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Kennebec County
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Kennebec County
occupies the most valuable section of Kennebec River. The surface, though
hilly, is not mountainous. It contains a large number of ponds, and many
fine water-powers. The territory is nearly that of the Kennebec Patent,
but it somewhat overpasses the limits of that patent as finally settled.
The indefinite description of those limits caused much litigation, but was
finally settled in 1757, by reference to five eminent lawyers. By their
decision, the southern boundary of the patent placed at the northern line
of the town of Woolwich, in the present county of Sagadahoc, and the
northern boundary at what is now the southern line of Cornville, in
Somerset County. Briefly stated, the patent, as settled, covered territory
30 miles wide (15 miles wide on each side of the Kennebec River), and
extended from Merry-meeting Bay to the falls below
Norridgewock, and contained 1,500,000 acres. The tract was valuable in the
early period of the country on account of the trade with the natives, and
its fisheries. In 1640, the proprietors of the patent ceded it to the
whole body of freemen of Plymouth Colony. Between 1648 and 1653, the
colony obtained from the Indian sagamores (leeds of the land extending
from Cushnoc (now Augusta), to the northern limit of the grant, built one
or two small forts on the river, and sent magistrates into the region to
protect their rights. Their monopoly was often intruded upon, and caused
them so much annoyance that in 1661 they sold their entire right in the
patent for £400 sterling to four men, Antipas Boies, Edward Tyng, Thomas
Brattle and John Winslow.
Cities and Towns
Surrounding Counties
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