MORRILL, Levi, Deacon U.S. Census 1790 Winthrop 2-2-1-0-0 (Revised 10/17/2013)

Levi Morrill (Samuel, Jacob, Isaac, Abraham) was the g-g-grandson of Abraham Morrill who came from Broad Oak, Essex, England to Massachusetts Bay Colony about 1632.[i] He first appeared in Cambridge, MA but by 1640 Abraham was a founding member of the Puritan plantation at Salisbury, Massachusetts. Abraham was a blacksmith. [ii]  This occupation was passed on to future generations of Morrill men, including Levi and some of his sons, grandsons and so on.[iii] This branch of Morrills remained in Salisbury for five generations until Levi ventured out – first to Brentwood, NH and then into the backwoods of Maine -in search of new opportunities.[iv]
Levi was born 11/17/1731 in Salisbury, MA a son of Samuel and Hannah (Osgood) Morrill. In 1754 he married Mary “Molley” Currier in Salisbury where she was born in 1735 - a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Barnard) Currier. They relocated to Brentwood, NH after their marriage where Levi was a town selectman. He was also a Revolutionary War Patriot[v] and voted in favor of giving financial aid to the cause.[vi]   He came to Readfield from Brentwood, NH before 1790.[vii]

On 9/27/2013 the Readfield History Walkers explored
the Augusta Water District that was once East Readfield
Village. Above is looking across Carleton Pond towards the
west shore where William Whittier then Levi Morrill lived
and farmed. This land is now all is owned by the Augusta
Water District. To see more pictures of this Walk and area:
Readfield History Walks.

William Whittier had come to Readfield (then called Winthrop) years before from Salisbury – with his brothers Thomas and Nathaniel - in 1765.[viii] William acquired lot #26 in East Readfield.[ix]  He cleared the land and settled there for some years before moving on to Mt. Vernon, ME. About 1795 Whittier moved to Mt. Vernon and he deeded his property to Levi Morrill, Sr. in 1802 but we know Levi was in Readfield before 1790 because he appears on the census as head of household here.[x]

Levi lived on the south side of route 17 on what is now part of the Augusta Water District land. Nearly half of this lot was taken up by Carlton Pond - Levi’s land bordered the west and part of the north shore. In 2020 part of the foundation of his house was still there, close to route 17/Main St. [xi]  From reviewing land transactions that were made from fathers to sons (Levi, Levi Jr. and Levi III) 1798-1820 it appears they owned 126.5 acres on lot #26.[xii] The total acreage for settler lots in Readfield was 200 acres, but as I mentioned earlier about half this lot was taken up by Carlton Pond. See the 1791 lot map of Readfield. [xiii]

It seems that Levi, Sr. had the resources to speculate in land as he also had holdings in Chesterville, Franklin County, ME. He willed that land to his sons David and Nathaniel who went there to live.[xiv]

Levi and Molley had 13 children. She died 4/11/1802 at age 67 in Readfield. His second marriage was to Mrs. Dinah (Dudley) Johnson in December of the same year. Dinah was a native of Brentwood and was born there in 1735. She was the widow of Deacon Joseph Johnson who also moved to Readfield where they lived near the Morrills in East Readfield. Dinah had been a widow since 1794.   

Molley is buried in East Readfield Cemetery. Her stone simply says “Mrs. Molley Morrill” but there are no dates. Deacon Levi Morrill died at Readfield on April 3, 1810.[xv] Levi Morrill, yeoman was named administrator of his estate.[xvi] I have noted on two Kennebec County deeds dated 1817[xvii] and 1820 there were two Readfield land transactions between Levi Morrill and Levi Morrill, Jr. From this it appears that Levi Jr. dropped the Jr. after his father’s death and his son started using the Jr.  

I have not been able to ascertain the place of burial for either Levi or Dinah Morrill at this time. Since Molley was buried in East Readfield it seems feasible that they could be as well. This requires further exploration. Anyone with more information about this unresolved issue is welcome to contact me.

This business was Morrill and Henry before 1900. Samuel H. Morrill

was in partnership with Edwin Henry and he sold out to Nelson D. Gordon

in 1890 at which time it became Gordon and Henry.

The business was located at Readfield Depot east of the tracks.

The building is still there (2013).

 

Children of Levi and Molley (Currier) Morrill. The first two were born in Salisbury and the others in Brentwood:

1. Molly b.10/2/1756 d.3/22/1825 in York, ME m. 1775 to Winthrop Smith in Hawke, Rockingham, NH
2. Anna b.9/12/1758 d.7/13/1831 in New Hampshire m. Jonathan Vosey
3. Dorothy b.10/3/1760 d.3/25/1843 in Brentwood m. Abraham Morrill
4. Levi, Jr., Capt. b.8/20/1762 d.10/9/1838 Dixfield, ME m. 1787 Bathsheba Johnson b.1765 Brentwood d.1843 Readfield. 11 children – the first two b. Brentwood and the others in Maine:  1) Joseph b.1787 d.1824 Livermore, ME 2) Levi III b.1789 d.1866 Marshall County, IL m1. 1814 Abigail Whitmore in Readfield m2. Dorcas Mason in Penobscot County, ME. 3) Polly b.1792 d.1818 Readfield m. 1815 Levi Johnson 4) Nancy b.1794 d.1841 Augusta, ME.  5) Sally b.1796 d.1856 Dexter, ME 6) Jacob (? Josiah) b.1799 d.1879 Readfield m.1829 Maria Clary in Readfield. He bought 45 acres (part of lot#45) from Joseph A. Sanborn in 1860.[xviii] This lot was adjacent to the lot obtained by his grandfather when the family moved to Readfield from Brentwood in 1790.[xix] Jacob lived on the Morrill homestead as did his son George and daughter Mary Ann.[xx]  7) Samuel b.1798 d.aft.1870 prob. in Holyoke, MA where he and wife went to live with their son Jason. m. Electa __?__ This family moved to Dixfield and later to MA.[xxi] 8) David b. 1802 d. 1848 Dixfield, ME 9) Betsey b. 1804 10) Rhoda b. 1806 d. 1890 Dexter, ME 11) John Johnson b. 1808 d. 1894 Hartland, ME. m1. Sophronia Poole m2.Harriet Crockett m3.Pridence __?__
5. Hannah b.1764 d.1851 Mt. Vernon, ME m. 1783 in Kingston, NH to Noah Greeley s/o Joseph and Elizabeth (Dudley) Greeley. They lived in West Mt. Vernon in the large house on the corner of Ithial Gordon Rd. and State route 41. He was a Revolutionary War veteran and spent the winter at Valley Forge with Gen. George Washington. When Mt. Vernon was incorporated he recommended the name in honor of Gen. Washington. Noah Greeley built several dams in this area including the upper dam at West Mt. Vernon (by the chimney) in 1782 where he built a saw mill.[xxii] He also built one at the head of Torsey Pond (old Kents Hill Road). Torsey Pond was named Greeley Pond for some time in his honor. Noah Greeley (and perhaps Hannah too) is buried in a private burial plot behind their home. 10 children
6. Samuel b. 1765 d.1766
7. Sarah “Sally” b.1767 d. Winthrop Have seen two spouses named: Jonathan Thing and Moses Coolidge. Requires more research.
8. Nathaniel b.1768 m. Eleanor Morrill She is buried in East Readfield. His place of burial unknown at this time. Four children born in Brentwood: Polly b.1797 Samuel b.1799 Sally b. 1801 Lydia b.1803. Their son Samuel settled in Readfield and m. Sarah Hutchinson. They had 10 children all born in Readfield: i) Eleanor b. 1823 ii) Edmund H. b. 1826 iii) Charles b. 1828 iv) Floranda b. 1830 v) Sarah Eveline b. 1831 vi) William b. 1833 vii) Martha Ann b. 1836 viii) Samuel Henry b. 1838 ix) Hellen May b. 1840 x) George Washington b.1842 All of these children except Charles lived and died in Readfield. Samuel Henry (# viii) m. Mary Ella Greeley the daughter of Henry and Nancy (Whittier) Greeley. Samuel H. Morrill was co-owner of Henry and Morrill at Readfield Depot for many years (see photo above). He sold out to Nelson D. Gordon in 1890 and the business became Gordon and Henry at that time.[xxiii] In 1878 he purchased the Samuel Greeley homestead with 45 acres not far (east) from Readfield Depot.[xxiv]  After he sold the business at Readfield Depot this family moved away from Readfield.[xxv]
9. Susanna b.10/2/1770 d.10/9/1770
10. Elizabeth “Betty” b.1772 d.1838 Readfield m. 1790 Joseph Johnson of Readfield s/o Dea. Joseph and Anna (Lane) Johnson. Both are buried in East Readfield Cemetery
11. Lydia b. 1774 d. 1851 in Chesterville, ME m. 1794 Capt. Thomas Williams
12. Rhoda b. 1776 d. 1850 Ossipee, NH m. 1794 Daniel Smith
13. David b.1779 d.1842 Chesterville, ME m. Lucinda Woods. He learned the trade of house-joiner when living in Readfield and when about 20 years old he moved to Farmington Falls. About 1810 he sold his home there and moved across the river to Chesterville where his father owned land. He was a Freewill Baptist preacher and prominent in municipal affairs. He also served as representative to the Maine State Legislature in 1824 and 1827. On December 28, 1842 he fell from a beam in his barn and died instantly from injuries sustained.[xxvi] He was 73 years old. 12 children all born in Farmington, ME.

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[i]Hoyt, David W.; The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, MA; Picton Press, Camden, ME 1981, a reprint of the 1897 edition; Page 251

[ii] http://www.morrillonline.com/html/MorrillAbraham-1615-1662.html accessed 10/14/2013

[iii] Noted in various sources i.e. U.S. Census and death certificates to mention a few.
[iv] Hoyt, David W.; The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, MA; Picton Press, Camden, ME 1981, a reprint of the 1897 edition; Page 251-255
[v] Fisher, Carlton and Sue; Soldiers, Sailors and Patriots of the Revolutionary War, Maine; pub.1982 by American Sons of the Revolution; Kentucky; pg. 558
[vi] Morrill family historian Helen Sprague; related in email 7/10/2013 six_t_ate@yahoo.com
[vii] US Census 1790 Winthrop, ME is listed as a head of household
[viii] Kingsbury’s History of Kennebec County; pub.1892; page 891
[ix] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds; Book 6 Page 35
[x] US Census 1790 Winthrop, ME; Kingsbury also lists him and his sons among the earliest settlers in Winthrop page 891.
[xi] When the deed was written it was referred to “the pond”.  On old maps I have seen it called “Whittier Pond”. The name evolved to Carlton Pond later on after Levi Morrill, Jr. sold part of this property to Joseph Carlton. Refer to Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 19 Page 299
[xii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds: Book 13 Page 528 in 1798 = 5 acres; Book 17 Page 382 in 1801 = 18 acres; Book 33 Page 288  in 1817 = 23.5 acres; Book 38 Page 408 1820 = 80 acres.
[xiii] See 1791 lot map of Readfield, ME.
[xiv] Stackpole, Everett; History of Winthrop, ME with Genealogical Notes by David Keene and Elizabeth Young; pub.1994 by Heritage Books, Inc. Bowie, Maryland; page 790
[xv] Young, David & Elizabeth; Vital Records from Maine Newspapers 1785 – 1820; pub. 1993 Heritage Books, Bowie MD. ; page 417
[xvi] Ibid page 417
[xvii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 33 Page 288 11/28/1817; Book 38 Page 408 4/10/1820.
[xviii] Ibid Book 228 Page 55
[xix] 1791 map of lots in Readfield, ME; 1879 map of Readfield
[xx] Kingsbury’s History of Kennebec County; pub. 1892; page 923
[xxi] US Census Dixfield, ME 1850; Hadley, MA 1860; Holyoke, MA 1870
[xxii] Smith, Beverly Wight; Turning Back -  stories of the Mt. Vernon and Vienna Area; pub. 1985 Vienna Historical Society; pg.95
[xxiii] Kennebec  County Registry of Deeds Book 440 Page 336
[xxiv] Ibid Book 318 Page 245 5/9/1878
[xxv] Samuel H. Greeley’s biographical paragraph reads thus in Kingsbury’s History of Kennebec County, chapter on Waterville, ME: Samuel made 3 trips to CA between 1860-1892. He was a farmer in Readfield until 1875 when he went into the grain and grocery business at Readfield Depot. He remained in that business until November 1890 and at that time he sold his business and went to Waterville in 1891. There he opened a similar business but it remained open for a short time. My research revealed that he returned to CA after this. It is not known for sure where he lived 1890-1910.
[xxvi] Butler, Francis Gould, History of Farmington, Maine 1776-1885 (Somersworth, NH, New England Press, 1983 (a reprinting of the 1983 edition); page 533