W. W. Story (pilot boat)

	Pilot Boat, W. W. Story, with two ships in distance.
History
United States
Name	W. W. Story
Namesake	Captain William W. Story (1798-1875)
Owner	Thomas Conley; Alexander Cochrane; Cisco; Cumskey;
Operator	Jerry Reardon; Alexander Cochrane; Thomas Conley (1876-1891); Ludwign Lawson (1893-1900;
Builder	Samuel H. Pine
Launched	October 2, 1874
Out of service	April 2, 1888
Homeport	Port of New York
Fate	Sank in Blizzard of 1888; Sank in October 14, 1896 hurricane;
General characteristics
Tons burthen	50 Tonnage
Length	76 ft 0 in (23.16 m)
Beam	20 ft 6 in (6.25 m)
Depth	7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
Propulsion	schooner sail
Sail plan	Schooner-rigged; 71 ft 9 in (21.87 m) mainmast; 70 ft 3 in (21.41 m) foremast; 50 ft 3 in (15.32 m) main boom;
Notes	six births and two staterooms

W. W. Story was a 19th-century New Jersey pilot boat built in 1874 at the Samuel H. Pine shipyard in Greenpoint, New York. She sank off Sandy Hook horseshoe during the Blizzard of 1888. She was raised and turned into a fishing smack. On November 13, 1896, she was reported missing along with her crew after being last seen along Absecon, New Jersey when she was caught up in a hurricane.

Construction and service

W. W. Story was a wood pilot boat launched on October 2, 1874, from the Samuel H. Pine shipyard at the foot of Java Street, Greenpoint, New York. Conley, Cisco & Cumskey were owners. She was 77 feet, 2 inches in length; 21 feet breadth of beam; 7 feet 10 inches depth of hold; 71.9 and 70.3 feet height of main mast and foremast and 52-tons.^[3]

The W. W. Story was registered as a pilot Schooner with the ‘’Record of American and Foreign Shipping,’’ from 1876 to 1900. Her ship master was Thomas Conley; her owners were New Jersey pilots; built in 1874 at Greenpoint, New York; and her hailing port was the Port of New York. Her dimensions were 76 ft. in length; 20.6 ft. breadth of beam; 7.3 ft. depth of hold; and 50-tons Tonnage.^[2] Her hailing port was Port of New Jersey from 1876 to 1878.^[4]

On August 12, 1875, shipbuilder Edward A. Williams, of the Greenpoint Savings Bank, sailed her for a two-week cruise on the New Jersey pilot boat W. W. Story, No. 5.^[5]

On March 12, 1878, Sandy Hook pilot Alexander Cochrane died. He was a pilot and part owner of the W. W. Story.^[6]

End of service

On March 14, 1888, the pilot boat W. W. Story, No. 5 of New Jersey, sank off Sandy Hook horseshoe during the Blizzard of 1888 along with Edmund Blunt and Edward F. Williams. She refloated, repaired and returned to service.^[7]^[8] From 1888-1891 she was still registered with Captain Thomas Conley. From 1893-1900 she was registered with Captain Ludwig Lawson.^[2]

The W. W. Story was later turned into a fishing smack. On November 13, 1896, she was reported off Absecon, New Jersey, having been caught in a hurricane on October 14. Eleven of her crew were given up as lost along with Captain Lovigh.^[9]

External links

The W. W. Story

References

^ "Samuel H. Pine, Noted Yacht Builder, Dead". Times Union. Brooklyn, New York. 4 Jun 1904. p. 9. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Record of American and Foreign Shipping". Mystic Seaport Museum. New York. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
^ "Launch Of A Pilot Boat". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, New York. 2 Oct 1874. p. 2. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
^ "Shipwreck Database from New Jersey Maritime Museum". njmaritimemuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
^ "Gone on a Cruise". Times Union. Brooklyn, New York. 12 Aug 1875. p. 2. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
^ "Death Of A Pilot". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, New York. 12 Mar 1878. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
^ "Current Events". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, New York. 2 Mar 1888. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
^ Russell, Charles Edward (1929). From Sandy Hook to 62°. New York: Century Co. pp. 206, 390. OCLC 3804485.
^ "Smack W. W. Story Probably Lost". The New York Times. New York, New York. 13 Nov 1896. p. 9. Retrieved 2021-05-06.