Androscoggin County ME Archives History - Books .....Chapter II Some Of The Founders And First Settlers 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/me/mefiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 10, 2008, 9:30 pm Book Title: History Of Durham, Maine II. SOME OF THE FOUNDERS AND FIRST SETTLERS The reader will here wish to know something about the lives and character of the founders and first settlers of the town. Much will be said in the chapter on Genealogical History. Here only a few persons can be mentioned. The early settlers were not the offcasts of Europe, but were descendants from the best families of England, Scotland and Ireland. Their lineages can be traced, in most cases, back to the earliest settlers of Mass. and the coast towns of York and Cumberland Counties, and not a few clear back to the Norman Conquest. Col. Bagley brought many of his neighbors from Amesbury and adjacent towns. North Yarmouth and Harpswell furnished a good number, and after the Revolution Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough poured in a large colony, especially into the northwest part of the town. They were men of sterling character, honest, industrious, intelligent, religious and patriotic, in short, men of hard muscle and sense. GEN. ISAAC ROYALL, for whom the plantation of Royals-borough was named, was descended from "William Ryall Cooper and Cleever of Tymber," who settled at Salem about 1629. As early as 1635 he was at Casco Bay. March 27, 1643, he bought of Sir Ferdinando Gorges 250 acres and an island of 30 acres, confirming his title three years later by purchasing the same of a rival claimant, Col. Alexander Rigby. His house had already been built on the south side of Royall's River, near its mouth, in North Yarmouth. He married Phebe Green and died at Dorchester, Mass., 15 June 1675. His son William died there 7 Nov. 1724, aged 85 years. William's oldest son, Isaac, was born in North Yarmouth in 1672 and married, 1 July 1697, Elizabeth, daughter of Asaph Eliot and widow of one Oliver. He resided for forty years at Antigua, W. I., carrying on trade between that place and Boston. He purchased, 26 Dec. 1732, of the heirs of Lieut.-Gov. Usher, an estate of 500 acres in Medford, Mass. The house, still standing, was built by Usher and remodeled and enlarged by Royal, and was one of the most elegant residences of the time in the suburbs of Boston. It was once the headquarters of Gen. Washington. Isaac Royall died at Medford 7 June, 1739. Isaac, Jr., his only son, was probably born at Antigua about 1719. He married 27 March 1738, Elizabeth McIntosh. He was made Brig.-Gen. in 1761, the first American to bear that title. He was a Councillor of the Province from 1751 to 1774. April 16, 1775 three days before the battle of Lexington, he left Medford for parts unknown. He sought at Salem passage to Antigua, but failing in this he sailed to Halifax, where he lingered about a year, hoping that the War would be ended. His sympathies were with the Colonies, yet he was afraid to break with England, resign his office and endanger his estates. He had received grants of land under the Crown. He owned large tracts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island as well as in Maine. In May 1776 he sailed to England. A daughter, the wife of the second Sir William Pepperell of Kittery, sailed with him and died on the passage. He wrote from Halifax to his agent in Medford, giving him instruction concerning his slaves: "Stephen and George might be sold for £50, Hagar for £30, Mira for £25. As to Betsey and her daughter Nancy, the former may tarry or take her freedom as she may choose, and Nancy you may put out to some good family by the year." He added "I shall leave North America with great reluctance, but my health and business require it; and I hope through the goodness of God, if my life is spared, to be able to return again soon." He took up his abode in Kensington, Middlesex, where he died of small-pox, 16 Oct. 1781. He was buried at Froyle, Hampshire, Eng. His property was confiscated in 1778 but was restored to his heirs after some years. The town of Royalston, Mass., was named in his honor. In his will he left two thousand acres of land to endow a chair in Harvard College, which still bears the name of the "Royall Professorship of Law." He was a man of very high character. The only thing against him was that he was esteemed a tory, when that was a name of reproach. Some have asserted that Durham was so named because Isaac Royall once lived in Durham, England, but this statement is disproved by the facts. He had no connection whatever with ancient Durham. It is not probable that the name of Royalsborough would be changed because Royall was a tory and then that a name would be adopted in remembrance of him. There is no discoverable reason why the new name of the town was Durham, any more than why its inhabitants petitioned to have it called Sharon or Bristol. [1] COL. MOSES LITTLE was descended from the emigrant, George Littie of Newbury, 1640. He was born 8 May 1724 and died 27 May 1798. For many years he was Surveyor of the King's woods. All pine trees over two feet in thickness were claimed for masts for the royal navy. The mark of an arrow was put upon such, and the penalty of cutting them was £100. This office gave Mr. Little opportunity to learn the value of wild lands, and he devoted a large, part of his life to the purchase and improvement of the same. He was colonel in the Revolutionary army and fought at Bunker Hill and in the campaign about New York. His son Josiah (b. 16 Feb. 1747; d. 26 Dec. 1830) had charge of his father's real estate for many years. Every year till he was past eighty he used to visit his lands in Maine, riding over the rough roads alone. He lost a hand by a premature explosion while superintending the blasting of a passage through the rapids on the Androscoggin below Lewiston (Dresser's Rips,). He was leading proprietor and agent of the Pejepscot company. Was Representative to General Court twenty-five years, and a trustee of Bowdoin College, where a son Josiah graduated in 1811. Another son Edward graduated at Dartmouth in 1797, inherited much of the territory about Auburn and Lewiston, and settled in Auburn in 1826. His statue stands in front of the Edward Little High School.—See Little Genealogy. COL. JONATHAN BAGLEY, fourth son of Orlando and Dorothy (Harvey) Bagley, was born in Amesbury, Mass., 23 March 1717. He married Dorothea, dau. of John and Dorothy (Hoyt) Wells, grand-daughter of the Rev. Thomas Wells, first settled minister in Amesbury, He was a prominent man in his native town, for twelve years representing it in the General Court. He was Colonel in the French and Indian war, 1756-60, and commissioned colonel of the Essex Co. Regt. 1767, '69, '73 and '74. He was the most active agent of the Proprietors in the settlement of Royalsborough, and spent much time here between 1770 and 1780. His farm consisted of lots 82, 83 and 84. "Bagley's barn" is mentioned in 1791. Tradition says that a house built by him stood close to the northern line of lot 83, and near the River Road. The part of Royalsborough known as Bagley's Gore was granted to him by the General Court of Mass. Here three of his sons owned farms. He was owner of what was long known as "Chandler's Mill" in the western part of the town. Tradition locates his mast-camp on the farm of True G. Hunnewell not far from the mill. He died in Amesbury 28 Dec. 1780. Col. Jonathan Bagley had children John, William, Jonathan, Valentine, Dorothy, Orlando and a daughter who married Nathan Bartlett. Valentine b. 1 Jan. 1743, m. Sarah Currier. He had lands on the County Road in 1770 and received his father's farm on the River Road 7 Feb. 1779. He died in April, 1780, and was buried in Amesbury, leaving sons John and Valentine. The last was the hero of Whittier's poem "The Captain's Well." His brother John inherited the old Bagley farm and sold a portion of it to Elijah Macomber in 1808. Orlando, son of Col. Jonathan Bagley, b. 5 Nov. 1747, received 7 Feb. 1779, from his father a deed of 400 acres on County Road marked on Noyes's Plan. He received by his father's will the homestead of his grandfather in Amesbury and so did not remain in Durham. Dorothy, dau. of Col. Jonathan Bagley, born 13 Feb. 1745, married John Cushing, Esq. She received in her father's will a house and land in Salisbury and five hundred acres in Royalsborough a mile long by two hundred and fifty rods wide. It is marked on Noyes's Plan as " John Cushing's 500 acres. " CAPT. DAVID DUNNING, son of Andrew and Susan (Bond) Dunning, came from Ashburton, Eng., with his father and family in 1718, via Boston and Georgetown to Brunswick. His father settled at "Maquoit," where he died Jan. 18, 1736, aged 72 years. It is claimed that John Dunning, created Lord Ashburton in 1782, was his grandson. David was born in 1706. He married Mary _____ about 1735. She died Aug. 16. 1784, aged 74 yrs. His second wife was Mary (Lithgow) Hunter, widow of Capt. Adam Hunter of Topsham. Both were over eighty years of age at this second marriage. David Dunning owned a large part of the land where the village of Brunswick now is. He built a block-house and lived in it till 1772, when he built a frame-house on the spot where Brunswick Town-hall now stands. This was, after his death, kept as a hotel, called "Washington Hall," by his son John. He bought, with Jeremiah Moulton, Fort George, when it was dismantled in 1761, and built the first dam and saw-mill at Brunswick. He was one of the most active, enterprising and respected men of his time, He was Deacon in the Cong, church, first Representative of Brunswick in the General Court of Mass. in 1742 and 1743; one of the first Board of Selectmen in 1739 and again in 1741 and 1749. He was a soldier at seventeen years of age and Lieut. of militia in 1746. For years he was Capt. of an independent "Alarm" company, and scoured the wilderness up and down the Androscoggin and Kennebec in pursuit of Indians. Two of his brothers were killed by the Indians while crossing the river at Brunswick. In military and lumbering expeditions he learned the value of the surrounding country. This led him to buy one sixteenth of the township of Royalsborough. In division of lots he drew Nos. 9, 74, 91, 113, 143 and 153. Lot 9 he sold in 1792 to Lemuel Jones: lot 74 he sold in 1776 to William Gerrish; lot 1 [3 was inherited by his son Andrew; lots 143 and 153 went to his heirs. Lot 91 he deeded in 1783 to his daughter Elizabeth (Dunning) Stackpole, grandmother of the author of this book. Thus the casting of a lot led to the location of the Stackpole family in Durham. David Dunning died Aug. 16, 1793 Six children grew up. 1. Andrew b. 9 Nov. 1736, m. Dec. 29, 1768 Elizabeth, dau. of Rev. Robert Dunlap. d. 3 July 1800, first Post Master of Brunswick and Selectman seven years; 2. John, b. 19 Sept. 1738, m. Lois, dau. of Judge Aaron Hinkley, ten children, one of whom was Nathaniel Dunning, whom many will remember as an honored citizen at S. W. Bend; 3. Mary b. 22 Oct. 1740, m. 7 Jan. 1764 William Owen of Brunswick; 4. Margaret, b. 11 Feb. 1745, m. 19 Oct. 1765 Robert Sutherland of Portland; 5. Jennet, b. 29 Jan. 1748, m. 1 Jan. 1774 John, son of Rev. Robert Dunlap. Her granddaughter was the second wife of Prof. James Russell Lowell; 6. Elizabeth, b. 9 Sept. 1751; m. 4 July 1775 John Stackpole, then of Harpswell. MAJOR CHARLES GERRISH was born in Berwick, Me., in 1716, as a deposition shows. He married Mary Frost of Berwick. They came to Falmouth, now Portland in 1748. In 1758 he moved to Saccarappa. Jan. 17, 1762 he sold his land in Saccarappa to Enoch Freeman, Esq. A document, reproduced in facsimile, sheds light on his proceedings. The remarkable thing for his day is, that the document is correctly spelled, which proves him to have been a man of some education. His general ability is inferred from the fact that he was selected as an agent of the proprietors. He was by trade a blacksmith and maker of edge-tools. The two hundred acres first bought by him are shown on Noyes's plan of the town. This farm remained in the Gerrish family for nearly a century. It was occupied within the remembrance of many by A. True Osgood, and is now owned by Willard Sylvester. The -first house long since passed away. It stood on the hillside east of the old, two-story, unpainted house that succeeded it. This is one of the oldest houses in Durham and remains in the style in which it was originally built over a century ago. The square chimney in the center, with rooms built around it, is something enormous. Here may be seen one of the old fire-places that took in eight-foot sticks of wood. The partitions are of upright pine boards, some of them two feet wide. The burial place of Major Charles Gerrish was near the first house. No trace of it can now be seen, since the ground has been plowed over. He was last taxed in 1797 but is said to have died in 1805. He was a man of ability and served often as moderator of Town meetings and as an officer of the Town. The date of the above document marks authoritatively the first settlement in the Town, in 1763. Several historians have placed the date eleven years earlier. His house was six miles from the nearest neighbor and tradition says his wife saw no female except her daughter for a year and a half. For his service in the Revolution and for the history of his family see other chapters in this book. JUDAH CHANDLER, son of Joseph and Martha (Hunt) Chandler was born in Duxbury, Mass., August 30, 1720. He moved with his father to North Yarmouth in 1729. Among the papers of the Rev. David Shepley of Yarmouth was found the following: "Judah Chandler, Oct. 21st, 1796, aged 76 last August, deposes that when he was about nine years old he moved with his father from Duxbury to North Yarmouth. About thirty years ago he (Judah) moved eastward and lived about nine years then returned to North Yarmouth. " [2] He therefore moved into Royalsborough in 1766, probably as an agent of Col. Baglev. He built the mill, in the western part of the town on a branch of Royall's river, that is stili called Chandler's stream. Its successor is now called the "Old Stone Mill." Here he carried on lumbering, sending ton-timber to Harrisicket (Freeport) by the Old Mast Road. In the above deposition he states that he returned to North Yarmouth in 1775. He was soon, however in Royalsborough again, for Feb. 24, 1777, three-quarters of fifty acres of land together with the mill privilege and all appertenences were conveyed by Col. Jonathan Bagley to Judah Chandler, O. Israel Bagley, Daniel Bagley, John Randall, Stephen Randall and John dishing, all of Royalsborough, for £30. Probably the other quarter of the fifty acre lot had been already occupied by Chandler as a homestead. The old road crossed the stream below the present mill and traces of Chandler's house near by are still visible. The first mill was located at the head of the falls, near the present bridge. Tradition has it that the dam was built so high that the water overflowed the adjacent lowlands to such an extent as to form a new channel, running around and entering the main stream a quarter of a mile below the present mill. This was, no doubt, the origin ot the "Run Round." This mill and its four successors have been in constant operation, except at intervals of rebuilding and repairing, for one hundred and thirty-two years. Chandler is repeatedly mentioned on the Town Records as surveyor of lumber. He and his wife were assisted by the town in their old age. They were "bid off" by James Parker in 1801 at $1.50 per week. He died probably in 1802. HON. JOHN CUSHING was born at Boxford, Mass., 1 May 1741 and died at Freeport, Me., 1813. He was son of Rev. John and Elizabeth (Martyn) Clashing, grandson of Rev. Caleb Cushing of Salisbury, and fifth in descent from the Emigrant Matthew Clashing of Hingham, 1638. (See Genealogy of the Clashing Family.) He was a graduate of Harvard College (1761) as were also his father and grandfather. He married, 1 Dec. 1763, Dorothy Bagley, dau. of Col. Jonathan Bagley of Amesbury, Mass. He was Capt. of a company in Col. Samuel Johnson's Regt. of Militia which marched on the Alarm April 19, 1775. They lived in Salisbury till the death of his father, 1772, when they moved to Boxford, where his father had been pastor thirty years. They moved to Royalsborough bringing his widowed mother in 1782, having resided for a time in North Yarmouth. April 9, 1782, Belcher Noyes sold lot 86 to John Cushing. Oct. 4, 17S8, Cushing sold 25 acres of lot 80 to Abel Curtis. The deed is witnessed by Elizabeth Cushing. The oldest tombstone in Durham is found in the cemetery back of where the old North Meeting House stood. The inscription reads, "Mrs. Elizabeth Clashing died Oct. 18, 1789, aged 76." This was the mother of Hon. John Clashing. She was Elizabeth Martyn of Boston, born 16 May 1714, and married the Rev. John Cushing 8 April 1740. 1 have seen a letter of consolation written to Hon. John Cushing by a cousin in 1790, in which Mrs. Elizabeth Cushing is spoken of in the highest terms as a woman of education, piety and noble character. John Cushing lived on the northern part of lot 80. The farm is now owned by William Thomas of Lewiston. Traces of the old house, which decayed over fifty years ago, may be seen, on a hillock near the bank of the river, just south of a gully. The house was later occupied by Abel Curtis. In 1783 Cushing was moderator of the Town meeting and one of the "committee" or selectmen; also treasurer of the town, and one of a committee to petition General Court. He was one of the town committee in 1784, 1785, 1786. He was on the Board of Selectmen the first year after the incorporation of the town, 1789. In 1790 he moved to Freeport where he was a Justice of the Feace. He was also a judge and member of the Council many years and Representative to Mass. General Court as well as Selectman and Treasurer of Freeport. He was on the Board of Overseers of Bowdoin College 1796-1813. His old account book lies before me, in which many old residents of Durham are named. Of special interest is the account of the settlement of the estate of Nathaniel Gerrish, Nov. 1709, for which the total charge was $37.37. His wife Dorothy was living in Freeport, 1816, and is said to have died soon after. Eight marriages performed by him as J. P., 1789-1791, are recorded on Durham Town Records. The following extracts from his diary will be of interest: June 17, 1789. Child of Edward Lane of Lewiston lost in the woods. July 3, " Joshua Jones raised a barn. Oct. 7, " Doct. Jones here to see my mother sick of a fever. Oct. 13 " " " here again—mother grows worse. Oct. 18 " My mother died about 8 o'clock in the morning, in the 76 year of her age. Oct. 20, 1789. My mother was buried. Bearers were Maj. Gerrish, Mr.Pearson, Mr. Vining, Mr. Arthur (?) Capt. Bagley and Lieut. Newell. Feb. 21 1790. Mr. Dennison preached—Gratis. April 15, " Removed from Durham to Freeport and a most tremendous time we had through mud and water. June 1, 1790 Dolly came home from Durham with Betty. (These were his daughters, Mrs. Roger Merrill and Mrs. Wm. Hoyt.) July 11 " First Sacrament ever administered in Freeport—28 members. Aug. 18, 1794 Went to Portland.—Saw a Lion. Aug. 25 " Board of Trustees of Bowdoin College met at Brunswick but nothing done by reason too small No. members. Oct. 30 1795. John Cushing's barn burnt at Durham with Corn, grain & Hay. Nov. 29 " Samuel Proctor killed instantly by the fall of a rotten tree. March 2 1796 Mr. Lambert killed by the falling of a tree. June 30 " Went to carry the old chaise to N. Yarmouth to be mended. (This was the first chaise ever driven in Durham.) July 19 " Trustees and Overseers of Bowdoin College met at Brunswick to fix a plan for the building, to be on the Plains near Dea. Dennisons. Aug 2, 1796 Paid to Nath Gerrish 140 dollars for the mill Lot. May 13 1797 New Plow of Joshua Snow. June 10 " John Bagley with Valentine & their wives here from Amesbury. June 14 " Went to Durham in chaise. Nov. 22 went to Durham to appraise Capt. Bagley's estate. Sept. 12, 1799 Roger Merrill & wife set out for Newbury. Jan. 1, 1800. Militia Companies meet at the Corner and walk in procession with solemn musick and muffled drum to the meeting house where an Eulogium was pronounced by Mr. Johnson on the much lamented death of Gen'l Washington. July 9, 1801 College Meeting at Brunswick for choice of President. McKeen of Beverly was chosen with a salary of $1000. CAPT. O. ISRAEL BAGLEY was born at Amesbury, Mass., Nov. 5, 1747. He settled early in the year 1770 on lot 37 and built a large two-story, square house which is still standing. It is occupied by Charles Bliss and is probably the oldest house in Durham. Just south of his house was his store and a little further on, in the alder swamp, was a potash-manufactory. His house was also a public inn, as his account book shows. He was a shoe-maker withal. He built the first grist mill. It was run by wind. He built the River Road from S. W. Bend to Lewiston Falls. The first school in Royalsborough was kept at his house. He was frequently moderator and one of the officials of the town. He was captain of the earliest militia company known in Royalsborough. About 1790 he abandoned store-keeping and became master of a vessel, the "Mary Ann." He died at Savannah of yellow fever Aug. 22, 1797. For record of his family see Chapter on Genealogy. O. Israel Bagley kept the first store in Royalsborough. His account-book is in the possession of Wm. D. Roak. It is a book twelve inches long by four wide and contains 263 pages, bound in sheep-skin, well sewed. It was evidently used as an account-book by his father, Thomas Bagley, before it came into the possession of O. Israel Bagley. Entries are found in it as early as April 17, 1745. The earliest account in Durham is with Charles Gerrish beginning March 19, 1770, and running to June 22, 1772. Some of the items are of interest; the accounts are in "old tener" or depreciated currency: To one pear of shoes, 01:05:0 To half days works a hoing, 00:17:0 To 16 apeltrees, 09:17:0 To 6 pound of tobaca 01:i6:0 To 4 ax handles 01:00:0 to halfe a Bushel of flaxsead 00:11:0 to one wige 09:00:0 to filing of snoo shoos 1 pear 00:10:0 etc., etc., etc. "June the 22d then Settled all accounts with Mr. Charles Gerrish from the beginin of the world to this day and thair is due to said Bagley Seventen pounds ten shiling old tener money Setld by us." Charles Gerrish O. Israel Bagley. O. ISRAEL BAGLEY'S DIARY, 1773-4. We give only the items most interesting and that can be read. Portions of two pages have been cut off. Dec. 11 to making of nate garish. (Shoes for Nath. Gerrish.) " 12 wente to the sou west Bend " 13-16 hued and rased pig hous. Dec. 18 Borded it. " 19 finished it " 20 made 2 pear of shos. " 24 wente to sawing of clabords " 29 made one (pair of shoes?) wente to the landing. Jan. 2 snod 2 ench (Snowed two inches.) " 6 Went to sawing to jones (Ezekiel Jones) " 7 down to frost's & shode 7 in shos. (Made shoes for seven of Phineas Frost's family.) " 8 made 3 pear of shos " 9 went up to the mill " 11 went to the 40 lot to " 12 making of clabords. " 13 and made one thousand " 14 thate weeke. " 19 wente to calope Estes (Caleb Estes) Jan. 23 cornel wente to gloster (Col. Jonathan Bagley went to New Gloucester.) " 24 making of a Brace " 26 wente to a falling of ash timber. " 27 wente to haling of wood w Cap ga oxen, (hauling of wood with Capt. Charles Gerrish's oxen.) " 28 making of shos 2 pear. " 30 wente to making of orys (oars?) " 31 and made 1300 Feb. 1 wente to Yarmouth got 9— of sola [ther] (sole-leather) " 2 wente 1o mill gote 470 feet of Bords. " 3 wente huing of oyrs (hewing of oars) " 4 wente to making of shos Steven—(at Stephen Weston's?) " 7 snode all day. " 9 Borded my Barn. " 11 wente to huing Cofn. " 12 wente to making of shos. " 14 wente to meting to Yarmouth. " 15 wente to huing of oyrs. " 17 wente to spliting of oyrs. Feb. 21 wente to herysicate (Freeport) to meting. " 22 Mr. Prince came here " 23 prech to my hous 4 & 9 18 and— " 24 halling of wod Chatman " 25 to making of shos for hoyte (Shoes for John Hoyt.) " 26 making of 2 pear my wife. Mar. 1 wente to huing of oyrs " 4 staid at horn layd my flours. " 5 stayd at horn stikiug of Bords " 6 wente to yarmouth drod of my si— (drawed off my cider?) " 8 wente to falling of trees. " 9 wente to split oyrs Michel came (Hired man, who signed himself Mick Farren.) " 12 wente to hall out oyrs 1400— " 16 wente to Bromsic (Brunswick) " 17 went to worke upone my hous. etc., etc. This shows more plainly than any description could how the first settlers got a living. BENJAMIN VINING, son of Thomas, was born in Reading, Mass., 16 Nov. 1738, and died in Durham 2 Aug. 1812. On his seventeenth birthday he was apprenticed to Samuel Jackson of Abington, Mass., for four years, eight months, during which time the Indenture declares "he shall his said master faithfully serve, his secrets keep, his lawful Commands everywhere gladly obey. He shall do no damage to his s'd master's goods, nor see it done by others without letting or giving notice thereof to his s'd master; he shall not waste his s'd master's goods, nor lend them unlawfully to any; he shall not Commit Fornication nor Contract matrimony within s'd term, at Cards or dice or any other unlawful Game he shall not play whereby his s'd master may be damaged in his own good or the goods of others; he shall not absent himself day or night from his s'd master's service without his leave, nor haunt Taverns nor play houses but in all things behave himself as a faithful apprentice ought to do." His master obliged himself to "learn s'd apprentice the art or mistery of a Shop Joyner, and to provide for s'd apprentice sufficient meat and drink, washing and Lodging and apparell and all Necessaryes in health and sickness fiting for such an apprentice," also to "learn s'd apprentice to write, Cypher and read and at the expiration of the above s'd term to give to s'd apprentice Two suits of wearing apparall, one suit fitting for the Lord's day." This Indenture was signed by Benja Vining and Thomas Vining in good bold hand-writing and witnessed by Abram Joslyn and Sam'l Norton. He was living in Falmouth, next to the N. Yarmouth line and near the bay in 1763. He moved to Royalsborough about 1775, and 13 Dec. 1776, he bought of Belcher Noyes Lot 71, on the "County Road" about a mile from the river. Here he carried on his trade in connection with farming. He was a Justice of the Peace, Deacon in the Cong. Church, and town Clerk of Royalsborough from 1778 to 1786. Tradition speaks of him as a very worthy and useful citizen. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF DURHAM, MAINE WITH GENEALOGICAL NOTES. BY EVERETT S. STACKPOLE. PUBLISHED BY VOTE OF TOWN. LEWISTON: PRESS OF LEWISTON JOURNAL COMPANY. 1899. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/androscoggin/history/1899/historyo/chapteri10nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mefiles/ File size: 28.1 Kb