Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I, Part 13

Author: Little, George Thomas, 1857-1915, ed; Burrage, Henry Sweetser, 1837-1926; Stubbs, Albert Roscoe
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 802

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STATE OF MAINE.

which sustained the legality of Mr. Reed's pro- cedure, and what was pronounced revolution- ary and subversive of the rights of the people is now acknowledged by all parties as a cor- rect and sensible rule of procedure. The justice of Mr. Reed's rules became apparent at the very next congress, which was Demo- cratic and adopted them in substance and ever since they have been the rules of the house of representatives. Mr. Reed's act, which now seems but a simple thing, was one that none but a man of iron will and courage that quailed at nothing could have done. The enactment of the Mckinley tariff bill was the most im- portant piece of legislation of the fifty-first congress and one of its effects was to tem- porarily raise the prices of certain articles. This proved exceedingly disastrous to the Re- publicans and the next congress was over- whelmingly Democratic. In that congress Mr. Reed became the leader of the Republicans on the floor. He contrived to hold this position during the next congress which was also Dem- ocratic, and he led the onslaught against the Wilson tariff bill which precipitated one of the most interesting and important tariff de- bates in the history of congress. One of Mr. Reed's longest and most convincing speeches was made during this debate. In it he de- fended the principle of the protective tariff and pointed out in a most effective way the danger and folly of abandoning the home mar- ket and going in search of questionable foreign markets. The bill was passed and it brought to the Democrats the same kind of disaster the Mckinley bill had brought to the Republicans. The congress which was elected following the passage of this bill in the midst of Mr. Cleve- land's term was overwhelmingly Republican and Mr. Reed was again elected speaker by ac- clamation.

In 1896 Mr. Reed was a candidate for the Republican nomination for president and had much strength in the east, but the west was overwhelmingly for Mckinley, who was nom- inated. Mr. Reed's name was presented be- fore the convention by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, of Massachusetts, and the Hon. Charles E. Littlefield, of Maine, made their seconding speech. It was said at the time that if Mr. Reed had made certain promises con- cerning his cabinet appointments he might have had a much stronger following, but he absolutely refused to commit himself, prefer- ring to lose the prize rather than to tie him- self up with pledges in advance. Mr. Reed was elected to congress as usual in the fall and became speaker again by acclamation. The

election of Mr. Mckinley to the presidency made a vacancy in the chairmanship of the ways and means committee and to that va- cancy Mr. Reed appointed Mr. Dingley of this state, an appointment which aroused no jeal- ousies because of the conspicuous fitness of Mr. Dingley, though its effect was to give to Maine greater prominence in the house than any other state in the Union enjoyed. The important legislation of this congress was the Dingley tariff bill which continues to be the law of the land. When the war with Spain was threatening, Mr. Reed was in the speak- er's chair and used all his influence to avert it. But the blowing up of the Maine had so ex- cited the public mind that a collision between Spain and the United States was inevitable, and all his efforts and those of the president and other conservative men of the government were unavailing. The war was fought to a successful conclusion. Mr. Reed had always opposed the acquisition of foreign territory. As speaker he had his name called in order to vote against the annexation of the Sandwich Islands. The annexation of the Philippines and Porto Rico was exceedingly distasteful to him and he regarded it as a proceeding fraught with danger to the future welfare of the country. His influence and his vote were always against it. Mr. Reed's career in con- gress ended with the expiration of the fifty- fifth congress. In the fifty-first congress the Democrats had refused to vote him the usual resolution of thanks, but when the fifty-fifth congress expired Mr. Bailey, the Democratic leader, presented the following resolution, which was passed amid the greatest enthusi- asm: "Resolved, That the thanks of the House are presented to Hon. Thomas B. Reed, Speaker of the House, for the able, impartial and dignified manner in which he has presided over its deliberations and performed the ardit- ous duties of the chairmanship during the present term of Congress."

The feeling engendered by the acrimonious debates of the fifty-first congress had passed away and all united in paying a deserved tri- bute to the speaker. Mr. Reed was elected to the fifty-sixth congress, but resigned without taking his seat. For many years he had cher- ished the purpose to retire from congress and practice law in New York, moved thereto largely by family considerations, but there had never come a time when he could do so with- out seriously embarrassing his party. But the time had now arrived, where his work being done, and being no longer in sympathy with the policy of his party in relation to the for-

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eign possessions, he saw a chance to carry out his long cherished plan of retiring to private life, and accordingly after consultation with his friends, on the twenty-second of August, he addressed to the governor a letter of resig- nation. The campaign for the nomination of his successor was underway when Mr. Reed left Portland for his new home in New York. Saturday, September 16, before leaving the city, he addressed the following to the Re- publicans of his district :

"To the Republicans of the First Maine Dis- trict :

"While I am naturally reluctant to obtrude myself again upon public attention even here at home; I am sure no one would expect me to leave the First Maine District after so long a service without some words expressing to you my appreciation of your friendship and my gratitude for your generous treatment. Words alone are quite inadequate and I must appeal to your memories. During three and twenty years of political life, not always peaceful, you have never questioned a single public act of mine. Other men have had to look after their districts, my district has looked after me. This in the place where I was born, where you know my shortcomings as well as I do myself, gives me a right to be proud of my relations with you. No honors are ever quite like those which come from home. It would not be just for me to withhold my thanks from those Democrats who have so often given me their votes. This friendship I can acknowledge with all propriety even in a letter to the Republicans, for both they and you know that I have never trimmed a sail to catch the passing breeze or even flown a doubtful flag. Office as a 'ribbon to stick in your coat,' is worth nobody's consideration. That opportunity you have given me untram- melled in the fullest and amplest measure and I return you sincere thanks. If I have de- served any praise it belongs of right to you. Whatever may happen I am sure that the First Maine District will always be true to the prin- ciples of liberty, self-government and the rights of man. THOMAS B. REED. "Portland, September 16, 1899."

In New York Mr. Reed became the head of the law firm of Reed, Simpson, Thatcher & Barnum, and he resided in that city engaged in the practice of law until his death, December 7, 1902. Mr. Reed always had a great fond- ness for literature, and in the midst of his political duties he found time to gratify his tastes in this direction. He was a frequent

contributor to several magazines. He was also the author of a work on parliamentary law known as Reed's Rules. He was a popular after-dinner speaker and was much sought for, though he rather avoided taking part in those occasions. As a platform orator his speech was noted for its clearness and adaptability to the common understanding. He rarely shot over the heads of his audience and his humor was very taking. His convictions were strong and held with great tenacity and no one ever questioned his honesty of purpose or his thor- ough sincerity. He had little familiarity and skill in the arts of the politician, but his suc- cesses all came from the strength of his in- tellect and character. No one ever thought of contesting the nomination in the first district with him, and it is safe to say that he could have remained in congress up to the day of his death had he so desired. Though he had been out of public life for three years he con- tinued to be one of the most conspicuous figures in the country and his words whether spoken or written always commanded the attention of his countrymen. Mr. Reed went to Washington, D. C., to attend to some matters in the United States supreme court and while there suffered from uraemic poisoning which ended his life at the Arlington Hotel a week later. He was buried in the cemetery in Portland, Maine.

Thomas B. Reed married, February 5, 1870, Susan Prentice, born in New Hampshire, daughter of Rev. Samuel H. and Hannah P. (Prentice) Merrill, of Portland (see Mer- rill). Of their three children the only one now surviving is Katharine, born in Portland, January 23, 1875, married, June 24, 1905, Cap- tain Arthur T. Balantine, of the United States army.

The Bracketts of Portland BRACKETT descended from very an- cient Hampshire and from forbears who settled in ancestry in New Portland, Maine, while it was still known as Casco. Nearly all persons named Brackett who reside in either Maine or New Hamp- shire, and persons residing elsewhere whose forefathers of that name lived in either of these states, descended from the immigrant, Anthony Brackett, of Portsmouth.

(I) Anthony Brackett, who tradition states was a Scotchman, is supposed to have come to Little Harbor, near the mouth of the Pis- cataqua river, with the Scotchman, David Thompson, as early as 1623. His residence before 1649 is supposed to have been in the vicinity of Little Harbor and the "Piscatawa" house, on what is now called Odiorne's Point.

STATE OF MAINE.

From 1649 until his death he is known to have lived a mile or so south of the harbor, west of Sandy beach, on or near the stream, Salt- water brook, and on Brackett lane, now Brack- ett road. In the year 1649 at a meeting of the selectmen, held August 13, it was voted "by common consent" to grant a lot of land to "Anthony Brakit," lying between the lands of Robert Pudington and William Berry "at the head of the Sandy Beach Fresh Reiver at the Western branch thereof." At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town held January 13, 1652, a grant of thirty acres was voted to "Anthony Brackite." March 4th following, at a town meeting, the selectmen were directed "at the next fit time" to lay out the land unto the peo- ple at Sandy Beach, vid. unto William Berry, Anthony Brackit, Thomas Sevy, Francis Rand and James Johnson ; March 17, 1653, a grant was made of land near Sandy beach by the people to various citizens, among whom was Anthony Brackett, "upland thirty ackers ad- jounge unto his hous and of Meadow 20 ackers more." March 20, 1656, he was granted "50 acres more land than his former grant to join with his hous and to lye in such form as it may close to his hous so that it be not in any Man's former grant." February 3, 1660, 100 acres was granted to him as the head of a family "who had come to dwell in the town." In all he was granted over two hundred acres of land. March 31, 1650, he deeded land and buildings at Strawberry Bank ( Portsmouth) to William Cotton. Perhaps he had lived there before 1650. September 19, 1678, he bought land at "Sandie Beach from Henry Sher- burne." Anthony Brackett was a member of the Episcopal church, and was one of the sign- ers of a deed of a glebe of fifty acres to the church in 1640. He has usually been desig- nated as "Anthony the Selectman." March 8, 1655, he was one of the selectmen for the en- suing year. In July following he signed a warrant for collection of a tax to pay the sal- ary of the local minister and made his mark "A." Some years later he was again chosen selectman. His name is on the extant lists of those- taxed to pay the minister's salary 1677- 88; the tax, eighteen shillings, which he was assessed for the year 1688, is considerable in excess of the average amount of tax paid by his townsmen for the same purpose. In 1666 he subscribed one pound ten shillings toward the support of the minister. He was one of sixty-one settlers who signed a petition in 1665 when the king's commissioners came to settle certain causes of complaint in the col- onies. On this petition he writes his name,

and does not make his mark, as in the former case mentioned. The settlers of New Hamp- shire were not involved in any way with the Indians before 1675. During King Philip's war, which began that year, the resident tribes of New Hampshire remained on peaceful terms with their white neighbors, but the set- tlements in Maine were all destroyed, and their inhabitants killed, driven away or carried captive to Canada. Thomas Brackett, son of Anthony, who lived at Falmouth (Portland) Maine, was killed in August, 1676. His chil- dren were redeemed from captivity by their grandfather, with whom three of them resided for several years. In 1691 the depredations of the Indians, which had begun two or three years before in Maine, reached the settlement at Sandy Beach. On Tuesday, September 28, 1691, a band of Indians descended on that place and killed twenty-one persons, among whom were Anthony Brackett and his wife, and captured two children of his son John Brackett. The headstones at the graves of Anthony and his wife are still to be seen on a little knoll in Rye near Saltwater brook. Sep- tember II, 1691, only seventeen days before his death, Anthony Brackett made his will. He disposed of but little real estate by this in- strument, as on July 20, 1686, he had deeded his farm and buildings at Sandy beach to his son John. Anthony Brackett married, about 1635, and the records show that he was the head of a family in 1640. His children were : Anthony, Elinor, Thomas, Jane and John.

(II) Thomas, second son of Anthony Brackett, was probably born at Sandy beach, then a part of Strawberry Bank (Ports- mouth, New Hampshire), now a part of the town of Rye, about 1635 or earlier. Soon after 1662 he removed to Casco ( Port- land), Maine. Little is known of him before his marriage, after which event he became prominent in the town, and was one of the selectmen in 1672. His mother-in-law lived with him in 1671, during which year he agreed to maintain her and in consideration received from her a deed of land. This land was situ- ated on the southerly side of the upper part of the Neck, and had been occupied by Michael Milton for several years. The house stood near where the Portland gas house now is. Thomas was a prosperous and leading citizen at the time of his death. While he was in office in 1672, his brother Anthony received a grant of four hundred acres of land.

August 11, 1676, Indians appeared at Casco and captured Captain Anthony Brackett and his family, and then divided, a part passing

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around Back Cove, and a part upon the Neck. The first house in the course of the latter was that of Thomas Brackett, on the southerly side of the Neck. Between the houses of the two Bracketts was a virgin forest. The facts, se- lected from the conflicting accounts of the events of that day, seem to be that the In- dians went along the northerly side of the Neck until they had passed the farm of Thomas Brackett. In their course they met John, the son of George Munjoy, and another, Isaac Wakely, and shot them. Others who were with or near them fled down the Neck to give the alarm, and thereupon the Indians retreated in the direction of Thomas Brackett's house. That morning three men were on their way to Anthony Brackett's to harvest grain. They probably rowed over the river from Pur- poosuck Point and had left their canoe near Thomas Brackett's house. From that place they crossed the Neck toward Anthony's house, near enough to which they went to learn of the attack by the Indians on his family ; the three hastened on to the Neck, perhaps over the course covered by the Indians, to give the alarm. On their way they heard guns fired "Whereby it seems two men ( perhaps Munjoy and Wakely) were killed." Thereupon the three fled in the direction of Thomas Brack- ett's house to reach their canoe. The Indians reached the farm nearly at the same time as did the men, who saw Thomas Brackett shot down while at work in his field. Two of the men succeeded in reaching their canoe; the third, not so fleet of foot, hid in the marsh and witnessed the capture of Thomas Brackett's wife and children. The three men escaped. Among the Indians who were concerned in killing of Thomas Brackett was Megunnaway, one of the braves of King Philip, who was taken and shot by the whites the following February. All of the residents on the Neck except Thomas Brackett's family, John Mun- joy and Isaac Wakely, succeeded in reaching Munjoy's garrison house, which stood on Munjoy's hill at the end of the Neck. From there they passed over to Bang's Island, then called Andrew's Island. In this attack the In- dians killed, about Casco, eleven men and killed or captured twenty-three women and children. Thomas Brackett was about forty years old at the time of his death. His wife is said to have died during the first year of her captivity. Their children, as previously stated, were ransomed by their grandfather Brackett.

Thomas Brackett married Mary, daughter of Michael Milton. Her mother, Elizabeth

Milton, was a daughter of George Cheeve, one of the most prominent and best known set- tlers of Casco. Children of Thomas and Mary (Milton) Brackett were: Joshua, Sarah, Sam- uel (probably ) and Mary.

(III) Lieutenant Joshua, eldest child of Thomas and Mary ( Milton) Brackett, was born in Falmouth, formerly Casco, now Port- land. His father was killed by Indians and his mother died in captivity while he was still a child. After his capture with his mother, brother and sisters, August 11, 1676, he re- mained a prisoner until redeemed by his grand- father, with whom he lived some time after returning from Canada. "Probably not until the close of the war did he reach. his grand- father's house at Sandy beach. His mother had passed away; all the personal effects of his father had been destroyed; the farm and large tracts on the Neck alone remained to him, and when he arrived at an age to be able to cultivate and improve them, war com- menced with the Indians, which, but for a short interval of peace, lasted for twenty-five years. From this condition of privation and destitution he rose to become one of the rich- est men in the province in his day." When the war of 1688 began he went to Falmouth and joined his uncle, Anthony Brackett. He was with Anthony when he fell, and took part in the battle which followed the attack. Soon afterward he returned to Sandy beach. A certificate of service dated April 1, 1697, shows that Joshua Brackett served as a soldier in the garrison at Oyster river (now Durham), New Hampshire, four weeks in 1696. At times during the war commencing 1701 and ending in 1715, he was in the military serv- ice as occasion demanded, and was chosen lieutenant of a military company. During twenty-eight of the first forty-five years of his life there was continuous war with the In- dians. Of those slain whom he had to mourn were his father, grandfather, grandmother, uncle, Captain Anthony Brackett, uncle, Na- thaniel Milton; uncle, Lieutenant Thaddeus Clark ; and cousin, Seth Brackett ; of his rela- tives who were made captives were his mother, who died while a prisoner, his brother, two sisters, the children of his uncle, John Brack- ett, and the children of his uncle, Anthony Brackett. There is evidence that he was en- gaged in the coast trade, whether as merchant or as transporter is not known; certain it is that he was the owner of vessels; was also a manufacturer of lumber, owned a sawmill or two, owned one at Wadleigh's Falls in Strafford county, New Hampshire. He pros-

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pered and accumulated property in whatever branch of business he engaged. Early in his business life he purchased land and farms from their respective owners adjoining one another and bordering for miles along the southern shore of the Great bay. "These lands around the bay were far the best in town. And here the prudent Bracketts came and settled down." Beginning with a tract over the line in Stratham, the farm extended into the present town of Greenland, the south- ern shore of the bay being its northern limit; it is probably one of the most beautifully sit- uated tracts of land in the state. In 1726, fifty years after his father's death, he applied for administration on his father's property. Two years later his sons, Joshua and Anthony, took possession of the old farm. About this time he became interested in Peak's Island and other landed property of the Milton es- tate. With his second cousin, Anthony Brack- ett, a son of Captain Anthony, "the good pilot and captain for his country," of Boston, he contested the claim of Rev. Thomas Smith and others to the Milton estate, and succeeded in fully establishing his own claim and Anthony's and got all but two-ninths of Peak's Island, and Joshua purchased Anthony's interest. In his will Joshua made to all his sons legacies and bequests sufficient to place each in a good financial condition. Although Joshua's an- cestors on both sides were or are believed to have been Episcopalians, he was Congrega- tionalist, joining those of that faith when past middle age. His children were all baptized the day he united with the church. The grave of Joshua is on the home farm, and the tomb- stone bears the following inscription: "Here Lies Mr. Joshua Brackett Who Died June 19; D. y 1749, Aged 77 yes." Joshua Brackett married Mary Weeks, born July 19, 1676, died in 1740, daughter of Leonard Weeks, who married Mary Haines, daughter of Samuel Haines, who was born about 1611, in England, and died in 1686; his wife was Elinor Neate. Their children were: John, Joshua, Thomas, Samuel, Anthony, Mary (died young), Abi- gail,-Eleanor, James, Mary, Keziah, Margaret and Nathaniel.

(IV) Anthony, fifth son of Joshua and Mary (Weeks) Brackett, was born in Green- land, New Hampshire, January 25, 1708. At eleven years of age he went to Falmouth to live. His father, Joshua Brackett, secured title to the large tract of land on the Neck, which he claimed as heir to his parents, and in the peaceful time following 1725 Anthony and his brother Joshua went to Falmouth and

took possession of it. On the Neck Anthony had, in addition to other tracts, a farm on which he resided, which during his life much. increased in value. He also owned the greater and more valuable portion of Peak's Island, and this he conveyed shortly before his death to his son Thomas; he also conveyed to him and to third parties tracts of land including the homestead. As his wife did not join in the conveyance of this property, in later years and up to a very recent date, the descendants of Anthony labored under the delusion that they might recover the land thus conveyed, now in the city of Portland and of great value.

Anthony and his brother Joshua were prom- inent in Falmouth in social and business af- fairs. Their estates extended from one side of the Neck to the other near its base. The house of Anthony stood at the corner of Dan- forth and Brackett streets in Portland, which latter street ran through his farm. The dwell- ing house of two stories, mentioned as the mansion house, faced the south; in front of it was an orchard on the slope of a hill. Joshua's house stood on Congress street near High street. This house, which was burned after his death, he built after he had resided for some years in a log house which stood where Gray street is. At the time of Anthony's mar- riage in 1733, the brothers lived in this log house. Their residence in Falmouth began in 1728. Between their houses was a swamp through which was a footpath. The division. line between their estates was along Grove and Congress streets. Anthony's land in- cluded nearly all that on the southeast side of Congress street from about opposite Casco to Vaughn street, and a lot of nearly fifty acres on the westerly side of Grove street, run- ning from Congress street to the poor farm. Joshua's land lay on the northwest side of Congress street, extending from Grove street easterly. The houses of the brothers, on the. outskirts of the settlement, were in an exposed position, and hostile Indians were seen in the swamp and near their houses on more than one occasion during the years 1744 to 1748, and a few years following 1755; but none of their buildings were burned, and no member of their families is known to have been harmed. Perhaps their escape from any dam- age was due to their preparedness and ability to protect themselves from foes. On the roll of Captain James Milk's company, under date of May 10, 1757, appears the name of An- thony ; in the alarm list of that company ap- pears the name of Joshua. The latter was.

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Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I, Part 13

Author: Little, George Thomas, 1857-1915, ed; Burrage, Henry Sweetser, 1837-1926; Stubbs, Albert Roscoe Publication date: 1909 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 802

Author: Little, George Thomas, 1857-1915, ed; Burrage, Henry Sweetser, 1837-1926; Stubbs, Albert Roscoe
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 802