USA > Maine > Ancient dominions of Maine : embracing the earliest facts, the recent discoveries, of the remains of aboriginal towns, the voyages, settlements, battle scenes, and incidents of Indian warfare, and other incidents of history, together with the religious developments of society within the ancient Sagadahoc, Sheepscot, and Pemaquid precincts and dependencies > Part 16
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1 Annals of Warren, pp. 28-33.
2 Williamson, vol. ii. p. 31
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219 for trial, where he was condemned and executed. Sum- mary proceedings relieved tlie eastern waters of these scourges of the sea.
The deep bays, bold headlands, and numerous harbors of the ancient dominions of Maine afforded peculiar facilities for freebooters, and a favorite resort, whose early visits yet linger in the traditions of our day, and have left impressions in the public mind, so deep that they are traced in the gen- erations past, whose successive explorations of the bowels of the earth in search of hid treasure mar our soil, and afford a clew to that mysterious movement in the popular mind which brings men from distant places to expend their time and toil in " money digging."
The bed of the Sheepscot, below the site of the ancient New Dartmouth, for a whole summer was dragged and drawn, in hope of raising one of Kid's chests of treasure, by men who went down in submarine armor, a year or two since.
QUEEN ANNE'S WAR.
William, the head of the House of Orange, by his decease prepared the way for the ascension of 1702. Anne, the daughter of James, and the sister of Mar. 8. Queen Mary. James II., the fugitive heir of the house of Stuart, was also dead. But a reputed son of the deceased ex-monarch, known in English history as " the Pretender," aspired to the vacant seat of authority. The crown of France supported the pretension ; and to make good these pretensions, the dogs of war were again loosed on the defenseless frontiers of New England. Government had justly become alarmed at the malign influence of the clergy of the Romish Church, almost entirely represented among the natives by French priests. A prominent object with Government was, the breaking down of this ghostly
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power by separating the savage heart from the hold of his religious teacher.
These undisguised efforts to sunder the ties binding the shepherd to his flock became a fruitful source of envyings, jealousies, and irritation.
Says Penhallow, "I asked one of their chief sachems wherefore it was that his people were so much bigoted to the French, considering their traffic with them was not so advantageous as with the English." The savage gravely answered, " that the Friars taught them to pray, but the English never did" ! There was too much truth in this reply. The Indian had met the Englishman only to know him, and to suffer at his hands from his insatiable desire of gain and skill in the subtilities of trade. The Frenchman came to his pagan soul with the knowledge of his faith and of his God, and showed more zeal to gain his confidence and affection than to secure his furs.
The exuberance of a virgin soil, the value of the fisher- ies, the vast resources of mast and spar timber, still strongly attracted the returning tide of population.
DUDLEY'S ADMINISTRATION.
A commission from Queen Anne sent Dudley into Boston harbor, as head of the Government of Massachusetts Bay. The foundations of Fort William Henry remained unbroken. The walls were also entire. The entrenchments were per- fect. Governor Dudley proposed the rebuilding of the Pemaquid fortress. War between France and England had actually been renewed, in consequence of the move- ments of the Pretender.
French priests, emissaries of Rome, became active and zealous fomenters of the strife, and excited, if they did not plan, a fierce border war. The colonial government was not idle. It actively endeavored to counteract the power and defeat the machinations of the French clergy and
.
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Popish missions. But the deep, dark storm-cloud still gathered ; and its distant mutterings waxed louder and louder, as the horizon darkened.
No measures of courtesy, no presents, nor the renewal of treaty obligations could avert the evil. 1703. The whites were not faultless in the agitating causes of the perils of the day. At Penobscot a party of lawless men visited and despoiled the residence of the Baron de Castine, while the Indians began their mischief on the waters of the Kennebec.
But the desolation of former wars had left the ancient dominions of Maine quite a wilderness. The paucity of its inhabitants may have been its best protection ; for excepting a skirmish or two on the Kennebec, no action of interest occurred. Major March, Church, and Col. Walton scoured the country, and kept the enemy in a state of perpetual alarm, driving the savages to seek asylum in the deep inte- rior forests bordering on the St. Lawrence river.
DEATH OF AR-RU-HAWIK-WABEMT.
Col. Walton struck a severe blow at the enemy in Sagadahoc. He had made his bivouac, during a 1710. scout, on one of the islands of the Sagadahoc waters. His camp fires allured a company of savages, who had vis- ited the coast in search of food from the neighboring clam banks. Misled by appearances, the camp fires were taken for a lodge of their tribe. The Indians, approaching the camping grounds, fell into the power of Walton's troops ere their mistake was discovered.
The savages took to flight, but were surrounded, and their retreat cut off. Ar-ru-hawik-wabemt, chief of the Norridgewocks, of undaunted spirit, active, bold, and reso- lute, together with his wife and family became prisoners of Walton. The Indians had eluded all efforts of the scouts to discover their secret places of retreat. When questioned
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as to the hiding places of his braves and friends, the bold chieftain answered not. When menaced with death for his contumacy, " a laugh of contempt" was hiis only reply. He was inflexible, and at once was turned over into the hands of the savage allies of Walton for torture and death. Per- ceiving the perilous extremity to which hier spouse was reduced, the affection of the wife triumphed over her patri- otism ; and to avert the impending fate of her husband, she discovered all she knew. It was, however, too late. The phantom of hope had cruelly mocked her love! Ar-ru- hawik-wabemt was put to the torture, after the approved manner of the savage tastes ; and the blood and aslies of the Norridgewock brave were mingled with the soil, or poured out into the waters of Sagadahoc. m
The condition of the Indians was forlorn in the extreme. Cold, hunger, sickness, the battle-ax and scalping-knife, had wasted one-third 1 part of the aborigines of Maine. The old men had become weary of the war, and anxious for pcace.
FALL OF NOVA SCOTIA.
The inhabitants of New England resolved to make the war offensive as well as defensive. Nova Scotia, as one of the most accessible points of French and Indian aggression, was singled out for conquest. Col. Nicholson, with an ade- quate naval and land force, had invested Port Royal, the capital of Nova Scotia, reduced the place, and captured the French armies ; and with the fall of its capital, Nova Scotia became an English province.
Hostilities between the crowns of England and 1713. France now ceased, and by the Treaty of Utrecht, Oct. 5. Acadia became henceforward a British possession.
1 Penhallow, p. 60.
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RE-SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTRY.
The success of the British arms had its effect on the sav- age mind, and tended to detach it from the interests of the French nation. This result would seem to have been consummated by the Treaty of Portsmouth. July 13. The public mind became assured of unwonted security, which contributed powerfully to the re-population and revival of the desolated homes of the ancient dominions of Maine. Sad was the picture of waste. " More than one hundred miles of sea-coast, once interspersed and adorned with flourishing settlements, improved estates, and comfort- able habitations, 1 now lay devastated." Title deeds, rec- ords, all were burnt or lost ; and so long a time had elapsed since the waste of many places, that the sites of the towns, clearings, and plantations had resumed the aspect of orig- inal solitudes.
To adjust conflicting titles and quiet claimants, Govern- ment created " a Committee of eastern claims and settle- ments." It was recommended in the revival of the wasted towns, that the plan of concentration of population should be adopted. Hence twenty or thirty families were settled on three and four acre lots at the sea-side, with outlands to suit their desires. This village system of re-planting the desolate townships was a most fortunate expedient. Mutual aid, combination of strength for defense and in making pro- vision for public safety, by the erection of strong-holds, " Garrison houses," were all secured thereby. Government dictated the number as well as mode of settlements to be resumed, and designated the localities.
LOCALITIES.
The mouth of Sagadahoc, probably on the Sheepscot
1 Williamson's Hist. vol. ii. p. 81.
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shore, and Arrowsic Island, were the only points permitted to be re-occupied within our domain. John Watts 1714. of Boston, by marriage a grandson of Major Clark, in right of his wife a proprietor of the estate on Arrowsic, removed to this island ; and on the lower part, near a cove, raised a large brick house, and added flank- harts on which he mounted cannon. 1 The material was imported from Massachusetts ; the brick, it is said, from Medford. Land-holders and Government stimulated the return of the inhabitants and the increase of population, by affording facilities for return, and creating inducements thereto, in making provision for a perfect organization of society.
BUILDING OF AUGUSTA.
Georgetown was now resuscitated ; and the new town of Augusta, in the south-western corner of Phipsburg, at " Small Point," laid out. Here a great many fine buildings were erected, with several saw-mills. 2 George the I. had succeeded to the throne, and been proclaimed King of England ; and Samuel Shute and William Dummer were appointed to the Provincial Executive. In the published history of our State, the site of the ancient Augusta of Maine has been mislocated ; and the thrifty and vigorous namesake of our capital, about Small Point Harbor, has been entirely overlooked, and its reminiscences buried under its ruins, now overgrown and nearly lost amid the decay of a century and a half. The ancient town of Augusta " was a project of the Pejepscot proprietors." 3 Lots, sev- enty and one hundred feet wide, were surveyed and laid out, at Small Point Harbor. "A cart way was cut to the Sagadahock, opposite Arrowsic." "Dr. Noyes, one of the
1 Sewall's Hist. Bath. Me. H. Coll. p. 201.
2 Penhallow, p. 82.
3 Bath Tribune, Sept. 4th, 1856. John McKeen, Esq., of Brunswick.
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proprietors, seems to have been the principal director and patron of the settlement ;" 1 and a fishery, it is said, " was established by the ingenious Dr. Noyes, in which twenty vessels were employed at a time." 2 He built a gar- rison of stone at his own charge, the best in the 1716. East ; and which was maintained at the public expense. He also erected a convenient mansion house. Lots, for a church and a place of sepulture for the dead, were set apart for public use. The interest in the resusci- tation of the ancient settlements augmented daily ; and the tide of immigration flowed freely into the long abandoned wastes and wilds.
SPECULATION OF PROPRIETARY ASSOCIATIONS.
Edward Preble had now reared a home on the head of Arrowsic. For near a generation, the Sagadahoc, Pema- quid, and probably Sheepscot plantations had lain a waste, over whose early clearings wild hordes of savage men roamed in free and undisputed sovereignty, but which now " opened a wide field for speculation." 3 The sloop Pejep- scot regularly plied between Boston and the newly erected town at Small Point Harbor. "Vast quantities of pipe staves, boards, plank, and timber were exported to foreign ports as well as to Boston." Agriculture began to thrive, and a large stock of cattle to be raised. The fishery, 4 also, was revived, particularly in sturgeon, near Brunswick, which had been carried on nearly a century before by Thomas Purchase, and " many 5 thousand keggs were cured for export every season." Capt. John Penhallow and Dr. Noyes were residents of the town; and to Mr. Mountfort
1 Bath Tribune, Sept. 4th, 1856. John McKeen, Esq., of Brunswick
2 Penhallow, p. 82.
3 Williamson's Hist. vol. ii. p. 91.
4 J. McKeen, Esq.
5 Penhallow, p. 82.
15
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was set off and assigned within that town two hundred and fifty acres of land " adjoining Dr. Noyes' Harbor 1 Farm."
REBUILDING OF PEMAQUID.
An order was also passed to repair the fort and re-estab- lish the garrison at Pemaquid ; and the ancient dominions of Maine, embracing the whole castern territory, were annexed to the county of which York was the capital, and the ancient Dukedom of the county of Cornwall, the early Devonshire of Massachusetts, all was now merged in the county of " Yorkshire." The curing and export of fish and lumber, the erection and running of saw-mills, gave employ- ment for labor and capital.
EMIGRATION FROM THE WEST. -
The aspect of society was busy and thriftful ; and at this period emigrated from Salem to the margin of the Kenne- bec, the Halls, Jeremiah Springer, Nicholas Rideout, John Owen 2 and others ; and on each side of the road eight rods wide, opened from " Augusta Harbor," at Small Point, now so called, Edmund Mountfort was authorized by the propri- etors to lay out farms of " ninety-five acres each." 3
ANCIENT REMAINS OF PHIPSBURG.
The Augusta of the ancients, embraced within the domain of the modern town of Phipsburg, adorned the margins of Casco Bay, near the mouth of New Meadows river.
Within the same territory, in the extreme east, nestled the first settled town in New England, the ancient "St. George " of Popham's colony, where was laid the first keel and launched the first ship of New England ; and although
1 See Augusta Town Records, MSS.
2 MSS. letter to Noyes, from J. Clark.
3 Records of Town Meeting, Augusta.
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under the accumulated disasters of climate and savage hos- tilities, it sunk where it stood, yet, in a century more, the thriftful Augusta arose in the west, to meet the same fate, and if possible, to sink into deeper oblivion.
" CAMBEL'S CELLAR."
There has been much doubt as to the site of Popham's town. The author, with an intelligent guide, explored the Peninsula of Hunnewell's Point to search for any remains of entrenched and ancient works that might be there found.
Hubbard 1 had written that an ancient mariner, then liv- ing in those parts about Kennebec, heard an old Indian tell the story, that when he was a youth, " there was a fort built about Sagadahoc, the ruins of which were then shown the relator, supposed to be that called St. George, in honor of Capt. George Popham, the President of the Company sent over in 1607." The ruins of Popham's town were trace- able then, seventy years after the fort had been destroyed. Popham's people begun " by entrenching and making a fort and building a store house." On the margins of Atkins Bay, west side of the Peninsula of Hunnewell's Point, at the mouth of the river of Kennebec, in a swamp land sur- rounded by young cedars, a mile or more from and in the line of " Horseketch Point," so called from its having been a catching place for the horses of the settlers, gone wild in the neighboring marshes in ancient time, the author discov- ered and traced the outlines of an ancient earth-work, enclosing a rectangular excavation fifty by forty feet. The outlines indicated that the place had been entrenched accord- ing to the forms of ancient Spanish strategic arts, being surrounded with a ditch, its entrance protected by a circular bastion, and having a covered way to the water, where was a living fountain at the shore-side. Tradition of the neigh-
1 Hubbard's Indian Wars, p. 75.
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borhood gives no definite and settled explanation of this extraordinary and ancient ruin, some calling it the remains of the house of the " Old Indian-killer, Hunnewell," and others calling it " Cambel's cellar," about either of whom nothing is known.
A more intelligent aged resident 1 during early boyhood had the place shown to him by the aged people of that day as " the spot where the Indians had been persuaded to draw a cannon by its drag ropes, which was fired off by the Eng- lish, and killed many of them," and another, 2 eighty-six years of age, who had always been acquainted with the locality, said it was a strange place when he first saw it, having a covered way to the water, and surrounded with embankments, and that the old people of his childhood called it " Geo. Popham's Fort ; ", and he had always heard of and known it as such. A sketch of the outline remains is given ; the encircling ditch being two hundred and thirty- five feet.
RESTLESSNESS OF THE NATIVES.
The rapid influx of white population to re-occupy 1717. the early clearings in a region so long depopulated ;
the revivified towns, phoenix-like, fresh and thriftful springing up on every side from the ashes of a former gen- eration ; the forts and improvements of civilized life-ex- cited the fears and roused the slumbering jealousies of the natives.
Moreover a foreign, insidious, and designing foe to Prot- estantism and the English race, moved by rancorous national and religious antipathies, the priesthood of Rome, became an element of fearful activity in the hearts of the savage hordes of Maine.
1 Dea. Hutchins of Phipsburg.
2 Greenlaw.
E
N46S
W
3
2
2
A
B
OUTLINES OF AN EARTHWORK ON EAST MARGINS OF ATKINS BAY, SUPPOSED LOCATION OF POPHAM'S FORT ST. GEORGE, MOUTH OF KENNEBEC, 1607.
No. 1. Bastion on north side.
No. 2. Outlines of Ditch.
No. 3. Central excavations of the enclosed work.
No. 4. Traces of covered way to the water.
No. 5. Traces of the drain.
A. Space between drain and covered way, sloping towards the shore.
B. Shores of Atkins Bay.
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"French missionaries eagerly inflamed the prejudices of the savages, by telling them the English 1 had invaded their rights."
Added to these exciting circumstances, piracy again dis- turbed our waters. Favorite and secure retreats were found by these freebooters within the deep bays and creeks of our unfrequented shores.
PIRATE SHIP WIDAH.
Bellamy of the Widah, six of whose crew were taken and hung in Boston, " excited general and anxious 2 concern." Bellamy began his career with one confederate and two sloop-rigged vessels. From an unsuccessful search for the wrecked hulk of a Spanish ship, he turned to piracy. The galley-built ship Widah, Capt. Prince, homeward bound with a cargo of gold dust, elephants' teeth, and costly mer- chandise from India, was made the first prize. This ship was manned with one hundred and fifty men, and mounted with heavy guns, and at once put on the track of trade. On their cruise in the Gulf, a terrific storm overtook and
almost submerged them. It was a Gulf tempest. The heavens lowered and flashed, while the storm-tossed deep reflected the vivid lightnings through a darkness that might be felt, accompanied by the most awfully crashing thunder.
BLASPHEMY OF BELLAMY.
In presumptuous defiance of Him whose voice the thun- der was, Bellamy shouted-" that the gods were at their cups ;" and added that he was sorry he could not run out his guns to answer back their thunder, by giving a salute" ! The ship survived the tempest only to be tossed on the shoals and buried in the sands of Cape Cod.
1 Williamson, vol. ii. p. 92.
2 Annals of Salem, p. 364.
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BELLAMY AT MECHISSES.
When off this point, a vessel laden with wines was cap- tured. The sea-rover then put away for the coasts of Maine, touched near Pemaquid in search of a harbor of refuge, till reaching the " Me-chisses River," up which they ascend- ed some two and a half miles, where the Widah and her prize were moored by the shore. Huts were here con- structed, the captives from the prize ship were landed, and fortified works erected. By excavating the earth and roof- ing it over, a magazine was formed, to which the powder was removed by the prisoners, who were driven like slaves to their task. The ship's guns were landed and mounted. Here the " Widah" was careened, cleaned, and refitted for a cruise. After putting to sea again, she encountered a French ship of war of thirty-six guns ; and during a run- ning fight of two hours, the Widah, shattered and torn, with difficulty escaped.
.
SHIPWRECK AND DEATH OF BELLAMY.
In the flight, Bellamy espied a Boston bound vessel, of which he made a prize ; and ordering her captain to lead the way with a light by which the Widah should make her course, the ship's company gave themselves up to their cups, and the Boston skipper purposely ran his vessel among the shoals and sands of Cape Cod, while the pirate ship, follow- ing recklessly in her track, was decoyed among the break- ers, and precipitated upon the sand reefs, where she struck and was lost.
GEORGETOWN INCORPORATED.
But while such perils of the sea were dissipating in the West, more terrible dangers were gathering in the East. The ancient plantations were not yet entirely revived. At " Long Reach," the site of Bath, a Mr. Elkins 1 had erected
1 Sewall's Bath.
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a house, and Joseph Heath was his neighbor above ; and the territory now embracing Bath, Woolwich, and a section of Phipsburg was incorporated as Georgetown. The only dwelling houses on Arrowsic were those of the Watts ham- let and that of Mr. Preble on the upper end of the island opposite " Long Reach."
The dangers of savage hostilities increased. Government endeavored to allay the excitement by winning the confi- dence of the Indians, quieting their fears, and undermining their prejudices.
A conference was held. The aid of religious instruction and the power of the book of God was invoked.
CONFERENCE AT GEORGETOWN.
His Majesty's ship, the Squirrel, bearing his Excellency the Governor of Massachusetts and his 1717. suite, sailed from Boston and anchored off the Aug. 9. lower end of Arrowsic, in the lower waters of Sag- adahoc, within the cove at the head of which Mr. Watts had erected his new brick house. Eight sagamores and chief- tains, headed by Moxus and Bomaseen, with many of their tribes, had gathered on a neighboring island, called " Pud- dlestone," ( Padishall's ?) A vast tent was spread near the mansion of Mr. Watts, and the British flag hoisted, beneath which the conference was to be held.
A fleet of canoes, headed by one bearing the flag of Great Britain, at the appointed hour crossed over to the place of conference. Capt. John Gyles and Samuel Jordan had been designated as interpreters, and were publicly sworn by his Honor, Samuel Sewall, Esq., one of the Supreme Judges of the Province. Saluting the chiefs, and announcing the object of the interview, " holding up a Bible, the Governor said that the great and only rule of life, faith, and worship is in this book, which is the word of God. This contains our holy religion, and we would gladly have you of the
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same religion with us ; therefore, we have agreed to be at the charge of a Protestant Missionary among you, who will reside here or hereabouts."
RESPONSE OF WI-WUR-NA.
Wi-wur-na, a chieftain of the Kennebecks, then rose and replied that "he was to speak in the name of his people :- but would not be ready to answer his Excellency before to-morrow." An ox was given to the savages for dinner, and the conference adjourned. On the morrow the conference was resumed. Wi-wur-na appeared and said, -" We have considered what his Excellency said yesterday, and we speak first for love and unity," which his people admired and believed to be pleasing to God ; and hoped his Excellency would endeavor to realize it. The Governor assured it, " if they were obedient to King George." Wiwurna answered, " We will be very obedient to the King, if we like his offers and if we are not molested in the improvement of our lands " ! "This place was formerly settled and is now set- tling at our request. We will embrace the English in our bosoms that come to settle on our lands." "They must not call it their land," retorted the Governor. Wiwurna re- sumed, -" We pray leave to proceed in our answer. We desire no further settlements be made. We shall not be able to hold them all in our bosom and to shelter them if bad weather and mischief be threatened. All people love their ministers ; and it would be strange if we should not love them that come from God. As to Bibles, we desire to be excused. God has given us teaching already." The sav- ages then adroitly turned the conversation by adding, "we were sick yesterday to see the man-of-war ashore-so faint we could not speak out with strength. We are now glad the ship is well-shall be very glad when we have con- cluded, that your Excellency may have good winds and weather-get safe down the river and home."
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