Without comment or caption

1631, Dec. 1:  As early as 1620, King James had granted a charter to what was called the Northern Company. The patentees included, not only the Earls of Arundel and Warwick and other noblemen, but also Sir Ferdinando Gorges and other private gentlemen who were called “The Council established at Plymouth in the County of Devon, for the planting, governing, &c. of New England in America.” Under this patent Robert Trelawny (& Moses Goodyear who died a few years later) obtained a grant of land on Dec. 1, 1631, including Richmond Island and all of Cape Elizabeth. Trelawny never came to Cape Elizabeth but employed, as his local agent, John Winter who was already in the Casco area. Winter established a very profitable trading post from his base on Richmond Island, employing several large ships, some built on the island, to trade as far afield as Spain & Portugal, and eventually Trelawny gave him a 10% share in the profits.

1639: John Winter’s wife and daughter Sarah arrive from England to Richmond Island.

1641: The Rev. Robert Jordan, Episcopalian Church of England minister arrives on Richmond Island as a replacement to the previous minister.

1644: Rev. Jordan marries John Winter’s daughter Sarah.  Robert Trelawny dies a religious/political prisoner in England, leaving a young son (approx. 10 yrs. old) as his heir.

1645: John Winter dies. Changing politics/economics had caused a gradual decline in trade on Richmond Island in the preceding years.  Rev. Jordan, as John Winter’s executor, made several attempts to communicate with the Executors for Trelawny’s heir, but they did not respond and took no action with regard to the American property, perhaps thinking it held little future value.

1648: Rev. Jordan petitions the court for payment of debts due to John Winter from the Trelawny estate.  The Court awards Rev. Robert Jordan all of the Winter / Trelawny Cape Elizabeth estate with the option for the Trewlany executors to pay Rev. Jordan the £609 debt due to John Winter’s heirs, and thereby regain the estate, but they take no immediate action. Trelawny heirs later make claims against Rev. Jordan for the return of the estate in 1676, 1696,1700,1719, & 1758, but all are denied.

1650s: Rev. Robert Jordan & Wife Sarah build a farm near the Spurwink River.

1675, Feb 29: Rev. Robert Jordan and Sarah grant a Deed of Gift to their second son Robert Jr (perhaps as a wedding gift) for ‘Cape Elizabeth’ consisiting of the whole headland, beginning at small stream coming out from the marsh behind Crescent Beach, running back in a straight line to Great Pond, then at a right angle through Great Pond (including a small island) and down to the sea along Alewife Brook to Alewife Cove, total approx. 1,000 acres. Rev. Jordan’s Portsmouth friend and successful merchant, Nathaniel Fryer, is a witness to the deed.

1675-8: King Phillip’s Indian Wars began in the summer and fall of 1675, with skirmishes along the Maine coast.  Sometime in the fall of 1675 the Jordan family farm at Spurwink was burned to the ground and the family fled to Great Island (New Castle), Portsmouth; Rev. Robert & Sarah never returned to Spurwink. Their friends Nathaniel Fryer and Robert Elliot (or Eliot) were also living at Great Island during this time.  On Oct. 12, 1676 an Indian war party one hundred strong made an assault on the Black Point Garrison of Henry Jocelyn (Robert Elliot is listed as being present), with most everyone fleeing by boat. The war party then proceeded to Richmond’s Island.  A vessel was anchored here belonging to Nathaniel Fryer which had been sent, by request of Walter Gendall, to preserve the property on the island. The crew of 11 were unable to get out of the harbor in time and were attacked and taken prisoner.  Among them was James Fryer, son of the owner, who later died of his wounds, and Walter Gendall, who became of service to the enemy as interpreter and messenger. The attack at Richmond’s Island was the last in Falmouth during this war; it was said for the want of victims.  Mugg, who had led the Indians in the two last attacks, went to Portsmouth on the first of November, carrying James Fryer, and offered to enter into a treaty. The commanding officer there, not being authorized to negotiate, sent him to Boston, where on the 6th of November, articles of pacification were entered into with the government, by Mugg, on behalf of Madockawando and Cheberrina, Sachems of Penobscot. Mugg, as a pledge of his fidelity, consented to remain a hostage until the property and captives were restored.  During this war many settlements in Maine north of York & Kittery were destroyed or abandoned, the inhabitants seeking refuge with family and friends in New Hampshire or Massachusetts.

1677, Jan. 25: Rev. Robert Jordan and Sarah grant a Deed of Gift to their first son John (he was married that year, perhaps as a wedding gift) for Richmond Island and 300 acres near Long Sands (Crescent Beach).

1678, Jan. 28:  Rev. Robert Jordan makes his will from Great Island N.H., he confirms his earlier deeds to Robert & John and divides the rest amongst his wife and children. Nathaniel Fryer, Nicholas Shapleigh & William Bickham are appointed overseers of the will.

1678, April  12:  The Treaty of Casco officially ending King Phillip’s War.  Nathaniel Fryer was one of the commissioners, with Nicholas Shapleigh and Francis Champernoon, who were sent to Falmouth to make peace with the Indians.

1679 end June/early July: Rev. Robert Jordan dies at Great Island, Portsmouth N.H. Our family is directly descended from Rev. Robert & Sarah Jordan; on the Peabbles side from their sons Dominicus & Jedediah, on the Murray side from Dominicus & John (with many shared ancestors in between!), but the Alewife Cove property was owned by their son Robert Jr. for the 4 years 1675-9.

1679, July 16: Immediately after his father’s death, Robert Jordan Jr. sells a half share of all his Cape Elizabeth property for £80 to Nathaniel Fryer, the first member of our ancestry to own Alewife Cove. This includes half of ‘Cape Elizabeth’ (including Alewife Cove) his father & mother gave him as a gift in 1675, as well as half of the land and marsh at Spurwink Robert Jr. was about to inherit, which was still to be divided amongst the siblings according to his father’s will. The deed grants Robert Jr.’s brother John Jordan of Richmond Island access to Alewife Cove to harvest Alewives for bait fish.

1690: Second Indian Wars. “Five of the sons of the Rev. Robert Jordan (John, Robert, Dominicus, Jedediah and Jeremiah), were residing at Spurwink in 1690, the date of the ruthless destruction of Falmouth by the Indians; they were obliged to find new homes in a more secure locality, and for eight years the plantation at Spurwink was left deserted. After the peace of 1698, a few of the old settlers straggled back to their cheerless homes, particularly at Purpooduck and Spurwink. The Jordan family again met on their desolate possession, and began the world anew; they were probably among the first who returned.” (from ‘The Jordan Memorial’).

1695, Dec. 18:  Deed from Robert Jordan Jr. selling all his remaining interests in Cape Elizabeth (including Alewife Cove) to Robert Elliot of Portsmouth for £230, 19 shillings, 8 pence.  Nathaniel Fryer still owns the other half. Little is heard of Robert Jordan Jr. & wife Elizabeth Dole after this time.

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1703: Third Indian Wars. Further attacks at Falmouth, including Spurwink where 22 Jordans were either killed or captured and taken to Canada. Falmouth settlements were once again deserted until peace was signed in 1713.

1705, Aug. 13:  Nathaniel Fryer dies in Boston. His will was made on Feb. 10, 1705, but isn’t proved until July 2, 1715. Inheritors are second wife Dorritey, daughter Sarah & husband Robert Elliot, grand children Abigail Elliot & Nathaniel Fryer, son in law John Hincks (married to Elizabeth Fryer). I have not see a copy of the will, but Robert & Sarah Elliot must have inherited N. Fryer’s ‘half of Cape Elizabeth’, giving them full possession of the property.

1707: Robert Elliot’s daughter Jane (b.1684 from an earlier marriage to Margery Batson) married Andrew Pepperrell (b.1681), first son of William Pepperrell & Margery Bray of Kittery.

Children :
Sarah Pepperrell (b.1708 d.24 Jan 1791) married 12 Sept. 1723 Charles Frost III
Margery Pepperrell (b.25 March 1712, d.1748 New Castle N.H.) married 2 Oct. 1729 Capt. William Wentworth (b.10 Dec.1705 d.15 Dec. 1767)

After Andrew Pepperrell died at only aged 32 in 1713, his widow Jane (Elliot) Pepperrell married Lieut. Charles Frost II on 25 Nov.1714, and Jane’s daughter Sarah Pepperrell married Charles Frost’s son (Charles III) in 1723.  Jane Frost bore Charles several children, most of whom died young, and she d.1749.

1718, Feb 8:  From the moment the first settlers arrived, there were continual disputes over conflicting land grants and deeds. Then several  Indian Wars completely destroyed many early homes with their contents, including deeds etc., and cleared all the settlements north of Kittery for several years. This led to the courts, beginning around 1715, collecting evidence to decide the validity of disputed land claims; this evidence is preserved as The Book of Eastern Claims.  The following is the only mention I found, prior to Charles & Abigail Peabbles, of anyone actually living in Alewife Cove, although it appears Joseph Page’s claim was unsuccessful, no doubt because his father was on Trelawny land with the consent of agent John Winter. Thomas Page, a tailor, was a juror in a 1640 court case between John Winter & George Cleaves, and gave bond for John Winter in 1641.

Claim: Joseph Page, son of Thomas Page, sometime inhabitant at the Eastward of Alewife Cove, Deceased. Claims a certain considerable quantity of land lying on the Eastward side of Cape Elizabeth at the going in to Casco bay, which his said father did possess and enjoy in his own right and liue and dwell upon, at a place called Alewife Cove, on the Southerly side of Alewife Cove Brook about thirty five years ago; and said Thomas Page dyed in possession of said land, and his widow and children did possess and enjoy the same after him till they were driven away by the Indian Enemy, as per the oaths of Michael Webber & William Paine before Mr John Newman Justice of Peace. Feb  8th 1718

1718, July 5: Robert Elliot sets up a trust (trustee John Frost) for the future of his grandaughters Sarah (aged 10) & Margery (aged  6) Pepperrell leaving them equal shares in ‘Cape Elizabeth’ including his marsh & pond marsh, which they inherit when they reach the age of eighteen, or are married. Reserving 200 acres at Spurwink with adjoining marsh for his granddaughter Sarah Greenough.

1718, Nov. 10: Robert Elliot writes his will, confirming his trust to his grandaughters Sarah & Margery Pepperrell for ‘approx. 1000 acres of Cape Elizabeth’ including his marsh & pond marsh, reserving 200 acres at Spurwink with adjoining marsh for his granddaughter Sarah Greenough.

1722-5: Forth Indian Wars including skirmishes at the Spurwink Garrison in 1724 with the death of two men, including Solomon Jordan; two others were captured.

1723, Sept 12: Sarah Pepperrell, aged 15, marries Charles Frost.

1724, March 24: Robert Elliot dies aged 82.

1729, Oct. 2: Margery Pepperrell, aged 17, marries Capt. William Wentworth.  Margery & Sarah, now both married (before the age of 18!), inherit their grandfather Robert Elliot’s trust and are new joint owners of ‘Cape Elizabeth’.

1735, March 1: Deed of agreement between Charles & Sarah Frost and Margery & Wm. Wentworth to equally divide Sarah & Margery’s 1000 acres of Cape Elizabeth. Margery’s share was the Northwesterly Part which included Alewife Cove; Alewife Brook was still the western boundry.  The wording of the old deeds, which frequently used trees, ditches and stone walls as boundry markers, makes it difficult to determine the exact boundries of the division, and no maps are included.

1748, March: Margery Wentworth dies in New Castle N.H., aged 36, shortly after the birth of her daughter Margery on March 11th 1748. Her property in Cape Elizabeth passes to her husband William Wentworth.  William remarries in 1750 to Mary Hall Winthrop.

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1825 Oct/Nov: There are no records of the intervening 27 years since the last deed, presumably life on the farm was running smoothly.  In two deeds of 1825 Charles Jr. buys out the interests of his brother William Wentworth, and sister Nancy & husband James Maxwell* in two pieces of upland and one of salt marsh (59 acres) left to them ‘in common and undivided’ by their father Charles Peabbles.  This was possibly the same properties Charles Sr. bought from Abigail’s brother Capt. John Wentworth c.1770.  (* In 1726 a James Maxwell bought from Samuel Jordan 60 acres on the north side of Alewife Brook to Pond Cove, so Nancy’s husband was likely a neighbor, as were her brother’s Mitchell wives. At the time of the deeds Nancy & James were living in ‘Lisbun, County of Lincoln’ and William lived in ‘Danvill, County of Cumberland’.)

1826, Feb 22: An Act in the Maine Legislature grants Joshua Mitchell, Samuel Waterhouse, Charles Peabbles, Richard Jordan, Elliot Jordan, their associates & successors, incorporated as the Proprietors of the Cape Elizabeth Canal, the power to build a canal from Great Pond, north one half mile to the salt marsh for erecting dams and mills as public convenience may require, providing there is no interruption or interference with the Alewife fishery (the town regulated the Alewife fishery approx. 1780 – 1840)

1830: Around this time Charles Jr. & Anna’s son John & his new wife Hannah Weiman Jordan (married 1828) build a new house and 100′ barn nearer to the road (many years later called ‘the old rent’, see map).

Children of John and Hannah Weiman Jordan Peabbles:

1.Elizabeth Ann b.14 June 1829, d.30 Sept.1848
2.William Wentworth b. 16 April 1831, d.4 Feb. 1901, m.2 Dec. 1853 Rachel Nason Ray
3.Charles b.24 Aug.1833, d.14 Jan. 1907, m.4 July 1855 Sarah Millet Johnson
4.Michael James b.2May 1835, d.11 Oct. 1904, m.1861 Louisa Cotton
5.John Albert b.2 Aug. 1837, d.13 Dec. 1917, m.1862 Eliza Jane Brown
6.Hannah Henrietta b.28 Dec. 1840, d.26 Aug. 1927 unmarried

1835: Abigail Wentworth Fernald Peabbles Jordan dies at the age of 92, and after 57 years is reunited with her 2nd husband Charles Peabbles in the family burial ground she created by Alewife Brook. She leaves the farm in the capable hands of Charles & Anna and their children.

1836, Sept. 14:  Charles Jr. continues to buy out his siblings’ share in their father’s upland & marsh. This deed is from his niece Mary & husband Joseph Jordan who inherited an eighth share in their mother Margery’s (Charles’ sister) portion.

1837, May 4: With his mother gone and Charles Jr. now 70, he looks to ensure his Mother’s legacy for the next generation. Charles & Anna’s youngest son Andrew & new wife Mehitable Mitchell are deeded Alewife Cove below the road, also one other lot of land beginning at the grist mill at the road, “being all the residue of my real estate, which I have not this day deeded to my son John” plus one half of the grist mill & privilege and one half of the sea dressing on the shore (seaweed for fertilizer).  Andrew W. & Mehitable live with Charles Jr. & Anna, who both live into their 90s.  During Andrew’s lifetime a sawmill is added to the farm.

1837-1843: Charles Jr.’s sons John & Andrew (who already own separte parts of the farm from their father), in four more deeds, continue to jointly buy out their cousins’ Charles, Benjamin, Nancy & William (Margery’s children) eighth shares in the 2 parcels of upland and one of salt marsh inherited from Grandfather Charles. This would leave the two brothers in control of the whole farm.

1844 Dec. 31: A deed from John to Andrew conveying 16 acres of upland and marsh from the road to Great Pond, which their father Charles Jr.  had given to them in common.

1845 Jan 6: A deed from father Charles and sons John & Andrew selling to John Buzzell (in some deeds Burrell), Physician, land near Great Pond starting at a stake in the fence on the south side of Fowler Road, then in a straight line to stakes on Peabbles Island and Thoms Point (both on Great Pond), then southerly to the sea, then westerly to the mouth of the Spurwink, then northerly by the river to Ignatus Jordan’s land, then easterly by Jordan’s land to Fowler Road and the starting point (no acreage given), granted to Charles as heir to Margery Wentworth, formerly Pepperrell, given to her by Robert Elliot. Together with the priviledge of opening a ditch or canal from the road near the mill dam to the Great Pond, the center to be on the dividing line between John & Andrew’s land (the center of Alewife Brook, from below the mill dam to Great Pond) as set forth in their deed of Dec. 31, 1844 (above), with the privilege of going to and from the canal at all times to remove obstructions. Also several other deeds of this period including assurances from John D. Burrell not to flood John & Andrews lands, if necessary by digging a ditch around Peables Island, and to complete the Canal within one year. Buzzell also conveyed a share in the land to George W. Smith, who had signed some of the deeds as Justice of the Peace.

1847, June 5:  A deed from John to Andrew, 11 acres, 10 rods “beginning at a large rock by the side of the road near the mill dam” , includes a map showing a narrow strip of land along the canal. I don’t have a copy of Charles Jr.’s deed to son John to know exactly what John inherited, but it would appear the brothers are separating the farm roughly in half along the present boundry line between Peabbles Cove & Alewife Cove.

1849, June 25: Incorporation by the State Legislture of the Great Pond Mining & Agrigcultural Company, run by shareholders John D. Buzzell and George W. Smith, for the purpose of harvesting peat moss, iron & other minerals and cultivating cranberries. The company did make charcoal from the peat moss and advertised it as a medicinal deodorant and disinfectant.  A report from 1857 says the whole of Great Pond was drained for the successful cranberry bogs, quite a feat for the times I would think, but a complete disaster for the migration of breeding Alewives.  The fishery had already been declining from dams, etc. on the brook, so perhaps it was no longer considered an important source of bait fish.

1849: John Marr conveys to John Peabbles one third interest, in common, of Ram Island, containing nine acres in all.

1849: Andrew & Mehitable build themselves a new house (now the Alewive’s Brook Farm house) beside Charles & Anna’s old house.

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1855, Feb. 6: A deed from John Wheeler to Andrew selling him a small portion of land on their shared boundry.

1857, Jan. 25:  Charles Peabbles Jr. dies aged 92, and is laid to rest in the Peabbles burial ground.

1859, Aug. 11: Andrew buys a small piece of land, 11 square rods, from Lemuel Cobb on their joint boundry line.

1859, Sept. 13 : John Peabbles dies aged 55, and is laid to rest in the Peabbles burial ground.  His children John Albert, Charles & Michael are shown on the map as owning parts of the farm, but I have no details of the division, or if the either of the other two children William and Hannah inherited a portion.

1861, July:  About this time Michael marries Louisa Cotton and builds a new house beside his father’s, as well as a carriage house with cabbage cellar.

1864: Deed registered from Charles Peabbles to Charles Robinson selling his one third interest, in common, of Ram Island, which was conveyed by John Marr to John Peabbles, father of Charles, in 1849. “Shipwrecks were a frequent occurance on Ram Island Ledge. On May 27, 1866, alone, there were four wrecks. Many fishing boats and schooners struck the ledges over the years, often while trying to make Portland Harbor in bad weather. On February 24, 1900, the 400-foot transatlantic steamer California went aground at Ram Island Ledge in a snowstorm. There was no loss of life, and the steamer was refloated six weeks later. This near-tragedy finally convinced the federal government that a lighthouse was called for. In 1902, Congress appropriated funds for the building of a lighthouse on Ram Island Ledge. In 1903, the federal government purchased the ledges from two Cape Elizabeth families for $500. Ram Island Ledge was submerged much of the time, and construction could only take place at low tide, so temporary quarters were set up for the workers on Ram Island.” (New England Lighthouses)

1869 Aug:  John Albert, wife Eliza (Brown) and their two young children Harriet and Frank Herman move from John & Hannah’s old house to their newly built house on the Peabbles Cove road (now Carolyn Tucker’s).

Children of John Albert and Eliza Brown Peabbles:

1.Harriet b.1865, d.1960, m.1st 1888 Daniel Cobb m.2nd 1912 John Quigley
2.Frank Herman b.1867, d.1948, m.1887 Eliza Cobb
3.William Wentworth b.1872, d.1952, m.1892 Mabel Edna Small
4.George b.1873, d.1949, m.1893 Emma Maud Jordan (Carolyn Tucker’s Grandparents)

1870/2: Around this time brothers John Albert & Michael tear down the old 100′ barn and each build a new barn for themselves, reusing some of the old materials. John & Hannah’s house, ’the old rent’, is also torn down and materials used for woods sheds, etc.

1871, March 23:  A deed where Andrew buys a pew in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Cape Elizabeth, ‘being known or designated as a Body Pew’.

1872, Jan 13: Two deeds from Charles R. Mitchell, as executor for Joshua Mitchell, late of Cape Elizabeth, to Andrew.  One is for a 1.5 acre piece of Spurwink marsh known as Mitchell Island, adjoining the bridge at the Cape Elizabeth – Scarborough town line.  The other is for one half of Joshua’s pew in the North Congregational Meeting House, Cape Elizabeth.  Joshua was the Peabbles’ neighbor and brother to the Mitchell sisters who married William & Charles Peabbles. He died in 1869 aged 91.

1884, June 5th:  Andrew W. Peabbles dies aged 68. His wife Mehitable survives him, dying aged 77 in 1891. They had one adopted daughter who died young, so Andrew leaves his land on the western (Alewives Brook Farm) and eastern side (Alewife Cove) sides of (Old) Ocean House Road, to his nephew Andrew Mitchell Peabbles (son of his eldest brother James), a Doctor in Auburn.

1898, March 28: Mention of a mortgage? deed of this date from Andrew Mitchell to 31 year old Frank Herman Peabbles (son of John Albert), being all the land and buildings on the western side of Ocean House Road, part of the Andrew W. Peabbles homestead farm.  Frank Herman married Eliza Cobb in 1887.

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1913, Jan. 15 & 21: Two deeds from Andrew M. to Frank Herman Peabbles conveying his land on the eastern side of Ocean House Road, the Alewife Cove property Charles gave to Andrew W. in 1837, and clarification/confirmation of the 1905 deed to the ‘shore rights’ strip of land.  Frank Herman now owns all of the Andrew W. property.

Children of Frank Herman and Eliza Cobb Peabbles:
1. Emma b.1887, d.1961, m.1909 Alonzo Soule Murray
2.Harriet b.1891, d.1989, m.1st 1913 Fred Sidelinger 2nd 1927 Charles Benson
3.Marian b.1892, d.1980, m.1917 Robert Edgecomb
4.Eleanor b.1902, d.1977, m.1921 William Ward
5.Gracia b.1904, d.1980, m.1926 Ralph Cox
6.Frank Herman II b.1910,d.1952, m.1929 Arlene Glew

c1920: Emma & Alonzo Murray were married in 1909 and not long after Alonzo built their first summer Cottage, the ‘Honeymoon Cottage’, on a piece of ground in Peabbles Cove which had been given to Emma and her sisters.  Emma & Alonzo then decided instead to build themselves a summer Cottage in Alewife Cove, the first house on the property below the road, and an idyllic location for their large family to spend their summers.  There is a small photo dated 1921 showing Emma with her five oldest children sitting on the shore below the cottage.

1948, March 7: Frank Herman dies aged 81 and the farm is inherited jointly by Frank Herman II and his five sisters as ‘The Frank H. Peabbles Heirs’.

1952, Dec. 12: Frank Herman II dies. His two sons and his sisters remain joint owners of the farm, and his sons Frank Herman III and Lawrence continue to run the farm for a few years.

1955: A new survey map is drawn on behalf of the ‘Frank H. Peabbles Heirs’ of the Alewife Cove property from the road to the shore.  It shows outlines for a new road, and a division of the property (the present division between Alewives Brook Farm and Alewife Cove) with the upper portion of 18.5 acres going to Frank Herman III, although in the end everyone decides to sell the farm.  The map includes all the old measurements and reference points named on the 1837 deed of the same property from Charles & Anna to son Andrew.

1957: Alvin & Rose Jordan buy the farm in its present form, with the portion below the road as per the 1955 map, with Emma & Alonzo retaining the lower seaside parcel of Alewife Cove. The farm is presently run by their son Jodie and his family.

1960/61: Both Alonzo, then Emma die, and their estate, including the Alewife Cove property & Cottage and the Pond Cove house, is divided amongst the 11 children.   Alewife Cove is divded into 10 lots which eventually results in five owners, each with two lots; Elva, Eleanor (including the Cottage, Bryce later buying the vacant one), Bryce, Arnold and Elaine.  Over the next 20 years these five families, all with young families of their own, build cottages/houses on their lots. This period was, to me, some of the busiest and happiest times here, with Emma & Alonzo’s large extended family all sharing in the magic that is Alewife Cove.

2011: My timeline ends here, 332 years and 12 generations from its starting place, but the story of Alewife Cove and our family, and the special place it holds in all our hearts, will, I hope, continue long into the future.  Of Emma & Alonzo’s eleven children, only Arnold is left now, and Emma & Alonzo’s Cottage and Bryce & Eleanor’s house have been sold and are presently vacation homes.  Elva’s son ‘Skip’ & wife Carmita, Emmie’s son Darren & wife Pam, and I (Bryce’s daughter Marilyn) and husband Kris presently live here year round, enjoying the Cove’s endless pleasures, and just occasionally glimpsing its unforgiving side!

This timeline is dedicated to Kris, my loving husband of 34 years, who will probably never manage to keep my family straight!

(Much of the information here is from family papers and deeds, and as I read further I hope to add more information.)

Notes: The Elliot, Cutt/s, Fernald, Fryer, Frost, Pepperrell and Wentworth families, who were all very prominent members of the early settlements in the Kittery, York & Portsmouth area, as well as the Jordans and other early families in Cape Elizabeth, feature frequently in histories of early Maine and New Hampshire.  They were also continually intermarrying, and conducting property deals (much the same thing in those days!), and The York Deeds 1642-1737(Vols 1-18) and Maine Wills 1640-1760 make fascinating reading.

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1769, Nov. 15:  Margery’s approx. 500 acres of Cape Elizabeth is divided by several deeds of this date amongst three of her surviving children.  Son Capt. John Wentworth received 240 acres and lived near Broad Cove, daughter Jane received 132 acres, daughter Abigail received 125 acres that included Alewife Cove. They also each inherited small parcels (1, 3 & 3.5 acres) of salt marsh at Spurwink.  Again, without maps, it is difficult to determine the exact boundry lines.  I could not find a copy of William Wentworth’s will, and no reason is given for the unequal shares, although men generally inherited the largest and best pieces of land.  Margery and her sister Sarah had also jointly inherited from their father Andrew Pepperrell property from his York & Portsmouth estates, which the girls had previously divided between them by deed, so possibly some of Margery’s other children received her property there. The remaining siblings and their spouses all signed off on their rights to the Cape Elizabeth property. A Joshua Wentworth (exact relationship unknown) acted as power of attorney for brother Samuel Solly who was a Governor in Dominica, West Indies. Samuel Solly wrote to his brother Capt. John, the fall before the Revolution broke out, that ‘he was as rich as he wanted to be’ and often made his relatives in America valuable presents.

Children of William Wentworth and Margarey Pepperell:
1. Andrew Wentworth b.21 Sep 1730 in Kittery, d.1 Aug 1751 at Sea.
2. Sarah Wentworth b.30 Mar 1731 in Kittery, d. 3 Jun 1737.
3. William Wentworth b.23 Jun 1734 in Kittery d. unm. at Sea.
4. John Wentworth b.23 Feb 1736 in Kittery, d. 9 Jun 1781. m. 1st Hannah Fernald, 2nd Sarah Bartlett. Lived near Broad Cove, Cape Elizabeth.  Military career, Captain in the Rev.War.
5. Jane Wentworth b.9 May 1739 in Kittery. m. 1st Joseph Jordon 27 Aug 1763, 2nd Simeon Davis 7 Oct. 1773.
6. Sarah Wentworth b.3 Oct 1741 in Kittery. m. John Fernald 7 Apr 1759.
7. Abigail Wentworth b.10 Nov 1743 in Kittery, d.14 Sept 14 1835 aged 92. She married 1st: James Fernald 2 Oct 1762. James, a farmer, died very soon afterwards, before the birth of his dau. Hannah Fernald (b.1763, d.1834, m.1788 Nathaniel Fernald) 2nd. c1763/4 Charles Peabbles(Pebbles,Peables,Peoples) b.1743 d.5 Feb 1778 aged 35, 3rd Benjamin Jordan 1 Nov 1779 (b.1738 d.1814) Benjamin’s Grandfather was Dominicus, son of Rev. Robert Jordan.
8. Samuel Solly Wentworth b.18 Jun 1745 in Kittery. d.c1781 unm. Governor in Dominica,West Indies.
9. Margery Pepperell Wentworth b.11 Mar 1747 in Kittery, d.10 Jan 1825. She married Robert Cutt/s 1766.

Abigail Wentworth, an extraordinary life:

Abigail Wentworth was born 10 Nov 1743 in Kittery, Maine, and her family on both sides were some of the earliest and most enterprising settlers in the Kittery and Portsmouth area; the local ‘aristocracy’ of their day.  She was the daughter of Margery Pepperrell & William Wentworth, her grandparents were Andrew Pepperrell & Jane Elliot (later Frost) and Lieut. Gov. John Wentworth & Sarah Hunking, and her great grandparents included Robert Elliot & Sarah Fryer Elliot (daughter of Nathaniel Fryer);  Samuel Wentworth (eldest son of William ‘The Elder’ Wentworth, the first Wentworth settler) & Mary Benning; and William Pepperrell (the first Pepperrell settler) & Margery Bray.  Abigail’s great grandfather Robert Elliot and great-great grandfather Nathaniel Fryer (Elliot’s father-in-law) had purchased the 1,000 acre Cape Elizabeth property in the late 1600s from Robert Jordan Jr.; it had been a gift from his parents Rev. Robert Sr. & Sarah Winter Jordan, the first Cape Elizabeth Jordans (see Part 1).  Abigail’s mother Margery had inherited the 500 acre half that included Alewife Cove; her sister Sarah inheriting the other half towards Crescent Beach.  Abigail married her first husband, James Fernald (from another prominent Kittery family) around 1762, and her husband died, cause unknown, the following year before her first child Hannah Fernald was born in 1763, leaving Abigail a widow at aged 20 with a new baby.  Within a year or so Abigail married her second husband, Charles Peabbles (often spelled Peables, Pebbles or Peoples in old documents), the son of Charles Peabbles who was among the first Ulster Scots to settle in Warren, Maine.  Abigail & Charles’  first child William was born 1764, Charles Jr. 1767, John c1769, James c1771, Margery Pepperrell 1772, and Nancy 1777.  In 1767 Abigail’s father William Wentworth died and by 1769 she & Charles had inherited 125 of Margery’s 500 acres, including Alewife Cove.  Abigail’s brother Capt. John Wentworth received 240 acres, her sister Jane 132 acres, and they each inherited a small piece of salt marsh at Spurwink.  Charles & Abigail must have made the decision soon afterwards to settle with their young family in Cape Elizabeth and try farming the land she had recently inherited, and they built the first known farmhouse on the property, near the middle of the present Peabbles Cove Road (see map).  Very early on Charles & brother-in-law John must have established an iron works and a grist mill where they and other local farmers ground their corn, using the waters of Alewife Brook for power (we still have one of the original granite mill stones), as the deeds of division give them both a half share in the mill and ironwork.  Over the next few years Charles bought three parcels of land from John, possibly enlarging the boundry they shared.  After only 14 years of marriage, in Feb 1778 Charles died, cause unknown, aged only 35, leaving Abigail a widow for the second time, also age 35, with 7 children between the ages of one and fifteen and a farm to run, but Abigail stayed on.  Within a few months of her husband’s death Abigial obviously felt the responsibility of passing on her inheritance as well as securing the future welfare of her children, and on June 11, 1778 she wrote a lengthy & detailed deed, much like a will.  She gave the whole 125 acre farm to Charles Jr. when he turned 21, with other provisions for the rest of her  children, and she retained 60 acres of the 125 to provide for herself during her lifetime, as well as reserving one acre for the new family burial ground on the farm (by Alewife Brook) where Charles was buried.  In Nov. 1779 Abigail married for the third time Benjamin Jordan, a great grandson of Rev. Robert Jordan Sr..  Benjamin was a farmer and had been a 1st Lieut. in the Revolutionary War, and when he married Abigail he had four young boys from his first marriage, aged three, six, eleven & fifteen.  Benjamin moved from his Spurwink farm to live with Abigail in Peabbles Cove and they had a further two children, James Peabbles Jordan in 1781 and Nathaniel Jordan in 1785.  History doesn’t relate how many of the 13 children from their combined marriages lived with them, but Abigail & Benjamin continued running both farms until their son Nathaniel was old enough to take over the farm at Spurwink.  They were together for 35 years until Benjamin’s death in 1814, aged 76.  Abigail, a widow once more, lived on the farm for a further 21 years, dying in 1835 at the age of 92, outliving three husbands and many of her children and grandchildren.  She was buried beside her husband Charles Peabbles in the family burial ground she created, as were at least nine other members of the Peabbles family (and John & Dorcas (Jordan) Johnson, for reasons unknown).  In later years a family member had the Peabbles’ graves exhumed and/or stones moved to the Seaside Cemetery, the Johnson stones remain.  Abigail’s enduring legacy was the large, cohesive family she left behind who ensured that Alewife Cove & Peabbles Cove have remained in the family for 332 years, and hopefully for many more to come!

1769: Charles & Abigail Wentworth Peabbles build their first homestead on the 125 acre property Abigail inherited from her mother’s estate.

Children of Charles & Abigail:

1.William Wentworth Peabbles b.3 July 1764, d.5 Aug 1851 married 1st Hannah Mitchell 1787, 2nd Mary Mitchell 1794
2.Charles Peabbles II b.17 Oct. 1767, d.25 Jan 1857  m. Anna Mitchell 1791
3.John Peabbles b.c1769 died before 1789
4.James Peabbles b.c1771 died before 1789
5.Margery Pepperrell Peabbles b.8 Aug. 1772, d.7 July 1824, married John Weiman Jordan 1790
6.Nancy B. Peabbles b.Sept 1777,d.? married James Maxwell 1798

1769-1773  In three deeds Charles buys land from his brother-in-law Capt. John Wentworth who lived near Broad Cove.  The two shared at least one boundry line, so the new land was no doubt enlarging Charles & Abigail’s farm.

1. 5 acres 81 rods, the plot beginning and ending at the sea, so this may have been land towards the present Shore Acres.

2. 11 acres ‘running up the road by the ditch’ between the two properties.

3.  39 acres (mentions the Mill dam, brook and ‘by the highway’), plus an acre of salt marsh at Spurwink

1771, Jan 15: A deed is drawn up to clarify the boundry between Charles & Abigail and the neighboring property of Samuel Jordan, running from Great Pond, along Alewife Brook to the shore.  Among the landmarks sited are: a hole in the ground, an apple tree, a walnut tree, and a white oak tree - very helpful!   It is signed by the arbitrators who reviewed all the evidence to arrive at their decision - James Maxwell, Jonathan Loveitt, Peter Woodbury, Daniel Strout & David Strout.

1778, Feb. 5: Charles Peabbles dies, cause unknown aged 35.  Abigail, also 35, is a widow once more with 7 children aged between 1-15.  William age 14 and Charles Jr. age 11 were no doubt some help on the farm, but it must have been very hard going.

1778, June 11: Abigial writes a deed, much like a will, giving the 125 acre farm to Charles Jr. when he turns 21. Other provisions are made for the rest of the children, and she retains the use of 60 acres to provide for herself during her lifetime, and sets aside 1 acre for a new burial ground by Alewife Brook where Charles is buried. (see deed)

1779, Nov. 1:  Abigail marries, as her third husband, Benjamin Jordan, farmer and a 1st Lieut. in the Revolutionary War. He had four young boys (ages 3-15) from his first marriage. Abigail and Benjamin had a further two children.

Children of Benjamin & Abigail:

1. James Peabbles Jordan b.1781
2. Nathaniel Jordan b.1785

1789, Aug 10:  Charles Jr. is now 21 (Oct. 17, 1788), inheriting Charles & Abigail’s farm, and Abigail amends her deed, granting to her two children by Benjamin Jordan, James Peabbles Jordan & Nathaniel Jordan, “what James Pebbles and John Pebbles was to have in there posesion if they had lived”.  The boys’ deaths remain a mystery.  There is no record to say how, when or where they died apart from the two dates on the deed, so they could have died anywhere between the ages 7 & 20. Neither is there any mention of an inscribed stone for them in the family graveyard; the first known transcription of all the stones was as early as 1887. Cape Elizabeth saw a small pox epidemic in 1778, it may have caused the premature deaths of husband Charles and/or the boys.

1791, Oct. 16: Charles Jr. marries Anna Mitchell. A hand drawn map by Emma P. Murray shows the site of the first known house on the western side of Old Ocean House road (the present Alewive’s Brook Farm) as the home of Charles & Anna Peabbles.

Children of Charles Jr. & Anna Peabbles:

1. James b.21 May 1792 , d.16 March 1878 (lived in Danville) m. 1st Hannah Weiman Wentworth Jordan. 2nd. Margaret Jordan. 3rd. Margaret Larrabee. Hannah and Margaret Jordan were his first cousins, their   mother was Charles’ sister Margeret (lived in Danville).

James is the father of Andrew Mitchell Peabbles b.7 Sept. 1835, d.24 May 1916.
2. Charles III b.9 July 1794, d.3 Dec.1874 m. Abigail Wentworth Jordan, his first cousin, her mother was Charles’ sister Margery (lived in Danville)
3. Jonathan b.1 May 1797 d.11 June 1798
4. Hannah b.10 Sept. 1800, d.1 Nov. 1836 unmarried
5. William m. Lucy Robinson (lived in Danville)
6. John b.19 Feb 1804, d.13 Sept. 1859, m.13 July 1828 Hannah Weiman Jordan, his cousin, daughter of Abigail’s son  (by Benj. Jordan) James Peabbles Jordan
7. Joshua b.28 Sept. 1806, d. 22 Sept. 1830 Drowned off Portland head
8. Andrew W. b.27Aug 1815 d.5 June 1884 m.1839 Mehitable Mitchell
a. Charlotte Baibes or Baines (adopted) b1836 d.1847

1798 April 30:  A deed whereby Charles Jr. & Robert Mitchell by a plot of land measuring 7 acres, 5 rods “beginning by a heap of stones by the road that leads from Alewife Brook to Great Pond…” being part of the 8.5 acre lot belonging to Jacob McKenney, sold at public auction for the payment of overdue taxes.  In 1746 Robert Mitchell & his wife Miriam Jordan inherited 40 acres on the north side of Alewife Brook from Miriam’s parents Dominicus & Joanna Jordan. This was their grandson Robert, son of Jonathan & Anna Loveitt, and he and Charles (as brothers-in-law) would likely be extending their neighboring properties.  Three of Robert Mitchell’s sisters married two of Charles & Abigail’s sons (William married Hannah, then Mary; Charles married Anna), and one sister Elizabeth Mitchell married Thomas Murray (early Maine really was a small world!).

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Mal and Kris at the Ingalls/McCoy Wedding

Over the winter, Marilyn Murray Kristiansen, Bryce’s eldest daughter, took on the Herculean job of researching the deed history of Alewife Cove from ‘beginning to end’. No small job this. Spanning some 330+ years, the work she has produced is astounding in it’s depth and thoroughness. It is complete whilst providing ample opportunities for further investigation. I for one am excited at the thought that we have connections to the Pepperell and Wentworth families. They being some of the most known and respected names of Portsmouth and Kittery before the Revolution.

Marilyn has been kind in allowing me to publish her work here on the blog. Many thanks to Mal. I only hope I do her work proper justice. I have decided to publish her work unedited. I am going to break it into sections for easier serializing. I will be adding my thoughts, links and images after her work. The sections will be as follows (clink on the section to read)

1. Up to 1700
2. 1700 to 1750
3. 1750 to 1800
4. 1800 to 1850
5. 1850 to 1900
6. 1900 to the present
7. Maps and Images

As this is an ongoing project, I recommend checking in occasionally for updates.

Emma and ?

Gordon ca: ?

Mac Tucker

I would love to hear stories about Mac. He has been just a name to me until I saw this picture.

Kappy ca:?

That is some am amazing hair!!