USA > Maine > Somerset County > Skowhegan > History of the old towns, Norridgewock and Canaan, comprising Norridgewock, Canaan, Starks, Skowhegan, and Bloomfield, from their early settlement to the year 1849; including a sketch of the Abnakis Indians > Part 12
USA > Maine > Somerset County > Canaan > History of the old towns, Norridgewock and Canaan, comprising Norridgewock, Canaan, Starks, Skowhegan, and Bloomfield, from their early settlement to the year 1849; including a sketch of the Abnakis Indians > Part 12
USA > Maine > Somerset County > Bloomfield > History of the old towns, Norridgewock and Canaan, comprising Norridgewock, Canaan, Starks, Skowhegan, and Bloomfield, from their early settlement to the year 1849; including a sketch of the Abnakis Indians > Part 12
USA > Maine > Somerset County > Starks > History of the old towns, Norridgewock and Canaan, comprising Norridgewock, Canaan, Starks, Skowhegan, and Bloomfield, from their early settlement to the year 1849; including a sketch of the Abnakis Indians > Part 12
USA > Maine > Somerset County > Norridgewock > History of the old towns, Norridgewock and Canaan, comprising Norridgewock, Canaan, Starks, Skowhegan, and Bloomfield, from their early settlement to the year 1849; including a sketch of the Abnakis Indians > Part 12
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There was but one horse in this vicinity for several years, and that was owned by Colonel Waugh. All travel was on the river in canoes, as there were no roads. There were mills on the tributaries of the Sebasticook, and the set- tlers were obliged to go to Winslow to mill, and to the Lower Fort, as Augusta was called, to purchase stores. The people of Norridge- wock at length went to Skowhegan, and after 1777 to Heald's mill.
In 1775 there was a great scarcity of grain among the early settlers. Two of them went among their neighbors, and taking all the corn they had, they started for Gardiner. The canoe was upset in the river and all the grain was lost. They returned, sad-hearted indeed. From that time, until January, 1776, at which time the grain gathered the previous fall had been carried on the ice to the mill at Sebasticook and ground, these destitute families were de- prived of vegetable food, excepting only dried berries and unground corn.
On the breaking out of the Revolution, the settlers were all alarmed for their safety, and made preparations to leave the frontier. The two or three families residing on the south side of the river, gathered their effects together, and made preparations to secrete them. They dug a large pit near the river, and placing the most of their valuables in it, they covered them
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with earth, and that no stranger might discover them, they felled several trees over the spot. They went away ; some of the men entered the army, and when they returned they found all safe and unmolested. Fairbrother, Sawyer, and Fletcher remained after they came, and did not go to the war.
The passage of Arnold's army up the Ken- nebec was a great event in those lonesome times. Eye-witnesses describe the train of canoes as having been several miles in length, and very imposing. They tarried at the Falls of Skowhegan and at Norridgewock. At the Falls two fresh beaver-tails were obtained of two whites in exchange for pork, by the ex- ploring party. They found a rock of bluish flint, five feet high and twelve feet in diameter, in a conical form, just below the .Falls, scallop- ed to the water's edge, It was where the Nor- ridgewogs obtained their arrow-heads. They blazed the road around the Fall, and according to Judge Henry, they found the last white at Norridgewock .*
On the journey of the main army, they pro- ceeded from Fort Western in three bodies. As Major Meigs with his detachment, (which was the last,) passed up the river, he tarried at Nor- ridgewock, and called at a house and saw a child fourteen months old - the first white child born in Norridgewock. It was Abel Far- rington, son of Captain Thomas Farrington, formerly of Groton .¡ His batteaux filled with
* Maine Hist. Coll., vol. i., p. 397. ¡ See Meigs' Expedition.
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water near Old Point, and he lost his kettles, but- ter, and sugar. He relates that Râle's grave was yet visible. There was a covered way through the bank of the river, for the purpose of obtain- ing water. Colonel Montressor, an engineer in Arnold's army, in describing the return says, " After having gone about - we came to a deep fall, where begins a carrying place of about two miles in length, the river being too rapid for canoes. This bears the name of the Falls of Aroansoak, from a village of the Abenaques, &c. Its current is very gentle to the Nine-mile Falls ; here it precipitates itself with great fury over high rocks, and being confined by high and rocky banks, runs a quarter of a mile with vast rapidity, below which it forms a basin, and then directs its course to the south. We encamped on an island half a league below the Falls." The island on which they encamp- ed was Great Island. Different parties halted on the islands, and along the shores, and relics are yet occasionally found.
In Dr. Senter's* narrative, which commenc- ed at Cambridge, September 13, 1775, and ended June 11, 1776, of the most remarkable enterprise of the American Revolution, that part of the journal relating to our vicinity reads thus: " Sunday, Oct. 1. - I was now seven miles above Fort Halifax, and for the first time encamped upon the ground, the last evening.
* " The Journal of Isaac Senter, Physician and Surgeon to the troops detached from the American army encamped at Cam- bridge, Mass., on a secret expedition against Quebec, under the command of Colonel Benedict Arnold, in September, 1775."
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Morgan's division were still forward. Here in my little rural hut, I received orders this morn- ing to tarry till Col. Enos' division came up. Col. Greene commanded one battalion, and Col Enos the other, both Lieut. Cols. Boats were now continually passing by us, when I impatiently awaited the coming of the last division. My boat's crew consisted of three Englishmen, sailors, one old Swiss, and a young Scotchman, a deserter from the British army at Boston; as indeed all the rest were deserters from them at different places. This day I spent in marching up and down the river, to see the progress of the army in passing the rapids .* The river for about two miles was ex- ceeding swift, water shoal, &c. Every batteaux crew were obliged to take to the water. Some to the painter, and others heaving at the stern. In these rapids the water was in general, waist- band high. With their united efforts, the stream was so violent, as many times to drive them back, after ten or twelve fruitless attempts in pulling and heaving with the whole boat's crew.
" Monday 2. - Yet was I in possession of my little hut, waiting for the rear division, when an express came up from the river about nine miles, in quest of my going to see a sick soldier. Upon which I concluded to quit my habitation, and proceed up along. Rapids obliged us to fall short, about four miles, where we lodged at one McCracts.
" Tuesday 3. - Proceeded early this morning
* In Clinton.
17
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up to my patient ; found him at one Mr. How- ards,* where were numbers of the army. The water now grew very rapid, three miles above was the falls, called by the name of Wassaruns- keig,t ere we come to these falls. The river formed an elbow, across which there was a carrying place. This I passed over to view the falls, though did not move my baggage, &c., till next day. The rear division was still be- hind.
" Wednesday 4. - As the rapids afforded but a tedious route of three miles by water round, I chose rather to take advantage of the carrying places, which was two and a half miles only, accordingly I had boat and baggage carried over by land, to the foot of the Falls, where we were obliged to put in and cross over to the opposite side, ere we could carry by the Falls. These were a very high water-fall, and exceeding difficult carrying by. After backing all the boats, provisions, camp equipage, &c., over, we again advanced up the river. Not far had we advanced, ere we came to a fall, called Scunkhegon.# With a great deal of dif- ficulty we passed this, but not without coming very nigh losing one of my hands. After pas- sing these, I proceeded about half-a-mile and tented.
" Thursday 5. - We were now within about four and a half miles of Norridgewalk, where I left the charge of my batteaux to my lads, and proceeded up the river by land, till within about half a mile, where I contracted with a couple
* Zimri Heywood's. ¡ Wesserrunsett. # Skowhegan.
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of savages who followed the army, to take charge of the boat, in consequence of the water growing exceeding rapid. They con- ducted her safe to the foot of Norridgewalk fall, where they were, (that is the batteaux) all haul'd up. We had now a number of teams employed in conveying the batteaux, provisions, camp equipage, &c., over this carrying place. By this time, many of our batteaux were noth- ing but wrecks, some stove to pieces, &c. The carpenters were employed in repairing them, while the rest of the army were busy in carry- ing over the provisions, &c. A quantity of dry codfish by this time was received, as likewise a number of barrels of dry bread. The fish lying loose in the batteaux, and being continu- ally washed with the fresh water running into the batteaux. The bread casks not being water proof, admitted the water in plenty, swelled the bread, burst the casks, as well as soured the whole bread. The same fate attended a num- These with the ber of fine casks of peas. others were condemned. We were now cur- tailed of a very valuable and large part of our provisions, ere we had entered the wilderness, or left the inhabitants. Our fare was now re- duced to salt pork and flour. Beef we had once now and then, when we could purchase a fat creature, but that was seldom. A few barrels of beef remained on hand, but of so in- different quality, as scarce to be eaten, being killed in the heat of summer, took much dam- age after salting that rendered it not only very unwholesome, but very unpalatable.
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" Friday 6. - Several of our army continued to be troubled with the dysentery, of which dis- ease, Capt. Williams, a gentleman from Con- necticut, came nigh to lose his life. Continued getting over provisions, &c. Weather mostly cloudy, and considerable reign.
" Saturday 7. - We were still at Norridge- wock, where was now most of the army. By a council of the officers, it was thought advis- able to send letters into Quebec, informing some gentlemen of that city of our movements, &c. After the despatches were wrote, it was concluded to send one Mr. Jackuith, inhabitant of this river, and native of Germany, who spoke the French language, in company with two Penobscot* Indians, Sabbatis and Enneos, t who were well acquainted with the wilderness through, as well as the inhabitants of the coun- try where they were going. Accordingly they were dispatched in a bark canoe, taking a suffi- cient quantity of provisions for the purpose.
" Sunday S. - Our provisions were now all over, and had it not been for the inclemency of the weather, we should have decampt. No occurrences of note this day.
Monday 9. - Early this morn we were all in motion, and bid good-by to old Norridge- wock."
The progress of this army, led by the gallant spirits who accompanied it, was an event of
* These Indians were brothers, and were originally Anasa- g unticooks, and not Penobscots. They removed to the head waters of the Kennebec, where they resided in 1775.
+ Natenis.
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great importance to the scattered settlers. Sev- eral hours in passing a given point, the emo- tions its display naturally inspired, joined to make it an era in the history of those lonely pioneers.
As the army passed up the river, it rested on Great Island, and the officers and soldiers amused themselves with wrestling. There was one very athletic negro who had lived a short time in Canaan, who succeeded in throw- ing all competitors. At length a young officer named Dearborn took hold of him, and suc- ceeded in flooring him. This Dearborn after- wards became General Dearborn, father of Adjutant-General H. A. S. Dearborn, Mayor of Roxbury, Mass.
Oliver Heywood,* brother to Peter Heywood the elder, settled in Norridgewock, about 1777. He was born in Concord, August 12, 1728, and died October 13, 1806, aged 78 years. He set- tled in the neighborhood of Old Point, Norridge- wock.
John Heald f was born in New Ipswich, N. H., in the year 1722. At the beginning of the Revolution, he removed to the town of Win- slow, in this State, and in the year 1777 he came to Norridgewock. He settled on Mill
* The name of Heywood was pronounced as spelled, or Har- wood, or Howard indifferently.
+ Three brothers, named Hale, left England, and settled in Concord, Massachusetts, and agreed that each should spell his name different from the rest, and thus see which branch would become most numerous and distinguished. The names were spelled Hale, Heald, and Haile. Doubtful Tradition.
17*
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stream, and erected a mill .* He lived in a tent while he was building his grist mill, and on its completion, in 1778, he built a log house near the site of the mill. He brought three sons with him, one of whom died immediately, and the other two, Thomas i and Josiah, reared families.
The house in which Mr. Fletcher lived, situ- ated near the residence of Mr. John R. Pooler, was surrounded by pickets, and thus converted into a sort of fort, in 1777. This was done through fear of the Indians. The families of the settlers were accustomed to retire to this house at night. This was done until 1779, when the peaceable character of the Indians removed their fears. Mr. Heald's children were Timothy, John, Jonas, Josiah, Thomas, Ebenezer, Sybil, who married William Hews- ton, and Betsey, who married John Longley.
The most of the few settlers who had for- merly been here were driven away on the commencement of the war, and when Mr. Heald came, there were but a very few families near. They returned, however, and began to occupy the river lots soon after.#
Eleazar Spaulding § came down from Pep-
* For many years, the settlers were obliged to go to Dr. Gar- diner's mill, at the mouth of Cobbosseecontee ;- it was erected in 1760.
¡ Thomas was living in 1849, at the advanced age of 85. He was born Aug. 5, 1764. His descendants were numerous and respectable.
Thomas Heald.
§ Communicated by Josiah Spaulding, who is now (1849) liv- ing, in the possession of his faculties, at the ripe age of 89. He has held many offices of trust and confidence, was Town Clerk seventeen years, Representative, &c. His early recollec- tions are very valuable.
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perell, where he was born about 1730, in the course of 1774, and finding that there was good opportunity for himself and family, he deter- mined to settle. Before he had got himself in readiness, however, the Revolution broke out, and destroyed all his plans. He enlisted in the Revolutionary army for the year 1776, to- gether with his sons, Eleazar and Josiah. Eleazar was in the battle of Bunker Hill, as a waiter for his uncle. They were at the famous battle of White Plains, and did their country good service through the year 1776. Eleazar, senior, was out in the old French war, where he was sergeant in a company in which Col. Prescott was Lieutenant. After the battle of Bunker Hill, Prescott gave Spaulding a Lieu- tenancy, and in that capacity he served in 1776. In December, of that year, they re- turned home, determined to go to Norridge- wock as soon as possible. They dared not go by water, for fear of the British cruisers, and in February, 1778, they started with two oxen and two horses, with their family and effects. They arrived here and began their settlement, in March, 1778. Eleazar, junior, was born in 1758,* and Josiah, Oct. 23, 1760. Besides these, were Seth, John, and Mary, who mar- ried Jonas Parlin ; Esther, who married Rob- ert Richards; and Elisabeth, who married Abram Moors.
The father settled on land now occupied by Isaac Page, and procured lots for his sons all
* Eleazar is now living in Dover, at the age of 91 years.
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around him, and soon his daughters were mar- ried by neighboring settlers. The descendants of this family are very numerous, and are widely scattered.
After the family had been here twenty-five years, an old chest, which had never been thoroughly examined, was overhauled, and a small paper of seeds was found at the bottom. They were planted, and a plentiful supply of mandrakes was the result.
John Laughton came with Lieut. Spaulding from Pepperell, in 1778, and settled in the Laughton neighborhood.
William Spaulding, Eleazar's nephew, came in 1779. He was in the battle of Bunker Hill.
David Lancaster, John Moore, and others, settled the south side of the river in 1779-80.
The Tarbells came in 1780, the Chamberlins in 1781, and the Longleys in 1783.
Nimrod Hinds came in 1779, and took up a lot of land, about where Dea. John Loring now occupies. It will serve to show how land changes hands, by tracing that lot of land to the present time. Hinds sold a part to a man named Cleveland, he to David Pierce in 1783, he to David Pierce, jr., he to John Ware, he to Moriah Gould in 1800, he to John Brown, he to Charles Pierce, he to Hatsell Delano, he to Charles Pierce, he to Calvin Selden, he to Lo- renzo Brooks, he to Ira Loring, he to A. Tozier, and he to General Trask. The southerly half David Pierce sold to Simon Pierce, he to Mar- tin Stinson, and then took it back and sold it
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to Simeon Spencer, he to John Bacheldor, he to Nathan Bacheldor, and he to John Loring.
Thomas Whitcomb settled in 1779, but he sold out in 1783.
Josiah Warren came in 1779, from Groton.
It will be seen that the settlers in this region were nearly all out of the old Massachusetts stock, and mainly from the immediate neigh- borhood of Concord, the central point of revo- lutionary patriotism. Those familiar with that section of country, at this time, will readily perceive the relationship subsisting between the people of this vicinity and those of Con- cord, Groton and neighborhood. The Fletch- ers, Spauldings, Prescotts, Woods, Warrens, Clarks, Goulds, Keiths, Adamses, Longleys, Westons, Heywoods, Gilmans, Pierces, Sylves- ters, Wymans, Oakeses, and other names, are prominent in both States.
In the year 1780, Eleazar Spaulding owned a sled and two horses, which constituted the only team in the town, with the exception of Mr. Waugh's horse. At this time most of the people let their hay stay in the field till winter, when they hauled it in on hand-sleds.
David Moore, from Groton, came to Nor- ridgewock first of the merchants, about 1780, and endeavored to dispose of a few goods which he had. A short time after, Mr. John Ware came here, and began to work at his trade as a cooper. He soon went into a part- nership with Mr. Moore, and soon after he bought him out, and erected a small building near the site of Mr. J. Baker's.
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In 1781, it was thought that a saw and grist mill might be built to good advantage on the small brook near Dea. S. Turner's. The build- ings were erected, and in 1782, Henry Bickford, Asa Crosby, Eleazar and Josiah Spaulding, started for the Penobscot to procure the requi- site iron. Some vessels had been burnt by the British, and the iron was sold very cheap. They travelled the entire distance on snow- shoes, loaded a handsled for each, and drawed it back in the dead of winter ! The grist-mill never amounted to much, but the saw-mill was considerably improved.
The first framed house was built by Dr. Zebulon Gilman, in 1781 or 2, on the south side of the river. In the same year and soon after, on the other side, Lieutenant Parlin finished another, which was the second in town. William Spaulding and Major Obadiah Witherell soon followed. The first in either village was that of Dea. John Clark, built in 1788, and now occupied by Joseph Baker, Esq. When the meeting-house was erected there were but four or five houses within the entire limits of the town.
February 9, 1782, Abel Wood,* a son of Oliver, aged 16 years, accompanied by Amos Fletcher, undertook to carry provisions to Jere- miah Shephard, at Goshen. They travelled on snow-shoes on the river. They had arrived within 12 miles of their destination when Wood's strength gave out, and he declared that
* A letter of Oliver Wood, dated March 24, 1782.
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he could go no further. Fletcher urged him in vain, - the cold had already frozen one foot and rendered him indifferent, and he fell on the ice. Finding remonstrances useless, Fletcher left him, and hastened forward, hoping to be able to reach an Indian wigwam, the location of which he knew. When he arrived at the spot, he had become so feeble that he made several ineffectual attempts to climb the bank. Summoning all his energies in a desperate effort, he succeeded, and was barely able to reach the door, and communicate his tidings, when he became senseless, and was with great difficulty restored. A party of Indians were despatched to succor Wood, and they found him frozen to death. Fletcher's foot was badly frozen, but the Indians made a poultice out of some mud in a spring, and saved amputation.
Silas Wood, Oliver's son, came in the Spring of 1782. He seems to have been quite a poet. On a sheet of paper, labeled " SILAS WOOD, His Vearces 1777," he has left the following. Verses 1 and 5 are missing.
2
" When there's not But Blood and wounds Drumes a Beeting, Colours Flying; Cannon Roring, Tories Dying, These are the noble Effect of war.
3
" They that reign masters of the seas, Shak of your youthfull sloth and Ease, Well make the hawty Tories know The torter they must under go When they Ingage their mortal Foe.
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4
" Display your Colars, Beat your Drums, Batter their Shipping, Fire their Towns, United Sons of Amaricans Fame, Let not your Corage Corage Tame, Weall Drive the Tories Back again.
6
" Forget the Fight of Bunkerhill Alltho they gand the Feld of Blood By what that We have Undertrod They Dar not Venter out again.
7
" And they have Pact up all and gone, That they Cold carrey out of Town. God grant that they may not Return To Do the Brave american harm, O may this be our Daly Prayer, amen amen.
8
" And now our Trops ar Sent away, To gard our Secost Night & Day, All around the Continental shore, Which Thing was Never Don Before O may they be preserved in health, amen amen."
There seems to be more patriotism than poetry in these lines. They have the spirit of sincerity in them.
About the year 1800, William Fletcher, jr. and Ebenezer Heald went above Caratunk, to hunt, in the month of November. They attempted to cross the Kennebec on a raft which they constructed, but the anchor-ice was running very swift, and the weather was so intensely cold that the raft soon froze in the river, and there remained. They endeavored to build a
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fire on the raft, and a few blackened sticks and embers were found. It is supposed that they attempted to reach the shore, as their bodies were found in the water below the Falls, the following July. Two dogs that were with them returned, as the ice was firm enough to bear them.
ADVENTURES OF ROBERT FORBES AND FAMILY. March 17, 1784, Robert Forbes started, with his wife and four children, from Nouvelle Bois, on the river Chaudiere, for the settlements on the Kennebec. He was a native of the States, and wished to live among his countrymen. He employed three Dutchmen, Midstaff, Pan- cake, and Christian, to guide him, as they were going (as they said) in his direction. His chil- dren were to be drawn on sleds, while himself and wife, who was enciente, were to travel on snowshoes.
After travelling through the silent wilderness eight days, on the ninth they left the river, whereon they had travelled, to strike across the country. They found the surface so broken by gullies, that they could proceed but a short distance with their sleds, and were compelled to halt. On the ninth day the difficulties of their journey obliged them to make a camp, and the mother and children were left behind, while the father and a part of the baggage went on with the guides, intending to find Mecon- nich Pond, and return the next day. But the pond was not discovered until the next day, at three o'clock. Their baggage was left at this place, and Midstaff led the way to where he 18
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said an Indian resided. The habitation was found, but it was deserted.
The next morning, March 27, they returned to the Pond where the baggage had been left, and the three guides seized the most important part thereof, and refused to return to the family of Forbes, but signified their intention of going on to Kennebec. No entreaties could change their bad resolution, and leaving him nothing but a small axe, a poor firelock, and two loaves of bread, they left him. He arrived at the place where he had left his wife, that evening, and to them he communicated the sorrowful tidings. Thus this unprotected family was left alone, eight days from the Canadian settle- ments, and 150 miles from any American habi- tation, without food or friends, or even a com- pass. They knew not where they were, or where to go.
The river had begun to break up, so that they could not go back, and whither else should they go ? They left all their heavy bag- gage, and started, as they supposed, in the di- rection of the Kennebec. The eldest daughter walked, and Mr. Forbes took two children and John one, on sleds. The first day a violent storm prevented much progress, and they did not reach the pond where their guides left them, until Friday. Here, to their great joy, they met the Indian, named John Baptist, who hospita- bly invited them to his camp, where he kindly entertained them till the following Monday. Meanwhile, he killed a moose and gave the family as much as they could carry, and piloted
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