From Submitter of this story, Dee Estrella:  It is important to gather as much genealogical information and do thorough research to find the true stories of our ancestors.  My sincere thanks to D.G. Weymouth for sharing his detailed and well-researched information about Francis Littlefield (the older of Edmund's two sons, whom both had the first name of Francis.)  It certainly straightened me out, especially about the story of the older Francis disappearing at 6 years of age and then returning later, which made no sense to me all.  This website can be found at:  www.weymouthtech.com/Genealogy/ps47/ps47_129.htm

The following is from the website of D.G. Weymouth about Francis Littlefield Sr., his wives and children:

Notes for Francis LITTLEFIELD Sr."The Wells Family"; by D.W. Norris
"The Littlefield Family"; by F.E. Littlefield "Wells, the Frontier Town of Me."; by E.G. Perkins, 1971
"N.E. Marriages Prior to 1700"; by C.A. Torrey (NSA) "Wells, the Frontier Town of Me."; by E.G. Perkins, 1971
"The Wells Family"; by D.W. Norris (NSA) "Gen. Dict. of Me. & N.H."; by Libby, Noyes and Davis "Wells, the Frontier Town of Me."; by E.G. Perkins971, 1

LITTLEFIELD Gen p2
Freeman 5 Jul 1653,Wells NEHGReg v3p193

Littlefield Family Newsletter, Vol 4-10:
Know all men, that I, John smith, of charlstown, have solde
and doe heare by confirme unto francise litlefeild one dwelling
house, with all the land belonging there unto, now setewate in
charlstown which land is bownded up on the north west up waping
creeke, on the south east by charlstown river, and also all the
timber and bords there to belonging, all which house and land
and timber the forsaid John Smith, with Sarah, his wife, doe sell
and have sold unto francis littellfeild, and doe heare by give up
all our right and interest unto the aforsaid francis and his
aires for ever, as a bill of salle under our hands, datted the
22 the 5 mo., 1653, testifieth.

Samuell Adams, Clarke.

Source: Charlestown (Mass.) Land Records. City Document No. 39.
page 128.

The grantee in the above document is Francis Littlefield, Sr.
(Edmund), and although he was in Wells, Me. in the 1650's he
seems to have been wheeling and dealing in several areas. This
is also the source for the statement in NLD that Francis,Sr.,
bought a house in Charlestown in 1653. This deed does not mention
a wife (who would have been Rebecca) so possibly her family
lived in Charlestown.

Our thanks to John A. Richardson for this deed record.

Known as Francis Senior (Sr.) and his younger brother is Francis Jr.

Littlefield Family Newsletter, 5-17,18:

FRANCIS LITTLEFIELD THE ELDER


Francis Littlefield the Elder (hereafter Francis Sr.) was
bp. in Titchfield, Hampshire, England on 17 June 1619. His
parents were Edmund and Annis/Anne/Agnes (Austin) Littlefield.

It is very evident that Francis left Titchfield with his
father before February of 1636 at which time Edmund had "absented
himself." [1-1 It is likely that Edmund, Francis Sr. and
Anthony Littlefield emigrated to America c. 1637. They are first
seen in Boston, Massachusetts. Edmund left Boston and went to
Exeter, New Hampshire. Francis followed his father to Wells from
these places, but was was also in Woburn, Charlestown, and
Ipswich, Massachusetts, and in Dover, New Hampshire, before
settling in Wells.

There is no basis for the local lore that Francis was some-
how separated from his family. That much-romanticized story
evolved from a historian's attempt to explain Edmund having two
sons with the same name. Charles Thornton Libby [2.1 suggested
that this situation came about as a result of the custom of
letting the godfather select the infant's name. Using the LDS
IGI files [see Austin] we learn that Annis Austin had a brother
Francis Austin who died young. The most likely scenario is that
Francis Jr. who was bp. in Titchfield 24 March 1635/6, (after his
father "absented himself") was named in memory of his maternal
uncle, whereas Francis Sr. had been named for the paternal side
of the family. C. T. Libby's suggestion applies well to this
theory.

Francis Littlefield Sr.'s original grant (1643) was situated
in Wells, crossing both sides of Route #1. [3.1 The First Church
of Wells (the Congregational Church) was erected on this lot c.
1702. [4.1 This lot was adjacent to Edmund Littlefield's grant
at the Webhannet Falls. By deed research it appears that Francis
sold this lot, and then received another grant a short distance
southwesterly of his original lot. The second site is adjacent to
the junction of Route 9-B and Route #1. Dependence, son of
Francis Sr. lived there, as proven by the division of his estate.
Also on this lot [at Willow Tree Restaurant] is an ancient burial
ground, now almost obliterated, upon which are buried (besides
some descendants of Dependence): Josiah Littlefield and Joseph
Hammond, who were not descendants, and who did not live adjacent
to the lot, but were original founders of the First Church.
Is it just a coincidence that the First Church and the original
church burial ground are situated on Francis Sr.'s lands?

Francis Littlefield Sr. married (1) Jane Hill who died in
Woburn 20 December 1646; they had one child: Mary, born Woburn,
in 1646. He married (2) Rebecca [surname unknown). There is no
basis for Banks' statement that she was Rebecca Rust or Rusk. No
such person existed. The date of birth of Rebecca is given in
the First Book of Records for the town of Wells (the book is in
the possession of the Kennebunk Town Clerk) i.e. "born 31 January
1630." In the same record will be found the birth dates of
the first seven children of Francis Sr. and Rebecca, i.e. Sara,
Hanneth, Deliverance, James, Isaac, Abigell and Dorcas. Their
dates of birth range between 1649 and 1664. After 1664 were born
Phoebe, Daniel, Dependence and Rachel. Francis Sr. married (3)
Mrs. Mary (Wade) Symonds. No children by the last wife.

[1.) The Complaint of Stephen March, Vol. II of English
Origins of New England Families From the NEHGR

[2.) Noyes, Libby & Davis, The Genealogical Dictionary of
Maine and New Hampshire

[3.) The original grants in Wells were laid out beginning
at the sea, and ran north westerly for 2 and 1/2 miles
into the country, crossing the main road, now US Rte 1

[4.) The present Meeting House of the Historical Society
of Wells and Ogunquit is situated on the first (1643)
lot laid out to Francis Sr. This same lot is the
site of the First Church of Wells erected c. 1702.

This article was written by Dorothy A. Seaman for the files
of the "Piscataqua Pioneers." This organization is compiling
brief biographies on early pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire.

He mved around a lot owned 50 acres of land Wells 1643, taxed in Woband, Ma 1646, Dover, Nh. 1648, backin Wells, bought a house in Charlestown, Ma 1653 Rep. From Yk Wells through the 1600s. Grand jury and Co. Treas. same period, Innholder, Ispwich,Ma.1670, Licenced at Wells 1700/2. Deede971Notes for Jane (Spouse 1)Wells-Perkins

Gen Dict ME & NH p438

Gen Dict of NE-Savage p418

Hist Boston & E.Mass,-Cutter p1259

"It is clear that she is Ralph Hill's oldest dau born in England" NEHGRNotes for Rebecca (Spouse 2)!BIRTH: "Gen. Dict. of Me. & N.H."; by Libby, Noyes and Davis "The Littlefield Family"; by F.E. Littlefield "N.E. Marriages Prior to 1700"; by C.A. Torrey (NSA) (Year only)
!DEATH: "N.E. Marriages Prior to 1700"; by C.A. Torrey (NSA)Last Modified 24 Jun 2002Created 6 Jan 2007 by EasyTree for Windows