CRAIG,
THOMAS circa 1790
1790 Census 1-0-3-0-0
Church Road, Readfield Corner
Property owner in 2000 is Chris Martin.
Contributed by Chris Martin &
Dale Potter Clark.
Ephraim Lane was the original owner of Lot # 212,
located in and around Readfield Corner. James Craig who was born in England
in 1740, came to Readfield between 1764, when his son Thomas was born in
England, and 1770 when he signed the petition to incorporate Pondtown (Winthrop).
He purchased lot #212 in 1782, on which there were no buildings at the
time. James Craig built the first sawmill & a grist mill on the
lower dam at Factory Square before 1790, and all roads in this area led
to these mills. James died in Readfield c.1797 and his son, James, assumed
ownership of the mills.
James, Sr. m. Anna _____. ch:
1. Eleanor m.1776 John Hankerson of Winthrop
2. Mary m. Benjamin Allen
3. Thomas b.1764 Deighton, England
4. James, Jr. b.c1766 m1. Catherine Goud m2. Deliverance Call
5. William b.c1772 who moved to Dixmont, Maine m.Susanna Grover
In 1790 James Craig deeded part of lot #212 to his son Thomas. The deed
reads "1/4 acre of land to build him a house thereon... likewise a barn
& barnyard on said lot." The Thomas Craig house has maintained
some features of an old house including two foot wide pine floor boards,
wooden pegged beams, and the granite foundation though there has been extensive
inside remodeling.
Thomas was born in Deighton, No. Yorkshire, England on September 27, 1764.
He married first to Rebecca Brown, and second to Rachel Huntoon on January
10, 1791. Rachel was born in Canterbury, N.H. March 12, 1773. Thomas Craig
died in Readfield March 5, 1814 at age 50. Following his death wife Rachel
married Samuel White on July 9, 1816 and they had twin daughters Betsey
& Emeline S. b.8-17-1818. Samuel had 8 children by his first marriage
born between 1795 - 1816. Between the two of them they must have had quite
the family picnics!!
Children of Thomas & his two wives:
1. Eleanor b.1784 unmarried
2. Anna Nancy
3. Delia b.7-17-1791 m1.1808 Annasias Cottle m2. Mr. Bodge
4. John Orrinson b.10-20-1793 m.1808 Sally Turner
5. Peter b.4-9-1796 d. Troy, Maine m.Luania Hillman
6. Betsey b.8-20-1798
7. Rosilia b.4-11-1801 d.4-6-1803
8. Thomas Jefferson b.6-5-1803 m. Nancy White of Mt. Vernon, Maine
9. James Sullivan b.2-4-1806 buried Dixmont, Maine m.Margaret Tasker
10. William Madison b.12-21-1808 buried Dixmont, Maine
11. Charles Pickney b.12-8-1811
12. Mary Jane b.11-16-1814 after her father's death
Following Thomas' death Rachel and her second husband, Samuel White, sold
the Craig home & property to Rachel's son John O. Craig in 1818. The
deed reads "a certain piece or parcel of land situated in Readfield, including
the land belonging to the farm which was owned and occupied by Thomas Craig
late of said Readfield." John O. Craig, son of Thomas & Rachel, married
Sally Turner, daughter of Capt. Christopher Turner an early Readfield settler.
John O. Craig's gravestone in Readfield Corner cemetery refers to him as
Colonel. He died 3-9-1881, and Sally died 8-17-1874.
Their children were entered in the Readfield VR's with two entries. Children
1-6 with first entry naming town of birth. Children 7-11 did not identify
town of birth which would indicate to me that the family left town &
lived in Gardiner for a short time, then returned to Readfield sometime
between 1824-1826.
1. Rozilla b.2-24-1817 in Readfield m. Edmund H. Frost
2. Betsey b.4-18-1818 in Readfield
3. John P. 11-29-1819 in Readfield
4. George W. b.5-26-1822 in Gardiner
5. Sally b.3-21-1824 in Gardiner
6. Caroline b.11-28-1826
7. Emily Frances b.8-26-1828
8. Margarette Ann b.9-1-1830
9. Annie Maria b.1-22-1832
10. Georgianna b.10-12-1834
11. Mary Lewis b.12-16-1836 d.5-1-1856
In 1839 Russell Norton purchased this property " ...on the road leading
to the farm occupied by Capt. Thomas Pierce ..." Russell Norton was born
in Readfield 4-13-1819, the son of Stephen and Releaf Gordon Norton. He
married Susan __?__. Their place and date of marriage is unknown.
Children births recorded in Readfield:
1. Benjamin Stone b.9-8-1846
2. Georgianna Davis b.3-12-1849
3. Corra Armena b.4-17-1852
4. Lizzie Florence b.1-1-1855
5. May Susan b.1-5-1858
6. James Russell b.9-6-1860
On January 7, 1852 Russell B. Norton sold the property to Rosilla Frost.
The deed reads (in part) as follows ...beginning on the southeast corner
of lot deeded and conveyed to said Norton by John O. Craig...containing
1/2 acre more or less." With this transaction the farm returned to a member
of the Craig family - this time by John O. Craig's daughter, Rosilla,
who owned the property until 1893. Rosilla was married to Edmund K. Frost
who died 12-15-1860.
Children of Rosilla & Edmund Frost:
1. George Edmund b.1-11-1842
2. Charles Henry b.5-17-1849
1998~2000 All Rights
Reserved Dale Potter Clark