USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Boothbay Harbor > History of Boothbay, Southport and Boothbay Harbor, Maine. 1623-1905. With family genealogies > Part 12
USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Southport > History of Boothbay, Southport and Boothbay Harbor, Maine. 1623-1905. With family genealogies > Part 12
USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Boothbay > History of Boothbay, Southport and Boothbay Harbor, Maine. 1623-1905. With family genealogies > Part 12
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A synopsis of the principal events of this war will, perhaps, suffice in a work of this kind. The early part of the war was dis- tinguished by a triumph of French arms. Braddock, the Eng-
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1733 TO 1764.
lish general, met disastrous defeat, and lost his own life at Fort Duquesne, George Washington, then a youth of twenty-three, conducted the retreat and saved the army from annihilation ; the Acadians were transported from Grand Pre, arriving the following year, 1756, at New Orleans, in French territory ; during that year Montcalm, one of the most brilliant military men in France, arrived at Quebec, taking charge of the mili- tary affairs of his country ; in 1758 Louisburg surrendered to the English General, Amherst, Fort Frontenac to the English Colonel, Bradstreet, and Fort Duquesne was abandoned by the French. In 1759, on September 18th, the last hope of France as to her possessions in this region went down with the defeat of Montcalm and the fall of Quebec.
During this war England furnished vessels and munitions of war; the Colonies were depended on for the commissariat. The English and Colonial Army during the last year of the war was composed as follows : England, 22,000 ; Massachu- setts, 7,000 ; Connecticut, 5,000 ; New Hampshire and Rhode Island, 1,000; New York, 2,680; New Jersey, 1,000; Penn- sylvania, 2,700; Virginia, 2,000; South Carolina, 1,250; Maine, 600.
The actual loss of life along the coast of Maine was proba- bly less than in any of the preceding wars. Marauding parties of Indians visited the region about here, and even kept the people in continual suspense and alarm by their hostile depre- dations, but it is doubtful if they were in the vicinity in much force. The main body of Indians was held in Canada, assist- ing the French on the defensive, for in that war the English and Colonial forces were the invading ones. Persons were killed, however, during this war in the settlements of Frank- fort (now Dresden), Harrington, Georges, Broad Bay, New Meadows and others.
The depositions in the preceding chapter inform us that during these wars the Townsend settlement not only received no assistance from the Government, but that some of their own men needed at home for defense were forced into the service elsewhere. About one-half of Maine's quota of troops was held within its own limits for garrison duty. The principal defenses between the Penobscot and Kennebec were Fort Fred-
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HISTORY OF BOOTHBAY.
erick, Fort Georges, Meduncook and Broad Bay. It may be inferred, as there exists no record on the matter, that Towns- end obtained no outside aid. The record being silent on the subject reinforces the statement of William Fullerton, wherein he says :
" The only garrison of the Townsend settlers was a small stone house, which they jointly defended with a flanker and watch box rearward and a piquet hold in front, and in which they kept a constant guard during the war. That instead of getting any support from the Government a number of men belonging to said settlement were carried into the war and several of them lost their lives in it."
To illustrate this point with an instance from old Townsend itself, and one brimming with adventure to such an extent that the old adage, that "truth is stranger than fiction," is verified, the following narrative, in an abridged form, is given, and its perusal will show the reader how several things were done in those old times.
Michael Sinnett was born about 1730 in an inland town in Ireland. As a boy, nearly grown up, he sought work at Dublin in company with two other boys about his own age and from the same neighborhood. A few days after reaching there, while loitering about the wharves, they were accosted by a well-dressed, genial-appearing man, who asked them if they had ever been aboard a large vessel, and if they would enjoy taking a sail down the harbor, in one then lying at the wharf, and return with the pilot. They gladly accepted. The mouth of the harbor was reached and Dublin was fairly left behind. The boys grew anxious and made some inquiry of the captain. He told them they were on their way to America and there was no way to avoid it. They were dazed, but there was no help for them. When they landed in Boston they were taken before officials and the captain made oath to the statement that they came on board of their own free will and accord, but without passage money. They were accordingly sold to pay their passage money, and Joseph Orr, who with his brother had recently purchased Orr's Island, bought Sinnett and took him to Maine. The others were sold elsewhere and no more is known of them. Sinnett worked out the amount of his pur- chase price, meantime becoming much attached to Orr and his
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1733 TO 1764.
family, and they likewise to him. It was now somewhat later than 1750. He remained awhile longer with Orr and finally married a woman who had relatives in Hingham, Mass.
At Orr's advice he and his wife came to Townsend, took up 100 acres of land, built a log house and a hovel for their live stock, and commenced clearing a farm. An opportunity being afforded, his wife took passage to Boston in a schooner going there, to visit her relatives for a few wecks. Shortly after she left a British man-of-war came into Townsend Har- bor, a pressgang came ashore and Sinnett and several others were seized and carried aboard. They were then taken to New York and enrolled in the Provincial Army, and made the march through the forests to Canada, fought through the cam- paign against the French, and, after the fall of Quebee, made a return march to New York, were mustered out and made their way back to the shores of Maine. Sinnett went first to Orr's Island, and there, in the family of his old friend, Joseph Orr, found his wife. She had, in due time, returned to Towns- end, where the sad news of the kidnapping of her husband awaited her. In despair she pieked her way back to the home of their old benefactor, Orr, who at once went to Townsend in his coaster and loaded upon it the belongings to this ruined home, taking them back to his own.
The man of these adventures was the founder of the numer- ous family of Sinnett now living in Harpswell. They never returned to Townsend. Part of these facts may be gleaned from Wheeler's History of Brunswick and Harpswell; some of the particulars I have received from his descendants and from an old plan made from a survey by Jonas Jones, sur- veyor, in 1757, of 700 aeres at Back River, now in possession of Albert R. Matthews, of that place. I find that Michael Sinnett's 100 acres were situated next north of John Matthews' lot, both of whom had houses built at the time of this survey. The Sinnett place afterward became the home of James Tibbetts. The date of this survey cannot vary much from the time Sinnett was impressed into the service of the Crown. This same survey shows that Abijah Woods lived where Albert R. Matthews now does in 1757, but Boothbay's records are silent as to such a person. As others were captured and
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HISTORY OF BOOTHBAY.
impressed in the service with Sinnett, this man was probably of the number, and he is likely to have been one in William Fullerton's deposition referred to as losing their lives in the service, evidenced by his non-return.
The fall of Quebec, which occurred September 18, 1759, became known in Falmouth (now Portland) on October 14th. A celebration of joy and thanksgiving ensued. Some days after this an eastern bound schooner, from Falmouth, for some reason was obliged to go into Round Pond. By that means the news reached there. Soon after that the news was carried down to Fort Frederick, but not fully confirmed. Thomas Johnson volunteered to go to Round Pond for a verification. Fearing to go through the woods he crossed to New Harbor and there took the shore to Round Pond. Arriving there he found the schooner, obtained the facts and returned as he had come. These particulars are given that the reader may ponder upon the conditions of the then contrasted with the now.
There is reason to suppose that soon after the Townsend inhabitants returned to their homes, in 1749, an effort was made by them, together with the inhabitants of that part of Bristol formerly known as Harrington, to obtain incorporation as a town. The petition has not been found, but the protest presented by the inhabitants to the west of Sheepscot indicates the settlers in these two localities. Alexander Nickels, who evidently headed the petition, was a lieutenant and the com- mander at Fort Frederick, a native of Londonderry, Ireland, who had come to America in 1721, living in Boston before going to Pemaquid. The protest follows :
PROTEST.
To the Honourable Spencer Phipps Esq Lient Govinor and Commander In Chief In and over His Magestys Province of Massachusetts Bay. The Honourable his Majestys Council and House of Representatives In General Court Assembled at Boston the Fifth day of October 1750.
Samuel Whitmore of Cambridge In said Province Gentle- man and Israel Averill of Sheepscot In said Province Yeoman for and in behalf of themselves and others, the Proprietors and Inhabitants of the West side of Sheepscut River In the County of York Humbly Sheweth.
That they have just now been Informed that there is filed
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1733 TO 1764.
in your Honourable Court a Petition or Memorial of one Alex'r Nickels and other Inhabitants of the East side of Sheepscut River afore said praying for certain Reasons therein mentioned that they may be Incorporated Into Town order. The grant- ing of which Petition your memorialists conceive will be very prejudicial and therefore humbly pray your Honour and Hon- ours that before any proceedings are had thereon they may be admitted to shew cause in your honourable Court why the prayer thereof should not be granted and as In duty bound will ever pray
Sam'l Whittemore Israel Averell.
Immediately upon the close of the war the coast between the Penobscot and Kennebec Rivers, which had been the fron- tier for 140 years, passing through every conceivable form in government and general conditions, rapidly increased in settle- ment. The inhabitants of Townsend up to about that date remained as they had started under Dunbar, almost purely Scotch-Irish. At the latter date (1759) but little of that blood came as accessions to the place, but, instead, the nearly pure- bred English from the older settlements to the westward.
CHAPTER X. MUNICIPAL HISTORY OF BOOTHBAY.
T HE town plan of local self-government is original with the New England Colonies. Nothing precisely like the town, which the colonists established here, had existed in the countries they came from. In England they had Tith- ings and Hundreds, which, in a modified condition, served as the model from which the town was patterned. But these were not laid out with exact territorial dimensions, as corpor- ate bodies, with exactions and requirements to, and powers conferred by, the superior government. Some writers have thought the town form of local government at first must have arisen as much by accident as any way, but there would appear, by a little research, a fairly good reason for the birth of this form of municipality. In the early Colonies themselves various forms of government existed. Maryland, Carolina, Georgia, New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania (includ- ing Delaware) and New Jersey were proprietary. In most instances the proprietors became tired of their grants and sur- rendered them to the Crown, in which cases they became royal provinces, over which the King appointed governors with absolute power of veto on legislation. Only three Colonies remained proprietary down to the Revolution, Pennsylvania, Delaware, then become a separate Colony, and New Jersey. The only Colonies organized under a charter government were Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. These charters gave the colonists the right of choosing their own officers and otherwise governing themselves as they thought best. There- fore, is it any wonder that the New England town and, partic- ularly, the New England town meeting should have had their births in the exact locality where the largest degree of liberty had been exacted and obtained? In 1684 the Massachusetts charter was annulled, but a new one was granted seven years later in which former powers exercised by the colonists were
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MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
somewhat abridged, and she became partly a royal province. Connecticut and Rhode Island were the only Colonies which through all vicissitudes held their charters.
Imperfect government has always been in evidence, but the colonial efforts are entitled to much respect, when the highest authority states that England herself never had a stable constitution until after the revolution of 1688. It mat- tered little where the American colonist hailed from, his teach- ing had always been that of an almost inseparable blending of Church and State. Thus the New England town, an innova- tion of wonderful governmental value upon the past, embodied both town and parish of the present day. Boothbay had been a town many years before a strict division occurred between town and parish affairs. Therefore, in the present chapter, covering the municipal action of the town in a partial manner, if the reader finds business matters and ecclesiastical affairs intermixed, it will be because the author finds the same condi- tions in the carly records.
The early petitions to the General Court for the incorpora- tion of towns usually containcd several reasons why the settlers wished for corporate powers. In the Boothbay petition one reason only is given : "We have a desire of settling the Gos- pel among us." No business disadvantage is recited except that one which may be inferred in the matter of inability to legally raise the funds for the support of a minister. Had our plantation records, meager as they probably were, been saved for later reference, some indications of other reasons might appear. This, however, we must accept as the one reason most important in the minds of the petitioners. This view of the case is supplemented by a clause in Samuel McCobb's dep- osition, made eight years after incorporation, wherein he says :
" When desirous of obtaining the benefit of order and the enjoyment of the gospel, they applied to the Gen'l Court of the Province and were legally incorporated into a town by the name of Boothbay."
If we read the history of the organization of the early Presbyterian Church in Boothbay, which was prepared by John Beath and read before the parish in 1767,1 being approved
1. See first book of parish records of the early church in Boothbay.
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HISTORY OF BOOTHBAY.
by it as essentially correct, we again are given the reason for incorporation as expressed in the petition. To the average reader of the present day, when all legal documents are couched in the terms that best convey the idea of the business reasons that prompt them, the action of this little community may appear almost puerile. To those, however, who are conversant with the religious fortitude of those people in Ireland, men- aced by the native Catholic on one side and by the oppressive hand of the Church of England on the other, adhering to the doctrines of Wycliffe, Knox and Calvin with a tenacity that excites admiration ; then planted here in the wilds of America amid another set of foes,-the warlike savage, a severe climate, almost starvation from a hard, unyielding soil, - we lose our surprise and no longer wonder that in their adversity their uppermost thought was to obtain relief from the conditions which surrounded them, and that, in their extremity, they should see that relief in the Church where for generations they had placed their faith.
On January 31, 1764, the following petition was completed and sent by a commissioner to Boston, to the Royal Governor, Francis Bernard, asking at the hands of himself and the Council incorporation of the plantation of Townsend. On the third of the following November the act of incorporation was granted. Four days previous to the passage the record shows that the petition was read, and it was ordered that the peti- tioners have leave to bring in a bill for the purpose mentioned, with the following careful reservation attached : "But that the incorporating them as a Town is not to be understood to give countenance to any Persons claiming property in these lands." It may be seen by this clause that incorporation did not close the door on the many evils complained of by McCobb and others in their depositions. The way was still open to the claimants to harass the settlers as much in the new town form as in the old one of a plantation. Nothing was settled in respect to ownership of the land, and those who had hitherto claimed under Drowne, Brown, Tappan, Ludgate, Hathorne and Vaughn still continued to ply their vocation until the adjustment by a commission in 1811, of which a more com- plete statement is made elsewhere.
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MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
PETITION FOR INCORPORATION OF TOWNSEND.
Mass. Archives, Vol. 118, p. 22.
To His Excellency Francis Barnard Esqr Capt General and Commander in Chief in and Over his Majesties Provence of the Massachusetts Bay in New England together with his Majesties Council &c
The Petetion of us the Inhabitants of Townsend So Called Humbly Sheweth-
That Whereas we have for a Number of Years Livd in this Place till we have Increased to about the Number of Seaventy five Ratable Poles and as we have a Desire of Settleing the Gospel among us Labour under a Great deal of Difficultie on account of Not Being Incorporated into town Order we would Humbly Beg your Honnours would be pleased to take our Case into Consideration and for that End Set Off as a town the Land Lying on the East Sid of Sheepscut River Extending as farr to the Northerd as a Place Called the Cross River-and from thence about E. S. E. across the Neck to Damariscotty River to the Northly Part of the Land in Possession of Samuel Kelly and So Running Southerly down Damariscotty River to the Sea with all the Islands Ajacient Your Compliance in this will Greatly Oblig Your Very Humble Servt and we in Duty Bound Shall Ever Pray
Given at Townsend this 31st Day of
January - 1764
Natel Tebbets Thomas Kenney Joseph Crosby Joseph hosden Ichabod pinkham James Crommett Samll Adams
William Mor[?] Roley Vin[ ?]
Samuel McCobb
Samuel Barter
John Beath his
Willm O Kenedy mark
Joseph Farnum
Andrew Reed
Abner foord John Young Israel Davis Cornelius Cook Paul Reed Willm Fullerton James Montgomrey
Ephraim mfarland Robert montgumery
Joseph Beath James fullerton
Joseph Reed
Samuel Kenney
To his Excellcy Fras Barnard Esqr Govr of the Province of the massa Bay, to the hon : his Majesty's Council & the honble House of Representatives
The Proprietors of the Kennebeck Purchase from the late
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IIISTORY OF BOOTHBAY.
Colony of new Plymouth humbly join in the Prayer of the foregoing Petition.
Silv. Gardiner
James Pitts
For themselves
Benj. Hallowell
& Partners of the
Wm Taylor Gershom Flagg J
Kennebeck Purchase
In the House of Repnes Octr 31 1764 Read and Ordered that the Petrs have liberty to bring in a Bill for the purpose mentioned. But that the incorporating them as a Town is not to be under- stood to give countenance to any Persons claiming property in said lands.
Sent up for concurrence
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary. Boston, Sept. 10, 1902.
A true copy. S SEAL
Witness the Seal of the Commonwealth.
WM. M. OLIN, Secretary.
ACT OF INCORPORATION OF BOOTHBAY. Chapter 15, Acts of 1764.
Anno Regni Tertii Quarto SEAL Regis Georgi Et Quinto
[An*] Act for Erecting a Town in the County of Lincoln, by the Name of Boothbay.
Whereas the Inhabitants of Land lying between Sheepscot and Damariscotta River within [the count*]y of Lincoln, known by the Name of Townsend have Petitioned this Court that for the reasons mentioned th[ey may be*] Incorporated into a Town, and Vested with the Powers and Authorities belonging to other Towns
For the Encouragement of said Settlement
Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and House of Rep- resentatives, Th[at the*] said Tract of Land described and bounded as follows vizt. Beginning at the most Northerly part of a Bay [called*] the Oven's Mouth, and from thence to run an East South East Course to Damariscotta River; thence
Boothbay Harbor from Mckown's Hill.
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MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
Souther [ly*] down said River to the Sea or Western Ocean, then to run Westerly on the Sea Coast as the Coast lies to the Mou [th of*] Sheepscot River, then to run Northerly up Sheepscot River between Jeremy Squam Island and Barter's Island to the Cross river at the head of said Barter's Island and from thence over the Water to the most Northerly [part*] of the Oven's Mouth aforesaid with all the Islands in Damaris- cotta River below or to the Southward of the fi[rst*] described line, and also All the Islands lying within Six Miles from the Main Land to the South, between the [afore*] mentioned Rivers of Sheepscot and Damariscotta, be and hereby is erected into a Town by the Name of Boo[thbay*] and the Inhabitants thereof shall have and enjoy all such Immunities and Privi- ledges as other Towns in this Pro[vince*] have and do by Law enjoy.
And be it further enacted That Samuel Denny Esqr be and hereby is Impowered to Iss [ue*] his Warrant to some Princi- pal Inhabitant of the said Town of Boothbay requiring him in his Majesty's n [ame*] to warn and Notify the said Inhabitants Qualified to Vote in Town Affairs to meet together at such Time and Place in said Town as shall be appointed in said Warrant to chuse such officers as the Law directs, and may be necessary to Manage the Affairs of said Town and the Inhab- itants so met shall be and are hereby Impowered to chuse such Officers accordingly.
November 3d 1764 This Bill having been read three several times in the House of Representatives Passed to be Enacted S. White Spkr
November 3d 1764 This Bill having been read three several times in Council.
Passed to be Enacted A Oliver. Sec
November 3 1764 By the Governor I Consent to the Enacting this Bill Fra Bernard
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary. Boston, Sept. 10, 1902.
A true copy. Witness the Seal of the Commonwealth.
SEAL
WM. M. OLIN, Secretary.
* Parchment mutilated.
10
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HISTORY OF BOOTHBAY.
The early records of Boothbay would present, if no expla- nation existed, a very mixed and unusual form to an investi- gator of them. No warrant for a town meeting is found until the one for a special meeting, called June 24, 1776, is reached. Some random proceedings are recorded from the very first, but they are such as would naturally be best remembered, and form, at most, a sort of incomplete digest of town action. No one can peruse the old first book of records of proceedings without detecting a lack of what must really have occurred. Prior to the date of this first recorded warrant very important action had been taken, including the several meetings of 1775, when the town was put in a state of defense against the British. This first book contains all we have, except some family rec- ords and publications of intentions of marriage, relating to municipal action and other affairs in town between the years 1765 and 1807. This book, on its first page, gives a list of moderators and clerks from 1765 to 1774, inclusive. On the third page are recorded the selectmen and assessors for the first four years. Thus are the affairs of the town irregularly scattered along. The principal officers for several years are recorded on pages by themselves ; then pages of petty officers. Next, recorded sales of pews in the new church, perhaps a bill of sale, marriage intentions, registered marks of cattle owned by the varions citizens which were running at large, road sur- veyors' minutes, records of deaths, children's ages and other family records, diagram drafts of land bounds and plans of buildings,-all in mixed and random condition, recorded with- out order or natural sequence.
The explanation is that several years of our early records were, doubtless, written from memory. Andrew McFarland was town clerk from 1765 to 1773, inclusive. Then John Beath held the place for two years, and again McFarland was clerk in 1776. He died in 1780. At some date during his clerkship his house, which was located at the Harbor, where the late Isaac C. Sherman had his home, was burned and nearly all the town records with it. While no evidence exists, that is known, as to the date of this loss, there are indications in the records themselves that would lead one, who knew such an event did occur, to believe it to have been at about the end of his first term of clerkship, or 1773.
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MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
Out of this mixed mass of matter has been extracted, by a great deal of painstaking labor, such facts as are here presented to make up our early municipal records. The first town meet- ing in Boothbay was held February 27, 1765, which may be termed the meeting of organization. Four months had nearly elapsed between the date of the charter and that meeting. No proceedings are found of that meeting, but there is a record of the officers elected. The next action was the meeting of April 12, 1765, and only two votes from that meeting are given : one appropriating five dollars to purchase a town book; and .the other, "That the lott of land left by Edmond Brown, deceased, to the first Settled Minister is to remain to that pur- pose in Boothbay."1 It is evident, however, at the earlier meeting, that of February 27th, there were appropriations made for building a church on the lot where the First Congre- gational Church now stands at Boothbay Center, as well as others to cover the necessary town expenses. Inexperienced in town affairs, they supposed this meeting of February 27, 1765, the early part of the year following incorporation, would stand in its action until the spring of 1766. But in this they erred. Under the laws of Massachusetts Bay they should have held another meeting in March, 1765, elected officers and enacted the necessary legislation for the year ensuing, or, what would have been better, as they had delayed organization some four months, to have waited a little longer and brought the meeting of organization at such a date as would have suf- ficed for the regular annual meeting. But they tripped over the technicality of the law, and the petition sent to the General Court on September 3, 1765, which is inserted and explains itself, shows that they had become cognizant of their error.
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