Jersey Shore Magazine

BEACHCOMBER THE CAPTAIN'S CABINET, continued from page 7 TOP AND FRONT OF CABINET: Piece 1: Walnut from the ship Donaldson, 1808 • Top board of cabinet • Wrecked on Squan Beach in 1808 Piece 2: Cherry from the schooner Alabama, 1846 • Second piece from top • Wrecked on Squan Beach (south of Manasquan Inlet in Point Pleasant Beach near today's Risden's Beach), February 15, 1846 • The Alabama was built as a wood-hulled, schooner-rigged sailing vessel and was carrying a cargo of hides, spices, and iron. It was sailing from Philadelphia to Boston, got caught in the breakers, and broke up into pieces in the pounding surf. • The Alabama was one of at least sixteen vessels that wrecked or sank that day during what would later become known as the Minturn Storm. • Seven lives were lost. Piece 3: Mahogany from the bark Argyle, 1854 • Third piece from top • Wrecked on Squan Beach, January 28, 1854 • The Argyle was built as a wood-hulled, barked- rigged sailing vessel and was commanded by Captain James Burton. It sailed from Glasgow, Scotland for New York on Christmas Day, 1853 with eleven people on board and 408 tons of cargo, including pig iron and possibly lead. It went aground three hundred yards offshore and broke into pieces. • Ten lives were lost: two were swept overboard while eight lashed themselves to masts; only one crewman survived by swimming ashore after hanging on for approximately fourteen hours. Piece 4: Mahogany from the bark John Farnum, 1855 • Fourth piece from top • Wrecked on Squan Beach, February 7, 1855 Piece 5: Walnut from the ship Clara Brookman, 1857 • The rectangular door (made from rails) and white, porcelain doorknob • Wrecked on Squan Beach, August 28, 1857 Piece 6: Baywood from the brig Axel, 1847 • Two small, thin pieces running from top to bottom on the sides of the door • Wrecked during the winter of 1847 • One life was lost. Piece 7: Stair rails from the ship Sovereign, 1836 • The two front corner pieces, running from top to bottom, with curled finials on top • Wrecked on Squan Beach, 1836 • One life was lost. Piece 18: Oak from the ship Samuel Willets, 1857 • Bottom board of cabinet • Wrecked on Squan Beach, July 2, 1857 The Twenty-six Wrecks Represented in Captain Editor's Note: As noted below, most of the wrecks represented in the cabinet occurred on what was known as "Squan Beach." As early as 1685, this was the name given to the region from Manasquan to Barnegat Inlet. This includes today's towns of Manasquan, Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Mantoloking, Lavallette, Ortley Beach, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, as well as Island Beach State Park. Unless a location was specifically noted, a wreck reported on "Squan Beach" could have been anywhere in this region. 8 J e r s e y s h o r e • F A L L / H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 8 photos by Coleman Bryce TOP & FRONT 1. Donaldson, 1808 2. Alabama, 1846 3. Argyle, 1854 4. John Farnum, 1855 5. Clara Brookman, 1857 6. Axel, 1847 7. Sovereign, 1836 18. Samuel Willets, 1857 RIGHT SIDE 19. Cora A. Lindsay, 1854 21. Tremlet, 1852 20. New Era, 1854 22. Governor Bull, 1861 23. New York, 1856 24. Brazil, 1860 25. Fortunato, 1860 26. Black Warrior, 1855 LEFT SIDE 9. Titan, 1855 11. Minerva, 1857 13. Creole, 1868 8. Mediator, 1875 12. Ayrshire, 1850 10. John Minturn, 1846 14. Powhattan, 1854 15. William Enges, 1848 16. Fauvette, 1847 17. Arion, 1852

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