Rambles about Portsmouth. Sketches of persons, localities, and incidents of two centuries: principally from tradition and unpublished documents. By Charles W. Brewster.

128 RAMBLES ABOUT PORTSMOUTH.
Inscription on the stone over the family tomb in the
burial ground, King's Chapel:
"1 Here lyeth inter'd the Pody of Jacob Sheafe of Boston, and for somne time lived at
Cranebrook, in Kent, Ould England. He deceased 22d March, 1858, aged 42 years.
lober t Gibbs."'; Here ]yeth inter'd the body of Mrs. Margaret Thacher formerly wife of Jacob Sheafe and
late wife of the Rev. Thomas Thacher, etates 68. Obiit 29, Fkeb. 1693
" Here lies inter'd the Body of Jacob Sheafe, who departed this life 26 of Dee, 1760, aged
79 years."
Mehitable Sheafe's grave stone, near the tomb is now
destroyed.
Jacob Sheafe left two children; Elizabeth, born 1644,
married Robert Gibbs, the father of Henry Gibbs of Watertown. Mehitable, born 1656, married Sampson Sheafe, the
son of Edmund Sheafe, in year 1679.
Sampson Sheafe resided in Bostonr anld was a respectable
merchant. In 10675, he came to Newcastle, N. H., and did
business there in the mercantile line, and was at the same
time Collector of the Customs. In 1677, he (then livi)g in
Boston) contracted with George Jaffrey to proceed to
Great Island and take charge solely of his goods7 honsing7
wharves and land and to do no other business, in consideration of 40 pounds lawful money of New England, for two
years; and to be found and allowed good and sufficient
meat and drink, washing and lodging.
In 1698, Sampson Sheafe probably returned to New
1Iampshire, being at that time appointed, under Gov. Allen,
one of His Majesty's Council and Secretary of the Prov,
ince. In 1711 he was appointed, by Gov. Dudley of MLassachusetts Bay, Commissary of the New England forces on
an expedition against Q bebec, which failed, owing principally to the disaster of the fleet under Admiral Walker.
The first intelligence of this7 says Hutchinson (in his history
of IMassachusetts,) was by a letter of the llth of Oct. received from the Commissary, Sampson Sheafe. He was at
one time Collector of the Port of Piscataqna, where he made
several seizures of vessels, as appeared by Superior Court