A Maine Family's History - Davis / McDowell

Jameson

William JAMESON a Covenanter who fled with his family from Scotland in 1685 & settled in Omagh, County Tyrone, province of Ulster, Ireland; ancestors were from Argyleshire; In 1689 at the siege of Londonderry was engaged in its defense & tradition has it he served with such gallantry, he was freed of all taxes by order of King William; Presbyterian

Spouse: ______

Children: John settled in MA & then CT; William; Robert settled in PA; Henry settled in PA; Hugh & Thomas settled in

William JAMESON [Willeam Jeameson] born 1675 Leith, Edinburg, Scotland, arrived in Boston 8/4/1718; settled in Falmouth ME, died after 1734 in ME; active service against the Indians in Capt. John Gray & Co.

Spouse: ____ born circa 1677-8 Leith died after 1728 in ME

Children: Margaret born 1703 Antrim, Ulster, Ireland, married 1727 Robert McKenney in Maine; Martin born 1705 Antrim, married Grizzell Patterson died Saco ME 4/3/1760; Mary born Antrim, married William Porterfield, Jr.; Samuel born Antrim, married 1739 Sarah Smith & Sarah McLellan; Alexander born Antrim married Mary McLellan; Martha born Antrim, married Patrick Porterfield died 1771 Thomaston Knox ME; Patience born Antrim; Paul born 10/17/1720 Cape Elizabeth Cumberland ME married Elizabeth Peebles

Mary JAMESON born about born about 1713; intentions of marriage 1/4/1738; died 3/14/1802 aged 89

Spouse: William PORTERFIELD born 1713

Children: Hannah Eliza born 1750 Windham Cumberland ME married James LAMB; Catherine

Information provided by Alta Flynt & Mary

Records of Falmouth ME Intentions of Marriage. William Porterfield Jr. with Mary Jameson January 4, 1738.

1790 Census Falmouth ME: William Porterfield - 3 free white males 16+; 2 free white males -16; 6 free white females; 0 all other free persons; 0 slaves. Elizabeth Porterfield - 0 3 6 0 0. William Lamb 2 3 6 0 0

New England Family History pg 118: William Porterfield was a member of Capt. Thomas Skilling's Stroudwater Co., at the taking of the list Aug. 11, 1757, together with Solomon Haskell, Sergt. & Benjamin & John Haskell; James & John Frost & William & Robert Slemons; the latter being on the Alarm List; i.e., "one quarter of the company most able and fit for service, always in readiness and completely armed to be sent forth and marched into service against the enemy," etc. William Porterfield was a tax payer in he first Parish, Portland in 1760. An entry in Parson Bradley's Journal is as follows: "Mrs. Porterfield died March 14, 1802 aged 89." This was probably Mrs. William Sr.

The Scotch-Irish in America H. J. Ford:Next to Worcester in point of time was probably the Scotch-Irish settlement at Casco Bay, Maine, then belonging to Massachusetts. A company of about 300 persons sailed from Boston in the autumn of 1718 to explore the coast northward for a good place of settlement with a promise from Governor Shute of land grants in any unoccupied territory. Numerous attempts had been made to establish settlements on the Maine coast, but the Indian wars had been particularly violent and desolating in this region, and there was little left of former colonizing ventures at the time Scotch-Irish emigration began. The ship which bore the first company appears to have been the brigantine Robert, which had arrived in Boston from Belfast on the fourth of August, James Ferguson, master. They sailed as far north as Casco Bay, where the ship went into winter quarters. A town was already in existence there, known as Falmouth. From a petition sent to the Government in Boston by John Armstrong and others, it appears that about thirty families landed in November, 1718, and began to build shelters for the winter. They asked allotments of land and supplies of provisions. The latter request was backed up by a petition from the town authorities, desiring that the provincial Government should consider "the deplorable Circumstances of the said Place by reason of the great Number of poor Strangers arrived amongst them and take some speedy & Effectual Care for their supply." In response orders were issued that 100 bushels of corn meal should be forwarded. Some of these settlers eventually went to the Kennebec country, or to Londonderry, New Hampshire, but enough remained to form a settlement in Falmouth township known as Pooporduc, now included in the city of Portland. Among those who remained and founded Portland families were John Armstrong, Thomas Bolton, Robert Means, William Jameson, Joshua Gray, William Gyles, Randal McDonald and Bruce McLellan. Among the Scotch-Irish settlers arriving at a somewhat later period was John Motley from Belfast, from whom descended the historian, John Lothrop Motley.

Muster roll of the Company in His Majesty's service under the command of Geo. Berry. These men were all enrolled April 1, 1759, and their term of enlistment expired July 16, 1759, when many of them re-enlisted. Their service was at Fort Pownall and on Penobscot river above.* The Captain received £5 per month, the Lieutenants <£3 6s ; Ensign £2 10s 3d ; Sergeants £2 and one 40 shillings ; Corporals 38 shillings except Corporal Davis, who had 30 shillings ; Drummer 38 shillings and Privates SO shillings^ all per month. The officers were: George Berry, j Major and Captain; Alexander Nickels}; and Jacob Brown, Lieutenants; Joshua Treat, Ensign; Benjamin Herrick, Robert Emerson, Moses McKenney, Zebulon Steward, Sergeants; John Davis, Isaac McKenney, Joseph Getchell and Solomon Larrabee, Corporals ; Edward Brown, Drummer. privates. § Thomas Larrabee, Joseph Strout, Richard Libby, Nathaniel Milliken, Henry Boothby, William Jameson, William Mitchell, James Berry, David Burnham, Benjamin Foss, William Dyer, Levi Dyer, Epnraim Carter, Anthony Dyer, Francis Lecompt, Edward Doane, Jeremiah Story, John Coll, Thomas Milliken, Elisha Bucklin, — Bartholomew Bryant, Jacob Brown, Jonathan Freeman, Joseph Frost, Jonathan Nason, Joshua Jordan, Shadrach Watson, Joseph Jordan, John Parker, Jonathan Blifrius, (lilethen)

The Jameson's in America page 186: Mr. Jameson, when a lad, removed with his parents and their other children from Scotland into Ireland. His father was a rigid Presbyterian, and a zealous supporter of the "Solemn League and Covenant," and shortly after the accession of King James II the persecution of the Covenanters was vigorously renewed, and became so intolerable than, taking his wife and children, he abandoned his home and the scenes in the midst of which his ancestors had dwelt for generation, quit Scotland forever, passed over into Ireland, and settled at length in Omagh, county of Tyrone, Province of Ulster. This was about 1685. A little later, in 1689, at the siege of Londonderry, it is said that William Jameson, Jen., was engaged in its defence, and, as tradition has it, served with such gallantry that subsequently he was freed from all taxation by order of King William. /P/ Mr. Jameson, like his father, was evidently a man of courage, enterprise, and strong religious cnvictions. This appears in the fact of his braving the perils of the ocean with his wife and family to come to America, and on arrival not remaining in Boston but pushing his way along the coast to the eastward, and after much privation and hardship making a settlement as a pioneer in the woods of Maine. /P/ Landing in Falmouth, the first winter was passed in want and suffering hardly second to those of the Pilgrims at Plymouth a hundred years before. But no sooner had he established himself and family and made his home in the new country than he manifested a spirit of active interest and zeal in the church and in civil affairs. His piety and his patriotism are reflected by recrods now extant. Not only in his name enrolled on the records of the church, but in active service against the Indians on the "Muster-roll of Capt. John Gray and Co. from June 1 to Nov. 30, 1725, appear the names of William Jameson and his son Martin Jameson. /P/ Mr. Jameson's brother, John Jameson, and family came with him to America and lived for a time in Milton, near Boston MA, and a few years later settled in Volumtown CT of whom and his descendants some account has been given in a previous chapter of this volume. /P/ Robert & Henry Jameson, who came to America and landed about 1708 or later in Philadelphyis, were also his brothers. Mr. Jameson reared a large family of children, some of whom were born in Ireland and some in Falmouth ME. Seven of the children were married and had families. Patience Jameson, the youngest daughter so far as known, receives only the following mention: Patience Jameson, under care of John & Sarah Libbey united with the church in Scarboro ME 4/17/1743 and was baptized the same day.
Page 20: MR JAMESON'S father William Jameson was a vigorous Presbyterian and a strong supporter of the Covenant and thus identified with the so called COVENANTERS of that period who suffered severe persecutions under King James II. William Jameson to escape from these unhappy conditions made up his mind to leave the land of his birth where for three hundred years his ancestors of the name had lived and seek a new home. Accordingly in company with many others of a like determination he took his wife and children about the year 1685 and passed over into the North of Ireland and settled in Omagh County of Tyrone Province of Ulster. John Jameson at the time his father with his family removed into Ireland was a small boy of about five years. He had three brothers older than himself whose names were Robert Henry and William .The two older ones Robert and Henry when grown to manhood emigrated to America in 1708 and landed in Philadelphia Pa. What became of Robert is unknown but Henry was doubtless the same Henry Jameson who in 1724 purchased a thousand acres of land in various tracts in Bucks Co Pa and became the ancestor of numerous descendants some of whom still reside in Warwick and vicinity on the very lands which Henry Jameson bought in 1724. Mr Jameson when a young man learned the trade of a linen weaver and for some years probably in company with his next older brother William carried on the manufacture of linen in Omagh where they and their parents lived. Meanwhile they were both married and had children growing up about them. But in 1718 there was a great tide of emigration to America and these two brothers William and John Jameson their parents probably being dead closed their linen business in Omagh gathered together hand looms and other property and with their families shipped for Boston Province of New England where they landed Aug 4 1718. William Jameson in company with a small party later in the autumn sailed to the eastward and sought a place for settlement along the coast of Maine. The cold season overtaking them they dropped anchor in Casco Bay and after a hard winter Mr Jameson and a few of the party decided to settle on the mainland called Falmouth now Portland Me. WILLIAM JAMESON became the great ancestor of THE JAMESONS IN MAINE who appear in a subsequent chapter of this volume. The most of his party returned toward Boston sailed up the Merrimack river as far as Haverhill Mass and became the first settlers of Nutfield afterwards called Londonderry NH.

Genealogical History of ME: Among the large number of families that came from Northern Ireland to MA in the fall of 1718 was that of William Jameson which included at least one son. He spent the ensuing winter at Worcester MA and was later a resident of Londonderry NH whence he went to Saco ME in 1735.

Saco Valley settlements and families: historical, biographical ..., Volume 1: Branches of the family were planted in the north of Ireland probably later than 1620 not mentioned up to that date in the history of the plantation of Ulster from whence came cadets to New England in 1718 with the many other Scotch Irish emigrants who landed that year some of whom sat down in old Falmouth. Of these we find the name of William Jameson 1 who is supposed to have been the head of the family in Saco and sub branches settled in the eastern section of the state. He is mentioned by Willis as one of those who came from the First Parish church for the purpose of forming another society in 1735. Martin Jameson 2 one of the principal tax payers of Saco in 1737 is supposed to have been a son of William. He died in 1760 aged 55 years and his grave stone stood near the present railroad station at Old Orchard beach. His wife was Grizel Patterson a Scotch Irish woman who had a family born at Saco.