In the mist

  Every now and again I will revisit a story I have previously written. I remember the tale, for the most part, and sometimes think everyone else will. Then I think isn't that foolish, why should anyone remember what I posted years ago? Now that's arrogance. But this morning I will tell the tale once again and hope no one is bored. I'm telling it again because I discovered another ending yesterday. I spent a little time searching for more details but didn't find anything else. Anyway, here goes.

 It was a Monday the 23 of August in the year 1851. Just off the coast of eastern Long Island, off the hamlet of Amagansett, a ship floundered in the surf. This was the good ship Catherine, sailing out of Dram, Norway she was bound for New York City with cargo and 300 anxious immigrants. The Captain had made an error in navigation, possibly due to heavy fog, and run her around. All 300 passengers were saved and there was no direct loss of life. The Captain and his wife stayed in Amagansett for several days, his wife taken ill, passing away during that time. Where the Captain went and what happened to him later I do not know. One immigrant, a name named Patrick Lynch was heading for the gold mines in California but decided to remain ashore. He lived the rest of his life out on Long Island. In my earlier story the ship was lost, breaking up in the surf. Yesterday I found evidence that wasn't the case. Instead the Catherine was refloated on the 16th of September and towed to a shipyard in New York city. As to the fate of the Catherine, I haven't discovered any further information. 

 The big interest in all of that to me is one of my ancestors was an immigrant on that ship. She was traveling to New York with her brother. Just who, if any guardians at all, were with them is unknown. No one claimed either child. It was recorded that the brother was sent to a foundling home in the City. His sister, her name was Catherine, was adopted by a local family. Her maiden name may have been Minturn but that isn't verified by any concrete evidence. Catherine would go on to marry Lyman M Bennett. My mother is a Bennett. It is through her side of the family that I am a direct relative of that little shipwrecked girl Catherine. She is my great grand Aunt. It was Lyman M Bennetts' sister Mary Ann that would become my great grandmother. Mary Ann being the mom to my grandfather. And that's about all I know of her.

 I may make that a project this winter, to see if I can fill in the gaps any better. My great grand aunt Catherine, a survivor of a shipwreck, separated from her brother, adopted and goes on to marry. Did her brother ever return, to find his sister? Catherine had two daughters, Ada and Antoinette. I wonder what became of them. There is much to learn, a curiosity to satisfy. Surely there are family tales to tell handed down over the generations. It's such an interesting story how could it not be spoken of? What her age was when that ship wrecked I do not know, nor her brothers age. I don't know the date of her death either. Many questions to be answered. I can't help but wonder, what of her parents? If they weren't on that ship and the records indicate that they were not. surely someone in the new world was waiting for them to arrive. Where was that person(s)? Why did they never claim those children? 

 Somewhere in the surf, with the fog and the mist, there are answers. I wonder why I had contradicting stories about the fate of the ship Catherine. I did a quick search but found no newspaper article about that wreck. It was just a quick search though and I will continue down that avenue. There must be stories somewhere, in the mist of time, if only I can find them.