Description: Letter to Captain B. H. Spurling re: progress of the Samuel Sanford v. Willliam P. Preble case discussing settlement and the death of W. H. Preble. See a dozen other documents in collection pertaining to Sanford v. Preble
Description: Sword made from swordfish bill, with woven rope handle with remains of gilt in several spots, large red bow, and painted nautical scene. From left to right along the blade the painting shows a lighthouse, schooners, swordfish, seagull, flower, and a scroll with "Rena A. Percy", and date "July 19, 1908" towards the tip. Painting is peeling and flaking in some areas. On reverse, peeling paint remains near hilt but no evidence of painting on the rest of the blade. The Rena A. Percy was a schooner under Master Willis G.[E?] Bunker, with a crew of 14, (#200857?), either 78 or 46 Gross Tons, measuring 76.5/ 21.6/ 9.4. Built in 1904 in East Boothbay and used for dory trawling around Jonesport and elsewhere - (http://www.cranberryisles.com/photos/ci_notes.html - Cranberry Islands Notes by Chuck Liebow). Willis Bunker (1855-1915) was the uncle of donor's husband Linden "Tud" Bunker. Note states: "Sword came from Percy's house, Winslow Bunker's father." (In 2016, this would be the house owned by the Sullivan's.) [show more]
Description: Report cards, school, six of Hillard Hamor and George Hamor's report cards ranging from 1908-1910. A couple of them are signed by John Hamor as a parent's signature
Description: Postcards (1910-1917) addressed to Mr. and/or Mrs. Wilbert .A. Rice, Mrs. Clara Rice, Mrs. Caddie Rice. Correspondence is not remarkable, just brief notes inquiring about the weather, health, visits; birthdays (September and March) and many holiday greetings from family and friends on pretty, mostly seasonal and birthday postcards. A few are of practical matters. These are 1 cent postage stamps (until 1917) so the centuries old “a penny for your thoughts” expression comes to mind. About 100 postcards total; only 2 scanned. An April 15, 1910 Bar harbor Record newspaper article relates Clara was rescued from a boating accident off GCI. Clara Rice was postmistress on Sutton Island in the Cranberry Isles. She may have married a Fernald, then Charles Edward Bunker, and then wed Wilbert Augustus Rice in 1893. There are three houses in a row connected to Clara Rice including the donor's house on Sutton. There is also a collection of clipped 1 cent stamps in a 1919 envelope, and two stereoscopic cards (not scanned). [Investigation of genealogy of Clara Adeline Richardson Bunker Rice [1847-1923] see Lynne Birlem genealogy pdfs herein.] [show more]
Description: Rug. Hooked, wool, green and beige geometric dog motif. Made on Cranberry Isles 1902-1905. One of two similar rugs from same donor. Donor inherited this rug and believes it belonged to Miriam Reynolds, one of several Mount Desert summer residents who established a rug-making cottage industry on Cranberry Island. Donor explained: "Reynolds was part of the family of William Reed Huntington, who spent summers in Northeast Harbor starting around 1886. Mrs. Huntington died years before, leaving four small children, and her older sister, Miriam, moved in to take care of them. The youngest of the four was Mary, who later married William Thompson. They summered in Tamworth, New Hampshire, and this rug was in their house there. The house was inherited by their second son, Charles G. Thompson. When Charles's daughter Victoria married Dr. James S. Murphy, a Seal Harbor summer resident, she was given the Cranberry rug (by then quite worn) so that it might return to nearer its origin. For forty years it lived in Seal Harbor, but when Victoria's daughter Alice married Cranberry Island summer resident Bill Bancroft, the rug came home!" This rug was repaired in the same manner as the crab-motif rug, but is in much worse condition. It, too, lacks the CR monogram that was usually worked into one corner or on the selvage at the back of rugs that were made specifically by the Cranberry Island Club rug makers at the turn of the century. From "Bulletin of the Bureau of Labor", #55 (Nov. 1904), pp 1573-1622, the article "The Revival of Handicrafts in America." by Max West, Ph. D. states: Cranberry Islanders ".... were already familiar with the process of hooking rugs; and they were fortunate in having the benefit of the initiative, moral support, and financial backing of Mrs. Seth Low, Miss Miriam P. Reynolds, and one or two other New York women whose summer homes are at Northeast Harbor, as well as in obtaining the aid of capable designers. The industry was started on a small scale in the autumn of 1901, under the supervision of Miss Amy Mali Hicks, a designer identified with the arts and crafts movement in New York City, who designed the patterns and gave instruction in dyeing, etc. ..." [show more]
Description: Post Card dated April 20th, 1906 to Mrs. L. E. Rice, Steuben, Maine from A. This post card is significant because it was mailed from the Post Office on Sutton (Island) and also a picture of the Congregational Church as it was in 1906 (the other side of post card Item # 1594a. The Postcard is a picture of the Congregational Church, Cranberry Isles, Me. (Mrs. E. A. Stanley, Publisher.) Hand writing text reads: Sutton Apr. 30th, 1906. My Dear Hattie: The (?) (?) around here yesterday. O.K. so you will see us soon. All are well. Lovingly A-" [show more]
Description: Photograph. Discolored black and white photo mounted on cardboard with red blue and white paint drips on it. School children with teacher standing outside by log fence. Handwritten on reverse "School at Cranberry isles, me. School house on School House Hill. 1904?" Compare with school children in 1000.27.736 and 1000.123.994.
Description: Document. Letter from B.H. Spurling to J. A. Peters Jr., dated Boothbay Harbor, ME, February 19th, 1900. Letter is regarding the death of William H. Preble and any possible changes in the court dates or proceedings between William P. Preble and Samuel Sanford.
Description: Document. Recommendation from H. H. Hay's Sons, on behalf of Wade H. Marr who is referenced as having been a clerk for over one year. Dated September 12, 1905.
Description: Letter: Cassius C. Roberts to Mrs. B.H. Spurling, 3 Sep 1906, describing the death of General Andrew Barclay Spurling (a Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor winner) in Chicago. Transcribed.
Description: Envelope and 2 Letters from Attorney John A. Peters Jr. to his client, William P. Preble, about Sanford vs Preble. Envelope postmarked 16 Apr, letters dated 15 Apr 1901 and 20 Dec 1901. Peters thinks he arranged favorable settlement with Sanford, and his remarks seem to indicate that Preble (age 90) is slightly confused about the settlement.
Description: Letter: perhaps partial, from George B. Preble to William P. Preble, 18 Jan 1901, telling of George's lean winter, and including a list of Prebles and Spurlings on the back (purpose unstated). Transcribed.
Description: Letter: G.M. Richardson to William Preble's daughter, Fannie, 14 Apr 1901, relating that Richardson feels the opposing lawyers took advantage of Preble's age and blindness in the settlement of Sanford vs Preble. Transcribed.
Description: Letter: William P. Preble to Wm. P. Preble (Grandson), 21 Sep 1900; suggesting that some lots the senior Preble had previously deeded to Wm. H. Preble, his now dead son, be sold by the grandson, his father's Illinois estate administrator, to effectively prevent trespassing by Sam Sanford and A.B. Birlem. Transcribed.
Description: Zulma [Lulina/Lucinda?] M. Harding to Mrs. Richardson, 30 Oct 1904, confirming Harding's ownership of the schoolhouse lot (one of the two in use before the current school was built in 1904 - most likely the lot now owned by Malcolm Donald across from Cranberry House.) Transcribed.
Description: Letter and envelope from Treasury Dept, Port of Ellsworth ME, 12 Jan 1905, to Enoch B. Stanley, asking for acknowledgement of receipt of book "Merchant Vessels of the United States, 1904"