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December 29, 2004

Shipwrecks & Passengers/Crew 1830-1873 online

Olive Tree Genealogy has just finished putting online a set of records for all to enjoy.

It is a list of vessels sailing out of Gloucester Massachusetts, and their crews who were lost at sea between the years 1830 to October 1, 1873.

There are 1437 names of those lost, plus the names of 296 Vessels in this set of records. Sometimes passengers were on board, as well as crew members

Olive Tree Volunteers have finished up to 1860 and these online. The rest will follow as completed.

Start at the intro then click through by year for lists of those lost.
http://olivetreegenealogy.com/ships/gloucester.shtml

Some of the places mentioned where the ships went down are given as Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Boston, Maine,and more

There are interesting tidbits with the lists, both of those who died and those who survived. For example the tale of this young man on board the Sevo in 1857, would be great to have if he is your ancestor!

"Winthrop Sargent, a lad of twelve years crawled out to the end of the bowsprit, and as the vessal was going down, grasped a splitting table which floated by, and by his
cries attracted the attention of those on board the steamer, who rescued him with much difficulty"

The story goes on to add "On the return trip of the steamer, young Sargent was brought home,and at two o'clock in the morning,was landed at Eastern point, and lad though he was, commenced his lonely journey of walking to town. He reached his father's house at about four o'clock, and knowing that he slept in a bed-room on the lower floor, tapped on the window. His father immediately awoke and exclaimed, "Who
is there?", "It's your boy Winthrop, " was the reply. Mr. Sargent at first thought it must be the ghost of the lad, as he had given him up as drowned, but young Winthrop had no idea of being taken for a ghost, and soon gave evidence that he was alive and well, which caused great rejoicing in the family. "

Here's an example of what you can find written about those who perished:

"Schooner JOHN FRANKLIN was lost while coming from Prince Edward Island, in the winter of 1858-59. Had several passengers on board, and it is supposed fourteen
persons went down in this vessel. Her Crew list was as follows: John McDonald, Master; Dennis Murphy, Mate, John Cogle, Neil McNeil, Angus Chisholm, Edward Malady. The family of Cogle were among the Passengers"