USA > Maine > York County > Saco > History of Saco and Biddeford, with notices of other early settlements, and of proprietary governments, in Maine, including the provinces of New Somersetshire and Lygonia > Part 17
USA > Maine > York County > Biddeford > History of Saco and Biddeford, with notices of other early settlements, and of proprietary governments, in Maine, including the provinces of New Somersetshire and Lygonia > Part 17
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Sir William Phips, having been appointed governor of Massachusetts, resolved to carry on the war with re- newed spirit. Maj. Converse was made commander of the forces in the province, who commenced building a stone fort near Saco falls in the summer of 1693. 'Repairing to Saco,' says Mather, 'they began another fort, which was carried on by that worthy gentleman, Major Hooke, and the truly commendable Capt. Hill, and proved a mat- ter of good consequence to the province.' The fort stood on the western side of the river, a short distance below the falls ; the remains of it are still visible on the high bank nearly opposite the Manufacturing establishment. It is said to have been built with so much strength that the Indians never attempted to take it; of course it af-
"Church's Wars.117. tAn inhabitant of Scarboro' 1681. Scar. Rec.
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forded great security to the inhabitants. A number of soldiers were stationed here under the command of Capt. George Turfrey and Lieut. Pendleton Fletcher. So much energy was shown in the preparations for war in the early part of this year, that the Indians became alarm- ed, sued for peace, and, in August, a treaty was made at Pemaquid, 'signed by the principal Sagamores of all the Indians belonging to the several rivers of Penobscot and Kennebeck, Amarascoggin and Saco.' The following summer, however, hostilities were renewed near the Pas- cataqua, at Spruce creek, and in York. The leaders were fortunately seized ; Robin Doney and three others at Saco fort, and Bomaseen at Pemaquid, in August 1694. The latter was sent to a gaol in Boston. The next March, two soldiers belonging to the fort at this place, fell into the hands of the enemy, one of whom was killed, and the other carried into captivity. The savages appear to have lurked about the fort, watching an opportunity for mischief. Sergeant Haley was cut off in this man- ner, venturing carelessly out of the fort, in the latter part of the summer. The next year five soldiers in a similar way lost their lives. They had discovered the enemy in season to make their escape, but not agreeing about the course to be taken, (being at a considerable distance from the fort,) they unfortunately fell into an ambush and were all slain. :
Maj. Charles Frost, of Sturgeon creek (Kittery,) was killed on Sunday, July 4, 1697, returning from public worship at Berwick ; 'to repair unto which,' says Dr. Mather, 'about five miles from his own house, he had that morning expressed such an earnestness, that much notice was taken of it.' Two others were killed at the same time, but two sons of Maj. Frost, who were in the com- pany, happily escaped. The Indians had secreted them- selves behind a collection of boughs lying near the road ; the place was open and level, and apparently much less likely to conceal an enemy than other parts of the road which they passed. Maj. Frost filled various offices of great respectability. In 1693, he was a member of the Council of Mass. Bay, elected by the people under the provisions of the new charter. He had been an active
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officer in Philip's war, and was much feared by the sava- ges. His father, Nicholas Frost, already mentioned as one of the first settlers in Kittery, died in 1663, at the age of 71 years, leaving two other sons, John and Nicho- las. The capture of Lieut. Fletcher, and his two sons, took place the same year ; of which Dr. Mather gives the following account. "Three soldiers of Saco Fort cutting some firewood on Cow island for the use of the fort, were by the Indians cut off; while that Lieut. Fletcher with his two sons, that should have guarded them, went a fowling ; and by doing so they likewise fell into the snare. The Indians carrying these three captives down the river in one of their canoes, Lieut. Larrabee, who was abroad with a scout, waylaid them, and firing on the foremost of the canoes that had three men (Indians) in it, they all three fell and sank in the river of death ; several were killed a- board the other canoes ; and the rest ran their canoes a- shore and escaped on the other side of the river ; and one of the Fletchers, when all the Indians with him were kill- ed, was delivered out of the hands which had made a pris- oner of him , though his poor father afterwards died a- mong them."
About the same time Humphry Scamman and his family were taken and carried to Canada. The story of their capture is thus related by an aged lady, a grand daughter of Samuel, the youngest son of Mr. Scamman. When Samuel was about ten years old, as his grand daughter has often heard him relate, he was sent one day by his mother with a mug of beer to his father and brother, who were at work on a piece of marsh in the neighborhood of the lower ferry. He had not gone far from the house when he discovered a number of Indians at a distance, and immediately ran back to inform his mother. He re- gained the house, and wished to fasten the doors and win- dows, but his mother prevented, saying that the Indians would certainly kill them if he did. They soon came into the house and asked the good woman where her san- ap (husband) was ? She refused to inform them, when they threatened to carry her off alone ; but promised if she would discover where he was, to take them together without harm. She then told them. After destroying
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much of the furniture in the house, breaking many articles on a flat stone by the door, and emptying the feather beds to secure the sacks, they went away with the prisoners towards the marsh, where they succeeded in capturing Mr. Scamman and his other son. A boy named Robin- son, who had been for the team, as he was returning, per- ceived the savages in season to make his escape ; mount- ing a horse, with only his garters for a bridle, he rode up to what is now called Gray's point, swam the horse to Cow island, and leaving him there, swam to the opposite shore, and reached the fort in safety. He found only a
few old men and women in possession of the place. The guns were immediately fired to alarm the soldiers belong- ing to the fort, who were at work some distance off. The women in the meantime put on men's clothes, and showed themselves about the fort, so that they could be seen by the Indians who had come up to the opposite island. De- ceived by this stratagem, (supposing the fort to be well manned, as they afterwards acknowledged,) they did not venture an attack, but drew off with a number of prison- ers beside Scainman and his family. As the peace took place soon after, the prisoners were all restored, having been probably about one year in captivity. Mr. Scam- man on his return, found his house in precisely the same condition in which it had been left ; even the mug of beer, which Samuel placed on the dresser, was found remaining there. This mug is still in existence, preserved by our venerable informant as a memorial of the dangers and suf- ferings to which her ancestors were exposed. It is a handsome article of brown ware, with the figure and name of King William stamped upon it. Its age is about 140 years.
In 1698, the war between England and France being at an end, the Indians made new overtures for peace, and commissioners were sent to treat with them, who con- cluded a treaty at a place called Mar's Point, Casco bay, Jan. 7, 1699. Thus ended a bloody war, which had continued with little intermission for ten years.
The settlements enjoyed however, but a short respite from the unspeakable miseries of savage warfare. The succession of Queen Anne to the English throne 1702,
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was followed by a renewal of hostilities with France .. The next year Gov. Dudley appointed a conference with the Eastern lodians at Falmouth, in consequence of some indications of an alarming character. Delegates appeared from the different tribes, who declared to the Governor that "as high as the sun was above the earth, so far dis -- tant was a design of making war from thein." The sus- picions that had been excited, were soon confirmed, how- ever, and in August, six weeks after the conference, a body of 500 French and Indians fell upon the settlements between Casco and Wells, burning and destroying all be- fore them. One hundred and thirty people were killed and taken prisoners in the course of this devastation .* A garrison at Winter Harbor, and the stone fort at the Falls, were attacked by this party ; the former after a stout resistance, finally capitulated on favorable terms. In the assault on the fort, eleven were killed and twenty-four taken prisoners, who were carried into captivity. At Spurwink twenty-two persons of the name of Jordan were either killed or captured. The garrison at Scarbo- ro' held out against an attack. At Cape Elizabeth (Pur- pooduck) twenty-five were killed and eight taken. The expedition was led by a French officer named Beaubas- sin, who reported on his return to Canada, that he had slain three hundred English, but taken little plunder. This statement is discredited by the able authors of the Universal History, on the ground that the English ac- counts are silent respecting it, and that a considerable spoil must necessarily have been obtained.t But the French account is too nearly supported by Penhallow, an American writer .. The inhabitants, having been lulled into security by the result of the conference at Casco, were taken by surprise and became the easy victims of the perfidious cruelty of the savages. Towards the close of the year, five of our inhabitants who were getting home wood, were surprised by the enemy and three of them slain. The next month (Jan. 1704,) a body of Indians attacked a garrison in Saco, probably at the Falls, com- manded by Capt. Brown, but were repulsed.į Capt.
*Penhallow's 'Wars of New England.' tMod. Univ. Hist. x1. 146: #Sewall. MS. Diary.
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Hill (Joseph, probably) who had fallen into the hands of .the enemy, was sent from Canada 1705, to obtain an ex- change of prisoners ; he reported that there were with the French 114 captives, besides 70 with the Indians. Saco Fort was at that time undergoing repairs ; for we find Capt. Turfrey allowed by the Gen. Court of 1704, .£164 for this purpose .*
· About this time, Ebenezer Hill (afterwards Deacon) and his wife Abigail, then recently married, were carried into captivity. Several Indians, who professed to be friendly and were frequently in the houses of the inhabi- tants, called at Mr. Hill's in the usual manner one mor- ning, and partook of some food which was offered them. They left the house, but soon after returned and finding Mr. Hill gone, told his wife that they must make her a prisoner. They proceeded to plunder such articles from the house as they could conveniently carry away, and de- stroying others. When Mr. Hill came, he found his wife secured, having her arms pinioned, and the savages em- ployed in emptying a feather bed. He gave himself into their hands, and the Indians decamped with the prison- ers. They were carried to Canada, where they remain- ed three years. Their oldest son, Ebenezer, was born either in Canada or while they were on their return. He was familiarly called the Frenchman in after years. Mr. Hill's house was on the western side of the river, near the head of 'ferry lane.'
In 1707, an engagement took place at Winter Harbor between a fleet of fifty canoes, manned by 150 Indians, and two small vessels in which were Capt. Austin, Mr. Harmon, Sergeant Cole, five other men and a boy. See- ·ing the canoes approach in a hostile manner, the men - fired upon them as soon as they came near, and produced .some confusion. The Indians soon recovered, however, · and a brisk action ensued. They succeeded in capturing . one of the boats, but the men escaped into the other with . the loss of only one man, Benj. Daniels, who was shot through the bowels. As he fell, he exclaimed, "I am a .dead man !" but recovering himself a little, he added,
*Mass. Records.
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"Let me kill one before I die!" b' strength, however, failed him. The action lasted three hours. The In- dians approached near enough to seize the blades of the oars.
The Gen. Court passed an order 1708, directing the removal of the forces from the stone fort at the falls to Winter Harbor, where a new fort was built on the extremi- ty of the point at the entrance of the Pool. Three hun- dred pounds were appropriated for this object, and Maj. Joseph Hammond and Capt. Lewis Bane appointed to carry the order into effect. In 1710, one hundred pounds were granted by the court towards the completion of the fortification, which was called Fort Mary ; a supply of snow-shoes and mogasins was voted at the same time. The remains of Fort Mary are now distinctly visible on the point, which is still called Fort hill. In August of that year, about fifty French and Indians made an assault on Winter Harbor, killed a woman, and took two men, one of whom, Pendleton Fletcher, was captured for the fourth time. The garrison redeemed him. The next week a large party came, killed three, and carried away six. They barbarously stripped off the skin from one of the slain, and made girdles of it. Col. Walton with 170 men, soon after visited the place, and marched up the river, but succeeded in destroying only two of the enemy and taking five prisoners. Corporal Ayers of Fort Mary fell into the hands of the savages about this time, but was liberated immediately ; the Indians, being weary of the war, which had reduced the number of their fighting men from 450 to 300, sent in a flag of truce to the fort, and desired a treaty. But some of them committed depreda- tions afterwards in Wells, York, and Dover ; and peace did not take place until 1713, after the cessation of hostili- ties and the treaty of Utrecht in Europe. They sent in proposals to Capt. Moody of Falmouth, signifying their desire of treaty ; and on 11 July, 1713, Governor Dudley and the Council met them at Portsmouth, where, by a formal writing under hand and seal, they renewed their allegiance and "begged the Queen's pardon for their former miscarriages."
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A Chronological view of the principal events of a general character noticed in the foregoing pages.
1602 Discovery of New England.
1603 Discovery of Saco river, called Shawakotock.
1604-5 Visit of the French navigators, De Monts and Champlain.
1606 Plymouth Company formed.
1607 Sagadehock Colony sent out.
1603 Return of the Colonists to England.
1614 Visit of Capt. John Smith to Saco river, called Sawocotuck.
1616 Richard Vines passes the winter at Winter Harbor.
1620 Council of Plymouth established.
1622 Grant of Laconia to Gorges and Mason.
1623 First permanent settlement in Maine, at Pemaquid.
1630 Patents on Saco river granted. Settlement made on the wes- tern side of the river, now Biddeford.
1631 Settlement on the eastern side of the river, now Saco. The in- habitants on both patents composing one town called Saco; governed by a Combination. Plough Patent granted.
1635 Separate grant from the Council of Plymouth to Gorges, from Pascataqua to Kennebec; made a Province by Gorges under the name of New Somersetshire, and William Gorges sent out as governor.
1636 Government of New Somersetshire organized at Saco. First Court holden on the eastern side of the river.
1639 Grant of the Council to Gorges confirmed by the King ; the name of the Province changed to MAINE.
1640 Government of Maine organized; General Court holden at Saco. Thomas Gorges Governor.
1613 Gov. Gorges returns to England. Richard Vines, Steward General, the acting governor. Plough Patent purchased by Alex Rigby ; the towns embraced in it formed into a separate jurisdiction, styled the Province of Lygonia. Geo. Cleaves ap- pointed Deputy President.
1645 R. Vines elected Governor of Maine by the General Court. Succeeded by Henry Jocelyn. Vines conveys his Patent to Dr. Robert Child.
1646 Controversy of Gorges and Rigby decided in favor of the latter. 1647 Death of Sir F. Gorges ; succeeded as Lord Proprietor by Sir John Gorges.
1649 Combination of the towns Pascataqua, Gorgeana and Wells. Edward Godfrey chosen governor.
1650 Death of Alexander Rigby ; succeeded by Edward Rigby.
1652 The Colony of Mass. Bay claims the greater part of the Pro- vince of Maine as within her patent and jurisdiction. Claim resisted by Gov. Godfrey and his Council. Pascataqua and Gorgeana submit; named Kittery and York. The Province converted into the County of Yorkshire.
1653 Wells, Cape Porpoise and Saco subinit to Mass. Bay.
1655 Levy made on Vines's patent, as the property of Messrs. Beex & Co. of London.
1058 Blue-point, Black-point and Casco submit to Mass. Bay. The two foriner plantations incorporated under the name of Scar- boro' ; Casco called Falmouth.
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1659 Beex & Co. sell Vines's Patent to William Phillips of Boston, who removes to Saco.
1665 The King's Commissioners come into the Province, and estab- lish a new jurisdiction ; Henry Jocelyn left at the head of the government. Sir Ferdinando, son and successor to Sir John Gorges, revives his claim to the Province.
1668 Mass. Bay forcibly resumes a jurisdiction in the Province. Con- flict at York.
1675 Philip's war commences.
1676 Controversy between Gorges and Mass. Bay decided in Eng- land in favor of the former.
1677 Gorges sells the Province to Mass. Bay for the sum of £1200 sterling.
1678 Peace with the Indians. Treaty made at Falmouth.
1680 Thomas Danforth President of Maine. Brian Pendleton de- puty-president.
1686 Joseph Dudley President of New England. Superseded by Sir Edmund Andros.
1688 Second war with the Indians.
1690 Berwick (Salmon Falls) and Casco destroyed by the French and Indians.
1691 New Charter granted to Mass. Bay by William and Mary.
1692 Sir William Phips Governor of Mass. Bay.
1693 Stone Fort built at Saco Falls.
1698 Peace with the Indians. Treaty of Mar's Point.
1703 Third Indian war. Joseph Dudley Governor of Mass. De- scent of the French from Canada on the towns in Maine.
1710 Fort Mary built at Winter Harbor, Saco.
1713 Peace concluded with the Indians.
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HISTORY
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PART SECOND.
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CHAPTER I.
AFTER the pacification of 1713, the dispersed inhabi- tants began to return to their deserted homes from the more secure settlements to which they had fled for safety ; the garrisons and forts in which those who remained, had been confined, were now abandoned, and the town in- stead of presenting to the eye the dreary aspect of tenant- less dwellings and uncultivated fields, became once more the abode of a busy and industrious, though not a numer- ous population. A new period in its history thus com- mences. For nearly thirty years no records of meetings for the transaction of town affairs, are found ; the first record after this long interval shows that the inhabitants had ceased to act as a municipal body, and describes the measures taken to re-organize in that capacity. It is as follows : "March 15, 1717. The inhabitants of Saco tbought fit to make choice of officers as in other towns by reason of a public charge arising in the town, for defray- ing public charges, as making a rate for the payment of Rev. Mr. Short, and other charges that may anse ; and at the meeting of the inhabitants it is a clear vote that Humphry Scamman is town clerk, and that Mr. Andrew
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Brown, Richard Stimpson, and H. Scamman, be select- men and assessors, and John Stackpole constable, and at the meeting thought fit not to make choice of any other officers." In May another meeting was held for signing a petition to the General Court to obtain a continuance of the minister's salary the ensuing year, "and accordingly there was a blank signed by the whole meeting, and com- mitted to the constable to get a scrivener to draw the same," who made return that he had done accordingly, and committed the same to Capt. Lewis Bean, the repre- sentative of York. The petition was signed by John Lane, and thirteen others, whose names are not record- ed ; it was granted by the Court.
Capt. Lane was at this time the commander of Fort Mary, Winter Harbor, where he died not long after. He was born in Limerick, Ireland, and emigrated to New England while a young man. Before his military ap- pointment, at this place, he had settled in Hampton, N. H .* He was succeeded by John Gray, Esq. in the command of Fort Mary. This gentleman came from England with Gov. Shute 1716, from whom he received both a military and a civil commission. He was at Winter Harbor as early as January, 1720.
At a townmeeting in July, William Dyer was elected "attorney or agent of the town for one year." The same year, the following petition was presented to the General Court by Capt. Bean, "in behalf of himself, Casco bay, and Black-point ; Whereas four years ago Benjamin Ha- ley was allowed to keep a ferry on Saco river at its mouth, which place is inconvenient on account of its nearness to the sea, and the roughness thereby occasioned ; and said Haley is negligent, and travellers are exposed to danger, and there is a more commodious place for one higher up where H. Scamman now dwells, whose father for many years kept the ferry till in the late war he was dri- ven away by Indians ; wherefore he prays that said Scam- mán may be appointed by this court to keep the ferry at that place." The petition was granted.
*Family tradition. Col. I. Lane, of Hollis, is a great-grandson of Capt. Lane.
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The next year, 1718, the last meeting of the inhabi- tants on both sides of the river under the old name of Saco, was holden at the house of John Stackpole ; when Ebenezer Hill, Scamman and Stimpson, were chosen se- lectmen. No other proceedings of the town this year are preserved ; but the records of the General Court in some measure supply the deficiency. "Nov. 14, 1718. On petition of H. Scamman and others, resolved, that £40 be allowed and paid out of the public treasury towards the support of a minister at Winter Harbor for this year ; and that the petitioners be invested with the powers of a town according to the ancient bounds thereof ; provided that this order shall in no measure infringe the just title of any person to lands there, and that fifty families at the least more than now are, to be admitted as soon as may be, and settle in a compact and defensible manner accord- ing to the directions of Hon. John Wheelwright [of Wells,] and others, the committee for regulating the eastern set- tlements ; And that the name thereof be BIDDEFORD."*
The townmeeting in March, 1719, is the first recorded to have been holden in Biddeford. Benjamin Haley, Hill and.Scamman were chosen selectmen ; John Sharpe surveyor. In May, it was "voted that H. Scamman ap- pear sent and represent this town before the great and General Court at Boston." And "that the selectmen give his Excellency thanks, and that his Excellency be desired to send for this representative no oftener than there is occasion for the service of this town in their be- half. Voted that the selectmen run the line between Cape Porpoise and this town."
A meeting was held 2 April, 1720, for the purpose of dividing the commons or town lands, "for the enlarging
:
* * Some of the inhabitants we suppose emigrated from Biddeford, Eng., which is in the county of Devonshire, near the entrance to Bristol Channel, and is thus described by Worcester, Univ. Gazet- teer : "Biddeford, or Bideford, (By the Ford,) a seaport, 40 miles north of Exeter, 103 west of London ; population 3211. It is situa. ted near the union of Towridge and the Taw [rivers,] over the former of which there is a very long bridge of 24 arches. Large quantities of coarse earthen ware are made here, and sent to most parts of the Kingdom. The market is large and well supplied with provisions."
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the town and settlement"; 100 acres were voted for a par- sonage ; H. Scamman, jr. was granted 50 acres "where he can find it clear of all former grants ; and it is agreed that he shall not exceed fifty poles in breadth, and all the lands that shall be given this day, to be laid out according to this form as to quantity of breadth ;" J. Stackpole 40 acres ; Pendleton Fletcher 50; Samuel Cole 45; E. Hill 40 ; B. Haley 40; Capt. John Sharpe 40; W. Dy- er 40 ; Rob. Edgecomb 30; R. Edgecomb jr. 30 ; Rob. Elwell 40 ; John Brown 40; Samuel Smith 35; Rich- ard Smith 40 ; Ebenezer Pratt 40 ; Solomon Smith 40 ; Mathew Robertson 30 ; Nathaniel Tarbox 40 ; John Da- vis 40; Wm. Gibson 40 ; Samuel Scamman 40 ; Samuel Jordan 40 ; John Sharpe jr. 30. H. Scamman's grant . was bounded in part as follows : "Beginning at a point of rocks lying forty poles W. S. W. distance from a bea- ver dam that hinders the passage of the water from fall- ing into Francis Backus' brook, it being the northernmost branch of Little river, by which is understood the Little river on the south west side of Saco river," &c.
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