Winslow, Maine

CONTEN T S . n n I n d i a n Hi s tor y Al on g th e Ke e b e c . i r s t I n i a n ”fa r F d . IV S e con d I n d i a n a r . E r r n m n a ly S e ttl e s a d S e ttl e e ts . E r ar ly S e ttl e s . I n c or p or ati on . T ow n Offi c i a l s . M tar i l i y Matte r s . Man u fa ctur n n i g Ac c o u t . Chu h r c N ote s . d n E ucati o a l Matte r s . C e n s u s . - N on R e s id e n ts . G e n e r a l R e fe r e n c e . i n s l ow Ma i n e W , I N D I AN HI S TO R Y ALO N G THE KEN N EB EC . The story of the Indian in the region of the Kennebec is on e of f full interest to all citizens o the State of Maine . It is not expected that we shall be able in this short account to mention all the details of the stirring events of the time which elapsed between the date when Indian history in this region begins and ends . Our purpose is to briefly state the story of the leading events of that stirring period . The date to be selected as the starting point is hard to de f n n i t termine . The Indian tribes east o the Co e t cu river were a known by the name of Abe n quoi s . But this name came in time to be restricted largely to those Indians who lived along the Kennebec from Merrymeeting Bay to Moosehead Lake . The t o s e l li n . name has come have the p g , The Indians ' Abenakis were well disposed toward the whites and made no attempts t o create trouble till after the Plymouth Colonists had carri e d ou t e their methods of kidnapping and pillaging . As was natural th ir faith and good will was transformed into suspicion and hatred . From this grew trouble , which at times was very disastrous . 5 6 n s M n W i low, a i e . The first glimpse of the redman of this valley is obtained in of v the accounts Captain Gilbert . These are ery meagre but give something of a picture of S e be n oa and hi s tribe as they wandered through the forest unrestricted and fearless . The next recorded arrival of white men among the Indian s is that of Edward W inslow an d others of the Plymouth Colony in the fall of 1625 . Three years later a trading post is established at Cu s hn oc m an (Augusta) , and the white comes more in contact - with the child of nature . For thirty four years this post was continued as the trading base with the Indians . But during t his t o time , sorry relate , the English did nothing for the Indians in r the way of educational o religious training . It remained for the Fre nch to supply this much needed assistance t o the redman . W e learn th at in 1643 an Indian wh o had become a Christian ' Iab or s the under the of French missionaries at Sillery or Quebec , came down the Kennebec as far as Cus hn oc and told the Indians there of the majesty and beauty of the new faith . Through this agency there was considerable intercourse between the s of A Abenakis and the Indian the Northwest . few years after a delegation from the Abenakis appeared at Sillery to beg that a missionary be sent to them on the Kennebec . The result of this appeal was the appointment of the renowned Father Gabriel D r ui ll e tt e who started on his mi s sion in 1646 . He established 13 successful mission at a point about three miles north of Augusta . Here he became greatly beneficial to the Indians . He was most eager to participate in all their pursuits , sharing the experiences ’ of the tribe in its winter s hunting in the region of Moosehead 1647 Lake . He went back to Sillery in and did not return until 7 n M i n e . W s l ow, a 1650though the tribe sent a delegation each year requesting his 166 return to them . In 0 he came back and renewed his labor as among them . This time he came as an envoy as well a mis s i on ar y, and after meeting his old friends and companions at the mission he set o ut for Boston where he met in the capacity of ffi envoy from the Abenakis Indians, the chief o cers of the city and state . He was the first Jesuit to enter the streets of Boston . He al s o met the leading officials of the Plymouth Colony, and in all quarters was assured of the good will of the people in behalf of the Abenakis Indians , in this move for an alliance to protect them from the Iroquois who were very troublesome . But though Father Dr ui ll e t t e returned to the Kennebec in a very hopeful l frame of mind , his efforts were proven of no va ue as the people of Massachusetts could not be interested in the proposed alliance to such an extent as would be necessary t o carry it to a successful n e ndi g . The result was that the Abenakis were left to depend upon their own resources . Father D r ui ll e tt e returned to the Kennebec in 165 1 after a j ourney of fearful hardship from a long wandering in the forest s in the region of the St . John river, occasioned by having lost a all trace of the course he w s to follow . He finally reached the settlement at N or r i dg e wock and was welcomed by hi s simple but sincere followers as an angel from heaven . He spent some few weeks attending to the needs of his mission , and then made another trip t o Boston earnestly beseeching the people of Massa ch us e tt s to join with the Abenakis in defending the region from i n n Ma e . 8 W i s l ow, D r ui l of . the onslaughts the Iroquois , but to no avail Father lette returned once m ore to his valley miss ion an d passed a l ong dreary winter in performing hi s duties t o his fore st friends . At of M 1652 . s the beginning arch , , he started for Quebec Thi trip f was to be more fateful than the o n e preceding it . Some o his D r ui ll e tt e party died of starvation . Father was without food f six days following the fasting season o Lent . They had even to resort to the boiling of their moccasins , and at last to the boiling ’ — — of Father D r ui ll e tt e s gown Camisole which was mad e of moose skin . All but starved and thoroughly exhausted they ’ r l reached Quebec . This was the last of Father D uil e t te s e x p e r i h ence with the Abenakis . Thoug his work had not preserv e d them politically , he had raised their standards and brought them to a higher plane of living for which they continued to love hi m and cherish his memory . This remarkable man was born in 1593 1679 France in , and died in Quebec in , having passed nearly forty years in missionary work . W A M FIRST INDIAN R IN AINE . of D r ui ll e t t e for After the departure Father , n early a quarter of f a century the history o the Kennebec Indians is a bl ank . The friction between the English and the Abenakis continued to be productive of discord . The English made no effort to better . n o for the Indian Puritanism had attraction him , but the religious rites of the Catholic faith with its beautiful symbols of those days in the skillful hands of an enthusiastic priest held 9 Ma i n e . W i n s l ow, their attention and won their faith and love . The Abenakis felt that the taking of Dr ui ll e tt e from them was in some unknown n way due to the i fluence of the English , and this being so it is plain to be seen that soon the relations between these partie s must become strained . The ev e nts which led t o the outbreak in Maine were brought on by the Iroquois opening war upon the settlements in th e f old Valley o the St . Lawrence . There is an tradition that there was fought near the outlet of Moosehead Lak e a terrible battle between the Iroquois and the Abenakis . There is little or no has proof to support this, but it come down through history as on e of the disasters of this tribe .

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