USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Stetson > History of Stetson, Maine, 1800-1931 > Part 4
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His office building still exists but has been slightly changed to admit of its use as a dwelling house. The fans over the window are architecturally very excellent and should be preserved. He was one of the most prominent attorneys of a day when Maine boasted many of the finest in the land. His penmanship on the town records during the period that he was clerk is almost comparable to engraving. His death occurred October 9, 1890 and was caused by a runaway horse. His was a magnetic personality which made his picturesque style of oratory so appealing as to have a great influence upon his audience. This was particularly valuable to him as an attorney since he combined with it a profound understanding of the law.
Following is an excerpt from one of Dr. Fisher Clarke's letters:
"As a "stump speaker" Lew Barker had the ability to impress his hearers rarely equalled. I recall today a speech I heard him deliver in Newport in 1861. That, although I was but a boy, the cares and burdens of more than three-score
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years have failed to obliterate from my memory. May I repeat it in his exact words. Before the breaking out of the Rebellion, all of the Barkers were Demo- crats. Through their marked ability, they were leaders in the Democrat party in the State. When war was declared, they immediately became Republicans. This was a sad blow to the Democratic cause, and the Democratic press became very bitter, denouncing them in long editorials as Esaus, selling their birthrights for a pottage of lintiles; as Benedict Arnolds, trading their liberties for selfish gains; as Judas Iscariots, betraying their Christ for a few pieces of silver. Everybody expected the Barkers to refute these charges, but no. word from them appeared in press. The Democrats, emboldened by their silence, added further insults by calling them cowards, too low to offer defense.
"Battles were waging; our young men were filling Southern prisons and many southern graves. We who were left at home were going every night down to Stetson Village to meet the stage from Etna to get the mail, and to hear Charles Hill, who was postmaster, read the war news. These were our only avenues of information, and many were the blanched faces of those that stood there, eagerly noting cach name of "the missing" as Hill read the lists. Hannibal Hamlin was Vice-President during Lincoln's first term, and in August, 1861, he. came home to Bangor for a short vacation. The entire country waited anxiously for his coming, hoping for some words of cheer from his lips. He arranged to visit Newport and talk to the people. Thousands collected there to hear what he had to say. The meeting was held on one of the church lawns. On the platform were both Dave and Lew Barker. I was a lad of 15 years, gathered there with the crowd. Soon the presiding officer of the meeting came forward to the front of the stage holding in his hand a telegram from Hamlin, stating that the train was twenty minutes late and asking that the people would be patient, etc. Several voices began calling "Barker." Slowly Lew came forward to the front of the stage carrying under his arm a bundle of these Democratic newspapers and delivered the following address:
"Ladies and Gentlemen: You came here to listen to an address by Hamlin, not Barker. You shall not be disappointed. I am not going to make a speech, yet I am glad you have called me. I have been waiting for this day. I bided my time. (Hold- ing up the bunch of papers that were under his arm, he added). You have all read these editorials. I am looking in the faces of the writers of these articles. They have wondered, and you all have wondered why I have let them go unnoticed. It was because I would sooner tell you why I am now a Republican, than to write you my reasons. (Glancing at his watch). I have but ten minutes in which to do so. I must, therefore, give my reasons by telling you an absolutely truthful incident that occurred in my family.
"You all know us from childhood. You knew when my father was killed, leaving my mother with nine small children, in a log cabin in the woods, on a mortgaged farm, without any visable means of support. When the news of that fatal accident reached my mother, she was stunned by the shock, and gathering her nine helpless children about her knee, she said: I must give them away to be adopted. But, looking into those baby faces, trying to decide which one of them she could part with, she gathered them in her arms, and prayed God to help them as she said: No. We will live together, and if it must be, we will starve together. Then, being a business woman she decided to administer the estate at once, giving
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each one the share that would come to them, in the belief that immediate, personal ownership would make them more interested in its success, than the usual com- munity method. She did so, and the portion that fell to both Dave and me was one sheep. You all know that I am lazy. I never. did work and. I never will work. Not so with. Dave, hence the entire care of that estate fell on Dave. The following spring that sheep gave birth to one lamb, and died. So far as I could see that ended that estate. Not so with Dave. The little Devil found a bottle; fixed, in it, a rag; filled that bottle with milk, and nursed that estate. It became his "cosset" lamb. They were inseperate companions. They lived together; they slept to- gether; they drank milk from the same bottle; wherever you saw Dave you would know the lamb, that he had named Mary, was near at hand. As the years passed, the flock 'increased, until, I thought its size placed us both above want. I became tired of going barefoot. I wanted to go and see the girls. But, (turning and pointing to Dave, who sat behind him) what did that little devil care about the girls or shoes? I proposed to sell the estate in order to get the clothes and the shoes I wanted, and which I was too lazy to earn. Dave was obdurate. I could think of no method but to divide the estate, which I immediately proposed. Dave agreed. I thought I could cheat him, therefore I said: Dave, we are brothers. Yes. We want to be honest with each other. Yes. There must. be no cheating. No. Now I have a proposition to make. I will go out and divide the flock, then you go out and take your choice. Is that fair and honest? Dave thought a moment. Yes. I knew I had him. He would never part with Mary. I went out and put all of the old, poor and unsalable ones in one pen and then put Mary in with them, while at the same time I put an equal number of the young, fat, salable ones in another pen. I counted them over three times to be sure that no mistake in numbers had been made, and then called Dave to come and take. his choice. The little devil climbed upon the top rail and the tears began to run down his face as he said: Mary, we have always been good friends; we have slept together; we have drank. milk from the same cup; we have been inseparable companions, but you have got in Damn bad company now and we. part forever. Lew, I'll take the other flock. It was the same with the Democrat party. They were my cosset lamb. We slept together; we drank from the same cup; we were inseparable com- panions, but when they were found in the ranks of the Secesionists they got in Damn bad company and I took the other flock."
WILLIAM PLAISTED, JR., brother of Governor Harris Plaisted, was the son of Deacon William and Nancy Plaisted and was born in Jefferson, N. H., October 24, 1815. He engaged in the tannery business in Gardiner later buying the Stet- son tannery which he conducted on an extensive scale handling about 400 tons of bark yearly. He continued the manufacture of leather in Stetson until 1869 when he sold out to Will Shaw and removed to Lincoln. The tannery made what was called Buffalo sole leather from Calcutta buffalo hides. He married Martha Forbes of Windsor, Vt., and had nine children: Lizzie (Mrs. Thomas Hersey), William P., Thomas M., Nancy (Mrs. F. C. Plaisted), Harry, Mary E., Emma F., Jesse and Charles.
JABEZ H. SOPER, trader and keeper of the livery stable in Stetson, for all that he was only 34 years old when he died, had become a prominent man in this community. His death occured May 21, 1863. He had a daughter, Katie.
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CHARLES W. HILL was postmaster during the stirring days of the Civil War and it was at his store that anxious relatives awaited the reading of the latest war bulletins and letters from the front. Hazen Hill was born in Northwood, April 2, 1808. His wife, Matilda, was born in New Derum (?) June 23, 1811. Their children were: Lorenzo F., and Lorenzo B.
HEZEKIAHI HILL and Emily were the parents of Jonathan, Abigail, Emily, Benjamin, Charles and Hollis.
JOEL W. CLOUDMAN, distinguished officer of the Civil War is mentioned else- where in these pages. He was of the pioneer family of that name. The town records contain his name and that of his wife, Eliza. Alsq Isaac and Ruth, his wife. John S. Cloutman (Cloudman) was born November 25, 1805 and Mary Ann, his wife, December 31, 1807. Their children were: Charles W., Elizabeth Ann, and George H.
CHARLES R. IRELAND is described in "Who's Who" as "born in Stetson (1854), Republican, married, no religious preferences stated; merchant and farmer; educated at Stetson High School, M. C. I., E. S. Normal School and Eastman's . Business College at Poughkiepsie, N. Y .; postmaster and trial justice, 1877 to 1884; alderman, Ward Two, Bangor, 1889-1890; acting postmaster, Stetson, 1897- 1915. Sent to the Legislature in 1925." June 7, 1893, he married Jennie May Dunning, a member of the prominent Bangor family of that name and daughter of Robert Blaisdell Dunning and Frances Sybil Garland (of Carmel). By that marriage, he has two children: William Dunning and Dorothy Rogers Ireland (now Mrs. Clifton Maynard of Bangor) who has one daughter, Joan. The name of William D. Ireland occurs elsewhere in this book. Charles R. Ireland was in trade in Stetson forty-one years; in trade in Bangor, twelve years.
GEORGE W. JORDAN was born in Cherryfield in 1813. He came to Penobscot County in 1823 and settled in Bangor, where he received his education. In 1836, he married Elizabeth Pennington of Sangerville. Two years later, they removed to Stetson and settled on the farm afterwards owned by G. W. Shaw. He was. selectman two years. They had five children: Frances, John A., Henry, George O. and Edward. John A. was born in Stetson in 1840. He enlisted under Cap- tain Adams of the Eleventh Maine Regiment, Co. G, in 1864, Col. Hill being the commander of the regiment. In 1866, he married Sara J. Clark, daughter. of Thomas and granddaughter of Isaac Clark of Stetson. In 1880, he went to California, where he purchased a large tract of land. He returned to Stetson later and resumed farming. He had two children: Horace G. and Fisher R. Mrs. Jordan is still living in California.
Ed. Jordan and Bessie, and their son, George, removed to California.
HENRY BROWN, for many years merchant and postmaster in Stetson, was a substantial citizen, possessed of the dry "Yankee" type of wit which seems to have been a common characteristic of the old-time "traders." He married Edna Allen of Exeter. Their daughter, Maude, (Mrs. Fred G. Sargent) lives in New · York. Maude's son is a talented musician.
L. Cutler Brown, brother of Henry, married Rosanna Haskell of Levant. Their children were Emma, Alvah and Mabel. Emma married Willis Ames. Alvah married Jessie Dresser. Their children were Leora, Elmira, Claude, Allen and Almon. Mabel married Frank Chandler and resides in Dover-Foxcroft.
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EDWARD W. PERRY married Mary, a daughter of M. E. Rice who lived on the Amasa Stetson place.
LORENZO EELLS married Dorothy Pierce. To them were born two children, Martha and Charles. Dorothy having died, he married Maria Pentz of Pennsyl- vania, and to them were born three children: Lizzie M., Gertrude M. and Frank P., who still resides in town. For a third wife Lorenzo married Mary F. Mum- ford.
JOSEPH GROVER married Caroline Grindell. Their children were Lura and Emma. Lura and mother still live in the village. 2027480
THOMAS HODSDON married Elizabeth Glidden. Their children were: Winfield, George, Chester, John and Frank, Gannett, Mary and Evelyn.
CHARLES H. FOSTER was born in Princeton in the County of Devonshire, England, in 1837 and came to America in 1849 with Rev. C. L. Browning of Dix- mont, with whose family he remained five years. At the age of seventeen, he started out to support himself. He enlisted in 1861 in Co. K, 11th Maine Regi- ment, served out the three-year enlistment and re-enlisted for the remainder of the war. For meritorious conduct, he rose from private through the grades of corporal, sergeant and second lieutenant to first lieutenant in 1863. It is under- stood that he was slated for a captaincy at the time the war ended. He served, under McClellan, in all of the engagement of the Army of the Potomac. He also went on Hunter's famous raid. He took part in the seige of Charleston and was second in command of the old "Swamp Angel," a gun with a five-mile range used in that seige. He there joined General Butler's army where he was at the time he was severely wounded, May 18, 1864. The wound occurred while our forces were charging the rebels in front of Petersburg. He was mustered out of service because of his disability, November, 1864. He married in Stetson, Caroline M. Damon in 1861. She died in 1867. His second wife was Adeline M. Locke, daughter of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Locke of the pioneer Locke faimly. By her, he had two children: George H. and Sarah Elizabeth. Charles H. died in 1916 and Adeline M. in 1923.
"Charlie" Foster, as he was known by everybody in Stetson, was a man of great patriotism and he displayed this characteristic, not alone in his service to his adopted country in war time, but in his service to his town and community throughout his life. He was prominent in municipal and school affairs in the town and represented this class in the Legislature. His son is a prominent farmer of Stetson and lives on the homestead. It is interesting to note that Charles Foster's old home in England was near Dartmouth Moores, where were kept the American prisoners, soldiers and sailors, taken during the war of 1812. Possibly stories of these unfortunate Americans which were doubtless still being told by the older generations when he was a child may have fired his youthful imagination with the desire to cross the sea and view first hand the land for which those prisoners suffered.
GEORGE BOND was acting postmaster for Charles H. Foster and succeeded him in office. His genial and kindly disposition coupled with a love of fun and a keen sense of humor made him one of the most popular of Stetson's postmasters. He was in every sense a useful citizen.
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WILLIAM B. IRELAND was the son of Rev: William H. Ireland and Mary Bean of Levant. William H., who was a Lieut. in the 3rd Regiment, 1st Brigade, 3rd Division of State Militia, was born in Bloomfield in 1798. He came to North Newport in 1807. He attended Bloomfield (now Skowhegan) Academy three years. At 21, he purchased a farm in Corinth and taught school 19 years. For 43 years, he was a preacher of the gospel in the Christian church in Stetson and elsewhere, helping to organize many churches. He died in Exeter in 1866. Mary Bean was a direct descendant of Rev. Samuel Moody, pastor of the First Con- gregational Church of York, who was Chaplain of the Louisburg expedition (1845-47) and, a noted preacher of his day. Their four children were: Sabina, (Mrs. Charles Bemis Wood), Mary Jane, (who married a Goodwin), William Bean, (who married Adeline Rogers) and Martha R. (Mrs. Daniel Wiggin). Their daughter; Clara, married Fred Mills .. Her son, Frank, taught school in Stetson several years. Mary Jane Goodwin had a son, Willis, and a daughter, Laura, who married Frank Davis, afterwards Governor of Maine. William B., the postmaster, was born in Corinth in 1826 and moved to Newport, attending East Corinth Academy for a time. He became clerk for E. G. Allen at the age of 22 ,and later for Plaisted & Co. in Stetson Village. He purchased a stock of goods and became a merchant for himself at the age of 32. He sold out to his son, Charles R. Ireland, in 1877 and retired to his farm. He was selectman five years and in 1877 went to the Legislature. He and Mary Adeline Rogers were married in 1852. She was a native of Wolfborough, N. H., and the daughter of James .Rogers, the subject of a sketch in a preceeding chapter. They had two sons, Charles R. and Edward B., both of whom are influential residents of Stetson today. They also had an adopted daughter, Addie May, who married a Hubbard and had several children. She is now deceased.
Edward Bean Ireland, son of William Bean and Adeline ( Rogers) Ireland, was born in Stetson, October 7, 1861. He married, January. 2, 1886, Nellie Lawrence, daughter of David Lawrence (of Corinna) and Margaret Burke (born near Halifax in Nova Scotia). They have one daughter, Effie Loantha, now the wife of Edward Warner. He was born in England. The Warner's reside in Rumford.
While Mr. Ireland is a farmer, he has divided his time between farming and the breeding and training of thoroughbred horses, of which there is probably not a better judge in the state. He has owned many valuable ones and has driven more than he has owned. His name is familiar to all lovers of horse flesh and his propensity for fun and ready wit have won for him many friends all over the state. He has, seemingly, inherited much of his grandfather Rogers' personality and characteristics. The town records give the names of other Ireland kinsmen : Osbert A. and Dolly, his wife, and Daniel E., whose wife was Charity.
NELLA I. CURTIS (wife of W. M. Curtis) came here from Carmel several . years ago. She "ran" a store and the postoffice for several years and has been first selectman. Her husband was formerly road commissioner.
MISS HELEN LAWRENCE, the present postmaster is the daughter of William A. and Mamie Daggett Lawrence. She is a graduate of M. C. I. She taught several terms of school, did office work in. Pennsylvania .during the late war, and is at present connected with her father in the store.
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CHAPTER VIII.
INCORPORATION
Stetson was incorporated January 28, 1831. The consus in 1810 showed 108 population and 131 in 1820. In 1830, there were 114 people residing here. In 1840, there were 616. In 1850, 885; in 1860, 913; in 1870, 937; in 1880, 729. In 1930, it was 424.
'Following are the names of the Incorporators:
1. Thorndik Allen and Family
2. Daniel Buswell and Family
3. Samuiel Crockit and Family
4. Benjamin Crocket and Family
5. Wenzeor Crockit and Family
6. John Crockit
7. Grace Clark and Family
8. Lemuiel Clark and Family
9. William Clark and Family
10. Nathan Clark
11. Seth Clark
12. Shomar Clark.
13. Samuel Clark
14. Nathaniel Cloutman and Family
15. Grace Cloutman
16. Jesse Cloutman
17. Daniel Damon and Family
18. Joseph Damon and Family
19. John Ferren and Family
20. Oliver Hartwell and Family
21. Charles George and Family
22. Josiah W. Goodwin
23. David Laken and Family
24. Amos Osgood and Family
25. Andrew Osgood
26. Samuel Stetson and Family
27. Amasa Stetson 2nd
28. Daniel Whittredge and Family
29. Andrew W. Weymouth and Family
30. Eben Wintworth and Family
31. Charles Wyman and Family
32. Joseph H. (?) Shepard and Wife
33. Joseph Shepard
34. Josiah Shepard
35. Daniel Lary
36. Joseph Wiggin and Family
Attest : DANIEL WHITTREDGE, Town Clerk.
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The Locke, Keyes, Wiggin and Hersey families all came from Wolfboro, N. H., and in the early days, were accustomed to have their mail come to Waterville, where some member of one of the families called for it on horseback. From them and others who came from the same town, "Wolfborough" in Stetson takes its name. In those days, the trip to Bangor by ox-sled took two nights and a day and the farmers from Stetson making the trip "put up" at a tavern enroute. Joseph Wiggin's son, Jackson, married a Miss Leathers.
SAMUEL CROCKET may have been identical with the Mr. "Crocker" whose name appears upon the carly map, as it is known that he was one of the early settlers. His wife was Olive Sweat, one of the family that harbored the Clark family when they came to their log cabin in the winter of 1813-14. Their children were: Benjamin, Menzer, John, George and Martha. Ben's children were: Joel, Frank, Henry, Charles, Judson, Lucy and Nancy (twins), Harriet and Martha. Menzer's children were: Julia, Lysander and Olive. John had no children. George had one son, Edward. Martha had a son, John Barron, who was a shipbuilder in Topsham and had three children: George Barron, James Barron and Lucy Barron. Mrs. Crocket, wife of Samuel, was a sister to Betsey Clark and Eunice Cloudman, wives of the pioneers.
JOHN B. WIGGIN, one of the early settlers of the town, ran the saw niill in Stetson Village thirty years.
CAPTAIN JOSEPH WIGGIN, one of the early settlers of Wolfboro married - Their children were: Andrew Jackson and Robert, who died early in life. Andrew Jackson married Mary Leathers. Their children were: Arthur, Jennie, Henry, Lena, Josephine. Arthur was drowned while a young man. Jennie married a Mr. Brown. Henry married Syble Quimby and lived on the home place. They had two children: Vera and Mildred. Lena married Weston Brown. Josephine married a Mr. Tiffiny.
PORTER G. WIGGINS was born in Wolfborough, New Hampshire, in 1814 and came to St. Albans with his father at the age of thirteen. He married Mary. Dore in Harmony in the year 1841. He came to Stetson in 1851. He was repeatedly a member of the board of selectmen and held other municipal offices. He had six children: Emma C. (Mrs. William H. Hurd) ; Eldora A., who married Samuel . Demerritt; Newell J., of Wisconsin; Ferdinand E., of Stetson; Georgia A., (wife of Rev. F. W. C. Wiggin) ; and Purditto A. married Herbert Moulton. Byron, a brother of Porter, had a son, Frank H., who had three children: Bina, Mary and Byron. John B. Wiggin's wife's name was Hannah.
Porter Wiggin's sister, Mary, married a Patten.
The first clearing in the settlement called Mount Pleasant was back of the Fitts place.
Ira Stephens was a blacksmith. Alva, Francis and Edward were brothers and another brother lived in Carmel. Francis Stephens married Frances Wing of the pioneer Wing family. They had a son, George. Alva's son was Charles. Edward had a son, Henry. Alva, Edward and Hiram Stephens married three Delaney sisters from Smithfield.
JEREMIAHI LOCKE was born in Wakefield, N. H., December 11, 1803. He married Elizabeth B. D. Seaver in Roxbury, Massachusetts, settling on what was known later as the C. H. Foster farm in Stetson, now owned and occupied by
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HISTORY OF STETSON, MAINE
George Foster, son of Charles. They had two children: Adeline M., who married Charles H. Foster; George H., who died in Stetson, February 7, 1816.
CHARLES WYMAN, EsQ., formerly of Vermont, and his first wife, Ruth, had the following children: Lucia Anne, born in Westminster, Vt., October 9, 1824; Merab A., born November 3, 1826, at Roxbury, Massachusetts; Charles, Jr., born June 9, 1828, at Roxbury; Emily, born in Stetson, November 3, 1830; George, born February 9, 1832, and Hannah Jane, born March 18, 1836. Ruth died February 12, 1832, at age of 33 years. He married the second time Jane
THE BUSWELL FAMILY originated with Daniel, who was born in Hallowell, April 5, 1793. He married Hepsibeth Bussell of Wells, a sister to Jonathan. Certain members of this family have used the spelling "Buzzell." Daniel and Hepsibeth had the following children: Jonathan,. Samuel F., Caroline, Susan, Daniel, Jr., Quincy, Columbus, Mary I., James G., Fernald, Henry and Harriett. Jonathan married Edith Abbott. Their children were: Lewis, Charles and Dora. Fernald married Frances Cook of Newport and their children were: Arthur and Ada. Daniel, Jr. married Elizabeth Mosely. Their children were: Emma and Wilbur. Emma married Ernest Demerritt, a brother to Wilbur.
DANIEL H. BUSIEL married Caroline Buswell. Their children were: Samuel and Millard. Samuel married Julia Boulier. Millard married Bell Bruce. Lewis Buswell married Abbie Hurd. Their children were: Charles and Lillian. His second wife was Jessie Kent of Exeter. James G. and Laura E. Buswell had twin daughters, Minnie W. and Mina W., born August 27, 1863.
The Buswell family came in the early 30's and lived in one of the first three frame houses in town. It stood near the "Upper Dam" in the village .; Millard Buswell, whose death has just occurred, lived in the old David Buswell house.
The Lewis Buswell farm in South Stetson is now owned and occupied by Hiram Houston and his daughter, Mrs. Mabel Gray.
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