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several generations. He was not a hard-working farmer, as his father had been, but concerned himself mainly in the milk business, with a considerable taste for military life. Brought more in contact with the world by these pursuits, he eagerly engaged in the speculations which culminated in 1837. Eastern lands was the favorite deal, and it probably brought more to grief than any other form in that era of inflation. General Capen went into it so deeply that he was obliged to give up the old homestead, abandon his military career, and go forth to gather up what was left of his speculation and the stumpage on his land.* For a time he kept a hotel at Moosehead Lake, and engaged in logging with others, and there personally supervised the work in the business. Boston Transcript.

COL. JOSIAH BREWER.

In Hildreth's History of the United States, Vol. III, page 104 is an account of the expedition of Benedict Arnold's expedition to Quebec in 1775, it is said that the expedition "was suggested by Brewer, Colonel of one of the Massachnsetts Regiments."

John Brewer of Brewer, in his account of the battle at Castinet in 1779, says, "Capt. Smith and myself returned home, having received orders from my brother, then my colonel, I being then a captain." I have reason to believe that Col. Josiah Brewer who died in Orrington in 1805, was the officer referred to.

We, the undersigned Committee of a Baptist society in Hampden, certify that Nathaniel Burrill of Bangor has associated himself with our Society and attends our meetings and has expressed his determination to pay his taxes accordingly.

Hampden, June 22, 1813.

BRYANT LENNAN,

JONATHAN SIMPSON, Committee.

BUTTER ISLAND IN PENOBSCOT BAY.-Benjamin Annis and wife Mary, of do., sells John Lee, of Penobscot, 100 acres of land called Butter Island, all by right, title and interest as a settler, March 14, 1788. -Hancock Records, Vol. 1, page 183.

MOOSEHEAD LAKE. In the division of lands between Maine and Massachusetts, 1820, Kineo is described as "an island or peninsula lying west of Day's Academy Grant, called Mount Kineo, containing 1,150 acres."

In the Revolutionary War old Colonel Simeon Cary, of Bridgewater, going into a battle some of the men wanted to pray; "can't stop, every man must pray for himself" the colonel said. He has descendants in Bangor.

The Bangor Daily Evening News changed to a morning paper Oct. 1, 1890. It was originally the most disreputable paper ever printed in Bangor, but under new management it is a most respectable, enterprising newspaper.

• His decendants live at Deer Island, Moosehead Lake now.

+ History Castine, page 331.

Rev. George Croswell Cressey, pastor of the Unitarian church, has decided to accept the call recently extended to him by the First Congregational society of Salem, Mass. The church to which Rev. Mr. Cressey has been called is one of four Unitarian churches in Salem, and the oldest in the United States with the exception of the Unitarian church in Plymouth, Mass., which was founded by the Pilgrim Fathers? -Bangor Daily Whig, Oct., 1890.

Daniel Oakes, a Revolutionary soldier, lived in Norridgewock, Me., died 1845. His son, Francis G. Oakes, born there was a Boston shipmaster; his son, Thomas Fletcher Oakes is President of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company.

"The promotion of Thomas F. Oakes to the Presidency of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company is gratifying to his many friends in Maine. Although not a native of this State yet he came from Maine stock and a portion of his earlier years were passed in the town of Burlington in Penobscot county. And the remains of both his father and mother rest in that same town, while it was also the home of his grandparents, Jonathan and Ruth Page, with whom he lived during his boyhood days. Mr. Page passed away last year at an advanced age, while Mrs. Ruth still survives at the age of 87, living in a pleasant home erected a few years ago especially for them by their generous and thoughtful grandson. Mr. Oakes commenced his railroad career in 1863 as purchasing agent and assistant treasurer of the Kansas Pacific Railway. Later he became Vice President and General Superintendent of the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad and in 1880 he assumed the position of Vice President and General Manager of the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. The following year, 1881, his connection began with the Northern Pacific Railroad, when he was elected Vice President and from November 1883, to the present date he has been Vice President and General Manager. By sheer ability he has worked his way up and his elevation to the Presidency of the biggest railway system of the Northwest is an acknowledgement that he is one of the ablest traffic managers in America. Only 45 years of age, possessing a strong physique and enjoying robust health, and now at the head of the great Northern Pacific Railroad, Mr. Oakes has it would seem a brilliant future before him.-Industrial Journal.

Silas Coolidge, born in Watertown, Mass., Nov. 14, 1755, son o Nathaniel and Sarah (Parker) Coolidge, of Sudbury, Mass.; soldier in the Revolutionary War and a Pensisioner 1818. After the war he settled in Trenton, Me., married and had children and died there.Ellsworth American.

At the court house last Friday afternoon there was a little episode which for its kindliness, was in marked contrast with the spirit manifested that day by some who had business before the court. A beautiful cat found her way into the court-room and on to the judge's desk. The chief justice showed his kindness of heart by gentlly taking the little animal in his arms and fondling her. Of course many an eye was upon him.

And the lawyers ceased their whispered chat.
When he hugged in court that household cat
-Ellsworth American 1890.

DARY

3937703

BANGOR

HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

Nos. 4, 5, 6.

VOL. VI-OCT., NOV., DEC., 1890.

PUBLISHED BY JOSEPH W. PORTER,

Member of the Maine Historical Society, and of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society.

BANGOR, MAINE:
BENJAMIN A. BURR, PRINTER.

TERMS, TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.

I.

A contribution to the history of Islesborough.....

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II. Total Solar Eclipse of October 1780 (at Islesborough).

III. Inscriptions from Grave Stones at Augusta......

IV. Pay Rolls of men under command of Capt. Daniel Sullivan, of Sullivan, in the Revolutionary War, 1777-80....

V.

Inscriptions from Grave Stones at Old Town.

VI. Ancient Machias Bay and River.......

VII. Roster of Penobscot Tribe of Indians, 1815.....

VIII. Barker Family of Exeter and Bangor-Lewis Barker..

IX. Brewer and Holden Families-Adams, Austin, Aldrich, Blake, Burr, Bickford, Bracketts, Barker, Bond, Cook, Chamberlain, Clewly, Clark, Copeland, Farrington, Field, Fitts, Fisher, Goodwin, George, Gilmore, Hart, Holbrook, Hodges, Horton, Johnson, Kenney, Kingsley, Knapp, King, Leavens, Lovell. Leonard, Little, Mann, Orcutt, Phillips, Robinson, Rogers, Rider, Sargent, Snow, Sterns, Shed, Sib ey, Shepard, Skinner, Wiswell, Wilson, Whiting.....

X.

Thomas Bartlett and Family of Bangor..

XI. A Contract to Burn Lime-Gen. Knox, 1803.

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XII. Muster Roll at Machias, 1777......

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XIII. Letter from Reuben Colburn, of Pittston, to Governor John Hancock, 1787 105

XIV. Pay Roll of the Garrison at Fort Pownal, 1774.....

106

XV. Letter from Col. Thomas Goldthwait, of Fort Pownal, 1775....

106

XVI. Inscriptions from Grave Stones in Brunswick.....

107

XVII. Family of Rev. Jonathan Fisher, of Blue Hill, Continued..

110

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XXII. Title of Lands of the Bingham Estate on Mt. Desert Island, in the State of Maine.......

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XXVIII. Nathan Jones' Family, Continued from page 72.

124

124

XXIX. Corrections and Changes in Names of Soldiers in Capt. Daniel Sullivan's
Companies.....

The Bangor Historical Magazine,

Established to gather Historical matter relating to Eastern Maine. To be issued monthly, at $2.00 per annum. Each number to contain 20 or more pages. JOSEPH W. PORTER, Bangor, Maine, Editor.

Subscriptions and advertisements may be sent to BENJ. A. BURR, Printer, Bangor, Me.

[Entered at the Post Office at Bangor, Me., as second-class mail matter.]

BANGOR HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

A MONTHLY.

VOL. VI. BANGOR, ME., OCT., NOV., DEC., 1890. No. 4, 5, 6.

A CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY OF ISLES-
BOROUGH.

(EXTRACT FROM A LETTER WRITTEN BY MIGhill parker, 1821.) Contributed by Joseph Williamson, Esquire, of Belfast.

The first family that settled in our town was Mr. Benjamin Thomas, from Cape Elizabeth, who removed here in September 1769. Capt. William Pendleton, who has always been considered the first settler was here at that time, but as he had no family I have thought proper to consider Mr. Thomas the first permanent settler. The first settlers were emigrants from the middle states or State of Rhode Island and Connecticut, excepting Mr. Thomas' before mentioned.

Incorporation. The town was incorporated January 12th, 1789 by the name of Islesborough, including in the incorporation an island which has about 700 acres of very good land from which its name is derived, being called Seven Hundred Acre Island. There are several other small islands, some of which are improved and make very good farms, viz. an island called Billy Job's Island, another called formerly Marshall's Island, since known by the name of Wm. Pendleton's Island, a third called Lasell's Island, which are the only islands that have ever been inhabited. The above mentioned islands lay near the western shore of Long Island and have several excellent harbours much frequented by vessels going up and down the Bay. In addition to the aforementioned islands there is Mark Island, Saddle Island, Lime Island, Ensign Islands (2), Mouse Island, Spruce Island. Three other small Islands, names not particularized but lay further up the Bay not far from the middle of Long Island. All the aforementioned islands lay to the S. W. and W. of the main Island that constitutes the town, being 14 in number. Length of the main island, II 1-4 miles, breadth various, number of acres of land in the town about 6,000. Cleared land, 2,246 acres, wild land, 3,754.

Soil. The soil is of various kinds, such as clay, loam, gravel, &c., but generally good.

Ponds. There is a small fresh water pond near the north end of

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