Hesper (pilot boat)

The Hesper was a 19th-century pilot boat built in 1884, as a Boston yacht and pilot-boat for merchant and ship owner George W. Lawler. She was known to be the largest pilot boat under the American flag at 104 feet long and the fastest of the Boston fleet. She competed in several first-class sailing races, and in 1886, the Hesper won the silver cup in what was known as the first Fishermen's Race.

Pilot Boat Hesper, photograph by Nathaniel Stebbins.
History
US
Name: Hesper
Owner: George W. Lawler, Augustus Hooper, and Lewis Smith
Builder: Howard & Montgomery shipyard
Launched: October 4, 1884
Out of service: May 13, 1901
Fate: Sold
General characteristics
Class and type: schooner
Tonnage: 94-tons TM[1]{
Length: 104 ft 0 in (31.70 m)
Beam: 22 ft 0 in (6.71 m)
Draft: 91 ft 0 in (27.74 m)
Depth: 12 ft 0 in (3.66 m)
Propulsion: Sail
Notes: Frame white oak and planked with hard pine.

Construction and service

The pilot-boat Hesper, No. 5, was launched on October 4, 1884 from the Howard & Montgomery shipyard in North Chelsea, Massachusetts. She was designed by Dennison J. Lawlor and owned by Captains George W. Lawler, Augustus Hooper, and Lewis Smith.[2][3] She was the largest pilot-boat under the American flag at 104 feet long. She was the talk of the Boston waterfront because of she was the fastest of the Boston fleet.[1][4]

Half Model of the Pilot Schooner Hesper.(Dennison J. Lawlor, Shipbuilder, Chelsea, Massachusetts)

In September, 1885, in the fifth America's Cup, Captain Lawler sailed the Hesper, flying a balloon-jib topsail, to New York with some friends aboard, to watch the race between the Puritan and the British challenger, Genesta. John Malcolm Forbes built and skippered the Puritan.[4][5] Irish-born sailmaker John H. McManus of McManus & Son, of Boston made the sails for the Puritan, made of Plymouth duck. The Puritan beat the Genesta and won the silver cup.[6]:122

The race between pilot-boat Hesper and fishing schooner Fredonia off Boston harbor.

As a yacht, the Hesper competed in several first-class sailing races. In May 1886, the Hesper won the silver cup between the Boston Hesper and the fishing schooner John H. McManus. The contest was sponsored by John Malcolm Forbes and Thomas F. McManus. Forbes added the silver cup if the Hesper was added to the racing group. The race was from Boston to Gloucester, rounding the buoy off Eastern Point Light. Eleven fishing schooners took part in the first Fishermen's Race. McManus became known as the father of Fishermen's races.[4][7] On September 26, 1889, there was a race between the pilot-boat Hesper against the fishing schooner Fredonia, which was owned by John Malcolm Forbes. The race was for $6,000. The Fredonia, won. The race results were Fredonia 10:31:13 and the Hesper 10:32:08.[8][9]

On September 26, 1888, the Massachusetts Humane Society awarded a silver medal to Captain William M. McMellen of the pilot-boat Hesper and bronze medals to Franklin "Frank" Fowler and George W. Lawler of the crew. The three men rescued four of the crew from the Barque Hattie L. Curtis. The Curtis sank in heavy weather and the crew had taken safety on a raft before being picked up by the Hesper.[10] Captain Franklin Fowler was the son of Captain James L. Fowler.[11]

End of service

In 1901, When the Boston pilots reorganized down to five boats, the pilot-boat Hesper was withdrawn from the pilot service. On May 13, 1901, the Hesper, was sold to Andrew C. Wheelwright, a retired merchant of Rowes Wharf, in Boston, Massachusetts.[12][4]

On May 5, 1919, the Hesper, was struck on the point of Cape Henlopen of the Delaware Bay and became a total wreck. Captain McLean was commander of the vessel.[13]

George W. Lawler
Captain George W. Lawler, connected with the Boston pilot service for 40 years.

Captain George W. Lawler (1851 – March 22, 1913) was with the Boston pilot service for over 40 years. He was born in Bremen, Maine. He was the son of William and Matilda Lawler. At the age of 11, he sailed around the world in the Ocean Belle. When he was 15, he received his pilots' commission. The pilot-boat Hesper was built for him.[14]

The Massachusetts Humane Society awarded him silver and bronze medals. The silver medal was given in recognition of his bravery in saving the lives of the crew of the schooner William D. Cargill, which was wrecked in a heavy storm. The bronze medal was given for the rescue of four of the crew from the schooner Hattie L. Curtis in 1888.[10] His funeral was at his home in Winthrop, Massachusetts. Reverend R. Perry Bush of the Grand Lodge officiated.[14]

See also

References
  1. "The Largest Pilot Boat Aloat". The Boston Daily Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 4 Oct 1884. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-10-22 – via NewspaperArchive.
  2. "Launching of the Pilot Boat Hesper". The Boston Daily Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 4 Oct 1884. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-10-22 – via NewspaperArchive.
  3. Cunliffe, Tom (2001). Pilots, The World Of Pilotage Under Sail and Oar. Brooklin, Maine: WoodenBoat. p. 126. ISBN 9780937822692.
  4. Eastman, Ralph M. (1956). Pilots and pilot boats of Boston Harbor. Boston, Massachusetts: Second Bank-State Street Trust Company. p. 46.
  5. "Course Sailed Yesterday By Puritan and Genesta". The Boston Daily Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 12 Sep 1885. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-10-23 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Dunne, W. M. P.; Patrick, William Matthew (1934). Thomas F. McManus and the American fishing schooners: an Irish-American success story. Mystic, Conn., Mystic Seaport Museum.
  7. "Races of Past Years in Which the Hesper and Carrie E. Phillips Competed". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 13 Jun 1898. p. 8. Retrieved 2020-10-22 – via NewspaperArchive.
  8. "Fredonia Defeats Hesper. The Pilot Boat Outsailed At Every Point". Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 27 Sep 1889. p. 8. Retrieved 2020-10-22 – via NewspaperArchive.
  9. Santos, Michael Wayne (2002). "Caught in Irons, North Atlantic Fishermen in the Last Days of Sail". Susquehanna University Press. p. 47. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  10. "Rewards For Bravery". Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 29 Oct 1898. p. 8. Retrieved 2020-10-23 – via NewspaperArchive.
  11. "Fell To Floor Dead. Capt Franklin Fowler, Well Known Pilot, Expired of Heart Disease in the Cafe at Parker's". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 26 Jan 1902. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-10-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Pilot Boat Hesper, Fastest of the Fleet, Sold to A. C. Wheelwright". The Boston Daily Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 13 May 1901. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-10-22 – via NewspaperArchive.
  13. "Old Pilot Boat Hesper Wrecked". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 5 May 1919. p. 11. Retrieved 2020-10-23 – via NewspaperArchive.
  14. "Well-Known Pilot Dead". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 23 Mar 1813. p. 9. Retrieved 2020-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
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