USA > Maine > Oxford County > Woodstock > History of Woodstock, Me., with family sketches and an appendix > Part 14
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and unruly boys. He was subsequently employed by the State Temperance Society to travel and lecture in the interest of the cause in various parts of the State. He was a member of the Order of the Sons of Temperance, and at one time at the head of the Order in the State. In later years, he joined the Good Templars, and was here elected to preside over the State organ- ization. He was also delegate from both these organizations to the meeting of the national organization of the same, and an officer in the latter. He was elected a Representative to the Legislature from the district with which Woodstock was classed, in 1855, and was chosen Speaker. A few years later, in 1859, he was elected Clerk of the Courts for Oxford County, and re- elected for the second term. But before the expiration of his second term, he resigned to accept the position of member of Congress from the Second Maine District, to which position he had been elected by a large majority. He served three terms in Congress, his six years covering the most eventful period in our history, that of the war of the rebellion. He took great interest in looking after our Maine soldiers during the war, and was very popular with them.
In 1871, he was nominated for Governor of Maine by one of the largest conventions that ever assembled in the State, and was triumphantly elected, and was re-elected twice. He served as chief magistrate of the State with great acceptance to all parties, and left the gubernatorial chair at the end of his third term with the highest esteem of his fellow citizens. When Hon. Lot M. Morrill was appointed Collector of the Port of Portland, Mr. Perham was appointed appraiser of merchandise for the same port, which position he still fills. During the years that he has been in public office, his interest in the cause of temperance has been unabated, and he has ever been ready to speak and work for the good of the cause at all times and on all occasions.
In religious sentiment he is a Universalist, and believes in a faith which shows itself by works. His abilities as a presiding
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officer were recognized in his choice as President of the United States Convention of Universalists and on various other occa- sions. He has also served as chairman of the executive com- mittee of the same body, and is still a member of the committee. He is President of the Trustees of Westbrook Seminary, and of the Board of Trustees of the Maine Industrial School for Girls. He has also served as President of the Paris Hill Manufacturing Company and been a Director of the Norway National Bank. When he was elected Clerk of the Courts, he moved with his family to Paris, where he has since resided, but he has ever taken a lively interest in his native town and in all that per- tains to its welfare.
CAPT. RUFUS S. RANDALL.
Capt. Rufus Soule Randall (see Randall in Family Sketches), though only a little past the prime of life, has been fifty foreign voyages and several times around the world. His father and older brother were sailors, and when sixteen years of age, Rufus S. shipped in the "James Calder " to New Orleans, thence to Liverpool and back to Charleston, S. C. He became second mate in 1849, and first mate in 1852. Having made seven European voyages and desiring to perfect himself in the study of navigation, he attended a term or two at Gould's Academy, in Bethel. The first ship which he commanded was the Bark "New Empire," engaged in the European trade. This was in 1856. In 1863, he had command of the Bark "Windward," and engaged in the transportation of government stores. In 1865, he had the Bark "Acacia," in the West India trade; in 1866, the "Ella and Annie," in the River Platte trade; in 1870, the " Gertrude," in the European trade; in 1871, he took com- mand of the "Oasis," and was engaged for six years in the Peruvian Guano trade; in 1878, after having been at home a year, he took command of the ship "John A. Briggs," built that
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year by Briggs & Cushing, at Freeport, her measurement being 2,150 tons, and one of the finest ships ever launched in Maine. In this he made two voyages around the world, taking on each occasion a cargo of wheat from California to Europe. He has suffered shipwreck on several occasions, but on the whole, has met with a good measure of success ; and a little more than a year ago, at Antwerp, he voluntarily relinquished the command of the " John A. Briggs," in which he was part. owner, to his first mate, Porter, of Freeport, and came home to spend a few years, if not the remainder of his life, with his family, and in the enjoyment of that competency which he gained by his hard and perilous service upon the ocean. During the last ten years of his sea-faring life, he was accompanied by his wife and children.
CHARLES O. WHITMAN, M. A.
Charles Otis Whitman, son of Joseph, Jr., (see Whitman in Family Sketches) was born and spent his early years in this town. His father subsequently moved to Waterford, and then returned here. Charles attended the town schools here and in Waterford, and fitted for college at Norway and other academies, teaching winters to obtain the means for paying his school expenses. He entered Bowdoin College in 1864, and graduated with honors in 1868. He taught Westford, Mass., and other academies for a few years, and then went to Europe, pursuing his studies for two or more years in Germany. He then went to Japan, and was engaged for a while in teaching there, and then returned to Europe, where he yet remains.
He early developed a taste for Natural History, and while here and a boy, he procured and mounted a very fine collection of the birds of Maine. So artistically prepared were they, and so naturally mounted, that they attracted much attention among ornithological students. When in Naples, Leipsic and other European cities, he pursued his studies under highly distin-
REV. HARRISON S. WHITMAN.
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guished masters. He also engaged to some extent in original research in several branches of Natural History, notably in embryology, and with such marked success as to give him an honorable position among modern investigators. He has a clear, logical mind, keen perceptive faculties, is enthusiastic and self-reliant, and possessed of great perseverance. He is yet a young man, but he has a future of most brilliant promise. If life and health are spared him, his name.will yet be inscribed high on the scroll of fame, for he has all the elements of success in his chosen field of labor.
REV. HARRISON S. WHITMAN.
Another good example of a self-made and self-educated man, is that of Rev. Harrison Spofford Whitman. He was born in this town February 5, 1844. His father died when he was a child, and left his wife with three children and very limited means for their support. This is mentioned elsewhere. All three of the children were natural scholars and early showed re- markable aptitude for composing, both in prose and poetry, but the subject of this little sketch was the only one that pursued a literary course of study. He attended the town schools of Woodstock, and at various academies, entering Bowdoin College in 1865. Before entering college, and while there, he taught ten terms of school in different places, some district and others high schools. Graduating in 1869, he took charge of the Thomaston Academy, where he remained for two years. From there, he went to Dean Academy, in Franklin, Massachusetts, and at first had charge of the Mathematical and Scientific De- partments. Then he was promoted to the charge of the Classical Department at a largely increased salary, where he remained until the fatal fire which destroyed all the buildings of the in- stitution. In 1874, he entered the Divinity School at Tuft's College, from which he graduated in 1877, and was immediately called to the pastorate of the Universalist church at Mechanic
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Falls, over which he was ordained June 22, 1877, and where he still remains. He is a good pastor and able preacher, and very acceptable to the people of the parish over which he pre- sides. He was married May 5, 1859, to Miss Susie F. Warren of Great Falls, N. H.
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FAMILY SKETCHES.
The following sketches of Woodstock families, mainly gen- ealogical, though not as complete as was desired, have involved no small amount of care and trouble in their collection. No pains have been spared to have them correct, but "approxi- mately correct " is all that can ever be expected of matter embracing so many dates and derived from so many different sources. Those who have had experience in this branch of history will fully understand all this. We only hope that our errors may not be found more numerous than are usually found in similar sketches. These are not intended as family records; the scope of the work would not admit of our so extending them as to embrace dates of birth, &c., of all Woodstock families. We have generally felt obliged to confine the records to two or three generations from the first settlers, and personal sketches have necessarily been very brief. These sketches do not em- brace all the settlers in Woodstock, but they do represent the chief families of the town since its settlement.
ABBOTT.
PHILIP ABBOTT, son of Philip, of Rumford, and Experience Howe, his wife, born December 11, 1800, was here in 1853, and kept a bowling alley near the shore of Bryant's Pond. His first wife was widow Lucinda White, and he had Lucy T., married
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Barnard Marble, of Mexico, Trancilia, Achsa A., Joseph W., Chandler P., Susan and Gurtine M. These were all born before he came here, and Chandler P. was the only one of the sons who ever lived in this town. Philip Abbott, for second wife, married a Davis, and had other children. Notwithstanding his age, he enlisted in the army and served with credit in the 5th Maine Regiment. After the war, he moved to Mexico.
William Abbott was taxed here in 1830, Andrew in 1864, and Alpheus A. in 1871.
ADAMS.
JOHN Q. ADAMS, JR., came from Lincoln, and was a clerk for Henry Howe, at the Pond. He afterwards traded at Pinhook, and for a short time kept the hotel at the Pond. He married Mary Porter, of Andover, who died, and he went away from town. He re-married in Lincoln, and has a family there.
MOSES ADAMS, his wife a Ridlon, lived in the east part of the town. His daughter Emily married Thomas J. Whitman, son of Chauncey C., in 1862. Moses Adams married. Susan Walton, of Canton, in 1872, probably a second wife. Louisa Adams, probably another daughter of Moses, married Eli M. Noyes. Mr. Adams also had sons, one of whom was a soldier in the late war, from Woodstock.
Dr. HENRY M. ADAMS, son of Dr. Joseph, came here from Rumford. His first wife was a Hill, from Waterville, who died, and in 1866 he married Lottie Hill, her sister. He went from here to Cedar Falls, Iowa, after a residence of three or four years.
ANDREWS.
Four brothers, namely, Ziba, Cyrus, Jonathan and Nathan Andrews have at different times lived in Woodstock. They
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were the sons of David Andrews, who moved from Poland to Paris. Ziba·came previous to 1826, and built a mill in the south part of the town, which is still operated by his son. He was a licensed preacher of the Baptist denomination. He married, August 8, 1824, Thankful Washburn, daughter of Stephen, of Bridgewater, Mass., Hebron and Paris, and had :
I Elvecy, b. January 28, 1828; m. Moses W. Bryant.
II Rachel, b. December 18, 1830 ; m. Samuel W. Dunham.
III Isaac W., b. July 6, 1833; m. 1st, Lucinda Bryant, 2d, Elvira Bryant, daughters of Alexander; he carries on business where his father did.
IV Morton, b. April 10, 1835.
Anna F., b. February 25, 1837; m. Oscar P. Ellingwood.
VI John C., b. April 22, 1838; married Lorenda C. Packard, daughter of Henry H. He is a Baptist preacher.
VII Mary E., b. July 6, 1841.
VIII Charlotte D., b. December 9, 1844.
IX Ziba, married a Bean, and was killed by the cars.
Cyrus Andrews married, first, Rebecca Robbins, second, Jane A. Dow, and third, Prudence Abbott. He had a large family, all by the first marriage. He lived in the Perkins neighborhood, and his son Jesse also.
Nathan married Nancy Cummings, daughter of George W., of the Gore, and is an itinerant Methodist preacher. He never lived much in Woodstock.
ANNAS.
JOHN GOULD ANNAS, son of Solomon, Jr., who came from Warner, N. H., to Bethel, and who married Patience Sanborn, of Standish, lived some years in Woodstock, first in Sigotch and afterwards on the farm below the David Ricker place. He married Mary Edgerly, daughter of Isaiah, of Greenwood, pre- viously of Buxton, and had quite a large family, all of whom left town long ago. John G. Annas was a soldier in the 10th Maine Regiment, and was wounded at the battle of Cedar
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Mountain. He subsequently enlisted in the 29th Maine, and died from the effects of exposure before the close of the war.
AYER.
PETER AYER, son of Samuel, of Bethel, and grandson of Joseph, who moved from Standish to Bethel, and whose mother was Alice Kilgore, daughter of John, of Bethel, married Betsey Swan, daughter of Elijah, of Paris, and lived for a few years in Woodstock. He moved from here to Pennsylvania, and died there. His children were Alice K., George B., Nancy E., Eli E. and Alfreda.
THOMAS AYER, whose wife was a Durgin, moved into town and resided here a few years. Their only daughter, Sarah, mar- ried William Day.
BACON.
ABEL BACON was born and reared in Greenwood, near Wood- stock line. He was the youngest son of Benjamin Bacon, of Westmoreland, N. H., who came to Paris when a boy and lived with his uncle Timothy Smith. When a young man, he married Rebecca, daughter of Capt. Lemuel Holmes, of Paris, and moved into Greenwood. Abel Bacon was born June 4, 1825, and married Cordelia, daughter of Levi Berry. . (See Berry.) He purchased the farm formerly occupied by Capt. Samuel Stephens, and has always lived there. His children are :
I Herbert C., b. Aug. 19, 1851 ; m. Alice Hathaway, daughter of John, of Paris.
II Walter L., b. July 11, 1868.
BAILEY.
HUDSON BAILEY, born in Portland, a cooper by trade, who had spent many years in the West Indies and at sea, came to the
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Gore about the year 1834. The farm he bought was first bought of the proprietors by Morris Low, who made an open- ing and then sold out to Barney Perry and his brother, of Buckfield. They cleared some land, but never settled upon it, and sold out to Jacob Reed, of Minot, who put up the old build- ings and lived there until he sold out to Bailey. Mr. Bailey purchased adjoining lands sufficient to make a large farm. His wife was Ruth Bradbury, of Scarborough, and his children, Samuel, who married Dorcas Maxim, went West and died there; Susan, who married Dr. Asa. Smith, of Paris, and second, Daniel Dunham; Louisa, who married Jefferson Jackson ; Elizabeth, who married and lives in Cape Elizabeth ; George, Hollis, and Hiram, who · married a daughter of Isaac Estes and lives in Lewiston. Hudson Bailey was the son of Joseph, of Portland, who was lost at sea ; his grandfather was also lost at sea during the French and Indian wars. He built the brick house on the Gore in 1847. In his old age he was persuaded to sell out and go West, where he lost everything, and came back to die of cancer with his daughter at Cape Elizabeth. He was a genial, kind-hearted man, and had had rough experiences on the sea and in foreign ports.
BARROWS.
ASA BARROWS, whose wife was Content Benson, came from Middleboro, Mass., to Paris, and was among the very first settlers. His daughter Polly, who became the second wife of Morton Curtis, was the second child born in Paris. He, with his son Caleb B. and his daughter Polly, moved to the Gore, to a farm afterwards occupied by Daniel H. Crockett. Asa sub- sequently went to live with his son-in-law, Curtis, and died there. He had, besides Caleb and Polly, Rachel, who married John Ellingwood, of Bethel, afterwards of Milan, N. H., Asa, Jr., and perhaps others.
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Caleb B. continued to occupy the farm on the Gore until about 1840, when he moved to Linneus, in the County of Aroostook. His wife was Abigail Barrows, his cousin, and they had Emily, Abigail, Alden, Mary, Phebe, Samuel, Caleb, Jr., and Hannah.
BARTLETT.
TILDEN and SYLVANUS BARTLETT, sons of Capt. Josiah, of Plymouth, Mass., afterwards of Norway, were settlers on Hamlin's Gore. Tilden married Elizabeth Buck, daughter of John, lived in Norway and Paris, and in 1816, bought of Dr. Hamlin lots numbered 7 and 8 on the Gore. He built a log house near where the house of W. O. Pearson stands. In 1830, he sold to his brother Sylvanus and moved a short distance into Bethel. His sons were Tilden, Benjamin, Abijah and Enoch, the second of which was the only one who ever lived on the Gore. He married a Brooks, of Paris, and lived on part of lot number 9. Tilden Bartlett also had a large number of daughters who married out of town.
SYLVANUS BARTLETT married a daughter of Bela Noyes, of Norway, and lived on the place he bought of his brother several years, and then went to Greenwood. His sons were Bela, James and Josiah, and perhaps others. His daughter Mary became the wife of Stephen Estes.
JEREMIAH BARTLETT, son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Fitts) Bartlett and grandson of Cutting Bartlett, all of Newburyport, Mass., was born in that town March 28, 1811, and when two years of age, his parents moved to Bangor in this State. Jere- miah remained in Bangor till 1827, when he went to Eastport, and was in the employ of a broker named Samuel K. Tibbetts. Afterwards he was in Portland, in the employ of F. O. Bradley, a dry goods merchant. He then returned to Bangor, and was
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for a time, in the employ of James Crosby ; at twenty-four, he went into business for himself. He was subsequently in busi- ness in Freeport, several years in California, at North Yarmouth, at Locke's Mills sixteen years, then two years in Portland, and in 1868 moved to Bryant's Pond, where he has since resided. September 20, 1836, he married Mary, daughter of Capt. David and Zintha Soule, of Freeport, who was born April 9, 1813. The following were their children: Frank, born in Bangor, June 18, 1837, m. Florence, daughter of Hon. A. G. Riddle, of Washington, D. C., in 1866 ; he lives in Chicago; Frederic H., b. same May 19, 1840, died in Freeport, Sept. 16, 1842; Fred- eric M., b. Freeport March 19, 1843, m. Mary P., daughter of Col. John G. Burns, of this town; he has traded at the Pond since 1868; William H., b. same January 30, 1846, died at Locke's Mills, Aug. 13, 1858; Walter H., b. North Yarmouth, Sept. 9, 1848, resides in Charlestown, Mass., unmarried. The wife of Jeremiah Bartlett died February 12, 1881. She was a most estimable woman, and her death was deeply mourned by the entire community. Mr. Bartlett married for second wife, February 14, 1882, Miss Mary A. Morton, formerly of Need- ham, Mass., and still lives at the Pond. In a recent note with regard to the public offices he has held, he facetiously says :
"During the rebellion I was chosen one of the Selectmen of Greenwood, and though doing my duty as well as I understood it (as a republican); I was not allowed to hold that honorable position but one year, but quite long enough to place guide boards in needed places, and have a railing. for 'Johnny's Bridge,' all of which have now disappeared, and only the tongue can supply the place of one, and the instinct of the animals that draw the carriages can guard their owners from danger."
BEARCE.
ROBERT BEARCE, from New Gloucester, married Betsey, daugh- ter of Bela Noyes, of Norway. He lived in Greenwood and Bethel, and in 1830 came to the Gore. He bought of William R.
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Hemmingway the place formerly owned by John Buck. He and his wife both died here. His children were Esther, who married George Crockett and settled on a farm near by, and Jonathan Millett, who went to New York and kept a hotel.
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BECKLER.
JOHN BECKLER, of Dutch origin, and his wife, of the same nationality, whose maiden name was Miller, were living in Woodstock in 1802. He sold his betterments, in 1810, to Joshua Felt and moved to Greenwood, and subsequently to Albany, where some of his grandchildren still live. He had a son Francis, a daughter Rhoda, who married Asa Young, and another who married James Lebroke, of Paris, afterwards of Greenwood. He may have had other children.
BERRY.
LEVI BERRY, born in Falmouth, April 28, 1777, son of Wil- liam and Joanna Doane, of Falmouth, grandson of George and Sarah Stickney, great-grandson of Major George and Elizabeth Frink, and great-great-grandson of George and Deliverance Haley, of Kittery, was among the early settlers of Woodstock. In 1799, he began a clearing on the lot in the south part of the town which is now known as the Daniel Day farm. The following year, he was married to Lusannah Bryant, daughter of Solomon, and moved to his new farm. He lived here some fourteen years and then moved to Paris. He died in Smyrna, Me., Feb- ruary 8, 1854, and his wife died at the same place October 18, 1849. Their children, all except the youngest, born in Wood- stock, were:
1 Levi, Jr., b. June 11, 1801, lived in Paris and Wilton, and about the year 1845, moved to Smyrna, where he lived to the time of his
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death. He married Polly Hammond, of Paris, daughter of Joseph, and reared a large family, most of whom reside in Aroostook County.
II Louvisa, b. April 9, 1803, married John Lapham, son of Abijah. (See Lapham.)
III William, b. April 4, 1805, married Sally Lovejoy, of Norway. He lived for a time in Woodstock, on the Gilbert farm. He died in Norway. His children were Levi, died young; Sarah J., married James M. Abbott, of Oxford ; Elvecy, married a Davis, who died, and she re-married and went to Massachusetts; Frank L., has been twice married.
IV Leonard, b. February 7, 1807, married Hannah Pool, of Norway, daughter of Joshua, lived in Paris and then came to Woodstock and died here. His children, born in Paris, were Edwin R., went to California, thence to Nevada and died there, leaving a family ; Julia married Albion P. Cole, of Woodstock; Albina S. married Wm. H. Cole; Cyrus P. married Lucy Cole, daughter of Col. Cyprian, of Greenwood ; Horace C. married Angelia Cole, daughter of same ; Geo. L. killed in the army ; Flora J. married Henry F. Cole, of Greenwood, and Henry, who is married, and still resides in town.
v Aurelia, b. April 29, 1810, married Elijah Swan, Jr., of Paris, and had Leonard B., b. January 8, 1834, who married Mary A. Grover ; P. Dustin, b. Aug. 17, 1837 ; died young; L. Elphreda, b. July 27, 1839, who married J. C. Perry, of Paris ; Elijah C., b. June 17, 1842; died young. Aurelia Swan, died April 1, 1864.
VI Cordelia, b. Aug. 17, 1829, married Abel Bacon. (See Bacon.)
GEORGE BERRY, brother of Levi, born in Buckfield, July 30, 1787, lived for a short time in Woodstock. His wife was Sally Swan, daughter of Elijah, of Paris. He died in Brownfield, August 8, 1856. His children, born in Paris and Hartford, were :
Fenno, b. July 2, 1813; m. Cynthia Landers.
Edward L., b. Dec. 9, 1821; m. Carrie Case, and lived in New York.
Abbie L., b. Feb. 2, 1823; m. J. M. Marshall, of Millford, Mass.
Wheeler F., b. May 19, 1825; d. July 5, 1851.
Betsey J., b. June 8, 1827 ; m. William Mooney.
Elijah S., b, Nov. 18, 1829; m. Miranda Parlin, of Paris, daughter of Rob- inson P.
Anna W., b. Aug. 11, 1833; m. 1st, N. F. Chapin, of Millford, Mass., and 2d. Dr. Gray, of Paris.
George L., b. July 9, 1836; d. June 22, 1857.
12
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Hiram B., b. April 20, 1840; m. Fannie Merwin, of New York. He was a telegraphic operator, and was killed by lightning while working at his instrument. All of this large family are dead save two; five of them died of consumption. ·
BESSEE.
Caleb Bessee, son of John Bessee, of Paris, formerly of Ware- ham, Mass., married Abigail Packard, daughter of Daniel, of Buckfield, and moved into town in 1818. His place was south of Pinhook, and was subsequently occupied by Rev. R. Dunham and others. He moved from here into Bethel, and in 1854 back to Woodstock, where he died in 1867. His children were Satina, married Jonathan Kimball, of the Gore ; Huldah, married Jacob Kimball, of Portland ; Abigail, married first, David God- win, second, Cyrus Goud ; Caleb, Jr., married Rhoda J. Buck, and also had a second wife; Hannah, married an Ordway. Caleb, Jr., was a trader at Pinhook for some years. He had children by both wives.
BICKNELL.
JOHN BICKNELL came here from Buckfield in 1829. He lived on the place afterwards occupied by Joel Perham, and still later by Allen T. Cummings. He sold out to Joel Perham about the year 1842, and built the public house at South Wood- stock, afterwards occupied by David P Hannaford and others. He afterwards moved to South Paris. He had John, who subsequently kept a livery stable at South and West Paris; William, who married Mary S. Whitman, and lived in this town ; one of his daughters married Benjamin C. Lurvey, who lived and died at South Woodstock.
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