WILLIAMS, Joseph (Wittiny) 1790 US Census Winthrop 1-0-6-0-0 REVISED 11/2023

Forest C. Williams, pictured above, was the

5^th generation and last Williams to live
on the family homestead - the east side
of the homestead is pictured here.

Joseph Williams was born 1753[i] in Connecticut[ii]. He married Mary Clifford in New Hampshire where their first child was born in Brentwood in 1779. They came to Readfield (then Winthrop) between 1779-1784[iii]. He appears on the 1790 US Census in Winthrop but his name is misspelled as “Wittiny”. Living nearby at that time were Dudley Haines, James Lane, Christopher Turner and Matthias Smith. Sometime around 1800 Williams bought parcels of land - parts of lots #198, 212 and 199, from James Lane, Christopher Turner and Mathias Smith, Jr. respectively. In 1831 his sons David and George bought 8 acres, part of lot #182 from Dudley Hains. Together these lots formed their 80 acre farm on Nickerson Hill Road. Some of these families were neighbors for several generations.
Dr. Williams appeared on the 1791 taxpayer’s list, when Readfield split from Winthrop, but on the 1800 US Census he is residing in Hallowell. Then he is back in Readfield by 1810. We do not know why Williams moved to Hallowell during that time but it can be conjectured. In 1793 there was an infestation of grasshoppers in this area and nearly everything green was destroyed.  To compound that there were several growing seasons between 1791-1810 when June and August frosts hit this area making for extremely short growing seasons and destruction of vital crops[iv]. Those settlers who were trying to clear their land, then plant and harvest enough food to maintain their families and animals through the long hard winters, were hard pressed to make any headway. In fact, they were at risk for hunger, illness or worse.  So here was Joseph Williams, a new settler in the backcountry with a wife and five young daughters. At this point there were no sons in his family to pitch in or brothers living nearby to lend a hand like most of the other settlers had.  There were several members of the Williams family living in Hallowell, however, and they were quite prosperous to boot[v]. So it seems feasible that Joseph would have turned to family when he was up against the wall and had nowhere else to turn. He was a successful doctor in Hallowell - in fact he is mentioned often by the Hallowell midwife, Martha Ballard, often in her diaries.

Dr. Williams house near Pages (Craigs) Mills
at 
11 Old Kents Hill Road. 2015 photo

Joseph must have made good headway in Hallowell for when he did return to Readfield it was documented on the 1816 taxpayers list that he owned two lots. One was 80 acres and neighbored Dudley Haines on Nickerson Hill Road. The other was two acres with house and barn near Page’s mill (currently the Milton Wright house).  By 1816 Joseph also had three sons, ages 15, 17 and 20, to help on the farm and it is probable they planned to continue the tradition of their family homestead so were willing to do their part. On the 1820 census Joseph and his wife, Mary, were both living with two adult males - presumably two of their grown sons.  One member of the household was listed as involved in some kind of manufacturing and two of the men were in agriculture.  The two sons were, most likely, David and George since they did not marry until 1829 and 1839. Joseph died at age 74years in 1827 and the eldest son, Joseph Samuel, died the same year at 27years. George and David inherited all of their father's estate. George signed over his interest in the Nickerson Hill property in 1832 and about the same time David signed over the property nearer town to his brother George. David built the Williams farmstead on Nickerson Hill Road, which remained in the family for several generations. George sold off his inheritance and moved to the Farmington area.

David Williams, the second son who was born in 1799, carried on the farm. David Williams married Mary Ann Huntoon, a daughter of Peter Huntoonviii]. David and Mary Ann raised their family of five children on the Williams place. He outlived her by 30years but he continued to farm and live on the home place, along with his children and later some of their children. The last decade of David’s life he resided nearby with daughter Betsey and her husband Warren Dudley Ladd (see 1879 map below). 

 

Nickerson Hill Road in 1879.

 

This picture of the Williams home was taken about 1960.

 

Emmons Williams was David’s eldest child and only son.  Emmons was born in 1831, became the third generation to carry on the homestead. By 1860[ix] this household included David age 61, now widowed, and three of his children - Emmons age 28, Betsey age 20 and Emily age 11. Also living in the home was Mary C. Rand age 20.  Mary was Canadian born and it is not known what brought her to Readfield. The Williams family had hired help living in their home over the years, and since Mary (Mrs. David Williams) had died in 1860 it seems logical that David would have hired a young woman to help with the household and children. One could imagine a whirlwind romance between the farmer’s son and hired girl but it was not until August 22, 1869[x] that Emmons and Mary Rand were married. They continued living on the farm, as did David until he went to live with his daughter Betsey and her family late in his life[xi]. By 1880 the Williams home included Emmons, Mary, their four children. Mary’s mother, the widowed Eunice Rand was living with them as well.[xii]  In 1900 all three of Emmons and Mary’s surviving children - Mary “Mame”, Guy and Marcellus were grown but still living at home. By 1910 Emmons’ wife Mary had died and two of the children had married and moved to their own homes. Emmons and his elder son Guy were living alone on the farm.

Mame Williams Fifield lived here with her daughter and niece -

near Factory Square  where she took in boarders  in the 1920s and 30s.

In her last years she lived at Main St. Readfield Corner in the house

later occupied by Readfield Insurance, directly across Main Street 

from the Family Market.

 



Guy E. Williams was the fourth generation to carry on the farm. He never married and lived here until his death in 1931. Over the years, after his parent’s deaths, other family members lived here with Guy. His sister Mame and her daughter Virginia were living with him in 1920[xiii]  When Guy’s brother Marcellus and wife died, in 1921 and 1926, their son Forest came to live with Guy.  In 1930 Forest was living on the farm with his Uncle Guy along with a hired man, Ernest Lanctot (Melanie Lanctot's father). Forest’s sister Marie went to live with their aunt “Mame” Fifield at her home on (now called) Old Kents Hill Road. Here Mame took in boarders who worked at Factory Square. After Guy’s death, the Williams' estate went to his sister Mame and nephew Forest and subsequently left the family.

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[i]  Stackpole’s History of Winthrop with Genealogical Notes by Young, Heritage Books, Inc.1994, pg 829-830
[ii] 1880 US Census son David lists his father’s birthplace as Connecticut
[iii] Calculated based on birth places and dates of children
[iv] Liberty Men and Great Proprietors by Alan Taylor, 1990 University of North Carolina Press, pg 68
[v] The History of Augusta by James W. North, 1870 by Clapp and North of Augusta, pgs 957-964 Williams family
[vi] Also mention of Page’s Mill on 1816 taxpayers list. See Joseph Williams paragraph.
[vii] Readfield Register by H.E. Mitchell, 1903, page 36 (section on early manufacturing in Readfield).
[viii] 1820 US Census one of the men in Joseph Williams household was involved in manufacturing.
[ix] 1860 US Census
[x] Maine, Marriages, 1771-1907 www.familysearch.com accessed 12/13/2012
[xi] 1880 U.S. Census for Dudley and Betsey Ladd household
[xii] Ibid for Emmons and Mary Williams household
[xiii] 1820 US Census household of Guy E. Williams