The Portland daily press., 1880-05-15
LANDMARKS.
Rev. George Burroughs and Some of the
Subsequent Occupants of His
Home Lot


story house on the east corner of Free and Cen
ter streets, reminds me of the early history
of that vicinity and its prominent proprietors.
The seven acre lot through which Centre
street was laid out in 1742 was a part of grant
to Rev. George Burroughs, the minister OF
the town, who came here in about 1874. He
graduated at Harvard College in 1670,-the
class numbered only four. The town built him
house on this lot, on that part near the
head of Prebe street. At the sack of the
town by the Indians in 1876, Mr.. Burroughs
and the most of his people who escaped, sought
refuge on Bangs Island After they had Sc
cured themselves hastily they sent a party in
the night and obtained q barrel of powder
from one of the deserted houses, which the
Indians had not disc overed. On the 18th of
August, Mr. Burroughs wrote from their re-
treat to Henry Jocelyn of Block Point for aid.
This letter was sent to Boston and on the Goth
George Munjoy was sent in vessel with pro-
visions for their relief. High upon the rocky
slope of Bangs Island, between the spring and
White Head, on the northern shore, is the re-
mains of what appears to have been a hastily
constructed wall of slate stone, like breast
work for defence. This may be Landmark"
of Mr.. Burroughs fort There is another SIM
liar collection of stone on the opposite shore of
the Island, but there is no fresh water near
it.
After the peace of 1878, Mr.. Burroughs and
most of his scattered flock returned to Casco,
and in 1880 President Danforth, in the reset
Element of the town, confirmed the title of
the seven acres with his buildings to the min
lister; he declined to receive any more land,
or to receive compensation for what had prev
iously been Etaken by other settlers. John
Skillings had house below what is now In
dia street, and Mr.. Burroughs desired to be
nearer the meeting house, which stood on the
point swhere the Portland Company's works
now are. In 1888 they exchanged homesteads,
and Skillings became the owner of the Center
street lot. Mr.. Burroughs probably continued
here in the ministry until the burning of the
town by the French and Indians in 1880, when
he returned to Massachusetts. His melan-
choly fate is well known: he was hanged
at Salem for witchcraft in 1852, after being
condemned on the most preposterous testi-
mony.
In 1872 John Skillings conveyed part of
the Burroughs seven acres to William Cotton
who came from Portsmouth. He was a tanner
and had his yard at the junction of Fore and
Cotton streets. The watts have been dug
through to make a sewer within few years.
In 1912 Samuel Skillings, son of John, laid
out Center street through his lot which he
called Love iLane 1t was accepted by the
town the next year, and retained it name I'M
til 1872, when from its central situation it re-
ceived its present name. VIM. Cotton finally
became the owner of the most of the Bur-
roughs lot. His daughter Sarah married first
in, xrho 1>,,sI Al
Cotton estate, the two story house now stand
ing on the south corner of Free and Center
streets. After the death of Thomes his wild
ow married Elisha Turner in 1774, and proba-
bly, continued to live in her house which es-
capped Nov ats burning in 1775. 1t was built
about the time of Themes marriage Q763) and
is now substantial dwelling, and is one of
the landmarks" VIM. Cotton became one
of the deacons of the first church and died in
1884 aged So, and his estate was divided
among his children.
In 1899 Elisha Turner, who was Sarah Cot
toms second husband, sold the east corner lot
four rods on Free street (Which was laid out to
Love Lane by Deacon Cotton in IT'D and six
rods on Love Lane to Nathaniel Freeman,
who the same year sold the lot to Edward Cobb
of Portland. joiner. On this lot in 1904, Cobb
built the present three story house. He was
Quaker and well known as a housewright. He
lived SUCCESSFULLY in Falmouth, where he was
born in 1775, Parsonsfield, Windham, and
died in Portland in 1882 aged 81.
DR.. Aaron Porter came from Bedford, Mass,
and settled at Biddeford in 1773 He was
physician and acquired good practice. He
foresaw the Revolutionary struggle and pre-
pared for it. In 1880 he thus wrote: "Med-
cines already began to be scarce for none had
been imported from the British for several
months. Having little credit in Boston, and
a little cash on hand, improved both to the
extent of my power, and procured medicines
enough of the best quality to last ten years.
Thus stored and having no family to support,
(and by the way matrimony was scared out of
the land-few or none dared to undertake it,
l was placed in easy circumstances for that
day at least Three years later u77T Dr..
Porter did undertake" matrimony with
daughter of Richard King of Scarborough,
and sister to Gov. William King. They had
twelve children, all born in Biddeford. In
1910 DR.. Porter removed to Portland. and took
the house on Federal street, which was subse-
quently owned by Capt. John Williams. The
lot is now included in the Park. His adver-
tisement carries us back to the time when
there we're no street lights. He says, ga
lamp will be at the door for the accommoda-
ton of those who may call in the night
In 1918 DR.. Porter purchased of Edward
Cobb, the builder, the three story house men,
toned above on the east corner of Free and
Centre streets. For an office, he erected one
story building on the corner, where a new
similar building has lately been built. Here
LIZ L OIuCI pIdCUlCo, uutll dSo ulS-
abled him. He died in this house suddenly
and alone, in 1887, aged So.
The DR.. retained until his death, the style
of dress. of his younger days, except the
cooked hat. He was small of stature and the
knee breaches were not suited to his thin
limbs. When this style of dress had become
rare, his ancient looking figure in the street,
drew the attention of all who did not know
him. He was good lawyer as we'll as physi-
clan. He was tenacious of his opinions, and
was often engaged in litigation to his cost. In
company with Mr.. Hill of Saco, DIR. Porter
owned the township of Porter, adjoining New
which was incorporated in 1907
and took its name from him. The wellre-
membered and respected, shipmaster Rufus
King Porter was his son. A daughter was the
second wife of the celebrated Lyman Beech
er, d. d.
In 1913 Henry Homes of Boston, who mar
ried daughter of DR.. Porter, decided the
house and lot to j. Fitz Henry Mussey, who
was then lawyer at Standish. By his death
in 1916, it became the property of his father,
John Mussey, Esq, who although he is now
in his ninetieth year, daily superintends the
repairs and alterations
In the two centuries since this lot was occu-
pied by the unfortunate Mr.. Burroughs, it has
been transferred to ten separate owners.
Windham, May 18th. WIG.
Personal.
e. M Blanding, editor of the Maine Mining
Journal, was in the city yesterday.