USA > Maine > Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume II > Part 8
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liness in his later years. He is generous to those in want and helpful to those in need of sympathy and encouragement, a man of count- less friends. He married, in 1862, Apphia Jane, born November 18, 1841, died March 24. 1905, daughter of Samuel Purington, of West Bath, Maine. No children.
Many towns of Maine, like scores
SPEAR of others in New England and in western states, have been greatly enriched by the coming thither of members of the Spear family, for all have given evi- dence of the wonderful constructive ability which has characterized this family through long generations. This has not only meant the taking of stone and timber and making homes which have stood thousands of tempests, but the construction of ships, and of many articles of great utility from material in which others saw no value. Their farms have been made from shadowy forest belts, from boulder- strewn acres, and from stretches of prairie where the tall grass had long waved trium- phantly. They have been pioneers in many states where their presence meant the building together of materials gathered from many communities and lands into a loyal and pros- perous town or village, and they have wrought the same good work in older settlements where they found things in a more or less chaotic condition. They have helped many a youth in whom no one saw any hints of achievement, and older persons whose hopes were shat- tered, or where life's opportunities have been wasted, until these became honored members of society. The Spears have helped many struggling schools to gain a firm foothold in the places where they seemed to have been recklessly organized, and many churches have felt their helpful and building qualities in as marked a degree. In thousands of other lines of activity and successful growth the same shining story may be read. And the glory of this constructive work is that it has been done so quietly, without any accompaniments of "sounding brass and tinkling cymbals." This has enabled them to make records of the finest character in the schools, and as teach- ers, preachers, legislators, and helpers in vari- ous municipal capacities. Not a grain of time or strength has been wasted in noise, bicker- ings and parades ; all has gone into solid work for the good of lives and communities, which thus enriched the state in a marked degree.
(1) George Speere (Spere, Spear and Speare, in the old records) was made a free- man at Boston, Massachusetts, May 29, 1644.
He soon settled in that part of Braintree, Mas- sachusetts, which is now called Quincy. Here he built a home of great solidity, helped in scores of ways in making the town life strong and progressive, and reared a family in such a careful manner that its influence has been felt very widely in our country. In his old age he removed to New Dartmouth, which is now known as Pemaquid, Maine, where he was probably killed by the Indians. "He was pro- genitor of that numerous race that settled in all parts of America." His wife Mary was a woman of noble and helpful character. One of his sons, Ebenezer, married Rachel Deer- ing, and was great-grandfather of the Ebe- nezer Spear who was born at Braintree, Jan- uary 12, 1750, and who died in Litchfield, Maine, March 18, 1821, having first settled in Wells, Maine, and then removed to Litch- field about 1787. He was the ancestor of that large and influential line of descendants of which Maine has long been so justly proud.
(II) Robert (1), another son of George and Mary Speere or Spear, was one of the sturdi- est pioneers at Brunswick, Maine. The date of his birth is given as 1682, and he was no doubt born in Braintree, and he lived to the good old age of eighty-one years. He settled at an early date a little to the west of where the old first church at Brunswick, Maine, stood. His neighbors were of such old his- toric families as Woodside, Dunning, Stan- wood, Giveen, Vincent, &c. But he was one of the quiet, forceful leaders in all things per- taining to the building up of that community in all things that were sturdy and true. He was one of the leaders in the building of the first church at Brunswick, and his name is on the petition to have the town duly incor- porated, and also appears on many other im- portant documents of those early days. His house was built with great skill and strength, and its fortifications of timber have often been described as the best that could be fashioned. Though some of the early settlers left for fear of the Indians, Robert Spear was instrumental in helping hold together a goodly band of men and women by his earnest faith. His strong home saved the lives of many people. In 1727 we find that Robert Spear was a soldier in William Woodside's company for eighteen weeks and six days. His wife is said to have been Mary Phinney, who died in 1781 at the age of eighty-five years. His children were : Robert, William, and two daughters, one of whom married John Giveen, and the other marrying Robert Ross. The son William had at Brunswick in 1735 lots 14, 15, 18 and 23,
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and was marked by the constructive ability of his family along many lines. He was a se- lectman of Brunswick in 1755, and a valiant soldier in the companies of William Burns in 1746, Captain David Dunning's alarm list in 1757, Captain James Curtis's in 1775, and Cap- tain Nathaniel Larrabee's in 1776. He was a man of very helpful and energetic character.
(III) Robert (2), son of Robert (1) and Mary (Phinney) Spear, was born in 1716 and died in 1739. He was buried in the old first cemetery at Brunswick, in which town in 1738 he had lots 16, 17, 20, 21, 22. Though his life was a short one it was filled with kindly deeds. The maiden name of his wife and the list of his children has not been found.
(IV) Robert (3), son of Robert (2) Spear, was born at Brunswick in 1733 and died De- cember 12, 1809. Besides owning land in Brunswick he bought a tract of land in the north part of Harpswell at an early date, which he sold to the Skolfields on his removal to Bow- doinham, Maine, about 1795. Spear's Rock at Harpswell is a memorial of one of his deeds of great helpfulness there. He was a man of no- ble character which made itself felt for good in many ways, especially in Bowdoinham, where his last years were spent. He married, De- cember 19, 1759, Anne Skolfield, born at Harpswell, Maine, in 1742, died June 10, 1772 ; a member of one of the strong old pioneer families at Brunswick and Harpswell. The son Robert married Isabella Hayden and be- came the ancestor of many of the most enter- prising people in Bowdoinham and other Maine towns. The daughters are said to have respectively married, Josiah Simpson, John Dunning and John Giveen.
(V) Robert (4), son of Robert (3) and Anne (Skolfield ) Spear, was born 1764, and died at Bowdoinham, June 1, 1805. He was a man of great worth and helpfulness. He mar- ried, March 7, 1793, Isabella (Hayden) Pot- ter, widow of Matthew Potter, and daughter of George Hayden, one of the best known settlers at Brunswick. She was born at Brunswick, November 26, 1760, died in Bowdoinham, No- vember 13, 1850. Their sons Thomas and George were men of great worth and among their descendants have been many scholars of marked ability, five children in one of the families taking the highest honors in the schools from which they graduated.
(VI) George (2), son of Robert (4) and Isabella (Hayden) (Potter) Spear, was born in Harpswell, and removed with his father to Bowdoinham when a child, dying in the latter
town September 7, 1839, at the age of forty- four years. He was a man of very upright char- acter, whose advice was sought by many peo- ple in the town where he lived. He was a cabinet maker, and showed wonderful ability in making articles in his special line of work. His work was of such an ingenious and en- during character that it was sought after by people living miles away, and some of his workmanship is still shown with much pride. He married (first) April 11, 1817, Ruth Ea- ton, who died May 20, 1832, at the age of thirty-four years, daughter of Captain Ziba and Ruth (Leonard) Eaton. She was a noble woman, and of the sixth generation from Francis Eaton, who came to Plymouth, Massa- chusetts, on the "Mayflower" with his wife Sarah. The Leonard family was of high re- pute at Taunton, Massachusetts, and Captain Ziba Eaton was a brave revolutionary soldier. George Spear married (second), November 13, 1832, Lavina Dingley, of Bowdoinham, who died March 30, 1834, leaving no children. The third wife of George Spear, whom he married in 1835, was Eleanor Cornish, of Bowdoinham, born October 10, 1807, died March, 1890, daughter of Cyprian and Re- liance (Mallet) Cornish. The only child of this third marriage was Cornelia E. Spear, born April 18, 1837, who married John Sam- uel Hendee. The children of the first mar- riage of George Spear with Ruth Eaton were: Mary Elizabeth, married Brackett R. Andros. Emeline, who died in infancy. George Jewett. Robert Dunham, married Cordelia E. Puring- ton, and Rebecca J., married Andrew J. Whid- den, of Salem, Massachusetts.
(VII) George Jewett, son of George (2) and Ruth ( Eaton) Spear, was born in Bow- doinham, February 12, 1823, and died in Bath, Maine, March 10, 1907, having moved to Bath when a young man, and resided in the same cheery home so well known to hundreds of people for over fifty years. The constructive ability for which his family was famed in him took the form of work as a shipsmith, and his quickness in filling orders and the enduring quality of his work was famed in many places. He was a man of truly sterling character. He married, in Phillips, Maine, January 28, 1849, Elmira Vaughan, born in Monmouth, Maine, January 19, 1832, died at Bath. Maine, June 2, 1902, daughter of Daniel W. and Patience West (Whitney) Howard, who were highly respected citizens of Phillips, Maine. Three of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Spear died in infancy, the surviving children being Daniel
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Howard, and Myra West, who married, in 1895, Fred Russell Eugene Dean and resides at New Dorchester, Massachusetts.
(VIII) Daniel Howard, son of George Jew- ett and Elmira V. ( Howard) Spear, was born November 18, 1849, in Bowdoinham, and has resided in Bath since two years of age. He was a student in the schools of his native city, but preferred an active life, and learned the trade of blacksmith at a very early age, going into business for himself in 1870. The constructive talent of his family was so clearly seen by the many friends of Mr. Spear that he was urged to use it in a wider sphere, and in 1886 he as- sociated himself with Captain John R. Kelley and his father-in-law, Elijah F. Sawyer, in the ship-building business under the firm name of Kelley Spear Company. This firm was incor- porated in 1890, with John R. Kelley as presi- dent ; in 1900 Elijalı F. Sawyer became presi- dent and Daniel H. Spear, treasurer. On the death of Mr. Sawyer, September 1, 1906, Mr. Spear was elected president of this company and Mr. H. B. Sawyer, son of Elijah F. Saw- yer, treasurer. The members of this firm have always worked together in the most harmoni- Ons manner and have done a very large busi- ness under the skillful guidance of Mr. Spear, having built one hundred and sixty-seven ves- sels, and all of them praised for their sea- worthiness. Mr. Spear has been trustee of the Bath Trust Company since its organiza- tion and a member of the executive board of the board of trustees, and is vice-president of the People's Savings Bank. He represented his ward, the seventh, in the common council in 1869, and to the satisfaction of his host of friends was elected mayor of Bath in 1906. He is a very active member of Solar Lodge, F. and A. M., No. 14; Montgomery and St. Bernard R. A. C., No. 2; and Dunlap Com- mandery. K. T., No. 5. He is a truly helpful supporter of the Universalist church. He is thus a true representative of a talented and worthy family. He married, December 27, 1876, Ada R., born in Bath, May 25, 1858, daughter of Elijah F. and Sarah (Marston) Sawyer.
Every American is justly proud FULTON of Robert Fulton, the famous inventor, whose persistent ef- forts in working out his ideas in regard to steam navigation have proved such a great blessing for the whole world. His life is ad- mired all the more because he turned to the long, costly and tedious work which was in- volved in his studies and experiments from
his chosen field of labor as a miniature painter, in which he had shown that lie possessed con- siderable capacity and power as an artist, and that great successes in this line lay before him. He is also very dear to many hearts which read his life history with care because he devoted some of his first earnings to the purchase of a farm for the support of his mother, to whom his love ever went out in the most loyal man- ner.
Every member of the Fulton family in America has also a most commendable pride in the fact that this wonderful inventor bore their family name, that he was of the same Scotch-Irish stock to which they all trace their origin, that Robert has long been a favorite name in all the branches of this sturdy fam- ily, and that the characteristics of the famous Robert Fulton mark the progress of the other members of the family. He went to work in Philadelphia when but seventeen years old, and he worked diligently on everything which he undertook; his was a deeply religious na- ture, and others of his name have wonderfully preserved all such noble traits. This is espe- cially true of those who have lived in Maine and the British Provinces adjoining it, for they were of the same mould as the ancestor of Robert Fulton who had settled at an early date in Pennsylvania. Gowen Fulton, who landed in Boston with his wife, Margaret Caswell, in 1730, and came to Topsham, Maine, about 1750, was of the sturdiest Scotch-Irish stock, and one of his descendants, Judge Lewis M. Fulton, of Bowdoinham, is one of the many who have honorably borne an honored name. The members of the Fulton family which early came to Nova Scotia were the sturdiest people in the neighborhoods where they lived, and have sent some grand helpers for good work in Maine.
The history of the Fulton family of Truro, Nova Scotia, and its vicinity is one of worthy deeds and lives of a high order. The family traditions emphatically state that the Fultons received their present name at the time of the celebrated siege of Londonderry, Ireland, in 1698. One of the men who brought in pro- visions to the starving inhabitants of that city was always noted for delivering a full ton, and so he became known throughout London- derry as "the Full Ton Man," the name being adopted by the family, and afterward short- ened to its present form.
(I) James Fulton was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1726, and died at Truro, Nova Scotia, in 1792. He was a man of great hardi- hood, and of the strictest honesty. He re-
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moved from Ireland to Nova Scotia in 1761, coming first to Halifax, and then staying a while at La Have, Lunenburg. In 1764 Mr. James Fulton and his family removed to Cum- berland county, where they remained for twelve years. As there was considerable trouble in Cumberland county at the time of the revolutionary war, Mr. Fulton went to Pictou for four or five years. One more re- moval brought this family again to the Lower Valley of Truro. In making this last journey the family endured great hardships, but bore them with remarkable bravery. It took a week, with the assistance of several men, to travel this distance of not more than forty miles, as they had to make their way through dense forests where there were no roads, car- rying their children and stuff on their backs. One night they nearly perished from the cold as their "fire-works," flint, steel and tinder, became so damp that it was a long time be- fore they could build a fire. Mr. Fulton, with his wife and several of their children, spent their remaining days in Truro, and were peo- ple who were highly esteemed in that com- munity. James Fulton married, in Ireland, in 1753, Anna Colwell, who was born in Ireland in 1728 and died at Truro, in 1813. Children : I. John, born in 1754, came to Nova Scotia with his parents ; married, in 1775, Ann Samp- son, and removed to Ohio about 1860. 2. Will- iam, born in Ireland in 1757 (mentioned be- low), came to Nova Scotia with his parents, and died at Truro in 1813. In 1784 he settled in the upper part of the Stewiacke Valley, about twenty-five miles from Truro, on the farm where his great-grandson, Ebenezer Ful- ton, now resides. In 1783 he married Sarah, daughter of John and Mary (Johnson) Dun- lap, who died September 20, 1814. They had a noble family of six sons and four daughters. 3. Samuel, born in 1757, removed to Ohio with his wife, Alice (Tupper) Fulton, and his fam- ily. 4. Joshua, married Nancy Sampson and removed to the state of New York. 5. Ann, born in 1765. died in 1812: married, in 1786, James Johnson. 6. Elizabeth, died in 1821 ; married John Johnson and Robert Logan. 7. Jane, married, in 1787, Caleb Putnam.
(II) William, son of James and Anna (Col- well) Fulton, was born in Ireland in 1757, died at Truro, Nova Scotia, December 11, 1812. In 1784 he settled in the upper part of the Stewi- acke Valley, about twenty-five miles from Truro, on the farm where his great-grandson, Ebenezer Fulton, now resides. In 1783 he married Sarah, daughter of John and Mary (Johnson) Dunlap, who died September 20,
1814. Children : John J., James, Joseplı, Mary, married Major A. L. Archibald; Sam- uel, Adam, Jane, married Jonathan Marsters, a barrister: Ebenezer, Rachel, married Ebe- nezer Munro, judge of the probate courts; Ann.
(III) Samuel, son of William and Sarah (Dunlap) Fulton, was born at Truro, Nova Scotia, 1792, and was a very successful farmer and lumberman. About 1816 he moved to a town on the St. John's river in New Bruns- wick. He married Margaret Lovely; chil- dren : 1. Thomas, who lived and died in New Brunswick. 2. Joshua, who located in Bridge- water. 3. Robert, born March 13. 1816. 4. John, who went to California, with first of the "gold seekers" in 1849 ; is supposed to be dead. 5. Sarah, who married Seth Squires. 6. Jane, who married Thomas Flannigan. 7. Catherine, remained unmarried. 8. Margaret, married Aaron Jones. 9. Mary, married Thomas Wakham.
(IV) Robert, son of Samuel and Mar- garet (Lovely) Fulton, was born in Florence- ville, New Brunswick, March 13, 1816, and died at Mars Hill, Maine, in 1898. He was a man of untiring energy and great executive ability, and devoted his life to agricultural pur- suits and lumbering. For a time he made his home at Wicklow, New Brunswick, but in 1868 he removed to Mars Hill, Maine, where he con- tinued the pursuits which he had followed be- fore going there. He married Martha, daugh- ter of Ephraim Jones. Children: I. James W. 2. Ephraim, who resides at Cass Lake, Minnesota. 3. Abigail, married John Bartley, of New Brunswick. 4. Dr. Aaron J., who re- sides at Blaine, Maine. 5. Adelaide, married (first) James Murray, and (second) Robert AcKelvery, of Mars Hill. 5. Dorothy, mar- ried Richard Bell, of Mars Hill. 6. Alice, married William Larrabee, of Mars Hill. 7. Stella, married Fred Blackden, of Blaine.
(V) Dr. Aaron J., son of Robert and Martha ( Jones) Fulton, was born at Wicklow, New Brunswick, April 9, 1851. He received his education in his native town, at Mars Hill, and in Houlton ( Maine) Academy, from which he graduated in 1883. Later he attend- ed the University of Vermont, from which he graduated with the highest honors and as president of his class, in 1890. as a physician and surgeon. As he had before this been a very successful teacher in various towns in Aroostook county, Maine, and made many friends in that section of the state, his thoughts at once turned thither as a most promising field of work. Immediately after his gradua-
Ag. Fulton.
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tion he began the practice of medicine at Bridgewater, and after two years of fine work he moved to Blaine, where he has since re- sided. He is a member of the Aroostook Med- ical Association, and a member of Aroostook Lodge, F. and A. M., No. 179; Blaine Lodge, No. 126, I. O. O. F., and member of the In- dependent Order of Foresters, Mars Lodge, No. 835, of Mars Hill. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, Lodge No. 11,678, at Mars Hill, Maine. In politics Dr. Fulton is a sturdy Republican, and has represented his district in the Maine legisla- ture in 1905 and again in 1907.
He married Emma, daughter of Otis Turn- er ; children : 1. Ellwyn, a student in the Uni- versity of Maine, class 1910. 2. Anita, a stu- dent at Aroostook Central Institute, Mars Hill.
THAYER In the early records of New England is found mention of the immigrants Richard and Thomas Thayer and their families, and no mention of any other immigrants of this name is recorded. From the best obtainable infor- mation they must have come into Massachu- setts Bay Colony in 1630, or thereabouts. They were with that company of settlers which came from Braintree, Essex county, England, and located in Massachusetts, and named their new settlement after the one they had left over seas. Richard and Thomas Thayer settled in Braintree about the same time, but whether they were related is a matter of which no man of to-day has any positive knowledge. Men of each family have attained prominence in public life, and not a few have been orna- ments of the learned professions, or been noted for success in commercial life.
(I) Thomas Thayer, the immigrant ances- tor of a numerous progeny, first comes into notice as a freeman, receiving a grant of lands in Braintree in 1636. The lands to which he then acquired title descended in the male line through an unbroken succession until 1872, at which date they were still owned by his descendant, Jaconias Thayer. Thomas Thay- er, shoemaker, of Braintree, made his last will and testament June 21, 1664, and the same was admitted to probate September 13, 1665. By this he gave to his wife Margery "all my lands, goods and estate, whatsoever, situate lying and being in Braintree, during the term of her natural life," and after her death to go to his sons Thomas, Ferdinando and Shad- rach, as directed. He mentions land on the Monotoquott river, house, barn, orchard,
planting ground, pasture and woodland. He bequeaths all his goods and chattels to his grandchildren, to be equally divided between them. The only children mentioned of Thom- as Thayer and Margery, his wife, are Thomas, Ferdinando and Shadrach, who were probably born in England, and came with their parents while young to America.
(II) Ferdinando, second son and child of Thomas and Margery Thayer, resided with his parents in Braintree until after the death of his father, when with others he removed to a new plantation called Nipmug, afterward Mendon, Worcester county, where he was one of the largest proprietors of the township. "His residence or homestead was a little south of the present center of the town, on the Prov- idence road ; he held many offices of honor in his town and commonwealth; was a man of wealth in his day and age of the world, and his sons were all provided with farms by him, and several of his sons became extensive land dealers, and many of his descendants occupy those farms to this day, and have never changed names on title for over two hundred years." At the outbreak of hostilities in King Phillip's war, the settlement at Mendon was broken up, and the settlers fled to Braintree and Weymouth, where they stayed until 1679 or 1680, before returning to their desolated homesteads. The records of Mendon cover- ing the period from the settlement of the town till 1675 were destroyed during King Phillip's war, and there is no record of the six chil- dren of Ferdinando Thayer born during that time. Ferdinando Thayer married, January 14, 1652, Huldah Hayward, of Braintree, Massachusetts. She died at Mendon. Septem- ber 1, 1690; he died at Mendon, March 28, 1713. Their twelve children, the first five born in Braintree, were: Sarah, Huldah, Jonathan, David (died young), Naomi, Thom- as, Samuel, Isaac, Josiah, Ebenezer, Benja- min and David.
(III) Isaac (I), eighth child and fifth son of Ferdinando and Huldah (Hayward) Thayer, was born in Mendon, where he passed his life as a farmer, upon land given him by his fa- ther. He married (first) first day, second month, 1691 or 1692, Mercy Ward, who died December 18, 1700. His second wife, whom he married in 1703, was Mary, who died in 1830. The four children by the first wife were: Mercy, Isaac, Ebenezer and Comfort ; by the second wife: Mary, John, Nathaniel, Moses, Samuel, Joseph and Ichabod.
(IV) Isaac (2), eldest son and second child of Isaac (I) and Mercy (Ward) Thayer, was
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born in Mendon, September 24, 1695. He first settled in Mendon, where three of his children were born, and then removed to Bel- lingham. He married, March 18, 1716, Mir- iam Thayer, born June 3, 1699, daughter of Josiah and Sarah (Bass) Thayer, grand- daughter of Ferdinando and Huldah (Hay- ward) Thayer. Their children were: Isaac, Susannah, Ichabod, Josiah, Jacob, Abraham (died young), Miriam and Eunice (twins), Mary, Abraham, Noah, Rebecca and Bath- sheba.
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