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The Aroostook War - unique in history

Re: The Aroostook War - unique in history

Posted: 17 Jan 2010 9:29AM GMT
Classification: Query
Don
You might be able to help with one puzzle- I found Eli Goss, b 1814 Danville, living in Greenwood in 1839; (Eli's parents Joshua Goss and Lois Rowe, Joshua descended from Thomas and second wife Eunice while our Thomas descended from Thoams and 1st wife Mary Tarr) member of H Company of 3rd Reg 2 B 6th Division. He served under Capt Amos Noyes but I cant find Oliver Goss who was one of those unrecognized original posse members. He served with Capt Thomas Emery of Hampden, enlisting after McIntire was kidnapped, but before Gen Order No 7. He should fit into our line since at least one, perhaps two of Thomas' children were up in Penobscot County by then but he doesnt appear anywhere on the traditional family websites and no Oliver born in Maine appears in the 1880 census. So before I start scouring the earlier censuses and hope he lived to 1850- I thought I would ask. Bertie

Re: The Aroostook War - unique in history

Posted: 20 Jan 2010 3:43AM GMT
Classification: Query
Bertie, I am sorry I don't have quick answer for you, but i will keep looking. I have sooo much stuff. Don

Re: The Aroostook War - unique in history

Posted: 24 Feb 2010 11:54PM GMT
Classification: Biography
I just found this in the April 23, 1852 Rockland (Maine) Gazette:

"WIDOWS OF THE SOLDIERS IN THE 'AROOSTOOK WAR.' We learn that the Department at Washington having charge of the Bounty and business, has so constructed the Bounty Land Law that widows and children of Aroostook Soldiers, deceased, do not come into the provisions of that act and consequenty are not entitled to bounty and."

Re: The Aroostook War - unique in history

Posted: 3 Apr 2010 11:02PM GMT
Classification: Query
Sadly, Im not surprised- even today with all we know about the effects of search and destroy combat missions, even without direct confrontation & the deadly effects it has on soldiers, I have been fighting the "system" just to get someone in a position of responsibility to stand up and say that these soldiers should at least be entitled to Veteran's Burial Markers! Sen Snowe wants to give medals to "Cold War" Spooks but her office wont even make an appointment for me to discuss burial markers for the Protectors and Defenders of the Northeastern Boundary. And Rep Michaud's staff says he isnt interested in doing anything else for us. I still keep plugging away and find strange little bits and pieces in the most obscure documents. The Eastern Argus has some really good tidbits. Anyone interested is always welcome to contact me at my email- obnn9119@yahoo.com

Re: The Aroostook War - unique in history HP 1177

Posted: 14 Jul 2011 8:48AM GMT
Classification: Query
Its been a while since I have seen anything but just wanted anyone interested to know that on June 10, 2011 The 125th Maine Legislature passed in both Chambers HP 1177 requesting The President of the United States and the respective members of the US Congress as well as the Maine Congressional Delegation itself, to designate the Protectors and Defenders of the Northeastern Boundary of the United States and State of Maine as United States Veterans. If the Congress or President acts on this information, the Northern Maine Veteran's Cemetery Board will vote on including a fifth wall in the Veteran's cemetery at Caribou and the men who "walked the walk" up to the Aroostook will finally get the recognition they deserve for not only getting the northeastern boundary settled by all the way west to beyong Minnesota. The letters have been sent to Washington DC by Maine's Sec of State and now We need the help of all the other members of congress so if you felieve this is a designation long (191 years since Maine made the first request of the federal government to establish a secure border) over due please write you member of Congress-both chambers- to contact a Maine Representative (Rep. Michaud is actually on the House Veterans affairs committee)and ask how to co-sponsor or at least pledge to support this "no fiscal cost piece of legislation. Thanks Bertie

Re: The Aroostook War - unique in history

Posted: 24 Mar 2013 6:39PM GMT
Classification: Query
Hello Bertie,
I was doing a search on my great-great-grandfather, Eli Gosse, and came across your 2010 message here on ancestry about the veterans of the Aroostook War. I know that Eli received a pension because he served and, I think, was wounded or injured. I have copies of records from the Maine Legislature which had to pass legislation to approve his pension. I don't know hardly anything about the Aroostook War. Is there any way to find out how he served and in what unit and under whose command?
Charley Gosse (my great-grandfather added the "e" to the end of our name)
p.s. did they ever get recognition for their veterna status?

Re: The Aroostook War - unique in history

Posted: 26 Mar 2013 2:56AM GMT
Classification: Query
HELLO!
The "Northeastern Boundary Dispute" aka The Aroostook War, officially started when the Lt Gov. of New Brunswick sent a letter to the Governor of Maine and said that Maine personnel operating north of the Aroostook River Valley were operating on his territory and threatened military action. This was on or about Feb. 14th, 1839. The conflict had been brewing ever since a series of incidents occurred in the fall and winter of 1825. Contemporary proponents say the issue was "timber" and that was a large part of the issue. Substitute "oil" and one gets a contemporary sense of how important timber was to both sides. The secondary issue was a new Queen, civil unrest in upper and lower Canada and a need for the government to have a year long route for its military personnel other than the Mississippi River to Great Lakes route. For the US, we were doing the same type of action in the south with Spain over the terms of the southern boundary that was set in the treaty of 1819 at the Sabine and Red River, but we wanted south to the Rio Grande except Mexico didnt want to sell it to us, so President Jackson was "working" on just taking the territory in question. In 1839 the total US federal troop strength was 1200 men and most of them were moving Cherokee to Oklahoma, thus Congress acknowledged it was their job but told us to handle our land issues and they would reimburse us. If you have the actual petition for pension, that would help a lot, if not, I can get a copy of it for you. There were four components to the forces serving during the years 1838-1842: the original sheriff's posse, the volunteer reinforcement posse, the Drafted Militia and the Armed Civil Posse which was the largest component serving from May 1839 until the end of 1842. I have the records of the second and third groups as well as one of the rosters for the first group and several rosters for the last group as well as a variety of pension records, certificates of discharge, travel records etc. The first and last groups were under the direction of the State Land Agent's office per an agreement negotiated between Washington and Frederickton and were not preserved in the Maine State Adjutant General's office. Many remained within the personal papers of the various company clerks or as with the volunteer reinforcement posse records, they were put into a subbasement storage area and forgotten until the mid 1960s when Viet Nam issues resulted in the need for additional office space at Camp Keyes and someone remembered this room. Once opened, the room contained boxes of moldy, rotting papers which were sorted and either sent to the state archives or thrown away as not salvagable-a lot of great information was thus lost. I will look through my indexes to see if I can find those with your surname. It would be easier if you could email me directly with as much information as you have on where he lived, served and when plus when he petitioned and when he was awarded the compensationand any other particulars you have on your relative. I have obtained pension requests from as late as 1883 out of New Hampshire from a soldier who received a gunshot wound in his knee but didnt file for the pension until he was unable to do manual labor. People were either hardier or more socially aware of where their money was coming from so didnt ask until they absolutely needed it.
My email address is obnn9119@yahoo.com.
As for the designation. Our Legislature passed a resolve directing our Congressional delegation to acquire it and they designated Sen. Snowe as the ranking member, to draft the legislation. We were "tweeking" a second draft and doing research when the 2012 election arrived and She unfortunately did not seek re-election. Her successor, Angus King has not responded to my requests for an appointment and Sen. Collins' office is not interested in pursuing the action so..... we tread water while working at more information,keeping the interest alive and before we go shopping for a candidate that will assist us next election. In the meantime we have identified and gotten approval in Augusta for several historical markers to be erected.
I hope to hear from you.
Bertie
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