Whaling Bark circa 1870.

A special thanks to Laura P. of the New Bedford Whaling Museum for this great piece of the Tropic Bird history. "the bark [Tropic Bird] was built in 1851 in Dartmouth, Mass., by John Mashow. The New Bedford Whaling Museum owns a certificate presented to John Mashow in recognition of his ability as a shipbuilder."

John Mashow, was a ship builder of African-American descent and was a partner in the firm of Matthews, Mashow & Co. (via Mystic Sea Port Museum)

This description accompanied the above drawing as seen on the Wetcanvas website.

Whalers were splendid examples of how self-sufficient sailing vessels could be. Though seldom weighing over 300 tons, they carried as many as 38 men on voyages lasting as long as four years. The distinguishing features of a whaler were the five boats slung over the side of the bulky hull, the sails smoky from the tryworks on deck, and the top-gallant crosstrees crow's-nest on fore and mainmast.

Owen H. Tilton life at sea.

To view a readable version of the data table above click here or on the image above.

The table above contains a list of the voyages on which Owen H. Tilton was aboard as either a crew member or the ship's Master. His earliest voyage was in 1852 at the age of 16 and his last voyage was aboard the Tropic Bird 1876-1878. Owen H. Tilton retired from whaling after the 1876-1878 voyage at the age of 42.

Key to data in the Citation column.
R.H.= Reginald B. Hegarty
Return Of Whaling Vessels Sailing From American Ports. 1876-1928, Reginald B. Hegarty, Published 1959, A Continuation of Alexander Starbuck's "History of the American Whale Fishery" Publisher The Old Dartmouth Historical Society and Whale Museum, New Bedford Massachusetts, 1959, 58 pages. Find "Hegarty" here.

A.S.= Alexander Starbuck
History of the American Whale Fishery, Alexander Starbuck, 1989, 767 pages. Find "Starbuck's" here.

Map of New Bedford waterfront 1851. Including harbor soundings of 1844.

Note the Taber's Wharf in the photo. See the contract below...Note the address of agent Wm Lewis at No.4 Tabers Wharf.



Click on each photo to see a larger more detailed version.


Entire length of waterfront showing all wharfs.

Maps of the New Bedford MA waterfront from a map owned by this website owner. The New Bedford area is an insert in a larger map of Bristol County MA published in 1851.

Contract of Owen H. Tilton to Master the Bark Tropic Bird 1876-1878.

The contract reads......

Office of William Lewis
Commission Merchant
No. 4 Tabers Wharf
New Bedford, March 27, 1876

This is to certify that I Owen H. Tilton of Tisbury have this day agreed to go as Master of Bark Tropic Bird for a two year whaling voyage in the Atlantic Ocean for the one fourteenth Lay. Should I get one thousand barrels of Sperm Oil in thirty months then I am to have the one twelfth lay of the whole cargo and I agree to take one one sixteenth or one eight[inserted] of said ???? at rates ??? as paid(r) I.H. Bartlett & Sons.

William Lewis

Bark Tropic Bird. Built 1851 Dartmouth, Mass. 1885 condemned and sold Bermuda.

Source: Peabody Museum - Salem, Mass.



The Bark Tropic Bird was built in 1851 by Master Shipbuilder John Mashow. Click here or on the image for a larger version.


Above article from: Footsteps: African American History, Vol 1 Issue 3, May 1999 c1999-Page 47. John Mashow, Master Shipbuilder. Wiscat #-STWI-492841

Captain Owen H. Tilton.