The Edward Sinclair place with the house now standing thereon was next to the Wood house, near the old schoolhouse. Edward Sinclair was born June 20, 1760, supposed at Beverly, where he died while on a visit May 19, 1827, aged sixty-seven years. He married Dec. 17, 1789, Mary Carleton, from Andover, a sister of David, Dudley, Edward and Moses Carleton. She was born Sept. 17, 1760, and died Jan. 1, 1841, aged 80 years and 4½ months. The writer remembers her well, and sat up with her body after her death, in company with John Chatteau, as was the custom of those days.
The Sinclair farm on the lower side of the road lay between the Cove and that of Marble Parker, and was bounded on the other side by land of Samuel R. Candage, the curve of the road, and land of Capt. Samuel Wood running over Oak hill to a wood lot and sheep pasture, containing a hundred acres or more.
The house, a large square mansion of two stories, painted yellow, and with a square roof, was fitted for two families, Mrs. Sinclair, Maria and Dudley, her children, occupying one-half, and Capt. Edward, another son, and his family, the opposite half, each having a side and back door, while in front was the door leading into the front hall and from that through doors either way to the separate apartments, with broad stairs to the upper chambers. It was the ideal house, in the mind of the writer in boyhood.
The family of Edward Sinclair, Sr., beside himself and wife already described, consisted of the following children, viz.:
- Maria Sinclair, born April 24, 1791; never married, died.
- Edward Sinclair, born Dec. 13, 1792; married Elizabeth Haskell July 5, 1825.
- Nabby Sinclair, burn Oct. 22, 1794; married Asa Clough, Jr., Aug. 1, 1827; she died Dec. 3, 1827.
- Dudley Sinclair, born August 17, 1796; never married; died at Rockland, Me.
- Ebenezer Sinclair, born March 1, 1798; never married; was a sailor, and died in Cuba of yellow fever.
- William Sinclair, born June 18, 1801; a ship captain; married in New York city; had children; died, no date.
As the family record of Edward Sinclair is not found at Blue Hill, it would suggest that his children were born elsewhere. Mr. Sinclair’s name is not found until 1815, although he may have been in town before that date. The mansion house was probably built a few years prior to his death in 1827.
Edward Sinclair, his second child, born Dec. 13, 1792, married July 5, 1825, Elizabeth Haskell, born in Beverly, Mass., April 20, 1800. Edward Sinclair, Jr., was a sea captain in his younger days, and later removed to Aroostook county with his family, where he died.
In the youth of the writer he resided in half of his mother’s house (his father being dead) where his children were born.
The other half was occupied by his mother, his sister Maria and brother Dudley, who carried on the farm. In that half the carpenters and workmen upon vessels built by the Sinclair’s were boarded and lodged.
When the bark “Virginia” was being built, a Col. Haskell, from Gloucester, Mass., was the blacksmith that fitted her ironwork. He was a good workman, a bachelor, but fond of a glass of grog. The vessel was launched on the Fourth of July, so the Colonel, being patriotic, celebrated in the manner of those days, and took as much grog as he could carry to the house conveniently, and seated himself at the dinner table.
The grog he had taken began its work and he imagined he was watching the ship start from the ways. “There she goes,” said he, leaning to one side. “There she goes”, and leaning further over Lost his balance and went sprawling under the table, from which position he was unable to rise without the help of the others about the table and then to be helped to his bed.
Dudley Sinclair was a good-natured bachelor who liked boys, always had a kind word for them and they in turn were fond of him. He told them stories, fished with them, knew where berries were to be found and was as companionable as though of their age and size. The writer looks back upon the time when he shared his friendship and enjoyed his companionship, as bright periods in his early life.
Capt. Edward Sinclair’s children were as follows, viz:
- Edward Dudley Sinclair, born Aug. 1, 1826; died June 6, 1834.
- Frederick Augustus Sinclair, born March 9, 1828; drowned in California.
- Elizabeth H. Sinclair, born Oct. 1, 1829; married ____ Carter, of Sedgwick.
- Mary Carleton Sinclair, born Sept. 10, 1830; married ____ Burnham, lives at Sherman Mills, Maine.
- Robert Haskell Sinclair, born Aug. 6, 1833; a soldier of the War of the Rebellion.
- Edward Sinclair, born June 14, 1835; died unmarried.
- Frances Sinclair, born April 3, 1838; died unmarried.
- Andrew Sinclair, born Nov. 1, 1840; married, resides at Sedgwick.
At this writing none of the blood or name of Sinclair resides at Blue Hill. Dudley Sinclair sold the farm to Otis Roberts, after his brother Edward and family removed to Aroostook, and went to Rockland, Me., where he died at a good age. Mr. Roberts sold the place to Harvey Conary, who, with his wife, lived some years upon it, and there died, leaving a son and daughter. The son has half the farm and lives in a house built by him near by. The old house and part of the land went to his sister, the wife of Burt H. Candage, son of Robert Parker and Sarah E. Candage, who still owns it. The old house has been kept in repair and is the finest residence in the Tide Mill district.