New York pilot schooner America, No. 21, with owner's flag "W.H.A.", painting by Conrad Freitag | |
History | |
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United States | |
Name | America |
Owner |
|
Operator |
|
Launched | October 25, 1880 |
Christened | October 25, 1880 |
Out of service | February 1, 1896 |
Fate | Sold |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Schooner |
Tonnage | 75-tons TM [1] |
Length | 79 ft 8 in (24.28 m) |
Beam | 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m) |
Draft | 75 ft 0 in (22.86 m) |
Depth | 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m) |
Propulsion | Sail |
The America, No. 21 was a 19th-century pilot boat built in 1880 for the New York City and Sandy Hook Pilots. She was a replacement for the William H. Aspinwall, No. 21, that was lost off Point Judith, Rhode Island in 1880. She weathered the Great Blizzard of 1888. In the time of steam, the America was sold in 1896 by the New York Pilots. A new pilot-boat America was built in 1897 for Captain James H. Reid of Boston and designed from the line drawings by Thomas F. McManus of Boston. After serving 21 years in the Boston Pilots' Association, the America was sold to David W. Simpson of Boston in 1918.
On October 25, 1880, a new pilot boat, America, No. 21 was launched for the New York Pilots as a replacement for the William H. Aspinwall, No. 21, that was lost in 1880, off Point Judith, Rhode Island. [2] Belle Dunning broke a champagne bottle over the vessel's bow during the launch. The owners were Captain Weaver and Walter Brewer of New York. [3]
The pilot-boat America, No. 21, was registered with the Record of American and Foreign Shipping from 1882 to 1900 to the N.Y. Pilots as owners and Walter Brewer as Captain. She was listed as being built in Bath, Maine, by the Goss & Sawyer shipyard in 1880. She was 79.8 feet long and 75-tons. [1]
Captain Joseph Henderson was attached to the pilot boat, America, No. 21, in the Great Blizzard of 1888, and at the time of his death on October 8, 1890. [4] During the blizzard, the America was cruising off Fire Island when she got caught up in the winter storm, but came safely into port. [5]
On May 17, 1895, the Life Savers' Benevolent Association presented gold medals and money to the crew of the pilot-boat America No. 21, for saving the crew of nine men off the American schooner Rose Esterbrook. Pilots James Jackson, Edward Develin, and Henry Hoiz received gold medals. [6]
On July 23, 1988, A. H. Murphy, Jr. of the pilot boat America No. 21, met Captain Andrews of the Dark Secret, 432 miles out from New York, who feel into bad weather and had to return to the New York harbor. [7]
On February 1, 1896, the New York Pilots discarded sixteen sailboats and moved them to the Erie Basin in Brooklyn. They were replaced with steam pilot boats. The America, was sold for $5,500. [8]
On April 19, 1897, a new America, No. 1 was built for Captain James H. Reid, of Boston and designed from the line drawings by Thomas F. McManus of Boston. She was launched from the shipyard of John Bishop of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Pilots James H. Reid, Jr., and Bruce B. McLean were assigned to the new boat. [9]
William H. Starbuck was a 19th-century New York pilot boat built to take the place of the Mary and Catherine, that sank in 1885. She was launched from the J. S. Ellis & Son shipyard, at Tottenville, Staten Island in 1886. The Starbuck was one of the few pilot-boats to take the offensive in the Great Blizzard of 1888, when she ran into the steamship Japanese and survived one of the most severe recorded blizzards in American history. She was one of the last pilot boats that were sold in an age of steam and electricity.
The Joseph F. Loubat was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat built in 1880 at the Jacob S. Ellis shipyard in Tottenville, Staten Island. She was the largest of the pilot-boats in the Sandy Hook service. In 1896 she was one of the last pilot-boats that were sold in an age of steam and electricity.
The James Stafford was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat built in 1888 for the New York Pilots. She took the place of the pilot boat Enchantress, that was lost in the Great Blizzard of 1888. She was named after James Stafford, one of the oldest and prominent shipping men of Brooklyn. She sank near Sandy Hook in 1898 when she ran into the Dry Romer shoal. At that time, the Stafford was one of the oldest pilot-boats still in service in a time when they were being replaced with steam pilot boats.
The Fannie was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat built in 1860 by Edward F. Williams at his shipyard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn for New York City pilots. She was in the pilot service during the American Civil War. In an age of steam, she was sold in 1896.
The Sylph was a 19th-century pilot boat first built in 1834, by Whitmore & Holbrook for John Perkins Cushing as a Boston yacht and pilot-boat for merchant and ship owner Robert Bennet Forbes. She won the first recorded American yacht race in 1835. She was a pilot boat in the Boston Harbor in 1836 and 1837 and sold to the New York and Sandy Hook Pilots in October 1837. She was lost in winter of 1857 with all hands during a blizzard off Barnegat, New Jersey. The second Sylph was built in 1865 from a half-model by Dennison J. Lawlor. The third Sylph was built in 1878 at North Weymouth, Massachusetts for Boston Pilots. She was sold out of service in 1901, after 23 years of Boston pilot service.
James H. Reid, was a 19th-century American Maritime pilot. He is best known for being the dean of the Boston pilots, serving for 55 years. He was captain of the famous yacht America for 17 years when she was owned by Benjamin F. Butler. In 1897, he built a new America, named after the America's Cup defender.
Florence was a 19th-century Boston pilot boat built in 1867 from a model by Dennison J. Lawlor for William C. Fowler. The vessel had a reputation for being fast under sail. She had a long career in the Boston service, skippered by many famous pilots. She was the oldest pilot-boat in the service. In 1897, she was sold to a Portland, Maine group for fishing and yachting excursions. The pilot boat America, No. 1, was launched on April 19, 1897, to replace the Florence.
The Eben D. Jordan was a 19th-century Boston pilot boat built in 1883 by Ambrose A. Martin in East Boston for Captain Thomas Cooper. Her namesake was Eben Dyer Jordan, the founder of the Jordan Marsh department stores. In 1892, she was sold to the New York Sandy Hook pilots. She was one of the last of the pilot-boats that were discarded in an age of steam and electricity in 1896.
The Caldwell H. Colt was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat, built in 1887, at the Samuel H. Pine's shipyard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, for a group of New York Pilots. She was one of the pilot-boats that was in the Great Blizzard of 1888, that was one of the most severe blizzards in American history. In 1903, she was sold to a group of Pensacola, Florida pilots.
The Charles H. Marshall was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat built by Henry Steers in 1860 for a group of New York pilots. She was in the Great Blizzard of 1888, the same year the National Geographic came out with an article about the successful struggle made by the crew of the Marshall. The boat was named in honor of the American businessman Charles Henry Marshall. In the age of steam she was sold in 1896.
The Edward F. Williams was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat, built in 1863 at the Edward F. Williams shipyard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn for a group of New York Pilots. She survived the Great Blizzard of 1888. In the age of steam, the Williams was sold in 1896.
The Mary A. Williams was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat, built in 1861 by the shipbuilder Edward F. Williams in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, for a group of New York pilots. She was named Mary Ann Williams after the wife of the builder. The boat was considered one of the finest connected with the pilot service. She survived the Great Blizzard of 1888. In the age of steam, the Mary A. Williams was sold in 1896.
The Ezra Nye was a 19th-century pilot boat, built in 1859 by the Wells & Webb shipyard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn for a group of New Jersey and Sandy Hook Pilots. She was one of the pilot-boats that was in the Great Blizzard of 1888, that was one of the most severe blizzards in American history. In 1896, in the age of steam, the Ezra Nye along with other pilot boats, were replaced with steamboats.
The Jesse Carll was a 19th-century pilot boat, built in 1885 by Jesse Carll at Northport, New York, for George H. Sisco. She was one of the largest vessels ever built in the Sandy Hook service. She was named in honor of Jesse Carll, a well-known Northport shipbuilder. In 1896, in the age of steam, the Ezra Nye, along with other pilot boats, were replaced with steamboats.
The Actaea, or Actea, was a 19th-century Boston yacht built in 1880 by Weld and David Clark of Kennebunk, Maine for David Sears, Jr., of Montgomery Sears of Boston. She was purchased by a group of New York Sandy Hook Pilots in 1890. She was one of the largest and fastest pilot boats in the fleet. In the age of steam, the Actaea was sold in 1896 to John J. Phelps of the New York Yacht Club and used as a pleasure yacht.
Edmund Blunt was a 19th-century New York pilot boat built in 1858 by Edward F. Williams for the New York Pilots. She helped transport New York City maritime pilots between inbound or outbound ships coming into the New York Harbor. She survived the Great Blizzard of 1888. In the age of steam, the Blunt along with other pilot boats, were replaced with steamboats. She was built to replace the Jacob L. Westervelt, which sank in 1857.
The William H. Aspinwall was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat built in 1861 and launched from the J.B & J.D. Van Deusen shipyard at East River for New York Pilots. She was a replacement for the former pilot boat Virginia. In 1880, the Aspinwall was caught in a thick fog and went ashore at the Long Island bar and became a total loss. She was replaced by a new pilot boat, the America, No. 21.
The Edmund Driggs was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat built in 1864 at the Edward F. Williams shipyard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She was built to replace the pilot boat Elwood Walter. The schooner was used to pilot vessels to and from the Port of New York. She survived the Great Blizzard of 1888. In the age of steam, she was sold in 1896.
The America, No. 1 was a 19th-century American pilot boat built in 1897 for Captain James H. Reid Sr. of Boston and designed by Boston designer Thomas F. McManus. The Boston America did not resemble her famous namesake, yacht America, rather she was designed with a fishing schooner "Indian header" bow. After serving 21 years in the Boston Pilots' Association, the America was sold to David W. Simpson of Boston in 1918.
W. W. Story was a 19th-century New Jersey pilot boat built in 1874 at the Samuel H. Pine shipyard in Greenpoint, New York. She sank off Sandy Hook horseshoe during the Blizzard of 1888. She was raised and turned into a fishing smack. On November 13, 1896, she was reported missing along with her crew after being last seen along Absecon, New Jersey when she was caught up in a hurricane.