INDEGIONUS PEOPLE OF THIS AREA IN 1820 By Dianne Sinclair

 The following is a small part of the exhibit at History House – 

1820 Maine Statehood, a Local View.  

Come see the whole exhibit at our

next open house  Sept. 11th

First Nation peoples living in our area were Abenaki.  The name refers to their location “toward the dawn.”  The Abenaki are one of the five members of the Wabanaki Confederacy (Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Maliseet and Mi’kmaq (Micmac).  These other tribes have received Federal recognition and are currently active Downeast and in northern parts of Maine.

The Pequawket, were a local tribe of the Abenaki Confederacy, living on the headwaters of Saco River and about Lovell’s Pond, in Carroll County, New Hampshire, and Oxford County, Maine.  Their principal village, called Pequawket, was near the present Fryeburg, Maine.

 

The Haith – Porter Maine

“In Porter, The Heath (pronounced locally as The Hathe, as in old English) has historical significance as an Abenaki tribal gathering ground.  This information comes from one of the last members of the tribe who lived in this area. Curtis Chick wanted his friends and neighbors to understand the importance of this land to his ancestors, and to care for it accordingly.  During the 1950s and 1960s Curt was well-known to some residents living nearby, and some who were children at that time remember walking with him to The Heath, and his sharing of its importance to the local tribal members.” (Dan Hester, Hiram, ME)

Traditional Abenaki lived by hunting, fishing, trapping, berry picking and growing corn, beans, squash, potatoes and tobacco.  They lived in scattered bands of extended families for most of the year. The typical Abenaki dwelling was the birch-bark-covered wickiup occupied by several families. 

Each man had different hunting territories inherited through his father. Bands came together during the spring and summer at temporary villages on or near fertile river plains.  The Haith may have been one of those places.

(Sources: Wikipedia, Encyclopedia Brittanica online, accessgenealogy.com/maine/pequawket-tribe)

INTERESTING PROGRAM SCHEDULED FOR THE JULY 24TH MEETING

 Don’t miss the next meeting of the Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society to be held at Porter Town Hall.

Meeting at 2:00 p.m. – program to follow at about 2:30 p.m.

Former French teacher and local author, Janet Carper will talk about her recent book:

“THE WEIDNERS IN WARTIME:

 Letters of Daily Survival and Heroism Under Nazi Rule”

This is the compelling true story of a close-knit family, told through the numerous letters they wrote to each other under harrowing conditions. Devout Seventh Day Adventists originally from the Netherlands, they were scattered through Europe as the Nazis invaded and cut off normal avenues of correspondence, commerce, and travel.

They wrote hundreds of letters (mostly in French) to each other, filled with details of conditions they faced, worries about family members and friends they had not heard from for a while, searches for much needed food and clothing and seeking trusted friends and acquaintances who might be traveling and could carry letters for them.  Some of their news was in code to avoid the suspicions of Nazi censors.  Through it all they struggled to assess their best options as they faced unprecedented challenges and danger of arrest.

By the end of the war, family members were involved in the resistance movement and found ways to shepherd those in danger of Nazi arrest to safe havens – putting their own lives in jeopardy.  Jean Henry Weidner is now known as the hero of the Dutch Resistance.  After the war he moved to the U.S. and created a foundation to preserve this amazing collection of all he family letters he saved.  What better way to share this incredible story than through the publication of a book?

Although many of us know Janet Carper as the French teacher at Sacopee Valley High School for many years, Janet was selected to translate and prepare the letters for publication.  She was chosen not because of her teaching career, but for her superb knowledge of the French language, French culture and her interest in history.  Janet has done a marvelous job of selecting, translating, and annotating the letters so that the book becomes cohesive whole.  Greatly adding to the story are the additional explanatory materials included.  A must read!

This promises to be a fascinating talk as Janet will describe her role in bringing the book into being. Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase.

Don't for get the yard sale this Saturday at History House from 9 - 1 pm!