Maine Historical Society

Coll. 1931 Lemuel Moody collection Ca. 1776-1865

Accession number.: 1998.508 Processed: November 1998, by Nancy Noble with consultation by John Moulton and John York Access: Unrestricted Copyright: Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the MHS Image Services Coordinator. Size: .5 linear feet

Biographical note: Most of these papers relate to Lemuel Moody and the building of the Portland Observatory. Captain Lemuel Moody (1767-1846) built the Observatory in 1807, and manned it from 1807-1846. The Portland Observatory, also known as the Brown Tower, was used to signal ships. The Observatory grounds contained a bowling alley, as well as Moody's house. On March 31, 1807, a group called the Portland Monument Ground Association was formed, and purchased the land on Munjoy Hill for an Observatory site. 55 proprietors bought 100 shares. The first annual meeting was held at Lemuel Moody's house on November 3rd, 1807. Over the years the Moody family eventually bought back all the shares, and thus entirely owned the property. Lemuel Moody was born in Portland (then Falmouth). In the 1790's he was the Captain of the Schooner Betsey. The French captured his vessel, and Moody was imprisoned. Later, he was one of the founders of the Portland Marine Society, founded in 1796 and still active today. The Observatory is the only remaining signal tower on the Atlantic Coast of the United States. On April 24th 1973 it was enrolled in the National Register of Historic Places. In November of 1998, restoration will begin on the tower. For further information see: Moulton, John K. The Portland Observatory: the building, the builder, the maritime scene. 3rd edition. Falmouth, Maine: John K. Moulton, 1996.

Scope and Content note: The Moody collection consists of 54 items, ranging from c1776 to 1865. The collection can be divided into roughly three areas: information about the Portland Monument Ground Association, information about the physical building of the Observatory, and information about Lemuel Moody and his family.

Series: I. The Portland Monument Ground Association and the founding of the Portland Observatory, including lists of subscribers (and number of shares), the share certificates, deeds to buy back shares, commissioning of a new chart of Portland Harbor, and notices of meetings. II. The building of the Portland Observatory and its various buildings, including description of dimensions, ledgers, bills, payroll, an insurance against fire, and other information about the small house, fence, wells, etc. III. Lemuel Moody, including documents from various stages of his life, such as his years in the militia, as health officer, as commissioner of wrecks, strays, and lost goods, and as the captain of the Schooner Betsey. There are also documents about Captain John Moody, William Moody, and Enoch Moody, as well as Moody family deeds. That these materials arrived at the end of October of 1998 is fortuitous, as work on the Observatory will begin in November. Many of these documents will be useful in restoring the Portland Observatory. For other Moody and Observatory materials at the Maine Historical Society, see additional entries in the book and manuscript catalogs.

Related collection: University of Southern Maine Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education. Lemuel Moody archives contains materials relating to Charting Portland Harbor (1825-1839), Scientific and natural phenomena (1817-1835), and Chronometer business (1830-1841). See source file for finding aid.

Provenance: This collection was a gift of Edith McCluskey, whose first cousin, Charles H. Gibbs, owned the collection. Gibbs died before he could donate the collection, so Ms. McCluskey did so in his stead. She found out about the Portland Observatory Restoration Campaign through the Internet.

Inventory

I. Founding of the Portland Observatory by the Portland Monument Ground Association A. agreement to build a "marine lookout", 1807 March 20 [folder 1] B. list of subscribers and shares purchased, n.d. [folder 2] C. share certificates in the Portland Monument Ground, 1807 October 1 [folder 3] 1. Edw. Oxnard 2. Joseph Moulton 3. John Hobart D. bill for printing certificates, n.d. [folder 4] E. meeting notices 1. 1807 April 9 (organizational meeting) [folder 5] 2. 1807 April 24 [folder 6] 3. 1807 August 15 [folder 7] 4. 1810 March 6 [folder 8] F. deeds to buy back shares, 1809-1824 [folder 9] G. commissioning by subscribers of updated chart of Portland Harbor, 1825 [folder 10] II. Building of the Portland Observatory A. "dimensions of the Portland Monument", n.d [folder 11] B. ledgers of expenses to build monument, 1807-1809 [folder 12] 1. listed by company 2. listed by item C. description of timber ("sticks") to build monument, 1807 April 8 [folder 13] D. payroll "to the following persons for raising monument", 1807 June 9(?) [folder 14] E. 3 "small house" documents, n.d. [folder 15] 1. two proposals for building small house 2. "number of sticks in small house frame" F. 2 windows documents, 1807 April 11 [folder 16] 1. agreement for small house and monument 2. agreement with Smith Cobb, 1807 April 11 G. 2 bills, including one for paint, 1807 [folder 17] H. agreement to build fence around monument ground, 1807 April 15 [folder 18] I. digging of well, 1811 September 2 [folder 19] J. insurance against fire, 1825 May 1 [folder 20] III. Materials relating to Lemuel Moody and family A. Lemuel Moody 1. Schooner Betsey [folder 21] a. Lemuel Moody's account of the capture of the Betsey off Surinam in 1799 (document dated 1832 August 22) by the French privateer, the African. b. "Invoice of goods" from Schooner Betsey 1799 July c. "Estimation of adventure" from Schooner Betsey 1802 February 16 2. Appointment of Lemuel Moody as health officer, 1809 June 15 [folder 22] 3. Deed to a church pew at St. Paul's (Episcopal) Church, 1819 September 15 [folder 23] 4. Appointment of Lemuel Moody as Commissioner of wrecks, strays, and lost goods [folder 24] B. Enoch Moody document written during Revolutionary War regarding ammunitions, c1776 [folder 25] C. extracts from private journal of William Moody, c. 1780 [folder 26] D. Capt. John Moody militia document, 1834 [folder 27] E. Moody family deeds, 1801-1865 [folder 28