History of Cumberland Co., Maine, Part 105

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 780


USA > Maine > Cumberland County > History of Cumberland Co., Maine > Part 105


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* William Maxfield married again, Mary Westcott, March, 1763. t See marriage records of John Wight, pastor.


Smith's History of Windham.


398


HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MAINE.


INDIAN TROUBLES.


The few carly settlers of Windham had not long been in possession of their territory when they began to experience trouble with the Indians, consequent upon the breaking out of the war between England and France. In anticipation of this war Massachusetts determined to put her eastern frontiers in as defensible a position as practicable, and accordingly the Legislature, in 1743, made an appropriation of £1280, to be expended among the eastern settlements for their defense. One hundred pounds of this money was assigned to New Marblehead, and expended in building a fort. We take the following description of this fort from Smith's History of Windham :


" This fort was built on lot No. 33, in the centre of the ' Ancient Dominion,' or home-lots, on the most elevated and beautiful site in the ' two mile territory,' a few rods south of the dwelling- house of the late Peter Thacher Smith. It stood partly on the road and partly on land occupied by Col. Anderson for a garden. The fort was 50 feet square, 2 stories high, with walls one foot thick, of hewn hemlock timber, the upper story jutting one foot over the lower, with a tier of port-holes. There were 2 watch-boxes at diagonal corners, 2 stories high, 12 feet square, with walls 1 foot thick, cach watch-box having a swivel gun, furnished by the proprietors, and so placed as to defend two sides of the fort. The fort was surrounded with a stockade, about 25 or 30 feet from it, made by setting posts, 10 or 12 inches in diameter, 12 feet long, perpendicularly in the ground, and so near together that the Indians could not pass between them. The fort was provided with an iron ' nine-pounder gun' by the State [Province], which was placed before the fort for the purpose of firing alarms and giving the neigh- boring settlements notice of the approach of Indians. The fort was built during the spring of 1744, and was the only one ever erected in this town."


William Mayberry had been active and had purchased at his own expense one half-barrel (50 pounds) of powder, costing £20 9s. The proprietors, at a meeting in Marble- head, July 30, 1744, voted to pay Mr. Mayberry, and " that the said powder be put into the hands of William Mayberry, he supplying the inhabitants (who want it) to the value of half a pound each man, and the remainder of said powder to be kept in the block-house for the use thereof in time of action, in case the same be attacked by the Indians or any other enemies, and no otherwise whatsoever." " Voted, That the present company be, and hereby are, directed, at the publie charge of the proprietors, to purchase two swivel guns and send them to said township for the use of the pro- prietors, to be placed in the block-house for the defense thereof."


The inhabitants, encouraged by such assistance on the part of the province and the proprietors, bestowed upon their fort a great amount of labor and made it a place of considerable safety. The war which had been anticipated was deelared in March, 1744, and formally communicated to the Governor of Massachusetts in June following .*


The troubled and perilous condition of a frontier settle- ment during an Indian war can be too vividly conceived to


need much description. The savage foe would suddenly emerge from his hidden hannts in the forest, do his work of destruction and death, perhaps at the midnight hour while the defenseless inhabitants were unconsciously sleep- ing, and as suddenly disappear in the impenetrable fast- nesses of the wilderness, beyond the reach of pursuit or discovery. All that would be heard or seen would be the savage yell, the gleam of the tomahawk or scalping-knife, the glare of the blazing brand, or the tall, naked bodies of the savages mingling in the horrid slaughter,-then all would be silent : the enemy having disappeared as mysteri- ously as he came. Such well-known traits of Indian war- fare kept the early settlers constantly on the alert, day and night, to guard against surprises. When at labor in the field they were often obliged, in a sudden emergency, to re- pel an attack or make a hazardous retreat to a place of safety. By reason of the danger to which they were con- stantly exposed, they were unable to cultivate their lands to any advantage. They were obliged to go armed to public worship on the Sabbath, and usually when at work posted a sentinel in some conspicuous place to keep watch. Even these precautions did not always prevent surprise. Indians lurking behind stumps or trees or hidden in the bushes would watch the husbandman at work in the field, and when he was off his gnard for a moment, get between him and his gun, or steal it and carry it off. In short, the distressed people were afraid even to milk their cows, although they took the precaution to keep them pastured as near as pos- sible to the fort. Whole families were frequently shut up for months together in a state of wretched anxiety. This state of things continued till the close of the war, in 1751.


The first outrage committed by the Indians on the in- habitants of Windham was on the 14th of April, 1747, when they took as prisoners William and Joseph Knight, two sons of William Knight, one of the pioneers of the town, who came from Manchester, Mass. They were un- armed and taken by surprise at Saccarappa, but were well treated by the Indians and soon returned home. On the 27th of August, following, a party of some twenty or thirty Indians entered the town, and made an attempt to capture two young men who were out of the fort, William, son of Thomas Bolton, and William Maxfield, who lived with William Mayberry. They were both well armed with muskets and made a brave resistance. Bolton dis- charged his musket upon his assailants, but before he could reload the Indians rushed upon him and made him a prisoner. Maxfield retreated, walking backwards towards the fort, and occasionally menacing the Indians with his gun, till he was rescued by a band of armed men from the garrison, but not till he had been seriously, though not fatally, wounded by a shot from the Indians, having an arm broken. Bolton was carried captive to Canada, where he was purchased by a French naval officer, and taken on board a French frigate as a servant. The French frigate was soon after captured by an English vessel and taken to Boston, and Bolton became the servant of Lieut. Wallace, of the English frigate. But his situation becoming known to the captain of a coasting vessel belonging to Falmouth, he was released on application to the Governor, and brought home to the great joy of his parents.


# See history of the Indian wars in the general part of this work.


399


TOWN OF WINDHAM.


On the 22d of August, 1750, a party of Indians sur- prised and captured Seth Webb, son of Samuel Webb, formerly of Falmouth, who settled in Windham, March 15, 1742, making a prisoner of him and carrying him to Canada, whenee he returned after the war.


During the interval between this and the next war the settlement in Windham prospered both in its general im- provements and in additions to its population.


The next war (known as the last French and Indian war) broke out in 1754. The inhabitants of this town spared no pains to put the settlement in a good state of defense. Three dwelling-houses were converted into gar- risons: Mayberry's, on home-lot No. 18; Bolton's, on home-lot No. 52; and Graffam's, on home-lot No. 61. They had attached to them "watch-boxes" two stories high, and were surrounded by stockades of heavy posts planted in the ground.


In February, 1756, the Indians again surprised and captured Joseph Knight. Having been a long time pris- oner among them during the preceding war, he had suffi- eiently learned their language to understand them, and became aware of their intention to attack the frontier towns from Brunswiek to Saeo, and he determined on making his eseape and alarming the settlements. The Indians had taken him to the Androseoggin River, and to prevent his eseape compelled him to sleep at night between two war- riors pledged to keep him securely. He watched his oppor- tunity, and while they were both asleep withdrew himself quietly and walked away. He came to North Yarmouth, and there gave warning of the intentions of the Indians .*


On the morning of May 14, 1756, Ezra Brown and Ephraim Winship, while on their way with a guard of four men and four boys to work on Brown's farm, were attacked by fifteen or twenty Indians, who lay concealed in a thick woods through which the party had to pass. Brown and Winship were in advance, and had entered the woods before the others eame up. The Indians fired upon them. Brown was shot dead on the spot ; Winship received two bullets --- one in the eye and the other in the arm-and fell. Both were immediately scalped by the Indians. Part of the guard, viz., Abraham Anderson, Stephen Manchester and two lads, Timothy Cloudman and Gershom Winship, hear- ing the firing, rushed on to the seene of action, determined, if their companions had been killed, to avenge their blood. The rest of the guard retreated to the fort. When the brave little band, encouraged by Anderson, who called out, " Come on, my lads," had reached their fallen companions, the Indians had hardly finished their bloody work, and seeing the white men coming they hastily concealed themselves behind trees. Poland, the noted leader of the band, was the first to fire from his covert, discharging his gun at Manchester. In his haste to reload he exposed his body to Manchester's sure and steady aim, and was in an instant shot dead. The Indians gathered around their fallen chief, and in a few moments two more of them were killed or


mortally wounded, when the rest fled from the scene, carry- ing with them the body of their leader. The garrison being by this time alarmed, a small body of armed men started in pursuit. Among them was Seth Webb, who had been taken prisoner in the previous war. At a place called " The Meadows," between Canada Ilill and the Westbrook line, they discovered an Indian carrying a quarter of beef on his shoulder, and two of the party fired upon him. They did not, apparently, hit him, for he continued on his course, making his best possible exertions to escape with his plunder, which had probably been taken from a slaugh- tered animal belonging to the settlers. ITis pertinacity, however, cost him his life, for Seth Webb, who was an unerring marksman, leveled his gun upon him and brought him to the ground. He died of his wound the following night, and the next night one who had been mortally wounded by the other party died. Thus were the murder of Brown and Winship doubly avenged, for four Indians had perished at the hands of the whites. The death of Poland put an end to all trouble with the Indians in this quarter. t


REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.


This town was among the earliest to manifest its pa- triotic spirit under the series of' oppressions by the Brit- ish government which led to the final separation of the colonies from the mother country. A town-meeting was held at the meeting-house, Feb. 16, 1773, "to choose a committee to act on anything the town may think proper, in answer to a letter of correspondenee sent by the town of Boston to this town, concerning the infringements which are made upon the rights and privileges that we ought to enjoy, and to do anything the town may think proper in answer to said letter." Capt. Caleb Graffam was chosen moderator ; Thomas Mayberry, Richard May- berry, Z. Hunnewell, Caleb Graffam, Thomas Trott, Wil- liam Knight, and Hugh Crague were chosen a committee of correspondence, ete. We have not space here to insert the letter to the Boston committee and the series of emi- nently fitting and patriotic resolutions adopted by the meeting. They will be found in the town records. At a subsequent meeting, held in January, 177-1, the committee of correspondence were instructed to answer a further communication from Boston, which they did in bold and energetic language, declaring their determination to adhere to and support their brethren in every measure touching the rights and liberties of the country. When the famous Cumberland County resolves were passed at Falmouth, Sept. 21, 1774, Zerubbabel Hunnewell, Thomas Trott, and David Baker were there to represent the town of Windham. In pursuance of the action of this convention, a meeting was called, Nov. 7, 1774, " to choose three officers to in- struct those who are inclined in the military art." Richard Mayberry was chosen captain, David Baker lieutenant, and Edward Anderson ensign. In March, 1775, it was voted that William Knight be captain for the militia of this town, David Baker, lieutenant, and Richard Dole ensign.


From the commencement of hostilities to the elose of


* " May 10 .- This morning we were alarmed with young Knight, who eseaped from the Indians three days ago, and got to North Yar- mouth this morning, who bring news of 120 Indians coming upon the frontiers, who are to spread themselves in small scouts from Bruns- wick to Saco."-Smith's Journal, p. 64.


f This engagement where Poland was slain was on tot No. 21, first division of hundred-aere lots .- Smith's History of Windham.


400


IHISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MAINE.


the war the calls upon the town for men, money, clothing, and provisions were incessant. From statements furnished by Mr. Smith in his history, we foot up over 100 men from this town, ealled into the service as recruits and otherwise, not in any organized local companies. Besides these a con- siderable number served for different periods, and some through nearly the whole of the war, in addition to those belonging to Capt. Mayberry's company.


In November, 1776, Capt. Richard Mayberry, of this town, enlisted a company of 64 men, including officers and privates, into the Continental service for three years. The captain and eleven of the number belonged to Windham. They were in most of the great actions during their period of service,-Burgoyne's surrender, Monmouth, and Hub- bardstown, where they suffered severely.


In the war of 1812-14, Windham was not called upon to furnish any for the United States armies, the meu for that service being raised by voluntary enlistments. But near the elose of the war one company of militia was de- tached, under command of Capt. Nathan Goold, of Wind- ham, mustered in at Portland, Sept. 10, 1814, and mus- tered out Sept. 22, 1814. The detachments were only for a short time and were not under fire.


In the war with Mexico, Joseph C. Chute, Augustus Hall, and Charles Rand, from Windham, were in the army, and the last-named died in the service.


INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN.


The town was incorporated under the name of Windham (derived from the English Windham, county of Norfolk), June 12, 1762. At this time it contained thirty-nine fam- ilies. Two years later it was estimated to contain 250 in- habitants. Up to 1760 all the settlements had been con- fined to the home-lots. The first town-meeting after the incorporation was held at the old fort, July 5, 1762. Abra- ham Anderson was chosen moderator; Thomas Chute, town clerk ; Caleb Graffam, Thomas Mayberry, and John Farrar, selectmen ; and Abraham Anderson, town treasurer. We give below a list of the chief town officers and representa- tives from the incorporation to the present time :


CIVIL LIST. TOWN CLERKS.


Thomas Chute, 1762-66; Abraham Anderson, 1766-70; Richard Mayberry, 1770-71 ; Micah Walker, 1771-74; Richard Dole, 1774-87; Edward Anderson, 1777-83; Richard Dole, 1783-89; Abraham Osgood, 1789-92; Caleb Rea, 1792-93; Richard Dole, 1793-1804 ; Josiah Chute, 1804-5 ; John Gallison, 1805-21 ; John Collios, 1821-22; William Brown, 1822-23; John Eveletb, 1823-42; William Silla, 1842-43 ; John Eveleth, 1843-45 ; Sam- uel Freeman, 1845-46; John Eveleth, 1846-19; Samuel Freeman, 1849-50; John Eveleth, 1850-55; Howard C. Freeman, 1855-63; Peter R. Hall, 1863-65; George E. Hawkes, 1865-68; John C. Cobb, 1868-71; Alpheus A. Gould, 1871-72; Fred. S. Hawkes, 1872-79.


SELECTMEN.


1762 .- Cnleb Graffam, Thomas Mayberry, John Farrar. 1763 .- John Bodge, Thomas Mayberry, Abraham Anderson. 1761 .- William Knight, Caleb Graffam, Richard Mayberry. 1765-66 .- James Bailey, Thomas Chute, Isaac Elder. 1767 .- Curtis Chute, William Knight, Thomas Mayberry. 1768-69 .- Caleb Graffam, Thomas Mayherry, Abraham Anderson. 1770 .- Caleb Graffam, Hugh Crague, William Knight. 177] .- William Copprian, William Knight, William Elder.


1772 .- William Knight, William Copprian, Zebulon Hunnewell. 1773 .- Caleb Graffam, Thomas Mayberry, Richard Mayberry. 1774 .- Ichabod Ilanson, Hugh Crague, Thomas Trutt. 1775-76 .- Thomas Trott, Ichabod Ilanson, David Baker. 1777 .- William Knight, Abraham Osgood, Daniel Pettengill. 1778 .- Abraham Osgood, Timothy Pike, Thomas Trott. 1779 .- Timothy Pike, Paul Little, Caleb Graffam. 1780 .- Caleb Graffum, Jonathan Loveitt, Thomas Trott. 1781 .- Paul Little, Jonathan Loveitt, Edward Anderson. 1782 .- Daniel Pettengill, William Knight, Abraham Osgood. 1783 .- Gershom Rogers, Ezra Brown, Daniel Pettengill. 1784 .- Gershom Rogers, Ezra Brown, Joseph Hooper. 1785 .- Ezra Brown, David Purrington, Gershom Rogers. 1786-87 .- Edward Anderson, Ezra Brown, David Purrington. 1788 .- Josiah Chute, Ezra Brown, David Purrington. 1789 .- David Purrington, Paul Little, Joseph Hooper. 1790 .- Ezra Brown, Paul Little, David Purrington. 1791 .- Winslow Hall, Josiah Chute, Ezra Brown. 1792-94 .- David Purrington, Josinb Chute, Ezra Brown. 1795-96 .- Ezra Brown, Josiab Chute, Abraham Anderson. 1797 .- David Parrington, Ezra Brown, Thomas Crague. 1798 .- Josiah Chate, Ezra Brown, David Purrington. 1799. - William Hall, Thomas Crague, Edward Anderson. 1800 .- Ezra Brown, Josiah Chute, Thomas Crague. 1801 .- Ezra Brown, David Purrington, Elijah Kennard. 1802-1 .- David Purrington, Paul Little, Josiab Chute. 1805 .- David Purrington, Josiah Webb, John Swett. 1806 .- David Purrington, Josiah Webb, John Chute. 1807 .- Josiah Chute, Ezrn Brown, William Hall. 1808 .- Josiah Chote, William Hall, Noah Read. 1809-11 .- Josiah Cbute, Josinh Webb, William Ilall. 1812-13 .- Nathan Goold, Josiah Webb, William IIall. 1814-15 .- Nathan Gould, Stephen Hall, Josiab Chute. 1816 .- Nathan Gould, William Brown, Josiah Chute. 1817 .- Nathan Goold, William Brown, Timothy Hanson. 1818 .- Nathan Goold, William Brown, Josiab Webb. 1819 .- William Brown, Josiah Webb, Stepben Hall. 1820 .- William Brown, Joseph Staples, Stephen Ilall. 1821 .- Nathan Gould, Thomas Little, Josiah Webb. 1822 .- William Brown, Ebenezer Hawkes, John Gallison. 1823 .- John Eveleth, William Brown, Ebenezer Hawkes (3d).


1824 .- William Brown, Ebenezer Hawkes (3d), Stephen Webb. 1825 .- Stephen Webb, Daniel Hall, Joseph Staples. 1826 .- William Brown, Joseph Staples, Edmund Boody.


1827 .- William Brown, Ebenezer Hawkes (3d), Timothy Ilanson. 1828 .- William Brown, Elias Baker, Solomon Hawkes. 1829 .- Elias Baker, Stephen Webb, Edward Anderson. 1830 .- William Brown, Thomas Mayberry, Jr., John Rend. 1831-32 .- Thomas Mayberry, Jr., John Read, John Waterman. 1833 .- Thomas Mayberry, Jr., Elias Baker, John Webb. 1834 .- Thomas Mayberry, Jr., Edward Anderson, James McIntosh. 1835 .- Thomas Mayberry, Jr., Edward Anderson, Thomas Varney. 1836 .- Stephen Webb, Allen Hamblen, Asn Legrow.


1837 .- William Brown, Thomas Hawkes, Asa Legrow. 1838 .- Levi Tobie, Asn Legrow, Lewis Hardy.


1839 .- Thomas Hawkes, Levi Tobie, Lucius Whipple. 1840-41 .- Thomas Hawkes, Lucius Whipple, William E. Brown. 1842 .- William Silla, Edward Anderson, Josiah Fogg. 1843 .- Lucius Whipple, Thomas Hawkes, Thomas L. Smith. 1844 .- Lucius Whipple, Enoch Mayberry, Thomas L. Smith. 1845 .- Lucius Whipple, Eooch Mayberry, Ezra Brown, Jr. 1846 .- Enoch Mayberry, Ezra Brown, Jr., Edward Anderson. 1847-48 .- Edward Anderson, Mark Knight, Thomas Hawkes. 1849-50 .- Ezra Brown, Jr., Samuel Freeman, David P. Baker. 1851-53 .- Thomas Mayberry, Epbraim Legrow, Thomas Hawkes. 1854 .- Thomas Hawkes, Ephraim Legrow, Edward Anderson. 1855-56 .- William Silla, Elishn Jones, Jason Hanson. 1857 .- Thomas Mayberry, Thomas L. Smith, Jason ITanson. 1858 .- Thomas Mayberry, Charles Jones, Charles Rogers. 1859-60 .- Oliver Popo, Jason Hanson, William S. Cobb. 1861 .- Samuel Freeman, William Silla, Abijah H. Purrington. 1862 .- Samuel Freeman, Abijab II. Purrington, Charles Ilunnewell. 1863-64. - Abijah HI. Purrington, Charles Hunnewell, Isaiah Elder. 1865 .- William Silla, Charles Jones, Charles Rogers. 1866 .- Thomas L. Smith, William H. Smith, Andrew J. Morrill.


401


TOWN OF WINDHAM.


1867-69 .- Charles Jones, Charles Rogers, William M. Smith. 1870-71 .- William If. Varney, Joshua Tukey, William S. Cobb. 1872-73 .- Williamo UI. Varney, Charles Jones, William M. Smith. 1874 .- B. M. Baker, Jeel Rand, Charles A. Haskell. 1875 .- Joel Rand, Charles A. Haskell, John T. Fellows. 1876. - John T. Felluws, Urhan Lowell, Charles R. Goodell. 1877 .- Charles R. Goodell, Urban Lowell, Themas L. Allen. 1878 .- Charles R. Goodell, Thomas L. Allen, F. Il. Boody. 1879 .- Thomas L. Allen, F. Il. Boody, Urban Lowell.


REPRESENTATIVES IN THE GENERAL COURT OF MASSA- CHUSETTS FROM 1762 TO 1820.


1767-68, Abraham Anderson; 1797, Ezra Brown; 1803, Peter T. Smith ; 1805-12, Josiah Chute; 1813-15, Stephen IFall : 1816, Nathan Goold; 1817-20, Josiah Chute.


TOWN PROPERTY.


The property belonging to the town consists chiefly of a poor-house and farm, and of a briek town-house. The buildings for the accommodation of' the poor are large and convenient, and refleet credit upon the town. The town- house is a building 40 by 50 feet, with walls of 13 feel elevation, containing a safe for the deposit of the town of the best construction, and convenient offices for business. It was erected in 1833.


CENTENNIAL OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT.


On the 4th of July, 1839, was held the centennial of the first settlement of the town of Windham. The day was ushered in with an artillery salute at sunrise. At six o'clock a procession was formed at the hotel of James Greenough, under the direction of Gen. Elias Baker, chief marshal, and Daniel W. Dole and Ezra Brown, Esqs., assistant mar- shals, which, for numbers, is seldom equaled in any place. A large number of the old citizens of Windham came from a distance to pay tribute to the memory of their fathers. Hon. John Anderson presided, and Moses Little and Lueius Whipple, Esqs., officiated as vice-presidents. The occasion was one long to be remembered by those who participated in it. A full report of this grand celebration would occupy too much space to be embodied in this history, but many copies of it have been preserved in the excellent historical sketch of the town prepared by Thomas L. Smith, Esq., and published in 1873.


RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.


CONGREGATIONAL.


The church established by the proprietors of the town was of the Congregational order. The first meeting-house was erected in 1740. Two years elapsed before a church was formed and an effort made to seeure a minister. At a meeting of the proprietors, held Mareh 3, 1742, it was voted to " settle an orthodox minister as soon as may be," to pay him " forty-five pounds for his settlement" out of the pro- prietors' treasury, and " thirty pounds per annum" for his salary, "until the township be incorporated as a town." James Skinner, Nathan Brown, and Jonathan Proctor were chosen a committee to settle Mr. John Wight, who duly ordained and entered upon his labors, with a church mem- bership of seven persons, in September, 1743, seven pounds ten shillings being voted by the proprietors to pay his ordi- nation expenses. We give a brief summary, as follows, of the pastors of this church :


51


1. Rev. John Wight, graduated at Harvard College in 1721 ; came from Dedham, Mass. ; ordained Dec. 14, 1743 ; preached in Windham till his death, May 8, 1753, aged fifty-five years.


2. Rev. Peter Thaeher Smith, son of Rev. Thomas Smith, born in Portland, June 14, 1731 ; graduated at Har- vard College in 1753; ordained Sept. 22, 1762; dismissed Nov. 26, 1790 ; died Oct. 26, 1826, in the ninety-sixth year of his age, having preached twenty-eight years and two months.


3. Rev. Nathaniel Stone, graduated at Harvard College in 1795 ; came from Provincetown, Mass .; ordained Oct. 1, 1798; dismissed Feb. 3, 1805.


4. Rev. Asa Lyman, born at Lebanon, Conn., about 1777 ; graduated at Yale College in 1802 or 1803, installed Nov. 3, 1809 ; dismissed June 1, 1810 ; died in the State of New York, in 1836, aged fifty-nine years.


5. Rev. Gardner Kellogg, installed April 25, 1811; con tinued pastor till his death, Nov. 29, 1826, aged sixty-one years.


6. Rev. William Gragg, ordained Oet. 15, 1828; dis- missed Aug. 31, 1831.


7. Rev. Jonathan Lee Hale, ordained Sept. 12, 1832; continued pastor till his death, Jan. 15, 1835, aged forty- five years.




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