Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-12-23
A Visit to an Historic Island.

II
Noticing various aliusions in the news.
papers to the Centenary of the State and
Of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine which
are to take place early next summer,
venture to think that your readers might
be interested in what learned on q trip
made last fall to Rcbmond's Island In
the company of one of the descendants
of Robert Jordan.
Rchmond's Island is bleak knoll
lying of the southerly side Of Cape
Elizabeth. 1t is about three miles in
circumference, containing about two
hundred acres and at low tide is con-
nected with the mainland by sand bar.
The island Is now owned by Mr.. Sprague
of Boston, who was most kind, In allow.
ing the caretaker of his house to do
everything possible to speed us on our
pilgrimage.
The first inhabitant of the island, we
were told, was Walter Bagnall in 1928,
whose sole object in life was to amass .
large fortune by driving hard bargains
with the Indians. They showed their
resentment of this treatment by murder
ing him 10 1881 and stealing, as was sup
posed, all bis accumulated wealth. In
1856, however, resident Of the island,
while plowing, turned up . stone pot
containing gold and silver coins of the
reigns Of Queen Elizabeth, James the
First, and Charles the First. From the
dates on these piecss 1t has been inferred
that they were buried q short time be-
fore Bagnall's death.
The island was later granted to Robert
Trelswney and Moses Goodyeare, mer-
chants of Plymouth, England, and With
1t was included all of the present town
of Cape Elizabeth. John Winter was
appointed their agent, and appears from
the records to have been an able, indus
trious, and successful merchant. he
lived on Richmond's Island and en-
ployed over sixty men in the fisheries
and fur trade. As early as 1887 the Rev.
Richard Gibson, an Episcopal minister,
WAS settled over the island and the
records imply that there may have been
an Episcopal church built there, too, as
there is mention in an inventory, of YES.
sells for the Communion service and the
minister's bedding.
Tradition has 1t that Cape Elizabeth
might now be peopled largely with
Gibsons instead of Jordans II the Rev.
Richard would have consented to marry
Winters only daughter. Apparently be
refused to accept her hand and fortune,
which was large one for those days,
and returned tn England heart free.
BE was succeeded by the Rev. Robert
Jordan, who came over at the instance
of Robert Trelswney to take pastoral
care of the settlement. he strsightway
married Miss Winter and at the death ol
her father became the manager and pos.
SCISSOR of his estate. He was q man oi
decided character, good judgment, fear.
less and upright. He was much respect
cd in the community and was elected
one OF the commissioners of the settle.
ment. He incurred the censure Of the
Massachusetts, government by admin
istering the rites of the Episcopal church
and was imprisoned for baptizing chill.
dren. The font which he used is now
In the rooms of the Historical Society In
Portland.
As time went on. he built house on
the mainland which We imagine was
near the mouth of the Spurwink River.
1t was burned by the Indians in King
Philips war and Mr.. Jordan and bis
family fed for their lives to Newcastle,
N. Il. he died at the age of 6S years,
leaving AZ monument to posterity six
sons whose descendants still perpetuste
his name.