The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-01-09
R,chmond Island.

Several days since there was in the PRESS
historical query relative to the early settle
ment of Richmond Island by Chas. f. Adams,
Jr. Previous to 1927 dealer in fur resided on
the island and transacted large business with
the Indians. There were at that time settle
ments at Monhegan and Pemaquid, whose at
tention was chiefly given to fishing. John
Joselynn refers in his book, page POI, in 1870 to
the whetsones of Richmond Islan1, and as to
the states which he refers to, and which j. P.
Baxter calls attention to, they can be found
three miles to the west of Black Point at
quarry of which A. L. DeDnison of your city
was managing agent, and those who visit
Old Orchard with their own conveyance may
have noticed on the side of the road, three
miles this side of Old Orchard specimens OF
the slate. Reference is made to the settlement
of Walter Bagnal at Richmond Island and
WiDthrop's Journal is quoted. 1t is one of
Wendell Phillips sayings, if you have
neighbor that notes his opinions down in a
Journal, to shun him, as he writes them down
under his own coored vision and they become
matters Of history, while the subject of the
journal has passed away and none to correct
the faults of the journalist.
Walter Bagnal was an Episcopalian, and
controlled the trade of the Indians to the east
ward, which products OF trade he shipped d.
rect to England, thereby diverting the trade
from Bos ton. VIM hrop and mis- associates had
made 1t so hot Tor VIM. Blaxton, an Episco-
palisn minister, the tirss settler in Boston, an
owner OF the soil, that he abandoned tue SET
tement a. d retired TO Rehoboth, near trovi-
dence, and David Tompson, of Piscataqua, a
trader, gave up the contention and retired to
an island ia Boston harbor.
No SO with Walter Bagnal. They could
neither drive nor beat him out of his trade.
We do not know who instlgated these Indians
VINO killed Bagnal and his partner, but We
have Ill history that Blackwell, an Indian sag
amore OF Lynu, who was at he island some
years after, was hanged TO avenga the death of
Bagnal, while the perpetrators were, and had
been, st oresumpscot Fails, not five miles dis
tant. The time of Bagnal's settlement was
earlier than Willis notes il, in the History of
Portland In September, 1712, a green corn
dance Was held at Richmond Island by tie
American and Canadian Indians. They had
Six white captives, Que OF whom, Elijah Plais-
ted, wrote 10 bis friends to bring broadcoth
and knives TO purchase his freedom. AT that
time the Canadian Indians collected these
whetstoDes aud they We're used by the early
settlers here until superseded Oy a better article
brought from Nova SCOTIA
Morton, whom the Pilgrims spoke of SO de-
rlslyely Tor erecting May Doie, which is a
common custom III Merry Eng land-and for
dancing with Indian maidens, which is now
done on our frontiers by the officers attached
TO our Notifications, (shile The wives take the
braves in baud in the merry reel without
breath of suspiciou) was man we'll educated,
respected III England and liberal in his opin-
ions, which conceded with the mass of the
present time.
| think il your local historians will search
The history of the early settlements north of
Fore and west OF Presumscot rivers they will
fnd that Cleeves and Tucker built the first
house in 1888 on Martin Point Neck, then
known as Machigodne Point and after the de-
cislon of the suit of Ceeves VS.. Winter, in 1910,
they built the first house on the Neck, now
Portland, in 1641. S. P. MAYBERRY.