The Republican journal., 1911-12-28


stations of society. He greatly distinguished
himself both in civil and military life, and
won for himself historical renown He was
the father of Com. Edward Preble, o still
more distinguished man, whose fame is that of
our country's navy. His administration of the
affairs OF the Fort gave general satisfaction,
and secured the respect of all who had any re-
lations with him. After life of marked activ-
ity and usefulness, he died in Portland, in
1874. at the age of n.
In 1903 Gen. Preble resigned his command,
and was succeeded by Thos Goldthwaite. He
was native of Chelsea--was paymaster in the
expedition against Crown Point in 1755. While
in command at Fort Pownall, he was COM
missioned a Justice of the Peace, and SOL
emnized the first marriages on the river He
was also Judge of the Court of Common Pleas,
and commander of the Second Militia Regi-
ment in Lincoln County. He was superseded
in Office by John Preble, son of the first COM
mander, in ITO, but was restored to Office
again the following year, by Gov Hutchinson
In IT'S, he allowed Capt. Mowatt of the Brit
ish sloop Canceau to dismantle the fort and
take away its defences Soon after this out
rage he was again removed from office, and
the superintendent of its remains given to
Col. Buck of Bucksport
Col. Goldthwaite has left behind him in the
valley of the Penobscot a bad reputation. He
was arbitrary, cruel, and an extortioner The
Indians complained loudly of his unfair treat
ment of them in his dealings with them. He
was very unkind to the early settlers In the
years 1775-6, the people Of Belfast suffered
greatly from the scarcity of provisions One
cause of this was that they were short of
ammunition. and could take but little wild
game. Goldthwaite had ammunition en-
trusted to him for the public good. In their
distress the people of Belfast sent to him for
a supply, but he refused to give heed to their
representations, and treated their importuni-
ties with contempt But they were determined
not to be defrauded of their rights by a tyrant
and coward; so a few days after, they made
another application. Taking their guns, and
what ammunition they had, they went in num-
bers to the fort. Upon drawing near their
destination they deputed two of their men to
go on in advance and make the demand They
met with no better success than their prede-
cessors. The narrator of the account says,
eve told him we were determined to have it
the ammunition and would take it by force of
arms if we could not get it without. By this,
time our company was in sight. We said
here comes our assistance and you may see
them. We are determined not to be treated as
the two men were who came to you this
business before. He cooled down and gave to
each man pound of powder and ball and flint,
and we returned to Belfast in good spirits
At another time, "he on visit to one
MIR. Stinson-a poor man. Towards night the
cattle came about the house; he went out to
see them. Fixing his eye on a young COW, he
said, that heifer is mine; and the next morning
sent two men and took her away and kept her
and refused to pay his poor neighbor.'
But, sometimes, with the same measure that
he melted to others it was measured to him
again. He made a great feast on the occasion
of the launching of brig he had built, and he
wanted moose meat to serve it with, and hired
two Indians to procure it for him. They were
not long in hunting before they returned with
fine fat moose, and all the cooks in the garri-
son were tasked to the utmost of their ability
in serving it in the greatest variety of ways
All the guests were loud in their praises of the
sumptuous feast, and right merry time they
had of it. A few days after, the Colonel dis
covered that the cunning Indians had made
him feast on his own favorite three-years- sold
colt.
Col Goldthwaite joined the British in the
conflict of the mother country with the thir-
teen colonies. But he did not live to see the
struggle. He was drowned early in the war,
in the shipwreck of the vessel in which he had
taken passage for Nova Scotia.
According to the journal of Gov. Pownall, a
chaplain accompanied the expedition to the
Penobscot engaged in building the fort. How
long he remained is not known. All the record
there is of him on earth, whatever there may
be in heaven, is that his name was Phillips, and
that he preached a sermon at the burial of
Gen. Waldo. In 1858, the office was vacant,
and probably had been so for some time; for
that year, "Gov. Bernard told the House
that chaplain ought to be under constant pay
at Fort Pownall, who might preach to the
settlers in the audience of the Indians for,
said he, there is minister of the gospel with
in the circle of 100 miles in diameter. The
General Court appropriated ga per month for
the support of chaplain
There is no known record of any appoint
ment to the office having been made. There
probably was not, for one DR.. VIM. Crawford,
the physician of the fort, offciated for some
time in that capacity. "He preached in small
brick chapel just back of the fort, built by Col.
Goldthwate and Francis Bernard in fulfillment
of an engagement with the Waldo proprietors.
Here DR.. Crawford preached three or four
years. Accounts differ with regard to the
character of this man. Some said he was a
good man, others denied it. He was of Scotch
descent. This much is certain; he was
of ardent passions, which he did not always
restrain. On one occasion he had a serious
quarrel with Col. Godthwaite. The following
Sabbath his text was prov. Is: 1877, Better is
a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a stalled
OK with hatred Herewith" The consequence
was that the Colonel invited him home to dine
with him, and they were friends again.
If the following anecdote is true, he had one
trick of the trade in perfection, outsider as he
was. There was man belonging to the garri-