Whitfield Spinney

• General Notes
  • Whitfield's name can be found on the Gloucester Fishermen's Memorial Centotaph in Gloucester, Massachusetts. He is listed as a man from Nova Scotia who was lost at sea. Whitfield, along with the entire crew of the vessel James S. Ayer, was lost at sea in December of 1868.
    
    Excerpt from an unknown source (possibly a newspaper article):
    
    December 18, 1868, Missing Vessel Fears are apprehended for the safety of schooner James S. Ayer of this port, which sailed for the Grand Banks on the 24th of October, and has now been absent nearly eight weeks - three weeks longer than the time usually occupied in making a trip. She was spoken on the Banks, Nov. 2d, by schs. Mary G. Dennis and Everett Steele, since which time there have been no tidings of her. There is a bare possibility that she may have been disabled and may yet reach port, but we must confess the prospect is not very encouraging. The James S. Ayer was a first class vessel of 68.68 tons built in Alna, Me. in 1866 and owned by Messrs. Dennis &j Ayer. She was valued at $8,000, on which there was an insurance of $6,900, and $300 on the outfits, in the Gloucester Mutual Fishing Insurance Office. Her crew list comprised twelve men, all belonging to this town. By this sad disaster, seven widows are left to mourn the loss of husbands, and twenty-one children are made fatherless. The crew list is as follows: John R. McDonald, master, single Colin McDonald, brother of captain, leaves a widow and three children, Murdock McDonald, leaves a widow and three children, Stephen McDonald, leaves a widow and three children, Philip Riley, leaves a widow and two children, Whitfield Spinney, leaves a widow and four children, John W. Brown, leaves a widow and six children, Daniel Kennedy, single, Michael McCormick, single, Angus McPhee, single, Daniel McIntire, single, J. E. Osier, single. The Jamesj S. Ayer is the third vessel that has been lost in the Bank fishery the present year. Total loss of life in the three vessels, thirty. There are other vessels of the fleet which have been out a little over time, but we hope they will yet arrive in safety.