Sir John Franklin

The medium American clipper ship Sir John Franklin (Captain John J. Despeaux), sailing from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) to San Francisco (California), went ashore in the fog at Middle Point on the night of January 17, 1865. In a few minutes after striking the rocks, the vessel parted amid-ships and the cargo escaped (including 300 barrels of spirits, coal oil, candles, pianos, and other dry goods). Of the original 20 crew, twelve drowned; including the captain (Leventhal and Jurmain 1987, Hylkema 2018). Only six of the victims were recovered for burial. The bodies of captain and supercargo were taken to San Francisco, and four sailors were buried in the sandy dunes of an ad-hoc cemetery, referred to as the Franklin Point Cemetery (Hylkema 2018).

Two other sailing ships wrecked at Franklin Point, resulting in casualties; the British Bark Coya (1866) and American ship Hellespont (1868). Victims of these wrecks were also buried at Franklin Point. Over time, dune erosion at the site exposed human remains and coffin fragments. Since 1983, California Department of Parks and Recreation has authorized several projects aimed at site stabilization, including archaeological surveys, excavation, reburial, and construction of a pedestrian boardwalk to protect the site (Hylkema 2018).

Early charts of the Coast Survey labeled the cape, between Pigeon Point and Point Año Nuevo, as Middle Point. After the ship Sir John Franklin wrecked there on January 17, 1865, the geographic name was changed to Franklin Point (Gudde 2010).

Ship Stats:

Vessel Type: Medium Clipper Ship
Casualty Location: Franklin Point, San Mateo County, California, USA
Location Status: Located (see Important Note)
Casualty Date: 1865 (Jan 17)
Owner: Lambert Gittings
Home Port: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Length: 170 feet 8 inches Beam: 35 feet 8 inches
Gross Tonnage: 999 Cargo: dry goods, lumber, pianos, 300 barrels spirits
Builder: John J. Abrahams
Launched: 1853 (Dec 30; Baltimore, Maryland, USA)
Official Number: 2402

Nature of Casualty:

Click each newspaper clipping image to view the full transcription text.

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  Transcription: DISASTROUS SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OR LIFE—THE SHIP "SIR JOHN FRANKLIN" LOST—THE CAPTAIN AND ELEVEN MEN DROWNED.—First Officer Boyd, of the American ship Sir John Franklin, arrived in this city last evening from Pigeon Point, between thirty and forty miles south of Point Lobos, where the ship went on shore in the fog on Tuesday night. He reports the vessel and cargo a total loss. His statement is that owing to the prevailing fog no observation had been taken for twenty-four hours, and it was supposed that the vessel was about seventy miles off land. She was standing in shore, and about nine o'clock, when the fog lifted, it was discovered that she was close in on the breakers. Orders were given at once to wear ship, but before they could be carried out, she struck with great violence on the rocks, outside the bar, staving her bottom and carrying her masts overboard. In a few minutes after striking, the vessel parted amid-ships and the cargo went out of her. The wreck floated over the rocks and went ashore on the beach, the sea making clean breaks over her. When she broke in two, Captain Despeaux and the crew, twenty in all, were standing near together, amidships, with the exception of two men on the forecastle, and all clung to the vessel until it struck the beach. Then they commenced washing overboard, the undertow carrying them out from the land repeatedly, and after being nearly two hours in the water, struggling among the drift and pieces of the wreck and cargo. First Officer Boyd, Second Officer Ball, Third Officer Jefferson Welch and five seamen, gained the shore alone, all the rest having perished. The survivors wandered on the shore for some hours, wet, and nearly perishing with cold and exhaustion, before reaching a farm-house, where they were cared for as well as circumstances would permit. The survivors, with the exception of Mr. Boyd, remained at the farm house last evening, having no means of coming up to the city save by footing it. The Sir John Franklin was owned by Lambert Gidden of Baltimore, and was rated as a first-class ship. She was loaded, in part, with the cargo of the ship Charles Pennell, which put into Rio in distress and was condemned, and in part with general merchandise, consigned to Brooks & Co. Captain Despeaux was a native of Baltimore, and leaves no family. Mr. Boyd believes that the ship and cargo were insured, but it is not positive of the fact. This in the second disastrous shipwreck in that locality, the Carrier Pigeon having left her frame and name there some year since.

  Source: Daily Alta California (San Francisco, CA), January 19, 1865, p.1, col.2
  Courtesy of California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.

Additional Information: Wreck Event

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  Transcription: THE WRECK OF THE SHIP "SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.” The card of Messrs. C. W. Brooks & Co., consignees of the wrecked ship Sir John Franklin, and the agent of the Underwriters, Captain Fletcher, regarding the disposal of the cargo, or such portions there of as may be recovered, will be found in the ALTA this morning. The schooner Wm. Irelan, Capt. Harloe, and two other schooners were despatched for the scene of the wreck yesterday morning, and Captain Fletcher left, overland, to superintend operations. He will remain on the ground until all that can be saved of the Cargo is recovered. The mate reports that the vessel went ashore in a small cove about ten miles south of Half Moon Bay, and that before he left the place some three hundred barrels of spirits, and quite a large amount of coal oil, candles, and cases and bales of other goods had floated ashore and had been got out on the beach. It is thought that from one-quarter to one-half of the cargo may be saved; of course, in a damaged condition. The cargo of the Charles Pennel, which made up the bulk of the cargo of the Franklin, was fully insured, and it is probable that the total insurance on vessel and cargo is in the neighborhood $300,000. The Franklin was built some ten years since but was in perfect order, and was rated as an A 1 ½ vessel on the Lloyd's register. The Overland Telegraph not being in working order yesterday, it was impossible to learn what the actual amount of insurance, on vessel and cargo, was, but it will probably be known to-day. Capt. Fletcher, with usual promptness, decided not to wait for advices from New York, but proceeded at once to the scene of the disaster. Since the notice in yesterday's ALTA was written we learn that the supercargo — name noy given — was also lost, so that the list of the drowned now numbers thirteen.

  Source: Daily Alta California (San Francisco, CA), January 20, 1865, p.1, col.1
  Courtesy of California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.

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  Transcription: FROM THE WRECK. - Captain J. W. Sayward, who left the wreck of the Sir John Franklin on Saturday evening, informs us that up to that time six bodies had been recovered, and an inquest had been held by the Coroner of Santa Cruz county. The names of the persons whose bodies were recovered were Captain John J. Depaux, Supercargo Robert Dawson, Owens, seaman, John Devine of Liverpool, Charles Martin of Norway, and John Scoltine and Jacob Staten of Finland. The property from the wreck was strewed along the beach for miles. The people in the vicinity had turned out to save it, and all acted very honorably. Captain Fletcher had settled with them all. Although great quantities of liquor were in reach, everybody was sober, save one or two men sent down from San Francisco.

  Source: Daily Alta California (San Francisco, CA), January 23, 1865, p.1, col.2
  Courtesy of California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.

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  Transcription: THE WRECK OF THE "SIR JOHN FRANKLIN."
  PESCADERO, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, January 22d, 1865.
  EDITORS ALTA: I notice in your issue of the I9th inst., an account of the wreck of the Sir John Franklin, which materially differs from that given by the men and some of the under officers. It is stated that she struck at 9 o'clock, but the survivors say she struck at ten o'clock, and that she was running full on, and the fog being very dense, it was impossible to see anything. The first alarm was given by the look-out. " breakers ahead." immediately followed to “wear ship," but before the order could be executed she struck on the sand. The order was then given to cut away the masts, and while cutting the head-stays, the broke in two forward of the poop and then abaft the forecastle. The officers and men being in the fore-channels, excepting one who was in the forecastle. were left on one half of the deck. At this time the fog cleared so that they could see the shore, but very soon thickened so that all was darkness again. In this condition they drifted close in when this part of the ship capsized and all was terror and confusion. In the darkness, and midst the wreck and cargo that had drifted ashore, only eight out of the twenty reached the shore. This was about 1 1/2 o’clock, and at 2 o'clock they reached the house of Mr. Gushee, where they were hospitably cared for, every attention being paid them. In the morning the neighbors came their relief with, clothing. and kindly furnished Mr. Boyd with means and conveyance to your city, and would have sent the rest of the survivors had they desired it. This was probably the most total wreck ever known on this coast. The bodies of the Captain, Supercargo and six of the sailors have been recovered. Nothing of value was found on the bodies, excepting that of the Supercargo. Messrs More and Eaton, and others who examined his pockets, found a purse (that was chafed so that they saw some three twenty-dollar pieces,) which was placed in the hands of the Deputy Marshal.
  The inventory on the goods saved was between eight and nine thousand dollars. The stone will bring but a small amount, owing to the position it lies in and the difficulty of getting it to market. A.B.

  Source: Daily Alta California (San Francisco, CA), January 24, 1865, p.1, col.2
  Courtesy of California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.

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  Transcription: BY TELEGRAPH TO THE UNION.
  
  Gold in New York—Greenbacks—Murder in Lower California—French Defeat—The Late Wreck—Bark and Lives Lost—Coal Oil Fever—Incendiarism. San Francisco, January 23d.
  
  ...The funeral of Captain Despeaux and Supercargo Owens, of ship Sir John Franklin, takes place to-morrow afternoon, at Trinity Church. The bodies of four sailors were buried at the wreck...

  Source: Sacramento Daily Union (Sacramento, CA), January 24, 1865, p.3, col.3
  Courtesy of California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.

Additional Information: Vessel

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  Transcription: Launched -- A little before four o'clock yesterday afternoon the elegant ship "Sir John Franklin," which has been ready for launching for some days, in the ship yard of Mr. J. J. Abrahams, went overboard in most beautiful style. A more easy, regular and beautiful launch we never witnessed. The ship is upwards of one thousand tons burthen and was built for Capt. Frazier, of this city. While standing upon the wharf, amid a driving snow storm, we were involuntarily led to think that a more proper time could not have been chosen for launching a vessel named after a navigator, who, in all probability, has perished among the snows and ice of the northern regions.

  Source: Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, MD), December 31, 1853, p.1, col.7
  Courtesy of Newspapers.com

Referenced and Additional Resources

American Lloyd’s Register of American and Foreign Shipping 1864. New York.

California State Parks. 2021. Franklin Point. World Wide Web electronic publication. Accessed [29-APR-2021].

Gudde, E.G. 2010. California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names, 40th Anniversary Edition. Edited by William Bright. University of California Press, Berkeley, California. 496pp.

Hylkema, M. 2018. Shipwrecks and Lime Kilns: The Hidden History of 19th Century Sailors and Quarrymen of the Central Coast. Part I. Archaeology, History, and Stabilization of the Franklin Point Historic Shipwreck Cemetery (Ca-SMC-207/H). Publications in Cultural Heritage Number 35. Christopher Corey (ed.), Sacramento: California Department of Parks and Recreation, Cultural Resources Division. 180pp.

Lee, L. 2021. “She Was Buried Facedown.” World Wide Web electronic publication. Published [2-AUG-2021].

Levanthal, A., and R. Jurmain (editors). 1987. Franklin Point, CA-SMA-207H: Historical Background and Excavation of Skeletal Remains of Four Sailors from the Wreck of the Sir John Franklin. Department of Anthropology, San Jose State University, San Jose, California. 29pp.

Perry, F. 1999. Legacy of the Carrier Pigeon: A History of the Pigeon Point Light Station. The Keeper's Log, United States Lighthouse Society 15(3):2-15.

POST (Peninsula Open Space Trust). 2020. Shipwrecks of the San Mateo County Coast: Mark Hylkema and Peninsula Open Space Trust. Webinar [28-AUG-2020]. World Wide Web electronic publication. Accessed [24-SEP-2021].

Reinstedt, R.A. 1975. Shipwrecks and Sea Monsters of California’s Central Coast. Ghost Town Publications, Carmel, CA. 168pp.

United States Office of Coast Survey. 1854. Point Ano Nuevo Northward to Punta Del Bolsa, California. Image T00653-00-1854. Historical Map & Chart Collection. World Wide Web electronic publication. Accessed [12-JAN-2022].