Browse Items (103 total)

Dr. John George Gehring and His Bethel Clinic Pragmatic Therapy and Therapeutic Tourism by William D. Andrews Dr. John George Gehring, 1912. As this photograph suggests, Gehring was slight, trim, and dapper. He wasknown to smoke cigars and…

Metallak by Peter Smith Bean State of New Hampshire marker near Metallak's grave site Editor’s Note: This brief memoir about the Indian Metallak is found in the Oxford County Advertiser of 17 January 1890. The author is Peter Smith Bean, who…

John Howell Crosby (1867-1936) By Donald G. Bennett J. Howell Crosby in 1909. Courtesy of Donald G. Bennett Editor’s note: This is the second “Grandfather’s Theme” to be published in The Courier since the request for such manuscripts went out…

Barn Redux: Bethel's Most Modern Barn in 1950 by Donald G. Bennett Introduction The idea for this story came from two sources: the 2005 display of the Smithsonian exhibit “Barn Again! Celebrating an American Icon” at the Bethel Historical…

Bethel's First Meetinghouse Re-Discovered by Randall H. Bennett Portland's Cumberland County Courthouse of 1785, which served as the model for Bethel's first meetinghouse, built in 1807 From Portland in the Past (1886) Thanks to the research…

The Robertsons of “Robinson Hill” By Randall H. Bennett The origins of Bethel's early placenames, and the meaning(s) they convey, have long been a popular subject of discussion among scholars and family historians, and many of these researchers…

Dr. True As Historian by Randall H. Bennett The productive years in the life of Dr. Nathaniel Tuckerman True (1812-1887) were a propitious time for antiquarian efforts. Indeed, the ground work of what we know today of Bethel's beginnings is in…

Bethel's Elusive Androscoggin Steamboat by Randall H. Bennett Steamboat landing site on Androscoggin River at Bethel, circa 1910 "I know of no place in the United States where as varied and rich scenery can be witnessed as when on the…

The Railroad Comes to Bethel by Randall H. Bennett Grand Trunk Railway station at Bethel, circa 1880 Editor’s Note: The following is an edited version of remarks made by Society Curator of Collections Randall Bennett on 10 March 2001 at…

Bowler versus Chisholm,and the Ill-fated Bethel-Rumford Electric Railway by Randall H. Bennett In 1882, Canadian-born Hugh J. Chisholm (1847-1912), a lumber enthusiast and successful partner in the Portland based Chisholm Brothers…

History of Gilead by Dea. George W. Chapman George Whitefield Chapman (1780-1875)Photo from William B. Lapham's History of Bethel (1891) George Whitefield Chapman's "History of Gilead" was originally published in 1859 in the Bethel Courier…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. [By Col. Clark S. Edwards] [number i] Having been often asked by many of my fellow citizens to give personal reminiscences of the different members of the Bethel Company, I…

WAR REMINISCENCESOF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number ii The Fifth Maine Regiment left Portland for Washington, June 25, 1861. Forty rounds of ammunition were distributed to each soldier before…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number iii At two o'clock in the morning of May 3 the regiment was in line of battle, the left wing across the Bowling Green turnpike leading into…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number iv General Hooker directed General Sedgwick to move with the Sixth Corps toward Chancellorsville, and he with the main army on the one side…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number v Bethel also lost at Salem Church one of her noblest sons and finest soldiers, so far as my knowledge enables me to speak, Washington Frye…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number vi On the night of May 3, and the following morning, Gen. Lee greatly strengthened his forces on Fredericksburg Heights, which he had…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number vii May 5th the 6th Corps moved to the grounds which we had left seven days before. I found my tent floor as we left it in the early morning…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number viii Saturday evening, June 13th, we started on the Gettysburg campaign. We left the Rappahannock and moved on about eight miles to Potomac…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number ix As soon as the artillery duel ended came Pickets' grand charge. The left of our regiment at the time lay where we could see nearly the…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number x On the night of July 3rd, 1863 I received orders from Gen. Bartlett to send three companies from the regiment to bring in a portion of a…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number xi July 18th found the Bethel Company in its place, with the 5th Maine Regiment crossing the Potomac at Berlin, the first ferry below…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number xii Our last number left us in camp at New Baltimore. September 15, we broke camp and left for Warrenton, and at this time commenced the…

WAR REMINISCENCES OF THE BETHEL COMPANY, Company I, Fifth Maine Regiment. By Col. Clark S. Edwards number xiii Before closing this account of the battle at Rappahannock Station, I will add an item or two of interest. In the Mechanic Falls…