Captain Titus Anderson

Temperance The schooner that launched the amazing sea faring adventures of the local Anderson family By Al Smith

Edward Anderson's (1822-1887) diary 1 states: "I here note that the Schooner Temperance was built in my father's cow pasture in the year of our Lord 1831, launched June 8th. Authority for the above is the widow of Titus Anderson. I pen this while here in affliction" - Sackville, NB August 1886, Edw. Anderson". The cow pasture mentioned above was located on the farm of Thomas Anderson (1775-1852) on Cole's Island (where the CBC Towers between Sackville and Amherst are located - ed.) so the vessel would have been launched into the Tantramar River. That schooner was possibly the first entry into marine interests of the Anderson family.

Shipwright Christopher Boultenhouse (c1802-1876) built the 87-ton schooner Temperance which was launched June 8, 1831 (dimensions: 38'-6" x 18'-7" x 8'-1.5" and registered in Saint John July 18, 1831 as #29 2 ). The vessel was owned by Titus Anderson (32 shares) and Thomas & James Anderson (32 shares). Temperance was the fifth vessel constructed by Christopher Boultenhouse. Most of his first sixteen vessels were constructed at his Woodpoint shipyard but at least three, including Temperance , were constructed elsewhere.

Capt. Titus Anderson (1805-1870) was the schooner's master and Temperance may have been Titus' first command (he was 26 years of age and could well have had his master's certificate by 1831). The other owners of the Temperance were Titus' father and brother, both farmers with adjoining properties at Cole's Island. The schooner was used as a trading vessel mainly between ports in the upper bay and the city of Saint John. It is interesting that George McAllister traveled 3 on the Temperance 4 on Dec. 1 & 2, 1831, from Saint John to Wood Point with sails, rigging and supplies for his new brig Woodbine which he was purchasing from shipbuilder Christopher Boultenhouse. The Temperance was lost April, 25, 1837, at Mount Desert Island, Maine.

Capt. Titus Anderson ran a coastal trade and was the master of several vessels. He owned at least one other vessel built by Christopher Boultenhouse: the 50-ton schooner Jane launched April 27, 1853, and named after Titus' wife Jane (Bulmer) Anderson. The Jane was lost in ice near Sackville on January 2, 1859, and the family immediately contracted the Boultenhouse shipyard to build the schooner Bella . The 46-ton schooner was built by Amos and William Boultenhouse (sons of Christopher) and launched April 30, 1859. Titus died when the Bella was wrecked off Cape Spencer, NB, at 2 am, July 8, 1870.

Capt. Titus and his wife raised five sons, four of whom became master mariners: George (1830-1873), Charles Marshall (1838-1895), Thomas Reese (1840-1918) and Gaius (1842-1903). After lengthy careers at sea, Charles Marshall settled in New Zealand, Gaius in Fiji and George and Thomas R. are both buried in Sackville.

Three sons of Capt. George Anderson and Arabella Ayer (builders and original owners of the Octagonal House) also became master mariners: Rupert Titus (1858-1922), Ernest Laurence (1861-1912) and Jesse Edwin (1863-1936). Rupert eventually settled in New York, Ernest stayed in Sackville and Jesse ended up in Ketchikan, Alaska. 5

Three generations of the Anderson family gave rise to 8 master mariners who roamed the oceans of the world. Their exploits added greatly to the cultural fabric of Sackville.

1. Mount Allison Archives, Albert Anderson Fonds, 8317/3/2 - Edward Anderson (1822-1887) was Capt. Titus Anderson's youngest brother. 2. Shipbuilding in Westmorland County - Charles A. Armour and Allan D. Smith

3. The Journal of Captain George C. McAllister Jan. 1, 1831 to July 27, 1833

4. The Anderson Family by Florence (Anderson) Wheaton

5. The original family; Thomas and his wife Mary emigrated from Yorkshire, England to Sackville Township in 1772.