Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-05-18

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duced to go there, as my late Father Stephen
Hutchinson and three brothers lived there who
moved down. about three years before My
said father being one of the Proprietors of said
| township as / have often heard him say And
| have often heard him say that he settled there
| as proprietor. | well remember that Roger
| Gookin & Richard McDugal built Mill there &
| lived there before moved OFF, further testify
say that the township was always called
Thorndike's township-Robert Thorndikc was
there and made slaves there, and / think Mr.
EbeneAcr Thorndike was there several times
while was there. | also say that one Wheeler
was there at the same time X built small
house on the point called oak point further
say that my late father sold his right to ouo
Matthew ratten, belonging to Blue IIill, Il /
further say that have right, title interest
in said township unless in right of my de
ceased, who As being the first child that vas
ever born in said township is, apprchcnd, en-
titled to one hundred acres of land.
April ), 1874. STEPHEN lit rCHGNSoN.
The original proprietors began to make
settlements according to the terms
of the grant. Mills were built on
Union river, on Jordan's river and a mill
on Skilings river which was named the
"SweedIand mil". The last mill has
puzzled the historians who have long
tried to find out for hon or for what it
was named.
FIRST SETTLERS.
The first settlers find were Ephraim
liaines and family, Rogers Googins and
family in 1863, Capt. Isaac Fitzpatrick with
six sons and two daughters in September,
l71i, Stephen Hutchinson, jr., and fam
lily in 1776, James Mcfarland and family
about the same time, and others do not
locate.
The settlements did not flourish. The
Revolutionary war broke out and emf
grafton ceased. After the war was over
the old grantees began to look up their
grant. The general court held that it had
reverted to the state. In 1889 petition
was sent to the general court for re-
newal, which was granted on condition
that the rights and privileges OF the set
tiers should be protected. Notwithstand-
ing this renewal OF the grant the general
court, July 6, 1877, granted Bartholomew
DeGregoire and wife a tract OF land on
the main, which included the whole
township of Trenton, and part Of Ellis
worth, and this blotted out all former
grants. AS in all former grants, the old
settlers rights were protected, and the
most OF them afterwards received deeds
from DeGregoire and wife or their
assigns.
These Mt. Desert grants were remark
able. Louis XIV, the French king,
granted La Motto Cadillac, Mt. Desert
Island in 1851. In 1852 the province OF
massachusetts, granted the same island to
Sir Francis Bernard. Bernard was Tory
and went to England and therefore he
had no rights, but he had son John
Bernard, no had lived at Perry and at
Bat h, and he proved to the sat is faction of
the general court that he had always been
| loyal to the cause OF the colonies.
What did the court do but to take away
the westerly half OF Mt. Desert from De-
GregoIre and give it to John Bernard!
This DeGregoire grant was given him
and his wife because she WAS the grand
daughter of La Motto Cadillac, who had
the grant in 1891. The coast was clear
aud was well lobbied, equal to anything
in Massachusetts nowadays.
The whole thing was IL speculation.
Several of the men who aided in the
business became later purchasers at very
low prices.
"THORNDIKE PLANTATIoN.'
Previous to the incorporation of the
town, the township was called Thorndlke
plantation Thorndike town and Thorn
bury, and later Union river plantation.
The town of Trenton WAS Incorporated
Feb 10, 1887. Under the provisions of
law, the Inhabitants OF Union river, now
Ellsworth h, voted, were taxed, and held Of
flee in The town. The first town meeting
was held April g. 1890, and the follow ing
| officers chosen:
| Rogers Googins, town clerk; Ephraim
Ealnes, James Lord, Thomas Googins,
John Green and Solomon Jordan, select
men; James Smith and Edward Berry,
consta bles; Martin fitzpatrick, town
! treasurer; James Lord, james McFar-
Der; Jacob Foster, William Hopki ms,
Martin fitzpatrick, James Mcfarland and
| Theodore Jones, surveyors OF roads; voted
Meletiah Jordan to be justice OF the
peace fifteen votes, and James McFar-
land the same, eight votes. Jones and
Jordan were OF Union river.
After 1880, several French families came
into the town; all or the most Of them To-
Gated at what is now Lamoine. La Val,
La Moyne, La Roche, Des Isles and De-
Laittre were the principal names.
MADAME LA VAL.
Madame Resale Baler de La Val bough
lis acres of land Of Gen. Henry Jackson,
OF Boston, Nov. IS, 1892. This land WAS
at W hat is now East Lamoine, and was
named Fountain La Val. Much fine writ
ing has been done relating to this woman,
| ~ = no h,iI no h,ii hp inn