Obadiah Hill (abt. 1741 - bef. 1786)

Born about 1741 in Biddeford, York, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Harris) Hitchings — married 20 Oct 1772 in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Died before 24 Apr 1786 before about age 45 in Machias, Washington, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Obadiah Hill was born, probably in that part of Biddeford, Maine, later set off as Saco, c1741 (age 45 at time of death), ^[1] the son of Joseph Hill and Amy Johnson; ^[2] drowned in Machias, Maine, after 27 Mar 1786, when he was elected a fence viewer at the annual town meeting, ^[2] and before 24 Apr 1786, when the administration of his estate was granted to his widow, ^{[2] [3]} and was buried on an island in the Machias River near where he died, known locally as "Dead Man's Island," now in the town of Northfield. ^[4] A gravestone, erected by descendants in 1905, errs in stating Obadiah died, 28 May 1786, and in his age at death, there given as 37y. ^[5]

Obadiah married at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, 20 Oct 1772, ^{[1] [6]} Sarah Harris, born, probably at Duxbury, Massachusetts, and baptized at Kingston, Massachusetts, 4 Nov 1753, the daughter of Samuel Harris and Sarah Cooke, ^[7] her mother misnamed "Mary" in History of Annapolis Co., which also errs in suggesting that Sarah was born in 1761; ^{[8] [5]} died at Saint Stephen, New Brunswick, 15 Feb 1814, aged 58. ^{[2] [5]} Following Obadiah's death, Sarah married (2) at Machias, 14 Sep 1790, Josiah Hitchings, ^{[9] [5]} born, reportedly at Malden, Massachusetts, 28 Sep 1763, the son of Josiah Hitchings and Anne Livingstone; ^[10] died at Saint Stephen, 14 Feb 1830, aged 66y, and is buried in the Saint Stephen Rural Cemetery. ^[11]

Obadiah Hill, 4th from Valentine, came to Machias, bought a house at the corner of Broadway and Main St., near where Dr. Adin L. Smith now lives, originally occupied by Aaron Hanscom. Mr. Hill bought the place of Stephen Parker in May, 1772. It is claimed that this was the first framed house built in Machias. The buildings were taken down by Obadiah Jr., in 1824 or '25, when he built the house now occupied by his grandson Sam'l W. Hill.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} George W. Drisko, Narrative of the Town of Machias, The Old and the New, The Early and the Late (Press of The Republican, Machias, Maine, 1904, 575 pages), p. 450. Cit. Date: 22 Mar 2021.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Gerald F. Gower and Kathleen Nichols, Lifting the Fog from the Hills of Machias (The Maine Genealogist. Farmington, Maine: The Maine Genealogical Society, 1977-. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2018), Vol. 22 (2002), p. 130. Cit. Date: 22 Mar 2021.
3. ↑ Note that Drisko's Narrative of Machias, p. 450, gives his death date as May 1786, a date belied by his probate.
4. ↑ Bangor Daily News, 12 May 1964; The Meddybempster, No. 15 (May 2001), p. 7
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Joseph Crook Anderson II, CG, FASG, editor, Maine Families in 1790', Volume 8 (Picton Press, Rockport, Maine, June 2003, 652 pages)), p. 230. Cit. Date: 24 Mar 2021.
6. ↑ Maine Families in 1790, Vol. 8, p. 230
7. ↑ F. Afthorp Foster, editior, Vital Records of Kingston, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Stanhope Press, F. H. Gilson Co., Boston, Massachusetts, 1911, 396 pages), p. 88. Cit. Date: 24 Mar 2021
8. ↑ William Arthur Calnek, edited and completed by A. W. Savary, History of the County of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia (William Briggs, Toronto, Ontario, 1897, 660 pages), p. 524. Cit. Date: 23 Mar 2021.
9. ↑ Charles H. Pope, Copier, Earliest Marriages Recorded in Machias (Bangor Historical Magazine, 1885 - 1894, Joseph W. Porter, editor and publisher, Chas. H. Glass & Co., Printers, Bangor, Maine, 1895), Vol. 9, p. 37. Cit. Date: 24 Mar 2021.
10. ↑ Maine Families in 1790, Vol. 8, pp. 230, 238-239
11. ↑ Maine Families in 1790, Vol. 8, pp. 230, 238