LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS SON DROWNS WHILE PLAYING - ACADIA, 1932

Deaths In Acadia National Park

Aug. 31,  1932


Ronald, the 12 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Meuse of Baker's Island drown while playing.  The boy was playing with a raft at the shore and must of fallen on the rocks and into the water as his face and body showed buses.  Aid was called from the Coast Guard Station at Islesford and doctors from Seal Harbor were also called, but no life was found in the boy.  The boy had two sisters and a brother.
Mr. Joseph Meuse was the lighthouse keeper for Baker's Island.

List of past lighthouse keepers[;
 Head: William Gilley (1828 – 1849), John Rich (1849 – 1853), Joseph Bunker (1853 – 1856), John Bunker (1856 – 1860), W.R. Bunker (1860 – 1861), Freeman G. Young (1861 – 1867), Alden H. Jordan (1867 – 1883), Roscoe G. Lopans (1883 – 1888), Howard P. Robbins (1888 – 1902), George S. Connors (1902 – at least 1913), Vurney L. King (at least 1915 – 1930), Joseph Muise ( – 1932), Frank Faulkingham (1932 – at least 1941), Wayne E. Holcomb (1944 – 1945), Ernest H. Mathie (1946 – at least 1947).

BAKERS ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE

WAVES CARRY MILLICENT QUINN TO HER DEATH - 1949

Deaths In Acadia National Park;

Sept. 1, 1949

Yet another drowning took place in Acadia National Park along Ocean Drive Tuesday night when Mrs. Millicent Quinn, age 39, of West Hartford Conn. was swept off a ledge by a large wave.  Her husband, Philip Quinn, who could not swim, rushed to the road above and stopped a passing car containing John L. Harrison, age 40, of Montgomery Pa. along with his sons and wife.  Mr Harrison shed some cloths and quickly jumped into the surf and brought Mrs. Quinn to the rocky shore but before he got her onto the rocks the waves broke his grip and Miss Quinn disappeared beneath the water.
Mr Quinn and bystanders had to than help drag Mr. Harrison from the water, as he was exhausted.
Due to a storm that Monday, the ocean waves were very strong and most people stayed well away from the waters edge.  Following a drowning near the same spot back in 1936, the Park Service had maintained a rescue rope and life ring there but in recent years had stopped doing that.  A Park Ranger had been on patrol for much of that day, but not at the time of the accident.

Waves Carry Woman To Her Death - Acadia National Park

YOUNG CCC BOY CHARLES D. THURLOW PLUNGES TO HIS DEATH ON BEECH MOUNTAIN - ACADIA, 1939

Deaths In Acadia National Park;

July 27, 1939

C.C.C. boys were fatal as the boy plunged from a cliff on Beech Mountain, killing him instantly.  Clarence D. Thurlow, son of Mr. and Mrs. Everett Thurlow, died Sunday after noon when he fell from the top of a high Beech Hill cliff, where he had gone to cool off and enjoy the views.  He was seated near the edge of the cliff, witnesses said, when he lost his balance as he attempted to change his position, plunging head first over the cliff.  His body struck and lodged on a narrow rock ledge below, about half way down the face of the cliff.
Witnesses saw him fall and that he was wearing C.C.C. clothing and ran to a nearby C.C.C. camp to report the tragic accident.  A doctor along with a student doctor at the C.C.C. camp hurried to the scene and made their way down the dangerous cliff to the boy.  Using ropes it took them two hours to reach the boy but the boy was already dead.  His body was brought back to the C.C.C. camp while they waited for officials to arrive.


 During the nine years the CCC was stationed at Acadia, they completed hundreds of projects. The majority of these were in forestry, such as fire fighting, fuel reduction, and disease control. The “boys” also performed most of the work in constructing the park’s two campgrounds, Blackwoods and Seawall. Their most enduring and endearing successes, though, are the stunning and unusual trails that lead hikers into the heart of Acadia, such as the Ocean Path and Perpendicular Trail. Granite blocks weighing more than a ton were carefully cut and laid by hand. Thousands of dead or downed trees were cleared. The work was hard, but fulfilling, and through their efforts, the CCC opened, protected, and beautified Acadia National Park.

Beech Mountain Cliffs

When you arrive at the Echo Lake parking area you can't help notice the high cliffs along the western side to your left. The cliffs continue along the western shore of Echo Lake as well. There is a hiking trail that leads up the side of the cliffs from the parking area starting at the far end. Extreme caution should be used while on this trail and after arriving at the top of the cliffs.

EMILY MCDOUGALL DROWNS NEAR THUNDER HOLE IN ACADIA NATIONAL PARK- 1934

Deaths In Acadia National Park;

Aug. 8, 1934.
Miss Emily McDougall, age 25, from Brooklin Mass. died Thursday as a result iof a tragic accident near Thunder Hole.  At the time it was nearly high tide with a heavy sea when Miss McDougall, who did not know how to swim,  arrived at the ocean.  She was with eight others who went down by the ocean for a picnic.  She removed her shoes and stockings and joined some of the others who began to walk along the waters edge.  Suddenly a wave larger than the others broke over the rocks and washed Miss McDougall into the ocean.
A friend, Miss Stewart plunged jumped into the surf to help Miss McDougall and another friend, Miss Geaney waded out into the surf to assist.  Huge Tweer, driving by above, heard the cries for help and raced down to the water and jumped in and attempted to reach the girls.  Miss Stewart was finally able to reach Miss McDougalls side and for forty minutes held her in her arms.  Alfred Reed, who patrols Sand Beach rushed to the scene of the accident and was able to get Miss Geaney out of the surf and took her to the home of J. Franklin Anthony's home, where she was treated for cuts and bruises.  At that time Mr. Anthony called the Bar Harbor police department and fire department to report the accident.
When the police arrived at the scene they found Mr. Tweer still some distance from the girls, who were still clinging to one another.  Attempts to enter the water and reach the girls with rope failed on the first attempt, but on the second attempt police were able to reach the girls and get them ashore.
Doctor C.C. Morrison could not find any signs of life in Miss McDougall  The fire chief and other police officers arrived in a police boat along with a second flat bottom boat, they were able to get close to Mr. Tweer but not able to get him out of the water due to rough sea, and a speed boat was brought in from Bar Harbor, which was able to reach him.  Once out of the water he was brought to an ambulance and taken to the local hospital.
The two women and Mr Tweer showed great courage when they dived into the heavy surf and everyone involved deserves credit in their efforts to try and save the life of Miss McDougall.

9 YEAR OLD DROWNS AT EAGLE LAKE CHRISTMAS DAY - ACADIA, 1909

Bar Harbor Record
December 29, 1909

ARDEN PEACH DROWNED AT EAGLE LAKE

Fell Through Ice While Skating On Christmas Day - Others Had Narrow Escape

Arden L. Peach, the nine year old son of Mrs. Arden L. Peach of Northeast Harbor was drown while skating at Eagle Lake on the afternoon of Christmas Day, and three other boys and one young married man went through the ice in the middle of the lake and narrowly escaped losing their lives.  The little Peach boy was visiting his aunt, Mrs. Lewis Suminsby of Forest Street and early Christmas afternoon he and his cousin, Clarence Suminsby, age 12, took their skates and started out for the lake for an afternoon pleasure..  The two boys skated around on the northern end of the lake for a while and then, according to the story of the Suminsby boy, he started for the other end of the pond, going along the Western shore, while Arden Peach skated up the Eastern side.  When the Suminsby boy got about three fourths of the distance up the lake he turned and skated across to meet his cousin.
Before he got to him he saw some boys go through the ice quite a distance away and started towards them, but before he reached them he heard his cousin cry for help and when he turned in the direction in which he had seen the boy a few minutes before he had disappeared.  Knowing that he must of broken through the ice the Suminsby boy skated with all his might towards the point where he had last seen Arden and soon saw him in the water.  Clarence skated as near to him as he dared and then got down on his stomach and crawled towards the hole in the ice.  The little lad in the water was making a brave struggle for his life but was unable to get on the firm ice.  With his Polo stick advanced in front of him Clarence was crawling to the aid of his cousin when the ice gave way and he was plunged into the lake.  After a hard struggle he managed to get back onto the ice but was unable to do anything in aid of Arden and was compelled to see him drown while he was helpless to render any assistance.
At about the same time two other boys and a young man were making a fight for their lives in the icy waters of the lake only a quarter of a mile away.
After their Christmas dinner, Joseph Walls, a young married man who is in the employment of Nickerson Spratt & Greeley and two boys, Carl Johnson, age 12, and Norman Johnson, age 14, sons of Everett Johnson of Bar Harbor started for the lake with their skates.  They skated in the Southern end and started back down near the middle of the lake.  They had gone about half a mile on the return and were skating nearly abreast with Norman Johnson a little ahead and Carl slightly in the rear of Mr. Walls.  Suddenly the ice cracked and Norman went through and out of sight.  An instant later Mr. Walls plunged into the water and Carl followed immediately.  Carl was the first to get a firm hold on the ice and get out in two or three minutes.
Mr. Walls told him to go to the assistance of his brother which he did and after hard work Norman was safe on solid ice.  With some assistance from the two boys Mr. Walls then got out of the water.  Norman was nearly exhausted by his struggle and it was several minutes before he could stand.  They were just getting ready to start for the Northern end of the lake and home when they saw a boy, who proved to be Clarence Suminsby skating rapidly towards them and a moment later Mr. Walls says he heard a cry and saw a boy almost a quarter of a mile away, struggling in the water.  The Suminsby boy was much nearer the boy than they were and Mr. Walls yelled to Clarence to go to the boy and try to help him.  Mr. Walls and his two companions started along slowly and soon saw Clarence go through the ice and after two or three minutes they saw that he got out safely.  Clarence got out safely and they were all starting for home when Dr. E.J. Morrison came out across the ice towards them. 
Dr. Morrison and his brother Mark than drove up the road to W.M. Roberts camp heard the outcry on the lake and Dr. Morrison went out to see if he could be of any assistance.  He offered to send them all home in his team, but they preferred to walk as they were afraid of freezing.  Dr. Morrison over took them on the road and took Norman Johnson home as he was nearly exhausted.
The accident happened about 3;30 and Clarence returned home about 4;30 and his mother immediately telephoned to Chief of Police Jellison who notified John E. Bunker, chairman of the board of selectmen.  Mr. Bunker and Mr. Jillison at once got together a number of men and at 5 o'clock started for the lake to search for the body of the little Peach boy.
At Roberts camp the men got another boat and two crews with lanterns started out at some distance apart to hunt for the spot where the boy broke through.  After some time one of the crews found the place and with axes and picks the men broke up the ice for quite a distance around the hole where the boys fell in.  Then they launched the two boats and began to sweep the bottom for the body.  About half an hour after they launched the boats the body was brought to the surface.  The skates, new ones, which he was trying for the first time Christmas Day, were on his feet and his mittens were still on his hands.  It was 8;16 when the body was found and it was taken to the undertaking rooms of F.E. Sherman on Main Street and removed Sunday morning to the home of Lewis Suminsby on Forest Street.
The body was found in 60 feet of water, and the ice at that point was only about one fourth of an inch thick and the ice where Mr. Walls and the other two boys went through was of about the same thickness.
This is said to be the first drowning accident that has occurred at the lake.

GERALD D.F. POISSON DROWNS NEAR THUNDER HOLE - ACADIA, 1963

Deaths In Acadia National Park;

Sept. 19, 1963

Some one had removed the life preserver from its box at Thunder Hole, something that had happened at other times as well, so no one could toss it to Gerard D.F. Poisson, who drown in the surf a few feet off shore.  Mr. Poisson was from Luce, Ontario.  He stayed afloat for about ten minutes before sinking below the water, and a rope to help save him arrived too late.  Some time later his body was recovered by David Graves, a lobster fisherman from Northeast Harbor. 
Mr. Poisson and his wife and friends had been camping at Blackwoods campground.   They all had decided to head back home that day, but Mr Poisson decided to make one more trip to the Thunder Hole area before they left.  His wife and friends waited above as Mr Poisson went lower toward the water, at one point removing his shoes so he could stand on the wet rocks and take a better photo of the water.  As he was bent over, a large wave rose up and swept him from the rocks.
At one point his wife was almost able to reach out to him as he attempted to get back on shore.  His wife pleaded with bystanders for help and one left to get a rope, which arrived too late.  Mr Poisson had a heart attack about a year earlier and a doctor could not determine if he had died from drowning or from a second heart attack.

BERT H. YOUNG DROWNS ON LONG POND - ACADIA, 1931

Deaths In Acadia National Park

May 27, 1931
Bert H. Young, who was a Bar Harbor Post Master, lost his life in a tragic boating accident on Long Pond.  Mr. Young was in a boat along with Harold Barnes, fishing when the boat capsized.  A doctor stated that Mr. Young's death may of been the result of a heart attack.  Acadia National Park Rangers responded to the tragic accident.
After the men were in the water, Barnes told Young that they would have to swim for it, but Young replied that he could not make it, at which point Barnes told him to stay with the over turned boat while he went for help.  After Barnes swam a short ways from the boat, he became exhausted from swimming in his wet clothing, and turned to look back at the boat.  He saw Mr. Young, now a few feet from the boat with his head out of the water, not struggling or making any type of sound.
Mr Barnes turned and swam some fifty yards to shore, and several times nearly gave up because he was so exhausted. 
Once at shore Barnes took off in search of a nearby camp with a phone, but was not familiar with the area and ended up covering eight miles, at one point crossing a swamp, before finally coming out onto the Seal cove Road.  He stopped a passing car and told them to get help.  Sadly, had he known the area he would not have gone very far for help.  The body of Mr. Young was recovered from the pond a short time later.