My Account Log in

1 option

From whaler to clipper ship : Henry Gillespie, Down East captain / Michael Jay Mjelde ; foreword by James P. Delgado.

Van Pelt Library VK140.G52 M54 2023
Loading location information...

Available This item is available for access.

Log in to request item
Format:
Book
Author/Creator:
Mjelde, Michael Jay, author.
Contributor:
Delgado, James P., writer of foreword.
Series:
Ed Rachal Foundation nautical archaeology series
Language:
English
Subjects (All):
Gillespie, Henry, 1857-1937.
Gillespie, Henry.
United States. Navy--Officers--Biography.
United States.
Ship captains--Maine--Biography.
Ship captains.
Merchant mariners--Maine--Biography.
Merchant mariners.
Merchant marine--United States--History--19th century.
Merchant marine.
Merchant marine--United States--History--20th century.
Seafaring life.
United States. Navy.
Armed Forces--Officers.
Maine.
Genre:
Biographies
History
Physical Description:
ix, 406 pages : illustrations, maps ; 27 cm.
Edition:
First edition.
Other Title:
Henry Gillespie, Down East captain
Place of Publication:
College Station : Texas A&M University Press, [2023]
Summary:
"Captain Henry Gillespie (1857-1937), of Portland, Maine, went to sea as a young man of 17, serving as "able-bodied seaman" on a New Bedford whaler. Over the next 47 years he would advance to deck officer, then master of sailing and steam ships. He was commissioned as an officer in the US Navy during World War I, commanding vessels operating in the war zone. Following the war, he returned to merchant marine service until his retirement in 1921. Maritime historian Michael Jay Mjelde has chronicled the colorful life and career of this "down-east" man of the sea, mining available first-person accounts, interviews with family members, government records, and maritime archives on both coasts. The result is a narrative in clear, highly engaging prose that puts readers on the tilting decks and noisy wharfs frequented by Gillespie. Through Mjelde's retelling of a remarkable life, the age of clipper ships, the Cape Horn trade, and oceangoing steamers comes into vivid relief, affording a richly embossed assessment of Captain Gillespie's life and times. From Whaler to Clipper Ship adds a layer of full-bodied context to our understanding of this pivotal era in American maritime history. The wealth of detail will appeal to scholars, students, and maritime history enthusiasts"-- Provided by publisher.
Contents:
Foreword / James P. Delgado
A Down East Captain Restores a Ship to Service / Michael Jay Mjelde
A Maine Native Follows the Sea
Chief Mate of Edward O'Brien
Chief Mate of Willie Rosenfeld
A Temporary Coaster and Two Disasters at Sea
Labor Issues, Ship Repairs, and Captain of Edward Kidder
Loss of Willie Rosenfeld and Becoming a Reformed Bucko Mate
Chief Mate and Master Mariner of Sailing Ships and Steamers
Return to Seaworthy Status
First Voyage Hauling Lumber to Bellingham
Second Voyage to Bellingham
Third Voyage to Bellingham and Beyond
To Ladysmith and Beyond
To Nome, a New Owner, and Return to Puget Sound
From Port Gamble to South America
Slow Voyage to Callao
An Uncertain Future
A New Captain for Sea King
New Commands, World War I Service, and Postwar.
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Other Format:
Online version: Mjelde, Michael Jay. From whaler to clipper ship
ISBN:
9781648431128
1648431127
OCLC:
1382527260

The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.

Find

Home Release notes

My Account

Shelf Request an item Bookmarks Fines and fees Settings

Guides

Using the Find catalog Using Articles+ Using your account