Date:
2 Feb 1789
Location:
Blue Hill, Hancock, Maine, United States
Surnames/tags:
One_Place_Studies Maine Hancock_County_Maine
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This profile is part of the Blue Hill, Maine One Place Study.
Blue Hill is a town in Hancock County. The area that now comprises Blue Hill was known as Kolledgewidgwock [Kollegewidgwok] by the natives. It was first settled in 1762 by Captain Joseph Wood and John Roundy from Andover, Massachusetts, who built homes on Mill Island at the tidal falls. It would then be called Newport Plantation. Land grants where made in 1762 naming 6 townships of 6 square miles each. Township No. 5 East of Penobscot River is the area that became Blue Hill on January 30, 1789, named after its commanding summit overlooking the region.
| Date
| Designation
| Note
|
| -1534 | Kolledgewidgwock | Wabanaki peoples - the Penobscot tribe
|
| 1534-1760 | Nouvelle France | Under French control, no known European settlers
|
| 1760 | unorganized territory
Lincoln, Massachusetts Bay | France surrenders September 8, 1760, Britain officially takes control of the area
|
| 1762 | Plantation No. 5, Lincoln, Massachusetts Bay | Township No. 5 East of The Penobscot River was formed February 27, 1762
|
| 1776 | Plantation No. 5,, Lincoln, Massachusetts | America declares independence from Britain July 4, 1776
|
| 1789 | Plantation No. 5,, Hancock, Massachusetts | Hancock County is formed June 25, 1789
|
| 1789 | Blue Hill, Hancock, Massachusetts | Blue Hill incorporated June 25, 1789 from Plantation No. 5,
|
| 1820 | Blue Hill, Hancock, Maine | Maine becomes the 23 state March 15, 1820
|
| 1831 | Blue Hill, Hancock, Maine | Annexed part of Sedgwick
|
| 1845 | Blue Hill ,Hancock, Maine | Set of land to Penobscot
|
Villages, Locations and Settlements
Villages, Locations
and Settlements
| Settler/Namesake/Note
|
| Blue Hill |
|
| Fore Falls | between Mill Island and the Neck.
|
| Back Falls | South End of Mill Pond and Mill Island.
|
| The Salt Pond | At South end of Mill Island and Fore Falls down the West side of the Neck. Adjacent to the Mill Pond.
|
| Blue Hill Falls | Joseph Wood and John Roundy on Mill Island in 1762.
|
| Conary Cove |
|
| East Blue Hill |
|
| Granite (on Long Island) |
|
| North Blue Hill |
|
| South Blue Hill |
|
| Long Island |
|
Historical Names
| Name
| Note
|
| Kolledgewidgwock aka Kollegewidgwok | tidal falls aka “salt-fresh rapids” or “mixed rapids,”
|
| Blue Hill Bay |
|
| Newport Plantation |
|
| Plantation No. 5; | Township No. 5 EPR Livermore Survey
|
| Bluehill | original spelling
|
Pioneer Settlers
| Pioneer Settler
| Proprietors' Settlement
|
| Wood, JosephJoseph Wood (1720-1813) | 1762 on Mill Island
|
| Parker, NathanNathan Parker (1739-1819) | 1764
|
| Dodge, JonahJonah Dodge Jr. (1710-1788) | 1764
|
| Darling, JonathanJonathan Darling Jr (1741-1828) | 1765
|
| Parker, PeterPeter Parker (1741-1822). | 1765
|
| Parker, NathantNathan Parker jr. | 1765
|
| Osgood, Ezekiel Jr.Ezekiel Osgood jr. | 1765
|
| Wood, JosephJoseph Wood (1750-1811) | 1765
|
| Horton, JoshuaJoshua Horton (1742-1814) | 1768
|
| Friend, BenjaminBenjamin Friend (abt.1744-1807) | 1774
|
| Dodge, JohnJonah Dodge Jr. (1710-1788) | 1774
|
| Osgood, EzkielEzekiel Osgood (bef.1712-1798) | 1774
|
| Parker, RobertRobert Parker (1745-1818) | 1774
|
| Coggins, ThomasThomas Coggins (1733-1821) | 1765
|
| Dodge, ElishaElisha Dodge (1757-1804) | 1774
|
| Peters, John jr.John Peters Jr (1741-1821). | 1765
|
| Parker, MarbleMarble Parker (1775-1866) | 1764
|
| Osgood, PhineasPhineas Osgood (1753-1834) | 1774
|
| Johnson,, Obed Obed Johnson (1750-1841) | 1769
|
| Clay, JonathanJonathan Clay (1741-1822) | 1769
|
| Brown, Elizabeth widowElizabeth Brown, widow | 1770
|
| Parker, JoshuaJoshua Parker | 1765
|
| Parker, Joseph Joseph Parker | 1765
|
| Roundy, JohnJohn Augustus Roundy Sr (1726-1799) | 1762 on Mill Island
|
| Titcomb, Joshua sr.Jos'a Titcomb | 1769
|
| Titcomb, Joshua jr.Joshua Titcomb jr. | 1767
|
| Titcomb, StephenStephen Titcomb | 1765
|
| Carleton, DavidDavid Carleton | 1765
|
| Carleton, MosesMoses Carleton (1760-1838) | 1765
|
| Carleton, MichaelMichael Carleton | 1765
|
| Parker, SamuelSamuel Parker | 1765
|
| Candage, JamesJames Candage (abt.1730-1788) | 1766
|
| Peters, John John Peters | 1765
|
| Holt, NicholasNicholas Holt (1716-1798) | 1765
|
| Osgood, JohnJohn Osgood (1763-1812) | 1765
|
| Wood, IsraelIsrael Wood | 1776
|
| Osgood, DanielDaniel Osgood (1755-1839) | 1776
|
| Wood, Robert HRobert Haskell Wood (1756-1806) | 1776
|
| Candage, JohnJohn Candage (abt.1759-1823) | 1782
|
| Randall, JohnJohn Randall | 1768
|
| Candage, JosephJoseph Candage Sr (abt.1754-abt.1834) | 1767
|
| Day, JamesJames Day (abt.1751-1802) | 1766
|
| Carter, ThomasThomas B. Carter (abt.1744-1825) | 1776
|
| Osgood, NathanNathan Osgood | 1776
|
| Holt, NicholasNicholas Holt | 1775
|
| Roundy, John jr.John Augustus Roundy Jr (1771-1856) | 1783
|
| Coggin, JosiahJosiah Coggin | 1782
|
| Candage, James jr.James Candige jr. | 1766
|
| Osgood, ChristopherChristopher Osgood | 1774
|
| Hinckley,Ebene'r Ebenezer Hinckley (1733-1776) | 1766
|
| Darling, Jonathan jr.Jon'a Darling jr. | 1776
|
| Day, JonathanJonathan Day (1719-1807) | 1766
|
| Viclary, MatthiasMatthias Viclary | 1776
|
| Hinckley, SusannahSusannah Hinckley,wid. | 1766
|
| Carter, HenryHenry Carter (1752-1806) | 1783
|
| Carter, JamesJames Carter II (1764-1834) | 1781
|
| Day, Lydia widowLydia (Day) Carter (1744-1828) widow | 1766
|
| Cushing, NathanielNath'l Gushing | 1778
|
| Hold, JedidiahJedediah Holt | 1778
|
| Horton, Joshua jr.Joshua Horton jr. | 1782
|
| Witham, Andrew Andrew Witham (bef.1768-1851) |
|
Islands
The State of Maine lists 15 islands that are part of Blue Hill Maine Islands
| Islands
| Settler/Note
|
| Closson |
|
| Darling |
|
| Jed |
|
| Long Island | Long Island Blue Hill Bay_Not to be confused with Long Island (Now Frenchboro) adjacent to Swans Island.
|
| Mill Island |
|
Maps
Maps (Click an image for details)
|
|
|
|
|
| Blue Hill Bay.
|
|
|
| Kollegewidgwok & Salt Pond.
|
|
|
| 1881 Map of Blue Hill and Surry
|
|
|
| Naskeag Point, later Sedgwick is the point shown between Bluehill and Deer Isle.
|
|
|
| Blue Hill
|
|
Stories
Wasson's A survey of Hancock County, Maine:
Bluehill.—Incorporated (3-62 town) Jan. 30, 1789. Population, 1707. Decennary loss, 196. Wealth, per capita, $225. State valuation, $397,620. U. S. valuation, $572,- 572. First settled near "Fire Falls," [on Mill Island] April 7, 1762, by Joseph Wood and John Roundy. Next settlers, Nicholas Holt, Ezekiel Osgood and Nehemiah Hinckley. First child, Jonathan Darling, born in 1765 ; second child, Edith Wood, in 1766. The township first known as No. 5. The plantation name was "Newport." The town takes its name from a majestic hill, which rises to an altitude of 950 feet above high-water mark. Congregational Church formed in 1772; Baptist, in 1806. First post office in 1795. Jonathan Fisher, settled minister from 1796 to 1837. Eccentric "Parson" Fisher, 'tho' dead, his good name liveth, Academy incorporated in 1803, and endowed by a grant or half of No. 23, Washington county. This grant was sold in 1806, for $6,252. Of this sum, $1,188 have been lost. Has a social library of some 500 volumes. In 1769, the settlers voted to raise money " for to hire a person for to preach the gospel to us, and for to pay his board."
Union soldiers in the war of the Rebellion, 196 ; State aid, $3,038 ; town bounty, $17,995 ; cost per recruit, $102.
Varney's Gazetteer of the state of Maine has the following:
Blue Hill is situated on Union River Bay, in the southwestern part of Hancock County. It is 14 miles S. S. W. of Ellsworth, and 36 miles from Bangor, and is on the stage-lines from Bucksport to Sedgewick and from Castine to Ellsworth. Surry bounds it on the
north-east, Penobscot on the north-west, Brooksville and Sedgewick on the south-west. On the south-east are the waters of Union River Bay, from which Blue Hill Bay pushes up into the town. The name, Blue Hill, comes from a commanding elevation of land near the center of the town. The ascent begins at the shore of the bay, continuing in a gradual ascent for about a mile, and thence is quite abrupt to the huge mass of rock which forms the top. The height above high water is 950 feet,—so that the hill affords extended and charming views on every side. It was formerly covered with trees—principally evergreens— which, at a distance, gave a very dark blue tint,—whence its name. The soil of Blue Hill is clay loam and gravel. The principal rock is granite. There are also extensive deposits of manganese and limestone. Other minerals found in town are fluor spar, iron ore, copper ore, gold, lead ore in a form of galena, wolfram, the ore of tin, hydrate of silica, used in the making of fire-proof brick, phosphate of lime, etc. The town has an excellent quality of granite, of which at some times large quantity have been quarried. In 1876, these quarries afforded employment for 30 yoke of oxen and 300 laborers. East River Bridge, at New York, was constructed of Blue Hill granite. At the present time there are also 22 mining and smelting companies owning territory in the town.
Mclleard's, Norris, First, Second, Third and Fourth are the principal ponds, being from half a mile to a mile in diameter. The outlets of these ponds furnish power for several small saw and gristmills. One of the bridges, constructed of wood and granite, is 200 feet
in length.
Blue Hill was first settled in 1762 near " Fire Falls," where Blue Hill Bay communicates with a salt-water pond. The pioneers were Capt. Joseph Wood and John Roundy. The third family in town was formed by the marriage of Capt. Wood's daughter with Col. Parker, who had served at the siege of Louisburg. The family of Samuel Foster was the fourth, and the next were Col. Nicholas Holt, Ezekiel
Osgood, and Nehemiah Hinkley. The first child, Jonathan Darling, was born in 1765 ; the second child, Edith Wood, in 1766. Several citizens of Blue Hill served in the Revolutionary war. Christopher Osgood, one of the first settlers, was at the battle of Bunker Hill.
Nehemiah Hinkley served through the war, and was honorably discharged at West Point. The town furnished 196 soldiers to the Union army during the Rebellion, and paid out in bounties $17,995. Among the notable citizens of a later period, but now deceased, were John Peters, Eben Floyd, Nathan Ellis, and Andrew Witham. There are several residents above eighty years of age, and one over ninety.
The township was first known as "Number 5." The plantation name was " Newport. It was incorporated as a town in 1789. A Congregational church was formed in 1772, and a Baptist church in 1806. There is now an additional Baptist church, at East Blue Hill. The
first post-office was established in 1795. Jonathan Fisher was the settled minister from 1796 to 1837. He, was somewhat eccentric, but a worthy minister. Blue Hill Academy was incorporated in 1803, being endowed by a grant of one half of Number 23, in Washington
county. This property was sold in 1806, for $6,252. The academy has a library of about 500 volumes. The income from the fund (now about $5,000) and tuition fees sustain instruction for about half the year. Blue Hill has an excellent academy, and seventeen public schoolhouses, the school property being valued at $7,800. The valuation of real estate in 1870 was $397,620. In 1880, it was $449,497. The rate of taxation the latter year was 16£ mills on the dollar, including the highway tax. The population in 1870 was 1,707. In the census of 1880 it was 2,213.
Additional Resources
- Blue Hill Historical Society
- Maine Genealogy Net Blue Hill Maine
- Family Search Blue Hill
- Official Website
- Wikidata: Item Q142486, en:Wikipedia
- Maine Encyclopedia
- The Tide Mill District Ladies Public Improvement Society (LPIS), All Rights Reserved Maintained by ManorHouseStudio.com
- [Head of the bay sketches and pictures of Blue Hill, Maine, 1762-1952]by Clough, Annie L
- Historical Sketches of Bluehill, Maine. Candage, R G. F.
- SLIDE SHOW old images of Blue HillLadies Public Improvement Society (LPIS), All Rights Reserved Maintained by ManorHouseStudio.com
- Blue Hill Tide Mills Tide Mill Institute
- Wasson, Samuel. A Survey of Hancock County, Maine. Augusta [Me.: Sprague, Owen & Nash, printers, 1878. Internet resource.
- Kollegewidgwok THE HISTORY OF KOLLEGEWIDGWOK YACHT CLUB
Photos
Many other vintage photos can be found at Ladies Public Improvement Society (LPIS) page
Blue Hill Photos
Sources
Acknowledgements
Blue Hill, Maine _ Ladies Public Improvement Society (LPIS), & Butler Smythe, for Information and Images.
[send private message], Darryl Rowles 
