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From: David Gene Lewis <>
Subject: Douglass, Rich families of Isle au Haut, Maine
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2003 00:09:54 -0500


Hi everyone,
I just found this list and will be happy to contribute.

During the past few years I have done some genealogical research on my
family. On my mother's side the family is from Petaluma, California.
One of the earliest settlers of Petaluma, in 1850, was Robert Douglass
and his family. Family legend had it that they came from Deer Island,
Maine. In checking this I found that they indeed did technically come
from Deer Island, but lived on Isle au Haut. The discrepitancy came
about when previous to about 1870, Isle au Haut was considered part of
the municipality of Deer Island. Afterward Isle au Haut became its own
municipality and eventually joined another county, Knox County.

I found Robert Douglass through the Ancestry.com's access to the
census records. Robert Douglass and his son Robert Douglass jr. appear
on the 1830 and 1840 censuses for Isle au Haut. I found also through
some of the literature on the island that Susan Douglass, the mother
may have come from the Rich family.

The interesting juxtapositioning of the Douglass and Rich families
plays out again when looking at the maps of the island. On older maps,
the northeastern cove is called Douglass Cove, while on later maps the
cove is relabeled Rich's Cove. So the maps point out the exact
location of the Douglass homestead. and through websites about the
island I even have gotten pictures of the cove and the house built by
Douglass.

I am still missing more detailed information about the Douglass and
Rich families. Where did Robert Douglass originate from? I know that
he was Scottish but the Douglass name is common and so it would help
to get more information about when he immigrated and whether his
parents immigrated first or he was the first generation.

Also what was their occupation. Robert Douglass was listed as a
carpenter in California and his sons also. In fact one son Abel
Douglass went on to become a famous whaler and sealing captain in
British Columbia and built one of his own schooners. Another son
Albert had a yachting and sailing rental business on Seattle's Union
Lake.

Another family legend repeated in the literature from California is
that Robert Douglass brought his house with him from Maine. They had
it shipped to San Francisco with the family and barged up the
Petaluma River. The house did not have nails but was pegged together
and became the first house built in Petaluma. The family went on to
build the first hotel in the city as well.

I have read that the people of Isle au Haut began migrating to
California during the Gold Rush. And that they built a ship to take
them to California. Does anyone have any more information about this
migration or the ship? I would be interested to find out that Robert
Douglass help build that ship and his family was part of the migrant
on that ship. And, what happened to the ship once it reached
California. A possible name I found is the California Packet.

I have further information on the following generations of the
Douglass family in California. If anyone wants to know more please let
me know. But also please let me know if you have any further
information abotu the Douglass family on Isle au Haut and where I
could find help in my research.

Thank You,
David Lewis

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