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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 wikipedia.org)
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