Penobscot Representatives

 

Names are spelled as they appeared in the legislative record, where they were often misspelled. Assistance correcting these errors was provided by Carol Binette, Penobscot Nation. 1823    Francis Loran [Lolar] and John Neptune


1824    John Attean, John Neptune, and Francis Loran [Lolar]

1831    John Neptune and Joseph Soc Basin [Sockbasin]

1835    John Neptene [Neptune], Jo [Joseph] Sockbasin, Peol Malley [Molly]

1836    Joe [Joseph] Sockbasin, Joe [Joseph] Porus [aka Polis], John Peol Susop [Susep], Peol Tomer

1837    John Neptune, Peol Tomer, Nuil Luey [Newell Lewey]

1842    Joe [Joseph] Porus [aka Polis], Joe Socabeson [Joseph Sockbasin], Peol Newell

1844    Peol Porus [aka Polis], Joseph Socabasin [Sockbasin], John Neptune

1850    Attean Lola [Lolar], Joe [Joseph] Sockbasin, Joseph Porus [aka Polis]

1851    Attean Lolah [Lolar], Representative

1853    Peol [Peal] Sockis

1854    Peol [Peol] Sockis, Representative, Attean Orson, Special Agent of Tribe

1855    Peol [Peal] Sockis, Delegate

1856    Joseph Socabasin, Delegate

1857    Socabeson Swasson [Sockabesin Swassian] attending legislature; Peol [Peal] Sockis, Delegate

1858    Peol [Peal] Sockis, Representative

1859    Joseph Nicolar, Representative

1860    Joseph Nicolar, Representative

1861    Peol [Peal] Sockis, Representative

1862    Joseph Nichola [Nicolar], Representative

1863    Peol [Peal] Sockis, Representative, Joseph Sockbasin serves Commissioner of Indian Affairs

1864    Peol [Peal] Sockis, Representative

1865    Joseph Nicolar, Representative

1866    Joseph Lewis Orono, Representative; Peol [Peal] Sockis, before legislature for tribe

1867    Peol Mitchell Francis

1868    Sockabasin [Sockabesin] Swassian, Delegate

1869    Saul Neptune , before legislature

1870    Joseph N. Soccalexis [Joseph Mary Sockalexis], before the legislature

1871    Newel [Newell] Neptune, Representative

1872    Sockbesin Swassin [Sockabesin Swassian], Representative

1873    Joseph Necolar [Nicolar], Representative

1874    Joesph N. Socklexis [Joseph Mary Sockalexis], Delegate

1875    Mitchell Paul Susus [Peal Mitchell Susep], Delegate

1876    Joseph Francis, Representative

1877    Sebbatis [Sabattis] Dana, Representative

1878    Joseph N. Soccalexis [Joseph Mary Sockalexis], Representative

1879    Sabbatus [Sabbatis] Dana, Representative

1880    Lola Cola [Coley; actual surname is Nicola], Representative

1881    Joseph Nicolar, Representative

Two-year terms begin

1882    Lola Cola [Coley; actual surname is Nicola], Representative

1885    Joseph Nicolar, Representative

1887    Lola Cola [Coley; actual surname is Nicola], Representative

1889    Joseph Nicolar, Representative

1891    Lola Cola [Coley; actual surname is Nicola], Representative

1893    Joseph Nicolar, Representative

1895    Lola Cola [Coley; actual surname is Nicola], Representative

1897    Horace Nicola, Representative

1899    Sabatis Shay, Representative

1901    Thomas Dana, Representative

1903    Joseph Mitchell, Jr.

1905    Peter N. Nelson [Peter Mitchell Nelson]

1907    Nicholas Sockabasin [Nicola Sockbeson]

1909    Charles Daylight Mitchell

1911    Lola Cola [Coley; actual surname is Nicola]

1913    Peter Ranco

1915   Leo Shay (first time election)

1917    Peter W. Ranco (Old Party)

1919    Mitchell M. Nicolar

1921    Horace Nelson. First mention by speaker, who said, “The chair extends the welcome of the house of representatives to the representative of the Penobscot Tribe of Indians who is now seated in your body.”

1923    Joseph P. Lewis (“Mr. Lewis is now in his seat with us in the rear of the hall.” Applause.)

1925    Newall Gabriel, escorted to chair amid applause. Members rising.

1927    Lawrence Mitchell

1929    John Nelson, house messenger escorted him to his seat amid applause.

1931    James Patrick Lewis, assigned seat 150 by speaker.

1933    Elmer Attean, was seated. House order gave both Indian representative stamps and telephone cal credit cards

1935    John Sebastian Nelson, seated Number 151 and conducted there by the sergeant-at-arms amid applause of the house.

1937    John Sebastian Nelson

1939    Leo Shay

1941    Harold Polchies. A Bill was introduced to change the words “Representative to the Legislature” to “Representative at the Legislature.” Indian Representatives were, prior to this date, allowed to sit in the house hall and speak.

1943    James Lewis. He was conducted to the center aisle and greeted by the speaker, at which time he thanked the speaker for acknowledgment.

1945    Harold Polchies

1947    Harold Polchies

1949    Ernest Goslin

1951    John Sebastian Nelson

1953    John Mitchell

1955    Francis Ranco

1957    John Nelson was tribal representative serving through 1957, 1959, 1961, 1965, and 1969 sessions.

1971    John Murray Mitchell, Sr., elected in December 1970 in a special election to succeed John S. Nelson

1973    Vivian F. Massey, ran on a write-in ticket in September 1972 and won by four votes after a recount. She was the first women to ever be elected Indian Representative.

1975    Ernest Goslin. On January 22, 1975, the Maine House of Representatives voted to seat the Indian Representatives and give them speaking privileges by a vote of 107 to 40, thus ending a ten-year effort to restore the rights taken from Indian Representatives by the 1941 legislature. Ernest was reelected in 1976 for the term 1977-78.

1979    Timothy Ray Love

1980    Reuben Elliot Phillips

1983    James Gabriel Sappier

1984    Priscilla Ann Attean, serving through the 1987, 1989, 1991, and 1993 sessions.

1995    Paul Joseph Biscula

1997    Paul Joseph Biscula, served the first session and the resigned.

1997    Donna Marie Loring, elected in a special election.

1999    Donna Marie Loring, reelected and served in 2001, 2002, and 2004.
2005    Michael Joseph Sockalexis, elected but ill for first three months of the session. Donna Marie Loring took over as alternate representative.

2007    Donna Marie Loring, reelected.

2009    Wayne T. Mitchell

1616-1619

The Great Dying, between 75 and 90 percent of Native Americans in Maine die from European diseases.