USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Waterville > The centennial history of Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine, including the oration, the historical address and the poem presented at the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the incorporation of the town, June 23d, 1902 > Part 48
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bad carrying up ye stores there, I aver its ten times worse now, and I fear will continue so this winter, for I doubt ye river above Fort Western will be hard to freeze, on account of ye strong currents that runs there, and as to ve cut rodes being any service, it would take fifty men and ten yoke of oxen two days to brake, and after it was broaken, it would choake up with ye first wind that blew. Some of ye gullyes now are drifted ten or fifteen foot deep with snow, that I think it will never be of much ser- vice to us for transporting our provisions, till such times as ye country is settled, and more teems frequents that rode than what may be allowed for Fort Hallifax; but these dull complaintes avail us but little, to extracate us out of our present difficulties, it remains now to think of the best way by which that garrison can be relieved and I would with submission offer your Excel- lency my humble oppinion upon the matter, which is, that your Excellency give the independent companies or other forces that may be raised as succers for the defence of the river, orders to provide or impress oxen or other cattel with provinder, and slades or carrs, and those cattel to be imployed in halling stores and other suplyes that will soon be landed for this river (for the suplye of Fort Hallifax) up to Fort Western, for farther, I believe cattel will be of no service, on account of ye river being dangerous for cattel to travel on, as I have already observed, and that a proper number of good men with snowshoes may be imployed in carrying up provisions from Fort Western to Fort Hallifax, and after ye road is beten well and ye invallids that may be able to travel after being shod, for them to march down ye river and tarry with ye provisions which will save a grate deal of fatigue of carrying of ye provisions to them, and that there be good men placed at Fort Hallifax in their rooms. I should have now dismissed some worthless fellows, who dos littel other duty than eates their allowance, could they have travelled home, for they will never do any service here, or any where else. This garrison I think has its full share of such creatures, that resem- bels men in nothing but ye human shape, but such will do for forts where they have nothing to doe but eate and sleepe.
We want very much a sortment of herbs for ye sicke, our doctor has left us, and we have no one here that knows ye use of our medisons. A great many of our men has been sick, and
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continues so, but none of them have yet recovered to their former healthes, nor will do so, I believe, this winter. The men in gen- eral seems very low in spirits, which I impute to their wading so much in ye water in ye summer and fall, which I believe has very much hurt ye circulation of their blood and filled it full of gross humors and what has added to their misfortunes, is their being much straightened for want of room, and bad lodgings. In ye spring of ye year must be sent to Fort Western, ten lodes of English hay for the suplye for ye oxen that must hall ye timbers for ye building at Fort Hallifax, other- wise we cannot go on with ye buildings there. I have imployed three carpenters this winter to prepair timber for the above building. I have agreed with two of them at thirty pounds per month, old tenor, till ye last of March, and after that, thirty shillings per day till ye last of May. I would again recomend to your Excellency eight flat bottomed boates, carrying two tons each, which I mentioned in my last letter, and that they be sent to Fort Western as early as possible next spring, to carry us our suplyes to Fort Hallifax, which I am fully satisfied must be the way we must be suplyed at the fort. I add no farther than that we will doe the best we can to subsist till we have more help. With submission I beg leave to subscribe myself.
Your Excellency's most Dutiful Obedient Serv't,
WILLIAM LITHGOW.
"The Record of the Notes and Transactions of the Proprietors of a Tract of Land round Fort Hallifax on Kennebeck River granted by the Plymouth Company to Gamaliel Bradford, Esq., and Five others by Deed bearing Date March the 12th, 1766. The five others mentioned above are as follows :
James Otis, Esq.
John Winslow, Esq. William Taylor, Esq.
Daniel Howard, Esq. James Warren, Esq."
These proprietors, by petition dated at Plymouth the 4th day of July, 1766, to the Honorable Thomas Clapp, Esq., one of His Majesty's Justices of the peace through the Province of Massa-
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chusetts Bay in New England, secured the issue of a warrant for a legal meeting of the owners of the tract of 18,600 acres. The meeting was held at the house of Mr. Thomas Southworth How- land in Plymouth, October 7, 1766.
Gamaliel Bradford was chosen moderator and James Warren clerk and treasurer.
At that meeting it was voted, "that for the Encouragement of settlers, fifty acres be granted to each Home Lott on the Rivers Kennebeck or Sebasticook and one hundred acre Lotts to be laid out back of the Home Lotts to be drawn for equally by the set- tlers and the proprietors, making in the whole one hundred and fifty acres to each settler who shall take up a Lott and build a House of 20ft. square and 7ft. stud and clear, fit for mowing or tillage, five acres in one year from taking up the same."
Next day they granted to Timothy Hale (Heald) of Ipswich in New Hampshire, four lots on the northwesterly side of the Sebas- ticook river, also two lots on the souh side of the river, reserving all mill privileges. This as under the conditions of settlement named above. April 16, 1767, the proprietors granted to "Eben- ezer Hale (Heald) of New Ipswich in the Province of New Hampshire," three hundred acres of land. To the usual condi- tions were added "and that he does erect and set up on the Brook that empties itself into the Sebasticook River within said bounds from a pond called Petises Pond a good and sufficient saw mill and have her ready to do duty on or before the 25th of Decem- ber next and also within the term of three years does build on said Brook within the Bounds aforesaid a good Grist Mill and to have her ready by that time." The grantee was to make a fishway for each dam constructed, the fish "at all times to be equally Free to the Proprietors and the inhabitants of said tract the grant notwithstanding." Reserve was also made of the right to lay out roads "for the convenience of the Proprietors and the Inhabitants." June 1I, 1767, Mr. Timothy Hale (Heald) was employed to lay out forty-four lots of fifty acres each, for which services he is to have one shilling for each mile he shall run in doing it and that he be desired to employ chain men as cheep as possible." At the same meeting it was voted that a road of four rods wide be reserved through the whole of the townships for the use of the proprietors of the Ply-
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mouth Company and others to be laid out when it is most com- modious. Gamaliel Bradford was sent as the agent of the pro- prietors, July 7, 1768, it was voted that Ezekiel Paty have liberty to take up two Lotts of fifty acres each. On the same date it was voted "that Timothy Heald and Ezekiel Paty be and hereby are Impowerd in our behalf jointly and severally to transact any matters relative to the settlers taking up their Lotts and per- forming their Duty, and Likewise to prevent trespasses for the future." In 1772 Gamaliel Bradford, under direction of the pro- prietors, visited Winslow and laid out six lots of five hundred acres each. These were afterward assigned by lot to the several proprietors. As to trespasses he could get no definite informa- tion except that some persons pretended to authority to cut masts for the King.
The proprietors did not take any very deep interest in the management of their property as is shown by the fact that at least three out of every four of the meetings called by the company simply met and adjourned without action.
At a meeting held October 10, 1787, of which Col. Josiah Hay- den was moderator, it was voted "to proceed to the drawing of those of the ninety-six fifty-acre lots which are not taken by set- tlers." Fifty-four lots were thus drawn. In 1803 the majority of the proprietors being residents of Winslow, the meetings of the company were transferred to that place and Josiah Hayden was chosen clerk and treasurer. The business of the company was wellnigh complete. Winslow had been settled, the land divided and a new town, Waterville, had been incorporated on a part of its territory. The final entry in the old record book is August 2, 1806. The characteristic entry is "Voted to adjourn to Saturday the 20th day of September next. Zopha Hayden, Clerk." The meeting has not yet assembled. The old record book is in pos- session of Mr. Joshua Cushman of Winslow.
The first English child born in Winslow was Betsey, daughter of Thomas Parker, born March 16, 1759.
An old diary, without name but probably written by a brother of Abijah Smith has several interesting items.
"Oct. 2, 1795 worked for one Dimond setting up a brick-kiln to pay him for help setting up our brick-kiln."
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The monotony of the winter of 1796 was relieved by an occas- sional ball at Fairfield and by the regular singing school which was "kept at Col. Hayden's."
The Militia Roli, elsewhere printed, shows that Capt. Stack- pole had resigned. The diary states that March 30, 1796 the Light Infantry met at the home of Major Sherwin, chose Wil- liam Heywood, captain, Wm. Getchell, lieut., Edward Piper ensign. "Capt. H. ordered his men to be equipped and drapped in uniform by the 4th of July next."
"Apr. 16, 1797, I was to meeting at the meeting house on the East side of the river. This is the first time that they have met in it."
GRANT 390, TO JAMES PITTS, NO. 104.
To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting.
Whereas his late Majesty King James the First, for the Advancement of a Colony and Plantation in New-England, in America, by his Highness's Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England, bearing date at Westminster, the Third Day of November, in the Eighteenth Year of his Highness's Reign of England, etc., did grant unto the Right Honorable Lodowick, late Lord Duke of Lenox, George late Lord Marquis of Buckingham, James Marquis of Hamilton, Thomas Earl of Arundle, Robert Earl of Warwick, Sir Ferdinando Georges, Knt. and divers others whose Names are expressed in the said Letters Patents, and their Successors, that they should be one Body Politick and Corporate, perpetually consisting of forty Persons, that they should have perpetual Succession, and our Common Seal to serve for the Said Body, and that they and their Successors should be incorporated, called and known by the Name of the Council established at Plymouth, in the County of Devon, for the plant- ing, ruling, ordering and governing of New England, in America. And further also did grant unto the said President and Council, and their Successors forever, under the Reserva- tions in the said Letters Patents expressed; All that part and Portion of the said country called New England, in America, situate, lying and being in Breadth from forty Degrees of Northerly Latitude from the Equinoctial Line, to forty-eight
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Degrees of the said Northerly Latitude inclusively and in Length of and in all the Breadth aforesaid, throughout the Main Lands from Sea to Sea, together also, with all the firm Lands, Soils, Grounds, Creeks, Inlets, Havens, Ports, Seas, Rivers, Islands, Waters, Fishings, Mines, Minerals, precious stones, Quarries, and all and singular the Commodities and Jurisdictions, both within the said Tract of Lands lying upon the Main, as also within the said Islands and Seas adjoining: To have, hold, possess and enjoy the same unto the said Council and their Successors and Assigns forever, to be holden of his Majesty, his Heirs and Suc- cessors, as of his Manor of East Greenwich, in the County of Kent, in free and common Succage, yielding and paying there- for to the said late King's Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, the fifth Part of the Ore of Gold and Silver, as in and by the said Letters Patents, amongst other Privileges and Matters therein contained, more fully and at large it doth and may appear.
And whereas the said Council established at Plymouth in the County of Devon, by their Charter and Deed of Affeofment bearing Date the Sixteenth Day of January, A. D. One Thousand Six Hundred and Twenty-nine, by Virtue and Authority of his said late Majesty's Letters Patents, and for and in Consideration, that William Bradford, and his Associates had for these Nine Years lived in New England aforesaid, and there inhabited and planted a Town called by the Name of New Plymouth, at their own proper Cost and Charges ; and feeling that by the Special Providence of God, and their extraordinary Care and Industry, they had increased their Plantation to near three Hundred Peo- ple, and were able to relieve any new Planters or other His Majesty's Subjects upon that Coast ; granted and assigned unto the Said William Bradford, his Heirs, Associates and Assigns, all that Part of New England in America aforesaid, and Tract and Tracts of Land that lie in within or between a certain Rivulet or Rundlet there, commonly called Coahasset, alias Conahassett, toward the North, and the River commonly called Narragansett River, toward the South, and the great Western Ocean toward the East and- -the Main Land toward the West, from the Mouth of the said River, called Narragansett River, to the utmost Limits and Bounds of a Country or Place in
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New-England commonly called Pocanacutt, alias Sawamset, Westward, and another like strait Line extending itself directly from the Mouth of the said River called Coahasset alias Cona- hassett, to the West, so far up into the Main Land Westward, as the utmost Limits of the said Place or Country commonly called Pocanacutt alias Sawamset, do extend, together with one-half of the said River called Narragansett, and the said Rivulet or Rundlet called Coahasset, alias Conahassett, and all Lands, Rivers, Waters, Havens, Creeks, Ports, Fishings, Fowlings, whatsoever situate, lying and being, or arising within or between the said Limits and Bounds, or any of them.
And For As Much as they had no convenient place either of Trading or Fishing within their own Precincts, whereby after so long Travel and great Pains so hopeful a Plantation might sub- sist, as also that they might be encouraged the better to proceed in so pious a Work, which might especially tend to the Propagation of Religion, and the great Increase of Trade to his Majesty's Realms, and Advancement of the public Plantation ;
The said Council further granted and assigned unto the said William Bradford, his Heirs, Associates and Assigns, all that Tract of Land, or Part of New-England in America aforesaid, which lieth within or between, and extendeth itself from the utmost Limit of Cobbiseconte, alias Comaseconte, which adjoin- eth to the River Kennebeck, alias Kenebekike, toward the Western Ocean, and a Place called the Falls, at Neguamkike, in America aforesaid, and the space of fifteen English miles on each side of the said River commonly called Kennebeck River, and all the said River called Kennebeck, that lies within said Limits and Bounds eastward, Westward, Northward or Southward last abovementioned, and all Lands, Grounds, Soils, Rivers, Waters, Fishings, situate, lying and being, arising, happening or accru- ing in or within the said Limits and Bounds, or either of them, together with all Rights and Jurisdictions thereof, the admiralty Jurisdiction excepted, in as free, large, ample and beneficial Manner to all Interests, Constructions, and Purposes whatsoever, as the said Council by virtue of his Majesty's Letters Patents might or could grant.
To Have and to Hold the said Tract and Tracts of Lands, and all and singular the Premises above-mentioned to be granted,
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with their and every of their Appurtenances to the said William Bradford, his Heirs, Associates and Assigns forever, yielding and paying unto our said Sovereign Lord the King, his Heirs and Successors forever, one fifth Part of the Ore of the Mines of Gold and Silver and one other fifth Part thereof to the President and Council which shall be had, proffered and obtained within the Precincts aforesaid, for all services whatsoever, as in said Charter may more fully appear.
And whereas the said William Bradford and his Associates, afterward assigned over and surrendered up to the late Colony of New-Plymouth, the aforesaid Tract on Kennebeck River, together with other Lands, and the same Colony afterward, viz. on the Twenty-seventh Day of October, A. D., 1661, being seized of the whole Tract aforesaid on Kennebeck River, and also the Lands on both sides the said River, upwards to Wisserunsent, alias Wesserunskick, by their Deed of Bargain and Sale of that date, for and in Consideration of the Sum of Four Hundred Pounds sterling, sold all the said Lands on said River to Antipas Boyes, Edward Tyng, Thomas Brattle and John Winslow, their and every of their Heirs and Assigns forever, as by the said Deed registered in the Records of said Colony may more fully appear. And the Lands last mentioned in said Deed by a Releafe and Confirmation were afterward confirmed to the said John Winslow and his Partners aforesaid their Heirs and Assigns forever, on both Sides of said Kennebeck River as far up as the upper or most Northern Part of Wesserunskick aforesaid KNOW YE, That we, the Heirs and Assigns of the said Autipas Boyes, Edward Tyng, Thomas Brattle, and John Wins- low, of and in all said Lands on Kennebeck River aforesaid, and legal Proprietors thereof, at our Meeting held at Boston, this Twelfth Day of December A. D. 1770 called and regulated according to Law, have voted, granted and assigned to -
(written)
(to James Pitts of Boston in the county of Suffolk and province of Massachusetts Bay, Esqr., his heirs and assigns forever, four hundred acres of land, in two divisions, lying on the west side of Kennebeck River butted and bounded as follows viz : beginning on said Kennebeck River and at the easterly end of the northerly
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side of a Road lying between lots number one hundred and three and one hundred and four : thence running on said north side of said Road, west north west three hundred and twenty poles to another road, thence running northerly on said road fifty poles. thence running east south east about three hundred and twenty poles to Kennebeck River ; thence Southerly down said river to the first mentioned bounds, And is a tract of land fifty poles wide, and about three hundred and twenty poles long and contains one hundred acres- Then to begin one mile and eight poles from sd Ken'k river on a road, and at the easterly end of the northerly line of the three hundred acre lot No. one hundred and one; thence to run west north west on sd northerly line about three hundred and twenty poles to another road; thence northerly on sd last mentioned road one hundred and fifty poles; thence east South east about three hundred and twenty poles to a road ; thence Southerly down said road to the first mentioned bounds. And is a tract of land one hundred and fifty poles wide, and about three hundred and twenty poles long, and contains about Three Hundred Acres- Each of said Divisions being numbered one hundred and four-on a plan made by John McKecknie surveyor dated October, 1770, as said Property appears. The foregoing from the words "voted, granted, and assigned to James Pitts fsd," is a true copy of the said Proprietors vote of the date afore- said. Examined by Henry Alline Jr., Propt. Clerk.
And for the better perpetuating the aforesaid Vote and Grant of said Lands to (the said James Pitts his - -) Heirs and Assigns forever, We the said Proprietors at our said Meeting have further Voted, that the Clerk of this Propriety for the time being be. and he hereby is directed and authorized, at the Request and Cost of the above-named Grantee, unto our said Vote and Grant of the Lands aforesaid, to affix the common Seal of said Propriety, and as Clerk of the aforesaid, to acknowledge before any of his Majesty's Justices in said Province the said Vote and Grant to be the Vote and Grant of said Proprietors for the Pur- pose above mentioned and the Seal hereto affixed, to be the com- mon seal of said Propriety.
(Signed) HENRY ALLINE, JUNR. Clerk of Said Propriety.
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
[ SEAL. ] SUFFOLK SS. BOSTON THE TWENTY-NINTH DAY OF JULY-A. D. 1771.
This Day personally appeared (signed) Henry Alline, Jr., Clerk of the Proprietors of the Kennebeck Purchase from the late Colony of New-Plymouth, and acknowledged the above- mentioned Vote and Grant to be the Vote and Grant of said Pro- prietors to the within named (signed) James Pitts. And the seal hereto by him affixed as Clerk as aforesaid, to be the Com- mon Seal of said Propriety.
Before me, (Signed) JOHN HILL, Justice of the Peace.
(Written) (HENRY ALLINE, JUNR., Propr. Cler. A true copy as appears on Record.
ATTEST : ARODI THAYER, P. M.)1
THE SETTLEMENT OF MR. CUSHMAN AS TOWN MINISTER.
The Committee appointed by the Town of Winslow at their last meeting, held on the 5th day of September, 1794, to wait on Mr. Joshua Cushman with the votes of the town, relative to his settling in this town as their Religious instructor, and to receive his answer relative to an invitation given him by said town for that purpose, having performed that service, do herewith present to the town the following report, containing the conditions of a Church Covenant, etc., etc., also a civil contract to be entered into by Mr. Cushman and the said Town, with the conditions to be performed by each party,-together with such further measures as appear to the Committee necessary for carrying the resolutions of the Town into final effect, the whole of which are as follows to wit :-
A Church Covenant, or an Association for the purpose of pro- moting Christian Knowledge, Piety and Virtue.
1. This deed is given as an example of the old deeds which refer back to the King's grant. The property described is the first lot south of Temple St., extend- ing to the river and including one hundred acres; also a lot of three hundred acres in the central part of the town. The property was afterward conveyed to Abijah Smith and the deed is in possession of his grandson, Wallace B. Smith, who resides upon a part of the lot thus conveyed.
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
Conditions of the Association.
First, It is understood and agreed, that all the Inhabitants of the Town who support and attend upon Christian instruction, are, in the general acceptation of the term, Christians; and have an equal right to act in all ministerial, or religious affairs in which their property or Consciences are concerned ; nevertheless as all who are Christians in a general sense may not be Qualified, or may not feel it their duty, to partake of the Lord's Supper so called ; it is thought advisable to form an association for that purpose, to establish some general rules of admission, to state some general articles of Faith, and to come into general engage- ments to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour by well ordered lives and Conversation.
Second, It is understood and agreed that the persons thus asso- ciating are not in consequence of their association obliged to commune, or to partake of the Lord's Supper, but are still left to their own voluntary choice.
Third, It is agreed that persons who do, or that thus associate, shall not, either individually or collectively, exercise, or be enti- tled to, any powers, privileges or prerogatives, in ministerial or religious affairs, in which the town or Christian Society at large are interested, only in common with the other inhabitants of the town, supporting the same form of divine Worship, who do not belong to this association.
General Rule of Admission.
Persons wishing to become members of the association shall subscribe their names to the following articles of Faith and to the following engagements, and all persons, whether male or female, thus subscribing shall be considered as members of the association and be entitled to commune, without any other cere- mony or formality whatever.
Articles of Faith and Resolve founded upon it.
Believing those writings called the Holy Scriptures to be profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruc- tion in Righteousness; and to contain all the religious truths.
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that are necessary to be believed, and all the religious precepts that are necessary to be practised, in order to eternal salvation, we adopt them as the rule of our Faith and practice.
Engagement.
Sensible that the happiness of man in this life, as well as in that which is to come, essentially depends upon the practice of piety and virtue, we engage to discountenance impiety ; to encourage the moral, the social and the Christian virtues ; to pro- mote Friendship and brotherly love among ourselves, the peace and unity of the Christian Society at large, and endeavor by the Grace of God to let our Conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ.
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