1896 — Apr 25, SF seal schooner Edward E Webster departs Kodiak, lost, snow squall, AK–29

–29 Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1800-1899.”
–29 Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwreck A – Z.” E
–29 Good, Captain Warren and Michael Burwell. Alaska Shipwrecks 1750-2015. 2018, p. 145.
–29 The Athens Banner, Athens, GA. “The Schooner Edward Webster Lost.” 10-2-1896, p. 6.

Narrative Information

Alaskashipwreck.com: “1896…Edward E. Webster…SC [south-central area]…83 Foot…Sealing Schooner…29 [lives lost (all)].”

Alaskashipwreck.com: “Edward E Webster (1896). The 83 foot wooden sealing schooner Edward E Webster disappeared after leaving Kodiak April 25, 1896 with 29 men aboard. The vessel was last seen by the schooner Herman in the vicinity of the Trinity Islands where the schooner C G White was lost the year before. A fierce snow squall separated the two vessels who had been hunting together. Lost with the Webster were captain Frank Johnson, the captain’s brother hunter Magnus Johnson, first officer Gustave Weaver, hunter Andrew Simon, hunter William Blomquist, hunter Anton Cavalier, hunter Whitney and 22 crewmen.

“Mapping and Location: South Central Alaska 56 33 N 154 20 W Chart 16580.

“Comment: September 26 is the date the Herman reported the loss of the Webster in San Francisco. WG

“Additional Information: Tonnage 98.8 Gross 93.8 Net, Length 83.5, Breadth 23.1, Depth 8.6, Built 1875 at Gloucester MA, Registered San Francisco CA, ON 135176.

“Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1896) Pg 50, 2. The Philadelphia Inquirer (September 27, 1896) “The Ship Webster Lost” Pg 21, 3. Jackson Michigan Citizen (January 1, 1897) “1896 Casualties…September 26” Pg 6, 4. San Francisco Chronicle (September 26, 1896) “Webster’s Loss is a Certainty” Pg 14.” (Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks A – Z.”)

Good and Burwell: “Edward E Webster (1896). The 83-foot wooden schooner Edward E Webster disappeared after leaving Kodiak April 25, 1896 with 29 men aboard. The vessel was last seen by the schooner Herman in the vicinity of the Trinity Islands where the schooner C G White was lost the year before. A fierce snow squall separated the two vessels who had been hunting together. Lost with the Webster were captain Frank Johnson, the captain’s brother hunter Magnus Johnson, first officer Gustave Weaver, hunter Andres Simon, hunter William Blomquist, hunter Anton Cavalier, hunter Whitney and 22 crewmen.” (Good, Captain Warren and Michael Burwell. Alaska Shipwrecks 1750-2015. 2018, p. 145.)

Newspaper

Sep 28: “San Francisco, Sept. 28. – Captain Scott of the little schooner Herman, who has just arrived from Kodiak with the excellent catch of 85 otter skins for the Pacific trading company, brought further assurance of the loss of the schooner Edward Webster and the lives of the 29 men she carried. The Herman and the Webster sailed out of Kodiak harbor together on the morning of April 25 and shortly after they were out a terrible snow squall came up, separating them. The Webster has not been seen or heard from since, and it is almost certain that she went to the bottom. Webster was commanded by Captain Frank Johnson and her first officer was Gustave Weaver.”
(The Athens Banner, Athens, GA. “The Schooner Edward Webster Lost.” 10-2-1896, p. 6.)

Sources

Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1800-1899.” Accessed 11-12-2021 at: https://alaskashipwreck.com/alaska-shipwrecks-1729-2012/alaska-shipwrecks-1800-1899/

Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks A – Z.” Accessed 11-12
-2021 at: https://alaskashipwreck.com/shipwrecks-a-z/alaska-shipwrecks-e/

Good, Captain Warren and Michael Burwell. Alaska Shipwrecks 1750-2015. Published by Warren Good, 2018. Accessed 11-12-2021 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=ArpqDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true

The Athens Banner, Athens, GA. “The Schooner Edward Webster Lost.” 10-2-1896, p. 6. Accessed 11-12-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/athens-weekly-banner-oct-02-1896-p-6/