CURRIER, Samuel Dr. 1800 U.S. Census Readfield 1-1-1

The Readfield Community Library was once the
home Dr, Samuel Currier's family. There is a
two volume history of the Currier family, by
Brenda Sullivan at the Library and another
at the Readfield Historical Society.

Samuel Henry Currier (1774-1848) was born in Nottingham, N.H. the fourth child of Sgt. Jonathan and Sarah (Searles) Currier. His father died at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War and his mother later moved to Readfield with Samuel, to live on Church Road (Hayes house 2023) near Samuel and his family. In 1796 (according to the 1800 census) he ventured toward Winthrop where his older brother Jonathan had settled and married the local blacksmith's daughter, Phebe Lambert. Samuel hurt his leg enroute and was sent to Dr. Peleg Benson for treatment. Samuel ended up living with Benson for some time, became interested in medicine and became a physician himself - what was called a "Country Doctor" in those days because he did not attend medical school but learned under an established physician. While in Winthrop, Samuel met Patience Stanley (1778-1856), the daughter of the highly regarded businessman and Rev. War Patriot, Capt. Solomon Stanley and his wife Patience (Perry) Stanley. Samuel and Patience (Stanley) were married in Winthrop May 15, 1799 and moved to Readfield where they made their home for the rest of their days. Samuel was also an accomplished carpenter and cabinetmaker, so it is thought he built his own home - perhaps others as well - at Readfield Corner.  He and Patience had ten children - all but one lived to adulthood. Their circa 1800 home is the Readfield Community Library today and the exterior looks the same as when the Currier family lived there. It was passed down through the generations and remained in the family until 1945 when Alice Eaton, a g-granddaughter of Dr. Samuel & Patience, donated it to the Town of Readfield. During the years this house was owned by the Curriers the upstairs was divided by a partition that could be easily opened to make enough space for large community gatherings. It is thought that Dr. Currier and his son, also a physician, took in and treated patients or women in labor there also. 

The Currier's eldest son, Dr. George lived in the same home where he also ran his practice. His wife, Alice (Haines) died at age 33, leaving 2-year-old daughter Alice Nancy Haines Currier. Dr. George's sister, Emily lived in the house with them and helped raise young Alice. Another sister, Harriet married Capt. Albion Arnold but ended up a widow and moved back to the Currier homestead with her son Jacob. The sisters both worked for their brother Col. John Currier who, with two of his own daughters, operated a coat and millinery factory across the road, that sat where the fire station parking lot is today. About 1885 the sisters Emily and Harriet, now in their 80's were no longer able to manage the Currier homestead. Harriet moved to live with son, Jacob in Skowhegan. Emily moved to live with their niece, Alice (dgt. of Dr. George) and her spouse Amos Eaton in Middleboro, MA. After that the house was rented to various parties until it was donated by Alice & Amos Eaton's daughter, Alice to the Town of Readfield. 

Children of Dr. Samuel & Patience (Stanley) Currier all born in Readfield:

1. Isabella 1799-1881 m.1817 to Dr. James Lombard was the third of fourteen children of James, Sr. & Bethiah (Smith) Lombard of Gorham, ME. The younger James' grandfather, Solomon Lombard, built what later became the Readfield poor farm on Town Farm Road, Isabella Currier's husband, James was a carpenter until he sustained a back injury and after that he studied medicine. They had twelve children born 1818-1845 and moved to Westbrook, ME for a short time and then to Wisconsin about 1852, where James d.1858 in Stockton, Portage County, WI. Isabella's youngest brother, Samuel moved to Wisconsin to live with Isabella at that time.

2. Dr. George Stanley 1801-1863 married Alice Haines d/o Capt. John & Nancy (McClinch) Haines of Readfield. Alice was granddaughter of Capt. Dudley Haines who built a large home, still standing, at the top of Nickerson Hill. Her parents took over the homestead, that being the childhood home of Alice. She and George lived at the Currier homestead at Readfield Corner where Alice d.1850 leaving 2 yr old daughter Alice Nancy. Dr. George lived out his life on this homestead, where he also practiced medicine. Little Alice married Amos Eaton who had owned and operated Eaton School for Boys on Kents Hill. The school faltered during the Civil War and Eaton moved it to Marlboro, MA. The Currier homestead went to their single daughter, Alice Sanborn Eaton who donated it to the Town of Readfield of 1945 and today houses the Readfield Community Library.

3. Col John 1803-1879 m.1839 to Mary Williams of Readfield. They had seven children. John and two of their daughters owned and operated a coat and hat factory across the road from the Currier homestead, where the Readfield Fire Dept. parking lot is today. Col. John's house is still standing, immediately west of the parking lot.

4. Harriet 1804-1895 m.1834 to Capt. Albion Arnold. He built a brick house on Old Kents Hill Rd, still standing beside the Readfield town office. They afterwards moved to New Sharon where he d.1854. She and her only living child Jacob moved to live with her sister and brother at the Currier homestead in Readfield where she remained until about 1884. At that time she moved to Skowhegan to live with her son, Jacob,

5. James 1805-1888 m.1830 to Mehetable Harding (1809-1876) of Readfield. She was d/o Joseph &
Martha "Patty" (Nickerson) Harding of Chatham, MA, where Mehetable was born. It is not known when Joseph Harding died but we do know that Patty was living with her younger sister and husband, Patience (Nickerson) & Oliver Bean in 1850, where she died in 1859. James & Mehetable Currier's eleven children were all born in Readfield 1830-1845. They lived on the North Road in Readfield until moving to Natick, MA between 1850-1855, where he worked as a shoemaker. Their daughter Isabella died there in 1855 at age 15 but all the others lived to adulthood. Four of their sons, Charles, Joseph, James and Samuel served in the Civil War. Two became prisoners, one was wounded and lost a leg, but they survived. There is more about that in the article below. Mehetable died in Natick and James moved to Iowa to live near two of his daughters who had moved out there, where he died. Many from this family are buried in Dell Park Cemetery in Natick, including James and Mehetable.    

6. Mary 1810-1888 m.1837 to James L. Williams (1812-1874) of Readfield and they lived out their married life in Readfield where they lived on a large farm about one mile up upper Church Road. Eight children born 1840-1852. After her husband died Mary lived with their eldest child, Mary Frances and her husband James Madison Wright in Readfield and then to Cambridge, MA where two of their sons were living. Mary died there in 1888 of pneumonia. All the others remained in Readfield and most are buried in Readfield Corner Cemetery.

7. Emily 1811-1892 Emily never married and lived on the Currier homestead until 1884 when she moved to live with the niece she had helped raise, in Marlboro, MA. In Readfield, Emily worked for her brother in his coat and hat factory which was located across the road from the Currier homestead.

8. Charles Oliver 1813-1877 Charles never married either and lived on his parents homestead with his brother George and sisters Emily and Harriet until his death in 1877. He was a brick mason by trade.

9. Samuel, Jr. 1816-1817 Died in infancy

10. Samuel Henry, Jr. 1821-1901 The family called him Henry. Like his eight siblings, young Samuel was born at the family homestead at Readfield Corner. He attended Kents Hill School and then Colby College to become an attorney. Samuel remained single after college and returned to Readfield to live with his parents, four adult siblings, a sister-in-law, a nephew and a niece. His oldest sister, Isabella, had moved to Wisconsin with her husband and children by then. When Isabella’s husband died in 1855 Samuel packed up and moved to live with her in Wisconsin to help her out. He never returned to live in Maine again. In 1862 Samuel enlisted in the Wisconsin Company E, 18th Regiment. In one of the letters he wrote back home to his sisters he explained that during the three years he served in the War his regiment marched more than 2,500 miles through Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia. He also spent time in Andersonville Prison but, thankfully, was released on an exchange. He served with his nephew, James Lombard – Isabella’s son – and they fought together at the Battle of Shiloh where both were taken prisoner but released on an exchange. He returned to Wisconsin, married a native of Clinton, ME who had moved to Wisconsin, and they had three children. He died in Plover, Wisconsin and is buried in McDill Cemetery, Whiting, WI. 

Below is an account of the Civil War service of James & Mehetable Currier's four sons: Samuel, Joseph, Charles and James. The last word that got cut off is "paroled." Click on the photo to enlarge.