Source: The Bangor Historical Magazine, vol. 3 (Bangor, Me.: Joseph W. Porter, 1888).
[p. 187]
PETITION FOR A NEW COUNTY IN MAINE, 1752.
In 1752 the Plymouth Company claimed in their Patent, all the lands on both sides of the Kennebec River, eastward to Pemaquid, and westward to Casco Bay. The settlers named in the petition lived in what are now the towns of Bristol, Waldoboro', Nobleboro', Newcastle, Boothbay, Wiscasset, Bremen, Georgetown, Woolwich, Dresden, Bowdoinham, Topsham, Bath, Brunswick, and one or two other towns. Many of these settlers moved further eastward, where they can be easily located. The descendants of these men have filled every official position in this State from Governor, down. I give a copy of the petition, giving the names in full, from the Massachusetts archives:
"Province Of The Massachusetts Bay.
To the Honourable Spencer Phips Esqr., Lieutenant Governour and Commander in Chief in and over sd Province To the Honble his Majesty's Council for the same & the Honourable House of Representatives.
Humbly Shew the Proprietors of that Tract of Land lying on Both sides of Kennebeck River which was granted to the late Colony of New Plymouth in their Charter & afterwards by that Colony granted to Antipas Boys & others Together with sundry of the Principal Settlers & Residents within the Limits of said Tract.
That the Inhabitants of said Tract had formerly the Privilege of holding a Court within that District & were vested with a peculiar Jurisdiction of matters arising among them in Subordination to the Government of the late Colony of New Plymouth that of Later Times the Courts of Justice held in and for the County of York have exercised Jurisdiction not only over your Petitioners Tract aforsd but also over all Lands lying to the Eastward thereof to the utmost Limits of this Province Eastward but how or by what Law they became possessed of that Jurisdiction Your Petitioners could never yet be able to Discover that the great Distance that Suitors, Witnesses & Jurors have to Travel from said Tract to York together with the Badness & Danger of the Roads thither are a great Difficulty and Burden to your Petitioners the Settlers on said Tract which together with the perplexity arising from the Doubtfullness of such Courts Jurisdiction over them and Danger that the Judgements obtained in such Courts in Local actions arising among them may some time or other be called in Question and Reversed are a great Discouragement to your Petitioners in their Settlement and that it would very much Facilitate and Promote the further peopling and Improving said Tract and Render the Expensive Efforts of your Petitioners the Proprietors to Settle the same more Successful if said District was erected into a Distinct County. Your Petitioners therefore pray your Honour and the Honourable Houses would please
[p. 188]
to take the premises into your wise Consideration and make your Petitioners Tract aforesaid a Distinct and separate County with the usual Privileges and Jurisdictions of a County or otherwise relieve your Petitioners upon the premises as Your Wisdom shall Direct and Your Petn., &c,
[All those who have a Star (*) made their mark.]
John Jones
James Bowdoin
Jonathan Frost
Edward Tyng
Nathaniel Thwing
Gershom Flagg
John Goodwin
Samuel Goodwin
James Fox
John Tufts
Jonathan Reed
William Taylor
David Jeffries
Eleazer Harlow
Jacob Wendell
Edward Winslow
Wm. Brattle
Cha. Apthorp
Thomas Hancock
Robert Temple
William Bowdoin
Richard Foster
Silvester Gardiner
James Pitt
Benja. Pollard
Thomas Walley
Joseph Dowse
Isaac Foster
Joseph Winslow
John Winslow
Samuel Fowle
Habijah Weld
SETTLERS.
James Grace
James Cunningham
John Wright
Joseph Buber*
Martyn Hayley*
Michael Thornton*
John Oliver*
Ephraim Ober
Alex. Campbell, Jr.
Jacob Olner
Daniel Savage | Chas. Supe (?)
(Query Stuart)
William Chism
William Stinson
Joseph Pike
Micheal Malcom
Allen Malcom
Thomas Roott
Wm. Corns*
George McGlotton*
Patt Drummond
Thomas William
Alex. Campbell
William Bryen
Samuel Hinckley
James Thompson
Ebenezer Hinckley
Nathanel Berry
Nath'l Larrabee
David Dunning
George Harward
William Vincent
Joseph Lankester
Shubel Hinckley
William Reed
John Juell
John Spaulding
James Howard
John Howard
Samuel Howard
Moses Waymouth
Silvanus Whitford
David Joy
Philip Call
Philip Call, Jr.
Thomas Parker
John Herring*
Thomas Means
Townsend Smith
Ralph Kendall
John Cheney
Benjamin Kendall
Elias Cheney
Andrew Reed | William Montgomry
David Reed
Robert Montgomry
John Wylie
Alex. Erskin*
Thos. Storer*
Robert Montgomry, Jr.
Simon Elilot*
Morgan Caffrey
Robert McGathry
Thos. Jelly*
James Young*
David Lovell
Patreck Rodgers
John McFarland
John McFarland, Jr.
John Larmond
James Huston
William Huston
William Jones
Michael Jones
William Jones, junior
Richard Jones
Anthony Chapman
Ichabod Smith
John Wadleigh
William Blackston
Joshua Smith
Lemuel Parkins
John Rollings
Samuel Hall
Ichabod Linscot*
Stephen Hosdon*
Elisha Clark
Samuel Hardie
William Hilton*
Nathaniel Winslow
Nathaniel Winslow, jr.
Kenelm Winslow
William Racsleff
Elisha Winslow
Alexander Nikols
Alex. Nikols, jr.
John Nikels |
[p. 189]
Henry Little
James Clark
John Balentin
Thomas Murphy*
Peter Peterson
William Clark
James Clark, jr.
John Cuninghain
Joseph Anderson
Samuel Anderson
James Hodg
John McNear
David Given
William McLeland
James Forester*
Joseph Dachen
Joshua Silvester
James Day
John Decker
Roger R. C. Colbee*
John Gray
James Grant
William Goss or Gross
Elisher Kenny
Robert Lambort
John Tomson
Nathanel Runlet
Elijah Grant
Ephiram Grant
Andrew Grant
Sheribiah Lambert
John Decker, 2d jr.
John Sutton
Samuel Trask
Ebenezer Gove (?)
Joseph Hodsden
William Boynton
Samuel Trask, jr.
Samuel Chapman
George Gray
Robert Hooper
Joseph Tayler
Caleb Byinton
Moses Gray
Joseph Young
Joseph Young, jr.
John McPhetres
John Pope (?)
John Rowell
John Carlton | Samuel Blanchard
Daniel Lankester
Ebenezer Smith
Thomas Stinson
Joshua Farnam
Edward Savage
William Gilmor
Thomas Stinson, jr.
John Gerdy* (?)
Isaac Savage
James Stinson*
William Pumory (?)
Miles Goodwin
Elna Davis (?)
James Whidden
Lazarus Noble
Timothy Whidden
William Reed*
Samuel Allen
William Malcom
Tobias Ham
Joseph Ewing
Alexander Ewing
Charles Robertson
Benjamin Thompson
William Mustard*
Alexander Potter
James Potter
John Malcom
Robart Dunlap*
John Dunlap
Joseph Jack*
Joseph Smith
William Speer
Robert Speer, jr.
Robert Speer
James Duning
John Phelan
John Martine
John Williams
Robert Duning
James Douglass
William Woodside
Wm. Woodside, jr.
James Wooden (?)
Ebenezer Hardwood
Judah Chase
Samll Stanwood
David Stanwood
Thomas Stanwood | Willm Stanwood
John Reed
William Ross,
John Smart
James Elott
Andrew Ellott
Robert Smart
Thomas McGregor
Nehemiah Ward
John Given,
John Orr*
Samuel Clark
James Hervey
William McNess*
John Starbird
Thos. Skofield
William Simpson
Abijah Young
Joseph Orr
Joshua Crommel*
John Malcom
John Bunker*
Alexander Willson
Robert Willson
Hugh Willson
Robert Givern
John Mallett
James Doyle
Nathnel Barry
John Sawad* (?)
West Weffer (?)
Jonathan Webber
Joshua Gray*
Benj. Bunker
Elisha Allen
Willm Alexander*
James Allexander
John Allexander
Edward Cuningham
William Tarr
John Mathews
Isaac Hall
George Combes
John Jorden
Alexander Thompson
Cornelus Thompson
James Thompson
David Tinkins (?)
Joseph Thompson*
Isaac Snow |
[p. 190]
John Snow
Peter Comes
Abel Eaton
Silvanus Comes*
Samuel Williams*
Peter Comes Jr
John Gatchell
Stepn Gatchell
David Doughty
John Gachell Juner
Anthony Combes Jr
Antony Combes
Timothy Tebbets
Moses Tebbets
Peter Woodward
Simon Cornish
John Aston* (?)
John Cornish*
Joshua Lambert
Benjamin Whitney
Benjn. Denlow
Corneales Keaff*
Grant Robinson*
Patrick Wals*
David Foss* (?)
Samuel Melune*
Samuel Melune Junier*
John Johnsen
Robert Sedgley*
Nathanel Jeleson*
Nath Donnell
Terrance McMachen* (?)
Timothy Rordan*
Jonathan Philbrook
Jona. Philbrook Junr
Job Philbrook
Isaiah Crooker
Elijah Crooker
John Stinson
Philip Hodgkins,
John Onale*
Stephen Greenleaf
Daniel Lankester
Elihu Lankester*
James Beueridge
John Torp*
James Thornton*
Mathew Whelan,
Patrick Murry*
William Johnson | Simon Burtton
James Drumond
William Marshall
John Blethen Sen
John Blethen jr.
Franses Wyman
Nicholas Rideout
William Rideout
David Yustin
Andrew Bennett*
James Newbury*
Benjamin Pomeroy
Samuel Wels
James Blethen
Joseph Mackentir
Josiah Day*
Stephen Day*
Willm Hardy*
Francis Wyman junr
Nathanel Wyman
Cornelius Hall
Arthur Percey
Thomas Percey
Timothy Ruork*
Samll Hinkley
James McFaden
John McFadin
Matthew McKinney
George McKinney
John Flan*
James McFaden juner
Robert Poor*
John Cleary
John Dun*
Timothy Dunton*
Stephen Greenleaf
John Gray Richards
Richard Greenleaf
Samuel Greenleaf
Simon Crosby
Joseph Greenleaf
Daniel Gray
Aaron Abbot
John Getchel*
Henery Slomen*
Isrel Hunewell*
James Savage
Daniel McKinney*
Solomon Walker
Moses Hilton | James Johnson
Phill White
Obadiah Call
Phinehas Parker
William Sewall
William Philbrook
William Sproul
James Morton
Robert Sprouel
James Sprouel
John McShown
Corneles Thornton*
John Dun*
Thomas Hutchinsons*
Kingin Erskins*
James Miller
Walter Cean
Joseph Fowler
James Crocker
Arnold Wethun
Charles Glidden
Samuel Kelley
John Speed*
George Calwell*
Francis Young
George Clark*
John Hiscock
Richard Hiscock,
Elisha Winslow
Cornelious Jones*
Joseph Hussey
Thomas Humphrys
John McFarland
Ephraim McFarland
Samuel McCobb
John Beath
William Moor
Willim Fullortown
Willm. Fullerton juner
Walter Beath*
Andrew McFarland
Robert Wylie
Willim Wylie
Andrew Reed
Benjamin Linnaken*
Clarke Linnaken*
Thomas Partridge
Wilem Hepes (?)
Joseph Withum
James Stinson |
[p. 191]
John Leeman
Samuel Barter
John Orr
Charls Blagdon | Robert Foy
James Brewer*
Daniel Leneken
James Brewer juner* | Ebenezar Leeman
Samuel Barter jn.
Joseph Leneken* |
In The House Of Repnes., Nov. 28, 1752.
Read and Ordered that the Petn. serve the Proprs. and Inhabts. of the within-mentioned Tract of Land (non-Petrs.) with a copy of this Petn. by inserting the substance thereof in one or more of the publick News papers; that so they may shew cause, if any they have, on Wednesday, the 27th of Dec. next, if the Court be then sitting, if not, on the first fryday of the next sitting of this Court, why the Prayer thereof should not be granted.
Sent up for concurrence.
T. HUBBARD, Spkr.
In Council, Decem. 14, 1752. Read & Non-Concur'd.J. WILLARD, Secry.
Maine Genealogy
