Place:Monticello, Aroostook, Maine, United States

source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names

source: Family History Library Catalog

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Monticello is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States on the northern branch of the Meduxnekeag River. The population was 737 at the 2020 census. Originally known as Wellington Township, it was settled in 1830 by General Joel Wellington, who owned it, and incorporated in 1846. Some of the earlier migrant workers of Monticello were called the “Amerisee”—a currently disbanded tribe whose members consisted of tribal people from all five Wabanaki Maine tribes, who traveled together as migrant seasonal workers. Many of them had settled in the Monticello and other Aroostook County areas. The word “Amerisee” comes from the Mi’kmaq word “Amase’jijg” which means “some distance” or “quite far” in reference to the distance they traveled for work, which often included all areas of Canada and Aroostook County Maine. The Matthew(s) family shows up in the 1900 Census for Monticello Maine. They had intended to form a sixth tribe—one that accepted members from all five tribes who were originally one tribe, but due to colonization, it had been split up into the five groups known today. The Amerisee wished to reunite the five tribes. The attempt ultimately failed and the Amerisee tribal members, were reabsorbed into their tribes of origin. John Matthew (Mathieu, Mathew and Matthews—alternative spellings for the same family), who is listed on the 1900 Census in Monticello Maine along with his family, writes that he is “Amerisee” however under “Tribe of Father of this Indian” and “Tribe of Mother of this Indian” he says they were both “mi’kmaw” which is the Mi’kmaq word for “Mi’kmaq”. His children were listed as Frank, Lizzie and Annie (Anastasia) Matthew. His parents were Frank and Bertha Matthew(s). He was also a basket maker. According to his death record, he was born in “Restigouche Ind.” territory, which is a testament to how far they would travel to reach farmland in places such as Monticello. John Matthew and other families like his, make up an interesting Native American element to Monticello’s migrant seasonal and farm work history. International shortwave broadcast station WBCQ is located here.

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