John Dow

• General Notes
  • History of Deer Island has little to say about John. Local records, however, give all (presumably) his children, and their families were identified with Deer Island. There cannot be much doubt that he is the John Dow who at an early date settled on an island in Penobscot Bay and some years later induced six other families to join him. The Census of 1790 calls this Shamm Island finds John there. The new colonists petitioned the Legislature agian and again that this island being ownerless, not even included in the limits of any county, should be granted to them. Such is red tape that could not until 1802 was this done and the place received the name Holt's Island.