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Samuel Marshall, who was a resident of the Island, claimed it as his, and he sold it to Langdon again, calling it at the time (1789) Moose, Chapell’s or Marshall’s Island. Evidently no one liked the name Herring Gut Island.
Not to belabor the various names, the Island became known as Bradford’s Island, then Cobb Island, and finally when John Hupper purchased the Island in 1850, Hupper Island. Hupper ran a large farm on the Island, assisted by his 9 or 10 children. His son Orrin eventually bought out the interests of his siblings and, with the help of his son, Alden, continued to farm.
After Orrin’s death Alden maintained the farm operation and supplimented his livelihood by lobstering. The family also took in boarders. This was well before indoor plumbing came to the Island, and water was drawn from a well in the front of the house. This was the time that the Onion Bag came into being. When borders or vistors wanted to get onto the island they would ask Ralph Simmons (owner of the General Store at the time) to hoist a red onion bag off the corner of the store building. This was the signal to Alden Hupper that someone wanted to come off the port.
In 1950 Alden Hupper sold the Island to Gerald Boehner, as none of his children wanted to continue the farming/boarding house enterprise. Two years later Gerry became perhaps the first real estate developer in Port Clyde by subdividing his property and beginning to sell off lots.
It is interesting to note that the local community did not carry on the tradition of changing the Island’s name to Boehner Island. Whether this was because the Hupper family had maintained ownership for so long or because Boehner was from away (Nova Scotia by way of New Jersey) is left for us to ponder.
Through all of these changes farming and raising sheep was a constant on the Island well into the 20th century. Evidence of these labors can still be found.
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