Norwich bulletin., 1913-10-21
OBITUARY.
Captain Robert Palmer Wilbur.
 fCOnfri hlfad

(Conirlbuted.)
 Tho passing away of man like Cap- tain Robert Palmer Wilbur of Mystic deserves more than the brief notice al- ready printed, which dsalt principally With his early gears at sea, but it is especially of his 'ater years that men, lien should be made The fine ship Michael F. Grace named for the broth CT Of the then mayor of New York city, was built Tor him in Bath, Me- After several successful voyages he was of Tered the command of beautiful ship Ct q thousand tons burden, being built at the shipyard of Maxson Fish & Co. In the summer of 1889. Mir Fish was his wief's father, and Captain Wilbur himself chose the name, the Dauntless, Ignoring the possibility of the present alton of fine set of colors for the privilege of giving the new ship diff ferent name. At the same time his brother, Captain John Palmer Wilbur had built for him ln Maine a sister ship of equally beautiful lines, which was named the Sappho It was while on a voyage from San Francisco to Liverpool that Captain Wilbur had the unique and agreeable experience off Cape Horn of meeting within speaking distance the Sappho. In command of his brother, bound from Liverpool to San Francisco They were near enough to see each others faces, and to ex- S.
 One incident in his always fortunate career as a shipmaster was the rescue of an entire ships crew, officers and men, of British ship, who were ma rooned on Pitcairn Island in the Pa cif1c. This isolated island is the home of the descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty, who since 1789 have lived and fourished on this far off isle of the sea. To entertain so many unex pected guests for any length of time was a tax on the resources of the islanders, as also on the ship that res cued them To feed and care for so many-just double their ships com pany-on so long a voyage required close calculations of ways and means, but the shipwrecked sailors were brought safely to port. In recognition of this kindly deed the English govern ment presented Captain Wilbur with splendid chronometer watch duly en- gagged. It was this watch that on the occasion of the accident at the unveil- tic, some years ago. was possibly the means of saving the captain s life, when the case was so dented as to stop the works by the shower of gravel sent up by the misdirected discharge of can non. The owners of the British ship showed their appreciation of the saw ing of the crew by presenting the cap- tain with a splendid silver and crystal epergne. At one time during the voyage of one of the brothers a very superior young man appeared among the company of sailors shipped before the mast. He was anxious to learn everything about the sailing of a yes sel that it was possible for him to ac- quire in his subordinate position; and was allowed by the captain to use the quadrant in taking the sun He also was allowed to write up the log box. and it was this familiar handwritinS in the ships book that established the fact that the man before the mast was the lost heir to the dukedom of AbeT- deen. He left home suddenly, leaving word with friend that when he came back he would be iu command of q vessel He was traced to Australia, and sailing from there in command CT a small vessel. bound for Liverpool, the sea swallowed him up.
 When the brothers-CaptainS John P. and Robert Wilbur-were together in the port of Liverpool they received en invitation to spend a Ween IT tue splendid residence of the AberdeenS, which was situated in/ a park of a thousand acres. Tn sv were most hes riIably entertained and treated to tfe Lest this magnificent home afforded Their hosts were anxious to heac the nett minute particulars of thc'r ac- quaintance with this beloved son, 50 tragically lost to them. Afterwards the duchess presented to the Sealn4n' $ society In New York a hundred sailors libraries in memory of her son.
 After a successful career as ship r aster, Captain Wilbur left thA sea end became a member of the firm nt Robert Palmer & Go. of Noa-st, ME. Palmer being his uncle. His brother, Captaln John P. Wilbur, and ms sen died m Calcutta of cholera, mH2h ia n,enicd Both were noble Clrrs'lau Centlemen, and the recollection f their lives. their abiding sense of an everything Providence will not soon te forgotten by those who knew them.