E. James Tull, Shipbuilder on Maryland's Eastern Shore

By Pat Stille Martin

E. James Tull’s innate artistic talent, his caring, nurturing personality, his mechanical skills and attention to detail advanced him from apprentice to owner of the shipyard, and from a young man fixing the drawbridge to town councilman and Pocomoke Mayor. E. James Tull’s flowing graceful curves in his ship plans, the hand polished wooden pegs, which reinforced the joints of the ship, and the words “E. James Tull, Builder” proudly engraved into the bowsprit reflected quality craftsmanship in each phase of the building process. Valuing diversity and quality, E. James Tull designed and constructed 200 of the most exquisite bateaux, pleasure yachts, master sailing ships and steamers on the East Coast

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 23, 2010
• ISBN: 9781477173930

Pat Stille Martin

Stanley and Ursula Tull lovingly preserved the legendary saga of E. James Tull, Shipbuilder, artisan, magnate, and mayor, whose ships, history, and insight advanced Pocomoke City and the United States.

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Copyright © 2009 by Pat Stille Martin. 559677

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

Rev. date: 10/08/2021

E. JAMES TULL,

SHIPBUILDER

ON MARYLAND’S EASTERN SHORE

BY PAT STILLE MARTIN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

PASSION FOR SHIPS

THE HISTORIC OYSTER FLEET

E. JAMES TULL, SHIPBUILDER

THE MENHADEN INDUSTRY

POCOMOKE RIVER STEAMBOATS

THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB

PROSPERITY IN 1912

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

NAVAL VESSELS

NO STEAMBOATS ON THE RIVER

REFERENCES

STANLEY AND URSULA TULL

TABLE OF TBLES

TABLE 1. OUTPUT OF MARYLAND OYSTERS IN BUSHELS

TABLE 2. SHIPS BUILT BY E. JAMES TULL – 1882 TO 1883.

TABLE 3. SHIPS BUILT BY E. JAMES TULL – 1884.

TABLE 4. SHIPS BUILT BY E. JAMES TULL – 1885.

TABLE 5. LANDINGS AND WHARVES ON THE POCOMOKE RIVER.

TABLE 6. POCOMOKE CITY CORPORATION 1912

TABLE 7. SHIPS BUILT BY E. JAMES TULL – 1912 – 1918.

TABLE 8. PARTIAL LIST OF TULL SHIPS INVENTORIED BY THE NAVY.

TABLE 9. SHIPS BUILT BY E. JAMES TULL – 1920—1922.

TABLE 10. SHIPS BUILT BY E. JAMES TULL – 1923 –1924.

TABLE 11. LIST OF VESSELS BUILT BY E. JAMES TULL FROM 1882 TO 1924.

TABLE OF PICTURES

IMAGE 1. THE DIXIE

IMAGE 2. HUNTING FROM THE DIXIE

IMAGE 3. GOING HOME ON THE DIXIE

IMAGE 4. LOG CANOE

IMAGE 5. BUSHELS OF OYSTERS

IMAGE 6. TEMPERANCE IN POCOMOKE

IMAGE 7. MANUAL WINDER

IMAGE 8. SKIPJACK FANNIE DAUGHERTY

IMAGE 9. DREDGING FOR OYSTERS

IMAGE 10. MOVING OYSTERS FROM THE DECK

IMAGE 11. CHESAPEAKE BAY BLUE CRAB

IMAGE 12. CAPTAIN WALT BENTON

IMAGE 13. CAPTAIN DELMAS BENTON, JR.

IMAGE 14. SKIPJACK RACE

IMAGE 15. FANNIE DAUGHERTY TURNING

IMAGE 16. FANNIE DAUGHERTY, SAILS FULL OF WIND

IMAGE 17. SHIPYARD MAP OF NEWTOWN – 1877

IMAGE 18. HULL PLANS OF THE HELEN EUPHANE

IMAGE 19. DECK HOUSE PLANS OF THE HELEN EUPHANE

IMAGE 20. PLANS FOR OMINA

IMAGE 21. E. J. TULL, BUILDER

IMAGE 22. LUMBER YARD

IMAGE 23. YOUNG E. JAMES TULL

IMAGE 24. LLOYD AND BLAINE

IMAGE 25. FULLY RIGGED LILLIAN KERR

IMAGE 26. CAPTAIN PUBLICOVER ON THE LILLIAN KERR

IMAGE 27. CONFIGURATION OF SAILS ON A SCHOONER

IMAGE 28. BLACK TEACHER

IMAGE 29. ROLLING A CYPRESS LOG ON TO A WAGON

IMAGE 30. EARLY FORESTRY – CYPRESS LOG

IMAGE 31. MAP OF POCOMOKE – 1895

IMAGE 32. DECK PLAN OF SMITH K. MARTIN

IMAGE 33. MAST ASSEMBLY OF THE SMITH K. MARTIN.

IMAGE 34. THE SHIPYARD ON THE POCOMOKE RIVER

IMAGE 35. MENHADEN FISHING BOAT

IMAGE 36. THE E. WARREN REED

IMAGE 37. FANNIE M.

IMAGE 38. F. H. BECKWITH

IMAGE 39. PETER STRUVEN

IMAGE 40. EXTERIOR OF THE HELEN EUPHANE

IMAGE 41. EXTERIOR OF THE HELEN EUPHANE

IMAGE 42. SUPPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE HELEN EUPHANE

IMAGE 43. INTERIOR OF THE HELEN EUPHANE

IMAGE 44. M. M. MARKS

IMAGE 45. R. B. DOUGLAS

IMAGE 46. STEAMER BANQUET ROOM

IMAGE 47. STEAMSHIP POCOMOKE

IMAGE 48. SCENIC POCOMOKE RIVER

IMAGE 49. BERTIE E. TULL, PASSENGER STEAMSHIP

IMAGE 50. BERTIE E. TULL, TOMATO BARGE

IMAGE 51. STEAMSHIP HIGHLAND

IMAGE 52. FISHING BOAT – OCEAN CITY

IMAGE 53. PARTS OF A STEAM SHIP ENGINE

IMAGE 54. VERTICAL INVERTED STEAM SHIP ENGINE

IMAGE 55. PERISHABLE CARGO RECEIPT

IMAGE 56. MUSIC LESSONS

IMAGE 57. PLAYBILL

IMAGE 58. ELSKE

IMAGE 59. LENA D.

IMAGE 60. REVERIE

IMAGE 61. YACHT

IMAGE 62. SHIP’S KITCHEN

IMAGE 63. HASSEE

IMAGE 64. HASSEE

IMAGE 65. POCOMOKE SHIPYARD HARBOR

IMAGE 66. POCOMOKE HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TEAM 1916.

IMAGE 67. JAMES STERLING TULL

IMAGE 68. STANLEY TULL

IMAGE 69. LILLIAN KERR

IMAGE 70. TWO-MASTED SCHOONER

IMAGE 71. NASSAUVIAN

IMAGE 72. FRAME OF THE CHARLES STRUVEN

IMAGE 73. CHARLES STRUVEN

IMAGE 74. SMITH K. MARTIN

IMAGE 75. TWO-MASTED SCHOONER

IMAGE 76. LAUNCH OF THE REEDVILLE

IMAGE 77. GEORGE MARSHALL

IMAGE 78. DEPARTURE OF LILLIAN KERR

IMAGE 79. REEDVILLE

IMAGE 80. MAUI BICKEL

IMAGE 81. THREE-MASTED LILLIAN KERR

IMAGE 82. IMAGE 83. ROBAR SHIPYARD

IMAGE 83. FOUR MASTED LILLIAN KERR

IMAGE 84. CANADIAN LILLIAN KERR

IMAGE 85. J. W. SOMERVILLE

IMAGE 86. WORLD WAR I ARMAMENT PLAN FOR A MINE SWEEPER

IMAGE 87. STEEPLE COMPOUND ENGINE

IMAGE 88. E. BENSON DENNIS

IMAGE 89. RAILROAD BRIDGE

IMAGE 90. POCOMOKE RIVER AND DRAWBRIDGE

IMAGE 91. INTERIOR OF THE TAYLOR BANK

IMAGE 92. 1922 FIRE

IMAGE 93. E. JAMES TULL

IMAGE 94. BEAUTIFUL CRAFTSMANSHIP OF E. J. TULL.

IMAGE 95. SKIPJACK

IMAGE 96. STANLEY AND URSULA TULL

IMAGE 97. FISH BY URSULA TULL

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

STANLEY TULL, GREAT GRANDSON OF E. JAMES TULL, SHIPBUILDER, AND HIS WIFE, URSULA, LOVINGLY PRESERVED THE HISTORY OF THE TULL FAMILY AND THE SHIPS BUILT BY E. JAMES TULL. STANLEY AND URSULA TULL TRAVELED TO POCOMOKE AND TO MIDGHAM, ENGLAND, HOME OF E. J. TULL’S ANCESTORS. SPECIAL THANKS TO STANLEY AND URSULA FOR SUPPORTING THE RESEARCH AND WRITING OF THESE BOOKS.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ROGER COLE OF THE NAUTICAL RESEARCH GUILD, WHO TAUGHT AND ADVISED BEST PRACTICES IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS MARITIME PROJECT. INTRICATELY FAMILIAR WITH SHIP CONSTRUCTION, ROGER RECOMMENDED NAVAL ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS IN COMBINATION WITH THE COAST GUARD. ROGER SUGGESTED INVOLVING POCOMOKE RESIDENTS IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT.

PETE LESHER, CHESAPEAKE BAY MARITIME MUSEUM, PUBLICIZED E. JAMES TULL IN HIS MUSEUM’S JOURNAL, WATERWAYS. PAUL FONTENOY, NORTH CAROLINA MARITIME MUSEUM, RELEASED AN EXCERPT OF E. JAMES TULL, SHIPBUILDER ON MARYLAND’S EASTERN SHORE IN HIS NAUTICAL RESEARCH GUILD JOURNAL. JEAN MARIE RICHARDS, MARITIME MUSEUM OF THE ATLANTIC, HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE LILLIAN KERR. PAUL FONTENOY AND PETE LESHER CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHS AND EXPLAINED INTRICATE DETAILS.

THE REEDVILLE FISHERMAN MUSEUM DISPLAYS MOVIES OF E. J. TULL’S MENHADEN FISHING VESSELS IN ACTION AND EXPLAINS THE MENHADEN INDUSTRY. DONALD GEORGE SHARED HIS MENHADEN DICTIONARY OF SHIPS AND GIVES AN OUTSTANDING INFORMAL TOUR OF REEDVILLE. PAUL FONTENOY GAVE US ALL MEN SINGING, DELIGHTFUL INTRICATE DETAILS OF PEOPLE AND SHIPS IN THE MENHADEN INDUSTRIES, CONTEMPORARIES OF E. JAMES TULL.

THE DAVID H. NABB CENTER OF SALISBURY UNIVERSITY RESEARCHED HISTORICAL FACTS AND PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT SHIP CONSTRUCTION. THE MERRILL AND MORRIS FAMILIES REMEMBERED E. J.’S CHILDREN AS GRANDPARENTS. CAMERON TULL CONTRIBUTED YOUNG JAMES UNDERWOOD TULL AT THE MARINE RAILWAY. SHE HELPED WITH RESEARCH AT THE WASHINGTON NAVY YARD.

INTRODUCTION

E. JAMES TULL’S INNATE ARTISTIC TALENT, HIS CARING, NURTURING PERSONALITY, HIS MECHANICAL SKILLS AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL ADVANCED HIM FROM APPRENTICE TO OWNER OF THE SHIPYARD, AND FROM A YOUNG MAN FIXING THE DRAWBRIDGE TO TOWN COUNCILMAN AND POCOMOKE MAYOR. E. JAMES TULL’S FLOWING GRACEFUL CURVES IN HIS SHIP PLANS, THE HAND POLISHED WOODEN PEGS, WHICH REINFORCED THE JOINTS OF THE SHIP, AND THE WORDS E. JAMES TULL, BUILDER PROUDLY ENGRAVED INTO THE BOWSPRIT REFLECTED QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP IN EACH PHASE OF THE BUILDING PROCESS. VALUING DIVERSITY AND QUALITY, E. JAMES TULL DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED 200 OF THE MOST EXQUISITE BATEAUX, PLEASURE YACHTS, MASTER SAILING SHIPS AND STEAMERS ON THE EAST COAST.

E. JAMES TULL INTUITIVELY DESIGNED A BETTER, MORE BEAUTIFUL BOAT. HIS LILLIE STERLING, A BUGEYE WITH WOOD PLANKING, WON A MEDAL FROM THE U.S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES IN THE 1893 COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION IN CHICAGO FOR THE DESIGN OF A FISHERIES VESSEL. THE BERTIE E. TULL COULD TURN AROUND IN ITS OWN LENGTH WITH OPPOSING PADDLEWHEELS. THE MIXTURE OF GASOLINE AND KEROSENE IN THE EARLY GAS PRODUCING ENGINES WAS EXTREMELY EXPLOSIVE. YET, E. J. EXPERIMENTED WITH A GAS ENGINE IN THE BERTIE E. TULL, DROVE IT HIMSELF, AND CARRIED PASSENGERS ON A ROUTINE BASIS.

E. JAMES TULL’S REPUTATION AS A SHIPBUILDER BROUGHT