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During this period the shores at Annandale could be seen for ten chains across piled with juniper knees awaiting export on vessels. The road near Annandale that branched off the Line of the Lot Road was known as the Knee Road, since the juniper used was all taken from along this road. Samuel MacDonald of Dundas also dealt in juniper knees. In 1845, he returned to Dundas after having a brief business sojourn to Boston, Mass. for three years and developed his juniper knee business into an extensive and profitable venture until about 1879 when rail transportation made shipments of knees from Boston cheaper. in 1854, Captain Edward Saville built a vessel called the “Wavecrest” at Bridgetown. In 1868, Captain Saville and his brother-in—law, Darius Clay, built the “Emeline” which was shipwrecked off East Point in 1871.
Riley and MacDougall were probably the first shipbuilders in Bridgetown. They built a ship called the ”Reciprocity”. MacDougall is listed as having built the “Irene” in 1864, the “Shannon” in 1865, the ”Theresa”, 119 feet long and 26 feet wide in 1867, and the “Anastasia” in 1868. The MacDougall shipyard built other ships for William Welsh, some of which were the “Fanny”, the “Vi- gilant”, the 93 foot long ”Magic”, the “Blanche” and the “William Owen”.
In 1864 Mclnnis built a ship called “independence”. The Mclnnis yard was situated at Shore Acres below Dundas Farms Property.
Vickerson and MacKeen built ships above the bridge in Bridgetown on pro- perty behind Eddy Clay’s residence. Vickerson moved to Dundas about 1860 and went into partnership with Stephen MacKeen. in 1884, he left and moved to Chilliwack, 8.0. where he died in 1900. He built a ship called the “Emma M. .Vickerson” in 1883. it was a schooner with a tonnage capacity of 115 tons. They also built the “W. J. Vickerson”, 67 feet long, in 1871.
The first MacLeod to arrive in Bridgetown was William (Deacon) MacLeod. He walked from Uigg carrying a back pack and travelled down the Seven Mile Road to procure employment in the shipyard of Vickerson’s as a blacksmith. Vickerson built many vessels before departing for British Columbia.
By 1867, Daniel McAulay and James Johnston of Annandale had built the “0 My”, a 49 foot sailing vessel. The Howlett Bros. of Annandale were also ship- builders. They built the “Bonnie Rover”, in 1872, the “Lettie Mae” in 1878, and the “Comfort” built in 1868 and sold to the islands of St. Pierre and, Miquelon in 1869.
Edmond Tassell of Annandale also built a vessel called “The Sea Gull”, a 44 foot sailing schooner in 1879.
Richard Burdett was another shipbuilder in the Dundas area. It is believed he lived in the “Minnie MacLeod” house in Bridgetown and probably carried out his shipbuilding below her property on the River. One ship he is listed as having built was the ”Willie” in 1874 although there were probably others.
James Gray Jenkins first came to this area about 1861 where he built ships in Bridgetown about the same location used earlier by Captain Saville. He moved to Durell Point, where he bought the Dingwell estate and built the “Anthes” in
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