LUCE, Prince 1810 US Census Readfield 1-1-2-1-1

Prince Luce was born October 1764 in Tisbury, MA a son of Beriah and Remember (Foster) Luce. Beriah brought his family to Readfield (then a part of Winthrop) between 1780-1790 (he appears on the 1790 US Census in Winthrop, ME).

On the early (1790 and 1800) US Census the names are listed geographically. In both cases Beriah (spelled Uriah on 1790 census) is living in the same neighborhood where Prince and his brothers Ellis, William and Freeman also settled. Freeman  died in the premature cannon explosion in a Readfield muster in 1804, at age 48 and unmarried. I recall, from researching that area for History Walk # 15, that Prince Luce seemed to be the “settler” of his brother’s affairs. I never took it further to look for any probate activity but was left with that impression from looking at all the old deeds in the area.

"Table Rock" in the Luce woods.

In the woods (which were cleared in Prince's time) and near his original homestead there is a rock the Luce family calls "table rock" and signs of an old foundation within that same area. According to the family, that rock is registered with the New England Antiquities Association but its origin is not known. Could that have been the site of an original Luce settlers cabin? We may never know for sure. 

Prince first appears as head of household on the US Census in 1810, having married shortly after 1800 to Mary Howland. She was thirteen years younger than him. Their family was small, compared to others in that era, and there was only one son - Samuel Howland Luce, who carried on his father's homestead as did his descendants to this very day (2014). Now Beriah's 5th great-grandson, Brandon, lives on the same land settled by his forbearers nearly 250 years ago.    

The original Prince Luce homestead burned in 1932.
Rex and Audrey Luce built a new home adjacent
to it in the mid 1980s.

In 1816 Prince signed over all the land he owned - 30 acres part of lot #135, his dwelling house, barn, 1 horse, 1 - 2 year old heifer, and all his household furniture to his son Samuel Howland Luce, (Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 29 Page 204). Both Prince and Mary lived into their 80's - Prince died in 1846 and Mary in 1861. Both are buried in East Readfield Cemetery.




Children of Prince and Mary (Howland) Luce:
1) Nancy b.1803
2) Caroline b.1805
3) Samuel Howland b.1807
4) Cordelia b.1811