The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-01-11
STORY OF A TOWN IN MAINE.
DR.. Blanchard's FIFTH Lecture.in the Con-
gress Square Course.

greSs Square Course.
Rev. DR.. Blanchard delivered the fifth
lecture of this winters course on Amer
lean History last evening in the vestry of
Congress Square church. The subject
was 1.-THE Story of Town in Maine. y
: The town is Wells and the lecture was
based upon Judge Bourne's history.
After dwelling upon the relations be-
tween the Province of Maine and Massa-
chusetts, and showing the Importance OF
Wells because all east of it was laid
waste, DR.. Blanchard gave details OF
the first settlers under the leadership of
Rev. Mr.. Wheelwright who, for religious
freedom and to escape the jurisdiction of
Massachusetts, left Exeter nd settled at
Wells about 1910. He then described the
houses, their scant furniture, the tolls,
the amusements, the marriage and
funeral services, the RIGHTEOUSNESS and
ignorance and laws of the settlement.
The houses were no better than Indian
wigwams, made of logs chiefly. with one
or two rooms, with only one bed general
ly even though families were large, with
table, pewter pot, hanger, dripping pan
and skillet, but with no crockery, tin or
glass ware. Neither were there any
looking glasses or chairs. Even in 174S,
houses were valued at $40 onlya One
man was worth S33 while his pew in
church was rated as worth S67. DR..
Blanchard thought the present genera
ton might learn something from this
la t fact. There were no books and no
schools for very long period. Labor,
long and severe, was the lot of all. Peo-
pie travelled on foot or on horseback.
When in 1876 Judge Paine rode into
town in a chaise, all the people focked
to see it. Clothes were of extreme
simplicity. Leather breeches abonnded.
Some amusements. however, were in
dulged in, especially cards and dancing.
Dr. Blanchard then described the mar
riage and funeral customs, and told two
stories of peculiar weddings. Church
services were once suspended for ten
years. When they were resumed, a
drum summoned them to worship.
Great Righteousness abounded. Intoxi-
cation was a prevailing vice. Profanity
was common In such a community,
law was not of a high order. Penalties,
especially for women, very seve e.
People were fined five pounds for OBJ
serving Christmas. Men who spoke
against the Trinity were to have their
tongues bored by hot iron. Men were
forbidden to wear long hair. Sutferings
were many. Crows, wolves, bears, were
a constant danger. The many Indian
wars were terrible. For three-quarters
of a century the settlers were in fire.
quent danger Of murder. But, with all
these facts to be pondered, heroism of
ten showed itself. TIE brave few in a
fort and on sloop kept back 500 Indi-
ans. The whites were often as much to
blame as the red men. Even the general
court offered rewards for Indian scalps.
DR.. Blanchard described the taking of
Louisburg, in which the men of Wells
took part, depicted the great rejoicing at
victory; told how only one Tory, Abras
ham Clark, went to Nova Scotia during
the Revolutionary war and spoke of
Wellss share in the Civil war. He
spoke also of the distinguished
men who came from Wells.
He then dwelt Oh the lessons this story
eff town in Maine teaches the present
generation. He showed, first the i'm
mense debt we owe to the pioneers of
Maine; second, Maine standing for reli-
gious liberty was yet unable to be per-
fectly tolerant to Episcopalians and Bap-
fists and Quakers; third, life today has
its own perils; its ease may lead to igno-
bility. He drew picture of Plymouth
in contrast with Wells, and showed how
noblest life is led only as we have faith
in God and try to do our part to help the
coming generation.
The architecture will be given on JAN
uary oath. The subject will be s'Daniel
Webster, the Defender Of the Constitu-
ton"
Previous to the lecture, several docu-
ments were shown by the courtesy of
Mr.. S. P. Mayberry.