so as to lay steadily. On the last sleepers they built their com cribs, of poles, covered with spruce bark or corn stalks, to shed off the rain. Here the corn was well preserved, and was so high that the b-ars 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 Selectman one year, and as Con- stable and Collector four years. He died in 1854, at the age of 84. His wife died in 1850, aged 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 Chestervili.e. 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 previonsly cleared some land and built a house, John Wheeler jr., who had married Mr. Linscott's eldest daughter, rook up his residence on a lot on Linscott's Purchase, about a mile easterly from the Center Mills, in the year 1800. He con- tinued 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 1S55. 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 iato the place, which was in March. 1783, and an event she very well remembers. Not ffxr from 1840 she became blind. At first she could distinguish day from night, but latterly it is all one continued night to her bodilv eves. She distinoruish- 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 WHrrriER Commenced not f\u- from the present residence of John W. Sanborn, about the same time, which was not far from 178S. 40 — Thomas Gordon, Sen., • Settled on the farm where Benning Glines now lives, in 17i or 1*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 Maddocks. 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. Maddocks in 1839, and Mr. Butterfield in 1818. 43. — Newell Gordon. A little later than the date of the last stated set- tlements, Newell Gordon besan to clear the farm 46 History of Uhesteuville. now occupied by Mr. Lufkin. He served the town two years as Selectman, and as Constable and Col lector two years. He died in K^48. 44 John Oakes. Where David Oakes now resides John Oakes his father commenced living in 180S. 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. An accident of a serious character took place in this part of the town not far from 1809. Some half a mile easterly from John Butterfields, Horatis G. 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 up. 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- HlSl'OKV OF CllKSlERVILLE. 4 7 ty-five or thirty hours after the occurrcn''-o. He am- putated tlic leg ; jNIr. Quiucy recovered, and after- wards became a healthy and robust man. 46. — I)a\ id ]\loi?Hii,i.. The ])ior)eer of the village at Farmington Falls, on the ( 'hesterville i^itle of the river, was David Morrill. He was a native of New Hampshire, and removed with his father's family to Keadfield when he was about fourteen years old. He served an ap- prenticeship with Thomas Williams, seii., and was married to a daughter of Deacon J. F. Woods in 1^01. 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 town 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, 184"3, at the age of 63. Mrs. Morrill died of paralysis, in Oct., lyol, at the age of 77. 48 History of Chl:ste[iville. 47. — Town Meetings. According to a journal kept by Rev. Jotham Sewall the question of the separation of Maine from Massa- chusetts was agitated in i~i92. Monday the 7th day of Mav of that year was aj)pointed for the people of Maine to meet and vote on the question. He writes; '-Met in the afternoon at Uumnier Sewall's.. Nine votes for, and two against separation." The inhabitants of Chester Plantation, (see record made by Dumnier Sewall,) applied to Stephen Tit- comb, Esq., to cidl 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, Willliam 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 September, 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 Duramer 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 fii^t 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. I. 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 erected by Dummer 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 present site of Park's Mill. The dam be- 50 History of CiiEsrEuviLLE, ing 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, 17;-n sold for one thousand seven hun- dred dollars. In 182';, a seven acre lot in the north- east part of the town was valued hy an appraising committee at ^'2'2. About eighteen years after a similar committee set the sam^^ lot at $1-jO 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 present 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 tovs^n. These mills were built by Samuel Sewall. Not far from the beginning of the present century he sold to Ku- fus Davis. After occupying them a few years Mr. Davis sold to Edward Locke. He occupic^d 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. fri^shet destroyed the dam immediatelv above the Gristmill, History of Chestervii.le. 53 and undermined and partially 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 ])redecessors of the owners of that now existing. This was about 1S()9. The first Gristmill on the south side of the stream at this ])lace was built by Edward Locke and his son not far from ISll 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 vahiable mill. He has also a shingle machine, 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 i:un 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 lIlSTOUY OF CuE.sTErivii.i.t;. 52. — Collins liOVEJov's Axe Factory. In 1840 Collins Lovejoy, jr., built a shop a few rods below Keitb'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. 5o. — 'Ax Unfixisheo 'Sawmill. 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, a 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 Norridge- wock to the moutli of Wilson's Stream. This placed History of Chesterville. 55 the stream wholly m Chesterville at the site of this mill. Between the two points above mentioned the stream was made the town line, a few years after the incorporation of Chesterville. This was the second Sawmill erected in this town. 55- — Mills at Farmington Falls. The first mill in Chesterville at Farmington Falls was bnilt 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 bridgre and all the mills at Farminsrton 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 oC) History of Chesteuville. 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 much 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 Wi.ag's son, lost his arm in 1887. 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 loth day of January 1858, a still more serious occurrence took place in the building, and within a few feet of the same spot where youn^ Wing lost his arm. Mr. Daniel Bachelder, aged about 50, who owned the Shingle A'achine and Grist- mill, went below to help start his shingle wheel, which was somewhat fastened with ice. He took lllSTOUY OF CllliSlERVII.LE. 57 with hini 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 liis son in 1839. The wheel was going. The body of My. Bachelder hiy balanced across a fence or rail- ing near the wheel, his feet touching or very near it. The iron bar was standing against tliis railing as though placed there after being used. The axe was found in another place. On oue arm of a wheel just above the platform covering the waterwheel was a mark evidently made by a blow fiom the bar point. 8ome violent blow had bruised and injured the side of Mr. Bachelder s face, and had broken his neck. The probability is that the blow c-iime 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 aft^r being purchased by Benjamin and Daniel Bachelder, were considerably improved. 5b. — Mill below Sand Pond. In the 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 18 -5 6. 58 History of C-he^teuvillk. 60. — Mills on MiGurdy's Strf.a?h. 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 (lakes and others, \vho put up a frame for a Gristmill, but never put the mill in operaSiou. 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 ]\Iill iu the town. In 1827 the privilege was destroyed by a freshet. Not long after Billings and E,uss 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 tlie mills chan^jed owners and a Shingle Machine was intra- 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 water, has comparatively little descent or fail in its course, and rnns 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. — Saavmill Above Whittier's Pond. In 1827 a Sawmill was built in Chesterville by several men residing in Vienna. This was on Mc- HiSTOKY OF Chf.sterville. 59 Gurdy's Stroam, ?ome three-fourths of a mile above Whitticr's Pond, and less than half a mile northerly from tb.e 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 INIor- rill and Thomas Dow. Air. Dow afterwards suc- ceeded to the whole ownership. Both the first and second mills had a profitable amount of business. i]'l. — Starch Faciory. A starch Factory, the first 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 PJisTORY OF Chf.stervillt:. Center Mills. Billings »Sc Maddocks started the busi- ness near the residence of the latter, in the north- east part of the town. They c rried it on tocrether till about 1816, when they dissolved partnership. — After this "Sir. jNIaddocks prossecuted the business a few Tears at the old stand. My. Billings put down vats and built a tan-house on his own land, (the Clarke Whittier farm,) and carried on the business several years. Neither of the yards are now used. About I'^S-I: Stephen and John Gilman made a beginning at the yard now existing at the Center Mills, oppf^site the Starch Factory. They soon fail- ed, however, and removed from the ])Iace. Several others have successively owned and improved the yard. In L'^SB a cast iron Bark Mill, propelled by water power, prepared the tan f)r use, a large building covered the vats, with an attic for finishing leather. It was then can'ied on by Riggs & Phil- brick. [Mr. Riggs has since become sole proprietor and an account of the improvements he has intro- duced will make an interesting chapter of the ap- pendix to this histoiT.] A little west of this tan-yard are two or three buildin<'-s nsed 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 estdblishment had many conveniences and facili- 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- five 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 th^^ 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 accordino; 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-clapboaided and painted 62 History of Chesterville. white, and the pulpit, which had been high, 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. .lo- th am 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 effected 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 different 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 hirger 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 Fayette Meeting-House, situated about a half-mile south of the town line. Similarly situated are some in the north-east part of tlie town who attend meetings in the union Meeting- Jiouse at Farmington Falls. 68. — School ^ Houses. The first School House in Chesterville was built by subscription several yours before the incorpora- tion of the town. It stood on the John Jlitchell lot, near the present dwelling of David M. Hamilton, but was never fully finished. It was used 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 tlu' season of 1797. She taught here two sum- mers, giving general satisfaction. Soon after closing the last school of the two, in August 179l:s, she w^as married to Rev. Jonathan Ward of New Miford, now Alna, by Rev. Mr. Gillet of Hallow^ell, 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, w^as married at an earlier date. William Whittier of Farmington was married to Agnes, daughter of John Butterfield, sen., at Mr. Butterfield's house in 64 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 Robinson. 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 was 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 bric^: one at the Center Mills now stands. The brick schoolhouse was erected in 18-3:-*. This district was originally large in territory, em- bracing all the central and 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 Chesteryille. 65 lies west of it. For this a schoolhousc 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 lias 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 subsecjueutly sold 66 History of Chestep.villk. or taken down. This reduced the number of dis- J triets to eleven. ' 70. — Villages. — Center Mills. The largest village in Chestervillc is at the Center Mills. Within a few years past, it has contained a j tavern, two or three stores, two blacksmith's shops, ' a Post Office, a harness maker, a wheelwright, pail, match, organ-pipe, and starch factories, and some other establishments. "^1. — Other Villages. 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 villa year. 1825— Selectmen; Jos. Keith, Thomas Go rulti, Moses Walton, Jr.; other officere same as preceding year. 1826 — All town officers same as preceding year. 1827— Selectmen; Jos. Keith, M. Walton, Jr., Thomas Gordon; other officer same as preceding year. 1828— Selectmen and treasurer same as preceding year; clerk, Tobias Moore. 1829— Selectmen and treasurer, same as preceding yeai ; Cyrus Whitney a shorf time, and then Bartlett. clerk. 1830 Selectmen, Jos. Keith, Oliver Billings, Enoch Whittier; Bartlett Lov- ell, clerk and treasui'er. 1831 Selectmen, O. Billings, Reuben Lowell, _Thomas Gorden, clerk and treasurer siime as preceding year. 1832 Selectmen, R. Lowell, Thomas Gorden, 0. Billings; clerk and treasui-T same as preceding year. 1833 All town officers same as preceding year. 1834 Selectmen; O. Billings, Edward P. Tobie, Jos. Keith ; clerK same ;i:s preceding year, Wm. 0. Bradbury, treasurer. 1835 Selectmen; 0. Billings, Jos. Keith, Wm. Whittier; clerk and treasurer same as i)rece'ling year. 96 History or Chestervit.lk. 1836 _Sele3tmen E. P. Tobie, Jesse Soper, Win. Wliittler; clerk, B. Lowell Treasurer, Jos. Keith. 1837 Selectmen ; Jos. Keitb, Steplieu JS inborn, William Whittier; B.Lowell, clerk; treasurer, W. 0. Bradbury. 1838 Selectmen; W. 0. Bradbury, Henry Whitney, Jr., John W. xMorrill; Hebron Mayhew, clerk, Samuel Wheeler, treasurer. 1839 Selectmen; Reuben Lowell, Stephe.i Sanborn, Wm. Whittier; clerk 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, John Oakes, clerk, O. Sewall, treasurer, W.O.Bradbury. 1813 Selectmen; Cyrus Pierce, Columbus Lane, Wm. Whittier; clerk, and treasurer, same as preceding year. 1844 Selectmen; Cyrus Pierce, Elias H. Brown, Wm. Whittier; clerk, Amzi Sanborn, treasurer, Elisha Park. 1845 Selectmen; Reuben Lowell, Elias 11. 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, Oliver 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, clerk, 0. Sewall, treasurer, as i^receding. 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. Waltau, Thomas Williams, clerk and tr. as last. 1853 Selectmen; Freeman Burle}', E. H. Brown, Phiueas Whittier, others. as last. 1854 S. men ; P. Burley, E. H. Brown, P- Whittier ; c'k, B. Lowell, tr.as last 1855 S; F. Burley, G. Clarke, BenuingGlines, c'k, J. C. Wheeler, tr. same 1856 S. W. F. Lowell, G. Clarke, S. P. Morrill, ck. as last, tr. G. L. Riggs.. 1857 S. Wm. F. Lowell, E. French, S. P. Morrill, ck. and tr. as last. 1858 S. W. F. Lowell, E Frrnch, G. W. Davis, ck. and tr. as last. \' HISTORY OF CHESTERVILLE, MAINE BY THE LATE OLIVER SEWALL, Esq. EARMINGTON, Me. PUBLISHED BY J. S. SWIFT. 1875. APPENDIX — ADVERTISEMENT, Mr. Sewall kept a journal from liis boyhood to within a few days of his death, in which he recorded the employments and observations of each day, and this, Avith the habit Avhich the practice confirmed, en- abled him to make the early History of Chesterville remarkably complete, and it is hojied that the ap- pendix — the publication of which will follow as soon as practicable — 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 nroposed, among other things, to give a few additional papers by Mr. Sewall ; somewhat extended biographical 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. It is proposed likewise to give a brief description and sketch of the history of each f\irm — 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 cnumeiated the following ; — Geology of Chesterville — Botany of Chesterville — Agriculture of Chesterville — Manufactures of Chesterville — The Future of Chesterville — Orcharding in (yjiesterville — Water Power of (Jhestcrville — Scenery of Chester- ville, \kv., Scv. 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