Deeds of Mount Desert Island
Peters Plan - F20
a project of
V. F. Thomas Co. - P. O. Box 84 - Hulls Cove, Maine 04644
info@vfthomas.com
(updated 8 August 2025)
In 1761 the first settlers of European origin moved onto Mount Desert Island and brought with them a concept of individual land ownership. Between that date and the division of the island by the General Court of Massachusetts, the name for the legislature of that state (which included what is now Maine), there were land sales, very few of which are recorded in the Hancock County Registry of Deeds. One was the sale of a lot of land to Benjamin Bradstreet Stanwood by Thomas Foss on 10 April 1784. From the description this appears to cover at least some land that was later sold by Bartholomew and Maria Theresa De Gregiore to Solomon Higgins (1:363–364; 28 March 1792) and/or to Humphey Stanwood (1:376–377; 2[8?] March 1792.
1:15–16
Date: 10 April 1784
Town: Bar Harbor
Grantor: Thomas Foss
Grantee: Benjamin Bradstreet Stanwood
Description: boundaries given but no land area,
Bounded by the land of Israel Higgins on the easterly side;
on the brook known by the name of Sallsborough’s [Salisbury’s] Brook [now Eddy Brook] on the northerly end; and
on the westerly side by land that was Ebenezer Sallsborough’s [Salisbury’s].
Grantor obtained this parcel via ???:???
Grantee disposed of part of this parcel via ???:???
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1:363–364
Date: 28 March 1792
Town: Bar Harbor
Grantors: Bartholomy DeGregoire and Maria Theresa DeGregoire
Grantee: Solomon Higgins
Description: 100 acres
Beginning at a stump, which is the bound between Solomon Higgins and Israel Higgins;
from thence running first due south 113 rods to a birch tree;
then S 45° W 164 rods to a pine tree;
then N 45° W 80 rods to a fir tree;
then N 45° E to the first mentioned bound.
Grantors obtained this parcel via: grant from the General Court of Massachusetts
Grantee disposed of part of this parcel via 48:470 and 55:160
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48:470
Date: 21 December 1825
Town: Bar Harbor
Grantor: Solomon Higgins
Grantee: Abijah Higgins
Description: 40 acres, more or less
Beginning at a stake and stones, which is the bound between Solomon Higgins and the lot of land formerly owned by Israel Higgins, the first [...] from;
then running first due south 35;
then S 45° W till you strike the cedar swamp;
then S 45° E till you strike the side line of Solomon Higgins’s lot;
then following said side line S 45° W 20 rods;
then N 45° W 55 rods;
then S 45° W till it strikes the head line of Solomon Higgins’s lot;
then N 45° W to the corner bound, supposed to be 25 rods;
then N 45° E to the first mentioned bound.
Grantor obtained this parcel via 1:363–364
Grantee disposed of this parcel via ???:???
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55:160
Date: 16 October 1830
Town: Bar Harbor
Grantor: Solomon Higgins
Grantee: Dean Higgins
Description: 60 acres, more or less
Beginning at the shore at a stump, the old bound between me [Solomon Higgins] and Israel Higgins;
from thence running first due south 113 rods to a birch tree;
then S 45° W 164 rods to a pine tree;
then N 45° W 80 rods to a fir tree;
then N 45° E to the first mentioned bound;
a part of said lot has heretofore been deeded to Abijah Higgins by me. I therefore hereby deed and convey, all and every part of the remainder of said lot of land to the said Dean Higgins, reference always to be had to the original deed of the same.
Grantor obtained this parcel via 1:363–364
Grantee disposed of this parcel via 82:148
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82:148
Date: 16 January 1847
Town: Bar Harbor
Grantor: Dean Higgins
Grantee: Jacob Suminsby
Description: 60 acres, more or less
Beginning at the shore at a stump;
Running due south 113 rods to a birch tree;
then S 45° W 164 rods to a pine tree;
then N 45° W 80 rods to a fir tree;
then N 45° E to the first mentioned bound;
the westerly part of said lot has been deeded to Abijah Higgins by Solomon Higgins. The eastern part of said lot I do hereby convey to the said Jacob Suminsby.
Grantor obtained this parcel via 55:160
Grantee disposed of this parcel via ???:???
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