Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

ESTES It is said by antiquarians that Albert Azo II, Marquis of Liguria, born about A.D. 1097, was founder of the houses of Este and Brunswick. The former was conspicuous in Italy as late as the middle of the eighteenth century, about which time its direct line failed in the death of Hercules III, he being of the twenty-second generation from Azo II. Such is the foundation of this ancient house. The name Este is said to have been derived from a colony planted in the seventh century of Rome, about fifteen miles south of the city of Padua, and called Asteste, or Este, which latter name the marquis of Liguria assumed in the early part of the fourteenth century. The name written Este is plural, and is used to represent the whole family. Tradition has it that the name was brought into England by one Francesco, natural son of Marquis Leonnello, and who went first to Bergundy and escaped thence into England, and afterward made his home in that county. The period of his life lay between 1434 and 1444. The immigrant Estes family here about to be considered begins with Robert and Dorothy Estes, of Dover, England, whose ancestry has not been clearly settled, but concerming whose descendants there is no uncertain tradition. (I) Richard Estes, immigrant, son of Robert and Dorothy, is said to have been born 3 mo., 1647, and as stated in the records of the Friends' Meeting in Lynn, Mass., lived in England until 11, 7mo. 1684, "and by certificate from ye people of God in Newington, East Kent, England, were married at Dover, New Hampshire, 23, 4mo. 1687, to Elizabeth Beck, Great Island (Portsmouth.)." He is believed to have left the Downs, in England, in Sept., 1684, arrived in Boston, New England, in the latter part of Nov., and soon went to Great Island, now Portsmouth, to join his brother Matthew, who had preceded him about two years. Richard Estes was a weaver. In 1686 he had a deed of sixty acres of land in Kittery, Maine, and in 1692-93 was in Salem, Mass., where in 1694 he is called sleymaker (maker of weavers' reeds). In 1695 he was of Lynn, Mass., and bought lands there. He appears to have become possessed of many tracts of land in Lynn and Salem, and spent the later years of his life in the town last mentioned, where in 1726-27 he deeded lands to his son Benjamin. He was of the Society of Friends, and a very devout man, upright in his daily walk. He married, at Dover, N. H., June 23, 1687, Elizabeth Beck, of Great Island, born 8, 11mo. 1663, probably a daughter of Henry Beck, who was an inhabitant of Dover in 1642, when he had a twenty-acre lot granted him. Children: 1. A son, born and died the same day. 2. Matthew, born June 27, 1689, died May 11, 1774. 3. Joseph, born Jan. 16, 1690, died young. 4. Sarah, born in Salem, May 5, 1693, died Jan. 10, 1773. 5. Robert, born Aug. 27, 1694. 6. Joseph, born Aug. 26, 1696, died May 5, 1770. 7. Benjamin, born July 10, 1698. 8. Henry, born April 9, 1701. 9. Philadelphia, born Feb. 7, 1702, died March 25, 1703. 10. Edward, born Feb. 20, 1703-04. 11. Samuel, born May 23, 1709. (II) Edward, son of Richard and Elizabeth (Beck) Estes, was born in Lynn, Mass., Feb. 20, 1703-04, and died in Royalsborough, now Durham, Maine, Feb. 13, 1788. In 1726 he was living in Scituate, Mass., and afterward of Hanover, Mass., where he is called blacksmith and yeoman, and was there as late as 1748. In 1750 he was of North Yarmouth, now Harpswell, Maine. He married, Aug. 27, 1730, Patience, daughter of John and Waite (Easton) Carr, of Newport, Rhode Island, and widow of Joseph Peckman. She also was a granddaughter of Caleb Carr, who was governor of R. I. in 1695. Children: 1. Elizabeth, born June 1, 1731. 2. Waite, born May 1, 1733. 3. Ann, born May 14, 1735, died 1790. 4. Israel, born Aug. 27, 1737, died May 13, 1742. 5. John, born Aug. 13, 1739. 6. Caleb, born Aug. 10, 1741, died 1744. 7. Mary, born Sept. 24, 1743. 8. Edward, born Nov. 11, 1745. 9. Caleb, born Nov. 26, 1747. 10. Patience, born Sept. 15, 1748. 11. Joseph, born July 21, 1750. 12. Sarah, born April 16, 1752. (III) Caleb, son of Edward and Patience (Carr-Peckham) Estes, was born in Hanover, Mass., Nov. 26 ,1747, and died 11. 3mo. 1822. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and a farmer by principal occupation. He married (first) June 24, 1769, Lydia, daughter of John Bishop, whose own wife was an Estes. Lydia was born Aug. 20, 1749, and died May 4, 1815. He married (second) Oct. 17, 1816, Eunice (Nichols) Estes, widow of Joseph Estes, of Sandwich, New Hampshire. Children of 1st wife: 1. Lydia, born May 8, 1770. 2. Sarah, born March 4, 1772. 3. Simeon, born Feb. 17, 1774, died July 6, 1863. 4. Patience, born Jan. 29, 1776; married James Estes. 5. Caleb, born April 6, 1778, died May 25, 1864. 6. Joseph, born May 9, 1780. 7. Israel, born Aug. 5, 1782, died March 15, 1875. 8. Thomas, born Aug. 20, 1784, died Oct. 16, 1870. 9. John, born Oct. 19, 1786, died Nov. 22, 1787. 10. Desire, born Oct. 15, 1788, died July 15, 1880. 11. Mary, born Feb. 15, 1792, died Feb. 22, 1865. (IV) Joseph Estes, son of Caleb and Lydia (Bishop) Estes, was born in Durham, Maine, May 9, 1780, and died Nov. 16, 1851. He married, Oct. 1, 1801, Mary Jones, born Nov. 20, 1777, died May 23, 1850, daughter of Noah and Patience (Joy) Jones. Children: 1. Patience, born July 22, 1802, died July 19, 1887. 2. Amaziah, born Feb. 7, 1804; married Mary Coombs. 3. Eunice, born Sept. 29, 1805. 4. Ephraim J., born March 8, 1808, died April 15, 1828. 5. Barzilla, born April 20, 1811. 6. Alvin, born July 18, 1813, died July 13, 1863; enlisted in Company A, Ninth Maine Volunteer Infantry. 7. Harriet, born March 24, 1816, died Dec. 15, 1825. (V) Barzilla, son of Joseph and Mary (Jones) Estes, was born in China, Maine, April 20, 1811. He married (first) Emelea Johnson; married (second) Nov. 4, 1842, Phebe Ann Coombs, born March 27, 1826, daughter of Joshua and Phebe (Witherell) Coombs. Children: 1. Llewellyn Gerrish, born Dec. 27, 1843. 2. Illdefonce Cleora, born March 25, 1845; married Nathaniel Wilson Jr., June, 1888. 3. Chelsea L., born Dec. 10, 1846; married (first) Cornelia Heaton, (second) Julia Hall. 4. Henry A., born Aug. 15, 1848, died July 10, 1849. 5. Annie Maria, born Oct. 10, 1854; married Oct. 9, 1878, Charles E. Bedlow, of Portland Maine, b. June 23, 1849. One child: Phoebe Estes Bedlow, b. May 4, 1882. (VI) General Llewellyn Gerrish Estes, eldest child of Barzilla and Phebe Ann (Coombs) Estes, was born Dec. 27, 1843, and died Feb. 21, 1905. He was but seventeen years old when he enlisted for service during the war of the rebellion, in which he made a most distinguished record, participating in one hundred and twenty-one battles and skirmishes, receiving five wounds, and rising from non-commissioned grade to the rank of brevet brigadier-general. The following resume of his service is from the records of the War Department, and the official "Rebellion Records," in which he is fifteen times mentioned, with most commendatory words by his superiors. He was mustered into service as first sergeant of the First Regiment Maine Cavalry, Oct. 19, 1861; promoted to first lieutenant March 24, 1862; to captain Aug. 1, 1863; to captain and acting assistant adjutant general Sept. 4, 1863; to major and acting assistant adjutant general Feb. 2, 1865; breveted lieutenant-colonel and colonel March 13, 1865, "for gallant and meritorious services during the campaign in Georgia and the Carolinas," and on same day was breveted brigadier-general for "faithful and meritorius services"; was awarded medal of honor Aug. 28, 1894, "for having voluntarily led troops over a burning bridge at Flint River, Georgia, Aug. 30, 1863"; honorably mustered out Sept. 29, 1865, the war being ended, he then lacking three months of having attained his majority. He participated in the battles of Second Bull Run and Gettysburg. Early in May, 1863, prior to the last-named great battle, while bearing a message from General Kirkpatrick to General Hooker, he and his escort of fourteen men were captured by Confederate troops and started to Richmond as a prisoner of war. The first night out, he and his men captured their guard, and conveyed them (a lieutenant and twelve men) into the Union lines as prisoners. The adjutant-general of Maine refers to this achievement as "a feat full of romance, and worthy of the best days of chivalry." General Estes was adjutant-general to General Kilpatirkc's almost three years, and during Sherman's "March to the Sea," and the campaign of the Carolinas. In the vicinity of Milledgeville, Georgia, General Sherman dispatched Estes with two hundred canalrymen to rescue Union prisoners confined at Millen. The enterprise was dangerous in the extreme, the enemy being in great force in that section. By detours and night marches covering about one hundred and twenty miles in the heart of the enemy's country, he reached within a few miles of Millen, to find that the prisoners had been removed farther south. He returned without losing a single man, and the exploit was pronounced remarkable by both Generals Sherman and Kilpatrick. He received his medal of honor for his distinguished gallantry at Flint River, Georgia, in 1864, for vomuntarily taking command of troops and making a gallant charge across a burning bridge upon the rear guard of the enemy, driving them from their barracades and extinguishing the fire, thereby securing water for the Union troops and enabling them to take advantageous positon on the further bank. In referring to this feat, General O. O. Howard said that he regarded it "as one of the most gallant acts of our war." General Estes was in advance of General Sherman's army at Savannah, and was the first man to communicate with the fleet after arriving at the coast at the conclusion of the notable "March to the Sea." The "Rebellion Records" in fifteen places mention in most commendatory words his record as written by his superiors. General Thomas J. Jordan wrote of him: "To personal bravery of the most chivalric kind he adds coolness of judgment and capacity to think while in the most tying and dangerous postions." General Smith D. Adkins said of himL "I knew him to be brave almost to a fault." General Kilpartick wrote: "To Major Estes, my adjutant-general, I am greatly indebted for my successes in the raid around Atlanta, and in the campaigns through Georgia and the Carolinas, and I cheerfully recommend him for promotion." In forwarding the recommendation, General Sherman added as his testimony: "This officer I recommend for great gallantry and skill in battle," and again, as late as 1889, he said in a letter: "Even at this day I recall to memory this earnest and most gallant officer, and believe that the United States government should reward such men." To such commendation may be added the comment of the adjutant-general of the state of Maine, who in 1865 said: "The career of General Estes was indeed remarkable. In the short pace of less than four years, thorugh his own skill and bravery, without the aid of powerful political friends, he advanced from the position of private in the ranks to that of brevet brigadier-general before he reached the twenty-first year of his life." General Edward M. Hayes, U.S.A., who served with Estes in 1864 and 1865, said: "I regard Estes the best cavalry officer whom I ever knew." More recently President Roosevelt said to him personally: "General Estes, I would rather have your record than to be the President of the United States." But space does not permit the presentation of the many commendartory reports and testimony of his superiors. His record for gallantry in action and devotion to duty during the four years of arduous service is amply attested by the official records and by testimony of his contemporaries. General Estes was honored with elevation to high places in military organizations after the war. He served as chief of staff, Department of the Potomac, Grand Army of the Republic; president of the Cavalry Association of Armies of the United States; vice-president of the Society of the Army of the Potomac; and at his demise was commander of the Medal of Honor Legion. He married, Aug. 30, 1866, Julia Whiting, born in New York City, Dec. 28, 1844, daughter of George and Mary (Roe) Whiting, of New York. Children: 1. Julia Maude, born in New York City, Nov. 15, 1868; married Robert E. Parker, of Washington, D. C. 2. Llewellyn W.; see forward. (VII) Llewellyn Whiting Estes, only son of General Llewellyn Gerrish and Julia (Whiting) Estes, was born in Edgecomb county, North Carolina, July 24, 1872. He was educated at the military academy at Davis, Louisiana. After leaving school he became a planter, but in the course of a few years went to Washington, D. C., and engaged in a general insurance business. Still later he became interested in the manufacture of proprietary medicines, and now is sole proprietor of the Great American Herb Company, and American Drug Company, with principal offices and place of business in Washington. Mr. Estes is a communicant of St. Stephen's Church (Protestant Episcopal), Washington; member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, the Medal of Honor Society, and in politics is a Republican. He married, April 24, 1895, Florence Andrews, and has one child, Marion Whiting Estes, born in Washington, June 10, 1898.