ns of all denominations and all descriptions. Today his
descendants and those of his brothers are very numerous on the St.
John river.

DARLING.

There were twenty-three proprietors of a township, which was
originally called "Amesbury" in honor of James Amesbury, a Halifax
merchant, one of the grantees. Among the few inhabitants of the
township, prior to the arrival of the Loyalists, mention may be
made of Benjamin Darling, the first English speaking settler on the
banks of the Kennebecasis. Mr. Darling was born at Marblehead,
Massachusetts, in 1730, and came to the St. John river a few years
before the war of the American Revolution. He used to trade with the
Indians and became very friendly with the chief of a small village at
Nauwigewauk. Here in early times the Indians used to raise corn and
tobacco. They were inclined to resent the intrusion of the whites
into their domain but Benjamin Darling, after prolonged negotiation,
obtained from the local chief possession of the island, the
consideration offered and accepted being two bushels of corn, one
barrel of flour, a grindstone, some powder and shot and sundry knives,
hatchets and other implements. Darling built himself a comfortable
log dwelling, the upper part of which served as a store-room for
goods for the Indian trade. After his wife's death his daughter Hannah
became the housekeeper with a young girl friend as companion. The
Indians, though otherwise friendly enough, objected to all attempts
to clear and till the land and would not even allow the young ladies
to beautify their premises by the cultivation of flowers. On one
occasion Benjamin Darling went in company with the Indian chief to
visit a beaver dam not far away. During their absence an Indian
entered the house with the avowed intention of taking one of the
girls for his "squaw." There being no man about the premises the
prospect was certainly alarming, but woman's wit proved equal to the
emergency. As the intruder advanced to lay hands upon her Hannah
Darling offered to go with him of her own free will, but immediately
after leaving the house cleverly eluded the Indian, slipped in again
at the door and fastened it. The despicable savage advanced to the
window with diabolical threats, whetted his knife before their eyes
and finally seized a club to make forcible entry only to find himself
confronted at the doorway by the plucky girl with a loaded musket in
her hands. Her spirit was now thoroughly