Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-07
Editors kennebec Journal:

h'odl AOI ldlicL
Editors Kennebec Journal:
\ friend in Hallowell has recently
st mt me a copy of the kennebec Jour
nal of January 9th with an account OF
my fathers life, which Interested me
much and gave NE desire to explain
how ne came with the " in his name
and also to give Il few more incidents
i'll his varied life. There certainly was
no need of his pretending to claim tho
name Of "Vassall." when he was rightly
entitled to it. His mother was Ruth
Nassdll Il daughter of John Vassall who
built and lived in a handsome home at
Cambrdseport. Mass. At the time Of
the Revolutionary War it was con;is-
after years the poet Longfcllow bought
it and lived and died there. 1t is still
owned by his neirs.
At the age of is. father went as Sill
percargo i'll the first vessel that sailed
direct from the port of Boston to the
Fast Indies. \ cousin WAS living there
who had an office under the English
Father took Il letter of introduction to
him but felt almost afraid To deliver il,
lest he should not be received. How
ever, he made the attempt and had a
warm reception, was taken right into
Ills cousins family and given Il Situa-
ton in his Office. While there Sir
Archibald Campbell from England Wis
tied his cousin OH business. He was
much interested in perpetual motion
and thought he lad discovered it. A
dinner was given in his honor When
the company We're drinking toasts to
Inn. fathers cousin said My little
Yankee boy must not be left out We
must hear from him. but we will give
him time to collect his thoughts"
When he was ready. he bowed to Sir
Archibald and said:
PERPETUAL MOTION.
1t has Oft been asserted and held rs Il
rule.
If ever discovered it would be by - fool.
I:ut now | am sure this rulc can't hold
Since it has been discovered, Sir Archi-
bald, by YOU
That caused great cheering. and put
feather in the young mans cap. F'a-
the spent several years with his cousin,
but was obliged to leave on account of
liver complaint which caused him great
suffering. The doctor said the only
thing to save his life would be to re-
turn to America. His life amongst the
rich and eXtraVagant nabObs was not IL
very good example for him. He never
knew the value of money and could not
economiZe in anything. After he left
the East Indies. he went to England.
His cousin. Elizabeth Nassall had mar
ried Lord Holland for her second hus-
band. He called at the Holland House
and introduced himself md was kindl--
received. He remained there some
time. then returned to this country to
begin a new life which was peculiar
and .aried You have published some
Of it. but there are other things | wish
to tell you. He imported the first Sax
Cny merinO sheep in Maine. TIL !,
Judges of the Court thought them good
only for the wool and not for eating.
Father told them he would give a din
her. and have a lamb roasted 50 they
could decide the question. He knew by
so doing h. would sacrifice fifty dollars
as each lamb brought that price. 1t
would have made no difference had
they brought three times that. The
Judges decided they We're equally as
good as the American lambs. Father
also had the frs. marble freplaceS
ever seen i'll Maine. His brother-in-
law. Capt. Prince of Boston. bought
them i'm Italy at the cost of thousand
dollars. They caused quite an excite
nent. People wondered how they could
lie made of marble and many called to
see item. One was dark and the other
light. very beautifully carved. When
the house was burning. they We're care
fully taken out for safety but during
the rush and confusion both were brok-
On.
Fathers home was called Burnt Hill
or 'Davis's Folly" and surely it was a
great folly for anyone to attempt to
clear up four hundred acres of dense
woods for II homestead. Some of the
trees were cut down. some burnt down.
and the stumps hauled out by the roots
by placing chains round them. with
several yOlles Of oxen attached to them
Father had original and peculiar ideas
about many things. In those days,
every man that could not pay his debts
WAS put in Jail. Father would pay the
debts and put them on his place to
work it out. From the time he had
cleared the land and built his house, it
had cost him a big fortune. The or
chard WAS said to be very beautiful.
All the trees were planted with plum
met and lime. If one varied the least
particle it was taken up and planted
over Will refrain from relating any
thing more of my fathers life as this
letter is already entirely too long You
must make all due allowances for it, as
II is written by an old lady of So Years