PAGE, Simon, Col.

This is an excerpt from John Lane and Jere Page homesteads and mills on Beaver Brook in East Readfield. Follow this link FMI and / or to purchase the entire 12 page study.

Col. Simon Page came to Winthrop between 1783 and 1785 and built a large two story dwelling and farm partly on a rangeway and partly on lot #24 in East Readfield[i] – the Stanley Road falls within that lot now.  He was named Captain of the militia in 1785 and Colonel in 1788. When Readfield separated from Winthrop in 1791 the town boundary actually passed through the chimney of Simon Page’s house and he was then considered a resident of Readfield. He sold his house in 1820 and moved in with his daughter Sarah and her husband Dr. Peleg Benson. He was blind the last years of his life. After he sold the house it burned and the new owner, Eliphalet Foster, built a new one that fell completely in the town of Winthrop.[ii]  Col. Simon Page married three times to 1) Sarah Clifford 1746- c.1770 2) Hannah Weare 1747 – 1780 3) Mary Brown 1750 – 1820. He had ten children – five were sons Samuel b.1770; Simon b.1774; Stephen b._?_; Sewall b.1787; Lewis b.1790

Simon’s son Samuel married Mary Whittier, daughter of Nathaniel Whittier of East Readfield. Samuel built a two story house at the corner of Stanley Road and route 17 – known in the 19^th century as “Bowker’s Corner”- where he ran an inn known as Page’s Tavern.[iii] There was a livery stable near there also which was still operating into the 20^th century. This was all located in proximity to where the Newman house sits today (2013).  

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[i] Kingsbury and Deyo, History of Kennebec County (New York, H.W. Blake & Co., 1892), page 891

[ii] Stackpole, Everett; History of Winthrop with Genealogical Notes by Keene; pub. 1925 and reprinted 1994; Heritage Books Inc. Bowie, MD; page 532-533

[iii] ibid

PAGE, Robert, Esq.

This is an excerpt from John Lane and Jere Page homesteads and mills on Beaver Brook in East Readfield. Follow this link FMI and / or to purchase the entire 12 page study.

Robert Page, Esq. or “Squire Page” as he was often called - came to Winthrop between 1767 and 1782.[i] He became the owner of significant amounts of property in several towns in addition to Readfield. Robert had sons Samuel, Jere and Jonathan. One source says that he also had a son Robert, Jr. but I have not found additional documentation of that.[ii]  Robert also purchased parts of lots #137 and #212 (at Factory Square) from James Craig in 1805. One of those acquisitions included 16 acres, the grist mill, house and barn adjacent to the grist mill[iii] – the same house[iv] we saw on the Factory Square Readfield History Walk on 10/11/13 and now under historical preservation (11/2013) by Mr. Robert Bittar.[v] Robert Page gained other holdings as well but they are too numerous to mention.

Robert Page lived on “Smith Hill” on the South Road and his land abutted the east shore of Lake Maranacook. The Samuel Greeley farm (later that of C. Willis Brown) and Jedediah Bourne homestead (later St. Andre) were originally part of Squire Page’s farm. On the Bourne farm a vein of slate was found and worked around 1840. From there most of the slate gravestones in East Readfield Cemetery were quarried.[vi]

Robert Page, Esq. was named as one of the prominent farmers in the annals of Kennebec County for his eminent services in the early days of this county’s development. He was a trustee of Hallowell Academy in 1791, and he owned property in what we know now as downtown Hallowell. That was auctioned off after his death by his son Jere – administrator of his estate - as were most of his other holdings.[vii] Robert Page was also one of the first three selectman voted in by Readfield townspeople in 1791. He also served as town treasurer in 1794.[viii] Over the years he was the moderator at town meetings, was on the school committee and a member of the General Court. He was also the first Justice of the Peace commissioned in Winthrop. In 1788 he was designated the rank of Colonel in the militia.[ix]

 

In 1832, seven years after Robert’s death, Elias Gove, Jr. bought the entire Robert Page, Esq. homestead farm (at auction) for $180. It was described as the undivided farm plus 20 acres of woodland. John Smith, Marcia Dutton (Robert’s daughter) and Jere Page signed off. It was described as bounded west by Rouse Bourne; south on land of Samuel Greeley; easterly on land of Francis Hunt; north on land of Jonathan Whittier; 180 acres. A small barn and el past the home reserved for (could not make out the name).[x] Robert Page’s wife Abigail (Brown) lived with their son Jere after Robert died.[xi]

 

There were seven children in all – three died as young adults. 1) Samuel b.1775 d.1804 m. Abigail Page, his 1^st cousin and daughter of Simon. She died in 1803. Both are buried in East Readfield Cemetery; 2) Sarah b.1781 d.1804 also bur. East Readfield 3) Marcia b.1783 d.1863 m. Samuel E. Dutton of Hallowell and they moved to Bangor. 7 children; 4) Jeremiah “Jere” b.1787 d.1864 m. Margaret Johnson 5) Jonathan b.abt.1787 d.1805 bur. East Readfield 6) Abigail b.1792 d.1866 m. Dr. Isaac Case, son of Rev. Isaac and Joanna Case of East Readfield. They moved to Levant in Penobscot County, ME. 7 children; 7) Robert, Jr. – He is mentioned as one of Robert Page Esq. son in History of Kennebec County but I have found nothing else about him. Perhaps this is the same one (from Hanover, NH) who was the clerk with whom Jere made land transactions in Clinton, ME in 1827?

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[i] Kingsbury’s History of Kennebec County page 892 gives 1767 as his date of arrival; Stackpole’s History of Winthrop page 535 gives 1782 (after Revolutionary War) as date of arrival.

[ii] Ibid page 892; There was a Robert Page from NH serving as land agent when Jere Page and other family members made land transactions in the Clinton area. I suspect he may be this son.

[iii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 24 Page 504 Robert Page to my son Jere, yeoman. Land he bought from James Craig, deceased being part of lot #212 and #137 and part of the lot Robert Cornforth lives on. Containing about 16 acres and all the buildings thereon (grist mill, house and barn). Privilege of stream of water for any who use reference to Craig’s deed dated 11/18/1805 Book 9 Page 53.

[iv] http://readfieldhistorywalks.blogspot.com/2013/10/factory-square-history-walk-additional.html accessed 11/5/2013

[v] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 25 Page 504 4/2/1817

[vi] Kingsbury and Deyo, History of Kennebec County (New York, H.W. Blake & Co., 1892),  page 908

[vii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds various

[viii] Kingsbury and Deyo, History of Kennebec County (New York, H.W. Blake & Co., 1892), pages 906-907

[ix] Stackpole, Everett; History of Winthrop with Genealogical Notes by Keene; pub. 1925 and reprinted 1994; Heritage Books Inc. Bowie, MD; pg 535

[x] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds  Book 76 Page 387 10/11/1832

[xi] 1830 US Census one female age 70-79 living in this household.

PAGE, Jeremiah (Jere)

This is an excerpt from John Lane and Jere Page homesteads and mills on Beaver Brook in East Readfield. Follow this link FMI and / or to purchase the entire 12 page study.

It was an adventure finding familial information about Jere Page. His name appears on many deeds in the Kennebec Registry of Deeds. It also appears briefly in both the History of Kennebec County and Stackpole’s History of Winthrop. Filling in the gaps took some digging and interpretation.

Jere Page homestead circa 1817 as it looked in 1976. 

Jere Page began his life in Readfield where he was born in 1787 – the fourth of seven siblings. He married Margaret “Peggy” Johnson in 1808 – probably related to the Johnson family who also lived nearby in East Readfield but I have not yet found evidence of her parents. The first Jere Page homestead was built on part of his father's land on what is now Readfield Elementary School property.He sold that to Jonathan Whittier in 1817 and built the house pictured here (Ellis 2013). His first house is mentioned in a deed dated 1817 burned in the 1850s, when owned by Jonathan Whittier.[i]

In 1822 Jere and his father bought a piece of abutting land from John Lane who granted them rights to build a second dam and to control the water level in the Mill Pond.[ii] The Page men built and operated a saw mill there for several years. By this time the demand for building materials drove the need for sawmills so high.

Jere Page’s civic duties included State of Maine Representative 1826-1827.[v] Perhaps the connections he made in that capacity are what led to him towards making a life changing decision. In 1833 he sold “the farm (pictured above) on which I and my family now reside” to Francis Hunt, Jr.[vi] Page was still living in Readfield in 1840[vii] but near Readfield Corner, on Church Road (Drake 2013). By then he and his father had bought the grist and saw mill on Mill Stream Road, Factory Square that was deeded to Jere by his father.[viii] Jere Page was a merchant at Readfield Corner in 1832, presumably until [ix] he left Readfield between 1840 and 1850. In 1850 he was living in Houlton, Maine with his son George and family.[x]

I never did find all the names of Jere and Margaret Page’s children (2 sons and 3 daughters)[xi] which made their story much more challenging to weave. If they had a son named Jere - which they more than likely did - I suspect he migrated to Penobscot County since a Jere Page was living there between 1850 and 1860.[xii] I know their eldest child George B. migrated to Aroostook County, and that he was accompanied there by his parents because they lived there with George’s family.[xiii] Those members of the Page family are buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Houlton, Maine[xiv]. 

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[i] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds  Book 28 Page 186 7/18/1817 Land transaction between Robert Page and Jonathan Whittier

[ii] Ibid Book 62 Page 287 10/23/1822

[iii] Sawmills in New England 1600-1900:  A Brief Overview http://www.ledyardsawmill.org/sawmill-history accessed 11/7/2013

[iv] Evelyn A. Potter, Readfield Historian says this mill was operating in the 1920’s when both her parents worked there and met then married.

[v] Kingsbury and Deyo, History of Kennebec County (New York, H.W. Blake & Co., 1892), page 89

[vi] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds  Book 81 Page 41 1/23/1833

[vii] 1840 US Census Readfield, ME. Determined  the location of his residence because names were listed on them 1840 census geographically.

[viii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 24 Page 504 4/2/1817

[ix] Kingsbury and Deyo, History of Kennebec County (New York, H.W. Blake & Co., 1892), page 896

[x] 1800-1860 US Census Readfield and Houlton, ME

[xi] 1820-1840 U.S. Census Readfield, ME

[xii] 1850 and 1860 US Census Dexter, Burlington and Charleston, Penobscot, ME

[xiii] 1850-1860 US Census Houlton, Maine

[xiv] www.findagrave.com Evergreen Cemetery, Houlton, Maine

PACKARD, Joshua 1790 US Census Winthrop 1-0-2-0-0 UPDATED 9/25/2015

Packard house on Kents Hill c1790. This picture was taken
before 1909. Is still standing and occupied

Joshua, Sr. was the fourth generation in America (Abiel, Zaccheus, Samuel) His G-Grandfather, Samuel, migrated to Massachusetts in 1638.  Ninety four years later, in July 1730, Joshua was born in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Mass. In January of 1755 Joshua married to Mehitable Alden, a direct Mayflower descendent of John Alden. Joshua and Mehitable were married in 1755. They moved to Maine before 1790, and settled in Kents Hill, which was still part of Winthrop at that time. Their four sons, though all grown and three married by that time, all came with them. The Packard men were carpenters, and according to Reflections of Readfield, at least four houses on Kents Hill are thought to have been built by them including the Ed Wills, Lee Gorden, Dick Wilson and Wheelock houses.

Mehitable (Alden) Packard was born 4-27-1732 in Bridgewater, Barnstable, Mass. and died in 1796 in Kents Hill (Readfield), ME. Joshua’s second marriage was to Miss Esther Gibson of Readfield in 1796.

Joshua Packard, Jr. gravestone at Kents Hill Cemetery.

It is not known where his parents are buried but there are

several graves marked by non-inscribed fieldstones in this

cemetery and most likely theirs are some of them.

 

Joshua is buried in the Kents Hill Cemetery, which was established before 1808. Many other members of the Packard family are buried there. Several fieldstones mark graves, in  the old section of this cemetery, which is located across the road from the Torsey Memorial Methodist Church.
Children of Joshua and Mehitable Packard were:
1. Caleb b.3-5-1758 Bridgewater, Mass. m. Lydia Ford, daughter of Nathaniel Ford, Sr. and Eunice (Rogers) Ford.  Counted on the 1790 US Census as 1-0-1-0-0 d.12-30-1833 ae70 yrs. and buried in Kents Hill cemetery.
2. Joshua, Jr. b.8-27-1759 Bridgewater, Plymouth, Mass. m.between 1790-1793 Phebe Ford, daughter of Nathaniel Ford, Sr. & Eunice (Rogers) Ford. Counted on the 1790 US Census as head of household and only member living in the home 1-0-0-0-0. Joshua, Jr. d.4-1-1835 and Phebe d.7-1825 both are buried in Kents Hill cemetery, Readfield.
3. Ralph b.9-13-1761 Bridgewater, Mass. Was married in 1790 when the census was taken. His household was counted as 1-0-2-0-0. His wife Nancy Ann Vose was born 10/27/1762 in Milton, Norfolk, MA a daughter. of Joseph and Sarah Vose. Ralph d.4-18-1809 There are at least two houses built by Ralph Packard on Kents Hill and still standing to this day. He deeded land for the Kents Hill Cemetery to the town of Readfield in 1808 only 16 months before his own death. There is no gravestone bearing his name in the cemetery, but there are many fieldstones marking graves in the old section. Four children born in Readfield: 1) Susan "Sukey" b.1789 2) Ralph b.1791 3) Stephen b.1801 4) Otis b.1804
4. Lebbeus Alden b.5-19-1764 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Mass. Counted on the 1790 US Census as head of household 1-0-1-0-0 d.1831 Died 1836 in Troy, Waldo, ME.
5. Mehitable b.9-6-1765 Bridgewater, Mass. d.2-14-1839. We assume she was the second female living in the household when 1790 census was taken.

PACKARD, Caleb 1790 US Census 1-0-1-0-0 UPDATED 4/24/2016

This corner of Main Street and P Ridge was called Packard Corner,
and P Ridge Road was called Packard Ridge in the early days.
Some old deeds describe P Ridge as "the road from Nathaniel Thomas to
Capt. Dudley Hains" or "from Nathaniel Thomas to
Capt. Christopher Turner's." Nathaniel Thomas lived in the red house
seen in the distance in this picture, slightly east of this intersection.

Caleb Packard was born 3-5-1758 in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, a son of Joshua and Mehitable (Alden) Packard. He came to Readfield with his father brothers Joshua, Sr., Ralph and Lebbeus. The Packard men were carpenters and built at least four houses on Kents Hill as well as in other parts of town. He married Lydia Ford September 15, 1790, she a daughter of Nathaniel Ford, Sr. and Eunice (Rogers) Ford. Caleb Packard bought several parcels of land on Kents Hill between 1797 and 1822.

1) In 1797 the house of Caleb Packard is mentioned when James Lane sold him 7 acres and 140 square rods, on the east side of the road, to said Packard. The road was described as that leading from Nathaniel Thomas to Capt. (Christopher) Turner’s.[i] (P Ridge Road later came to be known as Packard Ridge Road) and binding on corner of Packard’s house.

2) In 1807 he bought more land from James Lane - a part of lot #198 – which bordered on that he purchased from Lane in 1797. This land was located on the east side of the road now described as leading from Nathaniel Thomas to Capt. Dudley Hains (P Ridge Road).[ii]

2) In 1810 Packard bought 30 acres from his father-in-law, Nathaniel Ford - part of lot #197. Location was described as on the west side of the road from the Methodist Meeting House on Kents Hill to Capt. Dudley Hains[iii] (another description of said P Ridge Road) Further description says “…starting at the southeast corner of Joshua Packard’s land…running about 104 rods (1,716 feet) on the northerly line of said Joshua’s land…”

3) In 1811 Samuel Morrison, wheelwright, sold Packard 20 acres of land – part of the land where his father, Robert Morrison, had lived. Located on the south side of the road leading to Fayette with the house standing on said land reserving the barn on said land. This land was later conveyed to his son Luther Packard.[iv]

4) In 1822 he bought 5 acres – part of lot #184[v] (also on Kents Hill) – from his son-in-law Manley Bean, who married his daughter Sabrina / Sylvia in 1814[vi] and moved their family to Dover in Piscataquis County, Maine before 1830.[vii]


Caleb Packard’s house was located on the west side of P Ridge Road - it burned in 1979. There is a vacant lot where it sat, near 89 P Ridge Road. In later years Caleb's farm was owned by Stanley Palmeter and during the years Palmeter lived there "Packard Ridge Road" came to be called "Palmeter Ridge Road". Today the road is simply called "P Ridge Road".

Caleb died December 30, 1833 age 70 yrs. and Lydia died in 1838. They are buried in Kents Hill Cemetery.



I believe Caleb and Lydia (Ford) Packard had ten children though only seven are listed in my source:[viii]
1) Sylvia / Sabrina (seen both ways) b.1791 2) Lydia b.1793 3) Caleb, Jr. b.1797 4) Calvin b. 1797 5) Luther b. 1799 6) Silas b.1802 7) James b.1805 8) Sally b.1806 9) Betsey b. 1807 10) Ruel b.1813

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[i] [i] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds 10/9/1797 Book 23 Page 397

[ii] Ibid 5/18/1807 Book 33 Page 436

[iii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds 2/2/1810 Book 23 Page 395

[iv] Ibid Book 23 Page 196

[v] Ibid 6/10/1822 Book 54 Page 496

[vi] Potter-Clark, Dale; To Those Who Led the Way, VR’s of Readfield, ME 1768-1913; self-published 2009; page 101

[vii] US Census 1820 counted in Readfield and in 1830 in Dover, ME

[viii] Potter-Clark, Dale; To Those Who Led the Way, VR’s of Readfield, ME 1768-1913; self-published 2009; page 35-36