USA > Maine > York County > Saco > History of Saco and Biddeford, with notices of other early settlements, and of proprietary governments, in Maine, including the provinces of New Somersetshire and Lygonia > Part 15
USA > Maine > York County > Biddeford > History of Saco and Biddeford, with notices of other early settlements, and of proprietary governments, in Maine, including the provinces of New Somersetshire and Lygonia > Part 15
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*Scarboro' Records. 12 Mass. Hist. Coll. iv. 100 The name was sometimes written Scottoway. Church's Wars, 103. 2d edition.
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dividing bounds between Saco and Scarborough shall be that river commonly called the Little river next unto Scarborough, and from the mouth of said river shall run upon a due northwest line into the country unto the ex- tent of eight miles. (Signed.) Nicholas Shapleigh, Ed- ward Rishworth, Abraham Preble. Octo. 18, 1659." These boundaries have been adhered to from that period to the present.
The mouth of Little river next to Scarboro' having shifted its position from time to time, the bounds on that side have accordingly fluctuated ; and it is now quite un- certain where the line as originally run, met the sea. There is some reason to suppose that this small stream, or creek, formerly discharged at least one hundred rods eastward of the present line. Had the extent of the eastern patent been known, it is probable the commission- ers would have made that of the town to correspond. The patent line was run 1681 ; it is now from 200 to 220 rods distant from the town line. More than 3000 acres of the township granted to Mr. Lewis and Capt: Bonython, thus lie in Scarborough ; all of which mani- fesdy belongs to Saco. Great inconvenience arises to the inhabitants of both towns who own lands within the patent, on its eastern side, as they almost invariably fall in part within the limits of the two towns; the line of the patent having been necessarily adopted as the boun- dary of these estates.
Some of the heirs of Lewis and Bonython petitioned the Gen. Court for a division of the patent in 1674. A committee was then appointed to inquire into their claims, who reported as follows : "1. We find a patent appertain- ing unto Richard Foxwell and Richard Cummings. 2. From thence we find that they challenge a patent right four miles by sea side eight into the country, whereof they claim 1-4 by deed made them by Capt. R. Bony- thon, whose daughters they married, in consideration of their fortunes of 100 marks each, which by him, the father, was received of theirs when they were in England. That Capt. Richard Bonython did settle upon the north side of Sacadebock, Saco river, as did Thomas Lewis, who had possession given them by Edward Hilton, who
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by order was commissioned thereunto. We do not find any orderly bounding or laying out of said patent." The committee consisted of Rich. Waldron of Dover, Spea- ker of the House ; J. Wincoll, and E. Rishworth .* A division was afterwards ordered, and made with the con- sent of the parties, of which the following is a copy.
"We, John Wincoll, John Penwill, and Abraham Pre- ble, being chosen by mutual consent of James Gibbins, John Bonython, Philip Foxwell, and John Harmon, heirs and proprietors of that patent land granted to Lewis and Bonython, as by their agreement obligatory bearing date Nov. 12, 1680, may appear, for equally dividing said land between them, we accordingly on Sept. 19, 1681, came and measured the lower part next Saco river 142 poles north west from the foot line unto a certain small water run, called Haley's Gut, being the ancient bound marked between the aforesaid Bonythou or his father, and the said Gibbins, and from said Haley's Gut upon a north east by north line unto the middle line of said patent, together with that triangular piece of land lying next Saco river and below the north east and south west line of the pa- tent, which contains 400 acres of land next the sea, all which is to belong to said Gibbins for his first division.
2. From Haley's Gut we measured 592 poles north west unto a little brook a little below Mr. Blackman's mill, and thence north east by north to the middle line aforesaid, which is two miles, and it belongs to John Bo- nython for his first division.
3. We measured two miles and 50 poles north west from Thomas Rogers' garden by the sea in the mid- dle line aforesaid, and from the end of that said two miles and fifty poles, two miles north east to the line of the patent next Blue-point, the aforesaid 50 poles above the two miles north west in lieu of the half of the afore- said triangle of land next Saco river mouth, which is to. belong to Philip Foxwell and John Harmon for their first division.
4. We measured from the north west end of the afore- said two miles and 50 poles, two miles wanting 50 poles
*Mass. Records.
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north west in the aforesaid middle line unto a maple tree, and from thence two miles north east to the outside line of the patent, to James Gibbins for his second division.
5. The next division is to run from the aforesaid little brook below Mr. Blackman's mill in Saco river 33 miles and 18 poles north west, and from thence two miles north east to the middle line of the patent, to belong to Gib- bins for his third division.
6. From the north west end of the aforesaid 33 miles and 18 poles, J. Bonython is to run two miles 48 poles next Saco river to the north west end of the patent, and thence two miles north east along the head line of the patent to the middle line, for his second division.
:. 7. The next division on the north east side of said pa- tent is to begin at the north west end of the aforesaid four miles in length already measured, and to be two miles square-for Foxwell and Harmon's-second division.
8. The last division of the north east side of the pa- tent is to begin at the north west end of the first two miles square, and to be also two miles square to the head of said patent, and to belong to Gibbins for his fourth division. Acknowledged by the Proprietors, Sept. 23, 1681."*
It hence appears that one half of the patent was set off to Gibbins, as the heir of Mr. Lewis; the other moiety to the heirs of Capt. Bonython, viz. his son, who had a double portion, and the heirs of his two daughters.
The purchases of Mr. Blackman were made not long after the division. Mr. Gibbins's deed runs as follows : "Whereas there have been some motions by several of the men at the westward to remove themselves to Saco river and settle upon the eastern side, and in order there- unto have by Benj. Blackman been encouraged by dis- bursing moneys in part payment of a purchase of land of James Gibbins, now therefore I, James Gibbins, of Saco, in the Province of Maine, yeoman, with assent and con- sent of my wife Judith, for and in consideration of a valuable sum to me in hand paid &c. have given &c. un- to Benj. Blackman, clerk. in the same town resident, a tract of land lying and being upon the said river of Saco,
*See the Plan of this Division.
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beginning at a small run on the north of Mr. Bonython's old plantation, extending itself up the said river three miles and an half and eighteen poles, and back from the river two miles, being the whole second division of the Patent land laid out to me, the said James," &c. Dated 12 Dec. 1683. Signed, sealed, and delivered, in pre- sence of Hubertus Mattoon* and John Sharpe. It was afterwards acknowledged before Joshua Scottow, Justice of the Peace.
Bonython's deed of the same date commences-"To all Christian People, Greeting ; Whereas there have been some transactions between Messrs. J. Bonython of Saco, and B. Blackman resident in the said town, in behalf of some men of Andover, in order to their removal ; and being willing to encourage them, I did promise to their agent abovesaid a tract of land, now therefore know all men," &c. He then conveys a tract thus described ; "One tract of land lying and being upon the east side of Saco river, bounded by a small brook northward, which parts my patent division from the division of J. Gibbins, westward with said river, southward with a small brook to the northward of Nicholst his house." Witnessed by John Hill, (son of Roger,) William Martine.
Mr. Blackman thus became the proprietor of about one fourth part of the Patent, including the present site of the village (Saco,) and all the mill privileges on the eas- tern side of the river. Three years after he conveyed a portion of it to S. Sheafe, by a deed which runs as fol- lows : "Know all men by these presents that I, B. Black- man of Stratford, now resident in Saco in the Province of Maine, &c. have granted &c. unto Mr. Sampson Sheafe of Boston, merchant, one third part of a tract of land by me bought of J. Gibbins and J. Bonython, &c. being six thousand acres more or less, being bounded southeasterly with a brook commonly called Nichols' brook, northeastwardly with two miles from the great river, and northwestwardly with the extent of three miles and au half and eighteen poles above the sawmill Falls, and
*This person was made freeman at Kittery 1052; he had probably removed to Saco. tBrother in law to J. Bonython. Sec above, p. 116.
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southwestwardly by the great river, as also the herbage, commonage for timber, and all other things growing upon 4000 acres of land or thereabouts, lying upon the north- east side of the land above said, as also one third part of a sawmill standing upon Saco river falls, built by said Blackman upon the proper account of Mr. S. Sheafe aforesaid, merchant," &c. Dated 9 March, 1685-6 ; witnessed by Mathew Middleton.
About the same time, Blackman sold out another one third part to Samuel Walker of Boston, mariner, who to- gether with Sheafe had a share in the mills erected by Blackman .*.
Mr. Sheafe soon after relinquished his purchase to Mr. Walker, who thus became possessed of two thirds of the original tract. Sheafe's deed to Walker, dated 26 March, 1687, recites the boundaries of the two tracts as descri- bed in the deads from Gibbins and Bonython ; he also conveys to Walker "one third part of a sawmill and one third part of a gristmill standing upon Saco river falls, built by me the said Sampson Sheafe, Samuel Walker, and Benj. Blackman in equal thirds, &c. together with one third part of twelve oxen formerly purchased in thirds and belonging to the premises," &c. Acknowledged be- fore William Stoughton, one of his Majesty's Council, at Boston.
The first planters being seated near the seaboard, the -readiest mode of communication with the different set- tlements was by water. For many years there was no road except along the shore, and in 1653, the Mass. com- missioners alleged this deficiency as a reason for not tra- velling from Wells to Saco, to receive the submission of the inhabitants. It was ordered by them "that the inhabi- tants of Wells, Saco and Cape Porpoise, shall make suf- ficient highways within their towns from house to house, and clear and fit for foot and cart, before the next county
: * Samuel Walker attested the deed mentioned above, p. 158, of Anne . Alger to her cousins John and Abraham Roberts, dated at Mar- .blebead 1076; and afterwards married her. As Anne Walker, she asserted a title to one half of the Augur right in Scarboro'. It is . highly probable, that the second husband of Anne was the associate of Blackman and Sheafe.
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court under the penalty of ten pounds for every town's defect in this particular, and that they lay out a sufficient highway for horse and foot between towns and towns within that time." In 1658 the court, having adjourned from York to the house of Mr. Jordan at Spurwink, pass- ed an order respecting the highway between Saco and Little [C. Porpoise ] rivers. An effort was made in 1673, to render the roads more direct; the towns were order- ed "to mark out forthwith the most convenient way from Wells to Sayward's mills [C. Porpoise, ] from thence to Saco Falls, from Saco Falls to Scarborough above Dun- ston [landing,] and from Scarborough unto Falmouth, every town marking out their own part within their own extent." Under this order, Page and Gibbins were ap- pointed by the townsmen 'to lay out the upper way to Dunston', and Maj. Phillips 'to mark out the way to Hen- ry Sayward's mills.'
Travellers crossed Saco river near its mouth, where a ferry was regularly kept, distinguished in later times as the lower ferry, when another was established near the Falls. The first ferryman was Henry Waddock, who was licensed in 1654, and probably earlier also, 'to keep an ordinary, to entertain strangers for their money,' and allowed 'to receive 2d. from every one he set over the river.' The last renewal of his license was 1672, the year before his death. Mr. Booth was also permitted to keep an ordinary, on the other side of the river. Thom- as Haley, on the same side, succeeded Waddock as fer- ryman. He was ordered by the court of 1673, "for the more secure transportation of travellers, for men and hor- ses, to provide a good sufficient boat fit for carrying per- sons and their horses, large enough to carry over three horses at one time." Humphry Scamman, who purcha- sed Waddock's estate a few years after his decease, took charge of the ferry and entertained travellers. Com- plaints were still brought against the town for the want of good roads. In 1687 we find the following order of the court : "Whereas the townsmen of Saco being summon- ed to answer for their not keeping a sufficient highway from Scamman's ferry to the town of Cape Porpoise, Roger Hill appearing in behalf of said town, it was ordered
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that the old foot-path on the western side of Saco river be the King's highway, to be laid out and fenced at the charge of the town." It would seem that the new road, above the old one, marked out twelve or fifteen years be- fore, was out of repair, and that the inhabitants chose to return to the latter. This road was chiefly on the sea- shore, taking advantage of the beach and of level ground, free from trees and other obstructions. There was a ferry at that time near the mouth of Scarboro' river. The intervening streams of Goose-fair and Little river were easily forded ; hence the term wading places, applied to the parts usually crossed.
Carriages were of course unknown in those days ; few of the inhabitants even owned horses, if we may judge from the following record : "July the 28, 1674. At a meeting of the selectmen as followeth : 1. Maj. Pendle- tons black horse is allowed on. 2. Lieut. James Gib- bins is horse is allowed on. 3. John Waddocks horse is allowed on. 4. Richard Cummins horse is allowed on. 5. John Harmons horse is allowed on." To this num- ber an addition was soon after made : "Aug. 17, 1674 Humphry Case hath boate a mare and coult of James Were this seventene day of August, 74. H. Case, town clarck."
In 1675, a number of the inhabitants petitioned the General Court for the grant of a township above the pa- tents ; a tract six miles square was accordingly granted to the petitioners : Maj. Pendleton, John Leighton, Rich- ard Cumming, John Carter, and others. They without doubt intended to form a new settlement, which the war prevented.
From 1676 to 1680, the records of the town were pro- bably not continued. They re-commence June 12, 1680, as follows : "At a town meeting &c. John Abbot is ac- cepted into the town and to enjoy town privileges. Hum- phry Scamman is accepted into this town, and to enjoy all town liberties. J. Abbot is chosen clark of the town and to keep the town book." The next year, Abbot, Scam- man, and Richard Peard were chosen "for townsmen"; John Leighton surveyor ; Pendleton Fletcher constable ; 16
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John Bonython 'surveyor for the north side of the river'; J. Abbot town clerk.
"Dec. 8, 1681. The townsmen made choice of Mis- ter Blackman, John Harmon, and J. Abbot, to lay out - land in our town." The following grants were made at that time : "Granted to George Page to have ten acres of upland on the western side of the river. Granted to Thomas Haley as much land as to make his house lot fifty acres. Granted to Phineas Hull to have sixty acres of upland on the eastern side of the Little river falls where now his mill stands. [Phineas Hull lived at Kitte- ry 1671 ; probably a son of Rev. Joseph Hull, sometime a minister at Weymouth, Mass. and afterwards at the Isle of Shoals.] Granted to J. Abbot to have forty acres of upland adjoining to his lot of land that he bought of Ar- thur Wormstall on the south west side of his wood lot, with that scrap of marsh from wind mill hill to John Ruels ditch on the pines. Granted to Roger Hill twenty acres of land at the head of [that] lot. Granted to H. Scam- man ten acres of land. William Daget is granted ten acres of land at the head of his father Wormstall's lot. Granted to Mister Blackman to have 100 acres of upland where he can find it out of any man's lot in the commons that is not yet disposed of in the town. Granted to Mo -. ses Bennet ten acres of upland where he can find it in our township not to intrude upon any man's land."
"At a legal townmeeting held at Winter Harbor on the 19th day of June, in the year 1683, the feeeholders of the aforesaid town chose Mr. Benjamin Blackman De- puty for the year." "At a town meeting legally held by. the freeholders of our town on the 10 of May, being Saturday, 1684, chosen, W. Daget constable for this year, chosen H. Scamman for the jury of trials, and J. Sargent, P. Hull, Francis Backus, J. Bowden, and P. Fletcher, Townsmen for this year. Mr. B. Blackman chosen com- missioner to attend his Majesty's occasions at Falmouth, chosen at a legal meeting held at Saco." The select- men 1685, were Lieut. John Davis, R. Hill, P. Fletcher, J. Bonython, J. Sharpe. The next year William Dyer was chosen constable ; Geo. Page, Juryman ; B. Black-
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man, R. Hill, F. Backus, J. Edgecomb, P. Fletcher, Selectmen.
The following list of the rates paid by the inhabitants is without date, but appears to have been taken about 1670. It is probably not entire. Pendleton 1l. 4s. 4d. ; Bonython 1l. 3s. 10d. ; J. Davis 2s. 4d .; William Lus- com 3s. 6d. ; Arthur Hewes 2s. ; J. Smith 6s. 4d. ; C. Hobbs 4s .; Michael Naziter 2s .; J. Gibbins 1l. 3s. 4d .; N. Buly 5s. 1d. ; N. Buly jr. 2s. 4d. ; John Carter 2s. 6d .; Edgecomb 8s. 2d. ; Waddock 15s. ; R. Hill 12s. ; Bouden 4s. ; Robert Temple 6s .; John Anderson 2s .; W. Mare 6s. ; John Sargent 1/. ; Hitchcock 14s. ; Worm- stall 13s .; Helson 3s. ; Williams 12s .; Trustrum 14s .; Edward Sargent 3s. 6d. ; Penuel 5s. 4d. ; Leighton 2s. ; Cumming 1l. 3s. 6d. ; T. Rogers 14s. ; Harmon 16s .; Haley 3s.
It is impossible to collect, at this late period, the names of all the early inhabitants of the town. Those we have found previous to 1690, not already noticed, will now be given, with the year in which they first occur, and a brief account of the families, where it can be furnished.
Thomas Mills, fisherman, received a grant of land from Vines 1642. He was on a jury of inquest 1661.
John Leighton was fined by the court of 1645. His son, John jr. married Martha, a daughter of Rob. Booth, 1663. Their son James was born 1675. A branch of this family early settled in the part of Kittery now Eliot, near the meetinghouse, where the descendants are living on the old estate. A John Leighton died there 1724, whose grandson, William, married a daughter of Rev. John Rogers, minister of that parish, 1747.
Peter Hill, a planter, was a member of the Assembly of Lygonia 1648; he had probably settled here several years earlier, with his son Roger, who was among the freemen in 1653. It does not appear that he had other children, as the numerous families of the name now liv- ing in our towns, with one or two exceptions, derive their descent from Roger. He died in August, 1667. Roger Hill married Mary Cross, probably of Wells, 1658 ; their children, born 1661-79, were Sara, Hannab, John, Sam- uel, Joseph, Mercy, Benjamin, and Ebenezer. The
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daughters and one son, Joseph, settled in Wells; Sara was married to - Rest (or Russ) ; Hannah and Mercy to Lieut. Joseph Storer, and David Littlefield. Mr. Storer was an active officer in the second war with the Indians. Joseph Hill, Esq. married Hannah Bowles of Wells, 1689. He was a gentleman of some note in the early part of the succeeding century, and lived to an ad- vanced age. Of the other sons, excepting Ebenezer, . we have little information ; some of them probably died young. Ebenezer, well known to tradition as Deacon Hill, was a conspicuous inhabitant of the town for many years, as it will hereafter appear. Roger was still active in town affairs at the date of the latest records, 1636; we have not learned the time of his decease.
Christopher Hobbs was admitted freeman 1653 ; had a son of the same name, and a daughter, Jane, married to Michael Nostras. In 1718 John Hobbs of Boston, 'grandson of C. Hobbs, sometime of Saco,' claimed a house and land, which Maj. Phillips sold to his ancestor. C. Hobbs, senior, was living 1672.
Nicholas Buly or Baly, freeman 1653, died 1664. His children were Nicholas, who married Ellen Booth 1652 ; Anne, wife of Ambrose Berry ; Grace, wife of John Bouden ; Ellen, wife of John Henderson ; Eliza- beth, wife of Thomas Doughty ; Abigail, wife of l'eter Henderson ; and Tamozin, who died unmarried. Jonas Baly of Black-point, who came over in the service of Mr. Trelawney, left a small legacy to his brother Nicholas, by a will dated 1663.
Ralph Tristram, freeman 1655, may have settled here several years previous. He was long a useful and worthy townsman, and died 1678. His children, born 1644-64, were Samuel, Nathaniel, Benjamin, Ruhamah, Rachel, Ruth, Freegrace, Hannah and David. The names of several of the sons occasionally occur in the old records, but neither of them, so far as we have learned, has de- scendants now living. Hannah married Dominicus, a son of Rev. Robert Jordan, about 1680, who settled on the estate at Spurwink, then a part of Falmouth. Their children were Dominicus, Samuel, Elizabeth, Hannah and Mary Ann. Sometime in the second Indian war, the
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garrison house of Mr. Jordan was violently assaulted by a large number of the enemy, when he made a brave and successful resistance. The Indians called to him, saying that 'they were ten hundred in number' ; to which he re- plied that 'he cared not if they were ten thousand.' A few years after several Indians came to Mr. Jordan's house, and were received with the familiarity common in time of peace, one of whom watching a favorable oppor- tunity, struck a hatchet into his head, exclaiming as he inflicted the fatal blow-'There Dominicus ! now kill ten thousand Indian.' The family were all made prisoners, and carried to Canada. They were afterwards restored, excepting Mary Ann, (named by her French protectors Arabella,) who married a French gentleman at Trois Rivieres, on the St. Lawrence, where she was living 1761 ; she was probably of a very tender age when this calamity befel the family. The other daughters were subsequently married ; Hannah to Joseph Calef of Bos- ton, and Elizabeth to Capt. Humphry Scamman of this town. The sons became men of considerable note. Do- minicus lived on the old estate at Spurwink, and was the representative of Falmouth in the Gen. Court several years. He died 1749, sixty six years of age. Samuel, the other son of Dominicus Jordan and Hannah Tristram, settled in this town about 1717 ; and from him are de- scended the numerous families of Jordans now living in Saco and Biddeford.
Philip Hinkson 1653; died a few years after. His widow married George Taylor of Black-point.
Walter Pennell 1653 ; married a daughter of Robert Booth. Their children, born 1649-69, were Walter, the oldest, who was living in York 1719, at the age of seventy years ; Mary, the wife of Giles Hibbins ; Deborah, Sara, and Susanna.
John Davis received a grant for a sawmill 1653 ; he was probably a smith, as his forge is mentioned. His house was near the Falls, and is referred to in a division of the island 1607. Davis's brook took its name from him. He was probably the 'disaccepted' deputy 1682.
John Halicom 1653; the next year administration was granted on his estate.
16*
D
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HISTORY OF SACO
Roger Hunnuel died 1653-4. He lived on Parker's neck near the entrance to the Pool. Richard Huniwell of Black-point 16S1, was perhaps his son. Administra- tion on his estate was granted 1654; and at the same time on the estates of Paul Mitchel and John Rowland, who appear to have been inhabitants of this town.
Edward Andrews, freeman 1653, may have been a son of Samuel Andrews, one of the first colonists. Edward died 1668. Thomas Reding, freeman 1653, does not appear after that date.
Roger Spencer of Charlestown, to whom the freemen granted a privilege for a sawmill 1653, seems not to have become a resident in town until five years after that date, when he joined with Maj. Pendleton in the purchase of the Neck. The conditions of his grant required him to erect a mill before the expiration of one year, with which he probably complied ; and there is every reason to sup- pose that his mill was the first one built on Saco river. In 1658, Capt. Spencer (as he is styled in the town- book) removed with his family to the Neck, where im- provements had been previously made. The same year he mortgaged one half of his mill to Rob. Jordan, and the next year & to Thomas Spencer of Boston ; the latter eventually became the property of Maj. Phillips.
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