Jonathan Prince Cilley

Born in Thomaston, Maine, on December 29, 1835, he was the son of Congressman Jonathan Cilley. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1858, studied law, and was admitted to the bar before the Civil War changed the course of his life.

He served in the 1st Maine Cavalry during the war and rose through the ranks, later being recognized as a brevet brigadier general. Afterward he returned to civic and professional life in Maine, practicing law and taking part in public affairs.

As a writer, he is known for preserving family and local history in works such as Cilley Family, The Gamble Family, and The Mount Desert Widow. He was also connected with historical societies, which fits the lasting impression he left: not just as a soldier, but as someone who helped save the stories of earlier generations.