The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-09-17
From the Salem Gazette
STRONG MEN.

The recent lecture Of DIR. Windship,
of Boston, on physical culture, illustrated
by exhibitions of his vast personal strength,
has brought out notices of several other
very strong men. Dr. Windship's greatest
lift was that of $50 pounds dead weight
In our city very strong men have not
been uncommon. The venerable and re-
spected Capt. VIM. Story, IA brother Of
the late Judge Story now livingin Bridge
street, and verging towards ninety years of
age was possessed of remarkable strength
in his earlier years He has been known
to raise, with ease, eight ffty-sixes by each
hand, and could lift an anchor weighing
945 pounds. A townsman, whose grocery
store is not far from the residence of Capt.
Story, and was a lounging place for the
neighbors, some forty or more years age,
as grocery-stores were then apt to be, in
forms us that within that small circle were
several men whose powers might be COM
pared with Dr. Windship's. Among them
was young Englishman, who worked in
Gwinn's roap-walk He was Of small and
light figure, but great strength, weighing
not more than 1875 pounds. He must have
been very powerful in the Jaws, as he would
take the iron ring of ffty-six pound
weight in his teeth, and lift it as easily as
dog takes stone in his mouth; and would
easily lift three fifty-sixes with his teeth
when the weights were tied together Mr..
Thaddeus Gwinn, at the same shop, lifted
afifty-six pound weight on the little finger
of his right hand, and wrote his name up
on the wall with the other fingers. DR..
Kittredge, in the same shop, lifted full
barrel of spirits with a man weighing about
two hundred pounds seated upon it, by plac-
ing his hands behind him under the chimes
Of the barrel, and Strengthening himself up.
A much stronger man than any of these
was Capt. Jeduthan Upton, whose power
was enormous But the strongest man that
ever lived in Salem, was, doubtless, VIM.
Dowst, a native of this place, who died in
the year 1901, and was one Of the strong
est men that ever lived.
Dowst was nearly seven feet high, and
weighed more than three hundred pounds.
During the Revolutionary war he was on
board privateer which got among the
breakers off Cape Breton, when it became
necessary Immediately TO. cast anchor; but
there being none upon deck, as many hands
laid hold of one which was in the hold as
could get at it, but could not start it.
Dowst pushed them aside, seized it him.
self, and brought it up on deck, carried it
forward, and held it upon the timber-heads
while cable was bent to it, when he threw
It over and saved the vessel and lives of
me crew, as they were upon the point of
aashlng upon the rocks; the anchor weigh
ing seven hundred pounds. At another
time eight or ten hands were sent to Beck
er's ship-yard, in the lower part of the
town, from privateer well known in those
days by the name of Grand Turk. to bring
up a fore-yard for the ship. Dowst was
among them, but, naturally dilatory. he
I'D not at first take hold. The Others shopl.
Tered it but began to stagger under it. and
wmplained that there were not enough to
%1ify it. Dowst, laughing at them, told
4sa he could carry it alone; on which
mgy threw it down, and he took it up
llu carried it to the ship without assistance.
a.. another time when he attended the fish
W. ;Ss' formerly kept on what was called
em rrI'lAi Point, he was directed by his
p'0ye' to go for a jackass which was in