The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-10-04
Mrs. Lois Gushing Dunlap.

4Our paper OF JhlS morning con Lalns not1co
of the death at Hollis of Mrs. John Dunlap of
Portland, at the great age of 81. Nearly sixty
years acquaintance with tbs deceased lady,
for whom / entertained sincere respect,
prompts me to sketch her own life and that of
some of hi ancestors
Her father was Apollos Gushing, a merchant
| of Portland, one of the projectors and builders
of the Observatory on Munjoy Hill in 1907
| Her grandfather was Jeremiah Cushing of
| Cape Elizabeth, who was son of Col. Ezekiel
Gushing of Cushing's Point, just outside of the
breakwater. He was of the Cape Cod family.
Judge Freeman, in his notes to Smiths journ-
al, says, "Col. Ezekiel Gushing lived in as
much style as any person in Falmouth at that
day, on the point at Purpoodock, which bears
his name He was merchant in extensive
business, both in the West India trade and in
the fisheries. He held important offices in
town, and was Colonel of the Regiment in the
County, which was the highest military office
in Maine" Col. Gushing had seven sons, the
Oldest of whom, Loring, graduated at Harvard
College in the class of 1741. Col. Gushing, the
father, died in 1865.
Lois, the great granddaughter Of the Colon
oil, at the age OF %, in 1914, married Capt John
Porter, one Of eleven brothers born at Porter's
Landing, Freeport. OF these brothers, Cap
tains Seward and Samuel came to Portland,
and went extensively into commerce under the
firm name of s. & S. Porter. Their counting
house was on Union Wharf. Nearly all of the
brothers were employed in some capacity in
the ships of the firm, and most of them became
masters. 1t was this house of s. & S. Porter
that built and owed the famous privateer
brig "Dash'' during the war Of 1Si2-15. She
had made two successful cruises-the last one
in command of Capt William Cammett. The
Porters had built another larger brig for the
same business called the "Tippoo Ssib," and
Captain Cammett left the "Dash" to command
her. Captain John Porter brother to the
owners, then only % years old, was appointed
to the command of the "Dash," with two 9th
er brothers as first and second lieutenants
There were five cousins, including the Porters,
in the brig. The captain had been only two
months married to the lady whose name stands
at the head of this notice. The 'Dashn sailed
from Portland on the 21st of January, 1915,
with sixty men-many OF them belonging to
the most respectable families of the town and
vicinity, all having high hopes. as the "Dash''
was of great speed and had won the name of ga
lucky vessel"
In company with the Dash sailed the private
armed schooner "Champlain'' of Portsmouth,,
which had been built and fitted out at Port
land. She had been hurriedly got away so as
to leave with the Dash to try her sailing quail
ties Speed was an indispensable requisite in
privateer The two vessels kept in sight of
each other until the evening of the second day,
when the captain of the Champlsin sounded
and found the water shoaling, and changed his
course. a last saw the Dash on his lee bow,
with all sail set and heading as he thought,
too near to Georges Bank. He watched the
light Of the Dash with his glass until it sud-
denly disappeared. This was told the writer
many years ago by an officer of the Champlain.
violent gale and snowstorm came on that
night which undoubtedly drove the Dash on to
Georges Bank, where the vessel and all hands
were swallowed ap, which has been the fate of
many other vessels and crews before and since.
An incident may be worth mentioning here.
On that fearful night just described, the gale
was very severe on shore. Lois Gushing Por-
ter, bride of two months, and several of her
sisters and cousins, were gathered at her IA
theirs house, which stood on what is now the
south west side of Lincoln Park, talking of
their relatives in the brig, when violent gust
shook the house, and something was heard to
fall in the closed parlor. One Of the conn any
went to that room to investigate, and immedi-
ately returned, holding in her hand one OF the
porcelain tiles, which had fallen from the row
which ornamented the jambs and mantelpiece,
after the style of the best houses of that time
On seeing the fallen tile, bearing text of
Scripture, some one of the company exclaimed
''tLe Dash is gone" now. have one of the
tiles from that chimney, which withstood the
great fire of 1866, and was recovered from the
ashes of that house.
The young widow had son born to her
whom she named John Porter, for his father.
This son became successful business man at
Hong Kong, where he lost his health, and
came back and died at his mothers home
After few years of widowhood Mrs. Porter
became the wife of Capt. John Dunlap of
Brunswick Ia brother to Robert P, the Govern
orr, who had been shipmaster and was now
shipowner. His business grew to such extent
that with his family he removed to Portland
In about 1884 he erected the fine house now
occupied by the Female Orphan Asylum, on
State strest. BY lending his guarantee to 9TH
err parties during the business revulsion of
1878, and the great depreciation in the value
of property, Capt. Dunlap lost a very large
sum, which was probably the cause of the
failure OF his health, ana us subsequent death,
| leaving widow and six children. The ener-
| getic mother and her children, now cast about
| to ascertain what was left to them, aside from
| fathers good name. The result was not so
| bad as was feared.
| The spacious dwelling was sold to Judge
| Howard, for less than one-quarter of its orlgi-
| nal cost who subsequently sold it to the Or
| phan Asylum Association A house better
suited TO their circumstances, but of no mean
| size or appearance, was purchased by the fam
| lily. A brave effort was now made by the
| daughters to educate their younger brothers
| with success. One of the daughters subsequent
| ly became the wife of Professor James Russell
| Lowell of Cambridge, and is now residing with
| her husband, the American Minister, at the
| Court of London.
| For several years Mrs. Dunlap, with one of
/ her daughters, has spent the Summers at Hol-
| lis, coming to the city for the Winter. She
was a woman of great dignity, decision and
| energy and of robust health. During her
checkered life, she proved herself qualified to
| grapple with any vicissitude. w. G.
Wlndham, Oct. 2, 1882.
| |
Car Seat Rights.