USA > New York > Suffolk County > Bridgehampton > Sketches from local history > Part 16
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Many people have an idea that whaling and whalers from eastern Long Island and New Eng- land were among the first or pioneers in this indus- try, when in reality they were almost the last to get into the game. In the 16th and 17th centuries the English, French, Dutch and Norwegians were ex- tensively engaged in whaling, not only going to the Arctic and north Atlantic, but crossing to the coast of eastern America. This industry was first carried on in this locality from the shore. .As early as March, 1644, this Town was divided into four wards, with eleven persons in cach ward, to watch for stranded whales, and these if found were to be divided between the inhabitants of the town.
Whales must have been very plentiful along the coast at that time. Later, whaling stations were established along the coast some miles apart, where
all of the equipment for killing whales was kept. such as boats, harpoons, lances, ropes, etc. . At these stations was built a furnace for rendering the blub- ber. These usually were built just back of the dunes. (see 1670 map). Whaling from the shore was car- ried on for more than a century, when it became unprofitable. By an old patent dated September 6th, 1696, in the reign of King William III of Eng- land. "old Trinity Church in New York, is granted and is entitled to all the whales cast ashore in the Province of New York". This patent is still in the vaults of that old church. The coast of Long Island was the only section of the Province of New York where whales could be found. I wonder if the along- shore whalemen of those days had a permit from old Trinity?
The next advance step in this industry was the fitting out of small vessels. These ventured as far as Hatteras and the Gulf Stream, and apparently did very well. Then came larger ships that carried this business to the south Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and eventually to the Arctic Ocean. Even then whaling outfits were still kept in order along the shore of eastern Long Island, for in the year 1847 I find an old record in a local diary that gives the following catch of whales in the month of April of that year.
"April 13th one whale killed at Amagansett ·,
" Bridgehampton Southampton
"
East Hampton
1.4th
15th
..
"
..
" 19th
,
..
Seven whales lying on the shore at one time."
1.
..
Whale on shore at Amagansett
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Very many young men from this locality became whalemen after that business became established as carried on from Sag Harbor and New Bedford. Their one ambition was to make good, and after a few voyages command a ship as captain, then, with a few successful voyages they could retire, and he classed as wealthy, which many of them were, as times were then. Some bought farms, some became merchants, bankers, politicians, and some specula- tors and lost their hard-earned money, and were obliged to go to work again. Some went to Cali- fornia when the "Gold Fever" broke out, and as ever, some made good and more lost what money they took with them, and finally returned broken ciown in health, or died in the land where they sought a fortune.
From my early boyhood days I have personally heard the old sailors and sea captains relate stories of their adventures at sea, and also their experiences in foreign ports, and with such interest that I an: persuaded had I lived in their day I would also have followed the water as many of my Mother's rcia- tives did.
Let us turn to the map for 1700, and note the location of the homes of some of those whaling cap- tains. Capt. Theophilus Howell, Elisha Howell. Lemuel Howell. Josiah Topping. Thecdore Pierson. Stephen Topping. Hezekiah Topping. Men engaged in the whaling industry at that time. but not named as captains were John Mitchel, Thomas Sandford. Edward Howell. John Cooper, Thomas Stephens. Henry Pierson. Samuel Johnes, and doubtless others not named.
The period from 1830 to 1850 saw this industry at its best. There were more than Go whale-ships which sailed from Sag Harbor when whaling was at its best. It was during this period that so many fine buildings were erected in that village, many of them not excelled in beauty of architecture anywhere on this Island even at this late date. The captains as.a class were men with marked individuality. sturdy, independent, self-reliant. fearless in danger. yet generous and kind-hearted, but men who stood up for their rights, even if they had to fight for them, which they many times did.
In Wainscott, on the map for 1800, may be seen the location of the home of Capt. Jonathan O-borne. He was born August 14th. 1771, and died December
22nd, 1856. He became a noted whaling captain. a large land owner, and a man of acknowledged ability and good judgment. On one occasion he was to sail out of Sag Harbor at a certain date on a whaling voyage. Everything was in readiness. crew shipped, provisions aboard, clearance papers from the Custom House made out, filed. and in the captain's possession. He gave orders to cast off lines, and under short sail worked the ship down the Harbor off "Hedges Banks", when he ordered the anchor dropped. sails furled, and a boat lowered. Then said he : "This is now my ship. I hold her papers, and no one can give orders but myself. I have a field of corn home that needs cutting, and I am going home to have it done, and will be back later." No one that knew him presumed to question him, and he went.
When quite an old man, the brig "Mars" came ashore at Apaquogue. Osborne went to the beach to see her, and questioned her captain as to how he came to get so far out of his course, in fact, put such questions to him as a sea-faring man would naturally ask. This was resented by the captain. who took Osborne to be a lands-man, and talking on a subject of which he was ignorant, and said. "Old man, what do you know about a ship, or of sailing on the high seas?" "Well", said Osborne. "it may be that I know nothing, but I have circum- navigated the globe many times, and commanded a much larger ship than yours, but I never ran her ashore."
Luther Hildreth of Bridgehampton, never became captain, but followed whaling many years. He was a very passionate man, and quick tempered. Very heavily built and powerful, so that when excited most men let him alone. On one voyage Luther leaded one of the boats, and Jonathan Osborne was his boat steerer. (not that Jonathan named above as captain). The ship's cook was also from Wain- scott. One day they lowered for a whale. and Luther put Osborne where he should have struck and fastened to the whale, but he missed it. Luther was provoked, but did no worse at that time. That day they had dumplings for dinner. Osborne wa- very fond of these, and demonstrated that fact by the number he consumed. At this time Luther spoke. and said: "Osborne. if you had aimed as straight at that whale this morning, as you are at thess
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Wainscott dumplings, you would not have missed it."
On the map for 1750, there are but few captains, and of these we know but little. There were Cap- tains William Rogers, Elnathan Payne, and Jonah Tarbell. After the war of the Revolution whaling made rapid strides, so you will note the increased number of sea captains on the map for 1800.
The men who became captains, whose homes were in this locality, I will name as follows, viz : Captains Caleb Howell, Nathan Post. Anthony Ludlow, Lo- dowick Post, Elisha Topping. Silas Hand. Jeremiah Sandford, David Sayre. Jonathan Osborne, Jona- than Halsey, William Pierson and Samuel Ludlow. [I have had to place some in this period because they were gone before 1850, the date of the next map. Others that are on the 1850 map, owned no places in 1800, though between these dates they were active.]
Samuel Ludlow, perhaps the smartest member of that family, was still young when he became captain. I herewith give an account of the loss of the ship Governor Clinton, as given me by Mr. Harry Sleight :
"The ship Governor Clinton first sailed from Sag Harbor in 1832, under Capt. Rogers, and returned April 28th, 1833. with a large cargo of oil. She sailed again in the fall of that same year, and was lost in a hurricane off the coast of Japan. in Septem- ber, 1834. The crew consisted of 29 persons, some of whom were known to be as follows: Captain. Samuel Ludlow: Mate, Daniel E. Brown: Second Mate, Daniel Leek: Third Mate. William D. Schel- linger: Boat Steerers. Erastus E. Halsey, Charles Howell. Henry Miller, and Sylvester Stanborough : Cooper. Benjamin Payne: Carpenter. Edward P. Jennings.
"The Governor Clinton was found floating bot- tom-side up by one of the New Bedford fleet. After a hole was cut in the ship's side, the New Bedford captain took from the hold 900 barrels of oil. This ship made two voyages out of Sag Harbor, taking oil worth $26.000. She was a vessel of about 250 tons."
I regret that I cannot give the names of the con- mon sailors, and the lower rank officers of that date. Imit of one fact we may be reasonably sure, that many of the young men who were before-the-mast
in those days were commanders of ships in later years, whose names are doubtless in the list that I am about to give as shown on the map for 1850.
On the map for 1850 may be found the names of whaling captains from this locality, as follows: Uriah Sayre, William Topping, John Stein, Ezekiel Curry, who built the house later owned by Capt. Samuel Pierson: Samuel Woodruff. Jason Tarbell. Isaac Ludlow, who rescued 105 people from the barque "Meridian" in the Indian Ocean. August of 1835: Alanson Topping, Vincent King, Charles Halsey, James Austin, Jeremiah Ludlow, who had his ship burned by the Rebel Privateer Shenandoalı. just as they were about to enter the Arctic Ocean : he afterward received a portion of the "Alabama Claims." Benjamin H. Halsey went to sea when but a boy ; in 1849 his captain Silas W. Edwards. died when the ship was in Honolulu. Halsey took charge of the ship, and remained on her as captain for nine years. When the Shenandoah destroyed the whaling fleet. Capt. Halsey commanded the ship "Rainbow" and she being a very fast vessel out- sailed the privateer, and thus saved his ship. but thereby lost his voyage. He never received any of the "Alabama Claims" award. though I think he should have. Then there were Jones Rogers, Doyle Sweeney. George Hand, John Sweeney. Wickham Jennings, Edward Halsey of Poxabogue. Edward Halsey of Mitchel's Lane, William Dennison, who rescued the crew of a French ship in distress, for which the French Government presented him with a beautiful gold medal: Henry E. Huntting, who be- came captain on his third voyage, a remarkable rec- ord. flis last voyage was made in the ship "Pa- cifie", in rounding Cape Horn they encountered a terrifie gale, which dismasted the ship. and made a return necessary. John Sayre was his mate on this voyage. Capt. Samuel Pierson died in Pernambuco, and was buried there. Agustus Halsey of Water Mill followed the business until 1854. when he went to California. Then there were Andrew Jennings, Josiah Foster. William Haines, William Pierson. James R. Huntting, who went to sea when 16 years of age, this was in 1841, and in 1848 was captain of the barque "Nimrod", and was very successful. In . "Nimrods of the Sea" by Capt. Davis, are many in- cidents told relating to his sea life.
.
Richard S. Topping became captain of a ship at
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a very early age, and promised to be very capable and competent. At the age of 29 he commanded the ship "Thorn", and in the year 1838 went on a whaling voyage where he and his boat's crew were all lost. There are two accounts of this disaster. which I will relate. The first as I heard it when a boy, as follows :
"The boats were all lowered for a whale. One or more fastened to it. in due time the whale was lanced, and as they believed, killed, for it lay mo- tionless on the water. Captain Topping decided to stay by the whale with his boat, while the other boats returned to the ship to bring her down to where the whale lay, which was some miles away. When these boats were several miles away, they noticed white water about Topping's boat, as it the whale was having a flurry, and thought it was the death struggle. They worked the ship to where they thought the Captain's boat should be, but to their dismay, they never were able to find the least vestige of boat, crew or whale, none of which were ever seen or heard of at any time afterward. It was a mystery then and has ever remained the same."
In Oakland cemetery in Sag Harbor is a beautiful monument, a photograph of which is here given, with the inscriptions.
(South Side) John E. Howell Born March 2, 1813 Died July 23. 1840 While engaged in the Whale fishery In the Pacific Ocean In command of the Ship France He lost his life In an encounter with a Sperm Whale In the 28th year of his age.
Erected by Nathan P. Gilbert and Augustus In remembrance of their brother 1856. (North Side) Charles H. Payne Master of the Ship Daniel Webster Died in the Pacific Ocean Oct. 31. 1838 In the 27th year of his age.
Alfred C. Glover Master of the Ship Acasta Died in the Atlantic Ocean Jan. 14, 1836 In the 29th year of his age.
Richard S. Topping of Bridgehampton Master of the Ship Thorn Died in the Atlantic Ocean Feb. 1, 1838 In the 29th year of his age.
William H. Pierson of Bridgehampton Master of the Ship American Died in the Pacific Ocean June 4th, 1846 In the 30th year of his age.
(East Side) To commemorate that noble enterprise THE WHALE FISHERY and a tribute of lasting respect to those bold and enterprising ship masters SONS OF SOUTHAMPTON Who periled their lives in a daring profession and perished in actual encounter
With the Monsters of the Deep Entombed in the Ocean they live in our memory.
The other version was that Captain Topping . fastened to the whale before the other boats got near enough, and that the whale started at once to run at full speed. Captain Topping, being very per- sistent, would not cut clear. Soon after this a heavy fog concealed everything from sight. It was thought that in trying to kill the whale, the boat was smashed, and everyone lost.
It is claimed that Captain Andrew Jennings in- vented the new type of harpoon, that after much persuasion the entire whaling personnel adopted. and used ever after, but that he never had it patent- ed. The following list includes men who never be- came captains, but who followed that business for a good part of their lives :
Gurdon P. Ludlow witnessed the destruction of the whaling fleet by the Shenandoah, and received a portion of the "Alabama Claims" award; Josiah Rogers, Daniel Woodruff, Melvin Halsey. William Foster, Charles C. Topping, Lemmel Halsey, Theo- dore Topping, William Kaufman, Wallace W. Hil-
SKETCHES FROM LOCAL HISTORY
.. 4
Sailors Monument in Oakland Cemetery, Sag Harbor
dreth, J. Lawrence Cook, Jesse Ludlow. W. J. Huntting, Charles Cook Halsey, E. Erastus Halsey. Sinon Rose, Edwin C. Halsey, Ernest Stein. James Feary, Oscar Brown, Henry J. Thomas, Nora-(a Portuguese), George Strong, Charles Fee. John Casey, Albert Jennings. Samuel Ludlow, Gabriel Ludlow, William H. Cook, David Pierson, John and Joseph Edwards, Kingston Rugg. David Rose. Theodore Pierson, George Ludlow, and probably many others.
Captain Eugene Ludlow was about the last from here that stayed in the business. The last I ever heard of him, he was captain of a steamer on the Yukon River. Probably one of the best whalemen who ever went from this locality was John Sayre. He never became captain, but because of his great ability, for years he received the same compensation as the captain with whom he sailed. An officer loved and respected by all with whom he ever sailed, but a great lover of jokes.
On one voyage, a big over-grown fellow, not real
bright, came to John when only a few days out of port and asked how they got their clothes washed when at sea. John tokl him the captain always did the washing for the crew, and that at the week end when he changed his clothes, to do them up in a snug bundle and take them aft to the "Old Man" (referring to the captain). The sailor obeyed, and told the captain "that he had quite a large wash that week, but there would not be as many after that week." The captain replied by telling him he "did not believe there would be", and told him where to go and take his clothes with him. The captain knew where the idea originated. One dark. stormy night, the order was given to shorten sail, and as the sailors began to go aloft. John told this same man that "it would be awful dark up there, and that he had better ask the 'Okl Man' for a lantern." which he did.
Alanson Cook never became captain, but on ship- board filled a position just about as responsible. On one voyage they rescued a Hawaiian Prince, who, with his crew had been driven far to sea in a storm. and would probably have perished had they not taken them back to the Islands. For this deed, the King of the Islands, Kamehameha II, sought to be- stow all manner of gifts upon them, in fruits, vege- tables, etc., and tried to persuade Cook to accept one of the finest women on the Islands for a wife.
About a year ago I found an old letter written by Alfred W. Foster of East Hampton, to Eliza E. Foster, and forwarded by the U. S. Consul at the Sandwich Islands. This is dated April 7th, 1846. He states that he has been away 30 months, and has just received his first letter from home. It was writ- ten just after the great fire in Sag Harbor Novem- ber 14th, 1845. He says, "We are about to start for the Northwest Coast. I went to the Missionary's and got some papers printed at Oahu, and read as follows : Drowned, Feb. 6th, 1845. Mr. Isaac Plato. 3rd officer of the American Whale Ship 'Hudson' of Sag Harbor. He is spoken of in the highest terms, as having been an excellent officer". Again, "I think Sag Harbor ships have had hard luck, a number of them have lost men. We have lost one fine shipmate who fell from the fore topsail yard. and sank to rise no more till that day when the sea shall give up the dead. It was a solemn time aboard
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> I can tell you, his name was Stephen S. Cook of Bridgehampton. He was about 19 years old, a very likely young man, and a fine shipmate." He was an older brother of Baldwin Cook of this place.
Mr. Vibert Halsey of this place once told me that the worst storm he ever knew was in the Indian Ocean, when to prevent the ship's foundering, the captain ordered her planking smashed off so the water could run off the deck. J. Lawrence Cook said the most wicked man he ever met was an Eng- Esliman on board of a whaler. Cook was a mate on this ship, and because of his office, was not sup- posed to go aloft, but it was a terrific storm, and even the sailors were afraid, so Cook went aloft with them: it so happened, as they went out on the yard arm that the Englishman was next to him. It was an awful thunder storm, and Cook saw that the men were not working as they should, so he "opened on them" (to use a sea-faring expression ) for he saw the ship was in danger. Of all those hardened sail- ors, the Englishman was the only one that quailed. when he said, "Officer Cook, please don't speak so harshly". At heart he was a coward in the presence of danger.
Tlie bark "Ocean" sailed from Sag Harbor Au- gust 9th, 1867. under the command of Captain Ham- ilton, bound for the South Atlantic, on a whaling voyage. This ship was noted as being very heavily sparred, which made her, especially when light. rather top-lieavy. Captain James H. Rogers had sailed about the same time, and sighted the "Ocean" the afternoon before they crossed the Gulf Stream. In crossing the Gulf Stream they had a terrific storm. Capt. Rogers made this remark to his of- ficers that night : "If the 'Ocean' is carrying the · same rig that she was when we saw her this after- noon, and has not lowered her upper spars and yards. she will have trouble tonight". Captain Rog- ers' ship rode out the gale. The "Ocean", with Cap- tain Hamilton, and all the crew were never seen nor heard from again, nor any vestige of wreckage that might have come from that ship.
After the discovery of petroleum, the demand for whale oil decreased to such an extent that the whal- ing industry failed to be profitable. Then gold was discovered in California, and that turned the tide of adventure and exploit in that direction. A goodly number of the old whaleships were bought by stock
companies and fitted out to take these men to the "land of gold". Most of these vessels went to decay in the harbor and rivers above San Francisco. Thus ended the whaling industry, as well as that fleet of ships, largely manned and owned by men of this locality.
In the year 1858 Luther D. Cook, a prominent citizen of Sag Harbor, wrote an article for the local press in which he tells a number of interesting facts relating to the early history of that seaport town. He says in part :
"Capt. Ephraim Fordham was born in Sag Har- bor March 12th, 1737. and when 17 years of age was engaged in the whaling business in Nantucket. Later. he went first mate of the first whaling sloop from Sag Harbor commanded by Daniel Fordham. Still later, he was captain of the schooner 'Eagle'. the first whaling vessel out of Sag Harbor after the Revolution.
"New York and Sag Harbor were made ports of entry, and United States collection districts, ( or customs houses ) the same day in the year. 1788, and at that time Sag Harbor had more tons of square- rigged vessels engaged in foreign commerce than did New York. John Gelston, a man born in Bridge- hampton, was the first Collector of Customs. ap- pointed by President Washington.
"The pioneer deep sea whaler out of Sag Harbor was the brig 'Lucy', owned by Col. Benjamin Hunt- ting. On her first voyage she returned with 360 barrels of oil. This was in the year 1788." This led to the building of the big whaling fleet that made Sag Harbor famous as well as rich, and made it possible to build those fine specimens of architecture no where equalled on Long Island, many of which are preserved to this day.
Among the noted ships in that fleet of whalers was the "Wiscassett". that brought the Carnegie family to this country. The one remarkable feature of this ship was the fact that she was always favored with good fortune, and made hier different owners really rich. . This vessel was finally sold and entered the merchant service between New York and Liver- pool.
The ship "Cadmus" which had formerly been a Havre line packet, was bought in the year 1828 by Mulford & Slight, who fitted her for the whaling industry. While in the merchant service, on one
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voyage in 1824 she brought Lafayette to America. After many years in the whaling business, in Octo- ber. 1849. she was bought by a company of Eastern Long Island men, and under command of Captain John W. Fordham, sailed around Cape Horn to San Francisco, where she was condemned and wrecked. Her owners disbanded and became miners for gold. In 1856 portions of her timber were used for plank- ing the streets of San Francisco. A miniature re- production of this old ship was made, and was owned for many years by a resident of San Fran- cisco. This model was made of the timber of the old ship. the deck from the door frame of the cabin. and the forecastle from the berth where Gen. Lafay- ette slept.
This model was owned and perhaps made by a William Simmons, a resident of San Francisco. This information I obtained from an old record I found in Sag Harbor a few years ago. In the year 1932 I wrote the postmaster of San Francisco ask- ing if he would search the oldl census records of that city for the name of William Simmons which he very kindly did, but he failed to find that name.
I then put an Ad. in two of the daily papers of that city, and received several replies, one of which was from a lady living in Eureka, Cal., who said that her mother when young and living in San Francisco knew William Simmons and family ; she also remembered that he had several ship models in his home. Several months later this lady when vis- iting in that city ascertained that Simmons had died . several years ago, and it was thought the ship mod- els were destroyed in the earthquake fire.
The last voyage that the old whale ship "Union" ever made as a whaler she was in command of Capt. James H. Rogers of Bridgehampton. William Ford- ham of Southampton was first mate. John Penny of the Springs. East Hampton, was second mate. Charles C. Topping of Bridgehampton stecred the first mate's boat, Remington King. Aaron Conklin. John Baker and John Mulligan were fore-mast hands, and Henry J. Thomas was cabin boy.
This voyage was rather remarkable from the fact that they killed a whale in which was a quantity of ambergris. No one knew what it was, but Henry Thomas called the attention of the first mate to a lump of strange looking material which floated from the carcass. The mate said to Thomas, jest-
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