Pleasing Intelligence - Shipbuilding

Connecticut Journal, March 10, 1808

On Saturday last the citizens of Marietta had the exquisite pleasure of beholding a scene at once grand and sublime, which added a new lustre to the increasing enterprize and industry of our infant country. About three o'clock P.M. the beautiful brig Rufus Putnam, 165 tons burthen, was launched from the ship-yard of Col. Abner Lord - owned by Mr. Joseph Nye, of Boston. The stile of the workmanship does great honor to the builder, Mr. Whittington McGrath. This vessel was commenced late in the season, but by the indefatigable perseverance of those concerned in her erection, she was ready for launching as soon as the state of the water rendered it prudent.

About half past three, the elegant ship Frances glided into her destined element from the ship-yard of Benjamin Ives Gilman, Esq., and built by Mr. James Whitney. In point of elegance and mechanism, she will not suffer by a comparison with any merchant vessel ever built in the United States - Burthen 350 tons.

In a few minutes after, the fine ship Robert Hale, of 294 tons, struck the water. She also was launched from Mr. Gilman's Yard, and built by Mr. Whitney. She is equal in every respect to the Frances.

It affords us much pleasure to state that the above vessels were launched in perfect safety, amid the joyful acclamations of an admiring crowd of citizens. The river was in excellent order, and it seemed as if all Nature was pleased at the prospect, and contributed to facilitate the event and harmonize the scene; for the Sun, which had for some time before obnubilated by a misty atmosphere, towards the close of the day burst forth in all its splendour and shed the most soul cheering radiance over our youthful harbour!

Vain would be our attempts to portray in its true colours the splendour and sublimity of the scene, than which one more pleasing and gratifying to our citizens could not be exhibited. The glowing pencil of a Hogarth, though "dipt in dreams," could not present to the imagination a picture more replete with novelty and grandeur. To see emerging from the bosom of the wilderness, a fleet of ships, rivalling in architecture and elegance the finest productions of any of the Atlantic States.

Ship Building

The Marietta Intelligencer, September 10, 1846

The vessels now building in this place are rapidly advancing towards completion. The hulls of the two Schooners, building by the Marietta Ship Company, are nearly finished and the planking of the Barque building by the Messrs. Waters has commenced. The success of this business in Marietta is attracting notice abroad, and in our exchanges we often meet with flattering remarks upon the excellence of the vessels built here, and commendatory notices of the spirit of enterprise which has induced our citizens to engage in the work. We are glad also to know that the attention of men from a distance who are particularly interested in the business is directed to this as a place where they can obtain first rate vessels.

We were shown yesterday a letter from a gentleman in St. Louis to a friend in this place (who however is in no way connected with Ship Building) requesting him to ascertain the cost of a vessel, which he described, "fully rigged and with all necessary fixtures, boats &c. - in short, ready to proceed to sea," and stating that he thought of visiting Marietta to make a contract.

The following extract we make from the Pittsburg Iron City:

Ship Building at Marietta. There are now on the stocks at Marietta three sea vessels in process of construction. Two of them are schooners, the other a barque which, when finished, will be for sale. The quality of the material used and the excellency of the workmanship cannot be surpassed. Who does not commend the spirit of enterprise which causes ships to be built at such a distance from the sea in the heart of an inland country?

And this from the Philadelphia North American:

Marietta, Ohio, is becoming celebrated for ship building. Some months since, the papers published a notice of the launching of a Barque at Marietta, which, after having loaded at Cincinnati with American produce, went to sea. There are now on the stocks at Marietta three sea vessels in process of construction. Two of them are schooners being built by the Marietta Ship Company by contract for some gentlemen in Salem, Massachusetts. The other is a barque, which, when finished, will be for sale. The quality of the material used and the excellence of the workmanship cannot be surpassed.

Abner Lord - Early Businessman of Marietta

The Marietta Register July 17, 1873

Among the prominent business men of Marietta at the beginning of this century was Col. Abner Lord. Co. Lord emigrated from North Lynn Connecticut, to Vienna, Wood County, Virginia, soon after the close of the Indian War of 1795. Vienna was a small village, situated on the Ohio, just above  the farm owned by Dr. Joseph Spencer, and nearly opposite the residence of the late Judge Cutler. It contained some twenty or thirty houses, all of which have since been removed. The place, though very handsomely situated on beautiful ground, was not favorable to the growth of a town. 

The exact time when Col. Lord removed to Marietta, I am not able to give, probably about 1800. He engaged in merchandizing, and also in ship building. His place of business was in a building at the foot of Front Street, on the Ohio riverbank. His shipyard was on the ground now occupied by the Phoenix Mills. His dwelling house, which he erected for his own use, was the house now occupied by Charles Biszantz, known as the "Biszantz House," on Butler Street.

His master builder in the shipyard was Whittington W. McGrath. He continued ship building from 1802 to 1807 inclusive, when the business was suspended by the embargo. During that period, he built the following named vessels:

1802 - Brig "Marietta" 150 tons.

1803 - Schooner "Whitney," 75 tons.

1803 - Schooner "McGrath," 75 tons.

1804 - Ship "Temperance," 230 tons.

1805 - Ship "John Atkinson," 320 tons.

1807 - Ship "Rufus Putnam," 300 tons.

1807 - Brig "Collotta," 140 tons.

Col. Lord's wife was Miss Mary Selden, sister of Mrs. Dr. Spencer of Wood County, Virginia.

Their children were Sophia, Polly, Betsy, Temperance, Eliza, and Abner R. Sophia married George Cass of Muskingum County, and Polly married Jonathan Guitteau, Marietta. These marriages were on the 18th of May 1809. Betsy married Capt. Eliphalet Fraser, November 28, 1809;Temperance married Thomas Backus of Franklin County; Eliza married Major A. J. McDowell of Columbus, the father of Gen. Irvin McDowell, U.S. Army.

Abner R. Lord was a successful merchant in the city of New York, but was never married. He died many years since.

Capt. Fraser was killed by the explosion of a steamboat on the Mississippi River. He left two sons, James A. Fraser and Abner L. Fraser, both well known business men of Cincinnati, who are now living. Mrs. Fraser afterwards married Hon. Benjamin Tappen of Steubenville, some time U.S. Senator from Ohio.

Col. Lord was married a second time, to Miss Ely of New York. They had three daughters: Phebe D. was married to Dr. Andrews of Steubenville; Sarah C. was married to John Ely of New York; and Mary S. who died without marrying, at the age of 20.

Col. Lord removed from Marietta about 1811, to Franklin County, Ohio, where he died in 1821.

A.T.N.

Later Ship Building at Marietta

The Marietta Register, April 7, 1881

Mr. Editor:  In your paper of March 24th was published a list of sea-going vessels built here previous to the embargo.  After that time the business was discontinued here until 1844.  In the summer of that year several of the business men of Marietta formed a company for the purpose of building ships.  The company was composed of John Mills, William and S. Slocomb, Bosworth and Wells, William R. Wells, John O. Cram, and A. T. Nye, and subsequently Nye and Hayward.

Capt. Ira Ellis, of Portland, Maine, was engaged as master builder and Capt. William R. Wells as superintendent of construction.  A barque of about two hundred and fifty tons was commenced, and the building proceeded through the summer and fall.  She was launched in January, 1845.  She was rigged here, except her sails, which were sent from Boston to New Orleans, and was named Muskingum.  She was placed in command of Capt. W. R. Wells, one of the company.  He was from Portland, Maine.  On the first of March, 1845, she left Marietta, being towed to Cincinnati by the steamboat Wing and Wing.  She was loaded at Cincinnati with pork, lard and oil cake, and left that port the middle of March.  A favorable stage of water occurred and she was safely towed to New Orleans.  There she received her sails and departed for Liverpool.  The voyage was successfully made and the cargo discharged.  She took in a return cargo for Boston, which port she reached in safety and was sold.

The next vessel built was the barque Marietta, her model and size the same as the Muskingum.  She left Marietta, February, 1846, under command of Capt. William R. Wells.  She took in a part of her cargo at Cincinnati and a part at New Orleans, and sailed for New York, made a successful voyage and was sold there.  The business of the Company was placed under the direction of A. t. Nye at this time.

In 1847, the Company built a brig of about two hundred and forty tons.  She was called the Walhonding, and went from here in charge of Jacob Cram, super cargo, and Capt. Conway, of Portland, navigator.  At Madison, Indiana, the Company purchased a load of pork and lard for New York.  She reached that port, sold her cargo, and returned to New Orleans for another.  On her return she reached the outer harbor of New York so late that she was placed in quarantine, where she was compelled to remain some weeks, greatly to the injury of the vessel and cargo.  She was sold at New York with some loss to the owners.

Three schooners were built by the Company, the America and the Grace Darling, for Mr. Kimball, of Salem, Mass., one hundred and thirty and one hundred and forty tons.  They were taken out by persons sent by Mr. Kimball for that purpose.  The third schooner was for a Mr. Cochrane, of New Orleans.  Mr. Cochrane sent persons here to take her out.

No other vessels were built by the "Marietta Ship Company."  The ship yard of the Company was on the commons, just above the mill of John Oliver Cram, now the Phoenix Mills.

Capt. Ellis afterwards built two steamboats for Capt. Owen Franks.

Capt. Ellis died in Marietta some years ago.

One other vessel was built in Marietta of which the following account is furnished me by Capt. A. B. Waters.

"The barque 'John Farnum' was built at the Point in Marietta not far from where the foundry of A. T. Nye & Sons stands.  She was owned by A. B. and I. R. Waters.  She was two hundred and forty-nine and one half tons.  Her keel was laid in the Spring of 1846 and she was launched in February 1847.  She was towed at once to Portsmouth where she took on a cargo of Indian Corn.  She was measured, inspected and cleared at Louisville, Ky.  Her destination was 'Cork or a Port.'

She arrived at Cork in May, 1847 during the great famine in Ireland and returned to Philadelphia in August and was sold to Potter, McKeever & Co. of that city.  The Master builder was Capt. William Knox, of Harmar.  Capt. A. B. Waters had charge of the vessel and cargo with Capt. George Hatch as Navigator.

Capt. Hatch was afterwards Mayor of Cincinnati."

This completes the list of sea going vessels built at Marietta.

A. T. Nye
Marietta, April 4th, 1881.

Ship Building at Marietta

The Marietta Register, March 24, 1881

Mr. Editor:  Very few of your readers are aware of the extent to which ship-building was carried on in this place after the close of the Indian war, which began in 1791 and ended in 1795.

In the year 1800 the business was commenced here by several persons.  The first vessel built was the brig St. Clair.  In 1801 she went out under the command of Commodore Abraham Whipple (I will furnish you hereafter an account of her first voyage to the West Indies.)

Several Ship-yards were established here, about the same period.  Among the first was that of Benjamin Ives Gilman, which was on the west side of the river, a little above the site of the building known as the Lock Works.

Mr. Gilman's master builder was James Whitney, of Baltimore, who resided in Harmar many years, and died there.

Another Ship-yard of equal importance was established on the east side of the Muskingum, by Col. Abner Lord.  This was situated a short distance above where the Phoenix Mills now stand.  Mr. Lord's master-builder was W. W. McGrath.

Another was established by General Edward W. Tupper, and occupied the space at the foot of Putnam street long known as the landing.

Charles Green Esq., known as one of the early business men of Marietta, built one or more vessels near the foot of Monroe Street.  It was for him that the St. Clair was built.

Several vessels were built by Colonel Joseph Barker, about six miles up the Muskingum.

A sudden termination was put to this business by the passage of the "Embargo Law," in 1808.

Ship-building was resumed by the "Marietta Ship Company" in 1844.  The master-builder was Ira Ellis, of Portland, Maine.

I enclose to you a list of the vessels built here previous to the embargo.  The list was furnished to my father, Ichabod Nye, by James Whitney.  A list of vessels built by the "Marietta Ship Company" I will send hereafter.

Marietta, Mar. 18, 1881.        A. T. N.

* * *

Pt. Harmar, April 10th, 1833.
Col. Ichabod Nye - Dear Sir:

Enclosed you will find a list of all the vessels built in Marietta with the names of owners, builders and commanders &c.

Brig St. Clair 110 tons, Charles Greene & Co., built by Stephen Devol in 1800, commanded by Commodore Whipple.

Ship Muskingum, built by J. Devol for B. I. Gilman, in 1801, 200 tons, Capt. Crandon.

Brig Eliza Green, built by J. Devol for Charles Greene in 1801, 130 tons, Capt. Hodgkiss.

Brig Marietta, by J. Whitney for Abner Lord, in 1802, Capt. O. Williams, 150 tons.

Brig Dominie, by S. Crispin for D. Woodbridge, Jr., 1802, Capt. Lattimore, 140 tons.

Schooner Indiana, by J. Barker for E. W. Tupper, in 1802, Capt. Merrill, 80 tons.

Brig Mary Avery by D. Skilinger for G. Avery, 1802, Capt. Prentiss, tons 150.

Ship Temperance, 230 tons, built by James Whitney for A. Lord, in 1804, Capt. Williams.

Brig Orlando, built by J. Barker for E. W. Tupper, in 1803, say 160 tons, Capt. Miner.

Schooner Whitney, built by J. Whitney for A. Lord.

Schooner McGrath, built by J. Whitney for A. Lord, in 1803, Capts. Williams & Wilson, 70 tons.

Brig Ohio, 170 tons, built by J. Devol for McFarland & Co., in 1804, Capt. Rose.

Brig Perseverance, 170 tons, by J. Whitney for B. I. Gilman, in 1805, Capt. Wilson.

Ship Rufus King.  300 tons, by J. Whitney for Clark and B. I. Gilman, in 1806, Capt. Clark.

Two Gun Boats, by T. Vail for E. W. Tupper, in 1806.

Ship Tuscarawa, 320 tons, by W. McGrath, Marshall S. Jones for A. Lord, 1806.

Ship I. Atkinson, by W. McGrath for A. Lord, 320 tons, 1806.

Brig Hope, by A. Miller for Charles Green, 120 tons, 1806.

Ship Francis, copper fastened, 350 tons, by J. Whitney for B. I. Gilman, Capt. Wilson, 1807.

Ship Robert Hale,300 tons, by J. Whitney for B. I. Gilman, Capt. Holden, 1807.

Brig Golet, 120 tons, by W. McGrath for A. Lord, Capt. Sennet, 1807.

Brig Rufus Putnam, 150 tons, by W. McGrath, Col. Lord, Capt.

Schooner Belle, 103 tons, by J. Whitney for Gilman and Woodbridge, Capt. Boyle, 1808.

Schooner Maria, by J. Whitney for B. I. Gilman, 70 tons, 1814.

Marietta Vessels

Marietta Intelligencer, February 11, 1847

Two Schooners - the Ohio, and the Grace Darling, - built last season by the Marietta Ship Company, left here on the evening of the 7th inst., in tow of the S. B. "Wing & Wing," for Cincinnati, where the balance of their Cargo, will be received, and whence they will depart for Boston in the course of a week.

The "Ohio," is 91-1/2 feet on deck, 24 feet beam, 7-1/2 feet hold.  She measures 146 tons, Custom House measurement.

The "Grace Darling" measures 124-1/2 tons.  She is 83-1/2 feet on deck, 23 feet beam,7 feet, 4-1/2 inches hold.

Both vessels are built of the best white oak, and are heavily iron fastened.  The decks are white pine.  The Cabins are below, very neatly finished with black walnut.  They were built under the direction of Capt. Ira Ellis, the master builder, and one of the stockholders, of the "Marietta Ship Company," for E. D. Kimball, Esq., of Salem, Mass.

The vessels were rigged by Mr. Wm. C. Fauvelle, who takes one of them round to Boston.

The iron work was done by Count De Bonney.

The Barque built here last season by Captain William Knox, for Messrs. A. & I. Waters, is nearly finished, and will be launched on the first rise of water.

Another Schooner has been contracted to be built by the Marietta Ship Company.  The workmen commenced their labors last week, and Capt. Ellis informs us that, if the weather is favorable, in sixteen days from this time the frame work will be up, and ready for planking!  This Schooner is building for a Mr. Cochran of New Orleans.