William Parsons (1743 - 1826)

Born 22 Oct 1743 in Bradford, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Abigail Frost (Blunt) Parsons — married 23 Feb 1769 in Berwick, York, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 4 Aug 1826 at age 82 in Alfred, York, Maine, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Patricia Abbott [send private message]

Biography

WILLIAM PARSONS,^[1] born at Bradford, Massachusetts, 22 Oct 1743 son of Rev. Joseph Parsons and Frances Usher;^[2] William died at Alfred, Maine, 4 Aug 1826^[3] and is interred at the Parish Congregational Church Cemetery;^[4] married at Berwick, 19 Feb 1769,^[5] ABIGAIL FROST BLUNT, born at New Castle, New Hampshire, 21 Sep 1744 daughter of John and Sarah (Frost) Blunt;^[6] Abigail died at Alfred, Maine, 4 Jul 1818.^[7]

Abigail Blunt and William Parsons resided in Berwick, Maine and Sanford, Maine in the section of Sanford that was later Alfred, Maine.

William Parsons was a trader and retailer in the “North Parish” of Sanford, Maine. He served as first lieutenant in the Sanford militia in 1788. He was selectman of Sanford in 1790. He was instrumental in petitioning for the separation of part of Sanford into the separate town of Alfred, Maine.^[8] He also served as magistrate and town clerk. He did work as town and county surveyor.^[9]

In Alfred, the family first resided in a house originally built by Seth Peabody. William then had a two-story house constructed near the potash factory.^[10]

In 1790, William Parsons was in a household of eleven persons at Sanford, Maine: two male 45 and over, five males under 16, and four females.^[11] His household was seven persons at Alfred in 1810: one male 45 and over, one female 45 and over, two males 16 to 25, one male 26 to 44, and two females 16 to 25.^[12]

Probate

William Parsons, Esq.’s estate entered probate on 16 October 1826 with estate executors William Parsons yeoman and Daniel Lewis, Esq. In his will written 2 July 1823, William Parsons bequeathed the real estate of the northeast side of the highway leading from his mansion house to the meeting house to sons Joseph, John, and Usher. Son John receives a note held by William and son Usher receives all the books in Latin and Greek languages. Son Thomas receives one hundred dollars within six months after he demands it, provided he make the demand within ten years of William’s decease. Son Samuel receives the wearing apparel. One hundred dollars is placed in trust with the executors for the benefit of Samuel. Daughter Sarah wife of John Leighton, Esq. receives a note held by William against John Leighton. Sarah receives one-fourth the household furniture and the pew in the Newfield meeting house. Daughter Abigail wife of Daniel Lewis, Esq. receives $150 and one-fourth part of the household furniture. Daughter Frances receives $150 and one-fourth of the household furniture. Sons Joseph, John, and Usher receive the notes on hand to $530. The remainder of the notes are to be divided among his four sons Joseph, John, William, and Usher. The remainder of the estate including one-fourth the household furniture with the clock and desk goes to son William. William Parsons and Daniel Lewis, Esq. were named executors.^[13]

Children

Abigail Frost Blunt and William Parsons were parents of nine children.

i JOSEPH PARSONS, b. at South Berwick, 21 Nov 1769; d. at Eastbrook, ME, 20 May 1854; m. CHARLOTTE SANDERS SARGENT, b. 1782 daughter of Paul Dudley and Lucy (Sanders) Sargent; Charlotte d. at Eastbrook, 1865.

ii SARAH PARSONS, b. at Alfred, ME, 6 Oct 1771; d. at Lincoln, ME, 20 Dec 1855; m. 1796, JOHN LEIGHTON, b. at Kittery, 16 Oct 1768 son of Samuel and Abigail (Frost) Leighton; John d. at Lincoln, ME, 14 Jun 1854.

iii ABIGAIL PARSONS, b. at Alfred, 19 Jul 1773; d. at Alfred, 24 May 1842; m. Jan 1798, DANIEL LEWIS, b. at Alfred, 1 Apr 1772 son of Morgan and Sarah (Tripp) Lewis; Daniel d. at Alfred, 10 Mar 1833.

iv JOHN PARSONS, b. at South Berwick, 8 Sep 1775; d. at Charlestown, MA, 22 Feb 1858; m. 6 Oct 1800, LOVEY BROCK, b. at South Berwick, 29 Mar 1779 daughter of Simeon and Judith (Bunker) Brock; Lovey d. at Cambridge, MA, 22 Feb 1857.

v FRANCES USHER PARSONS, b. at Eliot, ME, 4 Jan 1778; d. at Pittsfield, NH, 8 Sep 1865; m. 29 Dec 1799, Gen. SAMUEL LEIGHTON, b. at Kittery 25 May 1771 son of Samuel and Abigail (Frost) Leighton; Samuel d. at Alfred, Oct 1848.

vi WILLIAM PARSONS, b. at Alfred, 14 Jun 1780; d. at Kennebunk, ME, 8 Oct 1864; m. 14 Jan 1814, his first cousin once removed, MARY PARSONS, b. 2 Aug 1792 daughter of Joseph and Lydia (Lord) Parsons; Mary d. at Kennebunk, 17 Apr 1874.

vii THOMAS PARSONS, b. 21 Jan 1783. Reported as living in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he married,^[14] but information on his family was not found.

viii SAMUEL PARSONS, b. 16 Mar 1785; living in 1823 when his father wrote his will.

ix USHER PARSONS, b. 18 Aug 1788; d. at Providence, RI, 19 Dec 1868; m. 23 Sep 1822, MARY JACKSON HOLMES, b. at Cambridge, 17 Jan 1802 daughter of Abiel and Sarah (Wendell) Holmes;^[15] Mary d. at Cambridge, 14 Jun 1826. Mary J. Holmes was the sister of Oliver Wendell Holmes. Usher Parsons was a surgeon in Alfred, Maine. He served during the War of 1812 as surgeon’s mate on the frigate John Adams. He was professor at Dartmouth College and Brown College.^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ Family summary taken from Abbott, The Descendants of William and Grace Ballard of Andover ©
2. ↑ Parsons, Parsons Family, Volume I, p 109; https://archive.org/details/parsonsfamilydes01pars/page/n123/mode/2up
3. ↑ "Maine, Nathan Hale Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1980," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJP-B51J : 1 March 2021), William Parsons, 1826; citing Alfred, York, Maine, United States, Cong Church Cemetery, Maine State Library, Augusta; FHL microfilm 1,316,106.
4. ↑ Note that as of 3 August 2023, the Find a Grave profile has error in date of birth and is linked incorrectly to father; Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34007139/william-parsons: accessed 02 August 2023), memorial page for William Parsons (22 Oct 1742–4 Aug 1826), Find a Grave Memorial ID 34007139, citing Parish Congregational Church Cemetery, Alfred, York County, Maine, USA; Maintained by Lucy Morin (contributor 46829619).
5. ↑ Parsons, Parsons Family, Volume I, p 109
6. ↑ Boyle, Early Families of Alfred, Maine, p 268
7. ↑ "Maine, Nathan Hale Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1980," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJ5-3VLR : 1 March 2021), Abigail F Blunt Parsons, 1818; citing Alfred, York, Maine, United States, Cong Church Cemetery, Maine State Library, Augusta; FHL microfilm 1,315,032.
8. ↑ Boyle, Early Families of Alfred, Maine, p 268
9. ↑ Parsons, Parsons Family, Volume I, p 109
10. ↑ Parsons, A Centennial History of Alfred, Maine, p 15
11. ↑ The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC; First Census of the United States, 1790.; Year: 1790; Census Place: Sanford, York, Maine; Series: M637; Roll: 2; Page: 359; Family History Library Film: 0568142
12. ↑ Year: 1810; Census Place: Alfred, York, Maine; Roll: 12; Page: 1025; Image: Mem252_12-0988; FHL Roll: 0218683
13. ↑ Maine Probate, York County, Estate of William Parsons, Estate Files, No. 14594
14. ↑ Parsons, Parsons Family, Volume 1, p 110
15. ↑ Usher Parsons signing as guardian of heir Charles W. Parsons is noted in the 1837 probate of Abiel Holmes of Cambridge; Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. Case 11749
16. ↑ Appletons’ Cyclopedia of American Biography, Volume IV, p 665

• Abbott, Patricia A. In Press. The Descendants of William and Grace Ballard of Andover Through Six Generations. Emerald Isle, NC: Patricia A. Abbott.
• Boyle, Frederick. 2006. Early Families of Alfred, Maine. Portsmouth, NH: Peter E. Randall.
• Parsons, Henry. 1912. Parsons Family: Descendants of Cornet Joseph Parsons, Springfield, 1636--Northampton,1655. New York: Frank Allaben Genealogical Company.
• Parsons, Usher. 1872. A Centennial History of Alfred, York County, Maine. Philadelphia, PA: Sanford, Everts & Co.