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History of gunquit Village
SSEL.VN GILMAN PERKINS
Gc 974.102 0g9p 1485686
M. L
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
m
3 1833 01091 8156
Esselyn Gilman Beckins
1
PHOTO BY MARDEN
The Author
History of C
Ogunquit Village
With many interesting facts of more recent interest
by
ESSELYN GILMAN PERKINS
FALMOUTH PUBLISHING HOUSE Portland, Maine
COPYRIGHT ' 1951 BY ESSELYN GILMAN PERKINS
LIST OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To the following people who so graciously assisted me in my work on the early history of Ogunquit, I am deeply appreciative: Mrs. Elsie Littlefield, for information on first Baptist Church, and Miss Madeline Perkins, Ogunquit librarian; Miss Eunice Hilton, for picture of the "Lookout Tree"; Mrs. Elizabeth Brooks Ramsdell, whose great-grandparents owned the oldest house in Ogunquit, for information on Frazier's Pasture; * the late Phillip Hutchins, for soundings of Plum Island; James E. Brewster, Roland Maxwell, Joel Perkins, overseers of the Ogun- quit Village Corporation, for data on Marginal Way; Arthur Hussey, for pictures of Old Garrison House Marker; Leroy How- ard, Beverly, Mass., for pictures of Old Post Road Marker and Old Jefferds Tavern; Mrs. Tristram Eaton for Old York Book; David O. Woodbury, for portrait of his father, Charles H. Wood- bury; Edward Hipple for all other views of Ogunquit-and to the many others who volunteered bits of information to help make this first history of Ogunquit an interesting and authentic account.
-ESSELYN GILMAN PERKINS.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
1485686
PREFACE
M AINE, the beautiful Pine Tree State, is rich with historical background and legends.
The historical background with which this work is concerned starts at the extreme southern end of the State, namely, in York County. Although there is nothing perhaps of sufficient dis- tinction in this little volume to make the story of this particular section of York County-Ogunquit Village-of interest and im- portance to the general readers, yet, as this section of the State of Maine was one of the earliest sections to be settled, there are certain events connected with it that afford material of value in a historical sense.
And, too, there are many earlier incidents which occurred in the Town of Wells, and which have a direct bearing upon this section of Wells which is the corporated Village of Ogunquit.
Therefore, this brief history of early Ogunquit has been prepared to interest the inhabitants of the vicinity, and to in- terest the thousands who know it through their associations as a summer residence.
-ESSELYN GILMAN PERKINS.
OGUNQUIT BEACH AT DAWN
There's a beautiful sight in Ogunquit When one looks o'er the beach and bay, And watches Twilight ascending And sees Dawn change Night into. Day.
The sky around first is purple- Deeper far than the violet's hue, With here and there a silver gleam As a twinkling star peeps through.
And all along the horizon There's a vivid dash of gold, Which makes one think of the Angel With the Flaming Sword of old.
Slowly the purple changes to orchid, Orange splashes fade to rose; Faint crimson filters through them As the horizon lighter grows.
Then, with a burst of splendor Radiating throughout the sky, Life once more begins anew, As Old Sol rises high.
The seagulls sweep from their cliff-tops, And go wheeling, screaming past, Glad to stretch their impatient wings, And that Day has begun at last.
The ocean dances and twinkles, Each wave wears a sparkling crest; Like a king with all his jewels, Adorned in his very best.
The dark sand dunes take on new colors, And the firm, white sand of the beach Seems alive with little flame-points, As far as the eye can reach.
And one stands in silent rapture, Thrilled by the wonderous sight, As Nature, the Divine Artist, Paints a picture-"Day out of Night."
-ESSELYN GILMAN PERKINS.
CONTENTS
Location
3
Old World Background
5
Beginning of Wells
8
Grants for Saw Mills
12
Indian Tribes: Maine and Ogunquit
13
Court Session and Orders
17
Indian Raids
20
Mount Agamenticus
23
Saint Aspinquid
25
The King's Highway
27 30 32
Schools and a Post Office
34 36
Early Occupations
Homes, Furnishings and Costumes
40
Wild Life
43
The Marginal Way
45
Along the Marginal Way
47
Ogunquit Becomes a Corporate Village
52
Legends
55
Library and Art Association
58
The Foot Drawbridge at Perkins Cove
62
Just Odd Items
64
Conclusion 66
The Oldest House in Ogunquit
Early Churches
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
face page
The Author Frontispiece
The Basin at Perkins Cove 5
Marker, showing site of Storer's Garrison (Wells)
20
Jeffard's Tavern 27
Stone marker on the old King's Highway
29
Oldest House in Ogunquit
31
The old Perkins Place
32
Miss Constance Talpey unveiling Marginal Way marker 45
Ogunquit rocks
47
The Lookout Tree 55
Memorial Library
58
The Barn Gallery
59
Charles H. Woodbury
60
Footbridge at Perkins Cove
62
HISTORY OF OGUNQUIT VILLAGE
LOCATION
HE picturesque little village of Ogunquit lies in the very southern section of York County-the most southern county of the State of Maine. This village is a Corporated village in the Town of Wells, and was made such by an act of the State Legislature in 1913. In this village one may find combinations of the woods with the seashore, the river with the ocean, the sand dunes with the level, rolling beach.
Ogunquit Village is on U. S. Route 1 exactly thirty-five miles from Portland, Maine; eighty miles from Boston, Massachusetts, and fifteen miles from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The new superhighway affords a turnoff for the visitor at the Boston-way entrance at Kittery, Maine, and at the Portland-way entrance at Wells.
The nearest railroad station is at Wells Beach Station-just five miles away, and taxi accommodations are splendid. Airports are at both Portland and Portsmouth.
Ogunquit is a village that offers many opportunities to its people: a popular summer resort; a fishing village; a splendid opportunity for bathing in the ocean or river (this opportunity made safe with certified life guards and all the necessary equip- ment that goes with a well-patroled area) ; beautiful, fragrant forests, with numerous paths for walking, or for a brisk canter on horseback; art colonies; theatres; a theatrical student colony; a variety of beautiful places that enchant the painter or the sculptor, and many others.
Ogunquit Beach Park measures three miles long, its firm sands kept free from rubbish at all times. It is a beach that has
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an unusual combination of pine woods with the seashore; picturesque sand dunes between the flowing Ogunquit River and the stirring Atlantic Ocean; bold ragged rocks with smooth, ocean-worn stones.
The river affords much pleasure to the sailboat lover, or to the surfboat rider, as well as wading for the more timid water lover.
Fishing off the bridge is a common sight from early morn until late turn of the tide. Delicious clams are found in the broad flats of the tidal river and at the famous Perkins Cove many boats ride at anchor and await the pull of the ropes that will free them for the lure of the ocean-an ocean teeming with lobsters, tuna, cod, mackerel, and other delicacies that delight the gourmet.
Bird lovers may also have every chance to observe an odd combination of land birds mingling with those of the water varieties.
Ogunquit Village seems to be a resting place for many dif- ferent kinds of migrants, and during the month of October seals may be seen romping on the hard strip of sand at the place where the Ogunquit River flows out to meet the sea.
The high hung bridge at the Cove opens to permit the boats to enter or to leave the Basin. This is the only bridge of its kind in the State-a foot-draw-bridge. When closed, one may cross the river from the Cove side to the other bank of Josiah's River. From this bridge, the observer may be favored with a most excellent view of the far-stretching Atlantic Ocean.
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PHOTO BY HIPPLE
The Basin at Perkins Cove, formed by the meeting of the sea and Josiah's River.
OLD WORLD BACKGROUND
TI HE history of Ogunquit Village starts as all of the history of this country-with its Old World background.
Speculations are rife whether any of the following explorers might have touched the shores of this portion of Maine.
Biare, the Norseman, was driven from Greenland by an ex- tremely high wind until he reached approximately Cape Cod far to the south. It is believed that Biare returned along the shores of Maine to Nova Scotia and thence to Greenland. The date of this adventure is somewhere between 800 A.D. and 1000 A.D. (the time when Leif Ericson set out to explore).
Verrazano, an Italian by birth, explored for France, and gave an excellent description of the Maine coast as well as many detailed maps of the voyage down this portion of the North Atlantic.
DeMonts, who because of lack of payment of taxes to the French king lost his chances of further exploration rights in this country, may also have explored this coast, as may have John Rut, who travelled the coast and who hoped to find a northwest passage.
And there were many others, such as Cabot, Champlain, and Cartier.
Any one of these explorers, as they drifted down the coast, must have seen the tall Agamenticus Mountain looming up in the background against the skyline, for this range of three distinct hills may be seen out to sea nearly forty miles.
There is an interesting item in the records of John Smith1 where where he mentioned the range of hills which he called 1 From a Record of New England, p. 108.
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Accominticus, and says in part, “ " .. . this coast is all MOUNTAINS and ISLES of huge ROCKS, but overgrown with all sorts of excellent good woodes for building houses, boats, barks, or shippes .... "
We are left to wonder just how many of these brave men set foot upon the rocky shores and we must bemoan the fact that there are so few actual records.
Alfred Loomis in his Ranging the Maine Coast says, ". . .. Cape Neddick was first sighted by Gosnold and called by him Savage Rock" (1602). As Cape Neddick was at one time a part of Ogunquit, this item may be of interest, and especially so, as he, Gosnold, landed at the Nubble (where the lighthouse is now located.)
Had not a few of the dusky redmen who roamed through the forest primeval been captured and taken back to England by Weymouth the history of this village might never have been written. These captive Indians described their homeland so vividly to Sir Ferdinando Gorges that he was greatly impressed. Their tales of rivers and lakes abundant with fish, of woods alive with game, of the many harbors and nearby islands, gave Gorges a keen desire to explore this new and seemingly rich land.
Captain Christopher Leavitt, under the orders issued by Gorges, explored a part of New Hampshire and the adjoining coast of Maine. This was in 1623 and included York and Ogunquit. Other men of England had been exploring and trying to colonize portions of the Maine coast in the upper part of the country.
The inland rivers were of great interest to all for it was thought one of them would surely lead to Cathay.
Sir Ferdinando Gorges, standing high in royal favor with Charles I of England, received from His Majesty a charter to the portion of land that lay between the Kennebec and Pisca- taqua Rivers -- said land to measure sixty miles wide, and to extend one hundred and twenty miles from the sea coast. The
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date of the charter was April 3, 1639.
Gorges at once drew up a series of ordinances, and by September of that same year had appointed his nephew1 Sir Thomas Gorges, as Deputy Governor, to be assisted by six Councillors.
The section of land mentioned in these ordinances that are connected with this village are Saco and Kittery, for the Great Courts were first held there, and at these Great Courts all the legal business of this vicinity was conducted.
Gorges, a man of ambitions, desired to create a place in this New World that would outrival all other established colonies. By doing so he would still retain the royal favor and gain much honor for himself. However, ill-health prevented him from coming to his cherished land, the Province of Mayne, as his newest charter read.
Sir Ferdinando appointed Thomas Gorges to be the acting Governor-General over the whole of the New England area, and to make his home at Agamenticus (York) and there to hold the seat of government. Sir Ferdinando, in order to emphasise his position as lord proprietor, gave the name of Gorgeana to the plantation of York (March 1, 1640) .
In the first established records-that is, the Old York County Deeds-there appears this item: "On March 4, 1641, Sir Ferdin- ando Gorges to Thomas Gorges this Grant-5,000 Acres to be taken at the election of Thomas Gorges, his heirs, etc., at any place upon the river Ogunquit (with authority to divide the same into manors or lordships; to hold courts baron or courts leet, and to appoint a recorder, a baliff, and such other officers as are usual and necessary). Located on the sea side of the Ogunquit River, between the sea and the western limit of the great marsh called the Ogunquit Marsh." (From the Old York County Deeds, Vol. 1, Part 2, folio 5) .
1 Historians differ. Some say he was a cousin.
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BEGINNING OF WELLS
T HE settlement at Boston was flourishing, and there many of the unfortunate ones from England were still experiencing the same religious difficulties they had encountered in their home- land. One Reverend John Wheelwright of Lincolnshire, Eng- land, had been forced to leave that place on account of his strong belief that "sanctification does not depend upon good works or a virtuous life." Wheelwright hoped that in the New World he might be permitted to preach his earnest beliefs, and to preach them without restrictions.
He found that the good people of Boston held other views pertaining to religion, and having angered the people with his frank and astounding preachings-and aided by Ann Hutchinson (his sister-in-law, or his own sister) 1 who preached more vio- lently than did the Reverend himself-that good man found himself and his followers banished from the jurisdiction of Massachusetts.
One stormy day in March, 1638, Wheelwright led his party over the rough land to make a new home in the Plantation of Exeter, New Hampshire. Here, Wheelwright could establish himself by taking advantage of his Indian deed which allowed him to possess a tract of land.
In Exeter the little band led a happy and peaceful life, for it was here that the Reverend Wheelwright could preach his gospel without causing undo alarm among his parishioners. They were joined from time to time by others whose different beliefs caused trouble and ended in their banishment from the
1 Historians differ on this.
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commonwealth of Massachusetts.
About the year 1641 word was brought to John Wheelwright that Massachusetts was planning to add the New Hampshire plantation to its own large and growing lands. This news meant but one thing to the Exeter band-they must all seek a new place, and one away from the commonwealth's pressing thumb. Where to? The answer was unanimous, the Province of Mayne where Gorges was Deputy-Governor.
Prior to Wheelwright's entrance into Exeter, several of his flock had journeyed into Mayne and were already settled in the area between the Ogunquit and Webhannet Rivers, and even as far toward the Kennebunk section as the Cape Porpoise River (now the Mousam) .
From the Old York County Deeds, Vol. I, folio 146, comes the following interesting record: "Date: July 14, 1643-John Wheel- wright by virtue of a deed from Thomas Gorges, Deputy- Governor (and nephew of Sir Ferdinando Gorges) was given possession of land at the rate of 5 shillings per hundred acres. The bounds of the plantation to begin from the north- east side of the Ogunquit River to the southwest side of the Kennebunk River, and to run eight miles into the country, for the purpose of setting out the plantation of Wells."
Thus the founding of the Town of Wells is established-the town of which Ogunquit Village is a part.
OLD YORK COUNTY DEEDS PART I, FOLIO 28
"Know all men by these present,that I THO:GORGES, Deputy Gov') of this prouince of Mayne,according unto the pouer unto me granted, from Sir ffardinad: Georges KtLd propriator of the sd prouince,being hereunto espetially moued for diuerse good reasons & Considerations, haue giuen,granted,barganed,sayld,& Confirmed,& by these presents,doe giue,grant,bargane,enfeoffe,& Confirme,unto mr Jon Wheelwright Pastor of the Church of Exeter,his heyres, and assignes,a Tract of Land lijkng at wells,in the County of Somersett,to be bounder as ffolloweth,vidzt: All that necke of Land next adjacent to the marsh,on North East of
9
Ogunquett River,with six scoore acres of the sd marsh,next adjacent to the sd necke of land,being bounded towards the sea,with a Cricke of Ogungigg River,alsoe two hundred & foure scoore acers of vpland being next adiacent on the North West of sd marsh,the sd Necke being in- cluded within the sd Number of 280 acers,the sd prmises to have & to hould,unto him,the sd Jon Wheelwright,his heyres,& assign forever, yejldind yrfore & paijng unto the sd Sir ffardinan : Georges his heyres & assigns on the 29th of Septembr: yearly & for ever hereafter,the some of ffive shillings for every hundred acers,yt shall hereafter be mayd vsse of, either by Inclosure,or otherwise,for medow or Tillage,by the sd Jon Wheelwright,his heyrs or assig,nes:In witnesse wrof I have hereunto sett my hand & seale at Armes this 17th Aprill:1643
SEAL
Aprill:1643 GORGEANA, Signed,sealed & delud in the prsens of us, Joseph Hull Will:Coole
Tho:Gorges Dep & Gov) vera Copia taken out of the originall Edw:Rishworth Record
1. THE DEED OF THOMAS CHABINOCKE,SAGAMORE,TO JOHN WADLEIGH
"Wras Thomas Chabinocke,Sagamore of Nimpsoscocke,by virtue of his last Will and Testament hath given and bequeathed & for Certen good causes & Considerations him yrvn to moveing, hath & by vertue hereof doth freelie & for ever bequeath,give & grant vnto JOHN WADLEIGH of Wells, to him his heyres & Successors,& that for ever,of his own Accord,& with the Consent of his mother,ROMANASCHO,to whom the sd Wadleigh have given a Consideration,the prmises Con- sidered after the manner of a purchase,bargajne & Sale,the sd Sagamore & his Adhearents,& survivors,have for themselves,& successors,Con -- firmed & mayd sure Vnto the sd Wadleigh,his suckessors to bee Inherited,presently after the death of the sd Sagamore,all that the sd Sagamores Lands,with his whoole right Titla & Interest,Called by the name of Nampscoscoke,bonding betweene Cape Porpus falls,and the same with all the Atfetts & Comoditys,& appvtendances against all men, to recover & Defend /Witnesse his hand & seale? Dated this 18th:of Octobr:1649.
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The Sagamores marke with his own hand
Sealed signed and delivered in presence Philemon Portmorte Ramanascho her mark Will Wardell his mark Sasagahaway his mark
Stephen Batson his mark
Robert Wadleigh
Nell wife to Sasagohaway mark
And they all affirm Ceasar consents to this, William's Wardell's testimony, that this is the act and deed of Tho- mas Chabinocke,the Sagamore of Wells. Taken before me 25th of March. '57 Joseph Bowles, Commissioner.
VOL. I FOLIO 12
Date: October 15,1650
Province of Mayne to John Wheelwright by Grant- Liberty to erect a sawmill at the falls of the Ogunquit River,or elsewhere,and right to cut timber therefor."
"Whereas at a General Court-on October 15,1650,John Wheel- wright-minister of the Gospel-was given permission to errect a saw mill at the Fales of the Agunquat River
VOL. I FOLIO 15
Date: October 20,1651
Edward Rishworth1 was given marshland in Ogunquit,between the Ogunquit and Cape Neddick Rivers,as follows:
'As also we do grant unto said Rishworth or his Assignes, the Quantity of Twenty Acres of Marsh in that Great Meadow lying between the River Ogunquit & Cape Nettack River wch is not already granted.' "
VOL. I FOLIO 62
Date: July 2,1657
John Barrett,Sr.from the Town of Wells,was given Three acres of Marshland in Ogunquit."
VOL. I FOLIO 28
Land in Wells between the Ogunquit River and the Wheelwright farm,2except what is allotted to John Crosse3."
1 Son-in-law of Wheelwright.
2 Farm lay between Ogunquit and Cape Neddick Rivers.
3 Crosse was "bound out," but no record to whom.
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GRANTS FOR SAW MILLS
I N 1650, the Reverend John Wheelwright petitioned for the privilege of building a saw mill on the "Falles of the Agunquat River." Following his example, there were many petitioners over a period of thirty years requesting the same privilege. Each had to further petition for the "right to cut down the trees."
John Littlefield was given a grant for the purpose of building a saw mill on the Ogunquit River, and for this grant he was taxed the sum of four pounds. Date: 1681.
Later, John Marsters and Abraham Marsters received a special grant to do likewise, and they promptly built a saw mill at the upper part of the Ogunquit River. Two years later, records show that the son of John Littlefield, John, junior, was issued a grant giving possession of one hundred acres located at the head of his father's land on the same river.
One Daniel Littlefield laid out grants giving the right to cut logs for the use of these men. These grants were located on a branch of the Ogunquit River known as the Tatnick marshes.
There is something fine and venerable about these ancestors who tried so hard to establish a business. One can almost picture them at their work; one can hear the roar of the falls and the rush of the logs making their way down the little stream. One, too, can imagine the war cries of the savages as they swept down upon some unsuspecting little band of settlers at their work by the saw mills. The untiring efforts of these courageous men succeeded in placing the stepping stones of our present community.
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INDIAN TRIBES: MAINE and OGUNQUIT
T HE following is an excerpt from the Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin, No. 30, Part I and II, "The Handbook of American Indians" edited by Frederick Webb Hodge, Washing- ton, D. C .: "During the early explorations and settlement of North America, a multitude of Indian tribes were encountered having diverse customs and languages. Lack of knowledge of the aborigines and of their languages led to many curious errors on the part of the early explorers; names were applied to the Indians that had no relation whatever to their aboriginal names; sometimes nicknames were bestowed, sometimes tribes came to be known by names given by other tribes, which were often approbrious; frequently the designation by which a tribal group was known to study was employed, and as such names are often times unpronounceable by alien tongues and unrepresentable by civilized alphabets, the result was a sorry corruption."
The following Indian names have been arranged to acquaint the reader with those that apply particularly to this area of the State of Maine:
Aberginian-a term used by the very early settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and applied to the Indian Tribes living to the Northeast (Johnson in the Massachusetts Historical Society college, 2d s 11, 66, 1814, says this: " --- they consisted of the 'Massachuset', 'the Wippanap', and 'the Tarratines' -- " ) . (The term could be a corruption of Abnaki, or it could be a misspelling of the word aborigines. The Wippanap are evi- dently the Abnaki, while the Tarratines are the same, or a part
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of them) .
Abenaki-a name used by the English and French of the Colonial Period to designate an Algonquian confederacy center- ing in the State of Maine. The name was appropriated by the Algonquian tribes to include all those of their own stock who were residing on the Atlantic seacoast. Sometimes the word is spelled as Abenaqui. The name comes from the word Wabenaki, which is interpreted to mean "land or country of the east," or "morning sun".
The following table has been worked out from information gleaned from reading Anthropology in North America by G. E. Stechert Co., N. Y. (1916) :
ALGONQUIN (tribes that were associated in this area.)1
CHIPPEWA
MASACHUSETS
ABENAKI
EASTERN MASS.
RHODE ISLAND
SOSOKIS (SACO)
AGWAMS (Ipswich)
PAWTUCKETS (Lowell)
PEQUAKETS2
(N. H.)
PENTUCKETS (Haverhill)
NIPMUNK3 (Southern N. H.)
1 In 1619, the Massachusetts tribes were scattered.
2 Became the Pequakets of Saco.
3 The Nipmunks, Narragansets, etc., became those of Saugus, Lynn, and Salem, Massachusetts.
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It has been said that Ogunquit means in the Natick tongue a beautiful place by the sea, but this has been questioned, for the Naticks were a sect of Indians converted by John Eliot. These Indians were from the Massachusetts tribes, and they, with other Indians, became Christians in 1646. The name of Natick was chosen because they lived in that section of the country. In reality, there was no actual tribe of Natick Indians. Dr. Douglas says in his Summary (Vol. I, p. 172): “ - Mr. Eliot, with immense labor, translated and printed our Bible into Indian. It was done with a good pious design, but it must be reckoned among otiosorum nominum negotia (the achieve- ments of leisurely men) : it was done in the Natick (Mass.) language. Of the Naticks at present (1745) there are not 20 families subsisting and scarce any can read. Cui boni?"
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