The Cressy Family

47

John⁴ Cressey (Lieutenant Daniel,³ John,² Mighill¹) was b. in Beverly, Mass., July 31, 1721, m. about 1745 Deborah, dau. of Captain Amos Wadleigh of Boston. He and his wife moved to Narragansett No. 7, a grant to the soldiers who fought in King Philip's war in 1675. This grant is now the town of Gorham, Maine, incorporated in 1764. They settled west of ``Little River'' in 1747, cleared some of the forest land and built a log cabin for their home. Later he exchanged places for a 30-acre lot, No. 53, not far from ``Fort Hill,'' where he made a permanent home. This was in the time of the French and Indian war. It was not safe for anyone to remain outside the fort at night. They lived in constant fear of the war whoop, the tomahawk, and the scalping knife. His wife would often act as spy while her husband was at work in the clearing with gun at hand to protect him from the wily savage. The fort was built in 1745 on the most elevated land in Gorham. A tablet on a boulder now marks the spot on ``Fort Hill.'' The early settlers did not feel secure until General Wolfe and his army won the victory at Quebec in 1759. During the dangerous times public worship was held in the fort. He was a tanner and shoemaker for the early settlers. In 1772 he cut 20 tons of hay. The farm is still in the Cressey name. He and his wife were members of the early First Parish Congregational Church. He d. in 1785 at 64. She d. in 1796 at 75.

Children b. Gorham, Maine:

John⁵ W., b. February 22, 1749, m. Susanna McDonald of Gorham.

Joseph, b. October 26, 1753, m. Hannah Ashley of Hampton, Connecticut.

Elizabeth, b. April 18, 1757, m. in 1774 Simon Harding of Gorham. About 1778 he moved to Baldwin, and took up many acres of wild land. They lived in a log cabin, suffered many hardships and privations. He was town clerk in 1802; left a good property. She d. in 1823.

Children, 1 b. Gorham, 8 b. Baldwin:

(1) Noah Harding, b. November 27, 1777.

(2) Eliza, b. May 8, 1780, m. Daniel Cressey of Gorham.

(3) Simon, Jr.

(4) Joseph.

(5) Samuel.

(6) John.

(7) Hannah, b. March 13, 1797, m. Daniel Cressey of Gorham.

(8) Eunice.

(9) Daniel. It is said he was eaten by a bear on Saddleback Mountain when he was 5 years old.

Mary, b. May 1, 1762, m. in 1784 Captain David Watts of Gorham, son of Samuel and Margaret (Elder) Watts, who came from Antrim, Ireland, about 1735. David was Captain in the old militia; served in the Revolutionary war as Sergeant and 2^nd Lieutenant; passed the winter of 1777-8 in camp near ``Valley Forge''; was at the retreat of Ticonderoga. He moved to Buxton about 1787 and bought a farm. He d. August 30, 1805, at 53. She d. December 18, 1834, in 73^rd year.

Children, 1 b. Gorham, 7 b. Buxton, Maine:

(1) David Watts II, b. October 13, 1785, d. young.

(2) Elizabeth, b. September 21, 1787, m. General William Waterman, 1806, who came to Buxton, Maine, from Cape Cod, Mass., storekeeper and farmer. He served as Lieutenant and Captain in the state militia. In the 1812 war his company was ordered, after an alarm was given, on June 17, 1814, for guard duty on the seashore at Saco, Maine; served in the Legislature, 1827; was appointed Brigadier General of the State militia in 1828 by Governor Lincoln. His wife d. 1846. He d. 1860.

Children b. Buxton, Maine:

William Waterman, Jr., b. 1807, m.

(1) Elizabeth Richardson, (2) Hannah Harding. Ch.: William III, Susan, Frances, Lucy, Charles A. m. Clara Cousins. Ch.: Chauncy, Albert, Ralph, James m. (1) Kate McCorrison, (2) Ruth M. Elwell. Ch.: Frank m. Annie Hutchinson. Ch.: Lucius, Dolan, Carleton, Cecil, Charles m. May Rumery, Florence m. Sherburn Hanscomb. Ch.: Ida m. William Hubbard, Verdell m. Lunette Soule, John m. Ida Sheehan, Elizabeth m. Bela York, Julia m. Caleb Cousins, Georgia m. Frank Smith, Eliza m. Haven Chase.

David Waterman, b. June 15, 1809, m. Rhoda Elwell.

Luther, b. July 21, 1811, m. Eliza Owen. Ch.: Hannah m. George Hanson. Ch.: Alice, Annie, John H., soldier Civil War, m. Jennie E. Annis. Ch.: Sumner A., Abigail m. Frank Edgerly. Ch.: Cora E., Elijah O. m. (1) Addie Blake, (2) Lauraette Lane. Ch.: Melvina, Elizabeth m. Artemus Harmon. Ch.: Frank, Annie, Dexter F. m. Melinda Tower, Melissa m. Sumner Woodman, Luther unm., Charles O. m. Lucy Simpson, Ella.

Eliza, b. April 8, 1814, m. William Heath.

Perez, b. November 24, 1816, m. (1) Olive Smith, (2) Salvina Hutchinson. Ch.: Edgar, Olive, Clara m. Frank Story, Mavilla m. Charles Mitchell. Ch.: 1. Elsie m. Lee Gordon, 2. Charles, 3. Carl.

Charles, b. 1820, m. (1) Abigail Owens, (2) Elvira Thomes. Ch.: (1) Fannie R., b. 1851, teacher French and German. She d. 1925. (2) Charlie, b. 1857, d. young. (3) Wilbur C., b. December 31, 1860, m. (1) Arzella Thomes, (2) Ella (Parker) Norton. He was graduate Business College, ticket agent, Union Station, Portland, office Steamship Company, Boston, auditor B.&M. R.R. and selectman of Buxton, d. January 5, 1934. Ch.: Max Leon, b. November 1, 1890. August 30, 1915, m. Bertha Nickerson. He graduated Boston School Technology-in office Singer Sewing Machine Co., Bridgeport, Connecticut. Ch.: Donald Wilbur, b. September 2, 1917.

James, d. young.

George, b. 1825, m. Adaline Edgerly. Ch.: Hattie, Lizzie m. Elwin A. Soule, Minnie m. (1) Samuel Sloman, (2) Frank B. Milliken, Alice m. Clinton Reynolds.

Mary, and

John H., (twins), m. Mary Nash.

Harriet, unm.

(3) David Watts III, b. 1790, unm. Privateer 1812 war, d. 1876.

(4) Mary, unm.

(5) Sarah, b. 1795, m. Joseph Cressey.

(6) Hannah, b. 1797, m. Noah Cressey.

(7) Eunice, b. 1799, m. George Carll, Esq., Justice of the Peace, Trial Justice, County Commissioner and farmer. They were charter members Second Free Baptist Church in Buxton, organized in their home April 8, 1834, with John Cressey, Jr., and 8 other members. She d. 1869. He d. 1880. Ch.: 1. Mary E. Carll, b. 1825, m. William Rankin. Ch.: John W. 2. William F., b. 1827, m. Abbie A. Larrabee, farmer, selectman, soldier Civil War. Ch.: Eugene C. Carll, b. 1857, m. Lucy V. Googin, grain and flour, insurance, corn shop, pickling, trustee State School for Boys, selectman, state senator. Carrie E. Carll, b. 1860, m. Cecil Deane of Cobb Divinity School. 3. Rachel Ann, b. 1829, m. Henry Alden. Ch.: Charles m. Emma Larrabee. Ch.: (Carl, John, Ira, Austin). Mary E., John, George m. Ada Douglass. Ch.: (Lewis L.). 4. George B. Carll, b. 1831, m. Ida A. Larrabee. 5. Sarah J. Carll, b. 1834, m. Levi Hamblen. Ch.: George, Maria, Lewis m. Jessie Belknap. Ch.: (Sadie, Edna, Levi, Charles, Stuart). Lillian, Henry. 6. Hannah Cressey Carll, b. 1838, m. Jason Sawyer. Ch.: Bertha m. Fred Lord, Edward m. Eva Milliken. 7. Harriet E. Carll, b. 1842, m. Archelus L. Hamblen. Ch.: Ida M. m Frank H. Rumery, Portland, Fred L. m. Mary E. Blake. Ch.: Forest in World War, Archelus L., Jr., Captain World War and Major regular army, Sarah Hamblen m. William Howe, Eva.

(8) Nancy Watts, b. 1801, unm., d. 1852.

Noah Cressey b. 1765, d. 1776 and

Job Cressey, twins, b. 1765, d. 1766.