Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-24
IN DAYS OF 1875
A BIT OF HISTORY
OF FLETCHER FAMILY
Written from Material Fur
nished by Miss V. Gertrude
Fletcher of Augusta, a Direct
Descendant of Lieut.. Pendle-
ton Fletcher, a Citizen Of Win
ter Harbor in Colonial Days

The Sokokis OF the great Abnaki
family were among the oldest Of the
tribes of Maine Indians. Their dwell
ing place for many long years was be-
side the Saco river Squando. young
Indian, tall, sinewy and brave, was
sachem Of the Sokokis. The great
chief said: I'VE receive our lands
from the Great Father Of Life, we hold
only from Him" Squando was the
friend of the white man. He welded
Nibena the most beautiful maiden Of
his tribe. She was not like the other
maidens, who cared only for the gaudy
| trinkets and the dance. Nibena loved
the flowers, the birds, and the butter
flies. Once before their marriage,
Squando found a wounded little bird,
which he tenderly took to the maid Nj
bena. who nursed it back to strength
and life. She also loved to paddle, but
a day came when Nibena. padding her
canoe with her pappoose Wajoc, was
deliberately upset by some rude white
sailors, Just for joke-to see the
pappoose. swim, as they said.
The little one died few days later,
and Squando swore vengeance on the
white man. For two months the set
tiers had known that the young sachem
was no longer their friend. One
autumn day the women were gathered
in fortified log building while the men
were at work in a field some distance
away. About sunset Goodwife Page,
through the open doorway saw an In
dian lurking on the edge of the clear
ing. She quietly gave the warning,
and soon every entrance was made Sc
cure.
The story has been handed down to
children and children's children that it
was the quick wit Of Goodwife Page
that saved them that day from an
awful fate. Pumpkins had been
placed in the attic for the fall
supply. and she sent them rolling
one at time so that they bumped
from stair to stair with sound
like the tread Of many feet and
| in an unrecognizable voice she gave
orders to imaginary men. The children
carried the pumpkins up the stairs
| again and again. while the women
stood with their guns at the loopholes
The Indians, believing that men had
| been concealed in the house, left with
out making an attack. Among the
| brave women who assisted in this de-
fence was Sarah Hill, daughter of
Roger Hill, and his wife, Mary Cross.
She was at this time II years of age,
| very beautiful, with milk white COM
n1a vim
long eyelashes over blue-gray eyes.
heritage Of far Celtic grandmother,
and great wealth Of dark hair
On Saturday, the 18th Of September,
1865, so people. 10 only of them being
men, were gathered in garrison sur
rounded by an invisible foe and hoping
for help from Winter Harbor. They
were attacked at o'clock Sunday
morning. but as great events some
times turn on a small hinge one bit of
carelessness resulted in defeat for the
Indians, and Monday the little band es-
capped to Winter Harbor (now Bidde-
ford PooD On that anxious journey it
was Sarah Hill who cared for the chill
dren. cheered the sick and laggard, and
made the way more cheerful. Lieut..
Pendleton Fletcher at Winter Harbor
was Sarah's lover.
A year later on her way to deliver a
letter from Captain John Alden. Sarah
stopped to dip her hand in a pool and a
lobster promptly nipped her finger
This girl had braved dangers without a
sign Of flipching. but in this predica-
ment she screamed till Pendleton Flet-
cher came running to her rescue, prob
ably thinking she had been seized by
Indians.
Their troth was plighted that day,
and the wedding was not delayed, for
the chest was full Of linen and home
spun, and young Pendleton a house
at the Meek" (now called Fletcher's
Necll)-named for Pendleton Fletcher.
with sheep in the pen and cows in the
pasture. So there was a Thanksgiving
wedding about which their descendants
love to tell and retell to this day.
The material for this story was fur
nished by direct descendent Of Pen
dleton Fletcher, Miss Gertrude v. Flet-
cher OF this city. who was manual
training teacher to the city schools for
Soiic tliic, pdSSeu tIlo laSC Two
years studying In the South, and is
now living at her home on the West
River road. Brian Pendleton, grand
father of the young lieutenant, Pendle-
ton Fletcher, was the first Of this line,
he was a major and on May 18th, 1852
was chosen commander Of the Train
Band" at Portsmouth. as shown by the
Records Of Massachusetts, Volume 4,
part 1, page 1879.
Generations as follows: Mary F1et-
cher, Pendleton Fletcher, Pendleton
Fletcher. Jr, Brian Fletcher Brian
Fletcher. 2nd, Brian Fletcher, 3rd,
Omar Fletcher, Charles F. Fletcher,
Gertrude V. Fletcher.
Charles Fletcher tas three brothers
living, VIII. Wendall, and Henry, in the
West. and three children, George w.
Fletcher. Fred c. Fletcher, and Ger
trude v. Fletcher. Their earliest an
cestor on this side Of the ocean was
Major Brian Pendleton, who came to
this country in 1886. and to Winter
Harbor in 1867, where he bought 200
acres Of land at the Neck. This he left
to Pendleton Fletcher and is now called
(Fletchers Neck.)