Today’s Haskell family represents the last of the surname in my line, as I am descended from their daughter, Judith. Here is a road map illustrating the double line of descent:

John Haskell was born in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts on 7 January 1744/45 to Nathaniel Haskell and Hannah White. He married Hannah Parsons, his third cousin, on 18 January 1769, also in Gloucester.

Hannah Parsons, too, was from Gloucester and the two families had likely known each other for generations. Hannah was born 29 April 1749, the daughter of Isaac Parsons and Hannah Burnham.

However, unlike their ancestors who resided in Essex County, Massachusetts for the previous four generations, John and Hannah joined a number of their relatives and friends who trekked up to Maine and settled in New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine.

Hannah had to have been a hardy young lady up for the trip because she would have been several months pregnant with her first child when the young couple headed north in the spring of 1769.

New Gloucester was established in 1736, but sparsely populated for several decades. Most of the new inhabitants were from Gloucester, Massachusetts. A few early souls lived there by 1742, but abandoned their village until 1753 because of Indian attacks. Reportedly, only twelve families lived there until 1759 and their house was a garrison and stockade building. The first meeting house wasn’t constructed until 1773 and the town wasn’t incorporated until 1774.

John and his young, pregnant wife truly left an established home and for the wilds of Maine in 1769. By June of that year, Hannah was already five months along, but the move had to have been made in mild weather.

They had many friends and family members who also settled in New Gloucester and they spent the rest of their lives in the pretty little town. I was lucky enough to visit there in 1980 – it truly is beautiful.

New Gloucester gained some fame when the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing -known as the Shakers – settled at Sabbathday Lake Village about 1783.

John Haskell, as far as I can tell, was a farmer. He and Hannah had thirteen children.

Children (All BMD in New Gloucester, unless noted otherwise):

1. Hannah, born 21 October 1769; died 9 April 1857, Hebron, Oxford, Maine; married Asa Loring, 4 November 1790.
2. Lucy, born 29 April 1772; probably died after 1720; married Samuel Merrill, 4 December 1792.
3. John, born 28 February 1774; died c1846, Poland, Cumberland, Maine; married Sally Parsons, 9 May 1802.
4. Jabez, born 8 February 1776; died 17 May 1856; married Abigail Chipman, 30 August 1798.
5. Lydia, born 29 April 1778; died 10 October 1800.
6. Caleb, born 29 April 1778; died 2 February 1869, Dover, Norfolk, Massachusetts; married Judith Collins, 9 January 1800.
7. Judith, born 5 November 1780; died 6 July 1861; married William Tarbox, 25 November 1802.
8. Nathaniel, born 19 July 1782; died 27 January 1861; married Mary Colley, 25 July 1819.
9. Mary, born 3 September 1783; died 2 January 1866; married William Hatch, 12 May 1808.
10. Salome, born 1 August 1785; died 4 July 1836, Cumberland, Cumberland, Maine; married Humphrey Merrill, 21 October 1804.
11. Isaac, born 24 October 1787; died 8 January 1832; married Jane B. Chase, 23 June 1810.
12. Susannah, born 29 September 1789; died after 1850 census; married William Stockman, 9 January 1812.
13. Nathan Parsons, born 10 June 1792; reportedly died c1827; apparently unmarried and no further record.

Unfortunately, Cumberland County, Maine had a fire c1907 and probate records from 1807-1907 were lost.

However, town records survived proving that John Haskell served as a town officer during the American Revolution, which is considered patriotic service.

Last Line: John Haskell, voted as tythingman
New Gloucester Town Records 1:14

John Haskell & Hannah Parsons are my 5X great grandparents. Both lived long lives, with John dying on 4 October 1828 and Hannah on 8 February 1834, both in New Gloucester, Maine. Both are buried in Lower Corner Cemetery and their stones are still legible.

My line of descent from the Haskells from John & Hannah forward:

John Haskell & Hannah Parsons
Judith Haskell & William Tarbox
George Rogers Tarbox & Mary Elizabeth Scripture
Nellie F. Tarbox & Calvin Segee Adams
Charles Edwin Adams & Annie Maude Stewart
Vernon Tarbox Adams & Hazel Ethel Coleman
Doris Priscilla Adams & George Michael Sabo
Linda Anne Sabo Stufflebean – me!