The Portland daily press., 1882-09-18
FOOT PRINTS OF THE PAST.
On the Way to Pemaquid. With Jottings
of It's Early History.
NO. II.
DAMARrscorrA. Sent. 16.

10 the Editor of the Press.
wrote you yesterday that according to pre-
vlous arrangement our party of six would
leave at a. m. on our intended visit to the
ancient peninsula of Pemaquid, around which
clusters so much of stirring history. Promptly
at the hour our driver with his pair of horses
and nice three-seated road wagon was at the
door. but alas! poor humanity. On calling the
roll, three did not respond. The partially
clouded sky, with the recollection of the hard
thunder storm of the previous night suggested
to them visions of cold wind, muddy roads,
sudden colds, pm umonia, rheumatism and
perhaps final dissolution, and they declined to
mount Mr.. Thomas, who had no such vision,
with perfect mimicry of the voice and style of
well known d. D., assured them that it was
the gospel train that was passing, and If they
neglected to get on they certainly would go to
perdition. but his stirring appeal had no eff
feet on them. One went back to his native
Oxford Hills, another to the beautiful inter-
wales of Sandy River, and the tall editor
sought his sanctum in your city. They were
not even like Moses, permitted to see the
promised land from mountain.
The roomy wagon was exchanged for one of
less weight aid capacity, with two seats-Mr
Thomas and self got on board with Capt
Hight who held the reins. Thus equipped we
took the Bristol road through old "Walpole"
whore we saw the old two-story meeting house
covered with shingles, walls and roof. 1t is in
good repair and printed. tits good speci-
men of the New England country meeting
houses of the last century; with galleries on
three sides, and the high pulpit on the other
long side. The original sounding board in its
place, just clearing the minister's head. 1t
has the old-fashioned square pews with hinged
seats, made to be raised when it was the Gus
tom to stand during prayers, and which were
replaced with slam at the close. On the
wall in gilt letters is an inscription, Erected,
1772; repaired 1872"
The roads of Bristol are of natural hard
ground, which makes no mud, but they are
hilly. There are many of the old square two-sto-
ry houses of the last and the beginning of this
century, having the four-sided, or hippsd roof.
We saw one of this style of brick belonging to
Capt. Prentice which had been rent by
lightning and corner rebuilt.
AT this point, perhaps, it would be proper to
consider the early history of Pemaqpid before
we arrive there
Monhegan and Pemaqud were among the
first headlands known to discoverers on our
coast Monhegan is high islaad with har
Dor twelve miles broad off from Pemaquid,
which could not escape the attention of navi-
gators, and Pemaquid can be seen from the
Island. Aldworth and Edridge were the first
patentees Of Pemaquid. Thomas Aldworth
was Mayor of Bristol in 1928. He died in
1890, and has monument in ST. Augustine s
church in that city. Robert Aldworth was his
successor, and was the principal promoter of
an expedition of the ships Speedwell and
Discoverer, under Martin Pring in 1908 having
on board two of Gosnod's men who had been
here in 1602in the shipD dartmouth. Some of the
natives came on board at Pemaquid in Europe
an apparel. They we're in possession of Span
ish shalop, which was here when Popham and
Gilbert arrived in 1907. Queen Elizabeth was
interested in the American discoveries 1t is
a noteworthy fact that Spencer dedicated his
"Fairy Queen" to her as Queen of England.
France, Ireland and Virginia" Weymouth
mentions "the little river of Pemaquid' lin 1905
it was Pemaquid from which he sailed for
England direct, with five of the natives whom
he had kidnapped. Popham and Gilbert's pilot
Davis, feasted here on 'gooseberries, strawber-
ries, raspberries aud Hurts" on tle day of their
arrival. August 1st, 1907. The same week
the two captains manned their boats with Atty
persons and visited "the river Pemaquid," )"
carrying Sk,dmores, one of the natives whom
| Weymouth carried to England the year before.
The Indians came in force with bows and ar
| rows to receive them but were peaceable Two
months later their chief with his retinue at
tended public prayers at Pophsm's church,
| where the Rev. Richard Seymore officiated.
In 1914 Capt. John Smith found ship of
Sr Francis Pophsm's at Pemaquid
which had for many years visited that place. "
calls Pemaquid "Johnstown." Christ pher
Levett was at Sheepscot in 1923, where he met
| "Samoset Sycamore of Pemaquid on his way
thither with beaver skins TO trade with Mr..
| Witheridge, master OF a ship, but Levett secur-
| ed the ,furs." 1t is the glorv of Pemaquid that
| she can claim Samoset as ber Sycamore.
| In 1926 John Brown of New Harbor, Penn.
| aquid," purchased OF the Indian Sagamores
| large tract of land described in the deed as be.
| ginning at Pemaquid Fall, and running five
aud twenty miles into the country. Abraham
| Shurt OF blessed memory, magistrate of Penn
squid, the history of whose interesting career
has not yet been written, certified to the &C
| acknowledgement of the deed at Pemaquid il
as good formula as would be made now
Warberton says that Pemaquid, at this time,
was larger and more important settlement
than the capital of Canada. According tC
Sullivan, in 1880, there were no less than s.
families, besides the fishermen, settled here
This was four years before the building of the
| castles mud walls at Boston. In 1880, there
were 500 inhabitants at Pemaqaid.
In 1851, the good ship "Angel Gabriel o.
| 240 tons and 16 guns, which had among hel
passen ers Richard Mather, from Bristol, Eng
| land, arrived at Pemaquid and anchored ID
| front of Shurt's fort An easterly storm drove
her shore where ship, cargo and several
| passengers we're lost. 100 years later repre-
sentation of this ship become the seal of the
Pemaquid proprietors. In 1641 D'Aulnay
the Freuchman, left his boats at PemaquiC
while he went with letter from Abraham
Shurt to the Massachusetts, authorties-they
proposed conference at Pemaquid, il being
| near the boundary.
In 1859, Shurt the agent of Giles Eldridge
| was pursuing prosperous trade at Pemaquid
| respected by both the English and French
and also had the good will of the Indians II
1640 Bradford says Joseph Grafton in a ketct
| of 40 tons, with three men and boy, m .de
voyage to Pemaquid, between Monday morn
| ing aud Saturday night, and brought 10 Salem
| 20 COWS, some oxen and hay. This shows that
there was then an agricultural community al
| Pemaquid. In 1910, Samuel Small, aged 3
testified that when a boy he was servant
to the famous Henry Josselyn, then magis-
tate at Pemaquid. In 1864. Charles H. gave
TO his papist brother James, Duke of York, the
territory between the St Croix and Pemaqud
This was called the Duke of York's Province
and it came under the government of the New
York colony.
In 1874 Massachusetts took the Duke:
province under her care and authorized cour
to be held at P,maquid. In 1874 Mayor Ed
mond Andros was commissioned governor O
the territory with Pemaquid as the capital of
the county Of "Devonshire." In 1777 durire
Philips war, Gey. Andres sent from New
York four sloops with timber aud Other
| materials to fortify Pemaquid. The fort wa