The life savers of Cape Cod

by J. W. Dalton

MONOMOY POINT STATION CREW.

The No. 1 surfman is Joseph D. Bloomer. He was born in Prince Edward Island in 1857, and has been in the life-saving service since Oct. 1, 1902. Surfman Bloomer followed the sea in one capacity or another since he was a boy. For five years he was engaged in trading between Portland and the West Indies Islands. Upon coming to Cape Cod he took up his residence in Chatham, and for the past twenty-five years he has been a boatman, fisherman, anchor dragger, and wrecker on the shoals off Monomoy. Before entering the life-saving service as a regular surfman, he had substituted at the Chatham and Monomoy Stations, and was well used to the duties of a surfman. The rips and shoals off Monomoy are all familiar to Surfman Bloomer. During the twenty-five years that he has spent in that region he assisted at all the wrecks that took place near there, and was one of the best-known Monomoy wreckers so-called. Skilled in the art of boating, with a thorough knowledge of the shoals along the shores of Cape Cod, Surfman Bloomer has few equals as a life saver. He married Adeline Bloomer.

Back row:
OBED H. SHIVERICK. JOHN E. ELLIS. JOSEPH D. BLOOMER. CAPTAIN KELLEY.
Front row:
RICHARD E. RYDER. CHARLES G. HAMILTON. REUBEN W. ELDREDGE. EDWIN L. CLARK.

MONOMOY POINT CREW.

The No. 2 surfman is John E. Ellis. He was born in West Harwich in 1874, and entered the life-saving service when this station was manned Oct. 1, 1902. Surfman Ellis followed the sea from the time that he was a boy until he joined the life-saving service. He engaged in steamboating for a few years, and later made a great number of trips on barges from the middle Atlantic ports around Cape Cod. He spent several years boating and fishing on the shoals off Monomoy, and is a skilled boatman and a fearless life saver. He married Lilian M. Ashley.

The No. 3 surfman is Obed H. Shiverick. He was born in Dennis in 1867, and entered the life-saving service when this station was manned.

Surfman Shiverick went to sea when a small boy, his first trip being to the Grand Banks. He was a fisherman for a number of years, when he joined the crew of the Cross Rip Lightship under Captain Jorgensen, and for four years was a member of the Nantucket Shoals Lightship, also under Captain Jorgensen, going with the veteran captain when he took charge of that floating beacon. Surfman Shiverick has had a wide and varied experience on the water. He is familiar with the rips and shoals along the shores of Cape Cod, is a skilled boatman, and a brave and efficient life saver. He married Sadie McQuarrie, and is the father of two daughters.

The No. 4 surfman is Edwin L. Clark. He was born in Chatham in 1876, and has been in the life-saving service since Oct. 1, 1902. Surfman Clark followed the sea from a boy. For a number of years he engaged in barge towing around Cape Cod, and later joined the crew of the Shovelful Lightship, where he remained one year. At different periods for two years he substituted at the Monomoy Station, under the late Captain Eldredge. He is well accustomed to the hardships incident to a surfman’s life, skilled in the art of handling boats, and is an able life saver. He married Minnie B. West, and is the father of a daughter.

The No. 5 surfman is Reuben W. Eldredge. He was born in South Dennis in 1864, and entered the life-saving service when this station was manned. Surfman Eldredge followed the sea from a boy. For ten successive years he went cod-fishing to the Grand Banks. While fishing on the banks one season he lost track of his vessel during a thick fog, and was tossed about in an open dory for five days without food or water. He was finally picked up in an unconscious condition by a French fishing vessel, and put aboard his own vessel. He recovered in a short time, and despite the terrible suffering through which he passed, continued to go to the “banks” for several years. Later he became a coastwise sailor, and was also a member of the crew of the steamer City of Macon for some time.

Surfman Eldredge, after giving up going to sea, became a fisherman and wrecker along the shores of Monomoy. He also substituted at the Chatham Station under the late Captain Eldredge. He is perfectly at home in a boat under any and all conditions of wind or weather. The sea has no terrors for him, and he is inured to the hardships and perils of a life saver’s life. He married Alice D. Young, and is the father of a son.

The No. 6 surfman is Joseph Christie. He was born in Scotland, is thirty-one years of age, and has been in the life-saving service since this station was manned. Surfman Christie was a boatman and fisherman for a number of years, and also served as substitute at the Cuttyhunk Life-Saving Station. He served in the United States Navy in the war with Spain. He married Lizzie Jackson. Surfman Christie is at present on sick leave, on account of injuries received in the performance of his duty.

The No. 7 surfman is John E. Ryder. He was born in Chatham in 1879, and has been in the life-saving service two years. He is the winter man, so called. During the summer season Surfman Ryder is stationed at the City Point Station, South Boston. Before entering the service he was a boatman and fisherman along the coast of Cape Cod, becoming familiar with the handling of boats in the surf, and acquiring a knowledge of the rips and shoals that abound there. He is an expert boatman and a brave and hardy life saver.

Surfman Charles G. Hamilton, who is substituting for Surfman Christie, joined the crew on Dec. 1, 1902. He was born in Chatham in 1859. He has been a boatman, lobsterman, fisherman, and wrecker off Monomoy for nearly twenty years. For the past fifteen years he has lived on Monomoy Point, and has assisted at nearly all the wrecks that have occurred in that vicinity during that time. He is a well-known wrecker, who knows the location of every rip and shoal in the region about Monomoy.

He was also a grand banker, a coastwise sailor, and engaged in steamboating around the Cape. He is thoroughly accustomed to the perils of the sea, and is an expert boatman and a fearless life saver. He married Etta Batchelder.