USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Portland > The history of Portland, from 1632 to 1864: with a notice of previous settlements, colonial grants, and changes of government in Maine > Part 1
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M.L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
CEI
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01187 6254
4
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014
https://archive.org/details/historyofportlan1632will
Bailey & Noyes, Portland, Me.
PORTLAND,M: 1365.
THE
HISTORY OF PORTLAND Maine
FROM 1632 TO 1864:
P
With a Notice of Previous Settlements, Colonial Grants, AND
CHANGES OF GOVERNMENT IN MAINE.
BY WILLIAM WILLIS.
SECOND EDITION-REVISED AND ENLARGED.
PORTLAND: BAILEY & NOYES. 1865.
ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS IN THE YEAR 1865, BY BAILEY & NOYES,
IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MAINE.
PRESS OF BROWN THURSTON, 82 Exchange Street.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
1235125
I. PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF PORTLAND IN 1864, FROM CAPE ELIZABETHI.
II. A. PLAN OF ANCIENT FALMOUTH, EMBRACING THE TRACT FROM SPURWINK RIVER TO NORTH YARMOUTH, WITH THE LOCATION OF THE ORIGINAL SETTLERS. 94
III. PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR. .
. 308
IV. FALMOUTH NECK AT THE TIME OF ITS DESTRUCTION BY MOWATT IN 1775. 520
V. A VIEW OF MIDDLE STREET AS IT WAS IN 1844, LOOKING EAST FROM TEMPLE STREET, SHOWING THE FRONT OF THE OLD EXCHANGE, THE SECOND PARISH MEETING- HOUSE, AND OTHER BUILDINGS. 768
VI. A VIEW OF THE SAME PART OF MIDDLE STREET IN 1863. .
770
VII. A VIEW OF MIDDLE STREET IN 1863, LOOKING WEST FROM TEMPLE STREET. 772
FAC-SIMILES OF AUTOGRAPH SIGNATURES.
THOMAS ELBRIDGE AND ABRAHAM SHURT. 21
WALTER NEALE.
.
37
JOHN WINTER.
41
GEORGE CLEEVES, GEORGE MUNJOY, RICHARD MARTIN, RALPH TURNER, AND GEORGE LEWIS. 109,110
RICHARD TUCKER, EDWARD RISHWORTH, AND ROBERT HOWARD. 111
REV. ROBERT JORDAN. 126, 217
HENRY JOCELYN.
183
SIR EDMUND ANDROS AND JOHN WEST.
259
ANTHONY BRACKETT AND SILVANUS DAVIS. .
268
PETER BOWDOIN, JOHN HOLMAN, AND GEORGE BRAMHALL. 291
THOMAS WESTBROOK AND SAMUEL WALDO. .
355
THOMAS GORGES. 880
SIR FERDINANDO GORGES.
880
RICHARD VINES. 880
REV. THOMAS JENNER.
880
EDMUND GODFREY.
880 GEORGE CLEEVE.
880
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 9
A BRIEF account of the settlements on the coast of Maine, previous to 1632.
CHAPTER I. 35
RICHMOND'S island-Spurwink-dispute between Cleeves and Tucker, and John Winter, about the title-trade at Richmond's island-the Neck, now Portland, first occupied-grants in other parts of Falmouth-Mitton, Macworth-first Judicial Court for the Province- settlers in Falmouth in 1640.
CHAPTER II. 62
THE political affairs of the Province from the great patent in 1620, to the submission to the jurisdiction of Massachusetts in 1658-Sir Ferdinando Gorges.
CHAPTER III. 95
BOUNDARIES and name of the town-inhabitants in 1658, and places of residence-early con- veyances-first mills-settlers at Back cove-Jordan's claim and quarrel with Cleeves- fac-simile autograph signatures of early settlers.
CHAPTER IV. 126
INHABITANTS petition the General Court against the claims of Cleeves and Jordan-petition of the freemen to the General Court-islands belonging to Falmouth-new settlers, Munjoy, Wakely, Coe, Brackett, Clarke, Felt, Cloice, and others-Mitton's death.
CHAPTER V. 142
FIRST Court under Massachusetts-state of religion in the town-deputies-courts-pay of jurymen-highways-prison-Abraham Preble-opposition to Massachusetts-King's commissioners suspend the authority of that colony-memorial from Casco-return of the commissioners.
CHAPTER VI. 168
PROCEEDINGS of the new government-courts in Casco, persons presented, state of morals- Cleeve, death and character-Thomas Skilling's death and family-government of Mas- sachusetts restored-Jordan, Jocelyn, Neale-freemen petition General Court-Munjoy licensed to retail-eastern line run-selectmen-Falmouth presented-settlements at Capisic, Stroudwater, and Purpooduck-death of Martin, Wharff, Bartlett, and Mills.
VI
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VII. 194
THE first Indian war-inhabitants of Falmouth 1675-destruction of the town in 1676- further attacks of the Indians-militia in 1675-peace-prisoners restored-Walter Gendall-Robert Jordan's death-Brackett-names of inhabitants in Casco bay.
CHAPTER VIII. 222
PURCHASE of Maine by Massachusetts-government-re-settlement of Falmouth-Danfortli's grants, and other titles on the Neck-grants by the town-Silvanus Davis-Munjoy's death and family-first tavern, Seacomb, Jones, Cloice-death of Mrs. Harvey and George Lewis-George Burroughs.
CHAPTER IX. 249
FORT Loyal-saw-mills taxed for its support-deed of Falmouth to trustees-government of Andros, new patents for land required-Frenchi emigrants-roads and ferries-business of the town and its internal condition-quarrel between Lawrence and Davis.
CHAPTER X. 269
POPULATION in 1689-commencement of the second Indian war-Andros visits Maine- lis authority subverted-renewal of hostilities-attack on Falmouth resisted-second attack and destruction of the town.
CHAPTER XI. 289
A BRIEF notice of some of the inhabitants of Falmouth during the second settlement- names of the settlers.
CHAPTER XII. 309
REVIVAL of the town at Purpooduck and New Casco-Indian treaty of 1703 violated-com- mencement of third Indian war-settlements at Purpooduck and New Casco destroyed- New Casco fort abandoned-peace-the Neck settled-re-settlement of the town-Fal- mouth incorporated-Irish emigrants-municipal government-old and new proprietors -distribution of land on the Neck-accession to the population-controversy between old and new proprietors.
CHAPTER XIII. 338
CHARACTER of the first settlers-Samuel Moody-Benjamin Larrabee-Samuel Cobb-Samuel Proctor-ferry and traveling-Indian war of 1722-Father Ralle-peace-accessions to the population, Riggs, Sawyer, Westbrook, and others-ecclesiastical affairs-meeting- liouse built-Mr. Smith settled.
CHAPTER XIV. 365
EDUCATION-schools and school-masters-educated men-public library.
CHAPTER XV. 382
ECCLESIASTICAL affairs-Purpooduck parish set off-Presbyterians-Purpooduck parish-First parish, new niceting-house-revival-George Whitefield-New Casco parish-Episcopal society-settlement of Mr. Deane-Quakers,
VII
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVI. 411
WAR of 1744-causes of war-preparations for defense-commencement of hostilities- alarms from Indians and French-volunteers-capture of Louisburg-treaty of Falmouth -unsettled state of the country-war of 1754-capture of Quebec-peace.
CHAPTER XVII. 438
POPULATION at different periods before the revolution-taxes-currency-lumber and saw- mills- grist-mills-trade and commerce-customs and collection-wharves- general description of the Neck prior to the revolution-streets.
CHAPTER XVIII. 479
REVOLUTION-causes of excitement-stamp act, its repeal-sugar act-new duties laid- military force employed-collision with the troops-repeal of duties-non-importation agreements-duties on molasses and tea-tea duty enforced and tea destroyed-pro- ceedings in Falmouth -Boston port-bill-convention in Falmouth-preparations for war.
CHAPTER XIX. 506
REVOLUTIONARY WAR-proceedings in Falmouth-Mowatt taken prisoner-proceedings against tories-troops raised-denunciation of Gov. Hutchinson-arrival of Mowatt and destruc- tion of the town-applications for relief-measures of defense-privateering-sacrifices of the people-capture of Bagaduce-expedition to the Penobscot-capture of General Wadsworth-surrender of Cornwallis-civil affairs of the revolution-constitution pre- pared and adopted for the State-acts against monopolies-close of the war, the fisheries, peace.
CHAPTER XX. 549
REVIVAL of the town-buildings erected-number of dwelling-houses and population-com- merce-stores and trade-wharves- light-house-harbor-banks-commercial embar- rassments.
CHAPTER XXI. 579
DIVISION of the town-its size and population-post-office and mails-stages and traveling- railroads-Commercial street-newspapers-adoption of the constitution-representa- tives to Congress-French mania-politics of the town in 1793-republican society- harbor defenses.
CHAPTER XXII. 608
COURTS-court-houses and jails-inferior courts-superior courts-law and lawyers-capital trials-decrease of crime.
CHAPTER XXIII. 639
ECCLESIASTICAL affairs after the revolution-Episcopal society-First Parish-Second Parish in Portland-death of Mr. Smith, Mr. Nichols ordained, death of Dr. Deane-Second Parish, Mr. Payson ordained, his death and successors-Third Congregational society- Chapel society-Third Parish-High street church - Methodist society- Baptists- Christians-Universalists-Swedenborgians-Roman catholics-Mariners' church.
CHAPTER XXIV.
SEPARATION of Maine from Massachusetts.
702
VIII
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXV. 724
MISCELLANIES-Cumberland and Oxford canal-bridges-promenades-sugar-house-steam- ships-Board of trade- manufactures-academy and schools- library-Atheneum- authors-charitable societies-cemeteries-epidemics-change of government to a city- 4 taxes-deaths and marriages-immigrants-population and character of the inhabitants -customs of the people at different periods-amusements-theatre-conclusion.
CHAPTER XXVI. 787
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.
APPENDIX.
No. I. 865
RECORD of an action in 1640, Cleeves v. Winter, for disturbing his possession at Spurwink, with the pleadings and verdict.
No. II. 867
PETITION of Robert Jordan in 1648 to the court of Ligonia, for leave to appropriate Tre- lawny's property in his hands to the payment of Winter's claim against Trelawny's estate; proceedings of the court thereon, and an inventory of the property. Also a statement of the account.
No. III. 873
ACTION in 1640, Cleeves v. Winter, for disturbing his possession on the Neck, with the pleadings.
No. IV. 875
LEASE for two thousand years from Sir Ferdinando Gorges to Cleeves and Tucker of part of Falmouth, dated January 27th, 1637-letters of Thomas Gorges, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Richard Vines, Rev. Thomas Jenner, Edmund Godfrey, and George Cleeves, to Governor Winthrop and others.
No. V. 882
EXTRACT from John Jocelyn's voyages, showing the situation of the several towns in the province about 1670.
No. VI. 884
ROBERT Jordan's will, 1679.
No. VII. 885
INDIAN deed to George Munjoy of land at Ammoncongin, June 4, 1666.
No. VIII. 886
THOMAS Danforth's deed to the trustees of Falmouth, 1684.
No. IX. 887
LETTERS to George Bramiliall 1687 and 1688, and receipts from him and Silvanus Davis.
IX
CONTENTS.
No. X. 889
PETITIONS of the propritors and settlers of Falmouth to the General Court in 1717 and 1718 for incorporation.
No. XI. 890
PERSONS admitted inhabitants by the town principally in 1727 and 1728.
No. XII. 892
PETITIONS to the General Court in 1728 by the ancient proprietors.
No. XIII. 893
REPORT of a committee of the town, and resolves adopted in February, 1774, on the rights of the colonies.
No. XIV. 894
PROCEEDINGS of the convention of delegates from the towns in Cumberland county, Septem - ber 21, 1774, at Falmouth.
No. XV. 895
PROCEEDINGS of the Committee of correspondence and inspection in Falmouth.
No. XVI. 897
MUSTER roll of Captain David Bradish's company, May, 1774.
No. XVII. 897
HOUSES now standing which survived the conflagration of 1774-Dr. Deane's letter on the subject of an engraving of the town as it appeared at the time of the fire.
No. XVIII. 900
AN account of the losscs sustained by the destruction of the town.
No. XIX. 902
PROCEEDINGS of the inhabitants to obtain relief from Europe-No. 1. Mr. Titcomb's letter to Samuel Frecman-No. 2. Gov. Bowdoin's letter to Enoch Freeman-No. 3. Gov. Bow- doin's letter to Gov. Pownal-No. 4. Gov. Pownal's letter to Enoch Frceman and others -No. 5. Address to the people of Ireland.
No. XX. 905
GRANT of two townships of land to the sufferers in the destruction of the town.
No. XXI. 906
THE amount of tonnage registered and enrolled in the custom-house at Portland. with the amount of duties, cxports, imports, etc.
No. XXII. 908
PETITION for a division of the town of Falmouth in 1785.
INDEX.
911
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
A third of a century has elapsed since the publication of the first edition of the History of Portland. That having long since been exhausted, I have yielded to repeated applications, and, with much labor and without pecuniary profit, have prepared a new edition of the work. I have taken the occasion to correct such errors as have been discovered in the first impression - to throw light received from subsequent investigations into our early annals upon transactions which seemed obscure, and to bring the history of our progressive community down to the present day. I have added several biographical notices, and made others more full in genealogical facts ; and to the whole have appended a copious index.
During the third of a century which has intervened since the first pub- lication, the population of the town has considerably more than doubled ; its commerce, and its various industrial, religious, social, and literary institutions have multiplied in far larger proportion, and almost an entirely new community has taken the place of the living generation which I then addressed. This accumulation of facts, while it has necessarily extended the work, has given additional value to its pages.
In 1820, when Maine became an independent State, no historical work, nor any other of literary value had been published in the State. Gov. Sullivan's History of Maine was published in Boston in 1795 ; although a native of Maine, he then resided in that city. Historical sketches of several towns had appeared in the Mass. Historical Collections ; and Moses Green- leaf in 1816, liad issued from the press in Boston, and Joseph Whipple the same year from the press in Bangor, Geographical and Statistical pam- phlets, one of one hundred and fifty-four, and the other of one hundred and two pages, having reference more particularly to the question of separation then agitating the minds of the people. The first work on a
XII
PREFACE.
historical subject published after the separation, was Greenleaf's Eccle- siastical Sketches in 1821 ; and the same year Judge Freeman issued his extracts from the journals of the Rev. Thomas Smith, with statistics of the town and county, both in duodecimo form. These were followed in 1827 by Mr. White's History of Belfast, one hundred and twenty pages, Moses Greenleaf's map of Maine, with an octavo volume of valuable sta- tistics in 1829, and by Mr. Folsom's History of Saco and Biddeford in 1830. In 1831, the first volume of the Maine Historical Collections was published, which contained the first part of my History of Portland, and in 1832, appeared my second part in a separate form, bringing the history of the town to that period. The same year Mr. Williamson published his elaborate History of Maine in two octavo volumes, which has been followed by five volumes of the Transactions of the Maine Historical Society, and numerous and very valuable histories of towns and communities in our State, and in 1863 the Popham Memorial Volume, a compilation of rare value, which several works have ably and clearly illustrated our early and later annals.
Location and Meteorological Statistics of Portland. The New City Hall, near the center of Portland, is in north latitude 43º, 39', 27". West longitude from Greenwich 70°, 15', 40". Longitude in time from Green- wich four hours, forty-one minutes, and three seconds. It is five hundred and sixty miles from Washington, three hundred and thirty from New York, one hundred and five from Boston, two hundred and ninety-four by the Grand Trunk Railway to Montreal, two hundred and seventeen to Quebec, five hundred and fifty-seven to Toronto, and eight hundred and fifty-nine to Detroit. The magnetic variation in January, 1863, was twelve four-tenths, having increased from eight degrees in 1765.
By tables kept at the Observatory, on Munjoy's Hill in Portland, one hundred and sixty feet above the level of high water, for thirty-two years from 1825 to 1857 inclusive, it appears that the annual average tem- perature for that period was 43º, 23', of Farenheit. The highest point it attained was 100°, 5'; the lowest was January 24, 1857, 25° below zero. The highest mean temperature in any month of that period was 71º in July, 1825 ; the lowest mean temperature for any month was 13º above zero in January, 1844. The average temperature of the seasons for the thirty-two years was as follows : March, April, May, 39º, 98'; June, July, August, 63º, 71'; September, October, November, 46º, 73'; Decem-
XIII
PREFACE.
ber, January, February, 21°, 93'. The mean temperature for 1856 was 44°, 13'; for 1857, 44°, 68'; for 1858, 44°, 4'; for 1859, 43º, 47'.
The amount of rain, and snow reduced to water, in 1857, was 47.66 inches ; in 1858, 43.42 inches ; in 1859, 48.55 inches.
The prevailing winds may be set down in the following proportions of 100. North and east 25, east and south 14, south and west 25, west and north 36=100.
Mean barometric pressure at a station eighty-five and a half feet above the sea, 29.9.
The sewerage and sanitary condition of Portland are of a high order ; and nothing in this respect is especially needed, but a supply of pure water. For this purpose, there are ample sources of an excellent charac- ter within eighteen miles of the city. I need only refer to the Sebago Lake, a sheet of very pure water, containing about sixty-five thousand square acres, and of great depth, which is fed by other lakes and several streams of water.
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
FALMOUTH originally contained within its limits the present towns of FALMOUTH, CAPE ELIZA- BETH, PORTLAND, and WESTBROOK ; and embraced a number of large and valuable islands lying in CASCO BAY. It is proposed in the introductory chapter of the following work, to present a cursory view of the settlements mnade, and attempted to be made, on the coast of Maine, previous to that of Falmouth. After which my attention will be principally confined to that town, until PORTLAND was separately incorporated; this latter town will then receive more exclusive notice.
The various changes in the government of the country, especially during the early period of its history, will be briefly alluded to, as they had an immediate influence upon the happiness and prosperity of the inhabitants. .
The entire loss of the records in the destruction of the town by the Indians in 1690, has deprived nie of many valuable materials for the present work, and rendered my task at the same time more difficult and more unsatisfactory. But this consolation has accompanied me, that whatever facts I could glean from the State and county records, and other scattered sources of information, become more valuable and more interesting, by the unfortunate events which have destroyed the more ready and minute aids to historical accuracy.
It is known to most readers, that previous to 1752, the year commenced on the 25th day of March; consequently the time between the first day of January and that day, was reckoned with the former year, and it was usually expressed by a double date; an instrument for instance, bear- ing date January 15, 1640, according to our calendar, would be expressed January 15, 1639-40. Sometimes only 1639. In such cases I have invariably adapted the date to the present mode of computation, so far as regards the year. The day of the month by the new style, may be ascer- certained by omiting ten days in the seventeenth century, eleven in the eighteenth, and twelve in the nineteenth. The alteration was made in England by a statute passed in 1751, to take effect January 1, 1752, and which authorized the omission of the eleven intermediate days of the calen- dar, from the 2d to the 14th day of September of that year.
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE VARIOUS SETTLEMENTS ON THE COAST OF MAINE, PREVIOUS TO 1632.
In the beginning of the year 1603, there was not one Euro- pean family on the whole coast of America, from Florida to Greenland1. There had been made, previous to this time, three attempts to settle Virginia2, and one in 1602 by Gosnold, to plant a colony on the southern shores of Massachusetts ; all of which failed. The whole coast of North America was now open to European enterprise, and although discouragements had hitherto attended the efforts of commercial speculation, yet it was not disheartened. In 1603, new exertions were made, which resulted in bringing the coast of Maine more into notice, and preparing the way for future settlements upon it. On the eighth of November of that year, Henry 4th of France, granted a charter of Acadia and the neighboring country to Du Mont3, extending from forty to forty-six degrees of north latitude. Du Mont having received a commission as Lieuten- ant-general of France, the next year fitted out an expedition in company with Champlain and others, with which he sailed
1 Prince's N. E. Chro. p. 1.
2 Prince's Intro., p. 104.
3 Hazard, vol. i, p. 45. This included the whole country from Philadelphia to the St. Lawrence, nominally, but never in practise extending west of the Kernebeck river. Du Mont took possession of all the territory east of Ken- nebec river for the king of France. Sul. Hist. of M. pp. 52, 55.
2
10
HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
along the coast of Maine, formed a temporary settlement at the mouth of the river St. Croix, where his company spent one winter, and then established a colony on the other side of the bay of Fundy, at a place which they named Port Royal and now called Annapolis .* Du Mont, in two or three years afterward withdrew his attention from Acadia and turned his trade to the St. Lawrence. Poutrincourt, one of his companions in the settlement of Port Royal, sent his son Biencourt home in 1608, for supplies of men and provisions for the colony. The Jesuits, ever zealous for the propaga- tion of their faith, seized this occasion to send over two of their order, Biard and Masse, to take charge of the spiritual concerns of the new plantation, and probably also to extend their regards to those of the Aborigines. But the priests having assumed to control the civil affairs of the plantation, soon quarreled with the government, and Biencourt, who, on the return of his father to France, had become the leader of the colony, caused them to remove to an island on the coast of Maine, then called Mont Mansellt now Mount Desert. Here they planted gardens, laid out grounds, and entered on
*[An interesting account of this first attempt to establish a colony in Maine, is given by Les Carbot, who accompanied it as chaplain and historian. His work was first published in Paris in 1609 and has passed through many editions in the original and translation. It was translated into English the first year after its publication. Among the other companions of Du Mont were M. du Pont Grave and M. de Poutrincourt, who established the colony at Port Royal.]
t[ Madame Guercheville, a zealous Catholic lady, with a view to propagandism, sent out Biard and Masse in 1611. In March, 1613, she sent another colony to the aid of her first missionaries, which arrived at Port Royal, May 16. Thence, they soon after sailed, intending to establish a mission at the mouth of the Penobscot river. Owing to adverse winds and fogs. they put into a fine harbor on the south-eastern side of Mount Desert, with which they were so much pleased, that they concluded to make that place the center of their operations. Biard says the savages called the island Pemetig. Champlain gave it the name of Mount Desert and the English, that of Mount Mansell, in honor of Sir Robert Mansell, one of the Plymouth patentees. Biard, after the capture by the English returned to France where he died in 1622.]
11
VARIOUS SETTLEMENTS ON THE COAST.
the work of their mission.1 .But they were not permitted long to enjoy even this state of seclusion. Disputes had already arisen between the English and French, respecting the boun- daries of the grants from their respective governments, which, from want of information relating to the situation of the coun- try, run with strange perplexity into one another. The French occupied Port Royal, St. Croix, Mount Desert, and the mouth of the Penobscot, and had erected forts at each of those places for their protection.2 The fort erected by the French on Mount Desert was called St. Sauveur.3 .The disposition of the French to extend their settlements still further west, was viewed with alarm by the government established in Virginia, and in 1613, they sent Capt. Argall to dislodge them. In the summer of this year, he seized the forts at Mount Desert, St. Croix, and Port Royal, and carried their ship and pinnace, together with their ordnance, cattle, and provision to Jamestown.4 The French power in this quarter was thus interrupted, and it was a number of years before it recovered from this disaster.
The name of Acadie is first given to the territory between forty and forty-sixth degrees of north latitude, in the grant from Henry 4th to Du Mont. The origin of the name is lost. Douglass5 says it is derived from Arcadia in Greece. The French in the treaty of St. Germain, call the country Lacadie,6 which Prince Anglicises Laccady7 .* The English
1 Belknap Biog., p. 340. 2 Hutch. land titles in Maine p. 2.
3 Sullivan, p. 156.
4 Prince, vol. i, p. 37.
5 Prince, vol. i, p. 305.
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