Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume III, Part 29

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: 818

USA > Maine > Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume III > Part 29

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).

Who can increase the sunny light, Of prospious rays-the soul's delight Dispell the gloom of sorrow's night ? A good wife.

Who can heighten each lovely tone, Quick surpress the sorrowing moan, And raise the note of joy alone? A good wife.

Who can give the kind, loving heart, Angelic tempers sweet impart, And teach proud man love's ruling art? A good wife.

Who can the breast with zeal inspire, Allay the rising of fierce ire, Give the nuptial bliss that all desire ? A good wife.

Who'll cheer when youthful joys decay, Support in life's declining day, And every anxious fear allay ? A good wife.

Who'll kindly watch life's ebbing sand, And near death's bed attentive stand, To close the eye with silken hand? A good wife.

1196

STATE OF MAINE.

Who'll bitterly weep when I'm dead, Sigh for the same old dusty bed, On which to rest her aching head? A good wife.

Who'll joyful look beyond the sky, And long to see my fearless eye, Where husband and wife can ne'er die? A good wife.

Then let me have the kind, good wife, To cheer me through this vale of strife, And live with me through endless life, Prays every man.

Widowed at the age of thirty-one, she has shown herself a woman of remarkable execut- tive ability, managing the estate of her de- ceased husband with rare skill and success. Her home is now in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with her only daughter, elsewhere mentioned.

Thomas McCurdy, the father of Mary, wife of Ephraim Perkins, was born about 1774, in Bristol, Massachusetts, and resided at China, Maine, engaging in the practice of law at Augusta. He enlisted February 8, 1813, as a member of Captain John Smith's company, Fourth United States Infantry. He received a gunshot wound through the right hand while on guard at Champlain, New York, in June, 1814, and was discharged at Plattsburg, No- vember 5, following. His eldest son John, then a lad of eighteen years, accompanied his father as a soldier, died during that service, and was buried on the shore of Lake Cham- plain. Thomas McCurdy was active in the Prohibition movement in Maine. He died in 1863, at the age of eighty-three years. He was tall and distinguished looking, with a very pleasing manner, having brown hair and blue eyes.

PERKINS Rev. William Perkins, and his brother John, who were of Gloucester, England, came to America in the ship "Lyon," in 1631. They located in Ipswich in 1633 and the Rev. Will- iam subsequently removed to Topsfield. John remained in Ipswich, establishing his resi- dence on what was afterward known as Per- kins Island. He was prominent among the early settlers of the town, holding public offi- ces, and served as deputy to the general court. He died prior to 1655. The Christian name of his wife was Judith. John, Thomas, Eliza- beth, Mary, Lydia and Jacob were his chil- dren. His daughter Mary, who became the wife of Thomas Bradbury, of Salisbury, Mas- sachusetts, was in her old age tried for witch- craft and convicted, but escaped punishment. John Perkins, son of John of Ipswich, settled in York, Maine, and Jacob Perkins, who was born there about 1696, was probably his son. Descendants of the York Perkinses settled in

Wells, and the locality known as Perkinstown was named for the family.

(I) Isaac Perkins, a descendant of John, of Ipswich, through the latter's son John, of York, resided in Perkinstown subsequent to the revolutionary war. He reared a family, but the maiden name of his wife or a list of his children is not at hand.

(II) Japhet, son of Isaac Perkins, was born in Perkinstown, June 26, 1794. He married Sally West and was the father of Gilman, Isaac, Mary Ann, Jane, Lewis Wentworth, Abigail, Melinda and Eliza.

(III) Lewis Wentworth, second son and fifth child of Japhet and Sally (West) Perkins, was born in Perkinstown, December 7, 1827. He was a capable and industrious farmer, who took a profound interest in the general wel- fare of his fellowmen, and his untimely death, which occurred July, 1863, deprived the com- munity of one of its most useful members. Politically he acted with the Democratic party. In his religious faith he was a Baptist. He married Huldah A. Perkins, who was born in Perkinstown, June 12, 1830, daughter of Will- iam and Olive (Chadbourne) Perkins. She survived her husband twenty-nine years, dying July 10, 1892. Of this union were born four children : Melvina E., Otis L., Addie A. and George William.

(IV) George William, youngest child of Lewis W. and Huldah A. (Perkins) Perkins, was born in Perkinstown, December 13, 1860. Bereft of his father's guidance at the tender age of two years, he was left wholly to the care of his mother, whose benign influence and devotion to his future welfare did much toward moulding his character and otherwise preparing him for the battle of life. After the conclusion of his studies at the North Berwick high school he went to Peabody, Massachusetts, and was employed there for a short time. Returning to North Berwick, he became an operative in the finishing depart- ment of the North Berwick Company's wool- len-mill, but was later transferred to the count- ing-room as a clerk, and still later was ad- vanced to. the position of paymaster, in which capacity he has served with ability for more than twenty-five years. He is a director of the North Berwick National Bank, and his interest in the industrial and financial welfare of the town has been frequently demonstrated. For about twenty years he has officiated as town clerk. He is a past noble grand of Eagle Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, past chief patriarch of Columbian En- campment, and a member of Ray of Hope

I197

STATE OF MAINE.

Lodge of Rebekah. He attends the Free Will Baptist church. On September 15, 1886, Mr. Perkins married Bertha C. Whitten, daughter of William and Georgianna (Staples) Whit- ten, of North Berwick. Her grandfather, Henry Whitten, who was a native of either Springvale or Alfred, reared a family of seven children : Isaiah, Charles, Nellie, Benjamin, Sarah, Edward and William. William Whit- ten was born in Springvale. For many years he has operated a stage and express line be- tween Limerick and Waterboro, and carried on a livery business. Mr. and Mrs. Perkins have one son, Arthur Lawrence, born Novem- ber 15, 1887, graduated from the public schools of North Berwick and attended Bryant and Stratton's Business College, Boston, later en- tered the employment of Brown Dunell & Company, Boston.

FAIRFIELD This is an old English fam- ily early implanted in Mas- sachusetts `and identified with the leading interests and influences of the Massachusetts Colony and still active in up- holding the New England character. There were two of the name in Massachusetts as early as 1638. John, first of Charlestown, later of Salem and Wenham, and Daniel, of Boston. They are supposed to have been brothers, but there is no record to show such connection. Family tradition states that they are descended from French Huguenots, whose name was originally Beauchamp. A repre- sentative of the name living in France in 1572 received news of the impending massacre of St. Bartholomew's in time to escape to Eng- land, where another member of the family was already living at Warwick. Representa- tives of this family subsequently settled in Ireland, whence John Fairfield came to Eng- land in 1638.

(I) John Fairfield was a resident of Charles- town, Massachusetts, in 1638, and the next year was granted eighty acres of land in Sa- lem, where he was admitted freeman, May 14, 1640. He lived near the boundary be- tween Salem and Ipswich in 1643, and there- after moved to Wenham, where he died De- cember 22, 1646. His will on file at Salem was made eleven days previously. According to this document his wife's name was Elizabeth, and two of his children are therein named. Three sons are known to have existed, namely : Walter, John and Benjamin. A posthumous child, born in 1647, died before July 7 of that year, without name. In settlement the estate

was divided into four parts and distributed to the widow and three sons.

(II) John (2), second son of John (I) and Elizabeth Fairfield, was born in May, 1639, probably in Salem, and lived in Wenham and Ipswich. He made no will, but the inventory of his estate was filed November 27, 1672. He married, March 26, 1666, Sarah, daughter of William and Tryphena Geare, of Wen- ham, and their children mentioned in the in- ventory were: Tryphena, John and Elizabeth. The widow married ( second) April 13, 1673, in Wenham, Daniel Kilhan, and died January 20, 1716, in Ipswich, aged seventy years, ac- cording to her tombstone.

(III) John (3), probably only son of John (2) and Sarah (Geare) Fairfield, was born about 1668, probably in Ipswich, and was living in that town in 1690. As shown by a deed in December, 1692, he was living at Muddy River, now Brookline, and subse- quently he was again in Ipswich, as indicated by a deed in 1694. In this instrument he deeded to his cousin, William Fairfield, about sixty acres of upland and meadow in Wenham, which he had inherited from his father. This deed was acknowledged November 25, 1703. He was married in Boston, April 18, 1693, by Rev. James Allen, to Elizabeth Badson. No record appears of his children, but a com- parison of the records of Boston, Ipswich and Wenham make it very certain that the next named was his son.

(IV) Captain John (4) Fairfield was the first of the name to settle in Kennebunkport, where he was a leading citizen. Some ac- counts say that he came there from Worcester. For some years he lived in Wells, Maine, and his home in Kennebunkport was near the mouth of the river, probably in the house built by Thomas Perkins in 1773, where he was licensed to keep a tavern. He was a carpenter by trade and after 1733 removed to the eastern part of the town, where he bought a farm. In the Louisburg expedition of 1745 he was first lieutenant of Captain John Storr's company. Three years later he served in Cap- tain Thomas Perkins' company at Arundel. In 1757 he was captain of the Arundel com- pany, in the First York County Regiment, commanded by Sir William Pepperrell. His sons John and Stephen were perhaps in this company. He married (first) Mary, daughter of Rev. Samuel and Tabitha (Littlefield) Emery, of Wells, born December 7, 1699. Her father was for many years minister at Wells. He was a son of John (2) Emery, and grand-

:13

1198

STATE OF MAINE.

son of John Emery, of Romsey, Hants, Eng- land. Mary (Emery) Fairfield died about 1750, and Mr. Fairfield subsequently married Mrs. Hannah (Lovet) Stone, widow of Jona- than Stone. Captain Fairfield died in 1778 and was survived by his widow. The in- ventory of his estate included a negro girl, valued at twenty pounds, and administration was granted to his son John "of said Arundel, gentleman." His children by the first mar- riage were: John; a daughter who married John Hill; Mary, wife of Benjamin Downing ; Stephen; Elizabeth, wife of Dixey Stone.

(V) John (5), eldest child of John (4) and Mary (Emery) Fairfield, was born ;about 1728-30 in Kennebunk, and made that town his home through life. In 1757 he was a member of the military company commanded by his father in Colonel Pepperrell's regi- ment, and in 1762 was ensign in Captain Thomas Perkin's Arundel company of Colo- nel Nathaniel Sparhawk's regiment, for service in the Indian campaigns. John Fairfield mar- ried, October 17, 1751, Mary Burbank, of Bradford, Massachusetts, daughter of Lieu- tenant John and Priscilla (Major) Burbank. Her father was lieutenant in Captain Thomas Perkin's company at the capture of Louisburg. He was born in 1733 and died in 1825, at the age of ninety-two years. Their children were : Samuel, William, Sarah, John, Stephen, Mary, Benjamin, Asa, Moses and Elizabeth.

(VI) Captain William, second son of John (5) and Mary (Burbank) Fairfield, was born June 26, 1754, in Kennebunk, and died there March 16, 1827. He was a master mariner and made many voyages to sea. In 1777 he enlisted for three years in the revolutionary army and he served successively in Captain Daniel Merrill's company, Colonel Samuel Brewster's regiment, and in Captain Hitch- cock's regiment and Colonel Ebenezer Sprout's regiment. His name appears on the pay ac- counts for service from February 1, 1777, to the same date in 1780, and he was allowed for travel from his home to Bennington, Ver- mont, the place of rendezvous. He married (first) December 27, 1781, Sarah, daughter of James and Grace Delzell (Burnham) Bradbury. She died about 1789. He married (second) August 25, 1790, Mary, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Gray) King, of Bidde- ford (see King). She was born December 14, 1773, and died April 9, 1851. Children by the first marriage: James, William, Mary, Sarah; by second marriage: Oliver, Jackson, Asa, Cyrus, Myranda, Lucinda, Liza, John, Joseph, Charles, John and William.

(VII) Lucinda, fourth daughter of Captain William Fairfield and sixth child of his sec- ond wife, was born November 20, 1802, in Kennebunkport, and died December 31, 1887, in Kennebunk. She married (first) August II, 1823, Captain Isaac Emery, of Kennebunk- port, who died at sea in 1830. She married (second) in 1837 Clement Perkins, of Ken- nebunkport (see Perkins VIII).

Mary King, second wife of Captain William Fairfield above mentioned, was a daughter of David King, a son of John King, who came to America from England soon after the year 1700 and settled in Boston. In 1714 he mar- ried Sarah Allen, whose only child died in in- fancy, and she herself died about the same time. He married (second) in 1718 Mary, daughter of Benjamin Stowell, of Newton, Massachusetts. Their marriage intentions were recorded April 2, 1717, in Boston. The following children are of record: Richard, Mary, Sarah, Mehitable, David, Josiah and William. (2) David, second son of John and Mary (Stowell) King, was born August 21, 1726, probably in Boston, and died in Buxton, Maine, March II, 1807. In 1746 he was a witness to a deed conveying land in Water- town, Massachusetts. He removed to Saco, Maine, about 1760, and was a leading mer- chant of that town. In 1761 he purchased land on the Saco river and was among the first merchants or traders on the east side of that stream at Saco. Soon after 1762 he re- moved to the west side of the river. He served in the revolutionary war in 1775 as sergeant in Captain Benjamin Hooper's company, raised for seacoast defense and stationed at Biddeford. He lived to be nearly eighty-one years of age and resided in his last days with his daughter, Mrs. John Hayes, in Buxton. He married, March 14, 1762, by Rev. Moses Morrill, Elizabeth, daughter of John Gray, of Biddeford. She was born in August, 1745, and died March 17, 1777. Their children were: John, David, William, Josiah, Sarah Alden, Mary and William. The youngest daughter became the second wife of Captain William Fairfield as above noted.

Few families in the country CUSHING have been more celebrated than the Cushings, and proba- bly no other has furnished more judges for our probate, municipal and supreme courts. The derivation of the name is somewhat un- certain. The present form is used by all the American descendants of Matthew Cushing, who came to America in 1638, and was prob,-

I199

STATE OF MAINE.

ably the established orthography for several generations before this, as the English and Irish branches use the same spelling. Before the sixteenth century the patronymic was, like most proper names, written in a variety of ways. In various deeds, wills and charters still extant in Norfolk, England, referring to the direct lineal ancestors of Matthew, we find Cushyng, Cushin, Cushyn, Cusshyn, Cussheyn, Cusseyn, Cussyn, Cusyn and Cosyn. Before the fourteenth century it was spelled Cusyn, Cosyn or Cosseyn. After that time the name was always spelled with a u, and generally with sh, as Cussheyn, Cusshyn. The final g does not appear till 1500, when we find Cushyng, though Cushyn and Cushin are still frequent spellings. There are two theories in connection with the origin of the name. The first is that the patronymic is derived from the Anglo-Saxon designation of Cousin (Cosseyn or Cusseyn). The second theory asserts that the name arose in connection with the land title of Cossey. Thus in the Domesday Book of William the Conqueror, we find that "the ancient village and manor of Tokethorpe (later Flockthorpe) lying in the Forehoe hun- dred" was in several parts, "two of which belonged to Cossey." The same manor of Flockthorpe was possessed by the Cushings for several generations thereafter.

The original arms of the Cushing family were undoubtedly "gules, an eagle displayed argent." This device was later complicated by quartering, on the occasion of marriage with an heiress, which probably took place not far from 1500. In the Heraldic Visitation of the County of Norfolk, England, which oc- curred in the year 1563, the Cushing arms are described : "Gules, an eagle displayed argent ; quartering, gules, three right hands torn from the wrists, a canton chequery or and azure." The form advocated by the late H. G. Somer- by, of England, as the result of several years' „research in the records and deeds of Norfolk county, is substantially the same as this. The Somerby form has a crest : "Two lions' gambs erased sable supporting a ducal coronet or, from which hangs a human heart gules." The motto underneath the escutcheon reads "Vir- tute et Numine" (By valor and divine aid). It may be remarked that the arms just de- scribed are substantially the same as those found on the tombstone of Lieutenant-Govern- or Thomas Cushing in the Granary burying- ground, at Boston, which are dated 1788. These are also as given in the Gore Roll, and are especially worthy of note as being the earliest arms of which we have any record

as being borne by an American Cushing. The only important difference between the Gran- ary tombstone escutcheon and that authorized by H. G. Somerby consists in the fact that the American emblem has but two hands, in- stead of three. It is suggested that this might have been a mistake on the part of the stone- cutter, which would have been quite natural, as in the English arms the third hand is nearly covered by the canton.

Few families in America can trace a longer pedigree than the Cushings, which includes six generations of authenticated English an- cestors; and few families can produce more members who have won high places by their own merits. Prominent among Americans of the name have been Chief Justice William Cushing, who administered the oath of office to Washington at the beginning of his sec- ond term as president, March 4, 1793. He was the last chief justice in this country who wore the big wig of the English judges, and his full biography would fill many pages. Seven years older than Chief Justice Cushing, but, like him, associated with the founders of our government, was Lieutenant-Governor Thomas Cushing, of Massachusetts, himself also a judge, who was born in Boston, March 24, 1725. He was the friend and co-worker of Adams, Otis and Warren, and the intimate associate and counselor of Hancock and Franklin. A little later we have Judge Caleb Cushing, of Newburyport, minister to China, and from 1853 to 1857 attorney-general of the United States. Honorable Luther Stearns Cushing, born at Lunenburg, Massachusetts, June 22, 1803, became famous as the author of Cushing's Manual; and Frank Hamilton Cushing, born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, July 22, 1857, acquired renown from his archaeological researches among the Zuni In- dians.

(I) William Cushing (Cussyn or Cusseyn) was born some time during the fourteenth cen- tury, and was either the son or grandson of the Galfridus Cusyn of Hardingham, Norfolk county, England, who is mentioned in the Sub- sidy Rolls for Norfolk in 1327. He added to the estates in Hardingham the estates in Hing- ham, which were inherited by his son Thomas.

(II) Thomas, son of William Cushing, was born in Hardingham, Norfolk county, Eng- land, in the latter part of the reign of Richard . II, 1377-1399. A deed dated 1466 contains not only his name, but also the name of his son William, who is also named in other deeds and charters dated 1474, 1480 and 1484. Thomas Cushing possessed large estates in

I 200

STATE OF MAINE.

Hardingham, Hingham and other parts of his native county.

(III) William (2), eldest son and heir of Thomas Cushing, was born at Hardingham, England, early in the fifteenth century, and lived at Hingham. He died about the time that Columbus discovered America, for his long and explicit will was dated September 26, 1492, and proved in the Bishop's court of Nor- wich, March II, 1493. In ancient deeds re- lating to his estates in Hardingham, Hingham, East Dereham and other parts of the county of Norfolk, he is styled "Gentleman." Will- iam (2) Cushing's wife Emma was executrix of his will ; and her own, dated June 16, 1507, was proved July 26, 1507. The archaic Eng- lish of Mr. Cushing's will is so quaint and in- teresting, and his connection with the Roman Catholic church so intimate that a few sen- tences of this ancient document are worth quoting : "I William Cusshyn of Hengham in my hoel mend And good memory beying, make my testament and my last will Declare in this forme Follying: First I comende my sowle to god Almighty, or lady seint Mary & to all the blessed copany of heven, and my body to be buryed in the chirchyard of Hen- ghm foresaid, To the wich high Auter ther for my tithes negligently wtholden, I bequeath Xs. . Itm I give and bequeth to the house of the Grey fryrs in Norwich, in the wich I am a brother, Xs to sing and say placebo and Dirigo for me wt a masse of Re- quiem . Itm I woll have a secular p'st to syng and p'y for my sowle & my faders and modir by the space of two yere, yt is to say oon yere in chirch of Henghm and a nother yere in the chirch of Hardynghm. The resi- due of all my goods and catall and lands in this my p'sent testament and last will, not assigned nor bequethed, I gif and bequeth to the foreseid Emme my wif, whom I chose, make and ordeyne of this my p'sent testament and last will, myn executrixe.

Eight children were born to William (2) and Emma Cushing: John, the elder, whose sketch follows; Robert, of Hingham, whose will was proved July 10, 1547; Thomas, of Hardingham, whose will was proved January 15, 1504 ; John, junior, whose will was proved August 1, 1515; Elyne; Annable; Margaret, married Thomas Crowe ; Agnes.

(IV) John, eldest child of William (2) and Emma Cushing, was born at Hingham, Eng- land, but lived at Hardingham, where he pos- sessed estates. He also owned large proper- ties in Lombard street, London, and was called "Gentleman" in a survey of the manor

of Flockthorp in Hardingham, dated 1512. John Cushing's will was proved March 5, 1523, and in it he mentions his wife and six chil- dren. His own name occurs in the Subsidy Rolls of Henry VIII for the year 1523. Eight children were born to John Cushing: John, of Hingham, Lord of the Manor of Flockthorpe in Hingham, Markham's in Tothington, and Stalworth in Wymondham; Thomas (2), men- tioned in the next paragraph; William, of Hardingham, to whom his father gave a house called Gilberts; Margaret; Isabel; Margery ; Elyne ; Agnes.

(V) Thomas (2), second son of John Cush- ing, inherited the homestead of his father at Hardingham, England, and all the lands per- taining thereto, and died in that place in April, 1558. He had six children : John, of Knapton in Norfolk, whose will was proved November 26, 1586; Ursula ; Nicholas; Edward; Stephen ; Peter, whose sketch follows.

(VI) Peter, youngest child of Thomas (2) Cushing, was born at Hardingham, England, but moved to Hingham about 1600, and was buried in the latter place April 26, 1641. He was probably one of the first of the Cushings to embrace the Protestant faith, for the wills of his father and eldest brother are in the Catholic form. Peter Cushing married Susan Hawes at Hardingham, June 2, 1583, and they had seven children : Theophilus, baptized No- vember 4, 1584; Bridget, baptized February 19, 1586, married George More; Matthew, whose sketch follows; William, baptized April 1, 1593, married Margery -; Barbara, bap- tized June 16, 1596, died in January, 1632; Peter, of London, married Godly, widow of Simon Payne ; Katherine, married - Long, of Carlton Road, near Wymondham, in Suf- folk; Thomas, of London, baptized May 15, 1603.

With this generation ends the English rec- ord of the Cushings. Two of Peter's sons, Theophilus and Matthew, set out for the new. world; and it is the American branch of the family, founded by Matthew, with which we shall hereafter concern ourselves. Theophilus Cushing, the eldest son, came to New Eng- land in 1633 in the ship "Griffin," along with the eminent Puritan divines, Cotton and Hooker. He appears never to have married, and when his younger brother Matthew came over, Theophilus settled with him at Hing- ham, Massachusetts. Theophilus was blind for twenty-five years before his death, which occurred March 24, 1679.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume III, Part 29

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: 818

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: 818