The Bethel Journals

Mill Operators and Lumbermen—Thurstons of 1931

Chapter 1—Page 4  The Oxford County Citizen, Special Edition, August 3, 1931

Paul C. Thurston is one of Bethel’s most progressive citizens. With his family he lives on the J.A. Thurston farm in Mayville and conducts a dowel manufacturing mill at Hale.

Mr. Thurston was born in Newry, Maine, December 2, 1887. He is the only son of the late Jacob A. and Flora (Dinsmore) Thurston. He was educated in Bethel schools, Gould Academy and Bates College. Mr. Thurston married Miss Elsie Hall in 1911 and two children, Rosalie E. and Murray W. survive their mother. He married Miss Florence Perry in 1927.

Mr. Thurston is President and Treasurer of J.A. Thurston Co., Inc., and travels extensively in this country and Europe in the interests of the firm.

Large lumbering operations are carried on by the J.A. Thurston Co. in different sections of the County. For the past two years, it has cut birch in the vicinity of Richardson Lake converted it into squares at the site of cutting, transported it by scow across the lake and hauled the squares by truck to the mill at Hale.

In 1928, Mr. Thurston was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in New York City. He has been a state Democratic Committeeman from Oxford County. He is a trustee and board member of the Rumford Falls Trust Co and a trustee of the Bethel Library Association. Mr. and Mrs. Thurston are members of the Oakdale Country Club. Mrs. Thurston serves the Community Hospital on the executive committee of the Woman Auxiliary.  Mr. Thurston is a member of the Bethel Lion’s Club and the Rumford Rotary.

 

 

MILL OF J.A. THURSTON CO, INC AT HALE

(North of Mexico and Rumford—west of Swift River.)

Photo credit is Leach ‘31

 

Click photo to enlarge

 

Hugh D. Thurston is one of the wide awake young business men of the town. Born in Newry, Maine November 25, 1886, the son of Tena May (Littlehale) and the late Howard F. Thurston, he received his education in the town schools and at Hebron Academy.

On November 27, 1914 he married Miss Alma Cook of Standish and they have two sons, Howard F., 2nd, and Dale C.

On completing his education he worked two years for the Brown Company, and following that was in the employ of the Merrill Springer Co. at West Bethel for five years. He came to Bethel in 1919 and became associated with his father in the mill located at the lower end of the village. This large mill for the making of dowels and glue pins is the H.F. Thurston & Son property and has a large yearly manufacture of these commodities. The market for the enormous output of this mill is all parts of the United States and some foreign countries.  Mr. Thurston is his own manager and travels widely in promoting trade.

He is interested in local politics and a member of the Bethel Lions Club.

Several years ago Mr. Thurston purchased the Horace Andrews house, and moved it to a spacious lot on Elm Street and converted it into a handsome and well fitted home.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Thurston are prominent in educational and dramatic affairs of the town and can always be depended on to do their generous share.

Right: The H.F. Thurston & Son dowel mill operated by Hugh D. Thurston in 1931.  The mill building was constructed in 1886 to house the Bethel Chair Factory.  One rail of the Grand Trunk Railroad’s siding  can be seen  in the immediate foreground.

 

(Regrettably damage to  the newspaper included this photograph.)

Wade H. Thurston was born in Newry, Maine in 1884. His parents were Mortier L. and Lois (Eveleth) Thurston.

He was educated in the town schools, Gould Academy and at Bliss Business College. He married Miss Kathryn Day in 1911 and they have four children: Mary, Floyd, Josephine and Christie.

After completing his education he began lumbering with his father and for many years conducted extensive winter logging operations on Richardson Pond, Black Brook and Wilsons Mills in the employ of the Brown Company, Berlin, N.H.

At the death of his father, twelve years ago he formed a partnership with his brother, Ray, of Andover. Each year they have lumbered in and around Andover Surplus and Wilsons Mills. This year (1931) they are filling a contract for International Paper Co.

Mr. Thurston is a farmer on a large scale and raises thoroughbred cattle.

Mr. and Mrs. Thurston, with their popular family, live in an attractive modern house on lower Main Street.

 

Right:  winter lumber camp—newspaper caption : “IN THE WOODS” FOR WADE H. THURSTON.