USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Sheepscot > The history of ancient Sheepscot and Newcastle [Me.] including early Pemaquid, Damariscotta, and other contiguous places, from the earliest discovery to the present time, together with the genealogy of more than four hundred families; > Part 36
USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Newcastle > The history of ancient Sheepscot and Newcastle [Me.] including early Pemaquid, Damariscotta, and other contiguous places, from the earliest discovery to the present time, together with the genealogy of more than four hundred families; > Part 36
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Objections have been taken to this view of the subject. 1. Because Strachey calls this river the Sagadahock which Capt. Waymouth entered. But Rasle who was settled among the Indians at Norridgewock, as their spiritual teacher in 1691, and who understood the Indian language better than any other European of his day, and who wrote a Dictionary of that language, says, that the term Sagada- hock means "the mouth of a river"-not the river itself- but "the mouth of a river," any river. If this was so (and he undoubtedly knew, and it would be a difficult thing, at this late day, to correct him) then the English when they came here and settled, chose their habitation at Sagada- hock, the mouth of the river Kennebec. And when I was a boy, the aged people used to tell me, that this term was applied, not to the whole river by the English, but to that part of it which extends from the Chopps to the mouth, and that was all. But the English now, and the Indians have ever called this river the Kennebec. The name as spelt by Rasle and the earliest writers, was Kennebeag- changed by the English to Kennebec, precisely as Arro- seag was changed to Arrowsic, Whiskeag to Whisgig, Monseag to Mount Sweague, and other like cases.
Strachey says that they went up the river sixty miles. This was undoubtedly an error unless he was describing a trip up the Penobscot in the boat which they built, instead of the Kennebec ; for sixty miles would have carried them up above Waterville, whereas the tide only flows as far as Hallowell forty miles from the sea, and the Falls at Augusta entirely stops river navigation from ascending upwards, except in skiffs and the smaller boats ; but sailing vessels cannot go any higher.
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APPENDIX.
2. Another objection made to this theory is, that Anas- son, the Indian Chieftain, told Capt. Champlain, when he was at the mouth of the Kennebec, on his voyage there, that Capt Waymouth had been at that place. Now, I do not understand the narrator in any such manner. He relates, that on the 29th of July he arrived there ; and "he told us there was a vessel six leagues from the harbor which had been engaged in fishing, and the people on board had killed five savages of this river under the pre- tense of friendship, and according to his description," says Champlain, "we judge them to be English, and named the island where they were, "Le Nof" the ship, because it had that appearance." This ship if it was Waymouth's, as it is generally supposed to be, was not on the Kennebec, but at an island six leagues to the east of it.
3. It has also been said that the historians all favor the Kennebec theory. But Rosier, the earliest historian, places it three leagues inside of Monhegan, among islands, and in range with the highlands which lay in a northerly direction. And Strachey, the second historian, places it among islands four leagues East of Pemaquid. And Champlain, the third historian, on the testimony of Anasson the Indian Chief- tain, places it on an island six leagues to the East of the Kennebec. Belknap says : "The harbor where he," Way- mouth, "lay with his ship and named Pentecost Harbor, is what is now called George's Island Harbor which bears North from Monhegan ; about two leagues ; which harbor and islands agree with his description, I think, tolerably well, and the name George's Islands serve to confirm it."
Holmes in his American Annals, says : "Within three leagues of this island," which he first discovered, "he came to a harbor which he named Pentecost Harbor ; then sailed up a great river forty miles." And then in a note he adds : "Belknap in his first volume of American Biography, says, this great river is supposed to be either the Penobscot or the Kennebec ; but before the publication of his second
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APPENDIX.
volume, he had satisfied himself after careful examination, that it was the Penobscot." And Purchas says, "Way- month discovered three score miles up a most excellent river." This sailing distance would apply to the Penobscot, but not to the Kennebec. Hubbard follows these other writers in placing Pentecost Harbor among the George's Islands. Williamson says "he named-the place," he arrived at "Pentecost Harbor, now George's Island Har- ยท bor, a well known haven at the mouth of the St. George's river." And still farther he adds, "The discovery of a great bay and river, the Penobscot, diverted their atten- tion from a trade with the Indians for five or six days ; which were passed in exploring these waters and the con- tiguous lands."
PETITION FOR THE INCORPORATION OF WHITE- HAVEN.
"To the Honorable Spencer Phipps, Esq., Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Honorable His Majesty's Council and House of Representatives of ye Province of Massachusetts Bay, In General Court Assem- bled at Boston, by Prorogation to the 22d day of March, 1749.
"The Humble Petition of us the Subscribers &c. A Num- ber of Inhabitants to the Number of about fifty Familys, who have been for fourteen or fifteen years last Past bring- ing forward a Settlement at a place called Whiscassitt, to ye Eastward of Georgetown within the County of York and whereas we find by sad Experience that we in the Sir- cumstances that we are in, and for want of our being Erected Into a Township and being Invested with the Powers and Privileges that other of his Majesty's Good Subjects do Injoy, Cannot orderly Procede to the Calling and Seteling and Supporting a Gospel Minister, employing and Men- taining a School Master for the teaching our Children and many other Ill conveniences not necessary to be mentioned
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APPENDIX.
to your Honors, you well knowing what People meet with when order and Government is wanting. This therefore waits on your Honors to pray you to take ye Premises into your wise consideration, and if it may be agreeable to your pleasures that you would be pleased to erect us into a Town or otherwise as you shall think fit, and Invest us with the Powers and Privileges as other of his Majesty's good sub- jects do Injoy In the like case. May it please your Honors -Whereas we settled under a number of Proprietors where- of Sir William Pepperell Baronite is one Known by the name of ye Whiskassit Proprietors, and in order to Institute their claim within ye said Town or Presinet which we Pray may be called by the name of Whitehaven, this we would humbly propose the bounds thereof be started and de- scribed after ye following manner, viz : Beginning at a place known by ye name of Sheepscot Narrows, thence running North West five miles then running three miles and a half South West, then running by Georgetown Eastern line until it comes to the sea. Then beginning at Sheepscot Narrows aforesaid and running South East two miles then South three miles, from thence South West until it comes to the Sea. Taking In Jeremy Squam or Long Island with all other small Islands that may fall within ye said bounds. So may it please your Honours we have taken leve to Pro- pose and wait your pleasures as In duty bound shall ever pray &e."
(Signed)
Jonha Williamson.
Francis Gray.
Joseph Young, jr.
David Danford.
Isaac Young.
John Baker.
Elisha Kenny.
Joshua Silvester.
Robert Huper. Jacob Metcalf.
Moses Gray.
George Gray.
Thomas Young.
Joseph Taylor.
Richard Holbrook.
William Hilton.
Obediah Albee.
Jonathan Howard.
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APPENDIX.
Michall Seavy.
Joseph Young.
Robert Lambert.
Ebenezer Gove.
Sharabiah Lambert.
John Gray.
Abraham Preble.
William Bovinton.
Andrew Bowman.
Henry Slooman.
Calel, Boyinton.
Aaron Abbott.
James Nelson.
James Parsons.
Robert Fay.
Ambrose Colby.
Samuel Trask.
Ruggles Colby.
John Rowell.
Timothy Dunton.
Benjamin Colby.
Jonathan Blackledge.
H. Rundlett. James Gray.
Joseph Welch.
This petition and also the one which succeeds relating to the incorporation of Sheepscot, was taken from the State Records in Massachusetts and kindly forwarded to me by John F. Pratt, M. D. of Chelsea, Mass., and is, together with the other, inserted for the sake of its antiq- unity and to show who were the inhabitants at that time at the place then called "Whiscassitt," and also at Sheepscot. The boundaries of the proposed town are easily traced ;- from Sheepscot Narrows northwest five miles-thence run- ning three miles and a half southwest-thence running by the eastern line of Georgetown, till it reaches the ocean. Then beginning at Sheepscot Narrows aforesaid and run- ning southeast two miles- thence south three miles-thence southwest until it comes to the sea, including Jeremy Squam or Long Island, now Westport, and such other islands as were included within this proposed boundary. On the back of this petition, the following was recorded : "In the House of Representatives, April 9, 1750. Read and ordered that the Prayer of the Petitioners be granted and Colonel Storer have leave to bring in a bill accordingly. Attest :
ROLAND COTTON, Clerk."
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APPENDIX.
PETITION FOR THE INCORPORATION OF SHEEP- SCOT.
"To the Honourable Spencer Phipps, Lieut. Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over his Majesty's Prov- ince of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, and to the Honourable Council and to the House of Representa- tives of General Court assembled Joyntly and Severally-
The Petition of us the Inhabitants of Sheepscot River Humbly Sheweth-The great Difficulty that we labors under for want of being Incorporated Into town order which is in a great measure a means very prejudicial to our settlement and we having experienced the great Dam- age of not being Numberous to our lot ware with the Indian enemy is the Caus to stir us up now to give your Honor this trouble-neither can we expect to be settled before we are put in to a Capacity to settle a Minister and have the benefit of the province Jaws to raise Money to suport him neither can we under our present Sircomstances oblige people to yoake their hoggs or fetter their horses that run at large upon the Common Make highways or Bridges or regullar their fences so as that we may live peaceably and comfortabley together-those things men- tioned and severall others which we labour under for want of being incorporated and put Into Town order is so dis- couraging that we canot expect to grow numberous for there is hardly such a thing can be expected-that any thinking people will com and Settle with us under our present sir- cumstances for we cannot oblidge any man to doe any- thing of those above mentioned but what is right in his own eye so your Honour is soficient Judge of the difficulty we labour under for want of being into town order. We Pray that your honours would be to take our case into your wise consideration and in your great Wisdom in Cor- porate us in to a town order by Granting to us to be in Corporated-beginning at the Narrows or at Mose point that is on Sheepscot River betwixt Witchcasset Bay and
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APPENDIX.
Sheepscot and so upward eight Miles or as far as the tid flows up Sheepscot river with four miles on each side of the river and we your petitioners as In duty bound shall ever pray. Dated at Sheepscot May 25th, 1750."
(Signed)
"William Clark.
John Mayors.
James Clark, Jr.
Alexander Mayors.
Wm. Ross.
Alexander Nickels.
James Kennedy.
James Austin.
James Blake.
William Kennedy.
Robert Grele.
Robert Hodge.
John McNear.
Samuel Burns.
William Hopkins.
James Hodge.
James Anderson.
John Cunningham.
David Hopkins.
James Cunningham. William Kennedy.
Joseph Henderson.
Samuel Anderson.
Henry Little.
Samuel Nickels.
Alexander Nickels, Jr.
Joseph Boyd.
John Ballantine.
David Given.
James Clark.
James Given.
Robert Cothran.
James Hodge.
Timothy Wood.
Henry Hodge.
Samuel Kennedy __
James Nickels.
William McLelland.
Petter Petterson.
William Cunningham.
John Petterson.
William Hodge.
William Cothran.
John Cunningham, Jr."
This petition asks for a tract eight miles square. It starts from Sheepscot Narrows and runs north up the river eight miles, and then a tract four miles wide on each side of this line ; and the township was to lie the next north of the one just asked for which was to include "Wichcasset" and so on to the sea, and which the inhabitants wished to have named Whitehaven.
"The Committee to whom was refered the Petition of Alexander Nickels and others, Do Report as follows :
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APPENDIX.
That the Petition be so far granted as that the land here- after Delineated and Described with the Inhabitants dwelling therein be Erected Into a District and Separate Township and that a Bill be brought In for that purpose -Beginning at the North East Corner of Wicheasset then running Westerly in Wicheasset line Eight miles then North East by North six Miles then Easterly in a line with Wicheasset head or Northerly line Eight miles and from thence to the first mentioned Corner.
All is Humbly Submitted
pr Order of Thomas Clapp
Accepted and the Committee are directed to bring in a bill accordingly."
This movement was opposed and it failed as is seen in the following document.
"To the Honourable Spencer Phipps Lient Governonr and Commander-In-Chief In and over His Majesty's Prov- ince of Massachusetts Bay, the Honourable His Majesty's Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Boston this 5th day of Oet 1750.
"Samuel Whittemore of Cambridge in said Province, Gent and Israel Averell of Sheepscot for and in behalf of themselves and others the Proprietors and Inhabitants of the West side of Sheepscot River in the County of York Humbly Sheweth That they have just been informed that there is filed in your Honourable Court a Petition or Memorial of one Alexander Nickels and others Inhabitants of the East side of Sheepscot River aforesaid praying-for certain reasons therein mentioned that they may be Ineor- porated Into Town order. The Granting of which Peti- tion your Memorialists consider will be very prejudicial and therefore Humbly Pray your Honor and Honours that before any # # # are had thereon they may be ad- mitted to show cause in Honoured Court why the prayer should not be granted and as in Duty Bound shall ever Pray.
(Signed.)
Samuel Whittemore,
Israel Averell."
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APPENDIX.
This petition apppears to have been unsuccessful ; for in 1753 Newcastle with its present boundaries was incorpor- ated and in 1760 Pownalborough was incorporated which included the present towns of Wiscasset, Alna, Dresden and Swan Island. It was called Pownalborough and was the shire town of the County till 1794 when it was divided into the present townships, though for a time Alna had the name of New Milford. Freetown was the name given to the locality which in 1774 was incorporated into the town of Edgecomb.
Through the kindness of Dr. J. F. Pratt of Chelsea, Mass., I have also on hand other petitions relating to the incorporation of Newcastle, Wiscasset and Woolwich, together with remonstrances ; but as they are gotten up in the same style as those already inserted, it seems hardly necessary that any more space in my history should be occupied by matter of this kind. Dr. Pratt and all others who have helped me in the publishing of my book, will please to accept my thanks for the assistance which they have cheerfully afforded me whether it be by subscriptions or matter furnished for my work.
THE AUTHOR.
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