USA > Maine > Hancock County > Traditions and records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert island, Maine > Part 21
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God keeps up there our mansion fair and He has our golden crown."
They were dreary years that Elias lived, one half of his body dead,
He sat in his cold, bare town-farm room and patiently spelled and read
The promise his old black Bible gave, and then he'd lift his eyes And look right up through the dingy walls to his mansion in the skies.
They mockingly called him "Heavenly Crown" when he talked of his faith, but he
Smiled sweetly ever and meekly said, " I know what I can see."
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When he died at last and the parson preached above the stained, pine box,
He said, "Perhaps this simple faith was a bit too orthodox; Perhaps allowance should be made for the metaphors divine
And yet, my friends, I'll not presume to make such province mine.
Though in that Book the highest thought can find transcendent food,
'Tis primer too, for the poor and plain, the unlearned and the rude.
And so I say no man today should seek to tear it down,
Nor flout the homely, honest soul that claims its golden crown."
Friends placed above Elias' grave a plain, white marble stone, And months went by. Then all at once 'twas seen that there had grown
Upon the polished marble slab a shading that, 'twas said,
Took on a shape extremely like Elias' shaggy head.
Then soon above the shadowy brows a crown was slowly limned, And though Aunt Rich scrubbed zealously the thing could not be dimmed.
She always scoffed Elias' faith without rebuke through life But now, the neighbors all averred, Elias braved his wife.
For though with brush and soap and sand she scrubbed and rubbed by day,
The figure seemed to grow each night and those there are who say
That many a time when the moon was dim, a wraith with ghostly skill
Wrought there with spectral brush and limned that picture deeper still.
And there it is unto this day and strangers passing by
Turn in and stand above the mound to gaze with awe-struck eye, And wonder if Elias came from Heaven stealing down
To mutely say in this quaint way that now he wears his crown. Holman F. Day in Pine Tree Ballads.
Used here by courtesy of Dodd, Mead & Co., New York City. Pub- lishers of the books of Holman F. Day.
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KENISON CEMETERY
By the side of the road leading from Somesville to Pretty Marsh there are a few lonely graves marked with the name of Kenison. One stone bears the name of Samuel Kenison who died in 1873, aged seventy-five.
The verse on the stone is-
"Behold and see as you pass by, Remember you were born to die ; The young must die as well as old, And slumber in the grave so cold."
A daughter Eliza is buried close by and her verse is-
"Eliza, thou wast very dear, Unto friends and parents here ; But dearer to thy Christ above, And He has called thee home in love."
A second verse on the same stone is the familiar one found in so many old burying grounds :
"Remember then as you pass by As you are now so once was I. As I am now so you will be, Prepare for death and follow me."
TOWN HILL OR WEST EDEN CEMETERY
The cemetery on Town Hill, always well kept and with some very fine stones set there, carries the memory of some of the earliest settlers. The oldest stone is that of little Hannah Mayo who died in 1826, aged eight years. John Thomas died in 1829 but most of the markers date from the 1850's to the present day. Many flags flutter in this yard on Memorial Day showing the graves of those who served their country in the Civil War. William Higgins was lost at sea on January 18, 1857, at the age of twenty-eight. Charles Branscom died at Port au Prince, San Domingo, W. I., aged thirty-six years and one shaft records the death of James C. Richardson who died at Wilmington, N. C., in 1868 and that of Sylvester B. Richardson, aged nineteen, who
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was killed at Antietam in 1862. Both these young men were sons of Elon and Jane Richardson.
Deacon Gideon Mayo, who died in 1859 at the age of ninety, is buried in this yard. He was the oldest child of Joseph and Ruth Snow Mayo and came to Mount Desert from Eastham, Cape Cod, in 1778. He became one of the first citizens of the town and his descendants are many. Gideon Mayo, Jr., who died in 1846 at the age of twenty-nine was his son by his second marriage.
There are many unusual proper names in this yard. Zeruah, Arwilla, Zalmuna, Anath, Keziah, Senora, Aldana, Orra, Zena, Lorenette, are names not frequently found in this locality.
The surnames are many of the same as found in many other parts of Mount Desert. Knowles, Clinkard, Higgins, Mayo, Hadley, Thomas, Bunker, Salisbury, Paine, Hamor, Ingraham, Reed and Walls, are names connected with the earliest history of the settlement of Mount Desert Island.
BEECH HILL BURYING GROUND
On the level plain of Beech Hill is a little yard where sleep many of the early pioneers of Mount Desert Island. There is the grave of Davis Wasgatt who died in 1843, aged ninety-two years. His stone is inscribed, "A Soldier of the Revolution" and the verse on the slab reads-
"His age was great, his piety sincere,
Too wise, too good to dwell among us here.
He's gone to Heaven, to live with saints above, Where Jesus is to feast upon his love."
Mr. Wasgatt was prominent among the first settlers, active in town affairs and the church. Nearby is a stone reading, "Rachel, wife of Davis Wasgatt, died June 3, 1841 aged 89."
In the same row are the graves of "Rev. Asa Wasgatt, died Jan. 23, 1879, aged 85, and Sarah, his wife, whose death was on Dec. 29, 1855, at the age of 59. Another stone bears the inscrip- tion, "Their daughter Sarah, died in Boston, July 8, 1849." These are ancestors of several of the families prominent on Mount Desert Island.
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A shaft in the northern part of this yard reads, "Sacred to the memory of Rev. Mark Tuel, who departed this life July 15, 1841, aged 33 years."
The brief history of this young preacher is told elsewhere. Where he came from or who his people were it now seems im- possible to ascertain.
About in the center of the yard is the grave of John Clark, who died May 2, 1857, at the age of 75 years. One of his sons became Bishop of the Methodist church of Ohio. The three wives of John Clark also lie here: Sarah died Mar. 21, 1844, Deborah died Nov. 17, 1851, aged 55 and Mary E. died Nov. 17, 1853, aged 61. One little stone in the lot records the deaths of Mercy and Margaret, little daughters of John Clark, aged respec- tively 5 and 2 years who died within the same week. This was the year when the dread disease diphtheria swept over Mount Desert taking heavy toll among little children.
Some youths who were soldiers in the World War are buried - in this yard and also a young Swedish man who was drowned in Echo Lake a few years ago and whose antecedents were unknown here.
William W. Atherton and Mary, his wife, early settlers in this vicinity, are buried on the land which they owned and occu- pied for many years. His death occurred in 1876 and his wife died in 1883.
RICHARDSON BURYING GROUND AT BEECH HILL
On the western slope of Beech Hill among the pine and spruce trees is the private burying ground of the Richardson family, descendants of the first settlers. Here lies John Gott Richardson who died Jan. 29, 1828, aged 67 years. Sarah Gamage, his wife died April 17, 1810, aged 47. A granite marker records the death of Stephen Richardson (3rd of that name) 1768-1853 and that of his wife Margaret (Webber) 1774- 1862.
The resting place of Daniel Ladd who died Sept. 29, 1834, at the age of 31 years, is marked by a thin slab of slate. Daniel Ladd was the eldest child of Moses and Sarah Lurvey Ladd.
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Moses Ladd died leaving his young widow with several small children who were scattered among relatives and friends.
The grave of Elvira, wife of Samuel Tarwell, who died April 2, 1849 at the age of 33, is also marked by a slate gravestone.
Susan E., daughter of George H. and Deborah Robinson, is buried here. She died June 11, 1849.
A Masonic emblem is on the stone at the grave of Capt. Rich- ard Richardson who died Feb. 7, 1869, at the age of 72 years, 6 months and 19 days. Nathaniel G. Richardson died Nov. 18, 1861, aged 68 years, 9 months, and his wife, Mrs. Eleanor W. died Oct. 30, 1872, aged 77 years, 1 month. Her stone bears the inscription "The orphan's friend." She took into her home eight or more orphan children and gave them a mother's loving care. When a young mother died in the vicinity leaving little children, to that home came "Aunt Eleanor" as she was univer- sally called, to take to her home one or two of the motherless ones. The death of a father in those days usually made it neces- sary for the home to be broken up, the children scattered among kind-hearted relatives and neighbors, while the poor mother went out to service in places that could afford to employ her for very small wage. There was no way in those days for a woman to support her family by her own efforts, as woman's work was in small demand except for occasional aid in nursing or in work in the home at special times such as when illness invaded it. Life was difficult in a new settlement and there was small place for a lone woman. To many a grief-stricken parent, facing the dissolution of the household and the problem of care for the children, "Aunt Eleanor" must have appeared like a ministering angel when she came with offer of a home and care for the smallest ones. There were always friends who could find a place for an older child whose little hands might help with the work either inside or outside the house, but an infant was not so easily placed in those days of small quarters and large families and it was to the babies that the motherly arms of this good woman proved a refuge. Many families blessed the kind and generous heart of "Aunt Eleanor" and her adopted children held her in affectionate and grateful memory. The Richardson
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family Bible, now in possession of Mrs. John Allen Somes, re- cords the marriage of Nathaniel G. Richardson and Eleanor W. Kellum Jones at Mount Desert, Maine, on Sept. 5, 1820, and states that she was born at "Virginia, Maryland, Sept. 7, 1795."
The graves of Emily A., wife of William Danby, of Emily Mason who died Feb. 13, 1874, of Freddie W., six-year old son of Timothy and Emily Mason, drowned July 26, 1873, and that of a six-months-old infant of Mr. and Mrs. Mason are also in this cemetery.
The graves are now in the shadow of great evergreen trees but the ground is cleared and the place easy of access.
BETWIXT THE HILLS or SOMESVILLE
The story of the permanent settlement of Mount Desert Island begins with the coming of Abraham Somes with his family to what is now known as Somesville. The following letter dated April 20, 1816, will describe his coming in his own words :
To Eben Parsons Esq. of Boston, Mass.
Dear sir :- I take this opportunity to state to you the facts con- cerning my settling on the farm I now live in the town of Mount Desert, which were as follows, (viz) sometime before the French War was over I received a letter from Sir Francis Bernard in- viting me to go to Boston for in it he wanted to see me-Accord- ingly I went to see him. He asked me if I did not want a farm on the island of Mount Desert. I excepted the proposal he likewise requested me to settle the land. I accordingly came down immediately after the War was over and peace ratified between Great Britain and the French and Indians-so that I could be safe in moving into the Wilderness; I came to this place which was in the autumn of the year 1761 and made a pitch on this lot I now live and in June the year following I moved my family and settled on the same lot, and have occupied the same ever since without any interruption from any claimant whatsoever until of late-
In the year 1763 or 4 the said Sir Francis came in person (who at that time was Governor of the then Colony of Massa- chusetts Bay) to this Island and remained here some consider- able time, and I attended on him, and piloted him and assisted him in making discoveries of Natural privileges, if any there might be. At that time he gave me this lot with the privileges thereunto belonging, and advised me to build mills and clear up my farm, for he said you never shall be interrupted.
I accordingly proceeded, and have been in peaceable posses- sion of the premises for the full term of 52 years without any
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difficulty. About two years ago I was sued with a writ of ejectment which cause is now pending before the Supreme Judicial Court to be holden at Castine within the County of Han- cock on the third Tuesday in June next, and as I had nothing in writing from Governor Bernard, but all was verbal I do not know but I may be lame in my defence, as the old people which were knowing to the agreement between us are dead, so I can- not get proof of anything but the length of time I have settled, that I have proved.
Now dear sir, as I am acquainted with you and knowing your knowledge in law cases and your integrity and uprightness I thus address you, desiring you to examine the records of Gov- ernor Bernard's grant for that must be on the records of the General Court. And if you will be so kind to me as to obtain a copy of said Grant for me, it may be of great use in my cause. And all other records as you may think will be useful for me.
Dear sir, when I was with you we talked this matter over and I am indebted to you much for your good attention at that time. And if you will do this business for me you shall be paid for all your trouble to the utmost farthing.
And I wish you to send me a letter containing the same with your instructions which will be received with gratitude. I wish you would answer this letter seasonably so that I can have it to assist me at the trial which will take place the third Tuesday in June next.
Now sir, I would inform you that I and my family enjoy our health as well as we could expect through divine goodness under the infirmity of this advanced age.
I now conclude with wishing health and prosperity to you and yours through the journey of life.
Abraham Somes
Mount Desert 20th April A.D. 1816
(This letter folded and sealed in old fashioned way without envelope.)
The proof of the long residence of Mr. Somes on the land was evidently accepted as he continued to live there and left the property to his descendants.
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SOMĘSVILLĘ
At the time Mr. Somes accepted the invitation of Governor Bernard to come to see him, he was no stranger to the Maine coast and to the vicinity of Mount Desert Island, having made several voyages to the place for fish. In another chapter his purchase of what is now Greening's Island is described, a trans- action which he valued lightly as he threw away the birchbark deed and thought no more about it.
In 1759 family tradition says that he came to Mount Desert to cut the hay on the salt marshes and one night he moored his boat at the head of the Sound. The next morning was Sunday and he rose early and walked out to look over the place. He noted the chain of ponds and the brooks and observed that it was a good chance to build mills, which were one of the first essentials for a new settlement. He also noted the great oak trees which then grew all over the tract of land which is now Somesville and extended far to the west over what is now called Oak Hill. He was a cooper by trade and he recognized the value of oak timber for casks and barrels, which was another attraction to the place. Little did Abraham Somes realize as he walked through the oak forest that calm Sunday morning, that many generations of his descendants would occupy the land for many years to come.
Governor Bernard had evidently heard of his acquaintance with and interest in Mount Desert; hence the invitation to come and talk the situation over. And so in June of 1762 Abraham Somes and his wife, Hannah Herrick Somes, with their four little daughters, Hannah, Patty, Lucy and Prudence, came from Gloucester, Mass., bringing their household goods with them, and made their home in the log cabin which Mr. Somes had built the autumn before. Nine more children were born to them in their new home and when Mrs. Somes died March 16, 1790, the husband carried on the domestic affairs alone until four years later when he married Mrs. Joanna Beal, widow of Edward Beal of Union River who died December 17, 1831. Mr. Somes lived to be over eighty years of age.
In the museum at Somesville is a small table, said to have been brought by Mr. and Mrs. Somes when they first came to Mount Desert.
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Within the year came James Richardson and family from Gloucester and settled at the head of the Sound. Here he built a mill and carried on lumbering operations in connection with his farming and here he raised his family of eleven children, six of whom were born after the coming to Mount Desert and George, the sixth child, born August 16, 1763, was the first white child born on Mount Desert Island.
Mr. Richardson was an enterprising, industrious man with considerable education for the times. He was first clerk of the Plantation and served also as Town Clerk for many years. He was first clerk of the Congregational church formed at South- west Harbor in 1792 and held that office until his death on December 12, 1807. His handwriting in the old books of record is clear and plain. His descendants are also numerous on Mount Desert Island today.
His brothers, Thomas and Stephen, settled at Bass Harbor ; Thomas on the eastern side of the harbor where his descendants still own and occupy the land, and Stephen on the western side.
It seems by the letter written by Abraham Somes and quoted at the beginning of this chapter, that Governor Bernard gave him his tract of land for the purpose of making a beginning of a settlement ; the other settlers were expected to sign an agreement that if they discovered "Mines of metal or coal or quarries of limestone" such discoveries would be the property of the proprietor.
Settlers soon began to come in numbers, taking up lots at Hull's Cove, at Pretty Marsh, at Bass Harbor and at Southwest Harbor, and the need of some form of government was felt. The act for Incorporating the Plantation of Mount Desert was passed to be enacted on February 17, 1789. The first meeting of the Plantation was held at the home of Stephen Richardson at Crockett Point, Bass Harbor, on March 30, 1776. Stephen Richardson was the representative of the Plantation in the General Court and a member of the first Board of Selectmen of Mount Desert. The Town of Mount Desert was organized April 6, 1789, and the Town of Eden was set off in 1796.
In the letter which Abraham Somes wrote to his lawyer in Boston regarding his title to the land on which he had lived for
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fifty-two years, he mentions the visit of Governor Bernard to Mount Desert and states that he (Somes) went with him and assisted him during his stay. Governor Bernard, in the journal which he kept on the voyage speaks of going up the Sound and says, "We went on shore and into Somes' log house, found it neat and convenient, though not quite furnished, and in it a notable woman with four pretty girls, clean and orderly. Near it were many fish drying there."
Abraham Somes was prominent in the affairs of the new town and held town office, being one of the first Board of Selectmen and lieutenant of the militia company. His many descendants have always been among the leading people at Somesville and still retain their influence in town affairs. His second son John, served as representative in the Massachusetts legislature, 1815- 1818. His grandson, Jacob Somes, was representative and also State Senator. His great grandson, John William Somes, also served in the State Legislature and many descendants have held town office.
Daniel Somes was the first Custom House officer when that service was established at Southwest Harbor and he also kept the Mount Desert Tavern where travellers were well cared for.
This "tavern" was the house now owned by Bishop Manning of New York and occupied by him as a summer residence.
According to the writings of Eben M. Hamor of Town Hill, in 1836 there were but nine families living at Somesville although it was the most important business place on Mount Desert Island. The householders were Dr. Kendall Kittredge, Captain Eben E. Babson, David Richardson, Timothy Mason, Abraham Somes, Daniel Somes, John Somes, John Somes, Jr. and Isaac Somes.
There was one small store, one blacksmith shop, a shoemak- er's shop where a number of men were employed, a carding mill, a tan yard, two shipyards, one saw mill, one lath mill, one shin- gle mill, one grist mill. The only public building was the schoolhouse in which schools and religious meetings as well as town or plantation meetings were held.
The different Somes families owned the mills, ran the black- smith and shoemaking shops, kept the store and built vessels.
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They worked amiably together and all amassed considerable property and had comfortable homes.
Abraham, John and Daniel were sons of the pioneer Abraham and the others were his grandsons.
Somesville at this time was referred to as Betwixt the Hills, though the name of the post-office from the time of its establish- ment has been Mount Desert.
THE CHURCH AT SOMESVILLE
The first settlers at Somesville were among those who on October 17, 1792, organized the Congregational Church of Mount Desert. James Richardson was the first clerk of the church and Somesville men assisted in the building of the church which now stands at Manset and they owned pews in it. On Sundays some families rode to the services over the road which led over Beech Hill and others sailed or rowed their boats down Somes Sound. Services were held at times in the schoolhouse and travelling ministers came at intervals to preach funeral sermons, perform marriage ceremonies and hold meetings.
It was in Somesville that Lucy Somes, daughter of Lieut. Abraham Somes, the pioneer, was published February 18, 1780, to Nicholas Thomas of Eden. The young people were impatient to be married and begin their new home and no travelling minis- ter or circuit preacher was likely to come to the island during the winter.
So Lieut. Somes gathered his relatives and friends together, had a wedding feast prepared and announced that "Inasmuch as there is no Lawful Authority within thirty miles of this place they mutually took each other for husband and wife in the pres- ence of God and witnesses."
The following certificate was issued to them :
Mount Desert February 22nd 1780
This is to sartify that inasmuch as there is no Lawful Authority within thirty miles of this place whereby we can be married as the Law directs, we do, with the consent of our parents, and in presence of these witnesses, solemnly promise and engage to each other in the following words :-
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I, Nicholas Thomas, do, in the presence of God, Angels and these witnesses, take Lucy Somes to be my married wife, to live with her, to love, cherish, nourish and maintain her in prosperity and adversity, in sickness and health, and to cleave to her as my only and lawful wife as long as God shall continue both our lives.
I, Lucy Somes, do, in the presence of God, Angels and these witnesses, take Nicholas Thomas to be my married husband, to live with him, to honor and obey him in all things lawful, in prosperity and adversity, in sickness and health, and to cleave to him as my only and married husband as long as God shall continue both our lives.
Signed
Nicholas Thomas Lucy Somes
In presence of these witnesses :-
James Richardson Samuel Reed James Richardson, Jr. Daniel Richardson Abraham Somes
Attest, Abraham Somes, clerk.
On January 6, 1795, John Somes and Judith Richardson went on horseback to Castine and were married by Paul Dudley Sar- gent, Esq., there being no clergyman or justice nearer. Rev. Ebenezer Eaton was often at Southwest Harbor to preach but he was not an ordained minister and therefore could not perform marriage ceremonies.
Deacon Henry H. Clark of Southwest Harbor used to tell often that in 1836 he walked from Southwest Harbor to Castine, a distance of more than forty miles, to buy his wedding suit and he also walked back home.
The town of Mount Desert, which included what is now Tre- mont and Southwest Harbor, was taxed to support preaching
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and there are receipts in existence showing money paid in 1824 by the town to Elder Eaton for his services as minister.
After the organization of the Methodist church it is evident that Congregationalism languished for a time until some of the members of that faith made an effort to arouse enthusiasm again. There is a record book in possession of the Somesville church which is "A Record of the Congregational Parish or Religious Society in Mount Desert, organized July 2, 1840. Calvin Kitt- redge, Clerk. Object: to provide Congregational preaching." Among the names of Somesville men are those of John Carroll, David King, Benjamin Gilley, Jacob Lurvey and others from Southwest Harbor.
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