The Portland daily press., 1871-08-29
Field Day Of the Maine Ilistorics
Society,
FIRsT DAY-PRoCEEDINGs OF GREAT INTER-
EsT-HIsToRICAL FACTs-sPEECHEs, sc.
Fort FREDERICK. Aug. %. 1871


Long Cove" with an OK train drawing an
immense covered vehicle ornamented with
flags and devices appropriate, packed with the
youth and beauty of Pemaguid from the north
ern boundaries of ancient jamestown, and a
like vehicle-an elongated ox-cart-from Pema.
quid Falls, and fleets of boats and barges and
yachts, with living freight, entering the little
harbor from every nook and corner of the pic
turesque surroundings and water approaches
of Johns Bay, soon set the hillock of the
ruined Fort and all the intervening grounds,
alive and swarming with interested listeners.
By noon near 1000 people had congregated in
front of the stand Hon. Arnold Blaney pre-
siding, invited Rev. w. A. Drew, of Augusta,
who offered prayer. The band discoursed
sweet music; the atmosphere was calm; the
suns rays shaded, and all was propitious. But
the gentlemen on the barge, expected to
take part had not come. The exercises were
thereupon resumed, and Hon. e. E. Bourne
addressed the people in clear, pungent, and
forcible statement of the reasons warrantipg
the organization of the monumental associa-
ton, and in extending to it the sympathy and
moral support of the Maine Historical Society.
He alleged two sufficient reasons, our enemies
being our witnesses: "7hat Pemaquid formed
the initial of Neao England colonization,'' as
asserted by the indefatigable and jealous histo-
riap, j. w. Thornton, of Boston, a pioneer in
its history, and I'd, in the avowals of Increase
Mather, of Mass, as an exponent of the public
opinion in 1877. and of historical literature OF
his age, who asserted that no man, who made
it his concern to be acquainted with things OF
this nature, can be ignorant, that the northern,
to us, northeastern parts of this land, aoere the
first achereir ooere English NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
it was for some years known as the northern
plantations, until King Charles gave it the
name of New England, in the territory between
43o and 45o NS.''
These statements are of themselves suffi
cient.
Hon. Arnold Blaney then said: "The or
ganization of the monumental association wa.
the suggestion OF gentlemen from other parts
who had become interested in the remarkable
history of this spot, which has stimulated
th0sA- s.aa..l4- 10 -inasasnratl sneh assacia
lions.
p" In consideration of the payment of one
dollar any one can become a member. We
propose also to raise money by free subscrip.
tion-by lectures, &c. Mr.. Partridge, the pro.
prietor of the site of Fort friedrich and its sur.
roundings, has donated site, to be selected by
the association, for the monument or granite
shaft.
Citizens of the City of New Y ork have al
ready rendered handsome sums in furtferance
of the purposes of the association; and all such
donations will be gratefully received, properly
acknowledged, and faithfully applied"
He then called on Charles Nutter, of Boston
who said he came to this interesting spot fol
seeing, not talking The occasion and the
place were full of interest to him personally, as
well as to all who were exploring the history
OF this land, especially that of the beginnings
of New England.
In 1885, two ships sailed from Old England
for New England, the "James'' and the
Angel Gabriep-the Angel Gabriel an emf
grant ship of 250 tens aud 16 guns, from Bris-
tol, England. She reached Pemaquid harbor
on or about the 10th of August, when a terrific
storm arose and she was driven ashore on the
rocks of the Barbican and became a total
wreck. Some of her company were drowned
most escaped. The "James," near Piscata-
NU"J3 p"iOiy ScOdpCu3 tuIcc dHCuOTS having
been pulled out of her. In the "Angel
Gabriep' Was my ancestor seven generations
from nae. He was saved and landed at Pema-
quid. At the late bi-centennial celebration
the first church of Portsmouth, heard the
scriptures read from an ancient Bible-a
Geneva edition of the Bible. This identical
Bible was one Of the treasures saved from the
wreck of the ill-:ated ship. The antiquities of
this place are full of interest. In 1917, John
Mason was here. As sources of history, the
archaeology of country are OF the highest
Importance; and here are stores of earth buried
history-no such remains being found on the
coast this side of Mexico
Hon. Chas. Dean, Secretary of Massachusetts
Historical Society, expressed his great gratifi.
cation at being present. He was native of
Maine-had read and studied her history with
interest. 1t has all the interest of romance.
He congratulated this people on the new inter.
est which had been awakened in perpetuating
the facts of its history, and would suggest that
the mystery hanging over this region may be
accounted for in the recurring desolations of
depopulating war-making void for years,
the records of written history. But these eel
lars and remains show that people must have
lived here and that it is an ancient place.
Prof. Agassiz says Maine was the first formed
land of the New World, that here the solid
land first appeared-and here the " Lawrentian
Hills stood above the waters, and first showed
to the world rising continent.
There. too are the records of the beginnings
'f the civilization and commerce OF Europe.
Claiming to be native of Maine, no one cher.
shed its history more than he did. This is |
| Pemaqud and not Popham day. 1 do not
propose to 60 into any discussion. We have |
ome here to encourage the erection of monu-
nent on this definite locality but may sug-
est, in answer to Judge Bourne, that when |
dather speaks of plantations, he may have al
nslon to the abandoned settlement and the
uccess of the Plymouth settlement in his
mind. Pemaquid seems to have been early a
erm OF general designation. 1t is not men,
Toned by GosnOld, 1902, nor by Weymouth,
sos. Purchase first mentions it. Strachy
lso; and Smith, 1914, who gave to the world
nd speaks of the incidents of commerce here i
original account of which L have here in
~ hand.
>. ID. Hackleton, Esq, of Pemaquid, as the
ryan OF the subcommittee, having in cbarse
he exhibit of newly discovered remains gave
most full and intensely interesting detail of
cts, relics, and traditions, supported by afida-
is OF living eye-witnesses too full to incorno-
tie here, all of which, however, 90 into tie
chives of the Maine Historical Society. for
ture and further use.
He showed that in 1886, a fragment of a
ave-stOne was turned out by the plow neau
9 ancient burial ground of jamestown
arked with the date of 1906. He exhibited a
'den ornament, apparently tag to a roll or
zee of cloth. dug up at N. Harbor, in 1858, $
airing date 1910. and English letter Fl in the
nter. The affidavit of Mr.. Fasset that in