Following is a column that originally appeared in the South Portland – Cape Elizabeth Sentry on Dec. 15, 2017.
As we’ve been looking at these giant six- and seven-masted schooners, I’ve been struck by several things: the grace and beauty of these sailing vessels that were the workhorses of transportation in their day; the bravery of the sea captains and sailors who chose a dangerous life at sea; and the sad end that came to most of these huge sailing ships.
The six-masted schooner, Mertie B. Crowley. South Portland Historical Society photo
In the case of the Mertie B. Crowley, a daring sea rescue is the theme of the end of the ship.
The Mertie B. Crowley was launched from the Cobb, Butler & Co. Shipyard in Rockland, Maine, on Aug. 24, 1907.
There was no question that the Crowley was a fast ship with its huge sail capacity. In March of 1908, the Mertie B. Crowley took part in a contest of more than 10 sailing ships. Among the schooners were several four-, five- and six-masted schooners.
On March 18, the steel six-master, the William L. Douglas, left Baltimore, headed to Boston. That same day, the Mertie B. Crowley tied up at her loading berth in Baltimore and took on roughly 4,900 tons of coal. The Crowley finally departed on March 20, two days after the Douglas and, on the trip to Boston, passed the Douglas and reached port five hours before her.
In late December of 1909, the Mertie B. Crowley ran aground north of Nantucket, between the Half Moon Shoal and Tuckernuck Shoal. She was loaded with a cargo of 4,800 tons of coal. The managing company had to call in wrecking tugs to save her.
Just a month later, on Jan. 23, 1910, the Mertie B. Crowley would finally see her end.
Headed to Boston with 4,850 tons of coal from the Davis Coal & Coke Company of Baltimore, Capt. William H. Haskell was accompanied on the trip by his wife, who reportedly had sailed with her husband on all of his recent trips. On this trip, the helmsman miscalculated their location and the ship ran aground on the shoals, three miles off of Martha’s Vineyard.
The news reports of the day tell of the incredible end: “The skipper’s wife, like the others, was lashed for 10 hours to the rigging of the battered schooner … Mrs. Haskell, awakened by her husband, had barely time to snatch a few articles of clothing and climb the fore-rigging, where she was lashed to the cross trees. A pair of seamen’s rubber boots, with the Captain’s winter hat and overcoat, protected her … all day long everybody clung to the rigging, while the seas battered the great vessel to fragments. At 10am, the Crowley broke in two beneath them.”
It was a small fishing sloop, the Priscilla, that came to the rescue. Captain Levi Jackson and his crew of four spent hours trying to reach the Crowley. “Captain Jackson tried repeatedly to push his power smack Priscilla through the breakers, but he could not do so until late this afternoon, when he reached the wreck. He anchored and four dories, manned by as many fishermen, were soon taking off the crew of the Crowley. Mrs. Haskell was the first to be transferred. With the same nerve which had held her up during her hours of exposure, she came down the rigging, made a leap for the dory beneath, landed safely and was conveyed to the Priscilla. When Capt. Jackson and his sloop arrived at the wharf here, he got three rousing cheers from a great crowd of people lined along the shore.”
All the ship and cargo were all lost, but thanks to the determined Capt. Jackson and his crew on the Priscilla, Capt. and Mrs. Haskell and all 13 of the crew members of the Crowley were rescued.
I’d like to thank our society volunteer, Jackie Dunham, for her genealogy and research help as we have continued to explore the ships and businesses that have been part of the working waterfronts of Portland and South Portland.
Note: South Portland Historical Society is always seeking historic photographs and artifacts that help to document our community’s past. If you have any items to share, please contact the society by mail at 55 Bug Light Park, South Portland, ME 04106, by email at sphistory04106@gmail.com, by phone at 207-767-7299, or message us on Facebook.
Kathryn Onos DiPhilippo is executive director of the South Portland Historical Society. She can be reached at sphistory04106@gmail.com.
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