USA > Maine > Hancock County > Swans Island > A history of Swan's Island, Maine > Part 8
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Most of their children were born in Sedgwick; they were Enoch, who was afflicted with epileptic fits ; one day while fishing in a boat, he had an epileptic seizure, fell from the boat, and was drowned; his boat was found anchored; John, another son, lived here for some years, and afterwards moved to Brewer, where he bought a large farm, and there he died ; his wife was Harriet Billings; Johnson, another son, was born in Sedgwick in 1810, and
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came here with his father; he married Eliza Smith, a daughter of David Smith, sr .; he built a house over a cellar north of where Capt. John C. Kent now lives ; this place he sold to Asa Smith when he moved to Stinson's Neck, Deer Isle, where he bought the farm near the school-house. Mr. Billings was an industrious man, and lived in easy circumstances ; he is now living, in his nine- ty-first year, hale and vigorous; his wife died in 1891, aged seventy-seven years.
The daughters of Enoch Billings were Edna, wife of Thomas Conary, of Surry, and Sarah, wife of Lovan Conary, of Surry. William and David Carter, brothers of Mrs. Enoch Billings, lived for some time here. Wil- liam was drowned from a boat while coming from Deer Isle. David in after years moved away. They were both unmarried.
John Valentine.
John Valentine came here from East Haddam, Conn., in 1852, and married the widow of John Stinson, on whose place he lived while here. They afterwards moved to Rockland, where Mrs. Valentine died. Their children were Ann, who married a Mr. Manson in Massachusetts ; Betsey and John, jr., also married in that state; the latter afterwards moved to Pennsylvania, and with him his father now resides.
Thomas Colomy.
Thomas Colomy came here from Damariscotta in 1823, he being then only eighteen years of age. £ He
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made his first visit to the island while in a fishing vessel. Afterwards he came and lived for several years with the family of Samuel Kent. His wife was Mercy Kent, whom he married soon after coming here. He bought the land and built a house near where David Smith now lives. This place he sold at the solicitation of a friend and bought Conary's island near Deer Isle, but in this purchase he was greatly deceived ; the condition of this place was so much different from what he had been led to expect that he soon came back here and bought the place of William Annis, where Hezekiah Holbrook now lives. Previous to going to Conary's island he sold his farm here to David Smith, 3d, who still occupies it. After living on the Annis place some years, he moved to Irish point and bought the place then owned by David Stinson, next adjoining the Smith lot, where he spent the remainder of his years. He died in 1884, at the age of seventy-nine years. Mrs. Colomy died in 1879, aged fifty-nine years. They were the parents of ten children, most of whom have moved from this town.
The daughters were : Roxana, wife of Joseph Whit- more; Caroline, wife of Joel Whitmore, both of Deer Isle; these two daughters now reside in California; Liz- zie, wife of Capt. Courtney Crockett, of Deer Isle; he was lost at sea in 1883 in the schooner "J. H. Miller ", while he was on a voyage to Boston where he was to sell his vessel; this was to be his last trip to sea; his widow still resides at Oceanville; Lorenia, wife of William Sulli- van, of Nova Scotia ; they reside at Deer Isle; Margaret, Marietta and an infant died young.
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The sons were: Franklin, who married Mary Whit- more; Edwin, who married Carrie Whitmore, both of Deer Isle, where they now reside; Hiram J., who was the only one of the family who settled here; he owned the place formerly occupied by his father at Irish point ; his wife was Eva Smith ; Mr. Colomy was drowned from an open boat Oct. 10, 1894 ; he started to row out from Seal Cove around Irish point in the face of a furious gale. It was raining very hard, rendering his frail boat very slip- pery, and it is supposed that in trying to change his posi- tion in the boat he slipped and fell into the water; his brother coming from Deer Isle in a boat picked up his empty boat and towed it into Old Harbor; he was forty- nine years of age.
Kimball Herrick.
Kimball Herrick came to this island and bought the John Smith place at Irish point, in 1839. His father was Eben Herrick, of Brooklin, one of the pioneer settlers there. His mother's maiden name was Priscilla Bridges. He had eight children. The daughters were : Affie, Emmeline, Hannah and Matilda; the sons were : Walter, Shadrich, Elijah, and Kimball, the subject of our sketch ; they are now all dead.
Kimball was born in Brooklin in 1803, where he lived until after his marriage. His wife was Abigail M. Bab- son. Previous to his coming here he lived three years on Marshall's island, but he never owned any property there. Mr. Herrick died in 1887, aged eighty-four years. His
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wife died in 1884, aged eighty years. They were the parents of three daughters, all of whom are living here. They are Sarah A., widow of Ambrose Gott; Sapphira, widow of Isaiah L. Stanley ; Abbie, wife of Abram Hol- brook.
Samuel Kent.
' Samuel Kent came here in 1805 from Annisquam, Mass., and for a number of years lived with his brother- in-law, Alexander Nutter, whose place he had when Mr. Nutter moved away. His place is what is now known as the Irish point farm.
The Kents are a very old family in this country. Three brothers came here from England in 1630, and landed in Portsmouth, N. H. Tradition says that in England they were in hiding five years to escape being beheaded during the reign of Charles I. They finally escaped and came to this country. Three brothers, Charles, Martin and Daniel, descendants of these Kents, came to this State from Marshfield, Mass., in 1793, and settled what has since been known as Kent's Hill, the location of the Maine Wesleyan seminary and female col- lege. The Marshfield records also give the name of Samuel Kent, who married in 1728, Desire Baker, and in 1731 they had a son, also Samuel. Another of this fam- ily, Thomas Kent, settled near Gloucester in 1649. He had two sons, John and Samuel; the latter was married in 1654. He also had a son Samuel, born in 1661. This family being the only Kent family recorded as ever
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settling on Cape Ann, was undoubtedly the ancestor of the Mr. Kent who came to this town. The names given to his children here are but a repetition of the names of the Kent family on Cape Ann. This custom of naming chil- dren for family relatives was then almost universal. There are many Kents now living in or near Gloucester, and many of their descendants are scattered through Maine.
Mr. Kent married before coming here Katie Woolens, of Gloucester. They were the parents of nine children. Mr. Kent was drowned about the year 1831, while coming from Deer Isle in an open boat, where he had been to get Richard Warren to perform the marriage ceremony for his son Samuel. He accidentally fell overboard ; a strong breeze was blowing, and before assistance could be ren- dered he had become exhausted and was drowned. His wife died in 1838. His property afterwards fell into the hands of ex-Governor Edward Kent, of Bangor, and was afterwards sold to John Smith and Kimball Herrick. Their daughters were : Abigail, wife of Asa Smith; Asenath, wife of a Mr. Smith, of Boston, where they re- side; Mercy, wife of Thomas Colomy, who died in 1875, aged fifty-nine years; Catherine, who married in New York city. The sons were :
I. Benjamin, who was born in 1801, in Annisquam. His wife was Ann Smith, by whom he had five children. The daughters were: Sabrina, wife of John Wallace, of Jonesport; Sarah, wife of John Dobbin; Mercy, wife of Levi Alley. The sons were : David, who married
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Elvira Wallace; John, who married a Mrs. Alley. The whole family settled at Jonesport.
II. Samuel was the second son. He was born in Annisquam in 1803; his wife was Mary, daughter of David Smith, sr. Mr. Kent, with George Smith, bought the Billings lot and built the house where Charles W. Kent now lives. They were the parents of six children- Eliza, Henrietta, Charles W., John Calvin, James E. and Hosea M. Mr. Kent died in 1877, aged seventy-four
years. Mrs. Kent died in 1897, at the age of eighty-five years. The only survivor of the family of David Smith, sr., is Mrs. Kent's sister, Dorothy, wife of Benjamin Smith, 2d.
III. James, another son, married Rebecca Stower, of Gouldsboro. They settled in Brooklin where they died. IV. Martin, in 1844, married Lois Billings. They resided in Sedgwick. He was a master mariner.
V. Hiram married, in 1848, Nancy, daughter of William Stanley. He owned the house built on a part of the land formerly owned by Benjamin Stinson, where he al- ways resided. He died very suddenly; he retired in his usual health, and in the morning was found dead in bed. His death occurred in 1894, aged sixty-seven years. His wife died in 1866, at the age of thirty-five years.
Thomas Dunbar.
Thomas Dunbar came here in 1819 when a child eight years old, and was brought up in the family of Benjamin Smith. His parents resided at Deer Isle, where he had a
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brother Elisha, who died in 1893, at the age of seventy- five years. Thomas married Susan, a daughter of David Smith, 2d ; he separated from his wife, after which he spent a roving life. After the marriage of his son, he went to Ellsworth to live with him, and died there, about eighty years of age.
Mrs. Dunbar afterwards married a Mr. Smith, of Jonesport, and after his death she became the wife of Peter Stanley. By her first marriage 'Mrs. Dunbar had one child, Joseph. He married Clara Batchelder, a daughter of Rev. Theophilus Batchelder, a Baptist clergyman. She was a most excellent woman, well educated and refined, and was well known throughout Hancock county, together with her sister, Annie O. Batchelder, as an excellent school teacher. They were often selected where strict discipline was required; they were large, muscular women and capable of meeting any emergency that might arise in school.
After the death of her husband Mrs. Dunbar became the wife of Daniel S. Beal, a wealthy man of Ellsworth. He was at the time of this marriage about eighty years of age, and had a family by his first wife. 'After his death, which occurred a few months after his marriage, it was found that he had willed his property to his second wife ; his children contested the will, and, after a long trial which attracted a great deal of attention, the will was broken. Mrs. Beal died in Ellsworth in 1893.
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William Nutter.
William Nutter came here about the year 1800 from Mount Desert, and was a brother of Alexander Nutter, whom we have noticed as being the first settler at Irish point. He came soon after the departure of Joseph Prince, and took up all the land south of where Parker Bridges now owns, to the salt water. He built a small house where Rodney Sadler's now stands, he at that time being the only inhabitant on that side of the harbor. His wife was Amy Rich, of Mount Desert. Mr. Nutter died in Portland while there in a vessel. They were the pa- rents of five children - one daughter and four sons. The daughter, Elizabeth, married Elwell W. Freethy, and now resides in Brooklin. Benjamin, the oldest son, married Eliza, a daughter of Eben Herrick ; James and William were lost at sea; Josiah married Judith Roberts, and set- tled in Brooklin.
After the death of her husband, Mrs. Nutter married Eben Herrick, of Brooklin ; she sold her place here and removed to Brooklin, where she spent the remainder of her life. By Mr. Herrick she had two children - Emma and Alethia, both of whom married in Boston. Mrs. Her- rick died in 1866.
Joshua Sadler.
Joshua Sadler came here in 1834, and his two brothers, Thomas and Moses, came about two years later. The Sadler family came to Maine from Gloucester. They settled in Georgetown, where these three brothers were born.
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Joshua married Mary Crabtree, of Vinalhaven, where they lived for several years, a part of their children having been born there. When he came to this island he bought the land now owned by Rodney Sadler, besides the large tract extending to the south and southwest of this place to the salt water. This he bought of the widow of William Nutter, who was the first settler on this land. Mr. Nutter had built a small house where Rodney Sadler's now stands. After Thomas came the two brothers, and lived for some time in this small house. They afterwards divided the tract of land that Joshua had taken up, the latter taking the southern half including the "Point", and Thomas had the northern half. Joshua then built a house where Mrs. Margaret Sprague now lives. They were the parents of fourteen children.
Mr. Sadler sold his place - the southern part to John Ross, and the "Point " to Silas Hardy. He then went to Ellsworth, where he died about the year 1864. His wife died at Deer Isle, where she went to live with her son James. Their sons were : Chaney, who married Abigail Bridges; they lived here some years, then removed to Ellsworth, where he now resides; James, who married Margaret Stinson, of Deer Isle, where he settled ; George, who also lives at Deer Isle; he has been twice married ; his first wife was Lydia Ball; Benjamin, who married Justina Bridges; they removed to Ellsworth; Eben, who married Lizzie Billings, of Deer Isle; he was lost at sea; after his death Mrs. Sadler became the wife of Angus McDonald; John, who died in the South
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while in the service of the government during the Civil war.
The daughters were : Julia, wife of Thomas Trundy, of Deer Isle; Lydia, wife of Leander Milliken, of Ells- worth; he was lost at sea; Georgiana and Betsey, who were married after they went to Ellsworth. The other children died while young.
Thomas Sadler.
Thomas Sadler, a brother of the subject of the last sketch, was born in Georgetown. As already stated, he took the northern half of the tract of land first taken up by Joshua. He built a house near where Merrill Sadler now lives. Just previous to his death he built the house now owned by Rodney C. Sadler. In 1827 he married Hannah Hunt, of Georgetown, where they spent the first eight years of their married life. At the solicitation of his brother Joshua, he came here to live. The two brothers owned a fishing vessel, and came here on account of the convenience for carrying on their business.
Mrs. Sadler, who still survives, is in her eighty-ninth year, and possesses a remarkable memory for one of her age. She related to me much concerning the early set- tlers here. The land they occupied was covered with alders and a young growth of spruce when she came. This land had previously been chopped over, the logs hav- ing been sawed at the mill. There were then only three or four log huts in what is now school district No. 4, none of which could be seen from her house. There were no
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roads, only paths through the woods. The only inhabi- tants besides her husband and two brothers were the widow Rebecca Sprague, two Gott brothers, John and Joseph, and on the other side of the harbor there were John Gott, sr., father of the last two named, Edward Gott, Benjamin Stinson and William Stanley. There was then no store on the island, and most of their supplies came from Rock- land; these were got in exchange for wood and fish. Amid these privations and desolation their family was reared. A large family, with the large amount of work which it brings, kept them busy, and Mrs. Sadler says she was never discontented with her lot. They were the parents of eight children.
The sons were : William, who married Maria Ross and lives in Rockland; Thomas, who married Lovina Joyce ; after her death he married Mrs. Julia Oakes, of Gloucester, and after her death, married Mrs. Abbie Dyer, of Vinalhaven ; his home is now in Everett, Mass .; Rod- ney C., who married Ann Stewart, and lives on the home- stead lot.
The daughters were: Clara, wife of Newell Smith ; they lived in Rockland ; Mr. Smith died of yellow fever in 1882 ; after his death Mrs. Smith married Horton Burpee ; Izetta, wife of Cornelius Wasgatt ; they now reside in Ev- erett; Mary, wife of Eben Smith ; he was lost at sea; she then became the wife of David H. Sprague; Elizabeth, wife of Freeland H. Benson; they reside in Seattle, Wash. ; Rosilla, wife of Elias Sprague. Thomas Sadler, sr., died in 1868, aged sixty-one years.
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Moses Sadler.
Moses Sadler took up the lot south of the Gott's, ex- tending to the lot owned by his brother Thomas, which land is now owned in part by Parker Bridges' heirs. He built a house where Mr. Bridges' now stands. His wife was Eunice Smith, who died in 1863, at the age of forty- three years. Their children were : Sylvanus, who mar- ried in the South, and now resides in Seattle; Lorenzo, who was lost at sea ; two children who died young.
Mr. Sadler, sr., left here and settled near the Mooseabec river. After the death of his wife he married a Mrs. Dunbar.
James T. Sprague.
James T. Sprague came here in 1820 from Union, Maine, and settled on Harbor island where he built a log house. Here he brought his family. He remained there, however, only a few years, when he went to Marshall's island. He occupied one part of the island, and Jephtha Benson had the other. Afterwards he came back and took up one hundred acres of land in the southeastern part of the island, this being a part of the lot of five hun- dred acres which had for many years been taxed to Michael O'Maley, and who had now ceased to own it for non-payment of taxes thereon. He built a house near the head of the long cove, just below where Lemuel Sprague now lives.
The Sprague family came to Maine from Block Island and settled in the town of Union, where many of
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that name still reside. Mr. Sprague's father, John Sprague, had a family of fourteen children, most of whom removed from the place of their birth.
James, the subject of this sketch, lived in Union until after he was married and had a family of three children, the present James Sprague being two years old when they came here. Mr. Sprague married Rebecca Hewes, of St. George. She had been previously married to Israel El- well, of St. George, by whom she had two children- Israel Elwell and Susan Elwell. By Mr. Sprague she had six children-Jeremiah, Samuel and James, who were born in Union, and Eunice, John and David, born here. Mrs. Sprague died in 1862, aged seventy-nine years. The children will be further noticed.
Jeremiah Sprague married in New London, where he resided until his death.
Samuel Sprague married Phobe Reed, of Tremont, where he settled. After the death of his wife, he married her sister, Abigail Reed. A few years previous to his death he moved here, and lived on his father's place. He died in 1854, aged forty-four years. His widow now re- sides at Tremont.
James Sprague took up a tract of land south of his father's, in 1838. This lot contained one hundred acres, of which he kept seventy-five acres, and the two Stanley brothers had the remaining twenty-five acres. He built the house where he still resides. He married Lois S. Morey, in 1839, by whom he had the following children, all of whom settled here : Leander, Elias, David H.,
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John N., Martha and Laura. Mrs. Sprague died in 1885, aged sixty-four years.
David E. Sprague married Phœbe Smith in 1848. She was a daughter of Benjamin Smith, whose place Mr. Sprague had. It is the lot north of the carrying place. Mr. Sprague was for many years a justice of the peace, and often served as town officer. He built the house now occupied by Martin Kent. Mr. Sprague died in 1893, aged sixty-nine years. Mrs. Sprague died in 1896, aged sixty-eight years.
John N. Sprague took up the lot north of his father's ; it contained one hundred acres, which he sold to Albion and Isaiah Stanley. He built the house where the latter now lives. He afterward bought the lot of land formerly owned by Joshua Sadler, now occupied by Mrs. Margaret Sprague. He lived in the house now occupied by his widow, which was built by Joshua Sadler. This land in- cludes most of the stone quarries that are being operated at the present time by Matthew Baird, of New York. In 1843 he married Martha, daughter of William Reed, of Mt. Desert. She died in 1854, aged thirty-four years. He afterwards married Margaret Stanley, who survives him.
Eunice, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James T. Sprague, became the wife of Joseph Gott.
William Stanley.
William Stanley came here from Tremont in which town he was born in 1795. His wife was Ruth, daughter of Peter Gott. They were married before coming to this
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place, which was about the year 1814. They moved upon the place then owned by Peter Gott, and with whom Mr. Gott lived. This lot of land adjoins on the south the lot first taken up by Moses Staples; it is now occupied by Mr. Stanley's descendants, and extends from where David Smith, 3d, now lives to Hocomock head. Their house was located where the widow of Isaiah L. Stanley now lives.
For many years Mr. Stanley was a master mariner. He served efficiently in many of the town offices. He is the ancestor of all by that name on this island. They have multiplied rapidly, and often intermarried. They have been a hardy, honest, industrious family. Few of this family ever lived to any great age. They were the parents of ten children, most of whom settled here. Mr. Stanley died in 1856, aged sixty-one years. His wife died four years previous, at the age of fifty-four years.
Their children were: Edmond, born in 1815; Jo- seph, Clarissa, widow of Capt. Daniel Bridges; Peter ; Herbert, who died young ; Nancy, wife of Hiram Kent; William, who died at the age of twenty-four years; Lucy, wife of Moses Bridges, 2d; after his death she became the wife of Freeman Gross; Mrs. Gross died in 1895, aged fifty-nine years; Isaiah L. and Freeman. The last- named and Mrs. Bridges are the only survivors of the family. The sons who lived here will be further noticed.
Edmond Stanley, together with his brother Joseph, took up the twenty-five acres of land lying southwest of James Sprague's, and which was a part of his one-hun-
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dred acre lot. His wife was Betsy, daughter of David Smith, 2d, by whom he had ten children. They were : Albion, Isaiah, Jeremiah, George, David, John, Mar- garet, wife of John N. Sprague, Sultana, wife of Fred Dunham, Ellen, who died unmarried, and Hannah, wife of Samuel Stanley.
Joseph Stanley settled on a lot next to his brother Edmond. His wife was Abigail Smith, sister of the wife of the subject of the last sketch. They were parents of ten children, as follows : Joseph, Horace, Ansel, Samuel, Albert, who fell from a bluff and was drowned at the age of two years; Thomas, Elizabeth, wife of Albion Stan- ley ; Eunice, wife of Elmer Holbrook; Lucy A., wife of Stephen Dunham, jr. ; Margaret, wife of George E. Trask, and Lois.
Peter Stanley lived on the place taken up by David Smith, 2d, and in whose family Mrs. Smith lived during the latter part of her life. His wife was Sarah Rice, of Long Island, by whom he had three children-Lucy A., wife of Isaiah W. Stanley; Elmira, wife of Warren Sprague ; George E. After the death of his wife he mar- ried Emily Rich, of Long Island, by whom he had two children-Alwilda, wife of John Stanley, and Sarah, who married Harry Sargent, of Ellsworth, where she now re- sides. After the death of his second wife Peter Stanley married Mrs. Susan Smith, daughter of David Smith, 2d. Mrs. Smith had twice before been married ; her first hus- band was Thomas Dunbar, by whom she had one child- Joseph; she afterwards married a Mr. Smith of Jones-
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port, by whom she had one daughter - Melissa, who mar- ried Joseph Stanley, 2d. Mrs. Stanley died in 1896, aged seventy-two years. Peter Stanley died in 1884, aged six- ty-two years.
Isaiah L. Stanley lived on the place that his father settled on. His wife was Sapphira Herrick, daughter of Kimball Herrick. Mr. Stanley died in 1892, aged sixty- five years.
William Fife.
William Fife came here from New Hampshire, and built a house and store just below where Elmer Holbrook now lives. Here he carried on quite an extensive business. He seems to have been an enterprising business man, and often served as town officer. His wife was Ruth Gott, by whom he had four children. They were : Sarah J ., born in 1834, who was non compos mentis; Elmira, born in 1836, who became the wife of Morris Rich, of Tre- mont ; William, born in 1839 ; Elnathan, born in 1841. The former of the two sons is dead; the latter went to New Hampshire. His wife died in 1844, at the age of twenty- eight years. In 1845 he married Sarah Sellers, of Deer Isle. She was a daughter of William Sellers, who came to Deer Isle from York, Maine, in 1775. His wife soon separated from him, and he moved to Ellsworth where he died in 1855. In 1862 Mrs. Fife married Charles Fish, of Thorndike. She died two years later in Union, at the age of fifty-six years.
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Jephtha Benson.
Jephtha Benson was born in Oxford county, Maine, near 1757, and was said to have been married there, but of this first family we have no record. While a young man he entered the Revolutionary war and served through- out the war. In the year 1800 he came to Little Deer Isle, and took up a tract of land. This afterwards be- came the property of Silas L. Hardy, by whom it was oc- cupied until his death in 1859. It is now the property of Mr. Hardy's sons.
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