USA > Maine > York County > Kennebunkport > History of Kennebunk Port, from its first discovery by Bartholomew Gosnold, May 14, 1602, to A. D. 1837 > Part 8
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
Trott,-probably John,-resided at Cape Porpoise, and died before 1666. His wife survived him, as Mor- gan Howell sold a lot of land to John Barret, " near a wigwam that onne *Goody Trott did make and live in." He left a son, John, who married Mary, daughter of Stephen Batson of Wells. The latter also left a son John, who was a weaver and resided in Nantucket, and perhaps other children. Trott's Island was probably granted to one of them, but if it was, the grant was not recorded.
¡Nicholas Bartlett of Cape Porpoise, in 1651, had a grant from George Cleaves, of 100 acres of land at Casco Bay. He however did not remove to Casco, and sold his lot to John Higginson, jr. in 1700. As his name does not appear amongst those who signed the submission to Massachusetts in 1653, it is likely he had removed from the town.
*Persons who held civil or military offices, always had their titles given them, and their wives were called Mrs. Respectable citizens were entitled Mr. and their wives also bore the title of Mrs. Married men, who were less respectable, were called Good- man, and their wives, Goodwife or Goody. Persons of the lower classes, and unmarried persons, were called by their christian names.
tWillis's Hist. Portland, 1. Coll. Me. Hist. Soc. p. 67.
87
A. D. 1716.] KENNEBUNK PORT.
Phinea Hull,-probably Phineas Hall,-was taxed in 1632, £2 for his saw mill to support Fort Loyal ; and Gilbert Endicott ££1, for the same purpose. Their mills were in this town, and it is probable that the persons also resided here, as Hall was presented in 1634, for " sawcy and abusive languadge to Mr. Millborne their minister," and fined 28s. Mr. William Milburne was the minister of the united parishes of Saco and Cape Porpoise.
" Richard Ball of Cape Porpus, sometimes of Win- ter Harbour," for £29 9s sterling, sold to Bryan Pen- dleton " all that Island at Cape Porpus, commonly known by the Name of Long Island, sometimes by the name of Smyth's Island (and now properly belonging unto me) containing about Fifty acres, with all the buildings or Edifices of mine thereon, with all the priviledges of fishing thereon." The above from the county records, furnishes all the knowledge there is of Richard Ball, or of any of that name, that ever resided in this town .*
Richard Moore, in 1647, had a grant of 400 acres of land, " together in the village of Cape Porpus," on the south west side of Little (Batson's) river. The grant was from George Cleaves, for the consideration of 10s sterling, yearly, payable on the first day of May.
William 'Tilly's name only appears as witness to the transfer of a grant of land, from Moore to Jeffery.
Simon Bussy came from Scarborough and married Margaret Wormwood in 1659, and for some misde- meanor, in which they were both implicated, they re- ceived " ten lashes apiece on their bare skin." Bussy was .a witness to Montague's will. John Sanders speaks of him as " his loving neighbour of Winter Harbour." Bussy, with his family, was taken prisoner in 1638, by the Indians, and carried to Teconnet. He lived near where Silas Pinkham does. There was a Mary Bussy living in Arundel in 1720. Barrow, whose christian name is not given, was also taken pris-
"There was an Edward Ball presented in 1661, for not living with his wife ; and a John Ball in 1673, for cursing ; but it does not appear where they resided. In 1651, John had a fishing stage at Cape Neddock.
88
HISTORY OF [A. D. 1716.
oner, with his family, at the same time with Bussy. Probably neither of thein ever returned.
Robert Cooke of Cape Porpoise was indicted in 1653. He was again presented in 1656 ; and it was ordered by the Court, that the sheriff " have liberty to make sayle of him to Barbadoes, or some other place." He probably was not sold, as a person of the same name was forbidden to reside in Saco, in 1670.
Walter Penniwell, Penwell, or Pennel, was an in- habitant of Saco, in 1647, and married Mary, the daughter of Robert Booth. He died 1682. His chil- dren were, Walter, John, Mary, Deborah, Sarah and Susanna.
Walter jr. who was born in 1648, and removed to Cape Porpoise before his father died, was presented by the grand jury, and severely punished. In 1681, he was again complained of, by Lieut. Purinton, as ap- pears by the following presentment. " Wee present Walter Penwell, jun. for marking Mr. Watts his horse, as I apprehend to appropriate to himself, and upon his reproof for so doing, sayd Penwell sayd, Devil take him, and turned him going. John Puddington Com- plainant." After his father's death, he removed to Saco, for as an inhabitant of that town, in 1682, he received fifteen stripes, for killing the cow of Joseph Bowles of Wells. He afterwards removed to York, where he was living in 1722, at the age of seventy four, as he stated in an affidavit taken at that time.
John, the second son of old Walter, died the same year his father did.
Humphrey Scamman (who was probably the son of the Richard Scamman that was admitted freeman at Portsmouth, in 1642,) removed from Portsmouth to Kittery Point, and afterwards to this town. He was chosen constable of the town in 1678. He went to Saco June 12th, 1680, and kept the ferry over Saco river. In 1693, he and his family were taken prison- ers, and carried to Canada. He died 1st January, 1727. The name of his wife was Elizabeth. His children were Humphrey, Elizabeth, Mary, Hannah and Rebecca. Mary married Lieut. Purinton ; and Hannah, Allison Brown. Scamman's descendants are very numerous in Saco.
89
KENNEBUNK PORT.
.t. D. 1716.]
John Purinton,-sometimes called Purrington, and sometimes Puddington,-was the son of George Pur- inton, one of the first aldermen of the city of Gorge- ana, (York) which was incorporated in 1641. Mary, the wife of George, had to make confession of her " light carriage," and ask her husband's pardon, on her knees, in open court. After her husband's death* in 1647, she married Capt. John Davis of Gorgeana. George Purinton left five children, John, Elias, Mary, Frances and Rebecca. John married Mary Scam- man, and removed to this town. He was on the grand jury in 1663 ; and town clerk, and one of the selectmen till the town was deserted. In 1681, he had a grant of land from the town, to be laid out " as convenient to his now dwelling house as it may be had."t
Lieut. Purinton wrote a very good hand, and was a man of good education ; and he took a very active part in the affairs of the town. He was one of the trus- tees, to whom President Danforth gave a deed of the town. In 1638, he was a Lieutenant, and commanded a company of men, stationed at the fort on Stage, or Fort Island ; and was excused from attending court, to answer a presentinent against " Cape Porpoise parish for not having a pair of stocks, in consequence of his being in his Majesty's service." He left the town when it was deserted in 1690, and died two or three years af- terwards. He left three sons, Jolin, James and Joshua, and perhaps other children. John was a house car- penter, and removed to Salisbury. James administered upon his father's estate; and was required by the court to produce the record's of the town, which had been in the possession of the family. Joshua, who married a daughter of Philip Durrill, was a shoe maker, and resided in Hampton in 1720. He had a grant of 100 acres of land, in 1732, and was made a proprietor of the town, for producing Danforth's deed when the town was threatened with a lawsuit.
The first notice of Nicholas Morey, or Moorey, a carpenter, on the county records, is in 1680. He
*By his will he left his wife a " flock bed."
tHe lived " at the turn on Kennebunk river above intervala point."-Town records.
HI H
90
HISTORY OF
[A. D. 1716.
1
probably kept a public house in Wells, as he was com- plained against, in 1682, for selling rum without a license. He continued to reside in Wells till 1685, when he was appointed attorney of Jonathan Corwine of Salem, and some other merchants of Boston, to transact their business in this Province. In 1686, he had a grant of 100 acres of land, from the town of Cape Porpoise, joining land of John Rennolds on Kennebunk river. He removed to this town the same year, and had a license " for keeping a house of inter- tainment, and retayling all sorts of Liquors for the town of Cape Porpus." The next year he complained of John Downing for retailing without a license. Mo- rey kept a public house for several years. In 1637 he was presented, " as he was commissioner for the town of Cape Porpus, in giving in an acc. of the killing of a Wolf, which he knew nothing off."
By an act of court, under Gorges in 1640, a bounty of 12 pence from every family was to be paid to each person killing a wolf between " Pascateque and Ken- niboncke," and the same for every one killed between Kennebunk and Sagadahock. The law was afterwards modified, and the bounty paid out of the county treasu- ry. Mr. Morey presented an account for one that had not been killed, and received the bounty ; but whether he committed the fraud himself, or was himself deceiv- ed, does not appear. In 1688, he was one of the selectmen, chosen by the town of Saco, for this town. The same year he broke his leg, and in consequence was excused from attending court at York, to answer a complaint against the town. He probably never re- covered from his lameness, as that was what induced him to make the bold and successful attempt to rescue his friends, when they were besieged by the Indians on Stage Island. He removed to Taunton after leaving this town ; and sold the land he had from the town, to John Batson. In 1700, he conveyed the lot he bought of Samuel Snow, to Joseph Bayly of Newbury. He probably still owned land in the town, as his son Nicholas of Freetown sold a lot here in 1714.
*Ferdinando Huff kept a public house at Cape
"The name is said originally to have been Hough. There was
91
KENNEBUNK PORT.
A. D. 1716.]
Porpoise in 1682. George Jeffery, probably of York, brought an action against him for debt in 1686. Mr. Huff lived where Clement Huff now does. He prob- ably died before the town was deserted, as his name does not appear on the town records after 1686. It is not known where he came from, or when he settled in this town. Thomas, who was his son, came from Portsmouth when the town was resettled in 1714.
Jonathan Springer, a blacksmith, came to this town from Gloucester. He was indicted in 1702 for cursing and swearing. Jeremiah. his son, returned to Arundel when it was resettled in 1714.
There was a Thomas Perkins in the county of York, who died in 1661. It does not appear where he lived, but from the circumstance of Richard Hitchcox's adminis- tering upon his estate, and the name not appearing on the Saco records, it is probable that he either lived in Scarborough or Cape Porpoise ;- most likely the former. His estate was valued at £30. Besides his house, lot and marsh, there was appraised a " lott lay- ed forth at *blew poynt by Capt. Bonnighton, the said Perkins served several years for according to Indent- ure." There was a Thomas Perkins who had a grant of land from the town of Cape Porpoise, in 1681. This was probably the son of the former. The latter was the father of Thomas " of Kennebunk," who removed to this town in 1720 and had the grant of 1681 renew- ed to him, as heir to the original grantee. Jacob Per- kins, of Ipswich, purchased part of Coxhall or Swan- field, in 1688. He afterwards removed to this county, and was on a jury at York, in 1712. He could not have resided on his purchase, as Lyman was not settled till 1767.
The families of the name of Perkins in this town, which are very numerous, have a tradition, that their
an Atherton Hough who came to New England in 1633, in com- pany with Rev. John Cotton and settled in Boston. He was cho- sen an assistant in 1635, and a representative in 1637 ; and died Sep. 11, 1650. There is no evidence, however, that the families in this town descended from him. Mr. Huff's name was some- times, on the county records, spelt Hoffe, sometimes Huffe, and sometimes Offe. On the town records his name was written " fardeynandey Off."
*Scarborough.
92
HISTORY OF
[A. D. 1716.
ancestor came from Topsfield, and first became ac- quainted with this part of the country, when Col. Church was on his last expedition against the Indians. This appears to be a mistake, as his last expedition was in 1704, and there certainly were persons of that name in this province, before his first expedition in 1689. They undoubtedly came originally from Topsfield or Ipswich ; and were the descendants of John Perkins, who was born in 1590, came into this country with Mr. Cotton in 1631, was made freeman at Ipswich 1633, was representative from that town 1636, and died 1654 .*
Thomas Boardman had a grant of land from the town in 168S. He probably removed to Ipswich, as his son Thomas, of that town, had the land laid out to him in 1732.
William Thomas and Thomas Merrill had grants from the town in 1681. They both resided in the town at the time. Thomas married Mary Barrett in 1673, and for an offence in which they were both implicated, they were obliged to make " public acknowledgement on a training day." The grant to Thomas, was at the Desert marshes, near John Miller's lot. His contribu- tion towards Davis's mill, was " a weeks work and corn myself and oxen." His house was near that of Simon Bussy.
Merrill's grant of 100 acres was for killing an Indi- an. After his removal to Portsmouth, he sold his grant to Thomas Perkins, 3d. which is part of the farm of one of Perkins's descendants.
Merrill was probably the grandson of Nathaniel Mer- rill, who was admitted freeman at Newbury in 1640, and died 16th March, 1655 ; leaving his wife, Susanna, and several children ; Nathaniel, John, Abraham, Dan- iel and Abel.
Richard Randall, son of Richard of Saco, was born 1659. March 11th, 1681, he had a grant of 100 acres of upland, on the north side of Kennebunk river, ad- joining John Sanders's upper lot, " over against the Wonder." He was chosen constable of Cape Porpoise by the town of Saco in 1688, and was one of the se-
*Farmer.
93
A. D. 1716.] KENNEBUNK PORT.
lectmen of the town, the following year. He probably did not return to this town when it was resettled. Margery Randall, probably sister of Richard of Saco, married William Norman 1650. Persons of the name of Randall were admitted freemen of Massachusetts in 1634.
Thomas Mussey was constable of Cape Porpoise in 1663. He took the oath of allegiance to the king, un- der the government of Massachusetts, in 1680. He removed to Salisbury when the town was deserted, and probably died before it was resettled. His son James returned to the town before 1719. Perhaps he was the same person called Thomas Mussell,* on the county records, in 1663. He was probably the son of Joseph of Newbury, who was the son of Robert, one of the first settlers of Ipswich.
Samuel York had a grant of a mill privilege, with John Batson and Isaac Cole, on Middle river, in 1681. Ile removed to Dorchester in 1690, and probably did not return when the war was over.
John Downing of Cape Porpoise, was presented, in 1653, for disobedience to his father. He was probably the son of Dennis Downing of Kittery. There was, however, an Emanuel Downing of Salem, at about the same time. George, son of the latter, was educated at Harvard ; went to England in 1645 ; held several of- fices under Cromwell ; and was created a Baronet by Charles II. George, son of George, married the eldest daughter of the Earl of Kent. Emanuel also had a son John baptised in 1640, who, however, could not have been the John of this town, as he had a son John born 1655.
John jr. married Susanna Miller in 1683. He was fined 5s in 1638, for selling liquors without a license. He was one of the selectmen of the town in 1689. When the town was deserted, he removed to Newing- ton, N. H. but returnedin 1721 ; and then bore the ti- tle of Capt. Downing, being the first inhabitant of the town who had arrived at that honor.
Immanuel Haynes was constable of the town in
*Ile was sometimes called Mussell by the inhabitants.
94
HISTORY OF [A. D. 1716.
1689. This is the only time his name is found on the records.
Richard Blanchet, John Loring and Simon Cundey contributed towards erecting Davis's mill. Samuel Johnson, Francis Beggar, Francis Johnson, John Rose and John Webber, had land granted them between the years 1681 and 1689. Francis Beggar returned from Salem to this town in 1721. John Cirmihill, and Wil- liam Kindall, whose wife's name was Margery, resided here in 1663, and attended the town meeting held that year. Cirmihill died before 1677.
John Miller was here as early as 1670, as he was, at that time on the jury from this town. He was proba- bly the son of Richard Miller, who died at Kittery, 1693. Grace was the name of Richard's wife.
John had an action of debt against Charles Potum in 1673. He submitted to the government of Massa- chusetts, in 1680, when they assumed the right to gov- ern Maine as a province. He had 100 acres of land laid out to him in 1681, upon the south side of the Desert marshes. He was chosen by Saco, as one of the selectmen of this town in 1688, and was elected, the next year, by the town of Cape Porpoise, to the same office. When the town was deserted, he remov- ed to Newington, and died soon after. His grand- children returned to this town in 1745 .- His son John was of age to vote in 1781. His daughter Susanna married John Downing, jr. in 1683.
William Norman probably resided in this town but a short time. In 1650, he " did acknowledge that he hath done Margery Randall wrong in taking of her to be his wife he having another in England." For this offence, Norman was banished, and if found in this jurisdiction, after seven days, was to be put to death.
Thomas Bryan, a fisherman, resided, in 1662, on Stage Island.
William Larrabee, whose family was murdered by the Indians, in 1703, was the son of Stephen Larrabee,* who signed the petition, 1680, to Charles II. to be reliev- ed from the heavy taxes imposed by the " Bostoners."
William did not return to this town after the war
*His name was written, Leatherbee, on the petition.
95
KENNEBUNK PORT.
A. D. 1716.]
closed, but continued in Wells. He married the widow of Joh a Look, and built the second house in that part of the town, since called Kennebunk .* He built his house on the eastern side of Mousam river, near where his descendants now reside. As sergeant Larrabee, he became noted in subsequent Indian wars, for his cour- age, and his uncompromising hostility against the In- dians.
Seth Fletcher was an inhabitant of this town in 1661, and witnessed Jeffery's will. Two years afterwards he attended the town meeting, for dividing the marsh in the eastern part of the town ; and in 1671, was one of the witnesses to Montague's will. His name is not af- terwards found on the records.
It is not certain who this Seth Fletcher was. There was a person of this name, who was a settled minister at Wells, as early as 1655. He was dismissed in 1660, and commenced preaching in Saco 1662. He preach- ed there but one year ; but was resettled in 1669, and continued there till 1675. He was settled at South Hampton, N. Y. in 1677 ; and at Elizabeth Town, N. J. in 1681. Folsom, from whom the foregoing account is principally taken, says he was probably the son o William Fletcher who died at Saco, January 1st, 1668 , and that he married the only daughter of Major Pen- dleton before 1655. In conclusion, he remarks tthat, " we deem it proper to add to the account of this fam- ily, that the few descendants now living, have a tradi- tion that their ancestor who married the daughter of Major Pendleton, was a common laborer in his service, although they agree that his name was Seth. This cir- cumstance shows the uncertain reliance to be placed on oral traditions ; for the evidence of records very clearly proves the truth of what we have stated on the subject."
The evidence of records, as cited by Folsom, do not prove that the Rev. Seth Fletcher married the daugh- ter of Bryan Pendleton, for the fact is no where stated ; nor is there any allusion, in Pendleton's will or else- where, to any relationship between them. On the con-
*Bourne's Hist. Kennebunk.
tHist. Saco and Biddeford, p. 168.
96
HISTORY OF
[A. D. 1716.
trary, it is presumable that they were not connected, or, where so much is recorded of both Pendleton and Fletcher, the fact would have distinctly appeared. Be- sides, it is unlikely that Mr. Fletcher, who was settled in New Jersey at the time of Maj. Pendleton's death, should have given up his only child,-certainly the on- ly one by Pendleton's daughter,-when the boy's ad- vantages for an education, would have been better with himself, than with his grandfather. There were prob- ably two of the same name ; for it is not likely that the same person would be attending a town meeting, as a citizen of Cape Porpoise, at the time when he was a settled minister at Saco. The records, probably may establish the fact that Maj. Pendleton's only daughter married a person by the name of Fletcher, but nothing more. It is, therefore, highly probable that the tradi- tional account of the family is true ; and that Seth Fletcher, the laborer, who married Bryan Pendleton's daughter, was an inhabitant of this town. It is likely, too, that both Fletcher and his wife, died some time be- fore Pendleton, or some notice would have been taken of them in his will, which was made three or four years before his death ; and that in consequence of their death he adopted their only child, Pendleton Fletcher. The fact of Major Pendleton's buying real estate here ; and the great interest he took in the affairs of the town,* heighten the probability of this supposition.
Although Major Pendleton never resided in this town, yet, as he owned considerable property here, and took as great interest in the affairs of the town as any of its citizens did, it will not be amiss to give a short account of his prominent acts in the province. He was born in 1579, and first settled in Watertown about 1634, which place he represented in General Court, for several years. He resided two years in Sudbury, and was one of the selectmen of that town. In 1646 he was a member of the artillery company, and a captain in the militia. About 1650, he removed to Portsmouth, and was representative from that town
*Bourne, in his History of Kennebunk, says Major Pendleton owned a large trading and fishing establishment at Cape Porpoise.
97
A. D. 1716.] KENNEBUNK PORT.
five years ; and was appointed major in the militia. In 1653, he was one of the commissioners to receive the submission of the inhabitants of Maine to Massa- chusetts. In 1665, he went to Saco, and returned to - Portsmouth in 1676. He was counsellor under Presi- dent Danforth; and was deputy president of the province, and presided at the county courts. He died in 1680. His only son, James, removed to Connecticut, where his descendants are numerous.
Major Pendleton, by his will, gave to his wife "all his houseing and land, at Cape Porpus, which Richard Palmer's wife had the use of during her life." He gave to his grandchild, James Pendleton, 100 acres of upland, and 10 acres of meadow, which he bought of John Bush, " in the Township of Cape Porpus, near princes rock." To his son James he gave about 300 acres of land, and all his " several Islands in or near Cape Porpus," which were in possession of Richard Palmer. To his grandchild, Pendleton Fletcher, he gave his property at Winter Harbor. The islands which Jeffery sold to Pendleton, in 1658, are described " as being the very next unto that, Pendleton bought, and John Bush as his Tenant doth now possess."
Edmund Littlefield was an early settler in Wells. He brought a large family with him, some of whom were married. He made his will in 1661, and gave to his " eldest son Francis," and to Anthony, and his daughter, Elizabeth Wakefield, all his tract of land, lying on the north east side of Kennebunk river, which had been granted to him by George Cleaves. He also gave property to his sons, John and Thomas, and to his daughters, Mary Barrett and Hannah Littlefield. His wife Ann, and his " youngest son, Francis," were appointed executors. His property was valued at about £600.
His eldest son Francis came to this country some time before the rest of the family, and was supposed to be dead ; and the same name was afterwards given to another son. When Edmund came over, he bought a tract of land in Wells, and on going to take possession of it, he found his eldest son, who he thought was dead, already settled in that township. Anthony, who married Mary, the daughter of Thomas Page of Saco,
I
98
HISTORY OF
[A. D. 1716.
and Francis sen. removed into this town soon after their father's death. Anthony died in 1662, leaving an only child, Edward, who was bound to his uncle Francis sen. for 12 years. His widow removed to Saco. In 1663 she authorized Francis to sell her third part of the 1000 acres which were in Cape Porpoise, in the possession of her mother Ann Littlefield.
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.