Description: Large, colorful acrylic or oil painting of "Preble House" as seen atop the hillside from Preble Cove, signed JW (Jeff Weisbruch). Jeff also compiled several oral histories on GCI see 1000.30.91, and 1000.30.434-444. As well as his book "An Interview with Ralph Stanley, Wooden Boat Builder and National Heritage Foundation "National Treasure", by Jeff Weisbruch, 1994. Published by GCIHS 1999. (GCIHS 2016.362.2126)
Description: Houses of Great Cranberry Island information. Collection of research materials gathered by Wini Smart and Bruce Komusin for several years starting in 1998 about the houses of GCI. Two folders including notes and scanned photos from home owners. Materials used in GCIHS publication, "House Histories of Great Cranberry Island" by Wini Smart 2010. (This material is not sorted yet (8/1/16).) (See also information on GCI Cape Houses 2015.304.2062.) [show more]
Description: Photos, drawings, documents and letters (all are printouts of scanned materials; ten pages total) pertaining to a pre-fab Hodgson Camp House to be constructed near Fish Point; house later known as the Sheppard Cottage from E. F. Hodgson to Mrs. Charles L. Sheppard in 1939, and from George R. Hadlock in 1940 informing Sheppard that an area of Fish Point road to the town road near Hamor's is a legal right of way for all adjoining property owners and about the cost of extending a power line to her new cottage. Hadlock also mentions William D. Stanley who is about 80 years old at the time (1940) suggesting Sheppard buy Bar Island. A map of property from "Probate 3639/1875" shows division of property near fish point showing property lines for Widow Mary D. Stanley, Abraham C. Stanley, Wm. Stanley, Hannah A. Bunker, Thomas F. Stanley, John Stanley, heirs of Abigail Spurling, Mary Bulger, and Martha A. Ash. [show more]
Description: Document, from Ralph W. Stanley to Phil & Karin Whitney dated 3/4/2010. Subject: "Jimmy's Point". Article mentions the house built by Thomas Manchester Stanley, son of Jonathan R. and Irene Lorilla (Ladd) Stanely. Irene Lorilla Ladd was the daughter of Moses and Sarah (Lurvey) Ladd. Sarah was the daughter of Jacob and Hannah (Boynton) Lurvey and Mary who was a sister of Hannah Boynton. Mary was the wife of Thomas Cobb Stanley, Jr. and also sister of Hannah, wife of William Gilley of Baker Island. Sarah Ladd died in 1816. When Irene was 9 years old she went to live with Thomas Manchester and his wife, Hannah Hadlock. Hannah Hadlock was the daughter of William Nathaniel and Mary (Graham) Hadlock. Mary Graham was the mother of Jacob Lurvey. Thomas Manchester and his wife, Hannah, both died in 1861. Thomas Manchester Stanely died in 1913 and probably lived his house in that house. Documents mention Uncle Jimmy, J. L. Stanley and Sons of Manset, Bunkers's Ledge, Aunt Esther Spurling, Aunt Nan, Charles Gilley, Phoebe Jane Stanley (Aunt Nan's sister) , Baker Island, Andrew Alley, Clarence Beal, (who was Andrew's wife's son). Harold Alley, Manset, Fish Point, Manset. There is a grave on the point in the woods where a passing ship passed and buried a man who had died from typhoid fever. Uncle Jimmy's real name was William Doane Stanley (he was also known as "Pa Jim". [show more]
Description: Document, from Phil & Karin Whitney to Winnie Smart dated 4/25/2010. Subject: "Wood House History". Item 1589a is the 2nd page of this document. The house was built in 1844 on land which had been in the Spurling/Bunker family since the island was first settled in 1762. Joseph Stanley Spurling married Matilda Young in 1844. I believe they were the builders of the house and the first occupants of it. His son, Joseph William Spurling, married Julia Bunker in 1870. They were the next occupants of the house. They had five children, Warren Adelbert "Bert" (1871-1965), Arthur Milton "Chummy" (1873-1975), Alta Irva (1877-1969), Ernest Wilbur (1880-1935), Joseph Elwood (1882-1960), Joseph William Spurling died suddenly in 1887. Julia Bunker Spurling's mother, Sidney C. Hamor, came to live with her. Sidney died in 1918 (She stood up suddenly, said "now ain't that queer?" and fell down dead. Julia died in 1919. Phil Whitney states, "my grandfather , Joseph "Elwood" Spurling, became the executor of the property and sold it out of the family in the early 1920's. Between 1844 and 1919, the property was essentially a farm. Prior to 1900, the main road curved and ran in front of what is now David Bunker's house and the Wood House before curving back to its present day (2010) path. (One can still find traces of this road near the intersection of Dog Point Road. There was a large barn between the Wood house and the Heath, which housed horses, oxen and cows. The farm well is still visible near there. When the road was straightened (date unknown) the house, barn and well were separated by the road. Phil Whitney states, "the barn was used by my grandfather between 1920-1960." All the land on the opposite side of the road, including the barn, remained in the family, primarily to store and repair lobster traps. After Joseph "Elwood" Spurling's death in 1960, it became derelict and was intentionally burned down in the early 1970's. Julia Bunker Spurling, also known as "Nanny", ran a small store in one room of the house during the late 19th-early 20th century to help make ends meet after her husband's death. The room has an alcove and faces David Bunker's house. At one time (date unknown), there was an extra wing on the house, where the garage is now, which was constructed at a right angle to the main house and led towards David Bunker's house. The house was always referred to as "Nanny's House" when I (Phil Whitnery) was growing up. (Much information in these paragraphs was related to me (Phil Whitney) by my grandmother, Ella Bates Spurling, and my mother, Dorothy Spurling Whitney). Phil Whitney believes the purchaser of the house in the 1920's was Blanche Atkinson. She owned it until the early 1950's. It wasn't used much and as I (Phil Whitney) understand it , the house became rather rundown. Louise Strandberg's family (Saltonstall/Lobkowicz) owned it in the 1950's-early 1960's using it primarily in the summer months. It was then sold to Burton Jones and his wife. He was the Arts Editor for the Boston Globe in the mid-1960's. They owned it until approximately 1978. (Note; the dates are not exact). Robert and Sarah Bloom then purchased the property from the Joneses. Bob Bloom built the existing garage on the end of the main building during the early 1980's. Bloom died in the late 1980's or early 1990's. Sarah (Salley) Bloom held onto the house until 2007, before selling it to Cameron and Nancy Wood of Virginia, the current owners (2010). Sally lived year-round one year in the house around 2002, before moving away permanently and renting the house seasonally. Around 2004-2005, Sally was in the process of selling the house to a wealthy art dealer from Rhode Island. The individual spent part of one summer living in the house. There were several burglaries of artworks from summer cottages toward the end of the season. An island resident spotted him breaking into a residence. This individual was convicted of the thefts. The sale of the house was never finalized. This house is especially noteworthy, not only because of its age (1844) and beautiful location (outstanding views of the Pool andthe Mt. Desert mountains) but that many of the children born in the house went on to have interesting lives or produce many other well-known island offspring. Bert Spurling moved to Islesford in 1919 and during his long life founded the old Woodlawn Hotel. One son was Elmer Spurling who took over the dock business for many years. One daughter, Elva, married Harvard Beal who founded Beal Fish Wharf in Southwest Harbor which is still in operation today. Chummy Spurling also moved to Islesford and became locally famous for his craftmanship in building skiffs. (He dropped dead saying good-bye to his friends after the completion of his 102nd birthday party). Alta married Henry Bunker and around 1920 moved into the house across the street currently (2010) owned by Louise Strandberg. Her children included, Raymond Bunker (famous boatbuilder), Lyndon "Tud" Bunker (famous Cranberry Island icon) and Wilfred Bunker (co-founder of Beal & Bunker). Ernest Spurling committed suicide in 1935 (found in a vehicle on Cooksey Drive, Northeast Harbor). Elwood Spurling , lived in three separate houses during his lifetime on Great Cranberry, all with 200 feet of each other. At various times in his life, he was a farmer, lobsterman, operated herring weirs, summer charter boat captaing, was Road Commissioner for 30 years, owned and sold much land on Cranberry. Phil ends this email by saying, "Whew! That's probably too much information for this publication, but should be saved for our archives." [show more]
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: Document: List of items & expenses that Sanford owes Preble up to date 20 Oct 1898, probably prepared by Preble in preparation for the trlal Sanford vs Preble. 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: Photo (postcard), Old Preble House -Cranberry Isles, postmarked Cranberry Isles 22 July 1947, 1 cent stamp, postcard reads "This is the house mentioned in "In God's Pocket" by Rachel Field. We must get the book & read it. 7/22/47" sent to Mrs. John E. Nichols, Route 3, Quakertown, PA.