Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-02-11
Capt. Jonathan Snow.
ONE DEADLY COMBAT OF THE INDIAN WARS
NEAR THE FALLS OF THE LITTLE ANDROSCOGGIN.
By Rev. Henry o. Thayer.

western section of Oxford County unite
their waters to flow southwestward ant
reach the Androscoggin below Lewiston
Falls. No name for this river cam'
down from the vanishing tribes, but a.
a chief tributary it became The Little
Androscoggin.
1t has its quiet flow, rocky rapids
shaded pools, cascades and mill powers
but its chief waterfall is in the town o.
Paris, distant nearly six (5.S) miles BY
the railroad line from South Paris sta
| ton and the County Courthouse.
| THE RIVER GORGE
Written in the river channel, on the
precipitous walls of the gorge, are
| records of ages since the world was
young. They tell of vast foods burst
ing valley barriers, ice sheets of the
frozen age, mass crushing mass, grind
ing down the cliffs; immense glaciers
through uncounted years cutting into
gneiss and granite; fierce torrents from
great height, boring, chiseling solid rock,
having witness now in potholeS on the
upper levels, others huge and deep at
the base of the fall. Such were the tre-
mendous agencies active in prehistoric
ages.
That once whelming food down the
valley has an imbecile counterpart in
the present river, nor can one dare to
assert how much lessened has been the
height of the waterfall. Its extreme
descent reckoned perpendicular is As
feet.
Nature lovers would rejoice to step
back to the scene of two centuries ago
forests everywhere and the foaming
river in the channeled ledge. But mans
bank he carved out space on this side
for his cart and sled, later on that for
his locomotive and train; turned aside
much of the volume of the stream to
satisfy the thirst of his turbines; built
up structures for his machines; Scared,
encroached, de6led, by heaped or scat
tered materials and refuse. Wild prim-
eval beauty yielded before the needs and
schemes of civilization.
INDIAN WARS.
Its pioneers came, took up lands, made
rude homes. They were spared the ter
rors of the Indian wars by the later
settlement. AS advance scouts of the
settlers to open the way came hunters
for game and furs.
One such party exploiting the valley,
and the events which followed their at
tempts to win the prizes they sought in
this wilderness, form the subject of this
story. For other hunters seeking in the
southwark or coast towns, their peculiar
game-human beings-chanced to fall
upon the path of this hunting party, and
had their exulting success, one scalped
victim, one wretched captive. The
hunters life ended near the river by a
ghastly tragedy. The deed and the man
have memorial in the name fortunately
applied to the nearby waterfall. The
one only victim of the Indian wars in
Paris gave to the town its Shows
Falls"
Why WRITTEN.
In behalf of local and state history a
new recital of the tragic affair is desir-
able. This narration has been con-
structed from materials drawn from
various historical sources; it seeks to
exhibit first we'll authenticated facts,
then devious traditions and minor in
cidents; it endeavors to determine what
is credible and trustworthy and to cor
rect or to supplement various statements
regarding the tragic event and its
consequences.
The event fell into the year 1755 and
the last Indian war, where marauding
bands were skulking and spying along
the borders of settlements from Lake
George to the Penobscot, eager for
captive, or if necessary to kill, scalp.
THE HUNTERS.
A company of hunters, four in num-
Der, were operating in the upper valley
of the Little Androscoggin. They were
Jonathan and Samuel Butter6eld, Oliver
Blodgett, Jonathan Snow. 1t was the
month of May. They had their camp
over against the Falls on the high
ground of the east side.
Ranging abroad on the hunt they went
in pairs. On the 10th of the month
Monday-the older Butter6eld and
Blodgett started out, agreeing with their
companions to return to camp on the
third day or at latest on Saturday.
Meanwhile Captain Snow and the
younger Butterfeld pursuing the hunt
as they chose, returned and were busted
about the camp. How far self-assured
against Indian hostility that season,
how confident in taking risks, how far
unsuspecting or how watchful, nothing
is told.
THE ATTACK.
Suddenly close upon them were seen
Indians, a band of five. These had
made raid towards the coast towns,
and by a stealthy visit within the limits
of the new town of New Gloucester,
whose settlement was hardly we'll be-
gun, they had surprised near Sabbada
Pond two men belonging to that fort.
They were Joseph Taylor and Jonathan
Farwell. AS if satisfied with two pris-
oners, the Indians took up the march
towards Canada by the Androscoggin
trail.
On the next day holding their captives
closely in line, they reached the Falls.
There the fle-leader, chief in rank,
noticed a path leading aside towards
the high land, and perceiving what it
might mean, he eagerly led on his party
till the wooded path opened on a
hunters camp where were two men.
The chief, alert, impetuous, sprang for
ward with threatening yell to seize an
other captive. Capt. Snow was sitting
on block just within the camp, and at
the moment was sharpening the flint OF
his gun, which loaded had only part
ridge charge. His experience in the
wars, knowledge of Indian character
and habits had aroused deep aversion,
an intense antipathy, such that he had
determined never tosbe taken captive.
The test hour had come with hardly a
moment to reconsider the decision
Firmly he faced the foe, though it meant
his life.
The chief wore for barbaric ornamen-
tation big hawkskin on his head franz
| ing an evil face,-the whole by the
Tapping wings upon his shoulders giving
him hideous aspect-as he rushed on
not intending, it seems, to use his gun
but with fierce show of tomahawk OF
knife intent to bear down upon and
overpower the man or kill if he must
The hunter waited coolly till the savage
was few feet distant, then with quick
movement and sure aim shot him dead
The chiefs companions must have beer
close at his heels, and their guns made
quick answer and Snow fell also vic
tim-the two lying but a few yard.
apart Infuriated that their chief hat
been shot down, they rushed at th'
white mans body, with tigerish fierce
ness stabbed, stamped, cut, slashed t.
satisfy their vengeful hate Young But
ter6eld. il is assumed. ATTEMPTED