The Portland daily press., 1893-02-23

of SacO next read paper on hnoA DIS d
Statesman.
Knox moved to Dorchester, Mass, after
the close of the Revolution. In 1884 he
was commissioner to treat with the
Penobscot Indians for cession of some
of their land on the Penobscot, to see ii
the people of New Brunswick were en-
croaching on the territory of Maine, and
to settle the boundary question
In 1854 Lafayette visited Massachusetts
and was entertained by Knox at Water
town.
Knox first became Secretary of War at
a salary of S2400, and served in that ca
pacity eleven years.
While Secretary of War the policy of
the government towards the Indians alb
sorbed great deal of his attention.
In 1904 fifteen thousand soldiers were
called out to suppress the whiskey insur-
rection in Western Pennsylvania.
The outrages of the Barbary pirates
called attention to our lack of navy,
and Knox and jefferson, both in the cab
met, favored the building of navy; and
the charge of this navy fell to the care of
Knox.
In 1895 Knox had to resign his cabinet
position in order to provide for his
growing family. Washington parted
with him in great sorrow, and not with
out expressions of 1.-THE highest gratitude
and regard.
In June, 1895, Knox left Philadelphia
and proceeded to his new home at
Thon1aston, where he was publicly well
coined. & fsce
Hon. Joseph Williamson
smoke of Knox as citizen of Maine, liv-
ing on his broad domains and universal
ly honored by those about him. After
abe disbanding of the Revolutionary
Army Knox, having returned to Massa-
chusetts, was made a commissioner to
settle some affairs in the eastern portion
of the Province of Maine. On this trip
he became acquainted with. the lands of
Maine, especially with those owned by
his wife. Through her mother, a
daughter of General Samuel Waldo,
Mrs. Knox inherited one-ffth part of
that extensive tract called the Waldo
patent, which originally lembraced over
a half million acres bounded along the
coast and Penobscot waters from Waldo
boro to Bangor, and extending far
enough into the interior to contain an
area thirty miles square. y
Knox had also other land interests in
Maine. Massachusetts,, had thrown upon
the market 1000, 900 acres on the upper
Kennebec and SO townships on the Penob
scot. Knox contracted for these lands
at 10 cents an acre; but later turned the
contract over to William Bingham of
Philadelphia. This was the famous
Bingham purchase, from which SO many
Maine titles take their origin. Nv ss
r. s-fr 1ar c
secretaryship of war to retire to Thomas
ton. among his possessions in Maine
Workmen from Boston commenced the
erection of dwelling house, costing ac-
eording to estimates and bills among his
papers, $4,000. 1t was situated near
the old fort, and about three hundred
feet from the. shore. OF this house,
which many writer's have delighted to
call splendid mansion "a palace in
dimensions" a French chateau" IA
sumptuous villa" the observing Duke
de Liancourt,. who passed several sea-
sons there. and afterwards wrote de-
tailed narrative Of his travels in A mer-
lea says: s'The house is a handsome,
though MT a magnificent structure;
neatly, If not sumptuously furnished !;
sufficiently spacious and convenient for
the accommodation of a numerous family,
with additional lodging for the occasional
reception of seven or eight friends, or
even more"
The material of which it was built was
of wood. 1t had two stories with brick
basement. Above the latter was the
main entrance, reached from the ground
by flight Of steps. The outer door OPP
ened into an oval room some 20 feet in
diameter, containing two fire places and
having family portraits on the walls. A
cupola, or room encased I'M glass, sur
mounted the roof. Probably the whole
number of rooms did not exceedal5.
Piazzas and colonnades, extending on all
sides of each story, are said to have orig
inally existed, but no Indication of them
appears in the numerous engrayings OF
the house that have been made. "A lit
tie in the rear says Mr.. Eaton, the his
torian of Thomaston, ION each hand, a
| range or wing of outhouses extended
east and west, inclining backwards from
| the river, so as to form, with the mansion
in front, crescent or segment of a cir
cle-nine buildings in each wing, COM
mencing on one side with the cookhouse
| and on the other with the stable" Only
| one of-these, the cook house of brick, re-
| mains, being utilized as a railroad sta
ton.
The grounds are said to have been laid
out by a French landscape gardener ant
with walks, Summer houses, well-kep
lawns, tufted trees and shrubbery were
hardly equalled for beautylend symmetry
| in New England. The whole premises
Indicated the expensive character O.
their owner.
In the spring or summer of 1895 the
residence, by Mrs. Knox named
Montpelier, Was First Occupied,
its tenants having been conveyed from
Philadelphia by. water. A public wei
come from the inhabitants of Thomastor
awaited their new fellow citizen. TIt
population of the town, when comprising
also Rockland and South Thomastol
| was about 1000. Notwithstanding tilt
| steady advance which it had been max