USA > Maine > Knox County > Warren > Annals of the town of Warren; with the Early History of St. George's, Broad Bay and the Neighboring Settlements on the Waldo patent > Part 16
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what was going on, he joined the party at a moment's notice, and was stationed in the hold to fasten the slings upon the tea-chests ; thus giving an early intimation of the part he was to take in the approaching contest .*
1774. Disgusted with this, and similar acts of opposition, and despairing of the title of nobility, to which he aspired as the reward of his subserviency to the ministry, Gov. Hutchin- son, in June, 1774, left his native colony for England, and never-more returned. Gen. Thomas Gage, who had many years been commander-in-chief of the troops in this country, was appointed Governor, and, in connexion with the forces already stationed at Boston, assumed the attitude of a military despot rather than that of a civil magistrate. Opposition to his administration continued to increase until the 17th of June, when learning that the House of Representatives had by a vote nearly unanimous, determined to choose five dele- gates to meet in Congress at Philadelphia, he sent the Secre-
tary to dissolve the assembly. Apprehensive of this, the House ordered the door to be locked ; and, as they proceeded in the choice, the proclamation for dissolving the General Court was read by the Secretary on the stairs; and Gov. Gage and the Legislature never met afterwards.
But the gloom which hung over the political horizon did not prevent the stream of private sorrow from flowing in its accustomed channel. In July of this year, its current was swelled by a number of deaths in the upper plantation, occur- ring about the same time, and some of them under the most painful circumstances. Four corpses lay awaiting sepulture at the same time. Of these, Mrs. Sumner an elderly lady, and one other person not now remembered, died a natural death. William James fell from a wheeling plank and was drowned in the river. Anna Young, belonging to the lower town, but employed in the family of Mr. Boggs, while en- gaged in washing at the shore, was requested to set two women across the river ; and on her return fell from the float, and perished before any assistance could arrive. It is re- markable, that, in a dream of the preceding night which she related in the morning, the whole occurrence was foreshadow- ed to her mind with all its attending circumstances, even to the particular individuals by whom the corpse was found.
1775. On the 4th September, delegates from eleven colones met in a second general Congress at Philadelphia,
* Col. B. Burton. Thom. Reg., July 4, 1831. 13*
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published a declaration of rights, and adopted such other measures of determined opposition to British pretensions as showed plainly that a crisis was approaching, and arms alone could decide the controversy. Preparations were accordingly made on both sides, the British to enforce their authority, the Americans to defend their rights ; all remained in anx- ious suspense until the 19th of April, 1775, when the first scene of the great drama was opened at Lexington.
The eastern people had not been behind their western neighbors in their opposition to British encroachments, nor free from the evils which resulted. Care had been taken to fill with decided whigs the offices of selectmen and planta- tion committees. The closing of the port of Boston, inter- rupting supplies, had caused a scarcity of provisions, though the preceding season was fine .* Capt. Mowett, commander of a British sloop of war, after giving the people of Falmouth a specimen of arbitrary power, proceeded to Penobscot and dismantled Fort Pownal, interrupting the peaceable trade which had there been carried on with the Indians. Fears of Indian hostilities were consequently excited, and these were increased by rumors of an invading army from Canada.
How these rumors, and the conduct of the commander of Fort Pownal, affected the people at St. George's, may be gathered from the following letter. " To the Selectmen of St. George's. Ft. Pownal, May 8, 1775. Gent'n. On the 27th of last month about 20 arm'd men arrived here from St. George's, who came in the name and as a Committee from the people of St. George's and others who they said had assembled there to the amount of 250 men, and this party in their name demanded of me the reasons of my delivering the Cannon, &c., belonging to this Fort to the King's forces. I told them I tho't their request reasonable and that I would give them all the satisfaction they desired in this matter and immediately left them. I went into the Fort and got the Gov- ernor's letter to me and it was read to them. I then inform'd them that this was the King's fort and built at his expence :
The winter of 1774-5 was remarkable for its mildness. In the Journal of the Rev. Thomas Smith of Falmouth, are the following entries : " Jan. 23, 1775, very moderate weather ; 27th, a summer day ; 28th, wonderful weather. Feb. 7th, there has been no snow and little rain since the 29th of Dec .; we saw two robins ; 11th, warm day; 18th, cold ; 20th, snow, incomparable sledding ; 21st, a summer day ; 23d, a great snow storm. March 7th, the frost seems out of the ground in the streets ; 28th, it has been a wonder of a winter; so moderate and unfreezing."
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that the Governor was commander-in-chief of it, that I could not refuse obeying his orders, that I was ready to make oath that I had no intimation of this matter until Mr. Graves who commanded this expedition, shew'd me the Governor's order within ten minutes after his vessels came to an anchor here ; and that in case it had been in my power to have re- sisted this order I should not have tho't it expedient to have done it, as the inevitable consequence of such resistance would have been the Total Ruin of this River; being that a small naval force at the mouth of it could entirely stop the provision vessels and coasters and must soon have broke up the River. Upon my representing these facts and reasoning in this manner, Capt. Gragg and his party appeared to be satisfied. He then told me that they had intelligence that the Canadians and Indians were coming down upon us ; that the arm'd vessels that went from hence had kill'd the people's cattle at Townsend, and they expected to meet with the same fate at St. George's ; and that among all the people that were assembled there, they hadn't ten charges of ammunition and were very scant of arms ; and that one part of their orders was to desire and demand of me a part of ours. I informed them the true condition of the Fort and the scarcity of am- munition upon this river ; still they persisted in their request. I sometime after told the Serjent he must see what there was and let them have what could be spar'd upon such an emer- gency ; and he accordingly delivered them 7 muskets, 10 lbs. Powder, and 24lbs. Ball, for which Messrs. Sam'l Gragg, Rob. McIntyer, and Benj. Burton gave a receipt as a Com- mittce from St. George's. Now, Gent'n, as it appears that this alarm was premature and that as these people came as they declared with authority from your town, I hope you'l in- terfere in it and see that the arms and ammunition are re- turned to the fort and especially too, as it now is declared and known to be true that this river is barer of arms and ammunition than you are at St. George's. I shall inclose a copy of the Governor's letter to me for your satisfaction. I beg the favor of you to communicate this letter together with the votes pass'd upon this river, (which will be delivered you by a committee sent on purpose) to your town that they may have opportunity to act in it as they judge expedient.
I am, &c., Tho. Goldthwait."* The leader of the party alluded to in the above letter,
* Original letter in possession of Mr. Alex. Brown of Thomaston.
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Samuel Gregg, son of one of the first settlers in the upper town, was an active, merry-hearted, frolic-loving, master of a coaster, who, a few years before this period, had cast away one of McLean's vessels, and, from neglect in entering a protest, experienced some difficulty, and, as he thought, much injustice in settling with him. Being now out of regular em- ployment, he warmly engaged in the cause of the revolution, and raised a company of minute men, which, however, ex- cept on this and some other similar occasions was not called into actual service. On the 19th of Sept. following, a few of his men were for a time employed, probably in enforcing the regulations respecting coasters, and were billeted as fol- lows ; in the lower town at George Young's, 2 men, at Hanse Robinson's, 5 men ; in the upper town at William Watson's, 2 men, and at Samuel Creighton's, 2 men.
To the settlers at St. George's, the prospect of political affairs presented a different appearance according to the different positions from which it was viewed. Most of the old settlers, who had identified themselves with the colonies, had participated in the sacrifices made, and glorious deeds achieved in the preceding wars, and knew something of their prowess and ability to defend themselves, were ready to enter upon the contest with all the zeal of persons defending their firesides and homes. But some of those who came from Scotland at a later period and had formed few acquaintances beyond the narrow settlement on the river, still regarded their mother country with the most filial affection, and shrank from any attempt to sever the connexion between them and the land which they still called their home. There were their fathers, mothers, brethren and sisters. There was all they had been accustomed to admire as great, to cherish as dear, to reverence as sacred. The contest seemed to them not only unnatural, but desperate. In the history of their own country, they had seen how irresistible was the power of England ; as Protestants they had gloried in the triumph of the present dynasty over the Catholic pretender ; how could they now consent to weaken that dynasty by a domestic feud, or believe that a few scattered settlements in the wilderness could successfully resist the power which had long prevailed over the land of their birth, and recently bid defiance to the world ? They generally discouraged the attempt, and pre- dicted its failure. Few of them went any farther than this. Kirkpatrick was a zealous friend to the revolution in every stage of its progress; several of the young men of the An- derson, Malcolm, and Dicke families, were among the recruits
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enlisted for the defence of Machias in 1776; and, could impatient patriotism have been willing to wait, the lagging rear, perhaps, might have been brought up to the front rank of public opinion.
Not at all discouraged by the aspect of the times, the Lermonds this year, 1775, commenced shipbuilding, the third attempt of the kind in the place, and launched the 'Dol- phin,' at Oyster River, a coaster which ran successfully four years, and was then cast away. As the political troubles of the country increased, the courts of law were interrupted and the emoluments of office became uncertain. In conse- quence perhaps of this, Moses Copeland, having the preced- ing year resigned the office of deputy sheriff, this year devoted himself to farming .*
The attention of the Provincial Congress, which had now taken the place of the charter government, was called to the distress prevailing in these eastern settlements, by petitions from Fox Islands, Machias, Waldoboro', and other places, which represented that there prevailed a great scarcity of provisions, as well as arms and ammunition, in consequence of which the inhabitants were exposed to depredations from the enemy ; and some, according to report, had actually perished for want of bread. To relieve these distresses, the Congress recommended the committee of safety of Newburyport to exchange two or three hundred bushels of corn for fuel and lumber at moderate prices ; and a part of one of the regiments which had been enlisted in Maine was put under the command of Col. Freeman of Falmouth, to be stationed " on the seaboard, in the counties of Cumberland and Lincoln, as he and Gen. Preble of the same place, and Major Mason Wheaton of St. George's river, should appoint."+
There were some other circumstances, about this time, that had an encouraging influence upon the eastern people. Besides the news of the glorious affair at Bunker Hill on the 17th of June, the fall of plentiful showers changed the withering aspect of nature, and opened a prospect of good crops. The long desired arrival of corn and flour, too, administered abundantly to the necessities of the people ; and intercourse between place and place was encouraged. Yet the inhabited Islands, and the smaller settlements, were frequently severe sufferers from the plunder and abuse of the enemy. Many recruits from the western counties,
* A. Lermond. M. Copeland's MS.
+ 2 Will. His. p. 428.
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and some from the more eastern settlements, had enlisted and joined the army at Cambridge, among whom was William Robinson, David Kelloch, and David Brown, of the upper St. George's, with many others from the lower .*
The General Court, which, in July, was again organized according to the provisions of the charter, enacted that all appointments and commissions, which were made prior to the present session, should on the 19th of Sept. be null and of no effect. In consequence of this measure, new officers both civil and military were appointed. Those of the county of Lincoln were Wm. Lithgow of Georgetown, Aaron Hinkley of Brunswick, Thomas Rice of Wiscasset, and James Mc- Cobb of Georgetown, Judges ; Jonathan Bowman of Pownal- borough, Judge of Probate; and Charles Cushing of the same place, Sheriff. Mr. Fales of St. George's, who, as Fluker's agent, was supposed to have a leaning towards the side espoused by his employer, was reported to have exer- cised the duties of his office as a justice of the peace, after his commission had been thus annulled by the General Court. A paper designed as a test to try men's principles, probably a declaration of allegiance to the Provincial Government, or something of that kind, had been sent to Capt. McIntyre ; but he declined to make any use of it. Not so Alexander Kel- loch. He took the paper, and, with Capt. Gregg, collected a party, and, assaulting the house of Justice Fales, offered him the alternative of signing the paper or riding a rail. He chose neither, and remained inflexible. His wife attempted to appease the mob by means of a pailful of flip ; and the sons of the justice offering to be sureties for their father's conduct, they dispersed without farther action.
Hitherto, as before remarked, this place had been destitute of any stated preaching since the death of the Rev. Mr. Rutherford. But now, 1775, the Rev. John Urquhart, who the preceding year came to this country from Scotland, was employed to preach alternately in the upper and lower towns.
As these places were unincorporated, a contract was made with the citizens of each in their individual capacity. The conditions agreed upon were, that Mr. Urquhart should have a settlement of £100, and an annual salary of &80, to be paid one half by the upper, and the other by the lower town. On behalf of the upper town, the contract was signed by Boice Cooper, David Kelloch, Robert Montgomery, Alex. Kelloch, John McIntyre, William Boggs, Samuel Creighton,
* Williamson. M. Robinson.
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Hopestill Sumner, David Creighton, Wm. Robinson, John Spear, John Miller, James Anderson, John Kirkpatrick, Sam- uel Boggs, Joseph Copeland, John Watts, John Crawford, Jr., Archibald Anderson, Archibald Anderson, Jr., Thomas Star- rett, John Lermond, Alex. Lermond, Daniel Rokes, Stephen Peabody, Patrick Pebbles, Reuben Hall, Samuel Counce, Ezra Sumner, Alex. Lermond, Jr. and Samuel Gregg ; and they were to pay in proportion to their several abilities .*
The coming of Mr. Urquhart was peculiarly agreeable to the Scottish settlers ; who had been so disappointed in their ex- pectations, and so dissatisfied with the country, that any thing connected with their native land was doubly dear to them. Even the thistle, when by accident some stray seed had taken root among them, troublesome as it was known to be, was hailed with joy, because it had grown in Scotland. It was not therefore to be wondered at, that the same dialect, tone, and manner, to which they had listened in childhood, should awaken the most thrilling emotions and in some measure atone for the want of more substantial qualities.
The Irish and later emigrants, if not equally enthusiastic for the candidate, were rejoiced at the prospect of constant preaching ; and, as his politics corresponded with their own, it was resolved to employ him. Some wished to postpone his ordination and hire him a while first ; but he was urgent to be settled, and offered as one reason, that his wife, whom he left in Scotland, would then know whither to direct her letters. At what time, and under what auspices, he was ordained, is now difficult to be ascertained ; as no record of it is to be found. According to tradition, the sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Emerson of Georgetown, who again repeated the same discourse at the ordination of Rev. Mr. Riddel at Bris- tol in 1796. After the incorporation of Warren, the town, by voting him a year's salary of &£40, informally adopted Mr. Urquhart as its minister, though no contract to that effect was ever entered into. At the same time it was voted " not to pay him the settlement money ;" perhaps because it had been partly paid by the individual contractors. He appears to have gathered a church in each of the two towns, of which Crawford and Miller were the deacons in the upper, and Mc- Kellar and Joseph Robinson in the lower. His meetings were well attended, people coming on foot through the woods or from up and down the river in boats, the only pleasure car- riages of the time. The singing was performed a line at a
* Court Records, Lincoln Co. Greenleaf's Eccl. Sketches.
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time, as read by Moses Copeland, the tune set by Capt. Mc- Intyre, and sung, not by a separate choir, but by the congre- gation promiscuously. Boice Cooper used to act as tithing- man to keep the boys and dogs in order ; in doing which he frequently made more noise than he suppressed .*
Mr. Urquhart visited the people, catechised the children, and maintained a rigid church discipline. In the last of these duties, he was sometimes, perhaps in accordance with the times, extremely indelicate and rude. Great reverence was paid him in his parochial visits ; but his person was ungainly, his manners awkward, and his conversation not very agree- able, especially to the young. But these were small matters in a minister ; and as long as his character remained unques- tioned, the national prejudices of the Scotch, the politics of the Irish, and the love of order in the western emigrants, con- spired to palliate his defects, and to sustain him in his popu- larity. After the battle of Bunker Hill, a kind of politico religious meeting was held, at which, from the text, " behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth," he preached a warm, patriotic discourse, as acceptable to one part of his hearers as distasteful to others. At length so obtrusive did his politics become, that some of his hearers in the lower town began to absent themselves from church. Observing this, he called upon Malcolm and McCarter, and inquired why they " dinna come to meeting ?" " Oh," said they, " we dinna like yer doctrine." " And pray, what fault do you find with my doc- trine ?" " Oh, ye're all for war and bloodshed, war and bloodshed." " Ah well," said he, come to my meeting, and I'll preach such doctrine as will suit ye." This apparent readiness to sacrifice principle to popularity, had no tendency to raise him in their estimation ; but, sustained by the majority, his influence for the present remained unimpaired.+
How matters were managed on this river in the absence of legal authority, during the interval between that of the Royal government and the resumption of that of the Pro- vince in its own name, may be judged of by the following extracts. "At a town meeting of the Inhabitants of a place called St. George's, held at the dwellinghouse of Mr. Micah Packard on Tuesday, June the 6th, 1775. Chose Mr. Mason Wheaton, moderator, and Mr. John Shibles, clerk. Chose also as a committee of correspondence, Mason Wheaton, Haunce Robinson, George Young, William Watson, Samuel
* Town Records. Rev. J. Huse. T. Kirkpatrick. D. Dicke, &c. + N. Libbey. D. Dicke. T. Kirkpatrick, &c.
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Creighton, Moses Robinson, Thomas Starrett, Jonathan Nut- ting and Elisha Snow."
" June 10. The committee met and chose Capt. Jonathan Nutting chairman. Ordered, that the money collected as a county tax, be laid out in powder, lead, and other warlike stores. Ordered, that the powder be divided on Wednesday, 14th June, at the house of Capt. J. Nutting, and that Mr. Mason Wheaton be appointed to write to the Provincial Con- gress, and for Mr. Tho. Starrett to receive the drum and colors. Ordered also, that Mr. Dunbar Henderson receive 3lbs. of powder, Mr. Geo. McCobb 1}lbs. and Mr. Benjamin Burton lglbs. of powder for alarming the inhabitants in Case there should be need.
" June 13th, the committee met at the house of Capt. J. Nutting. Ord'd, that Capt. Atwood sail for the port of Salem and to make report to the committee according to his agree- ment with them, and that this committee oblige themselves to repay what money they shall receive of John Shibles, (who was the collector of the county tax) when it shall be demand- ed of him by the county, and that Capt. Haunce Robinson, Capt. J. Nutting and Mr. Moses Robinson, receive 11lbs. powder, each, Mr. Geo. Young, 10glbs., Capt. Thomas Star- rett, 14lbs., Mr. Samuel Creighton, 14lbs., Mr. Wm. * * * 7lbs., Mr. Elisha Snow, 7lbs., Capt. M. Wheaton * * * * powder, for the defence of the inhabitants. Ord'd, that any person want- ing to hire marsh or meadow belonging to the heirs of the late Brig. Waldo, apply to Capt. M. Wheaton for the same and for him to return the hire to the committee. Ord'd, that any vessel coming into the harbor supposed to be of the Tory party, that one or more of the committee take a suffi- cient party and go on board such vessel and enquire into the affair, and that any person that shall disobey his officer's orders, or shall make parties against the committee or their orders, shall be deemed as Torys, and that no mobs or par- ties joyn to go on board any vessel or vessels within our boundaries, or do any unlawful action, without leave of the committee.
" June 22, 1775. Copy of a Letter Sent by this Com'tee to Capt. Jona. Nutting at Campden. Sir, we are Informed that your vessel is a going to Halifax, which creates a great uneasiness and as the greatest Part of the Com'tee are met we thought proper to acquaint you of it and Desire you to Come and do something about it, before the vessel goes, for fear your Interest should suffer Damage and your Name be 14
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returned to * * Congress. Per order, J. Shibles, clerk." To this, one of the parties concerned, wrote back, " we assure you that we have not broke over one of the Congress Resolves in any thing. Sir, the Committee are to meet for Campden next Monday and if they have any objection I am willing to com- ply with it," &c.
" From the Com'tee of St. George's to the Com'tee of Salem. Gent'n. Capt. Atwood loaded with Cordwood from this place, Bound for Boston as we suspect, we thought proper to stop, and brought said Capt. under obligation to put into the Port of Salem and get directions from you, and pray you to send us a letter back by the said Capt. Atwood of your proceedings, &c. St. George's, June 3, 1775."
" At a meeting Heald at the House of Micah Packard, Munday ye 10 of July, 1775. * that Mr. Elisha Snow, chear- man. Voated that Mason Wheaton be accountable for what Reents is Due for Mr. Flukers and the heirs of the leat Brig. Waldo's Farm which he now enjoys. Voated that Capt.
McIntyer is not adspcted as a Tory. Voated that Mr Orquarts leater be recorded and sent to the Congrass. Voated that Capt. Saml. Graags going to Penobscot With a number of men and Bringing away Some arms and Ammu- nition from Fort Pownal, for which they gave their Receipt for the Seame to Col. Goldthwait, for which the Committee of St. Georges Condescend to. J. Shibles, clerk."
" St. Georges, July 3, 1775. For Expences To conduct the prisoner taken at Machias which dined at the house of Mr. M. Packard. Old Tenor £4 10s.
" At a meeting Heald at the House of Mr M. Packard on Mounday July ye 17, 1775. Chose Wm. Watson Chearman - voted that No answer be returned to Mr Winslows Leator from Long Island, dated July 16, "75, to the Com'tee of St. Georges, - that Capt. M. Wheaton, Mr. Saml. Creighton, and Mr Moses Robinson go as a Com'tee and * Com'tee of Campden to go and inquire * affears of Long Island and make report, &c.
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