Monday, June 14, 2010

Letter from J. Willard Smith, Ship Broker, Saint John, New Brunswick, to Whitcomb, Hayes & Whitney at Ellsworth, Maine; Wondering about Vessel "Haynes"


Intriguing letter from J. Willard Smth, Ship Broker, Commission Merchant and Forwarding Agent, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, addressed to Messrs. Whitcomb, Haynes & Whitney of Ellsworth Falls, Maine.

Where is the Haynes?

I believe that this letter was from James Willard Haynes was born in 1858 in Nova Scotia, Canada, or variously, New Brunswick, Canada, and possibly the son of Sidney and Maria Ann (Morris) Smith.   He married Frances Louise Hanson, born in 1858 in New Brunswick, Canada, the daughter of Robert and Susan (Seymour) Hanson.  They had several children.

I researched online for a vessel named Haynes and found a Schooner that ran aground off Nantucket in 1864, with all hands lost, too early to be the Haynes that Mr. Smith is inquiring about.  Hopefully his "Haynes" had a better fate.

It seems likely that this vessel was a lumber carrier, the property of Messrs. Whitcomb, Haynes & Whitney, a lumbering firm in Ellsworth Falls, Maine, and perhaps named for Mr. Haynes or one or more of his family members.  Charles H. Haynes was born about 1837, served in the Civil War, where he lost a leg, and spent his business life in the lumbering business in Maine.  He married Caroline T. McFarland, the daughter of Robert and Ann (Anderson) McFarland, and had two sons, Martin and Harry.

Transcription:

Gentlemen:


We have been watching the Newspapers for report of the "HAYNES" but as yet have not seen her reported anywhere she left Halifax, as I assume she has sailed from that port some time ago.  Have you had any word?  Our Capt. will be in New York to take her over just as soon as she is discharged, and we stand ready to forward you certified check as soon [as] titles are ready.
Yours truly,
J. Willard Smith


If you have information to share on either the Haynes family or the Smith family, please let me know.  Thanks for stopping by!

1 comment:

  1. Hi Pam, my mother is from the Haynes family of Whitcomb, Haynes and Whitney, Charles H. was my Great Great Great Grandfather. I don't know of a James Willard Haynes, so he may be unconnected to this.

    ReplyDelete