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.]

DOANE The American surname Doane is identical with the English Done, the ancient orthography of which is in some doubt. It is supposed to be derived from Dun or Dune, meaning a stronghold or fortress. In ancient manuscripts the name is spelled Donne, Dourn, Downe, etc. The English home of the family is the old Hall of Utkinton, in the hamlet of Utkinton, one mile north of Tarporley, where it is believed the family settled in King John's reign 1199-1216, soon after the use of surnames became common in England. An ancient suit of armor still hangs from the upper walls of Tarporley church, doubtless worn centuries ago by one of the Dones, the principal family. The coat of arms: Azure two barrs aragent over all on a bend gules three arrows argent. Crest: first on a wreath eight arrows in saltire, four and four points downward or feathered sable banded gules; second on a wreath a buck's head erased proper attired or. The family also had seats at Dudden and Flaxyards in the vicinity. Sir John Done, born 1576, was knighted in 1617. The Done monuments still to be seen in Tarporley church are very striking examples of the fine arts. The pedigree of the family is traced to Richard Done in 1199 and somwhere doubtless the progeniror of the American line has a place. (I) John Doane, immigrant ancestor of the American family, was born in England and came to New England about 1629. He became a prominent man in the Plymouth colony and was given the title of Mr., indicated gentle birth or college education. In 1633 he was a member of the council and elected deacon in 1633, evidently being a prominent Puritan before coming over, and he resigned as assistant, the Puritans being careful to keep church and state distinct. Deacon Doane had frequent grants of land from the general court. His original grant at Eastham, where he settled, was because he was one of the purchasers or old comers, but his various grants at Jones River, now Kingston, at Rehoboth, to the north of Taunton, etc., were because of public services. He was continually rendering services as deputy to the general court from Plymouth and Eastham and served on important committees. According to his statement in his will dated May 18, 1678, he was then about eighty-eight year old and was born about 1590. He died Feb. 21, 1685, aged about ninety-five years. The inventory of his estate states his age as about one hundred years. His wife's name appears to be Abigail. A granite post was erected in 1869 to mark the site of his house at Eastham, on the eastern side of the town, perhaps three hundred yards from the waters of Nauset bay. He bequeathed to his wife, to sons John, Daniel and Ephraim, daughter Abigail, granddaughter Margaret Hid or Hix. Children: 1. Lydia. 2. Abigail, born Jan. 13, 1632. 3. John. 4. Daniel. 5. Ephraim, mentioned below. (II) Ephraim, son of John Doane, was born probably at Plymouth before the removal of the family to Eastham in 1645, and died at Eastham in 1700. He settled in Eastham and took the oath of fidelity in 1670. He was admitted a freeman June 5, 1684. His name appears in Truro, June 17, 1690, and is on a list of legal inhabitants of Eastham in 1695. He was a surveyor of highways in Eastham in 1691-93. The following is from the Doane genealogy: "On March 3, 1662-63, he and three others were fined twenty-five shillings each for trading liquor with the Indians, and he and Thomas Ridman were fined fifty shillings each for permitting the Indians to have liquor in their boats, it appearing thta one of the Indians was drunk threby." On Oct. 29, 1669, he was before the court for "horribly slandering and belying his neighbors" at Eastham and was fined "the sume of twenty shilling for telling two lyes about the same." June 6, 1678, he was again before the court to answer to the complaint of "Jawannum, late wife of James Pequin of Billingsgate, as suspected by her and Nicholas, to have been an occasion of the violent death of said Pequin, her husband." His will was dated Dec. 7, 1699, and proved April 19, 1700. He married (first) Feb. 15, 1667, Mercy, daughter of Richard and Ruth (Bower) Knowles. He married (second) after 1692, Mary Snow, born at Barnstable Dec. 11, 1647, died at Eastham 1703, widow of John Snow, and daughter of John and Ann (Walden) Smalley. Children: 1. Patience, born Jan. 28, 1668; died 1675. 2. Apphia, born July 18, 1670. 3. Hezekiah, born August, 1672. 4. Thomas, born Sept. 4, 1674. 5. Ebenezer, born April, 1676, mentioned below. 6. Nehemiah, born August, 1680, died Feb., 1684. 7. Patience, born April, 1682, married Feb. 7, 1705-06, Joshua Cook. 8. Ruhama, born April 30, 1685, married Sept. 22, 1726, Richard Stephens. (III) Ebenezer, son of Ephraim Doane, was born at Eastham in April, 1676. He was engaged in the fisherires at Provincetown and resided in Truro, where his children were baptized by Rev. John Avery. He was selectman in 1711. On June 14, 1714, he was appointed the first collector of taxes on the province lands at Cape Cod, for the support of the minister. In 1717 a grant of one hundred and fifty pounds was made toward the building of a meeting house at Provincetown, and the money was expended under the direction of Ebenezer Doane. He married Lydia ____. Children, b. at Truro: 1. Ebenezer, born Aug. 22, 1706, mentioned below. 2. Thankful, born March 5, 1708, bap. Sept. 13, 1713. 3. James, born Nov. 10, 1709, married Mary ____. 4. Keziah, born May 22, 1712. 5. Levi, born Dec. 9, 1714. 6. Lydia, baptized July 28, 1717. 7. Elizabeth, baptized Aug. 21, 1720. 8. Mary, born Aug. 12, 1724. (IV) Ebenezer, son of Ebenezer Doane, was born at Truro, Aug. 22, 1706, and baptized there by Rev. John Avery Sept. 13, 1713. With seven or eight other families, he removed as early as the spring of 1739 to Falmouth, Maine, from Provincetown. He was probably a seafaring man. They settled at Long Creek, Cape Elizabeth. But little can be learned of his history, as the probate records were burned in the Portland fire. He married Elizabeth, born April 25, 1713, daughter of Samuel and Aroda (Haley) Skillings, of Kittery and Falmouth. After his death his widow went to live with her daughter, Joanna Berry, at Buckfield, where she died very aged. Children: 1. Levi, served in the revolution; it is said that he went to sea and never returned. 2. Joanna, born March 3, 1753, married William Berry. 3. Deborah, married Joshua Wescott and removed to Buckfield. 4. Mary, married David Gammon. 5. Anna, married Joseph Skillings. 6. Edward, married (first) 1762, Anna Wescott; (second) 1766, Sarah McDougle; served in the revolution. 7. Ebenezer, married Joanna Millet.