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.]

PERCY The name of Percy is a very ancient one, and has been through centuries often interchanged with Pearce. Because of this fact, the tracing of its ancestry has been difficult, and in many cases the line is lost in obscurity. The Percy family was established in England at a very remote date, and has been very conspicuous in that country through many generations. It seems to have been traced with reasonable authenticity through many generations. There are still preserved historic castles and buildings erected by this family, which has been represented in peerage and official life from the arrival of William the Conqueror, when the head of the house of Percy took part in the battle of Hastings, as shown by the rolls of Battle Abby. In fact, he is on record as having been commander of the fleet that brought the Norman army to England, and there is documentary evidence to show that he derived his name from the village of Percy, near Ville Dieu, near Rouen, and that his pedigree was traced from Manfred, a Danish chieftain who assisted Rollo is subjugating the duchy of Normandy in 912. This first Lord Percy was the owner of thirty baronies and one of the great feudal nobles in the realm of William the Conqueror. He was surnamed by his contemporaries "als gernons," which may be translated "With the whiskers." Many of his male descendants have borne the christian name of Algernon. He took part in the first crusade and died near Jerusalem. The Magna Charter, granted by King John to the people of England, bears the singature of a Lord Percy, one of the barons who compelled the issue of this document. An outline of the ancestry of the family in England is herwith given: (1) Galfred. (2) William. (3) Alan. (4) William. (5) William. (6) Agnes. (7) Henry. (8) William. (9) Henry. (10) Henry. (11) Henry. (12) Henry. (13) Henry. (14) Henry. (15) Henry. (16) Ralph. (17) Peter. (18) Richard. The last named was a standard bearer of Richard III at the battle of Bosworth Field, in 1485, and founded Pearce Hall, in York, England, where he resided and was succeeded by his son (19) Richard. The latter had two sons, Richard and William. At this time some of the famly spelled the name PEARCE. (XX) Richard, elder son of Richard Percy, born in 1590, had a wife, Martha, and resided in Bristol, England; thence he came, in 1630, on the ship "Lion" which was commanded by his brother William. Children: Richard, John, Samuel, Hannah, Martha, Sarah, William and Mary. (XXI) Richard, eldest child of Richard and Martha Percy, was born 1615, in England, and died in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, in 1678. He is found of record at the latter place as early as 1654, when he was witness to a deed. He again performed this function in 1657, and witnessed a will the following year. On June 8, 1657, he was chosen surveyor of "marks of all cattell that oe from this town"; May 18, 1658, he was admitted a freeman, and Nov. 16, 1666, bought two acres and seven rods of land. This was increased by the purchase of fourteen acres in 1669. His will was executed April 23, 1677, and proved before the close of the following year, his eldest son being sole executor. He was married, probably 1642, to Suanna, daughter of George Wright, of Newport. Children: Richard, Martha, John, Giles, Susanna, Mary, Jeremiah, Isaac and Samuel. (XXII) Richard, eldest child of Richard and Susanna (Wright) Percy, was born Oct. 3, 1643, in Portsmouth, and resided in Bristol, Rhode Island, where he died July 19, 1720. He was a freeman of the Portsmouth Colony in 1663 and of the town of Portsmouth in 1669. He probably removed soon after his father's death to Bristol. He sold sixteen acres in Portsmouth for forty-eight pounds and the records show that he was an extensive land holder, this being on record of both sale and purchase. His wife's baptismal name was Experience. Children: Jonathan, Richard, Abigail, Mary, Jeremiah Ann (should that be Jeremiah, Ann?) Benjamin and a son who died at sea, name not recorded. (XXIII) Jonathan, eldsest child of Richard and Experience Percy, died July 2, 1713, in Rehoboth, Mass. He resided in early life in Bristol, Rhode Island, whence he removed to Rehoboth. He had a wife Elizabeth. Children: Nicholas, William, Isaac (died young), Isaac, Elizabeth, Mary, Thomas and Abitha. (XXIV) Thomas, fifth son of Jonathan and Elizabeth Percy, was born Aug. 7, 1711, in Rehoboth, Mass., and settled on Swan Island on the coast of maine about 1740, being accompanied in his migration by his two sons and three daughters. He was there in 1756 during the French and Indian war, and later went to Georgetown and was the owner of a farm there which his son Arthur inherited. It was situated in "Bath Town" at the head of Sheepscott river, and mention of this farm is made in the will of his son Arthur. There is no further record of either Thomas Percy or his wife, and the supposition is that they were buried near this farm. Children: 1. Francis, born 1725, married at Boston Nov. 20, 1745, Phebe James. 2. John, born 1728, went to Connecticut. 3. Arthur, of whom later. 4. Margaret, died unmarried. 5. Thomas, of Georgetown. 6. Catherine, married S. Smart, settled east of Kennebec river. 7. Elizabeth, married May 31, 1756, William Gilmore. 8. Julia, married July 27, 1757, Francis Conaway. (XXV) Arthur, third son of Thomas Percy, born 1730, died Jan., 1798. He settled in Georgetown, Maine, about 1760. He was married Oct. 18, 1752, to Ann, daughter of David Gilmore of Woolwich. She died about 1780. Children: 1. Mary, born March 1, 1755, married John Kelley. 2. Elizabeth, born Feb. 24, 1757, married Moses Morrison. 3. Thomas, born July 24, 1759, went to Scotland. 4. David, born July 1, 1761, married Mary Coffey. 5. Arthur, born Jan. 8, 1764, died young. 6. Francis, born March 1, 1766, of whom later. 7. John, born Dec. 29, 1771, married Elizabeth Wyman. 8. James, born April 2, 1775, married Sarah Wyman. Arthur Percy married (second) April 23, 1786, Margaret Porterfield. Child: Arthur, born May 21, 1788. (XXVI) Francis, fourth son of Arthur and Ann (Gilmore) Percy, was born March 1, 1766, died June 5, 1849. He resided on a farm in Phippsburg, which descended to his daughter Sarah. He married Jane, a daughter of Nathaniel and Martha (Campbell) Wyman, of Georgetown (intention dated Dec. 14, 1791). She died June 18, 1842, and both are buried in the Percy lot at Cox's Head, Maine. Children: 1. Arthur, born Sept. 22, 1792, died in 1819. 2. Nathaniel W., born Dec. 24, 1794, married Content Percy. 3. Martha, born Jan. 9, 1907 [trans note: no way 1907, maybe 1797?] married Thomas Cushing. 4. Mary, born Sept. 19, 1799, died Aug. 27, 1821, unmarried. 5. Gilmore, born Feb. 5, 1802, of whom later. 6. James, born Oct. 1, 1804, died June 30, 1827. 7. Sarah, born April 17, 1807, married Hiram Malcolm. 8. Jennie, born Oct. 21, 1809, married John Rook. (XXVII) Gilmore, third son of Francis and Jane (Wyman) Percy, was born at Phippsburg, Feb. 5, 1802, married (intention dated Aug. 21, 1826) Hannah Rogers. Child: Samuel Rogers Percy, of whom later. Gilmore Percy was a seafaring man throughout the active years of his life. He became a mate and at a very early age was washed overboard and lost Aug. 29, 1828. His widow married Alfred Sprague, of Phillsburg. (XXVIII) Samuel Rogers, son of Gilmore and Hannah (Rogers) Percy, was born at Phippsburg, Sept. 28, 1827, died July 9, 1856, of a fever at Santiago, Cuba. He was also a seafaring man. He married Sept. 20, 1852, to Eleanor M., daughter of Jordan Golder. She is living at the present time (1908). (XXIX) Samuel Rogers (2), son of Samuel Rogers (1) and Eleanor M. (Golder) Percy, was born at Phippsburg, Maine, Dec. 13, 1856, after the death of his father. He obtained a common school education, and at the age of nineteen years became a sailor, following the sea for eighteen years, during which time he sailed all over the world, and for eleven years was master of a vessel. In 1894 he associated himself with Frank A. Small in the ship-building business at Bath, Maine, under the firm name of Percy & Small. For the length of time they have engaged in this line of work, they have conducted the largest business of any ship-building firm in Bath, and are still actively engaged in building vessels. The firm has built in this short time twenty-eight schooners - ten four-masters, six six-masters, and twelve five-masters. Some of these vessels have been three hundred feet long and have a capacity of five thousand six hundred tons. They built and still own the largest sailing vessel in the world, a six-master called the "Eleanor A. Percy." This firm are managing owners, sail and operate a fleet of eleven large vessels engaged in the coasting trade, and employ during the busy season as many as two hundred and fifty men in their yard. Mr. Percy represened ward two as alderman for two years, was mayor of the city of Bath in 1901 and was a representative in the Maine legislature in 1904-05. He is a member of Polar Star Lodge, No. 114, Free and Accepted Masons; Montgomery and St. Bernard Royal Arch Chapter; Mount Vernon Council of Brunswick; Dunlap Commandery, No. 5, Knights Templar, of which he was commander in 1901; Portland Consistory, Scottish Rite, and Kora Temple, Mystic Shrine. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 934, of Bath, of which organization he was the first leading knight. He has been several years a member of the Boston Marine Society. Mr. Percy married June 2, 1880, Lucy, daughter of James Toby, of Bath. Child: Eleanor A.