Cornish, Maine - Its History

(Because much of the history of early Cornish was lost in a fire, all of what you read in this column was gleaned from the works of authors and researchers Addie Small, Dr. William Teg, G.T. Ridlon Sr., Michael Chaney, and the Cornish Historical Society.)

Let’s go back to the 1600s to learn a bit about Cornish. Back then this area was on the path of the Pequawket Trail which ran from Biddeford Pool on the Atlantic Ocean to the Mt. Washington Valley of New Hampshire’s White Mountains. The Trail was troddened by the Almouchiquois (Sokokis) Indians who lived in this area and traveled from sea to mountains in search of food. They were members of the highly-respected Tortoise Clan of the eastern Algonquins. (Pequawket is believed to have meant “Sandy Land.”)

The Indians bartered with French fur traders for years, exchanging highly-prized fur pelts for blankets, beads and other trinkets that suited their fancy. All was well until about the mid-1600s when the English decided to “freely” get into the action, thus upsetting a good thing. One of many so-called Indian Wars erupted between the English and Indians because the Indians didn't like the way they were being taken advantage of by the English. The English didn't appreciate the accusations coming from such "savages." Quite upset with their losses, the English pulled themselves together and marched to an Indian fortification which was located just across the river in Hiram, at the meeting place of the Saco and Great Ossipee Rivers. Finding no Indians there, they burned it to the ground. In frustration, they then went to the other Indian fort on Ossipee Lake in Ossipee, NH, captured a couple of prisoners and proudly headed back home to Massachusetts. Needless to say, the Sokokis Indians who returned to their Hiram habitat were a bit upset with the smoldering, charred remains of their fortified village.

The band of Sokokis Indians living in the Cornish area was led by a chief named Captain Sandy, also known as Captain Sunday (remember the translation of Pequawket . . . Sandy Land?). Also in the area was Cornish’s first permanent resident, a fur trader named Francis Small who operated a trading post. These two became fast, trusting friends, one to the other. Tension between the English and Indians began to have a local effect. Around the 1660s some in Captain Sandy’s tribe decided to get even for their loss by torching Small’s home. Luckily for him, he got early wind of the plan. Now imagine sitting secretly in a pine grove, through a November night, fearing for your very life. By dawn you see your house in flames. You know there’s a pack of men out there wanting nothing less than to take your life. Where do you go? What do you do? Francis Small knew exactly what to do. He high-tailed back to Kittery! Non-stop!!

Ya know, the old saying is true, “It’s who you know that gets you ahead in life!” Feeling sorry for his friend, Captain Sandy decided to trade a large tract of land with Francis Small for his loss. Cornish was part of that tract of land.

Now Cornish wasn’t always known as such. During the 1700s, it was first called Francisborough, then it was named Cornishville, and was finally incorporated as Cornish in 1794.

As you travel through Cornish, you’ll naturally think the handsome Victorian and Colonial homes and buildings alongside Main and Maple Streets have always been there. But most weren’t!! In fact, between 1850 and 1860, it took teams of about 80 oxen to move many homes down from the High Road where the town center was originally located. Listen to this . . . 160 oxen hauled one house over the icy Saco River from the banks of Baldwin! All because of the new stage route which arrived (along what is now Main Street) around 1846!!