THE POPHAM CELEBRATION.

PRELIMINARY.

IN the arrangements made by the government of the United States for protecting the coast of Maine, the defense of the entrance of the Kennebec River and its valley received mature consideration. For the accomplishment of this purpose, the point of land on its west side and near its mouth was selected, and a fort of the first class was authorized by Congress to be built thereon. The ancient name of this portion of the river was "Sagadahoc," and the part of the territory where the structure was to be placed, was the Peninsula of Sabino.2 On this shore and near the spot thus chosen, was the site of

1 Sagadahoc. This orthography of the name, out of twenty varieties, is the present generally adopted representative of the Indian "Sank-ta-onk." The first part of this word is abbreviated, as is usual in these formations, from "Sanktaiiwi; " the meaning of which is given in Ràle's Dictionary, "To finish.” The last syllable is a common locative termination, as in "Ken-neb-onk," equivalent to "here," or "there." The compound name means, "It ends here," i. e. “the mouth" of this river; and it is so explained in Jeffries' Maps, of 1775.

2 The usage, in the pronunciation of aboriginal names, indicates that in words of this formation, the accent should be on the first syllable, as in "Kineo," Orono," and others. Its origin is in the Abnaki word “sěbě,” meaning “a river." It is also written by Strachey, "Sěb'-e-nōa," the last three letters forming one syllable, as in "oak."

the ancient Fort St. George, where, in the month of August, 1607, the first English colony, led by the venerable GEORGE POPHAM, planted the emblems of the authority of their sovereign. By acts of formal occupation and possession, attended with the solemn sanctions of religious worship and instruction, in accordance with the usages of their country and time, these early settlers established the title of England to the continent, under the Royal Charter of April 10, 1606.

The location of this fort on the soil, thus made prominent in its historical relations, suggested to several gentlemen, interested in the history of this State, the name of POPHAM, as the appropriate designation for this great work of national defense. The late Hon. Reuel Williams of Augusta, and the Hon. John A. Poor of Portland,― Commissioners at Washington from the State of Maine to the general government on the subject of its coast defenses, took means to bring this name before the proper authorities. The proposal received the favor and the prompt approval of the government of the United States through the Hon. Simon Cameron, Secretary of War.

The work of construction having been commenced, suggested the plan of reviving the recollection of the important events, which have given to this spot its great historical value and interest, and of connecting them more closely with the name and the destinies of this fortification; thus making it serve the double purpose of national defense and the preservation of these leading occurrences of our early history. Measures were adopted for erecting, in the walls of the Fort, a "Memorial Stone," with inscriptions recording the facts; and for the commemorative services of a public historical celebration.

After much consultation with several members of the Maine Historical Society in Portland and Brunswick, a visit by two gentlemen of the latter place was made to Bath, the city nearest to the locality,-to confer with its influential citizens

on the subject. The idea was met with cordial favor everywhere. On the 10th of July, 1862, the following editorial appeared in the Bath Daily "Sentinel and Times,” introducing a communication from a writer, who is understood to be the Hon. B. C. Bailey.

SIR JOHN POPHAM'S COLONY.

We publish below, a communication from one of our old and highly respected citizens, relating to an important fact in the history of our State, and suggesting the propriety of some public observance of the circumstance by our community. We heartily concur in the suggestion, and trust measures will be at once inaugurated to carry the same into effect. Local events, of such a nature as that mentioned, ought not certainly to be overlooked. In fact, it may well he questioned whether our people, to any extent, are familiar with the history of George Popham's settlement on our coast, and its attendant results. We hold it to be wise, therefore, to mark the anniversary of the event in some public manner; if in no other way, by the selection of some person conversant with our local history, to prepare an address relating to the colony and its attendant circumstances, that thus information may be imparted to the people and knowledge be diffused among us. We repeat that we trust some early action will be taken to carry out the suggestion in the communication, which is as follows:

MR. LINCOLN: - Bath being the natural seaport of and for the Kennebec River, as also the Androscoggin, and in fact of all North-western Maine, it would seem proper that she should be a little more before the public.

Two hundred and fifty-five years ago the 19th day of this coming August, George Popham, with his colony, landed at the mouth of the Kennebec and commenced a settlement, near where they are now building a Fort, which is to be called by the name of Popham.

Would it not be well for the citizens of Bath to call a meeting and choose a committee of arrangements, for the purpose of celebrating the day this coming 19th of August (old style), making it the 29th or 30th of August this year (new style), and invite the Historical Society of Maine to be present with their orator and proclaim the past history of that settlement, it being the very first one on this part of the continent.

I would suggest, with humble submission to public opinion, that we have a meeting the first of next week, and make some arrangement for such a commemoration of the day as would seem proper.

A CITIZEN OF BATH,

The Standing Committee of the Maine Historical Society were ready to lend their aid to the enterprise. As the proposed commemoration embraced subjects fitly coming within the range and purposes of this institution, they deemed it a duty to take the initiatory steps; and at their suggestion the President of the Society, the Hon. William Willis of Portland, addressed a letter to the Mayor of Bath, in the following words:

LETTER OF THE HON. WILLIAM WILLIS.

To the Honorable the Mayor of Bath.

SIR: The government of the United States, having selected the peninsula at the mouth of Kennebec River as the site of a fortress, and made preparations for a large and expensive structure, to bear the name of "Popham," in honor of George Popham, President of the company of adventurers who planted, on the same spot, the first English colony on the shores of New England: — it is thought by the Maine Historical Society, that the occasion ought to be improved to commemorate this most signal event in the history of our State.

By a singular coincidence, the new fort will occupy the same ground on which was erected, two hundred and fifty-five years ago, the first English fort, which was built on the Atlantic coast of America, north of Virginia. This little colony, —“ one hundred landmen,” — left England, May 31, 1607, in two small vessels, prepared with all things needful to establish a civilized society on this continent. Their historian thus speaks of their early movements: August 17, Capt. Popham in his pynnace with thirty persons, and Capt. Gilbert in his long boat with eighteen persons more, went early in the morning from their shipps in the river Sachadehoc to view the river, and to search where they might find a fitt place for their plantation. 18th. They all went ashore and there made choice of a place for their plantation at the mouth or entrance of the river, on the west side, being almost an island." The next day, in true Puritan style, although they were not strictly Puritans, they commenced their grand undertaking, the opening a new world to civilization, by religious services. The historian says: "19th. They all went ashore, where they had made choice of their plantation, and where they had a sermon delivered unto them by their preacher." They then entered on their work in earnest. Aug. 20. All went to shore again and there began to entrench and make a fort, aud to build a store-house."

The place selected for their settlement was Hunnewell's Point, precisely the spot chosen by the government for the new fortress; it was there this company spent a cold and dreary winter, and there the gallant Popham lies buried.