Towns of the County page 415

Howland's Isl; . a, in FV =i River derives its name fro* i Hum- 
phrey Howland who ac x dret ;.< by buying soldiers' scrip and 
took possession of it about 1823. rovi u^ tc Howland's connects 
with it it was known as Walnut or Hicko^ r sland, and was occupied 
and improved by families of "sq ftters ' named Stone, Spiller, 
Hyde, Butterfield, Campbell, Herrick, Woodward, Chaddock, 
Harris and Springstead, there being two families of the latter 
name. They had established themselves as a colony and built 
houses and a school supposing that no one owned the island. They 
were forced to yield to Howiand's superior claims, and, though each 
was paid something for the improvement.- made by him, they 
relinquished with reluctance the possessions which years of priva- 
tion and toil had secured, and which they had fondly hoped to leave 
as a heritage to their families. Harris, who was a minister, preached,