USA > Maine > Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I > Part 66
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(VIII) Charles Freeman, youngest child of James B. and Hannah C. (Morrill) Libby, was born in Limerick, January 31, 1844. After completing the course in the Portland high school he entered Bowdoin College with his brother, in 1860, and graduated with hon- ors from that institution in 1864. He read law in the office of Fessenden & Butler in Portland, and then attended Columbia Law School in New York, and was admitted to the bar in 1866. The two years next follow- ing he spent in study and travel in Europe, pursuing his studies at Paris and Heidelberg. Returning to Portland in 1869, with greatly
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enlarged experience and a store of useful knowledge, he became junior partner in the firm of Symonds & Libby, Hon. Joseph W. Symonds being the senior member, and began the practice of law. That firm was dissolved in 1872 by the appointment of Judge Symonds to the bench of the superior court, and the fol- lowing year the firin of Butler & Libby was formed, with Moses M. Butler as senior part- ner. This partnership continued till the death of Mr. Butler in 1879. Then Mr. Libby again became associated with Judge Symonds and they practiced together till 1891. Mr. Libby is now senior partner of the firm of Libby, Robinson & Ives, which was formed in 1896. Mr. Libby has been in the active practice of law in Portland for forty years, and in that time has built up a large business, having for his clients many of the foremost and wealth- iest citizens and firms in the city and state. As a lawyer he has been unusually successful and takes high rank among his professional brethren. The Judiciary and Bar of New England thus alludes to his political career : "Mr. Libby is an earnest Republican and his personal popularity and oratorical gifts long ago led to his recognition as a political leader. He began his public career as city solicitor, holding that office in 1871 and 1872. In the last named year he was elected county attor- ney, an office he voluntarily resigned in 1878, leaving an enviable record of duty well and fearlessly performed. In 1882 he was elected mayor of the city of Portland, and the varied and important interests of the community were never more carefully and efficiently guarded than during his administration. While Mr. Libby at this time would cheerfully have retired from public life to follow the more congenial paths of his profession, his friends in the Republican party gave him the nomination for the state senate in 1888, and he was, of course, elected. His election for another term followed in 1891, in which year he was honored by his fellow legislators with the presidency of the senate, a position which he filled with dignity and courtesy. In his choice for the presidency no nomination was made against him by the opposite party, a fact for which there was no precedent."
His probity of character and executive abil- ity have been recognized in business circles, and he has been put in various positions of responsibility and trust. He is attorney for the First National Bank of Portland, for the Portland Trust Company, for the international and Portland and Maine Steamship compan- ies, and president of the Portland Street rail-
road. He was active in organizing the Maine State Bar Association, and was its first presi- dent, serving from 1891 to 1895. He is presi- dent of the Cumberland Bar Association, and a member of the executive committee of the American Bar Association. His interest in educational affairs has always been of an in- telligent and carnest character, and its ap- preciation by his fellow citizens is shown in his long period of service from 1869 to 1882 on the Portland school committee. He is now and for years has been president of the over- seers of Bowdoin College. He was also a member of the Maine State Agricultural So- ciety. He was made "officer d'Academic" by the French Government by decree dated April 20, 1907. Personally Mr. Libby is a man of genial temperament and courteous demeanor. His character is above reproach, and sterling integrity and comprehensive ability are two noticeable features in his composition.
Charles F. Libby married, December 9, 1869, Alice Williams, born January 25, 1849, daughter of Hon. Bion and Alice H. (Will- iams) Bradbury, of Portland. (See Bradbury.) Four children have been born to them, two of whom (twins), Hilda, wife of Howard R. Ives, and Bion Bradbury Libby, now survive. They were born July 26, 1886. Howard R. and Hilda Ives were married April 25, 1906, and have one child, Elizabeth, born in Port- land, Maine, February 15, 1907.
(For first generation see John Libby I.)
LIBBY (II) Matthew, eleventh child and seventh son of John Libby, the planter, was born in Scarborough, in 1663, and died in Kittery in March, 174I. In the times of the Indian troubles of 1690 he went to Portsmouth, and in the winter of 1699-1700 to Kittery. He built his house of hewed timber with a projecting upper story, so that in case of an attack by Indians the oc- cupants of the house could shoot or scald the savages by pouring hot water on them or otherwise protect themselves from above when the enemy attempted to make their way into the lower story. In that house he lived until his death. Some time before the second or- ganization of the town of Scarborough, Mat- thew Libby, Roger Deeming, John Libby, and Roger Hunnewell went down to Black Point and built a saw mill on Nonesuch river. Mat- thew Libby afterward gave his interest in that mill to his three sons, William, John and Andrew. In the family burying ground lie Matthew Libby and his wife and five genera- tions of their descendants, with nothing to
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mark their graves but rough stones. He mar- ried Elizabeth Brown, daughter of Andrew Brown, a prominent citizen of Black Point. She died two or three years later than her husband. Their fourteen children were: Will- iam, Matthew, Mary, Rebecca, Hannah, John, Andrew, Sarah, Nathaniel, Dorcas, Samuel, Mehitable, Lydia and Elizabeth, each of whom grew up and married.
(III) Lieutenant Andrew, seventh child and fourth son of Matthew and Elizabeth (Brown) Libby, born in Kittery, now Eliot, December 1, 1700, died January 5, 1773, in the seventy-third year of his age. He re- turned to Scarborough and became one of the largest and most successful farmers in the town, and left a handsome property. He was attentive to his own business and took no part in public affairs, the only place where he ap- peared in public capacity is in 1743, when he was one of the committee of three selected "to get a schoolmaster." Whether he was in ac- tual service in the French war is not known, but from 1745 until his death he was known as Lieutenant Andrew Libby. He and his first wife were members of the Congregational church. He married first Esther Furber, daughter of Jethro Furber, of Newington, New Hampshire. She died October 1, 1756, and he married second, in 1757, Eleanor (Lib- by) Trickey, who survived him, and died Sep- tember 27, 1781. The children of Lieutenant Libby, all by his first wife, were: Andrew, Joshua, Elizabeth, Henry, Abigail, Joseph, Daniel, Edward, Sarah, Esther and Simon.
(IV) Deacon Joshua, second son and child of Lieutenant Andrew and Esther (Furber) Libby, born in Scarborough, March 17, 1734, died January 13, 1814, aged seventy-nine years. He learned the shoemaker's trade, but never followed that occupation. He settled on the Nonesuch river, about three miles north of Oak Hill and became an extensive and successful farmer. He built two houses, the first of which was standing a few years ago. He was not only a farmer but a ship- builder and a West India trader, and became one of the richest and most influential men in the town. He was chairman of the board of selectmen 1792-93-94, and town treasurer from 1800 to 1813. He and his wife joined the Congregational church, February 9, 1783, and July 1, 1792, he was made deacon and filled that position the remainder of his life- twenty-one years. He married, November 2, 1755, Hannah Larrabee, born May 18, 1832, daughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Johnson) Larrabee, great-granddaughter of William
Larrabee, the immigrant. She died Decem- ber 13, 1818, aged eighty-two. They had nine children : An infant, Esther, Sarah, Matthias, Lydia, Joshua, Theodore, Hannah and Sa- lome.
(V) Captain Joshua (2), sixth child of Deacon Joshua (I) and Hannah (Larrabee) Libby, was born in Scarborough, August 31, 1768. succeeded to his father's homestead, upon which he resided and lived the life of a contented and prosperous farmer, dying at the age of sixty-six years, October 23, 1834. He was a conservative man in whom his fel- low-citizens reposed great confidence, and was selectman 1822-26-27, and was town treas- urer 1817-27. He married, February 16, 1791, Ruth Libby, born October 16, 1773, daughter of Simon and Elizabeth (Thompson) Libby, of Scarborough. She died November 24, 1831. They had thirteen children: Sherborn, Joshua, Simon, Johnson, Addison, died young, Addison and Hannah (twins), Woodbury, Francis, Matthias, Ruth, George and Esther.
(VI) Joshua (3), second son and child of Joshua (2) and Ruth (Libby) Libby, born in Scarborough, July 10, 1793, died March 5, 1848. He was methodical in his habits, cau- tious and economical, though living well, and passed his life on the ancestral homestead, a prosperous farmer and good neighbor, typify- ing in a marked manner many of the most ob- servable of the characteristics of the Libby family. He married, in 1816, Mary Small, born April 30, 1793, daughter of Captain James and Mary (Fogg) Small, of Scarbor- ough, and descendant of Francis Small, who was of Dover in 1648. She died November 15, 1849. To them were born eleven children : Elizabeth M., Johnson, died young, James Small, Benjamin, Johnson, Sarah Maria, Emily Francis, Washington, Joshua, Mary Frances, and Reuben Crosby.
(VII) Washington, eighth child and fifth son of Joshua (3) and Mary (Small) Libby, was born in Scarborough, March 10, 1829. He learned the carpenter's trade with his uncle, Matthias Libby, and immediately after completing his apprenticeship he removed to Portland, where he engaged in the same busi- ness, which he carried on for the remainder of his life. His death occurred December 6, 1902. He married, February 22, 1854, Mary A. Dunning, born in Harpswell, December II, 1829, died April 10, 1900, daughter of James and Abbie B. (Merryman) Dunning, of Harpswell. To them were born seven chil- dren : Abbie Helen, Maria Frances, Eliza May, Joshua Clement, Hattie Bishop, George
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Washington, died young, and George Wash- ington.
(VIII) Joshma Clement, fourth child and eldest son of Washington and Mary A. (Dun- ing) Libby, was born in Portland, August 14, 1862, and was educated in the common schools and Commercial College. June 5, 1880, he entered the employ of J. F. Randall & Com- pany, wholesale grocers, for the purpose of learning the business, and remained there un- til December 28, 1881. The next day he be- gan work for A. E. Stevens & Company, wholesale iron merchants, and remained with that firm until December 13, 1884. Leaving them on that day, he lost no time and on the next day took a position as clerk with the Portland Trust Company, a banking institu- tion organized under state laws, and from that time to the present ( 1908) he has been with that institution and been steadily advanced to his present position, being one of the active officials. His service covers a period of twenty-three years, in which he has shown a special aptitude for the work of banking in which he has been engaged, and has become a trusted officer of the company and enjoys the fullest confidence of the large number of people with whom he has come in contact in a business way. He is a member of Atlantic Lodge, No. 81, Free and Accepted Masons, but does not belong to any other body, fra- ternal or social. He is a Republican, and a member of the Congregational church. Joshua Clement Libby married, October 20, 1898, Alice Milliken, born in Portland, May 27, 1872, daughter of George and Henrietta ( Bar- bour) Milliken, of Portland.
(VIII) George Washington, youngest son of Washington and Mary A. (Dunning) Lib- by, was born in Portland, October 20, 1870. He attended the public schools, and after be- ing employed in various lines of business, as- sociated with his father in business, and has continued to carry on the business since the death of his father. He married, in Port- land, Flavilla, born October 20, 1868, daugh- ter of George Warren and Flavilla (Barker ) Eddy.
(For preceding generations see John Libby I.) (VII) Harrison Jewell, eldest LIBBY child of Rev. Elias and Jane (Jewell) Libby, born in Liming- ton, York county, June 18, 1811, died in Port- land, April 21, 1891, aged seventy-nine years. He was educated in the common schools. When about eighteen years old he entered his father's store as a clerk, but soon engaged in
business on his own account at Limerick, and resided there until 1835, when he removed to Portland, where he spent the remainder of his life. He first engaged in the dry goods business in partnership with John Williams, of Boston, under the firm name of H. J. Libby & Company. That firm continued about two years. He was a prominent citizen and closely identified with the business and financial in- terests of Portland. At the time of his death he was officially connected with a large num- ber of business corporations, with many of which he had been identified for years. He was president of the First National Bank, the Portland Trust Company, the Portland Street Railroad Company and the Steam Packet Company. He was also director and treasurer of the International Steamship Company, di- rector in the Maine Steamship Company, di- rector and treasurer of the Harper Manufac- turing Company, and of the Robinson Manu- facturing Company, treasurer of the Madison Woolen Company, treasurer of the Indian Spring Woolen Company, and director in the Forest City Refining Company. He was also president of the Maine Eye and Ear Infirm- ary. He was also an active partner in the firm of H. J. Libby & Company, one of the oldest woolen commission houses in this country. The firm was established in 1844 after Mr. Libby and Mr. Williams dissolved partnership, with his two brothers, Francis O. and James B., as partners, and they carried on for many years the dry goods jobbing busi- ness in Free street block, Portland, where they were burned out in the great fire of 1866. About 1860 they established a house in New York city and became selling agents for a large number of woolen mills in this state and elsewhere, in many of which Mr. Libby was personally interested. He survived all his brothers, the youngest, James B. Libby, hav- ing died in March of 1890, and the latter's son, Augustus F. Libby, is the surviving part- ner of the firm. Mr. Libby was a man of quiet, unassuming manner, of even tempera- ment, cordial and considerate in his inter- course with his associates and warmly at- tached to his friends. His capacity for busi- ness was large and was increased by his sys- tematic and quiet methods. There was no un- necessary wear and tear of the nervous sys- tem, no noise or bustle in his business life. He was always master of himself, saw clearly the end he had in view and pursued it with a direct and persistent aim. He was a man of clear judgment and marked sagacity in af- fairs, prompt in action but not hasty in reach-
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ing conclusions. While firm in his opinion he was tolerant of the opinions of others, and his whole life was an illustration of the refined amenities which large experience and a wise philosophy of living may produce in a bright and kindly nature. He never grew old in spirit and his years sat lightly upon him. He died as he would have wished, in the harness. Till within a few weeks of his decease he filled the full round of his duties, never relin- quishing even the details which often become irksome to younger men. In all the various experiences of life, with its mingled bitter and sweet, no murmur or complaint ever es- caped him-he met all with a quiet, manly courage, with no outward expression of per- turbation or discontent. One who knew Mr. Libby only in business circles knew but part of the man. To have known him well one must have known him in his own home and in the intricacies of private life. Those who knew him there can never forget the sunny, even temperament, the kindly nature and the warm and generous instincts of the man. Of him it may truly be said that those who knew him best mourn him most. In politics Mr. Libby was a Republican, but never sought or held office. He was not, however, indifferent to political issues or the course of political events. He had decided opinions on public affairs as in other matters, and believed in the full performance of political duties. Va- cillation and unrest were not characteristics of the man. He exercised his influence in his party from the inside rather than from the outside. In religious matters he was a staunch Congregationalist of the earlier type, but neither narrow nor intolerant. His religion was a part of his life, not a matter to be talked about. He died in the faith which he had early professed and which had been to him a source of comfort and strength during a long and active life.
Harrison J. Libby married, in Scarboro, July 17, 1832, Margaret Agnes, born in Scar- boro, November 6, 1806, died in Portland, De- cember 23, 1884, daughter of Captain Stephen and Agnes (Hasty) Libby, of Scarboro. (See Libby, VI.) To them were born five daugh- ters : Harriet Anna, Ernestine Lord, Marga- retta Agnes, Ellen Harrison and Julia Austin. Ernestine L. died single. Julia Austin mar- ried-William T. Holt and resided in Portland. She died December 28, 1878, in Colorado Springs. Of this marriage were born four children : Eleanor, deceased, who married Elias Thomas Jr. ; Harrison Jewell; Julia Ag- nes, who died young; and William Leland,
who married Polly E. Dawson, and has one child, William Leland Jr. Harriet A., Marga- retta A. and Ellen H., all unmarried, reside in the handsome property left by their father on Congress street, Portland. .
(For preceding generations see John Libby I.) (II) David, sixth son of John
LIBBY Libby, was born in Scarborough in 1657, and died probably in 1736. From the town records it appears that February II, 1681, he and four others were chosen to renew the bounds between Casco (afterward Falmouth, and now Cape Eliza- beth) and Scarborough, and that he received several town grants. When the town was de- serted in 1690, he went to Portsmouth, where he lived about ten years. In December, 1699, he, his brother Matthew, his brother-in-law, Daniel Fogg, Joseph Hammond and Stephen Tobey, the first three being then of Ports- mouth and the others of Kittery, bought what was known as the Knowles purchase in that part of Kittery which is now Eliot. It fronted on the Piscataqua river, at the "Long Reach," about three-fourths of a mile, and stretched back into the town a long distance. The fol- lowing spring they divided it lengthwise, so that each had a fronting on the river. The division line between the lands of David Libby and his brother passed over what is now known as Libby Hill. On this hill, within a few rods of each other, they built their houses. They had a lane between their lands, reaching from the river to their northeast boundary; parts of this lane are still open. David Libby lived there the remainder of his life, a farmer in comfortable circumstances. He made his will May 6, 1725. The amount of his inventory was £1,329, 5s. He was buried on the farm, where now lie near him five generations of his descendants. His wife's baptismal name was Eleanor. Their children were: David, Samuel, Margaret, Solomon, John, Elizabeth, Ephraim, Eleanor and Abi- gail.
(III) John, fourth son of David and El- eanor Libby, was born probably in Ports- mouth, New Hampshire, about 1697, and died in Scarborough, Maine, July 1, 1764. He re- ceived from his father by deed of gift dated March, 1719, all his lands in Scarborough, and doubtless moved at once to his father's old home, as he was present at the first town meeting in Scarborough. Three of his sons, Matthew, Nathaniel and Luke, he settled on parts of his homestead, and Elisha and Alli- son, he gave lands in the interior of the town.
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He had an extra finger on cach hand, below the little finger, and from this was called, to distinguishi him from the other John Libbys in Scarborough at that time, "Five Fingered Jolın Libby." He married (first) November 14, 1724, Sarah Libby, who was born in Kit- tery, September 7, 1702, daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth (Brown) Libby. (See Libby II.) After her death he married (second) January 9, 1755, Deborah Dunnivan, of Fal- mouth, who probably died before him. His children, all by the first wife and born in Scar- borough, were: Elisha, Matthew, Mark, Alli- son, Nathaniel, Luke and John.
(IV) Elisha, eldest child of John and Sarah (Libby) Libby, was born in Scarborough in 1725, and died March 18, 1791. He grew up in his native town and settled on land which his father gave him. He cleared up a farm, recently and perhaps now owned by Osgood Libby. He married (first) February 9, 1748, Esther Fogg; (second) November 28, 1753, Abigail Meserve, daughter of John and Je- mima (Hubbard) Meserve, of Scarborough. She died June 5, 1817. His children, all by the second wife, were: Elisha, Moses, Esther, Benjamin, Abigail, Dorothy, Anna, Jane, Lucy, Rufus and Martha.
(V) Rufus, fourth son of Elisha and Abi- gail ( Meserve) Libby, was born in Scarbor- ough, April 23, 1777, and died in 1854. He succeeded to the paternal acres and spent his life cultivating them. He married (first) De- cember 13, 1798, Charlotte Plummer, daughter of Jesse Plummer. She died January 26, 1825. He married (second) December 27, 1825, Esther Libby, who was born July 9, 1781, daughter of Simon and Elizabeth (Thompson) Libby. (See Libby IV.) She died January 27, 1841. He married (third) 1841, Mrs. Ann Lord, daughter of Abraham Bickford, who survived him. His children, all by wife Charlotte, were: Mary, Hannah, Charlotte, Lydia, Eliza Osgood, Cornelius and Ellen.
(VI) Lydia, fourth child of Rufus and Charlotte (Plummer) Libby, was born in Scarborough, January 28, 1805, and married, October 3, 1824, George Libby. (See Libby V.)
(IV) Andrew (2), eldest child of Lieuten- ant Andrew (I) and Esther (Furber) Libby, was born in Scarborough, February 13, 1732, and first settled in the interior of the town on land adjacent to that of his brother Joshua. There he lived until 1789 when, with his four youngest sons, who were all that then re- mained in his family, he moved to Gray "to
settle his boys," and located on Dutton Hill, where he died February 21, 1801. He mar- ried, November 16, 1755, Miriam Burns, born on the passage of her parents from Ireland to this country. She died March 13, 1827, aged ninety years. Their children were : Elizabeth, Anna, Esther, William, Jane, Re- becca, Mary, Andrew, Joseph, David and Simon.
(V) Andrew (3), eighth child of Andrew (2) and Miriam (Burns) Libby, was born in Scarborough, May 27, 1771. As stated above he went with his father and brothers to Gray, where he was a farmer. He owned and oc- cupied four different places in that town. In his old age he and his wife went to live with their son Elias in Windham, where they both died; she February 21, and he March 31, 1855. He was then eighty-four years old. He married Sarah Cummings, of Gray, by whom he had eight children: Christina, Elias, Ebenezer, Joseph, Esther, Lucinda, Charlotte and Lucy.
(VI) Elias, eldest son of Andrew (3) and Sarah (Cummings) Libby, was born in Gray, November 4, 1796. He removed to Windham when a young man, and a year after his mar- riage settled on the farm where he spent the remainder of his life. He lived some time in what is now the porch (a little house which he hauled from a neighboring farm), and afterward built on the brick house now stand- ing. He married, April 8, 1821, Elizabeth Hawkes, of Windham. They were the pa- rents of nine children : Ebenezer H., Andrew, Elihu, Sarah P., Albert Mitchell, Lydia L., Daniel C., Rebecca H., and Hannah A., next mentioned.
(VII) Hannah Allen, youngest child of Elias and Elizabeth (Hawkes) Libby, was born in Windham. March 29, 1838, and mar- ried, April 14, 1863, Charles H. Haskell (see Haskell IV), and resides on the homestead where she was born.
(IV) Simon, eleventh and youngest child of Lieutenant Andrew and Esther (Furber) Libby, was born in Scarborough, June 7, 1752, and died October 12, 1826. He was a well- to-do farmer and always lived on his father's homestead. He married, December 1, 1772, Elizabeth Thompson. daughter of George and Ruth Thompson, of Scarborough, from old York. She died January 10, 1825. Their children were : Ruth, Sarah, Elizabeth, Frances, Esther, Abigail, Simon and George.
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