Notes
Note N2444 Index
Seth was "a very industrious farmer at Waterboro, Me., and a most worthy citizen." His marriage to Susan Larrabee was her third marriage. Apparently, it was a short-lived marriage. In 1880, Susan is shown as being married to Joseph Avery of Waterborough.
Notes
Note N2451 Index
Charles and his father operated the D. & C.E. Scribner Grain Company in Topsham.
Notes
Note N2458 Index
James was a miller and grain dealer in Topsham, Maine.
Notes
Note N2459 Index
Octavia died from diphtheria after visiting Scotland.
Notes
Note N2460 Index
VIRGINIA'S PARENTS: Philip was born in 1808 in Maryland. He was a sea captain. Mary Ann was born in Connecticut in 1820. These dates are based on information provided in the 1850 Census of Baltimore, Maryland (NARA Microcopy M432, Roll 283, Page 167B, Dwelling 152, Family 171).
Virginia sailed with David for 17 years. Their children were at sea with them until they were 10 to 14 years old. She is remembered as a woman of brave, noble and helpful character.
Capt. David succeeded his father in the ownership of the D. & C.E. Scribner Grain Company, but was never actively connected with the firm, because he had moved from Topsham to New York City in 1870, a few years after beginning his career as a sailor. For 35 years, he was employed by the shipping firm of Chapman & Flint in New York City. During that time, he sailed between New York and San Francisco, California. In the 1880's, they were living at Groton, Connecticut. He is said to have sailed around Cape Horn (at the lower end of the continent of South America) 43 times. This was before the days of the Panama Canal. It was in 1870 that he was promoted to Captain of the ship "St. Charles." He was in command of several other ships after that, including the "St. David," which had been named in his honor.
The last ship that he captained was the "Henry B. Hyde," a ship of 2,500 tons. On his final voyage, he was to sail around the Horn from Norfolk, Virginia, to Honolulu, Hawaii, with a load of coal. When the ship was off Cape Horn, David discovered that the ship was on fire (the result of spontaneous combustion). The ship could have blown up at any time, or the fire could have burned down through the bottom of the ship. The ship was over 1000 miles from the nearest port, which made the situation even more dangerous. So, David and his crew set to work to throw the coal overboard to get at the fire. However, after 2 days of hard work, it was evident that it was an near-impossible task. He changed course for the port of Valparaiso, Chile, 1400 miles away. They made it in 10 days, keeping up the fight with the fire all the way. The fire was eventually drowned out by filling the hold of the ship with as much water as possible. The ship was then allowed to proceed to Honolulu with half the cargo. After the ship was repaired in Hawaii, David turned it over to its new owners. He then sailed to San Francisco and returned home to New York. David's hands were burned severely, which resulted in blood poisoning. Surgeons told him that the only way to save his life was to amputate his hands. David thought differently, and he recovered without their help.
David then became a Trustee, and later Governor, of a Sailor's Home known as the Sailors' Snug Harbor, located on Staten Island, New York. Snug Harbor first opened in 1833 as the first maritime home and hospital for retired seamen in America. There they were provided a home, food and healthcare in the company of other retired seafarers. The Home was endowed by Robert Randall, whose father, Thomas, had founded the Marine Society of the City of New York in 1770.
In 1900, over 1,000 men lived there. By the mid-1950's, there were less than 200. The Home's Trustees demolished several of the Home's exceptional buildings in an attempt to reduce expenses. Soon after, the entire site was in danger of being destroyed to make way for new construction. The City of New York purchased what was left of the Home, and have converted it into a Cultural Center.
David often said, "I have friends all over the world, and, if I had my life to live over again, I would choose the same profession that I followed. In my forty years at sea I have seen a good many shipmasters, and, as a class, I have a great deal of respect for them."
In 1874, he met a Chinese boy born in Singapore who, at the time, was 12 years old. David took the boy under his care and had him work as a steward on the ships David commanded. Eventually, David and Virginia adopted the boy and legally named him Bennie David Scribner. After David retired, Bennie continued to sail, working as a steward on a San Francisco pilot schooner.
David, Virginia, Henry, Mary and Ella died at the family home, a large 4-story brownstone house at 230 Garfield Place, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.