Thursday, January 17, 2013

David Bickmore 1768-1853

David, the son of John and Ann Bickmore, was a mariner.  He is on record of buying thirty acres of land on Swan's Island in 1790.  This island is near the coast of Maine.  He resided in Friendship, or Medoncook, in 1800 and used the spelling Bigmore.  He married Margaret Dix (Dicky) of Thomaston at Cushing, Maine, August 31, 1793.  His name is on the census list of Meduncook, Maine, 1800.  David and Margaret Bickmore had ten children: 1. Thomas, born June 6, 1798*; 2. Isaac Motor, born June 6, 1798; 3. David, born 1802; 4. Samuel, born 1805; 5. George, born 1807; 6. Jacob, born 1810; 7. Eliza, born 1812; 8. Jane, born 1815; 9. Martha Jane, born 1818; 10. Annie, born 1813.
Early Bickmore History found in Book of Remebrance of Beth Schow Stagge

Thomas Bickmore (Bigmore) 1601

The earliest record of this family in America is Thomas Bigmore, aged 34, living in New England - "Fether Seller."  There is no doubt of the connection between this Thomas and the Massachusetts line as the name is so uncommon, though the records show nothing of two generations between the dates.  They may have been engaged in traffic with other countries which makes it more difficult to trace them.

Thomas Bickmore, born in England in 1601 lived in Massachusetts in 1635.  He was a "Fether Seller" and left New England in 1635 for Amsterdam.
Early Bickmore History found in Book of Remebrance of Beth Schow Stagge

Elizabeth Andrews (Bickmore) 1707-

George Bickmore, probably great grandson of Thomas, was recorded in Milton, Massachusetts July 13, 1739.  He owned the covenant July 13, 1739.  George Bickmore, adult, by virtue of owning the covenant, was baptized by Reverend John Daylor.  He married Elizabeth Andrews, April 2, 1730 at Dorchester, Massachusetts, the marriage being performed by Robert Sput, Esp.JP.  Their children: *1 John, born March 31, 1731 at Dorchester; 2. George, born June 6, 1733 at Milton, Massachusetts; 3. Elizabeth, born March 9, 1736 at Milton.

In the Boston records of 1738, we find George Bickmore June 24, 1738, recommended as a Porter "to appear at Town Clerk's office to give bond."  In 1760, in Boston, among losses sustained by fire Elizabeth Bickmore was allowed 18 pounds 13 shillings for loss of personal estate:  "1 bed, 1 oval table, 1 brass kettle, 1 scilit, other small articles."

In 1743 a small settlement was made at Medumcook (which is the Indian plantation name for Friendship, Maine) by English people, who had come from Plymouth and western parts of Massachusetts.  A fort was erected in southern part of town, which served as a protection from the Indians.  Many people from Dorchester and Boston went to Medumcook.  There were about twenty-two families residing there in 1754.  Among them was * John and George Bickmore.  This confirms the family tradition that the family lived there on the coast of Maine.  It is probable that the elder George Bickmore lived there with his two sons, as in 1774, when the petition to the general court of Boston was signed, Elizabeth Bickmore, the mother's name, appears.

The Petition follows:

"This being a day pitched upon by the general courts of Boston, under the advice of the Governor for a day of fasting and prayer throughout the Province, on account of our present dangerous situation with regard to our liberties.  We of the inhabitants of Meduncook, met at the minister's house and after our religious services, the following covenant, composed at Boston and sent to us, was signed, as follows, viz:

"We the people of Medumcook, having taken into consideration the precarious state of the liberties of New England and more especially the present disturbed condition of this Province, do, in the presence of God, solemnly and in good faith, covenant and engage with each other; that: From henceforth we will suspend all commercial intercourse with the said Island of Great Britain until the said act for blocking up said harbor be repealed.  We will not buy, purchase, or consume or suffer anyone else to do so, any goods, wares, or merchandise that shall arrive from Great Britain from and after the last day of August 1774.  We agree to break off all commerce, etc., with all persons who continue to import goods from Great Britain or shall purchase from those who do import.  We, further, agree to purchase no article from those who have not signed this covenant.

"I, _____________, of __________________ in the company of _____________ do solemnly swear that the goods on hand have not been imported from Great Britain since August 1774, and will not import or purchase of any persons importing any goods, as aforesaid until the harbor of Boston shall be opened and we are fully restored to the free use of our constitutional rights and charter, and lastly, we agree that after this or a similar covenant has been offered to any person and they refuse to sign it or produce the oath, above said, we will consider them as contumacious importers and withdraw all commercial relations with them, so far as not to purchase of them any articles whatsoever, and publish their names to the world."
                             Signed - July 14, 1774
                             Witness our Hand"
                             John Bickmore and wife, Anna
                             Elizabeth Bickmore
(These names were included in the list of people who constituted the town of Meduncook, Maine (Friendship).

Any descendants of John Bickmore and Anna, his wife, or of Elizabeth, his mother, is eligible to the Society of the Daughters of American Revolution (or sons of American Revolution, if male descendants).

Medoncook or Meduncook was incorporated into the present town of Friendship, Maine on February 27, 1807.  It is now a town of wealth and importance.

Reference for covenant signed by John, Ann and Elizabeth Bickmore was taken from the history of Friendship, Maine.

George Bickmore 1705-1777

George Bickmore, probably great grandson of Thomas, was recorded in Milton, Massachusetts July 13, 1739.  He owned the covenant July 13, 1739.  George Bickmore, adult, by virtue of owning the covenant, was baptized by Reverend John Daylor.  He married Elizabeth Andrews, April 2, 1730 at Dorchester, Massachusetts, the marriage being performed by Robert Sput, Esp.JP.  Their children: *1 John, born March 31, 1731 at Dorchester; 2. George, born June 6, 1733 at Milton, Massachusetts; 3. Elizabeth, born March 9, 1736 at Milton.

In the Boston records of 1738, we find George Bickmore June 24, 1738, recommended as a Porter "to appear at Town Clerk's office to give bond."  In 1760, in Boston, among losses sustained by fire Elizabeth Bickmore was allowed 18 pounds 13 shillings for loss of personal estate:  "1 bed, 1 oval table, 1 brass kettle, 1 scilit, other small articles."

In 1743 a small settlement was made at Meduncook (which is the Indian plantation name for Friendship, Maine) by English people, who had come from Plymouth and western parts of Massachusetts.  A fort was erected in southern part of town, which served as a protection from the Indians.  Many people from Dorchester and Boston went to Meduncook.  There were about twenty-two families residing there in 1754.  Among them was * John and George Bickmore.  This confirms the family tradition that the family lived there on the coast of Maine.  It is probable that the elder George Bickmore lived there with his two sons, as in 1774, when the petition to the general court of Boston was signed, Elizabeth Bickmore, the mother's name, appears.
Early Bickmore History found in Book of Remembrance of Beth Schow Stagge


Research Record of George Bickmore born 1700/1710.

RECORD: 1. Under the direction of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, New England Historical and Genealogical Register and Antiquarian Journal, Boston: Published by the Society, 17 Broomfield Street, Vol 23 Jul 1869. Milton Church Records [Admissions to the Church] Milton Church Records 1678-1754. Transcribed for the Register by Mr. William Blake Trask, of Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Page 259. "George Bickmore own'd ye covt. 13 Jul 1729."
Page 261. "Here follows a record of the Baptisms administered by Rev. John Taylor..." "George Bickmore, Adult, by virtue of his owning the cov't. 13 Jul 1729.". 2. A Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston, Records of Boston Selectmen, 1736- to 1742, Boston: Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers. 1886, Vol. 15 City Document No. 87 p 177 and p. 269. 3. Alicia Crane Williams, The Mayflower Descendant. Plaintiff/Defendant Guide to Suffolk County (Mass.) Common Pleas, Vol 35 No. 1.
"John Bickmore, Boston, taylor VS John Adams, Boston, shopkeeper." Court of 6 October 1702. Vol 1701-1706 p. 46. 4. From the Knox Manuscripts in the possession of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, vol 50, folio 166., A List of Early Maine Settlers, NEGHR 46 (Apr. 1892 ) p. 199-120.
"A List of the Settlers in St. Georges River, Medumcook and Broadbay. At Medomcook (Now Friendship, Maine.) George Bigmore, John Bigmore, Abiah Wadsworth, Sedate Wadsworth.". 5. Bangor Historical Magazine Vol 2 p 158. "Petition from Inhabitants of Muscougus and Medoncook Platations represent that the courts are held in Frankfort (now Dresden on the Kennebeck River) now in the western part of the county (Lincoln) and that a great part of the people who attend there have to lodge on the floor or in the barn or set up all night by the fire; and they ask that the Courts may be removed to near the centre of the County. Signed by Sedate Wadsworth, Abia Wadsworth, George Biggmore, Jacob Graffam, John Bigmore and others.". 6. Ed. James Phinney (sp) Baxter, Maine. Documentary History of the State of Maine., Portland, Maine.1910, Vol XIV p. 17-18. "Petition of Inhab of Muscongus & Medumcook 1767. Signed by George Biggmore, John Bigmore, Joshua Wadsworth, Jacob Grafon, Abiah Wadsworth and others." Another petition to move the Court to the center of the County in 1767. 7. George J. Varney, A Gazetteer of the State of Maine, Boston: 1886, Page 245. "...In 1754, there were resident here 22 families, among who occur other names as follows,....Wadsworth...Bickmore....."
A brief discription of Friendship, very early history, settlers, an Indian attack story, and industry. 8. Under the direction of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, New England Historical and Genealogical Register and Antiquarian Journal, Boston: Published by the Society, 17 Broomfield Street, Vol 15 p. 117.
George Bickmore admitted as Common Porter on 24 June 1738. 9. Under the direction of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, New England Historical and Genealogical Register and Antiquarian Journal, Boston: Published by the Society, 17 Broomfield Street, Vol 46. Apr 1892. p. 120.
List of Early Maine Settlers, 1760 at Meduncook, Maine. From the Knox Manuscripts in possession of NEGHR Vol 50 folio 166. "George Bigmore and John Bigmore". 10. Transcribed & Edited by Melville Bradford Cook, Maine. Records of Meduncook Plantation and Friendship,Maine--1762-1899, Published by Shore Village Historical Society, Rockland, Maine. 1985. Printed by Courier-Gazette, Inc., Rockland, Maine, Page 4, 6, FHL Call Number 974.153/F1 H2c .
"Page 4...March ye 18th, 1771....Voted that we....George Bickmore.....with submission to Providence, will appear with axes, oxen & c. on the 16th of April next, at the ministerial Log, in order to fence the marsh, at 9 o'clock in the morning, if the weather be good, other wise the first fair day ensuing. April ye 16th, 1771...We...Geo. Bickmore......John Bickmore...met together at the ministerial Lot and searched out the line, between that and the Lot joining on the north east side of it, and fenced the Salt Marsh thereon and let it out for this year's Crop... Page 5...June the 6th, 1772. Attended court this Week past in Consequence of a Law-suit commenced against Jonah Gay, George Bickmore, Micajah Drinkwater and myself (Sedate Wadsworth) by Alexander Jameson, William Elwell and Samuel Condon in the year 1771, & we left it to a Justice of Court, whose Referee was Esqr. Fales & ours was Capt. Nathan Soul, & Jameson's was Mr. William Farnsworth, both of Broad Bay, Esqr. Fales to appoint the time and place, being Chairman. Page 5...Remarks...The 16th of April, 1771, found 18 men, not including the young Richard Adams, at work on the ministerial lot, running the line and building the fence about it; while August 2d of the same year 7 men were found mowing in the lot, and it appears by later records that their labor was not wanted by the Plantation officers, and that the hay or grass was taken care of by the proper authorities. This would make at the above date 25 men and most of them the heads of families in the settlement. No doubt there were others who did not care to take sides in the matter. Scarcely can one of their places of residence be pointed out at this day. Here and there are the ruins of an old cellar, or some mound, to mark where might have been a dwelling, but our oldest inhabitant can recall but few of the names of the people who last occupied the supposed houses.
This year, 1771, must have been one of contention in the settlement as the people had a least 2 cases in Court at Pownalborough, and one of those a so-called riot case, which was decided in favor of the Plantation, while the trespass on the marsh was carried over to June, 1772, and left to referees, being finally settled in that year.
Also in 1771 there was an ejectment from the dwelling-house on the ministerial Lot, which judging by the records was not a pleasant duty. Thus we find the Plantation at this early date in the hands of the lawyers, and in the coming installment we find recorded the usual verdict, that 'although the case was decided in our favor it was at a loss of over 13 pounds.' The ministerial lot was a tract of land set apart by the founder or landowner of the grant for the support of a minister on each Plantation. The lot mentioned in these records contained 100 acres, and it appears was cause of contention to the settlers until it was sold. When the subject oof building a meeting-house was looked over, and decided in favor of building, this piece of land was sold to Capt. James Morton and has remained in the possession of his descendants until the present time. Page 6...March 73 4th 1773...Paid to George Bickmore one Dollar which is his whole demans of ye Public from the beginning to this day.....Demands toward the settlement of our lawsuit of 1771 & 1772. Page 9...January ye 12th, 1774. Mr. George Beckmore, died one of the first settlers of Meduncook.....Also we notice the past settler's name was Beckmore, in the first years of the settlement, it was changed to Bickmore, the style of spelling now in general use.....Like most all of the proceedings at this time, there was a 'division of among the Jews,'or inhabitants. Quite a number did not sign the petition against the incorporation of the town, among them....Beckmore..." 11. Land Deeds and Grants. George Beckmore and his present wife, Elizabeth , to Jacob Jun'r Graffam and Martha, his wife. State of Maine Vol 6 page 47. Book 6 page 85. Meduncook. 6 Nov 1766. Rec'd 22 Apr 1768. 12. Land Deeds and Grants. Thomas Flucker to John Bickmore. Lincoln County. State of Maine. Vol 18 page 44. Book 6 page 445-446. Medumcook. 13 Mar 1774 and in the 14th year of his Majesty's reign. Rec'd 6 Jun 1785, Mentions "land lately occupied by George Beckmore, now deceased" in land descriptions. 13. Census Index: Colonial America, 1607-1789. "John Bigmore, 1767, Musconges, Lincoln Co., ME, p. 18 George Biggmore, 1767, Musconges, Lincoln Co., ME p. 18 John Bickmore, Jr., 1787, Gouldsborough, Lincoln Co., ME, p. 353.". BIRTH: 14. G.S. #945-618 Milton Town Hall. DEATH: 15. G.S. #945-618 Milton Town Hall.
Found on FamilySearch.org (contributed by taytay 19 June 2014)