John and Gideon Doe were among the first settlers in Parsonsfield. They left Newmarket, NH in 1775 and settled in the south western part of town on the western slope of Doe Mountain. Gideon soon moved to Effingham, NH. Both had large families -- some settled in and around Parsonsfield and some moved on to locations further away. John Doe and wife Elizabeth (Ames) Doe had eight children including Colonel Bartlett Doe born 7/30/1785 and died 2/11/1872.
Bartlett was a common family name, so there are several in the family tree. We are focusing on Bartlett Doe, son of Colonel Bartlett and Mary (Sanborn) Doe who was born July 13, 1820, the 6th of 12 children. Martha Doe (Moore) – b. 8/15/1811, d. 9/9/1869
Mary S. Doe (Jones) – b. 8/15/1811, d. prior to 1902
Alvah Doe – b. 8/28/1813, d. 7/4/1885
Amzi (Amza) Doe – b. 9/23/1815, d. 1867
Hannah S. Doe – b. 3/9/1818, d. prior to 1902
Bartlett Doe – b. 7/13/1820, d. 4/18/1906
John S. Doe – b. 9/26/1822, d. 1894
Elisabeth A. Doe (Moulton) – b. 12/27/1824, d. prior to 1902
Calvin Doe – b. 4/6/1827, d. 6/7/1829
Calvin W. Doe – b. 2/20/1829, d. 8/17/1846
Nancy H. Doe (Kezar) – b. 5/6/1831, d. 1917
Charles F. Doe – b. 8/13/1833, d. 1904
In 1850 at the age of 30, Bartlett moved to San Francisco, California and in 1852 was joined by his brother John. Together they formed the firm “B. & J.S. Doe”, a sash, door and blind business. Charles followed them in 1857 forming a retail lumber business that prospered as “Charles F. Doe & Co.” They became successful financiers, and with shrewd management and high business capacity they amassed immense fortunes. Little is known about John, but Charles and Bartlett became known for their generosity. Bartlett never forgot his hometown of Parsonsfield.
The following was taken from the “Parsonsfield Seminary First Hundred Years – 1832 – 1932”.
In 1899 Bartlett Doe visited his native town and became interested in Parsonsfield Seminary and at his expense the old Seminary was remodeled and repaired. A new dormitory [for boys] was built with a steam heating plant, a hot and cold water system, and other modern improvements. This was done at a cost of $20,000. Mr. Doe, at that time, also placed $100,000 in the Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Co. as an endowment Trust Fund. The conditions of the Trust, stated in Mr. Doe’s Deed of Trust are as follows:
“It is a condition of this gift that the Seminary shall be represented by a board, to be termed the Board of Education, elected by the Trustees or otherwise appointed.
“Said Board shall consist of five members, one of whom shall be the Superintendent of the Public Schools of the State of Maine; one whom shall be the Superintendent of the Public Schools of the town of Parsonsfield; one of whom shall be the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen of the Town; two of whom shall be elected by the Board of Trustees and shall always be members of the Board.”
“It shall be the duty of said Board to visit the school from time to time for the purpose of examining its condition, and said Board has the sole right to select teachers for said school. It is my desire that the Seminary shall always be non-sectarian and free to all the high school scholars of the Town of Parsonsfield.”
At the request of Mr. Doe, in 1901, the legislature amended the charter to provide that the State Superintendent of Schools be a permanent member of the Board of Education in charge of the school, as expressed in the terms of this Deed-of-Trust above referred to.
On the same day as the San Francisco earthquake, in 1906, Mr. Doe died. His wealth was estimated at $2,472,516 [even though it was diminished by the terrible earthquake]. In his will further provisions were made for the school. 50/18 of 1% of his fortune was to be added to the Trust Fund. 39/18 of 1% was to be used in building the girl’s Dormitory, which was built in 1906.
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