History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 70

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 70

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).

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

manufacture of boxes, which they now turn out in large quantities. They run three board-planers, one clapboard- planer, and one knee-planer. They also keep lumber for sale, both long and short.

Among the leading manufactures of Brewer is that of brush-woods of all kinds, as carried on by J. H. James. Mr. James is the son of John and Lucy James, of Athens, Somerset county. He is the fourth son of the family of five sons and one daughter-Betsey, William A., Lorenzo D., J. H., and Isaiah H.

J. H. James was born June 9th, 1837. After finish- ing a common school education he engaged in the busi- ness he now follows in the city of Bangor. Mr. James married for his first wife Ellen N. Nicholson, of Bangor. By this union there was one child-Ralph H. Mrs. James died January 26th, 1875, and Mr. James married for his second wife Mary E. Hodgdon, of Bangor, by whom he has two children-Lucy E. and John H. Mr. James began the manufacture of brush woods in 1874. He has largely increased his facilities until now he em- ploys eighteen men making millions of these blocks for all kinds of brushes, such as boot brushes, paint brushes, kalsomine brushes, etc., etc., which find sales all over the United States. He sends them to Europe also.

One of the oldest lumbermen on the Penobscot is Mr. W. H. Maling. His father, William, was a native of Nova Scotia. William and Ellen Maling had six chil- dren, five sons and one daughter-John Maling, now of Liverpool, Nova Scotia; Susan, now Mrs. Lothrop, of Clementsville, Nova Scotia; W. H .; James, killed in the civil war; Andrew, of Annapolis, Nova Scotia, and George, of St. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia. W. H. Maling was born May 7th, 1825. At the age of sixteen he went in- to the lumber business for himself. In 1847 he came to Lincoln, in this county. He has since lived in Medway, Winn, and Brewer, where he now resides. He settled in Brewer in 1862. He married Augusta White, daugh- ter of John and Mary White. They have seven children -George, Melvin, Jerome, John, Lillie A., Charles H., and Gussie. They have lost four children. Mr. Maling is a member of the Milford Land and Lumber Company. It was through his efforts the company was formed, and through him the purchase was made. He has probably explored and located as much timber-land as any other man on the Penobscot. The Milford Land and Lumber Company will this year cut up ten million feet of long lumber, ten million of short lumber, and seven million shingles, besides large quantities of lath, clapboards, pickets, etc., etc.

Among the earliest settlers in the town of Brewer (then Orrington) was John Holyoke, who with his wife, a sister of Major Robert Treat, who settled in Bangor at the same time, and two children, moved from Boston, Massachusetts, about the year 1776. He took up two lots of land, each containing one hundred acres, one above, the other below where the Penobscot bridge now stands, each lot being forty rods on the river by four hundred back. It is pretty well known that Mr. Holyoke was one of the number concerned in the destruction of the tea in Boston harbor a few years before, although no

such disclosure ever came from him, the whole party being pledged to secrecy ; yet the fact rests on such cor- roborative testimony as to leave no doubt of its truth. Mr. Holyoke at first built a log house on the hill on the upper lot, which certainly must have been very difficult of approach from the river, their only highway at the time. The reasons for this are not very apparent to us of this day, when we further consider that upon the abundance of fish which the waters of the river supplied they had to depend for part of their living and for fertiliz- ing their land. A new frame house was soon built on the flat on the lower lot, about twenty rods froin the river, which has recently given place to another building. This place was one of large resort for the public generally, and here Mr. Holyoke raised a family of seven sons and three daughters. His oldest son, John, settled on the more northerly of the two lots taken by his father, and raised a family of eight sons and four daughters. Five of his family, viz., John, Charles, Caleb, Joseph, and Mary have remained, and are living in Brewer. They are all Republicans, and have shared fully in the political and financial responsibilities of the day. John, the oldest son of those living, was in 1863 elected to the Maine Legislature by the towns of Brewer and. Orring- ton, and also in 1865 ; and was President of the Brewer Savings-bank for the term of fourteen years. Caleb was elected a member of our Legislature in 1869, and was a Director in the Traders' Bank of Bangor for twenty-six years. Dr. Thomas Holyoke, the eighth son, was elected a Representative to the Iowa Legislature, and served two years in succession, and also was President of a National bank in the city of Grinnell.

An eventful life is that of Captain F. G. Arey, of Brewer. He is the son of Joseph and Thankful Arey, of Bucksport, Maine. He was born July 26, 1822. His father was lost at sea before his birth, and his mother was left with three children and very small means, F. G., the subject of this sketch, being the youngest. He went to sea early in life and followed it in all capacities till he was thirty-five years of age, up to master and owner. In 1855 he came to Brewer and bought the brick store where he traded about eighteen or twenty years. He now deals in real estate, wild lands, and lum- ber lands, also buys and sells wood and bark, and, in fact, almost anything that will sell. He owns several sailing vessels, a wharf, etc. He first married Julia V. Hoben, by whom he had one child, who died in infancy. Mrs. Arey died in 1844, and Mr. Arey again married Nancy B. Farrington in 1846; was again left a widower in 1860, and married for his third wife, with whom he is now living, Carolina A. Doane. By his second wife he has four daughters. By his present wife he has four children also, three girls and one boy. Though left to make his own way in the world he has, by his indomit- able pluck and perseverance, united to good business ability, become one of the wealthy men of the town.

Jacob L. Barker is the son of Cyrus and Rachel Barker, of Lewiston. Cyrus Barker had ten children, viz: Sally, David, Mary, Cyrus, jr., Lydia, J. L., Nelson P., of Monmouth, Cassan Dana, now Mrs. Howe, of

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Wisconsin, all of whom are deceased except the three last named. J. L. Barker was born September 15, 1805. He settled in Brewer in 1833, and has followed the busi- ness of house carpenter ever since. In 1833 he married Mary Holyoke, daughter of John and Miriam Holyoke, who were among the early settlers of Brewer. From this union there have been five children, viz: Elza H., now Mrs. Shackley, of Brewer ; Annie M., now Mrs. Hol- brook, of Brewer; Henry L., of San Francisco, California; John N., of Brewer, and one who died in infancy. Mr. Barker has held the office of County Commissloner, Selectman, and minor officer several terms, and is spoken of as one of the substantial citizens of the town.

Among the oldest inhabitants of Brewer who were born here, is Mr. Brazer Brastow. He is the son of Thomas Brastow, of Wrentham, Massachusetts, who came here among the earliest settlers of this town. Brazer Brastow is the youngest son of Thomas Brastow, who had five children, three sons and two daughters. He married Maria Sampson, of Kingston, Massachusetts. They have had eight children, five sons and three daugh- ters, viz : Thomas E., of Rockport, Maine; James B., of Worcester, Massachusetts ; Marie E., now Mrs. Hodges, of Orrington ; Lucy P., now Mrs. Sleeper, of Sherman, Maine ; Fred H., of Brewer ; William H., now deceased ; George C., of Brewer; Julia T., now at home. Mr. Brastow first settled in Brewer, where he has lived most of the time, until within six years, since which he has lived in Orrington. He owns a fine farm of about 130 acres, He has been engaged in lumber and milling business most of his life.

Mr. G. C. Brastow is the fifth son of Brazer Brastow, a sketch of whose life may be found in the paragraph above. He was born January 31, 1850. He settled on the place where he now lives in 1877. He has always followed the business of milling (flour). In 1877 he married Miss Gertrude B. Pierce, daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah Pierce, of this town. They have one child, Frankie C. Mr. Brastow's mill is situated in Orrington, and has a capacity of thirty thousand bushels a year. He does principally a custom work, though some mer- chant milling is done in this mill.

William P. Burr, the present postmaster of Brewer is a grandson of Joseph Burr, who came to Brewer from Massachusetts. Joseph and Charles Burr were the first settlers in Brewer, at least Mr. William P. Burr so thinks. Joseph Burr married Sally P. Gould. They had eleven children-Joseph B., Jonathan, Sally R., William P., Ann Eliza G., Mary Eleanor, Hiram, Martha, Martha B., Harriet N., and Benjamin A. Jonathan Burr, the second son of this family, married Sophia Wiswell, of Holden, Maine. They had six children, viz: George W., of San Francisco, California; Mary S., deceased; Charles Jackson, of Brewer; William P .; Francis O. J., deceased; and Martha Ann, now Mrs. L. D. Parker, of Brewer. Mr. Burr was a prominent man, and for many years held prominent political positions. He was a member of the Legislature several terms. He died August 6, 1845; Mrs. Burr died May 22, 1871. William P. was born September 10, 1833. His father being a

business man in Brewer, William received such an edu- cation as the public school afforded until about seven- teen, when he entered a printing office and' learned the printer's trade. There he spent some five years, when he went to Machias, and remained two years as journey- man printer. From Machias he went to Ellsworth, and, after working two years, he purchased a half interest in the Ellsworth American, a Republican newspaper, N. K. Sawyer owning the other half. Here Mr. B. lived until 1865, when he sold out to Mr. Sawyer, and moved to Brewer, where he has since lived. On coming to Brewer, he engaged in grocery business, and continued in that about five years. About 1869 he was elected Town Treasurer and Town Clerk, which offices he held for nine years. In 1879 he was appointed postmaster, which office he still holds. He married Alice A. Long- fellow, of Machias, who died June 9, 1876. Mr. Burr married, for his second wife, Emma A. Washburn, of Brewer. He has no children, but lost two in infancy, one by each wife. During the winter of 1878-79 he was a member of the Greenback Legislature, being the only Republican except one from this district.

· Orlando Moore is son of Seth W. Moore, of Holden. He was born April 2, 1840, and lived in Holden until twenty-one years of age, since which he has always lived in Brewer. He has been the toll gatherer since 1866. He spent three years in the army and navy after leaving home. He married Carrie M. Skinner, daughter of John K. Skinner, of Brewer. Mrs. Moore died in May, 1875. Mr. Moore married for his second wife Miss T. A. Merrill, daughter of Joseph Merrill, of Bangor. By his first wife he had one daughter, Alice, now deceased. By his second wife he has two sons, viz: Orlando M., and Frankie H. Mr. Moore is now serving as Consta- ble, Town Treasurer, and Collector, also surveyor of wood and bark. He has held the office of Constable nine years, also surveyor of wood and bark same length of time.

The subject of this sketch, Mr. George W. Patten, was born November 2, 1843. He is the only son of Willis and Hannah Patten, of Brewer. After receiving a common and high school education he entered into surveying lumber. He continued in that business until 1876, when he removed to Quincy, Massachusetts, and worked in a lumber yard until 1877, when he came back to Bangor and opened the grocery and provision store which he now occupies, at 41 and 43 Washington street, near the toll house. He seems at this time to be doing a lively business. He holds the office of Selectman of Brewer, which he has held for five years.

Francis F. Sparks was born in the town of Orland, Maine, August 20, 1820. He was captain of a vessel, and died at sea, February 13, 1853. His wife was Sarah L. Dorr, who was born in the town of Penobscot, April 16, 1822, and died in Brewer in 1872, aged fifty years. They raised a family of four children: Emma F., mar- ried to Daniel S. Knight; Sarah F., wife of J. B. May- berry, and has one child, a son; Francis E., married Laura J. Rose, and has two sons. Henry T. Sparks, the

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY MAINE.

subject of this sketch, and the fourth child of Francis F. and Sarah L. Sparks, was born in Orland, Maine, October 26, 1851. He is by trade a tin plate worker and stove dealer, which business he follows in Brewer, under the firm name of Kellen & Sparks. The 30th day of May, 1874, he was married to Ella J. Hall, of Brewer, by whom he has two children-Lottie E. and Sadie A .- both of whom reside at home. The father of Mrs. Sparks, who is yet living, is Francis Hall. Her mother, now deceased, was Olive Hutchins.

Luther S. Pierce was born in the town of Moscow, Maine, August 25, 1820, where he lived forty-seven years, when he removed to Brewer, in the same State, where he still follows the occupation of farming. For a wife he chose Nancy T. Greenwood, who was also born at Mos- cow, August 2, 1824. They were married June 15, 1848. Their children were: Cyrus A .; Amos, born May 26, 1850, died in infancy; Lavinia E., born November 21, 1851, married S. D. Copeland, and has one daughter, named Dora ; Dora E., born February 24, 1853, married I. E. Dole, and has two children, Edith, and an infant not yet named; Lucinda B., born February 8, 1855, died in August, 1857; Clara J., born January 27, 1857; Rosa L., born October 8, 1858; Melvin L., born Janu- ary 20, 1861, resides at home; Cora M., born April 19, 1863; Randall S., born April 23, 1866; Lyman G., born in Brewer, December 26, 1869. The five last mentioned reside at home. The subject of this sketch, Cyrus A. Pierce, was born in Moscow, Maine, April 16, 1849, where he now lives and follows the business of house- carpenter. He was married August 20, 1877, to Maria L. Burleigh, by whom he has two children-Clarence B., born June 25, 1879, and Nina, born March 25, 1881. The father of Mrs. Pierce was Joshua P. Burleigh, who is yet living, and her mother, Betsey Silsby Burleigh, now deceased.

George Leach, father of William J. Leach, was born in the town of Penobscot, Maine, in the year 1806. He lived in the town of his nativity forty-one years, when he removed to Brewer, in the same State, where he died in 1874. His occupation through life was that of a farmer and ship-carpenter. In 1823 he married Betsey P. Dorr, who was born in the town of Penobscot, Maine, in 1804. She died in Brewer in 1875, aged seventy-one years. They raised a family of nine children: Bryant E. married Sarah J. Mann, and died in 1864, leaving no children. Abby D. married Charles N. Sawyer, and has seven chil- dren. Mary C. married Daniel P. Colson, and died in 1862, leaving one child. Samuel F. married Ellen M. Leach, and died in 1879, leaving one child. Silas D. married Sarah J. Sargent, and has four children. Joan M. married Albert F. Gerry, and has five children. Har- riet B. married Charles A. Greene, and has two children. Acelia S. married Charles C. Dorons, and has one child. Caroline H. married Elbridge C. Patten, and has two children. Henry J. Leach, the subject of this sketch, and the sixth child, was born in the town of Penobscot, Maine, the 23d day of July, 1834. His business has been boat building. On the 21st day of January, 1866, he married Ada J. Ray, and had two children, Vallie

F. and Ernest E. Vallie F. was accidentally killed by a runaway horse May 30, 1879. Ernest E. died from dis- ease the 7th day of January, 1879. The father of Mrs. Leach was William N. Ray, who is yet living. Her mother was Emily P. Chick Ray, who died in 1874.

William E. Southard was a native of Bloomfield, Ken- nebec county, Maine, where he was born in 1809. When a young man he moved to the town of St. Albans, Som- erset county, where he passed the remainder of his life, and died in 1878, aged sixty-nine years and six months. He was by occupation a farmer and carpenter. His wife was Julia A. Avery, born in the town of Harmony, Som- erset county, Maine, about the year 1816, to whom he was married in 1843. Mrs. Southard is living, aged sixty-five years, in the town of St. Albans. Their chil- dren were Charles A .; Daniel H. married Frances Leach and has five children. Warren A. married Roxie Rogers and has two children. Calvin B. married Lizzie Marble and has two children. Leander P. married Hattie Pack- ard, and has no children. Charles A., the eldest child, was born in the town of St. Albans (now Hartland), the 2d day of February, 1844. He was married November 8, 1864, to Miss Abby V. Goodwin. Her father is Hiram Harris, and her mother was Sarah Vinning, both of whom are now living.

Ithamer Kenney was born in the town of Eddington, Maine, September 19, 1813, and died at the town of Holden, Maine, March 30, 1875, aged sixty-one years and six months. He was a farmer and merchant. His wife was Mary W. Orcutt, who was born in Eddington, January 29, 1826. They were married in Brewer in the year 1842, and had a family of eleven children: Char- lotte E., born, December 18, 1842; married George B. Churchill, of Holden, December 22, 1861, by whom she had one child, Willie E. (deceased); she died, January 18, 1864. Angeline M., born, June 19, 1844; died, March 2, 1857. Mary J., born, June 10, 1845; married Ephraim A. Gorden, of Winterport, May 6, 1868, and has six children-Annie F., Lottie M., Flora A., Charles V., Marion F., and Oscar T. Fidelia M., born, June 17, 1847; married Charles C. Tuck, of Bangor, May 20, 1874. Charles I. was born, August 4, 1848, and died the 9th of the same month. William E. was born, March 4, 1851; married Katie A. Orcutt, June 20, 1875, and has one child, Alzona M., born, February 1, 1877. George F. was born, May 30, 1853, and died, September 12, 1854. Fred I. was born, December 23, 1855; mar- ried, December 8, 1875, to Agnes F. Ernery, and has two children -Calvin A., born, January 27, 1877, and Sarah M., born, January 2, 1879. Addie E. was born, July 18, 1857, and died, December 5, 1857. Albert A. Kenney, the fifth child of Ithamer Kenney, was born in Holden, September 14, 1849. His business is that of house carpenter, at present in Brewer, under the firm name of Kenney & Pierce.

George W. Washburn was not a native of Maine, his birthplace being Boston, Massachusetts, where he was born, March 5, 1806. From there he went to Bridge- port, in the same State, where he remained until a young man, when he moved to Hebron, Maine, then to Ken-

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

duskeag, and finally settled in Brewer in 1836, where he died in 1875, aged sixty-nine years and nine months. His wife was Sally Ladd, who was born in the town of Levant, Maine, July 4, 1812. Their marriage took place December 15, 1833. They had seven children: Cyrus A., born in Levant in 1835. He afterwards went with his parents to Brewer, where he now resides, aged forty- six years. His business is sash, blind, and door manu- facturing. The other children were: Elsie Ann, married to Josephus L. Freeman, and has two children; Horace B., married Etta Edmonds, and has four children; Ade- line M., married Allen Crocker, and has one child; Es- telle, died when quite young; Emma A., married W. P. Burr; George A., resides at home, unmarried. The parents of Mrs. Washburn were among the first settlers in Bangor town.

Joseph Oakes was born in the town of Hancock, Han- cock county, Maine, in the year 1815, where he lived about twenty years, when he came to Brewer. Since that time he has lived in Searsport and Bangor a few years, but returning from each place to Brewer, where he died July 22, 1881, in the sixty-sixth year of his age. By occupation he was a master ship-builder. His wife was Margaret H. Hodgdon, who was born in the town of Nobleboro, June 12, 1815. They were married Decem- ber 5, 1838, and had a family of four children: George H .; Joseph D., married Abby S. Atwood, and has one child, a son, four years of age. Sophia resides at home, unmarried. Clara A. died young. George H. Oakes, the eldest son, was born in Brewer in 1839. He follows the sea for a business, and is a ship captain. He was married to Mary A. Jordan, and has four children-Wil- liam W., Maggie, Harry D., and Charles D. His wife's father was Wallace Jordan, who is now deceased. Her mother was Mrs. Delia (Wiley) Jordan, who is yet liv- ing.

Enoch Brown was born in the town of Abington, Massachusetts, in the year 1781, and died in Bangor in 1838, aged fifty-seven years. He was by profession a lawyer. His wife was Malinda Padelford, born in Taun- ton, Massachusetts, and died in Hampden, Maine, at the age of fifty-two years. Their children were: Enoch L., died in the year 1881, aged seventy-six years. Malinda P. died when about twenty-eight years of age. Augustus J. died about 1877, aged fifty-two years, was by profes- sion a lawyer. Rebecca D. died when nineteen years of age. Mary K. married Cyrus Emery, and had four children, all of whom, with the mother, are deceased. Sarah Ann died when ten or eleven years of age. Henry P. died aged about nineteen. Elizabeth D. married Cyrus Emery, and has three sons, all living, as follows: Isaiah S., Augustus J., and Cyrus. Samuel W. Brown married Miss Kettle, and has one son living and three deceased. James S. died about three years since; was a prominent lawyer.

John Emery was born in Hampden, Maine, where he lived and died. He raised a family consisting of: John, who was drowned at sea; Benjamin (deceased); William (deceased); Daniel (deceased); Cyrus (deceased); Sarah married Mr. Seaman, and is deceased; another sister

married Mr. Pomeroy, and is also dead. Cyrus is the only member of the family now living.

The father of Hugh O'Brien was born in Ireland in the year 1822. When about twenty-three years of age he emigrated to America and settled in Bangor, Maine, where he lived nine years, after which he removed to Brewer, where he died in 1870, aged forty-eight years. Before leaving Ireland, in 1845, he was married to Mary Dougherty. Hugh O'Brien was born in Ireland, and when an infant was brought by his parents to this coun- try, where Mr. O'Brien, sr., has since been engaged in the manufacture of brick. Their other children were: Martin, who resides at home, unmarried; Thomas, liv- ing in Leadville, unmarried; Patrick, also living in Lead- ville, unmarried; Katie, resides in Boston, unmarried; Agnes and Nellie, both at home. Hugh O'Brien was married to Katie Hines, daughter of George Hines, of Bangor. He is engaged in brick manufacture.

Alpheus Robinson was born in the town of Liming- ton, Maine, and when quite young moved to Brewer. He was a farmer and seafaring man, and died at Charles- ton, South Carolina. His wife was Lydia Tibbetts, who . was born in the town of Brewer, where she died about 1871, aged about eighty years. William, the eldest child, was born in Brewer and is now sixty-seven years of age. His life occupation has been farming. He was married to Caroline Hammond, and has no children. The other members of Alpheus Robinson's family were : Mary, married to Harrison Bates, and has three children ; Sarah, died single, about twenty-five years ago; Alpheus, married Hattie Durham, and has three children. Wil- liam Robinson is a Democrat in his political faith. He occupies a fine residence about one-half mile from the ferry village.

Z. C. Palmer, born in Nobleboro, March 22, 1843, was the fifth child of E. R. Palmer. His father was born in Nobleboro, Lincoln county, Maine, in 1805, and in 1859 moved to Aroostook county. After remaining there one year, he moved to Brewer, where he lived until his death in 1868. His business all his life was that of a house and ship carpenter. He married Sarah Dunbar, who was born in 1809 in Nobleboro. She still survives her husband at the age of seventy-eight years, and lives in Brewer. Mr. Z. C. Palmer, in 1871, married Char- lotte A. Ware, daughter of James M. Ware, deceased, and has three children: Nellie G., Gertrude A., and Artell E., all residing at their father's home, one and a half miles from ferry village. Mr. Palmer's brothers and sisters are as follows: H. H. (deceased), married Mary Jane Maddocks, and had two children, neither of whom is living; Emeline A., married J. Lishman Clark, and has seven children living and one dead; B. A., married J. W. Chatman, and has two children; Orlando A., married Sarah Dermutt; Sarah Jane is the wife of David Tarr; B. W., married Etta M. Jordan, and has had two children, one of whom is still living; S. K., married Eva Tibbets, and has two children.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 70

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