Banks can go up without Warping as the Boats at such times can leave the force of the Stream & go partly among the Bushes which deaden the force of the Stream, & also has gone up said Falls at other times when the River is lower by setting the Boats with Poles, but it is looked upon as hazardous, if the Stream should cant the Boat sideways would be then liable to Stave or Oversett. From these Falls down River about half a mile are two Islands with Trees growing thereon which are never covered when the River is flowed at the highest. From Nee-guam-kee Falls (which are in the River Kennebeck) farther down the River about fourteen miles on the Eastern side of Kennebeck is a point of Land called Cusinock by the Natives who say they gave it that Name because the tide runs no higher up kennebeck. On said point of Land stands Fort Western, built by the Plymouth Company so called in the Year 1754, and formerly understood the Plymouth Company so called had a Trading house for the Natives where now Fort Western stands. Further down the River about three miles from the above Fort on the west side of Kennebeck, is a point of Land called by the English bumbokook, the Deponent sayes he was going down kennebeck in August 1765 with four Indian Men, one of which was about Sixty or Seventy Years of Age, another about thirty five, or Forty, these two Indians whose Ages are mentioned, were proprietors of Kennebeck, & were constant Inhabitants of or near the same till the late War, and belonged to the Norridgewack tribe, which Indians told me that, that Point of Land which the English called Bumbokook, was always known, & called by the Indians of Kennebeck by the Name of Kee-dum-cook, the Indians when being asked why they called it Kee-dum-cook, answered because the River was very shoal there, & from the Gravel Beds and sand that appeared almost acrost the River at low water, was the Reason why they gave it that Name at that place, the Oldest of the above Indians told me he had heard his father and other Old Indians of Kennebeck say that an English Man lived on the above point called kee-dum-cook who formerly traded with the Indians there, which was before said Indians Remembrance. From Kee-dum-cook down the River about two Miles on the West side of Kennebeck is a small point of Land, called by the Natives Caw-bis-se-con-teague, this Spot of Land is on the End of an Indian Carrying place, which adjoineth itself to Kenebeck, the Indians being asked why they called this Point of Land Caw-bis-se-conteague said because the Sturgeon Fish jumped in the River Kennebeck opposite that Point in great plenty. this Indian Name Caw-bis-se-con-teague being englished signifies Sturgeon Land Called by the Natives, Caw-bis-secon-teague is formed by a Stream on its Northerly side, a Branch of Kennebeck called by the Indians Caw-bis-se-con-taetuck being Englished signifies as I understand Caw-bis-se-con-teague Stream which took its Name from the above point of Land, and that up said Stream is no where called by the Indians Caw-bis-se-con-teague but said stream and ponds on the same all go by other Names. I well remember the Names of three on said Stream which are Scoomscook Maw:roon:skeeg, Anne-bre:sook, there are many more Ponds & Islands on said Stream whose Names I never knew, but the Indians say they never heard or knew of any Stream, pond or Island called by the Name of Caw-bis-se-con:teague, except the above described Point. which Point was Remarkable for the Indians Encamping thereon as being on the End of a Carrying place, or one of their Paths. I have commonly heard the English call the above Stream Cobbisecontee & Commissecontee, about three or four Miles further down said Kennebeck is a Stream or Brook that empties itself into said River, Called by the In dians Nehumkeeg, the English of which is Eal Land. I have also heard this Brook called by some English people Nehumkee alias Neguamkee, but I never heard Nehumkeeg brook go by any other Name till the year 1750. Since which Date I have often heard the above brook go by the Name of Neguamkee alias Nehumkeeg, but certainly they are two distinct Places, Neguamkee being a Considerable fall or Riffle in the Kennebeck, & the most remarkable of any between Teconick falls & the Sea, & is distant from Nehumkeeg brook further up Kennebeck above 21 miles North & by East, according to the Common Computation-Nehumkeeg is a small brook not passable by small Canoes or boats but is so Narrow as may be straddled or stepped over which I have done my self with sundry others at a time when the Country was pretty full of Water & but a few Rods up the Brook from the River Kennebeck. Opposite the Mouth of this Brook either above or below are no falls but the water flows smoothly & is Deep enough to float a Vessel of One hundred & fifty tons when Loaded as I apprehend till she arrives some way above Cobbisseconteague, & that there is no remarkable Falls in said Brook more then what is common to other brooks of the like Bigness & in the Drought of Summer is almost dry. Further down the River about a Mile and an half is a tract of Land on the West Side of Keñebeck which has bee commonly called by the English Brown Farm. In the Summer 1764 I was passing down Kennebeck with an Old Indian Woman, at which time being Opposite to Brown's-Farm I asked her what she called that place, she told me it was either Kee-dum-cook or Sakes-scumcook, but said she thought it was Keedumcook. a little before we came to Browns-Farm so called, this same Indian Woman told me that about two Miles above said Farm she also called it Kee-dum-cook, but said at same time she often heard of the Name of Kee-dum-cook, but could not be positive which of the Places was it, the other two Indian Men first mentioned in the Summer A:D. 1765 being a Year after, I questioned the Indian Woman say Positively Brown's farm so called by the English was always well known to the Indians of Kennebeck by the Name of Sakes-scum-cook, & that said Farm takes its Name from a Brook Just below it, and that Sakesscumcook & Keedumcook are two distinct places and distant one from the other about ten Miles, Vizt: Kec-dum-cook is ten miles further up kennebeck than Sakes:scum:cook or Brown's farm, On the East side of Kennebeck four & half miles down the same, stands a large House built by the Gentlemen of the Plymouth Company which is a Tavern. with Liberty from the above Gentlemen for the County of Lincoln to hold their Court of Common Pleas & Quarter Sessions. about a Mile & half further down said River on the West side stands the remains of Fort: Richmond built by the Government of the Massachusets about the Year 1723 opposite this Old fort is the head or upper End of Swan Island from thence about two Miles down the said River is the Mouth of Eastern River so called, it being a Branch of Kenebeck, further down said River about two Miles & half on the East-side is Hutchinson's Point, on the West side of said River further down is Abe-gua-du-sett Point from this point further down this Bay or River about two miles & half is the Chops or Mouth of Merrymeeting Bay which is about five or Six Miles in Length, & in its widest part about two miles into which Bay falls or Emptys themselves Six Rivers | viz Kennebeck, Eastern River, Abeguaduset, Catehance, Muddy River & Andriscogging, this River & Kennebeck are the most considerable of all the Six for bigness, the others being but small when compared with these, this Bay is the Confluence of the above Six Rivers, this Bay & Rivers Empty through the Chops joining all together in one great Stream, & so passes to the Sea, the Water here is very Deep & Rapid on Tide of Ebb or Flood, this last mentioned Stream from the Chops of Merrymeeting Bay, I suppose to be about 24 Miles to the Sea, & is called by some Kennebeck & by others Sagadahock River, Neguasset on the East side of this River so united and is part of what is now called Woolwich, that Opposite to Neguaset, & the Head or upper End of Arrowsick Island, on the West side of the River is a tract of Land Claimed by the Heirs & Assigns of One Rob Gulch fronted on the River Between Winslows Rocks (which Rocks appear in the middle of the River), & the Mouth of Winegance Creek, the above Rocks are to the Norward & Winnegance to the Southward. I understand that Gulchs tract Extends two Miles & half down the Western side of said River from Winslow Rocks but I do not know the lower Boundary of this Tract or its upper Boundary Exactly, but I have heard say, that it lay between Winslows Rocks & Winnegance Creek. This Tract Claim by the Heirs of Gulch I have heard say Extends Westerly from the said Bounds or Rocks three Miles, which I suppose may about Reach Stevens River or Creeck on the West. Neguaset as above mentioned is a small Stream so called by the Natives or Indians & from this Stream the English Call the Land Adjoining to it Neguasset. I have been acquainted with the lower part of this River ever since I was a Child for thirty Years past, & so long a go as that I well remember of several Houses & People living therein as also a Considerable Quantity of Clear land on the West Side of Long Beach where Rob Gulches Tract of land lies. when I was abt Six Years of Age I lived at Topsham on Merry meeting Bay, and in that Town there was then about 15 or 16 Families settled which is Forty five Years Ago, as also I remember sundry Families settled at Sommerset, Hutchinsons' Point, Swan Island, as also a House a little below Richmond Fort, & sundry houses down the River scattering quite down to the Sea, I was not so Conversant down the River as to remember who lived there but I am now certain some of the Houses are standing to this Day viz' Major Denny, & Capt. Watts's which were built before Governor Dummar's War, as to the People then living in Topsham I remember 12 or 13 heads of Families & Believe can repeat them, but almost all these Houses were burnt, the People drove off, their Cattle Killed, & other Substance carried off, & burnt by the Indians, this I well Remember being one myself that fled with my Parents to Brunswick Fort for shelter, & that Day Saw many Houses burnt, & some people Killed & wounded, after this war many of the People resettled the above places & have been drove off & settled again. in the Year 1748 I had the Command of Richmond Fort gave me, at which time the Calls, & Mr Weamouth were settled near up as far as I had the Command & so scattering down the River to the Sea. Brunswick, Topsham, George Town, New Castle, Heningtown, Walpole, Woolwich, which was then part of George Town & Witchcasset which is now part of Pownalborough, all the People inhabiting the above places were settled & held their Lands under the Pejepscut, Clark, & Lakes Heirs, the Witchcaset Company, Drown & Company & others, which were all Sundry Sets of Proprietors till the Year 1750 about which time the Plymouth Gentlemen proclaimed their Pattent, for my own part I never heard anything of this Pattent, till the latter End of the Year 1749 & then being in Company with Old Robert Temple Esq' & Major Noble at said Temples House, Capt Temple told us he was concerned in an Old Patent, by Virtue of which, he & four or five more Gentlemen were Intitled to a Tract of Land lying between Neguamkee & Cabisseconteague, and asked VOL. XXIV. 3 me if I knew where Neguamkee was I told him I did not know for that I never had been further up than near Cabisseconteague, said Temple told us he should be glad to have three or four more Substantial Partners to make the Number Seven or Eight good men, & did not know but in such Case they might be able to Extend their Bounds near as low down, as Richmond Fort, as he looked on Clark & Lakes Title to be but Slighty, & further signified to us their were many Heirs belonging to said Patent who would sell out for a Trifle, & asked us if we would be Concerned, which we Declined. I became acquainted with the Indian Language by trading with them, first at St Georges Fort, & then at Richmond Fort, & at Present at Fort Hallifax in Behalf of the Goverment for Thirty Years past, Sa-gua-da-hock so Called by the English is derived from the word Sung-gua-dee-runk being Englished signifies the Coming in, or Appearance, or Enterance of the River, & from which Indian Name it is probable the English Call the Lower part of this River Saguadahock, I have seen old Indian Deeds that were Dated 1667 in which Deeds Saguadahock & Kennebeck seemed to be used Indifferently. The Deponent adds that ab' the Year 1750 Mr Sam' Goodwin an Agent for the Plymouth Proprietors so called, came & took a Survey of what they call their Claim, & ab the Year 1752 the Plymouth Company Erected two Block houses abt twenty four feet Square & two Story high & placed some Cannon therein, the above said Block houses were at opposite Angles of a Picket work 200 feet Square and a shed built about 40 feet long the Roof built Lintow ways which Building was called Fort Shirley alias Frankfort. Fort Western as above was built by the Plymouth Company, the Description of which is as follows four Block houses two Story high two of which were about 24 feet Square, the others about 12 feet Square, those Block houses stand at the four Corners of the Pickit work about 150 feet Square incompassed with a Row of open Pickit round two Squares within the above Pickit work. The House about One hundred Feet long & about thirty two feet wide built with hewed Timber & two Story high. When this Fort was built it was under the Guard of the Province. The same Year Fort Halifax was Built the Cannon of which & Iron work was Carried up with two Scows or Gundeloes which drew about two feet of Water, the Gunnels of which Vessels were about a foot clear above water, & were towed up to Fort Halifax by the Assistance of the Army that Guarded them—the Deponent further says that in the Year 1748 there was no Settlements up Kennebeck River above the Chops of Merry meeting Bay, Except three Houses, the Inhabitats before that time were drove off by the Indians, ab* the Year 1751 or 1752 the Plymouth Company began their Settlements at Frankfort so called, & so since have been extending of them near up as far as Fort Halifax. The Deponent further says that in the Year 1746 or 1747 the Family of the Philbrooks Capt Donnel & another Family lived on the Western side of long reach On the land called Gutches. & about that time some of the Family of the Philbrooks were carried Captive by the Indians from thence. The Deponent further adds, that he has seen the Sturgeon jump in a variety of Places even from the Mouth of Kennebeck to Fort Hallifax, as well as at Cobbeseconte. WILL LITHGOW Lincoln ss. June 6. 1767 then the above named William Lithgow made Oath to the truth of the foregoing Deposition. Taken in perpetuam Rei memoriam Before JON BOWMAN two of his Majesty Justices of the Peace for the County of Lincoln and of the Quorum CHURCH RECORDS OF REV. HUGH ADAMS. [Communicated by Hon. SAMUEL C. ADAMS, West Newfield, Me.] [1727. 66 66 66 66 66 Continued from Vol. xxiii. page 299. ADMISSIONS TO THE CHURCH. Feb. 4.] Martha Davis, Mary Edgerly, the wife of Joseph. Lord's Day Adar 22 i.e. March 3. S Thomas Drew of the Little bay, & his wife Tamzen 1728. Abib 27. April 7. John Tompson, Sen'. Sarah Tompson, his wife. 66 66 66 Abigail Mathes. Samuel Adams, my son, Phebe Adams, his wife; "Zif 25 alias May 5. James Huckens; John Edgerly, Jun'. Son of 66 66 Samuel Edgerly, dec. Elizabeth Edgerly, wife of John. “Thamuz 27. July 7. Mary Mason, Widow. 66 66 Br. Jos. Wheeler. Mary Wheeler wife of Bridget Williams, wife of John, Jun'. Hannah Augt 4. Eleazar Bickford & his wife Sarah Bickford. MEM. On Friday, the 1st day of May 1724 our Worthy & Desireable Elder James Nock was most surprizingly Shott (off from his horse) Dead and Scalped by three Indian Enemies. O that CHRIST EMMANUEL may speedily Avenge his Blood upon them. June 17, 1724. On Wednesday, It being our Preparation Lecture.— Turned into a Fast on Account of the Indian War, so severe on our Church by the sudden Death of another of our Members, that was slain the last Wednesday, Namely Moses Davis, Sen'. & his Son Moses. And in the evening by the Indians was killed by a Shott in his head Poor George Chesley & Elizabeth Burnum was wounded. BAPTISMS, &c. 1714. Oct. 24. Having preached two sermons in my own Congregation at Chatham from those words written in Acts 8:36. What doth hinder me to be Baptized? I did then Adventure to Administer Baptism unto my own child, Elizabeth, when she was almost a year & six months old, being born May 5, 1713. 1716. Sept. 9. Then at Georgetown, I baptized George Pike, the youngest son of Samuel & Eleanor Pike, the first man child born there. 171. Feb. 10. 66 17. At Oyster River Parish in Dover, I admitted to baptism |