USA > Maine > York County > Eliot > Eliot miscellany. Bits of forgotten history > Part 1
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F 29 .E4 E4 Copy 1
1800
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ELIOT MISCELLANY.
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BITS OF FORGOTTEN HISTORY.
JOHN PARRY.
Alfred Little.
The following statistics concerning John Parry, were given to me by his grandaugh- ter,-Mrs. Mary Jane Remick Tobey, of Eliot, Maine, Sept. 21, 1876.
ALFRED LITTLE.
Boscawen, N. II., visiting in Eliot, Maine.
JOIIN PARRY was an Englishman. He graduated at Oxford, and went to Jamaica, where he owned a plantation and slaves.
When the slaves on that island rose in insurrection, he took as many of his slaves as he could get, and as much of his proper- ty as was possible, and came to the Province of Maine and town of Kittery. This was previous to the Revolutionary War.
Hewas commissioned by King George the Third, to teach a Latin School,-in the ancient town of Kittery, and perhaps other places, for which he received a regular salary from the King's government.
He had one sister who resided in Eng- land and married Mr. Williams.
John Parry married Mary Hammond of Eliot. Her father's name was Joseph Han- mond. He lived on the farm now ( 1876) occupied by Daniel Hammond.
During the time that John Parry taught the school, he bought the farm now owned by John Rogers at Sandy Hill.
The slaves who came with him from Jamaica, were put on this farm,-and lived, died and were buried there.
He had four sons and four daughters, viz: John; Oliver, died early; Oliver ; Martin. Mary was the eldest daughter ; Sally the second; Nancy the third ; and Martha Kelly, the youngest daughter and the youngest child. (This may not be the order of the birth of the eight children. )
His salary was cut down by the Govern- ment, and he was so offended that he gave
up teaching, sold his farm, went to Ports- mouth Plains, N. H., and rented the Elm House, in which he kept tavern, and in which his youngest t daughter, Martha Kelly was born.
When Martha Kelly was twelve years old his wife died; at which time he gave up keeping Public House, and returned to Kittery, and opened a Private School.
He "boarded round ;" and the last place in which he taught, was the house recently occupied by Dr. Jones, and formerly by Gen. Fernald.
John Parry's death occurred while he was at the home of Dr. Jones : one day, at noon, there was a thunder shower ; he stood in the door with a basin in his hand, to catch the rain-water. He was killed in- stantly by lightning. He was found stand- ing on his feet and leaning against the door. The silver case of his watch was melted in his pocket, but the action of the watch was not changed.
The watch was given to Mrs. Sally Parry Quincy, whose daughter married Nathan B. Folsom; and is now probably in posses- sion of his family at Chicago, IlI.
The English government sent agents to select trees suitable for masts for the navy. The King's mark was put upon the trees, and no one was allowed to cut them with- out an order from Government. Many of these miasts were landed at Mast Cove, near Franks Fort.
Capt. Pervis commanded one of the ships commissioned to carry masts to England.
Capt. Pervis married Mary, eldest daugli- ter of John Parry.
On the first voyage after the marriage, the ship was lost and all on board perished.
Thomas Hammond,-John Parry's broth- er-in-law,-married Mollie Rogers, daugh- ter of the Rev'd John Rogers of Eliot, and had two children : Joseph and Polly.
Polly married William Jones.
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ELIOT (MAINE)
Joseph married Mary Staples.
William Jones, son of William and Polly (Hammond) Jones, married Ann Parry, only child of Martin Parry.
Sallie Parry, danghter of John Parr:7, married Edmund Husk Quincy.
Nancy Parry married James Kennard ; had three sons, Oliver, James and Edward ; and two daughters, Mary and Lydia.
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TOBEY FAMILY GATHERING.
AUGUST, 1846.
A Paper read at a Meeting of the Descendants of James Tobey. at Eliot, August, 1846. ยท
Assembling for the object and under the circumstances which have to-day called us together, I have thought that the interest and pleasure of this Family Meeting might be enhanced by presenting a briet account of our ancestors from the first settlers of Eliot to the present time.
The difficulties of preparing such a his- tory, have been greater than you may sup- pose. While tracing onr genealogy through the vista of antiquity, there is but here and there a name ; and of ancestral history, the most we have is, that they were born, mar- ried and died on three different days ; while the far greater portion are swept from the face of Time, and their names consigned to oblivion,
An account, however, I have prepared, in the best manner the circumstances permit. Imperfect as it is, I now present it to you :
The first person by the name of Tobey, of whom we have any knowledge, who re- sided in Eliot, was JAMES TOBEY, son of Thomas Tobey, who migrated from the west of England, or Wales, to Long Island; and about 1640 removed to and settled in Sandwich, Cape Cod.
James Tobey was probably born in Sand- wich, and there passed his youthful days. It is not known when he came to Eliot, but he was here in 1675.
He settled on a tract of land near Franks Fort,-the grant of which he received from
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MISCELLANY.
the Town, June 24, 1687, on which lot he had for several previous years resided.
The land extended from Richard Green's land to the Bay Land next the water, pro- vided,-"the said James Tobey leave a sufficient highway to the landing place at the Mast Cove."
James Tobey had three sons born pre- viously to 1678. He is supposed to have died prior to 1700.
His three sons were Stephen ; John ; and James.
Of James it is not known that he has any descendants.
John left one son John who was born in 1700, married Elisabeth Staples in 1723, and died Dec. 6, 1778. His wife Elisabeth died Sept. 1, 1769. They left three children, Mary, born Nov. 22, 1727, married Parker Foster ; Hannah, born September 1729, and John, born Nov. 12, 1733, married Anna Fogg and left no sons; they were the par- ents of the wife of Ezra Libbey. In this branch the name of Tobey became extinct.
Stephen Tobey, the oldest son of James, was born about 1664, married Hannah Nelson about 1688. In company with Da- vid Libbey, Matthew Libbey, Daniel Fogg and Joseph Hammond, between 1690 and 1700 he purchased the Bay Land, extending from Franks Fort to Watts' Fort by the river, and back to Marsh Hill. His shore was set off on the southeast side of the lot. He built ships ac Mast Cove. He died after 1742. The children of Stephen and Han- nah were :
Katharine born October 25, 1689
Samuel born January 31, 1692
James born October 21, 1694
John born January 2, 1699
Stephen born " 2, 1702
Hannah born IO. 1706
Hannah married Robert Staples, Jannary 7, 1725. She had seven daughters, who have descendants now by the names of Paul, Fernald, Libbey, Hill, Spinney, Shapleigh, Fogg, and others.
Of Katharine, James and John, we know nothing further.
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ELIOT (MAINE,) MISCELLANY.
Stephen married Anna Staples, October 25, 1726. After her death he married Mar- garet Emery, Nov. 30, 1749. He resided on his father's homestead. He died about 1786. He left six children :
Eunice baptized May, 1729
Hannah baptized August 2, 1730 Anna baptized November, 1732 Stephen baptized February, 1735 Lois, baptized December 9, 1739 Martha, September, 1742
Stephen resided at his father's mansion. He married, first, Sarah Dennett, in 1762. He married 2, Mary Rogers, October 26, 1786. He left no children, consequently the name in that branch of the family also has become extinct.
Samuel Tobey, son Stephen and Hannah (Nelson) Tobey, married Mary Spinney, December 29, 1721. Their children were :
Mary ;
Abigail, married William Fernald ;
Nathaniel, born September, 1742, mar- ried Ann Shapleigh, 1768 ;
William, baptized August 2, 1730, mar- ried Hannah Remick, May 8, 1777, and soon after died on board of a privateer. Left no children. His widow married Ste- phen Hanscom ;
Samuel, born 1734, married Mary Paul.
Samuel, son of Samuel and Mary (Spin- ney) Tobey, was born in 1734. Mary Paul, his wife, was the daughter of Stephen Paul. She was born in 1738. He died March 5, 1707. His wife died November 20, 1801 .- Their children were :
Stephen, Abigail and James,-baptized April 22, 1770. James was born June 22, 1769 he married Hannah Shapleigh ;
Samuel, baptized June 27, 1772, d. e. William, bap. Aug. 14, 1774, d. e.
Sarah and Mary, twins, Mary died early, Sarah died Sept. 25, 1817 ;
John, born 1780;
William, born 1782, died Oct. 17, 1801 ;
Samuel and Mary, twins, born 1785; Samuel married Lucy Paul ; Mary mar- ried Isaac Spinney ;
Abigail married David Libbey ; Stephen married Sally Shapleigh ;
James, as before stated, married Hannah Shapleigh, daughter of James Shapleigh. They were married November 5, 1792. The children are :
Lydia Tobey, born April 28, 1793, mar- ried Nathaniel Adams, May 20, 1815; has has had six children and one grandchild ;
Olive Tobey, born July 16, 1794, mar- ried Richard Shapleigh April 4, 1813, has had twelve children ;
Abigail Tobey, born May 6, 1798, mar- ried Asa Brooks, Oct. 29, 1822, has had five children ;
Isabel Shapleigh Tobey, born June 3, 1800, married James Knowlton, February 22, 1821, has had nine children ;
James Shapleigh Tobey, born Sept. 25, 1801, married Mary Jane Remick, October 30, 1826, has had five children ;
Mary Tobey, born May 7, 1805, married Oliver Paul, December 10, 1827, has had five children ;
William Tobey, born November 19, 1807, married Polly Goodwin, Dec. 18, 1827, has had nine children.
The number of the descendants of James and Hannah (Shapleigh) Tobey is fifty- nine ; forty-five of them are now living.
Thus I have endeavored to give you a brief and correct account of our ancestors from the first one who migrated to this country to the present year.
I have probably not given you informa- tion which the most of you have not already received from other sources; but it is of interest and instruction to refresh our mem- ories with names and dates essential to a knowledge of those who have gone before.
We have traced the TOBEY FAMILY for Two Hundred Years, and through eight successive generations.
It appears that all the heads of families have been members of the Congregational Church excepting the first James,-but in his day there was no organized Church in Kittery.
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ELIOT (MAINE)
It is a pleasure as well as a Divine favor to derive our origin from the far-famed and justly enlogized Puritans of New England.
This is the first meeting of the Tobeys in our family line, of which we have any knowledge,-but let it not be the last.
As we see the influence which this day's meeting has exerted upon us, as we feel the sunlight of happiness which its scenes and its awakened remembrances have shed up- on our hearts, may we often turn from the dusty path and refresh ourselves with the wellsprings of time-honored recollections.
As we depart from Eliot on this occasion, may we resolve that whenever our descend- ants meet together, as we now do, they shall be able, not merely to tell the dates of our births and our deaths, but to say, " He lived a useful and virtuous citizen ; the ornament of Society, beloved of Mankind and blessed of God."
This is the last and only time we shall all meet for the object which this day draws us, but we shall count this day one of the sunny spots, -and may we meet at last a Happy Family in Heaven.
-- 00- PILGRIM FATHERS
Ode sung at the Gathering of the Descend- ants of James Tobey, Eliot, Me.
O God, beneath thy sovereign care, Thy mercy and thy grace, We lift the voice of praise and prayer To consecrate this place ; This place made holy by the ties Which to all hearts are dear, -
O God, whose palace is the skies, Bless all assembled here.
Two Hundred Years have winged their flight,
Since on Old England's shore,
Fearless of storms or tempest's might, Or ocean's threatening power,
There shipped upon the ocean wave A firm and noble band;
MISCELLANY.
Nor shrunk they from a wat'ry grave,- They sought New England's strand.
And here their offspring now have met, The aged and the young,
The sire whose limbs are trembling yet, The child with prattling tongue, To offer to the First and Last Their thanks for mercies given, Recal the memory of the Past, Of ancestors in heaven.
Blest hours, which sires and sons incite To join the friendly hand ;
Mothers and daughters too, unite To swell the joyful band. Season of love-of friendship sweet, O happy, happy day When relatives in concord meet, Their offerings to pay.
Eliot, Maine. John Samuel Hill Fogg.
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THE ELIOT FRIENDS.
The first meeting for worship was es- tablished in Eliot, October, 1730, and was connected with Dover monthly meeting.
For more than ten years it was the only one in Maine.
In the spring of 1742, it was visited by John Churchman, celebrated as a minister of the society in Pennsylvania.
I11 1764, a preparative meeting was granted ; and in 1769, a meeting house was built. No monthly or quarterly meeting was ever granted them.
The meeting house stood on the south side of Sturgeon Creek, nearly opposite the for- mer residence of E. R. Allen, on land owned until quite a recent date by the descend- ants of Friend Jenkins.
Among those remembered as Friends were the Allens, Frys, Neals and Jenkins.
At one time they possessed considerable strength ; but they have long since ceased to have existence as a distinctive body.
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ELIOT (MAINE,) MISCELLANY.
RICHARD ROGERS' WILL. 1700. (Ship Carpenter.)
From " A Trve Coppy of the Original Will, Transcribed and compared this 25th March, 1702, p. Charles ffrost, Regist'r," and now in possession of Mr. Charles W. Rogers of Eliot.
I Richard Rogers of Kittery, in ye Coun- ty of Yorke, in ye Province of ye Massa- chusetts Bay in New England, being of perfect memory and under standing, but under great indisposition of body, and not knowing how long it may please god to continue me in this life, Do hereby consti- tute, declare and ordaine this to be my last Will and Testament, Revoking all manner of Wills heretofore made or declared either by word or writing.
Imp's. I recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God, trusting through the merits of Jesus Christ to obtain free and full remission of all my sins. My body I comit unto the grave in order to a decent and Christian burial, the management whereof I leave to the direction of my Ex- ecutors and over seers hereafter named.
As touching what worldly Estate it hath pleased god to give me, I give and bequeath as follows, or after my funeral charges and just debts are paid :
Item. I Give and bequeath unto ity daughter Rebekah, ten pounds in Cattle or other merchandise pay, to be paid by my Executors, ye one half at the day of her mariage, or one year after my decease, and the other halfe in some convenient time after, as my Execut'rs can do it with con- venience.
Item. I do Give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Sarah, two Cows, and eight sheep, and all the goods or household Stuff which shee brought with her. That is, one small Featherbed, one rugg, two Iron pots, one Iron Kittle. That is, if She happen to marry or to remove from my son John Rogers ; but if she see cause to continue and be assisting unto my sd son, then my
wish is that my sd son shall provide for her. and allow her a comfortable maintenance out of the in come of my Estate during her natural life, or so long as she shall see cause to continue with him my sd Son.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son in law, John Tydie, Two Steers of about three years old, if he continue with his mother and my sd Son John, till he arrive at the age of one and twenty years.
Item. I do give and bequeath unto my beloved and onely son John Rogers, all my whole Estate, both of Land and houses, household stuffs, &c: willing him to pay such Legacies, &c : as are before mentioned.
And I doe by these presents make and appoint my sd Wife and Son Jolin to be my Executors of this my last Will and Testamt, Requesting my loving and much Esteemed friend, Ensine John Leighton, and my Son in law Thomas Hunscomb, to be my over- seers of this my last will : whom I desire to be assistants to my Exect'rs.
In Testamony wherof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this rith of January, I700. Richard Rogers, [seal. ]
Signed, sealed & declared
Grace Bamfield,
Hannah Tydy,
Jos : Hammond.
York, ss.
Joseph Hammond, Esq'r, commission- ated for the granting of Probate of Wills and Letters of administration within the sd County :
To all unto whom these presents shall come, Greeting : Know yee That on the twenty fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand Seaven Hundred and two, Before me at Kittery, within the sd County, the wll of Richard Rogers late ot Kittery, in the County afore sd, ship carpenter, dec'd, to these presents annexed, was proved, approved and allowed : who having while he lived and at the time of his death Goods, Chattels, Rights or Credits in the aforesd County, For the obtaining whereof The Administration of all and
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ELIOT (MAINE,)
singular the Goods, Chattels, Rights and Credits, the sd Dece'd and his Will in any manner concerning, was committed unto Sarah Rogers and John Rogers, Executors in the Same Will named. well and truly to administer the same, and to make a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods, Chattels, Rights and Credits of the sd deee'd, and to Exhibit the same into the Register's office of the afore sd County according to law, also to render a plaine and true accompt of their sd administration upon oath : In Testamony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the sd office, Dated at Kittery afore sd, The day and year afore'd. Charles ffrost, Regist'r. -- 00- WILLIAM ROGERS-GRANTOR.
STEPHEN TOBEY-GRANTEE. Sept. 16, 1717.
To all People to whom these presents Shall Come, Greeting, &ct. Know Ye that I William Rogers of Kittery, in the County of York, in his Maj'ty Province of ye Massachusetts Bay in New England, Husbandman, for & in Consideration of a valluable Sunr of money to me in hand be- fore ye Ensealing hereof, well & Truely paid by Stephen Tobey of ye same Town, County and Provence aforesd, Shipwright, the Rec't whereof I do hereby acknowledge & my Self therewith fully Satisfied & Con- tented and thereof and of Every part and Parcell thereof, do Exonerate, Aequit & Discharge ye sd Stephen Tobey, his heirs, Exrs & Admrs for ever by These presents, Have given, Granted, bargained, Sold, Aliened, Conveyd, & truely give, grant, Bargaine, Sell, Aliene, Convey and Con- firm unto him, ye sd Stephen Tobey his leirs and Assignes forever, One Moiety or half part of a Certain Traet of Land, Scit- nate Lyeing and being in Kittery, in the County of York, Containing Seventy Acres, According as ye same was Laid ont and bounded unto me by ye Surveyer or Sur- veyers for ye Town of Kittery, vizt, forty
MISCELLANY.
acres whereof Laid out by Nicholas Gowen, Survyr ye 22d January, 1702-3, beginning at ye Sontheast Corner of a lot that was laid out to Trustram Haridon Adjoyning to York bounds, and is bounded said lot on ye North, and is in length East and west One Hundred and Eighteen poles, and in breadth north & south fifty five poles.
Thirty Acres, ye remaining part of said Tract, was Laid out by John Gowen, sur- veyr, March 20th, 1702-3, begining at the Line that Devides Kittery and york Next my own Land afore mentioned and to Run by sd Line South Easterly sixty poles, then West Northerly by john Frosts land Ninety two poles, then north to my own land fifty : poles, then East by my sd land Ninety two poles to ye first beginnings, by ye Several surveyrs returns on Record in ye town of Kittery, refreence being thereunto had, To have and To Hold ye sd Moiety or hali part of ye sd Traet of seventy aeres of Land with all ye Appurtenances Privilidges & Commodityes to ye same belonging, or in any wise Appurtaining to him ye sd Ste- phen Tobey his heirs and Assigns for Ever in his and their only proper use, benefit and behoofe for ever.
And I ye said William Rogers, for me, my heirs, Exrs & Admrs, do Covenant, promise and grant to and with ye sd Ste- phen Tobey his heirs and Assignes that before ye ensealing hereof, I am the True, sole and Lawfull Owner of the above bar- gainned premisses, and am lawfully seized & Possessed of the same in my own proper right, as a good, perfeet and Absolute Es- tate of inheritance in fee Simple & have in my own self Good right, full power and lawfull authority to Grant, bargain, sell, convey and Confirme sd bargaind premisses in manner as abovesd.
And that the said Stephen Tobey his heirs and assigns shall and may from time to time and at all Times for ever here after by force and vertue of these presents, Law- fully, Peaceably and Quietiy have, hold, use, occupy, possess and enjoy the sd De-
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ELIOT (MAINE,) MISCELLANY.
missed and bargained premisses with the Appurtenances free and clear add frely and Clearly acquitted, Exonerated and dis- charged of and from all and all manner of former or other Gifts, grants, bargaines, sales, leases, mortgages, Wills, Entailes, Joyntures, dowries, Judgints, Executions, and Incumbrances Whatsoever, the peace- ful possession Thereof, and every part and Parcell thereof, against my self, my Heirs, Exrs, Admrs, and against all other persons claiming the same from, by or under me, them, or any of them, I will forever save harmless, Warrant and Defend by these presents.
In witness whereof I the sd William Rogers have, with marry my wife, hereunto set our hands and seals, this sixteenth day af Sept. Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred & Seventeen.
Aunque Regni Georgii Magna Brit- tiania &ct Quarto :
WILLIAM ROGERS MARY ROGERS, mark.
Signed Sealed and Delivered In the Presence of Us
Samuel Hill
Richard Gowell jr.
York sc Sept. 16th, 1717. -00
GEORGE ROGERS-DEED TO JOIIN ROGERS, JUN'R.
Rec'd. Septr 2d, 1790, one o'Clock Day. One Shilling Duty.
Know all men by these presents that I George Rogers, of Berwick, in the County of York, Yeoman, for and in Consideration of the Sum of thirty Pounds Lawfull Money to me in hand before the Ensealing and de- livery hereof, well and truly paid by John Rogers, Junior, of Kittery, in the County aforesaid, Husbandman, the Receipt Where of I do acknowledge here, and do by these presents absolutely grant, bargain, Sell, convey and confirm unto him the sd John Rogers, J'r, his heirs and assigns forever,
a Certain Tract of Land, Scituate, Laying and being in Berwick aforesaid, containing forty two acres and one Hundred an thirty seven poles, being that same Tract of Land that I purchased of John Wentworth, Gen- tleman, and Charles Peables, and then be- ing part of Lott Number fourteen in the Second Cheek, being all the Land that I possess in said Lott, where I now Dwell.
To have and to hold the said granted and bargained primisses with all the priv- ilidges and appurtenances to the same be- longing, or in any wise apper'ng to him the said John Rogers, his heirs and assigns, to his and their only propper use benefit and behoof forever, and I do covenant, grant and agree to and with the said John Rogers his Heirs, Executors & Adm'rs, that I have good right and Lawful Authority to Sell and convey the Same in manner afore said, and will for myself, heirs, Grantors, and Adm'rs, Warrant, secure and Defend the same against the Lawfull Claims or De- mands of any person or persons whomso- ever [in said Lott, these words enterlined before signed.]
In Witness whereof, I the said George Rogers with Mary my Wife, in token of her Relinquishing her Right or Dowry of thirds in the premises, do hereunto Set our hands and seal, this twenty sixth Day of Augt, AD one Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety.
GEORGE ROGERS MARY ROGERS, her hand.
Signed, Sealed and De'd in presence of us Witnesses
Att :
Stephen Neal Josiah Staple
York, ss. Augt 27th, 1790. Then per- sonally appeared Mr. George Rogers one of the Subscribers to this Instrument & ac- knowledged the same to be his free act and deed, before John Hd Bartlet, Just. peace.
York, ss. September 2, 1790. Then Received this Deed one o'clock Day. and Recorded the same with the Records of Deeds, &c. for said County, Lib'o 52, fol'o 255.
Att: Wm. ffrost, Reg'r.
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ELIOT (MAINE,) MISCELLANY.
JOHN ROGERS TO
DR. IVORY HOVEY.
The deed [see page 7. ] of George Rogers conveying a "Certain Tract of Land, Scit- uate, Laying and being in Berwick," to John Rogers. is dated Aug. 26, 1790.
Two years later, Sept. 22, 1792, John Rogers sold the same land for the same price. (630,) having the same boundaries, to Ivory Hovey, Physician, of Berwick. "It being the same tract of Land my Brother george Rogers purchased of Jolin Wentworth, Gentleman, & Charles Pea- bles." The deed is witnessed by Daniel Peirce and James Rogers; and acknowl- edged "Before me Daniel Peirce, Just. Peace."
-0-
The foregoing Rogers Papers are in possession of Mr. Charles W. Rogers, of Eliot.
SOLOMON - -00-
LIBBEY'S COMMISSION.
Now in possession of Mrs. Adlington.
By His Excellency CALEB STRONG, Esq., Governor and Commander in Chief of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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