USA > Maine > Waldo County > Brooks > Sketches of Brooks history > Part 3
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Benjamin and Nancy Roberts had five children :-
DELPHINA, born June 7, 1845, and married WELLINGTON R. STIMPSON Sep- ber 11, 1867; they had five children, viz:
1. Frank B. Stimpson, born in Brooks, Maine, June 25, 1869; married Lucy Penney. in Brooks, Maine. June 24, 1896; children, Harry B. Stimpson. born December 24, 1897. married Loretta Arsenardt, July 7, 1926; George Stimpson, born July 30, 1900, married Della King, September 18. 1922; Doris Stimpson, born May 1, 1902, married Guy Hanson. December 31. 1921; Leroy Stimpson, born July 19, 1903; Dell Stimpson. born September 26, 1907, married Clyde Elkins, No- vember 12. 1926: Mary L. Stimpson, born December 6, 1914. A blacksmith; Republican.
2. Ella Stimpson, born July 25, 1871; died January 15, 1882.
3. Infant son, born September 21. 1873.
4. Lelia Stimpson, born October 31, 1875; married Ervin Thompson.
5. Mildred Stimpson, born June 11. 1880.
ROSE INA ROBERTS, born. July 7. 1846. Married STANLEY A. PERKINS of Stockton. Maine, June 8. 1866 at North Searsport, Maine. Mr. Perkins . for many years followed the sea as first officer of a ship; upon re- tiring he engaged in contract painting. They have resided at Brooks for several years. They had two children. 1. Lena R. Perkins, born at Stockton. Maine. September 6. 1867. who married. November 11, 1886. Thomas E. West. They had two children, Lawrence A. West, born May 16, 188S. and Maurice Newton West, born December 24. 1890. 2. Laura R. Perkins, born June 29. 1869. in Brooks, who married Bur- ton F. Wentworth of South Brooks, Maine. June 10, 1893.
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LEILA J. ROBERTS, born December 2, 1847; died January 1884 in Lewiston, Me. CHARLES HENRY ROBERTS, fourth child of Benjamin and Nancy Roberts was born July 15. 1853. Died November 7. 1929. On June 23, 1872 he mar- ried JULIA E. DOUGLASS of Morrill. Maine. In early life Mr. Roberts was engaged as a carriage maker and later he engaged in extensive farm operations and was one of the leading as well as one of the most suc- cessful farmers in Waldo County. They had one son, Stanley J. Rob- erts, born at Brooks, October 17, 1873, died November 18, 1929.
Stanley J. Roberts, born at Brooks. Maine, October 17, 1873, died November IS. 1929; married Lillian Woodbury of Knox, Maine, De- cember 23, 1893 at Belfast, Maine: married second Liva Grotton, Belfast, Maine. 1901; children, Clifton P. Roberts, married Bessie Mae Bolstridge and has one child. Clifton Charles; Walter L. Rob- erts born February 10. 1910 at Brooks. Maine, married Essie Web- ber, June 26, 1925; they have one child Keith Blain Roberts.
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Benjamin Roberts
Nancy Cilley Roberts
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Charles Henry Roberts Stanley J. Roberts Clifton P. Roberts Clifton Charles Roberts, Jr.
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Clifton P. Roberts, born at Brooks, Maine. April 15, 1898; married Bessie Mae Bolstridge, December 23, 1920. at Scarborough, Maine; child Clifton P. Roberts, Jr .; employed by M. C. R. R., Portland; member Marsh River Ma- sonic Lodge No. 102; Protestant; Republican.
JULIA ALMEDA ROBERTS, born December 17, 1854; married July 14, 1872 to ALLEN DAGGETT of Morrill, Me. They had three children, viz:
1. George S. Daggett, born in Morrill, Me., April 11, 1873, who mar- ried Nettie Jackson of Liberty, Me. Their children are Mary L. Daggett, born September 15, 1895, and Stella R. Daggett, · born March 30, 189S.
2. Harold Daggett, born March 29, 1888.
3. Edna Daggett, born July 6, 1891.
JOSEPH ROBERTS, JR.
JOSEPH ROBERTS, JR., born Feb- ruary 6, 1756, married ESTHER HAMLIN, born June 30, 1758, one of the first 47 settlers in Brooks. First settler in Washington Plan- tation, now Brooks, Me., where he died Jan. 10, 1843. His wife died in Buckfield, Feb. 21, 1801, and he married the second time, MRS. MARGARET FORBES, widow of Zadoc Forbes, daughter of Hatevil and Ruth (Winslow) Hall. He was the father of 24 children, twelve by each wife. Nearly all of them Clifton Charles Roberts, Jr. lived to raise up families of their own. All of this family settled in Eastern Maine. Children by the first wife, all but the first two, pro- bably born in Buckfield:
HANNAH, born Feb. 20, 1778; married, 1799, JOHN YOUNG; 10 c. Died 1846. Settled in Jackson.
TABITHA, born Jan. 11. 1780; married, 1799, JAMES ROBERTS; 4 c. Died in 186S. She killed a British soldier with a pitchfork while he was at- tempting to carry off her last cow. Settled in Waldo.
SARAH, born May 6. 1782; married SHADRACK HALL; no children. Died in November, 1859. Settled upon what is known as the Bowen Hill.
ISAAC, born May 10. 1784; married Ist ABIGAIL MERRILL, 2nd. SARAH COBB; nine children; died in 1862. Settled in Brooks just north of the Village where A. M. Buzzell formerly lived.
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DR. JACOB, born May 10, 1784; married 1st HULDA MYRICK; 2nd, ABBY JENKINS; 11 children; died in 1856. Settled on the last lot in Brooks, north of the Village on Roberts Hill.
ELIZABETH, born Feb. 2, 1786; married JOHN CATES; 9 children; died in 1832. Settled on what is known as the Davis farm and afterwards moved to Jackson.
GILMAN, born Oct. 28. 1788; married 1st ANN LEATHERS; 2nd, SUSAN BACHELDER; 12 children; died in 1877. Located on the farm formerly occupied by A. G. Godding.
ENOCH, born March 17. 1791; married 1st ELEANOR LEATHERS, 2nd, ELIZA ABORN; eleven children: died in 1855. Settled on the west side of Hen- lock Hill east of the Lang farm.
INFANT, born 1793; died 1793.
ESTHER, born Mar. 20, 1795; married DANIEL HAMILTON; 13 children, died in 1877. Located in Swanville, Maine.
LOVINA, born August 1797; married LEVI BOWEN; 12 children; died 1856. Settled in Monroe, Maine.
JOSEPH, born Nov. 2, 1799; married LYDIA KNIGHT; 3 children; died in 1885. Children by the second wife, all but first born in Brooks:
NATHAN, born Feb. 6, 1802; died young.
BENJAMIN, born Feb .. 1804; married NANCY CILLEY; 5 children; died in rebel prison in 1864.
JOHN, born January 1806; married HARRIET JACKSON; 8 children; died in Minnesota, 1886.
ALFRED, born Oct. 21. 1807: married 1st CAROLINE DAVIS; 2nd SARAH ROB- ERTS; 14 children. Died in 186S.
RUTH, born 1809; died young.
MARY, born 1811, died young.
TIMOTHY T., born July 31, 1812; married NANCY GARDNER; 4 children; died in 1868.
DR. CHARLES, born Jan. 1814; CLARINDA HAVENER; died in 1840.
HON. NATHAN H., born June 9, 1815; married 1st ELVIRA IRISH; 2nd, MARY LANGHAM; 5 children; died in Minnesota in 1892.
MARY, born 1818; married CALVIN FOGG; 4 children; died in 1893.
WINSLOW, born March S. 1821; married 1st, AMELIA PUTNAM; 2nd, COR- NELIA RAND; 3rd, MARIA BANGS; 7 children; died in 1879.
RUFUS, born April 14, 1823; married ADELINE FILES; 6 children; died in Minnesota 1900.
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SKETCHES OF BROOKS HISTORY
EARLY SETTLERS OF BROOKS
The two brothers of Joseph Roberts, John, (father of the late Syl- vanus Roberts) and Jonathan, who settled on the Dr. Roberts Hill place had a large family-Jothan; Willard, who married Ruth Ed- wards; Daniel, who married Mary Haskell; Cyrus, supposed to have been lost upon a whaling voyage; a daughter, Hannah, who married Libbeus Jones; and a daughter, Lydia, who married William Haskell.
John Roberts removed to Ohio after a few years residence here.
The girls all married farmers. The twins, Isaac and Jacob, were about sixteen years old when their father moved to Brooks, and on becoming of age, by: their own unaided exertions, took the course of study at Hebron Academy. Isaac was for many years after gradu- ating successfully engaged in teaching, and for many years after leaving the profession was considered standard authority in grammar by the students of his vicinity, and often was consulted or referred to on disputed points. He was also employed by the proprietors as a local land agent for appraising land, collecting payment or detecting plunderers, etc. The children by the second wife whose maiden name was Margaret Hall, were Benjamin, John, Alfred J., Timothy T., Na- than, Winslow, Charles, Mary and Rufus and three who died in in- fancy. All of them started in life for themselves in Brooks, but Nathan and Winslow soon struck out to other places, first going to . Harmony and thence to Minnesota; Winslow, to New York, where he educated himself and engaged in teaching. He afterward studied law and was admitted to the bar, but never followed the profession to any great extent. Winslow was a Lieutenant in the 14th Maine Regiment and afterward Captain of Coast Guards. He afterward started in the boot shank business in Brooks, removed to West Wa- terville and died there in 1879.
Rufus was a Lieutenant in the army in the Rebellion. Alfred J. married the daughter of Joseph Davis and engaged largely in lumber- ing in Brooks. He was one of our best citizens and made employment for many. At one time he owned the larger part of the mills and lum- ber lands in town.
Benjamin entered the army as a soldier of the 4th Maine Regi- ment, was taken prisoner and fell a victim to the cruelties of An- dersonville prison.
Mary married Calvin Fogg and removed sometime since to Minn- esota. Rufus is also in Minnesota. . John is the only one left in Brooks; he is a mill-wright by trade and operates the mill half a mile above the village formerly owned by Alfred J. Roberts.
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SHADRACK HALL
SHADRACK HALL was born February 4, 1779. Married SARAH ROB- ERTS who was born May 6, 1782.
They settled first in Buckfield but removed to Brooks in 1802 and settled on the "Brown Hill". He was one of the early settlers-some authorities say the second settler and probably this is correct.
He died in Brooks, February 4, 1832. She died December 26, 1860. Their children were:
HATEVIL, born 1804; married CHARITY LANPHIS.
ANN S., born Sept. 12. 1806; married FRANCIS ALLEN.
MARY C., born June 19, 1809. married PAUL H. HALL.
WILLIAM P .. born 1811. married OLIVE WHITNEY.
ELIZA, born February 15. 1812, married ROBERT MITCHELL.
ARTHUR, born 1813. married MARTHA CILLEY. RUTH, born July 10, 1814. died September 14, 1816.
NATHAN, born April 14, 1816. died December 11. 186S.
ABIGAIL, born June 17. 1819. married SAMUEL L. HOBBS.
ENOCH, born Jan. 4. 1824, died June 10, 1824. MIRIAM, born 1828, married HUMPHREY SMALL.
JAMES JORDAN
James Jordan and wife, Hannah Roberts, lived for several years in the eastern part of the town. He was a settler here before the census was taken in 1790. It does not appear that this family was related to the other Jordan families of Buckfield.
He served in the Revolutionary War and had command "on the line" in front of the enemy at Bemis Heights, Saratoga and the Bur- goyne Campaign.
He may have been a descendant of Rev. Robert Jordan, clergy- man of the church of England, who came to this country and settled at Richmond's Island near Scarboro, about 1641. He married there Sarah, only child of John Winter. They afterwards settled at Spur- wink, on the mainland-a name which has come down to this day.
Children recorded on Brooks records:
JOSEPH R., born Sept. 8. 1781. married ABIGAIL L. BROWN.
JAMES, born May 23. 1783.
JONATHAN, born May 4, 1785, died August 27. 1800.
HANNAH, born May 3. 1787. married JOHN B. WARD.
MARY Z., born 17SS, died in infancy.
ELIZABETH, born June 17. 1789. married BENJAMIN WARD. JOHN, born April 20, 1791, married . JOANNA BROWN. ISAAC, born May 13. 1793.
ELIPHALET, born Feb. 4, 1795: died in early manhood.
ESTHER, born April 2, 1797; married JOHN CUNNINGHAM.
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SARAH, born August 17, 1800.
PHILENS, born 1802, died aged 2 years ..
James Jordan-White Plains, Valley Forge-died in Monroe, March 31, 1813. He married Hannah Roberts in 1780. His parents were James Jordan and Phoebe Philbrick of Standish.
WILLIAM DOBLE
WILLIAM DOBLE. formerly of Buckfield, Maine, later of Brooks, and David Record had Lot No. 9 W. Div. of Buckfield, Maine after enough land had been added by the proprietors to make 200 acres. They made the division themselves. Record's dwelling house was on the east. side of the county road leading from the Lowell Corner over North Hill to the village. Doble's on the northeast side of the river on the cross road leading from the Lowell Corner to the Turner Road. Simon Record's lot, No. 8, was on this cross road.
The origin of. William Doble is uncertain. Elias Taylor, of Buck- field. Maine, had heard it said that he had been left while an infant at the door of a well-to-do family, which had brought him up as one of their own. Many of his descendants at one period lived in the towns of Sumner and Milo, Maine.
ISAAC ROBERTS
ISAAC ROBERTS was a twin to Jacob, sons of Joseph and Esther (Hamlin) Roberts, was born May 10, 1784. £ When he was sixteen years old his father moved to Brooks.
When he became of age, by his own unaided exertions he took a
Marshall Davis
Allen Davis
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course of study at Hebron Academy. For many years after gradu- ating he was successfully engaged in teaching, and for many years after leaving the profession was considered standard authority in grammar by the students of his vicinity, and was often consulted or referred to on dispputed points.
He was also employed by the proprietors as a local land agent for appraising* land, collecting payment, and detecting plunderers, etc.
' Isaac was twice married and had several children; his first wife was Abigail Merrill, and the second Sarah Cobb. His children were: .
JUSTIN, married MARY MCLEOD, a cabinet-maker and settled in Brooks where he died about the year 1846.
MILTON, married LIZZIE ROBERTS, a wood turner, lived in Brooks, Levant, Belfast, and went to Minnesota.
CLARKSON B., married MARY NICKERSON, entered Methodist ministry as itinerant when quite young.
JAMES ADDISON, cripple from birth, for many years town clerk.
ISAAC P., married HARRIET STANLEY, learned the shoe business, worked in Lynn, Mass., entered M. E. ministry as itinerant at age of thirty; re- moved to Wisconsin.
WARREN N., married MARY E. PARSONS, and after her death, MRS. LOUISA ROBERTS, superintendent of Grammar School Buildings, Lowell, Mass.
Isaac Roberts died in 1862.
JOSEPH DAVIS
JOSEPH DAVIS moved here from the town of Standish, in the west- ern part of the State, in the winter of 1810, and bought the farm taken up by John Cates, on the "Dr. Roberts Hill", and since known as the Davis Farm, where he resided many years, rearing his family, making for himself a home and a competence, and proving himself a staunch and worthy citizen. Here he lived until his death.
ALLEN DAVIS
ALLEN DAVIS was born in Standish, Maine, December 10, 1810; when he was about ten years old his father removed to Brooks and he always resided here, living upon the homestead farm until a few years before his death, when he sold out and removed to the village, buying the old Michael . R. Lane stand. He was a man of broad and liberal views, energetic and prominent in the local affairs of the town, and was often honored for his ability and integrity by offices of trust and responsibility. He held some town office the greater part of his life. In 1858-59 he was elected one of the county Sen- ators by the Republican party, and took prominent part in the leg-
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islative proceedings of that session. He was a man of vigorous mind, sound judgment, and although not a lawyer by profession, he was better read in the law than many who practice that profession. His last important act for the town was to arrange its difficulties with the railroad company, which he did in a wise and judicious manner. He was a practical surveyor and had a large practice. He was a true man, an honest and Christian citizen. He died Saturday, De- cember 26, 1874. His family now reside in Portland.
MARSHALL DAVIS
MARSHALL DAVIS was born in Standish, Maine, and was educated in the common schools of the town. He married a Miss Gilman, by whom he had five children. He has occupied many responsible po- sitions and filled them all with honor to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He is widely known as a school teacher, merchant, Registrar of Deeds, and filled an important position in the Bel- fast Custom House. His oldest son, George G. Davis, entered the fourth Reg. Me. Vol. Inf. as first sergeant, and was severely wounded in several engagements. He rose rapidly to the position of Lieut. Col. of the regiment. He was taken prisoner at Gettysburg and es- caped from Libby Prison through the famous "tunnel". His third son was a dentist. and established in Augusta. His oldest daugh- ter was the wife of Dr. Muzzey, formerly of Unity, later of Brooks.
A Mr. Chase built a log house near the top of the "Dean Hill" and lived there several years until bought out by Lucius Dwelley, who built the buildings now standing on the farm lower down the hill-side. At one time James Grover lived on the Dwelley place. It is now owned by Charles Gibbs.
Dwelley married Olive Sawyer, daughter of Capt. Thomas Sawyer. He removed to Etna some years ago, where he died.
Shadrack Hall settled on the Brown Hill, and was one of the early settlers-some authorities say the second settler-and probably this is correct.
The third settler. the same authority (Daniel Jones) says, was one Palmer who settled upon his old place on Oak Hill.
Josiah Stickney settled on the lot of land from which the Morgan farm formerly owned by: Gideon Brailey, now owned by Charles Gibbs was made. He came from Beverly. Mass. He and Mr. Chase who took up the Dwelley Farm came about the time Paul Hanson took up the Dean Farm.
Mr. Chase was killed while chopping trees, in company with Mr.
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Dwelley and Crary, who narrowly escaped. His wife was a Blethen and had folks residing in Thorndike.
Chase was a man of great courage and iron nerve. A little story will illustrate this:
Previous to his coming here from his native town, Gilford, N. H., a panther had made great havoc among the sheep and young ani- mals during the summer and autumn months. Upon the first fall of snów, a party of some fifteen or twenty were raised to hunt the "varmint". Chase, with two others formed a detachment, and were following the trail the third day of the hunt. They were growing weary and somewhat disheartened when upon looking back during a halt, it was discovered that the panther was hunting them, following their trail. He was not far away, and his movements and aspect denoted business. He was an enormous "Indian Devil", and fero- cious looking enough to daunt ordinary courage. Chase proposed that each stand by the other for better or for worse, and fight it out on that line.
He was to fire first. His shot took effect in the beast which sprang forward at the very feet of the daring hunter who clubbed his gun and fought for life. It was a tough fight but Chase won. Holding the crooked and bloody barrel of his gun he looked around for his companions whom he discovered perched in neighboring trees and who began to join him in his exultation over his fallen foe. Chase warned them away, saying that he had fought the panther without any aid from such cowards, who had not even discharged their guns, and if they did not keep proper distance he would use up the re- mainder of the gun barrel about them. They shrank away, leaving him alone with his booty, which he soon skinned and returned in triumph to his home.
Richard Morgan bought of Stickney's heirs and lived upon the place for a long time; he removed years ago to Wisconsin.
Seth Brown took up the Holbrook place in Knox. When Thomas Holbrook bought him out, he purchased the place where Alonzo Roberts formerly lived. He built a store opposite where Dr. A. W. Rich formerly lived, and near where the blacksmith shop formerly stood. The store was rented by one Potter, who traded there for a while and tradition says that he robbed and burned it. The old cel- lar or site may now be seen.
Lucius Curtis came from Scituate, Mass., took up the farm where Leonard Rowe formerly lived, and now occupied by Mr. LaCrosse. The road used to go up the hill past his buildings. Traces may yet be seen of it. He sold his farm late in life, and removed to the
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Nathan Curtis place near the shingle mill, rebuilt the mill, and died a few years later.
Samuel Jones moved from Camden, and settled on what is now part of the Isaac Reynolds farm. He had a family of twelve chil- dren, eight of whom grew to man and womanhood. Daniel Jones lived for many years on a farm on the south side of Oak Hill in South Brooks, and later near the station at Brooks Village. The rest are scattered,-Oliver resided in Kansas; Samuel in Glenburn; Judah (Cilley's second wife) was one of the girls. She was a widow, her first husband being Enoch Frost, who died some years ago. She later resided in Monroe.
Calvin and Luther Fogg came here to seek work and get farms. They first came to Belfast where a man hired them to come out to where the Austin Farm now is, and fell ten acres of trees. This they did, camping out and bringing their provisions by spotted line on their backs from Belfast. It is claimed that this was the first opening made in town, and these were the first trees cut.
Afterwards, Benjamin Rowe purchased the lot with its improve- ments. Some claim that Mr. Rowe was the first settler, coming be- fore Mr. Joseph Roberts, yet, we think the burden of proof is that Mr. Roberts was the first permanent settler. At any rate, there was but little difference in their coming. At that time, no road existed, the town was a vast wilderness, and the nearest road was in Belfast, Unity, Freedom and Monroe. The means of access and transporta- tion were rude and cumbersome. It was years before a ploughed road, that is, one any more than grubbed out a "wood road", in fact, was made. Not until the "Great Farm" at Jackson was begun, did a road cross the town, and this starting at or beyond the "Great Farm" a southerly, entering Brooks over the Dr. Roberts' Hill, pass- ing through the village over the Doble and Cilley hills, by where South Brooks now is, and over the west part of Oak Hill. This is the oldest and is also the hilliest road in town. It opened up the Roberts opening. the grist mill at the Village, the Cilley and the Rowe openings, and made an outlet to Belfast.
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Governor John Brooks
GOVERNOR BROOKS From whom the Town of Brooks was named.
John Brooks, ninth governor of Massachusetts, and soldier, was born at Medford, Middlesex county, Mass, May 31, 1752. He was the son of Capt. Caleb Brooks, a farmer, and his early years were passed in laboring on a farm, with no advantage of education other than that furnished by a country school. At the age of fourteen he was indentured as medical apprentice to Dr. Simon Tufts, one of his fellow students being Benjamin Thompson, afterward Com Rumford. While studying medicine, he exhibited a predilection for the life of a soldier by organizing the village boys into companies and training them. After finishing his apprenticeship he commenced the practice of his profession at Reading. Occasional visits to Boston enabled him to inspect the drilling and marching of the British sol- diers stationed there, and the knowledge thus acquired he applied practically by training a company of Minute-men at home. On re- ceiving the news of the expedition from Boston to Concord and Lex- ington on April 18, 1775, he gathered his men together, and as the British were on their way back to Boston from Concord on the next day, harassed them from behind barns and fences. He received the commission of Major in the army soon after, and was among those who assisted in throwing up the fortifications at Breed's Hill on the evening of June 16th. On the 17th, however, he was ordered by Col. Prescott to carry dispatches to Gen. Ward at Cambridge, and having no horse was obliged to go on foot, being thus unable to re- turn in time to participate in the conflict. In 1777 Maj. Brooks was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the 8th Massachusetts regiment which he had been chiefly instrumental in organizing, and in August of that year did valuable service to the American cause in suggesting to Gen. Arnold the dispersion of the Indians by sending an emissary among them to spread exaggerated statements regarding the strength of the American Forces. With his regiment he stormed and carried the infrenchments of the German troops at the battle of Saratoga, where he occupied the extreme left of the American line. His regi- ment was the last to quit the field, and in the severely contested ac- tion of Oct. 7th was again particularly conspicuous, turning the ene- my's right and gallantly storming and carrying the redoubt occupied by the Germans under the command of Col. Breyman, who was killed.
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In this important action, whose influence on subsequent events was so decisive, it is believed that Col. Brooks bore a part as distin- guished as any officer of his rank engaged. In Col. Trumbull's pic- ture of the surrender of Burgoyne, Col. Brooks appears in a promi- nent position. Immediately after the surrender, his regiment was ordered to Pennsylvania to join the army under Washington, and soon after his arrival took up its winter quarters with the army at Valley Forge. It was at this time that Baron Steuben, an inspector- general of the army, introduced his new system of military tactics, and Col. Brooks was ordered by Washington to aid him in bringing it into general use. On the retreat of the British army from Phila- delphia in the spring of 1778, Washington broke camp at Valley Forge and followed the retreating army, whereupon the battle of Monmouth took place, in which Col. Brooks, as adjutant-general to Gen. Lee, was conspicuous.
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