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 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
Miller was not the only one of the Nova Scotia refugees who stopped in this vicinity. Besides Atwood Fales and D. Jenks, who settled in Thomaston, John Paskiel, also of Coveket, was, for his attachment to the cause of freedom, and refusal to take the oath, confined in prison on Prince Edward's Island ; from which, with the aid of three companions, he made his escape, and, seizing the first canoe he came across, made his way from point to point round the whole peninsula, subsisting on such food as he could venture to beg at the scattered houses on the coast; and so proceeded westward till he arrived at Ash Point in Thomaston. There, he hired out with a Mr. Heard for a few years, then went into the ser- vice as boatman under Gen. Wadsworth, and afterwards set- tled in Warren, on the farm still owned by his son, John M. Paskiel.
But the surrender of Burgoyne, which happened on the 17th of Oct. 1777, suddenly broke through the gloom which hung over the land, and diffused in its place the light of joy and encouragement.
1778. At the annual meeting in 1778, which was this year held on the eastern side of the river at the house of Thomas Starrett, most of the former officers were re-elected. Hopestill Sumner was chosen constable; John Watts, Samuel Counce, and Nathan Buckland, committee of safety ; Robert
* J. Miller, Esq.
15
170
ANNALS OF WARREN.
Montgomery, fence viewer, in the room of Boice Cooper, who, together with Moses Copeland and John Dicke, were chosen surveyors of highways ; and Daniel Rokes, hog-reave. Rokes came from Milton about 1764, being then thirty-five years old, and, after hiring out a year or two with Oliver Rob- bins of Mill River, and then with Dr. Locke, married the daugh- ter of the latter. He then resided near Oyster River, a part of the time near where George Lermond now lives, and a part of the time on the Giffen lot, cultivating the land on shares, and working out for other people. He, this year, took John Lermond's relinquished farm, No. 4, and carried it on for the seven succeeding years.
But in addition to the officers of the preceding year, a number of others were now added, which throw some light upon the advancement the settlement had made. Wm. Watson was chosen sealer of leather ; David Kelloch, culler of staves; Hatevil Libbey, surveyor of boards and shingles ; and Wm. Boggs, Joseph Copeland, and John Crawford, a committee to regulate the fishery. From this it would seem that some progress had been made in tanning ; but as stavcs and not hoops are mentioned, it is probable that the manufac- ture of casks was as yet small. The fishery had been a subject of importance from the first settlement of the river, as, in addition to shad and alewives, there was then a fine run of salmon. These were caught in seines in various places in the river, particularly at McLean's Point ; but the alewives were taken in dip-nets at the upper falls. Boats came up from all parts of the river to the head of the tide, to which place the fish were brought down by hand. There was no fishing ground at the lower falls until after the erection of the mill-dam. The fishery was, at this time, regulated by the general law upon that subject, and continued to be so till 1802.
It was also voted, this year, " that the polls work one day on the roads and the estates in proportion," - a mode of raising a highway tax, which, with few exceptions, continued down to a very recent period. It was also voted " to raise £30 for a town stock." It is not known on whose motion this some- what ambiguous phraseology was adopted, but this too, has been continued down, we believe, to the present time, with the exception of the school-tax, which, since 1795, has been determined by a separate vote.
This sum of £30, or $100, sounds small for one year's expenses of a town ; but it will appear still smaller when the depreciation of the currency is taken into the account. This
171
ANNALS OF WARREN.
is stated by Williamson to be, at this time, as $30 of paper for one of specie. According to a scale of depreciation used in the Treasurer's Office, it was in September of this year as four to one. It was, probably, different in different places, according to the amount of foreign trade carried on, in the prosecution of which, specie was absolutely necessary. In places like this, where there was little but barter trade, and scarcely any call for specie, it was easy for patriotism, by off- setting the price of one thing against another, to keep up the nominal value of the bills much longer than in more commer- cial towns. This different and rapidly declining value, ren- dered a tax, payable in specific articles of clothing and provis- ions, the only sure means of obtaining the requisite supplies for the public exigencies. This was accordingly resorted to, and, to raise the amount required of it, the town voted in April, " that there be given $6 for a shirt, $6 for a pair of stockings, and $7 for a pair of shoes." But articles of clothing were not the only burdens, the town was called upon to bear. A quota of men for the army was also required, and, at a meeting in July, the town voted that such men be hired by the town, and the money for that purpose be assessed on the inhabitants. Capt. Starrett, and Lieutenants Libbey and Kelloch, were made a committee for hiring them. The number at this time re- quired of the town, was only two, out of the 2000 raised by the State .*
The compensation of the selectmen was, by a vote of the town, fixed at $2 a day. This sum, according to the true depreciation, would have been worth less than seven cents in specie ; yet, as it went to offset their portion of the town tax, estimated in the same ratio, it answered their purpose as well as if it had been set at $15, and the tax raised in proportion.
At a meeting in May, the town " voted against the form of Government." This vote, so baldly recorded, refers to a State constitution, which had been reported by a committee the preceding year, and was now submitted to the people and rejected. Whether the question was to be decided by majorities of towns acting in their corporate capacity, or whether there was not information enough in the meeting to see the necessity of returning the yeas and nays, is uncertain. It would not be at all strange if the latter were the case; as a neighboring town, some time after this, once voted " that John Hancock be Governor."
In September, a law was passed by which the estates of
* Mass. Records, &c.
172
ANNALS OF WARREN.
three hundred and ten persons by name, late inhabitants of the State, were all confiscated. Among these were Francis Waldo of Falmouth and Thomas Fluker of Boston, heirs of Gen. Waldo, and principal proprietors of the Waldo patent. As these persons had retired to the enemy, they were called ' absentees ;' and the several Judges of Probate were author- ized to appoint agents to administer upon their estates, as if the late possessors were in fact dead. By this act and their previous absence, the proprietors were unable to give valid titles to lands within the patent, now regarded by the people here as forfeited, and on the same footing as other public. lands. This was an additional inducement to the practice of squatting, as it was called, or settling on lands without a title ; which extensively prevailed for many years. Fluker seems to have lived not many years after this, as, in 1784, he is styled " an absentee, lately deceased." Francis Waldo, also, died in June of the year last mentioned. His brother, Col. Samuel Waldo, had died in Falmouth, as early as 1770, leaving, among several children, one son of the same name.
The three counties of York, Cumberland, and Lincoln, being this year erected by Congress into a maritime district, called " the District of Maine," that name was, for the first time, extended over the territory here.
The interest of public affairs, and the stirring events of the times, did not divert the attention of the people of Warren from what was passing among themselves. The character of their minister, who had now built a house and was living on the lot given to the first settled minister, began more and more to develope itself. At first, he was earnest to get settled, that his wife might know where to find him ; then, he was eager to have the town incorporated, that his salary, before depending on a voluntary subscription, might be raised by tax, and con- stitute a legal claim on the people. His zeal in the cause of American independence, appeared warmer than was perfectly natural in one so recently from the mother country. And when all these desires were gratified, his affection for his wife seemed suddenly to have abated. He remarked to some of the ladies that he was sorry he had married in Scotland - thought he could suit himself better here, and made use of other sinister expressions. At a wedding at Deacon Crawford's- an occasion which, in those days, brought every body together - he told one of the young ladies " not to be in a hurry about getting married, that he expected soon to receive a letter with a black seal, that a meenister's leddy was thought a great deal of in Scotland,"- no equivocal intimations.
173
ANNALS OF WARREN.
To this girl's mother, he afterwards repeated this expectation of a letter with the news of his wife's death. On her inquir- ing the reason, " Oh," said he, " I have had bad dreams ; I dreem't the soles of my shoes came off." " But," said she, " you have other relatives ; your dream may refer to some of them." " Hah !" said he, " I am sure it's my wife, I dreem't one of my teeth fell out." Receiving no encouragement in this quarter, he began to turn his attention to another. A daughter of Capt. McIntyre was then courted by Isaac Wyllie of the lower town, a smart young man, afterwards commander of a coaster. Urquhart, by injurious insinuations against him, so worked upon the minds of her parents as to break up the match. The next step was, to exhibit the letter with the black seal. This was shown to a few persons; the parson appeared in deep mourning, and offered up public prayers on the occasion.
But the afflicted man was not slow in seeking consolation. A courtship was observed to be going on. Suspicion flashed upon the minds of men. Moses Copeland and others requested to see the letter. It was lost - he had dropped it, together with a record of baptisms, whilst crossing the river. How had it been received ? It was brought by two strangers who lodged at McIntyre's, and crossed the ferry. Inquiry was made at Waldoborough and Thomaston ; no such persons could be heard of ; and, in those days, the arrival of a stranger was as little likely to be forgotten as that of a steamer is now. Suspicion was confirmed. People took sides for and against the minister, with as much warmth as they had done for and against the king. Mrs. James, the midwife, whose influence was in proportion to her dignity, was as strong an advocate for Urquhart as for Washington - would as soon doubt the patriotism of the one as the purity of the other.
It was proposed to refer the matter to the Presbytery, whether at the request of his friends or foes we know not. It is said that Mr. Dicke attended at one of its sessions, and brought down a citation for Mr. Urquhart to appear, and make his defence at the next term. Whether he was sent by the church, or by individuals, cannot now be ascertained. At the subsequent term, Col. Starrett attended on the same business ; but, in the absence of the records of the Presbytery, it is im- possible to give a clear and definite account of the nature and date of these transactions.
The town, in May, 1778, voted, " that there shall no man be sent to the Presbytery this session ;" also, " that the town will not pay Mr. Urquhart any more salary." 15*
174
ANNALS OF WARREN.
This latter vote seems to have given the minister some alarm, and caused him to look about, and examine the ground on which he stood. He had a strong love of property, and could ill brook any diminution of his income. Neither his settlement, nor his first year and a half's salary, for which he had no claim upon the town, had been paid, except in part by individual contributions ; the first year's salary voted by the town, was in the same predicament ; and the depreciation of paper money was, every day, reducing the value of the nominal sums thus due to him. He had made no contract with the town, and had no other claim against it than that of services rendered. In this state of things, besides complaining to the Presbytery, he petitioned the Court of Sessions, imme- diately after the vote above mentioned, and both the town and the individual contractors were cited to appear at the Septem- ber term of said court, and make answer to said Urquhart. Reuben Hall was chosen agent in behalf of the town, and the contractors employed Roland Cushing of Pownalboro' as their attorney. At the September term, the Court decided, that one-half the settlement money, ££50, and one and a half year's salary, reckoning from the 7th of May, 1775, to the incorporation of the town, the 7th of November, 1776, £60, together with ££29 14s. 8d. damages for delay of payment, should be paid by the individuals who signed the original con- tract ; and it appointed David Fales, Mason Wheaton, and John McKellar, to assess the same upon their polls and estates, and commit the same to Hopestill Sumner, collector of War- ren, with warrants to collect and pay in the same to the said U., who, on his part, was to allow and deduct all such sums as any of them had previously paid. The Court also decided, that, although the town had made no contract with Mr. U., yet, as he had discharged the duties of a minister of the Gospel for said town, he was equitably entitled to a compensation ; and it directed the selectmen of Warren to assess the sum of £86 8s. 4d. upon the inhabitants thereof, to be paid over to the said U., as his salary in full from the incorporation of the town to the time of making the decision, he deducting all for- mer payments as in the other case.
This decision of the civil power was sufficiently favorable to Mr. Urquhart with regard to the past, but threw no light upon the future. If no contract subsisted between him and the town, the latter might, at any time, dispense with his servi- ces on giving him notice. Here the town rested, and nothing further was done during this and the following year. Mr. U., whose marriage with Miss McIntyre had already taken place,
175
ANNALS OF WARREN.
had many warm friends, who, believing him innocent, were unwilling to part with him ; and his countryman, Rev. Mr. McLean, reposing confidence in his statements, advised his continuance. He remained, therefore, preaching to such as chose to hear him, subsisting on voluntary contributions and the sums awarded him by Court, for the collection of which warrants were issued in April of the following year, 1779 .*
It was during this year, that the Rev. Thurston Whiting, who subsequently removed to this town, made a visit to Mr. Urquhart's, and formed his first acquaintance with the town in which he ended his days. This gentleman was, two years before, settled as Congregational minister over the town of New- castle. Having married a descendant of Mr. Campbell who had occupied the mill lots at the head of the tide, he now came to examine the property, and claim the right of possession. As there was yet no bridge across the river, he forded the same at Mr. Boggs's shore, and called upon Deacon Crawford. Whiting was then a young man of a prepossessing appear- ance, agreeable manners, a cultivated mind, and of the Orth- odox faith. And, as the weaker points of his character, which peculiarly exposed him to temptation, were not then known, he was regarded as a man of great promise. He found the two lots on the western side of the river occupied and claimed by Alexander Bird, who, finding these lots un- occupied, had, some years before, taken possession of them. Either at this time or a few years after, an arrangement was made, by which it was agreed that the two lots should be shared between them, Whiting taking the northern, since owned by Hovey, Page and others, and Bird retaining the southern.t
1779. The facilities afforded by the eastern harbors to American - privateers, and the annoyance these occasioned to British vessels passing to and from Halifax, together with the desire of obtaining a safe harbor and a more copious supply of masts and timber for their navy, induced the enemy to take possession of Biguyduce, now Castine; which was effected June 12th, 1779. A scheme to dislodge them, was immediately set on foot by Massachusetts in concurrence with Congress. A large force was ordered for that purpose, of which 600 were to be drafted from Gen. Cushing's brigade in Lincoln County. The drafts from this and the neighbor-
* Town Rec. Court Rec. Lincoln Co. N. Libbey. T. Kirkpatrick, &c.
+ Rev. T. Whiting.
176
ANNALS OF WARREN.
ing places between Waldoboro' and Penobscot Bay, formed a company in Col. McCobb's regiment, as follows : - Philip M. U!mer, Captain ; John Mathews and Alexander Kelloch, Lieuts .; Joshua Howard, Wm. Robinson, Joseph Coombs, and Abraham Jones, Sergeants ; Elisha Bradford, Francis Young, Ebenezer Jameson, and Matthew Watson, Corporals ; Jona- than Crocket, John Miller, Charles Jameson, John Black- ington, Ephraim Snow, Richard Keating, Ichabod Barrows, Jacob Keen, Joseph Ingraham, James Heard, Stephen Pea- body, Jr., Ephraim Stimson, John Libbey, James Eustice, Robert Hawes, Andrew Robinson, Jonathan Nutting, Jacob Robinson, John Brison, Dennis Connary, John Wissle, Corn. Morton, Paul Jameson, Geo. Conden, Luke Jones, Jacob Acorn, Baltus Stilke, John Hunt, John Acorn, Wm. Palfrey, John Cornmouth, Samuel Crane, Jos. Jameson, Levi Loring, John Ulmer, Chris'r Newbit, John Varner, Francis Vinal, Martin Hoch, Paul Mink, Jos. Simmons, Martin Heisler, Peter Winchenbach, Valentine Mink, Jacob Ghentner, John Tuck, Silvester Prince, John Carver,* John Gordon, Wm. Gregory, Peter Off, [Orf, or Oat,] Andrew Wells, Nathan Knights, Leonard Medcalf, Daniel Gardner, Samuel Marshal, Michael Achorn, Chas. Kaler, Henry Oberlock, Martin Brod- man, Chris'r Walk, John Benner, Geo. Hoch, Isaac Sargus, Gco. Hoffsis, Chas. Demorse, Thomas Adams, Thomas Mor- ton, and Charles Conner. Of these, the town of Warren furnished Lieut. Kelloch, Sergeant Robinson, Corporal Young ; and Samuel Crane, John Libbey, Joseph Jameson, Stephen Peabody, Jr., and perhaps John Miller, privates.+ In addition to these, most of the citizens able to bear arms, volunteered their services, and joined the flotilla before any attack was made. On the eastern side of the river, scarcely a man was left at home.
The troops were all mustered and reviewed at Townshend, or Boothbay, and, under the command of Generals Lovell and Wadsworth, sailed thence in twenty-four transports, accompanied by nineteen armed vessels, at the head of which was the frigate Warren of 32 guns, all commanded by Commodore Saltonstall. On the 25th of July, they arrived at their place of destination, but, on account of the surf, lay inactive two days. On the third day, a party of soldiers and marines, after having been kept in the boats all night,
* Marked "killed July 27th."
+ Pay-roll in Sec. Office, Boston, lettered "Sea Coast Defence, 294 -349, Penobscot service, 350-533.
177
ANNALS OF WARREN.
crowded in a standing position, without room to sit or other- wise rest themselves, moved to the shore in a still, foggy morning. The position of the enemy's fleet, rendered it necessary to land on the western side, in front of a precipice two hundred feet high. On the brow of this, was posted a line of troops, who opened a brisk fire as our boats ap- proached. A volunteer who was present, represents the balls as falling in the water like hailstones. The cliff where they landed being inaccessible, they divided into three bands, one deploying on each hand, whilst the centre kept up a brisk fire to draw the enemy's attention. Orders had been given, to form on the shore and march up the cliff in order ; but the precipice was so steep that it was difficult to ascend, even by grasping the bushes. Ulmer ordered his men to discharge their pieces, twice, up the bank, then get up the best way they could, and form in order above. This was done successfully ; the others succeeded with more difficulty ; and the enemy were soon driven from the place, leaving thirty killed, wounded, and taken. Our loss in this brilliant affair, which lasted about twenty minutes, was one hundred men.
But here, after this splendid beginning, the wrongheaded counsels and wilful disposition of the Commodore began to thwart every attempt at united and vigorous action. Delay ensued, until the appearance of a British fleet of superior force, left the Americans no alternative but to retreat in the best manner they could, or surrender at discretion. They sailed up the river, and were pursued by the enemy, some of the vessels being taken, and some burnt or blown up by the Americans themselves. The troops mostly landed on the western side, and, after a painful march and suffering much from hunger, found their way back to the settlements. Most of them passed to the northward of this place, and came out on the Kennebec. Several of them were so struck with the timber and soil in the present town of Montville, that they afterwards returned and settled there. One company passed through this town ; but, exhausted with hunger and fatigue, they were obliged to encamp on its borders ; and spent the night in Crawford's meadow. Goaded by hunger, they, next morning, found their way to the settlement, and, dividing between Deacon Crawford's and Wm. Boggs's, obtained a breakfast in those hospitable houses. Of those taken prison- ers in this expedition, one, John Libbey, was from Warren. He was captured in an outpost which the Americans took possession of, on the night of Aug. 7th, in the obscurity of
178
ANNALS OF WARREN.
which he got intermingled with a party of the enemy who came out of the fort, and was detained several weeks. One volunteer, Samuel Boggs, was killed. He was found in the woods where he had died of a wound, but how, or by whom inflicted, was never known. From the appearance of the ground, he was supposed to have died a lingering death in extreme agony .*
The enemy having thus gained a foothold in our immedi- ate vicinity, the militia of the regiment, now commanded by Col. M. Wheaton, were frequently called out on sudden emergencies, and more permanent detachments stationed at particular places. Capt. J. Ludwig, with Lieut. Jacob Win- chenbach, Sergeant G. Bornheimer, and 17 privates, did duty at Broad Bay from Sept. 21st to Nov. Ist. Lieut. Kelloch was continued in service through the following winter, and stationed with a company of drafted militia at Clam Cove. The intercourse between him and his family in Warren, for clothing and other purposes, was carried on by way of the Burnt-land and Madambettox, then the usual route. Lieut. Burton, with another party, was stationed at Camden harbor, and nine men, under Capt. Eleazer Crabtree and Sergeant David Jenks, were raised for the defence of Fox Islands, and served from Sept. 5th to Dec. 5th.t
This defeat, the enemy upon our coasts, the embargo which prevented intercourse between our seaports and other places, and the uncommon drought, were circumstances which increased the dearth of provisions and the general distress. In consequence of the drought, extensive fires raged in the woods. One of these swept over the neck of land between the river and North Pond, from where Edmund Starrett, Esq. now lives, up to Starrett's bridge. Rocky meadow, and an adjoining tract were burnt the same season.}
The currency continuing to sink, was now as forty to one ; the price at Falmonth, in June, of a bushel of corn being $35; of wheat meal, $75 ; molasses, $16 per gallon ; and, in August, $19 for a pound of tea.§
Warren, this year, received some addition to its population by the arrival of Capt. Samuel Payson and sons from Sharon, Mass. followed soon after by his whole family. He, with his
* Will. His. S. Crane. D. Dicke. J. Boggs. H. M. Watts, &c. + A. Kelloch, 2d. W. Lermond. Pay-rolls in Sec. Office.
¿ What is called the Burnt-land was burnt over before the town was settled .- T. Kirkpatrick, &c.
§ Smith's Journal, p. 111-112.
179
ANNALS OF WARREN.
eldest son, had served some years in the army, with pay scarcely sufficient to maintain his large family ; and now re- solved to direct his steps eastward, where land, at least, was abundant. Proceeding to Boston, he found a vessel, Capt. J. Wyllie master, bound to St. George's, and applied for a pas- sage. He was told no vessel would sail till the embargo was removed. Availing himself of the proffered hospitality, he staid on board one night, and, in some of the neighboring places, found labor for himself and sons sufficient to pay their expenses till the embargo was removed. Arriving in this town, he took, on shares, the farm of William Robinson, (now again in the army,) and carried it on for three years .*
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.