Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1922-06-28

ment) was at the seige of Baga-
duce or Castine, where they did ex-
cellent service. But, as the British
again grew troublesome in the vicin-
ity of Waukeag and the safety of its
homes was threatened, he came home
with his company for it's defense.
Soon after, one stormy night,
February "a, 1873, the British ship
Allegiance, commanded by Mowatt,
who burned Falmouth, sailed into
Point, Harbor under cover of the
storm, and landed a detachment of
soldiers, near the Sullivan home.
The British had previously madeesev-
eral attempts to capture Capt. Sulli-
van, which so far had failed.
After a silent reconnaissance the
soldiers entered the house, and the
captain awOke to the cheerful fact
that his bed was surrounded by
armed men. He was hurried on
board the Allegiance, the soldiers
meanwhile setting his house on fire
The children were rescued with diff
fculty by their mother and the hired
man, John White, who fled with
them for safety to the thick woods
on High Head.
Captain Sullivan was taken to Cas-
tine, where he was offered his lib
erty and protection by taking the
oath of allegiance to the king. This
he refused to do, and was then car
ried prisoner to Halifax, N. S., and
thence to New York, where he was
put on board the famous Jersey
Hulk remaining six months
Through the efforts of his brother,
Gen. John Sullivan, member of
Congress from New Hampshire, he
time, and started for home in car
tel, but died soon after leaving New
York, in manner which indicated
that his death might have been due
to poisoning. He was buried on
Long Island.
Strange as it may seem, this same
Daniel Sullivan has been called a
traitor to his country, but his history
certainly does not bear out the fact
In the old burying aground on
High Head, where sleep most of
those hardy pioneers of the first days
of Waukeag, is large tablet erected
to the memory Of Capt. Sullivan.
A second house was built on the
Sullivan lot by bis son James. This
was struck by lightning in 1912, and
was burned.
The houses built by the Beans,
Bragdons, Prebles, Simpsons and
Uranns, have all disappeared years
ago. Though in my earliest remem-
brance some of the older houses
were still standing; low-roofed, grey,
old weather-beaten farmhouses, al
ways facing the sea. There are still
a few old houses in town, probably
the oldest among them being the old
John Downing house, so called, pur-
chased after the death of Mr.. Down
ing by John l.. Perry, and now
owned by his son This house is
known to be considerably over one
hundred years old, and once won
considerable fame as the haunted
house" of the village. Years ago,
after the death of Mr.. Downing, the
house stood vacant for a number of
years, and was said by the superstiti-
Gus folks to be haunted. This super
stition arose from the fact that quite
often on dark nights the windows of
the house became suddenly and
brightly illuminated, remaining so
for short time, when the lights
would disappear as suddenly as
they appeared. Strange noises were
heard, and ghostly forms fitted be-
fore the lighted windows. AS the
house stands on hill overlooking
the surrounding country, the sudden
II two hox
weird spectacle.
Eventually it was proved that the
lights were not produced by ghostly
hands, but by several of the more
mischievous and daring boys of the
neighborhood, who assembled there
on these nights. Small pieces Of
candles, that would burn for only a
short time, were placed on the
window-sills all over the house, and
all being lighted at the same time
gave forth the awe-inspiring illumi-
nation. On discovering the lights,
the good people would hasten to the
house, only to see the light disappear
before they could reach it, Oft
times the less timid ones, perhaps be-
lieving there was safety in numbers,
WOulQ enter Cu6 uOuS6 anu Try W us
cover the cause of the disturbance,
but without success. The boys, how
ever, never left the house until the
investigators had gone, having
place of concealment behind the
huge brick oven in the kitchen, to
which they gained access by means
of sliding panel beside the fire.
place. This space was large enough
to accommodate dozen or more
boys. and afforded them an excellent
opportunity to hear the different
theories concerning the GHOSTS"
Even after the secret was dis
covered it failed to convince some Of
the more superstitious ones even
though it Laid the ghosts -
1t would seem that one of the most
difficult operations ever attempted in
town was the construction of dam
across Long Cove and tide-water
mill. These were built before the
Revolutionary war by New York
syndicate, but owing to the outbreak
of the war they sold out to Solomon