HISTORICAL REFERENCES: MASSACHUSETTS. 705 



riches. The more promising ycung men of the town followed his example; and from this small beginning Marblehead 

 became one of the first trailing towns in the bay.'' 



"From this time," he continues, "the town began to export its own fish. In 1740 the town had ICO vessels 

 engaged in fithing, and at least a- third as many more in carrying them to Bilboa atd other Spanish ports. The town 

 became, second in population and wealth to Boston, and, when the days of trial came, its port of entry and its freest 

 benefactor." 



"As scon as the fishing business began to resume its accustomed activity," says Road, "a law was passed by the 

 legislature n quiring a tax of sixpence a month for every fisherman in the province. The penalty for the non-payment 

 of the tax vyas a fine of 20 sterling. The passage of this act was considered a great hardship by the fishermen 

 of Marblehead, who complained that they could barely obtain a livelihood, and could ill afford to pay the tax. This 

 occurred about the year 1735. Finally, one Benjamin Boden, a inuu more daring than his associates, determined 

 to resist what he termed 'the imposition,' and flatly refused to comply to the requirements of the law. The collector, 

 William Fail-child, esq., after vainly demanding the tax, brought a suit against the delinquent for the amount. This 

 action on the part of the collector caused great excitement throughout the town, and finally a town meeting was 

 called to consider the matter. At this meeting the tax was denounced unjust and oppressive, and the town voted to 

 pay the penalty and the costs of any suit or suits arising from a resistance to the six-penny act." 1 



Concerning the condition of the Marblehead fisheries about the middle of the last century, Douglass writes: 



' Marblchead, iu New England, ships off more dried cod than all the rest of New England besides; anno 1732, a 

 good fish year, and in profound peace, Marblehead had about 120 schooners, of about fifty tons burthen; seven men 

 aboard, and ( ne man ashore to make the fish, is about 1,000 men employed from that town, besides the seamen who 

 carry the fish to market; if they had all been well fished, that is, 200 quintals to a fare, would have made 120,000 

 quintals. At present, anno 1747, they have not exceeding seventy schooners, and make five fares yearly; first is to 

 the Isle of Sable; the codfish set in there early in the spring, and this fare is full of spawn: formerly they fitted out 

 in February, but by stormy weather having lost some vessels, and many anchors, cables, and other gear, they do not 

 fit out until March. Their second fare is iu May to Brown's Bank, and the other banks near the Cape Sable coast; 

 these are also called spring fish. Their third and fourth fares are to St. George's Bank, called summer fish. Their 

 fifth and last fare is in autumn to the Isle of Sable; these are called winter fish. New England cod is generally 

 cured or dried upon hurdles or brush. Anno 1721, were cured at Canso, off Nova Scotia, 20, COO quintals of codfish ; but, 

 as it is said, the officers of that garrison used the fishermen ill, and no fishery has been kept there for many years. 

 At present, anno 1747, there is cured in all places of Britith North Ameiica about 3CO/CO quintals dry merchant- 

 able cod."" 



In a foot-note Douglass adds: 



"Within these few years our cod-fishery, whaling, and ship building have failed much; and by peculation and 

 depopulation wo were like to have been carried into ruin ; but it is hoped we may have better times; at present our 

 trade is not half so much, and our taxes from 30 to 40 times more than they were a few years ago. Anno 1748 only 

 55 fishing schooners at Marblehead." 



"The depredations of the French on the sea against the commerce and the fisheries of the English colonies during; 

 the year 1756 were severely felt in Marblehead. Several vessels, with their crews belonging here, were captured while 

 on fishing banks, causing great distress among their families and great excitement iu town. The exposed condition 

 of the harbor caused serious apprehensions of an attack from the enemy, when the people were less prepared to meet 

 it, and it was finally voted to present a petition to the lieutenant-governor praying for the protection of the province. 

 The petition prayed also for the protection of the fishing interest, and stated that ' in time of war the fishery is prose- 

 cuted with much greater difficulty and risk than any other branch of business,' as will appear by the late capture of 

 onr vessels by the French while on the fishing banks. 



" 'That, by the small extent of our town (the whole extent being little more than 2 miles square, and that rocky 

 and barren), the inhabitants can have no prospect of exchanging this for a more profitable employment in time to come.' 



"During the year 1768, 9 vessels, with their crews, were lost, and the following year 14 others met with a similar 

 fate, making a total of 23 vessels and 122 men and boys. Besides these, a large number were drowned by being 

 washed overboard from vessels which returned. A large number of widows and orphans were thus left to the care of 

 the town, and the grief and suffering caused by these terrible calamities was very great." 3 



"In the year 1766 there were 40 ships, brigs, snows, and other vessels of nearly 12,000 tons in the aggregate 

 [belonging to Marblehead] engaged in foreign trade. Marblehead was then second only to Boston in the number 

 of its inhabitants. It was taxed accordingly, and more hard money was imported here than into any other town in 

 the province of Massachusetts. As its trade flourished the wealth of its inhabitants rapidly increased. Vessels 

 loaded with codfish sailed from the town for Bilboa, in Spain, or Bordeaux, France, and came back either freighted 

 with the products of those countries or bearing doubloons or dollars." 4 



The above extract will convey some idea of Marblehead's success as a port of foreign trade and as a fishing town. 



"For a time," writes Road, " the attention of the people of Marblebead was diverted from public affairs by tho 

 disasters to their fishing fleet at sea. During the year 1768, 9 vessels, with their crews, were lost, and the following 

 year 14 others met a similar fate, making a total of 23 vessels and 122 men and boys. Besides these, a large number 

 were drowned by being washed overboard from vessels which returned. A large number of widows and orphans 



1 Road's History of Marblehead, p. 50. Road's History of Marblehcad, pp. 60-77. 



'British Sottlcmcuts in North America. 1760. Vol. i, p. 302. 'Gloucester Telegraph, February 20, 1861. 



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