Ref:
(1) Mass. Archives- Vol.16, pp.403-7(2) Suffolk County Court Records-
(3) Records from the Dover Library, Dover, NH from the registers of Christ Church Parish quoted by Susan Fischer at: http://genforum.genealogy.com/scammon/messages/83.html
Old Kittery and Her Families- Everett S. Stackpole, pp.711-2
Genealogical Dictionary of Maine & New Hampshire- p.613
Barbados Public Library, Bridgetown, Barbados
3I. HUMPHREY (RICHARD 1, JOHN 2)
b.c.1640m. ELIZABETH ______
d. 1 Jan. 1727
The "Genealogical Dictionary" states that Humphrey was most probably the son of John although he may have been the son of Richard. Frank Scammon was of the opinion that Humphrey was the son of John Scammon born in Nettleton in 1598 and married in 1623, however, Humphrey wasn't born until 1640 and no other children of John are found. It seems more likely that John was the son of Richard of Portsmouth who may have been the Richard Scammon born in Nettleton in 1593. John, father of Humphrey, was born most likely c.1615. We do know that John, Richard, Elizabeth and Anne were siblings and lived in the latter half of the 17th century... a bit too late to have been the children of Brian Scammon listed above. Having Elizabeth Saffin be the daughter of Brian would make her 85 at the time of her marriage to John Saffin, an unlikely event. I've also seen John of Tattershall, Lincolnshire listed at the father of the four sibs... although, other than for a baptism for Anne in 1628 I can't find a connection. At this point Humphrey's origins remain a mystery, he is tentatively placed as a child of John, however, he may not be closely related to these other Scammons, but, I think that unlikely.
Humphrey lived at Kittery Point in 1677 and then moved to Wells where he bought land from N. Fryer:
Know all men by these Prsents, that I Nathall Fryer of Portsmouth Mrchant In Consideration of Twenty foure pounds in hand payd by Humfrey Scammon... doe... sell... unto the sayd Humfrey Scammon... a Certen Tract of upland contayneing about one hundred & Twenty or Thirty Acers bee It more or less, with a small house or Tenement upon It scituate liing & being in the Town of Wells, fronting against the Land of Mr Samuell Wheelewright, bounded on the East side by ye Land of John Trott, & on the Westermost side by ye Land of William Hamonds... Which sayd Premisses was lately in the Tenour & Occupation of John Bates... the seaventh day of May, one thousand six: seaventy foure/ 1674... Nathall Fryer & Christian his wife. (7)
He then moved to Cape Porpoise where he had a town grant in 1679 and was constable in 1678/9. Humphrey then moved to Saco where he bought the Henry Waddock farm three miles below the falls on the eastern side of the river 4 Dec. 1679:
To all Christean people, to whome this writeing Indented shall Come greeteing
Know yee that I Jane Waddocke, the wife of Henery Waddocke deceased, of Sacoe in the povince of Mayne Widdow, have by these Presents, for & in Consideration of the some of fourty pounds of Current pay of New England, in hand payd mee by Humfrey Scammon of the Town of Cape Porpus.... do... sell... Too hundred acres of Land scituate on the North side of Sacoe River, begining at a brooke by a thorne tree, tending & runeing partly North & by East
And likewise twenty Acres of sault Marsh liing at Gowse fayre, provided yr bee not measure of Land Enough at Goouse fayre, the sd Humphrey is to have It with the Premisses before mentioned.... this fourth day of December Anno : Dom : 1679...
(8) Humphrey was given town privileges and a ferry license in June 1680.(1)At a Court of Pleas houlden by Major Pendleton Deputy Prsident, & severall of the Justs at Wells for the Province of Mayn, June the 30th 1680: wr severall Administrations were granted, & Inventorys brought in, & Lycences granted, & renewed according to order
Humfrey Scammon is appoynted, & allowed to keepe a ferry for transportation of horses & men, over the Sacoe River, at ye Late house wr formerly Hene : Waddocke lived, & for his ferrage of an horse & man hee is to have nine peence
Hee is also allowed to keepe a publique house of Intertaymt...(17)
His was a most important ferry for which his predecessor had been ordered to provide a good, sufficient boat, large enough to carry over three horses at one time. Early ferrage charges were 2d cash and 3d on account for each person.(2)
On 28 Mar. 1681 Humphrey took the inventory of the estate of Nicolas Edgecomb. Other than his land, poor Nicholas had a cow and a calf worth �4, an iron pott worth 8/, a musket 15/, and his "weareing Cloaths" �5.(10) I wonder why his clothes were worth so much?
Humphrey had also been "allowed to keepe a publique house of Intertaynmt" from 1680 until 1686 and was in charge of taking the tax lists to York in 1682. He was also in charge of seeing the minister's cellar dug and stoned in 1686 and was a deputy in the same year. He had a sawmill at Blackman's Falls on the Dunstan River and was a culler of fish in 1695/6. In 1699 he was on the grand jury.
To all Christian People to whome these presents shall come
I Joshua Atwater of Boston in New England Mercer... for and in consideration of threescore thousand feet of good and Merchantable pine boards to him ye sd Joshua Atwater by Humphrey Scammon of Saco in ye Province of Maine in New England in hand paid... doe... sell... All that his Saw Mill on Dunston ffalls in Scarborow, together with ye fall and priviledge of timbr four Miles about the Mill, Alsoe fiftie Acres of upland Adjoyning to ye falls on ye Northeast, and a parcell of Meadow below ye Mill as far down as Robert Nicholls his Marsh as ye same was confirmed unto Benjamin Blackman by a town grant of whom ye said Joshua Atwater Purchased ye same... this twentieth day of July, in ye year of our Lord God One thousand Six hundred and Eighty Seaven...
(11)These may certifie whom it may Concern that I have laid out for Humphrey Scamon of Beddiford in the Township of Scarborough fifty acres of upland by virtue of a deed bearing date in ye Year of one thousand Six hundred Eighty and Seven, the Land Scituated... and known by ye Name of Blackmans falls on Dunston river where Mr. Humphrey Scamon Senr formerly had a Saw mill Dated at Scarborough this 25 day of May 1720
Nicholas Coles- Surveyer of Land for Wells.(15)
Be it known unto all men by these present that I Jane Weawick of Gloster... formerly ye wife but now ye widdow and administratrix to ye Estate of my Husband Henry Waewick Some time Resident in Saco... I Jane Warick... have... athorized my Loving Son John Tinney of Gloster my true & lawfull Attorney in my name to ask Demand Sue for & Recover of Humphrey Scamon of Saco aforesd about Thirty or forty pounds with about two hundred acres of land... which was appertaining to ye Estate of my Husband Henry Warick Decd... ye Seventeenth day of Janry in ye Year of our Lord one Thousand Six Hundred Ninty & two/93... recorded according to ye origanall Janry 19th 1721...(14)
1696 annoqHumphrey Scamon being brought to this Court by the Sheriff as a prisonr for some Misdemenir
And the said Scamon as principle and Mr Richd Cutt as surety do own themselves bound and firmly obliged Joyntly & Severally to our Sovereign Lord King William his Successors in the sum of ten pounds that ye said Scamon shall psonally appear at ye next Quarter Sessions holden for this County, and there to answer to what shall be aleged against him by William Pepril Esqur on ye Kings behalfe and to abide the order of Court therein and not to depart wthout Lycence, and to be of the good behavr till then.
Humphrey Scamon appearing at this Court to answer his bonds of good behaviour, and nothing appearing against him he is acquitted from his sd bonds paying the ffees of Court. ffees payd in Court.(9)
To all Christian People to whome this present Deed of Sale shall come, John Tenny of Kittery... ffisherman and Margrett his wife... in consideration of the Sum of twenty five pounds Currant money of New England to them in hand paid.... by Humphrey Scammon of the same Town... Yeoman... doe... Sell... All that their tract of Land and Marsh... being in the township of Saco on ye North Side of Saco River, containing by Estimation about four hundred Acres be it more or less butted and bounded on ye one side by Saco River near ye Mouth of sd River then by ye Sea Side to ye Mouth of Goose fare river... by the uper Wading place... to ye mouth of ye great Gutt comonly called by the name of Shaws gutt... which land & Marsh was formerly Henry Waddocks as by Deed of Sale from John Richards Thomas Lake & Joshua Scottow my Appear bearing Date ye first day of Novermbr one thousand six hundred fifty & seven and is ye sd John Tennys by Vertue of a Deed from Jane Waddock Administratrix to ye Estate of Henry Waddock deceased... the fourth day of June Anno Domini One thousand and Seven hundred...(12)
During the Indian Wars he moved back to Kittery. Upon his return to Saco on 10 Aug. 1703 he, his wife and sons Humphrey and Samuel were taken captive. The story of the capture is based upon the tale of Samuel's granddaughter. As the story goes Samuel was sent by his mother with a mug of beer for his father and brother who were working in a marsh by the lower ferry. Seeing Indians in the distance the child hurried back to his mother. She, fearing death if they showed signs of resistance would not allow him to shut the door or windows. The Indians came and asked for her sanap (husband). She refused to answer. They threatened to carry her off alone "but promised if she would discover where he was to take them together without harm". After smashing much of the furniture and emptying the beds to get the sacks they went to the marsh and took the two Humphreys.
The attack was witnessed by a boy named Robinson who made his escape on horseback to Grey's Point on the Saco River and swam to Cow Island and then to the opposite shore. At the garrison he found only women and old men. However, they all put on men's clothing and uniforms and showed themselves around the fort given the Indians the impression that the place was heavily guarded. The ruse worked and the fort was not attacked.
They were subjected to great cruelty at Peckwogett [Fryeburg], the war council deciding to kill them but, the chief remembering the promise the captives were kept although with "harm".
The sleeping Indian is striving to rise,
With his knife in his hand, and glaring eyes!-
'Wagh!- Mogg will have the pale-face's hair,
For his knife is sharp, and his fingers can help
The hair to pull and the skin to peel,-
Let him cry like a woman and twist like an eel,
The great Captain Scamman must lose his scalp!
And Ruth, when she sees it, shall dance with Mogg.'
His eyes are fixed,- but his lips draw in,-
With a low, hoarse chuckle, and fiendish grin,-
And he sinks again, like a senseless log."(6)
At the Black Point garrison in August "a captive" was sent by the Indians with a flag of truce to the garrison. They sent "Elizabeth Scammon... but the officer well knowing their intreague slighted the message, secured the captive and suffered no messenger approach any nearer than what the muzzles of his guns have license for". Elizabeth was rescued.
The rest of the family was then taken to Canada where they were detained until the next year and when they returned they found their house exactly as it had been left, supposedly even the beer mug was on the table!(3)
The Scamman Jug- York Institute- Saco
The famous mug that was left on the table is part of the collection of the York Institute Museum in Saco. The mug is salt-glazed stoneware and was made in the Westerwald district of Germany 1689-1702 and bears the likeness of King William III.
"In the name of God Amen I Homphery Scamon of Kittery in the County of Yourk in the Province of the Masitutas Bay in New england Planter... macke this my Last will and testement...
I give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife all my moveable estate with in dores & with out During hur Life for hur seport & maintenance & what is Left after hur Deses to my two Sons to be Equally Devided betwen them.
I Give and bequeath to my two Sons humphry & Samuel Scamon All that tract of land and marsh at Sacow & I ( ) fare ye marshes to be Equally Devied betwen them: the upland I give humphry forty ackers more then Samuel: humphry to have his part Lowermost by the River side: as for my Land at Donston I give It Equily betwen them to be devided as thay Shall See fit...
I give and bequeath unto my three Dafters Elizibeth haly Mary Paidinton Rebacka billing fiveten pound A pece to be Payed them by my two Sons...
I constitute macke & ordaine my two Sons afour Sad with my wife to be Executers & Executrix of this my Last will and testement...
I Do desier & apint my beloved friends Liftnt Rodger Duiring & Richard Cutt Sinr to se this my will Performd
In wittness wherof I have here unto Set my hand & Seal this twelveth Daye of march Anno Domi one thousand Seven hundered & thurtiene fourtein.
Signed Seled & delivered in the presence of usRobt Elliot the marke X Scamen
Richard Cutt of humphry
Richard Cutt Juner"(4)
To All People to whom these Present shall Come Greeting Know Ye that I Humphrey Scamon of Biddiford... for & in Consideration of ye Sum of forty four pounds of Currant money... paid by John Davies of ye Same town... do... sell... upland Scittuate lying & being in Biddiford... Adjoyning to Capt Wm Pepperrells land... to Mr. Nathl Wears Land... Containing by Estimation Eighty Eight Acres... Excepting three Quarters of All Mill prividedges throughout this tract of Land & three quarters of a landing Adjoyning to it & Saco river & a Tenth part of All gold & Silver Oare... this Twenty Eight day of Octobr Anno Domi One thousand Seven hundred & Nineteen... Humphry Scamon... And Eliza his wife...(13) To all People to whom this Deed of Sale may Come Ebenezer Moore & Joseph Crockett of Kittery... Yeoman... In Consideration of One hundred and Thirty Three Pounds Current Passable money of New England to them in hand paid by Humphrey Scamon of Biddeford... Yeamon... do... sell... Thirty Six acres more or less Lying & being in ye Township of Kittery aforesaid & is Sittuate upon ye Point where ye lower meeting house in said Kittery Standeth which said land ye sd Ebenezer Moore & Roger Deering & Thomas Allen bought of Nathaniel Thomas Esq.... May ye 28th 1712... bounded... by ye great River known by ye name of Pescataqua River... Thirtieth day of November In ye year of our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and Twenty Three...(16) Humphrey Jr. as the town clerk of Biddeford wrote: "Humphrey Scammon Deseased, Januarey the 1 day in year of 1727 and of his Aeage 87 yeares. Humphrey Scammon Town Clarck."(5) Humphrey Sr. probably died at his son's house at the upper ferry which was three miles below the falls on the east side of the river. Issue-
Ref:
(1) Genealogical Dictionary of Maine & New Hampshire- p.612-3(2) Old Times in Saco- monograph by Daniel Owen
(3) Old Times in Saco- monograph by Daniel Owen, New England Captives Carried to Canada- Emma Lewis Coleman, History of the Wars of New England with the Eastern Indians- Penhallow
(4) York Co. Registry of Probate
(5) Material for a Genealogy of the Scammon Family in Maine- Benjamin Goodale, The Salem Press, 1892- p. 2
(6) Mogg Magone- John Greenleaf Whittier- Part I
(7) York County Deeds- Vol. II, fol. 150-1
(8) Ibid- Vol. III, fol. 103
(9) Ibid- Vol. V, Pt. II, fol. 93, 95
(10) Ibid- Pt. I, fol. 8
(11) Ibid- Vol. VI, fol. 79
(12) Ibid- fol. 79-80
(13) Ibid- Vol. X, fol. 121
(14) Ibid- fol. 245
(15) Ibid- fol. 78
(16) Ibid- Vol. XI, pt. 1, fol. 117-8
(17) Ibid- Vol. V, pt. 1, fol. 1
Old Kittery and Her Families- Everett S. Stackpole, p. 712
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