Rowland Tyler

Went to Penobscot County, Maine, in 1796. His twin, Dr. Abijah Weld Tyler, drowned in the Penobscot River on 22 Aug 1807 (Brigham). Rowland taught school at Hampden and was a builder; captain, later major, of militia, and a deacon. Brigham says he was agent for Dr. Dix in settling the new township of Dixmont, and the National Register nomination for the Dixmont Corner Church says he built it in 1834-35. Moved from Dixmont to Bangor about 1840. After marrying the widow of Mr. Daggett he came into a tavern Daggett had built about 1820, and kept it as the “Tyler Stand” (Brigham). An old pupil, quoted by Brigham (p. 221): “If there ever was a true, noble gentleman, Rowland Tyler was one.”

The National Register nomination (Gregory K. Clancey, April 1983) says: “Designed and constructed by Dixmont carpenter-builder Rowland Tyler, the church was among the earliest carpenter-gothic buildings in the Penobscot region, and an unusually sophisticated example for so remote a township.” It adds: “The Bangor City Hall of 1812 is the only other work attributable to him,” and calls the church “Tyler’s only verifiably extant work.” Brigham also says he had charge of building the old City Hall at Bangor.

The History of Penobscot County (1882) says he was taken prisoner at Hampden in 1814, when British forces came up the Penobscot. A “Rowland Taylor” is on a roll as a private in Capt. Butman’s company from Dixmont, in service at Hampden 31 Aug-3 Sept 1814; that this is Rowland is inference. The Bangor jail and the broken gun of Mollie Pfeiffer’s account are tradition only. Mollie’s anecdote about Charles Stetson fits the record: Stetson (1801-1883) grew up in Hampden, was a Congressman 1849-51, and lived in Bangor.

Children named in the research (Brigham, with Mollie’s differing readings): Sally Ginn (b. Feb 5, 1808; Mollie Feb 4), Hannah Read (b. Dec 12, 1809), Frederick (b. Sept 15, 1812; Mollie Sept 5), Rowland Abijah (Mollie “Rowland Mark”), Lavinia Draper (b. Jan 28, 1829; Mollie Jan 25, 1826), Lucinda (married Steward S. Mitchell; Mollie’s handwriting reads “Stannard”), Lyman (married Lucetta Libby, 1 Jan 1844) and Caroline Herrick (typed “Capoline/Caeoline” by Mollie). “General Henry Mitchell,” whose letter Mollie quotes, is Gen. Henry Lyman Mitchell, b. 1845, Lucinda’s son. Rowland Abijah, Lucinda and Caroline have no files yet because the research gives no dates for them.

Open questions

• His second wife, “Mrs. Daggett” (Brigham): her own name, her first husband, and the date of the marriage (after Sally’s death in 1834).
• Find the 1804 marriage record or the Bucksport intention of 25 Feb 1804.
• Was the “Rowland Taylor” on the 1814 Hampden roll this Rowland?