Lucretia Rathbun Lewis,
Potter County's first commercial fly tier.
(Lucretia probably tutored Carrie Larrabee Phillips in the art of fly tying.)
Photo - courtesy of Eloise Wrean Lewis Fiebig
Potter
County’s First Fly Tier
by
Tom Dewey
It is Mrs. W. I. Lewis, wife of Willis I. Lewis and “Manufacturer of Best Quality Reversed Wing Trout Flies,” whose invoice I have in hand. All of this took place nearly one hundred and twenty-five years ago - the invoice is dated May 6,1887.
Lucretia Rathbun Lewis (1856 – 1894) was a well-liked, well-educated young woman who apparently was comfortable with life in Coudersport, Pennsylvania in the last years of the 19th century. Born in Cohocton, Steuben County, New York, she married Willis I. Lewis,"one of the most distinguished of Pennsylvania lawyers in his day." [Godcharles, p. 258] "She was an earnest worker in every good cause in the community." [PCHS] As the wife of a leading attorney she undoubtedly had the means and time to develop an avocation. It is not known that she, herself, fly fished, but certainly through her husband she must have been exposed to all sorts of outdoors sports and activities, as the record shows quite clearly that Willis definitely was an outdoorsman.
Over a year ago I wrote a rather long piece on how night fishing for trout probably got its start here in Potter County [listed under Random Casts - "Potter County: Birthplace of Night Fishing"]. In it I neglected to mention Carrie (Larrabee) Phillips, the wife of Dr. Samuel Phillips (a dentist and an avid fly fisherman). According to L. James Bashline [Night Fishing...page 45], it was Carrie who pioneered the development of the night fly, at the urging of her husband. It turns out that her father, Attorney Don Carlos Larrabee, was in partnership with Willis I. Lewis, and her mother was the sister of Willis Lewis’s mother.
It is quite possible that Lucretia, being the elder of the two women, introduced her cousin Carrie Phillips to fly tying, thus establishing Coudersport as a town with not one, but two, lady fly tiers. Carrol Burton Larrabee, in his unpublished memoirs of life in Coudersport, 1900-1915, says “…my Aunt Carrie was famous far beyond the County for her skill in making flies…” The Larrabees moved to California in the 1920s, thus ending Carrie's fly tying career. Lucretia died at the age of 38 in 1894, probably from complications of giving birth to a daughter in the fall of 1893.
Lucretia’s invoice, dated May 6th, 1887, made out to a Mrs. Acker, for 7 ½ doz. Trout flies @ .75cts. [per dozen], $5.63 and an additional 1 doz. for May 10, comes to an incredible $6.38! The same invoice today could be as much as $200.00. It is not known whether “Mrs. Acker” or her husband was a fly fisher, or, whether the husband, as husbands are wont to do, left the fly-shopping to his wife: “Oh, by the way, dear, stop by Lucretia’s and get me this list of flies.” Perhaps Mrs. Acker was simply gifting someone who fly fished.
  |
Lucretia's
remarkable 1887 Invoice, over 120 years old.
On looking
over Lucretia’s list of fly patterns
used by the fishermen of her day, I became curious as to how many might
still
be around today. In 1950, J. Edson Leonard published Flies,
which
was considered one of the best fly tying books for aspiring fly tiers
in its
day. In it he included a dictionary of 2,200 fly patterns, along
with
their recipes. It was, in fact, my first fly tying manual.
Forty
years later, Dick Stewart and Farrow Allen published Flies for Trout,
a
glossy book with high quality color images of the completed flies,
about 700
altogether. I pulled both books from the shelf and, along with
the
Marbury book, compared them to Lucretia’s list. The results are
listed
below:
In the long
history of fly fishing, three other
women have achieved fame as fly tiers: Dame Juliana Berners for
her
Treatyse in 1496 with its one dozen flies for all seasons, Mary
Orvis
Marbury who wrote Favorite Flies and Their Histories, first
published in
1892, and Helen Shaw who published Fly Tying in 1963.
Paul
Schullery in his history, American Fly Fishing, claims that
Helen Shaw
came of age "as a professional tier" in the period of the late 19th
century in Stevens Point, Wisconsin (page 183). This can't be
true as
Helen Shaw was not born until 1910 and she didn't come to public notice
or sell
flies commercially until about 1930. [Official Obituary]
Marbury’s fame derived primarily from her role as a compiler and editor of fly patterns of her day. As the daughter of Charles Orvis she benefited from his position in the fly fishing industry and in 1876 was placed in charge of the Orvis fly tying operations at Manchester, Vermont. Needless to say, her book, while monumental in its own right, was also an effective sales tool propelling Orvis into the first ranks of mail order fly purchases. For anyone interested in the history of fly fishing and fly tying, it is a definite must read! According to Silvio Calabi, in a foreword to the Wellfleet edition of 1988, the “book began to take shape around 1890” and its preparation included responses from hundreds of queries to fly fishers throughout North America.
However, none of the research I have been able to conduct indicates the preservation or cataloging of any of Marbury’s “business” papers (invoices, queries from and letters to her customers, etc.). Perhaps there are some items in storage at the American Museum of Fly Fishing, but, outside of an actual visit to the facility, we are left to wonder. It’s hard to imagine that the Orvis company would not have accumulated and preserved some of these.
Lucretia's invoice clearly demonstrates that fly tying, even in a small remote rural town of a few hundred residents, was not only being practiced but could be a commercial endeavor. Where did Lucretia learn about fly tying? Certainly not from Mary Orvis Marbury's book as her invoice predates the Marbury book. Furthermore, the invoice suggests that Lucretia was by 1887 well established in the business of supplying local fly fishermen. It is possible, however, that the two women may have communicated during the period when Marbury was planning and writing her book. Only a close reading of her correspondence might unravel this mystery as no other documentation exists as to Lucretia’s early fly tying training.
My guess as to where Lucretia acquired her vise skills is based mostly on the research I have done on her husband for another history project. Attorney Lewis was heavily involved with railroads, lumber interests and spent much time traveling, often in the company of fellow outdoorsmen. Willis was instrumental in founding the Coudersport Fish Club (which will meet) "at the office of Larrabee & Lewis on Feb. 29th, 1887." [Potter Enterprise] In 1895 he is listed as one of the original signatories to the newly created Coudersport Rod and Gun Club. In 1896, to cite but one example, he, along with two other Coudersport businessmen purchased 184,000 acres of timber land on the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan. He certainly would be no stranger to the "field and stream" periodicals of the period, nor would he fail to indulge himself with the latest guns, rods and lures. In short, my guess is that with her husband's encouragement, Lucretia may have corresponded with and probably traded "favorite ties" with other fly tiers in the Northeast.
Long before the introduction of brown trout to these Potter County waters, Lucretia's invoice also is interesting in the description she provides of her craft:
The Lewis invoice lists 75 stock patterns of (presumably) mayflies, including an additional 12 variations as “Midges on Hooks, Nos. 14 & 16.” Clearly we are looking at something written well before modern fly fishing, as today a “midge” is normally tied on hooks starting at #18 and ranging down to the smallest, #24 or even #28! A No. 24 is less than 1/8” long. These, of course, are all wet fly patterns with snells. It is generally conceded that dry fly fishing in this country, though no secret in the 1890s, didn’t become popular until about the time of World War I.
Marbury’s fame derived primarily from her role as a compiler and editor of fly patterns of her day. As the daughter of Charles Orvis she benefited from his position in the fly fishing industry and in 1876 was placed in charge of the Orvis fly tying operations at Manchester, Vermont. Needless to say, her book, while monumental in its own right, was also an effective sales tool propelling Orvis into the first ranks of mail order fly purchases. For anyone interested in the history of fly fishing and fly tying, it is a definite must read! According to Silvio Calabi, in a foreword to the Wellfleet edition of 1988, the “book began to take shape around 1890” and its preparation included responses from hundreds of queries to fly fishers throughout North America.
However, none of the research I have been able to conduct indicates the preservation or cataloging of any of Marbury’s “business” papers (invoices, queries from and letters to her customers, etc.). Perhaps there are some items in storage at the American Museum of Fly Fishing, but, outside of an actual visit to the facility, we are left to wonder. It’s hard to imagine that the Orvis company would not have accumulated and preserved some of these.
Lucretia's invoice clearly demonstrates that fly tying, even in a small remote rural town of a few hundred residents, was not only being practiced but could be a commercial endeavor. Where did Lucretia learn about fly tying? Certainly not from Mary Orvis Marbury's book as her invoice predates the Marbury book. Furthermore, the invoice suggests that Lucretia was by 1887 well established in the business of supplying local fly fishermen. It is possible, however, that the two women may have communicated during the period when Marbury was planning and writing her book. Only a close reading of her correspondence might unravel this mystery as no other documentation exists as to Lucretia’s early fly tying training.
My guess as to where Lucretia acquired her vise skills is based mostly on the research I have done on her husband for another history project. Attorney Lewis was heavily involved with railroads, lumber interests and spent much time traveling, often in the company of fellow outdoorsmen. Willis was instrumental in founding the Coudersport Fish Club (which will meet) "at the office of Larrabee & Lewis on Feb. 29th, 1887." [Potter Enterprise] In 1895 he is listed as one of the original signatories to the newly created Coudersport Rod and Gun Club. In 1896, to cite but one example, he, along with two other Coudersport businessmen purchased 184,000 acres of timber land on the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan. He certainly would be no stranger to the "field and stream" periodicals of the period, nor would he fail to indulge himself with the latest guns, rods and lures. In short, my guess is that with her husband's encouragement, Lucretia may have corresponded with and probably traded "favorite ties" with other fly tiers in the Northeast.
Long before the introduction of brown trout to these Potter County waters, Lucretia's invoice also is interesting in the description she provides of her craft:
“The Sinnemahoning, Pine Creek, Kettle Creek and headwaters of the Allegany river in Potter county are well known localities to the fisherman and have always abounded in Brook Trout [emphasis mine]. Many of my patterns are copied from natural insects as found on these waters. I use no inferior gut or hooks. Unless otherwise ordered hooks will be best quality Harrison spring steel Sproat.”
She goes on to include a list of trout flies in stock. This is where it gets interesting.The Lewis invoice lists 75 stock patterns of (presumably) mayflies, including an additional 12 variations as “Midges on Hooks, Nos. 14 & 16.” Clearly we are looking at something written well before modern fly fishing, as today a “midge” is normally tied on hooks starting at #18 and ranging down to the smallest, #24 or even #28! A No. 24 is less than 1/8” long. These, of course, are all wet fly patterns with snells. It is generally conceded that dry fly fishing in this country, though no secret in the 1890s, didn’t become popular until about the time of World War I.
M
--
listed in
Marbury's
Favorite Flies L-- listed in
Leonard,
1950.
SA -- listed in Stewart and Allen, 1993 bold face -- All Time "Survivors"
SA -- listed in Stewart and Allen, 1993 bold face -- All Time "Survivors"
| LUCRETIA'S
PATTERNS |
FF (1892) |
LEONARD
1950 |
STEWART
& ALLEN1993 |
SURVIVORS |
| Alder |
M |
L |
SA |
S |
| Ashcraft* |
L | |||
| Black
Ant |
M | L | SA | S |
| Black
Gnat |
M | L | SA | S |
| Black
June |
M | L | ||
| Black
Fox |
||||
| Black
Hackle |
L | |||
| Black
May |
L | |||
| Blue
Professor |
M | L | ||
| Bright
Fox |
M | L | ||
| Bloody
Queen |
||||
| Brown
Coflin |
L | |||
| Brown
Hackle |
M | L | SA | S |
| Brown
Drake |
L | SA | ||
| Brown Palmer |
L | |||
| Brown
Pennel |
M | L | ||
| Captain |
L | |||
| Chapin* |
||||
| Cinnamon |
M | L | SA | S |
| Claret |
M | L | ||
| Claret
Gnat |
L | |||
| Coachman,
White |
L | |||
| Coachman,
Leadwing |
L | SA | ||
| Coachman,
Royal |
M |
L | SA | S |
| Coachman,
Red Tip |
L | |||
| Coch-y-Bonddu |
M | L | ||
| Cowdung |
M | L | ||
| Dark
Fox |
L | |||
| Fiery
Brown |
M | L | ||
| Fetid
Green |
L | |||
| Green
Mantle |
L | |||
| Green
Drake |
M | L | SA | S |
| Green
Drake, Natural |
L | SA | ||
| Gray
Drake |
M | L | ||
| Gray
Coffin |
L | |||
| Gray
Hackle |
L | SA | ||
| Ginger
Hackle |
||||
| Gen.
Hooker |
M | L | ||
| Gold
Spinner |
M | L | ||
| Governor |
M | L | ||
| Grizzly King |
M | L | SA | S |
| Great
Dun |
M | L | ||
| Hamlin |
M | L | ||
| Haskins* |
||||
| House
Fly |
L | |||
| Hod
Vermilyea |
L | |||
| King
of the Water |
M | L | ||
| King
of the Forest |
M | |||
| Kingdom |
M | L | ||
| Messenger |
||||
| Montreal |
M | L | SA | S |
| March Brown |
M | L | SA | S |
| Mouse
Gnat |
||||
| Oak
Fly |
M | L | ||
| Olive
Gnat |
M | L | ||
| Poor
Man |
M | L | ||
| Queen
of the Water |
M | L | ||
| Quaker |
M | L | ||
| Red
Fox |
M | L | ||
| Red
Spinner |
L | |||
| Red
Ant |
M | L | ||
| Red
Hackle |
M | L | ||
| Seth
Green |
M | L | ||
| Showmaker* |
||||
| Soldier |
M | L | ||
| Stone |
L | |||
| Scarlet
Ibis |
M | |||
| Scarlet
Hackle |
M | L | ||
| White
Miller |
M | L | ||
| White
Hackle |
L | SA | ||
| Whimbrel |
M | L | ||
| Yellow
Dun |
L | |||
| Yellow
Professor |
||||
| Yellow
May |
M | L | ||
| Yellow
Salla |
L | SA | ||
| 75
Stock Patterns |
33
not included |
11
not included |
59
not included |
11 survivors |
* probably named after local
fishermen
Another striking aspect of the invoice is that these are flies tied by a woman engaged in a commercial trade at a time when most women were consigned to housekeeping tasks. Lucretia (and Carrie) must certainly have stood out as enterprising entrepreneurs of the time. Outside of Sylvia Bashline, who grew up in Coudersport and who certainly has tied a good many of her own flies and may have, from time to time, sold a few, I can’t recall (after 60 years of local fishing) a single Potter County fly tier of the fair sex, and none who sold her flies.
To have two women in the same small, out-of-the-way, rural community take up and commercialize the practice of fly tying for a combined period of about forty years speaks well for our local fishing heritage and the determination of these two ladies to enter the mostly male world of fly fishing.
And at a period of time that was before the highly publicized work by Mary Orvis Marbury.
Carrie Larrabee's flies, mounted and annotated. Carrie dropped 3 of Lucretia's patterns and added four more, for a total of 76 stock flies. Both ladies’ lists were printed by Butterworh & Baker, a Coudersport printer who faithfully repeated Lucretia’s mistakes in alphabetizing the lists of flies. Perilously on display at the Potter County Historical Society through the gift of Carroll B. Larrabee in 1982.
Sources:
Bashline, L. James, Night Fishing For Trout, Willow Creek Press, WI, 1987
Godcharles,
Frederic A. Chronicles of Central
Pennsylvania, New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1944
Larrabee, C. B., Memories of Coudersport, Pa., 1900 – 1915, unpublished manuscript, 1969
Leonard, Edson J., Flies, A.S.
Barnes & Company,
San Diego, 1950
Lewis, Lucretia Rathbun, handwritten invoice to Mrs. Acker, May 6, 1887
Marbury, Mary Orvis, Favorite Flies and Their Histories,
The Wellfleet Press, N.J., 1988
PCHS Obituaries, Potter County Historical Society, 308 North Main St., Coudersport, Pa. 16915
Potter Enterprise, weekly newspaper, January 26, 1887
Potter County
Journal, weekly
newspaper, May 28, 1896
Schullery, Paul, American Fly Fishing –
A History,
Nick Lyons Books, New York, 1987
Shaw, Helen, Fly Tying, The Lyons Press, 1987
Shaw, Helen Elizabeth Shaw Kessler, Official
Obituary, Albany Times Union,
Decemebr 23, 2007
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.ord/wiki/Fly_tying
Copyright
July 14, 2008 Thomas P. Dewey