Genealogy of Somerset County Maine

Biographical review: containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine

Biography of Hiram Swain Steward

Hiram Swain Steward, a retired business man of Skowhegan, Maine, was born in this town, August 7, 1827, son of Josiah and Nancy (Webb) Steward. On both paternal and maternal sides he comes of long lines of New England ancestry. Solomon Steward, of Rowley, Massachusetts, his great-great-grandfather, who was born about 1700 and died in 1788, is said to have served under Captain Harman at the taking of Norridgewock. The children of Solomon Steward were: Benjamin; Solomon, Jr.; Phineas; Daniel; William; Jacob; and Mary. Daniel Steward, the fourth son as here named, great-grandfather of Hiram S. Steward, was born in […]

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Biography of David E. Dinsmore

Piscataquis County, Somerset County

David E. Dinsmore, a thriving dairy farmer and milk dealer of Dover, Piscataquis County, Maine, was born in the adjacent town of Foxcroft, November 4, 1848, son of Sanford C. and Lucy (Gilman) Dinsmore. He bears the name of his immigrant progenitor, a native of Ireland, of Scottish descent, who came to this country in 1745, and settled in New Hampshire. In the History of Chester, New Hampshire, David Dinsmore of that early day is spoken of as working at his occupation of tailor in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and later as buying land in Chester. Arthur Dinsmore, son of David,

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Biography of Albert W. Miller

Somerset County, Waldo County

Albert W. Miller, the well-known druggist and apothecary of Hartland, Somerset County, was born in Palmyra, Maine, December 30, 1835, son of Benjamin and Jane (Davis) Miller. The father, a native of Lincolnville, Maine, after settling in Palmyra, was engaged in farming until 1852, when he went to California, remaining there until 1855. He later made another visit to California for the benefit of .his health, and took up a tract of land, but eventually returned to Maine, and passed the rest of his life in St. Albans. Jane, his wife, who is a native of Palmyra, became the mother

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Biography of Charles Cayford

Somerset County, Hancock County

Charles Cayford, of Cornville, a prominent farmer and breeder of trotting stock, son of Benjamin E. Cayford, was born here, December 14, 1828. He is of good old English ancestry, his grandparents, John and Judith Cayford, having emigrated from England to America in the early part of the present century. They located first On a farm in Skowhegan, Maine, where the grandfather was engaged as a farmer and drover and also for some years as a minister of one of the local churches. After the death of his wife he removed to a small town in Florida, of which he

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Biography of Abel W. Rowell

Somerset County

Abel W. Rowell, a retired farmer of Solon and the chairman of Solon’s Board of Selectmen, was born in this town, March 12, 1832, son of Frederick and Sophia (Wood) Rowell. The grandfather, Zebedee Rowell, came here with his family from Dracut, Massachusetts, about the year 1802, and occupied the place now known as the Norton farm for eight years. Then he went to Rowell Mountain, where he resided until his death, which occurred February 8, 1833. He was a soldier under General Stark in the Revolutionary War. Nine children were reared by him, namely: Frederick, George, David, Zebedee, Frank,

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Biography of Joel H. Doyen

Somerset County, Franklin County, Kennebec County, Penobscot County

Joel H. Doyen, who is successfully engaged in agriculture on the old Doyen homestead in Smithfield, Somerset County, was born in this town, July 4, 1842, son of the late Joel Doyen. The father, born and brought up in Avon, Maine, followed the occupation of farmer in Stark and afterward on the present homestead property in Smithfield, on which, after purchasing it, he resided until his death in 1877. He married Mrs. Mahala Leahers Sawyer, of Stark, the widow of Otis Sawyer, Sr., who died February 12, 1826, leaving her with five children — Henry, Louisa, Hannah, Alden, and Otis.

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Biography of Albert M. Pattee

Somerset County, Cumberland County

Albert M. Pattee, the third Selectman of Mercer, Somerset County, and well known throughout this section of Somerset County as a prosperous farmer and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in this township, February 2, 1840. A son of Amos Pattee, he conies of pioneer ancestry. The paternal grandfather, Joseph Pattee, came from New Hampshire to Mercer nearly a century ago, and bought a small farm in the township. A few years later he purchased the present Pattee homestead, and there afterward carried on farming and lumbering until his death. Amos Pattee, who was born on the Pattee

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Biography of Gideon L. Joy

Hancock County, Aroostook County, Piscataquis County, Somerset County, Washington County

Gideon L. Joy, of Hancock, one of the most extensive landholders in Hancock County, son of Stephen Joy, was born here, December 18, 1830. His great-grandfather, Benjamin Joy, was a pioneer settler of Ellsworth, Maine, to which he removed from Saco in Colonial times. Among the children reared by him were: John, the grandfather of Gideon L.; and Ivory H., the father of Calvin P. Joy, of Ellsworth, in whose biography will be found further information regarding the family. John Joy came from Ellsworth, the place of his birth, to Hancock by boat, and settled near the shore at a

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Biography of Lyman L. Walton

Somerset County

Lyman L. Walton, of Skowhegan, the junior member of Walton & Walton, one of the foremost law firms of Somerset County, was born in Mercer, Maine, June 2, 1849. He is a son of Sylvanus B. and Martha T. (Chapman) Walton. The father, a son of Joshua and Mary (Rollins) Walton, born in Mercer, December 15, 1818, after receiving his education in the common schools, took up the calling of teacher, for which he had many natural qualifications, and followed it at intervals for over thirty years. Whatever he attempted to do he put his best self into, and he

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Biography of George H. Hunter

Somerset County, Kennebec County, Sagadahoc County

George H. Hunter, of the firm Hunter, McMaster & Co., merchants of Pittsfield, was born in Bowdoinham, July I, 1830, his parents being Robert and Jane (Henry) Hunter. His father, a native of Topsham, who was well known in the county, lived in Bowdoinham for several years, carrying on a tannery and to some extent engaged in farming. In 1835 he located in a place about three miles west of Pittsfield village, and there carried on farming until his death in 1870, on May 31. He was also engaged in lumbering and in trading. Prominent as a politician and with

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Somerset County

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