For many years, I had a newspaper article about my second great-grandfather, but it was torn into two sections, making it hard to read. Plus, the person who cut it out removed the date, newspaper title, and publisher, so I couldn’t find it. Recently, I discovered the article online, and thanks to some amazing AI tools, I was able to transcribe it! I’m excited to finally share it with everyone so we can all enjoy the story together!
Captain Wescott Preparing For Season On “Dry Body of Water”
The article about Captain Wescott is from The Waynesville Mountaineer, published on June 1, 1939.
“Yes, I was born on Roanoke Island, where Virginia Dare first saw the light, but she had left before I got there,” said Captain John T. Wescott, with a twinkle in his eyes.
The captain, a landmark at the Lake Junaluska Assembly Grounds, has been in charge of the rowboats and has run the launch “Cherokee,” in which he has a third interest, for the past twenty-one years. Prior to his coming to the Lake, the captain had retired from the United States Coast Guard service, after 43 years of active duty.
“But I date back pretty well, even if I didn’t know Virginia,” continued Captain Wescott. “I was born in 1853, and I well recall the days when General Burnside captured Roanoke Island during the Civil War. We had food stored away to do us a year, but the soldiers took everything, and after they left, it looked like starvation. We had forty hogs and forty chickens, and they took them all. One of the Yankee officers, however, took an old hen away from one of the privates and came back and brought it to my mother. She kept it hidden in a barrel in the attic until she was sure the soldiers had left for good.”
“Another thing I remember were the decoy geese my father had and prized so much. They took them all and his guns too. We had been taking care of two Confederate soldiers who were wounded and suffering, and had asked us to give them shelter. So, when the Yankees found out about them, they took my father a prisoner. But what’s the use of recalling such things at this time? Somebody might have hard feelings about it, and I don’t mean it that way. I am just remembering when I was a child.”
Captain Wescott, erect, stocky, and ruddy-faced, denies in appearance and bearing the years he claims make up his age. He shows the clear skin of a person who has lived much in the open. His quarters in the Cherokee Inn, where he lives six months out of the year, are as immaculate as the cabin of a well-scrubbed ship. He showed us about. His closet, cedar-lined and large enough to hold a good-sized trunk, boxes, plenty of shelves, and rows of hooks for hanging garments, is as neat as a pin. Everything is in its place. But one could have guessed without being told where his great interest lay, for there were boat models.
“Yes, for twenty-one years I have run the ‘Cherokee’ on a regular schedule around the lake from 7 to 8 o’clock every evening except Sunday, during the entire season here. I always come early in April to get the rowboats and the launch ready for the summer,” he said.
“But after my years on the sea, I’ll have to admit that Lake Junaluska is the tamest body of water I have ever run a boat on. It’s like taking a broken dose of something for me to run the launch on Lake Junaluska, but then at 86, that’s alright, because I can’t do the work I once did,” said the captain.
“But I don’t like the looks of the lake a bit these days,” he continued. “Right now, it looks like I might have to hoist the old ‘Cherokee’ on wheels, because she has a poor chance of floating anytime soon. We are having a lot of dam trouble down here, but I think the good Methodists are having fun talking about their dam troubles,” he said when speaking of the present condition of the lake.
Lake Junaluska has been drained for work on the lake bed, and it may not be filled until July, which seems to be mighty hard on the captain, who is at work on his boats, getting them ready to float, with a “dry body of water facing the boathouse,” as he says.
The captain’s 43 years of service were seen in the Revenue Cutter, Life Saving, and Inland Service of the Government, and he was located some fifty-five miles from Cape Henry in the coast guard service for 30 years, retiring at the age limit of 65.
After his retirement, two of his daughters, school girls at the time, came to Lake Junaluska, and were so enthusiastic that they persuaded their mother and father to come to this section the next year. They did so, and both liked it. They soon bought the Cherokee Inn, which they owned and operated for many years.
Two years prior to the death of Mrs. Wescott, they rented the Inn to Mr. and Mrs. Claude Medford, who bought the place about three years ago and have since operated it. The captain has continued to make his home at the Inn, during the time he spends in this section.
The rest of the year, the captain spends with his six children, who are scattered from Greenville, Ky., to Richmond, Va. The greater part of the six months out of the mountains is spent with his son, who lives in Norfolk. When his longing for the old life on the coast of North Carolina gets too much for him, he visits his brother down in Manteo.
“I’ll be coming to Lake Junaluska to run the ‘Cherokee’ as long as I live,” said the captain. “I feel more at home here than most any place now.”
Footnote: We, my genealogical cousins and I, have been unable to find any record of John Senior being a POW, but that does not mean he was not one. It could have been an overnight stay in jail, or he had to pay a fine, or he was part of the prisoner exchange.
Read my blog to discover the incredible story of Captain Wescott and uncover the fascinating details about this remarkable man!
A few years ago, I took the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge created by Amy Johnson Crow. Amy is a certified genealogist whose podcasts, webpage, and social media accounts have taught me a lot.
The challenge was “Long Line.” This phrase can be interpreted in many ways, but what came to my mind was, “I come from a long line of water-loving ancestors.” The Wescotts, Chadwicks, Midgetts, and Tilletts all served in the Life-Saving Service (now called the U.S. Coast Guard).
The Logans, Beans, Royces, and Roots grew up along the coast, with family ties ranging from Scotland to New Hampshire and England to Massachusetts. Additionally, the Kunkles, Younkins, Hawks, Rittenhouses, Nices, and Morrisons hail from Germany and the Netherlands, settling in Pennsylvania.
We also have the Wescotts, Chaddicks, Midgetts, Chadwicks, Pughs, Woodhouses, and Jennetts from various places along the East Coast, with roots in England and France. The Cofers, Moodys, Wards, Barhams, Argalls, Davises, Harrisons, and many more emigrated from England to Virginia.
Even my trans-Appalachian pioneer ancestor journeyed from Virginia to Tennessee, eventually settling on Boone’s Creek and the Watauga River. My German, Slovenian, Croatian, and Polish ancestors also lived by the coast, and my connection to Jamestown is coastal as well!
Today, the Logans still reside in Michigan and Pennsylvania, while the Wescotts and Chadwicks are in North Carolina, Jacksonville Beach, and along the Gulf Coast.
I live in Florida and have a deep love for the water—be it the ocean, rivers, or lakes. Now, I understand why. Could we all have a gene for seafaring? According to an article published in the journal, Genetic Determinism Today, researchers at Mystic University in Connecticut have identified a gene linked to a love of the sea.1
My “Long Line” is the enduring connection to the coast, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Just a moment…” genotopia.scienceblog.com/9/scientists-find-gene-for-love-of-the-sea-2/. Accessed 18 Jan 2020 . ↩︎
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Matthew Midyett – Our Colonial Pioneer from North Carolina – My 8th great-grandfather.
Legend has it that Matthew was shipwrecked on Bodies Island in North Carolina and chose to settle there.
Bodie Island, originally “Body Island,” is reportedly named after a family (Robert Boddy/Boddie) who owned the land. Still, folklore would say that the name resulted from the many shipwrecked bodies that washed ashore.
It appears that the Midyett (Now Midgett or Midgette) line came from France.
Huguenot refugees landing at Dover, from the bicentenary commemorative issue of The Graphic, 1885. Huguenot Library
FraNCe: The French Heritage of North Carolina Paperback – September 15, 2016
The map legend by H.Moll, geographer, reads: The English Claim the property of Carolina from Lat 29 & c degrees as part of Cabot’s Discoveries who set out from Bristol in 1498,at the charge of King Henry ye 7th but they did not take possession of that country till King Charles the ll’s time in 1663 who granted a patent to divers persons to plant all the territories within the North Lat of 36 deg & so west in a direct line to the South Sea.
Midyett: Midyett families, originally from Normandy, France, were early inhabitants of Bodie Island and the Outer Banks in the late 1600s. “Many Midyett girls married sailors of Black Beard’s three ships. The name was spelled different ways: Midyett, Midyette, Midgett, Midgette, but no matter how you spell it, they all came from Matthew Midyett who landed at Bodie Island, NC around 1600. He was a ship captain and was shipwrecked off the coast of the outer banks.”–Donald Midyett. Midyetts helped start the US Coast Guard by establishing life-saving stations on the Outer Banks. Some of the family found their way to Beaufort by 1850.1
William Keith Midgette recently stated on a Facebook group “I recently learned that the South River area of which London Towne was a part where Matthew Midyett lived from the late 1600’s to 1708 was settled by Huguenots, Quakers, and Scottish dissenters, so perhaps the hypothesis that the Midyett’s or Midiate’s were originally Huguenots has some possibilities.”
Miles Midgette “From information I have gathered over the years, it is entirely likely that Matthew Midgett’s forebears were Huguenots. The name originates near Marville (now France) which was part of the Spanish Netherlands for several hundred years and was a hotbed for Protestant fervor. Perhaps a million Protestants fled that region when the French took it over, many ending up in Kent, England as did the Midgett forebears. The name is Spanish for “son of the Archangel Michael”
William Keith Midgette “My hypothesis is that Matthew Midyett’s parents came from the Devon, Exeter, England area based upon the number of Midyett/Midiatt/Mediate’s I found in records of that area from 1500’s to the 1600’s. Whether they originally came from France or Netherlands, I can’t say yet until the link tieing Matthew to his parents is postiviely proven and them to England, but the info that Miles posted is completely plausible.”
Kay Lynn Sheppard is a Midgett by birth and has dedicated her career to genealogy by gathering every document related to Midgett or Midyett history she can find. She has been an invaluable resource for me and countless others. I’m fortunate to stay in regular contact with her.
Regrettably, there is an article that mentions the Thomas Midyett Bible, but Kay discovered that it is a hoax; it never actually existed. Additionally, the article claimed knowing the names of Matthew parents, yet, as Kay points out, there is “not one shred of evidence” to support that assertion. Lastly, while she possesses a copy of the Matthew Midyett will, the original is currently missing from the North Carolina State Archives. It’s truly unfortunate that individuals would take away from our heritage in this way. The archives are meant for everyone to explore and utilize!
Kay generously provided her ten pages of notes, which also include some from Nancy Frey. Please note that I do not possess copies of all the court records. I’ll include the website or source for the ones I’ve been able to find.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Matthew was born on April 10, 1676, and passed away on December 25, 1734, Christmas Day, on Bodies Island in what was once Currituck County, North Carolina. He wed Judith “Judy” White on July 13, 1702, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Judith, the daughter of Samuel White—evidenced by his will—was born on August 3, 1681, in Anne Arundel County and died on September 26, 1744, on Bodies Island. (The White family is reportedly traceable back to Jamestown, which I will elaborate on in a future blog post once I have the evidence.)
In 1703, court records reveal that Matthew is a ship’s carpenter. The notes indicate that his father was also a boatswain, but there are no existing records regarding his parents to date. During the January court session, William Killburne entered into an apprenticeship with Matthew Midiate to learn the trade of ship’s carpenter.
“Comes hereunto court Mr. Charles Killburne and Rachel Freeborne and bring William Killburne, son-in-law to said Rachel and nephew to said Charles, into court and binds the said William, with his consent, to one, Matthew Midiate, shipcarpenter, to serve the said Matthew till he comes to the age of one and twenty years, being now by the court adjudged to be sixteen years of age the nineteenth day of march next. In consideration whereof the said Matthew undertakes and bindeth himself to do his utmost endeavour to teach the said William Killburne the art or mastery of a ship carpenter and boatwright and also to teach him to read and write so well as he can teach him, and in all other things to do by the said William as it is usual for such masters to do by orphans in the county of Ann Arundel.” 2
In June 1703, Mathew Midget recorded his livestock “mark,” which indicated that his cattle had “a crop and two slips in the left ear.” During this period, livestock was allowed to roam freely and graze. The sole method to distinguish one farmer’s animals from another’s was through the use of these registered ear marks.3
In 1703, Judith’s father passed away, bequeathing 10 pounds sterling to Judith and Matthew Midgett in his will.4
March Court 1704
William Bateman vs Matthew Midiate
Command was given to the Sheriff of Ann Arundel County that he should take Matthew Midiate, late of Anne Arundel County, shipwright, if he should be found in this bailiwick and should him safekeep so that he should have his body before the justices of her majesties county court to be held at Annapolis, the second Tuesday of March then next, to answer unto William Bateman of a plea of trespass upon the case etc.
On which second Tuesday of March viz.–the fourteenth of the same month A.D. 1704 comes the said sheriff and makes return that he has taken the body of the said Matthew as commanded etc.
Whereon the said William complains as follows viz.–Matthew Midiate Of Ann Arundel County, shipwright, was attached to answer unto William Bateman of a plea of trespass upon the case.
Whereupon the said William by Clement Davies, his attorney, complained that whereas the said Matthew Midiate at London Town in Ann Arundel County, within the jurisdiction of this court, the 24th day of February in the year 1699 stood indebted to the said William Bateman in the sum of one pound and ten shillings of lawful money, by the particular account herewith brought into court may appear, and the said Matthew being so indebted afterwards, that is to say, the 24th day of February in the year aforesaid, at the county aforesaid, in consideration thereof, did assume upon himself and to the said William Bateman, did then and now, faithfully promise, that he, the said Matthew Midiate, the said sum of one pound and ten shillings to the said William Bateman when thereunto required would well and truly consent and pay, nevertheless the said Matthew Midiate his promise and assumption aforesaid not at all regarding but contriving and fraudentally intending him, the said William Bateman in this behalf craftily and subtley to devise and defraud the aforesaid sum of one pound and ten shillings to the said William Bateman although often knew unto required viz.– the day, year and place last mentioned and at divers times and places knew he hath not paid but the same to pay and content or satisfy to the said William Bateman hath denied and refused and will and doth deny and refuse to the damage of the said William Bateman there paid and sent of lawful money and thereof he brings this suit.
Pledge & John Doe & Richard Roe
June Court 1704
Mathew Midiate due to William Bateman——1 pound 10 shilling for cakes & beer & punch & wine
Matthew Midiate has his attorney, W. Bladen, defend the charges brought against him by William Bateman. The justices of the Court award Mathew Midiate the sum of_____(not specified)__ pounds of tobacco for his costs & charges because William Bateman’s charges proved false.
August Court 1705
Matthew Midiate vs Charles Linthicum
This writ and one other “countermanded by the plaintiffs”
Matthew was again in trouble in January of 1707 along with Thomas MacNamara for breaking into a tobacco barn and stealing one sheep. In June Matthew posted bond for his later appearance, but he did not appear and the bond was forfeited.
In June of 1708, Charles Kilburne sued Matthew for debt. Matthew was not found “in the bailiwick” whereupon the court ordered Matthew’s goods attached. That indeed got Matthew’s attention. Matthew was in North Carolina by this time and appointed Richard Johnson and William Nicholson to represent him in the Kilburne suit. Kilburne promptly sued both men as well as Midgett.
Although Matthew had left Maryland in 1707 or 1708, in 1716 Matthew was ordered to pay William Bladen 24 pounds of tobacco for representing him in the 1704 suit. William was apparently a very patient man.
The move to North Carolina removed Matthew from the Queen’s jurisdiction and put him under the much looser jurisdiction of the Lord’s Proprietors.
In 1712, Matthew was living in Chowan County where he became a bit of a hero when he apprehended a brigantine belonging to Emanuel Low who had fired upon then Governor Edward Hyde and his supporters:
July 12, 1712. — Upon petition of Matthew Midgett, praying he may be allowed fifty pounds, pursuant to a proclamation for apprehending Emanuel Low, which is to be allowed out of his estate if convicted : Emanuel Low being apprehended and brought before this board, for stirring up sedition and rebellion against this government, and endeavoring to subvert the same, was committed to the custody of the provost marshal therefor.5
Not long after that, in February 1712, Matthew received his first land patent on the south side of Albemarle Sound, 341 acres, land commonly known as White Oak Island, “joining the sound, the swamp and the pocoson and the great swamp”. This had been surveyed by Jonathan Bateman who assigned it to Matthew. 6
State Archives of North Carolina
In April of 1712, Matthew received another 360 acres on the northwest side of the Alligator Creek in Chowan precinct of Pasquotank County. This grant was signed by Governor Hyde.
State Archives of North Carolina
In 1713, Matthew sat on a grand jury.
However, later in 1713, Matthew was once again in trouble, accused of underhandedly making a patent on another man’s land, knowing that the man had cleared the land but had not gotten the papers filed. Anthony Alexander asked to have Matthew’s right to the land forfeited. The jury ordered that Anthony be granted the patent to the land and that Matthew could “take up any vacant land if there is any left”. 7
Matthew and Emanuel Low appeared to continue their discord. In volume 2 of the Colonial records, starting in 1713, Emanuel Low charged Matthew with breaking into his storehouse during Edward Hyde’s governorship and stealing some rum and sugar. The board concluded that Low’s complaint was “entirely scandalous, damaging, seditious, and untrue.” Perhaps Emanuel never fully forgave Matthew for the incident in 1711.
Mr. Emanuel Low prefering a petition to this board ag’ Mathew Mid-gett therein setting forth that y” said Midgett had feloniously broke open his store house in the time when the Hon ble Edw a Hyde was Gov r hereand had take thereout a quantity of Rum & Sugar &c and pray’s y e Gov rwarr’ to appehend him therefore and it appearing to this board that y”What y* said Midgett did in that regard was done by y° authority of theGovernment and that y” Said Low has been considered & satisfied for y esame. Therefore It is the opinion of this board that y e Same Petition isaltogether’ Scandolous Infamous Seditious and false And therefore it isordered that y” Same be & is hereby rejected as Such.8
In 1717 he patented 200 acres in Currituck Precinct on the sand banks, south of Roanoke Inlet. See below:
State Archives of North Carolina
In 1721, Matthew and Samuel Midget were witnesses to a deed from Thomas Peartree to John Fitzpatrick. Matthew signed his name, while Samuel used a mark. Kay is uncertain about the identity of this Samuel Midgett. However, it’s likely that Matthew’s son Samuel, who was born around 1704 and would have been over 16 at the time, could have served as a witness if there were no other adults present.
In 1722, Matthew patents another 80 acres on “an island commonly called Bodyes Island, between Roanoke Inlet and his former survey”.
State Archives of North Carolina
In 1727, he patented an additional 1,900 acres on Cow and Bodyes Island, encompassing the entire length of nine and a half miles with a width of 100 poles. This area is described as “the seawall and all the marshland adjacent to it, commonly referred to as Cow and Bodyes Island… with a total length of 9.5 miles and an average width of 100 poles.”
State Archives of North Carolina
On December 21st, 1834 Matthew made his will.
In The Name Of God Amen: ye 21st day of December Anno 1734.
I, Mathew MIDYETT, of Body Island that is County of Albemarle being very sick and weak of body but of trew and perfect mind and memory thanks be to the almighty god for it and calling to mind the mortality of my body that it is appointed for all men wonce to die and do therefore put my last will and testament in wrightin therfore and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hand of the almity God that gave it and for my body I commend unto the Earth to be buried in a Christian like manner att the Discression of my Exetrs nothing doubting But att the general Resurrection I Shall Resive the Same — and foust [first] of my Disier is that all my lawfull depts be paid and as touching of my worly estate I give as in maner and forme following: Imprimis
Item: I give and bequeth unto my eldest son Samuel MIDYETT one hundred Eakers of Land lying and being on the South Side of Albemarle Sound alway Call his one [own] to him his heirs and asigns for Ever and futhermor I give unto my son Samuel sail cloth anouf to furnish his canneua [canoe] with one Sute of sails to him and his heirs for Ever.
Item I give and bequeth unto my son John MIDYETT one grate pereoarger and and [sic] sails that belong to her and a Small Cornua [canoe] that towes after her to him and his heirs and asines for Ever and fouthermore I give my son John one hamack on this Iland that has always gon by the name of Johns hamack for a prilavage of a stock to him and his heirs and assines.
Item I give and bequeth unto my son Josepth MIDYETT that part of the Iland whereon he now lives to him and his heairs or asines for Ever and Like wise and I give to my son Josepth one old connue called The Seaflower to him his heirs or asines.
Item I give and bequeth unto my Defters ann MIDYETT Cateran MIDYETT Judy MIDYETT, and Dinah MIDYETT Each and Every one of them a fether bed to them and their hears or asins for Ever.
Item I give and bequeth to my son,Samuel MIDYETT that part of the Iland whereon he now lives to him his heirs or asines for Ever and I give to my youngest Daufters Each of them the foust [first] two maire colts that is raised out of my stock to them and their heairs for Ever.
Item I give and bequeth to my sons Marthew MIDYETT and Thos MIDYETT this parte of Iland Wheron I now live from the Dugs Southely to them ther hears an their asines for Ever.
Item: I give my well beloved wife and my two Sons Marthew and Thomas and my younges Doafter Diner the priveleg of the Sea Side & Likwise my will and Desire is that my Son Marthew Shall not have the liberty of selling any part of the Land without he Should Com to his Sanses. Like wise I Give and bequeth to my well be Loved wife and my two Sons Marthew and Thomas and my Daufter Diner all the Rest of my movabel Estate in the house and the Rest of my Stock without to their youse and behoufe and hears for Ever and I Likwis my will and Disire is that all the Rest of my Land on the South Side of albemarle Sound may be Sold according as my Excutors see fitt and the money to be converted to the use of my well beloved wife and two sons Marthew and Thomas and my Dafter Dina to their use for Ever and Likwise my will and Desire is all my pork and pich tars Should fust be sold to purchase a negro and fouthermore I Give and bequeth to my two Sons Marthew and Thomas my two negros that I have already and that I leave to be purchased to them and their heirs and assigns for Ever. But my desire is that if my sons Marthew and Thomas Should Die without having heirs then this part of Dugs Sutherly to be Equely Devided amonkes my three Sons Samuell John and Josepth to them their heirs and assines for Ever and as to the personal Estate if they Should Die my disier is that my Sons and Deafters Should have it Equilily Divided amonkist them.
I Do hare apointe [rest of this line is torn] John, and Josepth to be my hole and lawfull exetrix and excuters and I do hare acknolege this to be my Last will and testament and do make void all and Disanoul all others whersom Ever they Shall apear as witness my hand and seale.
/s/ Matthew MIDYETT
Test before us the Subscribers
Tulle WILLIAMS
Josepth [His JO marke] OLIVER
Mary [her x marke] HUNTER
No Carolina} at a Court held for said Precinct at the Court house the first day of July anno Dom 1735
Currituck }
Present His Majesties Justices
These may Certifie that Tulle WILLIAMS one of the Subscribing Evidences to the Within will appeared in Open Court and Made Oath on the holly Evengilists that he was present and Saw Mathew MIDGETT Sign Seal and Declare the within to be and Contain his Last will and Testament and that the Said Mathew MIDGETT was then and at that time of Sound and disposing Memory and that he also saw Joseph OLIVER and Mary HUNTER signe there names thereto at the the Same time. Then also appeared Judea MIDGETT and Joseph MIDGETT Exx and Exr in open Court and took the Exers Oath in due forme of Law. Ordered by the said Court that the honble Nathl RICE Esqr Secretary of this province have notice thereon and the within Exx and Exr takeing the Oath [two words unreadable] appointed for Exx and Exrs that Letters Testamentory Issue thereon as the Law directs.
[On the back is written: Letters grantd Novemr 7th 1735]
Four days later, Matthew died.
Regardless of how many times Mathew appeared in court, he remains a key figure in our colonial heritage. The Midyett (Midgett) legacy continues to thrive today. Below is an article detailing their history within the US Coast Guard (Lifesaving Service).
This document has a lot more information of his land patents and court cases and was sent to me by Kay Lynn–> Matthew Midyett from Kay
She also sent me this information:
John Durant was the King of the Yeopim Indians at that time. The Colonial Records have many entries for Durant, including selling of thousands of acres of land. Matthew Midgett also stole rum & tobacco from Emanual Low which Low brought suit against him. I am enclosing a document on what I have on Matthew.10
Upon complaint of Jno. Durant, a Yawpim Indian, setting forth that when he was out against the Indian enemy under the command of Mathew Midgett, he the said Durant, tooke an Indian slave woman and the said Mathew Midgett took her away from him without any sattisfaction: And the matter being heard it is the opinion of this court that the said slave woman did belong to the said Durant, wherefore it is hereby ordered and decreed that the said Mat. Midget doe pay unto the said Durant, ten pounds in consideration of the said slave.
Matthew Midyett’s legacy as a shipwrecked pioneer, ship carpenter, and early settler of North Carolina’s Outer Banks endures through the generations of Midgetts who followed. His adventurous spirit and enduring contributions, from establishing lifesaving stations to navigating turbulent legal waters, have woven his name into the fabric of coastal history. As I continue to uncover more of his life, I am reminded of the strength and resilience that define our family’s roots. The journey of exploring our past is far from over—there’s always another shipwrecked tale waiting to be discovered.
On October 24, 1889, more from the violent nor’easter that began on the 23rd…
A fifth vessel that met with disaster on our coast in the heavy nor’easter gale that began about sunset on the 23rd was the British three-masted schooner Busiris of St. John, New Brunswick. This vessel, manned by a crew of seven men, including the captain, had sailed from St. Mary’s, Georgia, several days previously with a full cargo of lumber for her home port.
All went well until the evening of the above-mentioned day, when the weather became boisterous, with a terribly heavy head sea, causing the schooner to labor badly. At 11 o’clock at night, some twenty-five miles east-northeast of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, the mainmast, and mizzenmast went by the board, rendering her entirely unmanageable. She fell off into the trough of the sea and drifted before the storm, completely at the mercy of the wind and waves.
The Busiris soon became waterlogged, but the buoyancy of her cargo prevented her from sinking. At 1 o’clock in the afternoon of the following day (24th), the wreck was sighted by the lookout at the Poyner’s Hill Station (Sixth District) toward which it was being driven. Station Keeper, Capt. John Thomas Wescott, Jr. led his crew into immediate action, for it was seen that the dismasted craft must come ashore nearby and that it would require sharp work to save her crew.
Time to raise the flags at Poyner’s Hill Life Saving Station. Ships in distress, such as the Busiris, were often first spotted from the lookout tower, seen here to the left.
The apparatus cart was run out of the boat room, hauled to the beach, and, as far as possible, the gear made ready for action. An hour after being discovered, the wreck grounded some two hundred yards above the station and about the same distance offshore. The Lyle gun was soon fired, placing the shot line across the jib stay, but so far aloft that the crew could not secure it from deck, and the frightful rolling of the vessel prevented them from climbing for it.
Seeing the difficulty and not wishing to lose any time, the life savers hauled the projectile ashore and fired again. This shot landed the line within the reach of the anxious sailors, who eagerly seized it and hauled aboard the whip that the station men had bent to it. The hawser soon followed, and in a very few minutes, the gear was set up.
The crew of Poyner’s Hill Life Saving Station working with breeches buoy equipment.
A tremendous surf broke on the beach, and the vessel was lying so uneasily that it was impossible to keep the hawser taut. At the suggestion of the district superintendent, who had hurried to the scene at the first alarm, cork jackets were sent off to the vessel with the breeches buoy. This proved to be a wise precaution, every man having to be drawn ashore through the surf.
Many residents in the vicinity gathered on the beach and rendered much-needed assistance to the life savers. Men were stationed constantly at the crotch to keep it upright and at the tackle, but so heavy and sudden were the vessel’s motions that the strain could not be kept on the hawser, and its bight was often in the water.
The work of landing, though expeditiously performed considering the circumstances, was attended with much labor and trouble owing to the slack line, and it would have been difficult for the station men to have accomplished it unaided. But for the cork jacket, which enabled the sailors to keep their heads above water when the buoy dipped into the surf, the rescued men would have fared badly.
One hour was consumed in effecting the transfer. The schooner’s captain was entertained by the district superintendent until after the sale of the wreck. Others of the shipwrecked crew went to the station, where they were furnished with a complete outfit of clothing (part of which was from the supply donated by the Women’s National Relief Association) until their own wet garments could be dried.
Twenty-four hours later, they departed for their homes. The Busiris and her cargo were sold at auction November 5th for a nominal sum. The following letter received by the assistant inspector of life saving stations (Sixth District) some days after the wreck plainly indicates the value placed upon the services of the life-saving men on that occasion by the captain of the schooner:
POYNER’S HILL STATION, November 1, 1889
“SIR: I beg leave to acknowledge the gallant service rendered myself and crew of the wrecked schooner Busiris, which drifted ashore dismasted and waterlogged during the terrible gale October 24th last, by the crew of the Poyner Hill Station. Their assistance was prompt and effective, and I desire to compliment them and the United States Life Saving Service in general for the efficiency displayed on that occasion. Without their assistance, all of us would have perished. I wish to extend my kindest thanks to all. Yours, ever truly, E.L. Morris, Master of the schooner Busiris.”
Poyner’s Hill Life Saving Station. Photograph is the property of Norman & Sandi Roberts and kindly submitted by Ben Bateman. No part of this document may be used for any commercial purposes. However, please feel free to copy any of this material for your own personal use and family research.
Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1890
Photograph of Poyner’s Hill Life Saving Station is the property of Norman & Sandi Roberts and kindly submitted by Ben Bateman. No part of this document may be used for any commercial purposes.
Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1890
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