Category Archives: semiquincentennial

semiquincentennial

9/15/2026– Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of Our Country, its Semiquincentennial


Ninth in the Series

James Morrison is the third of the Revolutionary War soldiers buried
in the Burbank – Goodwin – Morrison – Pease cemetery in South Parsonsfield. Of Scotch-Irish descent, he was born in 1753 in Nottingham, New Hampshire, to Daniel Morrison III and Mary Nason Morrison.

James enlisted in the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment which was
formed in early May 1775, as the second of three Continental
Army regiments raised by the state of New Hampshire for the defense of
Boston.  Its first commander was Colonel Enoch Poor, with Joseph
Cilley as major. The Captain of his company was Zebulon Gilman.

Private of the 2nd New Hampshire Continental Infantry
by Charles M. Lefferts.

James marched along with his company to the Boston area where he
participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775.

The battle was a victory for the British, but a costly one, and a
sobering experience for them; they incurred many more casualties than the Americans had sustained, including many officers. The battle had
demonstrated that inexperienced militia were able to stand up to regular
troops in battle and discouraged the British from launching any further
frontal attacks against well-defended front lines. American casualties were much fewer.

The siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776) was the
opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. In the siege, American patriot militia led by newly-installed Continental Army commander George Washington prevented the British Army, which was garrisoned in Boston, from moving by land. Both sides faced resource, supply, and personnel challenges during the siege. British resupply and reinforcement were limited to sea access, which was impeded by American vessels. The British ultimately abandoned Boston after eleven months.

James served out the entirety of his 8 month enlistment taking part in
the Siege of Boston. At the end of that enlistment, James reenlisted in the same regiment for a period of 12 months at the end of which he returned home to Newmarket, NH. He advanced to the rank of captain and joined the personal bodyguard of General Charles Lee, participating in the 1776 New York and New Jersey campaign.

He enlisted again in 1777 in Colonel Evans regiment of the New
Hampshire Militia and fought in the Battle of Saratoga.

The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War.
The American defeat of the superior British army, led by General John
Burgoyne, lifted patriot morale, furthered the hope for independence, and helped to secure the foreign support needed to win the war.

Morrison earned recognition for his service at the Battle of
Brandywine in 1777, where he sustained a wound that led to his mustering out of the army. The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The forces met near Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. More troops fought at Brandywine than at any other battle of the American Revolution.  It was also the second longest single-day battle of the war, with continuous fighting for 11 hours. As Howe moved to take Philadelphia, then the American capital, the British forces routed the Continental Army and forced them to withdraw, first, to the City of Chester, Pennsylvania, and then northeast toward Philadelphia.

Back home after being wounded, James moved to Maine soon after.
He married Lucy Ann Littlefield (born 1757 in Wells, Maine) and came to
Parsonsfield quite early, settling on the north side of the South Road where about 1785, the same year as Parsonsfield’s incorporation, he built this lovely home to house his growing family. His children were William, James, Polly, Sally, Isaac, Betsey, Jonathan, Alvah and Judith.

A colorful character, it is recounted in The History of Parsonsfield,
written in 1888, that he was once asked by a local minister if he feared
death to which he replied,

He remained in Parsonsfield until his death in 1839, his wife having
predeceased him in 1827.

The Capt. James Morrison House was listed on the National Register
of Historic Places (NRHP) on July 12, 1978, with reference number
78000335. The property qualifies under Criterion A for its association with historic events that have made a significant contribution to broad patterns of our history, including military service during the American Revolutionary War and early settlement patterns in inland rural Maine, and under Criterion C for embodying distinctive characteristics of late colonial architecture and methods of construction, as well as for its artistic merit through exceptionally well-preserved murals executed by itinerant artist Jonathan D. Poor in the mid-19th century. Poor was well known in northern New England for his work, which he learned from his uncle, Rufus Porter. The work in this house is notable for bearing Poor’s signature. The murals, and other later stylistic elements were added to the house by Seth Chellis, who owned one of the area’s largest farms in the mid-19th century. The house remains privately owned in excellent condition with no major alterations since listing, serving as a key preserved historic site within York County’s collection of early American structures.

Though dead since 1839, the house still bearing his name serves to
keep alive the role that James Morrison played in the founding of our
nation, as does his final resting place in the Burbank-Goodwin-Morrison-
Pease Cemetery.

Inscription: Aged 86 yrs. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War in many hard fought battles.

A Heartfelt Thank You to James Morrison for your Service in the Founding of Our Country

semiquincentennial

8/15/2026 — Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of our Country,

Its Semiquincentennial
Eighth in the Series
Aaron Goodwin

This month we continue with the second of the four Patriots buried in the Burbank-Goodwin-Morrison-Pease Cemetery.

Aaron Goodwin was born to Aaron (1702 – 1771) and Sarah Thompson Goodwin (1715 – 1769) on August 18, 1754, in Berwick, Maine.

He enlisted in Massachusetts about the 1 st of January 1776 and served one year in Captain Phillip Hubbard’s company of Colonel Pierce Long’s New Hampshire regiment and was stationed at Kittery Point, York County, Massachusetts which later became Maine.

Thanks to this request for information sent to the Bureau of Pensions in 1934, we learned of his later service.

In addition to his previous service the record continues that in April of 1779, at a port in France he was a seaman on board the United States ship, Bonhomme Richard captained by none other than Captain John Paul Jones and was in its famous engagement with the Serapis.

I must admit that what I remembered from this part of our Revolutionary history was a bit sketchy. Perhaps yours is as well, so a little refresher is in order.

This sketch about John Paul Jones comes from The Naval Marine Archive – The Canadian Collection.

Born John Paul on July 6, 1747 in Arbigland, Kirkcudbright, Scotland he started a maritime career at the age of twelve or thirteen. His early life included two years aboard slavetraders, and killing a mutinous sailor over a wage dispute. Fleeing Great Britain and changing his name to John Paul Jones, he turned his allegiances towards the Revolutionary War in North America (the fledgling United States) and France, becoming a successful officer in the Continental Navy. Regarded by some as the “father of the American Navy”, by others as a mercenary privateer, his greatest success was the capture of the British SERAPIS (140 foot Fifth Rate, 44 guns) in 1779. He joined the Imperial Russian Navy as a Rear-Admiral in 1787, and died 18 July 1792 in Paris.

In this from the Naval and Heritage Command we learned more about the ship:

The Bonhomme Richard, a former East India merchant ship re-fitted as a frigate capable of carrying 40 guns, was captained by John Paul Jones. In the late summer of 1779, it operated in waters off the coast of Great Britain in the North Sea. 

Jones’ mission was to interrupt British merchant shipping and execute hit-and-run raids on British ports to instill fear in the population. On September 23, 1779, Bonhomme Richard and two other frigates encountered HMS Serapis (50 guns), commanded by Captain Pearson, and a smaller British warship with a convoy of 41 ships. Jones engaged the heavier-gunned Serapis. During the fierce fight, the two warships collided and Jones lashed his vessel to Serapis while each continued to batter away at the other. Jones’ crew panicked at the destructive Serapis fire and yelled “Quarter” to the British. Pearson called out “Have you struck your colors?” to which Jones purportedly replied, “I have not yet begun to fight!” After a four-hour battle under a full moon, Serapis surrendered. Both ships had suffered extensive damage, and each lost nearly half its crew to injuries and death; Bonhomme Richard sank two days after the battle. The victorious John Paul Jones sailed the captured HMS Serapis to Holland for repairs. Jones rechristened the previously British vessel and presented it to the French as a show of friendship.

Battle between Continental Navy ship Bonhomme Richard and
HMS Serapis, 23 September 1779. by Thomas Mitchell.

The original painting is at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, Maryland.

According to the pension record, after the sinking of the Bonhomme Richard and after John Paul Jones and his crew took possession of the Serapis and sailed to Holland where they left the Serapis for repairs, they went on board the United States ship, Alliance, and sailed to Coronna, Spain.

From there they sailed to L’Orient, France, where Captain Landais took
command of the Alliance and Aaron Goodwin sailed with him to Boston and was discharged there after his arrival in August, 1780.

What an interesting story! Sounds like Aaron was lucky to escape injury or, even worse, death. He must have been so happy to be home.

He married Sarah Hubbard, daughter of the Captain of his first enlistment, Phillip Hubbard, on March 21, 1787, in his hometown of Berwick.

They had at least these children during their marriage: Lewis (b. 1787), Moses (b. 1789), John (b. 1790. d. 1809), Aaron (b. 1793. d. 1806) and Sally (b. 1795).

According to the History of Parsonsfield, he settled on the so-called South Road in 1796 when he bought the property of Moses Mighels. I have not been able to ascertain the location of the property, but the 1872 map of Parsonsfield shows a L. Goodwin just south of the Town Farm on South Road in South Parsonsfield which is a possibility as Aaron’s son, Lewis, was still alive at the time, not dying until 1878.

Both the Maine Old Cemetery Association Index of Revolutionary Veterans Buried in Maine and Soldiers, Sailors and Patriots of the Revolutionary War – Maine indicate that Aaron was married twice.

This really had me baffled because I could find nothing to corroborate that and, in fact, his wife Sarah actually outlived him, dying in 1835.

Then I noticed this in the cemetery’s Goodwin family listing from Cemetery Records, Parsonsfield, Maine reproduced by Ancient Landmarks Society of Parsonsfield, 1991:

Mystery solved. Susan Milliken was the second wife of Aaron’s son, Lewis, not of Aaron.

Aaron died on September 28, 1827, in Parsonsfield, Maine, at the age of 73.

A Heartfelt Thank You to Aaron Goodwin
for your Service in the Founding of Our Country

semiquincentennial

7/15/2026–Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of our Country,

Its Semiquincentennial
Seventh in the Series:
Silas Burbank

I was very interested to find that this cemetery, located in the SW angle of the intersection of South and Boothby Roads and opposite the former Town Farm, contains the remains of four Revolutionary War veterans. The Maine Old Cemetery Association, MOCA, lists it as the Burbank-Goodwin-Morrison-Pease Cemetery, honoring the names of all 4 of those patriots:

Silas Burbank
Aaron Goodwin
James Morrison
Samuel Pease

I was intrigued at this point. Had any of them known each other before or during the war? It seemed logical to learn and write about them in alphabetical order so I began my research into Silas Burbank.

Captain Silas Burbank was born to Caleb Burbank and Margaret Wheeler in 1738 in Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts. Silas was trained as a carpenter, specializing in cabinet making and wood work finishing of fine ships.

Silas was united in marriage to Hannah Baird in approximately 1763. Caleb and Hannah lived for a while in Falmouth, what is now Portland Maine, before settling down in Scarborough. They were blessed with the birth of at least eight children during their marriage.

In 1775 Silas enlisted as a First Lieutenant in Captain John Rice’s Company in Col. Edmund Phinney’s 31st Regiment in the 18th Continental Regiment of Scarborough, Maine in 1776. He was promoted to the rank of Captain and served in the Army at Valley Forge until 1781.

At about this point in developing Silas’ story, I was surprised to see this ad in our local weekly, Your Weekly Shopping Guide.

I was dumbstruck. I knew right away that this had to be the same Silas Burbank, but had not yet learned about him bringing 2 of his young sons along as fifer and drummer.

I wish I had been able to attend this. I’m sure I would have learned more about this remarkable story.

For more information, I turned to one of my much used sources, Soldiers,
Sailors, and Patriots of the Revolutionary War – Maine. And there his sons were, along with their father’s listing:

The letters and numbers at the end of these listings are the cited references.

David’s only reference is:

  • MOCA (Maine Old Cemetery Association).

Eleazer has several references:

  • 1 (W23744) – Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War 17 v.
  • 1S – Massachusetts Archives, Revolutionary War Service Appendix
  • 3S – Flagg’s Alphabetical Index of Revolutionary Pensioners Living in Maine
  • 4S – Maine State Archives – Names of Soldiers of the American Revolution Who Applied for State Bounty …
  • CL-2, 141:133 – Compiled List – Lineage Book, 166 volumes.

Captain Silas also has several references:

  • 1S – Massachusetts Archives, Revolutionary War Service Appendix
  • 6S, p. 181 – History of Col. Edmund Phinney’s 31 st Regiment of Foot: The First Regiment Raised in the County of Cumberland in the Revolutionary War
  • CL-2, 141:133 – Compiled List – Lineage Book, 166 volumes.
  • CL-6 – Compiled List – Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution, April, 1775 – December, 1783.

It’s hard with our modern day sensitivities to imagine taking young sons off to war. Perhaps he thought it was the easiest way to watch over them. Many young men, not that much older than 11 and 13, did head off to battle.

Historically, a fifer was a non-combatant military personnel—often a young boy or teenager—tasked with playing the fife alongside drummers to relay orders, maintain a marching pace, and signal troop formations.

Drummer boys in the Revolutionary War were young field musicians (often 10 to 15 years old) who used rope-tension drums to relay tactical commands across loud, smoky battlefields. They set the army’s daily routine, regulated marches, and boosted morale, often serving alongside adult musicians and soldiers.

Silas’ listing in the book, Massachusetts, U.S., Soldiers and Sailors in the
Revolutionary War gives a much more complete listing of his service than the Maine one.

Here, from the same source, is his son David’s listing:

And the listing for Eleazer:

Eleazer enlisted in the army in Scarborough for one year at age eleven and served until August when he was left in Boston with smallpox and sent home. He was a musician, a fifer,  in the company of Captain Watkins of the Regt. commanded by Col Phinney in the Massachusetts line. He and his brother, a drummer, served with their father. In January, 1777 he enlisted for 3 years and served in his father, Col. Silas Burbank’s,  company in Col. Samuel Brewer’s regiment.

One record on file in Washington states that “Eleazer was captured and held prisoner for a month and when the English soldiers asked him to play for them he responded by playing Yankee Doodle much to their amusement.

He was in the retreat from Ticonderoga, Battle of Fort Ann and at taking of Burgoyne.  In Dec, 1780 he was discharged from the military.

Neither of the brothers ended up in Parsonsfield. In 1788 Eleazer married Mary Brackett. He was a farmer and after living in Scarborough for a time, around 1798-99, he moved with a 6 ox team to Belgrade, Maine where he lived out the rest of his days.

His older brother David married Miriam _ and settled in Newfield, Maine
appearing there in the 1800 Census. He died in 1806 at the age of 44, leaving 5 minor sons.

The first of the family to move to Parsonsfield was their younger brother, Samuel, born 1772. He married Esther Boothby and they, along with his father, settled in Parsonsfield sometime around 1805. He was a blacksmith and a carpenter. When his brother David died prematurely, Samuel and Esther were appointed the legal guardians of David’s 5 young sons – this was in addition to raising their own 11 children.

The 1856 and 1872 maps show their home as that of William Burbank, who was Samuel’s youngest son.

Captain Silas died in this house in September 1814 and was buried in the afore-mentioned cemetery. His tombstone bears a lovely motif of a weeping willow with the following inscription:

In memory of Capt. Silas Burbank
died Sept. 1814 in the 76th yr of his age.

A Heartfelt Thank You to Silas Burbank
and his sons, David and Eleazer for their Service in the Founding of Our Country

semiquincentennial

6/15/2026 – Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of our Country– Its Semiquincentennial

Sixth in the Series: James Brown

Born in Prince William County, Virginia March 6, 1758, according to
the Maine Old Cemetery Association, James Brown is the only
Revolutionary War veteran from one of the southern colonies to settle in
either Porter or Parsonsfield that we are aware of.
In his sworn affidavit when he applied for a pension in 1819 he made
the following testimony which is transcribed below:

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
I James Brown a citizen of the United States, born in Prince William County Virginia, now resident in Fairfax in the district of Maine, upon oath testify and declare, (being fifty nine years of age) that the last of December 1776 I enlisted as a private soldier for the term of three years, in the war of the revolution, against the common enemy upon the continental establishment in Capt Gallihue’s company, but commanded by Lieut Davis and Col. Daniel Morgan’s regiment, of the Virginia line. Under this enlistment I continued to serve until December. 1777 when I again enlisted as a private for the period of during the war in Capt Wrights company and the same Col. Daniel Morgan’s regiment of the Virginia line but my company was afterwards assigned to the first Virginia regiment commanded by Col. Ruppel. officers of the same Virginia line. Under this enlistment I continued to serve and was marched to Charleston South Carolina and was there taken prisoner upon the surrender of that in May 1780 – I remained a prisoner until May 1781. I made my escape, but did not arrive home until after the close of the war, and therefore took no formal discharge. I was in the battles of Brandy Wine and Germantown, and at the siege of Charleston. Being at a great distance from my native state, I am unable to furnish further evidence of my service. From my noted circumstances, I need the assistance of my country for support. And I do hereby relinquish all my claim to every pension heretofore allowed me by the laws of the U. States, if any; but I am not to my knowledge borne on any pension list
whatever. James Brown Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Hancock ss.
On the eighth day of May 1819. James Brown above named, after being
carefully examined, made oath to the truth of the above declaration, by him subscribed. Before me, Nathan Weston Jun C. Justice C.C.C. Pleas & C. Circuit.

Summary of His Service

  • December 1776 – December 1777: Capt. Gallihue’s co.,Col. Daniel Morgan’s Regiment of the Virginia line.
  • December 1777: Re-enlisted for period of “during the war.” Capt. Wright’s co., Col. Daniel Morgan’s Regiment.
  • Fought in two battles of the Philadelphia Campaign as the Continental Army under George Washington attempted to regain control of that city.
    1. Battle at Brandywine, PA September 11, 1777; More troops fought at Brandywine than at any other battle of the American Revolution. It was also the second longest single-day battle of the war, with continuous fighting for 11 hours.
    2. Battle at Germantown, PA October 4, 1777; part of the Philadelphia Campaign.
  • Was taken prisoner in May 1780 when the city fell to the British at the Siege of Charlestown, South Carolina and was held until his escape a year later in May 1781.

The siege of Charleston  was a major engagement and major British victory in the American Revolutionary War. It was fought in
the area of Charles Town (today Charleston), between March 29 and May 12, 1780. The British, following the collapse of their northern strategy in late 1777 and their withdrawal from Philadelphia in 1778, shifted their focus to the North American Southern Colonies. After approximately six weeks of siege, Major General Benjamin Lincoln, commanding the Charleston garrison, surrendered his forces to the British. It was one of the worst American defeats of the war.

According to the record below from the book, “Soldiers, Sailor, and
Patriots of the Revolutionary War, Maine edition”, he was married to Lydia ____.

But his listing by the Maine Old Cemetery Association gives us his wife’s
maiden name as well – Lydia Woodman. We have been unable to locate a
record of their marriage or any information about his wife. We have to
assume that she wasn’t with James when he came to Maine. What
brought him to Maine, or when he first arrived, we have no idea, but once
here, here he remained for the rest of his life.

What we do know is that:

  • he was living in the town of Fairfax, now Albion, District of Maine in 1819 when he applied for a pension;
  • he appears in the 1840 census in Parsonsfield in the household of Edmund Chase where he is listed as a veteran;
  • in the 1850 census he was still living in Parsonsfield in the same household now headed by Elizabeth Chase, widow of Edmund Chase. He is listed as a pensioner and, in answer to what his infirmity is, the answer given is blind. Whether totally or partially blind we do not know.

At the time of his death on January 18, 1852 at the age of 93 he was
living on the multigenerational Jacob French/Jesse Bickford farm (later
known as the Gilman farm) in Porter where he was being cared for in
exchange for his pension according to the burial record below.

The owner of the farm where he had been living applied for the back pay
which was owed to James at the time of his death.

Jacob French and Jesse Bickford were direct ancestors of our former
longtime member, Dorothy Gilman who married Clayton Locke, another
longtime member and former President of our historical society. The house still remains in the family, now owned by their daughter Patricia Locke Parker.

The Homestead of Jesse Bickford — July 1909

The land was purchased in 1794 by John French and the original part of
the home (a log cabin) was built in 1804.

James’ final resting place is in the back right corner of the French-
Gilman cemetery. His grave is a field stone marker with a flag for a
Revolutionary War soldier, still being cared for by descendants of Jesse
Bickford.

A Heartfelt Thank You to James Brown
for his Service in the Founding of Our Country

semiquincentennial

5/15/2026 – Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the founding of our Country

The Semiquicentennial, the 5th of the Series

When I was told by our PPHS Vice-President, Lynda Sudlow, that she had read somewhere that Thomas Parsons had fought in the Revolutionary War, I thought that she must have been mistaken. The History of the First Century of Parsonsfield (1785 – 1885) by Jeremiah Dearborn tells us this about him:

Thomas Parsons was born in Bradford, Massachusetts on September 18, 1735, son of Rev. Joseph Parsons and Frances (Usher) Parsons. On September 7, 1758, when he was 22 years he married Anna Poor of Andover, Massachusetts.

They had 9 children together:

Thomas Parsons (1759–1788)
Stephen Parsons (1760–1764)
Joseph Parsons (1762–1839)
Enoch Parsons (1764–1782)
Stephen Parsons (1766–1836)
Nancy Parsons (1769–)
John Usher Parsons (1771–1825)
Mary Parsons (1773–1856)
Sarah Parsons (1775–

The founding of what came to be called Parsonsfield was set into motion when, according to the The History of the First Century of Parsonsfield, written in 1885,

I’m sure that you can see why I was skeptical about Thomas’ participation in the Revolution.  He was 40 years old, married with 8 living children and was in the midst of founding a town.  He was a very busy man.  But then I discovered this wonderful resource book which PPHS recently acquired when Ancient Landmarks disbanded and some of their books were added to our research materials.

True to the book’s fourth objective as listed above, his entry gives the following source codes:
CL-2 is a Compiled List from the Index of Maine Men in the Rolls of Honor of the Lineage Books of National Society of the D.A.R., Vol 115, Page 249

MOCA is the Index of Revolutionary Veterans Buried in Maine compiled by the Maine Old Cemetery Association.

But what does PS after his name mean? The book defines it as Patriotic Service rendered in a different way as opposed to active service. Someone obviously needs to keep things going on the homefront.

During the American Revolutionary War, local militias played a crucial role, distinct from the longer-term service of the Continental Army. These units comprised citizen-soldiers who typically responded to immediate, localized threats, often referred to as “alarms.” Their service was usually brief, reflecting the need for community defense rather than extended military campaigns.

At the time of the Revolution, Thomas and family were living in Leavittstown, NH (now Effingham) and he was serving in the militia. Thomas’ service in the New Hampshire Militia in July 1777 exemplifies this pattern. He served for just 12 days, from July 1st to July 12th, a short duration characteristic of militia call-ups. His involvement was in response to an alarm concerning Fort Ticonderoga, a strategic point during the Saratoga Campaign. Such alarms prompted local residents to temporarily leave their farms and trades to join the fighting effort, demonstrating a community-based defense model. This brief period of service contrasts with the Continental Army, which required more sustained enlistments for national campaigns.

The British advance on Fort Ticonderoga in 1777 generated significant apprehension in the northern colonies, leading to calls for local militias to mobilize. Parsons’ record, detailing his entry and discharge dates, highlights how quickly these citizen-soldiers could be called to arms and released once the immediate threat subsided or their specific mission was completed. His participation, though brief, places him within the broader context of the Saratoga Campaign, a pivotal moment in the Revolution. The reliance on such short-term, alarm-based service underscores the decentralized nature of early American military efforts and the direct involvement of local communities in their own defense.

Whether or not Thomas was again called up with the militia we have not determined. What we do know of the rest of his story is that his wife Anna died on May 24, 1783 at the age of 44. Then after serving as Moderator for the town meeting in Leavittstown, NH in March 1784, he moved to Parsonsfield where in August 1785 he was chosen Moderator and Chairman of the first Board of Selectmen of the newly-incorporated
town.

Also in 1785 Thomas married Lucy Bradbury (b. 1757) of Saco.

They had 10 children together:
Elizabeth Usher Parsons (1787–1857)
Susan Parsons  (1788–1837)
Thomas Bradbury Parsons ( – )
Abigail Parsons (1790–1848)
William Parsons (1791–1876)
Lucy Parsons (1792– 1884)
Lucinda Parsons (1795–1796)
Sylvester Parsons (1796–1860)
Lucinda Parsons (1798–1877)
Samuel B. Parsons (1801–1869)

Thomas Parsons departed this life on August 10, 1811 and his wife Lucy succeeded him by only 3 months, dying November 10, 1811. Their homestead passed to their son-in-law, Capt. Luther Emerson (married to Thomas and Lucy’s daughter Elizabeth Usher Parsons) and became known as Emerson Homestead.

The house was owned by descendants of Thomas Parsons until 1907 when it was destroyed by fire.

Although the cellar hole was still there in 1960 there is no sign of the former buildings now.

It is completely overgrown with trees.

The Emerson-Parsons Cemetery remains in good condition on the opposite side of the road.

Anna Poor Parsons (1739-1783)
Lucy Bradbury Parsons (1757-1811)
Thomas Parsons (1735-1811)

Thomas’ simple stone reads:

In memory of Thomas Parsons, who departed this life August 10, 1811, aged 76 years.

“Behold fond man, see here thy pictured life,

Thy flowery spring, thy summer’s ardent strength;
The sober autumn fading into age,
And pale concluding winter comes at last,

And shuts the scene.”

A Heartfelt Thank You to Thomas Parsons
for his Service in the Founding of Our Country
AND the Founding of the town of Parsonsfield

semiquincentennial

4/15/2026 – Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of our Country, its Semiquincentennial – A correction and the 4th of the Series

Correction:

Before we tell the story of this month’s soldier we have a correction to last month’s story about John Trueworthy where we reported that:

“The 1790 Census shows his family still residing in Biddeford but they later took up residency in Phippsburg where in 1803 John served as constable and was required to collect taxes of several people in the town.“
Since that time PPHS President, Sylvia Trueworthy Pease, has discovered that our reading of the name of the town in the old document was in error and the name of the town was actually Phillipsburgh.

In the book Saco Valley Settlements and Famiies by Gideon T. Ridlon “The town was incorporated January 27, 1798 by the name of Phillipsburgh, in honor of the first white proprietor.”
“The name of the new town soon became a source of trouble, and a committee of seven wise men was appointed to find a more appropriate designation. Of the name Phillipsburgh it was said: ‘It is too long to write and too hard for the younger ones to pronounce.’ In 1811 the unwieldy name was exchanged for Hollis…The early government seems to have been rather arbitrary, as persons not used to authority are apt to be when in office.”

Perhaps that is why John did not remain in Phillipsburgh because in February of 1807 he bought a parcel of land from Benjamin Rolfe in Parsonsfield. We are grateful that he did.

Now…the 4th in the Series

The featured soldier this month demonstrated remarkable dedication by serving for nearly the entire duration of the Revolutionary War.

Joseph Pearl (Jr) was born in January 1760 to Joseph and Sarah (Bickford) Pearl in Rochester, New Hampshire. The year 1776 brought great changes to his life. His older brother John, born 1753, died in June. Then his mother Sarah passed away on October 9, 1776, in Rochester, New Hampshire, at the age of 39.

The following year, May 1977, he enlisted at Fort Independence in Captain Benjamin Titcomb’s Co. of the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment for a period of three years. He was only 17 years old.

The 2nd New Hampshire Regiment was organized May 1775 from Strafford and Rockingham counties and was commanded by Colonel Enoch Poor, of Exeter. In 1776 it was renamed the 8th Continental Regiment.

In a muster roll dated September 5th Joseph was listed as missing since July 7th and a description of the missing was given, a rarity in military records.

By mid-September Joseph was back with his company and thrust into battle at Saratoga, New York. Of the two battles of Saratoga, known as the Battles of Freeman’s Farm, Bemis Heights or Stillwater, the second battle was the first great victory of the Americans and was deemed by many historians to be the turning point of the Revolutionary War. The victory at Saratoga was significant not only for its immediate military impact but also for its diplomatic consequences. It convinced France to formally recognize American independence and enter the war as an ally, providing much-needed military and financial support.

In 1781 Joseph served in Capt. Jeremiah Fogg’s company, 2 nd New Hampshire Regiment and in the following year was promoted from Private to Corporal on April 1, 1782.

After the end of the war, Joseph returned home and on November 17, 1783 married Catherine Clark (1762 – 1837) in his hometown, Rochester, New Hampshire, when he was 23 years old. They had ten children in 20 years. While still living in Rochester the following children were born: Mary (1784–1856); Simeon (1786–); Elizabeth (1786–); Benjamin (1790–1830); and Sarah (1792–1877); Perry Diamond (1794–1837); Anna (1796–1861); John (1798–1868); Joseph III (1801–1889); and James C. (1804–).

Joseph was apparently the recipient of bounty land according to this document.

Bounty land warrants were first authorized by the Continental Congress in September 1776 as a way to compensate soldiers for their service during the Revolutionary War, especially when the fledgling nation had limited financial resources. These warrants served both as a reward and as an incentive to encourage enlistment in the Continental Army. The amount of land granted varied by rank.

Whether or not the land granted to him was here in Porter, or if he sold the land granted for cash, he is listed in Thomas Moulton’s “History of Porter, As a Portion of Maine, Its Settlement, Etc.” written 1879 as being a settler in Porter in 1793.

At a plantation meeting in June of 1803 when school districts were laid out, he was listed in School District Three which was described as being in the northern part of the settlement.

We have been unable to locate exactly where his property was, but in 1805 he sold part of the lot to Thomas Cutts of Saco. It is described as being part of lot 12, Range D on the proprietors map which would be in the northwest corner of Porter. The deed states that the conveyance includes the buildings thereon and is where he was currently living on land bought from Benjamin Bickford.

Joseph Pearl died in 1813 in Porter, Maine, when he was 53 years old. Maine Old Cemetery Association gives his burial place as Porter but sadly, beyond that, his final resting place is unknown. Neither is that of his wife, Catherine, who died in Porter in 1837. Our book, “Cemeteries of the Town of Porter, Maine” gives this as a possiblillty.

The service of individuals like Joseph Pearl Jr. in the American Revolutionary War exemplifies how ordinary citizens contributed to the struggle for independence.

Life as a soldier during the Revolution was arduous. Troops faced challenging conditions, including irregular pay, scarcity of provisions, and exposure to disease, which often claimed more lives than combat itself. Despite these hardships, the Continental Army and local militias, composed largely of citizen-soldiers, formed the backbone of the American resistance.

For individuals like Pearl, their service represented a profound personal
commitment to the founding of the new nation. Their experiences, shared by thousands, helped to forge a collective identity and laid the groundwork for the civic responsibility that characterized the early American republic.

A Heartfelt Thank You to Joseph Pearl
for his Service in the Founding of Our Country