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James H Small

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James H Small

Birth	:	20 Nov 1831
Death	:	16 Sep 1846 At Sea
Burial	:	Skyline Memorial Park, Monee, Will County, USA
Coordinate	:	41.4398150, -87.7354110
Plot	:	special back section
Description	:	New-York daily tribune., October 10, 1846 p4 Wed 14 Oct 1846' National Aegis (Worster, MA) p3 "Dreadful Shipwreck" "It will be seen by the following from the Com. Advertiser, that three young men who went from Worcester last... Read More	New-York daily tribune., October 10, 1846 p4 Wed 14 Oct 1846' National Aegis (Worster, MA) p3 "Dreadful Shipwreck" "It will be seen by the following from the Com. Advertiser, that three young men who went from Worcester last April, on a whaling voyage, have been lost. Dreadful suffering at sea -- Loss of the whale brig Rienzi, of Boston -- Sixteen lives lost . Capt. Brown, of the ship Minerva, arrived this morning from Polermo, has furnished us with an extant from his logbook, which gives a distressing account of the sufferings of the crew of the brig Rienzi of Boson. Too much praise cannot be awarded to Capt. Brown for his humane conduct in sending a boat to the wreck, to ascertain whether there were any living soul on board, as under similar circumstances many masters of vessels would have passed on, presuming from the situation that the wreck was not worth boarding. This, we hope, will be a guide in future to the mariner, as in this instance five human beings have been rescued from an otherwise inevitable death. The R., when fallen in with the M., was in lat 37 30 N lon. 48 30 W. Sept. 26, Sea Account . Light winds from the S.. W. At 5:30 P. M. made a wreck on the larboard bow; hauled the ship close by the wind, which brought her about three points on the weather bow; the wind being light approached her very slowly, and at quarter past 6 lost sight of her altogether, previously taking her bearings. The captain thought best to send the boat to see if there were any survivors, and rescue them should there be any, and likewise to ascertain the name of the vessel; after providing the boat with compass, signal lantern, and a bucket of fresh water, the boat was manned by the first officer and four men. After pulling for about an hour (says the first officer) in the direction of the wreck, I smelt something to windward similar to the carcase of a whale. I pulled directly to windward, and soon discovered the wreck; made the proper signal to the ship, as agreed upon before starting from the ship,) and she hove to under our lee. I then pulled round under the stern of the wreck, for the purpose of boarding her, and ascertaining her name, when suddenly cries of distress broke upon our ears; we succeeded in rescuing the survivors, five in number, consisting of James S.. Dyer, 2d officer; George Buntin, George L. Howe, Appleton Laithe, and Lloyd Brown, seamen. The poor fellows were mere skeletons, one being delirious, and would probably died during the night without relief; we took them on board and administered to their wants. We were in lat. 37 30 N., lon. 48 30 W. The following particulars were furnished by Mr. Dyer, second officer of the "Rienzi." The brig "Rienzi" sailed on the 3d of April last, from Provincetown, on a whaling voyage, with a crew of twenty-one souls on board in all, consisting of the following persons: Capt. Samuel Small, mate Joshua Small, captain's son, second mate James Dyer, James H. Small, captain's son, boatsteerers, Edward Weeks, G. B. Cook and James F. Cook, all of Provincetown, Mass.; W. P. Fluker and Francis Coyle of Boston, Mass.; Henry Cannon, of Milford, Pa.; Robert Merrill of Wethersfield, Ct.; John Wheelock, of Springfield, Mass., George Buntin, of Manchester, N. H.; John Martin, of Lowell, Mass.; Geo. L. Howe, Appleton Laithe, Geo. Campbelll, Geo. W. Mann, Geo. Fields, all of Worcester, Mass.; Lloyd Brown, of New Bedford, Mass.; Geo. Porter, of Frederickton, N. B. On the 15th of September experienced a severe gale from S.S.W.; at about 11 o'clock P. M. the fore spencer was blown away. The gale increasing, at about 1 A. M., on the 16th, the balance reefed mainsail, under which the brig was lying to, was entirely blown away. The gale increasing every moment and the brig lying almost on her beam ends, cut away the boats to ease her; the captain then thought best to cut away the fore topmast. The rigging was accordingly cut, and a man sent aloft with a saw to saw off the mast, but in going aloft lost the saw overboard, and was returning with a hatchet when the brig was knocked down, the hatches burst off and the vessel immediately filled with water. She must have remained in that situation 15 or 20 minutes, when she wore round and righted, completely dismasted, with nothing remaining on deck and a perfect wreck. Captain Small, his mate, and young son, about 16 years of age, together with two boat steerers, ship keeper and steward, were drowned in the cabin. Mr. Dyer was likewise in the cabin, but succeeded in finding the companion way and getting on deck. Some of the crew were drowned in the forecastle, and others washed overboard at the time of the disaster. Two boys, one named Geo. Mann, died the day before, and George Campbell died the same night from hunger. The sufferings of the survivors no person can depict; all the provisions they had for almost ten days were about half a bucket of bread, which they succeeded in getting from the hold, but which had been soaked in salt water for forty-eight hours, and the day before they were rescued, they succeeded in taking a shark by means of a bowline - the liver of which they ate raw. They tried to drink the blood of it, but found it too bitter, and all the water they had for the whole time was what they caught by putting an old shirt in the rain during a shower, and wringing it when wet. In the way they think they did not get two quarts in all. They were almost without clothing, and for seven days the sea made a continual breach over the wreck, and they could only keep on by lashing themselves. With the exception of the last day they were on the wreck, they had no place dry whatever and then only a small place aft, the wreck being entirely under water forward and midships. On the 18th following the disaster, at about 8 A. M., they were passed by a brig steering eastward, so near that they could see men on the brig's deck, and notwithstanding they made signals of distress by waving pieces of canvass and an old shirt, she passed on without taking any notice of them; which had she done, two more lives might have been saved. They only saw one other vessel, which they think passed too far off to see them notwithstanding they could see her hull. Captain Small has left a wife and six children to mourn his loss. The remainder of the crew were principally young men, with one exception, not more than 16 to 22 years of age, and unmarried. The brig "Rienzi" was about eight years old, of about 200 tone [sic] register, and owned three-fourths by Philip A. Locke, Esq., of Boston, and the rest by the captain. She had been about five months out, had on board 470 barrels sperm oil, and was returning full at the time of the disaster." ** (inscription on discarded stone pictured above which was excavated at Bradford & Standish Streets in 1983.) In Memory of Capt JAMES SMALL Lost at Sea Sept. 16 1846 AE. 43 Y's 9 M's & 12 D's The sea shall give up its dead. Mrs. BETSEY SMALL Widow of Capt. JAMES SMALL who died April 14, 1847 AE. 42 Y's 9 M's & 6 days In Heaven there is rest Sons of JAMES & BETSEY SMALL JAMES H SMALL Lost at Sea Sept 16 1846 AE. 14 Y's & 10 M's JOSHUA D SMALL Lost at Sea Sept 16 1846 AE. 21 Y's While youthful prospects fill'd their eyes The storm with merciless strife Forced these young brothers both to die. (inscription on tomb at Lot 535 in Cemetery No. 2) In memory of Capt James Small aged 43 years and sons Joshua D P age 21 years James H age 14 years who were lost at sea Sept 16, 1846. The wife and mother Betsey Small died April 14, 1847 aged 42 years - Broken hearted at her loss. The monument pictured above was unearthed from 5 feet deep and broken while excavating at Bradford & Standish streets in 1983. It apparently had been discarded and used for fill for some reason. For more details on this interesting discovery see The Advocate, October 6, 1983, page 13 and The Provincetown News, October 6, 1983 and The Sunday Cape Cod Time, October 16, 1983, page 20.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is James H Small's memorial?
James H Small's memorial is located at: Skyline Memorial Park, Monee, Will County, USA.
When did James H Small death?
James H Small death on 16 Sep 1846 in At Sea
Where are the coordinates of the James H Small's memorial?
Latitude: 41.4398150
Longitude: -87.7354110

Family Members:

Parent

Capt James Small

(1802 - 1846)

Betsey Cook Small

(1804 - 1847)

Siblings

Joshua D Small

(1825 - 1846)

(unknow - unknow)

Capt Samuel C. Small

(1838 - 1882)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Skyline Memorial Park
Monee, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4398150, -87.7354110

2. Saint Paul Evangelical Reformed Church Cemetery
Monee, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4160995, -87.7403030

3. Schlem Cemetery
Monee, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4096985, -87.7656021

4. Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
Richton Park, Cook County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4850900, -87.7327000

5. Saint Pauls Evangelical Reform Cemetery
Richton Park, Cook County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4855700, -87.7122659

6. Saint Anne Cemetery
Park Forest, Cook County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4822570, -87.6942120

7. Church of the Holy Family Columbarium
Park Forest, Cook County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4756100, -87.6824600

8. Union Cemetery
Monee, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4267006, -87.8069000

9. Saint Peters Cemetery
Frankfort, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4545480, -87.8063930

10. Calvary Cemetery
Steger, Cook County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4710999, -87.6682968

11. Faith United Protestant Church Columbarium
Park Forest, Cook County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4806900, -87.6770200

12. Black Walnut Cemetery
Crete, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4203960, -87.6584530

13. Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery
Matteson, Cook County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5057250, -87.7089210

14. Elliott Cemetery
Matteson, Cook County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5057330, -87.7079450

15. Evergreen Hill Memory Gardens
Steger, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4578018, -87.6427994

16. Adams Cemetery
Crete, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4444008, -87.6374969

17. Crete Cemetery
Crete, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4440000, -87.6350000

18. Will Presbyterian Cemetery
Peotone, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3626600, -87.7367500

19. Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
Crete, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4313050, -87.6302150

20. Zion Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
Crete, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4303017, -87.6296997

21. Hewes Family Cemetery
Crete, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4135100, -87.6245900

22. Wilder Family Cemetery
Crete, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4603200, -87.6212200

23. Saint John's Cemetery
Peotone, Will County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3807900, -87.8254300

24. Saint Paul Lutheran Cemetery
Matteson, Cook County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5277780, -87.7658330