Information taken from William S. Spurr, History of Otisfield.
Jonathan Britton (1760-1844). “He was acquainted with Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author, who lived in Raymond, and who greatly enjoyed Mr. Brittons quaint ways and ready wit. One time Mr. Hawthorne gave him some long red potatoes, a new species, to plant. Meeting again in the fall after harvest, Mr. Hawthorne asked him what he thought of the new potatoes. ‘Well, to speak truly,’ replied Mr. Britton, ‘one end of the potatoes is pretty poor;’ then, after a pause added, ‘and the other end ain’t fit to eat.’
One day Enoch Turner, Henry Turner and Mr. Britton were out fox hunting with dogs. Capt. Britton was alone by the side of the road with his gun, when a stranger who was riding past asked Mr. Britton, ‘What are you doing with your gun?’ ‘I am a member of the Otisfield fox hunting club’ said Mr. Britton promptly, ‘and on duty.’ ‘What luck?’ asked the stranger. ‘Good,’ replied Mr. Britton. ‘When we get this one and two more we will have three.’” (pp. 342-343)
Stephen Knight ( 1809-1893). “He lived just north of the Bell Hill cemetery in the Wm. Hancock house but about 1852, built a new house farther down the hill. He was a carpenter by trade and a natural mechanic. He was a musician and played the double bass in church. He was a tall man, over six feet and very powerful, he had a large stone in his yard that no one but himself has ever lifted, his initials are cut on it.” (p. 459)
Jonathan Moors (1756-1829). In 1780 “They came from Boston to Portland on a sailing vessel and from Windham to Otisfield on horseback. There was no wagon road into town for more than twenty years after.” In 1797 Major Moors “built a new house on another part of lot 93 [Bell Hill Road], where Zeb. Knights since lived, and now owned by Henry Heikkinen (1950). While building his new house they lived in the schoolhouse on the hill which stood on the north corner of the mill road north of the old church. They moved into the new house…. in 1798 and kept the first public house in Otisfield and ran it for twenty years.” (pp. 494-495)
Nathaniel Lamb (1778-1850). Mr. Lamb was a man of remarkable character. His undertakings were prosperous and he acquired a comfortable property, sufficient for all his wants. He raised good crops and generally had something to sell. One year he raised one thousand bushels of potatoes. He always heaped the half bushel and gave more than good measure. He believed that corn was worth the same one year as another, and though the market price might be a dollar and a half, he would never ask more than a dollar.” (p. 464)
**Daniel Holden (1763-1849). “**He came to Otisfield and was first taxed in 1797. Daniel Holden was in the Rev. and drew a pension of $108. He owned the first wagon in Otisfield, bought in Mass. after Rev. Merrill settled here [1815]. He was the first one that went to church on the Hill in a wagon.” (p. 421)