SV Argo (1841)

American packet ship Montezuma
Built 1843, Webb & Allen
Very similar dimensions to the Argo
History
United States
NameSV Argo
Owner
BuilderWebb & Allen
Laid down1840
Launched1841
Out of service1854
FateAbandoned at sea
General characteristics
Class and typeFull-rigged
Tons burthen967 (registered)
Length161 ft
Beam36.3 ft
Draught20.5 ft
PropulsionFull sail
Sail planSquare rigged
Complement
  • Permanent crew approx. 15
  • Voyage crew up to approx. 415
NotesSquare-riggers on schedule by Robert Greenhalgh Albion, 1938, Princeton University Press, p. 286

The SV Argo was an American wooden sailing vessel (SV) designed for the trans-Atlantic Packet trade.[1] William Whitlock, Jr acquired the ship for his Havre-Whitlock Line, which regularly scheduled round trips three times a year from New York City to Le Havre, France.[2]

Captains

Caleb Anthony, Jr 1841–1847[3][4]

Isaac H. Davis 1848–1849[5]

Daniel H Wood 1849

Samuel Macoduck 1851–1854

Charles D Crawford 1850

Argo passenger arrivals into the Port of New York

Compiled from ship arrivals from Le Havre, France from 1841–1849, Ancestry.com, NARA and castlegarden.org. Arrival in the Port of New York was on pier 14 noted as the Havre-Union Line (trans-Atlantic packet).[6] Departure dates compiled from The New York Herald.[7]

Departure Date (Le Havre) Arrival Date (New York) Days Sailing Captain No.
April 21, 1841 May 24, 1841 33 Anthony 316
August 31, 1841 October 11, 1841 41 Anthony 141
December 30, 1841 February 14, 1842 46 Anthony 21
April 24, 1842 May 25, 1842 31 Anthony 390
August 25, 1842 September 26, 1842 32 Anthony 90
January 1, 1843 February 13, 1843 43 Anthony 18
June 24, 1843 July 26, 1843 32 Anthony 390
September 24, 1843 October 21, 1843 27 Anthony 66
February 5, 1844 March 11, 1844 35 Anthony 16
May 25, 1844 July 1, 1844 37 Anthony 387
September 25, 1844 October 24, 1844 29 Anthony 80
February 2, 1845 March 13, 1845 39 Anthony 14
May 28, 1845 July 2, 1845 35 Anthony 291
October 1, 1845 November 8, 1845 38 Anthony 219
February 4, 1846 March 13, 1846 37 Anthony 42
May 25, 1846 June 29, 1846 35 Anthony 382
September 30, 1846 November 6, 1846 37 Anthony 385
January 31, 1847 March 30, 1847 58 Anthony 79
May 26, 1847 June 24, 1847 29 Anthony 314
September 26, 1847 October 22, 1847 26 Anthony 319
January 27, 1848 March 10, 1848 43 Davis 86
May 25, 1848 June 29, 1848 35 Davis 338
October 1, 1848 November 1, 1848 31 Davis 183
January 31, 1849 March 6, 1849 34 Davis 91
May 1849 June 30, 1849 Davis 337
October 2, 1849 November 6, 1849 35 Wood 286
January 30, 1850 March 12, 1850 Crawford See below

The wreck of the Argo

The "Argo" ran aground on a sand bar on the south shore of Long Island near present-day Mastic Beach and remained there for over a year before it was removed, repaired and sold to another owner. As was common, major local newspapers avoided mention of wrecks, especially without loss of life, as not to supply negative publicity for their advertisers (owners and operators). The 1850 grounding of the Argo occurred at approximately 40°43′30″N 72°53′21″W / 40.72500°N 72.88917°W / 40.72500; -72.88917 (SV Argo (March 12, 1850)), about 1.5 miles west of the contemporary memorial for TWA Flight 800.

  • "THE SHIP ARGO — This vessel, which went ashore off Fire-place,[8] on Fire Island, on Friday night last, is now lying broadside to the shore. At high tide, yesterday, the sea broke completely over her the wind being from the northeast, but at low tide she can be approached dry shod. She was laden with about 1800 packages, about 800 of which have been discharged, 600 in a sound gate. The remaining portion of the cargo is all afloat, there being about ten feet of water in the lower hold. The planks are not started, and only a few seams near the stern are open. She is imbedded in the sand nearly to the top of her copper, but the underwriter's agent, Captain Waring, does not despair of getting her off. The cargo is now coming to the city in lighters. As the water shoals, on this shore, very gradually —at the rate, It is said, of not more than a fathom a mile—and as the wind was not high on Friday night, though the night was foggy, the occasion of the accident to the Argo is naturally a subject of much speculation."[9]
  • "SHIP ARGO ASHORE - The N.Y Com. Adv. of Saturday says - Ship Argo, Crawford, went on shore on Tuesday night (March 12, 1850) at half past seven o'clock, twenty-five miles to the eastward of Fire Island. The passengers were safely landed and the mate and part of the crew came to the city by the Long Island railroad last evening. The Argo sailed from Havre on the 30th of January. The amount of damage she had sustained is not yet known. The Argo was built in this city in 1841, was 967 burthen, and her estimated value prior to this accident was $60,000. She was insured in various offices in Wall Street. Her cargo must be very valuable, $200,000 to $300,000 most of which is insured, partly in France but chiefly in this city. Assistance has been sent to her."[10] No further voyages under the ownership of William Whitlock, Jr to and from Havre and New York have been discovered after this incident.
  • "We learn that the pkt ship Argo, ashore on Mystic (Mastic) Point, 20 miles E of Fire Island, will probably be got off after disg. She was perfectly sound when last heard from."[11]
  • "Col. E.L. Snow, inspector of the customs, New York, was thrown from his wagon, on his way to the wreck of the ship Argo, on Long Island, and severely injured. It is said he cannot with safety be removed at present."[12]
  • Margaret Fuller Ossoli wrote to Madame Arconati (April 21, 1850): " It was an odd combination. I had intended, if I went by way of France, to take the packet ship Argo from Havre; I had just written to Mrs. Story that I should not do so; and at the same time requested her to find Miss Fitton, who had my muff, etc.; having closed the letter, I took up 'Galignani', and my eye fell on these words, Died, 4th April, at No. 10 Rue Ville l'Eveque, Miss E. Fitton. Turning the leaf, I read of the wreck of the Argo returning from America to France (from France to America). There were also notices of the wreck of the Royal Adelaide, a fine English steamer, and of the John Skiddy, one of the fine American packets. Thus, as it seems, safety is not to be found in the wisest calculation. I shall embark more composedly in my merchant ship; praying, indeed, fervently, that it may not be my lot to lose my babe at sea, either by un-solaced sickness, or amid the howling waves. Or, that if I should, it may be brief anguish, and Ossoli, he and I go together. Pray with me, dear friend, as yours ever, forever, MARGARET."[13]
  • Margaret Fuller died about 90 days after writing to Madame Arconati in a shipwreck off Fire Island, near the wreck of the Argo.[14]
  • "Ship Argo from Havre for New York, which was stranded a long while ago, has finally been floated off and at last account is waiting a steamer to tow her up to New York. She has been saved through the perseverance of Captain William Boardman, Jim and John M Brown, who contracted with the underwriters of Wall street to save her."[15]
  • "The ship Argo lately brought to our port after having been buried for a twelvemonth in the sands below Fire Island has been put on the Sectional Floating Dry Dock for repair, all her timbers having been severely strained."[16]

Later ownership

Used on a Liverpool to New York route by the Caleb Grimshaw and Co in 1851 and on a Liverpool to Melbourne Australia route in departing in 1852.[17] Samuel Thompson's Nephew and Co., acquired the Argo in 1851.

  • "Packet ship Argo mentioned a few weeks ago in your columns is the same vessel, your correspondent refers to. This vessel was built at New York in 1841 for Fox & Livingston's (William Whitlock's) Havre Line. She went ashore on March 14, 1850, at Mystic Point, twenty miles east of Fire Island, and laid there for more than twelve months, brought to New York about March 26, 1851, repaired and sold to Thompson & Nephews Company, and run to Liverpool; afterward to the Pacific Ocean: vessel was lost on April 17, 1854, in a violent hurricane during a voyage from Baltimore to Liverpool, the pumps becoming choked, the case became hopeless and the vessel was abandoned. The crew was taken off by another vessel. She was nothing but an ordinary packet ship of that period. - J.B. Morrison"[18]

Argo passenger arrivals into the Port of New York (N.Y.) and Melbourne (Mel.)

Compiled from ship arrivals from 1850–1852, Ancestry.com and NARA.

Arrival Date Captain No. Port
September 24, 1851 Samuel Macoduck 437 N.Y.
February 3, 1852 Samuel Macoduck 95 N.Y.
January 19, 1853 Samuel Macoduck 242 Mel.

Loss of the Argo

The Argo was abandoned in the North Atlantic after a hurricane, boarded twice and was not seen again after the second boarding, perhaps considered a Ghost ship by the uniformed second crew who were unaware of the rescue. Its final resting place has never been determined. The Argo could have sunk, washed ashore in Ireland or been salvaged without notifying maritime authorities.

  • "Ship Argo Capt Macoduck from Baltimore 1 April 1854 for Liverpool experienced on 17 April a violent hurricane from S to NW which threw the vessel on her beam ends; her masts were cut away and she righted a little taking large quantities of water. On the 19th the vessel had 7 feet of water in her hold and was abandoned, the crew being taken off by the Br. ship Mahonongo (Mohongo)[19] Capt Cor(n)ish from Londonderry".[20]
  • "LOST SHIPS.—Argo, Macoduck, from Baltimore to Liverpool with breadstuffs was thrown on her beam ends, 17 April in Lat 46 Lon 31 (46°00′N 31°00′W / 46.000°N 31.000°W / 46.000; -31.000 (SV Argo (April 14, 1854))),[21] and on the 19th, was abandoned; crew taken off by the Mahongo (Mohongo), Cor(n)ish, from Londonderry."[22]
  • "Messrs Thompson and Nephew (Samuel Thompson's Nephew & Co.) intend presenting to Capt Raymond Cornish of the ship Mohongo of Londonderry an elegant silver trumpet suitably inscribed as a slight acknowledgment of his noble conduct in rescuing Capt Macoduck and the crew from the wreck of the ship Argo on the 19th April last. A heavy sea was running at the time and Capt Cornish effected the rescue at imminent hazard by his small boats - New York Courier".[23]
  • "An American ship dismasted and abandoned, hailing from New: York, with port side of archboard washed away, laden with flour and corn, was boarded by the Portland, from New Orleans, in Lon. 30W., and letters were found in her cabin addressed to “Capt. Macodrick,” ship Argo. Mem.— The Argo, Macodrick, cleared from Baltimore March 22 for this port."[24]
  • "The New City of Cork, from Barbados, at this port, saw, on the 20th ult. in lat. 46°17'N, long. 30°30'W, (46°17′N 30°30′W / 46.283°N 30.500°W / 46.283; -30.500 (SV Argo (April 20, 1854))) a dismasted and abandoned ship (supposed to be the Argo, from Baltimore to this port, reported by the Portland), bearing NE, and bore down to her, and found her to be a ship of about 1000 tons, with painted ports, gilt billet head, main and mizenmasts gone close to the deck, foremast, bowsprit, and jibboom standing, & c. "New York " on her stern, but name gone: to all appearance a new vessel, with perfect rudder and wheel house; did not appear to be waterlogged, or long abandoned."[25]

References

  1. ^ New-York tribune., May 24, 1841
  2. ^ Germany Roots, retrieved Oct 27 2014
  3. ^ Memoirs of James Gordon Bennett and his times by Isaac Clarke Pray, Stringer & Townsend, 1855 - Journalism - 488 pages
  4. ^ American Annals of the Deaf and Dumb, Volume 1 by Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf and Dumb, 1878
  5. ^ Naval Journal, American Seamen's Friend Society, 1846
  6. ^ 1851 map of the Port of New York
  7. ^ "The New York Herald (1842-1920)." Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030313/
  8. ^ Map of Long Island, ca. 1860s, brooklyngenealogy.org retrieved Nov 20, 2015
  9. ^ *The Evening Post (New York, New York), Mon, Mar 18, 1850, p. 2
  10. ^ Boston Post March 18, 1850, p. 2
  11. ^ Boston Post March 19, 1850, p. 2
  12. ^ Boston Post March 22, 1850, front page
  13. ^ Fuller, Margaret, 1810–1850, Author: Higginson, Thomas Wentworth, 1823-1911; Riverside Press (Cambridge, Mass.) (1884); Hearst, William Randolph, 1863-1951; Howe, Julia Ward, 1819–1910, Publisher: Boston, New York, Houghton, Mifflin and company pp. 274 and 275
  14. ^ Long Island Genealogy, The strange story of the bark ELIZABETH By Van R. Field, retrieved November 13, 2014
  15. ^ Boston Post March 5, 1851 p. 2
  16. ^ New York Tribune, Wed 2 Apr 1851, p. 4
  17. ^ Liverpool Connections website, retrieved Nov 3, 2014
  18. ^ The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) Sun, 5 Nov 1911, p. 48
  19. ^ Ship Mohongo 1851, McCorkell Line from theshiplist.com retrieved Nov 6, 2014
  20. ^ Naval Journal, Volumes 25-26 from American Seamen's Friend Society, 1854
  21. ^ New York Daily Times May 16, 1854, front page
  22. ^ London Daily News, May 5, 1854, p. 6.
  23. ^ The Mercantile marine magazine and nautical record 1854
  24. ^ London Express May 5, 1854, front page
  25. ^ London Standard May 9, 1854, front page