Brewer was the head-quarters of the Eastern tribes. Hence by inference it would be the seat of Bashaba's power. Confirming the conclusion in a degree is an authority which he failed to examine and which does quite definitely locate the Bashaba. The original statement is worthy of notice for its precise determination of the fact. It will be found in the account by the Jesuit missionary, Pierre Biard of his visit to the Penobscot in Oct., 1611.-[vide Cavayon, Letters Inedits*.] The passage is here appended as a contribution to the history of the Penobscot and its chief city. EXTRACT FROM BIARD'S LETTER FROM PORT ROYAL, 31, JANUARY, 1612. Translated by Miss Annie M. Thayer. "Pentagoet may perhaps be compared to the Garsonne of France. It discharges itself into the French Gulf, (Bay of Fundy) and has several isles and rocks, at the right of its mouth; so that if not ascending very far, one thinks that it is some great gulf or bay of the sea; yet there the channel and course of the river may be recognized. Its width at forty-four and one half degrees from the equator is about three leagues. One cannot imagine what is the Norumbega of the ancients if it is not this, for otherwise both the others and myself having inquired concerning that name and place have never been able to learn anything of it. We then having advanced into the current of that river, three leagues at most, found another beautiful river called Chiboctous, which from the northeast flows into the great Pentagoet. At the confluence of these two rivers, was the finest community of savages I had yet seen. There were eighty canoes and one shallop, eighteen cabins and as many as three hundred souls. The principal sagamore was called Betsabes. a man discreet and very sedate; and, in truth, one recongizes in those savages, virtues, natural and political, which would make anyone blush, who is not shameless, when in comparison they consider a large part of the French who come into the region." COL. JOHN CRANE, OF WHITING, MAINE. Col. John Crane was the son of Abijah and Sarah (Field) Cranet of Milton, Mass. ; born there Dec. 2, 1744. In 1759, the father was drafted as a soldier into the French war, but being a sickly man the son then fifteen years old took his place and was commended for his bravery. In 1767, he went to Boston, where he lived on Tremont, opposite Hollis street, 18 (?) years. In 1773, he was one of the "Boston Tea Party," and the only man wounded in the affair. The same year he went to Providence, See Ante Vol. v. page 223. † History of Milton, Mass., page 108. R. I., to work at his trade, house wright. He was a private in Major Adino Paddock's famous Artillery Company of Boston. In 1775, he and Ebenezer Stevens, afterward a celebrated Artillery officer of the Revolution, raised a company of artillery in Rhode Island, and marched with troops from that State to assist in the seige of Boston, and joined Gen. John Thomas' forces at Roxbury. He had a well equipped battery. June 24, he attacked the British forces at Boston Neck and drove them. General Heath in his diary June 24, 1775, says: "Major Crane fired seven shots into the British works on the Neck and drove the regulars precipitately." Major Crane had the entire command of the Massachusetts Artillery throughout the seige of Boston, at Cambridge, Roxbury and Dorchester Heights. He was ordered with his command to New York in 1776, where in August he was at the battle of Brooklyn. In September, he lost a portion of one foot by a cannon shot from the British frigate Rose, in East River, and came near dying from lock-jaw. In December, he was ordered back to Boston to superintend the erection of powder mills,† in the vicinity of Boston, probably Canton. January 1, 1777, he was appointed Colonel of the new Massachusetts Regiment, re-organized from Gen. Knox's old regiment. He was at the battles of Monmouth, Brandywine, Germantown and other battles. In 1780, he took part in the unsuccessful pursuit of Benedict Arnold. Colonel Crane was probably the most expert artillerist in the American army, during the Revolutionary war. Upon every occasion when the state of the powder supply would admit he was constant in his practice, and became remarkable. So wonderfully keen was his vision, that, from the instant the ball left the cannon and until it reached its destination his eye followed it, and his skill as a marksman was felt and acknowledged by the enemy. In 1783, he was appointed Brigadier-General. Col. Crane and Major Lemuel Prescott went to Quoddy in • History of Roxbury, p. 275-273. + The late D. T. V. Huntoon. Esq., in New England Geneological and Historical Register, vol. 31, page 276, says it was Major Thomas Crane who had charge of the Powder Mills at Canton, but query. 1784. General Rufus Putnam and Capt. Park Holland, "old army acquaintances," were at "Quoddy Head" that year and found Crane and Prescott on an island where they had erected a small building and just opened a store with the intention of trading in fish and lumber. They were probably the first merchants in what is now the town of Eastport. Prior to 1787, Colonel Crane seems to have removed to Orangetown, now Whiting.* Samuel Tuttle of Moose Island, sold John Crane of Orangetown, (Whiting) Oct. 31, 1787, for £2,570, a lot of land on Moose Island, containing 150 acres, originally Joseph Bridges; also a lot of land in Passamaquoddy Township No. 7, 100 acres, originally John Prout, and four oxen and four cows.t John Crane of No. 12 (Whiting) was one of the first judges of the Court of Common Pleas, for Washington County, 1790. He died at Whiting, Me., August 21, 1805. Of his children I know but little. He had: i. JOHN, Jr. of Whiting. Representative 1823. ii. ABIGAIL, of Whiting, Representative 1834. iii. CHARLOTTE, b. at West Point, N. Y., Sept. 25, 1782; who married Horatio Gates Allan, of Eastport, Oct. 23, 1808; He b. Machias, June 13, 1779; drowned Oct. 20, 1837; wife died, Dec. 19, 1840 iv. ISAAC, of Whiting. A LETTER FROM JONATHAN DARLING OF BLUE HILL, 1791. COPIED FROM THE ORIGINAL IN THE ARCHIVES OF MASS., BY MR. STEVENS :- DR. Sir: Your son tells me you are not well pleased with Mr. Parker's unjustly taking your land but that you did not know how to come at it, or how you should recover your right. Sir, I told you and Dr. Noyes, last fall how you might proceed, namely: that you must go to the General Courts Committee of Lands, in the county of Lincoln of whom judge Phillips is one which if you go to him and tell him your complaint you and Dr. Noyes and any other proprietor of the non-residents. Your complaint is this, that the committee who have laid out the Township No. 5, have shuffled into their own hands and into the hands of a few particular friends between fifteen and twenty hundred acres of the best land in that Township which they have done in the following manner, viz: Mr. Peters bought one hundred acres of Mr. Roundy on which he built a house two story high, but not being able to finish it then he built a little house in which he lived some years, for this he pickt 200 acres, then he fixed the big house before the year 1784. For this he pickt 200 more, than he bought a log hut where Thomas Carter had lived about a year for this he picks 200 more, in this manner they have acted the matter, so that Mr. Peters, hath 900 acres, Robert Parker 900, Nathan Parker 600 acres, Capt. Parker I cannot tell how much all there first rate lots. MR. STEVENS : Sir. The best way you can do to get your right, is to go to Mr. Phillips and tell him your complaint, and he will tell you whether a a man has a right to do as I have informed you they have done, and desire Mr. Phillips to write to the committee who have acted as I have told you, and inform them that there is such a complaint entered against them by A. B. C. & D., that the plan can not be accepted before these persons are satisfied. The complaint of Jon. Darling, is: that the Committee allowed all the proprietors to pick their additional 100 acres in the first rate land and he that owned two Rights to pick 300 ocres and he that owned three Rights to pick 500 acres, but to me they would allow no such privilege, but they would pick me a lot that is nothing bnt mountain of rocks and not worth six pence. II o'clock at night, May 26, 1791. A Friend to every honest man, you, or any (signed) JON. Darling. Sir. If you and Mr. Tyler, or Dr. Noyes, or any one of other gentleman of the non-resident proprietors make your complaint as I have prescribed, you will without doubt recover your right. As I am concerned in this matter I will do everything in my power to serve you. And when the Plan was presented at the proprietors meeting the 4th, of June, 1789; Dudly Carlton, esq., being moderator called for a report that is an account showing to whom and for what they had laid out the land. Mr. Peters said he had left it at home but he did not know as it was any matter for every one knowed how it was, and desired it might be put to vote, none, objecting but myself, it passed-accepted. But if the people had known the truth the Plan would not have been accepted. This you may prove by Esq., Carlton. Sir. I am informed the committee of No. 4 have acted in the same manner. Complaints being entered last June their Plan is not yet accepted by the Honorable Courts committee. Now, Sir.-Only enter your complaint and forbid the Plan being accepted by the Honorable the Courts Committee, and appoint some person here to act the matter for you and I dare ensure you, your just due and shall recover mine. If there is no complaint the Plan will soon be accepted by the Honorable Courts Committee, and then if you get your due, or I mine it will cost a law suit which will be more cost than profit. Sir, If you go to Judge Phillips, he will tell you whether you must see any of the rest of the company or not and when and where you may see them. Sir, I am with due regards, your friend and humble servant, (signed) JON. DARLING. MILLS AT THE EASTWARD PRIOR TO 1800. Herein is given some account of mills east of Penobscot River prior to 1800. The list is not complete nor the dates exact. At Penobscot, 1643, when LaTour attempted the capture of that place D'Aulney's force took refuge in a mill, from which they were driven and the mill set on fire. History of Castine, page 18. At Penobscot, now Brooksville, Col. Gabriel Johonnot bought onehalf of Holbrook's mills at Goose Falls, May 10, 1788 for £210. At Steuben.-John Waite, Jr., of Falmouth, sold Daniel Edes, of Windham, Dec. 15, 1768 one-half of a double saw mill in Township No. 4, to the eastward of Union River. Lincoln Records.* Trenton. When John Peters surveyed the town or run the outline of the French Grant, he began at stake and stones near an old mill dam on eastern side of Skilling's river, called "Swedeland mill," Jan. 28, 1786. MACHIAS MILLS. In 1764, the 16 Associates in 16 shares erected a double mill and laid out land contiguous into seven acre lots. 1765, Morris O'Brien and sons erected a saw mill on the south side of the Falls, Western river, which was called the Dublin mill. 1765, Col. Benjamin Foster, Wooden Foster, Samuel Scott, Daniel Fogg, Joseph Munson and Joseph Sevey built a mill on Eastern river, 1-4 of which they sold to Ichabod Jones. 1768, Ichobod Jones, Jonathan Longfellow, Archelaus Hammond, Nathan Longfellow, Amos Boynton, John Underwood and others built a double saw mill on the Island and Falls on Western river. In 1767, April 20 Aaron Hanscom sold to Nathan Longfellow and others on ye middle of ye Falls of the Western river in Machias between old saw mill and Dublin saw mill. Lincoln Records, vol. 8, page 107. In 1768, Joseph Getchell and others built a saw mill on Middle river at outlet of Bunker's or Barker's Lake. 1770, Ichabod Jones, Jonathan Longfellow and David Gardner built a double saw mill at outlet of Gardner's Lake. 1771, Sept. 30 Morris O'Brien sold his share in Machias saw mill to Gideon O'Brien for £100. Vol. 8, page 175. 1771, Sept. 11, Stephen Young sold Nathaniel Sinclair 1-16 part of saw mill on Middle river, Machias, known by the name of Merry Meeting mill. * Records referred to are Lincoln County Records, Vol. 8, page 152. |