USA > Maine > Androscoggin County > Leeds > History of the town of Leeds, Androscoggin County, Maine, from its settlement June 10, 1780 > Part 9
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now residing in town, save Mrs. Rowland Gilmore, a grand- daughter of Thomas, and her son, John. The name of Lothrop in Leeds is now borne by the descendants of George5 only, and those who bear it are: Hon. Davis Francis8, Hon. Willard8, and their respective families, and Mrs. Solomon L. Lothrop, the widow of a brother of Willard.
Of the children of Col. Daniels and his third wife, Mary Turner, all of whom were born in Leeds, Polly6 married Luther Cary and died in Bradford, Me., in 1881.
Lydia6, married Hon. Stillman Howard and spent her whole long life in the town of her birth. They had issue six children, of whom mention is made in the Howard family, in another part of this work. The only one of her children now living is Hon. Seth Howard,-a life-long resident of Leeds. She died April 6, 1872.
Alson6, married Huldah Richmond and settled in the town of Jay, near Jay Bridge. They reared a large family of children in that town, and when advanced in years, moved to Carroll, leav- ing the farm to Alson, Jr., who married Orrissa, a daughter of Solomon Lothrop, of Leeds.
Rhoda6, the youngest child of Col. Daniel5, married Nathan Richmond. They had one child, Mary Reliance, born in 1824, who married Odlin Watson and had issue Flora, who died when a yound lady ; Fred Odlin, who has long been and now is Regis- ter of Probate in Androscoggin county; Henry, Thomas and John.
To Hon. Seth Howard is due much of the credit in the pro- duction of this sketch.
GILBERT FAMILY.
The Gilberts, in their name and in their connection by mar- riage, were a numerous family in the southern part of the town of Leeds in the earlier years of its settlement. A singular fact is, that at this centennial anniversary of its incorporation, only a single person bearing the name remains a citizen of the town.
Capt. William Gilbert, the first settler of the name to locate in Leeds, came from Scituate, Mass., in the year 1783, just after the close of the Revolutionary War. He had served in the army of the revolution, in which service he was honored with a lieu- tenant's commission. His title of Captain, by which he was dis- tinguished through life, is supposed to have been gained from his connection with the militia affairs of his early time, in which he took an active part. He was induced to come to the locality by the proprietor, Col. Moses Little, to aid by his example and influ- ence in colonizing the town. He married Betsey Bailey, of Han-
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over, Mass., to whom two children were born before moving to Maine. Capt. Gilbert was given the privilege of selecting four hundred acres of land from any lots in town not already taken up. His choice was on the height of land in the south-west part of the town, long known as "Welcome Hill," in what is now known as the Additon neighborhood, together with another near-by lot for many years designated as the "Phillips Turner place." The selection of the first-named lot was made on account of the fine growth of oak timber characterizing that locality, indicating the superiority of soil on which it stood. That his selection was wisely made, everyone who knows the land in that locality will readily admit. This land was conveyed to Mr. Gilbert through a warrantee deed given by Moses Little, it being the first warrantee deed given to a settler of the town up to that time. The house and other buildings erected on this farm were located on the north side of the road, just opposite the buildings now occupied by F. L. Additon, and torn down many years ago.
Capt. Gilbert was an active, influential man,, a leader in all public affairs and an extensive and successful farmer. His home was headquarters for new comers to the town, and every one always found a warm welcome at his house. His influence was widespread and was successful in drawing many other settlers to the town, both his own connections as well as others, many of whom he employed in clearing his lands and in his extensive farming. In 1796, Rev. Paul Coffin was a guest at this farm and thus wrote of its crops: "This man raises, annually, about five hundred bushels of breadstuff and fourteen hundred weight of flax, etc. His hay and breadstuff will this year exceed two tons of hay, and more, by the acre on uplands." It is not out of place to state in this connection that the proprietor of this farm secured the immigration of Jabez Daggett, an expert flax dresser, who located on land adjoining his farm, that he might have the benefit of his labors in his extensive flax business.
Capt. William Gilbert died May 25, 1816, aged 60 years. He was buried in the South Leeds cemetery, where a humble slate headstone hands down this tribute, "He was a kind husband, a tender father and a good neighbor and citizen."
His wife, Betsey, died August 11, 1834, aged 74 years.
Capt. Gilbert, when he came to Maine, was accompanied by his brothers-Elijah, who took up a large tract of land in Turner, near where the Center Bridge now spans the river, and which now is divided into the several farms of that locality; Levi, who located in Buckfield; Nathaniel, who also located in Turner but later moved to Kingfield and to Anson, where he made the first clearing in town; Hersey, who located on a section of his brother William's home farm, next west, later known as the "Joshua Turner place." These buildings, also, as with the first Gilbert
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homestead in the town, have been torn down; thus leaving, as with the families who occupied them, no other memorial of their existence than the silent monuments in the near-by burial ground on which their names are chiseled.
Capt. William Gilbert's children were Betsey, who married George Turner, Esq., and had thirteen children, of whom one died young, and the others were, Josiah, Lydia, Betsey, William, Washington, Cynthia, Hannah, Sobrina, Sarah, John, Benjamin and Martha; Lucy, who married Daniel Lothrop; Sally, who married Codding Drake; Jane, who married Daniel Lindsey ; Julia, who married Warren Mitchell, had children, Henry, Clara and Ellen ; William, Jr., who never married, and Henry A., who married Christina, daughter of Benjamin Alden, of Greene. These families all settled in town ; but Lothrop, Drake and Lind- sey and other families later, finding the titles of their farms unsound, accepted the offer of the State of the gift of a lot of wild land, and moved to what was then designated "Number 6," now the town of Carroll, in upper Penobscot county, where they began pioneer life over again and made permanent homes.
William Gilbert, Jr., located on that part of his father's origi- nal purchase before designated as "Phillips Turner place," where he lived during his stay in town, but finally went to Carroll, and spent his last days with his sisters.
Henry A. Gilbert first located on his father's home farm but later lived at several different places in Leeds, and finally moved to Turner and made a home with his son, Alden, where he died in 1881, aged 77 years. His wife, Christina (Alden) Gilbert, died in 1889, aged 86. Their children were Annie, who married Joseph Kilbreth, of Manchester, and died in 1851, at the age of 22 ; Betsey Alden, who married Alfred Jewell, of Winthrop, and died in 1891, aged 62 years; Christina died in 1850, aged 18; Julia married first, Ruel Phillips, and second, Hiram Phillips, both of whom she still survives; Alden, died in 1865, aged 31 ; Tertia, Otis Hayford and James Henry, all of whom died young.
Hersey Gilbert was a cabinet maker, a fine workman, and made much of the furniture used by the people of the town, many pieces of which are to be found at the present time among the descendants of those early families. His labors thus supplied an important want of the people among whom he lived. He mar- ried in Massachusetts, before coming to Maine, a lady by the name of Randall, and a large family was the result of their union. They were :
Cornelius, born in 1778, who lived in Leeds for a time but moved with his family to Canada and never returned. A daugh- ter, Susan, came back to town to visit friends, and while here, formed an alliance with Ira Sampson, whom she married. They settled on the bank of the Androscoggin river-near the recent
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ferry. Four children were born to her, Laura, Julia, William and Ira.
In a delicate state of health, in rescuing a child from drown- ing, she took cold and died therefrom.
Levi, who settled in Leeds for a time, later moved to the town of Parkman, where he died.
Charles G., who married Martha Day in 1809, located on the farm near Keen's Corner recently occupied by their son, the late J. Ransom, where he died. Their children were Charles, Nathaniel, James C., Judith, who married a Bishop, Huldah, Nancy, who married a Crossman, Rhoda, Spirren, Caleb S., James Nelson, and Joseph Ransom.
Ruth, born in 1776, who married Joseph Day.
Rebecca, born in 1780, who married Jacob, brother to Joseph Day.
Olive, born in 1782, who married Alvira Gilbert.
Hersey, Jr., born in 1784, who married Mehitable Morse.
Priscilla, born in 1787, who married John Foster.
Polly, born in 1790, who married Richard Crockett, and Sally, Lucinda, and Wealthy, whose descendants, if any, cannot now be traced.
Hersey Gilbert, Jr., married Mehitable Morse and located in the east part of the town. Their children were: Dennis, born in 1811 ; Irvilla, who married Warren Foster ; Caleb S., who married Louisa Torsey; Levi J., Jerome B., Joseph R., Drusilla, who married Holman H. Torsey; Alfred and Chandler. None of this family are now living in Leeds.
James Nelson Gilbert married Keen, daughter of John Keen, and lived on the place now owned by George Howe, at Leeds Junction. Their children were Marcellus, now a resi- dent of Boston, and Addison.
Joseph Ransom Gilbert married Mary A. Crummett and lived on the homestead farm near Keen's Corner, where he died in 1898. Their children were: Martha Almedia, Erastus Everett, George Elliot, Elvetta Delilah, Emma Amelia, and Lewis Irvin. None of them are now residents of Leeds.
Caleb S. Gilbert married Louisa Torsey, and had children : Lucilla Alice. who married Alonzo D. Morton; Lovinia Jose- phine, who married Joseph H. Day, late of Lewiston ; Joseph R., who married Ann Whitney, now a resident of Lewiston, and Jedson D.
Near the close of the century, or about the year 1800, the exact date of which cannot now be fixed, several nephews of Captain William Gilbert came to Leeds to labor on the farm of their uncle, and were soon followed by their widowed mother, bringing with her the remaining members of a family of nine children. These children were Marcus, Ahira, Benjamin, Wil-
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liam S., Jedson, and one other son whose name is not now recalled, and three daughters, Deborah, Joanna, and, probably, Huldah.
Deborah Gilbert married Joseph Turner in 1802 as a first wife. They located on a farm on Quaker Ridge, and six children were born to this union: Phillips, Eunice, Julia A., Joseph, Joanna, and William G.
Joanna Gilbert was the first wife of Caleb Wing. They were married in 1809 and had one son, Adna.
The record of marriages in town shows that Elijah Gilbert, Jr., of Turner, and Huldah Gilbert, of Leeds, were married July 3, 1806.' The bride here named is supposed to have been sister to Joanna and Deborah named above.
Marcus Gilbert was a maker of carpenter's bench tools and was considered a fine workman. His bench plane-stocks were widely celebrated for their workmanship and were in demand wherever known. He located on the "Welcome Hill" before mentioned, where, with several removals, he lived during his life. He married first, Jane Sampson, and two children were born to this union, Aranda and Jane. His second wife was Marian Coburn, by whom he had two children, Marian and Lafayette. Marcus was called out in the War of 1812, went into camp, and about fifty years afterwards drew 160 acres of land which he sold at two dollars an acre. He died in 1876, aged 85.
Aranda married Diana T. Wing and located in the same neighborhood with his father, following a carpenter's trade. They had four children, Rollin, Abbie, Lois, and Rosa, all of whom are now living. Aranda lived in Leeds during his active life, and died in Poland at his son Rollin's in 1876, at the age of 58 years. His widow died in Leeds in 1899, aged 81 years. Their son, Rollin, married in Lewiston Carrie L. Sweeny in 1870. They had three children, Walter Guy, Earle S. and Mabel. Abbie married Charles Bowers, a civil engineer in Lew- iston. Lois married Fred A. Parker, of Leeds, in 1879, and has always lived in town. Their children are Lindley, Percy, Sylvie, Gladys, and Stanley. Rosa married Mellen J. Hans- com, of Leeds, in 1877, and they are now located on a farm in Leeds near Leeds Junction. Jane married William Cushing and is now living in East Abington, Mass. Marian married Abram Toothaker and now lives in Brunswick. Lafayette mar- ried Elizabeth Getchell and lives in South Framingham. They had six children, three of whom are living.
William T. Gilbert located on the farm situated between the South Leeds cemetery and the Friends burial ground, where Frank Austin now lives, and later moved to Hallowell. He mar- ried Annie Sampson, sister to Jane, wife of Marcus, and they had three children-Proctor, who moved to Norfolk, Va., where he still lives ; Earl and Jane, neither of whom are living.
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Jedson Gilbert went to New York, where he remained during life.
Ahira Gilbert married Olive Gilbert before mentioned. He was a house carpenter and called a first-class workman. In their earlier years of married life they fluctuated between the Gilbert neighborhood in Leeds and the adjoining neighborhood across the line in Greene. Finally they located permanently in the town of Greene near the Center Bridge, where they died at a ripe old age. Their children were Cornelius, Jedson, Leonard, Ran- sellear, Deborah, Caroline, Mary Ann, and Albion, who is still living in Abington, Mass.
Benjamin Gilbert, familiarly known as "Ben Gilbert," settled in the same neighborhood of those who preceded him on what was long designated the "Day place," and near where the old brick "Powder House," belonging to the town, was located. The landmarks of this home, like its occupants, have long since disappeared, while what was once a productive farm is now a desert of drifting sand. He married Lydia Jones, and they raised up a large family of children : Sanford, married Adaline Day; Nelson, married Rebecca Sampson; Edward, married Deborah Turner and lived in Vassalboro; Wilson, married Catherine Day; Jedson, married and located in New York; Gus- tavus, married Hannah Ballou and lived at Keen's Mills, Turner ; Benjamin, married several times and lived mostly in New York.
The daughters: Joanna never married; Lydia married a Hammond, is now a widow and still living; Judith married a Hall.
Sanford, Wilson and Nelson located on Quaker Ridge and lived there during life. Of the two first named none of their descendants remain in town. Nelson had two sons and one daughter-Oliver, Philo, and Hannah. Oliver married Lucia Turner and they had two daughters-Ella and Rozilla, the latter of whom married Ralph Buckley and they now live in town. Philo had no family, and is the only descendant of the once numerous Gilbert families bearing the name at the present time living in town. Hannah married and moved to Massachusetts.
JENNINGS FAMILY.
The Jennings family traces its origin to the early part of the sixteenth century, and legend states it is in direct connection with Sir William Jennings, of England.
But, owing to inaccuracy of the records at that early time, it cannot be fully traced ; yet English records inform us that Sir William had a brother, and that he emigrated to America during the sixteenth century. We first find our name on this side of the water, in the persons of John Jennings and his wife, Ruhama,
4
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from whom we have perfect, unbroken records to the present time. In all probability, if not the brother of Sir William alluded to, he was a son of that brother. They lived and died in Sandwich, on Cape Cod, Mass. Their issue was one son, Sam- uel, born Feb. 9, 1684. According to English naval practices at that time, he was impressed on board the frigate Milford, but freed himself by swimming ashore; was caught in the attempt by a shark, from which he wonderfully delivered himself, but not without the loss of one hand and foot. From these injuries he recovered and betook himself, for a livelihood, to trade. Being a man of much natural force, he was called to occupy places of much importance in the town where he resided. He was town clerk some twenty-five years, and died in 1764, at the advanced age of 80. He had two wives-first, Remember Fessenden, by whom he had two children; and second, Deborah Newcomb, who bore him the following named children: Samuel, born Sept. 9, 1727 ; Esther, born April 29, 1731 ; and John, born Sept. 3, 1734. The Leeds branch trace their descent from John, the last named, who migrated from Sandwich, Mass., to New Sandwich, now Wayne, about 1780. The Hon. Judge May, late of Lewiston, was a lineal descendant of Esther, the elder sister of John. The issue of John Jennings and his wife were: Deborah, born Dec. 7, 1760; Samuel, born Nov. 15, 1762; John, born Feb. 9, 1765; Hannah, born Aug. 12, 1766; Bathsheba, born Aug. 27, 1768; Sarah, born April 2, 1770; Polly, born June 16, 1773; and Nathaniel, born May 26, 1775. All born in Sandwich, Mass. Samuel and John, of the above named family, removed to Little- borough, now Leeds, in 1783, or '84, using the small lakes, streams, and rivers as thoroughfares en route to their new homes, transported thither in their birch-bark canoe.
Nathaniel, the youngest, also came to Leeds, but shortly after went to reside with his father upon the old homestead in that part of an adjoining town now known as North Wayne. His descendants still live there. Samuel and John chose some fine, alluvial land upon the banks of the Androscoggin, from which they cleared the primitive forest and made for themselves and families excellent homes. Samuel married Olive Tupper and had children as follows: Samuel, Jr., born in Sandwich, Mass., Feb. 7, 1787 ; Perez S., born in Leeds March 2, 1792, who was among the early children born in the town. Of these children Samuel settled in Wayne, but Perez S. remained with his father on the homestead. Samuel raised a large family of children and died in Wayne, at the advanced age of 89 years. Perez S. married Joanna, daughter of James Lane, one of the early settlers of the town, and had the following named children: Orville, born Jan. 14, 1825 ; died Oct. 3, 1866, at Little Rock, Arkansas ; Gustavus A., born June 13, 1827; Gessius F., born Jan. 28, 1829; Eliza
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Ann, born Oct. 9, 1831 ; Roscoe G., born June II, 1833 ; Rollin F., born June 16, 1837. Orville was a graduate of Bowdoin, in the Class of 1849, and that year he removed to Jackson, Tenn., where he studied law, and after admission to the bar opened an office for practice at Washington, Ark., remaining there till the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861. By close application to business in the place of his adoption, he became distinguished, first as prosecuting attorney, then judge of the circuit court. Elected representative to the Legislature, he opposed the seces- sion of the state from the Union. At the close of the war he removed to Little Rock and was appointed United States District Attorney, which office he held to the date of his death. He married Juliet P. Black, of Washington, Ark., by whom he had four children, all of whom are now dead except the youngest son, Chester, who is an enterprising physician at Little Rock.
Gustavus A. Jennings was born in Leeds June 13, 1827. October 6, 1850, he married Elvira A., a daughter of Columbus and Mary H. (Sumner) Jennings. She was born in Leeds Feb. 19, 1831. They settled at West Leeds on the old homestead of his father, where they have continued their residence since. They have no issue to care for, nor to care for them in their years of decline; yet they reared and educated a daughter by adoption, who was a teacher in the schools of that town. The life of Mr. Jennings has been devoted to agriculture and his name is promi- nent among the many thrifty, enterprising and successful farmers of his native town. Among the public positions of trust to which his services have been called may be enumerated those of select- man and town treasurer, the duties of which he ably and faith- fully performed, and that of postmaster for a term of years, con- ducting the office to the satisfaction of its patrons and the depart- ment,
(J. C. S.)
Gessius F. Jennings was born Jan. 28, 1829. He married Orrah M., daughter of Uriah and Mary (Leadbetter) Foss, of North Leeds, May 24, 1860. He resided in town about ten years, and received tokens of trust from his fellow-townsmen, serving them as selectman, town clerk, and superintending school committee. He then removed to Farmington, where he now resides. While in Farmington he has served the Maine Central Railroad Company twenty-five years as station agent. He has two children, Elmer E. Jennings, who married Mary Jacobs, of Farmington; Flora M. Jennings, who married J. Eugene Brown, of Farmington.
Eliza Ann Jennings was born in Leeds Oct. 9, 1831. She married Isaiah B., son of Thomas and Ann Additon, of Leeds, May 5, 1852. They had five children, three girls and two boys. The girls are all dead. The boys are Orville I., who now resides in the state of Georgia, and is in business there; Fred L., who 6
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lives in Leeds on the homestead farm, and is, at the present writing, chairman of the Board of Selectmen.
Roscoe G. Jennings was born in Leeds June 11, 1833. After studying medicine with Dr. Garcelon, of Lewiston, he graduated from Bowdoin Medical College. He first established himself at Laper, Mich., where he secured a fine practice, but deeming it more for his interest, he went south and settled in Washington, Hempstead County, Arkansas. Here he successfully practiced his profession till the breaking out of the Rebellion. When that state seceded, he felt compelled, for his own safety, to enter the rebel army as surgeon. When opportunity offered he left the rebel cause, and flying across to the Union lines, went to Little Rock, where he was appointed surgeon of the United States Hospital at that place, in which position he continued until the termination of the war. He was in both the Confederate and United States service during the whole war.
He was married to Miss Gertrude E. Elliott of Camden, Ark., in April, 1869. They had three children, namely: Octavia, Orville, and Cresos. Dr. Roscoe G. Jennings died of penumonia at Little Rock, Ark., April 5, 1899, and in accord with his oft- expressed wish, his remains were taken to St. Louis and cremated.
Rollin F. Jennings, born June 15, 1837; married, in 1857, Harriet, a daughter of Oliver P. Frost, late of Leeds. They had one son, Roscoe W. Jennings, born the twenty-second of March, 1860, who settled in the state of Iowa. The second wife of Rollin F. was a Miss Temple, of Wisconsin, by whom he had one son, David Jennings, who is now living at Mason City, Iowa.
After the war broke out Rollin F. enlisted, in 1862, for three years, in the First Maine Light Artillery, and in one of the terri- ble battles in which his battery engaged it was so cut to pieces as to lose its organized identity and afterwards merged into Hall's Second Maine Battery, in which he served until the close of the war, participating in all of the hard-fought battles of the Potomac, Fredericksburg, The Wilderness, Gettysburg, and many others, winning a record for valor and unflinching bravery of which his sons and this generation may be proud. He died April 18, 1896, in Mason City, Iowa.
The other branch of the Jennings family who first settled in Leeds was John Jennings, who married Sarah Morton, and their issue was: Alexander, born in Winthrop Dec. 18, 1787; John, Jr., born June II, 1789 ; Sarah, born Nov. 25, 1790 ; Betsey, born Aug. 18, 1792; Franklin N., born June 5, 1794 ; Phebe W., born May 22, 1796; Robert, born June 24, 1798; Deborah C., born Dec. 21, 1799; Esther M., born Feb. 21, 1802; Columbus, born Dec. 14, 1803, and Sturges N., born Dec. 21, 1806. Alexander, oldest son of John Jennings, was a resident of Leeds,
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to which place he came with his parents when a small boy and remained through life, leaving a large family. His wife was Mary Lindsey. Their children were: Mary, born Dec. 1I, 18II; Thomas L., born Dec. 25, 1813; Sarah, born Dec. 31, 1815; Frank N., born April 17, 1818; Pamelia, born June 8, 1820; Howard . L., born Feb. 26, 1823; Alexander, Jr., born Nov. 30, 1827, and Sturges N., born Aug. 7, 1831. All of the above named children of Alexander Jennings are now dead. Howard L. Jennings married Julia E. Maine, of Bolton, Conn., in 1858. They had issue Thomas L., born Jan. 12, 1861 ; Daniel M., born Oct. 29, 1867; and William A., born July 3, 1869, who married Hannah M., a daughter of Samuel Adams, of Greene, and had issue Howard S., Fred M., and Harold W. These Jennings brothers, Thomas L., Daniel M., and William A., are now living on a large farm at Leeds Center. They are very enterprising and successful farmers. John Jennings, Jr., married Hannah Carlton, of Winthrop, and removed to Livermore. Columbus, the youngest son of John, Sr., married Mary H., daughter of Houghton Sumner, one of the early settlers of Leeds. Their children were as follows: Rodolphus, born Jan. 19, 1830; Elvira A., born Feb. 19, 1831 ; John F., born Oct. 23, 1832; Lavinia, born Nov. 8, 1834, died Feb. 19, 1837; Mary L., born Feb. 13, 1836, died Aug. 1, 1858; Augusta E., born Nov. 13, 1841, died Sept. 22, 1862. Columbus lived on the old homestead; died July 26, 1877. Mary H., his wife, died Jan. 21, 1887. Rodolphus removed to Minneapolis, Minn., where he now resides,-is in business there. He married Leonora M. Hasley and had two children-Frank N., born Feb. 28, 1858; Leonora L., born July 7, 1865, who also reside at Minneapolis, Minn.
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