1927 — Aug 24, Gloucester, MA fishing sch. Columbia, lost in gale off Sable Island, NS– 22
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 2-21-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
— 23 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 22.
— 22 Sheedy, R. “The Columbia.” Out of Gloucester. [Provides listing of 22 men aboard.]
Narrative Information
Sheedy: “September 13, 1927 is the first mention of the Columbia,
“A dispatch from Halifax, N.S., received here this morning says: “Five battered dories and a pair of oars marked “Columbia“, were reported today washed up on Sable Island, the “Graveyard of the Atlantic“. They were lost from the craft during the storm of August 24, it is believed.”
….
“And finally on October 29, 1927
“No Hope For Columbia – Lost With All Hands in Gale of August 24 Off Sable Island
“Lost with all hands in the storm of August 23, 1927.” That terse statement made by Ben Pine in the office of the Atlantic Maritime Company late yesterday afternoon officially records another great disaster to the appalling list of tragedies that have befallen men and ships of the fishing fleet.”
The Columbia’s Crew
Lewis Wharton, master, 57, married, Liverpool, N.S.
Rupert Bragg, cook, 46, married, 92 Dakota street, Dorchester
Arthur Firth, married 60, Shelburne, N.S.
James MacAloney, single, 24, Parrsboro, N.S.
Isaac Gould, married, 60, 31 1/2 Rogers Street, Gloucester
Colin Hawley, married, 30, Blackburn place, Gloucester
William Colp, Bucksport, Maine
Leo White, Bucksport, Maine
James McLeod, 63, Liverpool, N.S.
Foster McKay, single, 20, West Green Harbor, N.S.
Clayton Johnson, 26, West Green Harbor, N.S.
Joseph Mayo, 54, Halifax, N.S.
Thomas Hayden, 39, Shelburne, N.S.
Carroll Williams, married, West Green Harbor, N.S.
Enos Belong, 54, married, West Green Harbor, N.S.
George Williams, 56, Liverpool, N.S.
Frank Dedrick, 52, Shelburne, N.S.
Allison Firth, cachee, 17, Shelburne, N.S.
Samuel Belong, single, Green Harbor, N.S.
Robert Steward, married, Liverpool, N.S.
George H. Mayo, 28, Halifax N.S.
Charles L. Huskin, single, 39, Green Harbor, N.S.
Newspapers
September 29, Newburyport News: “Picked up at a point between 50 and 60 miles west southwest of the North East light of Sable island, a scrap of dory planking painted pink with the name Columbia stenciled on it in yellowish paint, was brought into port at Halifax last night by the Lockeport schooner Francis G. Roue, Capt. George Blades, which has been on the Banks since Sept. 17. The piece picked up was five feet long and a foot in width and had about five fathoms of rope attached. It was picked up on Thursday….
“In connection with the anxiety that is being felt for the Columbia’s safety, it may be noted that oars marked with the crack racer’s name were picked up some time ago on Sable island, as well as dories carrying higher numbers than any carried by Nova Scotia men.
“In spite of the significance of the wreckage, however, a note of confidence was sounded in a telephone message received at Liverpool, N.S. by Mrs. Wharton, wife of the Columbia’s ski;;er, from Capt. Ben Pine of Gloucester. Capt. Pine states that the Columbia is not due to return till Oct. 10, that she was sighted on Scaterl [?] bank a week ago and that there is no cause for anxiety until after the date of h4er expected return to port.” (Newburyport Daily News, MA. “Gives concern for Columbia.” 9-29-1927, p. 6.)
Oct 11, AP: “Boston, Oct. 11. – (A.P.) – Belief that a spar which was sighted partly above water last Saturday was the boom of the missing fishing schooner Columbia, pride of the Gloucester fleet, was expressed today by Captain Iver Carlson of the Boston fishing schooner Acushla. He gave it’s position as 23 miles northwest of Sable Island.
“When the Acushla put into port today Captain Carlson reported his discovery to the hydrographic office. He said the spar was a menace to navigation.
“In type and timber, he said, the spar resembled the Columbia’s boom. He got as near to it as he could but heavy weather prevented a close examination.
“The Columbia was last seen on August 23, the day before a terrific storm swept the north Atlantic fishing grounds. After the storm oars bearing the name of the schooner and dories of the type which she carried were washed ashore on Sable Island. A search by coastguards vessels has failed to reveal any trace of the crack schooner which has represented Gloucester in international fishing vessel races.
“Coastguard officials here said today that unless special orders should be received from Washington they would not make a further search of the Columbia on the basis of Captain Carlson’s report. This was considered too indefinite to warrant sending a coast guard cutter to the vicinity of Sable Island.” (Associated Press. “Spar [mast] May be Part of Missing Vessel. Belief Expressed That it May be the Boom of the Missing Schooner Columbia.” The North Adams Transcript, MA. 10-11-1927, p. 1.)
Oct 26, AP: “Boston, Oct. 26 (AP) – A dory from the lost Gloucester fishing schooner Columbia which is believed to have gone down in the heavy storms that swept the Atlantic on Aug. 24, was brought into port here today by the fishing schooner Mary F. Sears….” (Associated Press. Dory of Columbia Brought Into Port.” Lowell Courier-Citizen, MA. 10-27-1927, p. 2.)
Sources
Associated Press. Dory of Columbia Brought Into Port.” Lowell Courier-Citizen, MA. 10-27-1927, p. 2. Accessed 2-21-2025: https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-courier-citizen-oct-27-1927-p-2/
Associated Press. “Spar [mast] May be Part of Missing Vessel.” The North Adams Transcript, MA. 10-11-1927, p. 1. Accessed 2-21-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/north-adams-transcript-oct-11-1927-p-1/
Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. Boston: Mariners Press Inc., 1972.
Newburyport Daily News, MA. “Gives concern for Columbia.” 9-29-1927, p. 6. Accessed 2-21-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/newburyport-daily-news-and-newburyport-herald-sep-29-1927-p-6/
Sheedy, R. “The Clara G. Silva.” Out of Gloucester. Accessed 7-23-2011 at: http://www.downtosea.com/1901-1925/cgsilva.htm