September 24, 2025
Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry continues her series on the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Indian Tribes of Maine, focusing on the Neptune family lines. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.
Today I continue with my series “Tracing the Penobscot Nation,” focusing on the Neptune family lines. Understanding the last name origin of Neptune reveals its adoption during the colonial period, when many Native American families took European surnames while maintaining their tribal identities and connections.
After finding a series of photographs of some of the members of the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Indian Tribes who participated in the 1921 Plymouth Tercentenary celebration, I started researching their genealogy and history.
They are the descendants of Native American peoples who have inhabited Maine and western New Brunswick since well before recorded history.
In this collage of members of the Penobscot Tribe, we see: (top row, left to right) Saul Neptune; Mary Cecelia (Francis) Joseph with sons Granton Russell Joseph and Frances Joseph; and Joseph Neptune and his wife Alice (Mitchell) Neptune; (middle row, left to right) Elsie Paul Tomah and Marie Morris Lewis; Roland Eugene Nelson aka Needahbeh; and Geraldine Francis, Carl Francis, and Marty Francis; (bottom row, left to right) Francis Neptune; unidentified woman holding Ernestine Nicola with her father Francis Nicola; Mrs. Mary Paulsoosop Nepune, aka Mary Molasses, wife of John Neptune, Lieutenant Governor of the Penobscot Tribe.
To recap: In Part 1 I covered Newell Tomah and Johnnie Ranco and introduced the Neptune family.
I found a roster of names recorded by Gen. John Blake of the Penobscot Tribe from the Fall of 1815. Included in this list is Neptune and many of their kin.
Chief William Neptune
A Maine paper headline reads: “Eastport Indians One of Features [at] Plymouth Celebration,” and William Neptune is mentioned.
This article reports:
Thirty Passamaquoddy Indians, including William Neptune, their former governor, will set up an Indian village at Plymouth, Mass., in June which will be one of the features of the Plymouth tercentenary celebration extending through the summer months.
They will take along their wigwams, birch-bark canoes, costumes [regalia], war implements, and everything necessary to make up a comfortable village where they will live, manufacture baskets, introduce their many unique war and peace dances, and take part in pageants to be staged.
They have been engaged by a representative of the Plymouth committee and will be taken to Massachusetts by steamer from here.
Here is a photo taken at the Indian village at Plymouth, Mass., the summer of 1921. From left to right: Susan (Mercier) Neptune, mother of William Netune; William Neptune; and his niece Mary B. Neptune, daughter of Peter Joseph and Mary (Francis) Neptune.
In this 1920 photo of William Neptune, note the swastikas. If this symbol startles you, keep in mind that the swastika has been a positive part of many cultures and religions, and dates back as far as 15,000 years ago. The Nazis did not invent it.
Here is an article about William Neptune:
This article reports:
Elected every four years and receiving a salary of $50 [per] year from the State, the position of Governor of the Far East Tribe of Passamaquoddy Indians might not appeal to the average white man, but it is a position that calls for much rivalry at the polls when the home-made ballots are used and the Redmen make their choice, for the coveted parchment received from Maine’s Governor is framed and occupies a conspicuous place on the walls of the small house in which the Indian chief makes his home.
Gov. William Neptune, elected in 1916, has nearly a year to serve his people before another village election will be held. He is a very important person among his tribe and has many problems to settle during the year, although he has an Indian Council to handle the village affairs.
He is an expert basket maker, also handy with the crude tools in daily use at this farthest East reservation on the banks of the St. Croix River, five miles from Eastport. The young Governor fashions many trinkets and souvenirs for sale among the white visitors who reach Eastern Maine coast resorts during July and August. He is an all-around worker and had been employed in Eastport at trench digging and blasting, and also has an interest in a paying herring-catching weir [fish trap] along the shores of the village.
Many schools of herring that are in demand for canning at all Eastern Maine sardine factories are found along the St. Croix River and occasionally get into the Indian-built weir. These fish are worth $10 a hogshead.
Governor Neptune has an Indian wife and five children, but lost an older son, Private Moses Neptune, of Company I, One Hundred and Third United States Infantry, Twenty-sixth Division, who was killed by the Huns just before the armistice was signed.
Decked in his native costume of buckskin, beaded and ornamented with colored beads and beaten silver and bronze ornaments, wearing buckskin moccasins, a headdress of eagle feathers, long hair and painted face, the Indian Governor and chief is quite an imposing individual when appearing at tribal events, religious festivals, and patriotic demonstrations. He was conspicuous at Eastport during the Fourth of July celebration.
His wife Margaret “Maggie” J. (Francis) Neptune is the daughter of Lewy and Rebecca Elizabeth (Frost) Francis. Maggie is pictured below with William at Oaks Park in Portland, Maine, as part of the observance of the centennial of Maine’s statehood in 1920. In this photo we see (from left to right): Julia F. Mitchell, Newell Francis, William Neptune, and Margaret Neptune.
More details on the Neptune children will be shared in my next story.
Mother Neptune
Below is a photo of Susan Neptune, mother of William Neptune, enjoying a pipe smoke. She was born Susan Mercier, daughter of Solomon and Margaret (Dana) Mercier.
Here is another photo of Susan with fellow kin when attending the Centennial of Maine Statehood Observance July 1920. From left to right: Susan Neptune (age 77); Fannie Newell (age 60); and Mary Frances (age 65). All are Passamaquoddy tribal members.
Neptune Cousins
Benjamin Louis Neptune is the son of William and Margaret J. (Francis) Neptune. He married Christina J. Socobasin, born to Joseph and Susan (Dana) Socobasin. His cousin Mary B. Neptune is the daughter of Peter Joseph and Mary (Francis) Neptune. She married Frederick J, Moore, born on the Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation, Washington County, Maine, to Joseph John and Susan (Paul) Moore. Here is a photo of the two cousins.
Indian Girl Sets Style for Her Tribe in Maine
Another child of William and Maggie Neptune is their daughter, the handsome and stylish Susan Agnes Neptune. She was a trendsetter on the reservation. Susan is pictured here in knickers, a modern style replacing the traditional dress. She also was known for her cutting-edge hairstyle, “the bob.” She was a talented musician and singer.
Susan married a Connecticut Yankee, Robert John Stacker, a direct descendant of Mayflower passengers Stephen Hopkins and Thomas Rogers.
Stay tuned for more!
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Note on the header image: Penobscot Indian Island Reservation, Maine, from a postcard c. 1930-1945. Credit: Tichnor Brothers collection, Boston Public Library; Wikimedia Commons.
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