USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Portland > Baptisms and admission from the records of First church in Falmouth, now Portland, Maine > Part 7
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YORK, William, of Benjamin and Han- nah, 1735.
YORK, Mary of Benjamin, Jr., 1738.
YORK, a child of Samuel, May 29, 1758. YORK, Lydia, of Joseph, July 1, 1775.
Han- YORK, Molly Cox, of Barth'w, Oct. 13, 1799.
YOUNG, of Reuben, a child, 1742. A child, 1745.
APPENDIX.
AUCOCISCO (CASCO).
The discovery of Columbus did not at once excite a feeling for colonization in the old world, and prior to 1603 there was probably not a European family on the coast of North America.
In that year Du Mont took possession of all the territory east of the Kennebec river for the king of France, and in 1606 a charter was procured from the crown by a company of adventurers in the town of Plymouth England, granting all that territory between the fortieth and forty-fourth degrees of north latitude, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, to be called North Virginia. At the same time a London company re- ceived a grant extending southward to the thirty-fourth degree, which was called South Virginia, thereby giving the name Virginia to all that territory lying between Cape Fear and the Pen- obscot.
In 1607 the Plymouth company sent out two ships and one hundred men un- der the command of Capt. George Pop- ham, who planted themselves on a peninsula on the west bank near the mouth of the Kennebec, called by the Indians Sabino, and now known as Hunnewells point. Here they built a fort, called St. George, and made prep- arations for permanent habitations, but unfavorable circumstances disheartened the colonists and they abandoned the settlement within a year.
Capt. John Smith on his return from his first voyage is said to have reported the country as a cold, barren, mountain-
ous, rocky desert and not inhabitable by our natives. The ill success of the Pop- ham company, and the unfavorable re- ports from other sources caused the pro- prietor to postpone further efforts of colonization but almost every year ves- sels were sent to fish upon the coast and trade with the Indians. In 1614 an expe- dition was fitted out under command of Capt. Smith to take whales, and make trials of mines for gold and copper, but he found whale fishing too costly, he says "that we saw many, and spent much time in chasing them, but could not kill any." They were also disap- pointed in their mines, but with a boat and eight men he ranged the coast from the Penobscot to Cape Cod and says that he saw at least forty habitations. He further adds that"westward of Ken- nebeke is the county of Aucocisco, in the bottom of a large, deep bay, full of many great Iles, which divide it into many great harbors." On his return he prepared a map of the country, and gave it the name of New England. He also gave names to many points along the coast that have been retained to this day.
In 1620 a new charter was obtained from King James by the Plymouth company, embracing the territory ly.ng between the forty and the forty-eighth degree of north latitude.
There were forty patentees, (Sir Ferdinando Gorges, one of the most active members of the former company being one,) who were styled the coun- cil established at Plymouth, England, for the planting, ruling and governing New England.
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APPENDIX.
In 1623 Christopher Levett, one of
the patentees of the Plymouth com- pany had a grant of 6,000 acres of land, and came over that year for the purpose of selecting a location and is believed to have been the first to es- tablish in Casco bay. He says: "At this place there fished divers ships of Waymouth this year. It lieth about two leagues to the east of Cape Eliz- abeth. It is a bay or sound betwixt the main and certain islands which lieth in the sea about one English mile and a half. There are four islands which make one good harbor." "And thus after many dangers, much labor and great charge, I have ob- tained a place of habitation in New
England, where I have built a house and fortified it in a good reasonable fashion, strong enough against such enemies as are these savage people."
After making these arrangements, gesting the probability of this being the point of earliest continuous settlement.
Levett returned to England for his wife and children, leaving ten men in charge of his house and property, but there is no evidence of his ever coming back, and what became of the men he left in charge is not known.
Historians do not agree as to which of the "four islands" in Casco bay was built upon by Levett, since it is prob- able that for many years prior to his coming, all had been occupied by fish- ermen, clearings made and shelters erected for use while curing their catch for shipment.
Many other islands in the bay were convenient to a safe anchorage for large vessels, with coves for easy land- ing from small boats, and springs of excellent water; and that Capt. Smith saw in 1614, between Cape Cod and the Penobscot, 40 habitations, (he does not say settlements,) is easier to believe than some of he other statements.
Freeman, the earliest local historian, does not mention Levett's occupancy, but names Richmonds island, as the place in the territory included in the First Parish, as the site of the first set- tlement by a European.
Willis mentions the coming of Levett, and says there can be no doubt that the four islands referred to as making one good harbor, were those now
called Bangs, House, Hog and Peaks, and without giving an opinion as to which one was built upon by Levett, he is cer- tain that the settlement was broken up and abandoned.
Baxter thinks it highly probable that the name (House Island) was derived from the house that Levett built, and which was long occupied by fishermen. As late as 1630 the house was occupied by Nicholas Rouse of Wembery, Thom- as Alger and Edward Baker of Newton Ferrers, of those left by Levett, sug-
Goold says that "the farm on the south side of Hog island is probably the oldest clearing for settlement with- in the bounds of ancient Falmouth,"
and that to him "it appears probable that the sandy cove west and near the old farmhouse on the south side of Great Hog island was the place where Levett harbored his boats and built his house; and the near safe anchorage was where Gov. Gorges' ship (the Swan,) spent the winter. No spot visited by the Rev. Chaplain Morrell, would be thore likely to inspire a poet to write of," "The beautiful shores of New Eng- land."
Hull says that "Christopher Levett built a stone house on the present Peaks island."
Sargent, whose early death blighted the promise of pre-eminence among Portland's historians, in his Historical
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Sketch of Cushings Island, claims the honor of priority for that island. He says that the ruins of an ancient cel- lar and what may have been rude earth- works are still traceable upon the northern point of the island, and point out the exact location of Capt. Levett's "good house." He further says, that on Levett's arrival in England, "he first learned that the scheme of the Council of Plymouth, to establish a general civil and religious government over New England had been abandon- ed, and their governor, Robert Gorges recalled, he gave over his design of re- turning to Quack, (the Indian name for Portland Sound,) and his habitation on our island was gradually deserted by the garrison he left in it."
The patent granted by King James in 1620, gave to the great council of Ply- mouth certain powers of government, but it soon became a question whether they could transfer that right to others. It does not appear that the point was ever decided, although some of the parties who received grants from the council, to perfect their title, procured a confirmation from the king.
Among those confirmed was that granted in 1620 to
Sir Ferdinado Gorges and Capt. John Mason, of the territory from the Merrimac to the Kennebec river. This grant was sub- divided by them, Mason taking the portion west of the Piscataqua which he named New Hampshire, and Sir Ferdinando that to the east and desig- nated the Province of Maine. The council of Plymouth either had little knowledge of the geography of the country or kept no record of their do- ings, for before 1635, when they sur- rendered their charter, they had issued grants of land within the territory as- signed to Sir Ferdinando as follows:
In 1630, four by eight miles on the
west side of the Saco river, at its mouth, to John £ Oldham and Richard
Vines. At the same time a like strip on the east side to Thomas Lewis and Richard Bonighton. The Plow patent
was issued in 1630 to John Dy and
others, conveying the land lying be- tween Cape Porpus and Cape Elizabeth and extending forty miles from the coast. This was called the Province of Lygonia and came into the possession of Col. Alexander Risby in 1640.
In 1631, fifteen hundred acres at Black Point, were granted to Thomas Cam- mock, fifteen hundred to Walter Bag- nall of Richmonds island, fifteen hun- dred at Spurwink to Richard Brad- shaw, two thousand south side of Cape Porpus river to John Stratton and oth- ers, and a tract between Spurwink river and Casco bay, to Robert Trelawny and Moses Goodyeare.
These conflicting titles of course led to contentions, which were not lessened by the king's proclamation, granting homesteads to actual settlers.
The title of Sir Ferdinando to Casco bay remained intact, and it is not im- probable that he, being a member of the council, may have consented to these several grants to encourage emi- gration to the province in which he was so deeply interested.
It is evident that Sir Ferdinando was in accord and probably a generous patron of Capt. Levett, who came with a roving commission giving him six thousand acres of land wherever he
should be pleased to locate, east of Piscataqua, and upon it he was ex- pected to lay the foundation of a city to be called York.
Capt. Levett wrote an account of his visit to the coast of Maine which was
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APPENDIX.
published in London in 1628. He repre- vessels on the coast, stopped at the is- sents himself as of Somersetshire, and land and hung without trial Black Will of Nahant, who happened to be there, for a crime for which he was not guilty an object lesson, no doubt, to the poor heathen in Christian civilization. "an ancient traveler by sea." This we can well believe from his selection of location for a city, builded in time, but not as soon as he anticipated. He is named as one of the councillors of Gov. Robert Gorges (a son of Sir Ferdinando) who in 1622 was appointed governor of New England.
Capt. Levett's description of Casco bay is accurate, although the exact lo- cation of his house is not clear, which is to be regretted, for he was undoubt- edly the first settler of Portland.
We are informed that the good ship Swan with Gov. Gorges and suite as passengers visited Councillor Levett in his new home, also that a contribution was asked in 1627, in the churches, to aid in building the city of York.
RICHMONDS ISLAND.
About 1628, one, Walter Bagnall, es- tablished himself on Richmonds island as a trader with the Indians. He is supposed by some to have been a ser- vant to the notorious Thomas Morton of Merry Mount, who was sent back to England that year by the Plymouth authorities; and it is also suggested that he was one of the ten men left in charge of Levett's house in Casco bay. Winthrop says of him: "this Bagnall was some time servant to one in the bay and these three years had dwelt alone in said isle and had gathered about four hundred pounds, most in goods; he was a wicked fellow, and had much wronged the Indians." The Indians were evidently of the same opinion, for on the third day of October, 1631, Scit- terygussett of Casco Bay Sagamore, killed him and scattered his substance. The following summer an expedition sent out by Massachusetts bay to ar- rest a pirate, who had been plundering
As no writer has yet come to the de- fense of Bagnall, we may conclude that Winthrop's statement was true, but he evidently had influence with the great council at Plymouth, although their grant to him was not made until two months after his death, a fact which probably had not then come to their knowledge.
During the occupancy of Richmonds island by Bagnall, there came and set- tled upon the main land opposite the island, George Cleve and Richard Tucker; these also may have been of the Levett contingent, and like Bagnall were probably squatters. Although Cleve in his action against Winter in 1640, testified that "he joined himself with Richard Tucker, who had a right of inheritance there, which he had bought for a valuable consideration of Ricard Bradshaw, who was formerly settled there by Capt. Walter Neale."
As Capt. Neale had been appointed governor of the colonies and agent of Gorges and Mason, the title ought to have been good, but it was contested by one John Winter, on what ground it is not clear, perhaps as agent of Levett. It is evident that at first Cleve and Tucker paid little attention to Winter for they proceeded to enclose land and built for themselves a house, but when it become known that Winter, who in the meantime had returned to England, was coming back, as agent for Trelaw- ney and Goodyeare, they abandoned their plant at Spurwink and removed to Machegonne. They did not however give up entirely, since, in 1640, they
commenced a suit against Winter which was submitted to the arbitration
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APPENDIX.
of Robert Jordan, Arthur Mackeworth, Arthur Browne and Richard Ormes- by with Stephen Batcheller as um- pire. The jury found, 'that ye house and land shall bee unto Mr. Winter and 60 pounds sterling to the plaintiffe. presently to bee made good."
In the matter of scandal against Mr. Cleve. it was ordered that he should Christianly acknowledge his failing therein against Mr. Winter's wife before the arbitrators and afterwards to Mrs. Winter personally.
John Winter is called Mariner of Plymouth, and a letter from Thomas Cammock, who later had a settlement on west side of Spurwink river, to Rob- ert Trelawney, fixes the date of his ar- rival at Richmonds Island as April 17, 1632. His family came later, probably with him May 24, 1636, on his return from a visit to Engand, where he went the preceding summer, leaving Narias Hawkins in charge of his agency. Hig expectancy of gain was evidently from fisheries, for in 1634 he reports to his employer that "The trading hereabouts with the Indians is not worth anything, for there is no Indian lives nearer unto us than forty or fifty miles, except a few about the river of Salko. The best time of trading with the Indians is when we are hopefulest for our best fishing, so that we cannot attend to It."
Speaking of the Indians, Josselyn says: "Their drink they fetch from the spring, and were not acquainted with other until the French and English traded with that cussed liquor, called rum, or kill devil. Thus instead of bringing them to the knowledge of Christianitie, we have taught them to commit the beastly and crying sins of our nation, for a little profit. They have no law but nature. They are generally very loving and gentle."
Winter is spoken of as "a grave and discreet man," and that he had excellent capacity there can be no doubt, for as agent for Trelawney he conducted successfully a large business giving employment to many men. The barque Richmond wasbu'it on the island and probably other vessels, for in one of his letters he writes that "Thomas King our carpenter was to have eleven pounds a year for his wages and to pay the carpenter of the Hunter, Thomas Treleage, three shillings for tools
bought of him." During the life of Trelawney the island continued to be one of the most important trading posts on the coast, but political adversity came upon him, his property was con- fiscated and he was incarcerated in a London prison, where he died in 1648, aged 45 years.
Mr. Winter died the same year and his son-in-law. Rev. Robert Jordan, as h's executor, closed up the 'business and the island was turned over to agricul- ture, for which it has since been occu- pied. The Trelawney holdings in Maine were given to Mr. Jordan to satisfy Mr. Winter's claims against the estate.
MACHEGONNE
The spring of 1632 has been generally accepted as the time of the removal of George Cleve and Richard Tucker from Spurwink to Machegonne where they established themselves on the banks of a cove now covered by the Grand Trunk grounds, foot of Hancock street, Portland.
That there was a union of intersts between these two men, is shown by the evidence of Mr. Cleve in his suit against John Winter in 1640; he depos- ed that he join himself in partnership with Richard Tucker, then of Spur- wink and both agreed to join their
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APPENDIX.
rights together and there build, plant, and continue, and that they were there settled two years or thereabouts, when expelled by the defendant.
Cleve and Tucker continued in part- nership many years, perhaps until dis- solved by death. As Iate as 1661, both joined in the conveyance of land. Lit- tle is known of these men prior to their appearance at Spurwink. There they lived in one house, and eleven years later both were occupying the only house on Cleves Neck, as Mache- gonne was then called.
It would seem as if other than busi- ness ties were necessary to maintain for so long such intimate relations; there is evidence, however, that these were sometimes strained.
When and where Mr. Cleve was born has not been discovered but he was probably considerably older than Mr. Tucker, whose baptism is recorded in the parish of Stogumber, County of Somerset, February 22, 1594. Mr. Win- ter was baptised in the same parish June 9, 1575. In a letter to Mr. Tre- lawney in 1634, Winter refers to Cleve as "old Cleves;" an expression that he would not have been likely to have used had they been good friends, or Mr. Cleve many years his junior.
Mr. Cleve had wife Joane and daugh- ter Elizabeth, who married Michael Mitton; they came with him on his re- turn in May, 1637. In July, 1666, Cleve was put under bonds to be of good be- havior towards all men and probably died soon after.
The wife of Mr. Tucker was named Margaret; time or place of marriage is not known. She was living a widow in Portsmouth in 1681; and as she had a grandson, Nicholas Hodge, it is pre- sumed that they had a daughter who
married a Hodge. One Henry Tucker witnessed a conveyance of land in Agamenticus in 1639, perhaps a brother of Richard, and the progenitor of those of the name in Maine
The disposition of Cleve and Tucker to continue in the immediate vicinity of Cascoe bay, notwithstanding the hostility of Winter, suggests the prob- ability of some arrangement with Lev- ett or Gorges, and the expectation that in some way Levett's plan of a colonial city would be carried out. Cleve and Tucker are never referred to as yeo- man, traders, mariners or fishermen, but are invariably styled gentlemen, a title even in those days of uncertain signification and perhaps proves noth- ing but goes to confirm the above sug- gestion. If the Levett house had been abandoned, it would be reasonable to suppose that when driven from Spur- wink they would have taken possession of it, for the island would possess the advantage of a house already built, over the peninsula; both were outside of limits of Trelawney's patent and the their right to occupy would be same in each place. We are therefore forced to believe that the Levett house was yet occupied, and that to Captain Levett belongs the credit of being the father of the city of Portland. That his plans for a more rapid building of the city were not carried out, was no fault of his, and it would be an appro- priate tribute to his memory to prefix his name to that of House island, mak- ing it Levett's House island.
Little is known of the doings of Messrs. Cleeve and Tucker during the first five years of their occupancy of Machigonne. They had their cornfield and probably cultivated enough land for bread, and the sea and forest furnished
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APPENDIX.
the rest. Corn was most important to some of the folios on which the earliest the early settlers, it was easily cultivated and very productive; we find mentioned that 15 gallons had increase of 52 hogs- heads, a hogshead being 7 bushels.
In Mr. Winters' letters to his employ- ers, Mr. Cleeve is sometimes mentioned, but always with disrespect, and in Mr. Trelawney's answer to Mr.Cleeve's com- plaint to Sir Ferdinando Gorges, he says that Cleeve removed grudgingly and then wilfully sat down in another place, and that the middle and best place of his patent; that he had done his people divers wrongs, destroying their hogs, molesting their plantation, and terrify- ing and enraging the Indians against them, so that whereas before they were friends and peaceable, now they are enemies to us, and we fear that it will end in blood. He had fully resolved to have Cleeve apprehended and sent a prisoner to answer before the lords. He hoped that Sir Ferdinando would not suffer him to be so grossly abused by such a petty companion as Cleeve.
MENICKOE.
In 1634 Richard Vines of Saco, in be- half of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, con- veyed to Arthur Macworth of Casco bay, for the term of one thousand years, five hundred acres of land lying in Casco bay, on the northeast side of the river Presumpsca, which now and for many years is and hath been in the possession of the said Macworth, being at the en- trance of said river where his house now standeth upon a point of land commonly called Menckoe, and now and forever hereafter to be called Newton; together with one small island over against his house. The conditions were that Mac- worth and his successors pay to Gorges and his successors a yearly rent of ten shillings on the 29th day of September of every year. Reserving out of this
records were made are yet supposed to grant the one-fifth part of all the ore of gold and silver due unto his majesty; and another fifth part unto the said Gorges. Cleeve and Tucker were wit- nesses of this conveyance and their presence at Saco, where the deed was probably drawn, together with the fa- vorable terms given by Gov. Vines, dis- plays a kindly feeling between all the parties at this time, and suggests the question why Cleeve and Tucker did not secure a like title to their land and avoid further contention with Winter. It may be that there was a general re- quirement on the part of Gorges of sev- en years' possession to secure a title, as might be inferred from a letter from Trelawney to Gorges, wherein he claims that Levett's title was vacated for that reason. If this were so, it fixes the time of the settlement at the east end ot Martins Point bridge as three years earlier than that on the Neck, and sug- gests the probability of Mackworth's having been one of Levett's men.
STOGUMBER.
In 1636 Cleeve visited England, and in January (O. S.) of that year secured from Sir Ferdinando Gorges a title to his home in New England. This docu- ment was twice entered upon the rec- ords of the province, as shown in the firsct volume of York Deeds. It was first recorded by Roger Garde on the twenty-fourth day of May, 1643? Mr. Garde was appointed recorder when the government of the province was or- ganized under the Gorges charter in 1640, and continued in the office until his death in 1645. The second record was made by Edward Rishworth, June 26, 1660. This double recording was probably occasioned by a belief that the previous copy had been lost, as
.
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APPENDIX.
be missing; but six titles recorded by Mr. Garde are found and none of these bear dates prior to 1642. The two copies differ in some respects, especial- ly in the spelling, use of capitals and punctuation marks.
As the present titles to land in Port- land are based upon the grant of 1636- 37, quite a full abstract of the convey- ance is given as follows:
This indenture, made the twenty- seventh day of January, 1636, between Sir Ferdinando Gorges of Ashton Phil- lips in the county of Somersett, knight, of the one part, and George Cleeve of Casco in the province of New Somersett in New England, esquire, and Richard Tucker of the same place, gent, of the other part; witnesseth that the said Gorges, in consideration of the sum of one hundred pounds of the lawful mon- ey of England, paid before the sealing and delivery of these presents, and oth- er good causes and considerations to him the said Gorges especially moving: hath given, granted, sold and confirm- ed unto the said Cleeve and Tucker their heirs and assigns; all that part and portions of lands in New England in America, hereafter in these presents described by the limits and bounds
thereof; that is to say all that part, purpart, and portion of lands, begin- ning at the furthermost point of a neck of land, called by the Indians Mache- gonne, and now and forever from
henceforth to be called, or known by the name of Stagomor, (Garde spells it Stogummor,) probably from Stogum- ber parish in Somersetshire,) and So along westardly, as it treaneth to the
first fall of a
little river issuing
out of
a very
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