Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-02-08
WILMINGTON IN 1924,

Following is another instalment of
interesting "reminiscences of old Will
mington, by Mr.. Albert Thatcher:
WILMINGTON IN 1924.
You ask me, said Mr.. Thatcher, what
the business area of the city was early
in the century. Well, as far as can
positively recollect is the year 1924.
About that time three-fourths of all
/ the business done here, trade and every
thing else was confined to the limits be-
& low Fourth street to the river; east to
Walnut, and west to Tatnall
The remainder was scattering. In
fact there were no houses anywhere
hardly between Terth street and the
Brandywine. l can remember no large
houses at that time. The city hall was
Of course built. | can't tell of the
churches. / was too young to take
notice of their appearance.
THE EARLY SHIP CARPENTERS.
want now to start with the ship car
penters. My memory runs on back to
1929 when | went apprentice to John
Harris. like to talk about IL for il was
an eyentful day in my life. Leaving my
home in the country was more TO me
then than to-day taking one of the big
transatlantic liners for a passage to
Europe.
LEAVING THE OLD HOME.
A very nice May morning, it was the
second Monday in May, started out on
the by-road, for near cut through
Beeson and Hewson's woods for the
Philadelphia turnpike to get to Brandy
, wine village. The old gentleman lived
with and his wife and also the little dog,
the same little dog that used to ride
with me in the light cart, were my
escort.as far as the school house. The
little dog watched me close. He sus-
ipected something was up, but at length
ne too turned back again with the old
folks.
Among the shipbuilders of old Revo-
lutionary days were Barney Harris,
father Of the man with whom served
my apprenticeship; William Woodcock,
Enoch Moore, grandfather of the present
Enoch Moore there were three Enochs),
Elijah Sharpley, an old resident OF
Brandywine hundred, ancestor of the
present Sharpieys of this city, 4.
John Harris, my master, as was the
respectful term used then, was born in
1776. His father, Barney, lived in Revo-
lutlonary times when 1t was very hard
to make a living. Times were bad and
he got out of work. He concluded to
build small vessel for himself and live
by what trading he could get.
/. lie built and rugged plrragua. This
was vessel with two masts, mainsail
and jib, without any rigging but hal
yards to hoist the sails. The old man
traded to Jersey and down the coast
and gathered up quite a little business.
'ENGLIsH JACK" GOT HANGED.
There was man here at that time
called "English Jack" who had vessel
and was DONG all he could against the
patriots in this part of the country. He
came up with Barney Harris one time
when he was ON his way back from
trading trip and captured him and all
his cargo. Well, | should tell you
Barney was a man that feared no one.
He was fine big athletic fellow. He
stood up before Jack on the pirragua's
deck and told him to his face that he
would be hanged for what he had done.
Then Harris was put on Shore But he
had lost all he had by the Tory's acts. A
little time afterwards Harris was called
ON by the authorities with the message
that Jack had been captured and they
to identify the man. When Harris got
there sure enough it was the English
pirate.
Didn't I tell you you'd be hung p
Harris shouted out to HIM.
81 never expected to be caught" the
man muttered pitifully. "English
Jack" was hanged right away.
FINE RACE OF MEN.
As l said Barney Harris was fine
athletic man. So were all tho other
Wilmington ship carpenters of those
days. When they struck with an axe
on a log they meant that lick to tell for
one lick at least. 1t was always in its
proper place and did its work. And
again when they used an adZe it always
told what it meant on the sides of ship
TO bring the plank to thickness.
John Harris used to sitdown and talk
to his 'prentices and tell how the older
men worked and the fine work they ac-
complished. This was one Of the ways
he taught his journeymen.
In the course of time, about 1881,
William Woodcock died. Mr.. Harris
occasionally did work for him. He took
all his boys, the apprentices, and closing
the shop, went out to the funeral. II
was nelu al WoodcocSs S house.
"THE sADDuoEEs! p
The dead in those days were carried
on what was called bier So when the
time came to move to the graveyard at
Fourth and West streets, which was the
Friends burial ground, we all followed
in the procession and the old man was
laid in his resting place. There was
quiet company of us, chiefly men
standing and looking at each other in
the face not knowing whether there
would be speaker or not, as the Friends
spoke as the Spirit moved them.
Suddenly, at tho moment when all
had turned towards the gate to leave,
two sharp words were heard which
startled everyone, and me especially, as
they came from exactly behind me.
The two words given in loud i'm
pressive tones were "The Sadducees r'
Looking around in the direction the
voice started solemnly again "They do
thinkP There was another pause us
eyeryone's eyes centred on the man
from whose mouth again came the
words "Thero will be no Resurrection ~
The speaker was n Friend and his
name was John Brooks, noted for his
speaking at funerals. When he stopped
we le1t the graveyard thinking on the
Sadducees. don't know there is any,
body left that heard that address but
me. AT any rate the "rhe Sadducees"