Wyman/Clifford/Saxton

James Wyman migrated to Maine following within 2 years his brother Francis who lived a mile away on Cousins River, North Yarmouth (Cumberland). In the spring of 1729 granted 90 acres on Squitterygusset Creek at New Casco (Falmouth), an inlet on Casco Bay and the ancient home of Squitterygusset, Sachem of Casco. James' land lay on the east side, north by east from Presumpscot River to head of tide.

The First Parish Church of Falmouth was at Casco Neck (Portland), the most settled part of Falmouth. To attend meetings New Casco families had to cross Presumpscott River, treacherous in winter and spring. In 1735 James offered to donate land for a church and parsonage at New Casco but withdrew his offer when the 62 petitioners were denied in favor of settlers at Cape Elizabeth. Not until 1753 was their petition for a third church accepted and on 15 Mar 1757 James sold to Rev John Wiswall 3/4 acres on the promontory north of Lunt Road and east of the causeway over I-95 and US Route 1 overlooking Squitterygusset Creek where a parsonage and the Third Parish Church of Falmouth were erected. After Portland and Cape Elizabeth were incorporated it became the First Parish Church of Falmouth, used until 1804 when a new church was erected about 1/2 mile east. At the Falmouth library on Lunt Road is an original Proprietors map delineating James' grant.

On 21 March 1757 James and Bethia sold their home at New Casco to Benjamin Lunt and Samuel Cobb jr. and accepted from the Kennebec Proprietors lot 2, a 100 acre grant on Eastern River at Frankfort Plantation (Dresden) Me. James may have lived on and improved this lot but it was not deeded to him until 8 May 1760. On Oct 1758 he bought from Capt. James Whidden 50 acres and 1/2 the tidal 'flats' at the south tip of Swan Island overlooking Merrymeeting Bay. On 22 May 1761 he bought 70 acres on Swan Island from Timothy Whidden and 30 Dec 1761 he sold lot 2 'with priviledges and appurtanences' to John Andrew for 40 pds. The last purchase James made was on 4 Dec 1764; he and his son William bought from Agreen Crabtree 40 acres at Bowdoinham, Maine on the Abagadassett River. James died on Swan Island and may be buried there but no record of his gravesite exists. Bethia survived him but her date and place of death are not know. She may have died at Fairfield, Maine at the home of her son Daniel.

Swan Island to 1760, Pownalborough to 1794, Dresden to 1847, Perkins to 1917, now Steve Powell Wild Life Management Area, under Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Accessible by free ferry from Richmond, but passage must be reserved in advance. Kenneth Roberts makes Swan Island (in 1776) the home of Jacataqua, a sachem of the Kennebecs and consort of Aaron Burr.

On 21 March 1757 James and Bethia sold their home at New Casco to Benjamin Lunt and Samuel Cobb jr. and accepted from the Kennebec Proprietors lot 2, a 100 acre grant on Eastern River at Frankfort Plantation (Dresden) Me. James may have lived on and improved this lot but it was not deeded to him until 8 May 1760.

'In the Name of God Amen the fourth day of April AD. 1766 I James Wyman of Pownalborough, in the County of Lincoln, yeoman... do make this my last Will and Testament and dispose of my worldly Estate in manner following, that is to say;-

Impr. I give and bequeath to my beloved Wife Bethiah one Cow and all my houshold Stuff and furniture besides her dower in my real Estate-

Item, I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth McCausland the Sum of five Shillings to be paid within a year and an half after my decease by my Son William which with what I heretofore gave her at Marriage or Since is in full of her Portion of my Estate-

Item, I give to my daughter Bethiah Small the Sum of five Shillings to be paid her in a year & an half after my decease by my Son William, which with what I heretofore gave her at Marriage and since is in full of her Portion of my Estate- Item I give to my daughter Abagail Bickford the Sum of five Shillings to be paid her by my Son William, in a year and an half after my decease which with what I heretofore gave her at Marriage & Since in in full of her Portion of my Estate- Item. I give to my daugther Prudence Goodwin the Sum of forty Shillings to be paid her in a year and an half after my decease by my Son William, which with what I gave her at Marriage & since is in full of her Portion of my Estate-

Item. I give to my daughter Deliverance Call the Sum of two Pounds thirteen Shillings & four pence to be paid her by my Son William in a year and an half after my decease, which what I gave her at Marriage & since is in full of her Portion of my Estate-

Item, I give to my daughter Olive Goodwin the Sum of Six Pounds thirteen Shillings and four pence to be paid her in a year and an half after my decease by my Son William, which with what I gave her at Marriage & since is in full of her Portion of my Estate-

Item, I give to my daughter Molly the Sum of Twenty Pounds to be paid her when she arrives at the age of eighteen years by my Son Daniel- Item, I give to my Grand Daughter Hannah Daughter of my Son James deceased the Sum of five Shillings to be paid her be my Son William in a year & an half after my decease-

Item, I give and devise my Son Daniel his heirs and assigns for ever my half of the Land and real Estate at Bowdoinham in said County of Lincoln which was conveyed to me and my Son William by Deed by agreen Crabtree the whole being about forty acres; also Twenty acres of Land on the northerly part of my Land on Swan Island, in said Pownalborough, at the West End of the Eighty acres of Land Lazarus Noble lived upon, he the said Daniel paying the said Legacy of Twenty Pounds to my daughtehr Molly as aforementioned.

Item, All the rest and Residue of my Estate real and personal upon said Swan Island, in said Pownalborough & at Falmouth in the County of Cumberland or wheresoever else lying, situate or being of what name or Nature soever, I give & devise to my Son William his heirs and assigns for ever he the said William paying all my debts and funeral Charges & all the Legacies herein severally given to my daughters except said Twenty Pounds Legacy, he also upon demand making, executing & delivering to my Son Daniel and his heirs a good and sufficient Deed in the Law of all the Estate Right title & Interest which he the said William shall then have in & to the said half of said forty acres of Land at said Bowdoinham herein devised to the said Daniel.

Lastly I appoint my Son William Execr. of this my Will. In Witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and Seal the day first aforewritten... James Wyman... in presence of Wm Cushing, Abiel Lovejoy, Samuel Reed.

Nathaniel Jones, Gent., Charles Johnson, mariner, Samuel Bucknam, yeoman of Falmouth gave to James Wyman of Falmouth, husbandman, as a gift a small gore of land on Mackworth's Neck Shubal Gorham, Esq. of Barnstable, MA sold to James Wyman of Falmouth, yeoman for 10 lot No.67 in Gorham granted to Gorham by the general court to the Narroganset soldiers in York Co., 23 May 1739.

James and his son James Jr. signed a petition in Falmouth to be set off as a separate town 11 Sept. 1753.

James and Bethiah sold to Rev. John Wiswall of Falmouth 29 1/4 acres on Squttergusset Creek next to James' 90 acre grant for 121/13/14 on 15 March 1757.

On 24 March 1757 James and Bethiah sold to Samuel Cobb Jr. of Falmouth, Gent. and Benjamin Lunt of Falmouth, shipwright for 480: 'the farm I now live on... bounded by 20 1/4 acres that I lately sold to the Revd. Mr. John Wiswall on Presumpscott River & Squittergusset Creek with houses Barn Fences out houses & my Right in the school house...' The deed was witnessed by Enoch Freeman & Daniell Rolfe.