The Portland daily press., 1888-04-28
PORTLAND AND THE AFRICAN
TRADE.
Interesting "reminiscences of the
Last Century.
THE "AGE" ARGUMENT.
rBridpton News.1
THon. William Goold.l


In 1871 William Widgery, then a represen-
tative to the Massachusetts general court
from New Gloucester, obtained an act for
holding one session Of the court Of Common
Pleas of Cumberland county annually in
January in that town. This continued I'M
til the organization of Oxford County in
1906.
The Eastern Herald" of Portland, of jan
uary 9, 1892, notices the opening of the first
session of the court at New Gloucester, and
further says:
was commenced against Col. John May OF this
town (Portand) for fitting out the ship Eagle TO
the coast OF Africa and importing slaves therein
1t was claimed that the court had no 1urisdic-
tion."
The wife of the county attorney, John
rockingham Of Portland, was Martha May
of Boston. She was a relative, think a
sister, to the accused. This fact may ac-
count for the absence of any mention of the
action in the court record The plea of a
tack of jurisdiction" Of the court was of
course allowed, although the respondent did
not deny the accusation.
Men of that time represented that the sem
timent of the towns people, Of Portland,
was very strong against Col. May; so much
so that he gave up his business and returned
to Boston. His house in which was also his
store, was the large two-story building, now
a boarding house, on the south corner OF
Congress and Park streets. A third story
was added thirty or more years ago.
Col. John May was one of the prominent
May family of Boston. He came here in
about 1871, and after his return .he sold his
property in 1894 to VIM. Gray, Jr., of Salem,
for one thousand and fifty pounds. The ship
Eagles is the first mention of an African
voyage from this port. No doubt others
than Col. May at times were interested in
this contraband trade. The next recorded
venture to the coast of Africa was in legiti-
mate trade. In the summer of 1924 Eli Mer-
rill despatched the sloop "First Attempt
Capt. John Robinson, on trading voyage to
the coast. The sloop was of about sixty
tons, and had pink stern. She was report
ed in the papers of the time as sailing Nov.
24th from Goree for the Gold Coast. She
made her voyage and returned with cargo.
Her success encouraged Merrill to despatch
the topsail schooner Recover, for the same
thus reported:
AZ days from Goree and 25 days from Bonavista,
with SPECIE salt, goat skins. leopard skins and
wine to Eli Merrill and Joseph Johnson"
The next year Merrill built in gun boat
dock, Clay cove, small full rugged brig of
less than 200 tons, with standing royals, and
all the kites, named SARAH George" When
the brig was about ready for sea at Railway
wharf the captain was arrested for debt.
On Sunday, at his request, the kind hearted
TAILOR allowed the Captain to go out on his
parole to visit his family, but instead ne
went to the wharf and within very short
time the briggs crew went aloft, loosed the
sails, the fasts were cast off, and the Jaunty
little brig was careening before west wind
down the harbor and to sea; bound 10
Montevideo leaving the humane jail keeper
in the lurch to pay the debt for his klnd acC'
/ think the Sarah George next made Yoy-
age to Africa. Merrill the owner OF the
brig, of course was In the plot to get the de-
linquent captain off to sea. Public sentl-
ment was almost as strong against him as IL
was against Col. May 30 years before, caus-
ing, as was supposed, his removal to New
York. Greedy and Jones had good schoon-
er called the Huldah and Judah which In
December, 1924 they sent to Goree and
market. in charge of Capt. Thompson.
John Cox was an active merchant In the
African trade. He commenced in 1924 with
the schooner Reporter, Capt, John Wait.
He soon added the brig John, schooner
Aretas, schooner Romp and brig Union.
The brig John was of about $50 tons she
was built at Flying point. After being dis
masted she was made into full rugged ship
with all the sky scrapers of New York
liner and light sails of all shapes to be set
where and when there was a possibility of
catching the light winds Of the African seas;
bore his name. He had an eye to beauty as
we'll as gain, and grudged no expense to i'm
prove his fleet of little clippers. Ex-Mayor
Mcclellan went mate of the John one voyage.
1t was the rakish appearance of the schoon-
erpor Jehuda Ashman of the Liberia colony.