The Boston Marine Society (established 1742) is a charitable organization in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, formed "to 'make navigation more safe' and to relieve members and their families in poverty or other 'adverse accidents in life.'" Membership generally consists of current and former ship captains. The society provides financial support to members and their families in times of need; and also actively advises on maritime navigational safety such as the placement of lighthouses and

buoy A buoy () is a floating device that can have many purposes. It can be anchored (stationary) or allowed to drift with ocean currents. Types Navigational buoys * Race course marker buoys are used for buoy racing, the most prevalent form of ya ...

s, and selection of

Boston Harbor Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeastern United States. History Sinc ...

pilots.

Brief history

The society first formed as a fellowship in 1742, and officially incorporated in 1754. Founders included William Starkey, Edward Cahill, Isaac Freeman, Richard Humphreys, Edward Freyer, Moses Bennet, Jonathan Clarke, John Cullum, Joseph Prince, and Abraham Remmick. In its first century the society conducted meetings at the

Concert Hall A concert hall is a cultural building with a stage that serves as a performance venue and an auditorium filled with seats. This list does not include other venues such as sports stadia, dramatic theatres or convention centres that m ...

Bunch-of-Grapes The Bunch-of-Grapes was a tavern located on King Street (State Street) in Boston, Massachusetts, in the 17th and 18th centuries. Typical of taverns of the time, it served multiple functions in the life of the town. Often touted as the genesis fo ...

tavern, and the Sun Tavern. In 1851 it kept an office on Commercial Street and later in the

Merchants Exchange A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as industry ...

. Since the 1980s it has operated from offices in the

Boston Navy Yard The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. It was established in 1801 as part of the recent establishment of t ...

. According to maritime historian

Samuel Eliot Morison Samuel Eliot Morison (July 9, 1887 – May 15, 1976) was an American historian noted for his works of maritime history and American history that were both authoritative and popular. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912, and tau ...

, the society's meetings "were common ground where all Bostonians interested in seaborne commerce met. The secretary describes it in 1811 as 'composed of upwards of 100 former shipmasters who have retired from sea with adequate fortunes, many of whom are largely interested in the insurance offices and as underwriters, and about 50 of the most respectable merchants and shipowners and gentlemen of the highest stations in the commonwealth. The rest of the Society is composed of the more active and younger mariners who still follow the seas as a professional business.' These last were the men who made the name of Boston famous from Archangel to Smyrna, and east by west to the River Plate and Calcutta."

Navigation safety

The society has borne responsibility for safe pilotage in the Boston Harbor since the 18th century. "Beginning in 1791 and continuing through the present, the society through its trustees is vested with the authority to appoint Pilot Commissioners, who in turn appoint Boston Harbor pilots." It has also published guides such as the 1832 ''Rules and Regulations for the Pilotage of the Harbor of Boston.'' Along with others, the society caused the creation of the Cape Cod Light in 1797. In 1805 the society built the current granite base of the

beacon A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mode ...

on Nixes Mate in Boston Harbor. The society also produced studies including one that led to the building of Long Island Head Light in 1819. Among the society's many accomplishments in the area of navigation safety are the publication in 1768 of ''Directions for Sailing in and out of Plymouth Harbour'' (issued in connection with the building of Plymouth Light in that year); the production in 1790 of charts of the coast of North America; and the 1797 publication of ''Directions for Sailing by Cape-Cod Light-House.''

Other activities

In addition to maritime safety, the society has devoted itself to collection and distribution of funds to aid members and their families in times of financial need. The society has also hosted a number of lectures. In the 19th century speakers included John Pickering (on "telegraphic language") and

Robert Bennet Forbes Captain Robert Bennet Forbes (September 18, 1804 – November 23, 1889), was an American sea captain, China merchant and ship owner. He was active in ship construction, maritime safety, the opium trade, and charitable activities, including food ...

. In 1893 the society began supervising "the operation of school ships ''

Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterprise ...

'' (1892-1909) and her successor '' Nantucket'' (1909-1917, 1921-1940)," affiliated with the Massachusetts Nautical Training School. As a focal point for seafaring in general the society has stewarded donations of model ships, telescopes, paintings, scrimshaw, and travel souvenirs. Visitors to the society's present-day quarters in Charlestown may view some of these objects on display.

Members and officers

Members in the 18th century included William Furness, Daniel Malcom, John Foster Williams, James Magee; 18th-century presidents included Thomas Dennie and Mungo Mackay. Among the members in the 19th century: J.D. Farrell, F.W. Macondray, and Daniel McLaughlin. In the heyday of the

clipper ship A clipper was a type of mid-19th-century merchant sailing vessel, designed for speed. Clippers were generally narrow for their length, small by later 19th century standards, could carry limited bulk freight, and had a large total sail area. "Cli ...

"many were captained or owned by such society members as Bacon, Eldridge, Emmons, Forbes, Glidden, Howes, Lodge, Ropes, Upton, Wales, Watkins and Weld." Some of the 19th-century presidents were Jonathan Chapman, Eben Davis, Charles Emery, Luther Fisk, Robert Bennett Forbes, William Humphrey, James P. Martin,

William F. Sturgis William Sturgis (February 25, 1782 – October 21, 1863) was a Boston merchant in the Old China Trade, China trade, the California hide trade and the maritime fur trade. Early life Sturgis was born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, to Hannah Mi ...

, and Israel Whitney. Members and officers in recent years include William A. Baker, Barry Clifford,

William M. Fowler, Jr. William Morgan Fowler Jr. (born July 25, 1944) is a professor of history at Northeastern University, Boston and an author. He served as Director of the Massachusetts Historical Society from 1998 through 2005. Early life and education Born in Tar ...

, and Soren Willensen.

References

External links