The naturalist of the Saint Croix. Memoir of George A. Boardman

Front matter

THE GIFT OF

TO THE

AT LOS ANGELES

Introduction

THE present volume grew out of the belief on the part of members of Mr. Boardman's family, as well as that of his many friends, that a life so successful in business ; so largely devoted to a study of one of the leading branches of natural history ; so rich in personal experiences and so true and noble in character, should not end and leave no record of what had been accomplished within the period of that life.

When the work was contemplated its plan was simple. It was designed to republish Mr. Boardman's lists on the fauna of the St. Croix, for which there had been much call from scientists, especially for his list of birds and to accompany its reissue in a new form based upon the latest authoritative nomenclature, with a memorial sketch of Mr. Boardmau which would give some account of his life and of his service to science.

But when the material in hand had been examined it was found to be so extensive in volume, so rich and valuable in character and so important to science that the original plan was changed. The scope of the work was enlarged ; a more careful memoir was decided upon ; the use of Mr. Boardman's large correspondence, including the many letters from leading ornithologists, was to be drawn upon as showing the importance and progress of

Vlll.

INTRODUCTION his studies ; as indicating the value which the great scientists of England and America placed upon his work, the high esteem in which his friendship was held, as well as his judgment consulted and depended upon by them.

Thus the volume has grown as the material has been made use of. If it is larger than originally designed, the hope may be expressed that it is not too minute to satisfy Mr. Boardman's friends, while it would have been an easy matter to have made it more comprehensive.

There is yet a vast mass of unused material as entertaining as any that has been made use of, or that appears in the work. Among this material are many letters from our greatest and best known naturalists of Mr. Boardman's day, with unpublished notes and chapters on natural history subjects. These record Mr. Boardman's observations with great carefulness and in a style extremely graphic and interesting.

During the last few years of his life Mr. Boardman wrote much for the local newspapers of Calais and St. Stephen. While this was done as a matter of personal amusement the articles thus contributed were exceedingly entertaining. These extend to more than two hundred and are upon a wide range of subjects — those of current interest ; relating to his own observations or the result of his wide reading ; upon natural history subjects and upon topics that were engaging the attention of people of the two cities.

Of especial interest to residents of St. Stephen and Calais was a series of thirty articles or chapters, under the general heading: Early Times on the St. Croix. These consisted largely of Mr. Boardman's personal reminiscences. They embraced sketches of the early

INTRODUCTION jx.

settlers; of the mills and shipping on the St. Croix; of the churches, schools, merchants and professional men ; of the leading families and of the industries of the two cities. Although not sufficiently elaborate to be called history they form a most important contribution to history and must always be regarded when material for Calais and St. Stephen local history and biography is being collected. It was the original intention to republish them in the present volume but the idea was abandoned as one carrying the book far beyond its reasonable size. It became a question of including the historical sketches and excluding the rich correspondence or vice versa. To have included the sketches would have been gratifying to people in those two cities, although scientific readers would have regarded them of but little value. As the work progressed and became more especially a scientific memoir, it was deemed best to sacrifice the historical chapters for the sake of the letters to and from Mr. Boardman and his naturalist friends. In his quiet life ; in his love for home and the locality in which he lived ; in his devotion to natural history and his interest in the antiquities, history and people of the St. Croix, Mr. Boardman was a genuine type of the naturalist of Selborne, and would have felt more satisfied to have been called the Gilbert White of Maine than that of any other title.

It only remains for me to express my obligations to those who have assisted me in the preparation of this work and to whom I wish to return my grateful acknowledgments :

First of all my thanks are due to the sons of George A. Boardman whose liberality has made possible the

X.

INTRODUCTION preparation of this memoir. They have not only borne the entire expense of its publication but have assisted me in many ways — given many suggestions, furnished numerous facts and also assisted me in obtaining much necessary information. They have greatly deferred to my judgment and seconded my every wish for making the volume the creditable work which it is hoped it will be found. To Mrs. J. Clark Taylor, Calais, Maine, the only daughter of Mr. Boardman, for the loan of the entire mass of his correspondence with naturalists, without which the preparation of this volume in its present form would have been impossible. To Prof. S. P. Langley, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C, for the loan of the collection of letters written by Mr. Boardman to Prof. S. F. Baird, now in the custody of the Institution; for the loan of the plate of portrait of Prof. Baird, as well as for many dates and facts and the kindly answer of numerous letters of inquiry. To Lewis Sperry, Esq., Hartford, Conn., and to Mrs. Mary Ellsworth Wood, East Windsor Hill, Conn., for the use of Mr. Boardman's letters to Dr. William Wood ; for the memoir and portrait of Dr. Wood and for other important material. To Hon. P. W. Flewelling, of the Crown Lands Department, Fredericton, N. B., for much information relating to the transfer of the Boardman collection of ornithology to the Provincial government of New Brunswick and for personal interest in the work. To Robert Ridgway, curator of birds in the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. ; to J. A. Allen of the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park, New York, and to Charles Hallock, Plainfield, Mass., for the use of letters of Mr. Boardman and to the latter

INTRODUCTION xi.

gentleman for permission to reprint from his volume, Camp Life in Florida, the chapter contributed to that work by Mr. Boardman. To Prof. I,eslie A. L,ee, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, for collating the volumes of the American Naturalist. To Charles G. Atkins, superintendent of the Government Fish-hatching Station at Green L,ake, East Orland, Maine and to his sister, Miss Helen Atkins, for collating the volumes of Forest and Stream. To Prof. Ora W. Knight, ex-President of Maine Ornithological Union, Bangor, Maine, for his interest in the work and for revising the list of St. Croix Birds to make it conform to the present scientific nomenclature. To the Forest and Stream Publishing Company, New York, for the use of the plate of portrait of Charles Hallock. Finally, I wish to acknowledge the assistance I have received from my wife, Mrs. Alma Staples Boardman. She has not only corrected the MS. but has collated and revised the scientific lists, read all the proofs, revised and re-revised the page proofs, made the index and had oversight of the typographical work involved, without which the volume could not have presented that freedom from errors which it is believed now characterizes it.

Bangor, Maine, June 12, 1903.

Contents

Dedication Page v.

Introduction " vii.

Chapter Page

Chapter I Boardman Family Ancestry

THE family name of Boardman is one of much antiquity. Early forms of the name as found in records of both England and America are Boreman, Borman, Boarman, Burman, Burdman, Bodman, Boordman and Bordman. The family originated in Oxfordshire, England, where the first of the name, William Boreman, was living as early as 1525, in Banbury, in that county. He had a son Thomas, called "the elder," who was living at Claydon, near Banbury, in 1546, whose wife's name was Isabelle. He died at Claydon in 1579. Thomas had a son William who was married, but whose wife died about five years before her husband — her death having occurred in 1608 and that of her husband in 1613. Their son Thomas — called in the records "the younger" — was baptized at Claydon, October 18, 1601. He was the first of the name in New England. The earliest tax list of the Colony of New Plymouth that has ever been found, bearing date January 2, 1632-33, contains his name.

In the Old Colony records of 1643, in a list of all the males of New Plymouth Colony, "able to beare armes from xvi years old to 60 years," the name of Thomas Boreman also appears. He is there put down as a resident of Barnstable, Mass. Savage, in the Genealogical Dictionary of First Settlers of New England, says he was made a freeman March 4, 1635. He first appears on the records of Ipswich, Mass., in 1637. He was a cooper and carpenter by trade. The late Joseph B. Felt, one of the most learned and accurate antiquarians in New England, says he was first at Ipswich, that he moved from Ipswich to Barnstable but returned to Ipswich again. In his history of Ipswich Mr. Felt records that he died in that town in 1673 at an advanced age. His wife's name was Margaret. Some accounts say she died in November, 1679 ; but Mr. Felt gives her death as having taken place in 1680. Thomas Boreman's estate was valued at his death at ,£523 6s. 6d.

It may be interesting to give here the remarks of that learned antiquary, the late Rev. Eucius R. Page of Cambridge, Mass., in explanation of the different ways of spelling what is evidently the same name as found upon early New England colonial records, as a help to the understanding of the different forms of spelling the name Boardman as given at the beginning of this chapter. This author says : " It is not surprising that many of these names are incorrectly spelled. They are not autographs, but were written by the secretary or clerk according to the sound as the names were spoken to him. Moreover, it no doubt often occurred that the clerk did not catch the sound accurately and therefore mistook the true name." As many of the early settlers

BOARDMAN FAMILY ANCESTRY 5

to New England were unlettered men, could not write, perhaps could not spell, they gave their names to the town officers as they were accustomed to be called, hence the various ways of spelling what is the same name, which appear upon the early records.

Thomas Boreman, eldest son of Thomas and Margaret, was born in 1643 and married Elizabeth, daughter of Sargent Jacob Perkins, January 1, 1667-68. She was born April 1, 1650. This Thomas Boreman died October 3, 1719, in his seventy-sixth year and his wife died December 4, 1718, aged sixty-eight years, eight months and three days.

Thomas and Elizabeth Boreman had a son Offin who was born at Ipswich, Mass., December 3, 1676 and married Sarah Hurd, February 28, 1698. Their son Offin was born December 16, 1698 and married Sarah Woodman, January 17, 1722. He was master of a vessel that, according to the records, "was overset" September 8, 1735, on a passage from Casco Bay to Boston and himself and twelve others were drowned. His wife died July 12, 1752.

It should be stated here that Savage, in his Genealogical Dictionaty of First Settlers of New England, says that "after 1720 the early name of Boreman became permanently changed to Bordman and Boardman."

Jonathan, son of Offin and Sarah (Woodman) Boardman, was born March 15, 1735 and married Rebecca Mood}', November 12, 1761. They had a son William who married Mary Short, September 19, 1786. He was master of a vessel and was lost at sea. Two letters written by William Boardman to his father are in possession of a member of the family. The first is dated St. Eucia,

January 10, 1793 and the second at Wilmington, March 10, 1793. Both letters are interesting and indicate the greatest respect for his father and devotion to his interests.

In the first letter he writes : ' ' The 30th of December I arrived at Point Petre Saw Brother Chase. Markets Would Not Due from there I went to St Peires from There to St Eucia And have Sold here. Dumber at 15 Dolars Beff at 8 Dollars Shingles at 1£ Dolars Mackrell at 4 Dollars. To Be payd one Third part in Cash The Other Two Thirds in Sugar Coffee Coaco Cotton At cash price. Sir I had Acounts from St Astaita Eumber Will not Answer there. Sir I expect to Sail by the 10 of february. If Any Thing Should happen That I Should Be Detained any Eonger I Shall prosead to Newbury port. If not I Shall go to Willmington. I had Very bad Weather on my pasage the 11 Decembr Scut Under 2 Rt forsail had my Quarter Boards Nock away my Chimney Nockd Down And my Dumber Shifted 16 Inches Of Water for 2 Hours in The Hold By Baging the pump Boxes We freed her And fortingly Saved our Deck Eoad I Shall Due the Best I Can for your Intrist — So Conclude Remaining your Eoving Son." He then adds this P. S: "We are all Well I have Eanded my Deck Eoad I have Sold to Mr Nervear and Company By What I Can hear they are Good men." This letter was directed to "Capt Jonathan Boardman in Newbury Port by favour of capt Spitfield."

The second letter is as follows : "Eoving Sir I Write to let you now that after a passage of 13 Days I arrived here my Westingss Goods are not Wanted here Dumber and Navill Stores are too hy for me to purchas Atpresant

BOARDMAN FAMILY ANCESTRY 7

I Cannot Git no freight here for no plase. If nothing Offers Before to Morrow Noon I must Leave or Enter my Vesell. I Rather think I Shall Leave this port and prosede for Newbury Port. Sir I now I Shall make a Bad Voiage If I come home and I Shall make a Worse If I Stay here and It is one half to own it Sir I have Wrote to you By Capt Hollon and Capt. Yong of Portland Before Sir So have nothing New to Inform you of more at Present Remember me to my Wife and the family And all Inquirings friends I Remain your Dutifull Son William Boardman."

This is the last that was ever heard of Capt. William Boardman, his vessel and all on board having been lost at sea while on the passage from Wilmington, N. C, to Newburyport, Mass., in the spring of 1793. Mary, the wife of William Boardman, died April 27, 1847.

William, the son of William and Mary (Short) Boardman, was born in Newburyport, Mass., May 30, 1789 and married Esther W. Toppan March 12, 1815. She was born June 28, 1793 and was a daughter of Stephen Toppan who descended from Abraham Toppan who settled in Newburyport as early as 1637. Mr. Boardman was in business in Newburyport for a few years and moved to Portland in 1820. In 1824 he moved from Portland to Calais where he engaged in trade, bringing his family in 1828. Mr. Boardman was a Mason and was treasurer of St. Croix lodge, Calais, on its organization in 1844. Mr. George A. Boardman, writing in one of his delightful autobiographical sketches printed in the St. Croix Courier, tells of the anti-Masonic "mania," as he terms it, which prevailed in the early '30's and says: "So intense was the feeling at one time that bloodshed was feared and the lodges ceased to hold meetings. From what I heard and read I should have thought all the Masons should have been hanged if my father had not been a Mason. But my father told me the institution was a good one and friendly to the best interests of humanity ; that bad men sometimes join the fraternity as unworthy men sometimes join the churches, but the influence of the lodge was for good and good only. Ever since then I have had great respect for the order." This incident shows the influence of a good man's life upon character. William Boardman was a good man ; his son believed in him and his good character influenced that of the son to honor and respect not only the man, but any institution to which he belonged and endorsed. William Boardman joined the first temperance society which was organized in Calais, May 12, 1828 — the very year in which he brought his family to that town.

The children of William and Esther (Toppan) Boardman were Adeline who married F. H. Todd; William H.; George A.; Caroline M., who married Charles Hay den of Eastport ; Anna L,., who married Henry F. Eaton; Gorham, who resides in New York; Mary E., who married Rev. Henry V. Dexter, and Emily who married Elwell Eowell and resides in Calais. William Boardman died July 2, 1866 ; his wife Esther died May 31, 1877. On the death of Mr. Boardman, the following notice appeared in the St. Croix Courier and was republished in the Newburyport Herald of July 17, 1866:

' ' Perhaps no one has more generally endeared himself to the whole community than he, by his obliging qualities of character, his amiable and cheerful disposition,

BOARDMAN FAMILY ANCESTRY 9

his gentle and courteous manners. With a keen insight into human nature, he was yet so full of love and charity that no one living can remember of him an unjust or an unkind word. All, even the little child, were made happier and better by his loving, cheerful presence. To his large family his loss will be very great ; for his life to them has been a continual benediction. The same smile, the warm grasp of the hand, the loving words of welcome were never forgotten until strength and memory failed. Blessed beyond words has his pure life been to them. May the mantle of his charity and cheerful faith enwrap them all as they leave him in repose and again mingle in the turmoil of life."

Before closing this chapter it may be of interest to mention — although this memoir is in no sense a genealogical history of the family — that Savage says that Daniel Bordman who was married at Ipswich, Mass., April 12, 1662, "was a brother of Thomas called Boreman ; and also Samuel Boreman (Borman, Boardman) who was at Ipswich in 1639 and who went to Weathersfield, Conn., in 1642 and founded the Connecticut family of Boardmans, who was a brother of Thomas, who settled in Ipswich in 1634." It is the purpose of this memoir only to bring down the family branch from which the naturalist of the St. Croix descended, but the above is mentioned as an interesting fact in the family history.

The parents of George A. Boardman lived to celebrate their golden wedding as did his brother William, who married Mary Quincy, who celebrated their golden wedding August 5, 1890. His sister Anna and husband, Henry F. Eaton, celebrated their golden wedding October 17, 1892 and Mr. Boardman celebrated his December 19,

1893. His brother Gorham and wife, Mary L. Lord, celebrated their golden wedding October 23, 1901. This record shows that father and mother and four of their children lived to observe their golden weddings. This is a somewhat remarkable record for longevity in one family — a family remarkable for devotion and love to their own kindred, for interest in humanity and in all agencies and efforts making for the common good.

Chapter II

VALLEY OF THE ST. CROIX

THE St. Croix river — the natural valley of which Mr. Boardman did so much to develop, in which his great business abilities were so long employed for its advantage and the fauna of which he made so well known to the scientific world — forms the boundary between the province of New Brunswick, Dominion of Canada and the United States, from a point just south of latitude 46 degrees north to the bay of Fundy into which its waters discharge. At Quoddy Head the United States reaches its farthest eastern limit and the St. Croix system is the most southeastern river system in the State of Maine. The area drained by the river St. Croix and its affluent lake systems is 70 miles long by 50 miles broad, having a total surface of 1175 square miles, 800 of which are in the State of Maine and 375 are in the province of New Brunswick. The St. Croix is formed by two branches, the lower of which receives the waters of the Grand lakes and the upper of which receives those of the Schoodic lakes — the connecting rivers being wide and voluminous. In the St. Croix system are 183 streams and 61 lakes represented upon the state map — eleven of the lakes and ponds being located in New Brunswick. The Indian name Schoodic, which denotes in the native tongue "low, swampy ground" is applied to the St. Croix in general, including its chains of lakes and streams. The entire system of rivers, streams and lakes forming the St. Croix is, in fact, an attenuated combination of the lakes ; while by some the St. Croix has been termed "a lake in motion."

For about ten miles above tide water at Calais the river has an average width of 500 feet ; its annual discharge is estimated at 44, 800, 000, 000 cubic feet; the average fall to tide water is about 300 feet, or 6.5 to the mile and the land bordering the river and its tributaries is to a large extent low, preventing excessive rises upon the river itself — conditions which, according to the report on the Hydrographic Survey of the State, ' ' places the St. Croix at once and without controversy in the foremost position of the large rivers of Maine as a manufacturing stream." The same authority, in 1869, says that "fourfifths of the basin area of the St. Croix are covered with forests which consist largely of heavy, valuable timber."

A region of country possessing so many natural advantages for business early attracted the attention of settlers. The forests of beautiful timber were waiting to be transformed into merchantable lumber; the numerous falls invited the erection of dams and the building of mills, while tide- water at the upper arm of Passamaquoddy bay, which has a rise and fall at Calais and St. Stephen of twenty-five feet, making the river navigable twice every twenty- four hours for the largest vessels, brought these crafts there from many parts of the world for

VALLEY OF THE ST. CROIX 13

the products of the forests. Fish and game abounded and the forests and waters were alive with singing birds, game birds and water fowl. St. Stephen, N. B., opposite Calais, Maine, was settled between 1776 and 1779 ; while in 1780 a settlement wras made in the southern part of Calais. Some years previous to the above dates white men had located on the river, but it is probable that the first permanent settlements were made in the above years.

Among the first things these early settlers did was to build saw mills and lumbering soon became the most important industry. As early as 1790 a saw mill called the "brisk mill" was built by Peter Christie, Abner Hill and others. This was built at what is now called Milltown. It is an interesting fact that the lumber of which the old state house in Boston was built was sawn in this "brisk mill" and shipped from the St. Croix in 1795. A large business was also done at these early mills in getting out masts and ton or square timber for the English market and for the West India trade. The entire river on both the English and American sides was lively with saw mills and there were no less than twenty-five firms engaged in the business of manufacturing and shipping lumber ; among them the great names of Christie, Hill, Todd, McAllister, McAdam, Eaton, Boardman and Murchie take high rank. Indeed, no more remarkable group of business men have been produced in any section of the provinces or the states than those who rose to affluence and power by virtue of their ability in developing and gaining control of the vast lumbering interests of the St. Croix valley during the last half century.

St. Stephen, N. B., and Calais, U. S. A., lie on opposite sides of the St. Croix at "salt water" or the head of navigation. Two miles up the river on the English side is the town of Milltown, parish of St. Stephen; while opposite on the American side is Milltown- Calais. On either side there is an almost continuous settlement the entire distance, while about midway is a bridge across the river and a number of mills which place is called the Union. The drive from Calais to Milltown on the American side and down to St. Stephen on the English side, or a ride by the well-managed trolley line of street cars is one of the most picturesque and interesting in any part of the states or the provinces. The cities are busy, the wharves piled with lumber, the harbor gay with vessels bearing the flags of two nations, while the lumber mills, the big cotton mill, the Washington County railroad and the belt line railroad connecting the Canadian Pacific railway with the former road give evidence of business prosperity and general content unsurpassed by almost any section of the country. The scenery is beautiful, there are fine residences all along the river banks, while the people of the two nations are really one. In business interests, social relations and all that makes for the public good, the residents of the two nations have a unity of spirit and interest that is indeed most friendly and serviceable.

It was in this beautiful and favored section where Mr. Boardman began his business life at the age of thirteen years. During his active business career and his long life as a private gentleman of wealth, public spirit, cultivated tastes and leisure, he became closely identified with the two communities in all their business, educational, religious and social interests. He loved the place and the people. He had studied them, lived

VALLEY OF THE ST. CROIX. 15

among them and became a large part of them. He saw the towns become cities ; he planned and carried forward large enterprises ; he made his home in the beautiful valley and gave great study to its flora and its fauna. He knew the trees, the flowers, the song and game birds, the animals, the fishes. He numbered his friends at home by the populations of the towns in which he lived, while his correspondents were among the greatest scientists of the time. He spent here a long, joyous, active and successful life. It was the dearest spot of all the earth to him and his life was devoted to making it dearer and happier to those whom he loved.

CHAPTER HI

BUSINESS AND DOMESTIC EIFE

GKORGE AUGUSTUS BOARDMAN, son of William and Esther (Toppan) Boardman, was born in Newburyport, Mass., February 5, 1818 and came to Calais with his parents in 1828. All the education he ever received was the little in his early childhood and that obtained during the scanty terms of a Maine country school at that early date between the age of ten and thirteen years, with one term at Newburyport. After the family had settled in Calais he went back to the place of their former home where he attended school during one winter, making his home with members of his mother's family. At the age of thirteen years he left school to go to work and after that never had but one term at school nor did he take a course of study in any branch of education. At that time he engaged as clerk for Mr. Hemy Hoyt with whom he remained a year. He was faithful and worked constantly for the interests of his employer. This was one of the earliest characteristics developed in the business career of the young man. After this first year of work he went into the store of Mr. B. F. Waite, one of the early merchants of Calais and

GEORGE A. BOARDMAN

At the Age of about Thirty-six years

BUSINESS AND DOMESTIC UFE 17

an extensive lumberman, as a clerk, where he remained for a period of five 3^ears.

In an article describing early days on the St. Croix, written after Mr. Boardman had retired from business, in which he describes the ways of the people and the domestic customs of the times, he says : ' ' The writer was 'put to a store' in 1832 to learn the business. The most of the business was to sell liquor. The West India rum was brought in hogsheads and I was ordered to draw off one-third the hogshead and fill it up with water. The New England rum was treated about the same way." He then gives an account of the early temperance reform, telling of a public meeting at which Mr. William Todd, Jr., had made a speech closing with the words : "I have made up my mind to pledge myself to sell or use no more liquor and to use my influence to drive it out of the place and the world. Now who will join me and do likewise ? ' '