Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-06-16
From Portland Press ]
OampobellO.

SOMETHING ABOUT THIS FAMOUS ISLAND IN
THE BAY or FUNpY-REN1NISCENCE or
rHE FENIAN RAID IN 1866.
The recent sale of the island of Campo
hello in the Province Of New Brunswick,
once more brings to public attention name
that fifteen Years ago was in everN body's
mouth. but that has been spoken and writ
ten SO infrequeuty Of late that il is almost
forgotten. Campohcllo was. IN the spring
Of 1865, the proposed basl, of the first OF
the FenIan raids by which Ireland was to be
freed through attacking the British on tins
continent. and il never was more than Il
coveted site II Il were actually that. for
military operations. Early in April of that
year the people of Eastport. Me, Of whose
harbOr tampobcllo il the casterIy boundary.
became aware that there were strangers IN
their town, who were engaged in an enter
prise not Of an ordinary character. As the
DAYS slipped bv into the past these strangers
were Joined BY others, and almost impcr-
ccptihIy there was developed a military or
gaulzation, at the head of which we're DO
ran. killian and Sennott, and in which were
many who had but recently been discharged
from the no longer needed armies Of the
uted States The quiet dwelIer~ iu that
frontier town were filled with CONSERVATION
upon learning that there was among them
band Of avOWed hllbustcr~ bat As those
men were quiet and we'll behaved the alarm
they had created soon subsidized and their
movements Vrrr watched with eager curl
o,Ity. II was soon open secret that they
intended to seize Campubcilo. and there the
utmost terror prevailed. With all possible
,pvcd It's inhabitants left 1t or ind IN It, [
woods, each one adding to the panic Of his
fellows hN tales Of fcniAn lcroc.ty that had
no foundation IN fact. but that had all the I
force OF reality to those who believed that [
they were To hc plunged into the horrors Of
war. These fears were incrra-ed by several .
circumstances. First. the Owen family. I
owners 81 the island. we're not al their house Z
upon II; then the British authorities took /.
alarm AZ what seemed 70 be- a mcuacing
danger, and sent their var vessels and troops /.
from Halifax and Quebec. the former to pa
trol the boundary line of the province. the /
latter "a garrison 81 Andrew, and st. I.
stephens and other points of vantage. But .
It Nas the raising Of Sledgc hammer To /.
crush hl for the United States sent an .
additional cutter tu Ea>rpnrt Gen. Meade ,
went tn the same place with one hundred /
nnd hitN men; the custom officer, >cIlcL .
SOME that we're believed To be for the Fem
ans, and that were claimed IN kijhan there
was an indignant gathering at the would-bc .
Hhrrai"r~ ia IA~tport', principal hall a .
Sudden disappearance VI most OF them fol- .
lowed. and the movement Wl~ al an end .
Watcher OF not It Wa~ more than fciul 10 .
draw attention from the Canadian border .
upnn which ln attack was soon after made .
N.l probably never br known. II seems
Incredible, however. thlt IL could have been
oi serious character ttmpobellp il but
eight mites an length, ui lrre -ulAr shape and .
iu most parts quite narrow there IL not a
foot Of iuud upuu u t.lt cla p, reached D,
sHp, rr >hrl! from guns ri ordinary callhrr.
Moreover. lt !, bod tHr mouth ID thr turl4-
lent Bay of EundN it ), Ten mile, OF more
frum thr Nearest BRUSH mainland, and it
hl, hut ono dock, which would bv Uf iltt.r
use tor q uAya. expedition and OF mo- value
Whatever for land ramrai-n There d, nd
reason tp believe that l Fcuan ever VT fuo,
upou It. or seriously culsayorcl 'o d. So.
ln addition % the u0tur.,t, tH4t tai,
demonstration gave H. thr island hl, d ro-
mantle history OF H., own Ip 10 the early
part Of the present century d was Crown
land upon which one flmi, hlI ",quattei"
and thuS obtained a ilt!r % about forty acre,
ui u, surface With the exception VI thI,
plat tine island wa, given % an officer ~
the British NAVY, Admiral Owen. VINO wa,
a member Of the English upper middle rl4-,
and a u,rn Of very considerable wealth 81
on the property he thus acquired be- built
rambling mansion, surrounded IL with green
houses and ornamental. grounds constructed
macIdamLcd roads for hi, own pleasure
drives, leased fishing and farming privilege.
10 the hardy tnh4Jltaut, uf the adjacent
Islands. anal gave particular care % the
pre-. watson of the timber. ui which there
was il great deal OF value. lie also created
aus maintained house IN Fredericton III,
capital yt pt tHe province, and his family
mansion Ia London va, trcvueuti, occu- .
pied b, nina. lie left but uur child. a
d4u gAfcr. wAu inherited ul, wealth. and wno
Na- for many SraI- the richest person M
New Brun~wi.k She married a Captain ia \,
the British navy. Wnu>r nuMr VA, kulIu-
son, but who assumed her name for family
reasons. Their life WA, uuc Of cItgaHt
leisure, changing 10 It> passage As pleasure
uT convenience demanded from the scenes 1
Of the metropolis ot EurI4ud 10 those Of d
rugged northeastern Aucr.ra. There we're :
born 10 ,hcm TWO son, and TWO daughters, I
and when these hIu IruHu ~ man ami ,
wunAnuood .i often happened tuAt the tuml- /
IN was at home" al all Of 1t, three resi- ,
dcncr,. The older of the >ou> took Il com +
MISSION Ia the British army. Some Year, I
ago he was thrown from his horse vhiic IN I
India and 50 severely injured that for a !
great length OF time he vas insane. The
Younger followed the example OF hi, father
and grandfather aud wa, an officer III the
navy Of his country. Capt. Robinson. SEN il
lor, died about ten wears ago, and soon {,
after his family decided to remain perma- /
nentIy in England. Because Of that de
cislon Campobello has been for sale
The Owens were staunch churchmen and !
women. They constituted living and
filled il with an Oxford Doctor of Divinity.
who preached to them alone-or almost
alone-as their tenants, with few exceptions,
were either Complexities or Methodists.
The priest Of the parish was a scholarly d
man, who found pleasure in his books and h
IN frequent visits 70 clergymen Of other z
places more favored by society His wife h
was i woman of wealth and culture, who IL
vas much at her early home in England w
anu who when on Camnohello was without n
a social equal if the Owens were absent
At the house Of the rector and at that Of
The lord OF the manor there was always a .
cordial welcome to those of title rank or ;,
and many a British man-of-war 1
1n the way TO st. John has put into East Z
port Harbor for no other reason than that q
ler officers might enjoy the hospitalities /,
md JOIN in the pleasures of the magnates !
If Campobello, which no doubt will be a "
popular summer resort, but from which the
ylories OF lis past nave forever departed.
Fl
ia
4 .tor, l. of a. al