Stephen PEARY, Sr. (14 Nov 1759-7 Oct 1837) +
Rhoda BOSTON (19 Dec 1763-1843)

Moses (7 Jun 1788-22 Jul 1878) — m. Huldah K. Porter

Lovey (28 Feb 1790-after 1860) — m. Thomas Hobbs

Stephen, Jr. (3 Jan 1792-1868) — m. Eunice Ingalls on 10 Apr 1821

Anna H. (8 Mar 1794-14 Dec 1880) — m. Thomas Hatch

James Sr. (3 Mar 1799-May 1883) — m. Betsy Cutler about 1819; m. Martha Ellen Pittman

unnamed boy, poss. Thomas (15 Dec 1801-20 Dec 1801)

John (19 Apr 1803-????)

Thomas (~1808-????) — m. ???

Stephen was born probably in Sanford, York County in what later became the state of Maine, although his re-transcribed birth record, like those of his children, claims Brownfield in Oxford County. He was the son of Allen (~1735-????) and Mary Peary. One family recollection calls his father Joseph or James rather than Allen. There’s a lot of uncertainty about family details here, including the family name, which had various spellings. Some descendants maintain it was originally the French Huguenot name Pierre, changed by a generation or two of exile in England.

Rhoda was born in Sanford, York County, Maine to Thomas Boston and Ann Higgins.

Stephen enlisted in the Massachusetts Militia for Wells, York County, Maine on 1 Apr 1778 under Captain Daniel Merrill, and was discharged at West Point on 1 Apr 1781.

Stephen and Rhoda married on 12 Sep 1783 in Wells, York County. The 1790 census placed them in their home town of Sanford, although all birth records for their children listed Brownfield, Oxford County. They moved to Denmark, Oxford County (a few miles east of Brownfield) probably about 1802, where they lived on South Street, now Route 117. Stephen was an active citizen of Denmark: farmer, deacon, builder, musician. He was described as a deeply religious man and a staunch patriot.

Stephen served very briefly during the War of 1812, enlisting as a musician from 13 Sep 1814 to 24 Sep 1814. Perhaps he was, as the expression goes, getting too old for this shit. Son Moses enlisted with him as a corporal.

The 1830 census showed Stephen (age 70-79) and Rhoda (age 60-69) in Denmark, Oxford County with an unnamed man in his twenties, presumably Thomas. They were living next door to son Stephen Jr. and family, and two doors down from son Moses and family.

In 1836, Stephen filed an affidavit for a pension in which he described his military service in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. He died the following year, and is buried in the Stephen Peary Cemetery in Denmark. Rhoda died in 1843, and is apparently buried there also, although the gravestone leaves her date of death blank.

Children

Moses Peary (1788-1878)

Moses has his own entry in the family tree.

Lovey Peary (1790-after 1860)

Lovey married Thomas Hobbs (31 Oct 1786-9 Jan 1854) from Sanford, York County. They lived for many years in Sanford, where all of their children were born, but by 1847 had settled in Somersworth, Strafford County, New Hampshire. Known children:

Hannah (~1813-9 Dec 1890) — m. Richard D. Cutts

Harriet M./N. (~1824-16 Dec 1890) — m. Horace Porter Plummer on 12 Jul 1847; m. Frederick Augustus Lord in 185x

Julia (1827-12 Jul 1853)

Olive (~1830-24 Feb 1900) — m. John Drew on 2 Oct 1854

Martha (~1832-19 Oct 1933) — m. Frank W. Roberts on 1 Sep 1858

Angeline “Angie” (Apr 1833-15 Apr 1912) — m. Charles E. Varney on 25 Nov 1860; prob. m. Alonzo Richards on 23 May 1864

Edwin H. (~1835-27 Nov 1890) — m. Nellie M. Kimball on 29 Oct 1863

The five youngest children were still with them in 1850. Thomas died in 1854. The 1860 census showed Lovey in Somersworth with just daughter Angeline (27) still at home. There’s no record of her death, or where she and Thomas are buried.

Stephen Peary, Jr. (1792-1868)

Stephen, Jr. married Eunice Ingalls (1795-1845) on 10 Apr 1821. They were living next door to his parents in 1830. This census listed them in their thirties, with two girls age 5-9 and a girl under 5. There are records of five children, all girls:

Cynthia (1822-1843)

Arabelle (1824-1842)

unknown girl (182x-????)

Almira I. (1831-1882) — m. Jonathan S. Lunt on 10 Jun 1858

Helen A. (1834-3 Mar 1913) — never married

The 1840 census again showed four girls, two age 5-9 and two age 15-19. That accounts for all of the named children. Eunice died in 1845, a couple of years after the deaths of her two eldest. The 1850 census listed Stephen in Denmark, Oxford County with daughters Almira and Helen, and by 1860 it was just him and Helen. Stephen died in 1868 and is buried with Eunice and their four known daughters in Greenwood Cemetery, Biddeford, York County.

Anna H. “Annie” Peary (1794-1880)

Anna married Thomas Hatch (1797-7 Apr 1884). They lived in Biddeford, York County. Known children:

unknown boy (~1818-????)

Elizabeth G. (13 Sep 1821-29 Jan 1904) — m. Charles Frost in 184x

Anna “Annie” (7 Mar 1824-2 Feb 1910) — m. Joseph L. Head

Lydia (~1828-?5 Oct 1861?) — prob. m. Benjamin J. Davis on 5 Jul 1860

Thaddeus S. (1834-3 Aug 1898) — m. Harriett E. Loring

The 1840 census listed the Thomas Hatch family of Biddeford as a couple in their forties with a man in his twenties (unknown), two girls age 15-19 (Elizabeth and Annie), a girl age 10-14 (Lydia), and a boy age 5-9 (Thaddeus). In 1850, Anna (“Hannah”), Thomas, and son Thaddeus were in Saco, York County, and Lydia was living with her married sister Elizabeth back in Biddeford. By 1860 the children were all out of the house; the census noted that Thomas was blind due to an explosion. By 1870, Anna and Thomas were living with their widowed daughter Elizabeth, where they continued until their deaths. Anna died in 1880 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Biddeford. Daughter Annie is buried there too.

James Peary (1799-1883)

James married Betsy Cutler (~1789-23 Mar 1822). They had two children:

Love (????) — died young

James Cutler (1823-12 May 1907) — never married

James married Martha Ellen Pittman (~1794-Oct 1879) from New Hampshire. They lived for many years in Denmark, Oxford County. Known children:

unknown girl (183x-????)

Stephen Henry (18 Mar 1835-2 Jun 1918) — m. Pamelia A. Dyer in 186x

The 1840 census listed them in Denmark next door to James’s brother Stephen with three children whose ages match James Jr., Stephen, and the unknown girl. In 1850 and 1860, James Jr. and Stephen were still both at home and apparently unmarried. Around 1863, the family moved to Mapleton, Aroostook County, Maine. The 1880 census showed them there, still with Stephen (by then married with five children) and James Jr. James Sr. died in 1883, and is buried in Castle Hill Cemetery, Castle Hill, Aroostook County.

John Peary (1803-????)

I can find no definite records for John apart from his birth.

Thomas Peary (~1808-????)

The 1840 census showed Thomas, a man in his thirties, next door to brothers James and Stephen in Denmark, Oxford County. He had a wife also in her thirties, a girl age 5-9, and a girl and boy under 5. I can find no trace of the family after that.

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