Histories

Before there was a Knox County

Until 1620 the area we call Knox County was part of North Virginia when it became New England. On March 23, 1630 it was the Lincolnshire or Muscongus Patent, later called the Waldo Patent.

From 1639 until 1664 it was known as the province of Maine . From 1664-1673 it was part of the County of Newcastle, Province of New York. From 1673 to 1676 it was the County of Devonshire, Royal Province of Mass. Bay. In 1677 the area passed back to New York.

Eleven years later, in 1689, it was again part of Mass. West of the Kennebec River it was the Province of Maine, east of the river, (our side), it was the Colony of Sagadahoc, Royal Province of Maine until 1691.

Then it became Yorkshire County, later York County, until 1760 when it became Lincoln County. In 1827 Waldo County was formed from it. On April 1, 1860 Knox County was formed from parts of Waldo and Lincoln Counties.

St. George's was named, but not settled, in 1623 approximately where Warren is today. It was Fort George, 'the frontier possession of the English', from 1630 to 1699. In 1719 two blockhouses were built where Thomaston is now. The first civilian settlement at St. Georges was in 1735. In Nov. 1776 the Upper Town of St. George's became Warren, which included the present Rockland and Thomaston.

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