Penobscot

HOME

Penobscot is a town in Hancock County, settled in 1760 and incorporated in 1787. The community takes its name from the Penobscot River, which forms its western boundary.

The discovery of about 2000 French and Spanish coins in 1840 on a hillside near the Bagaduce River led to speculation they were either pirate treasure or the Baron de Castin's family fortune, hidden during their flight from the area in 1704.

February 23, 1787 incorporated as Penobscot from Majabigwaduce Plantation, also known as Plantation Number Three.

Villages, Locations and Settlements
North Penobscot South Penobscot Marks Corner West Penobscot

A Survey of Hancock County, Maine By Samuel Wasson 1876:

Penobscot.—Incorporated (49th town) February 23, 1787. Population, 1,418. Decennary loss, 138. Wealth, per capita, $148. State valuation, $227,356; United States valuation, $318,298. Its appellation of Penobscot, is from the Indian "Penobskeag," or "Peuopeauke," signifying "rocky place." It was a part of the district of ancient "Pentagoet." In the Act of Incorporation it is called "Majorbigwaduce." It was Township ""Number Three," in the grant to David Marsh et als. It is situated at the head of Northern Bay, one of the "great-coves" of the Bagaduce river (Baggadoose), or written in Indian (Masi-anbaga-8-atoes-ch). The river is an arm of the Penobscot, the "great river of Norumbega." At first, Penobscot included all of Castine, and the westerly part of Brooksville. The first survey of the town was made by John Peters. The following names appear among its earliest municipal officers : John Lee, Jeremiah and Daniel Wardwell, John and Joseph Perkins, John Wasson, David Hawes, Elijah Littlefield, Isaac Parker, and Peltiah Leach.

The subjoined historic data are from the pen of H. B. Wardwell: "The first settlers within the present limits of Penobscot, were Duncan and Findley Malcom, Daniel and Neil Brown. They were Scotchmen, and being loyalists or tories, left for St. Andrews when the English evacuated Majebigyuduc, in 1761. Findley Malcom and Daniel Brown married daughters of my great-grandfather, Daniel Wardwell. The first permanent settler was Charles Hutchings, in 1765. The first child of English parents was Mary Hutchings. In 1765 came Isaac, Jacob Sparks and Daniel Perkins, Samuel Averill and Solomon Littlefield.

The first settler in Penobscot, as originally incorporated, was Reuben Gray, in 1760. To him a daughter (Mary) was born, Nov. 4, 1763, and a son (Samuel) May 8, 1767. In 1765, Gray sold out to Aaron Banks, and took up the farm now occupied by Levi Gray, in Sedgwick."

Union soldiers, 158; State aid, $3,172; town bounty, $23,782 ; cost per recruit, $170.