The Portland daily press., 1877-06-04
THE MOTLEY FAMILY OF PORT
LAND AND BOSTON.
The Ancestors of John Lothrop Motley,
the Historian.

the Historian.
John Motley came from Belfast, Ireland to
Falmouth. now Portland, and built one story
gambrel rooted house where Casco street enters
Congress street, previous to 1885, In that year
he married Mary Roberts, by whom he had
three sons and one daughter, John, Richard,
| Ann and Thomas. By second wife, Lydia
Libby, whom he married in 1854, he had five
sons and one daughter-Alexander, Samuel,
| William, Jacob, John and Mary. His widow
married John Blake in 1856, and died in Portland
at very advanced age in 1924. Mr. Motley was
| Joiner and worked on the old Westinghouse, I
| shall not attempt to trace all of his children
for my purpose it is only necessary to follow
Thomas, the youngest son by the first wife. He
| married Emma, daughter of John Wait and
| sister to Col. John Wait, the first sheriff of
Cumberland county under the government of
the United States AT the time of her mar
| riage to Mr.. Motley she was widow Lewis.
In 1881 Mr.. Motley was appointed by Sheriff
Wait, jail-keeper in place of Moses Shattuck
| whose wife was also sister to the sheriff. The
| Jail was Of only one story aud built with solid
timber walls. 1t stood where the Old City Hall
now does, and the keepers two story wooden
house stood on what is now the passage-way
between the Hall and the United States Hotel
Shattuck was licensed as an inn-keeper and
| Motley continued the same business in the Jail
house, as his salary as jailor was only fifteen
pounds. The tavern was designated as the
'Freemasons Arms" and in front of the house
was'a tall post and arm. from which swung
usr ,xrh; oh II Al
compass. At the announcement of the French
revolution a sympathy prevailed in the United
States with the revolntonists which became a
mania. The Eastern Herald, the only news
paper then published in Maine, in the number
for Feb. q, 1793 contains notice of the cele-
bration Of Washington's birthday "rejoicing at
the emancipation of our sister republic France
by supper at the Freemasons Arms kept by
citizen Motley Mention is made that there
was but one prisoner in Jail and that "amidst
the conviviality his dstresses were by no
means forgotten
This was Mr.. Motley's last year as Jail keep
er. He was succeeded by VIM. Hobby. Mr..
Motley built a large wooden tavern house on
the west side of Congress street below Casco
street, on the site now occupied by Libby's
Freemasons arms. This was kept as public,
house by Mr.. Motley until his death, Dec. q
1908, at the age of 63 years. His tavern house
was burnt August 11th, 1S4S, while in the occu-
patton of Samuel Ryerson. Mr.. Motley's widow
moved to a three story brick house built by
John Bryant, which stood where now is the
residence of the Roman Catholic Bishop on
Congress street, and died there in $780, aged
IS. An adopted daughter Emma, who lived
with her, married Bezaleel Cushman long the
preceptor of the Portland Academy.
Thomas and Emma (Wait) Motley, whose
lives we have traced until they quietly laid them
them down at the graves mouth, witnessed
Mowatts bombardment in 1775. He was 80,
and lost ninety pounds by the burning. Mrs.
Emma Wait Lewis was of the same age. They
had seven sons, Robert, Richard, George, Hem
ry, Thomas, Edward and Charles-all born in
the old Jail tavern house. Robert was farmer
and lived at Fort Hill, Gorham. Richard was
a shp-master, aud was long widower with
out children, and lived with Robert George
and Henry never knew. Thomas and Edward
served a mercantile apprentice in Portland
with men who knew their business and pur-
sued it successfully-Thomas with James Deer
ing on Long wharf, and Edward with Hugh
McLellap, whose counting house was on Fore
street fronting Exchange street. Major Nc |
Lellan did very large importing business from
Liverpool, averaging one ship to arrive or sail |
every week of the year. The return cargoes
usually consisted of salt crates of crockery and
glass ware, window glass, iron, hardware, and |
dry goods. These goods were partly sold in |
q art
Boston in the regular sailing packets, to be |
sold on commission. Major McLellan's bus-
ness alone would support house.
In 1902 Thomas Motley had become of age |
and was considered an accomplished merchant, |
and at the suggestion of Major Mcclellan he |
went to Boston and established commission |
house on India wharf, and took his brother |
Edward as clerk, and finally as partner, under |
the firm name of Thomas and Edward Mot
ley. This became one of the leading com.
mission houses of Boston, and of course the
partners became wealthy. A son of Robert
Motley of Gorham, was clerk with his uncles
and is nowssan agent for one of the Lowell fac
tories.
The Motley frm was dissolved in about 1850,
and Edward returned to Portland and spent
the last OF his years at the we-remembered
boarding house kept by the widow of Captain
John Jones and their daughters, and died there
in 1857, aged 73. leaving legacies to several of
his old friends who were in reduced circum-
stances. Like the late Admiral Alden, when
he to contemplate death, he wished to be
buried With his parents in the old burying
ground. During his last sickness he sent for
the old superintendent of Barials James r.
Mitchell, and said to him: "Do you know the
burial place of the Motleys? want to be laid
by the side of my mother And it was so
done, and plain slate headstone erected to
mark the spot; like those of his parents. The
graves are perhaps two rods south of the graves
os the commanders of the Eaterprise and
Boxer.
Thomas Motley, the senior in the Boston
firm, married daughter of the Rev. DR.. Lo-
throp of Boston, by whom he had several sons
and daughters. One son owns, and lives on, the |
Bussey farm in West Roxbury, on which is
'Bussey's woods" made memorable as the
scene of the murder of the joyce children.
which has remained mystery for twelve years.
Another son was John Lothrop Motley, so
named for his grandfather. He has made the
name illustrious by his historical works. His
death in Europe, which has just been an
nounced, prompts this notice of his family |
His father, who had a country house at Ded- |
ham, died at his Boston residence April 2Sth,
1864, aged 50. The only remaining son of the |
old jailor, Thomas senior, is Charles, who, af- |
ter spending twenty-five years at sea, moved |
on to farm near Pride's Bridge in Deering, |
in 1924, where he now lives, aged 81 years.
Windham, June o WIG.
CITY AFFAIRs.-At the regular monthly |
meeting of the City Council this evening sew
eral important matters will be acted upon. The
committee on the Oydanshnro raoo;uorsb;n