Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

HUFF/HOUGH The surname Huff or Hough was doubtless pronounced as now spelled, Huff, though the spelling in the early generations was more commonly Hough, Haugh, Haulgh and Hoffe. (I) Atherton Hough, immigrant ancestor, accorded the title of gentleman by the Puritan clerks of record, was a prominent citizen of Boston, Lincolnshire, England, one of those who refused the royal loan in 1626, a parishioner of Rev. John Cotton, later of Boston, Mass. Bay, and having borne with him the burdens of non-conformity with the Church of England, accompanied him to New England. He was mayor of Boston, England, in 1628, and alderman in 1633. He came in the ship "Griffin," arriving in Boston, Sept. 4, 1633, settling first at Cambridge, then at Boston. He was from the first a prominent citizen, assistant to the governor in 1635; deputy to the general court in 1637 and held various offices in the town of Boston. He was admitted to the Boston church with his wife Elizabeth in Nov., 1633; was a man of great strength of character. He had a grant of one hundred and thirty acres of land in Graves Neck between Oyster Bank Bay and Gibbons Creek, where he had a house in 1635; he had also a house at Braintree, Mass. He married (first) Elizabeth _____, who died Oct. 14, 1643. He married (second) Susannah Kimball, who was admitted to the church April 4, 1646, and the inventory of her estate was filed May 29, 1651. He died Sept. 11, 1650. In religious tendencies Hugg was Antinomian and was a supporter of Wheelwright, who left Boston to found Exeter, New Hampshire, and Wells, Maine, in the vicinity of which we soon find the son of Huff located. Child of 1st wife: 1. Rev. Samuel, born in England about 1621, admitted to the Boston Church (Mass.) Oct. 12, 1644, was a pupil of Mr. Nathaniel Eaton at Harvard College in 1639. Child of 2d wife: 2. Ferdinando, mentioned below. (II) Ferdinando Huff or Hough, son of Atherton Hough, was born in Boston about 1648; was proprietor of a public house at Cape Porpoise in 1674 and in 1682. He was sued by George Jeffery, of York, in 1686. He lived where Clement Huff, of Kennebunk, lived in 1837. When the town was deserted on account of King Philip's war he went to Kittery. His name is not found in the records after 1686. Once we find it spelled "fardeynandey Off," and Hoffe, Huffe and Huff were commonly used as well as Hough. But one child is known, Thomas, mentioned below. (III) Thomas, son of Ferdinando Huff or Hough, was born about 1675. He came to Kennebunkport when the town was resettled about 1714 from Kittery. He lived on Great Island during King Philip's war. He returned first in 1710. He lived a few years on the east side of Spruce creek, Kittery, before removing to Cape Porpoise. He was a house carpenter by trade and a master mariner. He was a constable of Kennebunk in 1719, was impressed during the Spanish war of 1745 and served several years as pilot on board one of the king's ships. This statement is made on good authority, but on account of his age we are inclined that the record belongs to the son Thomas, mentioned below. He married Jan. 2, 1700, Sarah (or Grace), daughter of Aaron and Grace Ferris. Chiildren: 1. George. 2. Thomas, born Aug. 18, 1703, mentioned below. 3. Joanna, born Sept. 17, 1706, married Oct. 8, 1724, Jeremiah Springer, of Arundel, Maine. 4. Sarah, born Sept. 17, 1708, married John Hamer. 5. James, married Ruth Averill, and had a family in Kennebunkport. 6. Charles, married Priscilla Burbank and had a family in Kennebunkport. 7. John, died young. 8. Joseph was drowned Sept. 30, 1749, in Batson's river. 9. Mary, married Miles Rhodes. (IV) Thomas (2), son of Thomas (1) Huff, was born Aug. 18, 1703, at Kittery, Maine. He removed to Cape Porpoise and Kennebunkport with the famly. He married (first) Sarah _____; (second) (see records), Nov. 8, 1729, Hepsibah Banfil, Benfield, or Banfield. Children: 1. George, mentioned below. 2. Mary, married Palsgrave Maddox. 3. Thomas, married Mary Bridges and went to the eastward. (V) George, son of Thomas (2) Huff, was born about 1730. He married Susannah Colby and moved to the eastward probably before the revolution. He had a son Moses, born about 1760, mentioned below. (VI) Moses, son of George Huff, was born about 1760 and moved with his father's family to the eastward before the revolution. He settled in Bowdoin, Maine, and appears to have been a substantial and influential citizen of high character. He had a farm and mill that was willed to him by his father-in-law, Philip Higgins. He married Thankful, daughter of Philip Higgins, of one of the oldest and best families on the Kennebunk, originally from Eastham and Orelans on Cape Cod. Children: 1. Keziah, mentioned below. 2. Joseph, married (first) (intention July 30, 1811) Susannah Owen; (second) Elizabeth Webster; children: Thankful, Garland, Lydia, William, Martha, Mary, Moses, Hannah, Jane; settled in Coaticook, Canada, where he died about 1850. 3. Hannah, married Nov. 17, 1814, John Bronhurst. 4. Moses, married April 4, 1816, Betsey Farnham; children: Asa, Rachel, Mary, Amost, Charles, Daniel, Rebecca, Noah. 5. Samuel, married (intention dated Sept. 21, 1816) Betsey Totman; moved to the northward in 1822. 6. Polly. 7. Ruth. 8. Abigail. 9. James. 10. Sarah. (VII) Keziah, daugher of Moses Huff, was born at Bowdoin, Jan. 4, 1789, died in Detroit, Maine, Nov. 8, 1870. She married, June 16, 1812, Nathaniel Basford, who died in Detroit Feb. 5, 1859. (VIII) Isaiah Huff, son of Nathaniel and Keziah (Huff) BASFORD, was adopted by his grandfather, Msoes Huff, who changed his name to Huff. He was born in Lisbon, Maine, Nov. 23, 1814, and died in Wellington, Maine, Nov. 18, 1862. He was but seven years old when his adopted parents, his grandparents, moved to Wellington, whither Moses Huff induced many of his friends and neighbors to go, instead of joining the exodus to Ohio and Illinois. Moses Huff had the greatest faith in the future of the state of Maine. Isaiah followed in his footsteps and was a well-to-do and enterprising farmer in Wellington. He was captain of his company in the state militia and was prominent in town affairs. He married Oct. 18, 1835, Eunice Webb Stevens, of Sangerville, Maine, born Jan. 1, 1812, died July 31, 1892. Children, b. in Wellington: 1. Lucy Ann, born Jan. 24, 1837. 2. Charles William, born May 15, 1839. 3. Sumner Sears, born Feb. 17, 1841, mentioned below. 4. Eunice E. born Aug. 12, 1843. 5. Isaiah Melvine, born Oct. 23, 1845. 6. Eunice Frances, born Aug. 27, 1847. 7. Lavinia Keziah, born July 22, 1849. 8. Rufus T., born June, 1852. 9. Cornelius Perrington, born July 25, 1855. 10. Laura A., born June 13, 1858. (IX) Sumner Sears, son of Isaiah Hugg, was born at Wellington, Maine, Feb. 17, 1841. He was educated in the common schools of his native town and has lived there all his life, except for three years spent in Pittsfield, Maine, when he was apprenticed to an uncle, Samuel Basford, to learn the blacksmith trade. He followed his trade in Wellington with abundant success, and has also conducted a farm there. He is now (1908) the propriteor of the Wellington House at Wellington, Maine. Mr. Huff is a Democrat in politics and one of the most active and influential men of his party in this section. President Cleveland appointed him postmaster and he held office from 1885 to 1889. He is a member of Evening Star Lodge, Odd Fellows, of Harmony, Maine, and of Wellington Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. He married May 1, 1864, Vesta M., born at Palmyra, Maine, June 26, 1847, daughter of Hezekiah and Mary J. (Mason) Lancaster. Child: George Francis, mentioned below. (X) George Francis, son of Sumner Sears Huff, was born in Wellington, Nov. 7, 1872. He attended the public schools of his native town and Somerset Academy at Athens, Maine. In 1893 he went to Dexter, Maine, to learn the printing trade in the office of The Eastern Gazette, where he served an apprenticeship of about four years. He was employed on the Waterville Mail for three years; on the Pittsfield Advertiser for a short time; on the Dexter Gazette a year and a haf and on the Kennebec Journal at Augusta for four years. In May, 1907, Mr. Huff bought an interest in the Gazette Publishing Company of Dexter and is at present (1908) treasurer and manager of that company. The Gazette, of which he is the publisher, is a flourishing weekly newspaper, Independent in politics; the printing office is one of the best in this section. Mr. Huff is a Democrat in politics. He is a member of Plymouth Lodge, Odd Fellows, of Dexter; a member of Dexter Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. He married Dec. 24, 1902, Sarah E., born Dec. 24, 1876, daughter of Levi S. Folsom, of Monson, Maine, the ninth in descent from John Folsom (Foulsham), of Hingham, England, and Exeter, N. H.