Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-03-05
No. H.

A. before stated the first settlement
made in Bluchiil was by Joseph Wood and
John Roundy who came from Beverly.
Mass. April :, 1852 They first located
1T oi The large aud the small salt water
ponds
Al th, west end If this island close
stone dam was bnit wide enough for a
cart road and covered with earth - a to
separate the waters of the two ponds.
'hu> connecting the island with the main
.And and atirdng an opportunity TO get
on to the i>lard with 4 team. There was
afterwards. another dam built at the east
end Of this island, connecting as above
stated and on this dam was built the first
grs' mill that was built in this town, and
a. stat in a previous article at the rails
ing Of which every man. woman aud child
in the township was resent, And soon
afterwards, connected with this mill. a
saw mill was built and under each of
these mills food gates were constructed
which would open on the rising OF the tide
and close on its cbbng. thus retaining
the water to be used in grinding grain and
Ter of greater convenience the town built
a bridge over this dam and over this pond
at these mills and across this island 10 the
bridge over the falls. road was made.
Roundy kept the vessel here in which they
came. for several months and in the mean
time they got out and prepared by the use
Of the tools which they hrnupht with them
for that purpose a cargo of slaves with
which they loaded the vessel in the autumn
and returned In her to Beverly and spent
the winter there. with their families.
But during the time they were here they
each built log house. into which they
could take their families when they should
bring them here. And in the spring of
1868 they both returned with their families,
each consisting of wife and six children,
who at once, on their arrival, set up house
keeping in their humble dwellings. their
new homes. far remote from kindred and
their former associations and among
strangers in wilderness land. Sail.
they aud nearly all Of the early settlers To-
Gated first, near the >ca-shore of the inner
bay they were enabled to procure food,
such a. clans, quohogs, scallops. mussels
and other kinds of shell fish and with hook
aud lire could catch those of the fnny
and sCaly tribe and As there were no game
and fish laws in those days to prohibit
them they were. at liberty to kill the sea
fowl and the animals IN the forest. such as
quite plentiful, for meat.
As they had not had time to clear the
land to raise any Kind Of grain, their great
est trouble seems To have been the want of
bread. But by their perseverance and
energy they were soon able to raise corn
and wheat, and also the other different
kinds of vegetables, such as beans, peas,
potatoes, etc, and for manure they used
seaw eed and mussel- bed from the shore of
the bay.
But after the giist mill was built they
had far less Trouble as they could take
their grain to the mill and have it ground
into meal. Aud so, on the whole. they and
those who soon followed them, were not
stinted for food but had an ample supply
but not in so great a variety and not pre-
pared and cooked in so many different
WAYS, as in these days; but whether the
modern style of preparing and cooking
food, is, as regards health, any improve
ment on that practiced by the women Of
the olden times, is in my opinion quite
| doubtful.
In reading, speaking and writing about
| our ancestors, is it not well for US, their
descendants, to pause and seriously con-
slider how much, if any, real improvement
we have made of physical, moral or spir-
itual nature, on their habits and customs
of life? Do we practice, more or less,
their christian graces. self f-denial, personal
sacrifice, frugslity and benevolence, with
| '.charity for all and malice towards none?"
But must not stop to moralize, but hast
en- on, lest shall make this article too
long.
The third family was formed by the
marriage of Col Nathan Parker from An
dover, Mass, with the eldest daughter of
Mr.. Wood. Subsequently there soon fol-
lowed other families by the names of Fos-
ter, Holt, Darling, OsgOod, Coggins, York,
Parker and others. They came from Bev-
erly and Andover. Within three years
from the coming of Messrs. Wood and
Rourdy nine families had come to this
place But before l proceed any further
am inclined, as matter of historical in
terest, to make few more additional ex-
tracts from. and to copy few Of the first
pages Of. the first book Of the records OF
this town, but emitting the notifications
calling their meetings excepting that for
the first, which, as recorded. is verbatim
as follows:
Number Five Ano. domeny, 1867.
This is to notife all Freeholders In Said
| Township that are Qualified for Voting
to Meat the first Monday In March mex
inSeuing att two of the Clock in the At
ternoon att the House of Mr.. Woods TO
Act on Several Articles in Said Notifca-
ton, Viz: to chuse Moderator for
Said Meating To chuse Clark for the
year Inseuing. To see if they Will agree
to Work one day for to fence in Buring
Place and to Act on any other affairs that
NAV he thought Proper. Joseph Wood,
John Roundy, Nicholas Holt.
NorE.-Township number four was in
corporated - the town Of Penobscot. ana