The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Maine History Documents Special Collections 1816 History of Acadie, Penobscot Bay and River, With a More Particular Geographical and Statistical View of the District of Maine Than Has Ever Been Published Joseph Whipple Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mainehistory Part of the United States History Commons Repository Citation Whipple, Joseph, "History of Acadie, Penobscot Bay and River, With a More Particular Geographical and Statistical View of the District of Maine Than Has Ever Been Published" (1816). Maine History Documents. 36. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mainehistory/36 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine History Documents by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE HISTORY OF ACADIE, PENOBSCOT BAY AND RIVER, WITH A MORE PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL VIEW OF THE DISTRICT OF MAINE THAN HAS EVER BEFORE BEEN PUBLISHED. ALSO, STATISTICAL TABLES, SHEWING AT ONE VIEW THE COMPARATIVE PROGRESS OF THE POPULATION OF MAINE WITH EACH OTHER INDIVIDUAL STATE IN THE UNION, WITH AX ALPHABETICAL LIST OF ALL THE TOWNS WITH THEIR DATE OF INCORPORATION, CENSUS IN 1810, POLLS AND VALUATION IN 1812, COUNTIES, AND DISTANCES FROM BOSTON, BY JOSEPH WHIPPLE. BANGOR: PRINTED BY PETER EDES. 1816. P II E F A C E. THE Compiler of the following work made these selections for a History of Penobscot, about two years since; the object of which was, to bring a direct and concise view of this part of the country into a more compact, and cheaper volume than can now be obtained. As reference must be made to many publications, to obtain the information which this contains, all of which are very expensive works; and as it is the general wish of the inhabitants to possess a history of the country in which they live—it was presumed thatnearlg every family in this part of the country would avail themselves of as cheap and interesting a collection as could have been made; nor was the Compiler disappointed, as above 300 copies were immediately subscribed for in this town only.—In consequence of this liberal encouragement, and by the request of several subscribers, the work is augmented, and calculated for the use of schools, giving a more succinct and accurate description of the boundaries of the District of Maine than noiv exists, with a more particular description of the Pe­ nobscot, and its tributary streams, which combines superior advantages to any other river in the North-eastern States, and perhaps not ex­ ceeded by any in the Union of the same extent. There are also added valuable Statisticcd Tables, shewing the comparative progress of the population of Maine with each individual State in the Union, since the year 1790, with a correct list of the different towns in this Dis­ trict, with their date of incorporation, census in 1810, polls, valuation, and distances from Boston, onthe plan of a Gazetteer—Also, some remarks on the climate, sod, and productions.—Most of the materials for this work •were selected from Robertson's History of America, Hutchinson's His­ tory of Massachusetts, Mi nut's Continuation do. Sullivan's History of Maine, Marshall's Life of Washington, Naval H story of the United States, official documents from State Paper-i, with some information from reputable persons now living on the Penobscot river. WITH due deference, and the Compiler's best endeavors to give use­ ful information, this work is submitted to the public with all its imper­ fections. JOSEPH WHIPPLE. BANGOR, JUNE, 1816. COPY RIGHT SECURED. (/', ^', //,„, /1 '* ' r v ."MiiEff ; ;L ST;iiriB ^A^SIHIAILILO £ no raved for the Ju/f/fr/fr A//;//// .•i/H', i'itl'tl '1 bv A/ Tin*, Entered Acordino to /tr( "/' ('(<!tnrt>.*s A GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW OF ACADIE AND MAINE. ACADIE. JL HAT part of Acadie -which is now eotnprehended within the District of Ma w. was rather an appendage to a large tract of territory, which the English called by the general name of Newfoundland, including the island of that name ; and the French by the name of Acadie, or New-France. This territory extended from the river St. Lawrence, through the gul^.'j of that name, including the Bay of Chaleur, and thence extending along the sea-coasl. including Nova-Scotia, thence south-westerly to the river Kennebec, which was considered by the French as the western boundary of this territory. It is now divided into the provinces of Nova-Sco'ia, New-Bruns­ wick, and j.art of the province of Quebec or Lower Canada, and a part of Maine. The limits of Acadie as settled by the treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, were the St. Lawrence on the north, Pe­ nobscot river on the west, the Atlantic Ocean on the south, and the gulph of St. Lawreuce on the east. THE PROVINCE OF MAINE. Is 1639, April 3, Charles the I. king of England, granted to Sir Ferdinando Gorges a tract of land, "beginning at the en­ trance of Pascataway harbour, and passing up to the river Ne- wichawocke, and to the head thereof, and from thence north­ westward, until 120 miles were ended, and from Pascataway * harbour north-eastward along the sea-coast to Sagedebadocke,* and up the said river to the Kennebec river, and to the head thereof, and thence north-westerly until 120 miles were ended; being accounted from the mouth of Sagedebadocke, and from the period of 128 miles aforesaid, to cross over land to the 120 miles end, formerly reckoned up into the land from Pascataway harbour through Newichawocke river, and also the nortli half of the Isle-of-Shoals, together with the Isles of Capawock and Nautican, near Cape Cod, and ahro all the islands and inlets lying within five leagues of the main, all along the said coasts, between the said rivers of Pascataway and Sagedebadocke, with all the creeks, havens, and harbours thereunto belonging. This tract then included all the territory then designated as the Province of Maine. In 176*, all the claims of the above territory were purchased (through John Usher) by the State of Massachusetts, of th* heirs of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, for £.1200 sterling. (Sullivan •ays £.1400 English money.) Sir Ferdinando Gorges had expended <C.2p,000 sterling in set­ tling this colony. DISTRICT OF MAINE. BOUNDARIES. THE present boundaries of the District of Main e are as fol­ lows, viz. beginning on the height of land from which the Waters descend to the St. Lawrence, and the Atlantic Ocean, in about 47 degrees and 50 minutes north latitude, and about 9 degrees and 12 minutes east longitude from Washington. Thence south ISO miles to the north branch of the St. Croix—thence through the lakes of said river, about 40 miles, to the Indian por­ tage to Maqnquadavick river—thence down the St. Croix about 80 miles to the sea, at East-Port—thence westerly along the sea- coast to the mouth of Piscataqua river, in 43 degrees and 4 minutes of nortli latitude—This last distance on a direct line i? 207 miles—thence up the Piscataqua to the head of Salmon Falls river about 36 miles—and thence north 2 deg. west, on the line of New-Hampshire 114 miles, to the province of Quebec—thence easterly on the height of land aforesaid, 220 miles, to the first mentioned bounds^-the distance from the mouth of the Schoodick river, on a westerly course to the line of New-Hampshire, * Sagadahock, or the Kennebec from its mouth to Merrymeeting Bay. S near the north-west comer of Maine, is 160 miles—and from the south-west corner at the mouth of Piscataqua river to the north-east corner, which is its greatest length, is 3*0 miles on a direct line. Commissioners are appointed to establish the north-west boundary, during the present year, 1816. TERRITORY. FROM the nearest estimate that has been made Maine con­ tains 29.0S0 square miles, or 18,611,200 aeres—but from this estimate 3,000,000 acres may be deducted for water. In point of territory, Maine will compare with the other New-England States, according to the following table, taken from Dr. Morse's estimate of the territory of the other States. 1 Maine contains 29,080 square miles. Vermont 10,237 New-Hamp9hire 9,491 Massachusetts Proper 6,250 Rhode-Island 1,580 Connecticut - 4,67* 32,232 square miles. Maine may be rated the ninth territory in extent in the Uni­ ted States.—It is exceeded by New-York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North-Carolina, and Georgia. If we consider the extent of the territory of Maine in a com­ parative point of view with some countries in Europe, we shall find that should it ever be as much cultivated as some of those countries, that it may be capable of sustaining a greater popu­ lation than now exists in the United States.—Ireland being near the same extent of territory as Maine, may be a proper counlry to select for the comparison ; although it contains a less num­ ber of inhabitants to the square mile than several other coun­ tries.—Iceland contains 27,457 square miles, of which there are immense tracts of waste and uncultivated lands, such as bogs, heaths, &c. : yet by the census of 1815, Ireland contained a population of about seven millions, nearly equal to the census of the United States in 1810. CLIMATE. THE climates of the eastern and western continents, in the same parallels of latitude, are so very different, and as many hypothetical speculations have been advanced on this subject, it may be satisfactory to refer to the opinion of some philosophical writers of high reputation.