Captain John P. Pendleton of Searsport, Maine

Seaman: Capt. John P. Pendleton
From: Searsport, Maine, USA
Ship:
Cargo/Fishing:
Coming from:
Going to:
Date of Last Location:
Latitude:
Longitude:
Cemetery of Memorial: Bowditch Cemetery
Town/State: Searsport, Maine USA

In Memory of
Captain John P. Pendleton
who was lost at sea
probably on George's Shoals
Together with all his crew.
Dec. 2, 1847
40ys 8ms.

His wife Amanda W. died about 18 years later on:
June 1, 1865
Age 55 yrs 2 ms. 15ds

WHERE IS GEORGE'S SHOALS?
is a large elevated area of the sea floor between Cape Cod, Massachusetts (United States), and Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia (Canada). It separates the Gulf of Maine from the Atlantic Ocean.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Bank

George's Banks and Nantucket Shoals seem to be coupled together, but nothing in modern times comes up with George's Shoals. Only George's Banks. These elevated areas would be notable caution areas for boats and ships of all sizes. We don't know why Capt. John P. Pendleton's intentions were for his travels.  Was he picking up or delivering cargo? Was he on a fishing trip?  

https://www.raremaps.com/gallery/detail/26159/Chart_of_Georges_Shoal_and_Bank_Surveyed_By_Charles_Wilkes_Lieut/Wilkes-Stiles,%20Sherman%20&%20Smith.html

The Gulf of Maine with the whole Maine Coast, Massachusetts,
Nova Scotia showing the shoals and banks

Capt. Joseph Pendleton of Searsport, Maine

Seaman: Capt. Joseph Pendleton
From: Searsport, Maine, USA
Ship:  
Cargo/Fishing:
Coming from: Boston, MA, USA
Going to: Bucksville, South Carolina, USA
Date of Last Location:
Longitude:
Latitude:
Cemetery of Memorial: Bowditch Cemetery
Town/State: Searsport, Maine, USA

Capt. Joseph Pendleton
 Lost at Sea
On his passage from Boston
to Bucksville, S. C.
Oct. 18, 1854
Age 26 ys 1 m

I suspect the ship ran into a Hurricane on it's way south. However, research shows that the last storm system came through on Oct. 22. Otherwise, this would be the storm as it followed a track that would have interfered with the ship. The second to last system came through Sept. 18-19, but is in the Gulf of Mexico.

1854 Atlantic Hurricane Season Map. 5 storms. I believe the longest storm is the fifth one and the short one in the Gulf of Mexico is the fourth storm.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1854_Atlantic_hurricane_season#Hurricane_Three

Bucksville, South Carolina was a boat building community and harbor.  The Clipper, "Henrietta" was build there. Here is a little more about Bucksville's history as a shipping harbor. How did they become the port they are today? Leave it up to a Mainer!:
http://scmaritimemuseum.org/henrietta-the-largest-wooden-ship-built-in-sc

South Carolina Maritime Museum- "Henrietta"

I can't find anymore information on this captain or what ship he was sailing at the time. If you can, please send me a comment and include any pertinent links or other sources.  Thanks.

Captain John D. McGlathry of Searsport, Maine

Seaman: Captain John Drummond McGlathry
From: Searsport, Maine, USA
Ship:  Brig "Benjamin Carver"
Cargo/Fishing: Cargo
Coming from: Aux Cayes, Haiti
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Cayes
Going to: Boston, MA, USA
Date of Last Location: Nov. 3, 1853
Longitude:
Cemetery of Memorial: Bowditch Cemetery
Town/State: Searsport, Maine USA

Capt. J. D. McGathry was married to Wealthy J. Pendleton of Searsport.
As far as I can tell, Captain John McGlathry was not lost at sea, but died on board the brig. This wouldn't seem like such a big deal except that this captain was only 27 years old. Something happened the the Captain of this Brig.  What was it?

Captain McGlathry's stone at Bowditch Cemetery in Searsport.

Close up of Capt. John McGlathry's stone

In Memory of Capt. J. D. McGlathry
died Nov. 3, 1853
on board the Brig "Benjamin Carver" on the passage from Aux Cayes to Boston.
Age: 27 ys 1 ms. 7 ds

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=241&GScid=89679&GRid=19347309&

I can't find any more information on McGlathry or "Benjamin Carver" the brig.

William M. Keene of Waldoboro, Maine

Seaman: W. M. Keene
From: Waldoboro, Maine, USA
Ship:  Schooner, "Cant Comet"
Cargo/Fishing: Cargo
Coming from:
Going to:
Date of Last Location: September 14, 1859,
Longitude:
Cemetery of Memorial: German Protestant Cemetery
Town/State: Waldoboro, Maine USA

Close up of the stone.

W. M. Keene, he is not titled as a captain.

In Memory of
W.M. Keene
Who was lost off
Harbor Island in the Schooner, "Cant Comet"
Sept. 14, 1859
age 29 yr. 11 ms.














It appears that Mr. Keene had a baby boy born right before or after his death. I could not find his wife near him.  She probably remarried and is buried elsewhere.

This was on the back of W. M. Keene's stone:

WHERE IS HARBOR ISLAND?

Harbor Island is an island just off Phippsburg, Maine. There is another Harbor Island up the coast a ways in Downeast, Maine right off Bucks Harbor.  It is a small, heavily wooded, heart-shaped island that, after a few sales within the last few years, was finally purchased by a Land Trust. This island is too far up from Waldoboro, (where I am assuming Keene is from... and more than likely where he sailed from ). The coast along Phippsburg really isn't that far down from Waldoboro. It would be realistic to assume this is the island he was lost off.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Harbor+Island/@43.7689705,-69.8881115,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x4cad77884f62c60b:0xf02cbf6008040b89!8m2!3d43.7689724!4d-69.8706019

Seems as though a man named Benjamin Darling bought Harbor Island, married and raised his family there. More than likely, the family was still living there when the schooner "Cant Comet" sailed near... somehow losing Mr. Keene.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbor_Island,_Phippsburg,_Maine

The historical importance of Harbor Island and nearby Malaga Island is apparent.  Benjamin Darling was a freed African slave, and his wife, Sarah, who was white, raised their family there. The family grew older and started their own families and spread out among the two islands and Phippsburg, Maine. The State of Maine actually evicted all the families (Labeled them all half-breeds, and incapable of caring for themselves) and sent them all to Pineland, which was a home/school for the "Feeble minded". (They had already become wards of the State). Their homes were dismantled and the cemetery dug up, several bodies crammed into ten coffins, and moved to the grounds of the School for the Feeble-Minded. This was obviously a very disgraceful act from the State of Maine and the towns nearby. More information about this is found at the Maine State Museum site:

http://www.mainestatemuseum.org/exhibits/malaga_island_fragmented_lives_-_educational_materials/explore_malaga_island/the_history/

Bear Island or Harbor Island and on the right is Malaga Island.
Photo- Maine State Museum, Augusta, ME, Malaga Island History

Descendents of Benjamin Darling who raised his family on Harbor Island.
This family is on Malaga island. Photo- Maine State Museum, Augusta, Maine
Malaga Island History

Information about Maine Eugenics Program that used to be in place at Pineland and other similar institutions:

https://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/ME/ME.html

A little about Pineland:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineland_Farms

Captain John G. Pendleton of Searsport, Maine

Seaman: Capt. John G. Pendleton
From: Searsport, Maine, USA
Ship: "Solferino"
Cargo/Fishing: Cargo
Coming from: Rangoon, China
Going to: London, England
Date of Last Location: Dec. 22, 1863, Last spoken off the Cape of Good Hope (Africa)
Latitude:
Longitude:
Cemetery of Memorial: Bowditch Cemetery
Town/State: Searsport, Maine USA

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=401&GScid=89679&GRid=19347290&

On Stone: (Compared to Source 1)

"In Memory of 
Captain John G. Pendleton, son of Capt. Phineas and Wealthy C. Pendleton born April 23, 1836
Master of the ship, "Solferino" which was Lost at Sea with all on board, bound from Rangoon to London. Last spoken off the Cape of Good Hope (Africa)
Dec. 22, 1863
We Mourn our Loss."

Captain Pendleton departed on his ship "Solferino" on September 30, 1862 (Stone states the year as 1863) from the East Indies.
Last heard from on December 22, 1862 (again, stone states the year as 1863) off the Cape of Good Hope. This source states they were headed for Queenstown, Ireland.  The stone states London (England).)

(Source 1:) The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 30
Pg. 148, "Why Semmes of the "Alabama" Was Not Tried"
Part II

"WHY SEMMES OF THE ALABAMA WAS NOT TRIED"


Who is Semmes and why do we care?  What does he have to do with Capt. John Pendleton and the Solferino? The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 30, page 148 describes Raphael Semmes as a person who is being accused of "Buccaneering Misdeeds" (Confederate). This included Capturing vessels, burning their cargo, Interrupting their voyages, and treating them like enemies as if at war, and all while the ships were still sailing under "The flag of our Union". During the time period of the "Solferino", the American Civil War was taking place on American soil.

The article states that: the "Solferino" had just passed the Cape of Good Hope in safety, and were spoken on the 22nd of December between that cape and the Island of St. Helena. "All well, and the ship in good condition." and were never heard from again.

Reports of conversations from some old "Alabama" (a Civil Warship) crew men declared (Semmes) on the "Alabama" in the Southeast Trades "Had fallen in with a ship "Solferino" had pursued and overtaken her as she endeavored under heavy press of canvas, to escape, and then, although she hauled down her flag and gave every signal of surrender, had fired into and sunk her with every soul on board, making no effort to rescue her crew."

The article described other incidents of such "piracy" as well.
And Semmes was not tried?

"An intelligent Englishman" who had been a crewman of the "Alabama" during the time "Solferino" disappeared stated that the "Alabama" couldn't have sunk her because they were no where near her at any point during that time period. Inspection of the logs of the "Alabama" during that time period: August 1862-March 1863 (using the articles dates instead of the dates on the stone) shows that the ship was north of the equator the whole time, where as the "Solferino" was south of the equator. The "Alabama" was in the Gulf of Mexico. on the 11th of January, 1863, she was off Galveston, Texas where she fought and sunk the U.S. Steamer "Hatteras".  On 29th January, she was at San Diego.

The other incidents reported were also debunked by witnesses, victims and logs.  THAT is why Raphael Semmes was never tried for any crimes.

Anywhere ever hear of false logs???

In the book: American Merchant Ships: 1850-1900, Vol. 1
Pg. 210, states that Captain John G. Pendleton was a Junior.  His gravestone states otherwise, stating his parents are Phineas Jr. and Wealthy C. Pendleton.

Capt. Phineas Pendleton Jr., Capt.
John G. Pendleton's Father

Wealthy Carver, Capt. John G.
Pendleton's Mother

It says that Capt. Pendleton "was lost with all his crew in the ship "Solferino", supposed to have foundered in a hurricane in the Indian Ocean in 1861 (another discrepancy in dates, the stone states 1863.) while bound to Europe with a rice cargo."

However, another search brings up an article about the "Alabama". It says when Semmes took over the ship, "Over the next two years, the "Alabama" scourged the Western ocean, stopping, pillaging and sinking 68 merchant vessels in all."  Why wasn't he tried for his crimes? The article says: "Despite his piratical methods, Semmes was a merciful man (Whah?) and was later to be acquitted of war crimes on the evidence of Union Sailors."

What really happened to Capt. Pendleton, the "Solferino" and her crew? I suppose it is a toss up, and either way ends in tragedy. 

Painting of the "Alabama" a Civil Warship

Source 2: For more information on The "Alabama" The Civil Warship Built in Birkenhead, copy and paste this link:

https://chrisryall.net/birkenhead/alabama.htm

Captain Benjamin C. Pendleton of Searsport, Maine

Seaman: Captain Benjamin C. Pendleton and Family with Crew
From: Searsport, Maine, USA
Ship: Bark "Abby Carver"
Cargo/Fishing: Cargo
Coming from: Hong Kong
Going to: Callao, Peru, South America
Date of Last Location: Left Hong Kong, August 8, 1886
Latitude:
Longitude:
Cemetery of Memorial: Bowditch Cemetery
Town/State: Searsport, Maine

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=361&GScid=89679&GRid=19162193&

Probably the most tragic Lost At Sea I have seen so far is the disappearance of the Bark, "Abby Carver". She took her captain and crew, and all but one son under with her when she went. Note: Their one surviving son, Clarence Isaac Pendleton, had stayed home to attend school.
The Penobscot Maritimes Museum in Searsport, Maine has the bark disappear in 1888, but I went by the numbers on the stones.

"In memory of Captain Benjamin C Pendleton and family Master of Bark, Abbie Carver which sailed from Hong Kong August 8,1886 bound to Callao (Peru, South America) and never heard from."

A painting of the Bark, "Abbie Carver" circa 1875 by Maine

artist, William P. Stubbs. Penobscot Marine Museum.

In Memory of
Captain Benjamin C. Pendleton
41 yrs 8 mos
Mary A.-his wife
40 yrs 9 mos.
Charles E.
19 yrs. 3 mos.
Nathan C.
15 yrs 2 mos.
Felix B.
3 yrs.
Sons of Capt. B.C. and Mary A. Pendleton
All Lost with Bark, "Abbie Carver"

Capt. Benjamin C. Pendleton

Captain B. C. Pendleton (Master of Bark "Abbie Carver" from 1882-1886) was the son of Joseph Pendleton and Fanny Coombs, born 18 Dec. 1844.

Mary Ann Park Pendleton

Mary Ann (his wife) was the daughter of James Ridley Park and Nancy Curtis.

 http://penobscotmarinemuseum.org/pbho-1/tags/searsport-sea-captains

Hong Kong

Callao, Peru

Bear With Me...

While I get this new blog up and going correctly!  Thanks!

Captain Sturdeon Stahl of Waldoboro, Maine and Whole Family/Crew

Seaman: Capt. Sturdeon Stahl (with whole family and crew)
From: Waldoboro, Maine, USA
Ship: Bark "Cheshire" out of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Cargo/Fishing: Cargo/Sugar
Coming from: Cienfuego, Cuba
Going to: Delaware Bay or vicinity
Date of Last Location: Cuba, March 24, 1893
Latitude:
Longitude:
Cemetery of Memorial: Dutch Neck Cemetery
Town/State: Waldoboro, Maine

The STAHL Family:

On the stone-

"They sailed from Cienfuegos, Cuba on March 24, 1893 on board (the) Bark, "Cheshire", and no tidings ever received from them." (In other words, They were never heard from again.)

NOTE:  A "Bark" is a large cargo type ship, and there would have been a hefty Ship's crew that also lost their lives on that fateful day their ship was lost.

Bark, Barc, or Barque

However it’s spelled, historians believe a bark was originally a barge and, over time, the name has been altered. The earliest barques were noted in Portugal with square sails and oars. In the 1440s, Mediterranean barques carried three masts and lateen rigs. Eventually, there was a difference between a barge and a bark, which began to have sails. The French called a ship, “barque,” and the English, bark. In the 18th century, the British Navy used the term bark to cover ships that did not fall in any other categories. Ships of exploration such as Captain James Cook’s Endeavour were colliers that were converted to ships of exploration. That’s why the Navy referred to Cook’s ship as the HMS Bark Endeavour.

The word bark (which seems to be the American spelling) evolved by the 19th century to mean how a ship was rigged. The ship could have three or more masts and a particular sail configuration. The advantage of the bark-rig was that the ship needed fewer sailors to work the sails.

http://ageofex.marinersmuseum.org/index.php?type=shiptype&id=2

On the Other Side, the Stone reads:

Capt. Spurdeon K. Stahl
1861-1893

Fannie E. Webb
His Wife
1867-1893

Kelsey W.
Their Son
1890-1893

Lewiston Evening Journal

June 7th, 1893

Waldoboro

"Nothing has been heard from Capt. Spurdeon Stahl of this town who sailed from Cuba the last of March in command of the bark "Cheshire" hailing from Boston, with a cargo of sugar bound for some port in Delaware Bay or vicinity, and so much time has elapsed since the vessel was due, that his rescue is considered very improbable. It is possible that the crew were picked up by an outward bound vessel, but very little hope is placed in that. Capt. Stahl was accompanied by his wife and child. His wife was the daughter of Mr. A. T. Webb, a well known citizen of this town. It is also reported as a curious coincidence that another vessel left the same Cuban port with a similar cargo on the same day as the "Cheshire", the fate of which is also unknown. It is thought by some that the two vessels may have collided during a gail resulting in a wreck of both." (Unlikely.)

I looked up Cheshire in Google.  Here is what I found:

1-

https://books.google.com/books?id=x2BGAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=The+Bark+Ship+Cheshire&source=bl&ots=aOnnIh8gSe&sig=c8RKRt16RUDrQ8_Qxm_jMezS4E4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi59sanpcnMAhVB7SYKHSVsC6oQ6AEIMTAE#v=onepage&q=The%20Bark%20Ship%20Cheshire&f=false

2-

http://immigrantships.net/1800/cheshire18540413.html