Old Dartmouth historical sketches - New Bedford Whaling Museum

shore, drew up to the house still standing there, and pulled outwarrant.a"Bristol, ss. George the I'hird, by the Grace of God, ofGreat Britian, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith,et cetera —To the Sheriff of our County of Plymouth .Whereas Joseph Rotch and Joseph Nichols both of Sherburnin the County of Nantucket, Merchants, and Joseph Rotch,Jr. of Dartmouth in the County of Bristol, Merchant, by theconsideration of our Justices in our Inferior Court of CommonPleas, holden at Taunton .Charles Stetson of Rochester . . . Shipwright,. .. . have recovered judgement againstfor the sum ofthirty-six pounds, six shillings, and sixpense, lawful money of hisMajesty's Province of Massachusetts Bay, we command youtherefore that of the Goods, chattels, or Lands of the said Charlesyou cause to be paid and satisfied to the said Joseph Rotch,. . .Joseph Nichols, and Joseph Rotch, Jr., and for want of Goods,Chattels, or Lands, we command you to take the body of thesaid Charles Stetson and him commit into our Goal at PlymouthAnd so the man who had first brought to the shores ofMattapoisett harbor the sawpit, the scaffolding, the ox-drawnloads of timber, and the ever sounding hammers of the caulkers,went by the board and lost his shipyard. He continued to livein Mattapoisett, as did his sons, for they fought in the Revolutionas Rochester soldiers; but when the war was over, the sons,and perhaps the old father, moved to New Bedford and establisheda shipyard quite a way north of the present bridge, wherethe Stetson sons built over SO ships for the young village of NewBedford; and the descendants of these men were New Bedfordwhaling captains for many years.But Charles Stetson was not the only one. Every shipbuilderwho came to Mattapoisett before the Revolution failed —save one. Gidecn Barstow, who bought his first shipyard propertyfrom William Rotch in 1760, was as prosperous as hiscompetitors were unfortunate, for he not only weathered theRevolution, but by 1784 he and his sons owned every shipyardbut one along this waterfront.In that year his son, Gideon Jr. purchased the R. L. Barstowproperty and continued building there for half a century; andeight years later, Gideon Sr. sold to another son, Captain Wilson