Below is a summary of the land that John Watson lived on in 1798.
In 1668 Captain Sandy (an Indian Sagamore) sold a large tract of land in Maine (embracing the territory between the Great and Little Ossipee Rivers) to Francis Small (some of which is presently Limington, Maine).
In the summer of 1668 the Newichewannock Tribe of Indians planned an attack on Francis Small (to burn his house and to kill Francis Small). Captain Sandy (the chief of the tribe who was friendly to Francis Small) warned Francis Small of the coming attack. Francis Small left his house that night, hid in some pines near his home and watched his house burn. The chief Captain Sandy followed Francis Small and made good the loss caused by conveying and deeding to him the entire Ossipee tract of nearly 20 miles square between the Ossipees, the Saco and the Newichawannock Rivers on November 28, 1668.
Unfortunately it was not recorded until almost 100 years later on August 28, 1773. The original deed (which is over 300 years old) is now in the custody of the Maine Historical Society at Portland and may be seen there.
Francis Small was fast becoming a large land owner and there is no doubt that he owned more acres than any other man who ever lived in southern Maine. During King Phillip’s War, Francis Small lived at Major Nicholas Shapleigh’s garrison house at Sturgeon Creek.
On January 28, 1669 (a year after Francis Small’s purchase of the Ossipee tract), he deeded to his friend Major Nicholas Shapleigh an undivided half of the Ossipee lands. This deed was not recorded at the time and much trouble and litigations followed the deal.
Troubled with conflicting claims in the hand of speculators, Francis Small deeded his property to his son Samuel Small on April 30, 1711.
The deed did not again come to light until 1771 (after remaining lost for so long).
On August 17, 1773 the heirs of Major Nicholas Shapleigh and Samuel Small met to discuss and determine what revisions should be made of the Ossipee lands. The Small heirs ended up with that part of the Ossipee lands that are currently known as Newfield, Cornish, Limington and part of Limerick. The rightful Small heirs were;
Samuel Small Jr
Joshua Small
Samuel March
James Small
Nathan Chick
Peter Cobb
Isaac Nason
Edmund Coffin
Edward Chapman
Benjamin Small
Christopher Hammond
Benjamin Meads Lord
On May 17, 1774 the first meeting of the Ossipee Proprietors was formed in Scarboro.
In August 1774 the first legal meeting of the Ossipee Proprietors was held.
On August 15, 1774 the second meeting of the Ossipee Proprietors was held. It was voted at the meeting that the tract of land called Limington be divided into thirty acre lots and the residue into hundred-acre lots. The first town lots were laid out in an irregular, oblong figure formed by the Saco River on the north, by a sharp bend in the Saco River on the east and by the Little Ossipee on the south.
On October 7, 1774 the Ossipee Proprietors met and voted that 75 of the one hundred acre lots in Limington be drawn up on a map (drawn up by Joshua Small). Each lot was numbered, placed on separate pieces of paper and then drawn by chance so no one person would get the best lots. A likeness of Joshua Small’s map has been preserved and can be found at the Alfred Court House in Maine. (I have attached a jpeg copy of the 1774 map drawn by Joshua Small).
Of course by 1774 there were already a few “squatters” upon the lands that were drawn by chance listed above. Each of the squatters were dealt with in different ways. Some merely paid a nominal sum for their few acres, while others were taken into court.
In February 1792 the Ossipee property became the town of Limington.
The first Limington town meeting was held at the schoolhouse on April 2, 1792.
In the 1774 map of Limington drawn by Joshua Small (see above), each proprietor initial’s were written on the lots drawn by them. John Watson’s lot along the Saco River was drawn by Samuel March on October 7, 1774.
Listed below are the Titles as found in the Alfred Courthouse in Alfred, Maine. Included with each Title is what book and page number the Title was found in.
November 25, 1668
Captain Sandy (an Indian Sagamore) sold a large tract of land in Maine (embracing the territory between the Great and Little Ossipee Rivers) to Francis Small (some of which is presently Limington, Maine). Francis Small then conveyed the land to his son “Samuel Small”. (Book 43 – Page 170 left).
February 13, 1773
Samuel Small conveyed to his son “Samuel Small” a “tract of land lying and being at a place called Ossipee in the County of York”. (Book 43 – Page 170 left).
November 4, 1784
Samuel Small sold 100 acre lot in Limington, Maine to Samuel March for 60 Pounds.
(Book 55 – Page 155 left & Page 156 right).
July 5, 1792
Samuel March sold 100 acre lot in Limington, Maine to Jeremy Fogg for 60 Pounds.
(Book 56 – Page 219 & Page 220).
On March 22, 1820 John Watson now owned the entire 100 Acres of Lot 16.
December 21, 1829
James B Stone sold the NorthWesterly quarter of the 100 Acre “Lot 15 on F Range” to John Watson for $70.00. John was going to use it for a wood lot. He purchased a total of 25 Acres. (Book 143 – Page 80 left & Page 80 right).
February 14, 1852
John Watson gave his land (Deed of Conveyance) to his sons Joshua Watson and Caleb H Watson of both properties (one was “90 acres more or less” and the other was “10 acres more or less”). The provisions of the Deed of Conveyance were that the sons would be;
“maintaining and providing for me (John Watson) in all respects as to food, clothing, firewood, and nursing and medicine in case of sickness during my natural life.” (Book 228 – Page 282, 283, 284).
Johns’s wife died on August 9, 1852 (only a few months later). My thoughts are that John’s wife must have been ill when he gave the property to his 2 sons. John would have been 72 years old at the time and since his wife was ill, he probably wanted to make sure that someone would take care of him in his later years…and so gave the property to his sons in exchange for their care.
I could not find out when the property was turned over to Joshua Watson’s son Frank H Watson. I will have to make that another trip to Maine.
April 18, 1934
Frank H Watson wrote his will. There were 3 signatures on the will (Ralph Milliken, Fred McKenney, Elias Smith who was a Justice of the Peace). The Judge was Harry B Ayer. The will reads;
First I give, bequeath and devise to A. Falker McKenney, his heirs and assigns forever, all of the property of which, I die seized and possessed, real, personal, and mixed of whatever name or nature and wherever situated. In consideration that he shall support and maintain me, in the manner that I have been accustomed to live furnishing me at all times good and sufficient clothing, and food when well, medicine and nursing when sick. And decently bury me at me decease. And erect a suitable headstone at my grave; and pay for it all out of my estate. Then whatever remains of my estate shall go to and belong to the said A. Falker McKenney his heirs and assigns forever.
Second I hereby appoint or nominate the said A. Falker McKenney to be the sole executor of this my last Will and Testament; and it is my request that he may be allowed to serve in said capacity without any bonds being required of him.
The original Will of Frank H Watson is in the “Probate” section of the Alfred Courthouse in Alfred, Maine and the Number is “65758”.
May 3, 1934
Frank H Watson died.
October 6, 1934
Abstract of the Will of Frank H Watson
It took place at the Biddeford Court in Maine.
Ruby H Crawford was the Acting Register of the Probate Court.
The last Will and Testament was proved, approved and allowed by the Judge to A. Falker McKenney and his heirs. (Book 854 – Page 483 & Page 484).
This is a 1995 photo of Frank H Watson's house on the original John Watson property in Limington, Maine.
