Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I, Part 54

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 54

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ated. Forks were scarcely known then. The Conants must have been people of some edu- cation, because the new parlour had a "liberry table, 2 great deskes and one lesser one, one greate byble and a deske and other bookes." The contents of four chambers are disclosed. Some of the unusual items are "2 dozen of Table napkins," evidently kept for occasions of great ceremony, "2 pare verginalls," a mu- sical instrument of primitive construction, "a Skaymer and cheese Racke," which might more properly belong in the buttery, and "a crosbowe and bender." The parlors were evi- dently furnished with beds-a custom which obtained in many New England farmhouses well into the nineteenth century.

Eight children of Richard and Agnes (Clarke) Conant are recorded : Joan, Richard, Robert, Jane, John, Thomas, Christopher, and Roger, whose sketch follows. The two younger brothers migrated to America; but the last record of Christopher Conant occurs in November, 1630, when he was a member of the first jury for criminal trial in this country, impanelled for the trial of Walter Palmer, for manslaughter. It is possible that he may have returned to England, because if he had died in Massachusetts some record of the fact would probably have been preserved. Of the sons of Richard Conant who remained in England, John became a fellow of Oxford University and rector of St. Thomas Church, in Salisbury. On July 26, 1643, he preached a sermon before the House of Commons, which was printed by order of that body. From a rare copy which has been preserved we know that the title page gave the theme as "The Weal and Woe of God's People," and the discourse, which contains fifty-six printed pages, was delivered on a fast day, or day of "publike humiliation." Two of Richard Co- nant's grandsons also entered the church. Richard (3), son of Richard (2) Conant, was graduated from Emanuel College, Cambridge, in 1645, and afterwards became vicar of the church at East Budleigh; but the most noted of the family was Rev. Dr. John Conant, vice chancellor of Oxford University. He was the son of Robert Conant, and grandson of Rich- ard, and was made fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, July 3. 1633. He became an eminent Oriental scholar, and was noted for being a sound and solid expositor, and "for clearing the true sense of such texts as were misinter- preted by the Socinians and other heretics." Dr. Conant became rector of Exeter College, vicar of Kidlington, regius professor of Di- vinity, and on October 5, 1657, was appointed

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by Richard Cromwell to be vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford. After the Restora- tion he was installed archdeacon of Norwich, and finally made prebendary of Worcester. His biography indicates that he was a man of unusual character, wisdom and influence.

(III) Roger, sixth son and youngest of the eight children of Richard and Agnes (Clarke) Conant, was baptized at All Saints Church, in the parish of East Budleigh, Devonshire, Eng- land, April 9, 1592. It is probable that he received a good education for his day, as his parents were people of substance and intelli- gence as well as of exemplary piety. Roger Conant was frequently called upon to survey lands, lay out boundaries and transact public business. On January 20, 1619-20, Christo- pher Conant, grocer, and Roger Conant, salter, signed a bond for their brother John. The two signers register themselves as both of the parish of St. Lawrence, Jewry, London. Vari- ous circumstances indicate that Roger was a freeman of the Salter's Guild, the ninth of the twelve great livery companies, which would require an apprenticeship of seven years. It is probable that he remained in London about fourteen years, or until the time of his migration to America. Roger Conant reached this country in 1623, and the supposi- tion is that he came over with his brother Christopher, who sailed on the ship "Ann," which arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in July that year. Roger did not long remain at the Pilgrims' town, owing to a difference in religious belief between the original pro- prietors and himself. They were separatists, and he a non-conformist, or Puritan, and in 1624 he found it desirable to join some newly arrived immigrants at Nantasket, or Hull. It was probably while here that he made use of what is now known as Governor's Island, in Boston Harbor, but which at that time and for some years after, bore the name of Conant's Island. During the next winter, Rev. John White, of Dorchester, hearing of the settle- ment at Nantasket, and of Roger Conant, "a pious, sober and prudent Gentleman," chose him to manage the affairs of the Dorchester Company at Cape Ann. It was soon found that this region was a poor place for planting, and many of the settlers returned to England ; but Roger Conant and a few sturdy followers decided to remain and fix their habitation at Naumkeag, now Salem. His was the first house built in that now historic town. Let us read Hawthorne's beautiful description of the scene :

"You perceive, at a glance, that this is the

ancient and primitive wood-the ever-youth- ful and venerably old-verdant with new twigs, yet hoary, as it were, with the snow- fall of innumerable years, that have accumu- lated upon its intermingled branches . Roger Conant, the first settler in Naumkeag, has built his dwelling, months ago, on the border of the forest-path; and at this moment he comes eastward, through the vista of the woods, with a gun over his shoulder, bringing home the choice portions of a deer. His stal- wart figure, clad in a leathern jerkin and breeches of the same, strides sturdily onward, with such an air of physical force and energy that we might almost expect the very trees to stand aside and give him room to pass. And so, indeed, they must; for, humble as is his name in history, Roger Conant still is of that class of men who do not merely find, but make, their place in the system of human af- fairs; a man of thoughtful strength, he has planted the germ of a city. There stands his habitation, showing in its rough architecture some features of the Indian wigwam, and some of the log cabin, and somewhat too, of the straw-thatched cottage in Old England, where this good yeoman had his birth and breeding. The dwelling is surrounded by a cleared space of a few acres, where Indian corn grows thrivingly among the stumps of the trees ; while the dark forest hems it in, and seems to gaze silently and solemnly, as if won- dering at the breadth of sunshine which the white man spreads around him."

Perhaps further mention should be made of Conant's connection with Cape Ann. Although he remained there only about four years ( 1624-28), he was the head of the settlement, the first permanent one in Massachusetts ter- ritory, and the germ from which the Massa- chusetts Bay Colony sprung. John Wingate Thornton, in his valuable historical investiga- tion, contends that Conant was the first and only governor under the Sheffield, or Cape Ann Charter, as Endicott was the first under the second and Massachusetts Charter. Con- trasting the characters of Conant and Endi- cott, Thornton says: "Beside strict integrity, there was little common to them. Each was particularly fitted for the duties and periods assigned to him, and had the order been re- versed the result would have been fatal. Co- nant was moderate in his views, tolerant, mild and conciliatory, quiet and unobtrusive, in- genuous and unambitious, preferring the pub- lic good to his private interests ; with the pas- sive virtues he combined great courage and an indomitable will. * * Governor Conant's

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true courage and simplicity of heart and strength of principle eminently qualified him for the conflicts of those rude days of perils, deprivation and trial. * * Endicott was the opposite of Conant, arbitrary and sometimes violent, he ruled with a determined hand, and carried the sword unsheathed. quick to assert and ready to maintain his rights; firm and unyielding ; * * a man of theological asperity, and bigoted."

That Conant was a man of dignity and in- fluence in the Salem and Cape Ann region we have ample official evidence. During the year 1634 the freemen elected twenty-four of their own number as deputies to the general court, which met at Boston, on May 14. This was the second representative assembly which met in this country, that of Virginia being the first. Roger Conant was one of the deputies from Salem, and thus assisted in laying the foundation stones of our government. His name constantly appears as a member of the jury, as one of the committee to determine bounds, or in some relation to the meeting- house. He was one of the selectmen in 1637- 38-39, 1640-41, 1651-52-53-54-57. Both Roger Conant and his wife were among the original members of the First Church at Salem, and in 1637 both signed the renewed covenant. In 1667 the residents of what is now known as Beverly were dismissed from the church at Salem and organized into a separate congrega- tion. The name of Roger Conant is first on the list of members, and he was on the com- mittee to fix the salary of Rev. John Hale. The next year the part of Salem known as Bass river, on Cape Ann side, was incor- porated under the name of Beverly. The lat- ter name was not acceptable to Conant, and on March 28, 1671, he drew up a petition to the "honorabel Generall Court" concerning the matter. This petition, which was signed by thirty-four others besides himself, is so quaint that a few sentences may be worth quoting : "Now my umble sute and request is vnto this honorabel Court onlie that the name of our towne or plantation may be altred or changed from Beuerly and called Budleigh. I have two reasons that haue moued me to this request. The first is the great dislike and dis- content of many of our people for this name of Beuerly, because (wee being but a small place) it hath caused on us a constant nick- name of beggarly. .... Secondly: I being the first that had house in Salem (and neuer had any hand in naming either that or any other towne) and myself with those that were then with me, being all from the western part

of England, desire this western name of Bud- leigh, a market towne of Deuonsheer and neere vnto the sea as we are heere in this place and where myself was borne. Now in regard of our firstnesse and antiquity in this soe famous a colony, we should umblie request this littell priuelidg with your fauors and con- sent, to giue this name abouesaid vnto our town."

This petition was not granted, but it is worth recording as showing the sentiment of Roger Conant for his childhood's home, which he had left nearly fifty years before. Roger Conant died November 19, 1679, in the eighty- eighth year of his age, but the place of his burial is not known. He left a will, and an estate whose inventory amounted to two hun- dred and fifty-eight pounds, ten shillings.

On November 11, 1618, Roger Conant mar- ried Sarah Horton, in the parish of Saint Ann's, Blackfriars, London. She was living in 1666, but probably died before her husband, as she is not mentioned in the will. There were nine children by this marriage, all of whom but the two elder were born in this country. The children were: Sarah, chris- tened in London, September 19, 1619, died next year : Caleb, christened May 27, 1622, in London, died young; Lot, whose sketch fol- lows; Roger, 1626, the first white child born in Salem, Massachusetts: Sarah, 1628: Josh- ua; Mary; Elizabeth; and Exercise, baptized December 24, 1637.

(IV) Lot, eldest of the seven surviving children of Roger and Sarah (Horton) Co- nant, was born about 1624, at Nantasket, or Cape Ann, Massachusetts. He seems to have lived at Marblehead as early as 1657. He was selectman there in 1662, had one cow's com- monage in 1667, and in 1674 is recorded as one of the hundred and fourteen household- ers. About 1666 he probably moved to Bev- erly, because his father gave him a hundred acres of land there, and July 4, 1667, Lot Conant was one of those dismissed from the First church at Salem to form the church at Bass River, or Beverly. He appears to have been a man of substance; but he did not fill so large a place in public affairs as did his father. Possibly this may be accounted for by his early death, which took place Septem- ber 29, 1674. when he was but fifty years of age. He left a will, and an estate whose "sum totall" amounted to seven hundred and eighty pounds, more than three times as much as his father had, who died five years later. Seven hundred and eighty pounds was a large sum to be accumulated in those days by a man who

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had reared ten children and died in middle ·life.

About 1649 Lot Conant married Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. William Walton, who took his degrees at Emanuel College, Cambridge, in 1621 and 1625. This clergyman was set- tled over the parish of Seaton in Devonshire, where his daughter was baptized October 27, 1629. It is thought that he came to America about 1635, as he was made a freeman at Hingham, Massachusetts, March 3, 1636. He settled at Marblehead as carly as 1639, and was pastor there till his death in 1668. Ten children were born to Lot and Elizabeth (Walton) Conant : Nathaniel, July 28, 1650; John, December 15, 1652; Lot (2), mentioned below; Elizabeth, May 13, 1660; Mary, July 14, 1662; Martha, August 15, 1664; Sarah and William (twins), February 19, 1666-67; Roger, March 10, 1668-69; and Rebecca, Jan- uary 31, 1670-71. Mrs. Elizabeth Conant mar- ried again after her first husband's death. On January 10, 1681-82, she became the third wife of Andrew Mansfield, of Lynn, whose will was proved November 25, 1683; so that her second wedded life must have been very short.

(V) Lot (2), third son and child of Lot (I) and Elizabeth (Walton) Conant, was born February 16, 1657-58, at Beverly, Mas- sachusetts, where he lived till 1717, when he moved to Ipswich. He was in Captain Jo- seph Gardiner's company during King Philip's war, and took part in the attack on Fort Nar- ragansett, December 19, 1675. He was ad- mitted to the First Church of Beverly, March I, 1701-02, and to full communion on July 19 of that year. The date of the death of Lot Conant is not known, but his will was proved January 19, 1744-45, making it probable that he lived to be at least eighty-six, or nearly as old as his grandfather, the original Roger Conant. His will indicates him to have been a large owner of lands in Ipswich, Topsfield and Marblehead, and beside the real estate, live stock, household goods and other things whose value is not stated, he bequeaths sums of money amounting to three hundred and ninety pounds, old Tenor. The will is signed Lott Conant and dated January 13, 1743-44; it was proved almost exactly one year from that date. The first wife of Lot Conant was Abigail -, and there were five children : Samuel, born March 30, 1687; Abigail; Jon- athan ; Sarah and Roger. Of these five chil- dren Abigail and Jonathan were the only ones who lived to maturity. Lot Conant married (second) Abigail Pride, daughter of John

and Mary Pride, who was baptized December 12, 1686, and was admitted to the church Feb- ruary 23, 1706-07. There were ten children by this marriage: Joseph, whose sketch fol- lows; Ruth, November 18, 1702; Joshua, De- cember 2, 1704; Elizabeth, April 28, 1706; Joshua, October 12, 1707; Joanna, November 15, 1709; Bartholomew, February 4, 1711-12; Elizabeth, March 27, 1715; Samuel, Novem- ber 18, 1717; and William, March 8, 1720. Of these ten children four, Joshua, Elizabeth, Bartholomew and Elizabeth, died young.

(VI) Joseph, eldest child of Lot (2) Co- nant and his second wife, Elizabeth ( Pride) Conant, was born at Beverly, Massachusetts, November 9, 1701. He was the first one of his family to move to Maine, where his de- scendants have lived ever since. He was ad- mitted an inhabitant of Falmouth, Maine, April 22, 1728, upon the payment of ten pounds. During the next three years the pro- prietors assigned him forty-three acres of land in three different lots ; and on August 10, 1734, they laid out for him forty-three acres of land on the Presumpscot river in exchange for the same amount previously assigned him at Falmouth. They also gave him sixty acres on the southerly side of the Presumpscot river. He is said to have been the first set- tler of Saccarappa village, which he reached by going up the river in a canoe. He built his house on the north side of the river near the falls where he owned the mill privilege in common with his younger brother Samuel. From deeds still extant, it appears that he owned both saw and grist mills. The funeral of Joseph Conant is recorded as occurring on January 2, 1765, and his death probably took place three days earlier. Mr. Conant's death was without doubt the direct result of the amputation of a leg, which occurred on No- vember 27, 1764. Few constitutions could survive the primitive surgery of those times. On December 9, 1725, Joseph Conant married Sarah Jewett, at Boxford, Massachusetts ; she was the daughter of Thomas and Hannah Jewett, and was baptized July 12, 1702. The seven children of Joseph and Sarah (Jewett) Conant were: Hannah, born at Ipswich, Mas- sachusetts, December 27, 1726; Lot, Novem- ber 7, 1728, at Falmouth, Maine, died young ; Thomas, December 2, 1731, died young; Elizabeth and Sarah (twins), October 3, 1733; Bartholomew and Joseph.

(VII) Joseph (2), youngest child of Jo- seph (I) and Sarah (Jewett) Conant, was born in Falmouth, Maine, about 1738. He lived at Duck Pond in Falmouth, now West-

. . .... .

I. a Cowant 1-

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brook. till about 1810, when he moved to Lis- bon in Androscoggin county, where he en- gaged in the lumber business. He died June 27, 1816, at Portland, Maine, while there as witness at a trial. On June 10, 1762, Joseph Conant married Anna Shackford; and five children were born of this marriage: Han- nah, married Joseph Elder; Anne, married Nathan Partridge; Bartholomew ; Thomas, mentioned below; and George, who died young.

(VIII) Thomas, younger of the two sur- viving sons of Joseph (2) and Anna (Shack- ford) Conant, was born in Westbrook, Maine, in 1773, and died at Lisbon in the same state in 1854. He was a millwright, lumberman and farmer, and lived for a time in Bowdoin before going to Lisbon. He served as cor- poral in the war of 1812. On October 5, 1795, Thomas Conant married Rachael McCaslin, daughter of Oliver and McCaslin, who was born at Westbrook in 1770, died in 1847. Eight children were born of this union: Oliver, whose sketch follows; Lot, July 20, 1797; Lydia, February 25, --; Ann, Wind- ham. October 23, 1800; Daniel, Lewiston, September 1, 1803, died September 18, 1804; Daniel, Lewiston, October 16, 1805; Louise, January 6, 1808, married James Maxwell; and Elizabeth, February 18, 1812, in Bowdoin. >

(IX) Oliver, eldest child of Thomas and Rachel ( McCaslin) Conant, was born at Fal- mouth, Maine, February 20, 1796. At the age of seventeen he was a soldier in the war of 1812. Most of his life was spent in Topsham, where he was interested in the lumber indus- try, which he continued till his death, which occurred at Durham, Maine, June 11, 1867. On December 10, 1819, Oliver Conant mar- ried Abigail Field, daughter of Samuel and Anna (Nock) Field. Eleven children were born of this union, all at Topsham, Maine : Sarah W., September 19, 1820, married Will- iam Bridge, of Mechanic Falls ; Lot C., Octo- ber 25, 1822, married Priscilla Harmon ; Mark P., October 19, 1824; Samuel Field, October 5, 1827; James McKeen, February 25, 1830; Philena F., August 10, 1832, died January 20, 1833; Anna M., July 3, 1834, married Henry Penny; Francis A., whose sketch follows; Charles Bean, October 15, 1839; Hannah R., May 3, 1842, married George Stevens; Mary E., January 8, 1846, died March 2, 1875.

(X) Francis A., fifth son of Oliver and Abigail (Field) Conant, was born at Tops- ham, Maine, April 7, 1837, and was educated in the common schools of his native town. At the age of twenty-five he enlisted in the civil

war, being mustered into Company A, Twenty- third Maine Volunteers, September 29, 1862. After his return in 1864 he engaged in the shoe business, in which he continued nearly twenty years. In 1883 he entered into the insurance business at Lewiston, which under his excellent management has steadily in- creased in volume and prosperity. He is a man of high business integrity, who commands the respect and esteem of all. Mr. Conant is a member of Rabboni Lodge, A. F. and A. M .; of the Manufacturers' and Mechanics' Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 63; of Industry Lodge, Knights of Pythias, No. 2; and of Custer Post, G. A. R., No. 7. Politically Mr. Conant is a firm believer in Socialistic prin- ciples, and in religion he is a Free Baptist. On November 12, 1864, Francis A. Conant mar- ried (first) Anna Barker, daughter of Caleb and Statira (Hight) Barker, who was born July 22, 1838, at Athens, died January 3, 1903. Three children were born of this union: Ed- gar Francis, June 26, 1867 ; Maude L., died in infancy ; and Alice B., February 18, 1878. On January 12, 1905, Francis A. Conant married (second) Annie B. (Elliott) Goodwin, daugh- ter of David N. Elliott, of Mercer, Maine.

(XI) Edgar Francis, eldest child of Francis A. and Anna (Barker) Conant, was born June 26, 1867. He was educated in the schools of Lewiston, studied at Bowdoin Col- lege and took a medical degree at Columbia University, Washington, D. C. After gradu- ating from the latter institution Dr. Conant engaged in general practice in Lewiston for five years, after which he spent twelve months in Austria, taking up the study of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Upon his return to this country he made his abode in Denver, Col- orado, where he is enjoying an extensive prac- tice as a specialist. On September -, 1899, Dr. Edgar Francis Conant married Rose Little, daughter of Horace C. and Rose (Roak) Little, of Auburn, Maine. They have two children: Frances, born April 9, 1903, and Edward, March 6, 1907.

(XI) Alice B., only surviving daughter of Francis A. and Anna (Barker) Conant, was married January, 1905, to Selden T. Crafts, of Auburn, Maine. They have one child, Elizabeth Anna, born July 13, 1906.

(For early generations see preceding sketch.)

(V) John (2), second son and

CONANT child of Lot and Elizabeth (Walton) Conant, was born December 15, 1652, in Beverly. He was a farmer and weaver. He settled in Beverly

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on the "60 acres of upland lying near Richard Dodge's farme," given by Roger to Lot, his father, in 1666, and built a house there. Dur- ing King Philip's war he served in Captain Samuel Appleton's company, and on Decem- ber 10, 1675, [4 16s rod is allowed him as wages. It is not probable that he took part in the attack on the Narragansett fort, as the mien under Appleton were mostly employed in garrison duty at Hadley and Springfield. He was admitted to the First Church of Beverly, August 23, 1691. In 1692 he purchased part of the farm of his brother Nathaniel, who had moved to Bridgewater. September 6, 1715, John Conant, of Beverly, yeoman, in consid- eration of £197, sells John Chipman, of Bev- erley, one messuage or tenement containing twelve acres. He died September 30, 1724, leaving a will dated September 21, 1724, and probated October 26, 1724. John Conant married, May 7, 1678, Bethiah Mansfield, born April 7, 1658, admitted to the First Church of Beverly November 6, 1681, and died July 27, 1720. She was the daughter of Andrew and Bethiah Mansfield, of Lynn. Children : Lot, Elizabeth, Bethiah, John, Deborah, Mary, Daniel, Rebecca, Benjamin and Jemima.

(VI) Daniel, seventh child and third son of John (2) and Bethiah (Mansfield) Conant, was born in Beverly, November 19, 1694, and died in 1751. He was a farmer and a mason, and lived in Beverly on Dodge street. At the time of his father's death he and his brother Benjamin seem to have occupied a house near their father's. Daniel Conant bought, June 29, 1717, fourteen acres of land in Beverly ; and October 1, 1719, for £170, a lot of land containing twelve acres, with a dwelling house, barn and orchard. May 17, 1730, Daniel Co- nant, mason, of Beverly, buys six and one- half acres of land of Daniel Raymond. April 12, 1750, Daniel Conant, senior, of Beverly, sells Daniel Conant Jr. "one third of a grist mill on Elwive brook." He was representa- tive from Beverly to the general court two years. He died intestate, and his sons Daniel and Nathaniel were appointed administrators, May 13, 1751. He left a good estate. The intentions of marriage of Daniel Conant, of Beverly, and Lucy Dodge, of Ipswich, was published December 16, 1716, at Beverly. They were married by the Rev. Samuel Wig- glesworth, at Hamilton, January 23, 1717. She was the daughter of Richard and Martha (Low) Dodge. Richard Dodge was born in Salem, 1643, married Mary Eaton, and died about 1734. He was the son of Richard Dodge, the immigrant, who died at Beverly,

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Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I, Part 54

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