I

COLLECTIONS

AND

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

SECOND SERIES, VOL. VI

PORTLAND
PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY

PRESS OF

THE THURSTON PRINT

PORTLAND, MAINE

\lo

CONTENTS

PAGE

Gen. David Cobb of Gouldsborough, Maine. By Col. Joseph W.

Jr Ol uGl* ? , -L

Some Old Papers Recently Found in the Stone Tower of the First

Parish Church of Portland. By Rev. John Carroll Perkins, . 7

Block and Garrison Houses of Ancient Falmouth. By Leonard B.

Chapman, 37

The First Mention of Pemaquid in History. By Rev. Henry S.

Burrage, 53

Beginnings at Pemaquid. By Rev. Henry O. Thayer, ... 62

Sketches of the Lives of Early Maine Ministers. By William D.
Williamson:

Rev. Benjamin Stevens, 85

Rev. Ephraim Clark, 87

Rev. Gideon Richardson, 88

Rev. Samuel Langdon, 89

Rev. John Morse, 90

Rev. Jacob Foster, 91

Rev. Elisha Eaton, 93

Rev. John Wiswell 184

Rev. Moses Hemmenway, 186

Rev. Nathan Ward, 188

Rev. John Miller, . . . . . . . . . 189

Rev. Peter Thatcher Smith , . 190

Rev. Thomas Pierce, 1^1

Rev. John Fairfield, 192

Rev. Paul Coffin, 194

Rev. Edward Brooks, 195

Rev. Isaac Hasey, .'506

Rev. Jonah Winship, 307

Rev. Samuel Foxcrof t, 308

Rev. Samuel Deane, 310

Rev. Ezekiel Emerson, 312

Rev. John Murray, 314

Rev. Matthew Merriam, 441

Rev. Ebenezer Williams 441

Rev. Josiah Thatcher, 442

Rev. Thomas Brown, 443

Rev. Silas Moody, 444

iv CONTENTS.

PAGE

Hallowell Records. Communicated by W. B. Lapham, 94, 196, 321, 445
Proceedings 1892, . . . . . . . . . . 102, 201

1893, . . . . 202

1894, . ....'" 209,328

The First Maine Bishop. By Rev. C. F. Allen, D. D 113

Machias in the Revolution. By Rev. Charles H. Pope, . . .121
John Fairbanks His Journal Contributed by Herbert Harris, 139
The Rasles Dictionary. By Rev. E. C. Cummings, . . . 144
Cape Porpoise, Old and New. By Henry F. Knight, . . . 153
Marriages Solemnized by Oliver Wood, Esquire, of Lincoln County, 175
Portland Privateers in the War of 1812. Contributed by Capt.

Daniel O. Davis, . . . 178, 302

Act of Incorporation and By-Laws, 215

The St. Croix Commission. By Rev. Henry S. Barrage, D. D. . 225

White's Bridge. By Samuel T. Dole, 252

Mogg Heigon His Life, His Death, and its Sequel. By Horatio

Height, 256

Reminiscences of Rev. Dr. Edward Payson. By Cyrus Hamlin,

D. D., LL. D., 280

Brig. General Wadsworth's Deposition, Court of Inquiry, Penob-

scot Expedition, 291

General William Whipple. By Moses Atwood Safford, Esq., . 337
Temperance and the Drink Question in the Old Time. By Hon.

George Foster Talbot, 357

Charter Rights of Massachusetts in Maine in the Early Part of the

Eighteenth Century. Contributed by Henry S Burrage, D. D., 392

The Settlement of Scarborough. By Augustus F. Moulton, Esq., 415

ILLUSTRATIONS

David Cobb,

Joshua Soule,

From a page of Father Basle's Dictionary, .
The St. Croix of Mitchell's Map,
Boundary Lines Claimed and Proposed,
William Whipple,

PAGE
1

112

. 144
226

. 248
337

GEN.DAVID COBBOF GOULDSBOROUGH,

MAINE

MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY COLLECTIONS,

GEN. DAVID COBB OF GOULDSBOROUGH,

MAINE.

BY COL. JOSEPH W. PORTER.

Read before the Maine Historical Society, January %5, 1894.

FROM 1795 to 1820, for a quarter of a century,
Gen. Cobb was the most conspicuous and influen-
tial citizen of Eastern Maine, and possibly of the
whole state. As his name and fame have been almost
wholly appropriated by the mother state, I have
thought it proper to assert his claims as a citizen of
Maine. I have before me several volumes 1 of Mas-
sachusetts origin which contain biographies of him,
two of which make no allusion to his residence in
Maine, and the others made of it the merest mention.

David Cobb was the son of Thomas and Lydia Cobb,
of Attleborough, Massachusetts, and was born Septem-
ber 14, 1748. He was fitted for college by Joseph
Marsh, Jr., of Brain tree, Massachusetts, who had a
classical or Latin private school there from 1740 to
Mr. Cobb was graduated from Harvard College
in 1766. He studied medicine with Dr. Perkins of

1 History of Taunton, by Rev. Samuel H. Emery, D. D., 1853. Two volumes.
Familiar Letters on Public Characters, by Gen. William Sullivan, Boston, 1834.
Address of Hon. Francis Baylie before the Taunton Lyceum, July 2, 1830.
Proceedings of the Massachusetts Senate on the Occasion of the Presentation of
a Portrait of Gen. Cobb, February 23, 1882.

VOL. VI. 2

2 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Boston (or Bridgewater), and settled in Taunton in
1766. He married the same year, Eleanor Bradish, of
Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was elected represen-
tative to the General Court in 1774, as a colleague
with his brother-in-law, the distinguished Robert Treat
Paine, one 'of the signers of the Declaration of
Independence.

In 1777, he entered the army as lieutenant-colonel
of the Sixteenth Massachusetts Regiment, of which
Henry Jackson was colonel. This was a famous regi-
ment, and was in many famous battles. Cobb's brav-
ery and judgment attracted the attention of Washing-
ton, and in 1781 he appointed Cobb a member of his
staff. He continued through the war in that position,
the beloved, intimate, trusted friend of Washington,
and after the close of the war he went to Mount Ver-
non and passed several months there.

He returned to Taunton in 1784, and resumed the
practice of his profession. The state had need of his
services. In 1784 he was appointed chief justice of
the Court of Common Pleas for Bristol County, an
office which he held for about eight years. In 1785,
he was elected major-general of the Fifth Division of
Massachusetts Militia. In 1786, a local insurrection
took place in Eastern Massachusetts, which was par-
ticularly aimed at the courts. In June the mob at-
tempted to prevent the holding of Judge Cobb's court.
He ordered the militia out and addressed the mob,
and told them he " would sit as judge or die as gen-
eral." In the end his courage and bravery overcame
the insurrection. In 1789, he was elected representa-

GEN. DAVID COBB OF GOULDSBOROUGH, MAINE. 3

tive to the General Court, and for that year and three
more years was speaker of the House. In 1792, he
was appointed as commissioner to run the boundary
line between Massachusetts and Rhode Island, a ques-
tion which had been in dispute for more than one
hundred and fifty years. He was representative in
Congress, 1793-95.

In 1795, he was appointed agent of the great Bing-
ham estate in Eastern Maine, and in that year or early
in 1796 he removed to Gouldsborough. He erected a
house on Gouldsborough Point, on the easterly side of
the town. His house was always open, generous and
hospitable. There Gen. Knox, Gen. Henry Jack-
son, William Bingham, the principal owner of the
Bingham estate, and others visited him. The roads
of that time were few and bad, and the ocean was the
great highway for travelers. Few men of any note
passed by without calling upon Gen. Cobb.

Upon his arrival at Gouldsborough he at once com-
menced great enterprises, which he hoped would benefit
both proprietors and settlers. He laid out miles of
roads in the town and northerly of it, on lands of the
estate ; some of these roads were built.

He built wharves, storehouses, saw mills and ships,
and for a time shipped large quantities of lumber to
the West Indies. He was passionately fond of agri-
cultural pursuits, and spent much time and money in
promoting that interest. He fondly hoped to found a
city at Gouldsborough, but business and settlers went
to other towns, Ellsworth, Steuben, Narraguagus River,
and further to the eastward. The city of his ambition

4 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

faded away like a dream, and is now almost as much
a myth as the ancient city of Norumbega on the
Penobscot.

With all his business cares the interests of the Dis-
trict of Maine made constant demands upon him. He
was senator from Hancock County 1801, 1802, 1803
and 1805, and president of the Senate all those years.
In 1803, he was appointed chief justice of the Court
of Common Pleas for Hancock County, and held his

/ f

court in Castine until 1809.

In 1804, he headed the Federal electoral ticket of
Massachusetts as candidate for elector at large.

General Cobb was major-general of the Fifth Divi-
sion of Massachusetts Militia in the District of Maine
for several vears before 1814, when he was succeeded

/ t

by John Blake of Brewer. He was lieutenant-gov-
ernor of Massachusetts in 1809, and was defeated as a
candidate for re-election. He was supreme executive
councillor for the district of which Hancock County
was a part for 1805, 1808, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815 and
1817 ; indeed, that office seems always to have been
kept open for him.

In 1820, the management of the Bingham estate
having passed into the hands of his son-in-law, Col.
John Black, of Ellsworth, and being in feeble health,
he concluded to go to Taunton and live with his
children there. He removed the last of 1820, or the
first of the following year. Many years previous to
this, January 8, 1808, Mrs. Cobb died while on a
visit to Taunton. His widowed daughter, Mrs. Betsey
Smith, immediately went to Gouldsborough and, while

GEN. DAVID COBB OF GOULDSBOROUGH, MAINE. 5

Gen. Cobb lived there, was his faithful housekeeper.
When he left there he left his home, his books and
papers, a diary which he kept all through the Revolu-
tionary war, which is now in the possession of his
great-grandson, Mr. George N. Black, of Boston, and
another diary of his life in Gouldsborough, which his
descendants there have.

After his removal to Taunton he took much in-
terest in public affairs, and remembered with peculiar
satisfaction his residence in Maine. In 1829, he re-
moved to the Massachusetts General Hospital in Bos-
ton, of which he is said to have been one of the
founders, to spend the remainder of his life there. He
died April 17, 1830, and was buried beside his wife at
Taunton. A monument has since been erected to
their memory.

His will of February 18, 1829, was proved in Han-
cock County (a large part of his property being still
there) August 18, 1830. The trustees of his will were
his sons, Thomas and D. G. W., of Taunton, and his
sons-in-law, Judge Samuel S. Wilde, of Boston, and
Col. John Black, of Ellsworth. As a matter of fact it
seems that Col. Black settled the estate.

General and Mrs. Cobb had eleven children, of whom
six died in Maine, two in the Northwest and three in
Massachusetts. Descendants in female lines are very
numerous in Eastern Maine. General Cobb was the
founder of Taunton Academy, a founder and vice-pres-
ident of the " Society of the Cincinnati," and a mem-
ber of the American Society of Arts and Sciences.

He was a man of full stature, an agreeable person,

6 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

frank, sincere, honorable, pure and kind-hearted, and
altogether a man who can safely be praised in an
obituary notice.

In religion he was a Congregationalist, and in poli-
tics a Federalist. As a judge, although not a lawyer,
he had a good knowledge of law as applied to causes
which were brought before him for trial. It was said of
him at Castine that some times he took a " short cut '
to get at the justice of a matter. When he sat on
the bench he wore his cocked hat and revolutionary
costume.

As a presiding officer he possessed remarkable grace,
dignity and tact, and by his strict impartiality won
the unqualified approval of his political opponents.

I have given this sketch of this eminent Maine citi-
zen, executive councillor, general, judge, lieutenant-
governor and senator, in order that the people of
Maine may hold him in remembrance. His portrait
hangs in the senate chamber at Boston, over which
body he presided four years. There is nothing in or
about that portrait to remind the beholder that when
Gen, Cobb presided over that body he was a citizen
of Gouldsborough, Maine.

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS.

SOME OLD PAPERS RECENTLY FOUND

IN THE STONE TOWER OF THE FIRST

PARISH CHURCH OF PORTLAND.

BY REV. JOHN CARROLL PERKINS.

Bead before the Maine Historical Society) January 25, 189$.

A NOTE at the bottom of page 305 in Mr. Willis'
edition of The Journals of the Rev. Thomas Smith
and the Rev. Samuel Deane, pastors of the First
church in Portland, reads as follows :

September 2, 1764. Mr. Deane read his answer in public,
being Lord's day, to the church and parish, in the affirmative.
N. B. The answer, untranscribed, is among the original papers
of this book.

The letter of acceptance, which certainly has never
been seen by this generation, I will read :

LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE REV. SAMUEL DEANE.

Honored and dearly beloved brethren of the Chh, and Inhabitants

of the first Parish in Falmouth :
Whereas

I have been informed by your reverend Pastor, that this Chh
have unanimously made choice of me to be a Colleague Pastor
with him.

And that the Honble Committee of ye Parish have assured me
that, at a meetg duly assembled, the Inhabitants concurred with
the Vote of the Church.

Havg taken ys affairs into deliberate & serious Consideration,
and sought for the best advice and direction ; I take ys oppor-
tunity to inform you, yt I have concluded to accept of yr kind
Invitation and settle in the Work of the Ministry among you.
And havg determined to spend my whole Time and Strength in

8 MAINE HISTOEICAL SOCIETY.

promotg the Welfare of yr Souls and ye Souls of your Children ;
I am willg to trust in God yt yr Hearts will be so disposed by
him, that you will not suffer me to want a suitable Reward for
my Labours, during my Pastoral Relation to you. Considering
the grt difficuty of the Employment I am undertakg, I earnestly
desire you to use your best Interest at the Throne of Grace for
me, yt I may be more & more replenished with all ministerial
Gifts & Graces, and yt I may come unto you in the fulness of the
blessg of the Gospel of Xt.

per Samuel Deane.
September 2d, 1764.

Continuing the note just referred to, Mr. Willis

says :

We must add another N". B. to this, to express our regret
that none of the original papers of the First Parish, except the
volume of records, can be found. They were probably scattered
during the war.

It is these papers, or by far the majority of them,
that have lately been found in the church.

Back of the organ in the First Parish church is a
small room in which the sexton tolls the bell for re-
ligious worship. From this room there is a door lead-
ing into the tower whither the man ascends who rings
the bell for calling the court together, at the time of
its sessions. There is also another door leading to a
small room under the tower stairs. This room is not
dark, but is lighted by the semicircular window that
is directly over the large middle door of entrance to
the church, the floor of the room cutting off a part of
the window.

In this room was the chest in which the old papers
of the parish have been preserved for many years.
It is a common pine wood chest, painted a slate

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS.

color and marked " First Parish Recorder." Its exist-
ence was not unknown to many men in the parish,
but two things hindered until now the examination of
its contents. In the first place there was the general
impression that the chest contained nothing but pack-
ages of old receipts. In the second place there was
the feeling of delicacy, if it would not better be called

4

common honesty, that prevents men from tampering
with articles that are under lock and key. It was the
overstepping of this second law, about six weeks ago,
that brought the papers to light.

It is difficult to tell just when the papers were
placed in this chest, nor is it known how old the chest
is. It is probable that they were placed there at
different times in the course of the present and per-
haps the last century.

It is very strange that Mr. Willis did not know of
their existence, for while the edition of the Journals to
which I have referred was prepared in the year 1849,
there are papers in the chest bearing dates nearly ten
years later than this.

The chest was about half full of documents of var-
ious kinds. L There are two bound books. They
both contain the reports of the treasurers of the
parish and embrace the years from 1765 to 1856.
The first is a parchment-bound book, long and narrow,
about fifteen and one-half inches by six. On the out-
side cover is written "Parish Book." The first entry
bears the date April, 1765, and is in the handwriting
of James Milk, for whom Milk Street, in our city, is
named. It continues in the handwriting of John

10 MAINE HISTOEICAL SOCIETY.

Frothingham and others. There are seventy-two
double pages, debit and credit accounts occupying
opposite pages. The first book ends in 1824. The
last entry is in the handwriting of Charles S. Daveis.

The second book is larger, is bound in sheep, and is
eight inches by thirteen. On the back in red label
with gold letters is the ^ title " First Parish Kecords."
A white paper label pasted on the side reads, " Journal
and Ledger First Parish in Portland." This label is
probably in the handwriting of Isaac Ilsley. One
recognizes the handwriting of John Mussey, Joseph
Ilsley, et al. The book closes in the year 1856.
There are one hundred and seventy-eight pages as re-
corded, but errors in numbering have made the total
somewhat larger than it really is. These books con-
tain all the financial results of the years already
stated. There are many interesting autographs on
these pages, for in many cases the pages contain
vouchers and other memoranda to which the names of
men are appended, who had dealings with the parish.

2. In the second place there are the lists of parish
taxes. These are not complete, though they cover
in great part the period from 1734 to 1849. The first
is " A Copy of The Schoolmasters Rate Committed to
Constable ' 1734. Here are nine pages of names with
the taxes on polls, on real estate, and on personal
estate and faculty. The total is 48, 5s. The asses-
sors were Sam 1 Moody and John East. The second
is:

A List of the Ministers Rate & other Charges for the First
Parish in the Town of Fal mouth for the year 1739 and Comited

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS. 11

To James Wyman, Collector for s d Parish, Said List Containing
Two Hundred Seventy Eu>ht Persons Names and Amounts in
the whole to the Sam of Two Hundred Fifty Four Pounds
Twelve Shillings & Eight Pence.

The parish assessors whose autographs are affixed
were Sam 1 Moody, Joseph Noyes, William Cotton.

The tax-list of 1744 contains three hundred and five
polls.

There are four books or pamphlets of 1746. The
lists of names are beautifully written by Enoch Free-
man. They are the town and county rates for the
First Parish in Falmouth and the Second Parish in Fal-
mouth ; also the province taxes for the two parishes.

It may be well to recall for a moment the parish
divisions of Falmouth and Portland.

Falmouth was incorporated in the year 1718. The
Second Parish of Falmouth was set off from the First
Parish in the year 1733. I read from the town
records, volume 2, page 72ff 1 :

These are in his majesties name to Requier ye freholders and
other inhabitants of the town of falmouth qualified for voting
according to his majesties Charter.

To assemble and meet together at the meetinghouse in sd
town on munday the seventh day of may next at 10 of the clock
in the forenoon then and there to vote the Reverend Mr. Smiths
s ilery for this year.

2. To see if the Town will vote and order the seting of the
People and Estates on the south side of the foreriver to Be a
Separate Parish.

3. To agree upon some method to suply the Town with a
Gramer Scoolemaster for this Present year and how to pay said
scoolemaster.

1 This reference is to the copy of the Records in the city clerk's office, Portland.

12 MAINE HISTOEICAL SOCIETY.

4. To chose a Constable in the Roome of John Jure! en who
Refused to serve Given under our hands at falmouth Apr. '21,

1733.

Henry Wheeler "|
Hobert Thorndike | Select Men
John East for

Moses Pearson Falmouth

Joseph Cobb J

We the Subscribers have according to a vote of the town of
falmouth warned the freholders and other inhabitants as within
mentioned to appear at the time and place within mentioned by
posting up notifications in sd town one at ye meeting house and
the other at Mr. John Sawyers on the south side of the fore-
river.

May the seventh 1733

John East ]

Henry Wheeler I Selectmen

Joseph Cobb > for

Hobert Thorndike | Falmouth

Moses Pearson J

Recorded & Moses Pearson

Town Clerk

At a legal town meeting held at ye meeting house in falmouth
the 7th day of may 1733.

Henry Wheeler was chosen moderator for said meeting.

Voted, that there Be a Rate leved on the pols and Estates in
sd town of one hundred and sixty pounds to pay the Reverend
Mr. Smiths salery for this year and to find him firewood for ye
term.

Voted, that as many of the people and estates as desire the
same lying On the South side of the foreriver Running up said
River to Stroudwater River and so into ye Contrey as Stroud-
water River runs shall Be set off to be a Seperate Parrish and
shall Be discharged from paying any part of the Rev. Mr.
Smiths Salery or his suckcessors when they have Bult a meeting-
house and settled an ortherdox minister on the South side of sd
River.

Recorded & Moses Pearson

Town Clerk

OLD FIKST PARISH DOCUMENTS. 13

The Third Parish of Falmouth was set off in the
year 1754. This is what was known as New Casco
and is the present town of Falmouth. The Fourth
Parish of Falmouth was set off in the year 1764. This
was Stroudwater and vicinity. Portland was organ-
ized in the year 1786. The Second Parish was formed
in the year 1788. The third Congregational society
in Portland was incorporated in 1808. With the ex-
ception of the first and last of these religious divisions,
the original petitions with the autograph signatures
were found among the papers of which we are speak-
ing. The first is not here because the parish and
town records were identical until the year 1733. The
matter and the decision of the town as recorded has
already been mentioned. The last would not be
among the papers, because the laws relating to reli-
gious societies had been changed and carried into
effect in this vicinity soon after 1787. There are in-
teresting papers relating to this question.

But returning to the tax lists, we find them for the
years 1715, 1748-50,1752-56. There is an interesting
memorandum written on the outside of the tax book
for 1756, as follows:

The Polls in this Bill Encluding widdows ammounting to
380 all of which are Intitled Each one to a Psalm Book agree-
able to a Vote of the Parish in the year 1756 to be Payed for
out of the Parish Stock. 1756 Collector Bayley.

The reference is to the vote of March 10, 1756,
when twenty-five pounds were voted to purchase Tate
& Brady's Psalm Books, with the tunes annexed.

The tax books continue for the year 1766 ; in 1770

14 MAINE HISTOEICAL SOCIETY.

are lists for The Neck and for Back Cove. There are
altogether about a hundred of these lists, giving the
names and the taxes of all people in the First Parish
of Falmouth and Portland for their respective years.

There are seven lists of Churchmen, covering the
years 1770-74 ; also 1784-85. It is known to all, of
course, that at this time there was a good deal of feel-
ing on the part of the Churchmen. They naturally
felt the difficulty of paying taxes to the First Parish,
in addition to the amounts raised for their own reli-
gious purposes. St. Paul's, as it was then called (this
was the society now known as St. Stephen's), had gone
off from the First Parish, with those who were opposed
to the ordination of Samuel Deane, in 1764. This
seceding party quarreled among themselves. In one
case, according to the journal of Dr. Smith, two ardent
spirits came to blows in the street. (The combatants
according to William Willis were Gen. Preble and
Capt. John Waite.)

The party which declared for the Church of Eng-
land, built a house in 1765, and settled John Wiswell,
late of New Casco. These Churchmen petitioned the
First Parish to have their taxes remitted. This ques-
tion furnished article ten of the parish meeting, March
12, 1765. The article was dismissed. In 1772 at the
meeting of May 27, it was voted to pay over to the
Church minister the taxes upon Churchmen, after de-
ducting a " proportionable part thereof for assessing,
collecting &c." A vote of 1773 remitted taxes for
1771 and 1772. There is a list of Churchmen bearing
the date of 1771. At the end of the list are these two
vouchers :

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS. 15

(first) We the Minister & Wardens of St. Paul's Church
Fal mouth Certifie that the Persons named in the above list
usually & frequently attended Public Worship with us at
s d Church on Lords Days during the Year 1771.

J. Wiswall Minister

W. Simmons Church

David Wyer Ju r Wardens,
(second) Falmouth 7th Sep* 1773

Treasurer of the first Parish.

Then received of Mr. Enoch Moody in Falmonth Eighty four
Pounds fourteen Shillings in full for the Year 1771.

o

J. Wiswall Minister of S. Pauls.

The lists of 1772-74 contain the receipt and
voucher as above. In 1784 is a list in autograph of
the Churchmen :

To the Assessor of the first Parish in Falmouth agreeable to

o

your notification of the 12 of Novem r inst we send you a List
of our names for the purpose therein mentioned :

John Waite, Daniel Ilsley, Thomas Motley, Benj. Waite, John
Kent, Jn Archer, Sam 1 Mountfort, John Thorlo, Abijah Pool,
Jn Lowther, Joseph Rig-^s Jun r , Somers Shattuck, Sam Motley
Thomas Minot, Jon a Armstrong, John Tukey J r , Peter Merrill,
Joseph Sylvester, Josiah Riggs, Pellitiah Furnald, John Kenney,
Daniel Pettingell.

There is also a list of Quakers who were exempted
from taxation in the year 1774. These names are
published in Willis' History of Portland, page 406 with
one change only. It was taken by him without
doubt from the Parish Record Book.

List of Quakers in ye first Parish.
Abbot Nathaniel
Austin Benjamin
Estis Samuel
Goddard James

16 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Goulrl Benjamin

Hanson Solomon

Houston Robert

Hall Daniel

Knight Enoch

Knight Job

Merrill John

Morrill Stephen

Morrill Jacob

Pope Elijah

Torey James

Winslow Eben r

Winslow Benj a

Winslow Samuel

Winslow James

Winslow Job

Winslow William

Winslow Oliver

Winslow John

(March 24, 1774 these are ye pers >ns exempted as Quakers ye

Curr* Year

T Bradbury Clr)

I will mention also a list of " Owners of Vessels."
First Parish Falmouth 1773-74. This list includes
thirty-four names, of which eight were Churchmen.

Tons Tons

Owners of Vessels. 1st Par. Falm. 1773 1774

Baker Josiah Jun. 10

Bradbury Jacob 50

Cobb Smith Woodward 6

Codman Richard 20 3 /4

Cox John 35

Emery Joseph 12

Ferrer Peter 10

Harper William 25

Holland William 80

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS. 17

Jones Pearson 50

Haley Enoch 403

Morse Jonathan Jim. 30

Mayo Simeon 163

Martin John 10

Noyes Josiah 9

Noyes Joseph 9

Paine Jonathan 12

Pote Jeremiah 122

Pike Timothy 67 28

Pagan Robert 55

Ross Thomas 28

Smith Thomas Jun. 41

Stover Wanton 15

Stevenson John 50

Sanford Thomas 90

Titcomb Benjamin 130

Churchmen.

Johnson John 30

Oxnard Thomas 46

Oxnard Edward 35

Preble Jedidiah 110

Shattuck Moses 26

Seal Thomas 20

Waite John 110

Waite Stephen 105

(This list, though bearing no name of the writer,
was without question written by Theophilus Bradbury.)
There is a large number of receipts and vouch-
ers covering the years from 1733-1856. There are
hundreds or more truly perhaps thousands of these
papers. They are of great interest of course for the
knowledge they give of the financial life of the parish ;
also for the prices of material and of labor in the past

years of Portland ; and also for the autographs of the
VOL. VI. 3

18 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

men who had dealings with the parish. There were
probably few men of any importance in the history of
Portland in the last century at least, whose autograph
is not among these papers. They include pew re-
ceipts and with these are preserved the signatures of
the past pew owners in the parish. There are two
autographs of H. Clay, written on franks that by
chance were used for wrapping bundles of parish
papers.

4. There are the original warrants ar?d calls for
parish meetings. These are the papers that were
posted on the meeting-house door for public advertise-
ment, and they still show the holes made by the tacks.
These records are of inestimable value to the parish as
historical relics. Copies of them are correctly exe-
cuted in the Parish Record Book, but here are the
first papers. They exist in almost unbroken line from
1733, the first year of the separate life of the parish,
to 1848, the last warrant to be deposited in the chest,
bearing that date. The only exceptions to this are for
.the years 1747, 1748, 1751, 1785, 1826, 1827. That
is out of one hundred and fifteen years there are six
that do not appear.

The ink and paper are in perfectly good preserva-
tion. It is rarely that even the least difficulty is
found in reading them. Some are stained, and in
such a way as to indicate rain. Thus it might be
possible to tell with some certainty what parish meet>
ing days were rainy.

5. The most valuable documents are the petitions,
and other papers which have from time to time ap-
peared in the life of the parish.

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS. 19

I will give a list of these:

(a). Falmouth Petition, 1739, Phineas Jones, et al.,
to tax Unimproved Land. This is the court copy. It
shows that Belcher is governor; J. Quincy is speaker;
Simon Frost is Deputy Secretary.

PETITION OF PHINEAS JONES AND OTHERS OP FALMOUTH TO

TAX WASTE LANDS.

To His Excellency Jonathan Belcher Esq r . Captain General
and Governor in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of
the Massachusets Bay in New England, To the Hono'ble His
Majesty's Council & Hono'ble House of Representatives in
General Court Assembled by Prorogation at Boston Septem-
ber 1739.
Phineas Jones of Falmouth on behalf, and by Order of the

Inhabitants of the said Town.

Humbly Sheweth

That about three years agone, the Great and

General Court or Assembly of this Province in Consideration of

the Charge the Inhabitants of Falmouth had then been at. were

O '

pleased to Order That the waste Lands in the sd' Town Should
be taxed a penny per Acre towards Defreying the Same, But
thro' the delay of the Persons Concerned in Committing to the
Constable the Warrant for the Assessment in due time, the In-
habitants have had no benefit by the General Courts Order.
And in this present year 1739 the Inhabitants have been at near
twenty hundred pounds Charge in building a Meeting house and
Bridges in the said town, and will be obliged to fortify their
houses, and also to pay about five hundred pounds more for the
Support of their Ministers and Schoolmaster, if the Proprietors
and Owners of the Unimproved Lands are not obliged to help
them defrey, that Charge. And in regard the unimproved Lands
are defended and bettered by the Inhabitants who Venture their
Lives in this time of Apprehended danger, and meet with many
dificultys in their new settlements, and the waste lands make up
near nine tenths, of the whole Township and are made much
more Valuable by the Improvements and Industry of the Inhabi-

20 MAINE HISTOKICAL SOCIETY.

tants. Your pet r . in behalf of the settlers and pursuant to their
Vote humbly prays your Excellency and Honours to take the
premises into your wise Consideration, And to Assess the waste
or unimproved Lands in the sd Town two pence per Acre at
least for three years yet to Come, the better to Enable the
Inhabitants of the sd Town to Defrey the great Charge of Sup-
porting their Ministers and Schoolmaster during that time.

Arid your pet r . (as in duty bound) Shall pray &c.

Phineas Jones
In the House of Representatives Oct. 2 d 1739.

Read and Ordered That the Petitioner give publick notice to
the Non Resident Proprietors of the Unimproved Lands in sd.
Town by Inserting it in the Boston News papers four Weeks
Successively at least, that they may Shew Caue (if any they
have) why the prayer of the petition should not be granted on
the first thursday of the next Sitting of this Court, and the
petition is referred in the mean time for Consideration

Sent up for Concurrence

J.-Quincy Spkr .
In Council Oct 2* 1739

Read & Concur' Simon Frost Dty Sec r y

Consented to J. Belcher.

In the House of Representatives Dec r 22<J 1739
Read again and in Answer thereto Ordered that all the Un-
improved Lands in sd Town be Subjected to a Tax of two pence
per Acre per Annum for three Years next ensuing And that no
difficulty may Arise about the sd. Unimproved Lands, Ordered
That all Lands not within Lawful Fence be Subjected to said

Tax.

Sent up for Concurrence

J. Quincy Sp kr
In Council Decem r 28 th 1739.
Read & Concur'

Simon Frost Dty- Sec r 7-
Consented to

J. Belcher
a true Copy Exam d

per Simon Frost Dep Sec r y

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS. 21

(b.) Extract of an act of 1736. 1 This contains the
tax list of the " Province of the Massachusetts-Bay in
New-England." It is accompanied by the order of
William Foye (name in autograph) to the assessors of
Falmouth to collect the Falmouth tax. This order
contains the conditions of collecting. It bears the
date of 1741. Total tax 59 s!4 d9.

Province Tax of Falmouth in 1741
Province of the Massachusetts Bay, ss.

William Foy, Esq ;

Treasurer and Receiver-General of His Majesty's said Province.
To the Select-Men or Assessors of the Town or District of Fal-
mout Greeting, &c.

In Observance of an Act of the Great and General Court or
Assembly of the said Province ; Begun and Held at Boston, the
Twenty-sixth Day of May 1736 iAnd continued by several Pro-
rogations unto Wednesday the Twenty-fourth Day of November
following, and then Met, Entitled, An Act for supplying the
Treasury with the Sum of Eighteen Thousand pounds in Bills of
Credit of the present Form and Tenor; and Nine Thousand
Pounds in Bills of Credit of a new Form, for discharging the
publick Debts, &c. And for establishing the Wages of sundry
Persons, &c. in the Service of the Province, and for the more
easy and effectual drawing in the said Eighteen Thousand
Pounds into the Treasury again, and for apportioning the said
Nine Thousand Pounds on the several and ^respective Towns in
the Province.

These are in His Majesty's Name to Will and Require you
forthwith to assess the Sum of Fifty nine pounds fourteen Shil-
lings & Nine pence New Tenor, Set and Proportioned upon your
Town and District in the manner following ; That is to say, To
assess all rateable Male Polls above the Age of sixteen Years at

1 This is the only printed paper found in the chest with the exception of a newspa-
per clipping account of the court decision concerning the second parish 1788; and
a few papers of more limited interest.

22 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Two Shillings and thre Pence per Poll. And all Estates both
Real and Personal, lying within the Limits and Bounds of your
Town or District, or next unto the same, not paying elsewhere,
in whose Hands, Tenure, Occupation or Posession soever the
same is or shall be found, and also the income by Trade or
Faculty, which any Person or Persons (except as in and by said
Act is excepted) do or shall exercise in gaining by Money or
other Estate, not particularly otherwise assessed, or Commis-
sions of Profit in their Improvement, according to their Under-
standing and Cunning, at one Penny on the Pound ; and to
abate or multiply the same, if need be, so as to make up the Sum
hereby set and ordered for your Town or District to pay. And
in making said Assessment to estimate Houses & Lands at six
years Income of the yearly Rents in Money, whereat the same
may be reasonably Set or Let for in the Place where they ly,
(saving all Contracts between Landlord and Tenant, and where
no such Contract is, the Landlord to reimburse one half of the
Tax set upon such Houses & Lands) and to estimate Indian,
Negro and Molatto Servants proportion ably as other personal
Eftate, according to your sound Judgment and Discretion ; as
also to estimate every Ox of four Years old and upwards at
Forty Shillings, every Cow of three Years old and upwards at
Thirty Shillings, every Horse and Mare of three Years old and
upwards at Forty Shillings, every Swine of one Year old and up-
wards at Eight Shillings, every Goat of one Year old and up-
wards at Three Shillings, and Sheep within the County of Duke's
County and Nantucket at the Age aforesaid at Three Shillings.
And you are likewise required to make a fair List of the Assess-
ment, setting forth in distinct Columns, against each particular
Person's Name, how much he or she is assessed at for Polls, and
how much for Houses & Land, and how much for personal Estate
and Income by Trade or Faculty : And the List or Lists so per-
fected and signed by you, or the major Part of you, to commit to
the Collectors, Constable or Constables of your Town or District,
and to return a Certificate of the Name or Names of such Col-
lectors, Constables or Constables, together with the Sum Total
to each of them respectively committed, unto myself, sometime

OLD FIRST PAEISH DOCUMENTS.

23

before the last Day of October next. Hereof you may not fail,
as you will answer your Neglect at the Peril of the Law.

Given under my Hand at Seal at Boston, the Thirtieth Day of
June 1741. In the Fifteenth Year of the Reign of our Sover-
eign Lord George, the Second, of Great Britain, &c. King

W Foye

(c.) Objections of Nathaniel Jones and 23 others,
to any action of the parish concerning the acceptance
of the new meeting-house in 1740. This is the origi-
nal paper with autograph signatures.
(Objection to the change of Meeting House, 1740)

falmath July the 17- 1740

To the Moderator of a meting in the first PreCint or
Parish falmath now met. We the subOibers whose
names are underWriten : Enter oure Desent and deClara-
tion against the warning of this meeting or any action or
vote Preceding from it because the Parish hath never im-
Proued any Person to buld a meeting house for them
therefore Could have no vote in the beznese maner of
finishing nor Price of the same nor Place whare to get
the same

because the warning of this meting is not legal : We ther-
fore demand that this our Desent be forthwith entered in
the above s d Parishes booCk of Re Cord
John French Joseph Tompson Nath 1 Jones

James Merrill

Enoch Harvey

Gowin Wilson
George Tuck

John Gray

Richerd merill

his

Benjamin //Blackstone

luark

Thomas Haskell
Samuel Stapall
John Calley
James Marrill
Israel Marrill
Humphey Merrill

24 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Andrew Tuck
James M'Causland
Andrew Gibbs
George Cutler
James Wyman
Parcival Clark
William Bucknam
hanery mackintier

(This petition is in the handwriting of Nathaniel
Jones. It is not recorded in the Parish Book. Moses
Pearson, probably, has written upon it : This paper
Keceived after the meeting was over.)

(d.) The Petition of the Inhabitants of the Second
Parish of Falmouth, in 1749, to the General Court,
that they may be erected into a township. This is a
court copy.

(The Petition of the Inhabitants of the Second parish in Fal.

1749.)

To the Honourable Spencer Phips

Esq r Lieutenant Gov r & Commander
in Chiefe in & over his Majesty's Prov-
ince of the Massachusetts Bay in New
England, The Honourable the Coun-
cil & Honourable House of Rep! e . s of
the said Province in General Court
assembled at Boston the 23 d day of
November 1749.

The Petition of the Inhabitants of the Second Parish in Fal-
mouth in the County of York.
Most Humbly Show

That the Said Parish contains a Tract of Land
of Ten miles in length & about five Miles in Breadth & Suitable
for a Township on which is now Settled about one Hundred &
fifty Families

That your Pet" by Long Experience have found Great Difficul-
ties & many Inconveniences by being only a Parish and So part

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS. 25

of the Town of Falmouth do Earnestly desire that may be
erected into a Township for the following Reasons
First Because they are by the Water So seperated From the Town
that they Cannot attend upon the Publick Town Meetings
without going Some of them Ten and Some fiveteen miles
by Land to Said meetings and for want of their presence
many things are there done and acted by the other part
of the Town very much To their Damage
Secondly Because being only a Parish they Cannot keep a Con-
stant School among them for want of which their children
greatly suffer for though they have paid Constantly for
the Support of a Grammar School yet they never have
Since they have been a Parish four months of the Town
School or any money Granted by the Town to help
them on that account whereas had they been a Town they
would Constantly have maintained a Schoolmaster among
themselves which they Cannot do now but by Subscrip-
tion which hath been a very heavy Burthen on Some Par-
ticular Person

Your Pet rs for these and other Reasons that might be
mentioned most Humbly pray this great and Hon ble Court
would be pleased to Erect the Said Second Parish of Fal-
mouth into a Township by the Bounds of said Parish.
And as in Duty Bound your Pet rs will ever pray &
Ezekiel Gushing Agents

for y e Said

Christopher Strout Parish

In the House of Rep tes Decemb r 1 : 1749. Read and ordered
that the Pet rs Serve the first Parish in the Town of Falmouth
with a Copy of this Petition that they Shew Cause if any they
have on the first Tuesday of the next Setting of this Court why
the Prayer thereof Should not be granted

Sent up for Concurrence
Att r Roland Cotton Cler Dom Rep
In Council Decemb r 1 : 1749 Read and Concurred

Sam 1 Holbrook D^ Secry
A true Copy

Exam d per Sam 1 Holbrook Dep Sec.

26 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

(e.) Three petitions concerning the setting off of
the third parish of Falmouth, namely New Casco.
One bears the date 1752. The others have the date,
1753. That of 1752 bears the signature of Nathaniel
Noyes and thirteen others, the original autograph
paper. One of 1753, bears the signature of Benjamin
York and twenty-six others, the original autograph
paper. The second of 1753 is the court copy. There
are fifty-two names attached.

In this connection is a committee report about set-
ting off New Casco, Nov. 23, 1753.

(Petition of Noyes et al. for the setting off of New Casco.)

To the Committee appointed for Calling of meetings in the
first Parrish in Falmouth; Gentlemen You cannot but be in
Some measure Sencable of the great Difficulty that we the In-
habitance of New- Casco in Said Town Labour under in attend-
ing the Publick Worship of God where it is now Carried on
Gent.men these are therefore to Desire you to Call the Parrish
together . . .

1 st To See whether or no they will Set us the Inhabitants of
New Casco off to be a Parrish agreeable to the frame
which is Set up for a Meeting-House near James Wymans
Dwelling House or So many as See Cause to Joyne in
Settling a Minister to Preach the Gospel near or at Said
place

2 1 *' To See whether or no they will abate So many of their Par-
rish Rates as joyn in Paying a minister to Preach the
Gospel amongst us So long as we agree to do the Same
To See whether or no they will agree to hire a minister to
Preach the Gospel at New-Casco and Pay him in the
Same Rate with the Rever d m r Tho 8 Smith

For which Your Petitioners Shall ever Pray
Falmouth April 8 th 1752

Nathaniel Noyes
James Merill

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS. 27

William Bucknam
John Merrill
James Buxton
James Wyman
Joseph Tompson
Danforth Phipps
Edmund Titcomb
Richard Stubs
Elisha Baker
Jon a Underwood
Jonathan Stubs
Gowin Wilson Jun r

Petition of the Inhabitants of New Casco Feb. 22 1753 not-
to be recorded, see article 5, Pgge 49 what was ente'd in conse
quence of this Petition

to the Committee Appointed for Calling of meetings in ye
first Parrish in falmouth Gent mn you Cannot but be in Some
measure Senceable of the Grate Difficulty that we'the Inhabitents
on the North East Side of y e River of Presumscot and Some
Others who Live on y e Southwest Side of s d River Labour un-
der in attending the Publick worship of God where it is Carried
on In s d Parrish Both In Summer and all other Seasons of the
vear there being more than fifty familyes who Live on y e North
East Side of y e River afore S d . . . these are therefore to
Desire you to Call s d Parrish togather to Act on the following
ArtiCel viz. :

to See If they will Seet us the Above S d Inhabitents of to be A
pertiCuler Parrish By ourSelves sutable to the New meeting-
house which is Built on y e NorthEast Side of y e Affore S d River
So that we may be in a way to have the Gosple Preach d amongst
us for the time to Come for which your Pertishioners as In Duty
Bound Shall Ever Pray

falmouth Fabru r y y e 22 nd 1753 Benjamin York

Ruel Tripp James Buxton

Joseph Tompson Nathaniel Lake ?

John Merrill

28 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Richard Pumory Juar John Adams
Gowin Wilson Jun r William Bucknam

Thomas Tucker Hanery mCintier

Elisha Baker Richard Stubs

Joseph York Richard Pumory

Edmund Titcomb Jon a Underwood

Benjamin Merrill William Knight

Go win Wilson Benjamin Blackston

? / m c Causland Danforth Phipps

Ichabod Clark
James M c Causland
Jonathan Stubs

(New Casco Petition to the Gen 1 Court Sept 5 1753.)

Province To His Excellency William Shirley Esq r Gov-

Massa- ernour & Commander in Cheif in & over said Prov-

Bay ince. The Hon ble His Majestys Council & House of
Represent 8 in Gen 1 Court assembled Sept r y e 5. 1753

The Petition of the Inhabitants of New Casco lying
between North Yarmouth & the Easterly side of Pre-
sumpscut River, & of a few Families in a bend of Said
River & on the Westerly side thereof being about Sixty
Families in the whole & all belonging to the first Parish
in the Town of Falmouth in the County of York
humbly sheweth

That your Petitioners living very dis-
tant from the Place where the publick Worship of God is
carried on in the said first Parish in Falmouth, have for a
great Number of years laboured under much Difficulty to
attend the same. For that the greater part of them are
obliged to either to be at the Pains of travelling eight or
nine Miles by Land, which is impracticable for most in
their Families to do, or else they must be at the Fatigue of
going partly by Land & then four or five Miles by Water
across the Bay, which by reason of Ice & Snow in the
Winter, & high Winds & Storms in other Seasons of the
Year, & the Tides not serving more than half the Time,

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS.

29

makes it extreamly difficult & sometimes very dangerous
passing and repassing to the Place of pubUck Worship in
the first Parish in Falmouth as afores d In Order to pre-
vent w ch great Difficulty & Trouble your Petitioners have
wi'hin a few years been at the Expence of building a Meet-
ing House in a Place Convenient & commodious for them
to attend the publick Worship of God in, & at the extraor-
dinary Charge of hireing Preaching among themselves
from Time to Time, and that they might have the Gospell
regularly settled among them & be relieved of their ag-
grievance & Difficulty are obliged to resort to this Hon ble
Court for redress,

Humbly beseeching your Honours would please to take
their Case into your wise Consideration & set them off a
distinct Parish by themselves, & that the Bounds of said
Parish maybe three Miles & three quarters Southwesterly
from North Yarmouth Line, & to run thro' the Town into
the Country & into the Sea parralell with the dividing
Line between Falmouth & North Yarmouth. Or other-
wise set off a sufficient Number of them with their Sub-
stance to whom it may be Convenient to attend the pub-
lick Worship of God in the Place where the Said Meeting
House is now erected, as to your known Wisdom & Good-
ness shall seem meet. And your Petitioners as in Duty
bound will ever pray

Jeremiah Pote
George Knight
Samuel S tap el
Benjamin Godfrey
Richard Merrill
Richard Stubs
James Wyman jun r
Samuel Noyes
Roland Davis
Edmund Titcomb
Danforth Phipps
Nathan Noyes

James Wyman
John Colley
Gowin Wilson
Nath 1 Canet
Will m Ingersoll
Henry Talmun
Elisha Baker
Epill Bartoll
William Knight
Parcivell Clark
Nathaniel Noyes
Ichabod Clark

Richard Pumory j un r
Benj a York jun r
Benj a York
Thomas Tijejpir
Will m Bucknam
John Hunt
Sam 1 Crocket
Benj a Davis
James Merrill
James Merrill jun r
Joshua Merrill
Zachariah Field

30 MAINE HISTOKICAL SOCIETY.

Gowin Wilson jun r James Baxton Joseph Wilson

Jon a Underwood Richard Pumory Benj a Blackston jun r
Jona. Stubs Tho 8 Hunaford

Joseph Thompson George Cutler

Nath 1 Tompson John Adams

Edmund Titcomb jun r
John Merrill
Benjamin Merrill
Benjamin Blackston

In the House of Represent 8 Sep r 10, 1753. Read & Ordered
that the Pet rs serve the Clerk of the first Parish in Falmouth
with a Copy of this Petition that they shew Cause (if any they
have) on the second Thursday of next sitting of this Court why
the Prayer thereof should not be granted.

Sent up for Concurrence
T. Hubbard S|,k r

In Council Sep r 11, 1753. Read & Concur'd

Tho 8 Clarke Dp*? Secry

A True Copy Examined

Tho 8 Clark Dp 1 ? Secry

Committee's report about setting off New Casco Nov 23, 1753

Falm th Nov r 23 d 1753

The Committee to whom was referred the Consideration of the
Petition of the Inhabitants of New Casco, Report that they are
of the Opinion, that all the Inhabitants on the Easterly Side of
Presumpscut be Set off as a Seperate Parish beginning at North
yarmouth Line Near the the Sea & From thence running up the
Bay to Presumpscut River & thence up sd River as far as the
westerly Side of Mr. James Winslows Sixty acre Lott of Land
on which his now dwelling house Stands, & from thence to run a
North West Line to the head of the Township Including Maccays
Island, Clapboard Island & Little Jebege and as many of the In-
habitants of the first Parrish in Falmouth as shall see Cause that
Live on the westerly Side of sd Presumpscut River Convenient
to Sd Parrish have Liberty to Joyn with them with their Estates

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS. 31

on which they dwell within twelve months from the above Sd
date

Ja z Fox

Jedidiah Preble

Jn Waite

_ Committee

Joseph lompson

William Bucknam
Danforth Phipps

(f.) Petition of Simon Gookin et al. for enlarging
the meeting-house, March, 1753. It is accompanied by
a plan of the house. This is the original autograph
copy.

Simon Gookin & others Petition for Enlargement of y e Meet-
ing House March 1753.

^y

To the Committee appointed for Calling Meetings in the first
Parish in The Town of Falmouth

Gen 1 . . . Whereas Sundry Persons in the first Parish of
Falmouth are destitute of Pews in the Meeting House, and are
thereby they and their Familys very much incommoded, there-
fore think it needful to have it inserted in the Warning for the
Annual Parish Meeting, to get Liberty of the Parish to have the
s d Meeting House Lengthened 24 Feet. And in Case the s d Par-
ish will agree to it (or of the Old ones in Case every Person now
owning Pews, Choose to keep the same Place) and allow us the
Subscribers the Property of the New Pews, that will be made
by the Alteration afors d ... We bind and Oblige ourSelves to
perfect and finish the s d Alteration and to leave the s d Meeting
House in as good Order as it was when we began s d Alteration

B. Waite Simon Gookin

Thomas Bracet Joseph Goodin

William Brackett Joseph Ingersoll

Joshua Freeman William Bennett

Joshua Freeman Jn r Benj a Titcomb

Joseph Ingersol for Samuel Hodgkins

Isaac Ilsley Dan 1 Tucker

32 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Sign d Since y e James Lunt

Meeting Benjmin Lunt

David Patrick Sam 11 Cobb Junr

Chipman Cobb Sam 11 Cobb for Catn ?
Ebenezer Cobb Jordan and MosesYoung

Josi a Noyes Benja Pettengeil

Nath el Coffin one Eben r Mayo

Will Sweetser Benj n Haskell

James Gooding and Thomas Moseley

John Millen Step n Longfellow
Since the
Meeting Benj a Mussy & Lena 11 Weeks

This petition is in the handwriting of Stephen
Longfellow.

(g.) The petition of the inhabitants of Stroud-
water, Capisic and Sacarapa and Stroudwater Falls, to
be set off as a separate parish in 1757. It is signed
by Samuel Waldo and 30 others and is the original
autograph copy.

Petition of the Inhabitants of Stroudwater etc., July 1757

To the Inhabitants of the 1 st Paris
in Falmouth

The Petition of the Inhabitants of Stroudwater
Capisick Sacarapy and Stroudwater fal!s in said Parish
Humbly Sheweth

That haveing for many Years past laboured under
great Difficultys in attending the publick Worship of God, and
being willing and desirous of having a Gospell Minister Setled
amongst our Selves, humbly pray we may be set off as a Sope-
rate Parish and that the dividing Lines may be between the Par-
ishes as follows viz : begining at the little Bridge at the Narrow
of the Neck, thence riming North 26 degrees West to Presum-
scut River, thence Northwest to the head line of Falmouth
Courses to the Second Parish line in Said Town and to Joyn to

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS.

33

the S d Second Parish as the line is now Run and .... Your
Petitioners as in Duty bound Shall Ever Pray
Falmouth y e 16 th (?) of July, 1757

Geo Tate Samuel Conaut

David Patrick James Frost

his

Ricb d Nason

mark

Zebulun Trick Charles Gerrish

David Small
Nathaiel Knight

Solomon Haskell

Sam Waldo jun 1

Joanna Frost
John Johnson
James Johnson
Robert Johnson
Jeremiah Riggs
Joseph Riggs
Edw d Chapman
Thomas Pennell
Chipman Cobb
Anthony Bracket jur
Thomas Haskell

John Wilson

Mch 8 Smith

Edward Gilman

Nathan Starbird

Aaron Goole

James Johnson Ju r (?) Benjamin Godfrey

John Johnson Ju r Benjamin Haskeli

(This petition is probably in the handwriting of
George Tate. It is referred to as the petition of Lt.
Waldo et al., but no copy appears in the Parish Kec-
ord Book.)

(h.) The petition of James Johnson and 49 others,
freeholders and inhabitants of Falmouth, to be set off
as a fourth parish. This is the original autograph
copy. The date is March, 1764.

Petition for the Fourth Parish in Falmouth.

To the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the first Parish
in Falmouth assembled at their Annual Meeting in March 1764.

C9

The Petition of a Number of the Freeholders and Others of
the said Parish humblv sheweth

V

That they live at a great Distance from the Place
of publick Worship there, and have by means thereof with great
VOL. VI. 4

34 MAINE HISTOKICAL SOCIETY.

Difficulty for many years past attended the same, and being as
they imagine able to build a Meeting House & support a Minis-
ter among themselves ; Humbly request said Parish to set them
off by the Name of the fourth Parish in Falmouth, and that the
dividing Lines may be as follows, viz 1 to begin at Martins Point,
and thence to run Southerly adjoining Presumpscut River to
back Cove, thence to continue round B-tck Cove to Land late
belonging to William Pote deceas'd, thence Northwesterly ad-
joining said Land to the Mead thereof and thence Southeily on
the Head of said Land & Isaac Skillin's, and thence Southerly
to the fore River so as to include John Thomas's Lund, thence
over said River to intersect the Line of the Second Parish in said
Town, on the westerly Bank of said River thence Westerly ad-
joining the Line of said Second Parish to the Head thereof, and
that all the Lands (and Inhabitants that are so inclined) between
the Lines herein before mentioned, and the Line of the third
Parish in Falmouth & Head of the Township, be set off and
remain for a fourth Parish in said Town, and your Petitioners as
in Duty bound will ever pray.

James Johnston

Edward Gilman James Therell John Johnson

John wilson Daniel Small Joseph Riggs

Jeremiah Hobs Nathaniel (?) John Warren

John Crockit Samuel Cole Thomas Ilaskell

Joseph Small Samuel Conant Solomon Haskell

William Webb Richard Nason Benj a Haskell

W m Lamb Isaac Nason John Haskell

James Babb John Sari born

John Starbird Peter Babb

David Small

Geo. Tate

(This petition is in the handwriting of George Tate.)

(i.) A list of forty-three names in autograph, of
those who wish to be considered as belonging to the
fourth parish. It bears the date of August 17, 1764.

OLD FIRST PARISH DOCUMENTS.

35

(List of Names given in March 17 th 1765, by Jos. Riggs
viz* Henry Knight & others 43 in all to be of y e 4 th Parish, Re-
cord d in y e Parish Records Page 83 pr Step n Longfellow
Par h Clerk. Jos. Riggs gave them into the Clerke 27 th March
1765. Just before y e opening the Parish Meeting.)

falmouth (August) y* 17 : 1764 wee whose Names are under
written (with our) Estates Living Eastward of the Line of (the)
fourth parrish which was sett of as a (fourth) parrish by the
first parrish Last march do Now (Return) our Names & Estates
to Joyn to the fourth (parrish) in building a meeting house at
y e north Side of Sacarapey Road (Join) y e County Road &
Seetle a gospell (mi)nister with them Therefore desier Mr Steven
(Longfe)llor the first parrish Clark to Record the above S d and
Likewise our Names under written in the first parrish Book as it
was Voted by the first parrish Last march

Henry Knight
Hugh Barlow
Andrew Gibbs
George Houstoun
James Brvant

/

Moses Knight
Paul Huston
Nathaniel Wilson
James Merrill
Joseph Conant
John Barber Juner
Richard Knight
Joshua Knight
Isaac Hardy
Barth Conant
Nchles Tomson
Isaac Skilling
Lemuel Hicks

Anthony Mors
Zechariah Brackett
thomas Douty
Joseph Hall
Joshua Swett
Stephen Swett
Joseph Conant Jur
John Weeb
Joshua Brackett Juner
Thomas Brackett
Mark Knight
Henery Knight Jun
Nathan Merrill
William Gibbs
William Procter
John Procter

James Douty

Josiah Baker
John Jenks
John Bayley Jun 4 "
John Barber
Samuel Knight
Joseph Pride
William Pride
George Walker

(The parts in parentheses above were torn from the

36 MAINE HISTOEICAL SOCIETY.

original and supplied by the Parish Kecord Book.
The text is in the handwriting of Henry Knight.)

(j.) Petition of Jaraes Hope of nine others that a
clause be inserted in the warrant for the next parish
meeting to consider exempting the people who belong
to the church of England from the support of the Rev.
Samuel Deane. This is the original autograph copy
and bears no date. (It was written in 1765.)

Petition of Churchmen for exemption from taxes in 1745.)

To the Coramattee chosen for Calling Parish Meetings in the
First Parish in the town of Falmouth- We the Subscribers live-
ing in the First Parish Aforesaid, Desire you would Insert a
Clause in the Next Warrant for Calling a Parish Meeting to See
whether the Parish will Excuse the People who belong to the
Church of England from paying towards the Settlement and
Sallary of the Rev d Mr. Dean

James Hope
J. Waite J r
Robert M c Lellan
Benj. Waite
Jon a Craft
Tho Child
John Motley
Chris, per Kelly
John Bradbury
B. Wallis

(There is no date on the paper itself, and it proba-
bly exists in no other form, for neither the names nor
the petition is recorded in the First Parish Record
Book, but this is the original petition with the auto-
graph signatures.)

BLOCK AND GARRISON HOUSES OF ANCIENT FALMOUTH. 37

BLOCK AND GARRISON HOUSES OF
ANCIENT FALMOUTH.

BY LEONARD B. CHAPMAN.

Bead before the Maine Historical Society, May 3, 1894.

ANCIENT Falmouth included within her territorial
bounds the present towns of Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth,
and the cities of Portland, Deering and Westbrook. At
the time of adoption of a municipal government in
1718, a heavy growth of wood covered the entire re-
gion, excepting the parts covered by water, and the
few small places where clearings had been made by
prior attempts at settlement. Indented by tide water,
crossed by Presumpscot River, its tributaries, and
Stroudwater River, it was, unquestionably, a region
abounding in game and fish, to all of which the Indian
was strongly attached, as the many evidences of his
reluctance to vacate plainly show.

Protection against molestation from the native sav-
age was naturally one of the first considerations of the
European settler upon the primeval soil ; but to-day is
so remote and the records made at time of occur-
rences so few and difficult to find, all that transpired
during early occupancy can never be known.

August 17, 1727, Col. Thomas Westbrook of Ports-
mouth, New Hampshire, was admitted a citizen of the
town. The autumn of the same year Gen. Samuel
Waldo of Boston, Massachusetts, purchased part of the
fresh-water mill privilege located on the westerly side

38 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

of Fore River, and in connection with Col. Westbrook
commenced the erection of sawmills, since which time
the locality has been known by the name of Stroud-
water. Then not a single habitation was there of
which a record can be found. A settlement had been
commenced about fifty years before, and a mill was
built; but at the time of the advent of Waldo and
Westbrook the whole region was a forest, with the
exceptions here named, through which the beast
and the Indian roamed unmolested by the white
man.

Of all places within the limits of ancient Falmouth
none could have been more picturesque and charming,
hence attractive, than the region of the location of
Stroudwater, which at this late day furnishes some ev-
idences of the natural attractions of the distant past.
The mast-pine towered above all other trees of the
forest. Fish sought the pure water of the Capisic,
and Sfcroud water River afforded easy means of convey-
ance from the inland for logs and lumber.

At the confluence of the Stroudwater with the tide
water of Fore River, Col. Westbrook, in company
with Waldo, constructed not only sawmills and a paper
mill, but his last worldly abiding place, which he pro-
tected by a stockade, giving the building the name of
Harrow House, to distinguish it, I presume, from other
places where he abided. The sphere of Waldo and
Westbrook as mill builders was not confined wholly to
the locality of % Stroudwater. The town, though young
as a municipality, was in debt, and it voted to sell so
much of the public domain as would pay the indebt-

BLOCK AND GARRISON HOUSES OF ANCIENT FALMOUTH. 39

edness; and in accordance with which vote a lot of two
hundred rods wide and six hundred and forty rods
long, containing eight hundred acres, was sold to
Waldo and Westbrook, 1 located about a mile west-
erly of Saccarappa village, now within the city of
Westbrook, through the northeasterly corner of which
Stroudwater River passed, the waterfalls there afford-
ing an excellent mill privilege, which was immediately
improved, and the locality given the name of Stroud-
water Falls. Very soon after this transaction the mill
privilege at Presumpscot Falls was purchased by the
same parties.

Whether the dignitary of the town or a sawmill was
the first object to be provided with security against
the lighted torch and scalping-knife of the crafty In-
dian is a question answered by conjecture. Rev.
Thomas Smith, the first minister of the last settlement
of Falmouth, records the fact that on the fifteenth day
of February, 1734, a town meeting was called "about
building me a garrison ; ' on the twenty-eighth of the
same month " I had about fifty persons assisting in
raising my garrison ; ' on the twenty-fifth of June
" had the gates to my garrison hung ; ' and Septem-
ber 11, 1736, he says: " The front of my garrison was
done up," and on the thirteenth " we have a great
deal of thought and talk about war."

He lived on Congress, then called Back Street, oppo-
site the head of India, then known as King Street,
and his journal shows what was done to protect him,
and the dates are stated therein, as I have just shown ;

1 Proprietors Records, page 225.

40 MAINE HISTOEICAL SOCIETY.

but to other sources of information the student of his-
tory must look to ascertain what was done to protect
others against Indian assault.

Gen. Samuel Waldo was not only a merchant
prince of Boston, but he was a land king of the east-
ern province of Massachusetts. He was loyal to the
general government, and he was also loyal to himself.
Records show that his own interests were well guarded
in all business transactions. Against his Stroudwater
partner in business he obtained two judgments in suits
at law, first in 1737, second in 1743. From the return
made by the sheriff upon the writ recorded in the
office of Register of Deeds, York County (Book xxiv,
folio 3), I will here quote :

A triangular piece of land on south side of Stroudwater river,
bounded on north by said river, on west by land called John
Welding's claim, on South by claim of George Ingersoll heirs,
beginning at a stake by the side of Fore river a little below the
entrance by Stroudwater river, thence running South 63 West
ranging with a large white oak stump 42 rods to a white oak
standing in the field next behind the said Westbrooks present
dwelling house, etc., within which bounds is included the dwell-
ing house called Harrow House and out houses near adjoining
there to and a garrison round s ud Harrow House and outhouses.

To ascertain the size of Harrow House and what it
contained at time of death of its occupant, I refer to
the inventory of his estate (Probate Court records at
Alfred), which shows that Harrow House was a one-
story building of two rooms, with kitchen and store-
room. Several recorded deeds of land and records of
highway locations mark the place the building occu-
pied, to but one of which I will here refer, namely,

BLOCK AND GARRISON HOUSES OF ANCIENT FALMOUTH. 41

deed of Jonathan Fickett to his son Samuel, in 1795,
for a consideration of three hundred dollars :

One acre of land whereon the garrison house, so called, now
stands, commencing bounds where the roads intersect, running
southerly adjoining the road leading to Long Creek twelve rods
and two-thirds, westerly adjoining the other road, holding the
breadth of twelve rods and two-thirds till one acre is made up.

At that time Col. Westbrook's last place of worldly
abode was pulled down and the two-story dwelling
now occupying the site was erected, the bounds of the
acre remaining now as they were then placed, ninety-
nine years ago. The sheriff's record of property seized
shows also that there was a blockhouse located at
Presumpscot Falls, but careful and protracted research
fails to disclose its location, size or incidents connected
therewith.

October 10, 1735, a jury convened by the sheriff
laid out a highway from the bridge below the paper
mill at Stroudwater to North Yarmouth, the record of
which contains several genealogical and historical facts
of public interest. Following is a copy:

We the Subscribers being a Jury Summoned by Joseph Ham-
mond jun r a Deputy Sheriff and Sworn to layout a highway
from Stroudwater in Falmouth to North Yarrn according to the
best of our Skill & Judgment with most conveniency to the pub-
lick & least prejudice or Damage to any particular person have
accordingly proceeded to lay out said way as followeth viz* Be-
ginning at the Bridge by the Paper Mill at Stroudwater afore-
said, and from thence to run as the way now goes over the great
Bridge that is over Casco fore River so called to a Point of Land
now in Possession of Thomas Haskell, and so a thwart said Point
of Land on the Smoothest Ground to a Creek near the Mouth of
said Creek, and so over said Creek straight as conveniently may

42 MAINE HISTOEICAL SOCIETY.

be to the way that now leads from Falmouth to Pesumpscot
Falls then along said way as it now goes along by the Houses of
Hugh Barber's & Thomas Dowty's athwart their Land till we
come within about one Hundred Rods of Col Thomas West-
brooks House at Pesumpscot (only leaving out some Small Turns
or Crooks to Straighten said way and from thence as straight as
may be with conveniently to Pesumpscot River, about Ten or
Twelve Rod above the Head of the Falls above the new Mill on
Pesumpscot River, and so over said River straight as may be to
about Fifty or Sixty Rods above the head of Squithegusset Creek
& from thence as straight as conveniently may be about Twenty
Rods above James Buckstons Mill, and from thence straight as
may be to the way that leads to North Yarmouth near said Buck-
stons House then as said way now goes to the Bounds of the
Town of North Yarmouth ; all said way to be four Rods wide
at least ; Witness our Hand & Seals Oct 10. 1735

Joseph Swett( Se a al ) Nath 1 Wheelwright ( Se a al ) James Libby ( Se a al )
Abraham Tyler ( g a al ) Benj a Ingersol ( g a al ) Robert Patterson ( s a al )
Daniel Smith (^ ^^ m. John Morrell ( s a al )

Ichabod Goodwin( s a al ) m "rk his

John Meserve ( s * a ) John Brooks^ (s e a a i)

mark

Recorded from the Originals & Compared

P Jn Frost Clerk
Alfred January 6- 1891
A true copy from Records
Court Gen. Sessions
Vol. 10. Page 87.

Attest : James E. Hewey, Clerk.

Nathaniel Knight was the first person to whom a
sale was made from the eight hundred acre land pur-
chase which was in 1735. He was a nephew of Col.
Westbrook, and a stirring, honorable citizen. 2 His

2 His sister Sarah became the wife of Anthony Brackett, who lived in Portland,
near foot of Brackett Street, and they were married February 14, 1733. There were
eight children in this Knight family.

BLOCK AND GAREISON HOUSES OF ANCIENT FALMOUTH. 43

name is found in the list of corporate members of the
Stroudwater parish, in 1 764. From a mortgage deed
(Book xxvn, folio 134, York Deeds) made in 1748 the
fact is gleaned, and here presented, that prior to the
making of the instrument there stood ten rods from
the northeasterly corner of Knight's hundred-acre
homestead lot a blockhouse, and in several records of
land titles subsequently made the fact is also noticed.
The site of the place provided for refuge is now
plainly marked, for the cellar hole has never been
filled. Around it the grass grows taller and is greener
than elsewhere. Near a hundred years have passed
since the disappearance of the last mill. In the inven-
tory of the estate of Nathaniel Knight, son of the
original, made just one hundred years ago, a half of
it was appraised at seven pounds, while the pew in
Stroudwater meeting-house was set down at twelve
pounds.

Edward Chapman, who lived alone for several years
and in semiseclusion, departed this life nearly a year
ago upon the old Knight farm, now the region of
Stroudwater Falls, which presents to the beholder a
lifeless scene, with scarcely an evidence of ownership,
but leaves behind an interesting, unwritten story.

April 22, 1726, Cornelius Hall received a town grant
of an acre of land for a house lot located on Congress
Street, Portland, southerly side thereof, between Cen-
ter and Brown Streets (old Falmouth Town Records,
page 179, city clerk's office, Portland).

In 1736, he, and wife Elizabeth, both of Falmouth,
husbandman, for a consideration of three hundred

44 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

pounds conveyed to Jasper Blake of Hampton, New
Hampshire :

A parcle of land with my house and Garrison thereon standing,
and my part of fence enclosing the Same, whereon I now dwell
at a place called Back Cove, and being part of the land I had of
my father Ebenezer Hall, and my part of what land Thomas
Emerson and myself purchased of Caleb Walls of Salem, mar-
iner, excepting what Emerson and I sold to Ebenezer Hall Jr.
(Book xix, 19, folio 33, York Deeds).

This garrison lot was located at East Deering on
the southerly side of the road leading from Lunt's
Corner to Presumpscot Lower Bridge, and is now owned
and improved by Mr. John H. Blake, a descendant of
Jasper, but he, nor the oldest citizen of the neighbor-
hood, knows anything of the history of the garrison.

During the year 1729, and a short time subsequent
thereto, it seems there was a mania for mill privileges.

The compiler of Smith and Deane's Journals, on page
seventy-one, says: "December 2, 1729, Saccarappa
Falls were granted to Benjamin Ingersoll, Joshua, Bay-
ley and Benjamin Larrabee Ju. & Co., for a sawmill,"
and local tradition says Joseph Conant was the first to
build a mill there.

The compiler and tradition are both wrong. The
privilege was granted to Benjamin Ingalls, Robert
Pierce, Benjamin Larrby and John Bailey, and sur-
veyed by Phineas Jones, January 10, 1729, and Joseph
Conant did not attempt to build a mill there till 1739,
Conant obtaining a sort of squatter right to locate
through the failure of Pierce. The first mill was on
the island, that of Conant on the main land.

BLOCK AND GAKRISON HOTJS ES OF ANCIENT FALMOTJTH. 45

August 28, 1744, Moses Pearsons conveyed to Dan-
iel Godfrey,

All right title and interest in and unto twenty acres of land
lying near and adjoining Sackrapy Falls on the Southwest side
of Presumpscot river, excepting and reserving to myself out of
said twenty acres, three acres to be taken in any part thereof,
excepting where Joseph Conant and Said Godfrey are now erect-
ing a Block House.

To all investigators of the early history of the now
flourishing village of Sacccarappa, so far as I know,
the career of Joseph Conant is still shrouded in mys-
tery. As to his mill title and time of erecting the
structure, I have already let in a little light ; but the
story of his first dwelling, and in fact the true story
of the first occupancy of Saccarappa remains to be
told, and it is my privilege and pleasure to state, that
among the files at York County court house in the
case of Waldo vs. Haskell, I have found a package of
depositions, valuable to the local student of history as
reflectors of light upon this hitherto dark place of
ancient Falmouth. The depositions were taken in
1758.

December 15, 1743, Rev. Thomas Smith records in
his journal :

The General Courts' Committee are here fixing the place for
Block-Houses, from Marblehead to Berwick, six ; three further
east.

To this the compiler adds :

Preparations have been making some time to defend the east-
ern frontier in expectation of invasion from the French, with
whom the English were at war.

46 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

In 1742, the compiler continues, the government
constructed a breastwork at the foot of King, now
India Street, under direction of Enoch Freeman, in
which were mounted ten twelve-pounders. They now
appropriated twelve hundred and eighty pounds for
defense of the eastern line, of which one hundred and
thirty-four pounds were applied to this town. Through-
out the country great activity prevailed in prepara-
tions for defense.

War was actually declared by France, March 15, 1744. The
war was proclaimed at Boston, June 2, 1744.

At a recent visit to the Massachusetts Archives I
found two papers bearing upon the foregoing, the first
dated November 11, 1743, as follows :

Whereas it appears necessary from the apprehensions this
house has of a speedy rupture between the Crowns of Great
Britain and France that the Inland Frontiers in this Province
be put into a better Position of Defence, Therefore, voted that
the following be & are hereby granted to be paid out of the Pub-
lic Treasury to be laid out in Some of the settlements in the
county of York, vizt. : Berwick 100; New Marblehead (Wind-
ham) 100 ; Scarborough 100 ; Gorham Town 100 ; Sheepscot
100 ; Broad Bay, or to the Inhabitants at the Falls called Mado-
mack (Waldoboro), as the captain General may direct, ....
75 ; Damariscotty 66, 13s., 4d. To be laid out in the most
prudent manner in erecting in each of the before mentioned set-
tlements for their security during the War, a Garrison or Garri-
sons of stockades or of square Timber round some Dwelling
house or houses or otherwise as will be best for the security &
defence of the whole Inhabitants of each place, the committee as
near as may be to propotion the expense to the sums hereby
granted and the overpluss, if any, be returned into the Province
treasury, the committee to be accountable and produce vouchers

BLOCK AND GARRISON HOUSES OF ANCIENT FALMOUTH. 47

that they have paid for said fortifications, as well for material
and the workmen employed.

Sent up for concurment,

T. Gushing, Spk.
(Vol. 72, pp. 370 and 371, Mass. Archives.)

In the House of Representatives, November 11,
1743:

Voted, That the sum of One Hundred & Thirty-three Pounds
four shillings & four pence be granted and allowed out of the
Public Treasury to the Order of the Town of Fulmouth they
giving Security to the Province Treasurer that in case they fail
to perform the conditions annexed to the Four hundred pounds
made to said Town by the Court of their Sessions began &
held in July, 1741, the money hereby granted shall be repaid
into the Province Treasury and Twelve months are allowed sd.
town to the performing the conditions of this grant,

T. Gushing, Speaker.
In Council rec'd and concurred.

(Vol. 72, p. 664, Massachusetts Archives.)

I am sorry to be obliged to state that the "condi-
tions' referred to as "annexed' I have not yet found,
nor have I learned the purpose for which the appro-
priation of four hundred pounds was made by the
Court of Sessions, in 1741, but presume it had refer-
ence to the fortification built in 1742, according to
date of Willis, which I have quoted. Rev. Thomas
Smith, however, makes no allusion to the matter, but
his notes of that period as printed are meager and
somewhat disarranged by the first compiler ; but the
Rev. Mr. Smith's entry, dated May 19, 1742, lets in a
little light upon the matter under consideration. He
says :

48 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

We had a town meeting to see if the people would receive the
1600 the General Court voted us. By reason of opposition
from Purpoorduck, nothing was done. Again on the 27th he
records : The people voted to-day to receive the money.

March 1, 1736, for a consideration of twenty pounds
Benjamin Larrabee conveyed to John Wait, coaster,
James Milk, shipwright, and William Cotton, tanner,
all of Falmouth, "A certain gore of land on the Neck
where the town is now settled," 1 commencing the
bounds of the lot seventy-six and a half links from
Larrabee's dwelling, the " gore ' then described being
the point of land since somewhat enlarged upon
which the soldier's monument is located in Portland.
The object of the parties in making the purchase was
evidently the construction of a place of defense in
case of Indian invasion ; the grantees were not, how-
ever, town officials, nor can I learn that they acted, in
making the purchase, in any official capacity. Ten
years after the date of purchase, Rev. Mr. Smith, June
13, says : " The neighborhood are now building a block-
house near Mr. Larrabee's for common defense."

October 15, 1753, the grantees above named trans-
ferred the lot " with the Block House standing ' to
the county of York, " for the soul use, benefit, and
behoof of the said county for a prison house." 2

The mode of warfare as conducted by the Indian of
the time here noted was peculiar and demoralizing to
the white race. Rev. Thomas Smith's journal is re-
plete with notes. October 6, 1747, he says: "I prayed
with the Court. Justice came drunk all day." The

1 York Deeds.

2 For description of this lot, and matters connected with it, see Collections Maine
Historical Society, Series II, Vol. in.

BLOCK AND GARPJSOX HOUSES OF ANCIENT FALMOUTH. 49

next year, January 9 : " There is no standard ; but
every man is getting what he can.' 3

In addition to places of refuge provided by the gen-
eral government there were those provided by the
individual citizen. Isaac Ilsley had a garrisoned house ;
he lived at Back Cove, where Lorenzo P. Hawkins*
shoe factory now stands. Major Charles Frost, known
in our local history as Justice Frost, had one on the
opposite bank of the river, against Stroudwater.

The descendants of Captain Samuel Skillings, at
Long Creek, point to the spot where the " watch-box"
stood. At the parting of the highways, a half-mile
westerly of Stroudwater, the old well that furnished
water for the blockhouse that stood there, and still
remembered by our aged citizens, is even now to be
seen.

A deposition, from which I here present an extract,
tends to show somewhat of the feeling of insecurity at
Cape Elizabeth :

I, Esther Knight, wife of George Knight, testify and say, that
I am sixty years of age. My fnther John Bootman, moved my
mother with myself and five other children from Purpooduck
side over into a house standing near Anthony Brackett's orchard,
called John Bayley's house, and by his leave we lived in it about
six months; then my father moved us back again. Said moving
was in consequence of fear of Indians. I further say that for-
ty-three years ago my present husband, George Knight bought
the house of John Bailey and took it down.

Given at Gray Feb. 14, 1807.

(Volume 51, page 279, Cumberland County Deeds.)

Ruth E. Knight, born April 30, 1818, residing with

her brother Nathaniel at Auburn, this state, both of
VOL. VI. 5

50 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

whom are unmarried, is a great-granddaughter of
Nathaniel Knight. To her I am indebted for the use
of the manuscript paper, of which the following is a
copy:

This Indenture made the 30th Day of August Anno Domini
1746 By and between Samuel Waldo of Boston in the county of
Suffolk & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England
Ksq r of the one Part & Nathaniel Knight, Gentleman, & James
Babb, Farmer, both of Falmouth in the County of York &
Province afores d of the other Part, Witnesseth, that the sd.
Samuel Waldo for & in Consideration of the Rents & Covenants
hereinafter made and reserved, hath & hereby doth Lease out
and to farm Lett unto them the sd. Nathaniel Knight & James
Babb for & during the Term of Three years next ensuing the
first Day of October next a certain message or Tenement in
which James Avery late of Kalmouth aforesaid, Farmer, dwelt,
together with the Cornfield & Pasture & Wood Land thereto
adjoining, containing about Thirty seven Acres be it more or
less, & is bounded as follows, beginning at a stake on the Road
leading to Stroud water Falls, being near the head of a Gully by
a Large pitch pine tree & running North 48 d East Eighty Rods
to a Creek near Capisic marsh, then South 42 d East Sixty Eight
rods to a Stake upon a point of upland, then South 48 d West
Eighty-Eight rods to the road, thence to run to the Stake first
mentioned leaving the Breadth of a three rod highway on the
Northerly side of the land lately sold by said Waldo to Joseph

Small The whole to be exclusive of Marsh, And as

Kent for the Premises the aforesaid Nathaniel Knight & James
Babb do hereby bind & oblige themselves, their Heirs, Execu-
tors, Administrators to pay to the sd. Samuel Waldo four Pounds
new Tenor p. Anum, & to erect within Three months & main-
tain during the Term afores'd a good and substantial and suffi-
cient Lcgg fence round the whole of the sd. Tract & more espe-
cially next adjoining to sd. Waldo's Marsh at Capisic, which
shall there be at least four feet & a half in Height besides the
Top Rider, so as that the same shall sufficiently keep off Swine

BLOCK AND GAKKISON HOUSES OF ANCIENT FALMOUTH. 51

or any Cattle from entering upon the sd. marsh thro' any of the
hereby leased Land & Premises, & leave the sd. Logg Fence at
the end of the Term of Three years in good Repair. And the
sd. Nathaniel Knight & James Babb do further bind and oblige
themselves that the Loggs of the whole fence shall be of suita-
able Subsistance so as to be servicable for Eight years at least,
and to build within six months next ensuing on the premises
near the High Way or Road aforementioned a good & substantial
Log House of Forty feet in Length & Eighteen Feet in Width
at the least, with two Flankers, two Stories in Height, Twelve
Feet Square well adapted to defend. And the sd. Samuel Waldo
hereby covenants with the said Nathaniel Knight & James Babb,
that in Case at the Expiration of this Lease He, the said Waldo,
his Heirs, Executors or Administators, shall not pay them the
appraised Value of sd. Garrison House, they the sd. Nathaniel
& James shall & hereby have free Liberty & full Power to re-
move or carry off the Same from the Premises. And the said
Nathaniel & James do hereby further Covenant & agree that
they will not plant or sow above six Acres of the same in any
one year and they thereafter lay down sd. Tillage Land in a
good Husbandlike manner and sow it with good English Grass,
and spread upon the sd. Land all the Dung which their Stock
during the whole time may make. And further it is agreed
that in Case the sd Natha 1 Knight & James Babb shall not
within two months next ensuing erect the Fence on the rear of
Leased Premises effectually to secure on their part the Salt
Marsh as afore proposed that this lease and every part thereof
shall be void and of no more Effect, and any thing aforegoing to
the Contrary notwithstanding. Also that the sd. Samuel Waldo
if he see meet may clear & improve for Tillage or Grass any part
of the Rough or Wood Land within the Leased premises which
is not now or has not heretofore been cleared, without prejudice
to this Lease or being subject to Payment of any part of the
Charge that may arise by making the Fence aforesaid. And at
the End of the Term of this Lease or the Expiraton of the pres-
ent War, if it sooner happen, deliver up to sd Samuel Waldo or
his Heirs quiet & Peaceable Possession of the Premises. For

52 MAINE HISTOKICAL SOCIETY.

the true Performance of all & Every Article of & in this Lease
the Parties do hereby bind themselves, their several and respec-
tive Heirs, Executors or Administrators Each to the Other in the
Penal Sum of one Thousand pounds Lawful Money of New Eng-
land. In testimony whereof they have hereunto interchangably
set their Hands and Seals the Day & year first mentioned.
Signed sealed & Delivered

in the presence of vs

Samuel Moody

Isaac Ilsley

A piece of the paper upon which the agreement was
written is cut out where the signatures should appear.

Whether or not the four foot and a half fence inde-
pendent in measurement of a log top rider, or the
great log house, with its two-story flankers, was actu-
ally built, I have in rny researches found no proof.
The site was admirably chosen on the hillock situated
northwesterly as Stroudwater is entered from a north-
easterly direction.

One entering the ancient village with a love for nat-
ural attractions cannot fail to notice the situation.
From the top of the elevation the landscape view is
one well calculated, at full tide of Fore River, to re-
pay the beholder. From the base of the adjacent
" mountain ' flows in great abundance pure, cool
water. The supply is truly wonderful. A fourth of a
mile in a southerly direction stood the Stroudwater
mills a paper mill by a dam near the present bridge,
its location noticed in two or more records and a
double and single saw mill by another dam a few rods
above, according to Alfred court records, in case of
Waldo vs. Trickey, 1758. A fourth of a mile easterly

FIKST MENTION OF PEMAQUID IN HISTORY. 53

from the site of the place of proposed location of the
log house and flankers stood the Capisic saw and grist
mill and two dams.

The water of little Capisic Pond and Stroudwater
River turns the water wheel of to-day as it did at the
time to which I now allude, and the earth's surface sur-
rounding the places remains unchanged, but all traces
by landmarks of the mills and dams, and fortifications,
and Indians, have departed, and the true story of the
same can never be told in detail. The shrewdness, if
not craft, however, of Waldo, is plainly visible in the
copy of the instrument above presented.

The place selected as a place of defense and as a
place of earthly subsistence for those too brave or too
poor to leave when molested by the sly, artful, treach-
erous savage is now known as the Dole farm, and the
site chosen for the proposed great log house and flank-
ers for protection was near the present mansion house
built in 1770 by Capt. Daniel Dole, and is still owned
by possessors of the name who occupy the premises.

THE FIRST MENTION OF PEMAQUID IN

HISTORY.

BY REV. HENEY S. BURRAGE.

Read before the Maine Historical Society, September 7, 1894.

PEMAQUID, historically considered, first comes into
view in connection with Waymouth's voyage to the
coast of Maine in 1605. Sir Ferdinando Gorges, in

54 MAINE HISTOEICAL SOCIETY.

his Briefe Narration, says that Waymouth, "falling
short of his course, happened into a river on the coast
of America, called Pemaquid." According to Gorges,
Waymouth in this voyage had been employed by Lord
Arundel of Wardour " for the discovery of the North-
west passage." An earlier voyage made by Way-
mouth had reference to such a discovery, and Gorges,
who wrote his Briefe Narration about half a cen-
tury after the voyage was made, doubtless had in
mind this earlier enterprise. The voyage made by
Waymouth in 1605, however, unquestionably had its
inspiration in the voyages of Gosnold and Pring, and
was undertaken for further exploration, with a view
to the colonization of some part of the New England
coast visited by them.

Gorges, in the statement cited, however, evidently
does not mean that the river which Waymouth dis-
covered was called Pemaquid, although the language
he uses would naturally be so understood, but that
this was the name of the tract of country 1 through
which the river flowed. This is the view of the late
Dr. Edward Ballard, 2 who refers to Capt. John Smith's
statement, that Way mouth's (Rosier's) Relation de-
scribed " Pemaquid/' 3 J. Wingate Thornton, in his
Ancient Pemaquid 4 doubtless uses the word with
the same signification when he says, "Waymouth
seems to have sailed from Pemaquid directly for Eng-

1 Capt. John Smith in his Generall Historic of Virginia, etc. (Richmond, 1819),
Vol. n, page 173, says, " This part of America (between the degrees of 38 and 44)
hath formerly beene called Norumhega, Virginia, Muskoncus, Penaquida, Cannada,
and such names as that ranged the coast pleased."

* Popham Memorial Volume, page 313.

8 Capt. John Smith's Description of New England (Veazie Reprint), page 22.

* Collections of Maine Historical Society, Vol. v, page 156.

FIRST MENTION OF PEMAQUID IN HISTORY. 55

land." There is no evidence that Waymouth's vessel
was at Pemaquid except in this general sense of the
word. He sailed for England from Pentecost Harbor.
There is, however, a connection of Waymouth's voy-
age of 1605 with Pemaquid, meaning the peninsula
now bearing that name, which Eosier's Relation brings
into view.

Identifying the Pentecost Harbor of Waymouth's
anchorage with the present St. George's Harbor, I
will briefly give the facts stated by Rosier which con-
nect Waymouth's voyage with what is now known as
Pemaquid.

While Waymouth's vessel, the Archangel, was in
Pentecost Harbor, some Indians in canoes approached,
and finally were induced to come aboard. Other In-
dians "from the maine" subsequently joined their com-
panions, and all were kindly treated by Waymouth
and his men. After several days, friendship having
been finally established, the Indians by signs expressed
a desire that their new white friends should go with
them " to the maine ' ' in order to traffic. With about
fifteen of his men Waymouth accompanied the Indians
thither, but for prudential reasons landed only one of
his men at the point where the Indians were assem-
bled, and Rosier adds, they " would have drawen vs
further vp into a little narrow nooke of a river, for
their Furres, as they pretended."

Dr. B. F. DeCosta (Massachusetts Historical Society
Proceedings, Vol. xvm, page 101, note) says : " That
this ' little nook of a river' was Pemaquid River ap-
pears from the fact, as Strachy says, Waymouth dis-

56 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

covered not only ' the most excellent and beneficiall
river of Sagadahoc,' but ' that little one of Pemaquid.'
Rosier gives no name to the river discovered by Way-
mouth, and no mention of " this little nooke of a
river' can in any way be magnified into a discovery.
He gives it no such prominence. It seems more than
probable, however, for reasons that will appear later,
that the point where the Indians were assembled when
Waymouth approached the main land was on the
peninsula of Pemaquid, but at the entrance of New
Harbor, and that the " little narrow nooke of a river '
was the creek at New Harbor, on the southern side,
near the point at the entrance.

Subsequently, while at Pentecost Harbor, Waymouth
kidnapped five of the Indians with whom he had
traded, and carried them to England. Rosier gives
their names as Tahanedo, " a Sagamo or Commander,"
Amoret, Skicowaros, Maneddo, " Gentlemen," and Saf-
facomoit, " a servant." l " They were all of one na-
tion," says Gorges, " but of several parts and several
families." From them Gorges, Popham, and others
interested in American colonization, obtained much
information concerning the country. Indeed, these
Indians, in this way, as Gorges tells us, were " the
means, under God, of putting on foot and giving life
to all our Plantations."

In August, 1606, Gorges fitted out a vessel, under
the command of Capt. Henry Challong, for further
exploration of these shores. Two of the natives
brought over by Waymouth were placed on Challong's

1 Johnston, Popham Memorial, page 294, note, says this is a misprint for Sassaco-
moit, as the Abnaki Indians never used the letter f.

FIRST MENTION OF PEMAQUID IN HISTORY. 57

vessel, and he was instructed to keep a northerly
course to Cape Breton, and then to follow the coast
southward " till they found by the natives they were
near the place they were assigned to." But the cap-
tain w r as taken sick not long after leaving port, and
the ship's course was then shaped for the West Indies.
There the vessel was captured by the Spaniards, and
with other losses Gorges includes "both of my na-
tives."

Not long after Challong's departure, Sir John Pop-
ham sent hither another vessel, of which Thomas Han-
ham was commander and Martin Pring, master. They
w r ere to assist Challong in the proposed exploration.
At least one of the Indians, Tahanedo, accompanied
the expedition. The vessel reached its destination in
safety. Not finding Challong, however, Hanham and
Pring made " a perfect discovery of those rivers and
harbors ' to which their attention had been directed
by Gorges, and then, in the autumn, possibly in April,
1607, leaving Tahanedo, the Indian chief, they returned
to England. It was " the most exact discovery of that
coast that ever came to my hands," wrote Gorges.

Hanham and Pring prepared and probably published
a Relation of this voyage. The Brief Relation of
the " President and Councell for New England," pub-
lished in 1622, refers to Hanham and Pring' s Relation.
Rev. Samuel Purchase had a copy of this Relation
about 1624, but it disappeared and has not reappeared. 1

The report brought back to England by Hanham
and Pring made such an impression on Sir John Pop-

1 Brown's Genesis of the United States, Vol. I, page 99,

58 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

ham, Gorges and their associates, that the Popham col-
ony was sent out in the summer of that year.

The earliest mention of Pemaquid in history occurs
in connection with the narrative of the Popham col-
ony found in the summer of 1875, in the library of
Lambeth Palace, London, by Rev. B. F. DeCosta, D.D.,
of New York. 1

Two vessels, the Gift and the Mary and John,
brought the Popham colonists to our shores. The
first to arrive on the coast was the Mary and John,
August 6, having sighted the Camden Hills " three
heigh mountains that Lye in upon the Main Land near
unto the ryver of penobskot." Capt. Gilbert stood in
toward them until noon. Changing his course then to
the west, he sighted the three islands of the Matinicus
group. The narrative then continues:

From hence we kept still our Course West & "Weste by North
towards three other Illands that we Sawe Lyenge from these
Illands beffor spoken of 8 Leags and about ten of the Clok att
nyght we recovered them & havinge Sent in our bott beffor
nyght to vew ytt for that'ytt was Calme a to Sound it & See what
good ankoringe was un<ler ytt we bor in w th on of them the
w ch as we cam in by we still sounded & f ounde very deep watt r 40
fethom hard abord of yt. So we stood in into a Coue In ytt &
had 12 fethom watt r & thear we ankored untill the mornynge.
And when the daye appeared we Saw we weare environed Round
about with Illands yo myo;ht have told npare thirty Illands round
about us from abord ovr ship this II land we Call St. Georges
Illand for that we hear found a Crosse Sett up the w ch we Sup-
pose was Sett up by George Waymau.

Gilbert's course, after leaving the Matinicus Islands,
was evidently toward the St. George Islands. Monhe-

1 See the reprint in " The Sagadahoc Colony," with an introduction and notes
by Rev. Henry O. Thayer, and published by the Gorges Society, Portland, 1892.

FIRST MENTION OF PEMAQUID IN HISTORY. 59

gan is a single island, as seen from Matinicus, while
Gilbert sailed toward three islands, and about ten
o'clock at night u recovered them," language not ap-
plicable to Monhegan. Moreover, in the morning, the
colonists found themselves " environed about with
islands," an impossible statement if Gilbert anchored
his vessel near Monhegan.

The nearest are Allen's and Burnt, full six miles distant north-
easterly. In fine weather there are four small ones, scarcely sep-
arable from the mainland, which can be made out by a practiced
eye, stretching on the left toward Pemaquid- In the clearest
weather Seguin, Metinic and Matinicus can be discerned. But
an ordinary observer, a stranger, would at first notice only two,
Allen's and Burnt, while a sharper eye in the best weather might
add six or seven more. But to regard these far-away islands as
environing the ship is wholly forced and absurd. But to an
anchorage among the St. George islands the description would
accurately apply. 1

There are more than thirty islands in a radius of ten
miles.

The Gift, Capt. Gilbert's consort, came to the same
anchorage on the following day, an indication of a pre-
vious agreement on the part of the commanders of the
two vessels. In other words, here was the chosen
rendezvous. 2

The finding of the cross which the colonists sup-
posed was erected by George Waymouth, in 1605, is
significant. Hosier tells us that Waymouth, while his
vessel was at anchor in Pentecost Harbor, "set up a
crosse on the shore side vpon the rockes." According

1 The Sagadahoc Colony, by Rev. H. O. Thayer, page 51, note.

1 Sir Ferdinando Goi'ges confirms the statement. He says in his Briefe Narra-
tion (Maine Historical Society Collections, Vol. II, page 21) " They arrived at
their rendezvous the eighth of August."

60 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

to Rosier only one other cross was set up by Way-
mouth, and that was on the bank of the great river
discovered by Waymouth and at a considerable dis-
tance from its mouth. Capt. Gilbert unquestionably
had with him a copy of Hosier's Relation, and hence
his identification of the cross as the one set up by Way-
mouth. He had brought his vessel into Pentecost
Harbor. The Waymouth anchorage, and the anchor-
age of the Popham colonists as they came on to the
coast, were unquestionably the same.

Capt. Gilbert had with him Skicowaros, one of the
five Indians kidnapped by Waymouth at Pentecost
Harbor in 1605. Very naturally Skicowaros desired
to return to his people at once. The narrative
continues :

Tliis night followinge about myd nyght Capt. Gilbert caussed
his ships both to be rnoued & took to hemselffe 13 other my
Selffe beinge on, beinge 14 persons in all & tooke the Indjan
skidwarres w th us the weather beinge fair & the wynd Calme we
rowed to the Weste in amongst many gallant Illands and found
the ryver of Pemaquyd to be but 4 Leags weste from the Illand
we call St Georges whear ovr ships remained still att anckor. hear
we Landed in a Lyttell Coue by skyd warres Direction & marched
ouer a necke of the Land near three mills So the Indyan skid-
warres brought us to the Salvages housses.

This is the earliest mention of Pemaquid 1 in his-
tory so far as I am aware. Gilbert, guided by Ski-
cowaros, who was in haste to reach his old home and

iPurchas, in His Pilgrimes (Volume 4, page 1873), published in 1625, inserted a
description of Mawooshen, which he had found among some papers that once
belonged to Hakluyt, who died in 1616. " Mawooshen," says the narrative, " is a
countrey lying to the north and by East of Virginia." In it are nine rivers which
are mentioned by name. Of these the second is " Pemaquid, a goodly Riuer and
very commodious all things considered; it is ten fathom's water at the entrance
and forty miles up there are two fathoms and a half at low water. It is half a

FIKST MENTION OF PEMAQUID IN HISTORY.

companions, evidently landed at New Harbor, on the
east side of the Pemaquid peninsula, as requiring less
time than to row around Pemaquid Point, and inarched
across to the west side. The narrative requires this
view of the first landing of the Popham colonists at
Pemaquid. Two days later, however, Capt. Popham
of the Gift, in his shallop, with thirty men, and Capt.
Gilbert in his ship's boat, with twenty men, guided by
Skicowaros, sailed round Pemaquid Point, and so
reached " the river of Pemaquid ' without the weari-
some march across from New Harbor. Here on the
west side, at " the river of Pemaquid ' was the Indian
camp. Here they found the chief, Tahanedo (styled
in the Popham narrative as Nahanada), who had been
returned to his people in the preceding year by Capt.
Hanham. At the time of the second visit Skicowaros
left his English friends, and they returned to their
ships without him. Certainly, in this account of the
return of Skicowaros, there is more than a hint as to
the point on the mainland visited by Waymouth, while
his vessel was in Pentecost Harbor. Nothing could
have been more natural than for Skicowaros, on his
return from England, to proceed forthwith to the very
place, whence, with his companions, he made his way
to Pentecost Harbor at the time he was captured.

Early in September Tahauado and Skicowaros, with
about forty men, women and children, visited the Pop-
ham colonists at the mouth of the Kennebec, and

mile broad," etc. As the eighth river mentioned in this description he is giving
the rivers in their order down the coast is the Sagadahoc, the reference cannot
he to a river in the vicinity of Pemaquid as now designated ; so that even if it
were known that this document found among Hakluyt's papers belongs to an ear-
lier date than the narrative of the Popham colony, we have not an earlier mention
of Pemaquid than that which the.Popham narrative contains.

62 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

while there promised to accompany Capt. Gilbert "to
the ryver of penobskott whear the bashabe remayn-
eth." On account of contrary winds Gilbert was not
able to reach Pemaquid at the appointed time, and
when he came " into the ryver of pemaquid thear to
call nahanada & skidwarres as we had promyste them
but beinge thear aryved we found no Lyvinge Crea-
ture they all wear gon from hence the w ch we per-
seavinge presently depted towards the ryver of penob-
skott." This, however, they were unable to find.

The narrative makes it plain, therefore, that in 1607
Pemaquid was inhabited only by Indians. No evi-
dences of an earlier European civilization were dis-
covered by these earliest settlers upon our coast, and
no report concerning any European colonization at
this point came to them through the Indians.

BEGINNINGS AT PEMAQUID.

BY KEV. HENRY O. THAYEB.

Bead before the Maine Historical Society, September 7,

YESTERDAY we were tracing out the dimmed paths
of eager, restless men explorer, trader, settler, war-
rior, ruler who made history. Of that history, it is
our pungent regret, only fragments exist, yet they
furnish broken outlines of the whole. By their aid the
visitor can view the changing scenes at Pemaquid,
primitive forests, seamen and their ships, fisher boats,
brush shelters, rude dwellings, shops, warehouses, busy

BEGINNINGS AT PEMAQUID. 63

wharves, forts, and next their ruins, assault and can-
nonade, groups of men, the tawny and the white,
their leaders Nahanada, Madockawando, Castine, Shurt,
Phips, Iberville, Duribar and the rest. Fancy can
take what exists, a page fully written here, a line, a
word there, a relic, the scarred soil, and reconstruct
according to her mood and knowledge.

A century had passed from Cabot's voyage, four-
score years since Gomez sailed out from the Penobscot
by Monhegan, and still not a hamlet of Europeans
north of Florida. A new century opened, marked
by the accession of the Stuarts to the throne of Eng-
land. It was to be a century of new-world settle-
ments. In its first quarter are comprised the begin-
nings of Pemaquid's history.

A few words will outline events therein definitely
known : Weymouth's ship and visit ; visits of Pop-
ham's men ; trading-ship of Francis Popham ; Capt.
John Smith's alliance with Nahanada; patent issued
to John Pierce in 1621 ; trading and fishing ships in
1622-23 ; purchase of the soil in 1625. Also events
closely associated, and persons who came near or vis-
ited the Pemaquid Peninsula, deserve mention:
Pring's voyage of 1603; Champlain's quest in 1604
ending and his shallop put about near by, and again
ranging past the next summer ; Hanham and Pring's
search in 1606 ; Biencourt and the Jesuit Biard in
1611 ; Smith's exploration and map-making in 1614.
To these add in the decade following the possible but
unknown : traders, fishers, searchers for sites of set-
tlement, or others who anchored near or bivouacked

64 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

on shore, though all is hidden, for as Smith observes
of many sailing to this coast, "Their descriptions were
concealed or died with their authors." But in the
years 1621 to 1625 there can be seen, though dimly,
endeavors and enterprises which are taking form in
permanent occupation.

The foregoing represents all that history now teaches
concerning Pemaquid previous to 1625. Conjecture,
assumption, inference, vague belief, may hold to the
presence and operations of Europeans in that period
or actual entry upon the land, but historical materials
thus far discovered give no evidence, rather militate
against the fact.

There are, indeed, opinions adverse to so barren a
history in that period. However first originated, they
have been elaborated and promulgated by various per-
sons, have been supported by sundry considerations
with insistence and repetition. They have assumed a
place in historical literature, have been frequently set
before the public eye in the newspapers, and been en-
forced on occasion in historical or popular assemblies.
It is believed they are quite widely diffused among
reading people, and have been accepted partially or
fully by many persons interested in the history of the
locality or the state.

Skillful" weaving in fancies with facts has peopled
Pemaquid. It is alleged that Englishmen made seiz-
ure of its soil, and introduced colonial life a dozen
years anterior to the patent to John Pierce. By rare
powers of vision a ship was seen to enter St. John's
Bay ; a withered colony was landed, planted, and so

BEGINNINGS AT PEMAQUID. 65

nursed and guarded as to maintain life. Errant fancy
on wings of theory, gathering dismembered facts, has
built up a showy fabric, though unsubstantial. At the
basis is laid the conceit that members of the Popham
company after the evacuation of Sagadahoc sought
out Pemaquid, and there renewed and maintained colo-
nial holdings on our coast. This view, if substantiated,
will make a true beginning of settlement in 1608, and
give to this place precedence in actual colonization on
the North Atlantic.

The question is one of fact : Did such a colony,
even feeble, enter and hold the Pemaquid Peninsula ?
The main root, whence has grown an affirmative
answer, is found in a line of history read and quoted
truly ; they, the managers at Sagadahoc, " sent back
to England all but forty-five." These, it is conceived,
took one ship and turned aside to Pemaquid, and the
colony began. The utter failure at Sagadahoc was
retrieved.

In examining this opinion it must first of all be
asked, why did its promulgates fail to read further
and find another line of equal history, "they all re-
turned." Two separate departures are the lucid facts
of that Sagadahoc enterprise. At the opening of win-
ter a part went, leaving forty-five ; in the final disrup-
tion the whole remaining colony. Only one writer
records the first debarkation ; several assert the sec-
ond in clear and positive terms. Notice the abridged
statements by the old writers: After a winter's stay
they returned ; soon deserted and returned for Eng-
land ; colonists returned home ; abandoned their en-
VOL. VI. 6

66 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

terprise and set sail for England ; Justice Popham
dying, all fell ; colony sent out has returned in sad
plight. Then more precisely, all resolved to quit
the place and to away ; would stay no longer in the
country ; whole company resolved on nothing but re-
turn and to leave the country ; they all returned to
England in 1608. Except one ask for complete de-
tails, more positive evidence of an utter retreat from
the coast of Maine cannot be required. Hence the
basis of this proclaimed theory crumbles into flimsiest
dust. The whole structure falls.

Though the collapse is so ruinous at the first stage,
it is desirable to examine the supporting considera-
tions. It is said that Sir Francis Popham' s disgust at
the failure and protest led to the new scheme ; that
there were diverse aims, London interest and Bristol
interest, a Popham party and a Gilbert party; that
the latter wholly retired, but the former, led by Sir
Francis, persisted in the occupancy of the country.

But all that is historical is the one fact, Sir Francis
would not so give it over, secured the use of the ships
and continued trade and fishing on the coast till he
was forced to desist. All the rest is assumption, and
gratuitous. It is true there were in the outward voy-
age two ships ; Popham and Gilbert were the com-
manders ; when the former died Gilbert became pres-
ident of the depleted colony, but of divided aims and
separate interests at Sagadahoc there is not a word in
history. All the chief patrons were chagrined at the
weak surrender.

None of them had a thought of this speedy failure

BEGINNINGS AT PEMAQUID. 67

till the disheartened colonists arrived. Francis Pop-
ham could in no way have projected the Pemaquid
scheme, or led a party thither from the downfall at
Sagadahoc. There is no hint that he was ever in
America. The colony is shown to have been weak,
insubordinate, lacking courage, disgusted with the
country.

Yet this flimsy theory requires that a portion of
it should seek a new situation, build and fortify
in the autumn, dare a new trial, brave another ter-
rible winter. What a foolhardy attempt, when the
well-equipped Popham undertaking had failed ! What
leader of caliber and courage was among them, to
lead out a little band on such a venture ; what slen-
der handful of men taught by the previous year's
experience would take the risks? At every point the
scheme seems irrational, and illusive as the disjointed
vagaries of a dream. But against such odds of diffi-
cult}^ in the work to be done, defenses built, the sup-
plies secured, the hostile natives repelled, the alleged
colony, a transplanted exotic, is supposed to have held
on its way.

Still further we need to test the worth of materials
used to buttress the unsubstantial structure.

1. In support of this shadowy colony is adduced
Spain's protest against intrusion on her possessions.
England in reply rests her rights upon discovery and
seizure, actual possession taken by Raleigh's deputies,
and also by " two English colonies thither deducted,
whereof the later is yet there remaining." It was a
blind venture to seek evidence in this for a Maine col-

68 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

ony existing up to 1613. Indeed, by what reason can
this legal averment be restricted to the coast of Maine
so that the Sagadahoc failure shall prove continuance
at Pemaquid ? Might not Jamestown and Sagadahoc
be far more reasonably the true colonies deducted?
Then it is the latter which disappeared, and any lateral
shoot or feeble successor in Maine with it, for James-
town was well rooted and thriving. But without doubt
the true interpretation of the legal phrase concerns
Raleigh's enterprises and the abandoned colony at
Roanoke.

2. It is asserted that French missionaries report
English people at Pemaquid in 1608-09. This is a
most obtuse misinterpretation of the Jesuit narration,
for the original has no reference to Pemaquid. It was
written concerning Sagadahoc, and has most manifest
application to the Popham company. Yet the writer
did mistake the year.

3. Supposed proof is sought from our historian
Hubbard, who, writing of the Popham disruption, re-
marks, " Then other places were seized and occupied,
improved in trading and fishing." Hubbard means
what he says, trade and fishing, business prosecuted
for years, but he includes no thought of even languid
colony life, for he asserts elsewhere in clearest terms,
there was none in that period.

4. A clause is cited from a Swedish writer : "After
1612, a number of people went thither." To refer to
the work and the paragraph will rob it of all force.
This author draws no historical secrets from Scandina-
vian treasuries, but only from well-known English

BEGINNINGS AT PEMAQUID. 69

sources. These he misapprehends, and so obscurely
and feebly writes that the clause has not the slightest
value for its intended purpose.

5. We are assured that "French authorities on
English colonization assert Pemaquid to have been
the first point which was occupied by the English."
The citation at the lowest estimate is an astonishing
blunder. The original stands in the present tense, not
the past " is occupied," not, was occupied. Mon-
sieur Cadillac, in a trip of inspection of the coast from
Passamaquoddy to Boston, in 1690, made report of
Pemaquid, " This is the first point which is occupied
by the English." The intent is clear as sunlight ; the
first point in his tour as he sailed westward, where he
found English. His report was made in 1692, when
Gov. Phips was building Fort William Henry. The
statement in the form cited has considerable force
in the true form, none.

6. Our historian Sullivan is called in as witness,
and is said to testify that " there were people at Pem-
aquid from the time of Sir Humphrey Gilbert," or
1683. The error is incredible under the hands of
writers of history. Sullivan has no such statement,
nor did he name or intend Pemaquid. He did say
generally " People were constantly on the seacoast
engaged in trading and fishing."

7. Again a faulty conclusion by this historian has
done effective service in the hands of many others in
behalf of very early settlements. Sullivan, drawing
from a report of Sylvanus Davis, writes that " in 1630
there were fifty families at Sheepscot Farms," and

70 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

" eighty-four families, besides fishermen, at Pemaquid,
St. Georges and Sheepscot." Capt. Davis made out, in
1701, a detailed list, and as title or headlines wrote,
" English settlements formerly known/ 5 ..." Sun-
dry fishing places some 70 some 40 years since/' He
does not put all of them at the earliest date, 1630, but
probably gave the aggregate existing between 1630
and 1660. Sullivan did put them all at 1630, and his
dictum has been used all along our history. It is time
that Davis' statement should be estimated at its true
value.

8. Still another blundering conclusion has been
offered, and repeated, as valuable collateral in the ar-
guments for early occupation of Maine. In more or
less clear and definite forms the tale has been told,
that tilled fields of Sheepscot and Pemaquid, and gran-
aries at Damariscove, furnished food to the straitened
people at Plymouth, in 1622. Hence were there large
agricultural operations already that Maine could bestow
charity on Massachusetts. Yet the tale was evolved
by incredible or unexplained heedlessness in dealing
with plain facts. What Winslow and Bradford did
write dissipates the fair vision of waving grain, as fog
before the sun. Not the products of Sheepscot farms,
but bread baked in England's ovens over the sea,
transported in her vessels for use by toiling fishermen
about Damariscove or Monhegan, fed the famishing
families of pilgrims.

These instances will exhibit the method and quality
of the advocacy of this shadowy theory. Yet it should
in fairness be said that the originators and defenders

BEGINNINGS AT PEMAQUID. 71

of the bold opinion have skilfully presented the case.
By itself it has no inconsiderable force. The treat-
ment of the problem leaves the inference that it ad-
mits of only circumstantial and presumptive proofs.
The untaught reader is led to believe that he has all
the evidence, that none to contravene exists. Hence
knowing nothing of the errors and weakness in the
items of proof, and nothing of the strong opposing
proof, he will accept the conclusion as presumptively
established. But the omission to weigh or to hint at
conflicting evidence is the weak point. By it the case
has become one of specious advocacy, not one of sin-
cere historical investigation and conclusion. The pre-
sentment has taken the character of a historical ex
parte. I have not found that the conclusive proof of
the complete extinction of the Sagadahoc colony, the
return of its last fragment to England, the entire giv-
ing over for a time of plans for new colonies, the evi-
dence against any colonial holdings in Maine for the
ensuing decade, have been even mentioned in the dis-
cussion. Historical materials, touching these points,
have not been considered, their force examined, nor
has any endeavor been made to show that they are not
inconsistent with, nor subversive of, the promulgated
theory. Rather have they been quietly, shrewdly
ignored. Many therefore having but slight historical
information, and neither means nor aptitude for thor-
ough investigation, have trusted in unsafe instructors,
and confidently adopted their conceit of early coloni-
zation at Pemaquid.

The transplanting of a Sagadahoc fragment may be

72 MAINE HISTOKICAL SOCIETY.

rated as a figment of historical dreamers ; it is utterly
ruled out by the clear and conclusive verdict of his-
tory. But if that be rejected, still other theories may
be advanced, as a colony sent back by Popham, by
other patrons, or private agency ; or Englishmen, one
or another at his own option and energy effecting en-
try at points along shore for business or agriculture ;
or various forms of slender beginnings which can be
esteemed initial stages of colony life. Here we seek
what may be fairly deduced from history. If any will
dream, or assume, or believe, without proofs, let it be
so. This position is taken : history, meager, often dis-
appointing though it be, fails to show such beginnings,
whatever were the facts ; history also by no weak evi-
dence, strongly discredits such beginnings.

The charter of 1606 gave the two colonies exclu-
sive rights over large territory. None might fish,
trade, mine, plant, without their grant or license.

By the president and council of the northern col-
ony a Kelation of proceedings was given to patrons
and the public in 1622. This narrative exhibits by
authority plans, attempts, discouragements in their
enterprise in America. It is a trusty witness, though
lacking minor details, respecting the course of affairs
in preceding years. In it are briefly written the sali-
ent facts of the Sagadahoc undertaking. Then is dis-
closed the frustration of hopes, and the company's ut-
ter discouragement by the statement, " So that there
was no more speech of settling any other plantation
in those parts for a long while after." The narrative
further shows that upon new information gained, seem-

BEGINNINGS AT PEMAQUID. 73

ing favorable to their plans, they " determined to try
the verity thereof," did make a new attempt, and sent
an agent, Captain Hobson, in 1611, to open the way.
From hostility of the natives nothing was accom-
plished. Next is mentioned the sending out of Smith,
Dernier and others " to lay foundations of a new plan-
tation." The comprehensive statement carries forward
events to 1619, the date of Dermer's voyage. To this
time nothing had been accomplished toward their cher-
ished hopes except to explore, to get facts, to prose-
cute fishery. The company found reliance must be
largely placed on the profits from furs and fish to meet
expenses of making a settlement. The financial ques-
tion led them to seek enlargement of privileges by a
new charter. Clamorous opposition arose, and a de-
mand to have the coast free to fishermen. Wrangling
and popular discontent hindered any efficient steps for
two years. Hence the official report shows that by
the company's agency no settlement had as yet been
effected. Certainly, therefore, no colony had been
maintained by Francis Popham for a dozen years, for
he was a member of the company, and its report speaks
in his name, as it also discloses what he personally
undertook.

Having detailed affairs so far chiefly discouraging,
the Relation finally indicates that Dermer's action for
two years in examining the coast, in making peace
between the native tribes, was bearing fruit for the
company "who have a peaceable plantation at the
present among them where our people doth prosper."
Hence not till 1621 or 1622 was any plantation estab-

74 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

lished in their limits according to the recital of pres-
ident and council. No better authority nor more in-
genuous statement could be required, for failure
might have been concealed, but strong -reasons would
have enforced mention of success.

The Brief Narration, written by Sir Ferdinando
Gorges many years after, traverses the same ground,
and is in full agreement.

Capt. John Smith was employed to make a tenta-
tive voyage in 1614. It is well known .how he fished
for whales in vain, got fish and furs in the vicinity of
Monhegan, ranged and mapped the coast, examining
it with reference to occupation. That no colonists
were then there, no settlements yet begun, he testifies
explicitly : " When I first went there the northern
colony [Sagadahoc] had dissolved and there was not
one Christian in all the land." He found no European
located anywhere, though he boated alongshore from
Penobscot to Cape Cod, entered rivers, sounded twen-
ty-five harbors, and visited some forty native villages.
He also tells that it had been intended for him to stay
in the country with ten men to keep possession.
His glowing report moved the company to action, and
he was dispatched again next season, and with a small
number of adventurers, sixteen, was to remain and
begin a plantation. But storms and pirates assailed
him, and that year's enterprise was frustrated. He
tells how, in the succeeding years fishing ships made
remunerative voyages, but all his endeavors, by dis-
tribution of books and maps, and by personal advocacy,
availed no more to induce merchants and others to ad-

BEGINNINGS AT PEMAQUID. 75

venture funds to establish plantations " than to hew
rocks with oyster shells."

The alleged colonial scheme of Sir Francis Popham
is dissipated wholly by these three narrators, the main
sources of information. The first relates that Popham,
gaining control of the ships of the discouraged com-
pany, sent divers times for trade and fishing. The
second tells that he could not so give it over but con-
tinued to send thither for several years after in hopes
of better fortunes. Smith is more accurate, writing,
" He sent divers times one Captain Williams to Mon-
hegan only to trade and make core fish." Likewise
he asserts that nothing was effected in the way of set-
tlement till some Brownists [Pilgrims] went. These
writers, interested parties, knew whereof they affirmed,
and clearly relate the attempts, reverses, hindrances,
and slow maturing of plans for occupation. They do
not introduce a sentence mentioning or suggesting
that any persons had gained a foothold on the land
until 1622. Biencourt's party coasted as far as the
Kennebec in pursuit of Englishmen to whom to make
protest for insults to the French, but found none.
Smith asserts that up to 1614 there was not a Euro-
pean as inhabitant or planter, and admits failure in
their enterprise in following years. He declares that
Capt. Hunt, his associate in the first voyage, kid-
napped twenty-four savages in order to prevent the
proposed plantation, so as to keep the country in ob-
scurity in order to furnish him better chance for trade.

If there seem to be lack of positive disproof, yet
various incidentals in these narrations are inconsistent

76 MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

with the presence of colonists. These matters have
an indirect bearing on the question : benumbed in-
terest of former patrons and general disgust ; coloni-
zation regarded a task too great for individuals and
requiring aggregated capital and endeavors; succes-
sive voyages for information ; natives formerly de-
coyed away sent back as guides and assistants in ex-
ploration; Hawkins' fruitless voyage; the Jesuit's
visit and narrative ; Gorges, vexed at failure, sending
his own agents and ship, and hiring at high rates men
to stay over winter once or more as if to prove it
feasible ; the refusal of merchants to adventure any-
thing ; Smith's representation of healthful climate,
fertile soil, grain supply from the natives, all based on
his own experience, without a word of better testi-
mony from residents for several years, had there been
any; his engagement to stay to hold possession evi-
dently against other nations, needless, if English col-
onists were there ; agreement to locate at Pemaquid
in alliance with Nahanada for mutual protection ; Som-
erset's broken English learned from men of the fish-
ing ships about Monhegan, not settlers on shore; the
stories of the mutineers and the shipwrecked French-
men, and murder of Gorges' men, but not a word of
meeting English residents, were any located at various
points; the wars of the savages and hostile feeling
toward Europeans, such that only colonies of consid-
erable numbers and equipment could have maintained
themselves. Indeed, a distinctly colored background
in these narrations itself proclaims the non-entry of
settlers even in small parties. Those conditions which

BEGINNINGS AT PEMAQUID. 77

repelled occupation by the owners and patentees
would be prohibitive of individuals or little handfuls.
For they must have means to ensure transportation
and subsistence for a time, to meet the hard winters,
to make outlay to establish themselves and construct
defenses. When peace was established by Dermer
this last and great difficulty was removed. In those
years Gorges would have eagerly engaged any ready
to go and take the .risks, if conditions had made entry
feasible ; but failure followed every attempt. All re-
ports carried to England by shipmasters and agents
proclaimed how imprudent and Quixotic to adventure
by twos or threes to make homes on that foreign shore.
The assumption that a few men here and there held
points on the Maine coast in the decade after the Sag-
adahoc disruption reaches to the height of the improb-
able or the absurd.

Sir Ferdinando Gorges, energetic and unfaltering,
sent over his ship (the Katherine, probably, one hun-
dred and eighty tons), and with it Richard Vines, who
remained one