FIRST OCEAN STEAMER Sprague's Journal of Maine History Vol. VII February March April 1920 No. 4 page 244 FIRST OCEAN STEAMER (copied from the Eastern Argus of Portland, Maine) In looking over some old clippings we ran across a sketch of a Portland Fickett family, a member of which built the first steam- ship to cross the ocean. The builder was Francis Fickett, who was raised at Stroudwater and learned his trade in the yards of his father then located there. He went to New York and estab- lished himself in business, was successful, became an alderman of the city, and was prominently active and energetic in the relief and help of the poor who suffered from the colera epidemic of 1832. He died in early middle life. Jonathan Fickett came to Stroudwater from a place called Bar- ren Hill in Scarboro. He was a ship builder, Asa Fickett was his second child, born February 14, 1769--before his father cam to Stroudwater. He married Dorcas Plummer of Portland for his first wife by whom he had ten children. She was born June 30, 1765. She died Dec. 11, 1819. He was a successful farmer and died Sept. 6, 1835. Francis, his fifth child, who built the first trans-Atlantic steam- ship, was born Oct. 7, 1798. George, the seventh child, was born March 16, 1802, James the eighth child, Nov. 18, 1803. These three emigrated to New York, married and settled there, but George I the course of time returned to Portland where he died. Francis was a heavy shipbuilder, was an alderman and held other offices of trust. Samuel Fickett built the fine old house in which Walter Fickett, Francis Fickett's nephew, resided previous to living as Stroud- water. Samuel Fickett then built the great three story house at the southwesterly corner of State and York streets. He, too, was a shipbuilder. The two following copies of notices will give an idea of his business in Portland. Launched from Samuel Fickett's new ship yard a vessel of 370 tons, build for Zachariah Maston.-- Portland ARGUS, 1810. Launched from the ship yard of Mr. Samuel Fickett a ship of 400 tons which was built for Zachariah Maston.-- ARGUS, Aug. 11, 1811. After this Samuel Fickett went to New York, the war of 1812-15 destroying his business here. There he became prominent as a builder and as a politician. He had three wives and became a Friend. (c) 1998 Courtesy of Tina Vickery and Courtesy of the Androscoggin Historical Society ************************************************* * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. * * * * The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.