USA > Maine > York County > Kennebunkport > History of Kennebunk Port, from its first discovery by Bartholomew Gosnold, May 14, 1602, to A. D. 1837 > Part 16
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FROM the close of the revolutionary war to 1790, the wealth of Arundel increased rapidly. The business of the town was principally confined to ship build- ing and lumber business, which were carried on extensively on Kennebunk river. This caused the settlements on that river to multiply ; and the village, which at the conclusion of the revolutionary war, con- tained only four houses and one short wharf,* had become the most populous part of the town. Many persons had engaged in the West India trade which was found to be very profitable.
The first vessels employed in the business, were sloops of fifty tons and less. The first voyage was performed by Capt. James Hovey, in a sloop belonging to Thomas Wiswall.t She had on a deck load of cattle, part of which was lost overboard the first night out.
There was, in 1791, nearly £16,000 in paper money in the town treasury, which, by a vote of the town, was carried to the Loan office, and four shillings, (67 cents) received for every hundred dollars in paper.
*The houses were those of Ephraim Perkins, Thomas Wiswall, Gideon Walker, and John Walker. Shackford's house had been taken down. The next one built, was that of Daniel Walker ; and the seventh was erected by Benjamin Coes. The wharf was a short one, where that of Joseph Perkins now is.
tBourne's Hist. Kennebunk.
179
KENNEBUNK PORT.
TO 1794.]
Another attempt was made, to make Maine a separ- ate state, and Arundel was again unanimously opposed to it.
Thomas Durrell and Seth Burnham were chosen delegates to a Convention held at Sanford, May 1, 1792, to further consider the expediency of becoming an independent state. At a subsequent meeting, the votes, on this occasion, were 64 against it, and only one in favor.
The Constitution of the United States as first framed, [1793] although adopted by the vote of a majority of the people, was warmly opposed by many intelligent and patriotic citizens.
The party in favor of the constitution, was called the Federal, and the one opposed to it, the Anti-Federal party. Several articles, most violently opposed by the anti-federalists, or, as they were afterwards called, republicans, were amended. During the progress of the French revolution, after England had declared war against France, there was a deep interest taken in the result of the contest, by the people of the United States ; -the federalists favoring the cause of England, and the republicans or democrats that of France. Washing- ton, not wishing to embroil this country in the quarrel, issued a proclamation of Neutrality, and ratified the treaty, known as Jay's treaty, with the British govern- ment. The federalists were in favor of these measures of the national administration, but the republicans were opposed to them. At a town meeting held in Arundel, in compliance with a request from a Convention held in Boston, to express their views upon these measures, it was " voted unanimously, a hearty concurrence there- with, and a strict conformity thereto in principle and practice."
At another meeting, the town refused to send a dele- gate to Portland, to consider the expediency of separating from Massachusetts, and again voted unanimously not to separate.
At the General election held on the first Monday in April, 1794, there were 44 votes for William Cushing, the federal candidate for governor, and only four for Sam- uel Adams, the democratic candidate. Mr. Adams, however, was elected.
180
HISTORY OF
FROM 1794
Up to this time, Maine had been entitled to but one Representative to Congress, but by a new apportion- ment, it was now entitled to three.
By a resolve of the General Court, every town in the state was to have a plan of the town taken, upon a scale of 200 rods to an inch ; and £14 were allowed to Seth Burnham, Esq. for drawing a plan of Arundel.
It was voted, April 6, 1795, " to choose a committee to petition the General Court for an act to prevent cattle and horses from running on the beach, between Badson's and Little rivers, from the last day of Novem- ber, to the first day of April."
The political parties made great efforts to elect their respective candidates, in 1796, and Mr. Adams was again elected. On the question of removing the Judi- cial Courts from York to Kennebunk, Arundel voted unanimously for Kennebunk.
Population having considerably increased, [1797] the meeting house was found to be too small ; and an at- tempt was made to enlarge it. The inhabitants of the upper part of the town, who were quite numerous, were unwilling to be taxed for repairing the house ; or for supporting a minister, who lived so far from them, that it was nearly impossible for them to attend his meetings. After several unsuccessful attempts to obtain a vote to enlarge the house, the town consented that persons, living " north westerly of a line to run from the widow Ruth Crediford's house north east to Biddeford line," should be exempted from paying a tax to the minister, or to repair the house. Opposition being then with- drawn, it was repaired and painted. The inhabitants of the upper division of the parish, having built a meet- ing house, petitioned the town to allow Mr. Moody to preach in it a third part of the time, or in proportion to the amount of taxes paid by them, but the town would not consent to it.
The land laid out for the use of the ministry in 1725, commonly called the parsonage, being considered pub- lic property, had always been a prey to trespassers ; and it was more trouble than benefit to the town. By consent of the town, permission was obtained from the General Court, to sell the land, and place the money at interest for the use of the ministry.
181
KENNEBUNK PORT.
To 1798.]
There were no votes thrown for Governor in 1797, in Arundel, but this year, they were all cast for Mr. Sumner, the federal candidate. The inhabitants still remained firm in their attachment to the National Ad- ministration; and a committee was chosen to make known to President Adams, "their strict confidence in his proceedings."
Kennebunk being a barred harbor, and the channel being liable to change every storm, by the shifting of the sand, and there also being a bad rock, called the -perch rock, in the middle of the river, a company was incorporated to build a pier, extending over perch rock, for the double purpose of covering the rock and keeping the channel in one place.
The proprietors of the pier, which was usually called the Perch-rock wharf, were allowed to assess a small tax on every ton of navigation passing the pier .* Even after building this pier, it was dangerous to sail out of the river fully loaded ; and the larger class of vessels usually finished their lading outside the bar. In June, two brigs, the Ranger, James Perkins master, and the Louisa, Capt. Paul, were taking in their cargoes over the bar. The crew of the Ranger, about daylight in the morning, were preparing to go into the river for a raft of boards. After getting into the boat, they dis- covered a brig under full sail, apparently on the beach. They soon however perceived that she was afloat, and, although it was nearly calm, sailing with great rapidity ; and she very shortly disappeared.
This phenomenon terrified them exceedingly, for they were satisfied that no vessel could be with safety, where they first saw her, or sail so rapidly as she appear- ed to without wind. Several of the crew took their chests ashore, with the intention of quitting the vessel, pre- suming this appearance, which they thought supernat- ural, was an omen ofevil. After considerable persuasion, however, they consented to proceed on the voyage. Both . brigs sailed in company, and after unusually short and prosperous voyages, arrived the same day,-
*The pier was built in 1793, but it was not incorporated till 1798. The act of incorporation was several times renewed, but the tax on tonnage being reduced in 1820, the proprietors refused to accept the charter.
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182
HISTORY OF
FROM 1768
the Ranger at Kennebunk, and the Louisa in Boston. The mate and one of the crew who witnessed this ap- pearance, were afterwards amongst the most intelligent ship masters of the port.
A similar phenomenon was observed several years afterwards, by two fishermen. Their reputation for veracity, however would not have entitled them to belief, if their very evident fright and temporary reformation, had not confirmed their statement. The vessel in this instance appeared to sail directly across the river.
This appearance was undoubtedly the effect of mir- age or loom. The vessels seen were probably some distance from the shore. " The representation of ships in the air by unequal refraction has no doubt given rise in early times to those superstitions which have pre- vailed in different countries respecting "phantom ships," as Washington Irving calls them, which always sail in the eye of the wind, and plough their way through the smooth sea, where there is not a breath of wind upon its surface. In his beautiful story of the storm ship, which makes its way up the Hudson against wind and tide, this elegant writer has finely imbodied one of the most interesting superstitions of the early American colonists. The Flying Dutchman had in all probability a similar origin, and the wizard beacon- keeper of the Isle of France, who saw in the air the vessels bound to the island long before they appeared in the offing, must have derived his power from a dili- gent observation of the phenomena of nature."*
Appearances, although not so striking as the two no- ticed, arising from the same cause, are frequently seen from the observatory. Cape Neddock and the Nub- ble, and Boon Island frequently appear to be elevated several degrees above a well defined horizon ; and ves- sels in the offing are enlarged and often doubled, while . boats, even to the eye of the experienced, take the appearance of square-rigged vessels.
The Isles of Shoals, which are actually below the horizon, are sometimes distinctly visible ; and Seguin Island, at the mouth of Kennebunk river, and even
*Brewster's Letters on Natural Magic,-Harper's Family Li- brary, No. L. letter 6. p. 122,-in which these interesting phe- nomena are satisfactorily explained.
183
KENNEBUNK PORT.
TO 1799.]
Cape Ann have been seen from the house of Israel Stone, at Cape Porpoise. Fishing boats belonging to that harbor, can be recognized while lying at anchor, twenty miles from the land.
Loom, or the state of the air when unequally heated, indicates southerly weather. This state of the atmos- phere is also favorable to the transmission of sounds. The bells of the village of Kennebunk, which are four miles north west from the Port, are most distinctly heard with a southerly or south westerly wind, while they are never heard during the time of a dry wind from the north west.
The distinct appearance of the White Hills* in New Hampshire, and the sound of these bells, are sure signs to the fishermen who pursue their business but a short distance from the land, of an out shore wind. When the factory was first established at Kennebunk, several fishermen being deceived by the loud sound of the bell belonging to that establishment, made a harbor in ex- pectation of a gale from the southward. They could not account for the subsequent favorable weather till they ascertained that there was a new bell, which was either larger than the old one, or the sound of which was less interrupted by intervening objects.t
The taxes of the town were, 1799, for the first time assessed in dollars and cents, although computation in Federal money had been adopted by Act of Congress, six years before.
Not only the nations of Europe, but the United States had become embroiled in the war between France and England. Both of these nations, in viola-
*These hills, although 80 miles from the sea, are frequently the first land discovered in approaching the coast.
tThe course of the wind appears to have but little effect in ex- tending sounds. At the village of Kennebunk-port, during a violent storm January 1, 1837, part of the time the wind was to the northward with snow, and at other times to the southward with rain. At Cape Neddock, about 12 miles to the southward, there was no snow, while a few miles from the sea there was no rain. With the wind north east, blowing violently, directly towards the coast, the rote, or roaring of the sea, was very plainly heard, dur- ing the whole storm, twelve or fifteen miles in the country ; while in a dry northerly wind, the sound does not reach the village, which is less than a mile from the shore.
·
184
HISTORY OF
[FROM 1799
tion of justice, preyed upon the commerce of this country. The citizens of the port of Kennebunk, who were largely concerned in navigation, lost a consider- able amount of property.
The County of York was divided this year into two districts by the Great Ossipee river, for the conveni- ence of registering deeds and holding Probate Courts.
Wells, Kennebunk, and Cape Porpoise, which had heretofore been ports of delivery only, were made a collection district in 1800, and Jonas Clark was ap- pointed collector. The Custom-house was located in Kennebunk village, to accommodate both Wells and. Arundel. The amount of tonnage in the district was 1463 tons.
By the census of this year, Maine contained 151,719 inhabitants, the County of York 37,729, and Arundel 1900.
Maine was entitled to four Representatives to Con- gress, one of whom was assigned to the County of York.
Durrell's bridge, which was first built before 1751, was rebuilt this year, with a draw ; and ship building, since this period, has been principally carried on above. that bridge.
The town, which had heretofore generally voted for the federal candidate for Governor, [1801] now be- came divided. Samuel Phillips, the federal candidate, had 44 votes, and Elbrige Gerry, 30. The following year, [1802] Caleb Strong had 48 votes, and Mr. Gerry 21.
The persons in the upper part of the town who had built the new meeting house, had been unable to hire a congregational minister, or to induce the town to allow Mr. Moody to preach for them. Mr. Moody had preached there only one Sabbath, and several other of the neighboring ministers had also preached occa- sionally. " Being unable to settle a congregationalist, they suffered the baptists to preach in it."* Mr. Timothy Remich of Parsonsfield, who was shortly afterwards ordained at Cornish, preached a few Sab- baths, and was succeeded by Mr. Andrew Sherburne.
* Sherburne's. Memoirs.
185
KENNEBUNK PORT.
TO 1806.]
In December they agreed to consider themselves a baptist society, and invited Mr. Sherburne to settle with them. They offered him " the amount of the ministerial tax, which they had usually paid to Mr. Moody, which was about sixty dollars,"* and one half of the income of the parsonage fund, to which they presumed they were entitled. They also furnished him with a house, hay for his horse and cow, and his fuel. Mr. Sherburne moved into town in Janu- ary, 1803, and " a baptist church was constituted, consisting of thirteen members,"t in June, but he was not ordained till the 28th of September.
The federalists having succeeded for several years in electing their candidate for Governor, and obtain- ing a majority in both branches of the Legislature, the democratic party in Arundel, either declined to vote, or again united with the federal party ; and Gov. Strong received the undivided vote of the town. Nine- ty nine votes were thrown for him, but there were 260 legal voters belonging to the town. In the choice of Electors for President and Vice President, the fol- lowing year, [1804] the votes were nearly divided, the federal candidates having 67 votes, and the democratic 62. The next year, however, the democratic party first obtained a majority of votes, James Sullivan hav- ing 72, and Caleb Strong 70. After this period the town was nearly equally divided in politics, sometimes one party having the ascendency, and sometimes the other.
The northern division of York County, being united with a part of Cumberland, was erected into a County by the name of Oxford ; and the bounds of the Coun- ty of York have since been unaltered.
The small pox having again been brought into the port by a vessel from the West Indies, the town, having wit- messed the beneficial effect of inoculation in 1787, now consented that a hospital might be erected near Cleaves's Cove ; and many of the inhabitants were inoculated.
The members of the baptist society thinking they were entitled to a fair proportion of the interest of the parsonage money, [1806] advised their pastor, Mr.
* Sherburne's Memoirs. t Ibid.
Q Q
-
HISTORY OF
[FROM 1806
Sherburne, to apply to Mr. Moody for part of it, but he refused to relinquish it. Not being an incorpora- ted society, they were doubtful whether they could support their claim to it, and they petitioned the town to be set off as the First Baptist Society. The town did not consent to it, and Mr. Sherburne was sent to Boston, to procure an act of incorporation from the General Court, which was obtained June 24th. The parish was not a territorial one, but the members of it belonged in all parts of the town. There were forty seven persons named in the Act of Incorporation.
The claim to land in Arundel under Major Phillips's Indian title, was again revived this year, and the town chose " Thomas Durrell, Esq. an agent for the said town of Arundel, to defend an action or actions, brought against Thomas Perkins, jr. by Thomas Car- hart and others, who claim not only said Perkins's land, but a large part of the land in the town, to appear at the next Court of Common Pleas, to be holden at Alfred, September term, 1806, to answer to the afore- said action in behalf of the said town of Arundel." At the time of this suit, it was ascertained, that, al- though all the land within the limits of the town was possessed by virtue of town, or proprietor's grants, they would not cover two thirds of the land claimed under them. In most cases large measure had been obtained, and frequently lots had been laid out more than once, under the plea that former locations had infringed upon other grants .* Mr. Carhart and his associates failed in their suit, in consequence of hav- ing brought their action of ejectment against persons who could prove their title by possession. The claim- ants however did not think their title sufficiently good to justify them in commencing a new action, and this unjust claim was finally dropped.
The war between France and England being re- newed, American vessels, +[1807] which were pursuing a
* When Vaughan's Island was sold to Bryan Pendleton, 1660, it was estimated at 50 acres, but when it was granted by the town, 1723, to James Mussey, it was said to contain only 23 acres.
t There were from 30 to 40 vessels belonging to this port, with their cargoes, captured by European nations before and after the year 1800, valued at about $250,000, part of which was insured.
187
KENNEBUNK PORT.
To 1808.]
very lucrative business, were confiscated by the French under the Berlin and Milan Decrees, and by the Eng- lish under their Orders in Council. Each of these nations seemed to be determined either to rob the Americans of their carnings, or to force them into a war with its opponent. To preserve the commerce of the country, and to be in a situation to declare war if driven to it, an embargo was laid on all the shipping in the United States.
The ship owners of the port of Kennebunk, were never engaged in more profitable business than at this time ; and they suffered severely by these restrictive measures. The amount of duties collected in the district in 1806, was $81,273, and in 1807, $52,642 ; and, notwithstanding the embargo, for the ten years after the district was established, the whole amount was about $500,000. Many vessels belonging to the port, discharged their cargoes in Boston, and other places, which at least doubled the amount of duties paid on imports by Kennebunk merchants. Besides West India vessels, in which these imports were prin- cipally made, a large amount of property was invested in freighting ships, which usually entered in ballast.
Navigation gave a spring to other branches of busi- ness, and traders and mechanics were daily adding to their wealth. Real estate in the village was exorbi- tantly high, land being sold for more than a thousand dollars an acre.
The baptist society being incorporated, another attempt was made by them to obtain a portion of the ministerial fund, by petitioning the town. Mr. Sher- burne urged, that as the land from which the fund originated was given by the whole town for the use of the ministry, without confining the grant to any one society or denomination, all were equally entitled to the benefit of it. A majority of the town however being congregationalists, the application was dsire- garded.
The embargo, [1808] which had been in force four- teen months, was so far rescinded as to allow our ves- sels to trade with Spain, Portugal, Denmark, and several other nations, and a non-intercourse with England and France substituted in its stead. In
188
HISTORY OF
[FROM 1809
prospect of this event, the inhabitants of Arundel had chosen a committee for the purpose of petitioning thie President of the United States " according to the pow- er vested in him by Congress, to suspend the Act laying an Embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States, and the several acts supplementary thereto, at least so far as they may respect the trade of the United States with Spain and Portugal, and their provinces and colonies."
By this act of the American government, [1809] business again revived ; but in 1810 the French and English renewed their depredations upon American commerce.
By the census of this year, there were 228,687 in- habitants in Maine, and 2,377 in Arundel. The amount of tonnage in Maine, was 141,057, and in the District of Kennebunk, 8,552 tons. Notwithstanding the great loss of property by the seizures of European nations, business still continued to be profitable. It being hoped that the country would not be involved in war, the village continued to increase rapidly in size. To facilitate the increasing travel to the westward, a company was formed for the purpose of erecting a toll bridge across Kennebunk river, which, together with a road that was wholly made by the voluntary contribution of the inhab- itants of the village, shortened the distance to Wells nearly one half.
The Religious Freedom Bill was passed in 1811 by the Legislature of Massachusetts, which gave to unincor- porated religious societies the same privileges with those incorporated.
The English continuing to insult the American flag, and to impress American seamen, Congress, April 4, 1812, laid an embargo on all vessels within the harbors of the United States, and June 18, declared war against Great Britain.
Although the embargo and non-intercourse acts, and the seizure of American vessels by the French and Eng- lish had greatly interrupted trade, yet the business of this town had continued to increase. House lots in the village sold at the rate of more than $7000 an acre. The amount of duties on importations in this district in 1811, was $86,441, and in 1812, $119,850.
189
KENNEBUNK PORT.
TO 1813.]
This extensive business was at once stopped by the war, there not being a single entry at the Custom House the two following years. The entire business of the place, being dependant on navigation, at once came to a stand ; and the stores of the traders, and the shops of the mechanics were closed. From a place of bustle and activity, the port was metamorphosed into a deserted village ; and its citizens turned from their wonted em- ployments, felt to their extent the evils arising from a state of warfare. The vessels of the port had gener- ally been manned by citizens of this and the neighboring towns ; and to give them employment, a small privateer sloop, called the Gleaner, commanded by Joshua Rob- inson, was fitted out, and manned with a select crew of 50 men. She took two prizes, which were retaken ; and the privateer herself was captured by an English brig of 18 guns, about ten days. out. The crew were carried to Halifax, but were shortly afterwards exchan- ged.
The valuation of property of the County of York, was at this time $288,522, and of the town of Arundel, $17,650. The number of taxable polls in the town was 473. By a vote of the town, the selectmen were in- structed to petition the General Court for an act to change the name of the town to Kennebunk, but it does not appear that the vote was complied with.
In 1813, the Kennebunk Bank in Arundel was in- corporated for 17 years, with a capital of $100,000. Joseph Moody of Wells was chosen President, and Henry Clark of Arundel, Cashier. The building was of brick, and cost between three and four thousand dollars.
To protect the river, which was crowded with dis- mantled shipping, a small fort was built on Kennebunk point, and a battery near Butler's rocks, both on the eastern side of the river. A volunteer artillery com- pany was stationed at the fort, which was relieved by the Limington Light Infantry, under the command of Capt. Small. The coast was lined with Britishi men-of- war and privateers ; and frequently could the flames arising from coasting vessels which had fallen into the hands of the enemy, be seen from the village. In conse- quence of the risk in running from port to port, provisions
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