A vivid picture of Deer Isle from its discovery to the incorporation of Stonington in 1897, principally drawn from the reminiscences of the original settlers. Mr. Hosmer briefly touches on theories of the discovery of Deer Isle, the physical hardships faced by the early settlers, the development of mills, land grants, and incorporation (1789). A listing of male inhabitants that would have been twenty years or older at the time of the Revolution is included in a detailed account of conflict with the British. The largest section of this work is devoted to over 175 brief genealogical histories of individual settlers and early inhabitants, beginning with Michael Carney, the first settler (1762), and concluding with Elisha Grant, Esq. (1840). This section also provides a brief account of vessels and men lost at sea, with a listing of individual vessels and lives lost (1818-1881). The text touches on individual physicians (1824-1849), and provides a list of persons who have attained the age of ninety years (or more), and died in town (1833-1882). The Municipal and Miscellaneous section (1789-1882) provides a brief chronicle of town business (1790-1844 and 1846-1882) and Civil War involvement, a brief history of ecclesiastical development with sketches of individual churches, and a section on the origin of location names.