Last Updated 23-Jul-00
Legends of The Great Falls - Part 4
Personal Comments by Canyon Wolf
Portions published in Newsletter of the Androscoggin Historical Society |
That a tragic event occurred at the Great Falls, seems quite apparent from the sheer number of stories. Perhaps it is time to look closer for some truths. All versions of the legend have three things in common; the death of Indian People by going over the falls at night, the use of torches or fire to signal the location of the falls, and the interference of another person by moving the signals. In all but one of the versions, the person moving the markers was non-Native.
The need for signals at the falls has always puzzled me. If the Indians involved were local Abenaki, there would be no need for signals! These people lived as one with their environment and their primary means of travel was by canoe using ancient water routes. They traveled to Merrymeeting Bay at least twice each year and were still "numerous at the Falls" when Harris first settled here abt. 1770. They would have learned from a very early age how to 'read a river' during any season and at any time of day or night! Even Indians 'from away' would be able to read the signs indicating major falls were ahead. So, why the need for signals? Finding an reasonable explanation may help in sorting fact from fiction.
The version of the legend found inAncient North Yarmouthappears to describe what we might refer to today as a game of 'chicken'. The signals would have been set at the point where normal folks landed to carry around the falls. Anyone going past this point by canoe (and surviving!) would prove themselves very brave and excellent at handling a canoe. It is very likely that some wagering was also taking place on who dared go the furthest past the markers. This scenario is very believable from a Native perspective, and possibly a true version of the event. However, it does not seem reasonable that a war party would be playing games.
The first version that comes to us asoral traditionalso gives a good reason for the signals - to mark the West Pitch for navigation reasons. After studying oldpictures of the Great Falls, it does seem reasonable that the West Pitch could be navigated by canoe. But, it might be a little tricky after dark without the use of a navigation aid. So, this scenario provides a reasonable explanation for signals and is possibly a good version of the event.
Story Tenof the legend is similar to the other war party versions, yet different enough to warrant adding it as yet another version of the tragedy. This one gives us no time period, but does appear to be during a war and prior to the settlement of Lewiston. It does give a new reason for the signal torches that sound better than most. However, I question the plausibility of the war party stories.
Generally the war party versions lead us to believe the Abenaki are traveling from their village in Canton to the settlements of the coast in one day. I do believe that strong canoeists could make the trip from Canton to Topsham in one day in spring. The spring flow would speed them along and possibly reduce the number of portages around rips. However, even with the help of spring runoff, doing it in one day would be very exhausting, leaving them spent by the time they reached Topsham. Not smart planning! Two days would be more likely. If I where to plan a raid like this, I would come down to the Great Falls and camp below the falls - perhaps with no fires to give away my location. During the colonial wars, Lewiston would be a safe place to rest, as there were no known settlers or traders north of Lisbon/Durham. After resting here, I would leave at an appropriate time to portage around the falls at Lisbon under the cover of darkness and arrive at Topsham with enough time to make a dawn attack. Dawn is the most common time for planned raids on settlements during the colonial wars period. I just can not figure out why the need to pass the Great Falls during the night.
At what time did the event happen? If the Abenaki were a war party, this event could have taken place anywhere from 1675 to 1761. The version ofthe legendthat gives a specific date of 1688 has too many inconsistencies to consider this date valid. If local settlers were involved, the event would have been much later. Lewiston was settled about 1770. We have accounts of Abenaki families camping at Deer Rips, West Pitch, and Laurel Hill well into the 1870's.
Who and how many died in the event? That they were Androscoggin Abenaki is almost certain. Depending on the time period, they may have had their primary village at Laurel Hill (Auburn) or Canton Point, or very likely a nomadic family band if the time period is after Lewiston settlement. We would expect to find some documented evidence of the event, if a large number of Abenaki died during a war period or after settlement. No evidence has been found to date, making a major disaster very unlikely. Versions that mention war parties traveling with families, should be totally discounted - families would never be involved! I speculate the number of deaths to be perhaps two to five.
Who moved the signals? Joseph Weare is named most often. Joseph was born about 1737 in North Yarmouth, some 12 years after his grandparents (Felt) were involved in an Indian raid at North Yarmouth. No one in his immediate family is mentioned as killed in a raid. In Ancient North Yarmouth we find the following note about the legendary "Joe Weare, Scout and Indian killer ... being nineteen years old at the time of the last Indian outrage in town, some of his alleged exploits are plainly fictitious and all are very improbable." In the legends that mention Joseph Weare (Story 1,Story 2&Story 4, the background given for him is totally wrong or grossly exaggerated - creating doubt about the accuracy of other details in those versions.
As in the other versions, theDeer Rips storyalso contains all three elements of the legend. But, I do have a problem with the signal torches - no explanation for their need. The likelyhood of Abenaki women being harassed by a few of the local men is not hard to believe, nor is it hard to believe that generally good folks turned their heads instead of assisting. We do find this type of treatment documented in other places. I would expect to find some documentation to support this version, if it took place as described. The local settlers would not have been proud of their actions, but it does not seem likely that it would be completely ignored in official records. Perhaps an in depth search of early town records might give us something more to work with. I believe the portion of the story describing the treatment of the Abenaki by the settlers has some truth and that some Abenaki families were brought in to town as paupers, widows, and orphans during this time period. Unless we learn different, I believe that over the generations the Great Falls Tragedy Legends have been woven into other family oral history.
The version ofthe legendthat names John March puzzles me a great deal. I find myself asking many questions about this account. It does seem to have the three basic elements, even though it does not actually state that the Indians were killed. But, why did he do that? The Abenaki were generally peaceful and no threat after the mid 1700's. If the genealogy in the letter is correct, we should be looking at a man living in the late 1700's to mid 1800's. Why should he be worried about an Indian canoe on the river? Had he done something to these people to warrant concern? What is he doing on the river at night? How could he have swam across the current to the shore if he was near the falls? Could this possibly tie into the oral story about the Abenaki men from Deer Rips going after locals that had harassed their women? If there is anyone out there that can provide us with some local genealogy on this family name - please contribute!
As an educated guess, I would narrow the time down to the last two war periods (1744-1748 and 1755-1761) or very early settlement (1770-1810). I would not place Joseph Weare as the 'hero' of the event, but would leave that person nameless. I believe the movement of the signals was intentional if this happened during war time, but possibly unintentional if it happened after settlement. Personally, I favor the early settlement period and generally believe thefirst oral accountor thegame of chickenare reasonable scenarios for the Tragic Event at the Great Falls.
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