USA > New York > Suffolk County > Riverhead > History of Suffolk country, comprising the addresses delivered at the celebration of the bi-centennial of Suffolk county, N.Y., in Riverhead, November 15, 1883 > Part 14
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25
Grey Gull S. PRIOR HARTT.
80
66 George Milner
Wanderer
69
Sloop Katy Did
.€ Unexpected
9 Brig Caroline E. Platt
Laurel
10 Schr. Golden Eagle
(smack) Nettie
8 Sloop Lady Emil
Contest
22 Schr. William Ellis
(built by C. Beebe)
9
Sea Bird
ISAAO SCUDDER KETCHAM.
Tickler
Dates not given, but commencing in 1820.
Maxon Rogers
66 Alfred Chase
Sloop Constitution
60
Jonas Warren
Planet
70 Sloop Delaware
Tonnage and date not given.
Schr. Viola
80 Sloop Fanny Kemble 60 A. Darling Alamonde 10
G. B. Mcclellan
20
21
.
116
APPENDIX. - SHIP BUILDING.
S. PRIOR HARTT.
Rig. Name,
Tons.
Year
Rig. Name.
Tons. Year. Schr. S. S. Brown
115
1868
Sloop Three Sisters
Stmr. Pastime
100
1869
Phebe Ann Levinus
Tourist
100
1869
Mischief,
"
Passport
100
1873
Adelaide
Sloop Pell
30
1874
66 William Middleton
Billard
20
1874
Chief
Stmr. Ripple
100
1876
John Abeel
JESSE JARVIS.
Schr. Nettie
Sloop Orange
69
1841
- Robert B. Coleman
Schr. Detroit
100
1844
David Crocker
Sloop Ann Strong
60
1844
Sloop Sarah Elizabeth
(yacht) Hector
14 1847
66
Maltby
Johnny Leviness
30
1849
Lady Elizabeth
Schr. Henry J. Scudder
98
1852
MOSES B. HARTT.
Sloop Robert Freeman
20
1853
(Brother of S. Prior Hartt.)
Louise
27
1854
Sloop Mary A. Smith 65
175
Sher.(Pilot boat) Edna C. . 40 46 Flying Fish
20
1860
66
Kingbird
130
Schr. Marianna
100
1862
66
Milton
100
Sloop Gleam
58
1862
Schr. (smack) Petrel
72
1863
Sloop George Edwin
60
1870
(yacht) Mattie
50 1863
EDWIN LEFFERTS.
Sloop Dictator
19
1863
Sloop Mollie
15
Bolton
16
1864
Sarah Louise
30
Marianna
22
1865
" Alvaretta
35
Stanley. Howard
33
1865
Sallie
15
Schr. Phil Sheridan
128
1866
Schr. Eva Lewis
100
1867
(sm'k) Eliza J. Kings- land 58
1867
Schr. Wm. W. Wood 110
Racer
87
1868
Lillie Wilson
80
"
Ella
80
1869
Wm. Miller
175
Sloop Lena Becar
54
1870
George Edwin
120
1879
Schr. J. S. Curtis
228
1870
ERASTUS HARTT.
Sloop Cornelia
70
1870
Stmr. Wilmington
75
1870
Sloop Sarah Lucinda
30
1858
Sloop Bride
50
1871
Elsie May
35
1861
(yacht) Mischief
30
1872
Helen A. Brown
65
1864
(smack) Isaac Walton
29
1874
John Roach
45
1864
James Kirby
24
1875
Mary Suydam
35 1865
66 Louise
19
1879
Stmr. L. J. N. Stark
300 1866 Stmr. F. F. Browne
54 1881
Sloop A. Brush
65
1867
66 Lizzie Woodend
58
1883
JESSE CARLL.
1860
Wm. Cogswell 235
1860
Blackbird
130
Sloop Harriet
1849 Schr. (sm'k) Eliza L. Rogers 68
1859
Schr. Peerless
J. M. Kissam 90
Sloop Emma Brush
60
(Son of S. Prior Hartt.)
Of all the Northport shipbuilders perhaps the most successful and widely known is Boss Jesse Carll, a native of Huntington town, who, when 17 years old began an apprenticeship of five years with Boss James M. Bayles, of Port Jefferson. In 1855 he began business at the yard now occupied by him, then one-half its present size in connection with his brother David Carll. In that year they built for Seth R. Robbins, of Brooklyn, two sloop lighters each of about 80 tons, but their names are not given. In the following year they built for the noted Appleton Oaksmitt a fine bark of about 650 tons-a large vessel in those days, having a poop-deck and two full decks-named the Storm Bird. She was launched inside of 87
117
APPENDIX. - SHIP BUILDING.
days from the laying of her keel, which was a notable instance of energy and expedition when the limited resources of the yard at that early day are considered. Through sharp practice they were cheated out of the fair profit they would have made on this contract, but the young firm were not dis- couraged thereby. They then paid their workman from $4 to $4.50 per day. The partnership was dissolved in 1865, David returning and after- ward opening a yard at City Island. Jesse Carll has since 1865 built some large and highly successful vessels, which are regarded as specially excel- lent in respect to beauty of model, speed and staunchness. He did not preserve any record, however, and cannot give exact figures, but in the following list accuracy is approached sufficiently for all practical purposes, though in some cases the tonnage is not the registered number of tons but indicates the carrying capacity.
Some of the more noteworthy vessels built by him, with incidents in their careers, are: Schooner Storm Cloud was sold and sent to California. Schooner Joseph E. Nickerson, a keel boat, built for Boston and Cape Cod parties, the builders retaining a quarter interest, was sold, and after 15 to 20 years of service Mr. Carll, with Messrs. Yates & Porterfield, of N. Y., the leading firm in the West African trade, bought her for that trade ; after making several voyages in command of Capt. Israel Whitman, she was seized by the natives while on a trading voyage up the Congo River and destroyed. Schooner Wm. Mazyck, built for Capt. Conklin, of Smith- town, was named after a Southern rice planter and employed in the trade to Georgetown, S. C., after one trip, in 1861, to avoid seizure she had to make a hasty departure. Schooner Lucetta, designed expressly for the fruit trade, was the second vessel of her kind built up to that time. The years 1862-63 were dull in the building line, but the yard was fully oc- cupied with repairing and rebuilding, in which branch of the business there is less renown but more profit. In 1866, Mr. Carll, then running the yard alone, built his first vessel, the schooner Goddess. In 1867 he built for the Mediterranean fruit trade the schooner Jesse Carll, then declared to be the handsomest craft of her class sailing out of New York ; she was also a fast sailer, once making the trip from Gibraltar to Baltimore in 20 days and beating by 5 days the fastest English fruiter afloat ; several thousand dollars changed hands in bets on the passage, between the charterers of the two vessels ; she was finally stranded on the Spanish coast in a hurricane, while discharging cargo at an open roadstead. Brig Moses Rogers, com- manded by Capt. Edward M. Jones, of Cold Spring, in the Malaga trade, was of about 600 tons burden (383 registered). Schooner Ann E. Carll, built for Capt. Benj. Tyler, was a fine craft, and after ten years service, during which she was twice stranded-once off Norfolk, Va., and once on Block Island-was finally wrecked on a low coral island 60 miles from Cienfuegos, Cuba ; it was inhabited only by alligators who came near devour- ing the crew before they could make fires to protect themselves, but at last the tables were turned (literally) and the crew, having used up all the pro- visions they had been able to save, were forced to eat the alligators ; the vessel was whole when they were taken off by a Spanish gunboat, but the expense of floating her would have been more than she was worth. Brig Osseo, of about 700 tons burden (454 register), 21 feet deep in after hatch, with two full decks and poop, was designed for the Mediterranean trade ; is a large and expensive vessel, costing about $40,000 ; is still running, and
118
APPENDIX. - SHIP BUILDING.
Mr. Carll retains an eighth interest in her. Bark Carrie L. Tyler, 565 tons register, carrying about 750 tons, having two full decks and a poop, is engaged in foreign trade and Mr. Carll is a part owner. The schooner yacht Clio was rebuilt at his yard and her speed greatly increased by being lenghtened 12 feet and almost completely re-constructed. The schooner yacht Ariel was served the same way with a similar result; she is now on the Pa- cific, having sailed to California by way of the Straits of Magellan. Schooner Joseph Rudd, a double-decked, centreboard vessel, built for the Texas trade, owned by the builder and Messrs. Woodhouse & Rudd, of N. Y., achieved distinction by an accident unique of its kind and a deliverance equally notable. In a norther off the mouth of the Rio Grande she was car- ried two miles inland and left upright and tight, but so far from her " native element" that it seemed hopeless to think of her ever floating again. Her owners expended $23.000 in digging a canal to the sea, and after a year's enforced absence she was again clasped to the bosom of the Gulf, an ex- perience only paralleled by that of the brig Atalanta, built by J. M. Bayles & Son at Port Jefferson, which vessel was driven on the Mexican coast in a norther and lay there for nearly a year before she could be put afloat, without sustaining any appreciable strain or any worse apparent injury than the loss of part of her copper sheathing. Schooner Herbert E., built for Woodhouse & Rudd's Texas trade, carried about 600 tons, was valued, new, at $35, 000. In 1880 bark Mary Greenwood, the largest vessel built at that yard, of about 1, 100 tons capacity, was launched ; is now in Aus- tralia under command of Capt. Tooker, and Mr. Carll owns three-eighths of her, the balance being held by N. Y. parties. Schooner Fanny Brown, of about 800 tons capacity, having two full decks and a poop, is a fine vessel, principally owned in Richmond, Va. The last vessel launched from his yard is the schooner Allie R. Chester, built on his own accoun and still principally owned by him ; a vessel of somewhat similar type, size and style to the Fanny Brown, and commanded by Capt. George Tyler, of Smithtown. While no record has been kept. he thinks that in all, of large and small craft he has built or aided in building between 40 and 50 ; but finding the margin for profit small on new work he has, for the past twenty years, sought to do only enough of it to keep his men steadily employed ; his force of workmen during that time ranged from 25 to 95. Three times in the same period he has had to make Southern trips for the benefit of his health, impaired by constant and close application to business.
The lists below are made up mainly from memory and are not com- plete, but excepting tonnage as above noted, may be accepted as practically correct :
JESSE & DAVID CARLL.
Rig.
N. R. WHITE. Name.
Tons.
Year. Sloop (lighter) -
80
1855
Sloop Competent
60
1834
66
80
1855
66 Ben Franklin
75
1835 Bark Storm Bird (about)
680
1856
Schr. Henry Chase
65
1837 Schr. Joseph E. Nickerson 350
1858
Sloop Roanoke
80
1840 .. Storm Cloud
280
1858
Schr. Globe
136
1846
Helen Burton
150
1859
132
1847
Orvietta
230
1859
Sloop
25
1849
Wm. Mazyck
140
1860
66 Augusta
36 1850
Lucetta
250
1861
Schr. N. R. White
30
1878
25
1882
Sloop Idea
T. B. Smith
119
APPENDIX. - SHIP BUILDING.
JESSE CARLL.
Sloop Mary & Martha (ab't) 100 1871
Schr. Goddess (about) 250 1866
75
1872
Jesse Carll
300
1867 Bark Carrie L. Tyler 66 750
1873
Brig Moses Rogers 66
600 1867 Schr. Joseph Rudd 66 450 1874
Schr. Gaillard
80 1868 66 (yacht) Addie Voorhis 55
1875
Sloop (lighter)
66
90
1868 66 Annie Webb
200
1876
Schr. Ann E. Carll
400
1868
Frances
600 1878
Francis E. Hallock "350
1869
66 Emma Ritch
400
1879
Brig: Osseo
700
1870 Bark
Mary Greenwood " 1,100
1880
Sloop Farmer
70 1870 Schr. Fanny Brown
800
1883
Schr. Florence
160 1871
Allie R. Chester 800
1884
This makes a total, so far as stated, of 179 vessels, including 91 sloops, 2 sloop yachts, 4 sloop lighters, 1 sloop smack, 58 schooners, 2 schooner yachts, ¿ schooner pilot boat, 3 schooner smacks, 3 brigs, 3 barks, 8 steamers. Reducing tonnage capacity where so given to average of regis- ter, there are of recorded tonnage built at Northport about 16, 500 tons, and allowing fair averages for the vessels whose tonnage is not given, the ag- gregate will be close upon 18,500 tons of shipping built at that port.
CENTREPORT.
Eligibly situated at the head of Centreport Harbor, an offshoot from Northport Bay, this small but thriving village early engaged in the business of shipbuilding and car ied it on to a moderate extent, but in recent years little or none has been done there. Mr. Parrotte has kindly sent me the subjoining list of vessels built at Centreport between 1814 and 1884, but did not give names of builders or dates of launching :
Rig. Name.
Tons. Rig. Name.
Tons·
Sloop Enemy
25 Brig Buckley
150
Capital
50 Sloop Cinderella
60
Schr. Consort
100 Schr. Intent
100
Sloop Farmer
50 Sloop Gen. Lewis
55
Select
50
66 Adelia
12
Lady Jackson
45
Record
25
Schr. Metamoras
40
Brief
11
66
90
1868 66 Herbert, E. (ab't) 600
1877
A total of 14 vessels and 773 tons.
EAST SETAUKET.
Occupying a favorable location at the head of Setauket Harbor, which connects with Port Jefferson Bay, residents of this place engaged in ship- building on a small scale early in the present century, but I have not been able to get any data anterior to 1836, in which year Boss Nehemiah Hand, still a hale and vigorous man, widely known for the active and prominent part he has taken in commercial affairs and especially as a representative of the American Ship Owners and Masters' Association, began a long and highly successful career. In 1864 he associated with himself his son George S. Hand, and, after adding half a dozen fine boats to his fleet, in 1873 he re- tired leaving his business to be prosecuted by his son. During this long period of almost forty years he built many large, handsome, swift and staunch vessels, that were a credit to himself and an honor to the county ; some of them are still in active service and able to hold their own in comparison with later built craft, whether for speed or seaworthiness. He and his son own two sets of marine railways, which for twelve years past have been kept
I20
APPENDIX. - SHIP BUILDING.
pretty fully occupied with vessels to be repaired or rebuilt. His list is a re- markable one, as follows :
Rig
NEHEMIAH HAND. Name.
T'ons.
Year. Bark Urania
405 1856
Schr. Delight
41
1836 Schr. Andromeda
261
1857
Sloop Eliza Jayne
35
1837 Bark Palace
368
1859
Hardscrabble
74
1839 Schr. Aldebaran
180
1860
Dart
18
1843
N. HAND & SON.
Commerce
84
1844 Brig
Americus
498
1864
Schr. Nancy Mills
109
1845
Mary E. Thaver
272
1868
66 Albemarle
154
1847 Brig Daisy
476
1871
South Hampton
180
1848 Barkentine Thos. Brooks
460
1872
Marietta Haud
137
1849 Schr. N. Hand
191
1873
Nassau
169
1850 Bark Ferris S. Thompson
500
1875
Brig N. Hand
263
1851 Brig Irene
475
1877
Sloop Chase
181
1852 Bark Lottie Moore
933
1878
Schr. Flying Eagle
182
1853
Monrovia
360
1879
Bark C. W. Poultney
487
1854 Steamer Florence
50
1882
The above lists make a total of 33 vessels launched from that yard, comprising one steamer, 7 barks, I barkentine, 7 brigs, II schooners, 6 sloops, with an aggregate (registered) of 8,964 tons. In 1870 the largest vessel ever completed in a Suffolk county-perhaps in a Long Island-yard was launched from the yard of David Bayles at East Setauket. This was the full-rigged ship Adorna, built by Capt. James Davis for the cotton trade between New Orleans and Liverpool and still engaged in foreign trade, though now sailing under the German flag. She registered 1,460 tons and has a capacity of over 2,000 tons. Capt. Davis, who was largely interest- ed in the cotton trade and had made a great deal of money, set out to build the largest vessel afloat, and spent much money and time in collecting material at Boss Bayles' yard ; work was begun and the frame put together for a ship that was to measure 235 feet in length, 40 feet beam, and 31 feet in depth; but owing to some speculations that turned out disastrously Capt. Davis' resources were crippled and he was forced to abandon the un- dertaking ; the frame was finally sold to the New Jersey Railroad Co., by whose direction it was cut down to a depth of 20 feet, finished as a propel- ler or steam coal barge, carrying over 2,000 tons, and named the Wilkes- barre.
BAYLES & BACON. Name.
Tons.
Year.
. " (3-masted) Fleet Wing 520
1855
Sloop Emily
80
1847
Dexter Oaks
175
1855
Schr. Arrow
164
1848
66 D. B. Bayles
180 1856
Edna C.
200
1848 Sloop Meteor
50
1857
Sloop Fashion
100
1849 Schr. Harriett Brewster
180
1859
DAVID B. BAYLES.
Brig Conflict 80 1859
Schr. R. W. Brown
.6
Francis Satterly
200
1851
66 (unfinished) after-
Marcenas Monson,jr.115
1852
ward coal propeller 3,700
1876
Charles T. Smith
117
1853
Schr. Wide World
200
1854
Rig.
Mary A. Rowland
135
1847 Bark Desaldo
492
1870
66
Helen Jayne
43 1841 Brig
Mary E. Rowland 280
1862
Brig T. W. Rowland
471
1855
200 1850 Ship Adorna
1,460 1869
I21
APPENDIX. - SHIP BUILDING.
SETAUKET.
WM. BACON.
This builder constructed in all, forty vessels, ranging from 100 to 700 tons burden, but is unable to give the exact tonnage, and application for further information proved resultless.
At Riverhead John Davis built schooners Artist and Citizen, and sloops Olive Branch, Copy, Wm. Penn, John Adams, Sophronia, Marsh, and Signal. Frank Davis built schooner Mary E. Woodhull and sloop yacht Peerless.
COLD SPRING.
More or less of shipbuilding and ship-owning has been carried on upon the shores of this admirable harbor. one of the best on L. I. Sound, from an early date; but persistent inquiry has failed to elicit any very definite information respecting the vessels or their builders in early days. The bay and harbor form a fine shelter for both large and small craft, being deep, spa- cious and safe in all kinds of weather ; hence, naturally, the vicinity became the home of many seafaring men and has so continued since the settlement of the town. Beside the lists of receni builders some facts may be stated relating to the earlier part of the present century. In 1836 the sloop Premier of 130 tons burden, Capt. Wood, traded from Cold Spring to South Carolina ; the sloop Mediterranean, 100 tons, Capt. Jones, was in the Albany trade. In 1846 the schooner Silas Wright, 130 tons, Capt. Conklin, traded with the West Indies ; the schooner J. B. Gager, Capt. Fowler, traded in the Gulf of Mexico. Since that date the following are some of the vessels hailing from that port : Schr. Sarah Maria, 175 tons, Rogers, Central America ; schr. Narcissa, 120 tons, Jones, Boston ; schr. John D. Jones, Ber- dell, Virginia ; brig John H. Jones, 500 tons, Mills, Mobile ; brig Mary E. Jones, Capt. E. M. Jones, Malaga ; schr. Eliza J. Raynor, Sally Mer- ritt, Wm. L. Peck and others. Previous to the War of 1812, Cold Spring was largely engaged in the manufacture of flannels and broadcloths, and also ground large quantities of grain for eastern markets, freighting the grain from North Carolina and from the Hudson River. Cold Spring was the second place on the Sound shore at which a steamboat connection with New York was formed.
ELWOOD ABRAMS.
JOHN BENNETT.
Rıg. Name.
Tons.
Year. Rıg.
Name.
Tons. Year.
Sloop E. A. Willis
35
1868 Schr. Sarah L. Merritt
67 1866
Schr. Fortuna
37
1870
66 Wm. L. Peck
78 1867
Sloop Sarah F. Tooker
15
1872
Schr. Hattie Chevalier
37
1873 Schr. Ann Dole
DANIEL GILLIS. 185 1868
STONY BROOK.
More or less of shipbuilding has been carried on at this place from an early date. It occupies a favorable location on the east side of a good harbor projecting southward from the eastern side of Smithtown Bay. A portion of the village lies on the western side of the harbor, in the town of Smithtown. One of the prominent builders, Mr. David T. Bayles, who in recent years has practically retired from the business, in sending me his list does not claim for it entire ac- curacy as to tonnage by either the new or old custom house standard of measurement, or by what is called the "carpenter's measurement "; his
122
APPENDIX. - SHIP BUILDING.
books do not contain these data, and he has to rely on memory for the carrying capacity or dead weight tonnage. Since, some nine years ago, he turned his attention to other business, his yard, except for some repairing, lay idle till about 18 months ago, when he built for Greenport parties the handsome schooner B. F. Jayne.
DAVID T. BAYLES.
Rig.
Name.
Tons.
Rig. Name.
Tons. Schr. (3-masted) Royal Arch
600
Schr. Renelcha Hallock
250
66
Golden Ray
140
B. W. Hawkins
500
Wm. R. Knighton
300
66 Village Queen
300
" (3-masted) Anna
800
66 Luna
170
Caribbean
350
Golden Rule
125
66 B. F. Jayne
150
Oceanus
380
To the firm of Jonas Smith & Co., shipping merchants at 66 South st., N. Y., I am indebted for the following compilation of vessels built at Stony Brook (other than those built by Boss D. T. Bayles), between the years 1835 and 1868 :
JONAS SMITH.
EBENEZER HALLOCK.
Rig. Name.
Tous. Rig.
Name.
Tons.
Schr. Repeater
150 Schr. Monterey
150
Vindicator
200
66 Harriett Hallock
175
66
Ann Smith (No. 1)
100
66 Julia M. Hallock
180
66 Regulus
120
Adell
175
66 Jonas Smith (No. 1)
200
ELIAS SMITH.
L. P. Smith
190 Brig Bell 200
175 Schr. Olive
160
Ann Smith (No. 2)
120
GIDEON SMITH.
220 Schr. Equator
66
Deception
100
66 N. W. Smith
275
Sylph
100
66 D. B. Warner
260 Sloop Lady Helen
90
Colonel Satterly
230
Isabella DANIEL T. WILLIAMSON.
30
Helene
250
Charles Dennis
280 Schr. Wm. S. Mount 110
66 L. S. Davis
347
Shepard A. Mount
, 120
Target
1
360
Sea Witch
120
Smithsonian
$90
W M. WELLS.
400 Schr. Topic 120
441
Oriel
120
Merchant
50
Apollo
90
." Translation
60
66 Goldleat
60
66 Valor
50
JOEL RAYNOR.
66 Balina
110 Schr. Alabama 150
WILLIAM DAVIS.
Rig.
Tons. Schr. Sophia C. Davis
200
Schr. Charles D. Hallock
150
SAMUEL CARMAN.
R. Hallock
150 Schr. St. James 66 180 Martha M. Heath
130
66 Julia A. Hallock
50 Tanner
320
66 Pandora
50
.. Alarech
220
Sloop Capitol
90 Sloop Ann Eliza 50
75 George H. Davis
50
Adonis DANIEL WILLIAMSON.
66 Consul 50
Dioop Illinois
70
JESSE DAVIS.
Orator
70 Sloop Copy
50
Jonas Smith (No. 3)
66 Nancy Smith
Sloop Emerald
50 Sloop Brookhaven
90
Velocity
90 RICHARD DAVIS.
250
Sloop Guide
CHARLES D. HALLOCK. Name.
100
66 A. J. DeRossette
200
Wm. H. Smith
Jonas Smith (No. 2)
123
APPENDIX. - SHIP BUILDING.
At Setauket, on the stream below the grist mill, sloops Mechanic and Brilliant, each of about 60 tons, were built in 1816 ; in the summer of that year (ever since known as the "cold summer "), mechanics at outdoor employments worked in their overcoats.
SOUTHAMPTON VILLAGE.
One of the places least likely to be supposed a possible site for ship - building is the ancient village of Southampton, which, though bordering the Atlantic, has no direct water connection with it and would seem to of- fer no possible mode of putting afloat any vessels that might be built there. But to the right kind of will there is said always to be a way ; and fifty years ago this good old village had not only a man of will and original ideas in respect to shipbuilding, but also a connection, somewhat remote but direct and sufficient, with the ocean, through an inlet into Shinnecock Bay, into which bay Heady Creek flows from the west part of the village, making the eastern boundary of the Shinnecock Neck or Reservation. At the period referred to William French resided on what is called Hill street, which runs westerly toward the Neck, and at some little distance from the creek. He was noted as a man of ideas, not always practical and, like others whose fate it is to be ahead of their times, was often
laughed at and perhaps despised. But this did not prevent him from experi- menting and trying earnestly to carry out some of his new notions. Among other things he conceived the idea of building a three-masted centre-board schooner ; and the claim is made for him that he was the first to construct such a vessel. At any rate he started to build, in the wide street before his house, a vessel of light draught, primarily designed for the trade in pine wood which than constituted almost the whole traffic between eastern Long Island and New York, and spent some time in collecting material from the native woods of the vicinity. At first he set out to build her himself with the help of some house carpenters, but after a while he found that this course would never do, and after spoiling much good timber he procured the help of a master shipbuilder and assistants. After a long time, during which he exhausted most of his available means, in October, 1835, by the help of many yoke of oxen, the novel craft -- strange in rig, in inodel and in construction, and doubly strange by reason of the apparent solecism in- volved in its being built in such a place-was trundled laboriously from the house of Mr. French down into the waters of Heady Creek and there, not without hitches and halts, was finally floated. She was loaded with wood and taken through the inlet out to sea and sailed to New York, where she and her cargo 'were sold to relieve her builder's pressing neces-
sities. It is said that she attracted a great deal of attention and was much admired for her shape. fine lines and general cleverness of model ; she proved a fast sailer and was employed for a time in trade with Southern ports, making trips as far as New Orleans, and afterwards she went into the L. I. Sound trade. An unverified tradition asserts that when last heard from she was a slaver on the Spanish Main. She measured about 80 tons burden. It is said that Mr. French took his idea of the extremely sharp bow which he gave to this vessel from observing, in N. Y. city, one of the famous clip- per ships which were beginning to be built in those days. She had two centreboards, and was named the Sarah IIelen.
About 8 or 9 years afterwards Mr. French built at the same place an- other craft-a two-masted schooner, considerably smaller; which was
.
1 24
APPENDIX. - SHIP BUILDING.
launched in the same way and was employed for some years on L. I. Sound ; her ultimate end is not known. The chief peculiarity about this vessel was the fact that instead of planking on the outside in the usual way, she was covered with boards or strips laid on crosswise and nailed at the intersections ; this idea did not work well, as she soon became leaky. She was named the Phantom.
GREENPORT.
JOHN PORT, at Greenhill.
Schr. Wm. C. Kundson Sloop (smack) J. H. Racey
Rig. Name.
Tons. 66 Wild Pigeon
8chr. Crysolite
Expedite
81
E. THORNHILL. 12
Charles Henry
92 Sloop Grampus
J. Truman
136 HARMON D. BISHOP.
" Trade Wind
Who had yards on both sides of Main street.
Sloop Long Island
Antecedent
Rig. Name.
Tons.
POST & HAND.
Bark Jane A. Bishop
SILAS E. HAND,
Schr. Emeline Haight 105
South of the Railroad.
66 Hannah M. Johnson
Schr. Wm. E. Dodge
66 Siam 52
Sloop Union 36
As to many of the earlier built vessels, some of which are mentioned above while others are hidden from the light of investigation, few and in- complete details could be procured. Aside from those mentioned a num- ber were built at different times, of which no data was obtainable.
At Southold John C. Wells built the schooner John C. Wells and the sloops Fox and Defiance, Gilbert Davis built at New Suffolk the sloop Sarah Alice ; he also built two sloops at Greenport and rebuilt the sloop D. D. Webb. At Jamesport John Dimon built the schooner North State, 20 tons. W. H. Corwin built the schooner Anadir, 73 tons, sloop Sylph, 12 tons and sloop yacht Sirocco, 20 tons. Several other vessels, including a number of large schooners, were built at New Suffolk and Jamesport.
RICHARD BENJAMIN.
At Fanning's Point, south side of Sloop(smack) Wyandank ab't40
Railroad.
Rig. Nare.
Tons. Year.
Schr. Wm. H. Rowe
156
1855
David G. Floy 1 191 1856
Sloop Native
20 1859
At East Marion.
200
1862 since occupied by his son Oliver H.
At yard west side of Main street.
135 1865 Bishop and now the property of Elizur Matthews, successor to Mat-
Schr. Charles Henry J. Freeman
132 1847 Schr. Sterling 43
88 1847 Brig Thos. Cook
38 1849 do
Peconic
66 D. F. Ives
40 1849
do Sarah Strong
" (smack) Silas Henry Mary Elena
15 1850 do Minerva
" (yacht) Wavelet
20 1851
do Alida
Albatross
40 1852
'do Almeda
" (smack) Cal Wells
39
1852
do D. W. Dickinson
Rig. Name. Tons.
66 Harriet Foster 30
R. Benjamin 15 1865
HIRAM BISHOP. [Between the years 1839 and 1855, at the yard on the north side of Cen- tral avenue (formerly Amity street)
Schr. Tamanlipas about
C. & C. Brooks
139 1847 thews & Fordham. |
Sloop Long Island John Post
51 1849 Schr. John O. Ireland
Brig Eastern Star 238
Sloop Sea Witch
66 Maria Morton
Emma Johnson
125
APPENDIX. - SHIP BUILDING.
Rig. Name.
Tons. Rig. Name. Tons.
Schr. H. H. Talman
Schr. Lena R. Kaplan 76 1878
do H. E. Bishop
do Ruth Halsey
MATTHEW & FORDHAM (same yard.) Sloop Kansas City 25 1880 Schr. (s'k) Samuel L. Storer 118 1882 KETCHAM & SMITH.
Sloop (smack) Storm Child 43
do Nearchus
46 Schr. Almira Wooley 224 1867
đo Frances A. Bishop
13 do Emma M. Fox 238
1867
Schr. Henry
57 Sloop Mary A. Sisson 21 1867
Sloop (smack) Reindeer
do Joseph Smith 12 1867
1868
do Margaret E. Wells Schr, Black Diamond
120
do (s'k) Thos. S. Rogers 52 1868 do Abel C. Buckley 234 1869
Sloop Mary Frances
Boss Bishop also built the follow- SMITH & BERRIAN. ing other vessels : At Moriches the Sloop Swan 24 1870
schooners Consul and Texas, and do Nevada
27
1870
sloops Traffic, Tradesman and Cadet. do J. E. DeBlois 27 1870
At Speonk the sloops Three Brothers Schr. Luther Eldridge 15 1871
and David Lamphier. At Squire's Sloop (yacht) Tho's G. Hunt 22 1872
Landing, Peconic Bay, schooner Ore-
do do Annie Homan 22 1872
gon and sloop Lexington. At Wading Schr. (3-masted) Mary Free-
River sloop He also rebuilt out of other vessels the sloops Em- blem and Floyd S. Warner.
CHARLES M. SMITH.
Barkentine Melville Bryant 594 1874
In and near the same yard Calvin SMITH & TERRY. Horton bullt sloops Hannah Maria Schr. (smack) Josie Reeve
45 1878 Webb, Van Buren, Odd Fellow and Barkentine Wandering Jew 667 1880
Greenport.
Schr. (3-m't'd) Freddie Hen-
H. E. & O. H. BISHOP.
chen 326 1882
Sloop (smack) Sophia
1855
do do Felton Beat re- built into the
Sloop(ëmack)Charles Miller 42 do B. C. Cartwright 14
do Dolphin
14
1866 do do Peter Cooper 50 1884
Schr. Ada M. Hallock 29
1866
SILAS HAND-Greenport.
1847
do Marshall O. Wells 88
1867 do S. E. Hand 200
1848
do Olive Branch
59
1869 do Sophia C. Davis 150 1849
do Maria L. Davis 61 1869 Sloop Sea Wi.ch
100 1850
Stmr. Cambria 33 1871 Schr. Trade Wind
120
1851
Sloop yacht Lulu
13
1871 Sloop (smack) J. H. Racey do Flying Cloud
50 1852
do Agnes 80 296 1853 Schr. (3-masted) Charles W. Alcott 1872 do (smack) Wild Pigeon 50 1854
do do S. C. Tyron
423 1873 Schr. Wm. E. Dodge
175 1855
do do Hattie M.Crowell 432
1873 do C. B. Knudson
200 1856
do do Allen Green 489
1874 ao Maria Morton 125 1856
do do Lizzie Titus
200 1875 do Jennie M. Vandeveer 100
1860
Sloop (sharpy) Centennial
20 1876 SILAS E. HAND-Bellport.
do Eva 8 1876 do Raynor 100 1863
land 398 1872
OLIVER H. BISHOP.
1860 Barkentine Mascotte 594 1882
1865 Schr. (smack) J. T. Becker 48 1884
1866 do do Julia I. Grattan 52 1885
do smack A. M. C. Smith 44
do do W. W. Dickinson 44
1866 Schr. Bleecker 120
1871 SILAS E. HAND-Greenport.
Schr. S. B. Franklin 243
do Rainbow
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