Individual Details

"As a soldier, as a legislator in the Great and General Court or Assembly of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, as a ship-owner, trader, land-owner, mill proprietor and as the leading citizen in Maine, both before and after it was a separate state, Captain Abiel Lovejoy's long life was crammed full of adventures and achievements.
Records are very clear that he was born in Andover, Mass., on Dec. 16, 1731 and baptized there three days later. His father died when he was about twenty years old and Abiel and his brothers were left dependant entirely upon their own resources. He had no "head start" in life.
Abiel is listed, as early as 1755, in the records of Massachusetts Colonial Soldiers. He first appears as a sergeant on a muster roll of Captain Goodwin's Company which had been "scouting eastward and guarding stores of Fort Halifax." This roll was dated at Boston Dec. 27, 1755 and sworn to Dec 31, 1755 in Suffolk County, Boston. In 1756 he is listed twice as a sentinel on "A Muster-roll of the Company in His Majesty's Service Under the Command of Samuel Goodwin, Capt." But by 1758 Abiel is listed as a captain. The muster roll of Colonel Nichols' regiment has the names of the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th men listed on this roll shown as belonging to Captain Lovejoy's company. In August 1771 a "List of Officers for the first Regiment of Militia in the County of Lincoln" has " Abiel Lovejoy, captain" of the "2nd Company, in Pownalboro" It is therefore evident he obtained his captains commission before 1758 and held it for at least thirteen years in the Pownalborough company of the regiment assigned to Lincoln County, then in the state of Massachusetts Bay, but now in the state of Maine.
Just before his marriage in 1758 Abiel bought a negro slave called "Boston". Abiel's wife, Mary, also received from her father as a wedding present a young negress slave, who afterwards married Boston and who with Boston formed part of many true stories and legends. Mary probably accompanied her young husband on several cruises while he was still a ship captain, sometimes to Annapolis Royal on the Bay of Fundy and other times down the Coast and once or twice even to the West Indies. When in port they lived at Nathaniel Brown's "Three Cranes Tavern" which stood on the spot now a public park in Charlestown Square.
In 1760 Captain Abiel (then termed "mariner of Charlestown') purchased on Sept 29 of "Ann Spaulding, spinster" thirty-five acres of land in the newly incorporated town of Pownalborough, Me. formerly called "Frankfort Plantation." Pownalborough was made the shire town in the new Lincoln County which before 1760 had been the eastern part of York County. The place was a frontier. Only one settlement Cobbisecontee (now Gardiner, Me.) was above Pownalborough on the Kennebec and that was settled only a year previous. In 1754 the entire country was unbroken wilderness between Fort Richmond, opposite Pownalborough, and Canada. In that year Fort Western, now Augusta, and Fort Halifax, now Winslow, Me, were built and occupied as defences and protection from attacks by the Indians who, spurred on by the French in Canada, were becoming more than usually hostile to the English settlers. The hardships, privations and suffering of these pioneers can never be fully understood by their descendants. Not until 1759 was the outlook encouraging for them. The capture of Quebec that year from the French by the Americans was the culmination of the fighting. There were no luxuries of civilization and very few comforts. Most settlers were extremely poor, lived in miserable huts, had no schools, no religious organizations, no ministers, and no teachers.
It was to Lot # 11 on the east side of the Kennebec River on a peninsula between Kennebec and Eastern Rivers and later within the limits of the town of Dresden, Me, that Captain Abiel and Mary moved with their two young children in 1761. He devoted himself to agriculture and mercantile pursuits. In May, 1761, he was, by his majesty's court of General Session for the County of Lincoln, admitted an inn holder and licensed to sell tea and coffee. He bought more land along the Kennebec, and built a large house which was furnished "in a sumptuous manner," richly and tastefully, with the help of gifts from his father-in-law who was prospering with his Charlestown tavern. Mary received from her father two more Negro slaves, Salem and Venus, and Mary also had as housekeeper and companion, an English woman, Elizabeth Millner.
In March 1762 he was made a selectman of Pownalborough as he continued becoming a leading citizen of the community. He owned Swan Island in the Kennebec, later the town of Perkins, Me., which when first discovered by white men was the home of Sebenoa, the Indian Sachem. In 1763 he was termed "merchant" but more frequently "gentleman." He operated a ferry across the Kennebec and was regarded as the appropriate citizen to entertain those gentleman travelers who desired accommodations. He was made a selectman again in 1764 and acc. to Lincoln Co. records, was appointed guardian over several children by the probate judge. On Nov. 12, 1764 Captain Abiel and his father-in-law, Nathaniel Brown, purchased half of a saw mill and adjoining land and a half interest in a dam on a small stream eight miles above Fort Western. More and more Abiel began to buy large tracts of neighborhood land and to take first mortgages on parcels. His interests were many. He built a number of river ships which plied between Pownalborough and along the river and coast to Boston. he marketed his manufactured lumber in Boston. He owned several slaves and employed many other laborers as farmers, mill men and saw-men. His house on Lovejoy Landing, managed by his handsome, cultural wife, Mary, was widely known for its genial hospitality. At the time of the Pownalborough census, June 19, 1766, he owned a two-story house with 152 squares of glass, one chimney, three rooms with fire places, supported seven persons under sixteen years, and ten persons above sixteen years and he owned one other house one story high with 44 squares of glass and two fireplaces. The river near Lovejoy Landing was termed Lovejoy's Narrows, a term still used. Early church services in the town of Pownalborough were held at the Lovejoy mansion, Rev. Jacob Bailey mentioning the fact in his diaries of 1772.
During 1776 Captain Abiel and Mary moved to Vassalborough, settling on the west side of the river on the farm which, when it passed out of Lovejoy hands some decades later, became owned by the Sherman family. They made this move from Pownalborough up the river to Vassalborough by packing their goods, etc. on flat boats and scows which were towed by row boats. One boat, on which was packed all the Lovejoy "best furniture," was left for the night tied up to the bank but a severe storm of wind and rain before morning sank the boat and the furniture and valuable brocades were irreparably damaged. Captain Abiel sold out all his Pownalborough property to his father-in-law but proceeded to buy new tracts in Vassalborough.
The Vassalborough town records there show that Captain Abiel was on the Committee of Safety and Correspondence in 1776; a highway surveyor in 1776 and again in 1777; a grand juryman; in 1779 on a committee to settle with the women on account of supplies ordered to the soldiers families by the General Court; in 1780 moderator of town meetings; in 1781 town treasurer; in 1779-80 a selectman; in July 1779 a delegate to the Convention at Concord; in 1781 a delegate to the county convention at Wiscasset; in 1782 town collector, and surveyor of lumber; in 1787 and 1790 a selectman, in 1790 member of committee to divide the town into districts. After Sidney was set off from Vassalborough in 1792, Captain Abiel on May 7, 1792 was on a committee to settle with Vassalborough regarding the township of Sidney; in 1794 field driver, member of fish committee and collecting agent, also on committee to build a pound, in 1798 member of school committee for second district, also member of fish committee; in Sept 1777 he signed a petition to the Honorable Council and House of Representatives of the State of Massachusetts to abate the taxes of the inhabitants of Vassalborough. In 1777 he was one of three petitioners to the Massachusetts Government to extend the postal service to Thomaston and he was one of a committee of three authorized to agree with some suitable person to arrange for the postal service. The records of the Court of Common Pleas show he was plaintiff in a number of suits brought against men who owed him for goods from his Pownalborough store.
In 1781 he was appointed Justice of the Peace for the first time and solemnized a number of marriages thereafter. Henceforth he became known as Esquire or Squire. He assisted in building another saw mill at Vassalborough on the east side of the river and owned about 800 acres of land on both sides.
Captain Abiel Lovejoy was accused in 1781-2 by a handful of Sidney citizens, over whom he had probably triumphed in business and land transactions, of being "inimical" to the government, and his election was unsuccessfully contested. Captain Abiel had been elected year after year to the Great and General Court of the State of Massachusetts Bay but in 1781 - 1782 these elections were contested by some of his townsmen on the grounds that illegal votes were received, and also, that Lovejoy "was not friendly to the cause of America." It was voted that the election of Abiel Lovejoy was not proved to be illegal and a trial as to his character would be held next session. Abial "settled" the affair with the principal petitioners, by agreeing that "he would not attempt to sit in the honorable House again." No further proceedings took place. It will be noted that he was clearly and plainly elected and seated each of these years. The allegations were evidently not regarded in the House as of any great importance and they probably emanated from some business competitors or rival land owners. Moreover, the war had been in progress for more than six years, since 1775, and Captain Abiel, although an ex-soldier, might only have been expressing his hopes for an early peace instead of being outright "inimical."
The true record throughout, shows him beyond question, to be a fiery American patriot. In 1774 the Church of England people and their missionary rector at Pownalborough were abused and annoyed by neighboring inhabitants over the matter of continuing allegiance to the British crown. In a letter in Oct. 1774, Rev. Jacob Bailey wrote of the "furious mobs" of American patriots who at the instigation of Captain Abiel Lovejoy directed their rage at several English loyalists including Parson Bailey because the British sympathizers opposed the colonies.
In Sept 1775 Benedict Arnold's army passed up the Kennebec River on its perilous and ill-fated expedition to Canada. Many Lovejoys are familiar with the tradition that, when Arnold's soldiers were at Pownalborough, Captain Abiel Lovejoy exchanged sums of "hard money" with a great number of them for the Continental paper money which would be of no value as currency when the soldiers reached Canada. He also changed a large sum of money for Colonel Arnold and other officers and was induced to accommodate these soldiers "first, because his patriotism was at flood tide at this period and, secondly, by the fact that the paper money was variously discounted to him." Two years later it required $30 in these Continental paper money bills to equal one in "hard money" specie. It is, of course, an historical fact that the provincial government was not able to redeem this currency and the possessors were the losers. Captain Abiel Lovejoy lost some $30,000 this way and afterwards papered a room in the Lovejoy homestead with this "worthless money."
On New Year's Day, 1776, Parson Bailey wrote that men and boys at Pownalborough erected a liberty pole to express their defiance to the King and affront the parson and that Captain Lovejoy tried to insist that Parson Bailey, the British sympathizer, be forced to consecrate the pole by prayer. Hence, ample evidence is found to refute the allegations that Captain Abiel Lovejoy was "inimical".
The housekeeper-companion, Elizabeth Millner, died in 1784, leaving her possessions for the most part to Captain Abiel and making him sole heir and executor. To Abiel's children she bequeathed 13 pounds, to Nathaniel Lovejoy, 40 pounds for Stephen Lovejoy's education; and to Sarah Lovejoy, she gave "my Green Damask Gown and Petticoat and red quilted Petticoat, and one pair of staves..." (Lincoln Co. probate [II, 211]) Captain Abiel erected a stone over her resting place on the farm that stood for many years.
That part of Vassalborough in the west side of the Kennebec was incorporated as Sidney in 1792 including his home farm, the saw mill and much of his timber land.
He was always described as a man of strong will with much determination and decision of character except that he used liberally intoxicating liquors as was the custom of the times in which he lived. Once he consulted physicians in Boston about his failing eyesight which rendered him blind about 1796 or 97 and he was admonished by them to abstain from anything more than a "very moderate use" of stimulants. It is related that not long afterward Captain Abiel poured out a glass of brandy one memorable day and holding it out at arm's length and looking at it said "Good-bye, eyes" and drank it all.
On January 20, 1803 his sons, Nathaniel, Abiel, Thomas, Stephen, Jacob, William and his eldest daughter, Fanny Smiley, petitioned the judge of probate for Kennebec Co. to appoint a guardian for their father, giving as a reason for their request that "he was distracted in his mind or non-compose and incapable of taking care of himself or his property." The selectmen were ordered to examine into his mental condition and, following their report, the judge appointed Abiel's son-in-law, Samuel Dinsmore, as his guardian. Abiel wrote a letter to his local newspaper outlining his objections to this ruling which was published 28 July, 1803.

(Kennebec Gazette. July 28, 1803)
For the GAZETTE.
Mr. Edes,
Having observed in several of your late papers a declaration signed by Samuel Dinsmore, of Sidney, setting forth that he was duly appointed a guardian to Abiel Lovejoy, Esq. of said town, as being a person non-compos and unable to take care of himself --- I find, to my astonishment that I am the person alluded to; I now beg leave to make the following reply to the above declaration, that the public may be convinced how far the business corresponds with truth and justice. I now desire you to publish this reply in your useful Gazette.
      I have been a citizen of the United State upwards of seventy years, peaceably submitting to the laws and government of the same; I fought when my country fought; my heart bled when my country bled; I mourned in her adversity and rejoiced in her prosperity; I ever cheerfully contributed my mite towards the support of my country, as well as the happiness of neighbors and friends; and by my industry and economy, I have accumulated a small estate, which I reserved to support myself, my wife, and two faithful black servants, who have been partners with me in all my toils and hard labor,in our decrepit old age, that we might not become useless burdens to the town. Several years ago it pleased the great Governor of the Universe to deprive me of the sight of my eyes, which I think I have submitted to with a quiet resignation.After losing my sight, finding myself unable to cultivate my farm myself, I let it out to my sons, who, by their misconduct or want of ability to manage the same, not only run me in debt, but deprived me of many of the comforts of life.I soon found, from experience, that I either must come to poverty, or take the property, which I wish may be buried in eternal oblivion, I at length affected,and have let it out to other men, by which means I not only now get a comfortable support, but am able to pay some of my honest debts. This conduct hath so enraged my sons, that they, regardless of all the sacred ties of blood,or duty to parents, or pity to my old friendly negroes, that have nursed and waited on them from their cradles, whose tottering limbs are scarcely able to support their decaying bodies, have entered into a combination, being connected with a certain (at present) leading character of the town, by which means they mean to take my hard earned property out of my hands and force me to ask them what I shall eat or drink, or what I shall wear. The whole is done by a train of connections and parties concerned. To repeat their cruelties would only set my wounds bleeding afresh, for they are my children, and I have not banished the idea of my natural affection nor paternal tenderness towards them. I therefore wish to cast a veil over their cruel conduct, and make my appeal to reason and common sense. And now, you aged fathers and mothers, who with pain,trouble, and anxiety of mind, have brought up children as well as I, you are desired and solemnly entreated to give your attention a few moments to what I have to say on this important subject, and if it doth not gain your assistance,it may at least excite your pity. – I will first ask you this simple question,Are there not many undutiful children in every country, that, if by declaring their parents non compos, they could take possession of their interests, would they be too good to do it? Or what think you of Absolom, the son of David, of old, the king of Israel? Did he, when attempting to usurp the throne, do it because he thought his father a non compos, and unable or incapable to govern the nation, or did he do it to get possession of the kingdom. And history, both sacred and profane, furnishes us with many such usurpers, who never fail to produce some plausible excuse for their inhuman conduct to each other. Thus you see, although I had laid up in store sufficient as I thought to carry me comfortably through life, but in a fatal moment I am made a beggar, if this takes place. If such matters as mine goes unnoticed, what man in his old age is safe from the depredations of his children? Now as this matter is wholly confined to a train of connections and parties concerned, I charitably hope that worthy disinterested men will not regard it, but render me that justice which the law of the land, if rightly represented, could not fail to give me. Yet if the leading characters of Sidney and Vasselborough will come forward and declare that they suppose the above declaration is just, I will silently endeavor to compose myself, and like a lamb dumb before his shearers I will not open my mouth in future.
 
ABIEl LOVEJOY
Sidney, July 18, 1803.

The non compos declaration wasn't reversed until three years later. In July, 1806, the guardian petitioned the judge to be relieved from the guardianship as he said, "Mr. Lovejoy was restored to his reason and capable of taking care of his property." The selectmen of Sidney were of the same opinion and the guardianship was removed.
In Aug. 1806 Captain Abiel deeded shares in two of his saw mills and 100 acres to his sons, Stephen and William, who were to care for Captain Abiel and his wife, Mary, alternatively, which arrangement continued as long as the parents lived. In 1808 Abiel and Mary deeded Lot #40 in Sidney to their son, Francis.
The exact date of Captain Abiel's death is not definitely known but probably was 1811. It is thus described: - "One hot day in July he would sit out in the little entry where the wind blew on him and it was thought he might have taken a sudden cold the next day. All at once he was discovered to be breathing very hard. Some one went immediately to him but he was not conscious and was dead on July 4th.

Captain Abiel and Mary were buried on a plot on their farm in Sidney on the slope down to the Kennebec River, common field stones first being placed to mark the spot. An infant child, born and died 1784, was buried there and also their negro slaves, Boston and Venus, who died before them and Salem who died later. As similar stones marked the burial place of the negroes, it is impossible to know which are the graves of the master and mistress and which are the graves of their servants.
Many family stories and legends are told about Abiel Lovejoy. There is a familiar tradition that when a young man Abiel lived with the Indians for two or three years, hunting and trapping. After a time the Indians became suspicious that he was "over-reaching" them in their business transactions. They became jealous because he obtained more furs than they, and resolved to take his life. One old squaw, who had taken a fancy to Abiel, because she had lost a son about his own age, told Abiel they intended killing him when they were hunting together the following day but if no opportunity presented itself while hunting they intended to murder him that night while he was sleeping. Abiel consequently feigned illness the next morning, did not join the hunting party and started with all speed for the nearest white settlement. At nightfall he climbed a high tree concealing himself in the branches. The Indians, returning early from the hunt, started in pursuit, arrived at the foot of the same tree where he was hiding and they danced and yelled about all night, throwing their tomahawks at the tree and telling what they would do to him when they got him, all ignorant of the fact that he was over their heads. Later by another route he reached the white settlement and was safe.
A clipping from an old Sidney newspaper relates the story which is as follows: though the practice of keeping slaves was not generally prevalent in the early development of the Kennebec Valley, at least one settler, Abiel Lovejoy, owned a number of negroes and it is told that when he received word that Massachusetts had passed an act freeing the slaves he called two of the oldest, Salem and Venus, and offered them their liberty. They refused to leave and Salem's answer to the Squire was "You've had all de meat, now pick de bones."
Still another story is that Captain Abiel once went into the fields where his slaves and employees were cutting hay and carried a jug of liquor which was thought in those days to be quite indispensable. Criticizing the work, he demanded "Who mowed this swath?" Anxious to escape any censure some employees replied, "Boston" meaning the old negro slave. Captain Abiel demanded who mowed this and that and each reply was "Boston." "Very well," old Abiel said, "as Boston has done all the work, he shall have all the grog."
Another Lovejoy slave once was attacked by wolves while driving a yoke of oxen and a load of hay. When they found the dead man, they also found the carcasses of seven wolves killed by his pitchfork showing how desperately the poor slave had fought for his life.
Another old story familiar to Maine Lovejoys runs like this: one dark night as Captain Abiel was piloting his lumber boat down the river on the way to Boston the devil appeared on the water and demanded Captain Abiel's soul in payment for his sins. The crew was terrified but Abiel took off the round garters which held up his long stockings and tossed them to Satan saying " that is all you are going to get. Now be off with you."


Abiel Lovejoy was named in quite a few Lincoln Co. ME probate records:

Catharine Miers chose Abiel Lovejoy, of Pownalborough , to be her guardian, 23 Mar., 1764. [I, 50.]

Paul Ricker, late of a place called Cobbiseconte. Abiel Lovejoy, of Pownalborough , Adm'r, 17 Sep., 1764 . [I, 64.]

Hezekiah Cloutman , late of Kennebeck River. Abiel Lovejoy, of Pownalborough , Adm'r, 18 Aug., 1766 . [I, 106.]

Lazarus Noble, late of Pownalborough, Benjamin Noble, of Pownalborough, 27 Feb., 1767 . [I, 119.] Samuel Goodwin and John Noble, sureties. Inventory by Jonathan Bryant and William Wyman , both of Pownalborough , --Ap., 1767 , £21:12:4. [I, 42.] Francis Noble, minor daughter, chose Abiel Lovejoy to be her guardian, 18 Jan., 1764 . [I, 50]

Samuel Hinkley, late of Georgetown. Sarah Hinkley, of Georgetown, widow, Adm'x, 18 June, 1767. [I, 148.] Edmund Hinkley and Abiel Lovejoy, sureties. Inventory by George Rodgers, Joseph Harford and Mathew Mckenny, all of Georgetown , 1 July, 1767 . [I, 148- 9.]

Abiel Lovejoy was a witness and surety for James Wyman of Pownalborough's will, 4 April, 1766. Probated 23 April, 1766.

Abiel Lovejoy was a surety for William Lancey, late of Hallowell, 13 June 1776. [II, 8]

Abiel Lovejoy, John Marsh and Mathew Hastings did the inventory for the estate of Nathan Moore, late of Vassalborough, on 15 Oct 1776.




In the Name of GOD, Amen The twenty thard Day of April Anno Domini one Thousand Seven hundred and Sixty four I Samuel Bogs of St Georges in the County of Lincoln and p'ovince of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Husbandman being weak in Body but of perfect Mind and Memory
Thanks be given to GOD; Therefore Calling to mind the mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all Men to Die, Do Make and Ordain this my Last Will and Testament That is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hands of GOD who gave it and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executors, nothing Doubting but the General Resurrection I shall receive the same a gain by the Mighty Powar of GOD. And as touching Such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased GOD to Bless me in this Life I give, demise, and Dispose of the Same in the following Manner & Form.
Imprimis I give and bequeath to my well Beloved Daughter Jane Motley five Shillings to be paid her by my Executors out of my Estate which with what She has all ready Received is her full protion or Share out of my Estate Imprimis I give and bequeath to my well Beloved Son John Bogs one Straitboded Coat of Broad Cloath one great Bibble one Large Ioin pott, one pair of Larg Stillerds one pair of Larg Andioin with SunDries of outher Smal things twanty Six pounds thirdteen and four peance for my Bord and twanty pounds from those Deats that Shall be Call in which with what he has allredy Received is his full protion or share of my Estate.
Imprimis I give And bequeath to my well beloved Daughter Anne Rax Six pounds thirdteen Shillings and four pence paid her by my Executors Out of my Estate which with what She has allready Received is her full protion or Share out of my Estate. Imprimis I give and bequeath to my well beloved Son Samuel Bogs one great Coat of Myen one Not that I had of Chusen one Not that I had of Bickmore which with what he has Received is his full protion or Shear out of my Estate
Imprimis I give and bequeath to my well belove Son William Bogs.
Imprimis I give and bequeath to my well belove Daughter Mary Burns five Shilling which with what She has allrady Receive is her full protion or Shear out of my Estate
Imprimis I give and bequeath to my well beloved Grand Daughter Ann mcDaniel Six pounds thardteen Shilling and four pence to be left in the Trusuery tel She Shall Com of Eage by the order of the Executors
Imprimis I give and bequeath to my well beloveed Grand Son Samuel Bogs three pounds Six Shilling and Eaght pence to be Left in the hands of the Executors tel he Shall Com of Eage with Lawfull Intress tel then and if God Shall take away his Breath this Sum is to go to his Sister Anne .
Do hearby apint John and William Bogs my Sons to be my Executors of this my
Last Will and Testiment Whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal--
Witness Preseant John Crawford John Millar Andrew Storer Samuel Bogs I
Declar this to be my Last will and Testament
Probated 15 June, 1768 . [I, 139.]
John Bogs disclaimed executorship 19 May, 1768 . [I, 138.]
Inventories by Patrick Porterfield , Alexander Lermond and Samuel Creighton, all of St Georges . [I, 140 & 223.] Account filed 3 Oct., 1770 . [I, 223.]

Samuel Hinkley, late of Georgetown. Sarah Hinkley, of Georgetown, widow, Adm'x, 18 June, 1767. [I, 148.] Edmund Hinkley and Abiel Lovejoy, sureties. Inventory by George Rodgers, Joseph Harford and Mathew Mckenny, all of Georgetown , 1 July, 1767 . [I, 148- 9.]

In the name of God Amen, the fourth day of April A. D. 1766, I James Wyman of Pownalborough in the County of Lincoln yeoman being aged & infirm of body, but of sound mind, after commending my Soul into the hands of Almighty God, & my body to the Earth to decent burial, do make this my last will & testament & dispose of my worldly estate in manner following That is to say--
Imps I give & bequeath to my beloved Wife Bethiah one Cow & all my houshold
stuff & furniture, besides her Dower in my real estate--
Item, I give to my Daughter Elizabeth McCausland the sum of Five shillings to be paid with a year & an half after my decease by Son William which with what I heretofore gave her at Marriage or since is in full of her portion of my estate--
Item I give to my Daughter Bethiah Small the sum of five shillings to be paid her in a year & an half after my decease by my Son William , which with what I heretofore gave her at Marriage & since is in full of her portion of my estate--
Item I give to my Daughter Abigail Bickford the sum of five shillings to be paid her by my Son William in a year & an half after my decease, which with what I heretofore gave her at Marriage & since is in full of her portion of my estate--
Item I give to my Daughter Prudence Goodwin the sum of Fourty shillings to be paid her in a year & an half after my decease by my son William which with what I gave her at Marriage & since is in full of her portion of my estate--
Item I give to my Daughter Deliverance Call the sum of Two pounds Thirteen shillings & Four pence to be paid her by my Son William in a year & an half after my decease, which what I gave her at Marriage & since is in full of her portion of my estate--
Item I give to my Daughter Olive Goodwin the sum of Six pounds Thirteen shillings & four pence to be paid her in a year & an half after my decease by my son William which with what I gave her at Marriage & since is in full of her portion of my estate--
Item I give to my Daughter Molly the sum of Twenty pounds to be paid her when she arrives at the age of Eighteen years by my Son Daniel .
Item I give to my Grand Daughter Hannah Daughter of my son James deceased the sum of five shillings to be paid her by my son William in a year & an half after my decease--
Item I give & devise to my son Daniel his heirs & assigns forever my half of the land & real estate at Bowdoinham in said County of Lincoln , which was conveyed to me & my son William by Deed by Agreen Crabtree the whole being about Fourty acres, also Twenty acres of Land on the northerly part of my Land on Swan Island in said Pownalborough , at the West End of the Eighty acres of Land Lazarus Noble lived upon, he the said Daniel paying the said Legacy of Twenty pounds to my Daughter Molly as aforementioned--
Item, All the rest & residue of my estate real & personal upon said Swan Island , in s'd Pownalborough , & at Falmouth in the County of Cumberland, or wheresoever else lying situate or being, of what name or nature soever I give & devise to my son William his heirs & assigns forever he the said William paying all my debts & funeral Charges, & all the Legacies herein severally given to my Daughters except said Twenty pound Legacy he also upon demand making executing & delivering to my son Daniel & his heirs a good & sufficient deed in the Law of all the Estate right title & Interest which he
the said William shall then have in & to the the said half of said Fourty acres of Land at said Bowdoinham herein devised to the said Daniel
Lastly I appoint my son William Exec'r of this my Will--In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand & seal the day first aforewritten--
Memo. the words (my) (with) (William ) (& his heirs) were interlined before sign'g &c signed sealed published & declared by the said James the Testator to be his last Will & testament in presence of Wm Cushing Abiel Lovejoy Samuel Reed James Wyman
Probated 23 Ap., 1766 . [I, 154.] Abiel Lovejoy and Obadiah Call , sureties.

William Lancey , late of Hallowell . William Howard , of Hallowell , Adm'r, 13 June, 1776 . [II, 8.] Abiel Lovejoy and John Marsh, sureties.

Nathan Moore, late of Vassalborough. Sarah Moore, of Vassalborough, widow, Adm'x, 13 June, 1776. [II, 8.] Ebenezer Moore, Levi Moore and John Marsh, sureties. Inventory by Abiel Lovejoy, John Marsh and Mathew Hastings, all of Vassalborough, 15 Oct., 1776, 25 Sep., 1778. [II, 149.]


Jonathan Ballard , late of Vassalborough. Alice Ballard, of Vassalborough, widow, Adm'x, 21 Sep., 1778 . [II, 84.] Thomas Town, of Vassalborough, and Ephraim Ballard, of Hallowell, sureties. Inventory by Abiel Lovejoy, Nehemiah Gatchel and Levi Moore, all of Vassalborough, 9 Dec., 1778 . [II, 148.] Darius and Calvin, minor sons, and Alice, minor daughter, chose Charles Webber, of Vassalborough, to be their guardian, June, 1789. [IV, 54-55.] Account of Alice Williams, Adm'x, filed 30 June, 1789 . [IV, 56.]

In the Name of God Amen this second day of July A: D: 1784 I Elizabeth Milliner of Vassalborough in the Connty of Lincoln and Commonwealth of the Massachusetts being weak in body but of sound mind and memory thanks be Given to God therefor calling to mind the Mortallity of my body and Knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to die first and Principally Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it and my body to the Earth to be buried in a decent manner at the discretion of my Executor: Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament and as touching such worly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased Allmighty God to Bless me with first
I Give and bequeath to Nathaniel Lovejoy of Vassalborough thirteen Pounds Six shillings and Eight pence out of the money that is due to me which now in the Island of Antego if said money shall be recovered
2ly I Give unto Stephen Lovejoy forty Pounds to be layed out in scoling him at the discression of my Executor.
3ly I Give to Sarah Lovejoy my Green Damas Gown and Pettecote and Read Quilted Pettecote and one pare of Stays.
And all the Remainder of my Estate Real and Personal I Give and bequeath to Abial Lovejoy Esqr whome I make and ordain my sole Heir and Executor of this my last will and testament hereby disannuling any former wills made by me Rattifiing this my last Will and testiment in witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and Seal the day and year abovesaid
Signed sealed and declared by the said Elizabeth Milliner to be her last will and testiment in Presents of
Samuel Dinsmore Elizabeth Millner (seal)
Abiel Lovejoy Jr
Polley Lovejoy

Probated 27 Jan., 1785 . [II, 211.]

James Hutchinson, late of Vassalborough. Benjamin Branch, and Abigail Branch, his wife, of Vassalborough , Adm'rs, 31 May, 1785 . [III, 17.] Daniel Townsend and John Ward, both of Vassalborough, sureties. Inventory by Abiel Lovejoy, Mathew Hastings and John Ward, all of Vassalborough , 7 June, 1785 , £118:6:6. [III, 42.]

• 

Birth	16 Dec 1731	Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, British America
Marriage	14 Dec 1758	Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts, British America - Mary "Polley" Brown
Census (family)	1790	Vassalborough, Lincoln, Maine, United States - Mary "Polley" Brown
Census (family)	1800	Sidney, Kennebec, Maine, United States - Mary "Polley" Brown
Census (family)	1810	Sidney, Kennebec, Maine, United States - Mary "Polley" Brown
Death	4 Jul 1811	Sidney, Kennebec, Maine, United States

Spouse	Mary "Polley" Brown (1741 - 1812)
Child	Nathaniel Lovejoy (1759 - 1849)
Child	Mary D. "Polly" Lovejoy (1761 - 1789)
Child	Frances "Fanny" Lovejoy (1762 - 1812)
Child	Abiel Lovejoy Jr. (1764 - 1858)
Child	Thomas Lovejoy (1766 - 1817)
Child	Francis Lovejoy Sr. (1768 - 1841)
Child	Abigail "Nabby" Lovejoy (1770 - 1854)
Child	Sarah Lovejoy (1772 - 1821)
Child	Hannah Lovejoy (1773 - 1844)
Child	infant Lovejoy (1775 - 1775)
Child	Col. Stephen Lovejoy (1776 - 1859)
Child	William Lovejoy (1778 - 1872)
Child	Jacob Lovejoy (1780 - 1871)
Child	Betsy Lovejoy (1782 - 1810)
Child	infant Lovejoy (1784 - 1784)
Child	Phebe Lovejoy (1785 - 1871)

Father	Hezekiah Lovejoy (1701 - 1751)
Mother	Hannah Austin (1704 - 1805)
Sibling	Hezekiah Lovejoy (1722 - 1722)
Sibling	infant Lovejoy (1723 - 1723)
Sibling	Hannah Lovejoy (1724 - 1725)
Sibling	Phebe Lovejoy (1727 - 1737)
Sibling	Hezekiah Lovejoy II (1729 - 1793)
Sibling	Rev. Francis Lovejoy (1734 - 1818)
Sibling	Phebe Lovejoy (1737 - )
Sibling	John Lovejoy (1739 - 1743)
Sibling	John Lovejoy (1743 - 1778)

Notes