USA > Maine > Sagadahoc County > Bath > History of Bath and environs, Sagadahoc County, Maine. 1607-1894 > Part 30
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Maj. Samuel Moody had two sons. Joshua, the eldest, was grad- uated at Harvard College in 1715 ; Samuel his second son, was born at New Castle, N. H., October 29, 1699, and graduated from the same college, in 1718; studied medicine, and was a surgeon in the army of 1722. He afterwards received a military appointment, and died at Brunswick, Me., while commanding officer at Fort George, Sept 22, 1758, having nearly completed his 59th year, and is buried in the ancient cemetery at Brunswick.
While Dr. Moody was in command of the fort his sister's family, (Mrs. Esther Wheelwright), resided in the fort for safety. She had two small children, a boy and girl. They were sent out to school every day, a servant accompanying them to and from school. On one occasion, by some mistake, the man neglected to call for them. On their return alone, they were stolen by Indians, carried to Can- ada and by them sold to the French. The girl was placed in a nun- nery. She became the "Lady Abbess." After many years her friends learned where she was, and endeavored to induce her to return to them, but she preferred to remain in the nunnery. She frequently communicated with her relatives, sending them little souvenirs, and also her portrait, an oil painting, which is in the possession of one of the Moody descendants.
Samuel Moody of Portland, son of Dr. Samuel Moody, was a commissioned officer in the army at the time the English Frigates came into Casco Bay, with the intention of burning the town of Portland. Mr. Moody, being a Free Mason, was granted the priv-
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ilege of removing his furniture in a small vessel that he owned. In the haste and excitement of the moment, a feather bed was rolled up where the youngest child, a babe, was sleeping; it was not dis- covered until it was placed on board the vessel. When the child was found, it was nearly suffocated but it revived, and lived to a good old age. Mr. Moody removed his family to Mere Point, a por- tion of the town of Harpswell, where they resided for several years. Members of the family now have, in their possession, a few chairs that belonged to their grandfather, which were purchased for him in London, and were among the furniture that was removed in the little vessel from Portland to Mere Point. After a number of years, Mr. Samuel Moody removed from Mere Point to Bath, where several of his descendants continue to reside. Many of them were graduates of Harvard College-became men of eminence -- clergy- n.en of note, and attained honorable success in their various pursuits of life. In the early history of Bath, those of the Moody family have been conspicuous in the many and different relations of society. In the formation of the first orthodox church in 1797, the "Old North," there are enrolled on the list of members several of the Moody family. All accounts of the family agree that the name is a synonym of traits of character of the best and highest type, straightforward, outspoken, of marked ability and generous impulses.
John Minot Moody, son of Samuel Moody, and father of the pres- ent generation, commenced ship-building, with his brother Samuel, at an early day in Bath, which was at that period considered a large business. Their vessels were engaged in foreign trade. The first vessel built by the Moodys, was the schooner Fair Lady; several followed in succession, among them, the brig Amity, and top-sailed schooners, not a few. The schooner Marcus was commanded by Samuel Moody, Jr. She sailed from Bath, March 17, 1798, for Barbadoes, with a cargo of lumber and fish. On the 5th of May, he fell in with two French Privateers, which captured his vessel, plundering her, and placing on board a prize master and five men, permitting Captain Moody and one of his crew to remain on his vessel, and ordered her steered for Cayenne. On the 18th of May, Captain Moody managed to get the Privateer men into the
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cabin, locked, and securely fastened them there, supplying them with food, by lowering it from the stern, to be taken in at the cabin windows. Upon resuming command of his vessel, he sailed for Barbadoes, arriving there in six days, and sold his cargo. On the 23d of June he sailed with his return cargo for Bath. The first of July he again encountered a French Privateer, which captured him, taking from the vessel much that was valuable, and placing on board fourteen American seamen, their prisoners ; directed Captain Moody to sail for the United States, which he did, arriving at Norfolk about the middle of July. For a period of years, when France was at war with several nations, the ocean was infested with piratical vessels, and Captain Moody was particularly unfortunate, in being, for the third time, captured by another of those French Privateers. He had sailed on the 11th of May, 1799, from the Island of Jamica, for Bath, with a valuable cargo; after being out only six days was taken, a prize-master and three men placed on board his vessel, taking all hands from the Marcus, excepting the Captain, ordering him to steer for the port of Campache, where they arrived on the 23d of the same month. The Captain was robbed of all his effects and left destitute, to take care of himself as best he could. The Span- ish government took possession of the vessel and cargo, appropri- ating the proceeds to their own benefit. The ship-yard of Messrs. Moody was just north of the present residence of Mr. Charles E. Moody, which is the original homestead of his father ; now remod- eled and enlarged, with all modern improvements added. It has the most attractive surroundings of any home in Bath. When the last war with England commenced, the Messrs. Moody had two of their vessels laden with lumber lying at their wharf. When the river became blockaded with English men-of-war, and Bath apparently in danger, their vessels were scuttled, and remained sunken with their cargo until the close of the war, when they were raised, and sent with their cargoes to Havanna, where the lumber was sold at a very high price, although a portion of it had become decayed. The ves- sels on their return brought sugar to Boston, where it sold at profitable prices.
Mr. John M. Moody, although much engaged, and interested in
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shipping and mercantile pursuits, was also equally interested in the affairs of his town and state, and occupied several offices of trust and importance ; was Captain of the Militia, and Representative to the State Legislature.
Charles E. Moody, son of John Minot Moody, was born in the ancestral home in Bath, and at an early age went to Boston to com- mence his business life, where with no capital but native ability, energy, and persevering industry, with a firm and fixed principle of dealing fairly and honestly with all men, his career was attended with marked success, chiefly in the wholesale grocery business. Having inherited a love for shipping, he had, in consequence, been accustomed to invest in some of the large ships built in Bath; had some vessels built solely for himself; was a member of the New England Ship-building Company of this city, in which he invested a large amount of money without profit to himself. Although having spent the larger portion of his life in Boston, Mr. Moody ever retained a warm interest in the city of his birth, had of late years made it his legal residence, and had ever been liberal in aid of its business and public improvements, con- tributing liberally to the Winter Street Society and also to the build- ing of the Young Men's Christian Association edifice in 1892.
He was a member of the American Shipping and Industrial League, the Home Market Club, the Pine Tree State Club, the Commercial Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Wholesale Grocers' Association, and was a director of several corporations.
Through his efforts in the direction of practical legislation in the vital matter of pure food and medicine, a question far-reaching and lasting in effects, Mr. Moody crowned a career that has proved alike useful and honorable. He was father of the important bill that provided for this object, and his unceasing efforts secured its passage through the Massachusetts Legislature.
Mr. Moody died October 29, 1893, leaving two sisters, the only surviving members of the family.
The Page Family are descended from John Page, who, with his wife Phebe, came from Dedham, England, with Governor Win-
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throp, in 1630. He settled in Dedham, Mass., and was admitted in 1631. He died in 1676, aged 96. Joshua Page, descendant of John Page, was born in Atkinson, N. H., July 1, 1782, and the old homestead there, on the land originally granted to the family, is still occupied by members of the Page family.
Joshua Page was the youngest of ten children. He fitted for Har- vard College, but gave up his plans for a college education and came to Bath in 1805. Here he made his home at the Mansion House, which was kept by Capt. Joseph Stockbridge, and, in 1816, married Captain Stockbridge's daughter Keziah. They resided at the Man- sion House for several years and then removed to the house on the corner of High and Academy streets where the family still resides. Mr. Page taught for many years in the old Erudition School-house on High street, and died January 27, 1861. The following article was published in a Bath paper soon after his death :
"JOSHUA PAGE .- The columns of this paper have already recorded the decease of this esteemed and venerable citizen. He was born in Atkinson, N. H., July 1, 1782, of a family, as his own character gave good evidence, that inherited the true Puritan blood and train- ing, and removed to this place while he was yet a young man. Many of our citizens-some of whom are considerably advanced in life- remember him well as their faithful teacher in the rudiments of use- ful learning. For thirty-two years he occupied, in this place, the honorable post of an instructor of youth. We have had no one who has stood here in the same capacity so long. He has filled other responsible positions, and when he resigned or completed his trusts, so far as is known, he has always merited the plaudit, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'
"He was a man of great probity and single-hearted devotion to doing exactly right. Attentive to his business, quiet and retiring, remarkably reserved in communicating his personal feelings, never disposed to thrust himself into public notice, yet his eye keenly observed whatever was passing His judgment was sound, and the case must be rare indeed in which, when his opinion was finally formed, and his stand fairly taken, he could be pronounced to be in the wrong.
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"Those who had not penetrated through his habitual reserve could hardly have suspected how warm and affectionate and gentle a spirit he possessed. In his own family and in the immediate circle of his friends, these traits of character, added to those others of which the public also had some knowledge, made him to be prized as only something less than perfect."
Capt. Joseph Stockbridge, the father of Mrs. Joshua Page, was a soldier in the Revolution and one of Lafayette's light infantry in 1780, when he was about twenty years of age. Forty-four years later, when Lafayette re-visited this country in 1824, Captain Stock- bridge went to Portland to see him. When Lafayette saw the old soldier he recognized him, threw his arms about his neck and kissed him. Captain Stockbridge often, in after years, told the story of this meeting to his children and grandchildren.
"In this town, on Sunday, the 9th instant, Capt. Joseph Stock- bridge, in the 76th year of his age. Captain Stockbridge was a soldier of the Revolution. He entered the army in the winter of 1776, was at Dorchester Heights when the British evacuated Boston, was at the battle and retreat from Long Island, at Bemis Heights, and the capture of Burgoyne in 1777, at Monmouth in June, 1778, at the storming of Stony Point under General Wayne in 1779, wintered at Valley Forge, was one of General Lafayette's light infantry in 1780, at the surrender of Cornwallis, and one of the forlorn hope that stormed a British redoubt under Lafayette at the siege. Few men among us were better informed on the subject of the history of our country.
"Dignified in his manners, honest in his intercourse with others, brave and decided in his course of acting and thinking, he was an example of moral firmness that claimed the respect and love of all with whom he was associated."-Bath Paper.
Albert Gallatin Page was born in Bath, June 10, 1817. He attended the schools here and later was sent to the academy at Limerick. When fifteen years old he went to sea for a year with Capt. John Barker. Upon his return he went to Ohio, where for two years he was engaged in business. As the western climate did
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not agree with him, he returned to Bath and entered the grocery business, for many years occupying the store on Front street oppo- site the Columbian House. After this he had an office on Front street and entered into the insurance and real estate business.
He was quite largely interested in shipping and all public affairs, and at one time a member of the city government. He was one of the founders of the Bath National Bank, one of the first directors and afterward president of the Bank. He was ever interested in the history of the surrounding country, and for several years presi- dent of the Sagadahoc Historical Society.
He married Maria L. Drummond, daughter of Col. Alexander Drummond of Bangor. Their children are: Maria, Albert G. (mer- chant in Bath), William D., Mary D., Frank E. (lawyer in Chicago), Fred (jeweler), and Carrie R. I). Page. Mr. Page died Jan. 15, 1889.
William Drummond Page, second son of Albert G. Page, was born in Bath, where he went through the city graded schools, graduating from the High School in 1871 ; entered Yale College, from which he graduated in the class of 1875; took a course in the Columbia Law School in New York, and was admitted to the Bar in New York in 1878. During the time he was studying law he worked for city papers in the capacity of reporter, for financial aid, working nights and studying law days. In this employment he made himself so successful that he was invited by leading newspaper managers to make journalism his profession, but that complimentary appreciation did not induce him to forego the pursuit of the profession he had chosen. In 1878 he opened a law office in the city and continued in practice, with merited success, until his death.
Having established himself in an increasing business he married, October 31, 1882, Miss Helen Jesup Grinnell, a daughter of George B. Grinnell, who is one of the distinguished family of that name known as successful merchants and prominent citizens of New York city. Their residence is at Audubon Park and their children are Laura, Frank, Rutherford, Sylvia, and Donald.
Mr. Page was a popular citizen and honorable lawyer, ranking with the able attorneys of this metropolis. Mr. Page died in New York in September, 1893.
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The Harnden Family .- Capt. Samuel Harnden, of Wilming- ton, Mass., came to Nequasset, now Woolwich, about 1737. He was one of the Andover proprietors. He settled and had a garrison on what was called Burying Point, now Days Ferry. He married Mary Preble. They had eight children; and he died July 9, 1768. His son, Capt. Samuel Harnden, Jr., called "Brigadier," was born in Boston, Mass., August 28, 1751.
By enactment of Massachusetts Legislature, General Harnden was empowered to call a meeting "for incorporating the Second Parish in Georgetown, in the County of Lincoln, into a separate town by the name of Bath," and " March 19, 1781, Samuel Harnden, of Woolwich, presided at Bath's first town-meeting.
Gen. Samuel Harnden's life is of historical character. He lived in Indian times and their warfares, becoming a military man of some distinction, to whom was given the title of "Indian fighter." The Indians made several different attacks upon his fort, but were successfully repulsed. At the time of the "Preble massacre," in 1758, the Indians attacked the fort and were repulsed, but a grand- daughter of the General, who happened to be outside of the fort at the time, was captured by the savages and was carried with the Preble children to Canada, but subsequently was brought back by General Harnden, together with the Preble captives. The sister of Gen. Samuel Harnden, Sr., married the Captain Preble in command at the Preble garrison house in 1758. General Harnden was an extensive landed proprietor, the establisher of Harnden's ferry, was of stalwart stature, commanding mein, and a trusted leader in the community where he lived. He was twice married, and died May 21, 1808, aged 77 years.
Lemuel White Harnden, a grandson of Capt. Samuel Harnden, married Elizabeth Grace MeKown, daughter of Capt. Robert MeKown of Bath. They settled on one of the family homesteads in East Woolwich, where six children were born to them: Richard, Alice Sophia Tallman, Robert McKown, William Abner, Lucy Jane, and George Lemuel. Capt. William A. Harnden, one of his children, was in command of a Bath ship at the age of twenty-one years, and settled in Bath, on High street, in the house now occupied by his
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daughter, Mrs. Charles D. Clarke. He followed the sea up to the time of his early death at 38 years of age, and had the good fortune, during all the years of his command as ship-master, never to have met with a serious accident. Robert Mckown Harnden settled on the family homestead in Woolwich, where he still resides; the original house, however, having been destroyed by fire.
Freeman Clark was born in Conway, Mass., May 23, 1795, and removed to Bath, Me., in 1807, where he lived until his death, May 17, 1867. He was senior partner of the well-known ship-building firm of Clark & Sewall, and was president of the Bath National Bank for several years. He was three times married: first, to Frances Lincoln, of Leominster, Mass .; second, to Nancy Stevens, of Port- land, Me .; third, to Miss Sarah G. Hyde, of Bath. He had two children by his first wife: Henry Scotto, who died in infancy; Frances Lincoln, afterwards Mrs. Whiting Griswold, of Greenfield, Mass., now deceased. He had one child by his second marriage, Agnes Elizabeth, now Mrs. Joseph S. Smith, of Bangor; and one by his third wife, Augusta Hyde, who died in infancy. He purchased a house of Jonathan Hyde, on South street, and lived in it during his life. Mr. Clark was one of the prominent and wealthy men of Bath, a ship-builder and a merchant, keeping a general store. In connection with William D. Sewall he put a large fleet on the water. Thomas M. Reed built largely and constantly with the firm. It was they who built the ship Rappahannock in 1841, the largest merchant ship then afloat, though only a little more than 1,100 tons. Her appearance on the Kennebec, in New York and New Orleans, was a sensation, receptions being held on board of her at all these places.
Captain John C. Clark was born in England, lived in Boston during the Revolutionary War, was one of the "Indians" who threw the tea overboard; coming to Bath soon after that event he became a wealthy and prominent citizen. The wife of Peleg Tallman was his daughter.
The Swanton Family .- William Swanton, the ancestor of all the Bath Swantons, has been mentioned in full on pages 140 and 141, in this volume. He had a son, William.
Charles Davenport.
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John Bernard Swanton was born in Bath, in 1782, and married Lydia Bosworth in 1814. He was Collector of the Port of Bath from 1825 to 1829. He afterwards retired to a farm in Dresden, where he died in 1851.
John Bosworth Swanton, son of John Bernard Swanton, was born in Bath, Nov. 29, 1804, and Nov. 6, 1828, married Catherine Wood Reed, of Boston, who was born Feb. 7, 1804. They had seven chil- dren, of whom three are now living, Henry W., Louisa Josephine, and Mary Augusta. Mr. Swanton died in Bath, January, 1890. He had been in the hardware and ship-chandlery business sixty years, in Bath, commencing as partner in the firm of Zina Hyde & Co., and ending as member of the firm of Swanton, Jameson & Co. He. was Deputy Collector of the Port of Bath, being appointed in 1825.
Henry W. Swanton, son of John Bosworth Swanton, was born in Bath in 1833, was educated in the public schools, and graduated from the Bath High School. He succeeded his father in the hard- ware business of Swanton, Jameson & Co., was on the board of directors of the First National Bank for thirty years, a trustee of the Bath Savings Institution for twenty-five years, a member of the Common Council and Board of Aldermen from 1869 to 1873, and a member of the State Senate of 1890 and 1892.
Charles Davenport .- The father of Mr. Davenport was Capt. Benjamin Davenport, of Bath, Me., who married Lucy Eames, December 16, 1804. Their children were Benjamin, Charles, Lewis, and William. He commanded a Bath company when the regiment was at Coxs Head in 1814. Charles Davenport was born in Bath, May 9, 1809, and married, November 6, 1836, Catharine Trevett Duncan, an estimable woman, who was born February 24, 1814. They have had five children.
Mr. Davenport had a good common-school and academical educa- tion, and after leaving study was for some years engaged as clerk and book-keeper. His father died before the son was fourteen years of age. Subsequently he went into trade on his own account, with a fair degree of success until 1853, since which time he has been more extensively engaged in commerce and navigation. He
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has held several offices of trust and responsibility in his native town and city, both in benevolent institutions and in the local offices of selectman, overseer of the poor, assessor, school committee, and under the city form of government served several years as alderman and member of the Common Council, and has been president of both boards.
Mr. Davenport was a member of the board of managers of the Maine Mutual Marine Insurance Company during its existence, and was the first president of the Lincoln Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany. He was one of the managers of the Bath Military and Naval Orphans Asylum for some years from its organization, and also its treasurer from 1869 to 1872. He assisted in establishing the Old Ladies Home in Bath, was one of its first board of managers and still continues in that office, and was its treasurer in 1876 and 1877. He was for several years a director of the Bath Gas Light Company. He was one of the founders, a large stockholder, and one of the directors of the Goss Marine Iron Works. He was, some years since, president of the first total abstinence society in Bath, under the name of "The New Temperance Society." He has been admin- istrator and executor in the settlement of several estates. He has been, and still is, largely interested in shipping and as managing owner. He was for a year or more cashier of the Lincoln Bank, occupying the position temporarily on the decease of the cashier, but resigned the office as soon as a satisfactory substitute could be procured. He was then elected a director in the same bank, in which capacity he has served many years, and for many years has been its president. He has been a trustee of the Bath Savings Insti- tution since its first incorporation in 1852, and its president for the last forty years.
From youth Mr. Davenport has been devoted to the principles and work of the Methodist societies of the city. Although he has never been a member of the church, he has, by his generous dona- tions to both the Wesleyan and the Beacon Street societies, been their chief financial pillar, at the same time adding the weight of his moral character to the promotion of their prosperity. He has served as superintendent in the Sunday Schools of these societies and
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chorister to the present day. He was one of the originators of the Maine Wesleyan Board of Education and for many years its treasurer.
The moral character and reputation of Mr. Davenport, for honesty and strict integrity, stands deservedly high in this community. He has a strong regard for truthfulness, and was never known, even from his boyhood, to utter a falsehood or to use profane language, is conscientiouly careful in the proper observance of the Sabbath, and a consistent temperance man.
John Hayden .- About the middle of the last century a family immigrated from Scotland and came to Maine. A young man (George Heddenn) came with them and subsequently married one of the daughters. He settled on a farm in Brunswick and had sons and daughters. William, born November 11, 1771, was the father of John, who, when he became of age and went into business, had his name changed, by an act of the Legislature, to Hayden, for the reason that it was always pronounced so, thereby following the example of an illustrious countryman of his ancestors, the poet Robert Burns, whose name was originally "Burness," as is shown in his earlier autographs on his monument in Edinburgh.
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