WYMAN, Henry 1790 U.S. Census Winthrop 1-0-4-0-0

In 1791 the town meeting at which residents voted to separate
from Winthrop was held in Henry Wyman's barn. Henry
Wyman was the only one to vote against it. Currently home
of the Rourke family.

Henry Wyman was born March 16, 1742 in Lancaster, MA[i] the son of Mathew and Abigail Willard Wyman. He filed marriage intentions to Lydia Bruce in Lancaster on 14 Aug 1766.[ii] He married second to Sarah Mason in Lancaster on 18 Nov 1767.[iii] With her there were three daughters born in Lancaster: 1) Sarah b.1768. She married Joseph Greeley of Readfield; 2) Mary Ann b.1769 She married Samuel White of Readfield; 3) Rebecca b.1772

Sometime between 1772, when his youngest daughter was born, and 1775 he moved to and became established in Winthrop where he settled lot # 99 in the northern part of town - near Beaver Brook and the east shore of Maranacook Lake. This timeframe is identified because in 1775 the road that went “by the home of Henry Wyman and Mr. Waugh’s to Waugh’s Landing at the Mill Pond (Maranacook) was re-laid. [iv] The same year it was voted by the town to meet half the time for public worship in the southern parish and the other half in the northern parish at the home of Henry Wyman.[v] Thus it is obvious that Wyman and his family were well established early on in Winthrop and Readfield’s history - before 1775.

In 1775 it was voted by the town that this section of
road leading past the homes of Henry Wyman and Robert
Waugh to Waugh's Landing be re-laid. This picture
was taken in March 2013 and is looking west from near
Waugh's Landing.



When the American Revolution arose Wyman served as a private in the Continental Army. Private Wyman was in Capt. John Blunt’s Co., Col. Samuel McCobb’s Regt from June 28 – September 28, 1779 during the Penobscot Expedition. In 1787 the town of Winthrop gave him one pound for going to Bagaduce.[vi]

After several years of discontent and discussion among the residents in Winthrop's northern parish it was decided by town vote that the two parishes should become separate towns. In May of 1790 a town meeting was held at the home of Henry Wyman and oddly enough he was the only man there to vote against the separation. After this we know nothing more of Wyman other than his will was probated 11/24/1807 in the Kennebec County Probate Court. It seems likely that he is buried in one of the unmarked graves in Whittier Cemetery near his home.  

Joseph and Sarah Wyman Greeley carried on the Wyman farm. They parented eleven children between 1787 and 1809. According to the Greeley family history, about 1812 Joseph headed to Bath, Maine to enlist in the War and was never heard from again. None of the children were married at this time and seven were under the age of seventeen. Following Joseph’s disappearance the second child, Henry, carried on the Wyman / Greeley family homestead and raised his family of seven children there. Henry Greeley’s daughter Sarah married to Elias Gove and they carried on this farm after Henry.

Mary Wyman and her husband Samuel White lived nearby. Their daughter Sally married Josiah Whittier and the Whittier homestead was within throwing distance of the Wyman / Greeley home.

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[i] Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011),

[ii] ibid

[iii] ibid

[iv] Stackpole's History of Winthrop with Genealogical Notes by Keene and Keene; pub.1994 by Heritage Books Inc; page 67

[v] Ibid page 82

[vi] Ibid page 152

Additional Sources:

1.       Greeley Genealogy, Maine State Library

2.       History of Kennebec County

3.       Readfield, Maine Vital Records

4.       ME Families 1790, ME Genealogical Society, Vols. 5 & 6

5.       Marriage Notices from Maine Farmer 1833-1852 by Young

6.       1790 Maine Census

7.       Interviews C. Willis Brown and Douglas & Helen Greeley of Readfield, ME

WING, Samuel and sons ~ 1787

Samuel Wing was born 11/5/1731 in Harwich, Barnstable, MA on Cape Cod, a son of Elnathan and Hannah (Allen) Wing. He married in 1755 to Hannah Sears of nearby Chatham, MA.  Their ten children were born in Harwich. Samuel came with his family to Winthrop (the part now Readfield) about 1774[i] where they settled on lot #225 off the North Road – or as it was called in the old days “Whitcher (Whittier) Road.[ii]

In 1785 Samuel fell from his house roof and died from the injuries he sustained. His two oldest children – Ruth and Paul - had married and moved out of town by that time. Daniel was the oldest child still living at home when his father died and the only one of his siblings to remain in Readfield.

The following siblings and their spouses sold 200 acres (and signed the deed) to Daniel Wing for $200 in 1811: Paul Wing; Reuben Wing; Daniel Wyman; Ruth Wyman; Samuel Perry; Tabitha Perry; Hull Abbott; Anna Abbott; Hannah Wing of Chesterville and Livermore.[iii]  This was three years prior to their mother’s death and, since Daniel carried on the family homestead, this surely was their way of assuring a lifetime home for her as well as securing Daniel’s ownership of their father’s land. 

Children of Samuel and Hannah (Sears) Wing: [iv]
1)      Ruth Sears b. 1757 d. 1835 Kingfield, Franklin County, ME m.1778 Daniel Wyman s/o Abram and Dorothy (Call) Wyman of Winthrop
2)      Paul b.1760 d.after 1820 Kingfield, Franklin County, ME m.1780 Patience Trask
3)      Daniel b.1761 d.1761
4)      Samuel b.1762 d.unknown
5)      Daniel b.1763 d.1830 Readfield m1.Rhoda Chandler d/o John and Lydia (Taylor) Chandler of Winthrop.  Her father built the mills at Winthrop village early on in our history. Rhoda d.1809 and Daniel m2. Mrs. Jane Hunt Earle See below FMI about Daniel.
6)      Tabitha b.1765 d.1855 Chesterville, Franklin County, ME m.1785 Samuel Perry
7)      William b.1767 d.1838 Stetson, Penobscot, ME m. Cynthia Cooper
8)      Elizabeth b.1768 d.1789 Highland, Somerset County, ME m. Hull Abbott
9)      Reuben b. 1771 d. 1862 Livermore, Androscoggin County, ME m1. Hannah Smith d/o Elisha and Susannah (Wing) Smith of Readfield m2. Lucy Carpenter
10)   Hannah b. 1774 d. 1865 Highland, Somerset County, ME m. Hull Abbott (her sister’s widower)

Daniel Wing married twice – his first wife, Rhoda Chandler died at age 39 in 1809. He married second to Jane Hunt Earle, a widow with a son named Joseph Earle.[v] I have not found children by his first marriage. Daniel and Jane had three.

 

The home of Jane Earle Wing and her son Joseph Earle c.1845

 

Daniel Wing remained in Readfield for the rest of his life where he died in 1830. Upon his death the homestead was willed to his son Henry Wing and step-son Joseph Earle. Henry sold his half to Joseph and the home remained in the Wing / Earle family until 1843 when it was sold by Daniel’s widow Jane Earle Wing. In 1845 she purchased 2 acres of land near Readfield Corner from James Fillebrown for $145. I surmise the house at 1110 Main Street was built about that time and her son Joseph lived with her and retained ownership upon her death.

Note the home of J. Earle on the stream on the west side of

Lake Maranacook near Readfield Corner

After Joseph Earle’s death his son Henry Wing Earle of Sacramento, CA sold his father’s homestead to Emery O. Bean[vi] who soon after sold it to Arthur Jenness. The exact date of death for Joseph Earle is not known (at this time) but one must assume it was c.1882 based on the date of this sale. Though some sources say that Joseph Earle is buried in Readfield Corner Cemetery that has not been confirmed. I have yet to find burial places for Daniel and Jane Wing.

Children of Daniel and Jane Hunt Earle Wing:
1) Henry b.1812 d.1850 in Mercer, IL m. Louisa Allen[vii]
2) Mary Jane b.1816 d. 1890 Readfield m. Samuel Howland Luce s/o Prince Luce who came to Readfield from Martha’s Vineyard with his father and brothers about 1780. Samuel and Mary Jane lived on the Luce homestead on (currently called) Luce Road near Readfield Depot. That homestead burned in 1931.[viii]
3) Mehitable b.1820 d.1873 m. William Henry Harrison Whittier, Sr. They lived on the North Road in the homestead farm of William’s paternal grandfather Moses Whittier. Their son William H. Whittier carried on that homestead place until he sold it out of the family in 1923.[ix] These Whittier's' lived near Daniel Wing's homestead where Joseph Earle lived with his family until about 1845.

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[i] Stackpole, Everett; History of Winthrop with Genealogical Notes by Keene; Heritage Books, Inc. Bowie, MD 1994; page 832

[ii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds various

[iii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 38 Page 168 3/30/1811

[iv] Boatman – Potter – Clark family tree www.ancestry.com accessed 11/10/2013

[v] Jane Earle may have had a second son named Robert. In 1836 a Robert Earle sold ½ of Daniel Wing’s homestead where Joseph Earle was then living for $800. Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 165 Page 303 2/17/1836

[vi] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 338 Page 86 3/27/1882

[vii] Boatman – Potter – Clark family tree www.ancestry.com accessed 11/10/2013

[viii] http://readfield1791.blogspot.com/2013/05/luce-beriah-us-census-winthrop-1-0-3-0-0.html accessed 11/11/2013

[ix] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds various

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

WHITTIER, William 1790 US Census Winthrop 2-2-5-0-0

The following story is historical interpretation based on facts and documented family history. I hope you enjoy. Read on after the story for genealogical information.

 

We are too busy to visit right now! Go visit my Ma, Hannah Whittier. She abides good company. Elizabeth and I we just sold our land here in East Readfield to Deacon Levi Morrill and we are goin' to move to Mt. Vernon near where my brother Nathanial and his father-in-law, Jedediah Prescott,  just bought a big tract of land. I got a chance to build a house right on the stream up there and I think maybe I will run a mill there in the village. I ain't decided yet but I think that's a good chance for me. We got 15 kids and Elizabeth says she ain't done yet so we need a bigger house! Before we go though we gotta boil off this sap, and get everything done we can. We sure will miss livin' here on Whittier Pond near my Ma and big brother Nathaniel, but we feel the urge to move on. Stop by and visit if you ever get up to Mt. Vernon. My wife always leaves a candle glowin' for weary travelers and we vowed to each other we would keep the door unlatched. We remember what it was like when we moved up here into the wilderness and there wasn't no one to welcome us, so we want to be helpful when we can. Be sure to visit my Ma now - she will be happy to see you!

William Whittier's house in Mt. Vernon village
(on the left) is near his mill, at the end of a long
driveway between two other homes east of the mill.
A 2019 photo of Whittier house also pictured
below and below that is the mill.

William Whittier was born in 1752 in Salisbury, MA the 9th child of Nathaniel and Hannah (Clough) Whittier. He came to Readfield with his brothers, Thomas and Nathaniel, and father in 1765 to claim land in East Readfield. In 1774 he married Elizabeth Hankerson in Hallowell. She was a daughter of John and Dorcas (Wyman) Hankerson. William and Elizabeth lived in Readfield until about 1796. In 1802 they deeded their land in Readfield to Deacon Levi Morrill. William died in Mt. Vernon in 1814 and is buried in Mt. Vernon. The large house he built there, sawn at his own mill, is still standing next to the old mill in the village center. In the old days this was referred to as Whittier's Mills. Elizabeth died giving birth to their 16^th child, Samuel, on April 5, 1805. Children and years of birth are below the photos.

Children of William and Elizabeth (Hankerson) Whittier:

1) John b.1775 d.1842 Mt. Vernon m. Clymena Blake

2) Hannah b.1776 m. Daniel Ingham

3) Sarah b.1778

4) Dorcas b.1780 m1.Joseph Shaw m2.Joshua Stevens

5) Polly Porter b.1782 m. Daniel Thing

6) Betsey b.1784

7) Miriam b.1785

8) William b.1788 d.1873 Vienna m.1815 Fanny Cram

9) Abel b.1789 d.1873 Vienna m.1815 Dolly Barton Porter

10) James b.1791 d.1850 Pleasant Ridge, Somerset, ME m.1815 Sally Locke

11) Nathaniel b.1794 d.1822 Mt. Vernon m.1816 Nanna Bradley

12) Jesse b.1795 d.1848 River, Cleveland, NC m.1817 Sally Prescott

13) Betsey b.1798

14) Marion b.1800 m.1819 Stephen Barton Porter

15) Hannah b.1802 before 1870 Penobscot County, ME m. Stephen Abbott

16) Samuel b.1805 d.1884 Fremont, Nebraska m.1831 in Hope, ME Deborah Miservey