Welcome to Clinton, Kennebec County, Maine

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Illustrated History of Kennebec County, Maine.   Submitted by Abby Balderama

FIRST CENSUS OF THE UNITED STATES HEADS OF FAMILIES --- MAINE LINCOLN COUNTY
HANCOCK TOWN (Inc. as Clinton, February 28, 1795)

1830 Census of Unity Plantation, Kennebec County, Maine

1837 Census of Unity Plantation, (north of Albion) Kennebec Co., Maine 1837 Census

Ebenezer Brookins of Albion Gore, (Unity Plantation), Kennebec Co, Maine 1850

Oliver Libbey of Albion Gore, (Unity Plantation), Kennebec Co, Maine 1850

John Leonard of Albion Gore, (Unity Plantation), Kennebec Co, Maine 1850

John C. Decker of Albion Gore, (Unity Plantation), Kennebec Co, Maine 1850

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Descendants of John Decker Sr. Graciously submitted to these pages by Michael W. Walton Sr.

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Clinton: Former Residents of Clinton
Clinton, Maine Old Home Week, August 7-14, 1921
Under auspices of the Clinton Old Home Week Association
p. 32-44

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Clinton, Maine Early Settlement

We take up the early settlement of Clinton by the different section of the town, as follows: Clinton Village, Pishon's Ferry, Noble's Ferry, Morrison's Corner, Decker's Corner, and Woodsum's Corner.

At Clinton Village, Asa Brown and a Mr. Grant some time before 1798 took up farms on the Sebasticook about a mile east of the village. About this time, Jonathan Brown also came. Some time previous to 1800 Jesse Baker came here and came into ownership of about all the land in the village south of the "Fifteen Mile" line. Where the cemetery now is, one Mr. Michels settled about the same time as Baker. Joseph Doe settled at the foot of "Fifteen Mile Rips". About 1810 or ‘12 James and Charles Brown settled about a mile south-west of the village. David and Martin Hunter came here from Topsham, Me., about 1815. The former was locally known as "King David," because of his masterful ways.

PISHON'S FERRY

Samuel Varnum settled at the Ferry about 1789 or 1790. He was followed by Charles Pishon who came here before 1800 and established the ferry. David Pratt came about 1802. Abram Frees, a physician, came about 1815. John Totman came here at an early date. Gideon Wells came about 1800. He was a tavern keeper; he came from Vienna. Joseph Mills was also and early comer to the place. Benjamin Chase, the builder of the first saw mill at the Point, came here about 1815.

NOBLE'S FERRY

This portion of Clinton takes its name from Benjamin Noble who came from Swan Island about the close of the Revolutionary War to Fairfield and settled about two miles below Pishon's. Here he established a ferry. Nearly thirty-five years ago this ferry was abandoned. Just before the war Deacon Joseph Spearin settled on the Jonas Chase farm. About one-half mile below the ferry James Lamb took up a lot about 1800. He saw service in the war of 1812. Other early comers here were Francis Low, Mephibosheth Cain, and Stevens Kendall.

MORRISON'S CORNER

The first settler here was Mordecai Mooers. He established himself on the hill south of the Corner. John Flood came here some time prior to 1810 and settled on the Ridge Road. James Morrison came here about 1820 and settled on the Martin Jewell farm. Samuel Weymouth settled at this point not far from this time. A Mr. Miller built a saw mill west of the Corner about 1810 which was operated about 10 years.

DECKER'S CORNER

A Mr. Decker came here and settled not far from 1800. His son Stephen, better known here, came with his father at the same time. Ebenezer Lewis came here at a early date. The father of Aaron, Lewis, Abner, and James Eldridge came here not far from the close of the Revolution from Boston. Descendants of John Decker Sr.

WOODSUM'S CORNER.

At is point Abiathar Woodsum was the first settler. He came here about 1830 or a little earlier. He was a store keeper. A contemporary of his was Daniel Holt, also a Mr. Goodwin was in trade near this point.

We have made no effort to trace any but the early settlers in the above. We have been limited in space, and by the necessarily indefinite knowledge in existence concerning these early comers, but we trust that the above records some of more important data.

The Clinton and Benton Register 1904
Compiled By: Mitchell & Daggett
Kent's Hill Maine
Publish by the H.E. Mitchell Publishing Co. 1904
pages 5-7.

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DAM BUILDERS

The town of Clinton is noted among other things for the number of men who have been or are dam builders. The following have been in charge of crews: Alpheus Brown, John Kennedy, Pooler Lewis, Bert Lewis, Ellis Libby, Ezekiel Brown, George Ricker, Daniel Richardson, and Preston Weymouth. Among others who have been engaged in the work of dam construction are the following Alonzo Pratt, Frank McNelly, William McNelly, Moses Richardson, Mark Holt, James McNelly, Irvin Lewis, Frank Crommett, Hollis Lewis, Lezar Kelley, Lewis Wells, George Bingham, Albert Chase, T.A. Ricker.

DAM BUILDERS of Clinton, Maine
The Clinton and Benton Register
1904
Compiled by Mitchell & Daggett
Kents Hill Maine: Published by the H. E. Mitchell Publishing Company 1904.
pg. 19

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FIRES IN CLINTON.
On the morning of April 28, 1880, the most disastrous fire that had ever visited Clinton occurred. The croquet factory, operated by Z. Hunter & Company was completely destroyed, thus throwing out of employment 32 hands and destroying the best business in the village. Two thousand eighty two sets of croquet ready to ship were burned. At the time of the fire 150 sets of croquet were being turned out daily. The factory was established in 1872 by Henry Hanson, and was valued at $15,000. The owners at the time of the fire were Dodge & Jaquith, G.A. Spearin & Co., Decker, E.G. Hodgdon and others. The second disastrous fire to visit this hamlet was on December 22, 1894. About noon Sunday, fire started in the shoe factory, which was burned to the ground with all its contents. William Lamb's saw mill, a shingle mill with all its machinery, two long sheds and considerable lumber and Hodgdon & Smith grist mill, a dwelling house owned by Manly Morrison and occupied by John Waldron, all were destroyed. The fire caught in the office of the shoe shop by the overturning of a kerosene lamp. The shoe shop was built 2 years previous by the Clinton Village Mfg. Association, Manly Morrison, principal owner. Over 100 people were thrown out of employment by this disastrous blaze. A third fire visited Clinton, Wednesday , September 28, 1898, starting in the hay barn owned by Geo. H. McKenney near the railroad. Many buildings caught fire but prompt action and aid from Waterville the village was saved.

The Clinton and Benton Register
1904
Compiled by Mitchell & Daggett
Kents Hill Maine: Published by the H. E. Mitchell Publishing Company 1904.
pg. 17-18

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INVENTIONS

Martin Jewell, a prominent man in town residing at Morrison's Corner, has invented and had patented three very practical farm implements, or improvemetns on them. One is a mowing machine built entirely new model having much less machinery to get out of repair. The second is a wheel break for a double-horse team and the other is an improvement on the horse rake. The seem to be of practical value commercially, and we hope to see them in the market.

The Clinton and Benton Register
1904
Compiled by Mitchell & Daggett
Kents Hill Maine: Published by the H. E. Mitchell Publishing Company 1904.
pg. 18-19

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John F. Lamb of Clinton, Maine

Burton Bible Record of Clinton, Maine (poorly done) from the files of the Androscoggin Historical SocietyRobert Taylor's collection of Family Bible Register(c) 1997, Androscoggin Historical Society

Roll of Clinton's honored dead who served in the Civil War

Industrial Account of the Town of Clinton. The Clinton and Benton Register 1904. Compiled By: Mitchell & Daggett . Kent's Hill Maine: Publish by the H.E. Mitchell Publishing Co. 1904

ECCLESIASTICAL Account of the Town of Clinton The Clinton and Benton Register 1904. Compiled By: Mitchell & Daggett . Kent's Hill Maine: Publish by the H.E. Mitchell Publishing Co. 1904

 

 

Surnames (Prior to October 20, 1998)