Paul Curtis (shipbuilder)
Encyclopedia
Paul Curtis was an American shipbuilder who built ships in Medford, Massachusetts
(up the Mystic River
from Boston
).
in the mid-19th century. Thatcher Magoun's
shipyard, where Paul did his apprenticeship, was the oldest (established 1802) and largest of the 10 yards, and remained so even after Thatcher's retirement in 1836. In 1845 one-quarter of all shipwrights in Massachusetts were employed in the Medford shipyards. The yards clustered along 1 mile of the Mystic River
riverfront, and Paul's yard was between South, Winthrop and Curtis Streets. He launched his ships directly across the South Street roadway. The yards drew upon the ready supply of local timber until the local woods were depleted. Ships were then built from timber cut down and floated south from the hardwood forests of New Hampshire. Each ship was built from fifteen or more species of wood carefully pieced together where the special properties of each would do the most good.
Paul was the youngest child of Elijah and Rachel (Clapp) Curtis. He was born on December 26, 1800 at South Scituate, Massachusetts
. In 1819, at the age of 18, he moved to Medford and began an apprenticeship as a shipwright in Medford at the shipyard of Mr. Thatcher Magoun. When serving time as apprentice he was called "Honest Paul". In 1834 the firm of Curtis and Co. was formed together with James O. Curtis. In the 5 years from 1834 to 1839 they were to build 9 vessels. In 1836 they took over the yard of Thatcher Magoun to whom they had both been apprenticed, relinquishing the yard to others after their partnership dissolved in 1839. Carrying on business on his own Paul built another 27 vessels at Medford before moving his shipbuilding business to East Boston in 1852. He continued to build boats at East Boston until his retirement from shipbuilding. James also continued building ships on his own at Medford. Even though both Paul and the younger James shared a surname, and were both born in Scituate, they were not closely related and no link has been found between their families.
While living at Medford he built and occupied the large house with pillars on South Street now known as Grandfather's House
. Curtis Street at Medford is named in remembrance of this ship builder. Also in 1845 Mr. Paul Curtis had upon the stocks at his shipyard near the Winthrop-street bridge a ship of 850 tons burden, it being the largest vessel built in Medford up to that date. This ship was too wide to pass through the draw of the bridge, and the town was again petitioned to widen the draw, and chose a committee to repair according to their discretion; under this vote the bridge was rebuilt, the width of the draw increased to 40 feet, and the north abutment relaid.
Paul built ships at Medford, and later, after 1852, at East Boston, except for the occasional ship that he built elsewhere like the extreme clipper Witchcraft that he built at Chelsea, Massachusetts
in 1850 with Mr. Taylor, and the Golden Fleece that he built in Boston in 1852. Also after 1852 he still occasionally built a ship in the shipyards at Medford.
To illustrate the quality of his work a lady related this experience:
She was returning from Europe with husband and family on the ship John Elliot Thayer. They encountered an unusually severe gale lasting three days, with constantly increasing violence. The passengers became so alarmed that the captain was appealed to for assurances of safety. While he admitted the storm to be the worst he had ever known, he called the ladies to the cabin and asked them to notice the builder's name in golden letters on the white enamelled panel. They read this: ‘Paul Curtis, builder.’ He assured them that no ship of Paul’s had ever foundered,—no ships had so high a record for low insurance rates,—no timber or bolt was introduced unless free from all defect. ‘I assure you, ladies,’ he said, ‘I think she will ride this terrible storm safely.’ The ship came safely through the storm.
:
Medford, Massachusetts
Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, five miles northwest of downtown Boston. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 56,173...
(up the Mystic River
Mystic River
The Mystic River is a river in Massachusetts, in the United States. Its name derives from the Wampanoag word "muhs-uhtuq", which translates to "big river." In an Algonquian language, "Missi-Tuk" means "a great river whose waters are driven by waves", alluding to the natural tidal nature of the...
from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
).
Background
Shipbuilding was one of the two big businesses at MedfordMedford, Massachusetts
Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, five miles northwest of downtown Boston. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 56,173...
in the mid-19th century. Thatcher Magoun's
Thatcher Magoun (clipper)
The Thatcher Magoun, an extreme clipper launched in 1855, was named after Medford's great shipbuilder, Thatcher Magoun, who died the year that she was launched.-Construction:...
shipyard, where Paul did his apprenticeship, was the oldest (established 1802) and largest of the 10 yards, and remained so even after Thatcher's retirement in 1836. In 1845 one-quarter of all shipwrights in Massachusetts were employed in the Medford shipyards. The yards clustered along 1 mile of the Mystic River
Mystic River
The Mystic River is a river in Massachusetts, in the United States. Its name derives from the Wampanoag word "muhs-uhtuq", which translates to "big river." In an Algonquian language, "Missi-Tuk" means "a great river whose waters are driven by waves", alluding to the natural tidal nature of the...
riverfront, and Paul's yard was between South, Winthrop and Curtis Streets. He launched his ships directly across the South Street roadway. The yards drew upon the ready supply of local timber until the local woods were depleted. Ships were then built from timber cut down and floated south from the hardwood forests of New Hampshire. Each ship was built from fifteen or more species of wood carefully pieced together where the special properties of each would do the most good.
Paul was the youngest child of Elijah and Rachel (Clapp) Curtis. He was born on December 26, 1800 at South Scituate, Massachusetts
Scituate, Massachusetts
Scituate is a seacoast town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on the South Shore, midway between Boston and Plymouth. The population was 18,133 at the 2010 census....
. In 1819, at the age of 18, he moved to Medford and began an apprenticeship as a shipwright in Medford at the shipyard of Mr. Thatcher Magoun. When serving time as apprentice he was called "Honest Paul". In 1834 the firm of Curtis and Co. was formed together with James O. Curtis. In the 5 years from 1834 to 1839 they were to build 9 vessels. In 1836 they took over the yard of Thatcher Magoun to whom they had both been apprenticed, relinquishing the yard to others after their partnership dissolved in 1839. Carrying on business on his own Paul built another 27 vessels at Medford before moving his shipbuilding business to East Boston in 1852. He continued to build boats at East Boston until his retirement from shipbuilding. James also continued building ships on his own at Medford. Even though both Paul and the younger James shared a surname, and were both born in Scituate, they were not closely related and no link has been found between their families.
Grandfather's House
Grandfather's house, at 114 South Street, Medford, Massachusetts, is the original house named in the American song "Over the River and through the Woods". Some versions of the song mention Grandmother's house; it is unclear which is the correct phrase...
. Curtis Street at Medford is named in remembrance of this ship builder. Also in 1845 Mr. Paul Curtis had upon the stocks at his shipyard near the Winthrop-street bridge a ship of 850 tons burden, it being the largest vessel built in Medford up to that date. This ship was too wide to pass through the draw of the bridge, and the town was again petitioned to widen the draw, and chose a committee to repair according to their discretion; under this vote the bridge was rebuilt, the width of the draw increased to 40 feet, and the north abutment relaid.
Paul built ships at Medford, and later, after 1852, at East Boston, except for the occasional ship that he built elsewhere like the extreme clipper Witchcraft that he built at Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...
in 1850 with Mr. Taylor, and the Golden Fleece that he built in Boston in 1852. Also after 1852 he still occasionally built a ship in the shipyards at Medford.
To illustrate the quality of his work a lady related this experience:
She was returning from Europe with husband and family on the ship John Elliot Thayer. They encountered an unusually severe gale lasting three days, with constantly increasing violence. The passengers became so alarmed that the captain was appealed to for assurances of safety. While he admitted the storm to be the worst he had ever known, he called the ladies to the cabin and asked them to notice the builder's name in golden letters on the white enamelled panel. They read this: ‘Paul Curtis, builder.’ He assured them that no ship of Paul’s had ever foundered,—no ships had so high a record for low insurance rates,—no timber or bolt was introduced unless free from all defect. ‘I assure you, ladies,’ he said, ‘I think she will ride this terrible storm safely.’ The ship came safely through the storm.
Ships
Included in the vessels built by Paul Curtis were at least 19 American Clipper ShipsClipper
A clipper was a very fast sailing ship of the 19th century that had three or more masts and a square rig. They were generally narrow for their length, could carry limited bulk freight, small by later 19th century standards, and had a large total sail area...
:
- 1850 WitchcraftWitchcraft (clipper)The Witchcraft was a clipper built in 1850 for the California and China trade. She made record passages from Rio de Janeiro to San Francisco, and from San Francisco to Callao, Peru.-Construction:...
, 1310 tons Old Measurement (extreme clipper) - Chelsea (built together with Taylor) - 1850 Kremlin, 504 tone Old Measurement (extreme clipper barque)
- 1851 Courser, 1024 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - Medford
- 1851 Samuel Lawrence, 1040 tone Old Measurement (medium clipper) - Medford
- 1852 Beverly, 676 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - Medford
- 1852 Queen Of The Seas, 1356 tons Old Measurement (extreme clipper) - Medford
- 1852 Golden Fleece, 968 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - Boston
- 1852 Golden WestGolden West (clipper)The Golden West was an 1852 extreme clipper built by Paul Curtis. The ship had a very active career in the California trade, the guano trade, the coolie trade, the Far East, and Australia...
, 1441 tons Old Measurement (extreme clipper) - East Boston - 1852 Radiant, 1318 tons Old Measurement (extreme clipper) - East Boston
- 1852 Cleopatra, 1562 tons Old Measurement (extreme clipper) - East Boston
- 1853 Reporter, 1474 tons Old Measurement (extreme clipper) - East Boston
- 1854 Panther, 1278 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - Medford
- 1854 John E(lliot) Thayer, 1918 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - East Boston
- 1855 Golden Fleece, 1535 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - East Boston
- 1856 Empress, 1293 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - East Boston
- 1856 Mary Bangs, 958 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - East Boston
- 1856 Fortuna, 659 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - East Boston
- 1856 Orion, 1300 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - East Boston
- 1857 Belvidere, 1322 tons Old Measurement (medium clipper) - East Boston