Biography of Charles Lewis Richards
Richards was whaleship owner from Norwich, Connecticut.
In 1855 Richards had a shipping business in Honolulu. According to his own testimony, he owned several small schooners engaged in the coastal trade among the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii). He was also agent for a line of packets sailing between Honolulu and San Francisco, and owned or managed the whaling barks RICHMOND, ZOE (later named KAMEHAMEHA V), and PEARL. Richards left the Islands and returned to Norwich in the late 1860’s.
The PERL was purchased by Richards (3/8ths) and Thomas Dougherty (5/8th) in October 1854 when her Captain, James M. Green brought her into Honolulu as a wreck, taking bill of sale from her original owners, Williams and Haven of New London. Captain Green and her new Master, Edwin P. Thompson refitted the bark, and she sailed uninsured, from Honolulu 28 December 1864 bound on a whaling voyage to the Okhotsk Sea. While provisioning at the much used whaling ship stop of Ascension (now Ponape in the Caroline Islands), she, the Ship HECTOR of New Bedford, the Ship EDWARD CAREY of San Francisco, and the bark HARVEST of Honolulu were surprised by the SHENANDOAH (SEA STAR, as she was known on the English Registry) on 1 April 1865. All four ships were burned and the crews stranded or taken prisoner.
Between 1874 and 1875 Richards filed claims which were handled by the law firm of William W. Crapo of New Bedford. These claims on the PEARL totaled $110,240.50 for the loss of the vessel, her provisions and outfit, and the prospective catch. The Captain, the First Mate, and the Cooper (Leander Getchell and Nathan Gardiner, both of New London) also filed claims for loss of gear, clothing and wages. Richards apparently did receive at least partial payment on these claims.
Richards filed another claim later on, during the 2nd convention of the court. Here he was seeking compensation for loss of income that resulted when his bark RICHMOND was compelled to return crews from vessels taken by the SHENANDOAH, to Honolulu in 1865. Unfortunately Richards did not live to see the settlement of his claim, and his wife, Ada Louise Richards continued with the case.
Restrictions
Restrictions on Access
Available for use in the Manuscripts Division.
Restrictions on Use
Various copying restriction apply. Guidelines are available from the Manuscripts Division.
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the G. W. Blunt White Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Persons:
Richards, Ada Louise
Corporate Entities:
Pearl (Bark)
Richmond (Bark)
Shenandoah (Cruiser)
Wilcox & Richards Co.
Places:
Ascension Island (Atlantic Ocean)
United States–History–Civil War, 1861-1865–Naval operations
Subjects:
Alabama claims
Whalers (Persons)–Hawaii–Honolulu
Whaling–Connecticut–New London
Whaling–Massachusetts–New Bedford
Whaling ships–Connecticut–New London
Whaling ships–Massachusetts–New Bedford
Document Types:
Court records
Depositions
Memorandums
Petitions
Occupations:
Shipowners–Connecticut–Norwich
Administrative Information
Coll. 120, Manuscripts Collection, G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Papers; 1873-1888.
| Box | Folder | |
| 1 | 1 | Court order (New Bedford). Images |
| 2 | Letters of Aiken & Swift. Images | |
| 3 | Letters of N.O. Bradley. Images | |
| 4 | Letters of Wendell H. Cobb. Images | |
| 5 | Law Firm form letters. Images | |
| 6 | Letters of J. Halsey. Images | |
| 7 | Newspaper articles. Images | |
| 8 | Letters of Marston & Crapo. Images | |
| 9 | Letters of William Phillips & Sons. Images | |
| 10 | Letters of A. L. Richards. Images | |
| 11 | Letters of C. L. Richards. Images | |
| 12 | Letters of E. Stetson. Images | |
| 13 | Letters of S. Stevens. Images | |
| 14 | Letters, Wells to Richards. Images | |
| 15 | Power of Attorney, Wilcox to C. L. Richards. Images | |
| 16 | Court testimony. Images | |
| 17 | Depositions. Images | |
| 18 | Geneva Award, report and record. Images | |
| 19 | Power of Attorney, J.T.T. Daugherty to C. L. Richards. Images | |
| 20 | Petitions to the Court of Commissioners of ALABAMA Claims. Images | |
| 21 | Misc. memos and material. Images |