Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-10-30
From the Maine Farmer
Notes from the Country.
BETHgL, Sept. 1877.

The town OF Bethel, all things consld-
cred, is the best farming town in Oxford
County, and one of the best in the State.
The township was laid out about twelve
miles long by six wide, and the andre
scoggin river in its meandering course
through it from the west to east, is nearly
twenty miles long From the east line
of Gilead to the foot Of Bethel Hill, the
river runs an easterly course and then turns
quite sharply towards the north and pur-
sues that course five or six miles TO near
the mouth OF Bear river, when it turns
again toward the east. On both sides u
the river for almost the entire distance,
are broad belts OF interval, under the high
est state OF cultivation The Androscog-
gin overhows its banks nearly every year,
aud deposits upon these bottom lands a
rich dressing of alluvion which is brought
down from the hills and mountain sides,
and which costs the farmer nothing.
Back still farther from the river are belts
OF table-land or high interval upon which
the river rarely it ever encroaches, aud
where buildings can be erected with conf
parative safety, while still farther back
are upands sloping from the wooded base
of the mountains. A section from the
river to the mountain, embracing the
three varieties Of land, makes as good a
farm as any one needs to have. The in-
terval is wanted for grass, the high inter-
val for crops and the upland for pasturing
and wood, and the owner of such farm
with health, ought to be one Of the nap.
pest, as he is one of the most independent
men in the world Many of these nice
farms have continued In the same family
since they were first settled hundred
years ago, by the grandtathers Of those
who now occupy them, while others have
changed owners many times. 1t seems
strange that any young man who can in-
herit one of these farms and own it with
all its appurteuances, free from debt,
should prefer to leave II and seek his for
tune elsewhere, but numbers OF such cases
have come under our own observation.
Aside from its territory bordering on
the river, Bethel is rich in uplands
There are numerous extensive ridges in
various parts of the town which are gen.
orally designated by the name of some
early settler upon them, which are rich
agricultural neighborhoods. Such are
Grover Hill, Swan Hill, Bird Hill, etc.
These upland farms produce fine cattle
and sheep and large quantities of fruit.
They require more labor in cultivation
than the lowlands, but they produce bOun-
tifully and the owners are partly compen-
stated for the difference, in having more
bracing air and other sanitary advanta-
ges.
We know Of no more pleasant drive
than that from Bethel Hill, following the
trend Of the river to Rumford The dis
lance is from twelve to fifteen miles, all
the way through gorgeous scenes ofrural
beauty. The road follows the tabie-land
with the interval and river on the Iei. and
the upland on the right. Sometime, the
upland comes down qpite near To the riy
sr and again the hills diyerge, leaving q
broad stretch of interval covered ~i'h jr-
green carpet, the mono,ony broken only
bYan occasional elm ola century growth
stretching it, broad End dropping br.@ch,-
over an area Of q hundred fee. or moro.
North Of the river are the mountains
skirtei by margin OF forest, with their
rocky summit, hidden among the Clouds.
Each turn of the road bring, TO view scene
of rural beauty which We have rarely J.
ever seen equaled.
Bethel la! Is one Of the most ch.ru-
lug villages in New England, and of late
years has become quite famous rs 2 sum-
mcr resor; for jewellers in the city. It's
considerably elevated above tie river and
has q fine bracing atmosphere Thcrc
are two or three public houses here which
make speciality Of taking summer hoard
ers, while many Of the private Dwelling
are changed into boarding houses during
the summer months. The little village
on the opposite side Of the river from the
Hill also supports quite foreign popu.a-
ton during the heated term. There are
three churches at Bethel Hill and three
others situated in other parts of the town.
Goulds Academy before the days Of Free
High Schools, quite famous as an institu-
ton Of learning, is situated on Bethel
Hill, 1t still has good local support.
Bethel is one Of those towns with his.
tory, but we can do no more than allude to
some of the more salient points in this con-
uection. 1t was one Of the Canadian
townships to which we have before refer
red, and having been granted to certain
citizen, of Sudbury, Mass, it was formerly
called Sudbury Canada. The first set
tiers were Nathaniel Segar, Jonathan
Bartlett, Samuel Inglls, Jesse Dustin,
Col. John York and Amos Powers at the
lower part Of the town, and Capt. Eleazer
Twitchell, Benjamin Russell, Abraham
Russell, Jonathan Clark and James Swan
in the upper or western part.
Segar, Bartlett and Clark came from
Newton, Ingalls,, Dustin and Swan from
Haverhill or Methuen, the Russell broth
ers from Andover, Powers from Princeton,
and York from Standish. Several Of
them had resided for some years, more or
less, in Fryeburg and came from there to
Bethel. Nearly all Of them had served
more or less in the war for independence,
and one or more Of them returned to
Massachusetts, after coming to Bethel, and