USA > Maine > Oxford County > Bethel > History of Bethel : formerly Sudbury, Canada, Oxford County, Maine, 1768-1890, with a brief sketch of Hanover and family statistics > Part 4
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Joseph Twitchell had been on a business trip to Halifax, and zhile returning, the vessel in which he sailed encountered a violent. storm, lost her rudder and become unmanageable. The captain was in utter despair and considered his ship as good as lost. Captain Twitchell examined the nature of the accident, and at once suggested a remedy ; a man was suspended head foremost over the stern of the ship, being held by his ankles, and in that position, cut a hole through the ship by means of an axe, into the cabin, and through this he fastend a temporary tiller by means of which the
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
vessel arrived safely in Boston harbor. At a meeting of the pro- prietors holden April sixth, seventeen hundred and seventy-four, it was voted to sell to Captain Joseph Twitchell, lot number twenty- four in the third range, and lot number twenty-three in the fourth. This was known as the Mill Lot and embraced not only the mill privileges at the south and west of Bethel Hill, but nearly all the land upon which the village stands. The sum paid was fifteen pounds in silver. This property passed to his son Eleazer Twitchell, who erected here that same year the first mill built in the town. Captain Joseph Twitchell died at Sherbourn of apoplexy, March twelve, seventeen hundred and ninety-two. The Rights of nine of the proprietors, namely, Nathaniel Dike, Richard Ward, Edward Clap, James Paterson, John Fay, Joseph Meriam, Abner Newton, Joseph Trumbull and Daniel Walker, were drawn by Elijah Liver- more of Waltham, and in seventeen hundred and seventy-four, sold by him to Aaron Richardson and Jonathan Clark of Newton, for the sum of one hundred and eighty pounds, lawful money. Joseph Twitchell, Esq., and Isaac Fuller were appointed a committee to run out the township and divide it into lots. The surveyors, who- ever they were, who performed the work, paid but little regard to the prescribed limits of six and three-quarter miles square. They extended their survey along the river in order to include all the good interval possible, for a distance of more than fifteen miles. The intervals were at that time covered by a heavy growth of white pine which was ancther inducement for the surveyors to overstep their prescribed limits. The interval lands were first surveyed into long, narrow lots containing forty acres each. The upland was divided into lots of one hundred acres each. The following quitclaim deed possesses interest as probably being the earliest conveyance by deed of Sudbury Canada lands :
"Know all men by these presents, that I Ebenezer Twitchell of Sherbourn in the county of middlesex and province of massachu- setts Bay In New England, Husbandman, In consideration of six shillings Lawfull money paid me by Joseph Twitchell of Sherbourn aforesaid, gentleman, Have Remissed, Released and forever quit- claimed and by these presents for myself my Heirs do Remiss, Release and for Ever quitclaim unto the said Joseph Twitchell and His Heirs forever, all my Ritte and title to a Township of Land granted to Josiah Richardson and others, June, 1668, whose ancis- tors ware for the Expedition to Canada in 1690, together with all
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
the Rite title and Interest use and property Clame and demand whatsoever." The deed is signed by Ebenezer Twitchell, Septem- ber seventh, seventeen hundred and sixty-eight, within three months from the date of the grant. It was witnessed by Ebenezer Twitchell and Abijah Twitchell, and acknowledged two years later, before Joseph Perry, Justice of the Peace. As originally surveyed, the base line of Bethel ran east twenty degrees north, but there is now a variation of about two degrees.
The following paper copied from the archives of Massachusetts, indicates a desire on the part of the settlers of Sunday River Planta- tion, now the town of Newry, to unite with Sudbury Canada, and is valuable as showing who were the settlers in Newry at the date specified :
"COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Boston, May 30th, 1787.
The Petition of Jonathan Barker and others, Humbly Sheweth, that whereas there is certain tract of unappropriated lands lying between the mountains northerly of a township granted to Josiah Richardson and others, lying on Andrewscoggin river and joining to a Grant laid out join- ing to said township. Said unappropriated land contains eight hundred acres and lyeth on a small river that comes off the mountains and is sur- rounded with mountains on every side except that end that joins to the Grant aforesaid, so that it cannot be convenient to be joined to any Town- ship except it be that, that was laid out on Andrewscoggin river as afore- said, and as your Petitioners are inhabitants of said tract of land and have done much labor thereon for seven years last past they conceives it would be reasonable that they should have a Grant of the same. Your Petitioners therefore prays that your Honors would grant the said tract of unappro- priated lands to them, so that they may have a lawful claim to the same, either by way of purchase or some other way, as you in your great wisdom shall see fit and as in duty bound prays your Petitioners.
(Signed) JONATHAN BARKER,
BENJAMIN BARKER,
JONATHAN BARKER, JR. BENJAMIN SLEEPER,
JOSEPH JACKSON,
SAMUEL BARKER, NATHANIEL SPOFFORD, JESSE BARKER, ABNER FOSTER, SIMON EPES BARKER."
A TRUE COPY of the ORIGINAL PLAN
OF THE
TOWN OF BETHEL.
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CHAPTER IV.
NATURAL FEATURES.
HE town of Bethel is situated in north latitude forty-four degrees and twenty minutes, and in longitude west from Greenwich, seventy degrees and fifty minutes. The lines as described above, cross each other not far from the center of the town. It is situated on both sides of the great Androscoggin river, and is irregular in its shape. Its greatest length by a line drawn from the point where the Grand Trunk railway passes into Gilead, to a point bounded east by Rumford and north by the Androscoggin river, is about ten and one-half miles, and its greatest width by a line drawn from Newry line, near the mouth of Bear river, to Greenwood line near Locke's Mills, is about six and a half miles. Its average width is about five and a half miles, and its average length about nine and one-half miles. The area of the town is about fifty-two and one-fourth square miles or thirty-two and one- fourth thousand acres .* The town is bounded on the east, one mile and two hundred and eighty rods by Milton Plantation, and two miles and two hundred and sixty rods by Rumford ; on the north, five miles and two hundred rods by the Androscoggin river, which forms the dividing line between Bethel and Hanover, and six and one-half miles on Newry ; on the west, two miles and two hundred
*There are three plans of Sudbury Canada in the Massachusetts archives. The first was made by Captain Joseph Twitchell in seventeen hundred and sixty-nine, the year after the township was granted. This is a rude plan, showing only the outline of the town, its boundaries and the course of the river. No dimensions are given. The next was made by Colonel Eli Twitchell in seventeen hundred and ninety-five. This is also an outline plan, but it gives the dimensions as fourteen hundred and sixty-two rods on the west, thirty-two hundred and fifty rods on the south, nineteen hundred and ninety rods on the east and thirty-five hundred and five rods on the north. A road is described following the general course of the river on the south side, from Gilead to Rumford. A road is also marked leading from the mills up Mill brook, and is marked "road to Port- land eighty miles." Fourteen islands are marked in the river. Upon the earliest plan, a brook flowing northwardly along Gilead line and into the river is called Brackett's brook." The third plan was made and returned when the town was incorporated, and does not differ materially from the second. No lot plan is on ille.
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
and sixty rods by the east line of Gilead, one and one-fourth miles. by Fryeburg Academy grant, and one mile and two hundred and forty rods by Mason ; on the south, three miles and two hundred rods by Albany, the same distance by Greenwood, and two miles and two hundred and twenty rods by Woodstock.
The principal river is the great Androscoggin, which enters the town from Gilead near the middle of the southerly line of that. town, and for two miles and a half, pursues nearly a due easterly course. It then runs obliquely across in a southeasterly direction, about two and one-half miles to a point nearly opposite Bethel Hill, where, describing an angle of about seventy-five degrees, it pursues. a north northeasterly course with some slight variations, five miles to the mouth of Bear river near Newry corner, where it approaches very near to the south line of Newry. At the mouth of Bear river, the Androscoggin, describing nearly a right angle, turns toward the southeast and runs nearly four and one-third miles, forming the dividing line between Bethel and Hanover. From this point it. changes its course and runs a little north of east, still forming the dividing line between the two towns, the distance of about a mile and a half, when it enters the town of Rumford. In its meander -- ings, therefore, the great Androscoggin river, within the limits of Bethel, has a length of not far from seventeen miles. There are no falls on this river within the town, and no very marked rapids, the aggregate fall between Gilead and Rumford being but a very few feet. Sunday river enters Bethel from Newry some two miles. westwardly from the mouth of Bear river, and flowing in a course a little east of south, empties its waters into the Androscoggin about. one and one-fourth mile from the point where it enters the town. Bear river, taking its rise in Grafton, flows southwardly through Newry and empties into the great Androscoggin at a point near. Newry Corner, where the latter river almost impinges Newry south line. Alder river, having its source in a number of ponds, situated part in Woodstock and part in Greenwood, enters Bethel from Greenwood near Locke's Mills, runs northwesterly through South Bethel, where it furnishes power, and having received several small tributaries, flows into the great Androscoggin through the interval, a short distance northwardly from Bethel Hill. A stream also called: Mill brook or stream, rising in the southwesterly part of the town and flowing northwardly, after receiving several small tributaries, runs along at the foot of Bethel Hill and flows into the great river.
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
half a mile below. This stream furnished the power for the first- grist mill erected in town, and has supplied power for more or less machinery ever since. Beside these already named, the waters of the Androscoggin as they meander through the town, are re-enforced by numerous brooks, some bearing names such as Bog brook, Chapman brook, Alder brook, and others having no generally recog- nized names. The watershed of the Androscoggin, consisting largely of steep and barren mountains, including the easterly slopes of some of the White Hills, is such as to cause the volume of water in the river to increase very rapidly during severe rainstorms and spring freshets, the rise often amounting to one foot per hour for several successive hours, the banks soon becoming overflowed and the broad intervals presenting the appearance of a raging flood. The intervals of Bethel on both sides of the Androscoggin, extend- ing through the town from west to east, in extent and fertility are not surpassed by those of any town in the State. They are about fifteen miles in length and of varying width from a few rods to a mile or more. They are formed largely of the alluvium which has been washed down from the mountains, and as they are covered with water during the early springtime of almost every year, their richness is yearly renewed. There are also belts of interval on the Sunday river, on Alder brook, and bordering some of the other smaller streams. Back from the river, the country is broken into hills, the sunny slopes of which furnish sites for numerous upland farms, while the higher and rougher portions supply excellent graz- ing lands. There are several swells of land which bear local names- and which embrace some of the very best farming lands in town, the rich intervals alone excepted. In the west part of the town Grover Hill, named for the early settlers there, has always been noted for its fine agriculture and also for its fruit culture. Swan's Hill, situated a little eastwardly of the center of the town and named from James Swan, Jr., an early settler, is also a famous farming and fruit-growing region. Bird Hill (earlier Berry Hill), Kimball Hill and Howard Hill, situated farther toward the easterly part of the town, have good farms and much good pasturage. Paradise Hill, situated near Bethel Hill, is noted for the beautiful vistas afforded from that elevation rather than for its agriculture.
There are several mountains in Bethel belonging to the Appala- chian range, but in height and grandeur not equal to those at the north and west of the town. In the west part of the town near
.
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
the northern border is Ellingwood's mountain, sometimes called Anasagunticook, and a little west of Grover Hill, is Sparrowhawk. Waterspout mountain is south of Swan's Hill and near the center of the town. Northwardly from South Bethel, once called Walker's Mills, is Walker's mountain, so called from the former owner of the mills. On the road leading from Locke's Mills to the Andro- scoggin river, at what was once known as Bean's Corner, are several bald bluffs. The first on the westerly side of the road is known as the Goss mountain. Its easterly aspect rises almost perpendicular from a small pond to a height of several hundred feet. On the opposite and easterly side is Bryant's mountain, neither as high nor as bald as the one last named. North of Goss mountain and sepa- rated from it by a hilly pasture known as "Egypt," is a sugar loaf mountain bearing but little vegetation, and a short distance farther along is another which closely resembles it. I have never heard any names borne by these two sugar loaves, and I take the liberty of christening the one next to Egypt, Foster mountain, in memory of Deacon Eli Foster, who was once the owner of the pasture called "Egypt," and the other Hodsdon's mountain, from an early settler who lived near it. In the eastern part of the town is a group of five mountains, none of them very high or bald. The one east of where the Kimball's once lived may be known as Kimball mountain, and the southermost one of the group I have heard called Johny's mountain. There are two bluffs east of Swan's Hill, for which I have not found any names. Locke mountain has two heads, the southerly one sometimes called Bessee's mountain, and is situated west of Sunday river and near the north line of Bethel ; it is nineteen hundred and twelve feet high, and probably the highest in town. At the eastward of the road leading from Bethel Hill to Middle Interval, and soon after leaving the Mason farm, is Farewell's mountain, on the sides of which chrystalized quartz have been found in considerable abundance. Barker's mountain, which lies mostly in Newry, a small part of it being in Bethel, is twenty-five hundred and fifty-one feet high, and Mount Will, also in Newry near Bear river, its foot-hills being in Bethel, has a height of fifteen hundred and eighty-eight feet.
The surface of Bethel is composed largely of what is denominated drift. Boulders on the uplands are everywhere found far out of place, and glacial action is seen in the diluvial markings across the naked ledges and in the wide distribution of rounded pebbles and cobble
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
stones. The easterly or southeasterly aspect of the mountains is generally steep, often nearly perpendicular and sometimes beetling, while the opposite sides are sloping and generally covered with vegetation. This is another indication of diluvial currents and glacial activity. The uplands are generally composed of a gravelly loam, the surface soils intermixed with decayed vegetable matter. Such land is excellent for corn, wheat, rye and potatoes. In some places there are sandy areas, though not of great extent, and occa- sionally strata of clay suitable for making into bricks. The bottom lands are exceedingly rich in fertilizing material, and produce heavy crops of English hay, oats and vegetables. It rarely suffers from drouth and so a good crop is quite generally assured. As a whole, the town of Bethel presents a pleasing variety of meadow, interval and upland ; of valley, hill and mountain ; of charming rural vistas and grand mountain scenery ; such a variety as ought to please the most fastidious. A chalybeate spring on the north side of the river above Mayville, constantly discharges its healing waters, said to be valuable for many of the diseases to which human beings are liable, and in which many have great faith. It has been called the Anasa- gunticook spring. Speaking from a geological standpoint, Bethel is composed of the Azoic series of rocks, above which the other series are entirely wanting, until the tertiary clay, diluvium and alluvium are reached. As the name of the series of rocks implies, no fossil remains are found in them, and they are presumed to have been formed before life in any form existed upon this planet. The soil is rich in all the elements of fertility, lime only excepted. This can be supplied by commercial lime in a hydrated form, known as plaster of paris. No gems except the garnet have been found within the limits of Bethel, and none of the precious metals to excite the cupidity of its people. Even the minerals are of the more common kinds and not extensive in variety. When Dr. Charles T. Jackson made a geologcal survey of the State, while he visited Norway, Paris and Rumford, he did not come to Bethel, there being nothing to call him here. But while deficient in minerals and metals, Bethel has that which is far better, a fertile soil, one that is capable of supporting a much larger population than any other town in the county.
The flora of Bethel while the same as in other towns of Oxford county, differs from that on the sea-coast in the same latitude.
3
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
The natural growth of wood was white pine on the intervals and upland swells, maple, yellow birch and beech on the highlands, and spruce and hemlock on the mountains. This was not invariably so, for a black growth was often found on the uplands, and pines on the mountains. On the lowlands and in the swamps were found cedar, hacmetac, elm, white maple and fir. White pine was very. abundant, and clear stuff was used for ordinary building purposes. The early settlers cut it from their interval lands and sold it in the river at the rate of two dollars and fifty cents per thousand. Only the lower cuts would bring this price, and the remainder of the trees were either burned upon the land or made into fence. There were scattering Norway and pitch pines in various parts of the town. The silver fir in the swamps grows to a large size, and since the pine has disappeared, it is much used for shingles.
Black spruce still grows upon the mountains, of large size and excellent for timber or lumber. White spruce is much less common, and has little value. White cedar was formerly very abundant, but it has been mostly used up. It has supplied material for a large portion of the fences in town ; has been sawed into shingles, and in more recent years has been utilized for railway ties and telegraphı poles. Basswood is not common, but an occasional tree is found mixed with other growth. Hacmatac was formerly very common on low lands, but there is little left. The red maple shows itself conspicuously in the spring by its bright crimson flowers. Its timber is highly prized for nice cabinet work. The red oak is the only species of this family that grows wild in this vicinity.
The white birch was formerly abundant here and furnished mate- rial for canoes. It now appears only as a second growth. Poplar also comes up as a second growth. It was formerly of little value, but is now largely used in the manufacture of paper stock. Horn- beam is found sparingly mixed with other growths. Brown and black ash was quite common once on low grounds but has mostly been removed. It was formerly considered of little value, but is now highly prized for inside finish. The alder grows everywhere in swamps. It is not a tree, but a shrub. Cherry trees, black, red and choke, are abundant. The mountain ash grows wild in the forest and is transplanted as an ornamental tree. The willow some- times grows very large. Much of the land in town was burned over
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
in seventeen hundred and seventeen, and again in eighteen hundred and twenty-five, and a large part of the old growth destroyed.
The flowering plants in this town exhibit the same varieties as in other inland localities in this latitude. The "Wake Robin," two varieties, appear early by the woodland streams ; the trailing arbutus and the violets quickly follow the disappearance of the snow ; then follows. in order, the long train of flowering plants, embellishing meadow and pasture, hillside and valley, bordering the waysides with crimson and gold, and beautifying even the dark and sombre woods. The advent of the golden rod admonishes us that mid- summer has come, and asters in great variety close the season, and are the harbingers of winter. 1138920
The fauna of this region, once of considerable importance, is of little interest now. A large proportion of the wild animals that once roamed the forests in the valley of the Androscoggin, have been driven away. Among the valuable fur bearing animals which rendered this region especially valuable as a hunting ground for the aborigines, the beaver, the otter and the sable are found here no longer. The black bear when driven by hunger from the northern forest belt where he now for the most part has his home, sometimes at this late day, raids the flock of the farmer or satiates his appetite upon the succulent corn, but his ravages are of brief duration, for if he does not soon retreat he is sure to be destroyed. The stately moose that once roamed through the pine forests and cropped the tender herbage from the banks of the Androscoggin and its tributaries ; that supplied the larder of the early settlers with excellent food, and furnished protection to their feet, is seen no more, and the timid deer which the settlers found here in herds is now only an occasional visitor. The snarling loupcervier and the gaunt wolf have sought wilder haunts than the forests of Bethel afford, and the awful cry of the panther no more disturbs the repose of the household. The most important of the wild animals that now remain, the catlike mink, the amphibious musk-rat, the lively red and gray squirrel, the beautiful chipmunk, the fetid skunk, the hibernating woodchuck and the prickly porcupine, are insignificant when compared with the lordly brutes that once inhabited here. The food fishes have also deteriorated. Salmon once ascended the Androscoggin, and the smaller streams and ponds abounded with
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
the speckled trout. By clearing the land along the streams and cutting the timber from their sources, the quantity of water has been much diminished and the temperature raised, so that the trout which delights in a cool, deep pool, has become very scarce, and the ponds have been stocked with fish of inferior quality as food, but with qualities far superior for propagating and perpetuating their own species.'
CHAPTER V.
FIRST SETTLERS.
T is difficult to determine who was the very first person to settle here on account of the loss of the proprietors' records and the records of Sudbury Canada Plantation. So far as I have been able to ascertain by a careful examination of the records in the Cumberland county registry of deeds, the first person to purchase Sudbury Canada lands with the view of person- ally settling upon them, was Jonathan Keyes of Shrewsbury, Massa- chusetts. November third, seventeen hundred and seventy-two, he bought of Luke Knowlton of the same Shrewsbury, one whole right of land in Sudbury Canada. The deed states that Knowlton bought this right of Nathaniel Gray, Jr., of Woreester, for the sum of ten pounds, and that it was the original right of Joseph Orlando, who served in the Canada Expedition of sixteen hundred and ninety. On the eighteenth day of March, seventeen hundred and seventy- four, Jonathan Keyes purchased of James Towle of Woburn, one whole right number seven, in Sudbury Canada lands. Just what year Keyes came to Bethel is not known. Nathaniel Segar was here in seventeen hundred and seventy-four, but does not mention him. A deed recorded with the Cumberland records, recites that March fourteen, seventeen hundred and seventy-seven, Jonathan Keyes of Sudbury Canada, sold to Samuel Ingalls of Fryeburg, four hundred acres or four lots of land situated and being on the south side of the great Amariscoggin river, in a place called Sud- bury Canada. The deed further recites that upon one of these lots Mr. Keyes had made considerable improvement ; had built a house, a barn for grain and another for English hay. This would indicate an occupancy of two or more years, but whether Mr. Keyes ever brought his wife here is exceedingly doubtful. Two of his sons, Ebenezer and Francis, were here with him, and on what appears to
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