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Mount Desert

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Pronounced mount Dez-ERT
Mount Desert is a town in Hancock County settled in 1761 and incorporated on February 17, 1789 from Mount Desert Plantation.

  1. September 15, 1759 Wolfe's victory on the Plains of Abraham ended the conflict between France and England over Acadia and Eastern Maine
  2. February 27, 1762  grants one half of Mount Desert to Governor Francis Bernard (conveyance in 1808)
  3. July 29, 1787 Massachusetts passed a resolution granting to the de Gregoires all the lands on Mount Desert that remained the property of the Commonwealth.
  4. 1792 the de Gregoires sold their interests on Mount Desert to Henry Jackson of Boston
  5. 1793 Henry Jackson sold to William Bingham
  6. February 23, 1796 Set off land to form Eden.
  7. 1806-1808 Commissioners' Proceedings were held to review claims of those who settled before 1785 each to retain 100 acres and the remainder to be granted to John Bernard son of Francis Bernard of the 1762 grant.
  8. March 16, 1830 Set off land to form Cranberry Isle
  9. In 1838 Mount Desert set off Barletts, Hardwood, Robinsons or Tinker's Islands and incorporated them into a town named Seaville. 
  10. June 3, 1848 Mount Desert set off land to form Mansel.  "All that part of the Town of Mount Desert, in the County of Hancock, lying South of a line commencing at Andrew Fernald's North line of Somes' Sound; thence across the mountain to the head of Deming's Pond ; thence continuing the same course to Great pond; thence across said pond to the Southeast corner of lot number one hundred and fourteen, on a plan of said town by John S. Dodge; thence Westerly on the South line of said lot number one hundred and fourteen to Seal Cove Pond, and continuing the same course to the middle of said pond; thence Northerly up the middle of Upper Seal Cove Pond to the head thereof, and continuing the same course to the South line of lot marked "Reuben Noble," on said plan ; thence Westerly on the South line of said last named lot to the sea shore, together with Moose Island, Gott's Island, and Langley's Island, with the inhabitants thereon," and incorporated the separate town of Mansel.
  11. February 24, 1859 Seaville was dissolved. Bartlett Island was returned to Mount Desert and Hardwood and Tinker's Islands annexed to Tremont

Villages, Locations and Settlements

Islands
  • Asticou (Named for Asticou 1590-16?? the sachem or sagamos king of the local Native American Tribe)
  • Bartletts Island (1830c)
  • Hall Quarry (Cyrus Hall 1834- )
  • Ingraham Point
  • Northeast Harbor
  • Otter Creek
  • Pretty Marsh
  • Seal Harbor
  • Seaville (1840c, 1850c)
  • Somesville (Abraham Somes 1732-1819)
  • Town Hill
  • Bartletts Island (Christopher Bartlett 1732-1806)
A Survey of Hancock County, Maine By Samuel Wasson 1876:

Mt. Desert.—Incorporated (8-68 town) February 17, 1789. Population, 918. Decennary gain, 1. Wealth, per capita, $175. State valuation, $158,069. U. S. valuation, $228,619. Its corporate name is supposed to be from "De Monts Desert Isle." It has gained currency that the island was known to the Northmen as early as 1008. First occupancy by French in 1604. Peter Biard and Enemond Masse were here in 1609. Madame De Guerchville's colony came in 1613. In 1688, an English settler named Hinds, wife and four children, lived here. The first permanent settlement was by Abraham Somes and James Richardson, in 1761. The first child, George Richardson, was born in August, 1793. The first marriage, August 9, 1774. Became a plantation in 1776. This sea-cradled island is distinguished as the place where the first Jesuit Mission in America was established. Its topography is a natural curiosity. Contrary to the ordinary level formation of islands, it is thrown up into huge granite mountains to the number of thirteen. The altitude of Green Mountain is 1,762 feet; of Sargent's Mt., 1,098 feet; Brown's, 880 feet; Mt. Robinson, 680 feet; Dog, 680 feet; and Carter's 660 feet. In 1838, Bartlett's, Hardwood and Robinson's islands, were set off and incorporated into " Seaville." Christopher Bartlett first settled on Bartlett's Island about 1770. The Act incorporating Seaville, was repealed February 24, 1859. Bartlett's Island was annexed to Mt. Desert. The town has been twice divided, Eden taking off 22,000 acres, and Tremont half of what remained.

Union soldiers, 161; State aid, $1,455; town bounty, $14,722; cost of recruit, $160.

Mount Desert cemeteries 15 sites
 opens GPS Exchange File  (.gpx)

AN ACT FOR THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF MT. DESART.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

Incorporation of the plantation of Mt. Desart, so-called. In the County of Lincoln, into a town by the name of Mt. Desart.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the plantation of called Mt. Desart, together with the islands called Cranberry Island, Bartlett's Island, Robertson's Island and Beach Island, together with the inhabitants thereon, be and they are hereby incorporated into a town by the name of Mt. Desart, and the said town is hereby vested with all the powers, privileges and immunities which other towns in the commonwealth by law do or may enjoy.

And be it further enacted, that Gabriel Johonnot, Esq., be and hereby is impowered to issue his warrant, directed at some principal inhabitant of said town, requiring him to notify the inhabitants thereof to meet at such a time and place as he shall therein appoint; to choose all such officers as towns by law are required to choose at their annual meetings.

In the House of Representatives, Febuary 16,1789.
This bill having had three several readings, passed to be enacted.
William Heath, Speaker pro tern.

In Senate, Febuary 17,1789.
This bill having had two several readings, passed to be enacted
Samuel Phillips, President.

Approved.

John Hancock, Governor.


A true copy, attest, 

John Avert, Jun'r Secretary.