USA > Maine > Oxford County > Buckfield > A history of Buckfield, Oxford County, Maine, from the earliest explorations to the close of the year 1900 > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
CHAPTER VI.
PURCHASE OF TOWNSHIP.
During the year 1779, as appears by the diary of Abijah Buck, the first effort was made to purchase the township. He had succeeded in getting several influential men and others be- sides those already settled here, interested in his plans, among whom were Col. Ebenezer Bancroft and Samuel Butterfield of Dunstable. Mass. They were from the same section of the old Commonwealth from which the Bucks came. He states that a meeting was held and the sum of $280 in paper money, worth 18 shillings and 8 pence were contributed towards the expense of getting up the petition and going to Boston to present it to the General Court. He further states that he himself went to Samuel Freeman, Esquire, in Yarmouth, who drew it up and that he there signed it. Also that he went to Boston in April, 1780, and. while there, settled with Bancroft and Butterfield and paid them a small balance which was their due.
His petition could not be found in the archives of the Secre- tary of the Commonwealth at Boston but where it should have been was the following which undoubtedly accompanied it :
"Mr. Abijah Buck,
Sir :- please to enter our names to your Petition for a tract of land, in the State of Massachusetts Bay, in the county of Cumberland, lying to the Westward of Sylvester and to the Northward of land granted to Mr. Alexander Shepard, to the value of five or six miles square and you will oblige us your humble Servants.
Isaac Foster Bani Teague Jonathan Record
Simon Record Richard Derburn Joshua Ripley Silas Coburn Ebenezer Bancroft
Samuel Merrill Henry Butterfield Nathaniel Ingersoll Edmun Chandler John Buck William Wigery Jabez Cushman Samuel Butterfield Samuel Freeman
Jonathan Tyler William Hutchinson
Jacob Cram
Benjamin Spaulding
Jonas Coburn
Nathaniel Buck
Ebenezer Bancroft, Jr. John Brown Andrew Elliott
Thomas Allen
Thomas Coburn
John Buck David Record
John Warren
John Irish Lemuel Crocker
Davis Thurlo
59
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
Moses Butterfield
Joseph Fletcher
Samuel Butterfield. Jr.
Thomas Lowell
John Thurlo
Asa Thurlo
Hezekiah Stetson
Nathaniel Gammon
Jonathan Philbrick
James Thurlo
Richard Thurlo
William Doble
Peter White
John Brown."
There is no date to this paper, but on the back of it are the following indorsements :
"Petition of a number of persons for a tract of land back of Sylvester."
"Samuel Butterfields." "Supposed 1780."
It will be noted that this paper contains the names of men who settled in what are now the towns of Sumner and Hartford and some were never settlers in this region. It will also be seen that it contained the names of two John Backs and two John Browns. The petition and this paper accompanying it. no doubt. were presented to the General Court by Samuel Butterfield. Nothing came of it at this time at least.
In the autumn of 1780 the effort to purchase the township was renewed. We found the petition printed in a newspaper which had been furnished it by one who had formerly been an official in the Archives Department at the State House at Boston and is as follows :
"TO THE Honorable Senate and Honorable, the House of Representa- tives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts :
The petition of Abijah Buck for himself and others, humbly shews -That he has with a number of other Persons, whose names, are upon the paper, accompanying this Petition, entered upon a Tract of Land, belonging to this State, in the County of Cumberland, to the westward of Sylvester Town and to the northward of Land lately granted to Mr. Alexander Sheppard-That considering very little advantage could possi- bly accrue to the public, from an uncultivated wilderness, and on the con- trary, that the wealth of a community, is in a great measure increased, by subduing the Lands thereof, and preparing them to produce the neces- saries of Life for its inhabitants, and being under necessitous circum- stances, they have made considerable Improvements, upon the said Tract of Land, and built small cottages thereupon, in humble expectation, that the Government would quiet them, in their possessions, and encourage them to persevere in their industry.
60
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
They have most of them served their country as soldiers in the pres- ent War, and are still ready to risque their Lives for its Defense, and as far as they are able, to contribute to its support, and as they have re- moved from several parts of the State, to this remote part of it, in order to procure a subsistence and as a band of Brothers, are united to pro- mote the Publick, as well as each others welfare,-not one of whom to your Petitioners knowledge, being tinctured, with the despicable Prin- ciples of a Tory, they humbly Pray, that your Honors, would so far in- terrupt your attention, to the more publick concerns, which are doubtless daily pressing upon you, as to order this Petition, to be committed for consideration, and if consistent, with the Rules of Policy, that your Honors would grant them a Township where they have settled as afore- mentioned, upon such terms and conditions, as your Honors shall deem just and reasonable, and your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray. Dec. 25 1780.
Abijah Buck
Joseph Fletcher
Andrew Elliott
John Brown
Thomas Allen
Joshua Ripley
Thomas Coburn
Silas Coburn
John Buck
Samuel Merrill
David Record
Nathaniel Ingersoll
Samuel Butterfield, Jr.
Samuel Butterfield
John Warren
Edmund Chandler
Lemuel Crooker
John Buck
Davis Thurlo
William Wigery
Nathaniel Gammon
Jabez Cushman
Jona Philbrick
Moses Butterfield
Thomas Lowell
Jonathan Tyler
Richard Thurlo
Ebenezer Bancroft
John Thurlo
William Hutchinson
Henry Butterfield
Jacob Cram
Wm. Doble
Benjamin Spaulding
Asa Thurlo
Jonas Coburn
Peter White
Nathaniel Buck
Hezekiah Stetson
Ebenezer Bancroft, Jr.
Moses Buck
James Thurlo Samuel Freeman
John Irish
Isaac Foster
John Brown Bani Teague
Jonathan Record
Simon Record
Richard Derburn."
It seems to have soon occurred to Butterfield and Bancroft that they with others might acquire a tract of land as large as that which Abijah Buck and those particularly interested with him were striving to obtain and adjoining it on the North. This was no doubt satisfactory to all concerned. The petition of Samuel Butterfield and his associates for the purchase of this new tract is dated January 24, 1781. It will be seen that the statement was made in the second Buck petition that the signers had built small houses upon the tract which they wished to purchase and had
61
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
made considerable improvements thereon. Also, that the greater part of the petitioners had been in the Continental Army. The first statement could not be literally true as to all of them per- sonally, for some were never actual settlers.
This petition was not then acted upon. At a later period it was determined that no more townships should be sold or granted till surveys had been made and boundaries established. We find the record of no other petition and it may be that this one was laid aside to be acted on when the township should be surveyed. This survey was made in 1785 by one John Jordan, or Jardine, as his name was sometimes spelled.
The intervening years were ones of discouragement for Abi- jah Buck and many times he is found going to consult several parties to obtain advice. In the early part of the year 1786, he went to Boston and was gone from home twenty-seven days. This time he accomplished his purpose. A purchase was made of the township at two shillings per acre, but in this sale every one who had settled here prior to Jan. 1, 1784 was protected in his 100-acre lot to be laid out by the proprietors "so as best to include his improvements." Buck came home in triumph but as he says in his diary "most tired out."
There were a number in the township who had come in after January 1, 1784, and before the purchase was effected. These were treated by the proprietors as mere squatters and trespassers and some of them were driven away without much concern as the proprietor's records show. The General Court's Committee appears to have taken no interest in protecting them in their hold- ings and the "Betterments Act" would not apply to their case. Though the proprietors did not receive their deed till 1788, they immediately went to selling lots and giving deeds to purchasers. When Butterfield and Bancroft decided to give up the plan of working with Abijah Buck, he secured others.
Some of the proprietors were undoubtedly possessed of means. The enterprise proved a success. They probably did not get very rich out of the speculation but the three chief men in it who were residents of the township, Abijah Buck, Benja- min Spaulding and Dominicus Record, became very well-to-do and able to provide handsomely for their children and leave a competence for their old age.
62
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
The deed was executed by Samuel Phillips, Jr., Nath'l Wells and Leonard Jarvis appointed by the General Court for the pur- pose, the 13th day of November, 1788 and acknowledged before Samuel Cooper, Justice of the Peace, on the 25th of the same month. The consideration named was 1732 pounds, 17 shillings and 10 pence in "consolidated notes" of the Commonwealth. The grantees were: Abijah Buck, 9 parts : Benjamin Spaulding, 6 parts ; Nathaniel Buck, 4 parts ; John Brown, 2 parts; Thomas Allen. I part ; Edmund Chandler, 2 parts ; John Buck, 2 parts ; John Warren, 2 parts : Thomas Coburn, I part, yeomen ; Domini- cus Record, gentleman, 4 parts; Jonathan Tyler, millwright, I part-all of Bucktown, and Moses Merrill Esq., 2 parts; Jabez Cushman, 2 parts and Ebenezer Lane. I part, yeomen, all of New Gloucester and Asa Lewis, 2 parts of North Yarmouth, yeoman, "making in the whole 41 parts."
The land conveyed was bounded and described as follows : "A tract of land lying in the County of Cumberland known by the name of Bucktown or No. 5 as the same was surveyed by John Jordan, A. D., 1785, containing about 20,033 acres includ- ing Ponds, etc. Beginning at the N. W. corner of Shepardsfield ( Hebron) and running S. 70° E. 5 miles and about 190 rods un- til it strikes Sylvester Canada (Turner ) : Thence N. 26° E. by said line 5 miles and about 100 rods until it strikes the S. E. cor- ner of No. 6 or Butterfield ( Hartford ) : Thence S. 81º W. about 8 miles and 200 rods to the E. line of No. 4 ( Paris) : Thence by said line S. 13º E. to the place begun at." The deed reserved 200 acres for the ministry, 200 acres for the first settled minister, 200 acres for the future disposition of the state, 280 acres for a grammar school and 4 lots of 100 acres each sold to Ichabod Thayer and 2 lots of 100 acres each sold to Seth Nelson, both grantees of Milford, Mass., February, 1787. These lots were in the first and second divisions. The most important res- ervation was that of 100 acres each to the following persons who (except Ezra Brown) had settled in the township prior to Jan. I, 1784 "to be laid out so as to include such settlers, improve- ments,"etc.
Benjamin Spaulding, Abijah Buck, Thomas Allen, John Brown, Nathaniel Buck, Jonathan Tyler, John Warren, Edmund Chandler, Dominicus Record. Isaac Foster, Jonathan Philbrick, James Thurlo, John Irish, Jonas Coburn, John Buck, Thomas
63
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
Coburn, David Record, Jonathan Record, William Irish, Wm. Doble. Nathaniel Gammon, Simon Record, Peter White, Joel Rich, John Irish, Jr., Davis Thurlo, Ezra Brown, Thomas Lowell, John Thurlo, Lemuel Crooker, Richard Thurlo, Joseph Irish, Joshua Young, Gershom Davis, Samuel Taylor, Jacob Whitman, Joseph Chase, Bani Teague, Amos Brown, Joseph Roberts, Jr., Jonah Forbes, Caleb Young, Jonathan Roberts, Enoch Hall, Na- thaniel Chase, David Warren and Daniel Packard.
The settlers individually did not procure their deeds from the Commonwealth at this time. Some did not receive theirs for more than a dozen years after and they were not generally re- ceived singly but this made no difference as the state's committee gave no boundaries to the 100 acres conveyed but left the propri- ctors to run out the lots with the provision only. that each should be laid out so as best to include the settler's improvements. Abi- jah Buck, Benjamin Spaulding, Dominicus Record, Nathaniel Buck, John Brown, John Tyler, Thomas Allen, Thomas Coburn. John Warren. Edmund Chandler and Jonas Coburn procured a deed to them of their lots May 27, 1789. The consideration named was 16f Ios "specie." Thomas Lowell, Caleb Young, Enoch Hall, John Thurlo, David Record, Jonathan Record and David Warren their deed in March, 1791, consideration 1of Ios; Isaac Foster, March 8, 1792, consideration I£ 1Is. 4 d. ; Jonathan Philbrick, March 25, 1793, consideration I£ 13s. ; Joel Rich, Feb. 4. 1795, consideration $6.50. Richard and Davis Thurlo and heirs of James Thurlo, Feb. 9, 1796, consideration $19.50.
Nathaniel Chase, Amos Brown, Joseph Chase, Nathaniel Gammon, William Doble, Joseph Irish and Lemuel Crooker and Ezra Brown, June 14, 1799, consideration $61.60; Joseph Rob- erts, Jr., June 14, 1799, consideration $7.70; Daniel Packard, June 19, 1801, consideration $9.09 and Samuel Taylor, Feb. 10. 1802, consideration $9.09. These will suffice to show the manner in which the conveyances from the state were made and the actual prices paid for deeds at different dates.
64
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
CHAPTER VII.
PROPRIETORS' RECORDS.
Memorandum of an agreement.
A certain society met at a place called Bucktown in the County of Cumberland in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in order to agree about buying a township of land lying westward of a place called Silves- ter and to the northward of land belonging to Mr. Alexander Sheppard and at the said meeting chose and appointed Mr. Abijah Buck agent to go to Boston to agree with the Honorable General Court's committee appointed to sell land in eastern parts of this Commonwealth and on the seventeenth day of March 1786 made an agreement with the above said committee for the above said township for two shillings per acre to be paid in consolodated notes, one-half to be paid the first day of June and the other moiety to be in twelve months after the said agreement was completed with the said Committee the society for the maintaining of peace, good order and a right understanding among themselves have agreed to divide the township into forty-one equal rights or parts after deducting out one hundred acres of land to every lawful settler in said Bucktown so that every signer hereof shall from and after this time know how much he owns of said township by affixing his name to this and the num- ber of his Right or Rights against his name and if any of the signers shall neglect or refuse to pay his proportionable part of what he owes of all the charges that has arisen or shall arise until the town is incorporated or the society shall come unto a new agreement shall have so much of his land sold as will pay all the aforesaid charges at a publick vendue after said charges is duly assessed as the law directs in such cases, and for the true performance of the above written we have hereunto set to our hands the third day of July 1788.
Abijah Buck, 9 Rights; Benj. Spaulding, 6; Nath. Buck, 4; Dominicus Record, 4; Jabez Cushman, 2; John Buck, 2; Thomas Allen, I; Nathan Pierce, I; John Brown, I; Edmund Chandler, 2; Thomas Coburn, I ; Jonathan Tyler, I; John Warren, 2; Asa Lewis, 2; Moses Merrill, 2; Ebenezer Lane, I.
A true copy taken from the original agreement by me, Jonathan Tyler, proprietors' clark for Bucktown.
February the 28, 1786, Mr. Abijah Buck was appointed by a certain Society to go to Boston as an agent for said Society to agree with the Honorable General Courts Committee appointed to sell unappropriated lands in the Eastern parts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and on the 17th of March one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six made an agreement with the Honorable Committee above said, for himself and associates for a certain township of land lying to the westward of the town called Turner and to the northward of land belonging to Mr. Alex-
65
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
ander Sheppard in the County of Cumberland and laid out by Mr. Jor- dan for two shillings per acre to be paid in consolodated notes for the whole township excepting those who were lawfully settled in said town- ship according to the General Courts act made for that purpose and is called Bucktown or No. 5 in the County of Cumberland. The names of the above said Society of purchasers with the said Abijah Buck are as followeth :
Abijah Buck agent for the purchasers.
Benjamin Spaulding John Warren
Edmund Chandler Dominicus Record
Nathaniel Buck
John Buck
Jonathan Tyler
Thomas Coburn
Thomas Allen
Moses Merrill
John Brown .Asa Lewis
Ebenezer Lane
Jabez Cushman
To Isaac Parsons, Esq., one of the Justices of the Peace in the County of Cumberland and in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
We, the subscribers, being seven of the proprietors of land lying in Common in a place called Bucktown or No. 5 in the County of Cumber- land lying without the bound of any town or place incorporated, judging of the proprietors of said land necessary, do hereby apply to your honor for a warrant for calling a meeting of said proprietors to meet at the mills in said Bucktown on Tuesday the fourth day of September next at one o'clock in the afternoon for the following purpose, (viz.). First to choose a moderator; 2d, a clark; 3d, a Treasurer; 4th, a Collector ; 5th, to choose a Committee to transact and manage all the Prudential or necessary business of the proprietors; 6th, to agree to measure off every legal settler one hundred acre lot exactly; 7th, to agree upon a method for calling meetings in future and do any other business for the benefit of said proprietors.
Bucktown, Aug. the 3, 1787.
ABIJAH BUCK, BENJAMIN SPAULDING, DOMINICUS RECORD, JONATHAN TYLER, JOHN WARREN, JOHN BROWN, THOMAS COBURN.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, August the 9, 1787.
To Mr. Benjamin Spaulding, one of the subscribers, Greeting: You are hereby required in the name of the Commonwealth above said to warn a meeting of the proprietors of Bucktown above said to be held at the place and time above said and for the purposes before mentioned by posting up a copy of the above request their warrant, with your notifica- tion in the most public place in said Bucktown where all said proprietors dwell excepting four and notify the said four personally at least fifteen days before the day of said meeting.
ISAAC PARSONS, Justice of Peace.
66
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
A true copy examined by Jonathan Tyler, Proprietors Clark.
By a warrant from under the hand of Isaac Parsons, Esq., one of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Cumberland and seal thereon, requesting Mr. Benjamin Spaulding, one of the proprietors of a place called Bucktown or No. 5 in the County of Cumberland to meet on Tues- day the fourth day of September one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven at the mills in said Bucktown at one of the clock in the afternoon-and accordingly the proprietors met and proceeded to busi- ness. First, Dominicus Record was chosen moderator; 2d, Jonathan Tyler was chosen proprietors clark; 3d, Abijah Buck was chosen Treas- urer ; 4th, Abijah Buck was chosen Collector; 5th, Benjamin Spaulding, Abijah Buck and Dominicus Record was chosen a committee to sell land anywhere in Bucktown above said provided it was regular laid out and not infringing on any lawful settler's hundred acre lot, the sale of the land to be in order to pay the General Court Committee as by agreement made with the above said committee and as Benjamin Spaulding, Abijah Buck, Dominicus Record had formerly sold proprietors land for to pay the aforesaid General Court Committee were by a vote justified in their doings; the above said Committee were also chosen to transact and man- age all the prudential or necessary business of the proprietors. The 6th article was left for a further consideration and then the meeting was adjourned to Wednesday the 17th day of October following at two of the clock in the afternoon.
Met upon adjournment October the 17, 1787. 7th article which was to agree upon some method in calling meetings in future, voted that the above said committee when requested by the proprietors or when the com- mittee shall think proper shall request the proprietors' clark to call meet- ings in future and then the meeting was desolved.
At a legal meeting of the society or purchasers of a place called Buck- town in the county of Cumberland on April the 8, 1788, Dominicus Record Moderator. Voted that Thomas Coburn, Thomas Allen and Ben- jamin Spaulding should settle all the society or purchasers' accounts belonging to the above said society and assessors and then the meeting was adjourned to the last Tuesday of this instant April. At the above said meeting Jonathan Tyler was sworn to the office of proprietors' Clark, Abijah Buck was sworn to the office of Treasurer, Thomas Coburn, Thomas Allen and Benjamin Spaulding were sworn to settle all the accounts belonging to the society of Bucktown and to assess the same.
April the 29, 1788, met upon adjournment and the meeting was dis- solved.
At a legal meeting held at the Mills in Bucktown, July the 2, 1788, Dominicus Record Moderator, then voted that the Committee chosen in April the 8, 1788, to settle they shall settle the proprietors' accounts on September the 2 day next ensuing.
Voted that if any one proprietor should draw a lot unfit for settle- ment shall have the liberty to choose another lot anywhere in the un-
67
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
divided land in Buektown that is not drawed nor sold provided he makes his returns to the Clark before the 20 of September next and no longer. Voted to draw lots on 3 day of July 1788.
Voted that Jonathan Tyler should have a settling lot containing one hundred acres and then the meeting was dissolved.
At a legal meeting at the house of Left. Dominicus Record in Buck- town Feb. the 10, 1789.
Ist, Dominicus Record, Moderator.
2d, Voted to raise two pound eighteen shillings upon every single Right of land belonging to the proprietors of Bucktown.
4th, This article was thought proper to leave for further consid- eration.
5th, This article was to choose two men to sue off the illegal settlers and Mr. Asa Lewis and Col. Moses Merrill were the two men chosen for that business if need requires it.
6th, Voted that any of the proprietors of Bucktown between this and the last of March next shall have the liberty to agree with any or all the illegal settlers and trespassers in Bucktown shall have their lots that they are now in possession of in the room of their second division lots provided they bring no charges upon the proprietors. Then the meeting was dissolved."
At a legal meeting of the proprietors of Bucktown at the house of Left. Dominicus Record in said Bucktown on April the Ist, 1789,
Voted first Dominicus Record moderator. That no proprietor shall give a deed of any lot or lots of any land lying in Bucktown without ex- cepting the road or roads in their deed or deeds laid or to be laid.
2dly voted April the Ist, 1789, that the 6th Article that was passed in Feb. the 10th, 1789, should be continued until the next meeting of the proprietors.
3dly voted that every settler by agreement should work three days upon the roads in Bucktown that were settled in Bucktown.
4th voted that every proprietor should work upon the road two days for every Right one day upon the county road and one day upon the town road in Bucktown.
5th voted to choose surveyors and Dominicus Record, Thomas Coburn, Philemon Parsons, Enoch Hall and Nathaniel Chase were chosen sur- veyors of roads for Bucktown.
6th voted to choose a committee to lay out town roads in Bucktown and Benjamin Spaulding, John Buck, and Thomas Lowell were chosen a committee to lay out roads in Bucktown.
7 voted that the work shall be done upon the above said roads some- time in the year of 1789. Then the meeting was dissolved.
At a legal meeting of the proprietors of Bucktown in the County of Cumberland April the 19th, 1791, Lieut. Dominicus Record moderator.
1st voted to dismiss Mr. Asa Lewis and Col. Moses Merrill as they. were chosen to sue off the illegal settlers and trespassers in Bucktown.
2d voted to choose two other men to sue off the illegal settlers and trespassers.
3 voted that Mr. Jabez Cushman and Ebenezer Lane be the two men chosen to sue off the illegal settlers and trespassers in Bucktown.
I voted that Mr. Benjamin Spaulding, Mr. Abijah Buck, Lieut. Domini- cus Record be a committee to give power in behalf of the proprietors in Bucktown to Mr. Jabez Cushman and Mr. Ebenezer Lane to sue off the illegal settlers and trespassers in Bucktown or settle with them other ways.
68
HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
5th voted to raise three shillings upon every single Right of land in Bucktown to defray proprietors' charges.
6th voted that if the committee that is appointed to sell land in Buck- town do not sell land enough between this and the last of May next to pay the balance that is due to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for land they are to hire money in behalf of the proprietors of Bucktown enough to make the balance.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.