Some Descendants of Calvin SHARMAN

Calvin SHARMAN arrived in St. David before 1800

by Stephen Robbins (contact [email protected] for more information)

Download an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file of the Sharman Bible page - 115k - .pdf

Generation No. 1

1. Calvin6 SHARMAN (Valentine5 SHERMAN, Robert4, Ebenezer3, William2, William1) was born 26 May 1776 in Marshfield, Mass., and died 13 April 1848 in Robbinston, Maine. He married Elizabeth TOWERS 11 May 1801 in St. David, N.B., Canada, daughter of William TOWERS and Ann STAPLES. She was born 24 August 1785 in N.B., Canada, and died 12 April 1870 in Robbinston, Maine.

More About Calvin SHARMAN:
Burial: Sharman Family Cemetery, Bearman Hill, Robbinston, Maine

Notes for Elizabeth TOWERS:
There is some question as to where Elizabeth Towers was born. She wrote
in her Family Bible that she was born in St. David, N.B. However it is
likely that she was born in St. Andrews, N.B., as her father was building
a house there for someone at the time she was born.

More About Elizabeth TOWERS:
Burial: Sharman Family Cemetery, Bearman Hill, Robbinston, Maine

More About Calvin SHARMAN and Elizabeth TOWERS:
Marriage: 11 May 1801, St. David, N.B., Canada

Children of Calvin SHARMAN and Elizabeth TOWERS are:
+ 2 i. Anna7 SHARMAN, born 06 April 1802 in St. David, N.B., Canada.
3 ii. Harris SHARMAN, born 04 November 1806 in St. David, N.B., Canada; died 1859.

Notes for Harris SHARMAN:
Harris Sharman never married. In the 1850 U.S. Census of Robbinston, Maine, he is listed as a farmer, with an estate valued $350.

4 iii. Cyrene SHARMAN, born 22 March 1809 in St. David, N.B., Canada; died 12 February 1850.

Notes for Cyrene SHARMAN:
Cyrene Sharman never married.

+ 5 iv. William Towers SHARMAN, born 21 October 1811 in St. David, N.B., Canada; died 20 August 1885 in Robbinston, Maine.
+ 6 v. Jane Hannah SHARMAN, born 20 December 1813 in Maine; died 05 August 1891.
7 vi. Charlotte Olive SHARMAN, born 13 May 1817. She married (1) Bealey LORING. She married (2) HAMMOND.
+ 8 vii. Susannah SHARMAN, born 30 May 1823 in Robbinston, Maine.

2. Anna7 SHARMAN (Calvin6, Valentine5 SHERMAN, Robert4, Ebenezer3, William2, William1) was born 06 April 1802 in St. David, N.B., Canada. She married SPRAGUE.

Child of Anna SHARMAN and SPRAGUE is:
9 i. [daughter8 SPRAGUE]. She married HUGHES.

Notes for [daughter SPRAGUE]:
This Mr. and Mrs. Hughes lived in Auburn, Maine.

5. William Towers7 SHARMAN (Calvin6, Valentine5 SHERMAN, Robert4, Ebenezer3, William2, William1) was born 21 October 1811 in St. David, N.B., Canada, and died 20 August 1885 in Robbinston, Maine. He married Ruth ALLEN 27 June 1866 in Robbinston, Maine, daughter of William ALLEN and Amy COOK. She was born 24 May 1835 in Robbinston, Maine, and died 03 February 1929 in Robbinston, Maine.

Notes for William Towers SHARMAN:
William Towers Sharman was born at Lower Tower Hill in St. David, N.B.,
Canada, the son of Calvin and Elizabeth (Towers) Sharman. William Towers
Sharman attended the local school in St. David, N.B. He is mentioned in
Leonard Scott's "Early Reminiscences : A Poem, Descriptive of Country Life
in the Province of New Brunswick Forty Years Ago" (New York : Leonard
Scott & Co., c1864. Microfilm copy available at St. Stephen, N.B. Public
Library, known as "Hyslop Collection"), in the part entitled "Names and
Characteristics of the Scholars" (p. 18):

"And the Sharmans who came from below Tower Hill -- Rough Harris, dark
Ann, and Serene -- And another one still, I believe they called Will Whom
his school-mates pronounced rather green."

Annie (Bearman) (Lyons) Dodge said that Calvin Sharman and his brother
Stephen had a sawmill and a store at St. David, N.B.; that they got burned
out; then Calvin Sharman moved his family to Robbinston, Maine about 1820.
At first they lived near the St. Croix River in Robbinston, probably in a
log house and probably near the present Catholic Church. Later, Calvin
bought a quarter section of land in Robbinston which became the family
homestead on Sherman Hill (now called Bearman Hill). The family lived in
an old building on that part of his land called "The Morrill Field". Then
Calvin built a barn. Later, about 1835, he built a Cape Cod style
farmhouse which still stands, and only recently (about 1993) passed out of
the family. The most recent family members to have lived there were three
of Calvin's great-grandchildren: Annie (Bearman) (Lyons) Dodge, her
brother Allen Bearman, and their cousin Oscar Sherman. William Towers
Sharman inherited the home place. After his father's death in 1848, he
cared for his mother, and didn't marry until age 54, in 1866. William's
mother had something to do with his meeting the girl he would pick to be
his bride (or did his mother do the picking?). William at one time had
been engaged to marry some young lady. But shortly before the wedding
date, she died of consumption (tuberculosis). William A. Sharman said that
her funeral was on the same date the wedding would have taken place. Ruth
Allen had been engaged to a Mr. Johnson, who was either drafted or
enlisted to serve in the Civil War. They were to be married after he
returned. He died in the war. At about this time Elizabeth (Towers)
Sharman hired Ruth Allen to work in her home, and was quite pleased with
Ruth's abilities: Why, Ruth could catch the sheep, help shear them, wash
the wool, then pick, card and spin it; and then Ruth could weave, and make
both men's and women's clothing! (Minerva Gray remembers there was a
large loom, still in the Sharman house in the early 1900's, set up in the
front living room at the north wall.). The fact was that Ruth Allen was
about the only girl whom Elizabeth (Towers) Sharman thought good enough
for her son to marry. William Towers Sharman (age 54) wed Ruth Allen (age
31) on 27 June 1866. During the long-rememered "Saxby Gale", which hit
Robbinston about 4 October 1869, William and Ruth went outside to shut the
cellar door, but with great difficulty. And it was during this storm that
the winds blew their house off the foundation (Minerva Gray says the
distance was about a foot). Originally the house had a large ell, toward
the south, containing "two rooms and a chimney." The end room was for
sleeping, the other for cooking. The outer door to the ell was left
continuously unlocked, so that one entering at night could do so without
disturbing the family, and could find sleeping quarters. During the
daytime, persons traveling by foot up the long, steep hill would often
stop to rest at the Sharman house and would be given a cup of tea and a
lunch. William T. Sherman had a reputation for telling jokes and humorous
stories. There are many more anecdotes about he and his wife which could
be told here.

More About William Towers SHARMAN:
Burial: Sharman Family Cemetery, Bearman Hill, Robbinston, Maine

Notes for Ruth ALLEN:
The following item is from a letter written by Mrs. Wealthy E. Brooks of
Calais, Me., published in the Eastport Sentinel (Eastport, Me.) on 27 Jan.
1932. Wealthy had grown up in Robbinston, Maine, married Abel Brooks in
1867. Steve Robbins found this article (a lengthy and interesting one) at
Maine State Library in Augusta, Maine (call number: 974.1 tR63):
"Robbinston As It Used To Be". [excerpt about Ruth Allen]: "The young
people of today know nothing about hard work. The girls hired out
spinning wool to make cloth. We country girls could all spin. Mr. Storer
at Mill Cove had a carding mill and Mr. Storer made all the rolls and the
women did the spinning. We had four women in town who did the weaving,
Mrs. Ruth Sherman, Mrs. James Ferson, Mrs. Davis Diffin and Mrs. Waterman.
To make coats and pants we had the cloth woven twilled and then sent to a
Mr. Peabody at Princeton who dyed and pressed it. After that we got a
home woman and a tailor to make the garments." The following story from
Minerva Gray: Grammie Sharman would go around as a practical nurse to
Robbinston, Red Beach and Calais. She had quite a lot of work. When they
went out nursing then, she'd be called to a home and was always expected
to not only take care of the sick patient, but also take care of the
patient's children, keep their house, cook their meals, do their laundry,
make the butter, etc., while there. She was down to Howard Cleland's at
South Robbinston to care for his wife Alice, who was poorly. Minerva
heard Grammie Sharman say that Howard was a big help; he would help Ruth
with lifting his wife up off the bed, when she had to be turned in bed,
etc.

Many more stories about Ruth (Allen) Sharman could be told here.

More About Ruth ALLEN:
Burial: Brewer Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine

Marriage Notes for William SHARMAN and Ruth ALLEN:
They were married by Elder Edward Turner.

More About William SHARMAN and Ruth ALLEN:
Marriage: 27 June 1866, Robbinston, Maine

Children of William SHARMAN and Ruth ALLEN are:
+ 10 i. Amy Elizabeth8 SHARMAN, born 06 June 1867 in Robbinston, Maine; died 1954.
+ 11 ii. Edward Harris SHARMAN, born 02 July 1869 in Robbinston, Maine.
+ 12 iii. William Allen SHARMAN, born 09 September 1872 in Robbinston, Maine; died 04 November 1959 in Coopers Mills, Maine.
+ 13 iv. David Bellvue SHERMAN, born 20 October 1875 in Robbinston, Maine; died 05 March 1964.
+ 14 v. Gertrude Victoria SHARMAN, born 11 August 1878 in Robbinston, Maine; died Abt. 07 October 1950.

6. Jane Hannah7 SHARMAN (Calvin6, Valentine5 SHERMAN, Robert4, Ebenezer3, William2, William1) was born 20 December 1813 in Maine, and died 05 August 1891. She married Calvin WADSWORTH. He was born Abt. 1804, and died 11 July 1879.

Notes for Jane Hannah SHARMAN:
Jane Sharman married Calvin Wadsworth of Calais or Milltown, Maine. Jane died 5 August 1891, age 78 years. Her husband Calvin Wadsworth died 11 July 1879, age 75 years. They are both buried in the oldest section of the South Street Cemetery in Calais, Maine.

Jane and Calvin Wadsworth had a son who drowned in Maguerrewock Stream at Milltown, Maine. The name of this son is not known at this time, although it was possibly James F. (who died 25 March 1848, age 8 years and 8 months). [Need to research the Calais newspapers at this time to see if there is news of the death or of the drowning].

More About Jane Hannah SHARMAN:
Burial: South Street Cemetery, Calais, Maine

More About Calvin WADSWORTH:
Burial: South Street Cemetery, Calais, Maine

Children of Jane SHARMAN and Calvin WADSWORTH are:
15 i. Elias K.8 WADSWORTH, born 14 November 1843; died 03 December 1863.

Notes for Elias K. WADSWORTH:
Elias K. Wadsworth enlisted in the U.S. Navy on 8 October 1863. He was reported lost from the U.S.S. Sassacus (a man-of-war ship) on 3 December 1863. There is a monument to his memory in the South Street Cemetery in Calais, Maine.

16 ii. Martha P. WADSWORTH, born Abt. August 1844; died 22 September 1852.

Notes for Martha P. WADSWORTH:
Martha P. Wadsworth died 22 September 1852, age 18 years and 1 month. She is buried in the South Street Cemetery in Calais, Maine.

More About Martha P. WADSWORTH:
Burial: South Street Cemetery, Calais, Maine

17 iii. Elizabeth WADSWORTH.

Notes for Elizabeth WADSWORTH:
Elizabeth Wadsworth never married.

18 iv. James F. WADSWORTH, born Abt. July 1839; died 25 March 1848.

Notes for James F. WADSWORTH:
James F. Wadsworth died 25 March 1848, age 8 years and 8 months. He is buried in the South Street Cemetery in Calais, Maine.

More About James F. WADSWORTH:
Burial: South Street Cemetery, Calais, Maine

8. Susannah7 SHARMAN (Calvin6, Valentine5 SHERMAN, Robert4, Ebenezer3, William2, William1) was born 30 May 1823 in Robbinston, Maine. She married William R. WATERMAN. He was born Abt. 1823.

Notes for Susannah SHARMAN:
Susannah Sharman married William R. Waterman of Belfast, Maine. When first married, they lived in Robbinston, Maine, and according to the 1850 Census there, William Waterman was a laborer, age 27. The family then moved to Pembroke, Maine and later settled in Charlottetown, P.E.I., Canada. Susannah and William are buried in Charlottetown, P.E.I., Canada. However, their children Charlotte and Abby are buried in the Sharman Family Cemetery in Robbinston, Maine.

More About Susannah SHARMAN:
Burial: Charlottetown, P.E.I., Canada

More About William R. WATERMAN:
Burial: Charlottetown, P.E.I., Canada

Children of Susannah SHARMAN and William WATERMAN are:
+ 19 i. Hiram8 WATERMAN.
20 ii. Randal WATERMAN.

Notes for Randal WATERMAN:
Randal Waterman is "probably buried in Charlottetown, P.E.I., Canada."

21 iii. Gertrude WATERMAN.
22 iv. Charlotte WATERMAN.

More About Charlotte WATERMAN:
Burial: Sharman Family Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine

23 v. Abby WATERMAN.

More About Abby WATERMAN:
Burial: Sharman Family Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine

Generation No. 3

10. Amy Elizabeth8 SHARMAN (William Towers7, Calvin6, Valentine5 SHERMAN, Robert4, Ebenezer3, William2, William1) was born 06 June 1867 in Robbinston, Maine, and died 1954. She married George B. BEARMAN. He was born 1851, and died 1927.

Notes for Amy Elizabeth SHARMAN:
Minerva Gray tells a story about "Aunt Amy": When Aunt Amy Sherman was a
girl, one day she was down in the Morrill Field gathering berries, and a
large black snake wound himself tightly all around her leg (that was how a
snake would likk a small animal, by squeezing it). She was very
frightened, so she screamed. Her mother, Ruth (Allen) Sharman, heard the
screams, went to Amy's aid, but had an awful time; it was quite a long
time before Ruth could get the snake to unwind himself from Amy's leg (she
probably used a stick).

More About Amy Elizabeth SHARMAN:
Burial: Brewer Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine

Notes for George B. BEARMAN:
George Bearman was from South Hampton, England and served in the English
Navy prior to coming to Robbinston, Me. (The story is that he jumped ship
in St. John, N.B.). After his marriage, he and his wife lived on the
Calvin Sharman homestead on Sharman Hill (later called Bearman Hill) in
Robbinston, Maine, which was Amy's birthplace.

More About George B. BEARMAN:
Burial: Brewer Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine

Children of Amy SHARMAN and George BEARMAN are:
24 i. William Adam9 BEARMAN, born 03 July 1885 in Robbinston, Maine; died 20 March 1886.
25 ii. William Adam BEARMAN, born 28 December 1886; died 22 September 1959.

Notes for William Adam BEARMAN:
"Willie" Bearman never married. On his gravestone: "William A. Bearman,
Maine, PFC, Co. H, 73 Infantry, World War 1."

More About William Adam BEARMAN:
Burial: Brewer Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine
Title: [the 2nd]

26 iii. Harry Wellington BEARMAN, born 21 December 1889; died 29 November 1944. He married Edith AYERS; born 1898; died 1984.
27 iv. Lillian Ethel BEARMAN, born 11 August 1892; died 29 November 1892.
28 v. Ruth Annie BEARMAN, born 20 May 1894 in Robbinston, Maine; died 1989 in Brewer Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine. She married (1) Melvin LYONS. She married (2) Raymond DODGE.

Notes for Ruth Annie BEARMAN:
She was called "Annie". Annie and her first husband, Raymond Dodge, were
divorced. She married (2nd) Melvin Lyons. She had no children by Melvin
Lyons, to whom she remained married until his death.

Notes for Melvin LYONS:
Melvin Lyons was from Pembroke, Maine.

29 vi. Harvey David BEARMAN, born 19 May 1897 in Robbinston, Maine; died 02 December 1975. He married Julia I. BLOOD; born 10 November 1904; died 10 September 1989.

Notes for Harvey David BEARMAN:
Harvey Bearman served in World War I. He and his wife lived in East
Holden, Maine. Harvey was a civilian worker at Dow Air Force Base in
Bangor, Maine (which was not built until the time of World War II).

More About Harvey David BEARMAN:
Burial: Brewer Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine

More About Julia I. BLOOD:
Burial: Brewer Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine.

30 vii. Vena Gertrude BEARMAN, born 08 June 1900; died 24 June 1903.
31 viii. Edward Allen BEARMAN, born 27 December 1902; died 1986 in Brewer Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine.

Notes for Edward Allen BEARMAN:
He was called "Allen". He never married.

11. Edward Harris8 SHARMAN (William Towers7, Calvin6, Valentine5 SHERMAN, Robert4, Ebenezer3, William2, William1) was born 02 July 1869 in Robbinston, Maine. He married Caroline POTTER.

Notes for Edward Harris SHARMAN:
He lived near Houlton, Maine (at Woodstock?). In 1965, he was living at
Hodgdon, Maine.

Notes for Caroline POTTER:
She was called "Carrie". She was from Hodgdon, Maine.

Children of Edward SHARMAN and Caroline POTTER are:
32 i. Iva9 SHARMAN. She married Delmas PORTER.

Notes for Iva SHARMAN:
She was living in Meductic, N.B., Canada, in l967.

Notes for Delmas PORTER:
Delmas Porter was from Meductic, N.B.

33 ii. Mildred SHARMAN. She married MERRITT.

Notes for Mildred SHARMAN:
"Mildred married an old man of Hodgdon, [Maine]; no children", according
to Minerva Gray in 1965.

12. William Allen8 SHARMAN (William Towers7, Calvin6, Valentine5 SHERMAN, Robert4, Ebenezer3, William2, William1) was born 09 September 1872 in Robbinston, Maine, and died 04 November 1959 in Coopers Mills, Maine. He married Clara Estella NASH 14 July 1894 in Robbinston, Maine, daughter of Jacob ROAK and Emeline NASH. She was born 09 August 1873 in Robbinston, Maine, and died 21 March 1950 in Robbinston, Maine.

Notes for William Allen SHARMAN:
William Allen Sharman was called "Allen". He worked in Robbinston Maine
at various jobs at various times, including as a farmhand, lumberjack (one
winter at Whytopitlock, Maine), granite quarry worker (Red Beach Granite),
plaster mill worker, farmer, and sardine factory worker (Holmes Sardine
Factory, where his wife and daughters also worked). One humorous story
about him was recently published as "37. Crow on the Steeple" in John K.
Brooks' book "Our Scene" (Gardiner, Maine : Steele Pub. Co., c1989): page
73. Although Brooks refers to him in the story as "Bill Sharman", the
story is really about William A. "Allen" Sharman and not about his father
William Towers Sharman who was known as "Bill". William T. Sharman died in
1885; Brooks' story took place, he says, in 1910. Much more could be
written here about W. A. & Clara (Nash) Sharman.

More About William Allen SHARMAN:
Burial: Brewer Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine

Notes for Clara Estella NASH:
Clara Estella Nash was called "Stell". She was the daughter
of Emeline Gerry Nash of Robbinston, Maine and Jacob Roak, Jr. of Auburn,
Maine. Clara was raised by her grandparents, Isaac William Nash and
Almira Swett (Loring) Nash of Robbinston, Maine.

More About Clara Estella NASH:
Burial: 23 March 1950, Brewer Cemetery, Robbinston, Maine

More About William SHARMAN and Clara NASH:
Marriage: 14 July 1894, Robbinston, Maine

Children of William SHARMAN and Clara NASH are:
34 i. Ruth Almira9 SHARMAN, born 30 September 1894 in Robbinston, Maine; died January 1976. She married Harry BURGESS; born 02 May 1895 in Little Ridge, N.B., Canada; died November 1972.

Notes for Ruth Almira SHARMAN:
Ruth worked in the Holmes Sardine Factory in Robbinston, Maine, with her
family when she was a girl. She also worked in a candy factory in Calais,
Maine. She attended Calais Academy and boarded with the Beckett Family in
Calais, Maine. After graduating from the Academy, Ruth taught school in
Washington County, Maine. She later trained to be a nurse in
Massachusetts before marrying Harry Burgess (who was from Little Ridge,
N.B., Canada). After their marriage, Ruth and Harry lived in Perry, Maine
a while, then moved to Barre, Mass. Ruth died in a nursing home in, or near, Barre, Mass.

Notes for Harry BURGESS:
Harry Burgess was from Little Ridge (near St. Stephen), N.B., Canada.
He and wife lived a short time in Perry, Maine. They later lived in Barre, Mass. Harry probably died in, or near, Barre, Mass.

35 ii. Minerva Allen SHARMAN, born 18 September 1896 in Robbinston, Maine. She married Roger Alton GRAY 26 June 1919 in Robbinston, Maine; born 01 May 1895 in Wesley, Maine; died 04 March 1972 in Machias, Maine.

Notes for Minerva Allen SHARMAN:
Minerva Sharman was born in the Isaac "Ike" Nash home on the McNeil Road
in Robbinston, Maine, where her parents were living at the time. Minerva
worked in the Holmes Sardine Factory in Robbinston, Maine, with her family
when she was a girl. She went to Calais Academy in mornings and worked
for her board with the Beckett Family in afternoons. She graduated from
Calais Academy, then taught school in Cooper, Crawford, and Wesley, Maine.
After her marriage to Roger Gray, the couple lived a short time at
Robbinston, Me. before moving to Wesley, Maine by the fall of 1919.
Minerva celebrated her 100th birthday on 18 September 1996.