(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.
SHIP BUILDING, Etc.
The shipbuilding, steam milling- and marine railway
business is carried on quite extensively in Pocomoke City.
Shipbuilding has been carried on in New Town from time
immemorial, but the steam milling and marine railway
business is of more recent date.
The first steam mill ever erected in New Town was by
a man by the name of Hutchinson in 1839. This mill was
employed at first to make shingles, but afterwards turned
into a saw mill.
It was severally owned by Hutchinson, Dr. Geo. S. D.
Shipley, Ricaud, then E. S. Young and Geo. Blades,
under the firm of Young & Blades, then E. S. Young and
and James H. Young, under the firm of Young & Brother,
then Capt. James T. Young by himself, who carried on
the business until 1866, when he sold out to Polk & Powell.
They conducted the business about ten years, when they
sold out to James T. Young and Lewis W. Young, doing
business under the firm of Young & Brother. Finally
James T. Young bought out his brother Lewis, and is now
conducting the business by himself.
I have been thus explicit in running out the history
of this mill simply because it was the first ever established
in New Town.
But the year I844 was marked as the beginning of a
series of successes unprecedented in the history of New
Town. The circumstances which brought them about
were as follows: During that year Ezra B. Risley hap-
pened to be in a certain port in the State of New jersey,
when a vessel loaded with cypress fence rails arrived- He
saw the rails and enquired where they were from, etc.
The cargo of rails belonged to Jas. Daugherty and Levin
P. Bowland. In this case, like thousands of others, the
door of wealth was opened by the merest accident, and
the old adage holds good, "one sows and another reaps."
In as short a time as possible alter this two strangers were
seen in New Town; no one knew who they were or what
was their business. They prospected awhile in the cypress
swamps, made some purchases and went away. The
strangers proved to be John Ashcraft and Ezra B. Risley.
During the next year, 1845, they established a large steam
saw mill at Harry Henderson's landing, the place now
owned by Littleton Waters. Here they commenced
operations. They brought down Jersey wood choppers and
employed our own men also. Like an electric shock,
they aroused the citizens of New Town and the entire
surrounding country to the idea of business which has
never died out. They infused a spirit of industry and
enterprise in all, from the day laborer to the merchant
behind the counter and the farmer at the plow. They
raised the price of labor, paid their employees the money
for their work, and produced an entire revolution in busi-
ness life.
They engaged in ship building also, and built some
large sea vessels. They purchased all the cypress swamps
below New Town, and sent to market all their timber and
lumber in their own vessels, which they built. They
operated about twenty years, made about $15o;ooo and
retired.
With them originated, in a great measure, if not entirely,
the practical idea of the steam mill business in this sec-
tion of country.
In 1854, John W. Quinn, Jas. Murray and John Ashcraft
established a steam saw mill in New Town. In 1855,
Murray sold out his interest in the mill to Nicholas N.
Bosley; the mill now being run by the firm of Quinn,
Bosley and Ashcraft. This firm continued two years, when
they sold out to Thomas W. Hargis and Ambrose Dixon,
doing business under the firm of Hargis & Dixon. They
continued two years and then sold out to Captain H. H.
Husted. Captain Husted conducted the business three
years, when in 1862 he sold out to Captain James H.
Young; Captain Young, having already a fine mill, bought
this mill of Captain Husted to get it out of his way.
As history is always repeating itself I wish to present to
the reader a case illustrative of the fact, in which we have
an example of one, who, from the poorest walks of life
has attained, by hard work and good management to the
position of wealth and independence.
I allude to Captain James H. Young, who, I am sure
will not take exceptions to this statement, for he takes a
pride in the knowledge of the fact that he has made his
mark in the world. While he seems to say to the youth
of the present day, by his independent step as he walks
the streets: boys go work as I have done and take care of
your labor, and when you get old you will have something
to lean upon.
Captain Young's father died quite a young man, and
left a widow and three children to support themselves as
best they could. It is true they had a little home but it
was merely a staying place.
The mother and elder son Edward would work at any-
thing they could get to do. She at the spinning wheel,
hoeing corn, and sometimes in the fodder field saving
fodder at twenty-five cents per day, and he tending the
gardens in town and working on the farms for twelve and
a half cents per day.
After a while James grew old enough to work, also, and
would work, sometimes, for five cents per day. At the
age of sixteen he was put to the tailoring business; he
continued at the trade two years, when his future pros-
pects seemed to be beclouded, and as sitting on the board
did not agree with him, he concluded to make a change.
At the age of eighteen, he engaged with Captain James
Riggin as cook on board a small vessel, similar to that of
a ship's long boat, at four dollars per month.
This was the day of small things, but it was the begin-
ning of a successful course of life. At this period he was
very destitute of clothing; he had saved, however, as he
thought, three months wages with which he intended to
clothe himself. When lo! the tailor with whom he had
been living, had by some means collected his wages, and
he was still left destitute. This was a terrible blow to the
little fellow, for he was very small for his age, however he
continued persevering and became a hand before the mast,
in the bay and coasting trade. Some time after his
maturity, by his industrious habits and temperate course
of life, he won the respect and sympathy of John U.
Dennis, who one day told Captain Young that he ought
to buy a vessel or part of one. Captain replied that he
was not able. Mr. Dennis told him that he would make
him able, he would lend him the money, and did so.
Captain Young then joined Thomas W. Hargis in the pur-
chase of a schooner. Mr. Hargis at that time was keeping
store at Wagram, Accomac County, Va. How long this
partnership lasted I cannot tell, but after their dissolution
he joined Col. Wm. H. Merrill in a schooner called the
Sarah Ellen. Finally he bought out Col. Merrill and run
the vessel in his own name until 1854, when he engaged in
the steam mill business.
Although Capt. Young had made up to this time $8,000
or $10,000, yet here was the gold mine which he struck.
The first few years of his milling life, however, were not
so successful, but after the war commenced the tide of
success set in, and money poured in upon him like a
flood.
In 1866, after making money enough to satisfy his
ambition, he sold out to Polk & Powell, as before stated,
and retired.
In making a few desultory remarks relating to Capt.
Young, I will say he has been a great worker and has had
a constitution to stand it. He has been unyielding in his
perseverance until the prize was gained.
There is one feature of his business life which is spe-
cially worthy of record, and that was, Captain Young
never did business on the Sabbath day. This is worthy
of all praise and should be an example to other business
men to act likewise. He owns ten farms aggregating two
thousand acres of land, which cost him between forty and
fifty thousand dollars, he also owns about twenty houses
and lots, some of them valuable ones, besides his private
securities and other personal property.
Captain Young has been a member of the Methodist
Protestant Church, in Pocomoke City, for many years, has
been twice married; has eight children living, four by
each wife. He is now living in a green old age at about
three score and ten years, and looks back upon his life-
work as master of the situation.
CONTINUES NEXT SATURDAY HERE AT THE POCOMOKE PUBLIC EYE.
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