The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-12-25
The Early History Of Maine.

ANCIENT PENAQUID, ny j. WINGArE THORN
ToS.-Few, probably, are aware that tn,
point OF land at the mouth Of tho Damaris
Gotta river in Maine, known as PemaquiC
Point, was once the seat or colony o
church.men that had hopes of holding tn,
colOnists Of Massachusetts in check, and thai
they Mt one time claimed that Pemaquid Wa
the Metropolis OF New England.
Mr.. Thornton has dome good work toi
american history in rescuing ancient Penn
nquid irUm its undeseryed Obscurity. II,
Shows IL 10 have b5.n point for long
time, Oi no liilc interest and Importance
IL was there that the early settlers to thes.
shores rendczyous,d. Prime was there in
1913, Weymouth in 1915. = pham and
Guagrs soon after. and from that time for
ward il was well known and much FIRE
qucnred trading por;,if il was not actually
settled before the Pilgrims landed at Ply
mouth.
lie not only thus places 1t in the van oI
American history, with jamestown and Ply
mouth, and Cape Ann but he brings To light
purposes and plans On tie part at the colo
nists and their patrons. which, had they bceu
feasible and successful, might. and prObabl,
would have materially affected the suhSe,
Quent history of the North American colo
MES. 1T one time, the colony, il appears
consisted 0r nearly 500 souls, and was the
seat Of un ecclesiastical court but the colo.
ny was AN infant one, weaned, and vet 300
miles from its mother church, to whom i,
was all the time looking for the nouriShmcnl
that never came, and as might be expected,
l. -. L.. hi nd Il IL had
Gny OF the real vital energy and strength Oi
the Massachusetts, colonies. Without law>
thcmselyei, they early resOrted to the tribunals
Of Massachusetts 10 seti!e their differences,
and finally petitioned Massachusetts ex.
tend jurisdiction over them. Ourau,hor has
completely set ut rest the oft repeated SLAM
der, that Massachusetts pursued harsh and
grasping course towards the cOlOnists OF
Maine, since il would appear that it was on.
ly in obedience to repeated and solemn re-
quests On the part Oi the cOlOnlsts oil Maine,
that Massachusetts took the STEPS she did.
Our author has brought out many things
new and curious in connection with old Pc.
inaquid. Ii was there that the present form
Oi acknowledgement to deeds was first inyen-
ted there the first aud only in this country
il u believed, ecclesiastical court was insti.
tuted there was the birth place and hcmc
of SamOset, the first and best friend Of the
Pilgrims there II seems was committed the
first piracy ON the American coast there as
semblel the first American feet that ever
rode ia our waters, and there was built the
strongest fort then in America. lndeed, our
author has done himself and his subject crci-
it. Ills history is full Of historical facts
and details, curious and interesting, and in
that regard invaluable 10 the careful studen,
of American history. But that is not ALL
lie has ~ linked all that with the history OF
those times, and the purposes, plans, and de.
signs ofthe several participants in the dis.
cOyery and colonization of the States, as
TO throw much light in our early history. =
IL is u fit accompaniment TO his earlier work
on the landing at Cape Ann. and is, as Wa,
that, valuable contribution to American
hisiory.-BOstoH Transcript