| When settlers arrived at Yarmouth's site in 1640,
they found a fort already built. The fort had for some time been
occupied by George Felt, who had in turn purchased it from John
Phillips, a Welshman. In 1646, William Royall purchased a farm on
the river which has ever since borne his name (minus the second
L). This stream and its vicinity were called by the Indians,
Wescustogo - a name preserved by the Westcustogo Inn on Route 88.
John Cousins had arrived a year or more earlier than Royall,
occupying the neck of land between the branches of the stream
which has since been called Cousin's River, and owning the island
now bearing his name. In 1688, while the inhabitants on the
eastern side of the river were building a garrison, they were
attacked by Indians, and attempted a defense. They continued the
contest until night, when the Indians retired. It was not long
before they appeared again, in such force that the thirty-six
families of the settlement were forced to flee, abandoning their
homes.
It was not until about 1713 that settlers revisited their
homes, when they found their fields and the sites of their
habitations covered by a young growth of trees. Among the new
proprietors at the time were descendants of the Plymouth pilgrims.
Until after the year 1756 the Indians were again very troublesome.
In 1725 William and Matthew Scales and Joseph Felt were killed,
and the wife and children of the latter carried into captivity. A
grandson of Felt, Joseph Weare, became a noted scout, pursuing the
Native Americans at every opportunity. In August, 1746, a party of
thirty-two Indians secreted themselves near the lower falls for
the apparent purpose of surprising Weare's garrison, in the
process killing Philip Greely, who came upon them. This was the
last act of resistance by the indigenous people which occurred
within the limits of the town.
Yarmouth constituted the eastern part of North Yarmouth until
1849, when it was set off and incorporated as an independent town;
this split occurred because of a dispute over the purchase of a
fire wagon. Unable to resolve this difference, the two halves of
the town split, and have been separate ever since.
(from
www.wikipedia.com) |
