Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

CHICKERING Thomas Chickering, the English ancestor, of whom there is record, was of Wymondham, England, and died before 1538. He married Clare Brown. (II) Stephen, son of Thomas Chickering, resided in Wicklewood, England, and died in 1576. He married Anne or Agnes Dey. (III) Henry, son of Stephen Chickering, died in 1627. He resided in Ringsford, England, and had a wife Mary. Children: 1. Dr. Henry, born in England; was proprietor of Salem, 1639; admitted to the church at Dedham with his wife Jan. 29, 1640-41; admitted freeman June 2, 1641; deacon; elected deputy to the generala court, but was excused from duty, being on the ship to go to England Oct. 23, 1647. He was buried July 22, 1671, aged twenty-two years. In his will he bequeathed to wife, Elizabeth (Hackburne); to kinsman, Nathaniel Chickering, living with him; to pastor John Allen; to church and school of Dedham; to son John, of Charlestown. 2. Simeon, mentioned below. 3. (Probably) Francis. (IV) Simeon, son of Henry Chickering, died in 1674. He lived in Wrentham, England, and married in 1635, Prudence _____. (V) Nathaniel, son of Simeon Chickering, was born in England in 1647, baptized at Wrentham, Oct. 8, 1647, died Oct. 21, 1694. He came to America, and settled first in that part of Dedham called Dedham Island, on what was later known as the Fuller place. In 1694 he removed to what is now Dover, Mass., having acquired through grant and purchase a tract of land of a thousand acres. He built a house on the site of the present homestead now or lately occupied by George Ellis Chickering. The first house was taken down in 1767 and a new one erected on the spot, which was remodeled in 1867 and is now (1908) standing. The homestead has remained in the family until the present time. He married (first) Dec. 30, 1668, Mary Judson, who died soon. He married (second) Dec. 3, 1674, Lydia Fisher, born July 14, 1652, died July 17, 1737, daughter of Capt. Daniel and Abigail (Marriot) Fisher, of Dedham. About the year 1671 she went into the family of Rev. John Russel, of Hadley, and for a year or more waited upon the regicides Whaley and Goff, who had fled to this country from the wrath of Charles II. Nathaniel died Oct. 21, 1694. Children: 1. Prudence, born Sept. 9, 1675; died Nov. 26, 1675. 2. Nathaniel, born March 28, 1677; mentioned below. 3. Lydia, born Oct. 1, 1678; married Thomas Metcalf. 4. Mary, born Dec. 15, 1680; married Nathan Alden. 5. John, born Nov. 22, 1682; died Jan. 16, 1714. 6. Abigail, born March 29, 1684-85; died unmarried. 7. Daniel, born July 1, 1687; died Feb. 10, 1718. 8. Samuel, born Feb. 14, 1689; married Mary Harding. 9. Esther, born May 7, 1694; married Ebenezer Ware. (VI) Deacon Nathaniel (2), son of Nathaniel (1) Chickering, was born March 28, 1677, and died at Dover, Jan. 16, 1747. He resided at Dedham, and was selectman in 1733. Before the organization of the Dover church the family attended the church in South Natick, and Nathaniel was a deacon. He married, Aug. 14, 1700, Mary Thorp, who died Sept. 1, 1715, daughter of James and Hannah Thorp. He married (second) Jan. 26, 1716, Deborah Wight, who died Ja. 16, 1746-47, daughter of Joseph and Deborah Wight. Children: 1. Nathaniel, born April 15, 1701. 2. Mary, born Feb. 25, 1703. 3. Jeremiah, born May 20, 1705. 4. Eliphalet, born Nov. 24, 1707. 5. Hannah. 6. David, born March 24, 1710. 7. Mary, born Aug. 9, 1712. 8. John, born Aug. 23, 1715; married Mary ____. 9. Joseph, born May 5, 1717; mentioned below. 10. Daniel, born Dec. 30, 1718; married Keziah Ellis. 11. Deborah, born April 9, 1722. 12. Lydia, born Sept. 12, 1723. (VII) Joseph, son of Deacon Nathaniel (2) Chickering, was born May 5, 1717, and died Nov. 28, 1754. He had a farm on the original estate, which was later known as the Haven farm. The house is still or was lately standing. He was in the revolution, a minute-man from Dover, in Capt. Ebenezer Brattle's company, and answered the Lexington alarm, April 19, 1775. He married Feb. 7, 1744, Rebecca, daughter of Capt. Josiah and Hannah (Fisher) Newell, of Needham. Children: 1. Experience, born Nov. 10, 1744; died Sept. 29, 1746. 2. Rebecca, born Aug. 4, 1746; married June 14, 1764, Lemuel Richards. 3. Joseph, born Sept. 10, 1748; died Dec. 4, 1754. 4. Deborah, born June 3, 1751; died Dec. 3, 1754. 5. Jabez, mentioned below. (VIII) Rev. Jabez Chickering, son of Joseph Chickering, was born at Dover, Nov. 4, 1753, and died at South Dedham, March 12, 1812. He was one of the first from the "Springfield Parish" to graduate from Harvard College in 1774. He was the second minister of the church at South Dedham, now Norwood. He married, April 22, 1777 (intentions dated March 28, 1777), Hannah, daughter of Rev. Thomas and Mary (Sumner) Balch. Her father was Mr. Chickering's predecessor. Children, b. in Dedham: 1. Lucy, born March 30, 1778. 2. Joseph, born April 30, 1780; mentioned below. 3. Jabez, born Aug. 28, 1782. 4. Elizabeth, born June 28, 1785. 5. Thomas, born April 24, 1788. (IX) Rev. Joseph Chickering, son of Rev. Jabez Chickering, was born in South Dedham, April 30, 1780, and died Jan. 27, 1844, at Phillipston, where he was buried. He was graduated at Harvard College in the class of 1799, and studied theology there under Prof. Tappan. He was ordained minister of the Woburn church, March 28, 1804. He continuted in this pastorate with much success. He was dismissed at his own request with the sanction of a council, April 11, 1821. He accepted a call to the church at Phillipston, and was installed as minister the July 10, 1822. At his own request he was dismissed July 16, 1835, on account of age and bodily infirmity. He continued to reside in Phillipston to the end of his life. While he was pastor at Woburn, one hundred and sixty-four members were added to the church, and 270 persons baptized. He married (first) 1805, Betsey White, died Nov. 3, 1815, aged thirty-two years, daughter of Deacon John White, of Concord. He married (second) Sarah Abbot Holt, of Albany, Maine, daughter of Jacob and Rhoda Holt. She was born at Andover, Mass. Children of 1st wife: 1. Rev. John White, born March 19, 1808; mentioned below. 2. Joseph, born Jan. 9, 1810; a mechanic of much skill; went west; married April 3, 1833, at Phillipston, Ameline Jones. 3. Ruth, died Oct. 27, 1815, aged three years four months. 4. Henry, died Nov. 14, 1815, aged twenty months. 5. Abbot, born 1822; died Jan. 11, 1842, aged twenty years six months. 6. Benjamin, born at Phillipston, Nov. 18, 1824. 7. Betsey, died Oct. 19, 1825, aged two days. (X) Rev. John White Chickering, son of Rev. Joseph Chickering, was born at Woburn, March 19, 1808; died Dec. 9, 1880. He graduated at Middlebury College in the class of 1826. He was ordained pastor of the High Street Congregational Church at Portland, Maine, and rounded out a very useful and successful pastorate of thirty years in that parish. He was for many years secretary of the Massachusetts Temperance Society, and a strong and potent influence in the temperance movement all his life. He received the degree of D.D. from his alma mater. He married, Nov. 9, 1830, Frances Eveline Knowlton, born 1809, daughter of Deacon Joseph Knowlton. She died May 30, 1885, aged seventy-six years. Children, b. at Bolton: 1. John White, born Sept. 11, 1831; mentioned below. 2. Joseph Knowlton, born 1846. (XI) Professor John White Chickering, son of Rev. John White Chickering, was born in Bolton, Mass., Sept. 11, 1831. He attended the public schools, and entered Bowdoin College on June 23, 1849. He was orator of his class in both junior and senior years; was graduated with the class of 1852, with the degree of A. B.; was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa for high rank in scholarship, and delivered the Latin salutatory at commencement. He received the degree of A. M. in 1855. From 1852 to 1858 he was a teacher in the public schools at Bucksport, Foxcroft, Corinna and Portland, Maine, and at Ovid, New York. He decided to study for the ministry, and was graduated in 1860 from the Bangor Theological Seminary. He was installed as minister of the Congregational church at Springfield, Vermont. He resigned this pastorate in 1863. From 1865 to 1870 he was pastor of the Second Congregational Church at Exter, New Hampshire. He was elected secretary of the Vermont Bible Society in 1863. In 1870 he accepted the chair of natural history in the Deaf Mute College at Washington, D.C., and held this professorship until 1900, when he retired from active teaching, but still continues to lecture on pedagogy in Gallaudet College and Howard University, Washington City. He is a member of the following societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, Americal Social Science Association, Philosophical Society, Anthropological Society, Biological Society, National Geographic Society, Choral Society, Appalachian Mountain Club, Civic Centre Club, Sons of the American Revolution, and Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He has contributed liberally to various scientific periodicals, reviews and newspapers. Prof. Chickering married Dec. 18, 1856, Luciana Jameson, daughter of Rev. Thomas Jameson, of Gorham, Maine; she died Nov. 9, 1893. Children: John Jameson, Frances Elizabeth and Luciana. His residence is at the Portner, Washington City. (XII) John Jameson Chickering, son of Prof. John White Chickering, was born in Gorham, Maine, Sept. 27, 1857. He was graduated from Amherst Collee with the class of 1879, and was a member of Psi Upsilon fraternity. From 1879 and 1892 he was principal of the Wallack School, Washington, D.C. During several years of this time he was in charge of the department of physiology and hygiene in the National Deaf Mute (now Gallaudet) College in Washington City. He also read law, and graduated from the Columbian (now George Washington) University Law School with the degrees of LL.B. and LL.M., and was admitted to the District of Columbia bar on examination. From 1892 to 1894 he was principal of the Columbian University Preparatory School; from 1894 to 1898 superintendent of schools at Flushing, Long Island, New York. From 1898 to the present time (1908) he has been district superindent of schools of New York City, Borough of Queens. Mr. Chickering married, Oct. 28, 1893, Anne E. Russell, daughter of Hon. William A. Russell, of Boston, Mass. Child: John Jameson Jr., born in Boston, Oct. 31, 1906.