USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Windham > Windham in the past > Part 7
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Many grievances like this and the constant encroachments of the frontier English settlers, among whom were then to be found many lawless adventurers, served to enrage the Indians; and, by midsummer 1750, all the Eastern tribes were ready for war, and the inhabitants were hurrying into their garrisons. As usual, they began their bloody work on the settlers to the eastward. By the middle of September, they made their appear- ance in the vicinity of Falmouth, and it was rumored that a large body from Canada had reinforced them.
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Under date of Sept. 8, 1750, Parson Smith writes as follows :
"There was an alarm in the night at the tower occasioned by an express from Richmond that an Indian had told them that in forty-eight hours the Indians would break upon us and that sixty Canada Indians were come to reinforce them."
It was doubtless these Indians, who committed outrages at Wiscasset, Richmond, Maquoit and North Yarmouth, and, as before mentioned, captured Seth Webb at New Marblehead.
This state of things continued until Aug. 3, 1751, when a treaty of peace was confirmed at St. Georges by some of the tribes, and a temporary cessation of hostilities followed. Con- ferences were also held in 1752 and 1753 with the Indians, who still continued in a very restless state.
The advancing settlements of the white men were found to restrict that unbounded freedom with which they had hereto- fore roamed over the forests. The French, who claimed the Kennebee River as the western boundary of their province of Acadia, at once perceived this unrest and used every means in their power to increase it and give it a sure and fatal direction against the English.
At the close of 1754, hostilities again commenced between the English settlers on one side, and the French and their Indian allies. on the other; and in May, 1755, the savages attacked the inhabitants of New Boston (now Gray). North Yarmouth, and New Gloucester.
The inhabitants of New Marblehead being in daily expecta- tion of an attack from a eruel and relentless foe, immediately took measures to put the settlement into as good condition for defence as possible. Finding that, on account of the increase in the population, the old Province Fort would not afford suffi- cient accommodation for all the families with any degree of com- fort, they proceeded to garrison several dwelling houses. by erecting and attaching to cach a bullet-proof flanker, two stories high with a tier of port holes, and by surrounding each building with a stoekade in the same manner as the fort. According to the report of a Proprietors' committee made on April 26, 1759. these garrisoned houses were Thomas Mayberry's, on Lot 19; William Mayberry's, on Lot 26; John Farrow Jr.'s, on Lot 30; William Bolton's, on Lot 53: and Caleb Graffam's, on Lot 61.
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The most important and best appointed of these outposts were Thomas Mayberry's, Bolton's, and Graffam's; but all were made sufficiently strong to resist an attack from the savages.
Although Indians were frequently seen lurking around the outskirts of the settlement, they did not molest the inhabitants until February, 1756, when they surprised and made a prisoner for the second time of Joseph Knights. He was at work near the Presumpscot River, on Lot No. 2, in the first division of hundred-aere lots. He was captured at a point about half way between the present Maine Central Railroad station at South Windham and the little village of Mallison Falls and was carried to Canada, where he remained until the next spring. During his former captivity he had learned the language and become familiar with the Indian mode of life, so he waited patiently for a chance to return to civilized life.
He soon learned that a large war party was about to make a deseent on the English settlements from Brunswiek to Saco. Therefore, he resolved to escape and, if possible, warn the settlers of the impending danger. In the course of a few days, the warriors started on their blood-thirsty errand. Knights, having secured what food he possibly eould and having given the Indians the advantage of several hours' start, took their trail and followed at a safe distance, yet near enough to watch their movements. Eager to begin their deadly work, the Indians traveled rapidly and, at length, eame to a place on the westerly bank of the Androseoggin River, which Knights recognized as the one where he had eneamped with the Indians on the night after his capture the winter before. Here they made a halt and held a consultation, while Knights, from his place of concealment in the thiek bushes, watched every movement with keen interest. At length, to his great satisfaction, he saw them take their way down the river and disappear in the dense forest.
He then left the trail and took his course, as nearly as he could judge, in the direction of Falmouth, and, after a toilsome journey through the woods, he arrived nearly exhausted at one of the garrisons at North Yarmouth. He left the Indians on May 7, 1756, and on May 10th, his arrival at Falmouth (now Portland) was entered in Rev. Thomas Smith's Journal as fol- lows :
"This morning we are alarmed with young Knights who
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escaped from the Indians three days ago and got to North Yar- mouth this morning, who brings news of one hundred and twenty Indians coming upon the frontier who are to spread themselves in small scouts from Brunswick."
On the next day, May 11, Knights went with Capt. Smith and a company of soldiers from North Yarmouth and New Caseo to the place where the Indians had left their packs in charge of three squaws who had accompanied the expedition. Finding the place deserted, they returned to Portland, where, on May 23, Rev. Mr. Smith writes in his Journal, "Had a con- tribution in favor of Jos. Knights."
He returned to Windham soon after this, in time succeeded his father in the lumber business, and was accidentally drowned in Presumpscot River, Sept. 8, 1797.
The last attack on the inhabitants of New Marblehead was made by a band of Indians led by Polin, Chief of the Pesump- scots.
Both history and tradition assert that he was a savage of more than ordinary talents and a most implacable enemy of the white settlers. He claimed all the land on both sides of the Presumpseot River, from Lake Sebago to tide water. IIe had, no doubt. been active in the former wars, by which his tribe had met with many serious defeats and had, in consequence, become greatly reduced in numbers.
As we have seen, he visited Governor Shirley as early as 1739 to protest against further encroachments by the whites, but the interview was unsatisfactory, and he came away morti- fied and enraged; and he swore never to make peace with the hated white men until his demands were complied with. But with true Indian stoicism, he waited for a favorable opportunity to strike what he intended should be a fatal blow.
Several years passed by, and, at length, he determined to wait no longer for his long-delayed vengeance; so he selected a band of his bravest warriors (tradition says at the present White's Bridge) and eame down the Presumpscot River to a convenient landing place in the vicinity of the settlement of New Marble- head. Here they seereted their canoes, after which they pro- ceeded to scout around the neighborhood. Former visits had made Polin familiar with the habits of the settlers, and he had to exercise the utmost caution in his attempt to accomplish his
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fell design. He was well aware that the garrisons were strong ones, well provided with the munitions of war, and held by men of resolute courage, who would defend themselves to the bitter end; hence, a general attack on the settlement would be likely to end in his total defeat and perhaps the destruction of his entire band of warriors. With his usual sagacity, he had chosen the time for his expedition in the spring, knowing that the settlers were compelled to cultivate their farms in order to support themselves and their dependent families; and now, with his band concealed at a safe distance, yet near enough to watch every movement of the inhabitants, he lay in wait to attack any who should be found outside the forts.
At this time, Ezra Brown owned Lot No. 21 in the first division of hundred-aere lots, which was distant about one mile in an easterly direction from the Province Fort. On this lot Mr. Brown had a field of several aeres eleared and ready for planting, and having secured the services of Ephraim Winship, a fellow settler, on May 14, 1756, he left the fort for the pur- rose of planting. In the absence of any wheeled vehicle in the settlement, they were compelled to yoke their oxen to a sled, cn which was placed their seed and rude farming tools, and they proceeded slowly towards their destination. They were accompanied by a guard of eight men, all heavily armed. The guard consisted of Stephen Manchester, Abraham Anderson, Joseph Starling. John Farrow, Timothy Cloutman, Gershom Winship, Stephen Tripp, and Thomas Manchester, the four last named being but little more than boys.
On arriving near the field, Brown and Winship hastened ahead of the main body; and, having laid down their guns, they were in the act of removing the bars, when they were fired upon by a party of Indians, who were concealed in the thick woods that bordered the field.
Mr. Brown was instantly killed, being shot directly through the heart. Winship received a bullet through his left arm, and another destroyed the sight of one eye. As he fell senseless to the ground, the savages, supposing both to be dead, rushed from their ambush and secured their scalps. taking two from the head of Winship.
On hearing the report of the guns, four of the guards, Joseph Starling, John Farrow, Stephen Tripp, and Thomas
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Manchester, became frightened and ran back to the fort at their best speed. The fighting blood of the remaining four was fully aroused, and, after a short consultation, they resolved to pursue the savages and avenge their fallen comrades or perish in the attempt. The names of these four brave men were Abraham Anderson, Stephen Manchester, Gershom Winship, and Timothy Cloutman.
Accordingly, this little band of sturdy men, cheered by An- derson, who called out with a loud voice. "Follow on my lads," gallantly pressed on in pursuit. They passed through the bars near which still lay the bodies of Brown and Winship, turned to the right towards the banks of a little brook; thence through a narrow valley to the high ground, where they overtook the Indians. The savages immediately took shelter behind trees; the whites did the same.
Polin, who had previously shot Brown, was the first to begin the bloody fray. From his covert behind a large beech tree, he discharged his musket at Mr. Anderson, but without effect. While attempting to reload in haste, he exposed his person to Stephen Manchester, who stood about thirty feet on Anderson's right, waiting to fulfil a threat he had made several months before, to kill Polin on sight. He instantly leveled his musket, took a quick aim, pulled the trigger, and Polin, the most deadly and uncompromising enemy the white settlers in this vicinity ever had, fell to the ground, a mangled corpse.
The Indians at once gathered around their fallen chieftain and made the air resound with yells of rage, to which the settlers responded with a general discharge of musketry, by which two more of the savages were either killed or mortally wounded. This was too much for their stoicism to bear, and they fled from the fatal field, carrying with them their dead chief and wounded companions, and leaving behind "five packs, a bow, a bunch of arrows and several other things."
It is probable that, by a circuitous route, they regained their canoes somewhere on the Presumpscot River, up which they paddled to the foot of Lake Sebago, where, tradition says, they landed and buried the dead chieftain beneath the roots of a beech tree.
The alarm of the conflict being given at the fort, a party of armed men from the upper garrison house (Mayberry's) immediately started in pursuit of the enemy. At a place called
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the "Meadows," on the easterly side of Canada Hill, they dis- covered an Indian carrying a quarter of beef upon his shoulder. Several shots were fired at him without effect, but, at length, Seth Webb, who was said to be a famous marksman, fired and brought him to the ground. He, however, arose, relieved him- self of his burden, and made his escape, but died of his wounds the following night. Tradition says that his body was found, a few days later, by one of the settlers and was buried on the banks of a brook near the Westbrook line. We give the fore- going tradition for what it is worth, and will only say that, in the writer's boyhood, there was a well-defined grave existing at the locality mentioned; and old men then said it was the burial place of the Indian shot by Seth Webb, on that memorable 14th day of May, 1756.
Contrary to all expectations, Mr. Winship recovered from his terrible wounds, and lived about ten years afterwards. He died on the farm which he had redeemed from the wilderness, on June 4, 1766, aged 55 years, and his remains are interred in the old Smith Burial Ground at South Windham. No headstone marks the spot where this old pioneer sleeps his last sleep.
The death of Chief Polin put an end to all further trouble with the Indians in this vicinity. They never again attempted to disturb the whites in their occupancy of the land, and the inhabitants were at liberty to leave the strongholds and return to their long deserted homesteads.
According to the report of 1759, made by the Proprietors' committee, they found most of their former dwellings "Rotten down," yet, with that sublime courage which had sustained them under so many difficulties and dangers, they at once set themselves to work restoring the places laid waste by savage cruelty. Several new men came here with their families and purchased land, which they at once began to clear ; and, in a short time, instead of the savage war whoop, the ring of the woodman's axe was heard throughout the surrounding forest, and the rude log huts that had sheltered the first settlers gave place to com- fortable frame dwellings.
As the population increased, more land was put under cul- tivation each year, the roads were improved, and the bridges over the streams were rebuilt in a permanent manner, schools were established, and a season of peace and prosperity ensued, which continued until the Revolutionary War.
CHAPTER IV
ECCLESIASTICAL
Among the conditions imposed by the Great and General Court in the grant of New Marblehead, was that the Proprietors should "settle a learned Orthodox minister within five years from their admission."
As we have seen, the Proprietors erected an apology for a meetinghouse and then began to look around for a minister to settle in the township and preach to the few inhabitants located there. This they found no easy task to accomplish, and several years elapsed before they were able to fulfil this important con- dition of the grant.
In the meantime, however, the settlers were not altogether destitute of religious teaching, as we find the following entry in the Proprietors' records :
"Oct. 5, 1741. At a meeting of the Comtee Agreed that Mr. Nicholas Hodge shall be allowed and paid out of the Pro- prietors' Treasury forty five Shills per Sabbath for Every Sabbath the said Hodge shall preach to the Inhabitants of the Township until the next annual meeting of ye Propers to him or his Order Every quarter of a year, or oftener if he shall Chuse it. Entered per Order of the Comtee. per William Goodwin Clerk."
Nicholas Hodge was born in Newbury, Mass., in 1719 and graduated at Harvard College, in 1739. In 1737, he taught school on Falmouth Neck for a short time; and, in 1739, he was engaged to preach for three years. At this time he was study- ing divinity with the Rev. Thomas Smith, for whom he preached occasionally. He was probably the first one to preach in the Township. How long he continued his ministrations here we have no means of knowing, but evidently not long. He died in 1743, at the early age of 24 years. Had he lived to finish his studies, he would probably have been settled here as pastor of the church.
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On June 5, 1740, at a Proprietors' meeting, it was
"Voted, that there shall be allowed and paid out of the Pro- prietors' Treasury to such a suitable person as shall be by the Comtee procured to Preach the word of God to the Inhabitants of the Township at Such Rate as the Comtee shall agree for per Sabbath for Every Sabbath he shall perform that service, to be paid at the end of every quarter of a year by order of the Comtee for the time being, untill it shall be otherwise ordered by the Proprietors at a Regular Meeting."
On Apr. 16, 1741, it was
"Voted, that the present Comtee (with William Goodwin added to them) are hereby appointed to prosecute and Effect the former vote Relating to the procuring of some suitable per- son to preach the word of God to the Inhabitants of the Town- ship, and putting house in a suitable condition for said purpose, according to said vote of the Proprietors at their meeting on June ye 5, 1740."
It does not appear that any action whatever was taken to carry the above votes into effeet, and we hear nothing further in regard to the matter until nearly a year later, at a Proprietors' meeting held Mar. 3, 1742, when the question of settling a minister eame up, and the old records contain the following entry :
"After some Debate Relating to the Settlement of an Ortho- dox Minister, it was put to vote whether there shall be one settled as soon as may be, and was passed in the affirmative." Also it was voted "that the said settled Minister shall have the sum of forty five pounds out of the Proprietors' Treasury paid him for his settlement." It was further voted. "that the sum of thirty pounds be allowed and paid out of the Proprietors' Treasury for the support of the said Minister from the time of his settlement until the said Township's Inhabitants shall be incorporated into a Town, with all the Rights and privileges of other Towns, According to Law; Provided the said Minister Shall Oblige himself under his hand and seal to accept Ordina- tion when called thereto, and continue at said Township and Perform his Pastoral Offiee there until Death or Orderly Dis- missed. '
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"Voted, that the present Comtee, Viz. James Skinner, Esq., Capt. Nathan Bowen and Mr. Jonathan Proctor, shall and hereby are fully Impowered in the name and behalf of the Proprietors to treat with Mr. John Wight (who lately preached at said Township), and Contract with him according to the foregoing votes, and upon his refusal to Treat with some other Suitable Person and present him to the Proprietors for their acceptance."
During the year, 1742, Mr. Wight preached twenty-nine Sab- baths at New Marblehead to the entire satisfaction of the people ; and, in accordance with the above votes, the committee gave him a formal eall to become their pastor. He accepted the invita- tion, on Mar. 5, 1743, and immediately returned his answer in the following letter to the committee :
"Gentlemen. I have considered the votes of the proprietors relating to my settlement in the ministry at New Marblehead (which I suppose are founded on the desires of the Inhabitants and interest of the Proprietors), as maturely as I am able in so short a time, and in answer thereto I hereby signify to you Gentlemen, That I am willing to settle in the Ministry there upon Suitable Conditions ; and as your votes mention my giving under my hand and seal That I will take upon me Ordination and continue in said Township and perform the Pastoral Office till Death, or I shall be orderly dismissed. Gentlemen, In answer to which I say, that I shall be willing to be ordained as soon as a church ean be gathered there, and if you will please to give assurance that your late vote shall be esteemed a call to settle there in the Ministry, so far as to entitle me (upon my acceptance of it), to the settlement you have voted or may vote; and to the Lands Granted to the first Settled Minister, and will take some effectual care that I have my Sallery Continued after the Inhabitants and Settlers in said Township shall be incorporated into a Town, and in the meantime give me some further reasonable help and assistance in settling and add (if you think fitt) so much to my Sallery as to enable me to live comfortably on, which (I trust you will think) can't be less than to make it equal with that I had when I went as a transient Preacher there; I shall upon these conditions be willing to oblige myself under hand and seal, to take upon me ordination and
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settle in the Gospel Ministry there for life Agreeable to the Good Laws of the Province in that case made and Provided. And you may take this as an affirmative answer, wishing all Happiness Spiritual and Temporal, to you Gentlemen Pro- prietors and to the Settlers at New Marblehead, and asking your prayers for me that I may be made the happy Instrument of promoting the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, I remain Gentlemen your Obliged and humble Servant,
JOHN WIGHT.
Dedham, March 25, 1743."
"A true Coppy, entered on the Records per order of Com- mittee. Attest,
WM. GOODWIN Clerk."
On the next day, the following contract was made and duly entered on the Proprietors' Book of Records :
"This Indenture made and agreed upon By and betwixt John Wight of Dedham in the County of Suffolk, Gentleman, on the One Part, and the Proprietors and Grantees of the Tract of Land Granted for a Township, to sixty of the Inhabitants of Marblehead, laid out on the Back of the Towns of Falmouth and North Yarmouth in the County of York, By James Skin- ner Esq .. Nathan Bowen, Gentn and Jonathan Proctor, shore- man, all of Marblehead aforesd a Comtee of the sd Proprietors and agents for them in this Behalf on the other part, Witnesseth, That the sd John Wight in Consideration of the Covenants and payments hereinafter Mentioned on the part of the proprietors to be performed and Done, Doth Covenant, Grant and Agree to and with the sd Proprietors & to their Successors in Manner following. That is to say. That he the said John Wight shall and will within forty days from the date of these Presents Repair to the sd Grantee's Township and enter on the work of the Ministry to the Inhabitants there, & shall within two months afterwards (if desired), Receive Ordination to the Pastoral care of that People according to the usage of the Churches of this Province, and shall Continue in that Office until he be Orderly Dismissed therefrom. And the said Pro- prietors of the Township aforesd by the sd James Skinner, Nathan Bowen and Jonathan Proctor, a Comtee and their
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Agents in this Behalf fully Impowered as above Expressed. Do hereby Covenant, Promise and Grant to and with the sd John Wight, his Heirs, Executors and Adinintrs the full just sum of forty five pounds Lawfull Money of this Province Granted by the said Proprietors for his settlement in the Ministry there. Viz: fifteen pounds thereof on the said John's Entry on sd work, fifteen pounds more thereof in three months after that and the Residue in three months afterwards. And further. that they will pay or Cause to be paid to the sd John Wight or his Order at and after the rate of Thirty pounds like money per annum, yearly and every year that he shall Continue & be in the Exercise of his sd Pastoral Office there, until the Inhabitants of that part shall be Incorporated with the powers & privilegs of a Distinct Town, The yearly payment to begin and be ac- counted from the day of the Date hereof. And further, the said Proprietors shall and will use all proper means that the sd yearly allowance shall be further made and Continued to the sd John by the Inhabitants of the sd Town after their In- corporation as aforesd. In Witness whereof the sd John Wight and the Proprietors aforesd by the sd James Skinner, Nathan Bowen and Jonathan Proctor as Committee and Agents as aforesd have hereunto set their hands and seals the twenty sixth Day of March in the sixteenth of his Majesty's reign Amo Domini 1743.
JOHN WIGHT & [S.]
"Signed, Sealed & Ded in the presence of us.
BENJ. HENLEY, WILLM GOODWIN. Proprs Clerk."
"A true Coppy, entered per order of the Comtee.
Attest WILLM GOODWIN, Clerk."
Apparently Mr. Wight lost no time in repairing to his wilder- ness parish and commencing what proved to be his life work. Neither were the Proprietors backward in performing their part of the contract, as we find that, on the 28th of March, 1743, Mr. Wight was paid ten pounds, and, Aug. 18th of the same year, he received of the committee fifty pounds in old tenor, bills of credit. For these payments he gave receipts, which were duly entered on the Proprietors' Records.
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