Kittery Garrisons and Blockhouses

Kittery Garrison Houses - It is documented that there were as many as 36 multi-family garrison houses in Kittery during the Indian wars. Each family and single person was assigned to a specific garrison house. A system of watches and alarms was established to alert the people to gather at their assigned garrison house when an attack was imminent. Some specific families were authorized to establish their own individual garrison houses but that was risky because some of the raiding parties had upwards of 150 French and hostile Indians. The French & Indian raiding parties sometimes took advantage of the garrison house system by forcing settlers to flee to the Garrison house while they burned down all the houses, crops and killed the livestock. They then concentrated on the garrison house and sometimes were successful in getting the whole garrison to surrender. Eliot was the Upper Parish of Kittery until it was incorporated on 6 Mar 1810. On 30 Apr 1690, there were listed 8 garrisons in Upper Kittery and 10 garrisons in lower Kittery. There were no soldiers stationed in any of the Lower Kittery garrison houses but there were six soldiers allotted to the upper Kittery garrison houses in 1690. Note: The Indian wars in Maine spanned a time period lasting over a hundred years and some five generations. There were times when almost all the settlers were driven out of the contested areas and their communities were destroyed. Indian Wars in Maine (edit list) Start End Name Against Notes 1636 1637 Pequot War Pequot Indians 1675 1678 King Philip's War Confederation of Tribes 1689 1697 King William's War The first of the French and Indian Wars 1702 1713 Queen Anne's War The second of the French and Indian Wars 1722 1725 Dummer's War Wabanaki Confederacy 1744 1748 King George's War The third of the French and Indian Wars 1749 1755 Father Le Loutre's War Mi'kmaq Indians, Acadians and French 1754 1763 French & Indian War French & Indian Allies Frost's Garrison (1) This garrison house was established at the outset of King Philip's War in 1675 at the request of then Captain Charles Frost, later Major, (born 16 Jul 1631, killed 4 Jul 1697). This garrison was listed on the 1690 list of garrisons at the beginning of King William's War (1689-1697). Major Frost rose to command the Maine Militia. He was killed by hostile Indians on 4 Jul 1697 at the end of the war at ambush rock near the garrison house. This garrison house continued to be listed under Major Charles until 1720 and continued until 1722 and Dummer's War (1722-1725) as Charles Frost Esq. Probably operated by Major Frost's son, Charles Jr. (1678-1724) who resided on his father's property, was the commander of a militia regiment and was also commissioned a Major on 13 Jan 1715. Assigned Location ID ME00. GPS Location: 43.15862, -70.75087 Charles Frost's Garrison (approx) Frost's Garrison (2) On 8 Sep 1730, Colonel John Frost II (1709-1768) purchased Stony Brook Farm in Kittery (now Eliot) from his father for £1000 and resided there. He married Sarah Gerrish in 1734. He built a home in 1732, a small garrison in 1734, and a large public garrison in 1738 all in a small area on Frost Hill. He fought in the French and Indian Wars and died in 1768. The three structure Frost compound still exists today with the original buildings except that the old 1732 Frost family house was destroyed in 1760 and rebuilt in 1778. The 40'x 28' two and a half story wooden 1778 frame home is the one that remains on the site today. The small 1734 garrison was intended as a family defense and was built the year that John Frost married Sarah Gerrish. This small garrison was only 15' by 15' and was connected to the main house by a tunnel that no longer exists. With the construction of the larger garrison, the smaller one began to be used as a powder house but still retained its defensive features. The small garrison/powder house is made of hand-hewn timbers of pine and oak, dovetailed at the ends. There are special timbers which lock the structure together. It has a loft beneath its low gable roof and loopholes are provided for defenders could fire on their attackers. The original plugs for these loopholes are extant and in place as of 1971. The small garrison/powder house was removed from the original site before 1940 and reconstructed at Kittery Point. By 1971 the structure had been returned and rebuilt on the original foundation. The large garrison was intended as a community defense against French and Indian raiding parties during the French & Indian War. The larger 1738 garrison building had one and a half stories with the upper story overhanging the lower. The upper story floor has forty-foot floorboards two inches thick with trap doors which served as openings to shoot through. The garrison walls are made from huge hand-hewn pine logs and the supporting knees from giant roots. Most of the timbers measure 12" to 18" in width and are generally 8" in thickness. Each outside wall has two small 3" x 3" loopholes to allow the garrison defenders to fire on attackers. Five of the original porthole plugs were still in place in 1971. The area around the portholes is riddled with holes made by arrows and bullets from attacks on the garrison. Assigned Location ID ME00. GPS Locations: 43.16196, -70.74903 Frost Garrison (2) Frost's Garrison (3) Nicholas Frost (1585-1663) built a garrison house at the foot of Frost's Hill circa 1650. On 4 Jul 1650, Nicholas Frost's wife, Bertha, and their daughter, Anna, were captured by Indians and taken to a camp at the mouth of Sturgeon Creek. At this time, Bertha was 40 years of age, Nicholas was 65, and Anna was 15. Nicholas and his son, Charles were at York at the time and on their return, attempted to rescue them, but were unsuccessful. Charles, however, killed a chief and a brave. The next day, Charles, his father, and some neighbors went back to the camp but were too late. The camp was deserted, only the bodies of Bertha and Anna were found there. They were buried near the old Garrison in Eliot, Maine, Nicholas Frost's home. In 1651 the town granted to Nicholas Frost three hundred acres and other grants increased his estate to one of the largest estates in Kittery. He built his house on the southern slope of Frost's hill probably about 1651. It was a garrison house built of large hewn square logs. Assigned Location ID ME00. GPS Location: 43.15939, -70.75535 Nicholas Frost's Garrison (approx) Shorey's Fort A garrison house Near the highway to South Berwick, just south of Shorey's Brook Assigned Location ID ME00. Neal's Garrison By John Neal about a half-mile south of Shorey's Fort Assigned Location ID ME00. Heard's Garrison By John Heard about two miles from Neal's Garrison near Sturgeon Creek. circa 1650 Assigned Location ID ME00. Hammond's Garrison Major Joseph Hammond's Garrison - Just north of the site of Hotel Green Acre. Surrounded by a stockade. Assigned Location ID ME00. Spencer's Garrison William Spencer's Garrison was assaulted in March 1689 but the attackers were repelled. Assigned Location ID ME00. Spencer's Garrison Assigned Location ID ME00. Emery's Garrison (1) Daniel Emery Garrison - Deacon Daniel Emery Assigned Location ID ME00. Emery's Garrison (2) Stephen Emery Garrison Assigned Location ID ME00. Hodgdon's Garrison Benoni Hodgdon Assigned Location ID ME00. Nason's Garrison (1) Jonathan Nason Assigned Location ID ME00. Nason's Garrison (2) Richard Nason Assigned Location ID '. Stone's Garrison Daniel Stone Assigned Location ID ME00. Abbot's Garrison First shown on the 1690 list as Ensign Thomas Abbot's Garrison in Upper Kittery later as Captain Thomas Abbot Garrison in Kittery. Assigned Location ID ME00. Homes' Garrison Thomas Homes's small Garrison at Quamphegon located near his sawmill was attacked in March 1689 and the attackers burned down his house. James Plaister who was captured when the fort at Salmon Falls was taken and sent by Hope Hood (Commander of the Indians) under a flag of truce to the Homes Garrison to persuade Thomas Homes to surrender the Garrison. Homes declined and Plaister stayed with the garrison. Plaister recounted seeing some one hundred and fifty enemies about half of which were French. Assigned Location ID ME00. Watts' Fort Not really a fort but an island in the Piscataqua River in York County Maine. One mile upriver from Frankfort Island. Assigned Location ID ME00. GPS Location: 43.16196, -70.74903 Watt's Fort Darby's Fort Assigned Location ID ME00. GPS Location: Darby's Fort Leighton's Fort Assigned Location ID ME00. GPS Location: Leighton's Fort Libby's Garrisons On Libby's Hill Assigned Location ID '. GPS Location: Libby's Garrisons Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X. Bourne, Edward E., Garrison Houses, York County, in Collections of the Maine Historical Society, Vol. VII (1876):112-113 Old Eliot: A Monthly Magazine of the History and Biography of the Upper Parish of Kittery, Now Eliot, Volumes 1-3, 1901, page 145-146, Google Books Links: North American Forts - Eliot Wikipedia - Eliot

Kittery Garrisons & Blockhouses (edit list)

Loc ID	Rank	First Name	Garrison Name	Location	List	Fam/Mil/People	Notes
ME00			Shorey's Fort		1650s
ME00		John	Neal's Garrison		1650s
ME00		John	Heard's Garrison		1650s
ME00		Nicholas	Frost's Garrison		1650s
ME00	Major	Joseph	Hammond's Garrison		1650s
ME00			Spencer's Garrison		1650s
ME00	Deacon	Daniel	Emery's Garrison		1650s
ME00		Steven	Emery's Garrison		1650s
ME00		John	Morrell's Garrison	Lower Kittery	1690
ME00		John	Shapleigh's Garrison	Lower Kittery	1690
ME00		Joseph	Hammond's Garrison	Lower Kittery	1690
ME00		John	Alcock's Garrison	Lower Kittery	1690
ME00		Joseph	Wilson's Garrison	Lower Kittery	1690
ME00		William	Pepperrell's Garrison	Lower Kittery	1690
ME00	Widow		Champernowne's Garrison	Lower Kittery	1690
ME00	Major	Charles	Frost's Garrison	Upper Kittery	1690
ME00		Benoni	Hodsdon's Garrison	Upper Kittery	1690
ME00		Jonathan	Nason's Garrison	Upper Kittery	1690
ME00		Daniel	Stone's Garrison	Upper Kittery	1690
ME00	Ensign	Thomas	Abbot's Garrison	Upper Kittery	1690
ME00		Richard	Nason's Garrison	Upper Kittery	1690
ME00		William	Spencer's Garrison	Upper Kittery	1690
ME00		Thomas	Holmes' Garrison	Upper Kittery	1690
ME00	Maj.		Plaisted's Garrison		1711	Fam=14 Mil=4 Peo=74
ME00	Mr.		Key's Garrison		1711	Fam=6 Mil=2 Peo=25
ME00			Quamphegan Garrison		1711	Fam=6 Mil=0 Peo=20
ME00	Mr.		Chadbourne's Garrison		1711	Fam=5 Mil=1 Peo=30
ME00	Capt.		Hill's Garrison		1711	Fam=8 Mil=3 Peo=21
ME00	Mr.		Spencer's Garrison		1711	Fam=10 Mil=4 Peo=100
ME00	Mr.		Walker's Garrison		1711	Fam=9 Mil=2 Peo=60
ME00	Mr.		Emery's Garrison		1711	Fam=7 Mil=0 Peo=14
ME00	Mr.		Hubbard's Garrison		1711	Fam=6 Mil=3 Peo=19
ME00	Mr.		Lord's Garrison		1711	Fam=5 Mil=0 Peo=25
ME00	Mr.		Neal's Garrison		1711	Fam=10 Peo=70
ME00	Mr.		Nason's Garrison		1711	Fam=3 Peo=12
ME00	Mr.		Whittum's Garrison		1711	Fam=5 Peo=20
ME00	Capt.		Heard's Garrison		1711	Fam=2 Mil=2 Peo=10
ME00	Lt.		Frost's Garrison		1711	Fam=2 Mil=2 Peo=10
ME00			Hodson's Garrison		1711
ME00		Andrew	Neal's Garrison		1720
ME00		John	Gowen's Garrison		1720
ME00		Jonathan	Nason's Garrison		1720
ME00		Samuel Jr.	Snall's Garrison		1720
ME00	Capt.	John	Heard's Garrison		1720
ME00	Maj.	Charles	Frost's Garrison		1720
ME00		John Sr.	Morrell's Garrison		1720
ME00	Capt.	Nicholas	Shapleigh's Garrison		1720
ME00	Capt.	John	Leighton Garrison		1720
ME00		David Jr	Libby's Garrison		1720
ME00		Joseph	Hill's Garrison		1720
ME00		John	Staple's Garrison		1720
ME00	Maj.	Joseph	Hammond's Garrison		1720
ME00	Widow		Spinney's Garrison		1720
ME00		John	Dennet's Garrison		1720
ME00		Richard Sr.	King's Garrison		1720
ME00		Joseph	Curtis' Garrison		1720
ME00		Richard	Rogers' Garrison		1720
ME00		John	Adams' Garrison		1720
ME00		Robert	Cutt's Garrison		1720
ME00	Lt.	Elihu	Gunnison's Garrison		1720
ME00		Nathaniel	Leach's Garrison		1720
ME00		Nathaniel	Keen's Garrison		1720
ME00	Rev.	John	Newmarch's Garrison		1720
ME00		Samuel	Hutchins' Garrison		1720
ME00		Nicholas	Weeks' Garrison		1720
ME00		Andrew	Lewis's Garrison		1720
ME00	Col.	William	Pepperrell's Garrison		1720
ME00	Widow		Wilson's Garrison		1720
ME00		Ebenezer	More's Garrison		1720
ME00		Richard	Cutt's Garrison		1720
ME00		Clement	Deering's Garrison		1720
ME00		Robert	Eliot's Garrison		1722
ME00		Daniel	Furbush's Garrison		1722		With Forguson & Shorey families
ME00		Andrew	Neal's Garrison		1722		With Emery, Goold & Heard families
ME00		John	Gowen's Garrison		1722		With Nicholas Gowen & Weed families
ME00		Johathon	Nason's Garrison		1722		With Goold, Waymouth, Snow & Stacy families
ME00	Jr.	Samuel	Small's Garrison		1722		Families from mouth of Sturgeon Creek to Frosts, Johnson & Smith
ME00	Capt.	John	Heard's Garrison		1722		With James Heard to David Sawyer families Inclusively.
ME00		Nicho	Morrell's Garrison	At Ferry	1722		Wm Fry to John Morrell Jr families inclusively
ME00		Samuel	Hill's Garrison		1722		Samuel Hill Jr, James Davis, Ebenezer Dennet, Nathl Chapman familys
ME00	Capt.	Nicho	Shapleigh's Garrison		1722		With Michael Kennards to his own house inclusively
ME00	Capt.	John	Leighton' Garrison		1722		With Renja March, Joseph Pilsbury, John Richardson familys
ME00	Mr.	John	Rogers' Garrison		1722		From his own home to Daniel Fogg and Daniel Fogg Jr. Inclusively
ME00		David	Libby's Garrison		1722		From Jas Staples to Thomas Hanscoms Inclusively
ME00	Major	Joseph	Hammond's Garrison		1722		From Stephen Tobey, Samll Tobey, Samll Green, Daniel Green, John Rogers, Abram Cross familys
ME00		John	Lydston's Garrison		1722		From Peter Staples to Danll Pauls families inclusively
ME00	Mr.	Richard	King's Garrison		1722		From John Pauls to lower end of Spinneys point
ME00	Mr.	John	Staple's Garrison		1722		From Wm. Brooks to Jacob Remick Jr. families inclusively
ME00	Mr.	John	Fernald Garraison		1722		From Richard Gowell Jr. to Thomas Coles inclusively.
ME00	Mr.	John	Adams' Garrison		1722		From Nathl Fernald, Wm Worster families
ME00	Mr.	John	Newmarch's Garrison		1722		From James Spinneys to Widow Tripes with Walter Denne ford
ME00	Mr.	Robert	Cutt's Garrison		1722		From Benja Fernald to Francis Winkleys
ME00	Mr.	Elihu	Gunison's Garrison		1722		From John Pearses whole Neck downward familys
ME00		Nathl	Kene's Garrison		1722		From Nathl Leaches to Kenes house, Except John Shepard posted at Rogerses
ME00		Richard	Rogers. Garrison		1722		John Shepard,Jerem Spinney, Moses Stevens, Paul Williams, John Manson, Francis Pettegrew, Wm Rogers, Wm Stanley, & Richd Pope families
ME00	Mr.	Joseph	Curtis' Garrison		1722		From James Stariot, James Stariot Jr., Peter Stariot, Nathll Fernald, James Brideen, Jr., Wm Wilson, John Crocker, Samll Johnson, Jr., families
ME00		Dodavah	Curtis' Garrison		1722		From Samll Johnson, Withers Berry, Benja Hammons, Nicholas Weekes families
ME00		Joseph	Wilson's Garrison		1722		From John Benson, Thomas Hutchins, Enoch Hutchins & John Dealing families
ME00		Andrew	Lewis's Garrison		1722		From Andw Haley, Peter Lewis, John Hutchins, George Fenix, Thos Morgrage & Moses Downer Families
ME00		Danl	Hutchins' Garrison		1722		From Jonathan Hutchins, John Chapman families
ME00	Widow		Wilson's Garrison		1722		From Joseph Weekes, Saml Skillin, Gowen Wilson, John Wilson & Wm Haley familys
ME00		Ebenezer	More's Garrison		1722		From John Ingersol to Wm Tucker Inclusively
ME00		Joseph	Crockett's Garrison		1722		From Francis Smart, Nathl Hix, Jno Norton, Alexandr Macquinery, with young men on duty there, and families
ME00		Henry	Barter's Garrison		1722		Thomas Ball, James Grendal, Ebenr Emory, Zacheus Beal, Wm Roberts & Widdow Crockett, and families
ME00	Col	Wm	Pepperrell's Garrison		1722		From Thomas Dearings to Kittery Point Meeting house inclusively
ME00		Roger	Mitchell's Garrison		1722		From Wm Racklifts to Clement Dearings Inclusively
ME00		Saml	Ford's Garrison		1722		From his own house to Foyes Inclusively
ME00		Joseph	Mitchell's Garrison		1722		From Joseph Billings to John Whitney inclusively
ME00	Esq	Chas	Frost's Garrison		1722		Own house
ME00	Esq	Robert	Eliot's Garrison		1722		Own house
ME00	Mr.	Richf	Cutt's Garrison		1722		Own house
ME00		James	Chadbourne's garrison		1722		Own house
ME00		Richd	Mitchell's Garrison		1722		Own house