Immigrant Ships
Transcribers Guild

HALIFAX SEAFARING DEATHS
1870

Old Newspaper
Generously contributed by William Hill


New Glasgow EASTERN CHRONICLE, of Mar. 16, 1870

DIED - A Nova Scotian named Henry Bennet, was lost by the sinking of the U.S. war Steamer 'ONEIDA', off Yokahama, Japan.


Halifax CITIZEN, of Dec.28, 1870

DIED - Lost overboard from the brig. 'LAVINIA', of Maitland, on the voyage from New York to Marseilles, on the 25th Nov., Capt. John B., s/o James Douglas, Esq., of Maitland, aged 23 years. Leaves a widow and a numerous circle of relatives and friends to mourn his loss.


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Apr. 18, 1871

DIED - During the voyage of ship 'FOREST KING', from London, the second mate, Edward Uniacke O'Brien, of Rawdon, was washed overboard and drowned. [Local news column]


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of July 15, 1871

DIED - At Windsor, on Monday the 27th June, after a protracted illness, Capt. Joseph Cochran, aged 60 years. He leaves a wife and large family to mourn the loss of an affectionate husband and parent.


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Sept. 6, 1871

DIED - At sea, after a brief illness, Captain Isaac G. Enslow, of barque 'NORTON', aged 36 years, a native of Shelburne, N.S., leaving a wife, four children and a number of relatives to mourn his sad loss.


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Oct.16, 1871

DIED - On Thursday evening, 12th inst., Edw. Genge, Esq., of Channel, NF., drowned in the cabin of the 'RIVERDALE', while on the passage to this port.


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Dec.30, 1871

DIED - Capt. Nelson, of the barque 'MARY A. NELSON', of Maitland, N. S., while at Buenos Ayres, left his vessel on Friday, Nov. 4th., to go to the shore in his own boat, having with him a boy ---his body was found in the inner roads on the 7th - neither boat nor boy were found. Married only 4 months, his wife was only 18 years of age, and almost insane with grief. We think Capt. Nelson belonged to Shubenacadie, and was a son of the former commander of the barque, whose melancholy death by drowning at that place was reported some time ago. [copied in part]


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Jan.__, 1872

DIED - Lost on the 30th Oct., from the barque 'SYDENHAM' while on the passage from Bremen to New York, Alexander James, eldest son of the late Robert Brymer, in the 25th year of his age - [English papers please copy]


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Feb. 7, 1872

DIED - At Savannah, on the 24th ult., Captain Loran, son of Daniel Cochran, Esq., of Newport.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of March 28, 1872

DIED - At Londonderry, 12th inst., of apoplexy, Capt. James Campbell, in the 51st year of his age, leaving a widow and three children, to mourn the loss of a kind husband and an affectionate parent. In his death the community have lost an enterprising man and the poor a kind friend and liberal benefactor - [Boston papers please copy]


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of June 10, 1872

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT - Yarmouth [- Samuel N. Archibald and two sons, aged 15 and 13 were returning from a small island opposite their residence at Chebogne Point in a whale boat loaded with manure, when nearly halfway across the creek the boat sank. The youngest of the sons [Earnest] was the only one to be seen [when help arrived] and he was clinging with a death grip to a board, perfectly unconscious. The bodies of Mr. Archibald and his other son were not recovered until the ebbing of the tide. Mr. Archibald was a native of Upper Musquodoboit, Halifax Co., was about 50 years o age, has been a resident of this county since the Autumn of 1849. He was an industrious, intelligent farmer and was highly esteemed. [copied in part from Local News column]


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of July 8, 1872

DIED - At sea, on the 14th June, on board the brig 'LAURELLA', on passage from Cuba to this port, Robert Bauld, aged 39 years.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Aug. 5, 1872

LOST AT SEA - The American fishing schooner 'A.H. LENNOX',[Capt.] Fowle, which arrived at Gloucester from Grand Bank on Sunday, reports the loss of one of her crew, John Crosgrove, on the 14th of May. He was in a dory with another of the crew, William McNamara, setting their trawls, when the dory was upset. Crosgrove was a native of Prospect, in this county, where he leaves a widow, and six children.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Oct. 15, 1872

Captain GIBBON, of the brigantine WANDERER, reports that about 6:30 a.m. on the 3rd inst., while proceeding down the St. Lawrence, one of the crew, named Hans SEVERSEN, a Norwegian, was struck on the head and knocked overboard by the eye of the fish pennant, which gave way aloft. There was considerable sea running at the time, and all efforts to recover the unfortunate man were unavailing. It is said that he leaves a wife and six children.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Oct. 26, 1872

DISASTER TO THE SCHOONER "SERIOLE," , The Captain, cook and one of the crew die. (Special to St. John "TELEGRAPH")
BOSTON, MASS, Oct.24, The schooner SERIOLE sailed from Liverpool, Nova Scotia, on the 8th of August last for Demerara. Soon after getting to sea she encountered a severe hurricane during which the vessel was thrown on her beam ends, necessitating the cutting away her masts. The vessel then became unmanageable, the sea breaking over the wreck, and waves were constantly washed over the men, and no food or water could be had. On the 31st of August the gale abated, and on the following day the men succeeded in breaking a hole through the deck, sufficiently large to admit the arm of a seaman, who reached down and drew forth a small quantity of flour from an open barrel. Flour moistened, furnished the only food they had taken since the vessel was disabled. The Captain and a seaman named Lewis W. LEATHER were to much reduced to eat flour. On the 2nd of September one of the men caught some small fish, and ate them raw, first sucking the blood from them to quench their intolerable thirst. They could only obtain one or two after fishing all day.
On the 5th of September a turtle coming alongside of the vessel was captured and the blood and the flesh of the fish was divided. The Captain, the cook and Leather were fast sinking, being reduced to the last extremity. On the 6th, two quarts of rain water were caught by spreading oil cloths on the deck, which served to moisten their lips and tongues. On the Sunday morning following, Leather died, and the Captain became delirious and continued in that condition until the 11th, when he expired. The survivors remained on the wreck until the 15th of September, enduring all the agonies of death, when they were taken off by Captain SEARS of the brig. ELIZA STEVENS, from Boston, and carried to Martinique. The cook died after being transferred to the brig., but the rest have recovered through the careful treatment received from Capt. Sears.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Nov. 11, 1872

A St. John [New Brunswick] Pilot drowned, John DALY, a pilot was drowned on Friday last, by the capsizing of a pilot boat, at the entrance to St. John Harbor.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Nov. 12, 1872

GLOUCESTER, MASS, Nov. 7, [ 2 captains report] saw a brig or topsail schr about 3 miles South of Kettle Island, very crank, and judged were taking in mainsail, when she suddenly sunk. Sailed to the vicinity and found water casks, hatches, stateroom doors and other light stuff afloat; but could find no trace of the crew, and probably the vessel had been previously disabled and abandoned.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Nov. 16, 1872

The SEA KING , The Yarmouth HERALD publishes the following particulars of the disasters before reported to vessels; During the storm on Thursday night, the schr SEA KING of St. John, N.B., from New York for Halifax, with flour, etc., ran ashore a short distance from the H V CRANDALL, and went to piece. The crew all perished.
Their cries were heard from the shore, but nothing could be done to rescue the unfortunate men. The Crandall and the Sea King loaded at the same wharf in New York, and sailed about the same time, and it is a little remarkable that they should both have run ashore so near the same spot. [The Crandall was got off on the 11th, with slight damage]

The FOREST CHIEF we are sorry to hear of the loss of this fine ship; wrecked at Islay, Scotland, and cargo a total loss. She was commanded by Capt. RETTIE, and nothing is known as regards the safety of the crew [Truro SUN copied in part, this vessel was built and partly owned in Colchester County]


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Nov. 23, 1872

Barque OPHIR, Graham, at North Sydney, C.B., Oct.31, from Liverpool, reports having lost over- board in the English Channel, during a gale, a seaman named Charles MOORE, of Philadelphia.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Nov. 26, 1872

BOWMORE (Islay), Nov. 8, The ship FOREST CHIEF, of Halifax, N.S., from New York for Londonderry (Indian corn) went on the rocks on the NW coast of this island, Nov. 6th, and became a total wreck, crew saved, except one man.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Nov. 30, 1872

Barque CHARLES GUMM, (of Yarmouth), Moller (late Nickerson), from Port Morant, JA, for Liverpool, 31 days, put into New York, 26th inst. Had strong N and NW winds; Nov. 13th Captain A. W. NICKERSON, a native of Yarmouth, N.S., died of fever, and was buried at sea; 20th, H. M. GOSAN, mate, a native of Hamburg, aged 32 years, died of fever and was buried at sea; Nov. 21, lat 35 lon 68, bore away for New York, having no one to navigate the vessel.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Dec. 3, 1872

At about 8 a.m., the schooner PIONEER, owned by Mr. Peter BLAKE, of Mill Village, Parrsboro, bound from Windsor to Portland with plaster, drove into the bay, and after breaking from her anchors near Partridge Island was caught in the line of breakers and went before them towards the shore at Crouchville. Her sails were loose and flapping, and as she lurched and drove ahead the jibs were torn in shreds and went from the bolt ropes before the wind. The balance reefed mainsail was kept on her, though it appeared a pity that more head sail could not be used to keep her well before the wind. She struck heavily about a quarter of a mile from the shore and lurched so frightfully that those who watched from the shore feared that the masts would go overboard. They did not do so, however, and with hatches washed off and all loose spars, wood, barrels and other debris driving before her, she surged towards the shore, waterlogged, and affording no foothold for those on board, excepting in the ratlines of the starboard main rigging. People living in the vicinity and from the city gathered on the shore watching the poor fellows, who could be seen beating their feet against the cordage of the shrouds and slapping their hands together to keep them from freezing. Some one glanced at the situation and set off in search of a boat. The Alms House, Penitentiary and the private houses were all visited, but, strange to say, it was found that a boat was not to be had from Red Head to the Marsh bridge. Capt. Allan McLEAN despatched a messenger to the city for the life-boat, and soon after Pilot CLINCH started with a view of procuring one at some of the Courtenay Bay shipyards. The Mayor started from the city with a boat’s crew and ordered the lifeboat to be taken by Alex. McDERMOT to the scene. Hour after hour passed while the sufferers on the wreck clung to their perches in the rigging with the bleak gale whistling past and the blinding snow squalls shutting from their view the shore, from which they looked, prayed and shouted for succo[u]r. Many stood on the shore feeling painful realization of the sufferings and fears of the men to whose rescue they would willingly have gone, could a boat have been obtained, but they, too, could only watch the wreck anxiously as the successive squalls cleared, passed over, and hope for the arrival of the expected boats.

The topsail schooner ENTERPRISE, which had been successfully beached about a quarter of a mile further out the bay, was luckily thought of at this juncture by Messrs Genete RUDDOCK, A. RUDDOCK, W. SMITH and Charles SMITH, who ran to her, accompanied by many others. The four named boarded the ENTERPRISE and found her jollyboat, a rather cumberson, but welcome sight. She was soon got over the side and hauled through the sand up to the main road where a pair of horses were made fast to her and she was dragged to the shore opposite the wreck. A large number volunteered to go to the wreck, but four were selected and the boat put off in charge of Mr. J.COHOLAN, of Dock street, with Mr. W. SMITH and two of the crew of the ENTERPRISE at the oars. The sea was not very heavy and two trips were made, three of the shipwrecked men being brought ashore each time. They were assisted up the bank, and four of them were taken to the house of James L. DUNN, Esq., one to the Alms house, and the other to some other house in the neighbourhood. Their names are as follows: Gabriel MILLER, Captain; John GEORGE, Mate; Richard DINSMORE, Stephen PETTIS, Philip LUGERE, and another belonging to Newfoundland. Pettis seemed to be the most exhausted, having his ears partially frozen, and his limbs completely benumbed. All were able to get out of the rigging towards the boat, the Captain being the last to leave. Those in whose hands the unfortunate men fell did all that kindness could suggest, and when the tide fell the captain and two or three of his crew were able to return to their vessel and look after the little that remained to be benefitted by their attention.

The ENTERPRISE: Next to the PIONEER was the topsail schooner ENTERPRISE, of Maitland, which drove ashore, head on, about a quarter of a mile to the Southward, and remained in a safe position on an even keel. All hands got ashore without injury and it is supposed that the vessel did not receive enough damage to make her leak. Her spars are intact though her sails were blown from the bolt rope and her anchors lost. She was also plaster laden. She yet lies as she did on Saturday.

The VOLUNTEER: The topmast schooner VOLUNTEER, Capt. Andrew SMITH, which left Windsor on Thursday morning, with plaster for Portland, was caught out in the Bay by the storm, but did not get on our lee shore until about 8 o’clock on Saturday morning. Finding he could not fetch her up the harbor, her captain ran her square up Courtnay Bay, keeping the course on the creek as nearly as possible. The breakers swept the vessel fore and aft, but she held on, striking her bottom in the hollow of every succeeding wave, and received little or no damage. At high tide she grounded hard and fast off King’s shipyard, where she still lies with sails somewhat torn. She was probably the best managed craft that passed through the storm excepting the fishermen.

OTHER VESSELS, Schr. ADDIE RYERSON, of Lubec, Me., Capt. PIKE, from Windsor for Philadelphia with a cargo of plaster ran ashore at Red Head, but did not receive serious damage. Schr. ELLEN, of and for St. John from Pictou, with coal, went ashore on the Foul Ground. Crew saved. John MOORE, one of the hands was washed overboard off Gannet Rock light on Friday.Schr. C.H. DYER, owned by Mr. BOYD, of Parrsboro, N.S., has been ashore at Pisarince for some days past, and it is feared has become a total loss in the gale.

FOUR VESSELS ASHORE AT MUSQUASH- MUSQUASH, N.B., Nov.30 The schooner SPRING BIRD, HATFIELD, master, from Windsor for Calais, with plaster, is ashore here, with loss of anchors and rudder. Hopes are entertained of getting her off without further damage, by discharging her cargo. A brig., supposed to be the HAVELOCK, from Windsor, with plaster, is ashore, with loss of anchors and rudder. She will probably be got off without further damage. Two small fishing vessels are also ashore, with loss of anchors.


Halifax CITIZEN, of Dec. 7, 1872

DIED - Suddenly, at St. Thomas, W.I., on the 30th of Nov., of apoplexy, Capt. Geo. C. Crocker, of ship 'KATE TROOP', late of Freeport, Digby County, N.S.


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Jan. 10, 1873

DIED - Shipwrecked and drowned off Iron-Bound Island, Halifax County, N.S., on the night of the 26th Dec., Capt. Arthur Curtis, of Halifax, in the 54th year of his age. Deceased was a native of Portsmith, England. [Liverpool, G.B. papers please copy]


Halifax CITIZEN, of May 10, 1873

DIED - A Nova Scotian named Robert D. Norrie, 23 years of age was drowned in Paddy's Run, near Lochaven, PA., on the 8th of April. [City and Provincial News column]


Halifax CITIZEN, of Aug. 12, 1873

DEATH of a Nova Scotian - Angus MacDonald, a native of Nova Scotia, aged about 35 years, was drowned by falling off a boom at Tulallip, W.T., on Tuesday last - [from Portland Oregonian, June 28th .]


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Mar. 6, 1874

DIED - At New Orleans, Feb. 25th, Philip Carten, aged 32 years, youngest son of the late capt. James D. Dickson.


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Mar. 17, 1874

DIED - David Henderson, a native of N. S., was lost overboard from the schooner 'E.A. HORTON' of Gloucester, Mass., on the Western Bank, Feb. 26th. Deceased was 26 years of age and leaves a widow in Gloucester.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Mar. 13, 1875

Washed overboard and drowned, on the 16th January, from the barque 'CANNING', Albert Jackson, aged 17 years and 4 months, second son of Robert and Rebecca. Every effort was made to save him, but all in vain.


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Feb.23, 1876

DIED - At Summerville, Hants Co., on Sunday, the 20th inst., Capt. James Lennerton, aged 71 years.


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Nov.19, 1877

DIED - Daniel McDonald and Albert Mizener, natives of Nova Scotia, were drowned by the upsetting of a dorey at the Banks, on the 4th inst.


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Dec. 18, 1877

DIED - The body of a sailor named Adam Douglas, who belongs to Maitland and who was run over and killed by a railway train at Brooklyn, N.Y., on the 4th inst., was brought here in the steamer 'BERMUDA', and forwarded to his friends in Maitland. [Local news column]


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Feb. 25, 1878

DIED - At Buenos Ayers, Dec. 26th, the wife of Captain Seward Dodd, of the ship 'W.J.LEWIS', and daughter of the late Mr. Davison of Pictou.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of July 6, 1878

DIED - On board the ship 'WELLINGTON', of Windsor, off Cape Barfleaur, English Channel, June 15th., in the 28th year of her age, Margaret F., beloved wife of Capt. Thomas O'Brien. Her body was buried in Havre, France. [Boston and New York papers please copy]


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of July 22, 1878

DIED - Suddenly, at Matanzas, of yellow fever, Capt. Charles E. Fulton, in the 27th year of his age.


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of Mar. 5, 1879

DIED - Capt. Charles R. Foster, of Pictou, commanding the Nova Scotia brig. 'TRUST', died suddenly of heart disease, at Buenos Ayres, on the 14th January. [Local and other News column]


Halifax MORNING CHRONICLE, of June 19, 1879

DIED - At Para, Brazil, 17th April, of yellow fever, Capt. S. M. D. Cumminger, of the firm of Cumminger Bros., Sherbrooke, St. Mary's, N. S., in the 42nd year of his age.


Halifax EVENING REPORTER, of Sept. 5, 1879

DIED - James, aged 40, son of the late Richard Griffin, of Windsor, while on the passage from London, in the barque 'MARY A. MARSHALL', was found in his berth, after an illness of two hours. [Local News]

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