USA > Maine > Piscataquis County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 8
USA > Maine > Aroostook County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 8
USA > Maine > Hancock County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 8
USA > Maine > Washington County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 8
USA > Maine > Somerset County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine > Part 8
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Mr. Joy is an earnest Republican in poli- tics, and he has served his town as Selectman, although he has no especial desire for office. In 1864 he was married to Jane, a daughter of Josiah Coolidge, of Lamoine, and has had five children. The latter were: Mary C., who is now the wife of Henry A. Butler, and has two children - Rebecca and Hazel; Madison B., of Hancock, who married Lydia Nickerson, of Sorrento, and has one child, Lee; Stephen, who died at the early age of five years; Sarah, who is the wife of Wallace R. E. Foss; and Hattie D., who resides at home.
ENRY ROBERT TAYLOR, of Ma- chias, Register of Deeds for Wash- ington County, Maine, was born in Newfane, Vt., on May 31, 1830, son of Denzil and Ann D. (Morse) Taylor. His
grandfather, Hezekiah Taylor, who was born on November 28, 1748, and was graduated at Harvard College in 1770, studied for the min- istry and settled in Newfane, Vt., as the first pastor of the Congregational church in that place.
During the Revolution the Rev. Mr. Taylor was enrolled in Lieutenant Park's company of minute-men, which went from Newfane, bore active part in the skirmish at Bemus Heights, and continued in service until after the battle of Saratoga or capture of Burgoyne. Returning to Newfane, he resumed the labors of his pastorate, seldom referring to his own services in the war. He was a man of keen sympathies and quick sensibilities; and his discourses at funerals were appropriate and consoling, so that he was called upon to min- ister on such occasions by persons from remote distances, and even of a different faith from his own. His wife, Sarah Frost, was born on May 24, 1751.
Denzil Taylor, father of Henry R., was born at Newfane on January 21, 1787, being the seventh and youngest child of his parents. He received a common-school education, sup- plemented by academic training. He learned the trade of saddler and harness-maker, and during most of his life was engaged in that business. His death occurred on May 13, 1868. His wife, Ann D., who was born Oc- tober 13, 1793, was the daughter of Ebenezer and Henrietta (Siverly) Morse, of Newfane.
This branch of the Morse family is de- scended from Samuel Morse, a Puritan dis- senter from the English Church, who came to
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America in the transport "Increase," Robert Lea master. The family was enrolled on the ship's list as follows: "Samuel Morse, hus- bandman, aged fifty; Elizabeth Morse, his wife, aged forty-eight; Joseph Morse, aged twenty." Samuel and his family settled in Watertown, where they united with the Puritan church. The General Court as- sembled at "Newtownc " granted a tract of land south of the Charles River to twelve men, among whom were Mr. Morse and his son Joseph. They held the first meeting in Watertown on August 15, 1636. Joseph Morse was born in 1615. His son, Lieuten- ant Samucl, born in 1639, served with dis- tinction in the Indian wars. He was com- missioned Lieutenant by Sir William Phipps, November 27, 1693, and recommissioned, when nearly sixty years of age, by Lord Bellc- mont, his commission bearing date October 3, 1699. Lieutenant Samuel's son Joshua, born in 1679, resided in Medfield. His son Ebenezer, born March 2, 1718, in Woburn, was a graduate of Harvard College, well known as a Doctor of Divinity residing in Boylston. The Doctor's son Ebenezer, father of Mrs. Ann D. Taylor, was born on July 10, 1735, and was married to Henrietta Sivcrly, September 22, 1782. He was a shipwright, residing in New York previous to and includ- ing the latter date. His sympathies were with the colonics during their struggle with the mother country; and, when the British forces occupied New York, he was forced to flee to escape imprisonment or impressment into the English navy. His wife, Henrietta, who was
a highly accomplished German lady, born in Würtemberg, survived him, retaining all her faculties at the age of eighty-six - memory, handwriting, and eyesight - as perfect as in youth.
Her grandson, Henry R. Taylor, received his elementary instruction in the public schools of his native town and at Townsend Academy, subsequently fitting for college at Saxton's River Seminary (now Vermont Acad- emy). Early in January, 1849, he was one of a party of fifteen who organized for the pur- pose of buying and fitting out the brig "Acadian," to sail for California, where the discovery of gold had become an assured fact. The company was known as Cunningham & Co., each partner contributing one thousand dollars. The "Acadian" carried a cargo of provisions and assorted merchandise, and sailed from Boston on February 7, 1849, under command of the senior partner, Captain Cunningham. Meeting with severe storms, the brig was compelled to stop at Rio Janeiro to refit spars and complete such repairs as were needed for the long voyage to the Pacific. After a delay of about two weeks the brig again set sail. During the passage through the Straits of Magellan they encountered ad- verse winds and sevcre gales, and at one time had the satisfaction of saving the lives of twenty-six men, the crew of a schooner that had been wrecked on the rocks on the Pata- gonian shorc. With this addition to the numbers on board the little brig, they were obliged to run for the port of Callao, Peru, where a detention of two weeks occurred.
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The brig finally. arrived at San Francisco in October, 1849.
Immediately upon anchoring in San Fran- cicso Bay the crew of the " Acadian " aban - doned the brig, and made for the gold diggings ; but the members of the company, who had ac- quired considerable nautical skill during the long passage, were able, under direction of the captain, to take the vessel across the bay and up the Sacramento River, one hundred and twenty miles to Sacramento City. Arriv- ing there, they purchased a lot and erected a store, which they stocked with their cargo and merchandise. Leaving two of the party in charge of this, the others started out to estab- lish trading posts at intervals over a stretch of three hundred miles from San Francisco to North Yuba River. In 1850 two of the party died of cholera at Sacramento; and, as some of the others then desired to return home, it was considered best to dissolve the partnership. After the dissolution Mr. Taylor, in company with one of the original partners named Blake, started for the mines. They secured a claim, and were successful in panning out about six- teen dollars per day and later, with the aid of a quicksilver machine, twenty dollars a day per man. Concluding, however, that it would be more profitable to engage in a general trad- ing business, they opened a store, which they operated until 1852.
Coming East via the Isthmus of Panama in 1852, Mr. Taylor spent a few months in Bos- ton, and returned the same year to California. While he was on the steamer, a gentleman who was en route for Chili, South America,
to take charge of certain flouring-mills, find- ing that he was competent in civil engineer- ing and well acquainted with the Spanish language, advised Mr. Taylor to go in com- pany with him to Valdivia. Mr. Taylor, however, continued on his way to California, but, soon finding that conditions had consider- ably changed during his ten months' absence, and having in mind his late friend's offer to secure him a lucrative position as engineer, decided to try his fortunes in South America. He therefore paid his passage in the "Iowa," a ship of one thousand tons. About three weeks after leaving San Francisco the ship was dismasted in a hurricane, but under broken spars and jurymasts succeeded in reaching the nearest available port, Guaya- quil, in the Republic of Ecuador. It so hap- pened that, on the day following, General Flores, the ex-president and "Revolutionist," advancing his five war vessels, attacked the city and lower batteries; and for thirty hours the hissing of cannon balls and the bursting of shells rendered the place extremely excit- ing, even for non-combatants. Flores, how- ever, was defeated and the "Revolution " ended. The ship "Iowa " remained there for over four months, and, when repaired, pro- ceeded on her voyage to Valparaiso. From Valparaiso Mr. Taylor secured a passage to Valdivia, where he expected to receive tidings of his friend in the flouring business, but found to his chagrin that the man had nearly two months before crossed the country to Montevideo to accept a more advantageous sit- uation.
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While waiting in the harbor one day, from the vessel's deck Mr. Taylor saw a child that was playing on the rocks near the ruins of old Fort Valdivia fall into the water. Calling the mate and steward, the only ones besides himself then on board, he threw aside his coat, jumped overboard, and succeeded in swimming out to the child. Owing to the violence of the surf he could not gain foot- hold or place the child upon the slippery rocks; but he finally swam, though bruised and rapidly losing strength, to a place where there was a sandy gully or beach between the rocks, and with one last effort threw him be- yond the reach of the surf. Mr. Taylor was now completely exhausted. Upon regaining consciousness, he found himself in the house of the comandante, or captain of the port. The captain and his wife were profuse in their expressions of gratitude. The mother pre- sented Mr. Taylor with a valuable ruby cross, taken from her neck; and the comandante was instrumental in securing a position for him in the Chilian Government Coast Survey. This position Mr. Taylor held for two seasons, or until the appropriation was exhausted. A portion of the intervening months and two years following he spent in travelling through the interior of those South American re- publics.
By study Mr. Taylor had acquired an excel- lent knowledge of French and Spanish. In the latter language he became an accomplished proficient, reading, writing, and speaking it with the ease and fluency of a native, so that during nearly five years' travels he had un-
usual opportunities for becoming familiar with the social customs, home life of the people, and historical events in those repub- lics. Indeed, the subject of this sketch seems to have had an unusually varied and eventful life, enjoying the entertainments and courtesies of wealthy and prominent digni- taries or sharing the rude hospitalities of humble poveracitos in city or in hamlet; in the midst of opulence or in the abodes of poverty; idly swaying in hammock, to the twang of guitar, among tropical fruits and flowers, or in solitude patiently climbing the lofty peaks of the Andes, traversing green savannas, or toiling along volcanic heights, threading tropical jungles or dangerous chasms; exploring the curious ruins of Peru, the empire of the ancient Incas, or the ro- mantic and untrodden wilds of Patagonia; en- countering numberless incidents and personal experiences, which, if collected, would fill a volume of narrative and adventure.
After having made several attempts to reach home, and having been obliged, by leaky vessels, mutiny, and other causes, to put back, he finally secured passage in the ship "John Cummings," bound for Hampton Roads, Va., with a cargo of copper ore and green hides. When off Cape Horn it was dis- covered that, owing to the rascality of the ship's mate, who had received empty casks on board instead of pork and beef, their pro- visions were running low. For six weeks everybody on board ship lived on a rice diet, and for a few days before reaching port the question of attacking the green hides became
1
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a serious alternative to the half-famished passengers and crew. From Hampton Roads Mr. Taylor went to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington. He soon secured a position in the government survey in Nebraska (then a territory), and was so employed until the out- break of the Civil War, when he returned East. At this time he visited his brother in Jonesboro, whom he had not seen for more than twelve years, and was persuaded to settle in Machias, where he engaged in civil engi- neering and surveying, being two years in the Coast Survey of the United States government in Machias Bay and vicinity.
In 1886 Mr. Taylor was elected Register of Deeds for Washington County, and he has ever since occupied that position. His office methods are systematic and highly satisfactory to the public, as evinced by successive re-elec- tions; and he is now entering upon his fourth term of four years each.
Mr. Taylor's first wife, Amelia N., daugh- ter of Amos B. Longfellow, of Machias, bore him three children : Annie E., who resides in Boston ; Carrie F., wife of George H. Smith, of Winchester, Mass .; and Arthur H., who died during his Sophomore year at the Uni- versity of Maine, aged twenty-three years. To Mr. Taylor and his second wife, Laura E., daughter of Kingman Smith, of Whitneyville, were born four children, all of whom are liv- ing; namely, Edith H., Henry K., Amy J., and Alfred O. Taylor.
In politics Mr. Taylor is a Republican. He has been one of the Assessors of Machias, also superintendent of schools, and has held-
many minor offices. Fraternally, he is a member and Past Master of Harwood Lodge, No. 91, F. & A. M .; Past High Priest of Washington Chapter of R. A. Masons; Emi- nent Commander of St. Elmo Commandery, K. T .; and Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Maine, also holding commissions as Grand Representative in Maine for the Grand Lodge of California, Grand Chapter of Flor- ida and Grand Commandery of New Jersey, a member of St. Croix Council; an active officer in Delta Lodge of Perfection and in Deering Council of P. J. He was one of the incorporators of the Machias Savings Bank, also a director and first secretary of the Ma- chias Electric Light Company. He has been Justice of the Peace for eighteen years, and is also a Dedimus Justice. He has been a Notary Public since 1889, and his commission extends to 1904. He is a member of the Cal- ifornia Pioneers, or Forty-niners, and of the Maine Society of Sons of the American Rev- olution, his certificate in the latter associa- tion bearing the significant number "76." As a presiding officer and public speaker he possesses more than ordinary ability. He is prominently named in nearly all memorial and social gatherings of that locality, and, whether called upon for impromptu re- sponse or studied address, is always listened to with marked attention and particular inter- est. Of historical events and aboriginal lore he has been a zealous student, and his writ- ings have been frequently recognized as of note and value. Portions of them have been published in the Government Reports of the
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Bureau of Ethnology, especially in the tenth volume (1888-89), where may be found a full plate illustration from his sketches and de- scriptions of Indian "picture writings," or petroglyphs, of Maine.
HAUNCEY CLEVELAND LEE, of Foxcroft, a retired schoolmaster and a Civil War veteran, was born June 26, 1843, upon the farm he now owns and occupies, son of Lyman and Elizabeth M. (Miner) Lee. His paternal great-grandfather served in the Continental army during the Revolutionary War. The grandfather, Nehe- miah Lee, moved from Wethersfield, Conn., his native town, to Peacham, Vt., when he was twenty-one years old, and cultivated a farm during his active years. His last days were spent in Foxcroft, where he died in March, 1862, aged eighty-seven years. His wife, whose maiden name was Lavinia Carpen- ter, died here in 1869. She was a half-sister of the Hon. Chauncey F. Cleveland, who was Governor of the State of Connecticut and a member of Congress several terms.
Lyman Lee, born in Peacham, March 2, 1812, settled in Foxcroft in 1834, and became a successful farmer and a prominent citizen. For many years he took an active part in local affairs, serving as a member of the School Committee for several years, also as Select- man, Trial Justice, and Register of Probate for Piscataquis County. The record of his official life is an honorable one. In politics he was originally a Democrat. Later he acted
with the Republican party. In his religious belief he was a Congregationalist. He died August 19, 1881. His wife, born November 11, 1814, who was also a native of Peacham, died December 23, 1887. She was the mother of eight children, five of whom are living; namely, Lyman U. Lee, Mrs. Josephine L. Craft, Mrs. Katherine L. Jackson, Chauncey . C. Lee, and Mrs. Martha E. Freese. The others were : Lovinia M., who died at the early age of thirteen years; Leonard W., who served in the Civil War with Company H, First Maine Heavy Artillery, which was later the Eigh- teenth Maine Infantry, and was killed in battle June 18, 1864, before Petersburg, aged eighteen years; and Willie Frank, who died June 9, 1885, aged twenty-seven years.
Chauncey Cleveland Lee pursued his ele- mentary studies in the common schools, and afterward attended Foxcroft Academy. He was preparing for college when the Civil War broke out, and he enlisted in 1861 in Company A, Sixth Regiment, Maine Volunteers, with which he served until his discharge on account of physical disability. He took part under General B. F. Butler in the campaign in the Gulf, which resulted in the capture of New Orleans. Re-enlisting the same year in Company E, Fourteenth Maine Regiment, he served until 1862, when he was compelled by poor health to leave the army. Upon his re- turn home he adopted educational pursuits, and for thirty-three years was engaged in teaching schools in Maine and Massachusetts, where he attained a high rank in his chosen profession. In 1895 he retired in order to give his atten-
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tion to the homestead farm, which he in- herited. He is now cultivating his property energetically and with success. Politically, he is a Republican. He was formerly a mem- ber of the School Board and superintendent of schools. At present he is a Justice of the Peace; and he has served as chairman of the Republican Town Committee for a number of years. He is Past Grand of Kineo Lodge, I. O. O. F., and the Commander of Chandler Post, No. 154, G. A. R. The family attend the Congregational church, of which they are all active members.
On September 6, 1866, Mr. Lee was united at Sangerville in marriage with Eva A. Drake, who was born in Sangerville, Me., July 21, 1846, daughter of Deacon Kingman and Lou- isa (Parsons) Drake. Her father was born in Sherborn, Mass., April 30, 1789; and her mother in Eddington, Me., November IO, 1804. Kingman Drake passed the greater part of his life upon a farm in Sangerville, where he died May 14, 1871. Mrs. Drake died November 10, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Lee have three children, namely: Lyman King- man Lee, born April 25, 1867; Chauncey Cleveland, Jr., born March 2, 1868; and Hat- tie F., born January 29, 1872. Lyman K. Lee, a graduate of Bowdoin College and now the principal of Foxcroft Academy, in 1895 married Sarah A. French, of Foxcroft, who is a teacher of physical science in the same in- stitution. Chauncey C. Lee, Jr., resides in Boston, where he is connected with the Hotel Warren as superintendent. Hattie F., who was educated in Foxcroft Academy and at
Kent's Hill Female Seminary, has followed teaching, and is now at home.
LBERT M. PATTEE, the third Se- lectman of Mercer, Somerset County, and well known throughout this section of Somerset County as a prosperous farmer and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in this township, February 2, 1840. A son of Amos Pattee, he comes of pioneer ancestry. The paternal grandfather, Joseph Pattee, came from New Hampshire to Mercer nearly a century ago, and bought a small farm in the township. A few years later he pur- chased the present Pattee homestead, and there afterward carried on farming and lumbering until his death.
Amos Pattee, who was born on the Pattee homestead, May 21, 1810, spent his life chiefly engaged in agriculture. He succeeded to the home farm, and also owned land in other parts of Mercer and in Smithfield township. Much respected for his enterprise and sagacity, his death on March 8, 1865, was deemed a public loss. He married Miss Arvilla Swan, who was born in Smithfield, Somerset County, July 15, 1814. Her father, John Swan, who settled in Smithfield in 1812, was married successively to Lizzie Chapman, Mary Eames, and Nancy Eames. His last wife, surviving him, subsequently married John Copeland, who removed from Quincy, Mass., to Smith- field, Me., and there followed shoemaking for a livelihood. Amos and Arvilla Pattee had thirteen children, of whom the third-born died
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in infancy; and Albert M., the fifth-born, is the sole survivor. The others were: Julia, Edwin, Amanda, Helen, Oscar, Frank, Fran- ces, Frederick, Warren, Carrie, and Eugene. Oscar married Ellen Osborne.
In common with his brothers and sisters Albert M. Pattee received his education in the district schools. He assisted in the daily labors of the home farm until attaining his majority, and then worked for a season in a store in Mercer village. In November, 1861, he enlisted in the Sixth Maine Battery, under the command of Colonel McGilvary. With his comrades he afterward participated in many of the more important engagements of the war, including the battle of Cedar Mountain, the skirmish at Sulphur Springs, the second battle of Bull Run, and the battles at Chantilly, An- tietam, Dunphee, and Gettysburg. On the expiration of his three years' term he re-en- listed at Richmond, Va., in January, 1864, and afterward served until the cessation of hostilities, being discharged in June, 1865, at Augusta, Me. After his return to Maine he spent a short time with his parents. Then he bought out a livery stable in Lewiston, and conducted it for two years. Subsequently he returned to the old homestead, of which he has since had charge, adding materially to the improvements previously made by his father. He now has a valuable property of three hun- dred acres, which he devotes to general farm- ing, dairying, and stock-raising, being espe- cially interested in the growing of sheep, of which he keeps a good grade. In politics he formerly voted with the Republicans. Of re-
cent years he has been identified with the Democratic party. He has served as Select- man of the township for two years.
On June 18, 1870, Mr. Pattee married Miss Ellen M. Thurston, who was born March 22, 1844, in Casco, Me. Her parents, Israel and Sallie (Edwards) Thurston, who resided on a farm in Casco during the first years of their married life, later removed to Poland, Me., where they both died, the mother in 1850 and the father in October, 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Pattee have five children, namely : Agnes, born May 23, 1871, who is the wife of Frank Caswell, a farmer in Mercer; Frank, born March 22, 1874, now assisting his father in the management of the Pattee homestead, who married Miss Lillian Tracy, of Mercer, and has one child, Beryl; Harry, born June 15, 1880, who died May 9, 1881; Angie, born June 20, 1882, who died December 31, 1882; and Rose, born October 13, 1884.
IDWARD A. MANSFIELD was for many years a leading business man of Jonesport, Washington County. Born in Portland, Me., August 6, 1817, he was a son of Henry and Thankful (Bibber) Mans- field, who were respectively natives of Salem, Mass., and Cumberland, Me. In early life he was engaged in running a trading schooner. He first came to Jonesport in 1834. Here he met and on the first day of October, 1836, married Lois Sawyer. Thereupon he settled in Jonesport and engaged in trade. He was also interested in ship-building and
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repairing sailing craft. His energy and in- dustry, coupled with his perseverance, brought him a large measure of success. In 1838 he built the house in which Mrs. Mansfield now lives. Thirty-three years after this house was opened by Mr. and Mrs. Mansfield as a hotel. Since then the Moosebec House has acquired a wide and well-merited popularity among persons who have frequented this region. Mr. Mansfield died here on November 27, 1894, having been in active business up to some seven or eight years previous to his death.
Mr. Mansfield accepted the religious views of the Latter Day Saints. He was a promi- nent Democrat in this district, serving his fellow-townsmen as Selectman, Town Treas- urer, and in other offices. His wife, whose religious beliefs are identical with those held by him, had nine children. Of these, Daniel J., Levi E., Susan B., and Melissa A. are deceased. Those living are : Edward A., William F., Bion B., Charles H., and George F. Edward A. Mansfield is the well-known proprietor of the livery stable on Mansfield Street. His teams are to be found at the wharf on the arrival of every boat, whether from the East or the West. He gives special attention to providing convenient arrangements for commercial travellers and for the trans- portation of their baggage, and furnishes teams to the general public either with or without drivers. Bion B. Mansfield is a leading Jones- port merchant. Charles H. is in the furni- ture, carpet, and lumber trade here; and George F. is Deputy Collector of the port.
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