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 6
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 6
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 6
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 6
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 6
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The 23d of August, the day on which the Bishop dedicated the spot, already consecrated by the blood of a martyr, was one long to be remembered. Several hours before the ap- pointed time for the services arrived, the ground was covered by anxious expectants, and on the commencement of the services, there was sup- posed to be ten thousand persons present. From all quarters of New England and Canada, men of every shade of belief were there. Catholics from Canada and the States, Prot- estants from various quarters, promiscuously mingled with the Indians from Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, and the Canadas, were in the great mass. The services were solemn and im- posing, and will long be remembered. A rude altar of rough boards was made by the Indians, and covered with wicker work, of white birch trees, and a sacristy joining it, of the same ma- terial. Rev. Mr. Conway was present with eighteen Indians, Rev. Mr. Ffrench celebrated mass, and Bishop Fenwick pronounced a dis-
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course from a text in Ecclesiasticus, - " The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation. Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall shew forth his praise." In the celebration of mass, the Indians were the choir, and the service was thus in a high de- gree interesting to all. It seemed to renew the past.
A foolish and fanatical attempt was made on one occasion to destroy the monument; it was thrown down and disfigured. The act was almost universally condemned, and had the authors been known, they would have suffered merited punishment. The monument is a plain, granite, pyramidal shaft, or obelisk, eleven feet in height, and three feet square at the base, standing on a table stone five feet in height, and four feet square. An iron cross, four feet in height, surmounts the shaft. On the south side is the following Latin inscription : " Rev. Sebastianus Rasles natione Galluse So- cietate Jesu missionarius, per aliquot annos Illionois et Huronibus primum evangelanus, deinde per 34 annos Abenaquis, fide et chari- tate Christi verus Apostolus, periculis armorum intenitus se pro suis Ovibus mori paratum soe- pius testificans, inter arma et cocdes ac Pagi Nantrantsouak Norridgewock, et Ecclesiæ suæ minas, hoc in ipso loco, cecidit tandem opti- mus Pastor, die 23 Augusti, A. D. 1724, Ipsi et filius suis in Christo defunctis Monumentum hoc posuit Benedictus Fenwick, Episcopus Bos-
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toniensis dedicavitque 23 Augusti, A. D. 1833. A. M. D. G."
The English translation is,
" Sebastian Rallé, a French Jesuit missionary, for many years the first evangelist among the Illinois and Hurons, and afterwards for thirty- four years a true apostle in the faith and love of Christ, among the Abenakies, - unterrified by danger, and often by his pure character, giving witness that he was prepared for death, - this most excellent pastor, on the 23d day of August, 1724, fell in this place, at the time of the destruc- tion and slaughter of the town of Norridgewock, and the dangers to his church. To him, and to his children, dead in Christ, Benedict Fenwick, Bishop at Boston, has erected and dedicated this monument, this 23d of August, A. D. 1833."
September 25, 1725, an exploring party of eleven men, under Lieutenant Steele, passed up the river, and encamped at Skowhegan falls. They called the country the land of beavers. After they reached Norridgewock they were afraid to fire guns, lest they should alarm the Indians. The rich abundance of moose and waterfowl and other game rendered this a serious inconvenience.
Several attacks on the part of the Eastern Indians were made in 1745, and as the Nor- ridgewocks were called upon to surrender hostages, and refused, war was declared against them, in common with the Eastern tribes. Four nundred dollars were offered as a bounty on scalps. Indians were slain, and many attacks
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were made by them on nearly every town and settlement on the frontier.
But little is known of the Kennebecs for several years. They seem to have been thoroughly discomfited by the destruction of Norridgewock. In 1751, the most of the Nor- ridgewock branch went into the St. Francois tribe, and thereafter formed a part of it. This mongrel tribe sent a war party of sixty, in 1754, to fort Richmond. After delivering a letter as the pretended object of their journey, they used insolent language and threats; and mentioned the name of a French Jesuit, who had made efforts to build a church at Cushnoc or Taconnet. But they confined themselves to words. They said, -" Better for English- men to leave these rivers, else our French brothers clad like Indians, will, soon as the ice is gone, help us to drive you all away."- Williamson, vol. ii., p. 297.
The tribe had become so reduced, that it was no longer dangerous of itself to the early set- tlers of Maine. But by becoming incorporated with other tribes it was really formidable. They were familiar with all the regions about the frontiers, and joining the other tribes as scouts, they were worse than before. A ranging party of fifteen men passed through Norridge- wock in 1761, under James Howard of Cush- noc, to explore the Kennebec to its sources. In 1764, there were but thirty * warriors left of the once great tribe of the Kennebecs. The rest were all amalgamated with other tribes, or
* Williamson, vol. i., p. 482.
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had been slain. These few wandered about Moosehead lake, gaining a precarious sub- sistence by hunting, trapping, and fishing. In the troubles of 1750 - 60, or during the French war, the aggressive acts of the Norridgewocks were few. They occasionally made excur- sions among the settlers, with their new cousins the St. Francis Indians, but their injuries were few and slight. Some Canibas acting as guides, and moved by cupidity, would occa- sionally lead their northern neighbors against the settlers.
When the Revolution broke out numbers of the Norridgewocks gathered at Cobbossee, and with their chief, Paul Higgins, marched to Cambridge, where General Washington's quarters were. They arrived under command of Reuben Coburn, in August, 1775,* but Washington refused their services. Swashan, who seems to have been the principal Indian, declared that most of the tribes and Canadians stood ready to oppose the English. Some of the ancient Kennebecs seem to have joined the Americans, but evidently the sagacious advice of Washington was complied with, and they generally stood aloof. The character of the Norridgewocks seems to have been fully equal to that of any of the Aborigines. Sul- livan f relates a choice anecdote of one of them, which is equal to anything in the early days of Spartan simplicity. " A few years ago," (previous to 1790,) "I was on the banks of the Kennebec, and saw a savage who I supposed * Drake, iii., 56. + History of Maine, p. 106.
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was of the Norridgewock tribe. His name was Quenockross. He had in his family his mother and his wife. He had been wounded in the war, and was lame in one of his feet. His mother was very aged, he had her in his canoe, with a blanket carefully spread over her; and when he came ashore, he kindled his fire, took her out in his arms, and laid her tenderly down by it. When he had cooked his mess, he gave it to her, and he and his wife waited until she had done eating. Upon seeing me notice it, he exultingly pointed to her, and said she was his mother."
In the year 1795, there were but seven fami- lies of the ancient Norridgewocks known to exist, and gradually since then, those scattered few have passed away gradually, and now it is not known that one of them remains in this world.
A few notices of different chiefs who have stood conspicuous in the annals of the Kenne- bec tribe, will close our Indian history.
ROBINHOOD, or RAMEGIN, as was his Indian name, lived near the mouth of the Androscog- gin. He seems to have been amicably disposed to the whites, for he refused to join King Philip, and gave a dance and other manifesta- tions of joy, on learning that the English were peaceably inclined to him. His abode was called Neguasseag.
" MONQUINE alias DUMHANADA," alias NATA- HANADA, was a son of Natawormett, who was a sachem on the Kennebec. - See ante, p. 16.
* Drake, iii., 7.
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KENNEBIS, from whom, or from whose ances- tors of the same name, the Kennebec was named, lived on Swan Island, " in a delightful situation." * In 1649 he sold to Christopher Lawson, Spencer and Clark, land as high up as Taconnet. At the same place resided
ABBIGADASSETT, who sold Swan Island to Humphrey Davie in 1667. Sir John Davie, a sergeant at law, afterwards claimed the same.t
MADOCKAWANDO lived on the Penobscot, and was a friend to the English until they injured him by despoiling his corn, in consequence of the injurious acts of other Indians. He was a brave and powerful chief. At the close of the war of 1676, he had sixty English captives. He was one of the most dreaded of all the sa- chems. York and Saco were destroyed by his directions. From the first two syllables in his name, a theory has been started that Madoc the Welshman, who set sail from Wales in 1170, and was never heard from, may have landed in this country, and that the Eastern Indians descended from him. Theories built on words, usually fall for lack of a proper foundation. See Preface to Madoc, Southey's Works. Madockawando seldom maltreated captives, and, taking the worst historical view of his character, was a most estimable savage ; -" The mildest mannered man, that ever cut a throat." Although not a Caniba, he was so constantly with them in battle against the Eng- lish, that he deserves mention here.
* Williamson, i. 467.
t Ibid. 331.
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INDIAN HISTORY.
ASSIMINASQUA dwelt at Waterville, (near Ta- connet,) and was the principal speaker in the Kennebec councils.
MUGG resided on the Androscoggin, and fig- ured conspicuously in the war of 1676. In October, 1676, he captured Black Point, and was killed at the same place in the following May. He had been besieging the place three days, and had killed three men and taken one captive, when Lieut. Tippin fired from the fort and shot him. He used to boast that he had found out the way to burn Boston .*
HOPEHOOD, Or WOHAWA, was hated and feared by all the whites who heard of his name. He was a son of Robinhood, and was chief of the Nerigwoks. He was in Philip's war, and at- tacked a house in Newichewannoc, now Ber- wick.t " Fifteen persons were in the house, all women and children, and Hopehood, with one only beside himself, Andrew of Saco, thought to surprise them; and but for the timely discovery of their approach by a young woman within, would have effected their pur- pose. She fastened and held the door, while all the others escaped unobserved. Hopehood and his companion hewed down the door, and knocked the girl on the head, and otherwise wounding her, left her for dead. They took two children, which a fence had kept from es- caping. One they killed, the other they car- ried off alive. The young woman recovered, and was entirely well afterwards."
* Hubbard, Indian Wars, ii. 46. Hubbard's Hist. N. England. t Drake, iii. 8. # Ibid.
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Hopehood also engaged in the expedition against Salmon Falls in 1690, under the Sieur Hertel. Twenty-seven houses and two thou- sand domestic animals were destroyed. He followed him to Casco, and there succeeded in destroying the garrison, which capitulated - seventy men, and a large number of women and children were horribly massacred. In the same month he destroyed the garrison at Fox Point, N. H., killing fourteen persons and car rying away six. Being pursued by two com- panies of English soldiers, he was wounded and lost his gun. His treatment of those pris- oners who fell into his hands, was in the last degree barbarous. Perhaps he had some reason for his conduct, for he was for some time a slave in Boston. This may explain the reason of his cruelty. Hopehood seems to have been among the most vigilant in King William's war. About 1690, he was constantly prowling through the province, on the outskirts of the settlements. He was in a sharp engagement at Wells, with a party un- der Capt. Sherburne, and made severe attacks upon South Berwick and Eliot. He commit- ted many outrages in New Hampshire, destroy- ing wherever his arm could fall. He was killed about this time, by a party of Indians from Canada, who took him for a Mohawk. He seems to have had a son of the same name, for a Nerigwok chief named Hopehood was in negociations with Gov. Dudley at Casco, in 1703,* and there was a Hopewood in Love- * Drake, iii., 9.
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well's fight, in 1725. This latter was a misera- ble creature, and after the massacre at Kenne- bunk he was accustomed to lie drunk at the houses of those whose friends he had slain. On one of these occasions, a Mr. Baxter was advised to "tumble him into the well," but he neglected the advice.
BOMAZEEN, for whom the falls above Nor- ridgewock village (" Bombazee Rips") were named, resided at Nerigwok and Taconnet. He was a fierce, warlike chief, and his name in- spired much terror. He came with a flag of truce in 1694 to Pemaquid, where he was seized, and in a vile manner imprisoned in Boston several months. After his release, he endeavored to wreak his vengeance on the whites. He led the attack on Durham, in which he killed ten persons. Chelmsford, Sud- bury, Groton, Exeter and Dover were attacked by him. He seems to have had some gleams of benevolence in his disposition, for when old Sampson was about hanging Rebecca Taylor, his prisoner, Bomazeen passing by at the time, rescued her. In October, 1710, he "fell upon Saco," with sixty or seventy men, and de- stroyed some lives. "In conversing with a clergyman of Boston, Bomazeen said, 'the Indians understand the Virgin Mary was a French lady, and her son Jesus Christ, the blessed, was murdered by the English; but has since risen and gone to heaven, and all who would gain his favor, must avenge his blood.' " *
* Williamson, vol. i., p. 641.
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In 1703,* there were alarming rumors that the Eastern Indians were about joining to de- scend upon the settlements. Gov. Dudley was He
very desirous of learning their intentions. therefore sent commissioners to treat with the
sachems at Casco. The Kennebecs were led by Moxus, Hopehood, Bomazeen and Capt. Samuel. They came in great numbers, and were well armed, painted and dressed. They mutually announced peaceful intentions, and adjourned to two heaps of rocks, erected at a former treaty, called the Two Brothers, where they increased the size of the monuments, and made the most solemn protestations of friend- ship. Bomazeen and Capt. Samuel owned that the friars had been among them, urging them against the English, but declared that they should remain firm as long as the sun and moon endured. In sitting down to the council, the English, who feared treachery, sat promiscuously among the Indians. The latter desired the conference delayed, which con- firmed their suspicions. When, however, the peace had been concluded, a salute was pro- posed, and the Indians were tendered the com- pliment of firing first. Their treachery was thus manifest, for their muskets were all loaded with ball. The Governor and his friends would have been sacrificed, if they had not mingled with the Indians at the council. Three days after, two hundred French and Indians arrived, but they were too late, as the treaty was already consummated.
* Ibid. vol ii., p. 35-6.
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INDIAN HISTORY.
L
ASSACOMBUIT, alias NESCAMBIOUIT, was one of the Sacos, a branch of the Abnakis, and was warmly allied with the Norridgewogs. He seems to have been from the first a firm ad- herent of the French, as we find him in 1696, with Iberville and Montigny, at the capture of Fort St. Johns from the English. In the fol- lowing year this " Bloody Devil,"* as old Cot- ton Mather called him, very cruelly treated a little girl, Thomasin Rouse. She cried in con- sequence of some command of his, when he smote her with a stick, and threw her into the water for dead. She was rescued by another Indian, and lived to grow up. In the year 1700 he joined the St. Francis tribe. He was in the attack on the fort at Casco, in August, 1703. Joined by fifty Abnakis, and assisted by Montigny, he destroyed a fort, and committed great depredations, in consequence of an attack made by the English on some Abnakis who had settled in Newfoundland. He figured conspic- uously in 1705, when the French took Rebou, Petit Havre, and Forrillon. About 1706 he sailed for France, where he became acquainted with Charlevoix, received an elegant sword from the King, and was knighted, with a pension of eight livres a day. On this occasion he said, "This hand has slain a hundred and forty of your majesty's enemies in New England !" He re- turned to New England in the following year, and was with Rouville, in his attack on Haver- hill, in 1703, where the renowned chief dipped
* Magnalia, víi., 95.
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INDIAN HISTORY.
his new sword in blood. He continued to be heard from occasionally, from that time until his death, which was in 1727, though he seems to have been obscure. He was so puffed up by the honors of the French King, that he was deserted by the Indians, and was generally alone. He carried a huge club with him, which had ninety-eight notches, the number of English he had slain with his own hands. He was one of the most cruel and valorous of all the Abnakis.
The treaty consummated at Falmouth, in 1749, bears, besides the names of several prom- inent Anasagunticooks and Penobscots, the fol- lowing Canibas : Toxus, Cneas, Magawonbee, Harry, Soosephnia, Noktoonos, Nesacombuit, and Pereer.
There were some troubles in 1751, but the Norridgewogs declared that they had no part in the matter, and they seem to have been sincere.
ARRUHAWIKWABEMT also lived at Nerigwok. In 1710, when Col. Walton visited Maine, with one hundred and seventy men, the light of his fires decoyed some Indians into his hands. Arruhawikwabemt was one of them. " When they asked him several questions, he made them no reply; and when they threatened him with death, he laughed with contempt. At which, they delivered him up unto our friendly Indians, who soon became his executioners." ₭ He was a fearless and valiant "brave."
* Penhallow.
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INDIAN HISTORY.
WARRAEENSIT and WADACANAQUIN Were chiefs of Norridgewock. They signed the treaty of 1713, at Casco, but were not much distinguished.
ACTEON, otherwise known as CAPTAIN MOSES, was a Norridgewog, but marrying an Anasag- unticook woman, he became domiciliated with the latter tribe.
WENAMOVET was a sort of Prophet-chief who followed Modokawando, and
Noxus or Toxus was his successor as fight- ing sachem. He was a fierce, cruel, malignant " salvage," dreadful in the sight of all the pale- faces. He died in 1721, and was succeeded by OUIKOUIROUMENIT, who was a peaceable, noble- minded savage.
HONQUID, ABENQUID, or AHANQUID, was never known to engage in hostilities against the Eng- lish. It is not known what relation he bore to the Honquid who was massacred with Egremet.
LORON bore a very similar character to Honquid.
NATANIS and his brother SABBATIS lived on the Kennebec, at or near Sandy river. On account of their isolated situation it was suspected that they were British spies, and General Arnold issued orders for their capture. Drake says, " the residence of Natanis was a lonesome place, upon the bank of the river; his cabin, situated in the centre of a green, the border of which was beyond musket-shot from it, was a discovery which added to the suspicions of the party, who, having arrived in the neighborhood 4th of October, surrounded it at every point,
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INDIAN HISTORY.
and run in upon it with great eagerness, expect- ing, without doubt, to have taken him prisoner. In this they were disappointed, for it appeared that the place had been deserted a week. Near by, at the shore of the river, a map drawn upon birch bark was found on the top of a stake, very accurately delineating the courses of the rivers toward Canada, and lines denoting places of crossing from one to another. This greatly surprised them, but they profited by it."* Natanis and Sabbatis were met by the army after it had penetrated Canada, and Arnold was assured by them, that they had kept on the skirts of the army constantly during the march. They were afraid to announce themselves, though they were friendly to the Americans. These two chieftains and seventeen other In- dians joined the Americans on the Chaudiere, and were in the siege of Quebec, December 31, 1775, where Natanis was wounded in the wrist, and was taken prisoner by General Carlton, who gave him his liberty. They were the only Indians known to have been em- ployed by the Americans in the Revolution.t Sabbatis does not figure prominently in the Colonial annals. He occasionally appears till near the close of the Revolution. He does not seem to have troubled the whites much, though he has been accused of having been instrumental in the enormities of 1722-5. Natanis was in the battle at Saratoga. Sab- batis was shot by Ephraim Brown.
PAUL HIGGINS was a white man, born at
* Book of the Indians, iii., 10. + Ibid. į Ib.
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INDIAN HISTORY.
Berwick, but who, taken prisoner by the Indians in his youth, was so educated in their manners and customs, that he continued with them through life, and rose to the rank of a chief. He offered his services to Washing- ton in the Revolution.
The Indians were very plenty in Norridge- wock and Canaan, on their first settlement. Captain Philip and Sabbatis seem to have been the most prominent, and are best re- membered by the few of the early settlers who yet survive. These, together with other chiefs and their followers, came each season with the furs they had secured by hunting. The birch canoes, and the primitive wigwams, filled with sanups, squaws, and papooses, was a common sight. A little rum, or a small piece of bright-colored cloth, would purchase much valuable fur. They were faithful to their bargains, and would return punctually to pay any demand against them, incurred by drinking rum after they had sold all their furs, in a previous year. Though a wreck of their great progenitors, they presented many traits of character which are more scarce in civilized society than they ought to be. In religion they were Catholic, and were con- stant in the observance of the rites and cere- monies of the church.
A few of the settlers were taken prisoners by a marauding party of Indians in 1777, and carried to Canada. They succeeded in effecting their escape, and returning home. These Indians were from Canada, and seem
9*
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to have been freebooters, on the lookout for gain, rather than disposed for mischief. They carried captives from Newry, Bethel, and other towns in Maine, and received a bounty from the English. Thus ends the scanty history of that tribe, whose annals, if complete, would present one of the most interesting tales of ancient or modern times.
ERRATUM.
On page 70, for August 24, read August 23.
MOGG MEGONE.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION, PRODUCTIONS, ETC.
COMING into the beautiful area occupied by the five towns herein treated of, the traveller will, as he approaches from the east, find him- self in Canaan. Here he first notices Sibley's pond, which is a beautiful sheet of water, sup- plying Carabasset river. It is well stored with pickerel and other fish, and is a pleasant re- sort. Oakes' Long Pond deserves an admir- ing glance, for its beautiful location, and sur- rounding scenery. It is partially in Skowhegan. The gentle valley formed by the tributaries of Carabasset river next attracts his eye. Black Stream rises in Skowhegan, and joins Fifteen- mile Stream, which rises in Sibley's Pond, and from the junction to the Kennebec the river is known as the Carabasset. About one mile above the lower line of Canaan, Sabbatis Brook joins the Carabasset, and it becomes a beautiful stream about ten miles in length. The sloping fields on both sides, afford pleas- ing landscapes to the traveller from the many elevations into which the town is broken up.
Haynes' Ledge is a remarkable quarry of granite. It seems to consist of large layers,
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION, PRODUCTIONS, ETC.
easily split into any size, and deposited one upon another, like the majestic leaves of a vast volume on whose granite pages the finger of God has recorded the progress of the ages. The stone is of an excellent description, entire- ly free from rust.
The general beauty of the scenery, the con- venient water power, the rich fertility of the soil, and the flourishing appearance of the fences and buildings will impart most favorable im- pressions.
Oakes and Mud Ponds, in Skowhegan, are the only sheets of water of any size in the five towns, besides those previously mentioned.
As the traveller passes on he will enter Skowhegan, and following the Carabasset river towards its mouth, he will strike the southern boundary of Skowhegan, on the Kennebec river. Then turning his feet a little west of north, he will follow the rich valley of the Ken- nebec a few miles, until he reaches the mouth of the Wesserrunsett. Following the eastern bank of that romantic stream in a northerly direction, over the high ridges of land, he will be able to survey the varied scenery of the town, including the Kennebec and Wesserrun- sett valleys, the hills and plains of the town and neighborhood, while the dark blue outlines of the distant mountains present an admirable background. Following the road until it reach- es the northern part of the town, he will cross the Wesserrunsett, and returning in a northerly direction, he will follow the western shore of the stream, until he strikes Skowhegan village.
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