600
REDLONS OF BUXTON, MAINE.
letter from Sewall Hutchinson, a grandson of David Redlon, now before
me, he writes: "David Ridley married Mary Lane, and never had any
other wife; she survived him many years and died at the age of ninety-six."
He had three children, all born and married in Buxton, as appears by the
records of the town and church there. There were no children born
afterwards. Who, then, were the "Hannah Ridley" and "Hannah
Palmer" mentioned in the Pension Records as "the immediate members
of his family" in 1832? There is some obscurity enshrouding the history
of this man in his last days. He was of medium height, heavy built
(weighing about one hundred and eighty pounds), very erect, and had
light hair, gray eyes, bald crown, and long, outstanding brows. His hair
turned white when he was in middle life. He was very eccentric and loved
ardent spirits when young; when under the influence of drink sometimes
became quarrelsome and combative. Some of the old Ridlons of Hollis
remember him as he visited their father's homes when they were children,
and talked over his adventures in the war of the Revolution. He was
ready for any bacchanalian enjoyment, and said to be a "high-flyer."
Ebenezer Redlon³ (2), second son of Ebenezer² (1), was born in Nar-
raganset township No. 1, now Buxton, Me., County of York, Nov. 4,
1757; married Feb. 17, 1780, Sarah, daughter of Issac Hancock,* of Bux-
ton, and settled on a farm near the Duck Pond in the latter town. He
was a shoe-maker by trade, and is said to have served his time with his
uncle, Matthias Redlon, while he lived in town. He was a soldier of the
Revolution in the company of Capt. Jabez Lane, and in the Sixth Mas-
sachusetts Regiment, under Col. Thomas Nixon; was at Boston, Cam-
bridge, Connecticut, Long Island, and with the Northern Department of
the Colonial Army, at Ticonderoga, and West Point under Gen. Alexan-
der McDougall. In the book of accounts kept with his company by
Captain Lane Ebenezer Ridley" is charged with one "shurt."
Redlon developed many of the eccentricities so common in the family.
He was once in a store at Salmon Falls on a rainy day, where many of
the farmers had gathered, as was then a custom on such days, -
among them some of the members of Parson Coffin's society, profession-
ally very pious people. In those days the grog flowed freely and church.
members did not abstain, when they could frame an excuse for drinking.
On this occasion one drank because he had a "bad cold"; another for a
"pain in his back"; another for "rheumatism." Ebenezer understood
their hypocrisy, and when all had taken a drink he walked to the counter
and said, "Nothin' ails me, but I want a glass of grog because I love it."
At one time Parson Coffin reprimanded "Uncle Ned" because he did not
attend church, and demanded a reason. The rough old fellow looked the
parson in the eye, and putting on a serious expression, replied, "I haven't
any sixpenny to get me a Sabba-day-hock at Marm Garland's." This wo-
man then kept a tavern near the parson's church, and between the servi-
ces, while the preacher was at dinner, some of the church-members would
go there and take their drinks, which they called "Sabba-day-hocks."
He was not tall, but well-formed; his shoulders were square in early life,
but considerably stooping in later years; his hair was brown, eyes gray,
brows long, thick, and outstanding; his features coarse, and cheeks flushed.
Mr.
* She was aunt to Mercy Hancock, who married Isaac Ridlon, of Baldwin
(widow of Joseph Ridlon), and Hannah Hancock, sister of Mercy, who married
Nicholas Ridlon, of Hollis, who died in Casco, Me.
