Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-10-21
BAKERS ISLAND SUIT.
How Residents View Government
Claim of Ownership.

The claim OF the United States govern
ment to ownership of Bakers island. of
the Hancock county coast, is soon to be
tried in the United States district court
at Portland. The case is unique in many
particulars, and has attracted widespread
interest How the people OF Bakers island
look upon this attempt to dispossess them,
is told in the following letter to THE
AMERICAN:
William Gilley was born at Norwoods Cove.
Southwest Harbor, I7s2. His wife. Hannah
also in iTs2- They were married al Norwood S
1872. He fshed in boat outside Bakers is
land. In stormy weather he would haul up
his boat in the cove on Bakers nd and
take refuge in log house near where the
burial ground now is
In the spring. when the weather was too
rongh for fishing, he cleared land and planted
potatoes. In summer he heed; in autumn he
dag his crop. In summer bis wife would come
and stay while with him He wished to hwy
the island. but could not 6 nd that anyone had
q right to sell it. SO he took up . squatter's
claim and remained in quiet possession
In 1906 he moved his family and all his be-
cabin and cleared his farm. He raised sheep,
cows and oxen. In 1917 he built the house now
occupied by his grandson. Samuel GiIley.
William and Hannah Gilley had twelve chill
dren. The nine eldest were born at Norwoods
Cove. Some time previous TO the birth Of each
child Mr.. Gilley took his wife TO her relatives
there, where she remained Till mother And
child were strong enough TO return to Bakers
island. The tenth child WAS born on Great
Cranberry island That was John GilIey.
whose history Pres. Charles W. Elliot. OF Har-
ward college, has written. The last two were
born on Bakers island.
The history of NJ Desert by George e
Street tells of life on Bakers island, but
makes the mistake of six years in the date OF
the settlement Of the island by william
Gilley. The whole family of six boys and six
girls grew to manhood and womanhood on
urE la tAf nd T.Q tSxw a. <A r. -
which they learned to build in the best way 10
stand heavy seas. They and their sons rescued
shipwrecked mariners; and warmed, sheltered
land These men, who constituted . fife-say-
ing crew on Bakers island long before the
government established iife-saving stations
on the coast, deserve medals and pensions for
meritorious service In saving lives.
And now the United States government
instead Of giving them the rewards they
deserve, Is about TO drive them from their
humble homes on this island. which they and
their ancestors have held for l02 yeArsi And
the town OF Cranberry Is es is to be sued for
building = schcoi house for the instruction Of
Cf the childr n Of BaksT's island.
Writs have been served on every person liv-
ing on Bakers island. even to Mrs. Catherine
Giiley. the housekeeper at the lighthouse
who has home on Great Cranberry island.
aud little Philip Stanley. Eve years old. The
case is to be brought to trial at Portland this
OF driving this little peaceful commu nifty fron,
their humble homes. inhe ritei through two
and three generations an Al rocious act will be
commttted by those most active in bringing
this about.
The higher p,wers at Washington, when
they know the truth. must and will certainly.
put stop to such a p oceeding
The people of Bakers island do not blame
the government for the wroI being at
tempted against them The blame 10 on a
few lighthouse officials, who have been To-
haepced by Misrepresentation of some CT the
past keepers of the light on Bakers island.
When the lighthouse built in iSzs, Will
liam GilIey had been living th-re twenty-five
years; therefore held the island BY quiet pos
session. The men who came TO talk with
him about the site for the lighthouse told him
that II he would give the land for the the site
he should be iight-keeper as long as he
wished. and that the keepers position should
descend to his sons As . permanent pos
session.
We now know this man had no right to
promise this. but it served his purpose OF
quieting Mr. Gilley, who believed il, and this
was so Understood By his sons
In July, ls2s, William Giliey became
iiEht-keeper. In 1913 the adm, nistratiou
changed and man at Bass HArbor applied
for the position of light-keeper ut Bakers
island, and got t. When he arrived be asked
for oxen to haul his goods, and was refused.
Thus feud began, the Gilleys feeling that
the new keeper had usurped their rights.
This feeling still exists.