USA > Maine > Lincoln County > South Bristol > A short history of South Bristol, Maine > Part 3
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).
Geo. W. Hunt", 57 tons, 1872, A. & M. Gamage & Co. builders
"Geo. I. Stephens", 85 tons, 1872, A.&M. Gamage & Co., builders. Page 35
Schooner "Arwilda Morse", 18 tons, 1872, A. & M. Gamage, & Co. builders
"Nathan F. Dixon", 28 tons, 1873, A. & M. Gamage & Co, builders,
Steamer "Wm. A. Wells", 51 tons, 1873, A. & M. Gamage & Co, builders.
Schooner "Rose & Adra", 150 tons, 1874, Samuel Kelsey, builder.
"N. J. Day", 150 tons. 1874, Samuel Kelsey, builder.
"Margie Smith", 108 tons, 1874, A, & M. Gamage & Co, builders.
"Little Nellie", 27 tons, 1874, A. & M. Gamage & Co, builders.
"Daudnaught", 23 tons, 1874, A. & M. Gamage & Co, builders.
Steamer "Albert Brown", 95 tons, 1874, A. & M. Gamage & Co, builders.
"Eugene F. Pieroe", 55 tons, 1874, A. & M. Gamage & Co, builders.
Schooner "Sina Shore", 12 tons, 1874, A. &. M. Gamage & Co, builders.
"Freeman Colgate", 43 tons, 1875, A. & M. Gamage & Co, builders.
"Mamie Davis", 43 tons, 1875,
A. & M. Gamage & Co, builders.
"William Herbert", 10 tons, 1875. A. & M. Gamage & Co, builders. Page 36
Schooner "William Herbert", 10 tons, 1875, A. & M. Gamage & Co. builders.
Sloop "King Fisher", 10 tons, 1875, Allen Gamage, builder.
Schooner "Daylight", 10 tons, 1875, Allen Gamage, builder.
"Laura E. Gamage", 13 tons, 1875, Elijah Foster, builder.
St # amer "E. F. Debbis", 81 tons, 1877, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders.
Sloop "Lizzie Welworth", 9 tens, 1877, Dennis Wentworth, builder.
Schooner "Mystery", Il tons, 1877, Wm. A. McFarland, builder.
* "Cora Etta", 7 tons, 1878, McFarland, builder.
Sloop "Mary Etta", 6 tons, 1878, A. & M. Gamage & Co. ,builders.
Schooner "Little Fannie", 35 tons, 1878, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders
"Rose Brothers", 18 tons, 1878, A. & M. Gamage & Co. , builders.
Sloop Anna May", 9 tons, 1878, Thomas Goudy, builder.
"Elestine Light", 18 tons, 1878,
Schooner "Claremont, 6 tons, 1878, Bradford Thompson, builder. Page 37
-
Schooner "Orissa B. Kimball", 34 tons, 1878 ...
"F. H. Smith", 74 tons, 1883, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders.
# "Bar Bell", 12 tons, 1883, Newell A. Gamage, builder.
"Fannie E. Thrasher", 26 tons, 1883 Ao & M. Gamage & Co., builders
Si oộp
"Princess", 24 tons, 1883 Leander McFarland, builder.
Schooner "Mary F. Smith", 33 tons, 1883, A. & M. Gamage & Co. , builders.
.
"Nellie G. Davis", 38 tons, 1884, A. & M. Gamage & Co. , builders.
"Clara R, Crimes; 34 tons, 1884, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders. - "Watseka", 15 tons, 1884, Ao & M. Gamage & Co., builders.
"Violet M. Brewer", 22 tons, 1888, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders.
"Edith M. Thompson", 21 tons, 1889, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders.
STOUN
"Hector", 8 tons, 1890, McFarland, builder.
"Henry G. ", 16 tons, 1881, H. H. Goudy, builder.
Schooner "Alva", 15 tons, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders. Page 38
.
Sloop
"Vesuvius", 9 tons, 1892, W. McFarland, builder.
Schooner "Kate & Mabel", 32 tone, 1893, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders.
"Charlotte A. Beal", 40 tons, 1884 A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders.
Sloop "Florence", 17 tons, 1896, Giford Gamage & Co., builders.
Schooner "C. A. Dolliver", 20 tons, 1894, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders.
"E. M, Nichol", 28 tons, 1894, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders.
Steamer "Anodyne", 6 tons, 1894, A. & M. Gamage & Co., builders.
Sloop "Leroy", 8 tons, 1895, B. McFarland, builder.
"Jennie R.", 8 tons, 1841, Libbeus A. Gamage, builder.
CORRECTIONS:
Schooner "Emily", 100 tons, 1841, J. G. Huston, builder.
"Clara", 110 tons, 1841, J. B. Hall builder.
Brig "Cordova", 200 tons, 1845, T. Freeman Day, builder.
Page 39
Brig "Balphin", 160 tons, 1769, Drummond & Co., builders.
Schooner "Walpole", 13 tons, 1836, James Jones, builder,
"Goo. W, Bearga", 1.00 tone, 1.367, John Farra, builder.
Page 40
The situation of South Bristol being directly on the sea coast and having plenty of good harbors at once determined the chief employment of the inhabitants as being connected with the navigation and fishing industries. South Bristol in the early days supplied large quantities of wood, lumber, and fish for domestic markets, and at a later period much timber for shipbuilding. A large part of the area of South Bristol is covered with evergreen tress. In the early days, large oaks were a feature which is in the past, as they have nearly all been converted into ship timber.
The war with Great Britain in 1812- 18-15, being chiefly a maritime war, nav- igation and commerce suffered greatly all along the coast, and no place more than South Bristol as it was upon these that most of the people depended. Boston as a market was practically cut off as it was not safe to send fish or wood there; the enemy privateers thronged the coast, making our vessels liable to be taken. For this reason, our people suffered for want of provisions. All kinds of goods except what could be raised on the rather poor soil was almost impossible to obtain, and the inhabitants suffered great privation. Bread was so hard to get that in order to get a little white flour for bread for all the sacramental ordinances in the Christ- ian Church that the entire wheat meal Would be sifted through fine sieves, then through a gauze, to get a little fine white flour. For soda they would sweep the big hearth and born corncobs and use the white ash which had to be carefully sep-
Page 41
arated from the dark. Sugar and molasses were almost impossible to obtain. Sap from the maple tree and juice from corn stalks boiled dom to a syrup. People were thrown almost entirely on their own resources for food and clothing to a great extent. These were the times that tried men's souls. Let us for a moment imagine the condition of what it would be with no railroads or steamboats, an enemy's privateers watching for every opportunity to prey upon our commerce. To add to all of this, the spring of 1816 was extremely cold and wet, and vegetation unusually backward; as a consequence, the farmers were delayed in their planting and certain of their crops, such as Indian corn, were so backward that an early frost quite destroyed them. It is Baid there were some frosts on the low . . grounds in this state every month of that year, 1816, and on the evening of June 6, snow fell so as to fairly whiten the ground. There was no Indian corn ripened in this town that year, and seed com for the spring planting was very scarce as the people in those days depended almost en- tirely on home products. The most import- ant Naval action that occurred in this Section during the War of 1812-1815 was the capture of the British brig "Boxer" by the U. S. brig "Enterprise" on Sunday, Sept. 5, 1813, The action took place in a line nearly midway between the extreme end of Pemaquid Point and the Island of Monhe- gan. This engagement was in plain sight of and witnessed by crowds that gathered on the high land in the southern part of this town. This heroic naval contest has been too often described to require a repeti- tion of the details. At about this time
Page 42
4
the militia companies all along the coast were ordered to be in readiness at a mo- ment's notice in case of an attempt by the enemy to land. Guard houses at different parts of the town were erected and a de- tachment from Capt. Sproul 's company of Bristol militia quartered at each place. A guard house was erected at Rutherford's Island a detachment of Capt. Sproul's men were stationed there. One night their Countersign was "Liberty", the next night "union", and further than this there is no record. The territory of Bristol being ex- tensive and as many were obliged to travel a long distance to reach the center, many plans for dividing it had often been talk- ed of, but one of them was for the first time submitted to a vote of the citizens on October 15, 1817; it was rejected by a vote of forty-two in favor and sixty against. The next year, November 2, 1818, a proposition to divide the town by the old parish lines of Walpole, Harrington, and Broad Cove was submitted to vote and rejected. In the early days nearly all the Women knew how to spin ans weave and knit, in which some were very skillful as some of their handiwork has been preserved .. to the present day. Although there was not much of what is called fancy work in those days, their work required skill and intell- igence. The most of the cloth in those daye was manufactured from flax and wool raised on their own farms.
A tailor was hired to come to the house once a year and make the clothing for the family, as was also a shoemaker to make the shoes. The tailor was usually an Irish journeyman. The first blacksmith.
Page 43
-
in the southern part of the town was Mike Ferril; his shop was near the spot where Capt. Leighton's house now stands. The next was Capt, James Farrar. The writer can remember when he made his own charcoal : this was about 1850. Capt. Farrar was a Captain of the British Militia. The next Smith was James, son of Capt. James Farrar; his shop was on the island near the end of the bridge. The first shoemaker to be located was Asa Bradley. His shop was next to the bridge on the island. The next was Mears, The fishing industry is now almost a thing of the past. There is no more a demand for the larger class of fishing vessels for the Grand Banks. Lobsters, which once were so plentiful that they were caught and fed to hogs, are now a luxury. The pogies on Monhegan are driven from our coast, and all fish have become s so scarce that fishermen have been obliged to turn to other pursuits for livelihood. Many who are building boats go both for rowing and power. Later about 1860 a special branch of the fishing business sprang up here as well as other places on the New England coast, called pogy fishing, for oils, For the first this was carried on by the fishermen along the coast on a Small scale, Catching these fish in nets, and trying out the oil in a Small and primitive manner. It soon developed into a large business, and New York parties came to these parts and started the business on a large scale. Factories were built and the fish were taken in large quantities with seines; steamboats were employed, each factory having two or three. The oil Was used for almost every purpose that .
linseed oil was used for, and the scrap Was used for fertilizer purposes.
Page 44
South Bristol at one time had four factories which employed quite a large number of men, and each factory had sev- eral boats employed. The fish, though abundant at first, could not stand this Wholesale slaughter, and they are now nearly exterminated or driven from this coast and the business has been abandoned. The pogy or menhaden had from the early days been used for bait in other fisheries. In the early days a serial custom prevail- ed of doing much of the work by hees; the men would go to a neighbor's and chop all day, take dinner and supper, the dinner being the middar mcal. In the evening the ladies, young and old, would go. The largest room would be cleared of all fur- niture for dance and plays which would be kept up until a late hour. The oorn was also husked in like manner. Sometimes both men and women would go to the husking bees; this was done in the big barn floor, and one feature of the supper was pumpkin pie. Dances in those days were called sprees, Some of the early customs appear very strange to us at the present day. The collector went from house to house to collect the taxes. If the parties were not prepared to pay, the collector was armed with a piece of white chalk and wrote down the taxes in a conspicuous place over the door where it must stay until paid. Launching a vessel and house raising were also great events.
We find by papers left by Thomas Thompson, Esq., that he succeeded Franklin Pieroe, Esq., in his appointment by the government Deputy Collector of Customs for the port of Bristol and district of Waldo-
Page 45
boro. I also find that he was seven times commissioned by the Governor, a Justice of the Peace, covering a period of forty-nine years. He also served the town in differ- ent capacities, such as selectman. Capt. David Plummer was next appointed deputy collector; he also served the town in diff- erent capacities. Capt. Wm. Mcclintock was the last man in this part of the town to receive the appointment, as this office Was at the time discontinued.
Hon. Wm. MoClintock was born September 29, 1778, His father was a native of Ireland. He was formerly much employed as surveyox of land and
******* Page missing ******
into John's Bay and reappeared. She Was sold at auction and brought by McClin- tock and Damariscotta parties. The bridge at South Bristol, being a wooden bridge, was taken away to let the "Debbis" pass through. This was the only square rig ves- sel that ever passed through the channel between Rutherford's Island and the main land. Capt. Mcclintock loaded his brig at Damariscotta with white oak for Dublin, Ireland, where he made a successful trip.
Thomas Mcclure came from Boston sev- eral years before the close of the sev- enteenth century and settled near the Wal- pole Meeting House. He was chosen treasur- er of the town and twice as representative of the general court. He was the first Postmaster in Bristol, now South Bristol, being appointed in 1800. He also kept a store there. He held the office of post-
Page 46
master until his removal from the place in 1806. Aaron Blaney was appointed to succeed him May 15, 1806. He married Nancy Hunter, daughter of Henry Hunter; Rev. Alexander W. McClure, Amherst, Cal., was his son. Aaron Blaney, jr., became aasoc- iated in business with Mr. Mcclure on the Damariscotta about 1803. He came from Rox- bury to Damariscotta as clerk to Oliver Gridley in 1793, but the next year engaged in the service of Kavanaugh and Cattrill, who were at the time very largely engaged in trade with the West Indies, Subsequent- ly, he became a partner with Mcclure in Walpole, and when the latter retired he continued the business many years. He took a deep interest in the public affairs of the town, and from his knowledge of busi- ness, made himself particularly useful in settling the difficulties with the non-res- ident land proprietors. Several years he Was elected treasurer of the town, and . later in life for four years successively, 1824-1827, inclusive, he represented the town in the legislature of the state and for many years he held the office of the Justice of Peace. His father, Aaron Blaney, Sr, , was appointed in 1806 to succeed Mr. McClure as postmaster, and he held the office until his death in 1834; he was succeeded by his son, Arnold Blaney, who held the office until 1843 when the loca- tion was Changed to Bristol Mills. The Goudy family, Amos Goudy, Esq., was born in Bristol October 1744 and died June 22, 1824. His father, whose name was also Amos came here from York and was one of the Earliest settlers on the eastern side of the Damariscotta opposite Pleasant Cove. He was largely engaged in the fishing bus-
Page 47
iness and also created a.saw and grist mill at the place known as Goudy's Mills, later Paul's Mill. He left, besides other child- ren, John and Amos, from whom all of the Bristol Goudy&s have been descended. Amos Goudy, the sherriff of the county, was a man of much intelligence and firmness and according to traditions, creditably per- formed the painful duty of the conducting of the first execution in Lincoln County. His wife was Sarah Clark who was born in 1745. Passing down from Clark's Cove at the head of the Western branch of John's River, Was in early days the residence of Widow North. She was widow of the first of the name that Came to this countryl her husband probably died here about 1741. The remains of cellars are still to be found here and also several apple trees. Passing down the west side between John's Bay and the Damar- iscotta River, we next come to the G. Clark place, then to P. Rogers, R. Sproul, and J. Young. Further down on the west and near- nearly opposite Seal Cove, was John Wirling on the Damariscotta. From Clark's Cove north were those of Thomas Hutchins and John North. John North was a land surveyor.
The meeting house question in the mother town of Bristol, after more than six years of earnest discussion, was sett- led. It was a question of whether to build one meeting house for the whole town or divide the town into three parishes and that a meeting house should be erected in each. This was about 1772. The three parish- es wero Broad Covo, Walpole, and Harrington. The Walpole meeting house is in South Bristol, but a part of the parish is in each tom, while the Harrington Meeting
Page 48
House is in the mother town. A part of the parish is in South Bristol. On May 5, 1775 at a town meeting at Wm. Sproul's house in bristol, Caleb Turner of Broad Cove, Was appointed to ride post of Falmouth (Portland ) and bring weekly papers, three in number, one for each parish. He was to receive twenty shillings in lawful money for each trip. As a part of two parishes are now in South Bristol, that would have given South Bristol an interest in two of the papers.
NOTE: This history has been copiei as Mr. Nelson Gamage wrote it without changes in paragraphing, etc.
Page 49
F81838.
5990H
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.