Immigrant Ships
Transcribers Guild

Gloucester Fisheries Disasters
1884

Old Newspaper
Generously contributed by William Hill

DISASTERS TO THE GLOUCESTER FLEET IN 1884

Nova Scotians Among The Lost
The number of fishing vessels lost during the year has been 16---- 8 of these losses were accompanied with loss of crew, in whole or in part, to the number of 91, and the number of men lost overboard and in dories increases the loss of life to 131 men, who left 50 widows, and 66 fatherless children. Of the vessels lost, the following carried Nova Scotians among the crews –
Schr. GEORGE W. STETSON, 77 tons, lost on Genetes in the gale of Dec. 28, 1883 – a crew of 10 men, as follows:
McLEOD Laughlin, master, leaving widow and 3 children,
McLEOD Angus, cousin to master, widow,
McVARISH John, widow and 4 children,
McARTHUR James, widow and 2 children,
McARTHUR Angus, cousin to James, widow and 1 child
RYAN John, steward, widow and 1 child,
KENNEDY Wm., widow and 1 child,
McEACHERN Simon,
McDONALD John,
McLEOD Malcom,
HORNISH Henry,
SISK Patrick


Schr. KNUTSFORD, 83 tons, lost on Genetes in the gale of Dec.28 – a crew of 14 men as follows:

DAGO Victor, master, left widow and adopted child,
PHALEN James, cook, widow and 3 children,
MILLER John B., widow and 4 children,
MARCHANT Fred., single,
WHITE Dennis, widow and 4 children,
BONNER Henry, widow and 3 children in Arichat,
SAMPSON Henry, widow and child,
PORRIER Simon, widow and children in Arichat,
YOUNG Edward,
RUSSELL John,
SAMPSON Peter,
LONGPHY Fred.,
BROWN Paul, single,
One man name unknown

Schr. MAGIC, 67 tons, lost on Genetes in the gale of Feb.28 – crew list:

DIXON John, master, left widow and 4 children,
DIXON Josiah, brother to the master,
LONG Henry, widow,
GUSTEN Lorenzo,
ZINC Sandy,
NEEDHAM Henry,
JACKSON John and Andrew (brothers),
ANDERSON Harry,
MARSHALL Arthur,
REYNOLDS James, HERRICK Henry

Schr. PHOENIX, 57 tons, lost on Genetes’ haddocking trip in the same gale – crew of 14 men:

POWERS Matthew C., master,
CODY Thomas,
BRIDGES Isaac,
MURPHY Edward,
DONNELLY John,
JOYCE Patrick,
PALEY Michael,
GILBERT James,
JOYCE Byrne,
CARROLL Thomas,
GIDDENS Edward,
POWERS Bennett [left a widow],
STINSON John [a widow and 5 children],
FOLEY Martin [left a widow]

Schr. WALDO IRVING, 72 tons, lost on a haddocking trip in the gale of Dec. 28 – crew of 14 men:
SWINSON Andrew, master, left widow and 2 children,
NELSON Henry Paul, widow and 3 children,
PETERSON Lars, widow,
ANDERSON Peter, widow,
BERGERSON B. A., widow,
NILSON Lars, widow and children in Sweden,
GOODMAN Charles, widow and child,
OLSEN Peter,
JOHNSON Oliver,
LEE Benjamin,
KIVEY Henry,
AMERO Ambrose,
JAMES Peter,
PARSONS Edwin Adolph

Schr. WILLIAM J. MADDOCKS, 91 tons, lost in a haddocking trip in the same gale – crew list:
MORRISON Roderick L., master, left widow and 3 children,
CAMERON Archie, widow and child,
McQUERRY John,
McKINNON Paul,
PENNY Joseph,
DORLEY Jefferey,
FERGUSON Albert J. wife died while he was absent on the trip,
LANDREY Jerry,
MILLER Simon alias MINET,
McLEAN James cousin to the master,
JEPPSON Augustus,
CASH Morris,
McKAY John,
JOHNSON Charles and
ANDERSON Bernard.

Schr. WILLIAM S. BAKER, 103 tons, lost on the passage from New York for Booth Bay, March 31 – crew of 5 men lost as follows:
McISAAC James, master, left widow,
GROTTO Genete E., widow and children,
CAMERON Dugald, widow,
BENSON Antone and
DESERT Thomas.
OTHER LIVES LOST –


McMASTERS Duncan, washed overboard from schooner MASCOT, Jan.20
FLEMMING Thomas, washed overboard from schooner EVERETT PIERCE, Jan.31
PAZANT Lewis, washed overboard from schr. ANNIE C. HALL, on Grand Bank, Feb.7
ROBERTS Robert, fell overboard from schr. SUSIE HOOPER, Feb.14
WILSON Genete, washed overboard from schr. BELLE FRANKLIN, Feb.26
ELLIOTT Joseph, washed overboard from schr. SCHUYLER COLFAX, in the gale of Feb.28
NEWELL Benjamin thrown overboard from schr. ISAAC CHAPMAN, by a lurch of the vessel, in the same gale
HARRIS Thomas, lost overboard from schr., NEVADA, on Genetes in the same gale
SUMMERS Genete R., of schr. E. L. ROWE, fell overboard, March 14, and drowned
BROWN Alsten T., of schr. EDITH ROWE, fell from aloft while loosing the gaff-topsail, and killed, March 13
WOODWELL Benjamin, of schr. ARIZONA, died suddenly, on Genetes, March 13
CAMERON Randall and McMASTERS Duncan, lost in dory from schr.,
ELECTA A. EATON, on Western Bank, March 18
McKAY Edward, STEELE Roderick, LAWSON John, HAYWARD Samuel, lost in dories from schr. MINNESOTA, March 15, WETHERBEE Robert caught in bight of mainsheet, while the vessel was jibing on the Banks, and killed
DUTREMARSH James, lost overboard from schr.
FRED L. WEBB, while reefing mainstail on Genetes, April 2, and drowned
DOYLE Wm., of schr. M. A. BASTEN, drowned at Ketch Harbor, May 1
HENNEBERRY Michael, cook of schr. FANNY W. FREEMAN, died suddenly May 11
OLSEN Oscar, washed overboard from schr.,
LORING B. HASKALL, in May
McCORMACK Michael, capsized in dory from schr. T. HERBERT, on Jeffries, May 16
BUSHEY Jeff., washed from flying jib-boom of schr. HOWARD HOLBROOK, April 27
OLSEN Edward and JOHNSON Albion, capsized in dory from schr. ANNIE and MARY, off Banquereau, June 20
LAVANGER Wm., of schr. LIZZIE M. CENTER, killed on railway at Canso, July 19
MORRIS John and Angus, brothers, capsized in dory, from schr. REBECCA BARTLETT, June 13
COOK Genete, fell overboard from schr. T. HERBERT, while going into Shag Harbor, Aug. 11, and drowned.
HENNESEY Thomas, of schr. NOONDAY, fell overboard Sept.15, and drowned
HANLAN John and BREONG Henry, lost in dory from schr., ADA M. HALL, May 28
McDONALD Capt. J. Seward, of schr. IVANHOE, fell from aloft and killed, in Bay St. Lawrence, Oct.10
MOREN John and JOHNSON John, swamped in dory from schr. ADMIRAL, on Grand Bank, Sept.6
DUONG Dominick, fell from flying-jibboom of schr. ASA T. GULLFORD, Oct.25, and drowned
FARNSWORTH James, washed overboard from schr. CARL SCHURZ, on Dog Bar, Oct.31, and drowned
MARTIN Thomas, of schr. STERLING, fell overboard from Pew’s Wharf, Oct.31, and drowned
[part of article clipped when copied from microfilm]

NOVASCOTIA FISHERMEN

Schr. GEO. S. BOUTWELL picked up two French fishermen July 28; schr. EDITH LINWOOD, of Provincetown, picked up two French fishermen 24 hours astray, Aug.19; Joseph LOWEY and Wm. HANDLEY, of schr. ESTELLE, of Guysboro, N.S., adrift three day and three nights in August.
Two of crew of schr. PRINCE OF LUNENBURG lost Aug. 8; two of the crew of schr. L. L. ELLIS, lost Dec. 4; two of the crew of schr. MOKOMIS of Yarmouth, lost April 29, rowed ashore; two of the crew N. W. WHITE of Cape Canso, went astray on Grand Bank, June 28, and were four days without food or water; two French fishermen adrift four days picked up in August by schr. LIZZIE of Gloucester; two French fishermen adrift two days picked up and landed at Harbor Grace, NF.; four French fishermen picked up by schr. EBEN OARSONS, July 1; bodies of two French fishermen picked up on Grand Bank in a dory, by schr., GERTIE E. FOSTER, May 4.

NARROW ESCAPES –
Merton EATON and Havelock TREMAINE were capsized in a dory while visiting trawls off Cape Cod, Ja. 13, got hold of dory, Eaton was washed off three times, but his dory mate swam to his rescue and finally held him to the dory until assistance came.
Michael O’NEIL and John WHITE were lst in a dory from schr. ADDISON G. PROCTER in January, and were picked up after four days exposure without food or drink.
Joseph GOSBEE, Charles HILL, Frank DOHERTY and John McKENZIE lost from schr. WILLIE M. STEVENS, May 28, rowed ashore, were two days and three nights without food or drink.
Charles W. SMITH and Alfred McDONALD lost from schr. MINNESOTA, May 17, picked up after 54 hours exposure.
Joseph WHITE and Austin G. PUBNICO, lost from schr. GEORGE CLARK Jr., landed at Shelburne.
Two of the crew of schr. DRUID picked up by a Nova Scotia schooner, Aug.26, after two nights exposure.
John DUMPHY and Roderic McDONALD of schr. CARTHAGE; W. SMITH and John McDONALD, of schr. ANNE & Mary, two of the crew of schr. JAMESTOWN; two men from schr. THOMAS L. TARR; two from schr. MYSTIC; and two from the FALCON, went astray in dories, but were picked up after a short exposure.
Twelve of the crew of the schr. ABBY F. MORRIS, became seperated from their vessel in a gale on Grand Bank July 8, the fog being dense. Only the Captain and cook were left on board, and they remained on the fishing grounds for twenty-four hours, when they secured assistance from another vessel to raise the anchor and succeeded in working the vessel in Liscombe Harbor, where three men were shipped to help bring her home. The twelve men experienced great hardships, but were finally picked up, two of them being in their dory three days and three nights without food or water.
We note here one other case of extreme suffering, though not experienced by a Gloucester crew. Schr. TWILIGHT, of Yarmouth, was wrecked on Shag Rock, off Cranberry Island, ME., Sept.11. The Captain and two of the crew got out a dory, which was struck by a sea, killing the Captain and one of the men. The others of the crew reached the rock, one of them after being in the water nearly half an hour and received severe bruises.Their situation upon the rock, only partially clad, with the waves constantly breaking over them, was perilous in the extreme. Some of the number were washed off, but were helped back again by their companions. For [thirteen] hours they maintained their insecure hold, until they were discovered by a passing schooner and taken off.

THE YEAR’S LOSSES TABULATED –
VESSELS TONS FISHERY VALUE INS. LIVES 

E.L.ROWE          63    Mackerel      $6000.   $4160.     -

FANNY FERN        48    Genetes       $4000.   $3000.     4

G. W. STETSON     78    Genetes       $5000    $4000     12

G. BLAISDELL      89    Mackerel      $7000    $6400      -

HILDEGARDE        71    Haddocking    $6000    $5080      -

JOSEPHINE         86    Shore         $2500      -        -

KNUTSFORD         83    Genetes       $3300    $3450     14

MAGIC             67    Haddocking    $4500    $3820     12

PHOENIX           77    Haddocking    $3500    $3180     14

ROYAL OAK         80    Herring       $6000    $3500      -

SHOOTING STAR     14    Shore         $ 308        -      -

VIKING            75    Haddocking    $5500    $4860      -

W. IRVING         72    Genetes       $6500    $5320     14

W. A. PEW         70    Herring       $3500    $2600      -

W. J. MADDOCKS    91    Haddocking    $12000   $9640     16

W. S. BAKER      103    Herring       $6000    $5500      5

Lost overboard etc.            

40 16 vessels        1104            $87,160   $63,100   131

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