New-York tribune., 1921-12-11
Marshfeld, home of Daniel Webster,
one of the reg'lar customers at Fordps
department store

ship and voyage of sealing and trading. In
time 1t came to pass. The ship, appropriate
ly called the Perseverance, was small buc
stoutly constructed, and a small schooner was
built to accompany her. The voyage occupied
seven years, in which they cruised three times
around the world, and was filed with many
interesting adventures, one of which follows:
The Perseverance was lying at anchor at
the island of st. Bartholomew in the West
Indies In the last stages of protracted cruise
Her hold was filed with the fruits of many
hazards and years of toll, and in the cabin
was $4,000 in specie. The captain decided
to take forty-five pipes of St Crox rum
as little further venture. Perhaps it was
destined for Ford's department store. 1t was
known to him that the officials were corrupt,
and he exercised great caution in order to
avoid complications with them, as he had
rich prize The fort, standing at the harbor
entrance, we'll armed, led all ship masters to
realize the strength of the port authorities
1t was sailing day, and Captain Delano had
gone ashore, where he paid his duties and
asked assurances that he had fulfilled all the
demands upon his ship. He was assured that
he had In the mean time the flag had been
ing that the ship was about to sail and serv-
ing as signal for the customs officer to come
out for inspection. Irregularities could
then be adjusted and were considered no in
fraction on the laws but after the flag reached
tie masthead anything irregular beca1ae un-
lawful The customs officer on this occasion
found that the rum had not been entered on
the manifest by the broker hired especially
fo,. IL O.
the mate it would be readily adjusted and to
masthead the flag.
No sooner was this done than he took pos
session of the vessel Captain Delano, hear
ing the news, proceeded to each official in an
effort TO make amends, only to find that pre-
arranged hold-up was under way, 81 500 be-
ing suggested as the price Of release This
he refused to pay and went aboard the Per
severance, where he found of negroes
heaving up the anchor for the purpose of
warping her to the government wharf
His plans quickly given to the mates,
and as the anchor came off the bottom the
blacks we're driven below, while the mates
took care of the officer and his assistants.
The sails were quickly loosed and under q
full spread of canvas the Perseverance swept
by the fort under severe fire, vigorously re-
ship was hove to while the customs officer and
the negroes, some wounded, were put in their
boat, whereupon the vessel squared away for
Boston with no casualties and no serious dam
age.
mus, IN the prosperous days of Duxbury's
shlpbullding activity Ford's store was great
trading center and enjoyed much prosperity,
Unusual and interesting merchandise got on
Its shelves through the towns contact with
foreign markets. 1t was the custom, long be-
fore the railroad came, to stock up when the
inventories demanded, by importing schooner
load of goods from Boston
Daniel Webster was resident of Marsh
held, some three miles to the north. but Ford's
was the place where he traded, and in later
years they so advertised the fact on billboards
arranged to catch the eye of the f7eetiua-
motorist.
Mr.. Webster loved his SURROUNDINGS in tlo
historic land of the Pilgrims and several vears
before his death, at the invitation Of the select
men, addressed his neighbors in great speech.
IN one paragraph of which he said:
1 deem 1t piece of good fortune that. COM
ing from the mountains, desirous of having a
summer residence the seacoast, | came
where did and when | did. Many, when they
come down through these pine woods and over
these sandy hills to see us, wonder what drew
Mr. Webster to Marshfield. Why, gentlemen,
tell them partly good sense, but more good
fortune II had pleasant spot, had lands
about diversified, my fortune was to fall
into e kind neighborhood, among men with
whor have never had any difficulty, with
VINO | had entered into we-understood
covenant that I would talk with them on
farming and fishing and neighborhood con-
Germs, but / would never speak word to them
or they to me on law or politics. They have
kept their side of the bargain and have kent
nne."
Which shows that his fellow custcness at
Ford's Department Store in Duxbury had con-