Page 28. MAINE COASTAL NEWS February 2009
Maritime History:
Various Articles from Early 1900
By Jon B. Johansen have gone down in the gale last week. Several mate; D. W. Kenny, steward; Robert Smith; the Penobscot and the first schooner since
The following was compiled from the vessels left Boston and sailed to Portland Joseph Campbell and Charles Nordstrom, all the Barbours launched one nine years ago.
Bangor Daily Commercial. since and have not seen the schooner. It was seamen. * * * * *
1898
also reported that she had not gone into any The 250-ton ANNIE RICKERSON was 21 March – It is believed that the barge
9 April – The steamer MARJORIE was
coastal port. The only hope was that she was built at Franklin in 1882. Her dimensions were HAMILTON, which was under tow by the
launched at Hunnewell’s dock in Brewer Just
blown out to sea. length 112 feet, beam 29 feet, and depth 10 tug EDWARD LUCKENBACH, Captain
before noon. She was then taken to Rollin’s
The 94-ton ANNIE GUS was built in feet. Keen, foundered off Highland Light, Cape
wharf where the remaining work will be com-
1871. She carried a crew of two, who were * * * * * Cod. This was announced on the tug’s ar-
pleted. She is owned by Captain Benjamin
believed to be from Perry. 12 February – The Cobb-Butler Com- rived at Boston from Newport News. Captain
Arey and Captain George Arey and will be
* * * * * pany at Rockland launched the 459-ton three- Keen said that when they were between
used on the route between Bangor and
10 January – The four tugs breaking ice masted schooner MARION N. COBB. She Nauset and Highland Light the tug suddenly
Penobscot. She will be replacing the LITTLE
on the Penobscot River, RALPH ROSS, BIS- was built by master builder Wardwell and was surged ahead, meaning that he had lost his
BUTTERCUP, which ran this route for years.
MARCK, ADELIA and SEGUIN, have retired named for the oldest daughter of Nathaniel F. tow. The hawser was hauled in and found to
to Bucksport. They will return the following Cobb. She was constructed using native hard be in one piece, meaning that it had slipped
day to try and open up a channel above wood and hackmatack for her frames, and through the bitt. Captain Keen turned around
1901
Hampden. square fastened. She also sports a Hyde and made a search for the barge, but without
12 January – A story appeared on the
Cyrus N. Stackpole tried to clear some of steam engine, which was made by Knowlton success. He then laid to and hoped that he
schooner POLLY, trying to correct some of
the ice using dynamite. Without the assis- Brothers of Camden, who supply the Hyde would drift as the barge would. At daylight
the misinformation being written about the
tance of the tugs, he felt that the dynamite did Windlass Company with their iron castings. they lost visibility as it began to snow heavily.
famed schooner. The POLLY was built at
not have the effected results. Her dimensions are length 150.7 feet, beam When they were finally able to see they were
Amesbury, Massachusetts in 1805. She was
* * * * * 35.2 feet, and depth 11 feet. off the shoals and there no sign of the
a privateer in the War of 1812. Some writers
20 January – The 406-ton Bath schooner * * * * * HAMILTON. Onboard the barge was Cap-
told of this long-lived vessel and her long life
ALICE ARCHER, Captain Arthur Gibbs, was 7 March – The steamer VERONA, under tain John H. Shoemaker and four crew mem-
and some wondered how she had survived
abandoned 50 miles off Cape Hatteras. She construction at the Barbour yard in Brewer, bers. She was carrying 1,955 tons of coal,
the years of abuse of mother nature. Those of
was making a voyage from Baltimore with a was measured by Deputy Collector of Cus- valued at $6,000, for W. C. Atwater & Com-
Bangor knew that she had been frequently
cargo of railroad iron to Jacksonville, FL. All toms Frank D. Pullen and Inspector Willard E. pany of Boston.
rebuilt and that there was little left of the
crew members were saved. Barrows. Her registered length 110.3 feet; The paper stated that the HAMILTON
original vessel.
* * * * * beam 28.1 feet, depth 8 feet, gross tons 149 was built at Kennebunk as the ship MARGA-
The POLLY now hails from Calais and
23 January – The five-masted 2,811 ton and net tons 101. The tonnage of the hull RET in 1871. My records do not show a
runs along the coast of Maine and slightly
schooner PALMER PRESCOTT was launched under the main deck was 89, and enclosures MARGARET being built there or
beyond. During the War of 1812 she was
from the New England Company yard in Bath. 60 tons. The VERONA’s hull is four feet Kennebunkport in 1871. There was a ship
under the command of Captain Jeduthan
The sponsor was Mrs. William F. Palmer, who shorter than the CIMBRA, but has more named HAMILTON built in 1871, but this
Upton of Salem, MA. During the time that he
christened the vessel with flowers. Her di- tonnage due to larger enclosures. The steamer seems to have been sold foreign as it hailed
was master she was captured by the British
mensions are length 288 feet; beam 46.2 feet; is named for where the late Captain Samuel H. in Germany in the 1880s.
44-gun warship PHOEBE. He and his crew
and can carry 4,000 tons of cargo. She will be Barbour was born and spent the early part of * * * * *
became prisoners in England for seven
commanded by Captain David Summer, who his life. 25 March – The Thomaston schooner
months.
formerly commanded the REBECCA * * * * * JOHN K. SOUTHER, Captain Poole, sailed
Captain Upton was born in Salem on 6
PALMER. 8 March – The Italian bark ADELE was from New York on 18 February with a cargo of
September 1785. He married Sally Smith on 12
* * * * * auctioned off by the U. S. Marshall in cotton ties for Galveston. Just after departing
May 1807. Captain Upton was a true patriot.
6 February – The schooner ANNIE E. Rockland. The bark was about 25 years old, New York the vessel met with heavy weather
He stood against the treatment of prisoners
RICKERSON, Captain Nelson Atkinson, de- was coppered in 1900 and sported a new set from the sou’east and sou’west, which put an
at the hands of the British; the impressment
veloped a leak forcing her crew to abandon of sails. Despite the accident, she was con- immense strain on her and the crew. When the
of American sailors; and the collusion of the
her. They were subsequently rescued by the sidered good for a much longer life. The vessel began to leak the donkey engine was
American Transport Commissioner with the
fishing schooner RALPH RUSSELL, who bidding opened at $500 and then continued started and was able to keep her free of water.
British. He died at Havana on 26 July 1821.
landed them at Gloucester, MA. to climb to $750 where the bidding sat for Unfortunately they ran out of fuel and began
The log of his exploits was in the possession
The RICKERSON was making a trip from about 15 minutes. The marshal tried to get burning their spare spars. However, the en-
of Mrs. S. H. Lincoln of Machias, who was
St. John New Brunswick with a cargo of some Rockland men interested, knowing that gine could not keep up with the incoming
one of Captain Upton’s granddaughters.
lumber for New Haven, CT. She did fine until the vessel was worth much more. One group water and the vessel became waterlogged on
* * * * *
off Metinicus when it was discovered that looked at the other, but still no one raised the 11 March. At this point the captain decided
7 December – The Harrington three-
she was leaking. The pumps were started and bid, even though the coppered bottom and to abandon the vessel and made the boat
masted schooner E. I. WHITE, Captain
when it was learned that they could not keep her deck gear was worth twice the current bid. ready. Just as they boarded the boat the
Mitchell, wrecked on Gingerbread Shoal and
up with the incoming water the deck load was She was finally sold to James R. McKay of schooner sank leaving them adrift 50 miles
became a total loss. Two crew members were
thrown over the side and they tried to reach Portland for $750. McKay had already been from land. They landed on one of the Bahama
drowned. The E. I. WHITE had departed
shore. Unfortunately she became waterlogged offered 5 to 8 cents a piece for the cargo of islands and not long after were taken by a
Philadelphia on 26 November.
and unmanageable and it was evident that boxes. He then multiplied this by 80,000 and sponge boat to Nassau.
The 410-ton E. I. WHITE was built at
they could not save the vessel. subtracted $120 for expenses and figured that The 944-ton JOHN K. SOUTHER was
Harrington in 1895 and was owned by E. I.
The crew of the RICKERSON sighted the his profit would allow him and his family a nice built at Thomaston in 1888.
White.
RUSSELL during the morning and was able to European trip. * * * * *
get her attention with signals of distress. The The ADELE would be towed to Portland 29 March – A tale of hardship was told
1902 RUSSELL launched a boat and rescued the by the Knickerbocker Towage Company by Captain Edward J. R. Pendleton of schoo-
7 January – It was thought that the
crew. Before Captain Atkinson left the vessel where her cargo would be removed and she ner LAURA. She departed Savannah with a
schooner ANNIE GUS, Captain French, had
he ordered her set on fire so that she would hauled out on the railway for repairs. A diver cargo of hard pine for New York on 1 Febru-
foundered with all hands. She departed Bos-
not become a hazard to navigation. told McKay that she could be repaired for ary. On her second day out she was hit with
ton for Portland in ballast and is thought to
The crew consisted of Thomas Gamble, little money. It is thought that she will end up increased winds and seas and the schooner
in the hands of E. Lautalum of St. John, New started leaking. The crew was able to keep up
NEW RELEASE!
Brunswick. with the incoming water for a week when
* * * * * finally the water filled the LAURA. That same
13 March – It was announced that the night the forward house was washed away
four mastered schooner to be built at the and the aft house was severely damaged. The
Stetson yard in Brewer will start immediately. captain and crew spent seven long days and
The frames for the schooner, which are of nights on the rail. They had access to just salt
Nova Scotia spruce, have been set up in the pork, crackers and about five days supply of
McKay & Dix yard in Bucksport. The plank- water. The weather remained rough, drench-
ing will be hard pine. The keel has already ing the men, throughout this period adding to
been cut and will be set up in the next few their hardship. During this time two steamers
weeks. The proposed length will be 170 feet, were sighted at night, but they could not see
beam 38 feet, and draw 7.5 feet. She will be the distress signal. On 16 February the Nor-
capable of carrying 1,500 tons of coal wegian bark TORFUNA sighted the wrecked
This vessel will sport a steam engine for and came to their rescue. She then took the
handling the sails, windlass, pumps, and will rescued men to Nova Scotia, who then made
also supply heat to the berthing areas. their way to Halifax. The United States Con-
Captain A. L. Kent has been in New York sul at Halifax provided the men with some
This is a history of the Gardiner G. Deering yard of Bath, which was one of the
for the past several weeks selling shares in cloths and the funds to reach their home port.
preminent yards during the mid to late 1800s. Only 1,000 copies published!
the schooner and has met with great success. The crew consisted of Edward Pendleton,
$60.00
All that is left are two 1/64
th
shares. She will be mate; Robert Simmons, Myron N. Jenness,
To order: Maine Coastal News, P.O. Box 710,
ready in October. Clinton Benner, Albion W. Ross and A.
Winterport, Maine 04496 or Call (207) 223-8846.
This is the first four-master to be built on Carlsson, a Swede.
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