USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Bremen > A history of the towns of Bristol and Bremen in the state of Maine : including the Pemaquid Settlement > Part 23
USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Bristol > A history of the towns of Bristol and Bremen in the state of Maine : including the Pemaquid Settlement > Part 23
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banks, but no information has come to us concerning its origin or use, except what is afforded by the ruins themselves. ' Con- sidering all the circumstances of the early settlers here - their great distance from other settlements, and the constant demand upon them for bread by the numerous fishermen and sailors continually resorting here -- and especially the need of sawed lumber for the erection of buildings - it is altogether probable that mills were erected here very early, perhaps as early as at any place in New England. 2
A faint tradition prevails in the place that the field of Thomas Gyles, where he and his men were at work on the fatal August 2d, 1689, and where he and several of his men perished, was a few rods below this canal, on the same side of the river ; and the fact that in some accounts of the attack by the Indians it is said that Thomas Gyles, jr., in making his escape, forded the river, and made his way down on the west side to the bar- bacan, favors the tradition. But we know that Mr. Gyles owned quite a large tract of land on the west side of the stream while there is no evidence that he possessed any at the place mentioned on the east side. August 5th, 1686, he purchased of John Palmer, who acted in the name of Governor Dongan, a tract of two hundred acres, which is thus described : " Also, that Tract or Parcel of Upland being Two hundred acres situate lying and being within the Bounds of James Town afore&d, at the Head of a Certain River there called and known by ye name of Pemaquid River on the West Side of the Great Falls of ye s'. River, &c." 3 It is probable therefore that here was the field where the attack was made. It is to be noted also that John Gyles, in his description of the attack, and the escape of his brother Thomas, does not say that he either forded or in any way crossed the stream, but only that he " wonderfully escaped by land to the Barbacan, a point of land on the west side of the river opposite the fort."
It is singular that nothing is said in history of any fortifica- tion at New Harbor; but it is plain from the remains found there that such a structure once existed. All that is to be found now consists of large blocks of granite, which are regularly laid
1 H. Nelson Fossett.
2 Much of the above concerning the ancient ruins of Pemagnid, has been taken from a paper by the author, contained in the Memorial Volume of the Pop- ham Celebration, Aug. 29th, 1862.
3 York Records, vol. xx, p. 253.
.
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upon the surface of the ground, as if to form the foundation for a wooden structure upon it. The stones are laid in the form of a rectangle, at a place on the north side of the Harbor, about half way from the head to its mouth.
It would be exceedingly interesting if we could find means to determine the population and business of the place, at differ- ent periods of its history over which we have passed. We have seen that at the time of the first Indian war, when the inhabit- ants of several of the settlements had collected together on Damariscove island, there were in all about three hundred per- sons, of whom perhaps one-sixth, or fifty, belonged to l'emaquid; but probably there were many others not included in the count. Some escaped from the Kennebec and Sheepscott to other islands, and we know that Sir Wm. Phips, then a young man, took his father's large family and many of his neighbors directly to Boston, on a new vessel then just launched.
Perhaps we shall not greatly err if we estimate the whole population of all these settlements at this time at double the number collected on the island, or six hundred. Of these we may suppose one hundred belonged to Pemaquid and Mus- congus.
The following estimate of the population at an earlier date confirms this view.
In 1672, the people of the various settlements in this region petitioned to be taken under the care and protection of Massa- chusetts, and the petition was signed by ninety-six names, eleven being of persons belonging to Pemaquid, fifteen to Damariscove, and eighteen to Monhegan, the rest belonging to other places. If we consider these as constituting what would now be called legal voters, as seems proper, a total population of about five hundred would be indicated ; but as we know very well that the names of all persons, in any community, entitled to a voice in such matters can never be obtained at the same time, we may safely add to the above estimate a considerable percentage.1
But Gyles, in his narrative,2 says there were at the time when the place was destroyed by the Indians (1676), at New Harbor alone, "about twelve houses ;" which, if we allow for each house a family of five persons, would indicate a population of sixty. Therefore considering this settlement and that at Mus-
' See Will. Hist. Maine, I, p. 447, and Willis's Hist. Portland, 2d ed., p. 187. 2 Drake's Tragedies of the Wilderness, p. 77.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL AND BREMEN.
congus as making a part of Pemaquid, we may safely conclude that the population driven off by the Indians from the territory of the present towns of Bristol and Bremen was not less than one hundred and may have been more nearly two hundred.
We have seen that, immediately after the destruction of Pemaquid, the agents of the Duke of York made their appear- ance here, and took possession in his name. They came with a strong force, and immediately began the construction of a fort, which, however, we know was only an earth-work sur- mounted by a stockade. But it was so strong as to command decidedly the respect of the natives, and Pemaquid very soon was found to be a place of safety, where all parties could meet, without fear of molestation, or injury to person or property. As a natural result, a brisk trade soon sprang up, making the place a great business centre for several hundred miles of the coast.
All this was foreseen by the duke's government, and hence the very stringent rules of trade and general intercourse with the natives heretofore noticed (ante p. 141). To secure a good revenue for the government the general prosperity of the com- munity must be promoted, and especially must collisions with the natives be avoided.
Absurd as some of their regulations of trade were several of them directly favored Pemaquid, especially that making it the only port of entry for the whole coast between the Kennebec and the Penobscot, even every fisherman on the coast being obliged, before throwing a line, to enter at the custom house here and pay a stipulated fee.
With the increase of business the village (or city) of James- town also rapidly increased ; and very probably it was during this period of its history, while a royal province, that it attained its highest prosperity. A writer in vol. II, p. 240, of the Col- lections of the Maine Historical Society, supposes the population near the close of this period may have been eight hundred, but probably this is too high an estimate, unless we include some of the neighboring settlements. The same writer says that when the place was attacked by the French and Indians, all the people took refuge within the fort, and by the terms of the capitulation were again set at liberty. But if there were within the walls of the fort as many people as this (which is not proba- ble) there was good reason why Chubb should surrender as he
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did, and the odium cast upon him for that act was quite unde- served.
In a petition of the inhabitants to Governor Dongan in 1683, it is said (ante, p. 147) " the most part of the inhabitants of the place did come from New York at the subduing of this country," but we know also that many of the old settlers returned.
Much of the business of the settlements on the coast at this period was done by bumboats, as they were called, which were small sloops running from port to port on the coast, and carry- ing goods to be retailed both to the Indians and the English, as guns, ammunition, articles of clothing, &c. The people com- plained, that, when these traders were obliged to pay a duty to government, they made it a pretense for charging their custo- mers a still larger percentage, as very probably was the fact.
But larger ships were not unfrequently seen in the harbor ; between the years 1681 and 1685 inclusive, nine passes 1 - clearances we should call them - were granted at the custom house in New York alone to vessels bound for this place ; but these probably constituted only a small part of those actually entering here.
Two vessels, one of them a sloop of thirty-five tons burthen, were built at Pemaquid previous to the destruction of fort Wil- liam Henry in 1696; and very probably there may have been others of which no record has been preserved. The one first to be mentioned was built by private parties but with the expecta- tion apparently that she was to become the property of the government, but some misunderstanding occurred, and it is not known whether the transfer was ever actually made.
The other was a sloop of thirty-five tons, and was built here in 1695, as shown by the following entry found in the Massa- chusetts Archives, vol. VII, p. 136. " Sloop, James and Thomas, Capt. James Bevan, a quaker affirmed - sloop of thirty-five tons burthen, built at Pemaquid in 1695. Capt. Jolin Reed of Antigua and himself owners. Registered at Boston, Nov. 19, 1698."
The particular location of only a very few of the early families can now be determined. For obvious reasons most or all of them had their residences directly on the har- bors, and the majority of them probably near the fort, to which they could readily flee in case of special danger. We
1 Maine Hist. Coll., v, p. 195, 136.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL AND BREMEN.
learn from the petition of John Gyles (p. 185), that at the time of Governor Andros's visit in 1688, Henry Hedger and Dennis Higiman had their residences on the west bank of the Pema- quid river, and very probably Grace Higiman, previously men- tioned (p. 175), belonged to the family of the latter.
When the fort was destroyed in 1696, it was evidently the general expectation that it would soon be rebuilt; but it was found in a few years that in this they were to be disappointed ; and in 1700 the general court of Massachusetts appointed a committee to receive and register all claims to lands in this re- gion from which the owners had been driven during the Indian wars. From this time to the year 1720, many entries were made; and the book containing them, entitled Eastern Claims, is still preserved in the secretary's office at Boston. From this book most of the following extracts and minutes have been made, pertaining to lands at Pemaquid and vicinity. They make known the names of many of the persons having pos- sessions here, and in most cases probably we may believe the persons lived upon the lands they claimed.
We learn from them also that the place (or city, as some- times called), was not limited to the small peninsula of Pema- quid, but included a much larger area.
As early as 1656, the part of Jamestown near the fort was sometimes called Newtown, while some other part which has not been determined was called Oldtown. This appears from the following extract from a deed contained in the old York records, vol. 20, p. 253. The deed is from John Palmer, Esq., in the name of Governor Dongan, to Thomas Gyles of James- town. It is for " all that Certain Messuage or Lott or Tufft of Ground situate and being on Pemaquid Point where the Fort Charles standeth in that part of Jamestown aforeed. called by the name of Newtown where the st. Thomas Gyles now dwelleth in Breadth fronting on the Street Three Pole nine and a Half Feet and in the Rear the Like - in Length on both sides Seven Pole Thirteen Foot and Half and also one other Lot or Tufft of Ground situate and being at Pemaquid Point aforess. in that Part of Jamestown afores4. called by the Name of Old Town &c. 1
' In the same document mention is made of a meadow owned by Dennis Higi- man, who lived on the west bank of Pemaquid harbor or river.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL AND BREMEN.
Cornelius Darling in right of Mary Frebray his wife claims a house lot near Pemaquid fort, & a hundred acres of upland, & twenty aeres meadow on the western sile of Pemaquid River, & the 5th lot from the Falls by a deed J. Palmer Com. by Coll. Dungan Instr. dated 13th Sep. 1686, in James Town.
Thomas Warden, late of New Harbor, claims a certain Tract or Parcel. of upland lying and being on the westward side of a Cove called by the name of Long Cove, containing one hundred acres, being in Front sixty- four Poles, & in length two hundred & sixty Poles Northwest from a stake at the water side into the woods to an Oak Tree marked butted & bounded S. Southeasterly next to the Lott of Arthur Neale Northerly to the Land of William Case at the east end of the Cove, at the west end the Woods. And also a certain Tract or Parcell of Land lying and being within the bounds of Jamestown on the Land of New Harbor containing sixty acres and one hundred Poles, beginning at a certain stake by the bighway and is the westward bounds of George Slater, from thence northerly three hun- dred Poles to a black Oak marked on four sides from thence South three hundred Poles to a stake along the highway, from thence east to the place where began. Also there is a highway left which is to run through along this lott from the head of the Cove called Long Cove. Also Twenty acres of meadow, one acre whereof laid out at Green Meadow, the other nine- teen acres to be laid out where it can be found most convenient &c. con- veyed to the said Thomas Warden his heirs &c. as per patent from under Coll. Dungan (Dongan) dated Sep. 13, 1686, & recorded the same day by J. West, Dept. Sed'y Item Recorded in the Records of the County of Pemaquid, July 4, 1687 pr. Jnº. Giles, Clerk.
Tryall Newberry, in behalf of heirs of John Starkey, claims one hun- dred & four acres of Land within the bounds of James Town upon Pemaquid Neck, beginning at a certain run by the north of Murren's House, with twenty acres of Meadow, by patent under Gov. Dungan to Richard Mur- ren dated 13, 7ber 1686, to pay one bushel merchantable wheat on every 25 of March.
Further in like manner claims one hundred & four acres more of upland & 20 acres of meadow lying next to Richard Murren's said meadow, to be laid out where most convenient, by patent under Gov. Dungan to Nicholas Denning, dated 7ber 17, 1686 ..
Jnº. Butler claims land delivered by Execution, belonging to George Buckland, sd. Land lying near Pemaquid, viz. 100 acres of Ball Island, Two Farmes lying between Damariscotty and Pemaquid back River, front- ing to a thoroughfair which runs between Damariscotty River & Pema- quid, & 5 acres marsh on the west side Damaris Cove, &c.
Mr. John Coleman, in behalf of himself & Charles Hobby, representing the heirs of Mr. William Hobby, dec !. Thomas Hutchinson Esq for the heirs of Thos. Kelland claims the Residue of the Term of Lease of
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL AND BREMEN.
one parcell of Ground and Land situate lying and being near the River called by the name of Muscoukus, to the valuation of four hundred acres Land seat (situate) at a place commonly called Round Pond, limited within the bounds following, viz : on small River lying on the North or North East side thereof & extending to the edge or bounds of a parcell of Land in Possession of Thomas Coole of Pemaquid former [ly] sold by Thos. El- dridge [ Elbridge ?] to John Dollen of Mount Hegon (Monhegon) as per an instrument under hand and seal of sd. Thomas Eldridge dated August 1699 and by s !. John Dollen sold and conveyed to Mr. Juo. Foster & Win. Hobby of Boston.
Ruth Berry, formerly Sergeant, formerly of New Harbor, in behalf of herself & children, claims a certain Tract or Parcell of upland lying in the bounds of James Town, on the Land of New Harbor, at a certain Place called Long Cove, containing one hundred acres, whereof fifty acres lyeth along the gulley by the said New Harbor Plains, beginning at the Black Oak Tree marked on four sides by said Gulley, from thence North to John Hoskins bounds, from thence west to Robt. Lally's bounds, from thence South to a Black Oak marked on four sides, from thence East to place where began. Remainder fifty acres is lying at Long Cove, begin- ning at a certain Black Oak Tree marked on four sides, & is the North bounds of Thos. Warden, from thence North thirty-two Poles to Wm. Case's South bounds, from thence West two hundred & sixty Poles along sd. Case's line, from thence South Thirty-two Poles to Thos Warden's bounds, from thence East two hundred and sixty Poles to place where began. Also twenty acres of Meadow to be laid out, Two whereof is laid out, which Barton by the said Wm. Case. The remainder eighteen acres to be laid out where most convenient &c. said Land & Premises granted & conveyed to the claimers former husband Thomas Sergeant of New IIarbor decd. his heirs &c. by a Patent or Conveyance from & under Col. Dungan, dated Sept. 13, 1686. Recorded same Day by Jnº. West D. Secry. It. ent. & recorded in the Records of Pemaquid, July 4, 1687, page 16, pr. Jnº. Giles, Cier.
Same in behalf of herself & sister, Mary Warden's children, claims a certain Tract or Parcell of Land, containing one hundred acres lying & being in the bounds of James Town in the county of Cornwall, on the East side of Long Cove, being the point running from said Cove over to the sea-side up North-East to a marked Tree, at the head of the Swamp near the Path which leads from said Cove head into Brown Cove adjoin- ing to the upland of John Haskins on the Southerly side of the same. Also fifty acres more of upland at New Harbor in abovesaid County, & one hundred Poles beginning at a certain Stake by the Highway, & is the Westward bound of Thos. Warden, from thence Northerly three hundred Poles to an Oak Tree marked on four sides, from thence West twenty-
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL AND BREMEN.
seven Poles to a black Oak marked on four sides, from thence South three hundred Pole to a Stake by the highway, from thence east to the place where began. Also fifty acres of upland more lying and being the South side of New Harbor Cove in abovesaid County, bounded by Richard Mur- rin's East line, being thirty-two Pole in front and Rear, & Two hundred & sixty Poles deep which is North & South with twenty acres of Meadow, Two acres & a half thereof being laid out already the one in a Meadow known by the name of Long Cove Meadow, being the seventh Lott bounded on the Northerly side with Wm. Case & on the Southerly side Arthur Neale, & to the West end the upland on the South side of Anis Smith stalking place, the other acre & a half at witch Barton on the Westward side on the left hand. 1 The remainder of the said Twenty acres of Meadow being seventeen acres & a half is to be laid out where most con- venient not already laid out, sd. Tract & Parcell of Land & Meadow granted & conveyed to the claimer's father, Francis Johnson of sd. New Harbor Decd., by Patent under & from Coll. Dungan dated Sept. 13, 1686 Signed by J. Palmer J. West D. Secy.
Jnº. Leverett Esq., claims as heir to Thos. Leverett, decd. all the Lands within and between Muscongus Towards the South or South West a Straight Line ten Leagues to the main land & Continent towards the great sea called the South Sea, & the utmost Limits of the space of Ten Leagues on the North & North East of a River called Penobscott towards the North & North East & the Great Sea called the Western Ocean to- wards the East and a direct Line extending from the most westward part & Point of the sd. Straight Line which extends from Muscongus aforesaid toward the South Sea to the uttermost Limits of the sd. Ten Leagues on the North side of the River of Penobscott towards the West with all Islands within the space of three miles & premises granted by Patent from the Earl of Warwick, To Jnº. Beauchamp & Thos. Leverett, bearing date 13 March, 1629. [Claim afterwards called the Waldo Claim or Patent, and at a later period was represented by Gen. Henry Knox. ]
Richard Pearse of Marblehead, son of Richard Pearce of Remobscose, carpenter, alias, Misconeus, claims several lands near adjoining unto Round Pond falls, by the name of Remobscus (purchased of Capt. John Sumerset) Trenched away five miles Eastward, four miles Northwest so back to Pemaquid River, uplands & meadows, Islands & Isletts containing to Twelve miles. *
Deed from John Sumersett, Sagamore, Easy Gale, Sagamore, & Dick Swacht, Sagamore. Possession given in formall manner by turf & twig in presence of John Brown & Richard Shoote. Deed dated 9th January 1641. "Strengthened by oaths of Morrice Champrise & John Curtiss, Sr. Nov. 26, 1717, before John Legg, Just. Peace. Recorded in Records of Pemaquid.
1 This is not very intelligible.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL AND BREMEN.
Morrice Chamles now of Marblehead formerly of Summersett Island at the eastward, Taylor, claims uplands & meadows lying on the westward side of Musconcos River butted and bounded viz, beginning on the North- east side of a marsh in the Broad Bay called by the name of Humphrey Farrell's marsh two miles into the woods upon a west Line this being the Southeast bounds, and from the foresaid marsh or Farrell's marsh round the great Bay & so up along Muskoncos River side to a falls or fresh River commonly called & known by the name of Madahomack Falls from said Falls two miles upon a west Line into the Woods, this being the Northward bounds, Muscongus River & the Broad Bay being the East Bounds, with all meadows &c &c. Deed by Indian Sagamore Arrowago- nett dated 9th Jany, 1673. Possession given in presence of Silvanus Davis & John Pearse.
Mr. James Pitts of Boston claims a piece of Land at the eastern Parts of New England, situate lying & being in a Place called by the Indians Remobseus, but by the English, Greenland, near unto the Ponds called Round Pond's Falls, viz one thousand acres, butted and bounded easterly by the River called Remobsous or Musconcus River, westerly keeping the breadth of three quarters of a mile till it makes sd. one thousand acres, also Two hundred acres more, viz, one lot equal with those who are going to settle a new Township in sd. Remobscus Falls &c &c &c. purchased of Richard Pearse of Marblehead, Mariner. Deed dated April 17, 1718, & acknowledged same day before Sam'l Checkley, Jus. Peace.
Richard Pearse of Remobscus, alias, Misconcos in the Eastern Parts of New England, Fisherman, claims a tract of land at Greenland, beginning at the Gripes, from thence to a Pine Tree being the Northernmost bounds in the Broad Bay & from Musconcus River four miles back -- which tract was given to him the sd. Richard Pearse by one Wm. England of Re- mobscos by deed dated May 13, 1663.
Richard Pearse Sent. of Marblehead, " Fisherman or Coaster" gives power of attorney to his wife Mary Pearse, Nov. 26th 1717, being the 4th year of the Reign of George, King of Great Britain, France, & Ireland. Entered June 19, 1719 by " Sam'. Phipps, Clk. of Com. of Eastern Claims."
Richard Patishall claims a Stage bought of Charles Harris on Monhe- gan, with Privilege of Flakes, and the Swamp on said Island. Deed dated, August 3, 1683.
Also Damariscove Island granted to him by Patent from Col. Dungan, about 200 acres, and also Wood Island.
George Jeffrey of Portsmouth, merchant, claims Hippocras Island lying on the Eastern side of Kennebec River, near Damaris Cove, which Island was granted by Henry Joslin (Joscelyn) Esq. to Wm. Phillips deced, and by George Snell and wife, relict and administrator of sd Wm. Phillips, March 20, 1699. Recorded July 24th, 1699.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL AND BREMEN.
Robert Patishall, in behalf of himself and heirs of Richard Patisball claims a certain Island called Seguin, etc. purchased by Richard Patishall of certain (unnamable) Indians, Aug. 3d, 1685.
Margaret Hilton, formerly Stilson, wife of Wm. Hilton, now. living at Remobscus, alias Misconcus, in the Eastera Parts of New England, in be- half of himself and brother, James Stilson, living in New Hampshire * * being the only children of Margaret Pittman, now of Marblehead, claim lands at New Harbor and Muscongus.
CHAPTER XXI.
EARLY RESIDENTS OF PEMAQUID AND THEIR FAMILIES.
John Brown and his Family - Richard Pearce and his Family - Alexander Gould and his Family - James Stilson and his Family - Thomas and Margaret (Gould) [Stilson] Pittman - William Hilton and his Family.
Many interesting facts in the history of the very early inhabit- ants of Pemaquid have already been given; but some more detailed account of them may be expected. Only a few of the many that became residents here previous to the first Indian war have even left their names in history, and of those who acted more prominent parts, and became better known, as a general thing, only a few facts can now be ascertained. Nearly all were men of humble origin, and only moderate pretentions, but some of them in times of great danger and difficulty conducted them- selves, and the public interests committed to them with a cour- age and skill worthy of statesmen and heroes.
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