USA > Maine > Biographical sketches of representative citizens of the state of Maine > Part 65
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Abraham2 Robinson, born in or near 1644, was living, says Babson, in 1730. He mar- ried in Gloucester, July 7, 1668, Mary Har- rendine, or Haraden, as sometimes spelled. She died September 28, 1725. They had eleven children, namely: Mary, who married John Elwell; Sarah, who married John Butnam; Elizabeth, who married Timothy Somes and (second) John Brown; Abigail, who married Joseph York; Abraham,3 who married Sarah York and (second) Anna Harney; Andrew, who married Rebecca Ingersoll; Stephen, who married Sarah Smith and (second) Edith Inger- soll; Ann, who married Samuel Davis; Doreas, who married Jonathan Stanwood; Deborah, who married John Stanwood; Hannah, who
never married; Jane, who married John Will- iams.
Abraham3 Robinson, born in Gloucester, October 15, 1677, died there December 28, 1724. By his first marriage he had seven chil- dren, and by his second four. They were: Abraham,4 who married Lydia Day; Isaac, who died in infancy; Samuel, who married Eliza- beth Littlefield; Sarah, who married John Sawyer; Andrew, who married Martha Gardner; Mary, unmarried; John,4 who married Mehit- able Woodbury, February 9, 1738; Jonathan, born January 14, baptized January 20, 1716; Hannah, born January 24, 1722; David, born July 28, 1723; and Abigail, born in February, 1725.
Mehitable Woodbury, wife of John' Robinson, was a native of Beverly, Mass., and daughter of Joshua Woodbury and his wife Sarah. Her father, born in Beverly in 1693, was of the third generation of his family in New England. In 1727 he removed to Maine and settled in Falmouth (now Cape Elizabeth) on the north- east side of Simonton's Cove. John+ Robinson fought in the French and Indian War in 175S, and he served as Sergeant in Captain Samuel Dunn's company, of Cape Elizabeth, Colonel Edmund Phinney's regiment of Massachusetts militia, in the war of the Revolution from April 24 to July 1, 1775. John Robinson and his wife Mehitable had three sons, Joshua, Samuel, and Ebenezer, and may have had more. Joshua, born January 9, 1756, died December 1, 1821. He married Hannah Stone, born May 2, 1675. She died July 22, 1841. Captain Ebenezer Robinson married January 16, 1764, Mary White, both of Cape Elizabeth, Me.
Samuel5 Robinson, born at Cape Elizabeth, Me., in 1758, became a sea captain, and was lost at sea in August, 1806. He served with his father in the war of the Revolution, being a private in the same company and reg ment. He was also a musician, and was promoted to drum-major. He married September 17, 1781, Elizabeth Emery, of Cape Elizabeth, Me. She died May 28, 1839. On his return from his last voyage, in 1806, Samuel Robinson stopped at Boston, and on the Ist of August set sail for Portland, where he had previously bought a house, on the corner of Congress and Wilmot
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Streets, for his family home. Neither the ves- sel nor any one on board of her was ever heard from after. He had eight children, namely: Betsey, born November 2, 1782, who died Feb- ruary 22, 1786; Samuel, who married Harriet Ilsley; Ebenezer, who married, first, Hannah Noyes, and, second, Betsey R. Peabody; John Emery, who married Sarah K. Harmon ; Betsey, who married Thomas Capen ; Harriet, who mar- ried Thomas Capen as his second wife; Wood- bury, father of the subject of this sketch; and William Dodge, who married Jeanette Mc- Clellan Warren.
Woodbury6 Robinson, born September 18, 1796, married Louise A. Tolford, August 1, 1824. He died at sea in August, 1834. His wife, born March 28, 1803, died September 3, 1856. They had three children: Charles Woodbury, born in Portland, Me., June 22, 1825; Frederick Warren, born in Portland, Me., August 10, 1827; and Franklin, born De- cember 5, 1832, whose name heads this article. Charles Woodbury Robinson married in Port- land, October 21, 1862, Olive Howes Nickerson, born on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, October 21, 1842, who died in Barrie, Canada. March 23, 1875. Frederick Warren Robinson married January 25, 1859, Mary Ann Goodridge, who was born in Naples, Me., February 25, 1536.
Franklin Robinson was married in Port- land to Miss Martha Amelia Stevens. She was born in Portland, Me., November 12, 1835, daughter of Ebenezer Collins Stevens, of New Gloucester, Me., and his wife, Eunice Stevens, of Westbrook (now Portland), Me. Her father, born January 21, 1794, died July 3, 1865. He was son of Paul and Lydia (Col- lins) Stevens. Paul Stevens, born January 31, 1762, died June 24, 1818. His wife Lydia, born in Gloucester, Mass., April 12. 1767, died in New Gloucester, Me., March 6. 1853. She was the daughter of Ebenezer Collins by his wife, Sarah Prince, of Cape Ann, whom he married January 24, 1750, he being then twenty-three years of age and she nineteen.
Ebenezer" Collins, born in 1727, was son of Ebenezer+ Collins, of Gloucester, Mass., who married Eunice Collins, January 7. 1720. Eb- enezer4 was born in Gloucester, January 11, ' 169S, son of Ezekiel" Collins, born in February,
1664-5, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Riggs. Ezekiel was son of John? Collins and his wife Mchitable and grandson of John Collins and wife Joanna. John Col- lins removed to Gloucester from Salem, Mass .. was Selectman in Gloucester in 1646 and in later years. He died in 1695. He had two sons, John and James, and two daughters. Ebenezer Collins removed to New Gloucester. Me., about the year 1804. (Babson's History of Gloucester.)
Deacon William Stevens, father of Paul, was born in Stratham, N.H., in October, 1713. and died December 30, 1787. He married Mrs. Abi- gail Stanwood (nee Woodbury). She died March 11, 1818, at the age of eighty-two, having been the mother of four children, Paul and Dorothy Stevens and Joel and Abigail Stanwood.
Eunice Stevens, wife of Ebenezer Collins Stevens, was daughter of Jonathan and Tabitha (Tobey) Stevens. Her father, Jonathan (born August 20, 1775, died August 1, 18301, was son of Joshua and Susannah (Sawyer, Stevens. of Westbrook (now Deering), Me. His parents were married February 5, 1763. Joshua Ste- vens (born October 28, 1743, died May 7. 1500 was son of Benjamin and Martha Sawyer; Stevens, of Westbrook. Me. Benjamin Ste- vens and his son Joshua fought in the Revolu- tionary War. Joshua served in 1775 as Ser- geant in Captain John Brackett's company. and on July 3 marched to Cambridge to join the army. He again served in 1779 as a Lieu- tenant in Captain William Cobb's company. Colonel Jonathan Mitchell's regiment. in the Bagaduce expedition, so called, from July to September. Tabitha Tobey was daughter of William and Tabitha (Brackett) Tobey.
The children of Franklin and Martha A. (Stevens) Robinson, three in number, were: Frank Woodbury, Eben Stevens, and George Randall. Frank Woodbury Robinson was born in Portland, Me. He was married November 21, 1877, to Miss Ida F. Wheeler. daughter of Elisha and Ellen (Sullivan) Wheeler. He has one child, Beatrice, born in Portland, Me .. September 22, 1878. Eben Stevens Robin- son, born July 22, 1857, died in Sharon. Mass., December 15, 1894. He married Elliese Geraldine Perrin, who was born
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in Putnam. Conn., daughter of Erastus Nelson Perrin, who was born in Pomfret. Conn., October 27, 1826. He had one child. Clarence Perrin, born in Providence, R.I., February 22, 1SS5. George Randall Robinson, born in Golden City, Col., April 9, 1871, married in Portland in June, 1894, H. Gertrude Staples, who was born at Stockton Springs, Me. He has one child, Ruth Stevens, born in Portland, Me., August 10, 1895.
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APHETH M. WINN, of Clinton, was born in what is now the town of Benton, Kennebec County, Me., May 14. 1822, his parents being Japheth and Ann (Simpson) Winn. His father, a native of Wells, York County, was a Major in the State militia, being familiarly known by that title. He served at one time as a member of the Maine House of Representatives. He died in 1870. His wife Ann was a native of Winslow, Kennebec County. They had nine children, seven of whom are now living, namely: Abigail A., widow of Luke Brown, of Waterville, Me .; Japheth M., of Clinton, whose name begins this sketch; George W., who is in the Black Hills, Dakota; Olive J., widow of Albert Spencer, late of Benton, Me .; Eliza A., widow of Erastus Piper, late of Benton, Me .; Marie A., wife of Elmer Hinds, of Waterville, Me .; Frances C., widow of Lincoln Spencer, late of Waterville. Six of these children of Major Japheth Winn are over seventy years of age, the youngest being sixty-five and the eldest eighty-three, a record of remarkable longevity, especially in view of the fact that all are strong and in excellent health. The two deceased are Charles H. and Caroline.
Japheth M. Winn resided until attaining his majority in the town of Benton, learning under his father the trade of blacksmith. Subse- quently he engaged in mercantile business and agriculture. In 1843 he removed to Clinton and engaged here in general blacksmithing and the manufacture of edge tools, in which employ- ment he continued for twenty years afterward. Entering mercantile business in Clinton in 1869, he took in the following year Mr. J. M. Jewell as partner, continuing the business for some three years thereafter under the firm name of Winn
& Jewell. Later he entered the lumber busi- ness, and also for a time manufactured erogtet sets. He still engaged in agricultural pursuits. which he has carried on in connection with his other enterprises for many years.
In 1859 Mr. Winn was elected a Selectman of Clinton, and, being successively re-elected. he served in that office during the period of the Civil War, being chairman of the board each year from 1859 to 1866. He was also Town Treasurer of Clinton for a number of years, and was a Commissioner of Kennebec County for one year. He has been a candidate on the Democratic ticket for the State Senate. Mr. Winn has always manifested much interest in the progress and prosperity of the town. to which he has contributed according to the measure of his opportunities. His useful activity and public spirit are frankly recognized by his fellow- townsmen. He belongs to Sebasticook Lodge. A. F. & A. M., of Clinton.
Mr. Winn married December 31, 1852, Eleanor S. Hunter, a native of Clinton, Me. She was born August 17. 1833, daughter of David and Mary (Haford) Hunter. David Hunter. second. father of Mrs. Winn, though born in Topsham. Me., was an early settler of Clinton, and at one time owned practically all the land that now forms the site of the village. He was one ci the best known farmers and lumbermen of this locality. Mr. and Mrs. Winn are popular mem- bers of Clinton society. They have been the parents of three children-Annie M., Mary A .. and Frank-all of whom are now deceased. Mr. Winn is a director of the Merchants Bank of Waterville.
JDWARD LIBBY HERSON, agriculturist. of Oakland, Kennebec County, was born in this town, May 10, 1846, son of Jefferson and Hannah (Libby) Herson. His parents were both natives of West Water- ville, now Oakland. -
Jefferson Herson, who was the son of an early settler of Kennebec County, was a well- known citizen of West Waterville in his day. He was a member of the Free Will Baptist church and a Democrat in polities. He was twice married, first to Hannah Libby, daughter
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of John Libby. of West Waterville. She died March 22, 1862, at the age of forty-four years, eleven months, and seven days. Of this union there were seven children, namely: Anson, born January 7, 1835, who now resides in California; Charlotte, born May 9, 1838, who died in June, 1871; William, born April 15, 1843, who lives in Oakland; Edward L., born May 10, 1846, whose name begins this sketch; Charles C., born March 11, 1848, who died November 14, 1896; Mary, born June 26, 1852, who died October 18, 1854; and Cora, born January 1S, 1855, who died June 2, 187S. Jefferson Herson married for his second wife Esther Perkins, of Rome, Me., who died April 17, 1903, at the age of seventy-six years, ten months. She bore her husband two children: Thomas H., born February 21, 1864, who is residing on the old homestead in Oakland; and Hannah, born March 11, 1866, who died June 23, 1903. The last named was the wife of Frank Page, of Belgrade, Me.
Edward Libby Herson was reared to man- hood in his native town of Oakland, and here remained till reaching the age of twenty years. He then, in 1866. took Horace Greeley's ad- vice, and went West, making for Colorado, where and in Kansas he was employed for some years in railroad construction work, and also in transporting supplies by team from Leavenworth, Kan., to the United States army post at Pike's Peak, Colorado. After spend- ing about two years in the Western States, he returned East, and in 1870 settled on his pres- ent farm in Oakland. He first married Martha Ann Ricker, a daughter of the late George Ricker, of West Waterville. She bore him one child, Lulu M. Mrs. Martha A. Herson died June S, 1889, and Mr. Herson married January 20, 1892, his present wife, in maiden- hood Hattie M. Ballard, who was born in Phil- adelphia, May 10, 1860, a daughter of Jona- than M. and Margaretta (Blight) Ballard. Mrs. Herson's father, who was born in Augusta, Me., of which place the Ballards were early settlers, died July 8, 1902. He was a United States naval officer, and served in both the Mexican and Civil Wars. His wife, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y .. is still living, being at the pres- ent time a resident of Sidney, Me. Mr. and
Mrs. Herson are members of Cascade Grange. and he also belongs to Amon Lodge, I. O. O. F .. and Acme Rebecca Lodge of the same order. both of Oakland.
Mr. Herson's farm includes one hundred and fifty acres of land bordering on Snow Pond. An industrious and practical agriculturist. be has met with good success, and is numbered among the useful and prosperous citizens of his town.
ESSE C. CONNOR is a well-known native resident of Pittsfield, having been born in this town November 15. 1824. His parents were Jesse and Ann Parks Connor, both natives of Dresden. Me. Jesse. the father, was son of James Connor, who for a number of years was captain of a vessel po- ing along the coast of Maine, and whose latter days were passed in Pittsfield, where he died.
Jesse Connor was for many years identified with the lumber industry in Gardiner. He continued the same business in Pittsfield. to which place he came in 1813: and he also con- ducted a grist and saw mill here until 1533. when he sold out his milling interests. Agr :- cultural pursuits engaged his attention during his remaining years. His death occurred Jazu- ary 9, 1869. Two of his sons, namely. Jesse C. and Gustavus J., now reside in Pittsfield. His eldest son, Hiram B. Connor, was a member of the Maine House of Representatives during the legislative session of 1855.
Jesse C. Connor was educated in the common schools of Pittsfield and at Hartland Me. Academy. When a youth he engaged in the lumber industry; and he remained so occupied for many years, giving special attention for ten years to the production of ship timter. During that period he was in partnership with his brother Hiram under the firm name of H. B. & J. C. Connor. He has also been en- gaged for over half a century in mercantile business, in which line of industry he has achieved considerable success, being now num- bered among the prominent business men of Pittsfield. In 1855 Mr. Connor was one of the organizers of the Republican party in Somerset County, and he has since never changed his
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political creed. He was one of the founders of the Maine Central Institute at Pittsfield in 1866, and has continued up to the present time to serve on the board of trustees and to advance the interests of the institute, both as an active worker in its behalf and as a personal contributor to its pecuniary resources.
Mr. Connor married February 19, 1857, Sarah B. Dinsmore, a native of China, Me., and daughter of Thomas Dinsmore, a former resi- dent of that town. She died April 29, 1902, leaving no children. On June 4, 1903, Mr. Connor married for his second wife Miss Eva A. Dow, of Boston, Mass.
Mr. Connor's career up to the present time, both as a business man and citizen, has been such as to gain for him the confidence and respect of all who know him, a confidence that, none can doubt, he will retain to the end of his days.
ANIEL ALLEN, a well-known citi- zen of Kennebec County, super- intendent of the Hallowell city farm, is a native of the county, having been born in Litchfield, December 29, 1834. His parents were Pardon W. and Sarah (Rob- ertson) Allen, both natives of Maine; and his paternal family, which is said to be of English origin, has been settled in New England for several generations, his great-grandfather Allen having been a Revolutionary soldier. A mili- tant patriotism seems to be inherent in the family, as Mr. Allen's father, Pardon W. Allen, fought against Great Britain in the War of . 1812, the war that first gave decided evidence of that naval prestige of the United States which has been so recently exemplified in the contest with Spain.
When about nine years old, Daniel Allen accompanied his parents and the rest of the family to Gardiner, where he was reared to manhood, acquiring his education mainly in the public schools. After attaining his major- ity he removed to Pittston, Me., where he fol- lowed farming for many years. Subsequently coming to Hallowell, he has been here engaged in agricultural pursuits up to the present time. He was appointed to his present position as
superintendent of the Hallowell city farm in April, 1896, and has held it continuously since. Formerly he served for one year as Overseer of the Poor of Hallowell. In these official ca- pacities he has shown himself to be possessed of good administrative ability, sound judg- ment, and a general knowledge of affairs, that have satisfied his fellow-citizens in each instance as to his being the right man in the right place. Of a warm social nature, he takes an active interest in several fraternal societies, belonging to Kennebec Lodge, F. & A. M., at Hallowell; the local lodge of Odd Fellows; and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
Mr. Allen was first married in 1859 to Del- phina Heseltine, daughter of Reuben and Han- nah Heseltine. Four children were born to them, of whom two are now living, namely- Eugene W. and Harry B., both residents of Waterville, Me.
In 1890. Mr. Allen married for his second wife Ella F. Charles, who was born in Smith- field, Kennebec County, Me., in 1853, a daugli- ter of Freeman and Esther Charles. They have an adopted daughter, named Bernice Andree Allen ..
AVID J. ROWELL, who is prominent among the elderly inhabitants of Madison as a man of substance, public spirit, and useful citizenship, is a native of the town, having been born here March 1, 1830. His parents, David S. and Rachel (Jewett) Rowell, were both natives of Maine, the father's birthplace being Madi- son, and the mother's Solon, Somerset County. David S. Rowell was in his day a well-known farmer of Madison, where he was a lifelong resident, being a son of David Rowell, who settled here at an carly day, coming from Mas- sachusetts.
The subject of this sketch was reared to . manhood in his native town and educated in the district schools. Under his father's guid- ance he early acquired a knowledge of agri- culture, which has been his principal occupa- tion, though since 1850 he has been largely engaged in lumbering. In both of these im-
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portant branches of industry he has achieved a marked success, due, needless to say, to his own habits of diligent and wisely directed application. For several years he served the town of Madison as Selectman. He has been among the foremost citizens of the town in the support of measures looking to its advance- ment and progress, and has had the satisfac- tion of seeing in the community since his boy- hood days a strong and healthy growth and many improvements, in some of which he has had a personal share. His farm of six hundred acres, purchased by him, not inherited, is one of the largest and best pieces of agricultural property in the vicinity.
Mr. Rowell was married September 21, 1857, to Mary M. Plummer, daughter of John J. and Matilda (Parks) Plummer, of Skowhegan, Me. He has three children : Edward F. and Elmer B., both of whom reside in Madison; and Mabel L., wife of C. B. Gardiner, of Canaan, Me. In politics Mr. Rowell is a Republican with inde- pendent tendencies.
OHN SMITH, a prosperous farmer of Norridgewock, is a native of Industry, Me., having been born in that town, December 15, 1835, son of Peter B. and Eleanor (Spencer) Smith. His parents were both natives of Maine, the father's birthplace being Industry, and the mother's . the town of Starks, Somerset County. Peter B. Smith resided during the greater part of his life in Industry, and served as Town Collector for a number of years. His wife Eleanor was a daughter of John P. and Eunice (Tibbetts) Spencer. Mr. Smith's paternal grandfather was Joseph W. Smith. He was born in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, and came to Indus- try, Me., when a young man, being one of the pioneer settlers of that locality.
Reared in his native town of Industry, John Smith in his youth attended the common schools during the winter terms, and made himself useful on the farm during the rest of the year. In 1859, desirous of seeing something of the world outside his own State, he went to Cali- fornia by the Isthmus route, and on his arrival there engaged in gold mining. This occupa-
tion he continued to follow for about five years. principally in Nevada County. Returning home by the same route, he settled in Industry, and there followed farming until 1875. He then came to Norridgewock, taking up his abode on his present farm on the banks of the Ken- nebec River, where he has since continuei in agricultural pursuits. The property consists of eighty acres desirably located, and presents a flourishing appearance, indicative of good management and well-directed industry.
Mr. Smith for a number of years has been a useful public official. For four years. from January, 1893, to January, 1897, he was a Deputy Sheriff of Somerset County; and for a similar period of four years he held the posi- tion of jailer of the Somerset County jail, when it was located at Norridgewock, its present location being at Skowhegan. He also served for one year as a special constable for the town of Norridgewock. Mr. Smith married for his first wife Abbie F. Gilman, of Anson, Me .. who bore him four children: Lizzie G., wife of Ed- ward Rogers, of Norridgewock; S. Maria. wife of Harry L. Heald, of Norridgewock: Laurs M., wife of Oscar Lockwood, of Norridgewock: and Benjamin B., who also is a resident of Norridgewock. The mother died April 11. 1884.
Mr. Smith married, secondly, April 4. 1857. Mrs. Arzilla W. Pierce, daughter of Robert and Mary (Wasson) Nichols and widow of John Pierce, a former resident of Skowhegan. Her father, Robert Nichols, was a native of Anson. Me. Her mother came from the province of New Brunswick.
Mr. Smith is a Republican in politics. He takes an active interest in the welfare and pros- ress of the town, of which he and his wife are among the well-known and respected residents. They are both members of Somerset Grange, P. of H., of Norridgewock.
OSEPH E. BUKER, agriculturist and dairyman, of Norridgewock. was born in Bowdoin, Me., August 16, 1840. 500 of Samuel and Sallie (Thompson) Buker. Both his parents were natives of Bowdoin, and there resided during the greater part of their
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lives. The Buker family has been long set- tled in Bowdoin. It is said to be of English origin.
Joseph E. Buker, the subject of this sketch, was reared to man's estate in his native town of Bowdoin, being brought up on his parents' farm and educated in the town schools. In the spring of 1868 he removed from Bowdoin to Skowhegan, where for the ten years directly following he was proprietor of a grist-mill and for two years subsequently of a saw-mill. Later he was engaged for a number of years in hauling supplies from Skowhegan to the lumber camps on the Moose River in the Ken- nebee River valley, and he continued in this business until the completion of the Somerset Railway. He then took up agriculture and dairying, which he followed in Skowhegan for several years before removing to Norridgewock. . He came to his present farm in 1902. and has since carried it on very. successfully, making a specialty of dairying, as heretofore.
He married Matilda Baker, of Kingsbury, Me., daughter of Julius and Nancy (Clark) Baker. Mr and Mrs. Buker have three chil- dren: Fred E., who is a resident of Lynn, Mass .; Perey, of Norridgewock, Me .: and Leon F., of Skowhegan, Me. In politics Mr. Buker is a Republican. He is a member of the Ma- sonic lodge at Skowhegan, and belongs to Skowhegan Grange, P. of H., his wife, Mrs. Matilda B. Buker, also being a member of the grange.
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