HARD TIMES

THIS 1808 PETITION STATES FURTHER:" ... THEY HAVE BEEN TAXED IN THE SUM OF $11.37 PER YEAR AND THAT ...(THEY) STILL ARE UNABLE TO PAY THE SAME ON ACCOUNT OF ...EXTREME POVERTY.  THERE ARE BUT SEVEN FAMILIES IN SAID PLANTATION AND THAT TWO OR THREE OF THEM ARE ABLE TO KEEP MORE THAN ONE COW AND ONE SWINE ONLY."
 
SEVEN MEN SIGNED THIS PETITION:  THOMAS EUSTIS, JOSEPH EUSTIS, SAMUEL KNAPP, ISAAC GLEASON, BENJAMIN EDMUND, ZEBEDIAH MITCHELL AND STEPHEN BARNARD.

THE EARLY SETTLERS HAD THEIR PROBLEMS.  THEY LEFT TROUBLES BEHIND THEM, ON THE COAST WHERE MOST OF THEM CAME FROM, WHERE THE BRITISH SHIPS RAVAGED THE COASTAL COLONIES IN ATTEMPTING TO WREST THOSE COLONIES FROM FRANCE.  THE SETTLERS SUFFERED MORE AT BRITISH HANDS THAN THEY HAD FROM THE INDIANS.

FROM CASTINE, CASCO, CLEEVE'S NECK AND THE COASTAL ISLANDS THEY CAME, MOVING INLANDS TO AVOID BEING KILLED OR CAPTURED BY THE BRITISH, FOLLOWING THE COURSE OF THE RIVERS BECAUSE THE RIVERS OFFERED TRANSPORTATION, FISH, AND TRAPPING AND USUALLY INDIAN TRAILS EDGED THESE RIVERS.

THE TALL TIMBER, SERENE RIVER, THE CLEAN AIR APPEALED TO ALL WHO CAME UPRIVER AND THEY CAME TO STAY BRINGING WITH THEM WHAT THEY COULD CARRY BY OX CART OR HORSE AND CARRIAGE.  THEY CARRIED SEED, FARMING TOOLS AND CLOTHES ON THEIR BACKS.  THEY SOMETIMES WAITED FOR DAYS, WAITING FOR FAVORABLE OPPORTUNITY TO FORD RAGING STREAMS.  BUT THEY CAME UPRIVER SEEKING NEW HOMES.