Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-10-26
IN OLD cAsrINE.
Mark Footprints Of History
In the Old Town.

In the Old Town.
The town Of Castine, the richest in
Maine in important historical incidents,
has recently been marked with . num-
Der Of tablets, largely through the &C.
Invites Of the committee OF which Charles
w. Noyes 10 chairman, and Miss Amy
witherle, Miss Nellie X. Perkins, Mrs.
E. H. Carpenter and Mrs. Charles Dew
ereux are the OF her members.
Altogether there are forty nine tablets
and twenty nine markers, seventeen being
placed in Q space one eighth OF . mile long
and 200 yards wide. The committee APP
pointed Is known as the historical COM
mittee OF the Village improvement so
ciety, and the on-resident members are
DR.. George A. Wheeler and Mrs. Ellen
Perkins johnson, OF Philadelphia. The
idea originated with Mr.. Noyes, following
along the line OF researches conducted by
his father, the late Samuel Thomas Soyes.
Mr.. Noyes was born in Castine, attended
the normal school there, afterward taking
up drawing in Boston. Later he engaged
in the hardware business in New York,
then went into the jewelers. tool business
and ultimately engaged in jewelry manu-
featuring, with which business he has
been connected for the past eighteen years
in Newark, n. j.
Mr.. Noyes descended from one OF the
original settlers, and has always taken .
deep interest in historical research. He
has always regretted that his native town
was not sufficiently marked to show the
rich historical incidents to the hundreds
OF visitors who come to Castine every
year.
Mr.. Noyes has been engaged In looking
up the important events and preparing
proper inscriptions for the various tablets
for some twelve years, and on some OF the
subjects he has one OF the most complete
libraries in Maine. From time to time be
has received assistance from Hon. James
P. Baxter, OF Portland, president OF the
Maine Historical society; DIR. W. F.
Ganong, Of Smith college; DR.. ]. Howard
Wilson, OF Columbia college, aad the late
Arthur Wilson, who secured number OF
photographs OF the present hamlet OF st
Castin in France.
All OF the tablets OF the 1911 period are
upon the lot OF Mrs. c. G. Wilson, OF New
York. Other tablets have been placed
upon ali OF the streets OF the town, in
"itherie park and upon the property be-
longing to the heirs OF Willard Collins. OF
Gloucester, Miss Helen Brophy, Capt.
David T. Patchen, William Henry Weeks,
Mrs. Robert Straw, Mrs. Mary c. Haynes,
Henry Mclaughlin. John NJ. vogeil, w.
A. Walker, Mrs. John Rea, Mrs. Charles
K. Baker, Mrs. F. w. Baker and others.
Castine is now recognized by historians
as q place about which cluster many
memories OF the struggle OF four great ma
Its history is said to read more like . ro-
nance than does that OF any other town
on the Atlantic coast.
The Baron de Castine, . French sdven-
turer, who had come to Canada with his
regiment, came into possession OF this
territory and established & fort and trad
ing station. He married the daughter OF
Madocawsndo, chief OF the Tarratines, as
the Penobscot Indians were then called,
and although b-set by pirates, lawless
English and other adventurers, main
tanned himself at his station until he went
to France early in l701.
He was the terror OF the English col
onists along the Maine and Massachusetts,
coast. He held dominion over the Indian
tribes, and during the war between France
and England was believed to have insti-
gated many expeditions which had for
their purpose the massacre OF the settlers
in this part OF New England. Castine, or
as the town was called by the
changed owners many times. 1t
was at first in the hands OF the French.
then Of the English, for . time was held
by the Dutch, then was taken BY the |
French again, and finally by the English. /
When the war OF the revolution came |
Castine was settled upon as the render sous |
Of British sympsthixers In the eastern part |
Of Maine Against this town sailed the 1
greatest naval expedition ever QUILTED BY \
the United States up TO thar time. Com |
modore 6aitonstaii commanded the fleet, |
and Gen. Solomon Lowell was in command
Of the 1000 oorly-equipped troops, the
greater part Of which came from Cumber-
land, York and lincoln counties. The ex-
petition sailed from Portland. Gen. Peleg |
Wsdsworth, who built the Longfellow
house in Portland, was the second in COM |
nand OF the land forces.
In July, l77s, the troops made an attack
on the fort at Castine, which was CON-
manded BY Gen. Mclean. The Maine men
made gallant attempt ct its capture, but
were repulsed. Commodore Saltonstail
proved to be obstinate and incompetent.
He would not cooperate with these
soldiers, and finally, when British feet
arrived, to the relief OF CAstine, q panic
snsued which resulted in the capture az
OF the American fleet and a
great loss to the colonies. The soldiers
were scattered and escaped to the settle
ments about the mouth Of the Kennebec,
MANY nj ha All pvs