USA > Maine > Piscataquis County > Historical collections of Piscataquis County, Maine, consisting of papers read at meetings of Piscataquis County Historical Society, also The north eastern boundary controversy and the Aroostook War, V. I > Part 12
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Ebenezer Dean died in Madison, Me., June 24, 1857, at the age of 97 years.
ALLEN DWELLEY. DOVER.
Allen Dwelley was a native of Massachusetts, probably of the town of Pembroke, as he enlisted into the Conti- nental Army from that town when but eighteen or nine- teen years of age. He was born in 1762 or 1763. Of his ancestry and life prior to his settlement in Paris, Me., I am unable to find anything, other than the record of his service in the Revolution.
He enlisted April 3, 1781, for three years, into Capt. Lebbeus Drew's company, Col. Shepard's regiment, (4th Mass. Line). He served with his regiment until the proclamation disbanding the army in October, 1783, and soon after received an honorable discharge. A part of his service was under Capt. Clapp, but in Shepard's regiment. He received a pension for his war services under the act of March 18, 1818, being placed on the pension rolls September 7, 1819, commencing to draw
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from April 29, 1818, from which time until his death he received his annual allowance of ninety-six dollars.
The town of Paris, Me., was settled about the close of the war, and among the early settlers was Allen Dwelley ; just when he came there, there are no records to determine, but he was one of the petitioners for the incorporation of the town, October 11, 1792. He lived there until 1808 or 1809 when he removed to Dover. We take from the Paris records the following, showing his continued residence in that town: October, 1792, he was one of the petitioners for the incorporation of the town; in 1796 he was one of the hog-reeves; in 1798 he was taxed for fifty acres of land, valued at two hundred dollars; in September, 1802, he was one of the petitioners for the division of the town; and from an old deed, dated December 3, 1807, his residence is given as Paris.
In February, 1808 or 1809, Mr. Dwelley moved to Dover. I think it more probable in 1808, as he had purchased land here in December, 1807, with the evident intention of coming here, so he quite likely came at once. He bought of Jeremiah Fifield, lot 1, in range 12, the deed being dated December 3, 1807. This land is on the south side of the river just west of the present village, a part of which is now owned by Volney A. Gray, and on which his homestead stands.
Of Mr. Dwelley's trip from Paris to Dover, Mr. Loring in his history of Piscataquis County, gives an account, and from which I quote, as showing some of the hardships encountered by the early settlers in reaching these then remote settlements. He says: "He started from Paris, but on reaching Mr. Hale's in Ripley, the road was so poor, and his team was so worn out, that he could not proceed with his load. Upon hearing of his condition, Capt. John Bennett started from Lowstown,
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(Guilford) with a team to help him through. On Bennett's arrival at Hale's, Mr. Dwelley started, leaving one daughter there sick and another to nurse her, but taking his wife and seven other children, and their lading with them. Full ten miles of unbroken forest lay between Hale's and the next settlement. Deep and loose snow impeded their progress; they soon concluded that without more team they could not get through the woods before night, so they sent William Dwelley (a lad of thirteen) forward on horseback, to raise more help. But darkness overtook him before he reached inhabitants, and he tied his horse to a tree and camped out as best he could, for the night. In the morning he found he was only a half a mile from a habitation. Making known his message, the people promptly started to aid the slow- coming party, and met them only about half way through the woods. They, too, had camped out through the night. With these recruits they pressed on, but were all day in getting to Dexter."
He finally reached his coveted destination in the new settlement, where he took up his abode and reared him- self a home, and where he lived comfortably for about twenty years.
In June, 1825, Mr. Dwelley sold his Dover property to John Bradbury of Foxcroft, and soon after moved away. While in Dover he was interested in the pros- perity of the community, and from 1814 to 1825 he held various minor offices. Mr. Loring says he moved to Old Town. In June, 1836, when he applied for land granted to Revolutionary soldiers, he resided in the town of Springfield. In 1840, when the census was taken, the government published a list of all the living pen- sioners, giving their residences and in whose family they resided. In that list we find Allen Dwelley residing in the west half of Township No. 6, Penobscot County.
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That is the present town of Lee; he maintained a home of his own ; his age was given as 78 years. He undoubt- edly died there shortly after. He has descendants still living in that locality.
JOHN HART. ATKINSON.
The ancestry of John Hart cannot be accurately determined. He was born in the month of July, 1766, probably in the town of Gilmanton, N. H. He was brought up in the family of Capt. Jacob Sherburne of that town, and until his removal to Piscataquis County was closely connected with Capt. Sherburne in business interests.
When barely sixteen years of age he enlisted into the army. His enlistment papers bear date of July 1, 1782, and he was in Capt. Chase's company, Col. George Reid's regiment, of the New Hampshire Line. During all of Mr. Hart's service in the army his regiment was stationed in the state of New York, at Saratoga and on the Mohawk River.
He was not of large stature, and at the time of his joining the army he was obliged to stretch up to his extreme height, almost standing upon his toes, to pass muster, and in addition declare himself a few weeks older than his actual age; but his ardor to give his country his assistance in her time of need was such that he finally passed all the requirements, and was permitted to attain the coveted place, a member of the Continental Army.
Although his regiment, after his enlistment, did not engage in any great battles, yet he suffered all the hard- ship attendant on the life of a soldier in camp. The men were poorly clothed, and during the winter his feet were frozen, necessitating the amputation of his toes, leaving him with that halting walk for the remainder of
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his life as a reminder of the suffering and sacrifice neces- „sary in giving his service to his country.
He received his discharge July 10, 1783, making him a few days over a year of service; he then returned to Gilmanton to the family of Capt. Sherburne.
About 1790, probably a little before, Capt. Sherburne settled in Orland, Me., taking up a lot in partnership with Ebenezer Eastman, on which they built a sawmill and erected a dwelling house; Mr. Hart came with them. On October 5, 1791, Mr. Hart bought out Eastman's interest in the property, Mr. Eastman returning to New Hampshire. Mr. Hart lived here but a few years and then moved to Penobscot. We find by the Registry of Deeds in Hancock County that he was a resident of the last named town on August 2, 1794, that being the date on which he purchased of Abraham Stover, one hundred acres of land, being the same on which Mr. Stover then lived, and lying between that of his two sons, Jeremiah and Jonathan, and fronting the bay.
During Mr. Hart's residence in Penobscot he married Elizabeth, the daughter of Abraham Stover; the exact date of which I am unable to determine, but about the year 1795. He lived in that town until 1813, when he exchanged his place in Penobscot with James Hadlock of Atkinson, Hadlock being desirous of moving to the coast, and Mr. Hart being particularly anxious of getting back into the country on account of his boys, John and Peleg, who early showed an inclination to follow the sea, much ' to the distress of their mother.
The land he purchased in Atkinson was lot 14, range 5, and a part of lot 13 in the same range, according to the plan of Andrew Strong. Here he brought his family, consisting of his wife and five children, Olive, Polly, John, Peleg and Lucy; the last two being twins. His
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farm was originally taken up by Deacon Harvey, who sold to Mr. Hadlock.
Mr. Hart lived a useful and energetic life, and spent the remainder of his days on his Atkinson property. His wife died November 9, 1839, and he survived her but a little over two years, departing this life December 21, 1841, at the age of 75 years and five months.
He is buried in the Hart cemetery, within a stone's throw of his old homestead; he and his life companion resting side by side, their graves being marked with modest marble slabs, his bearing the simple inscription :
John Hart a soldier of the Revolution Died Dec. 21, 1841 Æ 75 yrs. & 5 ms.
NIMROD HINDS. DOVER.
Nimrod Hinds was the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Temple) Hinds, and was born in West Boylston, Mass., January 12, 1758.
He was the fifth in descent from James Hinds, the immigrant, who probably came from England and settled in Salem, Mass., as early as 1637. The line of descent is as follows: John, son of James, born in Salem 1639, died in Lancaster, Mass., 1720; Jacob, son of John, born in Brookfield, Mass., 1685, died in West Boylston about 1765; Benjamin, son of Jacob, born in Shrews- bury, Mass., 1725, died in 1794; Nimrod, the subject of this sketch, was the son of Benjamin.
Benjamin Hinds settled in West Boylston in 1746; he was a farmer, and apparently a very prosperous one as he loaned the Continental Congress the sum of $60,000
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to assist in carrying on the war of the Revolution, and received a part of his pay, at least, in Continental currency.
Nimrod Hinds' first enlistment in the Continental Army was May 4, 1777, as a private in Capt. Isaac Martin's company, Col. Joseph Whitney's regiment. His regiment was under Maj. Gen. Spencer in Rhode Island, and he served at this time two months and eight days. On August 12, 1777, he enlisted in Capt. Francis Wilson's company, Col. Danforth Keyes' regiment, and was finally discharged January 3, 1778. During all of his service he was stationed in Rhode Island.
In 1779 Mr. Hinds came to Maine, and was one of the early settlers of Norridgewock. In March, 1794, at Fairfield, he was united in marriage to Betsey Pishon, and went to reside in Fairfax (now Albion). He lived in Fairfax until about 1800, when he returned to Nor- ridgewock; he lived there until about 1812 and then settled in Bloomfield, now a part of Skowhegan. He made his home in Bloomfield until the early thirties, when he came to Dover.
We are able to trace his itinerary by his family record, which fortunately has been preserved. From his tomb- stone in the Dover village cemetery we take the inform- ation that he "was born in Boylston, Mass., and was one of the early settlers of Norridgewock in 1779." Three children were born in Fairfax, Nimrod in 1795, Betsey Temple in 1797 and Jason in 1798; five were born in Norridgewock, Peter in 1800, Mary in 1802, Lydia in 1805, Amos in 1807 and Ulmer in 1809; and three children in Bloomfield, Rebecca in 1812, Asher in 1815 and Charles in 1819.
The life of the pioneer must have held fascinations for Mr. Hinds, as we find him among the earliest settlers in several Maine towns. In 1779 the settlers in Norridge-
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wock were few and far between, but it was about this time that a number of men, who had seen service in the Revolutionary War, came into the town and took up lots. William Allen in his history of the town says: "The first settlers of this town were mostly young men, whose robust constitutions had been formed by the hard services of the camp, in the army, and by breathing the bracing air of poverty in their youths." This was true of Mr. Hinds, except possibly the poverty; it seems that his father was a man of some considerable means, but it also appears that his sons were nevertheless enured to hardship, and their early training had been one that taught that honest toil was an element of future success.
Fairfax was quite an old settlement at the time he lived there, yet it was small and a long distance from the larger towns where more of the comforts of civilization might be had. Mr. Hinds was an early settler of Bloom- field, going there about the time it was set off from Canaan and incorporated as a separate town.
I have been unable to establish the exact date of his coming to Dover, but it was in the early thirties. He preceded his son Nimrod a short time. He took up a farm on the Dexter road, about a mile south of the village, on what is now familiar to all as Hinds' Hill. Nimrod Hinds, Jr., the son, came here in 1835 at about the time his father died; moved onto the premises made vacant by his father's death, and here spent the remain- der of his life. Nimrod Hinds, Sr., died February 12, 1835, at the age of 77 years and one month. His wife Betsey survived him more than thirty years, living until October 20, 1866, having attained the advanced age of 91 years and seven months. They are buried in the Dover village cemetery, their graves being marked by a marble slab.
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Mr. Hinds, Sr., living such a short time after his settlement in Dover, left but little impress on the history of this county, but his son Nimrod was prominent in the affairs of the county and town during his residence of forty years in Dover. He is remembered for his upright life, honesty, and firm convictions. He was county treasurer in 1847 and in 1870, '71 and '72; representa- tive to the Legislature in 1856 and '57; he helped to form the Abolition party in Piscataquis County, and early joined in the temperance reform movement. He had five children, one dying when very young, the other four living only to attain young manhood and woman- hood. He died June 19, 1875, at the age of 80 years. He was the last of his race in this county, father, mother, brothers, sisters, wife and all his children had gone before him, and with him the line in this section of the State became extinct.
Nimrod Hinds, Sr., received a pension for his Revo- lutionary services July 19, 1833, with back pay from March 4, 1831.
Ten graves side by side in the village cemetery are all that remain except the memories. Father and son, the father the soldier of the Revolution, the son a veteran of the War of 1812, peacefully sleeping, and attended by all their loved ones.
ENOCH LEATHERS. SANGERVILLE.
Enoch Leathers was born in Dover, N. H., October 2, 1763. In June, 1782, he enlisted in the Continental Army in the company of Capt. Samuel Cherry, in Col. George Reid's regiment. He served two years, and received an honorable discharge in June, 1784.
Soon after leaving the army Mr. Leathers settled in Maine. On November 15, 1788, he married Mary
ENOCH LEATHERS
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Cilley of Westbrook, and settled in Buckfield; here he lived a number of years, but later removed to Brooks. He was a resident of Brooks in 1810. From Brooks he went to Etna, then called Crosbytown; he was a resident of the latter town in 1818.
Like many others of the early settlers in Maine, Mr. Leathers seemed to have a desire to keep on the frontier of civilization ; he was one of the very early settlers in all of the last named towns.
When hostilities commenced in the War of 1812, he again enlisted; he was in Capt. Vose's company and Col. Ripley's regiment, and took part in several engage- ments, among them was the battle of Lundy's Lane.
On November 26, 1829, his youngest daughter, Lois Asenath, married Jonathan Roberts, a young man who had just settled in Sangerville, and the newly married couple went to live in their new home, which the husband was making in Piscataquis County. Mr. Leathers, who was a man quite advanced in years, being then 66, came with them and ever after made his home in their family.
Mr. Roberts moved to Foxcroft in 1849, and Mr. Leathers died there May 28, 1858, in the 95th year of his age. His remains rest in the cemetery at East San- gerville. His wife Mary died August 31, 1852, at the age of 87, and she is buried beside him. He was granted a pension September 7, 1819.
An obituary notice appeared in The Piscataquis Observer in the issue of June 24, 1858, in part as follows :
66 * Died, in Foxcroft, on the 28th of May last, at the residence of his son-in-law, Jonathan Roberts, Esq., Mr. Enoch Leathers, a Revolutionary soldier and pensioner, aged 94 years, seven months and 26 days.
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"He took part in several engagements during the war of the Revolution, and in 1812, when our country was again invaded, that same patriotic love of liberty that fired his youthful bosom, called him to go forth and vindicate his country's rights, and he again enlisted ; he was in the battle of Chisterfield (by him called) in which the Americans attacked the fort; on both sides a num- ber were killed and wounded.
"Conversing with a friend in relation to the battle, he thus remarked : 'I had serious reflections of the propriety of war;' said he fired forty-four rounds, and how many proved fatal he did not know, but he prayed that God would save him from any more battles, and his prayer was answered.
"He was, during the remainder of the war, when not in the hospital, stationed on the frontier to guard the inhabitants against the Indians.
"Mr. Leathers was blessed with a very retentive memory and could until a few weeks before his death, relate the story of the Revolution and other events, very accurately. Being of a social temperament and one who had seen much of this world, his society was much sought for and enjoyed by all; his age and the events with which he had been connected, added to his virtues, caused him to be respected by all who knew him, and if there was ever a man without an enemy, he was one. * He was a firm supporter of the political principles of Washington and Jefferson, and if he ever went averse therefrom, the dereliction should be ascribed to that of the hand, not of the heart.
"He lived to see his country's flag, the emblem of his nation's glory, that he had in two wars helped to sustain, proudly waving its stars and stripes over thirty- two independent states of the Union.
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* The places that knew him will know him no more, but though gone from this earth, his memory is embalmed in the hearts of all who knew him, and his name is enrolled with patriots of the Revolution -there it will remain, honored and cherished by the friends of his country, and by all who loved liberty, long after we, who are now enjoying the blessings of that legacy bequeathed to us by the man of that day, shall have passed away."
HENRY LELAND. SANGERVILLE.
Henry Leland was a native of Sherburne, Mass., and was born April 30, 1761. , He was the son of Henry and Mary (Morse) Leland. His father was cap- tain of a company of militia in Col. John Bullard's regiment, and was one of Sherburne's minute-men who were called out on the memorable alarm of April 19, 1775. The elder Leland was under arms eleven days at this time.
The son, Henry, inherited the patriotism of the father, for when he was a few days less than sixteen years of age he enlisted as a soldier of the Revolution. The return of Nathaniel Barber, muster master for Suffolk County, shows that he was mustered in April 27, 1777, for three years' service. He was in Capt. Alexander's company of Col. Edward Wigglesworth's regiment, of the 13th regiment of the Massachusetts Line, and was engaged for the town of Sherburne. In an affidavit signed by his widow, in an application for lands granted to Revo- lutionary soldiers, she states, that he served the whole of the three years, excepting about three months, when he was at home on a furlough on account of sickness.
To follow the career of Col. Wigglesworth will give the career of his soldiers. He first received a commis-
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sion as colonel in June 1776; his regiment was raised in the counties of Essex, York and Cumberland, principally from the District of Maine. During the winter of 1777 he returned to his home in Newburyport to raise a second regiment, and it was then, in April, that Mr. Leland enlisted with him; but before a full complement of men could be recruited, he was ordered to march to Ticon- deroga, to join the army of the Northern Department under Gen. Schuyler, to assist in repelling Burgoyne's invasion. Mr. Leland undoubtedly took part in the battle of Saratoga. He was at Valley Forge and suffered the terrible hardships of that winter, and then took part in the battle of Monmouth. After completing his three years' service, he received his discharge in the spring of 1780.
After leaving the army he returned to Sherburne, and in 1783 married Sarah Phipps. His children were Walter, Kesiah, Lowell, Henry B., Jedediah P., Sarah, Lucy and Mary, all born in Sherburne. In 1802 he removed to Hubbardston, Mass., where he resided until 1816, when he came to Maine, and settled in Sangerville.
The first member of Mr. Leland's family to come to Sangerville was his daughter Kesiah, wife of Samuel McLanathan, they emigrating there in 1807. His son Walter was the second of the family to come to the town, he settling there in 1809. Walter was a nephew of Col. Sanger, the proprietor, and acted as his agent. In 1810 Sangerville had a population of one hundred and twenty-six, and in 1820 it had increased to three hundred and ten, being the third largest town in what is now Piscataquis County ; Sebec and Guilford being larger. There is no doubt but what the judicious management of the resident agent contributed in no small degree to the rapid settlement of the place.
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Henry Leland was of the fifth generation from Henry Leland, the common ancestor of nearly all the Lelands in America. All bore the name of Henry with one exception ; this was Hopestill, the eldest son of the first Henry.
The common ancestor came to America about 1652 and settled in Dorchester. He lived there but a short time when he removed to what is now Sherburne, then an unincorporated place. The ancestors of the subject of this sketch all were born and died there, and there Mr. Leland lived until 1802.
In an unbroken line from the common ancestor, the Lelands have been farmers, so it is not at all surprising that the Lelands of to-day in Piscataquis County, are successful farmers, they having the blood of seven and eight generations of farmers behind them.
Henry Leland was quite a tall, spare man, of medium complexion and very active. He was an exceptionally good shot, and at the shoots held on Thanksgiving days, it was said, if he chose, he could take his bird at every shot. He would make misses in order not to dishearten the other contestants. At one of the shoots, at his first shot he took his goose; a neighbor of Mr. Leland's was present with a stranger who was a visitor; the neighbor said to the visitor, "You notice the small knoll at the left of the birds, well, you'll see the dust fly there this time." True to his prophecy it did. Mr. Leland missed his bird purposely, and so on throughout the shoot when he saw fit he won his prize or missed, as pleased him.
He settled in Sangerville on the farm now (1908) owned by Edgar H. Leland, a great grandson. He died June 26, 1835, at a little over 74 years of age. His wife survived him about three years, dying May 26, 1838. They are buried in the Knowlton Mills cemetery,
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Sangerville, their graves being appropriately marked by a marble slab.
ZACHARIAH LONGLEY. DOVER.
As near as can be ascertained, Zachariah Longley was born in Groton, Mass., about the year 1758. His father's name was Zachariah, and the subject of this sketch sometimes had "junior" attached to his name, and at other times it was omitted, so that in some instances it is difficult to tell whether the father or the son is intended in the records.
Zachariah Longley enlisted from Groton April 7, 1777, for three years. He first joined Capt. William H. Ballard's company, Col. Ichabod Alden's regiment, as a fifer. While in the records of the pension depart- ment he is given as attached to that company and regi- ment during the whole of his three years' service, the records in the Massachusetts archives show him some- times under other commands. For a short time he was in Capt. Watson's company. During the last few months of his service he appears to have been in Col. John Brook's regiment, and in the company of Capt. White. He completed his full three-years' term, and received his discharge April 12, 1780.
He again enlisted as a fifer in a regiment raised for the Rhode Island service for three months. The date of this enlistment was July 27, 1780, and he was discharged October 30. He was in Capt. John Porter's company, Col. Cyprian How's regiment and Col. Commandant Jacobs' brigade.
Mr. Longley was in the battle of Saratoga, and he used to tell of witnessing the surrender of Gen. Burgoyne.
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