USA > Maine > Hancock County > Blue Hill > Historical sketches of Bluehill, Maine > Part 5
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The next occupant and owner, Mr. Her- rick, still resides on the place. He was born in Sedgwick, is a blacksmith by trade and a worthy citizen.
THE SAMUEL WOOD HOUSE
and place is the next in order. The orig- inal house was of two stories with brick end-walls, and with woodsheds attached. Samuel Wood was the son of Joseph 2nd and grandson of Joseph the first settler. His mother was Eleanor Carter, and he was born Dec. 31, 1776, and married Fanny Colburn Nov. 6, 1805; she was born Oct. 26, 1782; died March 27, 1851; he died August 5, 1842. Children were:
1. Simeon Parker, born August 2, 1807; married Lucy H. Powers.
2. Fanny, born Aug. 2, 1809; married Timothy Colburn.
3. Samuel, born June 12, 1811; married at Monmouth, Ill.
4. Lydia Parker, born March 8, 1814.
5. Mary Jane, born April 5, 1816; mar- ried Leonard Clough.
6. Robert Parker, born Jan 1, 1819; died Oct. 31, 1836.
7. Betsey Paters, born Sept. 30, 1821; married March 2, 1839.
8. Almira Ellis, born June 15, 1824; married J. Q. A. Butler.
Capt. Samuel Wood, the head of this fam- ily, was a farmer and a highly respected man, whom the writer well remembers. His son Robert and the writer were as fast friends as boys of different ages could pos- sibly be. They fished for trout, gunned for partridges and played games together.
All of the family have left town or died years ago, and the place, after the death of Simeon P., passed into other hands. The farm and pastures occupied both sides of
the main road and extended over the hill, including more than a hundred acres. Be- fore the death of his father, Simeon Parker Wood married Lucy H. Powers, Dec. 25, 1839, and brought her to the old homestead to reside. After his father's and mother's deaths he pulled down the old house and built the one now standing on the old site. In his earlier days he was a land surveyor, but after marriage carried on the farm.
He was a kindly man, fond of boys, and the boys of the neighborhood were fond of him. At one time he kept a shop in the old house, and among other things he sold were Malaga cask raisins at six cents per pound. The boys bought raisins of him which, as was common, had a good share of stems among them. They said to him, "Mr. Wood, what do you ask per pound for raisins with the stems taken out?" "The same price," said he. A boy said, "I'll take a pound." Mr. Wood pro- ceeded to weigh them in the usual manner, after which he picked out the stems. Then he said to the purchaser, "Don't you think I ought to take toll for picking out the stems?" upon which he took some, ate them and handed over the rest, which all thought was a good joke.
Another time he went fishing for had- dock off the Falls in a boat by himself, and the writer and his two brothers went in another boat and anchored near him. Mr. Wood had poor luck; the boys good luck. They all landed and the boys threw out and counted their fish, which num- bered thirty-nine. Mr. Wood stood by watching eagerly the count, with his single haddock in his hand. When the boys threw down their last fish and said "thirty-nine" he threw his one on to the pile in triumph and shouted "forty." "We have not done bad, have we boys?" The boys appreciated the joke and said, "Mr. Wood, take as many of the fish as you want," and he took them.
The family of Simeon P. and Lucy Has- kell (Powers) consisted of the following children:
1. Samuel Albert, born Sept. 28, 1840; died Feb. 6, 1863. .
2. Mary Jane, born May 9, 1844; mar- ried in New York.
3. Alma Frances, born Sept. 28, 1849; married.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
4. Clara Amanda, born Nov. 14, 1851.
5. Sarah - , born August 27, 1856; died July 6, 1858.
6. Almira Etta, born Nov. 21, 1859.
Mrs. Lucy H. Wood, died Jan. 31, 1869; Simeon P. Wood, Jan. 19, 1878.
After the deaths of the head of this fam- ily, the place was sold to Sewell Welling- ton Candage, son of Sands and Abigail (Norris) Candage, born on Blue Hill Neck May 21, 1840. He married Viola A. Black Jan. 10, 1867, by whom he had two chil- dren, Ada, born Feb. 18, 1868, and Fred- erick L., born April 14, 1870. Mr. Can- dage is the fifth in descent from James Candage who settled upon the Neck in 1766. He still owns the Wood place, and is a farmer.
The Wood farm on the westerly side of the road extended from the line of the Sinclair farm to the Clough farm, near Bragdon's brook, except one acre belong- ing to Israel Wood, 2d, to be described later, and extended beyond the hill a con- siderable distance.
Beyond the hill, Samuel Wood, brother of Simeon P., built a house and barn about 1833 in which he lived a bachelor's life until 1837, when he sold out and went to Monmouth, Ill., where he settled, mar- ried; had children; became mayor of the place and a man of means and influence, and where he died at a good age.
The writer well remembers him and his bachelor home upon the hill, which he frequently visited when a boy, for like his brother Simeon, he was fond of boys and young company.
Capt. Merrill Dodge bought the place, removed to it with his family from Long Island, and lived there until his death, after which the house and barn were torn down.
Capt. Merrill Dodge was the son of Jonah Dodge, of Sedgwick, who married Abigail, daughter of David Carter, of Long Island, Nov. 6, 1828; she was born Jan. 1, 1805; died Dec. 3, 1878; he died Jan. 27, 1884, upwards of eighty years of age.
Capt. Dodge commanded vessels in the coasting trade, was a smart coasting "skipper", fond of a joke, a good story- teller, a good mimic, fond of company and a companionable man. One of the writ- er's first trips coasting was with him in a schooner he commanded named "Passa-
maquoddy". He had seven children, as follows:
1. Ezra N., born July 30, 1832; died Sept. 20, 1837.
2. Nancy L., born April 6, 1834.
3. Caroline J. C., born Feb. 24, 1837.
4. Sarah Ann, born Oct. 13, 1840.
5. Ezra N., born Dec. 29, 1843; died July 14, 1844.
6. Susan M., born Oct. 15, 1845; died Oct. 18, 1859.
7. Edwin B., born June 25, 1850.
He also had an adopted son, Otis Gay, illegitimate son of Otis Gay, of Castine; a fine fellow, a schoolmate of the writer, also his shipmate in schooner "Passama- quoddy", in ship "Java" from New York to Charleston, S. C., and from that port to Liverpool, and back to New Orleans in ship "Iowa" and at the latter port died of cholera in the spring of 1849, after an ill- ness of less than two days. The writer communicated the intelligence of his death to Capt. Dodge, and mourned his death as that of a brother. The
STINSON OR GEORGE ROBERTSON PLACE lay quite a distance back of the place last named. It is said that a Mr. Stinson, who came from Deer Isle, built the house; at any rate he lived there in the childhood of the writer, worked upon the farm of the writer's father sometimes, and gave the nick name of "Tag and Yell" to the writer because he wanted to tag after the work- men into the field, and cried if not per- mitted to do so. What became of Mr. Stinson and family there is neither record nor tradition known to the writer to de- termine.
After Mr. Stinson left the place, it was occupied by George Robertson, who mar- ried Sophia, daughter of Marble Parker, Oct. 8, 1833. George Robertson was the son of Robert Robertson; he was a sailor and farmer anz had the following chil- dren:
1. Marble Parker, born March 17, 1834; he was foremast hand with the writer in brig "Equator", Blue Hill to Boston and to Valparaiso in 1850-1; then went to California, where he died Nov. 30, 1853.
2. George Henry, born Dec. 8, 1836; died March 17, 1858.
3. Cenova Sophia, born Jan. 1, 1838.
4. William Harrison, born Feb. 28, 1840.
5. John Allen, born August 4, 1842.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
6. Charles Colburn, born Oct. 9, 1844.
7. Almira Lovejoy, born Nov. 1, 1847.
8. Augustus, born Jan. 7, 1849; died Jan. 7, 1849.
9. Augustine, born Jan. 7, 1849; died Jan. 9, 1849.
10. Elivira Parker, born Feb. 24, 1850; died Oct. 2, 1851.
11. Elvira Parker, born April 28, 1857.
The Robertson family removed from this place to the village, and whether the old house is now standing the writer does not know, but presumes it is not. Mr. Rob- ertson was a member and deacon of the Blue Hill Baptist church at the time of his death. He lived to be over eighty, his wife dying before he did.
THE ISRAEL WOOD PLACE
is the next to be described, which was upon the main road, the house occupying an acre on the west side and the rest of the farm lying upon the other and stretch- ing to the bay shore between lands of Asa Clough, sr., and of Samuel Wood.
Israel Wood was son of Israel and grandson of Joseph the first settler. He was born July 20, 1782; married Joanna Parker, daughter of Peter and Phebe (Marble) Parker, May 2, 1808, born May 6, 1794; died March 4, 1820. They had two children, Edwin and Israel, before men- tioned.
Mr. Wood married for a second wife Betsey Briggs Hatch, of Nobleborough, Sept. 3, 1822, by whom he had children as follows:
1. Lois Parker, born June 11, 1824; married Charles Trueworgy, and moved to Ellsworth.
2. Joan Elizabeth, born Sept. 11, 1826. Israel Wood died in 1831, and his widow married for a second husband Benjamin Herrick.
After the death of Mr. Wood and mar- riage of his widow, the place was sold to Isaac Parker, 2nd, who married Abigail Marshall Powers, sister to Mrs. Simeon P. Wood, and of the wife of his brother, Augustus G. Parker, Feb. 19, 1835, and set up housekeeping in the Israel Wood house, built about 1800, and still standing at this writing. Isaac Parker, 2nd, was born July 30, 1805, and died June 12, 1874. He had eight children as follows:
1. Harriet Melinda, born Jan. 9, 1836; married Joseph Allen.
2. William Jasper, born Sept. 17, 1837; died at Portland May 25, 1869.
3. Mary Augusta, born Nov. 22, 1839.
4. Dorothy Abby, born Dec. 6, 1842.
5. Francis Colburn, born Jan. 9, 1844.
6. Pearl Spofford, born Feb. 4, 1846.
7. Augustus Granville, born July 10, 1850.
8. Henry Austin, born March 28, 1853.
Mrs. Parker, mother of this family, died June 12, 1874. William Jasper, the second son, followed the sea and made a voyage before the mast in ship Electric Spark of which the writer was master, from Boston to San Francisco in the '60s.
Isaac Parker, the father, was a sailor, and rose to command a coasting vessel in early life, but gave it up after marriage, except an occasional trip, and settled down to the life of a farmer. He made the trip to Boston with the writer once in schooner "Edward" and again in the brig "Equator" when she was new, in 1850, the writer being in command.
Beyond the bounds of this farm on the highway is Bragdon's brook, where boys fished for trout sixty and seventy years ago, with twine for a line, bent pins for hooks and worms for bait. It seems but yesterday to the writer that he was thus engaged, and he almost feels the thrill of satisfaction again that went through his veins when he hooked and landed a tiny trout the like of which would require a dozen for a hungry boy's breakfast.
At the mouth of the brook where it empties into the bay, at smelting time in the spring of the year, they had better catches of larger fishes. The old school- house stood half way between the brook and Clough's hill, on the right. That was the house moved to the Tide Mill district and burned as before related.
The writer first attended school in the old house upon its original site, was pres- ent when it was moved, and remembers well as it was being hauled up the hill at Samuel Wood's that Robert Robertson, who was there, called out to the boys to "puss, boys, puss," meaning to push be- hind and help the oxen with their load. He was a Welchman by birth, and his articulation not always the clearest. "Puss, boys, puss," was a by-word among the school boys for a long time after the event here narrated.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
Here properly ends the description of the Tide Mill district where the settle- ment of the town began and its early history centres, but we shall keep on, if all goes well, until we reach the village, and after that further consider the advisability of continuing the subject.
The shore road to Parker's point and village, as now la'd out, did not exist, there being a foot path across fields and pas- tures only, and if required to go there by team, ox or horse, one turned off from the main road at or near Frederick Parker's barn to reach the point.
Over the old path which followed the direction of the present road the boys of three score years ago traveled in search of acorns in the autumn, for "slivering" fir trees in spring and visiting Indian camps at Clough's shore. They had to climb over his fences or through bars in their progress.
Penobscot Indians were in the habit of camping upon the shore in summer, where they shot seals, fished, and the squaws made and sold baskets. Some winters they remained at that locality, where the boys and young people of the town visited them, and were usually kindly received. The Indians were fond of stories and of songs, and the boy who could entertain them with either was a welcome guest to their camps.
Their birch bark canoes, models of beauty,symmetry and lightness, were won- ders to the boys, as they examined them on the shore or saw them paddled grace- fully over the waters of the bay. The squaws were watched carefully as they dextrously wove and formed their baskets of strips of ash wood colored to suit their fancy, while their "papooses" shyly eyed strangers and played their games and ca- ressed the dogs which had a place in every Indian camp.
For the boys that frequented their camps they had names peculiar to their tongue and of recognized significance. One boy, with a florid complexion and very active, they gave the name of "Ma- ja-jag-a-nut", meaning "the red horse," and others had names given to'them quite as appropriate but not now held in mem- ory. They were an inoffensive folk, and were welcomed to the town by the people, among whom they freely mingled.
The first house one saw on his way to
the point was that of Robert Robertson, built about 1830, and still standing. Mr. Robertson was a sailor in his younger days, married his wife at Deer Isle, where it is supposed his children were born, and then removed to the Tide Mill district, where he resided some years before build- ing this house and locating here.
During the time of the "embargo", about 1811, Robert Means was master, Stephen Norton, mate, Robert Robertson, Samuel Morse, jr., Wallace Hinckley, Lemuel E. D. Peters and Samuel R. Candage, the writer's father, were the crew of brig "Fern", the shipping articles for the same being in possession of the writer. Their companionship was warm, true and most cordial through life, and when they met it was a treat to those who listened to the account of their sea life.
The family record of Mr. Robertson is not found at Blue Hill, but the children were Jane Grover, daughter of Mrs. Rob- ertson by a former husband, who married Zelotes Clough; Ann, who married Capt. Foster Hardin, and sons George, John, Robert and William.
Mr. Robertson died many years ago, and his widow on March 29, 1855, aged seven- ty-four years. An account of the sons, George and John, has already been given, and their families.
Robert was a sailor and was lost at sea while mate, of brig "J. Randolph Mar- tin", Capt. Anson Darling, she never hav- ing been heard from after sailing from Rotterdam for Boston in 1844. He was not married.
William M. Robertson, the youngest son of Robert, sr., married Elizabeth Jane Grindle, daughter of Giles J. Grindle, by whom he had twelve children, viz .: Mary Ann, Jane Sophia, Robert H., William Stevens, Sarah Brown, Giles Edsley, Ad- dison Parker, Ednah Newella, Emma Frances, Franklin, Chase Meltiah and Hinckley Thomas.
Shortly after his marriage in 1842, he built a house near his father's, where he lived up to the time of his death a few years ago at about eighty years of age. He was rich in children but poor in other ways.
After the death of Robert Robertson and wife, his house was occupied by Capt. Foster Hardin and family, whose wife was
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
Ann Robertson, daughter of Robert Rob- ertson, sr., and wife; he dying in 1861.
Capt. Foster Hardin was a sailor and sea captain in early life, and married- Ann Robertson Aug. 24, 1820, 'both being re- corded at that time as of Sedgwick. MI. Hardin died March 11, 1874, and Ann, his widow, February 1887, aged above eighty. Their children were:
1. Edsley Austin, born May 28, 1828.
2. David F., born Dec. 26, 1829.
3. George F., born Oct. 22, 1831; died Dec. 1831.
4. Mary A., born Nov. 24, 1832; died Jan. 24, 1854.
5. Hiram B., born Sept. 8, 1835.
6. Eveline Darling, born July 24, 1837.
7. John Robertson, born Sept. 6, 1839.
8. Francis Alphonso, born Dec. 5, 1841; lost at sea in 1861.
9. Robert Gilbert, born May 3, 1845; died Dec. 16, 1864.
10. Marcy, born, May 3, 1845; died July 1845.
11. Charles Albert, born Feb. 16, 1848.
Francis Alphonso, the eighth child, of this family, was upon his second voyage round Cape Horn in the ship "Electric Spark", under command of the writer, when he was lost overboard off the River de la Plata in 1861. He was a fine lad, gave promise of being a smart man; the writer loved him and mourned his loss as he would if he had been his son.
Since the death of Foster Hardin and wife, the place has been sold at least twice, and is now owned by. Kneizel, the musical artist, except the old house and a small lot owned by David F. Harding, who lives in the house. 1
The next place and house was that of Samuel Hall, who built the house now standing in the '30s or '40s of the last cen- tury, which is now owned by the heirs of Wolff Fries. Samuel Hall's wife was a daughter of George Choate, and the record of his family is as follows:
Joanna, born Oct. 12, 1831. George Choate, born April 8, 1834.
Rebecca, born May, 1837.
Richard E., born Oct. 28, 1840.
Mr. Hall sold his place in the '50s, and the family removed from the town.
The next occupant of this house was Andrew Jackson Gray, who married Nancy E. Dodge, daughter of Capt. Mer-
rill Dodge, July, 1852. She was born April 6, 1834; he was born May 28, 1828. Their children were?'
Albert, born May 22, 1855; died May 18, 1863.
Alice Judson, born M rch 13, 1857.
Annie Merrill, born Oct. 6, 1867.
Herbert Brooks, born Dec. 8, 1871.
At this house died Andrew Gray, father of Andrew Jackson Gray, Dec. 20,,.1863, aged eighty-seven or eighty-eight years.
The modern houses and cottages , of summer residents are not included, in this account of early settlers and their houses, so that we pass on to the farm known now as
PARKER'S POINT.
This was taken up, cleared, buildings erected and farm cultivated by Isaac Par- ker, the eighth child of Peter and Phebe Marble Parker, born May 23, 1792. He married Hannah Carter, March 27,.1823, and they had the following named chil- dren:
1. Leander, born Jan: 15, 1825; died in New Orleans, Jan. 16, 1853.
2. Simeon, born. Nov. 16, 1827; died at Savannah, Oct. 27,1852. .
3. Elvira, „.born' Nov. 20, 1829; died August 5, 1838. .
4. Israel Wood,born Jan. 4, 1832; re- sides at Belfast, Me.
5. 'Edwin, born Nov. 4, 1833.
6. Addison, born Jan. 10, 1836.
7. Asro, born June 23, 1839; died Jan. 1, 1863.
Mrs. Hannah Parker died June 3, 1855, and Isaac her husband May 16, 1877, aged ninety-five years. He was an industrious and frugal farmer. His farm, possessing a soil easily cultivated, was located on the point between the two bays, a spot not surpassed in beauty elsewhere in town, which has brought it into prominence as a summer cottage resort.
The writer knew well both Mr. and Mrs. Parker, whose children were his schoolmates, and he often visited their home where it was his privilege some- times to remain over night.
Mr. Parker was a gentlemanly man with pleasing manners which won for him the sobriquet of "Lord Isaac," and by which he was known throughout the town and vicinity. He was a member of the church and punctual attendant upon the preach-
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
ing of Father Fisher and his successors in the pulpit of the old and the new Congre- gational churches of the town.
The writer well remembers him at the old church where he brought his lunch and ate it between morning and afternoon services, as was the custom of those living at a distance from the meeting house.
One Sunday noon, during the life of the old meeting house, the writer with other boys went to the saw mill in the village to Bee a new turbine water wheel that had been introduced there, and upon return- ing from under the mill in passing over a pile of lumber a part gave away and he fell, striking upon his left arm breaking one of the bones above the wrist.
He walked up to Dr. Tenny's house to have his arm set and splinted. Mr. Parker heard of the accident and came to the doctor's house to see about it, and was present when the broken bone was being Bet. As the doctor pulled and stroked the arm in setting, the patient winced and cried out in pain, and Mr. Parker, out of kindness of his heart, said, "Doctor, do be careful, for you must see how much you hurt the young gentleman."
To be called a young gentleman was salve to the feelings of the patient, and nearly neutralized the pain he was suffer- ing at the time. The arm was cared for, and the writer made his way home with it in a sling from which it was not freed for several weeks.
After the death of Mr. Parker, his farm was sold to Mr. Sweet, who came from Salem, Mass. The old house has been re- modeled and placed upon another founda- tion, and much of the farm sold for sum- mer cottages. The cottages and owners upon the Parker farm which are modern, it is not the writer's intention to describe, he leaving that to be done by some one of the present day historians of the town.
Passing on from Parker's point toward the village, sixty or more years ago, one would next come to a house and place then owned and known as the Charles Colburn place.
CHARLES COLBURN
was a sailor in his younger days; he was born in the town of Billerica, Mass., and came to Bluehill previous to 1829. He married Serena Parker, daughter of Marble and Hannah (Lovejoy) Parker, Oct. 15, 1829. She was born August 10,
1799. He, so far as the writer knows, built the house where he resided, prob- ably about the date of his marriage. The children of Charles and Serena Colburn were as follows:
1. Hannah Jane, born June 25, 1831; married a Mr. Elms.
2. Eliza Ann, born August 6, 1834.
3. Charles Henry, born April 24, 1836; married in Massachusett ..
4. Mary Frances, born April 24, 1836.
Mr. Colburn and family removed from this place to East Boston in the '40s where he carried on the business of team- ster. He, his wife and children are all dead, he and his wife dying at an ad- vanced age. Hannah Jane and Charles Henry married, but neither are said to have left children.
The next owner and occupant of the Colburn place was Jonah Dodge, who, with his family, resided there for some years. He was a brother of Capts. Merrill and Ezra Dodge, son of Jonah Dodge, of Sedgwick, who married Susan, daughter of Moses Carleton, May 3, 1826. She was born July 4, 1805; died Feb. 28, 1878, in her seventy-third year. He died Feb. 20, 1878, aged seventy-six years. Their chil- dren were as follows:
1. Mary Ann Webster, born March 18, 1827.
2. Edward Ellis, born Feb. 24, 1829.
3. Sarah Elizabeth, born May 8, 1831.
4. Hannah Maria, born Oct. 8, 1834.
5. Susan Ellen, born June 13, 1836.
6. Augusta, born Sept. 30, 1838.
7. Francis Judson, born July 15, 1840.
8. Adelaide, born May 17, 1843.
9. Charles Michael, born May 16, 1846.
10. Henry Austin, born Nov. 26, 1849; died March 30, 1867.
Mr. Dodge and family removed from this to the Nathan Ellis house in the vil- lage, where now stands the new town hall, and where he and his wife both died. He was an influential member and deacon of the Blue Hill Baptist church.
The Colburn house had no permanent occupant after the Dodge family left it, and it fell into decay and was pulled down. The land is now owned by sum- mer residents, upon which is being built a fine house on a part of it, the balance be- ing in use for golf and other games. The view of the mountain, village and across
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
the inner bay from that locality is one of the finest in the town.
Next to the Colburn-Dodge place is the old wharf falling into decay, where fishing vessels once landed their catches and dried them upon flakes near by, and where later was the first steamboat landing in the town.
Passing on past the "Granger Mine" and "Lover's Leap", one arrives at the Dodge house and farm, the house upon it having been built by Reuben Dodge, son of Jonah Dodge, born at Beverly, Mass., Nov. 18, 1711, who came to Bluehill in June, 1784, and died in the town in 1788. His first wife was Mary Edwards, born March 7, 1719; married Feb. 22, 1737; died July 30, 1761. Children by her born at Beverly were as follows:
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