The Republican journal., 1875-04-01
CAPTAIN William McCEutock.

thing more than Il passing notice. He was
probably the last survivor of that energetic
and enterprisins class of men who, in the early
days of this country as an independent nation,
built up and gave an established character to the
commercial marine Of the United States Born
in Bristol, in ITS, while The revolutionary
struggle was still going on, he commenced hs
seafaring life at the age of II, and pursued that
calling for forty years.
During the serious misunde rstantling with
France IN l19S, in which war appeared certain,
and French armed vessels actually began to
capture Americans, Capt. McClintock met with
some remarkable adventures. He was mate
with Capt. Dckev, in the schooner Hester.
bound to Bristol from the West Indies. when
she was captured, August 18th, by French
privateer, and an officer and prize crew put on
board, with orders to keep company with the
captor. Capt. Dickey, feigning sickness, was
| allowed to remain on board, and the mate was
retained to help navigate the schooner. The
idea of recapturing the vessel was entertained
from the moment she was taken. BY skilful
handling of the sails, the mate caused the Hes
ter to progress much faster to leeward than
she got ahead, and lost sight of the pryateer in
| the first twenty-four hours. At preconcerted
| signal, it was agreed that the Frenchmen should
| be seized and disarmed. Capt. Dickey, who
! had come upon deck, apparently very weak.
at the signal seized the French officer, who
drew his dirk but it was Wrenched from him
and thrown overheard. He then surrendered.
| Among the prize crew was a negro. who start
| ed for the arms, but was seized by the wool by
| amt Mr( 'linfOcl and thr0tVn 1lttOn tho 1prl-
where he begged for quarter In 4 few min
utes the vessel was in possession of her old
crew. They headed her for home, and in due
time arrived at Bristol. The Frenchmen ac-
cepted the situation so gracefully and behaved
| so well, that the intention was not to deliver
them up to the authorities but they were
found out, and lodged i'll Wiscasset Jail.
| While there, Capt. McClntock supplied the
officer with clothing, and made him as com
| Portable as possible. On subsequent voyage,
| while master of the sloop Hunter, Capt. Nc
! Clintock was oyerhaulcd by French prlya-
| teer, who boarded him i'll his own boat The
officer no sooner stepped on deck than lie
seized the Captain, Rugged and kissed him,
and began to inquire for people in Bristol. He
was his old friend the prize officer of the Hes
| ter. who suffered him and his vessel to 90 in
| peace.
! In October, 1900, While master of the ,oop
| Hunter, from the West Indies to Bristol, Capt.
| McClntock proyidentially rescued from death
portion Of the crew of a wrecked British
sloop of war. \ fleet of merchant vessels had
been sailing together, as though in convoy, 10
| avoid capture. One night Capt. McClintock
left the fleet and ran far to leeward, to get out
of the track Of the privateers. At eight O'Clock
i'll the morning he fell in with TWENTY-FIVE men
swimming and clinging to various articles.
They We're taken on board, and proved to be a
| sailing master, nidshpman, a quartermaster
| and twenty-five sailors of the British sloop of
war GalgU, Capt. George S. Stovan, that had
capsized and sunk in sudden and terrific squal
the night before, at u O'Clock, Among the
| rescued men was negro who could speak but
little English, but who kept pointing TO wind
| ward and indicating by signs that there were
more men in the water. The vessel was headed
| that way, and four more sailors found on 4 raft
These were all that were saved out of a crew
of III men.
| A few days later, Oct. 18th, the Hunter was
hove to by an armed vessel under Spanish
colors, that took two puncheons Of rum from
the cargo, robbed the vessel of spare cor(lagc
Irvine, arms, &C.. and left her. Next day the
same cruiser hove the Hunter to again, and
took another puncheon of rum, leaving word
that if he fell in with the vessel next day he
| would take two more. What the real character
| OF this queer craft was, Capt. McClintock never
| knew, but he was certainly what the sailors
call "a rum customer" Probably he was one
of those cruisers that was either pryatccr or
pirate, as opportunity offered, which at that
| time infested the seas.
| Capt. McClintock enjoyed the highest r.
| spect and confidence of all with whom he was
associated in business, and was remarkably
successful commander. No vessel under his
command was wrecked or seriously damaged.
He once, on the passage from Savannah to
| Dublin, lost a man overheard, which was the
only serious misfortune he ever met with
| In the intervals of his sea life, Capt McC.
| filled various Offices of trust conferred by his
| fellow citizens. His proficiency in mathematics
was such that when disputes arose between the
| propretors of Bristol and the settlers, he was
selected as referee, and made q survey of the
whole town, which quoted the differences, and
marks the boundaries of lots to this day lie
held Justice commissions from Gov Gerry, of
Mass, in 1910, and from Gov. Brooks in 1917
and was member of the Massachusetts Legis-
lature in 1909, 1910 and 1911. When Maine
separated from Massachusetts in 1920, he was
member of the Convention that formed Con-
stltution for the new state. He was twice a
member of the Maine legislature the last time
N 10 haI -,
House under Collector Farley, father of Hon.
+. W. Farley, also under Collector McCobb
Capt McClintock was man of deep reiig-
lous feeling, and early joined the Methodist de-
nomination. 1t was his custom to have daily
prayers on board his vessel, and to discourage
profanity and every form Of irreIieion and vice |
In his later years he was very liberal in his |
theological views, expressing the belief that
the great and good God who had created the |
human family would ultimately gather them |
all INTO state of happiness and contentmcnt. |
He was twice married, md three sons and |
one daughter survive him. \ man Of temper
ate life and regular habits, he enjoyed vigorous |
health almost to his latest days, and his mental |
faculties were strong and clear to the last. To
such a man death could have neither terrors
nor pangs. In calmness he awaited the hour
OF dissolution
Till, like a clock, worn out with beating time.
The weary wheels of life at last stood still"
People often send communications to
this office, and withhold their names.
we want to say now, once for all, that
all such letters go at once into the waste
has
want the names Of writer's in every case,
not tor publication, but as 4 guarantee to
us that we are printing matters that come
from responsible source 1t wouldn't be
q very safe thing for an editor to allow
Tom, Dick, and Harry to make an am
bush OF his columns, and shoot at people
they dislike, while unseen and unknown
themselves, That is not exactly the mis-
sion of ua1rcoaparc