rarely destroyed by floods. One or two nearest the
mouth of the stream are somewhat exposed. In the
freshet of Oct. 1855 the lowest of these took a short
trip -'up stream." This not unfrequently happens to
bridges across McGurdy's stream, not far from its
mouth, also across some flat brooks. The Sandy
River and Wilson's Stream rise so much more rapid-
ly than their lower tributaries that the current for a
72 History of Chestervii.le.
while sets with no small force in a direction oppo-
site to its usual course. In later years some of these
bridges have been loaded with stones, so that they
do not float even when the water covers them seve-
ral feet. There are four bridges across McGurdy's
Stream, the two lower ones in exposed situations. ā
The water of this stream is much warmer than the
water of other streams in the vicinity, which is sup-
posed by some to produce damage to bridges by
hastening the rotting of the wood-work.
75. ā Religious Societies.
The earliest efforts to form a church within the
limits of the present town of Chesterville were made
in 1789. These resulted, after some delay, in organ-
izing a Congregational Church of nine members, five
of whom resided in Hallowell, (which then contained
Augusta,) and four in Chester Plantation and vicin-
ity, Feb 25, 1790. It was called the church in
Chester Plantation, as there existed another in Hal-
lowell, or what is now Augusta. A few years after
the name of Hallowell Church was assumed. Later
still it was joined with the old church, and after
more than a year separated again from it. The Hal-
lowell and Chester members, others having joined
them, remained together till August 1796, about a
year after Eev. E. Gillet was ordained pastor of the
church, when they became two distinct organizations.
The part embracing Chesterville took the name of
a Congregational Church of Christ in Chester and
Farmington. 'I'his was the first Congregational
History of Chesteuvh.le. 13
Church and the odIv one in this region for a number
of years. Individuals in several of the adjoining
townships became connected Vvith it, and of these,
with others, ultimately, other churches in New Sha-
ron, Farmington, Strong, and VViiton were formed.
Eight of the members of this church have become min-
isters. This church is now considerably smaller as
to numbers than it has been in some past periods of
its existence. The next church organized is suppos-
ed to have been the Freewill Baptist Church in the
north-east part of the town, mentioned in Judge Par-
ker's History of Farmington. Another Freewill Bap-
tist Church was organized in the central part of
the town in the spring of 1^19. This church has
been enlarged by additions at various tim.es. Two
or three of its members have become preachers. A
year or two later a small Calvinist Baptist Church
was organized. Years before this individuals in
Chesterville had joined a chuixh in Fayette of this
denomination and now united with the church in
Chesterville. It prospered for several years, when it
became divided on matters of discipline, and was ul-
timately dissolved. Some of its members joined the
Freewill Baptists, some left the town, and a few have
died. One belongs to a church of the same name in
Hallowell. There has been for years a, number of
Methodists in town, though somewhat scattered. ā
More of these, perhaps, live in the south part of the
town than in other sections, who are connected wdtli
the society worshipping in the meeting-house in North
Fayette. A society of the Christian order probably
76 History of Coestervii.le.
time several individuals have traded at Keith's Mills,
each trading for awhile, closing up business and be-
ing succeeded by another. Sometimes there has been
no merchant in the village, and once or twice there
have been two at the same time.
The earliest store at the Center Village was open-
ed by Samuel Melvin, jr., about the year 1817. He
continued the business some four or five yeai-s, when
he sold to Foss & Moore. They remained only two
or thiee years when they sold and the business was
carried on by others. Quite a number of merchants
have traded in this village, some for a longer, and
others for a shorter time. A few times the place
has contained two stores at once.
The first store in the south pvart of the town was
kept by William Wyman in a part of his father's
house, where F. Currier now lives. tie continued
the business abiut a year and then quit. It is not
known that any other store has been kept in that
part of the town, except recently in Abiel Mosher's
house, west of the Ridge. As mentioned before,
there is one store in the north-east part of the town,
and has been for years. [That of the late William
Whittier, Esq., which was closed after his decease.]
78. ā Lawyer,
About 1843 William Tripp opened an office at
Keith's Mills. He made but a short stay there, and
removed to Wilton, It is not known that any oth-
er lawyer ever opened an office in town.
History of Chesterville. 77
79. ā Tobacconist.
William Stickney, formerly a resident in Hallowell,
settled on the lot between those of William Bradbu-
ry and John Mitchell, about the year 1S08. By oc-
cupation he was a tobacconist. He manufactured
figs from the leaf, which he sold in considerable
quantities. After a few years he dropped the pur-
suit and turned his whole atttention to farming.
80. ā Blacksmiths.
Alexander Allen, it is believed, was the first black-
smith at the Center Mills. After a few years- he
left and was succeeded by Elisha Bennet, who re-
moved to the place from New Bedford Mass., in 1806.
Mr. Bennet worked at the Mills about a year, when
he bought a part of the Thomas Davenport lot, put
up buildings and carried on the business several
years. He made steelyards, screw ffugers, chisels,
&c. After about eleven and a half years his health
failed. He and his two sons manufactured the first,
and perhaps the only steelyards and screw augers
made in the town. He died in 1819. Nathaniel
Staples was the first blacksmith at Keith's Mills. ā
Within forty years several individuals have carried
on blacksmithing at Keith's Mills and at the Center
Village, and but few times are called to mind when
a journey to some other town was necessary to ob-
tain iron smith's work.
81. ā Carriages.
About six or seven years after the close of the
78 History of Chesterville. A
last century, or possibb; a little later, the chaise be-
gan to be introduced into the town. In 1808 few
double horse wagons existed in this region. Much
of the transportation of goods, to this town at least,
was done in horse-carts in the summer season. At
this period and earlier, strong ox-wagons traversed
the town in moving goods from Hallowell to Farm- i
ington. The first single horse wagon in this town
was built and used by Joseph French, about 1809,
or 1810. A year or two later Dummer Sewall, jr.,
had a similar one. These were plain farm wagons,
without springs of any kind. Not long after this
single riding wagons began to be used. Most of
them were destitute of springs under the body, and
were much heavier and less convenient than those
introduced at a later date.
82. ā Musical Instruments.
The first musical instrument owned and used in
Chesterville was a bass-viol brouo-ht bv Jotham Sew-
all when he removed his family if not before. Sev-
eral of the kind have been made by Jacob Ames, and
perhaps by others at a later day, as well as violins
and tenor viols. The first flute owned in the town
was Joseph Bradbury's, about the year 1800. The
first, and so far as the writer knows, the only, pi-
ano-forte ever in the town, was in the family of
Jacob Safford, about 18-40, or perhaps earlier. At a
later date a few melodeons were owned and used in
Chesterville, These were soon superseded by reed
organs made in New Sharon. In a few cases these
History of Ohesterville. 79
have been, and still are used advantageously to help
church music. About 1855 Lathrop C. Tilton com-
menced business at the Center Village. His employ-
ment has been preparing lumber and making pipes
for wind organs, Vr^hich he sends to Boston. Since
commencing his business here he has built an instru-
liient of this kind, which is not only the iivst in the
town, but tbe earliest manufactured here, and proba-
bly in the county. It was finished in 1857, and plac-
ed in the Center Village Meeting-house for the sum
of two hundred dollars. The -instrument is. eight feet
in hight, three feet in width, a^nd six feet long. Its
compass is four and a half octaves. It has six stops
named as follows; viz., Principal, Diapason Bass, Open
Diapason Treble, Melodia Treble, IJulciana, and
Flute. Its longest pipe is four feet three inches, ā
four by five inches. It has sufficient power to fill
the house well. It appears to be correctly tuned,
making excellent and ple,asant music.
83, ā Libraries.
There is but little doubt that a library existed. in
Chesterville among its early settlers, perhaps as early
as 1793. No records of it have been found, and all
that is known about it is found in the private Jour-
nal of Jotham Sewall. He mentions meeti.ag the
"Book Society," and that the books had arrived.
How long it existed, and how many volumes it con-
tained is unknown. A Library was started at the
Center Village not far from 1820, It lived but a
short time. The books were divided amonp- the share-
80 History of Cfiesterville.
holders. Another library was more successfully start-
ed in the south part of the town about the time of
the commencement of that at the Center. It is said
still to exist, while another organization of a similar
character ā some individuals owning shares in both ā
has been in operation there a few years.
In 1832 a Library was organized at Keith's Mills
which has kept along quite regularly these twenty-
six years. It has purchased more than 300 volumes,
and most of them ā if we may judge from their worn
condition ā have been \vell read. It has given much
information to its shareholders ā thirty or more in
number ā and has excited a thirst for more. One
person has been clerk of the association ever since
its start, and librarian twelve years.
84. ā Representatives.
Chesterville, being a small town, never elected a
representative while under the jurisdiction of Massa-
chusetts. An approximation to this privilege was first
enjoyed under the act of separation which allowed
one delegate each, even from small towns, to meet
in a Constitutional Convention. To this Convention
the town sent Ward Locke, in 1819, and raised a
Committee to furnish him with written instructions,
which he accordingly received. Mr. Locke was also
the first representative of Chesterville under the Con-
stitution of Maine. Pursuant to this constitution and
the classification laws enacted by its authority, the
town ha? been allowed representation every two or
History of Chesterville.
81
three years. A list of those chosen to repicscnt the
t'own is as follows :
18-21 Ward Locke
lb-24: David Moniil
1827 Uavid Morrill
1830 Dearborn French
1833 Jothani Bradbwry
1S35 Seth Norcross
1837 Dearborn French
lb40 Cyrus Pierce
1844: C\rus Pierce
1847 John Baker
1851 Oliver Sewall
185'i Oliver Sewall
1855 Elias PL Brown
1Ā«57 David H. Chandler
In 1852 'Reuben Lowell was chosen one of the
electors of president and vice pre^ident of the Unit-
ed States, for this State. Up to the commencement
of 1858, no State Senator or Counsellor has been
selected from Chesterville.
85. ā Wild Animals.
As has been before suggested moose were plenty
in the vicinity in the days of the early settlers. ā
Dears were still more abundant, and in spring and
autumn rather troublesome, often killing sheep, cattle,
and hogs. William Bradbury lost three young cat-
tle by them at one time. In summer the bears fed
much upon blueberries, and in some instances seve-
ral of them were seen feeding together on the Plains.
Tradition as well as written sketches preserve several
anecdotes relative to them. On one occasion when
Mr. Linscott was in quest of his cattle, he stopped
to pick and eat some strawberries, moving abcut on
his hands and knees. He soon saw a bear at i dis-
tance, apparently in ''a state of wonderment," 1 aving
just espied Mr. Linscott, and seeming to be trying to
make out what sort of an animal he was. He would
82 ā¢ History of Chester villi:.
come a little nearer, rear on his hind legs, and look
intently at the object before him. Mr. L. kept on
picking berries, crawling nearer and nearer to the
bear. When he fonnd himself within a rod or two
of the bear, and had got hold of a pitch-knot, he
suddenly raised himself to an upright position, tak-
ing off his hat with one hand, and throwing the knot
at his black associate with the other, he spread out
his arms, gesticulated as frightfully as possible, and
shouted at the top of his voice. liis sable friend
seemed thunderstruck and motionless for a moment,
then recovering from his consternation he made the
best possible use of his locomotive powers in a speedy
flight.
At another time ]Mr. Linscott found his cattle
huddled together, the smaller ones in the middle,
and a bear moving around, seeking to make fiist to
a victim. When the bear in his earnestness would
venture up near the cattle, one or two of the larger
animals would run at him and drive him back a lit-
tle way. Soon he woulcl return again, and again
have to retreat before the threatening horns of an
ox or two. Mr. Linscott was somewhat amused
with their evolutions and watched them awhile. ā
Whether he shot bruin or tried his luck in giving him
a fright, tradition saith not-
Opposite the two story dwelling-house in which
JJummer Sevvall lived many years, lay a large pine,
some three or four feet in diameter, probably cut for
a fence on the east side of the road. Beyond this he
had a hog-yard. Bruin called there once, somewhat
luuigry no doubt, to borrow a little live pork. Mr.
History of Chestervit.le. 83
Sewall, not choosing to accommodate him, rested
his old war musket over the pine los^, and put a qui-
etus to any future attempts of the sort So the bear
furnished instead of filching pork.
Stephen Titcomb, Esq., once called to pass the
night at Dummer Sewalls, on a journey to Topsham.
In the course of the evening Mr. Sewall asked Mr.
Titcomb if he would like some beai steak for break-
fast? "I should," said Mr. Titcomb ;" Have you
any V The reply was ā " ,No. But I think we can
get some in the morning." When morning came
they were up betimes, and Mr. Sewall took his gun,
and said to Mr. Titcomb, '-Yoke my oxen in the
yard, there, take the drag and drive over towards a
small pond near the Plains," pointing out what di-
rection to go; "and," said he, "when you hear the
report of the gun, drive towards it." Both did as
indicated. Mr. Sewall came in sight of several bears,
which were eating berries, selected his victim, fired,
and ran up and bled the animal. The team was not
fcir behind ; so they loaded their booty, hauled it
home, and had fresh meat for breakfast.
Early in the morning of June 8, 1794, Jotham
Sewall and a few of his neighbors were alarmed by
the bellowing of some creature in distress. They
hastened towards the place from which the sound
came, and found a small ox wounded and disabled
by a bear, on the east side of the Little Norridge-
wock, easterly from his residence. As they drew
near the bear moved off. They looked up the owner,
John Butterfield, who concluded it best to kill and
skin the ox, which was accordingly done. A trap
84 HlOroRY OF CflESTERVILLE.
was set, bated by the rarcass, and in a few days af^
ter bruin was found in the trap. He was soon ])ut
where he would "stay put," and gore no more oxen.
At the early yjeriod of the first settlement of Ches-
terville the country abounded in game. Of the ani-
mals valued for their fur. beavers and otters were not
unfrequently trapped. Foxes, minks, and muskrats
were also sought for their fur. These were caught
in great numbers at certain seasons of the year, by
those who made it their business,
SC). ā Beaver Dams.
About the year 1821, John Morrison and Henry
Titcomb, in straightening the Beaver Dam Brook, a
tributary of Wilson's Stream, to facilitate the running
of logs, cut through a beaver dam, across where the
brook undoubtedly once ran. This was about fifty
rods southerly of the dwelling-house of the late Josi-
ah Norcross, Jr. They found the teeth-marks on the
ends of limbs and sticks. Apparently these indus-
trious and sagacious animals had felled a pine tree,
some eighteen inches in diameter, across the brook^
and stuck down and wove together limbs and sticks,
filling in earth above, thus forming a dam about five
rods long, and from two to six or seven feet in
hight, so firm that it was not easily removed. In-
deed, it had to all appearance turned the natural
course of the brook around the west end of the dam.
This brook is the outlet of I^ocke's Pond. Its bed
lays so low that in a quick rise of Wilson's Stream
the water rushes back into the pond, with quite a
History of Chesterville. 85
current. There is supposed to have been a beaver
dam, anciently, across the Little Norrid^ewock, about
a hundred rods above Park's Mills. When passing
up and down the stream in a canoe, in a bright
summer day, a ridge or embankment may be seen un-
der water, extending across the stream, with a break-
age a few feet wide, in or near the middle of the
channel.
87. ā Fish.
Fish were plenty when Chesterville began to be
settled. Ale wives were very abundant. Mrs. Wheel-
er says that her father, Mr. Linscott, had a barrel
of them at one time. When a dam had been built
at the Center Mills it checked their course up-stream,
so that the water below would be almost black with
them. When going to the sea they were seen in
great numbers passing down the wasteway. As soon
as they found themselves going through it, in quick
water, they would turn head to the current, and thus
back down, no doubt to save the shock below, or pos-
sibly to avoid striking anything below with the head.
AJewives w^ere so plenty in Wilson's Stream that Mrs.
Samuel Sewall caught enough one morning, with on-
ly her hands, to breakfast her family. Trout and
some other varieties of fish were caught and afforded
an important help to the pioneer settlers. Occasion-
ally they were fortunate enough to enjoy the luxury
of a salmon.
It was a problem of exceeding difficulty to solve,
that pickerel were not formerly found in any of the
86 History of Chesterville.
tributaries of the Kennebec in this region, while they
were somewhat plenty in those of the Androscoggin.
It was currently reported and believed that Col.
Charles Morse of Wilton, about thirty i years ago,
brought seven of these fish in a tub of water from
some tributary of the Androscoggin and put them in-
to Wilson's Pond, in Wilton. From this or some
other cause, however, pickerel have been quite plenty
in the Kennebec waters of this vicinity for several
years.
88. ā Serpents. ā Power of Fascination.
This article is not introduced to exhibit a learned
description of the several species of this legless rep-
tile. Were the writer competent for such a task, ā
which he is not, ā the labor would be by no means
inviting ; nor would it furnish instruction or enter-
tainment to such as might undertake its perusal. ā
The object is, rather, to save from oblivion a few in-
cidents the accounts of which are deemed authentic,
and which show the fascinating power of common
snakes. It was not until the writer heard one of
these incidents, in June 1856, that he had the faint-
est idea ā the smallest thought ā that this w^onderful
power w^as possessed by such serpents as are common
in this region, or even by one of them. But to the
anecdotes : ā
Jason Sewall, the tliird son of Samuel Sewall,
w^ho began the lirst settlement near Keith's Mills,
and who lived where J. B. Morrison, Esq., now re-
sides several years, relates, that when iie was about
History of Chesterville. 87
seven yenrs old, as he was returning from '^putting
the cows to pasture," .with a stick in his hand, conf-
ing near the end of a log which extended angling,
away from the road, not far from the present ^Iwel-
Img of R. M. Morrison, in Farmington, he heard an
nncommon sound, and stopped near the end of the
log to listen. The first object that caught his eye
was a small bird, perhaps a sparrow, in a fluttering,
agitated state, on a bush, beside the log, now and
then uttering a singular cry. :t soon left the bush
for another on the other side of the log, alighting a
little lower than where he first saw it. It was about
this time that his eye fell up m a serpent of the com-
mon sort, about two feet long, lying on the log. with
its head somewhat elevated, and at intervals making
a slight noise. The bird continued in an aaitated
state, occasionally flying from one bush to another
across the log, every titne coming nearer to the ser-
pent. The serpent appeared to be watching the
movements of the bird, turning its head so as to look
directly towards it. When the bird had changed its
position several times, and had alighted much nearer
the serpent than when first ?een, it flew in a direct
line into the open mouth of his snakeship. Our friend
who had been hearing and seeing now thought it
time to act. So bringing his stick with a quick, smart
motion across the snake he broke the spell and lib-
erated the bird, which flew off, apparently rejoicing
to regain its liberty. Feeling a measure of that en-
mity put between the seed of the woman and that of
the serpent, he repeated his blows till the charmer,
though charming never so wiselv, was slain.
S3 History of Chesteiiville.
.In June 1855, Arthur, son of Reuben Lowell of
Chesterville, saw a serpent of a species common in
the vicinity, about eighteen inches long, coiled up on
the upper side of the stump of a pine tree, which
had been turned up by the roots. Some five or six
inches of the serpent's head, neck, &c., being ele-
vated. He was making a hissing sound, but contin-
ued motionless, with open mouth. Some four feet
above him was a small bird, flyiug around in a circle
about three or four feet in diameter, uttering a chirp-
in", but uncommon sound. lu its spiral flight it
came still nearer and nearer to the snake, evident-
ly verging into the open mouth. When within about
four inches of that point Arthur deemed it proper
to interfere. He raised the axe he had in his hand,
and cut the snake in two, which broke the spell, for
the bird instantly flew away.
The following tends towards the conclusion that
this power is exerted over other animate creatures as
well as birds. But one would not naturally imagine
that it could subject one so spry as a frog to its con-
trol. About the year 1850 Otis H. Sewall, then of
Chesterville, as he was passing through a small field
near his house, noticed a frog making short jumps,
in a zigzag course, gaining slowly towards a striped
rtnake, some twenty inches long, with the head some-
what raised, laying on the ground, a little farther on.
When the frog in one of its jumps had landed about
eight inches from the snake, the latter sprang and
caught it by the hind leg. The frog cried out some-
thing like a cat, and struggled for " dear life," but
there he was. Mr. S. struck the serpent which imme-
iiisToiiY OF Chksiervii.le. 89
diately oper.ed its jaws. The frog now liberated
leaped oflf, not as he came up, but to the tune of four
or five feet at a leap, increasing the distance between
him and his captor with all possible speed. As the
wiiter had these incidents from credible witnesses he
cannot doubt their general correctness.
b:y. TEMPEUA^'CE.
The first .efforts to form a society in Chesterville
for the promotion of the cause of Temperance were
made at a meeting of a few friends of temperance
movements held at the School-house in District No.
Eight, not far from the residence of Jacob Ame^. ā
The meeting was held in April, 182S. From the rec-
ords it appears that some previous labor had been
bestowed in preparing a Constitution for a society,
as most, perhaps all, present signed one on the spot.
The earliest intimation of a desire to form a Society
here within the recollection of the writer, was drop-
ped by Jeremiah Eaton at a town meeting, probably
hi the March previous to the above date. It is no
doubt true that there were many temperate people