Monday, June 4, 2012

1813 Massachusetts Law Authorizing Wharf at Newcastle, Maine


"An Act for building a Wharf in the town of New-Castle, as described on page 285 in Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Passed by the General Court at Their Session, which Commenced on Wednesday the 26th Day of May, and Which Ended on the 16th Day of June, 1813.  Newcastle, Maine.


Chap. LVIII.

An Act for building a Wharf in the town of New-Castle.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That Nathaniel Bryant, his heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, be, and they are hereby authorized to build, erect, and maintain at Jack's Point, so called, on Damariscotta river, in the town of New-Castle, in the county of Lincoln, a Wharf, in manner and of dimensions following, to wit: - To extend from said point at low water mark northwardly and north-eastwardly eighty feet; eastwardly and south-eastwardly from the end of said point at low water mark, ten feet; making the front of said Wharf a straight line of one hundred and twenty feet, the north-eastern side a straight line of one hundred feet, and from the extremities of the two sides aforesaid, at right angles, to the main land of said point.

[Approved by the Governor, June 16, 1813.]

From online research, hopefully correct:  [corrections and additions welcome!]

I believe the Nathaniel Bryant referenced above was the man born 2 May 1765 at Scituate, Massachusetts, who moved to the Newcastle area, and died at nearby Jefferson, Maine, on 9 January 1835.  

On 1 October 1786 at Bristol, Maine, Nathaniel Bryant married Elizabeth "Betsey" Wall, who was born at Bristol on March 1768.

They had a family of at least five, three daughters and two sons.  The firstborn was also named Nathaniel Bryant, but he would have been only about 23 in 1813, so I feel his father is the more likely prospect.

If you have corrections to the above information or if you feel that the Wharf was authorized to another Nathaniel Bryant, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Newcastle Historical Society

Newcastle, Maine


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