The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
Author: Timothy D. Mallory
The Revolutionary War Patriot, Stephen Washburn, Sr., of Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, was born Sept. 24, 1736 at Plympton, MA, the third son of Ephraim and Mary (Polden or Polland) Washburn; descendant of (Ephraim, Joseph, John, John). He married first Hannah Norris on Aug. 11, 1757, in Wareham, Plymouth, MA. She was born Aug. 21, 1737, the daughter of Benjamin Norris and Mary Bumpus of Wareham. Their marriage is supported in Plymouth County land deed dated May 15, 1772. Hannah Norris Washburn died Mar. 9, 1786 in South Middleboro of smallpox soon after the loss of a newborn child.
Stephen Washburn, Sr. served in the Revolutionary War as a private under Capt. Perez Churchill’s 9th Company of Col. Ebenezer Sproutt’s 4th Plymouth County Regiment. On the alarm of Dec. 8, 1776, he signed the muster-roll in the 5th Middleborough Company for the Massachusetts Militia, and was commanded by his brother-in-law, 1st Lieut. Consider Benson. The militia company marched to Fort Barton at Howland’s Ferry (see Invasion of Aquidneck), Rhode Island; service 8-days. He also served on two alarms at Dartmouth, May 6-9, 1778 and Sept. 6-13, 1778; paid for 9-days service. The militia company again marched to Rhode Island, by order of the General Counsel of Jul. 22, 1780; paid 9-days service.
The final land deeds transacted by Stephen, Sr. before he departed Plymouth County involve the sale of his primary dwelling and lands. These deeds establish the summer of 1787 as the point in time when he journeyed to Cumberland County, District of Maine. He likely passed through Kittery, and North Yarmouth and traveled by land. This pathway to Maine is called King’s Highway, or “Old Post Road” that connected Kittery to Portland. Families traveled together for several weeks through the wilderness. Following trails along streambeds was typical in the colonial and pioneer times.
By early summer of 1787, Stephen, Sr. made the journey to Maine with his children – Hosea, born Jun. 9, 1762, married Hannah Doty; Edward, born abt. 1766; Benjamin, born abt. 1768; Stephen, born abt. 1774; Jesse, born abt. 1779; Eliphalet (War of 1812 Veteran), and Hannah, born abt. 1786. There are no known birth records for his children available from any of the towns in Plymouth, MA, but likely all were born in South Middleboro. Stephen Washburn, Sr. and his brothers John, Japheth and Ephraim are listed in 1790 US census as early settlers in Shepardsfield Plantation, Cumberland County, Maine. Since the Revolutionary War was over, he most likely heard about land opportunities in Shepardsfield, and eagerly waited to rejoin his older brother John.
Stephen, Sr. married second on Jul. 12, 1788 to Mrs. Sarah (Cragie) Hammon (née Skriggins), widow of Capt. Benjamin Hammond of New Gloucester, Cumberland County, Maine. Capt. Hammond was killed at the Fort Ticonderoga. Rev. Samuel Foxcroft of New Gloucester performed their marriage. The marriage record states that Stephen, Sr. was a resident of Shepardsfield. It is evident that Stephen’s eldest child, Hosea, remained living in Shepardsfield, and the other children, Stephen, Jr., Benjamin, Eliphalet, Hannah, Jesse and Edward, went with him to New Gloucester with his second wife. So in 1790 when the census was taken in New Gloucester, Stephen Washburn, Sr. and Stephen Washburn, Jr. are both listed as head of household. However, one entry is for Stephen Washburn, Sr. at his new residence with the Hammond stepchildren, and the other entry is for his son Stephen Washburn, Jr., one of his sons.
Mr. Stephen Washburn, Sr. of New Gloucester, Maine died at age of 77 years as published in the Eastern Argus newspaper; Portland, Feb. 13, 1812. Mrs. Sarah Washburn was born abt. 1739 in North Yarmouth, Cumberland Co., Maine, and died Aug. 22, 1829 in New Gloucester. They are buried in Lower Corner Cemetery, New Gloucester, and their gravestone receives a U.S. flag in honor of Rev. War service. This Washburn line can be traced back to James Chilton, one of the Pilgrims on the Mayflower.
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