SMITH, Thomas Perrin (updated 11/7/2023)

Thomas Perrin Smith was b.1769 in Tisbury, MA s/o Mathias & Comfort Carpenter Smith. 

Mathias and his brothers Ransford and Elisha Smith; and his sister Dorcas Smith Baker and husband Joseph brought their families to live in Readfield at about the same time. Mathias was living in Winthrop (Readfield) in 1777 and among those Winthrop men that Stackpole[i] lists who voluntarily enlisted in the Revolutionary War that year. In 1782 he was granted lot #204, 200 acres[ii] – this lot is in the northwestern part of town, near Kents Hill. He also bought land, lot #198, from James Lane, a cordwainer, in 1781. In 1782 a road was laid out from the road around Mill Pond (Maranacook) between the land of Ayer and Craig, northwesterly to Christopher Turner’s northwest corner, thence to William Hankerson’s east line, thence north northeast to a road between James Lane’s and Thomas Smith’s - this is not Thomas Perrin Smith as he was too young to be a landowner in 1782. This is what we now know as the Nickerson Hill Road.  In 1785 Mathias sold part of lot #198 to James Craig of Winthrop. 

Though Thomas Smith is not listed on the 1790 US Census in Winthrop, in 1793 we believe it was this Thomas Perrin Smith who Thomas Craig sold land to, part of lot #212 - much of what we call Readfield Corner sprung from Lot#212. Smith also bought two small lots on lot #213, on the east side of Church Road, where his home and a store were located.   

Thomas Smith and his wife Betsey (Perkins) were m.1797 and divorced before 1820. She continued to live in their home on the east side of Church Road where she and their son David operated a tailor shop. It is not known where Thomas lived after that - he d.1825 - but presumed he lived on the land he owned on the opposite side of Church Road, or at his store on the NE corner of the intersection at Readfield Corner. The Readfield Union Meeting House at 22 Church Road was built on part of his land, Thomas and Betsey had 11 children:

1. William 1795-Not named among heirs of his father in 1825. A substitute was sent on his behalf during the War of 1812;  

2. David 1798-1841 unmarried, a tailor in business with his mother.

3. Charles 1799-1854 m.1827 Sarah Bagley. Moved to Troy, ME

4. Comfort 1800-1890 m. Sarah Hutchinson d.o Asa of Fayette. They moved to Troy, ME

5. Lucy 1801-1802

6. Lucy 1803-1877 m.1826 William Wyman. Resided in Belgrade, ME

7. Hiram 1805-1880 unmarried, Sold all his interest in his parents' estates to his sister-in-law Mary Ann and he died a pauper. Buried with younger brother Thomas, Mary Ann and five of their children at Readfield Corner Cemetery

8. Wyman (twin) 1806 - unk

9. Gorham (twin) 1806 - unk

10. Mathias 1807 - unk

11. Thomas 1809-1855 m.1832 Mary Ann Jenness of Winthrop. Lived in Readfield. 11 ch

Anyone who has further information about Thomas Smith is welcome to contact me at crossings4u@gmail.com

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[i] Stackpole’s History of Winthrop, page 124

[ii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds, grants book #1 page 83

[iii] Stackpole’s History of Winthrop page 731