USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Portland > The history of Portland, from its first settlement: with notices of the neighbouring towns, and of the changes of government in Maine, Part I > Part 15
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Brackett's family. On the south side of Fore river, Lawrence Davis, probably Isaac Davis, Joel Madiver, Sampson Penley, Joseph Phippen, John Skillings, Thomas and Robert Staniford, Ralph Turner, and John Wallis. At Spurwink, Walter Gendall, Robert Jordan, and probably John Guy, a faithful vassal of Jordan. We cannot fix with certainty the location of several persons whose names follow, Nathaniel and John Cloice, jr., Henry Harwood, a shoe maker, we are not certain that he lived here in 1675, but cir- cumstances favor the conjecture ; John Rider probably lived at Back Cove. We have also some doubt whether Josiah and Nathan- iel White, who lived at Purpooduck, came here until after the war. With respect to George Burroughs, for a number of years minister of this place, we were for a long time undetermined upon the ques- tion, whether he had settled here before the destruction of the town or not ; but the discovery of additional evidence has satisfied us that he must have preached in town before that event. The follow- ing record would seem to determine the question : " At a general meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Falmouth held the 20th of June 1683. Whereas there was formerly given to Mr. George Burroughs, minister, a parcel of land, judged to be about 200 acres, and we being driven off by the Indians for a time, and in time re- inhabiting : therefore for to give people incouragement to come and. settle down among us in a body, we took part of said Burrough's land formerly given him by the people of Falmouth for the end before exprest." This 200 acres was on the Neck, east of Robin- son's point, part of which was taken up on the resettlement in 1680 by the inhabitants. It seems evident from the phraseology of the instrument that the grant was made previous to the people's having been driven off by the enemy, and unless Burroughs had been a settler before that event, there would have been no propriety in saying that a part of his 200 acres had been taken for the encourage- ment of new settlers1. Burroughs was graduated at Harvard College in 1670, and probably commenced his ministry here about 1674, and lived upon the Neck ; but no church was then gathered.
After the war broke out in September, and probably not until
"This conjecture has been rendered still more satisfactory and conclusive by a letter from B. Pendleton, of Saco, of Aug. 13, 1676, which will be found in a note in a subsequent part of this chapter. This speaks of " a brief letter written from under the hand of Mr. Burras, the minister," from the island in Casco, to which the inhabitants of the town fed. See p. 145.
له المطلية لايت
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after the destruction of the Wakely family and the slaughter of young Ingersoll, many of the inhabitants sought refuge in more set- tled and secure parts of the country. The Jordan family went to the Piscataqua, James Andrews and his mother Macworth went to Boston, and John Phillips to Kittery. But the greatest number fled to Salem, where, January 11, 1676, by a vote of the town, they were admitted " with their families," "inhabitants during the time of the Indian wars, according to law." These persons were Geo. Ingersoll, George Ingersoll, jr., John Skillings, Goodman Standford, John Wallis, Francis Neale and Jenkin Williams, beside a number from Saco and other towns in the province, to the number of 21. The record in relation to their admission in Salem is as follows1 : " These persons above named being driven from their habitations by the barbarous heathen, are admitted as inhabitants into the town, they most of them informing they have provision for themselves and families one year."
By this withdrawal from the scene of action of so many inhab- 'itants, the victims of the tomahawk were considerably reduced, but still enough were left to keep the knife of the sacrifice deeply tinged.
In the summer of 1676 the war was renewed, and all the tribes 1 from the Piscataqua to the Penobscot were engaged in it. Several causes have been assigned for the outbreaking at this time ; one was the death of a child of Squando, supposed to have been occasioned · by the folly of some English seamen ; another was that some Cape Sables' Indians were enticed away by a few Englishmen and sold for slaves. Another still, was a general complaint among all the tribes, that the English were prohibited selling ammunition to the natives, without which they could not live. None of these causes is sufficient in itself to account for such a universal rising as occurred at this time. Some of the Narragansett Indians having been driven from their own retreat, had fled eastward, and probably brought with them all the feelings of hostile partisans, stimulated by revenge, and smarting under the loss of property, country and friends. It is probable that these wanderers had promoted a spirit of hostility among the Indians here. And when they looked back upon the successes of the previous year, the ease, and almost entire freedom from danger, with which they spread desolation over the country,
'From Salem town records, by the favour of Wm. Gibbs, Esq.
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they were probably ready to seize slight pretexts to break their engagements and renew scenes so congenial to their minds.
The bloody tragedy was commenced on the 11th of August, at the house of Anthony Brackett, in Falmouth. The leader in this enterprise was Simon, who had not long before escaped from Dover prison, where he had been confined for his former murders, and found his way here by a counterfeit pass. He had made himself familiar with Brackett and insinuated himself into his confidence. On the 9th of August some neighbouring Indians had killed one of Brackett's cows, and Simon promised that he would bring the offen- ders to him. Very early on the morning of the 11th, he returned with a party of his comrades and told him they were the Indians · who had killed his cow ; this party immediately went into the house and took all the guns they could find. When Brackett asked the meaning of this, Simon replied that " so it must be," and gave him . his choice to serve them or be killed. Brackett of course preferred the former alternative, and was bound with his wife and a negro servant and carried away with their five children. Nathaniel Mitton1, brother of Brackett's wife, who was then there, offering some resist- ance, was killed upon the spot.
Brackett lived upon the large farm at Back Cove, now owned in part by Mr. Deering, and his house was on the ridge a short dis- tance from the mansion now occupied by that gentleman. From Brackett's they passed round the cove to Presumpscott river, where they killed Robert Corbin, Humphrey Durham and Benjamin Atwell, who were making hay on Corbin's farm. The women and children in one of the neighbouring houses hearing the alarm escaped in a canoe. Corbin's wife, with the wife of one of the others, and the children of the third, were taken captive, as were also James Ross, the constable of the town, with his wife and children. They proceeded to other houses in the vicinity, where they killed some of the inhabitants and made prisoners of others ; their names are not mentioned. Atwell and Corbin were brothers in law, and lived on adjoining farms, Durham lived on the other side of the river. The , alarm was immediately communicated to another part of the town by "one Pike,2" who, with another man, was in his boat on the
'He was the only son of Michael Mitton, and died without issue.
2Richard Pike lived on the west side of Muscle Cove ; he had a son Samuel. A Capt. Pike commanded a coaster between Boston and Falmouth in 1688. ,
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" river a little above Corbin's house. When they heard the report of the guns, they suspected some mischief, and immediately turned back ; they soon saw an English boy running toward the river in great haste, and a volley of shot was fired, which passed over their heads. Simon presently appeared and called to them to come ashore, "but they liked not his curtesy," and passing down the river with all speed, when they came near to their own house they " called to the people to make haste away towards the garrison-house, and bid the rest look to themselves and fire upon the Indians that were coming against them."
These Indians, or some of their party, went over upon the Neck, where they shot John Munjoy, the eldest son of George, and Isaac Wakely, probably a son of Thomas. Three men who were going to reap at Anthony Brackett's, having heard from Munjoy and Wakely of the transaction there, left them to return, when hearing the guns, they turned towards Thomas Brackett's, who lived near Clark's point, where they had left their canoe, having probably crossed over from Purpooduck. Here they saw Thomas Brackett shot down, and his wife and children taken; they then made their escape to Munjoy's garrison, at the lower end of the Neck, which had become a place of refuge. Megunnaway, "a notorious rogue," who had been engaged with the Indians in Massachusetts in 1675, was one of the murderers of Thomas Brackett, and probably instigated them to the bloody deeds of that day.
The persons who had found an assylum in Munjoy's garrison, not willing to trust to the security of the place, fled the same day to " James Andrews' island"," which lies at the mouth of the harbour. From this place Mr. Burroughs immediately wrote to Henry Joce- lyn, of Black Point, for succour. After they had secured themselves upon the island, they recollected that a quantity of powder had been left in one or two places in town, which they were desirous of obtain- ing, as well for their own protection as to keep it from the hands of the enemy. They resolved therefore to take measures in the night to recover it. They succeeded in the attempt, and brought away a barrel from the house of Mr. Wallis?, and a considerable quantity from a chest in a store house ; the Indians had ransacked the chest, but had overlooked the powder.
'Now Bangs' island. . ? It is not said which Wallis ; Nathaniel lived at Back Cove, and John at Purpooduck.
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Next day George Lewis who had remained in his house with his wife, without interruption, got safe to the island, together with two men who had been sent by the inhabitants some days previous to . Major Waldron of Dover, to complain of Simon, against whom suspicion had begun to be aroused. George Felt also who lived near Muscle Cove, having seen the smoke which arose from the burning houses and barns here, had suspicions of the cause, and took his wife and children in a boat to ascertain the truth ; but when he came to a point of land, probably at the mouth of Presumpscot river, he saw a quantity of his neighbours goods lying there, which warned him of his danger, and he sought safety upon the island with the other inhabitants.
In this attack upon the town, Hubbard says there were 34 persons killed and carried into captivity. The names of those who were killed as far as we can ascertain, were Benjamin Atwell, . Thomas Brackett, Robert Corbin, Humphrey Durham, Nathaniel Mitton, John Munjoy and Isaac Wakely ; the prisoners were Anthony Brackett, his wife, 5 children and a negro servant, Thomas Brack- ett's wife and three children, Corbin's wife, the wife of Atwell or Durham, and the children of the other, and James Ross, with his wife and children, making 17 prisoners, exclusive of the unknown number of children in the families of Ross and of Atwell or Durham. Others were killed and captured whose names are not mentioned. All upon the Neck probably escaped by the timely notice they received, except Munjoy, Wakely and the Brackett family. No mention is made of any lives having been lost at this time on the . south side of Casco river, they were undoubtedly admonished of their danger, by the burning dwellings of their neighbours, in season to save their lives, if not their property1.
"The following letter written by Brian Pendleton of Saco, two days after the transaction, with which I have been favoured through John Farmer, Esq. who has the original in his possession, will be read with interest in this connection. It is superscribed "ffor the Honored Governor and Counsell for the Matacusets at Bos- ton, With all speed." "Honored Governor together with the Counsell."
I am sorry my pen must bee the messenger of soe greate a tragedye. On the 11 of this instant wee heard of many killed of our naybors in Falmouth or Casco bay, and on the 12 instant Mr. Joslin sent mee a briefe letter written from under the hand of Mr. Burras, the minister. Hee gives an account of 32 killed and carried away by the Indians. Himself* escaped to an island-but I hope Black Point men have fetched him off by this time-10 men, 6 women, 16 children. Anthonyt
. *Burroughs. tilis information with respect to Anthony Brackett was not cor- rect as we have seen, the letter was no doubt written before his fate was ascertained.
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To what extent the buildings were destroyed, we have no means of ascertaining. It seems that the houses of Lewis and Wallis were not burned the first day, as one was visited in the night and the other
and Thomas Brackett and Mr. Munjoy liis sonne onely are named. I had not time to coppye the letter, persons beinge to goe post to Major Walden ; but I hope he hath before this sent the originall to you. How soon it will be our portion wee know not. The Lord in mercy fit us for death and direckt ye harts and hands to ackt and doe wt is most needful in such a time of distress as this. Thus in hast I commit you to Gidance of our Lord God and desire your prayers alsoe for us.
Yours in all humility to serve in the Lord
Winter Harbour at night the 13 of August 1676"
BRIAN PENDLETON."
On the 20th of Aug. George Munjoy was sent to Falmouth from Boston with 1500 lbs. of bread for the relief of persons there. In their instructions to Mr. Munjoy the government say, " Considering the distress the soldiers may be put into for want of their provisions as also the distress of the people on Mr. Andrews' island, you are hereby required forthwith to dispatch said vessel away without delay and deliver the said bread according to the order from Mr. Rishworth for the ends aforesaid and for the speedy relief of those on the island, the charge whereof is to be borne by that county." by order of Council.
Munjoy rendered this service, but not receiving compensation from the expected source, he petitioned the Gen. Court for allowance in October 1679.
The following letter from Richard Martyn of Portsmouth, to Gen. Dennison, contains interesting information relative to this period.
" Honored Sir,
1 This serves to cover a letter from Capt. Hathorn from Casco Bay, in which you will understand their want of bread, which want I hope is well supplied before this time : for we sent them more than 2 mn. waight ; which I suppose they had last Lord's day night : the boat that brought the letters brings also word yt Satur- day night the Indians burnt Mr. Munjoy's house and 7 persons in it, yt is his house at ye fishing Island. The Sagamore of Pegwackuk is taken and kil'd and one In. Samson by our army ; but the enemy is doing mischiefe apace. On Sab- bath day a man and his wife namely one Gouge were shot dead and stript by ye Indians at Wells. Yesterday at 2 of the clocke Cape Nedick was wholly cut off only 2 men and a woman with 2 or 3 children escaped, so yt we expect now to bear of farther mischiefe every day. They send to us for helpe both Wells and Yorke but we had so many men out of our town yt we know not how to spare any more. Your speciall speedy order for the Impressing some from the Shoales will be of good use at present. Sir please to give notice to ye Councill yt supply be sent to ye army from ye Bay for they have eatin us out of bread, and here is little wheat to be gottin and lesse money to pay for it. Supplys may as easily be sent ym from Boston as from hence, and should there be another army come among us as I suppose there must speedily be wee shall be very hard put to it to find bread for them, the Lord direct you and us in ye great concerns that are before us, which dutifull service presented in haste I remaine
Sr your servant
Portsmouth Sept. 26, 1676.
RICHARD MARTYN.
Directed,
To ye Honored Maj. Generall Daniel Denison these present
In Ipswich.
Hast Post Hast.
By an Indian yt was taken the army was informed yt at Pegwacket there are 20 captives.
D. DENISON."
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continued to be occupied until the next day. Hubbard mentions generally that the houses of those killed and taken prisoners were burned, we may therefore conclude that those of the two Bracketts, Corbin, Atwell, Ross and Durham at least, were destroyed. The houses no doubt like most of those of the first settlers in every new country, were of very ordinary description, probably one story with thached roofs and wooden chimneys, many of them mere temporary shelters built of logs filled in with clay.
The Indians proceeded with their captives from Falmouth to the Kennebeck river. On the 14th of August the war begun in that quarter ; in the first scenes of which, our Indians were probably not concerned ; Richard Hammond's house was attacked on that day, and himself with Samuel Smith and Joshua Grant were killed. The Indians then divided, eleven went up the river and captured Francis Card and his family, the remainder went down to Arrowsick island, now Georgetown, took the fort by surprise, killed Capt. Thomas Lake one of the chief proprietors, with many others and wounded several, among whom was Capt. Silvanus Davis, afterwards a prom- inent inhabitant of Falmouth. Here they were joined by the Indians from Falmouth and those who went up the river, and laid plans of future depredations.
- It was on this occasion that Anthony Brackett and his family escaped out of their hands by means of an old birch canoe which his wife repaired with a needle and thread found in a deserted house. Their captors were so anxious to press forward and share in the success of their friends on the Kennebeck, that they left Brackett and his family to follow after them. Hubbard says, "in that old canoe they crossed a water eight or nine miles broad, and when they came on the south side of the bay, they might have been in as much danger of other Indians that had lately been about Black Point and had taken it ; but they were newly gone ; so things on all sides thus concurring to help forward their deliverance, they came safely to Black Point, where also they met with a vessel bound for Piscataqua, that came into that harbour but a few hours before they came thither, by which means they arrived safe in Piscataqua river soon after."
The Indians who had collected on Arrowsick in the beginning of Sept. were about 100, who having laid waste the country round, one division went to Sheepscott and Pemaquid, another made
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attack on Jewell's island. Many of the inhabitants had fled from the main to this remote island, as a place of safety, and had trusted too securely in its distance, without taking sufficient precaution against a sudden invasion. There was at this time a fortified house upon the island, but it was almost without occupants and feebly guarded. . Many of the people were absent procuring provisions for their fami- lies, when the enemy suddenly made their appearance. The occupants of the garrison resolutely defended it, until some who had been abroad returned " and desperately broke in through the Indians" to the fort, and prevented its being taken. The Indians soon after drew off and the inhabitants were relieved by a government vessel, which was called to their assistance by some who escaped from the island at the time of the attack. Several of the Indians were killed, and three of the English ; two women and two children were taken captives. The wife of Richard Potts who was washing by the water side was taken with her children in sight of her husband, who was unable to afford his family any relief.
On the 23d of Sept. a number of those persons who had been driven from Casco and the vicinity, whose names are not given, except George Felt's, being driven by the distress which their families were suffering for the necessaries of life, ventured to go upon Munjoy's island' to procure provisions, there being a number of . sheep there. They had scarcely landed 6 or 7 men, when the Indians fell suddenly upon them ; and although they defended them- selves with desperate courage from the ruins of a stone house, to which they had retreated, yet they were all destroyed. Felt was much lamented ; he was a useful and enterprising man, and had been more active against the Indians than any other in this vicinity. He left a family, who moved to Chelsea, in which neighbourhood his
descendants are yet living. His wife was a daughter of Jane Mac- worth, by whom he had three sons, George, Samuel and Jonathan2.
As soon as news of the commencement of hostilities reached the government of Massachusetts, measures were taken to afford protec- tion and assistance to the inhabitants. 130 English and 40 friendly Indians were despatched under the command of captains Hawthorn, Sill and Hunting, who were to be joined with such forces as could be raised in the province. They proceeded by the coast to Falmouth,
1Now called Peak's island. This unfortunate event is referred to in Martyn's letter, ante. p. 146, note.
?The father of George Felt sen'r, was born in 1601: he lived in North-Yarmouth.
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where the head-quarters of the enemy were supposed to be. They arrived at Casco bay Sept. 20, and although every plantation west of it had suffered depredations from the enemy, they met with but · two Indians on their march. One they killed and the other escaped at Falmouth to Back Cove and gave notice of the approach of the forces to his comrades, who had been heard a short time before threshing in Anthony Brackett's barn. They were thus enabled to escape. This expedition produced no permanent advantage ; wherever the troops appeared, the enemy fled from their presence, and nothing could be found of them but the desolation which they left behind. They left this part of the country in the beginning of October, and about a week afterwards, the Indians rallied their forces 100 strong, and Oct. 12, made an assault upon Black Point. The inhabitants had collected in the garrison of Henry Jocelyn ; who endeavored to negotiate a treaty with Mugg, for their safe retreat. When he returned from this service to the garrison he found the inhabitants had fled to their boats and carried their property with them, leaving Jocelyn alone with his family and servants ; he was consequently obliged to surrender at discretion1.
1 Mr. Farmer has favoured me with the following document. "A list of the inhabitants at Black Point Garrison Oct. 12 1676.
In ye Garison
In ye hut's wth out ye Garison but joining to it
Daniel Moore John Tenney Henry Brookin Nathaniell Willett Charles Browne Edward ffairfield Hampton & Salisbury Living thre muskett Robert Edgecome shott from ye garison Henry Elkins John Ashden John Warrick Goodman Luscome
soldiers. ffrancis Sholet Anthony Roe Thomas Bickford Robert Tydey Richard Moore James Lybbey John Lybbey
· Anthony Lybbey Samuel Lybbey George Taylor James Ogleby Dunken Chessom William Sheldon John Vickers Rrd. Bassen Ro'rt Eliott ffrancis White Richard Honeywell John Howell
Living muskett shott Ralphe Heison
from ye Garison Mathew Heyson Joseph Oliver Chris'r Edgecome John Edgecome Michael Edgecome
Tymothy Collins Andrew Broune sen. Andrew Broune John Broune Joseph Broune Ambrose Bouden Constable Tho. Cuming John Herman
Sam'l Oakınan sen. John Elson Peter Ilinkson Ricd. Willin John Symsou Tho. Cleaueley John Cooke R'rd Burroughs
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They next proceeded to Richmond's island ; a vessel was lying here belonging to Mr. Fryer, of Portsmouth, which had been sent, by the solicitation of Walter Gendall, to preserve the property upon the island. While they were engaged in this duty, they were attacked by a multitude of the enemy. Owing to the unfavourable state of the wind, they were unable to get their vessel out of the harbour ; the enemy seized this advantage and proceeded to cut the cable of the vessel, while part of them stood ready to shoot down every man who appeared on her deck to render any assistance. Under these circumstances the vessel was driven on shore, and the crew, con- sisting of eleven persons, were taken prisoners. Among them was James Fryer, son of the owner, a respectable young man of Ports- mouth, who afterwards died of wounds received in that engagement ; also Walter Gendall, who became of service to the enemy as inter- preter and messenger.
The affair at Richmond's island was the last in Falmouth, during the war, and the war here may be said to have ceased for want of- victims. Mugg, who had led the Indians in the two last attacks, seemed now to be desirous of peace, and for that purpose went to Portsmouth on the first of November, carrying James Fryer and offered to enter into a treaty. The commanding officer there, not being authorized to negotiate, sent him to Boston, where on the 6th of November, articles of pacification were entered into with the Government, by Mugg, in behalf of Madockawando and Cheber- rina, Sachems of Penobscot. Mugg, as a pledge of his fidelity, consented to remain a hostage until the property and captives were restored.
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