Tag: Bay of Fundy

Heroic rescue at sea in January 1905: Coming home After 6 weeks RT to Grand Banks, Gloucester Schooner “Theodore Roosevelt” saves Nova Scotia “Ohio” crew and brigantine wreck, undone by violent blizzard at sea

Posted on by Catherine

The captain of the Canadian ship “Ohio”, Rupert A. Ryan, was 27 years old and a newlywed. His bride was on her first voyage at sea. The captain of the American schooner Theodore Roosevelt, James McHenry, lived on Shepherd Street in Gloucester.

photo: McHenry family lived in this white house on Shepherd Street, between Maplewood and Willow Street. There was a school across the street from the Mchenry’s.

The Saint John built brigantine, owned in NY, carrying timber from Nova Scotia, was caught in and battled through a blizzard without success Jan 3-6, 1905 after surmounting a series of gales since Dec. 26.

The terrifying and triumphant tale made global news. Here’s the coverage–great reads–published in the Boston Globe and Nova Scotia papers, a worthy inspiration for a film or series set here in Gloucester.

After reading through the stories, drive past the house on Shepherd St. today. It’s easy to think about the meal that night, the wife and children waiting for weeks at home and worried as the return deadline came and went, the Gloucester crew willing to take to the dories in rough waters to aid the Ohio despite risks and past losses, the generous hosting of the young newlywed storm survivors, and the local hospital care the N.B. crew received come morning, including “three Scandinavians and 1 Spaniard” unnamed.

Boston Globe

“GLOUCESTER – Five persons rowed up the harbor in a dory from Eastern point through the snow at 8 o’clock tonight and landed on the Atlantic docks.

They were Capt. James McHenry and two of his crew of the schooner Theodore Roosevelt of this port, and Capt. and Mrs. Rupert A. Ryan of the brigantine Ohio of St. John, New Brunswick (NB).

The Roosevelt had anchored in the roadstead until morning. About four miles astern with a prize crew of eight of the Roosevelt’s crew aboard, lies the Ohio.

The members of crew of the Ohio, badly frostbitten, are aboard the Roosevelt. Tomorrow they will be brought to the hospital.

The Ohio left Kingsport, NS, December 26, with a cargo of lumber, deals and laths in the hold and on deck, comprising about 320,000 feet of lumber.

Disaster Off Grand Manan.

Capt. Ryan is 27, and has been at sea almost since he was able to walk. He says he never experienced anything like the recent storm for severity. The entire passage of the Ohio was a series of gales and extreme cold.

She was obliged to lie at Spencer harbor, NS, a week, and left there Jan. 3, with the wind east-northeast.

Tuesday morning while off Grand Manan, in the bay of Fundy, a northeast snowstorm and gale broke on them in all its fury, and from then until Wednesday morning the vessel was practically at the mercy of the wind and sea.

The sails of the Ohio were carried away. Huge seas broke aboard, submerging everything on deck, filling the cabin and forecastle, and carrying away part of the deck load.

To add to the terrors of the storm the Ohio sprang a leak, and although the water rose high in the hold, the fact that she was lumber-laden prevented her from sinking.

It was bitter cold, and the men at the pumps were chilled to the bone, being drenched again and again by the icy seas.

The skylight was lifted, and Mrs. Ryan, who is a young woman of slight build, about 24, was forced to retreat to the top berth of her stateroom to escape the water.

Crew Works to Exhaustion.

Wednesday and Thursday the seas broke over the vessel constantly. The wheel and compass binnacle was carried away and the vessel wallowed all but helpless. The water and spray froze as it struck and coated the deckload with a heavy mass of ice, dragging the bow of the vessel’s head nearly two feet under.

From Wednesday morning until Thursday morning at 8 neither food, drink, nor shelter was available to the crew exposed to the icy cold, and at that time the crew gave up exhausted

Human nature could stand no more. Every man from the mate down fell to the deck clinging to mast or rigging to prevent being swept overboard. Only Capt. Ryan was able to get about. All, including the captain, were badly frostbitten.

Early Thursday morning Capt. Ryan had hoisted a signal of distress in the rigging.

Captain’s Wife First Rescued.

The schooner Theodore Roosevelt of this port was coming home from a six week’s voyage to the Grand banks, where she had been on a halibut voyage, when she sighted the Ohio. She was soon alongside. Dories were put over in quick order. The woman was first taken aboard and the others, more dead than alive, quickly followed.

The poor fellows were in pitiable condition. Food, warm drink, and dry clothing were given them, and their frostbitten hands, feet and faces were bathed and everything possible done for them.

Eight men of the Roosevelt crew, Sylvester Thompson, David Higgin, Neal McPhee, Michael White, James de Loucrie, Angus MacDonald, Lafayette Johnson and Gardner Sullivan, the latter a state of Maine man, were put aboard as a prize crew. A steering wheel was improvised and jury sails set.

The Roosevelt showed the way for Gloucester and the brigantine followed, each burning lights at night.

Safe Around Eastern Point.

Just after 7 tonight the Roosevelt rounded Eastern point and anchored. Just prior to that the prize crew had signaled from Thatchers with lights.

Besides Capt. Ryan and wife, the Ohio’s crew comprised, first mate Enos Barshure of Kingsport, N.S., second mate Harry burns, steward Howard Neanes of Loringsville, N.S., and four men of various nationalities before the mast.

The Ohio is about 25 years old, 325 tons and was built at St. John, NB her present hailing port. Vessel and cargo are owned by Scanlan Bros of New York, where she was bound.

While all the Ohio’s men are badly off, the mate, Barsure fared the worst. Capt. Ryan’s face and hands are also badly affected.

Capt. and Mrs. Ryan were the guests of Capt. McHenry on Shepherd St tonight.

Capt. McHenry’s homecoming was especially welcome as his wife and three little children were worrying concerning his absence in the heavy storms.”

Author unknown. Boston Globe, January 1905

Published in CanaDA

“Gloucester, Mass. Jan. 6 – The fishing sch. Theodore Roosevelt of this port which anchored inside the breakwater tonight, had on board nine happy passengers, comprising Captain Rupert A. Ryan, Mrs. Ryan, and seven sailors, all of whom were rescued from the British brigantine Ohio yesterday off Grand Manan. The Ohio was leaking badly and had suffered the loss of sails and received other severe damage during the terrible gales of the past three days. The Roosevelt put a prize crew on board the Ohio and kept company with her until this evening when five miles off Thatcher’s island. The former then left her prize behind and proceeded to this port as rapidly as possible, leaving the prize crew to work the unfortunate vessel into port. With the present favorable winds it is believed this will be done during the night.

The Ohio left Kingsport, N.S., for New York Dec. 26, with a cargo of 320,000 feet of lumber, and after a series of gales, made Spencer Island, N.S. for a harbor, sailing from there on Jan. 3. Hardly had they put to se when the wind came up strong from the northeast, the weather became terribly cold, followed by a blinding snow storm off Grand Manan, the vessel caught the full force of the gale, the seas constantly breaking over her. On Wednesday morning a big wave swept over the vessel, carrying away a portion of her deckload, her binnacles and smashing the wheel. This rendered it impossible to steer the vessel and, tossed at the mercy of the sea, she began to leak. All hands were called to the pumps, but the cold was so intense that the crew were frost-bitten and were soon forced to stop work.

Another sea smashed the skylights, filling the cabin with water. Mrs. Ryan was forced to take refuge in the upper bunk to escape drowning.

The heavy seas not only flooded the vessel, but they also spoiled the ship’s food and fresh water supply, while the vessel itself became a mass of ice from stem to stem.

With no fire, their food and water supply gone, the weather freezing cold and a raging storm in progress, the sufferings of those on the Ohio were terrible all though Wednesday night.

About 8 o’clock Thursday morning the weather having moderated considerably, a sail was sighted and a signal of distress was raised by the half-frozen men on the Ohio and this was seen by the sch. Roosevelt, which was returning from a Grand Banks fishing trip. The Roosevelt quickly bore down upon her and learning that the crew desired to be taken off, at once began preparations for their rescue. Captain James McHenry of the Roosevelt called for volunteers and every one of the eighteen members of the crew responded.

A heavy sea was running, which made the attempted rescue a most perilous undertaking. Two dories, each containing two men, were sent off to the Ohio, and after much difficulty the life-savers succeeded in taking off the nine persons on the Ohio.

All were badly frost bitten, half frozen and half starved, but when once aboard the Roosevelt they were furnished with dry clothing and food and drink, and given every possible assistance by their rescuers.

After consultation with his own men, Captain McHenry decided to put a prize crew of eight men on the Ohio and endeavor if possible to work her into Gloucester harbor.

This, it is believed, can be done, as her cargo of lumber serves to keep her afloat, and the wind tonight is favorable for the undertaking.

Upon the arrival of the Roosevelt in port, she anchored inside the breakwater, and Captain and Mrs. Ryan came to the city as guests of Captain McHenry. The crew remained on board the Roosevelt for the night. The names of those comprising the Ohio’s crew are: Enos Barkshire, first mate. Harry Barrows, second mate. Howard Naves, steward. Three Scandinavians and one Spaniard whose names are unknown.

Mrs. Ryan, who is but 24 years of age, and who has been married but a short time, was taking her first trip at sea with her husband.

The Ohio is a vessel of 325 tons, hails from St. John N.B. and is owned by Scanlon Bros. of New York.

—

The Ohio was built by Andrew Ruddock in his yard on the Strait Shore in 1882 to the order of Charles A. Palmer. She was 130 feet long, 29 feet beam and 14 feet depth of hold, tonnage 348.”*

1905- Terrible Experience of a St. John Brigantine. Capt. Ryan, His Wife and Crew Taken from Storm Tossed Ohio by American Fishing Schooner, Daily Sun. *Editor added beneath Gloucester wired story. Surmising because it mentioned that the brigantine was British.

wires in Perth, NJ and St. Paul, MN

1913

In 1913, the reverse would happen. The Theodore Roosevelt wrecked on Nova Scotia rocks, “12 miles west of Point Prim Light”, a total loss of vessel and freight. The Canadian “little river tug Sissiboo” set out to help.

1902

In 1902, three years prior to the heroic rescue almost to the day, Capt. McHenry relayed the sad news that the Theodore Roosevelt lost two men, trawling in a dory was emphasized:

“Halifax, N.S., Dec. 30– The loss by drowning of two men from the Gloucester fishing schooner Theodore Roosevelt is reported by the Gloucester schooner Annie Greenlaw, Capt. Crowell, which put in here last night to land a sick man, Daniel McEachern. The Greenlaw on Dec. 26, at Bank Quero. spoke the Theodore Roosevelt, and Capt. McHenry of the latter vessel reported that William Johnson and Joseph Brennan were drowned, a heavy sea upsetting their dory while they were tending their trawls.

The loss of Roosevelt’s two men was reported by wire to the schooner’s owners, in Gloucester, last night, but it was understood in that city that the men had strayed while tending trawls, not that they were drowned.”

Dec. 30, 1902

caption: Detail from Gloucester’s Fishermen Lost at Sea memorial. Search for Johnson and Brennan under the 1902 tribute names

THEODORE ROOSEVELT OHIO
American schooner Canadian brigantine
fishing and cargo transportcargo transport
built in 1901in Gloucesterbuilt in 1882* by Andrew Ruddock
in his Strait Shore St. John NB ship yard
for Charles A. Palmer

*An 1847 brigantine “Ohio” built at Marietta, OH was involved in the illegal slave trade
90 tons325 tons | 348 tonnage
125 feet
wood hull		130 feet long
29 feet beam
12 feet depth of hold
wrecked Oct 31, 1913wrecked Jan 4-6, 1905
then owned by then owned by Scanlan Bros., NY

Maritime Museum, N.S.

1885 “Timely rescue by hardy men of Gloucester” Boston Globe interviews Captains from schooners Clytie and Alaska about the terrible hurricane at Christmas time

Posted on by Catherine

On this day, a rescue at sea, December 29, 1885. Boston Globe story presented accounts from both crews and was published January 2, 1886, (author possibly Tom Herbert)

DRIVEN TO THE SEA: In the terrible gale at Christmas Time. Facing Starvation and Cold on the Schooner Alaska. Timely Rescue by Hardy Men of Gloucester.

Still another is added to the long list of stories of terrible sufferings at sea and gallant rescues that will long make memorable the month of December, 1885. The schooner Clytie of Gloucester arrived in port Thursday night, with the schooner Alaska in tow, the latter vessel showing evidence of the trying ordeal through which she had passed. The story of the recue as told by Captain Courant of the Clytie, is one of thrilling interest.

“Tuesday morning,” said he, in his bluff, hearty manner, “just at daybreak, we sighted a vessel way off on the horizon. We could not make out shwa she was, or what she was doing. We couldn’t really make out whether there was anything the matter with her or not, she was so far away. I went up on the house with the glass. It looked then as if she was an anchor, but we knew that could not be so, as there was no bank there. By and by, as it grew lighter, and we worked up nearer, we saw the signals of distress flying. We were then under two reefed foresail, with bonnet off the jib. When we saw she was in distress we put two reefs in the mainsail and stood up for her. Remember all this time it was a howling hurricane. It was a different thing out there 150 miles at sea, with the great waves threatening to send us to Davy Jones’ locker every minute than what it is to tell of it here in comfortable quarters. When we got near the vessel we saw at once that it would be impossible to board her. So we laid by the rest of the day and all night, and the next morning, though it was still dangerous work,

We Got Out One of the Dories

and got aboard. I tell you it was a hard sight, and the story of terrible suffering from hunger and exposure was a pitiful one. The schooner was the Alaska from , N.B. She sailed Friday, with a crew of six besides the captain, but was met by a fearful gale when outside, and forced to drop anchor. The gale, however increased to such an extent that both cables parted, and the schooner drifted helplessly out to sea. From that time until Tuesday morning, when we discovered her in latitude 42 50 north, longitude 67 21’ west, she was driven about at the mercy of the wind and waves. Their provisions gave out, and death by starvation stared them in the face. They grew weaker and weaker, but still were obliged to do what they could to keep the vessel afloat. Their sails were gone, their decks swept with the waves, and they were drenched to the skin. The cold increased, and with it, their sufferings. Death must soon have ended all if we had not sighted them just as we did. But even under those circumstances the captain didn’t want to desert his schooner; he said she was all he owned in the world, and he had almost rather go down with her than lose her. There was, however, no water, no kerosene and nothing to eat on board, and the vessel was in a dangerous position. She had been loaded with hay and wood, but her deep load of wood had long ago been washed overboard. As I stepped on board the craft, which seemed just

Ready to Take Its Final Plunge,

the Captain stepped forward and said:

“Can you give me some men to help me work my vessel?”

“No, sir,” said I, as I glanced about the wreck; “in the first place, there isn’t a man aboard my vessel would take the risk of going with you.”

“And you won’t let me have even one man” said he in despair, as he began to see his last chance of saving his vessel disappearing.

“No,” said I, “I wouldn’t leave one of my men aboard this craft to take his chances with you if she was loaded with gold.”

He then offered me $100 for a man, but of course, I refused.

“I will,” said I, “do one of two things: I will take your crew aboard my boat, or I will put a crew aboard your vessel and try to work her in.” This last offer I made on condition that I should receive $1000 if I got the vessel in port safely. I was off on a fishing trip, and of course I couldn’t lose my voyage for nothing. It might pay me $1000, and it might not, but that was about fair for the loss of my voyage. He offered me $500 and then $700, but I told him I wouldn’t take $999; that $1000 was only the fair thing. He finally consented and signed the following agreement:

December 29, 1885

I hereby agree to pay the schooner Clytie the sum of one thousand dollars ($1000) to help save my vessel and crew. JOSEPH BISHOP.

Of course in doing even this I had to take my chances of losing my voyage, for we were in a dangerous position, and the chances of saving the vessel were poor. I told him I would take him into the first port I could. The wind was fair for the Nova Scotia coast, but it is a bad place there, and I told him I would try to get him into either Boston or Gloucester. I put six men aboard. The wind favored us, and here we are safe and sound.

“The names of my crew who ran down in the Alaska? Oh, they were Pat Foley, Dick Welch, King Silva, Frank Tijer, John Shea and John McNulty—a good set of boys they are, too.”

“How are the crew of the Alaska getting along?”

“Well, they suffered terribly, but will be all right in a few days. The mate is the worst off, his feet and fingers being frozen. It was a close call for them all, but you know we seafaring men have to take our chances.”

Captain Courant, sch. Clytie

A “Sully Miracle on the” Sea story! Now from the sch. Alaska point of view:

LASHED TO THE WHEEL: Experience of the Crew of the Alaska Given by Captain Bishop—Their Miraculous Escape

Captain Bishop of the schooner Alaska was found aboard his vessel, which is lying on the north side of Union wharf. When asked about his trip, he said it was the roughest weather he had seen for over thirty years.

“We started,” said he, “from Harvey, N.S., Christmas afternoon, with a deckload of cordwood and hay in the hold for James Stevenson of this port. It was blowing pretty hard at the time, but we supposed it would soon moderate. After running about two miles, and when off Grindstone Island, we decided to anchor, as the wind appeared to be increasing. We placed two anchors ahead and let out 210 fathoms of chain. At 2 o’clock the next afternoon the chains parted, and the vessel drifted into the Bay of Fundy. It was then snowing hard, the sea was tremendously high, and it was blowing a terrific gale from the northeast by east. It was impossible to carry any canvas, so we rode along under bare poles. At midnight the storm was fearful. The high seas washed continually over the decks, and the two men at the wheel had to be lashed, otherwise it would have been impossible for them to remain on deck. At 3 o’clock Monday morning we hove the vessel too by a peak in the mainsail. At 7 o’clock we were to north-northwest, with part of the three-reefed foresail and peak of the mainsail, the rest of the mainsail and two jibs having been blown away. At 3 o’clock that afternoon we found ourselves near the breakers, on the southern point of Grand Manan. In the meantime it changed from snow to hail and were then able to see ahead for the first time since Saturday. The first thing we saw was that we were going ashore inside of Gannet rock.

Our stern was close into the breakers when the keeper of the light motioned to us to steer to the south, which we did, and the vessel passed out safely. All this time the sea was mountains high and washing clear over the lighthouse.

Cpt. Bishop, sch. Alaska
Gannet Rock lighthouse – photograph Canadian Coast Guard collection shared on Lighhousefriends.com

The mate and two seamen had their hands and feet badly frostbitten, while my limbs were partially paralyzed Monday evening the wind veered around to north-northwest. At 10 o’clock Tuesday morning, when 130 miles east by south of Cape Ann, we met the fishing schooner Clytie, which towed us to this port. The Alaska had her boat and deckload carried away.

Boston Globe report published Jan 2, 1886

The vessels:

Itemized on List of vessels district of Gloucester August 1878, Gloucester archives 

 Gloucester Harbor. Alaska. 63.87 tonnage.
 Master’s name M.M. Murray Number 455 
 Built in Gloucester in 1867 by George Norwood & Sons
  
 Gloucester Harbor. Clytie. 72.17 tonnage.
 Master’s name A.C. Browell #125,125
 Built in Gloucester 1873 Rowe & Jordan

Gloucester Archives Merchant Vessels 1878 – PDFDownload

2019 article about the history of the (now deteriorating) Gannet lighthouse (yes, for the birds that were there) with interview of former lighthouse keeper: “The Gannet Rock lighthouse soars above a rocky islet off Grand Manan, an old beacon of light for fisherman. But the tower, built in 1831, is battered from years of neglect. It was abandoned in the early 2000s and stopped being maintained by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in 2010. “

PDF of full page Boston Globe article Timely RescueDownload

Winslow Homer, Ship building Gloucester Harbor, 1873

Same year as Clytie was built

Scenes of vessels/fishing industry in Gloucester harbor and accounts of winter storms

1876

Ten years earlier, “The December Gales of 1876” chapter from The Fishermen’s Own Book comprising The List of Men and Vessels Lost from Gloucester, Mass., from 1874 – April 1, 1882 AND a Table of Losses From 1830, together with Valuable Statistics of the Fisheries, ALSO Notable Fares, Narrow Escapes, Startling Adventures, Fishermen’s Off-Hand Sketches, Ballads, Descriptions of Fishing Trips, AND Other Interesting Facts and Incidents Connected with This Branch of Maritime Industry, Entered according to Act of Congress, 1882, Procter Bros., Lib of Congress

1902

Clarence Manning Falt

1920s & 1930s

Leslie Jones, others

Marsh Greens

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Has anyone heard of eating Marsh greens?

I’m thinking the people that try to restore and protect the salt marshes would just about shit if they heard about people promoting the eating of Marsh greens.

I’d never heard of it til i read about it on the Bay of Fundy Blog.