| Notes |
- While Jacob and Content Hamblen were buried in this cemetery, the land for which he had donated to the town, their original markers are no longer present. This stone, the largest in the cemetery, is likely a late 19th century replacement by descendants. In the mid-19th century Jacob's original marker stood near the northeast corner of the cemetery. It read "In memory of Mr. Jacob Hamblen, who Died June 3rd 1774, Aged 72 Yrs." Content married one James Miller after Jacob's death and it is possible that she was buried with him though neither of their stones is now present. Jacob was among the founders of Gorham. He was living there by 1743 and remained throughout the Indian War of 1745. He kept a tavern and "house of entertainment" from 1757 until the time of his death in 1774.
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The following is recorded about Content (Hamblen) (Hamblen) Miller in McLellan's 1903 "History of Gorham," pp. 533-534:
"Mrs Hamblen in her day was a famous comber of wool for the purpose of making worsted. Few of the present generation have ever seen this operation of combing wool on the old-fashioned ketchel, or flax comb, laying the fibers all one way, straight and smooth, and winding it into balls in order to spin it on the small, or flax wheel, into very fine thread. In an old account book we find Mrs. Hamblen has credit for combing worsted, five shillings, and for one cabbage plants, two shillings. At this time there were no factories, and imported cloth was rare and expensive. Every household was expected to manufacture its own cloth and clothing, and the lady who came to the possession of a worsted gown, colored with dye made from the bark of trees or roots of the forest, and manufactured by her own hand, had a treasure of which she was deservedly proud, and was thought to be well dressed. In our notices of the early settlers of Gorham it is possible we may sometimes not do them justice in relation to their religion and piety. In those days matters of neglect and dereliction were subject to penalties of the civil law, and we fear sometimes conscience had but little to do in those matters. But in speaking of old Mrs. Content, the wife of Mr. Jacob Hamblen, from what we have heard of the old lady we are inclined to believe her conscientious in some things. She made it strictly the rule of her house, for herself and every member of her family, to attend all the meetings on the Sabbath day, or keep close within doors. Fast and feast days were rigidly observed according to law and the ordinances of the church. No person within her house was allowed to eat a morsel of food on fast days between early morning and evening, if she could prevent it. Even the cattle within her barns had to come under the rule; they were fed the night before, and allowed no more till the day had passed, and consequently were allowed an abundance of feed on Thanksgiving day. Whether the old lady was one of those who believed that all dumb animals would be found on their knees at twelve o'clock on Christmas eve, in thanksgiving for the birth of the Savior, we cannot say; nevertheless it was once the current belief of the day, and some there be at this time who are unwilling to give it up. Of the children of Jacob and Content Hamblen, there is no record. They had two sons, Joseph and Daniel. Tabitha, who married Samuel Crocket, Jr, of Gorham (published Feb. 2, 1771), is believed to have been their daughter. Mrs. Content Hamblen, the widow of Jacob, married, Mar. 1, 1780, Mr. James Miller, from Cape Elizabeth. She lived with her husband Miller, in a house which stood in the Alexander McLellan garden, directly back of what is now the Joseph Ridlon store. In an old record kept by the Rev. Caleb Jewett, we find that "Mr. Miller died May 16, 1787." After his death Mrs. Miller lived alone in her house for several years, and was held as a fortune teller. She was often visited by the young people to learn their future destiny. Of her decease there is no record, but we conclude that she died about the year 1790, certainly before 1800."
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Old Dead Relatives
1707 - Abt 1790 (82 years)
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