- Trivial Tidbits, 30 Nov 13 - This last week has been spent trying to find more details on the southern end of Phippsburg. The best discovery was an online copy of the amazingly detailed Wilbur D. Spencer 1973 book “Pioneers on Maine Rivers with Lists to 1651.” Starting on page 247 of this book is a worthy discussion regarding Thomas Purchase and George Way’s Pejepscot Patent of 16 June 1638. The various appendices at the back of the book are also useful. Link: (https://familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=147455). There is also another good source document which deals with the Purchase and Way Patent, the conflicting Sir Richard Edgecombe Patent, and the 1684 Six Sagamore Deed of Richard Wharton. It is in a document titled “ENGEDGE1.rtf” and which will be the first result if one uses Google and searches on Sir Richard Edgecombe, York Deeds.” Before I go any further, I need to offer an apology to all of you that have been following along with these circuitous postings on the land deeds down in Small Point. I have presented them in helter-skelter fashion as I figure some things out and conjecture on other things. It’s tough to bake a cake when you are missing many of the ingredients. That being said, I have been working on the cake for a couple of years now. Historically, it took the Courts up until 1814 to pass judgment on the various overlapping and conflicting land claims involved with Phippsburg, or Pejepscot. Doing the math that is 100 years after the Pejepscot Proprietors first acquired the landholdings of Richard Wharton. Although I feel badly that I sometimes don’t get things right, or attach a sense of importance to a particular parcel in disproportionate fashion to its actual importance, the fact remains that I should have 98 years remaining to muck around – at least historically! Remember a couple of weeks ago when I made a big deal out of Wharton’s 1684 deed and how it excluded the southernmost portion of Phippsburg, a line extending from Long Cove on the Kennebec over to Small Point Harbor? I conjectured that perhaps it was a demarcation line for Thomas Atkins’ southern Phippsburg parcel. I have to retract that conjecture. Wharton’s 1684 deed boundary, the line extending from the head of Long Cove to Small Point Harbor, appears to be an artificial line created by Wharton himself. Its geographical dimensions do not match well with the second parcel outlined in the Edgecombe Patent and all those historians and writers who suggested that the southern end of Phippsburg DID match the second parcel did so well after the 1684 Six Sagamore deed that Wharton executed for the Purchase and Way Patent. If you Google the following books, they will present arguments that “Wharton acknowledged the validity of the conveyance from Gorges [the supposed second parcel of Edgecombes at the southern end of Phippsburg], evidently in the expectation that by so doing he would strengthen his own claim to the lands he had bought of the heirs of Purchase and Way.” -Edgecombe of Devonshire, England, and Connecticut, New England -Some of the ancestors and descendants of Samuel Converse, jr., of Thompson parish, Killingly, Conn.; Major James Convers, of Woburn, Mass.; Hon. Heman Allen, M. C., of Milton and Burlington, Vermont; Captain Jonathan Bixby, sr. of Killingly, Conn Wilbur Spencer, on page 249 of “Pioneers on Maine Rivers with Lists to 1651,” takes a somewhat different tact, essentially supporting the validity of the southern end of Phippsburg actually being the second parcel of the Edgecomb Patent, which Wharton presciently recognized in 1684 even though historians and heirs had not yet made the case that it was. Continuing, Spencer then says that the definition of the second parcel was subsequently obscured by later settlers who executed deeds with the Indians. So…the entire scenario revolving around Wharton establishing that southern Phippsburg demarcation line from the head of Long Cove across to the Small Point Harbor area…appears to be fluff. We’ll still mentally file it away, but I am now putting it into the fluff category. Topically tied to this subject is the question of what Thomas Atkins actually owned in southern Phippsburg. In general, the conventional wisdom had him owning the entirety of the southern portion. If that is the case, as many historians and writers have posited, it does not stand up to scrutiny when examining the deeds, despite the fact that no deeds of Thomas Atkins survived. Here’s why: -There are three mentions of John Hanson in surviving deeds [8:167, 8:168, & 8:169]. There is no ownership lineage mentioned in the deeds, i.e., Thomas Atkins to Hanson or Indian to Hanson. -There are seven mentions of John Drake in the surviving deeds [8:167 and 8:168]. Again, there is no ownership lineage mentioned, i.e., Thomas Atkins to Hanson or Indian to Hanson. There is only one deed which traces a clear lineage from an Indian deed to Thomas Atkins, by reference, and this is the “Ten Sisters” deed [8:169]. I have criticized this deed previously as its dimensions (as supplied by the sisters) encompassed parcels that Atkins subsequently sold: the Pritchett/Emmes “Stepping Stone” parcel, the Robert Edmunds parcel, the William Cox parcel, and the Gregory Mudge parcel (sold to Rachel Atkins). The lack of transparency of the “Ten Sisters” deed created issues for the Pejepscot Proprietors as they were unaware, for the most part, of where the owners had re-located. But what if the sister’s true and only intent was merely to define the dimensions of land that their father had originally acquired with his Indian deed? Let’s accept that this was actually the intent. If so, then that would explain the absence of the Thomas Atkins to John Hanson/John Drake ownership lineage, and it would render moot any reason to stipulate an Indian to John Hanson/John Drake ownership lineage, as that was four deed generations previous (Pejepscot Proprietors/Rachel (Atkins) Drake Berry/ John Drake/ Indian or P.P./Rachel (Atkins) Drake Berry/ John Drake/John Hanson/Indians or P.P./Martha Soullard/ John Drake/Indians). Bottom line, there is no objective evidence that the Small Point area extending to the west from the Morse Mt. peninsula ever belonged to Thomas Atkins. None. At least I can’t find any or reconstruct any. Tell me if I am incorrect on this. The evidence does support Thomas Atkins landholdings extending up along Atkins Bay and then further to the north – at least to the Porterfield Creek area – if not a little further. We know that Gregory Mudge’s wedge parcel , Robert Edmunds rectangular parcel, and William Cox’s parcel all flowed from Thomas Atkins. Edmund’s and Cox’s deeds explicitly state as such, and the “Ten Sisters” deed re-affirms the encompassed area (as well as Mudge’s). -------------------- There are two “Lookout Hill” areas in southern Phippsburg. The Gregory Mudge parcel places one alongside Atkins Bay and Stanwood Gilman, in his book “Land of the Kennebec”, posits that Morse Mt. was also called by the same name. -------------------- I will be looking for the flip-over of the Robert Edmunds parcel in the 1740-1760 deed set down in Alfred. Edmunds sold his three parcels (all gained from Thomas Atkins) to William Hobby in June 1713. Hobby, who was a land speculator, recorded the deed in Suffolk County in April 1739 and York County in May 1739. So the time is nigh for the parcel to change hands – likely to the Pejepscot Proprietors. -------------------- Likewise, I am also looking for the Simon Newcomb parcel to flip. I have not yet found the original deed. The 1751 North Map has someone living in the approximate area of Newcomb’s parcel – and it isn’t Newcomb. Additionally, the 1731 Phineas Jones Map of Small Point (commissioned by the Pejepscot Proprietors) may incorrectly illustrate (unintentionally) the southern bounds of Newcomb’s parcel – which is a line extending all the way west to Casco Bay. It may be the case that he (Newcomb) only owned a section of land along the Kennebec River as a 1740 deposition relates that William Cox owned a “Fresh Meadow” behind Newcomb’s land: DEPOSITION, John Cock [c. 1661-1742, son of John, son of William] Book 21, Folio 218 EXECUTED: 01 April 1740 RECORDED: 08 April 1740 “John Cock late of Kenebeck River in the County of York but now of Dorchester in the County of Suffolk aged eighty two year testifieth that I was born at a place call Tewessock in Kenebeck River near Arrowsick where I lived and at a place called Small Point upon the left hand as we go up Kenebeck River lying between Winnigance Creek and the Sea which lands were possessed by the several Persons hereafter named viz: The upper end next to Winnigance Creek over against Arrowsik Mills was possessed by Mr. John Leighton and about one mile below Mr. Leighton’s land was the land of Mr. Thomas Webber where he lived and next to Mr. Webber’s land downward lived Mr. William Baker and next below Mr. Baker was the land of Mr. Silvanus Davis and next below Mr. Davis land lived Mr. John Parker who possessed and improved but little land but had a house there which stood about one mile from Mr. Davis’s house downward and next below Mr. Parker’s land was the land of Thomas Humphreys whose house stood near to Mr. John Parkers only a small creek parted their houses and next to Mr. Humphreys downward was the land of Mr. Ichabod Wiswell the Minister of the place and next to the Rev. Mr. Wiswells was the land of Mr. John Vearing their being a High Head on part of his land called Vering’s Head & next to Mr. Verings land was the land of Mr. Simon Newcomb & next to Mr. Newcoms land was the land of Mr. William Cock & on his land was a High Head called Cocks Head & my late Father Mr. John Cock lived near the said William Cock & on part of his land he having married the sister of the said William Cock’s wife my Father being no[t] otherwise related but by marriage to sd William Cock. I lived with my Father near to to the said William Cock house he had a large tract of land which he improved and it run into the woods a considerable way & took in a large Fresh Meadow lying on the back side of Mr. Newcombs land which meadow the said William Cock mowed from time to time and I never knew or heard that any Person whatsoever claimed any part of the said Cocks land but himself & heirs and next below William Cocks land was the land of Mr. Thomas Atkins one of the ancient settlers in those parts who followed farming wholly and had a considerable Stock of Cattle and improved much land at that place and against part of his land was a bay called Atkins’ Bay ever since my remembrance & I lived there & never knew nor hear of any Person whatsoever laying claim to any part of the land at the lower part of Small Point between William Cock’s land & the Sea but the said Thomas Atkins Ambrose Hunnewell & Henry Emmes & their heirs & the sd Emme had a Brother killed there by the Indians. And I very well remember all the above said lands were owned & possessed by the several Persons aforementioned who were all very good livers & dwelt there till driven off by the Indians War or killed and I never knew nor heard that any Person whatsoever laid any claim to any of their lands nor molested them in their possessions excepting the Indians – And Old Mr. John Parker who lived at the Kenebeck River & my self went a Fishing in a vessel one summer and winter before I left those parts and I never heard him the said Parker claim any lands there but the place where he lived which was between the lands of Mr. Sivanus Davis & Mr. Thomas Humpherys and further I never heard him say that any of the above named Persons were Tenants to him but every one improved his own land” “John Cock (mark)” “Suffolk [ss] Dorchester April the 1st 1740. Mr. John Cock being a hearty man of sound mind and good understanding made Oath in Perpetuam Rec Memoriam to the truth of above & within written to which said Cock not being able to write made his mark in our presence the erasment in the eleventh line being made before signing before Samuel Sewall [and] Caleb Lyman. A true copy of the original recorded under seal April 8, 1740. Attest Jeremiah Moulton, Registrar” -------------------- Lastly, the John Leighton Fiddler Reach homestead timeline has solidified to some degree: -(Likely) Indian Deed to William Cox, sometime well prior to 1659 [Deposition, YD 18:232]; -William Cox to John Leighton, c. 1659 [Lost Deed but referenced in Deposition, YD 18:232]; - Robin Hood et al to Thomas Webber, 29 May 1660; excludes northern most section of Fiddler Reach which corresponds to Leighton’s parcel [YD 3:23]; -John Parker to John Leighton, 02 June 1666 [YD 20:257]. Leighton legitimizes his ownership by executing deed. The deed language has Leighton already on the parcel, but as to how long prior, it is unknown. -John Leighton to Daniel Turrill, Sr. & John Conney, 13 April 1678 [YD 9:169]. Leighton hauls ass out of the ‘Burg after King Philips War in 1677. Found a good job working on drones since BIW never responded to his job applications and no one else wanted to hire someone who finished his B.A. degree with a 4.0 GPA. Stays connected to Phippsburg by writing extensively about obscure historical topics that he frequently errs on. (Oops, that’s me!) -------------------- If any are interested, I can email via FB the Word and Excel files I have built which contain deeds and other historical information. They’re messy, but they do the job. Patrick
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 00:24:13 +0000
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