“The History of the Madills” by ‘Dodie’ (Madill) Green

William Madill, Joseph Madill, James Madill, Eliza Madill were sent out from France by their parents and a guardian Christofer Hatch with money to educate them (in approximately 1860). They settled in a little place called Wells not far from Rothesay. A man by the name of William Ray came out with them also. Christofer Hatch bought a piece of land 400 acres in William Madill’s name and 50 acres in Joseph Madill’s name.

They pioneered the land and built a house on the land owned by Joe Madill. Later Joe Madill decided to go to the States and Jim went with him. Joe settled in Chicago and Jim went out west. Eliza also went with William Madill and William Ray stayed in Wells, when they met women and decided to get married they stepped the land off and took 200 acres a piece, one took the horse and the other the wagon.

William Madill built a house on his 200 acres and William Ray built a house on his 200 acres.

There was a lake in the middle of the 400 acres, so each had 1/2 a lake. They divided the land by planting 3 maple trees in the back field. These trees still stand in a row.

The lake was named Rays Lake after William Ray.

When Joe Madill left he left his 50 acres to William Madill, which is still know as Uncle Joe’s field. William Ray got married and his wide died with the first child who also died, he never married again and had no relatives so he left his 200 acres to my Dad’s brother, Uncle Olive and William Madill left his 200 acres to my dad William Madill.

When Eliza went out with Joe her brother she eventually married a McCormick in Chicago and had children. Joe went on to eventually own the Chicago Tribune and built a castle in Chicago which still stands which is what I watched on T.V. It told the story of William Madill, Joseph Madill and William Ray coming out from France which my brother taped.

I was born on this land and lived with my parents and 2 brothers and 2 sister and my Dad farmed and grew large fields of potatoes. As far as I know the reason it was called Wells was because it has a lot of artesian wells and the lake is made up of boiling springs.

My Grandfather Madill died in 1913. My Grandmother Madill died in 1903 at the age of 46 and had 10 children.