WESTBROOK,
Cumberland County, Maine a genealogist friendly town! WESTBROOK,
Cumberland County, Maine a genealogist friendly town!
...........Last updated
July 12, 1998
The City of Westbrook was originally part of the settlement that began in 1632, known first as Casco, and after 1658, as Falmouth. Falmouth was one parish until 1733, when the territory of Cape Elizabeth was formed into the second parish (called Purpooduck). In 1753, another portion of Falmouth called New Casco (Falmouth Corner) was set off into the third parish. On March 28, 1764, Westbrook and Deering were set off as the fourth parish of Falmouth. When Cape Elizabeth was incorporated in 1765, Westbrook and Deering became the third parish of Falmouth. In 1814, it was incorporated as the 205th Maine town, known as Stroudwater. The name was soon changed to Westbrook In 1871, Deering (today part of the City of Portland) was set off from Westbrook and incorporated as the town of Deering. The Westbrook City Charter was granted on March 1, 1889 and adopted in 1891.
The town of Westbrook was named in honor of Colonel Thomas Westbrook, son of John Westbrook of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. There is no evidence of Thomas’ birth date or place of birth. Thomas had two sisters, Mary Westbrook, who married Nathan Knight, and Rebecca Westbrook, who married John Urin. Thomas married Mary Sherburn, daughter of John Sherburn, a mariner of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was appointed as King’s Mast Agent, which brought him to Falmouth in 1726 to take charge of that interest. He first lived on a hill beyond Stroudwater Bridge and later built his homestead, called "Harrow House" on the other side of Stroudwater River. His only child, Elizabeth, married Richard Waldron of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, grandson of Colonel Richard Waldron. Colonel Westbrook died in February of 1744.
Today the City of Westbrook is 11th largest in the State of Maine with population over 16,000. It borders with Portland, Maine.
Early Settlers of Westbrook
CONANT: Considered to be the first settler of Westbrook, Joseph Conant, is thought to be a descendant of Roger Conant, one of the first settlers of Salem, Massachusetts in 1628. Joseph first settled at the village of Saccarappa, on the Presumpscot River. He built a house on the northerly side of the River, at the falls. He was a husbandman and also owned a mill-site at Saccarappa Falls, though there is no evidence that he ever built a mill there. His son, Samuel Conant, married Mary Peabody who was born on August 10, 1718. Samuel and Mary had three children: William, Daniel and Elizabeth (who married William Babb). William married Ruth Chapman on September 23, 1779. William and Ruth had three children: Ruth, Samuel and Edward. Daniel was born in 1761 and married Anna Haskell on October 26, 1786. Anna was the daughter of Solomon Haskell, Sr. of Saccarappa, Westbrook. Daniel and Anna had the following children: Daniel (who died unmarried in 1874), Nathaniel, Solomon (who married Susan S. Libby of Gray, Maine), and Betsey (who married Jeremiah Clements). Solomon married Susan S. Libby of Gray, and had the following children: Mary E. (who married Henry S. McLellan), Hattie L. and Daniel.
BABB: The Babb family was among the early settlers of Westbrook. They came from Scarborough. Peter Babb married Anna Haskell on January 24, 1760. She was thought to be the daughter of Thomas Haskell and born in 1737. William Babb, son of James Babb, sibling to Solomon, Elizabeth, Alexander and Daniel, married Elizabeth Conant, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Peabody) Conant.
THOMPSON: Tradition has it that some of the Thompsons lived early on at Ammoncongin Falls, Westbrook. The old burying-ground shows a family of Thompson buried there. The Thompsons were said to have been driven from Salem, Massachusetts, by the witchcraft persecution. They were connected with the family of Peter G. Winslow.
Early Clubs and Organizations
Kiwanis Club of Pride’s Corner (organized June 6, 1951). Members included: Joseph L. Huse, President; Wilfred N. Rosenblad, 1st Vice President; Raymond Francoeur, 2nd Vice President; George F. Trueworth, Treasurer; Herbert P. Cilley, Secretary; David Berlowitz, Kenneth M. Cole, Rev. David Coleman, Donald Collins, Orrin E. Dolley, Ramon L. Douglass, Warren A. Eldridge, Ralph C. Harper, Ramon L. Douglass, Warren A. Eldridge, Ralph C. Harper, Walter F. Hawkes, Stanley G. James, Forrest L. Jannell, Charles W. Lewis, Roland B. Moore, John M. Nelson, Clyde H. Nichols, Harold G. Pride, Richard A. Scott, Ervin H. Searway, Charles J. Thomas, Harland M. Thompson, Merton E. Rawson Jr., George H. Twombly, and Harold G. Wescott.
Biographical Sketches of Early Westbrook Families
Link to VALENTINE , PENNELL , JORDAN
Educational Institutions
Link to Photo of Brown Street Elementary Kindergarten Class of 1935
Westbrook Resources
Government
Link to City of Westbrook Excellent site includes City Clerk's message to Genealogists!
Link to Town Clerks to 1879 & Selectmen 1815-1879
Westbrook City Hall, Clerk's Office, 2 York Drive,Westbrook, ME 04092, (207) 854-0624
Walker Memorial Library, 800 Main Street, Westbrook, ME 04092, (207) 854-0630 Visit City of Westbrook site above for a link to Walker Memorial Library lists of resources for genealogists.
Warren Memorial Library, 479 Main Street, Westbrook, ME 04092, (207) 854-5891
Woodlawn Cemetery, Rochester Street, Westbrook, ME 04092, (207) 854-0640
St. Hyacinth's Cemetery (Catholic), Stroudwater Street. Westbrook, ME 04092, (207) 856-6148
Cumberland County Resources
Town of Gorham Municipal Offices, Town Clerk, 270 Main Street, Gorham, ME 04038, (207) 839-5037
Baxter Memorial Library, 71 South Street, Gorham, ME 04038, (207) 839-5031
Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Square, Portland ME ,(207) 871-1700
Surrounding Communities Westbrook , Gorham, Standish , New Glouchester, Portland, Scarborough, Naples, Raymond, Gray, Cape Elizabeth, Windham, Sebago, Casco
Maine & Misc Resources
New Hampshire Resources
Massachusetts Resources
Census Project Gloucester, MA New England
Essex County Massachusetts Genealogy Project
The Massachusetts Archives Guide to the geneaology holdings select "Family History Resources"
New England Resources
Census Project Gloucester, MA New England
New England Connections -- Only New England Families and Locations
US GenWeb Resources
Westbrook Queries
Please feel free to post a short query for your surname in Westbrook. View Current and Archived Queries along with information on how to Post your own query. Send e-mail to:[email protected]
If you know of a link that would be appropriate to add to this page, please e-mail [email protected]
Westbrook Lookup Volunteer - Martin E. Hollick (reference librarian at Harvard University)
I started doing genealogy about 20 years ago, because I was interested in the fact that most of my forebears were buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. I do work alot on computers as a reference librarian at Harvard University I own both Karen Ketover's books and would be glad to be an email link for people with questions for look ups.Although my mother was born in Westbrook, I have no colonial Westbrook ancestry. All my ancestors came there between 1850-1900 from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Scotland, Ireland and New Hampshire. Here's a quick ahnentafel of my mother's ancestry: Martin
"Any man has had countless myriads of ancestors and among them any number of rich men and beggars, kings and slaves, Greeks and barbarians"--Plato, Theaetetus
Maine Misc Lookups They might have the book you need!
David C. Young, Maine author and USGenWeb Coordinator for Maine, NH and VT, has several resources available on the web:
Cumberland County USGenWeb Coordinator
Tom Raynor is the USGenWeb Cumberland County Coordinator.
Westbrook Town USGenWeb Host
Julie Galipeau is the USGenWeb Westbrook Town Host.
Webmaster LeeAnn Pease Sharpe . You can visit my HomePage.
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Last updated July 12, 1998
Lee Ann Pease Sharpe & Julie Pease Galipeau Copyright © 1998