Remember the soldiers of the north border war

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Published last Monday, May 19, just one week before Memorial Day, Wayne Brown’s story in the Bangor Daily News on the restoration in Houlton of the graves of 37 soldiers from the “Aroostook War” was timely.

Richard Rhoda and Monument Lodge of Masons No. 96 have been working on the project with the help of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins’ office.

The men died while stationed at Hancock Barracks in Houlton and were buried on White Settlement Road. Some editions of the NEWS included the list of soldiers, but Wayne has passed along additional information, which Rhoda gleaned from a Dale Steinhauer paper using data from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration:

Musician John Ames, b. 1820, Bradford; d. April 13, 1841; laborer, 1 Art. Co. E.

James Anderson, b. 1801, Greensburg, Pa.; d. Feb. 21, 1831; laborer, 2 I Co. K.

Artificer Henry Bellmar, b. 1818, New York, N.Y.; d. Feb. 23, 1839; clerk, 1 Art. Co. E.

Cpl. Francis Berry, b. 1810, Fishkill, N.Y.; d. April 8, 1841; tailor, 1 Art. Co. B.

Jesse Billings, b. 1798, Wrentham, Mass.; d. March 25, 1832; mason, 2 I Co. C.

Pvt. George Blackwood, b. 1821, New York, N.Y.; d. June 7, 1843; butcher, 1 Art. Co. B.

James Bracy, b. 1806, Steuben; d. March 13, 1830; farmer, 2 I Co. C.

John Brown, b. 1805, Longford, Ireland; d. July 3, 1832; tailor, 2 I Co. K.

Pvt. Michael Brynan, b. 1795, Castlerea, Ireland; d. Oct. 30, 1839; soldier, 1 Art. Co. C.

Pvt. Daniel Colton, b. 1819, New York, N.Y.; d. Dec. 30, 1841; painter, 1 Art. Co. B.

Cpl. Henry Crocker, b. 1815, New London, Conn.; d. Jan. 4, 1843; painter, 1 Art. Co. B.

Steven Devars, b. 1789, Orerypl, Holland; d. Jan. 10, 1829; apothecary, 2 Infantry.

Pvt. John Ferris, b. 1812, Hague, N.Y.; d. April 29, 1841; cotton spinner, 1 Art. Co. F.

Pvt. Michael Gallagher, b. 1805, Philadelphia, Pa.; d. March 22, 1841; soldier, 1 Art. Co. E.

Pvt. Lyndon Gates, b. 1820, Lyndon, Vt.; d. March 24, 1841; farmer, 1 Art. Co. I.

Pvt. Mark Goodwin, b. 1822, Lyman; d. June 16, 1843; farmer, 1 Art. Co. E.

Pvt. David Grindle, b. 1821, Penobscot; d. May 17, 1842; farmer, 1 Art. Co. E.

Pvt. Thomas Halloran, b. 1821, Cook, Ireland; d. June 24, 1843; farmer, 1 Art. Co. B.

Artificer Henry Harding, b. 1805, Annapolis, Md.; d. Nov. 13, 1838; carpenter, 1 Art. Co. E.

William Herron, b. 1796, Baltimore, Md.; d. Oct. 18, 1835; soldier, 2 I Co. K.

Pvt. William Hewitt, b. 1811, Limerick, Ireland; d. Jan. 27, 1839; laborer, 1 Art. Co. C.

Sgt. Otis Kellogg, b. 1821, Essex, Vt.; d. May 24, 1842; farmer, 1 Art. Co. I.

Pvt. Daniel Littlefield, b. 1817, Wells; d. May 18, 1843; farmer, 1 Art. Co. E.

Artificer John Lyle, b. 1809, King William, Va.; d. Feb. 2, 1839; wheelwright, 1 Art. Co. C.

John McConnell, b. 1803, Ireland; d. Aug. 14, 1838; laborer, 2 I Co. C.

Pvt. William Milan, b. 1817, Hancock; d. Oct. 21, 1842; laborer. 1 Art. Co. F.

Pvt. Robert Moore, b. 1798, Belfast, Ireland; d. Sept. 10, 1841; soldier, 1 Art. Co. B.

Job Moshier, b. 1814, Little Falls, N.Y.; d. July 9, 1835; farmer, 2 I Co., K.

Pvt. James Richmond, b. 1820, Ayr, Scotland; d. June 17, 1841; carpenter, 1 Art. Co. B.

Pvt. James Rogers, b. 1801, Ireland; d. April 20, 1838; soldier, 2 Co. E/C.

Pvt. James Shiels, b. 1815, Ireland; d. Feb. 15, 1841; laborer, 1 Art. Co. C.

Pvt. Horace Tearnes, b. 1821, Champlain, N.Y.; d. April 4, 1842; farmer, 1 Art. Co. I.

James Vanpelt, b. 1790, Monmouth, N.J.; d. June 25, 1834; soldier, 2 I Co. C.

Pvt. Thomas Waddell, b. 1811, Lauder, Scotland; stonemason, 1 Art. Co. G.

Pvt. William White, 1819, Fermanaugh, Scotland; d. May 5, 1844; shoemaker, 1 Art. Co. H.

Pvt. Joseph Wilson, b. 1817, Sterley’s Bridge, England; d. June 21, 1840; cotton spinner, 1 Art. Co. E.

William Witham, b. 1804, New York, N.Y.; d. Dec. 11, 1831; soldier, 2 I Co. F.

The Aroostook War, involving the controversy over Maine’s northern border, took place years before Memorial Day was begun in 1866 in honor of Civil War dead. Now, the day is an opportunity to remember all war dead, including those killed recently in the Middle East.

I remember, too, the veterans I’ve known over the years, and particularly some of those I’ve watched in Memorial Day parades and ceremonies in Abbot, Sangerville and Guilford.

My day was made when I could see Sam Goodridge Jr. and Gayland Moore Jr., heads bowed, standing by the Honor Roll in Abbot. Sammy died this month, and my dad died just after Memorial Day last year. This year, they’ll be two of the veterans honored.

Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or send e-mail to familyti@bangordailynews.net.