The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-10-18
For the Union and Journal.
Wells, York County, Maine.

the city Of Wells, in Somersetshire, Eng
land, the residence Of Sir ferdinando Gol
ges, therefore the County Of York was irs
called "Somerset. The plantation Of Well
was permanently located in l64l. AT tbi
time Sir ferdinando Gorges constituted hi
nephew, Thomas GOrges, deputy governor @
the province Of Maine, and mayor Of tn
city Of Georgiana (now York;, with permi'
sion to locate for himself q barony Of 500
acres, which he selected near the river Ogun
quit. in the SOUTHWEST part Of Wells. Ii
l643 the town Of Wells was surveyed as
township, and extended from York line 4
Kennebunk river. which bounds were re
newed and recorded in l70l. In 1870 tn
town of Kennebunk, formerly a part o
Wells, was incorporated into a separate
town.
In 1913 Gorgcs gave deeds to those VIII,
took up lands. To Edmond Littlefeld h
gave deed Of land, including saw.mil
and grist.mill privilege, the mills at tha
time finished; this deed, written on parch
ment, is now in the possession Of his de
scendants.
Gorges, being 10 Wells at this time. com
menced locating lots to individuals US tenants
of his barony, which included one-eishth o.
the town; he personally decided to Rev .Johr
Wheelwright, the first minister, bis farm oi
500 acres, beginning at Ogunquit river and
extending to webhannet river; q part ol
this farm is now occupied by his descend.
ants Of the seventh generation.
Thomas Gorges, deputy governor OF the
province Of Maine, mayor Of the city OF
Gcorgiana, and lord proprietor Of his manor
in the plantation of Wells, held his courts
in York and Wells, and exercised jurisdio-
tion also over Cape Porpoise and Saco until
1858, when the inhabitants disclaimed ale
glance to GorgeS and submitted to Massachu-
setts colony. Sir Ferdinando Gorges spent
E2O, ,OO0sterling to colonize New England.
and his grandson sold his right in the prov.
ince of Name to Massachusetts,, in 1877, for
fl25O.
July 4, 1858, the town Of Wells, contain
ing population OF l56, was Incorporated
by tbs lieutenant governor OF Massachusetts,
and four local commissioners, and the inhab-
itants were summoned to appear and admit
ted frcemen of the colony Of Massachusetts,.
Tbirty-two persons appeared and took the
oath of allegiance to Massachusetts,, and
claimed its protection. At the same time,
town Commissioners, selectmcn, clerk and
were appointed. This was the
first organization Of the town under the gov
ernment of the Massachusetts, colony. The
town was represented for the first time in
the Legislature this year, 1858.
The tenure by which our fathers and their
held their land was by charter
from the king Of England to the Plymouth
colony in the year 1885, and by grant from
them to Sir Ferdinando Gorges, and by grant
or gift to his nephew, Thomas Gorges, and
by deed from him to the settler, upon condi-
ton Of paying one dollar per year for every
hundred acres Of land. Tho value the In
dians put upon their title to their lands, and
their claims regarded by our iorefathers may
be judged from the title given John Wad.
leigh, to nearly the entire town Of Wells, in
Of his giving the widow Of
Tom waw.waw, chief who lived on Great
Hill. one bushel Of Indian corn annually.
The conditions of the grants from Gorges
were to settle On the premises, break up a
specified number Of acres and unite in its
defence against the savage foe, submit to the
regulations Of government, and swear allesi.
ancc to the crown OF England.
In 1860 the town Of Cape Porpoisc (now
claimed that the line Of
their town should be the Mousam instead OF
Kennebunk river; two men were selected
from each town (wells and Cape Porpoisc)
to settle the disputed question. The COM
missioners met ut house Of entertainment
near Great Hill 10y the sea), where they
were detained several days by storm, and
their expenses amounting to considerable
SUN, the commissioners of Wells proposed
to those Of Cape Porpoise that IL Kennebsnk
river (instead Of Mousam) ,as Wells claimed,
be the dividing line, the town Of Wells
would pay all their expenses Mt the public
house, which proposition the Cape Porpoise
accepted, and WIS entered on
the Massachusetts, and York County records,
and in Wells town record, and said line has
never since been disputed.
1t has been supposed that the Cape Por-
poise commissioners were, at the time they
accepted the terms Of the Wells commission.
ers, intoxicated.
The Indian wars in which our fathers suf.
fcred in this town, were "Philip's, "King
William, and "Queen AIMS war" There
were, during these wars with the Indians,
many fortified houses in town. called "garri.
son housc~,n Such was Col John Wheel.