The Portland daily press., 1883-05-03
CUsHING's ISLAND.
An Interesting Historical sketch.

Nov that Cushing's Island has been disposed
Of Tor summer residences to stock company,
Mr.. Z. ii. Elwell, in the Transcript, pubIished
yesterday. furnishes the following interesting
historical sketch:
The island at the mouth OF our harbor now
known as Cushing's, aud on which large i'm
provements have recently been projected, has
an interesting history dating back to the early
settlements on this coast. II first owner, so
far as is known, was one James Andrews, who
was in possession previous to 1867. The island
was then known as Portland Island, and the
ship channel was called Portland Sound, while
the opposite mainland was known as Portland
Head. This was more than century before
the name was applied to the Neck on which
the city now stands
In 1898 Andrews conveyed the island TO
John Rouse, OF Marshfield. IL was then known
as Fort Island, from its having been a place Of
retreat from the Indians in 1876. On August
i1th Of that year the Indians descended upon
the settlement and killed or carried into cap
tiysty thirty-four persons. Those who re-
manned at firss sought refuge in Municy's Gar
rison, on the hill Of that name but feeling In
secure there, fled the same day to James An
drew's Island" whore they threw up de-
fence Mr.. e. P. skillings who was born on
the island, tells as he has seen on the back side
OF 1t pile OF stones laid up like masonry,
which was probably the remains Of the "fort"
erected in 1916.
The party which fed to the islands number
ed ton men, six women and sixteen children
Among them was the Rev Mr.. Burroughs, who
had been settled here as minister, and who
was afterwards hanged at Salem on a charge
OF witchcraft. He wrote to Henry Jocelyn, at
Black Point (Prout's Neck) for succor, and on
the Goth Of August George Munioy was sent TO
Falmouth from Boston with 1900 pounds Of
bread for the relief OF persons here. On the
23d Of September following George Felt, with
ak others, whose families were suffering for
the necessaries of life, ventured 70 go upon
what is now known as House Island for sheep
pastured there. They had scarcely landed
when tho Indians fell suddenly upon them,
and although they defended themselves with
desperate courage from the ruins of a stone
house to which they retreated, they were all
destroyed,
Rouse Afterwards conveyed the island to
John Bourne, OF Marshheld, IL seems to have
changed hands many times, for in 1850 Joshua
Bangs bought II Of Ezekiel Gushing. 1t will
be seen, therefore, that the present proprietor
is not the first of that name. Bangs after
wards conveyed II to his son-in-law, Jedediah
Preble. He was the father of Com. Edward
Preble, and Of Capt Enoch Prebe, father of
Admiral George Henry Prehle.
In 1912 MIR. Simeon Skillings, descendant
Of Preble by his first wife, went to live upon
the island, and In 1918 his son, E. 7. Skilltngs,
was born there In the old house in the hollow
Mr.. II. =. Skillings informs us that in the
spring of 1S29 when he was sixteen years old,
he assisted his father in setting out the will
lows now standing in the hollow. lie has no
means OF knowing when the old house was
huilt but thinks IL probably dates back TO the
days of Bangs or Preble On part OF the old
| barn Il ia down years since was found the date
| 1775 There is a pg.pen now near the house
which Mr.. Skillings helped build sixty years
| ago.
MIR. Simeon Skilllngs bought portions of the
| island from Capt Enooh Preble, who told him
there had never been burial on the island.
| Twenty years after that a person saw what he
took TO be o smooth stone protruding from the
| bank near the shore. 1t proved to be the elbow
| OF skeleton lying but foot or two under the
sod, where stone wall had been built across
| it. Mr.. IL. p. Skillings wife, child and moth
| er-in-law lie buried in u pasture ON tho island.
On what was called the North Point, on the
| inner shore Of the island, two ancient cellars
| were found, and In plowing near them bits OF
crockery were turned up. No one knows who
! built the houses which once stood there, but
they we're probably occupied by fishermen In
| the early days Of the settlement.