He grew to young manhood in the home of his grandfather John in Norway, Maine but when about 17 or 18 years of age went to Boston to drive a "hack" or taxi for his uncle. Later he lived in Caribou, and here about 1862 he married Caroline Rideout (1844-1873). He had learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. He volunteered in one of the first calls for soldiers in the Civil War and served as a Private with Company F, 26th Infantry Regiment from 10/11/1862 to 8/17/1863. He was uninjured in battle though he was in some severe encounters. He contracted a fever which left its results on all his later life. Records indicate that he may have first settled and cleared land in the vicinity of the Sutherland Farm on the Brown Road, Woodland; however, this cannot be verified as the town records which were kept in the town hall, usually referred to as "Maccabee Hall, Colby Siding, burned in a fire 13 June 1949. Between 1880 and 1887, the family lived in Van Buren. It appears that he lived in Caribou and Washburn at different times, but no information is available as to the removals. On getting a pension (eight dollars a month) he had some back pension due and the first payment was $900. A portion of this he put into a stock of furniture but this did not prove to be a success. With part of the Civil War bonus money, he purchased the farm located at Baily Mitchell Bridge, which in later years was called the "Noble Farm". He worked at his trade which included making coffins to order. At one time, he had a farm in woodland (which at that time was called "Number Fourteen"). Here Addie was born. Upon leaving the farm, Hiram Pike became a specialized carpenter designing and constructing cabinets for new homes, which were fastly being built, as well as special parts for the houses, i.e. doors, windows, windows and finishing work. He was one of the builder-carpenters involved in building the Caribou Universalist Church in 1867. By his first wife, he had Sylvester, Minnie (properly Melinda), Judson, and Addie. After the death of Caroline in 1873, he had the children boarded in various places, one of which was with an Allen family, in a house back from High Street in Caribou. In 1880 he married Clara Merritt (1861-1900). By this marriage there were Nellie, who died when 4 years old, 4/15/1882; Annie Burpee, 6/23/1884; Eugene Hale 2/23/1887; Blanche Hazel 4/27/1889; William Merritt 9/18/1891; Charles Boutelle 12/18/1894; and Jennie Burnice 4/14/1896. Of both marriages there were births of children who died in early infancy and of whom no record is available. Hiram II died in Caribou and is buried there.
Name: Hiram Pike , Residence: Lyndon, Maine Enlistment Date: 11 October 1862 Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Side Served: Union State Served: Maine Unit Numbers: 1043 Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 11 October 1862 at the age of 28 Enlisted in Company F, 26th Infantry Regiment Maine on 11 October 1862. Hospitalized on 02 August 1863 at Mound City, IL
Occupation - Carpenter
Occupation - [date: 1880] [place: Van Buren, Aroostook, Maine] wagon maker
Burial - [date: AFT 8 JAN 1908] [place: Caribou, Aroostook, Maine]
(Pike Lot, Evergreen Cemetery, right front entrance, five rows from front of left of path.)
Census - [date: 12 JUN 1880] [place: Van Buren, Aroostook, Maine]
(Age 45, widower, wagon-maker.)
Census - [date: 1900] [place: Caribou, Aroostook, Maine]
(Age 65, farmer.)
Birth Note
Born on Independence Hill, Bangor although daughter Blanche's birth cert says born in Norway. In fact, he spent his boyhood days in Norway.
Buried next to Hiram II and Clara Merritt.
Same great-grandfather (Nicholas Rideout, Jr.) as Clara Merritt's great-great grandfather.
Hiram and Caroline resided in Portland, Caribou and Woodland, Maine.
Burial - [date: AFT 13 JUN 1874] [place: Caribou, Aroostook, Maine]
(Pike Lot, Evergreen Cemetery on South Main St.)
Death Note
(Ae. 29y 9m. Gravestone inscription: "How desolate our home bereft of thee.")