The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-03-15

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From the Portland Press
Isaac Pickett.
Another OF the honest and honorel me
chanics OF Portland has passed away atteI
a long and yirtuous life
Isaac Pickett. who died Saturday night
aged 93 years, was born in Cape Eliza
beth, March 4th, 1871. lie was one of :
numerous family of his name, who ion
many years were identified with the com
merclal interests of that town and Port
land. At the age OF Ii he went as an ap
| prentice to the trade of 4 caulker with
John Stockman, afterwards Il coastino
| packet master, whose place oi business
was ON the east side OF Widgery's wharf
Here he remained until he was Il His
next business was a service of two wears
IN an American privateer, and as prison
er OF war. His relative, Samuel Pickett.
a shipbuilder, whose yard was at the foot
Of Park street, had ship Of 40 tons on
the stocks. but was not completed, when
| the war of 1872 was declared The ship
was made ready for launching, and as she
was modelled for speed, as was then neces-
sary in the unsettled state OF the CONNER
clal world, the owners made a sale Of her
tor prlyateer to Bryant and Sturgis of
Boston for $40 per ton all rugged, which
before the war would have been only Il
fair price for the hull.
The owners named the Ship ''Hvter
ALL" hoping probably that she would be
as troublesome to the English as was that
noted chief Of Mysore. 10 complete the
ship for war vessel they purchased OF
William and Thomas Merrill the entire
armament of the prize brig Boxer, .
which was taken and brought into Port
land by the brig Enterprise a few months
before, and OF which the Morrills had be-
come the owners The purchase included
guns of all kinds, cutlasses, pistols, board
tRg Guai nEs s5od 3nf tie tie dsHp6si5l dH55 Of the ar
ment Of the Boxer. as every few years we
hear of some old cannon represented rs
one of the Boxers guns" tor which there
is very little authority, as Mr., Pickett as
sisted to place the entire armament on
board the Hyder Ali, which never return
ed to Portland. he battery OF the priya-
teer consisted of twelve Is pound cannon
AIDES as broadside guns, two long lSs and
two long 9s, at the bow and stern,
The ship was made ready for sea, with
Israel Thorndke Of Beverly as captain,
Henry Oxnard of Portland, afterwards u
merchant of Boston, as first lieutenant,
with several other Portlanders as under Of
fcers and as part OF the crew. Alr. Pickett
for want of business, shipped ON board a@
caulker, and for some other duty whic!:
was specified. The ship sailed III January
1914, for the Indian ocean After being
chased all day by an English Ship Of war
oil the Cape OF Good Hope, which She out
sailed, the iiyder ALI captured an English
East lndiaman and sent her home, but She
was recaptured by the prlvateer Tom y
off Cape Elizabeth OF the Cape Of Su-
matra the Hyder Ali captured Two Eng
lish ships loaded with pepper in bulk
| fhese ships Were also sent home, one in
charge OF Lieutenant OXnard, who did not
know that the enemy was iii possession q
Castine and put in there, but seeing two
armed boats with English coiors coming
towards the ship, he suspected that he was
trapped and hurried what yaluables ht
could into mattress which was throw
into boat and all hands made for tht
woods and after Il while reached Portland
| losing rich prize very near nome. lht
other ship was also recaptured
The Hyder ALI adopted the practice:
which privateering i5 apt to lead to, Q
using a flag to suit all occasions. While
| in the Indian ocean she over hauled Two
Chinese iunks loaded with rich Chinese
goods, bound to Penang, which the cap
tain called British property, and took it OF
board, giving the junks his ballast. The
privateer next fell in with an English 6
gun ship - both vessels lay becalmet
twelve hours-the English ship firing hel
bow guns and the Hyder Ali firing he
stern guns and holding their recoil will
the breeching to give the ship headway
A squall coming u the frigate caught th'
first breeze and came down within gun
shot and captured the privateer. The shil
proved to be the ''Owen Glendower," ant
undoubtedly Capt. Thorndke wished he
where Prince John of Lancaster wished
his Shakesperian namesake. On making
sail in company Capt Thorndike tounl
that the prvateer could sail around tht
frigate with the same breeze, which wa
an unpleasant discovery after capture.
Both ships sailed for Penang where th
privateers men were imprisoned tou
months. When the East India fleet CAM
in, having lost several men by scknes
they offered the crew of the Hyder All
wages if they would ship for Whampo
and London, which was accepted. On thei
arrival at Whampoa Mr.. Pickett helped t.
discharge the ship to which he belonged
when he learned that three men were t.
be exchanged for three English prisoner
of war. Lots were drawn, and Mr.. Ficl,
EFT drew prize and was discharged Th
ship America Of New York, was in pol
dismantled and housed over, with her GREY
on board. He went on board the Americ
and staid month, when he got a passag
to Canton, where the American Consu
supplied his wants. He then shipped o
board the ship "Bramble," Il Boston lette
Of marque bound home, where he arrive
in safety after having been absent nearl
two years Mr.. Pickett suffered much OK
+ preston and abuse while in the Hyder All
He was compelled to assist in reeting tol
, sails, and was obliged to go out to tn
yard-arm-a duty which he did not shi
for, and which required able seamen. II
. always spoke of his service on board th
= ship as the most disagreeable OF his life.
On his return to Portland Mr.. Ficke
! went into his former business. In 1919 h
formed a partnership with Hosea Harfor(
| In 1917 he married Margaret, daughter {
| Capt. James Wyley, well known rigge1
= and after his death Mr.. Pickett occupie
t the old Wyley lot, on the corner of Fedel
al and Hampshire streets forty years, du
f ing which he built a new house and b'
came the owner of large property in re;
4 estate on Hampshire and Congress street,
including the old one story tavern house