Richard BONYTHON

                   On 29 February 1629/30 the Council for New England, "in consideration that Thomas Lewis, gentleman, hath already been at the charge to transport himself & others to take a view of New England in America, aforesaid, for the bettering of his experiences in advancing of a plantation, & doth now wholly intend by God's assistance with his associates to plant there," granted to Thomas Lewis and Richard Bonython "all that part of the mainland in New England in America aforesaid, commonly called or known by the name of Swanckadocke, ... lying & being between the cape or bay commonly called Cape Elizabeth & the cape or bay commonly called Cape Porpus" Livery of seizin was performed on 28 June 1631.
   In the patent to THOMAS LEWIS and Richard Bonython, and in the patent to JOHN OLDHAM and RICHARD VINES, both issued on 12 February 1629/30, "Willia[m] Blackestoon of New England aforesaid, clerk," was appointed, along with WILLIAM JEFFREYS and EDWARD HILTON, to put these men in possession of their lands.

History of Paris, Maine from Its Settlement to 1880 with a History of the Grants of 1736 & 1771 Together with Personal Sketches, a Copious Genealogical Register and an Appendix
History of Paris.

   " 1630. A deed to Thomas Lewis and Richard Bonython of a tract of land on the north side of Saco river, four miles along the coast and eight miles into the mainland. Also a deed of the same description to John Oldham and Richard Vines, on the south side of the river, the whole tract being eight miles square. "


History of Saco and Biddeford, with Notices of Other Early Settlements, and of the Proprietary Governments, in Maine, Including the Provinces of New Somersetshire and Lygonia ME. George Folsom,

" Capt. Richard Bonython was probably settled on his grant as early as his associate, Mr. Lewis .* 1636 , holden at his house. He was appointed by Sir F. Gorges one of the Counsellors for the government of the Province in 1640 . The last court under that authority sat at Wells 1646 , when Capt. Bonython was present. The latest transaction in which we find him engaged, is the conveyance of a piece of land July 14, 1647 . His death probably occurred not long after, certainly before the year 1653 ; for he is not enumerated among the inhabitants of East Saco , in a list taken at that time, which contains the name of his son.* Capt. Bonython was, doubtless, strongly opposed to the claims of Rigby , but we have met with no evidence that he took an active part in the discussions growing out of them. He seems to have sustained a character for gravity of deportment, and was evidently treated with great respect by his associates in office. He was rarely, if ever, a party in any action of whatever kind, but constant in the performance of his duties as a magistrate; we even find him entering a complaint against his own son, for threatening violence to Mr. Vines . At the same term the court ordered "that Jane Shaw , wife of Edw. Shaw , shall be whipped at the next quarter court holden at Saco , for abusing Capt. Bonython in slanderous and unreverend speeches." Edward recognized in the sum of £50 "to bring his wife to abide the censure of the court." The children of Capt. Bonython were a son and two daughters; born in England .
John , the son, bore a character the reverse of that of his father. His litigious disposition has already appeared in our extracts from the court records. In 1645 , Capt. Bonython said in open court, "that he knew wherever his son met Mr. Richard Vines he would be revenged on him, for he had not forgotten the old quarrel." He did not appear to answer to the charge, and the court proceeded to pass the following decree; "Whereas J. Bonython of Saco , in the Province of Maine , hath been summoned divers times in his Majesty's name to appear at our courts, and hath refused, threatening to kill and slay any persons that should lay hands on him; whereupon the law hath had its due proceeding to an outlawry, and divers judgments, executions and warrants of good behaviour: We, therefore, at a General Court assembled, adjudge the said John Bonython outlawed and incapable of any of his Majesty's laws, and proclaim him a rebel." It was then ordered "that if Mr. John Bonython be taken, that he be forthwith sent to Boston , to answer such things as shall then be brought against him." His contempt of the authority of the province was referred to the arbitration of that government. His father was a member of the provincial court.
Under the government of Mass. , John was still more violent; by whom, we have seen, he was again outlawed, and a price set upon his head. This rigorous proceeding brought him to terms. The town book, in which his name is rarely found, contains the following record: "July 11, 1665 . At a townmeeting, the justice of the peace and the freeholders being met together, a warrant is sent to Mr. John Bonython to come and take his oath to be constable, as he was chosen: but he refused, and is fined 4l." R. Booth was then chosen in his place. This was soon after the arrival of the King's commissioners in the province. It appears, therefore, that he attempted to act independently of all authority; hence doubtless he gained the burlesque title of 'Sagamore of Saco,' which has come down to us in the couplet, said to have been inscribed on his grave stone: "Here lies Bonython , the Sagamore of Saco; He lived a rogue and died a knave and went to Hobomooko ."*
His death occurred about 1684 ; an order of the court in that year continues his wife in the possession of her late husband's property. He was supposed at a subsequent period to have been destroyed by the Indians, as appears from the following record in the Book of Claims to eastern lands, opened by order of government at Boston 1718 : "Peter Weare , of Hampton claims a tract of land containing 120 acres on the eastern side of Saco river , part of that granted to Richard Bonython in 1629 , and by him granted to his son John , who was killed by the Indian enemy--said Weare bought of his son and heir by deed." In the registry of deeds we find, that "Richard Bonython , formerly apprentice to Jas. Weymouth of Newcastle, N. H. cordwainer, son and heir to John Bonython of Saco , sold in 1713 to Lieut. Peter Weare of Hampton , a tract of six score acres on the north east side of Saco river in the patent granted to his honored grandfather, Mr. R. Bonython and T. Lewis ."
This Richard , however, was not a son, but a grandson of John Bonython, senior . At the time of the death of the latter, there was peace with the Indians; and as he was then far advanced in years, it is more probable that he died in the course of nature. In May, 1683 , when near the close of his life, John gave to the town '20 acres of upland for the minister,' as if to atone for his past errors. He was buried at his own request near the river on the line separating one division of his estate from that of Gibbins . A man who lives near the spot, informs us that having had frequent occasion to pass it when a boy, the path from a landing place on the river leading in that direction, he was often told that the 'governor of Saco ' lay buried there. The children of John Bonython were John , Thomas , Gabriel , William , Winifred , and Eleanor . John , the oldest, was born 1654 ; chosen one of the selectmen 1685 ; and four years after, removed to Newcastle, N. H. where he was living 1694 . It is probable he afterwards fell by the hands of the Indians. Richard , the cordwainer, who sold to Weare , was unquestionably his son. This Richard had a sister, the wife of John Collins . The other sons of the 'Sagamore' left no heirs, except collateral ones. Winifred , the oldest daughter, married Robert Nicholson , or Nichols : Eleanor married a Churchwell . A son of the former, living at Marblehead , sold his mother's right in her father's estate to Robert and Thomas Edgecomb , 1729 . The name of Bonython has long been obsolete in this quarter, and probably in New England .
The daughters of Capt. Bonython became the wives of Richard Foxwell and Richard Cumming . Mr. Fox-well was one of the first and most respectable planters in this vicinity. He settled at Blue-point , on the southwestern side of Scarboro' river in 1636 , when thirty two years of age.* George Foxwell , his nephew, who died in Virginia , was from the city of Exeter , in Devonshire , England , and it is quite probable that Richard was from the same place, or its neighborhood. He lived forty years on his estate at Blue-point , without apparently mingling in the political disputes of that period. He was a member of the General Assembly of Lygonia in 1648 , being of the committee to whom was referred Mr. Jordan 's petition. But his chief attention was given to his plantation, which became a valuable legacy to his heirs. He died about the close of 1676 , or early in the succeeding year. Administration on his estate was granted to his son Philip Foxwell 1677 ; Joseph Curtis and Richard Rogers afterwards administered.
The children of Mr. Foxwell , were three sons and five daughters. Richard, jr. , probably the oldest son, was living 1664 ; we have no further account of him. John married a daughter of Richard Cumming ; he died young, leaving one son, Nathaniel , who removed to York . Deborah , daughter of Nathaniel , married William Corbain of Boston , and as the sole heiress of her father and grandfather, conveyed all her right in the estate of Richard Foxwell , to William Pepperell, jr. , afterwards Sir William , in 1729 .
Philip Foxwell , the other son, was one of the selectmen of Scarboro ' in 1681 . In the subsequent dispersion of the inhabitants of that town by the Indians, Philip removed to Kittery , where he died, apparently without heirs, in 1690 .
Of the daughters, Esther married Thomas Rogers of Goose-fair , in 1657 . Mr. Rogers was here as early as 1638 , when we find him attesting a deed. He was probably quite young at that time, as his name does not occur again until 1653 . He lived on the seashore, near the mouth of Goose-fair brook , in the western part of what is now called Old Orchard . A northwest line dividing the patent of Lewis and Bonython into two equal portions, was run 1681 ; which the commissioners began at "Rogers ' garden." The house of Mr. Rogers was destroyed by the Indians 1676 , when he removed to Kittery , and soon after died. An inventory of his estate was taken the following year. He had two sons, Richard and John . The former, purchased from Gibbins 1687 a tract of about half a mile square situated between Goose-fair brook and the middle line of the patent. He afterwards removed to Kittery . His son Richard, jr. gave this piece of land to Patrick Googins 1737 . Patrick came over from Ireland at an early age, and was in the service of Pepperell at Kittery , by whose influence, it is said, he obtained a daughter of R. Rogers , (grandson of Thomas ,) in marriage. He settled on the estate given him by his father in law, where he died 1783 , aged 84 years. Patrick left six sons, one of whom is now living at an advanced age. Mr. Rogers Googins , a grandson of Patrick , and some others of this family, now possess and improve a part of the old estate.
Lucretia Foxwell married James Robinson of Blue-point . On the breaking out of the Indian war, they removed to New Castle, N. H. and there ended their days. They left four children, daughters, three of whom were married.
Susannah Foxwell married an Austin. Mary , another daughter, married George Norton , of York . Sarah Foxwell married Joseph Curtis of Kittery , 1678 . Their daughter Eunice was born Dec. 23, 1698 . She married Richard Cutts of Kittery , Octo. 20, 1720 . Their children were seven sons and three daughters, viz. Sarah , Robert , Joseph , Samuel , Edward , Foxwell Curtis , Richard , Mary , Thomas , and Eunice . Thomas , late Col. Cutts of Saco , the ninth of these children, was born April 5, 1736 . Edward , the fifth, late Judge of the C. C. Pleas , was born 1728 . The mother, a grand daughter of Richard Foxwell , died March 30, 1795 , at the great age of ninety six years.*
The second daughter of Capt. Richard Bonython was married to Richard Cumming before 1647 . Mr. Cumming first settled on the western side of the river, but after the death of his father in law, he removed to the eastern part of his patent, near Little river . In 1672 , a committee was appointed by the town "to meet the Black-point men at the river next Richard Comming 's, to run the line between them and us." Mr. Cummings Banks , one of his descendants, now lives at the same place. The name of Richard Cumming , or Cummin , occurs very often in the town records until 1674 ; he died soon after. An inventory of his estate was taken 1676 . The administrators were Thomas Cumming and John Harmon . The former did not long survive his father.
Elizabeth the only daughter of R. Cumming married John Foxwell , her cousin; after his death John Harmon , previously to 1680 . By this marriage Mr. Harmon became sole heir to that division of the patent which fell to the wife of Cummings . The daughter of Mr. Harmon , an only child, married Joseph Banks of York , to which place Harmon removed before 1690 . Banks thus acquired Harmon 's right, but, in 1714 , conveyed one-half of it to Peter Weare and others. He also sold one quarter to Caleb Preble of York , who afterwards transferred it to Jas. and Joseph Brown of Newbury , 1717 . Samuel Banks , a son of Joseph , settled at Old Orchard on a part of the Cummings estate, about 1735 , where his descendants now live. "

"The house of Capt. Bonython stood on the left bank of the Saco , a short distance below the falls. The remains of the cellar may be still seen, in the field owned by James Gray, Esq. a few rods east of the meetinghouse of the Second Parish. In ploughing this piece of ground about seventy years ago, several articles of domestic use, such as spoons, candlesticks, &c. of an antique fashion, were urned up, supposed to have been buried in the ruins of the house, which was burned by the Indians 1675 ."

   "Soon after obtaining the royal charter, Gorges issued a commission to Sir Thomas Jocelyn , Knight , Richard Vines, Esq. his 'steward general,' Francis Champernoon , his 'loving nephew'; Henry Jocelyn and Richard Bonython , Esquires ; William Hooke and Edward Godfrey , Gentlemen, to be his Counsellors for the administration of the government of the Province. This instrument is dated 2 September, 1639 . Sir Thomas Jocelyn did not come over, and in March following, Gorges framed a new commission, substituting in place of that gentleman, his "trusty and well beloved cousin, Thomas Gorges, Esq. "* The arrival of Gov. Gorges in the summer of 1640 , at Boston , is noticed by Winthrop , who describes him as "a young gentleman of the inns of court," (i. e. a lawyer,) "a kinsman to Sir F. Gorges , and sent by him with a commission for the government of his province of New Somersetshire . He was sober and well disposed: he staid a few days at Boston , and was very careful to take advice of our magistrates how to manage his affairs."

   "Now Know Ye, that the said Council for the affairs of New England in America , as wei. for and in consideration that Thomas Lewis, Gent. hath already been at the charge to transport himself and others to take a view of New England in America aforesaid, for the bettering of his expertence in advancing of a Plantation, and doth now wholly intend, by God's assistance, with his associates, to plant there, both for the good of his Majesty's realms and dominions, and for the propagation of Christian Religion amongst those infidels, and in consideration also that the said Thomas Lewis , together with Capt. Rich. Bonython , and also with their associates and company, have undertaken at their own proper cost and charges, to transport fifty persons thither within seven years next ensuing, to plant and inhabit there, to the advancement of the general Plantation of that country and the strength and safety thereof amongst the natives or any other invaders Also, for the encouragement of the said Thos. Lewis and Capt. Richard Bonython and other their associates and assigns--and other good causes and conside