USA > Maine > Waldo County > Stockton Springs > The story of Stockton Springs, Maine > Part 2
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Governor Pownal's Journal states that Rev. Mr. Phillips, a chaplain, accompanied the expedition to Fort Pownal. It is not known how long he remained. Old records state that in 1759 there was no chaplain in this region. These records state, "Governor Bernard told the house that a chaplain ought to be under constant pay at Fort Pownal, who might preach to the settlers, in the audience of the Indians"; for said he, "There is no minister of the Gospel within one hundred miles diameter". The General Court appropriated four pounds per mounth for the support of the chaplain. No mention was made of any one being appointed to this office.
It is known that the physician at the fort, Dr. William Craw- ford, father of James Crawford, officiated as chaplain. He preached in the small, brick chapel, just back of the fort. This
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chapel was built in fulfillment of one of the requirements pre- viously mentioned. Dr. Crawford probably preached in the chapel three or four years.
During the Revolution, Goldthwaite and Bernard had to leave the country because they were Tories. They also had to forfeit their property. However, the plantation continued and by 1784 there were twenty-four families in Prospect.
The first actual settler in the valley of the Penobscot was Lieutenant Joshua Treat. He was born September 22, 1729, in Boston, Mass., died at Prospect, Maine, August 12, 1802. His first wife was Catherine James of Fort Georges, now Warren, Maine. Her father was one of the first Scotch-Irish settlers on the Georges River, which at that time was called by the Indian name, Georgeekee. Later Lt. Treat married Mrs. Polly Lan- caster of Prospect. Old records state that Lt. Treat was at the fort at St. Georges as early as 1750. He acted as an in- terpreter to the Indians. While at St. Georges, Treat witnessed a treaty with the eastern Indians in 1752, which was broken once when they made an attack on the settlers of the Penobscot region. That was during the French and Indian War, 1754- 1763. They were aroused to make this attack by Baron de Castine, a Frenchman, who was friendly with Madocawando, chief of the Tarratine tribe. At all other times the Indians were friendly. Baron de Castine married (on February 8, 1769) Mathile, the daughter of Madocawando
On February 2, 1759, a commission, which was appointed by the General Court, reported it to be expedient to build a fort on the Penobscot. It was decided to dismantle the forts on the Georges River and at Pemaquid and to move their gar- risons to the Penobscot. These same records state that in 1759, Lt. Joshua Treat arrived in a ship from Boston which was loaded with government stores for Fort Pownal. Lt. Treat remained at Fort Pownal and served as a soldier and gunsmith; also, as an interpreter to the Indians. He settled near the fort and pursued his trade at the fort and with the Indians. He served as armourer at the fort from 1759-1774,
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and probably after the Revolution, as he is mentioned later in important documents. Old records state that he settled near Fort Pownal. Joshua Treat, Jr. built a log cabin near where the Congregational Church in Frankfort now stands.
Henry Black came to Wassaumkeag Point with Gen. Waldo in 1759, but he must have returned to Chelsea, Mass., because family records state that his two oldest children were born in Chelsea. He is listed in the Wast Book in 1773, as a settler. However, his deed is dated 1767, and family records state that he brought his family here in 1768. Other sources say that he came here sometime during the Revolution.
The following facts about him were taken from the family records: He was the son of an Irish father, John Black, and a Scotch mother, Mary McCollom Black. He was born in Boston, Mass., October 5, 1739, and died at Prospect, Maine, June 15, 1817. He is buried at Sandy Point. On August 16, 1764, he married Sarah (called Sally) Stowers. She was born in Chelsea, Mass. (Rumney Marsh, Boston), January 25, 1765. He was a soldier in the Revolution in Captain Samuel Sprague's company, 1775. Henry and Sarah were admitted to the Chel- sea Church, owning the covenant, July 25, 1765. They had eight children: Henry, Jr., John, James, Alexander, Sarah (also called Sally), Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, and Elizabeth (called Betsy). All except Elizabeth, Jane, Mary and Alex- ander were baptized in the Chelsea Church. The last child mentioned as being baptized in Chelsea was James in 1771.
All of Henry's children, except Alexander, settled in the back part of the town, called Mt. Ephraim. Alexander remained in Sandy Point. Henry, Jr. married Anne Brown of Belfast, daughter of John Brown. Stowers said, "All of Henry Black's children raised large families as was the manner of life in those days, so different from the present time. Their families are scattered over the country far and wide."
Alexander Black, Sr. married Martha Eames. Their child- ren were: Alexander, Jr., who married Dorothea French; Al-
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fred who married Maria Gage; Jacob who married Hannah -----; Leonard who married Mary Pierce; Jane who married John French; Sarah who married Joseph Merrithew; Martha who married Hartwell French; and Henry Sumner who married Margaret Clifford.
The children of Alexander, Jr. and Dorothea were: Emma (who married Ben Eames), Annie, Martha, Will, and a child who died in infancy.
The children of Alfred and Maria Black were: Alfred, Jr., Henry, Charles, Ella, and Julia. Alfred Jr.'s daughter, Mrs. Lelia Nichols is living in Delmar, New York.
The children of Leonard and Mary Black were: Fred (who married Ursula Moulton), John Wood, and Henry Leonard. The daughter of Fred and Ursula Black is Mrs. Grace Black Stone of Sandy Point.
The son of Jane Black French and John French was Francis French. His daughter is Jennie French Worthern who lives in Blackstone, Mass.
The children of Sarah Black Merrithew and Joseph Mer- rithew were: Annie, Jane (called Jennie Austin), Fred, Frank and Henry.
The children of Henry Sumner and Margaret Black were: Clara (who married a Stowers), Laura (who married Orpheus Staples), Frank and George.
Sometime between 1772 and 1781 (the family records say 1768) Henry Black set out from Boston with his wife, Sarah, his small daughter, his sister-in-law, Elizabeth Stowers Shute, and her husband, Benjamin Shute. They journeyed through the wilderness to the Frankfort Plantation. The family goods were transported in an ox-cart. The women rode horseback. In those times there were no roads from Massachusetts to their land grant in Maine. They followed a rough trail which was marked by blazed trees. Wild animals and Indians were threats to the safety of the travelers. They shot wild game and
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fished in the streams along the way to supplement their pro- visions. At night they camped by the trail, usually by some stream where they might obtain fish and water. Upon reach- ing Frankfort Plantation, they took farms on the west side of the Penobscot River about two miles north of Fort Pownal. This place was called Sandy Point because of its sandy soil and beautiful sandy beach.
When the Blacks came to Sandy Point, they left their son, Henry, Jr. with his maternal grandparents in Chelsea, Mass. He lived with his grandparents until he was five years old.
Henry, Sr. was a saddler by trade. He did the leather work for the Revolutionary soldiers at Fort Pownal. He was con- sidered one of the leading citizens of his town. He served as the representative from his town to the Massachusetts General Court in 1806-07-08-09-10-11. He was once placed under arrest for criticizing the bravery of Commander Saltonstall.
The following is a memorandum of agreement between Thomas Goldthwaite of Fort Pownal, in the county of Lincoln, on one part and Henry Black of Chelsea, in the county of Suf- folk, Saddler, on the other part, viz: said Goldthwaite agrees to sell unto said Black, a tract of land lying on the Penobscot River near Fort Pownal aforesaid, commonly called upper Sandy Point, adjoining to a lot of land sold Jacob Shute, to have 40 rods in the front and in the rear and to run back so far from the shore as to measure 100 acres, and is butted and bound- ed as follows, southerly on the said Jacob Shute's, easterly on Penobscot River, northly on the land belonging to Stephen Wellman, westerly on the land laid out for a township known by the name of Frankfort, for which land the said Black agrees to give eight shillings lawful money an acre and pay or give sufficient securities to pay for same with interest, within six months from the date hereof, also the said Black obliges him- self to build upon said tract of land a house of 18 feet by 24 feet (6 feet stud), within nine months from this date, settle a family in the same and within five years cleave fifteen acres of land; the said Thomas Goldthwaite is hereby obliged upon
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payment or security as aforesaid to give sufficient deed of the same. For the performance of this agreement the parties do bind and oblige themselves each to the other in the penalty of fifty pounds. Neverless it is understood by the said parties that as Thomas Flucker, Esq., & others are proprietors in the same tract of land with the said Thomas Goldthwaite that in case Thomas Flucker and others should refuse their assent to the foregoing agreement the same is void & of no effect, other- wise it remains in full force & in witness thereof have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals this sixteenth day of October, 1767.
Sign'd Sealed & delivered
in presence of us,
The words 6 feet on the
25th line of the last page
interlined before signing.
Tho. Goldthwaite. (seal)
Henry Black. (seal)
Jona. Low Derfor.
Thos. Goldthwaite, Junr.
Boston, Decem. 24, 1767. We Thomas Flucker & Francis Waldo, do consent and agree to the aforegoing bargain so far as it concerns us.
Thomas Flucker.
Fras. Waldo.
The tracts of land settled first were along the river and ran back about one hundred and twenty acres, with very indefinite outlines. Some of the old deeds were indefinite as to boundaries which caused disagreements later concerning ownership of land. One tract often overlapped considerably onto another. These lots were surveyed by Josiah Chadwick in 1772; then sold by Col. Goldthwaite and Francis Bernard.
Benjamin Shute, who came to Sandy Point with Henry Black, married Elizabeth Stowers (she was a sister of Sarah Stowers Black) of Chelsea, Mass. They took the farm ad- joining Henry Black's. Their farm was known as lot no. 14,
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and contained one hundred acres. Benjamin and Elizabeth Shute had six daughters: Elizabeth, Sally, Dolly, Catherine, Polly, and Lydia; and four sons, Benjamin, Jr., Samuel, John and one who died young. In 1764 Benjamin built his log house on what is now known as the Robert French farm on French's Point. The ell of the house which is called the Robert French house is supposed to be the oldest building in Waldo County. This ell was a part of a house which Benjamin built some years after he built his cabin.
The old Indian burying ground, also the original Indian trail, was on French's Point. The old Indian trail is near the Brook's cottage.
Benjamin Shute, Jr. married his cousin, Miss Tweksbury of Chelsea, Mass. They had nine children: Benjamin the third, Thomas, John, William, Henry, Isaac, Polly, Betsy and Nancy.
Samuel Shute married Polly French (a sister of Samuel French). They built their log cabin, about the year 1800, a half mile from the shore. They had nine children: Samuel, Thomas, Leonard, Zetham, Sewell, Josiah, Mary and twin daughters, Lucinda and Malinda.
Later Samuel Shute, who was called Squire Shute, built a house where Edgar Heath's house stands now. Shute's house burned and in later years Edgar Heath's house was built on the same site. Squire Shute ran a tavern which was called "Half-way House", because this was the place where the stage- coach horses were changed on the trip between Belfast and Buckstown. There was a brick yard on the Shute property where bricks were made for building purposes. Zetham Shute, a son of Samuel, later lived on this place.
Zetham Shute was one of the people in these parts who dug for gold that Capt. Kidd is supposed to have buried some- where around Fort Point Cove.
John Shute, son of Samuel and Polly French Shute, married a Miss Lancaster of Belfast and settled there.
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Leonard Shute was Arthur Smith's grandfather. His home was where Arthur Smith lives now. Leonard Shute was eight years old when the War of 1812 broke out. The British went up the river one day and fired cannon-balls on both sides of the river. Leonard hid behind a big rock but the British saw him and thought he was a sniper. They began to bombard the rock. Poor little Leonard was a badly frightened boy!
Malinda Shute (one of the twin daughters of Samuel and Polly) married Robert Doe. They lived on the farm now owned by Arthur Perkins. The Dow Field in Sandy Point received its name from this family. Malinda and Robert had a son, Weston Doe, who married Alice Treat. Their daughter is Mrs. Blanche Doe Bradley who lives in Washington, D. C.
Thomas P. Shute, son of Samuel and Polly, lived at the place now called "Cedar Lane," owned by William F. Hauck. He had three sons: John, who married Mabel Wilson of Prospect Ferry; Benjamin Peters, who never married; and Granville, who married Hattie Heagan, daughter of True Heagan who lived at Heagan's Mt. in Prospect.
Thomas P. Shute gave the land for the Narrows Cemetery and the land on which the Narrows Schoolhouse was built.
There is an anecdote concerning French's Point during the time it was owned by the Shutes. The British soldiers who were stationed at Castine often came across the river to beau Mr. Shute's daughters. One evening two of the soldiers quar- relled and one knocked the other down the cellar stairs and killed him. From that time the point was thought to be haunted. People would not go out on the point at night for twenty-five years because of this superstition. The Shutes finally sold the point to Robert French and the old superstition was forgotten.
There is also a tale of a secret passageway that is supposed to run from the old house to the shore. It was built so the family could escape from the house if it were attacked by the Indians or the British.
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One of Robert French's sons, Nathaniel, lived at this home- stead for many years. He built a small, private, one-room house for his wife on the shore. This little house is now the living-room of Mrs. Marion Currier's cottage.
Zetham French settled here about the time as did Henry Black. Zetham French was a member of the Weymouth Col- ony of Massachusetts. He came with Governor Pownal to Fort Point in 1759. He settled in Sandy Point and built a log cabin near the shore. In 1768, he built a one and a half story house-constructed with bricks between the studding as a pro- tection against Indian arrows. This house is now owned by Mrs. Grace Stotler and is called the "Old Manse". It is be- lieved to be one of the oldest houses in this town.
In 1814 Zetham French built the house now owned by Mrs. Laura Reed.
Mrs. Zetham French was a very religious woman and her husband used to say she was always running after the minister with her cap strings a-flying. Mr. French was what we would call a character today. A cute anecdote about him was told to me by Mrs. Grace Stone. Uncle Zetham, as he was called, went down cellar one day after some cider. He took his wife's best pitcher to draw the brew. On the way down cellar, he fell. His good wife rushed to the cellarway and yelled, "Did you break my pitcher?" This angered Uncle Zetham that her con- cern was for the pitcher and not for him, so he jumped up and yelled back, "No, dad burn it, but I will." Thereupon, with all his might he threw the pitcher and smashed it.
Joseph Page and Joseph York held adjoining lots in Frank- fort, bounded westerly by "Half-way Creek". They sold their lots to Goldthwaite in 1772. Stephen Littlefield was another early settler who sold his lot to Thomas Goldthwaite, Jr. in 1773. Abner Lowell had lot No. 6 (31} acres).' It was adjacent to the Frankfort township line and bounded easterly by the Penobscot River. Still other pioneers mentioned in old records were: Isaac Clewly, who married Sarah Stimson, and Jacob
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Clifford, who married Elizabeth Lock. Jacob Shute and Stephen Wellman were mentioned in Henry Black's deed as early settlers. John Oliver had one hundred and twenty acres; Joshua Eustis had lot No. 10 which contained one hundred and twenty acres. His house was on the hillside near Mt. Tuck. Mt. Tuck was called Eustis Mountain in those days.
John Odom, Sr. had one hundred acres about three miles from Fort Pownal. He built the first saw mill on the Penob- scot River. His sawmill was at the northern part of Sandy Point, at the mouth of the stream coming from the Sandy Point Meadow, at the end of what is called the Mill Road. His cabin stood where Lillian Grant's house now stands. Odom's Ledge was named for him. In an old scrapbook the author found two poems written in beautiful handwriting by M. F. Odom. They were dated Prospect, June 9, 1853. John Odom was a witness to a deed which recorded the sale of porperty by John Staples to Miles Staples, January 10, 1853. John Odom, Jr. had a lot of one hundred acres.
Charles Curtis came here about the same time that Joshua Treat settled here. Curtis Point was named for him.
John Oliver had one hundred and twenty acres. Hatevil Colson* and Josiah Colson were early settlers. Jonathan Lowder bought lots No. 11 and No. 12. It is possible that Lowder's Brook and the Lowder Brook District were named for him.
About the same time that the Blacks and Shutes came to Sandy Point, Miles Staples settled here. Miles was the son of Hezekiah and Anna (Thompson) Staples. He was born in Kittery, September 22, 1729 and died February 11, 1810. His wife was Sarah Trefethan. She was born in 1728 and died in Stockton in 1808.
* Hatevil Colson lived in what is now Winterport. He was locally known as "Hate Colson". Miss Ada Littlefield in her book, "An Old River Town," tells some cute anecdotes about "Hate".
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Crawford Staples, son of Miles and Sarah, was the first white child born here. Dr. William Crawford, physician at the fort, was the attending physician and the child was named for him.
Another son of Miles and Sarah was Miles, Jr. He was born in Prospect but after he married, he moved to Swanville. His eldest son, Hezekiah, was born in Swanville. In 1815 or 1816, Hezekiah married Elizabeth, daughter of General William James and Huldah (Stinson) Treat. Elizabeth was born in Frankfort, now Prospect, September 1, 1792, She was the grand-daughter of Lt. Joshua Treat.
The above mentioned Dr. Crawford owned lot No. 13. It was conveyed to him, November 24, 1766. It contained one hundred thirty-one and a half acres and extended as far south as Cape Jellison.
Other Staples familes were: Frank Staples, who lived where Henry Clifford lives now; and Capt. James Staples, who lived in what is known as the Stiles House. The ell of the Stiles, house is very old, a part of the original Staples home.
Joseph P. Martin was one of the original settlers. He was the son of a minister of Berkshire County, Mass. He was born November 21, 1760. He died May 2, 1850, and is buried at the Sandy Point Cemetery. At the age of sixteen, he enlisted in the Revolutionary army, in 1776, and served until the close of the war. He was present at the surrender of Cornwallis. He was listed as a settler in the Wast Book in 1774, but old records say that he built his cabin in 1784 on the land now owned by Harold McKenney. Mr. Martin served for twenty-five years as town clerk of Prospect. He was a poet, a writer, and an artist. He wrote the book, "Life of a Revolutionary Soldier", also several poems and songs. In September 1836, The Light Infantry marched from Belfast to Buckstown on an excursion. In passing through Prospect, now Stockton Springs, they honored Mr. Martin, hero of the Revolution, by firing a salute in front of his house.
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The Wast Book lists the following as residents of this locality : Under the date of 1772 were listed: Miles Staples, Isaac Clew- ley, Zetham French, Jonathan Lowder, Daniel Goodale, Daniel Lancaster, Joshua Treat, Capt. Thomas Fletcher, John Sweet- ser, Joseph Barrell, Richard Carey, John Avery, and Jeremiah Thompson.
Dated 1773: John, Eben and William Booden, Joseph Bar- teen, Eldad Heath, Josuha Eustice, Benjamin Wheeler, Ben- jamin Shute, Edward Archibald, Thomas Fletcher, Robert Treat, Lauchlin McDonald, John Doak, Jedediah Preble (he later moved to Portland), Henry Black, Stephen Littlefield, John Pierce, Paul Booden, Dr. William Crawford, Nat Cusins, Calec Booden, Levi Jennings, Jere Stover, Peleg Rogers, Abner Lowell, Capt. Peleg Pendleton, Capt. Jos. Chad- wick. John Lowder, Pierce Hurley, John Staples, Capt. John Fish, Capt. Jeremiah Pecker, William Eaton, Ezra Pratt, Nathan Pendleton, Thomas Cooper, Silas Hawthorne, Josiah Colson, John Marsh, Samuel Boges, Jacob Clifford, Jacob Lan- caster, Moses Varney and Nathaniel Greeenough.
Dated 1774: Capt. Jonathan Buck, Ephraim Stimpson, Joseph Martin, John Odom, Capt. Joshua Wing, Elijah Bur- nett, Obediah Moores, Elihu Burnam, Andrew Webster, Capt. Jas. Fullerton, David Stanwood, Thomas Smart, Elijah Bur- nam, Emerson Orcutt, John Hutchinson, Hezekiah Colby, Abraham Stover, Alexander Clark, Capt. Jos. Hibbert, Ezra Pratt, Isreal Rodgers, Jas. McCurdy, William Dilliver and Joseph York.
Dated 1775: John Partridge, William Cunningham, William S. Goodhue, John Bernard, Jas. Nichols, John Durham, Capt. John Mitchell, Noah Clap, Josiah Brewer, Hugh Smart, David Gilmore, Oliver Crary, Esq., Isaac Lawrence, Andrew Gilman, William Pratt, Jeremiah Colman, Elisha Hewes, Capt. Sargent Ingersol and Abel Lawrence.
Dated 1776: William Molineux, Samuel Griffin, Ralph Devereau and Daniel Sargent.
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Many of the names in the above list were names of settlers. Many of these families are found here today. It must be re- membered that the Fort Pownal truck house served not only the early settlers of the community, but the men stationed at the fort, and the settlers of other settlements, including Belfast. Consequently, some of these names may be names of settlers in other communities.
Lieutenant Peleg Pendleton mentioned above was the first settler in what is now Searsport, He, with his five sons, came from Stonington, Conn. in 1767. John Park was another early settler in the Searsport Harbor region. He settled near Samuel Griffin.
The first settler on Stockton Harbor was a man by the name of Mitchell. He built his cabin at the site of what was later the Crooker shipyard. He lived there for a few years, then disappeared. Some folk said that he went to Castine. The farm which was taken up by Miles Staples included the Mitchell house lot.
Samuel Griffin was born in New London, Conn. about 1730. He married Desiah Crary, daughter of Peter and Ann (Culver) Crary, in 1754. In 1775, Samuel brought his family to Stock- ton. He came here on a schooner owned by Capt. Benjamin Pendleton. The first winter he lived for awhile with the family of Job Pendleton on Brigadier Island (now known as Sears Island). Mr. Griffin came here from Stonington, Conn. Sam- uel was a carpenter and mason by trade. He built a home for his family in the wilderness on the Searsport side of Stockton Harbor, now called the Park District, and settled there April 11, 1775.
Samuel and Desiah had the following children: Samuel, Jr., born in New London, Conn. in 1755, married and died in Vir- ginia; Elisha, born in New London, Conn. in 1757, never mar- ried, died in 1782; Eben, born in Groton, Conn. in 1761, mar- ried Lydia Pendleton, died 1849; William, born in Groton, Conn. in 1761, married Hannah Willis, died in Boon County,
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Ohio; Nathan, born in Stonington, Conn. March 30, 1763, married Elizabeth Treat, died February 5, 1854; Peleg, born in Stonington, Conn. in 1765, died in boyhood; Desiah, born in Stonington, Conn. March 15, 1767, married Peleg Deckro, died December 3, 1856; Isaac, born in Stonington, Conn. in 1769, married Olive Benson; Jesse, born in Stonington, Conn. in 1772 and died in 1797. Another daughter died young.
The Griffins were Quakers so they tried to be friendly with both the Colonial settlers and the British .* The British officers who were stationed in Castine were friendly with the Griffins. They often called on them and helped them when they were in need. One of the British officers took a liking to young Nathan -who at that time was thirteen years old-and gave him an English musket. The following is a tale of young Nathan and a moose as told by Levi Griffin. Mr. Griffin said:"That year an unusually hard winter came down upon the Penobscot Bay, causing the ducks to fly to feeding grounds farther south. Rabbits were scarce, and partridges were a rarity, so bitter was the cold. The winter caught the early Griffins in bad circumstances. Crops had been poor that year, and there was little chance of replenishing the larder with fresh meat. One day near a spring on Brigadier Island, young Nathan saw moose tracks in the snow. He decided that he would hide and wait for the moose that night and kill him. The night was very clear and cold with a full moon. Young Nathan took his mus- ket and hid in a thicket near the spring. After a long, cold wait the little boy was rewarded by the sight of a huge moose walking toward the spring. Nathan took careful aim with his old musket and shot the moose. He was a proud little boy and there was pride and joy in his family that night. The moose meat enabled his family to survive the winter."*
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