Bean and Bane Family Genealogy of Saco Valley Maine

Tradition makes the ancestor of this family who first came to our shores a native of the Isle of Jersey, but I doubt the truth of the statement. I have not found the name, or one resembling it, in any record or book relating to Jersey. The surname Bain, and Bane, are derived from the Gaelic word bane which signified white or fair complexion, as Donald Bane, who usurped the Scottish throne after the death of his brother, Malcolm Canmore. An ancient branch of the family in Fifeshire, Scotland, have spelled the surname Bayne. The Highland MacBanes were a branch of the Macintosh clan, and their distinctive badge was the red whortleberry. Maj. Gillies MacBane, chief of the clan in 1745, was a man of giant stature, being six feet four and a half inches in height. He brought a hundred MacBanes into the field, and at the battle of Culloden, being beset by a squad of government troops, he placed his back against a wall, and, though wounded in several places, fought with such desperation that he laid thirteen of his assailants dead at his feet. An officer called to “save that brave man,” but they cut him down. His widow is said to have composed the pathetic lament in Gaelic, entitled mo run geal oig, or. The following lines were found in a work called “The Gael”:

“With thy back to the wall, and thy breast to the targe,
Full Hashed thy claymore in the face of their charge,
The blood of the boldest that barren turf stain.
But alas! thine is reddest there, Gillies MacBane!

Hewn down, but still battling, thou sunk’st on the ground,
Thy plaid was one gore, and thy breast was one wound,
Thirteen of thy foes by thy right hand were slain.
Oh! would they were thousands for Gillies MacBane!

Oh! loud and long heard shall thy coronach he,
And high o’er the heather thy cairn we shall see.
And deep in all bosoms thy name shall remain.
But deepest in mine, dearest Gillies MacBane! “

The early generations of the New England family spelled the name Bane, and the almost universal sandy or fair complexion of the branch planted in York, Me., supports the statement regarding the derivation of the original Gaelic word Bhaenn. Moreover, the mental characteristics observable in the Maine families have indicated a Scottish origin. In York, they are early found in the neighborhood of Scottish settlers. We shall rest the question of nativity with this prophetic statement: If the ancestry of the Banes, early planted in old York, is ever traced by authentic documentary records, the cradle of the race will be found in Caledonia, the “land o’ cakes.”

Lewis Bane, who came to Boston about 1670, is denominated the ancestor of the principal Maine branches of the New England Beans. It is said that he died in Boston, leaving a widow and three sons who were afterward settled in York, Me. The sons were named Lewis, Ebenezer and Joseph.

Capt. Lewis Bane was b. in 1671, and d. in York, Me., June 25, 1721. The inscription on his monument reads as follows:

“Here Lyes Burried
the body of
Capt. Lewis Bane, Esq.,
Decd June ye 25th. 1721,
In ye 51st year
Of his age.

Here Lyes Buried
The body of Mrs. Mary Bane
wife to
Capt. Lewis Bane,
Decd March ye 25th, 1723,
In ye 58th year
Of her age.”

Capt. Bane was a man of prominence in the plantation and saw many vicissitudes and passed through many dangers in his pioneer experience. He made his will on a sick bed, and it was probated July 21, 1721. This instrument shows that he was living on land that was his father’s; hence, I assume that his father had lived there. The estate inventoried £1175 15s. od. Bequeaths to “faithful, loving, and tender wife,” dwelling-house and barn, and half of the “lower pasture.” He mentions four sons then living, Jonathan, Lewis, John and Ebenezer ¹ ; three daughters, Mary (Sayward), Eleanor and Mehitable; of these more, presently.

Capt. Joseph Bane was born in 1676. He was taken captive by the Indians, in 1692, at the age of sixteen, and remained with the tribe eight years, learning their language and afterwards acted as interpreter. There is a document in the Massachusetts archives written by him, April 25, 1755, which shows him to have been about 80 years of age. Col. Phillips, in his journal, now in the Massachusetts archives, date Jan. 24, 1698, mentions “Joseph Bean, of York, a young man,” as then a captive with Indians. He was living in Falmouth as early as 1710 and had five children born there, the first three having been born in York. He was probably connected with the fort at New Casco; served in Indian war of 1722; was captain in 1724, in which year he and a file of soldiers had an engagement with about thirty Indians, killing their leader, whose scalp was carried to Boston, and Lieut. Bean received £100 bounty. He commanded a company in the Norridgewock expedition. Issue, as far as known, by wife Joanna:

1. Elizabeth Bane, b. May 21, 1704.
2. Hannah Bane, b. June 27, 1706.
3. Tabitha Bane, b. April 29, 1708.
4. Mary Bane, m. Hugh Barbour.

Lewis Bane, 3d, m. Abigail Moulton and lived in York; was a man of prominence; a witness to wills, appraiser of estates. Children as follows:

1. Lewis Bane, b. Sept. 17, 1722.
2. Abigail Bane, b. Sept. 12, 1725.
3. Charles Bane, b. Dec. 18, 1727.
4. Tabitha Bane, b. Apr. 12, 1730.
5. Ebenezer Bane, b. Nov. 30, 1731.
6. Joseph Bane, b. Mar. 10, 1733.
7. Miriam Bane, b. Apr. 27, 1735.

Capt. Jonathan Bane, son of Capt. Lewis, was born in York as early as 1693; m. Sarah, the eldest dau. of Peter Nowel, of York; she received one hundred and fifty pounds by will of her father as “Sarah Bane” in 1738. He was a man of affairs in York as early as 1730, and his name appears on many early documents, showing how many positions of trust he was called to fill even when a young man; indicating that the public had confidence in his abilities and his integrity. He was captain as early as 1743. He seems to have continued his residence in York until 1756, when he appears as a justice of the peace in Narragansett, No. 1, now Buxton; there he bound himself to settle lot 5, in range B, of the 1st division. He was called to command at the Saco river block-house and made his home there for a number of years. For several years he had filled important positions in connection with Indian affairs on the frontier, having acted as commissioner. He received by his father’s will, as eldest son, “land bought of Mr. Gooch”; half of “the lower pasture” and a third part of “the fresh meadows that he in ye woods.” His eleven children were as follows:

1. Jonathan Bane, b. Feb. 13, 1718, in York, was a lieutenant under his father at the block-house on Saco river. He m. and had issue.
2. Daniel Bane, b. Oct. 27, 1720.
3. Mary Bane, b. Jan. 4, 1723; d. young.
4. Sarah Bane, b. July 8, 1725.
5. Joshua Bane, b. Mar. 29, 1728.
6. Mary Bane, b. Oct. 7, 1730.
7. Huldah Bane, b. April, 1732.
8. Abraham Bane, b. Feb. 10, 1734.
9. Ebenezer Bane, b. Jan. 20, 1737, of whom more.
10. Nehemiah Bane, b. Mar. 17, 1740.
11. Charles Bane, b. Apr. 3, 1743.

Jonathan Bean, 3d, b. in the block-house Oct. 9, 1758; m. Phebe, dau. of John Brooks, of Narragansett, No. 1, Sept. 4, 1783; d. Oct. 10, 1829. He settled near where the old fortification stood, since Hollis, now Dayton, and had children born there as follows:

1. Isaiah Bean, b. Apr. 13, 1781; d. an infant.
2. Dorcas Bean, b. Oct. i, 1784; d. young.
3. Martha Bean, b. Mar. 9, 1786.
4. Jacob Bean, b. Dec. 25, 1790.
5. Polly Bean, b. Sept. 16, 1792.
6. John Bean, b. Jan. 6, 1795; d. an infant.
7. Sally Bean, b. Feb. 17, 1796; d. an infant.
8. Daniel Bean, b. Mar. 9, 1800; d. 1802.
9. Eliphalet Bean, b, June 28, 1803.
10. Lewis Bean, b. Apr. 2, 1806.

Capt. Stephen Bean, brother of Jonathan, 3d, was b. in the plantation of Little Falls, about 1780; m. Mary Smith, of that township, Oct. 9, 1792, and settled on the plains about a mile southwest of Smith’s bridge that spanned the Saco. Around him were thousands of acres covered with pitch pine growth, and from this resinous wood he engaged in burning lampblack, which was then in great demand at tanneries for blacking leather. When he had burnt a large quantity of the “smutty dust,” he left home with a two-horse team for a peddling tour to the “west’ard” as far as the state of New York. On the road he had regular stopping places and formed an acquaintance with many men. He kept a journal or note book with which he would refresh his memory in old age, when, surrounded by a group at his fireside, he related with great accuracy and fullness of detail incidents of his experience during his absence from home in early years. He was a soldier of the 1812 war, commanding a company. Capt. Bean was a man of fine intelligence, gentlemanly and courteous in his intercourse with men, of easy manners, graceful carriage, and attractive presence. Peaceful and unobtrusive in disposition, honorable and reliable in his dealings, he came down to ripe age respected and beloved by his fellow citizens. He d. aged 93. (?) His nine children, born in Hollis, were as follows:

1. Jonathan Bean, b. Feb. 22, 1794; m. three wives. First wife, Sawyer, dau. of Tappin Sawyer. Children:
   1. Tappin Bean, m. Corlista Bean, his cousin.
   2. Randolph Bean.
   3. Frederick Bean.
   4. Mary Bean.
   5. Asahel Bean.
2. Susanna Bean, b. July 18, 1796; m. William West.
3. Cyrus Bean, b. Jan. 24, 1799; m. Page, and 2d, Ruth Hopkinson, of Limington. He lived on the “old Alfred road,” more than a mile south of Bonnie Eagle in Hollis. No Issue.
4. John Bean, b. July 3, 1801; m. Ruth Hancock; lived at Moderation at the foot of “Maddox hill”; was a great axeman and economist. He had issue:
   1. John C. Bean, m. Emily Clark.
   2. Ruth Bean, m. Osgood Boody.
   3. Corlista Bean, m. Tappin Bean, her cousin.
   4. Mary Bean, d. unmarried.
5. Mary Bean, b. Aug. 7, 1803; m. Phineas Hancock.
6. Naham Bean, b. Mar. 5, 1806; m. Hodgdon, and had issue:
   1. Olive Bean, m. David Martin.
   2. Abby Bean, m. ? Chick.
   3. John Bean.
   4. Deborah Bean.
   5. Freeman Bean.
   6. Lewis Bean.
7. Abel Bean, b. May 3, 1808; m. a daughter of Tappin Sawyer, and settled on “Bean street,” near his birthplace. He had several sons; two were Edwin and Burnice.
8. Charles Bean, b. May 17, 1811; had issue. He has recently died, being the last of his family.
9. Stephen Bean, d. unmarried.

Ebenezer Bean, son of Jonathan, 2d, b. Jan. 20, 1737; m. Eliza Thomas in 1766; a soldier of the Revolution; died in Limerick; several children.

Charles Bean, eldest son of the preceding, b. Jan 5, 1767, in the Saco river block-house; m. Sally Cotton (b. in Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 3, 1771,) May 17, 1790, and d. in Limerick, June 29, 1847; was a prosperous farmer; had fourteen children:

1. Catharine Bean, b. Jan. 3, 1791; m. 1st, Jacob Clark, of Limerick; moved to New Vineyard, Me. She m. 2d, Dec. 14, 1829, Peter Butler. She d. Jan. 18, 1854.
2. Gen. Daniel Bean, b. Feb. 7, 1793; m. Apr. 29, 1813, Ruhama, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (Cobb) Bangs, of Gorham, Me., who was b. Feb. 16, 1795. He d. in Brownfield, May 15, 1873. He settled in the latter town in 1812; served in defense of Portland in 1814, and was pensioned; was general of the 2d brigade, 6th division, Maine militia, in 1826; held many town offices; an active merchant from 1818 to 1850. Gen. Bean was a man of fine personal appearance, large, portly, stately, and by many was said to resemble General Scott. Children as follows:
   1. Maj. Sylvanus B. Bean, b. June 12, 1814; m. Sally S. Hadley, May 1, 1837; she was b. Mar. 20, 1817, d. Sept. 11, 1860. He held a commission in a Maine regiment in the Civil war; resided in Brownfield; educated at Fryeburg and Limerick academies; was in trade at North Parsonsfield in 1836-37; aid for Gen. Thomas, commander York county militia; had charge of company called to Augusta in 1839, during northeastern boundary trouble ²; fifteen years with his brother Eli B. in trade at Brownfield; postmaster sixteen years; held all the elective offices in town; was lieutenant in the nth Maine regiment in the Civil war; promoted to captain and major in quartermaster’s department and served to close of war; was a member of the Freewill Baptist church; prominent Mason and Odd Fellow; Always took an active part in welfare of his town; was respected and honored; a kind neighbor and warm friend. He was three times married. Children:
      1. Henry G. Bean, b. Sept. 3, 1840; d. Sept. 14th.
      2. Frank Bean, b. Oct. 30, 184 1.
      3. John H. Bean, b. June 22, 1843.
      4. Daniel A. Bean, b. May 20, 1846; d. June 6, 1865.
      5. Eliza S. Bean, b. Feb. 18, 1848; d. in 1850.
      6. Charles F. Bean, b. Dec. 17, 1849.
      7. Eliza S. Bean, h. Aug. 28, 1852; m. Frederick W. Spring.
      8. Jennie H. Bean, b. Oct. 22, 1854; m. Alpheus Leighton.
   2. Elizabeth Bean, b. July 28, 1816; m. Oct. 6, 1836, Samuel E. Spring; d. Oct. 26, 1 84 1.
   3. Capt. Eli B. Bean, b. June 11, 1821; m. June 8, 1846, Mary O. Spring, and resides at Brownfield, Me. He was educated at Westbrook and Parsonsfield seminaries and at the Norwich, Vt., University; was captain and major in Civil war, serving as assistant quartermaster for inspection of cavalry in the army of the Potomac, ordered to Fort Seldan, N. M., where he was discharged. He has been engaged in trade in his native town since a young man, and has a fine, large store in which he carries a heavy stock of general merchandise; has filled many official positions; a land surveyor and conveyancer. No issue.
   4. Daniel Bean, b. Mar. 16, 1823; d. July 4, 1846.
   5. Maj. James S. Bean, b. June 24, 1825; m. in 1853, Caroline E. D. Spring; was major in an Illinois regiment in Civil war; residence, Aurora. Children:
      1. Susie S. Bean, b. July 24, 1855.
      2. Oscar B. Bean, b. Apr. 19, 1857.
   6. Charles H. Bean, b. June 14, 1827; m. Mary Staples in 1877; corporal in Civil war; now with brother Eli B. in store at Brownfield.
   7. Mary C. Bean, b. Jan. 18, 1830; d. Jan. 30, 1848.
   8. Sally C. Bean, b. Feb. 17, 1832; d. Sept. 16, 1857.
   9. Edwin F. Bean, b. Oct. 23, 1834; m. Marantha A. Mulloy, of Limington, Mar. 13, 1858, and settled on the Pacific coast, where he published a newspaper for many years. He has returned to his native town after an absence of about forty years, and is in the store with his brothers.
   10. Andrew C. Bean, b. Dec. 20, 1836; m. Mary A. Spring in 1861. He went to Buenos Ayres in 1857, where he was for many years a prominent and successful merchant, doing an extensive export business with the United States; was a man of marked business ability and unimpeachable integrity, and one of the most popular and influential of the foreign residents of Buenos Ayres. He had just been appointed Argentine Consul at Boston, when, June 6, 1886, he died suddenly at Brownfield.
   11. William H. H. Bean, b. Feb. 18, 1840; clerk and forage master in Union army during Civil war.
3. Nathaniel C. Bean, b. Dec. 26, 1794; m. Elizabeth Bangs, of Limington.
4. Eli Bean, b. Sept. 4, 1796; m. Eunice Strout, of Limington; d. Dec. 20, 18 19.
5. David Bean, b. July 5, 1798; d. Nov. 14, 1815; single.
6. Mary Bean, b. in 1800; m. .
7. Sally C. Bean, b. Mar. 23, 1802; m. Ivory Small; d. in Bangor.
8. Dea. Cotton Bean, b. Mar. 6, 1804; m. Mehitabel Brackett, of Limington; a prominent man in Limerick.
9. Hannah Bean, b. July 30, 1806; m. Sylvanus Bangs, of Limerick.
10. Eliza T. Bean, b. July 19, 1808; m. Wm. L. O’Brion, of Cornish.
11. Rev. Charles Bean, b. Jan. 3, 1811; m. Salome Drew, of Newfield. He was an able minister of the gospel in the Freewill Baptist church.
12. Sylvanus Bean, b. Jan. 3, 181 1; d. young; unmarried.
13. Ruhamah Bean, b. July 16, 1813; m. James Merrill, of Limerick.
14. Nancy Bean, b. Nov. 8, 1815; m. Sewall Small, of Limington, and is the only one living of the family.

Curtis Bean and wife Applia Merrill came to Brownfield from Poplin, N. H. (now Fremont), about 1775, and settled on what is now the Gibson farm, near Fryeburg line; said to have been a soldier in the French and Revolutionary wars; was a vigorous, industrious man who suffered many hardships; uneducated. He d. at the home of his son Dudley, Feb. 8, 1833, at the great age of 102 years. His wife d. Jan. 3, 1828, aged 89. These had nine children:

1. Joseph Bean, b. 1760; m. Sarah, dau. of David Evans, of Fryeburg, Oct. 14, 1788; she d. Aug., 1765. He m. a second time. Mr. Bean d. July 17, 1849, aged 89.
   Ten children:
   1. David Bean, b. in Fryeburg, July 9, 1789.
   2. Joseph Bean, b. Dec. 6, 1793.
   3. Ruth Bean, b. July 31, 1795.
   4. Timothy Bean, b. March 20, 1797.
   5. Nathaniel Bean, b. July 27, 1801; d. Feb. 17, 1827.
   6. Sally Bean, b. May 11, 1803; d. Jan. 3, 1829.
   7. Curtis Bean, b. May 14, 1805; d. July 31, 1826.
   8. Mary Bean, b. Nov. 6, 1806.
   9. Increase R. Bean, b. Aug. 3, 1808; d. in Lowell, Mass.
   10. Eliza Bean, b. Feb. 12, 1821; m. George Googins, of Saco.
2. Captain Thomas Bean, b. in Raymond, N. H., Jan. 3, 1767; m. Elizabeth Osgood, of Fryeburg, b. July 25, 1774, and had issue as follows:
   1. Jane Bean, b. in Porterfield, July 24, 1792.
   2. Susanna Bean, b. in Porterfield, July 26, 1793.
   3. Thomas Bean, b. in Porterfield, Dec. 30, 1794.
   4. James O. Bean, b. in Porterfield, Apr. 8, 1796; m. Elizabeth b. Apr. 11, 1795. He d. Dec. 24, 1864; his wife d. May 8, 1874, aged 79. He had issue as follows:
      1. Ann M. Bean, b. Aug. 6, 1822.
      2. James M. Bean, b. Oct. 23, 1823.
      3. Emily J. Bean, b. Feb. 18, 1825.
      4. Thomas K. Bean, b. Sept. 13, 1826.
   5. Samuel Bean, b. in Porterfield, Feb. 23, 1798; m. Sally Thoms, b. Oct. 8, 1794, and had issue:
      1. Mary A. Bean, b. Aug. 12, 1827;
      2. Horatio O. Bean, b. Oct. 19, 1830, d. Dec. 2, 1849.
   6. Henry Bean, b. in Brownfield, June 8, 1801; m. Martha Marstin, b. Sept. 8, 1818. He d. Mar. 16, 1861, aged 59. Wife d. Dec. 24, 1874, aged 59 yrs., 3 mos., 18 days. They had issue:
      1. Augustus Bean, b. June 8, 1836.
   7. Elizabeth Bean, b. in Brownfield, Jan. 7, 1804.
   8. Almira A. Bean, b. in Brownfield, July 23, 1807.
   9. Hazen Bean, b. in Brownfield, Mar. 7. 1809.
   10. Julia M. Bean, b. in Brownfield, Feb. 17, 1811.
   11. Albion Bean, b. in Brownfield, May 9, 1813.
   12. Rufus C. Bean, b. in Brownfield, Sept. 24, 1816.
3. Dudley Bean, b. Nov. 19, 1772; m. Polly Gibson, Dec. 10, 1801 (by Jos. Howard, Esq.) Wife b. Aug. 22, 1785.
   1. Alpheus Bean, b. Apr. 22, 1804.
   2. Lorana Bean, b. July 11, 1806.
   3. Charles W. Bean, b. Feb. 15, 1808; m. Sarah P. Johnson, b. Oct. 27, 1815, and had Charles E., b. Dec. 3, 1835.
   4. Sophrona Bean, b. Feb. 13, 1810.
   5. Jonathan G. Bean, b. May 2. 1812.
   6. Mary A. Bean, b. May 22, 1814.
   7. Sophrona Bean, b. July 21, 1816.
   8. Dudley Bean, b. July 24, 1818.
   9. Margaret Bean, b. Aug 21, 1820.
   10. Daniel G. Bean, b. Sept. 13, 1822.
   11. Andrew J. Bean, b. May 14, 1824.
   12. Sarah J. Bean, b. May 7, 1826.
   13. Frances E. Bean, b. May 9, 1828.
4. James Bean, b. in Brantree, July 25, 1775; m. Lois, dau. of Lieut. John Walker, of Fryeburg, b. Jan., 25, 1770, and had issue as follows:
   1. Apphia Bean, b. May 3, 1798; m. Silas C. Brown, May 23, 1830.
   2. Susanna Bean, b. Jan. 26, 1800.
   3. James Bean, b. Feb. 20, 1802.
   4. Benjamin Bean, b. Oct. 6, 1803.
5. Nathaniel Bean, b. Jan. 9, 1779; m. Betsey Harmon, b. June 17, 1799; d. Feb. 18, 1829. He m. second, Sally, b. in Gorham, May 23, 1793. Issue:
   1. Nathaniel Bean, b. Oct. 24, 1817; d. Sept. 12, 1818.
   2. Eliza A. Bean, b. Dec. 2, 1818.
   3. Richard H. Bean, b. Dec. 11, 1820; d. Jan. 8, 1821.
   4. Nathaniel M. Bean, b. Nov. 11, 1821.
   5. Richard H. Bean, b. Oct. 16, 1823; killed by cattle in Gorham.
   6. Priscilla Bean, b. June 11, 1824.
   7. Hiram Bean, b. Jan. 15, 1826.
   8. Melbina Bean, b. May 10, 1833.
   9. Mirabah Bean, b. Oct. 20, 1834.
   10. Ann R. Bean, b. Apr. 18, 1838.
6. Nathan Bean, m. Phebe Dutch, of Conway, N. H.
7. Hannah Bean, m. Stephen Lane, of Buxton, Me.
8. Polly Bean, m. George Rounds, of Brownfield.
9. Sally Bean, m. Moses Kilgore, of Bartlett, N. H.

Dea. Samuel Bean, b. in York, Me., Feb. 14, 1786; wife Sally, b. in York, Jan. 5, 1785; settled in Brownfield, and had issue as follows:

1. Asa Bean, b. Oct. 31, 1809, in York.
2. Moses Bean, b. Dec. 15, 1811, in York; d. Mar. 4, 1816.
3. Mary Bean, b. Feb. 27, 1813, in Brownfield.
4. Sally Bean, b. Oct. 28, 1814.
5. Anna Bean, b. July 15, 1816.
6. Hannah Bean, b. Nov. 10, 1818.
7. Salome Bean, b. Apr. 25, 182 i .
8. Samuel Bean, b. July 21, 1823.
9. Daniel Bean, b. Mar. 17, 1826.

1. Ebenezer Bane was killed in York by Indians in 1692.[↩]
2. Aroostook War[↩]