The ''James Avery'' was a 19th century

Sandy Hook Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The barrier spit, approximately in length and varying from wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern en ...

pilot boat A pilot boat is a type of boat used to transport maritime pilots between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting. Pilot boats were once sailing boats that had to be fast because the first pilot to reach the incoming ship ...

built in 1837 for a group of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Pilots. She was built by the shipbuilder Jacob Bell. The ''James Avery'' was a pilot boat during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

that helped in the search of the

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

CSS Tallahassee The CSS ''Tallahassee'' was a twin-screw steamer and cruiser in the Confederate States Navy, purchased in 1864, and used for commerce raiding off the Atlantic coast. She later operated under the names CSS ''Olustee'' and CSS ''Chameleon''. His ...

''. She was last seen in 1872, off the Highlands.

Construction and service

On September 9, 1837, the pilot boat ''James Avery'' was launched from the Brown & Bell

shipyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...

, on the

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, near the

Dry Dock A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...

. She was built by shipbuilder Jacob Bell. The launch was witnessed by all the pilots of the port, with family and friends. Food was prepared in a

sail loft A loft is a building's upper storey or elevated area in a room directly under the roof (American usage), or just an attic: a storage space under the roof usually accessed by a ladder (primarily British usage). A loft apartment refers to large ...

in the shipyard for all to enjoy. Toasts and speeches were made for the success of the ''James Avery''. She was owned by a company of New York pilots. She weighed 80-tons

burthen Burden or burthen may refer to: People * Burden (surname), people with the surname Burden Places * Burden, Kansas, United States * Burden, Luxembourg Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Burden'' (2018 film), an American drama film * ''T ...

. The boat number "9" was painted as a large number on the mainsail. On 27 October 1837, Thomas Johnson of the pilot boat ''James Avery'' spoke to Captain Barr of the New Jersey Barque ''Louisa'', if wanted to pilot. When he refused, the ''Louisa'', proceeded to run ashore. Johnson went over to the boat and, at Barr's request, sent for assistance. On 14 December 1840, John Henderson of the pilot boat ''James Avery'', along with other pilots from the port of New York, stated that they had never been employed by J. D. Stevenson and no compensation has been offered or demanded. On July 3, 1845, John W. Avery placed an ad in the ''New York Daily Herald'' saying that pilot boat ''James Avery'' picked up the brig ''Porto Rico'' of

Belfast, Maine Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the city population was 6,938. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Belfast Bay (Main ...

, that was abandoned near the Sandy Hook Light, now lying at India Wharf

. Further information was available with John W. Avery & Co., 309 Water Street, New York City. In 1860, she was one of only twenty-one New York and New Jersey pilot boats in the New York fleet. On August 14, 1864, during the

, the pilot boat ''James Avery'', No. 9 off Tavern House, was boarded by the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Juniata in search of the

. David S. Nicolay served as boat-keeper on the ''James Avery'', No. 9 from 1866 to 1867. He was transferred to the pilot boat Christianburg, No. 16 in 1867. The Christianburg was later renamed the Ariel Patterson. During a blizzard in March 1868, the pilot boat ''James Avery'', No. 9, along with other pilot boats, returned and anchored in the

Lower New York Bay Lower New York Bay is a section of New York Bay south of the Narrows (the strait between Staten Island and Brooklyn). The eastern end of the Bay is marked by two spits of land, Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and Rockaway, Queens. The waterway b ...

. John Taylor was aboard the ''James Avery'' off

Montauk, New York Montauk ( ) is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, on the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 4,318. The ...

, when the gale caused their boat to capsize. The crew was able to upright the boat and return home. In 1870, the ''James Avery'' was listed along with twenty-two other Sandy Hook pilot boats. On July 11, 1870, the ''Hudson Daily Star'' reported about a fishing excursion from Peck Slip to the Cholera Banks, where the steamer ''State of Maine'' spotted the pilot boat ''James Avery'' with Captain Joseph Henderson. The pilot on the ''State of Maine'' came aboard the ''Avery''. Captain Henderson told the pilot that they were off course and came aboard the steamer to guide the ''Main'' to the Cholera Banks.

End of service

The pilot boat ''James Avery'', No. 9 was last reported on June 16, 1872, having spoken to the

Schoolship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house classr ...

''Mercury'' twelve miles off the Highlands.

References

{{List of Northeastern U. S. Pilot Boats Individual sailing vessels Schooners of the United States Service vessels of the United States 1837 ships Pilot boats Ships built in New York City

Construction and service

End of service

See also

References