East Somerset County Register, 1911-1912 - Athens: EARLY SETTLEMENT
Compiled and Published by CHATTO & TURNER
Auburn, Maine
Clarence I. Chatto
Clair E. Turner
pages 25-30
EARLY SETTLEMENT
The first settlement of Athens dates back to about the year
1800, and the first settler to make a permanent home in the
town was Samuel Hall, the son of Daniel Hall of Wakefield,
N. H. His wife's maiden name was Hannah Leighton and to
them was born a large family of children. His grandson, Gil-
man, (b. 1801) is said to have been the first male child born in
Athens. Mr. Hall owned the first mill in the village, which
was located a short distance above the bridge.
Another family of prominence in the early settlement of
the town was that of Col. Jonathan Kinsman, (who was of the
fifth generation of the descendants of Robert Kinsman, who came
from England in 1634). He was b. in Ipswich, Mass in 1750,
was educated at Brown University, and was a man of excellent
business ability. He came to Athens in 1798, and was one of
the first proprietors of the town, which he named Kinsman-
town. He cleared land, making a home for his family at the
corner above the place known as the Dow place Col. Kins-
man raised a family of nine children, of who the oldest,
Joseph, was also very prominent in the early settlement of
Athens and later Cornville, where he made his home.
Thomas Fox was b. in Parsonsfield in 1800, and came to
Athens with his parents when twelve years old. They settled
on what is known as Fox Hill. He m. Eliza Cas in 1829, and
to them were born the following children: Mary E. b. 1830,
Eliza b. 1832, Thomas b. 1836, Sarah b. 1839, Simon b. 1842.
Francis Bunker came from New Hampshire among the early
settlers about 1800 and took up a farm a mile square. His wife
was Susan Foss. He settled on Bunker Hill and lived for some
years in a log house which he built on the place now occupied
by John Thompson. His children were Francis, Jonathan,
Clement, William, Mary m. Thompson, Susan m. Tuttle, Eliz-
abeth m. Bigelow.
The first member of the Dore family to come to Athens was
Joseph b. 1749. His wife was Phoebe Lord, b. 1750. He set-
tled in the northeast part of the town. Their children were:
Samuel, John, Phoebe, Lydia, Betsey, and Hannah. The old-
est son, Samuel, (b. 1776), from whom most of the name living
in this locality are descended, m. Lydia Corson (b. 1778).
Their children were: Richard, John, Samuel, Levi, Caleb, Silas,
Phoebe m. Woodman, Sally, Betsey m. Tucker, Tryphena,
Susan m. Tucker. By his second marriage Mr. Dore had the
following children: Asa, Joseph, Greenleaf, Lydia, Catherine,
Nancy, Hannah, Tryphena, Abigail, Mary and Martha, Josephine.
Including those who died in infancy, this remarkable
family contained twenty-eight children.
Joseph Hight was born in New Hampshire in 1754, and m.
Mary Ayer, b. 1776. They came to Athens in 1800, and went
to live with their son William, who had settled a few years pre-
viously on the place were Bradbury Barker now lives. His
children were: Fanny m. Webb, William, Mary m. Smith,
Joseph, Winthrop, Lydia m. Quimby, Olive m. Joseph Little-
field, John, George, Thomas, Nancy m. Hall. Thomas came to
Athens about 1817 from New Hampshire. He lived for a time
in a log house on the farm now occupied by Leonard Tibbetts,
but later took up and cleared from wild land the place his son
Frank had always lived upon. His wife was Sarah Horn. The chil-
dren: Sarah, Josiah H., Elvira m. Horn, John, Mary J., Anne,
Almeda m. Wm. Brigges, Frank, Jane m. Greene, Ellen m. Lord,
Fred.
James Hall, whose wife was Anne Steward, came for New
Hampshire and lived on the place adjoining Samuel Taylor's.
He owned all the land from where Alanson Hall lives to the
stream. His children were: Aretus, Ira, Sumner, John, Frank,
Mary A., Alanson, Sarah.
Samuel Locke, who felled the first tree to make a settlement
on Lord's Hill, came from New Hampshire also. He is said to
have brought with him on his long journey thru the forest
a bushel of corn, and an ax with which to make the clearing
for his new home.
John Tibbetts (m. Lydia Dore) came from New Hampshire
about 1820 and settled in the west part of the town were Mr.
Hatch now lives. Their children were: Asa, Leonard, Green-
leaf, Joseph, Solomon, Polly m. Quimby, Lydia m. Hussey. The
oldest son Asa, m. Lovina Quimby, and took up the place
where James Fouchier now lives. His children were John,
Salmon, Mary m. McLaughlin, Josiah, Albert, Eliza, Charles.
James Taylor came from Sidney, Maine about 85 years ago,
and settled where Samuel Taylor now lives. His wife was
Mary Hight, and they had the following children: James (b.
1830) who still lives in Athens, Mary m. Hall, Isaiah, Leonard
(b. 1837), Albert, Annie, Samuel (b. 1847), Abbie m. Farmer,
Sarah. The descendants of Mr. Taylor settled about him, so
that the section of the town has taken the name of "The Taylor
Neighborhood."
Comfort Taylor, the brother of James, came a few years
later, and brought an adjoining farm. He lived for some time
in a log house. He was a Baptist minister, and preached in
the surrounding town. His wife was Marth Hight. Chil-
dren born to them were: John H., b. 1832, d. 1910; Charles, b.
1834, d. in youth; Comfort b. 1836; Rufus, b. 1888, d. in youth;
Lovey, b. 1840, m. Bixby, d. 1905; Laura, b. 1846, m. Whittier
of Skowhegan.
John Wentworth (b. in Limington 1761) came to Athens
among the first settlers and cleared a piece of land near where
Chester Wentworth now lives. A year later he discovered for
the first time the sheet of water known as Wentworth's Pond,
which lay within half a mile of his house. He had three sons,
John, Jr., Ebenezer and Robert, who lived on the old place.
Philip Leavitt (b. Exeter, N. H. 1774) came to Athens with
his wife, Mary (Pike) and child, Caleb, settling on Stickney
Hill. His daughter Sarah (b. 1798) is said to have been the
first female child born in Athens. She m. Robert Wentworth.
Mr. Leavitt traded farms with William Stickney, who lived on
what is known as Chapman Ridge and there built and ran the
first store in town.
Samuel Williams came to the town from North Anson and
lived on a farm and kept the hotel in the village years ago. He
was deputy sheriff when the town was a part of the Common-
wealth of Massachusetts, and was often called upon to make long
trips in that office.
Among other early settlers were Hoyt H. Tucker, Lazarus
Jones, Jabez and Daniel Bradbury, Eliphalet Quimby and Aaron
French.
Geo. Bixby, who was one to the prominent citizens of the
town, came here from Boxford, Mass. He was one of the first
trustees of Athens Academy, and was the first representative
from this class of towns in the Maine legislature of 1820. His
first residence was on the place now occupied by Lawyer Hol-
man, and he later built the house now occupied by Robert Hay-
den, whose wife is a grandmother of Mr. Bixby. His wife was
Rachel White, and their children were: Henry, Charles,
James, Edward, Maria m. Showell, Annie m. Hale, Sarah m.
Martin.
One of the members of the Bunker family to come to
Athens was Robert Bunker, who is said to have come through
from Mirimichi on horse back, following a blazed trail through
the woods. His wife, who was Polly Alexander, accompanied
him. Their children were: Betsey m. Elisha Pinkham, res.
Wisconsin; Porter m. Esther Tibbetts; Margaret m. Joel Wing;
Joseph m. Maria Manter, res. Cambridge; Mary m. Alex Bag-
ley, res. Ripley; Robert m. Olive Norman, res. Harmony.
Moses Corson came to Athens among the earliest settlers
and cleared a farm in the north part of town were Mr.
Huff now lives. He is said to have brought corn on his back
from Skowhegan when he came. For some years after his arrival In-
dians were wont to camp on his farm near Wentworth's Pond.
Mr. Corson's first wife was Betsey Tuttle and his second wife
Polly Wyman. His children were: James, Moses, Greenleaf,
David, Hiram, Aaron, Enoch, Emily, Lydia. The oldest son
James m. Hannah Lord and cleared the place now occupied
by Cyrus York. His children were: Charles, Louisa, m. Wil-
liams, Jane m. Boston, Francena, Daniel, Fred, Alfred, Alva.
Henry Morrill, another of the early settlers, came, as did
many others, from New Hampshire to make a settlement in
Athens. He had three sons, John, Abel and Micajah, beside
several daughters.
Benjamin Rines came for Waterville in 1819 and settled
on what is known as the "Old Rines Place." His wife was
Lucy Stover, and the children were: George, b. 1801; William,
b. 1803; Stover, b. 1805; Amos, b. 1806; Charles, b. 1809; David,
b. 1811; Lucy, b. 1813, m. Pratt; Richard, b. 1816; Mary, b.
1817, m. Stevens, Moses, b. 1820. His son Amos cleared the
place were Amos E. Rines now lives.
Nathan Small (m. Susan Corson) came here from Clinton,
and settled first on the place now occupied by Ray Jones. In
1813 he moved to the farm in the east part of the town were
Preston C. Small now lives. His children were: Alvin, Cush-
man, Hiram, Harrison, Harris, Franklin.
Amos Stickney came to Stickney Hill over 100 years ago.
He built a log cabin and later a frame house on the place which
he cleared. His wife's name was Ruth and their children
were: Amos, William, Hiram, Rose m. Cleveland.
Bethiah (Rose) Tozier, one of the most remarkable women
in the history of the town, was born near Bangor and m. Benja-
min Tozier of Fairfield. She lived to be 108 years old, re-
taining her faculties and powers in a remarkable degree to the
last year of her life. Here children were Thankful m. Gullifer,
John, Amy m. Tripp, Lucy m. Williams, Bloomy m. Cook.
James S. Tobey (b. in Fairfield, 1808) came to Athens
when a young man, and m. Sarah P. Williams. To them were
born five children: Annie E., Horatio C., Charles M., Stephen,
Frederick.
(c) 1998
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& The Androscoggin Historical Society
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