Richard was in Portsmouth, NH in 1642. Either he or his
son was taxed in Dover (Cochecho) in 1663 for 0-4-6. Richard
signed the petition requesting that the King take New
Hampshire under Royal Protection 26 July 1665.(1)
II. Elizabeth- m. ______ Atkins
Ref:
(1) Mass. Archives- Vol.16, pp.403-7
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.1640
m. ELIZABETH ______
d. 1 Jan. 1727
Humphrey was most probably the son of John although he
may have been the son of Richard. He lived at Kittery Point
in 1677 and then moved to Wells where he bought land from N.
Fryer. 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 and was given town privaleges and a ferry license in
June 1680.(1)
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. Scammon
received "nine pence for the ferrage of a horse and man".
Early ferrage charges were 2d cash and 3d on account for each
person.(2)
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.
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.
They were subjected to great cruelty at Peckwogett, the
war council deciding to kill them but, the chief remembering
the promise the captives were kept although with "harm".
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)
"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
us
Robt Elliot the marke X Scamen
Richard Cutt of humphry
Richard Cutt Juner"(4)
Issue-