The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-30
A CoNTRI BUTTON 10 THE HIS
TORY OF TIE OLD KENNEBEC

a SON I'M oUxAON Az 1hh MS
TORY OF THE OLD KENNEBEC
RIVER FORTS.
present 10 the Sosiety herewith, a
French pamphlet published In 1855, en-
titled Reueii dss Plans de L. Amsrique
Septentrionals." which was recently
sent me from Paris
Although many OF the sngravings are
curious, the work In chiefly valuable to
US from containing one Of the earliest
printed representations of forts Halifax,
Western and Frankfort, on the Kenne-
bsc river. and as showing the erection Of
the latter at an earlier date than has besn
generally supposed.
IL the year 1sbl the Plymouth Com
pany offered to give each family who
settled on their patent one hundred acres
Of land Ia what IL now Dresden, to pay
their Iassages from Boston, to advances
them house OF defence against the In
dams. The only conditions impossf
were that each settler should clear i've
acres of land, and build o small house
within three years. This offer was ao-
oepted by . colony Of various nAtionalities
and the plantation begun was called
Frankfort, from some Of their number,
W3e Ss@e@N sAS'a VIZ Wv NAzsaee &tesaO Ass
Germany.
wiliiamson's history Of Maine says that
the house Of defence was built In 1864.
Sullivan is probably correct in giving
1853 rs the date, the same as on the
French plan. That year Is supported by
lettar from the kennehec proprietors to
Pascal Nelson Of London, oommunicAts
by Mr.. Charles 4. Allen Of Dresden, a nd
dated May II, 1862, which says. :" We
have made beginning at place on the
east side OF Kennebec river, a little above
Richmond fort, where we have about
fifty men 81 work building Q house OF
defense, and have sent down
eight carriage guns and ammunition.
We call the town Frankfort"
q This and other documents" remarks
MIR. Allen, "satisties me that Fort
Frankfort was built in l762, though It 10
probable that after terror from the Indi-
ans had partially subsidized, some delay in
fully furnishing and equipping the gar
rison ensued.
Soon after the erection the name Of
Fort Franz fort was changed to that Of
Fort Shirley, In honor of Governor
William Shirley, who built Forts Halifax
and Western In 1854. 1he work was
borough court house, which IL still stand =.
ing. was located within their area. One
of the block houses rema aimed until 1891.
According to an old description, the
parade ground Of the fort was 200 feet
square. enclosed by pickets; the westerly
side OF which was ON the margin OF the
river within, were two block houses
the projecting stories Of which were ten
inohss thick, were built of pine and
hemfock lum Der, hewn on four sides and
interlocked where they crossed at the
ende. One blockhouse was on the north,
and the other on the south corner Of the
parade. on tbs tops OF which were watch
hOxQc for nfi0aIa Vha kari0r nj oh ate
were Of sufficient height, and within
were barracks. for the accommodation
Of those belonging to the fort Ths loca-
tion Of these buildings seem to be correct
ly dellneated on the plan. which also
gives the position Of the carriage guns.
These fort were erected ros only - a
defence to the settlers, but to prevent
communication between Nova Scotia
and Canada. That they were regarded
With jsalousy and apprehension by the
French. Is indioEt I'd by the accuracy Of
the plans which the latter published SO
soon al ter their -ssta bliahment.
Kew. DR.. Henry S. Burrage then read
paper entitled "Why Roger Williams
was banished from Massachusetts,. This
paper DR.. Burrags has read In Provi-
In the PRESS sometime aSo.
Rev. Henry o. Thsyer read paper on
John Parker of Sagadahoo and his de-
soendants. The paper Of Major Sydney
w. Thaxter was read by DR.. Burrage,
Major rhaxter being unable to be pres
ent. 1t was on President Linooln's CON-
nection with the Peace Conference Of
1865. and an abstract of 1t has before been
published In this paper.