USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of shipbuilding on North river, Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with genealogies of the shipbuilders, and accounts of the industries upon its tributaries, 1640 to 1872 > Part 30
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305
DEATH OF CAPT. JOHN KENDRICK.
" The inhabitants of Europe are informed that in 1787 Capt. J. Kendrick, while prosecuting an advantageous voyage to the natives for furs, purchased of them for the owners a tract of delightful country comprehending 4 degrees of latitude or 240 miles square, and that such as may be inclined to associate for settling a Common- wealth on their own code of laws, on a spot of the globe nowhere surpassed in delightful and healthy climate and fertile soil, claimed by no civilized nation, and purchased under a sacred treaty of peace and commerce, and for a valuable consideration of the friendly natives may have the best opportunity of trying the result of such an enterprise."
The lands were thus sold by the savage chiefs, and there is no reason to doubt but they would as readily have conveyed the whole of America to any one for the consideration of a copper kettle. Greenhow writes "the validity of the acquisi- tion will scarcely be recognized by the civilized nation which may hereafter hold the sovereignty of the country about Nootka Sound." Neither Kendrick nor his vessel ever returned to America. As has been previously stated, after purchasing the lands, he sailed for the Sandwich Islands and there engaged in a new branch of commerce of which he was the originator, collecting and transporting to China, sandal wood, but he did not live long enough to profit by it. He was killed in 1793 at Karakakooa Bay, in Hawaii, by a ball accidentally fired from a British vessel while saluting him. Another account says Capt. Kendrick was killed while exchanging salutes with a Spanish vessel at the Sandwich Islands ; the wad from one of the Spaniard's guns struck him as he stood on the deck of his vessel in his dress coat and cocked hat, as the commander of the expedition, and was instantly fatal. Delano in his voyage gives probably the only correct account of Captain Kendrick's death, and which account is verified by official reports, viz. :
"Captain John Kendrick, of Boston, the first American com- mander that ever visited the northwest coast of America, and who opened the channel of commerce to this country, also died at this place. [Hawaiian Islands. ] His death was occasioned by a salute that was fired by an English commander in honour of him. One of the guns through accident, was loaded with round and grape shot, which killed Capt. Kendrick and two boys, while on his quar- ter deck." Capt. Amasa Delano says " I think it no more than jus- tice to say something to the memory of this American captain ; any- thing written on this able commander would be but superfluous, as he is generally known, and so justly celebrated by all the world for his extraordinary merit. I was intimately acquainted with him
306
SECOND VOYAGE OF THE "COLUMBIA" TO N. W. COAST.
in Canton Bay, in the year 1791, and I also knew his character afterwards as long as he lived. He was a man of extraordinary good natural abilities, and was noted for his enterprising spirit, his good judgment, and superior courage. As a seaman and navigator, he had but few equals. He was very benevolent, and possessed a heart filled with as tender feelings as any man that I ever was acquainted with. He was esteemed and beloved by all who knew him in his last absence from the United States. I wish to impress it strongly on the minds of every American, not to let his rare merits be forgotten, and to cast a veil over his faults, they being but few compared with his amiable qualities."
The " Columbia," under Captain Gray, left Boston on the 28th Sept., 1790, ten days after the departure of the " Hope," and, without the occurrence of anything worthy of note on her way, she arrived at Clyoquot, near the entrance of the Strait of Fuca, on the 5th of June, 1791. She then proceeded to the eastern side of Queen Charlotte's Island and remained in that vicinity trading and exploring until September. He
examined many inlets and passages between the 54th and 56th parallels one of which, probably the one called by Vancouver, Portland Canal, he penetrated to the distance of 100 miles northeastward without reaching its termination. This inlet he supposed to be the Rio de Reyes of Admiral Fonte, and part of it was named by Gray, Massacre Cove, in commemoration of the murder of Caswell, the second mate, and two seamen of the "Columbia " by the natives on the shore on the 22nd of August. Gray soon after returned to Clyoquot where the crew of the "Columbia" passed the winter in a fortified habitation which they erected on the shores of the Bay and called Fort Defiance. They employed themselves building a small vessel, and named it the " Adventure," which, in the spring of 1792, sailed for Queen Charlotte's Island, under command of Ilaswell, the first mate of the " Columbia " while Gray went on a cruise southward along the coast. Another account says, at Fort Defiance Gray and his crew built and launched the schooner " Enterprise," the first vessel constructed by Americans on the northwest side of the Continent of the United States. Whilst preparing for sea they were visited by two of the principal chiefs of the surrounding country with a number of followers, between whom and a Sandwich Islander on board the "Colum- bia" it became evident there was some understanding. Gray questioned the Sandwich Islander who at length confessed that the Indians had formed a plan for seizing their vessels and mur- dering their crew, promising to spare his life and make him a
MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER.
From an original drawing.
N-ORRic
THE COLUMBIA POINT, BELOW THE DALLES.
307
EXPLORATIONS BY THE "COLUMBIA" ON N. W. COAST.
chief if he would aid them by wetting the priming of all the guns at a particular time. Thus forewarned the Americans were on their guard, and the savages who surrounded the vessel on the following day were kept at a distance. Vancouver, in his Journal, speaks of sighting the "Columbia," on the 29th of Apr., 1792, as follows : "At four o'clock a sail was discovered to the westward, standing in shore. This was a great novelty, not having seen any vessel, but our consort during the last eight months. She soon hoisted American colors, and fired a gun to leeward. At six we spoke to her ; she proved to be the ship 'Columbia,' commanded by Captam Robert Gray, belonging to Boston, whence she had been absent nineteen months." After parting with the English ships, Gray sailed along the coast of the continent to the south, and on the 7th of May, 1792, he saw an entrance which had a very good appearance of a harbor in latitude 46 deg., 58 min. Passing through this entrance he found himself in a Bay well shel- tered from the sea by long sand bars and spits, where he remained at anchor three days engaged in trading with the natives, and he then resumed his voyage, bestowing on the place thus discovered the name of BULFINCH'S HARBOR in honor of one of the owners of his ship. This is now known as GRAY'S HARBOR.
At daybreak on the 11th, after leaving Bulfinch's Harbor, Gray observed " the entrance of his desired port bearing east- south-east, distance six leagues," and running into it with all sails set between the breakers, (which Meares and Vancouver pronounced impassable) he anchored at one o'clock, in "a large river of fresh water," ten miles above its mouth. At this spot he remained three days, engaged in trading with the Indians, and filling his easks with water, and then sailed up the river about twelve or fifteen miles along its northern shore, where, finding that he could proceed no farther, from having taken the wrong channel; he again came to anchor. During the week which followed he made several attempts to quit the river, but was constantly baffled, until at length, on the 20th, he crossed the bar at the mouth by beating over it with a westerly wind and regained the Pacific. The opening through which the waters of this river are discharged into the ocean was first seen in August, 1776, by the Spanish navigator, Heceta.
The day before leaving the river, or on May 19, 1792, Gray gare to it the name of his ship, the "Columbia," which name it still
308
COLUMBIA RIVER, OREGON, NAMED AFTER TIIE SHIP.
bears. The extremity of the sand-bank projecting into the sea on the south side of its entrance was called by Gray, POINT ADAMS, and he assigned the name of CAPE HANCOCK to the opposite promontory on the north side, being ignorant that Meares had already called it Cape Disappointment in token of the unsuccessful result of his search for the river. Vancouver also asserted that no opening, harbor or place of refuge for vessels was to be found between Cape Mendocino and the Strait of Fuca.
From the Log-book of the ship "Columbia," the following is taken :
" May IIth. 1792, at half past seven we were out clear of the bars and directed our course to the southward, along shore. At eight P.M. the entrance of Bulfinch Harbor bore North, distance four miles. The extremity of the land bore South-southeast half east, and the Northern, North-northwest.
May 12th. Many natives alongside ; noon, fresh wind : let go the best bower-anchor and veered out on both cables ; sent down the main-top-gallant-yard ; filled up all the water casks in the hold. The latter part, heavy gales, and rainy, dirty weather.
May 14. Fresh gales and cloudy ; many natives alongside ; at noon, weighed (anchor) and came to sail, standing up the river North-east by East ; we found the channel very narrow. At four P.M. we had sailed upwards of twelve or fifteen miles when the channel was so very narrow it was almost impossible to keep in it, having from three to eighteen fathoms of water, sandy bottom. At half past four the ship took ground, but she did not stay long before she came off without any assistance. We backed her off stern fore- most into three fathoms and let go the small bower and moored ship with kedge and hawser. The jolly boat was sent to sound the channel out, but found it not navigable any farther up, so, of course, we must have taken the wrong channel. So ends, with rainy weather ; many natives alongside.
May 15th. Light airs and pleasant weather ; many natives from different tribes came alongside. At ten A.M. unmoored and dropped down with the tide to a better anchoring place ; smiths and other tradesmen constantly employed. In the afternoon Captain Gray and Mr. Hoskins, in the jolly-boat, went on shore to take a short view of . the country.
May 17th. Fresh winds and squally ; many canoes alongside ; calkers calking the pinnace ; seamen paying the ship's sides with tar ; painter painting ship ; smith and carpenters at their depart- ments.
LARGEST VESSEL BUILT ON NORTH RIVER PRIOR TO 1SOO. 309
May 19th. Fresh wind and clear weather. Early a number of canoes came alongside ; seamen and tradesmen employed in their various departments. Capt. Gray gave this river the name of Columbia River, and the North side of the entrance Cape Han- cock ; the South, Adam's Point.
May 20th. At three quarters past two a fresh wind came in from seaward ; we immediately came to sail and beat over the bar, having from five to six fathoms water in the channel. At 5 P.M. we were out, clear of all the bars, and in twenty fathoms water. A breeze came from the Southward ; we bore away to the Northward ; set all sail to the best advantage. At eight Capt. Hancock bore Southeast, distant three leagues ; the north extremity of the land in sight bore North-by-West. At nine in steering and top-gallant sails. Mid- night, light airs."
From the mouth of the Columbia River, Gray sailed to the East coast of Queen Charlotte's Island, near which his ship struck on a rock, and was so naich injured that she was with difficulty kept afloat until she reached Nootka Sound, where the damage was repaired. Gray and Ingraham having soon com- pleted their business on the Northwest coast, departed severally for Canton in September, and thence sailed to the United States. Gray continued commanding trading vessels from Boston until 1809, about which time he died.
An old ship-carpenter, now living at Marshfield, in his 91st year, says that beside the "Columbia " James Briggs built the largest vessel ever built on North River until later than 1800. The vessel was the ship " MASSACHUSETTS," of about 400 tons, built between 1780 and 1790. Seth Briggs also built here early in 1700 .* In 1785 the sch. "INDUSTRY," 61 tons, of Boston, was built in Scituate ; and also in 1786, the sch. "DOLPHIN," 51 tons, of Chatham. James Briggs was part owner of the sch. " Speedwell," built by Solomon Bates, in Hanover, in 1787. There was built in Scituate, in 1791, the sch. "REVIVAL," 39 tons, length 39 feet and breadth 15 feet ; owned by James Briggs, Jr., William Vinal, Jr., Eli Curtis, of Scituate, and Lott Vinal, who commanded her. The Dighton branch built at Freetown, in 1794, the slp. "Polly," 49 tons, of Dighton ; owners, James Briggs, Dighton, and others.
John Briggs built in Scituate, in 1785, the sch. "HAR- MONY," 51 tons, "deep waist and short quarter-deck," of
* See Brick-kiln Yard.
310
JOHN BRIGGS, THOMAS B. BRIGGS, SHIPBUILDERS.
Cohasset. The owners were Thomas Marble of Cohasset, mariner, who commanded her, John Briggs of Scituate, in the county of Plymouth, ship-carpenter, Jerome Lincoln of Cohasset, blacksmith, and Jacob Lincoln of Cohasset, mariner. There was also built here, in 1792, the ship " AMERICA," 220 tons, of Boston ; and in 1793, the ship " BEDFORD," 253 tons, of Portsmouth. John Briggs d. in February, 1807, aged 88, and is buried in the First Parish Cemetery, Norwell. James and John Briggs were succeeded at the shipyard by Thomas Barker Briggs, son of James, who was a shipbuilder and a likely man, never wealthy but of moderate means. The first record we have found of any vessel built by him is in 1797, sch. "THREE FRIENDS," 98 tons, of Boston ; owned by Willian Vinal, Nehemiah Manson and Abraham Lincoln, of Scituate, and after- ward by Thomas Briggs and others, Boston. There was built here, in 1797, the sch. "IRIS," 80 tons, of Boston, and in 1801, the sch. "LUCY," 72 tons, of Boston; in 1802, brig "SALLY," 149 tons : owned by Jesse Dunbar, Silas Stetson and Simeon Bates of Scituate and the same year, 1802, the sch. "CUSHING," 78 tons ; owner, Lemuel Vinal, Scituate, and in 1803, the sch. "PRISCILLA," 61 tons, of Chatham ; probably the same " Priscilla," that was captured by the British in 1813 and papers detained. As can be seen by reference to the genealogy, Thomas B. Briggs mar. Lucy Otis and had among other children a son, Thomas, who was taken prisoner by the British while on a privateer, during the War of 1812. Thomas Briggs, in a memorandum in his own hand-writing, found in his effects, says :
" We sailed from Boston on the 9th. of May, 1813. Was taken prisoner on the 12th. and on the 17th. arrived in Halifax prison, remained there until the 21st. of Nov. then sailed for England. Arrived at Spithead on the 24th. of Dec. and laid there about two weeks, then sailed for Chatham. When I arrived there I was put on board the prison ship "Samson," where I remained about two weeks. Then we were put on board of the prison ship " Bahama," where we remained until the 25th. of Sept., 1814. Was then put on board of the Leyden transport, which sailed for Plymouth, from thence were marched to Dartmoor prisons where we arrived on the Sth. of Oct. This day the 30th. of Dec. the American Ensign was displayed on these prisons on account of the news of peace being signed betwixt England and the United States of America."
The above tells the whole story, but copies of his letters are here given as being of especial interest to those who will read
311
THOMAS BRIGGS.
this chapter. One is from Thomas Otis, who gave the Second Society of Scituate a church organ, in 1830, and who was brother of Cushing Otis and was then in England ; the other from Lucy Briggs, mother of Thomas. The letter from his mother is addressed to " Mr. Thomas Briggs, Halifax Prison," and is as follows :
Dear Thomas : "June the 13th, 1813.
I am glad to hear no worse fate has befel you. It is what I expected. I am sorry for your misfortune ; keep up good spirits. I hope all these things will be for your good. If you was out privateering you might get disabled for life. It is an employ- ment that will circumvent the frown of Divine Providence and busi- ness is preferable. An exchange may take place sooner than you anticipate. I am glad you are so well reconciled to what has befallen you. That all these things are directed by Wisdom superior to man's ought to console us under all the disagreeables of life. You wrote me a letter some years past that in trouble you always rejoiced your- self in your God. I wish it now may be your recourse, if so, you cannot be unhappy in the most abject situation. I have not any thing interesting to communicate. We are all well.
I remain your Affectionate mother, L. B.
P.S. Charles is here waiting for more favorable times for the Sailor ; he has been taken, carried into St. Christopher, came home in a vessel from New London."
The letter from his uncle is addressed to "Mr. Thomas Briggs, prison ship, Bahama, Chatham," and is as follows :
"Dear Thomas :
Your last letter I received yesterday only-some friend must have taken it out of the Dead Letter office in London and forwarded it to me. I commiserate your situation although I can't approve of the Cause in which you were embarked. There is every prospect of a Peace this Summer ; when you will get your pardon, if you do not before by exchange of Prisoners. I have letters from the U. S. to Jan'y 22d-all friends are well. I shall return to America in a few days, you will accept the inclosed five Pounds, (£5.)
And Believe me your Affectionate Uncle,
Thomas Otis
Liverpool, Feb. 19, 1814.
P.S. Your first letter has never come to hand."
312
CUSHING O. & HIENRY BRIGGS, SHIPWRIGHTS.
Next after Thomas Barker Briggs, the shipyard was occupied by his sons, Henry and Cushing Otis Briggs, brothers of Thomas. Henry probably learned the art of his father and on the Wanton Yard, but Cushing Otis was sent to Pembroke where he served his time under Elisha Briggs, at the Brick- kiln yard, and boarded at his house, now the residence of Nathaniel Smith and family, opposite H. H. A. Collamore's, which latter residence was the birthplace of Ichabod Thomas. It was here that Cushing O. Briggs met Mr. Thomas's daughter, whom he afterward married .*
Cushing O Briggs built two vessels on his own account at the Brick- kilns in Pembroke during the years 1815 and 1816. After he mar. he returned to Scitua e and resided in the old homestead of James Briggs, then occupied by Lucy and Sally Briggs, daughters of James. This house was built by Robert Thomas about 1712, and is on the lane or street that leads northwest from Hobart's Landing gate ; a picture of the interior of one of the rooms of this old house is inserted in this book. It is from an original drawing made by Lloyd Briggs about 1846. It was then called by the household the "school-room." After Cushing O. Briggs came into possession of the place he built on a large addition or front. The house is still standing, and the farm adjoins that of the Sampsons.
Henny Briggs worked for the Fosters on the Wanton Yard as early as 1810. After he mar. he resided in the house he probably built and which was the next house south of the late Judge Cushing place on the same side of the road. Henry and C. O. Briggs were noted shipbuilders, enjoying to a high degree the confidence of Boston merchants. Messrs. T. B. Wales & Co. were among those who employed them as long as they continued building. Cushing survived his brother Henry, who died in 1837. The Messrs. E. &. H. O. Briggs, who built at So. Boston, and who turned out so many fine specimens of naval architecture, were the sons of C. O. Briggs. The honorable reputation of the father fell to the sons and they enjoyed the esteem of the Boston merchants. Cushing Otis
See Chapter on Brick-kiln Yard.
" THE SCHOOL-ROOM."
INTERIOR OF THE OLD BRIGGS HOMESTEAD, SCITUATE. Built A.D. 1712.
313
CUSHING O. & HENRY BRIGGS' YARD.
and Henry Briggs built together for many years and then sepa- rately on adjoining yards at Hobart's Landing. Cushing O. occupied the old or upper yard, and Henry the one further down the river. Israel H. Sherman, now 86 years old, served his time on the C. O. & H. Briggs' yard as planker. He remembers a story about one of the carpenters, named Ruggles. It is said once when he went to New Bedford, he stopped over night at a certain house ; he was a very tall man and the room which was assigned to him was small and the bed short with its foot next the window. In the night he thrust his feet out of the open window and in the morning awoke to find a number of turkeys roosting on his lower limbs, calling out, "Ruggles, Ruggles."
The first vessel the Briggs Brothers built together was in 1817, the sch. "CATHARINE," 61 tons, for Capt. Moses Rich, of Scituate, for whose wife she was named. John Bates was the first mate. The rigging was fitted in the yard in front of the late Dr. Stockbridge's dwelling, since occupied by Rev. Pelham Williams, that part which is now a grove near "the wide spreading pond " made famous by Samuel Woodworth in his poem, " The Old Oaken Bucket." When she was launched, Tom Briggs, brother of Cushing and Henry sat on the cap of the bowsprit and christened her by breaking a bottle of wine over her bow. The "Catharine " had one deck, two masts, length 62 feet, breadth 17 feet. John Bates, Samuel Jacobs, Jr., Anthony Chubbuck, Nath. Cushing and Cushing O. Briggs of Scituate, were interested in her. The following are some of the men who worked on the Briggs Yard at different periods : Amos F. Damon, now living at Little's Bridge, who has directed the author to many channels of information ; Nath. and Samuel Damon, Abijah Holland, David, Charles and Otis Briggs, Capt. Thomas Rogers, Thomas Holmes, Harvey Hall, Chandler Clapp, Allen Randall, Joseph Eames, William Turner, Barker and Samuel Turner, Abijah Rogers, William Studley, Samuel O. Ruggles, Josiah Stoddard, Nathan Rogers, Theodore Turner, Elisha Delano, Luther Magoun, Benjamin Nichols. George Curtis furnished anchors. Ira Barker and Consider Merritt did iron work. Abel Kingman and Briggs Magoun, Nath. Whiting, Joshua Curtis and George Leonard furnished timber. Amiel Curtis furnished elm timber at $5.00 per ton, white oak at $6.00 per ton ; Samuel Mitchell, Michael Ford, Capt. Nath. Cushing, Shadrach, Barnabas, Sylvester and Wil- liam Briggs, Albert Tilden, John Foster and John James also
314
VESSELS BUILT BY C. O. & H. BRIGGS.
worked on the yard. Wages paid at that time were from 75 cents to $1.25 per day. Wales Tilden also worked on the Briggs yard and Foster's yard. Uncle Charles Briggs used to tell a story about Colonel Curtis, who went to Maine in the days of lumber speculation as agent for a company of men. He boarded with a widow by the name of Wass. The neigh- bors at his home used to tease his wife telling her, until she was nearly insane, that her husband, the Colonel, was going to marry the widow Wass.
Cushing O. Briggs was master carpenter, in 1818, of the sch. "MARY ANN," 76 tons of Boston ; her length was 66 feet, breadth 18 feet, depth 7 feet. She was owned by Thomas B. Wales and Nathaniel II. Emmons of Boston, C. O. Briggs of Scituate, William Weeks of Tisbury, and Edmund Bridge of Wilmington, North Carolina. Henry Briggs was master car- penter in 1820 of the brig "WAVE," 124 tons, of Boston, single deck, two masts, length 75 feet, breadth 20 feet, depth 9 feet. She had a billet figure-head and was owned by Thomas B. Wales and Nathaniel H. Emmons, Boston, Henry Briggs, Scituate, and Freeman Norton, Tisbury. The " Wave " was at Bilboa in February, 1825, and her expenses while lying there were $400. In 1826 she made a voyage from Amsterdam with 50 casks and 1060 jugs of oil, and 7500 lumps of clay, 10 packages of duck, 20 pipes of gin, and other merchandise. In 1827 she made a voyage to Rochelle and back with cargoes of rough pipes, barrels, hogsheads, ashes, brandy, etc. In 1828 Boston to Rochelle, New York, and Mobile to Rochelle, and in 1831 from Trinidad with sugar, then to Bremen with sugar, wood, indigo, raisins, lumber and hops. She was either sold or lost soon after this. The brig " Wave " was a very success- ful craft and made for her owners $15000 on one voyage to France. Mr. Wales was a very decided man, and wanted things his own way. When the "Wave" was building, he requested the builders to have the treenails " well drove." When she was nearly built he came down from Boston to look at her. Treenails or "trimmells." as they were often called, have little punches driven into their centres after they are in place to spread and hold them. Taking a handful of those punches, Mr. Wales went to Henry Briggs and said, "Didn't I request you to have the treenails well drove ? " Mr. Briggs answered, "Yes, sir, and they are." "Well," said Mr. Wales, " and here you are driving in these d-d little plugs."
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