Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-11-22


Hon. Charles l.. Andrews of Augusta
read paper entitled, The Pilgrim
Trading Post at Ancient Koussnoe,
as follows, in part:
ITO the residents of Augusta, our
Capitol. it is a source of pride that
nearly three hundred years ago Angus
Ia. the ancient Koussinoc, was even
then an important trading post and
the most populous village in all the re-
gion which is now the state of Maine.
And the members of our Society
who reside in Augusta pride them
selves still more that our worthy an
cestors of the Mayflower and their as
sociates were responsible for this
IN 1884 mere than 500 people lad
their homes at Korssinoc and | love
to think of what a beautiful spot they
must have found it. "
I'm place of the ugly structures of
brick and granite and wood now stand |
! ina--or, the banks were graceful foliage
and picturesque lodges, while where
| now glaring pavements of asphalt and
| granite blocks resound with the tread
| Of hocfs and the grind of heavily load F,
/ ed Wheels. the moceasin OF the say
age or the stealthy step of the timld
4
| aisles. o & ="
| But the natural beauties or the
| place were not its only attraction lie
| orr friends of the MayfioWer. Ihelt
little shaliops could readily sail UP the
| river without encountering It's SANDS
| and shallnws, yet it was so far from
| the Ocean that the English ana french
| explorers and the trading vessels OF
| these days did not think of coming 50
| far inland. AT the same time, IL VAS
| so ia. up the river that the Abnakl IN
| dams and their friends to the north
| who were friendly with the french
| could easily bring in the store OF lthe
| beaver furs obtained near the mead
| waters Of the Kennebec ana It's
| branches and far these reasons 1t prov
ed a fertile territory for the traders.
"Of the perils of the little Plymouth
colony during its first few years, us
invitations from hunger and want ana
debt. we are all familiar. but We 90
NOT all know that to this little trading
| most in ancient Koussinoc is due IN d
large measure the relief they needed.
I'm ICES. only four years after the
Pilgrims landed and while they were
in desperate straights, a little shailopI
was built by the carpenters ana load
ea with corn. So full was it that It's
| middle was boarded over to Keep INC
| water and the rain from the cargo
| while tie crew mad no shelter what
ever hut stood or sat out on the decks
all tie way.
Establishment of Post.
"Tn the Indians, although they mao
tr5,tt from the brooks. salmon and
sturgeon from the river, and game II.
.i,,irGance. corn was a change In dlet
ord therefore a great delieacy and the
cargo was quickly disposed OF Tor ~
| n,unds OF beaver skins. TO the WIN
saVaqe a measure of corn, which they
| had ordinarily to labor for D. tiiilhS
the soil with sticks, i'll exchange ler d
| more beaver skin was bargain anu
| ,va zcan readily imag CINE how the ~ofd
| snrea { that Down at koassleoe were
| some foolish foreigners who were prde-
| ,eouv otysag away fine corn. 80 sue
| .essfnl was the expedition that II Was
decided to establish a permanent post
ON 1926 the Pilgrim colony was IN
debted to the Plymouth company OF
england. from which it had its chart
| or to the amount of 1900 pounds steil-
| ing while il owed 500 pounds to other
creditors. an enormous amount for
handful of people with no manufaete-
ries. no cultivated land to produce
crops and no markets,
I'm this situation our old MaylioWer
friends. Bradford, Standish Attention.
| Rrewster. Rowland, Alden and Prehce'
assumed the debts and took over the
| exclusive right to this fur trade In
payment for their help.
"Ihey sent Edward Winslow and a
crew down in shallop with corn and
| merchandise to trade and in 1927 built
permanent house and a stockade
about it. This was more than 100 years
before old Fort Western, the perma-
nent trading post, was constructed,
which existed 50 many years with its
high stockades, it's two block houses
/ and its old fort house stil standing
| I'm fact, so prosperous was this trade
that Mrs Eruma Huntington Mason,
| an h1rnred member of our Society Who
| has made 4 careful study of our local
| history, assumes that this was proba
| bly, the reason why the history of this
| period is so shrouded in mystery. She
| believes that the seven worthy citizens /
| who constituted this Association did
| not care to have II known what veri-
| table gold mine it was.
ct is fact, however, that we knowI
| almost nothing of the story of this lit
tie trading post and that what we dol
know is gathered from the writings of
| the French Jesuit Fathers rather than
| from any English source.
For "a years these Pilgrim fathers
dealt with the Indians in a quiet way,
kept no record of their proceedings
had no organized form of government
| or of corporate existence. and then sold
out in 1861 and the Post was soon after,
| abandoned 1t seems to have been ,
purely private undertaking carried on
for personal advantage The different
members Of the company came down
from time to time and took charge for
a wear or two. We know that JOHN
Rowland, John Wirslow, Thomas
Southworth and Gov. Thomas Prence
were each in charge at different times
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