A guide to the F.J. Schaeffer bills of lading, 1861-1862
Processed by: Historic Documents Department Staff.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
2012
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: 415-561-7030
Fax: 415-556-3540
SAFR_Historic_Documents@nps.gov
URL: http://www.nps.gov/safr
A Guide to the F.J. Schaeffer bills of lading
HDC0009
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service2012, National Park Service
Title: F.J. Schaeffer bills of lading
Date: 1861-1862
Identifier/Call Number: HDC0009 (SAFR 13554)
Physical Description:
4 items
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: F.J. Schaeffer bills of lading (SAFR 13554, HDC 9) includes four bills of lading: two from Sutton & Company, one from Randolph
M. Cooley and the last one is unidentified.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
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case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
Note on Description: The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information.
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and subject matter experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors
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lease cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], HDC0009 (SAFR 13554), F.J. Schaeffer bills of lading, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
SAFR-00001
Golden Gate National Recreation Area transferred these materials to San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.
Historical or Biographical Note
Vessel Histories: DAVID CROCKETT, GREAT EASTERN, THATCHER MAGOUN and UNCOWAH
The DAVID CROCKETT was a medium clipper ship built in 1853 by Greenman & Co. of Mystic, CT. Dimensions were 219' x 41 x 27,
and tonnage of 1547 tons. The ship was rigged with double fore and main topsails, and three skysails. When launched in 1853,
it was for the owners Handy & Everett of New York, for their line of New York-Liverpool packets.
Around 1857 the ship was sold to Lawrence Giles & Co. of New York, and began sailing between New York and San Francisco. She
made this voyage numerous times through 1882, with the best time from New York to San Francisco of 103 days in 1871.
The DAVID CROCKETT also made voyages from San Francisco to Liverpool. In April 1874, the vessel was cleared to sail from San
Francisco to Liverpool with a cargo of wheat when the crew mutinied, delaying the departure by five days. On the voyage, the
ship's captain, John Burgess, was washed overboard and drowned in a heavy gale off Rio de la Plata. The mate, John Anderson,
assumed command and the ship arrived Liverpool on August 10th, after a passage of 107 days. John Anderson became the captain,
through 1883, at which time the ship was sold.
After several transactions, the DAVID CROCKETT was reduced to bark rig, and eventually in 1890, she was converted to a coal
barge on the east coast. In February 1899, she stranded on the Romer Shoal in New York Bay, and was eventually broken apart
by gales.
Collection contains a bill of lading from 1862, for a shipment of building materials from New York to San Francisco.
The GREAT EASTERN referred to in the catalog is a canal boat of gross weight 39 tons, registered in Trenton, New Jersey (and
not the famed giant liner built by Islambard Brunel.) The material in the collection is a bill of lading from 1862, for a
shipment of ash and hickory lumber from Buffalo to New York. The canal boat GREAT EASTERN was still trading as late as 1872.
The THATCHER MAGOUN was a medium clipper, built in 1856 in Medford, MA. She was named as a compliment to one of the most renowned
shipbuilders of the era, who passed away while the ship was being built in the yard Hayden & Cudworth. The owners were the
firm of Magoun & Son.
The ship was registered at 1200 tons, with dimensions 190' x 40' x 24'. The THATCHER MAGOUN was reportedly a very beautiful
ship, and very fast, having recorded speed of 16 knots. She made 12 passages from Boston or New York to San Francisco, and
two trips between Liverpool and Boston. In 1869 she sailed from San Francisco to New York in 96 days.
In 1874 the ship was sold to Norwegian owners, and renamed HERCULES. The THATCHER MAGOUN was reported lost off the coast of
Africa in the early 1880's.
The collection contains a bill of lading from 1862, covering a shipment of building materials and plow handles, from New York
to San Francisco.
The UNCOWAH was built in 1856 in New York, in the shipyard of William H. Webb, for the owners Wakeman, Dimon & Co., of New
York. She was a medium clipper ship, of 988 tons. Dimensions 169' x 35'8" x 22'.
The ship initially traded from New York to San Francisco, its first passage in November 1856 was made in 116 days, under the
command of Captain N. Kirby, Jr. In 1865 the UNCOWAH sailed from New York to Shanghai, and in that year the ship was sold
to N. Larea of Lima, Peru. Her last years were then spent in the trans-Pacific coolie trade.
In 1870, the UNCOWAH burned at sea while on a voyage from Macao to Callao. The crew and 112 of the coolie passengers were
saved by a passing ship, while 425 passengers were reported to have died.
Collection contains a bill of lading from 1861-1862. It is for a shipment of planks and scantlings from New York to San Francisco.
F.J. Schaeffer bills of lading (SAFR 13554, HDC 9) includes four bills of lading: two from Sutton & Company, one from Randolph
M. Cooley and the last one is unidentified.
They date from 1861-1862. The vessels are DAVID CROCKETT (ship), GREAT EASTERN (canal boat), THATCHER MAGOUN (ship) and UNCOWAH
(ship). This collection is available for use without restriction.
This is a collection of four items.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ship's papers--19th century
Bills of lading