USA > Maine > Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume III > Part 37
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Dr. Albion K. P. Meserve was educated in the common schools and Standish Academy, and graduated at the Medical School of Maine in 1859. He first practiced medicine in Stand- ish, but shortly afterward removed to Buxton, where he lived until 1881, when he moved to Portland, where he afterwards resided. He was interested in the welfare of the community, and assumed his responsibilities in life. He served as president of the Maine Medical As- sociation, secretary of the United States Pen- sion Examining Board, chairman of the Board of Health, of Portland, secretary of the Maine State Board of Registration of Medicine, and was a member of the National Confederation of Examining and Licensing Board. He was a charter member of the Maine Academy of Medicine and Science, member of the Board of Consulting Physicians and Surgeons of the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary, and was active and gave freely of his time to the charitable work of that institution. He was a member of the Maine Historical Society, and was vice- president of this society from 1889 until his death, being deeply interested in the work of the society, and in the subject of family his- tory. He represented the town of Buxton in the legislature, and was the supervisor of schools of that town; was a member of the Congregational church there, and of the Wil-
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liston church in Portland, in both of which he served as superintendent of the Sunday- schools.
Dr. Meserve compiled the Meserve geneal- ogy, and a history of Standish, Maine, both of which are in manuscript. He contributed, in other ways, much historical and genealogical knowledge which remains to us. The Vital Records of Buxton were copied by his eldest son, annotated by himself, then bound and presented by him to the Maine Genealogical Society's library. Dr. Meserve was industri- ous and did good work, the results of which are the cherished heritage of the family and friends. At the time of his death it was said of him: "The community has not only lost a valued and respected citizen, a kind and true neighbor, but as well a skilled physician, the church a faithful member, and his asso- ciates a sincere friend."
Dr. Albion K. P. Meserve married, June 10, 1857, at Freedom, New Hampshire, Mary M. Johnson, only child of Thomas and Doro- thy (Libby) Johnson, of Gorham. She was born in Gorham, February 1, 1836. Thomas Johnson, son of Matthew and Hannah (John- son) Johnson, married (first) Mary Hamblin ; (second) Dorothy Libby, daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Libby. Mary M. Johnson was the only child of this second marriage. Mrs. Meserve is a lady of education and refine- ment and an artist of recognized ability. The walls of her handsome home in Emery street are decorated with many pictures in oil, the product of her skill. To Dr. and Mrs. Me- serve were born two sons : Dr. Charles Albion, who died February 1, 1892, aged thirty-three years, and Lucien W., born October 5, 1869, married Geneva Adams, and now resides in Westbrook and is engaged in conducting a poultry-farm.
CLARKE
Daniel Clarke, the earliest an- cestor of Charles Lorenzo
Clarke (VIII) in America,* is first mentioned in the records of Ipswich, Massachusetts, December 29, 1634, when the town granted him land. Prior to August 5th of that year the place was called Aggawam. He possessed a planting lot in 1635. Under date of December 19, 1648, he appears in a list of inhabitants of Ipswich, who subscribed to the fund paid to Mayor Daniel Dennison as
*The ancestry of Charles L. Clarke, back of his grand- father, Samuel Clarke (VI), is incorrectly given in "Men of Progress, Biog. Sketches and Portraits of Lead- ers in Business and Profesional Life in and of the State of Maine," Boston, 1897. The error was due to the in- experience of Mr. Clarke in genealogical research at that time, which led to a wrong conclusion from improper data.
military leader of the town. A part of Ips- wich, known as New Meadows, was named Topsfield, in October, 1648, and set off as a separate township in October, 1650, about which time Daniel Clarke was probably living there, where he remained until his death. In 1669 he was granted a license to keep an or- dinary for "selling beer and victuals," which was renewed from time to time up to 1681, and on one occasion was fined ten shillings and costs for selling a gill of liquor to In- dians. He was returned as an inhabitant of Topsfield, when he took oath of allegiance in December, 1677, and January, 1678, and again on December 18, 1678, under the special or- der of Charles II. In the town records for March 2, 1676-77, he is referred to as "good- man" Clarke, a term of special respect in those days. He was admitted to church on Febru- ary 27, 1686. From the date of his will, which is on file at Salem, Massachusetts, and date of probate, his wife Mary, whose family name is unknown, died before January 10, 1688-89, he was then living and died before March 25, 1690. The will mentions sons: John, Daniel, Humphrey and Samuel; the latter then "in England," and refers to daughters and grand- children, some of the latter Howlett and Horne by name. Children: I. Mary, born November 1, 1645. 2. Elizabeth, born No- vember 10, 1647; married William Perkins, of Topsfield, October 24, 1669. 3. Dorothy, born January 10, 1649-50. 4. Sarah, born January 31, 1651-52; married Samuel Howlett, of Topsfield, January 3, 1670-71. 5. Martha, born November 22, 1655. 6. Daniel, born Oc- tober 26, 1657; died January 17, 1660-61. 7. Judith, born January 21, 1659-60. 8. John, born August 27, 1661 ; married Hannah Stan- ley, September 20, 1689. 9. Samuel, born De- cember 8, 1663. 10. Daniel, born November 20, 1665 ; married Damaris Dorman, May 29, 1689. II. Humphrey, born August 3, 1668; perhaps moved to Ipswich and married Eliza- beth Patch, June 27, 1701.
(II) Daniel (2), tenth child of Daniel and Mary Clarke, was born in Topsfield, Massa- chusetts, November 20, 1665, and lived there all his life. He was an inn-holder. Begin- ning in 1691 with the minor office of con- stable, he held various town offices, such as cattle pounder, road surveyor, tithing-man, timber inspector, fence viewer and selectman, besides serving on jury and grand jury. In 1716 and 1722 he was chosen by the town as representative to the general court at Boston. He is several times referred to in records between 1710 and 1717 as "Seargeant," that
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doubtless being his rank in the "trainband," or Company of Topsfield militia organized, as was then required in all communities in New England, for protection against Indians. He married (first) May 29, 1689, Damaris, daughter of Thomas and Judith (Wood) Dor- man. Damaris was born August 3, 1666, and died September 20, 1727. He married (sec- ond) January 7, 1728-29, widow Hannah Derby, of Salem, Massachusetts, who survived him, and was living February 13, 1748-49. He died January 18, 1748-49. His will, dated June 7, 1746, and probated February 13, 1748- 49, on file at Salem, mentions wife Hannah, sons Samuel, Israel, Daniel, children of son Jacob deceased, daughter Mercy Dorman and children of daughter Sarah Bradstreet, de- ceased. To his grandson Daniel (4), son of Samuel (3), he left "one of my guns." Chil- dren : I. Samuel, born January 13, 1690-91 ; married Dorothy Bradstreet, of Topsfield, De- cember I, 1712. 2. Elijah, baptized April 2, 1693. His father applied, in 1712, to the gen- eral court for compensation for this son's death from wounds in the service. 3. Mary, born August 16, 1694, died August 22, 1694. 4. Daniel, born July 3, 1695. 5. Jacob, born March 23, 1696-97; married Mary Howlett, December 22, 1729. 6. Damaris, born June 17, 1698, died June 30, 1698. 7. Mercy, born September 10, 1699; married Jacob Dorman, December 31, 1722. 8. Israel, born Septem- ber 28, 1701 ; married Mercy Porter, July 21, 1730. 9. Humphrey, born December 18, 1703. IO. Sarah, born January 1, 1705-06; married Samuel Bradstreet, August 3, 1822. II. Dan- iel, born September 2, 1707; married Martha Redington, June 17, 1731. 12. David, "still born," December 12, 1709.
(III) Samuel, first child of Daniel (2) and Damaris (Dorman) Clarke, was born at Tops- field, Massachusetts, January 13, 1690-91. He was at York, Maine, as early as July 23, 1709 (York deeds), and permanently settled there at Cape Neddich Harbor. He was a carpenter by trade. In his generation Cape Neddick Harbor was a trading port from which con- siderable commerce was carried on in schoon- ers and large sloops. The small basin, well protected from the sea, was lined with wharves and warehouses, and at the end of navigation stood a dam and tide grist-mill. There were also general trading-stores for supplying the wants of the neighborhood and back country. He was an owner in the grist-mill, and in wharves and warehouses, besides having an interest in a sawmill at the falls on Cape Ned- dick river, where fresh water and tide water
meet ; he was an extensive land-owner. Much of this commerce and prosperity continued until the coming of railroads, when it was diverted to larger ports. The tide-mills, wharves, warehouses and stores were dis- mantled or fell into decay, so that to-day not a vestige of them is left, and Cape Neddick Harbor is once more only a sleepy inlet of the sea. He early built a home on the north side of the river, on a rising bank about opposite to and a little east of the old short bridge, near the head of tide-water. The house was strongly built of hewn timber, with overhang- ing second story, for better defence against possible attacks by Indians. It was known as the Clarke garrison, and was occupied until 1839, when it was torn down.
Samuel Clarke was a public-spirited citizen, ever ready to serve his town in its various offices. His first position was constable in 1721, and the last position held by him was highway surveyor in 1760. Between these dates he was chosen selectman at different times for nineteen years, and assessor for eighteen years, beginning in both instances in 1734 and ending in 1757, and was twice elected representative to the general court at Boston, in 1741 and again in 1742. He was a member of the First Parish Committee for several years, and an active member of the First Congregational Church of York. He married, December 1, 1712, Dorothy, daugh- ter of John Bradstreet (2), of Topsfield, Mas- sachusetts, and granddaughter of Governor Simon Bradstreet and wife Anne Dudley (2), who was daughter of Major-General and Gov- ernor Thomas Dudley (I), and celebrated as the first American poetess. The important services which Governors Dudley and Brad- street rendered the Massachusetts Colony are a matter of well-known historical record, and need no mention here. Dorothy was baptized at Topsfield, October 25, 1691, and died at Cape Neddick, February 9, 1780. Samuel Clarke died before her, on September 17, 1778. Their remains lie unmarked with others of later generations, in a burial-lot marked by four corner-posts of rough-hewn granite, joined by iron chains, in the old cemetery, a few rods east of Cape Neddick post-office, on the road to Bald Head Cliff. His will, on file at Alfred, Maine, is dated July 8, 1777, and mentions wife Dorothy: five children of a deceased son Daniel, viz .: Samuel, Daniel, Jeremiah, Dorothy and Ann: two children of a deceased daughter Mary Foster, viz .: Sam- uel and Hannah ; and daughters Mercy Por- ter and Dorothy Porter. He appointed "my
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Grandson Thomas Porter" as executor. Chil- dren born at York: 1. Dorothy, born January 21, 1721-22; married Elijah Porter, of Tops- field, Massachusetts, intentions published Oc- tober 6, 1744. 2. Daniel, born June 8, 1724; married Lucy Moulton, of York, February 25, 1748. 3. Mary, born March 20, 1727-28; married William Foster, of Boxford, Massa- chusetts, April 21, 1748, and died a widow at York, June 14, 1776. 4. Samuel, born Jan- uary 21, 1729-30 ; died February 25, 1729-30. 5. Mercy, born August 2, 1731; married Thomas Porter, of Danvers, Massachusetts, October 16, 1755, and living there October 5, 1794. 6. Anne, born January 7, 1733-34 ; died May 22, 1754.
(IV) Daniel (3), second child of record of Samuel and Dorothy ( Bradstreet ) Clarke, was born at Cape Neddick, York, Maine, June 8, 1724. From 1747 to 1761 he held various minor town offices, but was not active in pub- lic matters. His attention appears to have been given principally to business affairs. He left no will, but the long inventory of his es- tate, dated July 12, 1763, on file at Alfred, Maine, is replete with interesting information. The estate was appraised at 1221 pounds sterling, besides a considerable sum due him on bonds and notes. The inventory discloses his partnership with his father, then still liv- ing, in the homestead and dwelling, "Mills, Wharfes & all the other Buildings thereon." He was a part owner in the "Sawmill" on Cape Nedwick River ; owned "one Negro man Silas," valued at 53 pounds, 6 shillings and 8 pence, and "one woman Negro Phillis," valued at 44 pounds, the institution of slavery being then recognized in New England, and had a one-half interest in "ye Sloop Friendship," at 200 pounds, and one-quarter interest in "ye Sloop Charming Salley," at 87 pounds, 10 shillings. The stock in "the shop" is given in the inventory.
Daniel Clarke married, February 25, 1748, Lucy Moulton (4), daughter of Colonel and Judge Jeremiah Moulton (3), son of Joseph Moulton (2) and Thomas Moulton (I), and York's most famous citizen both in military and civil life. Daniel Clarke last appeared in the town records under date of March 10, 1761, and died before July 12, 1763. His wife, Lucy Moulton (4), was born Septem- ber 4, 1728; she was living at York, Novem- ber 4, 1787, but the time and place of her death are unknown. It has been suggested that she may have died at the house of her son-in-law, Joseph Bradbury, when he was living at Saco, Maine. Children, born at
York, Maine: 1. Dorothy, born February 24, 1749-50; married Joseph Bradbury, of York, August 12, 1768. 2. Samuel, born July 2, 1752; married Anna Lamson, of Topsfield, Massachusetts, intentions published June 30, 1771; died at York, October 19, 1786. She died June 12, 1838. 3. Daniel, born March 2, 1754; married Hannah Berry, of York, Febru- ary 26, 1784. 4. Anna, born January 6, 1756; married William Hasty, of Scarborough, Maine, May I, 1781. 5. Jeremiah, born Octo- ber 7, 1759; married Elizabeth Hirst Chaun- cey, of Kittery, Maine, intentions published October 3, 1789.
(V) Daniel (4), third child of Daniel (3) and Lucy ( Moulton) Clarke, was born at Cape Neddick, York, Maine, March 2, 1754. He was a juryman in 1783, highway surveyor in 1786, and deer reave from 1787 to 1794, when he disappears from the records. Little is known of his life, but disposition of property by his widow, who on November 17, 1804, sold land with dwelling, barn, two stores, a wharf and grist-mill, indicates that he had been prosperous, and probably -inherited the business and trading instincts of his father. According to records of revolutionary war service in the office of the Secretary of State of Massachusetts, he served at Dorchester, Massachusetts, during August, September, October and November, 1776, in Captain Sam- uel Leighton's company, Colonel Ebenezer Francis' regiment. He married Hannah Berry, of York, February 26, 1784, and died at Cape Neddick, August 15, 1795, "of fever." She married (second) Joel Bennett, of Wells, Maine, intentions published October 20, 1809, but returned to Cape Neddick, where she was still living May 20, 1826. Children, born at York, Maine: I. Mary, baptized June 19, 1785; married (first) John Talpey, of York. intentions published November 12, 1803 ; (second) John Norton, of York, intentions published September 23, 1809, and again Oc- tober 17, 1812. 2. Hannah, baptized Septem- ber 12, 1787; married Timothy Winn, of Wells, Maine, intentions published November 23, 18II. 3. Samuel, baptized August 25, 1790 ; married (first) Susan Wilson, who died at Portland, Maine, May 25, 1815, aged twenty-four years; and (second) Patience Chamberlain, October 28, 1816. 4. Sophia, baptized May 22, 1792; died unmarried.
(VI) Samuel (2), third child of Daniel (4) and Hannah ( Berry) Clarke, was born at Cape Neddick, York, Maine, and baptized August 25, 1790. He moved in early life to Portland, Maine, where, after learning the
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trade, he carried on the business of blacksmith and shipsmith. His business proved unsuc- cessful, and he removed to the Danish West Indies about 1828 or 1829, and continued his business at Christiansted, on the island of St. Croix. There he prospered, and returned to Portland in 1840, with the intention of again resuming business there, which, however, he never did. He lived the remainder of his life on Hancock street. He served September, 1814, on the staff of the Second Brigade ("Irish Juniors"), Twelfth Division of In- fantry, Massachusetts Militia (Maine was a province of Massachusetts at that time), with rank of deputy master, for the defense of Portland in the war of 1812. According to records covering the years 1807 to 1825, in an orderly book of a company of light infantry called the Mechanic Blues, which was organ- ized April 30, 1807, he was elected ensign of the company on February 8, 1816, and elected captain on November 27, 1818. His commis- sion, dated December 17, 1818, and signed by Governor Brooks, refers to him as "Captain of a Company of Light Infantry annexed to the Third Regiment in the Second Brigade and Twelfth Division of the Militia of this ( Massachusetts ) Commonwealth." He re- signed and was honorably discharged from service, March 7, 1821; He became a mem- ber of the Maine Charitable Mechanic's Asso- ciation, September 21, 1841. He was a pew- holder in the First Universalist church. Sam- uel Clarke married (first), Susan Wilson, whose parents, it is stated, came to Portland from South Newmarket, New Hampshire. She died May 25, 1815, aged twenty-four years, according to the slate (gravestone) over her grave in the Eastern Cemetery in Portland. He married (second) October 28, 1816, Pa- tience Chamberlain, daughter of Thomas and Patience Chamberlain, of Pepperellborough (now Saco), Maine. She died September 5, 1845, aged fifty-three years. He died March 21, 1851, aged sixty-two years. His remains lie with those of his second wife in the tomb of Isaac Knight, next to that of Commodore Preble, in the Eastern Cemetery. Child by wife Susan : I. Susan, born Portland, May 19, 1815; married Thomas Starbird. Children by wife Patience : 2. Daniel, born Portland, Au- gust 4, 1817; married Mary Lewis Bragg, March 10, 1852, at Haverhill, Massachusetts. 3. Charles, born Portland, September 21, 1819. He was a sailor and died at home June 27, 1846, of "ship fever," unmarried. His grave, with marble headstone, is in the Eastern Ceme- tery, Portland. 4. Eglina Bowers, born
Christiansted, St. Croix, Danish West Indies, August 4, 1832 ; married ( first) Melville Bev- erly Cox Files, of Portland, October, 1852; (second) William Henry Sargent, of Port- land, September 18, 1870; and died April 8, 1876.
(VII) Daniel (5), second son of Samuel (2) Clarke and second wife, Patience Cham- berlain, was born at Portland, Maine, August 4, 1817. He learned the trade of printer in the office of the Portland Courier, and received a certificate of his apprenticeship, November 28, 1838. Shortly after he joined his parents, then at St. Croix, Danish West Indies, where he worked as overseer on sugar plantations. He did not, however, remain there long after the return of his parents to Portland, in 1840, but went to Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked in newspaper offices at his trade as printer for a number of years, until he moved to Portland, in the early fifties, and went into the retail boot and shoe business, which be- came the firm of Clarke & Lowell, the leaders in their line in the State of Maine, and was carried on in a store on Middle street, oppo- site the head of Union street. He retired from the firm and permanently from business, April 30, 1878. His disposition was jovial, although he never participated in formal so- ciety functions, and he was highly esteemed by a host of business friends on account of his un- swerving integrity. He was a faithful hus- band and kind father, indulgent even to an ex- tent not perhaps always warranted by his means, when he believed some advantage was thereby to be gained to his children, from whom, nevertheless, he always expected prompt and explicit obedience to his wishes. He held in detestation any form of trickery or vain and presumptious show and living beyond one's means. The death of his son "Willie," in 1876, the pet child of his old age, was a blow too hard to recover from ; he carried it to the grave.
Daniel Clarke married Mary Lewis Bragg, of Portland, March 10, 1852, at the home of one of her brothers in Haverhill, Massachu- setts. She was born at Errol, New Hamp- shire, December 11, 1830, daughter of Captain James Frye Bragg and wife Sarah Graham. She was a descendant of Ingalls Bragg (5), of Andover, Massachusetts, and later of An- dover, Maine, and his celebrated father-in- law, Colonel James Frye (4), both of whom were in the battle of Bunker Hill, the latter a colonel in command, and the former a pri- vate in Colonel Frye's regiment. Her family line descends through Edward Bragg (I), of
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Ipswich, Massachusetts, Timothy Bragg (2), of Ipswich, Edward Bragg (3), of Wenham and Andover, Massachusetts, and Thomas Bragg (4), of Andover, Massachusetts. She was a rare woman, with native talents many, including the gift of a beautiful soprano voice, but which she never had the opportunity to cultivate. Her life was fully, freely and lov- ingly devoted to home duties and the welfare of husband and children; the sound of her sweet voice, as she went cheerfully caroling from room to room at her work, was a joy ever to be remembered. She was proud of her self-respect, which she zealously guarded, and sensitive to a slight, but with self-command to conceal it from the giver. She was quick of temper, but harbored no resentment against the cause of it; her loving and generous na- ture made her quickly forgive and forget. The only living child of these good parents can testify to what he knows must have been large sacrifices, silently and cheerfully made by them on his behalf, but will doubtless ever be ignor- ant of countless others, so naturally and quietly were they bestowed. Daniel Clarke died in his home at 3 Park Place, March 14, 1885, after a long but fortunately painless illness. His wife soon followed him, dying at the then home of their surviving son, at Orange, New Jersey, December 19, 1885, a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church. Their re- mains lie buried with those of their two sons who went before, in Evergreen Cemetery, Portland. Children, born in Portland : I. Charles Lorenzo, born April 16, 1853. 2. Frank Maynard, born April 19, 1856; died February 28, 1858. 3. William Bragg, born April 17, 1866; died December 3, 1876, of diphtheria.
(VIII) Charles Lorenzo, first child of Dan- iel (5) and Mary Lewis ( Bragg) Clarke, was born at Portland, Maine, April 16, 1853. He received his early education in the public- schools of his native city, graduating from the Portland High School in 1870, and receiving the Brown Memorial Medal for scholarship- - standing highest in rank among the boys for the four years' course. Soon after graduating he was articled to a civil engineer of Portland, and spent a year in general surveying, becom- ing near the end of that period first assistant engineer on the Portland division of the Bos- ton & Maine railroad, which at the time was the Western division of the present Boston & Maine system between Portland and Boston. He gave up this position to get a technical education, and took a four years' course in civil engineering at Bowdoin College, from
which he graduated in 1875, an honor man, and was made a member of the Phi Beta Kap- pa fraternity. In college he was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity. At graduation he received the degree of B. S., which was supplemented by the post-graduate degree of M. S. in 1879, and C. E. in 1880. In Sep- tember, 1875, he went abroad, to visit and study engineering works, such as docks, bridges, steel works, etc., in England, Wales, Ireland, France, Belgium and Germany, re- turning home in May, 1876. At that time commerce and industries in the United States were completely prostrated, and Mr. Clarke had to meet with those discouragements which are the lot of most young men trying to get an opening in life. A large percentage of pro- fessional engineers in all branches were un- employed, and a position was not obtainable with the best of introduction and credentials. Mr. Clarke finally took up teaching, and be- gan almost to consider that was to be his life work, when a turn in the tide presented an opening. On the first day of February, 1880, he entered the laboratory of the renowned inventor, Thomas Alva Edison, at Menlo Park, New Jersey, as one of his assistants. Edison had just invented the electric incandescent lamp, now in such universal use, and Mr. Clarke's training as an engineer and mathe- matician was brought to bear to assist in per- fecting the details of a complete system of electrical generation and distribution, upon which Edison was working, to make the new lamp as easily and universally applicable to general lighting purposes as gas, and which included dynamos, high-speed steam-engines, underground system of conductors for distrib- uting the electric current, regulating and con- trolling devices, etc. In 1881, the details of the system having been sufficiently perfected to warrant efforts for its commercial introduc- tion, Edison moved to New York City with some members of his laboratory staff, and in March of that year Mr. Clarke was appointed first assistant and acting chief engineer of the Edison Electric Light Company, which posi- tion he held until February, 1884. As engi- neer he superintended the designing and con- structing of an electric lighting central station for the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York City, at 257 Pearl street, which began operation on September 4, 1882, and was the first comprehensive electric lighting station in the world. This station was equipped with six so-called "Jumbo" dynamos designed by Mr. Clarke, and driven by direct- coupled high-speed engines making 350 revo-
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