Last modified: 2020-01-11 by rob raeside
Keywords: whalers | charles w morgan |
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The restored "Charles W. Morgan" was enshrined on 21 July 1926. For the
ongoing season, a different flag was hoisted every day at the mainmast of the
ship, as described by press reports published in "The New Bedford Standard".
Ivan Sache, 31 January 2019
![[Zenas L. Adams]](../images/u/us~cmzla.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"The house flag of Zenas L . Adams [...] was copied from the illustration in
the New Bedford and Fairhaven shipping Signal Book for 1869. The flag was white,
bordered all around in red, and the black "H" in the center was the initial of
one of the ships for which Mr. Adams was agent."
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/24/
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[W.G. Blackler]](../images/u/us~cmwgb.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"Ships for which W. G. Blackler was agent in 1852 flew red flags lettered in
white. That illustrated is the flag of the "Atkins Adams". Ships "Java",
"Martha" 3d, and "Navigator" had their names in full on the flag, so did the
bark "Lagrange".[...]"
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/24/
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[Dexter Jenney]](../images/u/us~cmdje.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"When the ship "Hesper" and the bark 'Winthrop" sailed from Fairhaven in
1855, they carried the flag of Dexter Jenney, a white swallow-tail pennant
bordered and lettered in blue [...]"
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/24/
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[Furman Read Whitwell]](../images/u/us~cmfrw.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"Ships for which F. R. Whitwell was agent, according to the old New Bedford
signal books of 1848, flew a blue flag bearing the initial of the ship in a
white diamond. [...]"
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/24/
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[Andrew Hicks]](../images/u/us~cmahi.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"Quaker simplicity distinguished the house flag which Andrew Hicks, Westport,
flew over the ships, for which he was agent, a plain square of white with a
black "H" for "Hicks" upon it. The Hicks flag [is] reproduced from the design in
the New Bedford signal book of 1869 [...]"
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/25/
Andrew Hicks was
born in Westport, Massachusetts on 17 June 1799, and resided on the home farm
until he was 13 years of age. In 1812, Hicks moved to Adamsville, Rhode Island
and took a job as a clerk in a store, where he remained for 8 years, until he
opened a store of his own, which he operated for 3 years, then returned to the
home farm. In 1836, he fitted out a vessel and began an extended whaling
business, which he continued with marked success for more than half a century.
At one time he owned interests in 11 vessels, including the "Andrew Hicks" and
"Mermaid", out of Westport, and during his career built at least 8 vessels. He
also owned Hicks' block in New Bedford. Mr. Hicks in former days was a Whig and
after the formation of the Republican Party was active in supporting its
principles. He represented Westport in the Legislature of 1866, and for at least
25 years, served as a justice of the peace. Hicks also began serving as a
director of the Merchants' National Bank of New Bedford in 1854. He died at
Westport Point, 4 February 1895 in the 96th year of his life.
https://www.whalingmuseum.org/explore/library/finding-aids/mss105
New
Bedford Whaling Museum
Built in 1855 for Andrew Hicks, the "Mermaid" was
one of the last large vessels to be built in Westport. She made six whaling
voyages from Westport between 1855 and 1876. She was eventually transferred to
San Francisco and in 1880 was lost in a gale at Unalaska. The stern carving of
the Mermaid is now in the collection of the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
http://wpthistory.org/2008/04/the_whaling_emp/
Westport Historical
Society blog, 26 April 2008
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[Reuben Fish]](../images/u/us~cmrfi.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"There were a good many red house flags in the old days of New Bedford
shipping. The big red swallow-tailed flag with a white "P" on it [...] was
distinguished from other red flags both by its shape and by the initial. It was
used by Reuben Fish, shipping agent in 1855."
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/25/
Reuben Fish will
be remembered as a most successful ship builder, some of the finest ships owned
in New Bedford and Fairhaven were the products of his skill.
https://www.whalingmuseum.org/explore/library/publications/old-dartmouth-historical-sketches/odhs-no-27
Old Dartmouth Historical Sketch, No. 27
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[Zeno Kelley]](../images/u/us~cmzke.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"[...] The red and white flag of Kelley's shipping agency was copied for
Colonel E. H. R. Green from the 1855 New Bedford and Fairhaven signal book."
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/25/
Zeno Kelley was
an able horologist; he conducted an astronomical observatory where chronometers
could be cleaned, repaired, rated, rented and sold. In addition, watches, clocks
and jewelry could be purchased.
At the age of thirty-eight and with an
apparently a bright future before him, Zeno had dreams of quick wealth from a
blackbirding operation. His prime partner was Jabez S. Hathaway who was also
enthralled with the idea of a fast dollar.
Blackbirding involved sending out
a whaleship that was then used illegally as a slave ship. After completing its
delivery of humans such a ship was often scuttled and the owner claimed it was
lost at sea. The ship Kelley was involved with was called the "Tahmaroo", which
left for a supposed Atlantic trip on July 13, 1860. The "Tahmaroo" took on
neither slaves nor whale oil but the government was able to gather enough
evidence about the true purpose of the voyage for Zeno Kelley to be charged with
fitting out a ship for slave running. He was eventually tried three times and on
the third attempt convicted. He was fined $1,000 and sentenced to four years in
Dedham jail. After serving time but not the full sentence, he was pardoned and
came home to New Bedford.
The trial and resulting time in jail (not to
mention living with the opinions of his neighbors) destroyed Kelley's health and
he died on November 24, 1868
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/20020829/opinion/308299925
South
Coast Today, 12 January 2011
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[Seth A. Mitchell]](../images/u/us~cmsam.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"A big "H" for "Herald" on a white ground , distinguished the ship "Herald",
for which Seth A. Mitchell, Fairhaven, was agent in 1853. The flag was tipped in
blue [...]"
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/25/
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[Lorenzo Peirce]](../images/u/us~cmlpe.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"Among the house flags of New Bedford shipping agents in 1855 was that
illustrated above [...] It belonged to Lorenzo Peirce, agent for the ship
"Pantheon" and the bark "Harvest". The stripes were, in order, blue, white and
red."
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/26
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[Charles Hitch and Son]](../images/u/us~cmchs.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"A goodly list of ships and barks flew the blue, red and blue flag of Charles
Hitch and Son, New Bedford shipping agents in 1855. They included the ships
"Enterprise" and "Neark" and barks "Cleora", "Cossack", George Washington",
"James Andrews" and "Vernon" [...]"
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/26/
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"Very striking was the house flag of Kelley and Swift, New Bedford shipping
agents. With its equal squares of red and white initials for the two partners.
In 1855, the colors were displayed by the ship "Joseph Meigs". [...]"
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/26/
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[William Wilcox]](../images/u/us~cmwwi.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"[...] The flag of William Wilcox, shipping agent, had a dark blue ground and
white "W". The design was recorded in the signal book of 1848."
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/27
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[James H. Slocum]](../images/u/us~cmfjhshu.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"[...] Mr. Slocum was agent in 1855 for the barks "Kathleen", "Keoka", and "Moctezuma".
The flag displayed a diamond on a white ground, the right half of the diamond
blue, the left half red, upon which a white disc was superimposed. The upper and
lower edges of the flag were bordered in red."
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/27
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[O. & E. W. Seabury]](../images/u/us~cmoes.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"The O. and E. W. Seabury flag [...] carried out in red and white a design
similar to that of the blue and white Ezekiel Sawin house flag flown some time
ago. The initial "S" for "Seabury" also fitted their vessels, the ships
"Scotland" and "Breeze" and the bark "Sappho"."
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/27/
Members of the
Seabury family of New Bedford, were active in the whaling industry from
1834-1886. Otis Seabury (1808-1880), in partnership with his brother, Edward W.
Seabury (1810-1884), formed O. & E. W. Seabury, a merchant firm that outfitted
whaling vessels and later acted as agent for such vessels as the ship "Scotland"
and the bark "Sea Breeze". Otis' brother, Humphrey W. Seabury (1817-1891),
started in the merchant service as a seaman in 1834 and by 1842 had worked his
way up to captain of the whaling ship "Coral". He continued sailing both
merchant and whaling vessels along with acting as outside agent for his brother
Otis until his retirement in 1872. Another brother, Charles Pinkney Seabury
(1820-1890), started working in O. & E. W. Seabury's store before sailing aboard
whaling vessels for fourteen years. He then commanded steamships running between
New York, California, and China. Brothers William Harrison Seabury (1813-1897)
and Jason Seabury (1822-1853) were also captains, the former commanding
steamships and the latter commanding the whaling ship "Monongahela" for his
brothers Otis and Edward, when it was lost in the Arctic in 1853.
https://www.whalingmuseum.org/explore/library/finding-aids/mss62
New
Bedford Whaling Museum
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
![[Oliver Ricketson]](../images/u/us~cmori.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
"[...] His square banner with a red "R" on a green ground was especially
designed for Mr. Ricketson by Harry A. Neyland [...]"
https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l030634/27/
Ivan Sache, 10 December 2019
Continued in Part 6