by Dexter T. Spiller 2016

York County Registry of Deeds, Alfred Maine was used for all deeds.

Museums of Old York Town Records Microfilm

In Deed Book 32, pgs. 81R & 81L dated 22 January 1755, Joseph Stover Jr. covenants to his son Samuel, one half the house plus land for a garden. This is an exceptional deed because Joseph Stover Jr. states that he, Joseph, built the dwelling (house) with the assistance of his son, Samuel. This situation poses the question of how much earlier than the deed’s date might this construction have occurred. The answer relies on pure conjecture as York Vital Records by Bragdon & Frost provides very few details on Joseph Stover Jr. or Samuel Stover for verified information.

Genealogist George Ernst provides the only Stover genealogy which helps in this situation. Joseph Stover Jr., son of Dependance, is born according to Ernst in 1713. So, if we add 19 years to adulthood, when he might marry or create an offspring, Samuel may have been born in 1732. Thus if we add another 15 years assuming that a boy can help his Father building a house, the date becomes 1747 for us. This date gives us a window of eight years to build this house ending 1755.

The first part of the house could have been built between 1747-1755. Of course many changes and modifications have been done by unknown owners in the two and one half centuries since. The only good deed descriptions of this property is in Deed Book 34 page 271R, Joseph Stover Jr. to Richard Talpey of Gosport, dated July 1765, also in Book 34, Page 270L Joseph Parsons Jr. to Richard Talpey of Gosport dated April 1765 for the Clark Road property. Joseph Stover Jr. inherited his father Dependence’s property which is composed of very vague grants by the Town of York and very vague acquisitions. I have attempted to follow this thru the earlier transactions as my wife and I own some of the original woodlots but the search yields nothing useful today in 2016.

Here is a brief description of the Stover Family Tree. The first Stover, Sylvester 1629-c1689 was a fisherman and ferryman, probably settled at the mouth of the Cape Neddick River about 1645. He constructs a stone garrison house, sometimes called a Fort in which he and his wife, Mary Norton (?-1714) dwell. They have nine children who live to adulthood! But these nine children, ages 3-12 are captured by the Indians and only two sons return. Son Dependence (1659-1723) inherited the garrison and other York Beach lands. He is a shipwright and miller who married Mary Young ( dates unknown). They possibly had five children. This was dangerous times to live in the Province of Maine. In September 1712, Dependence Stover and John Spencer were mowing a field, about 40 rods (660 Ft) from the garrison fort. A party estimated at thirty Indians fell upon them.

They wounded Dependence, killed John Spencer and about forty cattle. Later Dependence dies of his natural life in 1723 leaving five children not yet adults. Son Joseph (1713-?) inherited his Father’s estate about 1727. Joseph lives at the the garrison house until he builds at Cape Neddick Village (Cranberry Hill). A note about Joseph Stover Jr. The custom during this time period was to name anyone with the same name within the town as a Junior if younger or even as the third person, thus Tert. is added. Such as Joseph Parsons Tert. who was the son of Joseph Parsons Jr. Tert stands for tertius or third in rank.

An interesting fact immerged while writing this genealogy. It seems that Joseph Stover Jr. married the widow of John Higgins, Mary Bowden Higgins, evidently having a son Samuel with her. Joseph Parsons Jr. married a daughter of this first marriage, Mary Higgins. So, Joseph Stover Jr. sells land and 1/2 of a dwelling to his stepson-in-law. Joseph Parsons Jr. which Richard Talpey later buys.

Joseph Stover Jr. had access to the double- sawmill and grist mill erected in the 1714 and 1715 at the lower falls, east of the county road (today Route One) called the “old mill.” Based on Microfilm of York Town Records dated 24 March 1714 page 263 implies it was in operation by 1715. The mill partnership is established thirty-four years later under York County Deed Book 29,pages 42 R, 42 L, 43 R which includes Joseph Stover Jr.

The Talpeys later own shares. The last operator being my Great Grandfather,Appleton H. Talpey. The entire structure is washed away during a “freshet” in the early 1900s. No photos exist of the site. A heavy wire cable remains on the South side of the river rapids and the substantial dry-stone retaining wall on the North bank of this fresh water river where the grist mill might have been located.

Sources:

1. York County Deed Book 32,page 81 R & 81L

(JOSEPH STOVER to Samuel Stover)

2. York County Deed Book 34, page 156

( JOSEPH STOVER JR. to Joseph Parsons Jr.)

3. York County Deed Book 34,page 270L

(JOSEPH PARSONS JR. to Richard Talpey)

4. York County Deed Book 34 page 271R

(JOSEPH STOVER JR. to Richard Talpey)

5. Transcription of York County Deed Book 29 page 42 R,42L,43R

“Old Mill” Partnership May 1748

Extract Notes by Dexter T. Spiller from Town of York Records

page 263 24 March 1714