Pages 13-22 of a manuscript consisting of the genealogy of the ancestors, descendants and relatives of William Willson (about 1750-1801), also seen as Wilson, of Harpswell, Maine, and Saint George, Maine, compiled by his 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.
- Pages 1-12 Title Page; Preface; Ancestry - Early Willson Family - Images and Transcription at the end of this post
- Pages 13-22 William Willson (2) & Descendants
- Pages 23-48 Militia and Continental Army; Advance of Burgoyne; Evacuation of Ticonderoga; Battle of Hubbardtown [Battle of Hubbardton]
- Pages 48-65 Captain Enos Stone's Journal - Enos Stone of Lenox, Massachusetts
- Pages 66-92, 114-115 The Penobscot Expedition
- Pages 93-101 William Willson (2); William Wilson (3); Andrew Marshall
- Pages 102-107 1782 militia rosters of Capts. Jotham Doyle's Company of Harpswell, Brunswick and North Yarmouth
- Pages 108-115 1778 Roster of Company of Capt. George White
- Pages 116-122 Alexander Family from Harpswell, Maine; also, Clark & Wilson record
- Pages 122-133 Calendar for 1777; many war entries
- Pages 134-136 Blake Family of Harpswell, Maine
- Pages 140-152 Wilson Family of Harpswell and St. George
- Pages 160-173 Clark Family of Harpswell, Maine
- Pages 174- 178 Journals of Elisha Fisher and Rev. John Wiswall; letters of General Peleg Wadsworth
- Pages 179-201 Josephs Family of Portland, Maine
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
As noted above, this post contains pages 13 through 22 of the manuscript, shown below, with transcriptions.
Page 13
Chapter II
William Willson (2) and Descendants
5 - William
Last in this list but
Probably first by birth was born eith-
er in Portland or Harpswell about 1750
So says family tradition he married [penciled in: Aug 18]
1774 Marth daughter of Josiah and
Sarah Clark of Harpswell Neck their
Homestead was on Baileys Island Harp-
swell on what is known now as the old
Capt David Johnson place on the low
Flat land about 1/4 of a mile to the south
Of Mackerel Cove (1) Capt Johnson changed
The house over so that there is but a sm-
all part left at present this being ab-
out one half of the side that runs tow-
ard the east he also owned the home-
stead where Capt Hugh Sinnett lives
(1) See page 97 and 98 [deeds]
Page 14
He bought this Lot of 30 acres of John
Bray and John Bray Jr May 29 1784 the
Next day May 30 he bought what is now
Called Jacques Island (1) (then Lorings) he
Sold the 30 acres in May 1785 to Daniel Ran-
dall of Harpswell this Lot is situated on
The east side of Mackerel Cove Baileys
Island this Island in 1785 was called
New Cape Newaggen William Willson was
A cordwainer by trade he lived on Baileys Island
Island until 1794 at which time he mov-
ed to St George with others from Harpswell
He lived in St George until his death.
He died in Harpswell while on a visit to
His old home with lung fever in 1801.
He had a sloop boat which he used to
Go back and forth in. after his death his
Wife did not return to St George she left
everything Just as it was and spent the
________________________________________
Note 1 - he sold Lorings Island to Samuel
Haley of Kittery Aug 1 - 1794 for £8 (what he
Gave for it) it contained 8 acres in this
Deed he calls himself William Willson of
Cushing cordwainer (now St George)
Vintage Photograph of Mackerel Cove
Page 15
Rest of her days in Harpswell dying at
The house of her son in law Elijah
Pinkham in January 1833 the records
Of Harpswell give William and
Martha Willson eleven Childen Viz
- Sarah, born May 8 - 1775
- Elizabeth born Aug 13 - 1776
- Josiah " Oct 8 - 1778
- Martha " Sept 15 - 1780
- William " May - 8 - 1782
- Mary " Feb - 8 - 1786
- Abigail " July - 8 - 1787 - 1785
- Jane " Mar - 29 - 1789
- Susanna " Feb - 8 - 1791 - 1789
- Anna " Apr - 18 - 1794
- Lydia " Oct - 18 - 1796
All these children were married but one
- Sarah - She married Samuel Jr son
Page 16
Of Samuel and Rose (Clark) Alexan-
der he was a fisherman and lived on
Baileys Island he died April 14 - 1835
And she in 1858 they had a large fam-
ily of children one of which is still living
Mrs. Martha Sinnett of Orrs Island who
Is 86 yrs old and very smart she is known
In Mrs. Stow's book The Pearl of Orr's Island as aunt Roxy the children of
Samuel and Sarah Alexander were
- Samuel 3d Born June 2 - 1794
- Josiah " May 7 - 1795
- Betsy " " " - 1796 - d - Dec 4 - 1826
- Martha " Dec 5 - 1797 - d - Apr 27 - 1805
- Anna " Aug 25 - 1800
- Samuel " Oct 28 - 1806 - d - Nov 22 - 1827
- Rosanna " Oct 5 - 1802
- Susanna " Oct 5 - 1804
- Simeon " Dec 1 - 1808
- Mary " Mar 16 - 1812
- Martha " Aug - 1815
- William " May 5 - 1819
- Abigail " Aug 22 - 1821
Page 17
2 - Elizabeth
She married her cousin Dec 30 - 1800
John Jr son of John and Elizabeth (Clark)
Alexander (his 2nd Wife) they lived on
Harpswell Neck opposite Princes land-
ing Orrs Island close down to the
Shore in a one Story white house she
Died July 11 - 1844 he died May 11 - 1854
There children were as follows
- Lydia Born Mar 4 - 1802
- Josiah " May 4 - 1806
- Martha " July 2 - 1808
- Huldah " Apr 23 - 1810
- Fanny " Aug 25 - 1812
3 - Josiah
he married a Teel and lived
First on Baileys Island then moved to
St George Maine [crossed out: he was drowned early
In life (before 1833)] he left children and
Descendants at St George his children
were. his wife's name was Sarah Teel
see page 140 [pps 140-142 - children of Josiah Wilson and Sarah Teel and their spouses]
Page 18
4 - Martha
She married Andrew Marsh-
all and lived on Baileys Island he
Having bought 2 acres of land of Sam-
uel Alexander in 1805 they later lived
At St George raised a family and died
There he died first - she having two hu--
sbands after him but had her children
By Marshall whose descendants still
Live in St George the children were
See page 95 for their children also 148
[page 95: lists 9 children; page 148 lists the children and their spouses]
5 - William Jr
he married Mary Teel a sis-
ter to his brother Josiah wife he also liv-
ed at St George raised a large family
And died there in the Sixties aged over
80 yrs he has one son still alive Mr [go to top of page 19 - Eli M. Wilson]
They both died Nov 20 [or 26] 1867 he was
85 & she 87 yrs old
Page 19
Eli M. Wilson of St George he has
Numerous descendants in St George and
Surrounding Towns his children were (1)
6 - Mary
She married Simeon Blake of
Harpswell Dec 2 - 1803 and lived on Har-
pswell Neck he was drowned while cross-
ing Harpswell sound in a boat from
Orrs Island in a thunder storm there
6 children were
Catherine born in 1804 [with a penciled addition of May 7] [no further children listed on this page]
7 - Abigail
She married Capt Jacob Blake
Of Harpswell Dec 14 - 1804 they lived a
Good part of there married life on the
Kennebec river at Hallowell he run a
Packet from Boston and other places
up the Kennebec they had a large fam-
ily of children two of which are still liv-
ing Mr. Daniel B. Blake of Yarmouth
And Mrs. Eliza T. Jack of Portland Me.
(1) Note see page 93 - See also Page 143 [page 93 shows date of birth of Eli M. Wilson; page 146, not 143, shows the wife of Eri Merrill Wilson to be Nancy (Rivers) Wilson; their children are listed on pps 146 and 147]
Abigail Blake died in 1859 Mr. Jacob
Blake died in 1873 being 93 years of age
There children were
- Ezekiel 1805
- John 1807
- Martha
- Benjamin
- Anne
- Sarah
- Abigail
- Hanna
- Jane
- Jacob
- Eliza T
- Daniel B.
- William
8 - Jane
She was a maiden lady she
Spent about all her life on Baileys
Island she lived in the house with
Mrs Capt. David Perry and died there
March 1 - 1863
9 - Susanna
She came to Portland to live
With her Aunt Susanna Flood when
She was 10 years old she married first
David Flood Nov 9 - 1806 - 2d Manuel
Josephs whom she married in 1812 by
Page 21
The 2nd Husband she had six child-
ren Manuel Josephs died with yellow
Fever in Havana Cuba in Nov 1834
He was cook of the Brig Lucy Ann
At the time of his death one of the
Portland papers said. he was an hon-
est and industrious man they lived
During his life on or about India St
After his death she married in Nov
1835 for her 3d Husband William
Sheafe he died in 1844 she died June
24 - 1867 - at the home of her daughter
Martha A. Wight in Yarmouth Me
The children were all by the 2d Hus-
band Manuel Josephs and were
- Louisa M. Born Mar 30 - 1813
- Manuel Blake " Jan 6 - 1815
- William Wilson " June 16 - 1817
- Sarah Eunice " Aug 13 - 1819
- Edward Payson " May 26 - 1822
- Martha A. " Dec 25 - 1825
Page 22
10 - Anna
She married Thomas Gould of
Lisbon Me, a farmer they had
4 children
Sarah - William Attwood - Dolly Ann - & Harrison
See page 150 [pages 150 and 151 list these children again, along with the names of their spouses and any children]
11 - Lydia
She married Elijah Pinkham
of Harpswell Neck Jan 18 1815 they lived
on the Neck about one mile from where
The steamboat landing now is she di-
ed in Oct 1859 they had a large family
Of children most of them are still alive
There names are as follows
1 - Joseph - Nathaniel - Jacob B. -
Elijah J. - Jane - Ann
Elmira - Susan Martha [not sure if Ann and Elmira were two different people or the same; same situation with Susan Martha]
If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.
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