Androscoggin County ME Archives History - Books .....Chapter IV Roads, Ferries And Bridges 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/me/mefiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 11, 2008, 3:39 am Book Title: History Of Durham, Maine IV. ROADS, FERRIES, AND BRIDGES It is certain that lumber roads existed in different parts of Royalsborough before its settlement. Ship-builders in North Yarmouth and Freeport, then called Harrisieket, penetrated into the township for masts and timber. June 26, 1766, the Proprietors chose Jonathan Bagley and Moses Little a "committee to lay out a road and build a log house in Royalsborough for accommodation of the settlement." This implies that there were settlers in the town at that date. They doubtless reached their homes by means of the old logging roads. Traces may still be seen of an old mast road that led from the "Great Meadow Pond " southwesterly to the County Road. It is related of Cornelius Douglas that some time before 1770 he with other young men went from Harpswell twenty-five miles into the interior in search of grass. They found a small tract of land clear of timber, where the beavers had formerly built a dam across a small stream overflowing several acres. The dam had been partially torn away by hauling masts over it, which drained the meadow, causing the wild grass to grow in great abundance. These young men cut and stacked a supply of this; then retracing their steps, guided only by spotted trees, they returned home, reaching there late in autumn. They then provided themselves with the necessary articles for camp life, drove their father's cattle to their newly discovered territory, where they built a rude camp for themselves and a hovel for the cattle. They spent their time in tending the stock and making baskets; thus the winter passed quite pleasantly. It was by these frequent visits to the back woods, that Cornelius chose his future home. [1] The place referred to was the Great Meadow Pond, in the southern part of the town, whose outlet into the Androscoggin river was "Joseph Noyes's River Brook," so called on the Town Records. Here was an ancient saw-mill, and a road ran therefrom across Snow's farm and just above the point where the road from Methodist Corner joins the Brunswick road and so on back of the old Gerrish house, where A. True Osgood recently lived, to connect with the County Road near the Freeport line. The road has probably not been used for a century, but it was the oldest road in Durham. It was the existence of this logging road that led Major Charles Gerrish to build his house where he did. "The path that goes to Capt. Gerrish's " from the County Road is mentioned in 1775, in the Town Records. That path is still in existence as a private road. About the same time there must have been a rough road from the Mast Landing at Harrisicket to South West Bend. A petition, dated Oct. 3, 1769, for a County Road, is on record at the County Commissioners' Office in Portland. It was signed by Enoch Freeman, Jonathan Bagley, Joshua Freeman, Jr., Daniel Ilsley, Obediah Berry, and John Robinson. The committee appointed to run out the road consisted of Ephraim Jones, Joshua Freeman, Jr., Daniel Ilsley, Peter Noyes and Benj. Humphrey. The survey was made by Ephraim Jones. Their report is dated Oct. 23, 1770. It mentions an accompanying "plan," which is thought to have been lost when the British bombarded and burned Falmouth in 1776. A good copy of it was made, however, by Jonathan Bagley for the Proprietors' clerk, which is still preserved among the Pejepscot Records. The road as surveyed began "at a brook about 60 rods below the middle of the South west Bend of Androscoggin River." This is marked on the plan as a Trout Brook. It was afterward known as Dyer's Brook, from the fact that it ran through Micah Dyer's farm. The road ran up along the river bank a short distance and then turned toward the south and followed its present course. A mile and twenty rods from the river it crossed the same "Trout Brook" and soon came to Thomas "Coffin's [2] cleared land" on the easterly side. Just beyond was marked the distance of two miles from the river. Then came Phineas "Frost's cleared land" on the westerly side, and a little further on, and on the west side, "Ezra (O. Israel) Bagley's Frame and cleared land, and the middle of the road is six rods to the Northward of said Frame." Just beyond and on the same side of the road the surveyors came to Thomas Pearson's cleared land," and then was reached the mark indicating three miles from the river. Next on the easterly side was "Vallentine Bagley's cleared land," and then they came, on the opposite side of the road, to "the south corner of Orlander Bagley's cleared land to a beach tree marked 4 miles." Then came cleared land of Col. Bagley and the "North Yarmouth line," five miles from the river. The road then passed over Bagley's "Bridge at the east branch of Royall's River, and so on to the line between Moses Morrill and Jonathan Griffin." A little further on the road ran "abreast of the dividing line between Joseph and Joshua Mitchell" and so on "to a road between Joseph Mitchell and Dennison's land." This was the road to Brunswick built in 1717. Then the County Road passed through Dennison's land "to Benjamin Rackley's land" and "down to the point of Mitchell's landing," [3] known afterward us Porter's Landing. The Survey is of great interest as showing who lived along this road in 1770. This road was the highway of commerce for many years. Along it goods were hauled to South West Bend, then rowed up the river, hauled around Dresser's Rips, and so on to Lewiston and regions beyond. This was the route by which Lawrence Harris carried his goods to Lewiston in 1771. O. Israel Bagley records that he brought the iron work for Josiah Little's mill at Lewiston from Harrisicket along this road in 1783. Here were the earliest settlements. About midway between the North Yarmouth line and the river was for twenty years the business center of the town. Here the church was built. Near by was the first school-house. Here O. Israel Bagley kept the first store and public house. There were at least two potash manufactories, one belonging to Bagley, the other to John Dow. The transportation of goods from S. W. Bend to Lewiston by water was not sufficiently easy and expeditious. For this reason, and to open up new land for settlement, O. Israel Bagley was employed by the Proprietors in 1781 to build the river road " from South West Bend to the Line of Royalsborough." It was continued all the way to what is now the City of Auburn. The bill of settlement is still preserved and is here given in full. "Dr Cap. O. Israel Bagley To 227lb Cotton @ 2/8 £30. 5. 4 To 206lb Sugar @ /9 2/4 8. 4.10 To 15 gallons N. E. Rum @ 5/ 3.15. 0 To 10 Silk Hankerchiefs 2.14. 0 To 4 yd Silk @ 16/ 3. 4. 0 To 4 Silk Hankerchiefs 1. 4. 0 To 16 yd Duch Lace 0.17. 0 £50: 4: 2 To Josiah Little Cr. 1781. By 184 Day work on the Rode from the South west Bend to the Line of Royal Bourough Clearing Rodes & Building Bridges @ 4/ 36.16. By 8 Day my Self in overseeing the workmen @ 4/ 1.12. By Paying your fathers ord M. Dyer 2. 8. 0 By 6m Shingles @ 9/4 2.16. 0 By 5m Shingles @ 9/4 2. 6. 8 By 6 1/4 Hundred Clabboards @ 4/ 1. 8. 0 By your Paying freight 0:11. 0 By 10 Days work on the Bridge over the Little Androscoggin River 2. 0. 0 £49:17: 8 By cash to Ballance 0. 6. 6 £50. 4. 2 Royalsborough April 10, 1784 then Ballanced all accounts as witnis my hand Josiah Little This road began at the end of the County Road and followed the bank of the river. It has since been moved back over the hill by the Union Church at S. W. Bend in 1828; also at Garcelon's or Dingley's Ferry and along by James Wagg's in South Auburn. At all these points the old road was on the river bank. In O. Israel Bagley's account book there is an interesting entry connected with the building, of this road. It reads thus: "Went to work upon Luestown Royd October 4, 1781." Then follow the names of the men employed and the number of days each worked. Major Charles Gerrish 8 days: William Gerrish 10: Charles Gerrish 1: George Gerrish 1: Ezekiel Jones 9: Simeon Sanborn 17: John Blake 7: " Wilan " Deans 8: John Randall 31: O. Israel Bagley 25: John Deans 1: John Farr 1: Lemuel McGray 4: Benjamin Yining 23: Pelatiah Warren 17: Nathaniel Gerrish 5: Stephen Weston 2: Ebenezer Roberts 4: Samuel Green 7: Samuel Ray 3. This road built by Bagley for the Proprietors was afterward laid out as a County Road by the following Commissioners: John Lewis, David Mitchell, Samuel Merrill, Isaac Parsons and William Widgery, Esq. Their report is dated Oct. 17, 1791. The survey began at the "Turner Road," a little below Hildreth's Ferry, just south of the mouth of the Little Androscoggin River, and "near Great Androscoggin River." It ran "two rods southwesterly of James Wagg's house" . . . "near Josselyn's Ferry," . . . . "two and a half rods N. Easterly of Bagley's barn," which stood near where George Miller now lives . . . . " until it strikes the County Road formerly laid out in Durham." The expense of laying out the road was one hundred and fifty-five pounds, three shillings and four pence. The building of this road led immediately to the settlement of the northern part of the town, and after fifteen years every lot to the old Pejepscot, later Danville, later still Auburn, line was settled. The business center was transferred from the County Road to the region between "Eunice's Brook" and "Stoddard's Tavern." Let us take an imaginary ride along the River Road in 1801, starting from the Bend. Keeping close to the river bank we pass first the house built by Hon. John Cushing, and occupied by Abel Curtis later. It long ago disappeared. In the gulley north of it we see the tannery of Samuel Field and then we come to the house built by Dr. John Converse, where Simeon Bailey long lived. It was burned a few years ago. Near the mouth of "Eunice's Brook" is the house of William Gerrish. In 1832 he built the brick house now occupied by Andrew G. Fitz. The brick were made by him on the river bank. After crossing the Brook an old rangeway joins the River Road, and now we are in the heart of the city, so to speak. Here is the hotel kept by Joseph Proctor, 1795-1810. The building was afterward moved up on the hill on the back road and was the residence of Joseph Weeman. North of the hotel is a large two-story house, some say built by Joseph Little. Here lived Dr. David G. Barker. The house was moved onto the hill at the Bend and is now the residence of Dea. Wm. Hascall. Foster Waterman had his law-office near by a little later and David Bowie his bakery. Samuel Merrill had a house and store, and a little later Meshack Purington lived in this region. All these buildings were upon the old farm of Col. Jonathan Bagley, which occupied three lots. Tradition says that his house and barn stood a little north of where Herbert Miller now lives. Miller's house was built by James Strout in 1836. Strout bought the place in 1809. We next pass the house of Elijah Macomber a little north of George Miller's present house. Macomber settled here in 1801. His house long ago was destroyed by fire. Here also was a country store. Next north was later the residence of Capt. Jonathan Strout, and about opposite where Mr. White now lives was Dam's Ferry, kept by John Dain who lived on the Lisbon side at this time, 1799-1818. Thirty years earlier he lived on the County Road, opposite the old North Meeting House. We now come to two large, two-story houses, built in 1800 and 1801 by the brothers Abel and William Stoddard. Both are still standing and occupied by Everett Macomber and Josiah Williams. The first was "Stoddard's Tavern." Here Secomb Jordan, Esq., afterward lived and kept store in a building near by, which was later moved to S. W. Bend and was for nearly half a century the shop of James H. Eveleth, shoe-maker. Stoddard bought this farm in 1797 of Samuel Merrill for $1000, and Merrill bought it of John Cushing. The row of stately elm trees was planted in 1801. Jordan was succeeded here in trade by the brothers Henry and Joseph Moore from Newfield, Me. Henry married Rhoda, dau. of Secomb Jordan and died 13 Sept. 1843, aged 45 yrs. Joseph married a daughter of Thomas Pierce, Esq., and settled in Lisbon. The Williams farm was also owned by Samuel Merrill, who may have come from New Gloucester. He died in 1800. He was an active business man, farmer, lumberman and Justice of Peace. His house stood north-west of Williams' and back in the field across the brook. William Stoddard built the present Williams house in 1801. George Williams was employed as a carpenter in the building of the house and bought it in 1825. "Dam Brook," so called in the town records of a century ago, received its name because of the beaver dams upon it, traces of which and of the elliptical dome-shaped beaver house may still be clearly seen. Here, doubtless, beaver were trapped by Indians, whose stone hatchets and spear-heads have been found on a hill near by. In 1804 Secomb Jordan was paid $87.52 for building a bridge across Dam Brook. Again in 1807 Isaac Lambert and Nathaniel Gerrish were paid $63, for rebuilding this bridge. In 1804 Abel Stoddard was allowed $4, for people passing through his land in time of freshet. These items show how history repeats itself. Many a time have these farms been overflowed. The "great freshet" of 1814, when families had to leave their homes by night in boats, was repeated in 1896. Just beyond the mouth of Dam Brook lived John Skinner, who sold his farm in 1808 to Samuel Nichols Jr. Later it was occupied by Joseph Miller. Next we come to the old Secomb Jordan place. The house now occupied by Millard Dingley was built over eighty years ago for Apollos Jordan, whose widow was the second wife of Jeremiah Dingley, who long lived here. The oldest Jordan house stood near the road and further north. It disappeared half a century ago. A few apple-trees mark the site. The next square, two-story house was built by William Webster in 1798. It was burned in 1893. In front of it, on the river bank we see, in 1801, the first school-house of this district, afterward occupied by Webster as a shop for the manufacture of yokes, ploughs and axe-handles. The second school-house was a few rods below it, afterwards moved and desecrated as a pigpen by Israel Mitchell. The third school-house was the little red one by the big elm trees below Dingley's, where also stands the fourth, for which there seems to be now no use. Four ancient districts of Durham and So. Auburn must be combined in order to make up a school of fourteen pupils. Beyond Webster's, now William Stackpole's, and on a hilltop by the rangeway stands, in 1801, the square one-story house facing the river, built by John Stackpole about 1792. It was burned in 1837, and the present house was then built by Samuel O. Stackpole. Nothing but a bridle-path along spotted trees led to it before 1800. "House's Brook River" is so named in the town records nearly a century ago. Tradition says that on the head waters of this stream lived at one time a man named House. He tried one dark night to cross on a log the brook swollen by rains. Was it the favorite beverage that caused him to fall into the water? At any rate he was drowned, and the brook has immortalized his name. Another form of the legend is that he was accidentally drowned while employed in the construction of a bridge over the brook. Who was this man House? No mention of his name is found on the town records. No living person remembers aught of him or of his family. Among the papers of Col. Jonathan Bagley at Amesbury, Mass., there is found an agreement, dated 26 July 1773, between Bagley and Elisha House of Sherburn, Mass. The said House was to enter upon, cut down the trees and clear up all the stuff and fix for sowing grain, planting corn and pasturing, the northwesterly half of a 100 acre lot, No. 82, in Royalsborough, within the space of five years, to clear ten acres every year and build a good sufficient lawful fence on the line in the middle and on each end, said Bagley to find one half the grass seed to sow what land he shall improve the first year, to find one half the seed corn and half the grain to sow and plant yearly, to provide one yoke of oxen and build a barn. Bagley was to have half the produce and half the hay, and at the end of five years to give to the said Elisha House a good and lawful Warrantee Deed of the other half of the lot. Here is probably the man for whom was named "House's Brook River." The agreement was never fulfilled. House's Brook has been famous for pickerel for a century. I have seen a score of persons fishing there by the light of bonfires. North of the Brook we come to the farm of Samuel Mitchell who brought his wife, Betsey Dingley, all the way from Cape Elizabeth on horse-back and moved into a corn-barn as a temporary residence, while his house Avas being built. The next house is that of Dea. Isaac Lambert. The original house is still standing and occupied by Herbert Wagg. Here was born the lion. Nelson Dingley, Jr.; also William Henry Lambert. See biographical sketches. If we were to continue our ride to the northern limit of ancient Durham we would pass the spot where now is the cemetery, in which sleep many of the persons already mentioned, and come to the house of John Dow, which became some years later Simeon Blethen's, where later dwelt for many years Dea. William Dingley. Then we should come to Thomas Proctor's house. He was succeeded by his son William, and he by Augustus Parker. Next was the farm of Elias Staten who is said to have come from Virginia. He married in Cape Elizabeth, 13 Nov. 1796 Keziah Atwood. He died in Lewiston 3 May 1850, aged 79 yrs. His farm was occupied later by Elder Shimuel Owen, who was born in Topsham 2 April 1771 and died here 29 Dec. 1851, a preacher of the old Calvinistic school. Above Staten's we come to William Dingley's, ancestor of about all by that surname in Androscoggin County. The old house is still standing, one of the most ancient landmarks along the road. The Ferry here was once much in use. There is very little found in the records of Royalsborough about road-making. A few days' works were voted on the County and private roads. March 25, 1774, it was voted that each man in the town do four clays' work on the "road between the first and second range of lots, said road leading to the County Road that leads by North Yarmouth and the private road." This road, laid out by the Proprietors across the southern part of the town past the Friends' meeting-house and on to Freeport, is still in use. In the early times it extended easterly straight on to the river, where there was a ferry to connect with the Topsham road and with Little River Plantation, that lay between Little and Sabattus Rivers. Little River was once an industrious place, having six saw-mills and a woolen mill upon its narrow waters. Lisbon Falls, built a half mile above it, must be distinguished from the ancient village of "Little River." The ferry just alluded to is called on the old Records "Jones' Ferry," since Lemuel Jones lived close by it on lot No. 9. Later it is called "Estes Ferry." On petition of the Pejepscot Proprietors a road was accepted by the town of Brunswick in 1773, leading from that village to Royalsborough. It was a crooked thing and kept pretty close to the bank of the Androscoggin. It was extended up to meet the rangeway between lots 78 and 62. This led to a distinct settlement. Among the early families on this road were those of Rev. Christopher Tracy. Reuben Blethen, Jonathan Beal, the Getchells, Joseph Knight, Solomon and David Crossman, Lemuel Jones, and Andrew Pinkham. There was an old mast road leading from the County road at the meeting-house to a mast camp near Chandler's Mill. This is mentioned as an old road in 17S9. It probably existed as early as 1766, when the Mill was built. It has long been discontinued, yet traces of corduroy construction along swampy lands may still be seen. The "road leading from O. Israel Bagley's to Chandler's Mill" is incidentally mentioned in a deed in 1780 and is dotted, in part, on the chart of the town. It passes through Methodist Corner to the County Road. In 1796 a road was surveyed along this route from New Gloucester to Brunswick, entering Durham and running "to the flowing of the Pond nearly 4 rods above Chandler's saw-mill so-called, thence across said Pond, computed eight rods, to the height of a rock by the side of said Pond . . . . to a rangeway in Durham near Samuel York's house . . . in the above mentioned rangeway . . . . four rods 8 links N. 26 E. from the Back door of William True's dwelling house, to the County Road leading from Hildrake's Landing to Freeport Landing, near Capt. Bagley's Potash, . . . to a County Road, the three last courses being in said County Road, . . . . to the Range Road near W. Sanborn's dwelling house in said Range Road, . . . . to the middle of the town road near the Quaker Meeting House in said Durham," . . . . and so on to Brunswick. The "road that leads from the North Church to Gerrish's Mill," is mentioned in 1775. It was laid out by the Proprietors' surveyor. Its continuance to the river,near Christopher Tracy's, lot 78, is called the Rangeway in 1795, when a road was laid out by the town connecting this rangeway with Beal's Landing and Ferry, opposite lot 61, where Jonathan Beal lived. This Ferry was continued till 1818, when the bridges were built at S. W. Bend and Little River. In 1789 a road was laid out "beginning at the Town Line between land of G. Ferguson and Joseph Paul, thence running N. E. about 224 rods or till it come within about five rods of the N. Easterly Corner of G. Goodwin's Land, thence N. W. and by N. between the Land of the said Goodwin and Land of E. Warren about 46 rods till it strike the westerly line of the said Warren's Land, thence North Easterly on said Line till it come within Seven Rods of Abil True's Land, thence about North till it strikes the Line between the said Abil True's Land, and Land of Arch Morrill Seven Rods from the S. W. Corner of the said Abil's Land, thence on the line between the said Abil and Arch's Land 160 rods to the road leading from the County Road "near Capt. Bagley's to Chandler's Mill." There seems to have been a road leading from where the one just mentioned ends to the Meeting-House and so connecting with the road leading to Gerrish's Mill and Beal's Ferry. In 1803 a County Road was laid out leading along this route from Walnut Hill to Tracy's Narrows, a distance of fourteen and a half miles. It entered Durham near George Ferguson's dwelling house, "4 rods and 21 links south east of the east corner thereof, . . . . abreast with the back side of Ebenezer Warren's dwelling house, and two rods and 14 links distant from the southeast corner thereof . . . . abreast of the front side of Enoch Davis's dwelling house and 5 rods and 9 links from the southeasterly corner thereof, . . . . abreast with the east end of Durham meeting house and three rods and 4 links distant from the southeast corner thereof . . . . to Androscoggin River at Tracy's Narrows." There were allowed for damages to William True $380, to Enoch Davis $80, to John Cushing $40. This road was changed by the Commissioners, on petition, in 1805, to run from Ferguson's "to the County Road leading from New Gloucester to Brunswick . . . . by Deacon True's . . . . northwest of William Mitchell's barn . . . . to the center of the bridge southwesterly of John Cushing Jun's Dwelling House, . . . . to the center of the town road by Martin Rourke's leading to the North Meeting House, . . . . to the brow of a Gully, . . . . to the cross Range road leading by Benjamin Vining's, . . . . to the center of the river County Road two rods from the easterly corner of David Dyer's House, thence 10 rods to two rods in front of Symond Baker's eastern end door, . . . . to the river opposite Boswell's Point." There were allowed for damages to Ebenezer Warren $30, to William Mitchell $75, to Michael Dyer $25. June 26, 1805, it was voted to "give George Ferguson the old road in lieu of the post road laid out by the County." The road from Methodist Corner to S. W. Bend, through which this post road ran, is mentioned as a "Rangeway" in use in 1791. It was laid out on the Proprietors' plan. It was long called the "Hallowell Road,"' since this was the stage line from Portland to Hallowell. Let the old names continue to be used. It will be noticed that the road from S. W. Bend to Methodist Corner was originally straight. It came out over the hill west of the Methodist Church, and at the other end it terminated some rods north of where Wesley Day now lives. The road from S. W. Bend to Gerrish's Mill was laid out in 1795. A county Road from Brunswick to S. W. Bend by Gerrish's Mill "through Noyes' Land" was laid out in 1801. South of Noyes' 800 acres the road was laid out to Brunswick line in 1789. Edward Estes, Micajah Dudley, Elijah Douglas, Hugh Getchel, Josiah Day, Joshua Babb and Benjamin Babb are mentioned as then living along this road. In 1791 a road was accepted leading from the "Northwest corner of Benjamin Vining's lot, No. 71, on the Rangeway running Southwest to a Rangeway adjoining lot 103, thence running Northwest to the head of the Town." This is the "Back Road" one tier of lots from the river. The Rangeway to connect it with the "River Road," between the lots of Stackpole and Webster was accepted in 1801, though it had been used in a rough state for several years. At the same date were accepted Rangeways between lots 85 and 86 and between lots 83 and 84, but these roads seem never to have been completed. "Aug. 13, 1801. This day run a Rangeway:—Beginning at southwest corner of Lott: No. 127 and 128: thence Northeasterly to Androscoggin river" -----signed by Isaac Davis and George Ferguson. Selectmen. In 1793 the Selectmen of Durham and of Freeport agreed that "the Road commonly known as the Quaker Road shall be the line by which said Durham and Freeport shall tax to, till such a time as the line may be settled between Prout's and Bagley's Gores by the Proprietors of said Gores, likewise to the ancient N. Yarmouth line from said Road to the Head of said Freeport." This old "Quaker Road" ran from the Friends' Meeting House to the County Road, over the hills. nearly parallel with and perhaps a mile distant from the oldest Mast Road above mentioned that ran by the original cabin of Major Charles Gerrish. This "Quaker Road" has long been out of use. The road between lots 95 and 96 running "southwest the length of two lots" was laid out in 1800. It was on the Proprietors' Chart and must have been somewhat in use before that date. This road was continued in 1813 till it met the "Minot Road," so called. The County Road through the Northwest corner of the town was built in 1806. It was long called the "Minot Road," since it was the regular stage line from Portland to Minot, or to that part of Minot which was afterward called "Goff's Corner" and is now better known as the city of Auburn. The Town Treasurer's book gives the names of the men employed in building the road, who were nearly all settlers in that vicinity. They were Isaac Davis, Thomas Larrabee, Job Larrabee, John Larrabee, Vinson Fickett, Meshack Purington, Moses Larrabee, William Libby, Moses Hunnewell, William McKenney, John Martin, Lemuel Rice, Robert Hunnewell, Benjamin Hunnewell, Thomas Waterhouse, Dominicus Libby, Dennis Libby, Benjamin Hunnewell Jr., Nathaniel Larrabee, Joseph Larrabee, Joshua Fickett, Joseph Weeman, and John Cushing Jr. Guide Posts, [4] in 1823, were erected, by advice of James Strout, Elijah Macomber, and Thomas Pierce, Selectmen, "at Josiah Day Jr., Lisbon Bridge, South West Bend, Friends' Meeting House, George Gerrish's, Samuel Sawyer's, Methodist Corner, James Gerrish's Mill, North Meeting House, Ebenezer Newell's, Barnabas Strout's, Joseph Philbrook's, Josiah Day's, Waitstill Webber's." Jones's Ferry, afterward called Estes' Ferry, has already been mentioned at the southern part of the town, at the terminus of the first rangeway. It was kept for many years by Jeremiah Getchell, who also became the first toll collector when the bridge was built at Lisbon Falls in 1818. Beal's Ferry has also been mentioned, opposite lot 61—just below Tracy's Island. It was first thought to build the bridge between Durham and Lisbon at or near this place, but South West Bend and Little River each wanted it and as neither would yield to its rival, two bridges were built the same year. The one near the Bend took the place of "Dyer's Ferry" that had long been in existence. The Town Records mention both bridges in 1819 as having been recently built. The bridge near the Bend fell Aug. 8, 1829, carrying down a loaded team and two men. One of them, Joseph Weeman, was killed; the other, Orlando Merrill, escaped. It was twice rebuilt, once in 1833. This fell in 1839. The last one was carried away by a freshet in 1844. Tradition says that James Sawyer, William Green, and Lemuel McGray were on it and were carried down river four hundred rods and taken off in a boat. Many attempts have beeen made to induce the towns and the County to rebuild but without success. "McGray's Ferry" was the immediate successor to the bridge, and under other names there has been a ferry there unto this day. "Dain's Ferry" was a mile or more above the island, and was kept 1799-1818 by John Dain, who .lived on the Wagg farm, on the Lisbon side. The landing on the Durham side was opposite where Mr. White now lives. Just above this ferry was the fording place, where in my boyhood I have seen droves of cattle fording the river, on their way to Brighton market. It may not be known to many that there was once a ferry at the northern part of the town, opposite the dwelling house of Samuel Stackpole. The Rangeway once terminated near a pine tree still standing a little north of the present terminus, and the ferry landing was just south of that tree. I have heard my father speak of it and I remember seeing on the opposite bank traces of the timbers to which the rope was fastened. Here lived David Thompson, who married Lydia Stackpole. They were the grandparents of Hon. W. W. Stetson, Supt. of the Schools of Maine. Ancient Durham had another ferry, called "Dingley's" or "Garcelon's" according as one approached it from the Durham or from the Lewiston side. The line between Durham and Danville was for years 1805-15 on the northern boundary of the oid Dingley farm, now occupied by Orrin Libby of South Auburn. This was until recent years a much frequented crossing place. The accompanying map will enable the reader better to understand the location of roads and ferries. A comparison of this with the former map shows that the actual roads differ greatly from those projected upon the surveyor's chart. By comparing the following numbers with those on the map one may learn the location of churches, mills and most of the original settlers. The figures on the map indicate pretty nearly the location of the oldest houses. 1 North Meeting House. 2 Friends' Meeting House. 3 M. E. Church. 4 Union Church. 5 F. B. Church. 6 Cong. Church. 7 Stone Mill. 8 Gerrish's or Plummer's Mill. 9 Mayall's Mill. 10 Tracy's Mill. 11 Steam Mill. 12 Josiah Burnham. 13 John Scott. 14 Nathaniel Osgood. 15 John Sydleman. 16 Elisba Stetson. 17 Aaron Osgood. 18 John Lincoln. 19 Major Chas. Gerrish. 20 Reuben Dyer and Francis Harmon. 21 Pelatiah Warren and Job Sylvester. 22 O. Israel Bagley. 23 Stephen Weston. 24 Parson Herrick. 25 John Dean and Wm. McGray. 26 Joshua Strout. 27 Charles Hill and Ebenezer Newell. 28 Benjamin Vining. 29 David Dyer(?) and Barnabas Strout. 30 Universalist Church. 31 Samuel Nichols. 32 Micah Dyer. 33 John Cushing and Abel Curtis. 34 Dr. John Converse. 35 Joseph Proctor's Tavern. 36 Proprietor's House, built by Little. 37 Jonathan Bagley, James Strout. 38 Elijah Macomber. 39 Jonathan Strout. 40 Abel Stoddard. 41 Samuel Merrill, William Stoddard, George Williams. 42 John Skinner, Samuel Nichols, Jr. 43 Secomb Jordan. 44 William Webster. 45 John Stackpole. 46 Samuel Mitchell. 47 Isaac Lambert. 48 Samuel Robinson. 49 David Miller. 50 Joshua Miller. 51 Joshua Jones. 52 Joseph Weeman. 53 Edward Fifield. 54 Isaac Davis. 55 William Roak. 56 Nathaniel Parker. 57 Wm. Larrabee. 58 George Bowie. 59 Magnus Ridlon. 60 Nathaniel Wilbur. 61 Thomas Larrabee. 62 Thomas Waterhouse. 63 George Rice. 64 Wm. Pollister. 65 Robert Plummer. 66 Samuel Roberts. 67 John Ellis. 68 Judah Chandler, Isaac Turner. 69 Samuel York. 70 Zebulon York. 71 Wm. Roberts. 72 John Randall, Ezekiel Turner? 73 William True. 74 Abel True, Wm. Miller. 75 Jonathan Currier, Daniel Harmon. 76 Ebenezer Warren. 77 George Goodwin. 78 George Ferguson. 79 Joseph Paul, Matthew Duran. 80 Ezekiel Jones, Thomas Pierce. 81 Ebenezer Roberts. 82 Joshua Snow. 83 Stephen Hart, Nicholas Varney. 84 Batchelder Ring. 85 Reuben Tuttle. 86 Joseph Estes. 87 Samuel Clough. 88 Noah Jones, Jotham Johnson 89 Micajah Dudley. 90 Andrew Pinkham. 91 Lemuel Jones. 92 David Crossman. 93 Hugh Getchell. 94 Waitstill Webber. 95 Cornelius Douglas. 96 Caleb Estes. 97 Job Blethen, Josiah Day. 98 Jonathan Beal. 99 James Blethen. 100 Christopher Tracy. 101 Ebenezer Woodbury. 102 John Vining. 103 William Gerrish. 104 Andrew Adams. 105 Bela Vining. 106 Peter Mitchell. 107 Martin Rourk. 108 Nathan Lewis, Benjamin Osgood. 109 John Cushing. 110 John Hoyt. 111 Samuel Collins. 112 Israel Estes, Amos Knight. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF DURHAM, MAINE WITH GENEALOGICAL NOTES. BY EVERETT S. STACKPOLE. PUBLISHED BY VOTE OF TOWN. LEWISTON: PRESS OF LEWISTON JOURNAL COMPANY. 1899. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/androscoggin/history/1899/historyo/chapteri14nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mefiles/ File size: 35.1 Kb