Marmaduke William Clow

Other Events:

• Baptism: 1 Jun 1828, St. Paul's Anglican Parish, Harbour Grace, Newfoundland

Notes:

The 1855 marriage record at Ferryland states Marmaduke was from Port aux Basques. This record is somewhat confusing since he certainly appears to be the Marmaduke William Clow born at Harbour Grace in 1828. It is possible that he may have worked at Port aux Basques prior to moving to Ferryland. We don't know when Marmaduke moved to Ferryland, but based on some old court records of 1855, it appears that Marmaduke had been there long enough to become intimately aquantainted with some of local females. Just a few months before his marriage to Mary Johnston, Marmaduke was named in a paternity suit by another young lady. According to a presentation by Willeen Keough, given to the Newfoundland and Labrador Genealogical Society in October 1999, the events unfolded as follows:

On July 13 1855, Mary Ann Perryman of Aquaforte appeared in court to name Marmaduke Clow of Ferryland as the father of her unborn child and to seek support. Marmaduke denied that he was the father. The following day Marmaduke was confronted at Ferryland by Mary Ann's friends from Aquaforte, Peter and Sarrah Payne, who began to abuse him by John Morry's wharf. Peter Payne, who was carrying a hatchet, trust it into the wharf in a threatening fashion. Marmaduke tried to escape, but Sarrah Payne caught hold of him and struck him several times. After that Peter and Sarrah took turns threatening him with the hatchet. Sarrah was said to have varied the routine by throwing rocks at him. Oh what a tangled web we weave! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Rescue (of the Crew) of The Heather

This story was found on a now defunct Ferryland Municipal website - story source unknown. It tells of the successful, but near tragic rescue, of the crew of the brigantine, Heather by ten men from Ferryland. One of those involved in that rescue was Marmaduke Clow (Kevin Reddigan).

Late in March 1865, the brigantine Heather in charge of Captain Ash was returning to St. John's from a foreign voyage when she became jammed in ice off Cape Spear. Fearing the vessel would be crushed, four of the crew abandoned ship against their master's wishes.

It turned out their foreboding was right and about 1:30 on Mar. 26, Captain Ash and the three remaining crew members noticed that the ice was carrying the vessel onto the rocks. They too abandoned ship just minutes before she hit the cliffs. The vessel didn't sink however, but the ice had broken up and they were unable to get back to her.

On individual pans of ice, Capt. Ash and his three companions drifted south during the night and all the next day. By nightfall Tuesday they were without food and shelter of any kind and were concerned for the worsening weather. Mate Morris and the two seamen managed to get on one large ice pan but were separated from the captain by a large lake of water.

By Wednesday morning they were as far south as Ferryland and realised the chances of being spotted beyond this point would be very slim. As luck would have it however, a Mrs. Carter of Ferryland happened to glance out her window as she went about her work and spotted the men drifting by on the ice floe. She immediately spread the news and Father Murphy, the parish priest, called for volunteers to go into the ice filled seas to attempt a rescue.

Ten brave fishermen of Ferryland manned a boat and steered it through the ice to the rescue. They were Francis Geary, John Costello, William Morry, Marmaduke Clowe, Henry Morry, Richard Sullivan, Thomas Moore, James Sweeney, Peter Kelly and John O'Keefe.

They picked up the mate and seamen from the nearest pan first, and returned to shore with them. Again they put out to sea and headed in the direction of Captain Ash, however a storm was beginning to whip up and no sooner had they taken the captain on board when the storm broke. A strong gale drove their boat off to the sea, much to the horror of their families and friends looking on from the shore.

The gale raged all night and by daylight Thursday, the boat was fully forty miles out to sea. By Thursday afternoon the wind abated and they somehow managed to make land at Witless Bay, after suffering greatly from exposure.

Captain Ash was in particularly bad condition, after three days and nights in the open. He was taken to St. John's by a crew from Witless Bay and lost no time in commending the ten men for their bravery. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lovell's 1871 Directory - Government Positions - INSPECTORS OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES; Marmaduke Clow, District of Ferryland;

In the baptisms before 1871, Marmaduke is listed as a fisherman, however in a baptism of 1871 and this directory, his occupation is listed as an Inspector/Weights and Measures. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diary of the Rev. M. P. O'Driscoll - For the Years 1874 - 1881

1878 -June 12th. Wednesday. Salmon plentiful at Mobile. Uncle Harry here. Sowed some govnt. Seed potatoes that cost 35/-pr. brl., ¼ brl. Sown yesterday. We had lettuce and radishes for the first time; crops growing well. Marmaduke W. Clow, Telones?. Prosecuting his “weighty” mission under difficulties.

It is not clear what the meaning of this last comment may be, however it appears to be a derogatory remark towards Mr. Clow's performance of his official duties as Inspector of Weights and Measures. (Kevin Reddigan)

SHARP'S DIRECTORY - 1885/6 - St. John's City Area Clow Marsella ? 138 Gower street (transcription error??)

MIGHT & CO.'S - St. John's Directory - 1890: Clow Marmaduke super(visor?) cargo h 138 Gower

NLGenWeb 1894 McAlpines Directory - Avalon South Region - St. John's District CLOWE, Marmaduke accountant h 17 Maxse

Devine and Omaras - 1897 - St. John's City Directory: CLOW MARMADUKE N. - ACCOUNTANT - 31 COLONIAL

McAlpine's 1898 Directory - St. John's: Clow Marmaduke, insp. Weights & measures, h 32 Colonial

Marmaduke married Mary Johnston 2 Sep 1855, Ferryland, Newfoundland. Mary (daughter of Jane) was born Abt Jul 1833, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland; died 28 Jul 1874, Ferryland, Newfoundland; was buried Abt 30 Jul 1874, Forge Hill Anglican Cemetery, Ferryland, Ferryland District, Newfoundland, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 7 Oct 1862, St. Luke's CE Parish, Ferryland, Newfoundland

Notes:

VOLUME 22 VITAL STATISTICS - WESLEYAN - METHODIST MARRIAGES at St Johns. June 8 1886 St. Johns - PRINCE, Samuel 23, bach, fishing, Seal Cove BB = CLOW, Henrietta 23, spin, schoolteacher, Ferryland Henry E. Clow, Eliza Johnston

Harbor Grace Standard & Conception Bay Advertiser - 1887 At Seal Cove, Bonavista Bay, on the 13th inst., after a long illness, which was borne with meekness and resignation to the Divine Will, Henrietta Adelaide, beloved wife of Samuel PRINCE, and eldest daughter of Marmaduke W. CLOW, aged 23 years.

Henrietta married Samuel Prince 8 Jun 1886, St. John's, Newfoundland. Samuel was born Abt 1862, Seal Cove (Princeton), Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 14 Apr 1865, St. Luke's CE Parish, Ferryland, Newfoundland

Other Events:

• Baptism: 29 May 1867, St. Luke's CE Parish, Ferryland, Newfoundland

Other Events:

• Baptism: 1 Mar 1869, St. Luke's CE Parish, Ferryland, Newfoundland

Notes:

H. E. Clow noted as performing baptisms in 1890 & 1891 at Greenspond, Bonavista Bay. (St. Stephen's Anglican Church)

Other Events:

• Baptism: 30 Nov 1871, St. Luke's CE Parish, Ferryland, Newfoundland