The Andrew Witham house next east of the above on the corner of Main and Mill streets, has a history worthy of recital. Just when it was built is difficult to determine, but it was probably early in 1800, by Mr. Witham. He was born in Bradford, Massachusetts, Nov. 11, 1768; came to Blue Hill a young man; married, first, Mehitable Kimball, May 9, 1790. She was born Jan. 24, 1770; died Aug. 8, 1800. There were four children by that marriage as follows:
- Charlotte Kimball Witham, born Sept. 7, 1790; married Capt. Robert Means.
- John Gibson Witham, born Sept. 18, 1794; died at Port au Prince, May 1812.
- Mehitable Witham, born Aug. 28, 1798; married Capt. Stephein Norton.
- Harriet Witham, born May 4, 1800; died Feb. 8,1801.
Mr. Witham married second, Molly Parker, Oct. 20, 1801; daughter of Col. Nathan and Molly (Wood) Parker, born May 30, 1770; died July 13, 1830. They had two children:
- Ira Witham, born July 19, 1802; married Betsey Hinckley.
- Otis Witham, born July 9, 1804; died at sea Jan. 12, 1828.
Mr. Witham married third, Mrs. Ann Chadwick, April 12, 1831; she died July 2, 1836.
Andrew Witham represented the town in the legislature of 1831, was a senator from Hancock county, a merchant, a ship-owner and an influential citizen. His pew in the old meeting-house was No. 1.
His one story brick store stood a short distance east of his house, as the writer well remembers, and was built early in the last century. It long ago gave place to one of wood on the same site. He sold, among other things, the old style square sheets of baker’s molasses gingerbread, of which boys were fond, and would not likely forget where it could be bought.
“Squire Witham,” as he was called by the town’s people, was a kindly man to the boys and young people with whom he came in contact, which was reciprocated by them. He died in 1851, aged eighty-three years, respected and lamented by a large circle of relatives and friends.
His house was occupied after his death by his son-in-law, Capt. Stephen Norton, until his decease in 1873, and then by Mr. Smith, the shoe dealer, and wife, and now owned by Mrs. Smith.