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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 www.wikipedia.org)
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