USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 46
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 46
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1. See ante, Page 103.
2. Bay View street was not then in existence, not being laid out until 1866.
3. Atlantic Avenue and the stone bridge were not then in existence, the Avenue being built in 1880. The yard originally extended above where the Avenue now is, but vessels have been built there since the Avenue was put through. The yard is now the property of the Camden Yacht Building & Railway Co.
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not learn that he built many vessels there. Following Mr. Bartlett, John E. Dailey built two vessels in this old yard, being the last to occupy it. Capt. Stetson continued his prosperous ship-building business until after 1850, building in all something like 70 vessels of all sizes and classes, - ships, barks, barkentines, brigs, brigantines, schooners, top-sail schooners, etc., among them being several fast sailing "clipper" ships that gained for their builder a wide reputation. In those days a vessel tonning 1200, was considered a very large one, several of which size Capt. Stetson launched.
Sometime in the fifties Oliver Clary built and launched two or three vessels in the "Decrow Yard" near where the David Decrow house on Atlantic avenue now stands.
The "Coombs Yard " was next occupied by Augustus D. Mirick and Nelson Pendleton who built several vessels there, one being the ship, Joseph Jones. It was then occupied by John E. Dailey (who had been building at Tenant's Harbor) from 1862 to 1871.
Israel Decrow, who began his ship-building business at Lincolnville Beach, removed to Camden in 1863, where he con- tinued the business, having for a partner for a short time Capt. Isaac Coombs. Capt. Coombs himself began the business of vessel building in 1875 and afterwards had for his partner John Brown, the firm being Coombs & Brown, and afterwards, Samuel Q. Day, the firm being styled Coombs & Day, and during the last of his building he was associated with Capt. Joseph T. Conant, under the firm name of Isaac Coombs & Co. Capt. Coombs also built two vessels in company with H. M. Bean. In all he was employed in the building of some twelve vessels, the last being the barkentine, Mannie Swan, in 1892.
The shipyard now known as the "Bean Yard " was first used for vessel building by Thomas Hodgman and Russell Glover for several years, beginning about 1854. There they built and launched a number of vessels. After they ceased business the
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yard remained unoccupied until 1875, when it was purchased by Holly M. Bean. Mr. Bean in early life was a ship-carpenter and contracted to do the carpenter work on many vessels. He first came to Camden to do the carpenter work on a brig in process of construction by John E. Dailey in 1869 and in 1870 went with Mr. Dailey to Tenant's Harbor to build a three-masted schooner,
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a new style of rig in that day, and Mr. Bean did the carpenter work on that vessel, after which he began ship-building there himself in company with Whitney Long, launching nine vessels and beginning a career that has made him one of the most suc- cessful and best known ship-builders on the Atlantic coast. He returned to Camden in 1873, and in company with Capt. Isaac
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Coombs built the barkentine, "Edward Cushing," and bark, "J. M. Clark," and then bought the present yard where he has launched in recent years so many great schooners. For the last few years his son, Robert L. Bean, has been associated with him and the last eight vessels have been built by the firm of H. M. & R. L. Bean. Mr. Bean has built 54 vessels in Camden and has been concerned in building 71 in all, all but 19 of which he built alone, being probably the largest number built by any one man in this section. The rigs of the Camden vessels have been as follows: 1 brig, 1 two-masted schooner, 2 barks, 17 three-masters, 20 four- masters, 12 five-masters and 1 six-master. Their cost was some $2,500,000. Some of the largest and most notable vessels built by Mr. Bean and their gross tonnage, were the John B. Prescott, 2454 tons ; Jennie French Potter, 1993 tons; George W. Wells, 2970 tons ; Van Allens Boughton, 2129 tons ; Arthur Seitz, 2207 tons ; T. Charlton Henry, 2421 tons; Margaret Haskell, 2114 tons ; S. J. Goucher, 2547 tons ; Helen J. Seitz, 2547 tons. These were all five-masters except the Wells which was a six- master. Mr. Bean built the second three-master, the second five- master, (the John B. Prescott) and the first six-master (the George W. Wells), that were ever launched, and his busy ship- yard with one or more towering vessels upon the stocks nearly all of the time has been one of the "show places " of the town, as well as a source of much of the town's prosperity.
Rockport has been equally distinguished as a ship-building place and Rockport village was largely built up by the ship-build- ing industry. Tradition says that the first shipyard in what is now the town of Rockport was located at Clam Cove (now Glen Cove) on the northerly side of said "Cove." We are not in- formed as to who operated said yard or the number of vessels launched there, but probably both the number and size of the vessels built there were small.
So far as we are able to learn the first vessels built at Rock- port village were built by Patrick Simonton and Albert S. Eells.
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Mr. Simonton had a shipyard on the easterly side of the harbor where the ice houses are now located, where he launched some 20 vessels, the most notable being the ship, Tennessee, about the year 1840. Mr. Eells built in 1835, in a yard above where the Rockport iron bridge now is. In those days there was no bridge at that place and the vessels were launched down stream into the harbor. Mr. Simonton is also said to have built at least one vessel in that yard. Mr. Eells then occupied the yard at the "creek " where the Eells lime kilns now are, and later the yard on the west side of the "creek." In the last of his building he had associated with him his son, John H. Eells. Mr. Eells launched from his yards 25 or 30 vessels of all sizes and rigs and did a prosperous business.
David Talbot and Christopher Young, Jr., occupied a ship- yard on the westerly side of the Rockport harbor between the Eells and the Carleton-Norwood yards which they successfully operated in the fifties and sixties for several years, building some 10 or 12 vessels, mostly schooners.
The largest ship builders of Rockport have been, Carleton & Norwood and Carleton, Norwood & Co. The original firm began building in 1844, in the yard now occupied by Carleton, Norwood & Co. Since the firm was changed to Carleton, Norwood & Co., in 1849, fifty-six more vessels have been launched making 66 in all. These vessels have been of all sizes and rigs and their cost has been millions of dollars. Among these vessels have been many large ships that have carried the American flag to all parts of the globe. Among the largest, with their tonnages, may be mentioned the ships, Zuleika, 1300 tons; Augusta Norwood, 1200 tons ; John Pascal, 1450 tons ; Raphael, 1542 tons; Wandering Jew, 1737 tons ; Wm. H. Macy, 2202 tons; S. D. Carleton, 1788 tons ; Robert L. Belknap, 2369 tons, and the magnificent four- masted ship, Frederick Billings, 2628 tons. For nearly all of the sixty years that it has been building vessels this concern has launched at least one good sized vessel nearly every year, all of
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which have been built under the direction of that veteran master- builder, John Pascal, and his son Chester L. Pascal.
In addition to ship-building, the owning and sailing of vessels has always been one of the most important of the business interests of Camden and Rockport, their great fleets of peace whitening the seas and unfolding the stars and strips to the breezes of every clime.
Lime Manufacture.
From the earliest days lime-burning also has been one of the most important industries of Camden and Rockport, although the principal portion of that business has been done within what is now Rockport. Lime rock which is found in such abundance in Knox and Waldo counties is found in its finest quality in Rock- port. In the early days of the town's history lime rock was quarried and burned by many different individuals in various parts of Camden. There were kilns at Camden and Rockport villages, on the Conway Farm, at Simonton's Corner, on Beauchamp Point and in the western and southern portions of the town. These early manufacturers used the "old fashioned kilns," ruins and remains of which are still found in many localities. These kilns were used until about 1859 and had a capacity of from 350 to 550 casks. The rock was put into these kilns and burned for several days, fourteen turns, each turn consisting of 12 hours. The fire was then drawn, and the lime was selected and barrelled for market. In 1859 was begun the use of "patent kilns" such as are used at the present time. These kilns are kept full of rock by being fed at the top while the lime is periodically drawn off at the bottom and the fires are kept continually burning. In these kilns wood was used exclusively as a fuel, until 1889 when Mr. Granville E. Carleton patented a process of burning lime by the use of soft coal, and at the present time coal is used in the majority of the Knox County kilns, although the process is slightly different from that patented by Mr. Carleton.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
We shall be unable to mention all who have been engaged in the manufacture of lime in Camden and Rockport, but we learn that Hiram Hartford was one of the earliest engaged in that business. He lived at what is known as "Hartford's Corner" and his kilns were located near the east end of the Rockport iron bridge. Next to the south was the kiln of Comfort Barrows, the remains of which are still in existence. The next kiln to the south was operated by Wm. Carleton, and his successors, Carleton, Norwood & Co. Beyond that, what is known as the "Martin Stand" was operated by David Talbot. Then followed in order the kilns of Thomas Spear, Jacob Graffam (the latter property being now owned by the Rockport Ice Co.) Paul and Eben Thorndike, Wm. Upham and John Harkness, Job Ingraham, Amon Dailey, Samuel Barrett and Charles and John Barrett. At about the same time Jeremiah McIntire manufactured lime on Beauchamp Point. At Simonton's Corner lime was manufactured by William Simonton and others, there being some nine kilns in operation then at one time, and at West Camden by Minot Tolman and others.
Camden village in the old days was also a lime manufactur- ing place, there being a row of old fashioned kilns on the west shore of the harbor, the remains of some of them being still in existence on Bay View street. The first kiln was located near where the D. W. Russell blacksmith shop stands and was operated by Cushing & Wood. Next beyond was the Adams kiln and then in order came the J. C. Stetson, the Valentine Mansfield, the Joseph Jones, the Ephraim Barrett and the Jacobs kilns. The latter was operated for a time by Cleveland and Simonton and Christopher Young, Jr., and finally came into the possession of Carleton, Norwood & Co. who burned lime there for many years, building the existing iron kilns and lime sheds.
The first "patent kilns" were erected by Jotham Shepherd. Carleton, Norwood & Co. and David Talbot, and shortly after- wards by Christopher Young, Jr.
The first quarries were small and located in various parts of
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the town, but finally the quarries between Camden and Rockport villages and those at Simonton's Corner became about the only ones worked. The former, known as the Jacobs quarries, had been operated to a small extent prior to 1854 or '55 when S. F. Allen of Thomaston opened negotiations to purchase the "Jacobs Farm " then owned by John Witherspoon and shortly afterwards it was purchased by Christopher Young, Jr., John Crocker and W. H. Thorndike of Rockland and N. C. Fletcher, Henry Lowell and Mr. Allen, who soon began operating the quarries upon it. Mr. Allen took charge, dug a kiln of rock, consisting of 500 or 550 casks, burned it and branded the product "Jacobs Lime." From that day lime of that brand has stood very high in the market. Mr. Fletcher then for a short time had charge of the business and then the property was partitioned and sold to the various parties in interest. About the year 1859, Christopher Young, Jr. took the portion on which was situated the Jacobs quarries, since known as the Burgess - Jacobs Quarry and Shepherd -Jacobs Quarry. He began to operate it but died in 1862. In 1863 G.F. Burgess married Mr. Young's widow, and began actively operating the quarry, which he successfully continued until 1891, when his entire business, including quarries, kilns, vessels, stock in trade and good will was sold to S. E., H. L., and O. P. Shepherd.
In 1866, Carleton, Norwood & Co. purchased that portion of the Jacobs Farm containing what has since been known as the Carleton-Norwood Jacobs Quarry, and at once began operating it. They operated their two kilns at Camden village by using rock from this quarry. Granville E. Carleton owned the other quarry adjoining the Burgess quarry and for years manufactured lime at Rockport village, being noted as the owner of the "big kiln" on the west side of the harbor. William and Elbridge Carleton under the firm name of Carleton & Co. were at one time actively engaged in the manufacture of lime on the property known as the "Gross Quarry Farm." To facilitate the carriage of limerock from the Simonton Corner quarries to the Rockport
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kilns, the several owners united in constructing the narrow gauge "Limerock Railroad " about 1886, which they operated until about 1894 and then abandoned.
In 1900, the corporation known as the Rockland - Rockport Lime Co. was organized with a capital of $2,000,000. This cor- poration at once took over the greater portion of the quarries,
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kilns, and other property of the various Knox County lime manu- facturers, and in 1900 purchased the entire lime manufacturing property of the S. E. & H. L. Shepherd Co., said at that time to be the third largest manufacturer of lime in the county. The year following the new lime company also purchased the entire lime manufacturing plant of Granville E. Carleton and the lime
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plant, blocks and wharves of Carleton, Norwood & Co. at Rock- port and Camden. Since this purchase the kilns at Camden village have not been operated. Herbert L. Shepherd of Rock- port is at the present time a member of the board of Directors and of the Executive Committee, and Manager of the Rockport department, of the company.1 Mr. Shepherd is an able business man, active, aggressive and far-sighted and is a most valuable factor in the management of this great concern. The Rockport department of the company has an annual output of some 300,000 casks, and maintains an annual pay-roll of about $75,000.
The one independent lime manufacturing concern in Rock- port at the present time is the Eells plant. This business was established by Albert S. Eells & Son, sometime in the seventies. They built one kiln which they operated by purchasing rock from various quarry owners. Subsequently they acquired what is known as the Thorndike Quarry at Simonton's Corner, which they operated quite extensively for ten or fifteen years, having two kilns. More recently the plant was operated by Bryant & Kent who built a third kiln and at the present time is being operated by Thomas W. Carter of Boston.
1. Among the enterprises largely promoted by Mr. Shepherd was the Rock- port Rock R. R. for transporting limerock from the Simonton Corner quarries to the kilns; and it was principally through his efforts that the road was constructed and put in successful operation. The first engine to go over the road was named "S. D. Carleton " for the senior member of the firm of Carleton, Norwood & Co. which concern owned one half of the road, and the second was named "Joe Shepherd " for a member of the S. E. & H. L. Shepherd Co. which owned the other half. Mr. Shepherd was also largely instrumental in the construction of the electric railway line connecting the large and prosperous Knox County communi- ties and known as the Rockland, Thomaston & Camden Street Railway. He has also served as President of the Oxford Light Co., Norway, Me .; director of the United Gas & Electric Co., Dover, N. H .; director in various trust companies and trustee of the Camden Savings Bank ; and for years as Superintendent of the Maine Agencies of the Union Mutual Life Insurance Co. of Portland. In addition to serv- ing as Representative and Senator, already mentioned, Mr. Shepherd also served as a member of Gov. Cleaves' Council in 1895-96, and was for several years Inspec- tor and Collector of Customs of the ports of Camden and Rockport.
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Woolen Manufacture.
Woolen manufacturing is confined wholly to Camden village, and is now its most important industry. The first woolen goods manufactured in Camden were woven in the old brick build- ing now a part of the Anchor Works. This building was erected in 1824, and was owned by Lewis and Abraham Ogier and occu- pied for many years as a clothing and carding mill. Later it was operated by Thomas Harback who manufactured woolen cloth for a number of years ending about 1850 or a little later. Cam- den's career as a woolen manufacturing town, however, really began in 1864, when Johnson, Fuller & Co., began here the manufacture of the first paper maker's endless felts made in this country. This firm was afterwards (in 1870) succeeded by the Knox Woolen Company, which is today one of the most pros- perous industries in Maine. The original building was erected in 1863 by Camdan's now veteran contractor, Mr. Robert S. Davis. In 1887 the Mechanic street addition was completed ; in 1894 and 1904, the large wing on the Washington street side, and in 1905 the new dye house. This large plant still manu- factures felts almost wholly, employs some 150 men and women and has a pay-roll of some $70,000 per year. Its stock is prin- cipally owned in Camden. At the present time Joshua Adams is President and C. Wilkes Babb, Treasurer and Superintendent.
The Camden Woolen Company was organized in the spring of 1887, and its factory was erected during the following year on the site of the Gould Plug and Grist Mill. Its stock was taken up by some 75 incorporators, principally Camden people. This fac- tory manufactures men's fancy woolens and women's dress goods. It started with flattering prospects and is now doing a large and prosperous business. In 1889, the addition was built and the plant is in a first-class condition. It is what is known as a “six set mill," and furnishes work for some 125 employes, its pay-roll amounting to nearly $50,000 annually. The President and
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Treasurer at the present time is Reuel Robinson and the Super- intendent and Manager, M. P. Hanley.
The next factory organization to be created was that of the Megunticook Woolen Company in 1888. Its factory was erected the following year on what was known as the "Bachelder Privi- lege," being the first below the Molineaux privilege. The build- ing was afterwards enlarged. This corporation manufactured felts for its principal business but was not as successful as its older rival, and in 1905 the whole plant was sold to Williams & Paige of Boston, who have since operated it under the name of a new corporation called the Seabright Woven Felt Company. This Company is now doing a large business, employing some 60 hands and having a pay roll of about $35,000 per year. The present officers are Samuel Williams, President, Frank E. Paige, Treasurer, and Richard Howarth, Superintendent.
The Mt. Battie Manufacturing Company, organized in 1892, now occupies the Bisbee Powder Mill privilege and its stock is held principally by Camden people. Its plant completed in 1893, is the most modern and convenient of any of the Camden corpora- tions. It is a "six set mill " and produces practically the same class of fabrics as the Camden Woolen Co., and when running at full capacity employs about the same number of hands and has a pay-roll nearly as large. In 1906, the officers of the Company are E. Frank Knowlton, President, W. F. Bisbee, Treasurer and Geo. C. Crane, Superintendent.
Anchors, Engines, Etc.
The well known Camden Anchor Works were established by Horatio E. and William G. Alden in 1866. After the death of the senior partner in 1877, William G. Alden continued the busi- ness alone, which soon grew to be the largest anchor manufactur- ing plant in the country, manufacturing anchors of all sizes from the smallest to those weighing over four tons. These anchors at once became famous and for the past third of a century have been
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carried at the bows of all classes of vessels, sailing all the waters of the world. The business was for years a very prosperous one employing a large number of men, but for the past few years the new "stockless anchor" has to a large extent superseded the product of the works, although for "holding " qualities there has never been anything superior to the Alden anchor. In 1901, Mr. Alden sold his business and plant to a new corporation known as the Camden Anchor-Rockland Machine Company which con- solidated the Anchor Works with the business of the Rockland Machine Company, manufacturers of the Knox Gasolene Engine. This company is now doing a large business in the manufacture of both anchors and engines, especially the latter, and in 1906 erected its large brick machine shop at the foot of Commercial street Camden, where all its business will be carried on in the future. This company will employ here, from one to two hundred skilled workman, will maintain a pay-roll of about $75,000 per ' annum, and will be one of Camden's principal and most valuable industries.
Miscellaneous.
Camden has a large number of prosperous industries large and small in addition to the foregoing, the principal ones being Knowlton Bros., foundry, machine shop, saw mill, etc .; Camden Grist Mill Co. and Frye & Porter, Grist Mills ; Camden Lumber Co., saw and grist mill and sash and blind factory ; Dr. D. P. Ordway Plaster Co., manufacturers of plasters and other patent medicines. The latter is doing a very pros- perous business through the mail and it is principally because of this business that the Camden Post-Office has been made a first class office and is the best paying office in this section of the state. This Plaster Company employs about 100 hands, prin- cipally young women, for a large portion of the year and has an annual pay-roll of from $15,000 to $20,000. Another flourishing industry of the town is Joseph A. Brewster's Shirt Manufactory
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which employs 65 people and has a pay-roll of about $25,000 per year. C. M. Barstow's manufactory of heading machines and W. C. Howe's machine shop and garage are also important industries, and the Camden Yacht Building & Railway Company's marine railways and yacht building plant, and Henry L. Alden's Oakum Factory give employment to many. While hundreds of others find employment as carpenters, masons, boat-builders, sail-makers, stone-cutters and in a score of other ways where mechanics and artisans are required.
Rockport's chief industries, outside of those already men- tioned, are the ice business of the Rockport Ice Company, which cuts from the Lily Pond and harvests each year, 40,000 tons of ice which has the reputation of being the best ice cut in Maine ; the Storey Shirt Factory, a branch of J. A. Brewster's Camden business, conducted by Mr. Brewster and H. D. Storey, and em- ploying some 35 people ; the cooperage, grist mill, etc., carried on by the S. E. & H. L. Shepherd Co. at Rockport village, and the cooperage business of the Knox Cooperage Company and others at West Rockport. There are also the usual number of men em- ployed as carpenter, masons, boat-builders, sail-makers, granite- workers, etc., in a place of its size and enterprise.
We have not space to give a history of the scores of indus- tries, some of them important ones, that have flourished here in the past but are here no longer, like fishing, fitting out fishermen, manufacture of paper, powder, scythes, brick, etc. Neither will space permit us to give a business directory of the many mer- chants, professional men and others now here who find profitable occupations in the two towns. Suffice it to say that Camden and Rockport have never lacked sufficient industries to keep their people profitably employed and no towns of the state have more glowing prospects for future growth, activity and prosperity.
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