The carpentry upon the frame of the saw-mill now nearing completion and the day for the raising had been appointed. Men from surrounding settlements had been invited. On the night proceeding the eventful day they came in small squads from different points, guided by spotted trees. Camping out on the ground through the night they were ready for the work in the morning. While preparations for the raising were going on frequent mysterious allusions to a certain mill-crank, with an unusual history, excited the curiosity of the newcomers. This was followed by inquiry and the inquirer was directed to Gideon Haskell for information. To each man who approached him to hear the story, he repeated with great particularity of detail the account of the three days' wanderings in the wilderness, making his own participation in the affair a prominent feature of the account. The mill was raised without incident worthy of note. An event of such importance to the township could not, however be allowed to pass without being appropriately celebrated. The character of the celebration had been determined beforehand. The amusements which generally followed raising of mills, barns and other large buildings in those days were omitted on this occasion by common consent. The underwritten program included an oration to the King. Daniel Wilkins of New Charleston, afterwards a prominent citizen of this section, was the orator. The sound of the axe that had driven the last pin into the frame of the mill was the signal for the opening of ceremonies. Loud cries of "Long live King Gideon" now filled the air. At a little distance from the mill site, at the edge of the opening, there was a large tree that presented a remarkable angle several feet from the ground, which afforded as elevated and conspicuous seat. A committee of stalwart men waited upon the King with invitation to occupy the seat that had been selected for the occasion, who accepted the honor because it was more safe to accept then top decline. Shouts of "Long live King Gideon" were now renewed. The preliminaries having been concluded, the oration to the king was announced. No short-hand writer was present to preserve it for later generations, but a few of the opening sentences of this unique performance have been handed down.

"Behold King Gideon who arose early in the morning, attended by his servant, Peter, the hunter, towards the land of Ebenezer, whose surname was Small, whither he went to promote the welfare of his people. And it came to pass that as they journeyed, his horse being laden with the royal equipage, they came to a great swamp in the midst of the wilderness where the royal highway suddenly terminated. And they sought for its continuation with great diligence but found it not, and he said, per adventure my unfaithful servant, Peter, has gone to look for game in his traps, even the beaver and the otter which do abound in this great wilderness, and left us to perish in our wanderings. Therefore we will seek for a way to the land whither we are traveling, even the land of Ebenezer. And they tied the horse to a tree and fed him upon the course grass that grew upon the borders of the great swamp. And for the space of three days and three nights they sought diligently for the way to the land of Ebenezer."

The orator proceeded with mock dignity to give circumstantial account of the journey, which was received with uproarious laughter and applause.

The "oration" ended, the old forests rang with cries and shouts such as had never been heard, and perhaps never again will be heard within the limits of the town. Aided by the inspiration of the favorite New England beverage of the times, these excited men kept up the frolic so boisterously begun, through the entire night. Early the next morning, starting in the shadows of the forest.

Our late, well-remembered citizen, Isaac Wheeler, Esq., was presented at the raising of the mill. He held a commission of justice of the peace which he brought with him from Massachusetts. Believing that his official dignity would be compromised by remaining with his boisterous associates, he quietly withdrew to his camp, which was located near the site of the present Baptist church.

Alluding occasionally to the boisterous scenes of the night of the raising, he related that soon after his withdrawal he was missed by the crowd, whereupon a committee was appointed to wait on him and request his attendance. He was enjoying his first nap when he was suddenly aroused by a violent rapping at his door. He sprang from his couch and presenting himself at the door, demanded to know the business of the intruders. He was informed that his presence at the mill was requested. Refusing to comply, the committee attempted to enforce compliance, but he resisted with such resolution the deemed it prudent to return to the mill without his company. One of the intruders managed, during the parley at the door, to thrust a blazing brand through an opening in the camp and set his straw bed on fire.

Gideon Haskell could neither forget nor forgive the rough treatment he had received at the hands of his fellow workmen and when the season's work was completed, he left the township never to return.

Deacon John S. Haskell often related with great animation in his later years stories of pioneer life for the amusement of friends and acquaintances. Among these was the story of the mill-crank, at close of which an expression of seriousness would rest upon his venerable features for a moment, when he would explain in tones at once regretful and apologetic, "Well, we did have some pretty high times in those days."

In September, 1802, while the building of the mill was in progress, Moses Gordon and John and Jonathan Jones of Hopkinton, N. H., visited the township. This was Mr. Gordon's first visit. He came to inspect the lands of the township, and although he made no selection at this time, he returned home with a favorable impression of the quality of its lands and its eligibility fro settling purposes. The Messrs. Jones afterward settled in Ripley where they became prominent citizens.

The building of the saw-mill was the close of active operations in the township in 1802. Including the beginning made by Josiah Bartlett in 1801, nineteen openings had been made on as many different lots, one family had been established, a house built for another family, and a saw-mill had been constructed.