The Adle Connection (Adell)

Pictures: Hessian soldiers and the replica of a Hessian hut located at the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, Inwood, NY.

Oral history tells us that Cornelius Adle was A Hessian Soldier who came to this country from Germany during the Revolutionary War but we have not found documentation to prove this. We first find Cornelius Adle (Adell) in Pownalbourough, Maine on the 1790 census as Cornelius Adle 1 1 4 0 0: Interpretation 1 free white male over 16yrs including head of household; 1 free white male under 16yrs of age; 4 free white females, including heads of families; 0 all other persons; 0 slaves. According to birth and death records this family in 1790 included Cornelius,39yrs; Christopher,7yrs; wife Catherine 28yrs; Betsey infant; Catherine 5yrs; and Susannah 2 yrs.
We know that Cornelius moved on to Readfield after 1800 and that our grandmother Sally was born about that time in August, 1800.
The spelling of Adle was changed to Adell around 1900. His descendants married into several old New England lines including: Fifield, Dudley, Sherburne, Gordon, and Savage.
FMI about Hessians soldiers: http://members.cox.net/hessen/soldiers.htm
http://myinwood.net/who-were-the-hessians/

Adell Family Tree

This is a genalogical project in process that will be updated from time to time. To receive a copy of the Adell family history and / or tree email: dmclark1@roadrunner.com. Reimbursement for copies and postage appreciated.

The Dudley Connection (Adell)

The Adells are direct descendants of Thomas Dudley, who was elected Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony four times between 1635 and 1650. He had the distinction of being the first Governor selected by representatives of the people in this new country. By his two wives he fathered eight children. The eldest, Samuel, married first to Mary Winthrop, daughter of Massachusetts Bay Colony’s Governor Winthrop... Read more about the Dudley connection to our family at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mecreadf/news01.html

Governor Thomas Dudley

Thomas Dudley (October 12, 1576 – July 31, 1653) was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, during which he sometimes clashed with his rival John Winthrop. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home. As Governor, Dudley signed the Charter creating Harvard College. Thomas Dudley Gate at Harvard College was named in his honor, as is the non-residential Dudley House. Dudley's descendants were early governors, ministers, judges, as well as the nation's first poet. We are direct descendants of Governor Thomas Dudley - my 12th great grandfather. For additional history on our ancestors Gov. Thomas Dudley, his son Samuel and Governor John Winthrop visit http://genealogical-gleanings.com/Puritans.htm

The Fifield Connection (Adell)

On March 24, 1634, the ship Hercules left London, England. Twenty five days later when the Hercules landed in Ipswich, Massachusetts and her passengers descended the planks – William Fifield was among them. William became one of the original settlers in Hampton, New Hampshire where he was given a grant of land in 1640. On June 2, 1641 he was made a freeman of Massachusetts Bay. William served in several offices in Hampton – attorney, selectman, constable, and sheriff. The Quakers praised him for his humanity. All eight of his children were born in Hampton... Read more about the Fifield Connection at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mecreadf/newsletter2000.html
Our Readfield Fifield ancestors are buried in Case Cemetery, East Readfield. Ebenezer was a Revolutionary War veteran. Picture above is a replica of the Ship Hercules. There is also additional information about the Fifield family at http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~fifield/fif0001.htm#id800

The Gordon Connection (Adell)

Ithiel was born in 1735 in Raymond, NH, the son of Daniel & Susanna (Smith) Gordon. He married Mary Glidden on December 28, 1756 whose mother was Deborah Bean (another old central Maine family). Ithiel Gordon's marriage to Mary Glidden took place in the First Church of Kingston by Rev. Joseph Secomb. If the family were in Brentwood at that time, they must have moved soon after to Chester into that part of the town known as Freetown or North Woods. Chester, NH was incorporated in 1722 (Grant of 1720).

Ithiel Gordon's name is listed among the soldiers of the French and Indian War (1754-1760). If the family lived in Brentwood, they must have moved to Chester before 1764. They lived in the part of Chester that became Raymond in 1764. In 1769 Widow Jenkins was paid twelve shillings for teaching a term of four weeks of school in Raymond, NH. Fifteen shillings was paid Ithiel Gordon for going after her, boarding her, and carrying her home again.

Ithiel Gordon was a tax collector for the town of Raymond in 1769 to 1771, and 1773, and selectman in 1778-1779. On September 13, 1777 the rebuilding of the Dudley Bridge in Raymond was bid off to Ithiel for $104. The list of solders of the Revolutionary War from Raymond includes Eliphlet Gordon, Thomas Gordon, Ithiel Gordon, Daniel Gordon, Jr. (See New Hampshire State Papers Vol. XIV-VL of Rev rolls page 584.)

Two of Ithiel Gordon's sons were in the Revolutionary War also, Josiah and Ithiel, Jr. Ithiel Gordon and his family moved from Raymond, NH to Winthrop, ME about the year 1783. This is indicated by his signature to deeds. In the year 1782, he signed as Raymond, NH and 1783 as Winthrop, ME. This last deed was a conveyance of property in Raymond, NH. In an old account book of Samuel Gilman of Washington Plantation (later Mt. Vernon, ME) a tailor by trade, there is a credit item under the date of June 17, 1785 to Ithiel Gordon.

He served in the French & Indian War and the War of Independence. By the time of our nation’s Revolution Ithial and Mary had born 11 or 12 children. In 1783 Ithiel brought his family to East Readfield where they settled on Lot#124 (route 135). At the time of the first US Census in 1790, Ithiel Gordon, his wife, four daughters and two sons were still living at home, one over 16 and the other under 16 were living in Winthrop, ME (in that part of the town that became Readfield in 1791).

To read more about the Readfield Gordon Connection go to http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mecreadf/rhsnews.htm

The Savage Connection (Adell)

Pictures above: Fort Western 1754 and Benedict Arnold's march up the Kennebec River to Quebec.

Daniel Gordon married to Relief Savage of Hallowell. Reilief's father was Capt. Daniel Savage who was one of Capt. James Howard's original soldiers at old Fort Western in Augusta.

Relief's mother, Anna Johnson Savage, was a good friend of Martha Ballard, famous midwife and subject of the nationally known book and video A Midwife's Tale. In fact, in reading the book I discovered that our grandmother, Mrs. Savage, delivered one of Martha Ballard's grandchildren while Martha was tending to another laboring mother miles away.

In 1775 when Relief was 6 years old Benedict Arnold made his famous march up the Kennebec River to Quebec. When Arnold and his men stopped over at Fort Western Capt. Savage invited some of Arnold's men to bunk at their house further up the river. That night there was drinking and an argument ensued. Someone was shot and killed in the frey. North's History of Augusta goes into great detail about this occurance.

Daniel Savage and his brother built and operated Savage Mills on Ellis/Riggs Brook on the eastern side of the Kennebec starting in 1773. It was the third sawmill erected in Augusta / Hallowell so we can rest assured there are many old houses in that city that the Savages sawed lumber for. According to North's History of Augusta the first framed dwelling was built in Hallowell / Augusta in 1770 by Capt. James Howard and Daniel Savage built his frame house at about the same time.

North's History tells us that when Daniel and his second wife (our grandmother Anna Johnson Savage) died they were both buried in the "Old Fort Cemetery" (across the street from Fort Western). When City Hall was built on that site the cemetery was destroyed. Several years ago we discovered that Anna was actually NOT buried in Augusta but in the Hill Cemetery in Manchester (just off route 135 on Prescott Road). At one time this part of Manchester was Readfield. One must assume that Anna Savage moved to Readfield to live with one of her daughters where she died at age 94. Of note: Relief's sister Martha also married one of the Gordons - Daniel's brother Jonathan. And three other sisters married to Readfield men - 1/2 sisters Elizabeth to John Clough and Mary to Jabez Clough; full sister Rachel to Jephtha Hill (so there we have the connection to Hill Cemetery!! Don't you love the way those puzzles come together??)

North's History of Augusta is rich with information about our family history if you ever have the chance to get your hands on copy! And BE SURE to visit Old Fort Western - the oldest original wooden fort in the country! Well worth the trip!!

The Savage lineage through our grandparents John C. and Isabel (Davis) Adell leads to Irish and Scottish nobility and family connections to Shakesphere:THE SAVAGE LINE
This line is the furthest I have traced back in a direct ancestral line – and an interesting history and pedigree it is!!

Savage is an ancient and noble family known as Le Sauvage in Normandy France from whence they were first recorded. Unfortunately the archives of the ancient De Sauvage, Lords of Mountbaron, were destroyed in a fire that occurred in the Chateau De Mountbaron in 1615.
The Savage family entered England with William the Conqueror in 1066 and settled in Derbyshire. This was our great grandfather Thomas. From Derbyshire the family branched out into several English counties. In 1177 the family established themselves in Ireland in the person of our grandfather, William, who was one of 22 knights who fought De Courcy in the subjugation of Ulster, Ireland.
The family has its share of illustrious men who served their states, the military, the church and literature even to this day. The name Savage can be found among the crusaders, warriors knighted, speaker of the English House of Commons, Bishop and Archbishop of York and as poets.
Ancestral Lineage in the Savage branch of our family tree:
#1 Thomas Le Sauvage Born: Abt. 1000 Died: Aft. 1066 Derbyshire
Thomas came from France with William the Conquer who invaded England in the battle called Hastings in 1066. William came with an army of 8000 strong; 1000 archers, 4000 infantrymen and 3000 knights. The battle for England began the end of September between King Harold and William. We all know the outcome of that battle. William was crowned King on Christmas day 1066.
#2 John Le Savage, Esquire Born: Abt. 1024 Died: After 1090 Derbyshire
#3 Adam Le Savage Born: Abt 1049 Died: ? Derbyshire
#4 Robert Le Savage Born: Abt. 1073 Died: ?Derbyshire
#5 John Le Savage, Lord of Stainsby Born: Abt. 1098 Derbyshire
#6 Geffrey Le Savage, Knight Born: Abt. 1120 Died: 1190
He married into a family from which Shakespeare was maternally descended years later. Upon his marriage, he was given the manor Baginton. Geffrey’s sister died and he received the manor of Badsley Endsor.
Geffrey’s son, William was one of the 22 knights serving John DeCourcy, who in 1176 invaded Ireland from England. William was given land in Ireland by De Courcy for his service and instructed to build castles. It is from here that the Savage cousins branched out into Ireland.
#7 Sir Baron William Le Savage Born: Abt. 1150 in Stanesbury, Derbyshire, England
Knighthood - Knights were the mounted warrior of medieval times. A man became a knight by being dubbed for knighthood in a ceremony where he was invested by a noble with a set of arms. In return for service for a stated period, garrison duty, payment of feudal service, obligation to give counsel and aid his lord he received land and his fee.
There were two paths to knighthood. One path was in the service to the king. The king could knight a man for his outstanding service on the battlefield. This was not done often.

The second path to knighthood began at the age of 7 when a vassal of the king sent his son to a Lord’s house to become a page. For seven years the page is cared for by the women of the house who instill in him comportment, courtesy, cleanliness and religion. At the age of 14, the page becomes a squire and personal attendant to the knight. The knight teaches the squire riding, hunting, hawking and skills of war. At the age of 20 the squire is knighted in a religious ceremony where he swears the knightly code to protect the weak, defenseless and helpless and fight for the general welfare of all.
#16 Roland Savage built Kirkistown Castle in Ireland where his son
#17 John was born in 1591 and grandson
#18 James was born in 1640.
#19 The next generation, James born 1673 was our ancestor/ immigrant to America where he died in Newton Mass.
#20 His sons Daniel (our grandfather) and Edward came to Fort Western in Hallowell as James Howard's soldiers about 1754. One of Daniel’s daughters was Relief Savage.
#17 Relief Savage married Daniel Gordon of Readfield. Daniel and Relief (Savage) Gordon’s son was Stephen Gordon.
#18 Stephen Gordon married Mary Elizabeth Dudley. Stephen and Mary E. (Dudley) Gordon’s daughter was Mary Etna Gordon.
#19 Mary E. Gordon married to George Keith Adle (Adell). Their son was John Cornelius Adell.
#20 John Cornelius Adell married Isabel Davis. Their children (who lived to adulthood) and bore children were Wesley, Harold, Clinton, Christine and Helen.
#21 Grandchildren of John C. and Isabel (David) Adell who bore children: Evelyn and Irene; Wendell and Jeanette; Tracy and Scott; Clifton, Amanda, Lillian and Dan Stevens;

Kirkistown Castle, Down, Ireland built by Roland Savage abt.1600

Kirkistown is a castle situated near Cloghy, County Down, Northern Ireland. The tower house and bawn is a state care historic monument in the townland of Kirkistown, in Ards Borough Council area, Kirkistown is one of the castles built by members of the Savage family in northern Ireland by our grandfathers between 1200-1600AD. is an impressive three-story tower house, built in 1622 by Roland Savage, a Norman landlord, at the site of a ninth-century round tower. It was occupied until 1731, when it was deserted. It post-dates the Plantation, but is fully in the late medieval tower-house tradition. Parts of the barn wall survive with three-quarter round flanker towers at the angles. The tower was remodeled in Gothic style in 1800 by a Col. Johnston, and in 1836 some further work was performed by a very young Master Montgomery of Grey Abbey. The building was left, however, with a partial roof and broken windows, and the elements soon returned it to disrepair.The Northern Ireland Environment Agency opened it to the public for the first time in 2001. (source Wikipedia)

The Davis Connection

The Davis branch of our family tree stems from Isabel Davis Adell, my great-grandmother. Isabel's great grandfather, Benjamen Davis, came to Readfield from Truro, MA before the War of 1812. His son Benjamen inherited the Davis farm - located at the top of Sturtevant Hill and referred to as the Davis Mansion by many. They farmed and also operated extensive orchards on their land. Family tradition says that Benjamen Davis developed the Ben Davis Apple. The younger Benjamen married to Caroline Hunt, whose family owned and operated Hunt's brickyard.
We are so fortunate to have a book written by Susan Davis Hanson of Spring Valley, WI. The book is compilation and interpretation of a diary written by Mary Davis Dyar in the mid 1860's. Mary was a cousin to the Readfield Davises and she made three trips to Readfield in 1865, 1867 and 1870. Each trip was beautifully documented in her diaries. From reading them one can imagine the trip from Cape Cod to Readfield as well as envision what Readfield must have looked like, the activities of the day and also some of the people and their personalities. I have created a slide show of excerpts from her diary called "Mary Davis Dyar's Diaries as they pertain to Readfield". I invite you to read them and to share them with other family members and people who have interest in Readfield like she used to be!

The Ben Davis Apple and more

Grandmother Isabel Davis Adell was the granddaughter of Benjamin Davis who owned and operated an apple orchard on the Sturtevant Hill Road. Family tradition tells us he develped the Ben Davis Apple. One can still see remants of his apple orchard in that section of town - in fact I was telling someone about this not long ago (who lives near the old Davis Farm) and she said "I have an old apple tree on my lawn".

Of interest - at one time more apples were shipped out of Readfield, Maine (by train) than from any other railroad station in the state. The Ben Davis is a hard apple that was developed to ship via railroad for long distances without bruising. The Cortland is a cross between the MacIntosh and Ben Davis Apples.

The Hollis Connection (Davis)

Grandmother Isabel Davis Adell's mother was Grace U. Hollis. Her first marriage was to a Crosby from Belfast and they had a son, Maurice Crosby who founded the Crosby (Readfield) Telephone Company. The switchboard was located at Readfield Corner and was a vital link to the townspeople when Readfield Corner burned in 1923.

The Hollis family first appears in Weymouth, Massachusetts as Samuel born in England in 1610 and died in Weymouth in 1645. Weymouth, MA is the second oldest town in Massachusetts. It was originally called "Wessagussett" but renamed after 100 settlers (21 families) came to settle there in 1635. The settlers were from Weymouth, England on the "Assurance". Thereafter it grew into an agricultural and fishing community. FMI about Weymouth, MA visit www.weymouth.ma.us/history/index.asp. I have not yet found the info to substantiate what ship the Hollis family emmigrated on. Any info that others can share would be appreciated.

The Hollis family remained in Weymouth for 5 generations, then migrated to Cape Elizabeth, ME and finally to Belfast, ME. This would defintely lead one to surmise the Hollis men were sea faring people.

The Hunt Connection (Davis)

Francis Hunt was born in 1773, and settled on present day Winthrop Road where he established Hunt's Brickyard somewhere near the old Bryant house. Among the buildings in town made of Hunt’s bricks is the Union Meetinghouse. There are many other old brick houses in Readfield - we can rest assured those bricks were also made by our ancestor Francis Hunt, who was great-grandfather of Isabel Davis Adell.