Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1889-09-05
For the Ellsworth American.
Deer Isle.
ITS EARLY HIsToRY.-PROGREsS OF THE
TOWN.

| ITS EARLY HsToRY.-PROGREsS OF THE
| Deer Isle, a town In Hancock county,
| was discovered by Martin Pring of Bristol,
who visited this locality In the year 1908.
II Is understood that he sailed up Penob-
| scot bay with the islands OF North Haven
| and Vinalhaven on one side and Isle au
iIalt and Deer Isle on the other. Champ
lain visited this region in 1904 and Is said
10 have landed upon the shores of this Is
land. The island on which the town is sit
uated Ia about twelve miles in length and
| four In breadth, and was probably named
| from the abundance of deer found upon
| It At the time Of It's discovery. At the
| time of the iirst settlement the island was
| found to he an unbroken wilderness and
no evidence was found to indicate that IL
| had ever been inhabited by the civilized
| white man, hu, il was supposed tina. the
! Indians visited the island at certain sea
sons Of the year from the fact that large
| heaps Of clam shells were found along he
shore which must have taken many years
20 accumulate
| The people who came TO make their
| homes in this wilderness were we'll aware
of the hartships that they must endure.
| but they were sturdy. Industrious persons,
| vsl adapted h thc work that would seem
IN impo~S.Nllty 20 the young man Of the
present generation. The first duty OF the
settler was - provide u dwelling place for
! hi, family This was accomplished by bnild-
! in.. hut l0gS ana a chimney aud fireplace
rf rocks ccmcatoI hy clay The people of
I those dayS sub~i-tcd upon fare that
would be- deemed much too coarse for their
children of to-day. but healthier happier
Class ~ people never existed than the old
settlers of our country. Il j. an mpossi-
hilsiy fpr thr people Of this generation 70
pi-turr fpg a moment. the hardships aud
lrtsatiru- endured hy our fprcfathers. hut
much ot ihrir work -till remains and we
seldom th.uk that wc are enjoying the
har,i-ca fruits Of their labor.
The town Of Deer Isle was Incorporated
January 81, i-sa. Just onc century ago last
January, on which occasion the town celc-
hra'cd the event at the church at North
west Hsrhor Many relies Of former days
were brought out, which. when compared
with the implements of our day, give us
faint iica II the few advantages which
onr ancestors enjoyed
Soon after the settlement OF the town,
the people began u talk ~ erecting
church and by a vote taken In l.53,
cAurch was erected at Northwest EIarhor
fn .lr Size NJ the present town-hou>c and
Rev Pcr~r roHcr, accepted the call 10 be-
rpme IN tlr~t pastor The compensation
ron>i-,.. q Yearly salary II ono hundred
pounds of which eighty pounds were 10 be
of specie 2: the market price of this town,
AMI twruty pounds Ia cash. The princi
pal occupations ~ the people Of this town
for many years were farming and fishing,
pf which the latter was engaged In the
more extensively. Some years ago South
Deer Islc sent on. quite large acet Of
hshiug vessels which gave much employ
ment and the growth OF the place was rap
ID for time. New wharvcs were built,
stores erected and business was very brisk,
hut - The 1shlng business became fail
ure, business stopped and mos, Of the old
Buildings and whAr,cs have gone 10 de-
cay.