USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Stetson > History of Stetson, Maine, 1800-1931 > Part 2
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
There is a record of three Patten's in that report, 1820; James, Matthew and Capt. James, Jr. There is a record that "Hannah Patten, mother of James and. Matthew," died October 25, 1818 at the age of 62 years, 29 days. It is a fair presumption that the older (Col.) James was a relative of Robert Patten, possibly a brother or an uncle. He was one of the first plantation officers and often pre- sided as moderator at public meetings. He was a colonel of militia.
Captain James Patten's wife was named Chloe. Their children were: Farns- worth, born January 18, 1817; James J., born November 2, 1818; Nancy E., born August 13, 1820; Albert N., born November 19, 1823, and Eliza A., born January 12, 1826.
/
1
14
HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
Matthew Patten's wife's name was Mary. Their children were: Horatio N., born September 23, 1817; Isaac C., born May 29, 1821; William C., born June 26, 1824, and Joseph D., born June 19, 1826.
Unfortunately for the History of Stetson, there is not much more known of the arrival of this interesting family, but the earliest public record, dated October 26, 1812, is the call for a meeting "at the home of Col. James Patten" of the voters within the plantation. This was. signed by Enock Blaisdell and James Patten, assessors, and Enock Blaisdell as plantation clerk. (The third assessor was Stephen Buttrick).
Very early in the plantation records, we find Robert Patten's name as one of the assessors and it is apparent that both of these pioneers, Robert and James, held the confidence and respect of the community, as evidenced by the various offices of trust which they held. The story of that journey into the wilderness was, no doubt, identical with those of others who came but, while others found someone already established and eager to welcome them, the Patten's came to an unbroken wilderness, alone. No doubt they arrived in winter for that was the only time when it was possible to drive any kind of ox-sled or pung through the woods and they must have brought with them their simple household furniture and some of the necessities to carry them through until the harvest time should come. Very likely Matthew and James were of an age to be of some assistance in making the first crude home. '
CLEARING THE LAND
No doubt these woodmen were familiar with the method of clearing land of trees and went about it by selecting a large and tall one, then gashing others in line so that when the giant tree should fall it would carry the others before it in a path. That method was called "making a drive." These logs were cleared of branches and ready for use in building their cabin. When the space for a garden had been similarly cleared, it became necessary to burn over the land. They allowed the fallen trees to remain several months before burning, as the green wood would not easily catch fire.
CABINS
The usual style for pioneer cabins was two rooms with an attic reached by a ladder. The attic floor was sometimes boards or splits laid across, though some- times small poles were used instead. The door was made of slats with hinges of wood and a latch that worked by a string which hung outside during the day but was pulled inside at night as a means of locking the door. In those early days, the "latch-string was always out to other settlers" and the bonds of friendship which the hardships of pioneer life engendered were deep-rooted indeed. The open fire-place was made of rocks and mud cement as was the chimney flue. Oftentimes, instead of rocks, they used pieces of timber, covered with the mud, for chimneys.
A large crane was suspended in the fireplace and there the housewife cooked for the family. Pine knots furnished extra light, or candles, or pieces of cloth soaked in oil.
.
1
.
U
15
HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
The following spring, the monotony of winter diet was broken by greens of leaves from the young beech tree shoots and other tender growth, maple syrup from the maple sap; and, later on, wild berries.
What music it must have been to the cars of thse heroic settlers when the ring of an axe told the news of other settlers and they knew that they were no longer alone in the primeval forest. They must have felt as did those hungry Pilgrims from Plymouth who, going in search of winter supplies to Maine, their first winter in the New World, heard the voice of Massosoit bidding them wel- come in their own native tongue. Massosoit who had been taught English by the English settlers of Maine, for Maine was the historical beginning of New England and not the daughter of any other colony ..
We wonder who was the second settler in Stetson. There were thirteen votes cast at the first election of which we have record. The date of that meeting was November 2, 1812. A copy of the record follows:
EARLIEST RECORD IN THE PLANTATION BOOKS
Plantation No. 3, Third Range, 26th October, 1812.
This is to notify and warn the inhabitants of said plantation being qualified and possessing property as the law directs, to meet at the house of Col. James Patten in said plantation on Monday, the second day of November next, at one of the clock in the afternoon, then and there to act on the following articles, viz:
1. To choose a moderator.
2. To bring in your votes for a Representative to attend the Congress of the .United States.
3. To transact business respecting roads if it should be thought. expedient when met.
(Signed) ENOCH BLAISDELL, JAMES PATTEN,
Assessors.
True copy, attest:
ENOCK BLAISDELL, Plan. Clerk.
Agreeable to the foregoing notification, the inhabitants met at the time and place, brought in their votes
For James Carr, Esq., Twelve 12
For John Wilson, Esq., One 1
True copy, attest : ENOCH BLAISDELL, Plan. Clerk.
At a meeting of the inhabitants of Plantation Number Three, Third Range, on Thursday, the twelfth of November, A. 1). 1812, to vote for an Electore of President and Vice-President, of the United States, votes were given in, as follows, viz:
For the Honorable James Campbell, Eleven 11
For William Crosbey, Esq'r., One. 1
True copy, attest : ENOCH BLAISDELL, Plan. Clerk.
16
HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
CHAPTER IV.
THE CLARK FAMILY AND OTHERS
ISAAC CLARK, from whom Clark's Hill derives its name, first visited Stetson in the summer of 1813, "walking there from Danville." There is a record of the birth of Capt. Lemuel Clark August 4, 1798 in "Gorum." With an axe and a gun on his shoulder, he tramped through the dense pine woods and "took up" the farm afterwards occupied by his son, Seth. There, in 1839 he died. There, also, his wife, Betsey (Elizabeth) lived and died, 1861. Mrs. Clark's maiden name was Sweet:
On the occasion of his first visit, he felled one acre of trees but built no house, then tramped back through the woods to rejoin his family. When snow covered the ground in the winter, in February of 1814, he again started for Stetson, this time with his family and all of his worldly possessions stowed away in two vehicles, a pung drawn by one horse and a sled pulled by a yoke of oxen. There were Mr. and Mrs. Clark and eight children besides a liberal supply of furniture and farming equipment, clothing and food for themselves and their animals.
What but an abiding faith in Almighty God could have carried them through that journey in the months to follow? Perhaps the banner which they carried in spirit was the same which led the Maine troops to Louisville under Sir William Pepperill in 1745, "Nil desperendum Christo duce" (Nothing to be dispaired of, Christ leading).
What marvelous people they were, these pioneers!
THE JOURNEY
After three days of travelling, the snow became so deep and the drifts so high that they could no longer push ahead with the horse so it and the pung were left with a settler to be reclaimed later in the year when part of the snow should be gone.
Abandonment of the pung meant that everything and everybody must proceed with only the ox-sled. They pushed bravely on and finally reached the site of Stetson Village about ten o'clock in the morning of February 20, 1814. They did not reach their destination on Clark's Hill until four o'clock in the afternoon, however, because. it was necessary to cut their way through the woods to allow passage of the ox-sleds.
The summer before, a man by the name of Sweat had built him a log house on the Emerton Hill, the site of Warren Clark's uncle Lemuel's present buildings, just beyond the Sam Stetson place. MR. SWEAT had a wife and nine children. His house had two rooms and an attic reached by a ladder. But his heart and that of his good wife were bigger than his modest home and they opened their doors to the Clark family and took them all in, so that twenty-one people lived that winter in two rooms. What a lesson in hospitality! Is it a wonder that
1.
1
٢
17
HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
friendships formed in those early days outlived the years? The hospitality was- furnished without so much as a thought of charging for it and Mr. Clark still had the one dollar in money with which he had left the old home even after he, with the aid of his older boys had put up a log house of his own. Isaac's son, Thomas, father of Fisher Clark and Mrs. Sarah Jordan, went to school that winter six weeks with rags sewn onto his feet for shoes.
As soon as they were established under their own roof, Isaac left his family in the wilderness and went down below Bangor where he secured employment in a saw mill for the winter in order that his family might eat.
Betsey, his wife was accustomed in the early days to take the latest baby in her arms and ride horseback by spotted trail, for there were no roads, to Hampden or Bangor, bringing back a sack of corn meal for food for her family.
THE FIRST CROPS
The boys burned off the trees that their father had felled the year before. on his first trip to Stetson and planted corn and potatoes. In August, when it had matured sufficiently to be eaten, a frost killed it. It was far too precious even in its blackened condition to be wasted, so Betsey gathered and dried it and had it ground into flour. It was extremely bitter but she, with Yankee resourcefulness, mixed it with mashed potato and so was able to make bread that could be eaten.
With the help of the brass kettle brought with then on the ox-cart, they were able to make maple syrup from the sap gathered that spring; that, with wild berries and fresh fish and game, carried them through the year. Not long after- wards, the Clarks and the Crockets built a 2-room frame house on a level spot near Clark's Hill cemetery.
It might be well to tell a little of the conditions existing then and in the succeeding years that we may appreciate somewhat the struggles of these founders of Stetson.
THE YEAR WITHOUT A SUMMER
The year of 1815 was cold and backward but the year of 1816 was known as "the year without a summer." This phenominal condition prevailed, not alone in America but even in Europe. January was very mild as was also the month of February. March came in cold and blustery but went out mild. April began warm but soon turned cold. May was cloudy and cold. Fruits froze as they budded. There was ice. June was the coldest June ever known. Frost and even ice were common and plant life was snipped off as soon as it started to grow. There were a few warm days but, June 7th and 8th, seven inches of snow fell. July continued with frost and ice. August was more cheerless than June or July. In September, there were about two weeks of the mildest weather of the year. October had good sleighing and was cold. November continued cold. December, by contrast, was mild. The farmers planted corn again and again, only to lose it. There was no harvest of corn all year. The early rye and wheat were poor but were har- vested. The potatoes were watery.
The early months of 1817 were so cold as to seem a repetition of 1816, but in July there was a change with ideal weather so that the autumn saw abundant
1
18
HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
crops. Because of the lean years preceeding, multitudes of pigeons flew in clouds seeking food and obscuring the sun. They damaged grain. It was not uncommon for a farmer to catch from forty to fifty dozens in a day. So common were they that they were fed to the hogs.
It must not be thought that the abundant harvest of 1817 compensated en- tirely for the losses sustained in the previous years, for most of the farmers were heavily in debt, and, but for the co-operation of the Bangor and Hampden merchants, they must have lost everything.
The first county road was put through in 1817, running from Bangor to Piscataquis through Glenburn, Kenduskeag, Corinth, Garland and Sangerville towards Moosehead Lake. It is hard to estimate the value of that road to this part of the state but it must have been very great.
The discouragement of these years following the war of 1812 and summer- less year of 1816, was displayed in what was called "the Ohio Fever" when from ten thousand to fifteen thousand citizens moved from Maine to that state. In 1818, crops were abundant and emigration again turned toward Maine. In that year there was a big gathering of militia at Bangor in which the Stetson militia- men participated. Col. Isaac Hodgdon, later General, whose brother, Moses, had previously surveyed all of this part of Penobscot County, was in command.
Contrast the Stetson of today, or, better still, of the old tannery days when Stetson was a thriving and growing community, with the Stetson that the Clark's found in 1913-14. Now, instead of the dense pine woods of that far-away day more than a hundred years ago, there are pleasant streets bordered by the magnificent elms which Amasa Stetson, the proprietor, paid Samuel Woodman to set, at fifty cents per tree, along the East Stetson road, and those set by the very hands of Mrs. William Ireland (Mary Adeline Rogers) and Mary Ann (Coburn) Goodwin, and other public spirited citizens; there are also the gigantic and picturesque willows on Mill Street and other attractive shade trees set since those days. The row of beautiful maples in front of the S. R. Stetson farm were set out by Sam, himself.
There were only three frame houses when the Clark family came: the old mill house, Lakin's and Deacon Allen's on the William Allen farm. Where once settlers went on foot or by ox-sled through primeval forest to visit their neighbors, roads are established that are passable in summer as well as in winter, and, .. instead of the ox-cart, we see the automobile.
Now, as then, the name of Clark is a highly respected one. Warren Clark, grandson of Isaac, still resides on Clark's Hill. Dr. Fisher R. Clark, to whom the author is indebted for many of the ancedotes contained in this book, is a practicing physician and surgeon of considerable promince in his home city of Stockton, California, and has been acknowledged an authority on medical questions for many years. He is a lecturer on subjects relating to his profession.
Isaac Clark and Betsey, his wife, had ten children, namely: Joe, Nathan, Sam, Seth, William, Thomas, Lemuel, Mary, Permelia and Martha. These were all uncles and aunts of Warren Clark now residing on Clark's Hill, who was the only child of Seth.
The first building erected was of log's but it was in the substantial frame house that the older generations of Clarks lived and died. Warren's mother's name was Hannah Pease. Warren was born August 31, 1842 in Stetson. Thomas
4
19
HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
Clark, son of Thomas and Ruth had six children: Aurelia, Samuel, Lemuel, Sarah Jane, Fisher R., and an infant. Samuel, son of Isaac, had one daughter, Nancy. Nathan had a son, Nathan, Jr. Joseph had eleven children, six of whom died young. The others were Frank, Fisher, Hiram, Henry and Eliza A. . Lemuel had one child, Georgeana, who married Corydon Lakin. William had four chil- dren: Seth, Lydia, William and Audalucia. William's wife's name was Louisiana ..
Aurilla, daughter of Thomas Clark, married B, Pratt Hubbard. They had one adopted child, Rosa, who married Roscoe Haskell. They had three daughters, Lena, Aurilla and Lillian. Aurilla married Bernard Shepardson and they live on the old home place on Clark's Hill.
EARLY ROMANCE
It is interesting to note that the friendship between the Clark and Sweat families was later to blossom into romance, for we find that Betsey Sweat became Mrs. Clark. Her sister Olive became Mrs. Crocket and another sister, Eunice, Mrs. Nathan Cloutman. The early spelling of the name was Cloutman. Later records give it Cloudman. It is also to be noted that all records of the Clark name use the spellingClark but Dr. Fisher R. spells the name Clarke.
THE GOODWIN FAMILY
JEREMIAH GOODWIN, brother of Daniel, a descendant of Daniel Goodwin who settled in Kittery in 1652, and pioneer of the family in Stetson, was what would have been termed in his day, "a man of parts." He was a blacksmith, and a good one, at a time when the village smith was a man of standing in the community. One has but to read Longfellow's "Village Blacksmith" to visualize the scenes that were familiar to that period. The name Jeremiah seems especially fitting to this sturdy and picturesque pioneer.
THE TAVERN
Several years ago, the large. two-story tavern which had been built by Jeremiah and operated since the early 30's was destroyed by fire and with it some of the magnificent elm trees set out by Mrs. Goodwin's own hands. The house of the Cloudman's, near it, together with other beautiful elms which Mrs. Cloudman had set and tenderly watched, was destroyed by fire a few years previously. In the 60's, the store on the opposite corner was burned.
. A nephew of Jeremiah, S. S. Goodwin, later owned the tavern, A grand- nephew, C. B. Merrill owned it at the time of its destruction. Jeremiah built and resided in what is now the oldest house in town, that occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Friend on Mill Street. The main part of the house is the original structure.
Mrs. Goodwin was Mary Ann Coburn, daughter of another of the pioneers. Their son, Dana, married Clara Sanborne. Nahum, who married Ann E. Proctor, had two sons, Edward Proctor and Harry Coburn. Shepard S. married Ann Delia Simpson. Their children were: George who married Annie Corliss, and who had one son, Raymond Corliss; Oscar, Harry and Frank. Everett married Florence Bending. Their son was Lewis. Loantha married George Powers.
Albertaon Public Library
.. .. . ..... P ......:
20
HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
Their children were: Elizabeth (Mrs. Merrill), Nellie and Charlie, twins. Nellie married Arey White and later, Horace Bennett; Loantha, George Powers' second wife was Sarah Goodwin, a sister to his first wife, Loantha. By the second marriage, he had Edgar and Frank. Phyllis White is the daughter of Nellie White Bennett.
William Goodwin (born February 11, 1819) married Mary Jane Ireland, daughter of Rev. William H. and Mary (Bean) Ireland. Their daughter, Laura B., married Governor Franklin Davis of Corinth. She was born April 6, 1847. Their son, Willis Goodwin, was a lawyer, practicing in Stetson and East Corinth. Daniel Goodwin's wife was Hannah W. Joseph and Josiah . W. were unmarried.
GRVENLIEF DEMERRITT, who married Mary Remick Goodwin, was born February 14, 1811 in Shapleigh, Maine. She was the daughter of Samuel and Lydia. They came to Stetson with the Goodwins and lived near them. Their son, Charles F., was born in Bangor, February 22, 1832. He married Roseltha Herrick Allen, a daughter of Thomas and Lisette Herrick Allen. Charles came to Stetson in 1847. Their children were: Rosetha D., Mary, Greenlief Charles, William Weston and Horace Greeley.
William W. Demerritt married Helen S. Goodwin, a daughter of Charles H. and Clara West. Charles H. was the son of Joseph Goodwin, who came from Abbott, Maine. He had a brother, Ichabod. Children of William W. and Helen are: Nettie Alice, Myrtle Roseltha, and Clara.
Samuel Goodwin had a son, Chapman, whose daughter, Susan Bean, married David Smith. He was a carpenter. Their children were: Florence Ada, Susan Maria, David Montgomery, Frank Montgomery, Clara Augusta, Wilson Stanley, and Arthur Hobarth. Clara, who married Frederick Oliver Stearns, taught school in Stetson. Wilson S. married Eda Rand and lives on the home place. Addie married Albert Perkins and Susan, who lives in Bangor.
COBOROUGHI CEMETERY was given to the town by EBEN Cod. of Bangor from whom "Coborough" derives its name. George Locke, son of Charles. Locke, the first settler of Coborough in 1847, was the first white child born in that section of Stetson. His mother was the first school teacher, having only three pupils. In 1847, the Locke family, Joseph Goodwin and wife, Stephen Harvey and wife and Mr. Whittier, all of whom bought their land from Eben Coe of Bangor and David Perigree of Salem, Massachusetts, settled in Coborough. In 1849, Ichabod Goodwin and wife, Mr. Hamilton and wife and James Curtis and wife settled there.
Jeremiah Goodwin was married to Mary Ann Coburn (born March 25, 1814) in Bloomfield (now Skowhegan). Her father was Rev. Robert Coburn and her mother, Mary Parker.
Ann Maria, daughter of Jeremiah Goodwin, married G. W. Brown, Captain of Co. C., 9th Maine Vol., who was afterwards sheriff and lived in Stetson first but later in Bangor. Their children were: Genevieve Mary, Sarah Loantha, Dana Walter and Lewis Barker.
GENERAL JOSIAH GOODWIN, born in Stetson, March 3, 1855, was the son of Josiah Woodbury Goodwin and Abigail Herrick Allen.
"Jerry" Goodwin went west when "the West" was all that the story books depict it. He was possessed of a powerful personality, and at a time when robbers
1
21
HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
infested that part of the country so that few men dared travel over sections of it, he went where and when he chose, unmolested. He lived in California during the rush to the gold fields. That he was a brave man, none who knew him doubted.
Miss Minnie Deveraux Goodwin, to whom the committee is indebted for much of the data on the Goodwin family, possesses a quite complete genealogical record of the Goodwin's. She is a direct descendant of JOSIAHI . WOODBURY GOODWIN, born in Shapleigh, Maine, June 3, 1809, and Abigail Herrick Allen. Miss Goodwin is a granddaughter of Thorndike Allen and his wife, Sally Cole. Josiah was a blacksmith, a Democrat and a Congregationalist and died in Shell Rock, Iowa at the age of nearly 87 years. Sally lived to be past 90 years old and died in Wisconsin. Charles Henry, father of Minnie D., was born in Stetson, June 21, 1834 and married Nancy Louise Fuller of West Gardiner. Their children were: Josiah Woodbury, Minnie Deveraux, Charles Mower, Heman Griffin and Harry Fuller.
THE ROGERS FAMILY
Hon. James Rogers, progenitor of the Rogers family in Stetson, was born in Wolfborough, N. H., March 2, 1798. He married Clarissa H. Wiggin, in Tufton- borough, Carroll County, N. H., Dec. 25, 1823. In 1833, they came to Stetson. Clarissa was one of the seventeen children of James and Ruth Varney Wiggin, and was born in Uptonborough, N. H., March 27, 1805.
GRANT FROM KING GEORGE III
James Rogers was the first son of William and Mary (Conner) Rogers. James' father, William, had served in the Revolution and his grandfather, Lieut. Charles Rogers, had received a grant of 2,000 acres of land at Merry Meeting, N. H., from King George the Third, for meritorious service in the French and . Indian wars. Charles' brother, Robert Rogers, had been the famous leader of Rogers. Rangers and was the idol of the country. He, Robert, was in command and received at Detroit the surender of the French to the English which closed the French war. Lieut. Charles with his father, James of Portsmouth had settled in Rochester, N. H., in 1734. He married there Mary, daughter of John Mc- Duffer.
When James was twelve years old, 1810, his father died. His grandfather died two years later. His mother kept the family together. She was a remark- able woman, having married William Rogers after the death of his first wife, who left seven children, she bore five children to him, making twelve children that she mothered. By the will of William, Nathaniel, his oldest son, James' half brother, was to inherit all with a provision that each boy was to receive his living and education and a certain sum of money on leaving home. Each girl was to receive loving care and a trousseau of certain value at her marriage. It is to the credit of Nathaniel and their mother that these terms were agreeably carried out. James Rogers, secured Nathaniel and his mother's permission to enlist in 1811 and became a soldier of the war of 1812. He commanded a company of militia from Stetson during the Aroostook war, called the bloodless war of 1839. His served during the war of 1812 as a private in Capt. John Willey's
-
22
HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
4
JAMES ROGERS
23
HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
company of N. H. militia. He was injured in line of duty in Portmouth, N. H., for which injury he received a pension June 6th, 1878. He died in Stetson, Dec. 30th of the same year.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.