The Portland daily press., 1881-12-09
Collections of the Maine Historical Soci-
Il,1

ETY., VOL VIII.
Hoyt Fogg & Donham, have undertaken
the sale of all the societys publications. This
| eighth volume is in the same style as the pre-
ceding, and is from the press of Stephen Berry.
1t has for afrontispiece steel portrait of Judge
Edward E. Bourne The public cannot but
feel deep interest in the work of this society.
since it labors to preserve such portions OF
Maine history as would otherwise be neglected
aud lost, and it is from such material that the
general historian builds up his great works.
The first article in this book is one of 10Y
pages on the Northeastern Boundary by the
] Hon. Israel Washburn, Jr. The "Aroostook
War" IS now looked upon as a somewhat conf
| cal episode, and such anecdotes as that of Dan
Fox astonishing the country boys by Juggling q
| barrel of pork mp stairs, after they had tried
in vain to get enough men on the narrow stair
case to handle it, have taken the place OF the
exasperating facts which excited our fathers
Maine had most excellent reason for feeling
aggrieved. In order to get better communi-
cation between Canada and the lower provin-
ces, Great Britain seized and claimed a strip
of our territory twenty miles wide and one
hundred and seventy-ive miles long, and fin
ally held it by a compromise of the question.
This was neither pleasant for the American
citizens who were thus made BritishFsubjects,
nor agreeable to the people of Maine who were
robbed of their domain. The peaceful inter
course which has existed for forty years on the
border, and the possibilities of the future,
max this of little consequence at the present
time, but it is satisfaction to have thorough
If bo xpho nj nm ho acfiou
of the men W no conducted the negotiations,p put
on record by SO able a writer as Governor Wash
burn. ~
The second paper is an article of forty-seven
pages upon Col. Arthur Noble, of Georgetown,
by the Hon, William Goold. This is valua-
BILE and entirely original history of gallant
Maine soldier who deserves to be known and
remembered in his native state. 1t gives in
terestng details Of his residence and life on the
Kennebec; his participation in the Louisburg
expedition, his gallant conduct there, his expe-
dition to Grand Pre-, and his tragical death
there in night attack of the French. This
last scene is finely described by the author who
had made pilgrimage to the spot.
The third article is twenty-six page paper
on the Educational Institutions of Maine, while
u uiStIiCt VI hdsSdCuuSotto, ny THO NOV u. l..
Champlin, and is valuable contribution to
the educational history of the State, giving the
beginnings of our academies and colleges
Portland readers will find an interesting ac-
count of the old Portland academy, where
Edward Payson was the first preceptor, on a
salary of 5000.
The fourth article is the Pemaquid country
under the Stuarts, by H. W. Richardson, if
teen pages, and sives some curious old docu-
ments printed in old-style type, illustrating
the earliest days of our history.
The fifth article, ninety-thIee pages is an
elaborate account of Fort Halifax, its project
ors, builders and garrison by tie Hon. Will
liam Goold. This is illustrated by four wood
cuts, general view of the fort, a ground plan, |
a view of the South Flanker, now standing at |
Winslow land the corner stone with its inscrip- |
ton. Some notes, on the same subject have |
been previously published, but this full and |
excelent description willibe accepted as COM |
plete authority. The authors suggestion on |
page $50 that the superintendent of the Maine |
Central Railroad should slow up trains at |
Winslow to allow passengers to catch view |
of the blockhouse still remaining, has already |
borne fruit. President jackson and Superin- |
tendent Tucker, in conjunction with President |
Lockwood, of the Lockwood Company of Wat
ervile. have ordered the grounds to be orna-
mented, and an iron fence to be built around |
it.
Among the valuable points which Mr.. Goold |
brings out, is correction Of former historians,
who all assert that Governor Shirley spent two |
month s of the summer of 1854 at Fort Halifax
and had command of the expedition to the
head waters of the Kennebec. Our author
shows from the Governors own dispatches that
he remained at Falmouth from July 9th to
August 30th when he visited the fort at Ken
nebec and returned after four days absence,
and that he did not ascend the river above the
the fort. This palpable error has been suffer-
ed to stand as a fact of history for seyenty.fve
years, repeated by all historians He also corrects
Willis who states that General Jedediah Preble
fought at Quebec under Vol. showing that
Re sme e. The romantic episode of Aaron Burr
making love to Capt Lithgow's fair daughter
5uruiI, and writing sonnets to her on thesbark
of the silver birch, is bit of romance that
will be treasured.
Article sixth is twenty.th three page history
Of Col. William Vaughan of Matinicus and
ALSO by Mr.. Goold. Col. Vaughan
was evidently of the Viking blood, an impet-
uous and gallant man, who carried on the fish
cries from Matinicus He first proposed the
expedition to Louisburg, took part in titled the
little party which captured the Grand battery
and held it, and did other gallant service
there.
The seventh article, eighteen pages, is on
Norumbega, by Hon. John e. Godfrey He
does not discuss the mythical city Of romance,
but describes the region anciently included
under that title, and gives some interesting
particulars of the early settlement at Mount
Desert and other points.
The remaining 179 pages is occupied with
biographical sketches. The first is John A.
Poor's memoir of Ruel Williams, previously
issued in pamphlet form. The second is Hon.
Edwin B. Smiths memoir of Hon. Edward E.
Bourne, also previously published. The third
is memoir of Judge Ether Shepley, by Hon.
Israel Washburns Jr., which will be received
with much interest. The fourth is memoir |
of Hon. George I. Davis, by Hon. George f.
Talbot, graceful tribute to o most charming |
man, who coming among us late in life, won |
the esteem and admiration of all. The fifth |
is memoir of Governor Edward Kent by |
Hon John E. Godfrey, which gives an inter- |
esting sketch of his life and pleasant descrip-
ton OF his humor. This is followed by remarks |
upon his character by Gov. Washburn and |
Mr.. Talbot
The sixth and last memoir is the scholarly |
discourse of Prof. Charles Carroll Everett, on
Leonard Woods, D. D., which has been previ-
ously published in pamphlet, but will be glad
ly welcomed to perpetual record by those who
loved and admired the venerable presidentof
old Bowdoin. ). b.
State Educational Association.
The Maine State Educational Association
will hold its annual meeting at Biddeford,
December 10Th, Both and 31st. 1t is expected
that the principal railroads will give half fare
rates to all attending. Reduced rates at the