Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-03-17
"REMINISCENCES OF ALEXANDRIA VESSELS
Their Owners, and Other Matters Forty or
Fifty Years eGo


Fifty years back there were many vessels
built and owned by shipping merchants of
Alexandria, and large trade was carried
on between this and other domestic As well
as foreign ports.
The ship Boston, Capt. Findlay, consigned
to Thomas Irwin, is among the first. This
small ship came from France with full
compliment of Swiss passengers, and nearly
all the passengers brought musical boxes,
which created the greatest excitement
among the boys of that day. Capt. Findlay
lived on Royal street, near the Market, in
the house afterwards owned by Mr. james
Entwislc.
In ISIS the ship Richmond, Capt. Elcazar
trahrc", huilr in Newburyport, and be-
longing TO Fowic 4 Co. aud H. Smith l. Co..
arrived here Oh her first voyage to Rotter-
dam, and loaded with tobacco. Among the
outward passengers was Mr. Robert Bell who
landed at Dover, whence the ship sailed for
Holland
The ship Virginia, Capt W. Morrill,, was
built in Alexandria by, X. W. Hunter, and
owned by Fnwlr x Co., II. Smith x Co. and
the Captain
The ship l'iuneer, Capt. Graham, owned
by the same and Captain Graham, was laun-
chcd November 18th, 1857.
The ship Potomac was built here and
owned 10y Fowle x Go.
The ship Maryland. built in Portsmouth
Va, WAS owned by Fowlc 4 Co.. and Capt.
Morrill,
Ship Matamora, built here aud owned bv
}. c. Vowel and Capt Fletcher.
Ship General Washington, Capt. Leonard
Marbury. built by II. W. Hunter, and owned
here
The ship Pioneer owned here, built in
Newburyport.
Brig Delos, owned by James and w. II.
Irwin, i'll the South American trade.
Bark General Harrison, built by r. w.
Hunter and owned by J. B. Daingerlield
and Captain D. p. Smith, engaged in the
Barbados trade
Bark Archibald Oracle, Captain r. C.
Rice, owned here, and engaged in the
Barbados trade.
Brig Philip Doddridge, built by R. w.
Hunter, owned here, and engaged in the
West India trade.
Brig William. built here and owned by
Fowle & Co.
Brig Hartly, Captain l. Kelly, owned
here and engaged in the West India trade.
Brig Virginia, built and owned here.
Briggs Franklin, Uncas, and Tribune,
owned here and engaged in the New Or
leans trade.
Schooner Palestine, Captain w. Wilson,
built by W. Easily, of Georgetown, and
owned here, was lost in a hurricane at Bar
BADGES.
Schooner Mary Ellen, owned here, was
lost at sea-never heard from.
Schooner Firm, owned here, engaged in
the Charleston trade.
Schooner Gordon, owned here. engaged in
the West India trade.
Ship General Strong, owned bv Ladd and
Wheelright, engaged in foreign trade.
The ships engaged in foreign trade
brought large quantities of Liverpool and
ST. Cbes Salt for the fisheries, which were
very large; and Alexandria at that time sup
piled all the salt for the Potomac and Sus
quehanna fisheries. These ships also brought
cargoes of queensware, iron, and other
goods from Liverpool, consigned to r. H.
Miller, ?. Janney and others. Exports of
tobacco in large quantities were made to
Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
Eastern vessels owned in Boston came
here and loaded with tobacco in addition to
our own vessels engaged i'll the tobacco
trade. This tobacco was bought by Alex
andria merchants by sample; the inspections
of country warehouses being at Bladensburg
Navy Yard, Washington, Georgetown, D.
c.. PiScataway, Pamunkey, Port Tobacco
Benedict on the Patuxent. Nottingham,
Upper Marlborough, Queen Anne and there
was an inspection at Blue Plains just across
the river where the East Alexandria Il. r.. |
now is, from which point ferry boat ran to
near fishtown. The other ferry across the
river, ran from Rosters Bluff to short dis
tan NJ; below Hunters shipyard
ne parks and brigs were engaged in the |
south American and West India trade,
w Wnic 81 ~ was finally abandoned on account of
the ulihcuity in making up assorted carsoes
and from the opposition of New Haven
which managed to get appointments nj