USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > Salem vessels and their voyages; a history of the "Astrea", "Mindoro", "Sooloo", "Panay", "Dragon", "Highlander", "Shirley", and "Formosa", with some account of their masters, and other reminiscences of Salem shipmasters > Part 10
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William B. Bates's second voyage was made in the ship Messenger, Captain Buffington, from Salem to Siam. Captain Buffington's son was a passenger in the ship, and the King of Siam wanted him to remain in his employ, instead of returning to the United States. Young Bates next made a voyage in the brig Susan, Capt. John Brook- house, from Salem to the Island of St. Helena and return.
From November 6, 1837, to December 28, 1845, Capt. Bates commanded the brig Richmond, of Salem, in the Zanzibar trade. The vessel was owned by Ephraim Em- morton. His next three voyages were made as master of the brig Cherokee, owned by Michael Shepard and John Bertram. On September 1, 1818, he sailed in the brig Potomac from Salem for Zanzibar, making the passage in 98 days. He arrived home August 16, 1849, and this was his only voyage in that vessel. Ilis next and last voyage was in the barque Tom Corwin, owned by Shepard
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& Bertram. He sailed from Salem, October 12, 1849, for Zanzibar. He arrived home, November 23, 1850, and on December 6 following, the barque sailed for Zanzibar, under command of Capt. John Lambert. On retiring from the sea, he, for a time, had charge of vessels owned by the late Edward D. Kimball, and afterwards was con- nected with the Seccomb Oil Company of Salem.
Captain Bates joined the Salem Marine Society, Feb- ruary 26, 1846, and he ever maintained a deep interest in that honored society, and was an invaluable assistant to the late Honorable Charles W. Palfray in preparing the centennial history of the institution. So great, was his interest that he never failed to attend the society's meetings. He was its clerk from 1869 to the time of his death, and during all that time he was agent of the Franklin building.
Another instance of his deep interest in the Salem Marine Society was the collection of photographs of nearly every member of the society. This required a great deal of patience and a vast amount of labor, as pictures of the earlier members were only obtained after long search and correspondence. All have been placed in rotation in a large album, which is now regarded by the members as a priceless possession.
Atkins II. Bates, a son, and two grandsons of the cap- tain, are living in Salem. ITe married, April 24, 1839, Miss Harriet L. Brown, and they lived happily together until her death, a period of nearly 55 years.
SHIP PERSEVERANCE.
The ship Perseverance, on which Captain Marshall and Captain William B. Bates made their first voyage to sea, was the second ship of that name. The first registered 240 tons and was built in Haverhill in 1794, for Simon Forrester and others. Richard Wheatland was master, and he was the father of the late Dr. Henry Wheatland, president of the Essex Institute, and George Wheatland, a prominent member of the Essex bar. In the Salem Gazette of February 5, 1805, is a thrilling account of
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an engagement she had with a French privateer in the Bahama channel, written by Captain Wheatland. She was wrecked on Cape Cod, January 31, 1805.
'The second ship Perseverance was built in Salem in 1809, and was 241 tons register. She was first owned by Richard Wheatland, James Silver and John Forrester. James Silver, master. Several other owners followed. When lost, she was owned by John W. Rogers, Nathaniel I. Rogers, Richard S. Rogers and Emery Johnson. Wil- liam Bates was master.
CAPTAIN NATHANIEL BROWN. 4.
Captain Nathaniel Brown was the son of the lato Captain and Mrs. Nathaniel Brown. He was born in 1845, and died in Salem, December 10, 1879. His father died in Salem, April 27, 1866. Like the father, the son followed the sea as a profession and became a ship- master. He commanded several fine vessels, among them the ships White Swallow and Shirley, leaving the latter ship in San Francisco in July, 1863, and sending her to China in command of his mate, Capt. John Mullin of Salem. Captain Brown was a member of the Salem East India Marine Society, and for more than a quarter of & century of the old Salem Marine Society, being the master of the latter nine years previous to his death. In the city government he was an Alderman in 1866-67-68; Mayor in 1870-71. He was elected City Treasurer, May 16, 1879, but resigned after a short term of service.
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SHIP "SHIRLEY."
Salem, ever first to lead the way to foreign countries and there to fling Old Glory to the breeze, had the distinction, by means of her former shipping, of estab- Jishing the first hotel of any magnitude in the Klondike region. A dispatch from Seattle, September 3, 1897, stated that the old barque Shirley was to be towed to Skaguay and be converted into a hotel and storehouse, capable of accommodating 400 lodgers.
This vessel was none other than the old ship Shirley which bore on her stern for twenty years the name of Salem. as her bailing place. She was probably better known than any other vessel of her class. She was a good ship, and made thousands of dollars for her owners: She was built at Medford, Mass., in 1850, was 171 feet 6 inches long, 33 feet 10 inches beam, and 23 feet 9 inches depth of hold, and registered 910 and 70-95 tons. She was named Shirley by the daughter of her first owner, after she had read Charlotte Bronte's book, "Shirley." For the first two years she was owned by Joshua Scars and Alpheus Hardy of Boston; then for 20 years by Stone, Silsbee & Pickman and Benjamin W. Stone & Brothers of Salem, and lastly by parties on the Pacific coast.
As whatever relates to old Salem ships is always cor- dially welcomed by people in this vicinity, the following items about the old ship will be found of interest :
HER FIRST VOYAGE.
On her first voyage the Shirley was commanded by Captain Shaw, and she sailed from Boston, Oct. 3, 1850, for New Orleans. Arrived at that port October 17; loaded with cotton and cleared Nov. 21 for Liverpool; arrived there Jan. 5, 1851; sailed Feb. 13, and arrived at New York March 27.
The second voyage was between New York, New Or- leans, Liverpool and New Orleans. She sailed from New York May 9, and arrived back at New Orleans Oct. 23.
The third voyage was between New Orleans and Liver- pool, and the fourth between New Orleans, Liverpool and
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Owned by Stone, Silsbee & Pickman. From the painting in possession of the Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass.
SHIP "SHIRLEY," CHARLES H. ALLEN, MASTER
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Boston, the vessel arriving at Boston Aug. 27, 1852. On the second, third and fourth voyages she was commanded by Captain Hiler.
On Sept. 22, 1852, Messrs. Stone, Silsbee & Pickman of Salem bought the ship of Joshua Sears and Alpheus Hardy of Boston, and immediately fitted her for their extensive East India trade. She sailed from Boston Oct. 27, 1852, for Melbourne. From Melbourne she went to Manila, and loaded for New York. Capt. Nicholas T. Snell of Salem was her master, Aaron W. Berry of Salem, first officer, and George A. Brown of Salem, boy.
May 4, 1854, she sailed from New York for Melbourne, thence to Callao, loaded guano at the Chinca Islands, and arrived at Hampton Roads June 27, 1855. Capt. Nicholas T. Snell, master; George A. Brown, Salem, ordinary sca- man; Wm. . Churchill and Oliver Andrews, Salem, and Benj. O. Reynolds, Dover, N. H., boys.
Sailed from Baltimore, Aug. 19, 1855, for Manila, and. returned to New York Oct. 13, 1856. Capt. George W. Abbott of Beverly, master; John A. Derby of Salem, mate; and Augustus Luscomb of Salem, second mate,
Sailed from New York Dec. 2, 1856, for Mobile, and arrived Jan. 12, 1857 ; sailed for Liverpool Feb. 21, and arrived April 4; sailed for Calcutta May 12 and arrived Oct. 20; sailed Dec. 17 for Bombay and arrived Jan. 16, 1859; sailed Feb. 25 for Calcutta and arrived April 12. She remained at Calcutta until Dec. 20, then sailed for Boston arriving April 19, making the homeward passage in the excellent time of 103 days, and completing the double voyage in two years four months and seventeen days. Capt. Charles H. Allen of Salem, master; Jolm E. Abbott of Beverly, mate; and Augustus Luscomb of Salem, second mate.
Sailed from Boston May 28, 1859, for Point de Galle, and arrived Sept. 26; sailed Oct. 28 for Calcutta, and arrived Nov. 20; sailed for Boston Jan. 20, 1860, and arrived May 29, 1860, having been absent one year and one day. Capt. Charles H. Allen of Salem, master ; Benj. D. Thayer, mate; Solomon Harding of Salem, second
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mate; John M. Haskell of Salem, third mate; Henry E. Batchelder and Wm. P. Edwards of Salem, ordinary sea- men ; Wm. S. Brown and Walter J. Silsbee of Salem, boys.
This was the last voyage to sea of her master, Captain Charles HI. Allen, after 33 years spent upon the ocean. It was also the last voyage of the ship while she was owned by Stone, Silsbees & Pickman. She was then sold to Benjamin W. Stone & Brothers of this city, and conse- quently still hailed from Salem.
She continued in the California and East India trade for twelve years longer, being commanded successively by Capt. Nathaniel Brown, Capt. John Mullin, and Captain Ferguson of Salem, and Capt. Joseph W. Willcomb of Ipswich. In 1872 she arrived at San Francisco from China, and was then sold to parties on the Pacific coast, and ceased to hail from Salem. Captain Willcomb, her commander, and Charles H. Tibbets, her mate (afterwards commander of the ships Highlander, Centennial, Sunrise, Southern Cross, and Sea Witch), came home to Salem overland.
Upon her sale to San Francisco parties she was altered from a full-rigged ship to a barque, and as such sailed up and down the Pacific coast, engaged in the lumber trade.
Capt. Charles H. Allen says that the Shirley was the best-modeled ship the Salem merchants ever owned. A model and picture of the old ship are on exhibition in the Marine Room of the Peabody Museum of Salem.
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SHIP " FORMOSA "
Owned by Silsbee, Pickman & Allen.
From the painting by a Chinese artist at Hong Kong, showing the ship off the Lema Islands on June 24, 1872.
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
SHIP FORMOSA.
Ship Formosa, a splendid vessel of 1,500 tons, was launched from the yard of John Taylor, East Boston, November 20, 1868. She was built for Silsbees, Pickman & Allen of Salem, and her frame was of seasoned white oak; her keelsons, deck frame and ceiling of yellow pine. She was square fastened throughout, bolted with copper and yellow metal, treenailed with locust, seasoned with salt, well ventilated, and finished in a superior manner.
She sailed on her first voyage December 80, 1868, under command of Captain A. D. Cobb, for Hong Kong, and arrived there May 11, -- 132 days passage. Thence she went to Manila and loaded for New York, and arrived home at that port January 24, 1870, thus making the round voyage in one year and 25 days.
CAPTAIN SAMUEL R. CURWEN.
Captain Sammel Ropes Curwen died in Salem, Novem- ber 11, 1870, in his 50th year. He was born in Salem, December 28, 1820, the son of Samuel and Priscilla (Barr) Curwen, and a brother of James Barr Curwen, Jong associated with Capt. John Bertram. He was a thorough seaman, a skillful navigator, a very capable fac- tor, and took an honest pride in his noblo profession. He for some time commanded a steamer in China, and had navigated most of the seas navigated by Salem ships. He was a graduate of the old Salem English High School, in the fifth class to enter that temple of learning. His last sickness was a long and painful illness, but he bore his confinement and suffering with remarkable patience and cheerfulness, and his departure was greatly lamented by his wide circle of friends.
CAPTAIN JOHN H. EAGLESTON.
Captain John H. Eagleston died at the home of one of his children in Hyannis, Setember 24, 1884, at the age of 81 years. His body was brought to Salem for burial. Captain Eagleston was born on the South Shore of Mary-
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land, but came to this part of the country when a boy, and for the greater part of his life made his home in Salem. Entering upon a seafaring life, he in due time became a master mariner and made many voyages in the employ of the late Stephen C. Phillips and others. Be- tween 1830 and 1840 he was largely engaged in trading at the Fecjee Islands, with which he became very familiar, so that when Commodore Wilkes's expedition visited the islands in 1840, he was able to render an important ser- vice by taking the United States Ship Peacock, one of the vessels of the squadron, safely into the harbor, and the Commodore, in an official report to the Government, ex- pressed great indebtedness to Captain Eagleston for his attention and assistance, and also for his observations relating to gales.
Captain Eagleston was also one of the pioneers in the California trade, after the discovery of gold. He fitted out and commanded the brig Mary and Helen, named for his two daughters, and she was cleared from Salem, Oc- tober 27, 1848,-the first vessel to sail for California from Massachusetts after the gold fever set in. ITis reminiscences of his experiences in the Pacific and among strange peoples were very graphic and interesting, and he communicated many of them for publication in the Salem Register and other papers from time to time. He left the sea and engaged in various business ashore, but in his latest years, through competition, lost most of all of his previous gains.
Captain Eagleston was an explorer as well as a ship- master, and no one in the Feejec Islands trade was better acquainted with those islands than he. He sailed for Nathaniel L. Rogers & Brothers, as well as for Mr. Phillips. The captain made voyages to the islands be- tween 1830 and 1840. He sailed the barque Peru, the ship Emerald, the brig Mermaid, the ship Leonidas, and others in the Feejec trade from Saleni.
When in the Leonidas he caught several albatrosses and tied to the neck of each a quill containing a slip of paper, on which was written, "Ship Leonidas, of Salem, bound.
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to New Zealand." One of the birds was caught by a French vessel off the Cape of Good Hope, several hun- dred miles from the spot where it was caught and released by Captain Eagleston. The news reached Salem, March 21, 1840, was published in the marine column of the Salem Register, and was the first word heard from the Leonidas since she sailed August 9, 1839.
CAPTAIN GEORGE B. ABBOTT.
Captain George B. Abbott was born in Salem in 1829, and educated in the public schools. At an early age he went to sea in vessels engaged in the African and East India trade. While in command of the ship Harriot Ewing, in 1867, he was in the neighborhood when the United States Ship Sacramento was wrecked near Coco- nada, India, and he rendered valuable assistance to the officers and crew, who lost nearly all of their effects. For this service, Captain Abbott received an elegant chro- nometer gold watch and chain from the officers of the United States Navy whom he had befriended, and also a handsome letter of acknowledgment. Captain Abbott joined the Salem Marine Society May 16, 1868, and he died in Salem, February 9, 1880, in his 52nd year.
To Captain Abbott fell an experience, such a one as the writer has never been able to record as the lot of another Salemite,-that of being obliged to leave a ship .
on fire in mid-ocean. Captain Abbott, on the next voyage to that of his voyage as master of the ship Harriot Ewing, joined the ship Sunbeam, Captain Chadwick, as first officer. The ship was owned by Augustus Hemenway of Boston, and sailed from Iquique, Peru, March 13, 1870, for Tome, Chile, with part of a cargo of nitrate. About noon of March 31, in latitude 30.44, and 70 to 80 miles from shore, the second mate went below to draw off some varnish to apply on the upper deck, taking with him an open light. The fumes of the flowing varnish caught fire from this light, and an explosion followed, scattering the burning varnish in all directions about the hold and over the sacks of saltpetre stowed therein, which
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caught fire and burned with great rapidity. The captain was below at the time, working on the observations he had just taken. On hearing the alarm of fire, he rushed on deck and found the flames issning from the after hatch. Explosion after explosion followed, and so rapid was the progress of the fire that time was not allowed to clear away a single boat, and the only chance of being saved was by jumping overboard and clinging to whatever loose spars or boards might be found floating about. Captain Chadwick remained with his little son in his arms, then jumped into the sea and saved himself and child by hold- ing on to a studding-sail boom. The fastenings of the quarter-boat fortunately soon burned away, and the boat fell into the water right side up. One'of the crew imme- diately secured it and managed to save Captain Chadwick and son, Mr. Abbott, Marshall Johnson, a boy, E. H. Roberts, ordinary scaman, the cook and six of the hands. . The second officer, carpenter, steward and three seamen were lost. After being in the water several hours in the boat, they were picked up by the American barque Charles W. Morgan, Captain Ahearn. The captain had seen the fire, and he bore down for the spot, took on board the shipwrecked party, and landed them at Talcahuano, Chili. The Sunbeam sank out of sight in less than twenty min- utes after the explosion. She registered 798 tons, and was a fine vessel, four years old, built at Chelsea. Mr. Abbott arrived home in the barque Sappho, at New Bed- ford, July 5, 1870, from Talcahuano.
CAPTAIN J. CLIFFORD ENTWISLE.
In these articles on "Salem Vessels and Their Voyages," which include lists of merchants and shipmasters, it seems most appropriate to include one, who, though not a native of Salem or sailing in any Salem vessel, yet became a citizen of Salem and was honored by high public office of trust,-City Clerk James Clifford Entwisle,-and who was known and loved by the children and their elders as well.
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CAPTAIN J. CLIFFORD ENTWISLE
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
Captain J. Clifford Entwisle, fourth City Clerk of Salem since the organization of the city government, died, after a long illness, at his home, 20 Linden Street, Salcm, on December 24, 1924. He was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., June 17, 1852, the son of the late James and Ellen (Daw- son) Entwisle. His father was an officer in one of the famous New York regiments that marched away in the early days of the Civil War, and the son always delighted. in telling how, as a little boy, he felt very proud in sceing his parent with the rest of the troops going to the front. The son was educated in the public schools of New York, and for a time he attended the College of the City of New York.
When a lad in his sixteenth year, he became restless with life ashore, and so decided to try for a voyage to sea. He succeeded in obtaining a chance aboard the big ship William Tapscott, a vessel famous in the emigrant service. He continued to like the sea, and did not give it up, as so many young men have done after one voyage.
In 1872, he shipped before the mast on the tea clipper Surprise, belonging to the late Abiel A. Low, formerly of Salem. He continued in the China, Japan, Australia and East India trades for the next twenty years, sailing as third and second mate of the Surprise, until she was wrecked in Yeddo Bay, about 18 miles from Yokohama, in February, 1876. The ship was under the command of the late Capt. Frederick Johnson of Salem, and in charge of a pilot. In the fall of the same year Captain Entwisle joined the ship Sacramento of Boston, at San Francisco, commanded by the late Capt. William H. Nelson of Salem, as second mate, afterwards served as chief mate for five' years. He assumed command of the Sacramento in 1882. After a successful voyage to China and return, Captain Entwisle was transferred to the ship Ringleader of Boston, belonging to the same owners. This ship he commanded for seven years, making his last trip in 1891.
He was a member of the Common Council for three
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years, serving as president in 1894. The next year he was chosen an Alderman.
January 6, 1895, he was elected City Clerk, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Henry M. Meek, and be continued to hold that office till his death. His prede- cessors in the office were Joseph Cloutman, 1836-1862; Stephen P. Webb, 1863-1871; Henry M. Meck, 1871-1895. Captain Entwisle was always very thorough in whatever
· he did, and he served the city with zeal and devotion, often under many trying circumstances. He was affable and endeavored to serve the citizens and the city in a manner that should be above criticism. While in the city government, and previous to his election as City Clerk, he was for three years on the reportorial staff of the Salem News, to which service he brought the same painstaking carefulness that characterized him in his official duties.
Captain Entwisle was prominently connected with many fraternal organizations. He was a member and clerk of the Salem Marine and East India Marine societies, a trustee of the Boston Marine Society and for three years its president; John Endicott Lodge, A. O. U. W .; Salem Lodge of Elks; Starr King Lodge, A. F. and A. M .; Washington Roval Arch Chapter; Sutton Lodge of Per- fection; the Salem Co-operative Bank; the Essex County Press Club; and the Tabernacle Church of Salem.
He was married, Feb. 2, 1888, by Rev. DeWitt S. Clark of the Tabernacle Church, to Miss Emma Nelson, daugh- ter of the late Capt. William H. Nelson, with whom he · sailed a number of years in the Sacramento and Ring- leader. She died May 22, 1914. He leaves a sister, Mrs. Ella M. Snedeker, Salem, and three brothers, Harry B. of Jersey City, N. J., Frank J. of Arlington, N. J., and Arthur W. of Brooklyn, N. Y., and a host of friends wherever he was known.
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SHIP "GEORGE RAYNES."
Several years ago the writer learned the following story of an exciting voyage from the late Captain Nathan A. Bachelder of Salem. It relates his experiences and se- vere trials in a trip from Boston around Cape Horn to . the West Coast of South America, with dealings with the famous filibuster Walker. In relating his story the cap- tain said :
In 1856 the ship George Raynes lay at anchor off the end of Lewis wharf, Boston, all ready for a voyage round Cape Horn. The vessel had been chartered by the Acces- sory Transit Company of Nicaragua, organized in New York by wealthy capitalists in 1849, just after the gold fever broke out in California, with permission from the Nicaraguan government to transport passengers across the country, the company paying one dollar per head for each person. They owned a fine line of steamers, running be- tween San Francisco and San Juan del Sud, and also built a good road from this port to Lake Nicaragua, a distance of from 15 to 18 miles, well equipped with omni- buses sent out from New York, using mules for motive power.
After reaching the lake, small steamers and boats con. veyed the passengers across the lake, down the San Juan river to the port of San Juan de Nicaragua on the At- lantic, with steamers waiting at that port to take them to New York. This was shorter than the Panama route and by many considered more desirable, as there was less danger of sickness, also avoiding crossing the dangerous roads on the Isthmus.
The ship had been chartered by this company, of which Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, the famous steamboat and railroad magnate, was president, to carry a cargo of coal from Boston to San Juan del Sud, a small port in Nicaragua, in Lat. 11 degrees 22 minutes north and Long. 85 degrees 44 minutes west. This port was the terminus of the contemplated canal across Nicaragua on the Atlantic side.
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The ship was built in Portsmouth, N. H., by George Raynes, a noted shipbuilder, having in his day launched many fine vessels, this being the last one he ever built. She was named for him. She was a fine model, large carrier, not an extreme clipper, but built after the model of the old New York packets to Liverpool, in fact she was built for that trade; three decks, the upper or passenger deck running the whole length of the ship, divided into three cabins-after, second and forward-with steerage passengers on the second deck. She made two voyages to Liverpool and then went into the California trade. Owned by the late John Bertram of Salem and several other gentlemen, among whom were Glidden & Williams, of the famous shipping house from Boston to California in those days, they also being the ship's agents. Crew con- sisted of 25 souls all told. After getting all ready to sail, the ship was detained, owing to a misunderstanding between owners and charterers as to who should pay some charges of captain, as those were the days of big advance wages to crews, and stealing sailors out of ships was quite a business, with no shipping commissioner then, as now, to depend on.
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