History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 165

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317


USA > Connecticut > New London County > History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 165


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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The Stonington Jewelry Company was organized in 1873, and subsequently its capital was increased, and after about two years went out of business.


The Stonington Steamboat Company was organized in 1867, with a capital of five hundred thousand dollars. But in order to make a satisfactory terminus for its new line of boats in Providence, changed their base and organized the company as a Rhode Island corporation.


The first dam built across the Pawcatuck River was located just below Pawcatuck Bridge, and a grist-mill was erected on the Stonington side before 1666. The next grist-mill in the Pawcatuck Valley was built on the south side of Shunnseck River, a little way west of its junction with the Pawcatuck, before the year 1700. Another dam was built across the Pawcatuck River before 1785, and a grist-mill was built on the Westerly side soon after by Mr. Samuel Brand. About this


time a saw-mill was built on the Stonington side, and afterwards an oil-mill, owned by Mr. John Congdon, who sold out the property to Mr. John Schofield in 1806. Mr. Schofield enlarged the premises and intro- duced machinery for wool-carding, spinning, weaving, and fulling woolen goods, and carried on the business during the war of 1812. The business after the close of the war was not as good, but the establishment continued its wool-carding and cloth-dressing and manufacturing until 1831, when the late O. M. Still- man purchased the entire property and carried on the business. In 1848 he built the brick factory now standing at Stillmanville, in operating which, with its appendages, he contributed largely in building up the village of Stillmanville.


Since Mr. Stillman's death the property has passed into the hands of Rhode Island parties, who operate it in connection with property on the other side, under the name and style of the Westerly Woolen Company. It is not certainly known who have been the succes- sive owners of the mill privilege below Pawcatuck Bridge from its erection in 1666 to the present time. The present factory building there was erected by Stillman Bros. & Co. in 1862, and is now owned and operated by the Charmichael Manufacturing Com- pany. A machine shop in the building is run by F. V. & V. C. Stillman. The steam mill on Me- chanics' Street is owned and run by the Moss Manu- facturing Company, making cotton goods. Messrs. Cottrell & Babcock commenced business at Pawcatuck in 1855, employing a large number of men in manu- facturing machinery of all kinds. In 1880, Mr. Cottrell bought out the interest of his partner, and the business is now carried on under the name of C. B. Cottrell & Co., engaged principally in making printing- presses.


A large steam grist-mill and soap-factory on Me- chanics' Street, principally owned by Peleg S. Barber, Esq., has been in successful operation for several years, doing a large and extensive business.


A carpenter's shop, south of the mill of Stillman Bros. & Co., operated by water-power, is used for making doors, window-sash, and everything in the wood line necessary for first-class builders. It has been run for several years by the late firm of C. Mason & Co., and has furnished goods for all of the builders in the vicinity, and is now operated by their suc- cessors, doing first-class work.


Two quarries have been opened and worked in this town; one at Quiambaug, and the other at Taugwonk, but neither successfully thus far. With abundant capital and proper management they may yet prove a success.


Formerly our citizens associated their wealth and sent ships to the uttermost parts of the earth to pro- cure oil from the leviathans of the deep. But latterly they have associated for the purpose of gather- ing it from the tiny, bony fish that float along our coast in countless myriads. Two companies, organ-


674


HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.


ized as partnerships, are engaged in the prosecution of the business, one at Noyes' Neck, and the other on Mason's Island; both under able and effective management, aided by resolute and intelligent em- ployés.


A machine- and repair-shop, operated in connec- tion with the railroad and steamboat companies at the borough, under the supervision of the Messrs. Slades, is doing a large business, and is adding largely to the net profits of both companies.


Ship-building. - The first ship-builders in this region were Thomas Wells and George Denison. They resided in what is now Westerly, though at the time claimed as a part of the present town of Stoning- ton. Joseph, the son of Thomas Wells, was also a ship-builder.


On the 3d day of January, 1680, Joseph Wells signed a contract to finish up a vessel then on the stocks at Pawcatuck. On the 20th of May, 1680, he signed another contract for the building of a vessel, wherein he describes himself as of Mystic, Conn. He married Hannah Reynolds, of Stonington (Mystic), Dec. 28, 1681, and settled in Groton, where he died, Oct. 26, 1711. Joseph Wells, soon after his location at Mystic, built a ship for Amos Richardson, of Ston- ington, which ended in litigation. To what extent ship-building was carried on in Stonington from the days of Joseph Wells down to the Revolution it is now impossible to tell, for no known record thereof exists. Several small craft were built at Stonington, Long Point, and on the Mystic River before and during the war of the Revolution, but their owners and tonnage is not certainly known.


Before the Revolution the accumulated wealth of the inhabitants was largely invested in commerce, building most of their vessels. Long before the Revo- lution, Col. Joseph Pendleton, of Westerly, built a brig on the west bank of the river below Pawcatuck bridge, which was launched and floated down the river with much difficulty. She was sent to New York under command of his son, Capt. Joseph Pen- dleton, and was loaded with a cargo for the West Indies, which she carried in safety. After discharging and reloading with molasses, etc., she started on the home voyage, after which nothing was heard of the vessel or crew. The General Assembly of Rhode Island, in consideration of his heavy loss and other misfortunes equally as great, gave him a lottery grant of a tract of land, on part of which is now located Lottery village. This land was laid out in one hun- dred and twenty-six house-lots, and put up in a lot- tery, each successful ticket-holder drawing a house- lot. The grant was dated Feb. 27, 1750, and was executed by Isaac Sheffield and Elias Thompson, aided by W. Babcock as surveyor.


Near the old Tristam Dickens house, on the west bank of Pawcatuck River, opposite Lottery village, there was built in 1823 the schooner Julia Ann, 60 tons, Capt. Nathan Barber.


The following vessels were built by Mr. George Sheffield, of Pawcatuck :


1818, sloop Connecticut, 50 tons ; Capt. Stephens. 1823, brig Rimack, 175 tons ; Capt. Basset.


1824, brig Pomona, 225 tons ; Capt. Newton.


1825, schooner Phoenix, 150 tons ; Capt. Spicer.


1826, schooner William, 175 tons; Capt. Pełeg Wilbur.


1829, brig Christopher Burdick, 165 tons; Capt. Burdiek.


He built two vessels at Stonington borough.


1821, ship Stonington, 250 tons ; Capt. Hull.


1822, brig Pomona, 175 tons ; Capt. Barnes.


George Sheffield & Sons built the following ves- sels :


1830, słoop Caspian, 50 tons; Capt. William C. Pendleton.


1832, sloop New York, 60 tons ; Capt. Wilcox.


1833, sloop Pioneer, 75 tons ; Capt. Wilbur.


1838, sloop George Eldredge, 75 tons ; Capt. Eld- redge.


1839, brig George Moon, 250 tons ; Capt. Moon.


1840, brig Edward, 275 tons ; Capt. Magna.


1842, sloop Pawcatuck, 30 tons; Capt. Ethan Pen- dleton.


1843, ship Ann Welsh, 450 tons ; Capt. Dunham.


1844, sloop China, 40 tons ; Capt. Ethan Pendleton.


1845, three-masted schooner Arispa, 100 tons ; Capt. Gates.


H. & F. Sheffield built the following vessels :


1847, schooner Phoenix, 80 tons; Capt. James R. Dickens.


1849, schooner Frances, 130 tons ; Capt. Hawley.


1850, steamer Water Lily, 75 tons; Capt. J. A. Robinson.


1851, schooner Nebraska, 200 tons ; Capt. Blake.


1852, brig Escambra, 250 tons ; Capt. Magna.


1852, steamer Tiger Lily, 100 tons; Capt. J. A. Robinson.


1853, schooner Hannah Martin, 230 tons; Capt. Morgan.


1854, schooner Sarah Starr, 250 tons; Capt. Bun- nell.


1856, sloop Tristam Dickens, 70 tons ; Capt. J. R. Dickens.


1856, schooner George Sheffield, 260 tons; Capt. Stiles.


The following vessels were built by Mr. John Brown :


1821, sloop Flying Fish, 30 tons ; Capt. Brown.


1822, sloop Franklin, 30 tons ; Capt. E. Brown.


1825, sloop Fame, 46 tons ; Capt. E. Brown.


All three built where C. Maxon & Co.'s carpenter- shop is now located.


1830, schooner Fox, 60 tons; Capt. Elias Brown ; built where C. Maxon & Co.'s barn is now located.


1832, sloop John Brown, 50 tons ; built for a Mr. John Brown, of Fall River, Mass., on the lot formerly occupied by Hull & Dickinson as a lumber-yard.


-


675


1832, schooner Flash, 75 tons ; Capt. Elias Brown, built at the same place as the above.


There was framed in the yard in the rear of the late Jesse Breed, West Broad Street, a small sloop named Willie Sheffield, between 20 and 30 tons, which was conveyed to the river and launched in April, 1867, commanded by Capt. N. M. Card.


In 1867, June 12th, there was launched near the residence of Timothy Gavitt the sloop Glide, 24 tons ; Capt. Timothy Gavitt.


There were built west of C. Maxon & Co.'s barn, West Street, and launched sideways, the following :


1855, schooner Niantic, 80 tons, Capt. George P. Barber.


1865, schooner Josephine, 50 tons ; Capt. Charles A. Maxon.


There were built on the lot formerly occupied by Hall & Dickinson as a lumber-yard, Mechanic Street, by Stephen L. Dickerson, for Oliver D. Wells, the following vessels :


1842, schooner Urbanna, 137 tons ; Capt. Small.


1843, schooner Tallahassee, 120 tons ; Capt. Oliver Gavitt.


1842, ship Wabash, 500 tons ; Capt. Charles T. Stan- ton. This vessel was built near "Cuff's house," below Pawcatuck Rock.


Christopher Leeds built several small vessels at Upper Mystic after the close of the last war with England, viz. : brig Hersilia, schooner -, and others. He built two small steamboats for Silas E. Burrows, viz. : Cadet and New London.


Messrs. Greemans commenced ship-building at the head of Mystic in 1827, where they built a number of small vessels, mostly smacks and sloops. When they moved down to their present location, in 1838, then called Adam Point, they commenced building fishing- vessels, schooners, and brigs for Southern coasting trade. As business increased, the demand came for larger vessels, and they built a number of ships for European trade, and finally, when the California trade opened, they built several large ships for that and other trades, building for one house in New York fifteen large ships, averaging about 1500 tons each. They have also built quite a number of screw- steamers and side-wheel steamboats, three-masted schooners, yachts, pilot-boats, and, in fact, all kinds and descriptions of vessels, both sail and steam, as many as one hundred and twenty-five in all.


The following is an incomplete list :


Ship Silas Greenman, for Everett


Ship Belle Wood, 1854.


Ship Leah,1 1856.


Ship Atmosphere, 1858.


Ship Prima Donna, 1858.


Ship John Baseon.


Ship E. C. Scranton, for Everett & Brown.


Screw-steamer New London, built in 1859.


Ship Caroline Tucker, 1853.


David Crocket, 1853.


Bark Lucy E. Ashby, built in 1859. Bark Heiress, built in 1860.


Brig Belle of the Bay, built in 1860. Bark Diadem, built in 1861.


Screw-steamer Blackstone, built in 1861.


Screw-steamer Thames, built in 1861.


Screw-steamer Oriole, built in 1861 -62.


Side-wheel steamer San Juan, built in 1862.


Brig William Edwards, built in 1865.


Brig Amanda Guion, built in 1865. Ship Cold Stream, built in 1866.


Bark Cremona, built 1867.


Ship Frolic, built in 1868-69.


Schooner G. P. Pomeroy, three- masted, built in 1872.


Three-masted schooner Nellie


Lamper, built in 1873.


Two steam-lighters, built in 1874.


Schooner William H. Hopkins, three-masted, built in 1876.


Side-wheel steamer G. R. Kelsey,


and others.


VESSELS BUILT BY CHARLES MALLORY, ESQ., AT MYSTIC BRIDGE.


Steamers.


Launched. Ton.


Launched. Ton.


Penguin.


1859


400


Ella, side wheel 1864


246


Varuna.


.1860


Ariadne.


1864


792


Owasco, U. S. gov't.


1861


575


Euterpe


1864


824


Falcon


1861


875


Loyalist.


1864


335


Eagle


1861


198


Twilight.


1865


644


Haze ..


1861


210


A. J. Ingersoll


1865


803


Thorne


1861


210


Varuna


1869


670


Stars and Stripes.


1861


410


8 Spanish gunboats


1869


3174


Union


1862


1100


Bolivia.


1869


509


Oreole


1862


1056


City of Galveston


1870


1110


Augusta Dinsmore


1862


727


City of Austin


1871


1492


Mary Sanford


1862


721


Carondelet.


1873


1461


Governor Buckingham


1863


912


Aurora 1874


869


Yazoo ..


1863


1285


Sisson


1875


94


Varuna ..


1863


1007


Æronant


1875


94


Victor.


1863


1340


Gerett l'olhimus. 1875


78


General Sedgwick 1864


817


Telegram.


1876


45


Atlanta.


1864


1054


Clipper-Ships.


Launched. Ton.


Launched. Ton.


Eliza Mallory


1851


647


Constitution. 1857


500


Alboni


1852


916


Twilight (1).


1857


.1482


Pampero


1853


1376


Haze


1859


800


Hound


1853


714


Twilight (2)


1866


1303


Samuel Willets.


1854


1300


Annie M. Smull. 1868


1054


Elizabeth F. Willets 1854


825


Part of his whaling fleet.


Mary I. Sutton.


1855


1448


Barks.


Launched. Ton.


Launched. Ton.


Ann


1854


700


Tycoon


1860


735


Frances ...


1855


600


Galveston 1866


622


Lapwing ..


1859


590


Schooners.


Launched. Ton.


1857 247


VESSELS BUILT BY IRONS & GRINNELL, MYSTIC BRIDGE, IN AND AFTER 1840.


Tonnage.


Tonnage.


Brig Almeda.


250


Andrew Jackson, clipper-ship. 1500


Ship Harriet Hoxie.


700


Racer, ship


800


Ship Charles Mallory


800


4 brigs, East, West, North, and


Ship Asa Fish


400


South 3 400


Cavalo, bark.


300


6 schooners, names and tonnage not preserved.


Electric, clipper-ship.


1200


Harvey Burtch, ship.


1500


Ship Montauk 400


Mr. Dexter Irons died in 1858, and a new firm of Hill & Grinnell was established, who carried on the business.


1 Lost at sea.


2 Burnt by the rebels on Florida coast.


3 Each.


Side-wheel steamer Fountain, built in 1864.


Side-wheel steamer City Point, built in 1864.


Steam-tug George, built in 1864.


Screw-steamer Delaware, built in 1862.


Side-wheel steamer Escert, built in 1862.


Ship Favorite, built in 1862.


Screw-steamer Constitution, built in 1862-63.


Screw-steamer Weybossett, built in 1863.


Side-wheel steamer Rafael, built in 1863.


Screw-steamer Montauk, 1863.


Side-wheel steamer Ann Maria, built in 1863-64.


Screw-steamer Idaho, built in 1864. Side-wheel steamer W. W. Coit, built in 1864.


Eliza A. Potter


& Brown.


Ship William Rathbone, for Everett & Brown.


Bark Texana,2 built in 1859.


STONINGTON.


.


676


HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.


VESSELS BUILT BY HILL & GRINNELL AT MYSTIC BRIDGE.


Built.


Tonnage.


Steamer Linda.


1864


450


66 Relief.


1865


300


Bark Mary E. Packer.


1866


800


"


Acquidnick.


1865


350


" Moro Castle ..


1868


450


Five Spanish gunboats


1869


200 (each.)


Schooner Nettie M. Rogers. Raven's Wing.


1870


50


1870


230


Pilot-boat Eclipse, schooner.


1870


70


Ferry-boat Union.


1872


125


Sloop-smack Florida


1873


Bark George Moon.


1874


1000


VESSELS BUILT BY MASON C. HILL.


Built.


Tonnage.


Steamer Gypsey.


1876


70 (about.)


Annie L. Wilcox


1877


130


G. S. Allen


1877


130


Manhanset.


1879


128


VESSELS BUILT AT STONINGTON BOROUGH .- Pe- leg Brown and Elisha Denison were in their day en- gaged in ship-building and in the West India trade, but the names and tonnage of the vessels built and en- ployed by them has not been preserved. Mr. Brown, in his will, dated in 1796, provides for finishing a ves- sel then on the stocks in which he was interested. In 1811, Capt. Nathaniel Palmer and Mr. Morrill built the ship " Volunteer," which was sold in New York. The ship "Cotton Planter" was built by Mr. Giles R. Hallam, which was also sold in New York. Ship " Hydaspy" was built in 1822 by Capt. Edmund Fanning. He also built the ship " Almyra," which was sold in New York. The schooner "George" was built by William Miller. Gen. William Williams built ships "General Williams," "Robert Brown," and "Pomona." Brigs "Seraph," "Othello," and " Bogatar" were built by Captain Edmund Fanning. The brigs "Bunker Hill" and "Dandy" were built by Mr. William A. Fanning.


The following vessels were built by various parties, viz. : Ships, "Charles Phelps" and " Glen." Brigs, " James," "Lawrence," and "Tampico." Schooners, " Joseph Warren," "J. C. Waldron," " Breakwater," " Pacific," "Defence," "Hancox," "James I. Day," and "Williams." Sloops, " Hero," "James Monroe," "Paulino," and " Deacon Fellows." The ship "Betsey Williams" was built by Charles P. Williams in 1846. Schooners, "Juliet"' (yacht), by N. B. Palmer; " White Wing" (yacht), by C. P. Williams ; "Jo- sephine," "America," 60 tons, "Madgie," 112 tons, "Palmer," 194 tons, "Madgie," 164 tons (yachts), by R. F. Loper ; "Nora" (yacht), by N. B. Palmer; and "Juliet" (yacht), by N. B. Palmer (2). There were built at Quiambang, by Jesse Wilcox, sloops " Hattie," "Inthia," and several others.


Before the Revolution, and when the West India trade was so profitable, vessels of all sorts and descrip- tions were pressed into the business.


Vessels from fifteen tons and upwards were used, and some of them were framed and set up in the woods where the timber grew, and then taken down, carried to some suitable place on the shore, com- pleted, and launched. Four such vessels were framed in the woods of Deacon Joseph Denison, and two in


the woods of Mr. Jonathan Wheeler, besides others in different parts of the town.


The "Royal Limb," a famous canoe, was made from the limb of a tree so large that a barrel of mo- lasses could be easily rolled on the inside from one end to the other. The butt of the tree from which the limb was taken was forty-eight feet in circum- ference. The heart rotted out in its old age, leav- ing an aperture in the south side, and before it fell a score of sheep could easily find shelter from the weather in the cavity of the tree.


Commerce .- The license granted by the General Court of Connecticut in 1650 to Thomas Stanton for the exclusive trade of Pawcatuck River for three years laid the foundation of the commercial relations of this town with the West Indies. Parties in New London became interested with Thomas Stanton & Sons, and carried on a successful trade with the In- dians and the West Indies, principally with Barba- does. Trade was also carried on with Boston and the Plymouth colony to a considerable extent. Thomas Hewitt, of Hingham, came into Mystic River in 1656 and bought up the surplus produce of the planters in that region. He subsequently married Hannah, daughter of Walter Palmer, in 1659, bought and built him a house on the grounds of the Elm Grove Cemetery and continued his coasting trade, and left for the West Indies in 1661 and was never again heard of, vessel or crew. The Messrs. Stanton continued and increased their fur trade, and in order to reap all of its advantages Daniel Stanton, one of the firm, went and resided at Barbadoes, where he remained until his death. Edward Denison, son of the ship-builder, George Denison, of Westerly, re- moved to Stonington and built the house lately occu- pied by the town clerk's office at the Road in 1714, where he remained until 1752, when he built the first house in Stonington Borough, and that year built the first wharf of the place, and he and his son, John Denison, continued their West India trade, in which they had previously been engaged at Pawtucket.


Samuel Stanton, grandson of Thomas Stanton, soon sold out his real estate at Pawcatuck, and with his son Nathan came over to the borough and built the Polly Breed house, and engaged in the West India trade, which was followed by Capt. Ebenezer Stanton, son of Nathan.


William Williams, living near Mystic, became largely interested in commerce. His son William commanded one of his vessels, and died at sea in 1770. His wife died at home a few days after, leaving two children,-William, the late Maj .- Gen. William Williams, and Eunice, first the wife of Rufus Wheeler, and after his death the wife of the Hon. Coddington Billings, and mother of his sons, Noyes and William, and daughter, Mrs. Eunice Farnsworth, of Norwich, Conn.


Deacon Joseph Denison was also interested in com- merce, and later the Haley family participated.


STONINGTON.


677


The Revolutionary war almost annihilated com- merce. After its close it slowly recovered, but before it had assumed its former proportions the embargo acts of Congress and the complications with European powers prostrated it again.


Then came the last war with England, with a close blockade of our harbor, crippling our commerce.


After the close of the war commerce again revived, and has been prosecuted with great success in almost every department of trade. Fishing and the whaling business very early attracted the attention of our people.


In 1647 the General Court enacted this: "If Mr. Whiting, with any others, shall make trial and prose- cute a design for the taking of whale within these liberties, and if upon trial within the term of two years they shall like to go on, no others shall be suf- fered to interrupt them for the term of seven years." Whether Mr. Whiting engaged in the business or not does not appear.


As early as 1701, and for several years thereafter, whales were taken and brought on shore at Wada- wamuck, the oil tried out and sold in Boston and the West Indies. After the close of the Revolution a law was passed exempting all vessel property engaged in the fish and whaling business from taxation. Also the polls of the men employed four months on board a fishing or whaling vessel was exempted from taxation. After 1790 the exemption of the vessel property was re- pealed, but the exempting of poll-tax was continued. Under the patronage of the State, whaling was car- ried on principally at and from New London, but nothing of the kind was done here until some time after the close of the last war with England. On and after 1830 several prominent business men in Stoning- ton gave their attention to the whaling business, viz. : Capt. Charles P. Williams, Charles Mallory, John F. Trumbull, Francis Pendleton, Joseph E. Smith, and Moses Pendleton, aided by a most intelligent and able set of captains and subordinates, successfully prose- cuted the business, and for several years it was the is most lucrative business of the town. The following a list of the vessels employed in whaling and sealing :


Vessels.


Tonnage. Owners and Agents.


America.


464


Charles P. Williams. =


Bolton, bark


220


Charles Phelps


362


66


Caledonia


446


Corvo ..


349


11


Calumet.


300


Eugene.


297


=


Fellowes


268


George


251


Herald


241


Thomas Williams.


340


United States.


244


Mary and Susan.


392


Autumn


220


Betsey Williams


400


Cavalier.


295


Rebecca Groves, brig.


128


Beaver


427


Prudent.


398


S. H. Waterman, bark


480


44


Uxor, brig


100


Francis, brig


.....


Acasto.


330


Henrietta, schooner. 139


=


Colossus, schooner


85


Vessels.


Tonnage. Owners and Agents.


Pacific, schooner.


96


Charles P. Williams.


Penguin ...


82


Sovereign


95


Byron, bark


178


John F. Trumbull.


Cabinet ..


305


Cynosure


230


Tiger.


Pheletus, bark


278


Richard Henry, bark.


137


Tybee ..


299


Sophia and Eliza.


206


Saralı E. Spear, bark.


150


Flying Cloud, schooner.


100


Toka ...


145


Eronaut, ship


265


Charles Mallory.


Bingham, ship


375


Blackstone, ship.


280


=


Leander, ship.


213


RomnIns, ship.


365


=


Vermont, ship.


292


Coriolanus, ship.


268


Eleanor, ship ..


301


Leander, ship.


213


=


Robinhood, ship.


395


Prescott, ship.


341


Vermont, ship.


292


Bolina.


200


Tampeco, brig


225


Uxor, brig


180


Wilmington, schooner.


100


Lyon, schooner


150


Cornelia, schooner


150


Frank, schooner.


200


Mercury, schooner.


305


Pendleton & Trumbull, and Joseph E. Smith & Co. Pendleton & Trumbull. Elisha Faxon, Jr.


F. Pendleton & Co., and Stanton & Pendleton.


332 Pendleton & Stanton.


In July of 1819 the brig "Hersilia" sailed from Stonington on an exploring and sealing voyage under the command of Capt. James P. Sheffield, William A. Fanning supercargo, and Nathaniel B. Palmer mate, for Cape Horn and the South Shetlands and the Ant- arctic Circle, made a splendid voyage and returned safely to Stonington. The next season a fleet of ves- sels, consisting of the brig " Frederick," Capt. Benja- min Pendleton, the senior commander; the brig "Hersilia," Capt. James P. Sheffield ; schooners "Express," Capt. E. Williams; "Free Gift," Capt. F. Dunbar; and sloop "Hero," Capt. N. B. Palmer, was fitted out at Stonington, Conn., on a voyage to the South Shetlands. They reached a place known as Yankee Harbor, Deception Island, during the season of 1820 and '21, where, from the lookout of an ele- vated station on a very clear day, the discovery of a vol- cano in operation was made. To examine the newly- discovered land Capt. N. B. Palmer was dispatched in his sloop " Hero" for that purpose. He found it to be an extensive mountainous country, sterile and dismal, loaded with snow and ice, though it was in the midsummer of that hemisphere, and a landing was difficult. On his way back he got becalmed in a fog between the South Shetlands and the newly-dis- covered continent, but nearest the former; when the fog began to clear away, Capt. Palmer was surprised to find his little bark between a frigate and a sloop-of- war, and instantly ran up the United States flag.




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