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 2
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 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28
It is probable enough that Sullivan was led into the error of suppos- ing the French settled at Kennebec, by the following passage of Prince, 25 : "Upon the colony's (Popham's) breaking up, the French settle themselves within our limits." This doubtless refers to the settlement on Monts Deserts in 1609, and to the continued encroach- ments of that people on the Acadian peninsula.
*Smith's Hist. of N. York. 14. tCasco bay and the White moun- tains.
.
18
HISTORY OF SACO
island of Bacchus and by our countrymen Wiingaerden Eylandt, (Vineyard Island,) from the great abundance of vines found growing there. It is two leagues distant from the main ; is agreeable to the eye from the fine ap- pearance of the oaks and walnut trees with which it is stocked, and offers a good soil for cultivation. The river at its mouth is not of great depth, being not more than two fathoms at high water, but within it is three or four fath- oms, and is well stored with fish. The land near the river is fertile, presenting to view either open plains, or groves of lofty firs, beeches and elms. The barbarians that in- habit here, are in some respects unlike the other abori- gines of New France, differing from them both in lan-
guage and manners. They shave their heads from the forehead to the crown, but suffer the hair to grow on the other side, confining it in knots, and interweaving feathers of various colors. They paint their faces red or black ; are well formed, and arm themselves with spears, clubs, bows and arrows, which for the want of iron they point with the tail of a crustaceous animal, called signoc .* They cultivate the soil in a different manner from the In- dians who live east of them ; they plant maize (Indian corn; and striped beans together, so that the stalks of the former answer the purpose of poles for the vines to
run upon. Their fields are enclosed and kept free from bushes ; they plant in May and harvest in September. Walnut trees grow here, but inferior to ours; vines are abundant, and it is said by the French, that the grapes gathered in July, make good wine. The natives also raise pumpkins, t and tobacco. They have permanent places of abode, not roving about like other savages. Their cabins are covered with oak-bark, and are de- fended from the attacks of enemies by a wall of palis- adoes."Į
It is quite possible that De Laet supposed the Choua- coet of the French, and the Sawocotuck of the English, to be separate streams ; an error into which he was
*The Horse-shoe. Monoculus polyphemus. tNot indigenous, bot introduced at a very carly period. Nuttall.
#Novus Orbis, (New World,) &c. lib. ii. c. 19. See Appen. A.
19
AND BIDDEFORD. .
more likely to fall from the brief and less flattering descrip- tion of Smith. Indeed, the whole coast of Maine was represented by the latter as dreary and desolate. "It is a countrey rather to affright than delight one," says he, "and how to describe a more plaine spectacle of deso- lation or more barren, I know not." The French adven- turers, on the other hand, described the eastern country in very agreeable terms, imparting to its numerous islands, rivers and bays, a gay and picturesque coloring, not wholly fanciful at certain brief periods of the year, when the rugged features of our northern shores are clothed with a verdure and beauty unrivalled in more genial climes. The delineations of Smith, it must be acknowledged, however, are more faithful to the general aspect of the coast. It is but fair to add the sequel of the remarks of this celebrated traveller, in which he discovers no want of penetration. "Yet are those rocky isles," continues he, "so furnished with good woods, springs, fruits, fowl and fish, that it makes me think, though the coast be rocky and thus affrightable, the vallies and plains and interior parts may well notwithstanding be very fertile."*
*Sinith's Virginia. First published 1616. Capt. Smith arrived at Monheagan, April, 1614, with two ships. This island had been a resort for fishermen since 1608. Smith made it the centre of his operations during the summer. "Whilst the sailors fished, myself with eight others ranged the coast in a small boat. We got for tri- fles near 11000 beaver skins, 100 martins and as many otters, and the most of them within the distance of 20 leagues. We ranged the coast both east and west much further," p. 175. He returned to Eng- land in September; beside the furs, they carried home 47000 'dry and core fish,' made at Monheagan. A tradinghouse was afterwards established on this island, but was broken up 1626, when the goods being offered for sale, Gov. Bradford and Mr. Winslow of the New Plymouth colony, and Mr. Thompson of Pascataqua, went thither and purchased them. The moiety of the Plymouth planters amoun- ted to £400. Prince. 161. The island was sold that year by Mr. Jennings, of Plymouth, Eng. to the future Pemaquid patentees, and continued to be a favorite resort for fisherinen. Sull. 392.
,53
20
HISTORY OF SACO
CHAPTER II.
THE unfortunate termination of Sir Walter Raleigh's attempts to colonize Virginia during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, had effectually checked the spirit of enter- prise in England in relation to the settlement of America. The discoveries of Gosnold and Pring, and the short- ness of their voyages, now caused the subject to be re- vived, and to excite more general interest than had be- fore existed. On the petition of a number of gentlemen, a charter was granted by king James in the year 1606, dividing the country into two districts, called North and South Virginia, and authorizing the establishment of separate colonies in each district by two distinct com- panies. A right of property in the land fifty miles on each side of their first plantations, and extending one hun- dred miles into the interior, was granted by this patent. The first or Southern colony were allowed to settle any part of the country within the degrees of 34 and 41 north latitude ; the second, consisting chiefly of persons resi- dent at Plymouth and other towns in the west of England, and thence denominated the Plymouth Company, were allowed to choose a place of settlement between 38 and 45 degrees north latitude. As a considerable portion of the territory thus allotted was common to the two dis- tricts, a provision was added, that the colony last planted should not approach within one hundred miles of that al- ready established .*
The next year colonies were sent out by the two com- panies. One was fixed at Jamestown, of which Gosnold 'was the prime mover,' and Capt. Smith an active mem- ber; the other was established at Sagadehock, or the mouth of the Kennebec, led by Captains George Pop- ham, brother to the Chief Justice, and Raleigh Gilbert. This colony consisted of 108 ment; whether accom-
= *Hazard's State Papers. I. 50. +Smith's Virginia. 11. 174. The southern colony consisted of about the same number. Gosnold died the first year, Aug. 22. The Pilgrim Colony of 1620, comprised only 41 men ; the rest of their number (60) being women and children. N. E. Memoriul. 33.
:
.
21
AND BIDDEFORD.
panied by their families, we are not informed. They arrived on the coast near the island of Monheagan, a few leagues east of the Kennebec, in the month of August, and soon after entered the mouth of that river, where on the eastern side, on an island now forming a part of George- town,* they commenced preparations for a permanent settlement without delay. Monheagan was agreed upon as a place of rendezvous for the ships before leav- ing England,t and although we are not directly told that the destination of the colony was determined before their arrival, there is no doubt of the fact. The great patron of the enterprise, Chief Justice Popham, we have already seen, obtained an accurate survey of the coast the year before, and doubtless selected the mouth of that "fair and navigable river," as the Kennebec is styled by Smith, as a favorable location for the seat of the colony.
The lateness of the season scarcely allowed the colo- nists time to erect a fort and the necessary places of shelter before the approach of winter, which proved ex- cessively rigorous. More than half their number returned with the ships to England in December, in consequence of the severity of the cold and the scantiness of their supplies. Soon after those who remained had the mis- fortune to lose the greater part of their buildings and stores by fire. Capt. Popham died in the course of the winter, and an arrival in the spring brought news of the death of the Chief Justice. Raleigh Gilbert, who suc- ceeded Popham as president of the Colony, was under the necessity of returning to England on account of the decease of his brother, of which intelligence was received by another arrival, and the colonists discouraged by so many adverse circumstances, resolved to abandon the country and return with him. Thus in less than one year from the time the settlement was commenced, the
*Called Parker's island, containing 28000 acres. Mass. Hist. Coll. i. 251. "Description of Georgetown." Prince supposes they landed on the peninsula of Cape Small Point, on the western side of the river. Beiknap says a peninsula. Biog. i. 350. Sullivan, 15.53. sup. posed Stage island was the spot, which contains only siz acres. We follow the intelligent local authority cited above.
t Gorges.
3
22
HISTORY OF SACO
northern colony was broken up ; the country was de- nounced as uninhabitable, and no further attempts were made for many years to promote its settlement by the Company to whom it was assigned by the patent of King James.
Sir Ferdinando Gorges, a conspicuous member of the Plymouth Company, alone remained undiscouraged. The attention of this gentleman appears to have been first turned to this part of America in the year 1605, when Capt. Weymouth arrived in the harbor of Plymouth where he resided, on his return from a voyage for the dis- covery of the northwest passage. Falling short of his course, Weymouth had accidentally discovered the river Penobscot, from whence he carried to England five of the natives, "three of whom," says Gorges, "I seized upon ; they were all of one nation, but of several parts and several families. This accident must be acknow]- edged the means under God of putting on foot and giv- ing life to all our plantations." He retained these In- dians in his family three years, and obtained from them much information respecting their native shores ; they were afterwards sent back. Gorges henceforward took a deep interest in schemes for the settlement of North Vir- ginia, and was rather chagrined than discouraged by the return of the Sagadehock colonists, and the unfavorable reports which they spread concerning the country. "He had too much experience in the world," he said, "to be frighted with such a blast, as knowing many great king- doms and large territories more northerly seated and by many degrees colder, were plentifully inhabited, and divers of them stored with no better commodities than these afforded, if like industry, art and labor be used." Unable, however, to persuade the Company to undertake the planting of a second colony, Gorges engaged in pri- vate enterprises to this coast, which began to be much resorted to by English ships for purposes of trade with the natives, and of fishing. In the year 1616,* he sent hither a party commanded by RICHARD VINES, for the
*Prince, N. E. Chronol. 25.
4
23
AND BIDDEFORD ..
express object of exploring the country with a view to form a settlement. He contracted with them to remain during the winter, with the hope of removing the preju- dice excited by the Sagadehock colonists against the character of the climate.
They arrived during the prevalence of a destructive disease among the natives, which spread throughout New England, commencing its ravages in the west. This pes- tilence is noticed by all the writers on the early history of New England, with some difference of opinion as to the precise year of its occurrence. A late and highly respectable writer supposes it to have prevailed in differ- ent places at different times, but a few years previous to the arrival of the Plymouth pilgrims .* It was regarded by those pious colonists as a special interposition of di- vine providence in their favor, so great was the havoc it made among the tribes in that quarter. 'Thus,' says old Morton, 'God made way for his people by removing the heathen and planting them in the land.'
Mr. Vines and his companions penetrated into the in- terior, visiting the Indians in their villages and wigwams, who received them with great kindness and hospitality. Beside the ravages of sickness, they were at this time thrown into confusion by the death of the Bashaba or chief sachem, whom the Tarrantines, living east of the Penobscot, had attacked by surprise and destroyed with his family the preceding year. Great dissensions had immediately followed among the different tribes, who were engaged in a destructive war with each other when the pestilence made its appearance.+ In the midst of these evils, the Englishmen passed with safety among them, and slept in their cabins without suffering from the contagion. They were in particular welcomed by the savages whom they had seen in the family of Gorges at Plymouth, and now met in their native homes. Having visited different parts of the coast, this little party pre- pared to establish themselves for the winter. The spot
*Judge Davis's edit. of N. E Memorial. (1828.) p. 52. note. tGorges' History. . :
deste:
Q4
HISTORY OF: SACO
which they selected for their abode, we have reason to suppose, was at the mouth of Saco river, on the western side, near the capacious and sheltered basin now called the Pool, but in early times known as Winter Harbor. This interesting fact depends on the following statement.
The place chosen at that time by Mr. Vines for the location of a colony, was at the mouth of this river,* where one was planted some years after under his direc- tion. He was probably led to make this choice before winter, and he would naturally establish himself during that season on the spot selected for a permanent abode. In support of this reasonable supposition, we have the tradition of the inhabitants of that part of Biddeford, that an English vessel wintered in the Pool before the settle- ment of the country, and that the shelter thus afforded gave rise to the name of Winter Harbor. The following passage of the history of Gorges, adds stronger confirma- tion. "Col. Fra. Norton and Capt. Wm. Gorges went over (in 1623) with divers workmen for the building of mills, houses, and all things, necessary for the settlement of our designs," (an establishment at Agamenticus, now York.) "And we had the more hope of a happy successe of these affairs, by reason that not far from that place there had been settled some years before Mr. Richard Vines, a servant (or agent) of liis, (Sir F. Gorges,) of whose care and diligence he had formerly made much trial in his affairs."f
It appears from this extract, that Norton and Gorges were encouraged in their design of settling at Agamenti- eus by the fact that Vines had found the country habita- ble in the neighborhood of that river. It is not pretend- ed, nor is there the slightest reason to suppose, that his
. * Dr. Belknap, Biog. i. 377, says : "It has been before observed that Gorges had sent over R. Vines with some others on a discovery, to prepare the way for a colony. The place which Vines pitched upon was at the mouth of Saco river."
+These gentlemen had a grant of 24000 acres of land on both sides of Agamenticus now York river, as is stated by Gorges. Sullivan, p. 237, says, erroneously, the earliest grant in York was 1642. The late venerable Judge Sewall wrote a brief account of York, published in 1 Mass. Hist. Coll. iii. 6-12, but does not mention this early settle- ment. It was probably of short duration. .
25
AND BIDDEFORD."
temporary settlement was made at any other place than at the mouth of the Saco:
Vines performed several voyages to our coast in the service of Gorges, and it is probable made Winter Har- bor his principal resort. While he was occupied in ex- ploring the country and trading with the natives, his men were engaged in fishing. How long he pursued this course, we are not informed, nor do we find him men- tioned again until several years after his early residence at Winter Harbor.
A separate charter was obtained by the Plymouth Com- pany in 1620, enlarging their powers and giving wider limits to their jurisdiction. The vast territory extending from the 40th to the 48th degree of north latitude, and from sea to sea, was placed at the disposal and under the government of the company, now styled the Council of Plymouth. Forty noblemen and gentlemen are named in that instrument as composing "the Council, established at Plymouth in Devonshire, for the planting, ruling and governing of New England in America."* The right of property in the land was thus transferred from the crown to the Council, by whom grants of unequal magni- tude were made at various times throughout New Eng- land. A degree of confusion rests on some of their acts, arising in a great measure from their imperfect know !- edge of the geography of the country.t The earliest grant of the Council including a part of Maine, was made in 1622 to Sir F. Gorges and John Mason, two of their number, extending from the Merrimac to the Kennebec, under the name of Laconia.] The next year these pa- tentees with other adventurers sent out David Thomp- son, Edward and William Hilton, to form a settlement on the Pascataqua. The grant received by Col. Norton and Capt. W. Gorges, already noticed, was under that of La- conia. In 1629 Mason took out a new patent for that por- tion of Laconia west of the Pascataqua, which he named New Hampshire, leaving the remainder with Gorges. In the meantime, however, the Council proceeded to make
*Hazard's State Papers, I. 103. iSullivan on Land Titles, 36.
#Belknap's N. H. I. 14.
3*
26
HISTORY OF SACO
new grants of the eastern part of Laconia as if no former one still existed.
: Among these were two patents of lands on Saco river. The Biddeford patent, as we may now term it, conveyed to John Oldham and Richard Vines, a tract of land lying between Cape Elizabeth and Cape Porpoise, on the south side of the river Swanckadocke, (as the Saco is strange- ly denominated by the Council,) containing in breadth by the sea four miles, and eight miles up into the main land. These are nearly the present bounds of Biddeford. The other patent conveyed a tract of the same extent on the opposite side of the river, to Thomas Lewis and Capt. Richard Bonython .* The limits of Saco are at present somewhat less than those of the patent, as will be shown in another place. The former of these instruments, was copied into the records of the Province of Maine, July 19, 1643. The latter was not recorded until April 5, 1731.f They are both dated February 12, 1629, old style, equivalent to Feb.1, 1630. At that period the com- mencement of the year was reckoned from March 25, a practice that continued more or less to the following cen- tury. But it was not uncommon, to prevent mistakes, to write a double date for a day coming between Jan. 1. and March 25. Thus the date of the patents would be more easily understood, had the year been written 1629- 30. The alteration of the day of the month is rendered necessary by the change introduced into the calendar, familiar to all, termed the new style.
The same year the grant called the Plough Patent, and forming the Province of Lygonia, was made by the Council.# It was intended to embrace a territory forty miles square, but fell short of that extent, as appears from the limits actually assigned to it. It was bounded on the east by Cape Elizabeth, or Casco, and on the west
*Pronounced as if written Bonigh'ton.
tSee Appendix B, for copies of these patents. The original parch- ment, relating to the eastern side of the river, has been brought to light since the commencement of these enquiries, and deposited in the archives of the Maine Historical Society, at Brunswick. It was in the possession of Mr. Benj. Patterson.
#Hubbard's Ind. Nar. Part. 2. p. 9. first edition.
٢
27
AND BIDDEFORD.
by Cape Porpoise, a distance of about thirty miles on the sea coast, and extended forty miles into the interior. The patents on Saco river were thus included within the bounds of this grant ; this is the more remarkable as they were made the same year. The names of the grantees as recorded by Hubbard, are John Dy, Thomas Impe, Grace Harding and John Roach of London ; to which Sullivan adds from a manuscript of uncertain authority, John Smith and Bryan Brincks. Several of these gen- tlemen are supposed by Sullivan to have resided within the limits of their patent. "In the year 1630," says the manu- script, as quoted by our historian, "Bryan Brincks, John Smith and others went into New England and settled themselves in Casco Bay, near unto the south side of the river Sagadehock, and laid out several sums of money there, made laws and constitutions, &c. for the governing said Province."* It is hardly possible that all this could be done by the proprietors of the Plough patent without leaving some traces of their operations among the ancient records of Maine. But not the slightest vestige has been found relating to any such transactions, and as the author and date of the manuscript are not given and were pro- bably unknown, its statements are liable to be questioned. Sullivan himself acknowledges 'there never was a person of the name of Brincks inhabiting' in this quarter, but says further, that 'there have ever been persons of the names of Smith and Dyer on the south side of Saco riv- er,' and he takes them to be descendants of the suppo- sed patentees Smith and Dy. There was, indeed, a John Smith at Saco 1636, who was living 1685, at the age of seventy three years.t As he was but eighteen years old when the patent was granted, it cannot be rationally sup- posed that he was associated with the patentees in a grant so extensive. There is besides no notice, however slight, that he had any interest in the Plough patent, in the re- cords of that period. Admitting the gratuitous change of Dy to Dyer, the latter name does not occur in the Saco records until more than fifty years after the date of the patent.
*Sullivan. 311. tCourt Records.
28
HISTORY OF SACO
The following passage of Winthrop's Journal is supposed to relate to this subject. "July 6, 1631. A small ship of - sixty tons arrived at Nantasket, Mr. Graves master. She brought ten passengers from London. They came with a patent to Sagadehock, but not liking the place, they came hither. Their ship drew ten feet, and went up to Watertown, but ran on ground twice by the way. These were the company called Husbandmen, and their ship called the Plough." It was afterwards added : "Most of them proved Familists and vanished away." The Fami- lists were a fanatical sect. It is plain enough, that whoever came in this vessel, and whether they entered Saco river, as Sullivan supposes, or the Kennebec, as is quite probable, they did not remain in this part of the country. They were probably a band of adventurers, sent out by the grantees of the Plough patent, but the appearance of the eastern country not equalling their ex- pectations, they preferred to shape their course in another direction. This supposition is supported by Hubbard, who states that the patentees "took in as a partner, Mr. Richard Dummer* of Newbury, N. England, in the year 1638, to whom they delivered the patent, with an order from them to take up the land described therein, but he be- ing denied opportunity to effect it, as also a ship formerly sent for that end not accomplishing their desire," &c.f In consequence of these difficulties, they sold the patent soon after to Alexander Rigby, Esq. of Lancashire. The date of this transfer is stated by Sullivan to be April 7, 1643. At that period it seems to have assumed the name of the Province of Lygonia, when it became the source of much contention, as will be shown hereafter. It is a subject of regret that more definite information does not
*This gentleman came to N. England 1632, when he was admitted freeman. Winthrop ii. 363. He was one of the first settlers of New- bury, Mass. where he owned a large estate. He was 'equally rich and benevolent.' Lieut. Gov. Dummer was one of his descendants. Cushing's Hist. of Newburyport, p. 66. Eliot's Biog. Dict. The date of his arrival is incorrectly given by these writers, as it appears from the record of his admission to the rights of a freeman.
tHubbard's Nar. Part 2. pp. 9-10. Edition of 1677. Sullivan, Savage, and other writers take notice of a mistake in Hubbard, Umes for Vines. It is not found in the old edition.
29
AND BIDDEFORD. . ..
exist relating to the original grantees of this extensive patent : had they actually come to take possession them- selves, we should doubtless know more about them.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.