The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-02-22

t1dZeH WdS To go Oh 1lTSL anu Take
possession of the east side of the
river, and Bailey was to take
possession of the west side, as
soon as he could find persons to
do it, and come on himself as
soon as his affairs would permit. "
Thus early do we find that COM
munity of interest since strongly
cemented by trade relations that
prevailed along the river settle
ments of Newbury and Haverhill,
Fairlee and Oxford, Thetford and
Lyme. In the summer of 1861,
Capt. Hazen sent two men with
his cattle by Charlestown No 4,
who took possession of the little
Ok Bow on the east side of the
river. They found this OK Bow
and the Great OK Bow on the
west side "c1eared interval" and
they had in former times been
cultivated by the Indians, The
hills were swarded over and a tall
wild grass grew spontaneously
and luxuriantly, giving an abun-
dance of fodder for the cattle.
THE INDIANS.
That the Indians who dwelt on
both sides of the river were ami
cable, is proved by the fact that
Petite and Johnston, Hazen's two
men, passed the first winter un-
harmed, sixty miles from any
white man, yet surrounded with
Indians, and their cattle temp
tation for the latter to massacre
them.
The loss of their strong allies,
the French, and the chastisements
that Rodgers scouts had inflicted
upon their brethren at St. Francis,
ha1 taught them that "discretioh
is the better part of valor." Yet
they must have relinquished with
sadness the fine corn grounds of
the meadow, the hunting grounds
on the hills, abounding with bear,
deer moose and fowls, the river
with salmon and the
streams with trout, and most of
all the burying ground of their
fathers.
On the high ground east of
"cow meadow brook" were found
many indications of an old and
extensive Indian settlement.
Many domestic implements, heads
of arrows, large quantities of
ashes, and the ground burnt over
to large extent, are some of the
marks of long residence. "On
the meadow forty or fifty rods be-
low, near the rocks in the river,
was evidently a burying gronnd.
That the dead were buried in the
sitting posture peculiar to the In
1ians, is conclusively shown by the
position of the bones that have
frequently been turned up by the
blow. When the early settlers
irst came here the remains of
,ort were still visible on the Ok
Bow. In the spring of 1862,
capt. Hazen came on with sup
'lies, hands and materials for
grist and saw mill, the
irst in this whole section.
Meanwhile Samuel Sleeper,
Quaker preacher, had been en-
'loyed by Gen. Jacob Bailey to
axe possession of Newbury for
lin, and arrived early in the
pring. Soon after Thomas and
Richard Chamberlain arrived, and
ettled on the "Mush Ouash
deadow," now owned by the
limballs. These men were in
he interest of a man named
Willard, who was trying unsuc-
essfully to support Bailey and
1azen.
FIRST BIRTHS.
The first English child born in
own, Betsey Hazelton, was born
Il 1868, and the same year, the
rst male child, Jacob Bailey
,hamberlin, son of Thomas, the
arents receiving a hundred acres
f land as bounty, according to ,
he promise of the original pro- ;
rietor. In 1868, Gov. Benning
Wentworth granted charters to
9th Newbury and Haverhill.
THE FIRST Town MEETING.
"The first town meeting under
ne charter was held by the free
len of Newbury, June 13, 1868, S
nd not less than one hundred
lilies from the location of their '
rant, viz. at Plaistow, n. H., t
nd before this meeting was adj a
,urned they voted to unite with T
-averhill in paying a preacher, I