Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 4
I1 recd. your Favor of the 15th. of May,2 respecting the Absentees Estates, together with a Letter and power of atty. pr. Mr. Cushing,3 therein inclosed. Mr. Cushing had been previously engaged for some of the Claimants, and therefore could not engage for the Commonwealth against those Claimants, notwithstanding which, I thought it adviseable to deliver him your Letter & Power of Attorney, that he might act for the Commonwealth where he was not engaged for the Claimants; and in those Cases Major Lithgow4 will appear for the Commonwealth. There were several Claims fil’d, but we could not proceed to Trial for want of necessary papers to support the Title in Behalf of the State, and therefore were 216 oblidged to have them continued to next Term. Judgment was recovered for the Whole of the Estates of each of the Absentees as described in the Libels, excepting only such parts thereof as were claimed. Major Cushing by whom I send this can give you any Information concerning the same, & therefore must refer you to him.
A List of Claims fil’d—vizt.
Will. Colman of Boston for part of Dr. Gardiners5 Estate, called the Chops farm—R:Cus
Saml. Harnden of Woolwich for part of Dr. Gardiner’s Estate, vizt. for Lyndes’s Island. R Cush
William Lithgow Esqr. for part of Dr. Gardiner’s Estate, viz: an Island opposite Fort Hallifax. Lithgow
Briggs Hallowell for the 3200 Acre Lot No. 22. RC
Wm. Gardiner for 12000 acres at Cobbiscconte T:L:
Ebenezr. Whittier of Pownalboro’ for part of Charles Ward Apthorps Estate, vizt. 400 acres in Pownalboro number’d Aa 1—this was sold for Tax
Abrahm. Page of Hallowell for Part of Wm. Vassals Estate viz. part of Lot No. 5 in Hallowell. Lithgow
Hallowell mortgaged to Gardner who Sued out the Mortgage
then Hallowell told Court & by unproper intentions got the Judgt. Sent it aside
the Claims of Possn. is forwarded on Vassalls Deed
Mm. John Jones, who broke Gaol in Boston, conveyed his Land at Kennebeck since March 5th Deed not recorded till after he went away
Samuel Waterhouse
Aylen
Wm. Bowes
3200 acres of Dr. Gardner
John Carlton of Woolwich Gentleman went to Baggaduce Nov. 1780
Francis Waldo
Jonathan Bowman (1735–1804) graduated from Harvard (A.B., 1755) and was sent to Maine in 1760 to represent the interests of the Plymouth Company. There he was appointed collector of excise, register of probate and deeds, clerk to the inferior court, and a justice of the peace (Sibley’s Harvard Graduates, 13:545–550).
Not located.
Although William Cushing (1732–1810) was practicing law in Pownalborough at this time, based on the reference of “R. Cushing” against the claims in the notes, this probably refers to his younger brother Roland 217 Cushing (1750–1788), a graduate of Harvard (A.B., 1768) and register of probate for Lincoln County from 1772 (Sibley’s Harvard Graduates, 17:13–14). See also RTP to Jonathan Bowman, Sept. 7, 1782 (below).
William Lithgow, Jr. (c. 1750–1796), served as a major in the Revolution. After the war, he began to practice law at Pownalborough and was appointed district attorney for the Maine District from 1789 (William Dawson Bridge, Genealogy of the John Bridge Family in America, 1632–1924 [Cambridge, Mass., 1924], 427).
Dr. Sylvester Gardiner (1708–1786) studied medicine in England and France and was practicing in Boston at the outbreak of the Revolution. Following the Battle of Bunker Hill, he “rendered conspicuous service” in tending the wounded British officers. Dr. Gardiner left for Halifax in 1776, was proscribed and banished as a loyalist, and later went to live in England. He returned to New England in 1785, settling at Newport, R.I. His estates in Massachusetts were confiscated and sold, but his extensive Maine landholdings through the Kennebec Company were saved due to a flaw in the legal process (Jones, Loyalists of Massachusetts, 140–142; Stark, Loyalists of Massachusetts, 313–317).
I have sent by a safe hand to the care of Mr. Bradish Junr; forty Dollars, which he is requested to deliver you. Mrs. Paine will make use of it for any little matters she thinks my Daughters want;1 if she does not immediately want the whole of it, you may send twenty Dollars to Mrs. Cobb, as I shall send you more by the next oppertunity. If it lays in your power I wish you not to let any thing be wanting that may be usefull or ornimental for the Girls; whatever is advanced shall be immediately repaid.
I wrote in my last for Mrs. Paine to send my Silk to Mrs. Cobb; she may now do as she pleases, either sell it or send it to Taunton. We have no news—every thing in a perfect calm. The defeat of the French Navy must prevent opperations on this Continent for the present, & perhaps for the Campaign. My Love to Mrs. Paine & family—don’t forgit me to your neighbours—& believe me ever sincerely your Friend
Give my Love to my Daughters if they are at your House; & let me know by Letter, once, that you are alive.
There were five daughters among the eleven children of David and Eleanor (Bradish) Cobb: Eleanor Bradish (1767–1842), who married James Hodges in 1792; Betsey (1768–1830), who married Allen Smith in 1788; Eunice (1774–1826), who married Samuel Sumner Wilde in 1792; Mary (1776–1851), who married John Black; and Sally (1780–1797), who died unmarried. This reference probably refers to the two older daughters.