History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 115

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100

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bark in shingle form), was introduced into their capital house by a waiter, who stood at the door. Only one sachem in the house of con- ference, who made us very welcome, directing us to take possession of one-half the room, twenty by forty, which was carpeted with fur. Very soon came in all the sachems and placed themselves on the opposite side, which being divided by two poles from one end of the house to the other; then about forty of their men of years placed themselves in rank next the sachems; and lastly an old man of about one hundred years, a former sachem, was introduced in memory of past years. They then fired a cannon abroad.

The conference about four hours. Not a drop of rum by us or them while in the town. The conference began between 8 and 9 o'clock. About fifty, mostly their heads of families, who occupied one side of the house. Not a word spoke or a smile expressed by any of them, ex- cept their moderator or orator, and a few directing words by the coun- cil to assist their speaker. In the midst of the conference, about 12 o'clock, the bell rung, and they made a composed mental prayer for about ten minutes. When they appealed to Heaven as given them a secure right to the soil, all the sachems rose up from the ground on which they sat and stood in a posture for a minute, expressive of an appeal to the Great God, of the truth of their declarations. Four men were distinguished as their acting chiefs, viz: Orono, Orsong, Esq., Neptune-bovitt, Orsong Neptune. No women or children heard through the conference. They declined giving us liberty to see the tribe paraded and numbered; but those who were most acquainted with the tribe judged, as they appeared on the shore at our landing, to be present about two hundred.

In Wintabotham's Historial, Geographical, Commer- cial, and Philosophical View of the American United States, published at London in 1795, occurs the follow- ing notice of this place, a somewhat mistaken one, but which is the only one given to any locality in the present Penobscot county, except in the census returns of 1790:

The remains of the Penobscot tribe are the only Indians who take up their residence in this District [of Maine]. They consist of about one hundred families, and live together in regular society at Indian Old Town, which is situated on an island of about two hundred acres, in Penobscot River, just above the Great Falls. They are Roman Catho- lics, and having a priest who resides among them and administers the ordinences. They have a decent house for public worship, with a bell, and another building, where they meet to transact the public busi- ness of their tribe. In their assemblies all things are managed with the greatest order and decorum. The sachems form the legislative and ex- ecutive authority of the tribe, though the heads of all the families are invited to be present at their public periodical meetings. The tribe is increasing, in consequence of an obligation laid by the sachems on the young people to marry early.

In a former war this tribe left their lands, but at the commencement of the last war the Provincial Congress granted them all the lands from the head of the tide in Penobscot River, included in lines drawn six miles on each side-i. e., a tract twelve miles wide, intersected in the middle by the river. They, however, consider that they have a right to hunt and fish as far as the mouth of the Bay of Penobscot extends. This was their original right, in opposition to any other tribe, and they now occupy it undisturbed, and we hope will continue to do so till the period shall arrive when, mingled with the rest of the inhabitants, they shall form but one general mass.

A benevolent society in Bangor, in the year 1823, en- gaged Mr. Josiah Brewer, then a teacher, and subse- quently the Rev. Dr. Brewer, an eminent missionary of the American Board to Syria, to undertake a school for the Indian children on the island. He made a hopeful beginning, but the enterprise could hardly be called a distinguished success. Judge Godfrey says, in a note to his article on The Ancient Penobscot:

He collected quite a number, and the parents did not object to his teaching them. Bnt as they had never been accustomed to restraint, he found it difficult to hold their attention long enough to teach them anything. They were like rabbits in their movements. They would sit and appear to be interested for a short space of time, then jump up and run away without regard to teacher or lesson-some did learn to read and write, however. After a few months Mr. Brewer abandoned his

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

enterprise. One of his pupils, Joseph Polis, is living and a house- holder upon Oldtown Island. Visitors generally make his acquain- . tance.

When Dr. Ballard was State Superintendent of Schools, he visited Oldtown Island and found there a substantial frame school-house, and in it a school of from fifteen to twenty Indian boys and girls of all ages from five to sixteen, under the charge of a young lady teacher from one of the neighboring towns. The scholars were as orderly and studious as those of many of our common schools, and were a vast improve- ment over those of Mr. Brewer near fifty years before-their grand- parents and parents, perhaps.

Mr. Williamson's account of this place, written about 1831, is as follows:

In later years, Indian Oldtown* has been their village and altogether the place of their greatest resort. Its situation is upon the southerly end of an island in Penobscot River, twelve miles above the mouth of the Kenduskeag, being partly cleared, and containing about 350 acres of very rich and mellow land. At the close of the American Revolu- tion, the village contained between forty and fifty wigwams, about equally divided by a street five rods in width, which passed east and west across the island, quite compact on each side, and constructed after the old Gothic fashion with the gable ends towards the street. These slen- der cabins, which have been gradually decreasing in number, are usu- ally built and occupied by a family, including all the descendants of a father living, unless some of them choose to construct others for them- selves.

Through a short avenue southerly from the main street is their church or chapel, forty feet by thirty in dimensions, and one story in height, with a porch, a cupola, and a bell. It is covered with clapboards, and glazed. Fronting the door within are the desk and altar, two large can- dlesticks, and some other articles of service, after the Catholic forms ; upon the walls behind are images of our Blessed Saviour and some of the primitive saints; and on the right and left of the desk are seats for the elders. Otherwise the worshippers, male and female, who uniformly convene on the Sabbath, and frequently for prayers on other days when a priest is with them, both sit and kneel upon the floor, which is always covered with evergreens. But the present edifice, which has been built since the Revolution, is said to be far from comparing with their former one, either in size or appearance.

Northerly of the chapel, twenty rods, is their burying-place, in which stands a cross, fifteen or eighteen feet in height. In its standard post, six feet from the ground, is carved an aperture, five inches by three in compass and four deep, securely covered with glass, enclosing an em- blematical form of the Virgin Mary with the infant Immanuel in her arms. At the head of each grave is placed a crucifix of wood, which is about three or four feet high, and very slender-a memorial borrowed from the Catholics."

The succession of chiefs of the Penobscots, for about a century is said to be as follows : Tomasus, or Tomer, during the French and Indian war. Then, soon after the close of the war, Osson, for five or six years, and per- haps longer. He was commissioned a Justice of the Peace by the Colony of Massachusetts, being the only native ever appointed by the Government to that office. Then came the famous Orono, who long ruled the tribe and died at Oldtown at a great age February 5, 1802. His remains rest in the churchyard upon the island, un- marked, but near the cross standing in the enclosure. Aitteon, supposed about 1806-07, who stabbed himself in a moment of frenzy in Boston in 1811. Joseph Lo- lan (or Loring), who died about 1815. John Aitteon, son of the former Aitteon, installed Governor September 19, 1816, with John Neptune Lieutenant-Governor or sub-sachem, and Francis First Captain. In 1838 they were deposed by a new election, in which the Openangos

and Marechites took part, and elected Tomar Soc Alexis Governor, and Aitteon, son of Squire John Osson, Lieu- tenant-Governor. March 16, 1839, the Legislature passed an act authorizing the biennial election of a Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, to serve two years, or till the choice of a successor.

Many additional facts concerning these, as well as the older and later chiefs, may be found in our chapter on the aborigines, in the General History. An entertain- ing anecdote of Governor Neptune and his comrades is related by a writer in Voices of the Kenduskeag, pub- lished at Bangor in 1846, in these words :

It has been the custom of the tribe from time immemorial to be rep- resented at the Legislature by a delegation consisting of one or more of their chief men. When Maine was connected with Massachusetts, they were regularly represented at the "General Court" in Boston; and if they could learn that Blake was to be in Boston at the same time, the delegation made it a point to put themselves under his direction.

At one time the delegation consisted of six chiefs. Among them was Neptune, then a young man, and when in full dress a magnificent fellow. When they arrived in Boston they attracted much attention, so much that the proprietor of the Museum conceived the idea of mak- ing an honest penny out of the curiosity they had awakened. He ap- plied to Blake, and through him made an arrangement to have them visit the Museum on an evening appointed. The public were duly advertised of the fact, and the rooms of the museum were thronged long before the hour of the arrival of the chiefs. On their passage into the hall, Blake, who was conducting them, overheard a young lady ex- press a desire to examine the dress of Neptune, which consisted of a splendid scarlet frock, confined about the waist by a girdle of wam- pum, Indian leggings or stockings, and moccasins, the borders of all which were beautifully wrought with beads. The General told her she should be gratified, at the same time warning her that after she had examined the dress she should withdraw herself immediately, as the chief was an exceedingly wild fellow, and he could not be held accountable for what he might do. Then signing Neptune, and giving him the wink, he told the lady she could examine the garment. She looked with great caution, and when Blake saw she was about conclud- ing her examination, he released the chief, who instantly seized the lady by the wrist, and cried, as if in triumph:

" Now you my squaw?"

The lady shrieked, and Neptune released her and passed on.

On another occasion, during their visit at this time, a high civil func- tionary invited the chiefs to dine with several of his friends at his house. These friends were gentlemen and their wives, who were curi- ous to witness the practices of the aborigines at their repasts. And it is probable their curiosity was fully satisfied. These children of the forest eschewed knives and forks and all assistance, but thrust their fingers into whatever dish their fancy dictated, and helped themselves without regard to time, ceremony, or the distance of the food coveted. To repeated inquiries of their host if they would take cider, they gave a negative grunt. At last one of them, probably disgusted with the sound of cider, looked up and cried fiercely :

" Davis, why you no hav' um lum [rum]?"

MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION .*

Oldtown was originally, and for many years, a part of Orono, which was erected as a town March 12, 1806. A division of the large and cumbrous municipality was mooted as early as 1830, when it contained 1,473 inhab- itants. In that year a town meeting was called to con- sider the subject of separation, and a committee of three was appointed to report a boundary for the new town. With a singular want of judgment, the committee had been named altogether from the residents on the Still- water ; and the lines they selected and reported were

Mr. Williamson's foot-note : "In September, 1816, according to an account taken, there were about twenty-five wigwams; again, in May, 1823, it was found there were only fifteen or sixteen standing, the chapel dilapidated, the porch and bell down, since rebuilt. Perhaps Oldtown is the ancient 'Lett.'-Penhallow's Indian Wars, A. D. 1710. ' The Island of Lett.'"

* The facts embraced in the remainder of this chapter are derived almost exclusively, with the kind permission of the author, from the valuable Sketches of Oldtown, published in 1881 by the veteran resident and Justice of the Peace at Oldtown village, David Norton, Esq.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

the following: "Beginning at the southeast corner of Lot No. 6; thence west to the middle of Stillwater River; thence up the river to the north line of the Barker tract; thence west to the town line." Nothing further came of this agitation.

About 1839 a fresh movement was made for subdi- vision ; and in that year a large and more judiciously dis- persed committee was authorized to report another pro- posed boundary for the new town. It was composed of Messrs. Benjamin Shaw, Levi Hamblen, John B. Smith, Nathaniel Treat, Israel Washburn, Jr., Ira Wadleigh, and Joshua Lunt, Jr. They selected the lines adopted in. the act of incorporation the next year, March 16, 1840, as follow :

"Beginning at the Penobscot River, on the south line of Lot No. I, according to Park Holland's survey ; thence west to the centre of Marsh Island ; thence north by the centre line, to the north line of Lot No. 5; thence west to Stillwater River ; thence across said river to the north line of Ard Godfrey's lot (settlers' lot No. 23); thence west, by the north line of said Godfrey's lot, and contin- ued to the south line of the Barker tract; thence west by the south line of said tract, to Pushaw Lake; thence across the lake to Lot Letter A; thence by the shore of the lake to the west line of Orono,-all north of said line to compose the territory of Old- town."

These boundaries remain substantially the same, though in the winter of 1842-43 the Legislature changed them somewhat on one side by annexing "the Moor Tract" of about two thousand acres, from Argyle, though the Oldtown people had expressly voted not to admit the proposed annexation. Interested parties doubtless lob- bied the scheme through the Legislature.

The new town, rather absurdly, it would seem, at first blush, received the name of Oldtown. It was highly fit- ting, however, that thus the designation of the ancient seat of empire in the Penobscot Valley, the probable capital of the Tarratine and later Penobscot domination, should be honorably recognized and perpetuated.

The act of incorporation, like other statutes of Maine, required thirty days after passage to be of full force and effect; but the inhabitants were impatient to exercise their independent sovereignty, and met on the 26th of March, 1840, only ten days after the date of the act, to organize the town. It required subsequent action of the Legislature, which was obtained the next winter, to legal- ize the proceedings.

At this primal meeting of the new towns-people, Niran Bates was Moderator, and John H. Hilliard . Clerk. Messrs. Samuel Cony, Joshua Wood, and Samuel Pratt were chosen Selectmen; Asa Smith, Treasurer, and John B. Smith Collector, with a compensation of one and one- fourth per cent. upon his collections. A liberal spirit was manifested in appropriations. It had been necessary, in making the separation, to assume a share of the pub- lic indebtedness of Orono, of which $6,600 were turned over to Oldtown. This meeting voted $4,000 toward the extinction of this; for schools, $400; for the poor, $750; for contingent expenses, $1,200; and for roads, to be

paid in labor, $500. The town was now fully and hope- fully embarked upon the current of history.

ANNALS OF OLDTOWN.

For sixty-five years these must deal simply with the tract or region now covered by the town, rather than with its civil organization as at present, which, as we have just seen, was not acomplished until 1840. We also leave principally out of sight the Penobscot Indians and their village on Oldtown Island. They form, it is true, an im- portant element in the history of this part of the valley ; but they have, for the most part, received sufficient at- tention elsewhere.

1774. Mr. Norton names John Marsh as the pioneer of white permanent settlement in this quarter, although his home was not on the present soil of Oldtown. Mr. Norton says:

Some time in the latter part of the eighteenth century, John Marsh appeared here,-or, as some authorities say, in 1774,-and made a set- tlement at the foot of Marsh Island, and lived for some years in inti- mate and friendly relations with the Indians, learning their language and frequently acting as an interpreter for them. His deportment was such as to win their unbounded confidence, and for favors bestowed and services rendered to them they proposed to make him a liberal com- pensation, and affixed their marks to an instrument which was repre- sented to them as being a petition to the General Court of Massachu- setts to grant to Marsh a lot of land upon this island; but when the document reached its destination it was ascertained to be a petition, in the form of a deed, for the grant of the whole of the island. In com- pliance with the terms of the petition the State made the grant, and from that time forth the island has obtained and still bears the name of Marsh Island.

When the Indians discovered the imposition that had been practiced upon them, they made an effort to be revenged upon Marsh, and made an attempt upon his life. He was obliged to keep out of their way for some time, in order to avoid the consequences of their just indignation. But treachery in time, sooner or later, is sure to meet its just reward. All of this great inheritance, so fraudulently obtained, the most of it slipped out of his hands during his lifetime, and but a small lot, if any- thing, remains in the possession of his descendants.

Among other pioneers coming during the latter part of the last century or the fore part of this, but whose dates of arrival cannot now be definitely fixed, were Richard . Winslow and Moses Brown. The former was the first settler upon the site of Oldtown village, and was one of the first Selectmen of Orono, chosen in 1806, the same year he moved away. Brown also resided at the village, where he built the house still standing and still owned by his heirs on Brunswick street, just north of the Folsom residence. He was in the affair at Hampden during the War of 1812, was the last man to leave the field, and it is said that he fired a parting shot at the British as they were crossing the bridge in Hampden, on their way to Bangor.

1775. A reservation was made this year by the State of Massachusetts, for the Penobscot Indians, of a strip six miles wide, on both sides of the river, from its mouth up and through this region as far north as the tribe claimed.

1781. This act, and the other politic measures of the patriots, secured the friendliness of the Penobscots dur- ing the Revolution. In this year Orono, "the blue-eyed chief," sent at his own cost an expedition to Machias, to warn the inhabitants of the threatening neighborhood of a British fleet. The expense of this friendly act was

A. D. Grolsom, MIO.

RESIDENCE OF A, P. FOLSOM, M. D. OLDTOWN, PENOBSCOT COUNTY, ME.

RESIDENCE OF MAJOR M. M. FOLSOM, OLDTOWN, PENOBSCOT COUNTY, ME.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

afterwards repaid him from the treasury of Massachu- setts.

1796. Another treaty with the Indians relinquished all their title to lands on the river, from Nichols's Rock, Eddington, the head of tidewater, for thirty miles up, ex- cept the islands.

1798. The pioneer Winslow built a double saw-mill, to run by water, upon the privilege near the Oldtown carry, which was afterwards sold to N. L. & S. Williams.

Some time before 1800 single saw-mills were built at Upper Stillwater by General Joseph Treat and Joshua Fall. The former was a large land-owner in that region. His mill stood on the west of the Stillwater, just where a mill now is. His own was a slight construction, and lasted only about ten years. Mr. Fall built on the west side of Marsh Island, on the front of original Lot No. 12, of which Mark Trafton and John Bright were after- wards owners. Mills were repeatedly built and burned upon this site until 1878, when another fire occurred, from the effects of which the local industry has not re- covered.

1800. Although the region had been settled for a quarter of a century, it is not known as a matter of rec- ord that any white child was born here until this year, when an official entry declares that Hannah Lunt was born February 23, 1800. The next were Adah Tucker, born February 21, 1801, and Rebecca Tucker, born March 13, 1801. The first male child "of record" is Seth Orcut, born May 25, 1802. The next five recorded whites, 1805 to 1809, inclusive, are all Averills. Popula- tion must have increased slowly, in the natural way, in those days, or else records were carelessly kept.

Some time early in this century, a double saw-mill was built at the lower Oldtown village by William Dall, which by and by became the property of Colonel Eben Web- ster and his brother. Mills were maintained most of the time upon this site until 1877, when the final touch of conflagration was put to them. A door, sash, and blind factory was added by Rufus Dwinel in 1861, but this went up in the great fire on the day of President Lin- coln's obsequies, April 19, 1865.

1806. Jackson Davis came. He bought all the land and mill property of Richard Winslow, who moved away. Davis was the first Justice of the Peace commissioned here, and was one of the agents of the Penobscot In- dians in 1821. He was a Quaker, with all the kindness, gentleness, and benevolence of his sect.

Colonel Eben Webster came about the same time, or soon after. He bought the Dall mill at the lower village, as before stated, and built a dwelling on the site of Saw- yer's cooper-shop. He was an officer in the militia, and commanded a part of the American force in the Hamp- den skirmish. The "Webster Dam," rebuilt by him in 1817, took its name from him.

1816. Ira and Jesse Wadleigh, brothers, came. They remained in business partnership here till about 1855. Ira early opened a hotel on the southeast corner of the Roberts acre, where the cellar is yet to be seen. In 1823 he built a larger inn, which was burned in 1874. He was the first postmaster at the village, and 1

kept the office till he leased his tavern in 1834, and re- moved to Massachusetts. He became rich here in lum- bering and other business, and himself supplied more than five thousand dollars to the means with which the Episcopal church was built.

1817. Moses Averill came to Upper Stillwater with his father, and built a saw-mill at the head of the island, where the mud-sills still remain, though the mill has not been going since 1825. He was Town Clerk of Orono ten years, a Selectman sixteen years, and one of the first justices of the peace in Oldtown.

1818. The Indians conveyed to Massachusetts the rest of the lands, except four townships and the islands, for about one thousand five hundred dollars annuity in goods. The obligations of the treaty were assumed by Maine, after the separation.

1820. Dr. D. H. Fairbanks came about this time. At first he was a common laborer, but by industrious self-training became a successful root and herb doctor. He was a noted local politician, the first Jackson Dem- ocrat developed in the town.

1825. Messrs. N. L. & L. Williams built the third double mill upon the Winslow water-privilege near the carry. It obtained, for some reason now unknown, the name of "the Tide Mill."

By this time, and previous to this year, John Roberts & William Ingalls put up a double saw-mill at the lower village, on the island side. It ceased its usefulness by 1832, and was burned in 1841.

Marsh Island was this year designated by the proper authority as the limits of a militia company, and the first one here was organized. The election of officers was held June 20, 1824, and resulted in the choice of Richard H. Bartlett Captain, Andrew Griffin Lieutenant, and Thomas G. Clark Ensign. In 1837 the company limits were ex- tended to the west line of the town. Four or five years after that, the company,disbanded.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 115

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co. Number of Pages: 1100

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100