Col. Thomas Starrett: 52 Ancestors #67

Thomas Starrett was born in 1738 in St. Georges Plantation (now Warren), Lincoln, Maine, the fourth of five children of William Starrett and Mary Gamble. He was about 7 years old when his father, one of the first settlers of the plantation, removed the family to Dedham, Massachusetts, for safety from Indian attacks on the plantation during the French and Indian wars.¹

Marriage of Thomas "Sterret" and Rebekah Lewis, 1762, Dedham, Mass.

Thomas grew up in Dedham, and on 3 June 1762, married Rebecca Lewis,² daughter of Isaac and Mary (Whiting) Lewis of Dedham.³ In 1763, with the wars finally over, he returned to Maine and settled on his father's farm on the western side of the river⁴ – lot 40 from the first assignment to the Georges River settlers.⁵ His father never returned from Dedham, and after his death in 1769, Thomas brought his mother to St. Georges, where he built her a house and provided for her care until she died in 1786.⁶ About 1772, Thomas sold lot 40 and purchased another farm on the eastern side of the river, where he lived out the rest of his life.⁷

Thomas was a deeply respected member of his community, involved throughout his life in business, government, military, and church affairs. He was a partner in the building of a sawmill in 1774;⁸ was granted a license as a retailer (of what is unstated) in 1789-90;⁹ and owned two ships – the sloop Union, launched in 1786,¹⁰ and (with Capt. John Spear) the first brig owned in Warren, the Speedwell, built 1791 and lost to a French privateer in 1799.¹¹

In 1775, with war looming, a committee of correspondence was formed in the town, with Thomas one of the members. As supplies were gathered, "Mr. Tho. Starrett [was ordered] to receive the drum and colors" and, along with others, received 14 lbs. of powder "for the defence of the inhabitants."¹² A captain in the militia, he was one of the "first company officers in the Upper town ... spontaneously elected by the people in 1775.... Under the auspices of Capt. Starrett... the military affairs of the place, were... conducted to the general satisfaction."¹³ He served under Col. Mason Wheaton and, upon Wheaton's retirement in 1785, was appointed Colonel in his place and was thereafter known generally as "Col. Starrett."¹⁴

The "upper town" of St. George's Plantation was incorporated as the Town of Warren in 1776. When the first town meeting was called in March 1777, Col. Starrett was elected as one of the first selectmen and assessors.¹⁵ For the next two decades he almost continually held office, variously as selectman, assessor, or town treasurer, and was the town's representative to the state legislature in 1781, 84, 85, and 92.¹⁶ When the town petitioned the Massachusetts State Legislature in 1793 to pass an act to regulate the fishery of the St. George's River falls, Thomas and Thomas Jr. were among the more than fifty signatories on the petition.¹⁷ (Eaton, alas, makes no mention of this in his Annals, so I have no idea whether their petition was successful or not.)

In 1795 a Congregational Church was established in Warren. Thomas Starrett was chosen as the first deacon of this church in 1796 and "for more than a quarter of a century exercised the office, and, by his piety and meekness, contributed much to its prosperity."¹⁸

Thomas and Rebecca had 12 children:¹⁹

1. Mary (1764-1848), m. John O'Brien
2. Thomas Jr. (1765-1844), m. Ann Kirkpatrick (daughter of John Kirkpatrick and Ann Bradbury)
3. Capt. William 3rd (1767-1834), m. (1) Jane Spear (daughter of Capt. John Spear and Agnes Lamb), (2) Martha McCarter
4. Isaac (1769-1830), m. Mary Spear (daughter of Capt. John Spear and Agnes Lamb)
5. Rebecca (1771-1852), m. Capt. John Spear 2d (son of Capt. John Spear and Agnes Lamb)
6. John (1773-1856), m. Margaret Fitzgerald
7. Margaret (1775-1855), m. Thomas Kirkpatrick (son of John Kirkpatrick and Ann Bradbury)
8. Nancy (1777-1834), m. John Kirkpatrick 2d (son of John Kirkpatrick and Ann Bradbury)
9. Sarah (1780-1854), m. Capt. Lemuel Andrews
10. Lewis (1783-1863), m. Mary Cole
11. Lucy (1786-1866), m. John McDowell
12. Elizabeth (1788-1875), m. Capt. Stephen Crowell Burgess

This illustrates how closely families could be intertwined at the time: three of the Starrett children married three Kirkpatrick siblings, while another three Starretts married three Spear siblings. (In later generations there were more Starrett-Kirkpatrick and Starrett-Spear intermarriages, and at least one Kirkpatrick-Spear marriage that I am aware of. I would imagine the DNA trail would be complicated.)

In 1790, 10 of the 12 children were still unmarried and presumably still in Thomas's household. The next two households in the census enumeration are married son Thomas Jr. and John "O'Bryan," husband of daughter Mary Starrett.²⁰

1790 U.S. census, Warren, Lincoln County, Maine, Thomas "Starret" household

Thomas Starrett died 31 January 1822 in Warren at age 83, and was buried in the Town Cemetery beside his wife.²¹ (Click on the photo to enlarge – the stone is very worn and difficult to read.)

Col. Thomas Starrett gravestone, Town Cemetery, Warren, Maine

My descent from Thomas Starrett (my 4x great-grandfather):

• Col. Thomas Starrett and Rebecca Lewis
• Nancy Starrett and John Kirkpatrick 2d
• Jabez Bradbury Kirk(patrick) and Abigail Faulkner
• Silas Kirk and Sarah Sukeforth
• Chester F. Kirk and Mary Milliken Hodsdon (my paternal grandparents)

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SOURCES

1. Greenleaf Cilley and Jonathan P. Cilley, The Mount Desert Widow: Genealogy of the Maine Gamble Family (Rockland, Maine: Knox County Historical and Genealogical Magazine, 1895), p. 131.
2. "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database and digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 10 Nov 2018) > Norfolk > Dedham > Births, marriages, deaths 1635-1853 > image 722 of 763; "Births, Deaths & Marriages 1635-1777," p. 223, marriage of Thomas "Sterret" and Rebekah Lewis, 3 Jun 1762.
3. Cilley and Cilley, p. 131.
4. Cyrus Eaton, Annals of the Town of Warren, in Knox County, Maine, Second Edition (Hallowell, Maine: Masters & Livermore, 1877), p. 135.
5. Cilley and Cilley, p. 131.
6. Ibid.
7. Eaton, p. 135.
8. Ibid., p. 178.
9. Ibid., p. 664.
10. Ibid., p. 673.
11. Ibid., p. 246.
12. Ibid., p. 169.
13. Ibid., p. 172.
14. Ibid., p. 231.
15. Ibid., p. 177.
16. Ibid., pp. 657-60.
17. "Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 22, 1793," petition from inhabitants of Warren, Lincoln County, Eastern Herald (Portland, Maine), 17 Mar 1794, p. 3, cols. 3-4; database and images, GenealogyBank (www.genealogybank.com : accessed 14 Feb 2016).
18. Eaton, pp. 261-2.
19. Ibid. pp. 624-5.
20. 1790 U.S. census, population schedule, Maine, Lincoln County, Warren, p. 324, lines 17-19, Thomas Starret, Thomas Starret Junr, and John O'Bryan households; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Aug 2015).
21. Town Cemetery (Warren, Knox County, Maine), Col. Thomas Starrett gravestone, read and photographed by the author, 6 Oct 2013.

52 Ancestors: #26, William Starrett, Ulster Scots-Irish Immigrant

My 5X great-grandfather, William Starrett, was born 15 Apr 1694 in Scotland. He was only two years old when his parents, fleeing religious persecution, took him into hiding for three months in a cave in Scotland, until they were able to take refuge in northern Ireland.

In 1724, William married Mary Gamble, a native of County Derby, Ireland. They emigrated from Ireland to New England around 1728, settling first in Pemaquid, Maine, and in 1735 moving to what would become Warren, Maine.

William and Mary had five children:

1. Margaret, b. presumably in Ireland, married 1) Hugh Scot; 2) Dr. Daniel Locke; 3) Stephen Peabody
2. Hugh, b. in Ireland, lost at sea
3. David, b. 1736 in Warren, married 1) Mary McClintock; 2) Mrs. Elizabeth Langdon
4. Thomas, b. 1738 in Warren, married Rebecca Lewis
5. William, b. 1743 in Warren, married Abagail Fisher

When the third of the four French and Indian Wars, known as King George's War, broke out in 1744, the Starretts removed first to Woburn, and then to Dedham, Massachusetts. William served in the last French War with others from Dedham, possibly as far away as Louisbourg, Cape Breton, Canada.

William died in Dedham on 8 Mar 1769. His widow returned to Warren, Maine, where she died in 1786.

My descent from William Starrett:

• William Starrett and Mary Gamble
• Col. Thomas Starrett and Rebecca Lewis
• Nancy Starrett and John Kirkpatrick 2d
• Jabez Bradbury Kirk(patrick) and Abigail Faulkner
• Silas Kirk and Sarah Sukeforth
• Chester F. Kirk and Mary Milliken Hodsdon (my paternal grandparents)

(Note: This post is in response to Amy Johnson Crow's "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" challenge at No Story Too Small.)

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SOURCES

1. Greenleaf Cilley and Jonathan P. Cilley, The Mount Desert Widow: Genealogy of the Maine Gamble Family (Rockland, Maine: Knox County Historical and Genealogical Magazine, 1895), p. 131; digital images, Internet Archive (http://archive.org/details/mountdesertwidow00cill : accessed 5 Mar 2012).

Ahnentafel of Chester F. Kirk

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to post a brief five-generation Ahnentafel and pedigree chart for each of my four grandparents, starting this week with my paternal grandfather, Chester Frank Kirk.

Pedigree of Chester Frank Kirk (click on the image for a larger view)

1 Chester Frank KIRK. He was born in Warren, ME, on 10 Sep 1857. Died on 13 Jul 1939 in Lewiston, ME; he was 81. He was buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Auburn, ME, on 15 Jul 1939. Occupation: Clockworks machinist and veterinary surgeon; mechanic.

He married Mary Milliken HODSDON ca 1901-03 in prob Andover, ME.

2 Silas KIRK. He was born in Warren, ME, on 9 May 1827. Died on 9 May 1909 in Lewiston, ME; he was 82. He was buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Auburn, ME. Occupation: Carpenter and mechanic. Cause of death: Old age and nephritis.

He married Sarah C. SUKEFORTH on 12 Jun 1856 in Warren, ME.

3 Sarah C. SUKEFORTH. She was born in Washington, ME, on 31 Mar 1838. Died on 26 May 1905 in Freeport, ME; she was 67. She was buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Auburn, ME. Cause of death: Softening of brain.

4 Jabez Bradbury KIRK(PATRICK). He was born in Warren, ME, on 10 May 1800. Died on 26 Feb 1884 in Warren, ME; he was 83. He was buried in Newcomb Cemetery, Warren, ME. Occupation: Carpenter and shipwright.

He married Abigail FAULKNER on 13 Nov 1825 in prob Warren, ME.

5 Abigail FAULKNER. She was born in Maitland, Douglas Twp, Hants Co, NS, on 14 Oct 1808. Died on 4 Oct 1891 in Warren, ME; she was 82. She was buried in Newcomb Cemetery, Warren, ME.

6 Simon SUKEFORTH. He was born in Washington, ME, ca 1813. Died on 13 Aug 1874 in prob Washington, ME; he was 61. He was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Washington, ME. Occupation: farmer.

He married Jane MILLER abt 1832-33.

7 Jane MILLER. She was born in Friendship, ME, on 30 Jul 1810. Died on 29 Apr 1879 in Washington, ME; she was 68. She was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Washington, ME.

8 John KIRKPATRICK 2d. He was born in Warren, ME, in 1773. Died on 13 Dec 1825 in N. Warren, ME; he was 52. He was buried in Town Cemetery, Warren, ME. Occupation: Farmer.

He married Nancy STARRETT on 26 Aug 1798 in Warren, ME.

9 Nancy STARRETT. She was born in Warren, ME, in 1777. Died on 22 Apr 1834 in Warren, ME; she was 57. She was buried in Town Cemetery, Warren, ME.

10 Edward FAULKNER.

He married Margaret MORRISON.

11 Margaret MORRISON.

12 Robert SUCKFORTH. He was born in Union, ME, ca 1780-88. He was born in Appleton, ME. Died in 1860-1870 in Washington, ME; he was 80. Occupation: farmer.

He married Mary/Polly MILLER ca Jul 1807 in prob Hope, ME.

13 Mary/Polly MILLER. She was born in Friendship or Waldoboro, ME, in 1775. She was born ? 1790. Died ca 1850-60 in Washington, ME; she was 75.

14 William MILLER. Died aft 1837 in Friendship, ME.

He married [--?--] [--?--].

15 [--?--] [--?--].

16 John KIRKPATRICK. He was born in Scotland ca 1734. Died in Jun 1785 in Warren, ME; he was 51. He was buried in Old Settlers' Cemetery, Warren, ME. Occupation: cooper.

He married Ann BRADBURY on 3 Nov 1758 in Falmouth (now Portland), ME.

17 Ann BRADBURY. She was born in Falmouth (now Portland), ME, on 3 Jan 1736. Died on 19 Jan 1817 in Warren, ME; she was 81.

18 Col. Thomas STARRETT. He was born in Warren, ME, in 1738. Died on 22 or 31 Jan 1822 in Warren, ME; he was 84.

He married Rebecca LEWIS on 3 Jun 1762 in Dedham, MA.

19 Rebecca LEWIS. She was born in Dedham, MA, on 8 May 1743. Died on 26 Jun 1813; she was 70.

20 Robert FAULKNER. He was born in prob County Tyrone, Ireland, ca 1733.

He married Hannah FAULKNER.

21 Hannah FAULKNER. She was born in County Monagan, Ireland.

24 Andreas SUCHFORT. He was born in Hannover, Sachsen, Germany, ? 11 Jan 1755. Died aft 1840 in Washington, ME; he was 84. Died ? 1840 in Waldoboro, ME; he was 84. Died ca 1830 in Washington, ME; he was 74. He was buried in Metcalf Cemetery, Appleton, ME.

He married Catherine NEWBERT ca 1778.

25 Catherine NEWBERT. She was born in Broad Bay, MA, ca 1764. She was born ca 1760-62. She was born in Waldoboro, ME, ? 1766. Died aft 1840 in prob Hope, ME; she was 76.

26 [--?--] MILLER.

He married Margaret [--?--].

27 Margaret [--?--]. She was born in Germany ca 1753. Died aft 1850; she was 97.

28 William MILLER. He was born ca 1750.

Index

[--?--]
    [--?--]    15
    Margaret (ca1753 - >1850)    27
BRADBURY
    Ann (1736 - 1817)    17
FAULKNER
    Abigail (1808 - 1891)    5
    Edward    10
    Hannah    21
    Robert (ca1733 - )    20
HODSDON
    Mary Milliken (1882 - 1965)    spouse of 1
KIRK
    Chester Frank (1857 - 1939)    1
    Silas (1827 - 1909)    2
KIRK(PATRICK)
    Jabez Bradbury (1800 - 1884)    4
    John (ca1734 - 1785)    16
    John 2d (1773 - 1825)    8
LEWIS
    Rebecca (1743 - 1813)    19
MILLER
    [--?--]    26
    Jane (1810 - 1879)    7
    Mary/Polly (1775 - ca1850)    13
    William ( - >1837)    14
    William (ca1750 - )    28
MORRISON
    Margaret    11
NEWBERT
    Catherine (ca1764 - >1840)    25
STARRETT
    Nancy (1777 - 1834)    9
    Col. Thomas (1738 - 1822)    18
SUCHFORT
    Andreas (?1755 - >1840)    24
SUCKFORTH
    Robert (ca1780 - 1860)    12
SUKEFORTH
    Sarah C. (1838 - 1905)    3
    Simon (ca1813 - 1874)    6