SV Argo (1841)

Three-masted barque (early 20th century photo)
History
United States
Name:	SV Argo
Owner:	William Whitlock, Jr Samuel Thompson
Builder:	William H. Webb
Laid down:	1840
Launched:	1841
Out of service:	1854
Fate:	Abandoned at sea
General characteristics
Class and type:	Barque
Tons burthen:	967 (registered)
Length:	161 ft
Beam:	36.3 ft
Draught:	20.5 ft
Propulsion:	Full sail
Sail plan:	Square rigged
Complement:	Permanent crew approx. 15 Voyage crew up to approx. 415
Notes:	Square-riggers on schedule by Robert Greenhalgh Albion, 1938, Princeton University Press, p. 286

The SV Argo was an American wooden sailing vessel (SV) designed for the trans-Atlantic Packet trade.^[1] William Whitlock, Jr acquired the ship for his Havre-Whitlock Line, which regularly scheduled round trips three times a year from New York City to Le Havre, France.^[2]

Captains

Caleb Anthony, Jr 1841–1847^[3][4]

Isaac H. Davis 1848–1849^[5]

Daniel H Wood 1849

Samuel Macoduck 1851–1854

Charles D Crawford 1850

Argo passenger arrivals into the Port of New York

Compiled from ship arrivals from Le Havre, France from 1841–1849, Ancestry.com, NARA and castlegarden.org. All Argo arriving passengers were processed through the Castle Garden immigration center. Arrival in the Port of New York was on pier 13 noted as the Havre-Union Line (trans-Atlantic packet).^[6]

The wreck of the Argo

The "Argo" ran aground on a sand bar on the south shore of Long Island near present-day Mastic Beach and remained there for over a year before it was removed, repaired and sold to another owner. As was common, major local newspapers avoided mention of wrecks, especially without loss of life, as not to supply negative publicity for their advertisers (owners and operators). The 1850 grounding of the Argo occurred at approximately 40°43′30″N 72°53′21″W / 40.72500°N 72.88917°W / 40.72500; -72.88917 (SV Argo (March 12, 1850)), about 1.5 miles west of the contemporary memorial for TWA Flight 800.

• "THE SHIP ARGO — This vessel, which went ashore off Fire-place,^[7] on Fire Island, on Friday night last, is now lying broadside to the shore. At high tide, yesterday, the sea broke completely over her the wind being from the northeast, but at low tide she can be approached dry shod. She was laden with about 1800 packages, about 800 of which have been discharged, 600 in a sound gate. The remaining portion of the cargo is all afloat, there being about ten feet of water in the lower hold. The planks are not started, and only a few seams near the stern are open. She is imbedded in the sand nearly to the top of her copper, but the underwriter's agent, Captain Waring, does not despair of getting her off. The cargo is now coming to the city in lighters. As the water shoals, on this shore, very gradually —at the rate, It is said, of not more than a fathom a mile—and as the wind was not high on Friday night, though the night was foggy, the occasion of the accident to the Argo is naturally a subject of much speculation."^[8]
• "SHIP ARGO ASHORE - The N.Y Com. Adv. of Saturday says - Ship Argo, Crawford, went on shore on Tuesday night (March 12, 1850) at half past seven o'clock, twenty-five miles to the eastward of Fire Island. The passengers were safely landed and the mate and part of the crew came to the city by the Long Island railroad last evening. The Argo sailed from Havre on the 30th of January. The amount of damage she had sustained is not yet known. The Argo was built in this city in 1841, was 967 burthen, and her estimated value prior to this accident was $60,000. She was insured in various offices in Wall Street. Her cargo must be very valuable, $200,000 to $300,000 most of which is insured, partly in France but chiefly in this city. Assistance has been sent to her."^[9] No further voyages under the ownership of William Whitlock, Jr to and from Havre and New York have been discovered after this incident.
• "We learn that the pkt ship Argo, ashore on Mystic (Mastic) Point, 20 miles E of Fire Island, will probably be got off after disg. She was perfectly sound when last heard from." ^[10]
• "Col. E.L. Snow, inspector of the customs, New York, was thrown from his wagon, on his way to the wreck of the ship Argo, on Long Island, and severely injured. It is said the he cannot with safety be removed at present."^[11]
• Margaret Fuller Ossoli wrote to Madame Arconati (April 21, 1850): " It was an odd combination. I had intended, if I went by way of France, to take the packet ship Argo from Havre; I had just written to Mrs. Story that I should not do so; and at the same time requested her to find Miss Fitton, who had my muff, etc. ; having closed the letter, I took up 'Galignani', and my eye fell on these words, Died, 4th April, at No. 10 Rue Ville l'Eveque, Miss E. Fitton. Turning the leaf, I read of the wreck of the Argo returning from America to France (from France to America). There were also notices of the wreck of the Royal Adelaide, a fine English steamer, and of the John Skiddy, one of the fine American packets. Thus, as it seems, safety is not to be found in the wisest calculation. I shall embark more composedly in my merchant ship; praying, indeed, fervently, that it may not be my lot to lose my babe at sea, either by un-solaced sickness, or amid the howling waves. Or, that if I should, it may be brief anguish, and Ossoli, he and I go together. Pray with me, dear friend, as yours ever, forever, MARGARET."^[12]
• Margaret Fuller died about 90 days after writing to Madame Arconati in a shipwreck off Fire Island, near the wreck of the Argo.^[13]
• "Ship Argo from Havre for New York, which was stranded a long while ago, has finally been floated off and at last account is waiting a steamer to tow her up to New York. She has been saved through the perseverance of Captain William Boardman, Jim and John M Brown, who contracted with the underwriters of Wall street to save her."^[14]
• "The ship Argo lately brought to our port after having been buried for a twelvemonth in the sands below Fire Island has been put on the Sectional Floating Dry Dock for repair, all her timbers having been severely strained."^[15]

Later ownership

Used on a Liverpool to New York route by the Caleb Grimshaw and Co in 1851 and on a Liverpool to Melbourne Australia route in departing in 1852.^[16] Samuel Thompson's Nephew and Co., acquired the Argo in 1851.

• "Packet ship Argo mentioned a few weeks ago in your columns is the same vessel, your correspondent refers to. This vessel was built at New York in 1841 for Fox & Livingston's (William Whitlock's) Havre Line. She went ashore on March 14, 1850, at Mystic Point, twenty miles east of Fire Island, and laid there for more than twelve months, brought to New York about March 26, 1851, repaired and sold to Thompson & Nephews Company, and run to Liverpool; afterward to the Pacific Ocean: vessel was lost on April 17, 1854, in a violent hurricane during a voyage from Baltimore to Liverpool, the pumps becoming choked, the case became hopeless and the vessel was abandoned. The crew was taken off by another vessel. She was nothing but an ordinary packet ship of that period. - J.B. Morrison"^[17]

Argo passenger arrivals into the Port of New York (N.Y.) and Melbourne (Mel.)

Compiled from ship arrivals from 1850–1852, Ancestry.com and NARA.

Loss of the Argo

The Argo was abandoned in the North Atlantic after a hurricane, boarded twice and was not seen again after the second boarding, perhaps considered a Ghost ship by the uniformed second crew who were unaware of the rescue. Its final resting place has never been determined. The Argo could have sunk, washed ashore in Ireland or salvaged without notifying maritime authorities.

• "Ship Argo Capt Macoduck from Baltimore 1 April 1854 for Liverpool experienced on 17 April a violent hurricane from S to NW which threw the vessel on her beam ends; her masts were cut away and she righted a little taking large quantities of water. On the 19th the vessel had 7 feet of water in her hold and was abandoned, the crew being taken off by the Br. ship Mahonongo (Mohongo)^[18] Capt Cor(n)ish from Londonderry".^[19]
• "LOST SHIPS.—Argo, Macoduck, from Baltimore to Liverpool with breadstuffs was thrown on her beam ends, 17 April in Lat 46 Lon 31 (46°00′N 31°00′W / 46.000°N 31.000°W / 46.000; -31.000 (SV Argo (April 14, 1854))) ,^[20] and on the 19th, was abandoned; crew taken off by the Mahongo (Mohongo), Cor(n)ish, from Londonderry."^[21]
• "Messrs Thompson and Nephew (Samuel Thompson's Nephew & Co.) intend presenting to Capt Raymond Cornish of the ship Mohongo of Londonderry an elegant silver trumpet suitably inscribed as a slight acknowledgment of his noble conduct in rescuing Capt Macoduck and the crew from the wreck of the ship Argo on the 19th April last. A heavy sea was running at the time and Capt Cornish effected the rescue at imminent hazard by his small boats - New York Courier".^[22]
• "An American ship dismasted and abandoned, hailing from New: York, with port side of archboard washed away, laden with flour and corn, was boarded by the Portland, from New Orleans, in Lon. 30W., and letters were found in her cabin addressed to “Capt. Macodrick,” ship Argo. Mem.— The Argo, Macodrick, cleared from Baltimore March 22 for this port."^[23]
• "The New City of Cork, from Barbados, at this port, saw, on the 20th ult. in lat. 46°17'N, long. 30°30'W, (46°17′N 30°30′W / 46.283°N 30.500°W / 46.283; -30.500 (SV Argo (April 20, 1854))) a dismasted and abandoned ship (supposed to be the Argo, from Baltimore to this port, reported by the Portland), bearing NE, and bore down to her, and found her to be a ship of about 1000 tons, with painted ports, gilt billet head, main and mizenmasts gone close to the deck, foremast, bowsprit, and jibboom standing, & c. "New York " on her stern, but name gone: to all appearance a new vessel, with perfect rudder and wheel house; did not appear to be waterlogged, or long abandoned."^[24]

External links (passenger lists)

• Norway Heritage
• IMTG Vol. 2
• Smith Ancestry
• Genealogy of the Weichmann - Kelley Family of Western New York
• Castle Garden, The Battery Conservancy search results for ship Argo 1841–1849
• Germany Roots, February 14 1842 New York arrivals
• Rupp Family, Bavarian Inn Lodge

External links (other)

• Commercial tariffs and regulations, resources, and trade, of the several states of Europe and America: together with the commercial treaties between England and foreign countries. United States of America, Volume 2
• George Howland junior by William Logan Rodman Gifford, Priv. print. E. Anthony & sons, incorp., printers, 1892 - 56 pages
• The New York State Register, for 1843
• Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, H.M. Stationery Office, 1846 - Legislation
• The New York State Register for 1845–46
• Record of the Life and Work of the Rev. Stephen Higginson Tyng and History of St. George's Church, New York: To the Close of His Rectorship, E.P. Dutton, 1890 - 682 pages
• Whitlock advertisement for Argo in New York Evening Mirror, April 3, 1845
• Merchant sail. v.2. p. 1176, Fairburn, William Armstrong, 1876–1947
• Merchant sail. v.2. p. 1297, Fairburn, William Armstrong, 1876–1947
• Merchant sail. v.5. p. 2784, Fairburn, William Armstrong, 1876–1947
• Merchant sail. v.5. p. 2809, Fairburn, William Armstrong, 1876–1947
• Captain Caleb Anthony memorial on findagrave

References