Person:Nathan Weston (13)

Quoted from History of Augusta by James North, pg. 501-2

Capt Nathan was born March 17, 1740. When a young man he went to New Hampshire, where he resided a few years. After the close of the French and Indian war, in about 1766, he established himself at Abbagadassett point, on the Kennebec where he remained ten or twelve years engaged in trade and farming and running a coasting vessel from the river. He removed to Hallowell in 1778, first stopping at Sheppard's point at the Hook; afterwards in 1781, he came to the Fort Western settlement, and moved into a small house on the bank of the river above the arsenal, where his eldest son, Judge Nathan Weston was born. Capt. Weston soon after purchased of Asa Emerson a house, which stood at the corner of what is now Court and Water streets, and the north half of lot No. 7, which was a twenty-five rod strip of land on the south side of Winthrop street, extending a mile from the river. Here he erected at the river a store and potash manufactory, and prepared a landing from which he ran a sloop in the coasting business. Afterwards he purchased of Col. Ezekiel Porter a house he had erected on Winthrop street, near the First Baptist church, in which he lived the remainder of his days.

One who had knowledge of Capt. Weston's large business for a few years after the close of the revolutionary war, has said, "He dealt in whatever was necessary for the supply of the country, including drugs and medicines, there being no druggist north of Portland. He received in exchange money, furs and lumber. When the river was free from ice, he kept a vessel constantly plying to and from Boston. He was the first to establish on the river the manufacturing of pot and pearl ashes, which was carried on largely under his direction. When parties began to form, in the second administration of President Washington, having withdrawn in a great measure from trade, he interested himself deeply in politics."

Capt. Weston represented Augusta in the General Court in 1799 and 1801; and was a selectman in 1803. Subsequently he was a member of the State senate and of the executive council; was chairman of a committee of republicans which addressed President Jefferson, for their party in this section, congratulating him upon his election. The address and reply were published in the Kennebec Gazette.

1. ↑ Kelley, James Edward, compiler. Wilmington Records of Births, Marriages and Deaths, from 1730 to 1898. (Lowell, MA: Thompson & Hill, 1898)
   81.

   WESSON, Nathan, s. of Stephen and Elizabeth, [born] March 17, 1740.

2. ↑ Henry Sewall's Diary, in Nash, Charles Elventon, and Martha Moore Ballard. The history of Augusta: first settlements and early days as a town, including the diary of Mrs. Martha Moore Ballard (1785 to 1812). (Augusta, Maine: Charles E. Nash, 1904 [i.e. c1961])
   489.

   [19 Aug 1832] Captain Weston died. Æ 92.

3.   North, James W. The history of Augusta, from the earliest settlement to the present time: with notices of the Plymouth Company, and settlements on the Kennebec : together with biographical sketches and genealogical register. (Augusta Me.: Clapp and North, 1870)
   501-2.
4. ↑ Case no W-5-R Warren, Mar...Weston, Samuel, 1799-1865, in Kennebec, Maine, United States. Maine, Kennebec County Probate Estates Files, 1779-1915. (Augusta, Kennebec, Maine: FamilySearch Historical Records, 1779-1915)
   Image 981.
5. ↑ Case no W-5-R Warren, Mar...Weston, Samuel, 1799-1865, in Kennebec, Maine, United States. Maine, Kennebec County Probate Estates Files, 1779-1915. (Augusta, Kennebec, Maine: FamilySearch Historical Records, 1779-1915)
   Image 989 and Image 990.

   In the name of God amen. I Nathan
   Weston, of Augusta, in the county of Kennebec, considering
   the uncertainty of this mortal life, and being
   of sound and perfect mind and memory, blessed by Almighty
   God for the same, do make and publish this my
   last will and testament in manner and form
   following, namely,
   
   First
   I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Eliz-
   abeth Weston, the use and improvement, during
   her life, of the north east parlour in the house in
   which I now live, the bed room South of it, and the chamber
   over said parlour, with access to and from the same at
   pleasure. Also the privilege of using the kitchen and any
   part of the cellar, as often as she may desire it, or have
   occasion for it, with such use of the yards and out buildings
   as she may desire for her convenience; together with the
   use and improvement, during her life, of all my household
   furniture.
   
   It is also my will, and I do hereby
   impose it as a charge upon my estate herein after bequeathed
   and [decreed?] to my two sons Nathan and James, that
   they, according the their respective proportions of the
   estate bequeathed and [decreed?] to them, should cause
   my said wife, their mother, to be attended at their
   expense with a female nourse, as acceptable to her as
   can be procured, and that they should furnish their said
   mother with suitable and decent clothing, with all supplies
   necessary for her comfort and support, including fuel,
   provisions and small stores; that they should furnish
   her with the use of a horse and chaise and some suitable
   person to drive, as often as she may desire it; and that
   they should procure for her, at their expense, medical
   attendance, whenever she may wish it, or occasion
   may require. And I do further order that my two sons
   Nathan and James, shall in the proportions before
   mentioned, to procure part of what may be necessary,
   for her support, pay to her the sum of Fifty Dollars in
   money annually, during her life, to be paid to her
   half yearly, twenty five Dollars in each half year.
   Provided however, that my said sons may cause their mother
   to be supported in any different mode, which may be
   equally acceptable to her.
   
   Second
   I do give and bequeath to my son Samuel Weston,
   the sum of Fifty Dollars, to be paid within three months
   after my decease.
   
   Third
   I do give and bequeath to my son Nathan Weston,
   Junior, two thirds, and to my son James Weston, one
   third of all my personal estate, goods and chattels,
   rights and credits, of whatsoever kind and nature,
   except the sum of Fifty dollars above bequeathed to
   the said Samuel Weston; and reserving also to their
   mother the use of my household furniture, during
   her life.
   
   And I do further give and [decree?] to my
   son Nathan Weston, Junior, his heirs and assigns,
   forever, two thirds, and to my son James Weston, his
   heirs and assigns, forever, one third of all my lands,
   tenements and [bendilaments?] of [every nauce?]
   and description, with all the buildings and appertenances
   to the same belonging, to be divided between these
   in the proportions before mentioned, reserving however
   to their mother, during her life, the use of that portion
   of the dwelling house in which I now live, which I have
   before described, and imposing it as a charge upon
   the estate hereby bequeathed and [decreed?] to my two sons
   Nathan and James, that they should, in the proportions
   before mentioned, pay furnish, and perform, for the comfort
   support and maintenance of their mother if she should
   survive me, to her acceptance, whatever I have herein
   before directed and provided for her.
   
   And I do hereby appoint my son
   Nathan Weston, Junior, executor of this my last will
   and testament.
   
   In virtue whereof, I have hereunto set
   my hand and seal this eight day of April in the year
   of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty three.
   
   Nathan Weston
   
   Signed, sealed, published and
   declared by the above named Nathan
   Weston, to be his last will and
   testament, in [?] of us,
   who have here with subscribed
   our names as witnesses, in
   presence of the testator,
   John Hovey
   {?]esse Craig
   P[?} C. Vose