SUPERSTITIOUS.   

THE PIONEERS WERE A SUPERSTITIOUS LOT.  THEY BELIEVED IN GOBLINS, WITCHES, SIGNS AND APPARITIONS.  THEY WENT BY THE ZODIAC, REGULATING PLANTING, HARVESTING, AND SLAUGHTERING ACCORDING TO THE "SIGNS". TALES OF THE DEVIL APPEARING ON DANCE HALL FLOORS, OF THE "LOUP-GAROU", THE WEREWOLVES, THE "LITTLE PEOPLE" WERE TOLD AROUND THE OPEN FIRES.  NOBODY LAUGHED AT THEM.

ONE OF THE FIRST MILLS MENTIONED WAS THE MILL ON MITCHELL BROOK, NEAR THE ROXBURY LINE.  IT WAS RUN BY AN OVERSHOT WHEEL.  THERE WERE OTHER MILLS ON THE SWIFT RIVER, GRIST MILLS, LUMBER MILLS, LATER CARRIAGE WORKS, LIVERY STABLES AND BLACKSMITH SHOPS.

BETWEEN 1784 AND 1802 THERE WERE SEVERAL "DOWN RIVER ROADS" CONNECTING WITH THE 'PENNACOOKE' ROAD, BUT NO BRIDGES WERE BUILT BETWEEN RUMFORD AND MEXICO.  YEARS LATER, AROUND 1858, THERE WAS A FERRY AT ONE TIME LOCATED THERE BUT FOR YEARS THE CROSSINGS WERE MADE BY FORDING THE RIVER.