With the Virginia Legislature in 1894 authorizing a survey of an underwater state bottom to establish public and private oyster beds, new problems arose.
Oyster growers were now allowed to lease grounds from the state to grow oysters. Sometimes the new private grounds had been worked for years by tongers when all the grounds were public. This often resulted in conflict between tongers and growers.
Also, public and private grounds were often located side-by-side, meaning that with a shift in wind or tide it might drive an oysterman’s boat onto private beds.
A “Mr. James” leased grounds from the state on Mobjack Bay out in front of his oyster house. He had numerous confrontations with oystermen drifting over the line and harvesting his oysters. So, he built a watch tower on top of his oyster house to monitor the situation.
On this particular day a Guinea man from Gloucester County drifted onto James’ private oyster ground. James spotted the movement from his tower and was angered. He grabbed his shotgun and ran down to his boat on the dock with a clear intent of confronting the waterman.
As he untied his lines from his boat a retired waterman named Mose yelled, “Mr. James, where you going with that shotgun.”
Mr. James replied, “that damn Guinea man is stealing my oysters and I’m going out there and take care of him.”
The old waterman yelled back at him, “Mr. James you might rethink that. That Guinea man has a mother in heaven and a father in hell and doubt he cares one tinker damn which one he goes to see first.”
He added, “I got a feeling he has a gun as big as yours on that boat and within finger reach.”
Mr. James slowed down and thought about it for a moment. He retied his mooring lines to the dock and asked Mose, “Will you go out there and tell him he is over the line and I’d appreciate him moving back onto public rock?”
“Good choice,” said Mose. “This way, we all live to see another day.”
It Happened Here in Rivah Country!
