The Stanleys of Cranberry Isles …and Other Colorful Characters By Ralph Warren Stanley Edited by Charlotte R. Morrill Southwest Harbor Public Library 338 Main Street Post Office Box 157 Southwest Harbor, Maine 04679-0157 207-244-7065 Southwest Harbor Public Library SWHPL Digital Archive Southwest Harbor Public Library Imprint Number Three July 2017 Latest Update: 10/22/17 © Ralph Warren Stanley Dedicated to my grandmother, Celestia Gertrude (Dix) Robinson who instilled in me interest in the lives and accomplishments of my ancestors, relatives and others that I knew, how-be-it, noble, tragic or humorous. My father once told me that a man could never have had a better mother-in law and I can say that a boy could never have had a better grandmother. Introduction Albie Neilson, knowing that I knew a lot about the Stanley family, really inspired me to write this story. Albie was intrigued by the difference in the way of life he experienced growing up as a child at home as opposed to the way of life at Mount Desert Island and Cranberry Island. It was two different cultures coming together and today both are fast disappearing. My father, Chester Stanley, and his uncle, Lewis Stanley, who sailed the boats for the Neilson family and taught them ways of the sea and how to sail, greatly influenced Albie’s life as well as his brothers and no doubt a lot of other summer children around the Rock End Dock. As a child, I was interested in history and genealogy and through the years I had gathered a lot of stories. Out for an afternoon sail with Mrs. Montgomery on NILIRAGA, sometimes until the middle of October, often times just the two of us, I would tell her some of these stories. She would say, “Ralph! You must write all this down.” Eventually I did write much about the early history of Mount Desert Island, shipbuilding history, other historical facts and stories of relatives and people whom I knew. Albie and I discussed how to go about recording the story of the Stanley family and I suggested that we talk with Bill Bunting (William H. Bunting). We started by asking Bill to read all that I had written over the years. His response was, “You are a wonderful story-teller when describing people, you know. As a youngster and as a young man you had an unusually sharp eye, sharp ear, and sensitive appreciation and understanding of the human comedy, all the while realizing that comedy and tragedy are often intertwined. You show that one can be insightful without being judgmental.” He goes on to say that I have material for three books, a genealogy, a history and stories about people that I knew or were told about. Genealogy and history would only be of interest to genealogists or historians, but I really wanted to combine all three. So, with this advice I sat down to the computer, rearranged, cut and pasted until I have the story of the Stanley family and those whose lives crossed, often with mutual respect and trust. After reading what I finally came up with, Bill writes, “I enjoyed the whole of it. If the casual reader doesn’t worry about trying to keep track of exactly who is related to whom, but just slides from one nice little story or aside to the next, the genealogy is surprisingly painless, while, to someone with a reason to be interested, it will be priceless” Acknowledgements Lynne Birlem Lynne spent long hours perfecting the biographical citations. Peter P. Blanchard III Peter read the manuscript and gave helpful advice when needed. William H. and Jennifer Bunting Bill and Jennifer read several early manuscripts and helped set the pattern for how to do the book. Rebecca Cole-Will Rebecca provided important photographs. Jennifer Dunkle Jennifer provided valuable photographs of Uncle Robert Stanley and his family. Ruth Celestia Holmes My sister Ruth worked on the Stanley family genealogy all her life. Meredith Rich Hutchins Meredith provided Rich family genealogy and participated in years of conversations about the subjects in the book. Louise Libby Louise shared many papers from her father, Professor William Otis Sawtelle’s genealogical collection. Mrs. Sibyl Mahoney Sibyl gave me her father, Leslie Victor Stanley’s, family genealogical papers, Stanley family photographs, and stories about the family. Nancy Brown Martinez Nancy kindly provided information from the Wheelwright Museum. Vittoria McIlenny Vittoria provided her mother’s, Maria Gulia (Senni) Vitelli’s photograph albums. Mrs. Phoebe Milliken Mrs. Milliken, a friend for over sixty years, read the first manuscript several years ago and encouraged me from the beginning. Mrs. Florence Montgomery I used to tell Mrs. Montgomery stories while I sailed for her on NILIRAGA. She would always say, “Ralph, you must write this.” Charlotte R. Morrill Charlotte read the manuscript, asked questions, listened, and designed the book. Mary Mosier Mary helped by obtaining Navy records for Uncle Robert Stanley. Patti and James Murphy Patti and James were enthusiastic and helped with lots of pictures. Albert P. Neilson Albie, a friend for some eighty-five years, knew my father and Uncle Lew, and respected the Stanley family. Albie said that I was a walking history book. He pushed me to write this book so what I knew would not be lost. Mrs. Leslie Stanley Olson Leslie provided valuable photographs and records pertaining to Great Uncle Alfred Gilley Stanley’s family in the state of Washington. Robert Pyle Robert gave me valuable pictures and told me stories about Cranberry Isles. Edward Warren Stanley My son, Edward, kept my computer alive and running. Kenneth Stanley Cousin Kenneth told me stories about Uncle Robert Stanley and retrieved his father’s service record, which is only available to the next of kin. Leslie and Helen Stanley Uncle Leslie saved many old family letters, some of them from the first half of the 19th Century. He did a lot of work on the Stanley family genealogy and told me stories. Marion Linscott Stanley Marion put up with the project. Robert “Buzz” Stanley Buzz supplied more information about Uncle Robert Stanley. Kelly Willis Kelly did leg work in Portland searching for family information. A Note from the Editor Historian, Genealogist, Musician, Boat Builder, Author, Raconteur - there is only one Ralph Stanley. Ralph bears many titles and awards, but for the Southwest Harbor Public Library he is, most of all, a friend. Ralph started using the library as a child and continued as an adult, graduated to Trustee, to President of the Trustees, and, in 2013, became our first Trustee Emeritus. During the past twelve years he has spent hundreds of hours patiently identifying people, places and vessels in the Digital Archive. He gave the library his vast collection of photographs, The Ralph Warren Stanley Collection, in 2014. For years he has told us stories of his family, friends and adventures on Mount Desert Island. Archivists have written down almost every word and fact – a treasure for the collection and for the community. And now he has written his chef d’oeuvre, The Stanleys of Cranberry Isles…and Other Colorful Characters. This book is Ralph’s own story, based on his own research and in his own words. The editor has helped by asking questions, coordinating the biographies, inserting the links and assembling the digital format, but has left the text alone. The only footprints here are those of this unique and very dear octogenarian who loves the land of his forbearers. Charlotte R. Morrill June 16, 2017 Table of Contents This is a digital book and will grow as more material is added. Ralph may write more about his family and friends. Archivists at the Southwest Harbor Public Library will add more photographs, maps and information to the database and will update the book when these additions illustrate the book. And, of course, readers may send us corrections of facts to be added. Only Ralph will make story additions. For these reasons, page numbers in the Table of Contents may change from time to time. The sub-headings listed below are in the order as they appear in the chapter. It is important to note that there are 26 pages of biographical listings in the Dramatis Personae. The sub-headings simply represent those people emphasized by the author as markers in the story. Because this is a digital book, readers can use a computer keyboard to search for names that do not appear here. NOTE: When searching for a particular page - type in the word Page and the number - like this - Page 86 They Came for the Fish Page 2 Early Settlers Page 10 Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac (1658-1730) Page 12 The Stanleys at Great Cranberry Island Page 32 Enoch Boynton Stanley (1820-1903) Page 40 Jacob Lurvey Sr. (1761-1853) Page 44 The Fisheries of Cranberry Isles Page 56 William Doane Stanley (1855-1950) Page 60 Decline of the Fisheries Page 68 Mary Catherine (Stanley) Richardson (1847-1920) Page 74 Charles Emery Boynton Richardson (1885-1971) Page 76 Meltiah Jordan Richardson (1828-1901) Page 80 Enoch Boynton Stanley Jr. (1849-1910) Page 82 Edward Jordan Stanley (1851-1927) Page 84 Edward Adelbert Stanley (1877-1904) Page 86 Charles Everett Stanley (1883-1964) Page 86 Velma May (Stanley) Teel (1891-1971) Page 88 George Stillman Stanley (1855-1929) Page 90 Clarence George Stanley (1878-1965) Page 90 Richard Harvie Stanley (1884-1966) Page 92 Arrival of the Rusticators Page 96 Joseph Henry Curtis (1841-1928) Page 96 Charles William Eliot 1834-1926) Page 98 William Croswell Doane (1832-1913) Page 102 Erastus Corning Jr.