At the extreme end of Glidden Street in Newcastle we come to an ancient stone gateway which leads to the Glidden Estate. This is one of the oldest land grants of the “Twin” villages of Damariscotta and Newcastle and was first established by Joseph Glidden Jr. who came to Newcastle about 1750, from Durham, N.H.
In 1758 he purchased 192 acres of land from the William Vaughn estate. This included the present farm and other land purchased from Benjamin Jones, John Hussey, and Joseph Taylor. One condition of the purchase of the Vaughn property, which is the present farm, was that he should build a house and live in the same within 6 months from the date of purchase of the land. It is evident that he did not fully comply with this condition but he did build the house in 1760 and occupied it. The Taylor homestead (see photo) was across in a westerly direction from the present Academy Hill and he purchased this farm in 1774. He lived, however in the first mentioned house until 1781 when, he gave the old farm to his son Joseph Glidden III and moved to the Taylor farm.
Joseph Glidden III continued to live in the old house which was referred to as the original homestead or “Glidden Farm”. He married Mary Waters and they had ten children, one of whom was Captain Samuel Glidden who married Catherine Cottrill. He was the last of the Gliddens’ to own and live on the old homestead on Glidden’s Neck. In 1862 six years before Captain Samuel died he sold the farm to Charles E. Metcalf. Although the original Joseph Glidden Jr.1 was the first owner of the farm he only lived there to three generations and sold to the Metcalfs, but Joseph’s brother Zebulon, had a son John whose son was William T., whose son was Col. John M. Glidden. The latter bought back the Farm. A full account of this may be read in the Herald & Record dated Dec. 16, 1886.
Another son was Col. John Glidden (1785-1867) who married Mary Jordan Lovett from Thomaston, ME and they had 10 children. He served as Capt. of the Massachusetts Militia, 2nd Brigade then served in the war of 1812. He retired from the Army as a Colonel. He was an eminent shipbuilder and added much prosperity and growth to Newcastle.
His daughter Jane H. Glidden Married Alpheus Taft Palmer who was my Gt.-Gt. Grandfather. Their daughter Kate Glidden Palmer married George Douglas Campbell. Their eldest son was Geo. Douglas Jr. who married Esther Black and had 3 sons. My Father John Douglas Campbell was the eldest.
Their 2nd son, Glidden Campbell, married Alleyne Starr and had 4 children: Margaret, John, Gordon and Ian.
John Glidden2 and Mary had another daughter Catherine C. Glidden3. She married William Taylor Glidden4 (2nd cousin 1ce removed) son of John Glidden5 and Sarah (see below)
Joseph Glidden Jr.1 had two brothers, Tobias and Zebulon. Tobias had married Marion Chapman , daughter of Nathanial Chapman III. who came to Damariscotta in 1754 and helped build the first village. Zebulon Glidden married Temperance Whidden and they raised a family. One of their sons being John Glidden. This son followed his uncles, Tobias and Joseph III to Newcastle in 1734. He later lived in Wiscaswet where he married Sarah Shovey who died and he later moved to Newcastle where he married Susan Stinson in 1817. John Glidden and Sarah Shovey had eight children one of whom was William Taylor Glidden4. William married Susan Cotter and they had three children. By his second wife, Catherine C. Glidden3 (2nd cousin 1ce removed) he had four more, one of whom was Colonel John M. Glidden.
Colonel John M. Glidden. built the large magnificent house (see photo) we now know and also preserved the old farm house of his great grandfather Joseph, which still stands to this day.
He also maintained the winter house on Glidden Street . This Family were among the social leaders of the twin Villages in the “Gay- Nineties” and they were indeed an illustrious family. The Colonel had inherited great wealth from his father and grandfather who were great factors in shipping in Boston. He maintained, a retinue of servants, butlers, footmen and farm hands. There were numerous saddle-horses and hounds and he was a member of the Governor’s Council of the State of Maine. The Colonel was active in many state-wide organizations and was a great public servant. He was a prominent Republican and many affairs of state were held at this great estate.
The Colonel was also a prominent Episcopalian and contributed greatly to the Saint Andrews Episcopal Church of Newcastle, he being Senior Warden for some time.
When Colonel John M. Glidden died he was a great loss to both Communities and there was much sadness at his passing. The servants, who loved him, shed many tears at his graveside and the committal at the Glidden Yard on Glidden Street in Newcastle was attended by the Saint Andrews Choir.
No more colorful or public-spirited man ever lived in the Twin Villages than Colonel John M. Glidden and he is still remembered for his generosity and talent. His son Joseph occupied the old homestead in the summer months, but the color and activity of the old days has gone and we only remember the estate as the great active home of Colonel John M. Glidden of Newcastle Maine.
Edited by Ian M. Campbell
8288 Highway 331
RR#2
Mill Village, NS
B0J 2H0
May 29, 2020
campbellreunions.com 
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