Early Settlers
In the summer of 1824, William Sessions of Gilead, Me. came here and cleared the land on which the barns of the Berlin and Coös County Historical Society now stand, which was formerly owned by the Brown Company. At first he cleared about five acres around the area where the barns are today. While clearing, Mr. Sessions slept in the old camp built by John Messer and Amos Peabody at the southernmost side of where the Horne Brook meets the Androscoggin. By fall of the year mention above, Sessions’ property was ready for settlement, but it was too late in the year to start building.
In the spring of 1825, William Sessions came back with his nephew, Cyrus Wheeler, who was at the time only 15 years of age. They started construction of the first permanent home built in this town. The log house was twenty by twenty-two feet. The floor was made of very large logs that were nicely split. After making his payment, Mr. Sessions walked to Boston to obtain
a deed, but for some reason he didn’t succeed.
According to legend, William Sessions use to keep pigs until they weighed 400 pounds. He built a platform outside of his house and somehow got the pig onto it, we can assume it was already dead. He took some type of sheet and covered the pig and heated up water in a kettle over an open flame. He poured the hot water onto the sheet, scalding one part of the hog at a time. He would clean and dress that part while heating up the water for the next part. He then took three poles and a chain and pulled the pig off the platform. The old farmers of Berlin use to say they never saw a nicer dress of a pig in their life. Mr. Sessions would start a homestead, sell to someone else and start another, which he did all over New Hampshire and Maine.
The next settler was Samuel Blodgett, a brother of Mrs. Sessions; he came here in the spring of 1826. Mr. Blodgett was the first settler on the West side of the river. His home once stood on the bank of the river opposite of the head of Pine Island. He also cleared some of the land where the White Mountain Community College and the Twitchell house now stand. It was here that the first white child, Dexter Blodgett, was born on October 26, 1826. Blodgett soon sold to Albiatha Bean, who formerly resided in the little log cabin on Page Hill in Success. Samuel Blodgett moved back to Shelburne but later came back and built a home on Cates Hill, which was then called Blodgett Hill, and was one of the first men to introduce maple syrup making on the hill. Mr. Blodgett made about 600 lbs. of sugar the first year besides 50 gallons of syrup.
Andrew Cates built on to the camp started by Clovis Lowe on the site where McGee Street meets Riverside Drive. Simon Evans of Shelburne built a house above the Session’s place; this was eventually bought by John R. Horne. Joseph Wheeler cleared the land bellow William Sessions, only stayed a short time and soon left sometimes after the year 1830 and moved to Milan. He owned two oxen and 72 acres of land; only an acre was cleared, half of this was used for the growing of crops. Thomas Wheeler came in 1826 and settled at the bottom of Cates Hill Road. He owned 250 acres of land, two oxen, and two cows.
Joseph Blodgett built on the spot where the Bodyline Health & Fitness Club’s building now stand, the building that is now there was built by William D. Sanborn as a home. Joseph Blodgett lived there for 20 years but later sold to Insley Bean and built a house and barn (not a log house this time) almost opposite of where the road that goes up to the newly built Federal Prison is today. He sold this to either Edward V. Blake or the man who sold to Blake, and moved to Berlin Falls and worked as a carpenter.
Samuel S. Thompson, an old Revolutionary War soldier, and his son, Benjamin, bought the Sessions place in 1827. Mr. Thompson was a carpenter and he even made and painted the very first ballot and jury boxes used here. He also built the very first schoolhouse in Berlin. Benjamin Thompson was the most successful farmer in town and a very talented lumberman. This family built the smaller barn that is now owned by the historical society. One can notice to the back of this barn there is an addition put on at a later date. Thompson moved to Stark but the property was kept in the hands of the family. It was later bought by W. W. Brown and since been know as the Brown Farm. Some people today (2013) call this area “Gamm” after the business that once operated there.
Amos Wheeler bought a farm started by his brother, Thomas Jr., and sold this place to Siah Health of Gilead, who sold to Daniel Davis on December 31, 1831 for the sum of $375. This farm once stood near the bottom of Cates Hill. Thomas Green Jr. came here in 1826 from Shelburne at the age of 43. He built a house near the spot where the Congregational Church now stands. In this year, Thomas and his sons, Amos and Daniel, made the first road passable by oxen from Shelburne to where his house stood. Amos was the man who built the first frame house in town, which stood where the Rosenfield Block now stands, it was used as his residence.
In the spring of 1825, William Sessions came back with his nephew, Cyrus Wheeler, who was at the time only 15 years of age. They started construction of the first permanent home built in this town. The log house was twenty by twenty-two feet. The floor was made of very large logs that were nicely split. After making his payment, Mr. Sessions walked to Boston to obtain
a deed, but for some reason he didn’t succeed.
According to legend, William Sessions use to keep pigs until they weighed 400 pounds. He built a platform outside of his house and somehow got the pig onto it, we can assume it was already dead. He took some type of sheet and covered the pig and heated up water in a kettle over an open flame. He poured the hot water onto the sheet, scalding one part of the hog at a time. He would clean and dress that part while heating up the water for the next part. He then took three poles and a chain and pulled the pig off the platform. The old farmers of Berlin use to say they never saw a nicer dress of a pig in their life. Mr. Sessions would start a homestead, sell to someone else and start another, which he did all over New Hampshire and Maine.
The next settler was Samuel Blodgett, a brother of Mrs. Sessions; he came here in the spring of 1826. Mr. Blodgett was the first settler on the West side of the river. His home once stood on the bank of the river opposite of the head of Pine Island. He also cleared some of the land where the White Mountain Community College and the Twitchell house now stand. It was here that the first white child, Dexter Blodgett, was born on October 26, 1826. Blodgett soon sold to Albiatha Bean, who formerly resided in the little log cabin on Page Hill in Success. Samuel Blodgett moved back to Shelburne but later came back and built a home on Cates Hill, which was then called Blodgett Hill, and was one of the first men to introduce maple syrup making on the hill. Mr. Blodgett made about 600 lbs. of sugar the first year besides 50 gallons of syrup.
Andrew Cates built on to the camp started by Clovis Lowe on the site where McGee Street meets Riverside Drive. Simon Evans of Shelburne built a house above the Session’s place; this was eventually bought by John R. Horne. Joseph Wheeler cleared the land bellow William Sessions, only stayed a short time and soon left sometimes after the year 1830 and moved to Milan. He owned two oxen and 72 acres of land; only an acre was cleared, half of this was used for the growing of crops. Thomas Wheeler came in 1826 and settled at the bottom of Cates Hill Road. He owned 250 acres of land, two oxen, and two cows.
Joseph Blodgett built on the spot where the Bodyline Health & Fitness Club’s building now stand, the building that is now there was built by William D. Sanborn as a home. Joseph Blodgett lived there for 20 years but later sold to Insley Bean and built a house and barn (not a log house this time) almost opposite of where the road that goes up to the newly built Federal Prison is today. He sold this to either Edward V. Blake or the man who sold to Blake, and moved to Berlin Falls and worked as a carpenter.
Samuel S. Thompson, an old Revolutionary War soldier, and his son, Benjamin, bought the Sessions place in 1827. Mr. Thompson was a carpenter and he even made and painted the very first ballot and jury boxes used here. He also built the very first schoolhouse in Berlin. Benjamin Thompson was the most successful farmer in town and a very talented lumberman. This family built the smaller barn that is now owned by the historical society. One can notice to the back of this barn there is an addition put on at a later date. Thompson moved to Stark but the property was kept in the hands of the family. It was later bought by W. W. Brown and since been know as the Brown Farm. Some people today (2013) call this area “Gamm” after the business that once operated there.
Amos Wheeler bought a farm started by his brother, Thomas Jr., and sold this place to Siah Health of Gilead, who sold to Daniel Davis on December 31, 1831 for the sum of $375. This farm once stood near the bottom of Cates Hill. Thomas Green Jr. came here in 1826 from Shelburne at the age of 43. He built a house near the spot where the Congregational Church now stands. In this year, Thomas and his sons, Amos and Daniel, made the first road passable by oxen from Shelburne to where his house stood. Amos was the man who built the first frame house in town, which stood where the Rosenfield Block now stands, it was used as his residence.
References
1. Traditions and Recollections of Berlin, N. H. by Bailey K. Davis (1897), pg. 8-31
2. History of Coos County, New Hampshire by George Drew Merrill (1888) pg. 788-790
3. An article written by Chester L. Bean, which appeared in the Berlin Reporter, December 27, 1926.
4. Once Upon a Berlin Time: Early Pioneers by Paul “Poof” Tardiff.
2. History of Coos County, New Hampshire by George Drew Merrill (1888) pg. 788-790
3. An article written by Chester L. Bean, which appeared in the Berlin Reporter, December 27, 1926.
4. Once Upon a Berlin Time: Early Pioneers by Paul “Poof” Tardiff.