Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume IV, Part 42

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: 896

USA > Maine > Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume IV > Part 42

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gaged in the manufacturing business as one of the corporators of the Westbrook Britan- nia Company. He was also later connected with the Berlin Mills Lumber Company. His health failed and he retired from active busi- ness about 1880. About the time of his re- tirement, Colonel Merrill was appointed one of the board of managers of the Soldiers' Orphan Asylum at Bath. He served as presi- dent of the board for several years, and gave his best abilities to the performance of the duties of the position as a sacred trust. He was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and was twice elected to the office of commander, his last term expiring about 1890. He was a member of Bosworth Post, G. A. R., for several years, and was also a member of Atlantic Lodge, F. and A. M. In politics he was a Democrat. He repre- sented Ward Five in the common council 1853- 54, and for sixteen years was a member of the school committee. He was a strong church- man, and for over twenty-five years was one of the wardens of St. Luke's Cathedral. He was a man of excellent business qualities, a capital executive officer, and a genial, agree- able gentleman. He married, in Portland, September 24, 1856, Abba Isabella Little, who was born November 27, 1834, died October, 1891, daughter of Josiah S. and Abba (Cham- berlain ) Little. (See Little VII.) They had eight children.

(VIII) John F. A. Merrill, son of Colonel Charles B. and Abba I. (Little) Merrill, was born in Portland, February 10, 1866. He re- ceived his early education in the common schools, from which he went to Yale College, where he graduated in 1889. He afterward studied law in the office of Judge William L. Putnam and in Harvard Law School, and was admitted to the bar in April, 1892. He soon afterward opened an office on Exchange street, and has since successfully practiced his profession. In politics he is a Democrat, and has always taken an active part in state and local politics. He served as a member of the common council of Portland for one year, on the city board of aldermen two years, member of the school committee one term, in 1896 was elected to the state senate of Maine, and at the present time (1909) is a member of the police examining board of the city of Portland. He has been a junior warden of St. Luke's Cathedral, being an Episcopalian in religious preference. He is a member of the New York City Hall Building Committee, and holds membership in the Portland Yacht Club, having served as its commodore in 1897, the

Portland Athletic Club, Portland Country Club and the Cumberland Club.

Major Merrill was born in MERRILL Lewiston, Maine, in about 1800. Although in this case the distant forms of history are somewhat shadowy and indistinct, we are bound to con- clude that when Nathan N. Merrill, who went from his Bowdoin home to the untamed wilds of the Androscoggin valley, where the city of Lewiston now stands, he did not go unac- companied. It is probable that one of his elder brothers went along. Men with tender families to protect did not plunge into the heart of the wilderness with its open and hid- den terrors unless assured of support. Major was perhaps a nephew of Nathan, a son of an elder brother, and a grandson of Jacob pre- ceding. Such education as the common school then afforded Major obtained, and became a farmer. He married a Miss Stevens, and had the following children : Stephen S., Samuel P., Major B., George, Seba S., William True, Sarah, Martha, Ida and Carrie.

Stephen S., first son of Major and

(Stevens) Merrill, was born in Auburn and there educated. He learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed for more than forty years, one-half of the time as foreman of the Dingley, Strout Company. He served in the civil war as a member of Company D of the Maine Coast Guards. He is a member of Burnside Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Tranquil Lodge, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons. In political principles he was a Democrat, and served as councilman in his native city. He married Deborah S., daughter of Jacob and Rebecca (Campbell) Royal. Their children were: Fred W., Clarence A., Charles E., mentioned below, and Jacob Brad- bury.

Charles Edwin, third son of Stephen S. and Deborah S. (Royal) Merrill, was born in Au- burn, September 29, 1865, and became a pupil in the local school at the usual age. He learned the shoemaker's trade, but his health compelled him to seek other employment, and he entered a carriage factory às a journey- man. After three years of this, he secured an appointment as mail carrier at the Auburn postoffice, and although this is a political po- sition he continued in the service despite party changes for twenty years, which evinces that he is a capable official. In March, 1905, he purchased the interest of the late A. M. Roak, in Roak & Plummer's undertaking establish- ment. He is a member of Blue Lodge, An-

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cient Free and Accepted Masons, of the Royal Arch Chapter, of the Council, and the Knights Templar, in all of which degrees he has held office. He has presided over all the bodies of the York, also present presiding officer of Auburn Council, Princes of Jerusalem, also member of Kora Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Lewiston. He is a member of the Sons of Veterans, and state commander of the Maine division, a member of the Patrons of Hus- bandry, and of the Pilgrim Fathers. In 1906 he was urgently solicited to run for mayor on his party's ticket, but declined the honor. He married, September 28, 1899, Addie, daughter of Josiah and Rowena (Pratt) Duran. One daughter, Verna L., born August 12, 1891.

MERRILL The subject of this sketch is undoubtedly a member of the numerous Merrill family of New England, which descended from the im- migrant, Nathaniel Merrill.

Henry Foster, son of Samuel Noyes and (Foster) Merrill, was born in Port- land, February 15, 1865. He was educated in the schools of Portland, and at eleven years of age took a position as clerk in the employ of Hall S. Davis, where he remained two years, and then learned the trade of bookbinder in the same establishment, at which he was em- ployed the following six years, remaining with Mr. Davis eight years. In 1886 he became bookkeeper for Randall & McAllister, coal merchants, and proved himself an efficient em- ploye; he was advanced from one position of responsibility to another until the incorpora- tion of the company in 1895, when he was made treasurer of the concern, and since that time has contributed much to the success of the business. He is a zealous Republican, and a member of the Congregational church. He is a member of no fraternal societies or clubs, is domestic in his habits, and spends his leisure time principally with his family. He is an enthusiast regarding motor vehicles, and finds his principal out-of-door diversion in operat- ing them. He married, in Portland, June 16, 1886, Mabel A., daughter of John F. and Elvira S. (Sargent) Randall (see Randall sketch). They have one child, Ruth Eliza- beth, born January 2, 1894.

The original seat of this CONVERSE family was in Navarre, France, from which place removed to England Roger de Coigniers, near the close of the reign of William the Con- queror. He was appointed constable of Dur-

ham by the bishop of Durham. Among his descendants Conyers of Horden, Durham, was created a baronet, July 1, 1548. Sir Hum- phrey of the eighth generation wrote the name Coigners, and Sir Christopher of the twen- tieth generation adopted the form Cornyers. Those bearing the name in Navarre were Huguenots or French Protestants, and in the Massacre of St. Bartholomew's day in 1572 many of his family fell victims. At this time Pierre Coigniers, who was attached to the court of Henry the IV of France, made his escape with his wife and two infants and set- tled in the county of Essex, England. . In England the spelling of the name was quite naturally changed to correspond with its pro- nunciation of Conyers. Some of the descend- ants now spell it Convers and it took this form for some generations after coming to America.

(I) The immigrant ancestor was Deacon Edward Convers, who came to New England in the fleet of Governor Winthrop in 1630, and settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts. In 1631 a grant was made to him of the first ferry between Charlestown and Boston, and of this he retained control for several years under the favor of the general court. In the same year he was admitted a freeman, and was selectman from 1635 to 1640. His name is first on the list of seven commissioners ap- pointed by the church in Charlestown to ar- range for a settlement at Woburn. With others he removed to the new town and ably assisted in its settlement and organization, and after its incorporation he became one of its most useful and honored citizens. He was selectman of the town from 1644 until his death, and was one of the commissioners for the trial of minor causes. He was also one of the founders of the Woburn church and a deacon for many years. His residence was in what is now a part of Winchester, and there he died August 10, 1663, aged seventy- three years. He was accompanied on his journey to America by his wife Sarah and several children. She died January 14, 1662, and he was married (second) September fol- lowing, to Joanna, widow of Ralph Sprague. He had three sons and a daughter: Josiah, James, Samuel and Mary.

(II) Sergeant Samuel, youngest son of Deacon Edward and Sarah Convers, bap- tized March . 12, 1657, in the First Con- gregational Church of Charlestown, died February 20, 1669, at Woburn. He was admitted as a freeman, and was ser- geant in the Woburn Train Band. He was a miller by trade, having inherited, with

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his brother, a corn mill from their father, and it was in this mill that he met his untimely death, which is described in the minutes and records of East Cambridge, as follows: "We, Isaac Brooks and James Thompson, being about the 21 of February . . 69, in the Corne mill belonging to the Converses, at Wood- burne, on of a suddaine we heard a voice about the mill wheel saying, stop the wheel, upon wh, the said Thompson did run to the mill gate & looking towards the mill wheel he saw as he thought a man laid down and cried out my unkle is killed. Isaac in the mean time did run to the water wheel and found Samuel Convers with his head fastened between the water wheel and the water wall."

"The said Thompson in the mean time did shut the gate and came running to the sd Brooks. Now the water wheel being turned backwards did raise him upwards and wee seeing his head cleared went unto him and did take him up alive who bled excessively. We did carry him into his house and soon af- ter we brought him in bleding stopped & in about half an hours time as we conceive he was quite departed."

He was married June 8, 1660, to Judith Carter, who survived him, and afterward mar- ried Giles Fifield, and died in 1677. Her father, Rev. Thomas Carter, was a minister in Woburn, where he preached forty-two years, and died September 5, 1684, aged sev- enty-four years. He embarked from London, England, in 1635, on board the "Planter," and took the freeman's oath in Dedham, Massa- chusetts, March 9, 1636, and moved to Water- town, where he had a ten-acre lot and also ninety acres of farm land aside from his home- stead. He became a minister at Woburn in 1642. He was described as a "reverend, godly man, apt to teach the sound soul and whole- some truths of Christ." The children of Sam- uel and Judith Convers were: Samuel and Abigail.

(III) Samuel (2), only son of Samuel (I) and Judith (Carter) Convers, was born about 1662, in Woburn, was left fatherless at the age of seven years, and was but sixteen years of age at the time of his mother's death. After her second marriage she resided in Charles- town, where he lived until her death. In 1710 he, with his family, removed to Thompson parish, Killingly, Connecticut, where he settled on a farm, he being the first settler at Thomp- son. His farm was located where, later, the village of Putnam was laid out, and was sixty miles due west from Boston. They found their way to this (then) wilderness by means of

blazed trees. In 1716 he sold and purchased other lands where his sons settled and where they were active in building the Thompson meeting house, his name heading the list of members at date of organization in 1730. He was married, prior to 1694, to Dorcas (whose maiden name is unknown), and their children were: Samuel, Edward, Thomas, Dorcas, Pain and Josiah.

(IV) Edward, second son of Samuel (2) and Dorcas Convers, born in Woburn, Sep- tember 25, 1696, died at Thompson, Connecti- cut, July 9, 1784. At the age of fourteen he accompanied his parents to Thompson, and received from his father a farm of fifty acres near the old homestead, where he built the house occupied by himself and sons, the well known "Convers Tavern." He was a man of remarkable energy and was very prominent in public affairs, including church work. He was also active in military affairs, serving as ensign for many years. He repaired bridges, surveyed lands, collected and distributed school money and settled with destrained Bap- tists, on "easy terms as he could." He was chosen constable in 1732. His tavern was well patronized, and "Landlord Convers" school district heads the list of those laid out in 1762. He was married August 6, 1717, to Elizabeth, daughter of John and Elizabeth Cooper. She died February 19, 1776, in her seventy-sixth year. Their children were: James, Edward, Jonathan, Jacob, Asa, Jesse, Elizabeth (died young), Zacharias, Elizabeth and Susanna.

(V) Captain Edward (2), second son of Ensign Edward (I) and Elizabeth (Cooper) Convers, baptized November 8, 1720, at Kill- ingly, Connecticut, died December, 1800, at Windsor, Massachusetts. He was a farmer and occupied a farm on the river, which he received from his father-in-law. He was ap- pointed captain of Company 7, Eleventh Regi- ment of militia, united with the church in 174I, and was a very active member of that society. He was married to Mary Davis, whose father had bought a large farm on French river in 1715. Their children were: Samuel Davis, Edward (died young), Ed- ward, Amasa, Mary and Abigail.

(VI) Samuel Davis, eldest son of Captain Edward (2) and Mary (Davis) Convers, born February 1, 1741, baptized February 17, 1742, died in South Worthington, Massachusetts. He lived in Chesterfield, New Hampshire, un- til 1782, when he removed to Dummerston, Vermont, and he later removed from that place to South Worthington, where he died at his son Elisha's home. He was one of thir-

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teen inhabitants of Chesterfield, reported as refusing to sign the famous "Association Test." He was a private in the Chesterfield company, under Lieutenant Robertson, who marched to Ticonderoga, June 29, 1777. He was married to Elizabeth Harris, and they were the parents of the following children : Willard, Elizabeth, Walter, John, Elisha and Polly.

(VII) Dr. John, third son of Samuel Davis and Elizabeth (Harris) Converse, was born March 5, 1772, Chesterfield. He settled in Durham, Maine, before 1797, and lived in a house on the north side of "Eunice's Brook," and afterward built a house on the bank of the river. The History of Durham says of him :

"Dr. Converse still lives in tradition as a good citizen and skilful physician." He died December 5, 1815, aged forty-three years, and is buried in the old cemetery near the North Meeting House, and the epitaph on his tombstone reads thus: "Thousands of jour- nies night and day I've traveled, weary all the way, To heal the sick, but now I'm gone A journey never to return." He was married March 17, 1799, to Sally, daughter of Ichabod and Abigail (Hayes) Hanson, of Windham, who was born October 4, 1774. Their chil- dren were : Orilla, Veranus, Sally, Mary, Minerva, John Harris, Elizabeth, Harriet and Laura W.

(VIII) Mary, fourth child of Dr. John and Sally (Hanson) Converse, born November 19, 1804, was married October 5, 1827, to Edward Merrill, of New Bedford, Massachusetts (see Merrill, VII).

(VIII) Minerva, fifth child of Dr. John and Sally (Hanson) Converse, was born February 27, 1807, in Durham, and became the wife of William R. Kendall, of Freeport, Maine (see Kendall, VII).

(VIII) John Harris, youngest son of Dr. John and Sally (Hanson) Converse, born De- cember 27, 1808, at Durham, died June 13, 1880, at Newcastle, and was buried in Glidden street cemetery. He was probate judge of Lincoln county from 1862 to 1876, and had the respect and esteem of all with whom he associated. He was married June 7, 1836, to Mary Ann, daughter of John Horn and Lydia (Watson) Connor, born in Belfast, Maine, June 21, 1812, died January 22, 1892, at Christ Church Home, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their children were: William Hubbard, died in Newton, Kansas; Edward Merrill; Frank Horn, died Malden, Massachusetts, and was buried in Forestdale cemetery, that city.

This is an English family CUSHING whose members have borne well their part in the develop- ment of this country, where the name has been prominent since the landing of the American ancestor. Like most proper names, this was most variously spelled before the six- teenth century, as shown by wills, deeds and other legal documents, still extant in Norfolk, England, where it may be found written in the following forms: Cushyng, Cushyn, Cushin, Cosyn, Cussheyn and other variations. Before the fourteenth century it was usually spelled Cusyn or Cosseyn ; the final g does not appear until fifteen hundred, when the name was spelled Cushyng. It is presumed that the name is derived from usage in connection with the land title of Cossey, a part of which landed estate was possessed by the Cushings for several generations. The first work of much importance in tracing the history of this family was undertaken by Caleb Cushing, who traced it to England in the vicinity of Nor- folk, and there it was taken up by a profes- sional geneologist of London. From the an- cient manuscripts in the British Museum and other available sources, the fact is established that the name was a leading one in Norfolk county during the fifteenth and sixteenth cen- turies, including lords of numerous manors. Seven generations of English ancestry have been authentically established.

(I) William Cussyn, born in the fourteenth century, was a son or probably a grandson of Galfirdus Cusyn, of Norfolk county, named in the records in 1327.

(II) Thomas Cushing (Cussheyn), was born at Hardingham, England, in the latter part of the reign of Richard II. (1737-99). A deed executed in 1366 contains his name and the name of his son William.

(III) William, eldest son and heir of Thomas Cushing, was born early in the fif- teenth century at Hardingham, and lived at Hardingham, England. In his will, dated September, 1492, he was styled gentleman. His wife Emma bore him eight children.

(IV) John, eldest son of William and Emma Cushing, was born on the old home- stead which his father had lived on. He also owned large interests at Lombard street in London. His will mentions six children.

(V) Thomas (2), second son of John Cush- ing, inherited the homestead from his father, with all the lands pertaining thereto. He died at Hardingham, England, in April, 1658. The names of his children were: John, Knap- ton, Ursula, Nicholas, Stephen and Peter.

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(VI) Peter, son of Thomas (2) Cushing, was born at Hardingham, and was buried there April 26, 1641. He was probably one of the first Cushings to embrace the Protes- tant faith. He married Susan Hawes, and their children were: Theopolis, Bridget, Mat- thew, William, Barbara, Peter, of London, Catharine, and Thomas, of London. The eld- est came to New England in 1633 in company with Governor Haynes, and the Puritan di- vines, Cotton and Hooker.

(VII) Mathew, second son of Peter and Susan (Hawes) Cushing, was baptized March 2, 1589, in Hardington, England. For the first fifty years of his life he resided in his native place, and in Hardingham, Norfolk county, England, whence he came in 1638, ac- companied by his wife and five children, and his wife's sister, Widow Frances Riecroft, who died a few weeks after their arrival in America. They embarked at Gravesend in the ship "Diligent," of Ipswich, April 26, 1638, being among the one hundred and thirty-three passengers of that voyage. The immediate cause of their departure from England was trouble in ecclesiastical matters. Their rector, in sympathy with the immigrants mentioned, pulled down the rails of the chancery and al- tar, and levelled the altar a foot lower than the church, as it remains to this day. Being prosecuted by the ecclesiastical authorities, he left the kingdom, accompanied by his friends, who disposed of their estates at about one-half their true value. The party landed at Boston, Massachusetts, August 10, 1638, and immedi- ately proceeded to the settlement of the town, which was named Hingham, in honor of the home of the Cushings in England. At a town meeting in 1638, a house lot of five acres, be- low Pear Tree hill, at Bachelor (now Main) street, was granted to Mathew Cushing, and this property remained in the possession of the family until 1887. Mathew Cushing early be- came prominent in the management of public affairs, and was a deacon in Rev. Hobart's church. He was the progenitor of many em- inent descendants. His will was an oral one, but was later written after his death, by his children, who procured the appointment of his eldest son as administrator, November 15, 1660. In the record of this will in Hingham the name is spelled Cushin. Mathew Cushing was married August 5, 1613, to Nasareth, daughter of Henry Pitcher, the famous Ad- miral Pitcher of England. She was baptized October 30, 1586, and died in Hingham, Janu- ary 6, 1682, in her ninety-sixth year, having survived her husband more than twenty-one

years. He passed away September 30, 1660. Their children, all born in Hardingham, Eng- land, were: Daniel, Jeremiah, Mathew, De- borah and John.

(VIII) John (2), youngest son of Mathew and Nasareth (Pitcher) Cushing, was born in 1627 in Hardingham, England, and was about eleven years of age when he came with his parents to this country. He remained in Hingham, Massachusetts, until after the death of his father, and removed in 1662 to Scituate, Massachusetts, settling on a piece of ground at "Belle House Neck," which he had pur- chased in 1659. The land consisted of one hundred and twenty acres, with house and barn, and he was joined in its purchase by Mathias Briggs, the purchase price being one pound per acre. The locality receives its name from the fact that a bell was hung on this house for a period of a century, to give alarm to the neighboring country in case of an Indian attack. In 1663 John Cushing was surveyor of highways in Scituate, and in 1667 receiver of excises. He was deputy in 1674 and often re-elected. In 1663 he was on a committee for dividing lands, and in 1676 was chosen to report to the governor all services of the soldiers of Scituate in the war with King Phillip. He was a selectman from 1674 to 1686 inclusive, and a magistrate of Plym- outh county from 1685 to 1692. He was assistant to the old colonial governor of Ply- mouth from 1689 to 1691, and a representa- tive to the general court in Boston in 1692, and several years thereafter. He was a mem- ber of the colonial council in 1706-07, and a colonel of the Plymouth regiment of militia. He was married in Hingham, July 20, 1658, to Sarah, daughter of Mathew and Margaret Hawke. She died in Scituate, March 9, 1679, and was survived by her husband more than twenty-nine years, until March 31, 1708. Their first child was born in Hingham, and the others in Scituate. They were: John, Thom- as, Mathew, Jeremiah, James, Josiah, Sarah, Caleb, Deborah, Mary, Joseph and Benjamin.

(IX) Rev. Caleb, seventh son of John (2) and Margaret (Hawke) Cushing, was born January 16, 1673, in Scituate, was baptized May II, following, and died January 25, 1752. He graduated from Harvard College in 1692, went to Salisbury in March, 1696, and was ordained a minister of the First Church there in 1698. He was one of the numerous sign- ers of the document unfavorable to the itiner- ary Whitfield, and endorsing the proceedings of the Harvard College in 1744, in reference to his career. His pastorate for the Salisbury

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church covered a period of fifty-six years. The minister who had charge of his funeral exclaimed: "We know not the man in the county of Essex who has moulded a superior and deeper influence on the minds of his people than this favorable divine." He was a man of most exemplary conversation, a pru- dent and truly wise councillor. He was mar- ried March 14, 1698, to Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. John Cotton, and widow of Rev. James Alling, his predecessor as minister at Salisbury. His children were: Caleb, James, John and Elizabeth.

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Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume IV, Part 42

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: 896

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: 896