The Portland daily press., 1877-03-05
UsaaC Pickett.

les of Portland has passed away after loni
and vrtuous life.
Isaac Pickett who died Saturday night
aged SO years, was born in Cape Elizabeth
March 4th, 1874. He was one of numerou
family of his name, who for many years wer
identified with the commercial interests of tina
town and Portland At the age of 16 he wen
as an apprentice to the trade of caulker will
John Stockman, afterwards coasting packe
master, whose place of business was on tn
east side of Widgerys wharf. Here he remain
| ed until he was q. His next business was
service of two years in an American privateer
and as prisoner of war. His relative, Samue
| Pickett, shipbullder, whose yard was at thu
foot of Park street, had ship of 24O tons OF
| the stocks, but not completed, when the war O
| 1872 was declared. The ship was made ready
| for launching, and as she was nodded fol
| speed, as was then necessary in the unsettled
| state Of the commercial world, the owner made
| sale of her for a privateer to Bryant and
Sturgis of Boston for $40 per ton all rugged
which before the war would have been only a
fair price for the hull
The owners named the ship 'Hyder Ali, -
hoping probably that she would be as trouble.
some to the English as was that noted chief OF
Mysore. To complete the ship for war vessel
thep purchased of William and Thomas Mer.
rill the entire armament of the prize brig
Boxer" which was taken and brought into
Portland by the brig Enterprise few months
before, and of which the Morrlls had become
the owners. The purchase included guns of
all kinds, cutlasses, pistols, boarding pixies and
the "breakers'' to hold water on boat expedi-
tons. am thus particular about the DISPOSE
tion of the armament of the Boxer, as every
few years we hear of some old cannon repre-
sented as one of the Boxers guns" for which
there is very little authority, as Mr.. Pickett
assisted to place the entire armament on board
the Hyder Ali, which never returned to Port
land. The battery of the privateer consisted of
twelve IS pound "canonades' as broadside
guns, two long 18s and two long 9s, at the bow
and stern.
The ship was made ready for sea, with Israel
Thorndike of Beverly es captain, Henry OK
nard of Portland, afterwards a merchant of
Boston, as first lieutenant, with several other
Portlanders as under officers and as part of the
crew. Mr. Pickett, for want Of business, ship
ped on board as caulker. and for some other
duly which was specified The ship sailed in
January 1914. for the Indian ocean. After be-
ing chased all day by an English ship of war
off the Cape of Good Hope, which she out
sailed, the Hyder ALI captured an English
East Indiaman and sent her home, but she was
recaptured by the privateer "Tom' off Cape
Elizabeth. OFF the coast of Sumatra the Hy-
der ALI captured two English ships loaded
with pepper in bulk. These ships were also
sent home, one in charge of Lieutenant OK
nard, who did not know that the enemy was in
possession of Castine and put in there, but see
ing two armed boats with English colors COM
ing towards the ship, he suspected that he was
trapped and hurried what valuables he could
inty mattress which was thrown into a boat
and all hands made for the woods, and after
while reached Portland, losing rich prize
very near home. The other ship was also re-
captured.
The Hyder Ali adopted the practices which
privateering is apt to lead to, of using flag to
suit all occasions. While in the Indian ocean
she over-hauled two Chinese junks loaded with
rich Chinese goods, bound to Penang, which
the captain called British property, and took it
on board, giving the junks his ballast The pri-
vateer next fell in with an English Ga gun ship
both vessels lay becalmed twelve hours-the
English ship firing her bow guns and the Hy-
der ALI firing her stern guns and holding their
recoil with the breeding to give the ship head
way. A squall C. ming up the frigate caught
the breeze first and came down within gunshot
and captured the prlvateer. The ship proved
to be the 'Ower Glendower," and undoubted-
lV Capt. Thorndike wished her where Prince
John of Lancaster wished her Shakesperian
namesake. On making sail in company Capt.
Thorndike found that the privateer could sail
around the frigate with the same breeze, which
was an unpleasant discovery after capture.
Both ships sailed for Penang where the pr-
vateersmen were imprisoned four months.
When the East India feet came in, having lost
several men by sinknsss, they offered the crew
of the Hyder ALI wages if they would ship
for Whampoa and London, which was accept
ed. On their arrival at Whampoa Mr.. Pickett
helped to discharge the ship to which he be-
longed, when he learned that three men were
to be exchanged for three English prisoners of
war. Lots were drawn, and Mr.. Pickett drew
prize and was discharged. The ship America
Of New York, was in port, dismantled and
housed over, with her crew on board. He went
on board the America and staid month, when
he got passage to Canton, where the Ameri-
can Consul supplied his wants. He then ship
pied on board of the ship "Bramble," Bos-
ton letter of marque bound home, where he ar.
rived in safety after having been absent nearly
two years. Mr.. Pickett suffered much oppres-
sion and abuse while in the Hyder ALI. He
was compelled to assist in reefing topsails, and
was obliged to go out to the yard-arm-a duty
which he did not ship for, ard which required
able seamen. He always spoke of his service
on board this ship as the most disagreeable of
his life.
On his return to Portland Mr. Pickett went
into his former business. In 1919 he formed a
partnership with Hosea Hartford. In 1917 he
married Margaret, daughter Of Capt. James
Wyley, we'll known rigger, and after his
death Mr.. Pickett occupied the old Wyley lot,
on the corner of Federal aud Hampshire streets,
forty years, during which be built new house
and became the owner of large property in
real estate on Hampshire and Congress streets,
luCluulUS Lu6 Olu Ouc StOIy Tavern uOuSe, winch
was owned and kept by Mrs. Alice Greele
when Mowatt burned that part of the town.
She remained in her house and nobly protected
it from the fire. This house Mr.. Pickett re-
moved and in its place he built substantial
dwellings. All these buildings were swept
away by the fire of 1866, with very small in
surance.
Mr.. Pickett always attended the Second
church, and in about 1920 he with his wife join
ed its communion. Mrs. Pickett died in 1865
since when he has lived in the family of his
son-in-law, Mr.. Charles r. Milliken Mr. Flick
EFT leaves several children, with whom am
unacquainted, He was very retiring, quiet
and conscientious man, and was much respect
ed throughout his long life by all who knew
him. W.
handsome Republican mai Ority i'm
the Common Council is good thing TO
have. Let us have it.
WOoDFoRDs CORNEe.-At the Republican
caucus for tho nomination Of candidates Co..