Watercolor and gouache painting of USS Constitution, c. 1803, by Michele Felice Corne (Courtesy Naval Historical Foundation/USS Constitution Museum, Boston)
under the first Spanish Merino export license. Shorrly thereafter Jarvis resigned as consul and returned to the US. The exdiplomar sold most of the sheep and with rhe profit purchased a farm near the Connecticut River in Weathersfield, Vermont, his home for rhe remainder of his life. With an eye toward additional returns, Jarvis retained 350 Merinos for breeding, and with the help of Spanish animal husbandry produced the valuable VermonrArype subspecies. The introduction of Merino stock starred a new agriculturally based enterprise in rhe Stares and the wool helped fuel the developing New England textile industry. In 1810 Thomas Jefferson wrote to Jarvis commending him for his services as consul to Lisbon, for the casks of Portuguese wine of which Jefferson was fond, and particularly for promoting the breeding of Merinos. The frigate Constitution distinguished itself during rhe War of 181 2 and became rhe most successful combat ship in the history of the American navy, a floating national icon. Now a sheep farmer in Vermont, Jarvis expressed pride in his role providing for the needs of the famous vessel during his service in Lisbon. By 1830 Constitution had fallen into disrepair. Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote the poem "Old
Ironsides", which captured the hearts of rhe American people and led to a reprieve for the ship and brought about its ultimate preservation. Ar rhe drydocking ceremony for her restoration in 1833 , Isaac Hull initiated a tradition by ordering salvaged wood from her hull turned into canes and other articles as presentation pieces for dignitaries and other fortunate recipients. Around this rime Jarvis was given a three-inch snuffbox made from a piece of Constitution's oak. Snuffboxes were the marks of genrlemen during rhe 18th and early 19th centuries and Jarvis' singular box had a cover with an inscribed gold medallion that read "Constitution or Old Ironsides ... Mr. Miller to the Honorable Mr. Jarvis." Unfortunately "Mr. Miller" cannot be positively identified amo ng the many possible men with rhar surname, bur the oaken snuffbox became a prized nostalgic possession of one of America's most important importers and breeders ofsheep.
William Jarvis died at the age of 88 in Weathersfield, Vermont, on 21 October 1859. This dare marked the 62nd anniversary of Constitution's 1797 launchi ng in Boston only a short distance from rhe house on State Street where Jarvis was born. The frigate Constitution, America's Merino sheep and the snuffbox are still with us. Thar old snuffbox on the mantle improbably links rhe grand old ship, those wonderful sheep and some major figures in the histo1y of the yo ung American Republic. 1Dr. Norton is professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut H ealth Center and author ofthe Naval!nstitute Press book Joshua Barney: Hero of the Revolution and 1812.
6TH MARITIME HERITAGE CONFERENCE:
A Gathering of the Maritime Clans in Wilmington, North Carolina, 25-28 October 2001 • 1
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The 6th Maritime Heritage Conference, which will also incorporate the 4th International Ship Preservation Conference, will be hosted by the Battleship North Carolina and headquartered at the Wilmington Hilton Riverside, across the Cape Fear 1 River from the historic ship. •
If you consider yourself a steward of maritime heritage or a student of this
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heritage, this conference is a must attend, as all segments of the maritime community come together to address the challenges of the 21st century. The tentative cost of the conference is $225. The final cost will be in the registration packets which will be mailed out in midsummer. To ensure that you are on the mailing li st, send your name and address to Battleship North Carolina, PO Box 480, Wilmington NC 28402-0480; phone: 910 251-5797; fax: 910 251-5807; e-mail: ncbb55 @aol.com. Reservations at the Wilmington Hilton Riverside can be made at the conference rate of$120 by calling l 800 32 1-3232 and mentioning the 6th Maritime Heritage Conference. Additional blocks of rooms will be reserved in other hotel s and li sted in the registration materials. You may also contact the Cape Fear Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800 222-4757 or www.cape-fear.nc.us. For updates on the conference, see the National Park Service web site at: www .cr.nps.gov/maritime. Groups wi shing to conduct business meetings are welcome to do so on Monday, 29 October. To reserve facilities contact Captain David R. Scheu at the Battleship North Carolina (contact information above). SEA HISTORY 97, SUMMER 200 l
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