USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Stetson > History of Stetson, Maine, 1800-1931 > Part 1
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Gc 974.102 St46d 2027480
M. L
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
L
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01085 8139
HISTORY
-OF-
STETSON, MAINE
1800-1931
BY LILLA WOOD DANIELS
L Silla Wood Daniel 2 1
HISTORICAL COMMITTEE CHARLES R. IRELAND, CHAIRMAN LIZZIE FRIEND MINNIE GOODWIN AARON C. JOHNSON
FURBUSH PRINTING COMPANY, BANGOR, MAINE
78 8190 17B.
YROTESH
викам иостате
|| | -1.1 D Vi Stetson. Main. Histo
PLOWMEN PIONEERS (S. OMAR BARKER)
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Strong men have gone adventuring Since Aram saw the sword. And some have died to serve a king, And some to serve the Lord; And some to serve their own red blood
That knew the wayward call "
And answered it, and found it good,
From Wrangel to Bengal.
And we have roused good songs for lads
Who, whether young or old,
Have entered life's Olympiads Adventuring for gold.
So have we sung the songs of war;
And so we sing them now.
But who has twanged a ballad for
The heroes of the plow?
Long muskets hooked beneath their arms-
Afraid of none but God ---
They carried plows to virgin farms;
Lean soldiers of the sod.
These were the men who saw wild grass
With creeping death astir;
Who fought red terror in the pass,
And braved the massacre.
They loved the smell of virgin soil,
The fertile feel of loam,
Yet mingled daring with their toil,
And so, at last, came home.
Their furrows down the field of years
Are straight and true and deep.
O, simple plowmen pioneers, God rest you in your sleep !
And we who swell with lustry breath The ballads of the brave, Will rouse a chant for noble death,
And sing it o'er your grave!
GENEALOGICAL · DEPARTMENT
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FOREWORD
Much of the material contained in this History of Stetson was obtained from traditional sources but it is, for the most part, substantiated by the plantation and town records, the records of Penobscot and Hancock counties, and those of family Bibles. Since it has been compiled and written in little more than a month, it is inevitable that errors will creep in. Without the valuable assistance of the members of the town Historical Committee, the task would have been immeasurably harder and the result uncertain, so whatever of merit may be found in these pages should be shared by them. The author will assume the rest. It is her earnest desire to do justice in full measure to all of those heroic souls who ventured everything and overcame tremendous obstacles that their children's children might reap the harvest of their labors. If any are omitted, it is because data was not obtainable. The story of every family of those pioneers is worthy of relating, each is a romance in itself. Many of them were the author's kinsmen and what is written either of them or of their neighbors is done with the utmost of reverence and gratitude, realizing, as David Barker, the Bard of Exeter, once wrote:
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"Ye cannot send the simplest line Abroad from off your pen, But ye must meet, in future hours, That very line again.'
LILLA WOOD DANIELS.
60629
Dedicated
to the
Pioneers of Stetson
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HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
CHAPTER I. GRANT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH
"Should auld acquaintance be forgot And never brought to mind, Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And days of auld lang syne?"
The story of a town is, largely, the story of its pioneers for towns are bob- sleds,-it requires hard work to get them started but, as soon as they are actually moving, their own momentum will carry them far. Perhaps a better figure of speech would be the "ox sled" because in the year 1800, that vehicle was the one which carried the chatels of the founders of Stetson through the ic; and snow of the primeval forests to their new home.
GRANT FROM MASSACHUSETTS
To all persons to whom these Presents shall come greeting :
Whereas the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts did on the twenty-eigth day of June one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two grant a township of land to the Trustees of Leicester Academy by a resolve in the fol- lowing words, viz: "Resolved, that there be and hereby is granted a township of land of six miles square to be laid out at the expense of the Grantees, by the company for the sale of Eastern lands, from any of the unappropriated lands belonging to this Commonwealth lying between the rivers Kennebec and Penobscot, and said township shall be vested in the Trustees of Leicester Academy and their successors forever, for the use and purpose of supporting the said Academy, to be by them holden in their corporate capacity, with full power and authority to settle, divide and manage said township or to sell, convey and dispose of the same, in such way and manner, as shall best promote the interest and welfare of said Academy :- Provided nevertheless, that there be and hereby is reserved one lot of three hundred and twenty acres, for the first settled minister, one lot of three hundred and twenty acres for the use of the ministry, and one lot of three hundred and twenty acres for the support of the schools in said town; and provided further, that the Grantees aforesaid or their assigns shall cause twenty families to be settled within said township, on or before the first day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven."
The Committee for the Sale of Eastern Lands "in conformity with the fore- going resolve and in consideration of 10 pounds, being the expense of surveying said township" conveyed to Leicester Academy a parcel of land between the Kennebec and the Penobscot River "township number three in the Third Range North of the Waldo Patent and bounded entirely by number two in the Third Range, northerly by number three in the Fourth Range, westerly by number four in the Third Range and southerly by numbers three and four in the Second Range, as delineated on plan made by Ephrain Ballard and Samuel Wester, in the year 1792."
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HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
The conveyance of this tract of land, afterwards the township and later the town of Stetson was made at Boston, March 15, 1793 and the transfer recorded October 28, 1801.
The Province of Maine, it should be remembered, was at the time a possession of the Commonwealth of Masachusetts and, although settled in 1607, thirteen . years prior to the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, had been less rapidly developed than what is now Massachusetts and was for the most part still virgin forest.
When on December 26, 1793, Hon. Moses Gill, Samuel Baker of Berlin and . Timothy Newell, Esq., of Sturbridge were empowered by the Trustees of Leicester Academy to sell Township Number Three in the Third Range, (now Stetson) they were obliged to continue these conditions and restrictions named in the original deed to the Academy. The report of that committee stated that the tract contained 23,000 acres "which at 2/6 p. per acre amounts to 2875 pounds," about 14,000 dollars .. The terms of sale required a fourth to be paid down, a fourth in one year, another fourth in two years, and the last fourth in three years. This report was signed by Moses Gill and Samuel Baker.
Accordingly, 'on March 2, 1795, the property, now Stetson, was sold to EDMUND FOWLE. (The deed was dated at Boston and was recorded October 28, 1801). Therefore, Edmund Fowle was the first individual proprietor
February 10, 1796, Edmund Fowle sold the property to MOSES GILL of Princeton, County of Worcester, Lieut. Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, who bought it as an individual, not as trustee of Leicester Academy which had had the original grant from Massachusetts. He paid 2,760 pounds for it. That was 120 pounds less than what Fowle paid for it. Edmund Fowle's wife, Huldah, signed the deed. The deed was acknowledged February 10, 1796 and was entered and recorded March 9, 1796.
August 25, 1799, Gill sold back to Edmund Fowle, of Watertown, County of Middlesex, a 320-acre farm, "being number sixteen" in township three, range three." The property was surveyed by Park Holland July 5, 1795. The sale price was three hundred and twenty dollars, or a dollar an acre.
It appears that Moses Gill owned a half interest in township three, range two north of the Waldo Patent, and from his original land there had sold off several 320-acre farms.
On October 24, 1801, Moses and his wife, Susanna Gill, deeded what was left of their interests in the range two parcel, together with what is now Stetson (Third Township, Third Range, N. of Waldo Patent) excepting from township three the farm of Edmund Fowle (320 acres) to Amasa Stetson of Dedham, Mass. The purchase price for both parcels was thirty thousand dollars.
It is fitting that Stetson should have been named for its third proprietor rather than for Edmund Fowle or Moses Gill, because it was Amasa Stetson to whom belongs the honor of having caused its settlement and to him belong also the thanks for his watchful care and interest during its infant days. His generosity was demonstrated in many ways.
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HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
DEED OF CONVEYANCE OF TOWN OF STETSON TO AMASA STETSON :
Know all men by these presents that I, Moses Gill of Princeton in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Esquire for and in consideration of thirty thousand dollars to me in Land paid by Aniasa Stetson of Boston in the County of Suffolk, merchant, the 'receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, have and by these presents do give, grant, bargain, sell and convey unto him the said Amasa Stetson and his heirs and assigns forever a certain . piece or parcel of land situate in the County of Hancock, Commonwealth afore- said, and bounded and described as follows, viz: Township numbered Three in the Third Range of Township North of the Waldo Patent six miles square, being the same tract of land or township which was granted by the Commonwealth aforesaid to be vested in the Trustees of Leicester Academy and their successors forever as will appear by a Resolve passed in the Senate of said Commonwealth June 20, 1792, provided nevertheless the three lots of land of three hundred and twenty acres each mentioned in the said Resolve are to be appropriated by the said Stetson, his heirs and assigns in the manner and for the purposes mentioned in the said Resolve which is referred to --. Reserving also a tract of three hundred and twenty acres called lot number 16 heretofore conveyed to Edmund Fowle on 25th August, 1799.
Also another parcel of land situate in said County of Hancock, being one undivided half part of the township known and called by the name of Township numbered Three in the Second Range of Township North of the Waldo Patent, Reserving nevertheless all tracts or lots of land which may have been reserved by the Commonwealth in this said township in the original grant of the same for purposes therein set forth and also reserving and excluding from this grant the lots No. 30, No. 40, No. 41, No. 43, No. 55, No. 56, No. 57 which are within said last mentioned Township (they having been previously sold). To have and to hold the above-granted premises to the said Amasa Stetson and to their heirs and assigns to his and their use forever. And I do for myself and my heirs, executors and administrators covenant with the said Amasa Stetson and with his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns that I am lawfully seized in fee of the aforesaid premises and that they are free and clear from all encumbrances and that I have good right to sell the same to the said Amasa Stetson and his heirs and assigns to hold as aforesaid and that I and my heirs will warrant, secure and defend the same to the said Stetson and to his heirs and assigns forever against the lawful claims of all persons. And Susanna, my wife, in consideration of the premises and of one dollar paid her by the said Amasa, doth hereby relinquish to him, the said Amasa and his heirs and assigns, all her right, title and claims to dower in the premises. In witness whereof I, the said Moses Gill and Susanna, my wife, have hereunto set our hands and seals the twenty-fourth day of October in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and one. Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
"William Sullivan" "James Elder, Jun'r"
Moses Gill (ss)
Susanna Gill (ss)
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HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Suffolk ss., Oct. 24th, 1801.
Then the above named Moses Gill and Susanna, his wife, acknowledged the aforcgoing instrument to be his free act and Deed-before me.
William Sullivan, Justice of the Peace. .
Received and entered Dec'r 9th, 1801.
Attest : Thomas Cobb, Reg'r.
From the foregoing records and deed, it will be seen that what is now the town of Stetson while it was still a part of Massachusetts and the Province of Maine was granted by the Commonwealth to Leicester Academy; through its trustees to Edmund Fowle; by him to Moses Gill, Lt. Gov. of Massachusetts who later sold Fowle a farm, 320 acres, in the parcel; then Gill sold the remainder of it with land in another township to Amasa Stetson, Esq., of Dedham and Boston, Massachusetts.
TERMS OF THE DEED
By the terms of the deed, the grantee was obliged to carry out certain con- ditions of settlement by establishing 20 families there before June first, 1797. The deed from Gill to Stetson makes no mention of this condition but as the date of that deed is subsequent. to 1797, it may be that requirements had been fulfilled and the twenty families settled. Early records do not seem to bear out the sup- position, however.
One of the public lots is the extreme northeastern corner of Stetson, a second . is the extreme southwestern and the third is in Stetson Pond (Pleasant Lake) .
CHAPTER II. PLANTATION NAMED
THE STETSON FAMILY in' America begins with Cornet Robert Studson who came from County Kent, England and was a citizen of Scituate, Massachusetts as early as 1634. He was active in the affairs of Plymouth Colony, holding many missions of trust. He was a carpenter and surveyor as well as soldier, "Cornet" being a military title conferred upon him as one of the officers of a troop of horse. He took care of real estate transactions in the "Kennebecke section" of Maine for · Plymouth colony and received for his services a grant of 200 acres of land ad- joining his farm.
It is entirely possible that this interest in lands in the Kennebecke section was responsible for the interest which his descendant, Amasa, possessed when he undertook the purchase of large tracts in Maine, one of which is the subject of this history.
He, Amasa, was a man of affairs, a dominant figure in the business world of Boston and possessed of those strong traits of character which bespeak success.
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HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
The long list of real estate transactions in his name appearing in the index of the register of deeds of Hancock and Penobscot counties will give some idea of his interests throughout this part of Maine. He erected the magnificent church edifice, one of the best of colonial types. His vision was so great as to enable him to foresee where such a church, open to all denominatoins, and a good school building would make for the civic betterment of the community that he was striving to establish here. His methods are being copied today by successful real estate dealers.
SIMEON STETSON
He realized the necessity of having someone, close to himself, established where he could be always in touch with conditions and, for that reason, induced his brother, Simeon, to come to Maine. Early in the nineteenth century he was established in Hampden, where he occupied. an important place in the commercial life of the town, engaged in trade, established mills, built ships and shipped lumber to the West Indies in exchange for cargoes of molasses and New England rum, then a staple article of merchandise. He was known as a man of integrity and industry, possessing a great love of family life, but of the old fashioned type that was somewhat rigid in discipline. A truly remarkable man.
Hampden was at the time the nearest settlement, of importance, to Stetson and it was there that the pioneers came to trade, so it was logical that Simeon Stetson should have established his family there.
Like his brother, Amasa, he had many real estate interest as did, also, but in a less degree, Amos, who was presumably another brother. The Stetson family is à picturesque group, having outstanding characteristics that seem to be present in the various branches of the family today. The descendants of Simeon have been actively identified with the affairs of Penobscot County since their ancentor established the family here. He had three sons, George, Isaiah and Charles. George's children were: George, Isaiah. Edward and Mary. The children of Henry were: Henry, Jr., Louise who married Ernest G. Foote of England and Lilly who married Gen. Wolfgang Von B. Brandenfels of Germany. Charles' son, Charles, Jr., married Annie Sawyer of Bangor, Frank married Annie Neibhur of St. John where he was a member of a very large lumber and coal corporation. Hayward was formerly a physician of Bangor, and there were other children. Edward's wife, Edith Holland Lobdell is a lineal descendant of CAPT. PARK HOLLAND, an officer of the Revolutionary war and of the Order of the Cincinnati, ,who surveyed a great deal of land in this part of Maine for the Comomuwealth of Massachusetts, including the present town of Stetson. Members of this branch of the Stetson family are married into the Hamlin family of the line of Hannibal Hamlin, the Washburn family of which former Governor. Washburn is a mem- ber, and the Crosby family, another prominent line. Several of these Stetsons have been members of the legislature, judges, and prominent in municipal affairs. Judge Emery of Bangor was a relative. Clarence C. Stetson of Bangor is president of the Maine Development Commission, a graduate of Yale University and has held important positions for our federal government in London and Paris as well as in this country.
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HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
AMASA STETSON LETTERS
Perhaps the character of Amasa Stetson can best be shown by his letters to his brother Simeon, several of which are still in existence. He wrote from Boston, June 22, 1812:
"Dear Brother: It. can no longer be a question whether we are in favor of war or not. War was declared by the Congress of the United States on the 17th instant, at half past four o'clock P. M. Of that event we are officially informed, and it becomes the duty of every man that regards the welfare and independence of our country, to afford the government his firm and undivided support, and to call on all men, as they regard their freedom and liberty, to rally around the standard of our country and support it as well against internal. as against external enemies. I am with affection and esteem,
Your friend and brother,
A. STETSON."
On May 17, 1813, he wrote again from Boston to his brother, Simeon:
"It would be gratifying to hear from your of your family's welfare and that of Mr. Kidder's, and the state of things in that country, more especially of the towns of Carmel and Stetson. In esteem I remain,
Your friend and brother,
To Simeon Stetson, Esq., Hampden, Maine."
A. STETSON.
Carmel was formerly Plantation No. 3, Second Range, and an undivided half interest in it was conveyed to Amasa Stetson at the same time as Plantation No. 3, Range 3 (Stetson).
The name of Stetson appears on the public records among the owners of property, taxable, from the earliest record, but for a number of years there is no indication that, any Stetson maintained a residence there. The name is missing from the first list of polls in 1818, at which time Amasa Stetson still held title to most of the township. The names of "SAMUEL STETSON" and "SAMUEL STETSON 2nd" appear in the list of incorporators of the town in 1931. The History of Penobscot County is authority for the statement that Samuel Stetson was born in Randolph, Massachusetts, January 12, 1793. It states that when he was nine years of age his father died and he was bound out, acocrding to the custom in those days, to a person by the name of John Mann of Randolph. It further states that Mann was too stingy to furnish his share of the school fire wood, prefering to keep Samuel out of school. Later Mr. Stetson acquired an excellent education. The record states that they came to Stetson in 1819 and settled on the Samuel R. Stetson farm, purchasing it from Maj. Amasa Stetson. He married Hannah, daughter of Dr. Thomas Stow Ranney of Newport, but formerly of Brentwood, N. H. He died in Stetson, October 31, 1843. His wife died there, also, on October 30, 1876. They had four children: Irene, who married Ralph C. Evlett; Rebecca,
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View of Stetson Pond-From Premises.
AMASA STETSON 2nd HOMESTEAD
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HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
who married Henry V. French; Mary A., who first married Dr. John F. H. Turner, and for her second husband, Franklin O. Howard; and a son, Samuel R., born April 5, 1834. SAMUEL R. never married. He, at one time, owned and . operated a saw mill and a flour mill in Stetson village and was several times elected town clerk. He was a man of good intellect, well educated and posessed of the Stetson characteristics and personality.
There is a striking resemblance in the story of Samuel, Senior's, early history and that of Simeon Stetson of Hampden and it would seem that there might be an error in one or the other record. Simeon Stetson was the son of John and born at. Braintree, now Randolph, Massachusetts, October 26, 1770. His was a poor family. A Mr. Thomas Penneman, a farmer of Washington, N. H., took him into his family and kept him till he was twenty-one. At Amasa Stetson's request, he came first to Maine in 1803. (Amasa Stetson was then of Boston but was also known to have· resided in Dorchester, Massachusetts). Simeon seems to have posessed a strong will and tireless energy. His wife, Betsey Kidder, was a niece of Thomas Penneman. They continued to live at Penneman's after their marriage, January 25, 1796, and there Thomas P. was born, They later removed to the Kidder homestead in New Ipswich, where Reuben Kidder, Ann Kidder and Charles were born. George and Isaiah were born in Hampden. Reuben married Charlotte, daughter of Maj. General Jedediah Hovrick of Hampden, December 18, 1835. Charlotte married Dr. Wm. Rogers.
STETSON HOMESTEAD
The Amasa Stetson, 2nd homestead stood on what was afterwards known as the Rice farm and more recently as the Rand place. The original structure is no longer existant. This Amasa was a nephew of Amasa Stetson of Dorchester, proprietor of the town.
Amasa of Dorchester gave this farm to the nephew, Amasa, Esq., (born in Amherst, Mass., August 31, 1801) on condition that he settle on it and he also offered him a certain sum of money for every rod of fence that he would build on its confines. The Stetson Amasa's wife, Abigail J., was born in Concord, New Hampshire, February 23, 1809.
It was only natural that the township should have been called Stetson since Mr. Amasa Stetson (of Dorchester) continued to own most of it for so long a time. It was fitting that it should continue the name of its liberal proprietor when later it became incorporated as a town.
GEOGRAPHY OF STETSON
The History of Penobscot County gives a much more; detailed description of the town's natural features than this brief history will warrant. Suffice it to say that the township was laid out nearly six miles square and lies in the range of towns next north of the Bangor range. It is bounded by Exeter on the north, Levant on the east, on the south by Etna and Carmel and on the west by Newport. It contains a sizable and beautiful pond, "Pleasant Lake," there is a mill pond at the village, a tributory of Kenduskeag stream flows across a corner of the town and several other streams and brooks flow across parts of it. A part of .
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Sourdabscook pond lies along the southern boundary and another small body of water is on the northern boundary. Streams abound in trout as in the pioneer days and the lakes offer pickerel, bass and. perch fishing. There are a number of hills in the town and the village is one of great natural beauty with its rolling fertile farm land, its many handsome trees, some of them gigantic in size, as are the willows near the Friend store and residence.
CHAPTER III. THE FIRST SETTLERS
Waking, I dream. Before my vacant eyes, In long procession, shadowy forms arise; Far through the vista of the silent years, I see a venturous band-the pioneers, Who let the sunlight through the forest gloom, Who bade the harvest wave, the garden bloom. -O. W. HOLMES.
About the year 1800, ROBERT PATTEN became the first settler in Stetson. He built his cabin back of a picturesque ledge on what is now known as the Green Demerritt place, now owned and occupied by G. C. and Mary R. Demerritt, choosing that location so that the ledge might serve as a protection from winds and snow. His wife was named Hannah. Their children were: ROBERT, the first white child born in Stetson, born April 13, 1803. Susanna D. (b. Dec. 12, 1805), David S. (b. Dec. 31, 1807), and Hannah J. (b. April 29, 1817). The records show that Robert Senior's mother was Susanna (b. about March 30, 1736), and that she died in Stetson, August 30, 1810 at the age of 74 years and 5 months. Robert Senior's name does not appear as that of a tax-payer at the time of the first. tax assessor's report, 1818, so he must have either died or left the town- ship prior to that year. There is a story that a lot was deeded to the first white child (Robert Patten) and also to each of the first twins (the Allen twins). When the Tabor lot was deeded to. Charles H. Goodwin, it was designated as "the Robert Patten lot," showing that Patten must have owned it and this may be the one given to him. Presumably this was another example of Amasa Stetson's generosity and good real estate salesmanship.
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