USA > Maine > York County > Witch trot land; being a bit about the mother of Maine, York county, or Yorkshire, or New Somersetshire, from which all Maine counties came. Of her hopes and dreams and heart-breaks, and of the first incorporated English city in America > Part 2
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On a nearby knoll were the stocks. Some few prisoners were per- mitted the "freedom of the yard", so many feet in each direction, first having made bond, forfeited if they escaped. One way was to the door of the First Parish Church.
Together by the vil- lage green are York's church, courthouse and museum and from this green April 21, 1775 marched forth the first Maine Minute Men to go in answer to the call from Lexington. Little more than a year later, in June of 1776, ALL the men of York gathered in the Old York town hall and drafted the first Declaration of Independ- ence written in America, sending it by special messenger to "ye select- men of ye towne of Bos- ton", outlining that, should it decide to throw off its allegiance to King George they would aid them with their fortunes and their lives. York, too, had had a load of First Parish Church-York tea sent, placed it in Capt. Grove's store, but that same evening the Paw- tucket Indians (?) came and took it. No one seemed to know where it went but no tax was ever paid on it. When Lexington's news was re-
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ceived it was 9 o'clock the night of April 20th, but before the next sun- down 63 men, equipped and provisioned, under Capt. Johnson Moulton had marched forth.
Here was Maine's first Protestant religious society organized in 1636, still governed as originally, the present church built in 1747. T Gorgeana's General Court in 1649 came Rev. John Wheelock's son-in-law, Edw. Rishworth, and it was then decreed : "All who are out of a church way and be orthodox in judgment and not scandalous in life, shall have full liberty to gather themselves into a church estate". The church wasn't particularly effective, though, until Rishworth's son-in-law, Rev. Shubal Dummer came in 1662. Five years later a church was built and in 1673 he was ordained pastor.
King Philip's War started in June 1676, caused by seeing their hunt- ing grounds taken over by the Whites. He died that same year and his tribe scattered, leavening all the other Indians with hatred. Rev. Dum- mer, at his home at Roaring Rock, was a victim of the York massacre of 1692, when even the mills were destroyed and the few people left had to beg Portsmouth for a corn mill, and so hard up were they when Father Samuel Moody came in 1698 (ordained 1700), the Massachusetts General Court granted 12 pounds salary, York voting, "there is a whous to bic built forthwith for yous of ye ministry-ye demenssions as foloeth, 28 fout in length and 20 fout wied with a Lentoe att one end-to be Two story high with three fiere plesses". But so zealous was he this soon be- came Maine's largest church, over 300, and gave 100 acres to start a Second Church, in Scotland, 1732, son Joseph Moody pastor.
Gorgeana's charter had given owners of real estate or "freeholders" right to vote, but Massachusetts law required church membership to be a "freeman" and qualify. Liberty of conscience was allowed all but Papists. Higher courts were held in the church.
A larger parsonage "whous" was built in 1715, later, garrisoned with "square oaken timbers and two Baskins or Flankers", twice burned and replaced. Slavery was not abolished until 1783 and one was bought to cultivate Father Moody's land, but a year later Andrew was sold.
For almost 50 years Father Moody drove, berated, threatened with fiery sermons but, generous, he once gave away Mrs. Moody's only pair of shoes. Besides his salary his flock mended his fence, cut his hay and supplied firewood. In 1745 70-year-old Father Moody sailed as chaplain of the Louisburg expedition, taking his axe to hew down the altars of anti-Christ and destroy his idols. Two years later he died, succeeded by Rev. Isaac Lyman for over 60 years, among whose descendants were Long- fellow and Pres. Eliot of Harvard. This was a broad-minded church,
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taking "half-way" people, those of good character and sound views who didn't commune or vote-just paid. In 1830 a Sabbath School was added.
A new church building was needed in 1667 but the old pews were used, and 43 years later another new church, by contribution, on the pres- ent site (those who didn't contribute were later assessed). After 1731 the church and not the town administered its affairs and the new meeting house of 1747 was financed by purchasing pews, twice, since remodeled and repaired. Grudgingly the singers were assigned two pews on the men's side in 1679, later the gallery.
The 1728 law allowed Episcopalians, Baptists and Quakers to pay their assessments to their own ministers, the 1780 Bill of Rights extended this to all denominations, and after Maine became a state church member- ship was no longer compulsory.
Father Moody's son, Joseph, "Handkerchief" Moody had accidentally killed a man and it preyed on him, but he was doing very well in law until, at his father's insistence, he became a minister. This brought on melan- cholia causing him to shun everyone, to cover his face with a handkerchief. A singer once, after years of silence, he was heard in his room singing: "O, for an overcoming faith to cheer my dying hours". Next morning he was found dead in bed. His grand nephew, Ralph Waldo Emerson told the tale to his good friend and neighbor Hawthorne who used it in "The Minister's Black Veil".
Boys sat on the stairs in church, the deacons almost under the pulpit, facing the congregation, those "thick of hearing", far forward. The pews were square (later removed and their mahogany railings used for kindling wood), with doors, accommodating part facing the minister, some back to and the rest side to. Very soon after permitting singing on the lower floor in 1679 most churches could sing as many as six tunes, some over ten. Organs came in in 1819 and heated churches the next year. Guards were on duty to warn of Indians, each man parking his musket at the door, and illumination was just one candle. If they had music the precentor led by first reading the verse then getting the key from the pitch pipe, but, if you didn't spend Sunday in church you were quite likely to spend Monday in the stocks.
The tithing man separated the men from the women, then, with his long-handled tithing rod tickled the drowsy. He had to make sure no strangers were about and that none disturbed the all-day services. Pen- alty for bringing a dog into church five shillings and if a foot stove were left it was forfeited to the town poor.
Because the people on the south side of York river wanted to attend services in the First Parish Meeting House on the north side in 1742 and
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there was only a ferry, Major Samuel Sewall, although he owned the ferry, built the first wooden pile drawbridge in America in 1761.
In 1743 the town granted "unto such person or persons as will ac- cept of and undertake it, liberty to build a bridge at their own cost over
America's First Wooden Pile Drawbridge, 1761-York
York river"-"provided there be sufficient way left for sloops to pass and repass, and the inhabitants to have free liberty to pass over the same without anything to pay".
Samuel Sewall was an ingenious man. Depth soundings were made, piles cut, joined, braced, floated to place and driven home by a trip hammer. With no machinery, overcoming each obstacle as it appeared, the bridge was finished and opened to those southsiders, and others, in
JYaW
ow water
bottom
section of pile
"Drought of a Bridge, Built over York River, in the County of York and Common- wealth of Massachusetts, 1761, by Major Samuel Sewall." Copy of Working Plan-York
1761, creating a sensation in the engineering world, and the major soon had commissions from elsewhere-even England heard, sent her best en- gineers and Sewall's plans were used there.
A deed of 1761 shows that Samuel Sewall, Esq., and John Stone, Marriner, donated the land for the approaches to the "great bridge", and what, if anything, the bachelor major was paid for the job nobody knows, but for a similar one he was paid in silver which he had melted down and made into tea spoons, that are still treasured.
In his old home on the side of the hill at the southeast end of the bridge are pieces of San Domingo mahogany furniture, made in his shop
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at the south end of the ridge, that now houses the traps and tackle of a lobster man, the door once Father Moody's Meeting House door, with a penciled weather record by Hiram Perkins who for 50 years built the fires, rang the bell and dug the graves of the parish.
In a forgotten southside cemetery a slab, rescued from recumbent brokenness, says of Samuel Sewall: "An architect of the first class, from whose fabrications great benefits have resulted to society. He was benev- olent, hospitable and generous without ostentation, and pious without en- thusiasm".
Over Sam Sewall's bridge marched Maine's first Minute Men towards Lexington, over it drove Sir Wm. Pepperell of Louisburg fame, Daniel Webster of nearby Strawberry Bank, Pres. Munroe-and everybody else who wanted to cross the river.
Needing repairs in 1794, Massachusetts appropriated $1000, again repaired in 1849 and 1873. In July 1933 it was condemned-and there followed times more exciting than in 1742, for some wanted wood and others cement, and the Battle of Sewall's Bridge was fought in October of 1933, the wooden bridge winning by one vote. The following Septem- ber it was re-opened. The Gaol Museum houses the original bridge design and some of the primitive tools used in its making.
Henry Sewall came from Coventry in 1700 to start the family. Hon. David was judge of Maine's U. S. District Court and, indeed, held almost
Coventry Hall, Judge David Sewall, 1800-York
every other position of trust and honor. Coventry Hall, built in Revolu- tionary times, is white shuttered as it was when Pres. John Adams so often visited it, the garden still enclosed by a prim white picket fence.
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Godfrey built the first English house in York on Meeting House Creek, where the earliest settlement was, at Point Bolleyne, near a spring on the southeast bank, in 1630.
Woodbridge Tavern was owned during the Revolution by Paul Dudley Woodbridge, an ardent loyalist who stated on his swinging door that hos- pitality was extended only to patriots.
Paul Dudley Woodbridge Tavern, 1776, "Hospitality Only to Patriots" -York
The Wilcox Tavern was built by Edw. Emerson on land leased from the parish and the rear door opens directly among the graves of the
Wilcox Tavein - York
cemetery. Here (in the tavern, not the cemetery) have been entertained John Adams, Jas. Munroe and Lafayette.
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In the long ago all doors were padlocked at night for fear of Indian raids and the keeper of the keys lived in the little low house in Padlock Lane.
The Saywards built the dam across the mouth of the creek for their tide mills and the house that Jonathan built was where Maine's first fic- tion writer, daughter Sally was born. Jonathan also built and gave her the Barrell mansion
on the day of her marriage to Na- thaniel, where still hangs the sword and tieket to coronation
George III gave Na- thaniel. After his death Sally married . Mr. Wood and it was here she wrote! "The Sixteen Silver Porringers", adven- tures of Hannah Sayward, one of 84 Sayward Home-York captives taken to Quebec, to a French woman who had her educated in a convent, later becoming Lady Abbess. She was a beneficiary of the French lady's will and when Manuel Beal of York visited there she sent back 16 silver porringers to her 16 nephews and nieces whom she had never seen. Nephew Jonathan bought up the other 15, had them melted into six larger ones, one still remain- ing.
When Thos. Brad- bnry appeared in York in 1634 as Sir Ferdi- nando Gorges' steward and found his services - - would not be required . he moved to Salisbury, Barrell Home-York Mass., but his son, loyal "Elder" John staid in York, once openly rebuked his minister in church for expressing pro-British sentiments, built his home on York river.
Arthur Bragdon was on the first board of aldermen of that first city of Gorgeana in 1642. A descendant, David was in the Provincial Con-
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gress, 1774-5, a later one, Elihu in the Constitutional Convention that made Maine a state. Like so many others, some of the Bragdons were ship masters, one having the Ramdalodi, named for a Siamese princess. Longfellow's great grandmother, Tabitha Bragdon was born in the upper parish.
Black Dinah Prince of those days had a "weather pan" that pre- dicted storms and Hip Cane and Polly Austin, weird and old, shuffled through the streets with packs on their backs, shunned by all because of their dealings with "sperrits". In the southwest corner of the old burying ground is a grave the entire length of which is covered by a massive flat stone for Mary Nasson, a witch was buried there in August 1774.
One of Cromwell's north-of-England prisoners, Micum, the Scot, counting out of the tail of his eye when he heard the orders to shoot every tenth man, saw he was a No. 10, escaped. Recaptured, another canny
T
McIntire Garrison House, 1670-York
Scot paid his fare to York, making him a bound servant to work out his debt. As soon as that job was finished he married the boss' daughter, in- herited the MeIntyre Garrison house, first one in York, that survived the 1692 Indian massacre. Built in 1670, from that day to this its garden patch has never failed to be planted.
In a petition of 1652 bearing 34 signatures, half had to be crosses, hence education seemed desirable and it is recorded : "April ye 15th : 1701" that the selectmen had "Indented and Bargened with Mr. Nathaniel ffree- man to Ceep a Scool for all ye inhabitanc of our towne of York for which the Towne to pay said ffreeman for one year eight pounds in, or as Money
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and three pene pr. week for Taching to Reade: and four pene: pr. Week for Writing and Sifering and no moor", but evidently his services were satisfactory for they encouraged Mr. Freeman by building a house "22 fout long, 18 fout wied and eight fout between Joynts with a brick chim- ney", and to pay a "sallary 30 pounds per year".
Medical attention was required so Dr. Alexander Bulman settled, be- ing "freely given" 100 pounds provided he gave "security for his contin- cance in ye towne during life". He died of fever in Louisburg in 1745 and the town next invited a Lynn doctor who didn't accept.
Travel then was mostly by boat, a few bridle paths, the wife seated on a pillion behind, her arm around her husband's waist to steady herself. Two-wheeled chaises came in about 1755. There were a few so-called highways before 1700, "a pole and a half or two poles wide", but the first highway to be duly laid out and recorded was in 1699, from Wells over the sea wall of Long Sands, through York Village and on to Berwick, with a branch to the lower end of town.
Wm. Hilton, large and strong, was ferryman from Stage Neck to the south side of York river and the new town's first recorded act in 1652 was to let William have the ferry for 20 years "and he is duly to attend the sd. ferry with Cannoes sufficient for the safe transportation both of Wmn. Hilton's Ferry, Stage Neck to South Side of York River-York Strangers and Towns- men", toll being "two pence apiece every stranger and four pence apiece for every beast or horse which he swimmeth over or that are swum over by any stranger them- rohes". There was also a ferry at Bra'boat Harbor, one at Sewall's Bridge and another at Rice's Bridge, and Sylvester Stover's ferry at Cape Neddick.
By 1710 post riders went from Portsmouth to Philadelphia, later to Virginia, weekly, although the post never contained more than a dozen letters and a couple of packages and maybe a few copies of the News- Letter (1704) or the Boston Gazette (1719) or the New Hampshire Ga- zette (1756), but by Revolutionary times they went as far as Falmouth (Portland) and the first line of stage coaches had started.
There was coastwise shipping, West Indian trade, fishing at Grand Banks and Georges, shipbuilding (sometimes built inland and hauled out by oxen), but on account of the current and channels clipper ships were not made here. Those were lively, prosperous days and Marm Free- man's tavern at Cape Neddick throve, while old black Isaac Davis tuned up his fiddle at three cents per selection for dancing, a favorite tune be- ing "When I Am Dead and Gone To Rest". Then a railroad was built
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inland, the courts were removed and it ceased to be the shire town, ship- ping and shipbuilding dwindled, and it was in a bad way until 1870 when summer people began coming, at a time when there was distinction in being a summer people. Then, once more, it became what Lord Palatine. Sir Ferdinando Gorges wished, "a Fair Towne, a very flourishing place".
The first public market place and fair grounds in the land were laid out in 1641 by Sir Ferdinando's orders within the 21-square-mile terri- tory (from the beginning of the river 7 English miles, 3 English miles in breadth), comprising Gorgeara on the Organung river (for that was what York river was sometimes called), and on the Organung road to Cider Hill stands Maine's first apple tree, sent from England in 1629.
It was the late winter of 1692 when French and Indians crept up the slopes of Agamentieus, watched the lights below come on one by one, saw them go out again, knew a night watch was kept, waited for dawn. Snow was falling when, as silently, they stole down to massacre. A little boy was splitting wood for the morning fire. They grabbed him from behind, made him answer questions, shit his head with his own hatchet and threw
Cape Neddick Light-York
him down in the snow. Seemingly they were everywhere at once. No- body had a chance. Only the First Parish church, the old Gaol and the McIntire garrison house escaped the torch, and a mere handful of people -all else killed, burned or carried away. Fourteen years before they had wiped out the tiny settlement of 40 at Cape Neddick.
Mr. G. A. opened a general store near Sewall's Bridge, advertising : "blankets and borax, cheese and corsets, bustles and beans, prunes and powder, B. B. shot and molasses, coal and cubebs, wood, fertilizer and figs, Pratt's food to make hens lay, lice cure and licorice". In 1935 his daughter discontinued it, balancing, for the first time, Mr. B's account of 68 years. Down through his own time and that of his son and grandson they had brought butter and eggs, taken coffee, tea and spices as required and it had been put on the books, sometimes he owed Mr. G. A. and some- times Mr. G. A. owed him a few cents but never more than $5 either way.
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The old Sargent house had a ghost in trailing, rich brocade and tiny, high-heeled shoes that tapped eerily along to the gloomy passage leading to the back stairs all through the night.
The old Stacey Tavern was built in 1634, with an enormous chimney including in it most of the cellar. Wm. Stacey was with John Paul Jones on the Ranger and participated in the burning of Whitehaven. When demolished in 1870 a human skeleton was found beneath the hearth.
There's a house built on the very site of the old Indian fort, made from its bricks, with clapboards on the outside, from which the old path of the Pawtuckets leads down to the sea.
Over the gaunt, gray rocks where the pioneers fought and the gal- lows stood, where was once the overland route from Maine to Massachu- setts, close to the ocean to avoid lurking Indians, rises the Marshall House of the present.
WELLS and OGUNQUIT
OGUNQUIT
Ogunquit in Wells in Natick Indian means "a beautiful place by the sea". Once a part of the 5000-acre estate of Thos. Gorges, Gorgeana's first mayor, he chose this for his home out of a grant that extended from the Cocheko to the Kennebec.
Massachusetts Bay Colony made claim to the Gorges grant but in a lawsuit in England in 1678 the crown sustained the heirs. Then Massa- chusetts bought Ogunquit beach as well as the rest of their land. In 1820 . she conveyed a half interest to the state of Maine, later the other half. Maine granted Ogunquit beach to Chas. Tih- betts, then gave Ogunquit the right to take it by eminent domain, so it is one of only two municipally owned beaches in the state.
Bridge, 1658 -Ogunquit
There's a playhouse here where splendid things are given and at Perkins Cove, an art center reached via "the lane", where millionaires, artists and fisherfolk all hob nob together.
WELLS
Wells, called Webhannet by the Indians, once included in Kennebunk, was granted by Thos. Gorges in 1640 to the Rev. John Wheelwright, brother-in-law of Anne Hutchinson, banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony for religious beliefs to Exeter, N. H., later driven from there. They named it for the cathedral town of Wells in England and it was in- corporated in 1653. After Massachusetts took over Maine Rev. Wheel- wright recanted and returned.
A hundred yards up river is the site of the old Edmund Littlefield mill of 1640.
By the side of Route 1 is a small park and tablet marking the site of the Stover Garrison battle of June, 1692, between the English settlers of the town and the French and Indians, final major attempt of the lat- ter to regain southwestern Maine. Commander Converse had but 30 men and a few refugee settlers and two sloops in the harbor when the enemy of 500 attacked, yelling, in broad daylight, shooting fire arrows into the sloops, which the sailors as promptly extinguished with wet mnops. With planks the Indians made a bullet-proof front to a cart and started toward
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the sloops but got stuck in the mud and so made a pretty good target for the sailors who got 'em every time they put shoulder to wheel to try to move it, until the tide came in and finished that activity. One man in the garrison weakly suggested surrender under his breath and was told if he said that word again he'd be a dead man. All day, until late that night it lasted.
Next morning ominous silence. Then a desperate attack, the women in the fort rushing up ammunition and live brands to discharge the wea- pons being loaded and fired as fast as possible, until, fin- ally the Indians were routed, but they later sent a fire raft down river which would cer- tainly have finished the sloops, but at the last second the wind shifted. This was one of the state's bloodiest battles.
Another tablet on the main highway says : "Wheel- wright Garrison, 1642", then the end of the King's High- way, beyond which were only forest trails.
Elisah Plaisted of Ports- mouth came to Wells to marry Hannah Wheelwright and there was feasting and merry making until, at a late hour, they went to get their horses and some were miss- ing. Searching, they were fired on by ambushed In- dians, two men killed and the bridegroom captured-but they brought him back next day.
Edmund Littlefield Mills of 1640-Wells
As yearly rental for 100 acres of land Thos. Wells paid five shillings, two days' work and one fat goose. Most Wells houses were valued at $20 apiece. Tea and coffee were almost unknown until 1750 but liquor was plentiful. Men's pants were made of leather, later of homespun, women's clothes were heavy and voluminous, yet they all managed to have some fun with their skating, coasting, corn husking, dances, and in 1798 a dancing school.
Rev. Jos. Smith, Free Baptist, went to Wells with the avowed intent to overthrow the work of the Devil, meaning the Congregational church.
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He prayed and harangued majestically, then put his shoulder under one corner of the edifice and heaved mightily-only result, a lame shoulder. Wells had a salt works then, producing 30 bush- els a week by solar evap- oration.
Three hundred years ago France was divided into provinces and that of the princess Henrietta Maria, the king's favor- ite daughter, was Mayne, and that is how we came by our name. The first time it appeared official- ly was in the charter granted in 1639 by Charles I of England to Sir Ferdinando Gorges Congregational Church-Wells -the little girl had grown up and was Charles' wife. In her garden grew fragrant lavender and other sweet herbs and the settlers brought not only that but penny- royal, sage, rosemary, southern-wood, spearmint and anise to protect from witches. An elder cross on the door would keep them out but was par- ticularly effective if gathered on the last day of April and affixed to both doors and windows. Hearse drivers used elder whips, and twigs were thrown into the new-made grave. Small pieces of pith, oil-soaked, lighted and floating in water would reveal all witches near. Fennel with St. John's wort was hung over doors on midsummer's eve, and flax not only made linen but also kept witches away. Horehound was good for colds and witches, as were bonfires of dried lavender on St. John's Day and mugwort was all powerful against "wykked sperytes". Pimpernel was a safeguard and rue was a powerful preventive while rosemary was most potent for beneficent fairies in the form of snakes were supposed to nestle amongst its branches. Mullein or hag's taper the witches used for wieks in their lamps and candles and yet, growing around a house it kept them away. Garlands of bittersweet or woody nightshade were hung around the necks of bewitched beasts, and even the lowly violet was potent against "wykked sperytis".
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