The Republican journal., 1912-05-02
A WONDERFUL MAN.
A Short Sketch of One of Names Earlier
Shipbuilders of Whom there were Many
Successful Ones.

A Short Sketch of One of Names Earlier
Shipbuilders of Whom there were Many
Successful Ones.
We are in receipt of a very interest
ing commune cation from David WATSON,
young journalist who found it neces-
sary last fall to leave his work in Ports
mouth, N. H., for time in consequence
of i'll health. Mr.. WATSON is a descen-
dant of the late David WATSON of West
Brooksville, Me-, who was his great
grandfather, man whom the writer
thought great deal of, when he was a
bare-footed boy attending school in this,
our native village. "Uncle" David, as
this venerable citizen was called by every
one in those days, would always stop his
wagon and take as many of the school
children in as he could carry when they
were going his way, which was to his
shipyard and wharf every week day,
rain or shine.
A paragraph from our Colorado friends
letter will doubtless interest many of our
older Down East readers who remember
his great-grandfathe when he was the
foremost citizen of the little village of
West Brooksville, a builder and owner of
sea-going vessels. Mr.. Wasson's letter.
by the bye, was partly in answer to our
request that he contribute an article to
the Marine Journal descriptive of the
shipping and shipbuilding industry along
the Penobscot River from Rockland to
Bangor, before the Civil War, not for
getting his great-grandfather' active
part in such. Here is what he says in
that connections:
/ am afraid do not know enough about
the subject to write the sort of article
you suggest on the old shipbuilders and
owners, as my knowledge of West
Brooksville has been confined to brief
visits. My father however suggests
that Capt. George H. Tapley could doubt
less tell you all you desire to know about
those old days. At the time referred to
"Uncle'' David was considered the most
well-to-do man in town, and among the
vessels he built and owned now recall
the bark Laura Francis, brig WATSON,
schooners David WATSON, Abby WATSON,
Nancy L: WATSON, Henry Whitney, Ma
poleon, President, Day Spring, Maggie
beth and Fannie F. Hail.
"Uncle" David never believed in in
surfing his vessel property. The conse-
quence was he suffered severe losses
therefrom. For instance, the briggs
Harrison and WATSON were never heard
from after sailing on their first voyages.
The schooner Nancy L. WATSON was lost
at the entrance of Boston harbor on her
first trip. The three-master David Was
son foundered at sea with most of her
crew on voyage to Curacao. The Alb
by WATSON was wrecked on Nantucket
Shoals and the President on DEVILS Back
in Broad Sound, Boston harbor. The
Fannie F. Hall is the sole survivor of
this fleet and she now halls from Orland,
Me.
This was large number OF vessels for
farmer with no capital to start with to
construct and operate, and it was always
wonder to his fellow villagers how he
possessed the courage to carry on his
shipyard with the large amount of credit
he was obliged to obtain, but he did it
successfully without taking anyone into
his confidence, and when he died he left
comfortable competency to his heirs,
including farm of about 300 acres.
Here was indeed . wonderful man, of
whom there were many in the Pine Tree
State, in those ''good old days. Capt.
George L. Norton, in The Marine Jour-
nal.