USA > Maine > Pioneers on Maine rivers, with lists to 1651 > Part 30
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The next mention of fishermen at Monhegan was in 1647, when Valentine Hill, of Boston, and Robert Sedgwick, his wife's brother, employed John Devorex, of Marblehead, to manage their fishing operations and maintained boat crews at the island dur- ing the ensuing winter and spring. There were some summer fishermen at Monhegan who attorned to the Bristol owner, a fact which is shown by the account of Francis Knight, the agent, in which provisions received by "Monhigan men" were debited and fish delivered by Elias Hoskins were credited to the plantation .*
In the summer of 1648 four Ipswich shallops which had been fishing at Monhegan sought shelter at Damariscove on their re- turn. One of the vessels lost its way in the storm and was cap- sized with its crew of four Englishmen and an Indian.
The next year Hill and Sedgwick agreed to lade a London ship with fish, and George Croskum, of Gloucester, testified that "he fished at Munhegan with Mr. Hill" and remained upon the island after Devorex had gone. Some swine were left there by the lat- ter, who instructed the deponent and William Lullaby, another fisherman, to ship his property into the "Bay" by John Wilkin- son, master of a vessel bound for New Britain. The witness claimed that Matthew Abdy and John Ridgeway had killed and "spent" one of the pigs "in their voyage."¡
September 11, 1650, Thomas Elbridge as owner of Monhegan mortgaged it "wth all the houses" to Abraham Shurt and about two months later sold the same premises outright to Richard Russell, of Charlestown. At that time there may have been a few residents on the island, because Ridgeway, who was im- prisoned in Massachusetts five years later for a civil debt, ten- dered his creditors notes signed by men who were supposed to "live at Monhegen."
Ten years later the County of Cornwall was organized by the
§ Winthrop, 2-60.
* Essex Rec., 1-216 ; Suffolk Deeds. 3-101.
Essex Rec., 1-216, 325.
į Suffolk Deeds, 1-131; 2-144; 3-49.
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PIONEERS ON MAINE RIVERS
New York government, but no islanders submitted. In 1672, there were fishermen living there and two years afterward a list of eighteen residents was compiled. The names were those of emigrants from Massachusetts or the Dutch Colony.
In 1676, refugees from the mainland abandoned the island to the Indians and as late as 1795 Sullivan reported that the place was uninhabited.
PIONEERS
ALDWORTH, MATTHEW, witness, 1649.
BATEMAN, EDWARD, planter; removed to Woolwich, 1639; partner of John Brown; sold remnant of his land at Woolwich to James Cole, 1658. BROWN, JOHN, mason; bought land from Robinhood at Woolwich with Bateman, 1639; New Harbor, 1654-1676; widow Margaret daughter of Francis Haywood, of Bristol, England; children Elizabeth, Emma, Francis, John, born 1635, and Margaret.
BUCKLAND, GEORGE, fisherman and planter, 1647; lived at Buckland's Neck on Corbin's Sound; wife Elizabeth; submitted to Massachusetts, 1665; children George, born 1630, and, perhaps, John of Wells.
CHAMPNEY, HENRY, planter at Pemaquid, 1639; died after 1665, in possession of Winnegance (East Boothbay) ; children James, Henry and William.
COCK, WILLIAM, planter, arrived from Bristol in the "White Angel" with Shurt, 1635; lived near New Harbor Hill; died before 1680; ancient homestead laid out to son Thomas, 1686; William, of Cox Head at Saga- dahoc, may have been a son.
COLE, JOHN, fisherman at Pemaquid, at an early date; removed to Salem, 1676, and died there the next year; widow survived; only daughter lived at Salem.
DAVISON, NICHOLAS, born 1611; agent of Matthew Cradock at Charles- town, 1639; bought Damariscove, Monhegan and Pemaquid in instal- ments: from Paul White, April 27, 1653, Thomas Elbridge, April 14, 1657, and Richard Russell, July 21, 1657; Pemaquid, 1658; lived, died and was buried on the west side of Pemaquid Harbor, 1664; widow Jo- anna married Richard Kent; children Sarah (Lynde), born December 31, 1647, Daniel, born January 9, 1650-1.
DRAPER, NATHANIEL, merchant at Pemaquid, 1649; probably son of Nathaniel, the Indian trader of New Haven, who died in Virginia, 1647; Sheepscot, 1654; killed by Indians, 1689; widow Esther married Robert Scott; children Elizabeth (Stevens), Esther (Roberts), born 1655 and spared by the Indians in their attack upon Sheepscot, 1689, Lydia (Whittemore, Richardson) and Nathaniel.
ELBRIDGE, THOMAS, son of Gyles, the patentee, and Rebecca; a minor in 1646; took possession at Pemaquid, 1649; died in Spring Plantation, Liguanee, Parish of Saint Andrew, Barbadoes, 1682; children Aldworth, Elizabeth (Russell), born 1652, Gyles, John, Rebecca (Saunders), born 1659, Robert and Thomas.
HOSKINS, ELIAS, fisherman at Pemaquid, 1647; witness, 1653; son may have been John, of Pemaquid, who married Ruth Davis and was taxed at Jamestown, 1687.
KNIGHT, FRANCIS, brother of Robert, of Bristol, born 1610; overseer at Pemaquid, 1640-9; living there, 1669.
NORMAN, MATTHEW, planter, 1640; may have been the witness intended but transcribed as Newman in the Brown deed of 1625.
S
353
SAMOSET
SHURT, ABRAHAM, born 1582; merchant of Bristol, England, who acted for Aldworth and Elbridge at Monhegan, 1627; Pemaquid, 1631-1646; Charlestown, 1653-1662.
TOOGOOD, RICHARD, trader, 1647; deceased 1651; his child may have been Edward of Berwick.
SAMOSET
There stands, far-off upon the hill, Upreared against the evening sky,
Tall and erect, unkempt and still- Like the lone wolf about to die- The wraith of Samoset.
Where he was born, or reared, or trained, Or what his creed, or if he thought The forest empire where he reigned Should be supreme, it matters not ; He was indeed a man.
His "Welcome Englishmen" survives As sentiment of after years, And in its sway the nation thrives And world-wide malice disappears With universal peace.
His was no hope, no subtle plan, To conquer ; his, no racial lore, But just the call of man to man That seeks afar and evermore The sympathy of men.
The mist-wreaths wind along the lea And hide the form of Samoset ; The moon upon a silver sea, His crescent bark, sails onward yet- To westward and alone. *
* It was a belief of the American Indian, derived undoubtedly from the apparent mvements of the celestial bodies, that at death the soul "goes up westward." (NY. Doc. Hist., 3-29.)
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354
PIONEERS ON MAINE RIVERS
MUSCONGUS RIVER
An Indian name for Muscongus River was Ananawapeske. The region about Round Pond was called Amobscot.
This part of the country was the patrimony of Samoset, an Indian sagamore who was always loyal to the English. His at- titude towards strangers was one of intimate helpfulness. His favorite locality was Muscongus, also known as Hog and Samo- set, Island. At Monhegan he met and strove to converse with the early fishermen in their own languages.
While at the island in 1619, and the following year, he had met Thomas Dermer, the employe of Gorges. The contact may have been as late as June 30, for on that date Dermer wrote to a friend in England. At that time the explorer had just returned in an open boat from Virginia where he had spent the winter. He had been in conflict with the hostile Indians of Cape Cod, whence he and one friendly native had escaped to Monhegan with many severe wounds. He did not remain long on the Maine coast since his critical condition soon compelled him to seek the South.
Samoset knew the circumstances and may have accompanied the explorer on his last voyage; at any rate, he reported the death of Gorges' agent to the first planters of New Plymouth March 16, 1620-1. Mourt then described him as "a Savage" who "was not of these parts, but of Morattiggon, and one of the Saga- mores or Lords thereof." It was claimed by the visitor that in order to reach his country they would require "a dayes sayle with a great wind, and five dayes by land." He had already lived for eight months in their vicinity. In 1624, Samoset was an hon- ored guest of Captain Levett at Casco, which was not his resi- dence at that time.
The first occupation by the English was on the westerly side of Muscongus River. The first farm above New Harbor was purchased from Samoset by Richard Pearce January 9, 1641-2. The witnesses to this conveyance were John Brown and Richard Shute. *
Pearce married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John Brown, * N. E. Hist. Gen. Reg., 13-365.
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355
MUSCONGUS RIVER
and their children were recognized later as legal heirs of the Brown estate. The older children of Pearce claimed Muscongus Island as a special endowment from Samoset.
The Pearce homestead was situated at Round Pond, twelve miles above New Harbor, and at Passage Point, about two miles farther, was another concession from Samoset to Richard Ful- ford, who had married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard and Eliza- beth Pearce. This deed was dated June 1, 1653, and witnessed by John Brown, Thomas Cole, John Hayman, Richard Pearce and Philip Swadden .;
Only one month later Samoset conferred title to one thousand acres at Saggohannago upon William England, William Parnell and Thomas Way. The latter had been a fisherman at Cape Ned- dock, but all were resident at Pemaquid at the date of the deed.}
John Brown, who had witnessed two of the preceding convey- ances, removed from Nequasseag (Woolwich) to New Harbor after 1654. At that date he was living at Woolwich, where he took the oath of allegiance to Plymouth Colony with other set- tlers on the Sagadahoc River. He appears to have been living at New Harbor in 1658, but he had not resided there long, because the deed in which he disposed of his last interest at Woolwich described him as "lately of Negausseg, and now of Pemaquid, planter."§
The Samoset deed, which purported to have conveyed to Brown a large tract of land above New Harbor at an early date, was discredited by the eldest son. While its acknowledgement by Shurt was dated July 24, 1626, the capacity of the magistrate was not indicated. Although he was a "servant" of Aldworth and Elbridge he had no civil authority in this country and there is no evidence of his presence at Pemaquid on that date. His first act was the purchase of Monhegan, which according to Sylvanus Davis took place in March, 1627 .*
Another ancient conveyance of English origin was that of Thomas Elbridge, son of the Pemaquid patentee, who was de- scribed as "of Aldertown" (Pemaquid), to John Dollen, "of Mont Hegon," fisherman. It was in the form of a lease for ninety-nine years, dated August 1, 1669, and witnessed by Henry Champney and Francis Knight. The consideration was three gallons of
¡ York Deeds, 12-323.
¿ Me. Hist. Col., 5-188.
York Deeds, 35-55.
York Deeds, 20-85
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356
PIONEERS ON MAINE RIVERS
"strong water," and the description embraced a parcel of land "neare the River commonly called by the Name of Muscongus to the Valuation of Fower Hundred Acres * Seated at a place there commonly called by the Name of the Round Pond Limited within these Bounds following: vizt. on a Small River lying on the North or North East Side thereof & extending unto the Edge or Bounds of a Parcel of Land now in the Tennor and Possession of Thomas Cole of Pemaquid."+
The Samoset deeds were descriptive of tracts which termi- nated at Pemaquid River as their westerly boundary, beyond
THE SITE OF BROWN'S HOUSE AT NEW HARBOR
which were the lands at Damariscotta, subsequently occupied by the younger John Brown, Robert Scott and Thomas Kimball.
The homestead of John Brown was presumed by the early French colonists to mark the boundary between New England and Acadia, as established by the patent of Alexander in 1635, and was referred to as "La Maison de Jean bron qui fait la limite des terres de la Majesté d'avec celles de la nouvelle Angleterre."#
A conveyance from one of his descendants described "the Homestead that was formerly John Browns of New Harbr Decd" as located "at the Head of sd Harbour where said Brown House & Garden formerly was." The entire tract contained but twelve
¡ York Deeds. 21-57.
Me. Doc. Hist., 4-428.
357
MUSCONGUS RIVER
acres and was situated at the extremity of the inlet on both sides of a creek known as "Western Brook."§
In 1671, when Massachusetts completed its Merrimac survey on a course due east from Upper Clapboard Island in Casco Bay, that province claimed the islands of New and Old Damariscove, Monhegan, Matinicus, Metinic and Saint George, with southerly sections of Harpswell, Phippsburg, Georgetown, Cape Newagen and Pemaquid. It was not stated whether the dwelling of Brown at New Harbor fell within that division or not, but the mere establishment of a boundary was a challenge to the title of New York as well as the pretentions of the French Government .*
PIONEERS
DENNING, NICHOLAS, planter at Pumpkin Cove, married Emma, daugh- ter of John Brown, of New Harbor; children Agnes (Doliber), Emma (Elwell), Elizabeth (Paine), Mary (Stevens), George, Nicholas and William.
FULFORD, RICHARD, planter at Round Pond, where he bought land of Samoset, 1653; married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Pearce, of Mus- congus; children Elizabeth (Martin) and Francis of Marblehead.
PEARCE, RICHARD, carpenter, bought land from Samoset at Muscongus, 1642; married Elizabeth, daughter of John Brown, of New Harbor; children John, born at Pemaquid, 1644. Richard. born 1647, Elizabeth (Fulford), Francis, Joseph, Margaret (Ward), Mary (Hamlin), Sarah (Stockwell), William and George, born 1666.
§ York Deeds, 16-216.
Mass. Col. Rec., 4-2, 696.
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358
PIONEERS ON MAINE RIVERS
SAINT GEORGE'S RIVER
In 1605, George Waymouth, under patronage of the Earl of Arundel, sailed from Bristol in the Archangel with a crew of twenty-nine men and boys, most of whom had been recruited from the banks of the Thames.
He first sighted the eastern extremity of Nantucket, but pur- sued a northerly course for three days until "about sixe a clocke at night" on May 17, when land was discovered to the north- northeast which "appeared a meane high" island "some six miles in compasse."
This landfall was Monhegan and it afforded an unobstructed view of "the maine land from the West-South-West to the East- North-East" and for a great distance "up into the maine," where the Camden Hills, described as "very high mountaines" were visible above the low surrounding country. Here Waymouth erected a cross and named the place Saint George's Island.
From that point the vessel moved inland "in the rode directly with the mountaines, about three leagues," where among the group of islands at the mouth of Saint George's River was found a safe anchorage in "ten fathoms upon a clay oaze very tough." This haven was found to lie in 43 degrees and 20 minutes of northern latitude and was named Pentecost Harbor by the ex- plorers, in grateful recognition of the day of their safe arrival.
The vessel was anchored near an island where the explorers found water, evidences of fire and cooked foods. There they as- sembled a pinnace which had been brought from England and with it made excursions to the vicinity of Thomaston, where a second cross was erected at the western trend of the river. Sev- eral voyages to New Harbor and Pemaquid, a distance estimated at four marine leagues, indicated that their rendezvous was Allen's Island. Waymouth embarked from Saint George's River June 16, and arrived at Dartmouth July 18, after a quick passage with no untoward events .*
The Indian name of Saint George's River was not mentioned by Rosier in his account of Waymouth's voyage, but, on an Eng-
* 3 Mass. Hist. Col., 8-129.
359
SAINT GEORGE'S RIVER
lish map of 1610, it was engraved "Tahanock" and the place where the second cross was erected, at the head of the inland bay above Thomaston, was marked by intersecting lines. In the census of Moashan it may have been misspelled but was ren- dered "Ramassoc." For positive identification of Waymouth's river, posterity is indebted to Briggs' Map of 1625, whereon the explorer's name was assigned to the first stream west of the Penobscot .;
The Earl of Arundel had intended to use the information se- cured by Waymouth in his discoveries to found a colony on the Northern Coast, but the exigencies of public political life would not permit him to proceed with the project. However, the rela- tion of Rosier was published in London after his return and its favorable reception helped to stimulate a growing sentiment for immediate occupation by the Northern Company.
Yet the enterprise required more time than had been ex- pected and a whole year intervened before adequate funds were subscribed and colonists provided. It is probable that members of the Sagadahoc Colony took with them a copy of Rosier's "Relation" or had discussed the subject with Waymouth or some of his seamen.
At any rate, after separation by adverse storms, their vessels met near the same point at Saint George's Island, where they believed they had identified "a Crosse Sett up the wch * was Sett up by George Wayman." Evidently, none of Way- mouth's crew was present with the expedition to prove the fact.
From their island anchorage the colonists made a survey of the neighboring country and twice visited Pemaquid Harbor, whence Skidwaros, who was with them, and others had been deported by Waymouth, two years before. The account of the prospective colonists stated that they "rowed to the Weste in amongst many gallant Illands and found the ryver of pemaquyd to be but 4 leags weste from the Illand we Call St. Georges whear our ships remained still att anckor." After preliminary inspec- tion and inquiry from the natives the colonists decided to proceed to the west.
The region about the mouth of Saint George's River was oc- cupied by Salem colonists at an early date. Thomas Leverett, as trustee for the Massachusetts colony, was an owner in Muscongus
Purchase, 14-424.
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PIONEERS ON MAINE RIVERS
Patent. In 1630, which was the year when the grant was made, Roger Conant, Anthony Dike, Francis Johnson and Peter Pal- frey formed a partnership at Salem for the purpose of "trading to the Eastward." Johnson was chosen manager and Dike master of their vessel.
SAINT GEORGE'S RIVER ABOVE PORT CLYDE
A plantation was begun on the west side of the river at Saquid Point, where Johnson was engaged in fishing, planting and trad- ing with the Indians and English fishermen. An account of their property specified a "house with the debts due from the Indians" and "swine, boat, skiff, canoe, housall stuff and trading goods."}
In 1632, according to the narrative of Roger Clap, the vessel of Anthony Dike and its master were captured by Dixie Bull and his confederates at the Eastward, after they had pillaged Pema- quid. The pirates insisted upon transportation to Virginia, but Dike declined to undertake the voyage on the ground that he was not familiar with the southern coast.§
April 15, 1633, Richard Foxwell, who had lived formerly at Dorchester, Massachusetts, returned to Pascataqua from Plym- outh, England, in the fishing vessel of John Corbin, and July 16, following, acquired the plantation at Saint George's River.
# Essex Rec., 2-22.
§ Young's Mass. Chron., 362.
361
SAINT GEORGE'S RIVER
He complained subsequently that when he bought the premises at Saquid Point he had been guaranteed a confirmation of title from the Massachusetts government.
At the time of Waymouth's voyage to Saint George, Rosier had reported that among other commodities on the islands about Pentecost Harbor he found "spruce trees of excellent timber and height, able to mast ships of great burthen." Oak was mentioned as one of the products, but not pine, and it is still a fir country, where annual harvests of Christmas trees supply western market. Upon the hills on the mainland he observed "notable high timber trees, masts for ships of 400 tun."
The first allusion to the mast industry at the Eastward was made by Winthrop who mentioned a ship of Barnstable and the Hercules of Dover, which in the summer of 1634 "returned by St. George's to cut masts to carry to England."*
This statement disclosed that the English navy was being sup- plied with masts from Central Maine two years before shipbuild- ing was contemplated at Richmond Island or Saco. The timber may have been cut by the crews of the vessels or by some of the planters who were then occupying the trading house at Saquid Point.
The French seized the Plymouth trading post at Machabitti- cus about the first of August, 1635. The nearest English settle- ment was the house of Foxwell at Saquid Point, which was situ- ated "about three score myles" westward .;
Saint George's Harbor was not molested by the enemy that year because it was occupied by English fishing vessels. Win- throp asserted that during the great storm of August 15, 1635, when the Angel Gabriel was destroyed at Pemaquid, John With- eridge, of Barnstable, and ships from Dartmouth were forced to cut their masts at Saint George's River. After the fishing ves- sels were gone Foxwell was at the mercy of the French and with- drew to Saco. The next year he visited Castine to confer with them in relation to future occupation of his premises at Saquid Point.1
In 1701, Sylvanus Davis asserted that Foxwell had been a settler at Saquid Point as early as 1641. John Brown, of Pema- quid, also claimed "Lands at a place called Sawk Head" (Saquid)
* Winthrop, 1-134.
/ Ford's Bradford. 2-108.
# 4 Mass. Hist. Col., 6-570.
ly at Plym- July River.
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362
PIONEERS ON MAINE RIVERS
"at the mouth of St Georges River about Three Leagues East- ward of New Harbr."§
According to Davis, the early settler on the eastern side of the river was Philip Swadden, who came thither from Pascata- qua River about 1650 and resided at Quisquamego. Until 1654, however, the French were in control of the district beyond Pemaquid .*
It is significant that Swadden did not submit to Massachu- setts jurisdiction at Sagadahoc in 1654, or elsewhere in the East. His residence at Quisquamego, or Sisquamego, was beyond the recognized bounds of Maine. The first and last trace of the pioneer east of Sagadahoc River was his signature on an Indian deed to Sylvanus Davis. The instrument conveyed land above the Oyster Beds at Damariscotta and Edward Bateman, of Wool- wich, was present with him.
The earliest occupations at Saint George were fishing, cutting masts and trading with the natives, and posterity is indebted to John Jocelyn for his remarkable story of one of Foxwell's east- ern business trips.
In 1656, after two years' disseizin, the French regained con- structive possession of the river, but no fort was built there for a long time. However, in 1686, a commission recommended that some form of protection was necessary on account of the prox- imity of the place to the English. The decision was that "Un fort y seroit fort necessaire Estant le post le plus voisin des Anglois."
That Saint George had been abandoned by the English at an early date is plain. In 1727, Loron, a distinguished Penobscot Indian, stated that there was then but one "truck-house" or fort on the whole river. With relation to foreign occupation he said : "We do not remember of any settlements at St. George's, we re- member a pretty while, and as long as we remember, the Place where the Garrison stands was filled with Great Long Grown Trees."+
§ York Deeds, 20-85.
Essex Rec .. 2-25.
៛ Me. Hist. Col., 3-390.
363
THE LOST PROVINCE
THE LOST PROVINCE
Fabled city of the East
Hidden in a wilderness, Where the golden hours obsess ; Where the Indian princes feast And the princesses caress. Found but once in ancient times By romantic Spanish dons, Who exalted it in rhymes Over flowing demijohns.
Norumbega, still obscure, Still enchanted in romance, Where all distances enhance, Where illusions all endure And all mysteries entrance ; From thy void of olden days Men are carving greater things; From thy wilderness they raise Cities unsubdued by kings.
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364
PIONEERS ON MAINE RIVERS
PENOBSCOT RIVER
This river was discovered by Portuguese and Spanish navi- gators early in the Sixteenth Century. The name Norumbega, given to the region by explorers and first mentioned by Ramunsio in 1537, was derived from that of an Indian village near Old Town, where was located the wigwam of the Bashaba, or king of Moashan.
Like other great rivers in Maine it was frequented by fur hunters many years before any settlement was established by Europeans, but in 1555 Durand de Villegagnon undertook to found a French colony in North America, which was then known as "Florida" by Spanish mariners. The location selected by him was at Norumbega, otherwise known as "Agoncy" by the natives and Pentagoet by the French. Its great water system was designated "Grand River" by map makers of the period and comprised Penobscot River and Bay.
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