Person:Samuel Weston (14)

Biographical Sketch

Quoted from Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, Volume 3, pg 1142

Samuel, son of Joseph Weston, was born in Concord, Massachusetts. January 17, 1757, died June 7, 1802. He went to Maine with his parents and resided in Canaan the remainder of his life. He was well educated and a prominent man of the town. He was justice of the peace, representative to the legislature, and held various town offices of trust and responsibility. He was appointed by the general government in 1798 assessor of direct taxes. He surveyed Bingham's Purchase of a million acres, the Androscoggin river up as far as "Livermore's town" and forty or fifty miles of the lower Kennebec. He was agent for the Plymouth company and had charge of land for various men living in Massachusetts. He also kept a country store.

Property

His estate included the following properties:^[3]

• Lot No 11 in Canaan with all the buildings and appurtenaces thereunto belonging---3000.00
• Part of lot No 19 called the Whitman lot being 100 Acres with the buildings &c---750.00
• The Farm called the Piper place containing 10 Acres & 36 Rods with buildings &c---200.00
• The farm called the Carson farm containing 200 acres more or less with buildings---400.00
• Lot No 39 called the Minister lot containing 200 acres----900.00
• Lot No 24 called the Pollard lot with the buildings containing 150 acres---450.00
• Westerly half of lot No 38 called the Goodridge lot containing 100 acres---450.00
• The Ireland Tract contain 16 acres & 80 rods called the Emery Tract---70.00
• 1 Pew in Canaan Meetinghouse No 21---25.00
• 1 Pew in Canaan Meetinghouse No 24---9.00
• The Tract called the Blackdon lot containing about 100 acres---200.00
• Part of the Island called the 10 acre Island containing 7 acres with the building---100.00
• The Whidden Tract in Norredgewock with the Improvements 125 acres---500.00
• The Varnum lot in Canaan 100 acres---60.00
• 1 Share in Augusta Bridge---100.00

Appearances in Martha Ballard's Diary

Martha Ballard was a midwife and diarist in and around Hallowell, Maine in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Her diary detailed not only her own activities but also those of the many people she interacted with. One of those people was Samuel Weston. Though he lived in Canaan, his surveying business often brought him to Hallowell to confer with Ephraim Ballard, Martha's husband, who was also a surveyor. Martha never referred to Samuel Weston by his first name, instead calling him "Capt Weston" or "Esqr Weston," but we know that that this "Capt Weston" was Samuel Weston because the entries identified his hometown as Canaan and his occupation as surveyor. We learn little about Sam Weston's character from the diary entries, except that he thoughtfully gave Martha some "British" oil for her sore hand, but we do learn who some of his associates were.

Quoted from Martha Ballard's Diary Online:^[4]

28 Dec 1789 Snowd foren. mr Wall went as far as Hardins & returnd by reason of ye Snow & bad traveling. Capt Weston of Canaan Came here to help mr Ballard plan. I have been at home Cutting Raggs & mending Cloaths. my Girls Spinning. Dolly went to Savage Boltons.

29 Dec 1789 Snowd all day. mr Ballard & Capt Weston went to Esqr Coneys ys morn, Breackfastd yr. Joseph Town Dind here. I have been at home.

31 Dec 1789 A Moderate rain thro ye Day & Evn. I have been at home, finisht footing a pair of Stockins for mr Ballard. Son Town Came here, informs his Famely are well & that his Brother is a little more Comfortable than he has been, but very weak & low yet. Parthena went to mr Densmores to Carry her Cloath for a Coat. mr Ballard & Capt Weston went to Colo Norths at Evng. Jona Came home from ye hook, he Brot home 3 pair of hoes which he bot, which Cost /7/. I hemd a hankercf for him with Tammeys Departure & return Stampt there on N[ ] 19. I was a t home. Births in Hollowell in the years 1785 Males 17 Feemales 22 1786 Males 24 Feemales 25 1787 Males 20 Feemales 28 1788 Males 17 Feemales 25 1789 Males 27 Feemales 27 232 Deaths in Hollowell in ye years 1785 Males 4 Feemales 6 1786 Males 4 Feemales 5 1787 Males 9 Feemales 7 1788 Males 7 Feemales 5 1789 Males 3 Feemales 6 56 1789 I have put 14 women to Bed with Sons and 24 with Daughts. 1790 were males Born in Hollowell 23 Feemales 19 Death Males 10 Feemales 5 1790 I have Extracted 34 Childn in this & other towns of which 20 were males, Feemales 14.

1 Jan 1790 Clear. I have been at home. mrs Read and mrs Welch here. mr Town was kickt on his knee by a hors at mr Pollards. Capt Weston went to Dr Coneys at Evn.

3 Jan 1790 Clear & very pleasant. mr Wimon & Snow took Breakfast here. Capt Weston left here Bound for home. I am informd that Joseph Fletcher Expird this Day.

29 Jun 1790 Cloudy morn. Cleard at 8h morn. my Childn left us Bound for home. Dolly went up with them. mr Ballard & mr Kingsbury went to Pitts town. I went to mr Arnals Store, bot 9 yds Callimanco a 2/pr yd. Calld on my return at mr Hamlins. he is returnd from oxford; his wives Sister Came with him. Capt Weston Sleeps hr. we receivd Letters; 1 from Doct Barton, 1 fm Brh Collins , & 1 fm Sister Waters by mr Hamlin.

11 Jan 1791 Clear and Cold. mr Ballard went to Coart. mr Town & wife & Dolly to Pitts Town. mr Field, Rust, Shaw & Piercs Son Dind. Esqr Weston & Leut Learned Supt here. I have been at home, ye girls washt floors. I finisht a Shirt for Patty & workt on one for Epm.

14 Jan 1791 Clear. Esqr Weston, mr Pitts & Foster, Son & Dagt Town took Breakfast. I was Calld to See Polly Bisbe, tarried all night. She was Delirious in her feavor fitt.

18 Apr 1792 Clear & Cool. mr Ballard has been to Survey land for mr Briggs. Esqr Wesson Sleeps here. I have been at home, Spun 15 knots of linning yn for thread.

19 Apr 1792 Clear a Cool air. mr Ballard & Esqr Wesson went to Esqr Coneys & Engagd to Lay out 21 Town Ships, between the rivers PenobScott & Kenebeck. it is Land which belongs to this Commonwelth. I have been at home. Hannah Scoured my Puter & the kitchen. Seth Manley Brot us Corn & workt here with one yoak oxen.

9 Jun 1792 Clear & hott. Esqr Wesson took Breakft here & took a Coppy of a Plann. mr Town Left here homewd bound. mr Ballard returnd from Coart.

19 Oct 1792 Clear & Pleast. mr Ballard at mr Sheppards on Business with Genl Dearburn & Colo Howard. I have been at home. Hannah got her web out, 20 yds. Esqr Wesson & mr Livermore Supt here.

20 Oct 1792 Clear. mr Ballard & Esqr Wesson went to ye Hook & to Esqr Coneys. I went to mr Sheppards, Bot 28-3/4yds Cambliteen, Cost 38/; Case knives & forks 8/; Small Spoons 1/2; Sewing Silk /10; total 48/. at mr Dummers Bot 1 Dozn plates, Cost 3/. rainy Evng.

7 Jan 1793 Clear & very pleasant. Cyrus went to Pittstn. Esqr Wesson here. I have been at home, washt.

3 Dec 1795 Clear. I have been at home, washt Some Cloaths. Esqr Wesson Dind, Supt and Slept with us. Cyrus wint to pitts tn, mr Ballard to ye fort.

4 Dec 1795 Clear and Cool or windy. mr Ballard Sett out for Sidny, Esqr Wesson for his home. a mr Some body Breakfasted here.

12 Jun 1797 Clear. I left mrss Bolton by her Consent in the Care of mrss Mosier who Seemd fond of tarrying. Calld on various Places and arivd before [noon]. mr Ballard and Hoit are at work. at Son Jonas, he is got Cleverly again. Dagt Pollard Seems not very Strong. Polly Bulerfield Came here last Evng. Esqr Wesson of Canaan Sleeps here. my hand pains me much.

13 Jun 1797 Clear. Genl Petty, Esq Farewell here ys morn. mr Ballard went to the hook with them on Business. P. Bullin and Sary Neal took Tea. Esqr Wesson Sleeps here. I have made a Chees, gathrd Greens and wound quills, but my hand is very lamb.

14 Jun 1797 Clear Day after Sun rise. I was Calld this morn the first hour to See mrss Roby of ye fort, who was Some unwell. Shee got better and I Came home after breakfast. Esqr Wesson Dind here, he gave me british oill for my hand. mr Ballard is gone to his Sons ys aftern. mrs Cyphers brot home 14 Skeins and 13 knots lining which which [sic] mrs Savage took to Spin.

24 Oct 1798 Cloudy foren, Cleard of aftern, a very Pleast Evng. mr Densmore & wife, mrs Thomas, Mary and the Widdow Forbes took Tea with me. Esqr Wesson Calld here.

1. ↑ Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635-1850. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1891)
   p. 196.

   Samuel Wesson ye son of Joseph Wesson & Eunice his wife was born January 17: 1757

2. ↑ Burrage, Henry Sweetser; Albert Roscoe Stubbs; and George Thomas Little. Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine. (New York, New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, c1909)
   3:1142.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Case no W-5-R Warren, Margaret to W-6-R 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)
   [Case no W-5-R Warren, Margaret to W-6-R Weston, Samuel, 1799-1865 Image 1020].
4. ↑ Martha Ballard. Martha Ballard's Diary Online.
5. ↑ Hanson, J. W. (John Wesley). History of the old towns, Norridgewock and Canaan: comprising Norridgewock, Canaan, Starks, Skowhegan and Bloomfield, from their early settlement to the year 1849 : including a sketch of the Abnakis Indians. (Boston, 1849)
   302.

   First store opened very small by Samuel Weston, in partnership with the late John Ware, about 1780 — Mr. Ware at Norridgewock, and Weston at his farm ; — kept as long as he lived, and was preparing to enlarge.

6. ↑ Hanson, J. W. (John Wesley). History of the old towns, Norridgewock and Canaan: comprising Norridgewock, Canaan, Starks, Skowhegan and Bloomfield, from their early settlement to the year 1849 : including a sketch of the Abnakis Indians. (Boston, 1849)
   146.

   In the year 1790, Samuel Weston was allowed "eighteen shillings for protracting and
   drawing" a plan of the old Plantation of Canaan.

7. ↑ Hanson, J. W. (John Wesley). History of the old towns, Norridgewock and Canaan: comprising Norridgewock, Canaan, Starks, Skowhegan and Bloomfield, from their early settlement to the year 1849 : including a sketch of the Abnakis Indians. (Boston, 1849)
   216-7.

   Captain Samuel Weston was employed to describe the boundaries of the Town, and he made his report March 31, 1789.