His widow acknowledged the covenant at the founding of Menotomy church, Sept. 9, 1739. "Nathaniel Francis of Medford and Ann Cutter of Charlestown were joined in marriage by Simon Tufts, Esq," Mar. 31, 1743.* Francis died Sept. 2, 1764, æ. 71, and was interred at Menotomy. Here lyes ye Body of Mr ANNA FRANCIS Widow of Mr NATHANIEL FRANCIS who departed this life Decem' 31st 1777 Samuel and Anne (Harrington) Cutter had issue : i. WILLIAM, b. 10 Sept. 1721, bapt. Sept. 17. Here lycs ye Body of William Cutte Son of Mr Samuel & Mrs Anne Come, Come, you children, near & view this Stone; In Heavenly Mensions Praise your Maker stil. 4 ii. Esther, b. 15 Feb. 1723-4, bapt. Feb. 17; became a member of Menotomy church, Apr. 20, 1740; and married Stephen Prentice, of Grafton, Mass., Aug. 6, 1741. iii. SAMUEL, bapt. 31 Mar. 1728; died soon. iv. ANNE, b. 30 Jan. 1730-1; bapt. Feb. 8; joined Menotomy church, Nov. 27, 1748; and married Walter Dickson, of Cambridge, May 3, 1750. Walter was the son of Lieut. John and Mary Dickson, and was b. Mar. 18, 1729-30. He joined Menotomy church, Nov. 9, 1766. Anne and Esther, his daughters, did likewise, Mar. 30, 1777; and with Anne his wife, and Anne his daughter, he was dismissed to the First Church in Cambridge, Sept. 28, 1783. Issue: i. ANNE, b. 1 Oct. 1752.-ii. MARY, b. 23 Mar. 1755; m. Jonathan Butterfield, 4 Aug. 1772.-iii. ESTHER, b. 23 Aug. 1757; m. Joseph Tufts, Medford, 23 Dec. 1779.-iv. REBECCA, bapt. 21 Oct. 1759; d. 29 July, 1765. v. Lucy, b. 12 May, 1764.-vi. WALTER, bapt. 13 Dec. 1767; m. Anna Tufts, 10 Apr. 1793. 4 V. REBECCA, b. 3 Mar. 1732-3, bapt. Mar. 12; became a member of Emmon Cutter, man servant of widow Ann, æt. 27, baptized July 25, 1741."-Menotomy Church Records. Dunster, and descended from President Dunster, of Harvard College. He was baptized July 18, 1725; was a church member at Menotomy, Mar. 18, 1753; and had issue: i. RUTH, b. 10 Aug. 1750; d. soon.—ii. Rebecca, b. 28 Aug. 1752; d. 5 July, 1753.—iii. HENRY, b, 4 Aug. 1754.-iv. REBECCA, b. 20 June, 1755.-V. MARTHA, b. 3 Sept. 1758.-vi. JASON, b. 27 Mar. 1763.—vii. SAMUEL CUTTER, b. 20 Apr. 1766. vi. HANNAH, b. 27 Feb. 1734-5; became a member of Menotomy church, Oct. 28, 1753; married Joseph Tufts, Jr., of Medford, Mar. 21, 1754; and died Sept. 21, 1779. He died Dec. 6, 1798. Issue : i. JOSEPH, b. 17 Feb. 1755.-ii. AMMI RUHAMAH, b. 18 Aug. 1762.-iii. WALTER, b. 17 Feb. 1766.-iv. COTTON, b. June, 1768; d. 15 July, 1777.* vii. SAMUEL, b. 21 Jan. 1736; married 28 Apr. 1757, Susanna, daughter of Ebenezer and Rachel (Tufts) Francis, of Medford, b. 28 Nov. 1734. Samuel dwelt in the paternal homestead. When the Revolutionary War commenced he enlisted early in the provincial forces assembling about Boston to besiege the British foe. He was ensign of Capt. Isaac Hall's company, and fought at Bunker Hill Battle, June 17, 1775. This corps, composed of men from Medford, Charlestown, Woburn, Malden, Cambridge and Stoneham, enlisted for eight months service, was attached to Col. Thomas Gardner's regiment, which was commissioned 2d June. After the British landed at Charlestown, preparatory to their first assault of the redoubt, this regiment was stationed in the road leading to Lechmere's Point, East Cambridge; and late in the day was ordered to Charlestown. On arriving at Bunker Hill, Gen. Putnam ordered part of it to assist in throwing up defences commenced at this place. One company (Capt. Harris's, Charlestown) took post at the rail fence. The greater part of the regiment, under the lead of their colonel, on the third attack of the British, advanced towards the redoubt. On the way, while descending Bunker Hill, Col. Gardner received his death-wound from a flying bullet. The Provincials, just driven from their defences, were hard pressed by the British; still Gardner's men, under Major Jackson, pressed forward, and with three companies of Ward's and a part of Gerrish's regiment, poured between Breed's and Bunker Hill, a well-directed fire upon the enemy, and gallantly covered the retreat. July 6, 1775, a regimental return mentions Samuel Cutter, "Ensign." The company was then stationed in the lines on Prospect Hill. Capt. Hall and the lieutenant, Caleb Brooks, were residents of Medford. Hall resigned charge before the close of the year, Lieut. Brooks was chosen captain, and Ensign Cutter became lieutenant in his stead.† June 1, 1778, mention occurs in a legal instrument of Samuel Cutter, "Gent." April 7, 1791, while ascending the eastern slope of Winter Hill, in Somerville, on his way home in a cart with a barrel of tar, an accident to his conveyance threw him headlong from his seat into the road-the heavy tar falling upon him, and he was instantly killed. His epitaph at Arlington commemorates his end as follows: Brooks's Hist. Medford, 546. + Brooks's Hist. Medford, 186, 187; Frothingham, Siege of Boston, 146, 151, 180, 403; N.E. Geneal. Register, iv. 68. In memory of MR. SAMUEL CUTTER who departed this life Aged 55 Years. A sov'reign God, who set my bounds, Sacred to the memory of Mrs. SUSANNAH CUTTER, widow of Mr. Samuel Cutter who died Dec 19, 1817 Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord. 9. SARAH, baptized Oct. 18, 1702; married Ebenezer Cutter [Vide iii. 84, 4]. She received a legacy of £80 from her father's estate, and died in Medford of " old age," Feb. 4, 1788. 10. AMMI RUHAMAH, baptized at Cambridge, May 6, 1705, was a student of Harvard College when his father died; and his parent bequeathed him the houseplot in Cambridge, formerly purchased of" Cousin Champney," and provided suitable maintenance for his education in the "schools of learning " until he received his "second degree in the Colledge." He gave him also a young horse," fit for riding," when he commenced "Master;" and the memorandum he compiled (Nov. 21, 1725) of the debts and legacies due out of his father's estate accredits him with an inheritance amounting to £460 17s. 2d. Graduating from college in 1725, he pursued for a while the vocation of land-surveyor. Nov. 26, 1727, he was admitted to full membership in Cambridge church; being styled in the records as "Sir Cutter," a title applied to all graduates during the interval between taking their first and their second or Master's degree.* A copy of the "Schole Wintoniensis Phases Latinæ,” by H. Robinson, D.D. (London, 1673), is a cherished heirloom in the family of the late William Cutter, Esq., of Brewer, Me. On the inside of cover, a printed placard with an embroidered border contains the inscription: "Ammi-Ruhamah Cutter est Verus Possessor hujus Libri, 1721." 1721 is reinscribed with the pen 1786, when it was probably the property of Dr. A. R. Cutter, of Greene, Me., pupil and nephew of Dr. A. R. Cutter, of Portsmouth, and the sire of William Cutter, of Brewer. Ammi-Ruhamah Cutter, M.A., 1728, was numbered among the subscribers of Prince's Chronology; thus appearing in a list "comprising the principal Literati of New England who flourished at the beginning of the last century.”—N. E. Geneal. Register, vi. 192. In 1727 the trustees and proprietors of North Yarmouth, Maine, resettled that propriety. The erection of a "convenient house for the public worship of God," and the provision of "a good orthodox minister" claimed early consideration.* Ammi Ruhamah Cutter, as candidate, preached his first sermon, Sunday, Nov. 10, 1729; and became the first settled minister of the town. At a meeting of the Inhabitants of North Yarmouth held at the meeting House in North Yarmouth. April 24, 1730 Voted To give the Reverend Mr Ammi Ruhamah Cutter a Call to the Gospel ministry in the Town of North Yarmouth. And for his Encouragement Voted To Give him One hundred & Twenty ounces of Silver money p' annum or what Shall be Equivalent thereto in Bills of Credit of this province or other money Passable in the Same to be paid unto him the one half in October & the other half in march Annually So Long as he Shall Continue in the work of the Ministry in s Town. Voted Also to give him Two hundred pounds for a Settlement to be paid unto him the one half within Three months & ye other half within Twelve months after his Ordination in the Town of North Yarmouth. At a meeting of the Inhabitants of North Yarmouth held at the meeting house in North Yarmouth Sept 24, 1730 Voted That after two years from this Time there be added unto the Salary voted to the reverend Mr. Ammi Ruhamah Cutter at a meeting of the Inhabitants of said Town on April 24, 1730 The sum of Five Ounces of Silver p' annum During Four years next Ensueing untill the said Salary Shall amount to the Sum of One hundred & Forty Ounces of Silver p' annum or what Shall be Equivalent thereto in other passable money of this Province To be paid unto him the one half in October & the other in March Annually So Long as he Shall continue yo minister of sa Town. Voted Also that ye Ten Acre Lot appropriated to the ministry in the Town of North Yarmouth be cleared & Fenced within two years from this Time For the use and Improvement of the Reverend M' Ammi Ruhamah Cutter So Long as he shall continue in the work of the Ministry in said Town. North Yarmouth, Sept 24, 1730 I do hereby Signify my Acceptance of ye Call given me by the Inhabitants of North Yarmouth & of the Salary & Settlement as Expressed in the Votes above Written. & Immi Ruhamah futter *Sullivan, Hist. Dist. Maine, 188, 189. The Committee appointed for the Resettlement of North Yarmouth haveing Perused The within Votes of the 24 of April & the 24 of Sep Last offer'd by the Town for our Approbation Do therefore Judge it meet the Said Votes be Confirmed Allowed and Ratifyed as they are hereby & do order the Same to be Recorded in the Town Records & upon the Reverend M' Cutters Acceptance of the Proposals in the Said Votes that the Taxes for his Settlement & Support Be Levied Collected and paid Accordingly. Wm Taylor Wm Dudley Committee for North Yarmouth. Nov. 18, 1730, the organization of the church was effected by the Rev. Mr. Cutter and eight others affixing their signatures to a covenant in the presence of the elders and messengers from the neighboring churches. The church thus organized was the tenth church. in Maine, and on the same day and by the same council Rev. Ammi Ruhamah Cutter was ordained.* The adverse circumstances and protracted difficulties of the infant settlement caused remissness in the payment of its pecuniary indebtedness. Mr. Cutter's troubles from this source are explained in his correspondence with the propriety committee at Boston, whose agent he appears to have been. Mar. 18, 1730-1, in an epistle dated at Boston and addressed to that body, he speaks of the manner his delinquent dues may be obtained. Aug. 16, 1731, he complains of the non-payment of his salary. Mar. 9, 1733-4, in a letter written at North Yarmouth, he says, "The interest of the money I have been kept out of, would have amounted to about £48 at 6 per cent. There are yet behind £167 of my salary and settlement, which was all due in 1731, the whole salary for 1732, and one half the present year's salary-in all, £349. In the mean time I am at the mercy of the usurer, and give excessive interest to support myself in the town." His meeting-house was slow in the process of completion. Raised in 1729, and boarded the same year, little further was done. In this state it had been used as a house of worship through two severe winters, when Mr. Cutter writing to the committee, complaining of them for postponing a contemplated visit, says (June 26, 1733), "The people are much grieved at this delay, especially as the meeting-house will be hereby so retarded that there can't be time to do anything to purpose this fall; and we dread passing another winter in it, as we did the last." + The Council consisted of Rev. Messrs. Jefferds, of Wells; Smith, of Falmouth; Thompson, of Scarboro'; and Willard, of Biddeford, with their delegates.-Vide Greenleaf, Eccles. Hist. Maine, 64; Shepley, Hist. Notes, 55, 56. + Shepley, Hist. Notices of North Yarmouth, 44, 50. This church was demolished about 1833. The weather-vane is planted on the summit of the "Ledge." |