The Republican journal., 1904-05-05
to one hundred acres of land on any
part of the route he shonld select The

part of the route he should select. The
work was performed, and Stimson made
choice of plat on the west and adjoin
ing to the ''half way creek" which is
the line between Belfast and Prospect
Here Stimson with his family had ar
rived before the Belfast proprietors
had come into possession; and by Chad
wick's survey Stimson's location is
within the town, and he may therefore
be called the first settler, although not
connected with the proprietors. DIR.
Abbot's Mss.
At Mitchell's house by the shore.
eastward and near the mouth of Goose
river, on the eleventh day of Novem-
Der, 1913, the corporation was organic
ed. The following is copy of the war
rant.
ITO John Mitchell of Belfast, Gentle
man,
GREETING,
Whereas the great and general Court
at their sessions begun and held at Bos-
ton, upon Wednesday the Goth day of
May last, passed an act for incorpora-
ting a certain tract of land, on the
westerly side of Penobscot bay into a
Town by the name of Belfast in the
county of Lincoln; and the said general
Court having empowered me the sub
scriber to issue warrant directed to
to notify and warn, the inhabitants
thereof qualified by law to vote in town
affairs, to meet at such time and place
as shall be therein set forth; to choose
such officers as may be necessary to
manage the affairs of said town. At
the which first meeting all the male in
habitants that become at the age of
tWenty-one years, shall be admitted to
vote.
These are therefore in his majestys
name to require you the said John
Mitchell to notify the said Inhabitants
of Belfast to meet at your dwelling
house in said town, on Thursday the
18th day of November, at ten of the
clock in the forenoon. Then and there
TO choose town clerk, selectmen, and
all other town officers according to law.
And make return of this warrant, with
your dolngs, as soon after the same is
carried into execution as may be.
Given under my hand and seal at
Frankfort, october. 1918.
Signed, THO. GOLDTHWAIT."
The inhabitants when assembled made
choice of Col. Goldthwait for Modera-
tor: John Mitchell, Town Clerk; the
Town Clerks that have succeeded
Mitchell are seven. Samuel Houston,
Alexander Clark, Jonathan Wilson,
William Moody, Benjamin Whittier,
Herman Abbot, Nathaniel II. Brad
bury John Brown, Benjamin Nesmith,
James Patterson, Selectmen: John Bar
net, Treasurer; John Durham, Jr., AL
exander Clark, James Miller, Surveyors
of Highways; William Patterson, Sen.
Constable; John Durham, Sen, James
Morrow, Wardens; and thus the town
became an organized body. Col. Goldth-
wait here mentioned is the same who
at this time commanded the fort on
Fort Point; to this fortress the inhabi-
tants of Belfast were taught to look
for succour in a season of distress; but
on the commencement of actual hOStili-
ties with Britain, the Colonel forsook
the colony and adhered closely to the
crown.
This little company were immersed
in wilderness, far from the capitol Of
New England, the nursery of the spirit
of human freedom, then about to be
developed: first to the admiration, and
afterwards the applause of the civilized
world: but while yet in Britain their
fathers had entertained similar senti-
ments, and the half century they, as a
people, had already passed in America
only served to enlighten the views and
strengthen the hopes they had inherit
ed. Their feelings were entirely in uni
son with the friends of the people; and
in 1776 they adopted those precautlop-
airy measures, u Ohm Tufts, John Brown,
Scion Stevenson. James Patterson, and
Samuel Houston Committee of Safety.
Toh ,ft fot Inb,, rpfts
to be Justice O. the Peace best calcu-
lated to secure the independence of the
country.
In addition to committee of safety
the inhabitants in 1777 elected a censor:
whose duty as appears on the record of
the meeting was Ito lay before the Gen
eral Court the misconduct of any per-
son. by word or action against the
United States" and Scion Stevenson
was appointed to this distinguished Of
flee. In ITS the town voted unanl-
mously to approve and adopt the con
stitution of government, which the
Massachusetts colony had prepared for
their acceptance.
The period was fast approaching when
the principles of those few patriots were
made to undergo the severest test. They
were required to deny their professions
or sacrifice their property.
General Mclean Bissett's England,
vol. l, page 6l2, with force of six hun
bred and fifty men had established a
post at Bigaduce for the protection of
Nova Scotia against the incursions OF
the patriots. In the summer of 1910,
an expedition was fitted out and de-
spatched from Boston to make con-
quest of this fortress. Seventeen ships,
of all descriptions, having aboard fiji
teen hundred troops, Saltonstall COM
modore, and Gen. Lowell commanding
the army, in July arrived in the Penob-
scot Bay. Three small armed British
vessels only were then in the harbour
of Bigaduce.
Saltonstall's largest ship carried
thirty six guns. On his arrival, Mitch
ell and others were requested to visit
the fleet and communicate their knowl-
edge of the position and strength of the
enemy; these strenuously advised Gen.
Lowell to an immediate assault They
saw no formidable obstacle to entering
the harbor, securing the three vessels
that were there, landing the troops and
marching into the fort. This counsel
was not lelished. 1t was then advised
that a portion might land in the har-
bour, and the residue at Perkins Cove,
which was taking the enemy in front
and in rear at the same time; this ad-