Deer Isle Maine
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Location: Deer Isle, Hancock, Maine, United States
Surnames/tags: One_Place_Studies Maine Hancock_County_Maine
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Deer Isle was settled in 1762 and incorporated in 1789 from Deer Isle Plantation.
The town original town included "Great Deer Island, Little Deer Island, Isle au Haut, and Sheep Island, and several islands between Great Deer Island and Isle au Haut.
At Northwest Harbor, Deer Isle is almost split in two. The remaining narrow land area, at the village, is known as the Haulover.
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Timeline
| Date | Designation | Note |
| -1534 | name unknown | Wabanaki peoples - the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes |
| 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 | Deer Island Plantation, Lincoln, Massachusetts Bay Colony | Deer Island Plantation formed August, 4, 1762 (did not include Little Deer Isle at this time) |
| 1776 | Deer Island Plantation, Lincoln, Massachusetts | America declares independence from Britain July 4, 1776 |
| 1789 | Deer Isle, Lincoln, Massachusetts | Deer Isle incorporated August, 4, 1762 from Deer Isle and Planatation and Little Deer Isle |
| 1789 | Deer Isle, Hancock, Massachusetts | Hancock County is formed June 25, 1789 |
| 1820 | Deer Isle, Hancock, Maine | Maine becomes the 23 state March 15, 1820 |
| 1874 | Deer Isle, Hancock, Maine | Isle au Haut Isle Au Haut February 28, 1874 from a portion of Deer Isle |
| 1897 | Deer Isle, Hancock, Maine | Stonington incorporated February 18, 1897 from a portion of Deer Isle |
Villages, Locations and Settlements
| Villages, Locations and Settlements | Settler/Namesake/Note |
| Allen's Cove | Rev. Samuel Allen |
| Babbidge's Neck | William Babbidge |
| Burnt Cove | Avery Fifield |
| Campbell's Cove | |
| Campbell's Neck | John Campbell |
| Crockett's Cove | Josiah Crockett |
| Douglass's Cove | Robert Douglass |
| Dow's Point | Nathan Dow |
| Dunham's Point | Elijah Dunham |
| Eggemoggin | |
| Fish Creek | Peter Hardy Jr. |
| Greenlaw's Neck | William Greenlaw |
| Green's Landing | Sullivan Green (1812-1887) |
| Greenlaw's Cove | |
| Haulover/Carring Place At Northwest Harbor, ..." | Also see Map between Long Cove & Greenlaw's Cove |
| Isle au Haut | Peletiah Barter 1792 |
| Long Cove | Nathaniel Bray |
| Moore's Harbor | Captain John Moore |
| Mountainville | Thomas RobbinsNOTED: Early Settlers Map reflects Robinson in Error, should be ROBBINS. |
| North Deer Isle | |
| North West Harbor | Ezekiel Morey |
| Pressey's Cove | |
| Pressey's Point | John Pressey |
| The Reach | Samuel Staples Jonathan Torrey |
| South Deer Isle | |
| Sunset | John Raynes |
| Sunshine | Thomas Stinson |
| Small's Cove | Job Small and Thomas Small |
| South East Harbor | Joseph Colby and Belcher Tyler |
| South West Harbor (Not to be confused the harbor and town on MDI) | Samuel Trundy |
| Stinson's Neck | Thomas Stinson, Esq. |
| Swain's Cove on Little Deer Isle | William Swain |
| Sylvester's Cove | Josuha Emerson |
| Thompson's Cove | Thomas Thompson |
| Toothakers's Cove | Elijah Toothaker |
| Webb's Cove | Seth Webb |
Historical Names
| Name | Note |
| Deer Island Plantation, Lincoln, Massachusetts Bay Colony | 1762-1776 |
| Deer Island Plantation, Lincoln, Massachusetts, United States | 1776-1789 |
| Deer Isle, Lincoln, Massachusetts, United States | 1789-1789 |
| Deer Isle, Hancock, Massachusetts, United States | 1789-1820 |
| Deer Isle, Hancock, Maine, United States | 1820- |
Pioneer Settlers
| Pioneer Settler | Arrival Year |
|---|---|
| Courtney Babbidge Sr. (1732-1781) | 1773 |
| Courtney Babbidge (1761-1834) | |
| Stephen Babbidge (1760-1841) | |
| Joseph Colby (1740-1826) | 1766 |
| Thomas Conary (bef.1743-1829) | |
| George Freese (abt.1740-abt.1809) | 1763 |
| Peter Hardy (1744-1831) | 1775 |
| Peter Hardy (1770-1863) | |
| Thomas Robbins Sr. (bef.1741-1802) | 1775 |
| Nathaniel Robbins (bef.1762-1829) | |
| Thomas Saunders (1732-1786) | 1771 |
| Thomas Small (abt.1741-1827) | 1767 |
| Benjamin Weed (1735-1828) | 1763 out of town bounds, at Little Deer Isle |
Islands
The State of Maine lists over 60 islands that are part of Deer Isle. Maine Islands
| Islands | Settler/Note | |
| Bradbury Island | ||
| Butter Island (1850) Island | aka Diorigo Island or Dirigo | |
| Campbell Island | ||
| Carney Island | ||
| Conary's Island | Thomas Conary (bef.1743-1829) | |
| Crow | ||
| Cutter's Island aka Fog Island | ||
| Duck Island (1840) | ||
| Eagle Island | ||
| Eaton Island (1840) | ||
| Freese Island | ||
| Gibson's Island | James Gibson (abt.1737-abt.1820) | |
| Great Spruce Head (1840) | ||
| Hog Island | ||
| Isle au Haut _ part of Deer isle from 1789 until 1874 | ||
| Kimball Island aka Little Isle au Haut | Solomon Kimball (1751-1824) | |
| Little Deer Isle was outside the bounds of Deer Island Plantation until Incorporation of the Town. | 1789
}} | |
| Little Spruce Head Island | ||
| Pickering Island (1830, 1840) | Samuel Pickering (abt 1734-1810) | Amos F. Dow (1853-1906 Possibly one of last local owners on Pickering Island (1879-1885). |
| Pond Island | ||
| Sheepshead Island | ||
| Stave Island | ||
| Thurlow's Island | David Thurlow (1774-1857) | |
| White Island aka York's Island | ||
| York's Island | Captain Benjamin York (abt.1732-1818) |
- 1Most of the islands to the west of the town are considered unorganized territories by the state, including:
Pickering Island, Great Spruce Head Island, Little Spruce Head Island, Butter Island, Eagle Island, Bradbury Island, Hog Island, Pond Island
Maps
- Deer Isle on Google Maps
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Genealogy
Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society : Local History and Genealogy of the area was collected by Dr. Benjamin Lake Noyes and his notebooks are in the Archives.
Note: The Archives are closed due to COVID rules and the Museum is seasonal. The museum/buildings closed for the 2021 season on 10 Sep 2021. Check for current/future changes in their schedule or contact them via email for information.
Stories
Capt. Joseph Moore Deer Isle: "The lot taken up by Mr. Kempton is near what is now known as Moore's Harbor, named for a Mr. John Moore, of Castine, who was a fisherman, and who frequently anchored his vessel there during the time of the Revolution and afterward. Mr. Kempton died not far from the year 1839, and his wife survived him a few years. " Town of Deer Isle, Maine. [page] 189
SOUTHWEST HARBOR "Osmond Harper built his house in 1915. Joseph Moore had a store and house near the site of this house. Mrs. Mattie Moore Dolliver’s house was built in 1859 by her father, John Moore, whose home it was during his lifetime, descending to his daughter, Mrs. Dolliver. Joseph’s store is a part of her house. ... " Traditions and Records ... page 204
DEER ISLE, MAINE, William Swain "On Little Deer ,Island there is a very convenient and safe harbor on the southwestern side's known as Swain Cove ... " page 288 History of Deer Isle_Hosmer " William Swain was the first settler upon the lot of land adjoining that of Captain Gray on the southeast, on the southwest side of the island. He was a native of Scotland, and came with the British army to Bagaduce in 1779. He was a master-mariner, and in former years a man of enterprise. ..." page 183 History of Deer Isle_Hosmer
Varney's Gazetteer of the state of Maine has the following:
Deer Isle in Hancock County, is a group of three islands lying between the northern part of Isle au Haute Bay and Brooklin and Sedgewick on the mainland. It is 35 miles south-south-west of Ellsworth. The town includes Little Deer Isle, Great Deer Isle, and Eagle Isle. The first mentioned and most northerly of the group has an area 6f 1,000 acres, which is well suited to agriculture. Great Deer Isle is about 10 miles in length, from north to south, and near 5 miles in width. The surface in the northern part is rather level, while in the south it is rough. Micaceous limestone was undoubtedly the parent rock of Deer Isle, but it has been crystalized, and is thus rendered unfit for quicklime, though suitable for architectural sculpture. At the "Reach "is a quarry which is operated for this marble, affording a yearly product of 4,000 tons of rough and cut stone ; while roofing slate of a good quality has been found on Little Deer Isle. At this place, it is stated, are found conclusive evidences of an extinct volcano, which in some of the by-gone years, belched forth its showers of ashes, and poured out its molten lava. As will be apparent, the transition series of rocks is well characterized in these islands. Large deposits of silver, also, have recently been found, and two companies now hold property on the island for the purpose of mining this mineral.
The soil is loamy, and the largest crop is potatoes. The forest trees are principally spruce and fir. Along the roadsides in the most thickly settled parts of the town, are many shade trees from five to forty years old, of various kinds, but mostly chestnut. Adam's Hill, is the principal eminence, reaching a height of 256 feet above the sea. Torry's and Marshall's are the only considerable ponds, one being a mile long, the other two miles. Smith's mineral spring has a local celebrity. The manufactures consist of sails, wrought granite; while at Oceanville and at Green's Landing, are establishments for the packing of the various kinds of fish.
Deer Isle was incorporated in 1789, being the fourth town in the county. The first known visit of Europeans was that of Weymouth in 1605. It early received its name from the abundance of deer in its forests. The first settlement was commenced by William Eaton near what is now known as the " Scott Farm," in 1762. The first church was built in 1773, and the first preacher was Rev. Mr. Noble; the first pastor was Rev. Peter Powers. In 1809. Rev. Joseph Brown, a dissenter, 'was installed. The first white child was Timothy Billings, born May, 1764. The privations of the settlers during the war of the Revolution were terrible.
The number of Deer Islanders in the service of the Union during the war of the Rebellion was, soldiers and sailors, 386, and of these 55 were lost. The amount of bounty paid by the town was $59,128.
The climate is quite salubrious, as is apparent from the number of old people, there being 10 between eighty and one hundred years of age. As a summer resort, it is highly esteemed by its visitors, having good hotels, ample boating and fishing facilities, as well as drives. The roads are good, and the buildings are generally in good repair, and a look of thrift prevails. There is a nice town-hall, three stories in height. There are in town two Congregational church-edifices, two Methodist and two Baptist. Deer Isle has three high-schools, and its public schoolhouses number twenty. The school property is valued at $8,810. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $417,211. In 1880 it was 1373,182. The rate of taxation in 1880 was two per cent. The population in 1790 was 682; in 1870, 3,414; in 1880, 3,267.
Additional Resources
- Web Sites:
- Historical Society
- Maine Genealogy Net
- Family Search
- WikiPedia Wikidata: Item Q142486, en:Wikipedia
- Maine Encyclopedia
- Books:
- George Lawrence Hosmer An_Historical_Sketch_of_the_Town_of_Deer_Isle Internet Archive Book (First Settlers pages 24 & 25) Also see attached Image First Settlers of Deer Isle
- Haulover: "At Northwest Harbor, the Island of Deer Isle is almost split in two. The remaining narrow land area, at the village, is known as the “Haulover,” used by Indians and white settlers alike." https://maineanencyclopedia.com/deer-isle/
- An Historical Sketch of the Town of Deer Isle, Maine by George Lawrence Hosmer Wiki Tree Free Space Page
- Deer Isle's history, comprising that territory now the towns of Deer Isle, Stonington and Isle au Haut, Me by Allen, Mildred Sellers
- Old Hancock County Families by William Macbeth Pierce 1933 Direct Link to Old_Hancock_County_Families
- A true copy of the most ancient vital records of Deer Isle births, marriages, marriage publishments, deaths, abt. 1757-1833), volume 1], giving them as far as they can be deciphered from the mutilated books at the present time, and including also for that time the present towns of Stonington & Isle au Haut
- An exact transcription of the first church records of the First "Congo" Church of Deer Island baptisms, 1785-1853, marriages, 1785-1818, as I find them at this date, March 1906, with annotations, corrections, explanations and additions] by Noyes, Benjamin Lake, 1870-1945
- Maine Places Resource Guide
- Record of births & deaths town of Deer Isle : incorporated January 30th 1789, begun by Nathan Haskell 1789
- Kimball's Island Deer Isle Maine
Photos
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Sources
- Prescott Powers' compilation of births & deaths 1789-1808, marriages 1786-1817 & baptisms 1785-1853 by Rev. Peter Powers, etc. and Dr. (Franklin B.) Ferguson's ledger account 1857-1907, Deer Isle, Hancock County, Maine Statement of Responsibility: copied and typed by Dr. Benjamin Lake Noyes https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/89736?availability=Family%20History%20Library
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