Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-05-30
A QUAINT CHARACTER.
CAPTAIN PRESERVED FISH, WHO
HAD A WILL OF HIS OWN.
TRAITS or A STURDY NEW EreLANDER,
SAILOR AND LANDsMAN WHO LIES
IN VAULT IN NEW YORK CITY.

or less intimately associated with the
early history Of the metropolis. stands
\ one bearing the Inscription, Preserved
Fish's Family Vault" The inscription
has a queer ring to 1t. suggestive OF
I the odd character whose name 1t per-
petuates. According to all the tales
| told Of him, Preserved Fish was an &c
centric sort of man. and that definite.
| almost defiant declaration OF owner
| ship on his tombstone is In keeping
with the rugged, self reliant character
| of the man in life.
| There is some doubt about the man
ner in which Preserved Fish came by
| his given name. According to one sto-
J ny. when a small boy he was picked up
in midoeean hanging to bit Of broken
spar with that determination which he
| eviRced In after life In such marked
degree. His rescuers declared then
and there that Preserved" was the
name for the youth. and Preserved he
was called.
But, according TO Edmund Norman
Leslie. relative, Preserved was a
common name among the HuGuenots
prior TO the American Revolution, and
his ancestors came by his name In the
same prosaic manner as many Of the
period. being born the son of a Ports
mouth Or. H. blacksmith in 1906. who
had been christened Preserved.
Like many other boys of the time he
ran away to sea, shipping as cabin boy
ON a whaler. He rose rapidly, and at
twenty-one was a captain. Evidently
Captain Fish appreciated the odd name
he bore, for a story is told or him that
while captain of New Bedford whal-
er be was held up by a revenue cut
ter.
what ship is thatT" demanded the
captain of the cutter.
THE Flying Fish," answered the
youthful commander.
whats her cargoy' was the next
question.
Picked fish," was the prompt an
swer.
And who is captain2"
Preserved Fish"
These answers had fishy sound to
the revenue officer. He ordered the brig
to heave to and boarded her, only to
find that the answers were true in ev-
cry detail.
Captain Fish turned landsman in
1910, quitting the sea and going into
business in New Bedford. He entered
politics, and after a most troublesome
time suddenly decided TO leave New
Bedford.
Il want you to selt1ny house." he de-
clared TO an auciioneer whom he
CHANGED to meet in the street.
But we win not get anything Ike
Its value here" protested the auction
eer.
did say anything about getting its
value? Sell it-value be hangedr' was the
fierce rejoinder of Captain Fish. So.
sacrificing his property, the captain
left New Bedford and settled in Flush
ing, n. Y, as farmer. Ii was while
living there that a disagreement arose
between him and neighbor who had
been his closest friend. The two be-
came bitter enemies, and, indeed, so
deep was the hatred on Captain Fishs
part that on one occasion when the
neighbor saved his life after his cat
boat had been wrecked in He'll Gate
he did not even thank his enemy for
the act
Soon after this incident Captain
Fish moved TO New York city. Turn
ing his back upon political Office. he
formed, with Joseph Grinnell, the
shipping house partnership Of Fish &
Grinnell. ana the first regular line of
Liverpool packets was started.
Captain Fish got along finely in the
shipping business until In 1s2e he
went to Liverpool with about $1,000
of capital and an unlimited amount
OF ambition Two years later he
came back minus the ambition and
two-thlrds OF his fortune.
1t was after that venture that, hav-
ing formed partnership with Sam
uel AIiay of New York city. the grouty
old captain entered the office late one
morning.
Il hope you are wen this morning,
captain remarked his partner.
This. SIR" growled Captain Fish.
is place for business. not compli-
ments." MFR. Allay was himself a
man of some spirit. In less time than
it takes TO tell it the firm OF Fish &
Allay became thing of the past, and
the sign was being converted into
kindling wood.
Captain Fish could never forgive
any one for failing to be punctual To
him the man who failed to keep an
appointment was wholly unworthy of
trust in the future. Once in the early
days of the shipping business the pilot
who was to take vessel to sea at a
certain hour on a certain day was
prevented from getting to the ship at
the time agreed upon. though through
no fault Of his own. Captain Fish pi-
loted the vessel to sea himself, and
when the pilot appeared he discharged
him without hearing.
Captain Fish was married three