William Knowlton (1754 - bef. 1810)

Born 12 Sep 1754 in Wenham, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Smith) Knowlton — married 30 Oct 1777 in Chester, Nova Scotia

Descendants

Died before 7 Aug 1810 before age 55 in Isle au Haut, Maine

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Adrian Stanley [send private message]

Biography

William “Benjamin” Knowlton and Elizabeth Smith

CHILDREN (not in order):

1. Jane Knowlton [b 1782] m. Nov. 28, 1799, Joseph Curits of Belfast, ME

2. Robert Knowlton b. bef. 1775 [b 1794] m. by Samuel Alen, Baptish pastor of Deer Isle, Oct. 5, 1815 pub. Aug. 30, 1815 Sarah "Sally" Buckminister

3. Joseph Knowlton b. Apr. 6, 1799 d. Mar. 18 or 23, 1882 m. March 13, 1824 by Abijah Wines, pastor, pub. Jan. 19, 1825 Rhoda Buckminister (sister of Sarah who m.Robert)

4. Elizabeth "Betsey" Knowlton [b 1778] m. (1 )Solomon Hamilton m. (2) Hambleton (She lived to be 100 years 0ld) [5 children] 4 Oct 1778

5. Sarah "Sally" Knowlton [b 1784] m. pub. April 7, 1805 m. by Joseph Tyler, J.P., George Smith [10 children] 15 Aug 1784

6. Nancy Anne Knowlton [b 1787] m. pub. Dec. 13, 1807 Aaron Merithew [BLN NOTES: They lived at Isle au Haut. Family members always called her "Nancy Anne" and she d. insane (harmless) on Orphan's Island. Aaron was the second child of Roger Merithew and was drowned about 1848. [8 children] 14 Dec 1787

7. [William] Benjamin Knowlton b. ca. I775 [b 1780] d.1830 m. pub. Dec. 1, 1816 Esther "Huldah" Lindsay/Linsey

Noted: The 1820 Census of Isle au Haut, Maine reflects: Knowlton, Robert under 45, Joseph under 26, Benjamin [William] under 45. All born after 1775. This is also is supported by parents marriage record, recorded in 1777.

KNOWLTON, "William, (3S5) September 12, 1754. m. Elizabeth Smith. "Rem. to Northport, Me., and thence to Isle of Haute." The history and genealogy of the Knowltons of England and America by Stocking, Charles Henry Wright, page 47

William Knowlton ... "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G979-9T44?cc=2061550&wc=Q4DW-HZN%3A353349401%2C353642401%2C353642901 : 13 July 2016), Essex > Wenham > Births, marriages, deaths 1654-1810 > image 243 of 277; town clerk offices, Massachusetts.

William "Benjamin" Knowlton was for many years a resident of Isle au Haut. He was a relative of those of that name in the town of Northport [Thomas and Reuben Knowlton] and in the county of Waldo, and, we believe, was a native of Massachusetts. When a young man he went to [Chester] Nova Scotia, and there married a Miss [Elizabeth] Smith. He was there a part of the time, at least, if not all, of the Revolutionary period, [After 1787, removed to Ducktrap Plantation, Northport, Belfast] and sometime after his return took up his residence on Isle au Haut. His sons were the late Mr. Robert Knowlton, of this town, and Mr. Joseph Knowlton who removed to Islesborough. One daughter was the wife of a Mr. Hamilton. She was the mother of the present Mr. Solomon Hamilton, now nearly ninety years of age. Another was the wife of Mr. George Smith; another was the wife of Mr. Aaron Merithew, and we believe that there was another [Jane Knowlton]. Mr. Knowlton died many years ago, but the date is unknown to us; his wife died in 1843, at the age of eighty-nine years” (Hosmer 1905: 197-98).

A compiler of the Knowlton data says "about 1802 he removed to Isle au Haut, ME where he lived until his death, from a fall [drowned], about 1820". [probably d. before 7 Aug 1810]

Noted: Hancock Deed, Book 22, Page 63 acknowledged 27 Sept. 1803 by Wm. & Elizabeth Knowlton of Northport, Maine.

Elizabeth Knowlton as head of household in 1810 Census.

Benjamin Lake Noyes_ NOTES: re William [Knowlton]:...His name is on the list of voters in Belfast for 1800 . He was a shipbuilder and trader; also kept a hotel for a time and was then quite wealthy. He built two ships, which were both lost at sea, on the voyage from Liverpool, England loaded with salt, by which he lost the greater part of his fortune.

1800 Census of ME: William Knoutter [William Knowlton] Home in 1800 (City, County, State): Belfast, Hancock, Maine. Place of Origin: Windham [now New Hampshire]

Windham, NH: The town of Windham was originally a parish of Londonderry. Windham was the second town designated by Governor Benning Wentworth following the establishment of the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border. [From Wikipedia]

After his death, his widow, Elizabeth, moved with her son Robert from York Island, Isle au Haut, to Deer Isle [(early 1840's) to Tea Hill, Stonington--Sylvester Lot]. She d. at her son Robert's, Deer Isle Dec. 7, 1842, aged 89-8-0 and is buried in the lower Southeast Cemetery in town of Stonington, ME formerly part of old town of Deer Isle. Their first three children were born in Halifax [Chester, NS] ...

above from Helene's Genes http://web.archive.org/web/20091020210136/http://geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Knowlton.html AOS 23 Feb 2013

Further information might be found by contacting Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society ✦ P O Box 652 ✦ Deer Isle, ME 04627 ✦ 207-348-6400

Research Notes

PETITION FOR INCORPORATION. ... And as in Duty bound shall ever pray— Duck Trap 16 December 1795 , Thomas Knowlton, James Pinkham, James Nesmith, John Clark, William Knowlton , Samuel Prescott, John Prescott, Samuel Prescott, Jr., Thos. Burkmar, Jr., John Burkmar, Nathaniel Grant, Thomas Buckmar, Joshua Josselyn, Isaac Clark, John Knowlton, Harris Ransom, Benjamin Smith, Allen Calif, Ephraim Choomes, Benjamin Rolison, David Adams, Nathaniel Pendleton, Joshua Adams, Thomas Knight, Thomas Knight, Jr., Rena Knight, Nathaniel Knight, James Hagerty, Leonard Dunn, Josiah Drink water, Zenes Drinkwater, Minajah Drinkwater, Nathaniel Getchel, John Pumroy, William Pumroy, Thomas Atham, Allexander Alexander, Thomas Brazier, Angus Mclntire, John Ladd, Isaac P. Carter, Edward Carter, Edward Carter, Jr., Thomas Carter, Daniel Lawrence, Zachriah Lawrence, Adam Patterson, John Paterson, Benjamin Allds, Mark Walsh, John Walsh, Adam Hesey, Isaac J. Woodworth, Jacob Ambes, James Doyle, Robate Batie, John Battie, George Pitcher, Henry Elwell, William Kennedy, Reuben Knowlton, Stephen Knowlton, George Griffin, David Miller, Michael Caten, Joseph Bunkmar. A True Copy Laws of Massachusetts, 1792-5, Chap. 40, p 390,(1795) https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1036&context=mainehistory

385 William and Elizabeth Smith had :

(871) Robert, m. Sarah Buckmaster (or Buckminster).

(872) Benjamin, m. Esther Lindsay.

(873) Joseph, April 6, 1799. m. Rhoda Buckmaster.

(874) Elizabeth, m. Samuel Hamilton. She died at the age of 100 years.

(875) Nancy, m. Aaron Matthews ; 8 chil.

(876) Jane. m. Joseph Curtis ; 4 chil.

(877) Sarah, ra. George Smith ; 7 chil. William removed to Northport, Me., and thence to the Isle of Haute. The Knowltons of New England [page] 75

Sources

• "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G979-9T44?cc=2061550&wc=Q4DW-HZN%3A353349401%2C353642401%2C353642901 : 22 October 2020), Essex > Wenham > Births, marriages, deaths 1654-1810 > image 243 of 277; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston.

• https://archive.org/stream/cu31924092267941#page/n223/mode/1up/search/Knowlton

• https://archive.org/stream/cu31924092267941#page/n371/mode/1up/search/Knowlton

• https://archive.org/stream/historygenealogy01stoc#page/n164/mode/1up/search/churchill

• An Historical Sketch TOWN OF DEER ISLE-MAINE

WITH NOTICES OF ITS SETTLERS AND EARLY INHABITANTS BY GEORGE L. HOSMER Pages 197 & 198

• "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YYY-93FX?cc=1803959&wc=3XT9-3YL%3A1584070931%2C1584070973%2C1584070990 : 14 May 2015), Maine > Hancock > Belfast > image 2 of 2; citing NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R8K-9LKY?cc=1804228&wc=3V1X-C6B%3A1585148803%2C1585149942%2C1585149956 : 10 June 2015), Maine > Hancock > Belfast > image 4 of 6; citing NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYY8-S2P8?cc=1803765&wc=QZZC-1SF%3A1588182202%2C1588182231%2C1588182232 : 1 December 2015), Maine > Hancock > Deer Isle > image 7 of 13; citing NARA microfilm publication M252, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYYY-3DT?cc=1803955&wc=3L7F-HD2%3A1586988102%2C1586985947%2C1586988123 : 16 July 2015), Maine > Hancock > Deer Isle > image 3 of 6; citing NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• Shirley Holt, firsthand knowledge. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Shirley and others.

• Wenham - Births Image of page 57
• "Nova Scotia Marriages, 1711-1909," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XL5J-L3T : 10 February 2018), William Knowlton and Elisabeth Smith, 30 Oct 1777; citing Saint Stephen Anglican,Chester,Lunenburg,Nova Scotia; FHL microfilm 1,376,192.

• [1] "Lenna Gowdey 1973, Our Sires Monument, p. 61."

• [2] Information regarding William's wife and ancestors on helenesgenes.com.