Posted by M. Saleh on November 11, 1999 at 21:42:09:
In Reply to: Lady Elgin Wreck posted by Ron Falconberry on July 28, 1999 at 22:18:27:
: I am working on a speech to give to my Toastmaster's club about a person involved in the 1860 wreck of the Lady Elgin. His name was Edward Spencer and he reportedly rescued 17 people from drowning.
: I am interested in getting historical information on the wreck, such as the name of the ship that ran into it, possibly the name of the captain and any well-known individuals that may have been on board. Additionally, where did the Lady Elgin come from and where was it going?
: Is there a web site or another way of getting a good historical breakdown of the wreck or of Edward Spencer?
: Any information you could give me would be appreciated!
: Thank you.
I have returned to give my concluding article on the heroic Captain Jack Wilson of the Lady Elgin. After the brave but unfortunate ship captain's body was found near Chicago and the Lady Elgin was confirmed to be lost, the media of the day, namely The Milwaukee Sentinal, the Chicago Tribune, the newspapers of Racine and Kenosha, Wisconsin had field days of their own on the tragic loses of the celebrity Captain Jack Wilson and his spectacular steamship Lady Elgin. The Chicago Tribune, from Sept. 10 the day Captain Wilson was pronounced dead, until Sept. 22, gave a great and honorable amount of newspaper space to the memory of Chicago's favorite ship captain and part-time resident. In spite of the terrible loss of lives and the ship that Captain Wilson had lost, The Chicago Tribune gave Captain Wilson the hero's honor that he truly deserved. Captain Wilson's reputation was as meritorious and highly dignified, and 23 years of heroic bravery in his preservation of human lives, loyal service, devotion to his profession was given high recognition by the news media of Chicago. The Chicago Tribune gives the following eulogies to Captain Jack Wilson of the Lady Elgin: "In a moment of appalling tragedy, when upon him rested the care of 400 persons, he did his duty as a sailor and as a man. One in imminant peril, cheerful for the sake of others when death stared him in the face, self-sacrificing, even though he laid down his life for others...Hopeful when hop seemed impious, tender as a child in an hour when men of coarser mold would have called selfishness a virtue, he died at his post. He has lefty a name and an example which revive the memory of bravery and generosity for which sailors are distinguished. Praise doe bravery and daring such as so often sheds upon the fame of the brave sailor laure4ls that time cannot dim. True to his manliness and duty throughout, he was foremost in confronting danger, cool and intense in its encounter, instant and earnestfor safety of his passengers. Captain Wilson last rescue attempt was to save two children. His house in Coldwater, Michigan is desolated and stripped of a brave and as true a heart as ever beat in the bosom of a sailor. Give honor to the memory of the brave. Appreciate as a brave and kind officer and a true hearted man. A man from Milwaukee, who survived the Lady Elgin disaster, never Knew Captain Jack Wilson, but met him on the Excursion, stated that he would have "'given his right arm to save Captain Wilson"...The violence of the surf made sport of Captain wilson's lilfeless body and destroyed allsemblances in which nature had not written one line aught to manliness, courage, devotion to duty, notably exemplified in the fate of him who who could not seek his own safety from the raging while women and children claimed the exertions of his gallent arm. His heart was stranded in the waves he had battled against. Now he is no more. No more is his genial soul to lead ours captive. There are few men in this selfish world. He was a good swimmer and could have saved himself but he died saving others. HOw gloomy the hearts of his family. He is gone now, he is sleeping. He has entered a port where no storm can reach him ever more. We hope that through the merits of Jesus Christ, he has been brought into heaven where God would be evermore...Captain Jack Wilson's memory must be cherished for all time...Captain Jck Wilson was faithful to the last; faithful to his family; faithful to his duty; faithful to his friends; faithful to his conscience; and faithful, we trust, to his God. God have mercy upon us and God bless Captain Wilson...All that mortal man could accomplish was done by this noble sailor to prevent this calamity." The Chicago Tribune also reported that a fund was set up to give financial assistance to Mrs. Wilson and the 3 Wilson children, so the large mortgage that was owed on their farm and cottage in Coldwater,
chigan, and the high cost of Captain Wilson's handicapped 11 year old daughter Josehine could be paid off in full. Within a few das of the start of the Wilson Family fun, well over $2000 had been collected from generous and sympathetic patrons and friends of Captain Jack Wilson and his family, since the word had gott5en out that the Wilson Family had always been in povery, though they and the Captain would never admit that poverty had always been a problem with them. The people of the Great Lakes area and other cities were now determined to feel they owed Captain Jack Wilson some debt of gratitude for all the virtuous services that he had rendered to everyone for so many wonderful years that he had provided his brand of "beauty and love" to them. The Sept. 16,1860 issue of the "Kenosha Democrat" states about Captain Wilson, "His own safety was virtually and utterly discarded. To save children he became exhausted and fell off a reft while standing on it, and was hit by a stray piece of timber. Brave, selfsacrificing, and heroic deeds shall recieve a final award. The world is better for such men having lived and died in it, and humanity sorrows and weeps that he could not survive to whom so many owe their lives. The Sept. 11, 1860 issue of the "Racine Daily Journal" declares, "Captain Jack Wilson went down in seething waves, his last act was to save two children. Humanity willever remember him as one of the few who were alsive to be called to duty and monuments to his memory, into the hearts fo his fellow men will be far nobler than sculptured marble or mausoleums." The Alschular studio, which made the last photograph of the Lady Elgin, created copies of the photograph of the ship taken on the afternoon of Sept 7, 1860 and included an inset of the allegedly last photograph taken of Captain Jack Wilson, a memorial tribute to the ship and her Captain to be made available to all who wanted to cherish the famous Captain Jack Wilson and the Lady Elgin in years to come. Frank Leslie's "New York Illustrated News" issue dated Sept. 22, 1860 gave two artist's composite picures of Captain Jack Wilson accompaied by picures of the Lady Elgin . One portrait was a diredt copy of the Alschuler photgraph of the Captain and the other portrait was a copy of another more full photograph of the brave Captain. The only other brief but important piece of information that I had obtained with regard to the family of of Captain Jack Wilson was the news,according to the "History of Chicago: River, Harbor, and Marine", in 1862, two years after Captain Wilson was killed in the waters of Lake Michigan, his own son at the age of 15, also was killed in a drowning accident near Cleveland, Ohio. I Would therefore assume that Mrs. Wilson survived with her Daughters Mary and Josephine Wilson into later years that followed their tragic losses, and I have no information that indicates that Captain Jack Wilson had left any descendants to this day. In my closing conmments I would like to tell you that I am very honored and gratified to have shared my information with you about Edward Spenser and Captain Jack Wilson. I believe that both young men must be remembered as the heroes and personalities that they were. As we, as Americans reach the year 2000, there seems to be so few heroes who young Americans can find as roll models for our violent, chaotic, and seemingly uncertain and unstable society of today. How many Americans, especially young men and women can as themselves and the rest of the world, as did Edward Spenser 139 years ago, "Did I do my best?", in the sincere belief that they had accomplished a heroic deed to preserve human life? How many young men and women in America are there who can, like Captain Jack Wilson, affirm that they "never betrayed a trust, or deserted a friend, or proved faithless to duty, a great generous heart, a cool head, a strog warm, hand" and above all, demonstrated everything that they posessed in their nature to be true men and women and true to their heritage, past and present, like Captain Jack Wilson, to be true human beings to themselves and to the devoted dedication to save and protect the lives of those in need throughout America and the world.