In the early morning hours of August the twenty fifth in the year 1851 the ship Catherine was just off of Amagansett. She was carrying a cargo of freight and about 300 immigrants. She was on her way to New York city but instead floundered. The passengers were saved and loaded onto a steamer named the Achilles. You could say Amagansett proved to be the Achilles heel of the Catherine. She broke up in the surf and was unable to be salvaged. The captain, a man whose last name was Hasselton and his wife stayed in Amagansett. The Captains wife was gravely ill and would soon die. What became of the Captain after that is not recorded. Surely he had to face a maritime panel to explain this tragedy.
At least three other passengers in the historic record more is known about. A gentlemen named Patrick Lynch was headed for the California gold mines but decided to remain were he had shipwrecked. Maybe he did not wish to tempt fate a second time. He stayed his whole in Amagansett. But it is a brother and sister that are of particular interest to me. The boys name is lost to time but it is believed he was sent to a foundling home in New York City. His sister was named Catherine. She was adopted by a local family. Mr. John Strong and his wife Mary. Mary was an Edwards and her family were noted sailors. Perhaps that contributed to their compassion for the young girl. There is no record of her parents or a guardian accompanying them.That is a mystery and we will probably never know the answer.
Catherine was to grow up and marry. She married Lyman M Bennett. Lyman came from a very old family. In fact one of the founding families for the entire town. Amagansett is a hamlet in the town of East Hampton. What is the interest I have in all of this ? Well Lyman M Bennett is son to Lyman Beecher Bennett. Lyman Beecher Bennett is sister to Mary Ann Bennett,and Mary Ann Bennett is mother to Horace Floyd Bennett and he is my maternal grandfather ! That makes that little girl, Catherine, my great grand aunt. Now how cool is that ? You could say she was a castaway. Shipwrecked and separated from her brother she persevered.
Catherine left Dublin bound for America. At least the ship Catherine left Dublin but exactly where Catherine and her brother boarded I can't say. She was accompanied by a brother that we know of, and who was responsible for them ? I do not have an answer for that. That she was separated from her brother is fact. Why was that ? Why was Catherine adopted by John Strong and her brother was not ? So many questions.Well another tiny piece to the past has been uncovered. Most of this information came from the East Hampton Star and another newspaper whose name escapes me at the moment. All I did was put some pieces together to discover the identity of John Strong. I think I have that nailed down and know who Catherine was. There is speculation that her maiden name was Minturn.
Another interesting coincidence. For many years my Grandparents on my fathers side were unknown to us. Turns out her name was Catherine. Catherine Gaffga. Catherine is a popular name. I don't think I'll name a ship that though.
At least three other passengers in the historic record more is known about. A gentlemen named Patrick Lynch was headed for the California gold mines but decided to remain were he had shipwrecked. Maybe he did not wish to tempt fate a second time. He stayed his whole in Amagansett. But it is a brother and sister that are of particular interest to me. The boys name is lost to time but it is believed he was sent to a foundling home in New York City. His sister was named Catherine. She was adopted by a local family. Mr. John Strong and his wife Mary. Mary was an Edwards and her family were noted sailors. Perhaps that contributed to their compassion for the young girl. There is no record of her parents or a guardian accompanying them.That is a mystery and we will probably never know the answer.
Catherine was to grow up and marry. She married Lyman M Bennett. Lyman came from a very old family. In fact one of the founding families for the entire town. Amagansett is a hamlet in the town of East Hampton. What is the interest I have in all of this ? Well Lyman M Bennett is son to Lyman Beecher Bennett. Lyman Beecher Bennett is sister to Mary Ann Bennett,and Mary Ann Bennett is mother to Horace Floyd Bennett and he is my maternal grandfather ! That makes that little girl, Catherine, my great grand aunt. Now how cool is that ? You could say she was a castaway. Shipwrecked and separated from her brother she persevered.
Catherine left Dublin bound for America. At least the ship Catherine left Dublin but exactly where Catherine and her brother boarded I can't say. She was accompanied by a brother that we know of, and who was responsible for them ? I do not have an answer for that. That she was separated from her brother is fact. Why was that ? Why was Catherine adopted by John Strong and her brother was not ? So many questions.Well another tiny piece to the past has been uncovered. Most of this information came from the East Hampton Star and another newspaper whose name escapes me at the moment. All I did was put some pieces together to discover the identity of John Strong. I think I have that nailed down and know who Catherine was. There is speculation that her maiden name was Minturn.
Another interesting coincidence. For many years my Grandparents on my fathers side were unknown to us. Turns out her name was Catherine. Catherine Gaffga. Catherine is a popular name. I don't think I'll name a ship that though.
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