The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-03-11
The OrOnO Centennial.

From the report by the Bangor Wing of
proceedings at Orono on the occasion OF the
Centennial Celebration and Dedication of the
new town Hall, we make the following ex
tracts:
The Chairman then in complimentary
terms introduced the orator of the evening.
Hon. Israel Washburn jr., who was received
with applause, and proceeded to deliver the
historical and dedicatory address.
Gov wAsHBURN's ADDRESS.
Mr.. Washburn, whose address occupied two
hours and halt, commenced by saying that
when in 1905, Capt. George Weymouth,
of the English ship ''Archangep' visited the
Gulf of Maine, planted a garden at Boothbay,
and on the island OF Monhegan set upssa cross
in testimony that he then and there, under
the auspices and in the name of the English
crown, took possession of the territory now
embraced within the limits of this State, that
territory was occupied by two principal In
dian nations, to wit; the Abenaquis, having
four tribes, and the Etecbmins, who were di-
vided into three tribes. The largest and
strongest of all the tribes of these nations,
was that of the TarTatines or PenObscOts. They
belonged to the nation of The Etechmins.
They were, according to the authority of
Judge Williamson, numerous, powerful and
warlike, more hardly and brave than their
Western enemies. Less disturbed than the
the Western tribes, they were also more dis
Greet, ard were always reluctant to plunge
into hostities against the English. They in
habited the country upon the Penobscot river
and claimed dominion over the contiguous
territory from its sources to the sea. Their
principal village or seat was probably never
permanently established at any place until it
was fixed at Oldtown Island in the early part
of fhn los q, AZ - -
was movable; or perhaps the tribe occupied
several villages at the same time, for it " as
numerous people having wide domain. As
late as the Teriod of the Revolution, when it
had been thinned and wasted, it possessed
400 fighting men. But whatever the fact may
have been in regard to thepermanent or tenn
porary character of their villages or the num-
Der of them existing contemporaneously,
there is no doubt that they were always with
in the limits of the former town of OronO or
in its immediate neghborhood. At one time
or ano .her there were villages near the head
of the tide in Bangor, which Williamson
thinks was the ancient 'Negus," and which
was known to the early settlers as Fort Hill.
Another was on the island at this place
where its veAstiges were distinct and unmis-
taxable and whose people also occupied the
tongue of land east OF this hall between the
Saltwater branch and the Basin. On both
sides of the Saltwater river stone weapons
and implements of agriculture have been
found in large numbers, some of which in the
hands of John Bennoch, jr., and Col. Eben
Webster, jr., he had seen. He gave reasons
to believe that the site OF the famous village
of s'Lett," was at this place. He thought
the preservation of the tribe under circum-
stances unlike those which had existed else
where, the improvement of its members in
habits aud education, while living in the i'm
me diate neighborhoOd of so large white
pop utatiJn were facts greatly favorable to
both parties. He regarded the Tarratines as
a peculiar people among the aboriginal tribes
of this part of the continent. Sturdy and
brave they were never inclined to make war
on the English except under the stress OF
strong proVocation, land not unfrequently gave
examples of patience under real or fanced
wrongs. which would have added a graceful
charm to the character Of their civilized
neighbors.
Speaking of the earlier chiefs within the
knowledge of oftr2diton, be freered to Maddox
awando, who died an old man in 1898, one of
whose daughters was married to Castine the
elder-to his Lieutenant, the fierce and crafty
Mogg Megone-to Wenemouet who reigned
after Madockawando, and was at Falmouth
as late as 1927, where he made treaty with
Governor Dummer-to Moxus, a Kannabis
a,,bem, sometime rnling with Wenemouet,
and isrgely to the great, wise and humane
chief ,i,e "blue-eyed Orono ITO bis wisdom
and bnma .pity-to his uniform kindness to the
Americans "a his journey to Cambridge with
three other chi, ITS, where he arrived two days
aft.r the hattle Of Bunker Hill and was hon
orably received by the General Court, to
which he rendered the services OF ms trine IN IN
the war then begun aga ass Enganuo and h;s ,' f,'
death 1901, at the great age Lu2, snu noo n,o NJ
neral, which the venerable Mr. AA' W S''
now in her 9th year, attended.
The first settlement by the whi,'e was by
Jeremiah Colburn and Joshua Eayres,
in 1774' who built each house, and toge .ther a
saw mill in that year and he read their peti-
tion to the Legislature of Massachusetts. in
1776 recitng the facts of then settlement
two years before, and certain resolves of that
body in their favor. He gave notes and
sketches OF the early settlers, the Colblrns,
the Eayres, the Marshes descendants of
John Marsh, the 6 Interpreter, as he was
called, )of the Whites, the Jamesons, the
Freeses, the Toartellottes, the Webster,s
Treat. Read Pages, Lunts, Ring, McPhetres,
Bennochs, of Antoine Lachahce and others.
He traced the progress of the towns gave
of the schools and of the railroads, canals and
other works projected and carried out; of
many events and occurrences of the wears.
elections, lawsuits. fdceti9, &C., &C.,
He alluded to the town in the civil war, in
which her citizens united with zeal and un-
faItering purpose to uphold the flag, and said
her quotas were at all times promptly filled by
men whose record in the service was in keep
ing with the uncalculating patriotism that
prompted their willing tender of themselves
in defence OF an impenlled country. ne aP-
plauded their good sense in paying on tne GU
tire war debt of the town while 1t was esSy ~
do hon unn W DIeQtV, So tnat IL Si-A