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.]

SPRING We find the emigrant ancestor of all bearing the name in the United States at a very early date in the history of this country. They have been ever found a very industrious, God-fearing race, always ready to assist in every good work. (I) John Spring was born in 1588, in England, and died at Watertown, Mass., in 1650. He embarked, April 10, 1634, at Ipswich, England, in the ship "Elizabeth," and was one of the original proprietors of Watertown, Mass. in 1736-37. [trans note: should that be 1636-37?] His wife, Elinor, probably died before March 21, 1657, at which time he deeded land and house in Watertown to his son Henry, reserving the north end of the house for himself, and an annuity. Children included: Mary, Henry, John and William. (II) Henry, eldest son of John and Elinor Spring, was born in 1628, in England, and came to this country with his parents at the age of six years. He was made a freeman May 30, 1660, and from 1680 to 1695 he was a town "prizer"; the duties of this office appear to have consisted in settling the valuation of various commodities used in exchange among the townspeople. He was often employed to take inventories and settle estates, which shows that he was an accepted judge of values. He married, Jan. 7, 1658, Mehitable, born July 15, 1640, a daughter of Thomas and Hannah Bartlett, and died about 1690. He married (second) Sept. 12, 1691, Susan, widow of Gregory Cook, and was her third husband. She was a widow at the time of her marriage to Cook. Children, all of 1st wife: Elizabeth, Henry, Ann, Mehitable, Thomas and Abiah. (III) Henry (2), eldest son of Henry (1) and Mehitable (Bartlett) Spring, was made a freeman April 18, 1690, in Watertown, where his life was evidently passed, probably engaged in agriculture. He married (first) 1662 _____; (second) 1685, Lydia Cutting, born Sept. 1, 1666, and was admitted to full communion in the Watertown church April 7, 1700. Children: Lydia, Anna, Henry, Elizabeth, Mehitable and Susan. (IV) Henry (3), eldest son of Henry (2) and Lydia (Cutting) Spring, was born July 19, 1692, in Watertown, where he made his home, and was married after July 28, 1717, to Keziah Converse, who is mentioned in her father's will and unmarried at that date. Her parents were Capt. Josiah and Ruth Converse, of Woburn. Children: Josiah, Henry, Keziah, Samuel, Jedediah, John, Converse, Sarah, Alpheus and Marshal. (V) Alpheus, seventh son of Henry (3) and Keziah (Converse) Spring, was born May 10, 1739, in Watertown, and received his college training at the college of New Jersey, which is now Princeton University, graduating in 1766. He received the degree of Master of Arts from Dartmouth College in 1785. In 1768 he was called to the charge of a church in that part of Kittery now Eliot, Maine, which he accepted, and was ordained June 29 of the same year. He died very suddenly, June 14, 1791, in the fifty-third year of his age. He was respected for his ability and zealous activity in the work of the church. He married, May 18, 1769, Sarah, eldest daughter of Simon and Mary (Sewell) Frost, of York, Maine. She was born March 21, 1751. (VI) Mary, second daughter of Rev. Alpheus and Sarah (Frost) Spring, was born June 20, 1773, in Eliot, and after her father's death lived with her uncle, Dr. Marshal Spring, of Watertown, Mass. She was a woman of high cultivation and superior powers of intellect, her mind a storehouse of facts of English and ecclesiastical history, as well as a thorough understanding of the best poets. It was her custom, while spinning flax, to have a book before her, from which she committed line by line many fine literary selections. She was a rare conversaltionalist, but very retired in manner and much devoted to her children. She was married in 1794 to Rev. Hezekiah Packard, then pastor of the Congregational church, of Chelmsford, Mass. She died Sept. 25, 1828.