By Mimi Edmunds
With Presidential history, democracy, and retirement homes in the air today, West Bay Rotary had a visit from Becky Kemp, museum clerk and docent for The Henry Knox Museum in Thomaston to give members an inside view of the Montpelier mansion and its long, extraordinary legacy. Kemp told the story through the colorful history of its first owner, General Henry Knox.
Born in 1750 in Boston, Henry Knox was known as a “lowly Patriot and bookseller,” and a “bit of a ruffian.” He was taken out of school and put in a bookshop as an apprentice when his father ran off to the West Indies, leaving his mother and the family impoverished. It was hoped Henry would learn the skills of running a bookshop to bring in revenue for the family. He managed to learn enough by the age of 20 to start his own bookstore. He had also fallen in love with Lucy, a visitor of the bookshop and a wealthy upper-class daughter of Loyalists. Her parents strongly objected to her relationship with a Patriot. But the couple persisted and Henry was committed to whatever he undertook, so they married, he at 24 and she only 18. It was Lucy who ultimately led Knox to Thomaston and to the building of his dream house, Montpelier, for her. But before this could happen, Henry had to fulfill another priority.
As a young Patriot he was called to join the forces trying to oust the Loyalists from Boston. A big guy, he was put in charge of the artillery and its transport. His masterful handling of the equipment got the attention of George Washington. He was made Colonel of Artillery and then Major General of Artillery, and ultimately became Secretary of War in the very first Cabinet (of four) of the country’s first Administration, a right hand to President Washington. He served for 10 years, retiring in 1795, and moved to Thomaston to become a “country farmer.” In fact, he would do something much bigger.
Henry Knox retired from governing to build a mansion, Montpelier, as a gift to Lucy for bearing him 13 children, only three of which survived. It was the culmination of a lifetime, and the biggest project of his life. He threw himself into every aspect of the planning, design, and décor of the building. Once the mansion was finished along the St. George River, the location Lucy chose, he got involved with farming projects on their 500 acres along with other business interests. After only seven years of retirement, he was halted by his failing health in 1802, and in 1806, he died of peritonitis. Lucy lived another 18 years in the house, and the surviving daughters managed the property until it was sold in 1854. It fell into ruin, getting razed in 1871 for a railroad. That was the end of the original Montpelier on the St George River. The bookstore had also been trashed.
In 1919 a Thomaston citizen, Mary Watts, wanted to recreate the building she remembered as a child and wanted to pay tribute to its history. She galvanized community support and funding, including Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and ground was broken in 1929, with the doors opening a year later in 1930. Becky Kemp says people are already thinking about celebrating the centennial of the original mansion in the Henry Knox Memorial Museum recreation, just five years from now.
The Henry Knox Memorial Museum is located on the corner of Route 1 and Route 131in Thomaston, Maine. Visiting hours: Tuesday thru Saturday, 10 am–3:15 pm. FMI: www.KnoxMuseum.org.
About West Bay Rotary
West Bay Rotary is celebrating its 39th year of “service above self” here in the Midcoast. The club undertakes dozens of community projects as well as fundraising (and “fun-raising”) events, including the Chili Challenge, Christmas Tree sales, Chowda Challenge, and more. The door for prospective members is always open. West Bay Rotarians come from all walks of life and offer a fun way to meet new people and get engaged in the community. The club meets on Thursday mornings from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the Congregational Church meeting room in Camden and via Zoom. For more information, go to: www.WestBayRotaryOfMaine.org.
