Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-10-14

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Leaving Plymouth, came by rail to Han
son which was formerly part of Pembroke
and leaving the cars, travelled through
Hanson, Pembroke, Marshfeld, Duxbury and
Scituate.
Scituate, first called .'Satuit" from stream
OF that name which runs through the town,
then "Seteat" and "Cittewat' and lastly by
its present name, is one of the original towns
in the old colony.
Scituate, like most of the towns in Ply
mouth county, has light, weak, sandy soil,
large portion of what was once cleared land
being now covered with a shrubby, scraggy
growth of pine and oak. After having seen
the country, it is not surprising to me that
in the latter part of the last century, SO many
persons emigrated from these towns to the
district of Maine where the soil is better and
where the husbandman receives a more
bountiful return for his hard labor.
Many of the original settlers of several
towns in Oxford county went from these old
towns.
The Bucks and Turner's, who first settled
Buckfield went from here. In 1898 John
Lapham, descendant of Thomas Lapham who
came from England, and settled in Scituate
in 1885, went from Pembroke and settled in
Buckfield. He had been soldier in the old
French war and also in the war of the Revo-
luton. His oldest son John died while in
the service. He was an old man when he
embarked on board the packet ship at Scitu-
ate which took him to Yarmouth from which
place to Buckfeld he travelled through the
wilderness. He was accompanied by his
youngest son Abijah. Abijah Lapham left
three sans who are yet living, and who fur
nished nine soldiers for the late war, the az
gregate Of whose service, amounted to about
swenty-fve years. ms
Oaken Bucket" was native of this town, and
The orchard, the meadow the deep tangled Wild
The bridge and the rock where the cataract fell,
may all be seen at the old Woo dworth home
stead situated about two miles from Scituate
Harbor. The scot Of my fathers" and the
''outbuiidings" spoken of have been replaced
by substantial farmhouse, occupied by
half brother of the poet.
Ezekiel Hamlin, grandfather of Hon. Han.
nibal Hamlin was living in Pembroke at the
beginning of the Revolutionary war, and
took very active part in the hostilities
against the King and Parliament.
Charles Besbedge, now spelled "Bisbee"
whose wife was Rowland, descendent of
Tah
came over in the Mayaower, went from this
town and settled in the town of Sumner. He
was great grandfather to Hon. Sidney Perham
William Gushing LII. D., who once prac-
ticed law in -Pownalboro' and was Judge of
Probate of Lincoln county, afterwards, under
the crown, Judge of the Superior Court of
Massachusetts, and who was the only member
of the bench who adhered to the American
cause, was a native of Scituate. Hon. Caleb
Gushing of Newburyport is q descendent in
the fifth generation, of John Cushing of this
town. As before stated, the tide of immigra-
ton at an early day, set in strongly toward
the eastward from all these old colony towns.
A very agedAAly, Mrs. Simmons of Marsh
field, who claims to have relatives in Augusta,
with whom conversed, remembers very we'll
when emigrants in large numbers passed her
fathers house in Marshfeld, to take the the
packet ship at Scituate Harbor, bound to the
Eastward" This journey, which can now
be accomplished in few hours, seemed at
that day like second pilgrimage. This is
not good farming town and were it not for
the extensive marshes where salt hay is cut
it would soon be depopulated. As it is, there
is small shoe shop connected with nearly
every farm honse, the proceeds of which go to
make up the deficiency Of the farm.
Dnxbury formerly called Duxburrow is
very much like the towns already described.
1t was settled by Capt. Miles Standish and
John Alden about the year 1852. A high hill,
four hundred feet above the sea, is still called
Captains HILL" The town was named from
Duxbury Hall the seat of the Standish family
in England. John Alden was the one who
played so conscipuous a part and so shrewd a
game, in Lonefellow's "Miles Standish."
In travelling through Pembroke to Marsh
field passed house said to be the Oldest ir
the United States. 1t is quaint old struct
ure and has been in uninterrupted possession
of the Barker family since 1928. 1t mus
soon pass into other hands, for the presen
incumbent is very old and childless.
Marshfeld is familiar to every one as tn,
late residence Of the immortal Webster. Hi
great love Of fishing and hunting induced hin
to select this as his place of residence. For
merly there was an abundance of shore game
in the vicinity and the fishing, both shore aut
inland was unsurpassed.
The house and farm buildings, like those o
southern planters, are situated some distanc,
from the main road. An avenue shaded b,
gigantic elms leads from the highway to tn,
house The Webster mansion is of wood, OF
fanciful form, conforming to no particular
style of architecture, covered with turrets
y-windows, and projections, and aboundin,
in sharp angles, but as whole presenting