Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 4.

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[p. 92] this side of Mr. Sprague's. He came to Medford in 1827 and in 1836 bought this house of a Mrs. Hatch, living here until he died in 1873. He had charge of making all the ironwork used by Sprague & James in the building of their ships, and owned two or three shops, having many men to work for him.

Paul Curtis, a name well-known. When serving time as apprentice he was called ‘honest Paul.’ He was born in South Scituate, Dec. 26, 1800, and came to Medford at the age of eighteen, learning his trade of Thatcher Magoun. Living at first in a double house with Jotham Stetson off Ship street, on what was termed ‘the Island,’ he afterward built and lived in the house next below Thatcher Magoun's (now Mrs. Reed's). In 1839 he moved to South street and in 1852 to East Boston. Mr. Curtis built twenty-seven vessels at Magoun's yard. In partnership with J. O. Curtis he built six, and continued building at East Boston. In all, his list of vessels reached a hundred.

Waterman and Ewell succeeded Paul & J. O. Curtis at Magoun's yard. Mr. Foster Waterman was born in Barnstable, June 2, 1805. He entered the business of ship-carpenter, serving apprenticeship with the late Noah Brooks, of South Boston, from which place he came to Medford and lived in the house of Oakman Joyce. He formed a partnership with Mr. Henry Ewell. They built here fifty-one vessels. He died at Nantasket beach at his summer residence, July 22, 1870. His daughter is Mrs. R. H. Stearns, of Boston. His partner, Mr. Henry Ewell, born at Marshfield, Dec. 31, 1806, was apprenticed to Thatcher Magoun at the age of seventeen. The house at the corner of Pleasant street and Riverside avenue now occupied by Mrs. Cudworth was built for Mr. Ewell and afterward sold to Mr. William Cudworth. On giving up business in Medford Mr. Ewell went to Quincy and then to East Boston, continuing in the same business.

From 1831 to 1860 many of the houses on Ship street