LN- “Wreck Master” Appointment Certificates, Long Island c.1810-1868
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LN- “Wreck Master” Appointment Certificates, Long Island c.1810-1868
LN-10. Original New York State “Wreck Master” Appointment Certificates, County of Suffolk. Signed in hand by the Governor of New York State. c.1861 – 1869. Certificates measure 10 ½” x 16 ½” and include applied seal of New York State. Signed in hand by the Governor and by the Secretary of State.
“…Wreck Masters, appointed by the New York State Governor from 1787 on, were required to help victims and protect property belonging to wrecked ships, rescue service on Long Island relied on volunteers until the founding of the Life-Saving Service, a federal agency, in 1871”.
The appointment certificate for March 24, 1810 describes the duties of the Wreck Masters as follows: “…to aid and assist all such ships and vessels as may happen to be stranded on the coasts of said county of Suffolk with full power and authority to them…. to give all possible aid and assistance to all such ships and vessels and to the people on board of the same and to use their utmost endeavors to save the same and to save preserve and … for the purposes aforesaid the cargoes of all such ships and vessels and all goods and chattels whatsoever which may at any time be cast by the sea upon the shore and to employ such and so many men for the purpose as they may think proper. To have and to hold exercise and enjoy the said office together with the fees profits perquisites privileges and advantages to the same by law belonging or appertaining unto them…. “
Certificates list the individual being appointed and his town of residence, and the person whom he is replacing.
Long Island towns represented include Amagansett, Babylon, Baiting Hollow, Belport, Brookhaven, Centre Moriches, East Hampton, Fire Place, Fresh Pond, Mattituck, Miller’s Place, Northport, Orient, Patchogue, Penataquit, Quogue, Riverhead, Sayvile, Smithtown, Southampton, South Haven, Southold, West Hampton.
Pricing in the $200 – $40 range depending on condition and content, with discounts on multiple items available. Please inquire for towns and reduced pricing.
Details of 22 Wreck Master Certificates Available. Long Island, NY.
Appointing William J. Horton of Patchogue. 1861. Signed: Governor Edwin D. Morgan. Henry P. Nilley, Dep. Secretary of State. (VG+) $285
Appointing John R. Corwin of Baiting Hollow. (similar) (VG)$250
Appointing Gershorn Terry of Brookhaven. (similar) (VG+) $285
Appointing Samuel Garman of Fire Place. (similar) (VG+) $285
Appointing Edwin N. Miller of Miller’s Place. (similar) (VG+) $285
Appointing Robert Rogers of Fresh Pond. (similar) (VG) $200
1865
Appointing Samuel Carman Jr. of Belport. 1865. Signed: Governor Ruben E. Fenton. Chauncey M. Depew, Secretary of State.(VG) Encased in plastic $175
Appointing James T. Morris of Babylon. (similar) (P) In 2 pieces $100
Appointing Mortimer D. Howell of West Hampton. (similar) $200
Appointing Edward Toppin of Centre Moriches. (similar) (P) In 2 pieces. $100
Appointing Daniel J. Wheeler of Patchogue. (similar) (VG) $200
Appointing Francis H. Reeve of Riverhead. (similar) (VG-) $200
Appointing Amos Smith of Penataquit. (similar) (VG-) $200
Appointing Charles W. Yarrington of Sayville. (similar) (VG) $225
Appointing Charles White of South Hampton. (similar) (VG) Encased in plastic. $150
1869
Appointing Daniel B. Cook of West Hampton. 1869. Signed: Governor John T. Hoffman. D Willers Jr., Dep. Secretary of State. (VG) $200
Appointing Augustus Reeves of Southampton. (similar) (VG+) $285
Appointing Samuel T. Green of Sayville. (similar) (VG+) $285
Appointing Nathaniel Milles of South Haven. (similar) (VG) $200
1855
Appointing Jason M. Terbell of East Hampton. 1855. Signed: Governor Myron H. Clarke. E.W. Leoneworth, Secretary of State.
1863
Appointing John Allen of Southampton, Josiah H. Bishop of Centre Moriches, Edwin P. Brown of Orient, Daniel B. Cook of Quogue, Samuel F. Green of Sayville, George Hulse of Patchogue, Nathaniel Soper of Northport, Nathaniel R. Suydam of Babylon, Jesse Smith of Penataquit. Gilbert B. Miller of South Haven. 1863. Signed: Governor Horatio Seymour. Horatio Ballard, Secretary of State. (DB expresses interest in $200)
1864
Appointing George A. Conklin of Amagansett. 1864. Signed: Governor Horatio Seymour. Chauncey M. Depew, Secretary of State.
1865
Appointing David C. Raines of Amagansett. (similar)
(signed by) Daniel D. Tompkins – U.S. Vice President / State Governor
1810
Appointing Israel W. Davis of Riverhead, Benjamin Goldsmith of Southold, John Jermain and Macajah Herrick of Southampton, Ebenezer Hart of Brookhaven, Captain William Smith of Smithtown. Signed: Governor Daniel D. Tompkins. Daniel Hale, Secretary of State. 17” x 21”.
Daniel D. Tompkins – U.S. Vice President / State Governor
Please contact us for images and more information on any certificates of interest.