Gazetteer of the State of Maine With Numerous Illustrations, by Geo. J. Varney

BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY B. B. RUSSELL, 57 CORNHILL. 1882. Public domain image from

GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

to have become a resident as early as 1740. These pioneer families were
marked by industrious and frugal habits, a love of order, and the stern
virtues of our illustrious ancestors. The proprietors of the lands in
this towm were Thomas Russell, John Lowell and General Benjamin
Lincoln, of Revolutionary fame. The Herseys and Theophilus Wilder
were soldiers in the war for independence ; and the latter was a cap-
tain in the army under General Gates, and present at the surrender of
Burgoyne.

Pembroke was a part of Dennysville until Feb. 4, 1832, when it
was set off and incorporated. Hon. Stephen C. Foster, a native of
East Machias, but long a resident of Pembroke, represented his district
in Congress from 1857 to 1861.

Union Church, the first in the town, w^ras erected in 1842. Robert
Crosset, a Congregationalist, was the first settled minister. Now there
are also a Baptist and a Catholic society, and two Methodists. Pem-
broke has 13 public schoolhouses, valued at $15,000. There is a high
school, and the village schools are graded. The population in 1870
was 2,551. In 1880 it was 2,324. The valuation in 1870 was $388,233.
In 1880 it was $409,443.

Penobscot is situated in the southern part of Hancock
County, having Penobscot Bay on the west, and South Bay (an exten-
tion of: Castine Harbor) in the southern part. Castine lies on the
south-west, Snrry and Bluehill on the east, and Orland on tbe north.
The surface is generally level, the greatest eminence being Togus
Hill, which has a height of perhaps 300 feet. The ponds are Pierce’s,
Wight’s and Turtle. Granite is the prevailing rock. The soil is a
clay loam. The crops principally cultivated are wheat, potatoes and
hay.

There are in operation in town three stave, one saw and one meal
and flour mill; other manufactures are bricks, fish barrels, lime casks,
carriages, harnesses, coffins, boots and shoes. There has been quite a
business done by a mitten factory, whose annual product has reached
$12,000. The Penobscot Mining Company is a corporation of the
town. The principal village is at the head of Northern Bay. This is
22 miles from Ellsworth on the Bucksport and Deer Isle stage-line.

Penobscot was a district of the ancient Pentagoet. Its name is
from the Indian “ Penobskeag,” or “ Penopeauke,” signifying a rocky
place. In its original form it included Castine and the easterly part of
Brooksville, its early history is involved with that of these towns. It
was township No. 3, in the grant to David Marsh, and others. The
first survey of the town was made by John Peters; and the following
names appear among its earliest municipal officers: John Lee, Jere-
miah and Daniel Ward well, John and Joseph Perkins, John Wasson,
David Hawes, Elijah Littlefield, Isaac Parker and Peltiah Leach. As
given by H. B. Ward well, in Wasson’s Survey of Hancock County,
the first settlers within the present limits of Penobscot were Duncan
and Findley Malcolm, Daniel and Neil Brown. They were Scotchmen,
and being loyalists or tories, left for St. Andrews when the English
evacuated Bigaduce (Castine) at the close of the Revolution. The
first permanent settler was Charles Hutchings, in 1765. The first child
of English parents was Mary Hutchings. In 1765 also came Isaac and
Jacob Sparks, Daniel Perkins, Samuel Averill and Solomon Littlefield.