Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-03

up row. icIt TtSnI-nu8SSu LOU
Girls: Wendell Totley, Grafton.
rie Widerkrantz, Presentation OF
other by Captain VIM. Lithgow,
whose plan was accepted.
A stranger today in passing
through Winslow might ask what
building that is. and upon being told
Fort Halifax" would naturally sup
pose that it is all there was Of the
Fort originally. But such is far
from the truth. AS a matter of fact
the building which you see before
you today was about one-tenth part
of the buildings of the strongest and
most extensive fortress in Maine Of
the 18th century. The en-
tire fort property was enclosed with
a very substantial stockade. On Fort
hill yonder were erected two small
ck-houses, each surrounded by a
stockade, one of them within view of
Ticonic Falls on the Kennebec. Over
such an establishment was Capt. VIM.
Lithgow placed in command in the
year 17541755, and strange as may
seem he was the first and the only
military commander of Fort Halifax.
All these facts appear from letters
and documents now on exhibit in the
State House in Boston. And l will
say here for your information that
the Fort received it's name from the
Earl of Halifax. then secretary of
state of the Kingdom of Great Brit
ain.
"And now just word about Capt.
William Lithgow. OF Scotch de-
scent, he was born in 1715 in Boston.
When six years old, he lived with
his parents in Topsham. Me-. and,
when seven. years old, fled with them
to Fort Brunswick. to avoid being
made a prisoner or murdered by the
Indians. He was by profession a
gunsmith, very necessary employ
ment in those days. He first became
acquainted with the Indian language
by trading with them first at St.
Georgetown, Me-, then at Fort Rich
mond at the head of Swans Island
in the Kennebec River, and last at
Fort Halifax. He married Sarah
Noble of Georgetown and they reared
a family of ten children. all probably
born at Forts Richmond and Halifax.
Tradition says that Capt. 1ithgow
was a very gallant gentleman and
that while he was in command OF the
Fort, he had his men sweep the ice
and slide the ladies in the winter
time. On the organization of Lincoln
county in 1850 Captain Lithgow was
appointed judge of the Court of Com
mon Pleas and was continued In
the same office under the Revolu-
tionary government. When he was
first appointed he was in trade at
Fort Halifax, which he continued
several years after, as the salary of
a Judge at that time was small.
Later he moved to Georgetown. and
built an imposing structure for
home, which could be seen from the
river for long distance below.
Around it he placed many fruit and
ornamental trees and shrubs and as
late as 1876 lilac trees of large size
were still standing there. He was
buried in the family burying ground
on the Lithgow estate in Georgetown
and his crave is marked with a stone
bearing this simple inscription, "In
memory of Col. VIM. Lithgow. Esq.
who died Dec. 20. 1898. Aged 49,"
His wife died in 1907 aged 81.
The most distinguished of William
Lithgow's children was Gen. VIM.
Lithgow. Jr, who entered the Revo-
lutionary army as a Major. was
wounded at the battle of Ticonde-
roga. was present at the surrender of
Burgoyne. and Lithgow's likeness Is
seen in Trumbulls painting "The
Surrender Of Burgoyne" in the rotun-
da of the Capitol building in Wash
ington. In 1889 he was appointed by
Pres. Washington L. s. District At
torney for the District of Maine.
Arthur Lithgow. his youngest son,
G,.e& tn 4rodn Of Win lnyU
In 1892 he built an old fashioned new
England house in Winslow village, in
which house at the present time I
have the good fortune to live. That
he was a man of generous spirit is
indicated by an entry in the Town
Records Of Winslow under date of
Jan. 81, 1894, "at town meeting held
this day, 1t was voted to erect a
house on the east side OF the
Kennebec on a piece of land offered
to be given by Arthur Lithgow. ESQ,
between his house and Nathaniel B.
Dingley." In that meeting house
further exercises commemorative the
placing of this tablet will be held
this afternoon. He was appointed
sheriff of Kennebec county In 1893
which Office he held for ten years,
when he moved to Boston and held an
office in the Custom House.
The citizens of WiHslow should feel
indeed grateful to the Fort Halifax
Chapter of the Daughters of the
American Revolution. for they have
been successful in their efforts to
have the title to this historic property
from the Maine Central
Railroad to the chapter. and have |
caused an appropriate tablet to be
affixed to the building.
This old block-house, the, last OF |
It's kind in New England. and so far |