Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-18
Representatives Hall Filled
to Hear w. w. Thomas Speak
on Names Swede Colonization


where the Swedish capitol now stands.
che Swedes instinctively drew together
in a little group around me. and here
in the shadow OF the forest primevel we
0evoutly thanked God. who had led us
safely on our Ions Journey, and fer
vently prayed for His blessing and
guidance in the great work that lay be-
fore U.s. Here too baptized the town
NEW SWEDEN"
a name at once commemorative OF the
past and suspicious of the future Here
in behalf of the State of Maine l babe
a welcome and Godspeed 10 these far
travellers, our future citizens, and here
at the southwest corner of the cross
roads. under a camp Of bark and by
the side Of a rill of pure spring water
Swedes and Americans broke bread to-
gether and the colonists ate their first
meal on the township. where they were
to liew themselves homes out Of the
forest.
All around Us was an unbroken wilder
ness. A gigantic forest covered all the
land. stretching away over hill and dale
as far as the eye could reach. In these
vast northern woods, the blows of set
tiers ak had never resounded, through
their branches the smoke from settlers
cabin had never curled. Here roamed
the moose. and proUled the bear, and
here the silence of our first night was
broken by the hooting of the Arctic owl.
The next day was the Sabbath. The
first religious service on the township
was a sad one-the funeral Of Hilma c.
Clase, a little Swedish girl who had died
on the passage up the st. John river, the
only one who had persisted by the way.
Monday the Swedes drew lots for their
forest farms Tuesday morning, July
&c, the Swedes commenced the great
work Of converting a forest into home,
and that work has gone happily on with
out haste and without rest to this Gay
All through summer and fall there was
busy work in this wilderness. The prim-
eval American forest rang from morn
till eve with the blows Of the Swedish
ak. The prattle of Swedish children and
the song of Swedish mothers made un-
wonted music in the wilds of Maine. One
cloudless day succeeded another. The
heats Of summer were tempered by the
woodland shade in which we labored
New clearings opened out. and new log
houses were rolled up on every hand
Odd bits of board and the happily twist
ed branches of trees were quickly con-
verted into needed articles of furniture
Rustic bedsteads. tables. chairs. and the
omnipresent cradle, made their appear
ance in every house; and Swedish indus
try and ingenuity soon transferred every
log-cabn into q home
Shared Tolls and Privat'ons.
For myself it was pleasure to share
the tolls and privations of our new set
tiers. Every day l was among them
from morn till eve' on foot or on horse
back I visited them all even the mos.
remote and cheered all at their labors );
and every night l lay down in my log
house tired hut happy for every day l
had beheld something done, something
tangible accomplished on the soil OF;
Maine
ON August 18th I new immigran. ar
rived in the colony lie was a native
American, good-sized beg baby, Lem to
korno, wife of Nils Person, TIE frs.
child born in New Sweden He is alive
and we'll today, a man and vo:4- He
rejoices in the name Of William Widgery
Thomas Person, and is happy in con
temptation of the constitutional fact
that he is eligible to the office of presi-
dent of the United States
Sunday afternoon, August 21st, oc-
Cured. tile first wedding l then united
In marriage ions Pc ,sson to Hannah
Persdotter. The marriage ceremony was
conducted in the Swedish language but
according to American forms. In the
evening was a wedding dinner at the
Persons. All the spoons were of solid
silver, herlooms from Old Sweden.
Thus within the first month of the
colony's existence 1t experienced the
three great events in the life of man
birth. marriage death.
Between August 10th and Goth nearly all
the choppings were fired On some, good
burns were obtained. and nothing but the
trunks and larger branches Of the trees
left unconsumed on the ground; the fire
merely flashed over others, leaving be-
hind the whole tangled mass OF
branches, trunks and twigs 10 fret the
settler From this time forward til
snow fell. every Swede that could be
/ spared from the public works was busily
| engaged from sunrise 20 sunset with ak
and brand on his clearing, junking, pill
ing and burning the logs-clearing the
( land for crop. New Sweden became
, landmark for % miles around. From her
hills arose "a pillar Of cloud by day" ano
"a pillar OF fire by night
And so the good work has gone on.
would fain speak to YOU Of the sowing
and reaping Of crops, Of the building of
roads and bridges. of the erection of
churches and school houses: how year
after year the forest has been fe!!ed and
choppings full of blackened stumps
, transformed into smooth fields; how the
log cabins have been replaced with sub
, startial two story frame houses; great
barns built: fruitful orchards and gard
ems set out and bountiiul crops raised
All this and much more l would love to
tell YOU in detail bat time will not per
nit. Suffice Il to say that four years
! remained with ny children il the
woods and superintendent the develop
rnent Of the colony
! In the fall of 1873 the condition of the
colony was excellent. The little settle
! n1ent of 80 had increased TO eco and out
! si6e Of New Sweden there were as many
more Swedes located in our state, drawn