Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-03-20
Historical.
Historical Sketch Of Gouldsb orough.

ated in the Southeastern part Of Han
cock County, Me. 1t has an area of
one hundred and fifty square miles and
population of seventeen hundred and
nine. The town extends from Sullivan
and township No. 10 to the Atlantic {;
the Eastern shore is washed by the
waters of Gouldsborough Bay, the
Western by Erenchman's Bay. The
latter derives its name from the fact
that it was first explored by three
Frenchmen who settled in the vicinity.
The surface is hilly and we'll wood
ed, the soil generally fertile. The
Southern part is crossed by a range of
hills known as Gouldsborough Noun
,ains the highest elevations are Mt.
KRONER and Schoodic Mountain.
There are no navigable rivers.
Forbes Pond is a beautiful sheet of
water one mile in width, its outlet is
Prospect Stream. Jones Pond, in the
Western part of the town is Of nearly
equal extent, Nails Brook conducts its
waters to the ocean.
The scenery of Gouldsborough COM
bines many elements of interest. From
West Gouldsborough the view is high
ly picturesque and beautiful. The WA
ters of Frenchman's Bay are studded
with u series OF low islands called from
their singular appearance 1.-THE Porcu-
pines" beyond which rise the lofty
SUBMITS of Mt. Desert. The climate
in winter is few degrees milder than
that of Greenland. In summer a ror
which would do credit TO the banks of
Newfoundland often hangs over the
coast for weeks.
The principal products are hay, po
tatoes, butter, and wool. Large guam
titles of canned lobster and eggs a:e
exported.
The people are generally we'll e'u-
Gated, they pride themselves upon their
fine schools which have attained high
| degree of excellence under the dmir-
able supervision of +. w. Cleaves.
Prospect, situated on \ beautiful
harbor Of the same name, is a -four
ishing village.
Messrs. Deasy & Handy have an ex-
tensive trade in dry goods and grocer
les. III. ID. Coombs has recently erect
ed fine new store-he is agent for the
| lobster factory whose annual exports
are thirty thousand dollars. The
coasting trade receives considerable
attention. Mr.. j. w. Cole is actively
engaged in the manufacture of boots
and shoes.
Prospect has contributed her share
of professional talent having been the
birthplace of Doctor and LAWYER.
1t is the home of many well known
sea captains. A fine church is being
built, which when completed will be an
ornament to the village. The most in
teresting natural feature is the beauti-
ful beach of fine white sand, it is often
visited in summer by tourists.
West Gouldsborough, on French
mans Bay, is cool and attractive
summer resort. Mr.. Geo. Bunker is
very prosperous merchant whose max
i'm is ready sales and small profits"
West Bay is engaged in shiI.-buildiug
and the manufacture of lumber,
matches and harnesses; it contains
the oldest church in the town.
Winter Harbor has an extensive
coast trade.
The first settlement was made at
Gouldsborough Point in l776 by emf
grants from Boston, York and Port
land. In the company were Messrs.
Shaw, Allen, Gould, Godfrey and
Wright, whose descendants are among
the most influential families in the
town. Mr.. Shaw built the first house
In Gouldsborough; it was afterwards
purchased and rebuilt by Gen Cobb
and since known as the Cobb house,
it Was removed in the summer of 1872.
| When removing this ancient structure
a number of bullets were found i'm
bedded in the wood, and the walls were
pierced by them in many places. Ira
dition saith that the English once
made an attack on the settlement
which probably accounts for the cir
cumstaDce. There are two other
houses yet standing that were erected
few years later These settlers suf-
fered many of the pioneers hardships.
At one time their only food WAS the
clans which the coast afforded. They
also suffered greatly from the depreda-
tions of wolves which were very nu-
merous at that time, yet spite Of these
difficulties the colony flourished. In
1879 Gen. Cobb, Lieut.. Gov. Of Mass,
with John Richards and q party of
Englishmen came over. Gen. Cobb
purchased a large tract Of public land !;
under his direction city was planned,
the streets regularly laid out and sites
for public buildings selected hill in
the vicinity is still called "Church
Hill" from its being chosen for the To-
cation of a church-the enterprise
failed for want of settlers. A large
tract of land was purchased by Bing-
| ham of IondOn Col. Black Who Ma