The Quick Family of Brighton
by MARY (QUICK) TADMAN

"Break, Break, Break
On the cold grey stones, o sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me."

Alfred Lord Tennyson

In the early 1800's William Rankin Quick sailed from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Massachusetts Bay and eventually across Lake Ontario and settled at Brighton Bay (also known as Presqu'ile Bay or Gosport). It was there with his wife Charlotte VanHorne that they raised their family.

Gleaned from the Brighton Sentinel, April 22, 1853:

"Our enterprising and persevering neighbour Captain Quick, has erected an extensive wharf and store house at an expense of three thousand one hundred dollars. It extends sixty rods into the bay. The main wharf is 85 ft x 133 ft, the store house 24 x 44 ft and three stories high. It is fitted up in the most convenient way for storing grain. Captain Quick is also the Proprietor of the two vessels in the harbour: This William John and the Sarah Jane. Last season about fifteen hundred thousand feet of lumber passed over his wharf, and one million shingles. I understand he intends building a vessel of two hundred tons during the coming winter."

From the original copy of the Evening Telegram , dated Saturday November 24th 1954, Amanda (Quick) Covell told the following story to the reporter 75 years later. She was fifteen when the following excursion took place:

"Her father Captain William Quick built a beautiful new schooner on the Bayshore, and called her the Amanda, after her. The Amanda measured 118 tons register. She could carry one hundred thousand feet of lumber. She was white with green trimmings and red petticoats, and she has a half-clipper bow. Captain Quick often took Amanda sailing with him. Even though she had to stretch to reach the Kings poke of the wheel, she was a good Helmsman. They used to trade to Dundas. She and her father and a crew of five or six men loaded lumber there for Charlotte on the south shore of Lake Ontario."

On one of these excursions when they finished unloading the cargo, the crew disappeared believed to have "bounty-jumped" to become soldiers for Uncle Sam during the Civil War. Not to be defeated, he was quoted to have said, "Well, I still have two Amandas". The other Captains at port, with their deserted crews helped them hoist their big sails which required a full crew. They crossed the fifty miles of Lake Ontario in a day and night and sailed into Presqu'ile Bay while the day was still young. Old Captain Lesley, the customs officer sauntered down to receive Captain Quick's arrival report. "Any American Cargo?" asked he, as a matter of form. "No" said Captain Quick equally formal, "nothing but a cargo of timber, loaded in Canadian waters." "Humph," laughed Captain Lesley, "Where are your crew?" "That little lass there," said Captain Quick, "Is all six of them." and as the story goes Amanda became known as Six Men Lassie.

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According to Folklore my great great great grandfather "Captain Billie" as he was fondly remembered became quite wealthy. In later years he became disgruntled with his sons and buried his treasure somewhere on High Bluff. It has never been discovered.

Captain Billie's son John and his wife were farmers in the Gosport area. Their son Adelbert (DIBB) married Catherine Frances (Frankie) Purtell. She came from Ireland with her parents during the potato famine.

Legend has it that "Frankie" was alone with her small family on the homestead on Harbour Street very pregnant and working on her garden. "Her time had come" so she took herself to the house, delivered her baby, tended to the infant, and then went back outside to finish her garden. This infant was named Grant, who married Helen Faulkner and eventually resided in this same homestead until his death. Around 1918 he was sole proprieter of the Quick Fish Market and also owned the Presqu'ile Hotel and Pleasure Palace.

Grant and his wife Helen managed both the Hotel and Pavilion and rented out cottages until Grant's death. After his death both places were demolished and an era that had been so popular with so many people had ended.

A very interesting and amusing book could be written about the happy times spent at the Presqu'ile Hotel and Pleasure Palace. Some famous people stayed at the hotel. The late Prime Minister Lester Pearson, and Cabinet Minister Judy LaMarsh lodged there, and also some infamous people like Ben Kerr who was a very colourful character. He ran his boat, the Polywog, from the Point across to Rochester, winter and summer. He was a rum runner and a very successful one, until he met his death coming back from Rochester one winter night. The book Whisky and Ice by C.W. Hunt is a very good read. Guy Lombardo's was probably the most famous band that played at the Pavilion, but there were many more. I have some of the receipts for the bands of that time.

Anyone who resided in the area and for many miles around, have happy memories of their times at the dance hall. Mention that you are a Quick and that Grant was your uncle and the stories pour out.

Grant's brother Royal managed the Brighton Public Utilities Commission (PUC). Grant's brother Harry, was a commercial fisherman who married Mary Ellen Fenton. Harry was Reeve of Brighton from 1932 to 1935. They resided at 162 Baldwin Street where Purtell and Luguarda eventually became residents. Luguarda resides there with her son William. Grant's brother William (Pete) married Mary Catherine Fenton (cousin to Mary Ellen). They resided on Price Street and the home is still there today. Pete was a commercial fisherman. Purtell who was given his name from his grandmother's maiden name was also a commercial Fisherman and managed the Fish Market. His brother Wilfred also was manager and fisherman. Elwood and Donald too, were fishermen. Purtell's father and Uncles Harry, Grant, and Royal were very involved in the Annual Presqu'ile Regattas of which they raced their boats for prizes.

Glen Quick, Purtell's son is now owner and manager of Quick Fisheries. He is presently the Reeve of Brighton and has served on Council since 1977. His brothers William and Harry still fish the waters surrounding the area, as do a couple of their sons.

Tragedy struck October 31, 1980 when Foster Quick's (my brother) boat capsized while fishing the waters of the Bay of Quinte. My other brother Garfield, who died in 1977, was also a fisherman.

So, from the early 1800's until the dawning of the Millenium, Gosport has been home and workplace to a great many of the Quick descendants of William R. Quick.

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