Notes – linked to Riverside Cemetery burials

Hi Donald,

I ran across your web site today when Google turned up the page on the Riverside Cemetery. I thought you might be interested to learn that there is a third Revolutionary War veteran buried in the cemetery.

This is my ancestor Col. Ebenezer Newell, who commanded a company from Brookfield MA during the Revolution. He was the father of Seth Bannister Newell, who is also buried in Riverside Cemetery. Both of them are listed on page 594 of William Lapham's History of Bethel (1891), but the entry doesn't mention Col. Newell's service during the Revolution.

There is a little more about Ebenezer Newell in J.H. Temple's History of North Brookfield, Massachusetts (1887). According to the genealogical section of this town history, Ebenezer Newell was a colonel in the Revolutionary Army, although I suspect that he might have been promoted to that rank after the war ended. In any event, he was certainly an officer during the Revolution, because there are several references to Capt. Ebenezer Newell's Brookfield company in earlier sections of the same book.

After the war, Col. Newell moved to Royalston MA, and then to Pembroke NH around 1800. He remained in Pembroke for most of his life, but came to Bethel to live with his son Seth Bannister Newell shortly before his death at the age of 85 on 14 Jan 1831.

His son Rev. Ebenezer Francis Newell was a well-known Methodist minister, whose wife Fanny Butterfield was also a preacher. Both of them wrote autobiographies. The Fanny Butterfield Newell who is buried in Riverside Cemetery was undoubtedly named after her.

I'm glad you posted the cemetery listings. Although I knew that Ebenezer Newell had died in Bethel, I wasn't sure where he might be buried. Please thank Adaline Clough for compiling the information when you see her!

I'd be happy to send you the relevant pages from the North Brookfield and Pembroke town histories if you'd like a copy.

Regards,
Craig Richardson
Amherst, NH

ELI TWITCHELL – REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIER

Eli Twitchell was born in Sherborn, Mass., in 1759; son of Joseph Twitchell. “He marched with others to the vicinity of Bunker Hill immediately after the battle, and by carrying a very heavy gun on his shoulder, he contracted a disease of the bone of the arm, a portion of which was removed. This unfitted him for severe bodily labor. He came to Bethel probably in 1782 – on foot in the winter, and was so chilled and exhausted that he was compelled to walk on his hands and knees for the last two miles before he reached his brother Eleazer’s house.” He was the first person in town who brought West Indian goods (mainly rum, sugar and molasses) into town for sale here. He married Rhoda Leland of Sherborn; according to her grave stone she died in 1792. Eli then married Lucy Segar. Due to physical limitations, he made brass clocks, watches and guns and repaired jewelry. His first house in what is now called Mayville village was at such an elevation near the Androscoggin River that in the great freshet of 1785 “ he stepped from his door into a boat and over to the spot where the Ayers Mason house now stands.” At the organization of the town of Bethel from the plantation of Sudbury Canada, he was chose Captain of the Militia. (see pages 149,150, William Lapham’s History of Bethel, Maine.)

Town offices: held by Eli Twitchell - 1797: surveyor of ways; 1798, constable; 1799, first selectman; 1800, town meeting moderator; 1801, committee for building Alder River bridge; 1802, selectman; 1803, selectman and highway surveyor; 1804, highway surveyor; 1805, moderator; and in 1806, school committee. (Taken from the same source as above.)

MOSES MASON – REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIER

Moses Mason’s Revolutionary War service came primarily in the command of General Stark of New Hampshire where he fought in the battle of Bennington. During the days of battle, he picked up an “elegant sword” and powder horn which he brought with him to Bethel and was passed on to his descendants. Moses came to Bethel in 1799 from Dublin, New Hampshire. He bought a farm (the Norseman Inn in 2007) from Eleazer Twitchell which was fertile and heavily forested with mature pine. His fine standing in the community was demonstrated by his representing the town in the Massachusetts Legislature for five years. He and his descendants occupied the farm for more than 90 years. (See page 142, History of Bethel, Maine by William Lapham.)

SAMUEL B LOCKE – MILLWRIGHT, FARMER, ENGINEER, EXTRAORDINARY MAN

The village name of Locke Mills in Greenwood, Maine arose the from Locke mills built by Samuel B. Locke in the 1820’s. Samuel Locke came to Bethel with his family between 1795 and 1797. He purchased land in the Sunday River valley of Bethel. The Locke farm was occupied by his family and their descendants until 1913. He was best known for his skill as a millwright, mechanic and innovator. Locke had built water-powered mills on the Sunday River and in Ketchum (Riley). Forest fires in Riley quickly invoked the need for additional mills to saw as much salvageable timber as possible and as fast as possible. This situation led Locke to buy land and create additional water powered mills along the outlet flows of ponds in the Greenwood area. Drainage of these ponds, dammed to increase water power for mills, followed a northwards path toward Bethel named Alder River. This river drained into the Androscoggin River in Bethel but in addition to the dam at Locke Mills, the water flow was dammed and used again to generate water power for mills in South Bethel. (See pages 134,135, History of Bethel, Maine by William Lapham.) Town affairs: 1800: “Eliphaz Chapman and John Evans were chose a committee to examine Samuel B Locke’s mills (in Bethel) and ascertain whether he had fulfilled his contract with the town”. 1805: Locke was chosen town tax collector and constable. 1808: Samuel B Locke with Timothy Carter and John York were appointed to a superintending committee for the rebuilding of the Alder River bridge. Locke had been a member of an earlier committee to investigate the feasibility of rebuilding the same bridge. In 1815, Locke was elected to the town’s school committee.