My 64 ~ Researching My 4th Great Grandparents : Andrew Lovell and Sarah Joy

My fourth great grandfather, Andrew Lovell, was born in Maine around 1800, likely the son of Zelotes Lovell, who had migrated from Barnstable, Massachusetts. Zelotes had married a woman named Meribah Blossom, but it unclear whether Meribah was Andrew's mother.

Andrew appears residing in Starks, in Somerset County, Maine, in 1830, as head of a family of 5, so it can be assumed that he married sometime before that year. He married a woman named Sarah Joy, my fourth great grandmother, the daughter of Levi Joy and Sarah Carr. who had migrated from Raymond, in Rockingham County, New Hampshire.

By 1830, Andrew and Sarah had three small children:

Stacy W., b. 1822

Abijah Joy, b. 1827

and

Andrew Carr, b. 1829

One of the more intriguing story about their life in Starks involves the murder, in July 1827, of a three-year-old child named Warren P. Taylor, by a 13 year old girl named Adeline Joy. At the time of the crime, the two children were "paupers in the town, in the family of Andrew Lovell." Although Adeline was acquitted, it was the first capital crime in Somerset County.

The following article appeared in Eastern Argus (Portland, Me.) the following February:

A month later, this short gruesome piece made the Gloucester (Mass.) Telegraph:

Adeline's trial and eventual acquittal was publicized in June of 1828:

Somerset County Courthouse in Norridgewock, Maine

There are many questions still unanswered about the relationship of Adeline Joy/Taylor to Andrew and Sarah Lovell. Also, one theory is that she was the mother of the child.  But that would have meant she was only 10 when she gave birth (highly unlikely). In 19th Century Maine, there was a frequent custom of towns to bid off the support of the poor at public auction. Town records listed the name of each pauper, the name of the successful bidder and the amount the town had to pay to the winning bidder each week. The auction winner obtained the advantage of the labor of the paupers. Perhaps Andrew had won the bid for Adeline and Warren.

Ultimately, Andrew and Sarah had five more children, including a set of twin boys:

Israel F., b. 1832

Permelia, b. 1834

Warren A. and William Wallace, b. 1838

Sarah R., b. 1843

The family lived in several towns and plantations in and around present-day Carrabassett Valley, in Franklin County, Maine, and later in Aroostook County, Maine.

Andrew lived to at least June of 1880, per that year's census, but there is no record of Sarah's passing. Neither of their graves have been found.

*****

Postscript ~ I want to acknowledge my research "buddy" on this story. Kim Lovell, wife of 4th cousin, 1x removed, Roger, has been working on the Lovell family ever since their daughter brought home a school assignment. From way out in Turlock, California, Kim has collaborated with me on her progress, and I have gladly provided any tidbits I find. At least I get to Maine more frequently than she does!

THANKS KIM!

Photo Credit:

History of Somerset County (Chapter Nine), p.144.

(http://somersetcounty-me.org/DocumentCenter/View/210)

Sources:

1830 US Census; Census Place: Starks, Somerset, Maine; Series: M19; Roll: 51; Page: 120; Family History Library Film:0497947.

United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHY5-CXL : accessed 17 April 2016), Andrew Lovell, Kingfield, Franklin, Maine, United States; citing p. 73, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 140; FHL microfilm 9,703.

United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6J5-CS4 : accessed 17 April 2016), Andrew Lovell, Franklin county, part of, Franklin, Maine, United States; citing family 521, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

1860 US Census; Census Place: Presque Isle, Aroostook, Maine; Roll: M653_434; Page: 167; Image: 167; Family History Library Film: 803434.

1870 US Census; Census Place: Lyndon, Aroostook, Maine; Roll: M593_538; Page: 248A; Image: 267344; Family History Library Film: 552037.

1880 US Census; Census Place: Caribou, Aroostook, Maine; Roll: 476; Family History Film: 1254476; Page: 139A; Enumeration District: 204; Image: 0279.

Groves, Marlene A., comp., Vital records of Mercer, Maine (Rockland, Me.: Picton Press, 2009), p.18.

Hanson, J.W. History of the old towns, Norridgewock and Canaan, comprising Norridgewock, Canaan, Starks, Skowhegan, and Bloomfield, from their early settlement to the year 1849 : including a sketch of the Abnakis Indians. (Boston: The author, 1849), p. 346, 356-357.

"Capital Trial," Eastern Argus, Portland, Maine, 20 June 1828, p.2; digital image, GenealogyBank.com (http://genealogybank.com : accessed 19 June 2016), Newspaper Archives, 1690-2010.

"Miscellany," Gloucester Telegraph, Gloucester, Massachusetts, 1 March 1828, p.3; digital image, GenealogyBank.com (http://genealogybank.com : accessed 19 June 2016), Newspaper Archives, 1690-2010.

“Murder,” Eastern Argus, Portland, Maine, 26 February 1828, p.3; digital image, GenealogyBank.com  (http://genealogybank.com :  accessed 19 June 2016), Newspaper Archives, 1690-2010.

"Public Member Trees," database, Ancestry.com, "Lovell Family Tree," , with linked images.