Monday, May 25, 2020

Clark Family from Harpswell, Maine in Manuscript Genealogy of William Willson of Harpswell, Maine, and St. George, Maine


Pages 160-173 relating to the Clark family of Harpswell, Maine, in a manuscript genealogy of William Willson (about 1750-1801), also seen as Wilson, his descendants and related families of Harpswell and Saint George, Maine.

Page 121, which contains more Clark and Wilson genealogy, is also included.

The genealogy was handwritten by Willson's great grandson William Blake Josephs (1854-1918) of Portland, Maine, in 1901 [with later entries by both himself and others].

The manuscript is discussed in installments, as noted below.


The manuscript measures approximately 7-1/2" by 5"and contains 201 numbered pages, with pages 182-183 and 199-200 missing.  William Blake Josephs wrote the vast majority of the information.

Note: most of the entries are unsourced, but information may have come from people with direct knowledge. Take all with a grain of salt, knowing there may be nuggets here not found anywhere else.

Be aware: the compiler used very little punctuation, including periods at the end of sentences, and was not careful about pronoun antecedents and spelling.  All of this makes some of his information difficult to nail down.

Toward the end are a few pages of entries in a more contemporary hand, perhaps entered by Joseph's widow Mary Jane (Blair) Josephs or one of their children. The missing pages are in this section.


Preface 

Page 3
Having some family records and
wishing to preserve them is what led 
me to prepair this Book the early trad-
itions of the family herein quoted
have been handed down to me and
are Know doubt correct the principle
part of this work is the Military His-
tory of my great grand Father William
Willson his record of service in the Am-
erican Revolution i got from the 
Secretary of the State of Mass. (Maine
Was a part of Mass until 1820) this rec-
ord was taken from the Revolutionary
Archives of the State of Mass. The accou-
nt of the Battles he passed through
Was taken from the best works in pr-
int on the Revolutionary War Viz
Carringtons Battles of the American
Revolution, Lossings Field Book of
The Revolution. Paul Allen's History
of the American Revolution (Published
in 1819). Dr. Thatchers Military Jour-
nal. The part that relates to the 
Penobscot Expedition was taken from 

Page 4
Williamsons History of Maine also
Nathan Goulds History of Col Jona-
than Mitchells Reg. of Cumberland Co
The experience of the Regts to which Will-
iam Willson was attached was also his 
Experience so I have given the Battles
In detail which is very interesting rea-
ding especially that part which has refer-
ence to Cap Enos Stones Journal in
These few extracts it shows what beca-
me of the Prisoners taken by the British
in the Battle of Hubbardton Vermont it
can not be found in any history that
I ever saw. our Ancestor William Willson 
was one of the Prisoners


Contents
Chapter I - Ancestry - Early Wilson Familys
Chapter II - William Willson and Descendants
Chapter III - The Militia Co and enlistment into Continental Army
Chapter IV - Advance of Burgoyne
Chapter V - Evacuation of Ticonderoga; Battle of Hubbardton
Chapter VI - Capt. Enos Stones Journal
Chapter VII - Penobscot Expedition
Maine Historical Soc Safe [ page 174
Additional entries


Page 121

Clark and Wilson record

Taken from the U.S. Census of 1790
Josiah Clark - family Town of Harpswell
Males over 16 years old including
himself - 2 - females - 2
____________________________

William Willson of Harpswell Me
An item from the Revolutionary 
rolls in the Mass. State Archives

Subsistence allowed from date of
enlistment Jan 13 - 1777 to time of 
arrival at Bennington Vt credited
with 68-1/2 days allowance 370 miles
travel allowed said Willson

P.S.  (They walked from Beverly Mass
        (to Bennington Vt


Pages 160 and 161

Clark Family of Harpswell

 This family was connected with the
Wilsons by marriage

 The first of our Clark family in 
Harpwell was Josiah and his wife
Sarah where they came from to Harps-
well is not known at this writing they
were there as early as 1763 and probably be-
fore we are positive of there being there
in 1763 for there is on record a deed in
the Reg of deeds Cumberland Co from His
Excellency Benning Wentworth Gov of
The Province of N.H. to Josiah Clark of
Harpswell for a parcel of land in Harps-
well the date of this deed is June 23, 1763*
this deed also has the signature of his Excell-
ency's wife Martha Wentworth known in 
Longfellows works as Lady Wentworth
(formally Martha Hilton) this land was
on the easterly side of Harpswell neck between
South Harpswell and the center it has been 
a Clark Homestead from that day to this
some say that this family came from
Marblehead Mass but as we said above

 See page [author left blank] for a copy of this deed

 we are not sure just where they came
from to Harpswell. Josiah Clark
bought and sold several tracts of land
in Harpswell he must have been quite
well to do as a land owner beside the
above deed from Gov Wentworth he
bought of the Gov.s heirs in 1774 Feb
the 5th some 264-1/4 acres this was near
his first purchase. Josiah Clark was
a soldier in the revolutionary war he ser-
ved in Capt Nehemiah Curtis Co Col
Jonathan Mitchells Cumberland County
Regt 2 mos and 8 days in the Penobscot
expedition this service was between July
15th and Sept 25 - 1779 he was also a mem-
ber of Capt Jotham's Doyles Militia Co
of Harpswell in 1782 (on the alarm list)
Josiah and Sarah Clark probably died
in Harpswell at a good old age. they had
quite a large family of children I have
been able to find the following records
of 8 of them

Pages 162 and 163

 Clark Family of Harpswell

 1 - Elizabeth
She married John Alexander
son of William for her first husband March 31 - 1768 children by this Union
Children
John, Jr., born Feb 2 - 1769 died May 11 - 1844
David born Feb 9 - 1771
Martha born Dec 18 - 1772
Ezekiel Jan 21 - 1775 died Sept 23 - 1837
Henry born April 13 - 1777 died Dec 4 - 1854
Josiah born 1779

 for her 2d husband she married William Tarr children by this Union
children
Richard born 1783
William born 1785
Catherine born 1787
Betsey born 1790
Mary born 1793
Clark born 1795

 2 - Rose
She married Samuel Alexander 
[Feb 7 written in pencil] 1771 - a brother to the above John children by this Union
Children
Samuel Jr. born May 7, 1771
Mary born Nov 15 - 1772
Abigail born June 27 1776 - died Oct 1 1857
Elizabeth born Nov 17 - 1778
Hannah born Dec 20 1780
John born Oct 8 - 1872
Jane April 15 1784

Mrs. Rose Alexander died Aug 2 - 1831

3 - Sarah
She married [written in pencil: Sep 16 1773] Luther Gardner of 
Harpswell (Baileys Id) by this union
 i have found the following records of
birth and death
Children
Susanna born Jan 5 - 1772
Jenny born March 8 - 1776 - died Jan 3 - 1868
Abigail born July 1 - 1777 died Feb 8 1794
Hannah born Dec 7 - 1782 died Nov - 7 - 1791
Sarah born Sept 20 - 1785 - died Feb 23 - 1861
James born Sept 20 - 1787
Ephraim born April 25 - 1789 - died Feb 26 - 1852

 4 - Martha
She married [in pencil: Aug 18] 1774 William
Willson of Harpswell by this union


Pages 164 and 165

 Clark Family of Harpswell

 we have a record of 11 children as follows
Sarah born May 8 - 1775 
Elizabeth born Aug 13 - 1776
Josiah born Oct 8 1778
Martha born Sept 15 - 1780
William Feb 8- 1782
Mary born Feb 8 - 1786
Abigail July 8 - 1787 (1785)
Jane - March 29 - 1789
Susanna Feb 8 - 1791 (1789)
Anna born April 18 - 1794
Lydia Oct 18 - 1796
all of these children were married but
 one (Jane) William Willson Sr died in
the fall of 1801 his wife Martha died Jan - 
1833

 5 - Abigail
She married [in pencil: 1795] Capt Samuel Blake 
of Harpswell children by this union
Children - Mrs. Blake died Dec 31 - 1827
Priscilla born Nov 27 - 1795
William born Sept 13 - 1799
Jeremiah born Sept 19 - 1801
Charles born July 9 - 1804
Clark born Oct 21 - 1806 died March 29 - 1888
Samuel born Jan 11 - 1809

6 - John
he married [Lydia crossed out] Mary Wilson sister to Wiliam
who married Martha Clark - John Clark settled in St George Maine

 7 - Josiah Jr.
he married [in pencil: Mar 17 - 1791] Miriam Rodick 
daughter of ancestor John Rodick of
Harpswell she was born May 4 - 1765
children by this union
Lydia - John - David 
Elizabeth - Eleanor - Alvira
Lucy - Josiah

 8 - Samuel
he married Lydia daughter
of Paul Curtis of Harpswell - Samuel died Jan 11 - 1839 they had the foll-
owing children

1 - Charles born June 19 - 1795 died


Pages 166 and 167

 Clark Family of Harpswell

 [cont. Charles born June 19 - 1795 died]
Feb 18 - 1833
Deborah born Dec 12 - 1797 died Nov 19 - 1858
Isaac born Nov 20 1798
Jeremiah born June 1 - [in pencil: 1808] died April [in pencil: 1803]  [Presumably year of birth was meant to be written as 1800]
Susanna born Oct 30 - 1801
Lucindy born March 24 - 1804
Sally born April 12 1806 died Aug 1836
Lydia born Dec 8 - 1809
Samuel born Oct 13 - 1811
Abigail born Nov 6 - 1813
Harrison born Sept 14 - 1815 died April 10 - 1870
Emily born July 20 - 1819
Joseph born Nov 10 - 1822 died June 18 1857

 13 in all a good old fashioned
family

 John Jr., son of John and Mary
Wilson Clark of Harpswell later 
of Clarks Id St George married
Mary Linikin they lived in St
Geo and had 12 children 8 girls and
4 Boys names as follows
Vinia - Sarah - Lucy - Eliza
Elenor - Julia - Catharine - Harriett
Benjamin - Levi - Jackson - and
James - the last named married
Sarah dau of Josiah Wilson born in [sentence ends]

Pages 168 and 169 are blank

 Below, pages 170-173
Clark Family of Harpswell
The Old Clark Deed - not transcribed



Names on Pages 170-173: 

 Josiah Clark of Harpswell - buyer
Reart Neall - witness
John Lang - witness
Benning Wentworth and Martha Wentworth of Portsmouth - sellers
D. Pierce, Jus Peace - Justice of the Peace
Enoch Freeman Reg - Registrar of Deeds

If you have corrections to the transcriptions or information on any of the people mentioned above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. Ryan NoyesMay 26, 2020 at 6:56 PM

    Though I have not worked in this particular sandbox, here is a link to the FamilySearch Family Tree record for the abovereferenced Elizabeth Clark who m. John Alexander: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KK1L-CM3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pam BeveridgeMay 27, 2020 at 4:00 AM

      Interesting - shows less children with husband John Alexander and more children with second husband William Tarr (tho, those extra ones look suspect). I'm just transcribing what Josephs wrote - not doing any research myself unless I can't make out a name and then try to tease that out with research.

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