Tidbits of History - Kennebec County ME
Last updated 25-Apr-06
Kennebec County & River - General Region
- 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.
[note: 20-30 Warriors ready to fight for the American cause should represent a much larger population - a 5 to 1 ratio might be a very conservative estimate of the actual Native population of the upper Kennebec. In addition, I personally doubt that all the men capable of fighting actually volunteered, as that would leave their families very vunerable. -NL]
- In 1795 there were but seven families [Kennebec Abenaki], and there is not one of all that noble race now on the earth.
[note: Seven KNOWN Indian families on the Kennebec in 1795 probably represents 50 to 100 people - and how many others had already begun to 'hide in plain sight'? The rest of the sentence is false - we know that a Nicola family at Old Town migrated from the Kennebec and others are known at St. Francis and Becancour in the early 1800's according to the statements of Kendall. Are we to believe they all died without issue? -NL]
- 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." (Kendall 1809 3:124)
New England Captives Carried to Canada
Between 1677 and 1760 During the French and Indian Wars
by Emma Lewis Coleman, originally printed 1925
To the Maine frontier they would come from Quebec to the Chaudiere River, four and a half miles distant, making carries to the head waters of the Maine rivers. To the Kennebec they had to cross some ten or twelve miles of mountainous land.
Lewiston Journal, 19-Dec-1928?
Just Talks - On Common Themes
on "The Last of the Indians"
They [the Abenaki] always made two trips each year to the sea-coast. These were made for the purposes of visiting the graves of their fathers; to hunt sea-fowl; to buy and sell furs. Coming from up river [the Androscoggin] they always paddled into Dead River of Leeds, and up to the old camping place. ...
After awaiting their friends here and performing certain religious ceremonies, they divided. Part went over to Wilson Pond, worked along its waters to Cobbosseecontee; thence to the Kennebec. The other followed the Androscoggin. They reunited at Merrymeeting Bay; hunted ducks; fished and dried their fish and fowl. ... The last of these trips of record is in 1796.
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Hallowell ME
- In 1652, Father Gabriel Druillettes writes about the Abenaki village and burying-ground where they meet every spring and fall "in sight of the English who live at Koussinok". [Cushnoc = Hallowell/Augusta]
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Gardiner, Pittston, & West Gardiner
- In 1725, a truck house [for trade with the Indians] was established at Ft. Richmond.
- 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., ... Mrs. George Williamson has a brass kettle, thus found, from which the iron bale had entirely rusted away.
- 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 [this item relates to Rev. War period], is well recollected, (by Abiather Tibbets) as are the frequent journeys the red men were accustomed to make to the sea, in the early times
| Important Facts About This Place For Researchers |
| Date |
Fact |
Notes |
| 1803 |
incorporated |
from Pittston |
| 1760 |
Lincoln County |
|
| 1799 |
Kennebec County |
|
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Wayne ME - aka Pocasset
- The Indians called it Pocasset.
This story found in an old news clipping written by Lillian L. Trott, date unknown.
... But it has been said that at least one noble forest king broke the record of his tribe by deigning to assist the tolling white in planting time. He came around the settlement to beg, after his wont, and found a family rustling in the seed between the showers of an uncommonly wet and backward spring. ... [the man would not pause from his work but the wife explained the urgency of their task] Whereupon the seven-foot sachem cast aside his blanket and took a capable hand at the planting. He didn't forget his measure of hoecake and sorgum at suppertime, tho, and one session was his limit. But next day his squaw came arond in his stead, pappoose pack-a-back, and dropping corn and potatoes with a willing hand. And in midsummer when the days were long and sultry and smoke was in the air the dusky couple brought others of thier people to stand off the fire that threatened the whites. To pack and go meant little sacrifice to the wigwamer, but he readily appreciated the less stalwart brother's predicament, ... So they held the blaze at bay till the blessed rain came, but they recognized the value of their services and demanded continual toll thru the following winter, - foodstuffs, clothing, decorations. [nothing to date this by and no names mentioned - does anyone know more?]
| Important Facts About This Place For Researchers |
| Date |
Fact |
Notes |
| |
New Sandwich Plantation |
organized |
| 1798 |
|
incorporated |
| 1760 |
Lincoln County |
|
| 1799 |
Kennebec County |
|
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Winthrop ME - aka Pond Town
- One summer in term [school] time a tribe of Indians camped in the woods on the other side of the lake, just east of Cuba. Elder Bultler several times preached to them. All the boats to be had plied continually on the lake carrying the scholars and others over to see the Indians. Their visits were often returned by the red men in their birch bark canoes, in order to trade at the store, exchanging their baskets for firewater and decorative trinkets. [History of Wintrop, pg. 215] [Time period not given, but after 1825. -NL]
| Important Facts About This Place For Researchers |
| Date |
Fact |
Notes |
| 1771 |
|
incorporated |
| 1760 |
Lincoln County |
|
| 1799 |
Kennebec County |
|
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