Hesper (pilot Boat)

The ''Hesper'' was a 19th-century Boston pilot boat built in 1884, designed from a model by Dennison J. Lawlor as a Boston yacht and pilot-boat for merchant and ship owner George W. Lawler. She was known to be the largest pilot boat under the American flag at 104 feet long and the fastest of the Boston fleet. She competed in several first-class sailing races, and in 1886, the ''Hesper'' won the silver cup in what was known as the first Fishermen's Race. She was withdrawn from the pilot service and sold in 1901. The ''Hesper'' became a wreck on the point off Cape Henlopen in 1919.

Construction and service

The pilot-boat ''Hesper,'' No. 5, was launched on October 4, 1884, from the Montgomery & Howard shipyard in North Chelsea, Massachusetts. She was designed from a model by Dennison J. Lawlor.

The pilots assigned to the ''Hesper'' were: Captains George W. Lawler, James L. Smith, J. A. G. McField, Augustus Hooper, R. L. Stubbs, and R. Y. Woodbury.

She was the largest pilot-boat under the American flag at 104 feet long. She was the talk of the Boston waterfront because she was the fastest of the Boston fleet. The owners of the ''Hesper'' were: Captains George W. Lawler, Augustus Hooper, and Lewis Smith. The Hesper was a departure from earlier Lawlor designas as she was longer, deeper and more narrow than other Boston pilot boats.

The wooden half-model of the ''Hesper'' (TR.076037) was a gift by D. J. Lawlor to the "United States National Museum" now the Smithsonian Institution.

In September, 1885, in the fifth America's Cup, Captain Lawler sailed the ''Hesper,'' flying a balloon-jib topsail, to New York with some friends aboard, to watch the race between the ''Puritan'' and the British challenger, ''Genesta''. John Malcolm Forbes built and skippered the ''Puritan''. Irish-born sailmaker John H. McManus of McManus & Son, of Boston made the sails for the ''Puritan'', made of Plymouth duck. The ''Puritan'' beat the ''Genesta'' and won the silver cup.

As a yacht, the ''Hesper'' competed in several first-class sailing races. In May 1886, the ''Hesper'' won the silver cup between the Boston ''Hesper'' and the fishing schooner ''John H. McManus.'' The contest was sponsored by John Malcolm Forbes and Thomas F. McManus. Forbes added the silver cup if the ''Hesper'' was added to the racing group. The race was from Boston to Gloucester, rounding the buoy off Eastern Point Light. Eleven fishing schooners took part in the first Fishermen's Race. McManus became known as the father of Fishermen's races.

On September 26, 1889, there was a race between the pilot-boat ''Hesper'' against the fishing schooner ''Fredonia'', which was owned by John Malcolm Forbes. The race was for $6,000. The ''Fredonia'', won. The race results were ''Fredonia'' 10:31:13 and the ''Hesper'' 10:32:08.

On September 26, 1888, the Massachusetts Humane Society awarded a silver medal to Captain William M. McMellen of the pilot-boat ''Hesper'' and bronze medals to Franklin "Frank" Fowler and George W. Lawler of the crew. The three men rescued four of the crew from the Barque ''Hattie L. Curtis''. The ''Curtis'' sank in heavy weather and the crew had taken safety on a raft before being picked up by the ''Hesper''. Captain Franklin Fowler was the son of Captain James L. Fowler.

In 1900, Boston had seven pilots boats in commission. The ''Hesper'' was Boston's pilot schooner number five. The other Boston boats included, the ''America,'' No. 1; ''Liberty,'' No. 3; ''Adams,'' No. 4; ''Varuna,'' No. 6; Minerva, No. 7; and Sylph, No 8.

End of service

In 1901, when the Boston pilots reorganized down to five boats, the pilot-boat ''Hesper'' was withdrawn from the pilot service. On May 13, 1901, the ''Hesper,'' was sold to Andrew C. Wheelwright, a retired merchant of Rowes Wharf, in Boston, Massachusetts.

On May 5, 1919, the ''Hesper'' was struck on the point of Cape Henlopen of the Delaware Bay and became a total wreck. Captain McLean was commander of the vessel.

See also

* List of Northeastern U. S. Pilot Boats

External links

Half Model of the Pilot Schooner Hesper

References

{{List of Northeastern U. S. Pilot Boats, state=collapsed

Individual sailing vessels
Schooners of the United States
Service vessels of the United States
Ships built in Chelsea, Massachusetts
1884 ships
Pilot boats