GenMassachusetts-L Archives

From: "Betty" <>
Subject: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] Edward P. WILKINS, MA to ME ~1900
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:02:29 -0400

Hello,

I took on a small, genealogy mystery this week, and I think I just solved
it, or at least part of it.

I continue to try to find out who the parents were of my ancestor, Samuel
WILKINS, b~1780, marring ~1800, and dying in 1867. He is my
"concrete-block wall" I've mentioned on the MA and ME Lists for several
years.

One or 2 of Samuel's grandsons moved from Amity, ME, in Aroostook Co., up to
Presque Isle, and I wanted to find out if any of his descendants were still
in the Presque Isle area. So, I wrote a "letter to the Editor" to a
newspaper in Presque Isle. Two days ago I heard from a gentleman in
another state who said that he knew there was a "WILKINS Store" in Presque
Isle for many years. And he said I should write to the Town Historian.
I did that and found out that the store was probably owned by an E.P.
WILKINS, and it started in 1913.

I wanted to find out if a WILKINS family in 1900 was related to the
descendants of Samuel in the 1800's. It took me 2 days, and a lot of
searching on-line, and I "think" I finally found some answers to the
mystery.

To start with, I found that a George WILKINS had arrived in Aroostook Co.,
Maine, with his wife and children in 1880, and he had been in other
counties in Maine, from 1860. (Possibly from a George in 1820 in Maine.)
This George WILKINS and his adult son, Charles WILKINS, were living in
Presque Isle in the 1900 census. But, George had an older son, Edward
WILKINS, who wasn't there. So, I thought he might be the owner of the
"Wilkins Store."

But, to make a long story short, I found this Edward in Houlton, ME, with a
wife and children in 1900, and he remained there, and possibly later owned a
hardware store.

I posted a query, and someone told me that an Edward P. WILKINS was living
in Presque Isle in the 1930 census. And, he was born in MA, and he was
probably born in 1872. In 1930 he was a widower and had 2 children and
they were living in a LEWIS home. This was probably the owner of the
"Wilkins Store."

I checked the earlier census pages, and I'm not finding this Edward P.
WILKINS in earlier census pages. And, I checked the 1880 census and I'm
not finding him in MA or ME - as a child. The 1930 census said that his
father had also been born in MA. There were many WILKINS families
through the 1700's and 1800's, so without knowing Edward's father's name, I
don't think I can find his family. So, I wondered whether anyone
recognized this name.

(The Town Historian in Presque Isle would be interested in learning more
about .. E. P. WILKINS.)

Betty (near Lowell, MA)


FYI:

The patriarch was Bray WILKINS from 1600's Middleton, MA, and he had "many"
children, and "many" descendants. And, the first name, Bray, probably
came down several generations.

But, while researching the large Charles WILKINS family in Presque Isle,
Maine, I discovered he had his first son, named Charles H. B. WILKINS.
It turns out that this son also went by the name, Bray WILKINS, and he was
listed as Bray WILKINS in the 1930 census in Presque Isle. Since
Charles' father, George, seems to have come from Maine families in the very
early 1800's, I found it interesting that the first name, Bray, was given
to a boy in very northern Maine after 1900.



(The long, complicated story about Samuel is in the archives of the Lists.
I am descended from him twice, through his daughter and then through his
younger son. As I've mentioned before, I'd "love" to be able to find out
if his parents were William and Sarah (BANCROFT) WILKINS from 1700's
Middleton, MA - descendants of Bray.)

It turns out that George WILKINS was living a town away from the sons of
Samuel WILKINS in Aroostook Co., ME, in 1880. But, I have no way of
knowing whether the 2 families were somehow related.

This thread:

• [GENMASSACHUSETTS] Edward P. WILKINS, MA to ME ~1900 by "Betty" <>