Arthur Wormstall

  General Notes:

Emigrant from Easton Parish, Wiltshire, England to Saco, Maine: Banks, Charles Edward. Topographical Dictionary of 2885 English Emigrants to New England, 1620-1650 (Baltimore, 1957) p. 178

July 1653: submitted to Mass. at Wells but listed of Cape Porpus.

1658-9: in trouble with Stephen Batson over land.

1661: moved to Saco, buying land from Wm Phillips.

1662: bought land from Thomas Williams.

22 Sept 1666: assigned a seat at the meetinghouse for the general town meetings in #4 next to Scadlock.( although this could have been the womens meeting) p133

1666: bought land at Cape Porpus from Thomas Mercer.

Saco Constable 1666.

1670 (Probable): Wormstall paid rates 13s. p179

Worked a day of Thanksgiving in 1671, but the fine remitted, as a job of necessity had been given him by Major Pendleton.

1671: absent from meeting.

1674: sailed out of Cape Porpus on Sunday (?)

1676: admitted inhabitant of Salem p329 - a refugee from the intense fighting with the Indians around Saco at the tail end of King Philip's war.

1678: a refugee at Salem and took O.F (?) there in 1678

1681, Sept.: of Winter Harbor or Saco, he and his wife sold three lots to John Abbott.

1684, Nov.: deed to his son-in-law William Daggett

At Saco in July of 1686. p771

Emigrating from Wiltshire sometime probably in the late 1640's or early 1650's, he first settled at Cape Porpus, being found first in the record books as 'of Cape Porpus' in 1653. By 1661 he had moved to Saco, Maine and over the next several years bought land at Saco as well as at Cape Porpus. Joining in the affairs of the community was expected, and he was no exception. His seat assignment at the town meetings was recorded in 1666, the year he also was the Saco town constable. King Phillip's War in 1675 and 1676 ended the 'Indian Threat' in New England, but even after King Phillip was captured and killed, the last remnants of fighting occured along the coast of Maine in 1676, and Saco was the scene of some bloody massacres. Arthur was among a number of people who were forced to flee their homes and settled temporarily in Salem. He may have taken up residence in Salem, but it is more likely he returned to Saco, where he and his wife sold some of their property in 1681, and in 1684 are on record as transferring by deed some of their property to their son-in-law, William Daggett. ^502,503

Arthur married Susanna Scadlock, daughter of William Scadlock and Elinor.