The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-09-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Copies. $40 pages, with maps and illustra-
tions. $500 Postpaid $5.15. For many
years there has been quiet but strong feel
ing in this community that justice had not
been done to the memory of its founder
that Willis, whose scattered references to
him afforded most of the data popularity
known concerning his life, had been unwit-
tingly swayed in favor of those by whom
Cleeye had been so stronly opposed Some
historical writer's, also, who were so yigor-
ously espousing the Popham Colony as the
true founders of New England, adopted dis
paraging views of Cleeve while extolling his
antagonists. But the citizens at large evil
IDENTIFY did him justice, and their convictions
were evinced by the cordiality with which
all joined in dedicating monument to his
memory. Now comes the editor of the Ire
lawny papers, whose diligent labors on that
volume had unearthed much concerning
Cleeye, with memoir containing all that is
known of him. and copies of all the docu-
ments for and against him, so that fair es-
innate may be made. Mr.. Baxter is particu-
larry llqualifed to give an unbiased sketch
OF the man. His literary training and in
NS'SAJ AA~'N pSSh duOt9 CfAlSCu, duu ulllf Ol-
sally applauded by the readers of the Ire
lawny volume, and his religious and social
views preserve him very fairly from preju-
dice in favor of either the Episcopal or the
Puritanic side of the controversy.
He finds George Cleeve to have been man
of character, who came over with his wife
and daughter to Spurwink, near Richmond's
Island, with the promise of a grant of land
in 1880. Arrived there he joined Richard
Tucker, who had purchased a preemption
right, and they awaited a patent from Eng
land which should make them secure. But
that was day when influence swayed JUS
tice; Trelawny secured patent which alb
sorbed their holding, and his agent quickly
dispossessed them. A tenancy elsewhere was
offered them, but Cleeve with that manly
spirit of independence which less than CEN
tury and half later transformed province
into nation, replied that He acould be ten
ant to neUer a man IN Neac Engldnd.'"
Driven from Spurwink, they settled en-
Casco Neck, and having no title except that
proclamation of King James, giving $50 acres
to actual settlers, Cleeve secured an old
grant made to Christopher Levett in 1923.
He also went to England in 1886 and OBJ
tanned from Gorges a grant of the Neck and
important privileges from other land hold
ers. In this undertaking he secured the
assistance of Thomas Morton, who called
upon him in return to testify before Arch
bishop Laud against Governor Winthrop.
but Cleeye with the fearlessness of an hon
orable man gave strong testimony in favor of
the UOVnrnnr'c
ment which won the Kings praise Besides
thus championing the Puritan governor, he
boldly attacked and censured the Episcopal
leaders. They retaliated by claiming pos
session of the Neck under the Trelawny pa
tent, asserting that the Presumpscot was the
Caseo river thee referred to. Time has set
tied that preposterous theory, and the fact
that their nOrthernmost limit was only a
mile from the Spurwink ought ito have set
tied it then, but long litigation ensued At
first the courts gave judgment for Cleeve and
Tucker, and furthermore gave them damages
for their improvements confiscated at Spur
wink. Cleeve made second voyage to Eng
land, and there succeeded in inducing Sir
Alexander Rigby to purchase the Ligonia
or Plough" Patent and make him Deputy
Governor He also made charges against
some of his principal opponent and got a
commission appointed to examine them. To
his deposition he affixed the names of some
OF his neighbors. His enemies accused him
of forging them. His defense was that Par
lament bid him do it. Our author holds
that it was unnecessary to forge them when
he could easily have procured them, and
therefore unreasonable to suppose that they
were affixed for anything more than refer
ence
Cleeve's opponents became much exasper-
ated and alarmed at his new prospects, and
attacked him with many accusations, which
have been quoted against him of late years
as undisputed history, but present mod
ern politics give US examples of much
graver charges, which history will pass
by as worthless CleeYe seems to have met
them calmly and patiently, Offering to submit
them to the worthy magistrates of Massachu
sets, while his opponents acted with con-
siderable violence on several occasions
In 1917 we find Cleeve triumphant, de-
cision having been received from England
affirming the Plough or Ligonia Patent. a
new government formed and Cleeye presid-
ing as Deputy President He generously
acquiesced in the appointment of his oppo-
nents as associated with him. Winter, who
was Trelawny's old governor, was dead, but
his son-in-law, Robert Jordan, an Episcopal
minister, inherited his enmity to Cleeye. and
secured possession of the Trelawny grant.
In the course of events Rigby died and the
Province came under the sway of Massachu
sets. Jordan set up again the old claim to
the Neck, and won his suits in a court of
which he was an associate justice. Cleeve
was now getting old, and his young and Wig
orous an tagonist pursued him implacably, so
that his last days were spent in poverty :
but his record throughout appears clean and
honorable, and it is noteworthy that in an
age when so many were charged with i'm
morality his worst enemy brought no such
charge against him. On the contrary he
seems as Deputy President to have acted
strongly against such ill-doers, and to have
temporarily alienated some of his own
friends by such action, notably his own som
in-law, Milton. He was also accused by
Mrs. Tucker, the wife of his old partner.
with having wronged him to the amount of
600 in their final settlement, yet as her accu-
sation stated that Tucker had been, as it
were, servant hitherto for Mr.. Cleeve, it is
easy to see that Cleeye might have be en- very
fair and generous, and yet have been una
BILE to satisfy the expectation of the wife. A
further criticism against Cleeve is that he
was illiterate and ignorant, but the COMPARE
son of his letters with those of many of his
distinguished compeers shows that he was
an able and intelligent man, and wrote as
wellas the majority of them. The best writers
of those days were not very regular in their
spelling, but when it is observed how many
men of influence were obliged to make their
mark in signing documents, hearty respect
will be felt for man who could use the
Kings English so effectually and forcibly as
sturdy George Cleeve.
That Mr.. Baxter should have been in
spired to defend the fame of Cleeve while
working on that splendid monument to his
adversary, the Trelawny volume, is evidence
of the justice of his verdict on Cleeve's char
actpr