West Central Alaska Shipwrecks ( J )

JAMES B WOOD (1925)     The schooner James B Wood became a total loss at Teller in 1925.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   65 16 N 166 22 W   Chart 16005

Source: The H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1966) Pg 368

JANE A FALKENBERG (1903)     The 131 foot wooden barkentine Jane A Falkenberg ended her illustrious career October 26, 1903 when she was scuttled to become a breakwater at Saint Michael. Built at New Bedford in 1854 the barkentine reached the Pacific in 1855 and entered a long career along the west coast trade routes. In 1899 the Jane A Falkenberg was lost at sea on a trip from Port Hadlock to San Francisco. Her wrecked hulk was found adrift late that year by the tug Lorne and taken to Esquimalt Harbor, British Columbia for salvage.  The Seattle-Yukon Transportation Company purchased the Falkenberg and towed her to Seattle.  There she underwent extensive repairs and was outfitted to travel north to Nome with a cargo of lumber.  May 21, 1900 the steam tug Lakme was employed to tow the barkentine to Nome but encountered foul weather all the way north. The Jane A Falkenberg was abandoned at sea but later recovered by her tug.  The Lakme towed the damaged Jane A Falkenberg to Nome and sold the vessel and cargo as salvage.  At this point the Jane A Falkenberg was little more than a barge.  She was purchased by the Northern Commercial Company and towed to their dock at Saint Michael. There she was filled with stones and sand and scuttled in six feet of water nearby to act as a breakwater.

Mapping and Location: West Central Alaska   63 29 N 162 02 W   Chart 16006

Comment: The October 26th date is that of the story announcing her demise. The actual scuttling may have been earlier. WG

Additional Information: Tonnage 310.63 Gross 295.1 Net, Length 131, Breadth 29.6, Depth 11.6, Built New Bedford MA 1854, SL JGRQ, ON 13618

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1892) Pg 155, 2.  Seattle Daily Times (April 25, 1900) “Falkenberg brought here” Pg 3, 3. Seattle Daily Times (October 26, 1903) “Barkentine Falkenberg Destroyed” Pg 9, 4. San Francisco Call (June 30, 1900) “Unlucky Vessels” Front Page, 5.  Morning Oregonian (May 24, 1900) “Domestic and Foreign Ports” Pg 5

 

JAVA (1877)     The 309 ton whaling bark Java was lost June of 1877 while whaling in the Arctic.  She departed New Bedford, Mass in the same year and was reported to be carrying her catch of whale oil and bone.  U S Revenue Cutter Service files from the period list the vessel as lost in the Bering Sea.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska Unknown

Sources: 1. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992), 2. Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1914

JESSIE (1898)     The 65 ton small freight steamer Jessie was lost with all but one of her passengers and crew of 19 at the mouth of the Kuskokwim River June 28, 1898.  The vessel was reported swamped in turbulent waters.  News of the tragedy was brought to Saint Michael by a trader named Ling.  He reported that the 18 miners who were aboard from the Columbia Exploration Company were either lost in the wreck or massacred by Indians.  The Indians were said to have also looted or destroyed the Minerva, a barge which the Jessie had been towing along with another unknown barge.  Lost were captain J T Murphy of Bowling Green KY, E S Lines of Seattle, A C Stetson of Seattle, R P Frierson of Gallatin TN, W T Payton of Gallatin TN, C H Mitchell of Gallatin TN, H C Hart of Gallatin TN, engineer Kessler from Wisconsin, Mr Smallhouse of Louisville, Eli Knudson of Genesee ID, H C Hadron of Seattle, O E Aurud of Seattle, Dave Allen of Kentucky, Moravian Missionary Reverend H Weber with wife and child, two Indian pilots and a Japanese cook.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   60 N 162 15 W   Chart 16006

Sources: 1. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992), 2. The H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1966) Pg 42, 3. The Morning Oregonian (September 13, 1898) “Eighteen Were Lost” Pg 3

JESSIE (1900)     The 54 foot 38 ton wooden schooner Jessie stranded and was lost September 12, 1900 at Nome.  No one was aboard at the time of the casualty.  The Jessie was from Port Angeles, Washington where she was built in 1894.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 30 N 165 25 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 38 Gross 36 Net, Length 54.4, Breadth 17.3, Depth 6.9, ON 77167

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1909) “Vessels Reported Lost” Pg 389, 2. Alaska Packers Association Records (1982 Microfilm)

JEWEL GUARD (1935)     The 12 ton gas screw Jewel Guard foundered on the beach at Spruce Creek, 8 miles below Solomon early in the morning July 28, 1935.  A strong gale arose around 4 a.m. and stranded the Jewel Guard.  Owner and master H Ewert and one crewman attempted to free the vessel using her own power and anchor lines, but the very heavy surf washed the Jewel Guard up onto the beach and completely destroyed it.  The crew survived, but the vessel, worth $3,000 and a cargo of small articles of merchandise worth $25 was lost with no insurance.  The only assistance available was rendered by Knute Drange.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 34 N 164 26 W   Chart 16200

Additional Information: Tonnage 12 Gross 10 Net, Built 1916, Registered Nome, ON 216923, Last Port Nome July 27, 1935, Destination Spruce Creek and Solomon

Source: U S Coast Guard Report of Casualty filed at Nome August 7, 1935 by Ewert

 

JOE MATHEWS (1899)     The 31 ton steamer Joe Mathews parted her anchor cable and stranded at 3 p.m. Sunday June 25, 1899 at the mouth of the Snake River near Cape Nome.  There were 12 passengers and 5 crew aboard whom all managed to escape to safety.  W K Baillie of Everett, Washington was the master of the vessel. He attempted to get out to sea but the 45 mile winds and high seas were too much.  The Joe Mathews was carrying a 17 ton cargo of general merchandise worth $5,000 which was all salvaged.  The Captain made a wreck report to inspectors at Saint Michael about July 5, 1899 and listed the vessel as a total loss.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 28 N 164 57 W   Chart 16200

Comments: Same name and ON sinks in 1910.  H W McCurdy lists this vessel lost in 1899 as the George Mathews (Pg 52).  WG

Additional Information: Tonnage 31 Gross 12 Net, Length 45.8, Breadth 14.6, Depth 4.8, Built 1898 Everett WA, Registered Everett WA, ON 77286, Owner Cascade Development Co of Everett WA, Last Port Saint Michaels June 21, 1899, Destination Cape Nome, Vessel Value $5,000, Insurance None

Source: U S Coast Guard Report of Casualty filed at Everett WA March 10, 1900 by Baillie

JOE MATHEWS (1900)     The tug Joe Mathews was wrecked in a storm on Nome Beach October 31, 1900 along with many other vessels.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 28 N 164 57 W   Chart 16200

Comments: Probably same as 1899 and 1910 of same name.  WG

Source: Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1914

JOE MATHEWS (1910)     The 46 foot wooden gas screw Joe Mathews was destroyed by ice 3 miles NW of Cape Darby at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday June 21, 1910.  The vessel departed Nome June 18, 1910 bound for Golovin with 19 passengers and 3 crew.  She was carrying a 15 ton cargo of 3,000 feet of lumber worth $5,000.  According to the report filed by her master, R J Healy of Nome, ice closed in around the vessel and nothing could be done.  The Revenue cutter Bear arrived at noon on the 21st “and rendered what service she could”.  Conditions at the time were reported as dead calm.  The passengers and crew made it to safety but the Joe Mathews and her cargo were listed as total losses.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 19 N 162 47 W   Chart 16200

Additional Information: Tonnage 31 Gross 12 Net, Length 45.8, Breadth 14.6, Depth 4.8, Built 1898 Everett WA, Registered Everett WA, ON 77286, Owner J Myron Haley of Nome, Vessel Value $5,000, Insurance none

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report filed at Nome June 23, 1910

JOHN H DWIGHT (1920)     The 221 ton wood barge John H Dwight went on the rocks in a 40 mile an hour SE gale at Saint Michael August of 1920 and became a total loss.  The only one aboard at the time of the casualty was her master A F Zipf of Seattle.  Zipf was able to escape to safety, but the John H Dwight, valued at $15,000 became a complete wreck and was abandoned.  There was no cargo aboard.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   63 29 N 162 02 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 221 Gross and Net, Built 1898 Dutch Harbor, Registered Saint Michael, ON 46537, Owner Northern Navigation Co, Insurance none

Source: U S Coast Guard Report of Casualty filed at St Michael June 30, 1921 by E P De Pue, Agent for Northern Navigation Company

JOHN J HEALY (1903)     The river steamer John J Healy was lost at Saint Michael October 12, 1903.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   63 29 N 162 02 W   Chart 16006

Source: Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992)

JOHN REILLY (1905)     The 100 foot 200 ton wood steamer John Reilly was blown onto the beach and lost four miles east of Cape Blossom, Kotzebue Sound at 11:55 p.m. Friday October 13, 1905.  The six crewmen escaped to the beach, but the John Reilly, valued at $10,000 was lost.  The John Reilly had departed Keewalik that day bound for Kotzebue with ten tons of general merchandise, worth $2,000 aboard.  A small amount of the cargo was salvaged. “The only assistance rendered was by Herman Bernhardt, chief engineer, and other members of the crew, who stood in water for hours trying to catch a line from those (myself and captain) on board.”  The vessel had no insurance.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   66 44 N 162 30 W   Chart 16003

Additional Information: Tonnage 200 Gross 143 Net, Length 100, Breadth 22, Depth 5, Service Inland Freight, Built 1898 St Lawrence Island, Registered St Michael, ON 77391, Master H Theilen of Shungnak, Owner M F Moran of Shungnak

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report filed by Moran February 15, 1906

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