Captain John Zerga
The August 2, 1853 Daily Alta California, reported "Captain John Zerega, long known in the Liverpool trade," as captain of the splendid new Queen of Clippers.
Boston Daily Atlas, April 2, 1853.
She was built at East Boston by Mr. Robert E. Jackson, the builder of the John Bertram, Winged Racer, and many other fine ships; but this is the crowning triumph of his professional life. Everybody who has seen her speaks in her praise, and "what everybody says must be true." Her enterprising owners, Messrs. Seccomb & Taylor, have spared no express to make her a perfect ship, and to ensure her success. She is expected to sail twenty miles an hour with a leading wind, and to rank first among the foremost upon the world of waters. In a few days she will proceed to New York, and will there load in Messrs. F. & D. Fowler's line of San Francisco clippers. We call the attention of our New York friends to her, and invite them to inspect her carefully.
In December 1853, when the SS San Francisco wrecked, John Zerga (Zerega) was one of the captains who came to the rescue of passengers. Carl Cutler, in Queens of the Western Ocean, writes:
"On Christmas Day 1853, the San Francisco was disabled, and on January 6th, 1854, she foundered with a loss of more than 200 lives. Upwards of 500 were saved, principally by the splendid work of the ships Three Bells, of Glasgow, and (John A.) Zerega's Antarctic, George E. Stouffer Master (from 1853-1858), who saved 197 from SS San Francisco, with the bark Kilby rescuing 108 or thereabouts."
