Reuben Merrill
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Reuben Merrill | |
|---|---|
 The Captain Reuben Merrill House, 233 West Main Street, Yarmouth, Maine | |
| Born | December 2, 1818 Cumberland, Maine, U.S. |
| Died | June 16, 1875 (aged 56) Farallon Islands, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Sea captain |
| Spouse | Hannah Elizabeth Blanchard (1846–1875; his death) |
Reuben Merrill (December 2, 1818 – June 16, 1875)[1] was an American merchant sea captain. A native of Cumberland, Maine, he lived the latter part of his life in nearby Yarmouth. His house there, now known as the Captain Reuben Merrill House, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.[2][3][4]
Reuben Merrill was born on December 2, 1818, in Cumberland, Maine.[1]
Career
Merrill was a leading mid-19th-century sea captain. After going to sea in his youth, he gained experience enough to become a master mariner. He was captain of the merchant ships Cumberland, Yarmouth, Esther and Champlain.[1]
Champlain
Merrill's ship, Champlain, was built for W. H. Kinsman & Company in East Boston, Massachusetts, in 1874 by Campbell & Brooks. It registered 1,473 t (1,450 long tons; 1,624 short tons). Its builders "firmly believed that she would prove to be the fastest vessel that ever wore canvas". While at the dock, Merrill noticed three martingales and guessed, correctly, that the largest of them was bound for his vessel. Believing it was too small for Champlain, he requested a larger version. One was, indeed, made larger and heavier to suit Merrill.[5]