The Muse Newsletter of the Slater Memorial Museum Summer 2012

19th Century Maritime Norwich: Whaling, the , the Civil War and Civil Seafaring by Vivian F. Zoë In addition to ship building related to the military, Norwich Decker continues to explain that from 1712 to 1761, harbor was critical to the Connecticut whaling industry. sloops of sixty to eighty tons could hunt the whale at sea, According to historian Robert Owen Decker of Central replacing the small open boats. During this era of whaling Connecticut State University (CCSU), Connecticut had in Connecticut, the process of capture was fraught with five periods of whaling. He asserts that the first involved danger, followed by hauling, cutting and boiling to Natives of the pre-contact era which ended when the extract oil. During the fourth period, 1761-1776, vessels Europeans arrived in the 1630s. Indians engaged in carried equipment for extracting oil enabling them to whaling near the shore using canoes and harpoons of wood remain at sea for long periods, often years. and bone. The tribe shared the meat and used the bone for tools and ornament. The American Revolution brought whaling activities to a halt but in the fifth period, 1784-1914, whaling The second period from the 1630s to 1712 again featured vessels grew until they averaged up to 300 tons in the onshore whaling. At that time whales in large numbers years from 1840 to 1914. The height of Connecticut entered Long Island Sound and remained from November whaling was in the 1840s when it ranked third among to April. Both the Indians and Europeans hunted this way New England industries after textiles and armaments. until in the early eighteenth century when few whales Eleven Connecticut ports sent out 358 vessels on 1,315 entered the Sound. voyages from 1718 to 1913. Whale products were critical to life, providing oil for lubrication and illumination, fueling home lamps, streetlights, locomotive headlights and lighthouse lamps. Whalebone, in great demand, was heated to be shaped for many products including stiffening for garments.

Challenges to capturing whales included difficulty in penetrating tough blubber, getting close enough to the whale to “harpoon” it effectively and killing with a hand lance while alongside a fighting whale, especially in rough weather. These problems were compounded when whaling in ice fields; getting close to a whale through the ice to harpoon and lance it was a hazardous operation. Once the whale was harpooned it would often dive below

(Continued on page 3) A Message from the Director In spite of the majority of our re-installation work complete, it’s been a whirlwind at the Slater this Spring and the summer promises to slow no further.

Once again, a bevy of young interns have temporarily joined our ranks and will be on board for the next few months assisting with what is arguably the most ambitious migration of the Slater’s permanent holdings in storage ever. These holdings reflect the museum’s 124 years of active and often catholic collecting of fine and decorative art, ethnographic material and household and industrial objects. Included are furnishings, paintings, works on paper and sculpture. The team will be examining every object, ensuring that it is catalogued accurately and recorded in the electronic database, is coupled with at least one image there and its condition carefully assessed. It will then find a new home in the museum’s state-of-the-art storage facility in the basement of the new Atrium or be placed in temporary, off-site storage.

Knowing and understanding our collection will make future permanent and temporary exhibitions more likely and comprehensive. Participating in the project provides college interns, some of whom are NFA alumni, tangible, hands- on experience in real museum work, their chosen discipline of study. Both the museum and these young scholars are fortunate to have found one-another. Our faithful members can look forward to our reporting on uncovered treasures long obscured in poor or cramped storage conditions … stay tuned! UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS, PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Thursday, July 12 Nicholas Scalise and the Connecticut 5:00 - 7:00 pm experience Opening Reception. Exhibition on view June 25 through August 12. Please see page 10 for complete details.

Saturday, Sept. 8 Connecticut women artists Opening Reception. Exhibition 4:00 to 7:00 pm on view September 1 through September 30. Please visit our website, www.slatermuseum.org, for more details.

The Muse is published up to four times yearly for the members of The Friends of the Slater Memorial Museum. The museum is located at 108 Crescent Street, Norwich, CT 06360. It is part of The Norwich Free Academy, 305 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360. Museum main telephone number: (860) 887-2506. Visit us on the web at www.slatermuseum.org. Museum Director – Vivian F. Zoë Newsletter editor – Geoff Serra Contributing authors: Vivian Zoë, Leigh Thomas Photographers: Leigh Thomas, Vivian Zoë, Barry Wilson

The president of the Friends of the Slater Memorial Museum: Patricia Flahive

The Norwich Free Academy Board of Trustees: Steven L. Bokoff ’72, Jeremy D. Booty ‘74 Glenn T. Carberry Richard DesRoches * Lee-Ann Gomes ‘82, Treasurer Thomas M. Griffin ‘70, Secretary Thomas Hammond ‘75 Theodore N. Phillips ’74 Vice Chair Robert A. Staley ’68 David A. Whitehead ’78, Chair Sarette Williams ‘78 *Museum collections committee

The Norwich Free Academy does not discriminate in its educational programs, services or employment on the basis of race, religion, gender, national origin, color, handicapping condition, age, marital status or sexual orientation. This is in accordance with Title VI, Title VII, Title IX and other civil rights or discrimination issues; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991. 2 (Continued from page 1)

the ice and pull lancing. These had an internal time fuse usually ignited the whaleboat by powder in the gun. The projectile could be fired over a into the ice distance rather than lancing near the boat. After the bomb and destroy it. lance was buried in the whale, the time fuse burned down Harpoons were and exploded the bomb. The typical time for the fuse was regularly bent approximately seven to ten seconds. The shoulder gun’s in the process major problem was still the excessive recoil, which was of attempting to known to break men’s collarbones and to cause the gun to pull the whale fly off the side of the boat. near the boat or vice-versa. In 1846 Oliver Allen of New London received a U.S. A blacksmith Patent for a gun-fired bomb lance and in 1848 another engaged on for a harpoon fired from the same gun. The gun itself was board was not patented because its features were common to many needed to muzzle-loaded percussion shoulder guns at that time. The straighten gun employed a percussion cap to ignite the black powder them. Many charge and it became the industry standard. In the first half whalelines of 1852 advertisements for this gun in the Whalemen’s had to be cut Shipping List, and Merchants’ Transcript, a weekly to prevent loss newspaper for the whaling industry in New Bedford, were of a whaleboat headed: Allen’s Whaling Gun and Patent Bomb Lance, and men; this With the improvements recently made by C.C. Brand. resulted in lost equipment and About 1849, Oliver Allen sold his business to Christopher a lost whale. Whaling ships’ logs of the time show icons C. Brand of Norwich who changed the stock from of a full whale when one was successfully caught and half hollow brass to the iron skeleton seen on display in the when it was caught but escaped or was cut loose. The log Slater Museum. Since then the gun has been known as of second mate James G. Sinclair on The Waverly, kept the Brand Whaling gun. It was made in three sizes to 1859-61 shows whale images scattered throughout. The accommodate various bomb lances. Christopher Crandall book is currently on display at the Slater Museum. Brand’s Whaling Gun Factory was at 282 Franklin Street, which became a laundry and now is home to a design firm. To minimize the risks of whaling, early attempts employed Around the world, people may not have heard of Norwich. poison to eliminate the need for lancing, and to kill the But in places with a strong whaling tradition, like Japan, whale quickly before it would be lost. Explosive harpoons Iberia and Scandinavia, they will know the name C. C. were also tried without much success. In 1731 swivel guns Brand. mounted in the bow of the whaleboat were introduced to fire a harpoon into the whale at a greater distance. As early Advance cash for whaling voyages were limited, requiring as 1810, to reduce or eliminate excessive recoil against several people to invest in unison to spread the risk. A single the whaleboat, shoulder guns were assayed with much investor could purchase into several voyages at a time and smaller harpoons. Conversely, as late as 1856, shooting whales was seen as dishonorable to the whaling tradition and as dangerous, for different reasons, as hand-throwing harpoons.

The whale guns shared many common features, so more than one could be used to fire a harpoon or bomb lance. However the one most commonly used was the one invented by Christopher Crandall Brand. In 1846 the first successful muzzle-loaded shoulder gun was introduced for whaling. Lighter than swivel guns, and not mounted to the whaleboat, these heavy shoulder guns fired a harpoon over a slightly longer distance than a hand-darted iron with positive effect. In addition to the shoulder gun Image courtesy of Mystic Seaport harpoons, bomb lances were developed to replace hand 3 crew members received a share of the value of the cargo Captain Joseph only after all bills were paid. Agents were at the center and his son, of the whaling industry, selling shares while retaining a Joseph, sailed to controlling interest. Agents recruited crews, hired captains, South America, acquired insurance, arranged for supplies and solved but in a storm were problems during the voyages. The agents disposed of the drowned. Joseph cargoes and took a commission. In addition, agents might Jr. was eleven also own industries using whale oil products which made years old. Other them wealthy and politically powerful, controlling banks family connections and businesses. included Captain Theophilus Yale According to Decker at CCSU, whaling captains were the who died at sea kings of the seas. The success or failure of each voyage off the coast of depended upon them. Each captain not only received a Valparaiso Dec. 30, share of the profits, but could own a share of the venture. 1819 and George Captains had to possess judgment, seamanship, “fisherman Winship who died sense,” navigational ability, and the leadership strengths to at sea, falling from handle men. Thomas Davis Winship by William a mast at the age of Sidney Mount, ca. 1820 twenty-two. The three areas important in Connecticut whaling were eastern Connecticut, the Connecticut River, and Thomas Davis Winship began his career at eleven in southwestern Connecticut. Whaling involved the resources 1806 as a seaman on the Dove commanded by his of large geographic areas, far beyond the immediate port grandfather. Frances Caulkins, in her History of Norwich, area, with seamen and investors recruited from many recounts of an earlier voyage: “The schooner Commerce, towns. Farmers provided food supplies sent to vessels in commanded by Samuel Freeman, bound to Martinico, the ports by wagon and later, train. Varied industries were was taken by the L’Esperance, within an hour’s active in producing clothing, tools, ironwork, sails, rope sail of her port, and a prize-master with four men put on and ships. The leading area of Connecticut whaling was board. Capt. Freeman with … his crew were left with eastern Connecticut, according to Decker. them. Watching his opportunity, he rose upon his captors, and after an obstinate resistance, in which one man was A typical Captain in Decker’s model was Thomas Davis killed and others wounded, succeeded in retaking the Winship, born October 9, 1795 in Norwich. His mother vessel. Capt. Freeman in the conflict received three severe was the daughter of Captain Samuel Freeman, also a flesh wounds from a cutlass. Unfortunately the privateer Norwich native. His father was Thomas Winship of New discovered that the Commerce was altering her course, and York City. Captain Joseph Winship of Norwich, a relation gave chase, compelling the captain at last to run the vessel of Thomas, was the owner and captain of a trading vessel ashore, among the breakers on the east side of Dominique, which traveled between New London and the West Indies where she went to pieces.” in the 1740’s to mid 1760’s. It was in October 1765 that Captain Freeman commanded the Brig Dove in 1809 bound for Surinam with a crew mostly from Norwich and most likely including young Thomas Davis Winship. Other destinations included Trinidad, Demerary (or Dutch Guyana) and the French Colony of St. Bartholomew. Horses and cattle were repeatedly needed in the Barbadoes because their lives were short from their heavy work in the oppressively hot cane fields. Storms, pirates, and sickness took tolls on the seamen. Often ships went down without a trace and families never heard word of the vessel or crew.

Thomas Davis Winship received his Seamen’s Protection Certificate at age fifteen at the Customs House inNew London on June 5, 1809 just prior to shipping out with Captain Freeman. He was described as 5’7” tall with a

4 (Continued on page 6) Friends of Slater Museum Current Members as of June, 2012

Please note: We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this list. If we inadvertently omitted your name, we apologize. Please let us know by calling 860-425-5563.

LIFE Mr. & Mrs. Laurent T. Mildred P. Lescoe Mr. & Mrs. Alton P. Button Genard, Jr. Michael D. Greene Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Camp Dr. Sultan Ahamed Mr. & Mrs. Denison N. Gibbs Michael E. Minzy Joanna Case & Les Olin Nina Barclay Katherine & Richard Haffey Mary Miskiewicz Mr. & Mrs. Walter Chojnacki Rubin Bokoff Mr. & Mrs. Michael Lahan Mr. & Mrs. William B. White James Clark Robert Allyn Brand Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Liverant Mr. & Mrs. William Dolliver Daniel S. Dahlstrom Valerie K. Foran Carter Lorna & Michael J. Gallagher Mr. & Mrs. Geoffrey Serra David & Gayle Ann Rust Mr. & Mrs. Leo Christmas Mr. & Mrs. Bob Reed Jeffrey R. Godley Cristina Dominijanni Mr. & Mrs. Charles M. Jack & Marcia Fix John Carter Gerard Doudera Gilman Mr. & Mrs. Matthew John Frazer Mr. & Mrs. James J. Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Gualtieri Isenburg Muriel B. Jacobson Dutton Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Wally Lamb Carol Curland Nick Spellman Edmund Rubacha Mr. & Mrs. Sheldon Levine Walter Pierson & Sheila Frank T. Novack Dr. & Mrs. David G. Fenton Mr. Edwin O. Lomerson III McPharlin Reverend & Mrs. John E. Pat & John Flahive Stanley M. Lucas Evelyn & John Putman Post Priscilla & Kathryn Forschler Mr. & Mrs. David H. Mr. & Mrs. Martin Shapiro John M. Rogers Jr. Gordon L. Kyle & Caroleen Meiklem Mr. & Mrs. Gurdon Slosberg Elizabeth D. Sager Frey Harriet M. Cutler Richard G. Treadway Mr. & Mrs. James Sawyer Cyrus D. Gilman & Kristine Jonathan S. Rickard George P. Ververis, Jr. Lottie B. Scott A. Olsen Jean Stencel Margaret S. Wilson Anne Sharpe Jean & Evan Gilman Celine Sullivan Mr. & Mrs. Philip Spak Richard Herrick Harry Swatsburg CONTRIBUTOR Ted & Katherine Parker Jay Weitlauf Sheila K. Tabakoff Joseph R. Wolter Attny. & Mrs. Michael E. Elizabeth A. Theve Barbara Wojtkiewicz Jewell Dr. Patricia C. Thevenet Mr. & Mrs. John Baldwin FAMILY Jill Coulter & Carl Gross Dr. & Mrs. Anthony Dr. & Mrs. Tom P. Bell Jon Smedley Tramontozzi Geri-Anne Benning Sophia Brubaker Mr. & Mrs. Norman Dr. & Mrs. Michael Betten Dr. & Mrs. S. Pearce Jordan, Jr. BENEFACTOR Douglass Bjorn Browning III Joseph Strazzo Cora Lee Boulware Mr. & Mrs. William Stanley Kaplan & Berni Sheri Slater Greg Brown Champagne Grecki Mr. & Mrs. Paul Brulotte Linda Healy & Al Bouchard Kristina & James Quarto SUSTAINOR Olive J. Buddington William Hosley Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Lathrop Dr. & Mrs. Larry Coletti Dr. M.E. & Dr. Joan Kadish Leonard J. Archambault Mr. & Mrs. Paul Rak Mr. & Mrs. Michael Driscoll Nancy Podurgiel Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Timothy Mr. & Mrs. Thomas L. Mr. & Mrs. Paul R. Duevel Mr. & Mrs. Gary Adams Love Cummings Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm Alana & Robert Wassung, Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Douglas S. Lee Shirley M. Sontheimer Edgar Jr. Ed & Connie Arnott Mr. & Mrs. John Paul Mereen Mr. & Mrs. Richard Erickson Jack & Ann Arnott The Methot Family PATRON Mary P. Fuller Priscilla & David Baillie Mr. & Mrs. Edward J. Teresa Geer Beryl Barnes Donovan Mr. & Mrs. William J. Abell Dr. & Mrs. Leonard Greene Eric Beit Mr. & Mrs. Peter Popinchalk Allyn Morgan Brand Richard C. Hamar Atty. & Mrs. Ralph Bergman Mr. & Mrs. Richard R. Sandra Ann Bosko Lloyd Hinchey Bill & Ingrid Treiss Clairwood Barbara Castagnaro John Roy Mr. & Mrs. Wil Blanchette Mr. & Mrs. Steven Slosberg Dr. & Mrs. Robert Crootof Joseph & Noreen Selinger, Jr. The Blinderman Family Bruce Dasinger Mr. & Mrs. David Cruthers Dr. Morris E. Katz Mr. & Mrs. Steven Bokoff Vincent Edwards David F. Belding Ruth Becker Kirsch Armand & Gloria Bouley Patricia Krodel Mr. & Mrs. Richard Melody & Donald Leary Mr. & Mrs. Tucker Braddock Nicholas Brand DesRoches George B. Lee Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Allyn Brown, III Dr. & Mrs. David E. Oakley Dr. & Mrs. Wayne F. Deborah J. Lee 5 Mr. & Mrs. Michael Brown Dr. & Mrs. Michael T. Diederich Phillips 5 FAMILY (Cont.) Joanne Forson Tony Morascini Mr. & Mrs. Eugene H. Frank Susan Frankenbach Matt Turpin Anita Friedland Bob & Gail Rehm Alderman Larry Goldman Veronica Triplett Jack Friedstein Dr. & Mrs. J. David Sawyer Nancy L. Gordon Charlie Whitty Lester Frye Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Sandra Grillo Garnet Wrigley Garrett F. Kirwan Silverstein Mary-Anne Hall Diana Gill Robert & Betty Slater Astrid T. Hanzalek SENIOR Rhoda L. Gorfain Denis & Sandra Soucy Ellen Henson Dr. Albert Gosselin Karen & Andrew Stockton Jean M. LaFreniere Carol A. Adams Richard J. Grayeck Christine Strick & Kenneth Joan Malone Margaret M. Aldrich Nancie B. Greenman Mahler Judy Hayne Dr. Donald Amaro Albert Gualtieri Barbara Sumner Bernadette M. Kalinowski Kathleen D. Amatangelo Donald G. Gunn Mr. & Mrs. Walter Turnquist Merrill Park Keeley Karen L. Anderson Ruth DaVega Gunn Liz Van & John Pratt Carol H. Kelleher Valerie Andrews Mrs. Leo M. Gwiazdowski Mr & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Mayor Benjamin Lathrop Albert Angelbeck Helen C. Gwiazdowski Vasington Kathleen Lavallee Kathleen Arnold Sara Haroun Mr. & Mrs. Rachna Walia Joy S. Leary Lindsay Aromin Luciana Heineman Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Welch Nancy B. MacBride Barbara Verdick Catherine Hill Bertrand Bell & Marianna James R. Marshall III Carole J. Barnard Florence L. Hill Wilcox Dr. Thomas J. Masterson Bernard B. Bartick Margie Hnatiuk Mr. & Mrs. Burriss G Wilson Michael Shortell Roger Beers Joan T. Hoyle Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Wolfman Jessie Michalowski Genevieve Bergendahl Olive D. Isakson Brian Mignault Elaine Berman Dr. Norman Israelite INDIVIDUAL Margaret Francis Mary Ann Biziewski Careen Jennings Catherine Monahan Jane Blanshard Christine Karpinski John Baiet Benjamin Shires Angelo Brocchi Gwendoline B. Kay Duncan Bailey Brian W. Korsu Barbara Brown D. William Kelleher Barbara Rossitto Julian P. Metzger Julie C. Buehler Dorothy Bosch Keller William E. Bartol Mitchell Mishkin Kenneth Bujnowski Elizabeth H. Kelly Serena G. Bates Elizabeth Hundt Scott Foster Caddell Leon Kouyoumjian Mara G. Beckwith Deborah A. Griffith Helen M. Champe Assunta Kozel Bethany Cinque Diana Rogers Raymond I. Champy Charles L. Kroll Hazel Judy Brown Kathleen Stauffer Carol A. Cieslukowski V. Jane Leger Jean Brown Laurie Chapman Thomas E. Clements Jr. Agnes B. Lotring Frank. Buckley Laurie J. Herring-Silvestre James Coleman Agnes Luby Jeffrey Buebendorf Lee Ann Gomes Elizabeth D. Colson Erna Luering Kathy Burley Margot Johnstone Carol B. Connor Janet MacKay Lois Burnham Patricia Miller Dr. Thomas J. Cook Alexandra Malone Brad Burns Sherry Marlowe Patricia Corbett Mrs. Katherine Mann Colette Butterick Suzanne Wierzbinski Wanda Cornell J. Roger Marien Alderwoman Jacqueline Gary Palmer David A Corsini Emily Markiewicz Caron Elizabeth Pite Roger Crossgrove Maureen C. Martin Catherine S. Pearson Manisha Prakash Alice E. Cubanski Helen M. McGuire Brian Cofone Kenneth Przybysz Albina Z. Czapski Darlene G. McNaughton Michael Colonese Katherine B. Richardson Marguerite & James Daigle Augusta N McPadden Barbara Cordell Joseph Ruffo Maurica D’Aquila Patricia Mereen Caroline A. Couture Salzer Sara G. Dembrow John Merrill Judyth Crystal Mrs. Lawrence Sarni Hannah Desio Eleanor J. Miller Diane Holtzworth Susan C. Schermerhorn Janice DiBattista Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mohr Patricia L. Arpin Dean Bett Schissler H. Jane Dibble Nancy L. Neiman-Hoffman Sadie Davidson DeVore Katherine E. Schmitt Nancy Fleury DiTullio Allene Nelson Diane Stone Gary R. Schnip Kathleen D. Dixon Irene Nichols Donna K. Bowles Patricia Shippee Frances J. Donnelly Diane A. Norman Dr. Harold A. Soloff Robert Staley Nancy E. Dubin Mr. & Mrs. Charles F. Noyes Ellen Durand Sean Sullivan 6 W. Wayne Endriss Frances Ogulnick Geraldine Exley Susan Friedland Frank Falcone Sara O’Hearn Elaine R.Finn Thomas M. Foley, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. John Fells Sarah B. Palmer 6 (Continued on page 7) SENIOR (Cont.) Verna Jean Souter He also fought in the Battle of Fayal, the neutral Portuguese Mariea Spencer port in the , Sept. 26, 1814 when three British ships, Anne Bingham Poul Sterregaard the Carnation, the Rotas and the Plantaganet transporting Pierson, M.D. Marilyn R. Stillman troops to , came upon the American ship. Constance A. Pike Wilma Sullivan Rather than succumbing to capture by the British, the crew Rev. Dr. Wayne D. Ruth Sussler of the scuttled the ship and escaped Pokorny Joseph L. Torchia to safety, later sailing in a Portuguese brig for Amelia Nancy Davis Pratviel Alyce Trebra Island. Elaine Prokesch Michelle Gill Tycz Louise M. Quarto Tekla Wirhun At the age of twenty, Thomas returned to the Brig Dove out of New London and sailed to Cayenne on November James H. Rankin Mr. John A. Wolkowski 9, 1815. Six of the crew members were from Norwich Pauline F. Reardon Dr. Leonard Zuckerbraun and were under the command of Walter Lester of Norwich. Ilene Reiner The following year in November Thomas was described W. Wynn Riley STUDENT on the New London Crew List as standing 5’11”, having Edward J. Rogalski grown 4” in 6 years! He was a crew member on the Brig Betty Rokowski Bushra F. Karim Hope whose destination was Guadeloupe. The Captain Charles F. Rossoll Grace Cardin was George Gilbert of Norwich. On this ship there were Francesca A. Rudolph Deidre Lucas another six shipmates from Norwich, one of whom was Dan Lyman Russell Donna R. Henderson John Yale, age 25. It was his sister, Phila, who Thomas Martin Rutchik Eva Gunzel-Guerra married November 17, 1817 in Norwich. Their marriage Sally Sweezey Ellen Gunther is recorded in the Norwich Vital Records. The Yales were Leo P. Savoie John P. Kemp also a seafaring family. Shirlee H. Sheathelm Sean Kane Paul E. Shelley Tycho Sajkowicz In 1819 Thomas was first mate of the Brig Fame, a whaler. Matthew M. Sheridan Blaney W Harris On this voyage he “took” a whale off Gibralter which Alberta Sherman Jack Montmeat entitled him to a certificate stating that he was now able to Mary Jo Sisco William J. Miller “dance with daughters and wives of Nantucket men”. He Michele Snitkin Erika Lamb was, however, married and now the father of two children. Emil Soderberg Nicole R. Lombardo The letter is in the collection of the Slater Museum.

(Continued from page 4) The years following 1820 until his untimely death in 1846 are largely undocumented with a few exceptions. From light complexion as can be verified in the Slater Museum’s 1836 to 1841, we portrait of him by Shepard Alonzo Mount, a find letters written to artist. Mount was one of three brothers, all Long Island now Captain Thomas artists, including the better-known William Sidney Mount. Davis Winship by The following year Thomas’ name appears on the New wholesale grocers London Crew List as a seaman on the Brig Dove, destination the Fitch Brothers Liverpool, England. He departed Nov. 21, 1810 under the of Marseilles. command of Christopher Colver, of Norwich. Douglas, William and Asa Fitch Jr., August 11, 1812 Thomas Davis Winship was captured all Norwich natives at sea while sailing on the Brig Gossamer by the British (Bean Hill), founded ship HMS Emulous and imprisoned at Halifax, Nova the shipping agency Scotia. He was released October 9, 1812, recaptured by Fitch Brothers & the Privateer Lewis and sent to Boston for exchange per Co. of Marseilles order of Admiral Sir J. B. Warren. According to Raymond and engaged in mercantile business. B. Case, donor of the Winship-related objects in the Slater Douglas Fitch, Jr. by Jean Au- Museum, and great grandson of Thomas Davis Winship, he Caulkins claims guste Renoir, ca. 1870. Subject that “Nearly all the was a privateer in the War of 1812 aboard the Brig General is grandson of Douglas, one of Armstrong under the command of Samuel Chester Reid, a American Vessels the Fitch brothers of Norwich/ and American Norwich native. Marseille 7 produce sent from ports in the union to Marseilles, were During Captain Winship’s seafaring career he sailed consigned to the great firm. The government, around the “Horn”, (Cape Horn, South America), trading also, found it necessary to appoint this house the agents with the natives of the South Pacific. Records of his of the Navy; and it had the supplying of all provisions, voyages during the years 1820-1840 have not been found, making all the payments & etc., of the American squadron but in 1846 Winship was acting as first mate on the ship stationed in the Mediterranean. This business gave Fitch Superior, sailing from New York to Hull, England, under Brothers & Co., a large capital to operate upon, and the command of George Hoyt, a Norwich native, and most immense commissions every year. …” Captain Winship, likely known by Winship for many years. During a violent having known the Fitches through his Norwich relations, storm Sept. 20th, on the return passage from Hull, Winship most likely spent many years plying the waters for this was swept overboard. Everything on deck was washed firm. into the sea. The sad news was reported to Mrs. Winship in a letter dated October, 1846 from Captain Hoyt and noted In November 1836 Captain Winship was given orders by in the New York Shipping & Commercial List Nov. 11, Raynor & Pond to collect passage money before leaving 1846. The ship proceeded to Yarmouth, Cape Cod, leaky the port from all the passengers on his brig, which was and damaged. at that time docked in Jacksonville, Florida. It was during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Captain Winship did not leave a will and Mrs. Winship newspapers kept the population anxious about safety soon left her home at Bean Hill to live with her son, and economic conditions. Raynor & Pond demanded Theophilus and daughter-in-law, Jerusha in the East Great payment in denominations no smaller than $5 and $10 for Plains area of Norwich, now along New London Tpke. passage rates of about $20 per person. With 21 passengers In the Yantic Cemetery is the Winship plot with a granite charged, the brig was also loaded with timber, sailing to obelisk commemorating Captain Winship’s tragedy at sea. Boston where all would be discharged. Captain Winship Winship’s wife, Phila Yale, died twenty-seven years later was advised that his pilot, Capt. Wightman, was to take and is buried in the family plot along with numerous other no risks in getting to sea. Port pilots were, and still are, family members. enormously valuable and well-paid in shipping. The federal period brought prosperity to Norwich in great The Second Seminole War was taking place in Florida and part due to the shipping trades. Agricultural produce the Battle of Wahoo Swamp on November 26th 1836 may and manufactured goods like textiles were shipped out have caused concern for the brig’s safety. A report of the and molasses, sugar, salt, coffee, tea, cotton and the all- New York Courier in its Evening Journal of November 12, important rum were brought in. In this way, both farms 1836, recounted that a month earlier, Captain Winship had and new “manufactures” benefited. Families also began been a passenger on board the steamboat William Gibbons to enjoy goods from distant shores that brought refinement when it was wrecked off the coast of North Carolina to their homes like the Winships’ mahogany furniture and near Body Island. After the passengers were successfully European and Asian ceramics. landed some of the crew attempted to rescue the baggage and cargo. The first mate, Joshua Andrews, was under surveillance, coming under suspicion for stealing jewelry and watches. Captain Winship collared him taking fistsfuls of jewelry from his pockets and throwing them into the sea. Finding evidence still on him, Captain Winship had him arrested and acted as the principal witness in court in North Carolina, sending the thief to prison.

It is likely that while Captain Winship owned the brig Carrier during this lucrative time, he brought back household items such as an English-made drop leaf table made of San Domingo mahogany. The Case family used the table from Spain in their dining room beginning in 1810 for five generations. He brought a tea set from Paris and it was during this time that Captain Winship sat for the Winship plot in the Yantic Cemetary. The inscription portrait by his friend Shepard A. Mount. reads, Capt. Thomas D. Winship, was lost at sea, September 20, 1846, aged 50. God rules the sea

8 By 1816, the as well as steam yachts and paddle boats. The last of the passenger steam whaling and schooners were still in Norwich Harbor boat Connecticut in the first decade of the 20th century. But the harbor was was traveling back full of excursion boats in summer that brought people out and forth from New of the sultry city to points along Long Island Sound. Sign York to Norwich and banner maker and erstwhile artist Henry V. Edmond and a year later, it illustrated and wrote a book in 1859 dedicated to his friend was joined by the and soon-to-be brother-in-law describing their star-crossed Fulton operated by Blue Fishing venture. In the tale, they use trolleys to get the Norwich-New down to the harbor in Norwich and then embark upon the York Line which Norwich Line’s smaller steam ship Tiger Lily to get to became known as New London for open water fishing in a rented boat. The the Norwich Line. book is on display in the museum. These new power boats significantly By 1860 when Frances Manwaring Caulkins published shortened the trip her History of Norwich, she described the Landing as from New York to having lost “all of the sharp angles and projecting rocks, Boston especially the trickling streams and gullies”. But she doesn’t explain when combined how the rock cliffs and outcroppings were leveled, creating with train travel to a more gentle slope to the tidal harbor. and from Norwich. The Norwich & New Still in the post-Civil War era Norwich Harbor was York Transportation swarming with boats and ships. Both the 1859 and 1909 Ella Norton from The Norton Girls Company was anniversary celebrations (Bicentennial and Quarter- by Alexander Hamilton founded by Henry Milleneum) included “Watercades.” These were Emmons, ca. 1850 B. Norton, who had celebrations of the importance of water travel and industry arrived in Norwich from Branford a pauper. His company in Norwich, essentially parades of ships and boats. Prizes made him fabulously wealthy. He became one of the were awarded for the best-decorated personal craft. founders of NFA and is depicted in a portrait by Norwich artist Alexander Hamilton Emmons on display in the Slater In addition to the spectacular personal yachts of people Museum. One of his excursion boats plying Norwich like William A. Slater (The Sagamore & The Elenaor) and Harbor was the Ella, named for his youngest daughter, Charles Osgood (The Narwhal), ever larger steam ships who is depicted in the group portrait The Norton Girls out of Norwich sailed down the Thames River, then plied also by Emmons in the Museum’s collection. The Ella Long Island Sound to New York. The steamship City of was commissioned by the Slaters to bring well-wishers Lowell was built at the same shipyard (Bath Iron Works from Norwich to New London for the launching and tour in ) the same year as Slater’s Eleanor and became of their Yacht Eleanor. The Ella was also deployed to known as the “Greyhound of the Sound.” It was designed bring spectators from Norwich to Gales Ferry and served by Archibald Cary Smith and the Slater Museum owns his as “bleachers” from which to observe the Yale/Harvard original side view technical ink drawing of the ship. regatta in 1865. The City of Lowell was used between the Norwich, New Norton’s passenger steamer The City of Norwich, before London and New York City from the time it was put in its service for public transport, was conscripted as a service (July 2, 1894) and its decommissioning and Navy Charter during the Civil War. The City of Norwich demise in 1935. It was a twin-screw steamer and for 4 was returned to civilian service after the war, only to be years (1894-1898) flew the pennant showing it to be the destroyed, amid massive injury and loss of life in a tragic fastest vessel on the Sound. Collisions among ships and accident in New York waters. Passenger and freight with ground, rocks and docks were impossible to wholly steamers suffered calamities throughout the 19th and into avoid and as motorized ship traffic in the sound increased, the 20th centuries in Norwich and New York ports. As was so did hazards. On Nov. 4, 1904 the City of Lowell was the case in the 18th century, port entries and departures involved in a collision with the Wall Street Line ferry were precarious, placing ships in imminent danger. Columbia resulting in the sinking of the Columbia. This event spurred the shipping industry to launch its own Norwich Harbor, in the first half of the 19th century, still insurance industry. The City of Lowell was scrapped at included square-rigged crafts of the previous Age of Sail the end of WW II. 9 Nicholas Scalise and the Connecticut Experience

On view June 25 through August 12 Opening Reception July 12 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm

Nicholas Peter Scalise (1932-2009) was born in Meriden and resided in Meriden all of his life. A graduate of Meriden High School, he received his art education at Horace C. Wil- cox Technical School, Meriden and the Paier School of Art in New Haven from which he graduated with honors. In a ca- reer that spanned over 50 years, Mr. Scalise became a nation- ally recognized artist, receiving over 200 awards in national and regional exhibitions and over 30 solo exhibits. His work can be found in public and private collections throughout the United States and abroad.

Scalise was inducted into the Meriden Hall of Fame in 1987. He was able to profoundly capture and convey in his work the humanity of its citizens and of daily life in the city. He showed its tremendous beauty as well as its urban realities, creating a visual storybook of the City of Meriden. Mr. Scalise was a self-employed artist and instructor at the former Famous Artist's School in Westport, CT. His painting excursions extended beyond Connecticut in na- tional and international locations, from Cape Cod to New Mexico and from Europe and Israel to Canada and Central America.

The opening reception is free and open to the public. All are welcome.

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED