Bishop Chase's Reminiscences: An Autobiography Vol. 1

Chase, Philander (1775-1852), Publ. 1848  

CHAPTER VIII.

(Philander Chase) RETURNS FOR HIS FAMILY

After officiating in New Orleans for about six months, and having received the assurance of a competent support, the writer (Philander Chase) returned to Poughkeepsie, New York, for his family. …………(irrelevent text) 

It was on the first day of September, 1806,……………(irrelevent text) ……………………to embark for New Orleans. ………………….(irrelevent text) ...........

When the Friendship set sail, the wind was favorable, but much stronger than was desirable by young sailors.   She was, therefore, soon out at sea. …………… (irrelevent text) ...............

The "Hole in the Wall," a great natural curiosity at the south-east end of the island of Abaco, attracts the attention of all young travellers on the ocean.  It seems like a grand portail in the wall of a mighty castle, through which vessels, instead of chariots, may pass under the vast incumbent rocks.  This, however, is never attempted;  for the ships may sail round the head of the mountain, and so behold in a short time both sides of this wonderful excavation.  It was a pleasant day when this was effected;   but the wind freshening of a sudden at the doubling of the cape, the lady lost her bonnet, and so the further enjoyment of the scene was over till female ingenuity supplied its place.

ISLAND OF ABACO

The island of Abaco is covered principally with that sweet-scented and much valued plant called the geranium, in all its innumerable varieties.  Of this the writer was informed by his valued friend Mr. Galbreath, a merchant from London, who had been cast away on its rocky shores. He said he had wandered from one end of it to the other, and found no inhabitant except one lone family, living between two prominent rocks, sheltered by an old tattered portion of a sail, and subsisting on sweet potatoes, and what the man could occasionally bring home from the avails of his occupation, which was that of a wrecker.  The whole story of Mr. G. was most interesting, and it may not be amiss to record it here as a set-off for the fine-spun but deceptive theories of St. Pierre and others, who have tried to amuse the world with the idea that human nature, without education, is susceptible of refined enjoyments.

Mr. Galbreath's account was, that he saw in the family above alluded to, a young female grown to maturity, who had never seen any of her sex but her mother.  She was not wanting in natural proportion of person or comeliness of face, but seemed, from mere want of cultivation of intellect, a fool.  She would, while sitting in the dirt, try to amuse the company and visitants with the writhings and distortions of her body, and in catching and tormenting a cat, and all this as regardless of modesty as the brute creation.  "Never," said he, "shall I cease to shudder when calling to mind this disgusting spectacle, nor to be grateful for the blessings of Christian civilization, which has made the difference between this poor, degraded creature and the polished and pious ladies of Europe."  …………….(chapter continues with Chase’s journey)……….  

Notes

I believe that this is my ancestor, David Galbreath a Merchant in London at this time (from 1791-1812). He had previously lived in New York until 1791, when he departed for London, England.¹ However he continued to do business in America in partnership with Thomas Elmes of New York, until the partnership was dissolved in 1802.² That David regularly traveled over the seas is well documented. His arrivals and departures are mentioned several times in the New York newspapers, in his own advertisements, and also in the arrival & departure notices of prominent citizens.³ He is also documented as traveling from England to New Orleans, via New York, in early 1811.⁷ When he died in Gibraltar in 1812 he was on a business trip, as described in a surviving letter to his son John.

From London Trade & PO Directories of the early 1800’s, my ancestor, David Galbreath, a merchant, is the only person of the Galbraith surname of any spelling listed in London. For example, in the 1808 London Post Office Annual Directory, pg.109,⁴ he is listed as :-

Galbreath, David, Mercht. 17, Coleman-street

The Abaco Islands, in the Bahamas, are on the way to New Orleans. The Islands are in the shipping paths of ships to the Southern States of America, New Orleans being of interest in this case. The Northeast Providence Channel, passes to the south of the Islands, which fits the description above :- “The "Hole in the Wall," a great natural curiosity at the south-east end of the island of Abaco, attracts the attention of all young travellers on the ocean”.

By this time (1806), David Galbreath’s former business partner from New York, Thomas Elmes, was resident in New Orleans, having opened a Dry Goods Emporium in 1805 at 339 Royal St.⁵

David G’s association with Thomas Elmes continued after the cessation of their business partnership in 1802.  In 1812, in a letter from David to his son John, David enquires of Mr. Elmes expected arrival in England.⁶ Also in 1810, David’s son Thomas was in New Orleans, receiving a Statutory Declaration from Thomas Elmes as to Thomas G.’s birth in New York (presumably as confirmation of his American Citizenship).⁶ The letter and Statutory Declaration still survive with descendants today.

Hence it is entirely possible that my David Galbreath, merchant of London, was on his way to or from New Orleans, or otherwise on other trading business to the Southern American States or the Caribbean Islands.

However the connection with Philander Chase is not otherwise known, but presumably David knew him from his New York days, or visits to NY (and possibly New Orleans) during the 1790’s, early 1800’s.

Philander Chase’s account is a very tantalizing mention of this incident. I would like to know the full story, how and why David G. came to be “cast away on its rocky shores”. And how he was able to return to “civilization”. However unless it is chronicled elsewhere it may forever remain a mystery.

Sources mentioned above :-

1. New York Daily Gazette - 4 Jul 1791

2. The Daily Advertiser (New York) - 29 Oct 1802

3. Royal Gazette (New York) - 25 Dec 1782

    Independent Journal (New York) - 31 Aug 1785

    The Daily Advertiser (New York) - 3 April 1789

4. http://www.historicaldirectories.org

5. pg. 38 - 'Old New Orleans: A History of the Vieux Carré, Its Ancient and Historical Buildings' By Stanley Clisby Arthur.

6. Documents in the possession of Kay Clarke of Knebworth, England, widow of Derek Clarke, a fellow descendant of David Galbreath.
7. St Andrews Society biography.