Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1921-01-05

broad life, and finally went back to
the old family homestead in France
with his Indian Baroness, Mathilda,
and also loaded down with honors,
titles and gold, and there spent a
happy old age His name alone of
all the figures on that romantic stage
remains, as the peninsula and town
took up and has kept his name in old
Castine, and still keeps his memory
living as the central figure, the ma
jestic old man, of this the most
historic spot in Maine.
1t was at Castine that the English
earned and got the undying hatred of
the Indians, whom they made drunk
and then robbed of lands and beav-
ers, while here also France and the
French became largely, through the
inspiration of the Baron and of the
Jesuits, the objects of almost super
human friendship, devotion, and en-
during love on the part of the Indian
chiefs and the entire tribes along the
Penobscot and Kennebec rivers.
Here likewise the terrible wars be-
tween the French and Indians on one
side, and the Puritans of Massachu-
sets and Maine with some Mohawk
Indians on the other, were planned
between 1875 and 1740 and which
brought devastation to all the settle
| ments on the Maine coast at Fail
mouth, Scarboro, Saco, Wells and
| even to New Hampshire and Massa'
! chusetts, and also brought desolation
| and final ruin to the French and the
Indians.
| Here was made the final stand by
! the French before the fall of Quebec
! in 1859. 1t was again at CaStine
| that the British defeated the army
and navy of the United States in the
/ War of Independence in 1873, and
i held the peninsula to the end of the
war.
1t was here and just beyond as far
as the Holy Cross river that a bold
attempt was made by England to
gather all the Tories and Loyalists of
| Massachusetts and Maine after 1775
and call the place New Ireland, but
the name did not fit and the people
fed at the close of the war.
Here finally one, two, three chapels
were in turn burned or torn down by
the English Puritans of Boston in
hatred of the French and hatred of
the cross, the bell, the altar, while
here also after all the romance of war
and of peace and when the folly of
men made desolate both land and
river, there yet remained and still re-
mains the beauty and glory given by
the Hand of the Creator in Heaven.
AS one glides in canoe or rowboat
or sailboat along the shore or be-
tween the palisades of the great
river, unequaled in Maine or in New
England for picturesque scenery and
historic lore there seem, to come
| no ~ no Nf IN IN
missionaries, who lived and labored
Christ in that valley.
Father Thevet, Father Leo of
Paris, both Franciscans.
Father Peter Biard, Father Gabriel
Druillettes, Father James Bigot,
Father Vincent Bigot. Father Rale,
Father Lanverjat, Father de la
Chase, Father Bapst, Father Ciampi,
Father Vetromile, Father Kennedy,
all Jesuits.
Father Thury, Father Simon,
priests of Quebec.
| Father Romogne, Father Matig-
non, Father Barger. Father
Ciquard, Father Elton of Boston.
Bishop Cheverus, Bishop Fenwick,
Bishop Fitzpatrick of Boston, and a
host of others in later years, many
among the departed, several yet liv-
ing, all meriting a high place among
the pioneers of Penobscot and of Cas-
tine.
TO RESTORE OLD CHAPEL.
Some fifty years or more ago rich
and worthy families began to come in
the summer time and took possession
of every place along the beautiful
1 oh Of n1G fiy,n n hoH mi
stately mansions, but somehow, by
an invisible Providence, they did not
venture upon the one lot of land
within the old fort where one of the
three chapels stood.
| Here then the Catholic summer
visitors and their friends have fol-
| lowed the true spirit of the olden
days and have put together fund to
restore this sacred spot to the church
of God that consecrated the site and
the river $50 and more years ago.
| The following is the official
description of the old mission chapel:
There is chapel of about six PAGES
long and four PAGES broad, covered
with shingles, built upon terrace,
| upon which there is small turret,
wherein there is little bell weighing
| eighteen pounds" This chapel was
named either st. Peter or Our Lady
of Holy Hope, wherein otficiated one
| missionary after another at least
from 164S, according to a copper
plate unearthed several years ago
near the site of the chapel and upon
which was the following inscription
in Latin:
"164S, 8 Junii Ego, Frater Leo, of
Paris, Capuchin Missionary Pater,
posu ct benediXi hoe fundamentum
in honore in Nostrae Dominae
Sanctae Spell" and is translated as
follows. ''In the year 164S, June 8, |
Brother Leo of Paris, Capuchin Mis-
sionary Father, placed and blessed
this foundation of a chapel in honor
of Our Lady of Holy Hope"
Modern Castine will see arise a
temporary chapel for present needs
with the hope of finer memorial
chapel in the future to have the shin
ing Cross of Christ ever blessing the