12 Replies Latest reply on Sep 18, 2020 1:36 PM by Joseph Duxbury

Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856

Joseph Duxbury Nov 30, 2019 11:03 AM

I came across Andrew Begley’s article “Searching for Captain Blye”, and it prompted me to see if he could help, as I am involved in a similar search. I am trying to find what happened to the ship Duxbury, that sailed from Boston to San Francisco during the gold rush of 1849. After her ‘Argonaut’ passengers left to seek their fortunes, she left San Francisco (according to newspaper reports) for Mazatlan in November 1849. The reports described the Duxbury as ‘sold’, but still an American vessel. I have received copies of her certificates of registration (in Record Group 41) from the National Archives in Washington, DC, but nothing about her final ownership. The staff at Washington were able to tell me that the Duxbury was lost in 1856, but have not uncovered the documentation that verifies this. I have asked, but of course they do not provide a general research service.

I have looked in the National Archives in San Francisco, but the records there in RG 36 and RG 41 don’t go back as far as 1849. I would be grateful for any suggestions as to where else I should look.

Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856

Andrew Begley Dec 19, 2019 11:47 AM (in response to Joseph Duxbury)

Hi Joseph,

The National Archives in San Francisco would definitely be the place to look for any documentation of the sale or movement of the vessel. There is one series that covers the correct time period. Auditor's Report of Vessel Arrivals, 3/26/1849 - 2/13/1863. I suppose these records would only be helpful if the vessel returned to San Francisco after its 1849 sailing, although I am not sure whether they contain any information on vessel ownership.

It sounds like it might be worth checking if there are any non-NARA repositories in California that have acquired Customs records from this period. UC Berkeley has a small collection of San Francisco Custom House records, 1847-1912. The John B. Goodman Collection at the Online Archive of California also has what sounds like a small subject file on the Duxbury. Good luck with the research!

Andrew
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- Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856
  
  Joseph Duxbury Dec 23, 2019 12:44 PM (in response to Andrew Begley)
  
  Thank you, Andrew. I could find nothing in the Auditor's Report other than the original arrival of the Duxbury in San Francisco. You're right about vessel ownership - that's another set of records, which I missed looking at.
  I have been sent material from the Goodman Collection that was very useful. Your suggestion regarding the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley led me to find they have some Bills of Sale that might be interesting. I suppose I'll have to make another trip to SF!
  
  Joe Duxbury
  
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Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856

Lisha Penn Dec 19, 2019 11:53 AM (in response to Joseph Duxbury)

Dear Mr. Duxbury,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

We searched the National Archives Catalog but were unable to locate any records pertaining to the ship named Duxbury other than what you have received.

We searched the internet and locate the 1849 diary of William DeCosta Around The Horn: The Journal of a Voyage to San Francisco that may contain the information about the Duxbury that you seek.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!

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- Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856
  
  Joseph Duxbury Dec 23, 2019 12:56 PM (in response to Lisha Penn)
  
  Thank you, Lisha. De Costa's diary is indeed thoroughly covered in the article in The Missouri Review, and the article on the Duxbury in the Goodman Collection draws heavily on it.
  It looks like I should also visit the National Archives at Washington to try and find the evidence for the loss of the Duxbury in 1856.
  
  Joe Duxbury
  
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Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856

Jo Haraf Sep 15, 2020 11:09 AM (in response to Joseph Duxbury)

Hi, Joseph,

I found your question regarding the Duxbury posted November, 2019. I am currently writing a non-fiction book that includes the Duxbury's surgeon, Dr. Galen Burdell. I have found a flyer for the ship's departure from Boston and am currently in search of an image of the ship to use in my book.

I wondered if your research has located any drawings of the Duxbury.

Thank you in advance for any information you may be able to share.

Jo Haraf

PS I assume you know that Duxbury Point off Bolinas, California is named after the ship's encounter with a reef. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duxbury_Reef_State_Marine_Conservation_Area
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- Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856
  
  Alice Lane Sep 15, 2020 3:33 PM (in response to Jo Haraf)
  
  Hi Jo,
  Thought you might like the following items found on the internet.
  In the first article below Duxbury is written Dunsbury, but I could not find
  a ship with either name. Can you post the flyer that you mentioned.
  
  https://sonomasun.com/2013/09/18/mother-in-law-killed-in-dental-chair/
  
  https://americanhistory.si.edu/onthewater/exhibition/2_4.html
  
  https://www.maritimeheritage.org/inport/1848.htm
  
  https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=12169
  Alice Lane
  Volunteer Researcher
  
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  - Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856
    
    Jo Haraf Sep 15, 2020 5:27 PM (in response to Alice Lane)
    
    Hi, Alice,
    
    Thank you for the links. Yes, the Black and Burdell families are quite famous (notorious, actually) in Marin and Sonoma Counties.
    
    The flyer for the Duxbury can be found here: http://teh.salemstate.edu/educatorsguide/pages/expansion-pdfs/Duxbury.pdf
    
    The Peabody Essex Museum owns the original.
    
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- Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856
  
  Joseph Duxbury Sep 18, 2020 1:36 PM (in response to Jo Haraf)
  
  Jo,
  The Huntington Library https://www.huntington.org has in its John B Goodman Collection the book
  "California Gold Rush Fleet Encyclopedia of Vessels Sailing from the East Coast of the United States and Canada for San Francisco, December 7, 1848-December 31, 1849", which contains
  Individual histories of 762 ships, including the Duxbury. At the end of the description of the voyage of the Duxbury is an illustration of the ship, but I fear that it is actually just a generic 'ship' picture.
  Also, if you go to the Handwritten News website that Alice pointed out
  https://handwrittennews.com/2011/07/25/the-shark-ma-ca-1849
  you'll see that 'The Shark' was written on board the Duxbury during her voyage. If you then go to the page about 'The Petrel', another 'newspaper' written during that voyage, there is a drawing (presumably by one of the passengers) of the Duxbury in Boston harbour.
  Copies of both 'The Petrel' and 'The Shark' are held at the Huntington Library. It may be that one or more issues of these newspapers contain references to Dr Burdell. Indeed, there may be articles written by him.
  
  Joe Duxbury
  
  PS I guess you already know that Burdell Mountain and Burdell Island are named after Dr Burdell.
  
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Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856

Alice Lane Sep 16, 2020 1:28 PM (in response to Joseph Duxbury)

Hi again Joseph,

I found these on https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ thought they might interest you
Alice Lane
Born in Newburyport, Essex, Massachusetts, United States on 1 Apr 1813 to Matthias Varina and Lucy "Lucia" Lee. William Cheever Varina married Sarah Dutton Currier Varina and had 4 children. He passed away on 27 August 1854 in Spain - Buried, Newburyport, Essex, Massachusetts, USA. (Captain of the Duxbury to California1849 (Alice Lane)

https://handwrittennews.com/2011/07/25/the-shark-ma-ca-1849/
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- Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856
  
  Jo Haraf Sep 16, 2020 12:58 PM (in response to Alice Lane)
  
  Alice, while I appreciate your efforts, there is no need to continue. All I seek is an illustration of the ship. Again, there is no need to research any more Duxbury leads.
  
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  - Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856
    
    Alice Lane Sep 16, 2020 3:13 PM (in response to Jo Haraf)
    
    Thanks Jo
    
    Please marked answered at the top of your post.
    
    Have a great day
    
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- Re: Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856
  
  Joseph Duxbury Sep 18, 2020 12:13 PM (in response to Alice Lane)
  
  Thank you very much for this, Alice. The Library of Congress records are very helpful. And the information on Captain Varina I didn't have.
  
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