USA > Maine > Androscoggin County > Turner > A history of Turner, Maine, from its settlement to 1886 > Part 4
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self in behalf of Mr. Turner that he would not, on this occasion, forget to speak a word in season.
Election day arrived, and the country parson was found equal to the occasion. He affirmed that Christianity, instead of countenancing any en- croachments upon the civil and religious rights of the people, gave its most solemn sanctions to their support. The governor winced under the sharp admonitions of the preacher. He was observed to change color repeatedly, and once to rise from his seat, as if about to leave the house. But resuming his seat, he heard the sermon through. However, he neglected to invite Mr. Turner to the public dinner, which custom made proper, and even demanded. But when the guests were assembled at the table, moved either by the promptings of his better judgment, or the advice of friends, he sent a messenger to find Mr. Turner and invite him in. But he returned after an hour's fruitless search, and the dinner proceeded without him. Meanwhile Mr. Turner was enjoying a good dinner in the house of a friend, in company with a few warm- hearted Whigs. But the governor could not easily forget the sermon, and declared " there was as much treason contained in it as ever had been vented from the Independent Chronicle," the lead- ing Whig paper at that time in the colonies. Mr.
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Turner was threatened with personal vengeance, and his house of worship, standing in an exposed situation, near the sea-shore, was once nearly sur- rounded by a mob of armed men, and he was obliged to escape through a window, and flee for safety among his friends. It was under such cir- cumstances that he thought best to resign the pastorate in Duxborough, in accordance with the advice of friends, whereupon he returned to his paternal residence in Scituate.
The next year ( 1773), he was chosen a member of the Senate of Massachusetts, and was almost continuously a member of that body until 1788; and that year he was a member of the convention to ratify the Constitution of the United States. Although he entered with zeal upon these political and civil labors, and discharged the duties incum- bent upon him with ability and fidelity, he never for a moment ceased to lose sight of his ministerial character and obligations. He believed that a dis- pensation of the gospel had been committed to him, and that the chief duty of his life was to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. He considered that no situation in human society in which he could enlighten the minds, or improve the condition of any portion of his fellow men, was to be shunned by the Christian philanthropist. Hence, in 1789 he went to Castle William, in
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Boston Harbor, in which the public convicts were confined, and labored faithfully as a chaplain, for two years, among that degraded class of people .*
In his religious views and feelings he was liberal and charitable, declaring " that he would suffer no intolerance in his own heart unless it was against intolerance itself." He was an intimate friend of the learned Dr. Chauncy, of Boston, and coincided with him in the belief that all lapsed intelligences would ultimately be restored to a state of holiness and happiness. In 1791 he removed his family to Turner, and preached in this town and in Hallowell for parts of a number of years. In 1803 he was chosen one of the electors of President and Vice President, and visited Boston for the last time in the discharge of that official duty. Soon after this, the infirmities of age compelled him to cease from all public employment, and professional labors,
* ANECDOTES. When Mr. Turner was about commencing his labors upon Castle Island, he had great fears that his efforts would be in vain among such a class of people. On expressing his misgivings to his friend, Rev. Mr. Hichcock, of Pembroke, he received this counsel, Go on with good cheer, for conviction is but the necessary preliminary step to conversion ; and he would find his whole congregation under conviction to his hand.
The notorious Stephen Burrows, who, with a bundle of stolen sermons, had, in some of his peregrinations, passed himself off as a minister of the gospel, especially in the town of Pelham, was a convict in the Castle when Mr. Turner arrived there, and was, for some act of insubordination, confined at that time in a cell. Burrows, on hearing that a minister had come among them, wrote Mr. Turner a complimentary note, saying that he was a brother minister, and was ready to give him every assistance in his power, and that he should be happy to commence an acquaintance by an exchange of places for the next Sabbath, if such an arrangement would suit his convenience.
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and the remainder of his days was spent in the quiet and peace of home. In this retirement from public life, his virtues and graces of character were less known to the world, but more fully appreciated by neighbors and friends. His knowledge of books, and extensive acquaintance with men and things, made him an interesting and instructive companion, while his happy temperament made him a pleasing and genial associate. He died in Turner in 1818, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. He left two sons, the Honorable Charles Turner, of Scituate, and General John Turner, of Turner; and two daughters, Mrs. Eunice Torrey, of Scituate, and Mrs. Persis Thayer, of Turner.
Rev. Charles Turner has no lineal descendants in the town, bearing his name. His sons, William and Charles, came here in 1780, but remained only one season, when they returned to Scituate. Will- iam died young, but Charles attained to years and
At the commencement of the late war with Great Britain, a requisition was made upon the town of Turner for a detachment of the militia to hold themselves in readiness at any moment to march for the defence of the sea-coast or frontier of the State. Captain Stephen Turner, a brave man, who afterward gloriously fell in the battle of Bridgewater, at that time commanded one of the militia companies of the town, and when he assembled his company to make the detachment, he exhorted his townsmen not to disgrace their patriotic fathers. Captain Turner then requested every man who was willing to stake his life in defence of his country, and to hold himself in readiness to march at a moment's warning, for its protection, to follow the music. The music struck up, and Mr. Turner was the first one to press into the ranks, whereupon, every man present joined immediately in the train of volunteers.
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honors, fulfilling a successful career of public life in his native State. Persis, his youngest child, married Abner Thayer, and removed to this town in 1791. Her children, with their marrirge con- nections were, Abner, who married Harriet Taber, of New York City; William T., who died August 5th, 1803; Sarah K., who married Charles Cush- ing; Persis, unmarried ; Charles, who married Amelia Towne; Rushbrooke, who married Harriet Warker; John, who married Temperance F. Cush- ing; Evelina, who married Elisha Dagget; William T., who married Haddasah Davis; Mary, who mar- ried Zachariah Hall; Lucius, who married Sophro- nia Chandler; Jane, unmarried; Emma, who died; Francis, who married Lois Warker; Harriet, who married Micaiah Kelly; Henry, who died Septem- ber 4th, 1820; and Henry 2d.
From Barry's History of Hanover, Massachu- setts, we learn that Turner is an ancient family of Norman-French origin, which appears in England as early as 1067, the date of the Norman conquest, when " Le sire de Tourneur" accompanied King William in his expedition. Several families appear early in. New England, among whom are Hum- phrey, of Scituate, the tanner, who arrived with his family in Plymouth in 1628, and had a house assigned him in 1629, and erected a house in which he probably lived in 1633.
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Charles Turner, a descendant of Humphrey, graduated at Harvard in 1752, and was twenty years a minister in Duxbury, was afterward well known in political life, was a member of the con- vention that formed the Massachusetts State Con- stitution, and of that which adopted the Federal Constitution, and was also a senator in the State legislature.
Ichabod Bonney was born in Pembroke, Ply- mouth County, on the 3d of September, 1737. He took a prominent part in the efforts made to induce settlers to take up lots in the plantation, as will appear by the proprietors' records; and he also took an active part in the struggle for national independence, serving as an officer in the revolu- tionary army. He removed to Turner in 1803. He married Mary Turner, of Pembroke, by whom he had the following issue: Ichabod, who married Anna Merrill, February 21st, 1788; Mary, who married Philip Bradford, April 9th, 1789; John, who married Betsey Caswell, August 9th, 1789; Sarah, who married William Silley, May 12th, 1793; Joseph, who married Rhoda Merrill, Febru- ary 4th, 1796; Nabby, who married Samuel Blake January 27th, 1796; and Sylvia, who died single. Mr. Bonney married Rhoda House, September 13th, 1801, who survived him several years. He died in Turner, February 25th, 1807, sincerely lamented by a large circle of friends.
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Joseph Copeland was one of the proprietors of the town. He married Celia Loring, of North Yarmouth, and removed to Turner in 1790. His intentions of marriage are dated August 12th, 1789, the date of his marriage I do not find. His chil- dren were, Michael; Phebe, who married Charles Staples; Elizabeth; Loring; and Seth, who mar- ried Polly Jones. Mr. Copeland died in 1842, leaving an aged widow, and was remembered for his great honesty and integrity.
Dr. Daniel Child was a native of Woodstock, in Connecticut. He removed to Turner in 1801, having married Rebecca Howland, of Pembroke. His children were, Daniel, who married Hannah Turner; Ruth, who married Ephraim Turner; Anna, who married Forest Hatch; Xoa, who mar- ried Giles True; Cascarilla, who married Charles Lee Turner; Howland, who married Apsah Wing; Lyman, who married Appa Hatch; Lydia, who married Benjamin Seabury; and Rebecca, who died in infancy. Dr. Child died October 16th, 1802, aged fifty-five years.
Daniel French removed from Taunton to Turner in 1781. His wife was Sarah Sumner, of Taunton. His children were, Sally, who married Chandler Bradford; Daniel, who married Marion True; Phil- ena, who married William Hayford, November 24th, 1785; Polly, who married John Pumpelly, Septem- ber IIth, 1788; Waitstill L., who married Anson
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Soule, January 21st, 1792; and George, who mar- ried Wealthy Johnson, February 18th, 1799. Mrs. Sarah French died in Taunton, April 7th, 1776, after which he married the widow Sarah Turner, in Turner, February 20th, 1788, by whom he had three sons, Riley, who died in childhood; Charles, who married Nancy Caswell, and after her death, Hannah Caswell; and Henry, who married Delana Leavitt. Daniel French died in 1813, I think, and his widow in June, 1845, at the age of ninety-eight years, nearly.
Joshua Barrell removed from Bridgewater, where he married Olive Bass. His children were Su- sanna, who married Oaks Whitman, June 17th, 1790; Jennete, who married John Loring, Esq .; William, who married Haddassa Bisbee, June 4th, 1801; Samuel, who married Olive Howard, Decem- ber 5th, 1822; Elijah, who married Adaline Kim- ball; Azor, who married Lurana Chamberlain, February 16th, 1829; Chesly, who married Abagail Chase; and Paschal, who married Salome Bonney, and Betsey Hayford. Mr. Barrell died May 25th, 1828, and Olive, his wife, July 20th, 1834. All the people in town by the name of Barrell were descended from him.
Deacon Benjamin True came into town from New Gloucester. His wife was Rhoda Merrill ; and his children were, Elizabeth, who married
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Nathaniel Daily; Polly, who married Major Joseph Mills; Sarah, who married Captain Samuel Pum- pelly; Giles, who married Xoa Child, April 18th, 1802 ; Patty, who married Simeon Bradford; Jabez, who married Eliza Allen, of Leeds ; Benjamin, who married Abagail Staples, July 31st, 1806; Rhoda, who married Alpheus Wing, of Wayne; and Jane, who married Obed Wing, of Wayne. Deacon True died in Livermore in 1814, much esteemed for his piety, candor, gentleness, and liberality.
Caleb House removed from Abington in 1784. He married Elizabeth Randall, of Pembroke. His children were, Rhoda, who married Captain Icha- bod Bonney, September 13th, 1801 ; Abagail, who married Samuel Herrick, June 14th, 1789; Mary, who married Ezekiel Bradford, December 14th, 1786; Betsey, who married Nathaniel Shaw, June 15th, 1783; Parmela, who married Nathaniel Beals, October 20th, 1799; Caleb, who married Bethiah Young, July 2d, 1793; Cyntha, who married Seth Rose, May 13th, 1796; Anna, who married Zebulon Rose, of Livermore; and Penelope, who married Nathaniel Larrabee. Mr. House died March 12th, I795. His descendants are numerous.
Richard Phillips married Ruth Bonney, and his children were, Benjamin, who died at sea; Deborah, who married Thomas Records; Abner, who married Hannah Haskell; Richard, who married Abagail
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Haskell, December 12th, 1796; Isaac, who married Mary Stephens, December 12th, 1799; Gaius, who died early; Jairus, who married Silence Briggs, December 15th, 1785; Chloe, who died single ; Ichabod, who married Polly Baily; Ruth, and Lydia, who died single; Benjamin, who married Jennet Allen ; and Cyntha, who married John Allen.
Jasial Smith removed from Taunton, where he had married Anna Crossman. His children were, Laban, who married Molly Bryant; Hannah, who married Samuel Andrews; Nancy, who married Moses Stephens; Seba, who married Aphia Stephens ; Jasial, who married Rachel Purington; Asa, who married Jane Niles ; Keziah, who married James Waterman ; Rachel, who married John Strickland ; and Chloe, who married Dr. Charles Hays.
Henry Jones removed from Taunton, where he had married Phebe Richmond, in 1799. His chil- dren were, Polly, who married Abner Jones, Octo- ber 5th, 1800; Henry, who married Relief Triboo, December 11th, 1803; Hannah, who married Seth Staples, September 26th, 1802; Richmond, who married Mary Bryant; Phebe, who married Hart Briggs, November 13th, 1814; Joanna, who mar- ried Casander Cary, February 3d, 1819; Amy, who died, June 29th, 1792, at the age of four years ; Amiel, who died, September 12th, 1802, aged two
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years; Amy 2d, who married a Mr. Myric; Aba- gail, who married Tilden Jones, August 15th, 1813; and David, who died, October 3d, 1817.
Benjamin Jones married Tabitha Leavitt, of Syl- vester, and his children were, Isaac, who married Luna Dillingham; Benjamin, who married Jennet Niles ; Abijah, who married Joanna Allen ; Libeus, who married Hannah Roberts; Hira, who married Betsey Allen; Galon, who married Rispa Briggs ; Sally, who married Warren Richmond; Tilden, who married Abagail Jones; Asia, who married Stella Blake; Africa, who married Lydia Records ; Tabitha, who married Daniel Briggs; Sylvia, who married Benjamin Briggs; Jennet, who married Salmon Reckords, Jr .; Julia, who died young; and Julia 2d, who married Jefferson Bray.
Sylvester Jones removed to Turner in 1797, from Taunton, where he had married Deborah Lincoln, and after her death he married her sister, Mercy. His third wife was Mercy Pratt. His children were, Sylvester, who married Lydia Crossman ; Cornelius, who married Saba Bryant; two sons, and a daughter, who died at Taunton; Deborah, who married Dan Pratt; Sybil, who died single ; Apollos, who married Prudence Chase; Abner, who married Polly Jones; two children that died in infancy; and Barnum, who married Betsey Sampson.
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Deacon Daniel Merrill came into Turner, from New Gloucester, in 1776; the Merrill families in town were descendants of his. His children were, Rhoda, who married Benjamin True; Joseph, who married Elizabeth True; Jabez, who married Han- nah Sawyer; Benjamin, who died single; Levi, who married Sylvia Leavitt; Moses, who died single ; Anna, who married Ichabod Bonney, Jr. ; and Daniel, who married Clarissa Record.
Governor William Bradford was born in York- shire, England, in March, 1589, and died, May 9th, 1657. He came to this country in the May Flower, in 1620, and was governor of Plymouth Colony thirty years. November 30th, 1613, he married Dorothy May in Holland. She was drowned in Cape Cod Harbor, December 7th, 1620. She left a son, who died without issue. August 14th, 1623, he married the widow, Alice Southworth. His chil- dren were, William, born June 17th, 1624, and died February 20th, 1703; Marcy, born in 1626; and Joseph, born in 1630. William married Alice Richardson by whom he had ten children; his second wife was Mrs. Wiswall, who left one child. His third wife was Mrs. Mary Holmes, widow of Rev. John Holmes, by whom he had four children. Ephraim, the second child by his third wife, was born about 1680-5, and married Elizabeth Brewster, by whom he had a large family of children, all born in Duxbury.
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Ezekiel Bradford, the eighth child of Ephraim, was born in 1728, and married Betsey Chandler, of Duxbury, in which town, it seems, his children were born. He was one of the early settlers in Sylves- ter, as also were several of his sons. His children were, Ephraim, who married Judith Moulton ; Will- iam, who married Assenath Mason; Deborah, who married Barnabas Winslow; Jesse, who married Judith Weston; Rebecca, who married William True; Chandler, who married Sarah French ; Eze- kiel, who married Mary House; Martin, who mar- ried Prudence Dillingham; Philip, who married Mary Bonney; and Elizabeth, who married Daniel Briggs.
Mrs. Caroline W. D. Rich, wife of Professor Thomas H. Rich, of Bates College, furnishes the following interesting sketch of her grandfather's life, Mr. Joseph Leavitt : ---
My maternal grandfather, Joseph Leavitt, was the son of Jacob Leavitt, of Pembroke, Massachusetts. His mother's maiden name was Sylvia Bonney. He was a lineal descendant of John Leavitt, who was born in England in 1608, and came to New England in the year 1628, and settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts. In 1636 he removed to Hingham, Massachu- setts, where he became influential in town affairs, holding many offices of trust, being magistrate of the town, and representa- tive to the General Court several years. He also held the office of deacon in the church. He died in 1691, aged eighty- three years.
Some of his descendants went to New Hampshire, some to
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the Province of Maine, and some to Connecticut. Many of them were college graduates, and quite a number were minis- ters. The subject of this sketch enlisted in the Continental Army at the breaking out of the War of the Revolution. When his term of enlistment (three months) expired, he felt that he could not fight. He said, " Some must stay at home and raise bread "; others might fight, but he " would raise bread for them." His comrades gave him the name of Quaker Joe, on account of his peace principles, a cognomen which he always bore among his friends. He came to the Province of Maine at the age of eighteen, as an assistant to the surveyors employed by the government to lay out the townships on the Androscog- gin. He was much pleased with the township of what is now Turner, and told the surveyors that he should return and settle there, and wished them to select a lot for him. They said, jokingly, "Well, Joe, you will like to go to meeting, so we will give you a lot next to the meeting-house lot." And that was the spot on " Upper street," where he made his home, and where he lived and died. The place is still known as the Leavitt Place. The spring following the survey, young Leavitt returned to the township alone, living in the heart of the wilderness, with only savages about him. The nearest white inhabitant was twenty miles away. He remained through the summer, finding the Indians friendly, and often doing them a kindness, which resulted in securing their loyalty to himself. He was obliged to transport all his supplies on his back through the forest. His friendly relations with the Indians made it possible for him to do so. The most powerful tribe was the Algonquins, who claimed the hunting grounds from the Andro- scoggin Valley to the Penobscot. My grandfather's stories, and the incidents related to his children, were treasured by them in memory, and were traditions full of romance to his grandchildren.
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The indomitable perseverance of my grandfather enabled him to fell the forest, and make a "clearing," in which he erected a block-house. He then went back to Pembroke, Massachusetts, and spent the winter. The next summer he returned to the township, and put in seed, anticipating a good " crop", which he realized at harvest time. After the crops were put in, he went to Bakerstown (New Gloucester) and bought nineteen young apple-trees, which he carried on his shoulders through the forest by a "spotted line " to his new home. He planted them near his house, and the next year one apple grew and ripened, the first apple in a town that has since been celebrated for its superior apples. At the time he planted his trees, he also planted some apple seeds on a piece of land that had just been burnt, and he used to say that half the seeds parched and burst open, the ground was so hot when he planted them. The same summer he left his clearing in the care of friendly Indians and went back to Pembroke, his native town, and married Anna Stevens. He brought his bride on horse- back, seated on a pillion behind himself, from Pembroke, Mass., through New Hampshire into the wilderness of the " Province of Massachusetts" to his home in the little clearing. Her effects were transported on other horses, in saddlebags and portman- teaux. From Bakerstown they had only a " blazed line " to fol- low ; often the young bridegroom was obliged to dismount and hold the limbs of trees away for her to ride under them. Some- times she had to dismount and cross a brook on a fallen tree, which served as a bridge. The journey from Pembroke to the home in the wilderness occupied several weeks, a most romantic bridal tour indeed. As years passed on Mr. Leavitt saw the need of a public house for travelers, and as soon as he erected a franie house, he opened his doors in the way of keeping a tavern, though he never hung out a "sign", yet his hospitality for man and beast was as complete as though he had advertised in that way. He built the first frame building in the town,
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which is still an old landmark. He held many offices of trust, and represented his townsmen in state councils. His sterling integrity and liberal hand won friends while living, and left a memory greatly beloved and respected. Like his father and earlier ancestors, he belonged with the "Old Standing Order" in his church relations.
His granddaughter, the writer of this sketch, is the daughter of Anna Leavitt Stockbridge, who was his sixth child by his first wife, Anna Stevens Leavitt.
Mr. Joseph Leavitt was married three times; first to Anna Stevens who bore him eight children, the oldest being the first male child born in the township; his second wife, Hannah Chandler, bore him two children; his third wife, Elsea Caswell, was childless.
The Leavitt family was remarkable for longevity ; nearly all of Joseph Leavitt's children lived the three score years allotted to man, and some of them attained a much greater age. The patriarch, Jacob Leavitt, was father of thirteen children. He was born in Pembroke, Mass., in 1732, removed to Turner August 6, 1778, and died January 25, 1814, aged 82 years. Mrs. Sylvia Bonney Leavitt was born in Pembroke, Mass., Sep- tember 3, 1733, and died December 31, 1810.
By records found in Washington, D. C. and in Pembroke, Hingham, Dorchester, Plymouth and Boston, we trace the line of Leavitt back to the Teutons of England. The first authentic name is Sire John Leavitt, born in England 1608, and came to New England in 1628. His son Josiah, eighth child of John, born in 1653, lived in Hingham. He married Margaret John- son October 20, 1676. Joshua, son of Josiah, was born in 1687. Jacob, son of Joshua, was born in Pembroke in 1732. He and Sylvia Bonney were married March 15, 1753 by Rev. Daniel Leires. Joseph Leavitt, second child of Jacob, was born in Pembroke, in 1757. Joseph Leavitt Jr., first child of Joseph Leavitt, was born in Turner (then a township) in 1777.
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According to the birth records of the parish in Pembroke, we find that "Sylvia Bonney, daughter of Ichabod and Elizabeth Bonney, was born Sept. 3, 1733." She was sister to Lydia Bonney (Hamlin), first wife of Eleazer Hamlin, and great- grandmother to Hon. Hannibal Hamlin; so that in the line of Joseph Leavitt, the pioneer of Turner, there is a union of Ham- lin and Leavitt blood.
The Hon. Washington Gilbert, of Bath, has fav- ored me with the following information respecting the Gilbert family in Turner : -
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