The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-05-11
MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The May Meeting Held In Portland
Saturday.

The May meeting of the Maine Historical
Society was held at Baxter Hall, Saturday
afternoon, President Baxter in the chair.
The attendance was very slim.
DIR. James A. Spalding read very interest
ing paper giving an account of United States
expedition to Africa in 1S43 to punish the
murderers Of Capt. Farwell of Maine. Capt.
Farwell was native of Vassalboro where
he left his wife and children while he went
out to Africa as trader His vessel was
wrecked on the coast and the natives took
him out in boat and murdered him by ty-
ing stone to his neck and drowning him.
The United States sent out the ship. of-war
Saratoga to revenge his death, and they
shelled the coast towns and burned them,
many natives losing their lives. An interest.
ing incident relating to this affair of Capt
Farwel's was this: The night he was
murdered his wife locked up the house at
Vassalboro and proceeded to put the chill
dren to bed before going herself. She heard
a noise as If some one had opened the back
door. Then she heard foot fall she dis
tinctly recognized as the captains coming
up the back stairs. She flung open the
SnohUOA OOul w skOCb uCA AuobduQ WIN oI0
supposed had returned from his trip, but
found no one there.
Hon. Josiah 81. Drummond presented
carefully prepared photography of the laws
of Maine
An interesting communication was read
from Hon. Horatio King of Washington in
relation to the old Oxford County Lyceum of
Paris This communication brought out a
discussion in regard to the progress of edu-
cation since the days of the Lyceum, In 1880,
when the old debating societies did SO much
for such progress. and the discussion was
participated in by Hon. Geo. F. Talbot, Hon.
G. f. Emery. E. p. Burnham and w. S.
Dana.
Rev. Henry o. Thayer, of Limington, pre-
sented chapters from his volume on the Pop.
ham colony about to be published by the
Gorges Society. The paper proved beyond
question that the Popham colony left no sue
cess0rs.
Special attention was called to the cele-
bration Of the Royal Historical Society of
Montreal, May 9th. A pressing invitation
was received from Major Huguet Latour, the
secretary, complimentary to the Maine
Society Mr. James P. Baxter was appointed
a delegate from this society, and it is hoped
that all members who can go, will, and
make fitting representation from our state.
All who can 60 should send in their names
! to the secretary, Mr.. Bryant, at once so they
can be forwarded to Major Latour.
A communication from Brown Thurston
81 Co. was received requesting the appoint
ment OF committee from the society to
supervise the publication of volumes 7 and 8
of the York Deeds prepared by the late VIM.
M. Sargent. so as to secure the subscription
by the state. Mr.. l.. b. Chapman was ap-
pointed said committee.
| A fine portrait of the late VIM. M. Sargent
was presented the society by his widow, Mrs
Mabel Sargent
In the evening Secretary Bryant read
some extracts from the journal of the Rev
Joseph Moody Of York, date of 1720. Mr.
Moody was called handkerchief Moody
because he was eccentric and used to hold q
handkerchief before his face in public
IT was said he did so because he had killed a
friend accidentally and he desired to hide
his remorse. Mr.. Bryant showed that thi:
and other stories told of Mr. Moody, were
probably the offspring of mems imaginations
like thecurrent cosby rumors that always
prevail in small towns and villages
| Judge Bonney read biographical sketches
of John Trip and William Barrows Of
Hebron who were instrumental in found
ing Hebron Academy and who did gallant
services in the war of the Revolution.