Book Notes: Old Kittery and Her Families

I. Basic Book Information

• Full Title: Old Kittery and Her Families

• Author: Everett Schuyler Stackpole

• Publication Details: First published in 1903 by the Lewiston Journal Company, Lewiston, Maine; 821 pages, with comprehensive name and place indexes, plus genealogical addenda and corrections.

• Book Genre: Local American history, genealogical reference, New England colonial nonfiction

• Core One-Sentence Summary: This exhaustive archival work chronicles the multi-generational family lineages, settlement history, and community life of Kittery, Maine—one of the oldest permanent English colonial settlements in New England—from its mid-17th century founding through the early 1900s, weaving together birth, marriage, death, land, and military records to tell the story of the ordinary people who built and shaped the Maine Gulf coast.

II. Core Content Breakdown

Overarching Narrative & Structure

The book is structured first around the geographic and colonial origins of Old Kittery (a territory that once included modern-day Eliot, South Berwick, and parts of York County), then moves into its core: an alphabetical, deep-dive genealogical catalog of over 50 founding and resident families of the region. It closes with a full name index, geographic place index, and a dedicated section of corrections and addenda to the lineage records.

Key Section Breakdown

1. Colonial Founding Context: The opening sections ground the reader in Kittery’s 1600s origins as a frontier fishing and shipbuilding settlement on the Maine Gulf, its political ties to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the ongoing border conflicts with Wabanaki nations that defined life for its early settlers.

2. Alphabetical Family Lineage Records: The bulk of the text is dedicated to family-by-family genealogical histories, organized by surname (from Amee to Worster). For each family, Stackpole starts with the first immigrant ancestor to arrive in Kittery, then traces every documented branch of the family tree across 6–8 generations. Each entry includes verified dates of birth, marriage, and death; spouse and children details; occupational information; military service; land ownership; migration patterns; and notable life events.

3. Primary Source Corrections & Addenda: A dedicated section addresses gaps, errors, and new findings in the initial lineage records, with cross-references to wills, town deeds, church records, and court documents to validate updates.

4. Reference Indexes: Two complete indexes—one for all personal names mentioned, and one for geographic locations in and around Old Kittery—make the text a functional research tool, not just a narrative history.

Core Logical Argument

Stackpole’s central thesis is that family lineage records are the most critical, underused source for understanding early American colonial life. Official colonial histories fixate on political elites and major military events, but the day-to-day economic, social, and cultural fabric of frontier New England was built and sustained by ordinary farming families, fishermen, shipbuilders, and tradespeople. Their intergenerational stories, marriage alliances, and migration patterns are the true backbone of American local history, and only exhaustive, verified genealogical records can recover that lost context.

III. Key Core Takeaways

1. Family units were the economic and political backbone of New England frontier settlementsKittery’s shipbuilding, fishing, lumber, and agricultural industries were entirely organized around family networks. Inter-family marriage alliances created tight-knit blocs that controlled local town offices, land holdings, and trade for generations, with families like the Shapleigh, Fernald, Tobey, and Wentworth dominating Kittery’s public life for over 200 years.

2. Frontier conflict with Indigenous nations reshaped every aspect of Kittery family lifeThe book is filled with documented accounts of settlers killed, captured, or displaced in Wabanaki raids during the 17th and early 18th centuries. These events split families, drove migration inland, and altered inheritance patterns, leaving a permanent mark on the region’s demographic and social structure.

3. Kittery was a critical hub for westward and inland American migrationStackpole’s records trace a clear pattern: 2nd and 3rd generation Kittery settlers moved inland to central and western Maine, north to New Hampshire, and eventually west to Michigan, Oregon, and California in the 1800s. Kittery acted as a launching pad for American expansion, with family ties remaining the core support system for migrant settlers.

4. Ordinary people’s lives are irreplaceable to American historical memoryThe book elevates the stories of farmers, blacksmiths, sailors, weavers, and town selectmen—people ignored in mainstream colonial histories. It demonstrates that these individuals, not just founding fathers or military generals, built the institutions, economy, and culture of early America.

5. Genealogical rigor requires cross-verification of every primary sourceStackpole repeatedly emphasizes that single-source family records are unreliable. He cross-references town birth/baptism logs, wills, land deeds, marriage intentions, court depositions, and military service records to correct common genealogical errors (e.g., duplicate names, misdated births, unconfirmed parentage), setting a standard for American family history research that endures today.

IV. Actionable & Practical Takeaways

Directly Usable Methods & Frameworks

1. Generational Family Tree Tracking TemplateThe book’s standardized structure for lineage records is fully reusable for personal family history work:

   • Start with the earliest confirmed ancestor, with verified immigration/settlement details

   • For each generation, list every child with full birth/marriage/death dates, spouse’s full name and family origin, and all known children

   • Add occupational, military, and migration context for each individual to avoid just a list of names

   • Flag unconfirmed information and note gaps in the historical record

2. Primary Source Cross-Verification System for GenealogyStackpole’s method eliminates the most common mistakes in family history research, and can be applied to any personal genealogical project:

   • Never rely on a single source for a birth, marriage, or death date

   • Cross-check church records against town vital records, wills against land deeds, and newspaper obituaries against census data

   • Account for 17th/18th century spelling variations (e.g., Spinney/Spinney, Staple/Staples, Tozer/Tozier) to avoid missing critical records

3. Local History Writing & Research StructureFor anyone writing community or local history, the book’s structure balances academic rigor and usability:

   • Open with foundational geographic and historical context for the region

   • Organize core content by thematic or community units (in this case, family surnames)

   • Include full, searchable indexes for names and places

   • Add a corrections/addenda section to address gaps or errors in your research

4. Micro-History Narrative BuildingThe book teaches how to turn dry archival records into meaningful stories: pair demographic data (birth/death dates) with occupational, military, and land records to paint a full picture of an individual’s life, rather than just listing facts. This method works for academic history, personal memoir, and historical fiction alike.

Mindset & Behavioral Shifts

• Move beyond "great man" history: Learn to analyze history through the lens of ordinary people’s daily lives, family choices, and community ties, rather than just political events and famous figures.

• Adopt a "humility of evidence" mindset: The book models how to acknowledge gaps in the historical record, rather than overstating unconfirmed claims—an essential skill for any research, not just history.

• See family and community networks as the foundation of social and economic change: This framework can be applied to analyzing modern organizations, communities, and even workplace dynamics, not just historical research.

Real-World Applications

• Personal Genealogy & Ancestry Research: The book is a primary reference for anyone with New England or Maine family roots, and its methods can be applied to any ancestry project, regardless of geographic origin.

• Academic Historical Research: The primary source records and lineage data are directly usable for papers and research on New England colonial history, American frontier studies, and early American social history.

• Historical Fiction & Creative Writing: The book is a goldmine of period-accurate details about 17th–19th century New England life, including occupational norms, marriage customs, migration patterns, and frontier conflict—perfect for building authentic settings and characters.

• Local Community History Projects: The book’s research and writing framework can be replicated for any small town or community history project, anywhere in the U.S.

V. Notable Quotations

1. "On the southern coast of Wales, about six miles from Pembroke, there rises a columnar mass of limestone, called the Stack Rock. It is at the mouth of an inlet or pool, which is named from the rock the Stack-pool. A Norman, said to have been knighted by William the Conqueror, built his castle on this inlet and was called Richard de Stackpol, since pol in old English meant a pool of water."

2. "He was one of the original proprietors of Eliot Academy. He held several town offices, being treasurer several years. He was, in fact, an enterprising, influential and highly respected citizen."

3. "The deposition of Deborah Fennix aged about Eighty years testifyeth that I this deponent remember that John Phillips formerly came from Casco Bay into Kittery and lived at Mr. Thomas Withers' his house sometime & bought a Piece of land of Sd Withers in Spruce Creek and said he had sent for his cousin Rowland Williams To make him his heir and according to the best of my remembrance said that he intended he should have all his Estate."

4. "He was connected with the State militia fourteen years, rising to the rank of Captain. His commission, signed by Gov. A. K. Parris, is dated 2 Feb. 1826. He was discharged from this office at his own request, 26 Feb. 1831, having declined further promotion."

5. "Various deeds indicate pretty plainly that she was a daughter of Robert Beadle, though absolute proof is lacking."

6. "He learned the trade of ship carpenter with his father, after which for some years, in company with Nathaniel Paul, James K. Paul and Elias Remick, he made contracts for putting in decks of ships built by George Raynes."

7. "The lineage of the Pembrokeshire Stackpoles for two or three centuries is on record at the College of Heraldry in London. It declares that Sir Robert Stackpole went with Strongbow to the conquest of Ireland in 1169."

VI. Strengths & Limitations

Key Strengths

1. Unmatched archival depth and rigor: With over 800 pages of verified, cross-referenced genealogical records drawing on 300+ years of primary source documents, this book remains the definitive, authoritative reference for Old Kittery family history and is still cited in modern genealogical and historical research.

2. Balance of data and narrative: While it is a reference work first, Stackpole weaves in rich biographical details, occupational context, and local history anecdotes that make the lineage records feel human, rather than just a spreadsheet of names and dates.

3. Fills critical gaps in mainstream American history: Most colonial history focuses on Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth, with almost no attention paid to the Maine frontier. This book recovers the story of a critical, overlooked colonial settlement and its people.

4. Exceptional usability as a reference: The complete name and place indexes, plus clear generational numbering for each family branch, make it incredibly easy to navigate for research, even for first-time readers of genealogical texts.

Notable Limitations

1. Fragmented narrative structure: The alphabetical surname organization means there is no continuous, overarching narrative of Kittery’s history. Readers seeking a linear story of the town will need to piece it together themselves from dozens of separate family entries, creating a high barrier for casual history fans.

2. Limited focus on women’s lives: Reflecting the limitations of 17th–19th century archival records, most entries for women only include their maiden name, spouse, and children. There is almost no detail about women’s independent work, community roles, or life experiences outside of marriage, which erases half of the region’s historical population.

3. Minimal macro-historical context: Stackpole almost never pauses to connect the family records to broader national or regional historical events (e.g., the American Revolution, the War of 1812, Maine’s statehood). Readers need prior knowledge of New England colonial history to understand the full context of the records.

4. Incomplete records for smaller family branches: For families with fewer surviving archival records, or those that migrated away from Kittery early, the lineage cuts off after 2–3 generations, with missing dates and unconfirmed parentage that limits deep research into those lines.

VII. Ideal Audience & Reading Guidance

Who Should Read This Book

• Genealogists and ancestry researchers, especially those with family ties to Maine, New Hampshire, or 17th–19th century New England.

• Academic historians and students focused on American colonial history, New England frontier studies, early American social history, or Atlantic maritime history.

• Maine and New England local history enthusiasts who want to dive deep into the region’s founding and community stories.

• Historical fiction and nonfiction writers seeking authentic, period-accurate details about 17th–19th century New England life, characters, and settings.

• Community historians and preservationists working on small-town history projects anywhere in the U.S., looking for a proven research and writing framework.

How to Read This Book for Maximum Efficiency

This is not a cover-to-cover read for most people—your approach should align directly with your goals:

1. For ancestry/genealogy research: Start and end with the indexes. Use the name index to jump straight to your target surname and family branch, then read only those relevant lineage sections. Cross-check the addenda and corrections section for updates to the records, and take structured notes of dates, spouse names, and source citations for your own family tree. There is no need to read the rest of the book.

2. For casual history interest: Start with the opening sections on Kittery’s colonial founding, then pick 3–5 of the book’s core families (Shapleigh, Fernald, Tobey, Stackpole, Wilson) to read in full. Use the place index to follow along with a historic map of Old Kittery, and pair the book with a basic overview of Maine colonial history to fill in the macro context gaps.

3. For learning research/writing methods: Focus on the opening of each family section to study how Stackpole traces immigrant origins and verifies ancestral claims. Pay close attention to the addenda and corrections section to learn how he addresses errors and gaps in the historical record, and study the index structure to learn how to build a usable reference work.

What You’ll Gain From Reading It

• A masterclass in genealogical research and primary source verification, with a reusable framework for any family history or ancestry project.

• Unprecedented access to verified, first-hand records of 17th–19th century New England frontier life, from the perspective of the ordinary people who lived it.

• A complete understanding of how family networks shaped the economic, political, and social fabric of early American settlements.

• A foundational reference work for any future research into Maine or New England local history, with thousands of citations to original archival documents.

• A new lens for viewing American history: one that centers the lives of everyday people, not just the famous figures who fill most history books.

• All content here is my personal study insights and takeaways from the book. I truly hope this breakdown helps you master the core concepts smoothly. Best of luck with your learning journey!