Information on Roderick Rose, Master Ship Builder
Roderick Rose, son of James and Isabella (Fraser) Rose, was born
13 Dec. 1838 at New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. His father, James Rose,
was an expert draftsman and shipbuilder and for many years foreman
for several of the leading shipbuilders of New Glasgow.
Roderick Rose started working with his father at an early age and
earned from him the skills in drafting and construction. He also completed
an apprenticeship in "Joining" and he was to continue through his lifetime a
continuation of these skills.
In the Spring of 1863 Roderick and his brother James left New Glasgow
to take a contract to make spars for the Ship Brenda being built at
Lower Selma, Hants Co., Nova Scotia. They continued working at
various shipyards in that area, taking the job of making the spars
for five vessels.
In 1864 the brothers went to Cheverie, Hants Co., Nova Scotia to
complete the cabin work on the Brig Benson. From that task they went
on to join the company being formed to build the Brigantine Kildare,
again at Cheverie. This vessel of 210 tons was built at the cost of
$11,810 (and was still in use in 1881 according to the record of
American and Foreign Shipping 1881).
While working at Cheverie Roderick Rose met and courted one of the
local girls, Margaret Priscilla dexter. She was daughter of Enoch Dexter,
shipbuilder and owner, and had six brothers who were deep sea captains.
Roderick and Margaret were married 19 Dec. 1866 and made their home
in Cheverie.
Almost immediately Roderick was engaged to build a Schooner for his
new brother-in-law, Capt. Robert Dexter. He carried through the entire
project of construction from "making model", to going into the woods to
procure lumber and spars, and continuing on to the launching of the finished
product. The completed vessel was named the R. Rose, and was launched
July 1868.
Thus began Roderick Rose's career as a designer and master craftsman
of highly rated sailing vessels at his yard in Cheverie, Hants Co.,
Nova Scotia. He designed and built seventeen vessels at Cheverie and two
at Noel. Most of the ships were named for local people and were captioned
and crewed by people from the Hants Shore. Roderick Rose and his vessels
have been listed in many of the books published on the history of
shipbuilding in the Maritimes.
A list of ships built by Roderick are contained in the letter he wrote to his son
William "Will". (The Greek Ship names were chosen by Capt. Rodman Pratt
for the vessels Roderick built for him after Pratt had moved to
Cheverie from his Shipyard and Store at Summerville, Nova Scotia).
Roderick and Margaret (Dexter) Rose had ten children. One daughter died in
infancy and the other two girls Rachel and Mildred married and lived in
Nova Scotia. Three sons, Dexter, Roderick Jr. and George moved to the
United States and followed occupations based on the drafting and
carpentry they had learned from their father. Four sons, William,
J. Franklyn, Reginald and Albert followed the Dexter tradition of going
to sea. Three brothers went to sea before the age of sixteen and worked
their way up from cabin boy on sailing vessels to captain of large
American steamships. Capt. Will Rose sailed with the United Fruit
Company, Capt. J. Franklyn Rose was with the Grace Line, and
Capt. Reg Rose sailed first with Roosevelt Steamship Company and later
with the Baltimore Hall Line. These sons also moved to the United States.
Another son, Elbert Rose also went to sea but died at an early age.
Margaret (Dexter) Rose died 5 April 1890.
Roderick Rose married, secondly, Mary Anna Smith 19 November 1894.
Their two daughters, Marion and Jessie, married and lived in Ontario.
Mary Anna (Smith) Rose died at Cheverie 3 January 1917.
Roderick Rose died at Cheverie 17 March 1916, age 79.
List of Vessels built by Roderick Rose
Keel
Rig Name feet Tons When Launched Cost ready for sea $
Schn. R. Rose 90 140 July 1868 9,500
Brigt. Arabell 93 178 July 1871 10,200
Bark. Piscataqua 140 600 Nov. 1872 Built in Noel
Schn. J. L. Crossley 92 170 May 1874 10,250
Brigt. M. J. Brady 108 287 July 1875 14,500
Brigt. Alida A. Smith 93 190 May 1876 10,000
Bark. Osmond O'Brien 160 850 June 1877 Built in Noel
Bark J. H. Marsters 139 632 Sept. 1878 24,000
Top Sail C. Moore 96 216 May 1881 10,000
Schn.
Top Sail D. W. Dexter 97 234 Sept. 1882 11,500
Schn.
Bkt. L. M. Smith 125 380 Oct. 1884 18,000
Bkt. Lillian 128 395 May 1886 17,500
Schn. Gamma 94 150 April 1888 -----------
Bkt. Glenrosa 135 487 Sept. 1890 20,000
Schn. Delta 112 287 Sept. 1892 -----------
Schn. Omega 108 200 April 1896 ------------
Schn. Alpha 75 60 July 1898 ------------
Schn. Theta 143 420 May 1901 ------------
Schn. Zeta 126 350 Sept. 1902 ------------
Vessels listed as lost or wrecked are:
(Information provided by David N. Barron, Northern Shipwrecks Database,
Box 48047, Bedford, N.S. Canada. B4A 3Z2)
Name Built At Year Built
............... ........... ....
CHRISTIAN MOORE Kempt Shore 1881;
D. W. DEXTER Kempt Shore 1882;
DELTA Cheverie 1892;
GLENROSA Cheverie 1892;
J. H. MARSTERS Cheverie 1878;
L. M. SMITH Kempt Shore 1878;
LILLIAN Kempt Shore 1886;
MARTHA J. BRADY Kempt Shore 1875;
OMEGA Cheverie 1896; and
THETA Cheverie 1901.
Also built with his brother James Rose the KILDARE - Wrecked at sea,
put in & condemned at Trinidad on Dec. 29th, 1874. En route from
Demerara, British Guiana to St. Thomas, West Indies. Wooden brigantine.
Official # 52063. Built at Kempt Shore in 1865 by James Rose.
Registered at Liverpool, NS. in 1871 (Reg.# 26 for 1871). Previously
registered at Windsor, NS. Owned by William Collins. Tonnage: 210.9 gross,
186.5 net, 210.9 registered. Size: 105.4 x 26.9 x 11.8 ft.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roderick "Rod" Rose's family
Generation No. 1
1. RODERICK "ROD"5 ROSE (JAMES4, JOHN3, ALEXANDER2) was born December 13,
1838 in Fraser's Mountain, Pictou Co., NS, Canada, and died March 17, 1916 in Cheverie, Hants
Co., NS, Canada. He married (1) 'MARGARET' PRISCILLA DEXTER December 19, 1866 in
Cheverie, Hants Co., NS, Canada, daughter of ENOCH M. DEXTER. He married (2) MARY
ANNA SMITH November 19, 1894 in Hantsport, NS, Canada.
Children of RODERICK ROSE and 'MARGARET' DEXTER are:
i. ENOCH DEXTER6 ROSE, b. October 16, 1867, Cheverie, Hants Co., NS, Canada; d.
February 17, 1951, Bridgeport, Conn, USA; m. FLORENCE SOPHIA BURGESS, July 07,
1889, City Island, NY, USA.
ii. MAGGIE BELLE ROSE, b. 1869, Cheverie, Hants Co., NS, Canada; d. 1869, Cheverie,
Hants Co., NS, Canada.
iii. WILLIAM "WILL" MAURICE ROSE, CAPT., b. November 06, 1870, Cheverie, Hants
Co., NS, Canada; d. June 04, 1960, New Orleans, LOU, USA; m. (1) GRACE
SCHWARTZ; m. (2) UNKNOWN MACHECA; m. (3) EDITH A. GLENN, Abt. 1898.
iv. J. FRANKLIN ROSE, CAPT., b. 1874, Cheverie, NS, Canada; d. 1966, New Jersey, USA;
m. ALICE SMITH.
v. RACHEL "RAE" A. ROSE, b. 1876, Cheverie, Hants Co., NS, Canada; d. 1905; m.
JAMES A. ARMSTRONG, March 11, 1897, Windsor, Hants, NS, Canada.
vi. MILDRED EVERNIA ROSE, b. November 27, 1878, Cheverie, NS, Canada; d. 1959; m.
GEORGE MCKAY 'MAC" RATHBUN.
vii. RODERICK F. ROSE, JR., b. 1881, Cheverie, Hants Co., NS, Canada; d. USA;
m. LILLIAN ROLFE.
viii. GEORGE CHARLES ROSE, b. 1883, Cheverie, Hants Co., NS, Canada; d. 1971,
Bridgeport, Conn, USA; m. LENA CARD.
ix. ELBERT L. ROSE, b. 1885, Cheverie, NS, Canada; d. November 11, 1917.
x. REGINALD "REG" ROSE, CAPT., b. November 10, 1887, Cheverie, NS, Canada;
d. February 17, 1969, Ormond Beach, Florida, USA; m. PEARLE WENTWORTH,
June 18, 1907.
Children of RODERICK ROSE and MARY SMITH are:
xi. MARION ELLEN6 ROSE, b. October 04, 1896, Cheverie, Hants Co., NS, Canada;
d. July 12, 1966, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; m. CLIFFORD "CLIFF" DOUGLAS BROWN,
1919.
xii. JESSIE ALICE ROSE, b. November 18, 1902, Cheverie, Hants Co., NS, Canada;
d. December 07, 1964, Windsor, ONT, Canada; m. HARRY CLIFFORD TAIT,
July 02, 1927, Windsor, ONT, Canada.
xiii. FRANCIS MARGUERITE ROSE, b. March 03, 1898, Cheverie, Hants Co., NS, Canada;
d. December 26, 1899, Cheverie, Hants Co., NS, Canada.
/B>
My Scottish Links
- My Rose Family Information, Genealogy and Related Internet Links.
- James Rose Master Ship Builder, Information.
- Rose Clan information and Related Links.
- Rose Clan History.
- Scotland Genealogy Links
- British Iles, Including Ireland and Wales.
- Miscellaneous Links.
My French Acadian Ancestors
- My French Acadian Ancestors and Related Genealogy Links
- My French Acadian Genealogy.
- Acadian Genealogy Links.
- Nova Scotia Genealogy Links.
- Miscellaneous Links.
- Acadian Genealogy Links.
- Acadian History.
- Isle Madame History.
- Port Royal History.
Related Links
- Top of this page
- My Rose Family Information, Genealogy and Related Internet Links.
- Back to Home Page
Thanks For Visiting, Come Back Again
.......... .........Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Hope to add some other sites of interest to me or you in the future.
Suggestions or interesting Links always welcome.
Please notify me of any errors or omissions and Links that have been changed or not responding.
Last update April 28, 2000
P>© Copyright George Rose 1997 - 2000, all rights
reserved. De Colores.