Governor's Island History

Nobody is 100% sure how governor’s island got the name.  the most likely reason is that it was named after one of three men. Governor Shute of Massachusetts Bay Colony , Luit. Governor John Wentworth or Governor Benning Wentworth.  It was Provincial Governor John Wentworth however in 1772 who was given a grant as the sole proprietor. 

Although Wentworth was the sole proprietor of the island, he does not write of it before the revolution breaks out.  After the revolution, all his lands and estates are confiscated by the legislature due to his being a Loyalist and fleeing the colonies.  Samual Gilman was appointed to disburse these lands.  Two years later, in 1780, Boston’s John Cuching purchased Governer’s Island for 9600 pounds (continental).  He later sold it eight years later to John Langdon of Portsmouth for 400 pounds. He represented NH at the Continental Congress, served as a US senator, Speaker of the House and ultimately became Governor of NH from 1805-1812.  In 1797 he sold the property at a loss to Lemuel Mason of Alton for $1200.00 U.S.

Lemuel Mason in turn sold it to Eleazer Davis in 1799.  The same year it was annexed to the town of Gilmanton.  To be later assigned to the new town of Gilford in 1812.  Eleazer’s son Nathaniel Davis was granted aright to build a bridge in 1808, providing that he gave free access across it and did not obstruct the passage of boats.  Gilamnton maps of 1772, 1808 and 1845 all show Nathaniel Davis’ bridge.  A considerable farm was developed on the Island under Davis’ direction.  Little remains of Davis besides the family cemetery. 

He was a believer of the Millerite faith and had William Miller Himself hold several services on the Island.  The Island was eventually handed down to Daniel then to his sons Franklin and Eleazer who finally sold it to George Smith of Meredith and David Plummer in 1857.  Many people owned it between 1857 and 1872, Until Henry Brown and Isaac Morrill purchased it for $5000.00 U.S. 
They used it to pasture their cows.   

In 1883 the Island was leased to Stilson Hutchins of Washington D.C. for $1,000.00 a year for 99 years with the privileged of purchase within 20 years for $20,000.00.  Stilson’s legacy on the Island is a road along the shoreline as well as along the crest of the Island.  Here a Queen Anne Farm House, barn and outbuildings were built.  More famously he is known for founding the Washington Post.
He was also a representative for the state of Missouri and Commissioned Statues of Benjamin Franklin and Daniel Webster in Washington D.C.

In 1885 construction on a Granite mansion was started.  The architect was A.B. Mullett, Supervising Architect to the U.S. Treasury.  The site was managed by Job W. Angus who built the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.   with F.L Temple directing the landscape.  The mansion was located west of the farm house overlooking the Weirs.

Livestock was primarily raised on the Island, including hundreds of sheep, Shetland ponies and purebred Jersey cows. 

In 1903, Stilson leased the Island to the German Embassy and the Mansion became Ambassador Count Von Sternburg’s summer home.
Hutchins’ other visitor’s included Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and President Grover Cleveland.  Mrs. Hutchins would have the Island’s green house send flowers by train to Washington D.C. for her parties.  All of these dignitaries visiting the Lakes region lead the state board of Agriculture to laude the virtues of New Hampshire farms as summer destinations with the Ambassador’s written message on their pamphlets.  

Fire destroyed the mansion in 1934.

Under the Corporate Names of Governor’s Estates, post World War II construction skyrocketed along the shoreline. 

In 1962, forty year round and 90 summer dweller’s called Governor’s Island there home.  Over the next thirty years most of the cottages built in the ‘30s and ‘40s were either renovated or enlarged.  Year round homes in the 1990s had grown to 156.

What remains of the bygone days, is the old stone barn which was struck by lightning in 1952.

A survivor of the Hutchins time period is the creamery, which was converted into a residence.