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. By Joel Doyen she had five children, namely: Orin J., who successively married Miss S. Holmes and Miss Georgia Stevens, is the agent for a wholesale hardware house, and lives in Corinna, Maine; Albert, who lives with his brother, Joel H.; Mercy, who died February 6, 1876, aged forty-two, and was the wife of Orlando W. Holmes, of Oakland, Maine; Selden J., now a farmer in Ludden, North Dakota, who married Ella McIntire, of Norridgewock, Maine; and Joel H., the subject of this biography.
Joel H. Doyen remained on the home farm until after the death of his father, attending to its management and caring for his parents in their last days. He subsequently worked in a straw shop at Westboro, Massachusetts, for three years and in the blocking-room of a straw factory in Medfield, Massachusetts, for six years. During the next three years he worked again in a Westboro shop, after which he spent eight years as foreman of the blocking-room of August Lewis & Co. in New York City. From New York he returned to the old Doyen homestead in Smithfield, where he has since been engaged in general farming and dairying. His farm contains sixty acres of land, well adapted for cereals and grazing, having new buildings and all the conveniences for profitably carrying on agriculture.
Politically, Mr. Doyen is a strong Republican. He belongs to Lebanon Lodge, No. 116, F. & A. M., of Norridgewock, Maine. He was first married October 12, 1868, to Miss Clara Brock, who was born in Canaan, Maine. Her parents, William and Elizabeth Brock, died in Canaan. She died May 30, 1882, leaving one child, Millard E., born May 28, 1876, who is now engaged in manufacturing ladies’ straw hats in New York City. On October 28, 1893, Mr. Doyen contracted his second marriage with Mrs. Mary Brannen Many, a daughter of the late Dr. Henry and Margaret Brannen, of New York City.
Source: Biographical review: containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine. Boston: Biographical Review Publishing Company, 1898.