The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-04-13
ARTHUR MACW0RTH AND HIS ISLAND.
a Settlement Made There Before
Cleeves and Tucker Arrived.
The Manufacture OF Small Lumber
a FIourishlng Industry.
Interesting Facts Concerning the Is
land Near the Presumpscot.
Hon. William Goold. ]

English owner. From its first occupation 1t
has been known as Mackeys Island, although
in deeds OF conveyance both names are given
On an English chart of survey before the
Revolution, 1t is marked 'Mackens Isle" l
have no doubt Of the fact that although
Arthur Macworth was a magistrate, whose
full name dignifes the page Of local history
he was commonly spoken of by his associates
as arthur Mackey." There has always
been disposition to shorten familiar names
l have a deposition in which the testator says
that in 1740, the beach below the bank at the
foot Of High street, was known as "Mack's
landing" from the name of the owner Bryce
Mcclellan.
BY investigation since l first wrote of
Arthur Maeworth, 1 have corrected my
opinion. now think.that very soon after
Cogawesco the sycamore of Casco, and his
"qeen" led Levitt to the shores of Hog
Island. Arthur Macworth set himself
down at the mouth of the Presumpscot, on
the point that now bears his name. and very
near his island; or perhaps at first, he may
have built his camp ON the island for greater
security. / think he must certainly have
been here befGEe Cleeves and Tucker occu-
pied the neck in 1888 In 1856, -6ieeee 6eiieeexes went
to England to get title to his plantation dfs'
rect from Gorges, In which he succeeded aud
Arthur Macw0rth was appointed as the
agent lof Gorges to give the grantees
possession. This shows that Macworth was
known and respected by Gorges at home, and
was not new settler at Casco.
The first mention in records Of Arthur
Macworth and his plantation, is in an in
the agent of Gorges, conveying the land then
occupied by him. Five hundred acres Of the
main land was conveyed AMI, zone small
island over against and next to his house."
The deed says Of the point now and forever
to be known as Newton" This was prob
ably the name Of Macworth's town at home.
There is town of Newton in Devonshire,
the county from which came the principal
grantees OF G0rges; and Newton" was in
serted at Macworth's request. or course
Gorges nor Vines would not attempt TO fix a
new name to property which they had sold.
An expression in the deeds assists us in fix
ing the probable time Of Macworth's settle
ment-it is this, which now, and for many
years hath been in the possession OF said
Macworth." This would seem to US to imply
period OF at least ten years, which had
expired since he came to Casco, which would
indicate a residence here since 1924, the year
that Levitt left Hog Island.
MIR. Willis says "Macworth Is believed TO
have arrived at Saco with Vines" Folsom
seems to strengthen this belief. He copies
tae u names OF the book Of church rates there,
OF the year 1926, and says ito these names
we must add the following from other sources
several Of these persons removed to Casco."
Among the added names Is Arthur Macworth
The 'Saco' Of Folsom meant Biddeford pool,
at the mouth Of the river, which was un-
d0uDtedly the winter harbor" where Vines
spent the winter Of 1851; and where he
formed settlement, and built small chapel
There Is yet place there called "Church
point which Is expressive of a settlement,
Rev. Richard Gibson offciated here half the
time from 1886 to 1889, and the other half at
Richmonds Island. Undoubtedly Maeworth
usually attended these services. and those
held for years after by Gibson's SUCCESSOR
Rev. Robert Jordon. With an early start
and favorable wind, Macworth could at
back to Casco the same night-if he had not
attended occasionally. his name would not
appear in the book of rates. Folsom is re-
liable authority for everything relating to
Winter harbor.
In 1915 Gorges sent over q party COM
manded by Richard Vines with the express
object OF exploring the coast with view to
settlement. The men Of the party had been
required by GOrges TO bind themselves to
remain during the winter, hoping to do away
with the prejudice at home against the eli
mate, excited by the stories Of the returned
"
abandonment Of their fort and settlement at
Sagadah0ck In 1908. Gorges says in his
brief narration: 81 had had too much expe-
rience in the world to be frightened by such
g blast" There is good evidence that Vines
the writings of the elder Gorges in relation
20 the settlement at Agamenticus, york;
de says: II was the more hopeful of the
happy success thereof, for that had not far
from that place, Richard Vines gentleman,
and servant OF my own, who was settled
there some years before" Folsom says
Vine performed several voyages to the coast.
and probably Winter Harbor was his prin-
pal resort.
IL Macworth came to Saco with Vines, is
1t not as probable that he was one Of the
party OF 1915, as that he was one of a subse-
quent one? Gorges would of course select
reliable men to form his colony which he
was to point to for the re putation Of the as
sertions Of the Sagadahoc colonists. Mac
worth must have been known to Gorges at
home, as he was appointed to deliver possess
sion to Cleaves, while he was there. Mac
worth was an assistant justice of Vines's
court He was frequently appointed ON ref
erenees. In 1643 he was appointed by Par
lament on commission with Henry BOad
and John Winthrop, to examine charges
against Vines. For years he was the head
by's letter concerning his deceased fathers
Province of Ligonia, dated London 1852. is
addressed to Arthur Macworth, Henry JOS
allyn, Robert Jordan and others of the first
men of the Province.
There Is evidence that Macworth carried
on largely the manufacture of small lum-
ber that could be slowed among other cargo,
under deck In small vessels. For the trans
portation OF the pine and oak trees of that
day In the log, large ships were required;
but the small fishing ships from England
often failed to get full cargo of fish, and
wanted something to fill up with that would
pay freight For this purpose clapboards
and pipestaves riven by hand from the log
served good purpose. These kinds Of small
lumber must be from choice trees of pine or
oak Of good rift" Clapboards of pine split
and shaved, could be made very cheaply, and
were saleable at home and abroad. There
are yet many houses whose walls are covered
with the riven and shaved clapb0ards, which
were put on century ago. Pipe slaves
were made OF the largest andib white oak:
into to try, and left standing, before one of
good rift might be found. In my boyhood,
these tried trees were often seen, both oak
and pine many Of them had grown over the
cut, and they hardly showed the scar. In
June 1885, Winter, the agent at Richmond's
Island, wrote 70 Trelawney in England thus:
"If have not good part Of the Richmond's
loading. do propose to buy as much claw
boards and pipe slaves as will load her and
send her for England" And again a month
later, Winter wrote again to his principal, Il
thought good to load her the Richmond)
with pipe slaves at 8p 5sh per thousand. /
am told they are very good, but take to be
dear in wood country; but workmen are
very dear in this country. The Richmond
departed this day to go up to Casco to take
in her ladng, they being already"
The Fortune one of Trelawny's ships which
was here in 1888, took as a part OF her cargo
clapboards, wainscot and walnut. This last
wood was then and Is now, much used
in the helyeing Of edged tools. DIR. Deane in
his poem of "Pitchwood Hill, written In
1880, says:
"Hick'ry how'd to fatal steel,
Helves the tools that made II reel"
Walnut was in the last century. and Is yet,
the prevailing species OF wood on the island
in question.
TO show that Macworth was employing
men, will quote the testimony OF George
Lewis in the case Of Winter, who was In
1910 prosecuted for extOrtion. George Lewis,
whose land Joined Maeworth's, testified that
''himself likewise hath refused to work Tor
Mr.. Macworth unless he might have nearer
at six shillngs, alleging that he could not
put 1t away again TO MT. Winter put az tnat
rate" Winter kept store at Richmonds
island. and was the man who bought the
slaves and clapboards which Lewis was
making for Macworth-what else could he
employ men for at profit
Edward Trelawny, brother Of the proprie-
tor. was at Richmonds Island for a while
and In 1885 wrote to his brother at home as
follows:
"As the sending over some experienced
men in the making and ordering of clap
boards and pipe slaves, the which II you have
no occasion to make use of yourself, yet no
fear Of vending of them at good rates to the
streightsmen. There Is great inuuisition for