USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Portland > The history of Portland, from its first settlement: with notices of the neighbouring towns, and of the changes of government in Maine, Part II 1700-1833 > Part 19
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1 Samuel Rollins was accidentally killed by the bursting of a cannon; he was 40 years old, and lived near the corner of Main and Brown-streets.
2 866,66 were collected. The definitive treaty was signed Sept. 3, 1783.
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116
Revival of the town.
[P. II
CHAPTER 9.
Revival of the town-Buildings erected-Number of dwelling-houses and population -- Commerce-Stores and Trade-Wharves- Light-house-Banks-Commercial embarrassments.
AFTER the destruction of the village upon the Neck in 1775, but little exertion was made until the war was over to build up the waste places. The persons who had been deprived of their dwellings, had generally sought refuge in the country, and many continued there until hostilities ceased ; some did not return at all.1 Some however, whose business required it, remained among the ruins and supplied themselves with habitations. The first house after the conflagration, was erected by Joseph H. Ingraham in Fore-street, in 1777, nearly opposite where the mariners' church now stands ; and although it was a small two story house, it excited considerable curiosity and interest, and was considered a rash undertaking in the exposed state of the town. Mr. Ingraham kept his silver-smith's shop in one part of the building ; some additions were made to it in subsequent years and the whole was taken down in 1828 for modern improvements. There were at the time it was built but five houses above it and two below it on Fore-street. Very few ventured to follow Mr. Ingra- ham's example, and at the close of the war, the town looked but little better than a ruin, the naked chimnies of many of the consumed build- ings were then standing, monuments of the desolation. But soon as the notes of peace were echoed from our thousand hills, accessions to the population were rapidly made, and a sudden impulse was given to business and the restoration of the town.2 In 1784, forty-one
1 Among these were Stephen Longfellow, who moved to Gorham, Benja- min Mussey who moved to Standish, and ITugh and Wm. Owen who moved to Brunswick. Mr. Mussey came from Newbury, a young man, and like most of our other enterprising inhabitants, he was a mechanic. About 1745, he married Abigail a daughter of Wmn. Weeks, by whom he had ten children, some of whom are now living in this town. At the commencement of our difficulties with Great Britain, he took an active part in the cause of liberty, and acted on several important committees. He lived near the corner of Tem- ple-street, where a block of stores built by one of his sons now stands. He died in Standish in 1787, aged 66. He is the ancestor of all of the name here. 2 " April 10, 1784. This place fills up very fast. There lately came here Mr. Hopkins (Thomas) Robinson (Thomas) Vaughan (Wm.) Clark (Jonas) and Codman (Stephen). April 12. The trade of the place surprisingly increas-
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177
Buildings erected.
C. 9.]
dwelling-houses, ten stores and seven shops were erected,1 and in 1785, thirty-three dwelling-houses were built : these were all of wood except Gen. Wadsworth's on Main-street, which was com- menced in 1785, and was the first ever constructed wholly of brick in this town ; a third story has been added within a few years, and it is now occupied by his son in law Stephen Longfellow. This was a great undertaking with the limited experience of our mechanics, and was two years in building."
The next brick building was erected by Benjamin Woodman, on the corner of Fore and Silver-streets in 1786, and the third by Ebenezer Storer on the corner of Temple and Federal-streets in 1791, which now forms part of the elm tavern, they were both two stories high.3 In 1792, Woodbury Storer and Ralph Cross built two story brick houses in Free-street, now occupied by Cotton B. Brooks and Reuben Morton, upon each of which a third story has been added ; Peter Warren built another in Fore-street, adjoining Woodman's. At the close of 1792, so much progress had been made in building, that the number of dwelling-houses which had been erected since the conflagration was 234 ; the whole number then upon the Neck was 334, being 104 more than there were before the town was burnt. Of these, five were of brick and the others of wood, some with brick ends, two stories high and built in good taste.4
Dr. Edward Watts, who owned a large tract of land extending from Main to Spring-street, including the land where Beaver and
es. Aug. 1. Strangers, traders and others crowd in among us surprisingly." Sin. Jour. Mr. Smith observed, after the people began to rebuild the houses, that by the blessing of God the town might be restored to its former condi- tion in about 50 years ; the good man did not anticipate the immense impulse which was to be given to our progress by free institutions.
1 Nine of the houses were in King-street, ten in Force-street, and five in Middle-street.
" Previous to the war the only attempts to use brick were in John Butler's house in King-street and John Greenwood's now Mrs. Jewett's in Middle- street, both which had brick ends.
3 Benjamin Woodman married Mary Freeman in 1781, and died in 1787, aged 37.
+ Among these were Capt. Stone's in Middle-street, built 1784, now occu- pied by Albert Newhall, James Jewett's in Middle-street 1784, Wm. Jenks' 1784, Thomas Hopkins' in Middle-street 1784, burnt a few years ago, Capt. Stephenson's fronting the beach 1784, Capt. Sandford's corner of King and Congress-streets 1784, John Kent's in Middle-street 1786, now M. P. Saw- ver's, John Fox's in Fore-street 1786, Josiah Cox's Middle-street 1791, Mr. Kellogg's in Free-street 1792, Benjamin Stone's now Otis's tavern 1791.
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178
Buildings erected. [P. II.
South-streets are, had Free-street opened through his land in 1784, and commenced selling house lots. John Goodwin who came here from Plymouth in 1784, purchased a lot, and the same year com- menced building the house which now stands on the corner of Free and South-streets. At that time there was no house on that side of the way between his and Mr. Frost's at Stroudwater bridge. The next house built on this street was by Capt. Eben'r Davis, on the corner of Beaver and Free-streets, and is now occupied by his son.1 The land above this lot to near where Union-hall stands was a potatoe field, where that hall and other brick buildings now stand was a frog pond and swamp in which whortleberry bushes were standing four or five feet high in 1790. Of so little value was this land in 1794, that the whole heater, including the land on which the block of brick build- ings between Main and Free-streets stands was offered for $30 and refused on the idea that it would never be suitable for buildings.
At the close of 1799, there were 459 dwelling-houses in town ; the three following years 117 were erected, which made the whole number on the first of January 1803, 576, of which 26 were con- structed of brick, and some of them the most splendid edifices which had then or have since been erected in Maine." This rapid increase is unexampled in the annals of New-England previous to this time, although the subsequent history of our country has furnished instances of even more rapid advancement. The dwelling-houses continually increased ; at the commencement of 1805, they were 622, and not- withstanding the commercial embarrassments of the next five years, the number on the first of January 1810 was 703. In the next ten years they did not advance so rapidly as in the preceding period, and were returned by the assessors in 1820 at only 700, which must have been considerably under the true number ; following the proportion of population they would be 849. In 1830, they were 1076.
The growth of the population is indicated by the increase of dwelling-houses. In 1790, that of Portland which had then been
' Capt. Davis was a native of Haverhill, Mass. he had served with reputation in the army of the revolution, and came here in '84 or '85 ; he died in Nov. 1799, aged 45.
2 Two of these houses were built by Hugh and Stephen McLellan, in High- street, which had then lately been opened, at an expense of over $20,000 each. In 1797, there were 409 houses, 208 barns and outbuildings, 86 mechanic shops, 78 stores and shops, 5 offices, 3 rope factories, 2 distilleries, 4 meeting- houses, 2 school-houses, a court-house and jail.
C. 9.]
Trade. 179
incorporated as a separate town was 2,240 ; in 1800 it was 3,704,1 1810, 7,169, in 1820, 8,581, embracing 1507 families, of which were 337 widows, 101 persons of 70 years of age, 32 over 80, and one woman 103. In 1830, the population was 12,6012
The rapid increase of dwelling-houses and of population is an in- dication of the advance and prosperity of trade. No foreign com- merce was carried on during the war ; some advantage was derived to the people by the occasional arrival of a prize, the fitting out of privateers belonging to other places, and the supply of the soldiers. The first store opened after the destruction of the town was in Fore- street by Nathaniel Deering ; it was upon a small scale suited to the depressed circumstances of the town, and, according to a common usage of that day, was kept by his wife. Here and in his industrious habits was laid the foundation of the large estate he left to his children. A few other small shops were opened during the war where articles of common necessity only were sold. But as soon as the war was over, trade started at once into full activity. In June 1783, two large ships came here to load, one of them a mast ship, the first of the kind since '75. Early in 1784, a number of enterprising persons moved here, who brought capital which was much needed, and went largely into business. Among these was Thomas Hopkins from England, who opened a store in Fore-street, Thomas Robison in Main-street, Jonas Clark in Exchange-street,3 and Stephen Codman, first on Tit- comb's wharf, and then in King-street.
In 1785, the following persons in addition to those just mention- ed, were engaged in trade here : John Butler, Thomas Cummings and Abraham Osgood in King-street, James Fosdick, Dr. Edward Watts, Thomas B. Waite, stationary, and John Baker, saddlery, &c. in Middle-street, Robison, Edgar and Reed, 4 and Peleg Wads-
! The remaining part of Falmouth in 1790, contained 2991 inhabitants, and in 1800 3122, and Cape-Elizabeth, which in 1790, had a population of 1355, had fallen in 1800 to 1275.
" This included 317 upon the islands, viz. Long island 26 families, 146 souls, Penke's 13 fam. 70 inhab. House 3 fam. 24 inhab. Little Chebeag 3 fam. 21 inhab. Hog 2 fam. 18 inhab. Bangs's 1 fam. 14 inhab. Jewell's 1 fam. 12 inhab. Crotch 1 fam. 7 inhab. Cow 1 fam. 5 inhab.
3 Mr. Clark did not long continue here, he offered his stock for sale Dec. 1785, and soon after moved to Kennebunk. Stephen Codman did not contin- ue here many years, he returned to Boston ; his wife was daughter of Thomas Robison.
4 Mr. Edgar came here with his family in Aug. 1784, and this firm soon com-
180
Trade. [P. II.
worth in Main-street ; Harding and Shaw, David Smith, who came from Nova Scotia, in a store in Fore-street, near the head of Union wharf, which he styled in his advertisement, "the west end of the town." Fabre and Dunn in Clay Cove, and Lemuel Weeks on Deering and Ingraham's wharf.1 The traders at that time, kept general assortments of merchandize, which were disposed of by bar- ter for the principal articles of country produce or manufacture, as lumber, pot and pearl ashes, flax seed, &c. which were shipped to England and the West Indies, to pay for their importations.
At this time, there were great embarassments upon trade arising partly from the want of suitable regulations by our own Government, but principally from measures adopted already by Great Britain, by which the West India ports were shut against American vessels. While our own vessels were excluded from a profitable trade which they had carried on before the war, and which from the abundance of lumber, our great staple, had been particularly favourable to this section of the country ; British bottoms were allowed free ingress into our harbours, which supplied all their own markets and became the carriers of our produce to the great injury of our navigation. This state of things was seriously felt throughout New-England, and the Legislature of Mass. was urged to adopt some measures of pro- tection. In 1785 the representative from Falmouth, Joseph Noyes, was instructed by the town to repair immediately to the general court and use his utmost exertions to procure the passage of a law to remove the evils under which the people laboured, by excluding British ships from becoming carriers of our commodities, or impo- sing such duties on exports shipped in British bottoms as should pro- duce a reciprocity in the course of trade. They close their instruc-
menced a large business in the house now occupied by Thomas Brown ; they opened a distillery on Robison's wharf, and purchased the large tract of land from Main-street to Fore river, through which Ann-street was opened in 1788. The partnership was dissolved June 1, 1786.
' The following persons were licensed as retailers Oct. 1785 : Jos. Green- leaf, Samuel Martin, Jos. Parsons, James Fosdick, Stephen McLellan, John Bagley, John Kent, Nath'l Atkins, John Jolly, Jesse Partridge, Thomas Sand- ford, And. P. Frost, Jon'a Bryant, Peleg Wadsworth, Stephen Harding, Wm. Brown, Jos. Mclellan & Son, Wi. Tate, Eben'r Owen, Jas. Jewett, Lemuel Weeks, John Quinby, John Archer, Wm. Waite, Sam'l Butts, Eliphalet Deane Thomas Cummings, John Baker, Woodbury Storer, David Stoddard, I'm. Frost, Josiah Cox, Wmn. Purinton, Dan'l Mussey, Stephen Waite, Ebenezer, Davis, Jas. Webb, Richard Codman jr. Samuel Bryant, James Means, Josiah Tucker, Haggett & Moulton, Nath'l Fosdick, John Hobby, Jas. Poole and David Smith. Those in italics did not keep upon the Neck.
1
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181
Trade.
C. 9.]
tions as follows : " And in general we direct and instruct you to ex- ert your influence that such good laws be made and enacted as may promote and encourage our agriculture, manufactures, and fishery ; as may discourage and prevent the importation of wrought goods in- jurious to our own artificers and mechanics ; and that a heavy impost be laid upon foreign luxuries, gewgaws and trifles, whether introdu- ced by British agents and factors or by our own merchants and im- porters." At the same time they requested him to use his exertions to procure a light-house to be erected on Portland point, as soon as possible. In pursuance of the efforts made at this time by the peo- ple, an act was passed in June 1785 to exclude British ships wholly from taking ou board any articles, the growth, manufacture or pro- duce of any of the United States during the continuance of the pro- hibition of our vessels into the ports of the West Indies. But in case those restrictions were removed, and a free trade permitted, their vessels should be admitted on the payment of a tonnage duty of 5s. a ton and a light duty ; and Boston, Falmouth and Dartmouth were established ports of entry and delivery.1
The amount of the commercial operations of the town for a few years after the peace, may be gathered from the following table show- ing the number of arrivals at this port.
Year.
Ships. Brigs. Schrs. Sloops. Total. Tons.
Remarks.
From Nov. 12 to ? Dec. 31, 1783, 5 1784,
2
22
21
37
.
1785,
2
19
14
31
1786,
21
15
32
1787,
1
31
35
22
5
3
8
16 1040
None over 120 tons.
82 6081 Two were for- eign vessels, one a ship of 350 tons-the largest American vessel was a brig of 200 tons. 66 5245 One British ship 540 tons-there were 77 clear- ances, 26 of which were for foreign ports.
68 58 from foreign ports, principally the West Indies. Clearances 80 ; 30 brigs, 21 schrs. 29 sloops.
89 78 from foreign ports ; 99 clearances ; 87 for foreign ports.2
1 The act levying light money was passed Oct. 1783, to take effect Nov. 1, 1783 ; it required a duty of 2d. a ton to be paid by all vessels not employed in coasting and fishing, and those over 30 tons to pay 4d. per ton a year.
2 In 1827, the entries from foreign ports amounted to 28,298 tons ; in 1831, the foreign arrivals were 200 and clearances 218 ; in 1832, there belonged to this port 17 ships, 93 brigs, 86 schooners, 11 sloops, 6 barques and 2 steam boats, measuring 334,128 tons.
23
182
Trade. [P. II.
We have no means of ascertaining precisely the amount of ton- nage that belonged to this port at that period ; there were few brigs at first, the vessels were principally schooners and sloops, which were employed in coasting, fishing and in trading to the West In- dies. The brief view exhibits a constant increase in the mercantile business and a striking change in the class of vessels employed, the sloops in which business was chiefly pursued before the revolution having given place to brigs. The West India trade has always been a source of profit to the people of this town, and more business has been done here in that direction, than in any other port on the conti- nent in proportion to its population. In 1787, out of the 89 entries, 73 were from the West Indies, and the same number was cleared for the West Indies. For the purpose of making a comparison, we may be permitted to leap over a space of 40 years to show that this branch of trade continues to receive undiminished attention from our people. In 1826, the tonnage of vessels entering the port of Havana alone from the United States, was 117,776 of which 11,619 tons were from Portland, while from Boston there were but 10,930, New York 8,516, and Philadelphia 4,936.1
In 1787, there was not a ship owned in town ; in 1789, the amount of tonnage was about 5000, which in 1793, had increased to 11,173 tons, of which 10,727 was registered, consisting of 13 ships, 24 brigs, 23 schooners and 20 sloops. The tonnage went on grad- ually increasing until 1807, when it stood 39,009 tons of registered and enrolled vessels over 20 tons. It fell off the three following years in consequence of the restrictive system ; but in 1811, it be- gan to recover, and April 1, 1812, just previous to the declaration of war with Great Britain, it had risen to 35,512 tons, when it under- went another heavy reduction. The highest point to which the reg- istered and enrolled tonnage of this port has attained, was in 1829, when it stood at 51,111 tons, which included 16 ships, 8 barques and 107 brigs, measuring 29,799 tons. The sudden and immense increase of trade here, indicated by the progress of the tonnage, may further be perceived by a comparison of the duties received at the custom-house at different periods : In 1790 the whole amount of
1 In 1831 the importation of molasses into this place was 36,460 hhds. 370 tierces and 1,121 bbls .- foreign exportations were boards, 22,244,316 feet, shooks 57,784, &c.
C. 9.]
Trade. . 183
duties which accrued at the office was but $8,109 ; it had advanced in 1801 to $204,333, and in 1806 to $342,909.1 On the 30th of Sept. 1832, the registered vessels belonging to this port were 28 ships, 90 brigs and 12 schooners, the enrolled and licensed 12 brigs, 203 schooners, 33 sloops and 3 steam boats ; those under 20 tons 27 schooners and 4 sloops, making the whole number of vessels 412, employing in their navigation about 2700 seamen.
Dr. Dwight who visited the town in 1797, makes the following re- marks respecting it : "No American town is more entirely com- mercial and of course none is more sprightly. Lumber, fish and ships are the principal materials of their commerce."? Probably no period of our history was more prosperous than the three years pre- ceding the first embargo ; the navigation had increased 12,000 tons, and the amount received for duties was higher than it has ever since been. But the melancholy events of that period had a most disastrous effect upon all the springs of our prosperity.
As the trade and wealth of the town increased, stores were erect- ed aud the accommodations for business improved. 10 stores and 7 shops were built in 1784, 9 stores and 7 shops in '92, 8 stores and 9 shops in '93, 4 stores and 8 shops in '94, and 7 stores and 5 shops in '95 ; these were all of wood. In 1793, Joseph H. Ingraham erected a block of wooden stores one story high, on the spot in Fore-street now occupied by the mariners' church, which attracted much attention from their having been superior in size and style to any thing of the kind before erected in town. This will hardly be credited by those who remember the block, which was burnt down in August 1827. The trade which before the revolution was con- fined to the neighbourhood of King-street, and which first revived there after the war, began rapidly to advance westward, and by the year 1800, Exchange-street became the principal seat of business ; it was then filled with small wooden shops. In 1795 when Eben- ezer Storer built the wooden store which now stands on the corner of Union and Middle-streets, it was thought to be far out of the way
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1 For further details on this subject see Appendix XII. The amount of ton- nage in Massachusetts including Maine in 1790 was 197,368, and the amount received for duties for one year in the Commonwealth ending Sept. 30, 1790, was 8320,430 98. The whole tonnage of the U. S. in 1790 was 479,091; in 1792, 568,283; in 1810, 1,424,783 ; in 1816, 1,372,218.
2 Dwight's travels 2. 168.
184
W harves. [P. II
of business. But this illusion was soon dispelled, and trade advanc- ed westward with a firm and steady step, creating a demand for lar- ger stores and better accommodations than had before been furnish- ed. In 1798 Henry Titcomb built the brick stores on the corner of Union and Middle-streets, two in number, which were the second of that material constructed in town.1 The next year Capt. John Mussey commenced building the block in Middle-street which bears his name,2 and James Deering the block on the corner of Fore and Exchange-streets. From this period, ranges of brick stores arose with great rapidity in the business part of the town.3
The wharves kept pace with other improvements in town. After the war, breast works were erected along the shore by Mr. Deering and Mr. Fox, fronting their property at the foot of Exchange-street ; by David Smith and Daniel Ilsley at the foot of Union-street, and by Thomas Robison near the foot of Ann-street. Mr. Ilsley and Mr. Robison erected distilleries upon theirs ; the others were occu- pied for mechanic shops and ware houses. The first attempt to ex- tend a wharf to any considerable distance into the river, was by the proprietors of flats, at the foot of Union-street. The principal owners were David Smith, Robert Boyd, Hugh McLellan & Son, Enoch Ilsley & Son, Woodbury Storer, John Mussey, and Daniel Ilsley. They held their first legal meeting, January 1, 1793, and the same year commenced Union Wharf, on which in the two fol- lowing years they erected ranges of buildings containing 15 stores.4 This wharf has since been extended and is now 2200 feet long. This undertaking stimulated other gentlemen to a similar enterprise ; the owners of flats at the foot of Exchange-street, called a meeting on
1 The first was erected by Samuel Butts in 1792 connected with his house on the south side of Fore-street, a little east of the passage way on to the Pier. Mr. Butts was a tailor, and came here from Boston in 1784, was suc- cessful in business, and afterwards went into trade ; he is still living.
2 He first built two stores on the corner of Temple-street; next year the two at the other end of the block, and the third year he moved his dwelling- house back on to Temple-street and filled up the space with stores to com- plete the row: he made the bricks himself in the old yard of his father, near the foot of Centre-street.
3 Stone was first used here as a material for building in 1828. The first brick school house was erected in 1802.
4 Their flats were 16 rods wide to the channel, the passage way to the wharf 48 feet wide ; the stores were 30 feet wide with a passage way on each side.
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C. 9.]
Wharves and Light-house.
185
the first of February in the same year for the purpose of improving the land now occupied by Long wharf, and voted to proceed imme- diately to the construction of the wharf. The flats owned by the proprietors were 116 feet wide, extending to the channel of Fore river and were held in common, one share being equal to 50 feet in length of the wharf.1 Soon after this Joseph H. Ingraham commenc- ed his wharf lying next east of Long wharf ; to which several addi- tions have been made, until at the present time it is 666 feet long, and is now called Commercial wharf. In 1807, the Pier was com- menced between Titcomb's and Ingraham's wharves by Robert Boyd, Josiah Cox, Enoch Preble, Jacob Noyes, Wm. Lowell, Ezekiel Day, Parker Ilsley jr. John Motley, Peter Warren, Jona. Paine jr. and Benjamin Knight. In 1820, the number of superficial feet of wharf in town, was 392,096, which embraced those we have just mentioned, and Titcomb's, Weeks's, Richardson's, Merrill's Distillery, and Robison's wharves, besides some breast works. There have been since added, Central, Widgery's and Railway wharves.2
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