The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-03-18
The Old Knox Mansion.

The Knox House stood on the banks of
the ST. Georges River, in ThomaStOn,
near the Site Of an Old fort erected in col
oniHl times, for defence against the French
and Indians. IN the rear Of the mansion
there We're several neat buildings - the
stables, the servants lodgings, and the
cook-house
"BeautiUlly at the waters edge sat this
Sumptuous villa writes the old historian
OF the town, AS it first caught the eve
and struck the lofty mind Of Mrs Knox"
A French nobleman who was a guest here
describes the mansion as "a handsome
though not magnificent structure But
the enthusiastic chronicler hastens to ex-
plain that the Duke brought his ideas of
magnificcnce from degenerate and luxu-
rious France.
General Knox took up his abode here,
in 1893. and the family made the Journey
from Philadelphia 10 Thomaston in a
slOop. Montpelier as Mrs Knox called
her new home in the wilderness, excited
the wonder and admiration OF the village.
The General owned vast tract of land in
this vicinity, which he wished to settle
with a tenantly, after the English fashion
To encourage the speedy settlement of the
country, he interested himself in various
kinds Of business He built ships and
saw-mills and engaged in matchmaking
and hme-burnmg, lie imported game
from NJ tss1chusetts, and new breeds of
cattle and sheep from England His hos
pitality was unbounded, and his house
was tMonged with guests, many of whom
We're distinguished foreigners Wonder
iul stories are told OF the grand style OF
living in vogue at the mansion. 1t is said
that twenty sheep were often consumed in
Il week, and that oxen We're roasted whole
before the immense fire places, that the
General kept twenty saddle-horses in his
stable; and that he had road cut for
pleasure party to q neighboring mountain,
still a tayoriJc place for picnics, at the ex-
pense Of five hundred dollars, a great sum
in those days 1t IS even stated that he
extended his hospitality so far as to invite
the whole tribe of PenobscOt Indians to
make him 4 visit; and that when these
strange visitors had Toasted for weeks on
the Generals bounty he, remarked, "NoW
we have had a good time, and you'd bet
ter 90 home How much OF all this is
true, and how much tradition, it is now
impossible to determine But il is certain
that the General was very extravagant,
and no doubt the family lived in q STYLE
which in those days seemed little short of
princely. Mrs. Knox was & naughty Eng
lish woman, and had little intercourse with
the towns-pe0ple, who always called her
Lady Knox. She entertained her aristo-
cratic friends and visited them in turn,
spending the winters in Boston, where
she was fond of risking large sums of
money at the card table. She was small
in person, but had 50 stately an air that
people We're apt to think her very tall.
Many anecdotes are told in illustration OF
Lady knox's pride. One day, says tradi-
ton, her carriage, the only one in the vii
lage, broke down, and it was necessary
to dismount while some temporary repairs
were made. a kind-hearted woman, who
lived near the scene of the accident, in
vited Lady Knox to take refuge in her
house, but she preferred to stand in the
muddy street, Near the mansion was an
ancient battle-ground, and the grave
stones were a constant eyesore to the
pleasure-loving lady. According to the
village historian quoted above, "they in
terrupted her gayety by the unwelcome
thoughts of DEATH" but her husband
would not consent to have them removed.
After his death the offending stones were
thrown down. Another version has it
that the deed was done in the Generals
absence from home, and that when he re-
turned, IN his VeXation "he tore his hair
with both hands" [Scribners for March.