Moving In An Oxcart - Updated

The migration of the Spurr family from Massachusetts to Maine

From A History of Otisfield p. 589 (see citation below). 
"They (the Spurr family) moved from Dorchester to Wrentham, previous to 1774 and lived there seven years. It is said they lived in Mansfield, Me. or Mass. for a time. They came to Maine in 1776 and lived one year in Saccarappa, a year and a half in Windham, and moved to Otisfield, September 3, 1779. They settled on lot 16 a little south of Spurrs Corner on the west side of the road. Some lilac bushes and the ruins of the old foundation remains (1930). John Spurr lived in the house afterward and then Joseph Knight moved it to his place on the opposite side of the road and occupied it for a woodhouse. It is said that the first night they spent in Otisfield, they camped beside a large stone near the road. (A portion of that stone has since been moved to Spurr's Corner and a memorial tablet placed upon it.) He is buried in the yard south of Spurr's Corner. Through a mistake of the stonecutters the name is spelled Spyrr, instead of Spurr. They had nine children living, all born in Dorchester, and all came to Maine unmarried. They came to Windham in an oxcart and were the fourth family in town."

**Going to Otisfield to photograph the stone and tablet is on my genealogy road trip list. I got a picture of this memorial in April 2016. 

"Spurr Memorial Sept 3, 1779 Joseph Spurr and his family spent their first night in Otisfield beside this stone and built their camp fire upon it."

Joseph Spurr was born November 19, 1731 in Dorchester, MA and died June 17, 1805. He married Miriam Lyon on September 13, 1753. They were my 5th great-grandparents. 

Enoch Spurr b. January 28, 1761 in Dorchester, MA married Abigail Wight b. May 31, 1767 in Wrentham, MA. 

Roxanna Spurr married Edward Stanley on November 2, 1815. 

Mary Frances Stanley married Augustus Mellen Carter. 

Edward Mellen Carter married Fannie May Capen. 

T. Richard Carter was my grandfather. 

Source: 
Spurr, William Samuel. A History of Otisfield: Cumberland County, Maine from the Original Grant to the Close of the Year 1944 by William Samuel Spurr. Otisfield, Me.: Published by the Otisfield Historical Society, 1994. PDF.

The Spurr Memorial

Some April exploring took me to Spurr's Corner in Otisfield, Maine. I'd been wanting to go for awhile, just hadn't gotten around to actually doing it. My Spurr ancestors came from Massachusetts to Maine in 1776. I wrote about their migration in the post linked below. 

The History of Otisfield
"It is said that the first night they spent in Otisfield, they camped beside a large stone near the road. (A portion of that stone has since been moved to Spurr's Corner and a memorial tablet placed upon it.) He is buried in the yard south of Spurr's Corner. Through a mistake of the stonecutters the name is spelled Spyrr, instead of Spurr. They had nine children living, all born in Dorchester, and all came to Maine unmarried. They came to Windham in an oxcart and were the fourth family in town."

Here is a picture of the stone and a close up of the plaque. 

Spurr's Corner Monument - April 21, 2016

SPURR MEMORIAL

SEPT. 3, 1779

JOSEPH SPURR AND HIS FAMILY 

SPENT THEIR FIRST NIGHT IN THE FIELD BESIDE THIS

STONE AND BUILT THEIR CAMPFIRE UPON IT

Plaque, April 21, 2016

Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr - came to Otisfield in 1779

Enoch Spurr

Roxanna (Spurr) Stanley
Mary Frances (Stanley) Carter
Edward Mellen Carter
Thomas Richard Carter - my grandfather

Moving in an Oxcart

Spurr, William Samuel. A History of Otisfield: Cumberland County, Maine from the Original Grant to the Close of the Year 1944 by William Samuel Spurr. Otisfield, Me.: Published by the Otisfield Historical Society, 1994. PDF.

Joseph & Tryphenia (Hancock) Spurr

Joseph Spurr, Jr. was the son of Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr and the brother of my 4X great-grandfather, Enoch Spurr. Joseph Jr. was born on January 6, 1759 and died on December 5, 1825. On February 1, 1797, he married Tryphenia Hancock, daughter of John & Martha (Bragg) Hancock. She was born on July 22, 1761 and died on December 17, 1830. They are buried in the Cedar Crest Cemetery in Otisfield. His brother, Samuel, and sister, Sarah, lived with him in Otisfield. 

Children of Joseph & Tryphenia (Hancock) Spurr

1. Sarah "Sally" Spurr was born on March 4, 1799 and died on August 28, 1889. She never married. 
2. Susan "Sukey" Spurr was born on October 25, 1801 and died on July 25, 1893. She married James Weston on November 24, 1825. 
3. Milly Spurr was born on May 4, 1807 and died on November 6, 1894. She married Joseph Knight on June 5, 1832. 

Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr - parents of Joseph, Jr.
Enoch Spurr
Roxanna (Spurr) Stanley
Mary Frances (Stanley) Carter
Edward Mellen Carter
T. Richard Carter - my grandfather

Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr

Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr are my 5X great-grandparents. They moved to Otisfield, Maine in 1779 after short stints in Westbrook (Saccarappa) and Windham. Joseph was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts on November 19, 1731 and died in Otisfield on June 17, 1805. He was the son of Capt. Robert & Jemima (Foster) Spurr. Miriam was born in Stoughton, Massachusetts on April 4, 1731 and died in Otisfield on November 6, 1811. She was the daughter of Elkanah & Meredith (Wyatt) Lyon. 

Joseph Spurr served in the Revolutionary War as a Captain in Perez Cushing's Co., Col. Crafts Artillery Regt. from November 9, 1776 to May 8, 1777. He was a matross (gunner's assistant). Like many Revolutionary War soldiers he served several enlistments. He was a Corporal in Capt. Israel Trows Co., John Daggets Regt. from January 12, 1778 to March 31, 1778. 

On April 21, 2016, I took these photos from the Cedar Crest Cemetery in Otisfield. The History of Otisfield,  says that Joseph is buried "in the yard south of Spurrs Corner." However, I found this marker in the Cedar Crest Cemetery where there are many other Spurr family members and other interconnected families from early Otisfield. It is quite possible that it is a memorial placed at a later date. 

Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spyrr

An overview of the Spurr section where Joseph & Miriam's stone is found

Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr
Enoch Spurr
Roxanna (Spurr) Stanley
Mary Frances (Stanley) Carter
Edward Mellen Carter
Thomas Richard Carter - my grandfather

Moving in an Oxcart
Enoch Spurr - Revolutionary Service


Spurr, William Samuel. A History of Otisfield: Cumberland County, Maine from the Original Grant to the Close of the Year 1944 by William Samuel Spurr. Otisfield, Me.: Published by the Otisfield Historical Society, 1994. PDF.

Tombstone Tuesday - Spurr Siblings

Samuel and Sarah Spurr are the unmarried siblings of my 4X great-grandfather, Enoch Spurr. Their parents were Joseph and Miriam (Lyon) Spurr. According to The History of Otisfield, they lived with their brother, Joseph Spurr, Jr. in Otisfield. They are buried with other members of their family in the Cedar Crest Cemetery in Otisfield, Maine. These pictures were taken on April 21, 2016. 

Mr. Samuel Spurr died Oct. 26, 1845
AE 78 y'rs & 9 mo.

Miss Sarah Spurr died June 16, 1849
AE 86 yrs. 6 ms.

The Tragic Deaths of Two Brothers

My 5X great-grandparents, Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr had two sons named Robert. Both of them died in tragic accidents, thirty-one years apart. Both sons were logging at the time of their deaths. My family has been involved in logging for many generations and it's a dangerous business.

Robert #1
The first son named Robert was born on May 23, 1755 and died on February 23, 1774. A newspaper extraction says that he fell under a sled loaded with wood. There is a Findagrave memorial for him in Wrentham Center Cemetery, but it doesn't have a picture of his gravestone. The History of Otisfield says that he was "killed by a loaded sled running over him." This book says that his tombstone has the following inscription:

As I did walk the road, 

Down hill a sled with me, 

The team ran very fast, 

My fall was the death of me. 

He was killed by a sled in a moment.

Robert #2
The second son named Robert was born on July 15, 1774, just a few months after his older brother of the same name was killed. The second Robert died on May 18, 1805 in Otisfield, Maine. The History of Otisfield says that he was "killed by a landing of logs rolling over him, breaking his back, at Crooked River, Otisfield." This Robert is buried in Bell Hill Cemetery in Otisfield and Findagrave has a picture of his gravestone.

Robert (2) was married on September 21, 1802 to Sarah West. She raised their son, John, alone and remarried on November 9, 1826. Her second husband was Simeon Turner. John Spurr was born on December 15, 1805, five months after his father's death.

Joseph Spurr died on June 17, 1805, about a month after losing his second son named Robert. Miriam died on November 6, 1811.

Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr
Enoch Spurr
Roxanna (Spurr) Stanley
Mary Frances (Stanley) Carter
Edward Mellen Carter
T. Richard Carter - my grandfather.

Enoch & Abigail (Wight) Spurr

Enoch Spurr is my 4X great-grandfather. He was the son of Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr. He married twice and I descend from his family with his second wife. He was born on January 28, 1761 in Dorchester, Massachusetts and died in Otisfield on May 2, 1843. His first wife was Patty Druce of Wrentham, Massachusetts. She died on November 11, 1782 at the tender age of 21. Roxana, the only daughter of Enoch & Patty died on December 15, 1782. Both Patty and Roxana were buried in Wrentham. 

Enoch's second wife was Abigail Wight. According to the Ware Genealogy, she was born in Wrentham, Massachusetts on May 31, 1767 to Joseph & Abigail (Ware) Wight. Her parents were also early settlers of Otisfield. 

Enoch Spurr fought in the Revolutionary War and his pension file states that he was at the Battle of Monmouth, wintered at Valley Forge, and was present for the surrender of General Cornwallis. 

Enoch and Abigail are buried in the Cedar Crest Cemetery in Otisfield, Maine. I visited on April 21, 2016 and found that his stone continues to degrade. Another picture from a few years ago can be found on his Findagrave memorial. 

 

Children of Enoch & Abigail (Wight) Spurr

1. Martha Druce Spurr was born on September 12, 1789 and died on March 27, 1831. She married James Cheever on December 8, 1822. 
2. Roxana Spurr was born on February 29, 1792 and died on February 10, 1863. She married Edward Stanley on November 2, 1815. 
3. Abigail Spurr was born on March 5, 1794 and died on February 20, 1871. She married George W. Longley on March 2, 1826. 
4. Ann Spurr (twin of Abigail) died on December 28, 1873. She married Abel Longley on March 21, 1815. 
5. Margaret T. Spurr was born on July 15, 1796 and died on May 9, 1870. She married James Wight. 
6. Lydia Spurr was born on August 14, 1798 and died on November 25, 1870. She married Louis Jewel. 
7. Mary Spurr was born on August 15, 1800 and died on December 8, 1891. She never married. 
8. Enoch Spurr, Jr. was born on August 6, 1802 and died on November 3, 1883. 
9. Betsey Spurr was born on December 27, 1805 and died on January 6, 1889. She married Samuel Scribner on September 22, 1830. 
10. Sophronia Spurr was born on February 4, 1807 and married David L. Perley on October 27, 1885. 

Enoch & Abigail (Wight) Spurr
Roxana (Spurr) Stanley
Mary Frances (Stanley) Carter
Edward Mellen Carter
T. Richard Carter - my grandfather 

Revolutionary War Service
His parents journey to Maine

Information on Abigail (Ware) Spurr from Ware genealogy: Robert Ware, of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1642-1699, and his lineal descendants. Boston, Mass.: Charles H. Pope, 1901. 

Information on Enoch Spurr from: Spurr, William Samuel. A History of Otisfield: Cumberland County, Maine from the Original Grant to the Close of the Year 1944. Otisfield, Me., Otisfield Historical Society, 1994. PDF.

Mappy Monday - Moving in an Oxcart

The migration of the Spurr family from Massachusetts to Maine

From A History of Otisfield p. 589 (see citation below). 
"They (the Spurr family) moved from Dorchester to Wrentham, previous to 1774 and lived there seven years. It is said they lived in Mansfield, Me. or Mass. for a time. They came to Maine in 1776 and lived one year in Saccarappa, a year and a half in Windham, and moved to Otisfield, September 3, 1779. They settled on lot 16 a little south of Spurrs Corner on the west side of the road. Some lilac bushes and the ruins of the old foundation remains (1930). John Spurr lived in the house afterward and then Joseph Knight moved it to his place on the opposite side of the road and occupied it for a woodhouse. It is said that the first night they spent in Otisfield, they camped beside a large stone near the road. (A portion of that stone has since been moved to Spurr's Corner and a memorial tablet placed upon it.) He is buried in the yard south of Spurr's Corner. Through a mistake of the stonecutters the name is spelled Spyrr, instead of Spurr. They had nine children living, all born in Dorchester, and all came to Maine unmarried. They came to Windham in an oxcart and were the fourth family in town."

Going to Otisfield to photograph the stone and tablet is on my genealogy road trip list. 

Joseph Spurr was born November 19, 1731 in Dorchester, MA and died June 17, 1805. He married Miriam Lyon on September 13, 1753. They were my 5th great-grandparents. 

Enoch Spurr b. January 28, 1761 in Dorchester, MA married Abigail Wight b. May 31, 1767 in Wrentham, MA. 

Roxanna Spurr married Edward Stanley on November 2, 1815. 

Mary Frances Stanley married Augustus Mellen Carter. 

Edward Mellen Carter married Fannie May Capen. 

T. Richard Carter was my grandfather. 

Source: 
Spurr, William Samuel. A History of Otisfield: Cumberland County, Maine from the Original Grant to the Close of the Year 1944 by William Samuel Spurr. Otisfield, Me.: Published by the Otisfield Historical Society, 1994. PDF.

Military Monday - Enoch Spurr

Enoch Spurr was my 4th great-grandfather. He served three years in the Revolutionary War and when he was discharged at West Point, his paperwork was signed by Gen. Henry Knox. Knox would go on to become the first Secretary of War in the Cabinet of President George Washington. 

After the war, Enoch moved from Massachusetts to Otisfield, Maine and in April 1818 he petitioned for a pension. Pensions were not guaranteed and the selectmen of the town had to state that he was in need of the money before he could get it. The selectman, Nathan Wight, is likely the brother of Enoch's wife, Abigail Wight. 

Enoch wrote his own description of his service but it is too long to insert as an image and I haven't transcribed it yet. But this is his signature at the bottom of the page he wrote:

Enoch Spurr & Abigail Wight
Roxanna Spurr & Edward Stanley
Mary Frances Stanley & Augustus Mellen Carter
Edward Mellen Carter & Fannie Capen
T. Richard Carter - my grandfather