James Jackson in sea rescue incident near Canada/U.S.

[doddie]

Hoping somebody can help. This concerns what may be - or who knows - may not be just a family legend. My g.g. uncle James Jackson was born in Ardrishaig, Argyll in 1845 (father John Jackson and mother Flora Jackson)). He was a fisherman by trade and the story goes that in c. 1860, as a young man of about 17, he was on what must have been a long fishing trip in American waters. The conditions must have been very stormy. To cut a long story short James was involved in helping rescue a number of American seamen. James was consequently awarded a pension for life by the American authorities for his selfless actions. My g. g. uncle lived to a ripe old age. He died in 1944 not too long before his 100th birthday. About this time some American pension 'representatives'(?) came over to search James out because there was disbelief that he could still have been claiming the pension all those years later. Unfortunately, my research has been hindered by the fact the two local Argyll newspapers The Oban Times and The Argyllshire Advertiser and Loch Fyne Echo were not established until 1861 and 1886 respectively. I am after any help with either specific information or help with discovering what organisation in America might have been responsible for awarding pensions etc. during the period in question. A relative recently told me that James was also awarded a medal, but this is the first I have heard about this so I am dubious at the moment. All help would be most appreciated.

Doddie

[marypryde]

Hello, Doddie,

I suggest you start with the United States Coast Guard, which is presently under the US Department of Homeland Security. They have been around, in one form or another, since the 1700's.

They have a website at uscg.mil and there is a "contact us" section. You could also just Google "United States Coast Guard." I'm betting they'll either be able to help or will know how to refer you.

Best regards, Mary Ellen

P.S. ...and welcome to Talking Scot. I just realized you are a new member.

[Currie]

Hello Doddie,

I’m not having much luck finding anything.

This appears to have occurred during the American Civil War. Maybe it was to do with the sinking of a U.S. merchant vessel of some description on the high seas by a Confederate merchant raider not necessarily anywhere near the warring states but within normal Scottish fishing grounds. There’s a bit about the raiders exploits here http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/macslog/Confedera ... ersof.html

Was there an obituary in 1944 that could provide additional info?

Alan

[Ann In the UK]

I'm not having any luck with the newspapers either. If he received an award here and, as Alan said, it was something to do with a merchant vessel, chances are it was Board of Trade (BOT) related - probably the Gallantry in saving life at Sea medal http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cata ... fletID=133 Perhaps there are records of a meeting/presentation at the local town hall - try the Mitchell or the SNA.

If he received the award in the US, it might be worthwile searching out the BOT equivalent from the US archive (I'm sorry, I don't know what it is) http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/maritime/index.html

By the way, is that you on Ancestry searching for this family too?

Regards
Ann

[doddie]

To Mary Ellen, Alan and Ann thank you very much for getting in touch. I will investigate all the links etc. you have passed on to me and will post any progress. Also, yes Ann it probably is me you found on Ancestry. I have been trying to use various genealogical sites to try and solve my brick wall problems. The theory being (for what it's worth)that the wider a cast my net the more chance I have of getting results. Fingers crossed.

Doddie

[doddie]

To all those who very kindly helped me with information. I have been in touch with the U.S. Archives. A gentleman there tried to find out about James Jackson for me. So far he has been unable to find anything. He's has told me that if I can provide him with any more specific details he will try again. Very impressed with the whole approach. Given that the staff at the archive over there don't probably conduct personal searches, especially for somone living abroad, the gentleman who contacted me really has gone the extra mile. I am going to see if any of my relatives can shed any more light on the matter but seeing as the story was pretty anecdotal to start with I don't think I will find out much more. Fingers crossed, again.

Doddie

[Russell]

Hi Doddie

Family anecdotes often have a grain - or more than a grain of truth in them so persevere. If you are in touch with any of your relatives family they may have some momentos or additional information to amplify what you have now. We are still in touch with family where the direct link (i.e. shared G-G grandfather) was in the 1840's - and they are now in New Zealand having been out there since about 1920.

Russell

[doddie]

I know that this thread of mine has been a bit dormant for a while but I have just come upon some interesting information. It appears that in January 1862 the St. Lawrence a ship of the Montreal Ocean steamship company/Allan Line (which - amongst other routes - sailed ships out of Greenock to Canada) was involved in rescuing the crew of a brigantine called the Harriet that was founering in the general area of the Newfoundland Banks with its "ensign union down". According to a report in The Glasgow Herald the St. Lawrence's captain (Hugh Wylie) asked for volunteers to help organise a rescue: "Calling all hands on deck, and asking for a volunteer crew for the quarterboat, the mate and four men stepped forward. The boat was soon lowered, manned by them, and on her way to the sinking ship". To cut a long story short after two trips in hazardous conditions the entire crew of the Harriet was rescued and the St. Lawrence continued on its homeward journey (presumably to Greenock?). I am wondering whether this is the rescue which 'my' James Jackson was involved in. The family story was always that the rescue involved American seamen. Perhaps the details of the event have become muddled through the passing of time. Does anybody happen to know what organisations or government bodies in Canada I would have to contact to continue my investigation and maybe obtain more detailed information? As before, I would be very grateful for all input.

Regards

Doddie

[Currie]

Hello Doddie,

Here’s the full item in the Glasgow Herald, Friday, January 3, 1862, page 4, column 5.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=G ... page&hl=en

Also, in the Dundee Courier and Daily Argus, Saturday, February 22, 1862
PRESENTATION FOR SAVING LIFE.—On Thursday, the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Chairman of the Local Marine Board, presented, on behalf of the Government, to Captain Hugh Wyllie, of the St Lawrence, of Glasgow, a silver-mounted telescope, in acknowledgement of his efforts to save the ship-wrecked crew of the brigantine Harriet, of St John’s Newfoundland, in November last, and as a mark of appreciation by Government of his humanity and kindness to the crew when saved. The Harriet had suffered serious damage in a heavy sea, which disabled three men of her crew of eight. The remaining five worked at the pumps for four days to keep the ship afloat, but she was filling and sinking fast when the St Lawrence appeared and rescued the crew, who, but for her timely arrival, would have met with a watery grave.

The Nautical Magazine for 1862 has a Board of Trade list of awards for saving life at sea. Captain Hugh Wylie got the telescope and each of the five crew members who manned the rescue boat received £2. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=5Xo ... 22&f=false

Most of the attention is on the Captain and there’s no mention by name of any of the crew. Both ships appear to have been privately owned British registered ships and that was probably the limit of government acknowledgement. To be granted a life payment for involvement in a rescue would, I imagine, have to be for something a bit out of the ordinary.

The book previously mentioned and the Mercantile Marine Magazine for 1862 has some information regarding rescues at sea, maybe they would be worth a look to see if there were any American ships involved. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Z3w ... &q&f=false

The Harriet may have had Official number 34076. According to the Mercantile Navy List of 1860, p547, there were three vessels called Harriet from St John’s Newfoundland. The official numbers look like 33949, 34076 and 34264. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=0ek ... et&f=false

In 1869 the Harriets from St. John’s were 33949, 34264, 34432 and 34481. Of those from the 1860 list No. 34076 is missing. She was of 18 tons, pretty small fry. http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&t ... 76l0.1.3.1

Hope you can see this preview of “The Canadian Honours System” Chapter 11. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=V5j ... &q&f=false

Hope that’s useful.
Alan

[doddie]

Hi Alan, thank you very much indeed for all the information. Every little bit helps. In all honesty I think you are quite right when you suggest that to recieve a life pension or similar for a deed of bravery would be extremely special. I think this tale about James may have a grain of truth about it with a bit of family wishful thinking thrown in for good measure. I will persevere with my attempts to clarify things but I do not hold out much hope.

Regards

Doddie