We are often asked where the name "Sweeney Ridge" came from?
Is it a real place? Is it our name? Where is it?
Sweeney Ridge is both a real place and a way our now scattered family refers to our past. There has always been a Sweeney Ridge - all the way back to Ireland - where the original ancestral home was set upon a rolling, emerald green hill. With the hard times of the Irish Potato Famine, the village in which the Sweeneys lived decided to move as a group to the New World in hopes of a better future for their families. From County Cork, Ireland the family sailed across the Atlantic in the mid 1800's landing in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada and traveled up the St. John River to a new settlement This settlement was later named Johnsville in remembrance of Bishop John Sweeney who had helped the village relocate to Canada by providing them land for a new village. Farming, logging and railroad work provided a living for those new residents.
The Sweeney family later moved northward up the St. John River to Bear Mountain where they worked in the lumbering industry. Another move brought them to a ridge over looking the river in the village of Perth-Andover on the Canadian-American border. Just before WWII, Northern Maine would become the new home of Sweeney Ridge. Located on a ridge in Fort Fairfield, not far from the Aroostook River and just across the valley from the Canadian border, the farm was home to the family along with cows, pigs, chickens, dogs and cats. Potato farming provided the living along with vegetables from the large gardens
When we say "Sweeney Ridge" we remember walks in the woods, planting of gardens and trees, many cats and dogs, Christmas lights welcoming us home, favorite foods, snow, family stories, swimming at the pond, the barn, the machine shed, the veranda and especially all those who lived there - both those still here and those now gone - all were touched by a special place called "Sweeney Ridge".
Although we no longer live in Northern Maine, our metalwork reflects the heritage and values of Sweeney Ridge - love of family, nature, honesty, pride in hard work, Maine ingenuity, perseverance, quality and teamwork. We thank you for your interest in Sweeney Ridge and hope you enjoy our site!
John T Underwood
Mary Sweeney Underwood
Patrick Sweeney Underwood
