USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Wayne > History of the town of Wayne, Kennebec County, Maine, from its settlement to 1898 > Part 17
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Daniel Smith was born in Sanborntown, N. H., Sept. 18, 1767, moved to Norris Hill in Monmouth in Jannary, 1784, later moved to Greene and lived awhile, when he moved to Wayne in 1806, and settled on the farm now known as the Wager L. Besse place, situated on the east shore of the Androseoggin Pond, where JJ. M. Gott now resides. He died Oct. 10, 1845. The following is a copy of a part of his record as written by himself: "In 1794 received converting grace through the instrumentality and gospel labors of the Rev. Jesse Lee, in the month of March. In the October following, while living in the town of Monmouth, united myself with the class, the first that was formed in the Province. In 1807 secured deacon's order by the Rev. Francis Asbury." He was a local preacher of the M. E.
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Church, weighed 250 lbs., of strong religious faith, very rigid in family discipline and by trade a mill-wright. June 17, 1790, he mar- ried Elizabeth Dearborn, a niece of Maj. Gen. Henry Dearborn of the Revolutionary fame. They had ten children, viz: Levania, born May 17, 1791; James, born Oct. 26, 1793; Heury D., born Sept. 24, 1795; Samuel, born Aug. 23. 1797 ; James and Nancy, (twins), born July 29, 1799; Simon, born May 2, 1803; Joseph and Mary (twins) born Nov. 6, 1805; John D., born Mar. 6, 1809. Levania married Thomas Burgess, died in East Livermore. James died in Wayne in 1814, with what was then known as the cold fever. Henry Dearborn established the tanner and currier's business on the west side of Bear brook, nearly opposite the carriage shop now occupied by Benjamin Pettingill, where he carried on that trade for some years, when he sold out to Alfred Pinkham, moved to Searsport, followed the same business for a while, finally going into the business of drugs and medicines. He died in Scarsport in 1882. Samuel married Fear W. Burgess, Oct. 22, 1826. Learned the carriage trade of Jacob Bailey of Greene; after completing his trade he came back to Wayne and went into the business with his brother James for a while when he bought his brother out and followed carriage making for nearly sixty years. Died in Wayne, Oet. 28, 1877. His wife Fear W., died July 11, 1881. The children of Samuel and Fear were: Nancy B., Caro- line F., George H. and S. Howard. Nancy B. is dead. The other three live in Dorchester, Mass. James Smith married Ruth Sturte- vant, Sept. 15, 1821. He built the carriage shop now occupied by Benj. Pettingill; carried on the carriage business until he sold out to his brother Samuel, when he went to Boston and spent some time at piano work, finally moving to Fayette Corner, where he died about 1870. Nancy married Wager L. Besse, Sept. 18, 1822. Both she and her husband were very prominent members of the M. E. Church of Wayne, and were highly respected and were known as "Aunt Nancy" and "Uncle Wager." They had no children. Both died in Wayne-Nancy, Aug. 3, 1871, Wager, her husband, Jan. 22, 1877.
Simon Smith married Jane Tapley, Mar. 21, 1827. He built the little two room house (which has been taken down) known as the Mary Ann Sturtevant place. He was a miller by trade. He died in Waterville. Joseph Smith married Mary Wardwell of Penobscot Aug. 30, 1828 ; died in Malden, Mass., Sept. 22, 1874. Mary Smith married Samuel Shaw, a farmer of Greene, Dee. 13, 1826, where she died. John D. Smith married Mary Patterson Feb, 26, 1827. He
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lived in Bangor having charge of the Little Wanderers' Home for many years. He did not have any children. He died in Bangor in 1883.
David Smith was one of the early settlers of Wayne village. He lived on Back Street on the place known as the "Prince place," now occupied by Jerome Ridley. He was a carpenter and wheel-wright, and had a carpenter's shop on Main Street. This shop was afterward made into a dwelling house by Henry Owen, and occupied as such until after Holman Johnson came to Wayne, when he bought it and moved it where it now stands beside the school house. It is now owned and occupied by Mrs. S. T. Bishop. He had three brothers, viz: John, Asa and Ephraim. Ephraim was drowned in Jennings' Stream some seventy years ago. John lived at Smith's Corner. Asa lived where A. S. George now lives.
The first Bishop in this country of which we have knowledge is Edward, who was living in Salem, Mass., as early as 1639. He was a church member in 1645, a constable in 1660, and died in January, 1695. Edward, his son, married Hannah and lived for a time in Beverly, afterwards in Salem, where he died in 1705. It was his second wife Bridget who fell a victim to the witchcraft delusion and was hung at Salem in 1692. Edward, son of Edward, was born in Salem in 1648. His wife was Sarah Wildes and both were im- prisoned and suffered many hardships during that reign of terror in 1692. In 1703 he moved to Rehoboth, Mass., where he died May 12, 1711. In his will he speaks of Jonathan 4th, his son, born in 1686; married Abigail Avery; date of his death unknown to the writer but his will was probated April 7, 1752. Gould, son of Jona- than, was born in Rehoboth, Mass., Mar. 28, 1712; married Mary - Mar. 15, 1732 or 3. Squire who was the second settler in Winthrop (coming in 1766) and his brother Zadock were children of Gould and Mary ; they were born in Rehoboth, Mass .- Squire, Nov. 4, 1733; Zadock, April 24, 1749. Squire married Patience Titus, he died Sept. 6, 1801. . His wife died Apr. 21, 1802. Zadock mar- ried Mary Rawson, Feb. 28, 1770. They had two children born while living in Rehoboth, Mass., viz: Jonathan and Joseph. Soon after moving to Swansea, Mass., they had six other children, viz: Welcome, Jesse, Zadock, James, Mary and Lydia. How long he lived in Swansea the writer has failed to find out, but we find him living at North Monmouth in 1781 or 2. He lived there until as he said : "Hey, they've flowed me out as they would a musquash." (History of
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Monmouth.) In 1783 he moved to the high lands in Leeds now called Bishop Hill. Jesse, son of Zadock, was born on Monday, Nov. 11, 1776; he married Patience Titus. She was born on Friday, June 12, 1782. He, Jesse, moved to Wayne from Monmouth in 1804 or 5 and settled on the farm now owned and occupied by Samuel W. Bishop, the son of Jesse, and built him a log house on the opposite side of the road from the dwelling now occupied by S. W. Bishop which he lived in a while and then replaced it by a framed house, which was his abiding place until his boys were old enough to render substantial aid, when he made and burned a brick kiln and built the brick house now occupied by his grandson Samuel. Some of the logs of that log house are in the frame of one of the out buildings of this grandson. Jesse died in Wayne June 23, 1864, aged 87. His wife Patience also died in Wayne Mar. 3, 1863, aged 81. They were both prominent members of the M. E. Church of Wayne, Patience being talented in exhortation.
The children of Jesse were Demas, Mary H., Squire, Jesse, Naa- man, Savilla Ann, Jonathan G., Nathan and Samuel T. Demas was born Tuesday, Apr. 7, 1801; married Isabelle Farnam in February, 1823; lived and died in West Peru. Mary H. was born Monday, Mar. 27, 1802; married Benjamin Lovejoy, December, 1827. She lived and died in Peru. Squire was born Wednesday, Apr. 10, 1806; married Hannah Morey, November, 1827 ; lived and died in Wayne. Jesse was born Saturday, Apr. 29, 1808; married Lucy Maxim, June, 1834; he lived and died in Wayne on the place his father Jesse settled on in 1805. Naaman was born on Monday, JJan. 1, 1811; married Mary Ridlon, August, 1832; he lived and died in Leeds. Savilla Ann was born on Saturday, Jan. 25, 1813: married John Burgess, January, 1834. She lived and died in Peru. Jona- than G., was born Friday, Feb. 29, 1816; married Margaret W. Clark, July 4, 1846 ; died in Sangerville. Nathan was born Tuesday, Aug. 18, 1818; married Harriett E. Tobin, July, 1845. His second wife was Mrs. Lucy Chisholm. He lived and died in South Boston, 358 Dorchester Street. Samuel T. was born Friday, May 18, 1821; married Julia True May, 1845. He lived and died in Wayne.
Samuel Foss, born in Saco, Jan. 4, 1762, married Sarah Harmon. He came to New Sandwich, now Wayne, in 1795, bringing a family of three sons. He settled on the farm now owned by L. C. Lead- better where he died on his seventy-third birthday.
Asa Foss, son of Samuel and Sarah Harmon Foss, was a child of
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two years when his parents removed to Wayne. He was a farmer and lived and died on the Foss homestead. He was a man of prom- inence in the affairs of the town and a leader in all measures for the welfare of its citizens, a worker in the cause of temperance and for the abolition of slavery. He died Nov. 10, 1860.
Mary, a daughter of Samuel Foss marriel Alexander Foss, who settled on Beech Hill. The farm is still owned and occupied by their descendants.
A short time subsequent to 1800 the name of Ridley appears on the records of the town, representatives of which have remained here since. Their prominence and connection with other resident families entitle them to mention in this work. Not unlike many families connected with the early history of this country, either from lack of education or in some instances, perhaps, from misunderstanding or wrong pronunciation, names are spelled in various ways, and thus appear in the records of church and State. The common ancestor-the progenitor of this branch of the family was Magnus Redlon, whose parents' names are not certainly known, born in Shetland, on the north coast of Scotland in the year 1698; came to America in 1717, and settled in the town of York, county of York, in the Province of Massachusetts, (now Maine.) He there married Susanna, a daughter of Matthias Young, and widow of Ichabod Austin, in 1720, who was born in Scotland in 1701. He had issue eight children, five by his first wife and three hy his second, viz: Susanna, born in York, Mar. 4, 1721. She died when six weeks old. Ebenezer, born Feb. 13, 1723, married Aug: 8, 1751, Sarah Young and settled in what is now Buxton. John, born in York, Mar. 21, 1726, moved to Biddeford when a child, with his parents; married Oct. 9, 1749, Sarah Brooks and settled in Buxton, May 1, 1756. Matthias, born in York, Sept. 19, 1728; married Dec. 29, 1748, Rachel Edgecomb of Saco, descended from a distinguished English family, now represented by Earl Edgecomb, of Mount Edge- comb, and settled at Saco Ferry on a part of his father's homestead, where he remained until the year 1761, when he removed to Buxton; thence to Hollis in March, 1786, where he bought a large tract of land, built a house thereon, also a saw-mill and store, and engaged in lumber- ing and shoe-making, and at the same time keeping a small grocery and groggery. In 1795 he joined with his sons and sons-in-law in build- ing their mills on Young's Meadow Brook, working several years in the grist-mill, and when waiting for water to rise in the mill-pond, worked at a bench, making tubs, pails and keelers. He died in 1810.
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From him the Ridleys of this town are descended. Daniel, born in York, May 4, 1730, and was carried to Biddeford by his parents the same year. He was the youngest of the first wife of Magnus Redlon. He married Patience Sands in 1751, and settled at Saco Ferry. Abraham, born in Saco, Ang. 10, 1733, was never married. Jere- miah, born in Saco, Nov. 4, 1736, married Mar. 2, 1760, Bethesda Townsend and settled on a part of his father's farm in Biddeford. Jacob, born in Saco, May 14, 1740, married Elizabeth Young in Ang. 1762, and settled in Saco. He was drowned in Saco River, April 25, 1765.
The eldest child of Matthias Redlon and Rachel Edgecomb was Matthias, born in Saco, Feb. 4, 1749; married by Rev. John Fair- field, Sept. 6, 1772, to Elizabeth Field, daughter of Daniel Field, and settled on a part of his father's lands in Saco. He was corporal in the company of Capt. Jeremiah Hill of Biddeford, which belonged to the Thirtieth Regiment of Massachusetts Foot Guards, commanded by Col. James Scammon of the Revolutionary Army. He was one of the soldiers drafted to go in Arnold's expedition to Quebec, Can., by way of the Kennebec and Chaudiere's rivers; was in the expedition to Ticonderoga and Crown Point in the Company of Capt. Jabez Lane ; his enlistment in this department was dated May 3, 1775. He sold his lands in Saco and Buxton in 1812, and removed his family to Wayne, where several of his sons had previously settled. His first wife died in Saco, and he married Dorcas Carter, who had a daughter named Annie Williams. By his last wife he had six children, and the same number by his first wife. His children who came to Wayne changed the spelling of their family name to Ridley, but two of his sons who settled in Hollis, Me., and Clarendon, Vt., spelled their's Ridlon, and their descendants still adhere to it. He died in Turner at the home of his daughter in 1840 and was buried in the Becch hill cemetery in Wayne, near the house in which he lived, and the brick house built by his grandson Daniel.
The other children of Matthias and Rachel Redlon were, Rachel, born in Saco Oct. 10, 1751, married April 29, 1773, by Rev. Paul Coffin, to Daniel Field, of Buxton in which town they settled. James, born in Saco Dec. 10, 1753, married Hannah Cozens, and settled in Saco. He was a Revolutionary soldier. Thomas, born in Saco, Dec. 28, 1755, married Jan. 24, 1779, to Martha Merrill, of Buxton, and settled in Saco. He was a man with a very interesting history, was possessed of great physical power, a gift much prized, and one of use-
13
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fulness in the vocations of his time. He, too, was a Revolutionary soldier. Mary, born in Saco, June 2, 1758, and burned to death in the house of James Edgecomb, at Edgecomb's Meadow, so called, Apr. 10, 1767. John, born in Saco, Nov. 11, 1760; married Dec. 15, 1779, Abigail Holmes of Scarboro and settled in Saco. He was in the war of the Revolution with his brothers. Abraham, born in Saco, Sept. 21, 1763; married Ang. 23, 1786, to Patience Tibbetts of Hollis, Me. In 1789, with his family, Abraham moved to Ohio. He died in Decatur Co., Ind., Oct. 9, 1852. Judith, born in Saco, Sept. 21, 1763, a twin-sister to Abraham; was married Nov. 29, 1787, to Nathaniel Townsend of Hollis. Jacob, born in Saco, May 12, 1766; married Dec. 19, 1793, Mary Townsend and settled in Buxton. Magnus was born in Buxton, Oct. 3, 1769; married Feb. 21, 1793, Eleanor MacArthur of Limington, and set- tled in Durham, and died in Auburn in 1852, and taken to Dur- ham for burial. Sarah, born in Buxton, Mar. 26, 1772, was married Aug. 19. 1797, to Nathaniel Woodman of Buxton, and settled in that town. Hannah, born in Buxton, Apr. 4, 1775; was married Nov. 14, 1799, to Magnus Redlon, her second cousin, from Damariscotta.
The eldest son of Matthias and Elizabeth Redlon nee Field, was Dea. Daniel Ridley who changed his name from Redlon on com- ing to this town, was born in Saco, Apr. 4, 1773; married for his first wife Miss Annie Williams, who was a daughter of his father's second wife ; and secondly, Mary MeKenney of Saco, Jime 2, 1822, and settled in Saco. He sold his farm in a little time subsequent to 1800 and removed to Wayne, whence several of his brothers had previously gone. He died in Wayne and was buried in the Beech hill cemetery near where he had lived. All his relatives and neighbors have said, "Uncle Daniel was a good man." He had issue ten children, all by his first wife.
Samuel, second child of Matthias, was born in Saco, Ang. 22, 1774; married, Aug. 23, 1804, to Polly Redlon, his cousin, of Hollis. He lived some years in Hollis, and in 1808 removed to Wayne and settled near his father and brothers; he lived in Wayne about ten years, when he returned to Hollis. Jonathan F., third child of Matthias, was born in Saco, Sept. 15, 1776. He engaged in the privateering service during the war of 1812, and became fully acquainted with the New England coast. He subsequently engaged in the merchant sery- ice and made foreign voyages. On one of these trips his vessel was
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run down by a British gun-ship and captured. The American craft was relieved of all her stores and placed under the command of Aaron Eldridge of Buxton, who was commanded to "bear off and on through the night ;" this order was obeyed in one direction, for, as Mr. Eldridge subsequently said, "I bore off once too many times for them," and escaped, coming back and delivering the vessel to its owners. Jona- than F. was carried to England and there confined in prison for nearly a year; he escaped, however, by digging under the walls, and made his way to Edinburgh, where he was met and conversed with by an American seaman, since which time he has never been heard from. Dorcas, the fourth child of Matthias, was born in Saco, Nov. 2, 1777; was married Feb. 11, 1811, to Samuel Leavett, of Buxton, and subsequently lived in Limington, where she died at an advanced age. John, the fifth child of Matthias, was born in Saco, Sept. 12, 1779, and went to live with his grand-parents in Hollis. He is said to have been a reckless, adventuresome fellow when a boy, and although he was a successful man, those traits were ever present with him. He married and settled in Clarendon, Vt., where he spent his days, living in a luxurious manner. Patience, sixth child of Matthias, was born in Saco, June 10, 1785; was married to Benj. Libby, Nov. 10, 1816, and always lived in Limington, where she died in 1867. Betsey, the seventh child of Matthias, was born in Saco, May 28, 1789 ; was married to David Creach, second to Benj. Young of Fayette. She had issue by both husbands, and died in Fayette, well advanced in years. David, the eighth child of Matthias, was born in Saco, Apr. 20, 1791; married and first settled in Wayne, where he purchased a farm near the house now occupied by Joseph Maxim on the west side of Beech hill. He was the first of the name to purchase land in this town. He removed to Abbot in 1823; thence to Bangor in 1834, to Sangerville in 1836, to Corinth in 1838, and back to Bangor in 1843, where he died Oet. 3, 1846. Mary, the ninth child of Matthias, was born in Saco, Aug. 3, 1794 ; was married to Alvin Swift, aud lived in Turner, at which place she died. Sally, the tenth child of Matthias, was born in Saco, May 28, 1798; married Billings Hood of Turner, where she raised a family, and after the decease of her husband, lived with her son Oren in Gardiner. She died June 3, 1873. Rachel and Lydia, the last children of Matthias, were twin-sisters, born in Saco, Sept. 28, 1801. So close was their re- semblance that few persons could distinguish one from the other. The former married Otis Hood of Turner, a brother of Billings Hood,
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Nov. 27, 1821, raised a family, in that town, and died June 3, 1864. The latter was married to Capt. Daniel True and lived in Wayne. She raised a family, several of whom have been, or now are, residents of the town. The late G. M. True was a son. Two of her daughters remain, one of whom is Sarah, the widow of the late H. J. Ridley, and the other, Julia, the widow of the late Samuel T. Bishop.
The descendants of Dea. Daniel Ridley nee Redlon, constitute all of the names now residents of the town ; therefore all other branches of the family are eliminated from this sketch. The children of Dea. Daniel and his first wife, Annie Williams, were Sally, the first child, born in Saco, Nov. 30, 1793: married Benj. MeKenney of Scar- boro, Feb. 27, 1812. She resided in the city of Portland and died there. She left one daughter who married a gentleman by the name of Elwell, representatives of which family now occupy the homestead of their grandmother Sally. Matthias, born in Saco, Feb. 29, 1795; married Feb. 4, 1818, Nancy Pratt of Leeds and settled in Wayne in 1814. His house was about one-half mile west of the brick house subsequently built by his brother on the road from Wayne village to Strickland's Ferry. He enlisted as a substitute for his father in the war of 1812. On coming to Wayne, like other members of the family he changed his name from Redlon to Ridley, and his descend- ants will stand so recorded. He was a great reader, especially of the Seriptures, was well informed, possessed a remarkably retentive memo- ry and was a good conversationalist. For some years he was nearly blind, but recovered his sight before his death, which occurred in 1875. He was buried in the cemetery near the house of his brother Daniel, where so many of the family rest from their labors. He was the father of ten children, as may be seen in the genealogical depart- ment of this work.
Martha, the third child of Dea. Daniel, was born in Saco, Feb. 9, 1798, and died young. Jonathan, the fourth child of Dea. Daniel, was born in Saco, Feb. 15, 1801; married Louisa Marston of Fayette and had issue seven children. He came from Saco to Wayne in 1814, and lived in this town during his minority. He was scholarly and a teacher in our common schools. He was a great reader, had a retentive memory, and was authority on the leading topics of the day. Like the rest of the family he changed his name. He said, "Every- body called me Mr. Ridley, and I was weary of correcting them, so I adopted the new orthography." He settled in Jay, and has been a leading, publie-spirited man, filling many public positions of responsi
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bility, always to the satisfaction of his townsmen-a rare occurrence ! Not until his age and infirmities obliged him to decline the duties of office, was he excused from the trust so long bestowed upon him. His word was taken as authority by those best acquainted with him.
Daniel, the fifth child of Matthias, was born in Saco, Sept. 27, 1802; married Sally Winter and settled in the town of Wayne, whither he had gone with his parents in 1814. His father failed to meet the payments on his land purchased of Stephen Boothby, of Leeds, and promised him one-half of the lot if he would pay what was then due; consequently he engaged for a hunbering company, entered the logging swamp, and worked hard nearly a year, but lost all his pay by the failure of his employers. He then commenced work for Mr. Boothby, and continued till his land was paid for. He loved work from a boy, and, as soon as he became land-owner, commenced to clear him a farm; and while the other young men of his neighborhood were away at trainings, raisings and other places of amusement, he was away in some place, clearing new land. It is said of him that when thirsty he would run to a spring in the woods, drink, and run back to his work. By close economy and turning every dollar to good account, he acquired a handsome estate, but did not live very long to enjoy it; for, by overwork in building a new brick house, he impaired his constitution, and died Feb. 20, 1850. Mr. Ridley had married, for a second wife, Rebecca, the eldest child of Joshua Graves, who died Feb. 27, 1871. Mr. Ridley was the father of a large family of children, the record of which may be found in the genealogical depart- ment of this book.
Capt. Benjamin, the sixth child of Dea. Daniel Ridley, was born in Saco, June 20, 1804; married Eliza, daughter of Hamilton Jenkins, and settled in Wayne. He came to this town with his parents when ten years old. He built a house near that of his father-in-law, a few rods easterly, and lived there several years. He subsequently moved to Leeds, and later, moved again to Wayne, and established himself and family on the farm now occupied by John Carver. But a portion of his time was spent in farming; he spent much of it as a stone- mason and contractor ; laid the foundations for mills, built bridges, etc. ; and whatever work he superintended was done in a most thorough and workmanlike manner, as its durability has proven. He was a man of prominence; captain in the militia, and representative to the legislature of the State. He availed himself of every advantage to acquire useful knowledge, and was considered a well-informed sound-
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minded man. He married a second wife, Abiah who died Jan. 7, 1857. He died Mar. 12, 1854. His descendants may be found in the family genealogy of this work. Pelina, the seventh child of Dea. Daniel, was born in Saco, Mar. 7, 1807; was married to Charles Graves of Wayne in 1827, and died June 16, 1863, leaving issue as shown by genealogical record herein. Mary, the eighth child of Dea. Daniel, was born in Saco, April 4, 1809; was married to Naaman Bishop, of Wayne, and had issue. She died at the house of her only son, Cyrus Bishop, of East Livermore. She was a good woman, and a complete type of the old Ridley family. Betsey, the ninth child of Dea. Daniel, was born in Saco, Ang. 20, 1811; married to Hamilton Gould of Wilton, and had issue. The date of her death is wanting.
Jannes, the tenth child of Dea. Daniel, was born in Wayne, July 27, 1814, and became an eccentric, roving character. He would leave home without notice to anybody, and after an absence of years return as unexpectedly, without giving any definite account of his wanderings or adventures. He is supposed to have followed the sea for many years. Tradition says he started overland for California, with a company raised at Cincinnati, Ohio, and died somewhere about the Rocky Mountains. Many years have elapsed since he has been heard from ; yet he may still be living somewhere in his old age. He was a small man, but probably the most agile and muscular person ever raised in the town. I have heard his sister-in-law say, "I have seen him stand by the side of a tall horse, and jump squarely over its back with apparent case." A New Orleans paper, many years ago, gave an account of a tragedy that occurred in that city, in which Jannes was one of the principal actors. On one of the main streets of that city was a firm that owned a large negro, whom much of the time they kept on the corner to insult sailors, when a fight would ensue as a consequence. Knowing the power of their negro as a bunter, his owners would wager money on the result of the fight, and in that way made him a large source of revenue. The vessel to which Jannes belonged received its cargo and was to sail on the following morning, One of the crew was up town in the evening and was badly injured by the skull of this repre- sentative of the African race. When he went aboard the vessel, and related his tale of woe to the captain, his ire was wrought up and he offered to any one of the crew twenty-five dollars if he would go up town and get ample redress for the injury sustained by their ship- mate. The offence was shared by them, and their blood was up to
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