Essex crew: a Virtual Cemetery

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Essex crew

The Essex was an American whaler from Nantucket, Massachusetts, captained by George Pollard, Jr., that was attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in 1820. The twenty-man crew was stranded in the southern Pacific Ocean with very little food and water. During the 95 days that the survivors were at sea, they ate the bodies of five crewmen who died. When that was insufficient, members of the crew drew spots to determine who would be sacrificed so that the others could live. A total of seven crew members were cannibalized by the others before the eight survivors were rescued. First mate Owen Chase and cabin boy Thomas Nickerson wrote accounts of their ordeal. Their accounts of the incident inspired Herman Melville to write his famous 1851 novel Moby-Dick.

20 memorials

Essex crew

William Bond Flowers have been left.

Thomas Chappel Flowers have been left.

Owen Chase Flowers have been left.

Owen Coffin Flowers have been left.

Isaac Cole Flowers have been left.

Obed Hendrick Flowers have been left.

Matthew Joy Flowers have been left.

Capt Benjamin Lawrence Flowers have been left.

Thomas Gibson Nickerson Flowers have been left.

Richard Peterson Flowers have been left.

Capt George Pollard Jr. Flowers have been left.

Charles Ramsdell Flowers have been left.

Barzillai Ray Flowers have been left.

Samuel Reed Flowers have been left.

Isaiah Sheppard Flowers have been left.

Charles Shorter Flowers have been left.

Lawson Thomas Flowers have been left.

Capt Seth Weeks Flowers have been left.

Joseph West Flowers have been left.

William Wright Flowers have been left.