USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Windham > Windham in the past > Part 3
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Accordingly, the foregoing vote, together with a carefully executed plan of the grant, giving the course and length of the several lines and certified to by John Bailey, Benjamin Hendly, and Nathan Bowen, the Proprietors' committee, was entered on their records, where it may yet be seen.
This mill was built just above the rocky bluff near the site of the present woolen mill, at what is now called Mallison Falls, but known to the Indians as "Nagwamqueeg." It was the first mill of any kind erected in Windham and was, as expected, a great benefit to the settlers. In the lapse of years it had several different owners and remained, with various repairs and altera- tions, until the spring of 1843, when the last of its massive timbers disappeared in the freshet of that year.
The Indian name of the falls is said to mean "canoe landing." Of this, however, there is no positive proof ; but from an incident that occurred during the building of the mill. the settlers named the falls "Horse Beef," and this name they retained for nearly or quite a century.
Although the Proprietors had expended considerable sums in preparing their grant for settlement, the population increased but slowly for several years, owing to its distance from the parent
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WINDHAM IN THE PAST
town and the difficulty arising from the lack of roads from the nearest settlements at Falmouth (now Portland). Then again. the Indians, while not in a state of open war, still regarded each white settlement as a direct encroachment on their ancient birth- right; hence a feeling of unrest prevailed among the tribes throughout the country, which, sooner or later, threatened dire consequences to the weak settlements.
The grantees were composed of mechanics, ministers. fisher- men, innholders, merchants, and gentlemen .- men but poorly fitted to undergo the hardships incident to a settlement in a new country covered, as their grant was, by a primeval forest.
Under these adverse circumstances, doubtless many of the grantees became disheartened and either sold their home lots or transferred them to others, who would perform the conditions originally imposed by the Great and General Court. A few, however, decided to settle on their grants and make permanent homes in this wilderness.
Main Street, South Windham, Maine
CHAPTER II THE EARLY SETTLERS
Undoubtedly Thomas Chute was the first white man to settle in what is now the Town of Windham. Thomas L. Smith. in his "History of Windham," says that he commenced the first settle- ment in this town, "July 30, 1737," and further says that Chute was born in England, in 1690. This is erroneous, as William E. Chute, in his genealogy of the family, makes him the great- grandson of Lionel Chute, who was born in Dedham, England. about 1580. He was by trade a "Tayler," but appears to have been a sort of general trader and kept for sale various kinds of merchandise, such as hardware, dry goods, and eroekery.
When the present Town of Windham was granted to sixty inhabitants of old Marblehead, Mr. Chute was one of the grantees, and, in the division of lands, drew Home Lot No. 12.
He soon decided to make himself a home in the new township, to which end he elosed his business in Marblehead, and, in the spring of 1737, came with his family to Falmouth (now Port- land), where he commenced his old business of keeping a house of entertainment and working at his trade. In the meantime, however, he was doubtless clearing some part of his land and erecting a house preparatory to removing his family to New Marblehead. He built his house on his original lot, No. 12, about twenty rods from the Presumpseot River. where the remains of his old eellar are yet to be seen. The preeise date of his removal from Portland is not known, but it was doubtless either in the fall of 1737 or the spring of 1738. We think the latter date more likely to be correct, for he was then doing a fairly good business in Portland, as his old account book goes to show, and his well- known forethought would have induced him to remain, at least through the winter months, in a eivilized community. This, how- ever, is simply an opinion based on the faet that Mr. Chute appears, according to the old Proprietors' book of records, as "of Falmouth" as late as Mareh. 1738.
With his usual energy, he at onee cleared seven acres of land
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WINDHAM IN THE PAST
on his home lot and purchased lots 13 and 14, which adjoined his original lot No. 12. On each of these he also cleared seven acres.
Mr. Chute was not only the first settler, but when others came into the township, he became the acknowledged leader and adviser of the infant colony. The church records of the first parish in Falmouth (now Portland) have this entry, in October, 1738: "Thomas Chute, Mary his wife and Abigail, their daughter, being regularly dismissed from the Marblehead church, were admitted to the one here."
In December, 1743, when the church was organized in New Marblehead, he, with his wife and daughter, was dismissed to the church there. As the old record says, "He having in God's providence removed to a new settlement called New Marblehead, in order to the embodying a church there, there being a paucity of members." On Dec. 27, 1743, he was chosen Deacon of the newly-formed and weak church, in which office he remained until October, 1770, when, at his own request, he was allowed to resign, and Micah Walker was chosen to fill the office thus made vacant.
When the town was incorporated in 1762, Mr. Chute was elected Clerk and served in that capacity until 1765, covering a period of four years. He was selectman in 1765 and 1766. His wife, Mary, died July 30, 1762, aged 70 years; and, according to the church records, his own long and valuable life came to a close in 1771, full of years and honors.
The second settler of Windham was William Mayberry, or, as he wrote it, Meayberry. He was a native of Ballemoney, a parish near Coleraine in Antrim County, Ireland, whence he emigrated to Marblehead, Mass., about 1730. Thomas L. Smith, Esq .. says, in his history of the town, that Mr. Mayberry came from Marblehead, in 1738, and settled on Home Lot 27, but this is uncertain. He was one of the original grantees and drew Ifome Lot No. 57, but did not settle on it, as there is documentary (vidence to prove that he located on Lot 11, and the date of his settlement is given as 1740. This lot was the original right of Robert Bull and adjoined that of Mr. Chute, and Mr. Mayberry doubtless purchased it to be near him. A committee's report of 1759 states that he had eight acres cleared and a house "Rotten down," and was taxed for Lots 11, 19, 26, 38, and 57. He re- moved to Lot 26, where the report alluded to above locates him with "a garrison house" and 15 acres cleared, in 1750.
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THE EARLY SETTLERS
He was by trade a blacksmith and brought with him the tools of his trade. A family tradition asserts that shortly after he came to Windham, for want of better accommodation, he set up his forge under the spreading branches of a gigantic oak tree near his dwelling, and placing his anvil on a convenient stump, prepared to exercise his old time handicraft, and that the Indians were his first customers.
Mr. Mayberry is described as a tall, bony man, of great physi- cal strength and endurance, somewhat reticent in his demeanor, possessed, nevertheless, of a species of grim humor, as the follow- ing anecdote goes to show :
It is said that once, at Saccarappa, he was accosted by a well- dressed gentleman on horse-back with the inquiry, "Mr., how far is it to a blacksmith's shop?" With a serio-comic expression of countenance, Mr. Mayberry replied, "Why, my dear sir, you are in the shop now, but it is, at least, three miles to the anvil." Just what reply the horseman vouchsafed to this information the tradition fails to relate, but it is presumable, however, that the reputed size of blacksmith shops thereabout caused him to maintain a profound silence in regard to so grave a matter.
William Mayberry married, in Ireland, Bathsheba Dennis, but no record of her birth, marriage, or death can now be found. An interesting account of his life, previous to his Windham resi- dence, will be found in the Mayberry genealogy.
After his removal to Windham, his daughter, Nancy or Anne, was born on May 28. 1740, she being the second white child born in Windham. According to the church records, he died Mar. 15, 1765, but no age is given. Many of his descendants are still living in this and the neighboring towns.
John Farrow was the third settler. He was a native of Tiverton, R. I., and came from there to this town. Thomas L. Smith, in his "History of Windham," says this was in 1738 and states that he settled on Home Lot 31; but the Proprietors' com- mittee (a copy of whose record will be found further on) locates him on Lot No. 29, with 12 acres cleared. The report also states that his house was "Rotten down," and gives the date of his settlement as 1740, which is doubtless correct. His wife was Persis (maiden name unknown), and they had at least three children, who came with them to the new home : John Jr., Bethia, and Grace.
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WINDHAM IN THE PAST
But little is known of this early settler; but, from what we are able to learn, he appears to have been a quiet, peaceable, well- disposed man, and but poorly fitted to cope with the difficulties of a new settlement in the dense wilderness he found here. He seems to have been homesick and discouraged, and is said to have lived in mortal fear of the Indians.
His great-grandson, Seth Webb, in a sketch of the Webb family written in 1856, speaking of Mr. Farrow, says, "He was one of the original grantees of Windham." This is a gross mis- take, and was either the result of ignorance on the part of Mr. Webb, or he was misled by an unverified family tradition. John Farrow was not a grantee, and his name nowhere appears as such. The lot on which he settled was the original right of Joseph Gallison of Marblehead, of whom he probably purchased it, as he appears to have been possessed of considerable means at the time of his settlement. From the church records we learn that Mrs. Persis Farrow died May 12, 1758, but no age is given. It is said they were both buried on Mr. Farrow's own land ; but, if this was the case, all traces of their last resting place have long since been obliterated.
The fourth settler was Stephen Manchester. IIe was the son of Gershom and Anne Manchester and was born in Tiverton, R. I., May 23, 1717. IIe came from there to Windham, probably about the year 1740, and married Grace, daughter of John and Persis Farrow. They had a son. Thomas, born, Mr. Smith says, in 1739, but this is not correct. As before noticed, her parents settled here in 1740.
A well authenticated tradition relates that Stephen Man- chester was engaged to their daughter, Grace, before they came here, and that the parents, objecting to the intimacy existing between the two, decided to emigrate to New Marblehead, think- ing the young people would soon forget each other. In this expectation they were doomed to be disappointed, for, in the space of two short weeks, came young Manchester in search of bis best girl. Having found her, he made assurance doubly sure by marrying her in the course of a few weeks.
Now if the above is true-and we see no reason to doubt it- then it is evident that their oldest child could not have been born in 1739. In 1742, Stephen Manchester purchased Home Lot No.
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THE EARLY SETTLERS
32, adjoining that of his brother-in-law, John Farrow, Jr., eleared 12 aeres, and built a house, which stood about twenty rods from the river. Here let me say that the remains of the cellar are yet plain to be seen, with the big flat door stone still where he placed it more than one hundred and sixty years ago. When his house was ready, he moved into it, and here his wife, Grace, died about 1745 and was buried on their lot, where her grave is yet to be seen.
On December 21, 1749 (according to the church records), he was united in marriage with Miss Sea Fair Mayberry, daughter of William Mayberry, the second settler of the town. the cere- mony being performed by Rev. John Wight. This is the fifth marriage recorded in the old church record. By her he had Stephen Jr., born Aug. 9, 1751, who never married, but enlisted for three years in the Revolutionary army. He died in the hos- pital at Reading. Pennsylvania, Jan. 5, 1778, aged 26 years. Their second child was Abigail, born Nov. 9, 1753, who married, Jan. 28, 1773, Davis Thurrel and moved to Poland, Maine, where it is said some of her descendants are now living.
On Dec. 12, 1753, Mrs. Sea Fair Manchester died at the early age of 23 years ; and, on April 9, 1758, Mr. Manchester married for his third wife, Mary Bailey. She was born at Marblehead, Mass., Nov. 4, 1726, and was the daughter of John and Rachel Bailey, who were of Marblehead in that year and of Falmouth in 1728. Previous to 1722, they appear to have lived in Newbury.
By her Stephen Manchester had three children: Gershom, born May 10, 1761; Anna, born Feb. 13, 1765; and John, born about 1767.
In 1788, he sold the land on which he first settled and pur- chased, on Feb. 7th of that year, Lot 79 in the second division of one hundred acres, situated at East Windham, where he moved, being then in his seventy-second year. Here, on a steep and rugged hill at least two hundred and fifty feet above the sur- rounding country, he built a small one-story house and cleared himself a farm, and here he lived until he became unable to carry on his farm. He then moved, first to his son Gershom's, and aft- erwards to his son John's, at the foot of the hill on the road, where he died June 24, 1807, aged 90 years and 20 days. His
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WINDHAM IN THE PAST
wife, Mary, died May 15, 1815, aged 88 years. * Their remains are interred in the cemetery on the farm of Mr. Albert Knight of East Windham, and the grave of this old prioneer is yet to be seen. marked only by an iron rod at the head.
The fifth settler was Abraham Anderson. He was a native of Groton, Mass., from which place he went to Marblehead. From there he came to Windham, in 1740, and located on Home Lot No. 36, where he is said to have built his house on the Main Road, being the first man to settle away from the river. Lot 36 was the original right of Benjamin Hendly, of whom Mr. Ander- son probably purchased it. He also became possessed of Lots 37 and 38, the former of which was drawn to Samuel Lee, Esq .. and the latter to Benjamin James, Jun., two of the grantees.
Abraham Anderson eventually beeame a large land owner in this town and, for several years, did considerable lumbering. He was a man of sound judgment, honest and upright in his dealings, exceedingly hospitable and good-humored, and was greatly respected in the community.
Just who the next man was to locate here it is impossible to state positively, but it was probably Gershom Manchester, father of Stephen, who came here in 1740 and settled on Home Lot No. 15, where he built a house and cleared eight acres of land. He came from Tiverton, R. I., with his second wife, who was Mary Farrow of Portsmouth. Rhode Island, to whom he was married Dec. 16, 1731. They had one child. John, born Nov. 4, 1732, who came here with his parents; and there may have been other children, but we find no record of any. His wife, Mary, was admitted to full communion in the New Marblehead church, Oct. 7, 1744. He was a scout in Capt. George Berry's Company in 1746, and died in Windham, Mar. 15, 1749, aged 62 years.
(A full account of Thomas Bolton, another early settler, is given under the Bolton genealogy.)
Samuel Elder, with his brother, Robert, came from Artemore, Antrim Co., Ireland. Robert settled in what is now Cape Elizabeth. Samuel settled first at Presumpscot Falls, about the year 1730, and from there came with his family to Windham in
*Since the above was written, Mr. Manchester's remains were re- moved to the cemetery, between Windham Center and Morrell's Corner, where a suitable mounment marks the spot.
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THE EARLY SETTLERS
1743. He located on Home Lot No. 40, which was drawn by Rev. William Edward Holyoke, an original grantee. His wife was Huston, and they had seven children, two of whom were born in Ireland, two in Falmouth, and three in Windham. He had a house on this lot, but appears to have left town when the Indian war broke out. He probably returned when peace was declared, and died here previous to 1759, at which time his house was reported as "Rotten down."
John Bodge came from Dover, N. H. (or that vicinity). He was born about 1717 ; came to this town in 1742 ; settled on Home Lot No. 10, and built his house forty rods from the river, where the old cellar is still to be seen. He married, Dec. 14, 1743, Rebecca, daughter of Thomas Chute the first settler. This is the first marriage recorded on the church book, and it was solemnized the same day that the church was organized and Rev. John Wight ordained pastor. Mrs. Rebecca (Chute) Bodge was born Jan. 6, 1724, and was drowned in Presumpscot River, July 25, 1763, at the age of 39 years. When the Indian war broke out, Mr. Bodge with his family took refuge in the fort, where they remained with other settlers until peace was declared. On re- turning to his homestead, he found his house in such a condition as to render it unfit for occupancy ; so he built, a second time, on the easterly side of the Main or River Road. He did not remarry, but continued to live with his children until they grew up and went to homes of their own. He then went to live with his son, Benjamin. While on a visit to his daughter in New Gloucester, he died, and his remains were there interred.
In 1742, Thomas Humphreys had a house and seven acres of land cleared on Home Lot 39. He died before 1759. We have no further information in regard to this man. The lot on which he located was the original right of Francis Bowden, one of the grantees, of whom he may have purchased it.
Samuel Webb, ancestor of all bearing that name in this vicin- ity, came here from Tiverton, R. I. He was born at Redriff, near London, on Christmas Day, 1696. His father, who was a master mariner, was killed by the natives on the coast of Africa, when Samuel was about twelve years of age. Not being satisfied to remain under guardianship, he ran away and came to this country in 1713, landing at Tiverton. There he learned the black- smith's trade of a Mr. MeIntyre, whose daughter, Mary, he mar-
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WINDHAM IN THE PAST
ried, on Christmas Day, 1718. She died four years later leaving two sons; and, on Apr. 10, 1723, he married Mrs. Bethia Spear, widow of Capt. David Spear and daughter of John and Persis Farrow, who had already settled in New Marblehead. The family tradition asserts that Mrs. Spear was a wife, mother, and widow before she was sixteen years of age.
Samuel Webb, with his family, came here as early as 1744 and located on Home Lot No. 24, on which he built his house. HIe also appears to have owned Lots 21 and 23, which he afterwards transferred to his son, Seth.
His grandson, Seth Webb of Gorham, in writing of him, says: "He moved from Tiverton to Boston in 1744, from thence to Saccarappa, and then to Windham," and further states that the next year after his settlement here the Indian war broke out. This would indicate that his settlement was in 1744 or 5.
However, Thomas L. Smith, Esq .. in his "History of Wind- ham" (page 81), says: "Samuel Webb taught the first school in the town in 1743." We have, however, never been able to find any documentary evidence to confirm the statement. Mr. and Mrs. Webb had a family of eight children, six sons and two daughters.
In 1766, he removed with his son, Seth, to Deer Isle and lived there until his death, which took place Feb. 15, 1785. His wife, Bethia, died at same place, Nov. 30. 1770.
Rev. John Wight, the first settled minister, was born in Ded- ham, Mass., in 1699. IIe graduated at Harvard College in 1721. and married, July 3. 1728. Mary Pond. daughter of Jabez and Mary (Gay) Pond. She died in Bristol, June 19, 1735; and in October, 1737, he married Mrs. Deliverance Carpenter of Re- hoboth.
On Mar. 25, 1743, he accepted a call from the Proprietors of New Marblehead to settle there in the gospel ministry and was ordained. on Dec. 14, 1743. He built his house on Home Lot No. 35; but, as the first settled minister, he owned, in his own right, Lot No. 34. Mr. Wight remained pastor of the church here until his death, which took place May 8, 1753.
Nathaniel Starbird, or as the records have it, Starboard, set- tled on Lot. 28, which had been drawn to Robert Hooper, one of the grantees. Nothing is known of this Mr. Starbird, save the bare record of his settlement here in 1745, and that he had a
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THE EARLY SETTLERS
house on this lot with nine acres cleared at that date. He ap- pears to have removed from town at the opening of the Indian war and to have served in Capt. George Berry's Company at Fal- mouth. He probably did not return to Windham and was re- corded as "deceased" before 1759.
Jonas Knapp settled on Lot No. 41. Of him but little is now known. Lot 41 was the original right of John Oulton, Esq., one of the grantees, and the old records tell us that Knapp had a house and seven acres of land cleared, but was "deceased" in 1748. He served in Capt. Berry's Company at Falmouth and probably did not return to Windham.
Capt. Caleb Graffam settled on Home Lot No. 63, in 1743, where he had a house and nine acres cleared. He was a native of Scarborough, Me. Southgate, in his history of Scarborough, says, "From 1727 to 1731, Caleb Graffam lived at Dunstan Cor- ner and subsequently moved to New Marblehead and was living there in 1783." He died, according to the inscription on his headstone, in Windham, Nov. 11, 1784, aged 73 years. His wife was Lois Bennett, but of her ancestry we know nothing. They had ten children, all born in Falmouth and Windham. Their daughter, Abigail, was born in Windham, Apr. 11, 1744, and baptized by Rev. John Wight, May 13th. Capt. Graffam was evidently a man of superior abilities, took great interest in the welfare of the new township, and was greatly respected by all who knew him.
William Knight came from Manchester, Mass., and, after having lived at Falmouth (Saccarappa), moved from there to Windham. He located on Home Lot No. 63, on which he built a house. He lived there a few years and then went to Little Falls and built a sawmill, which he and his sons and grandsons after him operated for many years.
No date of his settlement can now be found, but it must have been about 1744, as he had a daughter Abigail born here on Dee. 5th of that year. She was baptized by Rev. Mr. Wight on Dec. 6, same year. Mr. Knight was twice married. Ilis first wife was Mary Haskell, by whom he had two sons, William and Joseph, born before he came here, and the daughter, Abigail, before men- tioned, born in this town. His second wife was Hannah Roberts, and they had six children. Mr. Knight was an active. enterpris-
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WINDHAM IN THE PAST
ing man and a good citizen. Some of his descendants are still living in Windham, Gorham and vicinity.
Hugh Crague was born in Antrim Country, Ireland, about the year 1723. His father, whose first name we do not know. married for his second wife Mary MeLellan, a sister of Hugh, of Gorham, and James of Saco. About 1730, Mr. Crague and his family left Ireland for America ; and on the voyage he died, leav- ing his wife and two children, Jane and Hugh.
While in Boston, where they first landed. Mrs. Crague mar- ried Thomas Bolton, who came over in the same vessel. Soon after their marriage they came to Portland, where they remained a while before coming to Windham.
Hugh Crague married, Nov. 11, 1749, Elizabeth Warren of Falmouth, and soon after came to Windham and purchased Home Lots Nos. 50 and 51. He built a house on Lot 51. while his barn was on Lot 50. The date of his settlement is given as 1751, but he was probably here before that time. Mr. Crague and his wife, Elizabeth, had eight children, born between 1750 and 1772, all of whom grew up. He became quite wealthy for the time in which he lived, and was a highly respected and valuable citizen. He died Mar. 19, 1777, aged 54 years. No record of his wife's death is known to exist. but it is said that she outlived him several years. He is buried in the Anderson Cemetery where his head- stone may yet be seen.
Zerubbabel Hunnewell was born in Scarborough, Apr. 16, 1716. He was the son of Roger and Mary (Adams) Hunnewell and grandson of Lieut. Richard Hunnewell, the noted Indian killer of Scarboro. His family record is contained in the Hunne- well genealogy.
Ephraim Winship was born in Lexington. Mass., May 23, 1709. He was the son of Ephraim and Hannah (Cutter) Win- ship and great-grandson of Lieut. Edward Winship, who came from Ovingham, Northumberland Co., England, and settled in Cambridge, Mass., in 1635.
Ephraim Winship married, May 28, 1735, Mehitable, daughter cf Gershom Cutter of Lexington. They had six children, two of whom were born in that town and four in Windham. He came to this town in 1750 and located on Home Lot No. 5, on which he built a house. The lot on which he settled was the original
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