Historic Mass. town now underwater

Artist Marsden Hartley called Dogtown “a weird stretch of landscape … all boulders and scrub.”

Hikers and naturalists have found it to be so, and these days a goodly portion of the landscape in that portion of Gloucester, Mass., is beneath a reservoir. Some of the boulders still visible are carved with words or phrases such as “Industry” and “Spiritual Power” and “Rockport.”

It’s interesting to note that the settlement, which was incorporated in 1642, lasted into the 1830s. One story is that after the American Revolution, abandoned homes were taken over by widows and poor women who kept dogs.

There are still cellar holes in many places, and numbers carved in many of the boulders marking the location of some of the early families.

Some years ago, my cousin Paul E. Bennett went to Gloucester to seek out the boulder marking where our Bennett family had lived, and he found it. In 1978 he gave directions to my husband and me, and we subsequently made our own pilgrimage to “Bennett rock,” glad to find that it was not one of those under water.

The Commons Settlement of Dogtown, which was east of Mill River and west of Whale’s Jaw, was generally bounded by Commons Road, Wharf Road, Dogtown Road and Back Road.

Living on Dogtown Road were: Liscom, Nathaniel Day Sr., Nathaniel Day Jr., Becky Rich, Benjamin Stanwood, Jeremiah Millet, William Pulcifer, Benjamin Newcombe, Joseph Clarke Jr., John Clarke, Arthur Wharfe, Phillip Priestly, Joseph Clark Sr., William Wilson, James Stanwood Jr., Ester Carter, Old Ruth, Joseph Winslow Sr., Joseph Winslow Jr., Joseph Stevens, Hannah Stevens, Dorcas Foster, James Stanwood Sr., Isaac Davis, Molly Stevens, James Demerrits, Annie Carter, Deacon Winn, Schoolhouse, Joseph Ingersoll, Molly Jacobs, Sarah Phipps, Zebedere Day, Col. William Pierce, Joseph Day, Granny Day, Stephen Robinson Jr., Joseph Riggs.

Living on Wharf Road were Abraham Wharfe, Peter Lurvey Sr. and Wither.

Living along Commons Road were White, James Wharfe Jr. Whipple, Benjamin Allen (2), Nehemiah Stanwood, Peter Lurvey, Morgan Stanwood, Molly Jacobs, Sarah Phipps, Black Neil Finsin, James Wharfe Sr., Arthur Wharfe, Widow Wharfe, Ann Davis, Widow Cannabee, James White, Goose Cove Reservoir, John Bennett, The Castle and George Stanwood.

On Back Road were Peter Emmons, Samuel Curtos, Rachel Smith, Lyd Mussey and Molly Millet.

Along Cherry Street were Tammy Younger, Thom Foster, Benjamin Foster, William Stevens and John Bruce.

Living on Reynard Street was James Davis.

This list was taken from a map originally done by Edward Spurlin, date uncertain.

In the latest issue of The Griot, we find that a recent donation to the African American Collection of Maine is a collection of photographs of the Maxfield family, some of whom are from Hanover County, Virginia. Family members include Mrs. Ella Woods, Mrs. E.A. Maxfield, M.C. Maxfield and his children, Walter, Harriett, Lena and Gonevia.

Also pictured are M.C. Maxfield’s siblings: Mary, Elizabeth, Stafford, Herbert, Gatewood, Bolden and Miles.

Editor Maureen Elgersman Lee wonders if there is any connection between this family and an African American living in Maine during the 1880 census, Machias-born Joseph Maxfield of Deering in Cumberland County.

If you have any information on this family, contact Lee at the African American Collection of Maine, University of Southern Maine, P.O. Box 9301, Portland, ME 04104-9301.

3302. WEBBER-MILLIKEN. Lafayette Webber, son of Edmund or Edmond and Mary Elizabeth (Milliken) Webber, b. about 1862, according to 1870 census, Ellsworth. Not in 1880 census. His brother Edmund was age 6 in 1880 census. Their mother was living in 1910 census and all her children were alive except one daughter who died 1860 age 6. They may have left Maine to other states, or they could have gone to sea like so many of their mother’s family. Is there anyone out there named Webber who had great or great-great-grandfathers named Lafayette or Edmund Webber. Lafayette could have had a nickname. Found one in Louisiana, but no relation. Barbara L. (Webber) Roderick, 289 Airline Road, Baileyville, ME 04694.

Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or send e-mail to familyti@bangordailynews.net.