Chapter 8

Summary

[In a letter written to Leonard Allison, a cousin, in 1897, Joseph wrote]:

Before 1846, a shipyard at Moncton fell into our hands at high cost, for a debt, and I removed in that year to Moncton. Altho’ not the pioneer in shipbuilding there, I suppose we were such of extensive work in that line. In that yard [the shipyard property was purchased by George Salter, October 24, 1846. Indenture following page.] I built probably 20,000 tons besides contracting with M.S. Harris and others for quite a number of ships and vessels. Duncan Robertson [whose son later became Mayor of St. John] was my foreman builder.

In April 1847, my dear Maggie gave birth to a still-born child of about 7 months — caused by a severe fall on the ice in King Street a short time previous. He was a fine boy — large with a noble forehead, but my regrets at his loss were but slight considering that his mother was graciously spared to me, altho’ with somewhat impaired health. In about June, we took a house in St. James Street, near Reed's Point, where on 31st. October 1848, Sidney was born.

[Writing later in the diary]

Sidney was a stout child. Later he was mad after a violin and horses. Racing his feet while sitting on the steps calling one “Nat” and the other “Major“ after one pair of horses I then had. Later still he was ever running away among the men's houses asking about him for cold pudding or other nice thing, making and finding himself perfectly at home, being civil, and the Boss's boy.

[During the Moncton years, Joseph found very little time to write in his diary. Most of what is known about these very busy years can only be found in his correspondence — personal letters to Maggie, and the shipping letters back and forth to his agents in Liverpool. By February 1847 Joseph was in Moncton and the ship Hants was underway. This was to be the first ship built by the firm of George & Joseph Salter at the yard in Moncton.