USA > Maine > Androscoggin County > Leeds > History of the town of Leeds, Androscoggin County, Maine, from its settlement June 10, 1780 > Part 10
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John F. married twice; his first wife, Eliza A., a daughter of Thomas Additon, died March 15, 1862. Sept. 19, 1863, he married Emeline, a daughter of Timothy Foster, a life-long resi- dent of Leeds. They have but one child now living, viz .: Ger- trude M., an estimable young lady.
John F. is an extensive farmer, whose name is of frequent occurrence in the list of civil officers of the town. As a breeder of cattle and horses he has acquired a reputation. His is a familiar name to many of the people of Androscoggin and adjoin- ing counties.
NOTE .- In the absence of records, remote incidents and dates, and especially the latter, are liable to meet with changes when handed down from generation to generation only from memory. As stated in the foregoing biography of the Jennings family, the date of settlement in Littleborough-1783 or '84-may be correct and probably is; but the place and date of birth of Samuel, Jr., eldest child of Samuel one of the two pioneer brothers, which was Sandwich, Mass., Feb. 7, 1787 ; and the place and date of birth of
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Alexander, eldest child of John the other pioneer brother, which was Winthrop, Me., Dec. 18, 1787, would indicate that the two brothers settled there and lived four or five years the lives of bachelors, or settled there with their families about the year 1790.
TURNER FAMILY.
The earliest available records of the progenitor of the Turner family in this country from whom descended the settlers of Leeds, make mention of George1, who settled early in West Bridgewater, Mass., and died there about 1696, at which date John Turner2, son of George1, settled his father's estate. It is also record matter that in 1668 George1 was to maintain his brother, John Robbins Turner. In 1678 Thomas Turner was a town officer in West Bridgewater, showing conclusively that at that date there were, at least, three Turners, and presumably George1 and two brothers. John2, a son of George1 and his wife Hannah , had issue John3, born in 1686; William3, born in 1687, and Hannah, born in 1689. Both John2 and his wife Han- nah, died in 1728. The son, William3, married in 1714 Eleanor, a daughter of Abiah Whitman, of Weymouth. She was born in that town in 1688. Their children were: Mary, born in 1715; Eleanor4, in 1717; Hannah4, in 1719; Margaret+ and Elizabeth4, in 1722; Joanna4, in 1725, and George4, in 1728. William3 died in 1747. Of his children, Eleanor married in 1740, Jacob Macomber ; Hannah married James Lindsey in 1744; Margaret married Joseph Crossman, of Easton, in 1756; Elizabeth married Thomas Lindsey in 1745, and Joanna married David Manley in 1752. The only son, George4, and his wife, Desire , had
issue Josiah5, born in 1754, Mary5, born in 1755. His wife,
Desire, died in 1756, and in 1759 he married Jane , who bore him William5, in 1760; Desire", in 1761 ; George5, in 1763; Isaiah5, in 1764; Jenny5, in 1766; George5 and Isaiah5, in 1769, and Alpheus5, in 1779. Josiah5, the eldest son of George4, mar- ried in Bridgewater, Lydia Pettingill in 1778. To them were born in that town five children, and in Leeds five children, to wit : Cynthia, Feb. 15, 1779; Joseph, March 19, 1781 ; George, Jan. 2, 1783; Lewis, Nov. 15, 1784; Lydia, Oct. 16, 1786; in Leeds, Josiah, Jr., Jan. I, 1789; Desire, March 31, 1791; Benjamin, April 6, 1793 ; Hannah, July 10, 1797, and Diana, Oct. 18, 1799.
In 1787 Josiah5 and his half-brother, William5, moved with their families to Leeds, the former settling on the west side of Quaker Ridge where Josiah7, his grandson, now lives, and the latter in the east part of the town. Of the children of Josiah5 and Lydia Pettingill, Cynthia® married Stephen Welcome and settled in the extreme south-western part of the town near the
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Center Bridge, where he was many years in trade. They had no issue but brought up several children of their relatives.
Joseph6 married first, Deborah Gilbert, and remained on the homestead of his father. To them were born six children, to wit : Eunice, July 25, 1803; Phillips, Aug. 8, 1805; Joseph, Jr., Nov. 5, 1807; Julia Ann, Oct. 13, 1809; Joanna, Feb. 26, 1812; and William G., April 21, 1814.
Joseph6 married second, Hannah Pettingill, to whom was born John, Oct. 14, 1816, died March 1, 1817; Deborah, Febru- ary, 1818; Lydia, November, 1820; Cynthia, 1822, died in 1826; Jane R., Aug. 7, 1824; Cynthia W., Sept. 15, 1826, and Josiah, Oct. II, 1829.
Joseph6 married third, Mrs. Esther Scammon. No issue. He died April 30, 1860; his first wife April 24, 1814; his second wife, -, and his third wife, Sept. 29, 1855.
George6, third child of Josiah3 and Lydia Pettingill, married Betsey Gilbert and settled on the farm now owned by E. V. Daly. They had issue Cynthia, b. Dec. 10, 1801 ; d. July 19, 1803 ; Betsey Palmer, b. Oct. 2, 1803; Cynthia, b. March 31, 1805; Sobrina, b. Oct. 3, 1807; George Washington, b. March 6, 1810; Lydia, b. Jan. 21, 1812 ; Deborah, b. May 2, 1814 ; d. Sept. 3, 1815 ; Josiah, b. May 25, 1816; Hannah, b. Oct. 1I, 1818; William, b. Feb. 27, 1821 ; John, b. Aug. 10, 1823; Sarah, b. Nov. 13, 1826; Benjamin, b. July 8, 1828, and Martha Ann, b. March 25, 1832.
George Turner6, Esq., died Oct. 2, 1862, and his wife April 8, 1854.
Lewis6, the fourth child of Josiah3, married Hannah Collier and lived on the north end of Quaker Ridge. Their children were Oscar Dunreath7, b. May 29, 1809; Joshua Shaw", b. July 13, 18II ; Francis Orman, b. March 24, 1813; d. July 30, 1818; Lucius Clark, b. Dec. 15, 1816; Amanda Fitzelen, b. Oct. 20, 1822, and Charles Osburn, b. Jan. 25, 1826.
Lewis Turner6 died Aug. 19, 1866.
Lydia6, the fifth child of Josiah", married Masey Sylvester.
Josiah6, Jr., sixth child, married Almira Smith.
Desire6, seventh child, married Caleb Wing.
Benjamin6, eighth child, was never married.
Hannah6, ninth child of Josiah5, married Moses Collier.
Diana6, the youngest child, married Almond Smith.
Of the children of Joseph6, the eldest son of Josiah5, one of the pioneer settlers of Leeds, Eunice7, his eldest child, married Abiatha Briggs and settled in Parkman.
Phillips7 married Mary L., a daughter of Hon. Stillman and Lydia (Lothrop) Howard and resided on the farm now owned by Mr. Seymour. They had issue two children: Victoria Helen, b. March 3, 1838, and Herbert Phillips, b. Nov. 3, 1842; d. Feb. 2, 1846. Victoria H. married Stephen R. Deane April 3, 1859,
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and is the mother of four children, three of whom are now living, of which further mention is made in an article on the Deane family.
Phillips7 died March 3, 1844, and his widow Aug. 17, 1856.
Joseph7 married Ann Coburn. They had no issue. The care of a near relative of the wife, who had a cancer, was assumed by them and they both died of cancer when comparatively young, with only a few months intervening.
Julia Ann7 married Stillman L. Howard, Esq. They had issue nine children, of whom mention is made in the Howard family. She died March 7, 1901, at the advanced age of 91 years. Although an invalid for several years, her mental facul- ties were unimpaired. To her wonderful memory the writer is indebted for much of the data embodied in this article.
Joanna7, died March 8, 1835, at the age of 23 years, unmar- ried.
William G7. was but three days old when his mother died. He was reared by his uncle and aunt, Stephen Welcome. Anna Clark Robb, his first wife, to whom he was married in Novem- ber, 1835, lived less than one year thereafter, dying without issue. His second wife was Mary S. Loring. Their place of residence was that where he was reared, near that of the late I. B. Additon. Their children were Stephen Welcome, b. Dec. 6, 1838; Anna Clark, b. Jan. 24, 1840; Henry Sewall, b. Feb. 13, 1841 ; Cynthia Welcome, b. Dec. 16, 1842; Samuel Loring, b. July 19, 1844; Mary Thomas, b. Feb. 6, 1847 ; d. March 5, 1850, and William P., Hannah E. and Jacabina-small children-who died of diphthe- ria in March, 1862. William G7. was a soldier in the Civil War. He removed from Leeds to Bedford, Mass. He died in Ply- mouth, in 1897.
John7, the eldest child of Joseph" and his second wife, Han- nah Pettingill, died March 1, 1817, when a few months old.
Deborah7, their second child, married in April, 1838, Edward Gilbert, and settled in Leeds, but subsequently in Vassalboro. They had three sons,-Wallace, Vantile and Ellerson, all of whom were in the Civil War. Deborah died in 1899.
Lydia7, their third child, married John S. Loring. Had issue.
Cynthia, their next child, died at the age of two years, in 1826. Jane R.7, their fifth child, died when a young lady.
Cynthia7, their next child, married Isaiah Gifford and settled in Vassalboro. They had two children, a son and daughter, the latter dying at the age of eleven years. Many years Mr. Gifford was a deputy sheriff in Kennebec County.
Josiah7, the youngest child of Joseph6 and Hannah Pettingill, married Hannah E. Donham in March, 1856. They settled on the home farm of his father and grandfather. They had issue
JOHN TURNER, M.D.
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Lizzie Donham, b. July 10, 1857; Ernest Linwood, b. Jan. 22, 1865 ; Alice Gertrude, b. May 4, 1869, d. June 25, 1884.
Of the children of George Turner6, Esq., second son of Josiah5, the pioneer, Cynthia7, the eldest, died when a little child-less than two years old.
Betsey P.™, his second child, married Hazel Rose, of Greene. They first settled in that town, but subsequently lived in Leeds. They reared a family of several children, some of whom now reside in the latter town.
Cynthia7, the third child, married Harrison Piper, of Port- land.
Sobrina™, his fourth child, remained single.
George W., the next child, was a physician. He married Miss Smith and settled in Dixfield. They had no issue. He later married and resided in Sumner. They had one daughter, Lucia A. She was a graduate of the Farmington Normal School and a successful teacher in the schools of Lewiston many years. She later married C. C. Bailey of that city. Doctor Turner died in Sumner when the daughter was a small child.
Lydia7, the next child-no record.
Deborah7, the seventh child, died in 1815.
Josiah7, the next child-no record.
Hannah7, the next one in the list, married Solomon L. Lothrop and is now living at Leeds Center. Her family is made mention of in the Lothrop family record.
William7, the tenth child of George Turner, Esq., married Sarah -and lived in Leeds, later removed to Lewiston but subsequently returned to Leeds where he died. They had three children, to wit: Kate Ina, b. May 15, 1859; Fred Otis, b. May 13, 1861 ; Charles Clark, b. Nov. 8, 1865.
John7, the next child, married in November, 1854, Elizabeth B. Manwell, and settled on the homestead of his father, George Turner, Esq. He assumed the care of his parents in their declin- ing years and made his the home of his father's family. He was an active, able, and industrious man. He did much business out- side of farming and held office in the town many years. After the decease of his parents, he changed his place of residence and occupied the farm where Hon. Seth Howard now resides. Several seasons he was in New York State, engaged in patent roofing business. His wife died Aug. 31, 1886, since which time he has been in Gardiner and is now residing in that city. They had issue John Manwell8, b. Aug. 12, 1856; d. Dec. 24, 1899 ; Marion Elizabeth8, b. Oct. 28, 1860; Benjamin Manwells, b. March 14, 1864; Lelia Annah8, b. Aug. 12, 1866; d. in 1899.
Doctor John M. married in September, 1888, Olive M., the youngest daughter of Hon. Davis F. Lothrop. After a short residence in Bangor, they permanently settled in Gardiner, where
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the doctor established an extensive and lucrative practice. His standing as a physician, was among the best and his death was a heavy blow to his people and his patrons. His widow and only child, Florence E., born June II, 1891, are now residing in Leeds.
Marion Elizabeth, second child of John, was a successful teacher in the schools of Gardiner, and later married, in that city, William L. Powers, of Brownville. They have one child, John E.
Doctor Benjamin M. Turner8, his third child, also located in Gardiner, where he married Carrie Dingley, of that city. He, too, died young (October, 1900), at the age of 36 years, leaving a widow but no children.
Lelia Annah, the youngest child of John, was a teacher in the Gardiner schools. She was a maiden lady and died in 1899, at the age of 33 years.
Sarah7, the twelfth child of George Turner6, Esq., married Charles Lane and lived most of her years in Leeds. They had no issue.
Benjamin7, whose numerical position was thirteen in the list, married in June, 1852, Harriet H., a daughter of Peter Lane. They settled on the farm of her father, now the property of their son, Peter L. Turner, and continued their life-long residence there. In connection with the farm work, for a long term of years he was engaged in the business of buying wool, but more especially in purchasing sheep, lambs, calves, hogs, beeves, etc., and shipping the slaughtered goods to the Boston market. He was a successful business man and accumulated a goodly compe- tency. He erected a fine and commodious set of buildings on the highly enriched farm but lived only a few years to enjoy them. His good judgment and business tact was recognized by the townsmen, who elected him to positions of responsibility and trust. He was widely known and highly respected. His wife died Jan. 7, 1892. His death occurred Oct. 18, 1896. They had three children, two sons and a daughter. Their eldest son, George Henry8, b. June 2, 1855, was liberally educated and went from school to Portland, where he was employed in mercantile life. He married in that city Annie Hunter by whom he has one child, George Henry, Jr. He for a long time has been a commercial traveler, commanding a heavy salary. His natural business tact and experience has placed him among the best salesmen of that city.
Peter L.8, the second son of Benjamin7, was born Sept. 15, 1857. He was educated in the schools of his native town and has, thus far, spent most of his life here. He assumed the farm cares some years previous to the death of his parents and has since been one of Leeds' most successful citizens. In July, 1891, he married Adelaide C., a daughter of Albert Abbott and Har-
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BENJAMIN TURNER.
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riet Harrington, of Medway, Mass. They have issue Harriet Grace, born Sept. 22, 1895 ; Benjamin Abbott, b. March 14, 1898, and Roy Stanley, b. April 3, 1900. Mr. Turner is a member of the school board and has an active interest in education and other public matters pertaining to the advancement of the people.
Grace Haywoods, the third and youngest child of Benjamin7, born March 10, 1863, married Arthur C., a son of Lucius Clark Leadbetter, of Wayne, in September, 1892. They reside in Portland, where Mr. Leadbetter has been engaged for several years in the milk business. They have no issue.
Martha Ann7, the youngest child of George Turner, Esq., married in September, 1856, Sturges N., a son of Alexander Jennings, and was taken to the home of his father, -- the farm adjoining that of Peter Lane on the east, and continued their residence there during the life of the husband. They had issue.
FOSS FAMILY.
The earliest ancestor in this branch of the Foss family to whom the attention of the writer has been cited was Walter Foss, of Biddeford, Massachusetts, which was incorporated the fourth town in November, 1718. In 1762, it was divided and that por- tion of it lying on the east side of the Saco River was incorpor- ated under the name of Peperellboro, and later, in 1805, changed to Saco. Thus in what is now Saco, Me., we locate the progen- itor of the Fosses who settled in Leeds. Walter Foss and his wife, Sarah, were living in Biddeford as early as 1730. The tax- list of 1755 shows that his home was on the east side of the river, and his name is given as the eleventh in a list of twelve who paid the highest rates. The first paid £4 os. 5d., and the last paid fI Ios. 2d. Walter took part in King George's war- he and Thomas-probably a brother-being enlisted in Capt. George Berry's company which belonged to Col. Waldo's regi- ment, and took part in the campaign for the capture of Louis- burg,-the French stronghold in America. The fort was taken June 17, 1745. The old veteran died in Peperellboro, Dec. 9, 1791. From the family record of his children we copy :
I. Walter, Jr., m. Sept. 29, 1748, Hannah Carll.
II. Levi -.
III. James, bapt. at First Church, Scarborough, Aug. 16, 1730; m. 1751, Abigail Hill.
IV. Pelatiah, bapt. Scarborough, Nov. 5, 1732 ; in Revolution- ary war, killed at Ticonderoga.
V. Joseph, bapt. June 22, 1735; m. Dec. 22, 1757; buried Feb. 15, 1773.
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VI. Lemuel, bapt. April 16, 1738; m. first, Elizabeth, second, Olive Smith.
VII. Sarah, bapt. April (?) 29, 1741.
VIII. Mary, bapt. Oct. 16, 1743.
IX. John, bapt. Feb. 15, 1746; m. May 4, 1768, Rachel Milli- ken.
X. Nathaniel, bapt. Jan. 7, 1749.
XI. Benjamin, bapt. Jan. 14, 1753; m. Mary
Of the above named children of Walter, the second son, Levi was the father of the three pioneers of Leeds, to wit: Uriah, Phineas, and Hannah. Little is known regarding him except his Revolutionary War record. His name appears on the muster roll of Capt. Jeremiah Hill's Company in Col. Edmund Phinney's Battalion of Forces, raised in the State of Massachusetts Bay, dated in garrison at Fort George, Dec. 8, 1776. He enlisted Aug. 1, 1776. From Jan. 10, 1777, to Jan. 1, 1778, he was cor- poral in Capt. Hancock's Company, Col. Vose's Regiment. At the end of the record he was put down as dead. His children, so far as known, are :
I. Uriah, b. in Peperellboro, March 6, 1760; d. in Leeds June 16, 1824.
II. Samuel, had children, George, Asa, Eliakim, Samuel, and Levi. George, Asa, and Eliakim settled in Wayne.
III. Hannah, m. Isaac Boothby, Sr., who came from Peperell- boro to Leeds and receives mention with her family. IV. James, had a daughter, Sarah, who m. Benjamin Edge- comb.
V. Capt. Phineas, b. in Peperellboro, Feb. 10, 1772; m. in 1799 Rebecca, the youngest child of Thomas and Sarah (Paul, nee True) Stinchfield, the first white child born in what is now the town of Leeds, and the date was Dec. II, 1780. He d. in Leeds April 13, 1814, and his widow March 3, 1869.
Uriah3 (Levi2, Walter1,), the eldest son of Levi1, married Dec. 16, 1779, Sarah Goodrich, who was born Aug. 24, 1759. They resided in Peperellboro, where to them were born three sons,-Levi, Cyrus, and Daniel, the last two being twins. Sept. 7, 1782, he and his son, Levi, were baptised in the First Church in Scarborough, and on the same day both he and his wife joined the church. In the spring of 1786, with his little family, he left Peperellboro-now Saco-and came to the plantation of Little- borough-now Leeds-where he had bought a tract of land, said to contain 400 acres, on which was a heavy growth of pine. It was situated on the east bank of Dead River and at that time
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was within the limits of the "Livermore Grant," but subsequently was included within the boundary lines of Leeds. On this vast tract of wilderness land he built a log house and hovel where later he erected a fine set of more modern biuldings, being the same now owned and occupied by a grandson, Walter Payson Foss. In the fall of 1785 he had visited this spot, effected the purchase and made a cut-down. When he came with his family the following spring, not unlike many of the early settlers, a tem- porary stay was made at the home of "Father Thomas," whose latch-string was always out and whose aid in preparing the first clearings for the harvest and constructing the new homes in the wilderness, was generally sought and freely given. Mr. Foss proved to be a valuable citizen and in later years, as may be learned by consulting the list of town and church officers, was a man who commanded the confidence and esteem of the people. He was a ship-carpenter. After having built his log house on this lot and made arrangements for the comfort of his young wife and children, he went to Bath, where he worked at his trade until he earned money enough to pay for his land. It may be remembered, at that time there were no well-kept highways- all about was wilderness. This sturdy young man walked to and from his work, making monthly visits to his home forty miles distant, guided in his travels only by spotted trees. He left his wife in care of Thomas Stinchfield, his nearest neighbor- three miles away. It was a brave woman who staid alone in that cabin home. The forests were alive with wild beasts, and Indians were often seen, but never molested this lone woman, who always treated them kindly whenever they came to the cabin. Both Mr. and Mrs. Foss were very benevolent, kind-hearted people, ever ready to do a kindness and lend a helping hand to new settlers as they came. They were staunch Baptists of the strict old school. At that time five counties only constituted the Province of Maine, and Kennebec extended nearly fifty miles north of its present boundaries, including the town of Phillips within its limits. The fine pine lumber on his farm proved a small fortune to this man, who selected it with judgment and foresight. Dead River served him well as a means of transport- ing it to the mill and market. This remarkable river is seven miles in length and forms the connection between the Androscoggin Lake and Androscoggin River. Its current varies, sometimes flowing into the lake and at other times into the river. Along the western banks farms were later taken up by David Berry, Daniel Parcher, Shephard Cary, Peletiah and John Gould, Samuel Leadbetter, Isaac Pratt, Gilman Moulton, and others, most of whom had large families. A brother and sister of Mr. Foss, Capt. Phineas and Hannah, came to Leeds early, married, settled and spent their remaining years there. Hannah mar- ried Isaac Boothby and further mention of her may be found in
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the family of Mr. Boothby. Capt. Phineas lived near his brother, on the opposite side of where the highway was later built, so near that they could converse with each other while standing on their individual door-steps.
With the elapse of time it was deemed necessary that a road be opened to connect this region and up-country settlements with the sea-port town of Falmouth (Portland). The route was a much agitated question. The county was divided in regard to the matter, the eastern settlers favoring one route, while those in the western portion desired another. While the controversy waxed furious, Augusta men took the opportunity to push the matter of opening a road which should connect this region with the head of navigation on the Kennebec. In this scheme were they aided by Deacon Elijah Livermore and Capt. Fish, who rep- resented the proprietors of the Livermore Grant, and succeeded in procuring the laying out and constructing of a road, beginning at the terminal point of a road from Augusta to the eastern boundary of Wayne, near the Craig Bridge; thence through Wayne over Beech Hill to the Androscoggin River to a point a short distance northerly of Strickland's Ferry. Thus the settlers of this section of Leeds were left out in the cold. "Uncle Uriah," though busy working on his farm, had no idea of being side-tracked in that way. When the new road was completed, he thought it time to be in evidence. He drew up a petition to which he obtained the signatures of his two neighbors, Thomas Stinchfield and Robert Gould, presented it to the County Com- missioners and obtained a road about six miles in length, begin- ning at Dead River, near the house of Stinchfield, and terminat- ing at the Augusta Road near Strickland's Ferry. This, together with the road that had been built from Farmington to Greene, entering the town at Beech Hill, passing along the western shore of the lake and so along by Lothrop's Corner and over Quaker Ridge, gave them extra accommodation of travel and pleased the Portland faction. The Augusta men railed long and loudly, but "Uncle Uriah" calmly enjoyed his victory. New settlers took advantage of these facilities for travel. Brothers Stinchfield, Gould and Foss had a great many guests, and especially in spring and fall when the people in the back country were laying in sup- plies and hauling their products to market. For, strange to relate, most of the new comers and old were "Good Baptist Brethren." In 1820 Mr. Foss was instrumental in having another road laid which crossed his farm. This was a county road leading from the Androscoggin River north of North Tur- ner Bridge, by the house of Benjamin Woodman, through North Leeds to Wayne.
After years of prosperity, the old family mansion was built- still standing with its yellow coating of paint, as were all those built in that region in "ye olden time."
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While working on the road in June, 1824, Mr. Foss dropped dead near his home. His widow survived him seven years, dying in 1831. Previous to his death he lad settled two of his sons, Levi and Cyrus, on the northerly portion of his large domain, and after his decease the remainder was divided equally between two younger sons, Walter and Ruel.
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