History of Portsmouth, (Rockingham County) New Hampshire United States of America

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Local History Notes:

PORTSMOUTH, a city, port of entry, and semi-capital of Rockingham county, New Hampshire, 54 miles N. by E. from Boston, is situated on the right bank of the Piscataqua river, about three miles from the ocean, and at the terminus of the Eastern, the Concord, and the Portland and Saco rails roads, by which it has communication with nearly every section of New England. Lat. 43� 4' 35" N., lon. 70� 45' 50" W. This city, the commercial metropolis and only seaport of the state, is built on a beautiful peninsula, formed by the Piscataqua, and connected by bridges with Kittery in Maine, and with Newcastle on Grand Island. The harbor which lies between the town and the mouth of the river is capacious, deep, easy of access, and much frequented by vessels in bad weather: 480 have been counted here at one time; and it is estimated that 2000 could easily find convenient anchorage. The formation of sandbars or ice is rendered impossible by the rapid tides, which centuries since have Carried every earthy substance out to sea, leaving a smooth rock bottom, with a depth of water varying from 35 to 75 feet. The principal entrance is between the mainland and, the E. side of Great island, and is defended by Fort McClary on the former, and Fort Constitution on the N.W. point of the latter. The city stands on a gentle acclivity overlooking the harbor, and is remarkable for its healthy atmosphere and fine gardens. Many of the streets are adorned with a profusion of shade-trees. The principal public buildings are the State Lunatic Asylum, the State Arsenal, the Athen�um, and two market houses. Besides these, there are eleven churches, some of which are elegant structures. The chief object of interest, however, is the United States navy-yard, situated on an island near the E. side of the river. Among other things, it contains three immense ship-houses, and a floating balance-dock, constructed at a cost of about $800,000. It is 850 feet by 105, and has 24 pumps, worked by two steam-engines. The North America, the first ship of the line launched in the western hemisphere, was built on Badger's island in this harbor, during the Revolution. The literary advantages of Portsmouth are highly respectable. Besides the Athen�um, which has a well-selected library of about 10,000 volumes, and a cabinet of curiosities, there are several libraries belonging to church societies. The schools are numerous, and conducted upon the most approved system. The building erected in 1849 for the Haven School cost $12,000. Nine newspapers are published, 2 or 3 of which are issued daily. Portsmouth has less commerce now than formerly, though it is still the centre of an important trade, both foreign and coastwise. The shipping of the port, June 30th, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 16,654 11/95 tons registered, and 8237 16/95 tons enrolled and licensed. Of the latter, 5723 90/95 tons were employed in the coast trade, and the remain der in the cod and mackerel fisheries. The foreign arrivals for the year were 78, (tons, 8493,) of which 2823 were in American bottoms. The clearances for foreign ports were 64, (tons, 7466.) The imports amounted to $99,605; the exports, to $66,927; and the duties collected, to about $30,000. During the same year, 14 vessels, (10 of them ships,) with an aggregate burthen of 9515 22/95 tons, were admeasured. Some of the finest-built ships, both for the mercantile and naval service, have been supplied from the yards of Portsmouth. Manufacturing is extensively carried on. Among the most important corporations may be mentioned the Portsmouth Steam Factory, giving employment to about 400 hands, who produce 3,000,000 yards of the finest quality of lawns annually, and the Sagamore Manufacturing Company. The leading articles of manufacture are ropes, spool cotton, hosiery, iron castings, shoes, &c. The city is supplied by means of pipes with excellent water, from a fountain in the suburb. It contains 3 banks, with an aggregate capital of $491,000. Portsmouth has a large amount of capital invested in railroads, navigation, manufactures, &c. in other places; and though it has suffered in former years from disastrous fires, and has been compelled to relinquish to the larger cities some of its former extensive trade, still it has steadily increased in wealth and population. Population in 1850, 9739; in 1853, about 11,000.

Biographies:

Tunis Augustus Macdonough Craven, naval officer, was born in Portsmouth, N.H., Jan. 11, 1813; son of Tunis A. and Hannah (Tingey) Craven; and brother of Thomas Tingey and Alfred Wingate Craven. He entered the U.S. navy in 1829, and was at sea on various vessels until 1837, when at his own request he was assigned to coast survey service. He was commissioned lieutenant in 1841, serving on the Falmouth, 1841-43, and on the North Carolina, 1843-46. As commander of the Dale, he was with the Pacific squadron in 1848 and assisted in the conquest of California. He was then on coast survey duty, 1849-57, and that year commanded the Atrato expedition in the survey for a ship canal across the Isthmus of Darien. He afterward commanded the Mohawk off the coast of Cuba to intercept slavers, and among his captures was a brig with 500 African negroes. The Queen of Spain presented him a diploma and gold medal for saving the crew of a Spanish merchantman, and the board of underwriters of New York city gave his wife a silver service of plate for important services rendered the merchant marine by her husband. He commanded the Crusader in 1861 and saved the fort at Key West to the government. He was promoted commander in April, 1861, and with the Tuscarora engaged in searching for Confederate blockade runners and cruisers. He blockaded the Confederate steamer Sumter in the port of Gibraltar for two months when her officers and crew deserted her. He afterward joined the James river flotilla with the iron-clad monitor Tecumseh and in 1864 was attached to Admiral Farragut's squadron in Mobile hay. In the hurtle of Mobile Bay his monitor was given the post of honor and fired the first shot on the morning of Aug. 5, 1864. To avoid a line of torpedoes, general directions were given to pass under the guns of Fort Morgan and eastward of a red buoy. The Confederate ram Tennessee lay inside the line of torpedoes and Craven, eager to lead the attack, passed westward of the buoy. As he crossed the line of torpedoes an explosion destroyed the Tecumseh and most of her officers and crew went down with the iron-clad. The commodore and the pilot John Collins, met inside the turret at the foot of the ladder leading to the passage way on top. The vessel was going down, and the hand that had sent the vessel across the deadly line had been directed by the superior officer. With sublime chivalry Commodore Craven stepped back, saying, "After you, pilot." The pilot reached the passage of escape and at the same moment the iron mass sunk to the bottom of Mobile bay carrying with her the brave but too daring commander. He died Aug. 5, 1864.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Charles Cutts, senator, was born in Portsmouth, N.H., Jan. 30, 1769; son of Samuel and Anna (Holyoke) Cutts; grandson of Richard and Eunice (Curtis) Cutts; great-grandson of Richard and Joanna (Wills) Cutt, and great great grandson of Robert and Mary (Hoel) Cutt, who immigrated to America from England before 1645. His mother was a daughter of President Edward Holyoke of Harvard college. He was graduated from Harvard college in 1789, and became a lawyer in his native place. He served in the state legislature, 1803-10, being speaker of the house in 1807, 1808 and 1810. In 1810 he was elected to the U.S. senate to complete the term of Senator Parker, resigned, and served during the third session of the 11th, the 12th and the first session of the 13th congresses, 1810-13. He was secretary of the senate, 1814-25. He was married in 1812 to Lucy Henry Southall of Richmond, Va., a niece of Dorothy Payne Madison and a descendant of Patrick Henry. He died in Fairfax county, Va., Jan. 25, 1846.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Edward St. Joe Livermore, representative, was born in Portsmouth, N.H., April 5, 1762; son of the Hon. Samuel and Jane (Browne) Livermore. He studied law in Newburyport in the office of Theephilus Parsons, and settled in practice, first at Concord in 1783 and then at Portsmouth. He was U.S. district attorney for the district of New Hampshire, 1789-97; a member of the state constitutional convention, 1791; state's attorney for Rockingham county, 1791-93: justice of the supreme court, 1797-99, and naval officer at Portsmouth, 1799-1802. He removed to Newburyport, Mass., in 1802 and was a representative from Essex county in the 10th and 11th congresses, 1807-11. He removed to Boston, Mass., in 1811 and in 1815 to Zanesville, Ohio, but returned to Boston and finally settled in Tewksbury, Mass. He was married in 1783 to Mehitable, daughter of Robert Harris and secondly, in 1799, to Sarah Crease, daughter of William Stackpole of Boston, Mass. He died in Tewksbury, Mass., Sept. 15, 1832.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Lord, author and lecturer, was born at Portsmouth, N. H., Dec. 27, 1810; son of John Perkins and Sophia (Ladd) Lord; grandson of John and Mehitable (Perkins) Lord, and great-grandson of Nathan and Esther (Perkins) Lord. He was graduated from Dartmouth college, A.B., 1833, A.M., 1836, and from Andover Theological seminary in 1837, and was agent for the American Peace society, 1837-39. He was pastor at New Marlborough, Mass., 1839-40, at Stockbridge, Mass., in 1840, and at Utica, N.Y., for a short time, when he withdrew from pastoral work and devoted himself to lecturing and authorship. He resided in England, 1843-46, and lectured on the "Middle Ages" in all the large cities there. He returned to the United States in 1846, and lectured in the New England and Middle states continuously for over forty years, during which time he was lecturer on history in Dartmouth college, 1869-76. He received the degree of LL.D. from the University of the City of New York in 1864. He is the author of: Modern History for Schools (1850); A New History of the United States for Schools (1850); The Old Roman World (1867); Ancient States and Empires (1869); Ancient History (1876); Points of History (1881 ); Life of Emma Willard (1883); Beacon Lights of History (1883-94). He died in Stamford, Conn., Dec. 15, 1894.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor