The wives who complimented their fishermen husbands

While men went out on the great fishing boats and stayed away for lengthy periods, the wives and children who remained on shore sustained their family's day-to-day standing in the community.

As a crew member, fishermen were paid by going on shares or hired as they chose. Their family lived from the store of the Outfitter. These outfitting stores kept all perishable goods. A woman at home who took pride in keeping down the bills at the outfitter store while her man was away at sea, was determined in good standing in the community. If she could leave her husband's voyage untouched, she was a smart one, while those fishermen who came home to find their voyage eaten up because their wives were less than frugal were considered otherwise.

The Outfitter also did the work of a bank; receiving, investing and lending money. The Union Wharf Company was really a bank; a branch of Freeman's Bank in Boston, till the organization of the Provincetown National Bank in 1854. Some outfitters went so far as to be their own insurance company. If a voyage needed to be settled with insurance proceeds, the accepted system was first to take out of the total for the great generals, which were; bait, salt, gear, ice, towing, and canal charges, if any. Then an eighth of the remainder was allowed for shrinking, and a fourteenth for curing the fish. Then the difference between an eighth and a fourteenth was given the owners. Then the vessel's part was taken out and that was a third or quarter as agreed upon in advance, then the small generals which were the foods. The balance went to the sharesmen, who paid the wages (out of their share) of the men who were hired . Each of the crew earned approximately $300 besides his food. (Paine Smith 60-62)