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.]

FRYE The sources from which names are derived and the circumstances which dictated the taking of them are so numerous and varied as to be beyond all knowledge, yet careful study and prolonged search have discovered the origin of a multitude of them. Writers have classified surnames from their origins as baptismal, local, official, occupative and sobriquet. Not a few names of both ancient and modern times are expressive of the condition of the persons who bore them. Among primitive and uncivilized nations slavery has generally been a recognized institution. Our Saxon ancestors cherished it, and the last slave was not liberated in Britain until after surnames were adoped. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when men had but one name, and a nickname was added to designate more closely the person referred to, a slave might be mentioned as "Ive De Bond," or "Richard le Bond," while a man who had been born free, though of humble circumstances, would be anxious to preserve himself from a doubtful and suspected position by such a name as "Walter le Free," or "John le Freeman." In our "Fryes," a sobriquet that has acquired much honor of late years and represented in the mediaeval rolls by such entires as "Thomas le Frye," or "Walter le Frie," we have but an absolute rendering of "free." Among the early New England families of English origin this has been more conscpicuously identified with the state of Maine than with its original home in Massachusetts. It has furnished one of the most distinguished member of the U. S. senate, and many useful and worthy citizens in various localities. Its origin is directly traced to England, and its establishment in New England was early. (I) John Frye, born 1601, was a resident of Bassing, Hants, England. In May, 1638, he sailed from Southampton in the ship "Bevis," of Hampton, commanded by Robert Eaton, and was an early settler in Newbury, Mass. In 1645 he removed thence to Andover, Mass., where he was a very active citizen up to the end of his life, and where he died Nov. 9, 1693, at the age of ninety-two years and seven months. His wife Ann died at Andover, Oct. 22, 1680. Children: John, Benjamin, Samuel, James, Elizabeth and Susan. (II) Samuel, third son of John and Ann Frye, was born about 1650, in Andover, Mass., where he passed his life and died May 9, 1725. He married Nov. 20, 1671, Mary, daughter of John Aslett (or Asledee). She survived her husband about twelve years, dying in 1747. John ASLETT or Asledee, of Newbury and Andover, waS born about 1614, and died June 6, 1771. He married Oct. 8, 1648, Rebecca Ayer, dau. of John Ayer. Their children were: John, Samuel, Mary, Phoebe, Hannah, Ebenezer, Nathan, Deborah, Samuel and Benjamin. Their third child and dau., Mary, became the wife of Samuel Frye; she was born April 24, 1654, and died Aug. 12, 1747. (III) John (2), eldest child of Samuel and Mary (Aslett or Asledee) Frye, was born Sept. 16, 1672, in Andover, and died in that town April 7, 1737. He married Nov. 1, 1694, Tabitha, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Farnum, who died May 17, 1775, in her seventh-fifth year. Children: John (died young), Isaac, Joshua, Abiel, Mehitabel, Anne (died young), Joseph, Samuel, Anne, John, Tabitha and Hannah. (IV) Joseph, fourth son and eighth child of John (2) and Tabitha (Farnum) Frye, was born in April, 1711, in Andover and resided in that town, where he was a very prominent citizen. He served as justice of the peace, representative in the general court and was generally active in the affairs of the town. He served in the war of 1755 and participated in the siege of Louisburg. In the war of 1757 he was colonel of a regiment at the capture of Fort William Henry by Montcalm. He was promised protection by Lacorne, who had great influence among the savages and whose countrymen had been humanely treated by Colonel Frye in Nova Scotia. He expressed great gratitude and pretended that he desired to make returns in this way, promising that neither he nor any of the Mass. troops should receive injury from the Indians. This promise was in nowise fulfilled, and Colonel Frye was plundered and stripped of his clothes and led into the woods by an Indian, who intended to dispatch him. On arriving at a secluded spot the colonel made a desperate effort to preserve his life, and with no other arms than those which nature gave him, he overpowered and killed the Indian and by rapid flight in a thick woods eluded his captors, and after several days of suffering in the wilderness he arrived at Fort Edward. He was appointed major-general, June 21, 1775, by the provincial congress and continued a short time with the troops at Cambridge, Mass., in ther revolutionary war. In recognition of his military service he was granted a township of land by the general court of Mass., which he selected in a very lonely locality in the present state of Maine, and this town is still known as Fryeburg. He was a land surveyor among other accomplishments, and was enabled to secure a very fine location. His descendants are still very numerous in that locality and other sections of the state of Maine. He married March 20, 1733, Mehitable Poore. Children: Joseph (died young), Samuel, Mehitable (died young), Mehitable (died young), Mehitable, Joseph, Tabitha, Hannah, Richard, Nathan and Samuel. (V) Captain Joseph (2), third son and sixth child of General Joseph (1) Frye, was born July 10, 1743, in Andover, Mass., and passed most of his life in Fryeburg, Maine. His children were: Joseph, Mary, Mehitable, John, Nancy, Dean, Sarah, William and Sophia. (VI) Dean, third son of Captain Joseph (2) Frye, was born May 25, 1775. (VII) Colonel John M., son of Dean Frye, was born Nov. 28, 1802, in Westbrook, Maine, and settled in Lewiston, same state, where he was many years identified with manufacturing, and was a prominent and public-spirited citizen. He was colonel of the local militia, and a popular and efficient officer. For thirty-five years he served the town as clerk, was selectman in 1831-32-33, and moderator in 1840-41-42-43-44. He was town treasurer in 1849-50-51-52-53-54 and 1858-59-60-61-62. In 1841 he was elected a member of the state senate and was a member of the council in 1861. He married Alice, daughter of David Davis, of Lewiston, who was a Friend and an elder in his church. She was born May 10, 1809, died Nov., 1871. Children: Mary D., Sarah, Addie, a child who died in infancy, William Pierce, and Dr. Albert S., who died in early manhood. (VIII) William Pierce, only surviving son of Colonel John M. and Alice (Davis) Frye, was born Sept. 2, 1831 [1830 written in pen], in Lewiston, Maine, and received his primary education in the public schools, preparing for college at Lewiston Falls Academy. Entering Bowdoin College, he was graduated from that insitution in the class of 1850 and immediately went to Rockland, where he began the study of law in the office of Lowell & Foster. Later he pursued his legal studies with Hon. William Pitt Fessenden, of Portland, and was admitted to the bar in Oct., 1852. He at once engaged in practice at Rockland, but was destined soon to take a prominent place in the conduct of public affairs. In 1855 he removed to Lewiston and rapidly built up a legal business through his superior ability and careful attention to the interests of his clientele. A man of his talents and broad mental makeup could not be long confined to private affairs, and he soon came to be recognized as a power in public conerns. He was elected to the state legislature in 1861-62 and again in 1867. In the latter and preceding years he was mayor of Lewiston, and was attorney-general of the state in 1867-68-69. He was a presidential elector in 1864, and was a delegate to the National Republican conventions of 1872-76-80; was elected chairman of the National Republican executive committee in the same years, and was made chairman of the Republican state committee upon the resignation of James G. Blaine in 1881. He was elected representative in the U. S. congress, serving through the forty-second, forty-third, forth-fourth, fourty-fifth, forty-sixth and forty-seventh congresses. He was elected to the U. S. senate, March 15, 1881, to fill the unexpired term of James G. Blaine, who resigned to become national secretary of state. Mr. Frye took his seat three days after election, and has filled the position continuouly since, by repeated elections. He was elected president pro tempore of the senate Feb. 7, 1896, March 7, 1901, Dec. 5, 1907, and presided as vice-president of sentate for six years; first upon the death of Garret A. Hobart and second upon the death of President McKinley. He was a member of the commission which met in Paris in Sept., 1898, to adjust terms of peace between the United States and Spain, and has been a member of nearly all important committees, especially those relating to New England coast matters, was a member of the committee on rules for the senate and is the author of nearly all the rules now governing that body and also house. Senator Frye reported the bill governing the Geneva award and, though he was opposed by all the large insurance companies, won out and secured direct payment of the money to those entitled to it. For many years he has been chairman of various important committees of congress, including those on ways and means, commerce, judiciary, foreign relations, and served three times on the Canadian fisheries commission, winning the contest with Canada and breaking up the old treaty and establishing that now in force. Senator Frye was instrumental in bringing about the annexation of Hawaii, and in fact in all important legislation for more than a quarter of a century. His continuous service is longer than any other man in congress, and he is yet active in the service of his country, respected and honored by his colleagues as well as by the entire nation. No other wields a greater influence. His democratic manners and straight-forward methods endear him to all lovers of justice and liberty. He was elected a trustee of Bowdoin Collge in 1880, received the degree of Doctor or Laws from Bates College the following year and from his alma mater in 1889. Senator Frye married, Feb. 29, 1853, Caroline F., daughter of Captain Archibald and Angelica (Branton) Spear, of Rockland. Children: 1. Helen, married Wallace H. White, of Lewiston; children: i. William Frye, a lawyer in Boston, m. Chrlotte Wilson, of Washington, two children, Elizabeth F. and Charlotte W; ii. Wallace H., an attorney in Lewiston, m. Anna Pratt, one child, Herbert; iii. John, married Julia Berch, he is superintendent of a large cotton mill in Augusta, Maine; iv. Emme Frye, m. Dr. Horace P. Stevens of Cambridge, Mass.; v. Thomas C., merchant of Boston, m. Martha Pratt of Lewiston; vi. Don C., merchant of Lewiston, m. Ethel Ham; vii. Harold, a student at Bowdoin College. all the sons in the WHITE family graduated from Bowdoin College. 2. Alice, married Frank H. Briggs; children: i. Benjamin F., now a student at law; ii. Eugene Hale, a machinist; iii. Leland Standford, at school; iv. Caroline Frye, m. Garret A. Hobart, son of the late vice-president Hobart, now of Patterson, New Jersey, one child, Garret A. Hobart 2rd. 3. Emme, died while attending school at Stamford, Connecticut, aged about fourteen.