Ship Benjamin Adams, 1852-1866, Liverpool to New York, 1853

Sources

The Ships Lists.com. The Atlantic Ferry, by A. Maginnis, 1892 (extracted from the New York Herald, October 26, 1853)

ROOTSWEB

Related

Wp:Christian Radich

Person:Joseph Cowan (12)

The Ship

Ship: "The Benjamin Adams" 1170 tons: 187' x 37' x 18' Built: 1852 by William Drummond at Bath, Maine Owners: Among her owners were the Drummonds, including the master, Gilbert C. Trufant, William Tapscott, and George B. Cornish- all prominent in the Yankee sea trade. Home Port: New York, New York Description:Fully Rigged three-master, hailing from New York, was built with three decks, a square stem, and a billethead. Service History: The Benjamin Adams was probably put into service in the spring of 1853. Records for the ship show it in service in the North Atlantic Trade, carrying passengers and merchandise between America and Europe. Sometimes described as a "Large Fully Rigged" ship, it carried up to at least 650 passengers. After fourteen years of service the Benjamin Adams was lost at sea in 1866.

Voyage of 1853

In its first year of service the Benjamin Adams returned from Liverpool, England, to New York, on what was probably the return leg of its maiden voyage. It carried 620 passengers, and

From:The Ships Lists.com citing The Atlantic Ferry, by A. Maginnis, 1892 (extracted from the New York Herald, October 26, 1853)

Among thearrivals at this port of emigrant ships during the past few weeks, a very large number of deaths have been reported. In one vessel, the Charles Sprague, the unusually large number of forty-five persons died on the passage from Bremen; and in another, the Winchester, from Liverpool, the number of fatal cases amounted to no less than seventy-nine. Although the captains, in their reports, with one exception, merely mentioned the fact of such a number having died, it is pretty certain that the disease which carried them off was cholera, that fatal malady which is making such havoc among the shipping in Europe. Several, no doubt, died by the common diseases, but that cholera was raging on board many of the above named vessels is beyond all question from the fact that thirty-three persons who were landed at quarantine were suffering from that epidemic. The sickness on the Benjamin Adams was decidedly cholera; and, in addition, the ship Sagadahock, from Gottenburg, which arrived at Boston on the 24th ult., reports the loss of seventy passengers by the same disease. In reference to this matter, a committee of the American Medical Association has drawn up a memorial to Congress, urging the necessity of compelling all emigrant-vessels to carry a surgeon.

Among the ships discussed as carrying cholera was the Benjamin Adams, which arrived 21 October 1821 from Liverpool, with 620 passengers, having experienced 15 deaths at sea, presumably due to cholera.

From:ROOTSWEB, citing New York Times Oct. 22, 1853

Arrivals: Ship Benjamin Adams, [captain] Drummond, Liverpool, 56 days, mdse and 620 passengers to [agents] W & J T Tapscott & Co. Has had 13 deaths on the passage. Sept. 10 while laying to under a close reefed topsail, in a heavy gale from N. W., lost all three topgallant masts and close reefed mizzen-topsail, foresail and mainsail blew away from the yards, lost stern boat, and received other damage.

The next trip

From xMission

Under the command of Captain John Drummond the full-rigged Benjamin Adams sailed from Liverpool on 28 January 1854 with 384 Scandinavian Saints aboard. Elder Hans Peter Olsen, a missionary retuming from the island of Bornholm, presided over the emigrant company.

These Mormons had sailed from Copenhagen on the steamship Eideren by way of Kiel, Gluckstadt, and Hull. After they arrived at Liverpool misfortune overtook them. Sickness broke out among the company and twenty-two children and two adults died. As the emigrants boarded the Benjamin Adams, an examining physician declared fifteen unfit for the voyage and would not permit them to sail with the rest of the company. Although the fifty-three-day passage was described as "very pleasant and prosperous," there were eight deaths (two elderly adults and six children), two births, and nine marriages. The vessel arrived at New Orleans on 22 March.