Members Forum: Lincoln County and the Struggle for Maine Statehood, 1816-1819

Thursday, November 20, 2025 • 5:30 PM (Online)

The Lincoln County Historical Association welcomes Ryan LaRochelle, Senior Lecturer at the University of Maine’s William S. Cohen Institute for Leadership and Public Service and former LCHA Board President, for this special Members Forum.

In this talk, Ryan will explore how Lincoln County became a key battleground in Maine’s statehood struggle. In 1816, leading figures including Abiel Wood Jr., Moses Carlton Jr., William King, and Peleg Tallman, known as the county’s “Great Quartet, ”found themselves on opposing sides of the debate. As Maine’s most populous county by 1820, Lincoln County’s divided leadership played a pivotal role in shaping the outcome of the movement toward separation from Massachusetts.

Ryan LaRochelle is the author of “Lincoln County’s ‘Great Quartet’ and the Struggle for Maine Statehood, 1816–1819,” included in What We Know, What We Wish: Maine Statehood, Historical Commemoration, and the Urgency of Public History (UMass Press).

Registration for this Members Forum is free, but advance registration is required → Register here

Membership Information
Members Forums are a benefit of LCHA membership.
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