USA > Maine > Waldo County > Stockton Springs > The story of Stockton Springs, Maine > Part 3
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Samuel Griffin built a store near his home but had the mis- fortune to have it robbed three times by Tories.
* Although a Quaker, Samuel Griffin was in Capt. Lattimore's Company of militia in 1757.
* Buxton gives almost the same version in his book "Assignment Down East .. "
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Isaac Griffin, one of Samuel's sons, built his house in Sears- port near the bar that goes to Brigadier Island. This house burned down in 1806. Eben Griffin settled in the Park District.
Nathan, who was mentioned above, settled in what is now Stockton. He was a farmer and fisherman. He married Eliz- abeth Treat, daughter of Joshua and Catherine (James) Treat, December 10, 1789. Elizabeth was born at Prospect, July 10, 1769. She died at Prospect, January 22, 1837. Their children were: Catherine, born August 31, 1790, married to Joseph Park, died January 8, 1826; Peleg, born January 10, 1792, married to Mary Clewley, died June 4, 1827; Desiah, born May 30, 1794, married to Henry Hichborn, died Feb- ruary 24, 1831; John, born May 30, 1797, married to Elizabeth Dickey, died November 8, 1874; Nathan, born March 11, 1799, but never married; Nahum Mosman, born March 16, 1805, married to Amelia Colcord first, and for his second wife to Mary Clifford (a widow). She was formerly Mary Dickey, a sister of Elizabeth Dickey. Nahum Mosman died February 27, 1876; James Lunt, born November 16, 1807, married to Lydia Blanchard; Jesse, born January 15, 1811, married to Maria Ford first and for his second wife to Sarah Patterson (a widow). He died January 14, 1886; Isaac Hull, born March 13, 1813, married to Deliliah Staples, daughter of Alexander and Mary (Ellingwood) Staples, January 19, 1837. Isaac died May 11, 1901.
Alexander Staples mentioned above was the son of William and Edith (Stevens) Staples. Mary Ellingwood Staples, his wife, was the daughter of Ralph Ellingwood and Deliliah (Shaw) Ellingwood.
Nahum Mosman Griffin mentioned above lived in the house now owned by Mrs. Helena Cox. This is supposed to be the second oldest house in Stockton village.
Isaac Hull Griffin, one of the sons of Nathan and Elizabeth Griffin, gave to the town of Stockton the land on which Maple Street was laid out. His first house was near where Guy Law-
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rence's house is today. Later he built the Griffin homestead which is owned today by Mrs. Orillie Merrithew. Isaac was a seaman, farmer and carpenter. Isaac and Deliliah had the following children: William, Samuel, Truman, Joseph, Peleg, Crawford, Loring, Levi, Benjamin, Maria, Mary and Ellen.
Levi Griffin, a son of Isaac Hull and Deliliah, was born in Prospect, July 12, 1855. Levi's ancestors were seamen and carpenters so in his youth he followed the family trades. When young, Mr. Griffin worked as sledgeman to a ship's carpenter. He worked for Henry Staples, Nathan Hichborn and Libby and Griffin in their yards. At about the age of twenty, Mr. Griffin went into the barbering trade. He shaved his first customer January 19, 1875. His first shop was in the Robert Hichborn Block and his business was burned out when that building burned. The last years that he was in business, Mr. Griffin's shop was in the Masonic building. Mr. Griffin bar- bered three half days a week at the Fort Point Hotel on Cape Jellison. It was there that he shaved Hannibal Hamlin of Hampden who was Abraham Lincoln's vice-president during his first term as president. Levi Griffin was a great admirer of Abraham Lincoln. Levi had two brothers who served in the Union Army during the Civil War and one brother who served in the Navy. June 25, 1881, Levi Griffin married Ada Evelyn Pendleton. They had four sons and one daughter. Two sons, Leeman and Herman died in infancy. The other two, Norman and Harold, lived to manhood and died of pneumonia, just a week apart, June 2 and June 9, 1929. The daughter, Amy, married Edric A. Colman, March 9, 1907. They had one daughter, Ada, who married Hillard R. Spear of Warren. The Spears have two daughters, Cynthia and Nancy. Amy Griffin Colman married the second time, Ansel Dawson Brewer, Dec- ember 25, 1924. The Brewers live in the home on Maple Street which was built by Levi Griffin. Mr. Griffin retired from the barbering business in 1944. He died February 9, 1947.
About the time that Samuel Griffin landed here, a schooner was captured by pirates and burned in the Mill Stream near
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Brand's Point. The crew of twenty men were taken across to Sandy Head and murdered! Their bodies were left on the shore, just above tide-line. Some of the settlers buried the bodies.
There is a legend that one night Samuel Griffin and his sons, Elisha and Eben, were out fishing. Suddenly there appeared near them two vessels. One vessel attacked the other and pirates from one ship boarded the other. A fierce hand to hand fight followed. Samuel and his sons could see it plainly and could hear the clash of swords and the screams and curses of the men. Suddenly the noise ceased; the mists cleared away; and there was no sight or sound of the vessels. The Griffins knew that they had seen an apparition. They were badly frightened so they pulled up anchor and rowed ashore.
At the time of the siege of Castine, Elisha and Eben piloted a brig with sixteen guns into Cape Jellison Harbor at Stockton. A British frigate followed her in and blew her up, August 14, 1779. This was near the island shore in the harbor about op- posite the Griffin farmhouse. Two of the guns were brass and were seen on the bottom of the harbor about fifty years ago.
In 1784 the lands of Thomas Goldthwaite passed to the heirs of Ezekial Goldthwaite of Boston. These heirs, except Elizabeth Bacon, together with the heirs of Governor Bernard, conveyed their interest to Robert Hichborn, May 6, 1789 .* Hichborn sold an undivided half to the committee on the sale of unappropriated lands of Lincoln County, June 9, 1789.
Robert Hichborn was born in Boston, Massachusetts, Nov- ember 20, 1740. He died at Prospect, Maine, October 18, 1800. He was a member of the Boston Tea Party and a cousin of Paul Revere. Hichborn was an officer in the Continental Army. His commission was dated November 25, 1776, and is recorded in the Revolutionary War Archives of Massachusetts.
* In the year 1792, General Knox obtained the title to the Waldo Estate and took possession. In 1806, General Knox died, and title of the lands in the Waldo Patent went into the possession of Isreal Thorn- dike, David Sears and William Prescott.
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On July 17, 1765, Robert Hichborn married Susannah Elling- wood. They had ten children: Robert P., Jr., William, Paul Revere, Henry, Deborah, Eliza, Hannah, Phillip, Susannah and Harriet.
Paul Revere Hichborn, third son of Robert and Susan Hich- born, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1777. He died October 22, 1861. He married Eleanor Dickey who was born at South Windham, N. H. in 1784. She died in 1860. Their children were: Susan, who never married; Sarah, Robert, Henry (who died at the age of four), Josiah F., Thomas Mer- rill, Eleanor, Elmira, Wilson, one child who died in in- fancy, and Henry Albert.
Sarah Hichborn married Enoch Staples and their daughter, Mary Staples, married Capt. Everett Staples. Their children were: Ada May and Everett. Ada May married Herbert L. Hopkins. Their son, George H. Hopkins, married Louise E. Griffin of Mattapoiset, Mass., November 16, 1916. Louise was the daughter of Harry Wilbur Griffin and Eugenie Patter- son Griffin. When George and Louise were married, Louise wore on her wedding slippers the silver wedding buckles which were worn by Robert Hichborn. George and Louise have two children: George H. Jr. and Elizabeth Jean. George, Jr. mar- ried Meta Searles of Farmington, Maine. They have one daugh- ter, Janice Louise.
Everett Staples married Blanche Frye, daughter of Joseph F. Frye and Amanda Berry Frye.
Elmira Hichborn, daughter of Paul Revere and Eleanor Hichborn, married Sullivan Patterson, who moved to Stockton from Belfast in 1831. Sullivan built the house now owned by Mrs. Emma Patterson. Children of Sullivan and Elmira were: Franklin Paul Revere, Henry Albert, Melvina, Elias, Eugene (who died at sea) and Aurilius (who was lost at sea).
Eugene Patterson, son of Sullivan and Elmira, married Ella Adelaide Berry. Their daughter was Eugenie Patterson.
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Eugenie married Harry Wilbur Griffin. One of their children was Louise Ella Griffin who married George H. Hopkins, Sr.
After Eugene Patterson died at sea, his widow, Ella, married his brother, Franklin Paul Revere Patterson. Their son was Franklin Faul Revere Patterson the second. He married for his first wife Mabel Rexford of New Bedford, Mass. He mar- ried the second time Emma Ashley of New Bedford, Mass.
Eleanor Hichborn, daughter of Paul Revere and Susan Hich- born, was born in 1823 and died in 1902. She married Capt. William David Colcord. Their children were: William (who died young of yellow fever), Millie (who died young), Albert C. Colcord, and Evelyn (who married Henry Lamphier).
Capt. Albert C. Colcord was born July 14, 1858, and died January 19, 1909. He married Eleanor Buck Staples, daughter of Wilbert M. and Addie E. Staples of Portland, formerly of Stockton, October 18, 1881. They had one daughter, Evelyn A. who married Harry David Shute, son of Capt. Elden and Clara Berry Shute, January 23, 1911. Harry David Shute died in 1919. Harry and Evelyn had one son, Harry David, Jr. who married Olive Brown of Augusta. They have two sons, David Colcord Shute and Charles Albert Shute. They live in New Haven, Conn.
Josiah French Hichborn, son of Paul Revere and Susan Hichborn, owned the house now called Shadow Lane. He married Maria Treat Blanchard. Their daughter, Vena M. Hichborn, married Dr. James F. Ryder.
Thomas Merrill Hichborn married Esther Fletcher, daughter of Oliver Fletcher. Their sons were: Frank Hichborn and Irving Hichborn.
Henry Albert Hichborn married Irene Green. Their children were: Herman Everett Hichborn and Ruth Hichborn. Ruth married John D. Woodfin.
Robert Hichborn married first Caroline Clifford. Their children were: Myra Emma, George Wilbert, and Adelbert
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James. Later Robert married his first wife's sister, Susan Jane Clifford. Their children were: Nellie Jane, Edmund Loring, and Callie (who drowned when young).
Wilson, sixth son of Paul Revere and Susan Hichborn, was born in Prospect, Maine, now Stockton Springs, January 25, 1821. He died October 4, 1880. He was educated in the com- mon schools. He went to sea at an early age and became a captain when twenty-one years old. He retired from the sea in 1859 and farmed for the remainder of his life. November 6, 1859, Capt. Hichborn married Ardella Griffin, who was born in Prospect, April 20, 1834. She died September 25, 1902. Their children were: Harry Revere, Addie Merrill who was born in 1861 and died in 1871, and Alice who was born in 1869 and died in 1927. Alice was assistant postmaster here for several years. Wilson Hichborn lived in the house which is called Tally-Ho Inn today.
Harry Revere Hichborn was born in Stockton, November 24, 1871 and died in 1942. He was a farmer. Mr. Hichborn was the president of the Stockton Springs Trust Company and was one of the people who got the bank established in town. Mr. Hichborn was a director in the Water Company. In company with Herbert Hopkins, he was a owner of the Stock- ton Springs Telephone Company. He was appointed post- master by President Mckinley in 1898. On January 19, 1899, Harry Hichborn married Alice May Crocker. She was the daughter of Orrin J. and Elmira Crocker of Stockton.
The land which Robert Hichborn purchased was the penin- sula, now known as Cape Jellison. He built a large house at the corner of the East Cape Road and the Fort Point Road. He built a line of packets which ran to and from Boston. He shipped timber, fish and game to the Boston market.
Robert Hichborn donated a piece of land to be used as a cemetery and when he died in 1800, was the first person to be buried there. After he died, his wife and children, except three sons, Paul Revere, Robert, Jr., and William, returned to Bos-
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ton. In 1811, his youngest child, Henry Hichborn, returned from Boston and married Desiah Griffin. He made his home at his father's homestead.
In 1765, Samuel Stowers and his wife came to Cape Jellison from Chelsea, Mass. He took charge of the farm and fishing business for Robert Hichborn. About two years later, he moved to Sandy Point. Samuel Stowers married Mrs. Betsy Brooks in 1781. Mrs. Brooks was Miss Betsy Upham before her first marriage. She was the fifth generation decendent of Hannah Buckman, who came over in the Mayflower. Her first husband, Mr. Brooks, went privateering during the Rev- olutionary War and never returned. She married Samuel Stowers in Chelsea, Mass. They had six children. Elizabeth, born February 12, 1783, died in infancy; Elizabeth, born Feb- ruary 5, 1785, married Robert Thompson, July 14, 1805; Lois, born July 11, 1788, never married; Samuel, born September 25, 1790, married Experience Boden, March 12, 1815, and settled in Frankfort, now Monroe. Samuel died in March 1890; James, born March 24, 1794, married Nancy Pendleton. (She was born October 12, 1787) *; and Nathaniel, born April 20, 1787, married Abagail Clifford, January 1, 1822.
Samuel Stowers, Sr. died July 30, 1825. His wife died Dec- ember 18, 1830.
Samuel Stowers, Jr. and Experience Stowers had three children. Two died young. One daughter, whose name wasn't given, married Robert Grant. She died in 1873.
James Stowers and Nancy Pendleton Stowers had ten child- ren: Eliza Ann, born January 1, 1818, married to Edward Harriman, September 6, 1840, and died June 5, 1842. Mr. Harriman died in February 1843. Their son was James Edward Harriman; James Riley Stowers, born February 23, 1815, died at sea, while captain of the schooner "Italian". The "Italian" foundered with all hands on board off South Hampden, L. I., October 13, 1845; Abagail Pendleton Stowers, born in July
* James wrote the Journal to which we have referred several times.
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1822, married Simeon Nickerson, January 12, 1845; Samuel Green Stowers, born December 21, 1824, was the mate of the schooner Mary Brooks. He left Searsport with his uncle, December 1, 1847. They were supposed lost on Georges Banks, in December, 1847; Lois Elizabeth Stowers, born November 10, 1827, married Benjamin French, Jr., August 11, 1851; John Pendleton Stowers, born January 15, 1829, died November 18, 1848; Charles Edward Stowers, born January 7, 1831, died August 1833; Nancy Emaline Stowers, born November 8, 1833, married William Willie, September 9, 1857; Charles Nelson Stowers, born September 24, 1835, married Maria Bowen, June 29, 1860; Edward N. Stowers, born August 5, 1837, mar- ried Abby Campbell in June, 1862. He died at Hudson, N. Y., July 13, 1863.
James Stower's first home was a log cabin on the river bank. Later he built the house now owned by Richard Crosby. This house was built before 1820. An addition was built on the house in 1820. The house now owned by Mrs. Jean Macfarlan was originally a part of the Crosby house. There was a family quarrel and Nathaniel Stowers moved his part of the house from the old site to where it stands today. The chimneys at the Crosby house were made from bricks which were made in the Stowers' brickyard. Ruins of this brickyard are in the woods across the road from the Crosby house. Some of the woodwork in this house is hand-carved and very beautiful.
James Stowers served in the War of 1812 under the command of Capt. Phineas Pendleton of Searsport. He married Capt. Pendleton's daughter, Nancy. James and Nancy settled about three miles from her father's farm in 1819. James says in his Journal, "In summer my wife and I used to ride to visit her parents. We rode on a horse with our oldest child before me and my wife behind me on a pillow. She held the baby in her arms."
James' brother, Nathaniel, lived on the adjoining farm. He engaged in lumbering and fishing. In 1846, he entered business with Levi Staples. They occupied a building on the hill above
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Meadow Stream. They formed the ship-building company of Stowers and Staples.
Manoah Ellis signed the petition for the incorporation of Frankfort (Stockton), Maine, May 26, 1790. He bought land on Cape Jellison in 1791. Manoah married Sarah Elridge of Harwick, Mass., April 26, 1755. Their children were: Levi who was born in 1763 and died in 1831. He married Jemmia Ellis, who was born in 1766 and died in 1832; Barak Ellis, another son of Manoah, married Charity Ames.
Levi and Jemmia Ellis had a son, Capt. William Ellis, who was born in 1788 and died in 1881. He married Hannah Ellis, who was born in 1791 and died in 1857. Hannah was the daughter of Barak and Charity (Ames) Ellis. William and Hannah had a daughter, Hannah (2), who married Samuel Park.
In 1792 Robert Hichborn brought Edward Kneeland from Boston to carry on his farm on Cape Jellison.
The Dickeys came here from New Hampshire and settled in the Roberts District in North Stockton. Daniel Dickey lived in the "Stone House", which in later years was owned by Irving Harris. Nearby was the Black and Dickey mill. This mill was owned later by Sylvanus Roberts. Mr. Roberts also ran a store. The Roberts School was named for him.
Jonathan Staples was another early settler in North Stock- ton. His home is now owned by Mrs. Jennie Staples Jacobs. This house is the only house on the old County Road that has never "changed hands" since it was built. It has always been owned by descendents of Jonathan Staples. Jonathan was the great-grandfather of Medbury Staples.
William Dickey and his wife Eleanor (Wilson) Dickey came here from Londonderry or Windham, N. H. in 1785. They settled at Lowder's Brook. One of their sons, William Dickey, married Mary Lancaster. Mary Lancaster was born in Frank- fort, near what is now Sandy Point village, December 15, 1790.
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She married William Dickey of Stockton, October 5, 1815. They lived in Stockton all their lives. Mr. Dickey died in 1882. They had no children but raised three foster children. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Dickey went to live with one of her foster daughters, Mrs. L. Sawyer Ellis. She lived with Mrs. Ellis until her death, November 3, 1894, at the age of 103 years, 10 months and 19 days. Mrs. Dickey was known as "Aunt Polly". Aunt Polly never saw a train of cars, and was never on a steamboat or a stagecoach. The only places she had ever visited were: Bangor, Belfast and Bluehill. Yet, she had lived in two states, Massachusetts and Maine; two counties, Hancock and Waldo; and in three towns, Frankfort, Prospect and Stockton; but had never moved out of town!
The Lamphier property on Cape Jellison was the William Dickey farm. The original house was built where the old well now stands. When the original house was built there were no roads on the Cape. There was a trail which ran around the shore. The front door of the original house faced the shore so it would open onto the trail. Mr. Dickey's daughter, Jane, married John Marden who built the house now known as the Lamphier Place.
James Rendell came to Stockton from Thomaston in 1805. His brother, William, came here about the same time. They built homes on Cape Jellison .* Jeb Small settled at the Cape about 1805. Josiah Grant brought his family to the Cape Jel- lison neighborhood in 1817. His home was at the point of the cape, forming the east side of the harbor mouth.
James Treat built his home on the hill next to the shore in the middle of what is now Edward Libby's pasture. The old cellar and the old well are still there. Later Mr. Treat built the house now owned by Edward Libby. Later this was the home of James Lunt Griffin. James Lunt Griffin was the ma- ternal grandfather of Edward Libby and the paternal grand- father of James H. Griffin.
* Various branches of this family now spell the name Randell, Randall, and Rendell.
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Soon after 1817, a brother of Josiah Grant, Samuel Manley Hardy Grant, settled in Sandy Point. He built the house now owned by George G. Smith. Samuel was the great-great- grandfather of Mrs. Smith. Samuel built his house in 1828 and it has always been owned by members of the Grant family.
About 1815, Robert McGilvery, a native of New Hampshire, brought his wife and young son, William, to the new settle- ment. He settled in what is now the village of Stockton.
William French came from New Hampshire in 1814 and purchased a point of land in Sandy Point which was later known as French's Point. That Point is not the point now known as French's Point. It is the point where Ivan Grant's house stands. At one time it was called Shore Pasture. 1253502
Sewell Gilmore moved to this town from Belfast in 1830. He later married one of Crawford Staples' daughters, Phoebe. Sewell and Phoebe had one daughter, Sarah, who married Capt. Ralph Morse. Capt. Morse came to Stockton from Lincolnville, in 1852. Capt. Morse sailed to all the principal maritime cities of the world and his wife sailed with him. They had one daughter, Jennie, who sailed all over the world with her parents. Jennie married Ralph Staples Bragg. They had two sons: one who died in infancy; and Lester Morse Bragg. Lester Bragg was the first person from Stockton to be graduated from the University of Maine. Lester married Eleanor Sullivan of Lynbrook, N. Y. They have two children, Lester, Jr. and Helen.
Sewell Gilmore's house was where Irving Littlefield lives now. This is the third oldest house in Stockton village.
John Libby lived in the house now owned by Hartley Fraser. This house is the fourth oldest house in Stockton village. Later Mr. Libby bought the house now owned by Ernest Trundy.
We have already mentioned Miles and John Staples. Two other members of the Staples family who settled here previous to 1860 were two brothers, Alexander and Henry Staples.
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Sebra Crooker came here from Deer Isle about 1819. He was one of the best known builders and master workmen. He owned Crooker's Yard which was located at the foot of what is now Middle Street. After he arrived in town the design of vessels improved as he was a master craftsman. He designed many vessels and built seventy-one. Forty of these vessels were built in Stockton. The first vessel which he built was the "Betsy and Hannah" which was built at Deer Isle about 1819. His last vessel was the "George Kremmelburg" which was built at Stockton in 1875. He also built vessels at Bucksport and Searsport. One of Crooker's schooners, the "Tyrene," was built in Mr. Crooker's dooryard. Mr. Crooker built two vessels at his yard in Stockton: the schooner, "George and William" in 1837 and the schooner, "Redwing," in 1838. At other times he worked as master builder.
Sebra Crooker married Ruth Staples, the daughter of Craw- ford and Ruth (Ridley) Staples. Sebra and Ruth had the following children: Catherine, born in 1822; Simeon, born in 1831; Abigal, born in 1828; Lisena, born in 1834; Jackson, born in 1836; James L., born in 1839; and John, born in 1846.
Sebra Crooker lived in the house now owned by Mrs. Russell Gardner. This house was built by Crawford Staples in 1820 and is the oldest house in Stockton village. At the house rais- ing of this house the following toast was given:
"Crawford's Industry and Ruth's Delight
Framed in three days and raised Saturday night!"
Albion Paris Goodhue moved to Stockton from Albion in 1840 and married Abigal Crooker, one of Sebra's daughters. They had no children. After Abigal died, Albion married her sister, Catherine Crooker Harriman, the widow of Hiriam Har- riman. Hiriam Harriman had been lost at sea. Catherine and Hiriam had one son, Hiriam, Jr. Albion and Catherine had the following children: Russell Paris and Carrie.
Carrie Goodhue married Albert M. Gardner. Albert had been married previously to Georgianna Weymouth. Albert
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and Georgianna had the following children: Clarence, Earl, Russel, Flora and Lincoln. Albert and Carrie had no children but she raised his family. She was a wonderful step-mother to these children.
Albion Goodhue built the house now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln A. Gardner. The Gardners have named this house "Mouldloft".
Col. Joseph Ames settled in Stockton early in 1800. Col. Ames served on the board of selectmen in 1829, 1832-1835, in 1838 and in 1840. Col. Ames was a brother of David and John Ames.
The Colcords were here before 1826. The first Colcord mentioned in old records of the town was William, fourth son of David and Eunice (Parsons) Colcord. William married Sally Jane Ames, who died in December, 1758. William Col- cord was drowned in Penobscot Bay, in June, 1826. Children of William and Sally were: Mary Jane who married Benjamin Batchlor; Sally who married Marshall Dutch; John S. who married Sarah Howe; William David who married Eleanor Hichborn; and Josiah Ames who married Martha J. Berry. After William died, Sally married Jonathan Staples in 1830.
Josiah Ames Colcord, youngest son of William and Sally Colcord, was born January 22, 1818, in Prospect, Maine. He was a ship owner and a captain for many years. While on a voyage, he died of yellow fever at Havana, Cuba, on June 30, 1876. Capt. Josiah Colcord married Martha Jane, daughter of Capt. John Berry, December 24, 1840. Martha Jane was born November 8, 1818, in Prospect, Maine. She died January 2, 1894 in Stockton. Their children were: Melvin E., born Nov- ember 7, 1844; Emery B., Pauline (who married C. C. Roberts); Clara E., Frederick D., Frank Augustus (who married Hattie Louise Rich, daughter of Jackson and Sarah Sullivan Rich) and Hattie Louise.
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