ESTATES OF SOME EARLY SETTLERS OF BANGOR; SMART, NEVERS, HATHORN, POTTER. CAPT. THOMAS SMART,* came here in 1771,† and was one of the first permanent settlers. He was a man of great enterprise and his death in 1776 was a great loss to the settlement. I give a copy of his inventory, it being the first on record of any early inhabitant. The good sloop Abigail, was she the first vessel owned in the little settlement? The clothing of Capt. Smart was the clothing of a gentleman. COL. PHINEAS NEVERS, Surgeon and officer in the Revolutionary War, came here after the war about 1782. He was really the first settled physician here. His daughter Hannah married Timothy Crosby, senior, and they were the parents of the late James Crosby, merchant of this city. SILAS HATHORN§ original settler came here 1770-1. He and his brother Solomon built the first saw-mill here, on the Penjejawock. It has always been written that Major Robert Treat owned a part of this mill, but in the approval, Hathorn is called the sole owner. Possibly this mill enumerated was not the original mill, but one built further up the stream near Hathorn's meadow, where there was a saw-mill within the recollection of the writer. In those days they built a saw-mill at little expense, three or four hundred dollars; they were built mostly of wood with but very little iron in them except the saw and the dogs. JOSEPH POTTER, came here from Union River, and appears to have been a man of substance, perhaps the most so of any man in the town. His clothing was quite remarkable. His " part of a double saw-mill on the Condeskeag Stream." This in 1788, ante dates all other printed accounts of mills on the Kenduskeag. Was this mill where Morse's mills now are or at the Falls above, "opposite Lover's Leap where Judge Godfrey locates a mill later? I am indebted to the continued kindness of William D. Patterson, Esquire of Wiscasset in copying and sending me these ancient records, + Ante volume 1 page 3. Ante volume 2 page 161. § Ante volume 1 page 119, and volume 3 page 116. THE INVENTORY OF CAPT. THOMAS SMART ESTATE, DECEASED. 15th June, 1776. Elizabeth Smart, of Penobscot, widow, appointed administratrix of estate of Thomas Smart, late of Penobscot, yeoman. To one Quarter pt. of a Sloop Called Abigail, 3-16ths of a Gundalo, 60 s. 25-0--0 3-0-0 To 1 Table 12 s. 2-12-0 O-12-0 i barge ditto 2 s. 0-2-0 I pr. of Iron Dogs 5 s. 0-5-0 I pr. of Tongs Is 6 d. To 1 Trammel 4 s. 0-5-6 his wearing apparel, viz: to 1 Hat 13 s. 4 d. 0-13-4 1 pr. of Cotton Velvet Breeches 12 s. To I pr. of thin ditto 4 s. 0-16-0 I pr. of Moosskin ditto 5 s. 2 pr. of Stockens at 2 s. 6 d. I Surtute 3 s. I thin Coat 7 s. I Bed and furniture small looking Glass, 1 pr. of Scales and weights 0-5-0 To I blue Coat 20 s. I-3-0 0-7-0 4-0-0 0-1-4 0 9-0 0-10-10 1 large Iron pot 5 s. I dish Kettle 3 s. To i small ditto 2 s 8 d. To I 0-9-2 0-3-0 I 1 Copper Tea Kettle 3 s. To 1 block tin teapot is. 6 d. I ditto bought of Mr. Timothy Brown. 1776, July the 29. We have prized the Estate of Capt. Thomas Smart, deceased, according to our best skill and judgment. Lincoln Probate Records, II, 216. 8th August, 1776. SAMUEL KIDDER, Estate represented insolvent. 04-6 8-0-0 12-0-0 £123-2-8 THE INVENTORY OF THE ESTATE OF PHINEAS NEVERS, LATE OF SAID PENOBSCOT, DECEAsed. 20th June, 1787. John Nevers of Penobscot River appointed Administrator of the Estate of Phineas Nevers, late of said Penobscot River, Esq. The dwelling house unfinished, worth A Barn frame partly covered, worth The wearing apparel, a small matter of Doctr. Medicines, Silver Stock Buckle and Knee buckles, £20-0-0 6-0-0 133-7-0 3.12 0 I-15-0 0-7-0 4-4-0 Sum Total, £169-5-0 JOHN BREWER, JONA. EDDY, JOHN CROSBY. The above being all that was shown to us by the Execr. Penobscot River 12th July, 1787. Lincoln Probate Records, III, 249. ESTATE OF SILAS HATHORN, LATE OF PENOBSCOT RIVer. 12-0 13-0 Trowel, Shovel and tongs 12 s. I-I-O 10-0 £389-2-0 3 Calves, at 16 s. I Round Table 10 s. 1 Large Wheel 2 s. 2 Chests 4 s. I Bedstead 3 s. 1 Coverlid 6 s. I Cheese press 9 s. I Copper tea kettle 4 s. and I Brass kettle 6 s. Penobscot, August 17th, 1787. The above is the Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate of Silas Hathorn, Deceased. * A broad sword. ANDREW Webster, JAMES BUDGE, ISAAC FREEze. Penobscot, August 22d, 1788. Appraisement of a Sawmill and half Lott of land, belonging to the Estate of Silas Hathorn, deceased. The Mill Irons 125 s. half Lott of Land £6-50 Lincoln Probate Records, II, 235. ESTATE OF JOSEPH POTTER. Sept. 9, 1788. Margaret Potter of a place on Penobscot River called Sunbury, widow appointed adminstratrix of the Estate of Joseph Potter late of said Sunbury Lincoln, P. R., III, 164. Inventory of the Estate of Joseph Potter late of a place called Sunbury on the West side of Penobscot River now in the County of Hancock, taken by us the Subscribers appointed by the Honorable Jona Bowman, Esq.. Juage of Probate for the County of Lincoln, Viz: One quarter part of a double saw-mill lying on the stream called Condesskeig, Penobscot River together with the quarter part of all the Utensils belonging thereunto and the half of the Mill Priviledge, 1 Yoke of Cattle £7 1d, 2 Cows and 1 Calf £7, 10 s, 29 Sheep and Lamb, 100 Acres of Land with a dwelling house thereon, blankets and sheets, Household Furniture Viz: 2 Feather Beds with bedsteads, 1 Desk 12 s. 1 Barrowhog 24 s. 1 Sow with 5 Pigs 18 s. 1 Iron Pot and 1 Kittle 8 s, 2 Broad-cloth coats 48 s. 1 Velvet waist coat 18 s, 1 Broad cloth Waist coat 6 s. 1 Light colered Broad cloth Waist coat and Breeches, I Lot of Land lying on Union River called the Mill Lot, Sunbury on Penobscot River October 20th, 1789. 45-0-0 15-0-0 8-14-0 45-0-0 4-0-0 I-16,0 1-6-0 3-6-0 6-0 1-10.0 I0-0-0 30-0-0 £165-18-0 The above is an Inventory of the Estate of the late Joseph Potter deceased as shown to us by the Widow of Joseph Potter deceased as Adminstra, to said Estate. JONA. LOWDER, ANDREW Webster, Appraizers. ARCHIBALD MCPHETRES. Lincoln Probate Records, IV, 96. |
