Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 36

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts > Part 36

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From the foregoing pages it will be correctly inferred that New Bed- ford was in a highly prosperous condition when the premonitory indi- cations of trouble with Great Britain that might lead to another war appeared on the political horizon. In spite of depredations on the whaling fleet by French and Spanish cruisers, during which many local vessels were captured and destroyed, the business as a whole had met with wonderful development. In 1805 there were belonging to this port seventy-three ships and thirty nine brigs. The embargo act of

NEW BEDFORD IN 1810.

337

THE CITY OF NEW BEDFORD.

1807 1 materially diminished general commerce, and in that year only one vessel arrived in the port from a whaling voyage; the business, however, somewhat increased during the succeeding few years prior to the war, the events of which in their relation to New Bedford are fol- lowed in the next chapter.

The following list of Selectmen of the town of New Bedford from its incorporation to 1811 is inserted here for convenient reference :

1787.

1788-92.

1793.

John West,

Walter Spooner,

William Tallman,

Isaac Pope,

William Tallman,

Ebenezer Keen,

William Tallman.

Stephen Hathaway.

Bartholomew Aikin.

1794-96.

1797.

1798 99.

Walter Spooner,

Alden Spooner,

William Tallman,

Isaac Shearman.

Joseph Bennett.

1800-1801.

1802.

1803.

William Tallman,

Alden Spooner,

Killey Eldredge,

Cornelius Grinnel,

Killey Eldredge.

Simpson Hart.

Joseph Bennett.

1804.

1805.

1806.

Roger Haskell,

Bartholomew Aikin.

James Taber,

Bartholomew Aikin,

James Taber,

Roger Haskell,

James Taber.

Silas Kempton.

Thomas Nye, jr.

1807-9.

1810.

1811.

Alden Spooner,

Roger Haskell,

Thomas Nye, jr.

Killey Eldredge.

Joseph Church. 2

1 In 1807, in New Bedford, there were seven wharves, between ninety and a hundred ships and brigs, and between twenty and thirty smaller vessels .- Foot Note, Mass. Hist. Coll., Abra- ham Shearman.

2 In spelling these names the records have been followed.

338

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

CHAPTER XVIII.

NEW BEDFORD IN THE WAR OF 1812.

The causes that led up to the revolt of Americans against unjust and oppressive acts of England are well known. For our present purpose it is only necessary to state that the Embargo act of 1807 was vigor- ously opposed by the whole of New England, in which attitude these States were upheld by the Federal party at large. It was seen that such an act when enforced would greatly cripple all commerce and deal crushing blows upon the growing whale fishery, upon which the pros- perity of New Bedford so largely depended. It is, therefore, not a source of wonder that New Bedford was a hotbed of violent opposition to the war. The Massachusetts vote in the presidential election of 1812 showed 24,000 majority for the Federal, or peace, party, in a total of 74,000. New Bedford cast 399 votes for the Federal candidate for president and only thirteen for his opponent, Madison; Dartmouth cast 341 votes for Clinton and only 23 for Madison; Fairhaven 157 for Clin- ton and 201 for Madison. The latter community was less sensitive to measures that might prove injurious to commerce than New Bedford, where the maritime interests of the Acushnet River were centered. Fairhaven was chiefly an agricultural community; her shipping inter- ests were of secondary consideration.

The repeal of the Embargo act and the inauguration of non-inter- course with England and France until trade restrictions were removed were of little benefit to New England, and the declaration of war fol- lowed soon afterward. The news was thus announced in an editorial in the Mercury :

The awful calamity is at length officially announced. A war which has been so long predicted by the wise, ridiculed by the weak, deprecated by the honest, and courted by the wicked, is officially announced. Never have we seen dismay so gen- erally and forcibly depicted on the features of our fellow citizens as at this porten- tous moment. The hand of enterprise is withered, and the heart sickened, the hard-earned treasures of industry are dissolved, and the business of life seems to pause in awful suspense.

If this statement seems to trench upon heroics in its expressions, it

339

THE CITY OF NEW BEDFORD.

also undoubtedly conveys a fairly correct conception of the state of the public mind in New Bedford. While not seeking to avoid responsibili- ties in the crisis or to apologize for the oppressive acts of the foreign powers, it was still to be expected that a community whose very exist- ence in a business sense was threatened by the oncoming war should oppose the measures that led directly to the conflict.

New Bedford anticipations were realized. During the three months following the declaration of war, made June 18, 1812, eight vessels be- longing to the port were captured by the enemy, all carrying valuable cargoes; the vessels and cargoes had a money value of more than $200,- 000. At a meeting held in May resolutions were adopted declaring that "We view with extreme regret and apprehension an impending war with Great Britain, which in our opinion will be disturbing and ruinous to our country, destructive to our commerce, and cause a heavy increase of direct taxes." It was also resolved that a petition be sent to Congress expressing the sentiments of the town. In Fairhaven there was an entirely different state of public feeling, as shown by the following call for a meeting May 15, 1812:

The friends of the present administration, the adherents to the good old cause of Republicanism, whom British gold cannot corrupt, nor old tories affright, who are willing to aid the government of their country in a firm and vigorous defense of na- tional honor and dignity, are requested to give their attendance to-morrow afternoon at 3 of the clock, at the Academy in Fairhaven, then and there to take into consid- eration the present situation of our public affairs, and to adopt measures expressive of their undiminished attachment to the cause of their country.

On May 23 a similar meeting was held in the town house at the Head- of-the-River, at which Nathaniel Morton, of Freetown, presided. This meeting also favored the war. The differing sentiments existing on either side of the river led to many exciting scenes at town meetings and on other occasions, when the young men of Fairhaven and New Bedford came together.

Preparations for the defense of the harbor were early made on both sides of the Acushnet. New guns were mounted at Fort Phoenix and a garrison placed on duty. Recruiting offices were opened, and in September, 1812, two companies were formed in Fairhaven. A mud fort was constructed on Love Rocks, situated due south of Fort street, and another at Smoking Rocks, near the site of the Potomska Mills. The first mounted six guns, and both had small garrisons.

Anxiety and foreboding now prevailed in every Atlantic seaport. All were exposed to the ravages of British cruisers and privateers. In

340

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

many localities actual terror existed; forty families left Nantucket within a few days after the war began. Passing over the many bril- liant events on land and sea that characterized this war and gave to the American soldier and sailor enduring repute for valor and heroism, brief allusion may be made to the memorable struggle between the American frigate Constitution (built by a citizen of New Bedford, Capt. George Claghorn) and the British frigate Java, on December 29, 1812. The latter was defeated and blown up off the coast of Brazil, and so important was the victory considered that Congress appropriated $50,000 prize money to the crew. Lieut. George Parker, of the Con- stitution, was well known here, and while Commodore Bainbridge was receiving ovations in Bosten, he visited his wife, who was a daughter of Thomas Adams, of Fairhaven. On the 2d of March, 1813, the lieu- tenant was tendered a public dinner in Academy Hall, and on the afternoon of the 4th was publicly entertained in New Bedford. The account of the event reads as follows:

Attended by an excellent band of music from Taunton and escorted by a part of Capt. Stall's artillery company, the procession marched to the bridge, where they received the distinguished guest, who was accompanied by Lieutenant King, com- mander of the garrison at Fort Phoenix. He was greeted with repeated cheers as he came off the bridge, and escorted to Nelson's hotel, where an excellent repast was furnished by the landlord.

A list of eighteen patriotic toasts was given at the dinner, which seems to have been the conclusion of an event of great local impor- tance.

' In the Mercury of June 18, 1813, is found the following :

On Friday last two of those engines of destruction, commonly called gunboats, arrived at this port. We understand they are to cruise in our harbor for the protection of this port.

While the fleet of these gunboats in possession of the government early in the war probably kept many of the harbors free from priva- teering by the enemy, as a means of offense in actual engagement they were nearly useless on account of instability under the weight of their armament.

The closing of the port to all traffic in 1813 caused great inconven- ience and suffering. In order to supply the necessities of the inhab- itants the so-called "Wagon Brigade " was established, and out from the seacoast villages processions of loaded vehicles went and came, making the journey sometimes as far as Albany. This method of

341

THE CITY OF NEW BEDFORD.

obtaining supplies, which was unique for New Bedford, gave rise to considerable newspaper raillery. Under the heading " Horse Marine News," September 12, 1813, it was reported that there was spoken a wagon from Fairhaven standing to the northward with cargo of coffee. On the same day, lat. 41.49, the same wagon was seen with signals of distress, having been chased by the enemy and obliged to throw nearly the whole cargo overboard. The enemy on this occasion was probably the customs officer. Again a wagon was spoken bound from Boston to this port, "and she might be expected in port with the first northerly wind." The following note shows to what extent this wagon transport- ation of goods was carried:

October 11th, arrived, a squadron under command of Admiral Heaton, consisting of seven square-rigged wagon vessels, Capts. J. Bates, D. Bates, Whitcomb, Lyons, Cooledge, and Sherman, eight days from Albany, with flour. Had good passage, except Capt. Lyons's wagon springing a wheel spoke. Spoke nearly 100 sail from this port, all in good health and well provisioned.

These and very many similar announcements in the press would be intensely amusing, were it not for their pathetic foundation.

The war of 1812 gave birth to a fleet of American privateers that swept the seas during the conflict of more than 1,500 vessels. The fleet numbered 251 that were regularly commissioned; one of these was the Governor Gerry, Capt. Joshua Hitch, and belonged to Hitch & Bradley, of Fairhaven. She was captured by the enemy July 29, 1813. The free use of New Bedford's harbor by the privateers gave rise to a long train of evils. Arrivals and departures of these ocean highway- men were numerous in 1813 and greatly increased in the next year. One of the most famous arrivals was the Yankee, July 15, 1814, after a four months' cruise on which she had captured seven vessels. The arrival in the port of this noted craft was the cause of a public meeting called for July 21, 1814, at which a series of six votes was adopted. In these was expressed the fact that the inhabitants of the town had scrupulously abstained from engaging in privateering; that private armed vessels, cruising in various countries and climates, were liable to bring to the village infectious diseases; that all such vessels should thereafter be required to "perform quarantine during a term of not less than forty days;" that "the privateer called the Yankee, now in this port, to be ordered by the Selectmen immediately to quarantine ground;" and appointing a Committee of Safety to devise measures for the safety of the town in case of invasion.

342

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Changes in affairs in continental Europe, in 1814, freed a large num- ber of vessels in the English service, which were at once sent across the ocean, and the New England coast swarmed with British frigates, gun brigs and privateers. Something was done to protect seacoast villages from possible depredations by this fleet in sending bodies of soldiery to the most exposed points; but in general such places were almost helpless. Capt. Nathaniel Nelson's company of detached troops was stationed at New Bedford in 1814, nearly all of its rank and file

"CUSTOM HOUSE CORNER."

being from this town. Capt. Samuel Stall's artillery was also stationed here, while Capt. Reuben Swift's Head-of the-River company was stationed at Clark's Cove and along the shores of Clark's Point. The local military was under command of Lieut .- Col. Benjamin Lincoln; on his staff were Maj. Edward Pope, Major of Artillery John Cogge- shall, Surgeon Samuel Perry, and Quartermasters William Kempton and Elijah Wilbour, all of New Bedford.

Of the whole fleet of the enemy's vessels it was left for the Nimrod to be the especial terror of New Bedford. This famous craft captured numberless vessels in neighboring waters and her presence in this vi- cinity was a constant menace to the village. In short during the event- ful year 1814 the people of the village and its neighborhood were in a constant fever of suspense and anxiety. The memory of the invasion

343

THE CITY OF NEW BEDFORD.

of 1778 was still fresh and a repetition of its terrors was anticipated. When in the middle of April three British war vessels made their ap- pearance in Vineyard Sound, the news was communicated to New Bed- ford, causing intense alarm, and many families packed their household goods and carried them away to safety, while all sailing craft were moved up the river. The alarm was groundless, for the vessels left the Sound on the 20th. On the morning of June 13, 1814, the guns in Fort Phoenix were fired as an alarm at the approach of seven or eight barges from the Nimrod. The people on both sides of the river were in instant commotion; the militia was hastily gathered, and women and children fled to places of safety. The enemy doubtless saw the prep- arations for a stubborn defense and the barges did not land, but pro- ceeded on up the bay, and under a flag of truce effected a landing at Wareham Narrows at 11 o'clock in the forenoon. The invaders, num- bering 225 men, demanded the surrender of the public buildings, and after stationing sentinels back of the village, the enemy fired twelve vessels and the cotton factory; the latter was saved from total destruc- tion after the soldiers departed.

And so the war progressed, and while New Bedford itself did not suffer further direct invasion or destruction, it will be seen that the operations of the enemy in this vicinity kept the people in constant alarm and anxiety, while business interests, excepting those that came into existence through the war, were paralyzed.

One of the worst terrors during the early part of this war was the impressment of American seamen by the British, many of whom were forced to undergo the horrors of life in Dartmoor prison, where a large number died.

The attitude of the Friends during this war was similar to that taken in the war of the Revolution; their slogan was, "Resistance to taxes for war purposes." New Bedford capitalists were largely of this sect and the demands of collectors were. persistently refused, and when pay- ment was finally made it was with the greatest reluctance.

The struggle at last ended and the peace treaty was signed at Ghent December 24, 1814. The news was brought to Bedford village by Alexander Townsend, of Boston, and the exuberant joy of the people found expression in bell ringing, firing of cannon, and other demon- strations of happiness. There was ample cause for rejoicing. No vil. lage in the Commonwealth, perhaps, had suffered more in a commer- cial sense than this; the wheels of industry had long been idle; dis-

344

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

masted vessels lay at the silent wharves, and general stagnation pre- vailed. The prices of necessaries were very high and many suffered actual want.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE CITY OF NEW BEDFORD.

From 1815 to City Incorporation.

The younger New Bedford generation can scarcely comprehend the great changes that have been wrought in the shore line of the Acushnet on the west side between the date of the first wharf building and the close of the war of 1812-15. The alterations made after the latter date were also important. These changes are clearly shown on the two maps here reproduced, and, with brief descriptive details, will give the reader a clear conception of the conditions down to about 1835.

The bridge crossing the river was first built in 1796, as before stated; . was washed away in 1807, rebuilt and again destroyed in the great gale of September, 1815, and again rebuilt in 1819. The observer standing on the bridge in the old times would have seen that the abutment of Wilcox's wharf marked the water line, only a few feet from the west channel of the draw-bridge.1 In 1815 the shore where the tide ebbed and flowed was up High street (formerly known as Ark Lane), perhaps a hundred feet west of North Water street. An imaginary line drawn from this point (where was a sort of cove in which floated the arks destroyed by mobs in 1826 and 1829, as related farther on) to the center of the mill of the New Bedford Manufacturing Company below North Second street, will give just the water front of the Acushnet River at that time; and so it continued its northerly course towards Willis's Point. Only three short wharvess broke this shore line, while now on the east of this old shore line runs North Water street, lined with mills and shops, the railroad and its property, all situated where large ships once anchored in safety. Looking southward would have been seen the Parker and the Howland wharves much as they appear

1 It should be explained that these references to the bridge apply to the structure previous to the reconstruction that is going on while this work is in press.

345

THE CITY OF NEW BEDFORD.

at the present day; but beyond that point the shore line took a sharp turn westward and the tide flowed close up to Water street. There near the foot of Elm street was built the Dartmouth, of Boston tea-party fame. From this point to the foot of Commercial street the outline of wharves is now much the same that it was in 1815; but there the simi- larity ends, for the river turned westward and again flowed up to Water street. From that point southward the shore was in its primeval con- dition, excepting that the Friends' burial ground was situated close to the bank of the river where now is the foot of Griffin street. The fol- lowing further lucid and valuable description of the village in 1815 is quoted from Ellis's History of New Bedford :

The bridge toll-house stood where is now Anthony & Swift's meat depot. Just opposite, facing the open square, was a two story building in which was a store kept by the Russells. On Bridge street (that was what Middle street was called at this time), a small house occupied the land where now is Parker's block; opposite was J. & J. Howland's office and warehouse, the same building now used as Coffin's paper box manufactory. The second building on the north side was the post-office and custom house. It is still standing, the east end being occupied by Sturtevant & Parker as a paint shop. Here was transacted the business of the United States government, when Asa Smith was postmaster and John Hawes collector of the port. Many of our elderly people remember the latter, and the bellows-top chaise in which he rode to town. The following story is told of him: One day Jehaziel Jenney, who ran a coasting vessel (the Mary Ann) to New York in the summer season, landed a lot of barrels, each marked in bold letters "Cheese," and which he seemed very anxious the collector should not investigate. This naturally aroused suspicion, and in answer to the question, " What have you there, Jehaziel ?" he replied, " Nothing but cheese, sir ; nothing but cheese. Don't you see it plainly marked ?" "Yes, I see," says the collector, "but I guess we'll open the packages." After a stout wordy resistance, the barrels were opened and lo! round, fat cheeses were found filling each one. The collector did not enjoy the chaffing he received from Jehaziel, a rollicking joker, whose wit and pleasantries were features in his day. Soon afterward Captain Jenney arrived with another cargo, and he made an official visit to the custom house. " Well, Mr. Collector," said he, "I've got on board a lot of smuggled coffee, and I want you to come down and attend to it." The cheese episode led the official to decline this request, and he told his visitor to go away, which he did with alacrity. He proceeded to land his cargo of coffee and put in a place of safety. If good Rio wasn't cheaper for a time in the community, it was not because of a government tax.

West of this building was the dwelling of Asa Smith, the postmaster; and just where North Water street opens stood the house of General Lincoln, who com- manded a regiment during the war of 1812. His official records are now in posses- sion of the Free Public Library. This same house now stands on High street. The building now standing on the northwest corner of Middle and Water streets was in those early days the residence of Samuel Rodman, jr. It should be remembered that in that part now embraced by Union, Second and Middle streets were located

NEW BEDFORD Down Anghel 1518

STH

E T

.From a plan dram at the time By Gilbert Russel

ACUSHNET

Ana

Parker St.

Peary

VILLAGE OF

nizlia

Smith St

Pleasant

Purchase

Ray.

Summer

Hillmas

Post de

Hill

Kempton St

Randall+ Haskell's

Hazard's

Redm

William

Morgan St.

Robok's

Central

Union St

Taker's

Secondo

First

Howland's

Se2002

Arnold St

SeTerei

Maktut

Link.

Hanthorn St.

swith

Fifth

Powerthe

Third

Eddy's.

Bedford

Ground Guthane

Rotel So Wharf.

Allen

Butter

Henlang

Grenne zz

Pres base

decand

Second

Robeson's

Bridge

Charles

High

.Marino Railway

Parker's

Middle

Howtando

Rotch's

DARTMOUTH

RIVER

Coffin's

Water.

Davenporto

cort

1St

Sar

Elm

S. Rodman Jr's Wharf C.Howland

Tatola

Cushing

NEW BEDFORD 1834.

348

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE

the homes of many of the well-to-do citizens. There were one hundred and six dwellings, stores and shops in the northeasterly section bounded by Purchase and Middle Streets. To-day this same territory is filled with cotton mills, factory villages and railroad buildings; its spacious streets are lined with residences, and the border line of the shore is pushed well out into the Acushnet River. If the reader is sur- prised by the fact that this region was sparsely settled, what will he think when from the same standpoint we take a northwesterly view? For only twenty-six build- ings stood in all that section, and a majority of these were on the borders of Pur- chase and Middle streets.

Retracing our steps, we will walk through Water street. The granite building on the southeast corner of Middle was the candle works of John Howland in 1815 and the dwelling house opposite was once the residence of Capt Reuben Swift, a com- mander of a militia company in 1812. His son, Capt. Rodolphus N. Swift, of Acush- net, says that the magnificent elm tree on Water street, just north of Elm, was planted by Capt. Latham Cross in 1804.

The large building owned by F. A. Sowle on the southeast corner of Elm and Water streets was the substantial residence of Thomas Hazard, a prominent mer- chant in his day, and his garden extended westward to Second street.

The building on the northwest corner of William and Water streets, now Snell's bakery, was in the early days of the century the residence of Samuel Rodman, sr., and his grounds extended to where now stands the Institution for Savings.

Now that we are on William street, we will journey westward, and note the loca- tion of the buildings in this part of the town in 1815. The watch-house, the house of correction of the period, stood near the northwest corner of William and North Sec- ond streets; and on the latter street, half way to Elm street, was located the new Congregational meeting-house. Here worshiped the society gathered by Rev. Sylvester Holmes, now the North Congregational Church. A dwelling stood next north, on the corner of Elm street, that was set on fire during the British invasion in 1778; the charred timbers may still be seen in the cellar of the house on Elm street, just west of its former location. Only three other small buildings stood on this section bounded by North Second, Elm, Purchase and William streets.

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Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 36

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub Publication date: 1899 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company Number of Pages: 1399

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399