Metcalf Cemetery

This is the information I have on the Metcalf family buried in the cemetery There was another James Metcalf in Lincolnville at the same time and he was a pauper. Also, a Jesse Metcalf but I believe both were from a different family—I cannot find much about them and no connections.

I also still have quite a bit of work to do on the land although I am pretty clear on the piece where the cemetery is. That will come later.

Our James Metcalf was born in Camden, probably in June, 1790. He died on September 16, 1849. His parents were Leonard Metcalf from England and Susannah Wall from Thomaston (it is interesting that Susannah’s mother was a McFarland from Boothbay which means that they were related to the McCobb brothers of Boothbay and Lincolnville—I traced it back—it is cousins a ways back.)

On June 19, 1819, he married Abigail Leighton (sometimes spelled Laughton). She was born in 1800, some records say in Lincolnville but there is no actual record of this or who her parents were. she died on February 28, 1844.

They had 9 children that we know of:

an unknown named baby born in 1820; William (1822-1870; Susan W. 1824-?; Mary Jane 1826-1911; Sarah 1829-?; Rosetta 1833-?; Thomas 1835-?; Nathan 1838-?; Cortilia Costella 1841-?.

The land on which they lived (a 37 acre parcel, part of Lot # 24, Range C) was purchased by Abigail in 1842, although James (and presumably the rest of the family) was living on it before that. In 1857, the children, many of them now married, sold it to William. William, like his father, was a blacksmith and one wonders if there was not a blacksmiths shop as well as a house on the property. William is buried in the burying ground.

William married Susan Hambleton in 1843. they had the following children: Abigail, 1845-?; Catherine, 1847-?; Isaac B. 1848-1891; James L. 1850-1913; Margaret 1852-?; Eugene 1854-?;

Almira J. 1856-1856 (buried in the cemetery).

In the 1850 census it hows that some of William’s siblings were still living in the home with him: Sarah age 20, Rosetta age 17 and Thomas age 16.

William died in 18 and is buried in the cemetery. He enlisted in Company A, Maine 4th Infantry Regiment on 15 June 1861. Mustered out on 02 September 1862. We do not know when he died but it was before 1870 as by the 1870 census his widow had married George Y. Cox and was living in Lincolnville with her children, Catherine age 24 working as a housekeeper, James age 20 a farm laborer, Margaret age 18 at home, Eugene, age 16 at home and her 12 year-old step-son, George E. Cox. There is no record of when Susan died.

William sold the property in 1857, to Henry Crooker. This may be the reason that no Metcalf house shows up in the 1859 map—it is all lumped together under Francis Crookers land. This 37 acre piece of land never sold for more than $225.00

Isaac B Metcalf (listed incorrectly on the Historical Society website as J.B.), son of William and Susan was born on 24 December 1848 and died on 9 April 1891 and is buried in the burying ground. in 1868 he married Mary Frances Tower and the had two children, William (1878-?) and Howard Jefferson (1879-1904) Metcalf. They lived for a time in Appleton and York,Maine. Mary Frances (born 1849) died in 1882 and in 1885, Isaac married Susan Bryant (1864-1887 in Searsmont. She died two years after they were married leaving Rosanna (1886-1962) and Eugene Lafayette (1887-1965) Metcalf. Rossanna is interesting as in 1990 she was adopted by Charles and Jennie Ness (they were an older couple and it appears that Jennie had no children) and her name was changed to Meda Iva Ness (In 1806 she married Harry McKinnon and she died in 1962, in Barnet Vermont.) In 1889, Isaac married Anna L. Harvey; they had no children.

Isaac enlisted in Company B, Maine B coast Guard company on 27 April 1864, age 16. Mustered out on 18 October 1864 He enlisted at age 18 as a Private.

The only other child of William and Susan that I have information on—and he is not buried in the cemetery—is James L who married Addie M. and they had no children. I am trying to figure out exactly where they lived but it may be the land along Frohock Brook where it comes to Slab City Road. James was a farmer.

The black flies and I were able to transcribe these epitaphs on the stones:

Along with his death date and his age (59 years, 3 months) his epitaph reads:

Friends, nor physicians could not save

His mortal body from the grave

Nor can the grave confine him here

When Christ shall call him to appear

Abigail L says that she was the wife of James and died Feb. 28, 1884, age 43 years, 4 months

Departing friends dry up your tears

I must be here till Christ appears

Almira, child of William and Susan Metcalf

Plucked from earth to bloom in heaven

I have more work to do but this part is definitely interesting. It took a while for me to find information on them—i have made attempts in the past with no luck and then suddenly…

Written by Corelyn Senn