The Portland daily press., 1886-07-15
CAPE SMALL POINT.
Field Day of the Sagadahoc Histo-
ricaI Society.
Mr.. Reeds History of the EarIy
Settlement.
fSnecial TO the PRFss.)

S0ttlement-
Especial to the PREss)
BATH, July Yesterday the Sagadahoc
Historical Society held its annual field day
at Cape Small Point A party of about for-
ty went from Bath in carriages. Among
these were Rev. H. 0. Thayer of Woolwicn
and N. G.. Tenney of Brunswick, both mem
bers of the Maine Historical Society. At
the Point the party was increased by the ar
rival of the yacht Juno with Captain Hough-
ton and a small party of friends on board.
During the forenoon the historians sought
out the evidences of an early settlement on
the Point and succeeded in locating eeme-
terry that is the resting place of some seventy
five of unrecorded bodies. Seal Cove was
also visited, mile south from the hotel, the
safe harbor of the May and John, which
brought the Popham colony in 1907.
Others spent the forenoon in rambling over
the magnificent beach or appreclating the
splendid sea view from the bluffs. The last
year has brought quite change in this To-
cality. Several new summer cottages have
been built Hon. ]. R. Bodwell has opened
his summer home, a large elegantly furnish
ed establishment commanding sweeping
view of beach and ocean. j. r. Bodwell,
Jr., James G. Blaine, Jr., and twenty guests
are in possession at present.
Atnoon the historians and their friends
enjoyed delicious repast at Spinney cot
tage. Afterwards the party assembled on
the lawn, and having been called to order by
Mr.. G. E. Newman, the historian of the oc-
casion, DR.. p. NJ Reed, read the following
outline sketch of the early history of Small
Point:
The second John Parker of ancient Sagada-
hoe purchased of the Indians nearly the entire
territory OF what is now the town OF Phipsburg,
paying the immense consideration of 'one beaver
Skin and the yearly rent of one buShel OF corn
and quart OF liquor to Robin Hood or his heirs
forever" Of course his title embraced Small
Point. He settled families upon his possessions.
Francis Small occupied this locality. and from
him was derived the name of Small Point Sew
eral times the hostile savages drove off the inhab-
itants of Parker's Plantation, the designation of
his Phipsburg settlement. 1t is presumed the fu-
during King Phillips war ended in the massacre
of all the settlers, except Parker and his son
James, who escaped by water to Portland where
was in 800. At the close of this war the whole
sea cost of New England lay in state of complete
Early in 100, peace having been restored,
systematic effort was inaugurated by the govern
ment of New England to resettle the desoated
country by planting colonies of twenty families in
designated localities and alloting each family ten
acres of territory Small Point was one of these.
This was about 1716. 1t was named Augusta.
The owners of the place then were the noted
Peiepscot Company. The enterprise of estab-
fishing a settlement and business here was the
plan of this company. One of its members was
DR.. Noyes. He appears to have been the chief
factor in the undertaking. He was Superlntend-
en Of The and to bose the aEs
savage hostility garrison house was erected on
rise of ground or rather ledge. The ruins OF
this garrison house are yet to eseen. The burst
ed barrel of gun and some curious pipes, have
recently been dug up from them. DR.. Noyes built
adwelling for his own occupancy, large for the
times, the cellar of which still remains. Near 1t
is an ancient well. known to have been 20 feet
deep and firmly stoned up, farther east is the GEM
is not given in history or tradition. A roadway
three rods wide, was cut though the then forest
to the Kennebec river, which it reached at Al, At,
kin's Bay, near COX'S Head. This road can still
be traced portions of the way.
At that early day, and continued to the present,
ee Vae Th on Of for as cVnr
this Industry was afforded by this harbor.. Ac-
cordingly the chief occupation Of the settlers
seems to have been that of fishing, and the same
remark holds good of their successors to the pres
ent time. DR.. Noyes had fishing vessels TO the
bsr sbs Of o m To e deep e
the bay. and both the New Meadows and Kenne-
bee rivers.
The back country having likewise become set
tied, large quantities of small lumber was brought
TO this central mart, and the lumber together
with the fish was shipped to the Plymouth colony
of Massachusetts, a commerciyl centre at that
time. sloop called the Peiepscot made regular
trips to Massachusetts. The ancient and honora-
line of the Indian carrying place, afew miles
above, traffcing with the Indians, and numbering
must have found the barbor outlet and inlet for
his trade. Taking the writer OF Ancient Domln-
ions' for authority, agriculture began to thrive,
and a large stock Of cattle to be raised" Now,
where ledge on ledge abound in endless contlgul-
fx fha la1ad For avta ancx a
for herds of stock in the vicinity remains to be
found by enthusiastic explorers of the antiquarian
order.
1t is on record that an interesting incident oc-
Cured in connection with guarding the garrison
house. A Mr.. Winslow was on guard at early
his gun to fire. Mr.. Winsfow, unaware of his
danger, little before the time for the guard to re-
tire stepped inside, and thus saved his life; Even
tually the thrifty settlement was destroyed by the
Indians. They made their attack at early dawn
The first alarm came when they shot settler on
his way to the well for water. The attack follow
ed. Entrenched behind ledge, the red men
opened fire. On their arrow-heads they shot burn
ing birch bark upon the roof, and thus set fre TO
the structure. The settlers escaped in the YES
sells lying in the harbor, and the SavageS punder-
ed the settlement and destroyed it utterly. To
find traces of its ruins is the objective research OF
this historical party.
After the historical sketch N. G. Tenney
was called upon for remarks. He responded
with number of curious facts concerning
Pemequid and said that the accumulation of
soil on the paved streets there was the work
of a longer period of time than has elapsed
since the first settlement of which there is
any account. This and other newly estab-
lished facts connected with the historic or
almost traditionary visits of the Norsmen
seems to point to them as the first settlers of
America. The speaker gave a number of
other interesting facts concerning general
American history which he said had not
before been given to the public.
Mr.. II. o. Thayer exhibited map of the
early settlement at Small Point and read
numerous notes on its history.
After the meeting the party rode to the
harbor and explored the ruins of the fortif-
cation of which the foundation alone remains
1t was of small size and near the beach which
facilitated the escape of the settlers to their
boats when the Indians had set fire to the
garrison house. The cellar of DR.. Noyes's s
house also remains as does the well.
The fact that the soil is unfit for agricul-
tural pursuits while there is no probability
of the Point becoming commercial or manu-
featuring centre, leaves it to the fishermen
and the summer visitors. The latter are in
creasing in numbers and are converting the
point into a summer resort, while the former
are glad to retire from locality and pursuit
no longer productive of even the bare neces-
stiles of existence. r
An Indian mortar and ornamented pestle
were unearthed at the harbor year or two
since The latter is now in the archives of the
historical society, where it is hoped at some
future time to secure also the mortar which
| is almost too heavy to be transported.
The party enjoyed the return ride to Batf
| in the cool of the evening. The day il
| spoken of as one of the most successful il
| the history of the society, a circumstance!
which is largely due to Messrs G. E. New
man and P. M. Reed of the committee and j
| l.. Douglas, the secretary of the society.
Mr.. BouteIIe's Letter to Secretarl
| Bayard.