When Pocomoke Was Young- A continuing weekly feature.

 

(Chapter flow:)

ITS ORIGIN AND TOWN LIMITS

TOWN LIMITS

GROWTH, CHANGE OF NAME, ETC.

MERCANTILE ASPECT

MANUFACTURING

TRADES ETC.

SHIPPING INTERESTS

EASTERN SHORE STEAMBOAT CO.

SHIP BUILDING ETC.

HOTELS, LIVERY STABLES, ETC.

PHYSICIANS

LAWYERS

POST OFFICE

PRINTING OFFICES

SOCIAL ASPECT, ETC.

MORAL ASPECT

TEMPERANCE CAUSE

SCHOOLS

CHURCHES

Note:  In duplicating this material for publishing on The Pocomoke Public Eye we have made minor adjustments to correct some of the spelling, punctuation, etc. We believe the errors were not in Rev. Murray's original writing but occurred in the process of formatting the material to a digital format for viewing online.

SHIPPING INTERESTS. 

The shipping trade was quite an extensive business in 
the early history of New Town, though it was mostly on 
the coast and to the West Indies. There were as many 
vessels then, probably, as there are now sailing from New 
Town, but of a different character. They were generally 
of smaller capacity, were sharp built, holding a draft of 
seven or eight feet of water, and were commanded by 
captain and mate, and a regular crew before the mast. 

These vessels would carry white oak, barrel and hogs- 
head staves to the West Indies, which were sold for 
remunerative prices, and on their homeward voyage 
would bring molasses, sugar, coffee, West India rum, 
tropical fruits and hard cash. 

The Bay trade consisted of pine plank, sawed by hand 
with the whipsaw, staves and laths which were riven, 
cypress shingles, coopers ware and what corn could be 
spared from home consumption, flaxseed, dried fruit, 
feathers, rags, etc. 

We have now eight large vessels sailing from Pocomoke 
City which are engaged exclusively in the bay trade. One 
and sometimes two steamboats plying between here and 
the city and the railroad running daily to all parts north, 
by which facilities we have daily access to all the cities, 
doing an annual shipping business aggregating probably 
the round sum of $500,000. It will, no doubt, be of 
interest to the reader to see the names of those who were 
probably their fathers and brothers, and who chose the life 
of a sailor, recorded here. 

I record from memory the following names of those who 
were captains sailing from this place from 1820 to 1882 
inclusive: Captains John W. Long, Fleet Shelton, Harry 
Long, John Sturgis, James Riggin, Hezekiah Dorman, 
Jacob Riggin, Parker Copes, Harry Burch, Herod Scott, 
William H. Veasey, Samuel Fields, Steven Purnell, York 
Baily, James H. Young, Thomas N. Williams, Robert 
Henry, Isaac N. Veasey, William F. Veasey, Littleton N. 
B. Long, Elijah Taylor, L. Thomas Williams, James T. 
Young, John H. Clark, Thomas J. Veasey, Thomas Brit- 
tingham and George Bailey, and no doubt there were 
others whose names have escaped my memory. Some of 
these were regular Tars, while others were engaged in the 
bay trade. As I have already given a sketch of the history 
of several of those I have named, there is one other man, 
a sketch of whose history I desire to record, and that is 
Captain Littleton N. B. Long who, when but a boy, left 
his father's house, and this his native place, and went to 
the City of Baltimore, and from there he engaged in a 
seafaring life. Friendless and penniless, with nothing to 
depend on but his native talent and energy with which to 
make his mark. The sequel shows how well he did it. 
Whether he engaged as cabin boy or not on board the 
ship or brig I am not able to say, but one thing I can 
say, he had a bright intellect and was ambitious to make a 
man of himself. Obedient and industrious, he soon won 
the sympathy and favor of the officers, and as circum- 
stances would permit, with their instructions, he studied 
navigation. 

While a young man he took command of a ship; in a 
short time after this he became owner or part owner of a 
ship and continued in this relation for several years. He 
finally retired from a seafaring life and purchased a farm 
in Talbot County, Md., where he is living in independ- 
ence and comfort, at the probable age of 55 years. 

All honor to the New Town boys who thus make men 
of themselves. 

EASTERN SHORE STEAMBOAT CO.

The Eastern Shore Steamboat Company of Baltimore 
being a very important factor in the commercial life of 
Pocomoke City, it is but simple justice that a record of 
its doings should have a prominent place in this History. 

The Eastern Shore Steamboat Company of Baltimore 
was incorporated September 16, 1869. The incorporators 
were Samuel Harlan, Jr., John T. Gause and Nathaniel 
R. Benson, of Wilmington, Del., Philip R. Clark, of 
Baltimore, George R. Dennis and John W. Crisfield, of 
Somerset County. Md., and W. J. S. Clarke, of Worcester 
County, Md. 

The capital stock of the Company at its organization 
amounted to $160,000, with two steamers. At the present 
period, 1882, the company owns three steamers, which 
are running to the Eastern Shore, so that daily communi- 
cation from the peninsula is had by one or other of its 
steamers with the City of Baltimore. The Company has 
now in course of building a much larger steamer, which is 
to be named the Eastern Shore. 

The Officers of the Company are: Samuel Harlan, Jr., 
President; J. T. Gause, Vice-President; N. R. Benson, J. 
Upshur Dennis, John W. Crisfield, W. J. S. Clarke and P. 
R. Clark, Directors; W. Thomson, Superintendent; P. 
R. Clark, General Agent. 

The names of the Steamers are, respectively: Steamer 
Tangier, Captain S. H. Wilson; Steamer Helen, Captain 
L. J. Smith; Steamer Maggie, Captain George A. 
Raynor. 

These steamers are superseding, in a great measure, the 
sail vessels in carrying the produce of the Eastern Shore 
to Baltimore. While they have first-class accommodation 
for passengers in their saloons, state-rooms and cabins, 
and the viands upon their tables are selected from the 
best city markets. 

The writer having traveled on all of these steamers can 
say that the officers are polite and obliging, and passengers 
may be sure of being treated as ladies and gentlemen. 

Our youthful readers cannot realize the advantages of 
steamboat travel to the same extent that some of us can, 
whose memory goes back to the time when there was no 
steamboat plying between Pocomoke City and Baltimore, 
and when it would require, at certain seasons of the year, 
two weeks or more for a sail vessel to make a trip from 
Pocomoke City to Baltimore and return. 

Whereas with the present facilities of travel the trip can 
be made in thirty-nine hours, and gives you eleven hours 
of that time to attend to business in the city. With these 
facts before us we can see clearly that progress is march- 
ing onward. 
CONTINUES NEXT SATURDAY HERE AT THE POCOMOKE PUBLIC EYE.