Radio Script #1301

Little Talks on Common Things
February 14, 1982

A part of Maine that saw settlers early in the 17th century is the Sheepscot River Valley. The main branch of the Sheepscot runs from Whitefield through Head Tide to Wiscasset. Below Wiscasset the river divided into two branches, with the eastern branch entering the bay at Boothbay Harbor. Above Wiscasset another branch passes through Newcastle. Between branches of the river is a peninsula, which contained the early settlements known as Ancient Sheepscot.

Original settlement of that peninsula is hidden in obscurity. Like Permaquid, it seems to have begun in the decision of English fishermen to remain near the Maine coast rather than to return to England after the summer catch. But just what were the names of those first remaining fishermen at Sheepscot is, unknown. It is probable that those who braved a first Maine winter actually did not stay longer. Like the founders of the Popham Colony in 1607,the harsh winter and the relatively barren summer soil were too much for them. However, there is evidence that Sheepscot began to see settlers soon after Englishmen made permanent homes on Monhegan Island and on the Permaquid peninsula in the early 17th century. One historian tells us that by 1630 those three places together had 54 settled families.

How can we be sure that cabins were built along the Sheepscot before 1650? One means of such determination is an interesting method used by archaeologists. When a cabin was torn down or burned, and their burning was frequent in the Indian raids after 1675, a tree sometimes took root in the abandoned cellar hole. By counting the rings of the tree stump, provided it was known when the tree was cut, the tree’s age can be determined. Since it took root after the cabin was abandoned, we know the cabin was built before that date. For example, such a cellar-hole tree in the present town of Alna was known to have been cut in 1817. The stump had 165 rings showing that the tree started in 1652.

How much earlier the cabin had been built is unknown, but possibly as early as 1640. The Sheepscot peninsula was in the midst of early settled lands whose basic ownership was long disputed. The Province of Massachusetts Bay claimed it. The heirs of Ferdinando Gorges also laid claim under the charter granted by King Charles I in 1639. Then in 1664 King Charles II, having conquered the Dutch on the Hudson, granted to his brother the Duke of York not only the land along that river and on Long Island, but also lands in Maine. That was because the Duke, not content with the Dutch lands cast envious eyes on territory east of the Kennebec River in Maine.

The Duke’s agent began to convey acreage along the Sheepscot. but the authorities in Boston declared: “Civil power over those lands is conferred upon Massachusetts Bay by virtue of royal charters.” Meanwhile the Duke decided that his best interests lay in recognizing the 1639 charter to Ferdinando Gorges; so he conveyed his Maine rights to the heirs of Gorges. Lots were secured by a few early settlers. among whom was John Murray. who soon persuaded others to join him. Those deeds are as early as 1650. but how soon after he received a deed Murray or his associates built and occupied a cabin. we do not know.

Later owners of Sheepscot lands during the 19th century frequently found 17th century artifacts when they plowed or dug into the soil. Pewter dishes. many of them partially melted by fire, charred corn and peas. and other utensils are hard to date with accuracy, but with those relics have been found coins with definite 17th century dates. Those relics, as well as the cellar hole tree stumps previously referred to show that there were cabins along the Sheepscot before 1650.

In 1652 Murray bought, to add to his holdings. other land along the Sheepscot from Robin Hood and two other Indian Chiefs. The deed is worded: “We. Robin Hood. Dick Swabash. and Jack Pudding do jointly grant to John Murray a neck of land on the Sheepscot River, along that river to a cove and then to a parcel of pines and right over the said neck to the head of another cove on the necks eastern side and over a marsh lying on the other side of the river, bounded by burnt lands; thence to a freshet called by the English the Oven’s Mouth, and all the land adjacent to it.”

As vague as was that deed, it gave Murray a claim that he held to all his life. The deed was in fact recorded in the Massachusetts Bay court in these words: “Nathaniel Draper of Sheepscot does acknowledge this deed to be the act of Indians who appeared before him on March 15, 1652.”

Some thirty,to forty years ago, the Maine naturalist and writer, Henry Beston, points to another evidence of early settlement on the Sheepscot. He said the region was replete with 17th century herbs that had continued to grow wild after their original planting by colonists. Many were herbs not native to American soil, and some were definitely dated 17th century because subsequently they had ceased to be popular with newcomers to America.

Like all the rest of Maine, the Sheepscot settlements were devastated in King Philip’ s War of 1675. Cabins were burned and inhabitants were slain or taken into captivity, crops were destroyed and cattle were killed. By the autumn of 1676 the last remaining settlers had fled.

That Indian war began a long continued practice of taking captives to Canada. The reason why Indians did that, rather than always kill the whites, was because the French government in Quebec paid more for a live captive than for his scalp. After that war was over, a new grant on both sides of the Sheepscot set up a township of New Dartmouth. When, in 1678, the Massachusetts Bay government purchased all the Maine rights from the heirs of Gorges, that grant was confirmed and the township approved.

In 1682 the proprietors of the grant met in Boston and formed a company called the Associates for Settlement of New Dartmouth on the Sheepscot. Their articles of association had some interesting provisions. They confirmed previous ownership of land by settlers who had been driven out by the war, provided they agreed to return.

Rights were given to new settlers who would take up residence before September 1, 1683. Settlers must agree also to the usual provision for public lots; one for the first settled minister, another for support of the ministry, and a third for a school house. As soon as there were sixty families, the township must have a settled minister paid by taxation, but of any denomination that the people chose. Each settler was required to fence his lot. No lumber could be carried out of town except by permission voted in town meeting.

Provision was made against further Indian attacks. A garrison house was built, and every householder and every person over the age of 16 in his house was required to keep on hand a firelock musket in good working order, three pounds of powder and twelve pounds of lead.

Such protection proved insufficient. In 1685, only ten years after the beginning of King Philip’s War, the Indians struck again. All the Sheepscot settlements were again wiped out. But by 1697, a sufficient number had returned, and had been augmented by newcomers, to warrant the holding of township meetings again. Bitter disputes about land ownership, due to conflicting grants and deeds, were submitted to an arbitration commission headed by Samuel Sewall, head of the family that would later be leading citizens of Bath. But before the commission could act, Indian troubles were resumed. In Europe a new conflict between France and England spread to the colonies and was called Queen Anne’s War. Before it ended in 1698, the District of Maine lost more than half its inhabitants.

Prospects for further settlement on the Sheepscot grew dim. In fact, a thousand miles of seacoast along Casco, Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Bays, where once were settlers’ cabins lay uninhabited and desolate.
The fields, cleared by arduous labor, returned to the forest. Even many title deeds were lost.

However, by 1720 settlement along the Sheepscot has been sufficiently renewed: to warrant the calling of a minister, and Rev. Christopher Tappam agreed to take the job. We think of early ministers as financially poor, and scarcely able to keep the wolf from the door; in fact, becoming destitute if they did not receive foodstuffs from helpful parishioners. That is not an accurate picture,because many colonial clergymen, including a number in Maine, became men of wealth as well as influence, especially in the acquisition of land.

Such was the case of Christopher Tappam on the Sheepscot. He was such an active promoter of settlement on lands which he bought that by 1750 he had 45 settlers on the 100 acre lots he had laid out to form a village near the church. He built a strong garrison that was soon needed, for a large ,part of the next decade saw combined French and Indian raids in the so-called French and Indian War that ended, with the defeat of the French army on the Plains of Abraham near Quebec, and saw the subsequent conveyance of French territory in America to Britain.

By 1764 Sheepscot and Newcastle had become organized towns. In the Revolution both towns set up committees of safety that kept in constant touch with the continental army. In 1779 Sheepscot appropriated 50 pounds for support of its soldier families. Sheepscot was originally incorporated as the town of New Milford, but in 1811 its land on the west side of the Sheepscot became the town of Alna and has remained so ever since.

That town produced a world renowned son when the poet Edwin Arlington Robinson was born at Head Tide. His birthplace, presented to Colby College by Robinson’s heirs, is carefully preserved by the college, and every summer welcomes visitors from allover the world.

In the Robinson Treasure Room in the Colby College Library is the best and most extensive Robinson collection anywhere to be found. Although Robinson was longer associated with the City of Gardiner, where he spend his youth and had his early schooling, it is the little town of Alna on the Sheepscot River that saw his birth.

And with that, we must say goodbye until next week.

Year: 1982