Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-06-08
From the Portland Press.l
The Motley Family of Portland
and Boston.
THE ANCESTORS OF john LoTHRor MOTLEY,
THE HISTORIAN.

John Motley came from Belfast, ireland, to Fnl
mouth, now Portland, and built a one-story gam
brel-roofed house where Casco street enters Con-
gress street, previous to 1888. In that year be
married Mary Roberts by whom he had three
sons aud one daughter John, Richard. Ann and
Thomas. by second wife. Lydia Libby, whom
be married in 1854, he had five sons ana one
daug NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., Samuel, William, Jacob
John, and Mary. His widow married John Blake
in 1855, and died in Portland at a very advanced
age in 1924 Mr.. Motley was a joiner and worked
on the old meeting house. | shall not attempt to
trace all of his chldrenfor my purpose it is only
necessary to follow Thomas, the youngest son by
the first wife. lie married Emma, daughter of
John Wait and sister to Col. John Wait, the first
sheriff of Cumberland county under the Govern
ment of the United States. At the time of her
marriage to Mr.. Motley she was Widow Lewis.
In l1Sl Mr. Motley appointed by Sheriff
Wait jalkeeper in place of Moses Shattuck,
whose wife wasslso sister to the sherlf. ne jan
was only of one story and built with solid timber
walls. 1t stood where the Old City Hall now does,
the keepers two story wooden house stood on what
| Is now the passage-way between the Hall and the
| United States Hetel. Shattuck was licensed as
an innkeeper and Motley continued the same
business in the Jail house, his salary as Jailer
was only fifteen pounds. The tavern was desig-
mated as the "Freemasons Arms, and IN front Of
the house was tall post and arms, from which
swung sign, on which was represented the square
and compass. At the announcement OF the
French revolution a sympathy prevailed in the
United States with the revolutionists which be-
| came a mania. The Eastern Herald, the only
newspaper then published in Maine, in the number
for Feb. q, 1893, contains notice OF the celebra-
ton Of WsshiDgtons birthday, rejoicing at the
emancipation OF our sister republic France by
supper at the Freemssons Arms kept by citizen
Motley" Mention is made that there was but one
prisoner in Jail and amidst the convyialiiy his dis
| tresses were by no means forgotten
This was Mr. Motleys last year as jail keeper.
| He was succeeded by William Hobby. Mr.. Mot
ley built large wooden tavern house on the west
side of Congress street below Casco street, on the
site now occupied by Lbby's stable, to which was
| transferred the sign of the Freomasons Arms.
This was kept public house by Mr. Motley
until his DEATH Dec. p, 1908, at the age OF 90
wears. His tavern house was burnt August IL.
| l84S while in the occupation of Samuel Ryerson.
Mr.. Motley's widow moved to three-sory 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 1880,
| aged s.. An adopted daughter Emma, who lived
with her, married Bezaleel Cushman, long the
preceptor of the Portland Academy
Thomas and Emma (WaiD Motley, whose lives
we have traced until they quietly land them down
| at the graves mouth, witnessed Mowaits bonn
bardment in l775. lie &c. and lost ninety
pounds by the burning. Mrs Emma Wait Lewis
was of the same age, they had seven sons Robert,
| Richard George, Henry, Thomas, Edward and
Charles-al bern in the old jail tavern house.
Robert was farmer and lived at Fort Hill, Cor
ham. Richard was a ship-master, and was long a
widower without children and lived with Robert.
George and Henry never knew. Thomas and
Edward served mercantile apprenticeship in Port
land with men who knew their business and pur-
sued it successfully-Thomas with James Deering
on long wharf, and Edward with Hugh Mcclellan,
whose counting house was on Fore street fronting
Exchange street. Maj or Mcclellan did very
large importing business from Liverpool, averag-
ing one ship to arrive or sail every week of the
year. The return cargoes usually consisted OF salt
crates of crockery aud glass ware, window glass,
iron, hardware and dry goods. These goods were
partly sold in Portland, but large part were ship
ped to Boston in the regular sailing packet to be
sold on commission. MAJOR McLelian's business
alone would support house.
| In 1902 Thomas Motley had become of age and
was considered an accomplished merchant. and at
the suggestion of Ma or Mcclellan he went to Bos-
ton and established a commission house on India
wharf, and took his brother Edward as clerk, and
finally as partner, under the firm name of Thomas
and Edward Motley" This became one of the
leading commission houses OF Boston and Of course
the partners became wealthy. A son of Robert
Motley of Gorham was a clerk for his uncles and
is now an agent for of the Lowell factories.
Inc motley nfm WAS ulsSOlHeu ABOUT loJo anu
Edward returned to Portland and spent the last OF
his years at the well-remembercd boarding house
kept by the widow of Captain John Jones and
their daughters, and died there in 1857, aged 10.
leaving legacies to several of his old friends who
we're in reduced circumstances. Like the late
Admiral Alden, when he came to contemplate
death, he wished TO be buried with his parents in
the old burying ground. During his last sick ness
he sent for the old Superintendent of Burias,
James r. Mitchell, and said to him "Do you
know the burial place of the Motleysi l 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 Of the
commanders of the Enterprise and Boxer.
Thomas Motley, the senior. in the Boston firm.
married q daughter Of the Rev. DR.. Lothrop of
Boston, by whom he had several sons and daugh-
tiers. One son owns and lives on the Bussey farm
10 West Roxbury. Another son was John 10th
rop Motley, so named for his grandfather. He
bas made the name illustrious by his historical
fworks. His death 10 Europe. which has just been
announced, prompts this notice of his family. His
father, who had country house at Dedham, died
at his Boston residence April %, 1864, aged SO.
The only remaining son of the old jaer Thomas
senior, is Charles who, after spending twenty five
years at sea, moved to u farm near Pride
Bridge in Deerng in 1924, where he now lives
aged OIL years.