We were recently visited by South Portland residents Bob and Ann Morrill, who brought in a few treasures to donate to the collections of the South Portland Historical Society. One item was a certificate from the state of Maine, signed by then-Gov. Joshua Chamberlain, testifying that Joshua Brackett had served honorably as a volunteer during the Civil War. The Morrills had found the piece many years ago in the attic of a house they once lived in at 143 Scamman St. Realizing its historic significance, they saved the certificate and have now made sure that it will be preserved for future generations.

Let’s take a look at Joshua Brackett, an interesting figure in our community’s history.

Joshua Brackett was born in Portland in 1828, the son of Joshua, a blacksmith, and Lydia Brackett.  He lived in Portland prior to moving to Cape Elizabeth in 1850.

In January, 1850, Joshua married Adelia “Delia” Ridlon Pillsbury in Cape Elizabeth (now known as South Portland). Delia, a young widow, had a 4-year-old son, Joseph, from her marriage to a local blacksmith, Tristram Pillsbury. Tristram was the son of Enoch Pillsbury,  who owned the farm next to Daniel Anthoine on Highland Avenue. (The Pillsbury farm would later become home to T-Ledge Stables). Tristram had died unexpectedly in 1849 at only 27 years old,

Joshua and Delia Brackett had at least four children, including Atwood, Charles and Mary, and a son John who died in infancy.

In the late 1850s, Joshua Brackett and his family made their home at (what is now) 410 Highland Ave. on the corner of Stillman Street, on the other side of the street from Daniel Anthoine. Highland Avenue was called Barren Hill Road back then, and when the street name first changed to Highland, the home was known as 360 Highland Ave. for many years; around 1949, Highland Avenue was renumbered.

A side note: Joshua’s son Charles built a home next door, across from the top of Anthoine Street, where he lived for many years. The home was known as 320 Highland Ave., but was later renumbered as 360 Highland Ave.; that home was demolished in October 2005.

In September 1862, Joshua enlisted as a corporal in Capt. Ezekiel Wescott’s Company I of the 25th Maine Volunteer Infantry. The 25th Maine was a nine-month regiment that spent much of its time in Washington D.C. and Virginia doing garrison and sentinel duty.

Joshua was a shoemaker by trade and, in 1871, while the family still lived at 410 Highland Ave., he had a shoe shop on the corner of Cottage Road and E Street (roughly on the site in Legion Square where the brick bank building would later be constructed at 2 Cottage Road). In 1876, Joshua was appointed postmaster for the Knightville village of Cape Elizabeth; he served as the Knightville postmaster through 1880. Around 1880, he was hired for a short time as a “keeper” at the Portland Dry Dock, located near the Portland Bridge.

When he was around 57 years old in 1885, Joshua listed his occupation as fireman for two years. He then worked for a short time as a shoemaker again and ended his working career in the late 1880s when he partnered with George W. Patterson, operating a blacksmith shop in Knightville around 1888.

Joshua’s son Atwood Brackett would marry Emma Scamman, the daughter of Ezra and Mary Scamman, who lived in the home at 143 Scamman St. Atwood and Emma lived in that home, as well, which explains why the Civil War certificate was found by the Morrills in the attic many years later.

Joshua and Delia would later move down the street and live at 196 Highland Ave. (previously known as 172 Highland Avenue), with daughter Mary still living with them. Mary would later marry Charles Doane, and in Joshua’s later years, after Delia had died, he still lived at that home with Charles, Mary and their son.

Joshua died in 1920 and is buried with his wife Delia at Bay View Cemetery in South Portland.

Our thanks to Bob and Ann Morrill for donating Joshua Brackett’s certificate, which not only will result in the preservation of the certificate itself, but which also helps to document the life of this longtime South Portland resident and Civil War veteran.

Membership Drive 2024: The South Portland Historical Society researches and documents local history. If you enjoy reading about South Portland history, please lend your support. A one-year family membership is only $25 and supports our mission of preserving local history. Donations can be made through our Online Museum website at https://sphistory.pastperfectonline.com, or if you’d prefer to donate by check, please make it payable to South Portland Historical Society and mail to us at 55 Bug Light Park, South Portland, ME 04106. Thank you! If you need to contact the Society, we can be reached by email at sphistory04106@gmail.com or by phone at 207-767-7299.

Kathryn Onos DiPhilippo is the executive director of the South Portland Historical Society. 

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