The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-05-08
TRAGEDIES OF THE SEA.
A Widow Who Has Suffered From
Her share Of AffIIctIon.

The widow of the late Captain Henry AL
bert Patterson. of Searsport, Me-. who has
just brought home the remains of her hus-
band from Porto Bello, where he died
Ia 1889. has experienced her share of grief
from tragedies of the sea. Mrs. Patterson's
maiden name was Smith and her first hus-
band was Quinton d. Smith, of Machias, to
whom she was married when but seventeen
years of age. They had been married but
ten days when sailor Smith babe adieu to
his youthful bride aud sailed away in the
brig Albion Cooper. This was In 1857. The
Albion Cooper was commanded by her
brother. Portland man, G. P. Smith. G.
T. Smith was not a brother of Quinton D.,
but brother TO Quinton d. Smiths wife.
This fact 1t is necessary to keep In mind In
order not to get confused by the many men
lions OF the name Smith. The Albion
Cooper was an Inflated vessel. Three of the
crew mutinied, murdered Captain G. P.
Smith, the brother of the young bride, and
Mate Quinton ID. Smith, her husband. The
mutineers burned the vessel. Two of them
were afterward apprehended. brought to
Portland, tried, convicted and hung In Au-
burn jail.
1t was in 1857 that the Albion Cooper sailed
away never to return. Five years later an
other brother of the young widow, Captain
Woodbury. Smith, sailed with his wife from
Halifax. They were never heard of after
wards, and their vessel is supposed to have
foundered la gale just after leaving port.
The next year, having already lost hus-
band and three brothers on the treachercus
deep, the afflicted young woman, now %
years old. had new reason for believing that
Neptune had singled her out for direct
punishment. This year, 1866, two other
brothers, Captain Hiram Smith and his
brother Charles, left Key West on the bark
Ofisina, Of Freeport. Me. The Orisina was
never heard of again, and no one knowns
whether storm or fire sent her to the bottom
with all her crew.
Mrs. Smith married for her second hus-
band Captain Henry A. Patterson. But
Neptune. having taken her first husband and
i've of her brothers, still pursued her. Two
OF her second husbands brothers, Capt
Ellis Patterson and Eugene Patterson sailed
In 1871 from New York In the bark Alcyone.
Inc Alcyone was never heard of again.
1t was Captain III. A. Patterson's fate to
die on board his ship in the harbor of Porto
Bello.
As the much-affiicted widow accompanied
bis remains to their home in Searsport she
found in the wife of Captain Ingraham, of
the Bangor and Boston boat, an old friend of
her youth. When the boat arrived at Sears
port the coffin was covered with the Amer
can flag by the thoughtful consideration of
Captain Ingraham. Mr.. j. Smith Roe.
editor OF the Rockland Free Press, was also
aboard, and he has writted an account of the
many oft1ictions of Mrs. Patterson.
Last evening reporter for the PRESS
called upon Captain Alexander P. Smith, at
his residence of High street. Capt Smith
was cousin of the unfortunate shipmasters
previously mentioned. Their father and his
father were first cousins. Their father was
James Smith of Nova Scotia. He moved to
Portland many years ago. and resided rear
the corner Of Grove and Portland streets.
He was returning from haying one day and
fell dead near the aims house. He married
a Miss Parker of Walton, N. S., and had a
large family of boys by her. One son, Archie,
was second mate of a vessel out of this port
and.died at the United StatesMarin Hospital
In Deering. Mrs. Patterson lived here long
time, having her residence on Congress
street. She has two brothers now living In
Portland, one of them Mr.. Frank Smith, the
well known barber. Capt. Alexander Smith
was formerly in the government service. He
was at Key West when Capt. Hiram Smith
and his brother Charles sailed from there on
their ill-fatedvoyage. In the matter of the AL
bion Cooper he says the vessel was becalmed
off the Bahamas. The second mate the day
previous ordered sailor Ito do some work
aloft. He refused and in the trouble that
followed he stabbed the mate That night
the vessel was becalmed the mainsail was
down and the first mate went to sleep In it,
The crew then mutinied, killed the captain
and mates. and set the vessel on fire. A
young Irish boy was on board of the vessel
and was taken In the boat with the crew
when they left the burning ship. A bark
later rescued the boats crew. When they |
reached Havana where the bark was bound, |
the boy told the whole story Of the mutiny |
to the America consul. The men were sent |
to Portland and Cox and Williams convicted |
In the United States Court and hunged as
stated.