The Bark "Richard Parsons" and Captain B. Whitford Joy

T h e B a r k "Richard Parsons" and Captain B. Whitford Joy

i Edouard A. Stackpole

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO,a painting of the bark Richard Parsons was presented our Association by W. A, Schofield, of Macon, Georgia, in memory of his wife, Dorothy Remsen Schofield. The donor realized that the painting was in a condition which demanded immediate restoration if it could be saved, and prompt action was taken by President Leroy True, who took it to an expert in the field, Morton Bradley, of Boston, who was able to complete a restoration that was miraculous. The painting now is on exhibit at the Peter Foulger Museum.

The acquisition of the Richard Parsons is important in that it represents not only the story of the ship itself but of two Nantucket men who served aboard her on her last voyage. These two were Captain Benjamin Whitford Joy, her master, and his nephew William Remsen, then a youth. The Parsons had been built in Camden, Maine, in 1878, and was of 1,159 tons burthen. She was 190 feet in length, 38 ft. in beam, and 23 ft. in depth. Considered a fast vessel, she had made a number of voyages in the Far East trade when Captain Whitford Joy joined her as her first mate, and sailed for Australia and Hong Kong. In 1893, with Captain Thorndike as her master, she sailed for Melbourne, with Benjamin Whitford Joy as her first mate. In the crew was his nephew, William G. Remsen, of Nantucket, son of Captain Joseph Remsen, who had married Captain Joy's sister.

Upon arrival at Melbourne, Australia, the vessel took aboard a cargo of wheat to Port Elizabeth, South Africa. On the second night of the passage, Captain Thorndike, who had been ill for some time, called Mate Joy into his cabin to witness his last will and testament, Captain Thorndike retired from the sea upon arrival in port, and Captain Joy took over the command of the Richard Parsons.

On his next voyage, Captain Joy took the ship to Cape Town with a cargo of wheat and made the passage in 47 days. On the evening preceding his departure for a return to Melbourne he received a cable from the owners with orders to sail for Newcastle, New South Wales. Upon arrival there he took aboard a cargo of coal for Manila. On the morning of July 10, 1893, the Richard Parsons sailed with a fresh northwest breeze, her cargo well stowed, and drawing 22 feet of water with 1,750 tons of coal aboard. For several days the weather held, with strong westerly and

8 HISTORIC NANTUCKET

southerly winds. In 24 hours she had made 275 miles, and the weather held fair.

Shaping her course for the passage west of the Solomon Islands, the bark passed up through Brampton and Chesterfield reefs and with the fresh southeast trade winds she sighted Bougainville Island on July 31, three weeks out. Sailing the passage between New Ireland and Bougainville, Captain Joy then proceeded along the shores of New Ireland, westward by New Britain and New Guinea, dodging the reefs and islands, and reaching .the Gililo Passage. On August 23rd, the Parsons passed around the southernmost point of the Philippines at Cape Serangani, and entered the Celebes Sea.

Here the weather changed drastically. The wind dropped, then shifted and fell away again, and they drifted for two weeks. With the monotony of the dead calm, the sails slatting against the masts, and the sea like burnished glass, all hands were apprehensive. When a slant of wind finally came they took heart. On September 8, 1984, the Parsons passed through the Basilan Straits and the course was shaped for the west coast of Mindanao. After a series of thunder squalls for several days they sighted Negros Island and on Sept. 14 they made the south end of Panay Island. The day was clear but the breeze light, but that night the barometer fell so rapidly that Captain Joy realized that a typhoon was in the offing. The weather became foggy and the wind fell away. Then the typhoon struck in full fury.

Knowing he was on a lee shore Captain Joy realized his only hope of clearing the land was to stand to the north and west to clear Apo Shoal and run for it. On Sept. 17 he had succeeded in getting past Apo Shoal with all sail set, but as the wind increased he was forced to take in the light sails, the flying jib and foretopgallant . At 2 o'clock in the morning, he realized he could no longer drive against the heavy seas, and with the gale battering the bark he had all hands take in the spanker, mainsail, jib and upper topsails, furling them carefully with extra lashings.

During the night the barometer continued to fall, and at daylight the situation of the bark was desperate. During the clearing spell Captain Joy sighted the land bearing north. He knew immediately that the vessel was trapped in Paluan Bay. In their desperate position he made very effort to claw offshore, and, in his own words, described their plight:

"I knew it was impossible to save the ship, and as night was coming on, made up my mind to put her ashore and thus save all the lives that I could before it got too dark."

The Last Nantucket Square-Rigger Captain

Captain Benjamin Whitford Joy, who served as an officer on board the ships, St. Charles, Triumphant, Invincible, St. Nicholas, and Richard Larsons. Following the loss of the Parsons, he commanded the ship Ela, the steamer Eugene Grazelli, and the U. S. S. Westover. In later years he commanded the yachts Onward and Yaque. His last command was the steam yacht Florette, of New York.

10 HISTORIC NANTUCKET

The story of the loss of the Parsons was given later by young William G. Remsen, Capt. Joy's nephew. He stated that Captain Joy called all hands aft and explained the situation, and described how he hoped that by putting the bark ashore he hoped to save their lives. The crew agreed with him. There was too much sea for lowering boats, and so gratings and spars were lashed to form life-rafts. Young William Remsen described the scene.

"Just before she struck Capt. Joy again called all hands aft and told of his hope to save our lives. In that howling typhoon we listened to his words as best we could, staring into each other's faces, knowing that slowly but surely we were approaching the reefs that guarded the beach. Captain Joy told me to stay close to him, and advised me as to what to do if I got ashore and he did not."

Just before 5 o'clock the doomed bark struck with a frightening crash. The shore was nearly a mile away, and she began breaking up immediately. Following Captain Joy's orders carefully, the men got the big spanker boom over the side, and twelve jumped over into the sea to grab the floating spar. As the wind began to drive them from the ship two other men were urged to join them — the steward and the cook. But they chose to stay with the wreck, and they were lost. Remsen continued his account:

"The surf was terrible, but the spar worked through it, with all hands clinging desperately, and eleven of us reached the beach alive. How we did it, God only knows. Two others came ashore on gratings."

The Richard Parsons had struck in Paluan Bay, on the northwest coast of Mindoro Island, about ninety miles from Manila. The natives took the survivors to their village, gave them dry clothing and fed them. The next day they recovered the bodies of the steward and cook and three foremast hands and gave them a decent burial. Then came a hazardous journey across the island, through tropical forests and over mountains, hoping to reach a place called Abredilo. On the way they reached a village called Mamburao, after much hardships. Some Spanish soldiers aided them here, and a Spanish shipmaster, who was a member of the Masonic order, took Captain Joy and his young nephew, William Remsen, into his home. The crew was cared for as well, in a house close by.

At Abredilo, they went aboard a small vessel for Batangas, on Luzon Island. Here a Catholic priest took them all into his church and gave them the best of care. A few days later, they sailed on a small boat for Manila, where the American consul took charge of the crew.

Captain William G. Remsen, nephew of Captain Joy and son of Joseph Remsen, keeper of Sankaty Light. Captain Remsen had a distinguished career in the command of Lighthouse Tenders, and in the Revenue Cutter Service.

12 HISTORIC NANTUCKET

It was then the 5th of October, 1894. Captain Joy and his nephew were considerably weakened by their experience, but after a few days of rest, their spirits rebounded by the presence of a vessel in the harbor. It was the ship Lucille, of New York, and her commander was none other than Captain John Conway, of Nantucket, who had served with Captain Joy on board the ship St. Nicholas a number of years before, Here they were welcomed and were able to stay until a steamer, bound to San Francisco, took them across the Pacific and eventually they reached home.

It is of more than passing interest that the lady in whose memory the painting of the Richard Parsons was presented, Dorothy Remsen Schofield, was born on Nantucket on February 5, 1903. She was the daughter of William G. Remsen and Elsie Robinson Remsen and was born at Sankaty Light's keeper's house, where Joseph G. Remsen, her grandfather, was for so many years in charge. Her birth took place during a northeast snowstorm — a veritable blizzard. Dr. Ellenwood Coleman, who was to be the attending physician, was unable to get out to the lighthouse and he gave instructions by telephone as to the proper procedures. Keeper Remsen, in true nautical tradition, stood by and delivered his grand-daughter without any complications.

William G. Remsen, the father of the little girl, who was named Dorothy Remsen, was then at sea, and it was not until he returned to port that he learned of the birth of his daughter.

T hus, the handsome painting of the bark Richard Parsons represents, as well as the story of a sea disaster, the account of the involvement with the sea of two Nantucket mariner families — the Joys and the Remsens.