Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-03-30
A HANCOCK SEA CAPTAIN.
Capt. John III. Bennett - Interesting
Career Stin Loves the Ocean.

Career Still Loves the Ocean.
One of the Oldest Shippers activeiy en-
gagged in seafaring life is Capt. John
Henry Bennett. commander OF the two
nasted cossting schooner Irving Leslie.
he Is seventy two years old, aud mas been
going to sea for fiity-eight years.
Capt Bennett was born In Hancock,
where fifty years ago resided many OF
the ablest shipmasters in New England,
among whom were the Abbotts, Balls,
Berrys, Fosses, BOWS, Clarks, Crabtrees,
Grants, Moores, Pettengills, Lancasters,
STATIONS, Woosters and others. who COM
manded shi of the Liverpool packet
lines and vessels in the cotton trade,
while others commanded barks, briggs
aud schooners In the West India and Eu-
ropean trade.
1t was with such men as hese that Capt.
Bennett, when a mere boy, commenced his
sea fsriDg career, making voyages to the
West Indies and in the sout bern and east
ern coastipg trade.
At an early age he was master OF good
sized schooner, and since then he has
commanded seventeen vessels, among
them the Alice R., Eagle, Diamond,
William Pickering, VIM. II. Archer,
Pinta, Laurel and Ann. The last named
vessel he sailed eight years for the late
John s Emery, OF Boston.
Four years ago when the Ann had been
doing service Tor sixty five years, Capt.
Bennett sailed her to Bermuda with his
son as his only assistant on the voyage.
The passage to Bermuda WAS accom-
| plished In seven days.
Capt. Bennett has never lost vessel,
but before his promotion to captain he
was twice shipwrecked, and his experience
on those occasions he will never forget.
He was a member of the crew of the
| brig L. Copeland when that vessel was
| distnasted and abandoned at sea, ali
| hands being saved, and landed at New
York by another vessel.
The captain says the closest call In bis
long career was in May, 1855, while
member of the crew OF the schooner
! Earrenton, Capt. Isaiah Wooster, bound
from Hancock to Boston with a load of
| railroad ties. She had as passengers eight
young women who swere on their way
| from their homes In Maine to accept po-
| sitions In the mills at Lowell and Law
| renee, most Of the operatives at that time
| being Americans whose homes we're In
Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
| The vessel encountered sn easterly gale
| In Massachusetts, bay, end while hove to,
she was run into by the ship Miss Mag,
Capt. Hinckley, inward bound from New
Orleans with a cargo OF cotton for Boston.
The schooner's mainmast was cut away
and her side crushed In SO that she filled
with water, but her cargo kept her afioat.
| Bennett distinguished himself by re-
manning on board the water logged craft
in order to assist the young women to a
place OF safety on the other vessel. By
means OF ropes tied around their waists
they were pulled on board the ship, and
as the vessels separated In the darkness
Bennett saved himself by grasping the
martingale Of the ship.
Al hands succeeded in reaching the
deck OF the Miss Mag with the exception
OF two daughters OF Capt. Wooster who
were missing. IL transpired that Bennett
secured a rope around one of the girls,
but she removed 1t when she heard the
voice Of her sister who was underneath
the msinsaii in the wrecksge, and was
overlook ed by the young sailor.
| The Miss Mag stood by until daylight
when she ran down close to the wreck,
| but as no one could he seen on board, she
continued on her way to Boston. Subse-
quentiy the wreck of the Warrenton
drifted ashore at Situate here the life
l
young women nearly exhausted from
cold and hunger.
| In May, 1863, Capt. Bennett enlisted in
| the navy, and was attached to the recev-
ing ships Wabash and Ohio at the
Charlestown navy yard. Then he was
transferred o the monitor Shawnee, and
was in the blockading squadron off
| Receiving his discharge, he returned to
his home, where he married. He has five
children, two daughters and three sons.
| The boys took naturally to the sea, and
at present one is master of the schooner
William H.. Archer whichihis father tor
merly commanded; another is an officer
on one of the Mallory line steamers ply
ing between New York and Galveston;
the third is an officer of the big tug
| Powerful stationed at Bermuda.
| Capt. Bennett now owns farm at
Brewer, where he spends a portion of
each year, but his innate fondnesslfor the
sea prevents his retiring altogether from
the fascination of a seafariDg life.
He just Explained to the Jury.