USA > Maine > Cumberland County > North Yarmouth > Confession of Faith and covenant of the First Church in North Yarmouth, Me. : with a catalogue of its members and brief historical notices. April 1848 > Part 6
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16 Things, cathworth,
17 Thus. Bichfield's A in-,
It Samuel liker,
53 Daniel Watts,
55 Bilvard Shove,
Di George Felt,
57 Moves Felt,
ES Robert Standford,
59 William : cale ', : solo Aden,
Go Richard Paga
61 Thomas South,
97 John Yark
09 William Commer.
C; Thomas . Laulus,
(5) Jedali th Southworth,
Of the above proprietors, who wire sulanguenis in Bay of the lot. med . such, till some time after the lonne lots were daten
42 Tobias Oakman, 33 Gor hom Rice,
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HISTORICAL NOTICES.
STRUGGLES WITH ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Nothing like the rapid advances in obtaining the conveniences and comforts of life, witness- ed in later times, was known at the beginning. Most of the fathers lived not to enjoy the state of independence and ease, in which, through encountering hardships and purile, they placed their descendants. There is evidence that their industry was as indefatigable as it was necessary ; but their struggles with the hardships incident to their condition were severe and protracted.
The settlement suffered much from the fact, that many of the proprietors were not, and did not intend to be, inhabitants, and felt no common interest with the settlers for the welfare of the town. James Parker, 1728, writing to the Committee, states that but twelve men were settled on the home lots, seven on their own lots, and five as tenants. He complains of pro- prietors, that they are more ready to lease than to settle ; and of the tenants, that they neg- lect their lots, and employ themselves in cutting wood and thuber from the commons, and even on other men's lots. " I have this day seen the choicest timber cut down and sawn into bolts for staves. Transient men come down in gangs and cut from the islands; of whom there are now nineteen on Gebeag, and several versels cutting their loads. Thus it has been ull winter." In a communication of Jacob Mitchell and eight other inhabitants, 1729, in re- lation to these transient men, it is said, " Every tree that is fit for musts, or staves, or shin- gles, und many other sorts of timber, they send away."
The connuittee at Boston, however wise, and generally honorable, in their own right, und in that of relatives, were considerably interested; und, from their location, were, not unnatu- rally, more subject to the influence of non-resident than of the resident proprietors. A num- ber of the inhabitants expostulating with them hold language as follows : " While non-re-i- dents say, we will not have the best of the lands yet ; let tenants brin ; too the bad land; re. i- dents say, we must have the good land first, to enable us to get our bread, which we cannot do without visible means." At about the same period, Samuel Seabury, Jacob Mitchell, and 'T. Bennett, sub-committee, write : " The order for leaving fifty acres at the land of Mr. John Powell's lots will not be complied with. We observe you have employed Mr. John Jones to survey, whom the proprietors here have resolved not to pay, as we can obtain surveyors ut hand, and pay the charge with more care. You likewise impose on as the advice of Mr Powell in all affairs, which we, as a committee, cannot comply with."
The soit of many of the home lots, as tillage lund, was nearly worthless ; to recede far from the shore was dangerous; and agriculture by the settlers was. from necessity, much neglected. All conunon charges were met by a tax upon the home lots ; and these taxes, it is not to be conceded, were collecte I with great difficulty Elward King, Surveyor, comprins that has- ing worked cheap and paid out money for assistance, he is compelled to take pay of residents only, not able at present to pay money ; bddrew Ring, Collector, that the committee expect him to make timely returns, and yet with not allow him to lay distress upon estates for which none will pay. The first minister, three years after setthouent, writes : " The interest of thu money that I have been kept out of, would have muounted to about [18 at 6 per cent. There ure yet behind 6167 of my salary and settlement, which was all dne in 1731, the whole salary for 1782, and one half the present year's salary-in un, .£319. In the mean time, I am at thu merry of the usurer, and give excessive interest to support myself in the town."
The history of the first meeting house is "a history of the small beginnings, slow progress, und seanty means of our ancestors." It was raised in 529, and boarded the sante year ; thu boards being rafted from the mill, at the lower falls, to Larabee's landing ; there being no road from the falls to the place of its location. In this state it had already been used as a house of worship through two severe winters, when Res. A. R. Cutter writes to the commit- tee, complaining of them for postponing a contemplated visit. " The people are much grieve I at this delay, especially as the meeting house will be berely so retarded, that there can't be time to do any thing to purpose, this fall, and we bread passing another winter in it, us ou
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HISTORICAL NOTICES.
did the last." It was not claphoarded till one year after this, lick, and the pews were not built and divided among the proprietors, till 175%.
In the year 1790, instead of 100, there were only 41 dwelling houses, and twelve franny ; and it is not to be supposed that many of these were " well jached." Twenty years after, there appear to have been but two or three dwelling houses at the fall. ; and i 1765, none on Gloucester road above the farm of the late Mr. John Cutter. As late as 1599, there were but about six dwellings at the falls, and about twice that number at the corner ; while on the Foreside, and about the old meeting house, the number was about the same as at the present time.
INCURSIONS OF THE ABORIGINES
Till after the year 1756, the Indians were exceedingly troublesome. Owing to this cause lands in the interior continued to lie waste, and the inhabitants though living near together, were often obliged to forsake their dwellings ; husbands and fathers were killed, and children and wives carried into captivity. Compelled to carry arms in their walks, at their labor and their worship, the inhabitants said : " There is no peace to him that goeth out, nor to him that cometh in. We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword of the wil- . derness." Mr. Wmt. Scales, father of Dea. Thomas Scales, and Matthew Seabre were killed in the year 1725, on the Scales farm ; and soon after, Joseph Felt, father of Mrs. Peter Weare, at Broad's Cove. Felt's wife ant children were carried into captivity, and, afterwards, re- deemed by Capt. Weare. Joseph Weare, a grandson of Felt, never lost an ofqartunity to be revenged on the Indians. We might content late with different feelings his risks of his own life, the thrilling narratives of his daring, and the number of the natives put to death by him, but for the fact that the red man received far greater wrongs from the whites than he inflicted on thetn.
Joseph Sweat was killed June 16, 1746, riding upon a horse near Mr. Nathaniel Blan- chard's ; Philip Greely, ancestor of the Greely funily of this town and of Portheid, August 9th of the same year, at the lower Falls, near the house of the late Mr. David True, where is company of thirty-two Indians had secreted themselves, with the design of surprising Weare's garrison, when the men should have gone to their labor. They were discovered by the dog of Mr. Greely, else they had probably suffered him to pass mumble rd. The loss of his life was not improbably the saving of that of many. Aug. 2, 1716, Richard Stubbs was taken and Mr. Clarke killed. April 14. 1517, Ephraim Foster was killed and his wife and children taken-the latter returned in October. May 21, 1735, Mr. Pettingill and Mr. Clough were taken. June 20, 1745, Eli Royall, son of John Royall, Ebenezer Caton and Benjamin Lake, were together on the Lelze in the rear of the meeting house, when they were surpri. I Is a party of trations. Royall was a runter and escaped to Mr Cutter's parti ou , Iske took a circuitous route, and was cut off and taken. Eaton wore a knapsack which in the race became deranged and he was taken and offered quarter. He had atlirmed that he would not be carried into captivity ; and as he could drag the Indians down the hill, and they could not draw him up, he was put to death.
Sept. 10, 1750, the inhabitants, in consternation, all moved into garrisons. May 25, 1751, Joseph Chailler, aged 12, son of Edmund, and Solomon agrd 12, and Daniel uged 7. sons of Benjamin Mitchell, were taken near the house of Mr. Nathan Oakes. Chandler and Solomon Mitchell were soon recovered, but Daniel Mitchell, father of the late Daniel Mitchell, of the tawn, was with the Indians for a period of ten years. June 8. HU, Joseph Burnil was killed.
Saturday, May 4, 1750. A large party of Indians njqpared at Topsbam, where they separ- ated, one party to go to New Meadows, and the other to North Yarmouth. The latter party, at day break, on Sabbath morning assaulted the house of Mr. Thomas Maines, at Flying Point, which though well fortidled, they finally entered. John Martin was in the chamber of the house with a loaded gun ; but not being able in the darkness to find it, Lupt himself con- cealed Mr. Muines, his wife and children, and a sister of Mes Mains, were dragged from
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HISTORICAL NOTICES.
the house, near to which Mr. Maines was shot ; meanwhile Mis. Maines and the children succeeded in regaining the house and fastening the door. A ball from a gun of the Indians entered the house and was fatal to an infant in the arms of Mrs. Maines, and at length the Indians again entered the dwelling, but Martin pounding his gun which he had found, through the chamber floor, and dropping one of them in the entry by a shot; retaimag the sister of Mrs. Maines and bearing away with them their wounded man, they hastily departed. Mr Mares and the infant, Robert, were buried near the old meeting-house in Brunswick. The report of the guns was heard by Mr. Eaton at Harpowell, as also by Mr. Babble, on Cousins' Island, who hastened to the assistance of the excited and afflicted survivors of the Maddes family.
'The preceding mournful incidents have been derived chietly from the papers of Deacon Jonas Mason, whonoted them at the time of their occurrence. Mr. Meines was the last in- habitant of the town killed by the natives. Mr. Moody frem York, spending a Sabbath with the Mitchell family, in the absence of their sons, preached from Matik 2. 18 :- " Rawhel werping for her children, and would not be comforted because they are not."
IMPORTANT LAWSEPPS.
Morriconeag Gebeng, and Cousins's Island, and some tracts of land on the man, withan the jurisdictional Thaits of the town were allowed by the Proprietors to be equitably held by ancient titles ; but they steadily refused to allow the validity of the title of the claimants un- der Stephens by the Indian doed, to land about Royall's river. B. Gedney, of Salem, imo whose hands it fell a second time, deceased in the year 1998 After this, for purposes of spec- ulation, many purchased into the claims. Nathaniel Eunmes and others, of Boston. with Seth Gibson and others of London, 1790, recovered judgment for partition of the premises contain- ing one thousand acres of land, in the north of the town, with the privileges of the river. Peter Weare had one fifth, and Joseph Fellowes one fifth, who " did deny to make partition." The same year, to bring the claim to a trial, the proprietors made a grant to Jacob Mitchell and Samuel Scabury, of " so much of the river at the lower Falls, as may be needful for a grist mill, and ten acres of land adjoining." Seabury and Mitchell built the mill, but were ejected by an action instituted by Nathaniel finnes, one of the claimants under fiedney. Not dispirited, the proprietors, 1741, commenced their action against the clannants for the part of the chiim lying in the Gore, tu try the validity of the title of the claimants from the Int- dian deed ; and, 1712, another action for the one hundred und twenty avre division, to try their title by possession or by improvements, in both of which actions they were successful. "Thus," says Edward Russell, Esq., " terminated the most important suit that the town or inhalatants have ever loven engaged in " But the title to portions of this property has, since, been matter of lingation.
The proprietors, before the suits above recited were terminated, voluntarily relinquishel to the claimants under Stephens, with reservations, at tract of land about the Falls where they had made the greatest improvements. Nathaniel Emmes, soon after, sold to Andrew Tuck, an inhabitant of the town, a part of this grant ; and, either accidentally or by design, Emmes' deed in the terms of it included the landing at the lower Falls, which the Proprietors never granted to the claimants under Stephens, and a right to which in his life, Tuck was never un- derstood to assert. Tuck died intestate, 1759; and taking advantage of the terms of Eunnes' deed, 1795, Daniel Metlurdy of Lincoln County, in right of his wife, daughter of Tuck, and Edward Everton of North Yarmouth, in right of his wife, grand-daughter of Tuck, commenced a suit against David Jones, Payne Elwell, Hannah Russell, and twelve others, the object of which was, to gain possession of one undivided fifth of the property in question, for each of the plaintills The defendants resisted this claim, first at the Inferior Conrt at New Glonces- tor, and then at the Superior Court at Falmouth ; not on the ground that the selection had laid out, and the town accepted, the landing in 1753, which was fact, since evidence was wanting that the Proprietors ever conveyed the landing to the town ; and it was not main- tained that the laying out, without paying, made the town hall possessor ; but on the grounds
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HISTORICAL NOTICES.
that the premises had from the beginning been used as a landing ; that Thek saw the town In quiet possession more than forty years ; that in various sales of lands, and in other business transactions, he had admitted the town's title ; that the lateling was alike essential to the con- venience of the town and the country in the interior ; and finally, that the suit was malicions- ly instigated by Daniel Drinkwater and Samuel Martin, who, having been dimppointed in some of their interested views, had taken this method, as they had threatened they would do, to be revenged on the town, and had secured Everton against liability to cost from the action. A similar claim by the heirs of Andrew Tuck, proscented in IS17, resulted no more favorably than the preceding, to the pretensions of the claimants.
INCORPORATION AND BOUNDS OF THE TOWN.
After considerable delays occasioned by opposition from Proprietors not resident, by an order of the General Court, April 6, 1733, North Yarmouth was reinvested with the powers und privileges of a town ; and May 14, 1733, Samuel Seabury, Moderator, the organization was entered upon, which has been continued without interruption till the present time. Bar- kabus Seabury, chosen Clerk, at the first meeting, was continued in the office uninterrupted- ly, with the exception of one year, in which Robert Bailey was Clerk, till 172. David Mitch- ell then hold the office thirty-three years till 1795; and he has been succeeded by Sammel P. Russell, Levi Cutter, Win. Todd, Edward Russell, Win. Buxton, W'm. Dawes and Samuel Sweetser. The Treasurers of the town have been Jedidiah Southworth, Andrew Ring, Gilbert Winslow, Win. Cutter, John Gray, Jacob Mitchell, Win. R. Stockbridge and Sammel Sweetser. The Selection prior to the year 1500, were Jacob Mitchell, Joseph Chandler, Francis Wyman, Stephen Larabee, Andrew Ring, Sammel Fisher, Joseph Fellows, John Powell, John Dabney, Peter Wrare, Benjamin lagersoll, Cornelius Sunle, Anni R. Cutter, Samuel Chandler, Jacob Mitchell, 20., Edward King, John White, Gilbert Winslow, Zachariah Chandler, Nehemiah Ward, Timothy Bailey, Edmund Chandler, Jonas Mason, Solomon Mitchell, John Lewis, Solomon Loring, Alexander Wilson, Samuel Merrill, Thomas Seales, John Loring, Davil Mitchell, Benjamin Mitchell, Paul Prince, Win. Cutter, Jonathan Mitchell. Timothy Davis, John Gray, Richmond Loring, Silvanus Prince, Ebenezer Gray, John Hayes. Samuel Ontter, George Rogers, Edward Russell, Samuel P. Russell, Jolar Sonle, Eliphalet Greely, Sommel York, Joseph Staples, David Jones, Jolm Drinkwater, Silvana Drinkwater; Asa Lewis, Win. Buxton, Samuel Mason, Ebenezer Corliss.
After the annexation of the gare, in 1735, the hounds of the town were from the white rock adjoining Falmouth, N. W. eight miles ; thener N. E. eleven miles; thence S. R. eight miles to the mouth of the Bungonng river ; and from the white rock mel the mouth of the river, eloven miles distrut from each other on the shop , to extend & B into the Bay. The . lis embrace a territory of little less than $0,000 square arres, including Mare Point, Metrong, tireat thebascodegan, Small l'oint and the islands between Luckse's Sound and Cape small I'mint. Royall's river, in North Yarmouth, seven miles northeast from Presung cent, has its rise in New Gloucester, and after running fifteen mih's and receiving tributary streams descends four principal falls, all within the distance of half a mile, and abont two miles from the sea, at the last of which it meets with the tide at the head of navigation. The first fall is nhout seventeen and one-half feet, and the others are about fifteen feet cach. .
The islands, embraced within the limits of The town, inchide a large portion of the islands in the celebrated Caseo. (anciently Acocisco) bay. These claimed by the Proprietors and di- vided among them, from ninety to one hundred in number, were estimated to contain thir- teen thousand thirty-dve arres, seventy seven roda. Several of the largest of these em- braced in the town were held by other proprietors. Grat G.bing contains one thousand eight hundred acres, being the largest, with one exception in the bay, is high, has a good soil, two meeting-houses, and two good harbogs It is famous in it . history, and ancient pre - prictors. The first sale ed it on record is from Rigly , and English Proprietor, to Walter Merry, of Boston. In luiSO, it was sold to the sons of Rey Robert Jordan, of Sporwink, who ron veyrd 650 acres on the island to Walter Gendal In 199, it was ownedby the first church
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HISTORICAL NOTICES.
In Boston and by Col. Thomas, Westbrook. Cousins' Istant, cat from Gebeag, and nearer the main, from which it presents a very beautiful appearance, is also high, has a gond soil, nud contains about six excellent farms. It is two ialles long, and half a mile wido. This island the proprietors of North Yarmouth did not claim, nor that of Little John, comaining two hundred acres of good land, and at low water extending to Cousins' Island, Most of the other islands, south of Merrieoneag Neck, are small, containing each from two to fifteen arres. Firent Chebascodegan, which is an important constituent of the town of Harpswell, is the largest island in Casco Bay, and is remarkable for the extreme irregularity of its shape. Though not more than six and a half miles long, and three miles wide, its circuit at the water's edge is more than fitty miles. It is separated from Harpswell Neck, for more than a mile, by n strait of the width of only n few rods. In the year 1672. Harpswell Neck aml Island were sold by the Indians to an inhabicant nmed Cole. This title becoming the prop- erty of Massachusetts, was given to Harvard College. Nicholas Shapleigh of York proved a previous title from a purchase in 1060. He soll his right to Richard Wharton, who sold to the Pegypseot proprietors. The College prosecuted their claim in 1731, but the Pegypscut proprietors prevailed.
Mare Point, a tongue of land santh-west from Harpswell, the south extremity of Brune- wick, was set off from North Yarmouth and annexed to that town in 1733. fu the year 1711, the town was dismembered of Cape Small Point which was annexed to Georgetown. To this arrrangement it was voted, " that considering the distance of said point of land from North Yarmonth meeting-house, and the difficulty of the passage, the town gives free consent." In 1742, Morriconeag, which, the year preceding, had been set off to Brunswick, through the representations of Rev. A. R. Cutter, the town's agent at the General Court, was restored to North Yarmouth. In 1758 with the islands adjacent, having been previously a second Parish, it was incorporated as the town of Harpswell. Freeport, the nest most north-casterly section of the town, was incorporated in the year 1789. Pownal, originally a part of Freeport, 1808, became a separate town. In 1820, North Yarmonth again parted with n lar re und valuable part of its territory, that adjoining Falmouth, which was incorporated as the town of Cum- berland. Thus besides additions contributed to two others, in the extent of their territory, und the number of their inhabitants, there are now five towns, no one of them iucon. idera- ble, where but one existed.
POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENTS.
At the breaking up of the settlement in 1688, the town had, probably, a population of about 160; in 1722, of about 100. In 1943, a tax of 452 17H ld was assessed upon eleven towns in Maine, of which North Yarmonth paid 41 198; Falmouth, 05 138 100; and Brunswick, 198 til In Hill, North Yarmouth contained one hundred and fifty "ade bodied or fensible men," Falmouth five hundred, sand Brunswick fifty In Het. Hopewell having Lieu set el. the population of the town was 1070 ; in 1790, ator Freeport became a separate town, it was 1978; in 1800, 2599; in 1510, 3295 ; in 1820, 3010; in 1890, exclusive of Graderland, then separate town, 2664 ; in 1910, 2821. The aggregate population of North Yarmouth, Harps- well, Freeport, Pawnal and Cumberland, was, in 1840, 5760.
Steady adherence to a line of policy developers character and determines destiny, scarcely less than the nature of the policy adopted. And it is not without some foundation in fact, that the town has had the reputation of being slow to change opinions and habits. The poli- ties, the religion, and so nro the employments of the inhabitants, whatever may be thought of their excellence or productiveness, have hitherto exhibited a somewhat remarkable self- consistency. The male population have uniformly devoted their principal labor and capital to agriculture, the navigation of the ocean, and ship building. Agriculture has received in continually increased attention : even within the last twenty years from better cultivation and the use, on farias within convenient distance from salt water, of ser manures, the value and amount of the annual agricultural products have been greatly in roused Ship building has continued to engross mu equally augmented marant of capital, and to give employment
HISTORICAL NOTICE ..
to increasing numbers of men ; and the commercial cast of the first settlers has been trans mitted to the Jater inhabitants of the town. Semmen, most of whom early becotur Sla-ters of Vessels, have always been an important class in North Varmonth : and a more mancrousel's in Freeport. The towns embraced in ancient North Yarmouth. Ispt, son le a return of 1.1) inhabitants engaged in agriculture ; 200 in manufacture ; di naviguing the ocean; and 23 in the professions. In these towns there were then 23 pensioners of the Revolution. The shipping owned wholly, or in principal part, in North Yarioonth, in 1547, was two ships, three barques, eighteen brigs, twenty-two schooners, and three stoops ; making 9712 combate; the parts owned in town valued, by the assessore, at -128,715. The lumber business, in later years, has necessarily been comparatively inconsiderable. Next after the mills at the lo ser Falls, John Powell. Before 1789, built a saw mill on the look at Broad Cose ; where he tasti- fied he " had expended above 11500, and carried on the linen manufacture; " and about the same time Gilbert Winslow and others, a tide mill on Atwell's Creek, called fully mill. The first saw-mill, at Giooch's Falls, was created in 1753. Powell's iron refinery was put in operation in 1756, at which the there was no brulze at the upper Falls. The first bridge at the lower Falls was built in 1748, some rods above its present location, to which it was remos - ed in JSOU. In 1796. the grant was made for Union Wh rt Baker's Wharf had been built before by Payne Elwell and others. In 1517, William Il ves and H. Cox created the Paper mill at the falls now occupied by Kimball's mahogany mi , and where the cotton factory ha. just been erected. James Parker, on Parker's Point, Da id Mabury, near the head of the youd leading to Capt. Theophilus Drinkwater's, Samuel B. her on the old farm for the pot and Benjamin Mitchell, near Mr. David Mitchell's, wore early taverners. Large quantities of Potters ware have been manufactured in North Yarmouth. This business was entamencel, 3791, by the late Me. John Thomas, a native of Gloucester. (Squamn.) Ms. who served an ap- prenticeship in Newburyport. Men in most of the mechanical trades of life now but very ready and profitable employment, and the manufacturing interests of the town are doubtless destined to assume a new importance.
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