Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-09-06

chief, carried it TO q point where the
outlet OF Moose Pond discharges Itself
Into Little Androscoggin River 4
breaking the turf upon the bog, laid it
down & as many Indians - could stand
upon ir pressed 1t into the bog until they
had sunk themselves TO their waists.
After performing this last office Of friend
ship, they repaired to Lake Umbagog
where they waited the arrival OF another
Of their party, that had been out on q
like expedition with themselves. 1t was
supposed they went TO Kennebeck. Both
divisions having met, probably accord
Ing to previous agreement, they cele-
brated the death Of their chief in style
& manner they deemed suitable to his
worth and Importance; after which they
united In their powow or triumph with
as much apparent vivscity as II nothing
had happened to mar the splend0r OF sue
cess. From this place they proceeded
with their prisoners to U. Canada. Capt.
Taylor remained with them five years.
IL
Thus we have two independent mar
ratives this by Mr.. Holmes. In 1871 =
another by Mr.. Hamlin In 1924 quoted
In Mr.. Msxim's History OF Paris.
Who was Mr.. Holmes, and what the
worth cf his story? He was native OF
Oxford Ia Oxford County and after pro-
fessional studies settled In Foxcroft and
has been styled In biographical sketch,
"The Pioneer Lawyer OF Piscataqnis
County, At the date Of the writing he
was law student on Paris Hill 10 the
Office Of Eioch Lincoln Governor In
lS20. In the absence of Mr.. Lincoln he
replied to the circular of historian vii.
lismson, asking for details OF the history
and conditions OF the town.
| In hi, sketch Of the raid IL should be
noticed--he retains the correct name
Bu,tsr6eId and gives very full details OF
the event. But Mr.. Hsmlin brings In
the name Sinchieid, which may indi-
cate different line of tradition. Mr..
Holmes admits only an approximate
date and Is as much too early as the
other ia too late. He locates quite pre-
cisely the place OF capture OF the New
Gloucester men, but II may be impossible
now to determine where we're Camp
bells Mills. The name Of the well known
pond. Mr.. Williamson wrote Seabody {;
but Mr.. Holmes has the name more near
ly correct, for the original native word
was, am quite confident, Sabbada or
Ssbada, upon which now the Eoglish
perversion, "Sabbathdsy" is securely
grated, everybody presuming It the
true and original stock.
Mr.. Holmes had excellent sources OF
Information. The captive, Joseph
Taylor, when released after the fall OF
Quebec. settled In Claremont, n. II and
then made his home In Cornish, N. H.,
where he died 10 lsl3, aged elghty.four.
His daughter Elizabeth became the wife
OF Ebenezsr Rswson, an early settler To
Paris. Col. Rawson, very familiar
name to the past generation, prominent
and honored In civil aud military affairs
In the town, was the uncle OF Mr..
Holmes. The date OF his removal TO
Paris after brief residence In Cornish, n.
II 10 uncertain, but IL assigned 10 about
| 1890, though he had bought land In lIs7.
Probably his marriage was In 1890 or
l79l In the last twenty years OF the
life OF Capt. Taylor, one or more visits TO
his daughter in Paris can be confidently
assumed. Then sssuredly he would re-
fresh his own and the memory OF his
son-in-law and family with the story OF
his former anxious journey through the
town and the CHASTITY scene at the Falls
and the unseemly burial By Moose Pond.
Certainly Col. Rswson and wife were
thoroughly informed OF the details of
that distressing experience.
| When James Stewart Holmes serving
In [Gov. Lincoln's Office. came TO write
a sketch Of the town, his uncle's home
which he often would visit was but two
miles distant, the late Peleg w. Ham
mond farm, and from him the young
LAWYER could most satisfactorily obtsin
not only q new recital OF the tragic tale
but other materials best suited to his
use.
Capt. Taylor must be regarded as the
main source Of the story OF this tragedy.
| II Buttertield or Farwell after captivity
ever had relations with people OF Paris
so 40 to communicate directly the facts.
we do not know. Mr.. Holmes refers TO
t,utterfield as telling what WAS occur
rlng when the Indians appeared. He
alone could know that, and Taylor would
learn II from him. while all else previ-
Gus and subsequent Taylor could relate
even better than he. His narrative GER
tainly by means OF Col. Rawson and
wife came directly to our narrator Mr..
Holmes.
By the five years. captivity In Canada.
Joseph Taylor becsme very thoroughly
yersed in the Indian language, and also
| I'm the prevailing French. Consequently
he was employed "a n teacher In Dart
mouth College, which was originally a
school for the instruction and training
OF Indian youth. He went In l112 into
Canada as guide and interpreter with
representative of the college to secure
Indian pupils. Again on like journey
he spen. five months In l77G In endeavor
to enlist company of Canadians for
service in the Revolutionary War. AT
this time his rank was lieutenant; his
later title, captain, Is anticipated In the
narratives, but In l77s, Capt. Joseph
TAYLOR btedly this man,-com-
manded one company in Col. BedelFs
regiment On. H.) assigned TO an ex-
pedition into Canada.
When the settlement Of Paris began,
the Indian wars were ended, yet one
spot had been moistened by blood In
desperate conflict, when two victims,
one an Indian chief, and one an En-
glish captain, fell to lie almost side by
side on the high bank above the falls. II
is gratifying that the memory OF the
fateful encounter AMI the name OF an
officer of the colonial wars are perpetu-
ated by our picturesque falls. Fancy
might draw the forms and faces OF that
group Of men,-the enraged Indians,
and especially their alarmed prisoners
whose conflicting emotions we're reveal
ed in their countenances "a they waited
In those terrible moments or silently fell
into the trail towards the Umbsgog.
or the three men whom veiled and
esteuing fates then beckoned on into
the great wilderness, one who travorsed
the town from south to north that day
and witnessed the savagery, merits re-
membrance by its citizens, and by those
In 1t or scattered abroad who find his
daughter, Elizabeth Taylor. In their line
OF honored ancestry.
Portland, August, 1898.