Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I, Part 46

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

USA > Maine > Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I > Part 46

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).

(VIII) Hon. James, eldest son of William and Margery (Irish) Lowell, was born Janu- ary 5, 1792, at Buckfield, Maine, and died in Lewiston, Maine, July 27, 1858. When twenty-one years of age he removed to the new county of Lewiston, and there bought lands which afterwards became very valuable, so that by keen business foresight he became very independent, and helped very materially in the building of the city, and had a large mercantile trade. He was the first president of the Lewiston Falls Bank, now the First National Bank. He was town treasurer from 1829 to 1849, and was representative of the legislature in 1838-39-41-51-52, and was state senator in 1853, with his brothers Stephen and William. In 1854 he was again in the senate with his brother William. He was very prom- inent in his adopted city, accumulated quite a fortune, and was very much respected by all. He was married, May 1, 1814, in Lewiston, to Hannah Paul, of New Gloucester, Maine. Their children were: Hon. Mark, James, Daniel and Vesta.

(IX) Hon. Mark, eldest son of Hon. James and Hannah (Paul) Lowell, was born March 17, 1815, at Lewiston. He was educated at the academies at Hebron, Gorham and Mon- mouth, Maine, and then entered into business with his father in 1837 at Lowells Corners, Maine. He was selectman in Lewiston many years, and was postmaster, and member of the Maine legislature in 1862-63. He and his brother were prominent and public-spirited men, aiding in all town and city enterprises, and he was one of the leading citizens of his town. He married (first), December 25, 1836, Ann S. T. Davis, and (second), January 13, 1847, Alma Esther Burbank. Children by first wife were: Eliza Davis, Amanda G., Hannah, Ann C., Alma B. and Edward M. He died in 1888.

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(X) Hannah, third daughter of Hon. Mark and Ann S. T. (Davis) Lowell, was born April 22, 1844, in Lewiston. She was married October 19, 1865, to Samnel G. French (see French, IX), and resided in Lunenburg, Ver- . mont, then later in Lewiston. She died in Auburn, Maine, December 26, 1905.

COLBATH The early history of the Col- bath family is, like that of many another (in truth we might say, most others), shrouded in more or less of doubt and mystery. This is due partly to the fact of few records being kept in early days ; partly to changes and wars that brought about the removal or destruction of those heads of families who were capable of hand- ing down orally such valuable information ; and to the serious loss by fire of those books and manuscripts in which matter bearing upon and relating to family, church and town his- tory were recorded. Indeed, this latter cause, fire, is the fell destroyer that has blotted for- ever from the pages of history important and valuable data.

Southgate, in his "History of Scarborough, Maine," published in 1853, writes: "Several brothers bearing the surname Colbath came from England early in the eighteenth century and settled in various parts of New England."

Ridlon, in his "Saco Valley Families," claims that Scotland was the country from which the early Colbaths emigrated. He writes as follows : "The name Colbath, as now spelled in America, has undergone the mutila- tion common to nearly all surnames dating from an early period. We first find it as Cal- breath, and later running through such changes as Galbreth, Galbraith, Colbraith, Kil- breth and Colbroth. The various forms of spelling may be attributed to the fancy of some cadets of the family who, as younger sons, established junior branches in new local- ities ; and to such early scribes as received the pronunciation of names from men of foreign accent. The name originated in two Gaelic words, 'Gall' and 'Bhretan,' meaning 'The Stranger Briton,' or as it were, 'Children of the Briton.''

They were then evidently descendants of that great, splendid tribe of Brythorn Gauls, or, as the Romans called them, Britons, who invaded and conquered the English Isles some three hundred years before the Christian era, and gave the name of Great Britain to them for all time. Later, when the invading Saxon and Englishman came, they found in these Britons their fiercest foes. More than two

centuries of the bitterest war was waged ere they were overcome, and then, only by the ever increasing hosts of the Saxon. Quoting again from Ridlon :

"As intimated, the families bearing these names are of Scottish derivation. The earliest of whoni we have found mention were Gillis- pick Galbrait ( 1230 A. D.) and Arthur Gal- brait (1296 A. D.), who swore fealty to King Edward I. William Galbraith is mentioned as a person 'of good account' in the middle of the fourteenth century. Cadets of the fam- ily early intermarried with the lordly houses of Douglass and Hamilton, and through such alliances became possessed of extensive es- tates in Scotland, where they have continued. During the time of the plantation of Ulster in the north of Ireland by Scottish families (1608-1620), several brothers named Cal- breath or Galbraith, who had purchased exten- sive lands from Sir John Calyuhon, Laird of Luss, removed to that country. These lands, which were called the Manor of Corkagh, were sold in 1664, and two of the brothers, Humphrey and William Galbraith, were re- tained as agents of Bishop Spottiswood. An- other of the brothers was Robert Galbraith. The present representative of the family in Great Britain is John Samuel Galbraith, Esq., magistrate, high sheriff, justice of the peace, and doctor of laws. Heir presumptive his brother, Robert Galbraith. The family seat is Clanabogan, County Tyrone, Ireland."

Nason, the biographer of Hon. Henry Wil- son, late vice-president of the United States, says; "Wilson's ancestors, the Colbaths, were of excellent stock, largely from Argyleshire, in Scotland."

Burke's "Encyclopaedia of Heraldry," the great authority in such matters, gives the fam- ily coat-of-arms. Bendy of six, argent and azure; on a chief sable, three crosses patee or. The simplicity of these armorial bearings would indicate a very early date; the use of a "chief" presupposes leadership by its bearer ; and the pattee crosses point to the bearer being a participant in the crusades to the Holy Land and a member of the order of "Knights Tem- plar."

"And on his brest a bloodie crosse he bore, The deare remembrance of his dying Lord, For whose sweete sake that glorious badge he wore, And dead, as living ever, him adored : Upon his shield the like was also scored." -Spencer.

(I) So far as known, the earliest appear- ance of the name Colbath in America is that of John Colbreath, who was one of the Scotch Presbyterians of the "North of Ireland," who petitioned "his Excellency Colonel Samuel

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Suitt, Gov. of New England," (Gov. Samuel Shute) "to assure his Excellency of their in- clinations to transport themselves to his plan- tation upon obtaining suitable encouragement from him." While many of those names writ- ten nearly two hundred years ago ( March 26, 1718) are nearly, some quite, obliterated, the name John Colbreath remains clear and dis- tinct. The handwriting is almost identical with that of the early Colbath of Newington, now to be found upon legal papers, and gives satisfactory proof that he and George Colbath (Colbroth, or Colbreath), who was the an- cestor-we believe the emigrant ancestor-of the New Hampshire line of Colbaths, were of the same family.

The next appearance of the name is found in Bradford, Massachusetts. "William Nutt, Jane Colbreath, married May 30, 1723." Next we find in a journal kept by Rev. Joseph Ad- ams, who was pastor of the Newington church from November 16, 1715, to the date of his death, May 20, 1783, this entry :

"1725 Sepr 19. Mary Coolbroth owned ye Covenant and was baptized."

"Item. James, Pitman, William & Joseph & Benjamin Sons & Susanna & Mehitabel Daughters wr baptized" "1728 Feb 4. "George Coolbroth owned ye Covenant & was bap- tized."

We have but one earlier mention of George Colbath-the taxlist of Portsmouth, for the year 1727, shows John and George Colbath as taxpayers. As shown by an old deed, dated July 30, 1730, George Colbath bought land in Newington, of William and Abigail Cotton, of Portsmouth. August 13, 1738, he was granted administration of the estate of his son George Colbath, Jr., in which appointment he is styled "yeoman." April 14, 1752, he sold land in Newington "with the dwelling house and barn standing thereon," to his son Joseph Colbath, and his wife Mary Colbath joined in the con- veyance. Thus we have positive evidence of the existence of eight persons who were sons and daughters of George and Mary Colbath : George, James, Pitman, William, Joseph, Ben- jamin, Susannah and Mehitable.

It is believed that John Coolbroth, ancestor of the Maine line of Coolbroths (or Colbaths) who settled in Scarborough, Maine, in 1730, married Sarah Harmm, August 17, 1732, and died September 15, 1774, was also son of George Colbath, sen., of Newington, New Hampshire.

It is of interest to note that three of these sturdy sons-Pitman, Joseph, and Benjamin- served their King, under Colonel Samuel

Moore, at the siege of Louisburg, in 1745. Later we find one of these sons, Benjamin, a revolutionary soldier, under Colonel Nathan Hale; he died in the service of his country March 20, 1778. Three sons of Benjamin- John, aged twenty-two years; Downing, aged seventeen years; and Dependence, aged six- teen years-with their father, served their country in her hour of need.

(II) James, second son of George and Mary Colbath, is thought to have been born about 1715. His wife, Olive Leighton, was the fifth child of Thomas and Deborah Leigh- ton, of Newington. Her grandfather was Thomas, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Elder Hatevil Nutter, of Dover, New Hamp- shire, and her great-grandparents were Joanna and Thomas Leighton (died January 22, 1671), the English emigrants, who were mar- ried probably in England. The children of the marriage of James and Olive Colbath were: Leighton, baptized December 1, 1739; Independence ; Hunking, February 17, 1743; Deborah, October 9, 1745; Keziah . . Winthrop (the grandfather of the late Hon. 'Henry Wilson), June 16, 1751 ; Amy, July 9, 1758; and Benning, born May 28, 1762.

James Colbath was a prosperous citizen of Newington, and with his brothers held various offices of the town for many years. The deeds of conveyance to and from James Colbath show that, in addition to his Newington real estate, he was for many years an extensive landholder in the town of Barnstead, New Hampshire. In the year 1748, with the con- sent of and "humbly" recommended by all the selectmen of his town, James Colbath sent the following :

"To the Honorable: The Court of Quarter Sessions now setting at Portsmouth, in the Province of New Hampshire, the Humble Pe- tition of James Colbath: Shewith that your Petitioner having a Gristmill near my Dwell- ing house which occasions my home to be much thronged with people, which come to the said mill, and there being no Publick house near putts me humbly requesting that the Honorable Court will allow your Petitioner the Liberty of Keeping a Public Tavern, and your Petitioner as in Duty bound shall ever pray.

"Newington, March 7th, 1748-9."

This petition was granted unto James Col- bath, and for many years after the "Publick Tavern" was a meeting place not alone for the grist mill folk, but for political and public gatherings, proving an ornament of public util- ity to the staid citizens of Newington. The

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Colbath home, located near the church, has been preserved, and is pointed out as one of the famous landmarks of the town. It is two- storied and painted, and is yet in use as a dwelling house. In the year 1784-85, James and Olive, with their son Benning, removed to that part of Rochester, which is now Farm- ington, and later to Middleton, where James and Olive died before 1800. They rest in the beautiful site of the family burial ground, 11pon a hillside of the Colbath farm.

(III) Benning Colbath, born May 28, 1762, died September 27, 1824, married Mary Rol- lins, born May 26, 1761, died August 9, 1825, daughter of Mary Huntress and Samuel Rol- lins, of Newington. She was directly de- scended from James "Rawlins" who emigrated to America in 1632, with the early settlers of Ipswich, Massachusetts (Samuel (4), Samuel (3). Joseph (2), James (I). So favorably is the name Rollins known in New Hamp- shire history that we need not dwell upon the sterling qualities of her character. She was a person of high aspirations and ideals. Her memory is sweetly sacred to her descendants, "even unto the third and fourth generation." The children of Benning and Mary Colbath were: Betsey, born May 10, 1785; Samuel, February 10, 1788; Mary H., May 6, 1791 ; Benning, November 17, 1795, died young ; Benjamin R., June 6, 1799; Ephraim R., De- cember 24, 1802. Benning Colbath was a man of weight and worth. In 1793 we find him one of the officials of his adopted town; and he remained in her service for more than twenty consecutive years as selectman and in the various offices in her gift.

(IV) Samuel, son of Benning Colbath, born February 10, 1788, in Rochester ; died Decem- ber 8, 1855, in Middleton, married, June 8, 1809, Elizabeth Clark, born May 24, 1788, died December 24, 1867, buried in Middleton. Elizabeth Clark was one of those of whom it may be justly said :

"None knew her but to love her, None named her but to praise."

A gentle Christian woman, whose daily life was one of prayer. She was born in Berwick, Maine, eldest child of Samuel and Abigail (Hanson) Clark, and died at the home of her only son, in New Durham, New Hampshire. Her father, Samuel Clark, was born in Ber- wick, Maine, May 18, 1764; married, May 23, 1786, Abigail, daughter of Ebenezer and Marth (Wentworth) Hanson. (Martha 5, Thomas 4, John 3, Ezekiel 2, William I). He died February 12, 1855, in St. Johnsbury Cen-

ter, Vermont. Samuel Clark was a soldier of the revolution, enlisted before sixteen years of age, May 3, 1780, and served as private in the regiment of Colonel Joseph Prime, under Captain Jedediah Goodwin. He received hon- orable discharge November 2, 1780. It is shown by the carly records of the town of Middleton, New Hampshire, that he was resi- dent there as early as 1792, and was an ex- tensive land holder. In 1810 he sold to Hat- evil Knight, of Rochester, one hundred and thirty acres of land in New Durham, in which conveyance he is styled "gentleman." Later he sold his homestead farm and removed to St. Johnsbury, Vermont, with his son, Nathaniel Clark. It is proudly recalled by his descend- ants that on a visit to his son he made the journey from St. Johnsbury to Middleton, New Hampshire, in a sleigh, when above ninety years of age. The children of Samuel and Elizabeth Colbath were: Sabrina H. and Jeremiah Smith.

In 1816, directly succeeding his father Ben- ning, we find Samuel Colbath one of the se- lectmen of Middleton, which office he held for many years. Not alone for his public service was he honored, but for the great moral worth of his character, his blameless life and his upright dealings with his fellow men.

Jeremiah J. Coleatt

(V) Jeremiah Smith Colbath was born Jan- uary 2, 1812, in Middleton, at what is now known as the "old Colbath Homestead." The house is quaint and picturesque, and is de- lightfully situated, overlooking, as it does, the valley of the Cocheco river and the city of Rochester, with a fine view of the distant hills. In the occupancy of the house, four genera- tions of Colbaths have preceded the present owner, Elizabeth Colbath Davis, who is of the sixth generation of Colbaths in America.

The subject of this biography early gave evidence of intellectual ability and great love of study, which were prominent traits through life even to its close. After a course in com- mon school he studied under the instruction of Thomas Tash, the scholar and linguist, until he became a teacher. Being an only son, he did not long continue in this occupation ; his duty call was to the farm, to comfort the de- clining years of his parents. July 18, 1841, he united in marriage with Lydia Millet Webster, of New Durham. She was a beautiful and brilliant woman, who possessed great firmness

HOMESTEAD OF JAMES AND OLIVE COLBATH IN 1900

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Lizzie L. Dans January 20 1909

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and purity of mind. Like her husband, she had been a teacher in the public schools. To life's close she was to him-

"The heart which like a staff was one For him to lean and rest upon,

The strongest on the longest day, With steadfast love."

Lydia Millet Webster (1806-89) was the daughter of Reuben ( 1771-1854) and Lydia Smith Webster (1771-1864), of New Dur- ham. Lydia (Smith) Webster was the daugh- ter of Lieutenant John Smith (1732-1819), of Lubberland Durham; whose wife was Lydia Millet ( 1735-1821), daughter of Hon. Thomas Millet, of Dover. Ebenezer Smith, who was for twenty years president of the Strafford county bar, was of the family. Lydia (Smith) Webster was born August 26, 1771, in Dur- ham, New Hampshire, on the shore of the lovely sheet of water known as Great Bay. A bride at the age of twenty-two years, she left her early home with all its beautiful environ- ments, to journey on horseback, with the hus- band of her choice, through the wilderness, and seek a home within its depths. A wise and loving mother, around her name cling tender memories. To her quick sympathy and the efficient aid of her ever helpful hand. her neighbors turned in the hour of their afflic- tions. The children of Reuben and Lydia (Smith) Webster were: John, born May ' 12, 1794; Stephen, July 26, 1796; Abigail, Febru- ary 4, 1798; Elizabeth, December 30, 1801 ; Valentine S., April 9, 1803; Lydia M., No- vember 21, 1806; and Drusilla B., January 5, 18II.

Lydia Millet Webster was distinctly of English blood, being directly descended from John Webster, born in England (died 1646), of Ipswich, Massachusetts, on the paternal side; on the maternal, from George Smith, who came from old Haugh, in Chester county, England.

The military services of the family Webster are noteworthy. Two nephews-Joseph F. Webster and Henry S. (Webster) Willey, of Farmington-enlisted early and served honor- ably in the late rebellion. Her brother Ste- phen (3) Webster (1796-1872), served in the war of 1812. Her grandfather, Stephen (2) Webster (1739-1827), was a revolutionary soldier from October 4, 1775, to his discharge in 1781. He was honored by an invitation to Concord, New Hampshire, at the time of the visit of General Lafayette to that city; and made the journey from New Durham on horseback, when above eighty-five years of age. This revolutionary soldier, who left the endearments of home to fight in the battles of

Bennington, Monmouth, and Newtown, who gave above four years of life to aid his coun- try in her struggle for independence, had for wife a member of the distinguished Choate family of America. She was daughter of Jon- athan and Elizabeth ( Moody) Choate, and granddaughter of Reverend Benjamin Choate, who graduated from Harvard College, 1703; married Abigail Burnham, and settled in Kingston, New Hampshire, in 1707. Anna (or Anne) Choate was born in Kingston, De- cember 20, 1751, and died October 5, 1848, in Sandwich, New Hampshire. Stephen Web- ster and Anna Choate were united in marriage in the year 1770, in the town of Moultonboro, New Hampshire. The sacrifices of this de- voted wife and mother through all the changes of war, are in the hidden past; ob- livion covers her anxious watching and wait- ing ; but time can never rob her of the renown of her ancestry ; upon her memory radiates the honor of her husband's loyal service.

Stephen Webster, born in Salisbury, Mas- sachusetts, was son of Stephen and Hannah (Swett) Webster. He died January 20. 1827, in New Durham, New Hampshire. His father, Stephen (I) Webster, born 1712, of Salis- bury, Massachusetts, was an officer in the French and Indian war. In the expedition against Crown Point (1755-56) he appears as "Captain in His Majesty's service." Wher- ever known the family Webster has shown itself loyal to country, and fearless in the hour of danger. The famed Hannah Dustin was granddaughter of John (1) Webster, of Ips- wich, Massachusetts.

Reuben Webster, father of Lydia Millet, was a prosperous farmer who had by energy and thrift won from the virgin forest the fer- tile farm upon which he reared his ambitious sons and daughters. One child blessed the marriage of Jeremiah Smith and Lydia Millet Colbath. Beneath the roof of the cottage here shown, within whose venerable walls had lived and loved, had joyed and sorrowed, four generations of her ancestors, on Friday, April 18, 1845, was born to these par- ents the wished-for daughter, their only child. She was named Elizabeth Lydia, for her grandmothers-Elizabeth Clark Col- bath, and Lydia Smith Webster. Royal was her welcome, and from that hour she became the household idol. As time advanced and mentality grew she returned obedience and deep affection. The approval seen on the face of that dear mother was the law that governed her young life. When months were years, and seasons changed, and chill autumnal

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nights came on, fires were kindled in the wide- mouthed fireplace, within the spacious sitting room. As the evening lamps were lighted, and the unbroken circle of grandparents and of parents grouped beneath the firelight glow she was gathered in her father's arms, while on her ear fell wondrous woodland tales- of bird or beast; of nest or lair; of babbling brook, or dark and silent river, along whose banks crept dusky forms with the stealthy tread of moccasined fect ; of wigwam fires, and lurking foc, and of death of Pauqus-cach so graphically told to please her infant fancy. Happy child of honored father, words may never show his worth. At two and one-half years she was carried to the district school, just beside the gateway leading to her home, where she learned to name at sight each letter of the English alphabet. As years rolled on she was kept in almost constant attendance on this and other schools, wherever she might return to her home at nightfall. At the age of twelve years she was placed under the tuition of Miss Martha Stoddard, whose moral influence and rigid thoroughness of her meth- ods of teaching left an impression on the mind of the youthful pupil never to be effaced. One year later she entered the select school of Miss Caroline Knight, in the village of Rochester, New Hampshire. Miss Knight, then in the prime of life, had been for thirty years a teacher. Many an eminent man of to-day recalls with interest hours of study under Miss Knight's tuition while fitting for his college course. Many an honored woman holds in grateful memory the moral and re- ligious influence, the strict yet ever kindly dis- cipline, of this school. Under such most ex- cellent instruction, the subject of this mention remained to the close of her educational course. Almost immediately she engaged in teaching, early in the city of Rochester, later in Farmington, and in the towns of Middle- ton, Milton, and New Durham. It was her habit to remain for several terms, sometimes for years, in the same school. In this work she continued to the date of her marriage, May I, 1873, to Thomas M. Davis, of New- field, Maine. Mr. Davis was a man intellectu- ally gifted, of wide experience and good ad- dress, keen and alert in business, his judgment was unerring in his moneyed interests. Born September 18, 1836, in Newfield, Maine; died December 9, 1901, in Westboro, Massachu- setts.

Following their marriage, a winter was en- joyed in the cities of New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D. C., and in travel through

the "sunny South." Soon after their home coming Mrs. Davis returned to her position in the schoolroom, where she continued to the date of her father's deccase, when the cver- increasing invalidism of her widowed mother and the added care of her father's estate forced her to resign the work in which she had hap- pily passed so many busy hours.

It is not now known by whom was erected the cottage, once the home of James and Olive Colbath, the great-grandparents of Hon. Henry Wilson, vice-president, U. S. A. The years which the Colbath descendants have owned and occupied, date well into a second century. More than one hundred years ago the first chimney of the old house was removed by Ben- ning Colbath, and the one now seen erected. From time immemorial the Colbaths have been landholders ; succeeding generations have been buyers until hundreds of acres are covered by the deeds of the present owner. With the turning tide in the commercial value of tim- ber lands and country real estate, it has been found that profit may combine with pleasure in one's investments.

At the age of twenty-six years Jeremiah S. Colbath was appointed by Governor Isaac Hill justice of the peace for Stafford county, which office, but for a lapse of some three years, he retained through life. July 2, 1861, he was appointed appraiser of state prison property, and on the same date he was appointed jus- tice of the peace and quorum. His was a busy life. Much time was given to literary re- search, and to preparing articles for publica- tion. At his decease he left in manuscript and nearly ready for the publisher a history of his native town of Middleton. He engaged ex- tensively in farming and was also noted as a land surveyor, to which employment he was often called. For many years he served his town as selectman ; and in eight of those years was elected chairman of the board. He was also supervisor of schools. In the year 1865 he removed from his native Middleton to the town of New Durham, where he had by pur- chase become the owner of a large farm. In 1866 we find him in the service of his adopted town as one of the appraisers of her real es- tate. May 5 of the same year he was elected one of the investigating committee to examine her accounts. Thence on, we find him prom- inently in her service, as selectman, treasurer, and supervisor of schools. At the age of sev- enty years, while at Dover, New Hampshire, as foreman of the jury on an important case, he was seized with fatal illness, and died in that city, October 1, 1882. Thus passed sud-

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Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I, Part 46

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