The Northern, June, 1924

The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Great Northern Paper Company Records Manuscripts 6-1924 The Northern, June, 1924 Great Northern Paper Company Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/great_northern Part of the Genealogy Commons This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Northern Paper Company Records by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Lumber Industry on Penobscot Waters (Continued from last month) he early claim is made that one of the earliest following year trouble arose over the story of saw mills on Penobscot Bay was built administration of the affairs of the lands to there; but during the French and association. It appears that Marsh the cast of Pe Indian wars there were people living was inclined to be grasping, or the nobscot Bay there. They were driven off by the settlers thought so, and it was claimed and River is Indians after several people had been that a meeting had been called with- different in killed. In the year 1786, the General cut authority and the business tran many ways to Court of Massachusetts granted to sacted was illegal. The settlers carried that of the John Calderwood and others settled on their cause to the General Court and western shore. Fox Islands the lands embraced in the won out against Marsh. In 1764 the The land to several islands, 15,527 acres, on the attention of the General Court was the east was claimed by France until usual conditions. There were seventy- called to the fact that the settlers had the Treaty of Paris in 1763 cleared it two heads of families there at that not yet secured His Majesty’s consent from the French claim. In the third time. It is certain that several saw to the grant, although they had had year of the reign of King William and mills were in operation there at the an agent in London for that purpose Queen Mary they gave to the Massa above mentioned date. A considerable for some time at great expense to chusetts Bay Colony all the land be portion of the present town of Vinal themselves. They represented that tween the Kennebeck and Nova Scotia, Haven was heavily timbered and lum they had spent upwards of two thou but the Waldo Patent was already bering was carried on there for many sand pounds in clearing roads, build granted; so it was the east side of the years. Swan’s Island was also the ing houses and mills, and clearing river that was really affected by this scene of a small lumber operation ror fields. They were growing alarmed grant. some time. over the delay in securing the titles The Fox Islands were among the David Marsh, one of the soldiers at which they desired. In 1768 another earliest land marks of Penobscot Bay. Fort Point, was an enterprising young reminder was sent to the General They were so called because some man. He conceived the idea of estab Court that confirmation was still with- sailors had seen silver gray foxes lishing a colony on the east side of the held by the King. Probably the there. Several families settled there Penobscot River. He recruited a com gathering clouds of the war was the about the time of the planting of pany in Massachusetts of fifty men reason for the King withholding his George’s Plantation at Thomaston. and together they petitioned the Gen approval of the grant. The war came Without very good authority, the eral Court for a grant of land. At on and nothing had been done to re- the session of the Court of 1761 this petition was granted, and the land be tween the Penobscot and the Mount Desert Rivers was granted to Marsh and three hundred and fifty others. It was provided that the grant be divided into six townships. Later, ing the same session of the Court, it was ordered that the grant be divided in half by survey, Marsh and his associates to have one half and the other three hundred to have the re maining half. The selection was to be made by drawing lots. All this, of course, was to be subject to the approval of the King. It was a long time before the King’s approval was secured and it cost the settlers a lot of money and much anxiety before they were secured in their title. There was reserved to His Majesty one-fifth ? part of all the gold, silver, ore and precious stones which shall happen to be found or gotten from the said tract of land. It was also required that they settle sixty families in each township within a year. All islands within ten leagues of the mainland went with the township adjoining. The Page Two Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.—Pope. be encouraged. A part of the territory considered by the committee was this land to the east of the Penobscot granted to Marsh and his associates. Probably it was this report that led the Court to confirm Marsh’s grant in 1784. Lumbering was the chief industry of the settlers on Marsh’s lands. Mills were erected throughout the town ships. Every stream large enough to carry a mill was harnessed to the task of driving the saw. The story already 3 told of the development of the indus try on the west side of the Bay would be repeated in reciting the history of the east side. Penobscot was a lead ing town for some years, but was superceeded by Castine. Castine in time yielded first place to Belfast, across the Bay. Bucksport was settled by Col. Jonathan Buck in 1763. Col. Buck came from Haverhill, Mass. and was for a time an officer at Fort Pownal. He was associated with Marsh in se curing the grant of land and appears to have taken land in vicinity of Bucksport for his share. He had had a long and honorable career in the army, having been commissioned an officer in 1745. With Col. Buck was a man by the name of Joseph Gross, who was really the first man to settle in Bucksport. Mr. Buck himself came in 1764 and took charge of the build ing of a saw mill in that year, near the place where Spofford’s mill later was built. Mr. Buck was an unusual man. No portrait of him is in ex distance, so his descendants say; but a discription of him has come down to us. He was five feet and ten inches tall, not heavily built, erect and ener- getic. He was of fair complection, deep voice, and prominent Roman nose. He was possessed of a strong ’will, was courageous and morally up- right. He made a profound impression upon his settlement and left a long line of descendants who have taken important places in the world. Col. ward the settlers for their labor and tered upon and taken possession of Buck lumbered from the first of his patience. In 1784 the General Court various tracts of said lands, and still possession of this land. As has al- granted to the petitioners on its own continue to hold possession thereof, Afready been pointed out his first work right and authority five of the six contrary to law and justice; and . • was the erection of a saw mill. Pur townships of the original grant. It in whereas it is probable that further ging his life he built several mills and cluded all the land between the Pe trespasses may be committed, and operated them in sawing long lumber, nobscot and Union Rivers, except what illegal entries made, unless proper also staves and laths and clapboards. is now Penobscot and Castine, these measures are taken to prevent the He was also a large ship builder; were later added to the grant. The same; Therefore, Resolved, that probably the first on that side of the towns formed from this lot of land Jedediah Preble, Jonathan Greenleaf, Penobscot. His own ships carried the are Bucksport, Orland, Penobscot, David Sewall, John Lewis, and Wil output of his saw mills to the West Sedgwick, Blue Hill, and Surry. The liam Lithgow, Esquires, be, and here Indies and points along the Atlantic north line of the grant was established by are appointed a committee to ex coast. There were other lumber enter at a point on the river fifteen miles amine into all such trespasses.” prises besides that of Col. Buck, but north of Fort Pownal. It is not clear just what this com he was the leading man in the in In 1781 the General Court passed mittee did by way of discharging dustry for many years. a resolution which explains itself. It their duties, but three years later Orland has always been over is as follows: Whereas it has been there was a report made to the Court shadowed by its older and larger represented to the General Court, that by them to the effect that many of neighbor; but it entered the lumber divers trespassers have been com these settlers were on this land by industry from the first; several mitted on the unappropriated lands . some right, either by a grant or title streams made ready water power for belonging to the Commonwealth, and from the Indians. They advised that the saws and from the earliest days that divers persons have illegally en townships be laid out and settlements to recent times, Orland, East Orland The child is father of the man.—Wordsworth.

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