Gordon, John (1872 - ?)

Genre: General Fiction, Non-Fiction

Recluse, salvager, inventor, printer's devil, publisher and writer John Gordon lived on Vinalhaven. He was born in 1872 in Huntley, Scotland and his family moved to Port Dover, Ontario, Canada (located on the Canadian side of Lake Erie) in 1880. On Vinalhaven, he was known as a recluse who collected scrap metal and rubber to sell. He also created a small (18"X 12" X 12") printing press which he used to print his own pamphlets and books which also included illustrations from his hand-carved (with a jack knife) woodcuts.

Selected Bibliography

  • Lucky Jane: Or, Saved from a Horrible Fate (1930)
  • Pickled Percy: Or, the Spoiled Child (1930)
  • Confessions Of Sandy McWhiffle, Famous Inventor (1931)
  • A Potfull Of Vinalhaven Applesass (1937)
  • The Burning Of The Royal Tar Near Vinalhaven, Oct. 21st, 1836 (1937?)
  • The Gordon Hand Press (1942)

Selected Resources

Material from Maine State Library files