EARLY HISTORY OF DETROIT
The East Somerset County Register
1911-12
Compiled and Published by Chatto & Turner
Auburn, Maine
Clarence I. Chatto; Clair E. Turner
page 95-100


EARLY HISTORY OF DETROIT

Although the town of Detroit is one of the youngest in the
eastern part of the county it has passed through the same
period of struggle in the days of its early settlement. The
hardy settlers were all of New England parentage and seem to
have come either from along the Kennebec or from the western
part of the State.

The principle land owner in the pioneer days was General
John Chandler in whose honor the town was first given the
name of Chandlerville. Ebenezer Frye and others of that fam-
ily, who were relatives of the late Senator Wm. P. Frye, also
owned large tracts. When the settlement of the town began
it was very rapid and this spirit of enterprise has never died
out. Today few towns in the State can boast a more prosper-
ous people.

The town in its early history was also an enterprising man-
ufaturing center. Ebenezer Frye built a large tannery in
1842 on the lot where the power house now stands, which was
run until about 1882 and employed about twenty-five men.
Naham Lord and his sons had built a saw mill here even be-
fore the building of the tannery and this mill was run for a
number of years. It was located on the opposite side of the
river from the present saw mill.  There were also several
cooper shops at this time which have since disappeared be-
      cause of the advent of the railroad. R. W. Porter, Isaac Berry
and Major Lord were all interested in this line of business.

A town which can boast of such practical names among its
settlers as Snows, Raynes, Peases, Beans, Harts, Horns and
Heads must have an interesting history. Following we shall
give the names of those settlers concerning whom we have been
able to gather information, arranged somewhat alphabetically
rather than chronologically.

John Bray to Detroit from Augusta with his wife
Cynthia (Lawrence) more than 75 years ago and settled on
the place where Eben Pease now lives. His children were:
Charlotte, Elmira m. Pease and Sylvester.

Hartley Brooking was one of those who came to Detroit
from Unity 50 years ago and he lived where Daniel Brown
now lives. For years he was a blacksmith in the village.
Mary Wakefield was his wife. Their children were: Abigail,
Frank, Hattie m. Mitchell, Georgie m. Roberson, Marcia S. m.
Gilmore.

Riley Bickmore (b. 1810 in Stockton Springs) came to De-
troit from Unity some time in the 40's and took up the place
Where Ezra Bickmore now lives. His wife was Abigail (Bas-
ford) b. 1821, of Detroit. He lived for it short time in a small
house near the home of James Basford and cleared the home
place. His children were: Henryetta m. Temple, Sarah m.
Cross, Ansel, Amos, Riley, Jr., Lafayette, Nancy m. Jackson,
Columbus, Thankful, Ezra, Flora m. Temple. The family had
always been seafaring people before coming here.  The first
frame house built in Detroit was built by Riley Bickmore and
set a little back of the present residence of Ezra Bickmore.

Nathaniel Basford and his wife Keziah (Huff) came to the
place where J. W. Basford now lives, about 90 years ago from
the town of Windsor, Me. This was the first farm in the town
that was settled. He took up wild land from Gen. Chandler
and built a log cabin two thirds of a mile north of where the
present homestead now stands. His children were:  Clarissa
b. 1818, m. Maloon; Reuben, b. 1820; Sarah, b. 1821, m. Bick-
      more; Abigail, b. 1823, m. Bickmore; Amy, b. 1824, m. Cook;
John, b. 1826; Samuel, b. 1828; James b. 1830; Mary b. 1831;
Thankful, b. 1834, m. Bishop.

David Clifford (b. 1800) and his wife Cynthia (b. 1806)
came to Detroit sometime previous to 1840 and settled on the
place where John Gilmore now lives. His children were: Wm.
H. b. 1826; Joseph, b. 1824; James; Martha, m. Spaulding;
Mary, m. Harmon; David, Jr.; Caroline, m. Hoxie, Myrick;
Gustavus; Elvira J.

The town report for 1825 records the taxes on 50 acres of
land comprising the farm of Horatio Chalmers which was lo-
cated in the north part of the town. His wife was Sarah
(Heald) b. 1806. Their children were Sumner; Rilla. m. Bur-
ton; Olive, m. Towne; Elizabeth, m. Giles; Joseph; J. Madison;
Hannah, m. Barbour; Nancy, m. Osgood.

Gideon Harding was born in Provincetown, Mass., Sept. 3,
1797 His people came to Unity when he was only one year
old and to Detroit 68 years ago.   They settled on the place
where his son, Gideon Harding, Jr., now lives. His wife was
Sybil Mitchell of Unity, and their children were: Isaac,
Susan m. Drake, Hannah m. Drake Zenas, Nathan, Lydia m.
Downs, Emily m. Fulsom, Charles, Thankful, Elizabeth, Elvira
m. Foster, Elizabeth m. Martin, Jane m. Downs, Gideon, Jr.,
Anna K. m. Comstock, Sylvania m. Andrews, Rebecca m. Beede,
Josiah F.

William Harding, (b. 1809) came to Detroit from Troy and
settled near the place where Fred Temple now lives, living at
first in a log house. His wife was Olive Basford (b. 1829.) He
lived later on the place where Elmer Pease now lives. The
children were: Mary J., b. 1829, m. Nichols; Marinda, b. 1832;
William H., b. 1834; Amasa, b. 1836; George, b. 1839; John b.
1842; Jesse D., b. 1846; Lyman R., b. 1848; Rozannah, b. 1851;
Prescott, b. 1853.

Aaron Libby, b. 1796 in Saco, m. 1824 Emily Woodsum.  He 
came to Detroit in 1842 and settled on the upper road were 
Everett Libby now lives.  His children were:  Orin, b. 1825;
Dyer W., b. 1827; Simon, b. 1829, deceased at 1 year; David F.,
b. 1831, who lived on the home place; Lizzie A., b. 1833, m. H.
W. Blake; Geo. E., b. 1836; Emily J., b. 1838, m. Lindley Dens-
more.

Naham Lord, with his wife and family, came from the town 
of Gorham about 78 years ago.  His wife was Charlott (Water-
house.)  He came to the place where Aaron Perkins now lives.
He cleared up a piece of land on the east side of the river and 
his son Joseph later came to the west side of the river and 
cleared up the place and settled where A. K. Head now lives.
The land on the river on both sides was wooded when he came
here.  His children:  Jeremiah, Naham, James, Joseph,
George, Alvin, Leonard, Harriet, m. Lord, Martha, Major.

Solomon Maloon came here about 1842 and settled on the 
place now occupied by Geo. Gray.  He married Sarah (Bragg)
soon after coming here.  There was no road through that part
of the town when he came and none of the land on the farm was 
cleared.  His children were:  Elizabeth H., m. Bickmore,
Selinda, died at 11 years, Oliver, Gilbert, Asa, Octavia, m. Bick-
more, Newell, deceased 5 years, Mabel, m. Smart.

John Nichols and several brothers came to Detroit from N. 
H. over 70 years ago and settled on what is known as the North
road.  His wife was Eleanor (Fisher.)  The children were:
Reuel, Hazen, deceased in youth, Fanny, deceased in youth,
Nancy, m. Flint.

Joseph Pease came to Detroit from Vassalboro 70 years ago.
His wife was Rosetta Bragg.  He settled the place where Cleve-
land Pease now lives.  He bought the wild land of Wm. Frye
and cleared up the place.  His children were:  John, Martin, 
Abbie, Preston, Martha, Eben, Zebulon, Edwin, Mark, Horace,
Rosie.

Noah Temple and his wife Abbie (Huff) came here from 
Montville, Me., about 75 years ago and settled on the place 
where James Brann now lives.  His children were:  Turner, 
John, Levi, Lorenzo, Francillian, Annis, Melvin, James, Clara
m. York, Lucy m. Herrington, Jane m. Hall, Abbie m. Hart,
Sarah m. Bowen.  He cleared much of the land back of the 
home place and several acres of land for Rufus Plummer for a
pair of seven foot cattle.

James Warren and his wife Dorcas (Plummer) came to De-
troit over 70 years ago and settled on the place where Henry
Spaulding now lives.  The children were:  Albion, Abbie,
Augusta, Albert, Betsy, deceased, Lucy, deceased, Almond,
Augustus, Adora m. Dunham, Dorman.

Elijah Ricker was born in Lebanon June 20, 1811 and mar-
ried Mary Clement, July 4, 1838, who was born in Berwick
Sept. 9, 1820.  He came to Detroit in 1834 and bought of James
Nichols a lot of 96 acres of woods with a small clearing contain-
ing a one roomed house.  In this family were born ten children:
Alonzo, b. June 14, 1839; Clementine H., b. Feb. 14, 1841;
Sophronia M., b. July 10, 1842; George A., b. March 26, 1844;
Mary E., b. Jan 2, 1846; Edgar, b. June 21, 1848; Alfred L., b.
Jan. 19, 1855; Iva R., b. Dec. 27, 1856; Della A., b. Feb. 6, 1859;
Wilber E., b. Sept. 12, 1862.


Lieut. Wentworth Butler, a veteran of the 1812 war was 
one of the early settlers of Detroit, coming from Berwick about 
1827.  His wife was Margaret Wooster, a daughter of Maj.
Alex Wooster.

From the old town record book we have taken some of the 
following family records:

Wm. Parks, b. in Bowdoinham 1781, Nancy Pushor (w.) b.
Dresden 1783.  Sarah M., b. 1808; Caroline D., b. 1811; Wm. C.,
b. 1816; Benj. F., 1818; Richard, 1820.

Nathan Heald (b. in Starks, 1784) m. Anne Martin (b. 
Norridgewock, 1790).  Children were:  Orrilla, b. 1812;
Lucene, b. 1815; David, b. 1817; Cyrene, b. 1819; Joseph, b.
1821; Moses, b. 1824; John b. 1827.

James Willis, b. Wiscasset, m. Hannah Stetson Bates, b. in 
Green.  The children were:  Nancy, b. 1811; Maddalena B.,
Lorenzo N., b. 1826; Marrello P., b. 1813.

Josiah Cross, b. 1775; Patience (w.) b. 1776; Elias, b. 1807;
John, b. 1814; Peleg, b. 1812.

Elisha Goodwin, b. 1797; Sally, b. 1802; Jefferson, b. 1821;
Alex, b. 1822; Nancy, b. 1824; Oliver, b. 1826; Phinchas, b.
1828; James, b. 1830; Mary A., b. 1831; Abigail, b. 1833; Geo.
W., b. 1835.

Judith Prince (widow) 1793; John, b. 1815; Hannah b. 
1818; Rebecca, b. 1820; Honor D., b. 1822; Isaac, b. 1824;
Clarissa, b. 1829; Walter, b. 1831.

John Haskell, b. 1819; Winnefred (w.) b. 1814; Orin S., b.
1836.  He came from New Gloucester to the place known as the
old Manson farm in the north part of town.

Isaac Myrick, b. 1784; Mary (w.) b. 1795; Hannah b. 1818;
Anna, b. 1821; Elisha, b. 1823; Catharine, b. 1825; Isaac F., b.
1827; John W. b. 1830; Andren J., b. 1852; Mary R. b. 1835.

Ebenezer Clements, b. 1783; Margaret (w.) b. 1788; Geo., b.
1812; Joseph, b. 1814; Edwin, b. 1816;  Mary, b. 1820; Mar-
garet, b. 1824; Ebenezer, b. 1826; Asenath, b. 1829.

Aaron Martin, b. 1794, m. Mary Mason, b. 1790; Eyra A., b.
1819; Elizabeth, b. 1821; Sarah J., b. 182- Broadstreet, b. 
1824; George M., b. 1827.

Hiram Brackett, b. 1803; Melinda (wife) b. 1810; Mary, b.
1827; Susan, b. 1829; Sarah E., b. 1831; Frances O., b. 1833;
Orinda J. b. 1835.

Samuel Brackett, b. 1777; Joanna (w.) b. 1798; Samuel, Jr.,
b. 1819l; Susan and Jane b. 1821; Miles, b. 1824; Wm., b. 1826;
Lois, b. 1828; Lydia, b. 1831; Betsy, b. 1833; Mark, b. 1836.


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