Chisholm, Duncan

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Battle:Battle of Dunbar in Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland
Ship/Arrival:Unity, Dec 1650
Prisoner and List:Duncan Chisholm #13 on “The Dunbar Prisoners” List1
Name Variations:Chisholm, Jessum, Jesson, Chessom, Chesson, Chessmore, Chismore, Chissimore, Chiesmore, Duncan, Donken, Donkim
Residences:Scarborough and York, Maine
Other SPOW Associations:
Every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy; please independently verify all data.

Published: 18 August 2018, Updated: 28 May 2021
Page contributors: Dr. Andrew Millard, Teresa Rust, Rosann Beauvais, Ray Dusek, Sandra Chesemore

IMPORTANT UPDATE! (March 2021)
According to Christopher Gerrard, Pam Graves, Andrew Millard, Richard Annis, and Anwen Caffell, in, Lost Lives, New Voices: Unlocking the Stories of the Scottish Soldiers at the Battle of Dunbar 1650, (England: Oxbow Books, 2018),2 on page 252, Duncan is categorized as:

Probable [that he is a Dunbar prisoner transported on the Unity]

Appears: 1667. D. aft.1669. Clearly a Scot but appears quite late. [Exiles; DR; SPOWS]34567

For explanations of the category, abbreviations and references see List of Dunbar prisoners from Lost Lives, New Voices.

First Generation in the New World

1. DUNCAN¹ CHISHOLM/CHESSMORE/CHISMORE, was presumably born in Scotland abt 1630 Died possibly in Scarborough, Maine abt. 1676. Married at Black Point, Scarborough, Maine by 1671, unknown (_____).8

Biographical Notes:
We believe Duncan Chisholm was from Inverness area of Scotland a Highlander, we have no information on how or where he was from 1650 to 1657 which he shows up in Scarborough, Maine in 1657 fined in court for fighting with a fellow Scott John McKenney they both had been drinking and fighting.9 Duncan showed up again in Court 4 July 1667, referred to as “Duncan Jesson,” and charged with being drunk and fighting and fighting with “John Maccham.” They were fined and admonished.10 There was a latter problem brought to the courts attention and in this case “Dunken Jesson” was allowed court costs for prosecution against a “Mr. Richard Collicot” actions, which are not made clear in this report.11 His occupation is listed as a fisherman and also states where he was living at, on land that was called Chessmore Hill near Black point. Duncan (Jessum) Chisholm (Chessmore) wife is unknown, married in 1671 at Black point, Scarborough, Maine. There is a report in the Mckenney family that Duncan is fined for fighting with fellow scot John MacKane (McKenney), this may have something to do with John Mackane backing an officer leading the settlers during the conflict. There was some strong discord with at officer in which Duncan may have been right considering it led to a Massacre. This is the incident referred to in “A DOLEFUL SLAUGHTER NEAR BLACK POINT” of the Scarborough townsmen who could have participated in The Battle at Moore’s Brook, Scarborough, Maine, June 29, 1677. We know were Duncan was in Oct 1676 because of were he was assigned to a Garrison House. That is were the records stop. Is it possible that Duncan and his wife had more than one child? I would yes, we do know that one child did survive the attack but these are mysteries that we’ll never get answers too.  I’m sure that Duncan’s son Daniel was taken by the survivors or maybe a member of the Wife family down into Massachusetts after the inhabitants abandon the village. [Provided by Ray Dusek]

Children of DUNCAN¹ and unknown (_____) CHISHOLM:
2. i. DANIEL² CHISHOLM/CHESSMORE/CHESMON (Duncan¹), b. in Black Point, Scarborough 1671; died in Bradford, Essex, 1743; m. in Newbury, Essex by 1694, CYPRIAN SAMPSON,12 dau. of John and Sarah (Pease) Sampson, b. in Beverly 13 Mar 1672;13 d. 1745.

Children of DANIEL² and CYPRIAN (SAMPSON) CHISHOLM:
3. i. MARY³ CHISMORE/CHESEMORE (Daniel², Duncan¹), b. 1691; d. 1750; m. in Newbury to John Cornish, (int. to m. 11 Aug 1716)14
3. ii. SARAH³ CHISEMORE (Daniel², Duncan¹), b. in Newbury 10 Sept 1694;15 d. 1792.
3. iii. ELIZABETH³ CHISMORE/CHESEMORE (Daniel², Duncan¹), b. in Newbury 30 Nov 1696;16 D. 1792.
3. iv. ABIGAIL³ CHISMORE/CHESMORE (Daniel², Duncan¹), b. in Newbury 15 May 1699;17 d. 1792; m. in Newbury to Daniel Rogers, (int. to m. 1 Dec 1721)14
3. v. JOSEPH³ CHISMORE/CHESMORE (Daniel², Duncan¹), b. 1701.
3. v. JACOB³ CHISMORE/CHESMORE (Daniel², Duncan¹), b. 1703; m. at Biddeford 26 Feb 1732, MARTHA SMITH.

TORREY’S NEW ENGLAND MARRIAGES LISTING THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN DUNCAN¹ CHISHOLM AND unknown (_____)8

Image showing the marriage of Duncan Chisholm
Duncan Chisholm marriage bef 1671 from Torrey’s New England marriages prior to 1700

CHISHOLM, CHESSEMORE REFERENCE FOR BOTH DUNCAN AND DANIEL FROM GENEALOGICAL DICTIONARY OF MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE18

Image showing the reference of Duncan Chisholm and Daniel Chesmore.
Reference to Duncan Chisholm/Chesmore and Daniel Chesmore/Chesemore

DUNCAN CHISHOLM, CHESSEMORE IN THE GENEALOGICAL DICTIONARY OF MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE18

Mention of Duncan Chisholm from page 141 of GDMNH
Duncan Chisholm reference from Noyes, Sibyl, et al. Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012, pg 141.

YORK COUNTY DEEDS, 1735, DANIEL CHESMORE SELLS “THE DWELLING OF DOWNCAN CHESMOARE FORMALLY OF SCARBOROUGH”19

York County Deed Book 17, page 351
Daniel Chiesmore sale of Downcan Chesmoare land in Scarborough, York County Deeds Book 17 p351

 

York County Deeds Book 17 page 352
Daniel Chiesmore sale of Downcan Chesmoare land in Scarborough, York County Deeds Book 17 p352

TORREY’S NEW ENGLAND MARRIAGES LISTING THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN DANIEL² CHISHOLM AND CYPRIAN SAMPSON 12

Marriage of Daniel Chisholm/Chesemore
Daniel Chesemore/Chisholm marriage before 1694 Torrey’s New England marriages prior to 1700

Sources and Information:

WikiTree collaboration for Daniel, son of Duncan Chisholm/Chesmore – https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Chezemone-1

FamilySearch collaboration for Duncan Chisholm/Chesmore – https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L1XB-4GS

History which includes Black Point attacks – The Battle at Moore’s Brook, Scarborough, Maine, June 29, 1677 by Sumner Hunnewell

For additional help, please go to the:
Descendants and Researchers List and the Facebook Group.
(Our small website team is unable to help with further research.)

  1. Stewart, George Sawin. The Bartlett Collection. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts. /george-sawin-stewart-documents/ [↩]
  2. Gerrard, Christopher M.., et al. Lost Lives, New Voices: Unlocking the Stories of the Scottish Soldiers at the Battle of Dunbar 1650. Oxbow Books, 2018, p. 252. [↩]
  3. Stackpole, Everett Schermerhorn. Scotch Exiles in New England. 1922. Coll. 733 & 831, Collections of the Maine Historical Society, Portland ME. [↩]
  4. Rapaport, Diane. Working List of Early New England Scots. 2015. [↩]
  5. Stewart, George Sawin. The Bartlett Collection. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts. /george-sawin-stewart-documents/ [↩]
  6. “Dunbar Prisoners of War Profiles.” The Scottish Prisoners of War Society, Teresa Rust, 18 Feb. 2019, scottishprisonersofwar.com/battle_of_dunbar_pows_america/. [↩]
  7. Gerrard, Christopher M.., et al. Lost Lives, New Voices: Unlocking the Stories of the Scottish Soldiers at the Battle of Dunbar 1650. Oxbow Books, 2018. Appendix B, p. 257-284. [↩]
  8. New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/rd/21174/312/426880589 [↩] [↩]
  9. Province and Court Records of Maine Vol. I-II. ed. Charles Thornton Libby. Portland, ME: Maine Historical Society, 1928-1931. [↩]
  10. Province and Court Records of Maine Vol. II. ed. Charles Thornton Libby. Portland, ME: Maine Historical Soceity, 1928-1931, pg. 81, 85. [↩]
  11. Province and Court Records of Maine Vol. I. ed. Charles Thornton Libby. Portland, ME: Maine Historical Society, 1928-1931, pg. 327. [↩]
  12. New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/rd/21174/311/426880588 [↩] [↩]
  13. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1621-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/rd/7658/289/141377140 [↩]
  14. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1621-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/rd/7769/100/141719549 [↩] [↩]
  15. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1621-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/i/7768/102/22282435 [↩]
  16. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1621-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/rd/7768/101/141700263 [↩]
  17. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1621-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/rd/7768/101/141700263 [↩]
  18. Noyes, Sibyl, et al. Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012, pg 141. [↩] [↩]
  19. York County (Me.). Register of Deeds. York Deeds, Book XVII, 1733-1735. Portland : Brown Thurston Company, 1892, Internet Archives, https://archive.org/stream/yorkdeeds17inmain. [↩]