Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-07-17
NO. 1877
entertainments.
GEN. KNOX.
ALADDrN's PALACE IN TuoMAsToN.

The following sketch of the heroic fig
ure of General Knox, is taken from the
Hon. Edward b. Nealley's Grafton at the
centennial celebration of the incorpora-
ton of Thomaston:
The year 1895 is memorable in our his
tory from the settling here of our most IL
lustrious citizen. The annals of our Reyo-
luton present no nobler, truer, or more
unseliish hero than Henry Knox. 1t has
been his conspicuous honor in history thai
he was the trusted friend and counsellor
of Washington. Irving gives picture at
the camp of Morristown of Washington
with his three faithful generals, Green.
Sullivan, land brave. genial, generous
Knox, never SO happy as when by his side.r
Alter the Farewell Address it was Knox
who moved the resolution of thanks. He
was also the first to receive the farewell
embrace. 1t was he to whom Washing
ton offered the portfolio of thedepartment
of war.
And well did Knox merit this entire
trust of his commander. For from the
time when Washington needed artillery
and ordnance stores and young man of
twenty-five years, "Mr. Henry knox,"
says Irving. "stepped forward and offered
to proceed to the frontier forts on Champ
lain in quest OF supply" till the end Of
the war. the government never had
more able and answering support. He
was early put in command of the artillery
and "those guns" says Headley, "he new
er left, but kept laundering on the enc
mics of freedom till success crowned our
efforts"
His mind was active, ardent, imagina-
tive, and his language correspondent. He
could never abandon his soldier-like air.
lie was large in person, weighing more
than Washington. inclined to corpulency,
with full, kind face, showing an open
and generous nature. He had the lungs
of stentor, and tradition says that bis
voice sounded above the musketry at the
battle of Trenton.
BY right OF his wife, by purchase, and
perhaps by little diplomacy. Knox be-
came the sole proprietor of the unaliena-
ted parts of the Waldo Patent. Upon the
site OF the old fortress,-at the point
where Weymouth planted his cross,-a
spot now for the third time made historic.
he reared stately mansion, whose
growth among our primeval forests SEEM
ed to the humble villagers like the daz-
zling magnificence of an oriental tale. A
grand chateau, with three lofty stories,
surmounted by fourth, central and cupola-
| like, in the roof, rose like the palace of
Aladdin. There was no seat OF such ele-
gance in all the Commonwealth of Mas
sachusetts. Around it were balconies and
piazzas, costly grounds, lawns, orchards,
arbors. A magnificent carved gateway
protected the entrance to the grounds. A
broad avenue was opened to the house OF
his son, through the dense woods. Be-
hind the chateau rose the wild forests,
with here and there skillfully planned
openings. and in front was view of ten
miles of the river aud its sombre ever
green banks. On either hand were two
wings of buildings, forming. with the
| mansion, crescent or the segment of a
| circle, nine houses in each wing. Mrs.
Knox, on her first sight of this fairy cre-
| alton when coming up the river, entranced
at its beauty, gave it the name OF Mont
pelier.
And in these baronial halls, Gen. Knox
lived and dispensed hospitality like
prince of the middle ages. 1t is said that
| a hundred beds were made, and an OK and
twenty sheep often slaughtered within q
| week. Twenty saddle horses were kept
| for the entertainment of his guests. Many
famous people, including Talleyrand and
Louis Philippe, came to visit him. The
warmhearted proprietor even invited his
predecessors, the whole tribe of the Tar
rantnes, who feasted upon his bounty so
| long that he was forced to tell them, 1--WE
have had good visit, but now you had
better go home"
While Gen. Knox won high popularity
by his affable manners, his ready counsel
| and liberality to the town, and his gen.
erous hospitality, not only to the rich aud
| influential, but also to poor missionaries,
wandering exiles and penniless adventur-
| ers, Madam Know never won the affec-
tlons OF the townspeople. 1t is said that
she never but once made q visit here.
Her manners were excessively reserved
and naughty. Her pleasure was to en-
! tice Boston friends to make long visits to
the mansion in summer, and give the win
| ter to the gayety and fashion OF that city.
1t was long remembered as a piece of
vandalism against her, that in the absence
of the general, and much to his mortifi-
cation, disliking the view from her win
dows OF such suggestions of death, she
caused to be destroyed the humble, an-
cient graves of the pioneers to this from
tier post in the wilderness. Yet WASH
ington and his wife esteemed her as
| woman of rich intellectual endowments,
and great elegance of manner and taste,
and the patriot will not forget that. though
the daughter of an eminent tory magnate
she yet almost clandestinely married this
unknown bookseller. at once joined with
him the troops of the colonies. concealing
his sword by sewing it in the lining of
her mantle. and was ever his firm support
and companion in the darkest hour.
Gen. Knox at once commenced busi-
ness operations in the same grand way
that he dispensed his hospitality. He en-
tered largely into the manufacture of
brick. He erected spacious store. and
carried on a large business. He vigor-
ously prosecuted the burning and selling
of lime. He cultivated farms. He built
saw-mills and carried on logging opera
tions up the river. He erected locks. and
improved the navigation OF the st. George
river. lie sought to introduce improved
oaftIa and shaan at Rriuadier Island He