“Irish Lives Remembered”
The Spring 2023 Edition of Irish Lives Remembered magazine was recently published, and in it is an article focusing on my latest novel, and the value that descendants of real-life characters in the story help to enhance the storyline. The article is authored by Derry genealogist, historian, and author, Brian Mitchell. His topic, “The Ship Faithful Steward: The Importance of Family Information.” The link to his news magazine article is included. I hope you enjoy a very interesting read. https://www.irishfamilyhistorycentre.com/product/irish-lives-remembered-issue-59-spring-2023/. July 25, 2023
“I Took a Break from Writing and Blogging”
Once you publish it’s time to dive into marketing, sales and distribution, and that is what I did. It’s fun too – anytime you have an opportunity to connect with people about your work it’s fun. That’s why you researched and wrote and did what you did! Book sales have exceeded expectations, and sales at retail locations and on-line sales will continue for years. After all, the two novels cover history – and lots of it. February 20, 2023
Ocean City, New Jersey – 1901
A very interesting photo (now colorized) was discovered recently, and it ties in beautifully with my novel, “Sindia, the Final Voyage.” Pictured is Frank Darby, Owner of the Ocean City Laundry. Actually, this was a branch of business as he had another location in Philadelphia. His young son, Bertram (Bert) is my main focus. He’s the one in the cart with the reigns in his hands. It was Sunday morning, December 15, 1901, and Bert was by himself, leaning against a wooden post supporting the boardwalk at Ocean City. Bert was watching the crew of the Ocean City Life-Saving Service rescue thirty-three crewmembers of the 328′ long British Barque, Sindia. The four-mast windjammer grounded as a result of a storm and the first mate’s error in navigating the sea. Bert wrote a very interesting account of his view of the shipwreck – so it was natural for me to create the character, based upon historic fact, and Bertram Darby became part of my storyline. Sindia, the Final Voyage can be purchased at Sunrose Books or the Ocean City Historical Museum in Ocean City, or directly from my website or Amazon.com. Photo is courtesy of Steve Warnalis, Ocean City History and Memories. February 20, 2023
“Here is What People are Saying“
Memorial Day weekend 2022 – Lee family reunion. Theresa M. contacted me, requesting I mail fifteen Faithful Steward books to Clay City, IL by the Saturday before the holiday. They got there on time. Some weeks later I received a thank you card with message from her. Theresa, unable to travel to the reunion received a message from her cousin. “When the books were distributed to the Lee descendants everyone was amazed.” During the day her cousin asked relatives, “is this your hat – is this your pair of glasses?” Not once did she have to ask about the books. Either they clutched them to their chest, or they took them immediately to their cars to be stored in their suitcases. Theresa M. “I’m in awe of the breadth of research in Harry’s novel. He sheds light into conditions in Ulster and America at this time; of the families on board Faithful Steward; the cargo of copper coins; the role of Scots-Irish merchants in business life and the Revolutionary struggle in America; and the Irish Club of Philadelphia and their links to the American Revolution!” Remarks by Brian Mitchell, noted genealogist, historian, and author, at the Mellon Centre for Migration Studies, American Folk Park Museum, Omagh, Northern Ireland. “I read this in two days! I could not put it down. My family is in it, and it helped me to understand a lot of things about their lives and the shipwreck as well. I am very grateful to this author for such an outstanding novel.” Elizabeth D. “Started reading your book. I can tell I’m embarking upon a remarkable journey. A fellow author knows how much work, devotion, labor and creativity goes into a book.” Kim B. “It’s such a dramatic, sad and yet fascinating story that shows the incredible strength and bravery it took for families to emigrate. And through your expertise, it’s been thoroughly researched and expertly told. This has been a huge gift and lovely way to connect with my personal family history. And really, it’s history that is not too far up the tree.” Michelle S. “You have done an exceptional job weaving together the story, the history, and the significance of all of it – bringing to life the terror and horror that surrounded the ship in those early September days.” Bonnie S. Updated June 2022
Mellon Centre for Migration Studies – American Folk Park Museum, National Museum Northern Ireland, Omagh – The Ship Faithful Steward is now in their library.
“North Irish Roots Journal” Audrey McKeown is part of the journal team for the above publication. It’s a journal of the North of Ireland Family History Society, published two times per year. I’m reading some of the many interesting articles within the pages depicting stories of North Irish Roots. And there are many references within the pages of my new novel depicting people and places, describing stories of those who sailed on Faithful Steward. People are fascinated with their roots, and during my journey I found those in the Descendants List, desirous of tracing their ancestral roots. Many Americans have joined them. Do you realize there are seventeen American presidents with familial ties to Ireland? It’s true. I was asked to write an article for the journal and on page 49, there it is, a scaled down version of some of the interesting facts I discovered during my writing journey. December 4, 2021
Packet Alley – Where is it and What is it?
You’ll find Packet Alley at a very old historic town at New Castle, Delaware. And when you walk around, history will be brought to life. There are many historic buildings and streets to traverse when visiting this page of history. William Penn landed there near 400 years ago. Some of the streets still reveal the original cobblestones lining the sides where today cars are parked. And after walking down the quaint street occupied by red-bricked homes, we stopped at Packet Alley, and the entrance to what was once the port to the Delaware River. In Benjamin Franklin’s time, packets were vessels that carried mail between European ports and the colonies. He and his cousin, Timothy Folger, a Nantucket whaler, collaborated on charting the Gulf Stream. Franklin was puzzled as to why it took longer for a sailship to sail west to North America, compared to the length of journey from Philadelphia east to ports in the Kingdom of Ireland or France. James McIntire II, together with his father and sister Rebecca, sailed upon a schooner from Lewestown to New Castle following the shipwreck of Faithful Steward. We walked down this street and I stopped, staring at the sign below. Upon reading it, I looked around. It was as if I could see James McIntire I, Rebecca, and James II, departing the schooner, and walking up the alley for their journey to visit his cousin near Maytown, Pennsylvania, 236 years before.
Press Release – Cape Gazette Lewes, DE
“So Where was Faithful Steward Built?”
“Where and When Was the Ship Built?” Does anyone know? Not in Ireland and not in England – most probably the United States. I have used archivist Susie Davis frequently for my research. She knows her way in and around the National Archives at Kew, London. And I sent her on a mission – find out everything you can. In her own words. “I went to the Guildhall Library to review Ship’s Registrations, and looked through the years (for the ship’s name) 1784 through 1786. No luck. The explanation for this disappointing non-appearance is that the ship was not considered to have sufficient British connection. Ships from other countries do appear, especially if they made frequent voyages to British ports. Very surprised Faithful Steward from a northern Irish port does not appear.” And with her British humor she stated, “Next time you write a book about a ship pick a later date and I’ll deliver.” Unless and until the name of the ship’s builder can be found, the logical conclusion is the vessel was built right here in the USA. My inquiries at the Mystic Seaport, CT, Independence Seaport Museum, Phila., and the Maritime Museum at Newport News, VA turned up nothing. In another post I’ll share more detail about the mystery behind Faithful Steward. It’s almost a household name along coastal Delaware. November 16, 2021
“Sailing is in my blood – it runs through my family’s veins. I’d like to read your novel.”
Writing is about passion. Oh, there is much more, but without passion, I couldn’t do it. And websites are valuable. People find you. Such is the case with a recent message from Terry, an ex-sailor. Thank you Terry – I’m glad you found me. In his words. “I come from Derry and am living in Sweden. Visited Derry in August and got married in the Guildhall. While there I walked past the memorials on the docks and read about the Faithful Steward. A friend tipped me about you and I noticed you had also a book on the sad fate of the Sindia from a few years ago. But I can’t seem to move forward on your book about the fateful voyage of the Faithful Steward. My question – is it possible for you to send me both? I am an ex-sailor and an avid reader of maritime literature, both fact and fiction, and would dearly like to read these two books. I was born in Scotland but we settled in Derry when I was an infant. My mother’s family have or had maritime experience so it’s in my blood. Please can you let me know how you feel about this, and thank you sir for your time and hope to hear from you soon.” October 8, 2021
“Derry Journal Reports on Faithful Steward Progress”
Editor Kevin Mullan of the Derry Journal has graciously provided me advertising space with an update on the publishing of Faithful Steward novel.
Theme Song – HBO Series John Adams
Some of the families on board the ship Faithful Steward had sons or brothers who sailed to British America before the American Revolution. The Espeys, Hepburns, and Cookes were examples. In the Edward Cooke family, his brother Colonel William Cooke fought in the 12th Regiment of the Northumberland Line of Pennsylvania alongside General Washington at the Battle of Brandywine in New Jersey. This was the only battle where General Washington faced the British General Howe on the same battlefield. Two of Edward’s brothers, Lieutenant General Charles Cooke and Major Robert Cooke were part of the British Army. Still another brother, Jacob Cooke, settled near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Espeys and Hepburns were of Scots-Irish origin, and one will find a number of references describing other Scots-Irish and Irish who left the kingdom in the 1700s, and participated in the Revolutionary War, in my story. The men enjoyed many conversations about their heroes around the long tables on the ship. I love the seven-part mini-series, John Adams, having watched the entirety of it seven times. I also love the theme song, and found it motivated me to continue writing the story of Faithful Steward. Listen for yourself – I hope you enjoy it. September 19, 2021
“Was it Newcastle or New Castle?”
The Story of Faithful Steward is about many things, among them a ship, and people, including the crew and the passengers, and the state of Delaware made sure it was about copper coins. They erected an historic marker along the highway opposite Coin Beach and the resting place of the ship. Early in my research I became engrossed with a barrage of email exchanges with a descendant of two of the survivors, and a quest to find the story behind the who, what and where of the coppers on board the ship. The Derry Journal ran several notices when Faithful Steward would sail, and it was common for something, be it boarding more passengers, or waiting for fair winds to delay a departure. And each newspaper notice advertised – “For Newcastle and Philadelphia.” Newcastle is not New Castle. And early on I treaded a path thinking the copper coins were picked up and loaded in Newcastle. They were not. Newcastle is situated by the Irish Sea at the foot of Slieve Donard, the highest of the Mourne Mountains on the east coast of the Kingdom of Ireland (today Northern Ireland) in County Down. On the other hand, New Castle is also very historic – settled in the 1600s, it lies along the Delaware River in New Castle County, Delaware. And in 1785, if you boarded Faithful Steward, you may have thought you were setting sail for New Castle, Pennsylvania. Here’s the reason. After William Penn, the son of Admiral John Penn landed in Philadelphia, he became the administrator to guide the affairs of settling a new colony. And early on, Pennsylvania included the counties southward along the Delaware River to Lewes, Delaware. These counties were part of Pennsylvania. It wasn’t until after the signing of the Declaration of Independence in July of 1776 that these counties, today part of the state of Delaware, voted to separate from Pennsylvania. Delaware never existed under British rule. Even today, citizens of Delaware recognize a day in June as “Separation Day.” Why was Newcastle (New Castle) listed as a port of arrival for Faithful Steward? A primary reason is New Castle is close to Lancaster, PA, and a logical departure point for passengers, circa 1780s, that planned to settle in western Pennsylvania. I visited New Castle for the first time ever, this summer. And I’m glad I did. It’s a quaint, beautiful small town populated with many historic buildings. It has a history that pre-dates the arrival of passenger ships from Ireland in the 1700s. I stood near a modern tourist dock at New Castle along the Delaware River, imagining if there was an old dock that existed hundreds of years before nearby. If there was none, I envisioned a crew on a sail ship dropping anchor in the river, unloading a long boat, and rowing people with their possessions to shore. At what port were the copper coins loaded on the ship? You’ll have to wait to read that part of the story. It’s an interesting story – and it’s about to be told. September 1, 2021
“The Descendants List”
Now that I am near publishing a new novel – I’m more aware of many people who have been a part of the process. Some fit the category of researchers, people who will dig. Others serve as resource people, those that can respond rather quickly and tell you where to look for something. All of them are valuable and contribute to the end product – in this case a story never written, a story never told. And as my research buddy from Troon, Scotland once said, “Harry – this is a story that must be told.” Since the subject is Faithful Steward – this story is about to be told. No one knows who built the ship. The year was 1783. We do know who the ship was built for – and I have a good idea where the ship was built and perhaps who built it. There’s a lot to the story – 249 people from Ulster sailed on this ship leaving Londonderry in 1785. Did they have high hopes? James McIntire said he was sailing to a land where heroes lived. And many years following the wreck he gave a very detailed account of what happened. The crew of 13 survived, except one of the mates died of injuries after he reached the shore. Did you know in 1785 lifeboats were primarily for the crew – passengers were considered cargo. You’ll have to wait for the book to read about the lifeboats. Out of a total of 249 passengers – 55 survived. A total of 107 women and children perished. And all these years later where did that figure of 107 come from? No one knows. It must have been passed down through the ages. Now something peculiar happened. There is no listing of those who perished. There are no names – there is no way to build these people into the story. Lost identities in history. How many have descended from the 55 survivors? Their number could be in the thousands. And so today, one by one, I receive a message – I’m a descendant of so and so and I’m very interested in your book. And recently the thought occurred to me – more than a dozen and a half have done just that – they’ve messaged me indicating they’re a descendant. They have participated in the research. And now we have assembled a list of those who wish to have their identities revealed – the Descendant’s List – and they can message each other at their will. No doubt this list will continue to grow. I’m gonna wrap it up with this. I love baseball. And my favorite all-time player is Lou Gehrig – they called him Iron Horse because he set a record for consecutive games played – that is until he came down with ALS. The Iron Horse once told a reporter – “Every year I am told I must be the one to lead the Yankees to the pennant, that suits me just fine.” Without this effort, there is no one to tell the story of those on Faithful Steward. Ya know what – that suits me just fine. February 22, 2021
“So Let’s Hear from Someone Who Knows What They are Talking About.”
Wow- sorry for the delay in posting. I’ve been very busy. The novel of Faithful Steward and it’s passengers is finished and I have moved on to publishing. 2021 should be the year the novel becomes available. So let’s find out who knows what they’re talking about. Brian Mitchell – he’s an expert genealogist, a historian, and an author – and he lives in and knows everyone in Northern Ireland – well, that last statement is a stretch. You may have missed his comment in my Thanksgiving post – if you did, please read it. Below is a paraphrase. Hope you enjoy Brian’s thoughts.
“The story of Faithful Steward is a good one because it’s a story of the 18th century movement of Scots-Irish (Ulster-Scots in Northern Ireland) to North America. Harry has spent three years researching and writing this book and it will be worth reading. Londonderry was one of the chief Irish ports for transatlantic trade in the 18th century. Links between Londonderry and Philadelphia were established through trade. Flaxseed, a raw material used in linen production was shipped to Derry each spring, and on the return voyage linen products and emigrants left for Pennsylvania. Many Scots-Irish headed for the frontier. Of 128 vessels advertised to sail from Derry between 1750 – 1775, seventy-seven percent, or 99, sailed to Philadelphia. The Scots-Irish moved west then southward through the Great Valley, east of the Appalachians, across the Potomac into the Shenandoah Valley between the Blue Ridge and Appalachian ranges. By 1776 and the start of the Revolutionary War, ninety percent of the Scots-Irish made their home in Pennsylvania, the valley of Virginia, and the Carolinas. I estimate near 75,000 Scots-Irish left Derry for the colonies prior to 1776. The American War of Independence has been referred to as the Scots-Irish Presbyterian Rebellion as they were the backbone of George Washington’s army.” February 4, 2021
Author’s note – I found in my research some of the people on Faithful Steward, the Espey, Elliott, and McIntire families, for example, previously sent sons to Pennsylvania to scout available land for settlement. One of the Espey’s, and he wasn’t the only one, joined the Pennsylvania militia and fought in the war. Ben Franklin and General Washington believed without the Scots-Irish, most in the Continental Congress would have been imprisoned or hung for treason. With the Scots-Irish, they won the war. One historian commented – the involvement of Pennsylvania and the Scots-Irish in the revolution is an important story that has not been told. It’s time to tell the story of Faithful Steward and the passengers. It’s never been researched to this depth, and it’s a story that needs to be told.
Sometimes the Power and Generosity of the Press is Valuable!
Brian Mitchell, genealogist, author, and historian of Derry Strabane District Council took a vested interest in the success of my upcoming novel about the ship, Faithful Steward and it’s passengers. Many years ago some of them lived in the area he now walks. In one of our email exchanges he suggested I contact Kevin Mullan of the Derry Journal. Some publicity over here may be helpful to your cause, he suggested. So I message Kevin, commenting it may be time to initiate advertising – what are your rates? And Kevin responds – “Send something over,” so I did (no charge). Check it out – and thank you very much Kevin. December 18, 2020
Who Was Gustavus Colhoun?
If you peruse the list of survivors published in the Pennsylvania Gazette, you find two names – one Gustavus and the other Thomas. Turns out they were both brothers, and they survived the treacherous swim to shore. If they were injured it wasn’t recorded through a family record. I swim in the Atlantic every summer…
Pictures are Sometimes Worth a Thousand Words
The DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum located at Fenwick, Delaware is close to Coin Beach, site of the wreck of Faithful Steward. Once I got hooked on research, I had to make the 2 1/2 hour journey to the museum to view artifacts and take some pictures.
Sometimes Stumbling is a Really Good Thing!
Yup, you heard me, stumbling can be a good thing. Naturally, it all depends upon what you stumble over. In 2016 I was knee deep shall we say, in furthering my search for more information about the passengers on board Faithful Steward. And one evening I stumbled upon Ellsworth Boyd, and the website – NUMA.net…
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Harry Allen Wenzel 