USA > Maine > The history of the state of Maine; from its first discovery, A. D. 1602, to the separation, A. D. 1820, inclusive, Vol. II > Part 46
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But Jonathan Eddy, a native of Norton, in Massachusetts, Jonathan who had resided ten years in the immediate vicinity of Fort resentations. Eddy's rep- Cumberland, ¿ at the head of Chignecto bay, and was Sheriff of the County, represented to the General Court, that the garrison had been lessened from time to time, till the number remaining was only sufficient to take care of the artillery and military stores ; and that in his opinion it might be easily taken by a small force. Though he in fact received no aid nor direct encouragement; yet he returned and projected a plan for taking the fort. To ascer- tain its true condition, he sent Capt. Zebulon Rowe, who visited and thoroughly examined it without exciting suspicion. Eddy He takes a next had the address by persuasives, threats, and the promises of party at rewards, to raise about 150 men ; and with a competent number Hill and a Chepody vessel in the of them he proceeded to Chepody Hill, in the night time, and harbor.
* These were Nathaniel Wells of Wells; Daniel Ilsley of Falmouth and Dummer Sewall of Georgetown.
t See ante, A. D. 1759 .- 1 Haliburton, p. 219.
Į Eddy lived at Fort Lawrence, two miles south of Fort Cumberland .- See ante, A. D. 1755.
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A. D. 1776. took a Captain, a sergeant, and 14 men prisoners, without loss. The third night afterwards, he and a party of 25 men attacked a vessel of 100 tons as she lay aground, and made prize of her. She had on board 600 barrels of pork and beef, a ton of candles, 50 firkins of butter, 700 new blankets, and two hogsheads of rum, all intended for the garrison ;- a part of which however was retaken.
The fort.
Sept. 27. It was as- sailed by Eddy and his party.
The whole fort embraced about an acre of ground. Its in- trenchment was 50 feet in width-the slope 25 feet and the em- bankment within, eight feet in height-and the breadth on the top four feet. On the outside were pickets, and logs stretched along the declivity, which might be rolled down with the utmost ease, and with great violence, upon any assailants .* Collecting his whole force, inclusive of nine Indians belonging to St. John's river, he approached the fort, in a cloudy night, Sept. 27, by three parties ; one attempted to ascend the banks, by scaling ladders, while the others in different quarters made a furious as- sault. But Colonel Gorham, commander of the garrison, having been apprized of the design, and been reinforced, made a brave defence, killed several of the invaders, and completely repulsed the rest. Seldom is a defeat attended with more painful circum- stances. Those who had houses in the vicinity soon saw them in flames, and their families in the depths of distress. No other alternative remained to the unfortunate assailants, than for them either to surrender at discretion or flee the Province. If caught, their fate might be that of rebels or even traitors ; and therefore they left their families, and took their route along the north shore, across the river St. John at Fredericton, proceeding down the Schoodic, and thence to Machias. Here they successively ar- rived, half-naked and famished, having been in the woods twenty- five days. Their families, who remained behind through a winter of severe suffering, were brought away in the spring, under a flag of truce.t
Repulsed, they fled to Machias.
* There were in the fort a magazine and barracks ; and a vessel of 50 guns could safely ride into the adjoining harbor.
+ This account is from Ibrook Eddy, Esq. son of Jonathan Eddy, who was with the father in the siege and retreat. A company of these refu- gees, Jonathan Eddy being one, settled Eddington .- See A. D. 1785. Mr, Eddy, active, bold and patriotic, was a Colonel in the Revolution. He af- terwards was one of the petitioners for Eddington township, where he died in August, A. D. 1804, aged 78.
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To those who live in peaceful times, and pass their days in re- A. D. 1776. tirement and safety, it is too incredible to believe what sufferings The people. were endured and hazards encountered, by the brave men of this eventful period. Few people in any age have ever made greater efforts for the acquisition of social, political or religious enjoy- ments. But the flush of the first year's war had now subsided. The American people had to contend with a powerful and veteran army, under intrepid and experienced generals. The government was subject through the summer to perpetual alarms, and to solemn and repeated calls for protection, firearms, ammunition, clothing, provisions and other supplies. The people saw that the emergency was great and the war might be long. The General Court were Measures of the General actually in session the greater part of the year. They directed Court. a census to be taken by the selectmen, of all the males in their towns of sixteen years old and upwards, they laid a general em- bargo on all vessels, and designated sets of committees to procure different articles of clothing,* and to aid in effecting the levies. The minute-men were well organized ; and calls upon portions Minute- of them were frequent. About £150,000 were advanced this meus. year by order of the General Court for the defence of the State ;+-two-thirds of which being soon reimbursed by Congress, replenished the state-treasury and preserved the public credit. . ury. State-treas-
All the soldiers now in the army, having been enlisted directly Provisions by continental authority, expected their period of service would Continental expire with the present year. But men of military talents and 3 years or army, for experience, saw that troops must be raised for a longer period war. during the than one year ; otherwise small reliance could be placed on numbers, discipline or equipment. General Washington said,- " our cause is ruined, if you engage men only for a year. You "must not think of it. If we ever hope for success, we must " have men enlisted for the whole term of the war." Therefore, to prepare seasonably for the next campaign, Congress in Sep- tember, concluded to raise 70,000 ment upon the States, for the term of three years, or during the war ; of whom the quota as- signed to Massachusetts and Maine, was ultimately eighteen bat- talions, including one of artillery-equal in all to 13,000 men.
for raising a
* Of 5,000 blankets which the State called for in the autumn, the quota to York County was 212; to Cumberland 123; to Lincoln 89.
+ 2 Bradford's Mass. p. 124.
# Or ninety battalions.
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A. D. 1776. To raise and support so large an army, required the greatest ex- ertions. It was a time when the people needed all the encour- agements and supports, which an enthusiastic spirit of liberty, and the duties of self preservation could inspire-with the bless- ings which an approving Providence might be pleased to impart.
Legislative address.
The address of the General Court to the people was perti- nent :-- ' You have seen how the paths of the enemy are marked with blood. Our towns are ravished from us-our fields are plunder- ed or destroyed .- and we robbed of our richest enjoyments- the fruits of our fathers' wisdom and toil, by mercenaries, whom no laws can bind-nor the most sacred principles of humanity control. These States, the asylum of freedom and happiness, are now infested with a foe intent to rifle them of every privilege, that can render life a blessing. But you will long remember how the first inroads of a base invading soldiery upon our peace- ful homes, were encountered by a voluntary array, which put them to flight and to shame. Nor are we, as a people, called into the field to support principalities and crowns, but to defend the dear- est rights of men,-the gifts of heaven, consecrated by our fa- thers' blood .- You will cheerfully rise in arms to defend your country, your liberty, your wives, your children, and your pos- sessions, from rapine and ruin. Yes, we conjure you, by your holy religion, by your civil freedom and social happiness, to act with fortitude and vigor, at this crisis of affairs, so important to us all ; and your exertions will be blessed of God with that suc- cess, which belongs to the brave, to the wise, and the patriotic.'
Nov. 7. Warren in- It was at this interesting period, that WARREN,* Nov. 7, was corporated. established, being so named in honor of General Joseph Warren, who fell in the battle of Bunker Hill .- It was the first town in- corporated upon the St. George's river, which had now been settled forty years. About forty Irish and Scotch presbyterians, who had emigrated from the north of Ireland, to different parts of America, collected and entered into a contract, April 18, 1735, with General Waldo; by which he agreed to give them severally lots of 100 acres, extending back from the banks of the river be- tween the bend and the falls ; to build a meeting-house, make a road, and appropriate three lots for the ministry and a free school. In consideration whereof, each of them promised to clear four acres of land, build a dwellinghouse within eight months, and
* This is the 35th town in this State.
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live on his place three years. Thirty families removed upon A. D. 1776: their lots the next year ; the most of the men being tradesmen Warren. and unacquainted with husbandry. Waldo erected a grist-mill on Oyster river ; prosecuted the business of burning lime, com- menced in 1734 by him, imported provisions and necessaries for the settlers, which he exchanged with them for staves, bark and firewood ; and at length, built a meeting-house, on the western bank of the river, in the lower part of this town. One of the first born in the plantation was Thomas Starret, in A. D. 1737- 8 ;- subsequently an eminent citizen.
The early settlement was connected with that of Thomaston ; the people of both retired to St. Georges' Fort in times of war or danger, though there was a block-house north of that fortress ; and the two plantations together, were considered the " Upper and Lower Towns,"* till they were severally incorporated. During the Spanish and fifth Indian war, commencing in 1745, many of the settlers entered into the army under General Waldo, and the houses more remote from the fort, either went to decay or were destroyed by the savages. They took the lead sashes from the meeting-house windows for bullets, carefully stocking the glass. They also burnt the mills, and killed or drove away most of the cattle. After the war the plantation revived.
In 1753, General Waldo procured an accession of seventy emigrants from Sterling in Scotland, who settled in a cluster towards the western part of the township, which has since been called by the name of the city they left.
The earliest Provincial tax upon the whole plantation or upper town, was laid in 1764 ;- a year, when the first ship was built and the first framed house raised within the township; and when the number of families was about fifty. The town company, in 1775, commanded by Capt. Thomas Starret, consisted of thirty- four privatest-men whose genuine patriotism and courage, their posterity might be emulous to claim as an inheritance.
* See ante, A. D. 1745, p. 238 .- The " Lower Town," also embraced orig- inally the settlements on the west side of the river, down to its mouth, and along the shore to Meduncook river,-now Cushing and Friendship. The lime was then burnt at the " Lime Kiln," near the present State's prison in Thomaston .- See ante, A. D. 1719-20, p. 97.
t Warren embraces 27,000 acres. The river is navigable to Andrew's pond for vessels of 100 tons, and smaller craft to the bridge and head of the tide, 3-4ths of a mile higher. The Narrows are just below the south line
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revolution formed.
A. D. 1776. The present had been a season remarkable for the number Army of the and importance of its events. Nay, though there had been diffi- culties attending the enlistments to fill and form what might be truly called the Army of the Revolution, and though General Washington found it necessary to call into the continental service for a short time, 2,000 minute-men from the Province of Mas- sachusetts, the spirit, liberality, fortitude, and union of the people, were seldom greater ; some events affording fresh and particular encouragement. Our cruisers had been so remarkably success- ful at sea, that the amount of prizes, taken by the Americans be- tween the commencement of the war and the close of the pres- ent year, was estimated in England to exceed a million and a half sterling .* In the engagements at Sullivan Island, at Long Island, and at White Plains, t and in the withdrawment of Gen.
Battles.
of the town. Great quantities of shad and alewives were formerly caught in this river, and yielded a revenue to the town. The natives marked a tree near the first falls, and forbade the English to fish above it. Oyster river empties its waters on the eastern side near Thomaston line. South pond holds a communication with the tide waters of the main river. Mount Pleasant is in the N. E. part of the town .- On an average, nearly 33,000 casks of lime were manufactured here in each of the years 1826-7-8. There are in town 12 mills ; also a brass foundery ; an academy, incorpo- rated Feb. 25, 1808 ; and a social library of 500 vols. The town was first represented in the General Court in 1779, by Moses Copeland, Esq .- after- wards by Samuel S. Wilde and Samuel Thatcher .- Henry Alexander, elected in 1738-9, was the first captain of the plantation militia, and his successor was Thomas Kilpatrick, about A. D. 1748, who had charge of the block-house, built in 1753, above the fort. To these, to Burton's block- house and another at Pleasant-point both in Cushing, the settlers on the river were driven in 1754, where they abode till the close of that war .- The town records commence in 1777, and are continued down unbroken. By these it appears, that the inhabitants were the active and bold friends of liberty. They even voted in 1783, to oppose the return of the refugees to their former homes. The first post office in town, was established in 1794 ;- and the present meeting-house was built the year before. The baptists built another in 1806. Rev. Robert Rutherford preached several years to this people and those at the fort, prior to 1756. Rev. John Ur- quehart, a Scotch presbyterian, was the first settled minister. He was dismissed in 1782-3. He was succeeded by Rev. Jonathan Huse, who was ordained, Oct. 28, 1795 .- The first bridge over the river was built in 1780 ; and another at the head of the tide in 1790-1; and the first saw mill was built in 1785. A court-house was erected and courts established there in 1799 .- MS. Narrative of Cyrus Eaton, Esq. of Warren .- Jesse Page, Esq. * 2 Bradford's Mass. p. 133.
t Namely, July 28, Aug. 27, and Oct. 28, 1776.
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Washington beyond the Delaware, the enemy acquired no A. D. 1776. great advantage ; while the battle at Trenton, Dec. 26, filled the Dec 26. Brilliant country with exultation, as it won the American arms much glory, successes of the Ameri- and happily closed this eventful year ; reviving the spirits of de- can arms at sponding men, and giving a timely impetus to the success of en- Trenton. listments. This was followed in the spring, by arrivals of fire- arms and military stores in large quantities, from France ; one Firearms arrive from vessel landing at Portsmouth 5,000 stands, besides some other France. articles.
To complete the State quota of troops, the General Court pro- A, D. 1777. vided clothing for the recruits, and offered additional bounty ; Enlistments the ministers of the gospel read the legislative address to their encouraged. respective congregations ; and it was made highly penal either to discourage enlistments into the Continental Army or Navy, to depreciate the bills of credit, or to weaken the supports given by the people to the National Independence. In short, if there Treachery were good reason even to suspect any one "inimical to the punished. United States," he might be arrested on a Justice's warrant, and banished to the enemy, unless he would take the oath of allegi- ance ; and his return incurred a forfeiture of his life. So all persons charged by the Selectmen in town-meeting with political treachery, if pursued by a vote of the town against them, and found guilty by a jury, were immediately to be transported to some place within the jurisdiction of the enemy ; and should they return, they were to be adjudged felons. Their personal effects only, they were allowed to carry with them, while all their con- veyances of real estate were pronounced absolutely void. A law was also passed by the General Court against treason ; by which every one within the State, deriving protection from its laws and government, and thereby owing it allegiance, was declared to be guilty of that crime, if he conspired to levy war against it or against any of the United States; and upon conviction, he for- feited his life and his estate .*
For the defence of the more exposed eastern seaports, compa- Defence of nies were raised by the State, in March, and stationed at Kittery, towns. the eastern Falmouth, Cape-Elizabeth, and Boothbay. There were also fifty men assigned to the last mentioned place, who were furnished by the Board of War, with one 12 pounder, two 9's, and two 6's,
* Statutes of 1777.
VOL. II. 58
and treason
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A. D. 1777. on carriages, 50 rounds of cartridges for each gun, and appara- tus complete. In the course of the last year, the town of Fal- mouth had legislative relief from taxes ; and many of the Inhab- itants, who had been compelled by the fire to remove into the neighboring towns, returned and resumed their abode upon the peninsula .*
An expedi- tion to the dy, project- ed.
In June, an expedition was undertaken for the relief and aid Bay of Fun- of the people upon the river St. John, f and upon the borders of the Bay of Fundy, who were friendly to the United States, and who were reputed to be harassed or oppressed by British emissaries. It was probably projected through the importunity of Jonathan Eddy and his brave fugitive companions, who still be- lieved Fort Cumberland could be easily taken. Though the con- sent of Congress was obtained,-the plan, the outfit, and the expense, all attached to Massachusetts. A regiment was raised in Maine, a naval force suitable for the purpose procured, and high expectations entertained of success, there being many anx- ious to see Nova Scotia a member of the Union. But there arose unexpected difficulties in the prosecution of the plan, which occasioned delays, and finally an entire abandonment of the en- terprize in its original form.
A garrison established at Machias, under Col. Allen ; and a truck house under Stephen Smith.
The eastern department first underwent a revision ; Machias was made the place of general rendezvous and the head-quarters of operations ; and a garrison with a truck house was established there. It was then raised to a continental establishment, and John Allen, Esq. an inflexible Whig of Nova Scotia, as well as a gentleman of integrity, intelligence and popular manners, was ap- pointed general agent and superintendant, with the rank and pay of Colonel. The garrison consisted of 300 volunteers, enlisted from the County of Lincoln exclusively, and were furnished with 100 stands of new firearms, two 9 pounders, one 6 pounder and the necessary stores. For the purposes of promoting the trade with the Indians, and strengthening the alliance or amity with them, connected with measures of defence, 500 bushels of corn, 30 barrels of flour, 15 firkins of lard and numerous other articles
* Resolves.
| A town was settled there from Essex, in Massachusetts, A. D. 1762 .- " The party amounted to near 20 men, besides two families that took pas- " sage from Newburyport, May 16, 1762," to St. John's river. - Chubb's Sk. of N. B., p. 101.
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which they wanted, were shipped to that place ; a chaplain was A. D. 1777. employed ; and Stephen Smith was appointed truck-master. Colonel Allen then taking six of the Indians into the military service, clothed them, paid them wages and found them rations ; becoming entirely successful in his endeavors to keep the Indian tribes in the interest of the United States. The next year, he was authorized to raise two volunteer companies, one of artillery and one of rangers ; and also entrusted with large sums of money, to procure supplies and build two block-houses.
Early the current year, there were incorporated two towns, Two new FRYEBURG, January 11 ; and THOMASTON, March 20 ;* both corporated. towns in- flourishing plantations. The Indian name of one was " Peg- wacket ;" and the other had been called " Georgeekeag ;" as connected with Warren, it was the upper part of the " Lower Town."
The original town of Fryeburg was granted by the General Court, March 3, 1762, to Joseph Frye, Esq. afterwards General Fryeburg. Frye, from whom it derived its name. He divided the whole into sixty-four parts, and commenced a settlement the next year. The first church being congregational, was embodied Aug. 28, 1775 ; and Rev. William Fessenden was settled in October of the same year.t
* These were the 36th and 37th towns in the state.
t Fryeburg, when incorporated, though now of a semi-diamond form, was 2,172 rods square. A triangle of 4,147 acres was taken from its south- west corner, when the dividing line between New-Hampshire and Maine was run ; and an " addition," has since been annexed to the north part, and another tract added, which was taken from Brownfield. The circuity of the Saco forms a northern bow in the town, 31 miles in extent ;- cross- ed about midway of the town by a canal through Bog-pond. The mead- ow bottoms and intervals of Fryeburg are very fine .- This place has been rendered famous by being the seat of an Indian tribe ; or a branch of the Sokokis ; and by Lovewell's fight, in May, 1725. The village is situated between a pond of his name and the river, in the south part of the town. Here is an academy, incorporated A. D. 1792; a cabinet of curiosities ; a library of 150 vols. ; and a " telescope of great magnifying powers, much the largest in the State." The meeting-house in the village is elegant. Rev. Mr. Fessenden, an able and excellent man, graduated at Harvard College, 1768, died in 1805; and was succeeded Oct. 11, 1809, by Rev. Francis L. Whiting, who was dismissed in 1817. The amount of the min- isterial fund is about $2,600. It was first represented in the General Court A. D. 1781, by Simon Frye, many years a senator and judge of the
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A. D. 1777. Thomaston,* was so named in honor of Maj. Gen. John Thomaston. Thomas, of Massachusetts, a brave officer, who died the preced- ing May, in the army at Chamblee. The fort in this township, rendered the place more noted, than any other on the river St. George. It was the heart of the Waldo patent. Several men emigrated hither for the purposes of trade and business, within a few years, after the Plymouth Council made the grant ; but no permanent settlement was effected. A new fortification was erected in 1719-20, which was rebuilt and enlarged before the Spanish and 5th Indian war-though at no time abandoned from its first establishment till the close of the revolution. In 1750-2, the fort was so crowded with people, that 15 or 20 families at their own expense, built two rows of block-houses, 100 rods dis- tant from it on its westerly side, which they surrounded with a picket of perpendicular posts, ten feet in height. The men form- ed themselves into a military company, and frequently performed the duty of rangers as well as guards, and sentinels.+ Upon Mill river, which issues from Tolman's pond partly in Camden, and empties into the main river at the elbow or bend, Mason Wheaton commenced a settlement in 1763; and three years later, Messrs. Snow, Coombs and their associates, settled at Westkeag river in the south-easterly section of the township at the head of the creek. Distinguished for its natural privileges, the enterprize of its earlier and later inhabitants, and the special patronage of the Waldo proprietors and heirs, this place, it was foreseen, must attain to an elevated rank among the eastern towns, which time has fully evinced.}
Common Pleas. A post office was established there in 1798 .- See " Saco river," ante, introduction p. 27-28 : also vol. II, this Hist. p. 135-141, and A. D. 1762. MS. Letters of A. J. Cook and J. Frye, Esq.
* Latitude 44°; longitude 69º from London. The incorporation took several lots from Warren.
t See ante, A. D. 1752, p. 287.
There are in Thomaston four meeting-houses ;- one for congregation- alists, not far from the great Bend; two for baptists, one at the mouth of Mill river and the other at Westkeag ; and a fourth, of brick, between Tol- man's pond and Owl's head. Rev. Robert Rutherford first preached here as well as in Warren. He was a native of Ireland and a presbyterian. He came over with Col. Dunbar about 1729. He retired to St. George's Fort, when Dunbar's widow married Mr. Handerson, and settled there and was chaplain. He died at the fort, Oct. 1756 .- [See ante, vol. II, p. 281, Note *. ]-At Westkeag, Elder Elisha Snow was settled over the first baptist church in 1784; and at Mill river, Elder Job Washburn. A con-
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