The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-10-16
ADMIRAL OWEN, THE QUODDY HER.
NIT.


scenery and feudal loyalty, of rough liv-
ing and knightly etiquette, has long
clustered round little island off the
coast of Maine called on the charts Pas
samaquoddy Outer Island. Moose
Toamed over the swamps and looked
down from the bold headlines; Indians
crossed from the mainland and
shot them; struggling Frenchmen, dress
ing in skins, built huts along the north
ern and southern shores till civilization
dawned through the squatter sovereignty
of two men, Hunt and Flagg. They
planted the apple trees whose gnarled
branches still remain to tell of the win
ter storms that howled across the plains,
and converted the moose-yards into a
field of oats, for the wary, frightened
animals vacated their hereditary land in
favor of these usurpers. Their mercan-
tile skill taught them how to use, for
purposes of trade rather than for private
consumption, the shoals of fish which it
was firmly believed Providence sent into
the bay.
When the Passamaquodians who ate
fish were living in huts, and those who
sold them were dwelling in houses, on
the distant waters of India was a man,
William Owen by name, whose destinies
were to be linked with this little English
island in America. As naval officer, he
had been Sin all the service and enter
prise where ships and boats and seamen
were Employed" had labored at Bengal
at the re-establishment of the affairs of
the East India company; and fought UNI
der Give. AT the blockade of Pondich
erry he lost his right arm, and the Sun
derland to which he belonged having
foundered, he was ordered to England.
There, in 1901, he petitioned the lords
admiralty for gratuity. pension or prefer
mcnt, as their lordships might deem him
to deserqe. He did not receive special
thanks and promise of promotion, and at
last, through the intercession of his
friend, Sir William Campbell, governor
of Nova Scotia, he obtained possession
of the island which Hunt and Flagg had
civilized.
As it embraced more land than could
then be granted to one person, Owen in
duced others to join him in asking for
the grant that the whole island might
eventually be under control of the Owen
family. Consequently in 1897 the island
,~os Ina1n1 70 Vi1lio1, Iiu,on and l,;c
cousins, Arther Davies, David and Viii
liam Owen. Jr., who in grateful compl-
mcnt to Campbell, changed its name
from Passamaquoddy Outer island to
Campobello.
William Owen Immediately brought
over from the mother country colony
of seventy persons; stationed his ship at
llavre de Lutte, a Franco-Indian corrup-
ton of harbor of the otter; and. having |
settled his people according to his liking !
returned to England, but soon left it
again on public service, and died with
the rank of admiral.
David Owen acted as agent for the .
grantees, and was a veritable lord of the |
isle. His house had even more roof |
than the usual sloping, barn-like home
of former days. He built rude church, |
read the service and preached. What |
matter if the sermon was oft repeated. |
or now and then was original! Could |
not he, though Il layman, best tell the
needs of his congregation? He played |
the fiddle for dances, married the people !
and scolded them as self-constituted !
Judge, kept a journal of island events in
microscopic chirography, wrote for the
EaStport Sentinel, was interested in pro-
tccting the fisheries, and died, leaving
his share of the land to William Owen,
Jr. This younger Owen sold Campobello
which had now come into his sole pos
session, to William Fitz-Willam, who as
the natural son of the Owen of Pondich-
cry fame could obtain possession only
through purchase of his fathers original
grant.
A curious, pathetic life was that of
William Fritz-William, from the time
when, boy of five years old, an inmate
of the artillery barracks, he replied on
being asked his name, 81 don't know.
mother can tell YOU" to his old age,
when dressed in admirals uniform he
paced back and forth on plank walk
built out into the bay, over the high
cliffs of the shore, in memory of the
quarter deck of his beloved ship. Con-
ceited and religious, authoritative and
generous, humorous and ceremonious,
disputatious and frank, lover of wom-
en- more than of wine, his fame still lin
gers in many name and tradition.
When very young a friend of his faith
er's took him away from the barracks
and from his mother, of whom he never
heard again. lie was boarded and pun
ishcd i'll various homes in North Wales.
but as recOmpense wore cooked hat
and suit of scarlet made from an old
coat of his fathers.
So he grew up to be presumptuous, ad-
ven1urOus, resolute and strong. In 17SS
he embarked as midshipman of line-of-
battle ship, and from that time for forty
three continuous years served under
every naval man of renown, and was
honored by the friendship of Nelson
At fOrty-five he married Welch lady.
and wrote, II thought myself tolora-
bly, religious man, but knew myself to