Marriage info FROM THE DIARY OF MOSES DAVIS, J. P., OF EDGECOMB, ME., 1775-1823 In the Sheepscot River, near its eastern bank and opposite the town of Wiscasset, Me., lies a wooded island, which is known as Davis Island and forms a part of the town of Edgecomb.* It takes its name from Moses Davis, who came from Newburyport, Mass., and settled there about 1770. He was a justice of the peace, represented Edgecomb in the Massachusetts Provincial Congress at Watertown in July 1775, and was a delegate to the convention which met in Boston and on 6 Feb. 1788 ratified the Constitution of the United States. He voted in favor of ratification. On 20 Apr. 1822 Mr. Davis wrote that he "was born in Hampton falls in Newhamshire State the 23 day of September, 1743, and at about five years of age was carried to Boston, & there went to school until 14 years of age, & then was put an Apprentice to Capt. Onesiphorus Tileston to learn the trade of a housewright, where he lived until 21 years of age, and soon after went to Newbury Port, and was there the chief part of the term of four years — there he Married Mrs Sarah Rolfe & in the year 1770 moved his family down to Freetown then so called but now Edgecumbe 52 years the *Wiscasset, the shire town of Lincoln County, Me., on the western bank of the Sheepcot River, was formerly a part of the ancient town of Pownalborough, which was incorporated 13 Feb. 1760. Pownalborough included also the present towns of Alna and Dresden and Swan Island (an island in the Kennebec River, which from 1847 to 1917 had corporate existence as the town of Perkins). The North Precinct of Pownalborough was set off in 1794 as the town of New Milford, a name which was changed in 1811 to Alna. The northwestern part of Pownalborough, including Swan Island, was incorporated in 1791 as the town of Dresden. The southeastern part of Pownal- [p. 415] 12 day of April 1822 — and he will be 79 years old the 23d day of September 1822."* He died at Edgecomb 18 Nov. 1824. Moses Davis kept a diary, from which the contributor of this article has copied verbatim et literatim the records of marriages, deaths, and funerals which are given below. In the copy the punctuation (or lack of punctuation) of the original manuscript has been carefully followed, but superior letters have been printed on the line. Marriages May the 14 1776 I married Benja Rackliff & Mary Dodge Thursday May 22 1776 this afternoon I married Jesse Richards & Mary Williams Fryday June 14 1776 this day came Mr James Allen & Rachel Stevens & took one another to be Husband & wife before me Friday Dec 10 1776 this Day married William Rackliff to Rebecca Gardner Thursday April 21 1785 Married Danl Brown and Sarah Stevens Thursday April 28 1785 went to Mr Thos Dodges & married him to Sarah Ross Thursday Dec 1 1785 went to Jona. Huntoons & Married Moses Huff and Elizabeth Chase in the Evening Thursday Dec 8 1785 went to Damascotte (sic, Damariscotta) — Married Ezra Miller and Elizabeth Haggelton Thursday June 22 1786 went to Mrs McFarlands [in Boothbay] and Married David McCobb to Elizabeth McFarland Wednesday Nov 6 1786 afternoon went to John Crummets & Married Benja Chambers and Feeney Tibbetts Thursday March 15 1787 in the Evening went to John Cockren & married Martha Cockren to Florence McCarty Thursday, May 17 1787 in the Evening married Timothy Merrow and Elizabeth Merrow who came here for that purpose Thursday Oct 4 1787 went up to Ball Town† Married Lidia Trask To Abner Ford Thursday Oct 18 1787 This Evening Married Enoch Gove to Betty Davis Monday Oct 20 1788 married John Kent and Susannah Thompson Sunday May 24 1789 Patte Married this Evening Tuesday Sept 29 1789 Towns End at Widow Wylies married Robert Mitchel to Martha Wylie Fryday Oct 16 1789 married Capt Jewett to Elienor Cochran Monday Jan'y 4 1790 This Evening went to Capt Goves & Married David Barter to Polly Whiten Tuesday April 13 1790 went to Mr Merrows & married Brigs Howland to Abigail Merrow Tuesday April 20 1790 went to Jeremiah Crummetts & Married William Durons to Ruth Burnham Thursday May 13 1790 went in Evening to John Chases & Married Nehemiah Colby & Hannah Baker Tuesday June 8 1790 Saml Rolfe & Sarah Davis Married this Evening borough retained the old name until 1802, when it was changed to Wiscasset; and Pownalborough, as the name of a Maine town, passed out of existence. Edgecomb, on the eastern bank of the Sheepscot, east and southeast from Wiscasset, was incorporated in 1774, and in early days was called Freetown. The long island west of the main course of the Sheepscot, which was formerly known as Jeremy Squam and in Feb. 1828 was incorporated as the town of Westport, was a part of Edgecomb prior to 1828. *These words of Mr. Davis have been copied from a document in his own handwriting, which is now in the possession of the Maine Historical Society. †Now the town of Jefferson [p. 416] Tuesday March 22 1791 Married Isaac Gove & Polly Carlile Thursday March 15 1792 Mr Hood was married this Evening Thursday April 5 1792 went to Damascotte married John Brown to Rachel Stevens Tuesday June 26 1792 went myself after noon & married John Brown Junr to Betsey Perkins Sunday Nov 25 1792 this evening went to Mr Spencer Deckers & Married his Daughter Peggy to Nathl Nelson Tuesday January 1 1793 went to Lt Cuninghams & Married Betsey Cuningham to Benja Allbee Junr Thursday January 3 1793 went to Damascotte & Married Reuben Alley to Lucy Dunton Tuesday January 22 1793 went with Obadiah Trask to his Fathers & Married Peter McSweney to Hannah Colby Thursday June 13 1793 went to Mr Perkins Married Thos Sweat & Eunice Perkins Thursday Oct 31 1793 went about 2 oClock to Mr John Alleys & Married Benjamin Dunton to Patty Alley Tuesday Nov 26 1793 went to John B. Dareens [sic, Deering] & Married Ephraim Stevens to Sally Brown Tuesday December 24 1793 went to Mr Kennedys and Married James Moore & Phebey Cannada Thursday Jan'y 2 1794 Married David Silvester Trask Thursday April 10 1794 Married Solo Baker to Miriam Carlile Fryday Aug't 19 1794 Married Joseph Barter & Sarah Pinkham Thursday Dec 25 1794 went to Joseph Duntons Married John Kennedy to Judith Dunton Monday Dec 29 1794 afternoon went to John Trasks and Married Stephen Trask to Hannah Trask Tuesday Dec 30 1794 afternoon went to Boothbay to Capt Joseph Reeds, and Married Thomas Gove to Elizabeth Reed — tarried all night. Saturday Jan'y 24 1795 Married Enoch Trask to Sarah Giles about 10 Clock Tuesday Jan'y 27 1795 Evening Daniel Dodge was Married to Judith Davis — by Rev Mr Pickles Thursday Jan'y 29 1795 went to Boothbay to Deacon Aulds & Married his Daughter to Jona. Hutchins Thursday Dec 3 1795 afternoon went to Capt Cloughs to an Entertainment, made for & on Account of Betsey Clough's being married to John Huse, the Thursday before this at Wiscaset* Sunday July 3 1796 Married Lord to A. Huff Thursday July 7 1796 afternoon went to Timothy Cuninghams and Married Jona. Wilson & Polly Mitchel Saturday July 23 1796 Married James Carlile & Betsey Goudey at Mr Goudeys Thursday September 8 1796 I went this Evening to Solo Trasks & Married Sarah Trask to D'd Daren Sunday May 21 1797 Just before night went to Henry Colbys and Married Peter Murphy to Nancy Colby Thursday June 15 1797 this afternoon Mr Dalton & Widow Moore came here & were married Just at Sundown — tarried all night Sunday Oct 22 1797 Just at Dusk went to Mr Hoods and Married Abner Hood to Betsey Mitchel *Mr. Davis always spelled the last part of the name Wiscasset with only one s. The name was in common use long before the name of the town was changed from Pownalborough to Wiscasset. [p. 417] Thursday Nov 30 1797 Rebecca was Married this Evening to William Clifford Junr Thursday Dec 14 1797 afternoon went to Mrs Deckers & Married her to Jacob Nelson Monday April 16 1798 afternoon went with Capt Hatch to his house & Married him to Fanny Maccafery Thursday April 26 1798 afternoon went to Mr Wm Cliffords & Married Elias Patterson to Martha Clifford Sunday May 13 1798 after meeting to Mrs Dodges & married Rhoada Dodge to Asa Dodge Thursday June 7 1798 went to John Darins & married Andrew Trask to Mary Darin [sic, Deering] Thursday Aug't 23 1798 afternoon went to Sol Trask & Married Elijah Brown to Mary Hutchins Thursday Sept 20 1798 Married Sol Trask to Else Chase Sunday Sept 23 1798 this Evening went to Moses Huffs & Married William Moore to Rachel Billings Tuesday Decr 11 1798 Betsy Barber and Nathl Knight married at Capt Websters by Mr Sawyer Thursday Dec 20 1798 this evening Married E Trask to Abigl Merrill Sunday Dec 30 1798 went in the Evening to Nathn Goves & Married Elijah Gove to Mary Gillpatrick Thursday Feby 21 1799 went about 4 oClock With Jona. Merrow to John Trasks and Married David Merrow to Jane Trask Sunday May 26 1799 went in the Evening to Mr Merrills & Married Enos Gove to Lidia Merrill Tuesday June 11 1799 went to Wedding of Major Tubbs & Mrs Gove Thursday Nov 28 1799 went after noon to Mr Flys & Married his Son Wm to Olive Stutson Wednesday Dec 25 1799 went about twelve oClock to Joseph Duntons & Married Roger Shearman to Betsy Dunton Wednesday Jan'y 1 1800 in the evening went to John Dodges Married his Daughter Paty to John Page Junr Thursday August 21 1800 afternoon went to Danl Leemans & Married Patty Leeman to Josiah Gorham Thursday Nov 20 1800 Just a[t] sundown went to James Pattersons & married Jacob Cuningham to Eliza. Patterson Sunday Dec 28 1800 Married Abram Kimball to Betsey Trask this evening Tuesday Feby 2 1802 Robert Cliffords wedding Tuesday Nov 16 1802 went to Thomas Dodges afternoon and married Ebenr Clifford to Sally Ralph Monday April 11 1803 went to Joseph Duntons & married Joseph Sherman to Sarah Dunton Thursday Feb'y 21 1805 Polly Trask Married to James Hodge today Thursday April 2 1805 went to Sebra Crookers Married Elxander Trask to Polly Curtis Wednesday Oct 30 1805 went to Mr Winthrop Dodges at 3 oClock after noon & Married John Dodge to Sally Dodge Thursday Nov 28 1805 went to Danl Leemans & Married James White to Thankful Hatch Wednesday Jan'y 1 1806 went to Saml Merrows & Married James Williams to Sally Merrow Sunday June 1 1806 this morning went to Mr Stephen Merrills & married Sally Merrill to Capt Ezra Ryan Thursday Aug't 7 1806 went to Abigail Goves & Married her to Simeon Pearl [p. 418] Sunday Oct 12 1806 went to Mr Sears's & Married Jesse Snow to Joanna Sears Sunday Nov 9 1806 in the evening went to Spencer Deckers & Married Wm Simpson to Martha Decker Thursday Nov 27 1806 afternoon went to Mr Ebenr Perkins to the Wedding of our Son Moses to Polly Perkins Thursday May 7 1807 afternoon went to Daniel Leemans & Married Abigail Leeman to Andrew Light Thursday May 21 1807 this afternoon went to Willm Clifford & Married Ebenr Lewis to Sally Clifford Sunday June 19 1808 after meeting went to Henry Colby & married James Leppard to Eliza. Colby Thursday Sept 29 1808 afternoon went to Daniel Trasks & married James Trask to Esther Huff Wednesday Jan'y 25 1809 Married James Huff to Phebey Trask Thursday November 30 1809 Married Giles Tibbetts Junr to Jane Crummett Thursday June 7 1810 at Saml Cliffords Married Tilly H. Clisby to Sally Clifford got home about 5 oClock and went about 7 oClock & Married Wm Clifford the 3 to Sally Besey Sunday Jan'y 6 1811 Afternoon went to Moses Roberts & married Catharine Chesly to Stephen Coffin Tuesday Jan'y 22 1811 afternoon Married John O. Thomson to Sarah Luce both of Reedfield Thursday Nov 26 1812 John Clark 2d came here with Clarisa Dodge & I married them & they stopd to supper Thursday June 10 1813 I went to Spencer Cliffords & married Joseph Clifford to Deborah Mitchel Sunday July 18 1813 went after breakfast & Married Jeremiah Moore to Sally Baker Tuesday Sept 16 1817 went in chaise about one oClock to Rufus Goves to marry Moses Dodge & Polly Leeman Married them about 3 oClock Thursday Nov 12 1818 Married Patrick Smith to Susan Bridges this evening at home Thursday Dec 10 1818 went in evening to Decon Adams's & married his Daughter Sarah &c