Gorham Village, Cumberland Co, Maine: The Old Hugh McLellan House Sprague's Journal of Maine History Vol. IV June, 1916 No. I pages 17-19 The Old Hugh McLellan House Frances Meserve Cotton. About one-third of a mile in a northwesterly direction from Central Square in Gorham Village, is situated the first brick house erected in Cumberland County. It is the old McLellan homestead, and is of historical interest to all who have been sojourners in the town or read "Good Old Times," by Elijah Kellogg, himself a descendant of this family. In the year 1733, Hugh and Elizabeth McLellan, with their first born William, left their humble home in the north of Ireland and came to America. For the first few years they lived in York, Wells, Saco, and Falmouth. In 1739, Hugh purchased a grantee's right of two hundred acres in Narragansett No. 7, which is now Gorham. For this land he paid ten pounds, all the money he possessed. The deed was given in the same year and was signed by Shubael Gorham. The family journeyed to their new home on a cold, winter's day, Hugh bearing a pack on his back, and carrying his little girl in his arms. Elizabeth rode on the white horse, with most of their household goods, and the boy, William, led the cow. At first, they had to live in a deserted hunter's cabin, and were very poor. Later, they built a comfortable log house in which they were living at the time of the outbreak of the French and Indian War. In 1746, the day following the massacre of the Bryant family who were neighbors of theirs, they entered the fort on the hill, which Hugh had helped to build, and there their daughter Jane was born. In seven years, after the close of the war, they returned to their home, and the succeeding years were prosperous. For many years following 1763, Hugh paid the highest provincial tax of anyone on town. He was a successful lumberman as well as farmer, and both land and mill were his. The family owned fifteen hundred acres, and had large stocks of cattle. They were blessed with many children and grandchildren, and one Thanksgiving Day when all were gathered about the table in the primitive log cabin, William, the eldest born, suggested that a larger dwelling house be built. His father replied that he had no idea of spending all the money he and Elizabeth had so hardly earned, in a brick house (and she would have no other), and they must build it themselves. So they hewed the imber, shaped the shingles, and sawed the boards in their own mills. A kiln was set up, the clay procured from their land, and the bricks made by the old Highlander and his sons. Four years passed before the house was completed, but it was a noble building when finished. The lower story has the thickness of four bricks and the upper, three. The walls are firm, and the well-seasoned timbers bearing the axe-clips of Hugh and his sturdy sons, are strong as ever. A brick in the wall between the two front windows in the second story, bears the date of erection, traced by the fingers of Elizabeth in the soft clay. At the time of the Revolution, this family contributed largely to the cause, and all their sons and sons-in-law were in the army. At one time when the families of Gorham soldiers were in great nee, having few resources, Hugh McLellan furnished money to purchase a large cargo of corn to be distributed among the needy ones. Alexander, his son, was captain of a full company of men from his own town, under Col. Jonathan Mitchell of Yarmouth; and that his company had a drum is shown by the following letter:- "To the Selectmen of Gorham:- Gentlemen:-I am obliged to carry off Austin Alden's drum, or go without one. I desire you to pay him for it, as I think the Selectmen are obliged to find one for me; I think the Drum is well worth Ten pounds, ten shillings, old way, as thing went seven years ago. Yr Hubl Servt. Alexr McLellan, Capt. Falmouth, July 15, 1779." This note has the following endorsements: "Gorham, May 14th, 1781. We have considered of the within and find that the Town were obliged to find a Drum for Capt. McLellan, and therefore think Mr. Alden ought to be paid the same by the Town. Wm. Gorham S. Longfellow, Jnr. Committee It is a remarkable fact that, during the period extending from 1861 to 1903, there were no deaths in this house, and no young person has ever died within its walls. The old mansion is now owned and occupied by Miss Ella Rebecca Hale, who is the great-granddaughter of Jane McLellan, born in the fort on the summit of the hill. The water with which the house is abundantly supplied, comes from a crystal spring beside which the log cabin stood, and where the pioneers in the Narragansett wilderness slaked their thirst. In the front hall stands Elizabeth's wheel brought from Portland, upon which she spun the flax for her family. There, too, is to be found the bible from which the rigid Presbyterians read the Bread of Life to their children; and the trammel from which the great kettle swung in the stone fireplace. No more is heard the terrifying yell of the Indian; gone, too, are the forests through which the Redman came on their way to the seacoast, to hunt, fish, and trade skins with the settlers. Where once towered mighty pines of three feet in diameter, marked with a broad arrow by a surveyor sent out by the Royal Commissioner of Forests, to be reserved for the ships of the king, now are green fields and pastures. But the old house remains on the hillside, undisturbed by the changes of time. Since its cellar was dug, from the wilderness has sprung a prosperous village, an educational center; but the townspeople like to visit the mansion and tell its history to all who come that way. ************************************************* * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. * * * * The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.