Mississippi Maritime & Warship Museum

originally postedby;Published: Sunday, May 02, 2010, 5:45 AM By Mississippi Press Correspondent 

EDITOR’S NOTE:

 This is second in a series of excerpts extracted from Else Martin’s “Shipbuilding and Marine History of Jackson County, Mississippi,” that was compiled from pre-1900 records.

1810 – A statement about Joseph Rabie (Raby) in December read: “A few days ago, at the Bayou St. John, Joseph Rabie, master of a schooner just arrived from Pascagoula, informed me that a few days before he left, he was forced to obtain a passport from one Pierre Nicolet, acting commandant under the Florida Convention. That on his way here he, (the said Rabie), passed the Bay St. Louis and the Pass of Christian.” Written by Joseph Collins to Governor Claiborne, Governor of the Mississippi Territory. Source: Passports of Southeastern Pioneers, 1770-1823, by Dorothy Williams Potter.

1821 – Schooner Sea Bird, of New Orleans, La., built at Pascagoula, Miss. Description: 25-37/95 tons; 45 feet 7 inches by 13 feet 6 inches, and 4 feet 9 inches; one deck, two masts, round stern. Enrolled No. 65, Jan. 16, 1821. Owners: Pierre Raby, New Orleans; Basilice Raby, Pascagoula, Miss. Source: Ship Records & Enrollments of New Orleans, Louisiana, Vol. II, 1821-1830

1822 – Schooner , from Pascagoula, with 25 bales of cotton — to order; Port of Mobile, Ala. Source: Port of Mobile Register

1822 – Schooner Rising States, Capt. Davis, from Pascagoula, with shingles, lime and tar; to S. Glover & the master; Port of Mobile, Ala. Port of Mobile Register

1824 – Schooner Bazaliste built on the Pascagoula River, Jackson County, Miss., in the year 1824. Description: 20-53/95 tons; 43 feet 6 inches by 14 feet 3 inches and 3 feet 11 inches; one deck, two masts, square stern. Registered (temporary) No. 43, May 24, 1824. Source: Ship Records & Enrollments of New Orleans, Louisiana, Vol. II, 1821-1830.

1829 – Maria of Pascagoula, Capt. Pickett, located on Lake Erie. The Maria of Pascagoula may have been built in Pascagoula.

1830 – Bebee Boat Yard, Bebee Point, Bayou Cassotte, Jackson County, Miss. Wm. Bebee Sr., who was born about 1786 in Maine, moved to North Carolina, to Florida and then to Jackson County, Miss. Wm. Bebee Sr. was married to Sarah Ann (last name not found) before coming to Jackson County. They were the parents of Nancy Bebee, born about 1818 who married a ship carpenter named Thomas Welch. Thomas Welch was born in Ireland. Another daughter, Lucinda Bebee, married first Charles Edward Southern, born 1820 in New York, a seaman and boat builder, and second Wm. Henry Savage Sr. Two known sons were William Bebee, Jr. and Edward Bebee.

1832 – Broadus, barge builders – Thomas Broadus, an established sea captain and barge builder and wife, Elizabeth Bestpitch of Dorchester County, Md., moved before 1816 to Baldwin/Jasper/Putnam County, Georgia, and began building barges on the Apalachee River. Moses and Elizabeth Broadus moved to Mobile County, Ala., where Moses engaged in schooner and barge building. They first lived in the area of Grand Bay and Bayou La Batrie. In 1832 they moved to the Pascagoula and Escatawpa River area and again engaged in the building of barges and schooners.

1838, Ebenezer Clark Ship Yard – In 1838, Ebenezer Clark came to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and settled on the Pascagoula River. He located north of Moss Point on a bayou known today by his name and began one of the earliest authenticated shipyards. Here he constructed flat-bottomed schooners for the coastal trade. His records reveal that he repaired some 200 vessels and constructed many small boats and schooners. This industry folded with the death of the owner in the 1850s. The Ingalls News credited his shipyard on Clark’s Bayou with the beginning of the tradition of fine Pascagoula ships.” Source: Journal of Mississippi History, Shipbuilding on the Pascagoula River.

In 1882, a barge was launched by McArthur Shipbuilder to be rigged as a schooner in Mobile for the Texas trade. Capt. William Davidson launched a 90-foot-long schooner in the Escatawpa River for a client in Galveston

1892 — The tug boat Emma D. was at DeAngelos’s shipyard for repairs. Blanchard’s shipyard was repairing the schooner B. Frank Neally and Elvira.

1893 — The Biloxi Canning Factory was having two large barges built at Francis Codina’s shipyard. Gandy Shipyard on Krebs’ Lake was building a new tug for the Kimball brothers of Mobile.

1897 — Narcise Seymour was building a 24-foot-long sloop and the DeAngelo Shipyard was repairing the Steamer Fox.

1900 — The Cirlot-Holmes Lumber Company’s mill at the Blanchard shipyard site was sawing 35,000 feet of lumber a day. The tugs Leo & Native No. 2 collided in the river with the latter sustaining considerable damage.

1900 — A list is included of more than 350 residents with their occupations, birthplaces and current residences.

1901 — A new schooner was near completion at Frentz’s shipyard for the L.N. Dantzler Lumber Company of Moss Point for the Mexican coast lumber trade. It was named Susie Bell Dantzler. The Pascagoula Pilot Association, anticipating increased port activity, contracted with designer and builder Joe Pol to built a 65-foot-long pilot boat. The schooner Ella G. Eells was loading 200,000 feet of lumber for New York.

1906 — M.M. Flechas Sr., Shipyard was building three-masted schooners and barges with a work force ranging from 25 to 100 employees.

1907 — Poitevant Brothers Shipyard began operations.

1909 — Delmas & Krebs Shipyard was building large barges on the riverfront, including a 91-foot-long vessel for the U.S. Government. Construction cost was $5,000 for the vessel that was to be used as a coal barge to the dredge boat Pascagoula.

(Anyone who would like to share historical records, photos and/or documents for this column, the library and/or the historical and genealogical journal may contact this columnist by e-mail, jmanders@cableone.net or Sherry Owens and Renee Hague, at Pascagoula Public Library, 228-769-3078. Photos and original documents will be scanned and returned to owners.)