1877
Map of
the Crouseville area.
What
is today State Road 164, which passes directly through Crouseville as
it follows the Aroostook River, was originally built by the property
owners living along its path as means of obtaining clear title to
their property from the government. William Crouse acquired clear
title to his 127.5 acres in Section 4, Lot 3 on October 17, 1867 “in
consideration of settling duties and road labor completed”.[53]
William
had lived on the property since the 1850’s and was living there
during the 1862 Crouseville Diphtheria Epidemic, when he lost his
first wife Prudence Crouse, nee Churchill, to the deadly disease on
May 19, 1862. In the fall of 1862 William, with his small boy Nelson
to look after, officially became engaged to his first cousin Lucy
Clark. They married and lived on their 127.5 acre homestead. On
November 13, 1867, a month after getting clear title, William sold Lot
3 to his brother-in-law Job Churchill, the husband to William’s
sister Annie.[54]
Job Churchill in turn sold the property to Jeremiah Crouse on March
15, 1869.[55]
Jeremiah was starting to accumulate various land holdings and by the
1870’s he was very active in Crouseville real estate development,
buying, improving and selling many properties. On Map
3, Section 4, Lot 1, Lot 2 and Lot 3 are labeled “J. Crouse” and
are all Jeremiah Crouse’s properties. Section 4, Lot 4, labeled
“W. Crouse” is now owned by William Crouse.
On
Map
3, Section 5, Lot 3, labeled “G. Easler” is owned by George Easler.
The Easlers are one of the important pioneer families of Crouseville.
Jeremiah Flewelling moved from Woodland, Maine and settled in
Crouseville on the south bank of the Aroostook River in 1869.[56]
The Flewellings are another family line that would have a positive
impact on Crouseville in the decades to come.
Section
5, Lot 4, which on Map
3 is labeled “J. M. Crouse”, is now owned by Joshua Crouse, who
obtained this 110 acres from his parents, Gould and Hepzibah Crouse.
In the deed that was recorded October, 14, 1872, the price was $200
plus the following “Retirement Plan”.
"Gould
Crouse Jr. and Joshua M. Crouse, there at all times during the natural
lives of the said Gould Crouse and Hepzibah Crouse, or the survivor of
them, will and suitably support, and maintain the said Gould Crouse
& Hepzibah Crouse in the house of said grantors and provide them
with meat, drink, clothes, nursing, medicine & other things
necessary for their comfortable support." [57]
In
the 1862 Crouseville Diphtheria Epidemic Abraham lost his first wife,
Caroline Crouse, nee Christie.
Abraham married Bethiah Clark in 1863.[58]
They lived on the Crouseville flats on Section 4, Lot 1, of which
Abraham gained full title on May 15, 1862.[59]
As shown on Map
3, Jeremiah Crouse is now the owner of Lot 1. Around 1871 Abraham
acquired Lot 92 in Section 10 where he established his homestead.