Cowper

We acknowledge Nathaniel E. Cole, Edward Laffray, and Frank Kanacka who passed away while operating their boat during terrible sea conditions. The crew of the Cowper set sail for whaling in the Ochotsk Sea when a terrible fog obscured the boat as they were out hunting. Unfortunately the weather and perilous factors caused the boat to sink, resulting in the three crewmembers succumbing to their fate. Susan C. F. Fisher, wife of Capt. Nehemiah Fisher, wrote a note of their passing on July 17th, 1853 however the cenotaph reads July 15th leading many to wonder if they simply carved the wrong date. It is also important to note that Frank Kanacka was not this young man’s true name. Kanacka is a Polynesian word that means “family of man” and often times men from the Pacific Islands had names that whaling captains could not pronounce. So they were given English first names followed by Kanacka as a surname. In any case, the dangers of whaling impact many and we can learn from history to respect not only the vast ocean but the brave individuals who travers it as well.