Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-01-29
State Library Obtains Complete
Set of Lincolnshire Papers,
Dating Back to the Early
Day of Muscongus Grant in
Maine
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ASK either State Librarian Dunnack
OK Assistant Librarian Livingston
what they considered the most valu-
aple recent acquisition Of the Maine
state Library in point Of interest to
Maine, and you will receive the very
prompt answer: THE Lincolnshire
papers reproductions" and then you
VIII nave to inquire What in the
world are the Lincolnshire papers?"
fou Will then be put in possession Of
an exceedingly interesting story Of
the papers. what they are about and
now the State came into possession Of
them. 1t follows in brief:
The Lincolnshire Company and
twenty Associates was a land COM
pany organized for the management
or affairs conducted under the Mus
congus patent.
Inc Muscongus or Waldo patent
was made on March 10. 1880 Gin Lon
DOM to John Beauchamp of London
and Thomas Leverett of Boston Eng
Beauchamp was one Of the London
adventures in the Pilgrim enterprise,
LeVerett about that time, was an al
derman OF the borough Of Boston,
Eng, and highly esteemed friend of
| Rev. John Cotton, vicar of St. Bo-
toiph's church in that city. He may
have accompanied Cotton to South
ampton when John Winthrop's COM
pany sailed for New England and
when Cotton preached the farewell
sermon Gods Promise to His Planta-
ton Both came to Boston. Mass.
| I.pVprott nf hn fvx~
elders of Cotton's church in Boston
pnd was prominent in civic and re-
| ligious affairs.
Neither Beauchamp nor Leverett
made use of the grant SO far as is
known. Through Leverett it de-
scended to John Leverett Of Cam
bridge. Mass. a great grandson and
| heir at-law of Thomas, who in 1919,
admitted other direct and lineal de-
scendants of Thomas to membership
in a land company known as THE
Lincolnshire Co. and Twenty Asso-
Gates" which under the Muscongus
grant continued to be managed.
| The Muscongus grant included land
between the Muscongus and Penob
scot rivers on the coast Of Maine. 1t
was estimated at about 1000 square
miles and took in the whole of Knox
and Waldo counties, except few
towns Part of Penobscot county, by
later survey, was added to the
grant. 1t was early settled and the
colonists had remarkable experiences.
Two block houses were built az
Thomaston in 1919. The people went
through a 3-years-war with the In
dians and suffered all the hardships
to which the New Highlander was sub
! jected. Peace with the Indians came
in 1926 and thereafter the life Of the
settlers was a little more endurable.
though by no means flooded with the
luXuries of today.
That is why the Lincolnshire
papers came into existence, because
they are the minutes and documents
made of the company's transaction of
business in handling this vast prop
erty. State Librarian Dunnack was
informed by Worthington c. Ford of
! the Massachusetts, Historical Society
that Photostatic Prints of the original
papers were being made. the originals
then being in his possession and that
, tle Mdlue StdIt COulu, IL ~
was so desired, obtain set at a mere
nominal figure. Reply was promptly
made that Maine certainly wanted a
set and it has recently been received.
1t consists of about fifty sheets Of
heavy and durable paper. upon which
are absolutely correct reproductions of
the documents. photographed by
new process, showing in black and
white the papers themselves. every
mark of the pen. blot and blur and
every fold and crease caused by age
and handling, outlines Of the missing
corners and edges and bringing that
valuable historical matter clearly and
plainly before You for examination.
The oldest is of the date Of 1717 and
the latest of 1855. Among them are
the minutes Of business meetings, let
ters Of complaints and reports. in
quiries and statements. A pen and
ink draft of the blockhouses at Thorn
aston might be used today if similar
buildings were necessary.
The paper Of Oldest date is: mo. /.
1717. Report of D p Noyes Capt
Smith A c G. Land on s. Georges
River 1717. Reed from Anthony Stod-
dard Paper. Papers of VIM. Hunt
1884" and is a report Of trip to the
Georges river, alias Lincoln.
The last Of the collection is long
letter written by General Knox on Oct
"a, 1855, from New York to VIM. Hunt,
clerk Of the Ten Proprietors, SO called,
in the Muscongus lands.
Some of them are difficult to de-
cipher, because OF the small and
grabbed writing and the old-styled
method Of spelling, but each and
every one carries with it an intense
interest and great value Of its own.
1t is no wonder that Messrs. Dunnack
and Livingston consider them the
most valuable recent acquisition.
The papers open up opportunity for
a vast amount of research and study
for anyone so inclined. The Maine
and Massachusetts, Historical Socie-
ties publications, as well as the sew
eral histories Of Maine and the New
England colonies are full to running
over with matter upon which these
papers have a direct bearing. and they
will no doubt be of great assistance to
iAlCaLA..S~~A