bark Tropic Bird 1876-1878 Captain Owen H. Tilton

Moby Dick's (Pequod). Two Brothers wreckage found.

2011-02-14T22:26:00.001-06:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pequod_(Moby-Dick)

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/gallery/2011/02/thar-she-blows-divers-discover-wreckage-belonging-to-captain-who-inspired-moby-dick.php?img=1&ref=fpb

It seems the Captain hasn't got back his sea legs after shore leave.

2009-08-18T21:37:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the late posts... logbook entries below. Week 15 and 16.

Week 16 at sea. Aug. 14th to Aug. 20, 1876. Four months out.

2009-08-18T21:29:00.009-05:00

Monday August th/14
Begins with light airs from N. and pleasant
weather at 4 1/2 P.M. gamed the Janet Capt
Gartland with 750 bls oil Lat part light wind from
NW. ship heading N.N.E. one sail in sight
Lat 34-00 N Lon 44-47 W
[Bark Janet, Capt. Peter Gartland, left New Bedford
14 Apr 1875, returning 4 Nov 1876]

Tuesday Aug th/15
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
from N.W. stearing N.N.E. the Janet in
sight Lat part pleasant SHip heading N.E. wind
light from N.N.W. crew employed about the Ship
Lat 34-20 N Lon 44-19 W

Wednesday Aug th/16
Begins with fine weather and light wind from
N.N.W. Ship heading N.E. at 1 P.M. raised whales
ahead and lowared the boats at 8 and each boat
got a whale got them to the ship about 10 P.M.
Lat part Cut in our whales. saw one sail
weather fine with light wind
Lat 34-10 N Lon 48-56 W
Thursday Aug th/17
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
from N. spoke the Janet Lat Part Calm
and light airs employed boiling nothing
in sight
Lat 34-06 N Lon 43 42 W

Friday Aug th/18
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
from N.W. ship heading NN.E. employed
boiling Mid part finished boiling Lat part
Strong wind with some rain heading to north
Lat 35-10 N Lon 43-43 W

Saturday Aug th/1
Begins with Strong wind from W with squalls
of rain saw a Steamer going to Eastward
Lat part strong wind from W.S.W. engaged
stowing oil, sw Blackfish so ends this day
Lat 35-22 N Lon 44-52 W

Sunday Aug th/20
Com with strong wind and rough sea engaged
stowing oil finished at 5 PM. stowed 95 bls weather
Cloudy with a little rain Lat part strong wind and rough
sea wind from south west ship heading S.S.E. had
squally weather with rain
Lat 35-00 N Lon 45-12 W

Week 15 at sea. Aug. 7th to Aug. 13, 1876

2009-08-18T21:15:00.002-05:00

Monday Aug th/7
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind got
the whale to the ship at 3 PM and commenced
to cut at 8 sent all hands below at 4 AM
Called all hands and started cutting worked all
day got his head off and cut part of the body
Saw two sails wind increasing
Lat 36-10 N Lon 45-41 W

Tuesday Aug th/8
Begins with strong wind and Cloudy weather at
night blowing a morderate gail at 4 1/2 AM
Commenced to cut again blowing a morderate gail
with heavy rain squalls finished the body and left
the head along side wind from W.N.W.

Wednesday Aug th/9
Begins with better weather and sea going down
at 3 PM Com to boil ship on starboard tack
Lat part took in the Junk and baled what was
left of the case most of it had run out weather
more morderate, boiling as fast as posable [possible]
Lat 35-22 Lon 44-49

Thursday Aug th/10
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind from
westward ship heading to North employed boiling
Lat part the same wind from N.N.W. and light
saw nothing
Lat 35-30 N Lon 44-42 W

Friday Aug th/11
Begins with fair weather and light wind from
N.N.W. ship heading W. employed boiling Lat part
weather the same finished boiling about 80 bls
wind from N.W. nothing in sight
Lat 35-10 N Lon 44-41 W

Saturday Aug th/12
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind from
NW nothing in sight Ship heading N.N.E.
Lat part weather fine heading to N. E. employed
stowing oil
Lat 34-59 Lon 44-24 W

Sunday Aug th/13
Com with pleasant weather and light wind from
N.N.W. finished stowing at 4 PM. 78 bls at 6 p.M.
tacked ship heading W. Lat part light wind and
fine weather saw a sail to South
Lat 34-23 N Lon 45-06 W

Well the Captain and mates have been on shore leave.

2009-08-09T20:08:00.003-05:00

This should get us shipshape again.

Week 14 - Monday Jul 31 - Sunday Aug 6, 1876

Monday July th/31
Com with pleasant weather and light
air from S. employed cutting Lat Part
weather the same employed Cutting one
sail in sight
Lat 36-34 N Lon 44-51 W
Com boiling

Tuesday Aug th/1
Com with fine weather and light wind finished
baling Case at 3 P.M.
Lat part weather the same. saw a ship heading
to the west ship heading NE by E wind from S
Lat 36-42 N Lon 44-41 W
[bailing the contents of the Case, or head of the sperm whale]

Wednesday Aug th/2
Com with pleasant weather and light wind
employed boiling Lat part weather the same
employed boiling wind from S ship heading SS
E with light wind
Lat 36-30 N Lon 43-43 W

Thursday Aug th/3
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
from S ship heading to Eastward Lat part
weather the same heading to SE. saw nothing
employed boiling and stowing oil
Lat 35-51 N Lon 42 47 W

Friday Aug th/4
Com with pleasant weather and fresh wind
from W. heading on diferant tacks. employed
boiling and stowing oil. saw a steamer heading
S.W. brig riged with red smoke stack. stowed
80 bls oil finished boiling at 11 P.M. Lat part fine
weather saw a whaler to South
Lat 35-55 N Lon 43-04 W

Saturday Aug th/5
Com with pleasant weather and light wind from
S.W. ship heading W.N.W. one sail in sight
Lat part weather the same employed stowing oil
nothing in sight ship heading to West wind
from SSW.
Lat 35-49 N Lon 44-40 W

Sunday Aug th/6
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
heading to westward wind from SS.W. Lat part
fine weather Saw a Bark supposed to bee the
Janet about two Miles to leward both standing to
westward at 9 AM saw white watter on Lee bow
kept off a little run down acrost the other ships head
about one mile off she wished to gam but we
kept on the whales in sight all the time when he
found we would not stop he wore ship and went
on the other tack and when th was about four
miles off we lowared and struck in a short time
and got a whale. got fast quarter to 12. Saw an-
nother whaler to windward supposed to bee Minasota [Minnesota]
Lat 35-40 N Lon 44-42 W

Whale photos from a friend of a friend in Alaska. Taken yesterday.

2009-07-30T16:07:00.006-05:00

Whalers use to call the flukes (tail fins) "the hand of god". Many a whale boat and whaler were crushed and killed by flukes like these.

These photos had this note attached.

this morning at Mary's Flats (for those of you who know where/what this is) these whales surface directly in front of our boat...Not more that 50 feet from us...and then began their beautiful dance....in and out of the water...gosh it was so amazing.

Whale in the news.

2009-07-26T18:51:00.002-05:00

This news from Alaska. Fin whale wedged on a cruise ship bow.

Thirteen weeks at sea. July 24th to July 30, 1876

2009-07-25T08:42:00.004-05:00

Monday July th/24
Begins with pleasant weather and wind
from S.S.W working to southward at sundown
shortened sail for the night as usual
Lat part weather the same saw one sail
Lat 36-08 N Lon 45-45 W

Tuesday July th/25
Com with pleasant weather and good wind from
S.S.W. ship working to south on diferant tacks
Lat part pleasant with light wind saw a sail
Saw Blackfish lowared the boats but did not
get fast
Lat 35 51 N Lon 46-08 W

Wednesday July th/26
Com. with light airs and hazy weather one sail
in sight heading W. by S. at 6 P.M. Came
up to S.W. by S Mid part heavy rain
Lat part pleasant weather Saw two sails
Lat 36-00 N Lon 46-48 W

Thursday July th/27
Com with pleasant weather wind from S.E.
at 1 P.M. spoke Bark Minasota Allen two weeks
out and got late papers Lat part strong wind
from S.E. ship on diferent tack
Lat 36-04 N Lon 45-54 W
[Bark Minnesota, Capt. David E. Allen - p. 654 Starbucks,
left New Bedford July 11, 1876]

Friday July th/28
Com. with pleasant weather and strong wind
from S.E ship working to S. on diferant tacks
Mid part had some rain Lat part fair with
wind S.E. ship heading to Eastward
Lat 36-00 N Lon 46-41 W

Saturday July th/29
Com - with wind from S.S.E. heading E.
nothing in sight Lat part light wind Stearing
to Eastward on the wind Saw one sail
Lat 36-33 N Lon 44-44 W

Sunday July th/30
Com - with pleasant weather and light wind
from S at 1 P.M. raised a large whale and
lowared for him Waste Boat got fast about 5 P.M. and
got to the ship with it about 1 AM commenced
cutting at 5.
Lat 36-37 N Lon 44 57 W

"A Window Back: Photography in a Whaling Port" by Nicholas Whitman

2009-07-22T18:46:00.005-05:00

A Window Back: Photography in a Whaling Port, by Nicholas Whitman
Spinner Publication Inc. 1994, page 51. ISBN 0932027-180

This photo of the Bark Tropic Bird was taken in 1876 on the New Bedford waterfront. Photographer unknown. This might be the only photo of the Bark Tropic Bird.

I was lucky when I decided to buy this book. I had no idea there was a photo of the Bark Tropic Bird in the book before it arrived earlier today.

Note: This is essentially the same photo I used in my April 20, 2009 post. It is however, I feel, a better version.

Twelfth week (3 months) at sea. July 17th to July 23, 1876

2009-07-20T17:27:00.005-05:00

Monday July th/17
Com - with strong wind from W.S.W. Stearing
E.S.E. weather pleasant at sundown lufed to the wind
heading S at 5 AM kept off E.N.E. had strong
wind from W.S.W.
Lat 36-16 N Lon 45-39 W

Tuesday July th/18
Begins with pleasant weather and strong wind
at two P.M. lufed to the wind heading S.S.E.
two sail in sight Lat part strong wind saw
three whalers at 9 AM spoke Bark Swallow - Ellis
with 481 bls the Capt went on board for a
short time
Lat 36-25 Lon 45-37 W
[Bark, Swallow, Capt. Thomas L. Ellis, p. 65 Starbucks]

Wednesday July th/19
Begins with strong wind and hazy weather
standing to the S.W. under topsails at sundown
shortened sail for the night Lat part light
wind and pleasant weather heading to westward
saw nothing
Lat 34-50 N Lon 45-35 W

Thursday July th/20
Com - with pleasant weather and light wind
from N. ship heading W.N.W. at sundown
took in light sails Lat part Calm sent down
fore topsail and repaired it
Lat 34-33 N Lon 45-57 W

Friday July th/21
Com - with Calm and pleasant weather sent
down Main topgallant sail and repaired it
Lat part squally with thunder and rain
stearing North saw grampases
Lat 35-25 N Lon 46-08 W

Saturday July th/22
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind from
E stearing N. nothing in sight Lat part light
wind from S Stearing N. saw a whaler heading
to S. E.
Lat 36-20 N Lon 46-22 W

Sunday July th/23
Begins with pleasant weather and wind from S
heading W.S.W. on the wind Lat part weather
the same wind from SS.W. saw one sail
Lat 36-28 N Lon 45-41 W

Whales in the news. July 12, 2009. "Watching Whales Watching Us"

2009-07-12T15:15:00.007-05:00

The following quote is from a current news article in The New York Times which can be read in it's entirety here. This article discusses current whale research and a recent Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision.

Whales, we now know, teach and learn. They scheme. They cooperate, and they grieve. They recognize themselves and their friends. They know and fight back against their enemies. And perhaps most stunningly, given all of our transgressions against them, they may even, in certain circumstances, have learned to trust us again.

Eleven weeks at sea. July 10 to July 16, 1876

2009-07-11T16:32:00.006-05:00

Monday, July th/10
Begins with Strong wind and squally at
7 PM wore ship heading N.W. by W. saw black
fish Lat part blowing with squalls of wind
and rain wore ship at 6 AM. saw a
brig going to East.
Lat 35-26 N Lon 50-10 W
[black fish - possibly pilot whale or right whale]

Tuesday July th/11
Com - with strong wind from W.S.W ship
heading S.E. with rain ship under Close reefed
Main topsail reefed foresail fore topmast staysail
and main spencer Lat part wind and weather
the same at 11 1/2 AM wind let go one sail
in sight
Lat 35-08 N Lon 49-27 W

Wednesday July th/12
Begins with Calm and cloudy weather with a
little rain at 5 1/2 P.M. the captain went on board
the A. Hicks. Mid part rainy at 10 AM Cleared
up Stearing N.W. wind from NE.
Lat 35-26 N Lon 50-18 W

Thursday July th/13
Begins with pleasant weather and wind from E.
ship on the wind heading N. the Hicks in sight
Last part Calm with pleasant weather one
sail in sight.
Lat 36-24 N Lon 50-50 W

Friday July th14
Begins with pleasant weather and Calm nothing
in sight Lat part weather the same with light
wind from S.W. heading S.E. by S sent down
Main topsail and repaired it. Saw Blackfish
Lat 36-08 N Lon 50-48 W

Saturday July th/15
Com - with cloudy weather wind from S.W.
stearing full and by on starboard tack
Lat part weather Clear at 7 AM spoke Bark
Sparten from Barbadoes had taken 65 bls. oil [unable to identify vessel]
kept to N.W. on the wind
Lat 25-56 N Lon 50-28 W

Sunday July th/16
Com - with pleasant weather and fine wind from
W.S.W. kept off East. saw a steamer going East
at sundown. lufed to heading to the S. at 5 AM kept
off stearing E.N.E. signaled Bark Niphon of Bath [Bath, Maine]
heading to the south
Lat 36-00 N Lon 48-08 W
[Vessel: Niphon (bark) Master: Day
Register: Record of American and Foreign Shipping, 1876 can be seen here.

Eliza R. Cottle Tilton.

2009-07-06T21:31:00.009-05:00

Eliza R. Cottle Tilton. According to family this is a wedding photo. The picture below is the wedding dress jacket seen in the photo. Eliza R. Cottle was born June 26, 1838. She married Owen H Tilton on July 31, 1859 in Chilmark MA. She died February 11, 1913.

Owen H. Tilton was born on February 16, 1836 in Chilmark MA. He died September 2, 1901.

The above photo was edited to clean up speckles, scratches and other aging marks.

A little mystery in these photos. I took two photos during our 2002 visit with the Tilton family. Both photos were taken with a digital camera (no negatives). Look closely at the two photos. Notice anything? To me it appears the buttons and the dark "stripe" are reversed.

Below are two additional photos.

The wedding photos as they are in the original frames.

This photo was digitally "flipped" by me to match the actual dress. My guess is that the original photo had a negative and it was reversed when the photo was printed.... or the old box cameras flipped the image. I'll have to do some more research about photographic technology in 1859. In either case I would guess this is what Eliza looked like on the day her photo was taken.

Ten weeks at sea. July 3 to July 9, 1876

2009-07-06T20:11:00.008-05:00

Monday July th/3
Begins with Cloudy weather and light wind from SSW.
searing E by S half S. Lat part weather the same
Saw a sail to East. employed setting up topmast
riging. Stearing E. wind from. S.W.
Lat 32.29 N Lon 54-07 W

Tuesday July th/4
Begins with light wind from W. Stearing E.
weather pleasant one sail in sight
Lat Part weather much the same nothing
in sight
Lat 32-55 N Lon 52-30 W

Wednesday July th/5
First part pleasant weather and light wind
from W. stearing west Lat part weather the
same saw one sail. going to N.W. ship stearing
E. crew employed about the ship as usual
Lat 33-12 N Lon 50 39 W

Thursday July th/6
Com with pleasant weather and light wind from W
Stearing E at 3 PM lufed to the wind heading N by W
Lat part a little squally with rain wind from W.
Lat 34-32 N Lon 51-52 W

Friday July 7
Begins with pleasant weather, and wind from N.W
Stearing N.E. saw one sail Stearing to South
Lat part weather much the same saw one sail
towards noon breezed up a little
Lat 35-55 N Lon W (no Lon)

Saturday July th/8
Begins with pleasant weather and fine wind from
S.W. saw white watter ran off but saw nothing more
at 4 P.M. spoke and gamed the A. Hicks West Port
Lat part strong wind from S.W. ship heading to S.S.E.
Lat 35-30 N Lon 49-49. W.
[Speak (spoke): v., to communicate with another ship using flags or voice (as opposed to gamming) http://www.powermobydick.com/Moby138.html#G
[Bark, A. (Andrew) Hicks, of Westport, Mass., p. 644 Starbucks

Sunday July th/9
Com- with strong wind and pleasant weather
at 2 P.M. wore ship heading W.N.W. one sail
in sight Lat part Strong wind with squally
weather and some rain wore ship at 9 AM
heading S.
Lat 35-40 N Lon 50-25 W.

What is it?....... answer a Bodkin (see update below).

2009-07-01T20:31:00.008-05:00

This is a photo I took in 2002 during a visit to the Tilton family on Martha's Vineyard.

First, this is not one of my better photos. It's blurry...sorry.

There are a dozen or so other photos that were taken the same day. I will post them over the next few weeks.

BUT.....the question of the day.... What is this object used for? Maybe it was just an easyimplement to craft while on a voyage? Did it have a use aboard the ship?

The object is being held by Owen H. Tilton's great great granddaughter Donna.
UPDATE 1:
Bev the "research wizard" provides this answer to the "What is it?" question.

" WHALERS ONLY MADE BODKINS FOR THEIR MOTHERS, WIVES, SWEETHEARTS, AND DAUGHTERS. WHALERS NEVER SOLD BODKINS, AS THIS WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO POTENTIAL COMPETITION FOR THE NANTUCKET WOMEN IN THE MAKING OF DOILIES."

Pictures and descriptions of bodkins can be seen here, here and here.

UPDATE 2:

This much smaller bodkin is from the other side of the family. The Lockhart-Blacks from London mid to late 1800's. It's rumored that one of the aunts was a "lace maker for the Queen". More on that later when I find the documentation.

Gravesite of Owen H. Tilton and Eliza R. Cottle

2009-06-29T23:20:00.008-05:00

Owen H. Tilton and Eliza R. Cottle

Great Grandson R. Tilton and great great granddaughter at the family grave site in Tisbury MA

These photos were taken in 2002. Thanks to the Tilton family members for making these photos possible.

Note: Click on images for a larger version.

Ninth week at sea. June 26 to July 2, 1876

2009-06-27T19:09:00.004-05:00

Monday June th/26
Begins with light wind and pleasant weather
Ship heading SE by E. saw a Brig to the north
Lat part Squalley with Strong wind and rain shower
saw a Bark stearing S.S.E. ship on diferant tacks
Lat 30-36 N Lon 60-19 W

Tuesday June th/27
Com- with more morderate weather heading SS.E
with pleasant weather and morderate wind
Lat part hazy weather with fresh wind from S.W.
ship heading W.N.W.
Lat 30-21 N

Wednesday June th/28
Com with Cloudy weather at 3 PM. commenced
to rain took in light sails at 6 shortened sail raining
very hard with strong wind. and Thunder.
Lat part rainy with strong wind towards noon Cleared
up some wind from south
Lat 30-20 N Lon 60-12 W

Thursday June th/29
Begins with pleasant weather and wind from south
ship heading E.S.E. saw nothing Lat part pleasant
weather at 6 Am kept off N.E. nothing in sight
Lat 30-40 N Lon 59-35 W
Friday June th/30
Begins with pleasant weather and fine wind from
S.S.E. Saw a schooner. picked up a bl pertrolan [petroleum?]
Lat part weather the same with light wind from SE.
saw a brig heading to south ward
Lat 31 48 N Lon 58-04 W

Saturday July th/1
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
from SW. ship heading E.N.E. Lat part light
winds and Calms saw one sail to NW. ends with
fine weather
Lat 32-12 N Lon 52-19 W

Sunday July th/2
Com- with pleasand weather and light airs from
S.E. ship heading E.N.E. saw grampases.
Lat part weather the same saw three sails
Ship stearing E by S half S.
Lat 32-34 N Lon 56-10 W
[Grampus: n., orca - http://www.powermobydick.com/Moby138.html#G]

Lucem Diffundo "We Light the World".

2009-06-27T18:27:00.007-05:00

Seal of the City of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Additional history of New Bedford and the City Seal can be seen here.

This quote below appeared in a recent article written by the freelance writer Dan Gifford. His entire article about New Bedford and the New Bedford Whaling Museum can be seen here.

New Bedford was the heart and soul of the whaling industry. By the 1850’s, eighty percent of the over 700 whaleships in the American fleet sailed from here. The city’s motto, Lucem Diffundo, “We Light the World,” announced to visitors the importance of New Bedford’s production of whale oil and clean-burning spermaceti candles. Whaling and the international commerce it generated not only supported the nautical trades, but banks, investment houses, and insurance firms, and made New Bedford one of the richest cities in the world.

Dan Gifford is a freelance writer living in Arlington, Virginia. Recent articles of his have appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and AntiqueWeek. Dan is also the Park Expert for VacationCoach.com, where thousands of subscribers can access his advice for visiting national, state, and city parks around the world. Dan is also the founder of the Parkscapes Travel Program offered by the National Parks Conservation Association. Parkscapes is the nation's only non-profit travel program dedicated solely to showcasing our national park system.

Eight weeks.. Two months at sea. June 19 to June 25, 1876

2009-06-20T14:39:00.008-05:00

Monday June th/19
Begins with pleasant weather and wind from S.S.E.
Ship by the wind heading E. saw the E.B. Phillips
Lat part weather the same saw one sail, employed
setting up riging ship heading E.
Lat 31 35 N Lon 71-28 W

Tuesday June th/20
Com with light wind from SS.E. and fine weather
Nothing in sight ship heading E.
Lat part weather the same stowed our oil 12 bls
Stearing to Eastward on the wind
Lat 31-58 N Lon 69-35 W

Wednesday June th/21
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
From S.S.E. heading E. nothing in sight
Lat part weather the same saw one sail
Crew employed about the ship as usual
Lat 32-12 N Lon 67-57 W

Thursday June th/22
Begins with pleasant weather wind from S. ship
heading E by S. saw one sail. heading to Westward
Lat part squalley with rain nothing in sight
Stearing E.
Supposed Lat 32-30 Lon 65-55 W

Friday June th/23
Begins with rainy weather and wind from S
stearing E. caught a porpoise at 6 PM luffed to the
wind and at 10 saw the light on Bermudas At day
light kept off S.E. and at 9 1/2 Am a Pilot boarded
us. sent letters on shore by him then kept off E.
Lat 32-25 N Lon 64-40 W

Saturday June th/24
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
from N.W. Stearing S.E. by E. Bermuda bearing
W.S.W. 20 Miles distant at 2 P.M. at sundown shortened
sail Lat part weather fine Stearing the same
saw one sail
Lat 31-55 N Lon 62-10 W

Sunday June th/25
Com- with fine weather and light wind from
S.W. Stearing S.E. Lat part wind and weather
the same Stearing S.E. nothing in sight
Lat 31-04 N Lon 60-00 W

Seventh week at sea. June 12 to June 18, 1876

2009-06-13T21:35:00.012-05:00

Monday June th/12
Begins with pleasant weather and Strong wind
From ESE ship heading to N.E. Lat part Ship
On diferant tacks Saw two sail Crew employed about
the ship as usual
Lat 30-21 N Lon 73-35 W

Tuesday June th/13
Begins with fine weather and wind from E at
6 P.M. gamed bark—E. B. Phillips of Boston 20 months
out 200 bls Lat part weather the same ship heading
to Eastward
Lat 30-38 N Lon 73-26 W
[Gam: n., a social meeting between the crews of two ships on the open sea. For a complete description see here.]
[Bark E. B. Phillips of Boston, p. 650, Starbucks.
also referenced on p. 654 under New Bedford, as "bought from Boston"]

Wednesday June th/14
Begins with pleasant weather and wind from SE
two sails in sight Lat part weather the same
Saw two Sail Ship heading to Westward
Lat 30-50 N Lon 73-46 W

Thursday June th/15
Begins with pleasant weather and wind from
East saw two sails gamed the Schooner Wm.
Martin of Boston 30 bls. Lat part much the
same one sail in sight
Lat 30-33 N Lon 73-50 W
[Schooner William Martin, p. 656 Starbucks]

Friday, June th/16
Com with Strong wind from E Ship heading
SS.E. saw a sail to south Lat part weather
the same made sail at sunrise as usual
Lat 30-58 N Lon 73-26 W

Saturday June th/17
Begins with pleasant weather and strong
wind from E. at two P.M. kept off W.
one sail in sight Lat part weather about the
same at half past five Am raised whales and
lowered at 8 1/2 Waste boat got one the others
made no stop but left like a streak saw them
only one riling [rising?] after got fast
Lat 30-40 N Lon 73-45

Sunday June th/18
Begins with pleasant weather Cut in our whale
and started the works wind from S.E.
Lat part pleasant weather and light wind heading
E. saw three sail. finished boiling (13 bls turned up)
Lat 31-35 N Lon 78-33 W

"The monotony of a logbook."

2009-06-07T21:41:00.009-05:00

In a chapter titled Characteristics of Logbooks, Stewart C. Sherman describes the typical logbook this way.

Typical day by day entries [in a logbook] provide pretty dull reading and only occasionally is the dullness relieved by something eventful. The monotony of a logbook simply reflects the monotony with which one day followed another. Whaleman faced hardship and danger so often that even the logbook entries describing them were casual and off-handed.

The Voice of the Whaleman, With an Account of the Nicholson Whaling Collecton, Stewart C. Sherman, 1965, Providence Public Library, Providence RI.

The monotony of a logbook simply reflects the monotony with which one day followed another.

Although this can surely be true what is also true is the excitement you will likely get from the historical nuggets you will find in the next passage or the next day's logbook entry. So please...read on...read on.

Sixth week at sea. June 5 to June 11, 1876

2009-06-06T20:23:00.009-05:00

Monday June th/5
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind from
S at 6 PM got a smart breeze from a squall
with a little rain. Saw a sail to Westward.
Lat part pleasant weather at 5 AM raised whales
lowared and waste boat got one a large lot of them
Lat 32-25 N Lon 74.14 W

Tuesday June th/6
Begins with pleasant weather wind from S
Cut in our whale and started the works [try-works for boiling oil] at
sundown shortened sail as usual Lat part squaly
Saw five sail finished boiling had about 9 bls
had Strong wind from S. with heavy sea
Lat 32-25 N Lon 73.45 W

Wednesday June th/7
Begins with pleasant weather wind Came round
to N. Steared S. Lat part Strong wind Stearing
the same at noon Luffed on the wind to E.
three sail in sight
Lat 30-30 Lon 73-39 W

Thursday June th/8
Begins with Strong wind from N. at 1 P.M.
passed Schooner Mary E. Simmons with a whale
along side. at 5 tacked heading N.W.
Lat part wind Came to E. Ship on diferant
tacks
Lat 30-58 N Lon 73-36 W
[Schooner M. E. Simmons, Provincetown, MA, p.654 Starbucks]

Friday June th/9
Begins with strong wind from E. with pleasant
weather saw a schooner to N. stowed our oil 8 bls
Lat part much the same Saw two schooners
Ship on diferant tacks
Lat 30-55 N Lon 73-34 W

Saturday June th/10
Begins with pleasant weather and strong wind
from E. stearing south West Lat part Strong
wind with Cloudy weather Saw a Schooner.
employed setting up riging
Lat 30-46 N

Sunday June th/11
Begins with Strong wind fom E.S.E. heading
S. one sail in sight. Cloudy weather
Lat part Strong wind heading to eastward saw two
sails weather pleasant
Lat 30-42 N Lon 73-25 W.

Our whaling master, Owen H. Tilton was (is) a record holder.

2009-06-02T21:30:00.022-05:00

Again thanks to the great research skills of our "first mate"...... Bev.... we have this interesting find.

From The Story of the New England Whaler by John R. Spears, 1908, Page 168, The MacMillian Company. Digitized by Google

..... the record sperm whale reported at New Bedford was captured by Captain Owen H. Tilton. It produced 154 barrels of oil.

For information on the Google Book Search project visit here.

Here is the original mention made in 1875 by Captain Benjamin Russell of the record set by Captain Tilton. This statement was published in Whales and Porpoises by George Brown Goode, Page 11. Digitized by Google.

Based entirely on the dates in the records I would speculate that the record "154 barrels" would have been set on the Marcella (Starbuck's pg. 630) on the 1869-1873 voyage. Two years later Captain Benjamin Russell makes the statement above. The following year 1876 Owen H. Tilton was the Master on the Tropic Bird (Starbuck's pg. 656).

Our whaling master, Owen H. Tilton, was also a farmer.

2009-06-02T19:56:00.013-05:00

Owen H. Tilton was, at times, a farmer during his retirement from the sea.

Again thanks to the great research skills of our "first mate"...... Bev.... we have this interesting find from an 1895 public record document. See the digitized document here.

This and many other old public records, books and other written documents are being saved digitally for future generations by the Google Books Library Project (GBLP). For additional information visit this web site.

Fifth week at sea. May 29 to June 4 1876.

2009-06-01T12:05:00.003-05:00

Monday May th/29
Begins with hazy weather Standing to SW.
Wind from S.E. Lat part rainy Saw one Sail
Employed boiling wind from S.E.

Tuesday May th/30
Begins with rainy weather and Strong wind
from S.E. heading E.N.E. finished boiling at
5. P.M. turned up 21 bls. Lat part rainy
with Strong wind from N.E. ship on
diferant tacks
Lat 30 59 N Lon 72 55 W

Wednesday May th/31
Begins with Strong wind and rough Sea
with some rain at sun down took in fore
Topsail Ship heading N.W. Lat part blowing
Strong with rough sea
Lat 31-38 N Lon 73 13 W

Thursday June th/1
Begins with Strong wind from NE. and
rough sea Saw a sail to the south.
Lat part wind light with heavy swell from N
Saw two schooners Stearing S.E.
Lat 31-55 N Lon 73-43 W

Friday June th/2
Begins with pleasant weather and heavy swell
from N Stearing S. Caught a porpoise
Lat part wind light heading to West Stowed our oil
about 20 bls weather pleasant
Lat 32-08 N Lon 73-49 W 45?

Saturday Jun th/3
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind Stearing
S. by W. Lat part wind Came round to S Ship
on diferant tack. Working to south Saw two
sail
Lat 32-00 N Lon 73 22 W

Sunday June th/4
Begins with pleasant weather and wind from
S at night took in light sails heading to East
ward Lat part pleasant weather and light wind from
S heading on both tacks Saw a brig heading to N.E.
Lat 32-05 N Lon 73 44 W

Our "first mate" (nom de plume) found this tidbit in her research.

2009-05-29T16:51:00.015-05:00

With this note attached

"found a crew list for the Tropic Bird in the May 9 1876 edition of Whalemen's Shipping List."

I believe this defines some additional roles for crew members that we did not know before. See the original crew list post here.

Owen H. Tilton -- [Vineyard Haven] -- Captain
Benjamin C. Blossom -- Dartmouth -- first mate
James A. Payne -- Mattapoisett -- second mate
George Arnold -- New Bedford -- third mate and boatsteerer
John Wilcox -- do* -- cooper and shipkeeper
John Connor and Samuel Greenham -- do -- boatsteers
Henry E. Montague -- Brooklyn -- steward
Edward E. Dixon -- New Bedford -- cook
Antone Eichman -- do*
Frank Joseph -- do
John Thomas Leo -- do
Theodore Gereeke -- do
Joseph Maiz -- do
Perdo Noonis -- do
Charles Smith -- do
Charles Kanaka -- do
Charles W. McKown -- New York
Antone Enos -- do
John Dight -- do
Samuel N Brush -- Tisbury
William L. Cone Jr. -- Eastham
William R. Wolfe -- Shefield -- seamen
John J. Armstead -- Charlestown -- seamen

Note: do = ditto

Example:
Edward E. Dixon -- New Bedford -- cook
Antone Eichman -- do
In this case "do" is ditto for New Bedford

Great find "SW" ...... Bev ..... !

Fourth week at sea. May 21 to May 28, 1876

2009-05-25T19:22:00.010-05:00

Sunday May th/21
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
saw Blackfish and waste boat got one
Lat part pleasant weather Stearing N.E.
nothing in sight
Lat 30-10 N Lon 75-03 W

Monday May th/22
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind from
W Stearing N.E. nothing in sight
Lat part weather the same saw a schooner heading to W.
Ship heading ESE. with wind from W.
Lat 30-30 N Lon 74-42 W

Tuesday May th/23
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind from W.
Stearing E.S.E. took in sail at dark for the night
Lat part weather the same Saw three sail Crew employed
about the Ship
Lat 30-05 N Lon 74-32 W

Wednesday May th/24
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind from
W heading to N.N.W. one sail in sight at sun
down took in sail. Lat part Calm with pleasant
weather
Lat 30.29 N Lon 74.51 W

Thursday May th/25
Begins with Calm and pleasant weather one sail
in sight Lat part Squally with some rain
and Strong wind Saw a bark. ship on diferant
tacks working to Eastward

Friday May th/26
Begins with Squally weather and Strong wind
working to Eastward Cloudy weather with a
little rain Lat part pleasant weather and light
wind from S Stearing to E. Saw 4 Sail
Lat 31-12 N Lon 75-05 W.

Saturday May th/27
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
from S Ship heading E. by S. Two sail in sight
Lat part fine wind at half past 8 Saw a
breach in weather beam made all sail and
worked to windward the remainder of the
day.
Lat 31-00 N Lon 73 45 W

Sunday May th/28
Com- with wind from N. at 2 PM lowared
the boats Starboard boat got fast. line got
foul and cut. at half past 5 Larboard
boat got fast and parted line then Starboard
boat got one. got to the Ship at 10 PM
Lat part Cut it in and started the works
Lat 31-08 N Lon 73-17 W

A reading and reference list.

2009-05-19T12:43:00.009-05:00

Ashley, Clifford W., The Yankee Whaler. Mineola, New York. Dover Publications, Inc., 1991, ISBN: 0-486-26854-3

Bockstoce, John R., Whales, Ice, & Men. The History of Whaling in the Western Arctic. Seattle, University of Washington Press, 1986, ISBN: 0-295-96318-2

Church, Albert Cook, Whale Ships and Whaling (First Edition). New York, W.W. Norton & Co. 1938

Dolin, Eric Jay, Leviathan The History Of Whaling in America. New York, W.W. Norton & Company, 2007, ISBN: 978-0-393-33157-8

Hegarty, Reginald B., Returns Of Whaling Vessels Sailing From American Ports. A Continuation of Alexander Starbuck’s “History Of Whaling in America". New Bedford MA., The Old Dartmouth Historical Society and Whaling Museum. 1959.

Philbrick, Nathaniel, In The Heart Of The Sea. The Tragedy Of The Whaleship Essex. New York, 2000, ISBN: 978-0-14-100-182-1

Leavitt, John F., The Charles W. Morgan (Second Edition). Mystic CT., Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc., 1998, ISBN: 0-913372-10-2

Lundy, Derek, The Way of A Ship. A Square-Rigger Voyage in the Last Days Of Sail. New York, HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2002, ISBN: 0-06-621012-7

Smyth, W. H. Admiral., The Sailor’s Word-Book. (Reprint). Ontario, Canada, Algrove Publishing Limited, 2004, ISBN: 1-897030-05-3

Songini, Marc, The Lost Fleet. A Yankee Whaler’s Struggle Against The Confederate Navy and Arctic Disaster. New York, St. Martin’s Press, 2007, ISBN: 0-312-28648-1

Sherman, Stewart C., The Voice of the Whaleman, With an Account of the Nicholson Whaling Collecton., Providence RI., Providence Public Library, 1965.

Starbuck, Alexander., History Of The American Whale Fishery. 1876; reprint, Secaucus, NJ., 1989, ISBN: 1-55521-537-8

If you are just learning about whaling I would suggest reading these authors from the list above. Leavitt, Ashley, Dolin and Philbrick.

I found Leavitt, Dolin and Ashley's books to be very readable and all three provided great insight into the life of nineteenth century whaling ships, whalers and the whaling industry.

Philbrick's book chronicles the doomed 1819 voyage of the whaling ship Essex and it's crew. It is considered to be the inspiration for the story of Moby Dick the 1851 novel written by Herman Melville.

Dolin and Philbrick's books should be available in paperback at any of the larger chain bookstores.

Don't forget to look in your used bookstores for copies of most of the books in the list above.

If your lucky maybe you'll find your own copy of Starbuck's. Starbuck's is a must have book if your researching whaling.

If your real lucky Hegarty would be a great find.

Third week at sea. May 14 to May 20 1876

2009-05-17T19:35:00.022-05:00

Sunday May th/14
Begins with light airs and hazy weather with
a little rain engaged riging Cutting gear
Lat part Strong wind from N.E. Stearing S.W.
Saw one sail Ship under for sail and Main
topsail
Lat 31-13 N Lon 73-55 W

Monday May th/15
Begins with strong wind from N.E. Stearing S.W.
at 6 P.M. lufed to the wind on port Tack
heading SE by E. Lat part Strong wind saw nothing
Lat 30-25 N Lon 74-11 W

Tuesday May th/16
Begins with Strong wind from E. Stearing W. at
7 P.M. lufed to on port tack and Shortened sail
for the night at sun rise made sail heading N.
pleasant weather sent Cutting pendants aloft [part of cutting gear?]
saw nothing
Lat 30-36 N Lon 74-20 W.

Wednesday May th/17
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind from
N.E. heading to the Northward at 7 P.M. saw
whales but did not go in pursuit of them it being
nearly dark. wore ship* and stood to the S. and
at sun rise saw them again at 8 A.M. lowared and
the Starboard boat Struck but drew. waste boat
got capsised Jiling [Jibing * *] Larboard boat had one mised
Lat 30-10 N Lon 75-31 W

Thursday May th/18
Begins with Strong wind Chasing whales Come on
board at 4 PM at 7 shortened sail for the night
Lat part pleasant weather and light wind engaged
breaking out nothing in sight.
Lat 30-44 N Lon 75 ?? W

Friday May th/19
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
from S.E. Lat part light air and Calms Saw
a Schooner to south. pleasant weather
so ends this day
Lat 30-44 N Lon 75-26 W

Saturday, May th/20
Begins with Calm weather at 5 PM got a light
wind from S. at 5 Sent the Waste boat
to a Schooner with letters. She proved to be
the Isaac Oliver. from xxx. Cages for New York)
Lat part pleasant weather and light wind Stearing
S.S.E.
Lat 30-48 N Lon 74-56 W

* Wearing ship - tacking away from the wind in a square rigged vessel.
* * Jibing - to change from one tack to the other away from the wind, with the stern of the vessel turning through the wind.

A great find in the log. December 14, 1877

2009-05-13T10:18:00.031-05:00

Logbook entry:

Friday Dec th/14 1877
Com- with light wind from S.E. with foggy weather
at 5 P.M. gamed [visited] the Charles W. Morgan 32 months
out 800 sperm. Capt Tincom [Tinkham] at 7. kept on the
Northern tack. Lat part light wind from S at 8 Am
Cleared up the Morgan in sight ship heading E
Lat 35-10 S Lon 21-42 W

This logbook entry is such a great find because the Bark Charles W. Morgan is the "Last Wooden Whaleship in the World" and can still be seen at the Mystic Seaport - The Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic CT.

From the Mystic Seaport Research library we find these Voyage #10 records for the years 4/23/1875 - 5/17/1878 with Captain John M. Tinkham.

Voyage # 10 was unique in that Captain Tinkham's wife Clara Tinkham was aboard. She left the Morgan at St. Helena in November 1876. Mrs. Tinkham "suffered severe bouts of seasickness". Mrs. Tinkham took a steamer to England and then on to home. (see Leavitt below)

Charles W. Morgan video from the Mystic Seaport. YouTube short version.
Charles W. Morgan video from the Mystic Seaport. YouTube long version.

Some additional Mystic Seaport research resources:
Charles W. Morgan Whaling and Maritime History
Crew List for voyage #10.

Leavitt, John F., The Charles W. Morgan (Second Edition). Mystic CT., Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc., 1998, ISBN: 0-913372-10-2

Second week at sea. May 7 to May 13 1876.

2009-05-10T21:13:00.004-05:00

Sunday May th/7
Com- with light winds Ship heading S E.
with light rain Saw one sail and a Fin
Back. Lat-part light wind with a little
rain. Saw two sail Ship heading SE.
Lat 36-31 N Lon 71-28 W

Monday May th/8
Com'd with wind from S.S.W._ Ship heading
S.E. two sail in sight. at two PM Saw
Blackfish Mid part Strong wind heading
S.S.E. Lat part the same engaged piling
whaling gear
Lat 35-03 N Lon 69-32 W

Tuesday May th/9
Begins with pleasant weather and wind
from SW. Saw Fin Backs at 6 PM Tacked
to the Westward Lat part Strong wind Sat[saw]a
Brig abandond and on fire Main mast gone
supposed the crew had been taken off
Lat 34-30 N Lon 69 22 W

Wednesday May th/10
Begins with Strong wind from S Ship
heading to W Mid part blowing Strong
Lat part the same Ship under reefed Main top
sail and foresail heading to Eastward
Lat 34-16 N Lon 69-38 E

Thursday May th/11
Begins with Strong wind from S heading to E.
at 6 PM tacked to Westward weather much
the same Lat part wind light Stearing S.W. by W.
saw four sail engaged Setting up Main riging
Lat 33-32 N Lon 69-20 W

Friday May th/12
Begins with wind from N.W. and Cloudy weather
Stearing W.S.W. Saw two Sail. Lat part pleasant
weather and light wind from N. Stearing the
same saw two Sail
Lat 32 44 N Lon 71-21 W.

Saturday May th/13
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind
from E. Saw nothing engaged braking out
Lat part much the same weather with light
veriable winds saw nothing working to the West
Lat 31-45 N Lon 72-54 W

A crew member returns. William L. Cone Jr.

2009-05-07T15:26:00.022-05:00

Shortly after I started this blog I received an email asking if we had the crew list for the Tropic Bird 1876-1878. The emailer was hunting for information about her great grandfather William L. Cone.

A quick check of the crew list..... and there he was William L. Cone Jr. a crew member of the Tropic Bird 1876 voyage. See the crew list here.

What an exciting thing to find and to realize ..... that the great granddaughter of a crew member was now "meeting" the great great granddaughter of the Captain. "Meeting" one hundred and thirty three years later from the decks of a whaling ship to the world of the internet. From a voyage on a vast ocean to the world wide web.

Who in 1876 could have imagined that 133 years later two granddaughters would be peeking in on their shared experience aboard the Tropic Bird?

Could Jules Verne 1828-1905 or H.G. Wells 1866-1946 have imagined such a "meeting"?

Meet William L. Cone Jr.

Sandy the great granddaughter of William Lyman Cone Jr. tells us this about her great grandfather

Here's some info on my grandfather that I was able to find in a Cone genealogy book, published 1903, His [Wm. L. Cone] youngest daughter Catherine was my grandmother.

2946. William L Cone, b Oct 29 1854 married Anna L Gillette. Res Millington Conn.

William Lyman Cone, son of William L. Cone (2409) b. Millington, CT Oct 29 1854 married Bertha Burdick June 16 1883. She was born Dec 28 1866. He married 2. Anna Lee Gillette, daughter of Miner H. Gillette and Elizabeth Tiffany Lee, April 26 1889. She was born in East Haddam Dec 31, 1861. At the age of twenty-one he sailed on the bark "Tropic Bird" from New Bedford, on a sperm whaling voyage, and was gone twenty-seven months. Afterwards pursued and completed a course of musical study at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, and is at present a music teacher and piano-tuner, and holds the position of Postmaster at Millington.

Children:
3484. Florence, b. Dec 15, 1884
3485. Clarence, b. June 16, 1886
3486. Virginia Gillette, b. Apr 9, 1891
3487. Emily, b Apr 23, 1895
3488. Catherine, b. Jan 19, 1900

An ancestor to be proud of... a whaler, a music teacher, a Postmaster and a parent.

Sea-Fever

2009-05-07T14:06:00.003-05:00

By John Masefield (1878-1967)

I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Meet Owen Hillman Tilton.

2009-05-05T20:20:00.007-05:00

A special thanks to living members of the Tilton family of Vineyard Haven MA and their ancestors for preserving these and other family photos and documents and for providing access to them for this project.
Email: Capt.O.H.Tilton's gr-gr-granddaughter. Donna.

May th/3 1876. One Hundred Thirty Three (133) years ago today.

2009-05-03T19:11:00.026-05:00

Below are photocopies of original documents as written in May 1876. Below the original document is the transcribed version. To see the enlarged version of these original documents click on the document.

Crew List NB Shipping List 5/4/76

Capt Owen H. Tilton
Mate Benj C. Blossom Dartmouth
Jas. (Jos.) Payne Mattapoisett
xxxx Geo. Arnold N.B.
Cooper
& Shipkeeper John Wilcox "
Boat John Connor "
Steerers Jam Greenman "
Steward Henry E. Montague Brooklyn - Deserted 10/8/76 Fayal
Cook Edwd. E. Dixon N.B. - Discharged 6/4/77 Barbados
Antone Eichman -- did not sail --
Frank Joseph -
John Thomas Leo -
Theo. Gerecke
Jos. Mariz -
Pedro Noovis -
Chas. Smith - Deserted 10/9/76 Fayal
Chas. Kanaka -
Chas. W. McKowin - Deserted 10/9/76 Fayal
Anton Ecos - Deserted 10/16/76 Fayal
John Dight -
Ian N. Brush Tisbury
Wm. L. Cone Jr. Eastham
Wm. R. Wolf Sheffield
John J. Armstead Charlestown
______
Log Book Wm Whitman Deserted 3/22/77 St. Helena

Below is a photocopy of the original logbook entries of the Tropic Bird as written in May 1876. Below the original document is the transcribed version. To see the enlarged version of the original documents click on the document.

Remarks On Board Bark Tropic Bird
Capt Owen H. Tilton
Sailed from New Bedford May th/2 1876
Antone Eichmen Not on board To be Certified first port by Consul.

Wednesday May th/3
Commences with light wind from SSE. Ship
heading S.W. at eight P.M. gay head light link
bearing N.E. 12 Miles distant
Lat[ter]-part wind came to E. Stearing S. by W.

Thursday May th/4
Begins with Cloudy weather and wind rising
at four P.M. blowing a gail from N.N.E. at
six lufed to under Close reefed Main topsail
fore topmast staysail and Main Spencer. Mid[dle] part
rain and hail blazing fearful Lat-part
morderated and kept off Stearing S. and Made
Sail Lat[itude] 38.33 N Lon[gitude] 71.-12 W.

Friday May th/5
Begins with pleasant weather and light wind from N
Stearing S. engaged riging Boats at 3 AM tacked
to the East heading E.S.E. at 9 tacked to
west wind light from S. Two sail in sight Struck
Two porpoises but Lost them ends with pleasant
weather and light wind
Lat 37.30 N Lon 71-56 W

Saturday May th/6
Begins with light wind from S Ship heading
S.W. Saw three sail one Schooner with foremast
and Main topmast gorn [gone] Lat- part light wind
heading W S.W. Crew fitting Boats
Lat 37-00 N Lon 72-26 W

Please note that characters enclosed in [square brackets] were add to clarify the log entry. Example: Lat[itude]. Characters (words) in bold are still in question as to their meaning. Example:gorn

Whaling Bark circa 1870.

2009-04-27T22:14:00.004-05:00

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.

2009-04-22T20:56:00.019-05:00

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.

2009-04-21T12:40:00.007-05:00

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.

2009-04-20T20:33:00.013-05:00

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.

2009-04-20T19:32:00.010-05:00

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.

2009-04-15T22:53:00.005-05:00

Read some history.

2009-03-15T21:36:00.002-05:00

THE WHALING FLEET.--The New-Bedford Standard, of Saturday evening, says: The bark Tropic Bird, which arrived here last evening from a whaling cruise, brought in a most excellent voyage, She has been absent but eighteen months, and Captain DAVIS hails seven hundred barrels sperm oil and fifty barrels of humpback oil. The cargo will probably "turn out" a larger quantity of sperm oil than reported.

read here and here

Capt. Owen Hillman Tilton (1836 - 1901) was a whaler, the son of Benjamin Tilton of Chilmark. The log of his voyage on the bark Tropic Bird during 1876-78 can be found in the New Bedford Whaling Museum. He later became a Vineyard Haven merchant, dealing in lumber, lime, bricks, cement, and fencing. He married Eliza R. Cottle (1839 - 1913?), the daughter of Edmund Cottle and (probably) Elizabeth Ridgeway, and they were the parents of Ernest R. Tilton, Frank Owen Tilton (1864 - 1923), and Herbert L. Tilton (1869 - 1948). Frank took over the Tilton Lumber after Owen died in 1901. "Bert" ran the H. L. Tilton plumbing shop on Main Street, which later became Tilton's drugstore (and finally, Yates.) Some Tilton Family History here.

Additional Bark Tropic Bird history here.

Bark Tropic Bird 1876-1878. Captain Owen H. Tilton

2009-03-15T20:18:00.002-05:00

Following the 26 month whaling voyage of the Bark Tropic Bird
Captain Owen H. Tilton
Leaving New Bedford Mass. May 2, 1876
Returning July 30, 1878

Stay tune for the first day of the voyage.