Captain Joseph Dingley (1727-1806)
On his grave:
This stone house of the dead shall ope,
And all that sleep in dust shall wake.
Weep, the archangel's trump shall shake
The deep foundations of the earth
In the Casco/Raymond area of Maine, most locals have heard the folklore about Captain Joseph Dingley His name can still be seen around Casco, Maine. My grandfather was named Robert Dingley Chute. There is currently a vegetable stand and ice cream place on Watkins flats and a boat and kayak rental business on the Causeway in Naples called Captain Dingley's. We call our ancestor "Captain" Joseph Dingley.
Joseph
Dingley, born in Duxbury, MA, was one of the early settlers of Raymond, Maine.
Casco was part of Raymond until 1841.
Sawmill Beginnings
The
town of Raymond was first settled in 1770 by Captain Joseph Dingley and
Dominicus Jordan (story below).
Chris
White in his blog writes:
Dingley immediately set about building
his business and homestead. In 1771 he proposed to build a sawmill and a
gristmill if the proprietors would provide a millstone and another 100 acres of
land, which they agreed to. The homestead stands to this day. Interest in
settling the area was interrupted by the American Revolution.
The
Chutes, descendants of Dingley, operated many saw mills in the area for several
generations (Chute Lumber, Lake Region Lumber, Red Mill).
War Effort Calls
The
settlement and expansion in Raymond/S. Casco was interrupted by the American
Revolution. I have been unable to find information on where Dingley served or
what battles he was involved in. Many sources verify his regiment. Chris
White's blog records:
Joseph Dingley was made Captain of the Cumberland
Militia in 1777 (5th
company, 4th Cumberland County, Massachusetts regiment). Raymond was far from the
battlefields of the War, but the regiment provided men to the Continental Army.
Back in Duxbury Dingley’s brother Jacob served in Colonel Cotton’s Regiment. He
was captured by the British while performing sentry duty, but was released
after questioning. Another brother, Abner, served as a private in the 2nd Duxbury Company.
Dingley and Jordan: The Story We Have Been Told
I was in
the 7th grade the first time I heard the story of Dingley and Jordan. I needed
to write a story for school and my father gave me the details. Here is a
summary of what I have heard over the years:
He and another New Englander, Dominicus Jordan, set
out for Raymondtown at the same time, although I am not sure if they were
competing or collaborating.5 They arrived together,
across the lake from their destination, too late in the day to finish the
journey. Early the next morning Dingley sneaked out of camp and took the only
boat to cross alone and claim the prize. I assume this did little to harm their
relationship as the two continued to collaborate on projects that included
re-surveying the town and dealing with the proprietors. Some years later they
were again competitors for a prize when, at an Inn where they had stopped for
lunch, Dingley slipped some silverware into Jordan’s coat pocket. He promptly
informed the staff of the ‘theft’ causing Jordan to be detained while he rode
off to claim his reward. It is a shame I have not been able to find any record
of Dominicus’ revenge on his friend, as it seems likely there would have been!
At any rate Dingley’s granddaughter Kezia married Jordan’s grandson
Dominicus in 1824, a sign there was no lasting friction between the families.
His mischief was not confined to Dominicus. Dingley set a bear trap to
catch the thief stealing from his corn crib. Early in the morning upon
seeing that his son-in-law was caught he went about his usual chores for
some hours before pretending to discover and release Peter Staples.
The Dingley homestead.
A local road bares Dingley's name.
A business
in Naples has this picture of Captain Dingley. Taking artistic license, they show him as a lobsterman/pirate with a peg
leg and eye patch.
For More information:
History of Raymond, Maine. (n.d.). Retrieved July 04, 2014, from http://history.rays-place.com/me/raymond-me.htm
Lineage Book - National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. (n.d.). Retrieved July 04, 2014, from http://books.google.com/books?id=XXUZAQAAIAAJ&lpg=PA17&ots=X929_71_td&dq=Captain joseph dingley&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=Captain joseph dingley&f=false
Raymond, Maine. (2014, January 07). Retrieved July 04, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond,_Maine
Joseph was my ancestor as well. My Mother's maiden name is indeed Dingley.
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