Research

Below are four pages of Isaac Stevens' Probate from Graham County, Arizona Territory. I selected the pages from the Probate that shows information that all of us need for proving our direct line to Isaac and Priscilla Stevens (widow) and the children living at the time of Isaac Stevens' death. Isaac Stevens had no "Will", so the estate was Probated and there are over 24 pages in this Probate. If anyone wants to see the entire Probate, you will have to contact the Graham County Recorder's Office, Safford, AZ.: http://www.graham.az.gov/county-recorder/

While reviewing the document Bonnie provided us regarding Isaac's sale of land to Nathaniel Stevens in 1855, I noticed that they referred to the land in Medway Maine as "Nickatou Plantation" --which I'd never seen before. I did a little searching and found this at the University of Maine at Orono:

UM Orono Special Collections SpC MS 804 sc

The town of Medway, Maine was incorporated in 1875. Medway was called Nicatou before it was organized and had its beginning in 1826. Nicatou Plantation was organized in 1855. One of the earliest Justices of the Peace in the Plantation was Isaac J. Stevens who served from Feb. 7, 1849 to 1856.

The early records of a town in Maine. The two record books include minutes of meetings, warrants, records of votes in national and local elections, and records of marriage intentions.

So, I contacted the library and had them copy it all. It was not as full of gems as I'd hoped. There are numerous mentions of Isaac, but mostly just recording his election to the various positions he held in Nicatou (Town Clerk, various school committees, lumber surveyor and Justice of the Peace). I was hoping for something on his father, Jonathan, but there was only one reference to him in 1850, the same year he is listed on the census there. However, there are several personal property transfers from Isaac to Nathaniel Stevens that are really interesting. They paint a much clearer picture of Isaac's business in Maine and his attempts to pay off his debt to Nathaniel.

It's obvious from these records that the business that Isaac and his brother Moses were starting there was a lumber mill. There are two names given: the firm of IJ and MB Stevens, and the Nicatou Mill Company. I've actually been to this area in Maine and am amazed that a lumber business couldn't make it there. The area was densely forested: logging was the number one industry there-- and the location of Nicatou is at a peninsula of land between two branches of the Penobscot River which flows basically through the entire state of Maine and down to the sea. It seems like it would have been an ideal location for a mill. I would have lent them the money myself if I were Nathaniel. It would be interesting to know why the business didn't make it. But it seems they were definitely in trouble by the end of 1855. From the records, it appears that Isaac transferred nearly everything he owned on Nov 27th 1855 to Nathaniel (the same date as the land record Bonnie copied).

I've scanned the pages on the transfers to Nathaniel and transcribed the other records pertaining to Isaac. Also note that Isaac sells some hay to an Arnold Cates. This man is living in the same town in Minnesota as Isaac and Olive in 1857 and I believe he may be Olive's brother.