Article
5-1-02
The Pilot Schooner Francis Elizabeth:
The Unfolding
Saga
The Samuel J. Pregnall & Brothers Shipyard was established around
1868 on a wharf at the current site of Union Pier on Concord Street.
Amazingly, Samuel, then only 22 years old, began a business that
would grow and prosper for almost 50 years on the Charleston waterfront.
Samuel’s boatyard was the main boat builder, caulker, spar
maker, sail maker, and rigger on the Charleston peninsula until 1915.
 Samuel
built, among many other vessels, the beautiful and fast pilot schooner
Frances Elizabeth, which he named after his wife Frances Elizabeth
Richardson of Sullivan’s Island. It surely must have been an
exciting day in October, 1879 which saw the launching of the Charleston
harbor pilot’s newly built Frances Elizabeth. Her lines suggest
she was largely designed after the original America which beat the
British in the first America’s Cup yacht race in 1851. Though
not as large a vessel as the racing yacht America, Frances
Elizabeth established herself as a fast and capable pilot schooner.
The France Elizabeth was the inspiration for the design of the Spirit
of South Carolina, now under construction on Concord Street,
near the original building site of the Frances Elizabeth.
With historical research guidance from William C. Fleetwood, Jr.
author of TideCraft: The Boats of South Carolina, Georgia and Northeastern
Florida, 1550-1950 and Dr. Edward Lee Spence, well-known author and
underwater explorer, the South Carolina Maritime Heritage Foundation
sent Benjamin Hall, a tall ship enthusiast, former crew member of
the schooner Spirit of Massachusetts, and volunteer for
the Spirit of South Carolina tall ship project, to investigate
records in the National Archives pertaining to the schooner Frances
Elizabeth.
Benjamin found a wealth of information which is leading to an uncovering
of the fascinating history of the Frances Elizabeth. We
have learned:
- The Frances Elizabeth was inspected and enrolled (documented)
in Charleston, on October 30, 1879. Her official number was No.
120384 and her tonnage 30.52.
- The vessel was owned by Samuel J. Pregnall (Samuel probably leased
the vessel to the Charleston harbor pilots).
- The Master (Captain) was George W. Swan (great-grandfather to
Randall Swan, retired harbor pilot and avid sailboat racer, currently
living in Mt. Pleasant).
- Frances Elizabeth was a formidable racing boat, pictured winning
a pilot boat regatta off Tybee Island, Georgia in 1889 (Courtesy
of: the Coastal Georgia Historical Society). Captain George Swan
was at the helm.
- About 1894 the Frances Elizabeth was sold to a group
(probably harbor pilots) in Fernandina Beach, Florida.
- The Frances Elizabeth was sold to a group in Southport,
North Carolina in 1911. It appears she was converted to a "coastal
schooner" and had a Globe 100 hp, marine gasoline engine installed,
which was, astoundingly, valued at $5,000.
- Sadly, the Frances Elizabeth, with her new engine, developed
a gasoline leak, caught fire, exploded and sank on July 21, 1912,
in the Cape Fear River, on her way to be hauled on the marine railway
in Wilmington.
A compelling newspaper account of the burning and sinking of the
Frances Elizabeth was found from the Wilmington Morning Star, July
23, 1912. (To read click
here...) Interestingly, there is a surviving witness to the burning,
a ferryboat Captain living in Southport.
 It
is a marvel and a great testament to the ingenuity, ability and craftsmanship
of the Samuel J. Pregnall & Brothers Shipyard that this wooden
vessel worked for her various owners for over 33 years. This, in
the days before fiberglass, epoxy, stainless steel, and modern adhesives.
Wouldn’t it be exciting to be able to take a look at the remains
of this great vessel?
Well, guess what? The best news yet about the Frances Elizabeth is
that based upon discussions with the Director of Underwater Archeology
for North Carolina, Dr. Richard Lawrence, the South Carolina Maritime
Heritage Foundation will be able to put together an expedition to
locate and dive on the sunken Frances Elizabeth. Based upon
several eye witness accounts, Dr. Lawrence believes we will have
no difficulty finding the wreck which is in relatively shallow brackish
water on the Cape Fear River.
To locate and inspect the Frances Elizabeth and perhaps
retrieve a bit of her structure or rigging and maybe the Globe engine
that was responsible for her demise, would bring full circle the
saga of the Frances Elizabeth and perhaps provide a focal
point for a much needed-- South Carolina Maritime Museum. Certainly
we will be interviewing the surviving ferryboat Captain, as well
as surviving members of the Daniels and Adkins families, of Southport,
who owned the Frances Elizabeth.
What a fun and interesting process it continues to be, to discover
the story of the Frances Elizabeth. Perhaps we will learn
a thing or two from the wreck which will be useful to the construction
of her reincarnation—the Spirit of South Carolina.
The Foundation is considering putting together an expedition to
locate the Frances Elizabeth, perhaps this fall. Persons
interested in being part of this expedition can email Charlie Sneed
at: csneed@scmaritime.org.
Note: The South Carolina Maritime Heritage Foundation is
interested in locating information, art, photographs, and artifacts
that relate to or show the Charleston peninsula waterfront from post-civil
war until the early 1900’s. The Foundation is beginning to
research the "life and times" on the waterfront during
this period. You may contact the Foundation at 843-722-1030. |
