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.]

HAM In Anglo-Saxon the word ham signifies home. Aside from being itself a separate patronymic, it was adopted as a part of other family names, such as Oldham, Cunningham, Durham, etc., and was also applied either in the form of a prefix or suffix to counties, towns and villages, viz: Hampshire (a county of homes), Watham (a home among the walnuts), and hamlet (a small community of homes). The Hams of America are the posterity of two early immigrants - William and John Ham - both of whom settled in New Hampshire. The line of descent which follows is from the first-named colonist. (I) In June, 1635, a small number of colonists were sent to Maine by a merchant of Plymouth, England, named Robert Trelawney, who had been granted land under the "Gorges patent," and among them was William Ham. Although there are reasons for believing that he was of Plymouth, a family tradition states that he was a Scotchman from Aberdeen. Disssatisfied with his treatment in Maine he went to N. H., first locating in Exeter and later removing to Portsmouth, where he was granted fifty acres of land on what became known as Ham's Point. His death occurred at Portsmouth in 1672, at the age of about seventy-two years. He was accompanied from England by his wife Honor and their two children - Matthew and Elizabeth. His will, which was made after th death of his son, divides his property between his daughter, who was the wife of William Cotton, of Portsmouth, and his grandsons William, Thomas and John. (N. B. A. collection of early titles and other documents to be found in the library of the Maine Historical Society in Portland contains considerable information concerning the Trelawney settlement and William Ham's connection with it). (II) Matthew, eldest child of William and Honor Ham, was born in the Isle of Man about the year 1626. In addition to property in Portsmouth received from his father as a gift, he owned land at one time on one of the Isles of Shoals, which he sold to one Tobias Taylor. He died at Portsmouth in 1664. He had four sons: 1. William, who acted as executor of his grandfather's will. 2. Thomas, a mariner. 3. Matthew, a roofer. 4. John, a fisherman. (III) John, youngest son of Matthew, was born in Portsmouth about 1660, died there in 1731. He owned a portion of his grandfather's estate in Portsmouth, which constituted his home; also owned a farm in Newington; and was thus a farmer as well as a fisherman. The maiden name of his first wife was Lissom, and his second wife, whom he married Jan. 8, 1715, was Judith Pitman, of Oyster River. Children of 1st wife: 1. Elizabeth, married John Remick. 2. Mary, married Robert Bond. 3. Dorcas, second wife of John Remick. 4. William, born in 1698. 5. Thomas, born in 1702. 6. John. Children of 2d wife: 7. Benjamin, born in 1716, settled in Bath, Maine. 8. Tobias, see forward. 9. Reuben. 10. & 11. Nathaniel and Samuel (twins). (IV) Tobias, second child of John and Judith (Pitman) Ham, was born in Portsmouth, Nov. 23, 1717, died in Brunswick, Maine, Aug. 4, 1804. In 1740 he settled in the locality known as New Meadows in the town of Brunswick, erecting his dwelling place on what has ever since been knwon as Ham's Hill, and in the nearby lowlands he built a tannery. In that vicinity the Indians were troublesome and Tobias Ham, having proved himself an unusually skilful marksman, was called Long Gun by the prowling bands, who had good reason to keep from in front of him. On one occasion, when some savages were lurking near his tanpits, watching for an opportunity to fall upon him from behind, he, suspecting their presence, calmly walked backward toward his house, at the same time keeping his gun pointed in the direction of their supposed hiding place, and this precaution on his part proved effective, as he had the satisfaction of seeing his would-be slayers skulk away. He married Abigail Smith, of Lines Island. Children: Benjamin, John, Joseph, Judith, Tobias and Thomas (twins), Reuben and Nathaniel. (V) Joseph, third child of Tobias and Abigail (Smith) Ham, was born in Brunswick, Dec. 30, 1746. He resided at the homestead in New Meadows presumably his entire life, but there is little information concerning him to be found in the records. Children: 1. Susan, who became Mrs. Bates. 2. Martha, who became Mrs. Farrar. 3. Lucy, who became Mrs. Stephens. 4. James, see forward. 5. Thankful, who became Mrs. Donnell and lived to be one hundred and one years old. (VI) James, fourth child and only son of Joseph Ham, was born in New Meadows, Jan. 25, 1776. He married June 12, 1803, his cousin, Mary Ham, daughter of John Ham. Children: 1. Charles C., see forward. 2. Levi, born about 1808, married Mary Cunningham. 3. Tobias, born about 1810. 4. James, born about 1813, died Oct. 9, 1833. (VII) Charles C., eldest child of James and Mary (Ham) Ham, was born in New Meadows, June 21, 1806. He was a ship carpenter and resided in Portland. His death occurred March 13, 1872. Dec. 3, 1832, he married Charlotte Lincoln. Children: 1. George C., born July 8, 1836, married Margaret McFadden. 2. William L., born Oct. 27, 1840, married Annie Fuller. 3. Joseph G., see below. (VIII) Joseph G., youngest child of Charles C. and Charlotte (Lincoln) Ham, was born in Portland Oct. 16, 1850. He is a druggist and for many years has been engaged in business in Livermore Falls. He was married in Portland Nov. 20, 1872, to Emma Chandler. Children: 1. Charlotte L., born Oct. 10, 1873, married C. H. Sturtevant; children: Reginald H., Norman G., Ronald W. and Eleanor M. Sturtevant. 2. Joseph C., born July 30, 1876, married Bessie Leavitt; children: Beatrice and Phyllis. 3. Grace H., born Dec. 27, 1877, wife of Dr. George H. Rand. 4. Mary B., born Dec. 22, 1879, married Dr. L. B. Hayden. 5. Arthur H., born July 2, 1882, pursuing a post-graduate course at Columbia College. 6. Philip W., born July 9, 1887, a civil engineer.