MEMOIR OF COL. JONATHAN LOWDER, OF

BANGOR, ME.

JONATHAN LOWDER was born in Boston, 1733. He was a soldier in the French War. He was gunner at Fort Pownal, which was at Fort Point, now Stockton, Me., and on the Pay Roll there from 1762 to May 31, 1774. He was at the same time a captain in Col. Goldthwait's regiment of militia at Frankfort, which then included in its territory Fort Pownal. In 1774 he was appointed truck master at "Penobscot Falls," now Bangor, and also agent for the Penobscot Tribe of Indians at their request, to succeed Jedediah Preble.

He took up his residence at the mouth of the Penjejawock stream, just above the Water Works Dam; there soon after Major Robert Treat had his store and the Hathorns their mills. The first post office was there and it was the court end of the town for nearly forty years. During the Revolutionary War the services of Mr. Lowder were invaluable. journeys to Machias by land and water. route was up the Penobscot and Passadumkeag to the carry on Township No. 4 above Grand Falls. Going across into the

He made several
His most frequent

Sycledobscus Lakes down into Grand Lake and across into Machias Lakes and thence down the river. In later years when duties were high much smuggling was carried on over the same

route.

"Col. Lowder" was at Machias Nov. 18, 1777* with the chiefs of the Penobscot Tribe, when they had a conference with Col. John Allan the superintendent of the Eastern Indians. Col. Alan made his report Nov. 20 and sent it to the General Court by Col. Lowder. Col. Allan in his reports always calls him Col. Lowder and in other documents of the time he has that title. know not how he acquired it unless as acting colonel of Col. Goldthwait's regiment. Oct. 20, 1779 Col. Allan writes to General Court, "I had the honor of writing you the 28th inst. by Capt. De Badie who went in company with Col. Lowder

*Kidders' Eastern Maine in the Revolutionary War, page 241.

+ Ibid, page 268.

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of Penobscot by the lakes one hundred and thirty miles back with four Indians in two birch canoes, but unfortunately the whole fell into the hands of the enemy."

British emissaries abounded and met the Penobscot Indians at every turn, and used every argument in their power to persuade them to go over to the King, but without avail. Mr. Lowder had their entire confidence and his influence was potent. In his dealings with them he had been honorable and straightforward; added to this he had great tact and good judgment, and to him more than any other one man is due the credit of holding them loyal to our cause. This was not a small matter. It would not have taken but few reverses to have irrevocably kept the territory of Eastern Maine as a part of the British Provinces. The General Government or the Continental Congress did nothing. Massachusetts did what she could, by contributing some supplies and ammunition. Eastern Maine in that war had to rely largely upon itself. The victories at Machias and the adhesion of the Indians, were the principal successful factors in the contest. History has not yet meted out justice to the brave men who with small means and against great odds and discouragements, held the eastern part of the State and preserved Maine intact. Among the most prominent of these men were Col. John Allan afterward of Eastport, Col. Benjamin Foster, the O'Briens, General George Stillman, Stephen Smith and Stephen Jones of Machias, Major Francis Shaw, Jr., of Gouldsborough, (father of Robert G. Shaw of Boston,) Gen. Alexander Campbell, of Cherryfield; Col. Jonathan Eddy, of Eddington; Col. John Brewer and Col. Josiah Brewer, of Orrington, (Brewer); Capt. Jonathan Buck, of Bucksport; Capt. Daniel Sullivan, of Sullivan; Col. Jonathan Lowder, Col. Phineas Nevers and Rev. Seth Noble of Bangor; Capt. Jonas Farnsworth and Capt. Nathaniel Reynolds, also of Machias, and many others, and the men under them.

Col. Lowder was clerk for Major Robert Treat many years. His penmanship was remarkably good and his services in that way were in great request on Penobscot Bay and river, for the preparation of all kinds of papers, private and public.

He had Lot No. 29 in Bangor as an original settler. This lot

was the first lot above Mt. Hope and contained one hundred acres and remained in the family until a year or two since.

He was appointed "Excise Officer" at Penobscot, now Castine, 1786 and held that office until 1789 and probably longer. He continued to live in Castine until after 1805, when he returned to Bangor.

He married Deliverance Cook.

She died in Bangor, Dec. 21,

1821, aged 72. He died in Bangor Feb., 1814, aged 80. Of her children I give the following:

i.

JONATHAN LOWDER, JR., resided in Castine; and Bangor, m. Mary Joy; probably removed to Bangor. March 26, 1833, his brother William Lowder applied for administration on his estate, "stating that his brother, ship master was dead and his widow since deceased." ii. AVIS LOWDER, m. first Josiah Banks of Penobscot or Castine.

Soon

after marriage he shipped on a brig bound for Cuba and never returned. She m. second Wilder Taylor, later of Bangor. Mr. Taylor d. Feb. 24, 1870, aged 85 years, 8 months, 11 days. Their daughter, Avis D. Taylor, m. Charles D. Bryant, now of Bangor, Sept. 29, 1836.

iii. WILLIAM LOWDER, lived on the old homestead in Bangor; ship master and ship builder. He m. Abigail, daughter of Emerson Orcutt of Brewer; pub. March 23, 1810. She d. March 30, 1877. He d. July 30, 1871, aged 86 years, 3 months, 29 days. They had several children.

iv. JOHN LOWDER-Col. John Lowder Moore, of Ellsworth, b. Dec. 1, 1802; died Aug. 20, 1890, wrote me that his mother was daughter of John Lowder, formerly of Bangor. I cannot make out to what family she belonged unless this.

**

He

V. SAMUEL LOWDER, said to have been son of Col. Jonathan Lowder before marriage to Deliverence Coo. He lived in Dedham, Mass. Removed to Newburg as agent for his brother-in-law, Benjamin Bussey, of Roxbury, prior to 1823, and after that to Bangor. was a well known citizen in his time. He m. first Ruth Bussey, sister of Benjamin Bussey. She d. Dec. 1, 1835, aged 69. He m. second Mrs. Caroline R. Jewett of Norridgewock; pub. Oct. 30, 1837. He d. July 17, 1847, aged 83. His son by first wife was: 1. Col. Samuel Lowder, Jr., b. in Dedham, Mass. Graduated at Harvard College 1805. He was a fine scholar and a gentleman of great promise and exceedingly popular. His life was wrecked by causes which in the beginning were not his own. He sailed for Turks Island for his health in 1832, and died at sea July 4th, 1832. His remains were brought home for burial. He was on the staff of Major-General Isaac Hodsdon, and his funeral was observed by all the civil and military honors which could be given. His horse with his usual accoutrements was in the procession led by Charles D. Bryant.

* Mr. Bussey gave large sums to Harvard College. If all stories are true these did not atone for his treatment of his nephew.

THE PUBLISHER OF THE BANGOR HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

JOSEPH W. PORTER, son of Joseph Porter, born in Milton, Mass., July 27, 1824. Removed to Brewer, Me., with his father's family in 1834, and to Lowell, Me., 1840. In 1849, he went to Weymouth, Mass.; in 1851, after first marriage, to Braintree, Mass., where he held several town offices. He removed to Weymouth, Mass., in 1858, and then to Braintree again in 1861. In July, 1862, he removed with his family to Burlington. In Aug., 1881, he removed to Bangor, where he now resides. What education he received was at Milton, Mass., and Brewer, Me., town schools, and Day's Academy, Wrentham, Mass. He is a lumberman; he was appointed aide-de-camp to Governor Coburn, in 1863; messenger of the electoral vote of Maine to Washington, 1864; member of Maine House of Representatives, 1864-'65-'68'72 and '76; of Maine Senate, 1866 and 1867; Executive Councillor, 1869, 1870; President of Maine State Republican Convention, 1872; Presidential Elector, 1876. He was appointed chairman of board of inspectors of prison and jails, by Governor Daniel F. Davis, Feb., 1880, and re-appointed by Gov. Frederick Robie, Feb., 1884, and was also appointed warden of Maine State Prison by Gov. Davis, Nov. 5, 1880, which office he declined. In 1889 he was appointed chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Eastern Maine Insane Hospital; Alderman, 1890-1; Representative to the Legislature, 1891; Director of the Bangor & Piscataquis Railroad Company, 1891; Publisher of the Bangor Historical Magazine.

Married first, Rhoda Keith, daughter of Rev. Jonas and Rhoda (Keith) Perkins, of (East) Braintree, Mass., Jan. 5, 1851, by her father; she was born Nov. 23, 1826; died in Burlington Me., Nov. 30, 1875. She was a graduate of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, 1845, where for the most part of her time she was private secretary to Miss Mary Lyon; she taught school in Putnam, Ohio, and in Braintree, Mass. He married second, Mrs. Rose (Brooks) Nickerson, of Orrington, Me., May 4, 1877, at Bangor, Me., by Rev. Prof. Wm. M. Barbour, D.D. She was widow of Capt. Henry Nickerson, and daughter of James and Elizabeth Taylor (Bartlett) Brooks, of Orrington, Me.; born April 22, 1840. Children, all born in Braintree :

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS, VOL. VI.

Page 16, for "Abigail” read “Abijah” Crane.

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37, Andrew Dunning of James3, was in Bangor 1787.

41, Robert Dunlap Dunning of Andrews of David2. His son, George F., of Farmington, Conn.

53, Joseph Leonard' Buck of Joseph, born Jan. 1, 1819. 68, Wm. Shaw was in Capt. Daniel Sullivan's Company, July 28, 1779.

"101, John Whiting, probably the first of the name in Brewer. "143, "Machias Marriages" were sent me as such, but I am not sure but they were Publishments.

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144, Feb. 21, 1800, Israel Hovey.

"144, Theodore Lincoln published April 4, 1799; married May 6, 1799.

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145, April 3, 1803, Sylvanus Hanscom.

"149, Thomas Vose, Jr., grandson of Robert and Abigail

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Vose.

149, Peter E. Vose, Esq., of Dennysville, grandson of Thomas, Jr.

"151, Major Lemuel Prescott should be "Trescott." Prescott should read Trescott wherever it occurs.

"168, Ebenezer Chickering married Elizabeth Allan.

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169, Abijah Leighton married Hannah Hersey March 3,

1828.

169, Jan. 8, 1829, Mary "McKellar" instead of "McKollar.” "172, third line from bottom should be "1658" instead of

"1758."

"178, "Barleyville" should be "Baileyville."

"178, "Prescott" should be "Trescott."

"178, "Whitney" should be "Whiting."