John Libby (1610 - abt. 1681)

Born 11 Nov 1610 in Plymouth, Devon, England

Husband of Judith (Unknown) Libby — married 27 Apr 1635 in Lanlivery Rural, Cornwall, England

Husband of Mary (Unknown) Libby — married 1663 in Scarborough, Cumberland, Maine

Descendants

Died about 9 Feb 1681 at about age 70 in Scarborough, York, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Toby Rockwell [send private message], Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree [send private message], and Jill Milas [send private message]

John Libby migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 208) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

This profile is part of the Libby Name Study.

Plaque to John Libby reads:

John Libby was a Mainer.

John came on the Hercules bringing ship's letters dated 30 Nov. 1636 and arriving at Richmond Island 13 Feb. 1636/7, William Chappel was the master.^[1]

He was in the fishing company of John Winter from 15 Dec. 1636 to 13 Feb. 1639 and also for six weeks in 1643. He was then in the service of John Sparke, merchant and Mayor of Plymouth, England. Some money was paid for him to John Sparke by Trelawny.^[2]

John settled near "Libby's common landing place" at Anthony's hole near the eastern point of the "Old Neck" in Scarborough. Before 1 Jan. 1663/4 he moved inland and built on the bank of Libby's River on the 283 acres which he purchased from Henry Jocelyn.

This Indenture made the first day of January 1663… between Henery Jocelyn of Bla: Poynt of the one Party, & John Libby Senor Panter of the other Party…. Henery Jocelyn… doth… sell… a certen Tract of Land bounded… the Marsh… at the next Cricke to ye Eastward of the sayd Libbys Coman Landing place… to his dwelling house according as his fence goeth… upon the dwelling house of Mr Hene: Watts at blew poynt… Eastward of the bridg… as fare as the Mayn Cricke Called the pine Cricke & over against Godfred Sheldens house… & alsoe fivety Acers of up;land adjoyneing to the sayd Marsh… paiing unto the sayd Henery Jocelyn… for every fivety acers of upland & Meddow annually three days worke for ever that is to say two dayes worke in harvest or seede tyme & one day in Cutting of Wood against the feast of Christ tyde…
Henery Jocelyn
Margeret Jocelyn
In the Prsence of
Payton Cooke
The marke John IW Wills ^[3]

On 14 Apr. 1661 John along with William Sheldon were appraisers of Andrew Heffer's estate. ^[4] In 1664 John was constable and in 1669 a selectman.

Scarborrough 1:5:64
The Depositions of John Lyby & Christopher Elkine Senior- These Deonents witnesseth that Thomas Hammett formerly Intruding upon Certen Marsh heretofore purchased by Ric: Moore, formerly belonging to John Burrage, the sd Hamett afterwards being forewarned not to Cutt soe any more, before Goodman: Lyby Constable, afterwards by Goody Moores leave In her hubands absence, the sd Hamett cutt hay againe in ye same Marsh, for the Topping of a small Cocke, of hay. ^[5]

In 1675 John had to move to the garrison for safety, the crops being gathered under protection of soldiers from Boston. A petition against Captain Scottow was taken to the General Court 9 Aug. 1676 complaining that Mr. Scottow got the soldiers from Boston upon his own responsibility, that he refused to use or have others use the soldiers to preserve the lives and estates of others, that he used the soldiers mostly for his own security and advantage, attending and strengthening his garrison, paving his yard, moving his barn, cleaving his wood, etc. John and his son John Jr. were some of the townspeople who liked him and had a petition sent in favor of Captain Scottow telling of all the good things he had done for the town. The Captain was acquitted and the men who had made the complaint had to pay the costs of the court. On 7 Sept. 1675 the Indians burned John's house. In Oct. 1676 the Black Point garrison was deserted all having left for Boston. The following were at the Black Point garrison 12 Oct. 1676; James Lybbey, John Lybbey, Anthony Lybbey and Samuel Lybbey. John deposed in Boston 10 July 1677 age 75 years that he had come to this country 47 years before and that his four sons had kept himself, his wife and eight small children from want but, that the enemy had burned their homes and destroyed cattle and corn. He stated that one of his sons had lately been killed at Black Point another wounded, had since died, and the other two were at Black Point. He asked that the latter might be discharged from the garrison having served there the extraordinary period of nine months. The petition was granted, Henry and Anthony were released and John returned to Scarborough. A treaty was signed with the Indians and the trouble stopped. Capt. Joshua Scottow's diary states: "Eight of nine deserted houses belonging to Libby and his children were burned by the Indians 7 Sept. 1675".

To the Honoured Governour & Counsell now Assembled at Bostone:
The Humble Petition of John Liby Senr Late of Scarbrow.
Humblye Showeth That the good and pieous report that was spread abroad into our Native Land of this Country, caused your Petitioner to come for this land 47 yeares agoe where he hath ever since continued- and that by the incursions of the barbarous Enemys he had had his house burned and cattle and oxen destroyed, so that your Petitioner is in a very low Condition being about ye age of 75 years, therefore not any way Capable to procure a livelihood, neither hath he in any way been Chargable to ye Country hitherto- but yr poore Petitioner and his wife with 8 smale Children was maintained from perishing By 4 sonns of yr Petitioner whereof one is latly kild at Black point, and two more sickened at Black point of which two one was brought here to Boston about tenn dayes ago and died last night, and the other two sons are at Black point and hath been there this 9 months- and pray that my two sons may be discharged from ye Garrison at Black point viz Henry Liby and Anthony Liby- and he hath 9 in family dependent on the labors of his two sons.
July ye 1st 1677
John Liby
This Request is granted 10 July 77. E.R.S ^[6]

Probate

In the name of God Amen/ Bee It known unto all, unto whom this shall Come, thatI John Lybby Senior do give unto my children five shillings a peece to every one of them & to my too younger sons, Namely, Mathew & Daniell shall have fivety shillings out of ye Estate when they Come to age & my wife shall have it all to her disposeing to mantayn the Children
Witnesses
John
Anthony Roe
The marke of
Leeft. Ingersall I

9th February 1682
^[7] An Inventory of the Estate of John Lybby Senior deceased…

Inprs to 4 Cows at..........................................12 00 00
It Two Heffers at............................................04 00 00
It to foure steares at......................................12 00 00
It to five yearelings at....................................08 00 00
It to one Calfe at tenn shillgs.........................0 10 00
It Two sheepe at.............................................00 16 00
It eleven swine at 40......................................02 00 00
It one horse at 20 shillings............................01 00 00
It to weareing apparell & to househould Goods
all at...................................................................8 00 00
It to house & Lands at......................................70 00 0
.......................................................................£118 06 0
William Burrine
Andrew Brown ^[8][9]

Probably came to Maine 1630-1635. From The Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine:

“In 1631 Robert Trelawny and Moses Goodyeare, of Plymouth, Devonshire, England, procured a patent which included Richmond’s Island, a small island on the coast of Cumberland, distant about a mile from the coast of Cape Elizabeth, and soon after established a trading post, with John Winter as their agent, and carried on fisheries, bought furs from the Indians, and supplied the wants of people on the numerous fishing vessels who might come to them for such articles as they had use. John Libby was doubtless one of those sent over by Trelawny to aid in the prosecution of his business. July 15, 1639, Winter made to Trelawny a report of his management of the station for the year. In that report it appears that John Libby received for his year’s service the sum of five pounds....From this and other accounts it appears that John Libby was in the employ of Trelawny four years, from the summer of 1635 to the summer of 1639, at five pounds a year paid to him, and another and probably larger amount paid for the support of his wife whom he had left in England. In 1640 he took up his residence on the neighboring mainland. On what has since been called Libby river, in Scarborough, he built a house...January 1, 1663, John Libby received from Henry Joscelyn a grant of land, and finally became one of the principal planters of Scarborough. In 1664 he was constable, and his name stands first of the four selectmen in a grant made in 1669. In King Philip’s war, which carried devastation to all parts of New England, John Libby lost everything he had except his plantation. In the late summer of 1675 he was compelled to leave his homestead and the diary of Captain Joshua Scottow, who had charge of the Boston soldiers who were trying to protect the settlers, contains the following: ‘Sept. 7, 1675. Being Lords day *** the *** enemy *** before of their designs early in the morning burnt those houses and barnes our Company savd the day before--they burnt also 8 or 9 deserted houses belonging to Libby and children.’ In October, 1676, Black Point Garrison was deserted, and most of the inhabitants fled to Boston. John Libby and his wife and younger children were still in Boston, July 10, 1677, and on that date petitioned the governor and council there assembled, that his sons Henry and Anthony, on whom he stated he was dependent for support, might be discharged from the Black Point garrison, which at that time had again been taken possession of by the English. The petition was granted the same day. John Libby probably returned to Black Point soon after and spent the remaining years of his life there, and acquired a comfortable property. He died at about eighty years of age. His will is dated February 9, 1682, and his inventory May 5, 1683. The value of the property enumerated in the latter was one hundred and eighteen pounds six shillings. From proceedings recorded in the probate court in 1720, it appears that John Libby left one hundred acres of upland, nine acres of fresh meadow, and one hundred acres of salt marsh. His first wife was the mother of all his sons except Matthew and Daniel, and probably of all his daughters. Nothing more is known of her. His second wife was Mary. She survived her husband some years. The children of John Libby were: John, James, Samuel, Joanna, Henry, Anthony, Rebecca, Sarah, Hannah, David, Matthew, and Daniel.”

Text: Burrage, Henry S. and Albert Roscoe Stubbs. The Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, Volume 3, published online by Google Books, 2006 (http://books.google.com/books?id=3X-4t4qKo-IC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false); original publisher: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., NY, 1909.

Event

Event:

Type: Biographical Notes: Following taken from:

https://archive.org/details/libbyfamilyiname00libb/page/n31/mode/2up

Note: Maine was settled chiefly through speculative enterprises by English merchants. They sent yearly many vessels to fish on her coast, and established trading houses at convenient points to supply the wants of their fishermen and to obtain furs from the Indians. One of these stations was located on Richmond's Island, a small island on the coast of Cumberland County, distant about one mile from the coast of Cape Elizabeth.

There had been one Walter Bagnall there, trading with the Indians but he had dealt unjustly with them and they had murdered him. In 1631, Robert Trelawny and Moses Goodyeare of Plymouth, Devonshire County, England, procured a patent which included that island thereon after, established a trading post with John Winter as their agent. In John Winter's employ first appears John Libby.

John Libby was born in England about the year 1610. In July 1677, he stated that "The good and pious report that was spread abroad into our Native Land of this country caused your Humble Petitioner to come for this land 47 years ago, where he hath since continued." According to this, the year of his immigration was 1630 but "47 years" was probably a slight exaggeration as the "good and pious report" was doubtless set afloat by Trelawny in his efforts to obtain men to carry on his fisheries and there can be little doubt that John Libby was sent over by him.

https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/f/l/e/Donna-L-Fletcher/GENE4-0001.html

In Winter's report to Trelawney of his management of the station for the year ending 15 Jul 1639, occurs the following account:

Jno. Libby Debtor

For aquauite .4.6

For wine 13

For monie disburst .3 Contra Creditor

by Mr. Trelawny to for his yeares

Jne. Sharpe for him service

and him in beaut att 11.2.6

ye ballance

(Copied from Trelawny Papers)

In Winter's next report, the following evidence, this account occurs:

Feb 13, 1639

John Libby Debitor

for sundry commodities Conte Creditor in

the house from 15th December to the day

due him for his third above

written year service

For 3s 2 1/2 is for his soe

much due unto him to

balance his account for 3 8 2 1/2

his third yeares service

pd him hears

In the reports for the two following years, his name does not appear; but in an "act. of Disbursements for the use of the plantation at Richmon." between June 1642 and June 1643 the following item:

for money pd John Libby for 6

weeks work a 6s per weeke 1 16

From this, we gather that John Libby was in the employment of Trelawny for four years, from the summer of 1635 until the summer of 1639 and that during that time a large part of his earnings was paid for him in England. This was doubtless for the support of the wife whom he had left behind him, and probably in 1640 he sent for her and took up his permanent abode on the neighboring mainland on the possessions of Thomas Cammock, the patentee of Black Point.

A few miles west of Richmond's Island formed by the little river now called Nonesuch, on the West and a sill smaller stream since dignified by the name Libby River. On the southwest, was a low neck of land with broad acres of salt marsh, ready hayfields, pushed away to the southwest, to where the two streams united with each other and with a third, forming a sheltered bay, and flowing out over a sandbar into the ocean. On that neck, close to the marsh of the stream that bears his name, in what is now the town of Scarborough, John Libby built his house, the land which he selected was afterward laid out to him by Henry Jocely, (who had come into the possession of the Cammock Patent) and for many years he doubtless occupied it as his tenant. During those years much of his time was probably devoted to fishing but as his land gradually became more productive, he doubtless depended less upon the sea and applied himself exclusively to the tilling of the soil.

On 1 January, 1663 by document in which he was described as a "planter" he received from Jocelyn, "a certain tract of land bounded as followeth, vise. the Marsh to begin at the next crick to ye Eastward of the sayd Libb's coman landing place, and thence to his dwelling house, according as his fence goeth, and formerly bounded by mee, (Jocelyn) from thence Westward and North Westward to a tree marked by me."

In the history of Scarborough, he is said to have been "for many years one of the town's principal planters." He was constable in 1664 and his name stands first of the four selectmen in a town grant bearing date 1669. In King Phillip's war (1675) he lost everything he had except his plantation. Captain Joshua Scottow's diary says; "Eight of nine deserted houses belonging to Libby and his children were burned by the Indians 7 September, 1675."

Before 1 Jan. 1663/64 he moved inland and built on the bank of Libby's River on the 283 acres which he purchased from Henry Jocelyn.

In 1661 John along with William Sheldon were appraisers of Andrew Heffer's estate. In 1664 John was constable and in 1669 a selectman. In 1675 John had to move to the garrison for safety, the crops being gathered under protection of soldiers from Boston. A petition against Captain Scottow was taken to the General Court 9 Aug. 1676 complaining that Mr. Scottow got the soldiers from Boston upon his own responsibility, that he refused to use or have others use the soldiers to preserve the lives and estates of others, that he used the soldiers mostly for his own security and advantage, attending and strengthening his garrison, paving his yard, moving his barn, cleaving his wood, etc. John and his son John Jr. were some of the townspeople who liked him and had a petition sent in favor of Captain

Scottow telling of all the good things he had done for the town.

The Captain was acquitted and the men who had made the complaint had to pay the costs of the court.

On 7 Sept. 1675 the Indians burned John's house. In Oct. 1676 the Black Point Garrison was deserted, all having left for Boston. The following were at the Black Point garrison 12 Oct. 1676; James Lybbey, John Lybbey, Anthony Lybbey and Samuel Lybbey. John deposed in Boston 10 July 1677 age 75 years that he had come to this country 47 years before and that his four sons had kept himself, his wife and eight small children from want, but that the enemy had burned their homes and destroyed cattle and corn. He stated that one of his sons (James) had lately been killed at Black Point another (Samuel) wounded, had since died, and the other two were at Black Point. He asked that the latter might be discharged from the garrison having served there the extraordinary period of 9 months. The petition was granted, Henry and Anthony were released and John returned to Scarborough. A treaty was signed with the Indians and the trouble stopped.

John's estate on 28 November 1681 consisted of 70 acres of land, 30 acres of marsh, 4 hogs, 3 yearlings, 3 cows, 1 horse and 2 steers. His will provided for his wife and especially for his two younger sons David and Matthew.

Somehow a Seth Libby is related..married to Lydia Jordan on 3/12/1779. Nine Children: Phebe, Rhoda, Jordan, Aaron, Ann, Hannah, Lewis, John and Lydia. Source is Tristran Frost Jordan...The Jordan Memorial (1882, 1995) Picton Press, Camden ME 04843.

Born in England, near Devon or Cornwall, from Saxon, French, or Welch origins. Emigrated to America 1630 and was employed at Winter's Trading Post, Richmond's Island, near Scarborough, Maine. Post handled needs of fishermen dealing with the fur trade with the Indians. Bought land and built a house; served as selectman and constable. Fled to Boston, Mass. in 1675 during King Philip's War with the French and Indians. Resettled in 1677 at Richmond's Island and acquired considerable real estate. Married twice--first wife bore 10 of his 12 children. Second wife was Mary and she survived her husband after his death in 1682. Left houses and land to his children. There are two rivers near Richmond's Island; one the Nonesuch and the other named for John Libby.

Research Notes

• Unsourced baptism 11 Nov 1610 Saint Andrews, Plymouth, Devonshire, England
• Unsourced marriage 17 Apr 1635 Scarborough, Cumberland, Maine

• Great Migration Directory Entry: Libby, John: Unknown; 1636; Richmond Island, Scarborough [Trelawny 190, 290; GDMNH 432; NEHGR 34:200-1; TAG 36:182-84, 73:258-71; Joseph Waterhouse Anc 115-20; Charles T. Libby, The Libby Family in America: 1602-1881 (Portland, Maine, 1882)].

Sources

1. ↑ Sybil Noyes, Charles Thornton Libby and Walter Goodwin Davis, Genealogical Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire (Portland, Maine, 1928-1939; rpt. Balti­more 1972) vol 1 p. 4]
2. ↑ Pope's Pioneers
3. ↑ York Deeds- Vol. II, fol. 138
4. ↑ York Deeds- Vol. I, pt 1, fol. 145
5. ↑ York Deeds- Vol. I, pt 1, fol. 154
6. ↑ Notes & Queries- John Libby- W.M. Sargent- NEHGR- Vol. 34, pp. 200-1 (Apr. 1880)- quoting Mass. Archives- Vol. 69, p. 145
7. ↑ “Maine Wills, 1640-1760”, Sargent, William M., database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89J3-NLR  : 5 April 2021), FHL microfilm 007600602, image 82, Portland, Brown Thurstone & Company, 1887, Page 75.
8. ↑ York Deeds-Vol. V, pt. 1, fol. 23 (also York County Wills- p. 53)
9. ↑ Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 75, citing Registry of Deeds, 5, 23

• Historical and Biographical Sketch of the Libbey, Libby Family- Historical Research Bureau, Washington, D.C., MS at Auburn Public Library- p.2 [no date]

• The pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire, 1623 to 1660; a descriptive list, drawn from records of the colonies, towns, churches, courts and other contemporary sources by Pope, Charles Henry, (1908) Pages 126-127

• The Libby family in America,1602-1881 by Libby, Charles Thornton Published 1882 Libby Family in America

• Downs, Winifred Scott. "Libbey Family. Americana Illustrated, American Historical Magazine. Volume 14 (1920) pages 390-400. [Some portions seem to be copied from Libby Family in America (1882)

• https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~mainegenie/genealogy/LIBBY.htm : Citing (among others: Historical and Biographical Sketch of the Libbey, Libby Family-Historical Research Bureau, Washington D. C.MS at Auburn Public Library, p. 2The Libby Family in America: 1602-1880-Charles T. Libby, pp. 21-5and The Pioneers of Maine & New Hampshire-Charles Henry Pop. pp 126-7and Scarborough Becomes A Town-Dorothy Shaw Libbeyand History and Description of New England- A. J. Coolidgeand Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire- p. 432and The Geneaolgy of Herbert Cornelius Graves-Clara Edith Baker, pp. 324-34and York County Registry of Deeds- Vol 5, p 23and Maine Wills-p. 75)

• Burrage, Henry S. and Albert Roscoe Stubbs. The Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, Volume 3, published online by Google Books, 2006 (http://books.google.com/books?id=3X-4t4qKo-IC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false); original publisher: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., NY, 1909.

Index type sources:

• U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data - Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls Note: - Ancestry Record sarmemberapps #1097618 Note: Data: Text: birth date: 1602 birth place: England death date: 1682 death place: Scarborough, Maine,

• Gale Research Title: Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010.Original data - Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2010.Original data: Filby, P. William, ed. Passenge; Arrival date: 1620-1650 Arrival place: Maine:: Arrival date: 1637 Arrival place: Maine

See also:

• For a wonderful article about the Indian war in Scarborough see: A Doleful Slaughter Near Black Point- The Battle at Moore's Brook by Sumner Hunnewell, published in The Maine Genealogist in May and Aug. 2003.