Page:One of a thousand.djvu/113

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

CANDAGE. CANDAGE. 99 the West Indies and Europe. He was in love with his calling as a sailor, and being strong, hardy, and apt, he soon became proficient as a seaman, and passed from the forecastle to the quarter-deck. His Blue Hill friends in 1850 built him a brig named the "Equator," in which he made his first voyage as master, from Bos- RUFUS G F. CANDAGE. ton to Valparaiso, Chili. Since then he has commanded ships "Jamestown" of New York, and " Electric Spark " and "National Eagle " of Boston; has sailed to most of the principal ports of Europe, Asia, Australia, and America ; he has doubled Cape Horn thirteen times both ways, and in all has sailed over more than five hundred thousand miles of salt water. His last voyage at sea was as commander of the ship " National Eagle," of which he was part owner, arriving in Boston from Liver- pool, England, in May, 1S67. He then gave up his sea life and became a resident of Brookline, where he still resides, his business office being in Boston. He was appointed surveyor by the Ameri- can Shipmasters' Association of New York, for the record of American and foreign shipping, in January, 1868. The same year he was appointed marine surveyor for the Boston board of underwriters, and held that office for about ten years. In 1882 he was made surveyor for the Bureau Veri- tas of Baris, France, which office he still holds. With an office in the Merchants' Exchange building for nearly twenty years, Captain Candage has been a well known figure on State Street, with an extensive acquaintance in maritime circles. In the year 1861, when the American Shipmasters' Association was formed, Cap- tain Candage was elected its thirteenth member, and in 1867 was elected to mem- bership in the Boston Marine Society ; was president of the society in the years 1SS2 -'83, and ever since then has been a mem- ber of its board of trustees. He has been a member of the Brookline school committee five years, three of which he was chairman ; is a member of the board of trustees of the Brookline public library, and was treasurer of the board from 1880 to '83 ; was one of the select- men, and since 1884 has been one of the assessors of the town He has been president of the Boston Fire Brick and Clay Retort Manufacturing Company since 1873, and of the Boston Terra Cotta Company since 1881. He represented the town of Brookline in the House of Representatives for i882-'3, and served upon the committees of harbors and public lands, and rules. He is a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, of the Bos- tonian Society, and other kindred organi- zations. He has been a member of the boards of Father Taylor's and the Baptist Bethels; is treasurer of the Seaman's Bethel Relief Society, and of two or three other small funds. He has been much interested in matters pertaining to the up-building of American shipping, and as an expert on shipping he stands deservedly high. Captain Candage has been a member of the Brookline Thursday Club since Novem- ber, 1872 ; of the Brookline Club since its formation ; of the Baptist church of Brook- line ; the Baptist Social Union ; Norfolk Club; vice-president of the Bine Tree State Club of Boston ; a member of the order of F. & A. M., of the Royal Arcanum, Inde- pendent Order of Improved Red Men, etc. Captain Candage was first married in Boston, May 1, 1853, to Elizabeth Au- gusta, daughter of Elijah Carey, Jr., of Brookline. His second marriage occurred May 22, 1873, with Ella Maria White of Revere, daughter of Benjamin and Sarah E. (Hall) White. Of this latter union are five children : George Frederick, Ella Au- gusta, Phebe Theresa, Robert Brooks, and Sarah Caroline Candaare.