USA > Maine > Waldo County > Stockton Springs > The story of Stockton Springs, Maine > Part 10
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All seagoers in the early days were not men. The wives often shared the perils and glory of the seafaring life. Many wives accompanied their husbands wherever their ships sailed. They shared the privations and dangers of sea life in those rugged days. Their husbands sailed for trade, and adventure was a bonus that was not always welcome. Their children were often born on shipboard; many of them were born on the high seas. The children usually sailed with their parents until they were old enough to go to school; then they were brought to their
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home ports to receive their education. Some wives remained ashore to care for the children but many times the children were left with their grandparents.
One brave woman was Mrs. Mosman Berry. In 1894, Capt. Mosman Berry sailed in his new barque "Arcadia." His mate was his brother-in-law, Capt. Thomas Shute. While the ship was in New York, Capt. Shute came home to accompany his sister, Mrs. Ella Adelaide Berry, her two children and his own wife, Mrs. Shute, to New York. After they had joined the "Arcadia," they sailed for Cuba. By the time they had arrived in Cuba, the season for yellow fever had started. Before they sailed for the States, Capt. Berry, Capt. Shute and Mrs. Shute had died of the disease in San Jago, Cuba. Many members of the crew also had died. Mrs. Berry shipped another crew and a volunteer captain, Capt. Washington Pendleton of Searsport, Maine. With the bodies of her husband, sister and brother-in-law aboard, she set sail for home. On the voyage home every man on board, Mrs. Berry, her daughter, and Capt. Pendleton were taken ill with the fever. Mrs. Berry recovered enough to take command and brought the vessel into port.
Capt. Everett Staples was perhaps the best known of all our many sea captains. Capt. Staples started his commands by being master of a small schooner. This command was fol- lowed by many more and by 1889, he was in command of the largest sailing vessel afloat at that time, the "Frederic Billings." He visited every maritime port in the world before he retired to his beautiful home in Stockton where he lived for about ten years. His home is now owned by Mrs. Edna Young.
In 1853, Capt. Staples married Mary Staples, daughter of Sally Hichborn Staples and Enoch Staples. Mary Staples sailed with her husband on his voyages for thirty years. Her seafaring life started immediately following her marriage when she and Capt. Staples embarked on the ship "Jacob Badger" which was the largest ship built in Stockton until 1919. The tonnage of the "Jacob Badger" was 1048. The building con-
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tractor was N. G. Hichborn; the master builder was William Brown. She was built in the Hichborn Hard. The "Jacob Badger" was completely furnished and outfitted in Stockton. This voyage lasted seven years and many ports of the world were visited. During this period, three children were born to Capt. and Mrs. Staples. Only one survived, Ada May, who was born January 17, 1860, while the ship was sailing through the Mozambique Channel between Africa and the Island of Madagasca. They were four weeks out from Bombay, India enroute to London, England. Ada May lived aboard her father's ship until she was three years old before she was brought home to Stockton. Her next trip with her parents was when she was ten years old. They went to England and Cuba in the bark "Helen Angier." When seventeen, she sailed again with her parents on a voyage which lasted two years and ten months. It was on this voyage that Miss Staples sailed around the world. Her last voyage with her father was at the age of twenty-six. They sailed on the "Robert L. Belknap" and were gone for a year and a half. During her years at sea, she rounded Cape Horn seven times and sailed around the world once. Ada May married Herbert L. Hopkins August 24, 1892. She lived in Stockton Springs the remainder of her life. Mrs. Hopkins died at the age of 93, March 17, 1953.
Mrs. Hopkins once spent three months in a ship anchored in the harbor of Yokohama, Japan, while her father's ship unload- ed the goods which the Japanese Government had exhibited at the Centennial at Philadelphia in 1876. At this time Capt. Staples had in his cargo several desks for the schools of Japan. For the safe delivery of these desks, the Japanese department of education presented Capt. Staples a lacquered cabinet which was inlaid with gold and silver. This cabinet is now owned by Mrs. Hopkin's only child, George H. Hopkins.
Capt. and Mrs. Everett Staples had one son, Everett Staples who was born in Stockton, January 12, 1866. In his early years, he went to sea with his father. Later he learned phar- macy. Mr. Staples was a prominent citizen of this town. He
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served many years on the board of selectmen and was chair- man of that board at the time of his death, November 24, 1934. Mr. Staples was a member of the Universalist Church and was always interested in church activities.
Everett Staples had literary ability. For many years, he acted as local correspondent for the Bangor Daily News. He was an authority on local history. Mr. Staples wrote many short stories and articles for the Youths Companion and other periodicals.
Another courageous woman was Mrs. Fannie Clifford, wife of Capt. Frank Clifford of Stockton Springs. Capt. Clifford was the captain of the bark "St. James." In 1887, Mrs. Clifford set sail with her husband on a voyage to the far east and back. It lasted three years. Their cargo was case oil which they took to Japan. On the outward voyage, they visited Shangai, Hong Kong and many Japanese Islands. In Japan they loaded with sulphur .* On the voyage home they ran into typhoons, gales, blizzards and sub-zero weather. Mountainous seas washed the decks and froze on the rigging until it was coated with ice. No one could move about the decks without a life- line. One seaman was lost overboard and of course not found. The rest of the crew became very ill from the sulphur fumes. Twenty of the twenty-four men in the crew suffered from frost- bite. All of Mrs. Clifford's pets, which included four dogs, three cats, (one was a Japanese cat) eight parrots, and two Java song sparrows died. Finally, Capt. Clifford suffered a nervous breakdown and Mrs. Clifford took charge of the ship and crew. Capt. Clifford issued all orders for the navigation of the ship through Mrs. Clifford to his crew. Mrs. Clifford also nursed the sick on board. Her chief medicine was Jamaica ginger. After one hundred and eighty-three days at sea, the "St. James" finally docked in New York.
Capt. Clifford died at the age of forty-nine. Mrs. Clifford lived to the age of eighty-two years. She died in June 1939.
* Henry Buxton gives a thrilling account of an adventure which Mrs. Clifford had in Japan in his book "Assignment Down East."
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Their only child, Lewis Clifford of Stockton Springs, died in 1949. Mrs. Clifford was born in Stockton Springs, January 1857, the daughter of Capt. John Panno. When a child she went to sea with her father and visited San Francisco, Java, Manila, China, Japan and all the chief ports of India. In 1879, when she was twenty-two years old, she married Capt. Frank Clifford, son of Capt. Fred O. Clifford. Capt. Fred O. Clifford as a well known sea captain. . He had started his seafaring life at the age of nine years.
Mrs. Hattie Killman Grant was another seafarer. She was born January 7, 1862, at Prospect, Maine. She was the daugh- ter of Capt. Robert and Sarah Heagan Killman. Her father, Capt. Robert Killman, was captain of ships which traded in European and South American ports. Mrs. Grant was born while her father was on a voyage to South America and he didn't see her until she was six months old. When she was six months old, her mother took her and her two brothers to New York where they joined Capt. Killman's vessel and sailed for the West Indies and South American ports. Hattie went to sea until she was six years old; then she and her brothers were left at home to receive their education .* Hattie Killman mar- ried Hulbert Grant, October 17, 1886. Mr. Grant was born in Prospect, Maine, December 31, 1862. He was the son of Good- ing Grant. In early life, Mr. Grant worked for nine years as baggage master for the Maine Central Railroad. For several years, he was in the lumbering business in Penobscot County. The last years of his life Mr. Grant was a real estate dealer in Stockton Springs. The Grants owned the former John Ames place which is now owned by Valmore Bennett. Mrs. Grant died October 21, 1941 and Mr. Grant died shortly afterward, February 1, 1942.
Mrs. Caroline Berry, who was fondly known as Aunt Callie, made several voyages with her husband, Capt. David N. Berry. Caroline was born on Cape Jellison, Stockton Springs, Maine, in 1830. She was the daughter of John and Tryphena * Henry Buxton gives an interesting account of a gale at sea which oc- curred while Mrs. Grant was on a voyage with her father in his book "As- signment Down East."
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Wardwell Staples. She was a direct descendent of Peter Staples who had a grant on the Piscataquis River at Franks Fort a part of Kittery, which is now Eliot, in 1661. Peter's grand- son, Miles, moved with his family to Cape Jellison among the early settlers about Fort Pownal. Caroline became the second wife of Capt. David N. Berry in 1860. Capt. Berry's first wife was Clara Grant. They had four children: Clara (who married Capt. Elden Shute), Hulbert, Maria Berry Richardson, and Emma. Caroline brought up these children and three of her own. The three children born to Capt. David and Caroline Berry were: Willard, Orilla and Olivia. Aunt Callie made several trips to sea with her husband and then remained at home. She was once asked why she had given up going to sea and she replied, "I think a man my husband's age is able to take care of himself but I'm sure several teenage daughters need someone to care for them." ยท Aunt Callie lived to be 106 years, 1 month and 5 days of age. She died February 24, 1936.
Capt. Albert C. Colcord was only twenty-one years old when he took command of the bark, "Evanell." Soon after he married Eleanor Staples, October 18, 1881, and sailed with his bride on the Evanell. Mrs. Colcord sailed with her husband all the years that he went to sea. Occasionally she would come home and remain for a voyage but she was usually at sea with Capt. Colcord. Mrs. Colcord did come home for the birth of their only child, Evelyn. When Evelyn was six months old, she too started her seafaring life. On her first voyage her father's ship visited Manila, New Zealand and Australia. Evelyn took her first steps on land in Manila. The wee girl had never seen grass before and she tried to step over it instead of walking through it-just as she had learned to step over coils of rope and other objects on the deck of her father's ship.
Evelyn received her first doll on a visit to South America and her first reading primer in South Africa when she was five years old. She was taught to read by her mother. During her early school years, she occasionally remained at home for a few months in school but most of her education was in charge of her
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mother. When she was twelve years old, she came home to live with her grand-mother, Mrs. Adelaide Dickey Staples in Portland, Maine. She remained in school until she was eight- een years old, then returned to sea for several years.
It is thrilling to listen to her tales of her life at sea concerning wild storms, foreign ports and many interesting experiences.
One of the great sea mysteries of all time was the mystery of the "Mary Celeste." The first mate of the "Mary Celeste" was Albert Richardson, son of Theodore W. Richardson, of Stockton Springs. Albert Richardson signed on the "Mary Celeste," November 4, 1872 at the age of twenty-eight years.
The "Mary Celeste" sailed from New York, November 7, 1872 with Captain Benjamin Spooner Briggs in command. Capt. Briggs' wife and infant daughter sailed with him. Alter sailing, the ship wasn't sighted until December 4, 1872 and then by the crew of the Dei Gratia. Upon boarding her they found her abandoned. There was no sign of the master, his family or crew! It was assumed that she had been abandoned November 24, 1872 as the ship's log was carried up until that day. No trace of any of the persons aboard were ever found nor was the mystery of their disappearance ever solved.
Albert Richardson married Frances Spates, the niece of Capt. James H. Winchester. Capt. Winchester was the man- aging owner of the "Mary Celeste." After Richardson's death, his widow received a pension from the government until her death at the age of 91, April 29, 1937.
Albert Richardson served in the Civil War as a private in the Coast Guard, Maine Infantry, and received an honorable discharge at the end of the war.
Jennie Richardson Staples, a sister of Richardson, said, "The ship's log was found in which Richardson had entered that they heard rumblings." The ship's cargo included alcohol and glycerine and the only reason that could be given for abandon- ing the vessel was that the cargo had in some way become dangerous to the point that an explosion was expected.
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We cannot leave the era of shipping without mentioning the "Boston Boats."
Early transportation between communities was by water canoes, dugouts and bateaux. In the early days packet ships ran between Stockton and Boston with produce and passengers. Later the "river boats" were the means of transportation.
In 1826, the "Maine," owned by the Kennebec Steam Navi- gation Company, ran between Bath and Bangor.
In 1833, the Bangor and Boston Steamship Company was formed. The first of their boats to ply between Boston and Bangor was the "Bangor." She was placed in commission in 1834. The Bangor was a side-wheeler. Propellors were not applied to steam craft in those days. She had what was known as a "square engine," with no walking beam and with power applied to the paddle-wheel shaft by a series of cog-wheels. The fuel used on the Bangor was cordwood, of which twenty- five cords were used each trip. There was an average of twenty passengers each trip. The fare was six dollars per person which included meals and a berth. The "Bangor" was on this run until 1841.
The run from Boston was considered hazardous because of fogs in summer and snowstorms in the winter. The boats ran in the winter until the Penobscot River froze over, then they were laid off until spring.
The steamer "Portland" is said to have been the first steamer to use coal. She was built in 1835 for the Portland to Boston route. In that year a line of steamers was running between Portland and points on the Penobscot River. By 1836, all the steamboats on the Penobscot River were run by the Eastern Steamship Mail Line. One by one these steamers were with- drawn from this run because of lack of business-by 1844 there was no line between Portland and Boston.
The Bangor Steam Navigation Company of Maine was organized. about 1843 A steamer called the "Bangor" was
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built for this line. Building on her started in October 1843 and she was launched in May 1844. This "Bangor" was the first iron sea-going propeller steamer constructed in the United States. She had independent twin screw propeller engines. The propeller wheels were the Loper type. The boilers were the "drop flue" type.
About the time of the Civil War, a steamship line was es- tablished between Portland and Bangor. Business was good on this line until the Maine Central Railroad started running night trains, then the Bangor Steamship line ceased to be profitable and was discontinued.
In 1843, Captain Sanford of New York ran a route between Boston and Bangor. The steamer "Charter Oak" was on this run. In 1844, the steamer "Admiral" was added to the line. An- other route was established in 1843 by Commodore Vanderbilt between Bangor and Boston. He ran the steamer Telegraph through 1843, but in 1844 she was transferred to the Kennebec run. Because of competition on the Boston and Bangor run, fares which had been $6 and $7 were reduced to $1. In 1845, Mr. Sanford put the "Penobscot" on the Bangor to Boston route. In 1845, this line was known as "The Sanford Line." In 1848, the steamer, "W. J. Pease" was on the Bangor to Boston run. That same year the "Senator", owned by Daniel Drew and James Cunningham made tri-weekly trips between Bangor and Portland. In 1849, Mr. Sanford sold the "Penobscot" and put the "Kennebec" on the run in her place. Cholera broke out on this boat in August of 1849. This was the first time this disease had broken out in the Bangor area. Capt. A. M. San- ford contracted the cholera and died.
In 1843, a very fine steamer, the "Memnemon Sanford," was added to the route. The "Webster" and the "Sanford" ran on this route until 1859. In 1860, the "Kennebec" replaced the "Sanford." In 1861, the "Webster" was chartered for trans- portation of troops by the government, and the "Sanford" was chartered for the same purpose in 1862. The "Webster" later returned to her old run but the "Sanford" did not. In 1863, the
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steamer "Harvest Moon" ran for a short time between Bangor and Portland. In 1863, the steamer "Katahdin" was put on this route. The "Katahdin" was built in 1863 by John Englis and Sons. She was 241 feet long and had 1000 horsepower. Her tonnage was 1234. She served on the Bangor to Boston run for thirty years. She ran into difficulties only once in this length of time and that was on January 9, 1886. On that day, she ran into a heavy gale off Cape Porpoise and battled the storm for ten hours. Her fuel ran out and all the furniture and the cargo had to be burned for fuel. She finally ran out of the storm and made the port of Portsmouth, N. H. She had suffered great damage-her decks were swept clear and her bulwarks were stove in. After refueling, she continued on her trip to Boston. The last of her life, she was burned for junk at Nut Island near Quincy, Mass. in 1894.
In 1867, the "Cambridge" was added to the Bangor to Boston run.
The Sanford Steamship Company was incorporated in 1875 and the "Katahdin" and the "Cambridge" were transferred to that Company. In 1882, the name of that company was changed to the Boston and Bangor Steamship Company. In 1882, a new steamer, the "Penobscot" was added to that line.
Later the Portland Steamship Packet Company, the Maine Steamship Company, the International Steamship Company, the Kennebec Steam Navigation Company, Bath and Booth- bay Steamship Company and the Boston and Bangor Steam- ship Company consolidated and became the property of the Eastern Steamship Corporation. The steamships of this company on the Boston to Bangor run were the Steamers: City of Rockland, City of Bangor, Belfast and the Camden.
There was a steamboat wharf at Sandy Point where the Summers' Fertilizer wharf is now. Fred Black was the wharf tender there for many years.
The steamboats ran daily except Sunday from April 15 to October 1. They left Bangor at noon Monday, at 1:30 p. m.
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on other days. From October 2 to April 14, they made two trips a week. The boat left at 11 a. m. from Bangor. Fares from Bangor to Searsport (31 miles) was 80c. From Bangor to Boston (235 miles) the fare was $3.50. All meals and the state- room were extra and not included in the fare.
The local people cared little about who owned the steamship lines or what they called them-to the local folk the steamers were always the "Boston Boats."
Miss Hichborn said: "Through the gradual monopoly of the European carrying trade by steamer, and the failure of Con- gress to enact proper maritime laws-the western congress- men knowing nothing (perhaps caring less) about such matters as interesting none of their constituents-the financial aspect of the handsome sailing ships after 1870 became less and less attractive. Freights were greatly reduced-owners and navi- gation finding small compensation, comparatively, in sailing the hitherto profitable ships, barques, brigs and schooners." So ended the colorful, exciting era of shipping!
The following is a list of Stockton-built vessels. All Prospect- built ships were listed in ship records as Stockton-built vessels.
1. Endeavor-sloop; captain, Green Pendleton; tonnage 80; launched 1793; builder and contractor, William Griffin; master builder, Jotham Staples; yard, Sears Island.
2. Mary Ann-schooner; captain, Samuel Keys; launched 1800; builders, Samuel Ginn of Prospect and James Ginn of Bucksport; yard, unknown. *
3. Providence-sloop; captain, John Martin; 9 x 69 x 22 x 8; launched 1801; owners, Anna Jones and John Cousens of Pros- pect, John Martin of Frankfort, John Houghton of Milton, Mass., and John Smith of Roxbury, Mass; yard, unknown .*
4. Seven Friends-a schooner; captain, Samuel Park; ton- nage 89; launched 1802; builders, Crawford Staples, et als;
* Built in Prospect.
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master workman, Jotham Staples, yard; Hichborn Yard. This schooner was named for the seven owners: Crawford Staples, William Staples, Jotham Staples, Samuel Park, John Park, Clifford Blanchard and Thomas Blanchard. She was the first ship built in what is now Stockton.
: 5. Diligence-schooner; captain, Samuel French; 96 x 72 x 22 x 7; launched 1803; owners, Samuel Ginn and David Ginn of Prospect. *
6. John-schooner; captain, William Staples; tonnage un- known; launched 1803; builders and contractors, Crawford Staples et als; master workman, Jotham Staples; yard, Hich- born Yard.
7. Dispatch-schooner; captain, John Park; tonnage un- known; launched 1804; builders and contractors, Crawford Staples et als; master workman, Jotham Staples; yard, Hich- born Yard.
8. John Clifford-schooner; captain John Clifford; ton- nage 100; launched 1806; contractors and builders, John Clif- ford et als; master workman, Jotham Staples; owners, John Clifford, John Martin, William Staples, John Shute and James Treat of Stockton; yard, Lowder Brook Yard.
9. Jefferson-schooner; captain, William Clewley; tonnage 110; launched 1806; builders and contractors, John Clifford et als; master workman, Jotham Staples; yard, Lowder Brook Yard.
10. Susie-schooner; captain, Thomas Crockett; tonnage 8; launched 1815; builders and contractors, John Clifford et als; master workman, Jotham Staples; yard, Lowder Brook Yard.
11. Goodwill-schooner; captain; James Rendell, tonnage 8; launched 1816; builders and contractors, James Rendell et als; master workman, James Staples; yard, Lowder Brook Yard.
Built in Prospect.
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12. Traveller-schooner; captain, William Clewley; ton- nage 104; launched 1816; builders and contractors, Crawford Staples et als; master workman, John Farrow; yard, Crooker Yard.
13. Fairplay-schooner; captain, - - Dunbar; tonnage 123; launched 1816 or 1817; builders and contractors, Phineas Pendleton and others; master builder, Samuel Noyes; yard, Park Shore.
14. Enterprise-schooner; captain, John Crockett; tonnage 32; launched 1818; builders and contractors, Crawford Staples et als; master builder, Sebra Crooker; yard, Mill Yard.
15. Freedom-schooner; captain, Levi Staples; tonnage 130; launched 1819; contractors and builders, Crawford Staples et als; master workman, Sebra Crooker; yard, Crooker Yard.
16. Jane and Sally-tonnage 28; owners James Field and Henry Black; launched 1820; yard unknown. *
17. Rose in Bloom-schooner; captain, Thomas Blanchard; tonnage 80; launched 1820 or 1821; builders and contractors, John Clifford, William Nathan Clifford, and Jacob Clifford; master workman, James Nichols; yard, Lowder Brook Yard.
18. Three Brothers-schooner; captain, William Clifford; tonnage 39; launched 1820; builders and contractors, John Clifford et als; master workman, Sebra Crooker; yard, Lowder Brook Yard.
19. American Hero-schooner; captain, Josiah French; ton- nage 140; launched 1820; contractors and builders, Black and French; master workman, Sebra Crooker; owners, Samuel French, Alexander Black, Josiah French and others; yard, Sandy Point.
20. Fishhawk-schooner; captain, Daniel F. Weeks; ton- nage 82; launched 1821; builder and contractor, Charles Ather- ton; master workman, Sebra Crooker; yard, Kidder's Point.
* Built in Prospect.
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21. Hornet-schooner; captain, Thomas Crockett; tonnage 25; launched 1820 or 1821; builders and contractors, Thomas Crockett et als; master workman, James Nichols; built in Jo- siah Colcord's dooryard.
22. Violet-schooner; captain, Peleg P. Griffin; tonnage 33.35; launched 1825; contractor and builder, Eben Griffin; master builder, Eben Griffin; built in J. Ford's dooryard.
23. James and Caroline-captain, Stephen Springer; launched 1825; builder, James Perkins; owners, Stephen Sprague, H. Thatcher, George Barnum and others; built in Prospect but yard unknown. *
24. Prospect-schooner; captain, Nathan Ide; tonnage 99; launched 1825; owners, Nathan Ide, Ezra Treat, Jonathan Dow, James Blake, Abner Smart and others; master workman unknown; built in Prospect but yard unknown .*
25. Deleware-schooner; captain, William French; con- tractors and builders, Black and French; master workman, William Nichols; tonnage 58; launched 1828; yard, Sandy Point.
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