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THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN
Gc 974.102 N42 1182955
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01092 9849
SENEALOGY COLLECTION
with Regards of
05 L
-
HON. WILLIAM WIDGERY THOMAS, JR. THE FOUNDER OF NEW SWEDEN.
THE STORY
OF
NEW SWEDEN
AS TOLD AT
THE QUARTER CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
OF THE
FOUNDING OF THE SWEDISH COLONY
IN THE WOODS OF
MAINE
JUNE 25, 1895
PORTLAND, MAINE LORING, SHORT & HARMON 1896
This volume is published under the direction of MICHEAL U. NORBERG, JOHAN A. WESTIN, and OLOF P. FOGELIN, Committee on Publication.
The extemporaneous speeches at the Celebration were stenographed, and the volume edited, by STANLEY J. ESTES.
THE THURSTON PRINT PORTLAND, ME.
CONTENTS. 1182955
PAGE
THE CELEBRATION,
9
OPENING ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT, F. O. LANDGRANE, 13 PRAYER BY REV. D. S. JENKS, . 15
ADDRESS OF WELCOME, BY REV. MICHAEL U. NORBERG,
17
ORATION BY HON. WILLIAM W. THOMAS, JR., .
25
ADDRESS OF HON. WILLIAM W. THOMAS, SR.,
. 103
ADDRESS OF HON. CHARLES F. DAGGETT,
.
105
ADDRESS OF HON. HERBERT L. SHEPHERD, .
. 106
ADDRESS OF HON. CHARLES A. BOUTELLE, M. C.,
107
ADDRESS OF COL. FRED N. Dow,
. 115
ADDRESS OF HON. ALBION LITTLE,
118
ADDRESS OF HON. SETH L. LARRABEE,
. 121
ADDRESS OF HON. EDWARD WIGGIN,
122
LETTERS FROM
HION. HENRY B. CLEAVES, Governor of Maine, 125
HON. THOMAS B. REED, Speaker U. S. House of Representatives, . 125
HON. EUGENE HALE, United States Senator,
126
HON. WILLIAM P. FRYE, United States Senator, .
. 126
HON. NELSON DINGLEY, JR., Representative to Congress,
127
HON. SETH L. MILLIKEN, Representative to Congress,
. 127
GEN. JOSHUA L. CHAMBERLAIN, ex-Governor of Maine,
128
HON. SIDNEY PERHAM, ex-Governor of Maine, . 129
GEORGE W. NORTON, ESQ., Editor Portland Express, 129
PAYSON TUCKER, ESQ., Gen'l Manager Maine Central R. R.,
. 130
FRANK W. CRAM, EsQ., Gen'l Manager Bangor & Aroostook R. R.,. 130
CLOSING EXERCISES, .
130
APPENDIX, . 132
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NEW SWEDEN
QUARTER-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
1870. JUNE 25. 1895.
TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1895, was a day of jubilee in New Sweden. On that day, Maine's Swedish settle- ment celebrated the twenty-fifth year of its existence - the quarter-centennial anniversary of the day when the first little Swedish colony of Maine sailed from old Sweden, to make a new home in the primeval forests of the Pine Tree state.
The day dawned gloomily. A dull rain fell from a leaden sky and the cold north wind blew. But the rain soon ceased, though threatening clouds still obscured the heavens, and the wind dropped to a refreshing summer breeze.
At an early hour all roads leading to New Sweden were crowded with carriages and pedestrians. Along the smooth, level turnpike from Caribou rolled a con- tinuous procession of hundreds of vehicles. Among
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THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
those driving toward the Swedish settlement were American and Swedish farmers, with their wives and children, from all the country round about; Swedes from every section of Maine and from several of the other New England states, and distinguished visitors and honored guests from many of the cities and towns throughout our commonwealth.
Most of the latter had arrived at Caribou the pre- vious evening. They had come over the Maine Cen- tral, and the new Bangor and Aroostook railroads, on the first through express train from Portland to Caribou, and had accomplished the entire journey in ten hours. Attached to this train was a special Pull- man car, kindly placed at the disposition of the guests of New Sweden by the courtesy of Payson Tucker, Esq., the genial vice-president and general manager of the Maine Central road. This car was under the charge of Col. Henry S. Osgood, who left nothing undone for the comfort of the guests.
After driving five miles from Caribou, the long line of carriages reached the border of our Swedish colony ; but it was difficult to discern where the American settlements ceased and the Swedish began. The belt of forest dividing them had been cut through, and the little clearings of the earlier Swedish settlers, which, a few years ago, only notched the forest here and there along the wood roads, had been enlarged till one clearing met the other, and the visitors now drove through continuous fields, dotted with Swedish cot- tages, and green with the growing crops. Most
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THE CELEBRATION.
noticeable were the great potato fields, for which Aroos- took County has become famous, where the straight rows of potato vines stretch far away over the rolling country until green rows and the mellow, brown earth between are blended together by distance.
After driving three miles through Swedish farms " Capitol hill " was reached. Here the stars and stripes floated from a tall flag-staff in front of the "Capitol," and here a magnificent view lay spread out before the eye. To the west, the fertile fields of the colonists, with their farmhouses, churches and schools, extended for miles, like a broad unbroken swath cut through the woods ; beyond, towards the south and west, the for- est was indented with the ample "fellings" of the Swed- ish settlers in Woodland, Perham, and the new Swedish plantation of Westmanland; to the north, four miles away, the broad green acres of Jemtland, cut out of a great forest hillside, sloped toward us; northwest, mile on mile, could be seen the clearings of Lebanon and Stockholm, and those along the Fort Kent road - bright green patches nestling in the dark green woods - while all around, beyond, undulating away to the dim blue hills on the horizon, lay somber and silent the unbroken forest.
At the Capitol, a large wagon decorated with flags and the bright green boughs of the birch, and drawn by four powerful horses, wheeled into the road in front of the carriage of the founder of New Sweden, and took its place at the head of the procession. The wagon contained the Swedish military band, which
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THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
at once began playing " Hail to the Chief." Enliv- ened by the strains of martial music, and escorted by the Swedish band-wagon, the visitors drove on for a mile over the west road, then turning north, soon passed into a woodland avenue and ascending a forest ridge, entered a grove of gigantic rock maple trees.
Here, in one of " God's first temples"- and a grander one could scarce be found - the Swedes had prepared a vast open-air auditorium. Upon a cleared area in the center had been placed long rows of benches suffi- cient for two thousand people, and fronting these was erected a large tribune with seats for two hundred. Over the tribune hung the flags of America and Sweden, and over all spread the leafy canopy of the forest. Here too were gathered together a great multitude - Swedes and Americans, men, women and child- ren - they not only crowded the open area, but they filled the grove on every hand as far as the eye could penetrate. Literally " the woods were full of them."
The invited guests were at once escorted to seats on the tribune, and the great audience immediately filled the benches, and crowded around outside in a semi- circle, standing in throngs between the trunks of the trees - the pillars of the temple. Farther away the teams were drawn up and horses picketed throughout the grove, while beyond were picnic parties, seated in groups or strolling through the woods. The rays of the summer sun, breaking ever and anon through the clouds of morning, lighted up the green forest, the bright flags, and the earnest faces of the audience, and
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OPENING ADDRESS.
falling at intervals upon the many-colored dresses of the Swedish maidens as they flitted from light to shade in the sylvan depths, gave a brilliant, kaleidoscopic effect to the surrounding forest.
EXERCISES IN TIIE GROVE.
Four thousand people were present in the grove when Mr. Landgrane, one of our Swedish farmers, called the assemblage to order.
The exercises were opened by music from the Swedish band. Then the president said :
OPENING ADDRESS BY MR. FRANK OSCAR LANDGRANE, PRESIDENT OF THE DAY.
We meet to-day in commemoration of an event which wrought a complete change in the social and economical condition of this place. We meet firstly, to thank God for all good things he has given us and for the care he has taken of us, both before and after our arrival in New Sweden. Secondly, to honor those who conceived and executed the first act in this drama. Thirdly, to show what an industrious people can accomplish in a generation, and last but not least for the purpose of meeting our outside friends, among whom we have so many who have assisted us whenever opportunity offered. To all of you, my friends, we have extended an invitation to be present with us on this day, that we may through friend-
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THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
ship and brotherly love be cemented together as one people, and as fellow-citizens of one nation.
We hope and trust that any shortcomings on our part in this effort will be met by you with indulgence. We have been hampered very much in this our un- dertaking by those terrible forest fires which have
F. O. LANDGRANE,
PRESIDENT OF THE DAY.
raged in this and adjoining towns, and which for two weeks have kept us busy fighting that great and awful master of the elements. However, to-day we are thankful to the great God above, that we are permitted to meet you, our friends, on this occasion, and endeavor to make you happy by being happy
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PRAYER BY REV. D. S. JENKS.
ourselves. Knowing that all good things are done by the grace of God, and that therefore we owe Him our gratitude, I shall call upon Rev. D. S. Jenks of Caribou, to open the exercises upon this the twenty- fifth anniversary of the settlement of New Sweden by offering thanks to God for the blessings He has be- stowed upon us in the past, and to pray for our wel- fare in the future.
PRAYER BY REV. D. S. JENKS, OF CARIBOU.
Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for this hour. We praise Thee that in con- nection with all the experiences and circumstances that come to us while we are here in this world, we can associate Thy name, Thy wisdom and Thy good- ness.
We bless Thee for the occasion that calls us together at this time, for the privilege that comes to many hearts and homes on this day as the people recount the goodness of God to them, individually, and to this community at large. We thank Thee for the pros- perity of this community in which we are met at this time.
We pray that it may always be with thankful hearts that we shall consider our national prosperity and remember that it is Thou who hath planted our nation, and the communities that make up our nation.
We praise Thy name for the band of men and women who years ago settled this colony, and that its
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THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
settlement is connected closely with thoughts of Thee.
We believe that Thou art the leader of men in all good and great enterprises, and as we see what has been accomplished here, we can trace it to the guid- ance and goodness of our God and our Father in heaven.
We thank Thee that interwoven with all the na- tional prosperity of this community there is also the religious life that has played so large a part in mold- ing the minds, the thoughts and motives of this people. We thank Thee for the churches that have been organized here, and we believe Thou hast or- dained that material prosperity and religious activity go hand in hand.
We are glad, not only that the gospel has taken root here, but that in sweet union with the gospel of Christ, has been raised the flag of our country.
We thank Thee for the loyalty of these citizens, who have come from afar to our common country ; and we pray that the blessings that have rested upon them in the past, may be the promise of what Thou shalt bestow in the future. We praise Thee that when the gospel and the thoughts of our own Union take their place in men's minds, there comes the breaking down of all barriers which exist between races, and all differences that exist between men. We thank Thee for that bond of union which unites us to-day in our thoughts, in our hopes, in our national and religious life.
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ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
Hear this our prayer, as we pray that this day may indeed be a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing in the hearts of all who have a part and an interest in these exercises. To Thee we look continually for Thy blessing and guidance, that prosperity may be ever ours. In the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Swedish choir of four male and four female voices beautifully sang :
I love my home among the hills.
Then followed the
ADDRESS OF WELCOME,
BY REV. MICHAEL ULLRICH NORBERG.
PASTOR OF THE FIRST SWEDISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF MAINE.
At the request of the people of the town of New Sweden I bid you, Hon. W. W. Thomas, Jr., the founder of this colony, and all the ladies and gentle- men in your company, a most cordial welcome to New Sweden, upon this twenty-fifth anniversary of the day when the people of this town were led into the woods of Maine. We feel, of course, most grateful, and not a lit- tle surprised that we are deemed worthy of a visit from so many of the most honorable citizens of our State, and I assure you it gives me great pleasure upon this occasion, and upon this day, in the name of the settlers of this town, to welcome so many of the most dis- tinguished citizens of Maine to see and bear witness to the great results of our labors.
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THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
It was a little band of men and women that entered these woods twenty-five years ago. They had left their native land, and many of them fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, for an unknown shore to make themselves a better home, perhaps, than they
PHOTO ENG Co
M. U. NORBERG, PASTOR OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCHI.
had left. Who were these people and where did they come from ?
There is a beautiful country far away toward the icy north. It is a glorious land, with snowy, bold and magnificent mountains, numberless rivulets, where crystal waters vary in shade and color as the rays of the sun strike upon them on their journey towards
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ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
` the ocean, tumbling in countless cascades and rapids, filling the air with the music of their fall. It has also many exquisite sylvan landscapes, so beautiful by the sea and lakes, by the hill and fountain sides, by the river and in the glades, that one delights to linger by them. From the last days of May to the end of July, in the northern part of this country, the sun shines day and night upon its mountains, rivers, lakes, fields and farms, and so it is that Sweden and Norway may be called the " Land of the Midnight Sun."
You may have been in different countries where there is no winter and where flowers grow all the year round, but you have never seen such nights as these.
This country is inhabited chiefly by a flaxen-haired and blue-eyed race of men, brave, simple, honest and good. They are the descendants of the Northinen and Vikings, who in the days of old, when Europe was degraded by the chains of slavery, were the only people that were free and governed by laws made by themselves, and when emerging from the rock-bound and stormy coast for distant lands, for war or conquest, were the embodiment of courage by land and sea. They have left to this day an undying impression of their characters on the countries they overran and in which they settled. England is chiefly indebted for the freedom she possesses and the manly qualities of her people to this admixture of the Scandinavian blood, which through hereditary transmission makes her prominent as descended from the Scandinavian rather than the Anglo-Saxon.
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THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
In that beautiful country and among that people, Mr. Thomas gathered together a little band of men and women that left their country and their homes without any written obligation, but with simple faith in the honor of their leader, to make a new home in the wilderness, in a strange land and among strangers. You who are born in America and know the language from your cradle-days and the customs of the country, do not understand the hardships and toil of the peop e who came here as strangers, although they may come from an intelligent and educated people.
Of the twenty-two men who came over with Mr. Thomas, there are but five living here to-day, who now sit on this platform, and it gives me great pleasure to show you those who have borne the heat and bur- den of the day. A few have left the town, and the rest of that little band of pioneers have left for their eternal home beyond the river.
New Sweden is known not only to the citizens of Maine but to the whole Union. For that we are indebted to Mr. Thomas who has always spoken well of his "children in the woods," and a good reason he has had, not only because of their good behavior but especially for the great results of their labor.
Gentlemen and fellow citizens of Maine, I do not need to boast of the citizens of this town. Take a careful view of the colony and you will find beautiful farms, well cultivated; big barns and storehouses for the produce of the farms; nice residences; good busi- ness structures ; large and commodious schoolhouses
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ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
for the education of our children ; beautiful churches, and a law-abiding people who fear God and do what is right to everybody. [Applause.] When we then consider that we have had only twenty-five years to accomplish this, we can with safety say to the brethren, " Well done, good and faithful servants."
You, Mr. Thomas, in founding New Sweden, have erected a living monument and in your obituary will be written, " unselfishness, great foresight and the wish to do good to your fellow men." [Applause.] You were the author and the executor. You not only con- ceived the idea but stood at the helm and carried it out, and it has proved a success if we may judge by looking at the results. Twenty-five years ago these early pioneers followed you over the ocean. They followed you because they had faith in you, and with- out that faith in you none of these people would have made what is now New Sweden. You are not only the founder of the colony, but you have always cared for it as a father, and your children in the woods have always looked up to you as such, and they will remem- ber you as Father Thomas as long as tradition lasts and history lives. [Applause.] For this and many other things which you have accomplished you are and will be honored. May your life be long and happy and may you see, before you leave this earth, New Sweden pass the point of your highest anticipations. [Applause.] And when your work is finished here below, if it were possible, we would put on your head a crown of everlasting stars. [Great Applause.]
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THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
My friends, let this be a lesson to us all. Let us remember that he who makes two blades of grass grow where only one grew before is greater than the gen- eral of a victorious and conquering army, whose for- ward march means more or less destruction to life and property. Let us strive to be wise and so act that when we lay down our implements on earth our record of good deeds to humanity will be evidence that we have existed for a good purpose. Let us remember, if we are law-makers or farmers, if we are on the pin- nacle of national fame or the modest occupants of a pioneer cabin, that history will inevitably dig to the bottom of facts and find the motives of our acts, be they greedy or unselfish, be they founded upon phi- lanthropy or cold cruelty to our fellow beings.
When looking around us we see the wild land in all directions and when we compare it with the few towns which exist throughout this vast wilderness, it seems as if all laws of economy and progress are directly violated.
There are to-day thousands upon thousands of strong arms and willing minds ready to take a life-long part in bringing this land from its wild state, into a productive and civilized community, and make it profitable to themselves, the State and the Nation - only give them permission to do so. But selfishness and greed on one side, assisted by laws made to order in the past, leave it a rendezvous for wolves and bears.
History will in course of time dig at the bones of those who have been so short-sighted or careless in
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ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
offices of trust as to permit the public lands of Maine to fall into the hands of those, who do not use them for the purpose of advancing civilization, enlighten- ment and progress. [Applause.]
For the assistance of the State of Maine, rendered this colony in its infancy, we are all very thankful, and will leave it to you, gentlemen, to decide if it was a profitable investment. If you think it has so been, select another spot and nurse it with the milk of paternity and patriotism. [Applause.]
To the representatives of the press I will say this. Perhaps you expected more. Well, twenty-five years is a very short time looking backward. Twenty-five years ago this town was all covered with virgin for- est. This had to be cut down, burned, cleared, the stumps broken up, the land leveled, and during that time bread and butter had to be earned at something else, such as making shingles, cutting lumber, etc. So, my friends I am proud of what we have done and for what we have left undone I beg your indulgence. [Applause.]
At least, I wish to say that it fills my heart with joy and gladness when I think that I am speaking not to Scandinavians, or any other kin of people, but to citizens of the United States who are gathered to- gether as a big family below the stars and stripes in " the land of the free and the home of the brave." [Applause.]
Music by the band followed.
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THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
The President then said : "I have now the very great pleasure to introduce to you the father of this colony, Hon. W. W. Thomas, jr., the orator of the day."
Mr. Thomas was greeted with loud and long-contin- ued applause as he stepped to the front of the platform. It was several minutes before he was permitted to commence his address.
ORATION
BY
HON. WILLIAM WIDGERY THOMAS, JR.
THE FOUNDER OF NEW SWEDEN.
SWEDISH COLONISTS, "MY CHILDREN IN THE WOODS " OF MAINE, AND YOU, MY AMERICAN FRIENDS, WHO HONOR US WITH YOUR PRES- ENCE HERE TO-DAY - MY COUNTRYMEN ONE AND ALL: -
TWENTY-FIVE years ago this very day there sailed away from the shores of Sweden a little colony of fifty-one Swedes.
This adventurous band then left home and country, and faced the perils of a voyage of four thousand miles, and the hardships and toils of making a new home in the wilderness of a strange land without so much as the scratch of a pen by way of contract or obligation, but with simple faith in the honor and hospitality of Maine.
The colony was composed of twenty-two men, eleven women, and eighteen children. All the men were farmers; in addition, some were skilled in trades and professions ; there being among them a lay pas- tor, a, civil engineer, a blacksmith, two carpenters, a basket-maker, a wheelwright, a baker, a tailor, and a
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THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
wooden-shoemaker. The women were neat and indus- trious, tidy housewives, and diligent workers at the spinning-wheel and loom. All were tall and stalwart, with blue eyes, blonde hair and cheerful, honest faces ; there was not a physical defect or blemish among them, and it was not without strong feelings of state pride that I looked upon them as they were mustered on the deck of the steamship Orlando, and antici- pated what great results might flow from this little beginning for the good of our beloved commonwealth.
Seven years prior to this time, early in 1868, I had first set foot in Sweden, sent there by President Lin- coln as one of the thirty "war consuls" of the United States. During a three years' residence in Sweden I had acquired the Swedish language; had become familiar with the history, manners and cus- toms of the people, and had learned to know, respect and admire the manner of men and women they were. I had beheld also the thousands of sturdy Swedish emigrants that every year sailed away from Swedish ports for America, to help subdue the forests and open up the prairies of our own broad land. I had done whatever lay in my power to augment this emigration, and had seen with gratification the number of Swedish emigrants increase by thousands during my sojourn in the Northland.
But there was one fact connected with this emigra- tion that to me - a son of the Pine Tree state - was anything but satisfactory. None of all these emigrants settled in Maine ; all passed by our state and went to build up and make strong and great the
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ORATION BY IION. W. W. THOMAS, JR.
states of the West and Northwest. Yet no state or territory in the Union is better adapted by nature to become the home of Swedes than the northern, wooded state of Maine. Here and in the Northland the same mountains rear their altars to heaven ; the same woodland lakes reflect the twinkling stars ; the same forests clothe the hillsides ; the same swift, clear rivers rush leaping to the sea; the same deep harbors notch the coast, and the same islands by the thousand guard the shores.
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