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 18
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: 1 After the destruction of the town in August of this year, he was sent with supplies for the inhabitants and troops from Boston.
171
Death of Munjoy.
named Huldah. Mary married John Palmer1, who lived here after the war, George jr. died in Braintree in 1698, leaving a son and two daughters ; the son died without issue, as did also the other sons of the elder George. The name is extinct in this country, and no monument remains to perpetuate the name of Munjoy, but the hill in this town, on which he first fixed his residence2. An inventory of his estate was returned in 1685 by Anthony Brackett and William Rogers, described and valued as follows : a tract of land at Capisick, £30; one tract of land bought of Thomas Brackett3, £20 ; a tract. of land lying at Long creek with the marsh to it, £110 ; an island , called House island, £30 ; a tract of land at Piscataqua, £40; an island called Bastine's island, £20 ; a tract of land on the other side of Ammoncongan river, £20. There was also an inventory of debts amounting to £70.
Munjoy's youngest children, Pelatiah and Hepzibah, in 1686 nominated guardians for themselves ; Pelatiah selected his brother in law, John Palmer, and Hepzibah her father in law, Robert Law- rence. The widow married Robert Lawrence, and after his death in 1690, Stephen Cross, of Boston ; she died at that place in 1705.
Lawrence improved the farm at Ammoncongan for several years until the second war. The following extract from an ancient deposi- tion will explain the manner of conducting the business. "The deponent4 further saith that he also remembers the said George and Mary Munjoy having a house and some improvements on the south- west side of Ammoncongan, in the great river Presumpscot, where the said Munjoy and his servants used to go in planting and reaping times, and often at other times, where they usually tarried about a
'There appear to have been about this time three persons in Maine bearing the name of John Palmer, one married Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of Andrew Alger, and lived in Scarborough in 1676. Another married the eldest daughter of Munjoy, and was living in Falmouth between 1680 and 1690, the third was com- missioner in 1686 in the Duke of York's province east of Kennebeck, and was a counsellor of Gov. Andross. Whether these were three distinct persons or not, I am unable to say. It is very clear that the commissioner was a different person from either of the others.
2This hill is commonly called Mount Joy ; the family name was sometimes in later days written Mountjoy ; but the true mode as invariably used by the head of . the family, who wrote a beautiful hand, was Munjoy, which is the proper name of the hill.
"This was 50 acres extending from Deering's bridge up the south side of the creek toward the alms-house, which was conveyed to Brackett by his mother in law Mitton in 1667.
4Elisha Corney, of Gloucester, 1742, " aged upwards of 73."
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History of Portland.
week at a time ; and this deponent further saith that the house last mentioned was opposite to part of the said Munjoy's planting ground on the north-east side of the river Ammoncongan, where this depo- nent saith the said Munjoy had a very large tract, which said Mun- joy, to this deponent's certain knowledge, improved many years, sowing peas and wheat without interruption, and this deponent has ever heard his right esteemed by all old proprietors, a very good one. He has often seen Munjoy's servants at work, and said Mun- joy's oxen ploughing on said tract on the north-east side of Ammon- congan, and he never heard of any body else improving on the north- east side until after Munjoy's death ; after which, Mr. Lawrence improved for several years the land on the north-east side, and lived on the south-west side in the manner Mr. Munjoy did, and said Lawrence rebuilt the house on the south-west side after it was burnt by the Indians, and he has often seen said Lawrence and his ser- vants ploughing and sowing the land on the north-east side of Am- moncongan, and making more improvements than Mr. Munjoy had done, and he made considerable improvements before and at the time President Danforth resettled the town and some years after, until his being drove off by the Indians."
In Sept. 1681, Richard Seacomb was licensed to keep an ordi- nary in Falmouth. The order of court is as follows : " In answer to the desire of the selectmen of Casco in Mr. Seacomb's behalf for license to keep an ordinary there, the court considering the neces- sity thereto do grant a liberty and license to be granted unto said Seacomb to keep a public house of entertainment for said town for the year ensuing ; he providing for it as the place requires by suita- ble accommodations for strangers or others, of drink, victuals, and keeping good order and rule by his retailing strong drinks, to ye performance whereof Wm. Rogers with said Seacomb stand equally bound in a bond of 20s."
This is the earliest notice that we find relating to the establish- ment of a public house here, and it is probably the first of the kind that was opened. Munjoy, nearly 20 years before, had been licensed to retail strong liquors, but that doubtless was as a trader. The inter- course with the town before this period was so limited and the hab- itations so scattered, that a tavern was neither needed nor could be supported.
,
173
Death of Mrs. Harvey and Lewis.
Seacomb's house was near the town landing place, a few rods east of King-street. In May 1682 he was fined 50s. for selling liquors to the Indians. Seacomb came from the west of England and set- tled at Lynn as early as 1660 ; his children were Noah, Richard and Susannah. There was also here at the same time a John Seacomb, who joined Richard in 1683 in a conveyance of land near Barberry- Creek. Richard was constable in 1684, and was sometime a select- man : he purchased of George Lewis's children the land at Back Cove which had belonged to their father, on which he subsequently lived ; the neck extending down to Back Cove bridge, was called from him Seacomb's Neck, which name it still retains ; he died in 16941. His son Richard lived in Portsmouth, R. I. in 1715.
John and Isaac Jones, of Charlestown, probably came here in 1681 ; in November of that year Thomas Cloice and Susannah his wife sold to them a tract of land on the Presumpscot river, formerly conveyed to them by their father, John Cloice, " with the new dwelling-house and barn." This was the homestead of John Cloice before the war. John Jones lived on the Neck west side of King street.
We find this year a conveyance in Wells from Thomas Mills to his sons in law John and Nathaniel Cloice ; Peter Cloice was living there before ; these persons were probably the sons of John Cloice, formerly of this town, and it may be inferred that after the flight from Falmouth, they established themselves in that place.
In 1682 died Elizabeth Harvey, the only daughter of George Cleeves. She came from England with her father probably in 1637, and was either then or soon after married to Michael Mitton. She was the last survivor of the first settlers, and had been through scenes of great suffering and sorrow. She had buried two husbands and three adult children, one of whom, her only son, was killed by the Indians, and the lives of two of her daughters, the wives of the Bracketts, were probably shortened by their captivity. Two daughters only survived her, Elizabeth, the wife of Thaddeus Clarke, and Martha, the wife of John Graves, neither of whom, that we are aware of, has posterity now residing here. The descendants of her daugh-
'Farmer's Reg. The name Seacomb's Neck is not in general use, but it is not obsolete, it is mentioned in the act incorporating the Proprietors of Back Cove bridge in 179.1.
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History of Portland.
. ter Mary, the wife of Thomas Brackett, are numerous among us. Mrs. Harvey had seen the town which on her first visit, was an entangled forest, inhabited by wild beasts and savages, become the seat of civilization and prosperity, and holding forth the promises of future greatness.
About the same time died also George Lewis of Back Cove. In July 1683, the following deposition relating to him and his family was given : " Nathaniel Wallis' aged 52 or thereabouts testifies that sometime before the first Indian war began, I being at George Lewis' house, said Lewis showed me his will and this deponent heard said Lewis' will read and there was in the will that his two sons should have twelve pence a piece, but for his land he had given it to his three youngest daughters and all his goods, and said Wallis asked said Lewis why he gave his land to his daughters, said Lewis replied he had given his sons enough already -- before Anto. Brackett com'r."
Lewis's sons were John and Philip, he had four daughters, Ann married to James Ross, a shoemaker, Susannah to Thomas Cloice, Mary first to Thomas Skillings, second Jotham Lewis and third to Wilkins ; she was born at Falmouth 1654, and was living in Salem 1732 ; the fourth daughter Hannah, married James Darling. John sold 100 acres in Back Cove to Nathaniel Wallis in 1674 ; he con- tinued to live here until the commencement of the Indian war, but we do not find him mentioned afterwards, his wife's name was Ellinor. George, as we have before intimated, was probably the son of George Lewis, freeman in Scituate, Plymouth colony 1636.
George Burroughs returned to the ministry here in 1683. The first notice of his return that we find, is in June of that year, when at the request of the town he relinquished 170 acres of land which had been granted to 'him previous to the war. In their application for this purpose they offered to give him 100 acres " further off," for the quantity relinquished, but Burroughs replied " as for the land already taken away, we were welcome to it, and if 20 acres of the 50 above expressed would pleasure us, he freely gave it to us, not desiring any land any where else, nor any thing else in consideration thereof."
This disinterestedness places the character of Mr. Burroughs in a very amiable light, which nothing can be found during the whole
'Nathaniel Wallis was the nearest neighbour of Lewis ; he bought of John Lewis the adjoining farm.
175
Rev. George Burroughs.
course of his ministry here to impair. The large quantity of land which he relinquished was situated upon the Neck, which was then daily becoming more valuable by the location of the town upon it. All this, except 30 acres, he freely returned without accepting the consideration offered by the town.
The unhappy catastrophy, which terminated the life and usefulness of Mr. Burroughs, has cast a shade upon many facts relating to him, which it would be interesting to us to know. We have no means of ascertaining whether he was regularly settled and had gathered a church here or not ; we have however sufficient authority for assert- ing that he preached to our predecessors a longer period than any other person prior to the Rev. Mr. Smith. We must be understood to except from this remark the Rev. Robert Jordan, who lived in town, occasionally preaching and administering the ordinances under the episcopal form, for 36 years, except when " silenced" by the government of Mass.
There has nothing survived Mr. Burroughs either in his living or dying that casts any reproach upon his character, and although he died the victim of a fanaticism as wicked and stupid as any which has ever been countenanced in civilized society, and which for a time prejudiced his memory, yet his reputation stands redeemed in a more enlightened age from any blemish.
In November 1680, he was employed to preach in Salem village, now Danvers, on a salary of £60 a year, one third in money and two thirds in provisions at the following rates, viz. rye, barley and malt at 3s. a bushel, corn 2s. beef 1 1-2d. a pound, pork 2d. and butter 6d'. He continued there probably until 1683, when in May, Mr. Lawson was invited to preach to them ; from Salem, it may be supposed that he came directly here. A work entitled " European settlements in America," in speaking of Mr. Burroughs as a victim of the Salem witchcraft says, " that he was a gentleman who had formerly been minister of Salem ; but upon some of the religious disputes which divided the country he differed from his flock and left them." Mather in his " Wonders of the invisible World," countenances this idea, he says, " he had removed from Salem village in ill terms some years before."
He was tried for witchcraft in Salem May 8, 1692, and condemned upon testimony which nothing but the most highly wrought infatua-
1 Annals of Salem, p. 268.
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History of Portland.
tion could for a moment have ' endured. His great strength and activity for which he had been remarkable from his youth, were enlisted against him, as having been derived from the prince of evil ; it was in evidence that he had lifted a barrel of molasses by putting his fingers in the bung-hole, and carried it round him, that he had held a gun more than 7 feet long, at arms length with one hand', and performed other surprising feats above the power of humanity. Some evidence was also exhibited against his moral character, in relation to his treatment of his wives and children, but the source from which it proceeded renders it unworthy of credit. He was executed on the 19th of Aug. 1692. The writer before quoted, on this case says, " Yet by those judges, upon that evidence, and the verdict founded upon it, this minister, a man of a most unexceptionable character, was sentenced to die, and accordingly hanged." He had been three times married, his third wife was the daughter of Thomas Ruck, who survived him. His children were George who lived in Ipswich, Jeremiah who was insane, Rebecca married a Tolman of Boston, Hannah married one Fox and lived near Barton's point, in Boston, Elizabeth married Peter Thomas of Boston, and Mary married to a man in Attleborough. George and Thomas Burroughs of Newburyport, the former a tanner, conveyed to N. Winslow in 1774, the right of George Burroughs in proprietary land in Falmouth ?. These were probably descendants of our minister3.
"This gun is said now to be in the museum of Fryeburg Academy, but upon what evidence we do not know. For further particulars of this interesting case, Calef's " Salem witchcraft" and Sullivan's history may be consulted.
2Cumberland Registry of Deeds.
3Bentley in his history of Salem published in the Collections of the Mass. His. Soc. says, that Burroughs was about 4 score years old at the time of his death. But strong circumstances oppose this statement ; his great strength, his going to a new country to preach, the entire want of evidence relative to him previous to the facts which we have noticed, lead us to the conclusion that he was the graduate whose name stands in Harvard Catalogue for the year 1670, and consequently a much younger man than Bentley supposed. Upham's lectures on witchcraft which have just issued from the press, confirms the favorable opinion above ex- pressed of Mr. Burroughs.
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177
Fort Loyal.
CHAPTER 9 .- 1681-1689.
Fort Loyal, saw-mills taxed for its support-Deed of Falmouth to Trustees-Government of Andross, new patents for land required -French emigrants-Roads and ferries-Business of the town 'and its internal condition- Quarrel between Lawrence and Davis.
As soon as the inhabitants were quietly settled upon their posses- sions, it became an object of deep interest with them, in which the government also partook, to provide for the security of the settle- ment. It was in some degree a frontier post, and the safety of all the plantations in the province depended upon its preservation. The General Assembly in 1681, made application to the General Court of Massachusetts to make further provision for its security. In answer to this petition the court granted that in case of a defensive war, the whole revenue accruing to the chief proprietor should be appropriated for the safety of the inhabitants. And " that the annual revenue arising by the trade with the Indians shall be allowed toward the maintenance of Fort Loyal. The appointment of the captain as well as the other militia being still reserved as the charter appoints, in the power of the chief proprietor. Further it is ordered that the arrears of the Capt. and garrison at fort Loyal be forthwith passed by the President to the Treasurer for payment." This order was laid before the council of the Province, who authorized the Treasurer, Capt. Hooke, of Saco, to pay Capt. Tyng his salary as commander of fort Loyal, at the rate of £60 per ann. for himself and servant, till May following, and to furnish necessary supplies for the garrison. They also ordered six men to be raised for the present supply of the garrison, 2 from Kittery, 1 from each of the towns of York, Wells and Falmouth, and 1 from Saco, Scarboro', and Cape Porpus. In pursuance of the grant of revenue arising from the Indian trade, Walter Gendall, the Indian agent, was called upon to pay to the treasurer " £20 or as much as he has." The whole garrison con- sisted of 13 men, part of whom were supported by Massachusetts1.
" From the Gen. Court files, May 31, 1681.
" Maj. Pinchon, Maj. Savage and Mr. Nowell are nominated by the magistrates to be a Com. to joyn with some of our Breth. the Dep. to inquire concerning the present state of ye Province of Maine and ye settlement of Fort Loyal and to con-
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, 178
History of Portland.
At the same session it was ordered that "for the better settling and preserving of order and peace in our eastern towns of Saco, Scarboro', Falmouth and North Yarmouth, that these towns do chose in each place one commissioner for ending small causes, civil and criminal, who being first sworn by Capt. Scottow or by some other in authority either Capt. Tyng or who nearest to them, have liberty and power, with any one of the justices of this Province to hear and determine any action (without a jury) or case not exceed- ing £10. and punish with ten stripes at their discretion."
The next year, 1682, a further provision was made for the sup- port of fort Loyal and a tax was laid upon the saw mills in the province for the purpose. The following document will exhibit the number of mills and the amount of the tax. " In answer to an act and order of the council made the last court of sessions. at Wells, the 12th of April 1682, viz. Major John Davess Dep. Pres. Capt.
sider what is farther necessary to be done for the maintainance thereof and to pre- sent ye same to ye Court in ye afternoon.
The magistrates have past this order our brethren the Deputies consenting. J. DUDLEY, per order.
The Deputies have chosen Maj. Pike Capt. Sprague, Capt. Waite and Lt. Johnson to joyne
with our hon. magistrates to be a Committee as in the above bill May 31. 1681. ELISHA HUTCHINSON Speaker.
The returne of the Committee appointed by the Gen. Court to enquire into the the state of the Province of Mayne and what was further needfull to be done for the settlement of Fort Loyal and the maintainance thereof
1. For the province itself we cannot as yet by any enquiry satisfy ourselves so as to give information to the Court what it may produce.
2. For the Fort we apprehend needful that it should be continued or defended both for the securing of the people in those parts against the Indians and any bad neighbours and also from the encouragement that people take from it to replant themselves there.
3. In order to the maintaining or defence of that fort and place we judge there cannot well be less than 13 men viz. a Capt. a Serj. a Gunner, and 10 private soldiers.
4. We are informed that the people of that Province are so sensible of the ben- efit to themselves that they are willing to maintain 6 private soldiers.
5. The remainder of the charge for the captain's salary, Serj. Gunner, and 4 soldiers with a magazine will amount to £400 per annum country pay.
6. We hope something to ease this burthen may be raised out of the Beaver trade and from the saw mills and some other ways, which may in a little time wholly ease this Colony of the present burthen.
JNO. PYNCHON in ye name of ye Committee.
The Deputies have perused this returne of
the Committee and doe approve of it and order that Fort Loyal bee maintained at ye charge of this Colony provided ye Province maintaine 6 soldiers and the Hon. President is desired to take care yt it be maintained with as little charge as may be. Past by the Deputies, our hon. magistrates consenting 1 June 1681.
ELISHA HUTCHINSON Speaker.
1
Fort Loyal, tar on Mills. 179
John Wincoll, Mr. Samuel Wheelwright, Mr. Francis Hooke, Capt. Charles Frost, and Edward Rishworth, recorder, Justices.
" The Trustees or Representatives,
" Major Nicholas Shapleigh, Left. Abra. Preble, Wm. Hammond, John Puddington, John Harmon, Mr. Benjamin Blackman and Left. Anthony Brackett.
" An agreement made with Left. Brackett about keeping fort Loyal for the term of a year's time, beginning the 24th of May next ensuing, 1682. Province of Maine. It is hereby mutually agreed and concluded by the council and the representatives of the several towns now assembled at York, on the one party and Left. Anthony Brackett on the other party, of Casco. That for the present and more easy carrying on and settling of fort Loyal that said Left. Brackett stands engaged from the time above mentioned to be the sole officer taking the charge and care of fort Loyal by continual watch and ward to keep it as a fort ought to be kept, with all neces- sary supplies of men, six efficient men constantly during the summer season and four men in the winter, with sufficient arms, ammunition and provisions and whatever else shall be needful for that service for the term of one whole year. In consideration of said Anthony Brackett his performance of the premisses, the council and the rep- resentatives in the behalf of this province do promise and stand engaged in the province behalf to pay or cause to be paid unto said Anthony Brackett or his order, the just sum of £160 in money or pay equivalent. In order to the performance of this agreement to Left. Brackett of £160, we have calculated the value of the mills in several towns arising by an indifferent proportion as follows, boards at 30s. per M.
Mills at Kittery.
Wells Mills.
Mr. Hutchinson's £10.
Salmon Falls 10.
.
Jos. Littlefield's
Humphrey Chadbourn's 4.
Wm. Frost's 1
Major Shapleigh's 1.10.
Mousum Mill 6
Kennebunk Mill
4
£25.10.
£17
York Mills.
Cape Porpus.
Mary Sayward's
£5.
Phanea Hull's £2
Cape Nuttacke
1.10.
Gilbert Endicott's
1
£6.10. £3
N
Left. Littlefield's £4
.
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History of Portland.
Saco Mills.
Black Point.
Mr. Blackman's £4. Mr. Blackman's Mill £1
Thomas Doughty's 5.
£9.
Casco Mills.
Samuel Webber's £2.10. Walter Gendall's 6.
£8.10. Total is £70.10.
" A new addition of some other saw-mills to pay those rents as follows :
Casco Mill, Capt. Silvanus Davis', mill rent £4. Cape-Porpus Mills, John Barrett's 40s. John Batson's 30s. 3. 10. Wells, Jonathan Hammond's and Wm. Frost's mill, 4.
York mill, being John Sayward's mill 20s. 1.
Kittery Spruce mill, Mr. John Shapleigh 4. Quamphegan mill that is in Thomas Holmes' hands 6.
£22.10."
The whole number of saw-mills in the province appear by this table to have been 24, of which 6 were in Kittery, which then inclu- ded Elliott, Berwick and South Berwick. It appears that the lumber business was then carried on to a greater extent in that place than in any other in the province. Wells was next and Falmouth the third, if Gendall's mills may be included of which we have some doubt. They were either at the lower falls on Presumpscot river or on Royall's river in North-Yarmouth. Webber's mill was on Long creek, and Davis's at Capisic. There was also a grist - mill at Capisic, and in 1682, George Ingersoll built a grist mill at Barberry creek in Purpooduck. It can hardly be presumed that the falls on the Presumpscot, which had been improved before the war for mills, should now be entirely destitute, and as no others are mentioned, although North-Yarmouth was then existing as a town, it may reasonably be inferred that Gendall's mills were on those falls, more especially as North-Yarmouth could not be con- sidered as within the limits of Mass. at that time. If this conjecture be correct the mill rates in Falmouth amounted to £12. 101.
1Bartholomew Gedney of Salem, had a mill on Royall's river in North-Yar- mouth in 1680, which he afterwards sold to Gendall. A petition was made to the Gen. Court in 1680 for liberty to cut timber on 3000 acres in the vicinity to feed the mill. Mass. files. See also Gedney's petition 1687 to Andross for confirma- tion of his title. The mill rents were annually granted for the support of fort Loyal until the arrival of Andross.
C
181
Conveyance of Falmouth to Trustees.
The next year, 1683, the Gen. Assembly of the province on the petition of Henry Harwood discharged him from the command of the foot company in Falmouth and empowered " Capt. Anthony Brackett" to take charge of it : "requiring all the foot soldiers to obey him as their captain, till further order, and in case said Anthony Brackett accept not thereof, then Mr. Walter Gendall, or whom he shall appoint is hereby empowered to take the command of the foot company of Casco ; and all the soldiers therein are required to yield obedience to him or his order as their commander during the court's pleasure." Gendall is also authorized to take charge of fort Loyal, if Brackett declined the appointment. Harwood soon after this moved to Boston and sold his property here to Bozoun Allen of that place, a tanner.
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