USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Wiscasset > Wiscasset in early days : historical notes pertaining to the old town on the Sheepscot River > Part 3
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And now who is this tall, one-armed man of commanding mien and 210 pounds weight driving in to town in his one horse chaise over the Wool- wich Turnpike, passing the ancient hostelry to us known as Grover's Tav- ern, crossing the Holbrook farm, the haunted gully and the farm of Judge Rice, passing the old wooden jail and turning in across the Common to the banking-house of
the Lincoln and Kennebec Bank, coming here to at- tend meetings of the Bank and In- surance Company? It is no less a personage than
CAPT, PELEG TALLMAN,
from his home in Woolwich or Bath, as the case may be, for he had homes in both of these towns and changed from one to another as the whim suit- ed him, i. e. if so solid and substantial minded a man as Captain Tallman can be said to have had whims; and in connection with such removals it is said that Mrs. Tallman at last refused to move any more, and as they then happened to be living in Bath there they remained, in their large three story house standing near where there is now a flagpole in the city park.
Peleg Tallman was born at Tiver- ton, Rhode Island, 24th July, 1764. Tallman is said to be a Dutch name, and Peleg was in the fourth genera- tion in descent from Peter Tallman. who went from New York to Newport, Rhode Island, and became general so- licitor of the Colony of Rhode Island in 1661. The home of Peleg's father was broken up, and the boy was left to shift for himself at the age of twelve years. His own account of some of his youthful experiences has been preserved: In November, 1840, he wrote:
The first time I went to sea I sailed x x x x in the sloop Beaver, privateer, commanded by Captain Havens. I was on board of her about four months. We cruised in the Sound, off Long Island, both sides, and occasionally off New York, and made many captures of moderate value. I next went in the privateer Rover, Captain Wm. Dennis; we were taken by the Raisonable, 64. The prize master, who was an under lieutenant in the British navy, took me on board the man-of-war with him. Aft- ter some months he was turned over on board a frigate-went to Penobscot and took me with him, where, after some time, I found means to leave, and with consider- able labor and fatigue I found my way to Boston and Rhode Island. The next April I went on board the Rattle Snake, commanded by Capt. Freeborn. I having by this time had some experience on board armed vessels, being constantly on them, of different
sorts gave me a high standing with almost a totally green crew on board the Rattle Snake. This very probably induced Capt. F. to give me a sit- uation much like a midshipman in a public vessel, for which I was to have a deserving share. We sailed from Newport, I think, in April; and the third day we were out run ashore at Barnegat by two British men-of-war, and having taken nothing, but got burnt, my half share came to but little. I jumped overboard and swam to the shore, about a mile, with three others, one of whom, the gunner, did not reach the shore. x x x x I took the road to New London and went on brard the Trumbull.
(It is regretted that he omitted the details of what befell him in the action, by which he was taken out of the fight by a shot that cost him his left arm. The ball shattered the shoulder blade, passed through the upper part of his body, and destroyed the shoulder joint, necessitating ampu- tation at the shoulder.)
I was hauled up, wounded, a long time in Boston, but as I got re- paired so that I could carry easy sail I went to sea again in a privateer brig of sixteen guns. After being at sea three months without any success, we were tak-
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en by a frigate and carried into St. Johns, Newfoundland, and put on board a prison ship. At length, we were sent from thence to Bos- ton. I then went on board anoth- er privateer of twenty guns, Capt. Rathbone, then late of the Navy. After being at sea between three and four months without any suc- cess, we were taken by the frigate Recovery, and carried into King- sale, Ireland, and hove into a loathsome prison, where the sur- vivors of us remained thirteen or fourteen months. About half our number died of small pox and other disorders. At length we were sent over to England and put into Fortune prison. We were there x x x until the peace in 1783, in April. The prison was
then cleared of its contents, and we were sent over to Havre, in France, and there landed naked as we were. We had no means of getting to America from there. I, with six others, walked through France, down to Nantz-I believe about four hundred miles. We there got a passage on board a ship bound to Philadelphia, and there-pray sir, look at my con- dition-I was landed in the rags I stood in, without friends, and only one arm, and knew not where to get a meal of victuals. My friends and relations were all dead or out of my reach. I, however, made the best of my way to Boston, and called on my old friend, Dr. Gardiner. After a short time he took me by the hand-sent me to a mathematical school some months-but my wishes were for the sea. He after a time built a brig and put me in master, with a nurse, as I was young and without much experience. I commanded her about three years, and until the death of the Doctor. Then I was enabled to buy one half of her, which continued me in com- mand. At length I sold out in '91. I had got in command of the largest Bengal ship out of Boston. I was in her and various other employments till '99. In October Mr. Secretary Stoddard sent me a commission as Lieutenant in the Navy, but I then commanded a fine letter of marque ship of twenty guns, the John Adams, bound to Liverpool. I considered this the best business of the two,
and therefore did not accept but returned the commission. I took a few trips in this ship and then left her and the seas altogether, since which I have been engaged in various mercantile pursuits, and have been twelve years in various Legislatures. In 1822, being in the Senate of this State. I found at- tending Legislatures materially in- terfering with my business, which had become considerable. I re- tired from public life with a de- termination never to engage in it again. I have met with various success in business-sometimes lost and sometimes made.
I have written this, to you, unin- teresting sketch of myself, in de- tail, for which I pray your ex- cuse, that you may see how a poor invalid of the Revolution, with one arm, might with hard labor and watching make his way through the world among two-
armed people.
For this long extract I "pray your excuse," as the old Captain expressed himself in the letter written at a time when he was seeking an increase in his United States pension. He passed lightly over the years of his life in Maine, whence he came to reside as early as 1791, and during a considerable period of which he was much engaged in commerce, in navigation, and other varied interests, in all of which he was ever alert and to which he brought a full cargo of sound business sense. His home in Woolwich was on a tract of about four hundred acres situate on Tuessick Neck and which included the land extending from the gut at Arrow- sick Island up as far as the old Preble farm, the northern boundary being at Winslow's Rocks, the western the Sag- adahock River, and the eastern Ne- quasset Bay and the little river that runs down through the great meadows bordering on the Dike road, so-called, which road it is said was laid out and built by Captain Tallman. His large two story house, which was sold about fifty years ago and soon afterwards demolished, stood almost half a mile northerly of the late Sagadahoc Ferry. He made his farm productive: He had at least four fruitful orchards; his farm buildings were numerous and on an extensive scale; and after one of his little daughters lost her life in a fire which destroyed a schoolhouse in Bath he put up there on the Woolwich farm, near his dwelling-house, a one story
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WISCASSET IN EARLY DAYS
building which was used as a school- house for his children.
Mention was made at the annual meeting of Capt. Tallman's member- ship in the commission house of Fra- zier, Savage & Co., in Boston, and there also he had ownership in numerous parcels of land and buildings and there many of his cargoes from West Indian ports were marketed. And in Boston, too, he devoted much time and energy to the interests of the Lincoln and Kennebec Bank, of which he was di- rector.
In January we saw something of the political activities of the great quar- tette of Wood, Carlton, King and Tall- man, during the period of which Capt. Tallman was representative in the Great and General Court of Massa- chusetts from the town of Woolwich in the years 1801, 1802, 1803, and 1804, and from Bath in 1806 and 1807; he represented the Lincoln District in the Twelfth Congress. In the letter from which quotation was made he stated that he was in the Maine Senate in 1822. The story is told that in one session of the Legislature his energy and spirited push drove things along and a short session resulted.
The ambitious commission house of Frazier. Savage & Co., of which Tall- man, Wood, King and Carlton were members,-Frazier being a brother-in- law of King and Savage a brother-in- law of Wood, got on the rocks in course of hard times and the correspondence of Tallman with King shows that the indignant Captain was very bitter to- wards the young members of the firm in Boston:
He implored King, "Do for God's sake pav your individual atten- tion to this most shameful and Degrading business. x x x I always knew the business was totally managed by the Clerks & have named it to you repeatedly-none but luneticks & ourselves would have ever suffered their credits to have been so grossly abused as ours have been by those young men- you know it has always been next to an impossibility even to obtain an account from them & when it was received, in fact the Errors Generally Constituted the Gratest part of it."
In another letter he wrote of them: "They are mere Devotees to Pleasure." He flared out concerning Major Wood, saying: "I have no idea Mr. W. has any more feeling than a Block."
It is well known that the banks of issue had great difficulty in keeping their notes in circulation: In Novem- ber, 1809, Tallman wrote from Boston to King:
It is mortifying & an unprofit- able thing that your bank bills are not considered as current here, while those of Portland & other Banks which are Perhaps, not more respectable are so.
If we had a small fund here to take some more of the bills out of circulation, it would effectually stop the running and give a cur- rency equil to other bills, I have not a cent of accommodation at the Bank, yet I will in Ten Days from now, furnish Ten thousand dollars in Boston money. I came for the purpose. Mr. Wood and Mr. Carlton will each furnish 10,- 000 more & you no doubt will fur- nish from 15 to 20,000. Those sums will make a fund amply sufficient to make the L. and K. bills good and it must be done.
Another characteristic communica- tion may be read: The Rev. William Jenks was pastor of one of the churches in Bath, and one Sunday morning Captain Tallman sent this terse note to his fellow-worshipper, General King:
Dr. Sir
I am told Mr. Jenks has received but a very small part of last year's salary & that he is much in Debt & crowded for money.
Would it not be well for you to urge the Collector to a speedy Col- lection & settlement & if that cannot be done & Mr. Jenks is to be starved, it would be well to chuse a Committee to wait on him with That information.
Yours with respect To W. King Esqr Peleg Tallman Sunday morning
When the political powers that then ruled in Lincoln County selected a candidate to succeed Judge Cook, of whom we have heard much in the past, as Representative in Congress, Captain Tallman was brought forward; and
although General King. that mighty man of Bath, was not altogether fav- orable to Tallman's candidacy he was nominated and elected. And we have from Captain Tallman certain letters upon national affairs. will be remembered that the maritime in- terest of New England was strongly obnosed to the war measures of Presi- dent Madison and his advisers. The
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representative from the Lincoln Dis- trict was heard from:
Washington Novr 6, 1811
Hon. William King Esqr
Dr Sir
Tho we of late have not been on the strict terms of cordiality & knowing as I do that I was not the man of your choice, still I think it a duty to state to you all the in- formation that I obtain here, that any way concerns your interest or your curiosity. You will no doubt Receive the presidents communica- tion before this reaches you. No comments is necessary, it speaks for itself. The documents accom- panying it I presume you will not have yet seene, the correspondence between Mr. Munro and Mr. Fos- ter are altogether at variance they do not agree on a single point, on- ly to disagree & there seems to re- main not the most distant hope of the two nations coming to an ac.
What steps the British will pur- sue you can judge as well as I can, but it seems clear that our trade must suffer a most dreadful eclips the representation here is made up of the Law, Phisic & Farmers. I do not know a Practical merchant in the house, as far as I am ac- quainted they seem willing to take a violent stand against any land in contempt of the consequences. The expences attending it seems not to be any object, borrowing money seems a favorite plan & the paying it again a subject of future con- sideration the merchantile & es- pecially the shipping interest has but few admirers they amuse themselves at the folly of men hav- ing so long ventured their property on the ocean in such critical times, They have no idea but the people will be quite willing to take any steps the Government may think proper to enact either restrictions or war. The navey will be subject of high consideration this session. Your opinions will have due weight & you will please name them free- ly. I am mortified to say that no member from Maine is here except myself
I am with respect Your obdt Servt Peleg Tallman.
Washington Nov 18 1811 Hon W King Esq Dr Sir
I have this hour received your favr of the 13th & its contents ful-
ly noted. I will with Pleasure give you all the information that I am in Possession of from time to time that does not appear in the public papers so far as comports with pro- priety I can now tell you nothing that any way looks favorable to our own measure, the presidents mes- sage that forms the Basis on which congress means to act and
England does not resind: you can easyly figure to yourself what must be the fate of our shiping capital the various committees have the message under consideration-some are for war some are for the pres- ent system & some are for more severe Restrictions on our com- merce. they will report by and by. you will then able to see what steps will probably be taken but it now seems to me if I understand the temper of congress (and I have be- come acquainted with many) that British repeal To be the only thing that can cause any relaxation in our existing laws, as soon as the Documents are printed, which will be in a day or two I will send you a copy and will then write you more fully and in the mean Time am
Your Obt Servt
Peleg Tallman
would it not be important for Ken- nebec to elect some person who is favorable to the mercantile inter- est.
Washington Nov 21, 1811 Hon W. King Esq Dr Sir
Since I wrote you on the 18th nothing new has beene communi- cated to congress, but the Gentle- men who are at the head of such committees as make it necessary for them to call on the heads of Department for Information. I
believe those Ideas for the
sitting of the Treasury
that
it will be best for this country to go to war with England & take Canady novascotia and they think the trade to France will be grate that the dutys arising for the same will be at least seven millions that our privateers will do much to anoy the English. I must con- fess none of the above ideas suits mine but Directly the contrary. I believe a large majority of congress will think favorable of war measures with England, the duties on imports will be probably in- creased at least this will be recom-
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WISCASSET IN EARLY DAYS
mended by & also very
strong measures to enforce the non imporation & a bill is I am told now preparing to be brought into the senate to restrain the trade to very narrow bounds whether we have war or not with, I believe all say, with England for you may rest assured that Messrs Madison & Co are Determined not relax an Inch & I believe a large majority of Congress will go with them all lengths-if England has no objec- tions to war. I fear you may soon hear that the ocean is swept of our vessels for they will very soon know the intentions of this govern- ment. I will without loss of time act as there interest requires. you will please to observe that this let- ter is confidential.
Your Obt Serv
Peleg Tallman
Washington Decr 22 1811 Hon W. King Esq. Dear Sir
I this moment have received yr Favr of the 12 I will call on Mr Granger tomorrow. I have already tryed him on the milage from Bos- ton to Bath & tryd to convince him that the distance was not
150 miles he tells me that his con- tract with Mr Paine the P. M. distance as the mail runs from Boston to Bath is 162, however I will try him again, he is a fine fel- low and wishes to do Justice. The report you name I think with you is too materially exceptionable, it has been taken up twice in the committee of Com & Manefacturers the most of the committee are favorable to it, but I have so far been able to keep it Back & shall continue my most pointed oposi- tion to it-It seems to be under- stood here on all sides that unless England Resinds, that war is en- evitable, on that subject yesterday I had a long conversation with Mr. he thinks that speedy measures should be taken by con- gress to enable our merchants to bring the property now in England & its dependences home, the Com- mittee of Commerce & Manu- factures will take up that subject on fryday next & I hope will make a favorable Report to the house.
I am with respct
Dear Sir your obt Servt
Peleg Tallman
Washington June 6 1812
Hon W King Dr Sir
Congress has been three days with closed doors. The business which occupied the house was fin- ished last evening. You know I cannot communicate its nature, but you will naturally conjecture, knowing nearly what to expect. The house runs 79 to 49. I am a minority man.
The Senate have closed doors this day, & no doubt is entertained but they will concur with the house.
You well know what my fears have always been, a very few days will show you with what degree of propriety I entertain them. What will this change bring to us!
Respectfully Your Ob Servt
Peleg Tallman
It is well known that war with Eng- land was declared ten days after- wards, the war of a faction, for the Democratic majority in a full house was seventy; thus a majority of only thirty in the house declared for war. Later the name of patriotic Peleg Tall- man appeared as subscriber for $25,- 000 of the ten million dollars war loan of 1814.
One may appear to be carried too far a-field with this sailor of the Revolution, this navigator of East India ships, this forthright upstanding man of many and varied interests on land and at sea; but if any excuse were needed it would be that he was inti- mately associated with several of the early members of this Society, the ca- reers of whom must ever be of peculiar interest to us. He died at the age of seventy-seven in 1841. If time permit- ted one would delight to linger over the stories of his family and social life, of his furnishing rum for "the Malitia Company of Woolwich the 4th of July Training;" of the big dinner he gave when he was a candidate for Congress, the whole town being invited to par- take of roast pig, probably from his Woolwich farm, and other attractions; of that other great dinner, served in "a grove of beautiful oaks,
near the mansion house of Hon. Peleg Tallman," when Bath celebrated Independence Day in 1831, when and where a number of the survivors of the days of '76 were present and toasts were drunk, among them one to "Peleg Tallman-our generous host; one of the few who can
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WISCASSET IN EARLY DAYS
say, I have bled for my country." He
had a fund of anecdotes with which he delighted to illustrate a point, such as that of a "man who never thought but once a week, and then he thought he wouldn't go to meetin'."
After his connection with banking in Wiscasset ceased, with the liquidation of the Lincoln and Kennebec Bank, Captain Tallman became President of the Lincoln Bank of Bath, he having been one of the founders of that insti- tution. It is related that at a time during the War of 1812 the specie from the Lincoln Bank was removed in kegs to Captain Tallman's farm in Wool- wich, which kegs were rolled into his wood-house and there remaining re- ported to contain nails.
It has been seen that the Lincoln and Kennebec Marine Insurance Company began business a few weeks after it was chartered and in a time of very great prosperity then being enjoyed by the merchants and
shipowners of the Sheepscot and the Kennebec. Its president was Capt. Peleg Tallman, who appears to have served in that capacity through all its most prosperous years, during which period John Merrill, Jr., a member of this Society, who lived in Main Street a stone's throw from the bank building, was its secretary. That building appears to have been some- thing of a centre of public intelligence, for immediately upon receipt here of President Madison's proclamation de- claring the Embargo off the same was read in the Lincoln and Kennebec In- surance office, which office appears to have been then in the bank building. Of the extent of the Insurance Com- pany's business we had some indication in an extract from the Bank's books presented at our last, meeting; and further it is learned that on the 12th of January 1807. Captain Tallman wrote to his neighbor King:
we have declared a Dividend at the insurance office of 30 p cent. & had then remaining $7500. we al- lowed for all loses claimed against us except Mr Wood's Mt Vernon. We reserved notes for Premiums not due $29000-
By a policy issued in 1804 on Judge Cook's schooner Minerva from Wil- mington to Canada in the West Indies, it will be observed that the Company charged a premium of three per cent. The risks increased during the Em- bargo period, and in a letter from Abiel Wood, Jr., to King it was suggested that a risk upon the ship Florida,
which ship having cleared for Gothen- burgh might well be suspected of at- tempting to enter a British port, he should consider worth from 40 to 50 per cent. and adds that it is a kind of risk they would not be justified in tak- ing on at their office. In the same letter Major Wood informs General King that he has prevailed in an at- tempt to get the office removed to Water Street, where he would attend to the business every day and "almost every hour in the day for a few minutes."
During the period of the active busi- ness of the Lincoln and Kennebec Marine Insurance Company many maritime causes were decided by the Supreme Judicial Court, in some of which the Company was a party. is not well to weary you with details It of such cases, although that of Gen- eral Wood's claim under a policy is- sued upon his brig Betsey in 1807 has some local interest.
If you will look at the list of mem- bers of the Society you will see that on Washington's Birthday, 1816,
SAMUEL CONY
was admitted a member. Colonel Cony, as he was then known, but later as General Cony, had then been a resident of Wiscasset since 1812. He was born at Easton, Massachuset- ts, 24th November, 1775, and in 1777 was brought by his father upon remov- al to the Fort Western settlement, now Augusta. He married a daughter of Judge Daniel Cony, and one of their sons Samuel Cony, who was one of the War Governors of this State, having been elected Governor in 1863-4-5. A story of Judge Cony, while it may not be new to some of you is worth re- peating:
Once upon a time he had oc- casion to ride on horseback from Augusta to Wiscasset on business concerning the Probate Court, and he took along as traveling com- panion an old Irishman, a sort of factotum of the family for many years. As they ambled along the road, side by side, the Judge and the old fellow chatted together merrily enough. But when they came near the village, probably this side of the powder house, the Judge leaned aside in his saddle and said in a low tone, "Now Timothy, you may fall behind a little whilst we are riding into town." Tim did this properly at first, but becoming rather uncer-
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WISCASSET IN EARLY DAYS
tain of the precise and correct distance which he should place and maintain between Judge and ser- vant, he was heard more than once, by passers by, to say loudly to the Judge, "Am I far enough behind ye now, Judge Cony? Judge Cony, am I far enough behind ye now? "
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