Page Created May 2003
John Polis - Deposition F
Joan Dingley, age 49 years, wife of John A. Dingley
20-Oct-1884 West Bath
Q. Were you ever the wife of John Pollis an Indian
A. I was the wife of John Pollis I married him in 1856 July 28 at Brunswick Me by Alfred J. Stone Justice of the Peace
Q. Had you ever been married before
A. No. I was only 16 years old.
Q. Where did you first get acquainted with John Pollis
A. He was with John Newell & they had a concert at Livermore Falls. & I saw him after
Q. was Pollis an Indian
A. Yes his father belonged to Old Town & his mother to Passamaquoddy His fathers name was Joseph & his mothers name Margaret
Q. Had he ever been married before
A. No. for his mother told me so
Q. Where did you see him after
A. I went with him after to his mothers to Passamaquoddy & from there to Old Town Me thay had _ there & we all went to Brunswick together
Q. How old was he when he married you
A. He was 25 years old. his mother said
Q. Where did you live with him
A. In Brunswick. I lived in the woods camping out. & in Lewiston. I working in the Androscoggin, Bates & Lewiston Mill Mr. Par__ter was my boss in the Androscoggin & Mr. French in the Lincoln & I boarded at Ephiam Goodrich near the Bridge & at Mr Wood's Lisbon St My husband lived at Lewiston with me while I worked in the Androscoggin & boarded at Mr. Goodrich - I worked there a year & a half & we went down to Brunswick one Saturday & they got him drunk from Sat. at half past one till half past two Monday, & Mr. Cushman True[?] of Topsham enlisted him.
Q. What Regt did he enlist in
A. The 9th Me. I think Co "B" but I am not sure. George Eaton of Brunswick was with him. They came to Lewiston & told me my husband was shot said his head was blowed right in two by a piece of shell. he enlisted in 1861
Q. Was your brother with him
A. My brother Reuben Corson went with him in the Regt.
Q. Did you ever see your husband after
A. No I never did
Q. Did you hear of his enlisting __ __
A. No I did not. but Mr. Eaton said he did
Q. How long did you live with him
A. Seven years & never left him night nor day.
Q. Did you have any children by Polis
A. Yes. one. Mary named after my mother & his mother to. died in May 1883 in Brunswick
Q. Are your's or his folks alive
A. His mother died in Brunswick 15 [or 13] years ago. I think her name was Mary Margaret Pollis - I don't know when his father died but as much as 6 or 8 years ago
Q. Did John Pollis have any brothers or sisters
A. Two brothers Joseph & Peter & two sisters Margaret & Alice both died of consumption. Joseph the last we heard was at Old Orchard 4 years ago. Peter. John my husband cut his throat murdered him - they went after his sisters body Margaret who was dead at Oldtown & he put Peter in the Coffin & brought him to Brunswick & then carried him back to Oldtown & buried him. This was in the winter about January & my baby was about six weeks old.
Q. Did they ever arrest him for that
A. No. but the chiefs got together & came down to Brunswick & got him into the woods & pounded him nearly to death. & I couldn't stay in the woods with him after that - & at the same time he killed his brother he was going to cut his childs throat & it frightened me nearly to death
Q. Have you ever seen him after 1861
A. No. I had as much as 83 [or 8 or 80 ??] letters from him while he was in service & all at once they stopped & I did not hear any more until Mr. Eaton told me he was dead
Q. Is your mother alive
A. My Step mother is - her name is Mary Courson & lives with her daughter Abby wife of Cornelius Colby in Lewiston, ME.
Q. Have you any brothers or sisters
A. I have no own brothers - have two step brothers Horatio Courson of Topsham Reuben Coursin did live in Boston. three sisters Thankful Fuller of Brunswick & Mary Stewart wife of Wm Stewart Brunswick now New Gloucester.[Jordan Ave written between the lines - under Fuller and over Brunswick]
Q. What did Pollis do when you lived with him.
A. Worked in a Mill some & made baskets some
Q. Have you ever seen Elizabeth Pollis who draws a pension for him.
A. No.
Q. Describe your husbands looks.
A. He was rather round framed never wore any band. Kind of looked _ when he walked his hair was straight black about one foot long braided when he left me
Q. Did he have any scars or _ or any marks by which he could be told.
A. Yes. on his left cheek from near his nose a scar nearly two inches long. done by a Cuse[?] knife by his sister when she was a little girl. & a scar across the big toe of his left foot between the two joints. done by an ax cutting a basket tree.
Q. Did he or you ever get a divorce
A. No
Q. Have you lived with or married any man since
A. Only this man. John Dingley lived with him for fifteen years. married Sep. 25/80 at West Bath by __ __ __ I was married to a man named McIntosh in Brunswick
Q. Was he ever in Lewiston
A. No, but he is a cousin of Congressman Dingely of Lewiston
Q. Who married you to McIntosh
A. I was married in Topsham Me by Mr. Elden Jayquith seven years after John Polis died.
Q. Where did you get your Certificate to marry McIntosh
A. Brunswick
Q. How long did you live with McIntosh
A. I lived with him only about three weeks & a woman came after him from Lewiston & took him & I never saw him since & her name was Betsey Jepson
Q. Have you any letters written by your husband while in the service
A. I have none. my mother had some when I left Brunswick
Q. What made you think this John Pollis was your husband
A. Because after the murder I heard of it. & knew there was no other John Pollis in Maine
Q. Did you ever hear of your husbands whereabouts that he was alive after Mr. Eaton told you he was dead
A. No
Q. Did you ever hear of his going to Colbrook NH
A. No
Q. Did he ever work on a RR
A. I know he never did
Q. Who is town cleck of West Bath.
A. John H. Campbell of Bath ME
Q. Was this John Newell married that had the show with Peters
A. Yes. married a white woman named Charlotte White of Bangor. I don't know where he is.
Q. Was he an Indian
A. Yes
