Thomas Spencer, Berwick Maine, A Griffin ancestor

Thomas Spencer a Griffin ancestor ------------ Albert Bailey Griffin-Abigail Varney / Paul Varney / Moses Varney-Ester Chick / Moses Chick / Thomas / Thomas Chick- Elizabeth Spencer / Thomas Spencer ---------------- Thomas Spencer was born in England. Given a number of hints in his life his birth is estimated to be in 1596. He did not leave behind any hints for his parentage. Thomas Spencer married Patience Chadbourn. Most historians think that the marriage took place in England. The Chadbourn family was from Tamworth, Warwickshire, England. The close relationship between Thomas and his father-in-law, William Chadbourn, offers a hint that he may have been from the same area. -------- The English crown sold to John Mason and his partners a land grant in what is now York County, Maine. The hope was that such men would organize the colonization of the new world. Their hope was that they could exploit the vast resources in the new world for economic gain. That partnership then hired skilled workers to travel to the new world to build water powered mills and living accommodations for the people to follow. These skilled laborers were granted land and a share of the profits in the sawmills and gristmills that they were to construct. This group built the first water powered mills in the new world. These skilled workers, including Thomas Spencer, represented the first settlers in York County Maine. ----------- Those that write of Thomas Spencer record that he came to America in 1630 on the ship Warwick. In 1633 he returned to England only to return in 1634 along with his father in law, William Chadbourn, and his group of skilled carpenters under license from John Mason. ------------- The sawmills that they build, in what is now Berwick, Maine, became the focal point of the next several generations. There are court records of legal battles between John Mason and the men he hired. The American courts ruled that Mason did not live up to the terms of the agreements and thus ownership of the mills and other improvements was granted to the men who built them. ----------- William Chadbourn build the largest house in Berwick. On his death he left the house to Thomas Spencer. It was large enough to serve as a community focal point and tavern. ---------- In Berwick Thomas and Patience raised a family of seven; William 1630, Margret 1632, Mary 1634, Susanna 1636, Humphrey 1638, Elizabeth 1640 (married Thomas Chick), Moses 1642. It is unclear whether or not some of the children were born in England. ------------ Thomas Spencer died in Berwick December 15, 1681. Patience was to follow in 1683. Thomas left behind a detailed will. In the will be reference his “Loving wife Patience”. Thomas left the bulk of his estate to his oldest son William. The will also references his daughters Susanna, Elizabeth and Mary. There is no reference to Margaret, Humphrey or Moses. ---------------- Much of what we know of Thomas Spencer can be found in; 1-The Maine Spencers. A history and Genealogy, with mention of ,many associated families. 2- The Chadbourn family in America; A genealogy. 3- Old Kittery and her families.

Thomas Chick of Kittery, Maine, a Griffin Ancestor

Thomas Chick a Griffin ancestor. -------- Albert Bailey Griffin-Abigail Varney / Paul Varney / Moses Varney-Esther Chick / Moses Chick / Thomas Chick / Thomas Chick of Kittery Maine. --------- Thomas Chick is the original Chick ancestor in America. What documentary history that has survived places him in Kittery, Maine. Those histories, quoting the Chick family transcript, write of him, Thomas Chick baptized Ottery St Mary, Devon, England 27 Dec 1641 died after 1683. Son of Richard Chick and Johan or Alice Chick. Found in the Maine vital records is his marriage to Elizabeth Spencer May 12, 1674. -------- The area surrounding Kittery was a destination for investors and immigrant companies in the second wave of colonist to enter America. The area of Portsmouth, Kittery and Berwick share of good deal, of common history. Originally one community as they grew in size they divided into separate entities. Starting in 1630 the area witnessed the arrival of groups organize around the idea of economic opportunity rather than the notions that drew the first sellers to arrive in the New World. Those men and women who founded these new communities are celebrated as community founders and the heads of great American families. The result is that there are the subject of both community histories and family histories. It is from these histories that we inherit our knowledge of Thomas Chick. --------- We do not have a record of when Thomas arrived in America. We do have a reference to his service on a coroner’s jury in 1668. To be so chosen indicates that by 1668 he was an established member of the community. As a later arrival Thomas did not receive the literary attention afforded to many of his Kittery neighbors. What information we have is due to his wife, Elizabeth Spencer. Elizabeth’s father, Thomas Spencer and grandfather, William Chadbourn, are two of the more celebrated of the founding fathers. --------- What information we have relating to Thomas Chick comes to us from three primary sources; 1- Old Kittery and her families by Everett Stackpole. 2- The Maine Spencers. A history and genealogy, with mention of many associated families by William Daniel Spencer. 3-The Chadbourn family in America; A Genealogy by Elaine Chadbourn Bacon. All three to these books can be found in the open library on the Internet. These sources reference a “Chick family transcript”. What is contains and where it is found is an unknown. ---------- Each of those histories contains a slightly different look at the Chick family. Their small errors and inconstancies are a hint of a lack of a detailed family history for the family of Thomas Chick. ----------- In summation they note the marriage of Thomas Chick to Elizabeth Spencer May 12, 1674. Most records note the existence of two sons, Thomas Jr and Richard. There is reference, made to records relating to the Indian wars and compensations paid to its victims. Those records note that the war effected Thomas Chick and his “three” children. The Chadbourn history lists two girls, Margaret, who married John Bruxton and a Mary, who married J (John) Randall. --------- There is a documentary trail for Margaret and her brothers Thomas and Richard. There is no such trail for Mary, which casts some serious doubt on her existence. -------- Based on a surviving family tradition the story of Mary has taken on a life of its own. Any number of historians have added it to a number of variations in the Chick family history. Mary Randall is listed as a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth, and as a daughter their son Thomas Jr. The fact of the matter is that Thomas Chick Jr married a women first name Mary. On his early death she remarried taking John Randall as her second husband. That marriage is found in the Maine vital records. Listed as Mary Randall in the deed records she leaves property to her children Moses, Aaron and Mary Chick. Mary married David Boyce.

James Tuttle 1782-1866 Tuftonboro, N.H.

James Tuttle-------- James / Samuel / Esther Varney-Elijah Tuttle / Benjamin Varney / Peter / Humphrey Varney, Dover, N.H.--------- The death of James Tuttle is recorded in the New Hampshire vital records. It records his death in Tuftonboro, N. H. March 4, 1866 at the age of 84. It notes that he was born in Somersworth the son of Samuel and Martha Tuttle.-------- There are family traditions, for the family of James Tuttle, that has been passed down through his ancestry. For example on genealogy sites such as Ancestry.com you can find listed the family of James Tuttle and Jane Edwards. Those traditions list a marriage in Wolfeboro, N. H. Jan 1, 1812. Most of these records list four children; Benjamin born 1814 in Sandwich, Carroll County, N.H.. Mary Catherine born 1815 also in Sandwich, Lucy born 1817 in Tuftonboro. Carroll County and Fanny Jane born 1820 in Tuftonboro. In the census records the wife of James Tuttle is listed as “Jane.”. But there is no documentary evidence for the existence of a Jane “Edwards”. In the marriage and death records of the time many included the names of parents including a mother’s maiden name and place of birth. No such records exist for a Jane “Edwards”. Instead those marriage and death records list the wife of James Tuttle as Jane “Edmonds”. -------- There is no documentation for Jane Edmonds Tuttle that offers clues for her parentage. She is referrer to as Jane in the census records and as simply” JANE” on her headstone which is broken in-half. As we noted the only clues we have for her is in the death records for her children in which she is listed as Jane Edmonds. Evidence suggests that Jane was born 1784/85 in Wolfeboro, N. H.. Jane died in Tuftonboro November 21, 1880. She and James are buried together in the Burleigh Cemetery in Tuftonboro.-------- The family tradition places the birth of the first few children in Sandwich, Carroll County but from 1830 to 1880 the family is found in Tuftonboro in the same county. There are multiple family connections to Wolfeboro also in Carroll County.-------- Probably the most definitive picture of the family comes from the 1830 Census taken in Tuftonboro. That census describes a family of 1 boy and 6 girls. The age description suggests a boy born about 1815/16, 2 girls born 1816-1820, 2 girls born 1821-1825 and 2 girls born after 1825. -------- The 1840 census only lists 3 girls. In the 1850 census in Tuftonboro the family consists of James and Jane and their daughters, Catherine and Lucy. The 1860 census lists Lucy and Jane age 30 who was not part of the household in 1850. In the 1880 census taken in Tuftonboro we find Jane Tuttle, age 96, and daughters Lucy and Mary C Johnson.-------- Unidentified in the later census records are 3 of the girls listed in the 1830 census. We find one of them buried with her parents in the Burleigh Cemetery in Tuftonboro. There are only 15 people buried in the Burleigh from 3 separate families. Buried together we find James Tuttle, his wife listed as “Jane” their daughter Mary Catherine listed as Mary C Johnson Tuttle and a daughter Hannah M Tuttle who died Jan 23, 1839.--------- There is an entry in the Massachusetts death records for a Huldah Hurd. It lists her death Dec 1, 1908 in Salem, Massachusetts the wife of Luther Hurd. Her birthplace is listed as Tuftonboro, N.H. her father is listed as James Tuttle born in Sandwich, N. H. Remember Sandwich was the place of birth of some of James Tuttle’s children. Huldah’s mother is listed as Jane Edmonds born in Wolfeboro, Carroll County, N. H. . In the 1900 census her birth is listed a November 1823. In the 1860 census taken in Portsmouth, N.H. we find as part of the household of Luther and Huldah Hurd her sister Jane Tuttle. Finding Jane being listed in 2 separate households in 1860 is not an uncommon occurrence. -------- Jane married John Bassett Nov 5, 1865 in Tuftonboro. The record indicates that it was a second marriage for both. The marriage record lists her parents as James and Jane Tuttle. We find a death record for Jane Bassett in the New Hampshire vital records. It records her death March 11, 1884 in Portsmouth, N.H. Her birth is given as 1828 in Tuftonboro the daughter of James Tuttle of Somersworth and Jane Edmonds of New Castle. --------- Even with the inconsistencies regarding places found in the two death records, an occurrence that is very common, we seem to be looking at the Jane listed in the household of James and Jane Tuttle and her sister Huldah. Those two death records also identify the wife of James Tuttle as Jane Edmonds rather than the Jane Edwards most histories use. So who were the children of James Tuttle and Jane Edmonds?--------- The 1830 census lists one boy in the family. Family tradition suggests his name was Benjamin born in 1814/15 in Sandwich. There is no record of him after the 1830 census. His father had a brother also named Benjamin.-------- Mary Catherine Tuttle; born 1815 in Sandwich, N. H. died May 13, 1882 in Wolfeboro, N. H. Mary is listed as Catherine in early census records and Mary C. for much of her life. Mary is buried with her parents in the Burleigh Cemetery in Tuftonboro. The cemetery records list her as Mary C Johnson Tuttle. There is a marriage record for Ezra Johnson age 57 born in Wolfeboro the son of James Johnson and Mary Folsom age 42 born in Sandwich the daughter of James Tuttle. The record indicates that it was a second marriage for both. The date is Nov 15, 1862 in Tuftonboro. The family is living in Tuftonboro in the 1870 census. Ezra died June 2, 1876 in Wolfeboro. In the 1880 census Mary C Johnson is listed as a daughter in the household of Jane Tuttle age 96. In the 1860 census in Wolfeboro we find in the household of Gilman Folsom age 72 his wife Mary C Folsom age 45. Gilman Folsom died in Wolfeboro October 22, 1860. Mary had married Gilman Feb 15, 1855. Gilman’s next-door neighbor was Ezra Johnson.-------- Lucy H Tuttle was born in about 1816/17 probably in Sandwich, N. H. and died 17 May 1883 in Portsmouth, N. H.. Evidence suggest that Lucy was probably handicapped. She was part of her parent’s household throughout most of her life. She was living with her mother and sister, Mary, in Tuftonboro in the 1880 Census. Her two sisters Jane and Huldah were both living in Portsmouth at the time of her death. I think it is a safe assumption that on the death of her mother in 1880 she went to live with one of her sister. Lucy shares a burial plot in the Proprietors Burying Ground in Portsmouth with her sister, Huldah, and her husband, Luther Hurd.--------- Hannah M Tuttle; born about 1821 died January 23, 1839 in Tuftonboro, N. H. The only record for Hannah is her headstone. She is buried with her parents in the Burleigh Cemetery in Tuftonboro. Her death date is easy to read on her headstone. Her age however is faded. The Find A Grave entry, that may have been able to make out the date, uses the date 1821.-------- Huldah H Tuttle was born November 25, 1823 in Tuftonboro, N. H. Huldah died December 1, 1908 in Salem, Massachusetts where she was living with her son James. Her death record notes that she was the daughter of James Tuttle and Jane Edmonds. Huldah married James N Hurd June 22, 1848 in Portsmouth, N.H. This is the reason that she does not appear in the census records with her siblings. The couple had two sons, James and Charles. Luther Hurd was born Oct 1, 1810 in Maine. Luther died May 31, 1887 also in Portsmouth, N. H.. Huldah and Luther are buried in the Proprietors Burying Ground in Portsmouth. Huldah and Luther both left behind wills. Luther names his wife Huldah H Hurd as his sole beneficiary. Huldah names her two sons, James and Charles, in her will.--------- The 1830 census records a female born after 1825. She is missing by the time of the 1840 census. Just like the son Benjamin there is no death or burial record for this child.--------- Jane was born July 21, 1827 in Tuftonboro, N. H. she died March 11, 1884 In Portsmouth. Jane married J. (John) Newell Bassett November 5, 1865 In Tuftonboro. The record indicates it was a second marriage for both. Jane’s first marriage is probably the reason she is not in the 1850 census. The marriage record lists Jane’s parents as James and Jane Tuttle. Jane’s death record is found in the New Hampshire vital records. It records her death March 11, 1884 in Portsmouth. It gives her age as 56 years 7 months and 21 days. It notes that she was born in Tuftonboro to James Tuttle and Jane Edmonds. Jane is buried in the Lakeview Cemetery in Wolfeboro. John N Bassett’s will was probated in February 1880 in Tuftonboro.