USA > Maine > York County > Kennebunkport > History of Kennebunk Port, from its first discovery by Bartholomew Gosnold, May 14, 1602, to A. D. 1837 > Part 13
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Although the Indians had committed no depredations in this town, [1746] it being in a degree sheltered by the new towns that had grown up since the former wars, yet the inhabitants were in a constant state of alarm. The General Court had appropriated money to put the principal forts and garrisons of Maine in a state of defence, but nothing had been allowed to Ar- undel. To obtain some assistance, the town, which had not been represented for twenty two years, now chose Thomas Perkins representative " to the Grand and General Court." Aid was procured for repairing the garrisons, and the town voted to take " ye Twelve Pounds which the Province gave to the Rev. Mr. John Hovey towards his Repairing his Garrison" and to re- pair it themselves. One hundred pounds old tenor was afterwards raised for that purpose.
So many men having been taken from their farms to join the expedition to Cape Breton, there was not pro- visions enough raised to supply the demand. In December, corn was 25s a bushel, wheat 28s, flour £6
"Mr. Hovey's journal.
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KENNEBUNK PORT.
TO 1746.]
a hundred, and molasses 28s a gallon .* Prices, in con- sequence of a very severe winter, were still higher the next year. Corn was 30s, and flour £10, in the depre- ciated currency.+
'The winter was very cold. In January 1747, the " snow in the woods three feet deep, and a very hard winter; abundance of snow, and cold freezing weather." In February, " there was an abundance of snow on the ground, and drifted in the lanes above the fences in many places." The spring however was rather for- ward; Mr. Hovey says " March 11th, the snow pretty well gone about the Cape ;- 19th, I began to garden, sowed parsnips, cabbages, and turnips."
A large French fleet under the command of the Duke D'Anville, made an unsuccessful assault upon Annapolis, Nova Scotia, in 1746. The fleet being sub- sequently scattered by storms, returned to France ; but to guard against another attack, a reinforcement of men was sent down from Massachusetts, New Hamp- shire and Maine. Several men from Arundel, on their passage to join their regiment, were cast away at Mount Desert and some of them drowned; amongst whom were John Treeworgy, Samuel Averill and others. It was reported by the survivors, that the captain of the vessel, in order to insure his own safety, secured down the hatches after the vessel struck, and left the soldiers to perish miserably in confinement.
There is however some obscurity about this transac- tion. Mr. Hovey, under the date of February 14th, says they "heard the Averies, Amos Towne, Hues, and Ensign Sampson were cast away at Mt. Desertt who were going down with Capt. Perkins to Annapolis."
It is not certainly known who commanded the vessel. John Walker, for circulating the story, was prosecuted by the person implicated, but the result of the suit is not known.
Maine lost between 2 and 3,000 men in this war. [1748] Arundel being no longer a frontier town, but protected by inland towns, did not lose an inhabitant within its
*Mr. Hovey's journal. In 1749, he went to Wells after meal, and gave 30s a bushel.
+ Williamson's Hist. vol. ii. p. 255. N # Some words illegible.
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limits. Several however were probably killed in the service of the province, as there were frequent drafts made for the protection of the eastern settlements. *Eliphalet Perkins, Robinson and several others went to Penobscot. Alarms were also very frequent, and the savages were constantly in this neighborhood. Mr. Hovey, April 28, says " the eastern towns all in alarm because of widow Stewart's house being burnt at Wells. She and a child lost, supposed to have been done by the Indians."
October 7, a treaty of peace was signed at Aix-la- Chapelle, by the English, French and Spanish crowns, but the war with the Indians still continued. With the return of peace, business began to revive, and lum- ber, potash, furs, and fish, were in demand, in exchange for pork and corn from the southern states. Cape Por- poise was then, as it has always continued to be, much frequented as a harbor during the stormy seasons of the year. Mr. Hovey speaks of a sloop from Lisbon ;- the schooner Jolly Jean from Lisbon ;- a schooner com- manded by Capt. Fogg ;- a schooner commanded by Capt. Frost, from Barbadoes, bound to Portsmouth ;- Capt. Davis in a schooner from Annapolis, with Capt. Morris, Lieut. Wise, and a number of soldiers bound for Boston ;- a sloop from Annapolis ;- a sloop from Louisburg, bringing news of Sir William's regiment having embarked, and a number of citizens of this town being on board a sloop belonging to Williams. Besides these transient vessels there were several owned at Cape Porpoise, [1749] running regularly to Boston, and other western ports. Mr. James Huff having lost his " old sloop," built two others, one of which he after- wards sold, and the other was cast away.t Mr. Hovey, June 17, says " Huff's sloop, the Swallow, returned from New York with flour. 19th. Stone's schooner Mary with 8 or 10 hands sailed for Georges for hay. 20th. Thomas Huff and Joseph Averill bought a boat for £80. July 26. Deacon Merrill launched his sloop."}
*Mr. Hovey's Journal.
t" Jan. 24, 1751 .- Huff's sloop and two vessels more cast away in the hurricane on Kittery point."
tFrom 1748 to 1751,-after which period the journal is missing,
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KENNEBUNK PORT.
TO 1749.}
Stone's sloop was sent for hay in consequence of the scarcity, caused by the severe droughts of the summers of 1748 and 1749. Of these dry seasons, Mr. Hovey, so often quoted, says " August 1st. As dry a summer as was ever known. 12th, an excessive drought, įand the whole town over the woods is on fire,-much dam- age in my fencing, ££150, and house and barn narrowly escaped." He afterwards remarks, *" Mars approach- ing the earth, anno 1748 was pretty dry and not good for hay ; the grass not being rooted in the fall, and Mars coming nearer the earth still, an early and long contin- ued drought came on, such as looked likely to cause a famine in the land ; and Mars, a hot and fiery planet, on the 18th of June being as near the earth as possible, never was there known such a scarcity of English hay, scarce two tons being cut where persons could gener- ally cut twenty, which raised the price of right good hay, to ££100 old tenor a load at Boston ; and the country in general full of concern how to winter their stocks ; and had not God mercifully restrained the snow, and kept the ground open, much loss of cattle would have ensued, but a moderate winter prevented."
" April 2d. The scarcity of hay so great, and enter- tainment for horses on the road so costly, that people, I
-Mr. Hovey notices several other vessels. In 1750, at one time there were " ten sail in the harbor, and the house half filled with strangers." "Out of a Rhode-Island-man bought & cwt. rice.". " A man accidentally killed a board an Annapolis schooner, and buried here." " Elliot in the harbor from Beverly." "Capt. San- ders in here." " Mr. Loring returning home by water, a contrary wind put him into the harbour, and in the afternoon he preached admirably."
June 26, 1750. " Dixey Stone and Perkins launched their sloop." " Burbank launched his great schooner." "Sept. 28, Doctor Dexter returned from Dedham, and brought news that Burbank and Fairfield's great schooner was lost in the Bay of Fun- dy." 1751. " Mitchell's sloop lay thumping on the bar from the night tide till day tide, but went off without any injury. Wheeler's - sloop, on Thursday last, coming over the bar in right good weath- er, beat a hole in her bottom, stove off her rudder and part of her stern, and they were forced to cut away the mast. The damage £200 as they judge." "Entered Wildes from Rhode Island, and Webber from Boston with Wiswall's rigging for his new schooner, and fishing stores." " August. Durrill's sloop launched at night .? '
*This entry was made under date of Jan. 1, 1750.
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am informed, went to York Court on foot ;- no money but our Province that goes and passes."
" June 15th. A provincial fast, because of a grievous drought in the land, and the fruits of the trees consumed by devouring insects."
October 14, a treaty was concluded with the Indians at Falmouth, and the following year [1750] the inhab- itants left their block houses and garrisons, and returned securely to their former employments. There was soon however cause for fresh uneasiness, on account of the imprudence of the whites, between whom and the Indians there were frequent skirmishes at the eastward. Although these troubles were at a distance, yet exagge- rated accounts of them soon spread over the country, and kept even the western towns of Maine in constant state of inquietude .*
Although Arundel lost part of its territory on the western side of the town, it gained some on the eastern.
*Mr. Hovey, January 1750, says, " Heard 21st of last month, of an Indian's being killed at Wiscasset, by Allbee, Sam. Ball, Ben Dite and others. Two more were wounded at the same time. The men were taken forcibly away from the sheriff, one Arnold, who was bringing them to justice, by a mob at North Yarmouth or Falmouth .--- February 21st. A special court expected to try the men in York jail, that killed the Indian, but dropped for want of a quorum .- --- June 19. The trial of the men came on that fired through the Indian wigwam at Wiscasset, and one of them was killed, and two wounded with buckshot .-- 21st. By Capt. Groves of Wiscasset, heard that Allbee, one of the youngsters that fired on the Indians and was indicted for murder, was cleared ; and it being so contrary to the judgement of the Court, they required bond for said Allbee's appearance again this time twelve months. Ball and Dight are ordered to continue in jail another year. Al- though the grand jury found the bill against them, and they were indicted for high trespass, yet the King's Attorney is against their being tried in York, because no jury can be had here, he thinks, to do them justice."
For an account of this affair, see Williamson's Hist. Maine, vol. ii. p. 267.
January 31st. " A rumour flies about that the French are aid- ing and personally assisting the Indians in the war with the new Governour, and in a skirmish at Annapolis, two Frenchmen tak- en with a number of Indians."
September 3d. " An alarm made at Richmond fort, and a post sent to Boston because a great number of Indians are together and very abusive. 11th, Mr. Tufts and his family are here from Sheepscot, and say all are in garrison there."
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KENNEBUNK PORT.
TO 1751.]
The line running north west from Scadlock's falls, did not leave the Vines and Oldham, or the Saco patent, four miles wide " eight miles into the country." When the draft lots were laid out, several of them were bound- ed by the Biddeford line. The inhabitants of Biddeford, in measuring their lots from Saco river, found that four miles would carry them within the limits of this town ; and they therefore claimed the land, notwithstanding the line had been firmly established. At a meeting of the proprietors, held February 26, 1751, it was voted that " the charge shall be born by all the proprietors according to their intrust, in defending the Trespass, which Capt. Bradbury and Mr. Hooper say Capt. Fair- field, Mr. John Merrill, Mr. Phillip Durrill and others made upon them, as they say, being in the town of Biddeford, but we say it is in the town of Arundel; and we have a good right so to do, and the charge being born by the wholl propriety, being of Concern to all, knowing thereby there own Rights." The result of the suit was favorable to the Biddeford claimants, who had the right to the ownership of the soil, although the ter- ritory had passed under the jurisdiction of Arundel .* This land which extended nearly two thirds across the head of the town was known as the 'Dalton Right.'
In July there was " a Provincial fast on account of the small pox and mortal fevers with which multitudes die in Boston and other places. In Boston many coffins
*A lot of land was laid out to John Merrill, in 1755, because his former lot, granted by the town, had been " taken away by law by Sir William, it being in Bucks Patton." This land was on Middle and Bandigo meadows. Buck's patent is not to be found on the county records. In Thomas Wadleigh's deed to Epps, in 1659, land belonging to a Mr. Buck was mentioned as lying between Mousam and Kennebunk rivers. George Buck of Biddeford, Eng- land, supposed to be a grandson of Major Phillips, sold several lots of land in Saco about this time ; and it is probable that he convey- ed land in this town to Sir William Pepperell. In the grant from this town to Thomas Boardman in 1688, the land was described as being " near to the Desarts, next to Major Phillips his land." Ifin any suit with the inhabitants of Arundel, Sir William pre- vailed, it has escaped the diligent search of the compiler. He however owned considerable land in this town, which he devised to his grandson, William P. Sparhawk. Mr. Sparhawk being a royalist at the time of the revolutionary war, his property was confiscated and sold.
N N
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are carried to the burying, and there set down and left two or three days before they are committed to the grave, the grave digger not able to do it sooner. A charitable contribution recommended by the General Court for the poor distressed in Boston. The Court set at Concord and no election sermon, for fear of spreading the small pox."
Mr. Hovey, from whose journal the foregoing account was taken, says the same month, " in a thunder storm which was not hard with us in this town, but at York, Brooks's barn with four or five tons of hay burnt. Eli- as Wire at Cape Neddock, had three cows killed within twenty feet of his house. Two of them fell with their backs close together. At George Reddick's, where a boy of about twelve years old was playing by the door, as it rained not then, his mother told him to come in out of the thunder. He replied ' I am as safe here as in the house,' but yet went in and stood near the hearth, while the next clap that came, tore down the chimney, with six smokes, to the chamber floor, and so shattered it to the very foundation as that all must be built anew. The boy was carried away through a door which was open into a large closet used for a dairy room, and left on the dresser, one hand much cut with the glass of the windows, that were carried away, and no other hurt done him. Jonathan Reddick, the boy's brother there present, declared it to me."
By an act of Parliament passed January 22, 1752, the old style, by which the year commenced March 25, was abolished, and the new style, beginning the year January Ist, was introduced ; and eleven days struck from the calendar, making September third, the four- teenth .* On the public records, a long time previous to this act, events occurring between January 1st, and March 25th, were recorded as happening in a double year, as, for example, 175}.
The French and Indians evidently began to make preparations for another war in 1753, and hostilities commenced the following year, although war was not actually declared till 1755. During this war, the
* In 1582, the style was first corrected by order of Pope Grego- ry XIII.
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French Neutrals, who resided in Nova Scotia, were taken prisoners by the English, and their families dis- tributed amongst the different towns in New England, and supported by the Province. The fifth great earth- quake happened this year, which lasted four minutes, and was much more violent than any preceding one. The inhabitants were alarmed, and a fast was ordained. Like the last one it caused revivals of religion .*
Towns being required to pay their own representa- tives, Arundel never incurred that expense, unless in times of danger, or when the inhabitants had some par- ticular object . to accomplish. +Thomas Perkins, jr. was chosen, after an interval of nine years, it being only the fourth time the town had been represented. A town road was laid out from the bridge near Na- thaniel Goodwin's to Kimball's brook ; and another from Goff's mill to Harding's ferry. This latter road is the one that leads directly through the village, and is known by the name of Maine street. When this road was located, there were but four houses where the village now is. The first one within its limits was built by Paul Shackford, about 1740, near the pre- sent dwelling house of Asa Hutchins. The second one which was a block house, was built by Rowlandson Bond, about 1743, and was afterwards occupied by Thomas Wiswall, and which was more recently known as the Morse house. It was torn down about thirty years ago, and the cellar may still be seen in front of the store occupied by Silas Perkins. Gideon Walker built the third one in 1745, on the spot where Ivory Goodwin lives. The part of the house built by Mr. Walker, known as the old red house, was removed about two years since, and is the one occupied by Joseph Manuel. The house occupied by Daniel S. Perkins, which was built by his grandfather, Elipha- let Perkins, was the fourth. Besides these four, there were several others in the neighborhood. The house of Miles Rhodes was then built, and the one occupied by Tristram J. Perkins, which was erected by Capt. Thomas Perkins before 1732.
* Williamson, vol. ii. p. 317. Also, Greenleaf's Ecc. Sketches, ps. 15 and 24.
tThis election was not recorded on the town book.
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Samuel Perkins also had one near where John Lord lives ;- Samuel Gould one near where the widow of William Fairfield resides ;- Mr. Cromwell one near the foot of the rope walk ; and the garrison of Ste- phen Harding was standing. The house of *John Mitch- el, on the western side of the river, was then a garrison house, and Mr. Walker and his neighbors used to repair to it in times of danger. The men of the garrison used to come over armed, to protect the females while milking.
The proprietors of Coxhall (Lyman) appointed a committee to meet the Selectmen of Arundel to settle the bounds of the townships. They met in 1754, but their return was not recorded till the year after. They agreed " to begin at Kennebunk River at the place where the Gentlemen that was appointed for the Ser- vice Ended their Preambleation, and from thence to run on a northeast Corse or point of the Compass the full Extent and Length of Cokshall, according to their original Grant, is to be the Bounds and Dividing Line between Arundel and Cokshall, as it is run out and Bounded, as may be found by the marked Trees in the Line, which Line begins at mousom River near Flewallen's falls, and runs a Due north east Corce Between the Town of Wells, Arundel and Cokshall to the full Extent of Cokshall, and as far as Arundel joyns with it."
June, 1756, England declared war against France ; and the French and Indians made extensive prepara- tions to attack the settlements in Maine. Besides the forces in the forts and garrisons, 260 men were divid- ed into five ranging parties between Salmon Falls and St. Georges, for the protection of Maine. The small pox, which prevailed extensively at this time, [1757] also served as a defence against the Indians, who were much afraid of the contagion. Louisburg, which had been given up to the French, was recaptured in 1758; and the next year, Niagara, Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Quebec, and St. Francois, the strong-hold of the Indians, were taken. These successes were followed [1760] by the capture of Montreal, and the whole of
* Mr. Mitchel's house was built in 1740. Bourne.
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the French possessions in North America, which put a final end to the wars between the English and Indians.
No notice having been taken on the town records, of any troubles with the Indians, except incidentally in making repairs on Mr. Prentice's and Mr. Hovey's garrisons and in a few other instances, it would not be supposed from an examination of them, that this town had been so long exposed to the troubles and dangers of a savage warfare. In consequence of this silence upon the subject, most of the facts relative to these wars are lost, or have become so vague as not to be worthy of notice. Some of the traditionary accounts, however, concurring with general history, can be re- lied upon.
There were six wars between the whites and Indians, between 1675 and 1760 .* In the early wars, the French endeavored to put a stop to the cruel practice of killing and scalping prisoners, by offering a bounty for prisoners only. Frequent wars, however, between them and the English, at length excited their hatred against them to such a degree, that they offered the Indians as much for scalps as for prisoners, and finally gave a bounty on scalps only. The English retaliated, and their wars became wars of extermination. First ten, then forty, and afterwards as high as ££400 were offered by the Provincial government, for scalps ; and people followed hunting Indians as a business.
The Indians did not murder all indiscriminately, but would sometimes from recollection of past favors, or from mere caprice, let their enemies escape. Mrs. Major was gathering some boughs for a broom, within gunshot of two Indians. One of them attempted to shoot her, but the other one remarked that she had frequently swept a clean place for them to lie in, and if they should let her alone she would probably do it
*Philip's war from June 24, 1675, to the treaty of Casco, April 10th, 1678 :- King William's war, from August 13th, 1688, to the treaty of Mare point, January 7th, 1699 :- Queen Anne's, from August, 1703, to the treaty of Portsmouth, July 11th, 1713 :- Love- well's, or the three years war, from June 13th, 1722, to Dummer's treaty, December 15th, 1725 :- The Spanish, or five years war, from July 19th, 1745, to the treaty of Falmouth, October 16th, 1749 :- And the French and Indian war, from April, 1755, to the conquest of Montreal, and the treaty of Halifax, February 22d, 1760.
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again ; and they suffered her to return without molesta- tion. Mr. Harding exposed himself frequently, but the recollection of his kindness to them in times of peace was a sufficient safeguard.
The Indians observed their early treaties, but so faithless had they become in later years, that the Eng- lish were but little safer in times of acknowledged peace, than during war. From the treaty of 1749, to the subjugation of the Canadas to the English in 1760, there was not a year but the Indians, instigated by the French, committed acts of aggression against the Eng- lish. There were many from this town out in the French war, a perfect list of whose names cannot be obtained.
After the close of the wars, when the prisoners were ransomed or exchanged, it was with great difficulty that persons captured young could be prevailed upon to re- turn to civilized life. They would hide in the forests, climb trees, and use every exertion to escape from their friends and relatives, so enamoured had they become with a savage state. Several of the most barbarous chiefs were undoubtedly white children stolen in their infancy. Capt. Nathaniel was a white man, and John Durrell, although with them but two years, ever retain- ed the habits and appearance of an Indian. At the time of the general attack upon the towns in Maine, in 1703, it was supposed that Tabitha Littlefield of Wells, a. child, was killed. Some years afterwards, when Mrs. Harding, who was a relative of hers, was trading with the Indians at her own house, a young squaw, who was standing near her, asked her if she did not remember Tabitha Littlefield, and immediately darted from the house. Search was made for her and every induce- ment offered the Indians to influence them to give her up, but without success. She had become so attach- ed to her captors, and their customs and manners, that the ties of consanguinity were insufficient to draw her back into the bosom of her family. It appears strange to those accustomed to the pleasures of civilized life, that persons would willingly submit to the priva- tions and hardships of a savage state, when an opportu- nity offered to change their situation. But singular as the fact is, it was universally true, that no one ever re-
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turned willingly to his former home. The Indians, on the other hand, were unwilling to adopt the habits of the whites.# Wahwa, Mugg, and other Indians, al- though early taken into English families, could never submit to the restraints of civilization, but took every opportunity to join their tribes.
The savages have but a few wants, which are easily supplied ; but in a state of civilization many artificial ones are acquired, that can only be gratified by contin- ued exertion. Man is naturally an indolent being, averse to labor, and consenting to exert himself only when driven by necessity to supply his absolute wants, or stimulated by his passions. As he advances in civil- ization, his wants increase, and he is emulous to exceed his neighbors in the means of comforts and luxuries. Hence arises the necessity of constant exertion, in order to maintain his place, or to advance himself in society. To obtain the means of fancied enjoyment, he will, through a long life, sacrifice his ease, forego the com- forts within his reach ; and brave dangers, and hard- ships, that would be insurmountable to the savage. In grasping at the shadow, he will resign the substance ; and in endeavoring to better his condition, he will lead a life of greater exposure and peril, than is incident to the situation from which he is attempting to raise him- self. Persons born and educated in competence or opulence, acquire a taste for parade and show; and they are willing to leave a comfortable home and a loving and beloved circle of friends, and in distant and foreign climes, brave poverty, dangers, and even death itself, in the hope of obtaining the means of continuing or adding to their enjoyments. This desire of self ag- grandizement,-this restlessness of disposition, which prevents so many from remaining contentedly in that happy state of mediocrity, alike free from the vexations
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