The Portland daily press., 1889-12-21
THE BEGINNINGS OF MAINE.
a Paper by James p. Baxter, Read
Before the Historical Society.

Last evening, Mr.. James p. Baxter read a
paper on the Beginnings of Maine, to the
Historical Society. He said:
The settlement Of Maine and of Virginia
are about the same In date. That of Vir-
ginia, however, once begun was never suf-
feled to lapse, while that of Maine was in
terrupted, short periods OF settlement being
succeeded by long intervals The records of
the Virginia settlements therefore, are com.
pltte, while tnOse Of Name aIe iragmentary
and obscure. The Obsculity vi some of
these records have led to many serious com-
plications. The building Of the vessel Vr-
ginia, for instance, has been denied ON ac-
count of the incomplete evidence but theie
is no doubt OF the fact. In common with
other students of history, having expert
ehced this difficulty, | spent much time when
in London in attempting to add to the facts
now known In Hatfield House Is preserved
the correspondence of Elizabeth's minister
Burleigh, with his son Lord Cecil and other
distinguished persons. Among them are a
number. of letters of Sir Ferdinand Gorges,
the original proprietor of Maine. Many of
these relate to the early history of the colo
ny. and clear up obscure points.
without stopping to discuss the character
OF the nrst c0l0nlsts, let us glance at the
facts. They. came in the ship Mary and
John, landed on the Goth of August, 1907, at
the mouth Of the, Sagadahoc, and remained
there until the following year 1t is report
cd on the authority Of Pere Biard THAT
portion OF the colonists remained and were
killed by the Indians. Trustworthy evidence
however, failed to settle the point until this
correspondence was discovered. The first
letter reproduced painted aglowing account
OF the shores of Maine, the fertile soil and
the products thereof. Succeeding extracts
go on 10 discuss the Likelihood OF there be-
Ing valuable mineral deposits within its bor-
ders. Alum stone" was said to exist ill
large quantities near the Sagadahoc, in the
towns of Lisbon and Litchfield, and ON jew
ellis Island. Tine occurrence OF sarSaparilla
then highly esteemed as a medicinal plant
In the colony, Is dwelt upon at considerable
length. certain silk plant is also spoken
plant, probably milkweed, does not appear
TO have caused much of revolution in the
silk industry. GOrges also in this letter
warned the officers against the French, as
probable source Of trouble. The second let
ter tG Cecil, accompanying the journal of the
voyage of the ships to America, described
Popham and Raleigh GilbeIt, the leaders of
the party. Popham was old and feeble, and
of timid nature, while Gill
D Deft was young, RECKLESS and
headstrong and DESTROYS to rule. Remem
herring the grant to his father to Humphrey
Gilbert and seeing the great future in store
for America he set about amongst his friends
10 the Old country to advance his claims to
it. The news of this greatly disturbed
Gorges and he implored Cecil to throw some
obstacle in the way of its success. Popham's
letter to the King, dated December 10, 1907,
does not show the writer to be SO timorous
as he might be. 1t is full If the true spirit
OF the pioneer and leads us to believe that
shad his life been spared h. would have made
the enterprise success. Gorges'S letter to
Cecil announcing the arrival of the vessel
that brought Popham's letter complains a
little because no merchandise was brought
but concludes philosophically that nothing
was tn ha a npptad until altar ssar RI a
industry" were established in America In
the same letter further aid in men and YES
sells was earnestly asked for in order that
what had been begun might not be aban-
doned. He believed that it was highly i'm
portant to the people of England that it
should not be abandoned Two days after
the ship arrived POpham died, leaving the
colony in the hands of Gilbert Georges
Kept at WORK, however, unaware of this Ca
lamity and soon sent out three vessels. Gil
bert's brother died in England and Gilbert
was obliged to return to England and the
colOnists not knowing what else to do re-
turned with him, abandoning the settlement
altogether: When the colonlSts came back
for long.
he set about fitting out another expedition,
buying vessel himself, and sent her across
the Atlantic. He kept up his efforts FIR 40
years after the last of these letters, as he de-
scribed in his old age in his "Brief Nara.
ton" but many points in the narration are
obscurely treated.
Hon. George F. Talbot presided, and be-
fore the reading Of the paper announced
that it had beel decided to hold monthly
meetings of the society during the winter.
After the paper was read, Mr.. Talbot
called upon the members to make remarks or
to ask questions. Rev. Mr.. Hayden was the
first speaker. He thought that Mr.. Baxter
had found treasure when he found the
Georges letters. Mr.. Talbot said that certain
members of tie society had always contend
ed that the Popham colony was not total
failure, as it had been called.
Rev. DR.. Burrage, Hon. George F. Emery,
DIR. William B. Lapham, and others made re-
marks, after which, on motion of General
John Marshall Brown, the thanks of the So
cety were extended to Mr.. Baxter, and he
was requested to have the paper published
in the proceedings of the society.