USA > Maine > York County > Parsonsfield > A history of the first century of the town of Parsonsfield, Maine > Part 34
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Pike, of Cornish, where she has resided for nearly twenty-five years. The youngest, Mary A., married James C. Ayer, of Cornish, and there resides.
Mr. Bennett was quiet and reserved, always gentlemanly and digni- fied in his deportment, kind and courteous to those with whom he associated, to his friendships ever true and to his trusts ever faithful, In addition to holding the various offices in the gift of the town, he was a member of the Legislatures of 1847 and '48. Mrs. Bennett sur- vived her husband many years, dying August 6, 1887.
JOHN BENNETT, ESQUIRE,
The only son of John P. and Armine (Whitten) Bennett, was born June 12, 1837, his father dying when he was but little past fourteen years of age, thus casting the heavy burden incident to the care and management of a large farm upon him and his widowed mother. To this onerous duty he devoted himself with zeal and assiduity.
He attended school at North Parsonsfield Seminary, and at the age of eighteen years engaged in school teaching and civil engineering. To this latter and farming, he devoted most of his time till twenty-six years of age. At that time, having pursued the study of law, during his leisure hours, he commenced practice in the probate courts, but con- tinuing the business of civil engineering until about ten years since. He now and for many years has devoted most of his time to law busi- ness, having a very extensive practice in the probate courts of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
In politics a democrat and an acknowledged party leader, he has held the various town offices for the past twenty-five years, was a member of the democratic county committee for four years, and of the state committee for two years, and also was a representative in the Legisla- tures of 1872 and 1873.
He has devoted considerable attention to farming, having greatly improved his lands in productiveness, and made substantial improve- ments in many ways. He possesses in a remarkable degree the merit of not only knowing how to mind his own business, but of keeping others in profound ignorance relative thereto; and in his wide acquain-
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tance and busy life he is known as a discreet counselor and as a trusty and worthy friend.
KNAPP.
The name is of German origin, and the family is probably of Saxon stock. Its ancestry in England, however, has been traced as far back as the twelfth century, to one Petrus Knape, who lived in Suffolk County, in the eighth year of King Richard, 1198.
The Knapps, of Parsonsfield are all included in the following geneal- ogy, arranged by generations :
WILLIAM KNAPP, born in Suffolk County, England, in 1578, came to America as one of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1630, settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, was twice married, had seven children and died in Watertown in 1658.
JOHN KNAPP, born in England in 1624, was brought to this country by his parents in 1630, married Sarah Young, May 25, 1660, had six children, and died in Watertown, in 1696.
ISAAC KNAPP, born in Watertown, married Anna -, lived in Charlestown, Cambridge and Salem, had eight children, and died in Salem, Massachusetts.
ISAAC KNAPP, born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, June 15, 1699, lived in Salisbury, Massachusetts, was twice married, and died Febru- ary 4, 1792, leaving two sons.
JOHN KNAPP, born in Salisbury, Massachusetts, March 11, 1736, was a soldier in both the French war and the Revolution, married Sarah Brown, and had four sons and four daughters, all born in Salisbury. He was by trade a ship carpenter. About the year 1800, he moved to Parsonsfield, and lived on the farm in school district No. 5, afterward occupied by Joshua Neal, now occupied by S. Leighton Ricker, Esquire. He died May 10, 1816. His wife died February 14, 1810.
Children of John of Salisbury. Lois, born February 13, 1766, married Richardson, lived in New Hampshire, died April 6, 1842. Sally, born August 14, 1768, came to Parsonsfield with her parents, and died unmarried, December 27, 1811.
Samuel, born July 9, 1770, came to Parsonsfield under the following circumstances : He had learned the trade of a carpenter, and in 1792
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went to Portland to obtain work. There he met a stranger who wanted a carpenter to go out in the country. The stranger was Thomas Parsons of Parsonsfield, and Samuel went home with him and finished his house. The house is still standing and known as the Emerson house, said to have been the first built frame house in the town. He bought a farm in school district No. 5, one-half mile east of the schoolhouse, and settled upon it, married Polly Mead, of Newmar- ket, New Hampshire, April 30, 1795, had five children who lived to grow up and be married, and died September 3, 1837.
Polly, born July 3, 1773, married Thomas Osgood, lived in Ames- bury, Massachusetts, and died February 9, 1843.
John, born December 28, 1776, came to Parsonsfield in 1795, was a carpenter and farmer, married Abigail Drake, lived with his father in Parsonsfield, moved to Effingham, and died April 11, 1843. Had no children. His wife died March 29, 1843.
William, born December 1, 1778, came to Parsonsfield in 1798, mar- ried Mary Tucke, lived in Parsonsfield, moved to Effingham, owned mill since known as Morse's Mill, moved to Conway, New Hampshire, and died in Meredith, New Hampshire, January 5, 1859. Had no children. His wife died in 1851.
Betsy, born June 26, 1782, came to Parsonsfield, married Josiah Cate, moved to Camden, Maine, and died February 6, 1842. She left four daughters.
Daniel, born August 28, 1785, came to Parsonsfield in 1800, " served his time " with his brother Samuel, married Betsy Neal, daughter of Enoch Neal, January 8, 1816, who died January 22, 1842. He mar- ried Mehitable Tucke, December 28, 1842, resided in school district No. 5 until 1844, moved to Conway, New Hampshire, but returned in 1858, and died in Parsonsfield, February 9, 1859. Had three children by his first wife. His wife Mehitable died May 10, 1860.
Children of Samuel Knapp. Sally, born March 20, 1797, married Stephen Shores in 1822, died in Suffield, Connecticut, March 6, 1879, leaving one son.
Mary, born September 12, 1799, married first, Isaac Moore, second, Joseph Hobbs, died in Parsonsfield, September 8, 1884. Had no chil- dren.
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John, born November 25, 1801, married Nancy Dresser, in 1826, lived in Parsonsfield, moved to Standish, Maine, was a farmer, died January 10, 1881. Left two daughters.
Clarissa, born December 28, 1803, married Harvey M. Towle, Octo- ber, 1826, died in Parsonsfield, August 26, 1829. Left one daughter and one son.
Samuel, born in 1809, married Hannah Brown, was a carpenter, lived in Parsonsfield until 1843, moved to Great Falls, New Hampshire, then to Biddeford, Maine, died in Biddeford, March 5, 1857. His wife died October 6, 1863. They left two sons and two daughters.
Children of Daniel Knapp.
Sarah Ann, born June 22, 1818, married Jesse Adams, October 18, 1849, died in Newbury, Massachusetts, June 15, 1859. Left one daughter.
Elizabeth Rhoda, born May 13, 1824, married Samuel Merrill, June 21, 1842, died in Parsonsfield, January 21, 1868. Left one son and three daughters.
William Daniel, born October 17, 1830, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1855, admitted to the bar in York County, September, 1858, married Susan Hale Hussey, November 29, 1866, is a lawyer in Great Falls, New Hampshire, has no children.
Abby Lane, daughter of Josiah and Betsy (Knapp) Cate, born in 1827, is unmarried and resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her sisters are not living.
Joseph Augustus, son of Stephen and Sally (Knapp) Shores, born in Acton, Maine, November 23, 1827, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1851, married Clara M. Towle August 25, 1852, has followed the profession of teacher, and resides in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
Clara Melissa, daughter of Harvey M. and Clarissa (Knapp) Towle, born in Parsonsfield August 1, 1827, graduated from New Hampton Ladies' Seminary in 1849, was a teacher, married Joseph A. Shores, August 25, 1852. They have two sons and one daughter.
Samuel Knapp, son of Harvey M. and Clarissa (Knapp) Towle (see page 151).
Children of John Knapp, of Standish.
Mrs. Harriet M. Chase, born in 1828, died in 1885.
GEO. H. WALKER & CO. BOSTON
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Mrs. Clara Moses, born in 1830, resides in Boston, Massachusetts. Has one daughter.
Children of Samuel Knapp, junior.
Isaac, born in Parsonsfield in 1834, married Angie P. Speed, died in Rollingford, New Hampshire, May 22, 1874. Left no children.
Susan Jane, born in Parsonsfield in 1836, married Samuel Pillsbury, of Biddeford, resides in Kittery, Maine.
Clara, born in Great Falls, in 1849, married - Whitehouse, resides in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Charles H., born in Great Falls, in 1851 married, resides in Brook- lyn, New York. Is a machinist and an inventor, and shares with the writer only, the exclusive honor of bearing the name among the descendants of the Knapps of Parsonsfield.
Emma Jane,. daughter of Jesse and Sarah Ann (Knapp) Adams, born in 1851, died December 8, 1880.
Children of Samuel and Elizabeth R. (Knapp) Merrill, born in Par- sonsfield.
Anna Francina, born June 26, 1844, married John F. Moore in 1868, resides in Newfield, Maine.
Frank Lowell, born May 28, 1849, resides in Parsonsfield.
Lizzie Knapp, born August 15, 1856, married William Merrill, resides in West Newbury, Massachusetts.
Ida Maria, born May 13, 1864, resides in Parsonsfield.
Nearly all the Knapps who lived at maturity in Parsonsfield were members of the Baptist church at the Middle Road.
W. D. KNAPP.
SAMUEL TUCK,
The youngest of the five sons of Captain Samuel Tuck was born at West Parsonsfield, September 13, 1818. He served an apprenticeship with the late Francis S. Grace (blacksmith), of Parsonsfield, and at the age of twenty-one years, went to Stanstead, Canada, where he remained work- ing at his trade for three years. He then returned to his native town for a season, but in 1840 he returned to Canada, to the town of Eaton, ... where he labored as blacksmith until 1848, when he removed to Bidde- ford, Maine, where he followed the same business for two years. In
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1850, he removed to Sherbrook, Province of Quebec, where he has since resided.
For about twenty years after he settled in Sherbrook, he carried on the iron foundry business, and also was engaged in the stove and tin- ware manufacture and sale. Since 1870, having retired from active business, he resides at Sherbrook with his youngest son, Thomas J. Tuck, a successful druggist of that place. His eldest son, William M., died in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1864, being connected with the army in the quartermaster's department. In 1839, Mr. Tuck married Miss Adeline A., daughter of William Arms, Esquire, of Sherbrook. His life has been an active and successful one, devoted to the best interests of the communities in which he has resided, and his friendships are firm and enduring. For the past twenty-five years he has been deacon of the Congregational church at Sherbrook. In a recent letter to the writer, he says : " Though we shall probably spend our few remaining days in Sherbrook, we shall never forget old Parsonsfield, 'name ever dear.' "
THE BANKS FAMILY.
Being a record of the descendants of Richard1 Banks, of York, Maine, through his son John,2 of York, Moses,3 of York, Moses,4 of Scarborough, and Jacob,5 of Parsonsfield.
A complete genealogy of the Banks family, of this country, would include many scattered twigs of the parent tree, who have found homes in all parts of the Union. No connection between any of these families is known at present, and therefore, the limits of this article will be the record of the descendants of Richard Banks, an early set- tler of York, Maine.
The date of his arrival here is not known definitely, but may be set about 1643, when he, in company with Abraham Preble, Richard Fox- well, John Winter and others, took the oath of fidelity at Scituate. We may infer that they had just come from England and subscribed their fealty to the government immediately, to insure their civil status. How long he remained there, if at all, is not known, and we next find him in York, Maine, in company with the Abraham Preble above men- tioned, John Twisden and Thomas Curtis, buying twelve acres of
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marsh in common, November 20, 1645, from Richard Vines, as steward of Ferdinando Gorges. Again, in the same year, the above parties, Curtis excepted, purchased of William Hooke twenty acres of upland each, " adjoining to the meadows and next to the fifty acres of Jon All- cocke."
He received a town grant of ten acres, July 2, 1653, another grant to him and Thomas Curtis, July 4, 1660, again November 12, 1660, and a fourth July 2, 1667. He held many minor public offices. He was selectman of the town of York in 1676, and when Massachusetts assumed control of the Province of Maine, in 1652, he with forty other townsmen signed the submission. His name is on the petition to Cromwell in 1656, and again in 1680, when the people of the province addressed a petition to Charles, the second; his name appears also in the list of those who swore allegiance to his majesty the next year.
He had but little to do with the courts, either as plaintiff, defendant or witness. At a session of the associates, holden at York, June 29, 1654, Mrs. Elinor Hooke brought an action of trespass against Richard Banks " for mowing and detaching several acres of marsh to ye value of Fourteen pounds." The judges thought that he was guilty and awarded to her twenty-five pounds, with the costs of court. In 1666, he was a witness in two Sabbath-breaking prosecutions. This record is unexceptional in its brevity for those times, when the tongues of scold- ing women and malicious planters made the courts teem with prosecu- tions for slander. No person was safe then from the evil tongues of enemies, and the courts were always ready to spend their time in hearing such testimony.
The town records of York were lost in the Indian massacre and destruction of 1692, when it is conjectured that Richard Banks per- ished, but from probate papers it is established beyond a doubt that he married Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. John and Elizabeth Alcock, of York. John Alcock died about 1675, for in that year, October 29, Joseph Alcock, Job Alcock and Richard Banks gave a bond of two hundred pounds to be satisfied with the division of John Alcock's estate. The heirs were Joseph Alcock, the oldest son, Mary, wife of John Twisden, Job Alcock, Elizabeth, wife of Richard Banks, Hannah Snell, Sarah Geddings and Lydia, wife of Reverend Shubael Dummer.
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The date of the death of Richard Banks is known from an agreement on file in the York County Registry of Deeds VI, 123, dated April 2, 1696, between Joseph Banks, administrator of the estate of Richard Banks, John Banks, and Elizabeth Banks, widow. It is recited therein that "sd Richard Banks died ... in ye year 1692." In the division, John Banks had "all that parcel of land lying and being situated at the sea-side between ye Plantation of Nathaniel and Stephen Preble, of York ... which by estimation twenty acres more or less "; and assigned all claim to the remainder of the estate to his brother in con- sideration of the assumption of all the claims against the estate by Joseph, and " that my brother Joseph Banks do carefully and suitably provide for our honored and dearly beloved mother Elizabeth Banks, and give her an honorable maintenance with himself during her life and a decent and christian burial after her death if the providence of God will permit of it." The widow Elizabeth also assigned her share in the estate to her "trusty and well beloved son Joseph Banks," in consideration that he " doo demean himself a fonder son towards me in afording unto me Elizabeth Banks, the relict and widdow of sd Richard Banks, that pity and aid which my age and my often infirmities doo call for."
In looking at the date of the death of Richard Banks, we are forcibly reminded that on the 25th of January, 1692, occurred the bloody mas- sacre at York, when according to the Reverend John Pike, a contem- porary journalist, "about forty-eight persons were killed " and " car- ried captive seventy-three." At that time, Richard Banks was an old man, and it is probable that he and two of his sons were killed in that awful scene of carnage, for they all disappear from the records at that date. Four children by his wife are known to us: John, Samuel, Job and Joseph.
JOHN2 BANKS, probably the eldest son, had a grant of land from the town of York, in 1678, at which time if he had just attained his major- ity, he would have been born in 1657, or thereabouts. Again, the 16th of October, 1696, he had a grant of twenty acres, which was laid out March 5, 1699. In 1701, he was fined for absence as Grand Juror. He was probably married twice although the name of his first wife is not known, and it is only through the will of his second wife, where
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she speaks of "my daughter-in-law, my late husband's daughter," that the hint of a second marriage is given. His will is dated 22d of December, 1724, aud was proven April 8, 1726 (York Registry of Pro- bate, III, 200). He gives "unto my wife my Dwelling house and household goods "; " unto my two sons, Moses and Aaron Banks " all the land and stock; "unto my three daughters, Elizabeth, Mary and Hannah " ten pounds each.
His second wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Peter and Sarah (Saun- ders) Turbett, of Cape Porpoise. Her will was made in 1737, and proven 24th of August, same year. Therein she gives all her estate to her " beloved and Dutiful son, Moses Banks, who has taken faithful care of me and been tender over me and his wife who has been as a natural child to me." Out of her estate, Moses was to give to her "younger son Aaron, . . . daughter-in-law, my late husband's daugh- ter, . .. to my daughter Mary, ... to my daughter Hannah," five shillings each. His children were as follows: By first wife, John and Elizabeth. By second wife, Moses (of whom hereafter), Mary, Hannah and Aaron.
MOSES® BANKS, a yeoman and mariner, was born about 1690, and resided upon his father's homestead in York. He was styled Lieuten- ant in the town records, probably for service in the militia. He married about 1712, Ruth, daughter of Elias and Magdalen (Hilton) Weare, who was born January 6, 1796-7. His death occurred in 1750, and his will was proven November 23 of that year. By Ruth his wife, who survived him, he had eleven children : Joshua, Elias, Mary, John, Elias, Jeremiah, Zebediah, Moses (of whom hereafter), Elizabeth, Ruth and Richard.
MOSES4 BANKS, a surveyor by occupation, was born in Old York, July 24, 1732. He married in November, 1754, Phebe, daughter of Jacob and Abigail (Bracey) Curtis, of Kennebunkport. He removed to Scarborough, where he engaged in school teaching and the practice of his profession as a draughtsman and surveyor of land.
Southgate, in his History of Scarborough, thus speaks of him and his ability, " He was well known in the vicinity as an excellent sur- veyor and draughtsman; and we have seen plans executed by him which nearly equal engravings in their neat finish."
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On the 7th of May, 1775, eighteen days after the battle of Lexing- ton, he enlisted in the Continental army and was commissioned a Quar- termaster in Colonel Edmund Phinney's regiment, Massachusetts Line, serving four months and twenty-two days. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the company of Captain Jeremiah Hill, of the same regiment. January 1, 1776, and saw active service at Fort George in the spring and summer of that year.
The historian of Scarborough, in describing the joy of the people at the reception of the news of the surrender of Cornwallis, says : "Three military companies assembled at the house of Lieutenant Banks, on Scottow's Hill, and all the powder in town was consumed together with a vast quantity of liquor." Folsom's History of Saco and Bidde- ford, 287, speaks of him as " well known since the war as a skillful sur- veyor and draughtsman." He came to North Yarmouth, January, 1805, to live with his son, Dr. Elias, who was then an inhabitant of the town. He moved to Saco in his old age and lived with his son Moses and died there March 10, 1822 .* His widow died December 9, 1825.
By wife Phebe, he had the following children, who survived to maturity, and several who died in infancy: Bracey, Moses, Elias, Jacob, Elizabeth and Abigail.
JACOB5 BANKS, of Parsonsfield, was born in Scarborough, February 27, 1783, and married Reliance Edgecomb, October 3, 1805. (See genealogy Banks Family, Part IV).
BENJAMIN DALTON.
Benjamin was the younger of two brothers, sons of Samuel, who came to this town from Hampton, New Hampshire, both of whom were active and prominent in the business affairs of Parsonsfield. Benja- min was born in Hampton, New Hampshire, August 24, 1780, and died in Parsonsfield, September 25, 1856. Mr. Dalton grew up on the pic- turesque farm on which his father settled upon coming to Parsonsfield, and which was carried on by the two brothers after their father's death. The nearest school during their boyhood was in North Parsonsfield, which they attended, walking the long distance over a rough road, for several winters.
* October 9, 1823, according to Zeb. Libby's almanac.
Gsa.H.Walker & Co. Lith. Baston
Benjamin (Dalton C
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HISTORY OF PARSONSFIELD.
At an early age, the older brother, Samuel, began his business career, and opened a store on the Middle Road, which from that time was called Dalton's Corner. He soon after associated with him his brother Benjamin, who continued to do business in this place to the end of his life. His career was uneventful, but all the happier for that, and furnished a good example to our young men. Samuel was gradually drawn off from the Parsonsfield store, and subsequently from the town, engaging in various enterprises in different parts of the state, which taxed his time and strength, and ultimately undermined his health. Compelled to entrust many things to others, his interests suf- fered, his estate became embarassed, and he died comparatively young. His brother Benjamin was more prudent and pursued certainly a safer and probably a wiser course. All through life he kept to one thing. In his store at "Dalton's Corner " he transacted an extensive and profitable business. His character for probity was high and his integ- rity unquestioned.
He married, August 21, 1806, Abigail, daughter of Pelatiah and Anna Cartland, of Rochester, New Hampshire. Mrs. Dalton survived her husband and lived to be nearly one hundred years old, dying in her ninety-eighth year. She was a woman of stately presence, and in features strongly resembling the celebrated Elizabeth Fry, of England. She was tall in figure, her countenance had an amiable and intelligent expression, and she bore herself with great dignity, retaining her erect carriage and the full possession of her mental faculties while she lived.
They had four children, two sons, John and Asa, and two daughters, Huldah and Anna. John, a youth of great promise, died young. Hul- dah married Mr. John McArthur and died at the age of twenty-four years, leaving one daughter, now Doctor Huldah D. Potter, of Gardiner, Maine, where she has an extensive practice as a homeopathic physician, and is highly esteemed for her estimable traits of character.
Asa was a young man of fine personal appearance and good natural abilities, which it was his misfortune to have no suitable opportunity for applying and developing. His preference was for business in a city, as Boston or Philadelphia, but was prevailed on to remain in Par- sonsfield, where he lived and died. He married his cousin, Patience W. Dalton. They had several children, one of whom alone survived
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infancy, Abigail Isabella, now the wife of Nathan J. Davis, M. D., of Somerville, Massachusetts, where her widowed mother also resides. Mrs. Davis has one son, Dalton Holmes.
After their son John's death, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Dalton united with the Friends' meeting, and were identified with it from that time. In the even tenor of their daily life, their simple habits, quiet manners and the moderation enjoined by the apostle, they were typical Friends.
Anna, the only child who survived the parents, is still in Parsons- field, having occupied until very recently the old Dalton homestead. She married, September 5, 1829, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, of Alton, New Hampshire. Of their six children, four are still living, Ben- jamin F., in Los Angeles, California; Edwin Cartland, in Portland, Maine ; John Dalton, in southern California, and Caroline M., the wife of Reverend Loring T. Staples, of Limerick, Maine. Of the two daughters remaining, Abby M. married Mr. Henry P. Johnson, and left a family of several children. Althea died unmarried. All her sur- viving children are doing well, and Mrs. Chamberlain herself is worthy to be the daughter of her mother, who was one of the first women of her time.
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