HISTORY OF GORHAM, COOS COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE
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History of Coös County, New Hampshire by George Drew Merrill; Syracuse 
N.Y.: W.A. Fergusson & Co., 1888, 1888, 1018 pgs.
page 888

GORHAM
To the eye of the cultured traveller who, with esthetic taste,
has ranged through the classic regions of the Old World, and the
grand, stupendous scenery of California and the Rocky Mountains,
the White Mountains and their surrounding regions have a wierd
attraction all their own--mingled awe-inspiring grandeur and
wondrous sublimity, conbined with quiet repose and gentle softness
of landscape in an enchanting comtrast.  One of the mose lovely of
these scenes of sylvan beauty and restful repose, one that lingers
long in the memory with a tender unobtrusiveness and beguiling and
bewitching recollections, is Gorham, the eastern gateway of the
northern approaches to the frowning majesty of Mt. Washington and
its scarcely inferior companion peaks.  Nestled in the river valley
of the Androscoggin, on an extension of land created, apparently,
for the site of a lovely village, the village of Gorham has
attractions manifold.  The narrow glen-like valley of Peabody river
leads away up to the majestic mountain regions, and opens a bit of
scenery that artists will go far to admire.  Mt. Moriah shows
itself the grand central object of as perfect a mountain picture
as ever charmed an admirer; varying in its moods as varies the
weather, it seems the lovelier with each new condition.  Across the
Androscoggin the harsh hills press their cliffs close to the river
and frown, with cowl and wrinkle of nature's own formation,
on the gentle plain below.  Away off towards Lancaster the Pilot
mountains give a fine imitation of the Sierra Madre range, and,
in the evenings and later afternoons of clear days, exhibit the
same gorgeous displays of coloring so characteristic of the
mountain regions of the far West.  "The glory of the sunset flames
east upon those hoary giants southward, marking their western angles
with strong color, and hiding all the gashes in their eastern slopes
under heavy shadow."  These, and many other natural beauties and
advantages, combine to make the river valley in Gorham a
scene of loveliness unparalled, and a summer resort which those
"to the manor born," and the stranger, tarrying for a brief period
amid its beauties, alike pronounce once of the most enjoyable and
attractive in long leagues of travel; and which unite many of the
lovely features described by Dr. Johnson in his fabled, "Valley of
Rasselas."  The winding river, with its bank strewn with magnificent
elms towering in arching columns of strength and beauty; the ever-
inspiring mountain scenery; the level, plain-like valley, stretching
along the Androscoggin like a refreshing memory in the mind of man;
the quiet calm and restfulness that is ever here to soothe the tired
and wearied wanderer; the perfect healthfulness of the climate;
its pleasant homes, and the charming and unobtrusive hospitality
of the citizens; all join in painting upon the mental canvas a
picture of content and happiness that will not soon be obliterated.

From the opening of the Grand Trunk railway in 1851, Gorham has
been the center of summer travel on the east side of the mountains,
and we but voice the feelings of many visitors in what we have
said concerning its attractions.  Who comes once, will come again
and often; and leave, each time of departure with deeper feelings of
regret than before.  

The ALPINE CASCADES situated on the east side of the Androscoggin
river, near the Belin line, are among the many attractions with which
Dame Nature has so richly endowed Gorham.  These cascades are reached
from the road by a wire suspension bridge across the main channel of
the Androscoggin.  About seventy-five feet above the river is an
incomparable view-point of the foaming river below, the falls above,
the White Mountains in the distance, and nearer, of the innumerable
smaller hills.  The path to the foot of the cascades is through a
grove.  At the foot of the lower cascade is a small circular pool,
surrounded by luxurious growth of majestic firs, spruce, hemlock,
beech, birch, and maple with smaller evergreen trees.  From this
point commences the ascent to the upper cascades by artificial
stairs, 100 feet in length, ingeniously arranged, and securedly
fastened to the rock.  At the height of about 200 feet is the
Imp's Wash Bowl, a circular cavity in the solid granite.  The whole
length of the cascades is about one mile; their extreme height above
the river is about 400 feet; their channel lies between nearly
perpendicular walls of granite, in places rising above the water to
the height of eighty feet; the progress of the water from its large
basin at the top of the mountain, if first precipitous, falling
nearly perpendicular, then (more slowly) down a steep inclined plane
through narrow gorges, and at last expanding till it culminates in
the most delightful view before reaching the pool at its mountain
base.

Gorham, earlier Shelburne Addition, is situated at the northern base
of the White Mountains.  Much of its territory is rough, unproductive,
and, in an agricultural point of view, of little value.  The
Androscoggin valley immediately adjacent to the river is all that is
of worth, and that is all that makes the value and the wealth of
Gorham of 1887.  The town is bounded north by Berlin, east by
Shelburne, south by the White Mountain territory, and west by
Randolph.  There are some fine water privileges along the
Androscoggin, and eventually these will be the seats of busy and
remunerative labor.  The waters of the Moose and Peabody rivers
were formerly used to manufacture lumber, but the few establishments
now located on these streams employ steam as their motive-power.

The area of Gorham is 18,146 acres.  In 1770, it having been brought
to the notice of Gov. John Wentworth by the grantees of Shelburne
that the greater part of that grant was "so interspersed with
mountains, unimprovable lands and waters, that is will not accomodate
near the number of inhabitants that were by the conditions of the
charter to be settled and resident thereon," he, in order "that the
settling and cultivating that portion of our said province (which
induced us to make the first said grant) may not be frustrated,
but duly carried into effect," did make to the proprietors a second
grant, which included the present town of Gorham in addition to its
original domain.  This was really then Shelburne Addition, as as such
it was known until its incorporation as Gorham, June 18, 1836.  It
was never of any special value to Shelburne, for it paid no taxes,
and made but little progress during all those years.  It does not
appear to have been surveyed into lots until after the commencement
of the present century.  In 1800 there were but eight or ten
families resident in the "Addition," and the total population was
about forty-five.  In 1802 the town was surveyed by Uriah Holt,
of Norway, Me., and Moses Ingalls, of Shelburne, assisted by
Captain Daniel and Simon Evans (brothers), John Clemens and 
James S. Austin.  The Addition had been owned during most of the last
quarter of the eighteenth century by John Pierce, of Portsmouth,
but at the time of the survey it was owned by his son, Mark W.
Pierce and Benjamin Weld, of Brunswick, Me.
  To the practical minds of the early frontiersmen there was no
inducement for a settlement.  A township with no uploand of any
account, the mountains running close to the river, giving only a
limited amount of interval compared with that of towns lower down
the river, with no timber to attract the attention of the lumbermen,
Shelburne Addition had but little to attract the attention of any
one having capital to invest. There was only a simple trail through
the town for those on the river below to reach the Connecticut
river and Vermont.  From time immemorial the Indians had followed
this trail, and fished and hunted, and found fish in the streams and
wild animals on their banks.  This trail, as civilization advanced
became the highway to the Upper Coos country; and, in long years to
come, became the track over which were laid the long lines of iron
over which roll the magnificent passenger coaches of the Grand Trunk
Railway.  The simple pioneer who fastened for a brief space his eyes
upon the Addition would have considered the man a lunatic who would
have told one-half of the changes which seventy-five years have
wrought.  The township was not at all inviting.  Pine lumber was not
so abundant as in other towns.  The uplands were everywhere regarded
absolutely unfit for cultivation, while the interval lands were few
and not of the first quality, compared with those in the lower towns.
The great distance to a market was als quite another obstacle.

Dr. True says: "The first road from Gorham to Connecticut river was
opened about the year 1803. IT could not be travelled by teams
except in winter.  Mr. A.G. Lary says that a two-wheeled chaise
was never owned in the town.  People carried their wives and small
children on horseback during the summer season.  About the same time
the road was laid out from Shelburne to Shelburne Addition.  This was
simply a horseback path for many years.  People are now living who can
remember when the road from Gilead to Shelburne stopped at the "Bars"
as they were called near Shelburne village."

The FIRST SETTLERS was a good-natured, intemperate wanderer; two
indolent to undergo the hardships incident to developing a farm
from the tangles wilderness, and yet of sufficient good taste to
be able to appreciate the quality of the moose-meat and the flavor of
the trout provided by his gun and rod.  He built his camp in close
proximity to the present Lary house about 1803.  His name was
Bezaleel Bennett.  He came from Pigwacket (Conway), and brought
with him his mother and sister.  He cleared a small place, lived here
a few years, and went away.  The rocks used by him in his fire-place
marked until recently, and perhaps do now, the site of his rude
abode.

FIRST PERMANENT SETTLER--Stephen Messer, a native of Methuen, Mass.,
came from Andover, Mass., with his wife Anna Barker, prior to 1800,
and located in Shelburne.  about 1805 he settled in the present
Gorham, a little west of the new cemetery.  He was of cheerful,
sanguine temperament, and the difficulties of forming a home in the
wilderness had no terrors for him.  He had a large family of children
with whose assistance he built a home, and became a life-long
resident, and, according to tradition, was the only "praying man"
in town for years.  Mrs. Messer was one of the most intelligent
women of her day, and possessed a good education.  She was a
physician for many years, and also nurse, for the settlements of
the Androscoggin for miles; and many yet living in Gorham, Bethel,
Gilead and Shelburne can testify to the reputation she won by her
skill.  She was strong, resolute, and fearless.  Often, with a child
in her arms, she would make visits on horseback to Concord and
Pembroke, and her old home in Massachusetts.  Both Mr. and Mrs.
Messer rest in the old yard opposite the cemetery, from all the toils
of life.  Of their children, the sons, John, Stephen, Samuel and
Enoch, possessed natural mechanical powers, inherited from their
father, for no one could make a handsomer basket, snow-shoe or
moose-sled, or "bottom" chairs with more artistic skill than the
"old pioneer."  Their daughter Hannah married David Blake, and
has descendants now living in Maine; Susannah married Oliver Peabody,
of Shelburne; Nancy married Amos Peabody of the same town; Esther
married first, Joseph Ordway, second, Aaron Rowell; Betsey married
Thomas Hubbard, and lived and died in Shelburne, leaving descendants;
Sarah married Isaac Carlton, and Mehitable became the wife of Simon
Evans.

The JACKSON and GOODNO families were the next forerunners of
civilization here.  HENRY GOODNO, a native of Canterbury, married,
in that town, Nancy, daughter of Joseph Jackson, and they, probably
with her family, moved to Newbury, Me., about 1800.  They all
became interested in the new lands in Shelburne Addition, and in
April 1807, Mr. Goodno came to Bethel with his household goods.
Finding the snow in the roads six feet in depth, he disposed of the
major part of his effects, and started with the remainder and some
supplies on hand-sleds for his future home.  This he made on that
part of the J.R. Hitchcock farm lying in Gorham.  Here he built his
rough log-cabin, then called a camp, and commenced to cut out a home,
and become a resident.  In 1812 he enlisted as a soldier, and was
made a recruiting officer.  He enlisted about twenty men in
Shelburne and vicinity, and, with them, marched across the country,
and joined an expedition against Canada.  He was wounded and taken
prisoner in the battle of Three Rivers, P.Q., but, as peace was
declared the next day, he was soon released, and started homeward,
dying, however, at Plattsburgh, N.Y. from his wounds.  He, it is
said, built the first frame house in the town.  Dr. True says that
"he was assisted by Nathaniel Greenwood, a single man who was hired
by Goodno.  Subsequently Greenwood bought him out, and Goodno moved
to Gilead."  Mrs. Goodno, after passing through various vicissitudes,
died at the county alms house.  They had eight children, of whom
Moses, so well-known to citizens of this generation, was the first
white child born in town.

JOSEPH JAcKSON, then of Newry, in 1807 purchased the lot now the
site of Gorham village, of Benjamin Weld.  He built a log house,
and became the first settler of the place.  The whole lot,
according to Dr. True, was estimated at the value of $25.  Jackson
was accused of aiding an uncle in passing counterfeit money, was
tried, and convicted of this offense, and sent to the state prison.
He escaped, however, and the rumor says that he left the country on
a vessel bound for the West Indies, and settled at Matanzas, where
he died.  He was an active man, and appeared desirous to create a
pleasant home for his family here.  "He went to Canterbury NH,
and obtained a sackful of small apple trees, which he brought home
on his back, and set out a large orchard, the first in town, which is
still remembered by old people.  He also obtained from the same
place a sackful of small pear trees, which he set out where the
Congregational church now stands.  When that was built, in 1862,
there were pear trees six or eight inches in diameter, which were cut
down to make room for the church.  This was the largest orchard
ever in town."  Previous to 1815 Jackson, while under the ban of the
law, gave this lot to his son Moses, but both he and his brother
Willard, soon left town.

It was at this period that counterfeiting was carried on to a great
extent in Canada.  Men would actually pass through Shelburne
Addition to Canada for this purpose.  They took with them a quantity
of pigtail and ladies' twist tobacco, with which to pay their
travelling expenses.  The scarcity of this article in those days was
so great that it was as good and even better than money itself.
These men would go to Canada and buy the counterfeit money for
ten cents on a dollar, put a lot of it in the bottom of a bag,
and fill it up with snake root, so as to escape detection.
When they came to a place for the night, they would carelessly
throw the bag down near the horses in the barn, where it remained
untouched.  Going into the lower settlements they disposed of it as
best they could.  If caught, they would sometimes redeem it with
genuine money, and thus escape justice, but if they had nothing but
the counterfeit, they would be arrested and sent to jail to be
tried, and sent to the state prison.  Occasionally specimens of these
counterfeits may be seen in museums.

SIMON EVANS came to Addition in 1815, with six children.  There
were then seven cabins in the Addition.  Three of them were
frame shanties twenty-two feet square, simply "boarded in," covered
with long shingles, having rough single floors and rock chimneys.
There was not a bit of "plastering" in any building in town.
There was not $25 worth of furniture in all the houses, nor was there
anything but "home-made" sleighs or wagons.

POPULATION IN 1815--Mr. Griffin and his son Benjamin lived in a little
log house in A.J. Lary's pasture, on the rise of the land near
Peabody's mill. He had seven children.  JOHN MESSER lived near the
Lary crossing.  SAMUEL MESSER and T.J. HUBBARD lived on the square
lot.  One had eight children, the other ten.  SIMON EVANS and
grandfather MESSER lived in the orchard near Jackman's and had six
children.  The widow of HENRY GOODNO lived near by.  SIMEON EVANS
occupied the place where he raised his boys.  ABRAM WILSON lived in
a little log hut on teh bank near the Congregational Church, and had
eight children.  ELIJAH EVANS lived in a little cabin near 
Hitchcock's barn, and had six children.  This gives the whole
population of Gorham in 1815, except one family of Indians that lived
in the pines near Moose river bridge, John Mitchell and wife and
three children.  Only two horses were owned, few cows, oxen, or sheep,
but there was quite a colony of dogs.  Tobacco was a better circulating
medium than money, and was even less plenty.  Rum was a household
necessity, for every one drank it.

CHAPTER CXI
EARLY DIFFICULTIES IN WAY OF SETTLEMENT--The years succeeding the
War of 1812 were noted for their hard times.  The country emerged
from that war with its commerce crippled and with exhausted finances.
In this sparsely-settled section money was rarely seen  and no demand
for laborers existed.  Added to this stagnation, for several years
the labor in planting crops on the little clearings was of little
avail, as the weather was most unpromising.  In 1816 men planted
their corn and beans with mittens on, and reaped their meager crops
of unripe wheat when frost was on the stalks.  Through the whole
Androscoggin valley not an ear of corn was raised, and but few
potatoes.  The few fortunate ones whose wheat ripened could sell it
at from $3 to $5 a bushel.  Yet no one starved.  Fish and game were
the chief supplies.  One early settlers says, "I have lived ten weeks
without bread, and but the milk of one cow for a family of ten,
and potatoes, and we were better of than some."  "If their food was
frugal, their appetites were equally sharp.  If they were fortunate
enough to raise some beans, they could make bean porridge, which had
the merit of lasting a good while.  Hulled corn cooked with maple
sap was no mean food.  Boiled potatoes were mixed up with flour, to
lengthen out the latter.  For want of a mill they pounded up their
grain and boiled it.  Old hunters went to Bethel, Norway and Paris in
the winter, and hauled home on handsleds a little rum.  THey did not
have much during the summers, on account of the difficulty of
obtaining it.  Some lived for weeks on "boiled greens," plants, roots,
etc. Some corn was harvested in 1817 and a fair crop of wheat, and the
acreage of tillable land was increasing yearly.
  The pioneer was of necessity forced to hard manual labor.  Felling
trees, piling and burning logs, hacking in wheat with a hoe among the
stumps and rocks, and building heavy log fences were the necessary
avocations.  The frugal diet was aided by equally frugal and
inexpensive drinks.  In place of coffee, a decoction of the chocolate
root growing plentifully everywhere was used.  Dried raspberry leaves
and clover blossoms were steeped for tea.  A corn-cob, or dug out
briar-root or potato, served as a pipe-bowl in which to smoke the
hanging moss collected from the forest-trees, or the lung-wort from
the trunks of the maples.  Snake root, a valuable medicine, was dug
and brought a dollar a pound.  A board served as a table.  They made
their own baskets and wash-bowls, and often wooden spoons.  Sometimes
they would obtain lead sufficient to run some spoons, which were a
little more aristocratic than those of wood.  The neighboring brook
or spring supplied them with water.  A dipper served them a good
purpose for drinking their rum. They made their own spinning wheels
and looms, and tanned skins of all kinds for mittens, shoes and boots.
Grandfather Messer had a tool called a "howell" with which he would
hollow out a large log of poplar into trays.  He made "keelers" for
setting the milk, and tubs for butter.  If they could not make maple
sugar, they went without it.  It was ruin for any may to indulge
in the luxuries of life.  Oxen were fed on the life-of-man roots,
which grew in abundance.  This served for provender in the spring of
the year, and they soon learned to like it.  One settler started
early one morning for Shelburne, a distance of thirteen miles, did a
hard day's work, shelled a bushel of corn in the evening for his pay,
and carried it in a bag on his back to a mill of three miles distant,
roused up the miller, who ground it for him, when he carried the meal
home to Gorham Hill that night, where his family were waiting that
they might have some of it to eat.

THE ADDITION IN 1821 AND LATER--In 1821 HEZEKIAH ORDWAY had a framed
house in which he kept travellers.  There was a log house where the
Mullen house now stands.  Elijah Evans had a framed house on the
Hitchcock place.  Moses Goodno lived in a log house on the flat land
where the road now turns off to the Glen.  The three Evanses were 
living on the Stiles place.  BENJAMIN GRIFFIN came about 1825.  Up
to this time log houses had been the rule, and when a man was ready
to raise one, men came from all quarters to assist in the work.
Plenty of rum was the only reward desired and it was always remembered
a jolly occasion.  Sometimes the roads were so new and bad that men
were obliged to unyoke their oxen and carry the yoke on their
shoulders, and drive the oxen as best they could through the rough
places.  This was no obstacle when they were going to a "raising."

HEZEKIAH ORDWAY was born in Vermont and came to Shelburne when a boy.
In 1823 he married Polly Porter, of Shelburne, moved to Gorham in 
1826, and kept a public house, and was the first postmaster in town.
He afterwards moved to Milan, then to Bethel, but died in 1879 in
Greenland NH in his eightieth year.  In 1827 ELIJAH EVANS had a 
two-story house standing in Gorham.  Elder MORSE lived in Gorham
after 1827.  DANIEL INGALLS was the only man then living on Gorham
Hill.  LOT DAVIS, brother of ABNER, moved to Gorham in 1831.  He
built a two-story house and a store.  This was the first store in
town.  He owned the Valentine Styles place and kept a public house,
but was entirely burnt out.  He afterwards rebuilt, sold out to
ABRAHAM COLE about the year 1850, and moved out one mile on the
Randolph road, and afterwards died in Jackson.  Mr. Cole kept a 
public house, but was also burned out.

THE FIRST SCHOOL was taught in 1823 by Miss Salome Mason, of Gilead,
for the munificent sum of $1.00 a week.  She boarded with the
scholars, and the proprietors paid for her eight-weeks term.  She was
a noted teacher in those days, and was well known in the Androscoggin
valley.  An amusing anecdote is told of one of her pupils in the
Shelburne school. Jonathan Lary was visiting the school at one time,
and asked the child, who was diligently wrestling with arithmetic,
assisted by slate and pencil, if she had been through addition.
"Not clear through," was her response, "but I have been to Grandpa
Messer's."  It was a long time before she heard the last of
"going through Addition."

As late as 1829 there were but three framed houses in town. One
on the Hitchcock interval, another where Patrick Mullen's house now
stands, and one opposite A.G. Lary's.  The rest were log houses.

THE GREAT FRESHET--Dr. True secured, in 1882, from Moses Goodno
this description of that freshet on Peabody and Androscoggin rivers,
known as the Great Freshet of August 28, 1826: "I was living with
Elijah Evans, on the spot where I was born, in the interval near
where Hitchcock's barns are situated.  This was on August 28, 1826,
when I was nineteen years old.  It began to rain the previous night,
and rained very hard all the next day, and in the afternoon the
water began to rise in the river, when at seven o'clock in the evening
it touched the stringers of the bridge.  It rained fearfully hard
till eleven o'clock that night before it ceased. It seemed like
pouring water through a sieve, or as if a cloud had burst.  A man
could hardly keep from drowning when standing still, it rained so
fast.  In a short time the water rose about eight feet higher than
ever known before, and carried away the bridge.  About nine o'clock
the water began to run into the doors and windows, and the family 
started for the mountains.  It was totally dark, but they waded across
the interval and crossed a small bridge, and came to another which
had just been swept away, and we could not go any further.  We then
turned back, hoping to reach the barn for shelter, but the bridge we
had crossed before was now swept away and we could not reach the barn.
Trees floating down from the Peabody river near us, and swept us down
with them.  We caught into the tops and were borne down with the 
current a third of a mile.  I succeeded in putting the children into
the tops of the floating trees.  At last the trees formed a jam about
some stumps, but the water ran so swiftly that a part of the trees
were torn away and carried down stream, and with them Harriet Evans
and her brother, John C. Evans, and in a minute more it swept away
the young man, Elijah Evans and Harriet Wilson, then living in the
family.  I succeeded in reaching the girl and bringing her
back, and then the boy.  The father of the family, Elijah Evans,
was in Shelburne at this time.  I could hear the others screaming,
and though it was pitch dark I swam part of the time and waded and
followed the direction of the sound till I succeeded in reaching
them, and found Harriet in the water clinging to the tree tops.
I pulled her out of the water with her brother clinging to her
clothes without her being aware of his being there.  I succeeded in
getting them onto a dry knoll.  The old lady and two boys, Harrison
and Sam were still on the first jam, holding on to a stump.  I thought
they were quite safe there.  I saw a streak of light in the sky,
and being a good swimmer I struck for the mountain, well knowing that
I could do no more for them there, and they they would all be drowned
if the water rose much higher.  I swam part of the way, and waded
the rest.  I struck a sheep pen just below John Burbank's barn,
climbed into it, and jumped down into the water, well soaked with
manure, to the armpits, and had some trouble getting out.  I went to
the house, opened the outside door, when the brooks from the
mountains rushed in.  I succeeded in shutting the inner door, went to
the fire-place, caught a burning brand and put it in the oven so it
should not be put out by the water, and shouted for Mr. Burbank.
His wife sprang out of bed, lighted a candle, when Mr. Burbank
followed, but fainted as soon as he arose.  We placed him on a bed,
and called her hired man.  Isaac Carleton, and we let the cattle
out of the yard, which was full of water, to keep them from drowning.
We now lighted a lantern, took off the great doors from the barn and
made a raft, but it flopped over, and we could do nothing with it.
We next yoked the oxen and went to Mr. Joshua Kendall's house, who
had a large lye-trough, which had been made by digging out a large tree
like a boat.  We hitched the oxen to this, Kendall rode in the boat
while Carleton and I each road an ox.  In this way we went across the
interval, but did not dare to take the women into the boat, through
fear of tipping over, and waited until daylight, when we made bridges
of plank, and succeeded in bringing them all safely to Mr.
Burbank's house about eight or nine o'clock in the forenoon.
One of the boys had gone further down the stream on a jam, when he
caught near Merrill Head's house at a distance of half a mile. He
could not swim, but succeeded in keeping out of the current in the
main river, and the family had given him up for drowned, but when they
reached the house, to their great joy, and surprise they found him.
The escape of the whole family was certainly a marvellous one.
The effects of that freshet were remarkable.  The channel of the
Peabody river previous to this time could be crossed on a single
plank, but the floods of water tore away the banks, taking out large
trees by the roots, and widening the channel to its present
condition. The river was a milk white color, from the mud taken from
its banks.  It tore away about ten acres of excellent interval, and 
the land where Hutchinson's interval now is, making hollows and
channels all over it, some of which still remain.  James of trees
covering five acres of land and fifteen feet high were formed.
These were afterwards burned off.  The reason why Evans's buildings
were not swept away was owing to a jam of trees which lodged on some
pine stumps and against the orchard which divided the current of
water.  The only building swept away was a vacated log house
belonging to a man by the name of Brooks.  It was several days
before the news of the Willey catastrophe reached us."
  Such was Mr. Goodno's story of one of the most interesting events
in the history of the town.  It was a very disastrous freshet to
the crops.  Large quantities of wheat and other grains floated down
the river and were lost.  Such another rain-fall never occurred in
modern times in the vicinity of the White Mountains.

By 1830 the population had increased to 111, and the first or
rudimentary period of civilization was accomplished.  Nothing
occurred of importance for the first three years; only a small 
advance in the population and in the clearings.  There was now a chain
of settlers stretching through the town from Shelburne to Durand.
Provisions enough were raised to give plain and nourishing food to all
the dwellers of the settlement; and, although luxury had not yet
made its appearance, and extreme simplicity of mannners, customers,
and style of living prevailed, the hard and grinding conditions of
absolute poverty and suffering for lack of suitable diet had
passed away.  There were no mills, however, and no center of trade.
No attempt had succeeded to establish any business which would draw
capital or population.  Hard work developed the physical nature, and
the women, as well as men, could do their share in rolling up the
log-heaps and other heavy labor.  They did not have neuralgia or
headache, and, notwithstanding their toil, many attained a vigorous
old age.

The period of prosperity began really in 1834.  Dr. True says:
"In 1834 Dea. Evans Wilson owned the first house this side of
Randolph line; Joseph Messer next to him, then Samuel Emergy, where
Freeman Emery now lives, then Aaron Burbank, where Augustus Hodgdon
now lives, then Widow Heath, where Thomas Heath now lives, then John
Ordway near where Mrs. Amanda Day now lives, then William Rowell,
where Asa Evans now lives.  Mr. Benjamin Griffin lived on the
John T. Peabody place; next to him lived Andrew G. Lary, on the place
he bought of Jordan Saunders.  Near Moose river lived Jeremiah Harding.
Moses Goodno about fifty rods above Peabody river bridge.  Daniel
Rodgers lived in a block-house of hewn timbers, where John C. Evans
now lives, next was Lot Davis, near Moose river, then Aaron Rowell,
where J.C. Gordon lives, then Peter Coffin, on lot of Walter Buck's,
then Abraham Wilson, where Patrick Mullen now lives, then Elijah
Evans, on the Hitchcock place, near the large barn.  Eighteen
families constituted the site of the present village."

Addition received its most important inhabitant early in this
year--one whose energy, business capacity and industry did much to
inculcate habits of systematic labor, and principles of sound domestic
economy among the earlier citizens who had never been trained in any
such school.  This was ANDREW G. LARY, who came from Shelburne,
purchased a large tract of land at what was afterwards known as
Gorham Upper Village, and built the LARY HOUSE, as a house of
entertainment.  This was the first painted house in Addition, and was
located on the road to Lancaster, which had been opened through
Randolph as early as 1825.

FIRST MILLS--Jonathan Lary also was a prime factor in improvement.
He built this year (1834) the first grist-mill, and saved many long
journeys of the settlers to the mill in Shelburne.  This was put up
near where the bridge crosses Moose river, and, to furnish power,
a canal was dug to convey the water of that stream by a shorter route
to the mill, thus increasing the fall.  The first saw-mill was
constructed in 1836, on or near the same site, by Jonathan and
Andrew G. Lary.  The benefit effect of these industries was soon felt.
Men were employed in the mills, and during the winter, in the "woods"
in providing logs to be manufactured.  Money was brought into
circulation, and a better manner of living was gradually introduced.
In town and neighborhood affairs, Andrew G. Lary was much interested,
and through a long and useful life filled with credit and dignity,
and for extended terms, all the prominent offices.  Jonathan Lary
and Andrew G. Lary were authorized to call the first town-meeting
of Gorham.  Andrew G. Lary was the first "moderator," and was chosen
the first treasurer of the town.  The town-meetings were held at his
house for a long time.  He was also the largest tax payer.
  T.H. Hutchinson says that on his first visit to the site of Gorham
village in 1835 it was a desolate place enough.  The snow drifted so
hard that he could scarcely see the marks made by his horse, while
the dry wire-grass wriggled above the snow, and the rocks stuck up
very plentifully over the ground, and he would not have believed at
the time that all the powers on earth could have made him come there
to settle.  Had he been a painter, surely he would have had abundant
materials with which to make a picture of desolation.
  The settler's nearest market towns were Lancaster, twenty-five miles
west, and Bethel, Me., twenty-one miles east.  Here the produce of the
little holdings, some bear, moose and fox-skins, with the fur of
beaver, otter, and fisher, were taken and exchanged for "store-goods."
It was quite a sight to see the long processions of teams en route
to Portland conveying pork, butter, cheese and poultry from the
Upper COnnecticut valley.  Every ten or fifteen miles was a wayside
inn furnishing accomodations, and half a dozen occupants were not
unfrequently provided with lodging in the same apartment. Between
Lancaster and Bethel were Whipple's old stand, Olcott Brown's in
Randolph, A.G. Lary's in Addition and George Green's in Shelburne.

CHAPTER CXII
ACT OF INCORPORATION
The increase of population and a corresponding increase of business,
induced the inhabitants to petition the legislature for an act of
incorporation into a town.  In consequence a petition was sent to
the legislature in session at Concord, in 1836, and an act of
incorporation was passed and signed by the governor (Isaac Hill)[this 
act of incorporation was for "that tract of land now known and called 
by the name of Shelburne Addition, shall hereafter be known by the
name of Gorham*.." (June 18, 1836).

[*Sylvanus Davis, son of Mr. Josiah Davis and Hannah Gorham, a member
of the family of the Hon. William Gorham, of Gorham, Me., were
married November 19, 1789, and some time after moved to Chatham NH.
Their son, Lot Davis, Esq. moved to Gorham NH and was present at a
meeting when the matter of organizing the town was under consideration.
Mr. Davis suggested the name of "Gorham" and the town was called
"Gorham].

THE FIRST TOWN MEETING was held Tuesday, the 19th of July 1836.
At this meeting Andrew G. Lary was moderator; Joseph Messer was chosen
town clerk; Thomas Ordway, Samuel Emery and John D. Burbank were 
chosen selectmen. Samuel Emery and Abram Wilson were Highway surveyors.
William Rowell, constable; Abram Wilson and James Heath as "saxons"
(sextons?); William Rowell surveyor of lumber; Andrew G. Lary
sealer of weights and measures.  Aaron Rowell pound keeper; William
Rowell as field-driver.  Wiliiam Rowell collector. ANdrew G. Lary
town treasurer.  

TAX PAYERS 1836--Aaron Burbank, John D. Burbank, Elijah Evans,
Samuel Evans, Lot Davis, Benjamin Griffin, Moses Goodno. Jeremiah 
Hanlin, Charles Hill, James K. Heath, Andrew G. Lary, Jonathan Lary,
Joseph Messer, John Ordway, Stephen Ordway, Thomas J. Ordway,
Aaron Rowell, William Rowell, Abraham Wilson, Evans Wilson, Solomon
Wilson, Curtis C. Willey, Rufus Hubbard.  Of these eight paid only a
poll tax.  Andrew G. Lary stood the highest on the list of tax-payers,
his real estate being valued at $500.  Jonathan Lary's mill, however
was valued at $600.  There were but three horses taxed in town. There
were twenty-two oxen, and thirty-two cows.  Of meat stock there were
thirteen one-year-olds and ninety-four sheep.  Footing of the 
resident's inventory in the year 1836 was $76.32.  School tax $25
assesed at $3 per cent.  The selectmen took their oath before
ANthony Vincent, justice of the peace.

At a town meeting, November 4, 1837 the first juryman, Abraham Wilson,
was drawn to attend the court at Lanacaster.  At a meeting of the
inhabitants in town meeting assembled at the house of A.G. Lary,
June 8, 1837, it was voted to build a school-house in district No.2.
This was the first public school-house built in this town.  It
was built during that year near Joseph Twitchell's.  THe same year a
road was laid out, three rods wide, from Berlin line to Gorham.
The citizens built the road with their own labor.

1838. Thirty-three voters in town.  The names added this year were
Sumner Chipman, Peter Coffin, James Harford, Stephen Farrington,
John Morse, James M. Foot, William P. Moulton, while those dropped
out of last year's list were Stephen Ordway, Joseph Meserve,
Thomas J. Ordway.  This change in the names of the lists from year to 
year will indicate time of removal, or death.  A.G. Lary was
chosen town clerk; John D. Burbank, Samuel G. Evans, Lot Davis
selectmen; A.G. Lary treasurer. 

1839. William Rowell was chosen town clerk; Perkins P. Moulton,
Samuel G. Evans, and Henry Evans, selectmen; Sumner Chipman,
town treasurer.  Andrew G. Lary was chosen to build a town pound.
Names added to the voting list this year: Elbridge Burbank,
James Gordon, Josiah Hill, Stephen C. Jones, John Wells, John Mars.
Dropped from last year's list: James Heath and James Harford.

1840. John T. Peabody and Edward Wells were added to the list of
voters.  John D. Burbank, Peter Griffin, Josiah Hill, Jeremiah
Harding, Stephen C. Jones, John Mars, and Stephen Ordway dropped
from the list of 1839.  John T. Peabody was chosen town clerk.

1841. Israel Griffin, Daniel Griffin, Solomon Wilson become voters
making thirty-eight in town. 

1842. Caleb S. Peabody, Silas P. Brown, Robbins Brown and America
Wiley were added to the list of tax-payers.  The original burying-
round was situated near Abraham Wilson's house, and it was voted
this year to remove the bodies to the burying-ground near Aaron
Rowell's house.  Elisha Whitney, Francis Wilson, Caleb S. Peabody,
Anthony Martin and Silas Barlett were added to the list of voters,
making forty.

1843. Added to the voting list this year: Fletcher I. Evans,
Barak Jackman, Isaac Stearns, Ephraim Wight.  The name of Peter
Coffin, the only Revolutionary soldier ever residing in town, was
dropped from the voting list this year.

1844. Stephen Gray and William Weaver were added to the list of
Tax-payers and Joseph C. Griffin to that of voters, forty-one.
Silas Bartlett was dropped.

1845. James Farrington and Hiram Wilson were added to the list of
voters.  

1846. There were added to the tax-payers this year the names of
Harriet Evans and Samuel B. Robbins, and to the voting list
Daniel Rogers and Pliny Richardson.

1848. Thomsa Hapgood was added to the list of resident tax payers,
and to the list of voters Burley (Bailey?) K. Davis, Noah Gould,
Amos Lary, Orren Wilson, Obadiah Mann and Augustus F. Hodgdon, 39
voters.  Thomas Hapgood was authorized to sell spiritous liquors
and wine at his store, in quantities not less than one pint.

1850.There were added to the list of resident tax-payers of the town,
Hazen Evans, Abram Cole, John W. Currier, Eben Garland, Nathan Fogg.
During this year Peabody river bridge was carried away, and 
Augustus F. Hodgdon and Allen Whitney were added to the list of voters.

[Years 1851-1887 included in original document, not listed here]

GORHAM SOLDIERS--Volunteers who enlisted in Gorham, as appears on
the town records of 1862
Lot D. Wily, 5th Me. Regt
Levi W. Dolloff, 5th Me Regt
Asa D. Jordan, 5th Me Regt
Joseph Goodno, 5th NH Regt
Samuel Heath, 5th NH Regt
James M. Evans, 5th Me Regt.
J. Frank Raynes, ast Me. Regt
Israel Griffin, 5th NH Regt
Lawrence Murphy, 5th NH Regt
Martin Coyne, 5th NH Regt
Luther Walcott, 5th NH Regt
Isaiah W. Burbank, 5th NH Regt.
Charles H. Linton, 5th NH Regt.
James Farrmington, 5th NH Regt.
Stephen Burbank, 5th Me. Regt.
Benjamin F. Hicks, 1st Me Regt.
Lorenzo Poor, 5th Me. Regt.
Orlando Day, 3d NH Regt.
Asa Goodwin, 5th NH Regt
George Field, 1st Me Regt.
Daniel W. Scribner, 5th Me. Regt.
Dudley Green, 5th NH Regt.
James McCormick, 3d NH Regt.
Albion Alcott, 5th NH Regt.
Thomas Thayer, 5th NH Regt
James Staples Jr. 10th Me Regt.
John Farr, 5th NH regt.
Moses W. Rand, 5th NH Regt.
James Mansfield, 19th?/10th? NH Rgt.
Dustin Crooke, 5th Me Regt.
Peter Clarity, 13th Mass Regt.
Scribner Cates, 5th NH Regt
Stephen Cummins, 5th NH Regt.
Dudley Conery, 5th NH Regt
(numbering thirty-four men).

page 906
CHAPTER CXIII
CHURCHES - SCHOOLS

FREE-WILL BAPTISTS--There does not appear to have been any
organization, civil, educational or religious for many years after
the settlement of the town.  From 1815 to 1820 the Free-Will Baptist
denomination began to increase and organize churches in the new
settlements of Maine and New Hampshire.  Although their ministers were
generally men of quite limited education, they possessed a simple
piety and earnest zel, and filled a place in the condition of
society as it then existed.  Pioneers, though they were, they did
excellent work in controlling the elements of society, and
impressing on the people, especially in the remote settlements,
their religious duties and obligations.

Among those who first preached in Gorham were Elder Zachariah Jordan,
of Raymond, Me., and Dudley Pettengill, of Sandwich.  Their visits
were only occasional, but seemed to excite an interest among the
people, and it resulted in the organization of the Free WIll Baptist
church, at sometime between the foregoing dates.  Elder Jordan seems
to have been the chief instrument in its organization.  Among those
who were original members were Mrs. Mehitable Evans, wife of Simon
Evans, Samuel Messer and wife, John Messer, Elder John Morse of
Randolph, Elaska Jackson and wife, Charles Evans, and Samuel Wilson.
Elder John Morse came from Otisfield, Me., and was made the first
deacon.  He afterwards became a preacher.  Elder Bowles of Whitefield
is still remembered as one who preached for them.  At a later period
they had accessions to their numbers, among them John Burbank and
several members of his family.  He was a deacon of the church, and
its leading member for many years. Deacon Burbank was superintendent
of the Sabbath-school, the only one organized in town until after
1850, and it was said that for many years he was the only man in town
who was knownt o pray in public.  The church kept up a nominal life,
ministered to by Elder Jacquith, an itinerant Methodist preacher,
and Rev. Almon Wallace, a Free-Will Baptist, who came to Gorham in
1816, and after a short stay moved away.  After the railroad came,
and other societies were formed, this ceased to exist and its
members joined other churches.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH--The first Congregational preaching in Gorham
was by the Rev. Elihu Burt in 1856, under the patronage of the
NH Missionary Society, one-fourth of the time during two successive
years.  He did a good work in preparing the way for his successor.
Much of the population was of a transient character, which is always
detrimental to the best interest of a town.  As the population 
became more permanent, the tendency among the people increased
toward different organizations, religious and secular, such as exist
in every well regulated town.  Rev. George F. Tewksbury was the 
first settled minister.  He was a native of Oxford, Me., was graduated
from Bowdoin college in 1833.  He studied theology at Andover (Mass.)
Theological seminary, and was installed pastor of the church in
Albany, Me. in 1838.  In 1859 he was employed as a gospel pioneer
missionary to labor in the new but growing village of Gorham.  He
commenced preaching in the village school-house to a small 
congregation, supply them every Sabbath.  The only religious
organization in the town at that time was a Sabbath-school of
twenty-five or thirty members started in 1856 by the Young Men's
Christian Association of Portland.  Gorham at this time was
emphatically missionary ground, as there was no church organization,
nor church edifice in town.
  In the autumn of 1859, Valentine L. Stiles finished and opened a hall
for public worship, which was known as Ingalls Hall, and was dedicated
about Christmas.  From that time the congregation and Sabbath-school
greatly increased, so that the hall which seated about 100 people
was usually well filled.  This continued to be the only regular place
of worship for upwards of two years.  At last Mr. Stiles made a
proposition to his pastor to build a church on his own responsibility,
provided he could raise $600 towards it.  Mr. Tewksbury solicited and
obtained that amount from Christian friends abroad, and in 1862 the
house was finished and dedicated.  The cost of the building was
$3,350 and was built in good style, with a vestry in the basement,
and neatly frescoed, and soon a good bell was placed in the belfry.
At the sale of the pews only sixteen were purchased.  In January
previous, Rev. E.P. Hammond came here as an Evanlist, and held a
series of meetings for ten or twelve days, which was followed by 
fifteen or twenty hopeful conversions, mostly in the Sabbath-school.
March 18, 1862, a Congregational church was organized, consisting of
twenty-five members.  The same year a Congregational parish and
society was organized with THomas A. Adams clerk.  The society soon
purchased the church building of Mr. Stiles, and it was furnished
by the Congregational circle at an expense of $300.  In 1865 Mr.
Tewksbury resigned the pastorate.  In the same year Rev. Thomas T.
Merry commenced labor in Gorham as acting pastor and continued in 
the field nearly two years.  In 1867 Mr. Benjamin P. Johnson, a
student in the seminary, preached for a few Sabbaths, and in 1868
Rev. Ferdinand W. Dickinson was acting pastor.  In 1869 Brother
Tewksbury accepted an urgent invitation of the church to come back
to his old field of labor and here he remained until June 1876.
Rev. Arthur Benedict was the next settled pastor.  He was energetic
and prompt in all his professional duties, and cheerfully performed
his public work amid discouragements incident to all who engaged in
ministerial labor.  During his ministry 24 were added to the
membership of the church.  He resigned his pastorate in May 1882.
July 9, 1882 Rev. Theodore C. Jerome, a native of Oxford, NY
and a graduate of Andover (Mass) Theological seminary, commenced his
ministry. Mr. Jerome was active in matters of education and public
improvement.  He contributed largely to the religious newspapers of
the day,and some of his published sermons and addresses had wide
circulation.  Mr. Jerome was succeeded by Rev. George F. Wright the
present pastor.  Elihu Libby was chosen deacon of the church March
25, 1862.
  The church and society are free of debt, with a strong membership
who are sincere in their efforts to sustain and support the
ordinances of the gospel.  Since the church organization took effect
there has been an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a revial has
been enjoyed which added much to its strength.  The Sunday-school
is in a prosperous condition.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH--Asahel Moore, a Methodist preacher, came
to Gorham and preached six months in 1858-59.  This was all the
preaching the denomination had until the spring of 1862, when a class
was organized.  As soon as the Congregational church was erected,
the Methodists withdrew, formed a separate congregation, and
worshipped for a time in the old hall.  ALmost the first thing to be
accomplished was the building of a church.  This was erected in 1862
on the spot where it now stands.  It was subsequently finished and
a fine-toned bell furnished.  It is a neat and well-constructed
building.  The singing-gallery is in the rear of the desk, and
constructed in such a way as to give the best acoustic effects.
  The first appointment of a minister by the conference was made
in 1862, when Rev. W.W. Baldwin was stationed here.  He was a ready
writer, an active thinker, and did much towards laying the foundation
of a good society.  He remained two years, and was reappointed for
the same position in 1875-76.  [additional pastors in original document
not included here].

UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY--As early as 1861 those persons in Gorham of
The Universalist faith, though few in numbers, secured the services of
Rev. L. Wolcott to preach the Gospel.  The breaking out of the war
took from them their pastor, as he enlisted in the army.  They had
preaching most of the time by transient ministers until 1879, when
Rev. A. Bosserman supplied the pulpit one-fourth of the time for
two years.  The services were held in Gorham House hall.  Rev. B.K.
Russ has performed much ministerial work for this society since.
  In November 1886, a few individuals assembled and formed themselves
into a society, which was called the Universalist "Good-will Circle,"
with these officers: President, Mrs. J.W. Greenlaw; vice-president,
Mrs. M R. Demond; secretary, Mrs. Levi A. Noyes; treasurer, Mrs.
Levi Shedd; commitee on by-laws, Mrs. Seth L. Chipman, Lizzie C.
Thomas and Mrs. N.D. Hyde.... This circle increased rapidly in
numbers and interest, and, February 12, 1887, A sunday-school was
organized with the necessary officers.  Scott Bryant, the super-
intendent, after serving four or five weeks with ability and to
the satisfaction of all, was taken from them by death.  Mrs. Demond
then conducted the school which numbers fifty-two scholars and
eight teachers, and has a library of 160 volumes of good and useful
books, donated in part (by the kindness of Mrs. Gay) from Dr. Miner's
church in Boston, and in part from other churches, through the 
influence of Mrs. Dr. Hyde.  The remainder was bought by the school,
which is also well supplied with service and singing books.
The success of the circle and school was due to the earnest efforts
put forth by its members without the aid of a pastor.
  The progress and vigor of the school encouraged the friends of
liberal Christianity to organize a society, and May 30, 1887, the
"First Universality Society" of Gorham was formed, funds raised to
support preaching through the summer, and a committee chosen to
obtain a suitable pastor.  Rev. Dr. Leonard of Tufts college,
Medford, Mass., an able divine, recommended Rev. F. L. Payson
who was secured July 12th and services were held weekly during
summer and as often as practicable in the fall and winter in the
Gorham House hall.  Rev. Mr. Payson proved the "right man in the
right place"; his earnestness and decided convictions of the
importance of his work made its impress upon his hearers, and
renewed interest in the faith of "love to God and man" was the result.
Attendance on the services is very encouraging, the average being
about 100 persons, and the new society bids fair to prosper and
become a strong and live factor in the religious element of Gorham.

CATHOLIC CHURCH--Gorham was regarded as a mission of Lancaster, under
the care of Father Noiseaux, in 1858, until the arrival of Father
Narcissus Charland, in October 1876.  Previous to his coming the
mission was visited quite regularly by the priests of the diocese of
Portland.  In 1876 was formed a regular parish, under the name of
the Church of the Holy Family.  The church was erected in 1870,
the interior was completed in 1876, and dedicated in August 1879.
The cemetery was consecrated during the same month, and a parsonage
was built in 1880.  Father Charland left in July 1880.  He was a very
efficient pastor, and did much towards elevating the condition of the
church.  He was followed at once by Father Gorman, who left in July
1881.  Rev. E.J. Walsh immediately succeeded Father Gorman.  He was
graduated at St. Mary's College, Montreal, in 1876, and at the Grand
seminary in the same city in 1879.  He was appointed pastor in
Gorham, July 1881.  Rev. Dennis A. Ryan commenced his pastoral service
in January 1887.  There are at present 150 families in the 
congregation.  They have a large Sabbath-school which is held on
Saturday.  Father Ryan is a very popular, earnest and devoted pastor.

GORHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS--Like every other new England community, the
citizens of Gorham made provision for the education of their
children.  The rudiments of learning were taught in the log
school-house which stood on the bank of the river on Mr. Stile's
land.  Miss Elsie A. Head (afterwards Mrs. Hazen Evans) was the first
teacher.  After the incorporation of the town in 1837, a school-house
was built near Joseph Twitchell's.  It was a long stride from the
log hut and "Sam Emery's pig-pen" to the neat school-room erected
near the Flanders store. Many remembered with love and respect the
names of Abby Burnham, Maria Lion, Emeline Burbank, Amanda
Twitchell, Salome G. Twitchell, Mary Oliver, and a long list of
other worthy names.  John D. Burbank was a very tall man, every inch
a good teacher and a good friend to all the boys. 

In 1837 the town was divied into two school districts, No. 1 on
Gorham hill and No. 2 near Peabody's Mills.  No. 3 was formed in 1854.
In 1876 the village school-house, containing three rooms, was
erected on Main Street at an expense of about $3,500.  In 1879 Dr.
N.T. True opened a select high school in the village, which he
continued two years.  Many availed themselves of this opportunity
to pursue the languages and higher English studies.

SCHOOLS OF TO-DAY--There is a Kindergarten school taught by Miss
Isabelle Soule.  There are four schools outside of the High
School building, well graded, all under the town system, and compare
favorably with any in the state.  The High School was organized in
the spring of 1886.  The number of pupils in the high or village
school building the last term of 1887 was 252.  About 100 attended
other schools in town.  The teachers at High School building are:
A.W. Rogers, high; Lucy E. Hebbard, grammar; Mary E. Eames, first
intermediate; Emma I. Fassett, second intermediate; Lizzie C.
Thomas, primary.  School board, J.W. Greenlaw, T. N. Wight, A.S.
Twitchell.

CHAPTER CXIV
RAILROADS ETC.

RAILROADS--In 1842 the Boston & Main railroad reached Portsmouth
from Boston, and in 1843-44 it was extended to Portland.  Soon after
this Hon. John A. Poor, of Portland, conceived the idea of connecting
Portland with Montreal. In 1847 a charter for such a road was given
under the name of the Atlantic & St. Lawrence railway.  July 4, 1847,
ground was broken near Fish Point, in Portland, Judge Preble, the
president of the road, throwing into a wheelbarrow the first shovel
of earth.  From that day until 1853 the work went on, though amid
many difficulties it reached the boundary line between vermont and
Canada that year.  At the same time the road was built on the
Canadian side, and connected with the former.  But it did not stop
there.  The idea was advanced that the road must extend to the
region of the great lakes, so that now, as the Grand Trunk railway,
it extends to Chicago, and connects with all the great lines on the
continent.  In 1850 the railroad was built to Gorham and trains
commenced to run regularly July 4, 1851.  In 1852 trains commenced
running from Gorham to Northumberland and to Island Pond in 1853,
where this road connected in July with the St. Lawrence & Atlantic.
Capt. Warren Noyes had the honor of running the first engine over
the boundary line.  The cars ran over the road once a day during
the first year.  As soon as they ran from Montreal to Portland,
long trains were numerous, and have been increasing in number till
now the engine whistle is heart at almost any hour of the day and
night.
  The next question of importance arose: Where shall some central
point be selected for repair shops?  It was finally decided in
favor of Gorham.  The company wisely bought several acres, including
the common and the land where the shops are now located.  In 1850
a wooden engine-house and turn-table were built.  In the fall of
1852 the first shop was built.  Only light repairs were made; all
heavy repairs were done in Portland.  In 1855 the engine-house and
shops were burned, and the same year rebuilt of brick.  The engine-
house was capable of holding twelve engines, besides the turn-table.
The shop was 150 feet by 30, with an additional blacksmith and
carpenter shop.  Additional machinery and buildings have been added
from year to year, until over fifty engines can be kept in repair,
besides the running repairs on the cars.  All parts of a machine are
manufactured and tempered here; while the tenders are made in the
shops.
  In April 1879 the great fire consumed the coal shed, 250 feet
in length, store-room and offices 100 feet long, and part of the
freight house.  A new store room and offices, 100 feet by 28,
heated by steam were at once built on the same spot.  The
freight-house is 120 feet by 60.  The station is about 80 feet by
25.  There are now two coal sheds, each 500 feet by 30 on the south
side of the track, and so elevated that coal is dumped into the
tender.  There are connected with the shops the machine department,
blacksmith, "setting-up" or fitting department, boiler, brass
foundry, tin shop and carpenter department.  One hundred and fifty
men connected with the running of the road and repair shops reside
in Gorham.  Two thirds of those have families and one half own homes
of their own.
  Capt. William Noyes is superintendent of the shops, and has held the
position nearly a quarter of a century.  Thomas E. Fisk is foreman
of the machine shop, and is considered a man of superior judgement
in respect to their management; Thomas A. Adams is the station
agent, and but few on the road have held office more years;
Charles S. Vining is pattern-maker, and has been in the employ of the
G.T.R. since 1866; Enoch L. Knight has been in the wood-working
department since 1864; he has also taken an active part in town
affairs; Seth L. Chipman is foreman of the blacksmithing, and for
nearly twenty-five years has been an important factor.  John W.
Greenlaw, in 1868, entered the office of the mechanical department
as clerk and time-keeper.  He served some years as superintendent of
schools and on the board of education in Gorham, and is well known
for his ability.  He built in 1881-82 the block on Exchange street
which bears his name; Urban SHorey commenced work for the G.T.R.
in 1854 as engineer and machinist.  He represented Gorham in 1868-69
and has served as selectman and collector of taxes.  Robert I. Heath
and others, good order-loving citizens are among the employees of the
road.

GORHAM VILLAGE--During the early life of the town there was nothing
to indicate that the center of importance would be here, and a
beautiful and prosperous village take the place of nodding weeds,
unsightly stumps, and projecting rocks.  It was not until the
railroad had decided to locate its shops here that building began and
improvements commenced, and the population of the town to increase
with rapidity.  The census of 1850 showed only 224 inhabitants.
In the same year Abraham Wilson, a native of Randolph, owned most of
the land now the village, and occupied it as a farm.  His field was
on the north side of the railway, and most of his pasture on the
south side.  His farm was mostly a poor gravelly soil, on which he
cut fifteen or eighteen tons of hay.  The house which he built was
the one remembered as the old long tenement opposite the
Congregational church, owned by Patrick Mullen in 1881, and replaced
by an elegant residence.  Wilson sold a part to John Brickett Ordway,
who lived in a log house at the foot of Alpine street.  Ordway never
paid for it, and his brother, Dustan Ordway, advanced the money for it,
never lived on it himself, and finally sold to Jotham Evans, who sold
it to Barker Burbank, who sold it to Barak Jackman.  Barak Jackman
owned fifty five acres of land near Soldiers Hill.  He built a house
on Main Street, and in 1850 Wilson and Jackman were the principal
owners of the land within the present limits of Gorham village.
At that time woodchucks were more abundant than human beings, Main
street was the county road from Bethel to Lancaster, and fortunately
for the beauty of the town, was kept up as a wide street. A wide
and comparatively level spot was all that could induce the founders
of the village to locate it where they did.  The dividing line
between the lands of Jackman and Wilson ran just east of R.F. Ingall's
store to the river.  The railway was first surveyed through the town
in 1850, and during that year Hazen Evans purchsed of Mr. Wilson
two acres where the Alpine House now stands.  In 1853-54 Hazen Evans
purchased all of Mr. Jackman's interest (thirty acres of land in the
village, fifty acres of what is known as the Hitchcock pasture,
in sight of the village, and 100 acres of wild land) for $1,150.
  In 1850-51 A.C. Denison built the store now occupied by R.F. Ingalls,
and with John M. Wood opened a store for the purpose of furnishing
wholesale supplies to the sub-contractors along the line of the
railroad, while it was building.  In March 1851, Thomas Hapgood and
Hazen Evans, anticipating that the village would be built at the
forks of the road near A.G. Lary's house, opened a store on the
eastern bank of Moose river.  They continued in trade there scarcely
a single year, when Mr. Evans, in 1852, bought out Denison & Co.,
and went into trade, where he continued with the exception of a single
year until 1871, when he sold out to his partner, R.F. Ingalls.  In
1853 Mr. Evans built the Gorham House and moved into it the same 
year.  He kept it as a public boarding-house for nearly two years,
sold out to Parris B. Latham, and in 1856, built west of the
Gorham House, and continued in trade in company with Judge Robert
Ingalls for two years, with his brother, Jabez P. Evans, five years,
and with Rufus F. Ingalls six years.  His first wife, Elsie Head,
was educated at Pembroke academy, and taught school for eight years
before he was married, having been among the first who taught in
town.  She also taught in Berlin when she was obliged to ride into
town on horseback.
  In connection with Mr. Evan, Valentine L. Stiles was prominently
connected with the business activity of the early days of the village;
and to him is the development of the place most owing.  Exchanging his
farm in Shelburne, in 1854 or 1855, for the Abraham WIlson farm, then
owned by his son, Orren, Mr. Stiles moved to Gorham and the same year
laid out Exchange street and constructed two buildings.  This was
quite an important private enterprise for the embryo village, and the
gift by him of the street to the town assured a steady and solid
growth.  Mr. Stiles first lived in the old red "Mullen" house, but 
soon built the "Burt stand" on Exchange street on the site now
occupied by the Odd Fellows' block.  In 1861 and 1862 he built the
"boarding-house" on the opposite side of Exchange street, removed
thither, and made it his home until 1873, when he removed to the house
he had just completed outside of the village.  He was a hearty
co-operator with those who worked for the weal and advancement of
the town and village; a public-spirited man, he built many houses
on Mechanic and Church streets.  He built the Congregational church,
and was nearly its sole owner for two years.  He will be long
remembered.  In 1860 the population had advanced to 905.  From this
time Gorham has steadily progressed.  From 1860 to 1880 the merchants
did a prosperous trade.  All the Androscoggin community from Berlin
and West Milan, Randolph, etc. looked upon this as the great center
of trade; the opening of the railroad had made a new and fascinating
route to the White Mountains, and the fact that nowhere was a better
place for pure enjoyment was soon developed.  Dr. True says,
"Gorham has been the center of summer travel on the east side of the
White Mountains since the opening of the G.T.R. in 1851.  Large and
commodious houses have been bilt for the accomodation of summer
visitors.  The pure water and clear and bracing mountain air are
great recommendation in its favor.  One feels none of the
chilling winds of the seaside that go through and through a man with
an overcoat on.  Here, on the contrary, he feels a peculiar
exhiliration of spirits not found in the cities."

In 1870 the population had increased to 1,161.  Magnificent six and
four horse coaches carried tourists from the Alpine House to the
Glen House and the top of Mount Washington.  Tradesmen, shop-keepers,
and mechanics of all pursuits incident to a prosperous and
well-to-do community were in busy existence.  The town was supplied
with lawyers, physicians, and religious services.  The Grand Trunk
railway distributed a steady sum weekly to its employees, whose
earnings added to the wealth and prosperity.  The changes incident
to every community went on here; firms changed; here and there an
old resident dropped out of the busy throng on the streets, and a
new mound was upheaved in the "silent city of the dead"; new faces
came, with new energies and business, and remained as citizens.

In 1855, came the first fire, when the railroad shops were burned.
One of greater disaster occurred in 1872 when the Alpine House became
a prey to the devouring element.  The great fire which destroyed
Exchange street and the Grand Trunk railway's extensive shops and
offices occured April 28, 1879.  This was the most serious catastrophe
the town had ever experienced.  The business men knew not what to do.
If the shops were not rebuilt, there was nothing to induce investment
here, and several months were passed in intense and anxious suspense.
To set this matter at rest, Capt. Noyes very wisely addressed a
letter July 28, 1879 to the Hon. Joseph Hickson, managing director of
the G.T.R. to ascertain his views in the matter and the question of
rebuilding the burned district wholly depended on his answer. A letter
from Mr. Hickson in reply gave the public assurance that not only 
would shops be continued but that their business would be increased
in the future.  This gave assurance to all parites, and from that
date to the present Gorham has continued to increase in population,
industry, and wealth.

TWITCHELL's BLOCK--erected in 1879, on Exchange Street, by A.S.
Twitchell, was the first building constructed after the fire.  It is
the best business building and location in Gorham, and now contains,
on the ground floor, the postoffice, "Mountaineer" office, Demond
Brother's hardware store; lawyers, physicians,etc. occupy the second
story with offices; the Masonic hall and Grand Army hall are in the
third story.

OPERA HOUSE BLOCK was erected in 1881 by A.S. Twitchell and Dr. Henry
Marble.  It is one of the finest buildings in the county, with a hall
among the best in Northern New Hampshire, having a stage fully
equipped and furnished in good style.  On the ground floor are two
excellent stores.  In the basement is a very convenient and attractive
restaurant, now kept by Hobbs Brothers, and a meat market.  Gorham
House block and Gordon's block, are devoted to business purposes;
Greenlaw's is for residents.  This was built in 1881.

LAWYERS--For fifty years the town had no lawyer.  Disputes were
settled in a primitive way; sometimes by a fight, at others by
mutual agreement, or by the interposition of friends.  A justice of
the peace attending to the making out of deeds, occasionally
solemnizing a marriage and administering oaths when necessary. There
were but few suits in the courts at Lancaster.  The first lawyer to
come here was one Thomas B. Hinkley, who became a victim of the fever,
which was so prevalent in 1870, and died.  Some time after came
Daniel W. Scribner, who only remained a short time.  Next came
Thaddeus S. Chase, who remained several years, but did not make a
permanent home.  Albert S. Twitchell was the first to settle
permanently, which he did in 1866.  Since then several others have
practiced here, among them Capt. M.A. Hastings, Edwin F. Philbrook,
James B. chaffin, Alfred R. Evans, and Carl Abbott [For sketches of
Gorham lawyers, see "Bench and Bar' in County History].

PHYSICIANS--In the early settlement the people often suffered much
for the want of a good physician.  The exposure to the extremes of
heat and cold, wet and dry, was greater than at the present.  Acute
diseases were frequent, and often resulted in a settled and chronic
state of disease only relieved by death.  Many suffered terribly from
that most painful disease, rheumatism.  "Lung fever," typhoid fever,
and other diseases found their victims the same as now.
  Among the first who acted the part of a physician was the squaw
Mollocket, who travelled across the country from Vermont and Canada to
Bethel, and acted as nurse and doctor.  By her gentle manner, kind
disposition, and willingness to be useful, she found a welcome in
every house.  People are still living who like to say she rocked
them in the cradle in their father's home.  Her remedies for the sick
were very simple.  The inside bark of the spruce was one of her
favorite remedies.  There was an air of mystery about her prescriptions
which served to increase and strengthen the faith of the sick in her
ability to cure them.  Another travelling doctor was Granny Stalbird.
She had a circuit extending from the Connecticut River to Gilead.
  Dr. A. Bartlett is said to be the first physician who became a
resident.  Dr. Buffum and Dr. Worthley were here for a short time.
Dr. Oliver B. Howe, although residing in Shelburne, practiced
regularly here.  Dr. Henry F. Wardwell was the first who made a
permanent home in the town, coming here in 1855.  During the Civil War
he received the appointment of assistant surgeon, and served six
months with the Fourth New Hampshire.  He practiced in Gorham for
nearly a quarter of a century.  He removed to Berlin in 1879, where he
is in active practice.  Dr. Horatio Torrey and Dr. Luther W.
Houghton were here about ten years ago, but did not remain.
  Dr. Edward M. Wight, a native of Maine, commenced practice in
Gorham about 1865.  He is a physician and surgeon of merited 
reputation, and has a practice extending over a wide radius.  He is
often called great distances for consultation, and to perform delicate
operations of surgery.  His success in these has been phenomenal.
His offices are fitted with all appliances of a medical institute;
and operating rooms, laboratory, etc., etc. are connected. There is
nothing to compare with it along the line of the Grand Trunk from
Portland to Montreal.  Few physicians have such an extensive library
either of medical, scientific or literary works.
  Dr. Nathan D. Hyde has been in practice for nearly ten years; has
made many warm friends; is a successful practitioner, and a citizen
who is interested in and promotes the welfare of the community.
  Dr. Henry Marble removed to Gorham in 1880 from Auburn, Me.,
where he was city physician.  As a surgeon his skill and ability is
recognized.  He takes an active part in town matters, and is the 
present representative to the legislature.

DENTIST--George H. Hoadley is building up a fine practice, is a good
citizen, and has a branch office in Berlin.

BUSINESS INTERESTS--C.S. Peabody & Co. (Timothy N. Wight and John T.
Peabody) manufactures all kinds of long and short lumber on or near
the site on Moose river one mile above the village, where Jonathan
Lary built mills in 1834, and, in 1836, with A.G. Lary, put up more
extensive ones.  When John T. and Caleb S. Peabody purchased them,
in 1842, there were in operation a clothing-mill, a fulling-mill,
a shingle-machine and a turning-lathe.  THey at once changed the
old "over-shot" mill to and "under-shot" one and introduced an
"up-and-down" saw.  THey afterwards put in a shingle and clapboard
machine, a turbine wheel, a rotary saw, and in 1860 commenced
sawing long lumber.  Since 1872 it has been run by steam.  During the
war Moose river was turned into Moose brook by a canal, which makes a
good water-power for planing and grist-mill all the year.  During the
last fifteen years the steam mill has cut an average of 6,000,000
feet of lumber, and now produced about 10,000,000 feet annually.
The firm employs from 125 to 150 men in the winter, and fifty in
summer, and conducts a mercantile establishment in connection.
What is known as the "Peabody settlement" has sprung up; a thriving
little village, mostly due to the thrift and enterprise of this
company.  The venerable senior, Caleb S. Peabody, is now hale and
hearty, in his eightieth year, and preserves the same unassuming
and pleasant ways which have endeared him to so many all along his
active and busy life.  Timothy N. Wight has been a member of the
firm since 1868.  He has done good service on the board of education.
E.M. Watson, now foreman of the lumber department, has been with the
firm fifteen years.
  E. Libby & Sons (Elihu, Walter C., Alna B. and Charles C.)
manufacture all kinds of long and short lumber on Peabody river.
Mr. Libby, better known as "Deacon" Libby, came to Gorham in 1861,
and became a member of the Gorham Lumbering Company, soon sold his
interest to George Goodrich, and took charge of the mills for him,
and the succeeding firms of Clement & GOodrich, and Clement, Goodrich
& Benson, until 1867, when the business passed into the hands of
Clement, Benson & Co., the members of which firm were Edwin and
Frank M. Clement, A.M. Benson and Mr. Libby.  In 1870 the firm was
Edwin Clement & CO.  Since then Mr. Libby has acquired possession
and admitted his sons into partnership.  They own a large tract of
land contiguous to the upper Peabody which has supplied not only one
mill now operated, but one, which has been burned, located five miles
above.  They derive their power from a twelve horse-power steam
engine which drives their rotary, clapboard, lath, shingle and
planing machines.  They employ a large force of men in connection
with their mill, and in the "woods," eighty-five in winter and
forty in summer.  A grist-mill, a machine shop, and a store are
connected.  Annual production of lumber about 8,000,000 feet.
  Albert H. Gerrish came to Gorham in 1864, built the mills on the
Berlin line, and manufactured lumber until 1872, when he sold to
the Berlin Mills Company.
  The Grand Trunk railway makes, in its shops located here, all parts
of a locomotive engine, all "tenders" used on the eastern portion of
the road, and maintains a large and efficient body of intelligent
and skilled mechanics of a high grade in steady employment. 
Eleven thousand dollars are paid out monthly to the 100 or more men
constantly at work in the shops, and their attractive homes, mostly
owned by themselves, are one of the features of the village.

THE GORHAM FIVE CENT SAVINGS BANK was organized in 1872.  It is a solid
and substantial corporation.  Capt. Warren Noyes has been president
since its incorporation.  Rufus F. Ingalls has been treasurer since
March 1873.  These gentleman rank in the highest circle of prompt,
accurate, conservative, and reliable men have been honored with the
positions of honor and trust by their townsmen, and under their
management, the bank cannot fail to be a prosperous and
beneficient institution.

MERCHANTS--Charles G. Hamlin, a veteran of the Civil War, became a
member of the firm of Twitchell & Hamlin in June 1875. He purchased
Mr. Twitchell's interest in March 1882, and is still in trade at the
corner of Maine and Exchange streets.  His stock consists of general
merchandise, and he transacts a large business.
  Twitchell & Goodridge (Alfred N. Twitchell and William W. Goodridge)
Mr. Twitchell commenced merchandising in Milan, where he was largely
engaged in manufacturing.  In 1875 he became the senior member of the
new house of Twitchell & Hamlin, in Gorham.  This was one of the
reliable houses of this whole section.  Retiring from this firm in 
1882, he afterwards formed a partnership for general merchandising
with Mr. Goodridge.  They have traded in the Gorham House block
until this year (1887) when they have removed to Odd Fellow's block.
Mr. Goodridge was formerly a clerk for E. Clement & Co.
  Simon Stahl opened his store on Main street in October 1878. He is
extensively known, and sells general merchandise, with a penchant
for dry goods and clothing {See Stahl Brothers, Berlin]
  G.E. Clark & Co. (Hyman Stalh and Abraham M. Stahl) deal in
clothing, furnishing goods, etc. on Exchange street.
  Orren Tubbs commenced trading in dry goods and groceries on
Exchange Street in 1851, and was in trade for over thirty-one years.
His son, George E. Tubbs, now deals in hardware, stoves, etc., in
the same place.
  Demond Brothers (George N. and William R.) were the pioneers in
the hardware business of Gorham.  They commenced business in
January 1876.  Their store is on Exchange street.
  Sabin M. Leavitt has built up a prosperous and valuable business.
He began trade in April 1865, and occupies the corner of Main and
Exchange streets. He has a very neat and artistically arranged
establishment; and deals in clothing, fancy goods, books, stationery,
etc.
  Cyrus H. Howe established a furniture store in April 1875.  He is
now located in Operate House block, where he also conducts
undertaking.
  Henry Marble & Co. established a drug and medicine store in 1878.
This firm has been succeeded by Fred W. Noyes, whose store is in
Noyes block, corner of Exchange and Railroad streets.
  L.S. Barrett commenced business as a druggist, on Main street,
in 1882.  The admission of his son as partner has since formed the
firm of L.S. Barrett & Son.
  Woodbury B. Gates founded a grocery here in 1874.  J.F. Brown has
since been admitted, forming the house of Gates & Brown.  THey do
a large business in groceries, meats and provisions.
  O.E. Twitchell, groceries, fruits, etc. has an establishment on
Exchange street.
  Stephen Gordon was in trade from about 1860 until the great fire.
  Jonathan Jewell came to Gorham about 1866, and has since been
continuously engaged in the flour and grain business in connection
with farming and lumbering.  He has been very cative in temperance
since 1876, was president of the temperance league, and became noted
for his original and effictive oratory.
  Rufus F. Ingalls began trade as a merchant in 1865, and, in
connection with important public business and responsible monetary
positions, has done as much business as any resident of the town,
and in a quiet, unostentious manner.  We are indebted to him for
assistance in the preparation of this history.
  Livi Shedd, one of the present board of county commissioners, was
in trade from 1873 for ten or twelve years as a dealer in groceries,
and family supplies.
  Barak Jackman came to Gorham in 1872 and went into trade with
J.C. Gordon.  The firm continued six years.  Mr. Jackman, having a
competency, then permanently gave up all business.
  A.S. Twitchell sells coal, brick, lime, etc.
  R.H. Emerson engaged in trade as a manufacturer and dealer in
harnesses in 1879.
  J.P. Dunham manufactures and sells carriages, sleighs, etc. on
Androscoggin street.
  Thomas Gifford is well known as the reliable and efficient express
agent.
  John O'Connor is a wholesale dealer in wines, liquors, and ales.
  H. H. Mandigo has a nice stock of clocks, watches, jewelry, etc. on
sale on Main Street.
  M.N. Norwood & Company (L.M. Norwood) keep millinery and fancy goods
for sale in Noyes block on Exchange street, and attend to millinery
work and dress-making.  They are widely known for their artistic
skill in designing, fitting, etc.
  Mrs. M.B. Farr began business in 1871 as dress-maker.  In connection
with this she now carries on a store of fancy-goods and millinery on
Exchange street.
  Mrs. M.J. Gifford opened a fancy-goods store in 1872.  She also sells
millinery goods.
  Several others have traded in Gorham for longer or shorter periods,
but are not now actively engaged.

TRADESMEN--Among the other tradesmen of the day are J.C. Richardson,
E.D. Kilgore, H. Kerr, blacksmiths; A. Twitchell, W. Wight, boots
and shoes; F. Buck, carriage-maker; C.H. Hobbs, photographer;
A.N. Gilbert, builder.

[For Gorham "Mountaineer" see "Coose County Press" in County History]
There are some fine farms in town and intelligent and prosperous
farmers.

CHAPTER CXV
HOTELS

HOTELS--Lary House--Gorham has been a grand place for hotels from the
time of the opening of the Lary House in 1834 to the present.  After
its service as a wayside inn, this good old-fashioned hostelry was
a favorite resort of the summer tourist who knew of the pleasant
courtesy of the host, then acknowledged excellency of its table, and
the advantages it possessed as a charming center for walks and drives.
All this has changed.  The old-time gentleman who presided over its
destinies has passed on to a fairer land, modern houses have taken the
patronage of a public who knew not the place, and the large and
hospitable mansion, closed as a hotel, is only sought and found by
a small circle of its former guests.

THE ALPINE HOUSE--In 1851 the managers of the G.T. Ry, decided to build
a first-class hotel near Gorham, for the accomodation of summer 
boarders, as well as for furnishing meals for passengers.  Accordingly,
in the winter of 1850-51, Capt. Edward Merrill, of Bethel, contracted
to put the frame of a large hotel on the spot where the present
Alpine now stands.  He built a shanty, hired his men and had the hotel
ready for raising in the spring of that year.  The main house was of
the same size as the one now standing, having a front of 100 feet,
but the "ell" was much larger.  It was designed to be a first-class
hotel, costing about $20,000.  It was opened about the first of July
1851, under the management of Mrs. Margaret Hayes, a lady of great
energy of character, who acquired a deserved popularity for her
successful management.  She ran the house about two years, when
J.R. Hitchcock, who had been chief managing clerk, became proprietor.
He at once brought it to the highest possible standard, and for nearly
twenty years, until the house was burned in 1872, conducted it with
marked ability, and acquired wealth.  Under his administration it was
the pride of Gorham.  In 1875 the house was rebuilt at about the same
cost as the original house.  The new house was opened by
W.& C.R. Milliken, proprietors of the Glen House.  The house is heated
by steam, and can accomodate from seventy-five to one hundred.  After
having been under the management of G.D. Stratton for a time, it is
once more under the charge of C.R. Milliken.

GLEN HOUSE--To John Bellows must be awarded the credit of the 
establishment of this grand caravansary of the mountains.  It is not
located in Gorham, but its business interests, and its connection
with the Alpine House, bring it properly in the province of the
Gorham historian.  [description and history of this house found in
the original document not included here].

THE GORHAM HOUSE--is situated on Main, and fronting Exchange street,
and is seventy rods from the railroad station.  It was built in 1853
by Hazen Evans, who ran it for a short time and sold it.  After
several changes it passed into the hands of Walter Buck, who enlarged
it and built a large and commodious hall, which is the principal hall
in the village for public occasions.  After several more changes,
it passed in 1881 into the hands of Mr. G.D. Stratton, who conducted
it until he took charge of the Alpine House and removed, thither,
when the Gorham House was closed.  In the latter part of 1887 it was
again fitted up for a hotel and occupied by Mr. Stratton.  It has a
central location, and, under the care and personal supervision of
Mr. Stratton, is a quiet and satisfactory resting-place, and an
appetizing cuisine may be expected.  Mr. Stratton is also the
proprietor of the Umbagog House in Errol.
  The EAGLE HOuSE, on the corner of Main and ALpine streets, was built
by B.C. Flanders as a combined store and dwelling, and in 1870, it
was enlarged and opened as hotel by Sargent & Jewett.  In 1879
L.L. Jackson became proprietor.
  Several cottages for summer visitors are open for guests during the
season, and are well fitted by desirable patrons.  Among those we
would note as worthy of mention are Riverside cottage, Willis
cottage, and Woodbine cottage.

SOCIETIES--For history of Gorham Lodge, No 73, Free and Accepted
Masons, see "Masonry in Coos," in General History.

GLEN LODGE IOOF No 54--was instituted Feburary 5, 1874 [more in 
original document not included here].  

JOHN E. WILLIS POST, No 59, G.A.R., Gorham NH was instituted
December 28 1880 with twenty charter members 

POSTOFFICES--"SHelburne Addition" postoffice established
December 12, 1833.  Postmasters: Hezekiah Ordway, December 12, 1833;
Andrew G. Lary, June 5, 1834; changed to Gorham July 27, 1837;
Andrew G. Lary June 27, 1837; John T. Peabody April 4, 1840;
John R. Hitchcock February 2 1852; Charles W. Bean, July 25 1861;
Wesley Wight, June 27, 1865; Thomas Gifford, April 19, 1869;
Valentine L. Stiles, February 4, 1870; Miss Helen E. Stiles
December 3, 1873; Albert Twitchell, September 3, 1877; Rufus F.
Ingalls July 19, 1886.

MASCOT MINE--The Mascot Mining Company was organized in 1881 to
work the silver-bearing galena in the the vein discovered on Mt.
Hayes.  Costly machinery was introduced, valuable buildings
constructed, a large amount of ore taken out of the extensive
drifts and shafts, and a great mining "boom" created.  All is now
over.  The works are abandoned.  The machinery has been taken
away, and the long line of stairways on the steep mountain-side
are fast hastening to decay.

THIRTY YEARS CHANGES--In an interview with Timothy H. Hutchinson,
published not long since in the "Mountaineer," Mr Hutchinson
recalled the fact that in 1856, when he came to Gorham, there
were but two streets in the village--Main and Mechanic streets.
We now have ninetten, we think, distinct streets, viz: Main, Mechanic,
Androscoggin, Alpine, Macfarlane, Pleasant, Jewell, Evans, Emerson,
Glen, Park, Railroad, Exchange, School, Church, Dublin, High,
Promenade and Washington, and the extensions of Main Street might
almost be said to form two more distinct streets--Upper and Lower
Main.  

[more info in the original document not included here]

*****
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
*****

ANDREW G. LARY
For a period of a half century Andrew G. Lary was a citizen of
Gorham, identified with its early settlement and its later
prosperity.  His familiar form was to be seen daily on the street,
and his face and cheery presence was much missed--as the disappearance
of a long well-known land-mark makes a void--when his death
occurred February 26, 1884 at the venerable age of nearly eighty-five
years.
  Andrew G. Lary, the son of Capt. Joseph and Hannah (Blake) Lary,
was born in Gilead, Me. August 14, 1799, to which place his father
removed, about 1789 from Wolfborough NH.  On attaining his majority,
in 1820, Mr. Lary settled in Shelburne on a farm near the state line,
where he made his home for fourteen years, taking part in the affairs
of the town.  In 1827 he married Levee, daughter of Amos and Ruth
(Head) Chandler, of Pembroke.  THey had five children, Ruth, Ann,
BLake, Dawn, and Head.  [The families of Head and Chandler have been
eminent in the annals of New Hampshire for long years.  The HEads are
of Welsh ancestry, and originally settled in Bradford, Mass, but
prior to the Revolution moved to Pembroke NH.  "On the northerly side
of Pembroke Street, west of a cross-road leading to the site of the
old town-house is a field on a side hill in which stood the Head
garrison-house, one of the four in town, where the inhabitants
sought protection from marauding bands of savvages in the old French
and Indian wars."  James Head was in command of the post, and was
afterwards commissioned lieutenant-colonel under Gen. John Stark.
He was killed at the battle of Bennington while doing noble service
for his country].
  In the spring of 1834 Mr. Lary removed his family to Gorham.  There
were then but twelve families living in the town.  He located on what
has since been known as the "Lary place" at Gorham Corner, Gorham
Upper Village.  He built the Lary House the same year.  This was
the first painted house in town, and in 1835, it was opened as a 
public house.  At that time the summer hotel business, which is now
the most important in a number of towns lying among the mountains,
and at their base, was in its infancy.  The hostelries were few and
the nearest inn was in Randolph.  The usual price for a single meal
was twenty-five cents, lodging six to eight cents, a glass of run
fourpence, keeping a horse over night without grain, twenty-five
cents.  At that time the travel was immense from Northern New 
Hampshire and Vermont to Portland.  Farmers carried their pork,
butter, cheese and poultry to Portland, and exchanged them for tea,
coffee, rum and other necessaries as their wants demanded.  It took
from five to six days to make the trip.  The Lary House when built was
thought to be sufficiently large for the requirements of the business
for years to come, but the popularity of its landlord, and the
increase of mountain travel, required its frequent enlargement
and rebuilding; its situation being favorable to make it a quiet
resort for the summer visitor.  It is located one mile from Gorham
village, near the Androscoggin, and from it one has a fine view of
the northern slopes of the White Mountains.  Here Mr. Lary lived
until his death, a period of fifty years, a notable instance of an
innkeeper remaining in the same house for so long.  He had seen the
children of Gorham become men and women, marry, and their children
attain maturity, was able to recount much of the important history
of the town and its inhabitants.  He retained his mental faculties
remarkably; and although his health was much impaired when Dr. True
wrote his history of Gorham, he obtained much information from Mr.
Lary which might otherwise never have been preserved.  Mrs. Lary
died January 12, 1873.
  Mr. Lary was Republican in his politics, and strong in his advocacy
of the principles of that party, but was never a political aspirant.
He served his town as moderator, clerk, selectman and treasurer
with fidelity.  He was one of the type of innkeepers rapidly passing
away.  He always took an interest in his guests, but was never
obtrusive in his intercourse with them; and when entering his house,
they felt like coming home.  Dignified and quiet in his manners,
agreeable, hospitable, genial and social, keen-witted, and with a mind
well balanced, he could not fail to be a pleasant companion.  He was
also an active man, enjoyed an out-of-door life, and had been
engaged somewhat in surveying.  Two of his daughters, Mrs. Hitchcock
and Miss Lary, occupy the old homestead, and the engraving which
accompanies this sketch is their tribute to the memory of their
honored father.

JOHN RAYMOND HITCHCOCK
John Raymond Hitchcock , son of John and Sarah (Webster) Hitchcock,
was born in the beautiful town of Claremont, NH November 16, 1821.
He was a worker from his early years; his education was obtained
in the local school, which was the college of those days, and for the
practical business life of active New England it did its work well.
He passed his life until he was eighteen years old on a farm, and
amid rural surroundings, daily accustomed to hardship and laborious
exertion, and young boy grew into that vigorous manhood which the
exigencies of the time required.
  About 1840 Mr. Hitchcock, desiring to make a change in his life,
went to Hanover, where he found employment with Jonathan Currier
at the Dartmouth Hotel, and was engaged in many departments pertaining
to the hotel business.  He took charge of the staging, hotel, and
livery, kept the books, was bright and active, quick to learn, and
willing to work, and, during his stay of many years, he saved some
money and acquired a valuable experience.  From Hanover he went to
Boston; and in company with Nathaniel Huggins, kept the Pearl St.
House for a few years, and after a short tarry in Providence, R.I.,
he returned to New Hampshire in the summer of 1851, and in September
of the same year commenced his highly successful career as managing
clerk of the Alpine House, then known as the Station House, which had
been finished that summer by the Grand Trunk Railway for the
accomodation of summer boarders as well as furnishing meals for
passengers.  After two years Mr. Hitchcock assumed the sole
proprietorship, changed the name to Alpine House, and conducted it
until 1872, a period of over twenty years, when the hotel was burned
and he retired from the business.  Eleven years of this time he had
the charge of the Tip-Top House.  These houses were managed with
admirable ability, and many distinguished people were often his
guests.
  In 1857, Mr. Hitchcock had purchased and much improved a beautiful
farm in the Androscoggin valley lying in the towns of Gorham and
Shelburne with residence in Shelburne, and here, after he had
retired from public life, he enjoyed the happiness of a quiet home
with his wife, Dawn, daughter of Andrew G. and Levee (Chandler)
Lary, a lady who enjoys the warmest regards of the community,
whom he had married January 11, 1875.  But this pleasant domestic
life was of short duration, for Mr. Hitchcock died suddenly of
heart disease, September 30, 1879.  During his long residence in
Gorham he was ever known as a gentleman of kind spirit and
pleasant manners.  It was often remarked of him that "he always
recognized an acquaintance, rich or poor, high or low, with the same
readiness and courtesy."
  Mr. Hitchcock was a member of F.& A. M. Gorham Lodge. [more in his
biography not included here].

**
CAPTAIN WARREN NOYES
The name Noyes is of Welch origin.  In the eighteenth centry some
of the family emigrated to America and settled in various parts of
New England.  Among the soldiers of the Revolution was Bela Noyes,
of Massachusetts, who after his patriotic services for his country,
became a resident of Norway, Me., where he pursued the honorable
calling of a farmer, and died in 1833, at an advanced age.  His son,
Bela, was born in Norway, in 1794, and married Honor Prince, of
New Gloucester, Me.  Mr. Noyes made a home for himself and his wife
in the sparsely-settled section of Norway.  He was vigorous,
industrious, cleared land, felled trees, and became a farmer and
lumberman.  The four children of Bela and Honor (Prince) Noyes
were George W., Warren, Robert P. and Aphia E. (Mrs. David Pratt).
Mrs. Noyes was a good christian mother, a member of the Methodist
church, and although the churches were at a great distance in this
newly settled county, the zealous, God-fearing members were scrupulous
in attending the services.  Mrs. Noyes died in 1858, aged sixty
years.  Mr. Noyes's death occured in 1860, in the town of his nativity.
  WARREN NOYES, second son of Bela and Honor (Prince) Noyes, was born
in Norway, Me. March 7, 1832.  From his parents he received the goodly
heritage of a vigorous and virtuous ancestry.  After passing his
childhood and early manhood on the farm, attending the common schools,
and adding to his robust physique by hard labor, at the age of
twenty he went to sea, but soon returned, and April 21, 1852 he began
his long and continued faithful service in connection with the Atlantic
& St. Lawrence (Grand Trunk) railroad by working in the yard at
Portland... He was honest, industrious and manly, and soon took the
first step upward.  June 10, 1852 he began firing on an engine;
July 1, 1853 he was detailed as engine driver on engine, "Casco"
at Island Pond, then engaged in drawing the necessary materials for
the contractors to complete the road to the boundary line.  This 
work employed him until the completion and connection at the boundary
of the Atlantic & St. Lawrence, and the St. Lawrence & Atlantic
railroads.  He took the first passenger train drawn over the
A & St. L. R. R. when it lacked half a mile of completion.  After the
roads were united, Mr. Noyes was engineer on both the first freight
train and the first passenger train which crossed the boundary line.
From this time until April 1, 1857 he was engineer on passenger and
freight trains running from Island Pond to Portland, and also, for
three years of this time, was superintending the supply of wood along
the line of the road, having, in this capacity, the charge of about
forty men.  April 1, 1857, he was advanced to the responsible position
of locomtive foreman at Island Pond, where he remained until August 
21, 1862.
  At this time the President had called urgently for loyal men to
fill the demand for more soldiers in the Union army, and Mr. Noyes
promptly responding by enlisting as a private in Company E,
Fifteenth Vermont Volunteers, then being formed under the
colonelcy of Redfield Proctor, afterwards governor of Vermont.  As an
evidence of the esteem of his comrades, Mr. Noyes was chosen captain
by the very complimentary vote of ninety-six out of ninety-eight
votes cast; the opposing candidate, for whom Mr. Noyes voted,
receiving two votes.  His regiment served for nine months in the
Army of the Potomac; and it must not be forgotten, that, although
not participating in any of the historic engagements of the war,
these soldiers filled the places assigned them with as faithful
service and as loyal obedience as any in the field.  Returning to
Island Pond after his regiment was mustered out in July 1863,
Captain Noyes was gladly welcomed to his old position, and was in
charge of the engines at that place until May 22, 1864.  The brick
engine-house there was built under supervision.  He removed to
Gorham in 1864 to supervise the large interests of the road as
master mechanic, and has charge of the repairs on fifty engines
running from Portland to Island Pond, and has 115 men under his
direction; they build no new engines, but in making repairs they
construct every portion of a locomotive, make new tenders, etc.
Capt. Noyes has been located at Gorham for nearly a quarter of
a century, and by his energetic and prompt handling of the affairs
of the road, he has justified the confidence reposed in him.
His fine presence, dignified manner, strict integrity and
faithfulness have made him a very popular and useful superintendent.
  He married January 25, 1856, Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph
and Abigail (Cummings) York, of Norway, Me.  Their children are
Abbie F., Fred M. and Harry G.
  During these many years' residence in Gorham, Capt. Noyes has
been an active promoted of the industry and prosperity of the
town.  In 1879 he built Noye's block.... The Gorham Five Cent
Savings Bank was organized in 1872 with Capt. Noyes as president,
which office he still fills.
  Democratic in politics, Capt. Noyes represented Gorham in the
state legislature of 1873, but refused further political honors
on account of the demands of his business.  He has twice been
offered the nomination of state senator, which, as his party were
numerically in the majority, was equivalent to an election.  He is
member of Glen Lodge, No. 54 IOOF, and has passed through the chairs;
and Eastern Star Encampment, Portland; he is also an active member
of John E. Willis Post, No 59, G.A.R.
  He is a great lover of hunting and fishing....
  His brothers, George W. being master mechanic at Island Pond,
and R.P. filling various position on the Grand Trunk and other roads
with ability.

*****
TIMOTHY H. HUTCHINSON
Timothy Harden Hutchinson, son of TImothy and Nizaulla (Rawson)
Hutchinson, was born in Sangerville, Me. March 5, 1810.  The
Hutchinsons trace their ancestry to A.D. 1282, when Barnard
Hutchinson resided in Cowlan, York county, England.  RIchard,
tenth in descent from Barnard, born at Arnold, England, in 1602,
was one of the first emigrants of the family to America, coming
in 1634.  He settled on what is now Danvers, Mass, and became a large
land owner.  The Rawson family was early in this country.  In 1654
Edward Rawson was secretary of the Massachusetts colony.
  The Hutchinsons were people of marked characteristics, and
Timothy as no exception to the rule.  He had but limited advantages
of education in the primitive country schools of a few weeks in a
year, but was trained in the school of labor.  In early life he worked
at the millwright business, soon developing an inventive skill which
led him to produce many useful and profitable improvements in his
line of trade. During the years from 1832 to 1846 he was much engaged
as a mill builder, and, in 1833, he came to Coos county, and worked on
a mill at Shelburne.  In 1846 he brought a mill privilege on Great
river (Androscoggin) at the head of the falls, put up a mill, and
carried on lumbering for nine years.  In 1849 he built a curious mill,
or rather what one would call a "crooked mill," on the "rips," just
below Berlin bridge.  Every bend, brace, and other part of machinery
or attachment that could be formed from a "natural crook" of timber
was used in that way....
  Possessing in a large degree that predominant and distinguishing
characteristic of the "Yankee," which, seeing a need, proceeds at
once to devise a way to supply it, Mr. Hutchinson... invented and
patented a valuable improvement in mill work; a machine to separate
clover seed from the chaff; a water elevator; he invented the grooves
on grist-mill stone to prevent heat when grinding (Before this it was
necessary to stop grinding to cool the stones that the meal might
not become heated; millers were also obliged to run the meal through
"hopper-boys," costing $1,500 each, before it could be bolted).  This
invention enable the grinding to go on continuously, less power was
required to run the mill, and the "hopper-boys" were no longer
needed.  Mr. Hutchinson also made suggestions to parties connected
with Boston horse-railroads of a manner of starting street-cars
by introducing springs so that the momentum would aid in overcoming
the friction, which, on being adopted, saved about two-thirds of the
power in starting cars.  He also brought to successful issues many
other things involving natural mechanical and inventive skill.  The
thoroughness with which he does his work is evinced by the beautiful
cable-bridge of 168 feet span which he built across the Androscoggin
to connect his land laying on both sides of the river.  Three years
before the location of the Atlantic & St. Lawrence railroad, two
routes have been surveyed, both unsatisfactory, and the company had
nearly given up the idea of finding a practicable route, when renewed
interest was given by Mr. Hutchinson, who personally looked out and
surveyed the line of the road as now laid, and to him must be
accorded the merit of its construction.  By laying out and selling
building lots he has much improved the eastern part of Gorham
village.
  In March 1856, Mr. Hutchinson purchased a place in Gorham, put up
a house, and December 22d of the same year, he married Eliza A.,
daughter of James and Betsey Hazelton, of Orford NH, a lady whose
artistic taste is shown in her numerous paintings, etc.
  Mr. Hutchinson is a Republican in his politics, has held the office
of justice of the peace for many years.  He is an independent thinker,
and an advocate of freedom in every respect; he does not conform to
the opinions of others, and is not content to derive knowledge from
ordinary sources.  In his younger years, before he came to Berlin,
he paid considerable attention to and became an adept in phrenology.
He has been a logical and interesting lyceum debater, possesses
strong and retentive memory, and by his industry and foresight has
secured a handsome property.....


****
VIRGIL V TWITCHELL
Virgin V. Twitchell, the popular editor and proprietor of that breezy
newspaper, the "Mountaineer", son of Joseph A. and Orinda L.
(Mason) Twitchell, was born in Bethel, Me. June 27, 1842. He received
his educational advantages of Gould's academy, of which he made good
use.  From sixteen to nineteen he was engaged in photography in
Bethel, Portland, and Boston.  His patriotism induced him to enlist
as a private soldier in the Fifth Maine Infantry in 1863, but he was
not accepted on account of his delicate physical organization.
Through the influence of Gov. Perham, then member of Congress from
Maine, he was appointed to a position in the U.S. Sanitary Commission,
with headquarters at City Point, Va.  After the battle of
Petersburgh he was placed in charge of the sanitary post in Richmond,
where he remained until after the close of the war.  Here he
contracted a disease which came near to terminating fatally; but,
by sheer force of will, he was enabled to reach Portland; in so
enfeebled a condition, however, as to necessitate his being carried
on a stretcher.  Regaining a degree of health in the northern air,
he entered the "Star and Advertiser" office in Portland, and rapidly
acquired the essentials of a true "newspaper-man."  After six years
of hard but pleasing labor, he took a short rest on account of
impaired health; then engaged in trade for two years at Portland;
he followed this by three years' service as clerk of the Waumbek
House in Jefferson.  He removed to Gorham in October 1876; and the
next April founded the "Mountaineer," which has attained much more
than a local circulation and reputation and is appreciated for its
keen humor and pure literature.  Mr. Twitchell is at home in the
editorial chair, writes an occasional poem, and wields a clear,
cutting and ready pen on practical subjects.  He has a refined and
cultured taste; a penchant for valuable and antique books; a
veneration for relics of a by-gone generation, and a desire to aid
heartily in every good work going on in the community.  His sanctum
is a veritable museum, with its library of nearly two thousand
volumes and its collections of minerals, coins, rare and historical
works, Revolutionary and other souvenirs of past days.  He is an 
active and influential Mason and Odd Fellow, and a modest and
unassuming gentleman.
  Mr. Twitchell married, September 18, 1866, Georgie E., daughter of
Benjamin W. Cary, of Portland, Me. a lineal descent of the John Cary
who was one of the pioneer proprietors and settlers of Bridgewater,
Mass.  They have had three children, Helen May, Ora Lee (deceased),
Willie C.  Mr. Twitchell has a pleasant home, where he and his
agreeably wife entertain their friends with true hospitality.

*****
NATHANIEL T. TRUE, A.M., M.D.
This eminent educator and popular local historian was born in
Pownal, Me., March 15, 1812. He entered Bowdoin College when 
twenty-one.  In 1835 he opened the first high school in Bethel, Me.
In 1840 he was graduated as physician from Maine Medical school, but
soon took charge of Monmouth academy. He was made A.M. by
Waterville college in 1842, and by Bowdoin in 1868.  In 1847 he
assumed the principalship of Gould Academy at Bethel, and held the
position thirteen years with conceded skill.  In 1863 and 1864 he
was in charge of Oswego (N.Y.) State Normal school.  He then returned
to Maine, and four years was agricultural editor of the Maine
"Farmer," and a regular contributor to the leading journals of Maine.
In 1879 and 1880 he taught a high school in Gorham, and, later,
one at Milan Corner.  Four years before his death (which occurred
May 1887) he was stricken with paralysis.
  Dr. True was well versed in the classics, and in French, Spanish,
German, Italian, and a recognized authority in the dialect of the
Abenaquis Indians.  He was also a popular lecturer on geology and
mineralogy, and possessed a valuable cabinet of stones and minerals.
He was much interested in local history, and wrote for the
newspapers of those towns quite extended histories of Bethel and
Gorham; that of Gorham in the "Mountaineer" forms the basis of the
history of the town in this work.

(end)