by
Samuel Thomas Dole
Edited by
Fredrick Howard Dole
1905
The ancestor of the Webb family in Windham and vicinity was Samuel Webb. A full account of him is given in Chapter II. By his first wife, he had two sons, Samuel and Thomas, who did not settle in Windham.
His children by his second wife were as follows:
David, son of Samuel and Bethia (Spear) Webb, married, Nov. 16, 1749, Dorothy Peabody, daughter of Francis Peabody of Middleton, Mass. He came with his parents to New Marblehead (now Windham), and his is the fourth marriage recorded on the church book. It was solemnized by Rev. John Wight, first minister of Windham. She was born Mar. 27, 1720, and was, therefore, about seven years older than her husband. They settled, first, in Windham; but, on Jan. 5, 1756, he bought of David Gorham of Barnstable, "one hundred acres of land in Gorhamtown." This land was near the Westbrook line, and here he died, as it is supposed. He was living on Aug. 23, 1764. They had four children:
John, son of Samuel and Bethia (Spear) Webb, married, in 1753, Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin and Amy (Pride) Larrabee. They settled on a farm near ''Pride's Bridge'' (now Riverton), where their farm buildings, in a dilapidated condition, stood on the westerly side of the Bridgton Road, since the writer's recollection. Mrs. Webb died in 1827. The date of his death I have not ascertained. They had children, as follows:
There were also two sons, Benjamin, who was married, but left no children; he lived on the ancestral farm; and Thomas, who died unmarried.
Ezekiel, son of Samuel and Bethia (Spear) Webb, was married and left one daughter. He was a master mariner, and lived on Cape Cod, but I am not able to give any further facts in regard to him.
Seth, son of Samuel and Bethia (Spear) Webb, married in Nov. 1759, Hannah, daughter of Ephraim and Mehitable (Cutter) Winship. On Sept. 21, 1750, he was taken captive by the Indians on his father's farm (Home Lot No. 23). From a letter written by Capt. Thomas Chute to Col. or Maj. Freeman of Falmouth, it appears that Mr. Webb and his son, Seth, were engaged in building fence, and, having finished their work and returned to the house, they discovered that they had left the axe in the woods. Mr. Webb sent his son to get it, and, while searching for the missing implement, the Indians came upon him suddenly and took him prisoner. The Indians carried him to Canada, where he remained for more than a year. I am well aware that the story of Seth Webb has been severely criticized, certain parties going so far as to assert that he never was captured at all, while others have it that he was released in the course of a few days and came home. But in the Mass. Archives, Vol. 64, Page 57, is to be seen the official record of Capt. Phineas Stevens, a Commissioner appointed by the General Court, to negotiate the release of captives held by the French and Indians, in Canada. We learn positively from this record that Seth Webb and Joseph Noble were at that date, (Feb. 1, 1752) prisoners among the Indians at St. Francois, and that their captors then refused to give them up. In June, 1752, the Indians decided to deliver them to Capt. Stevens, which they accordingly did. -Hence, in fact, it was nearly two years before he was finally set at liberty. He was an inmate of Mayberry's garrison, in the last Indian war; and, on that eventful May 14, 1756, he was one of the brave band who sallied out and pursued the enemy. It is a wellÐknown fact that he mortally wounded one of their number.
In 1766, he removed with his family to Deer Isle, Me., and died there, but the date of his death I have never learned. The Webb family records, state that his family consisted of two sons and six daughters, but one of whom appears to have been born in Windham. On the church book, I find the record of the baptism of Hannah, daughter of Seth and Hannah Webb, on Mar. 20, 1763, It is said that several of their descendants still reside at Deer Isle,
Eli son of Samuel and Bethia (Spear) Webb, married, Apr. 20, 1760, Sarah Cloutman, daughter of Edward and Anna (Collins) Cloutman. She was born in Gorham, Feb, 5, 1742. He was a farmer and lived in Gorham near Gambo, where he owned a large tract of land including the water power, now owned by the Dupont Co. His house is the same recently owned by Alonzo Libby, at Pleasant Ridge. Eli Webb was a soldier in the French and Indian wars. He also served a short time in the Revolution. He died in Gorham, Oct. 26, 1826, aged 89. His wife died Feb. 28, 1826, aged 84. They had children, as follows:
Susannah, daughter of Samuel and Bethia (Spear) Webb, married, Dec. 1753 William Maxfield of Windham ; lived in that town. Children of said Maxfield:
Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel and Bethia (Spear) Webb, married, Apr. 1, 1767, Jonathan Roberts, then ''of Windham.'' The family tradition it, that she had five sons and four daughters; also that they moved to Buckfield, Me., but, at what time, I am unable to say. By a reference to the town records we find that Jonathan Roberts and his wife, Elizabeth, had one child born in Windham :
Jonathan. son of David and Dorothy (Peabody) Webb, married, Mar. 4, 1781, Mary Coverly. He was, for many years, a successful lumberman at old Saccarappa, in which business he amassed a large fortune; he also kept a public house in the village, in the same building recently known as the "Presumpscot House" Had five children:
Mrs. Mary (Coverly) Webb died Dec. 20, 1803, and Mr. Webb, married for his second wife Susannah, one of the twelve daughters of Capt. John Smith of Stoughton, Mass. By her it is said he had two daughters, but of this I am not informed. Jonathan Webb died Apr. 8, 1810, and he and his wife, Mary, are buried in the old "Conant" yard at Westbrook. His headstone bears the following quaint epitaph:
On that of his wife may be seen the following:
John, Jr., son of John and Elizabeth (Larrabee) Webb, married, in 1777, Sarah Leighton. He was a farmer and settled near the Duck Pond, in Westbrook. This farm he gave to his sonÐinÐlaw, Charles Jameson, who had married two of his daughters, and it still remains in the family. His children were as follows:
Edward, son of Eli and Sarah (Cloutman) Webb, married May 10, 1787, Sarah, daughter of William and Rachel (Haskell) Bolton of Gorham. He served in Capt. Benjamin Walcott's Co., Colonel Thomas Marshall's Regiment, in the Revolution. He spent that terrible winter of 1777 and 8, in the huts of ''Valley Forge," fought at Monmouth and at Saratoga; witnessed the surrender of Burgoyne and was honorably discharged after a service of about three years. He settled on a part of his father's farm, it being the same afterwards owned by his son Thomas; now owned by Orrin Leavitt. He was a pensioner and died on his farm, Nov. 18, 1846. His wife, Sarah, died Aug. 28, 1850, aged 89. Children:
Seth, son of Eli and Sarah (Cloutman) Webb, married Polly Clements, but of her parentage, we are not informed. He lived on the home place until 1826, when he moved to Belfast. He died in Knox, aged 86. The date of his wife's death, we have not learned. Had children, as follows:
William, son of Edward and Rachel (Bolton) Webb, married Ann, daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Crockett) Bolton, Apr. 29, 1821. He lived near his father and died Oct. 5, 1841, aged 53. His wife died Jan. 29, 1871, aged 80. Children:
James, son of Samuel and Bethia (Spear) Webb, married, Oct. 19, 1762, Elizabeth daughter of John and Elizabeth (Dennis) Mayberry of Windham. They were married by Rev. Peter Thacher Smith, and theirs is the first marriage recorded after the incorporation of Windham as a town. I can find no record of his birth, but the church book states that he was baptized by Rev. John Wight, Jan. 27, 1745. He was a farmer and purchased oneÐhalf of Lot No. 16, in the first division of hundredÐacre lots in town. This farm is now (1905) owned by his great granddaughter, Mrs. Matthew Johnson, and it has never yet been owned out of the family. He died in 1767, while yet a young main. Had three children:
Rev. Mr. Smith here remarks that Mr. Webb had died a few months before this child was baptized. Mrs. Webb, contracted a second marriage with Stephen Hutchinson, on July 11, 1776, and by him had two children, Sally and Charity, both of whom married men named Fogg. No record of her death is known to exist, but she lived to be quite aged.
Josiah, son of James and Elizabeth (Mayberry) Webb, according to the family record was born May 12, 1765. The church record has it that he was baptized the tenth of that month. He married Rebecca, daughter of William and Mary (Akers) Elder, May 15, 1788. She was born Aug. 27, 1764, and died Oct. 6, 1838. He died Sept. 8, 1849. He and his wife are both buried in the Brown Cemetery near Little Falls Village, and the inscription on his headstone gives his age as 84 years. He inherited his father's farm and lived and died there. He was a man of fine natural qualities of mind. and was called by his neighbors "Judge Webb,'' on account of his sound judgment and wellÐknown integrity of character. Had children, as follows:
James, son of Josiah and Rebecca (Elder) Webb, married Apr. 1812, Pamelia, daughter of Dr. James Paine. He was a farmer; settled in Casco, Me.; died there several years ago. Their children were as follows:
William, son of Josiah amid Rebecca (Elder) Webb, married Mehitable Mayberry He was a farmer; settled in Casco, and died there. Children:
Stephen, son of Josiah and Rebecca (Elder) Webb, married, Dec. 29. 1822, Tabitha, daughter of Noah and Mary (Robinson) Read, of Windham. He was much in public life, and often occupied places of trust in town. He was Selectman in 1824, 1825, and 1829; and represented the town in the State Legislature in 1827, and again in 1828. He was probably the best school teacher Windham ever had, and his best work was done in the interest of the common schools in his native town. He served many years as one of the Superintending School Committee, and his very presence in the schoolroom would inspire the pupils with confidence in themselves, and a desire to do their very best, in order to gain Mr. WebbÕs approbation. In religions belief, he was a Friend, and died an honored member of that society. He owned and cultivated a large farm, in the "Quaker Neighborhood.", so called, and here he died Feb. 9, 1872, aged 77. His wife, Tabitha died at the same place, July 1, 1887, aged 83. They are buried in the Friends' burial ground, near the meetinghouse, in Windham. They had fourteen children:
Josiah, son of Josiah and Rebecca (Elder) Webb. married, Oct. 31, 1841, Caroline, daughter of Francis and Susannah (Stuart) Mayberry of Casco, Me. He was a farmer, and lived on the ancestral acres on the River Road. He was a person of quiet habits, a good neighbor, and an honest man. He died at his home, Sept. 1, 1870. His wife, Caroline, died Dec. 25, 1900, aged 90 years, 7 months, 24 days. They are buried in the Brown Cemetery. Had three children:
John, son of Josiah and Rebecca (Elder) Webb, married Martha Maria Mayberry, (intention entered on the Windham Records, Feb. 13, 1828). She was the daughter of Edward and Mary (Johnson) Mayberry of Raymond, now Casco. He was a man of sound judgment and well versed in public affairs. He kept a grocery store for a few years at ancient "Horse Beef'', was a fine school teacher, a land surveyor and justice of the peace, in which he did a large amount of business. He was one of the Selectman in 1838. He represented Windham in the Legislature in 1834 and 1835; also, he was one of Gov. John Fairfield's Council, in 1839. He settled on Lot No. 17, in the first division of hundred-acre lots in Windham, on the easterly side of the Riven Road. There, in 1843, he erected the large twoÐstory house still standing, and be died there Sept. 23, 1877. His wife, Martha M., was born Jan. 8, 1808, and died May 22, 188Ð. They are buried in the Brown Cemetery. Had ten children, as follows:
Albert, son of Stephen and Tabitha (Read) Webb, was a merchant, first at South Windham; went to Portland, where he was a wholesale grocer for many years; married Elizabeth Chadbourne of York Co. He Died in Windham, Mar. 7, 1900. Had no children.
Josiah B., son of Stephen and Tabitha (Read) Webb, was a school teacher; for many years Principal of Gorham Seminary; removed to Deering, where he died, May 20, 1899. He married Sarah A., daughter of Daniel and Betsey (Hawkes) Lowell of Windham. They had two children, whose names were, I think, Horace and Oliver.
John M., son of Stephen and Tabitha (Read) Webb, married Hannah, daughter of Francis and Susannah (Stuart) Mayberry of Casco. He was a farmer, butcher and Iumberman; settled first, on a farm on the Gray Road, near Little Falls; afterwards moved to the Village (on Gorham side), where he erected a dwelling house and barn; died there, Sept. 20, 1890. They had children as follows:
Sewell, son of William and Hannah (Bolton), Webb, married, Sept. 5, 1850, Adeline S. Cook. He was a farmer and lived at Pleasant Ridge; died there Aug. 4, 1800. Had two children, Frank and Sumner.
Eliza, daughter of Josiah and Rebecca (Elder) Webb married, in Nov. 1827, the son of Paul and Polly (Osgood) Little of Windham. He was a grocer at Little Falls, and died there, Sept. 14, 1843, aged 42 years, 5 months. His wife died Apr. 5, 1886. Had five children:
