Kittery Court at Kingswear in Devon, England gave its name to the town of Kittery, Maine after Alexander Shapleigh left the Devon manor to found a settlement there. (The original manor house was rebuilt in 1760, but was burned down in 2007.) First settled by the British about 1623, Kittery was incorporated in 1647, and is reputed to be the oldest town in the state. Shapleigh, a merchant, shipbuilder, and owner of vessels engaged in extensive commerce in Europe and in the New World. He arrived to stay in 1635 aboard the ship Benediction, which he co-owned with another prominent settler, Captain Francis Champernowne, a cousin of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, lord proprietor of Maine. Together with the Pepperrell family, they established fisheries offshore at the Isles of Shoals, where fish were caught, salted, and exported back to Europe. Other pioneers were hunters, trappers, and foresters. The settlement at the mouth of the Piscataqua River just north of the border with New Hampshire was protected by Fort McClary.

The family tree below, down to and including the fourth generation, is that given by in 1903 by Everett Stackpole in Old Kittery and her Familes – though I have slightly augmented it with additional dates from family resources. I have added, in the same format, the details for the fifth and subsequent generations provided to me by a couple of family descendants as well as found on the web. I have not (yet?) made any attempt to complete the tree with other family descendants. Corrections and updates will be gratefully received! See also brief details in Frost Genealogy in Five Families by Norman Seaver Frost published by the Frost Family Association in 1926.

Alexander Raitt, a Scotchman, born about 1722, came to Kittery about 1745 and married, 2 Oct. 1747, Miriam, widow of Eliot Frost and dau. of Hon. John Frost of New Castle, N. H. He was a mariner and died in the West Indies in 1776. His widow, born on 8 Oct. 1722, died 3 June 1807. Their children were:

     Alexander b. 15 Feb. 1749, 1st Parish Kittery; d. 9 Sept. 1751, Kittery.

     James Straten b. 28 Aug. 1751, 1st Parish Kittery; d. s. p. 28 Feb. 1776. Unm.

1.      William b. 22 April 1753, Kittery; m. Sarah Leighton, 16 Dec 1773; d 8 Sep 1834, Eliot.

2.      John b. 20 Feb. 1755, Kittery; m. Sally (Sarah) Goodwin, 17 Nov 1791;d 6 Oct 1830     

     Andrew b. 31 Jan. 1757, Kittery; d. s. p. 27 May 1791, Kittery.

     Mary b. 16 Jan. 1761, Kittery; m. Reuben Ferguson 18 Feb. 1779 (or 18 May 1791).

     Miriam b. 29 June 1762, Kittery; m. (1) William Ferguson 27 Nov. 1781. (2) Benjamin Gerrish 23 Dec.                        1788; d 7 Jan 1832

1. William, son of Alexander and Miriam (Frost) Raitt, married, 16 Dec. 1773, Sarah, dau. of Deacon William Leighton. He died 8 Sept. 1834. She died 27 Feb. 1828 aged 74. Children were:

     Isabella b. 21 June 1774, Kittery; d 9 Apr 1830; m. William Shapleigh, her cousin, 14 Sept. 1794 in Lebanon, ME

     Elizabeth b. 16 Nov. 1777, Kittery; m. Samuel Shorey 27 Oct. 1793 in S. Berwick, ME; d. 29 March 1799.

     James b. 4 April 1779, Kittery.

     Mary b. 27 Sept. 1781, Kittery; m. James Jenkins 16 Nov. 1800; d. 20 Feb. 1816.

3.      John b. 16 July 1784, Kittery; m. Anna Marsh, 6 Apr 1815; d 23 Aug 1860, Eliot

     William b. 22 Jan. 1787, Kittery; m. 1815, Bathsheba Chandler of Saco. He lived in Saco and died 5 Nov. 1868 and was buried in Eliot

     Miriam b. 25 Oct. 1789, Kittery; d 25 Aug 1847, m. Mark Remick 10 Aug. 1812.

     George b. 1 July 1792, Kittery; m. Eliza Hamilton 2 Oct. 1820; d. 29 Nov. 1859. Ch., Oliver, Elizabeth and George W.

     Olive b. 2 Feb. 1795, Kittery; m. William Odiorne 15 June 1822, (2) Joseph Emery, 1831. She died 12 Nov. 1866.

2. John Raitt married, 17 Nov. 1791, Sally (Sarah), dau. of Daniel and Sarah (Hobbs) Goodwin. He died 6 Oct. 1830. She was born 9 Dec 1771 in Kittery and died 19 Oct. 1852 in Eliot. Children were:

     Alexander b. 24 Jan. 1793; d. 1848 in Eliot; m. Sarah A. Hill of Wolfeboro, N. H. Ch., Thomas and Alexander.

     Daniel b. 19 Nov. 1794; m. Elizabeth Nestle; d. 20 May 1874. A dau. Lizzie m. John Neal of Eliot.

     Sally (Sarah) b. 23 Aug. 1796: pub. to Francis Frost 24 Sept. 1837; d. 8 Oct. 1876.

4.      James b. 28 Nov. 1798; m. Betsey S. Tobey of York.

5.      John b. 22 Feb. 1801 ; m. Betsey Ferguson.

     Miriam b. 20 Jan. 1803 ; m. 9 Jan. 1828, John Field ; d. 20 Dec. 1879.

     Thomas b. 10 June 1805 ; d. 19 June 1810.

     Abigail A. b. 22 April 1807; m. 9 Dec. 1829, Nathaniel H. Goodwin; d. 8 Feb. 1877.

     Jefferson, or Jeremiah b. 6 Feb. 1810; d. 10 May 1824.

     Thomas b. 22 March 1812; d. 1857 in Ohio. Unm.

     Betsey G. b. 3 June 1817 ; in. Joshua Frost ; d. 1856.

THIRD GENERATION

3. John, son of William and Sarah (Leighton) Raitt, married, 6 April 1815, Anna Marsh of Brentwood, N. H. He d. 28 Aug. 1860 aged 74. She d. 4 Nov. 1869, aged 73 years 8 months 16 days. Children (all born in Eliot, York Co., ME) were:

     Oliva (Eliza) b. 16 Feb. 1816; m. Daniel Furbish, 15 Feb 1905.

6.      Gilman b. 28 July 1818: m. Mary Nason.

     John b. 15 Sept. 1820; m. Harriet Gale. Lived in Brooklyn, N. Y. Ch., Eugene, Harriet, John F., Mary E., and George W.

     Sarah b. 15 Oct. 1822; m. 14 Jan. 1846, Bradbury P. Nutter, (2) Jonathan Ambrose Clough, 1 Sept. 1853.

7.      William b. 23 Nov. 1825; d. 15 May 1885, Eliot; m. Louisa Frost, 29 Sept 1847.

8.      Henry M. b. 1 Nov. 1833; m Sarah Jane Nason, 6 Sept 1853.

     Isabella b. 23 Sept. 1837; m. Parker Carleton.

4. James, son of John and Sally (Goodwin) Raitt, married Betsey S. Tobey of York. Int. Rec. 10 Aug. 1821. She was born 22 Sept. 1802. He was a blacksmith and lived in Portsmouth, N. H. He died 11 July 1869. Children were:

     Daniel G. b. 8 July 1822.

     Jeremiah b. 3 April 1824.

     James b. 28 March 1826; d. 9 May 1826.

     Sarah E. b. 21 Oct. 1827.

     Stephen T. b. 25 Oct. 1829.

     Caroline D. b. 2 Nov. 1832; d. 18 Feb. 1874.

     Armine D. twin to Caroline, d. 28 June 1867.

     James W. b. 2 Nov. 1835.

     John B. b. 7 March 1838.

     George K. b. 23 April 1841.

5. John Raitt married, Aug. 1823, Betsey, dau. of Dennis and Amy ( Fairfield) Ferguson. He died 29 Aug. 1863. She died 8 Nov. 1859, aged 56.

Children were:

     Jefferson b. 8 Nov. 1824; m. (1) 26 Nov. 1849, Isabel, dau. of James

and Isabel S. (Tobey) Knowlton, (2) 30 June 1858 Olivia S. Emery of Eliot, who d. 7 Nov. 1860, (3) 25 Sept. 1861. Sarah H. Ferguson of Eliot. He died 31 Tan. 1875, aged 51 years, 3 mos. Children by first marriage: Cyrus Melville b. 13 May 1851 d. 19 Aug. 1891; Mary Elizabeth b. 18 Oct. 1853 m. June 1877, Daniel Leavitt of York; Isabel K. b. 30 May 1856 m. Charles F. Paddock of Newton, Mass. Children by third marriage; Edward Irving b. n Nov. 1862 d. 31 Aug. 1864; Annie Edna b. 6 March 1866, died 28 Jan 1963 age 96.

     James M. b. 17 Jan. 1826; m. (1) Margaret Munroe of Bristol, Me., and has ch., Charles and Jane who died young, and Margaret who m. (1) Fred Dexter, (2) George Heard of Alton Bay, N. H. ; James m. (2) Mrs. Nancy Munroe Cutler.

     John Fairfield b. 2 June 1841 : m. 1 Nov. 1862 Susan A. M. Lord b. 30 Aug. 1838. Ch., Edith Morton b. 3 Feb. 1866: Mabel Altine b. 21 May 1867 m. 30 May 1888, Irvin Edgar Goodwin.

     Clementine b. 10 May 1830; d. 10 Jan 1911; m. 30 Dec. 1855 Sylvester Bartlett. Ch. Elizabeth Mehitable, born Sept. 21, 1857; John Howard, b 29 Oct 1860, d 5 Feb 1863; Charles Edward, born Jan. 19, 1863; Ralph Sylvester, born April 29, 1868; Rolla Willis, born Sept. 2, 1869; Grace Isabel, b 14 Feb 1871, d 28 April 1874.  

         Eilzabeth b. 18 Sept. 1833; d. 24 July 1853.

FOURTH GENERATION.

6. Gilman Raitt married, 2 Nov. 1843, Mary, dau. of William and Sarah (Wilkinson) Nason. Children were: John W. b. 4 Aug. 1844 ; m. Abbie J. Orne. No children; Matilda C. b. 11 Feb. 1849; m. Percival B. Downing; Nellie M. b. 14 Aug. 1862; George W. died 16 March 1870.

7. William, son of John and Anna (Marsh) Raitt, married, 29 Sept. 1847, Louisa, dau. of John and Mary Ann (Seavey) Frost. (John died 6 Aug 1895 aged 93; Mary Ann died 29 Nov 1876 aged 65). William died 15 May 1885, aged 57 years 7 months and is buried in Eliot, ME. Anna was born 11 March 1830 in Eliot and died there 7 Sept. 1914. Children were:

     William Frank b. 27 Aug. 1848, Eliot, York Co., ME; d 1926; m. (1) Caroline Gage, (2) Imogene Stanton; (3) Annie A Foye 11 Oct 1906 (Annie was born in 1863 and died 1944 and is buried at Kittery Point, York Co. ME). Ch.. Frederick and Lillian G.

     Charles Andrew b. 3 Feb. 1851, Eliot, York Co., ME; m. Caroline Luella Frye, 21 Sept. 1880; d 28 Sept 1927, Bolt Hill, East Eliot. Ch., Arthur G., Cora E., George W., Marion L., Charles C., Norman J., Roland F., and Florence E.

     John F. b. 4 Feb. 1854, Eliot, York Co., ME; m. Sarah Newton; d Dover, NH. Ch., Bertha N. and Edna G.

     Ida Anna b. 24 Nov. 1856, Eliot, York Co., ME; d. 8 June 1863.

     Cora E. b. 14 Dec. 1859, Eliot, York Co., ME; d. 27 March 1875.

     Andrew E. b. 11 Oct. 1862, Eliot, York Co., ME; d. 16 June 1865.

     Josephine Mary b. 18 May 1864, Eliot, York Co., ME; m. George Howe of Boston, Mass; d 9 Oct 1949

     Sarah Belle b. 18 April 1867, Eliot, York Co., ME; d. 28 March 1875.

     Wilber b. 22 Dec. 1874, Eliot, York Co., ME; d. 31 March 1875.

8. Henry M., son of John and Anna (Marsh) Raitt, married, 6 Sept. 1853, Sarah Jane, dau. of Robert and Hannah (Chick) Nason. Children were: Laura H. b. 31 July 1857; Willard E. b. 5 Oct. 1859; m. Mary Rogers; Lillian M. b. 9 April 1863; Annie M.. b. 11 Nov. 1866.

FIFTH GENERATION

Charles Andrew, son of William Raitt and Louisa Frost, born 3 Feb. 1851, Eliot, York Co., ME; married Caroline (Carrie) Luella Frye, 21 Sept. 1880; died 28 Sept 1927 at Rochester Fairground, buried at Bolt Hill, East Eliot. (Carrie was born 3 June 1863 in Eliot and died 27 December 1936 at the Raitt Homestead in Eliot. Her father was Joshua Lang Frye, a farmer and brickmaker and her mother was Mary Ellen Brooke.)

Children (all born in Eliot, York Co., ME) were:

     Arthur Garfield b. 6 Feb 1881; d. 6 June 1957; m. Susie Shephard, 1 Jan 1907

     Cora Etta b. 16 Sept 1883; d. 5 May 1961; m. Earle Arnold Hurd, 19 Mar 1917

     George William b. 14 May 1885; d. 22 Dec 1945; m. Elizabeth Hale, 30 Aug 1921

     Marion Luella b. 23 May 1888; d. 10 Oct 1915; m. Raymond Wood Andrews, 17 June 1914

     Charles Clinton b. 4 Jan 1891; d. 6 May 1965; m. Alice M. Burchill, 21 Oct 1918. Ch. Deane E. b 1920; Harley R. b 1922.

     Norman Joshua b. 18 Apr 1894; d. 27 Apr 1965; m. (1) Blanche Cassidy,  20 Oct 1918; (2) Blanche Roberts 2 Jul 1927

     Roland Albert b. 19 Sept 1896; d. 27 Oct 1962; m. Irma Celia Spinney, 28 Oct 1925 (Irma was born 3 Aug 1899 and died Dec 1982 in Eliot, ME)

     Florence Ellen b. 15 Mar 1898; d. 3 July 1967; m. Vincent Joseph Trefethen, 30 Aug 1924

     Verna Josephine b. 14 Oct 1902; m. Alfred Melvin Blake, 3 Nov 1933

     Carrie Eleanor b. 24 Apr 1907; d 25 Apr 1907

SIXTH GENERATION

Arthur Garfield, son of Charles Andrew and Caroline (Carrie) Luella Frye, born 6 Feb 1881 and died 6 June 1957; married Susie Shephard on 1 Jan 1907 . Children were:

     Charles S. b 1908; died Oct 1974; m Helen J Tuttle (b 19 Oct 1917 d 4 Jan 2004) 30 Sep 1934 in ME

     Oscar E. b 1910; died 6 Jun 1986 aged 77; married Doris E Brown 13 Mar 1948 in ME

     Gordon Marquis b 15 May 1912, Eliot; died 17 Feb 1988 age 75 in Dover, Strafford Co., NH; buried in South Berwick, York Co., ME); married Carey V. Horr 30 Oct 1936 in ME (Carey was born 12 Feb 1916 in Rochester, Strafford Co., NH and died 16 Oct 2010 in Dover, Strafford Co., NH; buried in South Berwick, York Co., ME). Children were Marcia who married Albert Pike.

     Daniel A. b 1914; died 28 Dec 1973 age 60; m Nellie I Mahoney 14 Jul 1935 in ME

George William, son of Charles Andrew and Caroline (Carrie) Luella Frye, b. 14 May 1885; d. 22 Dec 1945; m. Elizabeth Hale, 30 Aug 1921. Children were: Frances b 1923

Marion Luella Raitt, daughter Charles Andrew Raitt and Caroline (Carrie) Luella Frye, born 23 May 1888 and died 10 Oct 1915; married Raymond Wood Andrews on 17 June 1914. Children were:      Rae Philice Andrews, b. 1915, d. 20 Apr 2001;  Children were: Diana; Sandra; Marion; Vinnie; and Lloyd.

Charles Clinton, son Charles Andrew Raitt and Caroline (Carrie) Luella Frye, b. 4 Jan 1891; d. 6 May 1965; m. Alice M. Burchill, 21 Oct 1918. Children were: Deane E. b 1920;      Harley R. b 1922.

Roland Albert, son of Charles Andrew and Caroline (Carrie) Luella Frye, b. 19 Sept 1896; d. 27 Oct 1962; m. Irma Celia Spinney, 28 Oct 1925. Children were:  Arlene, b 1927; Nelson R, b 1930;  married Ernestine A Maynard 14 Mar 1951 in ME; Gerald L. b 26 Jul 1933; d 9 Jun 2008

SEVENTH GENERATION

Rae Philice Andrews, daughter of Marion Luella Raitt and Raymond Wood Andrews,  born 1915, and died 20 Apr 2001; married Lloyd Hall Burt (son of Alden and Flora (Hall) Burt, b. 2 Dec 1915, Long Island, NY; d. 30 Apr 2004, Eliot, York Co., ME) in 1943 in NH. Children were: Diana (Desjardins) of Georgia, Sandra (Genaw) of Berwick, Marion (Hall) of Eliot, Vinnie (DeVore) of Florida, and Lloyd H. "Chip" Burt Jr.

EIGHTH GENERATION

Marion Burt, daughter of Rae Philice Andrews and Lloyd Hall Burt, born 14 Jan 1950; married James Donald Harrison on 18 August 1973 in Portsmouth, NH. Children were: Sunshine, b 1 May 1974, Buffalo, NY.

There are also other members of these later generations as well as in younger generations, but I do not have their details a present. However, the following are members of the Raitt family in Maine.

Eliot, Maine marriages

Mildred M Raitt m. George A Emery on 5 Oct 1900

Elizabeth A Raitt m. Minard S Hutchins on 24 June 1918

Isabel K Raitt m. Charles H Hunnewell on 3 Jun 1922

Jeanette C Raitt m. Richard T Welch on 20 June 1954

Jamie L Raitt m.  Mark S Jarest on 18 Aug 1979

Barbara J Raitt m. Allan C Rice on 28 Jun 1980

Susan M Raitt m. Robert M Loranger on 15 May 1982

Michelle E Raitt m. Philip N Lytle on 24 Jun 1984 in S. Berwick

Thomas Russell Raitt m. Lisa Ann Pferdehirt on 10 Dec 1993

Deaths

Barbara Raitt, 25 Dec 1981, age 22, York, York Co., ME

Extensively reported in the local press in March 2011 was the exciting news that during recent roof renovations to the main farmhouse of the Raitt Homestead Farm Museum, a relic from years gone by literally fell out of the soffit (eaves). It was an 1858 Beals Remington Revolver, apparently still in working condition. In addition to the revolver, two glass bottles and a powder horn were also found in the soffit. Who the revolver belonged to and why it was hidden there may sadly never be known. The area where the gun was found was off an upstairs room over a shed area. Someone may have hidden it up there at some point and needed a gun for protection. One of the soldiers in the family might have used that gun in the Civil War perhaps and brought it back to Eliot. Whoever owned it, it is now a proud possession of the Museum.

When Charles passed away in 1927, his son Roland took over the farm, but sold the brick yards during the depression. When the apple orchard was destroyed during a severe winter, Roland turned to dairy farming. The milk was sold to Badger Farms Dairy of Portsmouth, NH. The Raitt Homestead Farm was typical for the era and the tasks were many including milking cows, haying the fields, and cutting fire wood. The fence lines were repaired with posts sawed right on the farm. Roland passed away in 1962 and his son Gerald took over the farm. He purchased the adjacent Anderson Apple Orchard in 1967 to restore the apple business to the farm. The 33 acre farm was truly a family business; Gerald’s brothers worked at the farm and even nieces and nephews helped with the apple orchards and sold the apples at his farm stand on the front lawn. Gerald retired from the dairy business in 1983 but he continued to raise chickens and sell eggs until 2004. The farm was turned over to a non-profit group in 2003 and is now run as the Raitt Homestead Farm Museum managed by descendant Thomas Raitt and his wife Lisa.

Some of the early descendants settled in Eliot, Maine, an area originally part of the Piscataqua Plantation (renamed Kittery in 1647) called Sturgeon Creek in the 1630-40s. It became the North, or Second, Parish of Kittery in 1713 following the incorporation of Berwick and on 1 March 1810, Eliot became a town. The Raitt Homestead Farm in Eliot was built in 1896 by Charles Andrew Raitt on State Road. Charles was a local brick mason, manufacturing the bricks on the property. He also operated a saw mill at the farm and had a successful apple orchard whose produce was shipped as far away as England..  Charles was on the committee organizing the centennial of Eliot’s incorporation in 1910. Edith M. Raitt was an alto in the choir singing during the event, while Norman Raitt took part in the parade with two year old steers – eventually wining ninth prize for his steer team. Charles and his wife Carrie made a nice trip (a cruise?) in the golden years of their life since they are recorded as arriving at Ellis Island from Hamilton, Bermuda on 27 Nov 1922 aboard the Fort Hamilton. Charles was aged 71 and Carrie was 60. Further details on Charles can be found under Pillars of Society.

Census data provides details about the Raitt family - the following is taken from various free sources and the details could be expanded with occupations etc from the actual records from subscription services.

The 1790 census for Kittery town, York County, Maine has the following Raitt families

Miriam Rate as Head of Family in a household comprising 2 free white males of 16 years  and upwards,  1 free white male under 16, and 4 free white females (including herself as head of family)

Capt William Rate as Head of Family in household comprising 1 free white male of 16 years and upwards (including himself as head of family),  4 free white male under 16, and 3 free white females. And 1 other free person.

More details about these two families in can be found Maine Families - 1790.

The 1810 census for Eliot, York Co., Maine has the following Raitt families

John Raitt, head of family with 5 males and 5 females

Captain E. Raitt, head of family with 1 male and five females (presumably this should be Capt. W. Raitt).

The 1860 census for Eliot, York Co., Maine has the following Raitt families - all born in Eliot except where noted. The numbers following the names are their ages at the time of the census.

Henry Raitt, 26; Sarah J, 21; Willard, 0

John Raitt, 75; Anna, 65 (born NH); William, 34; Louisa, 30; William, F., 12; Charles E., 9; John F., 6; Ida A., 3; Corah, 0

Gilman Raitt, 41; Mary, 40; John W., 15; Matilda C., 11

John Raitt, 59; James, 34; Margaret, 32; John F., 18; Charles, 6; Jane, 4

Jefferson Raitt, 36; Olivia, 31; Melville, 9; Mary,  6; Isabel, 4

Isabel Raitt, 21, was living in South Berwick, Maine

William Raitt, 72, was living at Saco, York

The 1860 census for 1st Ward Portsmouth City, Rockingham, NH has the following families, several of whom were born in Eliot, ME:

James Raitt, 61, born ME; Betsy, 58, b ME; Jeremiah, 36, b ME; John, 22, b NH

Daniel G. Raitt, 38, b ME; Mary A., 37, b NH; Ellen A., 15; Mary E., 10;  Jeremiah, 8; William, 6; Charles Howard, 4 – all born NH

Stephen Raitt, 29; Caroline, 27, Harriet, 5 – all born NH

James W. Raitt, 24; Elizabeth, 23; Ida W., 0 – all born NH

The 1860 census for McGregor, Clayton Co., Iowa  has the following family born in Eliot, ME:

Oliver Raitt, 32; George. 25; Martha, 18; Willie, 2 (b Iowa) (See more under Iowa Raitts from Maine)

The 1880 census for Eliot, York Co., Maine has the following Raitt families. All were born in Maine, including both parents except where noted. The numbers following the names are their ages and computed birth years at the time of the census.

Sarah J Raitt, widow, 48 (1832); Frederick E. Raitt, son, 17 (1863), born NH

John F. Raitt, 39 (1841), farmer; Susan A. wife 41 (1839) keeping house; Edith M. dau 14 (1866), at school; Mabel A. dau, 13 (1867), at school; Leslie H. Lord, nephew, 13 (1867), born MA, at school

Sarah H. Raitt, widow, 55 (1825), keeping house; C. Melville, son, 29 (1851), farmer; Annie E., dau 14 (1866), at school

James M. Raitt 54 (1826), house carpenter; Nancy Y. wife 50 (1830), keeping house, father born Scotland; Margaret dau, 19 (1861); Isabel Cutter step dau 27 (1853), at home;

Nannie Cutter step dau, 21 (1859); Joseph Irwin, other 11 (1869), at school

William Raitt, 53 (1827), farmer; Louisa, wife 50 (1830) , keeping house, mother born NH;

Charles A., son, 29 (1851), brick mason; John F., son, 26 (1854), works in woollen mill;

Mary J., dau, 16 (1864), at school

Gilman Raitt, 61 (1819) farmer, mother born NH; Mary, wife, 60 (1820), keeping house;

John W., son, 35 (1845), route baggage master; Nellie M., dau, 17 (1863); Sarah Nason, mother-in-law, 95 (1785)

Henry M. Raitt, 46 (1834) ship carpenter; Sarah J., wife, 41 (1839), keeping house;

Willie D., son, 20 (1860), brick maker; Annie M., dau, 13 (1867), at school

Maria V. Raitt, 38 (1842), widow, brickman factor; Frank P. Hodgdon, 26 (1854), brickman factor, born NH (also mother)

The 1930 census for Eliot, York Co., Maine has the following Raitt families. The numbers following the names are their ages and computed birth years at the time of the census.

Annie E. Raitt, 64 (1866)

Sarah N. Raitt, 71 (1859)

William Raitt, 70 (1860)

Norman J. Raitt, 35 (1895); Blanche A., 33 (1897)

George W. Raitt, 44 (1886); Elizabeth, 38 (1892); Frances, 7 (1923)

C. Clinton Raitt, 39 (1891); Alice M. 34 (1896); Deane E. 10 (1920); Harley R. 8 (1922)

Arthur G. Raitt, 49 (1881); Susie M., 41 (1889); Charles S. 22 (1908); Oscar E., 20 (1910); Gordon M., 17 (1913); Daniel A., 16 (1914)

Carrie L. Raitt, 66 (1864); Roland A., 33 (1897); Irma C., 30 (1900); Verna J., 27 (1903)

Arlene,  3 (1927); Nelson R., 0 (1930)

Alexander Raitt and Miriam Frost had seven children and they and their children inter-married with many of the other early settlers – the Shapleighs, Frosts, Leightons (also from Scotland, possibly Angus), Goodwins, Remicks and others. The ancestors and descendants of several of these families are available in their family histories that are available either in book form or on the web or both.

Their son James was on a voyage with his father when he died in Jamaica on 28 Feb 1776 of yellow fever. He was apparently buried at sea.

Son William was a farmer resident on his mother’s property at Raitt’s Hill on Goodwin Rd, Kittery. In 1780 he was a Lieutenant, and in 1781 became Captain of the 7th C Mass Militia. He served from 1779-80 on the Kittery Committee of Supplies providing for soldier’s families, three years as Surveyor of Highways, and in 1783-84 as constable of Kittery. His wife Sarah was born 12 Nov 1753 and died 16 Feb 1828 and is buried in East Eliot. She was the daughter of William Leighton, JP, Selectman, Pioneer, shipowner and farmer and Katherine Whipple. (see Leightons)

Son John resided at Dumplin Hill, Eliot and fought in the Revolution.

At upwards of 18 yrs of age, guardianship of son Andrew was given on 25 Jul 1775 to his brother William when Andrew was heir to the estate of his kinsman Andrew Raitt late of the island of Jamaica (who this kinsman was is not known). Andrew served through much of the Revolutionary War enlisting in Capt. Titus Salter’s Company of Mattrosses New Hampshire State Troops at Fort Washington on 17 Feb 1776. He was enlisted or drafted on 14 Aug 1777, and served as a private in Capt. E. Shapleigh's company of Col. J. Storer's regiment. He was discharged on 30 Nov 1777 at Queman's Heights. (He may have enlisted or was drafted on 14 June 1778 for eight months for the town of Kittery, and as a resident, served in Col. Thomas Nixson's 6th Massachusetts Continental Regiment in Gen. John Nixson's brigade, in Washington's army around West Point during this time). He re-enlisted or was drafted on 2 July 1779, and served in Capt. A. Martin's company of Col. N. Tyler's regiment of Massachusetts State Troops, in Rhode Island. He was discharged on 1 Dec 1779, but subsequently re-enlisted on 12 Feb 1782, for three more years and served as a private in the 10th Massachusetts Continental regiment until 1 Jan 1783. In 1786 he was living in the upper part of the Kittery Second Parish.

Other members (descendants) of the family were also in the army. Kittery, at the commencement of the war for Independence, was composed of the present towns of Kittery and Eliot. In 1775, the town had four companies of militia, all belonging to the First Regiment of Infantry of York County, commanded by Col. Edward Cutts, a resident of the town, but in 1776, the militia was reorganized, and the four companies increased to six, all belonging to the Second Regiment of York County, and commanded by Col. John Frost, a resident of the town, also an officer in the last French war. The second major was John Shapleigh of the town, and the adjutant was Lieut. Andrew P. Fernald, also a resident. The Fourth Company's were Capt. Samuel Leighton, First Lieut. William Raitt, and Second Lieut. Charles Frost, and comprised all of the second parish, north of the First Company bounds. A roll of a company of drafted militia in service at Kittery under command of Major Simon Nowell shows that from October-November, 1814, during one month stationed at Kittery were Privates Alexander and John Raitt in Captain B. Thompson's Company.

In later years, Gordon M. Raitt enlisted at Portland, Maine on 11 August 1943 as a private for the duration of the war or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the president or otherwise according to law. He was married and resident in York Co. He had had two years of college and his civil occupation was noted as unskilled nonprocess occupations in manufacturing. In the 1980s Gordon was interested in the Raitt family history and clearly did some research and had several questions - one of which was who was Captain Alexander Raitt’s father and in the Raitt Coat of Arms, did the silver lion rampant come out of Scotland or Rhatea and did the black eagle come out of Scotland, the legions of Rome, or Rhatea? This Coat of Arms he had seen is not the normal Raitt one - but it could be a personal Coat designed for or by Captain Alexander Raitt in his merchant roll. However, it appears very like the Coat of Arms of John Raitt of Maryland - so perhaps there is a link between the Maryland Raitts and the Maine Raitts! Gordon wrote some enthralling tales about colonial America’s earliest days. The stories were set in Unity Parish, located in an area that later became part of southwestern Maine.

The book Old Kittery and her Families by Everett Stackpole and published in 1903 provides a history and genealogy of the old residents of the town and their descendants. One such resident was Captain Alexander Raitt, a Scot, born about 1722, possibly in Glasgow (though his birth date is also given as 1718 in Scotland - see notes at bottom of page) and who came to Kittery about 1745. Alexander was a shipmaster employed by the firm belonging to William Pepperell principally in the Caribbean Trade. He later built and at his death commanded his own vessel. Alexander was so much abroad that he rarely appears in Kittery records but he did serve as Constable between 1751-1754 and as Surveyor of Highways during 1768-1769. He died of yellow fever at sea in 1776 and is buried in Jamaica. On 2 October 1747, he married Miriam Frost, widow of her cousin Eliot Frost, daughter of the Honourable John Frost of Newcastle, N. H. and Mary Pepperrell, and niece of Sir William Pepperell. Miriam was  born on 8 October 1722 in New Castle. New Hampshire and died 3 June 1807 in Eliot (Kittery). Miriam’s two story house (now called High Meadows and a B&B) at Dumplin Hill in Eliot was built in 1740 by her first husband and owned by her descendants until c1960.

A perfecting (or valuation) list for the polls and estates in the upper precinct of Kittery for 1760 shows that Captain Alexander Raitt had one poll with a total value of estates of £59 18 shillings. According to Maine Families 1790, following his death, administration of his estate (where he was listed as a merchant) was granted to his widow on 16 March 1779. His estate was appraised at more than £3000, including much furniture plate and books, three black servants, 33 acres at Raitt’s Hill and 55 acres on the south side of Sturgeon Creek Kittery. Alexander’s complete estate was scattered and ultimately settled in the English PCC in May 1825 with administration given to George Muirson Woolsey, attorney for his son William Raitt, Miriam having died. The family is recorded in a 1701 volume that belonged to Captain Raitt. On his first voyage to Kittery, Alexander brought with him a valuable old bracket clock, the story of which is given on its own page.