USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Portland > The history of Portland, from its first settlement: with notices of the neighbouring towns, and of the changes of government in Maine, Part I > Part 1
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Gc 974.102 P837w pt.1 1638540
M. L'
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION .
GC
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01091 8313
Duck Rond
G. Munjoy's
Sacarappa Falls.
1666
Amibeneengin.
and
Falls
River
Ot
Presu
Piscataquis River
2.91
.
John, Cloice 1665 John & Isaac Jener
Falls.
Lower John Phillips 1657
Suvanus, Davas
Humphrey Durham 1675 John Wakely 1675
CE mile square 1680
Robert Greason loss
Robert Nicholson, 1675
Squitterygusset Creek
Joseph Ingerso I1. 1674
Ces. ligaseu
100. - 1661
John Skillings
1670.
400 acres
bơi c'A. Brackett
The King'y roud to Scarborough 1686
Long Creek
Paris
Ferry
Ralph' Turner, 1667
1667
Mitton's house 1640
neck
Peter Bowdoin, 1687
CASCO
Clon's Bank
Geo. Ingersol's come mil 1643
RIVER
Macheyonne Point
Kerry Stanford's Ledge
Cow I
SCARBOROUGH
Joseph Fragmich
JGh0 Jem Harman
The" & Ridere Sung , John Wallis. 1654
PURPOODUCK POINT
Great Hog Island.
CASCO
BAY
Havy Huuly
Pond, Michael, Muuuy & Pahner
Linie Chiche ay
Spurwink River
Fory
Rep.d Robert Jordan 1648
John Winter
Spurwink
Portland Head 1676
Great Pone
Brook
Part of Ridnmond's Id.
ANCIENT FALMOUTH
Crotch Island
Erynatt 162g
Broad. Cove
FROM 1650 TO 1690. For Willis' History of Portland Pendleton's Lithog." Boston,
Jewell's Istand .
Scale of 200 Rods to an Inch.
Green Islands
WESTCUSTOGO On NORTH YARMOUTH N. - 45' WV. Eight Miter & ,95 rods.
N. 45' W. Eight Miles.
John Welding 1650
1671. Sold to John Shillings 1685 G. Munjoy,
S' Davis
The! Clorce, 1674 formerly Jas Andrewr, 1637
Viroch
Find T.cwis 1657
John Lewis 1657 sold to } Nath .Wattrs. 1614 James Ress 1675
R Secomb 1685
Un" Smith 1646
PRESUMPSCOT
Arthur Mackworth 1653
Geo. Fele 1675
Auch Hike
&-Streatt
Lewis Tucker 1085
John Tucker 1685
Elisha Andrews 1681
167.4
Ponstr
James Andrens
e Creet
BACK 'COVE
Ltu, Len Lr. 1640
Martin's Point
Mackworth's Point
Fort
Sanity Point
Mackarortus Istaund
Ir Bramhallr Clcevest house 16:
John Cullever, 1687 John Corney. 1686 John Harris, 16-87
Lowroard 13
Ient heral
MUNJOY - Jinnjose Keine
.
BLACK POINT OK
Farty
Josiah& Nath . White 1685
Muiden Covr
now Peak's Island,
Long Island.
Portland, Andrews vorr Bang's Island.
Saco
Marsh Ia
Casco to
across . Spurwink
road from
Pond Cove
purchase of the Indians
Williams , Neale .
Felts
aspyoand
Stroudwater river
Sam' Ingersett,
Jentin Williams 1675
Town grant
1658
Wakely & Coe 1661.
Gra Ingersoit, 1658.
The' Skuluns
RIVER
Nath & Whatff_ 1665
M. Mitton
S Milton 10's
Humpin Durham, 1638 Phineas Ruder, 1658,
John Nicholson
7 Samuel Webber 1681
Francis Neale 1658
Ebenizer Davenport 1605
Musele For
Seromb's
Two Brothers
Cle ves' & lurkers
Harberry crer
House f+
River
1632
Cape Elizabeth
THE
HISTORY OF PORTLAND, Main.
.
FROM ITS
FIRST SETTLEMENT :
WITH
NOTICES OF THE NEIGHBOURING TOWNS,
AND OF THE
CHANGES OF GOVERNMENT IN MAINE.
IN TWO PARTS.
-
BY WILLIAM WILLIS.
pet.1
PART I.
Portland : Printed by DAY, FRASER & Co. 1831.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014
https://archive.org/details/historyofportlan01will_0
-1
1638540
ADVERTISEMENT.
·
Falmouth originally contained within its limits the present towns of Falmouth, Cape-Elizabeth, Portland and Westbrook ; and embraced a number of large and valuable islands lying in Casco Bay. It is proposed in the introductory chap- ter of the following work, to present a cursory view of the settlements made, and attempted to be made, on the coast of Maine, previous to that of Falmouth. After which my attention will be more exclusively 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 work will be divided into two parts : the first will bring the history down to the close of the 17th century, the second, to the present time.
The entire loss of the records in the destruction of the town by the Indians in 1690, has deprived me of many valuable materials for the present work, and ren- dered 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 val- nable 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, bearing dat . January 15, 1640, ac- cording to our calendar, would be expressed Jan. 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 ascertained by omitting 10 days in the 17th century, 11 in the 18th, and 12 in the 19th. The alteration was made in England by a statute passed in 1751, to take effect January 1, 1752, and which authorised the omission of the 11 intermediate days of the calendar, from the 2d to the 14th day of September of that year.
CONTENTS
OF THE HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
A brief account of the settlements on the coast of Maine, previous to 1632. ..
CHAP. 1.
Richmond's Island-Spurwink-dispute between Cleeves and Tucker, and John Winter about the title-trade at Richmond's Island-the Neck, now Port- land, first occupied-grants in other parts of Falmouth-Mitton, Macworth-first Judicial Court for the Province-settlers in Falmouth in 1640.
CHAP. 2.
The political affairs of the Province from the great patent in 1620, to the sub- mission to the jurisdiction of Massachusetts in 1658.
CHAP. 3.
Boundaries and name of the town-inhabitants in 1658, and places of resi- dence-early conveyances-first Mills-settlers at Back Cove-Jordan's claim and quarrel with Cleeves.
CHAP. 4.
Inhabitants petition the General Court against the claims of Cleeves and Jor- dan-Petition of the freemen to the Gen. Court-Islands belonging to Falmouth- New Settlers, Munjoy, Wakely, Coe, Brackett, Clarke, Felt, Cloice, &c .- Mit- ton's death.
CHAP. 5.
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.
CHAP. 6.
Proceedings of the new government-Courts in Casco, persons presented, state of morals-Cleeve's death and character-Thomas Skilling's death and family- Government of Mass. restored-Jordan, Jocelyn, Neale-Freemen petition Gen. Court-Munjoy licensed to retail-Eastern line run-Selectmen-Falmouth pre- sented-settlements at Capisic, Stroudwater and Purpooduck-Death of Martin, Wharff, Bartlett and Mills.
CHAP 7.
The first Indian War-Inhabitants of Falmouth 1675-Destruction of the town in 1676-Further attacks of the Indians-Militia in 1675-Peace-Prisoners res- tored-Walter Gendall-Robert Jordan's death-Brackett-Names of Inhabi- tants in Casco Bay.
-
CONTENTS.
CHAP. 8.
Purchase of Maine by Massachusetts-Government-Resettlement of Falmouth -Danforth's grants, 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-Geo. Burroughs. .
CHAP. 9.
Fort Loyal-Saw-Mills taxed for its support-Deed of Falmouth to Trustees- Government of Andross, new patents for land required-French emigrants-Roads and ferries-business of the town and its internal condition-quarrel between Law- rence and Davis.
CHAP. 10.
Population in 1689-Commencement of the second Indian War-Andross visits Maine-His authority subverted-Renewal of hostilities-Attack on Falmouth resisted-Second attack and destruction of the town.
CHAP. 11.
A brief notice of some of the Inhabitants of Falmouth during the second settle- ment-Names of the settlers.
APPENDIX.
No. I.
Record of an action in 1640, Cleeves v. Winter, for disturbing his possession at Spurwink, with the pleadings and verdict.
No. II.
Petition of Robert Jordan in 1648 to the Court of Ligonia, for leave to appropriate Trelawny's property in his hands to the payment of Winter's claim against Tre- lawny's estate ; proceedings of the Court thereon, and an inventory of the prop- erty. Also a statement of the account.
No. III.
Action in 1640, Cleeves v. Winter for disturbing his possession on the Neck, with the pleadings.
No. IV.
Lease for 2000 years from Sir Ferdinando Gorges to Cleeves and Tucker of part of Falmouth, dated January 27th, 1637.
No. V.
Extraet from John Jocelyn's voyages, showing the situation of the several towns in the province about 1670.
No. VI.
Robert Jordan's Will 1679.
No. VII.
Indian deed to George Munjoy of land at Ammoncongin, June 4, 1666.
No. VIII. .
Thomas Danforth's deed to the Trustees of Falmouth, 16S4.
No. IX.
Letters to George Bramhall 1687 and 88, and receipts from him and Silvanus Davis.
.
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
A brief account of the various settlements on the coast of Maine, pre- vious to 1632.
IN the beginning of the year 1603, there was not one European family on the whole coast of America, from Florida to Greenland'. 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 coast of Massachusetts ; all of which failed. The whole coast of North-America was now open to European enterprize, and although discouragements had hitherto attended the efforts of com- mercial 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 neighbouring country to De Mont3, extending from 40° to 46° of N. L. De Mont having received a commission as Lt. General of France, the next year fitted out an expedition in company with Champlain and others, with which he sailed 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 Funday, at a place which they named Port Royal, and now called Annapolis. De Mont, in two or three years afterwards 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 propagation 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
' Prince'a N. E. Chro. I. ? Pr. Intro. 104. 3Haz. 1, 45. This included the whole country from Philadelphia to the St. Lawrence nominally, but never in practise extending west of the Kennebeck river. De Mont took possession of all the territory east of Kennebeck river for the king of France. Sul. Hist. of M. 52, 55.
.
·
ch 6
History of Portland.
the priests having assumed to control the civil affairs of the plantation, soon quarrelled 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 Mansel, now Mount Desert. Here they planted gardens, laid out grounds and entered on the work of their mission1. But they were not permitted long to enjoy even this state of seclusion. Dis- putes had already arisen between the English and French, respecting the boundaries of the grants from their respective governments, which from want of information relating to the situation of the country, run with strange perplexity into one another. The French occupied - Port Royal, St. Croix, Mount Desert and the mouth of the Penob- scot, and had erected forts at each of those places for their protec- tion2. The fort erected by the French on Mount Desert was called St. Sauveur3. The disposition of the French to extend their settlements still further west, was viewed with alarm by the govern- ment 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 James- town4. 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 40° and 46° of N. L. in the grant from Henry 4th to De 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 Lacadie6, which Prince Anglicises Laccady7. The English occupied the country exclusively as far east as the Kennebeck, and the French, except when dispossessed by treaty or actual force, had exclusive occupation as far west as the Penobscot. The country between these two rivers was debateable land, both parties continually claiming it, and each occupying it by intervals. In the commission to the French governour before the treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Acadia is described as extending to the Kennebeck, and the whole was then ceded to the English. But in the construction of that treaty, the French restrict- ed the territory to Nova Scotia". In fact the limits of the province
1 Belkn. Biog. 340. "Hutch. land titles in Maine p. 2. 3Sul. 156. 4Pr. 37. $1. 305. 61 Haz. 319. 72. 78. Some writers have supposed this name to be derived from a tribe of Indians in that territory called the Passamaquoddy or Passamacadie tribe. 8 Hutch. 3. 3.
-
7
Settlements on the coast of Maine.
were extremely indefinite, and the title depended upon possession, which was continually fluctuating.
The colony of De Mont was undoubtedly the first attempt to plant upon the coast of Maine, and continued longer than any other which did not become permanent.
The expedition of De Mont again drew the attention of the English to this side of the Atlantic, and in April 1606, a charter was procured for the large extent of territory lying between the 34th and 44th degrees of N. L. and from the Atlantic to the pacific ocean. This large tract was divided between two colonies ; the first, stretching to the 41º of N. L. was bestowed upon a London company and called South Virginia, the northern part was called North Vir- ginia, and was granted to a company of adventurers in the town of Plymouth. Each colony had a distinct council of 13 appointed by the King for the management of its affairs1.
Under this charter, the adventurers sent out colonies in 1607. The one from Plymouth destined to the northern shore, consisted of 2 ships and 100 men, under command of Capt. George Popham, as president, and Capt. Rawly Gilbert, as admiral. They sailed from Plymouth on the 31st of May, and arrived at Monhegan upon this coast August 11th, and then continued on to the Kennebeck, where they planted themselves upon an island, in the mouth of that river ?. Here they built a fort, called St. George, and made preparations for a permanent settlement. But a succession of peculiarly unfavourable circumstances3 terminated the existence and hopes of this colony in one year from its commencement ; and at the same time raised prejudices against the northern coast, which checked the spirit of colonization and discovery, and threw back the settlement of the country for a number of years4. Smith says that "the country was esteemed as a cold, barren, mountainous, rocky desart ;" and Prince adds, that they " branded the country as over cold and not habitable by our natives."
The large preparations that were made, and the circumstances attending this expedition, show, that the design of the adventurers was to establish a permanent settlement. They had their President,
11 Haz. 50. ^Pr. 2. 21, 254. Smith's N. E. 173. Jocelyn. 3Pr. 2. 25. "The late Gov. Sullivan thinks he found traces of this settlement on Stage Island, as late as 1778 ; others suppose the settlement to have been made on Parker's Island, forming part of Georgetown.
8
History of Portland.
their Admiral, Master of Ordnance, Sergeant-Major, Marshall, Secretary, Captain of the Fort and Chief Searcher, all of whom constituted the council. But the colony arrived late in the season, and had but little time to make those preparations which were necessary to protect them from the severities of our climate, in an inhospitable wilderness. They had been led to expect from the highly coloured descriptions of previous voyagers, a winter not more unfavourable than those to which they had been accustomed in Eng- land, and did not take those precautions which experience would have dictated. We can easily imagine that the hardships which they endured, would have discouraged stouter hearts than even they possessed, inexperienced as they were in the long and severe winters which then visited our northern region.
After the ill success of this undertaking, the patentees turned their attention rather to commercial enterprises than to the forming of settlements ; and some of them individually sent out vessels every year to fish upon the coast, and to trade with the natives. Sir Francis Popham and Sir Ferdinando Gorges were principally engaged in this business.
In the spring of 1614, an expedition was fitted out under command of Capt. John Smith, " to take whales," " and also to make trials of a mine of gold and copper ; if those failed, fish and furs were then their refuge1." Smith adds, " we found this whale fishing a costly conclusion, we saw many, and spent much time in chasing them, but could not kill any ; they being a kind of jubartes and not the whale that yields fins and oil as we expected." They were also disappointed in their mines, and he thinks the representation was rather a device of the master to get a voyage, " than any knowledge he had of any such matter." . Leaving his vessels, Smith, with eight men in a boat, ranged the whole coast from Penobscot to Cape Cod : within which bounds he says, he saw at least forty several habitations upon the sea coast, the principal of which was Penobscot. He adds, " westward of Kennebeke, is the country of Aucocisco, in the bottom of a large deep bay, full of many great Iles, which divides it into many great harbours2." This refers to Casco bay, and Aucocisco, may be supposed to express the English sound of the aboriginal name of that
1Smith's N. E. 175. 2ib. 192. The same name is given to this bay by Jocelyn in his voyages, and the natives about it are called the Aucocisco, by Gorges in " America painted to the life." p. 43.
9
Settlements on the coast of Maine.
extensive and beautiful bay. Smith returned to England, where he arrived the 5th of August, and immediately prepared a map of the country which he had visited, and gave it the name of New-England.
The next year (1615) Capt. Smith was again employed by Sir F. Gorges and others to visit New-England, with a view of beginning a settlement there : for this purpose he was furnished with two ships, and a company of 16 men to leave in the country. But he was driven back to port by a violent storm which carried away his masts. On the second attempt, he was captured by the French. It does not appear that this celebrated adventurer ever came to America after 1614 : he published his description of New-England in London in 1616, and died in that city 1631.
Every year after this, vessels were sent to the coast to trade with , the natives and to fish ; many of which made profitable voyages. In 1615, Sir Richard Hawkins sailed from England with a commission from the council of Plymouth to do what service he could for them at New-England ; but on arriving here he found a destructive war prevailing among the natives, and he passed along the coast to Vir- ginia1. In 1616, four ships from Plymouth, and two from London, made successful voyages, and obtained full cargoes of fish, which they carried to England and Spain. Sir F. Gorges also sent out a ship under the charge of Richard Vines, who afterwards became conspic- uous in the early history of Maine ; he passed the winter at the mouth of Saco river ; from which circumstance, I suppose, was derived the the name of Winter Harbour?, which it still bears.
-
In 1618, Capt. Edward Rocroft was sent by Gorges in a ship of 200 tons, to fish upon the coast. / He captured a French bark lying in one of the harbours, sent her crew in his own ship to England, and retained the bark with a view to winter here. But some of his men conspiring to kill him and run away with his prize, he put them on shore at Sawguatock (Saco) and in December, sailed for Virginia. The men who were thus left, succeeded in getting to Monhegan island, where they spent the winter3, and were relieved in the spring by Capt. Dermer, in another of Gorges' ships.
"Prince 2. 43. 2Douglass 1. 394, derives the name from Mr. Winter, who be says, had a farm there ; but in this fact he is mistaken : Winter's farm was at the mouth of the Spurwink. 3Pr. 2, 54.
2
10
History of Portland.
Monhegan was a convenient stage for fishermen, and had become a place of usual resort ; it is therefore probable, that buildings, or temporary shelters had been erected upon it.
In 1620, a new charter was obtained of King James, by the Northern Company, bearing date Nov. 3. It embraced the territory lying between the 40° and 48° of north latitude, including the country from Philadelphia to the Bay of Chaleurs, which empties into the gulf of St. Lawrence'. The patentees were the Duke of Lenox, the Marquisses of Buckingham and Hamilton, the Earls of Arundel and Warwick, Sir Ferdinando Gorges and 34 others, who were styled the council established at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, ordering and governing of New-England, in America.
Under this patent, were all the grants made, which originally divided the country between the Hudson and the Penobscot rivers ; beyond these bounds the patent of 1620, had no practical operation.
While these patentees were procuring a new charter the more · successfully to prosecute their design of private emolument, another company was arising of an entirely different character, who, without concert with the patentees or without their concurrence, and it may even be said without any design of their own, were to give the strong- est impulse to the colonization of New-England, and to stamp their peculiar features upon its future destinies.
The English residents at Leyden, had determined to seek security and freedom of worship in the wilderness of America, and in the sum- mer of this year commenced their voyage for the Hudson river. But either by design or accident, they fell short of their destination, and arrived at Cape Cod, on the 10th of November, 1620. In this neighbourhood they resolved to remain, and having selected the spot which they named Plymouth, they established there the first perma- nent settlement that was made in New-England. The French had then a plantation at Port Royal, and the English had settlements at Virginia, Bermuda and Newfoundland. The nearest plantation to them was the one at Port Royal.2
We can merely allude to this interesting company, in the pursuance of our plan to bring into view the different settlements and attempts at settlement upon our coast previous to the one, of which it is our
11. Haz. 103. Pr. 2. 70. 94. 2Pr. 2. 94.
-
11
Settlements on the coast of Maine.
purpose particularly to speak. Other hands have done justice to this important event in the history of this country.
On the 10th of Sept. 1621, the northeastern part of the territory included in the charter to the council of Plymouth, was granted by James 1st to Sir Wm. Alexander1. This was done by the consent of the company, as Gorges in his description of New-England declares2. The grant to which the name of Nova-Scotia was given, extended from Cape Sable north to the St. Lawrence, thence by the shore of that river and round by the sea, to the first point ; included Cape Breton and all the islands within 6 leagues of the western, northern and eastern parts, and those within 40 leagues south of Cape Sable. Sir Wm. was engaged in this adventure by becom- ing acquainted with Capt. Mason, who a short time before had returned from Newfoundland.
In 1622 or 23, Sir Wm. Alexander subdued the French inhabi- . tants within his grant, carried them prisoners to Virginia, and planted a colony there himself.3
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