A hermit often known as River Dave — whose cabin within the New Hampshire woods burned down after he had spent almost three a long time on the property and was ordered to depart — has discovered a brand new house in Maine.
David Lidstone, 82, has put in home windows and is engaged on putting in a chimney on his rustic three-room cabin, which he mentioned is on land he purchased.
“The foundation needs repair work,” Lidstone, who obtained greater than $200,000 in donations following the hearth, mentioned in a cellphone interview on Monday. “It’s just an old camp, but I enjoy working (on it).”
Lidstone, who grew up in Maine, declined to say the place he was dwelling or present a contact for the landowner. A search of Maine county registers of deeds didn’t present any current transactions involving Lidstone, however a cousin confirmed that he had moved to Maine, and a Facebook submit had images of Lidstone with a member of the family in his new house.
“He’s working on putting it together, and clearing land, and planting gardens, and he’s got some chickens. He’s moving on,” mentioned Horace Clark, of Vermont, Lidstone’s cousin.
Lidstone mentioned he needed to depart Canterbury, N.H., over his dispute with a distinct landowner since 2016 over a patch of forest close to the Merrimack River that Lidstone known as house for 27 years. A decide issued an injunction in 2017 for him to depart after the landowner, Leonard Giles, sued him, and one other decide not too long ago dominated Lidstone would obtain a $500-a-day wonderful if he didn’t transfer.
There have been many delays within the case. Besides the pandemic, Lidstone didn’t all the time present up for court docket, and he was out and in of jail as he resisted the injunction.
It additionally was troublesome to serve Lidstone with a discover to seem in court docket. There’s no street entry to the property, which is a couple of mile and a half into the woods. In January, one course of server slipped, fell down an embankment and injured his leg in his try to succeed in Lidstone, in response to a movement filed by Giles’ lawyer.
In March, a decide mentioned Lidstone would face the day by day wonderful if he didn’t depart the world by April 11. The decide dominated Lidstone additionally has to pay a few of Giles’ authorized charges. Separately, Lidstone faces trespassing prices in reference to the property.
Giles, 87, of South Burlington, Vt., died in July. It wasn’t instantly clear if his demise modifications the standing of the case. His lawyer didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Lidstone mentioned he was unhappy to listen to that Giles died. “I had nothing against the old man,” he mentioned.
But he appears to be embracing his new life.
“I’ve got all kinds of friends up here,” he mentioned. “I’ve had friends every weekend, all summer.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”