USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Portland > The history of Portland, from 1632 to 1864: with a notice of previous settlements, colonial grants, and changes of government in Maine > Part 39
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The ships for the transportation of this species of merchan- dise, were constructed particularly for the purpose ; they were about four hundred tons burthen, were navigated by about twenty-five men, and carried from forty-five to fifty masts a voyage.1 In time of war these ships were convoyed by armed vessels, the arrival of which in this harbor is frequently noticed in Mr. Smith's journal.2
LIST OF PRICES OF MASTS, &C., GIVEN FOR YEAR 1770 IN ENGLAND.
MASTS.
BOWSPRITS.
YARDS.
Diam'r. Length.
Diam'r. Length.
In.
Yd.
Price. St. £48.00.0
Diam'r. In. 25
Length. Yd.
Price. St.
36
36
£110.00.0
38
25
35
35
88.00.0
37
25
42.00.0
24
34
25.12.0
34
34
72.00.0
36
24 1-2
36.00.0
23
32
20.08.0
33
33
56.00.0
35
23 1-2
34.00.0
22
31
16.16.0
In.
Yd.
Price. St.
35
£25.12.0
1 Douglass, vol. ii, p. 53.
2 A number of masts taken from the woods previous to the revolution, in a decayed state in a cove at Purpooduck, a few rods east of Vaughan's bridge, laid till about 1830. They were kept a number of years at great expense, and finally abandoned.
45 5
TRADE
32
32
44.16.0
34
23
32.00.0
21
29 1-2
14.08.0
3L
31
35.04.0
33
22 1-2
24.16.0
20
28
11.12.0
30
36
28.00.0
32
21 1-2
23.04.0
19
27
9.04.0
29
29
22.08.0
31
21
20.16.0
18
25 1 2
7.04.0
28
29
18.08.0
30
20 1-2
16.00.0
17 24 1-2
5.04.0
27
29
14.08.0
29
19 1-2
12.00.0
26
28
12.16.0
38
19
6.160
27
18 1-2
5.07.0
20
17 1-2
4.16.0
The price at the king's navy yard for thirty-six inch masts in 1768, was one hundred and fifty-three pounds and two shillings.
On the conclusion of the war of 1744, the trade of the town acquired a new stimulus, by the accession of some very enter prising men. Among these was Capt. Alexander Ross, who came from Stroma, in Scotland. He commenced business in a store which stood in Fore street, near where the three story house lately occupied by Mrs. Oxnard now stands ; this store he afterward moved into Middle street and connected it with a house which he built on the corner of the street leading to Clay Cove, and which is now standing. He carried on, until the time of his death, a large and profitable business with the Island of Great Britain, and was the most wealthy merchant of his day in this town.1 Not long after Mr. Ross, Robert Pa-
1 Captain Ross brought his family here November 23, 1753 ; he died in Novem- ber, 1768, aged fifty-nine, leaving but one daughter, who married the late Col. William Tyng, and died without issue.
The following extracts from Mr. Smith's Journal will give some idea of the trade here: 1756, September 28. Capt. Ross had a large ship launched. Octo- ber 30, in the harbor are Rouse, Tenney, Granger, the Deal ships, and a snow from Boston.
1761, August 23. Capt. Ross came in, in a large ship to load, as did Captain Malcom, sometime ago, beside which there lie here the three mast ships and the man of war.
1762, October 29. Captain Ross in a large ship of seven hundred tons, came here to load, as did a snow of his a few days ago, beside which there are five other ships and snows here a loading. (Snows had two masts and were rigged like brigs at the present day.)
1763, August 27. Captains Darling and Haggett in mast ships came in last night as did two ships before this week to load by Captain Ross.
1766, November 1. There are six large ships now lying in the harbor.
Mr. Smith's Journal does not present a full account of the arrival and depart- ure of vessels, nor have we noticed all that he has mentioned ; sufficient is given to show the character of our ante-revolution foreign trade.
456
HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
gan, another Scotch merchant came here to reside. He pur- sued the lumber business and ship building on a large scale. The ships which were built were not generally employed in our trade, but with their cargoes sent to Europe and sold. Mr. Pagan kept on the corner of India and Fore streets, the largest stock of goods which was employed here before the war ; he was a man of popular manners and much be- loved by the people, but taking part on the unpopular side in politics at the commencement of our revolutionary strug- gle, he left the country, and after the war established himself at St. Andrews in the province of New Brunswick, where he died November 23, 1821, aged seventy-one. His wife whom he married in this town, was a daughter of Jeremiah Pote, also a respectable merchant of that day.1 Mr Pagan was born in Glasgow in 1750, and was proscribed in the act of 1778. He became one of the principal men in the Province of New Bruns- wick ; agent for the sale of Crown lands ; Judge of a county court, colonel in the militia, and a leading member of the Gen- eral Assembly. Miriam, his widow, whom he married in 1775, died January, 1828, aged eighty-one. They left no issue.
In addition to the timber and lumber trade, a few vessels of a smaller class were employed in the West India business, maintaining a direct intercourse with the Islands and bringing home rum, sugar, and molasses in exchange for lumber and fish. This had grown up a few years previous to the revolu- tion to become an object of considerable importance. A num- ber of vessels were also employed in the fishery.
The following table will show the quantity of shipping own- ed here at different periods before the revolution ; it does not indicate the extent of our trade because it does not include the
I Jeremiah Pote was son of William Pote who came to Falmouth from Marble- head in 1738. He became a loyalist in 1775, and was proscribed; he went to New Brunswick and after the peace he settled at St. Andrews, where he died November 23, 1796, aged seventy-one. His son Robert died without issue, 1794. One daughter, Miriam, married Robert Pagan, another Thomas Wyer.
457
AMOUNT OF SHIPPING
large lumber ships which although owned abroad, regularly visited our harbor.
Year.
Tons.
Class,
1752,
1367,
7 schrs. 15 sloops
1753,
1344,
1 brig of 100 tons,
the rest schooners and sloops.
The brig belonged to Jeremiah Pote.
1754,
1237,
schrs. and sloops.
1773
2020
1774,1 5355,
Remarks. The largest of these was 80 tons
The principal owners were Enoch Ilsley, 403 tons, Simeon Mayo, 163, Benj. Titcomb, 130, Jer. Pote, 122, Jedediah Preble, 110 Stephen Waite, 105, Thomas Sandford, 90 tons.
Of this E. Ilsley owned 272, Pote . 203, S. Waite 185, S. Mayo 133, R. Pagan 175, B. Titcomb 175, T. Sandford 140, Jed. Preble 135, Thos. Oxnard 121.
The shipping contained in the table was owned wholly by persons who lived on the Neck. There was beside this a con- siderable amount of tonnage owned in Cape Elizabeth, more probably, before the revolution, than there is at this day. As early as 1745 there were owned in that precinct five schooners and five sloops, and at a subsequent period the West India business was carried on there to a considerable extent, princi- pally by William Simonton and Ezekiel Cushing. Mr. Simon- ton had a large and valuable wharf in the cove which bears his name, where not only his own but other vessels were found pursuing a profitable traffic.2 More commercial business was
1 The vessels built in the thirteen colonies amounted in :1760 to 20,001 tons. 1775 " 20,610 1771 " 24,068 "
In 1772, one hundred and eighty-two vessels were built, in the thirteen colonies, whose tonnage amounted to 26,544 tons .- Seyb. Stat., p. 310.
2 Col. Cushing did his business on the point where he lived, and which now bears nis name. His house was two stories, the lower one of which is now stand- ing. He was one of the most respectable men in this vicinity, was connected with 30
458
HISTORY OF PORLAND.
done at Cape Elizabeth previous to 1760 than on the Neck. Simonton's Cove was frequently thronged with vessels, and mechanics from this side often sought employment there. But the revolution proved very destructive to that town ; it drew off a large proportion of its active population and annihilated its commerce. It became a mere fishing place for many years, and the people fell into dissolute habits. It is now in a flour- ishing condition, occupied by an enterprising and energetic population, which is pursuing with success, various branches of commercial, mechanical, and agricultural employments. It is one of the best agricultural towns in the county ; its exten- sive river and sea-coast give it an eminent advantage in these several departments.
Falmouth was the only collection district in Maine previous to the revolution. In 1701, naval offices were established by law in every seaport in the province, "for the entering and clearing of all ships and other vessels trading to and from it," and a fee table was prepared for their regulation.1 The colony laws relating to imports were numerous. At first, small duties were laid upon wines and spirits, which were afterward ex- tended to "all goods, wares, merchandizes, and provisions of all sorts, excepting fish, sheep's wool, cotton wool, salt," and a few other articles of common necessity. By a statute passed in
1 Fee for entry of vessels from all places abroad except from Pennsylvania, the Jerseys, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, was one shilling, and from those provinces six pence per entry or four shillings a year at the mas- ter's choice. "For clearing and certificate of the lading two shillings and six pence." Prov. L. 1701. By subsequent laws, the fees were increased.
the family of the same name in the old colony from which he came. He married a daughter of Dominicus Jordan of Cape Elizabeth, and died in 1765. Further particulars may be found in a biographical notice on a subsequent page. William Simonton is the ancestor of all of that name, in this neighborhood; he died in 1794, aged one hundred years. He was one of the Scotch-Irish emigrants that came over from Londonderry in 1718. Andrew, probably his brother, was another of the company ; they were admitted inhabitants in 1727.
459
COLLECTION OF THE CUSTOMS.
1670, by Massachusetts, the duty was ad valorem, one penny for every twenty shillings value, but the tariff was then as now, the subject of continual alteration.
When the naval office was opened in this port, we have been unable to ascertain. Moses Pearson is said to have been the first naval officer, which was probably about 1730. He was succeded by Enoch Freeman in 1749, who was appointed dep- uty collector in 1750. Jabez Fox succeeded Mr. Freeman as naval officer and continued until his death in April, 1755, when he was succeeded by Stephen Longfellow. They were appointed by Benjamin Pemberton of Boston. I find on Mr. Freeman's books the following entries. "Profit and Loss Dr. to Hon Samuel Solley, for my half ye fees of entries and clearances from the last account exhibited viz, from April 4, 1753 to 18th September, 1754.
Clearance foreign 42 at 10s. 8d. £22. 8.
Entries 37 at 10s. 8d. 19. 14. 8.
Coasting clearance 23
3. 6.
entries 7 1. 0.8. £46. 9. 4. One half allowed me by agreement £23. 4. 8."
The time embraced in this account is one year, five months, and fourteen days, and shows one entry every twelve days on an average and one clearance in about eight days.
But the business of the town increasing, it was thought proper to establish a collection district/here in 1758, and Francis Waldo was appointed the first collector.1 There were at that time but two collection districts in Massachusetts, the new one included all the harbors from York to the easternmost part of the province. Waldo appointed Allon M'Lean his deputy, who continued until 1760, when he was accidentally
1 In a letter to Stephen Longfellow, dated March 27, 1758, Waldo writes, "I intend soon for Falmouth to take on me the office of collector and surveyor of the port of Falmouth. In the mean time, if you think proper, you are hereby authorized to act for me as my deputy." Mr. Longfellow had previously acted as naval officer under Pemberton of Boston,
.
460
HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
killed.1 Mr. Longfellow was greatly offended by his removal to give place to McLean. All collectors in the colonies were ap- pointed by a board of commissioners established in England in 1696, for managing the commercial affairs of the planta- tions, for the purpose of more vigorously enforcing the several acts of trade. By these narrow laws, the whole industry of the colonies was hampered and made subservient to the man- ufacturing industry and wealth of England. This Board con- sisted of a first lord commissioner and seven other commission- ers. The principal seat of the power and influence of this board in America was in Boston, where maritime affairs were' administered by a surveyor-general, a commissioner, a comp- troller, a court of admiralty, etc.
For several years previous to 1767, there were four survey- ors general on the continent, appointed by the crown at the expense of one thousand pounds sterling each; from their decision an appeal lay to the office for American affairs in Lon- don. John Temple was surveyor general for the northern dis- trict including all New England, and resided in Boston,2 He
1 Francis Waldo was the second son of Brig. Waldo, and graduated at Har- vard College, 1747. He never was married, a disappointment in that quarter in 1768, induced him to abandon the idea. He writes in September of that year, "Miss - has behaved in a manner so base, ungrateful and false, that I don't expect any further connection there." He was a representative of the town in 1762 and 1763; at the commecement of the revolution he went to England and never returned. His estates here were confiscated under the absentee act and sold in 1782. He died in Tunbridge, Eng., June 9, 1784. M'Lean was killed in the house of Captain Ross, in Middle street in March, 1760, by the falling of the garret floor loaded with corn. This fell upon M'Lean in the chamber, carried that floor down and killed John Fleet in the kitchen. They were both from Scotland, each twenty-six years old, and buried in one grave. Great sympathy was ex- cited by the occasion. Mr. Smith says, "it was the largest and most solemn funeral that ever was in town." A monument was erected over their grave with an appropriate inscription, which still remains in the eastern cemetery.
2 John Temple married Elizabeth, a daughter of James Bowdoin of Boston, January 1767. He was a Baronet. He died November 17, 1799, leaving four children, two sons and two daughters. His daughter Elizabeth, married the Hon. Thomas L. Winthrop of Boston, and was the mother of the Hon. Robert C. Win- throp of Boston.
461
COLLECTION OF THE CUSTOMS.
had a general superintendence of the officers of the customs throughout his district. In 1767, this system was changed and a board of commissioners was established at Boston for the. colonies, to whom was entrusted the powers exercised by the surveyors general and the board of American affairs at London. When the English government commenced the system of rais- ing a revenue from America, an increased activity and vigi- lance was communicated to all the offices connected with the collection of the customs, accompanied by a multiplication of officers. In this port in 1763, in pursuance of strict orders from the surveyor general, Mr. Waldo issued a proclamation against smuggling of rum, sugar, and molasses, which had previously been winked at, and the officers were directed to . execute the law with vigor. In 1765, Arthur Savage was ap- pointed comptroller of the port, and Thomas Child tide sur- veyor. Mr. Waldo was frequently absent from his post, some times on voyages to England, during which times Mr. Child discharged the duties of his office as deputy.1
In 1770, George Lyde was appointed collector of the port by the board of commissioners, who appointed Thomas Oxnard of this town as his deputy. The fees of the collector were about one hundred and fifty pounds a year. At the commencement of the revolution, the officers of the customs here were Mr. Lyde, Mr. Oxnard, Mr. Child, weigher and guager, David
1 Savage had been an auctioneer in Boston; in 1757, he kept on the north side of the town dock ; he was paid by fees. He came here in July, 1765, with his
family and lived in a house which stood in the rear of where the Casco Bank is. . Mr. Child's salary as tide surveyor, was twenty-five pounds sterling a year, and when he acted as deputy collector in the absence of Mr. Waldo, the collector allowed him twelve per cent, of his fees. Mr. Savage was often absent, partic- ularly after the popular excitements commenced here ; on such occasions he confided the duty of his office to Mr. Child. In 1769. Mr. Child was appointed "land waiter," with a salary of thirty pounds sterling, and weigher and guager with an allowance of three pence on a cask of Molasses, and six pence on a cask of sugar, etc. He married a daughter of Enoch Freeman, by whom he had several children ; he died in 1787, his widow in 1812.
462
HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
Wyer, senior, tide surveyor, and Arthur Savage, comptroller. On the breaking out of the war, all the persons connected with the custom-house, except Mr. Child, joined the royal party and left the country. Mr. Child was then appointed to the princi- pal charge of the post by Massachusetts, under the title of naval officer, and held it until his death in 1787. Before the revolution, the custom-house was kept in a dwelling-house on the corner of India and Middle streets, and was burnt in the conflagration of the town.
On the death of Mr. Child, Nathaniel Fadre Fosdick was appointed by Massachusetts, naval officer or collector in Jan- uary, 1788. Mr. Fosdick received at night, through Mr. Na- thaniel Deering, notice of Mr. Child's death, with a hint to move quick. He immediately started for Boston in the midst of a violent snow storm, to make application for the vacant place. His promptitude secured the prize, to the discomfort- ure of other competitors whose horses were not saddled till the next day. Mr. Fosdick was born in Marblehead in 1760, grad- uated at Harvard college in 1779, and came to Portland, after the war, to engage in commercial operations. On the organi- zation of the U. S. government, he received the appointment of collector, and held it until December 1802, when he was removed by Mr. Jefferson, to give place to Mr. Isaac Ilsley. The office was then kept in a one-story wooden building, which stood next above where the Casco Bank is now situated. He lived in the house which stands on the corner of Pearl and Federal strects, south-west side, whose appearance is unchanged from that day. Mr. Fosdick was a hightoned federalist, and a man of fine personal appearance, and social and genial quali- ties. He married Abigail, a daughter of Ephraim Jones, by whom he had several children. He moved to Salem soon after his loss of office, where he died in 1819. His widow died in Boston April 5, 1851, aged ninety-one, the last survivor of the numerous family of Ephraim Jones.
463
COLLECTION OF THE CUSTOMS.
Mr. Fosdick's successors in the office of collector have been as follows :
Isaac Ilsley, 1802, removed 1829.
John Chandler,
1829, retired
1837.
John Anderson,
1837, term expired 1841.
Nathan Cummings,
1841, removed 1843.
John Anderson, 1843, term expired 1845.
Robert P. Dunlap, 1845,
1849,
Luther Jewett,
1849,
1853.
Ezra Carter, Jr.,
1853,
1857.
Moses McDonald,
1857, " 1861.
Jedediah Jewett.
1861, died
1863.
Israel Washburn, Jr. 1863.
The amount of duties paid at the office here before the rev- olution, we are unable to ascertain. The comptroller's fees . for entering and clearing vessels for one month from Septem- ber 10, 1770, were eleven pounds and one shilling ; in 1771, from June 27 to July 20, they were sixteen pounds eight shil- lings and four pence ; from December 11, 1771 to February 11, 1772, they were twenty pounds and seventeen shillings, and the same year from February 22, to May 8, two months and a half, nineteen pounds sixteen shillings and four pence, lawful money.1
Beside the officers of the customs, there was established at Boston a general impost officer, chosen annually by the general court, with a salary of two hundred pounds, who superin- tended the collection of the excise ; he had a deputy in each of the out ports, with a salary of forty pounds a year. In 1756 the law was altered and the excise was farmed out. In 1763, Theophilus Bradbury was chosen collector, and Francis Waldo and Stephen Longfellow, the same year were appointed to farm out the excise on tea, coffee, and China-ware for the county of Cumberland.
! The amount paid into the colony treasury by the excise, import and tonnage duties, was in 1726, £8,800 equal to $10,878 of our money.
" 1847, £17,616
" 1748, £33,480, old tenor, equal to $13,500 of our money.
464
HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
The principal traders in town previous to the revolution, were Alexander Ross and Robert Pagan before mentioned, Thomas Smith who commenced in 1756, and kept on the cor- ner of Essex and Middle streets, Enoch Freeman, Thomas Mosely, and Enoch Moody ; there were beside a few shops where small articles were to be found, kept by Barbara Robin- son, Mary Moody and Mary Bradbury. In 1760 the following persons were licensed to retail tea, coffee, etc. viz. Enoch Moody, Alexander Ross, Wm. Bucknam, John Marston, Mary Brad- bury, Mary Woodbury, and Esther Woodbury.1
At the time of the revolution, in addition to most of the above, stores were kept by Richard Codman, on the corner of Exchange street, Thomas Cumming and John Butler in their houses on India street. Alexander Ross and Thomas Moseley had died ; the widow of the latter succeeded to his business and kept on Fore street. The mode of doing business was differ- ent at that day from what it is at present; there was no sepa- ration in the branches of trade, but the same store contained English and West India goods and groceries without distinc- tion. The dealing in the absence of a free circulation of money was by barter ; there was but little of the common medium of exchange at that day more than was necessary to answer the immediate uses of the people, for the payment of taxes and other necessary purposes. The currency was entirely in silver and gold, the transportation of which was burdensome and unsafe; there were no banks, and after 1750 no paper money.2
1 These I think all lived upon the Neck but William Bucknam, who lived at New Casco. The licensed inholders in town in 1760, were Jane Woodbury, William Bucknam, Robert Mitchell, (Spurwink) Joseph Parker, and Robert Thorndike, (Cape Elizabeth) Joshua Freeman, (Neck) John Thomes, (sign of the red cow, on the road to Stroudwater) Charles Gerrish, and Samuel Conant.
2 Some of the old people who lived through those days and down to ours, came very reluctantly into the modern mode of doing business. Moses Plumer, who had acquired considerable property before the revolution, never would come into the new fashion, but always would trade in the old way; he was so tena- cious of the ancient custom, that he acquired the name of the "Old Way," which he retained for many years.
465
WHARVES.
Before the revolution there were no wharves of any consid- erable length in our harbor; the longest extended from Jor- dan's Point ;1 another of less length projected from the other side of that cove near the town landing, which was called Pote's wharf, from Jeremiah Pote who owned and occupied it; the principal mercantile business was done at these two wharves. It had been in contemplation to unite the two and form a dock, but they were both destroyed in the conflagration of the town, and the project defeated. On the revival of trade, business forsook its former places and advanced further westward. There was a wharf on each side of the entrance into Clay Cove, one called Preble's, the other Pearson's, from their respective owners ; there was also a short one in the cove called Tyng's wharf,2 which still remains, being a little west of the railway, having received a large addition. Besides these, which were all of short extent, there were breast-works where Central and Long wharves and the Pier, now are, which were occupied for mechanic's shops. On Waite's breast-work, where Central wharf is, stood Deacon Titcomb's blacksmith shop; on Deering's, near the foot of Exchange street, was a boat-builder's shop, in which Deacon Milk, and after him his son-in-law Mr. Deering labored many years, with an industry which enabled them to accumulate a handsome estate.' There was no wharf or breast
1 This was called Distillery Wharf, from a distillery situated upon it.
2 Clay Cove, that noted place, with many other land marks of the early days of our history, alas, are obliterated, and the ancient men and women who wan- der through our streets, seek in vain their accustomed haunts. "Say not that the old things are better than the new."
1 Nathaniel Deering came here about 1761, from Kittery, where he was born June 1, 1739, the oldest son of fourteen children. His father died poor, when he was eighteen years old, and the responsibility of contributing to the support and provision of this large family, fell, in a considerable degree upon him. At the age of twenty-two he came east to find employment, and after visiting vari- ous places, he established himself in Falmouth in his occupation as a boat and shipbuilder. His mother about the same time married Deacon James Milk, and these circumstances drew most of the family here. In 1763, James, a son of
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