Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-09-04
For The Ellsworth Americana
The Millikens Of Mt. Desert.
by REV. o. II. FERNALp. d. d.

Mr.. Editor:
1t was my pleasure some time since u
peruse q manuscript written by capt
Isaiah Ober late of Sedgwick, In which n
relates a tradition concerning the Mill
kens Of the last century. An Englishma
sr:.,sa ~: in Scarborough e1rly in the Isl
century, bough. tract of o,ff"iasa2d is2 O .:s .s In
dans. and had his deeds put on record il
Boston.
In the time of the French and IndiaI
war massacre cut off all the family ex
cept one girl, who secreted herself. escap
ed unobserved, and at last reached Boston
by vessel.
There she became acqusinted with ant
married a young Scotchman named Mill
ken, and descended Ia Sir Hugh
Milliken, of Aberdeen, Scotland. a gentle
man of great wealth and excellen; char
actcr,
After her marriage, Mrs yMilliken, hold
Ing her land by the record Of her deed, re-
turned to Scarborough and reared a large
and interesting family; the tradition says
there were eight sons and numerous daugh.
ters.
When they had grown 20 manhood the
sons caught the spirit of adventure so
prominent at that day, and four Of them
migrated 10 Ellsworth, then q waste,
bowling wilderness. where they erected a
mill and commenced the manufacture OF
lumber One of their number. Benjamin.
owned small vessel and freighted their
lumber TO Boston, Salem. Glouces-
ter and other western ports This
settlement occurred probably not far
| from 1865. and included several OF the
| young men from the most prominent fam
lilies Of Scarborough and Falmouth. now
Portland The writer of this sketch IL in
| clined TO think that Thomas Googins.
grandfather of DR. Emerson Googins. Of
| Ellsworth, came with his associates about
and settled finally eight miles east OF the
city. in the town of Franklin,
after three years in the wilderness. one
of the sons, Samuel Millikcn. returned TO
Scarborough, through the almost trsckless
forest. IN path marked by blazed trees,
to get him wife. II was much like the
visit OF Abraham's servant to Mesopota-
mia 10 obtain a wife for Isaac Of his own
Kindred; only in tins case the prospective
husband preferred 10 do his own courting,
and did not tarry at well with the sim.
pie device to the first maiden that drew
water, Let down thy pitcher, pray thee,
that may drink" but strode straight to
the home of Susannsh Beale to whom he
proposed and was accepted.
Mr.. MillIken and his ne. wife soon re-
turned TO Ellsworth and settled farm
said to have been enclosed within the
present site of the city Of Ellsworth There
was born to him his two oldest daughters,
Joanna, who married Capt Isaac Ober,
and Martha, wife Of James Reed.
The first years of the Revolutionary War
were spent by Mr. Milliker as soldier,
ami on his return home he sold out at
CAL
side of the harbor where hi. farm il to be
seen unto this day
Mr.. Miliiken is described a. a tine look
Ing man, easy going, Kind and afiable
His wife was more pronounced IN her
traits OF character. smart, energetic per
severlng, the real essence Of live, indus
tflous matron
In their early experiences In this eastern
wilderness they encountered many trials
and hsrdships.
On one occasion during the month OF
March, they were obliged to subsist en-
trely on clans. Once during the time,
Mrs. Milliken went out in the morning,
six miles route, walking on the crust Of a
deep snow, to the village Of Somesvilc,
did days work, received bushel of po-
tatoes in payment and returned In the
same forest road in the evening bearing
her potatoes on her back The evening
walk She begulled by slumping almost
every step 10 the knees and tearing the
while lest She meet a bear or other wild
animal, to dispute her passage she reach
ed her home at nine O'Clock, well pleased to
have potatoes to serve her children for
breakfast with their clans,
Once again, in similar want, She saw an
otter asleep on the bank Of the marsh,
which she stealthily dispatched with a
club, sold the skin for i've dollars. with
irh shn b ain a
for her family.
MIR. Milliken was a great hunter. and
shared all the dangers incident to a hunt
ers life. On one occasion he shot bear
at short range and broke his jaw. The in
furiated animal Immediately charged upon
him. The scutile was desperate and vic
| tory hung in the balance. His companions
| dare not fire lest they shoot the man. At
torn off, and his bowels ripped open, the
bear was dispatched and the man saved,
| yet half dead. II was terrible encounter
and almost fatal.
Mrs. Milliken was a doctress of rare
ability, and in those early times when ply
sicians were scarce she travelled on foot or
rode in bridle-paths to all parts Of Mount
Desert, forded the narrows to the main-
land, or crossed to the adjacent islands, at
the call of the sick and unfortunate.
This aged couple. the parents of the
Mount Desert wing of the Millken fam
lily, lived to happy old age respected and
beloved by ALL
He departed this lie July &c, 1871, aged
"a years and months. She died in 1852,
being over century old venerable coup
lie, long preserved, gone to rest.
Their children and grandchildren have
ever shown marks of intellectual superior
ity, and have held honorable positions in
the communities where they have resided.
Who can tell the long line of blessings
that may come to family, generation af-
ter generation, through tn. influence and
virtues of a noble parenage. He that
honoreth God sets In motDn a ripple on
the waste of waters which shall be felt
to the latest posterity.
| WHAT A LIAR THAT FELLOW Was
Here is the way Col. TaylT of the Boston
Globe began a speech at the Grand Army
banquet on Monday nigh: Col. Taylor
said: Comrades, now give me your atten-