CRAIG, James, Sr. 1790 U.S. Census Winthrop 1-0-1-0-0 (revised 6/4/2014)

Dudley Fogg replaced James Craig's grist mill
with this one around 1843. It is gone now.

 

James Craig  was born in Deighton, Yorkshire, England in 1740 and came to Pondtown (Winthrop) about 1765. He was one of the very first settlers in this section of Pondtown that later became Readfield, and in 1770 he was among those who signed the petition to incorporate Winthrop. Craig was a large landowner in early Readfield and we know he owned then sold parcels along the west shore of Maranacook Lake and atop Kents Hill. He ran a ferry across Maranacook Lake when he first came to Readfield and lived on lot #68 (Book of King James Grants Book 2 Page 262). Also among his land holdings was Lot#212, which encompassed most of Readfield Corner and Factory Square - then called Craig's Mills. He bought lot #212 in 1793 (Lincoln County deed Book 4 Pg. 11) from the original owner Ephraim Lane. Soon after, he built a "double millhouse" (sawmill and  gristmill), a dwelling house and barn on the mill stream.

 

James Craig's mill house was converted to a residence
(year unknown). After decades of neglect this is how it
looked in November 2011. In the fall of 2012 this building
was rescued by Bob and Helen Bittar, who have secured
and stabilized it - the last surviving mill building of
Readfield's industrial era.

Joel Bean also built a sawmill about 1802 (Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 3 Page 380), but his was on the upper dam at the head of Torsey Pond (then called Joel's Pond or Bean's Pond). James Craig's sawmill predated Bean's by more than eight years, so without one doubt the lumber for Readfield’s earliest framed buildings were sawed by James Craig.  In 1794 a land transaction  between James Craig to Christopher Turner the deed made reference to Craig's grist mill and sawmill.


I have recently done extensive research on Craig's Mills and Bean's Mills and have disproved the information in History of Kennebec County that states James Craig built the dam and sawmill at Bean's Mills in 1770. HE DID NOT - his dam and sawmill was always located at Craig's Mills and Joel Bean built the one at the head of Torsey (then called Bean) Pond. 6/4/2014 dmc

 

James Craig's mill house under reparation 4/2014.

James Craig's mills on the lower dam at Factory Square drew in folks from miles around. Trails to his mills soon appeared, and in no time they became roads. It was said that all roads in this area led to Craig’s mills - and they continued to do so for 150 years.



Lincoln County deed book 3 page 579

James Craig to Christopher Turner
“…dwelling house where I now dwell as also the land
under the same. Also, my grist mill and sawmill
standing near my said house as also all land under
them as also all my land lying and being on the south side
of the county road opposite my said house being
20 acres more or less…” 
When this property was sold again in 1822
(Kennebec Registry of Deeds Book 40 Page 266)
the description still included double grist mill, sawmill,
dwelling house and barn.

 

 

 

In 1773 James Craig constructed  the first bridge (then known as Craig’s Bridge) to span the passage between Berry and Dexter Ponds on route 133 in Winthrop. At that time Craig lived 1-2 miles south of Readfield Corner (on lot #68). The town forged an agreement with Craig that said he would get paid if the bridge survived the winter and spring freshet. His work survived and the town of Winthrop voted to pay him the following July.



This 1795 map recorded in Book 3 Page 32 at
Kennebec County Registry of Deeds notes 2 mills and
a bridge on Dead Stream, at what soon became known
as "Craig's Mills".



In 1777 James Craig took the loyalty oath. It those times, if there was any suspicion that someone had sentiments favorable to the British crown they could be charged with political treachery by the selectmen at town meeting. The person so accused was then immediately transported and all his property confiscated. The Loyalty Oath was taken by men hoping to ward off any such action. The oath essentially apologized for any “uneasiness to our neighbors or townspeople” by having at any time “declared friends to the King of Britain or talking against the cause of the United States.” They went on to ask for forgiveness, renounce the King of Britain and made the solemn promise to be good subjects of the United States of America.

James Craig's wife was Anna _____. On the 1790 US census Craig’s family shows one adult male and one adult female. His children were already grown by this time and had families of their own. James Craig died in Readfield in August 1797. Children: 1) Eleanor m.1776 John Hankerson of Winthrop 2) Mary m. Benjamin Allen 3) Thomas b.1764 in Deighton, England. m1 Rebecca Brown m2 Rachel Huntoon 4) James b.c1766 m1 Catherine Goud m2 Deliverance Call.

His son Thomas Craig's built a home on Church Road in Readfield.

 

Bibliography:
History of Winthrop by Everett Stackpole; pub. 1925

To Those Who Led the Way: Readfield VR's 1769-1913
To Those Who Rest in Peace in Readfield, Maine: cemetery and listings and inscriptions to 1990 (publication pending)
Readfield Historical Society resource materials
Kennebec County and Lincoln County Registries of Deeds various documents and deeds