USA > Maine > Knox County > Matinicus Isle > Matinicus Isle, its story and its people > Part 6
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The interior finish of the basement is of North Carolina pine. The basement contains a library, a kitchen and a vestry which has a seating capacity of 75. The auditorium, which is finished in cypress, has a seating capacity of about 150. It is entered by a vestibule about 10 ft. square in which is a staircase leading to the basement.
The designs for the structure were made by W. J. Robertson of Rockland, who also had the contract for its construction.
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HOUSES
The remains of stone edifices of some sort were formerly discovered here. These were probably shelters erected by the early fishermen from Europe. Vaughan's colony and others must have had houses also, and various old cellars and excavations, very likely may mark the spots where they were erected. The first house of which there is any definite record was that of Ebenezer Hall, who came here in 1750. This was situated at the head of "old Mr. Hall's Cove, so
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ALEXANDER PHILBROOK HOUSE, ON THE SITE OF EBENEZER HALL'S HOUSE
called," directly in front of the place where now stands the store of Henry Young & Co. A flat rock there imbedded in the ground is said to have been the foundation of its chim- ney. The remains of his well is situated not far distant. Some accounts have stated that this house was composed of stones, but in all probability it was built of logs, like other houses of the same period. It was destroyed by the Indians, at the time of Hall's massacre, and was never rebuilt.
The first houses of Ebenezer Hall, Jr., and Abraham Young, who settled here in 1763 and 1765, respectively, were built of logs. The houses of other early settlers were
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THE ICE POND
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also constructed in like manner. These afterwards gave place to frame houses of simple structure. The earlier ones have long since served their purpose and disappeared. The last log house of which there is any record was situated near the site of the dwelling now occupied by Orrin Burgess, and was built by one of the Halls, probably Ebenezer. For the last few years of its existence it was occupied by Alexander Philbrook, who demolished it some time previous to 1840, and erected the present one.
The oldest house now standing on the island is the one occupied by W. Scott Young. It was built by his great- grandfather, Joseph Young, in 1800. The barn belonging to it is even older. Other houses built 1810, or thereabout,
OLDEST HOUSE ON THE ISLAND
are the Ezekiel Burgess house, now owned by Mr. Raynes, the Luther Tolman house owned by Clifford Young, the old "Dody" house owned by Wilmer Ames and formerly occupied by one of Ebenezer Hall's sons, and a house owned by F. S. Young, originally occupied by Ebenezer Crie. These houses have hand-hewed frames and other parts, and hand-forged nails and fastenings. They are in a fair state of preservation, and will probably serve for some years to come.
The homes built by the next two generations are some- what more elaborate; substantially built and finely finished, inside and out. All of these earlier homes are situated on
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small farms, accompanied by barns and other outhouses, each with a commodious "wood-house" incorporated as an integral part of the house itself. They were built at a time when the inhabitants tilled the soil as well as fished the waters-fishers and farmers, combined. Nowadays the great majority of the men are simply fishermen-or lobster- men. In 1859, there were thirty-five dwelling houses on the island.
The houses built within the past forty years, or so, of which there are perhaps twenty, are more modern in con- · struction. These have been erected by fishermen who have no desire to till the soil, and are situated on small sub-
MODERN HOMES
divisions of the original farms. They will compare favor- ably with houses of a similar class situated on the mainland. Several have the so-called modern improvements-hot and cold running water, bath-rooms, etc .- and one can boast of an electric light plant.
The owners and occupants of all the houses take pride in their upkeep, and in the appearance of their premises. This is true to a remarkable extent. Paint is used lavishly upon the buildings, and the grounds are beautified by well- kept lawns and elaborate flower gardens. The older houses have been kept in repair, and from time to time have been renovated and modernized.
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AN INTERIOR
There are many homes of culture and refinement, with pictures, books, newspapers, magazines, pianos, victrolas, radios and fine furnishings. Many people on the mainland have an erroneous idea as to the living conditions of the fishing class. A visit to the island would be a revelation to these people. There are fifteen pianos now owned here;
ON DERRY HILL
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five others have been removed. The first one brought here was owned by "Squire" Henry Young, who purchased it when his children were small.
At present there are about fifty houses on the island, together with a number of camps, so-called. The buildings also include a church, school-house, K. of P. Hall, several stores, the usual barns and out-buildings, with numberless fish-houses, store-houses, etc., at the shore.
It is a remarkable fact that prior to 1923, no building on this island was ever known to have been accidentally destroyed by fire. In that year the house owned by George Bunker was burned, and early in 1926, Arthur Gray's grocery store and a group of three fish-houses were destroyed in this manner.
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BURIAL PLACES
When Ebenezer Hall was killed by the Indians in 1757, his stepson, Joseph Green, aided by Capt. Thorndike, buried his remains not far from the site of his cabin. In a deed dated January 29, 1770, Alexander Nickels conveyed to Ebenezer Hall, the southern half of the island and also "the privilege of fencing 8 feet square of land around the grave of said Ebenezer Hall's father." For some time after the re-settlement of the island, this plot was probably fenced and received some attention, but as the years passed it was gradually neglected, and eventually all trace of it became obliterated. One man states that when a boy, it was pointed out to him; that it was situated about forty or fifty feet north of the well in the open space in front of the store; that it was marked by some sort of field stone; and that there were one or two others buried alongside. Since then this spot has become a part of the surrounding landscape and its exact location is not known. Its logical whereabouts should be somewhere in the vicinity above stated, but it is to be regretted that its definite position should have been lost.
In the course of time it became necessary to choose a suitable resting place for the dead. A spot was selected on elevated land, not far from the center of the island. Curiously enough, the oldest grave with a distinguishing inscription is that of its earliest permanent settler, Ebenezer Hall, died February 14, 1813, fifty years after his arrival. His grave is marked by a slab of slate, with the dates of his birth and death inscribed thereon. His wife, Susannah, who survived him, is not buried here, but rests in the old Hall cemetery in Rockland.
Without doubt, there were interments here previous to 1813, but there are no distinguishing marks of any such. Close beside Ebenezer Hall lies a little child : "Betsey, dau. of Samuel and Elisabeth Haskell," buried in 1816. Elisa- beth Haskell was the youngest daughter of Ebenezer Hall. Next in point of age, is the grave of Isaiah Tolman, who
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died in 1825, aged 104 years; then that of Mary (Hall) Crie, followed by others.
Desire Allen, third wife of Charles Allen, who survived him by more than twenty years, had a laudable ambition to erect a stone upon her departed husband's grave. She was an accomplished knitter, and by dint of much indus- trious labor and persistent saving, she managed to accum- ulate sufficient funds to realize her ambition, and the stone stands there today, a monument, not only to the dead beneath but also to the love and devotion of a faithful wife.
The following is an extract from the old records, dated March 4, 1850: "Voted to build a good and substantial stone wall around the Burying Ground, with a good gate attacht to it and all agreed to work on the same." Also: "Chose Thomas E. Burgess and Lewis Ames as a committee to oversee and see that the fence was built in season and in a substantial manner."
The years passed on; Death levied its customary toll, and eventually it became necessary to increase the size of the burial plot. At a special town meeting held September 3, 1892, a committee consisting of W. B. Young, W. C. Perry, and Edward E. Ames was chosen, and endowed with "power to buy land for enlarging the grounds and to transact all other business necessary for the improvement of the same." Vested with this authority, the committee purchased land from William Norton. The old wall was removed and the entire grounds were enclosed in a new fence. On three sides this fence was of elaborate iron work. The total expense of this improvement was about $600, raised partly by public subscription and partly by taxation.
March 4, 1901, "Voted to raise the sum of $10 yearly, to be expended on the cemetery." This yearly appropriation was allowed to accumulate in the treasury until March, 1922. On that date Isaac E. Philbrook, Horace R. Young, and Clifford B. Young were chosen as a committee to "use the money to the best advantage upon the improvement of the cemetery." This committee has been reappointed each year since. Under their direction, the old fence has been removed from two sides of the grounds, and has been replaced by another, of neat appearance and substantial
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construction. In constructing the new enclosure, concrete posts were used, spaced about twelve feet apart, with three rails of 11/4 inch iron pipe. Eventually, it is purposed to wholly enclose the grounds in this manner.
In this cemetery there are many graves marked simply by a rough stone at the head, and there are others innumer- able, with no mark whatsoever. On the other hand, there are many fine monuments. Parts of the grounds are unkempt, and dilapidated in the extreme, while other lots are nicely graded and are kept in an excellent state.
Among the other graves here are those of five ship- wrecked sailors whose bodies were retrieved from a wreck on Brig Ledge, many years ago. Three other victims of shipwreck were buried near the shore of Marky's Beach. This wreck also happened long years ago.
The only private burial lot on the island is that of Will- iam Young, situated near the cemetery and containing several graves.
On Criehaven there is a small plot where Robert F. Crie, his wife; Harriette, and his brother, Eben, are interred.
On Criehaven, near the shore of Bull Cove, there are also buried five unknown men, who perished when their vessel went down in a storm, and were washed ashore in the sea-weed.
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SANDY BEACH
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MILITARY HISTORY
In a previous chapter we have learned of the troubles of the early settlers, with the Indians.
During the Revolutionary War, most of the coast towns and island communities suffered from the depredations of "shaving mills," which were boats manned by marauding Tories who went about robbing the defenceless people of their crops and stores. The inhabitants of Vinalhaven suffered so much in this respect that many of them left and did not return until the peace was declared. During a period of six months, Joshua Thorndike, then living on
MARKY'S BEACH
Metinic, was visited by these miscreants no less than three times. Among other indignities he had "his sheep shot down, his teakettle taken from the fire and smashed, his beds ripped open and the feathers scattered." It is very probable that the people then on Matinicus were obliged to suffer in a similar manner, although no written record of the fact is available,-nothing but the vaguest of traditions.
Just before the termination of the war, the British sloop-of-war "Albany" was driven during a winter storm upon the "Triangles," a ledge lying between the Mussel Ridges and Green Island. An open boat containing all or a part of the crew, on their way to Castine became lost in
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the vapor, and were delayed upon their journey, but were able to make a landing on Matinicus, at what is now known as Marky's Beach. Three of the occupants of the boat had already frozen to death, and the remainder were in dire straits. The hospitable islanders made them welcome, and with shelter, food and warmth, and solicitous care finally put the survivors in condition to continue their journey. While dressing the frozen hands and feet of one of the unfortunate ones, "Aunt Susan" perceived the tears welling from her patient's eyes. She sympathized with him and exclaimed that she was sorry to hurt him but that she was doing the best she could. He explained that his tears had no connection with physical pain, and just before leaving told her that he had been a member of a raiding party that had previously visited the island, and that he, personally, had been the one to butcher her heifer, and that he was overcome by remorse. The bodies of the three were buried near where they came ashore. Several of the present in- habitants have seen and examined strange foreign coins which came from their clothing.
It is not known if any of the men of Matinicus served in the Revolution, but Jonathan Allen who lived here shortly after the peace, and who has descendants still living here, was an Adjutant in the service. Benj. Condon, who after- ward came here and became the sire of the Matinicus Con- dons, was then a young man living in Medomack (Friend- ship). In the notice of his death, published in the Rock- land Gazette in 1846, it is stated that he was a Revolutionary soldier.
The War of 1812 was another trying period for the islanders and dwellers on the coast. During this time fisher- men and mariners in general led a very precarious existence, owing to the destructiveness of the British cruisers. Although perhaps not quite so wanton in their destructive- ness as the "shaving mills" of the Revolution, nevertheless the British vessels found that the undefended and sparsely settled communities were convenient sources of supply from which to replenish their depleted larders, and as occasion arose, were wont to land and rob the people of their cattle and crops.
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Tradition has it that "old Aunt Green" who lived near the shore, happening to look out of the window, one day, spied a strange vessel moored off-shore and a boat load of these marauders about to land. What to do? She was all alone in the house ; her husband and sons were away fishing. From stories that she had heard, and probably from expe- rience, she knew the errand of these strangers. There was no time in which to give an alarm, or to hide anything, so she kept still and watched them. She saw them enter the barn and presently emerge, leading one of the oxen. Now a yoke of oxen was the mainstay of the farm in those days, and at the sight her ire arose. Forthwith she started for them on the run. In passing the chopping block she grabbed the axe, and shaking it frantically in the face of the leader she exclaimed, "If ye must take suthin', take one of them cows, but ye tech them oxen at yer peril." The leader was so pleased at the spunk of the old lady that he said, "Put him back, boys; old Tolman has some nice fat cattle, we will go up and get his." Which they proceeded to do.
Samuel S. Abbott, residing at this time in Hope, was a lieutenant in the Army, and received injuries from which he never fully recovered. Robert Marshall of St. George and later of Matinicus, also served in the Army.
It is said that John Smith who came here and married Frances Young in 1852, saw service in the Mexican War.
In the story of the struggle for the preservation of the Union, every city of the Nation, every town, community and diminutive hamlet has furnished its chapter, Matinicus among the rest. In their proper places, inscribed upon the rolls, may be found the records of the Matinicus men, eleven in all, who took an active part in this memorable conflict.
The news of the first shot was brought by Capt. Mark Young. He had been to Rockland in his schooner, "Cadet." Upon his return, as soon as he came within hailing distance of the gathering at the landing place he shouted, "They have done it; they have fired upon Fort Sumter !" As he passed the different houses on the road to his home he repeated the news, adding, "War between the North and South can not be averted now."
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Came the call for men! R. Fred Crie and Henry E. Hall, young men just attaining their majorities, gave ear. At a double wedding on August 10, 1862, each was united to the girl of his choice. Two days later and they had enlisted in the 2d Maine Battery and were on their way to the front. They both served with honor and dis- tinction throughout the war. Nathaniel Condon served in the 6th Maine Battery, and Edrial Smith was the fourth member of the quartet which served in the land forces. There were others who were drafted and furnished sub- stitutes.
When the first draft call came it included the name of Samuel S. Abbott. Now Sam had already served in the War of 1812, where his legs had become so badly crushed that he was obliged to walk with a crutch and a cane, but the old man was game. He responded to the call and told the officials that he had already "fit" in one war, but that if they would furnish him with a horse and carriage he would try it again. They then explained that the inclusion of his name in the call had been a mistake.
It was at this time that Hanson Philbrook and Iddo Tolman went on to Augusta and explained to the officials that the Matinicus young men were no cowards; neither were they trying to shirk, their duty, but that having been brought up to a sea-faring life, few of them would be of much use in the land service. Let a call for the Navy come and they were ready to do and dare. Time proved the truth of this assertion, for Matinicus furnished more than her quota.
Capt. John Grant, keeper of the "Rock Light" from 1861 to 1890, furnished three sons for service. The first two, Jarvis and John, enlisted from Rockland. Jarvis was killed at the first battle of Bull Run. John served in the Army until the fleet was made up for the Mississippi River. The government offered to those who would transfer to this fleet, a reduction of one-half their enlisted time. John went over to the fleet, finished his time and had just returned home to the "Rock," when his brother, William, volunteered for the Navy. John said, "William shall not go alone! I will re-enlist and go with him." And so he did-this time in the Navy, and from Matinicus. They were accom-
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panied by five others from Matinicus ; seven in all, who went together. They were all placed upon the training-ship "Sabine," lying in Boston Harbor. After some weeks of training, the word was passed that on the following day a certain number were to be chosen for active duty aboard the "Colorado." Upon hearing this, the Matinicus boys pre- pared a paper which they all signed, asking that they all might be placed upon the same ship when their time came. William Grant was chosen as deputy. He lost no time in presenting the paper and stating his errand. "Young man," said the Commanding Officer, "the U. S. Navy is no place to ask favors, or to expect them." Down-hearted, William returned to his companions. They realized that the morrow might witness their separation, and needless to say, gloom predominated.
Came the morrow-the men drawn up at attention, the officer slowly calling the names of those selected; every eye upon him, every ear attuned to catch the first syllable of a. well-known name. The suspense had become well-nigh unbearable when-"Wm. Grant," called the officer, "John Grant-Lewis Burgess-" and so on to the end of the list. The seven were still seven.
The roll of honor of Matinicus for the Civil War is as follows: In the Army were R. Fred Crie, Henry E. Hall, Nathaniel Condon and Edrial Smith; in the Navy were Wm. Grant, John Grant, Lewis Burgess, J. Trafton Abbott, Seth E. Condon, Samuel Abbott, Jr., and Willard Leighton. They have all passed on. Lewis Burgess who died January 15, 1921, was the last to go. It seems that he was originally called in the draft for the Army, and provided a substitute. This, however, did not seem to satisfy his conscience, and he volunteered for the Navy. He was one of the seven.
The "Tallahassee" was the name of a Confederate privateer and raider-here today and there tomorrow, working her will upon defenceless fishermen and traders. One day she appeared among the fishing fleet just outside the "Rock." Gathering the crews of all into one small craft which was then released, the raider then proceeded to set fire to the remainder. This act was productive of much excitement among the people on Matinicus who feared that the pirates might land and burn the homes. The vessels
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·
were all destroyed. On the following day the hull of the "Magnolia" which had formerly been owned here, was towed ashore at Criehaven, and the hull of a coaster of about 100 tons was beached at the "Rock." The others burned to the water's edge and sank. It is said that the "Tallahassee" was on her way to St. John for supplies. It was well known that Canada and England were friendly to the South and were surreptitiously aiding it in many ways. It was at this time that Capt. Mark Young, 2d (better known as Uncle Marky), while fishing in his schooner "Gentile" in the Bay of Fundy, was run down by an English coaster. Think- ing that the fisherman was sinking, the Englishman called to the crew to jump aboard. Uncle Marky yelled back, "I would rather go to Hell in the "Gentile" than step a foot aboard an Englishman."
The war ended. One by one the absent sons returned in a blaze of glory, and the community finally settled down in a successful effort to repay the debt which had accumulated.
An interesting relic of the Civil War period, still preserved, is a tattered old American flag, 13 ft. by 231/2 ft. in dimensions. It is made of bunting and was fashioned by the women of the community. Each and every stitch in this painstaking labor of love was drawn by hand. Each morning "Old Glory" was hoisted to the peak of the flag- staff erected for the purpose near the old school-house. At that time somebody was the possessor of a tame eagle which ranged at will about the island. The top of the flag-staff was his favorite perch. It is said that after the news of each notable Union victory he would there alight, flap his wings vigorously, and scream outrageously. However, the truth of this latter statement can not be vouched for.
Two Matinicus boys saw service in the Spanish War- one in the Army and one in the Navy. Herbert J. Tolman, eldest son of Chas. J. Tolman, was a boatswain in the Navy and was present at the battle of Santiago. Adelbert Phil- brook, son of Geo. L. Philbrook, enlisted in the Army, and served in the Philippines.
As in the Civil War, so in the Great War, the sea-faring youth of Matinicus sought their billets upon the water. The first to volunteer from this place were Burton T. Wallace
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and Harold E. Ames. They enlisted together and served until the cessation of hostilities. Wallace won his two gold chevrons, one for never being on report and one for service in foreign waters. He also received an honor certificate from the government and after twenty months service was honorably discharged, subject to recall. Ames was pro- moted first to Quartermaster, and afterwards to Warrant Boatswain. The others who enlisted in the Navy were Elmer E. Ames, Arthur Philbrook and Raymond Tolman.
Clifford Young, A. M. Ripley and Edwin Ripley held officers' berths in the Merchant Marine. Milton Philbrook completed the course of study in the Navigation School at Rockland and was then offered the post of Assistant Instructor in the same school. He accepted, and served in this capacity until the abolition of that institution by the government.
Alfred Hutchings has the distinction of being the only Matinicus boy to wear the "khaki." He was enrolled as a member of Co. K, 302d Reg., 76th Div., and saw service in France.
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K. OF P. HALL, MATINICUS
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SOCIAL LIFE, SOCIETIES, ETC.
Owing to their isolated situation, the people of Matin- icus, to a great extent, have been dependent upon themselves for their amusements and their recreations. This was particularly true before the advent of the marine motor, and before the establishment of regular communication by steamboat with the mainland. Theatre parties and moving pictures play a small part in the lives of the islanders, although they are by no means strangers to these amuse- ments.
Mediocre itinerant "shows" have occasionally exhibited here, and never failed of a "good house," but it has been many years since the last one was here. However, in years past, the school-house has been the scene of many "plays" produced by home talent, in which not a few of the participants were of no mean histrionic ability. Here at the school-house also, the old-fashioned "singing-schools" have caused the air to vibrate with diversified sounds, har- monious and otherwise. Here, too, the old-time spelling- bees have had their day. At these gatherings everybody attended, and there was intense rivalry between the champion spellers.
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