USA > Maine > Androscoggin County > Leeds > History of the town of Leeds, Androscoggin County, Maine, from its settlement June 10, 1780 > Part 7
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It is a matter of regret that so little interest has been taken in this work by so many of the members of the Lane family, which accounts for the absence of important details so valuable in works of biography.
FRANCIS FAMILY.
The founder of this family was Thomas Davis Francis1, born in Hay, Breconshire County, South Wales, Nov. 23, 1764. When a lad of seven years of age he was sent to London to be educated in the schools of that city, and at the same time apprenticed to Doctor Williams, an apothecary and surgeon. At the age of ten years he ran away from the doctor and traveled on foot to his
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home in Hay, a distance of nearly one hundred miles He was at once returned by his mother and again placed under the doctor's charge, where he continued for three years more, when he again ran away and hired as cabin boy on board a vessel bound to the Southern Ocean to make an observation on the transit of Venus. On returning to England, he enlisted on board the King's ship bound to the Island of Jamaica with a cargo of military stores. This voyage completed, he again enlisted on an English man-of- war vessel, and, with that vessel, was captured by the American ship Black Prince, commanded by Richard Crowninshield. He and his shipmates were confined in irons and nearly devoured by lice. On application to the commodore, who was moved with sympathy for the youth, his shackles were removed and permis- sion given him to mingle and labor with the sailors of the Black Prince who manned the captured man-of-war vessel and took her into an American port (presumably Boston), where they landed in May, 1778. The succeeding fall, this vessel was impressed into the American service, sent to the Maine coast to aid in driv- ing the British from the Penobscot, and young Francis, having sworn allegiance to the cause of America, acted in the capacity of "captain of the top" in the engagement at Castine that soon followed, in which this vessel was an active participant. Soon after this engagement, having proceeded up the Penobscot River to near where the city of Bangor is now situated, and being hemmed in and pursued by a superior force of Red Coats, the vessel was abandoned, blown up and sunk in that river.
The crew escaped in the woods and set out through the wilder- ness for Falmouth ( Portland) via the Kennebec and Androscog- gin valleys. For the first three days they were piloted by Indians and then abandoned to find their way as best they could. At the end of fourteen days of toilsome wandering, they came to a set- tlement where the city of Augusta is now located. From there their course lay through Winthrop, Greene and Lewiston to New Gloucester, where they at last arrived-tired, foot-sore and nearly famished. In describing this journey Mr. Francis said, "We were so destitute and hungry that, on one occasion, I stole a Bible and gave it to a Dutchman for a dinner, and then stole it from him to barter again when hunger should press." In New Gloucester the crew rested and were refreshed at the home of Thomas Stinchfield, the pioneer settler of Leeds, whose sympathy for the fatigued and foot-sore soldier boy without home or rela- tives, moved him to tender the lad a place in his family. This proposition he rejected and accompanied the crew to Gray. Des- titute of shoes and other necessities, with no prospect of an imme- diate supply or betterment of his condition, he decided to return to Stinchfield's, and when installed in his family gave up his roving propensity and decided to settle down to quiet life.
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He attended the school of New Gloucester in the winters of 1778-9 and 1779-80, and when the families of Thomas and Rogers Stinchfield came to Leeds he accompanied them, being one of the young men mentioned in the account given in another place in this work of the journey of the first settlers to their homes in the wilderness. He it was who came in the boat with Marshfield Paul from the mouth of the twenty-mile stream up the Androscoggin to the mouth of Dead River, and down that to the lone cabins of the previous day, now enlivened by the songs of the ladies and merry chatter of the children, echoed along the river banks-a memorable welcome to the new home. Outside the members of the families of Thomas and Rogers Stinchfield, Francis was the third white person to dwell in Little- borough ; while Jirah Fish, who came in the fall of 1780, and whose log house was built near where White's mill now stands, was the head of the third family to settle therein. Thomas Millett came the same fall, built a log house on the farm where Herbert Millett now lives, made a cut-down, and in the spring of 1781 came again to make a burn, plant corn and potatoes, and brought his family in the time of harvest. These four families were sufficiently numerous to constitute a school of a goodly number of children, and Francis was established the first tutor in the plantation of Littleborough. He thus continued as the instructor of these children during term time, being employed the remainder of the year in the clearing of land taken up by Stinchfield in whose family he lived. Extending from the Lake to the Androscoggin River, and 160 rods in width, adjoining the south line of Livermore, constituted the land claim of Thomas Stinchfield. This he divided into four lots, retaining the easterly portion for himself, the second to his wife's son, Marshfield Paul, the third to Thomas D. Francis, and the fourth, adjoining the Androscoggin River, to Isaac Freeman, a son-in-law, who mar- ried his daughter, Martha (called Patty).
The lot that went to Marshfield Paul, who made extensive clearings and later built a frame house thereon, was subsequently purchased by Barnabas Howard, and is now the property of W. Henry Francis. When opportunity offered during the year 1783, Stinchfield and his older boys aided young Francis in clear- ing land on his lot and in building a house and hovel on the premises. In July, 1784, he married Eunice, born in New Gloucester Sept. 23, 1764, the eldest child of Thomas and Eunice (Parsons) Millett. To have the marriage service performed they were obliged to go to New Gloucester, the bride-elect on horse- back, the groom on foot, tracing their way by spotted trees. Teaching school the following winter, in the spring of 1785 he removed his wife and son, Thomas, Jr., to the log house on the farm where he continued his residence the remainder of his long
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and useful life; dying May 9, 1836; and his widow, Eunice, Dec. 24, 1852.
As a noted theologian, his church record is portrayed in this. work in a chapter devoted to churches. In this connection and as a local statesman he exerted a salutary and powerful effect in molding the institutions and giving character to the town. For a long series of years he was clerk and chairman of the municipal board of officers of Leeds, and its first representative (in 1804) to the General Court. For a time he was in the State Senate and stood the peer of the ablest in that body. In the War of 1812 he was appointed chaplain of a regiment and was a strong supporter of the government cause. During his long pastorate connection with the church, it is said that he never had a salary. His influence was exerted for the benefit of the early settlers of the town, and their differences were satisfactorily adjustedby him. During life, he was much loved and respected, and his memory is revered by the town in which he lived so long and well. To them were born fourteen children, who, with one exception, grew to man and womanhood. They made useful, respectable and respected citizens, and many of them have been prominent in public life, which duties they discharged ably and conscientiously. They were, viz. :
Thomas2, Jr., born Jan. 26, 1785; died Jan. 27, 1869; John2, born Dec. 2, 1787 ; died Sept. 23, 1864;
Mark2, born Oct. 7, 1789 ; died Oct. 2, 1864;
Davis2, born April 9, 1791 ; died March 19, 1830;
Esther2, born June 6, 1793; died Dec. 22, 1813;
Eunice2 and Lois, twins, born Dec. 9, 1794; Eunice died Dec. 18, 1862 ; Lois, Dec. 12, 1794 ;
Matilda2, born Oct. 9, 1796; died -
Betsey2, born Oct. 10, 1798; died Aug. 24, 1816;
Polly2, born July 28, 1800; died March 15, 1813; Susanna C.2, born Aug. 9, 1892 ; died : Benjamin^, born Oct. 31, 1804: died June 3, 1884; Samuel2, born Aug. 23, 1806; died Feb. 1I, 1889;
Lorania2, born June 13, 1808 ; died Sept. 30, 1831 ;
The eldest child, Thomas, Jr.2, was a man of letters and of sterling worth to the town, filling many offices of trust. He married Alice, born April 4, 1795, a daughter of Daniel and Dolly ( Whiting) Lothrop, one of the very early settlers of Little- borough, whose place of location was near where the buildings of Greenwood C. Gordon now stand. He brought his wife to the home of his father where they continued their residence during the remainder of their lives. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Leeds over which his father so long exercised a fostering care. He was a kind and accommodating neighbor, a pleasant and indulgent husband and father, and much
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respected by the citizens. They had but two children, a son and daughter, viz. : Davis3, born Nov. 2, 1823 ; and Mary3, born April I, 1833.
Davis3, the son, married first, Rosamond, born March 28, 1827, a daughter of Isaacher and Dorcas Lane. He in turn, brought his wife to the paternal homestead where, for years, three generations of the Francis family lived in peace and happiness. Here Davis3 was born and passed his life on the place cleared by his grandfather, tilled by his father and highly prized by himself. In early manhood he was a teacher in the schools of his native and neighboring towns. In the time of the Civil War an act requiring the organization of the State militia was passed, and, in conformity therewith, a meeting of the three towns of Monmouth, Leeds, and Greene was called and held in the church yard near Greene Corner. At that meeting organization was made and the two most important officers were elected from the ranks of the Leeds boys-Davis Francis3 to the office of Captain, and the writer to the office of Lieutenant. From this organization a selected company was subject to government call. He held offices of trust in his town successively as clerk and one of the board of selectmen. December 24, 1863, his wife died, leaving a family of six small children. In 1865 he married Julia Ann Fer- nald, whose maiden name was True. She was born Jan. 12, 1835. He died August 29, 1883, at the age of sixty years, and was mourned by a large and sympathetic circle of friends. His wife, who bore him one son, died in the fall of 1876. The children of Davis3 and Rosamond Francis were :
Wallace L.4, born May 12, 1850;
Frederick D.+, born May II, 1852; died Sept. 23, 1859; B. Franklin+, born Dec. 9, 1854; died April 12, 1880;
Thomas Edwin4, born March 18, 1857 ; died Sept. 18, 1874; Rosa Lena+, born April 14, 1861 ; died Nov. 30, 1891 ; Fremont Davis4, born Aug. 23, 1863; died Feb. 16, 1864. Of Davis and Julia Ann :
Fred E.4, born Oct. 7, 1874.
Wallace L.4, the only remaining child of Davis3 and Rosamond Francis, married in 1879, Georgia A., born in Concord, N. H., June 8, 1859, a daughter of John G. and Hester A. (Haskell) Francis. They have issue two daughters, viz .:
Gard Rosamond, born Feb. 29, 1880;
Gladys Hester, born Jan. 5, 1883.
He passed his boyhood days on the old Francis farm in Leeds, that on which his great-grandfather settled. When he arrived at manhood he engaged in the hotel business in Auburn, continuing therein several years. He was later a merchant at East Liver- more Mills where he did an extensive and prosperous business. After the decease of his step-mother and the failing health of his
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father, duty called him back to the old homestead where he remained until the decease of his father, which occurred in 1883, when he exchanged the farm with Charles Lane for a store and stock of goods at Leeds Center ( formerly called Lothrop's Cor- ner), where by his kindly, genial ways and honest dealings he built up and still holds a very large and lucrative trade. Through the changes of administration he has held the office of postmaster and discharged the duties of that office to the satisfaction of its patrons. He is a prominent member of the orders of F. A. M., O. F., and J. O. A. M.
His half-brother, Fred E. Francis, was a lad of eight years at the time of his father's decease, and the care of his education, home instruction and guidance, was assumed by the elder brother, In the store and business connected therewith he obtained a good practical knowledge of trade, fitting him for mercantile life. In August, 1900, he married Alice Foster and resides in East Bos- ton, Mass.
Mary H.3, the only daughter of Thomas, Jr., and Alice (Lothop) Francis, never married, and remained at home with her parents and brother Davis until his death, when she made her home with her nephew, Wallace L., where she died July 25, 1893.
John2, the second child of Rev. Thomas and Eunice ( Millett) Francis, and his brother Samuel, were both adopted by their uncle, Thomas Millett, who had no children of his own, and heired his property, the real estate being that (now owned by Herbert Millett) later owned by Rev. Samuel Boothby. In November, 1809, he married Patience Parcher, by whom he had three children, a son and two daughters, viz .: Sewall, born Sept. 18, 18II ; died Aug. 22, 1814; Esther, born June 26, 1815, and Orissa Helen, born May 20, 1828. Esther married in Kentucky a gentleman whose surname was Francis. Orissa never married and remained at home.
During the time of his residence therein few people who have lived in the town of Leeds were in public service more than Capt. John Francis. He was a man of commanding appearance and rare executive ability. As a military officer he was particular and exacting, yet highly respected by his men. His general knowl- edge and practical common sense made him a desirable associate on the board of education, and of sterling worth in the discharge of the municipal affairs of the town. In 1836 he went west and settled in Minnesota. At the close of a useful life, twenty-eight years of which were spent in that state, he died Sept. 23, 1864.
Mark2, the third child of Thomas1, was never married and spent his single life on the parental farm. To him is due the honor and praise of always being on the premises and attending to the routine labors of farm life. He died in the harness Oct. 2, 1864. He was much respected by friends and neighbors.
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Davis2, the fourth child, remained at home and never married. But little has been learned of his life. He died when compara- tively young, March 19, 1830.
Esther2, the next in the list, died Dec. 22, 1813, at the age of 20 years.
Eunice2 and Lois2 were twins, but the latter lived but three days. Eunice was a maiden lady and spent her life on the farm where she was born, dying Dec. 18, 1862.
Matilda, the eighth child of Thomas, married Ansel Turner in August, 1832, and settled in Leeds on the place now occupied by Henry Pettingill. She was his second wife, the first being her sister, Lorania. To her was born one son, Thomas Francis Tur- ner, April 26, 1833. He became an M.D. in a neighboring state and acquired some notoriety. After his father's decease he returned to Leeds, and disposing of the farm, purchased that now owned by W. Henry Francis and constructed a fine house thereon.
The inducement to procure that place was an ambiguous one-first, to gratify his mother's desire to spend the remainder of her days beside the home of her childhood she loved so well, and the beautiful site and valuable soil of which that elevation of land is composed. He died Dec. 26, 1876. The date of his mother's death has not been obtained.
Betsey2, the next child of Thomas D.1 died Aug. 24, 1816, when near 18 years of age.
Mary2, called Polly, tenth child of Thomas D., died March 15, 1813, at the early age of 12 years.
Susanna C.2, whose numerical position was eleven, married Cyrus Knapp, M.D., in January, 1829. Doctor Knapp was a son of Ziba Knapp2, a brother of Joseph2, sons of Joseph1, early settlers of Leeds. He graduated from the medical department of Bowdoin College in the class of 1825. In 1827 he located in practice in Winthrop, where he acquired a high reputation as a physician. In1838, he changed his location to Augusta, and was subsequently appointed to the office of Superintendent of the Insane Asylum. From thence he went to Rochester, N. Y., and there made for himself a name amongst those of the most emi- nent physicians in the nation. Unfortunately, further details of Susanna's family have not been obtained.
Benjamin2, whose name follows that of Susanna C., was endowed by nature with both physical and mental structures of a superior order, which, ever exercised in the farm labors on the old homestead, secured to him a long lease of life and one that the citizens of Leeds can point to with a good degree of pride and honor. A single man-unburdened by family cares-books occupied much of his attention that otherwise would have been bestowed. His native ability, superior judgment, high sense of
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right and unquestionable veracity, to which he added a general and practical education-those qualities so essential in the faith- ful, impartial and successful discharge of the duties of municipal offices and many other public positions of trust, were early recog- nized by his townsmen, and his long and varied terms of service in the several municipal departments of his native town bespeak his sterling worth. He died in his 80th year June 3, 1884.
Samuel L .. 2, the youngest son of Thomas D. Francis1. was adopted by his Uncle Thomas and Matilda (Knapp) Millett, who had no children of their own. In 1833, he married first, Sarah S., born Jan. 25, 1806, a daughter of Joshua M. and Lucy ( Page) True. His life work was that of a farmer. Some time subse- quent to the death of his uncle, whose adopted son he was, which occurred in 1834, he changed his location and for many years resided on a farm near North Turner bridge. Thence he removed to the present residence of his son, William Henry, where he died Feb. II, 1889. His first wife died Feb. 3, 1837, leaving a small child-having buried another but a few weeks previous. He later married her sister, Naomi P. True, born Feb. 11, 1815 ; who died Oct. 12, 1881.
To Samuel L. and Sarah S. Francis were born :
Susan Maria, March 5, 1834 ; died Jan. 29, 1837 ; and William Henry, born Jan. 12, 1836.
To Samuel L. and Naomi P. Francis were born :
Page True, Feb. 12, 1843, and John Adams, Jan. 10, 1850. On, or about, Jan. 1, 1859, William Henry married Zipporah L., born Sept. 8, 1835, a daughter of Esquire Ulmer and Louise H. (Merrill) Perly, of Livermore. Their residence was the same as that of his father. Not unlike the earlier members of the family, he was not wanting in native wit nor shrewd business capacity ; yet, never swerving from an honorable position in his dealings, or departing from the course of truth and veracity, he sustains the confidence and esteem of his townspeople whom he has served in an official capacity. He is one of the neat and tidy farmers of Leeds, aided by a worthy and estimable helpmeet. They have issue Samuel P. and Ulmer P., twins, born Oct. 23, 1859; Augustus S., born Nov. 17, 1864; Louise H., born Nov. 15, 1874, and Millie B., born June 7, 1880.
Samuel P. married Lucy, a daughter of Capt. Fernando Foss ; settled and now resides at North Leeds on the farm taken up by Increase Leadbetter. (Their children are omitted for want of information which was earnestly sought.)
Ulmer P. married Nellie, a daughter of L. Clark and Mary Ann (Gott) Leadbetter, of Wayne ; settled and now resides on the farm of his Grandfather Perly in Livermore. They have no issue.
Augustus S. married Ida A. Sarner, born in Stockholm,
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Sweden. Their children are Franklin, born July 22, 1893; Roy P., born July 9, 1896: Percy W., born Aug. 2, 1897 ; died Aug. IO, 1898; Herbert Henry, born April 17, 1900. Reside in St. Paul, Minn.
Louise H. married John Knowlton, of East Livermore. They have issue Harry Hale, born Dec. 30, 1893 ; Carrie Denning, born Sept. 9, 1897.
Millie Bursely married Nathan Merrill, of Turner. To them was born Perley L., July 2, 1900.
Page True3, the eldest son of Samuel L.2 and Naomi P. (True) Francis, profited by the advice of "Horace Greeley' 'and went west. He subsequently settled in Graford, Nebraska, and in 1882 married Betty Johnson. Their children are: Frank, Grace, Louise, and Ruth, whose respective ages are 18, 14, 10, and 8 years. (190I.)
John Adams3, the other child of Samuel L.2 and Noami1 P., resides in Montana. It is said of him that he married there, but of his family the writer is not informed.
Lorania2. the youngest child of Thomas D.1 and Eunice (Millett) Francis, married Ansel Turner in November, 1829. They settled in Leeds. Sept. 30, 1831, she died, leaving no issue.
The foregoing sketch of one of the earliest and perhaps as prominent as any of the families in the discharge of official duties in the town, although produced under certain difficulties, has not been colored or blazoned by vain imagination, and such errors as have appeared in former accounts have been carefully corrected or eliminated.
BISHOP FAMILY.
The earliest ancestors in this country of the Bishop families in Winthrop, Monmouth, Wayne, Leeds, and other New England towns of whom we have knowledge was Edward, who resided in Salem, Mass., as early as 1639. The church records of that city show that he was a member thereof in 1645; and the city records are evidence that he was constable in 1660. He died in that place in 1695. His son, Edward second, married Hannah lived in Beverly, but subsequently moved to Salem where he died in the year 1705. Among the historic events in Salem are recorded the drastic crimes committed by that unholy man of God, Cotton Mather, and his associate rulers, in their false accu- sations of the poor, innocent victims of their hatred who dared to assert diametrical religious views. Imprisonment and various inhuman methods of punishment were instituted for witch-craft, or casting out devils, and finally death upon the gallows was the penalty they suffered for the freedom of their faith. A blot will
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ever remain on the pages of history of that municipality. The first victim of that tyrant power was Bridget Bishop, the second wife of Edward second, which occurred June 10, 1692.
Edward third was born in Salem in 1648. He married Sarah Wildes ; was a farmer, a native of Salem, in which place he lived. He was present at the hearing in April, 1692, given Sarah Cloyce accused of witch-craft; and hearing John, an Indian servant in the family of Samuel Parris, the minister, who was her accuser, give false testimony against her, cured that servant by a good flogging and declared his belief that he could likewise cure the whole company thus afflicted. For this both he and his wife were imprisoned. With the overthrow of that tyrant, priestly power, they were released, and in 1693 moved to Rehoboth, Mass., where he died May II, 17II. In his will mention is made of Jonathan fourth, born in the year 1686. He married Abigail Avery. The date of his death is unknown to the writer but his will was pro- bated April 7, 1725. Gould Bishop, son of Jonathan fourth, was born in Rehoboth, Mass., March 25, 1712. He married Mary -, March 15, 1732. Two of the sons of Gould and Mary Bishop, Squire and Zadock, settled in the District of Maine, the former in Winthrop and the latter at New Meadows, a part of Brunswick. Squire was born in Rehoboth Nov. 4, 1733. He married Patience Titus and settled in Winthrop, Me., obtaining the grant of lot of land No. 17 in the Pond town plantation, June II, 1766. His family, consisting of wife and six children, came the following spring and his was the second family to settle in that town. He was the first inn-keeper in Winthrop, and for several years the town meetings, beginning with that of organization, were held in his home. He held several offices of responsibility and trust in that town and there died Sept. 6, 1801, and his wife April 21, 1802, where they were both buried.
Zadock was born in Rehoboth April 24, 1749, and married Mary Rawson Feb. 28, 1770. Soon after his marriage Zadock went to New Meadows and, according to the history of Mon- mouth, he came to Monmouth from that town. While he was at New Meadows a son, Jonathan, was born. Zadock did not see him until years afterward, when he lived in Leeds, and then did not know him until informed of his identity.
Soon after the birth of the son, Mary died. A few years after his wife's death Zadock returned to Rehoboth and from there moved to Swansea, where he married Elizabeth, a sister to Nathan Hale. After their marriage, Zadock with his wife, returned to New Meadows, thence to Monmouth in the year 1781-82; and to quote from the history of that town, "Zadock Bishop built his cabin near the Moody Stream in North Monmouth about twenty rods south-east of the south wing of the mill dam. When Gen. Dearborn built his mill at East Monmouth he backed the water
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