Indian History-HISTORY OF GARDINER, PITTSTON and WEST GARDINER 1602-1852 by J.W. Hanson - pub. by William Palmer 1852 Chapter 1 When the messengers of European civilization first furled their white sails on the forest-fringed shores of America, numerous tribes of dusky Indians roamed our forest, and pursued therein the precarious habits of savage life. Wherever fish and game were plentiest, they were most numerous, enjoying a peaceful existence with the exception of occasional short, and bloody feuds. They had their own countries, the boundaries of which were well understood by the different tribes, and were never overstepped unless for the purpose of insult by some tribe bent on war. The Abenakies, Abenaques or Abnakis and the Etechemins, owned and occupied the present limits of Maine. The Etechemius dwelt from the Penobscot, eastward, and the Abnakis from New Hampshire to the Penobscot. Sometimes the name was called Wapanachki, or Wabannaki; but however the word was pronouced, the name signified Eastlanders, or Eastern men, (Heckewelder's Hist. Acc. p. 107. Also, Gookin and Prince. 1 Kendall's Travels, p. 61) from Wabamo, East, and aski, land. This great nation was divided into four smaller tribes: -- the Sokokis or Schigones, on the Saco; the Anasagunticooks, on the Audroscoggin; the Wawenocs, east of Merry-meeting Bay, and the Canabas, or Kennebecs, from Merry-meeting Bay to Moosehead Lake on both sides of the river. The Kennebecs were subdivided into the Norridgewogs, who dwelt at Norridgewock; the Taconnets, at Waterville; the Cushnocs, at Augusta, etc. These small tribes were all Kennebecs, and the Kennebecs, Sokokis, etc. were all Abnakis. They spake the same tongue with slightly differing dialects, and were essentially, in all great enterprises, one people. Thus an Indian living at Augusta was of the Cushnoc clan, the Kenenbec tribe, and the Abukia nation. The Kennebecs were very numerous when the whites first made their acquaintance. (Hubbard's New Eng. p.31) The different clans all paid homage, or political deference to the great chief, or bashaba, who usually resided on Swan Island, (Williamson's Hist. Me. Vol. II. p. 4.) which seems to have been the head-quarters of the Abnakis. Sabastian Rale, the French Jesuit Missionary, who resided among the Eastern Indians many years, thus describes their manners and appearance: (Lettres Edifiantes.) Their cabins are made by planting a centre pole, and covering with bark; the fire is built in the middle, on the ground, and for beds and chairs, they spread mats on the earth, made of reeds. The men dress in the skins of animals, or in loose robes of red or blue cloth; and the women wear mantles reaching to the middle of the leg, very gracefully arranged, with light coverings thrown over the head, and falling to the feet, and stockings from the knee to the ancle. Their moccasins are of deerskin. In the winter they wear snowshoes, without which they cannot subsist. With them they are able to overtake the swiftest animals. They are tall, powerful, and active, with teeth whiter than ivory. Their only ornaments are beads, made of shell, white and black, so arranged in belts, and the like, as to represent different figures with great beauty. Their children are regarded with the greatest affection, and the utmost respect is manifested toward the aged. Their skill with the bow is great; even children can shoot with astonishing accuracy. They eat with great irregularity; feasting on the best one day, and famishing the next. Tobacco is used by all, and esteemed the greatest luxury. They are less barbarous than any other tribe. When they fight, they divide their bands into small companies of five men, each with knife in one hand, and tomahawk in the other; and they are thus very formidable. When they enter the possessions of an enemy, they scour the country in small bands, and inspire the greatest dred, by attacking all quarters at once. Rale informs us that the Kennebecs understood making candles, and that with twenty-four pounds of bayberry wax, and twenty-four pounds of tallow, they would make one hundred candles, each one foot long. These Indians owned the soil in common. (Statement of Kennebec Claims, p. 21.) They held as "tenants in a state of nature." Any Abnaki had a right to use any land belonging to the Abnaki nation. They could not comprehend how one person could own the soil. Each native possessed an undivided portion of the territory of his tribe. Thus all sales made by the sachems were made with this understanding, never denied by an Indian, -- that they sold only what they themselves possessed, -- the right to hunt and fish and occupy with others. When a purchaser died, his right reverted to the tribe. This explains subsequent troubles. The whites purchased, and supposed that they possessed a fee simple title, which the red man could not understand, and he was forced to yield to what he felt was injustince. In the year 1660 there was an Indian Sagamore named Kennebis, (Williamson's Hist. Me.) and it has been conjectured that he was one of a long line, for whom the river Kennebec was named. (Drake's Book Indians, Book III. Ch. VII.) In my History of Norridgewock (Hanson's His. Norridgewock, &c., p. 15.) may be found the following supposed origin of the name: -- "It is highly probable that a Sachem named Kennebis, from some other tribe, left his own people out of dissatisfaction, and followed by his family and a few others, settled in the wilds of Maine. From him and his followers proceeded the Kennebec tribe, and the Kennebis of Indian history was doubtless a descendant of the first Kennebis. History is silent, however, and conjecture is our only authority.". The Abnakis, or to give the work a free translation, the Down-easters, occupied the best portion of Maine, and the Kennebecs possessed the best part of the country of the Abnakis. They were bold and brave, strongly attached to native soil, and peaceable when unmolested. The wigwams of their happy villages were to be seen wherever salmon and shad abounded, and wild game was plenty. All along the slopes and savannahs of the beautiful Kennebec their hunting grounds extended, and the quiet graves of their fathers clustered around the mouth of each tributary to their beloved river. '"Here lived and loved another race of beings." The silent river as it rolled its constant journey to the sea, bore on its bosom some dark-eyed Indian maid in her light shallop, or a company of hunters of warriors as they paddled their white canoes across its blue surface. Where stands the busy mill, then drank the antlered moose. Where spreads the wide green intervale, then wrought the busy beaver. Where not is heard the locomotive's scream, the steamboat wheel, then howled the wolf, then leaped the golden salmon, then fled the caribou. The all-beholding sun as he gazed on our splendid stream, saw only nature and her votaries.' (Hist. of Norridgewock and Canaan.) The mouths of the Cabbassa-contee and the Nahumkeag were two of their favorite resorts, at an early date, though the irruption of the whites soon drove them further up the river. As early as 1614, when Capt. John Smith visited the river, before any white men, Nahumkeag was a noted place. Though his observation was limited, and his means of knowledge slight, yet he points out localities, and repeats names sufficiently definite. He says: (3 Coll. Mass. Hist. Co. p. 21, 22)-- "The principal habitations I saw at Northward, was Penobscot, who are in wars with their next northerly neighbors. Southerly up the rivers, and along the coast, we found Mecadacut, Segocket, Pemaquid, Nusconcus, Sagadahock, Satquin, Aumaugheawgen and Kennebeca. To those belong the countries and people of Segotago, Pauhunlanuck, Pocopassum, Taughtanakagnet, Wibagganus, Nassaque, Masherosqueck, Wawrigwick, Moshoquen, Waccogo, Pasheranack, and c. To these are allied in confederacy the countries of Aucocisco, Accomenticus, Passataquack, Augawoam and Naemkeek, all these, for anything I could preceive, differ little in language or anything,", etc. There can be little doubt that the Nahumkeags were at that time and previously a flourishing clan of the Kennebecs. In the neighborhood of the Cabassacontee and Nahumkeag, they hunted the trout, the salmon, the moose, the caribou, deer, bear, rabbit, loupcervier, martin, fox and beaver. Here were grouped their wigwams and birchen canoes. Here the council fire was lighted, here the warwhoop was heard. "Gazing on the same sun that smiles on us, the Indian hunter pursued the panting deer; looking on the same moon that rolls above us, the Indian lover wooed his dusky mate." There are evidences that the region of Cabbossa was a favorite home of the red men. There bones, arrows, kettles, and other implements and utensils of war and peace, have been exhumed. When Daniel Nutting, Esq. erected his house, in the year 1829, he found in the earth composing a large knoll, numbers of arrrow-heads, etc., some of which are now deposited in the cabinet in Brunswick. (Daniel Nutting, Esq.) The soil of Pittston village, and especially that in the immediate neighborhood of the Methodist church, seems to have been an Indian burial place. Paint, arrows, kettles, bones and other relics have been found in abundance. (George Williamson, Esq.) Mrs. George Williamson has a brass kettle, thus found, from which the iron bale had entirely rusted away. A large kettle was discovered containing the bones of an aboriginal infant. (Mr. Joshua Nickerson.) Generally, Indian names and their origin are but poorly preserved. In this locality we are more fortunate. A tradition is preserved, which says: -- When the first red men came from the distant and beautiful North-west, to which the Indian always directed his gaze, and where he fancied were the Happy Hunting grounds, a small clan settled along the Cabbassa- contee, from its source to its mouth. Scarcely had they pitched their wigwams, when, one day, one of their number, a noted brave, went down to the shore, and, diversting himself of his clothing, exclaimed 'I am a Sturgeon,' or Cabbassa, and plunged into the Kennebec, near the mouth of the stream. Immediately a large sturgeon was seen frolicking among the waves, but, though the sanups and sachems of the tribe looked long and anxiously for the warrior's return, and though his squaw and pappooses mourned his absence, he was never seen again. Ever after, when one of the tribe was asked to he was, he would reply, 'I am a Sturgeon,' or Cabbassa, or, in other words, a red man from Cabbassaguntiag. Gradually, the hieroglyph of a sturgeon was adopted as their symbol, and was attached to their treaties, or deeds. Kendall, who traveled through the region of the Kennebec in 1807-8, says: -- "A very trifling number of the Indians, of this river, are still in existenance, and belong to the village of St. Francais, where they bear the name of Cabbassaguntiac, that is, people of Cabbassaguntiquoke. Cabbassa signifies a Sturgeon. The pronounciation Cabbassa, more elegant, as I think, than Cobbisse, is constant among the Indians whom I saw; and I may take this opportunity of remarking, that the form of the Indian words is commonly more elegant in their own mouths, than as they are rendered by the English colonist. I exclude, on this occasion, all that is deeply guttural in their speach." Dr. Morse declares the original name of the stream was Copsecook, which Kendall reasonably observes, is a contraction of Cobbessecontiquoke. Charlevoix, in his time, delineates a river, with a fort on the north side of its mouth, which he calls fort Cook. This, says Kendall, "must be intended for fort Copsecook." (Travels, Vol. III. p. 124, 125) Doubtless Cabbassa means sturgeon and thus the land around the stream should be called Cabbassaguntiag, or the place to catch sturgeon, and the tribe was the Cabbassaguntiquokes, or Indians from the sturgeon region. I think Kendall must have transposed the words, for ag as a terminal, always signifies a place. (The Compiler of these pages has taken great pains to collect the various aboriginal names of places in Maine, and obtain their significations. to this end he has consulted the Governor at Oldtown, through the Rev. O.H. Johnson, but while he has two or three hundred names, he has only been able to find a very few definitions. Nanrausoak, (Norridgewock,) - smooth water between falls Penobsquisumquisebou, (Sandy River,) - Rocky and sandy river. Wallagash or Allagash, - Bark of a camp. Megallaway, - Birch bark region. Oosoola, (South Norridgewock,) - A spot frequently inundated. Taconnet, (Watterville,) - A place to cross. Kennebec, - The country owned by Kennebis. Mooseelucmaguntic, - The great place for moose. Sunkarunkatunk, (Sagadahock,) - Mouths of rivers. Nahumkeag, - Good fishing-place. Seboois, - A small stream. Caratunk, - A narrow strip of land, between two rivers. Presumpscot, - Rough place in a river. Sebasticook, - A river parallel with another. Kenduskeag, - Place for taking salmon. Sebago, - Great waters. Umbagog, - Great waters near other. Cobscook, - A small, muddy stream. Maquoit, - Meeting of waters. Narramissic, - Hard to find. Allamoosic, - Good for nothing. Loshtoc, (St. John's river,) - Wide and shallow. Necotoc, - Two streams forming an acute angle. Sunkhaze, - Dead water at the river's mouth. Passadumkeag, - Falling water before the falls. Metawamkeag, - A gravelly stream. Schoodie, - Where fish live all the year. Penobscot, - River of rocks. Natuah, - An intervale. Megunticook, - Great swells of sea. Skowhegan, - A place to watch for fish. Arantsoak, - Great camping ground. Cabbasaconteag, - Where the sturgeon is found. Wesserweskeag, or Westkeag, - Land of sights. Catawamteak, - Great landing-place. Among the aboriginal names of Maine, are some, equaling the Latin in their majesty of sound, and others not surpassed in liquid melody of sound by the best of the southern Indian dialects. Could they be collectged and defined, they would make a fine catalogue. What Latin proper name surpasses Madockawando, or were in the Italian is a more liquid name than Oosools, or Allagash? (Williamson, Vol. I. p. 498). They treated the first white men with the greatest kindness and hospitality. When the pale faced strangers came, and sought to buy their lands, they cheerfully sold them with an Indian title; giving them permission to occupy with the same privileges as themselves. For more than fifty years (Travels, vol. III. p. 124, 125) the whites had constant intercourse with the Indians without the least difficulty. It was not till they began to understand that the whites claimed a fee-simple title of their lands, and designed to drive them away from their hunting grounds, and not until other wrongs were heaped upon them, that they began to resist their advances, and commit deeds of violence. The acts of wrong committed by the whites were commenced very early. In 1614, Capt. John Smith's companion, Thomas Hunt, stole several savages and made slaves of them; among others, Squando. When the Pilgrims came over, they too treated them barbarously, and soon their hatred was roused. History settles the fact, that they were well disposed until they were wronged. When they found that a string of beads or a peck of corn was all that they had received for a valuable track of country, in a word, when they fairly understood what was meant by a white man's title, they refused to acknowledge it. Very early indeed, the whites found, and sought to hunt, and fish and trade on the Kennebec. The land from Merry-meeting Bay down to Winslow's Rock, in the Long Reach, was bought by James Smith, of Ramegin, or Robinhood, May 8, 1648. He paid a nnually one peck of corn, on the first day of November. But the deed gives only an Indian title. It expressly says: -- "with the privileges [reserved to me] as hunting, fowling, fishing, and other games."(Sullivan's His. Me.) In 1648, he sold Jeremysquam, and in 1654, Woolwich, (Ibid.) to Edward Bateman and John Brown. In 1648 (August 8,) the land on both sides of the river, from Cushnoc, (Augusta,) to Wesserunsicke, (Skowhegan,) was sold to William Bradford, by Monquine, Agodoademago, and Tussucke. (Williamson's His. Me. vol. I. p. 467) Kennebis and Abbagadusset sold all of the land, as head sachems of the Kennebecs, on both sides of the river, several times over; (Sullivan's Hist. Me.) proving, if there were no evidence besides, that they only expected buyers to occupy as tenants in common. In 1649, (Ibid.) Kennebis sold land to Christopher Lawson at Taconnet. From the very commencement of the seventeenth century, the French had made efforts, which were at last successful, to win over the Eastern Indians to their interest. In this they were much assisted by the Jesuit priests, among whom stand conspicuous Biart, Quentin and Gilbert du Thet, Gabriel Dreuillettes, Vincent and Jaques Bigot, and Sebastian Rale. These men forsook the attractions of civilized life, and with a zeal seldom witnessed on earth, devoted themselves to what they thought the spiritual interests of the red men of America; and filled their hearts at length with an inveterate hatred of Englishmen, which they endeavored to wrek on every possible occasion. At the commencement of their labors, in 1615, the Abnakis numbered about 17,000, of whom about 5,000 were Kennebecs, or Canibas. From the Catholic chapel at Norridgewock, and from the council lodges of the different clans on the Kennebec, where the wily priest was always seen in times of trouble, went out those influences which at last converted the Abnakis to Catholicism, and made them such bitter foes to the English and all Protestants, that nearly up to the period of the Revolution, they were the most terrible enemies to all the settlements of Maine. They were constantly excited by religious motives to miniature crusades, and the lonely cabin of the settler was ravaged, and the awful terrors of barbaric warfare were constantly seen. Nothing is more certain than that the efforts made by the French to conciliate the natives, efforts which were not made until too late, by the English, caused the Indians to pursue the course which resulted so injuriously to the New England Settlements. The English, at first, having fire-arms, drove the Indians away easily, and it was not until the French furnished them, that they began to resist successfully. In the year 1675, Ramegin or Robinhood, was the chief of the Kennebecs, and he was firmly allied with Tarumkin of the Anasagunticooks, and the Squando of the Sokokis. Squando's squaw was passing along the Saco, and some rude sailors, having heard that Indian children could swim naturally, threw her child in, and caused its death. This roused Squando, and his friend Robinhood, and they plunged headlong into the first, or King Philip's war. The Kennebecs all engaged against the English in the six Indian wars which prevailed: -- 1. King Philip's, from June 24, 1675, to April 12, 1678. -- 2. King William's, from August 13, 1688, to Jan. 7, 1699. 3. Queen Anne's, from August, 1703, to July 11, 1713. -- 4. Lovewell's, from June 13, 1722, to Dec. 15, 1725. -- 5. Spanish, from July 19, 1745, to Oct. 16, 1749. -- 6. French and Indian, from April, 1755, to February 22, 1760.(Williamson, Neal, Mass. Rec., Belknap, Mather's Magnalia, Penhallow.) On the breaking out of the first war, the settlers who were living near Bath, were alarmed, and a party went up the Kennebec to ascertain the disposition of the Canibas. They met a band of Indians among whom were seven Kennebecs, who surrendered their arms. One, name Sowen, a Canibas, endeavored to kill Hosea Mallet. He was instantly secured, and was released on confessing that he deserved death, and offering to pay forty beaver skins. Robinhood, on hearing of the occurrence, celebrated it with a great feast and dance, and expressed the utmost friendship for the English.(Williamson, vol. I. p. 519) Nov. 29, 1690, Egeremet, alias Moxus, Toqualunt, and Watombanet, sachems on the Kennebec, signed a treaty at Sagadahock. Two years after it was renewed, and signed by Wassambomet, Ketteramogis, Bomazeen and Wenobson, of Kennebec. It was not kept, but the Kennebecs went against Dover, Wells, York, and many other places, especially the smaller ones in Maine. The miseries of the scattered settlers were terrible, for the Kennebecs, once aroused against them, became their worst foes, though they always buried the tomahawk, or crusted it with blood, as the French desired. Efforts were made to conciliate them, by the English, in 1705, by rebuilding a chapel which Col. Hilton had destroyed, at Norridgewock, but they were unsuccessful, for, according to Rale, (Early Jesuits, p. 55.) in 1710 they ravaged twenty leagues of territory, and killed two hundred, and took five hundred prisoners, and returned with ten canoes loaded with valuable plunder. These outrages were attributed to Rale, and a reward of a thousand pounds was offered for his head. From this time the Indians began to relax their efforts against the English, though June 13, 1722, a war party of thirty Kennebecs took nine families who lived near Merry-meeting Bay, but dismissed all but five. A skirmish took place in 1723, not far from the mouth of Cabassa-contee. Two Mohawk Indians entered into the service of the Eastern settlers, and they were sent to fort Richmond. Captain Heath, the commander, commissioned Ensign Colby and three whites to go on a scout up the river, with the Mohawks. After going a few miles, they said they smelt fire, and would go no further without more men. A messenger was despatched who returned to the fort, and brought thirteen soldiers, and after traveling a short distance, they met about thirty Abnakis. They killed two, and the rest retreated in so great a hurry as to leave their packs. Colby was killed, and two soldiers wounded. At this time, the Indians were so bold and hostile, that no house or person was safe any where in Maine. August 23, 1724, a party forever broke up the power of the Kennebecs, by destroying Norridgewock, and killing Rale, and most of the leading chiefs and braves of the tribe. A monument was erected, August 23, 1833, to commemorate the event. In 1725, a trading house was established at fort Richmond. Sabatis, an Anasagunticook sachem, requested government, in 1727, to keep supplies at Brunswick, saying, "in cold winters and deep snows, my men unable to go to fort Richmond, sometimes suffer.". In 1732, the Govenor visited the Kennebec, and after praising its beauty and capacity said, "fort Richmond if rendered defensible, is so situated as to command the waters of the Kennebeck river," and he urged the great necessity of their fortifications being enlarged and repaired. Several petty attacks were made by small roving bands of Kennebecs, in 1745. Dec. 2, 1749, an unfortunate affray occurred at Wiscasset, in which a Canibas Indian was killed. Obadiah Albee and Richard and Benjamin Holbrook were arrested for the homicide, though they afterwards succeeded in escaping. This transaction enraged the Indians of St. Francois and Becancourt, and about 100 braves proceeded to Richmond fort, then having but 14 men. Sept. 11, they made a violent assualt, and had they known its weakness they would have taken it easily. But while they delayed Capt. Samuel Goodwin and a small party succeeded in entering the fort in the night, and caused the assailants to abandon the assault. They committed ravages on the river at Dresden, Wiscasset and other places. In 1751, most of them amalgamated with the St. Francois tribe. These sent a war party, in 1754, against fort Richmond, but after a few menancing words they retreated. The few who were now left of the original Kennebecs were scattered among the other tribes, and were only dangerous by acting as guides to the northern and eastern Indians. In 1764 there were but thirty warriors left of the once great tribe of the Kennebecs.(Williamson, vol. I. p. 482) On the breaking out of the Revolution, the few remaining warriors of the Kennebecs gathered at Gardinerston, where they were persuaded by Paul Higgins, a white man who had lived among them from childhood, to join the Americans. Headed and guided by Reuben Colburn, they went, to the number of twenty or thirty, in their canoes to Merry-meeting Bay, whence they proceeded to Cambridge on foot, and arrived August 13, 1775 (Drake, B, III. p. 156) They were not much encouraged by Washington, and returned. Swashan, (Ibid) a chief formerly distinguished around the western part of the State, but who lived in 1775 at St. Francois, came to Cabbassa with the Canibas, designing to aid the Americans. He told Washington that half of his tribe, and nearly all of the Canadians, were ready to fight against the English, who seem to have made efforts to obtain their favor and that of the Canadians, in vain. In 1795 there were but seven families, and there is not one of all that noble race now on the earth. Of the Kennebec chiefs, Robinhood lived at Woolwich; Kennebis at Swan Island; Abbigadassett at the same place; Assiminasqua at Waterville; Hopehood or Wohawa, at Woolwich; Bomazeen at Waterville; Arruhawikwabemt at Norridgewock; Warraeensit and Wadacanaquin at the same place. Natahnis and Sabatis were two brothers who were much respected and beloved all along the river. They were with Arnold as guides, on his expedition to Canada. They resided in a very lonely place, (Drake, II, III. p. 156.) and were thought to be spies, and, on the 4th of October, Arnold surrounded the cabin of Natahnis and endeavored to take him. The place had been deserted a week. Near the wigwam was found a very accurate map of the route to Canada, which Natahnis has drawn on birch bark, and placed on the top of a stake. It was of great use to the army. In Canada the red brothers joined the Americans, and were in the siege of Quebec, Dec. 31, 1775, where Natahnis was wounded in the wrist, and taken prisoner. Drake relates, on what seems good authority, that they were the only Indians employed in the Revolution by the Americans. On the first settlement of Gardinerston, there were Indians frequently seen, and the early traders made most profitable bargains with them. They were able to purchase very valuable furs with a little rum or a small piece of bright cloth. They were Catholic, were faithful in the bargains, and harmless and inoffensive in their intercourse, except when maddened to frenzy by the fire-water of the palefaces. The scene displayed around the Cabbassacontee, at the gathering previous to the journey to Cambridge, is well recollected, (Abiather Tibbets.) as are the frequent journeys the red men were accustomed to make to the sea, in the early times; but, with the exception of the incidents related of Ezra Davis and Alexander Brown, hereafter, it is not known that any important events ever occurred between the whites and Indians, in the neighborhood of the towns treated of in these pages. They rapidly passed away. The advancing tides of civilization swept them off, and now their favorite haunts are filled with the institutions of a better mode of life. The dark, solemn forest have fallen. The wigwam has been succeeded by the farm-house and the populous village and city. The white sails of commerce, the railway train, the busy avocations of civilized life, now occupy the soil where the noble form of the dusky Indian dwelt. (c) 1998 Courtesy of Gardiner Me. 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