Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary, Part 15

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Portland, Me., The author
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > Maine > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 15
USA > New Hampshire > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 15

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Col. John Smith, one of the settlers who came into the plantation in 1760, was born in the northern section of Biddeford, of parents who came from England. When he came into Little Falls it was an almost unbroken wilderness, his cabin being fourteen miles from any settlement where sup- plies could be obtained and carried on the shoulder or horseback, the only guide being spotted trees. He cleared extensive fields along the river bank, and to get rid of the trees cut from the soil threw them into the stream. He married, first, Betsey Banks, and they commenced life in a log-house. At one time, when her husband was absent from home, Mrs. Smith went in search of the cow with her boy, Aaron, in her arms. While she followed the sound of the cow-bell it became dark and she lost her way. She found an old. deserted camp in which she passed the night with her babe, while the wolves howled outside. In the morning she found her way home, guided by the sun. His second wife was Anna Banks, sister of Betsey. He served in the Revolution and was paid in Continental money. He walked home when discharged, beg- ging his food on the way. He was for several years a member of the General Court at Boston. lle was justice of the peace, and for many years one of the most public-spirited and useful men in town. He was possessed of keen wit, was a pleasing conversationalist, and every way attractive in society. He had issue by both marriages and his descendants have been highly respectable and useful citizens.

Capt. Jonathan Bane was a son of Capt. Lewis Bane, of York, born in 1693. This family was from Scotland originally, probably descended from the Highland clan of MacBane. Capt. Jonathan, ist, who was commander of the fort on Saco river, had probably seen service against the Indians on the frontier before being placed in charge of this important post; but I have found but little concerning him in the early records. His father died in York, June 25, 1721, in the 5ist year of his age ; and his wife, Mary, died Mar. 25.

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1723, in the 58th year of her age. Capt. Jonathan had a son, Lieut. Jona- than, born about 1719, who served under his father at the block-house, and he had a son Jonathan, born Oct. 9, 1758, who married Phebe Brooks, of Narragansett, No. 1, in 1783.

Hon. Joseph Leland was born in Massachusetts, Dec. 30, 1756; served in the Revolution from 1774 to 1778 as ensign and lieutenant. He was in Little Falls plantation as early as 1791, when he served as one of the assess- ors. He had been in trade for a few years at Sanford. I do not know how many years he resided in the new plantation. He removed to Saco, where he was many years a merchant. His wife was a daughter of Richard King, of Scarborough, and sister to the distinguished brothers, William, Cyrus, and Rufus. Mr. Leland was a senator under Massachusetts in 1805 and 1808. His son, Joseph W. Leland, was a graduate of Bowdoin College and lawyer at Saco; county attorney many years. His daughters were united in marriage with members of very respectable families.

Daniel Granger was an early inhabitant of Little Falls plantation, but I have no knowledge of his antecedents. He was evidently a man of consid- erable ability ; was town clerk in 1794, and one of the assessors in 1793-4. He probably removed to Saco, as a man of this name was director of the bank there in 1812-25 ; was treasurer in 1822 and 1824. He and wife, Mary, said to have been a daughter of Col. Tristram Jordan, had children as follows: Daniel T., b. Feb. 9, 1789, who became a lawyer of some note. Elijah G., b. Dec. 20, 1790. Sally F., b. Aug. 16, 1795; m. Andrew Scammon, Oct. 21, 1817. Harrict J., b. Nov. 26, 1798. George F., d. Oct. 15, 1794. A Daniel T. Granger, b. in Saco, July 18, 1807, graduated at Harvard College in 1826, and practised law in Newfield from 1829 to 1833. He removed to Eastport ; was appointed judge of the Supreme Court in 1854, but declined to serve. The late Charles Granger, of Saco, was of this family and a man of many remarkable acquirements.

James Redlon, son of Matthias, was born in Saco, Dec. 10, 1753; married Hannah Cousins of Wells, and was one of the first seven settlers on the Dalton Right, in the north part of Little Falls plantation, now Hollis. He served in the Revolutionary army in the 30th Massachusetts Foot-Guards ; was in the expedition to Quebec with Arnold. at West Point under Col. Joseph Vose, and at the surrender of Burgoyne. His log-house was built in 1780, midway between Moderation and Bonnie Eagle, on the hill where the Robert Redlon house now stands. He was a large and powerful man. It used to be said in the half Scotch phrase of his father: "Give Thamas the goad-stick and

NOTE .- Granger, sometimes spelled Grainger, is an English surname. The earliest who came to New England were: Thomas, hung for a capital erime in 1642; John, who died in Mansfield, Oct. 4, 1655, buried at Scituate : John, of Marshfield, died Nov. 24, 1656; Lancelot, of Ipswich, 1648, thence of Newbury, Mass., where he died ; from him descended Hon. Gideon Granger, United States Postmaster General.

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Jeames the hand-speeke, and the team will never get stuck." The home of "Uncle Jim" was a great place for "huskings," "quiltings," "candy-pulls," and neighborhood "frolics." It was here the competitive dance between Ralph Bryant and Patience, wife of Abraham Redlon, occurred. They were the two champion dancers of the settlement, and Ralph had challenged Patience to a trial for the mastery. Amid roaring laughter by old and young they galloped over the kitchen floor until three fiddlers' elbows gave out, and Ralph lay sprawling. "Pashunce she kick-ed up her heels." Mr. Redlon died Sept. 12, 1812.

Thomas Redlon, brother of the preceding, was born in Saco, Dec. 28, 1755; married Martha, daughter of Lieutenant Merrill, of Buxton, and settled in Little Falls Plantation in 1780-1. His house was on the south bank of Redlon's brook, where he and his brothers built the first grist-mill and saw-mill in the township. "Uncle Thomas" was a man of enormous frame with a "back like a whale." He was a genuine pioneer, foremost in all improve- ments; a great woodsman and bear hunter ; was killed by his team under a sled-load of wood at his own door.

Daniel Field, a son of Lieut. Daniel, was a descendant of Darby Field, the Irishman, who first ascended the White Mountains. He had served with his father in the army of the Revolution ; married Rachael, daughter of Matthias Redlon, and lived awhile in the lower part of Buxton. He was one of the original purchasers of the Dalton Right in Little Falls plantation, and part owner in the Redlon mills, so-called. His house was on the knoll near the brick house built by " Uncle David Martin ": the site now in the Hobson field. He was a short, heavy built man, of dark complexion, with small, squinting eyes; was buried near the Guideboard hill; but few descendants living. (See Field Genealogy.)

Ichabod Cousins was a son of Ichabod, of Wells, and descended from John Cousins, who lived in Yarmouth, for whom Cousins' Island was named. Ichabod and wife settled on the Dalton Right near the old Redlon burying- ground on Guideboard hill, and was buried there. He was a shareholder in the saw-mill on the brook below; made a clearing and built a barn on the west end of his lot near the Kimball field, but abandoned it and built near James Redlon, his brother-in-law. His second wife was the mother of the late Tobias Lord, lumberman, of Steep Falls. Mr. Cousins was a carpenter and millwright, a quiet, honorable townsman: left descendants now living in Hollis, Standish, and Baldwin. (See Genealogy.)

Thomas Lewis, son of Abijah, of Buxton, was an early settler who came in with the Redlons about 1780. His cabin was on the hill where the "Uncle Joe " Ridlon house now stands: the latter bought him out when he, Lewis, moved to the " Kennebec Country." The wife of Thomas was a Boston from York; indeed, the families of Lewis and Boston became tangled early,

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and the snarl has continued for generations. The Lewis family could "sing like angils;" so the old folks said, and I half believe it. "Uncle Thomas" was not an exception; he used to make the woods ring upon the hill; so said Aunt Sara Field. He was a sort of second-rate preacher, too, and could be heard praying, "when the wind's right," a mile. He died in Clinton, or thereabouts, on the "Kinnybeck."

Caleb Kimball was one of the "Dalton Righters"; came from Scar- borough, and was a "kuss" to the farmers round-about by reason of the mis- erable, immortal white-weed he brought into town with the bundle of hay for his cattle when he was clearing land. Let sentimental women quote poetry about "white daisies" while the back-aching farmers hate the name of the man who brought the obnoxious grass-killer into the settlement. Well, Caleb had a foot as big as a small anvil, and all the neighbors knew his track. He was black as a thunder-cloud; tall, loose-jointed, and hungry-looking. His house, "burnt down in blueberry time," was on the " Kimble lot," known later as the "old Kimball place "; it was on the now discontinued road that led from the Redlon neighborhood to South Limington by way of Killick mill. One of the sons inherited his father's foot-with a "vingunce." He drove a poor old "rack-o'-bones " horse all his days. Charles Bean, looking for him, once asked: "Have ye seen anything of Elezer and his dromedary?" He had a tall, over-grown son who was long locally known as "Leazer's colt." Another son of Caleb stood six feet four in his stockings, and they said he "cried" when Samuel Tarbox, who was an inch taller, came into town. A son, Rufus, known as "Bole," had a family, but long lived a hermit life on a knoll near Moderation. A daughter, Rebecca, was tall enough to look out over the top of the window curtains. But few descendants are living.

Daniel Smith, who settled in the "Smith neighborhood," so-called, near where the old Smith's bridge crossed the Saco, was the first of the three Daniel Smiths who have lived there. He was an early settler in town, and the "next door neighbor" of the Redlons, two miles above; was a man pos- sessed of an eagle-bill nose, by some called a "hook-nose." His face was florid ; his speech peculiar; his wit of the keenest sort. His sons, Daniel 2d, called by everybody, "Uncle Dan," and Samuel, known as " Uncle Sam," were "chips of the old block "; had the same ruddy complexion and eagle-nose ; just the same kind as nearly all their descendants have. They are all noted for dry humor and cranky sayings such as none but Smiths and Beans-all of one blood -could be capable of. When " Uncle Dan," 2d, went out and rapped on the board fence and screamed "stur-boy here " to the crows, Ran. Bean said the "black sarpints only laughed at the old man's squealing voice." There were "Mason Sam," "Young Dan," Joe, Jr., and Ivory; what queer things they did say, to be sure !

"Squire " Noah Haley was a recruiting officer during the war of 1812 ;

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a trial justice and a captain of militia ; sometime owned a share of a saw- mill and did considerable lumber business. He had a good farm on the old Saco and Limerick road, near where the Wood. Haley brick-yard was made. Squire Haley married a Woodman and had sons and daughters. He was a large, portly, dignified-appearing, old-school gentleman, who lived to a great age, respected and honored. (See Genealogy.)

Shubael Woodman, son of Nathan, of Buxton, was born Aug. 31, 1772. lle was "bound out" by his father, then of Standish, to an older cousin, James, for the term of four years, one month, and twenty-four days, at the end of which term he was twenty-one years of age. At the majority of Shubacl he was to receive twenty-six pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence to be paid in stock at market price: was to be taught to "read, rite, and cifer to the single rule of three"; was to be dismissed at the end of his term with two good suits of clothes, one for the Lord's day and one for working days, "as is customary." His first wife was Shuah Tarbox: second, Susanna Tar- box, sister of first; third, Nabby ( Burnham) Scammon, of Scarborough. He lived between the house of Robert Edgecomb and Bar Mills, on the river road, where his son Nathan afterwards settled; had an excellent intervale farm. By his contemporaries he was called " Uncle Shube Woodman." He was a fine, honest, and respected townsman.

Joshua Warren, probably born in Berwick, removed from Biddeford and was one of the original planters of the Deerwander settlement in the mid- dle part of the township. He had seen service in the army of the Revolution. having enlisted when only eighteen years of age. His father was a recruiting officer in the French war and also came to Little Falls plantation. Joshua was a soldier in the command known as the "Sixteenth Massachusetts Continen- tals." He and a brother, Benjamin, who settled in the same neighborhood, were the two heads of the Warren families prominently known and highly respected in Hollis. (See Genealogy.)

John Haley, born in Kittery, June 20, 1737. was an early settler in the western part of the Little Falls township. His wife was Mary Malcomb. He died in Hollis, Jan. 26, 1816: was four years in the French and Indian war. and four years in the Revolution; a blacksmith by trade, and with his son, Capt. William, who was a recruiting officer for the war of 1812, and captain of militia, did all the iron work for the settlers for many years. Many descend- ants wore the leather apron and had a smutty nose. (See Genealogy.)

Col. Ahijah Usher, who came from Massachusetts with his brother. Ellis B., settled on the road leading from Bonnie Fagle by the Cyrus Bean place, where James Madison Usher afterwards lived. He was engaged in milling and lumber business at the Killick Mill settlement, and afterwards at Bonnie Eagle, in company with John Lane. He was colonel of militia and postmaster : had a small store, where his grandson, Fred. Usher, built his

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house, in which he sold black molasses, salt fish, and New England rum. Colonel Usher was prominent in town affairs and for many years had a wide influence. (See Genealogy.)

John Lane, descended from the military family noted for services in the Revolution, and early settled in Buxton, cleared land on the same lot taken up by Abraham Redlon, who afterwards removed to Ohio. He built the stately mansion on the hill above the Saco, near his mills at Bonnie Eagle. For many years he was extensively engaged in business with Colonel Usher, but retired and spent his last days on his farm. There was a large family of children, among them the late Judge Mark Lane, and John Lane, Esq., of Portland, who owned the United States Hotel.

Nathaniel Dunn, son of Nathaniel, was born in Gorham, near Scar- borough line. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Dea. Joseph Atkinson. In 1796 he settled at Salmon Falls and engaged in trade there. About 1800 he moved to Bar Mills, in Hollis, and united with Joseph Atkinson in the milling business. He built a mill and house at Union Falls, and lived there for several years. He died in 1855, aged 90. His son Moses was in business at Salmon Falls many years; was prominent in town affairs and was many years widely known. Hon. Joshua, another son and a soldier of the 1812 war, was a resident of Portland.

Stephen Hopkinson was a person of considerable prominence in the south part of the town, where Hopkinson's Mills had been a business centre and early seat of the town government. He filled town offices and served several terms in the Legislature. He married Martha Garland; died at Union Falls, Aug. 17, 1855. (See Genealogy.)

We subjoin the names of the more prominent early townsmen who were settled before the beginning of the present century :

JOSEPH CHADBOURNE,

PHINEAS DOWNS,

ROBERT HALEV,

CAPT. JOSEPH DVER, BENJAMIN HALEV, WILLIAM DEERING,

JOHN POAK, ENOCH PARKER,

HUMPHREY DVER,

THOMAS ROGERS,

ISAAC ROBINSON,

ISAAC DREW,

CHRISTOPHER GILPATRICK,

RICHARD PALMER,

JOSEPH GOOGINS,

LIEUT. MOSES ATKINSON,

GIBBINS EDGECOMB,

ROBERT EDGECOMB,

WILLIAM WADLIN,

JOHN HARVEY, JOSEPH WELLER,

THOMAS YOUNG,

THOMAS CLUFF,

MOSES WATKINS,

JACOB HOOPER, JAMES BERRY, JOSEPH LELAND,

JOSEPH JORDAN,

ELISHA SMITH, ROBERT NASON,

DANIEL STONE,

JOSEPH PATTERSON,

JOSHUA HEARD,

THOMAS WITSON.

JONATHAN DREW, JOSEPH NASON,

ELISHA HIGHT,

EBEN CLEAVES,

NATHANIEL WHITTIER,

CALEB LOCK,

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STANDISH.

Moses Pearsons had commanded a company at the siege and capture of Louisburg. He was a capable business man, who was the leading spirit in soliciting the Great and General Court for a landed bounty as reward for military services. These grants from the Colonial Government, although gratifying to the personal ambition of those seeking and obtaining them, were of small substantial value to those who received them. Very few of the original grantees ever settled on their lands. The majority allowed their claims to lapse by neglecting to pay the taxes levied for expenses of settle- ment. These claims were usually "bidden in" by speculators, who in turn sold them to actual settlers for a nominal sum, five shillings being the usual price paid by the pioneer for a lot comprising a one hundred and twenty- third part of the township; but each settler obligated himself to clear five acres and build a house within five years.

Moses Pearsons, Esq., seconded by Capt. James Milk, Capt. Isaac Ilsley. Capt. Joshua Freeman, James Lunt, Ephraim Jones, Simon Gookin, Josiah Noyes, and Benjamin Titcomb, while never residents of the township, were owners of a large portion of its territory, and were actively moving to secure its settlement.

The petition was formulated in January of 1749, signed by Moses Pear- sons and forty-five others, and on Friday, April 20, 1750, a township six miles square, on the northwest side of the line from Sebago pond to the head of Berwick against Gorhamtown, was granted to Capt. Ilumphrey Hobbs and company, and Capt. Moses Pearsons and company, and associates of the Cape Breton soldiers, so-called, to the number of one hundred and twenty. The township was known as Pearson and Hobbstown until Nov. 30, 1785, when it was incorporated and named in honor of the hero of Plymouth, Capt. Miles Standish.

The first meeting of the proprietors was held June 9. 1752, at the house of Edward Ingraham, of York. Capt. Humphrey Hobbs was chosen moderator. C'apt. Moses Pearsons, clerk, and Capt. Isaac Illsley, treasurer. A committee was chosen to lay out to some person or persons a tract of land including a stream for the purpose of building a mill. At a meeting of the proprietors. held at the house of Capt. Joshua Freeman, in Falmouth, Feb. 22. 1753. it was voted to lay out sixty-five acre lots on the plain between the pond and Gorhamtown for such of the proprietors as shall settle on and improve the same. On April 15. 1753. it was voted for the encouragement of first settlers that there be erected at the expense of the proprietors the walls of a house one hundred feet square and ten feet high, with two spurs or tlankers at opposite corners, each twenty feet square, to be of hewed timber. And on May 28. 1754, the committee, Moses Pearsons, Joshua Freeman, and James Lunt,

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reported that they had proceeded to build said fort or block-house eighty feet square, a flanker at the northeast corner thirty feet square, and one at the southwest corner fourteen feet square ; that they had nearly finshed the same, but "as you have been informed the same is consumed by fire in part which will cost considerable to repair the same; therefore we are of the opinion that the proprietors forthwith vote a sum of money sufficient for the same, and set a number of hands to repairing said fort." This report was accepted, and the committee authorized to draw on the treasurer for what they had already done in building said fort, and for the repairs thereof.

The fort was undoubtedly completed that summer and occupied during the winter of 1754-5. This great building stood on the high ground where Standish Corner now is, a short distance southwest from the site of the old church, which was in the middle of the square where the town pump now stands. While the workmen were repairing the fort a guard of six men was employed for one month at a charge of eight pounds. This guard consisted of Daniel Mosure, James Gilkey, Jonathan Illsley, Thomas Morton, Benja- min Titcomb, and Daniel Illsley. The cost of the fort was probably £208 and 93 pence. On the 16th of April, 1755, a tax of ten shillings on each right was voted to pay wages and subsistence for eight men in pay and on duty in the fort for one month from the 11th of April instant. This was increased to twenty shillings and the time made two months. The men on duty under this vote were John Burnal, John Meserve, Clement Meserve, Jr., Elijah Durham, Wentworth Stuart, Timothy Crocker, Israel Thorn, and Joseph Meserve, all of whom were probably inhabitants of the town at that time.

In 1755 Captain Pearsons was instructed to petition the General Court for aid, which he probably did, as a draft of a petition was found among his papers written by him. Another petition in the Massachusetts archives, dated August, 1757, received the following answer :

"Boston, Aug. 27, 1757, Moses Pearsons Esq., Sir. By order of his Excellency you have sent you pr. Mr. Weeks 2 Swivel Guns, half Barrel of Powder and Shot proportionable for ye use of the garrison at Pearsontown and Hobbs Town. You are to be accountable for ye same agreeable to ye Gove- nors order being ye present needful, from ye Humble servant Jno. Wheelright."

Samuel Knowles, John Walker, Thomas Morton, James Candage, Thomas Stevens, and probably others, built barracks within the walls of the fort, the last mention of which, in the records, is in 1763. One of the swivel guns was in use for "Fourth of July" celebrations until about 1840, when it dis- appeared, probably buried by some of the older inhabitants to get rid of its noise.

A survey of one hundred and twenty-three 30-acre lots was probably made before 1752; but the date upon which the grantees drew their lots does not appear. A second division was made in 1769 of one hundred acres each

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right, and a third division of one hundred acres in 1776. Only four persons who drew rights in the first division drew in the third.

The earliest saw-mill in town was built in 1762, by Ebenezer Shaw, on the same privilege where the present Shaw's mill stands. The mill privilege and two hundred acres of land were given him as encouragement to build thereon.

As a condition of the grant sixty of the one hundred and twenty grantees were to settle in distinct families within three years, and sixty more within seven years. They were to give bonds to the treasurer of the Province that each man should build a house sixteen by eighteen feet, with a seven-foot shed, and clear five acres of land.

As there was no petition for incorporation for some years after the town- ship had the requisite number of inhabitants for a municipal organization, a message was sent from the Massachusetts House of Representatives, in 1783. requiring the plantation to show cause why they should not be incorporated as a town. This was like a thunderbolt to the inhabitants and caused a rattling of bones. . An assessment for taxes, covering the past twenty years, caused their hearts to quake, and they appealed so piteously to the law-makers that they abated £571 18s. from the sum ordered to be collected.

FOUNDERS OF STANDISH.

Capt. Isaac Illsley was descended from William Ilsley, born in New- bury, Eng., in 1608, and came to New England in 1634. Isaac, born in Newbury. Mass .. in 1703, was a joiner who associated with Moses Pearsons; settled in Falmouth, now Portland, in 1735; had house garrisoned at Back Cove, in which he died April 15. 1781; was a bold, enterprising man and leader of scouting parties against the Indians; a useful and respected citizen. Children : Isaac, Enoch, Jonathan, Daniel, and Prudence, married to Simon Gookin. The Ilsleys descended from Capt. Isaac have been intelligent and prominent business men.

Moses Pearsons was born in Newburyport, in 1697. He was a car- penter by trade and carly associated with Isaac Illsley in business; they built a meeting-house in Kittery in 1726-7. He settled in Falmouth in 1728 9, and became a citizen of great prominence ; represented the town in the Gen_ eral Court : was first sheriff of Cumberland county and justice of the Court of Common Pleas. After the capture of Louisburg he was appointed agent for Sir William Pepperill's command to receive and distribute the spoils of victory. He remained at Louisburg for some time, superintending the con- struction of barracks and a hospital ; was a large proprietor in Falmouth and Standish ; house on Fore street, Falmouth, burned in 1775 ; died in 1778, aged 81. Children: Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Eunice, Anne, and Lois. No son

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Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary, Part 15

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Portland, Me., The author Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Portland, Me., The author
Number of Pages: 1424