History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 121

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100

USA > Maine > Penobscot County > History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 121

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

George F. Weeks, of Patten, is a son of Francis and Hannah C. Weeks, who came from China, Weeks Mills, into Penobscot county in 1840. He first settled in Mount Chase, where he lived thirty-eight years, when he moved into Patten, where he lived the remainder of his life. He married Hannah Eaton, of New Hampshire. They had eleven children, eight boys and two girls, of whom only four are now living, viz: Mrs. Webster, of Orono, Cordelia by name; Solomon S., now in Califor- nia; M. Paulina, now Mrs. Clark, of Santa Rosa, Califor- nia, and George F., of this town. Mr. Weeks died in August, 1881. Mrs. Weeks died in 1870. George F. Weeks was born December 6, 1846, in Mount Chase. He went into the army in 1861, and remained through the war; was in Company B, Eighth Regiment Maine Volunteers. At the close of the war he went home to Mount Chase and lived two years, when he moved to Patten, where he has since lived. He married Miss Lucetta P. Knowles, of Rockabema. They have four children: Alice L., Gracie A., Arletta, and Emma A.

RESIDENCE OF JOHN R. HAMMOND, PATTEN, PENOBSCOT COUNTY, ME.

John R. Hammond.

481

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

One of the early settlers, who came to Patten as early as 1839, is Mr. S. Waters, who came from Palermo, Waldo county. He is a son of William and Mary Wat- ers (nee Mary Rice). They had twelve children, of whom Samuel is the third. He was born February 17, 1815, in the town of Newcastle, Maine. On becoming of age he came to Patten and settled on the land where he now lives, about two miles west from the village. He married Helen Hayden, daughter of Hiram and Eliza- beth Hayden, of Bangor. They have one daughter, Emily, now at home. William Waters died in 1864, and Mrs. Waters some years after.

Mr. James E. Parker, of Patten, was born in Rome, Kennebec county, Maine, April 1, 1838. His father, Amasa Parker, married Rosanna Ellis, a daughter of Rev. Ivory Ellis. They had seven children, viz : Ben- jamin F., now deceased; James E .; Ellen, wife of E. McKechnie, of Sangerville, Maine; John, deceased; Le- roy, deceased; Ivory, deceasd; Abbie, deceased; all the last named died of the diphtheria in 1862. Amasa Par- ker died August 16, 1867. Mrs. Parker is now living with James E., in Patten. James E. Parker was raised on the farm. In August, 1861, he enlisted in the Eighth Maine Volunteers, Company B. He remained with his regiment two years, until discharged for disability. After his return he engaged in farming in Patten, on the old homestead where his father settled in 1840. His father was one of the pioneer settlers and cleared up the farm from the standing trees. James E. Parker married Abigail Sargent, daughter of Lewis Sargent, of Mount Chase. They have had two children, one of whom, Hattie by name, recently died of diphtheria. The other is named Edroy.

Ira D. Fish, who came to Prentiss from Ashland, Aroostook county, Maine, is a son of Hon. Ira and Abra Fish, of Milton, New Hampshire. They came from New Hampshire to Lincoln in 1826 or 1827, and were among the first settlers in Lincoln. Mr. Fish built the first saw-mill in Lincoln, in company with a Mr. Wendell and Mr. Varney. He lived there until he came to Pat- ten, in 1847. On coming to Patten he built the first mills here, before moving his family here, and manu- actured lumber for a number of years. After selling his mills here he engaged in farming. He was also en- 61

gaged in lumbering in connection with his mill and farm business. He was at one time a Representative in the Legislature and also a State Senator. He died in Patten, May 24, 1872. Mrs. Fish died in February, 1879. To · this couple were born three children : Ira D .; Charles, now in Brunswick, Maine; Louisa, deceased. Ira D. Fish was born September 18, 1822. On becoming of age he worked at farming in Lincoln. In 1846 he went to Ashland and engaged in lumbering, where he lived about twenty years, when he moved to Patten. Since coming to Patten he has not been engaged in active bus- iness. He married Lucinda Miller, daughter of John Miller, of Enfield. They have two children : Charles D., of Patten, and Ella, now at home. Mr. Fish served as County Commissioner in Aroostook county. In 1860 he was sent to the Legislature from Patten.

James W. Cunningham, who came to Patten from Mt. Chase in 1870, is a son of Thomas Cunningham, a na- tive of New Brunswick, who married. Frances Monroe. They had six children, viz: Hugh, of Mt. Chase, Maine; James W .; Sarah A., wife of William West, of Spring- field, Maine; Martha, deceased; Thomas, now of Mt. Chase; George, also in Mt. Chase. Mr. and Mrs. Cun- ningham have been dead many years. James W. Cun- ningham was born in New Brunswick April 1, 1848, and first settled in Mt. Chase, where he lived about six years, then moved to Patten. He married Sarah A. Baston, of Moro Plantation. They have four children, viz: Charlie, Jesse, Gertrude, and Pearl.

Roscoe G. Mitchell, of Patten, is a son of James S. and Mary A. Mitchell, nee Mary Royal. James S. and Mary Mitchell had three sons-Horace W., deceased; Roscoe G., and Leroy F., now of California. Mr. Mitch- ell came to Patten from Monroe, in Waldo county, in 1841. He was a farmer and mechanic, and worked at his trade a portion of the time. He died in 1875; Octo- ber 12. Roscoe G. Mitchell was born May 17, 1844. He settled on the old homestead near the village of Patten, where he has always resided. . He married for his first wife Jennie Woodard, of Patten; she died in March, 1872, leaving one daughter, Eva May. Mr. Mitchell married for his second wife Miss Susan R. Campbell, of Fort Kent, Maine. They have four chil- dren : James S., Vinnie, Blanche, Roscoe N., and Della.

PLYMOUTH.

Plymouth is in the same range of townships with Ban- gor, on the old system of surveys, and is a little more than sixteen miles distant from that place, across Etna, Carmel, and Hermon. It is the westernmost town of its range in Penobscot county; and, by a short break in the line just below, is also at one of the several southwest corners of the county. It is separated from Jackson, Waldo county, only by Dixmont, which, with Troy, also in Waldo county, is its neighbor on the south. On the west is Detroit, Somerset county; on the north Newport and a very narrow strip of Palmyra, Somerset county, caused by another fault in the west line of Penobscot; and on the east by Etna.

Plymouth is not a full township. Its length (or breadth) is six miles on the west line only, narrowing thence by nearly one-fourth of a mile on the east line. The north line, by the intrusion of Etna, is narrowed to a little more than four and three-fourths miles, and this width is reduced to four and one-half miles before the town widens again. The south line is pushed eastward, and a break in the east line by a projection of the south strip of Plymouth easterly by about a mile's length from north to south, and about two-thirds of a mile in breadth. This makes the south line something over five miles long.

The principal waters of this town are the twin lakes jointly known as Plymouth Pond. They occupy the southeast quarter of the town, and are, respectively, the one on the east two and one-eighth miles long by three- fourths of a mile broad in its widest part, and the wester- ly one two miles by about one mile. The east lake lies from southeast to northwest. At its head it receives the outlet of Skinner Pond, in the north part of Dixmont, which comes in a short stream through that town and the southeast angle of Plymouth. From Etna flow to the pond on the northeast side the waters of several Etna streams, which unite shortly before reaching the town line, and flow about a mile further to the pond. The west part of the pond lies from southwest to northeast. It receives from the south one tiny affluent near its head. The outlet of the pond goes west of north into Newport, and there joins the Sebasticook Stream. On each side this outlet receives in Plymouth one tributary, each of two to three miles' length, and flowing wholly in this town.

At the foot of Plymouth Pond and beginning of the outlet is Plymouth village, with a post-office, a Union meeting-house, a public school-house, a saw-mill, grist- mill, tannery, and the usual business quarter of a coun- try place. A road comes in here from between the two lakes which form Plymouth Pond, which it reaches by a northwest route from Dixmont and the southeast corner

of the town. . A road from the south intersects it just be- fore it enters between the two waters. This is crossed by an east and west road from the other at School No. 3, which runs west and southwest some two miles into Dix- mont.

From Plymouth post-office also diverges a highway running southwest to the near neighborhood of the south- west corner of the town, where it runs into Troy. This . is the most densely settled road in the town. Roads also run east and west from Plymouth to Etna and De- troit, respectively; and another north into Newport. The latter is intersected, a little above the village, by a south- west road that comes in from the northwest angle of Etna.

West of Plymouth Pond and the post-office a highway runs north and south through the whole town, from Troy to Newport, much of it being very well settled up. Schools No. 3 and 4, and the Town Farm, are on this road, the latter near the crossing of the northwest road from the village to Detroit. A number of short routes connect conveniently the principal roads here enumerated.

Plymouth is not touched by the Maine Central Rail- road, although that iron way approaches its north line very closely half a mile east of the East Newport station. This and Newport village afford the Plymouth people the only near railway facilities they enjoy as yet.

The soil of Plymouth is fairly fertile and productive; and the surface, formerly covered with a dense forest, is still quite well timbered.

The materials for the early history of this town are rather scant, but some facts concerning it are known. Its earliest annals belong in part to Etna, in this county, and in part to Chandlerville (later and now Detroit), in Somerset county; since, when the town was erected in 1826, part of it was taken from one of these towns and part from the other. The Etna division was settled about the year 1807. The settlement of the Chandlerville sec- tion, it being still further in the interior, must have been later, and very likely several years later, since Chandler- ville itself was not incorporated until 1828.

In one or the other of these tracts, however, it is well ascertained that by about the year 1812, or at the out- break of the last war with Great Britain, the following- named pioneers had made their settlements :

Joseph and Amos Chandler (from whom the name "Chandlerville" was doubtless derived-a name which, by the way, or some other appropriate designation, should have been retained, since Detroit, meaning a "strait," has no fitness whatever in its application to an inland town.

Simeon and Edmund Hartford.

482

483

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

William and Ichabod Allen.

Daniel Holbrook. William Phips. John P. Palmer. Jacob Brooks.

Population flowed in slowly, however, to this compar- atively far inland region, and the number of inhabitants in the western strip of Etna and the eastern part of the Chandlerville territory was not enough, for nearly twenty years after the first settlement, to demand the formation of a town for nearer governmental facilities than they en- joyed. Finally, however, in the winter of 1825 -- 26, the petition of the people went in for the erection of the municipality; and the town of Plymouth was duly incor- porated by the Legislature of Maine on the 21st of Feb- ruary, 1826. Three miles of its breadth from east to west were taken from Etna, in Penobscot county, and two miles from that part of Somerset county which two years afterwards (February 19, 1828) became Chandler- ville, and in 1844 became Detroit.

The tracts thus conjoined to constitute Plymouth must already have had, for the size of them, a very respectable population. Only four years afterwards, by the census of 1830, the new town contained 503 people. In ten years more it had increased by 340, or nearly seventy per cent., and had a population of 843. For twenty years more its numbers continued to increase. In 1850 it had 925 residents, and 989 in 1860. There was then here, as in nearly every town of the county and of a large part of Maine, a slight reduction. In 1870 the in- habitants of Plymouth numbered 941, and 828 in 1880.

The polls of Plymouth in 1860 were reported at 220; in 1870 at 279; and in 1880 at 204.

The estates of Plymouth in these years, severally, were $143,875, $188,350, $183,193. These, at least, have pretty nearly been kept good, in the face of hard times and the decrease of population.

The first regular church organization to include the people of this region was the Congregational society, formed November 16, 1807, by the communicants and sympathizers of this faith among them, in union with the Congregationalists of the older town of Dixmont. It was, in fact, mainly a Dixmont church. The Rev. Messrs. Samuel and Jotham Sewall, well-known pioneers of their denomination in Southern and Eastern Maine, together with the Rev. Daniel Lovejoy, were present at the organization of this society, and aided it to take the first few and feeble steps of its infancy. It grew and flourished fairly with the years, and finally the Plymouth members were numerous and strong enough to draw off and form a church by themselves, which was done De- cember 14, 1834. The two societies, however, in time reaped the frequent consequences of division, and after seventeen years of separation they were reunited on the old foundation September 10, 1861.

But Plymouth still does not lack for religious organiza- tions. It has, indeed, a very good number of them, and of resident clergymen, for its population. Of the latter it has the Rev. Messrs. S. Wentworth, Methodist, and Nelson Stackpole, Christian (or Disciple), each of these

churches having societies in the town, as also the Free Baptists. The Rev. V. D. Sweetland ministers to this ; and the Plymouth Methodists have another preacher in the person of the Rev. John Tingley, of Dixmont.

The only society of note in the town, not religious, is the Plymouth Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, which meets on the Tuesdays on or next before the full moons.

There is but one post-office in Plymouth, of which Mr. Benjamin Loud is in charge.

The town has two hotels - the Plymouth House, kept by Mr. E. H. Bridgham ; and the Eagle Hotel, whose landlord is G. W. Day.

The manufacturers and artisans of Plymouth include one lumberman, one tannery firm, one carriage-maker and one carriage-ironer, one cabinet-maker, one carder and weaver, one coffin-maker and painter, one carpenter, one cooper, one dressmaker, one barber, four butchers, and two smiths.

The merchants and tradesmen are in three general stores, two millinery and fancy-goods shops, two jewelry stores, one boot and shoe store, and one drug store. There is also one dealer in cattle and wool, with one resident physician.

The town officers for 1881 were: J. W. Eaton, M. J. Dow, A. R. Clark, Selectmen ; W. S. McNelly, Town Clerk ; S. B. Thayer, Treasurer ; John Robinson, Con- stable and Collector; Daniel Prescott, School Supervisor; Benjamin Loud, John W. Phinney (Quorum), S. B. Thay- er (Trial), Justices.

George B. Leviatt, the subject of this sketch, is a son of William Leviatt, who emigrated from Waterboro, New Hampshire, to the town of Newburg in an early day and was one of the pioneers of the town. Seven years after that he removed to Newport, Maine, where he was also one of the first settlers of the town, taking up a farm, clearing and building, and lived here about two years. He died in Newport at the age of sixty-five. He married Judith Bickford, daughter of George Bickford, of Parsonsville, Maine, and by this union nine children were born: Gideon, William, James, Dudley, George B., Boyd C., Anna, Sarah, and Asenith, of whom four are living. Their mother died at the age of ninety-three years and six months, in Plymouth. George B. Leviatt was born in Newburg August 30, 1811. He left home at the age of ten years and took care of himself from that time up. At the age of seventeen he worked at lumber- ing for several years, and since that time has been en- gaged in farming and lumbering. He settled in Ply- mouth in 1839, on the place now occupied by him. He has been one of the Selectmen for a number of years, also a Representative to the Legislature one term, and County Commissioner. He married Nancy Bickford, daughter of Ichabod and Betsey Bickford, of Newburg. By this union nine children were born: William, born May 14, 1841, married Sarah Stackpole; Charles H., born February 15, 1843, died in Washington Circuit Hospital, enlisted in First Maine Cavalry, Company C ; Charlie H .; George H., born March 8, 1845, died March 10 1845; two infants unnamed; Georgia, born December

484

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY MAINE.

19, 1849, died February 23, 1857; John T., born Octo- ber 10, 1855, died November 19, 1855; Georgia Etta, born January 31, 1857, died July 6, 1878.

Parker Eaton was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where he learned the joiner's trade, and married Mary Manson. During the War of 1812 he landed in a schooner at the mouth of the Penobscot River, and fol- lowed logging roads to Newport. He settled in Plymouth in 1821, and occupied himself in joining and farming; he was the designer and builder of the floating bridge. He was one of the most prominent politicians of the county, and held the office of justice of the peace for eigh- teen years. He kept the first and only hotel in Plymouth for many years. He had eight children, viz: Moses Manson, Mary W., Joseph W., Shepherd F., Hosea Bal- lou, Thomas V., (deceased) Thomas A. R. (deceased). Joseph W. was born in Newport April 4, 1814; married Samantha R. Ireland, of St. Albans, and had four chil- dren-Statira, Samantha V., Hannibal Hamlin, and Joseph. November 8, 1865, his wife died, and he mar- ried Sarah S. Hodge July r3, 1867. He was Deputy Sheriff for twelve years; has held prominent town and county offices, and served three terms in the Legislature; for twenty-four years he has been Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, and for six years has been County Commissioner. Hosea Ballou Eaton, M. D., was born in Plymouth March 24, 1822, and married Martha W. Glover, of Camden, January 16, 1848. They had chil- dren as follow: John Parker, born November 21, 1849; died February 20, 1852. Martha V., born January 8, 1853; married A. F. Piper, M. D., and lives in Thom- aston. H. B. Jr., M. D., born September 17, 1855, is practicing medicine in Camden with his father. Thomas G., A. M., born February 17, 1858, a graduate of Am- herst College, is now a member of the Boston University of Law.

Albert R. Clark is a son of Amasa Clark, of Waldo county, who was one of the early settlers of the county. He was in the War of 1812. He died at the age of seventy-three; married Martha Coons, of Waldo county, by whom twelve children were born-Albert R., Amasa B., Abner K., Henry H., F. C., Martha J., Elizabeth, John J., Rachael A., and Charles E., of whom three are deceased. The mother died at the age of sixty-one.

A. R. Clark, when twenty-one years of age, followed the sea for five seasons. He afterwards worked in ship- yards seven years in Virginia & Rockland ship, and went to California in 1852, remaining there two years, prospect- ing and mining, after which he settled on the place now occupied by him in Plymouth. He has held the office of Selectman, also Collector and Constable of the town of Plymouth. He married Rachael Kid- der, daughter of David Kidder, of Knox county, June 25, 1844. By this union six children were born: Rock- well, born August 6, 1850 (deceased), Rodelpha, born August 6, 1854 (deceased), Rockwell, second, born Au- gust, 1856 (deceased), Osbra P., born October, 1862, at home, is now engaged in Lewiston, Maine, in factory and Albert, born September, 1864; Abner, now living at home.

John Robinson. is a son of William Robinson, who emigrated from Dublin, Ireland, at the age of ten and settled in Carmel, on the place occupied by Frank Gar- land. William Robinson was in the War of 1812, receiv- ing a pension. He married Lorana Kimball, of Her- mon, Maine. By this union eight children were born, viz : Reuben, Rufus, William, Thomas A., James, Jeffer- son, Sarah, and Lewis K .; seven of whom are living. Mrs. Robinson died aged forty years, and he married Mercy Page, daughter of Ezekiel D. Page, of Newburg. By this union seven children were born, viz: Lorana, Betsey, Maria, Richard, John, Henry H., and Helen A .; five of whom are living. She died, and he was again married to Deborah Grear, of Newburg, and is now deceased.

John Robinson was born in Carmel May 26, 1838. He is now Constable and Collector; in 1880 and 1881 school agent, and has held minor town offices. He mar- ried Mary E. Gray, daughter of Charles and Ruth Gray, of Dixmont, March 28, 1873, in Etna. By this union one child was born, viz : Edith M., born June 10, 1864, now living at home.

John Dow, born in Wheelock, Vermont, October 2, 1808, is a son of David and Elizabeth Dow. His father was in the War of 1812; he died at the age of eighty- two; his wife died at the age of eighty-one. When twenty-one years of age he worked at stone-masoning about ten years, after which he settled on the farm now owned and occupied by him. Mr. Dow has been one of the Selectmen for about ten years, and also Constable and Collector ; was Representative in the Legislature in 1850, also served as. County Commissioner one term, and as Census Enumerator in 1860. He married Han- nah Jordan, daughter of Rishworth and Charlotte Jor- dan, of Danville, Maine, December 5, 1839. By this union · seven children were born, namely : Emily, born January 13, 1843, married Andrew D. Sherburne, of St. Albans, now living in Maine township, Lynn county, Iowa ; Edgar R., born January 10, 1846, married Au- gusta M. Dudley, of Newport, and is now living in New- port ; Moses J., born in- Plymouth April 6, 1849, married Annie Paine, of Plymouth, and is now living in Ply- mouth ; John S., born in Plymouth May 15, 1851, and now living in Madison, Kansas; Nancy Jane, born at Plymouth June 8, 1853, married John Longley, of Ply- mouth, and now living in Plymouth ; Sumner Dow, born in Plymouth May 13, now living at Eureka, Kan- sas ; Sarah Chastine, born in Plymouth November 17, 1859, living at home, is a successful school-teacher, hav- ing taught three terms. Six of the above children have been engaged in teaching.

Nelson Stackpole is a son of Joseph Stackpole, of Albion, Kennebec county, who emigrated to the town of Plymouth in 1837 and settled on the place now occupied by Samuel Conner. He lived on this place about ten years, after which he settled on the place occupied by his son Judson, where he died. He served in the War of 1812 and received a pension. He married Elizabeth Wig- gins, daughter of John Wiggins, of China, Maine. By this union nine children were born, viz: Elbridge G .;

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

485

Horace; Hill; Sophia; Alluria; Ovid, was a soldier in the late war, was taken prisoner and died .. on Belle Isle ; Nelson, Mehitabel, and Joseph H. Nelson was born in Albion, Kennebec county, February 13, 1828. Mr. Stackpole was converted and united with the Chris- tian church at the age of thirty, and has since been a member of that church. In 1867 he was ordained as minister and is a member of the Maine Eastern Confer- ence. He has baptized 137 candidates since his ordina- tion. He organized the second Christian church of Ply- mouth in 1868; preached to them eight years, and after- ward preached at North Newport five years; is now pastor of East Newport church and Troy, also East Dix-

mont; has filled the pulpit every Sabbath since his ordi- nation, sickness preventing. He follows farming in sum- mer, in winter going out and preaching to the people; and through his efforts many have been converted. He married Betsey Robinson, daughter of William and Mercy Robinson, of Carmel. By this union six children were born, viz: Emulus N., born January 28, 1854, died February 24, 1855; Ida L., born June 10, 1855, married Wallace Call, of Troy, now living in Attleboro, Mas- sachusetts; Eddie M., born May 16, 1858, died March 9, 1863; Frank G., born June 25, 1861, died March 12, 1863; Rose N., born August 16, 1864, living at home; Johnnie F., born December 2, 1872, now living at home.

PRENTISS.

This town lies in the easternmost tier of towns and plantations in Penobscot, upon the border of Washing- ton county. On the north. it is separated from Reed's and Barker's Plantations, Aroostook county, by - only Drew Plantation; and from the same county on the south by only its next neighbor, Carroll, and Lakeville Planta- tion. On the east it is bounded by Township No. 8, in the Third Range, and on the west by Webster Plantation. Kingman corners with it on the northwest; Springfield on the southwest; Kossuth, Washington county, on the southeast; and Danforth, also in Washington, comes nearly up on the northeast. It was formerly Township No. 7, in the Third Range north of Bingham's Penob- scot Purchase. It is fifty miles northeast of Bangor in a bee-line.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 121

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co. Number of Pages: 1100

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100