Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2011 "The Art and Mystery of Shipbuilding": An Archaeological Study of Shipyards, Shipwrights and Shipbuilding in Somerset County, Maryland 1660-1900 Jason D. Moser Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES ―THE ART AND MYSTERY OF SHIPBUILDING‖: AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY OF SHIPYARDS, SHIPWRIGHTS AND SHIPBUILDING IN SOMERSET COUNTY, MARYLAND 1660-1900 By JASON D. MOSER A Dissertation submitted to The Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded Summer Semester 2011 The members of the Committee approve the dissertation of Jason Moser defended on April 21, 2011. _________________________ Rochelle A. Marrinan Professor Directing Dissertation __________________________ James P. Jones University Representative _________________________ Glen Doran Committee Member __________________________ Lynne A. Shepartz Committee Member Approved: ____________________________________ Glen Doran, Chair, Anthropology Department ________________________________________ Joseph Travis, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences The Graduate School has verified and approved the above named committee. ii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my parents, Carl and Pat for their love and support. It is also dedicated to my wife Shannon for all of the love, grace, and patience she has shown throughout this process. iii ACKNOWLEGEMENTS Organizations and Institutions Maryland Historical Trust National Archives Society for Industrial Archaeology Library of Congress Florida State University Maryland Historical Society Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Maryland State Archives Annapolis Maritime Museum Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Oxford Dendrochronological Laboratory Delmarva History & Culture Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty National Oceanic and Atmospheric Earth Observatory, Tree-Ring Laboratory Association, Central Library BRS Cultural Resource Specialists United States Naval Academy, Nimitz Historic Annapolis Foundation Library Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts United States Department of Agriculture (MESDA) /NRCS Shoreseekers Artifact and Recovery Club Whitehaven Historical Association Individuals This project would not have been possible without the dedication and efforts of countless individuals. They have selflessly dedicated their time and resources to expanding our knowledge of the maritime cultural landscape of the Lower Eastern Shore. I would especially like to thank Stephen R. Bilicki for his steadfast assistance on the water and off (especially during the coldest months of the year), Dr. Susan Langley for her support and encouragement, Dr. Jean E. Russo, John Lyon, and Emalu Myer Simpson for sharing so much of their own data. I want to thank all the volunteers who suffered through the mud and the flies. They are Jennifer Gardner, Sherri Marsh, Dr. Mark Staniforth, Paul Touart, Michael Worthington, Dr. James G. Gibb, Dionisios K. Kavadias, Pete Lesher, Rodney Parker, Amanda Indra, Kurt Knoerl and Troy Nowak. The author is indebted to Mr. Robert Hayman, Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Todd, and Mr. Bounds Phillips for allowing me to investigate sites located on their properties. Finally, I would like to thank everybody who has shared their knowledge and expertise with the project; these individuals include, Dr. Jean Russo, Dr. Lois Carr, Dr. Paul Krusic, Dr. Daniel Miles, Bill Draper, Maureen Kavanagh (MHT), Gail Farr (National Archives), David Nutter, John Wing, Melissa McCloud, Richard Barker, Jonathan Adams, Jennifer Cosham (MHT), Jeff Morris, George Shivers, Jefferson Boyer, Ben Ford, Mechelle Kerns-Nocerito, Jeff Whatfield, Kathy Neopold, Jeff Morris, Nancy Bramucci, Bob Barnes, Christopher Haley, Jill Ludlum, Dr. Rochelle Marrinan, Dr. Glen Doran, Dr. James P. Jones, Dr. Lynn Shepartz, Robert C. Moser, and Shannon Moser. Others who have been generous with their time include Alexander Hall, Captain Albert E. Theberge (NOAA Central Library). David McMahan, Alaric Faulkner, Dr. Sally Hadden, Dr. Elizabeth Ragan, Jim Allen, Gordon Watts, Victor Mastone, Dr. Mike Jarvis, Brad Loewen, Dr. Jennifer Bryan (Naval Academy). iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEGEMENTS .............................................................................................................. iv LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... xiv ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. xv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................................... 4 Models......................................................................................................................................... 8 Social....................................................................................................................................... 8 Environmental ......................................................................................................................... 8 Geographic .............................................................................................................................. 9 Technological .......................................................................................................................... 9 Economic ................................................................................................................................ 9 Archaeology of Shipbuilding .................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 3: PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL SETTING .......................................................... 25 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 25 Geography ................................................................................................................................. 25 Geology ..................................................................................................................................... 29 Cultural History ........................................................................................................................ 30 Somerset County ................................................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER 4: CHESAPEAKE BAY SHIPBUILDING ............................................................... 39 Seventeenth Century ................................................................................................................. 40 Eighteenth Century ................................................................................................................... 43 Snow Hill .............................................................................................................................. 53 Salisbury ............................................................................................................................... 54 Nineteenth Century ................................................................................................................... 57 New Town/Pocomoke City ................................................................................................... 60 Crisfield................................................................................................................................. 63 Mardela Springs .................................................................................................................... 65 Whitehaven ........................................................................................................................... 67 Miscellaneous ....................................................................................................................... 73 Summary ............................................................................................................................... 75 CHAPTER 5: SHIPYARD ORGANIZATION ............................................................................ 77 Background ............................................................................................................................... 77 Location .................................................................................................................................... 84 Workforce ............................................................................................................................. 86 Slaves and Indentured Servants ............................................................................................ 87 Infrastructure ............................................................................................................................. 89 Early Ship Launching ..........................................................................................................