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.]

WESCOTT The surname Wescott, Westcott or Westcote is of ancient English origin, taken from the names of parishes in which the progenitors lived. The parishes of this name are in Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Buckshire, etc. (I) Richard Wescott, immigrant ancestor, was born about 1660. The same name occurs in Great Torrington, England, where, Nov. 17, 1611, a Richard Wescott married Mary Parsons. We find a Richard Westcott also in Connecticut at an early date; his widow Joanna married, after his death, in 1682, Nathaniel Baldwin and had three children by her second husband. He married Hannah, born about 1670, daughter of Andrew Haley, of the Isle of Shoals and Kittery. Her father was, in fact, called the "King of the Shoals"; he built a sea-wall to connect two islands and improve the harbor, fourteen rods long, thirteen feet high and fifteen feet wide. Haley's Island was named for him. He bought land in York in 1662 and sold land there in 1684. He married Deborah, daughter of Gowen Wilson, and she was ad ministatrix of his estate, appointed Dec. 2, 1697; children: i. Andrew Haley; ii. William Haley; iii. Deliverance Haley, married George Berrry Jan. 1, 1702; iv. Elizabeth Haley, married Richard Crockett; vi. Hannah Haley, married Richard Westcott; vii. Rhoda Haley, married Samuel Skillings. The estate of Andrew Haley was divided in 1724 and the receipts of the heirs are recorded in York Deeds (fol. 232, vol. xi). Hannah Wescott, widow of Richard, receipted for her share June 4, 1724; Richard Crockett, Nicholas Hilliard and Samuel Skillings gave receipts at about the same time to Andrew Haley Jr., their brother-in-law. Children of Richard & Hannah Wescott: 1. Richard, born about 1700, married Mary _____, and had Anna, b. at Falmouth, Maine, Nov. 13, 1736, and probably others. 2. William, mentioned below. 3. Andrew, of York, bought land where he dwells of Joseph Webber, of York, July 22, 1730, land described as at Cape Neddick. (II) William (1), son of Richard Wescott, was born about 1690-1700, at York, Maine. He was a witness to the deed of land to Andrew Wescott (Westcoat) July 22, 1730, signing with a mark, and was doubtless of age. Children: 1. William, born in York or Falmouth. 2. Richard, married Oct. 23, 1760, Elizabeth Bayley, at Falmouth, Maine. 3. Elizabeth, also of Falmouth. 4. Josiah (?), married Mary Fost, of Scarborough, Nov. 15, 1760. All these and probably others were children of his brothers, if not his, there being no others of the name in the county. (III) William (2), son of William (1) Wescott, was born about 1730, probably in York. He settled in Scarborough, Maine, on the place since known as the Theodore Libby farm. Mr. Wescott was the famous "Post Wescott," of revolutionary times, and was known to every one on the raod from Boston to Portland and in all region about Cumberland county. It is said that he carried the first mail between Boston and Portland, and was employed by Washington during the war in carrying dispatches and in carrying letters from the soldiers to their families in Maine. Some of his descendants have in their possession a cane given him by General Washington. When about to start with despataches in which the general took much interest, he was looking for a stick with which to urge forward his horse, when Washington told him to take his cane, which was more substantial than a switch, and hurry off. The cane is now an heirloom highly prized. On all great days, more particularly the general muster day, he usually made his appearance at Gorham village to visit his sons Reuben and Edmund. He was always polite and courteous, and always with something pleasant to say to all. He always attracted attention, with his erect, stately figure, and fine horsemanship; his long cane or staff, which he grapsed in the old-fashioned style, a few inches below the top; dressed in the old Continental style, with cocked hat, single-breasted coat with large brass buttons and standing colllar, with long waist and wide skirts; short breeches, high quartered shoes with silver buckles, four inches square, long stokcings fastened to his breeches at the knee with large silver buckles. This was his dress, and he never abandoned it during his life. He lived during his later years with his son Clement at North Yarmouth, where he died at an advanced age. He married, at Falmouth, Maine, Sept. 22, 1756, Margaret Meserve, of Pearsontown, Maine. Children: 1. Joseph, killed in battle in Rhode Island during the revolution. 2. Reuben, married Dec. 4, 1783, Abigail Dam. 3. Isaac, settled in Kittery. 4. Sally, married ____ Small, of Limington, Maine. 5. Edmund, mentioned below. 6. Charlotte, married ____ Barstow. 7. Hannah, married Nov. 15, 1802, Thomas Morton. 8. Clement, married March 6, 1804, Sally Marr and settlted in North Yarmouth. 9. Dorcas, married Oct. 23, 1800, Samuel Whitney; removed to Cumberland. 10. William, married Oct. 23, 1806, Lydia Marr, and settled in Scarborough. (IV) Edmund, son of William (2) Wescott, was born March 7, 1769, died Jan. 14, 1836. He settled in the north part of Gorham, Maine, at White Rock, on a seventy-acre lot, now or lately owned by Wiley Davis. He married Hannah Morton, who died Dec. 11, 1835, aged fifty-six, daughter of James Morton, of Gorham. Children: 1. James, born Sept. 12, 1795, married April 30, 1815, Dorcas Libby; married (second) Hannah Hanson. 2. Almira, born Oct. 7, 1796, married June 25, 1817, Jeremiah Bullock; married (second) Deacon Andrew Cobb, of Bridgton; died April 25, 1857. 3. Edmund, born Oct. 13, 1798, died young. 4. Anna, born Nov. 15, 1799, died Aug. 15, 1800. 5. Anna, born July 4, 1800, married, March 1, 1821, Benjamin Libby Jr. 6. Charlotte, born May 2, 1802, married Nov. 5, 1826, Joshua Chadbourne, of Baldwin. 7. Clement, born April 4, 1804, mentioned below. 8. Harvey, born April 7, 1806, married Dec. 5, 1829, Caroline Sturgis. 9. Elliot, born March 7, 1808, died June 19, 1811. 10. Harriet, born Sept. 1, 1810, married June 8, 1829, Daniel Murch. 11. Martha, born Nov. 26, 1812, died Nov. 15, 1813. 12. Martha, born July 15, 1814, died May 5, 1815. 13. Major M., born May 15, 1816, married Dec. 15, 1849, Harriet Whitmore, of Paris, Maine. 14. Elizabeth, born March 23, 1820, married (first) William Chadbourne; (second) Capt. J. I. Stevens. 15. Emily, born July 15, 1823, married Henry Chadbourne, of Standish. (V) Clement, son of Edmund Wescott, was born at Gorham, April 4, 1804. He was educated in the district schools, and followed farming for an occupation. He remvoed from Gorham to Knox, Maine, where he bought a farm and spent most of his active years. He married Mary Webb. Children: 1. Horace W., born 1830, mentoned below. 2. Edmund. 3. John W. 4. Charles E. 5. William, died in the service in the civil war. 6. Frank, died young. (VI) Horace W., son of Clement Wescott, was born in Gorham, 1830, died in Knox in 1897. He was educated in the public schools, and learned the wheelwright's trade. He established himself in business in Thorndyke, Maine, where he lived for several years. In 1880 he went to Montana state, and for the next six years was engaged in lumbering. He returned to Knox and carried on his farm there the remainder of his life. He was a prominent citizen of Knox, having served the town as treasurer and selectman. He was a Republican of much influence and zeal. He was a member of the Thorndyke Lodge of Free Masons. He married Adeline S. Hall, born in Thorndyke, 1832. Children: 1. Jennie H., married Willis Richardson, a farmer in Knox; children: Theron and Horace W. Richardson. 2. Dr. Addie M., medical student at Cornell. 3. Israel, died in 1904. 4. Clement W., born Feb. 27, 1867. And three who died in infancy unnamed. (VII) Clement W., son of Horace W. Wescott, was born in Knox, Feb. 27, 1867. He attended the public schools of his native town and Freedom Academy (Maine) and the East Maine Conference Seminary, at Bucksport, Maine. For a number of years he taught school in various places in the vicinity of his home. He was engaged in the banking business from 1889 to 1891 at Bar Harbor. He accepted a position as bookkeeper in the Belfast National Bank in 1891 and was elected cashier in July, 1893. In 1905, when the Belfast Bank went into liquidation, Mr. Wescott became cashier of its newly organized successor, the City National Bank. He is well and favorably known to business and banking men in that section of the state, and is counted among the shrewdest and most sagacious bankers of the county. A man of agreeable manner and attractive personality, of sterling integrity and straighforward honest, Mr. Wescott has done much to advance the intersts of his bank, while at the same time his utmost to promote business and develop resources of the community. In politis he is a Republican. He married, May 31, 1904, Susan Ethel, daughter of Bounds Crossman and Sarah Bean (Whitten) Dinsmore, of Belfast. Bounds Crossman Dinsmore, born in China, 1823, died 1898, the son of Thomas and Susan (Crossman) Dinsmore. Thomas Dinsmroe was born in Bowdoinham, Maine; children: Bounds C., Sarah, Esther, Henry, Charles, Philip, Thomas and Thomas Dinsmore. The Dinsmores came originally from the north of Ireland to Londonderry and Windham, New Hampshire. The father of Thomas came to Bowdoinham. Sarah Bean (Whitten) Dinsmore was born in Montville, Maine, in 1843. Mr. & Mrs. Wescott have one child: Helen Dinsmore, born April 30, 1905.