USA > Maine > Androscoggin County > Leeds > History of the town of Leeds, Androscoggin County, Maine, from its settlement June 10, 1780 > Part 23
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I. Bessie M.8, born Nov. 16, 1868; died July 14, 1879.
II. Lizzie L.8, born Aug. 28, 1870; married March 2, 1895. Charles B., son of H. M. Brewster, of Leeds.
III. Charles R.8, born Sept. 25, 1873; died April 12, 1874.
IV. Horatio R.8, born Sept. 25, 1875 ; died April 1, 1895.
HON. THOMAS H. BOOTHBY.
MRS. THOMAS H. BOOTHBY.
LIEUT. COL. STEPHEN BOOTHBY.
2.1 3
HISTORY OF LEEDS
CHILDREN OF REV. SAMUEL.
Susan E., born May 2, 1832, in Leeds; married Orson, son of Alvin and Lucy ( Mitchell) Lane, of Leeds, in March, 1852. She died May 14, 1858, leaving no issue. She was a young woman of good natural ability; lived a noble, Christian exam- ple and was beloved by all who knew her.
Col. Stephen7, born Oct. 23, 1833 ; died June 5, 1864, aged 31 years, unmarried. In his early years he worked at home on his father's farm, and attended the common school at North Leeds. He then took a preparatory course at Litchfield Seminary ; entered Waterville College in 1853, and graduated in 1857. He afterwards taught school; also served as instructor and lecturer for teachers institute, under the State superintendent of educa- tion. In the spring of 1861, he formed a co-partnership with Mark H. Dunnell afterwards a member of Congress, and engaged in the practice of law in Portland, with flattering prospects of success. This business relation was not long continued, for both members of the firm responded to the call for men to defend the flag. Stephen Boothby entered the First Maine Cavalry as First Lieutenant of Company F, and was promoted to a captaincy after entering the field the next year. He was on duty with his com- pany until appointed Major in March or April, 1863, with the exception of a few months in the autumn of 1862, while aide- de-camp to the military governor of Frederick, Md., during the campaign in that state. In July, 1864, he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, which rank he held until his death. While skirmishing at Shepardstown, he was badly wounded in the back, but remained some time in the saddle. He was allowed to return home for a short time to recuperate. He led a charge in the battle at Beaver Dam Station, Va., May 10, 1864, and was shot through the right breast and right shoulder, necessitating the operation of exsection, the right arm being removed at the shoulder joint. After a wearying ride over the rough roads in an ambulance around Richmond for five days, he was placed on a hospital boat, and his splendid constitution, indomitable courage and unyielding will, kept him up so well that he could help him- self considerably. But he died in a hospital at Point Lookout, Md., June 5, 1864, at the age of 30 years, 7 months, and 12 days. His body was taken to his father's home in Lewiston, and received a military burial. Almost the entire Cumberland bar, of which he was a member was present, and a large military escort followed the body to the grave and fired the last salute. The horse he rode in the field was led in the procession. We can- not more appropriately supplement the foregoing than by quot- ing from an address by Col. C. H. Smith, at a reunion of the First Maine Cavalry at Lewiston, on Sept. 2, 1879:
"Lieut .- Col. Boothby died. And as his noble soul went out,
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there came to take its place the spirit of a deeper devotion of duty, a higher love of country, a nobler disregard of danger in the cause of right and justice, that hovered over the regiment until its muster-out, and that still lingers around and guides the comrades who were so fortunate as to serve in the light of his- example. Lieut .- Col. Boothby died. And shall we here to-day mourn his loss? Shall we drop a tear, or breathe a word of pity that he died so young, while so bright a future was before him? No! Lieut .- Col. Boothby died. Let us here, standing by his grave, remembering his noble life and glorious death, each one pledge ourselves to emulate his example. Let us each one pledge ourselves anew to keep his memory, and the memory of our comrades, and the memory of the cause for which they died, ever bright, and to practice ourselves, and teach our children lessons of patriotism, of fidelity to duty and to God, of love of liberty, and of reverence for the dear old, grand old Stars and Stripes, the lessons which we read as we stand here by the grave of one who gave his life for them. Then shall Lieut .- Col. Boothby not have lived in vain. Then shall our sacrifices and hardships not have been in vain. Then shall the War of the Rebellion not have been fought in vain. Then shall we be found worthy at the last grand roll-call, to stand by the side of Lieut .- Col. Boothby, in the awful presence of the Great Commander of all, and joyously answer 'HERE!' "
Col. Boothby was one of those noble men whom the military service could not corrupt. Strictly temperate, eschewing the use of either stimulants or narcotics, upright in morals, addicted to no vice or evil habit, inflexibly honest, inaccessible to a tempta- tion to fraud or meanness, he was the very soul of soldierly honor, and commanded the highest respect of his fellows in arms. He deemed no oaths necessary to establish his character for soldierly independence and manliness, or to uphold his authority; he indulged in no boasting to call attention to his bravery or deeds of valor; he assumed no haughtiness of manner to give men to understand that he was one in command; he made no display to bring before the minds of observers the position he held, or to invite from them homage to his rank. But in all those qualities which could render him worthy of honor and deference as a man, a soldier, and an officer, he stood pre-eminent. The fol- lowing lines were written in memory of Col. Boothby :
They have welcomed home our soldier, but no shouts have rent the air,
And no tones of joyous greeting for the gallant sleeper there ;
But the strong men bow their faces, and fair woman's tear-drops- fall
As they yield another treasure at their bleeding country's call.
HON. R. C. BOOTHBY.
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They have welcomed home our soldier, but he came not as of old-
In the flush of life and gladness-but so pale, and still, and cold; And with muffled steps they bear him-they who loved the hero well,
While with cadence soft and mournful, tolls the solemn minster bell.
Ay! 'tis well that they have wrapped him-him the young, the brave, the true,
Wrapped him in his own loved banner, of the red, the white, the blue,
For that flag he fought so bravely, for that flag his life-blood gave,
And 'tis meet that it be waving o'er his honored, cherished grave. They have welcomed home our soldier, but a welcome strangely sad ;
Eyes are dim and lips are trembling ; tones are hushed erewhile so glad.
Ah! we deemed not when he left us, firm of step and strong of will,
That that step so soon would falter, that brave heart so soon be still.
Young he died, the gallant-hearted, but full many a gray-haired one
Sinks to rest at close of evening with his race less nobly run. Life was sweet, but duty sweeter, and he bravely, bravely fell,
For the green vales of our country, for the land he loved so well !
Then raise high the costly marble ! place upon the book of Fame, 'Mid our band of valiant martyrs, Boothby's honored, cherished name.
In our heart of hearts we'll wear it, grateful that our Father gave Souls so noble, patriot heroes, our bleeding land to save.
Elias P.7, born Sept. 22, 1835 ; died Oct. 31, 1840.
Viora G.7, born July 8, 1838; married to Orson Lane, of Leeds, Dec. 17, 1859. Three children.
Hon. Roswell C.7, born Jan. 16, 1840; first, married Julia A., April 27, 1861, daughter of Warren and Betsey Coffin, of Lewis- ton. She died at East Livermore, Me., March 31, 1868, aged 26 years. Two children of whom hereafter.
He married second, Dec. 6, 1870, Clara A., of Portland, daughter of Hezekiah and Nancy Atwood, of Livermore, Me.,
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and by her has two children. His early life was passed upon his father's farm and attending the common schools. In 1857, he moved to Lewiston, Me. with his parents, and there attended High School and the Maine State Seminary (now Bates Col- lege), and at the age of seventeen commenced teaching, in which capacity he was very successful. In 1864, he purchased a farm at East Livermore, and two years later he sold this and purchased the grist-mill at Livermore Falls, which he operated in con- nection with the "feed business," for twenty years; since which time he has been in the wood and coal business.
He was a member of the Board of School Committee 1866-69 ; Supervisor of Schools, 1871-74; on the Board of Selectmen 1875-87 and 1891-94, and chairman of this board for the last twelve years of his service; County Commissioner from 1883 to 1893; Justice of the Peace and Trial Justice for many years, in which last capacity he has sat as judge in all the cases that could come before that court for at least fifteen years. He was the member of the Executive Council from Androscoggin County during the two years 1897-98, and on the 16th day of March, 1899, was appointed Judge of the Livermore Falls Municipal Court, which position he now holds.
He is a member of the Baptist Church, of which he has been deacon and leader of the choir for a long time.
He has given much attention to vocal music. For many years he has been prominent in Masonic bodies, having held the offices of Master High Priest and D. D. Grand Master.
Emma L.7, born Feb. 9, 1842, in Leeds ; was married to Wil- lard Lothrop, of Leeds, son of Solomon and Sally Lothrop, June II, 1860, and has three children.
Sarah H.", born March 19, 1851; married July 25, 1873, Frederick B. Stanford, of Lewiston, by whom two children. They afterwards went to Brooklyn, N. Y., where they still reside.
Marietta7, born July 12, 1853 ; died September 22. 1872.
CHILDREN OF WILLIAM.
Orissa7, born Jan. II, 1835 ; died Feb. 2, 1837.
Lewis P.7, born June 16, 1839; married Lois A. Hersey, daughter of Samuel and Harriet Hersey, of Fayette, Me. He died Oct. 10, 1890. They had one child, Carrie H., who was born July 4, 1868; married Stephen Wing, son of Salmon and Ardelia Wing, of Leeds. They now reside in Putnam, Conn.
Orrah A.", born Feb. 20, 1844; married John L. B. Farring- ton, son of Rev. James and Melinda F. Farrington, of Wilton, Feb. 20, 1867. They have one daughter, Susan F., born Jan. 3, I871.
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HISTORY OF LEEDS
CHILDREN OF SUSAN E. AND ORSON LANE.
Melvin Clark Lanes, born at Leeds in 1852; married Lizzie Howard, daughter of Orren Howard, of Brockton, Mass., for- merly of Leeds. Mr. Lane went to Brockton, Mass., when a young man and for 23 years was engaged in the meat business ; was widely known throughout the city, and was highly respected by all who knew him; was an honorable, upright man, a firm and generous friend; was a member of the Porter Congrega- tional Church, and for many years very active in its work. He died June 16, 1898, aged 46.
CHILDREN OF VIORA G. AND ORSON LANE.
Lucy M.8, born in Leeds, Sept. 16, 1861 ; educated in the public schools of Lewiston, Me .; resides there with her mother, and is now teaching in said city.
Stephen B.s, born Sept. 1, 1865, is unmarried; is in the meat business in Brockton, Mass.
CHILDREN OF ROSWELL C. BOOTHBY.
Eugene Humphreys, born in Lewiston, Me., Oct. 19, 1863; married Miss Ida K. Simons, of Washington, D. C., Dec. 24, 1890. They have two children, born in Boston, Roswell Eugene, born Jan. 18, 1893, and Marietta, born Feb. 4, 1894. He is con- nected with a large clothing house in Baltimore, Md.
Vesta Julia8, born at East Livermore, Nov. 2, 1865 ; died Nov. 8, 1887.
Samuel Drydons, born Oct. 9, 1874; died Aug. 9, 1895. Heloise Helena, born May 5, 1883.
CHILDREN OF EMMA L. AND WILLARD LOTHROP.
Susan E.8, born Jan. 10, 1861 ; married Gustavus W., son of Giddings and Cassandra Benson Lane, of Leeds, Sept. 23, 1883; no children.
Frank B.8, born July 12, 1862, is unmarried; is connected with a dry goods house in Philadelphia and has an office in Bos- ton, Mass., where he resides.
Sarah Clyde8, born Aug. 6, 1879; is a graduate of Farming- ton, Maine, Normal School, and a teacher in Massachusetts.
CHILDREN OF SARAH AND FRED STANFORD.
Harold B.8, born Nov. 17, 1875; resides in Brooklyn, N. Y., with his parents, and connected with a large importing house in New York City.
Louise A.8, born Oct. 17, 1883.
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HISTORY OF LEEDS
RAMSDELL FAMILY.
From Edward1 Ramsdell, who came from England in 1761, the Ramsdells of Leeds and many another municipality trace their line of ancestry. In 1763, he married and settled in Hanson, Plymouth County, Mass. To them were born in that town, six children, four of whom married and settled there, each raising a family in keeping, numerically, with "ye olden time." He was a Revolutionary soldier with four years' service, and held the rank of Lieutenant during that time. In 1804, his son, Gers- ham2, moved from Hanson to Leeds, and with him six of his eight children, viz .: William3, Joshua3, Luther3, Rufus3, Polly3 and Sarah3 and settled near the Androscoggin River on the farm now occupied by A. P. Russell. Of the two children remaining in Hanson, viz .: John3 and Gersham3, Jr., the former settled in New York, and the latter in New Hampshire. Ex- Gov. E. A. Ramsdell is a grandson of Gersham,3 Jr. Of the six. that came to Leeds, the eldest, William3, served an apprentice- ship and learned the trade of carpenter. He was in the service of the United States Army in the War of 1812, and returning therefrom in 1814, he married Anna Deane and settled on a farm adjoining that of his father, where four children were born to them, viz .: Zophar D.4, Augustus4, Roswell, and Melvina4 J. Zopher D. married Almeda Alden, of Turner, and settled in Abington, Mass., in 1840. In 1848, he engaged in the manu- facture of boots and shoes, and in 1858, moved to Cereda, Va. (now West Virginia), where he established a manufactory which he operated until the breaking out of the Civil War, when he entered the Union service and with his company, of which he was Captain, joined the 5th Virginia Regiment, and was assigned to the commissionary department, where he completed a service of four years and seven months. He was in many battles, among them Guyandot-the first fought in Virginia-Winchester,. Franklin, etc., and final battle of Petersburg. In civil life, he twice was elected to the Senate of West Virginia, and for seven years was a special agent of the government in the Post Office Department. He died at the age of 70 years, leaving a widow and four children.
Augustus4, the second child of William3, went to Massa- chusetts in 1848 and for a year, was a teacher in the schools of that state ; at the end of which time, he engaged in business with his brother, Z. D. In 1856, he married Mary A. Alden, a lineal descendant in the fifth generation from John and Priscilla (Mul- len) Alden. The succeeding year he returned to Leeds and settled on the home farm. To them were born a daughter, who died in infancy, and a son, B. Roswell, who married Susie G. Wood, of Massachusetts, and now resides on the old homestead
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HISTORY OF LEEDS
in Leeds, where he has two children, Mary M., and Irena W. Mary A. (Alden) Ramsdell, wife of Augustus4, died in 1891.
Roswell, the third child of William3, died in childhood.
Melvina J., his fourth child, married R. E. Wood; settled in Westport, Mass., and is the mother of ten children, six of whom are living.
Joshua3, the fourth child of Gersham2 and the second who came with him to Leeds, married and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a physician and master of his profession. They had issue five children.
Luther3, fifth child of Gersham2, married Achsa Pratt and remained on the home farm. They had issue five children, viz .: Ezra4 B., Elisha4 P., Martha4 J., Viola4 A. and A. Ella4.
Ezra4 B. married Lucy M., a daughter of Deacon Warren Howard, in 1852, and settled at North Leeds. He died in 1874, leaving a widow and four children ; three of whom are now liv- ing and with the widow reside in California.
Elisha4 P. was in the "Civil War" and died in the service.
Martha4 J., married A. G. Lothrop; settled in Leeds ; later in Monmouth and subsequently in St. Paul, Minn., where she died,. leaving two sons, both of whom were college graduates, and now reside in the West.
Viola A., married George B. Lane ; settled in Leeds, and had issue John,-college graduate, Justin and Kittie. Both sons died in early manhood; Kittie married E. A. Russell and resides on the homestead of her father and grandfather. She has a daughter, Eula.
A. Ella4, married B. King, and resides in Monmouth, Me. Rufus3, the sixth child of Gersham2, married Hannah Draper ; settled in Livermore: raised a family of five children, three of whom are living in this county.
Polly&, the seventh child of Gersham, married John Thomp- son and had eight children, all of whom are dead.
Sarah3, the youngest child of Gersham2, married John Berry, of Greene. They had issue three children, one of whom only is living
Of the descendants of Gersham2, 19 are living in Maine, 14 in Massachusetts, II in New Hampshire, 6 in New York, 7 in West Virginia, I in Florida, 4 in Ohio, 3 in California, 5 in Washington: and 3 in Wisconsin (73).
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HISTORY OF LEEDS
PARCHER FAMILY.
Though only one Parcher family has lived in Leeds, no name is better known or held in higher esteem. Daniel Parcher was born in Saco, Maine, March 25, 1784. His ancestors came from England to Massachusetts in the seventeenth century. His father, Elias Parcher, who married a Seavy, moved to Saco from Gloucester, Mass. Daniel Parcher went to sea several years in his early life, mostly in the West India trade. In 1808, he came to Leeds and with his brother-in-law, Robert Gould, bought the 400-acre Stone lot upon which he settled. The country was all a wilderness then, the only roads being by spotted trees.
In religion, Mr. Parcher was an active Free Will Baptist; in politics a Whig until the formation of the Republican party. He held various town offices and was a prominent and respected man in the community.
Daniel Parcher was twice married; his first wife being Sally Andrews, and his second, Clara Berry, and had a large family of children.
The eldest daughter, Miranda, married Samuel Elden and lived in Saco; Sewall F. studied medicine and practiced in Tur- ner and East Boston ; Martha married John A. True and lived in Livermore; Olive married Eben True and lived in Turner. These four are all dead. Loring married Hannah Huntoon and settled on a farm in Livermore; Aurelia married David L. Page, of Belgrade, in which town she still lives. By his second wife Mr. Parcher had five children, Loraine, Mira, Miranda, George and Effie C., of whom four are living. Loraine married Eliab Sturtevant and died in Charlestown, Mass .; Mira married Ward H. Jennings and settled in Lapeer, Michigan; Miranda married Charles W. Stuart, of Belgrade; Effie C. married George E. Minot, of Belgrade.
George is the only one of these eleven children left in Leeds, and he owns the farm which his father cleared. He married Car- rie W. Norton, of Blandford, Mass., Nov. 17, 1869. She died March 8, 1881, leaving a daughter, Clara May, and a son, Fred N. Mr. Parcher in early life, taught school in Maine and Michigan. He has served the people of his native town as a member of the School Committee, as Superintendent of Schools and as selectman; has been a member of the House of Repre- sentatives ; has twice represented Androscoggin County in the State Senate; has long been a justice of the peace, and is now serving his ninth year as a member of board of county commis- sioners. He has been an earnest worker in the Grange, and his influence is always felt in whatever will advance the best inter- ests of his town and county. In politics he is an active Repub- lican.
DANIEL PARCHER.
22I
HISTORY OF LEEDS
BATES FAMILY.
Solomon Bates moved his family from Scituate, Mass. to Maine, in the year 1787. Three of his sons afterwards settled in Leeds.
Doubty, son of Solomon, was out with his father in the Revo- lution. He was an iron-smith by trade and a man of excellent character. He married Polly Perry and had five children : Charles, Polly, William, Jane and Huldah, all of whom lived in Leeds and were unmarried except Charles. The father died Jan. 1, 1835.
Charles settled on a farm near his father. He married first, a Miss Merrill and had one son, Lloyd, who resides in Canton, Mass.
His second wife was Hannah Lindsey. They had four children, Orren, George, Silas and Betsey. All married except George, who still occupies the old homestead.
Orren, married Tylia Lindsey and lived and died on a farm near his brother. He had one son, George, who is a dentist, and resides in Winthrop, Me.
Silas moved to Massachusetts, where he died a few years since.
Betsey resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Levi, a ship-carpenter, settled on a farm adjoining his brother Doubty, on Quaker Ridge, Leeds, in 1790. He married Lydia Sylvester, Dec. 30, 1784. They had six children, Amy, Harvey, Levi, Ezekiel, Betsey and Lydia; all of whom married and resided in Leeds, except Amy, who died when quite young.
Harvey, married Nancy G. Rand, of Monmouth, in 1824, and settled on a farm near Curtis Corner. He was a farmer and wheelwright by trade, and an esteemed citizen. He held the office of chairman of the Board of Selectmen for nearly twenty years; was also Justice of the Peace. They had four children, Amy A., born Jan. 15, 1826; married Cyrenius Pettengill Jan. 15. 1845. Cyrenius H., born June 19, 1828; married Mary A. Sturtevant in 1856; died Feb. 25, 1866. His widow and two sons who still survive him, reside in Monmouth ; James E., born Jan. 20, 1832 : married Augusta L. Wheeler, Feb. 9, 1864: Mary E., born June 28, 1834; married John Hammond, of East Liver- more, and died Nov. 20, 1859. His wife died Dec. 12, 1856, and he spent his declining years with his son, James, who still occu- pies the old homestead.
Levi, born Oct. 14, 1793, a mason by trade, settled on a farm in the south part of Leeds. He married Hannah Bailey who died July 15, 1866. He was considered to be an honest, Christian man and died Dec. 6, 1885, at the advanced age of 92 years.
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HISTORY OF LEEDS
Ezekiel, born Oct. 25, 1796; settled on his father's farm, where he spent the most of his life. He married Sabrina, daughter of John Bates and had twelve children; six of whom are still liv- ing. A few years before his death, which occurred April 24, 1873, he went to live with his son, John Henry, who still resides in the south part of Leeds. His wife died in Greene, Me., April 3, 1897.
Betsey, born April 5, 1800 ; married Thomas Owen, a farmer, who lived in the south part of Leeds. They had four children, two of whom are still living in Monmouth. Her death occurred Feb. 27, 1877. Her husband survived her but few months, dying Aug. 31, 1877.
Lydia, born June 19, 1803 ; died Nov. 13, 1832.
John, son of Solomon Bates, settled on a farm near Curtis Corner. He married Deborah Stetson and had five children, Wheaton, Jason, Sibyl, Sabrina and Martin. His death occurred about 1840.
Wheaton, a farmer, spent the most of his life in Leeds. He married first, Lydia, daughter of Levi Bates, and had one daughter, who now resides in Sidney.
His second wife was Eleanor Elms, who had three children, all of whom are dead. His second wife died Feb. 12, 1861. His death occurred Jan. 20, 1880.
Martin, married Joan Curtis and lived in Leeds a number of years, and later, removed to Bath, where he lived until his death. Two of his children came back and settled in Leeds.
Fannie, married William Wing and resides on Quaker Ridge.
Orlando, settled on a farm near the Methodist Church, where he lived until his death in the spring of 1900. He left a widow and a large family of children.
MERRILL FAMILY.
The Merrills of Leeds trace their ancestry from Joseph1, who moved from Salisbury, Mass., to New Gloucester, District of Maine, about 1756. He married a sister of Deacon Benjamin True, an account of whom may be found in the sketch of the True family in this work. One of their sons, Joseph, Jr., b. in New Gloucester, Feb. 13, 1773, m. Jane Young in 1793, who was b. in Hanover, Mass. They settled in Turner, where to them were born:
I. Joseph, June 15, 1794 ; d. Sept. 20, 1796;
2. Bethia, May 13, 1796; d. - -, 1859;
*3. Charles, April 14, 1798; d. June 1, 1837 ;
4. Betsey, March II, 1800;
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HISTORY OF LEEDS
5. Ruth, Feb. 5, 1802; d. Aug. 6, 1881 ;
6. Fanny, Aug. 25, 1804; d. Sept. 20, 1805;
7. John, Aug. 5, 1807; d. April 13, 1808;
8. Cynthia, Jan. 14, 1809;
9. Job, May 29, 18II ;
IO. Stella, Sept. 30, 1814 ; d. Aug. 20, 1818.
Dec. 24, 1803, a petition to the House of Representatives was drawn and signed by Jabez, Seriah, Levi, Jabez, Jr., Joseph, Jabez T. Merrill and many more of the citizens, asking to be incorpor- ated by an act of General Court as a distinct religious parish by the name of "The First Universalist Gospel Parish in Turner." Joseph d. in Turner, in 1839.
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