USA > Maine > Hancock County > Swans Island > A history of Swan's Island, Maine > Part 14
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1886.
David E. Sprague, Edmond F. Bridges and Joseph W. Staples, assessors; Alphonso N. Witham, on the school committee. Raised $500 for schools, $350 for current expenses, and $300 for highways. Voted to ac- cept road laid out from Sylvester Morse's to the highway. In the State election the vote for governor was : Clark S. Edwards, 13; Joseph R. Bodwell, 12; for representative to the legislature, Benjamin F. Fifield, II ; Wilmot B. Thurlow, 12.
1887.
Joseph W. Staples, Levi B. Joyce and Benjamin Smith, assessors ; Oliver L. Joyce, on the school commit- tee. Raised $500 for schools, $300 for current expenses, and $400 for highways.
1888.
Edmond F. Bridges, Levi B. Joyce and Isaac W. Stinson, assessors; Levi B. Joyce, supervisor of schools. Raised $500 for schools, $300 for current expenses, and $400 for highways. Voted to make a town landing of M. Stinson's wharf, he to be allowed $10 for the use of it.
227
At the State election the vote for governor was: Edwin C. Burleigh, 19; William L. Putnam, 15; for representa- tive to the legislature, Seth Webb, 22; Frank S. War- ren, 15.
1889.
Edmond F. Bridges, Levi B. Joyce and Oliver L. Joyce, assessors; Levi B. Joyce, Oscar S. Erskine and Charles H. Joyce, school committee. Raised $500 for schools, $300 for current expenses, and $400 for high- ways. Accepted road laid out from Hosea Kent's to John C. Kent's. Voted to unite districts No. 3 and No. 5, and Bradford E. Rowe, Hiram Colomy and Benjamin J. Staples were chosen a committee to locate the schoolhouse for said districts.
1890.
Edmond F. Bridges, Levi B. Joyce and N. T. Morse, assessors; Levi B. Joyce on the school committee. Raised $500 for schools, $400 for highways, $250 for current expenses. At the State election the vote for gov- ernor was : Edwin C. Burleigh, 17; William P. Thomp- son, 34; representative to the legislature, Joseph W. Has- kell, 12; Seth Webb, 43.
1891.
Charles H. Joyce, Oliver L. Joyce and Benjamin Smith, assessors; Oliver L. Joyce on the school commit- tee. Raised $500 for schools, $100 for text-books, $500 for highways, and $200 for current expenses. Voted to discontinue the road from the John Smith place to where
228
it joins the road from Herbert Holbrook's; that the asses- sors examine the road from Herbert Holbrook's place and lay out a road where they think necessary. The assessors are authorized to get a road machine, and if it works sat- isfactorily to pay for it out of the money raised for roads. 1892.
Edmond F. Bridges, Levi B. Joyce and Joseph W. Staples, assessors ; Charles H. Joyce and Isaiah J. Stock- bridge, school committee, with Levi B. Joyce chairman. Raised $575 for schools, $50 for text-books, $650 for highways, and $300 for current expenses. At the State election the vote for governor was : Henry B. Cleaves, 21; Charles F. Johnson, 18; Timothy B. Hussey, 1; for representative to the legislature, Wilmot B. Thurlow, 25 ; Franklin B. Ferguson, 16.
1893.
Isaac W. Stinson, Charles E. Sprague and Frank E. Pettingill, assessors; Levi B. Joyce on the school com- mittee. Raised $75 for text-books, $600 for schools, $550 for highways, $50 on road from David Smith's to Lewis Stanley's ; $300 for current expenses. Voted not to divide district No. 4. Voted to apply to the legislature for a town charter, if it can be secured without becoming liable 'to support the paupers on the adjacent islands.
1894.
Charles E. Sprague, Isaiah J. Stockbridge and Lewis Stanley, assessors ; H. W. Small, Isaac W. Stinson and
229
George Sprague, school committee. H. W. Small was elected supervisor. Raised $600 for schools, $50 for text-books, $450 for current expenses, and $300 for roads. Districts Nos. 1, 3 and 5 were consolidated. Voted to build a two-story schoolhouse for the accommodation of these combined districts. Chose Benjamin Smith, Charles E. Sprague, Hermon W. Small, Dana E. Burns and Benjamin J. Staples as building committee, who shall determine the location of said schoolhouse, and superin- tend its building.
. 1895.
There were three meetings this year for the election of municipal officers. The first two were considered void on account of some imformality in the warrants. The first meeting was held March 4, the second March 27; the third at No. 4 schoolhouse on April 18. Chose J. W. Staples, moderator, Levi B. Joyce, clerk. Voted to re- consider the transactions of the two previous meetings, and the officers chosen at these former meetings tendered their resignations. Charles E. Sprague, I. J. Stockbridge and Nelson T. Morse were chosen assessors; I. W. Stin- son, treasurer; Fred A. Joyce on the school board; H. W. Small, superintendent of schools; N. T. Morse, collector of taxes. Appropriated $505 for schools, $75 for text-books, $500 for highways, $450 for current ex- penses, $100 for repairs on schoolhouses.
During the session of the legislature of 1895-6 an act was passed, incorporating into a town Swan's Island and all other islands, the whole or part of which are within
230
three miles from high water mark of said Swan's Island, .except Marshall's Island and such islands as are now a part of Long Island plantation. This act was passed, with the provision that this law shall not take effect unless the same is accepted by a majority vote by ballot of the legal voters of Swan's Island, taken at their annual meet- ing held the first Monday in March, A. D. 1896, an article therefor having been inserted in the warrant calling the meeting. If act is then so accepted, it shall immediately take effect, and the legal voters there present may proceed to elect the usual town officers, and transact any other business as a town of which notice has been given in the warrant calling said meeting of said plantation.
1896.
The annual meeting was held at Atlantic school- house; N. T. Morse was chosen moderator. Voted not to accept the town charter by a vote of 82 to 59. L. B. Joyce was elected clerk; C. H. Joyce, I. J. Stockbridge and Oliver Bowley, assessors ; Charles W. Shaw, auditor ; I. W. Stinson, treasurer. H. W. Small and Levi B. Joyce on the school board; H. W. Small, superintendent of schools; Fred Turner, road commissioner. Appro- priated $505 for schools, $30 for school-books, $300 for highways, $400 for current expenses, and $200 for support of the poor. Voted to pay the balance due on the schoolhouse debt. Accepted the road laid out from near Philip McRae's to S. Morse's.
In State election in September the vote was : For gov-
23I
ernor, Llewellyn Powers, 22; Melvin P. Frank, 14; representative to the legislature, Stephen B. Thurlow had 32 ; Dudley W. Fifield, 7. During the session of the legislature of 1896-7 a bill was passed making Swan's Island a town. The limits were the same as in the bill passed by the previous legislature, and contained the fol- lowing islands : Swan's Island, Orino, Round, Sheep, Finney, Buckle, Crow, Heron, Hat, Hay, Green, Harbor, Scrag, two Bakers, John's and the two Sister islands, which include eighteen out of the twenty-five islands that were originally conveyed to Swan in the Burnt Coat group. The legislature also authorized the new town to collect in all outstanding taxes that had been assessed by the officers of the de facto plantation. It also gave au- thority to any justice of the peace in Hancock county to warn a meeting. This bill, granting a town charter to Swan's Island, was signed by the governor, and became a law March 26, 1897.
1897.
The annual meeting was held March I, and the usual officers chosen. The question, however, was raised in re- gard to the legality of the incorporation of the plantation, as no record was to be found of such proceedings, and the legislature did not legalize either the title to a planta- tion or the transactions that had taken place under the alleged plantation. So a new meeting was warned according to the requirements of the new town charter. The first town meeting was held in No. 4 schoolhouse on April 13. The warrant was issued by Levi B. Joyce,
232
esq., to Llewellyn V. Joyce, directing him to warn a meeting at the above-named place and date, to elect the usual town officers.
The meeting was called to order by L. V. Joyce. Nelson T. Morse was elected moderator ; C. E. Sprague, clerk ; C. H. Joyce, I. J. Stockbridge and Oliver Bowley, selectmen; George A. Sprague, auditor; I. W. Stinson, treasurer; Isaac W. Stinson, A. C. Smith and E. K. Gott, school board; John Hardy, superintendent of schools ; Horace E. Stanley and Fred Turner, road com- missioners. Appropriated $505 for schools, $75 for text- books, $400 for roads, $550 for current expenses, $60 for repairs on schoolhouses, and $200 for support of poor. By the death of Congressman Seth L. Milliken, a special election was held June 12 to choose his successor. The vote was : For Edwin C. Burleigh, 24; Frederick W. Plaisted, 4.
1898.
Meeting was held at Atlantic schoolhouse. This year two hundred names appeared on the voting list. The fol- lowing were the officers chosen : Moderator, C. E. Sprague; clerk, F. F. Morse; selectmen, C. H. Joyce, Oliver Bowley and Linwood E. Joyce; school board, C. E. Sprague, F. F. Morse and Nelson Sprague; superin- tendent of schools, H. W. Small; auditor, J. W. Staples ; road commissioner, David M. Stanley. $505 for schools, $700 for town expenses, $500 for high- ways, $200 for support of poor, $50 for repairs on school- house, $80 for text-books, and $roo for supplies and appliances. Accepted road laid out from John Sprague's to Elias Sprague's.
Appropriated .
-
CHAPTER VIII.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Following are the names of the representatives to the State legislature who have been chosen from Swan's Island. When the first representative was chosen this island was classed with Mt. Desert. The others repre- sented the towns of Deer Isle, Swan's Island and Isle au Haut. The vote given below is for the whole representa- tive district :
Benjamin Stinson was elected in 1837; he received 89 votes ; Enoch Spurling, 70.
Benjamin F. Stinson was elected in 1855; he re- ceived 162 votes ; Solomon Barbour, 134. Mr. Stinson was a candidate for the same office in 1844. His vote in this town was 45 ; Humphrey Wells, I. But Mr. Wells received a majority in the district.
Ebenezer Joyce was elected in 1859; he received 135 votes ; Franklin Closson, 134.
John Stockbridge was elected in 1867; he received 152 votes ; William H. Reed, 74.
Martin V. Babbidge was elected in 1876; he received 268 votes; Augustus O. Gross, 173.
William P. Herrick was elected in 1884; he received 238 votes ; Wilmot B. Thurlow, 237. ·
Charles E. Sprague was elected in 1894; he received 239 votes; Charles L. Knowlton, 155.
234
The Swan's Island Mutual Fire Insurance Company was organized for the purpose of insuring against loss or damage by fire of buildings and household furniture located on Swan's Island. Afterwards the property on Gott's Island and Orino Island was included. The first meeting to effect an organization was held in the school- house in district No. 2 on January 29, 1893. On Feb- ruary 10 following the signers of the " Articles of Agree- ment" met and proceeded to elect a board of directors, and adopted a constitution and by-laws. The following was the first board of directors : Frank E. Pettingill, Emery E. Joyce, Edmund F. Bridges, W. Leslie Joyce, Hermon W. Small, Joseph W. Staples, Herbert W. Joyce, James Joyce and Isaac W. Stinson. The board of directors chose Hermon W. Small president ; Joseph W. Staples, secretary, and James Joyce, treasurer.
The plan of this insurance was for mutual home pro- tection against loss by fire, at the least expense possible to the policy-holders. The policies ran for a period of seven years, and the policy fees at first were 17, afterwards 25 cents on each $100 insurance. This was just to meet the incidental expenses. The president and secretary together received $1 for the writing of each policy, and the treas- urer received 10 per cent. of the gross receipts of these policy fees for his compensation. There were to be no other expenses except loss by fire, when each policy- holder was to pay his part of the loss in proportion to the amount for which he was insured. The policy notes were for 10 per cent. of the amount insured. About $25,000
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was written the first year. A State charter was issued to this company by the secretary of State on March 23, 1893. The first policies were issued April 18 following.
POSTOFFICES.
For some fifty years after the settlement of this town, there was no postoffice here. Such mail as was received stopped at the postoffice either at Deer Isle or Mount Desert and was brought to this island when a sail-boat chanced to visit those places. This was very inconvenient to the settlers, and often the delivery was long delayed or the mail lost. The first office was established in 1844, and Benjamin Stinson was appointed postmaster. The mail at this time came to the island from Brooklin once a week, and the mail carrier was to be paid by subscription ; but as many received little mail, interest in the enterprise soon waned and the burden of carrying the mails fell mostly to the lot of the postmaster. Few newspapers were taken here at that time. Letters were merely folded and secured with sealing-wax - no envelopes were used. Postage was charged according to the distance the letter was sent. It often cost twenty-five cents or more to send a letter to some places even in this country. The postage was collected when the mail was delivered.
Mr. Stinson was succeeded as postmaster by James Joyce, in 1852, and after him Joseph W. Staples was ap- pointed. The mails during the last two appointments, and a long time subsequent, were carried to Tremont.
The receipts of the office were all the department
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allowed for the compensation of the postmaster and mail carrier. The pay was so small that great difficulty was experienced in getting a mail carrier, and it was carried so irregularly that a large part of the outgoing letters, from which the revenue came, was sent off by private convey- ance. So the receipts of the office were small indeed.
In 1861 Cornelius Wasgatt was appointed postmaster, after which the mails were carried much more regularly. When he moved from the island Mrs. Mary Gott received the appointment. After her resignation Isaac W. Stin- son, a grandson of the first Swan's Island postmaster, was appointed, and at the present time the office is held by Capt. William Herrick.
As the town increased in population and the amount of mail became much larger, it proved inconvenient for one office to accommodate the whole island. So, in 1884, an office was established at the eastern side of the island, called Atlantic. Mrs. Durilla Joyce was appointed post- mistress. She held the office until 1897, when she was succeeded by Llewellyn V. Joyce. In 1897 a new office was established in what was formerly school district No. 4, and was named Minturn. Mrs. Arwilda Newman was appointed postmistress.
After the mails became somewhat larger than at first, they were carried to Tremont twice a week when the weather would permit a sail-boat to cross the bay. Later they were carried daily. The department established a mail route, and paid the mail carrier. In 1894 this old mail route was discontinued, and a steamboat company con-
237
tracted to bring the mail daily from Rockland to Old Har- bor. This is a much more direct route than when it went by the way of Tremont, and thence by stage to Ellsworth. We have now daily communication with the city, and daily papers are received on the day of publication. In no other way has the improvement been greater than in the man- agement of the mails, which is so vital to the business in- terest of any community.
CHURCHES.
The early settlers here were a religious people, and, although they had no pastor or place for public worship, they made up for this lack of privilege by holding Sunday service in some dwelling-house, where one of the company performed the service usual in those times by reading a sermon. Mid-week prayer meetings were also held. These services were attended by the people from the dif- ferent sections of the whole island, and on pleasant days they would come from the neighboring islands. Most of the first settlers were of the Congregational denomination, but that church never formed an organization.
A Baptist preacher came here about the year 1814, and conducted a series of revival meetings ; as a result, quite a number joined the church of that denomination. In 1817 a Baptist society was organized in that part of the town now known as Atlantic. According to the minutes of the Baptist association, held in Sedgwick Oct. 12, 1820, the Swan's Island church was taken into the association. Rev. Bryant Lennan, a licensed preacher, and Joshua
238
Staples represented this church at this association. They reported the membership at that time to be twenty-three.
In 1821 the Swan's Island church was represented at the Baptist association held at Surry by Rev. Bryant Len- nan and Courtney Babbidge. Two members had been excluded during the year, leaving twenty-one members in good standing. In the association held in Addison in
Rev. Bryant 1822, this church was not represented.
Lennan was ordained during the year. This church was represented at the association held in Brooksville in 1823, by Rev. Bryant Lennan, Deacon James Joyce and Joshua Staples. The membership was the same as last reported. In 1824 the association that met at Bluehill reported this church membership to have been increased by the baptism of thirteen candidates, making the total membership this year thirty-four. This year the church was represented by Rev. Mr. Lennan, Courtney Babbidge and Ebenezer Joyce.
Mr. Lennan was connected with the church for many years. He is said to have been a faithful pastor and was considered a good preacher. He finally returned to Hampden, his native town. After some fifteen years Mr. Lennan returned and preached a few years, after which I find no further record of him.
Rev. Theophilus Batchelder preached alternately here and at Deer Isle for several years. Rev. Benjamin F. Stinson preached here a great deal at different times. He did faithful service and was much loved and respected by the church here. After the schoolhouse was built at the
239
eastern side of the island services were held there. Ser- vices in those times were very long. After a sermon of an hour, a short intermission would be taken, after which a second sermon was preached.
Rev. Daniel Dodge preached a part of the year 1838. Ebenezer Joyce was chosen deacon. The conference del- egates were James Joyce, John Stockbridge and Ebene- z.er Joyce. In 1840 quite a revival took place under the pastorate of Rev. Samuel Macomber. Asa Joyce, Sally Stockbridge, John Cook and Jane Morey were taken into the church. In 1842 26 more joined. From 1843-5 meet- ings were held more or less regularly by Elder St. Clair, Carey or Dunham. From 1847 to 1850 the preachers were Revs. Messrs. Macomber, Hall and Pendleton. During the latter years several more were taken into the church.
For the next few years the interest of the church mem- bers gradually declined. On July 14, 1857, a church meeting was called. Those present were Rebecca Staples, Betsey Staples, Sally Morey, Catherine Joyce, Rosalana Morey, Nancy Morey, Polly Babbidge, Ebenezer Joyce, James Joyce, John Stockbridge, Joseph S. Babbidge and Elias Morey. They made an effort to establish the meetings again. As a result Revs. Samuel Macomber and The- ophilus Batchelder preached a part of the year.
The following were the members of the Baptist church on April 6, 1867 : James Joyce, Ebenezer Joyce, Joseph S. Babbidge, Joseph R. Torrey, Asa Joyce, Hezekiah Morey, Benjamin Stockbridge, Samuel Stockbridge,
240
Isaiah B. Joyce, Eben S. Joyce, Henry D. Joyce, James Joyce, jr., Benjamin F. Staples, Simeon R. Staples, Wil- liam A. Joyce, Otis Morey, Rebecca Staples, Mary Trask, Polly Babbidge, James Joyce, Catherine Joyce, Olive Torrey, Roxana Torrey, Isabel S. Joyce, Jane J. Joyce, Martha Torrey, Harriet Staples, Sophronia Staples, Louisa Staples, Nancy Morey, Susan Reed and Sally Morey-thirty-two in all.
On April 7, 1857, nine more joined ; on the next Sun- day fifteen more joined - making the total membership at this time fifty-six. On May 16, 1886, Rev. C. E. Harden baptized nine persons. The following Sunday Rev. Gideon Mayo baptized five.
Among the preachers during the previous twenty years were Revs. B. F. Stinson, N. G. French, C. E. Harden, Mr. Pierce and Gideon Mayo.
In 1886-9 Rev. George D. B. Pepper, D. D., presi- dent of Colby university, preached here during the sum- mer. During 1888-9 Rev. William H. Hall preached here. From 1888 to 1891 thirty-one persons joined the church. The membership had now increased to over seventy.
A church was built by this society in 1883 at a cost of $3,500. In 1890 and 1891 Rev. W. H. Hall conducted a series of revival meetings, and a large number was added to the church membership. Rev. J. Frank Jones was the pastor in 1891-2. In 1894 Rev. S. O. Whitten came and preached three years. A two-story parsonage was built in 1891 at a cost of $1,400. At present there is no settled
241
pastor, and the church membership has fallen to fifty- nine.
The Methodist society was organized in 1834. The first preacher of that denomination here was Rev. Asa Wasgatt. Soon after Rev. Mr. Douglass came here from Bar Harbor, and baptized several candidates. In 1859 Rev. Benjamin F. Stinson, of this town, entered the min- istry, and for the twenty-eight years that he preached, much of the time was devoted to the church in his native town. In 1860 Mr. Stinson preached in Tremont; '61, '62 in Deer Isle ; '63, '64 in Franklin ; '65, '66 in Colum- bia ; '67, '69 in Tremont; '70, ' 71 in Harrington ; ' 73 in South Deer Isle; '75 and until his death in 1887 he preached at Tremont and this town on alternate Sun- days.
Rev. John A. Oakes came in 1861, and preached two years. The services were held during this time at the Center schoolhouse. The other preachers were Rev. A. Plummer; Mr. Caldwell, who stayed here two years. He was followed by Rev. Theophilus Batchelder, who also preached in the Baptist church. For several years after this there was no regular preacher. In 1882 Rev. Israel Hathaway came and preached about two years until his death. He was followed by Elder Roberts, George A. Fuller and I. B. Conley.
In 1888 a church was built at a cost of $2,500. Since then a pastor has been regularly employed. They have been Revs. Wesley Haskell, Samuel E. Dunham, George M. Bailey, Horace Haskell, Andrew J. Turner, Lester
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McCalf, Chester Butterfield. The present pastor is Rev. John L. Pinkerton. The present membership is thirty.
The Advent society has been organized for some years, and has quite a large number of church members. A church was erected in 1893. There is no regular pas- tor, but one is furnished more or less regularly, and when without a pastor, the services are conducted by a member. Their church seems to be in a vigorous and growing con- dition.
CONCLUSION.
This work has extended far beyond my original inten- tions. It has covered, I think, nearly everything likely to be of public interest since the discovery of this island. As stated elsewhere, errors will undoubtedly appear. The author knew of but few of the people or events personally ; he has had to depend, in some parts, almost wholly upon the memory of aged people. But the best information gleaned from these sources has been faithfully recorded.
I have been five years in collecting these records, much of which, had it not been secured during the lifetime of the oldest residents, would have been lost beyond re- covery.
The descendants of many of the early families who lived here are scattered among different towns and states, and it has required a great deal of patient toil to find them all, and collect their family history, so as to make their record complete.
To the many who have so kindly furnished the material for this work, the author extends his thanks, and to them he is greatly indebted.
INDEX OF FIRST SETTLERS.
PAGE.
Adams, John
I42
Babbidge, Courtney
96
Barbour, Solomon
155
Benson, Jephtha
I38
Billings, Enoch
I20
Bridges, Moses
I56
Carpenter, Richard.
75
Clark. Samuel C.
48
Cołomy, Thomas
12I
Conary, Israel
I54
Cook, John
99
Davis, William
75
Dunbar, Thomas
I26
Fife, William
I37
Finney, John.
IO7
Gott, Daniel
163
Gott, Peter
108
Grindle, Joshua
70
Hamblen, Daniel
173
Hardy, Silas.
I41
Herrick, Kimball
I23
Holbrook, Abram
152
Joyce, James
88
Kempton, Seth
I44
Kempton, Samuel
7I
Kempton, Zachariah
I44
Kench, Thomas
59
244
Kent, Samuel 124
Kiff, Alexander
153
Lane, Hardy
145
Lane, Oliver
145
Lennan, Rev. Bryant
I02
Mitchell, Robert.
146
Morey, Elias, jr.
100
Nutter, Alexander
72
Nutter, William
I28
Prince, Joseph
23
Reed, Jacob S
I50
Remick, Joseph ..
86
Rich, John
73
Richardson, James.
172
Richardson, Stephen
173
Richardson, Thomas
173
Sadler, Joshua.
I28
Sadler, Thomas
I30
Sadler, Moses.
132
Smith, David
0
Sprague, James T
I32
Stanley, William
I34
Staples, Moses
75
Stewart, Cushing
114
Stinson, Benjamin
115
Stockbridge, John
103
Swan, Col. James
44
Swan, James Keadie
55
Toothaker, Joseph 70%
Torrey, Levi
94
Trask, Joshua S.
149.
Valentine, John
I23
1
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