America (pilot boat)

The America, No. 21 was a 19th-century pilot boat built in 1880 for the New York City and Sandy Hook Pilots. She was a replacement for the William H. Aspinwall, No. 21, that was lost off Point Judith, Rhode Island in 1880. She weathered the Great Blizzard of 1888 and was one of the oldest pilot-boats still in service in a time when they were being replaced by steam pilot boats. Another pilot-boat named America was built in 1849 for the Boston pilots. She was named America, after the famous America's Cup defender.

For the yacht, see America (yacht).
New York pilot schooner America, No. 21, with owner's flag "W.H.A." , 1876.
History
US
Name: America
Owner: N. Y. Pilots
Launched: October 25, 1880
Christened: October 25, 1880
Out of service: February 1, 1896
Fate: Sold
General characteristics
Class and type: schooner
Tonnage: 75-tons TM[1]
Length: 79 ft 8 in (24.28 m)
Beam: 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Draft: 75 ft 0 in (22.86 m)
Depth: 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Propulsion: Sail

Construction and service

America No. 21

On October 25, 1880, a new pilot boat, America, No. 21 was launched for the New York Pilots as a replacement for the William H. Aspinwall, No. 21, that was lost in 1880, off Point Judith, Rhode Island.[2] Belle Dunning broke a champagne bottle over the vessel's bow during the launch. The owners were Captain Weaver and Walter Brewer of New York.[3]

The pilot-boat America, No. 21, was registered with the Record of American and Foreign Shipping from 1882 to 1900 to the N.Y. Pilots as owners and Walter Brewer as Captain. She was listed as being built in Bath, Maine, by the Goss & Sawyer shipyard in 1880. She was 79.8 feet long and 75-tons.[1]

Captain Joseph Henderson was attached to the pilot boat, America, No. 21, in the Great Blizzard of 1888, and at the time of his death on October 8, 1890.[4] During the blizzard, the America was cruising off Fire Island when she got caught up in the winter storm, but came safely into port.[5]

On May 17, 1895, the Life Savers' Benevolent Association presented gold medals and money to the crew of the pilot-boat America No. 21, for saving the crew of 9 men off the American schooner Rose Esterbrook. Pilots James Jackson, Edward Develin, and Henry Hoiz received gold medals.[6]

On July 23, 1988, A. H. Murphy, Jr. of the pilot boat America No. 21, met Captain Andrews of the Dark Secret, 432 miles out from New York, who feel into bad weather and had to return to the New York harbor.[7]

End of service

On February 1, 1896, the New York Pilots discarded sixteen sailboats and moved them to the Erie Basin in Brooklyn. They were replaced with steam pilot boats. The America, was sold for $5,500.[8]

William H. Aspinwall
William H. Aspinwall Pilot Boat, No. 21.

The pilot boat William H. Aspinwall, No 21, was launched from the yard of J. B. Van Dusen Bros. at the East River, on January 30 1861. Owners were Mrs. Dale, Henry L. Weaver, John Shooks, and James Callahan. Captain Walter Brewer was in command of the vessel.[9] It was one of the twenty-one New York pilot boats in 1860.

The William H. Aspinwall, was registered with the Record of American and Foreign Shipping from 1877 to 1885 to Walter Brewer as the captain and the N. Y. Pilots as owners. She was listed as built in 1861 in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and was 46 tons.[10]

On April 20, 1880, the pilot schooner William H. Aspinwall, No. 21 of New York, was out out looking for vessels to pilot when she was caught in a thick fog. She sailed one mile from the Fire Island Lighthouse and hit the bar and was a total loss. A life saving crew reached the boat and rescued the pilot crew.[11] Captain Walter Brewer commanded the lost boat and was part owner.[12]

On October 25, 1880, a new pilot boat, the America, No. 21 was substituted for the William H. Aspinwall, No. 21.[2]

See William Henry Aspinwall for more information.

America, No. 1

Another pilot-boat named America was the famous yacht America, and first winner of the America's Cup international sailing trophy. She was built in 1849 in Greenpoint, New York by George Steers.

The America was registered with the Record of American and Foreign Shipping from 1884 to 1900 to James H. Reid as Captain and J. H. French as owners. She was 96 feet long and weighed 90 tons. Her hailing port was Gloucester, Massachusetts.[13]

On August 26, 1857, Captain Michael Stevens, Jr., of Newburyport, Massachusetts, fell from the pilot-boat America off Cape Ann, Massachusetts when a sudden movement of the boom knocked him overboard. It was reported that he was a good swimmer and was able to save himself from drowning.[14]

Yacht America, c. 1874, photographed by Nathaniel Stebbins.

In 1874, Reid commanded the yacht America when she was owned by Benjamin F. Butler. He completed 17 summer cruises in her from Labrador to South America. He named the new America, after the America's Cup defender.[15][16][17]

On February 13, 1895, the pilot boat America, No. 1, was blown out to sea in a storm. She survived the storm and arrived at Stapleton, Staten Island with the crew from the schooner Nathan Easterbroook, which sank.[18]

New America, No. 1

On April 19, 1897, a new America No. 1 was built for Captain James H. Reid of Boston and designed from the line drawings by Thomas F. McManus of Boston. She was launched from the shipyard of John Bishop of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Pilots James H. Reid, Jr., and Bruce B. McLean were assigned to the new boat. Her dimensions were 101 feet overall, 85 feet length on waterline, 23 foot beam, depth of hold 10 feet 6 inches. She was built of white oak frame planking and fastened with galvanized iron and bolts and spikes below the waterline.[19]

The Boston pilot-boat America, No. 1, was registered with the Record of American and Foreign Shipping from 1884 to 1900, and James Reid as the Captain and J. H. French as owners.[20]

On July 8, 1897, the pilot-boat America was in the Fisherman's Race against the fishing schooner James S. Steele. The race went along Long Island. The America beat the James S. Steele by three minutes. Pilot Bruce McClain took the place of Captain James Reid who was on the battleship USS Massachusetts.[21] In December, of the same year, Captain Reid of America, No. 1, won another Fisherman's Race against pilot-boat No. 2 and the schooner Harry L. Belden.[22] The Boston America did not resemble her famous namesake, rather she was designed with a fishing schooner 'Indian head' bow.[23]

On April 1, 1898, the Boston pilot-boat America, rescued the crew of the Nova Scotia vessel Genius, 18 miles off the Boston Light. The rescued men were transferred from the America, to the pilot-boat Hesper, No. 5.[24]

Pilot Boat America No. 1 from the Boston Globe newspaper on April 29, 1902.

On January 20, 1902, Pilot Benny Nelson, of the pilot boat America No. 1, brought in a Dominion Line steamer New England.[25]

On August 22, 1901, pilot Joseph Colby of the pilot boat America, No. 1, brought into Long Wharf the fruit steamer Admiral Schley. There was a thick fog 140 miles off the cost.[26] The pilot boat America No. 1, was used as a lightship station boat. Captain James Reid boarded the Warren liner Sagamore, from the America station boat on November 3, 1901.[27]

When the Boston pilots reorganized in 1901, down to five boats, the pilot-boat America was continued in the service. Captain Reid with the America, piloted out the last vessel under the old system.[28]

On April 29, 1902, Boston pilot-boat America, No. 1, carried the ashes of Captain Frank Fowler, encased in a small rosewood box, at the National Dock wharf, East Boston. Captain James H. Reid was on the deck of the America.[29]

On December 29, 1918, after serving 21 years in the Boston Pilots' Association, the America was sold to David W. Simpson of Boston. The America had been laid up at the National Dock for the past 2 years.[30]

See also

References
  1. "Record of American and Foreign Shipping 1900". Mystic Seaport Museum. New York. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  2. "Annual Meeting of the Commissioners-A Year of Prosperity". The New York Times. New York, New York. 1881-01-05. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  3. "Bath Locals". The Portland daily press. Portland, Me. 1880-10-25. p. 4. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  4. "Pilot Henderson Dead". The Evening Edition World. 1890-10-08.
  5. Russell, Charles Edward (1929). From Sandy Hook to 62°. New York: Century Co. p. 215. OCLC 3804485.
  6. "Pilots Rewarded For Bravery, Medals and Money Given to the Men of the America". The New-York Times. New York, New York. 1885-05-17. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  7. "The Dark Secret and Her Brave Captain Spoken Last Thursday". The Evening Bulletin. Maysville, Kentucky. 23 Jul 1888. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  8. "Not Up To Date. Why New York Pilots Are Discarding Sailboats". The Standard Union. Brooklyn, New York. 1896-02-01. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
  9. "Miscellaneous". New York Daily Herald. New York, New York. 30 Jan 1861. p. 2. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  10. "Record of American and Foreign Shipping 1877". Mystic Seaport Museum. New York. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  11. "Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the Fiscal Year Ending". U.S. Government Printing Office. 880. p. 137. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  12. "Long Island". The New York Times. New York, New York. 21 Apr 1880. p. 8.
  13. "Record of American and Foreign Shipping 1900". Mystic Seaport Museum. New York. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  14. "Extraordinary Salvation of Life". Buffalo Morning Express and Illustrated Buffalo Express. BBuffalo, New York. 27 Aug 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  15. "Along The Water Front". Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 1897-01-16. p. 6. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  16. "Charters Yacht America". The Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 1898-07-21. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  17. "American Yacht List 18740". Mystic Seaport Museum. New York. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  18. "Storm Driven, Pilot Boats Return After Being Blown to Sea". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1895-02-13. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  19. "the Pilot Boat America No. 1 given a "Limbering Up" Today". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1898-02-27. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  20. "Record of American and Foreign Shipping 1900". Mystic Seaport Museum. New York. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  21. "Easily Beat Fisherman, Pilot Boat America Showed Her Stern to the Steele". The Boston Daily Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1897-07-08. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  22. "Flying Fisherman. New Design by Thomas F. McManus, Designer of the Jas S. Steele". The Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1897-12-12. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  23. Cunliffe, Tom (2001). Pilots, The World Of Pilotage Under Sail and Oar. Brooklin, Maine: WoodenBoat. p. 135. ISBN 9780937822692.
  24. "Crew of Sch Genius Had a Close Call". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1898-04-01. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  25. "Along The Water Front". Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 1902-01-20. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  26. "Along The Water Front". Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 1901-08-22. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  27. "Along The Water Front". Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 1901-11-03. p. 11. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  28. Eastman, Ralph M. (1956). Pilots and pilot boats of Boston Harbor. Boston, Massachusetts: Second Bank-State Street Trust Company. p. 60.
  29. "Throwing The Ashes Of Capt Frank Fowler's Remains Into The Water". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1902-04-29. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  30. "Port Of Poston". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1918-12-29. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
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