Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-07-11
JAMES SWAN.
MAN FOR WHOM SWANS ISLAND
is NAMED.
~ INTERESTING CHARACTER A
aRltIaAsT WAR RECORD THE
FRIEND OF MANY GREAT MEN.

1gy william o. sawtelle. o. Bsugor,l
nown at Deer Isle last summer came
across two interesting little volumes IA
s.eteh OF Deer Isle by Mr.. Hosmer, and
history Of Swans Island by Dr. Small
The struggles OF the early settlers on
SEAMS and Deer Island we're much like
,bose OF pioneers elsewhere. though no
Indians were there TO offer them violence.
One is struck, however, with the dismal
recital Of shipwrecks; the number of
shle-bodied men who lost their lives at
sea being gruesome testimony OF the
sorrow which must have hung heavily
aver these small communities.
There is much to interest us along our
Maine coast, and though hundreds OF
tourists are each year on our shores, very
few of them see in what is spread out be-
fore them more than the broad expsnse of
ocean or wooded and rocky land dotting
the harbors and bays
Occasionally a summer sojourner, first
attracted by the natural rugged beauty
Of some delightful spot, yearns for
knowledge Of the associations and OF the
happenings OF bygone days. When, after
little effort perhaps, his wish rs gratified
by having copy OF local history placed
in his hands, his Joy is keen.
The history OF Castine or OF Mount
Desert Is 20 many quite familiar: bot OF
the numerous other Icss historically in
terasting places, only mesgrc accounts are
available. Many of our place names in
and around Penobseot bay are suggestive,
while others, 10 the ordinary person mean
lIstie Or nothing. Champaign on his voy-
age upth bay gave some names which have
remained TO this day, like Isle au Haus, for
example, while others have been partly
changed or have disappeared entirely.
The name Brule Cote underwent
strange alteration. For some reason or
other the FIRST part OF the name WIS trans
lated, while the last part was destined to
isks It's present form; and the island, so
named because a forest fire had sometime
previous TO its naming by Chsmplaiu,
swept over it, leaving the hiilsides burned
and charred, came to be known as Burnt
Cost.
In 1885 Col. James Swan, OF Massachn-
set $. purchased Burnt Coat and twenty
four ether islands, all quite near together,
and containing in all nearly 1000 acres
Swan did not know what he was buying,
neither did the State know what it was
selling.
A house and a min were baiIt on Burnt
Coat, and Swans agent induced settlers TO
take up land there. For years the house
was known as the 'big house" and In it
the settlers lived while their own homes
were building. The island then became
known as swans Island.
The life OF Col. Swan was a strange one,
and since his name is perpetuatsd in this
island OF our coast, | made few notes
concerning him.
There il quite an account OF him la DIR.
smaIl's little book, also in Col, Porter's
Historical Magasine, as well as numerous
references TO him in a paper By the late
kutus X. Sewali read before the Maine
Historical society ON Doc. Z, 1896 There
are also few words about him In samuel
Adams brakes "old Landmarks OF
Boston"
Col. James Swan was born in Fiieshire,
Scotland, and came TO this country be-
tween 1850 and ITO. lie was am ardent
patriot and as he was one of the party
who threw the tea overheard in Boston
HaFbor, he must have been present at
Benjamin Edes' house that day, and
doubtless took part In the ceremony OF
which Peter Edcs made note in his diary.
Ills war record was a brilliant one, for he
was volunteers aide de-camp to Gen. War
rem in the battle OF Bunker Hin; captain
OF artillery la the expedition which drove
the British fleet from Boston in 1877, and
afterwards adjutant- general of Massaehu-
sets.
Men certainly were much more mature
IN those days, for he had made rcputa-
ton for himself as q merchant, politician,
soldier ahd author at an age at which our
boys to-day are being graduated from
college.
He was ON intimate terms with Wash
ington, Lafayette and other prominent
generals OF the Revolution. In i7S6, the
same year in which he purchased Burnt
Coat and the twenty four islands in Pc
nohscot bay, he bought large estate in
Dorchester, built fine house and there
made his home. Here II was that he en-
tertained Lafayette, Knox, Jackson ana
many other distinguished men when they
visited Boston.
In 1857 he went to France ON mercantile
business and was said 10 have acquired
much wealth and reputation there. He
again visited France during the days OF
the French Revolution.
Col Swan was also engaged in lumber
trading between Wiscasset and Paris, hav-
ing associated with him Capt. Ciough,
resident OF Wiscasset.
Capt. Clough was in command OF the
ship Sally, which has figured in history as
being the vessel chosen TO convey Marie
Antoinette and her family to this coun-
try. Much romancing has been INDUCED
In on this incident, but there nevertheless
are few facts which are interesting