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Captain Frank A. Young
Mallory Line Master
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Excerpts from Captain Young's log book:
Summary of voyages (far left), voyages #1-11 1897-98 (middle left), voyages #12-20 1898-99 (middle right), voyages #32-42 1899-1900 (far right)
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Captain Frank A. Young, born in November 1863 in Maine, was one of many Mallory Line steamer captains of the late 1800s and early 1900s, often plying between New York and Galveston, the main route of the company. As can be seen from Captain Young’s log book, detailing no less than 308 voyages as master, ports along the east coast, like Port Royal, SC, Brunswick, GA and Fernandina, FL, were also regular destinations. Before we move to Captain Young’s experiences as a master, let’s look at his Certificate of Discharge from 1890. It is signed by the Consul of the United States in Liverpool and Captain Phineas Pendleton of the Henry B. Hyde. Captain Pendleton had served as the master of the Hyde since she was built in 1884. She was a large sailing ship, known as a downeaster, belonging to Flint & Co., New York, and mainly engaged in the wheat trade between California and Great Britain and it was after one such voyage from San Francisco that Frank Young, employed as a boatswain, left the ship in Liverpool with both character and ability judged as “very good”.
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Frank Young commanded his first ship in September 1897, when he took the State of Texas on a trip from New York to Brunswick and back. Eventually, he was the master of 13 different Mallory Line ships: State of Texas, City of San Antonio, Colorado, San Marcos, Comal, Lampasas, Sabine, Rio Grande, Concho, Denver, Neches, Arapahoe (of the Clyde Line, which had the same owners as the Mallory Line) and Nueces – comprising nearly all of the Line’s steamers during his career as a master. (One he didn’t command was the Medina of 1914, still in existence as the Doulos Pho and presently being turned into a land-berthed hotel in Bintan, Indonesia.) When examining Captain Young’s log book we find an interesting voyage, his 13th as a master, from April until July 1898. Specified by Captain Young as “Red Cross voyage #1", his ship, the State of Texas, had been chartered by the Central Cuban Relief Committee for use by the American National Red Cross to carry food, clothing, medicines and hospital supplies to Cuba. At this time, on the verge of war between the United States and Spain, the harsh Spanish policy of reconcentration, i.e. Cubans forced to leave their country homes to move to seaside towns under control of the Spanish army, caused severe starvation and thousands died. Demands from the American people and the Congress led to plans for relief, which resulted in the creation of the Central Cuban Relief Committee, based in New York. The Committee, whose chairman was a representative of the American National Red Cross, acted under the supervision of the Secretary of State, and was in charge of funds and supplies donated by the American people. The State of Texas departed New York in late April and was ordered to sail to Key West to await further orders, as in the meantime war had been declared. At Key West, Miss Clara Barton, President of the American National Red Cross, went aboard and took charge of the relief expedition. She described the ship as a “snug little ship…well built, but by no means new, nor handsome”, with a “dull black hull…still she was firm, sound”. (The State of Texas was 25 years old.) She tried to convince Admiral Sampson, who commanded the U.S. Naval Force in the North Atlantic, to let the State of Texas be exempted from the U.S. blockade of Cuba to be able to carry out her mission. This was denied since the Admiral feared that the food supplies might end up with the Spanish forces. Soon after the war had started, the U.S. Navy captured many small fishing ships, schooners and steamers off the Cuban coast and brought them as war prizes to Key West. The U.S. authorities could not feed the crews and Miss Barton was asked if the Red Cross could assist. Thus, provisions were unloaded from the State of Texas for this purpose, but “being intended for the reconcentrados in Cuba, her cargo was drawn upon to the smallest possible extent”. Finally, the State of Texas weighed anchor on June 20 and steamed towards Cuba. She first arrived at Santiago, but was advised to proceed to Guantanamo and soon to Siboney to deliver medical supplies to fighting troops. Miss Barton recounted the rough conditions at Siboney: “The sea grew wild and rough; the water was too deep for firm anchorage, and we rocked at such a fearful rate that in pity for the pale faces about me, I begged the captain to draw as near the shore as possible and let, at least, a portion of them onto the land. Let them have, if only a few minutes, the solid ground under their feet. He drew up to within two or three hundred feet of the cliff which runs around like a firm sea wall, and succeeded in anchoring; took a boat and tried to land some of our people, but there were no wharves; the poor little seven by nine bench, designated as a wharf, running out into the sea, against which the boats swung and crashed as they tried to land supplies, was all there was, except the narrow beach with a heavy surf. Our people declined the landing, and headsick, heartsick and seasick returned to the ship.” Eventually, some food were unloaded for Cuban refugees at Guantanamo and Siboney, and the Red Cross doctors and nurses, who were also onboard, were kept busy in both U.S. and Cuban hospitals. The requests for medical assistance caused Miss Barton to make the following remark as a reply to one such request: “Although not here as a hospital ship by any means, nor legitimately fitted for the work, still we have some hospital supplies, a few intelligent workers, skill, intrepidity, experience, the willingness to serve, the readiness to obey, and I believe, the true spirit of the Red Cross, that seeks to help humanity wherever its needs exist.” A Doctor Egan later reported: “The impression that the “State of Texas,” with the insignia of the Red Cross on either bow and on the smokestacks, was a hospital ship had become general among the troops, though she was really loaded with medicines, clothing and general supplies for the reconcentrados of Cuba. As this impression prevailed, and the Red Cross was desirous of assisting our own men whenever necessary and adding in every possible way to their comfort, the spacious smoking room on board the ship was fitted up as an operating room, and the purser’s room converted into a dispensary. No hospital staff in any of our great institutions could have been more proud than this little band of workers with their emergency hospital equipment, and its outfit of instruments and appliances – unsurpassed by the equipment of many a first-class hospital”. At one point, the State of Texas made a quick trip to Kingston, Jamaica, to fill up its supply of ice, and also coffe and fruit. After the Spanish troops had capitulated at Santiago in mid-July, the State of Texas entered the harbour to finally unload all its supplies. Doctor Egan recalled: “Those on board will never forget the experience of that afternoon as the good ship steamed in…past the sunken ships of the once proud navy of Spain, on to relieve the hungry and despairing people who crowded to the wharves to look at the ship with the insignia of good will flying from her masthead”. After four days the discharge was completed and Captain Young, who, according to Doctor Egan, had become “a Red Cross man at heart” could head back towards New York, leaving Miss Barton and her Red Cross staff behind. A long and very eventful voyage for Captain Young came to an end on July 29, but no doubt also a very rewarding one! Just over a month later, Captain Young was again heading for Key West and Cuba on yet another Red Cross voyage, now as master of the City of San Antonio. She was loaded with “assorted cargo” and medical supplies which were landed at Matanzas. Captain Young married Miss Marie Poey of New York in February 1900. The marriage was no doubt the result of a very determined man having fallen in love during a voyage of the San Marcos between New York and Galveston on which Miss Poey was a passenger – and Captain Young the master. The romantic details of how they met and married is related in an article in The Inter Ocean titled “Gossip of New York”. Apparently, Captain Young found the time to woo Miss Poey when his ship sailed in calm waters on the Gulf of Mexico before reaching Galveston. After just a day in port, the San Marcos turned back towards New York, again with Miss Poey onboard. As the article laconicly states: “The charms of Galveston and other points in the South seemed to be outweighed by other considerations”. When the ship arrived back in New York on a Sunday, the parents of the bride-to-be were greeted with the surprising news that their daughter was to marry Captain Young two days later. Already on Sunday evening the efficient captain rented an apartment in Lexington Avenue (see voyage #34 in the log book), and managed to have it fully furnished two hours before the marriage ceremony on the Tuesday evening. The next day he had to go on another trip to Galveston, though without his bride. Wives of the company officers were not allowed to accompany them. Let’s hope they enjoyed a honeymoon at a later date! After many more voyages as a Mallory Line master, Captain Young was taken ill in April 1918 when captain of the Nueces. The exact circumstances are not known, more than that he died at sea.
Below are some memorabilia and a few photos of ships commanded by Captain Young.
* Sources:
Barton, Clara. The Red Cross in Peace and War, American Historical Press, 1906 (originally published as History of the Red Cross, American National Red Cross, 1898).
Matthews, Frederick C. American Merchant Ships 1850-1900 – Series 1. New York: Dover Publications, 2012. TheShipsList (Clyde and Mallory Line fleet lists) All other information (including the clipping from The Inter Ocean) and images (unless otherwise stated) courtesy of Linda Rodgers. Captain Young was her great-grandfather.
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This page last updated June 23, 2019.
