|
|
Westervelt Ship Yard
| Name | Westervelt Ship Yard |
| Ortssitz | New York City |
| Straße | Third Street |
| Art des Unternehmens | Werft |
| Anmerkungen | Auf dem Häuserblock, der von der Third, Goerck, Houston Street und dem East River begrenzt wird. |
| Quellenangaben | [Bishop: History of American manufacturers 3 (1868) 139] |
| Zeit |
Ereignis |
| 20.01.1800 |
Geburt von Jacob A. Westervelt in Bergen County, New Jersey |
| 1805 |
Jacob A. Westervelt zieht mit seinem Vater von New Jersey nach New York. |
| 1814 |
Tod des Vaters. J. A. Westervelt geht zur See und heuert auf einem Schiff nach Charleston, South Carolina, an. Bald nach der Ankunft wird das Schiff verkauft, und er findet sich plötzlich als Fremder in Charleston, mit nur 15 Dollar in der Tasche. - Er macht anaschließend mehrere Schiffsreisen nach Europa. |
| 1816 |
Westervelt beginnt auf der Schiffswerft von Christian Bergh als Lehrling. |
| 1820 |
Westervelt erhält eine Einladung des Herrn in Charleston, South Carolina, zum Bau von Schiffen. |
| 1835 |
Tod des Teilhabers Chr. Bergh |
| 1859 |
Die aktive Firmenleitung von "Westervelt Ship Yard" wird durch den Sohn des Gründers, Daniel D. Westervelt, übernommen. |
| Produkt |
ab |
Bem. |
bis |
Bem. |
Kommentar |
| Schiffe |
1868 |
[Bishop: Hist. of Amer. manuf. I (1868)] |
1868 |
[Bishop: Hist. of Amer. manuf. I (1868)] |
|
| ZEIT | 1868 |
| THEMA | Firmenbeschreibung |
| TEXT | Occupying the block bounded by Third, Goerck, Houston, and the East River, is another of the extensive ship yards for which New York is noted. Mr. Jacob A. Westervelt is probably the oldest ship-builder now engaged in active business; and has constructed, it is believed, more vessels of a medium tonnage than any other ship-builder in the United States. His history, which has points of instruction, as well as of interest, is briefly as follows: He was born in Bergen county, New Jersey, January 20th, 1800, but removed with his father to the city of New York, in 1805. After the decease of his father, which occurred in 1814, he determined upon going to sea, and shipped, as boy before the mast, in a vessel bound to Charleston, South Carolina. Shortly after his arrival there the vessel was sold, and he suddenly found himself a stranger in Charleston, with only fifteen dollars in his pocket. After remaining there until nearly every dollar was spent, he again shipped as seaman on board a ship bound to Bordeaux, France. After making several voyages to Europe he concluded upon abandoning the sea, and learning the art and mystery of ship-building. With this intention, being then in his sixteenth year, he visited all the ship yards, and finally entered that of Christian Bergh, as an apprentice, in the year 1816, where he remained until 1820. During that year, though only twenty years of age, an invitation was extended him by a gentleman residing in Charleston, South Carolina, to undertake the construction of two schooners at that place. Having obtained the consent of his employer (his apprenticeship not having expired), he at once embarked on board a sloop of sixty tons, and after a stormy and dangerous passage of fifteen days, landed safely in Charleston. He at once commenced his first two vessels, employing in their construction negro slaves owned by planters residing in and around Charleston. Upon the completion of the vessels he returned to New York, and at once became a partner of Mr. Bergh; with whom he remained associated until Mr. Bergh retired from business, in the year 1835; after having built, during fifteen years, seventy-one vessels, nearly all of which were ships ranging from four hundred and fifty to six hundred tons. Mr. Westervelt then resolved upon a voyage to Europe, where he remained nine months, and upon his return he resumed business, taking a yard at Corlear's Hook (foot of Cherry street), where he built a number of large and fine ships, and remained until he removed to his present location. A yard at the foot of Seventh street was also taken, soon after, and for several years both were kept well filled with vessels in course of construction, and required by the then opening trade to California. Mr. Westervelt originated and built, in connection with Mr. Edward Mills, the steamships "Washington" and "Hermann", the pioneers of American Ocean Steamers. The steamers "Franklin" and "Humboldt", the first of the present Havre line, were built by him shortly after; and at a more recent date he built the steamer "Arago ;" now running in the same line; also the steamer "Rhode Island", now owned bvthe United States Government, and the "Eagle", and "Moro Castle", owned by.Spofford, Tileston & Co. Among the most celebrated clipper ships built by him were the "N. B. Palmer", "Contest", and "Sweepstakes." Quite a number of vessels for the American and foreign governments have been constructed by him; among which may be named the frigate "Hope", of two thousand tons, built in the year 1825, for the Greek Government; the "Guadalquiver", for the Spanish Government; the "Fusiyama", launched last year, for the Japanese Government; and the "Ottawa", "Otsego", "Kankakee", and sloop of war "Brooklyn", for the United States Government. The last named vessel has, during the recent war, proved second to none in our navy, as her- brilliant record fully demonstrates; and Vice-Admiral Farragut has repeatedly asserted that she is the most efficient man-of-war belonging to the Government. This vessel was built by Mr. Westervelt during the year 1858; the contract having been awarded to him by the committee appointed by the Secretary of the Navy, after the leading ship-builders in this country had presented their m -dels and drawings for the vessel. It may here be stated that Mr. Westervelt, although never a politician from choice or inclination, has held many important public positions, and after representing his ward and serving on many important committees, he was in the year 1852 elected to the Mayoralty of New York, by one of the largest majorities ever given to a candidate for that position. The following is the number, class, and tonnage of vessels built by Mr. Westervelt and his son, up to the present time: Fifty steamships, ninety-three ships, five barks, four brigs, fourteen schooners, one sloop, two floating light ships, one safety barge, eleven pilot boats, in all one hundred and eighty-one vessels, with an aggregate capacity amounting to one hundred and fifty thousand six hundred and twenty-four tons. Since the year 1859 the active management of the Westervelt Ship Yard has been conducted by the son, Daniel D. Westervelt, although the senior still supervises most of the details connected with the building of vessels. This gentleman is probably the only American ship-builder who has received an order of knighthood from a foreign government for skill in his profession. |
| QUELLE | [Bishop: History of American manufacturers 3 (1868) 139] |
|
