17th Century French Jesuit Missionary Died At The Hands Of The British, Evangelizing The Indian's Of Maine

History surrounds river anglers
By KEN ALLEN

"Dawn over the Kennebec" by Mary R. Calvert, published by Twin City Printery in Lewiston in 1983, shows the rich history of the Kennebec River -- an ancient travel artery for indigenous people and early settlers. Yes, Maine's rivers and large streams have a history, folks, and anglers cannot escape this fact because we hang around places where significant events occurred. For example, Calvert's section on Father Sebastian Rasle (Râle) caught my attention big time because I fish near the exact spot where Rasle lived with the Norridgewocks, who were part of the Abenaki nation.

In 1695, this French Jesuit missionary came south from Canada and set up a church in the Norridgewock village on the Kennebec near what is now Madison. This river stretch lies off the Father Rasle Road, which parallels Route 201 south of downtown Madison. When fishing there, it's easy to imagine this setting when Rasle arrived, thanks to his descriptions. The village covered the 250-acre intervale surrounded on three sides by the river. According to Rasle, huge cornfields rose from the Kennebec then, but today, magnificent pines and mixed-growth forests have replaced the croplands and Indian dwellings.

Down the Father Rasle Road from 201A on the north end, the highway goes around a sharp, left-hand curve and comes to open pines on the right where folks can picnic or access the river. Just south of the pines, a stone with a plaque commemorates Father Rasle and just down the road further south lies a cemetery. On the back of it stands a tall monument where Rasle's catholic church and dwelling stood. This spot near the monument is also where the British shot Father Rasle in 1724. They thought he had stirred up the Norridgewocks against the English settlements to the south, so they attacked the Indian village and killed this Jesuit priest during the early part of the battle.

It's fun to read about Rasle on the Internet because French versions paint the man as a veritable saint, while English accounts generally portray him as a troublemaking scoundrel. Calvert's book has a 27-page translation of Rasle letters that give more insight into his life, and a passage in one letter gives pause for thought about the good father's influence on the Norridgewocks.

Rasle attended their council meetings and offered opinions on various topics. In one letter, he wrote, "My advice always shapes their resolutions." If you fish this river section, and I have hit it hard in some years, do yourself a favor and read pages 92-129 in "Dawn over the Kennebec." It'll bring history alive, so anglers can enjoy fishing excursions more.

Link (here)

THE CAUSE OF SEBASTIAN RÂLE (1652-1724): IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 275TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS MARTYRDOM (23 August 1999) A complete history (here)