It is a fact recognized by all Vineyard people that the Tilton family has produced some of the most prominent and interesting characters of Vineyard history. The exploits of Capt. George Fred Tilton are well-known, as is his gift of expression in describing his experiences, but the public may not be as familiar with the fact that the captain has brothers whose lives have not been dull or commonplace, and who are amply qualified to picture the scenes of past action in terms both picturesque and colorful.
While it is not intended to name him as belonging to any particular class or grade in adventuring or story telling, it is only fair to say that Welcome L. Tilton of Vineyard Haven does not fall below the standard set by his brothers in the art of story telling, and while his experiences have been milder, perhaps, they are not less interesting.
Mr. Tilton was born up in the Cape Higgon district in Chilmark and his boyhood days were uneventful and few. Like all of his family, he started for the water as soon as he could walk and like them also he began to look for work as soon as his shoulders were wide enough to support suspenders.
His first job was hauling clay from his uncle’s pits to the shore and was obtained by the employment of clever strategy, worthy of a much older person.
Tilton, at that time, was but nine years of age, and although strong and healthy was very diminutive in stature. Determined to impress the uncle, he put on several pairs of pants to make himself look large. Whether the uncle saw through the trick or not, is a question, but he gave the boy the job.
At the age of 13, Mr. Tilton shipped on a whaler, following in the footsteps of every male relative that had gone before him. It was a “plum pudding” voyage, lasting only about a year, and the cruise was in the middle Atlantic and around the West Indies.
Mr. Tilton had no fondness for the whaling industry, however.
On his return to the Vineyard Mr. Tilton was employed at the brickyard, which at that time was flourishing, but it didn’t flourish long. “And no wonder,” he declares; “they hired men to do nothing and paid them double time for it. The agent himself used to burn a light in every window of his house at night and it looked like an excursion steamer.”
At all events, the business failed, and Mr. Tilton left the yard with wages due him which were never collected, and went to chopping wood. He chopped one day, and while at work a friend came to offer him a berth on a merchant ship. He was not destined to sail on this voyage, however, for after loading and rigging the ship, she was libelled, and the crew all left her. Mr. Tilton shipped on a New Bedford coaster, and for nine years ran short trips out of that port. Then sailing from Ellsworth, Maine, he shipped as mate for nine or ten years more.
After that he returned to the Vineyard, where he was employed as a trap fisherman for several seasons. At that time many boats went to Nomansland in the fall for the codfishing and he purchased a boat and also took in the fishing after the trap season was over.
At Nomansland he met the lady who eventually became Mrs. Tilton, and it is doubtful if a seaman or fisherman ever found a more fitting mate. The lady was Miss Hattie Butler, who was reared on the lonely little Island and who had learned how to catch, clean and cook fish as she learned to walk. Later lessons of childhood consisted of learning how to handle a boat, with oars in the surf, or under sail in open water. As Nomansland is out at sea, it may be realized that small boat sailing in that locality is not apt to be a pastime for squeamish persons.
The details of that courtship are known to but few, but romantic tales are told from time to time by those who remember the days when Mr. Tilton would leave the brickyard landing in his 18-foot Nomansland boat, and with his mast unstepped, pull her against a head wind and tide clear to Nomansland. “And that’s true,” he admits, “but after I was married, I had hard work to get there with a fair wind.”
The boat racing, also, has often been mentioned, and it is said that Mrs. Tilton excelled her husband in this sport. This is established by the fact that she outsailed one or two of his brothers, who were rated highly as boatmen.
Following his marriage, Mr. Tilton continued in the trap fishing, going into business for himself at length, and setting his gear on the North Shore for 19 seasons. But the industry declined, the fish became scarce and Mr. Tilton, like many others, hung on until his financial resources would stand the strain no longer. It was then he began that portion of his career which has brought him into the limelight of publicity, for he became a canvasser.
His friends say that he will never give up canvassing, because this work permits him to sleep two hours after each meal. Mr. Tilton does not deny this, but points out that he is very much awake while on his job.
Compiled by Hilary Wallcox
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