The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-27
100 YEARS.
Centennial Of the Town of Bethel.
A GRAND DISPLAY.

dredth birthday. The people, emulous of their
ancestors for the nonce, were astr at an early
hour and at sunrise the ringing of bells and
booming of cannon announced the coming eel
ebration. Soon the yeomanry in holiday attire
came flocking in from the surrounding towns,
and the music of the drum and fife was borne
upon the air. From the hotels and several
private dwellings flags foated on the breeze,
and in some cases the decorations were quite
elaborate.
The procession was the grand feature of the
celebration. The trappels and hunters with
guns and the fruits of the chase led off. Then
came the pioneers with their axes, in memory
of Nathanial Segar, who, a hundred years ago,
with the glitterng steel cleared himself home
in the town of Sudbury, Canada, now Bethel.
Then there was the doctor on very small
horse, with saddle bags stuffed out with medi-
cines In one team men were irving and shaw
ing shingles: in another dressing fax; in
another grinding corn in a mortar in true In
dian fashion. Next followed the goddess of
liberty, wrapped in the stars and stripes, and
finding it difficult to preserve either her equili-
brium or her equanmity. The driver of
her chariot was dressed in the costume of "ye
olden time,' and a century ago would doubt
less have been considered model of the fash
ionably dressed young man. In a hay-rack,
EMPOWERED in evergreen, and robed in white,
with gilded coronets, were fourteen embryonic
goddesses, representing the original states and
Maine. Another rack contained a score or
| more of young misses, representing the coming
woman. who Haunted in the face of the mascu-
line beings, who believe that women were born
simply to do house work and tend children,
banners provokingly inscribed with such mot
toes as "woman suffrage" "orator," ETC.,
meaning no doubt, that they propose to strive
with their brothers at the polls and the forum.
The old settlers were represented by the
Twltchell family in a carriage, bearing the
proud inscription from an old ballad, "And if
Twitchell, strong"
High above the procession was seen huge
gallinaceous fowl, designated in common par
lance rooster, who hath history. Once he
was Astrological Grower, and touchdown from
the steeple Of the Congregational church on the
worshippers below. But his theology did not
keep pace with the moderns, aud years ago he
was degraded from his proud eminence, and
now perches upon a barn. To give an idea
of the procession perhaps we cannot do no bet
ter than append it in its order of march:
Mr.. President, Natiye born Citizens, adopted
Citizens and Friends:
One hundred years is the involuntary excla-
nation of every one who contemplates the
scenes connected with centennial celebration.
One hundred years ago little was known of the
Androscoggin river above Rumford Falls. The
earliest map in which l can find it laid down is
tL.nrl axrctxr ~, III L.
survey few miles above Rumford Falls The
Indian name Of what is now Bethel is lost.
The only Indian name remaining within the
limits OF the town is that of SOngo, applied to
pond on the extreme south border of the
town. 1t signifies the source" and is the
principal source of the Presumpscot river.
On the banks of the Androscoggin, some two
miles in front of the house of the late Timothy
Chapman, there is an elevation of intervae,
consisting of three or:four acres. Here was an
Indian village. How long it had been inhabit-
ed is not known. 1t is probable the Indians
had not occupied the spot since about the year
100. Corn fields were everywhere visible among
the trees. On clearing the land, almost twenty
deposits for the corn. A single skeleton was
discovered wrapped in birch bark. Probably
the settlement contained ona or two hundred
persons. mile and half below the bridge
| near the "Narrows," is Pow-wow Point where
tradition says a camp was burned with all its
inmates 1t is matter of political significance
that for long time the Androscoggin was the
boundary line between French and English in
fuence.
The following notice respecting the present
town OF Bethel stands recorded: June Z, 1853.
In General Court of Massachusetts reported
that there be granted to Josiah Richardson aud
others whose ancestors were in the expedition
against Canada in 1861 township of 6x3
received the name of Sudbury, Canada, from
the circumstance that the original propretors
were from Sudbury, Mass. A meeting of the
propretors was held the same year and Josiah
vey the township. After the return of the
surveyors, Joseph Twitchell, gentleman of
wealth and ancestor of all now living of that
name, purchased 40 shares Of the township. 1t
was due to his energy and foresight that the
town was settled The breaking out of the rev.
dictionary war prevented the settlement of the
town according to the original conditions of the
grant and it was not till 1888 that the General
Court gave full title to the settlers for their
lands. The duty of surveying the lots usually de-
volved on Capt. Eleazar Twitchsll after he
moved into town in 1880.
In 1884, Capt Joseph Twitchell built saw
mill on the fall near Eben Clough's starch fac
tory. The remains of this dam are still seen.
The same year he erected grist mill on the
spot where the present mill now stands.
Amid some very shadowy evidence of any at
tempt at clearing lands for settlement must
assume that the first man who shouldered his
axe for this purpose was Lieut.. Nathaniel Sc
ger, who came from Newton. Mass. In the
same year with Segar came Lieut.. Jonathan
Clark In the fall of 1776 Mr.. Samuel Ingalls,
ard wife came from Andover, Mass. to the
settlement. Benz. Russell came to the Settle
ment from Fryeburg in 1777. Mr. Russell per-
formed the business of the settlement and cela-
bratei the marriages. He died NoY. 1902. In
1878 Jesse Duston moved into town and his
child was the first born in Sudbury now Han
over. March IL, 1882, Joseph Twitchell was
born, the first white child born within the
limits of what is now Bethel. Up to the spring
of 1881 there had been but four families settled
in the town.
On the Sd of August, 1881, occurred an event
which is worthy of notice as being the last of
the incursions of the Indians on the whites
in New England. On that day party of five
Indians came from Canada, plundered the
house of Capt Twitchell and escaped, carrying
off several prisoners. The settlers sent for.
assistance and built garrison. The effect of
these Indian incursions was very disastrous,
and land fell greatly in consequence.
In 1888, Oct. %, occurred the greatest freshet
ever known on the Androscoggin river. Log
houses were carried away, and Capt Twitchel's
house was surrounded with water, and his
family had to be taken off on raft.
john Grover and his brothers settled on or
near Growers Hill He married Miss WILEY
of Fryeburg, and one of his children was DR..
John Grover, for more than fifty years physi-
clan of this town. The two Oldest citizens now
living, natives of this town, are Capt. Barber
and Edward Bean. The oldest house now in
existence is that built by Lieut. Segar
The first town meeting was.heId at the house
of Gen. Amos Hastings, Aug. Is, 1896. Lieut..
Jonathan Clark was moderator, Benz Russell
town clerk and John Kilgore, Jonathan Clark
and Jonathan Bartlett selectmen. At this
town meeting the principal business seems to
have been the appointment of hog reeves
Samuel b. Locke came to Bethel in 1876. One
of his family, Prof. John Locke, became distin.
guished by scientific attanments
Capt. Eleazar Twitchell may be regarded as
the founder of the village of Bethel Hill. In
1899 James Walker came to Bethel Hill and
opened store the first regular store in town.
Robert A. Chapman commenced trade in 1881
and has continued it until the present time.
Previous to 1898 there had visited the town
and preached, ministers by the name of Taft,
White, Rev. DIR. Coffin of Buxton, and Rev
VIM Fessenden of Fryeburg.
The first meeting for the organization of
religious society was held Sept s, 1896. in 1898
Rev. Caleb Bradley taught school in the town
and became candidate for settlement, and
went so far as to publish a Thanksgiving SER
mon which was the first literary production
which emanated.from this town.
In 1873 Rev. Daniel Gould, graduate of
Harvard College. became a rival candidate and
was chosen by majority of one vote. He was