Showing posts with label Somerset County Maine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Somerset County Maine. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Maine Databases

On April 27, 2010, pilot.FamilySearch.org updated three important databases for Maine research.

  • Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900
  • Maine Marriages, 1771-1907, 1739-1900
  • Maine Deaths and Burials, 1841-1910, 1739-1900
This is wonderful! There appear to be several databases. The same marriage may appear several times with slightly different information. And a word of caution, some of the marriage dates may in fact may be the marriage intentions and not the actual marriage date.

The research Wiki at FamilySearch.org cautions that databases are not complete for any given area. The LDS source film is given with each entry so that original can be checked out.

In terms of the subject Viles family of this blog, there appear to be several individuals that are members of the family yet not connected in my database. For example, there is a Susan Viles that marries Levi Butler. See entry below:

Groom's Name: Levi Butler

Groom's Birthplace: Of Norridgewock
Bride's Name: Susan Viles
Bride's Birthplace: Of Norridgewock
Marriage Date: 18 Sep 1849
Marriage Place: Norridgewock, Somerset, Maine
Indexing Project (Batch) No.: M52268-1
System Origin: Maine-EASy
Source Film Number: 11577

This couple is living next to Alfred and Thankful Viles in Starks, Somerset, Maine in the 1850 Census. The unanswered question screams, "Is Susan Viles the daughter of Alfred and Thankful (Norton) Viles?"

Thursday, May 7, 2009

William R. Leach's Land Sold at Sheriff's Sale in 1837

William R. Leach of St. Albans, Somerset, Maine owed Samuel Shaw and Elijah Wood Jr. of Palmyra, Somerset, Maine $200 for Fifty acres more or less. The land was part of lot No. seven in the second range in the town of St. Albans. William's brother, Jeremiah Leach was the highest bidder and paid the $200 on October 9, 1837. William had one year to redeem the land. The following was found in Volume 47 pp 74-75 of Somerset County Maine Deed Books. FHL US/CAN film #12171.






Know all men by these Presents That I Harris Gracelon of
St. Albans in the County of Somerset and State of Maine a Deputy Sheriff
Under Nathan Fowler Esq Sheriff of the same County at a Public ???
Due held at the Tavern of Jonathan Wilson of Hartland in the County of
Somerset of aforesaid on this month day of October in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven having given notice in writing
of the time and place of sale to the Judgment Debtor in the Execution herein
after mentioned by letter in the mail and having received a Certificate of
the Post Master that he gave him a Copy true in hand and having given
Public Notice of the time and place of sale by posting up notifications there of
in two Public places in the town of Ste Albans and also by posting up notifica-
tions thereof in on Public place in each of the adjoining towns of Hartland
and Palmyra thirty days before the time of the sale and having caused ad
vertisement of the time and place of sale to be published three weeks re
spectively before the day of sale in the Skowhegan Sentinel a Public News
paper printed in Skowhegan in said County and having adjourned from
the seventh to the ninth this day have by virtue of an Execution in my hands
in favor of Samuel Shaw and Elijah Wood Jr. of Palmyra in the County
of Somerset against William R. Leach of St. Albans in said County of
Somerset. In consideration of the sum of Two hundred Dollars of the law
Ful money of the said State paid to my this day by Jeremiah Leach of
St. Albans in said County of Somerset sold to the said Jeremiah Leach
He being the highest bidder therefor all the right title and interest which the
Said William R. Leach has in and to the following describe real estate
lying in St. Albans aforesaid in Said County of Somerset to wit. Being
part of lot No. seven in the second range of lots in said town and bounded
on the north by Mark Haleys land. On the east by the road leading from
Levi J. Merricks to Palmyra southerly. South by land occupied by
Isaac O. & Osgood Robertson. On the west by land occupied by same
Robertsons. Being the lot now-occupied by Alexander Gordon Jr Contain
ing fifty acres more or less. Reserving liberty to the said William R. Leach
to redeem the said right, title and interest by paying with one year after
the date of these Presents all such sums of money as by the statues of
State he ought to pay in order to redeem the said right, title and interest.
In witness where of I have hereunto set my hand and seal this ninth
Day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven.
Signed sealed and delivered in ) Harris Garcelon Seal
Presence of Levi I Merrick )
Somerset SS. October 9, 1837 Personally appeared Harris Garcelon
And acknowledged the above instrument to be his free act and Deed
Before me Levi J. Merrick Justice of the Peace
Somerset SS Recd March 16, 1838 Entered & Compared by Asa Clark Regr

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Leach/Parkman Deed Linked to Revolutionary War



WOW! Here is a lesson to research EVERY name on a document. My target person is William R. Leach since I am trying to confirm the relationship between William and Mary Ann Leach. I believe that William is the father of Mary Ann Leach who married Jotham Viles in 1848 in Augusta, Maine but so far a birth record for Mary Ann has not been found. Land records in Somerset County Maine may be a help. The first one that I found leaves me with many more questions than answers.

Gideon Parkman and William R. Leach purchase Lot number 5 in the Fifth Range in Palmyra, Somerset, Maine formerly owned Jariah Miles. It is a 75 acre plot. bought the land for $460 in 1821 from Arnold Welles and John C. Warren, executors of the estate of John Warren.


Just who is Gideon Parkman?? And why would William be purchasing land with someone else. A google search on John Warren, John C. Warren and Arnold Welles (General in the Rev. War) was very interesting in deed. http://www.masshist.org/objects/2006june.cfm Close friends of these men included John and Abigail Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Benedict Arnold. So how did William Leach and Gideon Parkman come to buy the land of Dr. John Warren, founder of Harvard Medical School. Did William's brother, Dr. Jeremiah Leech introduce them to John C. Warren, physician and son of Dr. John Warren? By the way, Dr. John C. Warren performed one of the first surgeries using anesthsia. Why would a Boston physician own land in Somerset County Maine? Maybe other deeds will help solve the mystery.

What a brush with history!