Sea Captains: San Francisco 1800s


Nathaniel Nowell

Captain, Brig Canonicus

Sailed from Boston, April 2, 1849, to San Francisco, arriving November 2, 1849 (185 days).

Daily Alta California, Shipping Intelligence, August 3, 1851 
DIED: On the 27th ult., Captain Nathaniel Nowell, of Newbury, Mass, aged 53 years. 

"Captain N. arrived in San Francisco in the brig Canonicus about two years ago. He has left a wife and warm friends in Boston."

(Editor's Note: Even though the obituary states that Captain Nowell arrived on the Canonicus "about two years ago," he is not noted on the 1849 list as having been on the Canonicus.)

July 24, 1852: "Fire broke out in the store-ship Manco, which lay in close proximity to the wharves, near the corner of Mission and Stewart streets. The store-ship Canonicus an old "forty-niner," which was moored alongside, next caught fire. The firemen turned out, as usual, but from the want of proper resting places found much difficulty in working their engines with effect.

There happened to be a large quantity of gunpowder on board the Manco at the time, the knowledge of which fact, when circulated, speedily sent to a respectful distance the curious crowd that had gathered on the neighboring ships, and wherever they could procure a view of what was going on. The firemen, however, gallantly stuck to their posts, and poured vast quantities of water into the hold of the burning ship.

By these means the powder was so damped that only partial explosions of small quantities took place. At last, the ship was scuttled, and she sank in shallow water. The flames continued, and were only extinguished a considerable time afterwards. The losses sustained by both the Manco andCanonicus were estimated at about $50,000."

July 26, 1853, Sacramento Daily Union, Sacramento, California

Fire in the Harbor.

A destructive flre broke out yesterday afternoon, about 4 o'clock, in the storeship Monko, lying above Market street wharf (near teh corner of Mission and Stewart streets). The alarm was quickly given, and in a few minutes the firemen were on the spot and in service without delay, though they had to labor under great disadvantages, as the hose had to be laid over the shipping to get at the fire.

The ship Herbert, which had been disabled last week outside the Heads, lay along side the burning vessel, but was saved by the exertions of the firemen. The storeship Canonicus, which was next to the Monko, caught also, but was saved by the Pennsylvania No. 12, who had their apparatus in a lighter, and went outside of the vessel, doing good service, as the only damage done on this ship was to the goods stored on deck. The ship in which the fire originated, was still burning when we went to press, the light from her illuminating the city with its glare. Both vessels belonged to Crosby & Dibblee, and were full of goods.

There was a large quantity of gunpowder on the Manco at the time, the knowledge of which speedily sent the curious crowd to a respectful distance. The firemen poured vast quantities of water into the hold of the burning ship. The ship was scuttled, and she sank in shallow water. The flames continued and were only extinguished a considerable time afterwards.

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John Blake
The sea chart was one of the key tools by which ships of trade, transport and conquest navigated their course across the oceans. Herein is a history and development of the chart and the related nautical map, in both scientific and aesthetic terms, as a means of safe and accurate seaborne navigation. 150 color illustrations including the earliest charts of the Mediterranean made by 13th-century Italian merchant adventurers, as well as 18th-century charts that became strategic naval and commercial requirements and led to Cook's voyages in the Pacific, the search for the Northwest Passage, and races to the Arctic and Antarctic.

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Sources: As noted on entries and through research centers including National Archives, San Bruno, California; CDNC: California Digital Newspaper Collection; San Francisco Main Library History Collection; and Maritime Museums and Collections in Australia, China, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Wales, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, etc.

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