Connecticut River Museum
Maritime History of
the Town of Essex, Connecticut
by
J. Stuart Rankin, Jr.
Winner of the First
Prize awarded by the
Dauntless Club to the students of Pratt High School
ca 1930
Shipbuilders
Quite a number of captains sailed from here around 1815, and among them were: Captain William Bull, Alfred Hayden, Henry Starkey, Levy Post, and John Pratt. Captain Johnson sailed from here one day and has never been heard from since. Of those who sailed from 1850 on there were: Captain Pritchard Post; Capts. John and Henry Pratt, who are still living; Capt. Isaiah Pratt went to London several times. He used to live in a house which stood on the site of the Municipal Building. Capt. Handy King was captain of the ship "Handy King", and for a short time captain of the "Middlesex"; Capt. Titus Mather had his own vessel, in which he crossed the ocean several times. There were the Urquahart brothers, Bill and John, and the father; one of the brothers was lost at sea Capt. Ed. Williams used to live where Miss P. Williams lives. Capt. Frank West lived at Mr. Bailey's. Capt. Oshmer Parmelee lived where Mr. Charles Tiley now resides. Capt. Cornelius Doane, at Perfrante's. Capt. Jabis Pratt lived at Mrs. Finney's. Capt. McCary lived where Mr. H. Gladding lives. Capt. Richard Williams lived a while with Capt. Ed Williams. Capt. Joseph Tucker lived in what is now the Episcopal rectory. Capt. Thomas Mason lived where Mr. C. Allard now lives. Capt. Gilbert Williams, a brother of Miss Williams, stayed a part of the time at her house. Captains Henry Smith, Ezra and Albert Pratt and Samuel Williams lived in different houses around the town. Capt. Rockwell was a coasting captain and lived where Mr. George Seeley lives. Capt George Pratt used to live where Doctor Bradeen now has his house.
Capt. Edgar Stevens, a man noted for the number of shipwrecks, he had, lived where Mr. Libby now lives. Capt. Henry Hovey lived in the house which Mr. G. Evans now owns. Capt. Hovey was on Capt. Steven's ship when she struck an iceberg and his son and Capt. Edgar were the only ones saved. Capt. Gideon Parker lived where Mr. Champion lives. He sailed around Cape Horn twice, each time being chased by pirates. Capt. Gould Stevens lived at Mr. Mark Beebe's. Capt. Oshmer Parmelee lived in the house next to Capt. John Pratt's. Capt Charles Tiley used to live on the old Tiley homestead. Capt. Denison Post lived at Mr. Twitzler's, and "was a fine hearty man, standing over six foot two." Capt. Buell Post, brother of Denison Post, lived at Mr. Burney Hayden's. Capt. Handy Post used to reside while home, in the house that is now the site of the one that Mr. George Southworth owns. Capt. Joseph King lived in the house Mr. C. W. Sadler occupies. He captained some of the steam boats on the river. Capt. Hill went to sea as a boy, but in his later life he kept a store on the spot where Haynes' have their home. Capt. Sammy Collins is the only old sea captain now living in town. The following is a list of ships and their captains that he gave me: David Mack's vessels built in the sixties: "Robert Pettie", Capt. Stution; "G. A. Hayden", Capt. John J. Smith; "L. Daniels", Capt. Hill Smith; "L. Raymond" built by Noah Starkey and captained by J. J. Lord.
Vessels built at a later date: "Gen. Sheridan", Capt. Buell; "Hattie But-ler", Capt. Strickland; "Teasler", Capt. Hoge; "Minnehaha", Capt. Tryon; "James Phelps", Capt. Rockwell.
Some of the vessels built by Noah Starkey were: the sloop "Henry Clay"; sloop "Emily Mack"; schooner "A. G. Hasard"; and the schooner "P. 5. Linsey". The schooners "Viola", "Mary Brockway", "Daniel Morris", "James Cock", "Isaac Merritt", and the "Mattermound", were built by the Pratt brothers. During his active life Capt. Collins captained the following boats: the sloops "Diamond", "Saucy Maid", "James Franklin", and the "Celia", and the schooners "W. W. Wood", "Fancy Bitter", and the "David K. Okm".
"Capt. William W. Urquahart was one of the most famous of the Essex sea captains. He was the son of Capt. John Urquahart and was born in Essex, June 26, 1838. He entered the merchant service when quite young and at the age of twenty-one was master of a fine ship, the "American Eagle" of E. Morgan's Son's London line. He was always remarkable fortunate in his profession and made some of the quickest trips across the Atlantic at that time. Captain Urquahart was in command of the ship "Trimountain" when the French steamship "Ville du Havre" was sunk. On the morning after the disaster he received the survivors to his own vessel from the "Loch Earn", who had picked them up. For this kindness to the refugees, he was presented with a handsome silver service, worth about $1,500. He also received from the citizens of Bristol, England, a silver salver, and from the French Transat-lantic Steamship Co., a gold chronometer and chain. In 1879, while in command of the "Isaac Webb", Capt. Urquahart rescued the crew of the British bark "Ivolina" and carried them to London, receiving a costly silver beaker, gold lined, and having embossed gold bands."
© All Material copyright by the Connecticut River Museum, Inc.