The coming of Edward Fifield into the township. in company with the Gordon and Chandler families in the autumn of 1804, to clear land whereon to establish a home has been noted. This was the first beginning in the southwest part of the township. Mr. FiField came from the town of Ware, N. H. Early is the spring of 1805 he returned to the township to build a house and make preparations for raising crops. He was acccompanied by several sons and Mr. John Hayes, a carpenter, who took charge of building the house which was located on the site of the buildings upon the Joel W. Otis place. After clearing several acres for a crop of wheat, the seed, which had been purchased of Cornelius Coolidge of Elkstown (Dexter), must be brought to the place where it was to be sown, and in absence of any other mode of conveyance, it was brought in bags upon the shoulders of Mr. FiField and his stalwart sons. As there was no trail leading directly to the Coolidge place, the Fifields followed a circuitous route which had been marked for the convenience of others. This route led them across the outlet of Pleasant Pond to the Murdock place, thence easterly to the brook a little to the east of Maple Grove Cemetery, thence northwesterly to the Dearborn place, thence westerly on the line of the present center road to the Coolidge place. The distance traveled to the Coolidge place and back must have been twelve miles.

The field they had cleared embraced several acres and they were obliged to make several trips to get the required seed. At close of the spring farming Mr. Fifield returned to New Hampshire for his family, which before the close of June, was safely established in the new home.