FATE OF FAMILY OF 14 SHIPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 130, 2 June 1923, Page 19

FATE OF FAMILY OF 14 SHIPS.

CHAPTER OF TRAGEDIES FOLLOWS OWNER'S DEATH. Boston, Massachusetts.—The five-masted schooner Dorothy Palmer, of Roxbury, has been abandoned In a sinking condition by her crew off the coast. —News item. With the passing of the Dorothy Palmer, a wallowing derelict off the rock-bound coast of New England, ends one of the most tragic chapters of the 6ea. Twenty years ago the Dorothy Palmer took the water at Waldoboro, Maine, the pride of a fleet of 14 fine fore-and-aftcrs, owned by William P. Palmer, of Roxbury, and caused a thrill of pride when, with all sails set and signal flags flapping stiffly, she made her way Into her home port, then began an extraordinary series of Six years later William Palmer died, and then began and extraordinary series of catastrophes which thinned down the fleet till not a vessel save the Dorothy Palmer remained, and cost the lives of 27 men. All fourteen vessels bore names of members of the Palmer family. The first to go, within a month of the death of the head of the line, was the Marie Palmer, which ran on Frying Pan Shoals, North Carolina. At Christmas in the same year the Davis Palmer went down with all hand! at the entrance to Boston Harbour. In quick succession, by Are, collision, storm, and even German submarine, they were followed to Davy Jones' locker by the Prescott Palmer, the Puller Palmer, Paul Palmer, Elizabeth Palmer, Baker Palmer, Maude Palmer, Fannlo Palmer, Harwood Palmer (torpedoed by a U lioat In May, 1017), Singleton Palmer, Jane Palmer, and the Rebecca Palmer.