Jacob Bell (pilot boat)

	Pilot boat Jacob Bell.
History
United States
Name	Jacob Bell
Namesake	Jacob Bell (shipbuilder)
Owner	New York Pilots: James Britton
Operator	Wm. H. Rolston
Builder	Brown & Bell
Cost	$8,000
Launched	22 January 1840
Out of service	16 February 1854
Fate	Sank
General characteristics
Class and type	schooner
Tonnage	84-tons TM
Length	71 ft 0 in (21.64 m)
Beam	19 ft 0 in (5.79 m)
Depth	8 ft 0 in (2.44 m)
Propulsion	Sail

The Jacob Bell was a 19th century Sandy Hook pilot boat built by the shipbuilder Jacob Bell for a group of New York Pilots in 1840. She was named in honor of the shipbuilder Jacob Bell, who was a partner in the Brown & Bell firm. After fourteen years of service she went ashore in a gale off Sandy Hook in 1854.

Construction and service

On 22 January 1840, the pilot boat, Jacob Bell, was launched from the Brown & Bell shipyard, on the East River. She was built by shipbuilder Jacob Bell. The Bell, was named in honor of the shipbuilder Jacob Bell, who was a partner in the Brown & Bell firm. The launch was witnessed by a large party of ladies and gentlemen. She was owned by a company of New York pilots, including James Britton, Mitchell Eleock, Halston, and others. Her dimensions were 71 ft. in length; 19 ft. breadth of beam; 8 ft. in depth; and 84-tons burthen. Her cost was $8,000. She was expected to beat the famous Washington, which was known for her speed.^[1] The boat number "4" was painted as a large number on the mainsail.^[2]

In 1840, there were only eight New York pilot boats. They were the Phantom, No. 1; Washington, No. 2; New York No. 3; Jacob Bell, No. 4; Blossom, No. 5; T. H. Smith, No. 6; John E. Davidson, No. 7; and the Virginia, No. 8.^[1]

On 14 December 1840, Wm. H. Rolston, of the pilot boat Jacob Bell, along with other pilots from the port of New York, stated that they had never been employed by J. D. Stevenson and no compensation has been offered or demanded.^[3]

On March 15, 1844, an Admiral of the New York Clipper Boats thanked the pilots of the Charlotte Ann, Jacob Bell, Blossom, and Joseph N. Lord for their service and for the fact that they have often been boarded two hundred miles at sea by New York pilots.^[4]

On February 15, 1848, pilot-boat Jacob Bell, off Egg Harbor City, New Jersey passed a brig that was capsized. The wreck was also seen by the pilot-boat Washington, the previous day.^[5]

End of service

After fourteen years of service, the Jacob Bell, went ashore in a gale at the Sandy Hook beach on February 16, 1854 with a loss of all the crew. She was filled with water.^[6]^[7] She lay on the beach through February and March and was reported in bad condition.^[8] By April 13, the Bell was taken off the beach and returned to the city.^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b "A New Pilot Boat Schooner". New York Daily Herald. New York, New York. 22 Jan 1840. p. 2. Retrieved 14 Jan 2021.
^ "A Pilot's Perils. Dangers Incurred by Men Who Board Incoming Vessels". The Marion Times-Standard. Marion, Alabama. 23 Apr 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 18 Jan 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "To the Public". New York Daily Herald. New York, New York. 16 Dec 1840. p. 2.
^ "The New York Clipper Pilot Boats". New York Daily Herald. New York, New York. 15 Mar 1844. p. 2. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
^ "Miscellaneous Record". New York Daily Herald. New York, New York. 15 Feb 1848. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
^ Allen, Edward L. (1922). Pilot Lore From sail to Steam. New York: The United New York and New Jersey Sandy Hook Pilots Benevolent Associations. p. 12.
^ "Local News, Gossip, &C". New York Daily Herald. New York, New York. 17 Feb 185. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
^ "Local News, Gossip, &C". Monmouth Democrat. Freehold, New Jersey. 9 Mar 1854. p. 3. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
^ "Memoranda". The New York Times. New York, New York. 13 Apr 1854. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-05-07.