M. (1) about 1645 in (probably) Woburn, Massachusetts
Wife: Jane Hill
M. (2) about 1648 in Wells, Maine
Wife: Rebecca ________
M. (3) 1689 in Massachusetts
Wife: Mary Wade
D. before Nov 1712 in Wells, Maine
Francis Littlefield was one of the first English settlers in what is now Maine, and he lived a remarkably long time. He was born in Titchfield, England to Edmund Littlefield and Annis Austen, the second of their nine known children; records show his baptism took place on June 17, 1619. He later went by the nickname "Francis the Elder," because he had a younger brother also named Francis. The story sometimes given for using the name “Elder” was that Francis had disappeared as a child and was thought to be dead, then reunited with the family many years later. No evidence supports this claim, though.
Titchfield was located in Hampshire, an area with a higher than average concentration of Puritans, and Francis' family were among them. His father Edmund migrated to Massachusetts in about 1636, and it's likely that Francis went with him (most of the rest of the family arrived a little later). The Littlefields became followers of Boston minister John Wheelwright, who was banished from the colony in 1638 for his differing views on basic freedoms, causing him to found the settlement of Exeter in present-day New Hampshire.
It was this event that brought Francis and his family to the northern frontier of New England. Within a few years, they moved to the coastal village of Wells, at what is now the southern tip of Maine. On July 14, 1643, Francis was granted 50 acres of land adjoining his father’s property, plus 8 acres of marsh. The agreement was to pay an annual rent of “two shillings & six pence,” which suggested that he had no plans to settle on the land long term.
Francis next appeared in records as a married man living in Woburn, Massachusetts. His wife was Jane Hill, the daughter of an early Woburn settler. They had one child born on December 14, 1646, but Jane died about a week later. In 1649, Francis married a woman named Rebecca, and between 1649 and 1674, they had 11 children. After Rebecca died, he married a third wife in 1689, Mary Wade Symonds, a widow with several children.
Between his first two marriages, Francis lived briefly in Dover, New Hampshire, where he served as a representative to the General Court at Boston. But most of the rest of his life, he lived back in Wells, where he became a community leader. During the 1660s and 1670s, Francis served as a representative to the General Court of Maine (some meetings were said to have taken place in his house). He also became county treasurer, and an inn keeper who was licensed to sell alcohol.
As a remote settlement, Wells was vulnerable to attacks from the indigenous people in the area. In May of 1690, a raid occurred in the town where members of the Abenaki tribe burned several houses and killed two settlers, including Francis' 32 year-old son James. One of his daughters, Hannah, was also killed along with her husband in a massacre that took place in the town of York in 1692.
A third attack by Abenaki warriors took the life of Francis' daughter Phoebe on July 4, 1697. This happened in Kittery, Maine where she lived with her husband and children. Phoebe and her husband John Heard were returning from church with a group of friends and they were ambushed near a large rock on the side of the road along with two other people. It was said that Phoebe's husband tried to put his wife on a horse, but she insisted he leave her there to die in order to make sure their children were safe at home. The site of the attack later became known as Ambush Rock.
Francis lived out his years in Wells dying in 1712 at the age of 93 (his estate was inventoried on January 15, 1713). His son Dependence described that he cared for his father during his final years by "transporting my dear father twice from the westward to Wells."
Famous descendants of Francis include President Millard Fillmore, who was his 4G grandson.
Children by Jane Hill:
1. Mary Littlefield – B. 14 Dec 1646, Woburn, Massachusetts; D. 9 Oct 1719, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) John Kittredge (~1630-1676), 2 Nov 1664, Wells, Maine; (2) John French (1635-1712), 16 Jan1678, Billerica, Massachusetts
Children by Rebecca:
1. Sarah Littlefield – B. 15 Nov 1649, Wells, Maine; D. 1734; M. (1) John Wells (1637-1677), about 1664; (2) William Sawyer (1656-1718), 2 Nov 1677, Wells, Maine
2. Hannah Littlefield – B. 6 Jan 1653, Wells, Maine; D. 25 Jan 1692, York, Maine; M. Joseph Moulton (1648-1692), about 1681, Maine
3. Deliverance Littlefield – B. 5 Jul 1655, Wells, Maine; D. before 2 Jul 1733, (probably) Ipswich, Massachusetts; M. Abraham Tilton (1638-1728), 1678, Massachusetts
4. James Littlefield – B. 2 Oct 1657, Wells, Maine; D. 16 May 1690, Wells, Maine; M. Katharine Hurd (~1669-?)
5. Isaac Littlefield – B. 1660, Wells, Maine; D. 1676
6. Abigail Littlefield – B. 26 Mar 1662, Wells, Maine; D. 1718, Wells, Maine; M. John Eldredge (~1654-~1728)
7. Daniel Littlefield – B. 1662; D. 1718; M. Mehitable Dodd
8. Dorcas Littlefield – B. 4 Oct 1664, Wells, Maine
9. Phoebe Littlefield – B. 1670, Wells, Maine; D. 4 Jul 1697, Kittery, Maine; M. John Heard (~1667-?), 27 Apr 1690
10. Dependence Littlefield – B. 1671, Wells, Maine; D. 18 Apr 1757, Wells, Maine; M. (1) Hannah Snell (~1671-~1718), Feb 1707, Wells, Maine; (2) Elizabeth Batson, 5 Dec 1718, Boston, Massachusetts
11. Rachel Littlefield – B. about 1674, Wells, Maine; D. 5 Apr 1706, Wells, Maine; M. William Frost, 6 Dec 1694
Sources:
Genealogy and family history of the state of Maine, Henry Sweetser Burrage and Albert Roscoe Stubbs, 1909
The History of Wells and Kennebunk from the earliest settlement to the year 1820, Edward Emmerson Bourne, 1875
Munson, Underwood, Horn, Farfield and Allied Families – Francis Littlefield Sr. (website)
FamousKin.com
Francis next appeared in records as a married man living in Woburn, Massachusetts. His wife was Jane Hill, the daughter of an early Woburn settler. They had one child born on December 14, 1646, but Jane died about a week later. In 1649, Francis married a woman named Rebecca, and between 1649 and 1674, they had 11 children. After Rebecca died, he married a third wife in 1689, Mary Wade Symonds, a widow with several children.
Between his first two marriages, Francis lived briefly in Dover, New Hampshire, where he served as a representative to the General Court at Boston. But most of the rest of his life, he lived back in Wells, where he became a community leader. During the 1660s and 1670s, Francis served as a representative to the General Court of Maine (some meetings were said to have taken place in his house). He also became county treasurer, and an inn keeper who was licensed to sell alcohol.
Places where Francis lived in New England.
As a remote settlement, Wells was vulnerable to attacks from the indigenous people in the area. In May of 1690, a raid occurred in the town where members of the Abenaki tribe burned several houses and killed two settlers, including Francis' 32 year-old son James. One of his daughters, Hannah, was also killed along with her husband in a massacre that took place in the town of York in 1692.
A third attack by Abenaki warriors took the life of Francis' daughter Phoebe on July 4, 1697. This happened in Kittery, Maine where she lived with her husband and children. Phoebe and her husband John Heard were returning from church with a group of friends and they were ambushed near a large rock on the side of the road along with two other people. It was said that Phoebe's husband tried to put his wife on a horse, but she insisted he leave her there to die in order to make sure their children were safe at home. The site of the attack later became known as Ambush Rock.
Ambush Rock plaque that mentions Francis' daughter.
Francis lived out his years in Wells dying in 1712 at the age of 93 (his estate was inventoried on January 15, 1713). His son Dependence described that he cared for his father during his final years by "transporting my dear father twice from the westward to Wells."
Famous descendants of Francis include President Millard Fillmore, who was his 4G grandson.
Children by Jane Hill:
1. Mary Littlefield – B. 14 Dec 1646, Woburn, Massachusetts; D. 9 Oct 1719, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) John Kittredge (~1630-1676), 2 Nov 1664, Wells, Maine; (2) John French (1635-1712), 16 Jan1678, Billerica, Massachusetts
Children by Rebecca:
1. Sarah Littlefield – B. 15 Nov 1649, Wells, Maine; D. 1734; M. (1) John Wells (1637-1677), about 1664; (2) William Sawyer (1656-1718), 2 Nov 1677, Wells, Maine
2. Hannah Littlefield – B. 6 Jan 1653, Wells, Maine; D. 25 Jan 1692, York, Maine; M. Joseph Moulton (1648-1692), about 1681, Maine
3. Deliverance Littlefield – B. 5 Jul 1655, Wells, Maine; D. before 2 Jul 1733, (probably) Ipswich, Massachusetts; M. Abraham Tilton (1638-1728), 1678, Massachusetts
4. James Littlefield – B. 2 Oct 1657, Wells, Maine; D. 16 May 1690, Wells, Maine; M. Katharine Hurd (~1669-?)
5. Isaac Littlefield – B. 1660, Wells, Maine; D. 1676
6. Abigail Littlefield – B. 26 Mar 1662, Wells, Maine; D. 1718, Wells, Maine; M. John Eldredge (~1654-~1728)
7. Daniel Littlefield – B. 1662; D. 1718; M. Mehitable Dodd
8. Dorcas Littlefield – B. 4 Oct 1664, Wells, Maine
9. Phoebe Littlefield – B. 1670, Wells, Maine; D. 4 Jul 1697, Kittery, Maine; M. John Heard (~1667-?), 27 Apr 1690
10. Dependence Littlefield – B. 1671, Wells, Maine; D. 18 Apr 1757, Wells, Maine; M. (1) Hannah Snell (~1671-~1718), Feb 1707, Wells, Maine; (2) Elizabeth Batson, 5 Dec 1718, Boston, Massachusetts
11. Rachel Littlefield – B. about 1674, Wells, Maine; D. 5 Apr 1706, Wells, Maine; M. William Frost, 6 Dec 1694
Sources:
Genealogy and family history of the state of Maine, Henry Sweetser Burrage and Albert Roscoe Stubbs, 1909
The History of Wells and Kennebunk from the earliest settlement to the year 1820, Edward Emmerson Bourne, 1875
Munson, Underwood, Horn, Farfield and Allied Families – Francis Littlefield Sr. (website)
FamousKin.com
