The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-05

became suddenly worse and was taken
with commissions, due to stomach
trouble. He became unconscious and
passed peacefully away yesterday after
noon about o'clock, surrounded by
many of those who have added happl-
ness to the latter years of his life.
Capt. Willard was 20 years and months
old. II came from an old family which
settled in this country in 1884. As he
himself quantity put 1t in his book
which was published not many years ago
and which will be read by future gen
erations with much interest as record
of many strange adventure on the
sea, he was born October 80, 1928, Fat
Simontons' Cove, Cape Elizabeth. Me. /,
oradled in fishing boat andi5rought up
to be q fisherman.
His earliest recollections were all Of
the sea which he followed for many years.
He was one of the best pilots along the
North A tlantic coast and for many years
a successful steyedore and business IN an
in this city.
In his book he writes: MY fret fish
ing trip was made in 1886, when l was
not quite eight years old, and though
caught but A. mackorel, while my father
caught between two and three barrels.
my catch was thought to be big one
for SO small boy, and felt very proud
of my first success"
This was his introduction to a life of
hardship, crowned by success in his later
years. At the age of IL the young fisher
man caught large shark while on a
fishing trip with his father and In the
story of his life he graphically describes
this exciting adventure which caused his
father to remark that there Is no sleep
ing where That nys is" Born ut a time
when the port Portland was the home
of many hardy fishermen, Capt. willard
became one of tho ohardiest of them all
and soho0led to this adventurous life 1t
was his delight in later years to relate
the stories Of tho days when the waters
along the coast of Maine swarmed with
fish of oil kinds He was wont to tell
with much relish of how he caught the
largest Goldfish ever landed on House ISL
and, fish which weighed 100 pounds.
and with spots on 1t as big as silver dol
lars. Serving as mate in the winter OF
1881 he purchased AN interets In the
schooner jerome. plying in tbs coal trade
between Portland and Philadelphia and
continued in this business until 1858,
when he left the coasting trade and went
into the stsvedoring business In Portland.
At that time Portland had large Tor
eign trade and imported an immense
amount of molasses and sugar Capt
willard tecame one Of the most succe SIS
ful stevedores in the business and built
up large trade. In 1916 he started
to plotting ships and soon became one
of the most noted pilots in the stormy
North Atlantic coast. He knew every
in all of them as a most skilful and
careful pilot. 1t was his fortune to
pilot into Portland harbor the British
iron clad Monarch, bearing the remains
of George Peabody to the lapo where
that eminent philanthropist was horn
1t was Capt. willard, too. who took a
prominent part in the capture OF the Con-
enue cutter Caleb Cushing in Portland
harbor in 1863 and nearly escaped with
her to open waters.
Until the Atlantic cable was laid Capt.
Willard met the incoming English steam
ers off Portland harbor, took the London
and Liverpool exchanges and conveyed
the papers to the Associated Press,
which transmitted the news they con
tanned over the wires to Boston and New
York. AS pilot off this port in the
winter season, Capt. Willard had many
narrow escapes, but daring and skilful.
he met incoming steamers in his little
boat when they neared the coast in The
storms and safely piloted them into port.
No storm that boat could live in kept
Capt. Willard in port when the safety Of
the big ships bound to this purt was
endangered for need of n pilot. lie was
faithful to his duty as pilot and when
he was on the bridge OF the ship her safe
conduct to the port was assured.
On February ~, 1864, when the Ill fatsd
steamship bohemian ran ashore In fog
on Trundy's reef, Capt Willard In his
pilot boat Kittie was the first to reach
the spot and he rescued many of the pas
senRers and crew.
He was a pioneer in the sword fishing
industry, owner of one OF the f1fst three
masted schooners which sailed from Port
land, and also the owner Of the first tow
boat In Portland harbor. This tow boat
was built for Capt. Willard by his brother
William.
When Capt willard retired from the
active life Of pilot, he devoted himself
to promoting the business interests of
Portland, aiding in the development of
the Cape Elizabeth ferry, the island
steamers. and kindred enterprises, in all