The No. 2 surfman is John E. Ellis. He was born in West Harwich in
1874, and entered the life-saving service when this station was manned
Oct. 1, 1902. Surfman Ellis followed the sea from the time that he
was a boy until he joined the life-saving service. He engaged in
steamboating for a few years, and later made a great number of trips on
barges from the middle Atlantic ports around Cape Cod. He spent several
years boating and fishing on the shoals off Monomoy, and is a skilled
boatman and a fearless life saver. He married Lilian M. Ashley.
The No. 3 surfman is Obed H. Shiverick. He was born in Dennis in 1867,
and entered the life-saving service when this station was manned.
Surfman Shiverick went to sea when a small boy, his first trip being
to the Grand Banks. He was a fisherman for a number of years, when he
joined the crew of the Cross Rip Lightship under Captain Jorgensen, and
for four years was a member of the Nantucket Shoals Lightship, also
under Captain Jorgensen, going with the veteran captain when he took
charge of that floating beacon. Surfman Shiverick has had a wide and
varied experience on the water. He is familiar with the rips and shoals
along the shores of Cape Cod, is a skilled boatman, and a brave and
efficient life saver. He married Sadie McQuarrie, and is the father of
two daughters.
The No. 4 surfman is Edwin L. Clark. He was born in Chatham in 1876,
and has been in the life-saving service since Oct. 1, 1902. Surfman
Clark followed the sea from a boy. For a number of years he engaged
in barge towing around Cape Cod, and later joined the crew of the
Shovelful Lightship, where he remained one year. At different periods
for two years he substituted at the Monomoy Station, under the late
Captain Eldredge. He is well accustomed to the hardships incident to a
surfman’s life, skilled in the art of handling boats, and is an able
life saver. He married Minnie B. West, and is the father of a daughter.
The No. 5 surfman is Reuben W. Eldredge. He was born in South Dennis in
1864, and entered the life-saving service when this station was manned.
Surfman Eldredge followed the sea from a boy. For ten successive years
he went cod-fishing to the Grand Banks. While fishing on the banks
one season he lost track of his vessel during a thick fog, and was
tossed about in an open dory for five days without food or water. He
was finally picked up in an unconscious condition by a French fishing
vessel, and put aboard his own vessel. He recovered in a short time,
and despite the terrible suffering through which he passed, continued
to go to the “banks” for several years. Later he became a coastwise
sailor, and was also a member of the crew of the steamer _City of
Macon_ for some time.
Surfman Eldredge, after giving up going to sea, became a fisherman and
wrecker along the shores of Monomoy. He also substituted at the Chatham
Station under the late Captain Eldredge. He is perfectly at home in a
boat under any and all conditions of wind or weather. The sea has no
terrors for him, and he is inured to the hardships and perils of a life
saver’s life. He married Alice D. Young, and is the father of a son.
The No. 6 surfman is Joseph Christie. He was born in Scotland, is
thirty-one years of age, and has been in the life-saving service since
this station was manned. Surfman Christie was a boatman and fisherman
for a number of years, and also served as substitute at the Cuttyhunk
Life-Saving Station. He served in the United States Navy in the war
with Spain. He married Lizzie Jackson. Surfman Christie is at present
on sick leave, on account of injuries received in the performance of
his duty.
The No. 7 surfman is John E. Ryder. He was born in Chatham in 1879, and
has been in the life-saving service two years. He is the winter man,
so called. During the summer season Surfman Ryder is stationed at the
City Point Station, South Boston. Before entering the service he was a
boatman and fisherman along the coast of Cape Cod, becoming familiar
with the handling of boats in the surf, and acquiring a knowledge of
the rips and shoals that abound there. He is an expert boatman and a
brave and hardy life saver.
Surfman Charles G. Hamilton, who is substituting for Surfman Christie,
joined the crew on Dec. 1, 1902. He was born in Chatham in 1859. He
has been a boatman, lobsterman, fisherman, and wrecker off Monomoy for
nearly twenty years. For the past fifteen years he has lived on Monomoy
Point, and has assisted at nearly all the wrecks that have occurred in
that vicinity during that time. He is a well-known wrecker, who knows
the location of every rip and shoal in the region about Monomoy.
He was also a grand banker, a coastwise sailor, and engaged in
steamboating around the Cape. He is thoroughly accustomed to the perils
of the sea, and is an expert boatman and a fearless life saver. He
married Etta Batchelder.