Seba French

Seba French BIRTH 13 Nov 1773, Randolph, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA DEATH 18 May 1842 (aged 68), Dexter, Penobscot County, Maine, USA BURIAL Greene Cemetery, Dexter, Penobscot County, Maine, USA, MEMORIAL ID 91503155

Publication The Eastern Gazette 8-6-1942,

SEBA FRENCH In the spring of 1802, Seba French, then a young man of about twenty-eight years with some pecuniary means, came from Washington, New Hampshire, and brought his wife and infant daughter with him as far as Greene, where he left them and pushed on "down east", prospecting for a favorable place to settle. He came into this township, felled ten acres of trees on Lot No. 13, Range 4, about sixty rods northwest of Carr's corner, burned them off ready for a crop the following year, built a log house, which he partially covered with hemlock bark, and then went back to Greene to spend the winter with his family.

In the early spring of 1803, he made his way with his family over the rough roads and through deep snows as far as the residence of John Tucker, where, footsore and weary, he rested for three days before going forward to the cabin, about two miles further east, which he had erected the preceding summer. His was the third family to move into the township, and he became in due time one of the most useful and influential men, not only in the township, but in the county in which he thenceforth resided, until his death on May 18, 1842, at the age of sixty-nine years.

He was born at Randolph, Massachusetts, November 13, 1773, and when ten years of age removed with his father, Elijah French, to Washington, New Hampshire, where in February, 1801, he married Susan Shepley. In 1816 he was appointed Justice of the Peace for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being ever after known as "Squire French"; and, when Maine became a state, he was appointed Judge of the Court of Sessions for Penobscot County, which office he held until it was abolished in 1831, and the Court of County Commissioners established in its stead. From the beginning, for many years, he was one of the selectmen of Dexter.

At town meeting April 30, 1820, at Benjamin Green's inn, to vote for representative in the first Legislature of the state of Maine, he received fifty-seven votes to fifteen for Cornelius Coolidge and two scattering. In 1824 he was chairman of committee on building floating bridge, and in 1836 chairman of committee on building townhouse. In 1832 he was the Whig nominee for state senator, but, as his praty was in the minority, was not elected.

His wife died February 11, 1868, aged eighty-six years. They had three children; Sarah, the infant brought into the township with her parents, who died September 16, 1820, Walter, who died in 1828, aged five years, and Augustus S., was was born December 28, 1816, and died of pneumonia in Washington, D. C., January 26, 1882. In 1828 Seba French was one of the founders of the Universalist Society in Dexter, and one of the pillars so long as he lived. He early became agent for the proprietors of the township for the sale of lands, and November 3, 1919 received power-of-attorney from them for the execution of deeds. He lived in the original cabin until 1806, when the road from Dexter to Garland having been moved from the line between the lots of Range 4 and those of Range 5, and laid out on its present location, he built a frame house on it. Said house is the old one-story part of the commodious house of the late A. L. Barton, and is, I believe, the oldest house now standing in town.

That Mr. French was popular with his neighbors is shown by the fact that at least four of them named children for him. The children thus named were Seba F. Weatherbee, Seba F. Leighton, Seba F. Chase and Seba F. Jumper. His son, Augustus S., became a clerk for Ozam McCrillis in 1833, and a merchant on his own account in 1838. He continued in trade until the panic of 1866-7 involved him in disaster. His residence was at the corner of Main and Spring Streets, where the Merchants' Exchange Hotel now stands, and his store just below on Main St., being that now occupied by E. G. Ayer, the well-known drygoods merchant.

For many years he was town clerk, and often selectman. On September 13, 1858, he was elected Clerk of Courts for Penobscot County. Later he held a position under one of the executive officers of the House of Representatives at Washington. His writing, done with a quill pen, was remarkably graceful, even, and plain. Well does the writer remember him during the last years of his residence in Dexter, and later in Washington, but always and everywhere as a gentle, refined, kindly, accommodating, pure-minded, kind-hearted gentleman.

Parents Elijah French 1726–1800 Mary Clark French 1734–1812

Spouse Susan Shepley French 1782–1868

Siblings Mary Polly French Thayer 1761–1790 Isaac French 1765–1816 Betsey French Farnsworth 1768–1843

Children Infant French unknown–1811 Sally French unknown–1829 Augustus S. French 1816–1882 Walter French 1823–1828

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