Description:

Franklin Roosevelt
Newport, RI, September 15, 1934
Franklin D. Roosevelt Appreciative for Photograph of Ship for Collection
TLS
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, Typed Letter Signed, to Elmer E. Crowley, September 15, 1934, Newport, RI. 1 p., 8" x 10.5". On "The White House" stationery; expected fold; bold signature.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt thanks Elmer E. Crowley for a photograph of the Thomas W. Lawson, the only seven-masted schooner ever built in the United States. The ship was built for his brother John G. Crowley and commanded on its maiden voyage by his brother Arthur Crowley. Elmer E. Crowley commanded the five-mast schooner T. Charlton Henry, also built for his brother John G. Crowley.

Between 1910 and 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt assembled a collection of approximately 6,000 prints and photographs that illustrated the history of the United States Navy from the Revolutionary War through World War II. He placed many of the images in albums under the subject headings, "Actions," "Officers," "Secretaries," "Ships," and "Miscellaneous." Roosevelt served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1913 to 1920 and had a lifelong interest in naval history.

Excerpt
"I am delighted to have the photograph of the ‘Thomas W. Lawson.' It is a delightful addition to my collection."

Elmer E. Crowley (1871-1944) was born in Somerset, Massachusetts, to parents who had been born in Newfoundland. He went to sea at age 15 aboard a four-masted schooner and became a master in 1899. He continued afloat until 1910, when he began to focus on the construction, repair, and operation of ships. In 1920, he lived in Manhattan and was the vice president of the family's Coastwise Transportation Company. At one point in his career, he served as president and general manager of the East Baltic Steamship Line. In March 1931, he was elected as president and trustee of the Merchant Fleet Corporation, a branch of the United States Shipping Board charged with the operation of ships built during World War I. According to his obituaries, he served as a captain of the Thomas W. Lawson for a time.

Thomas W. Lawson (1902-1907) was a seven-masted, steel-hulled schooner built for the Pacific trade. Designed by naval architect Bowdoin B. Crowninshield for Captain John G. Crowley of the Coastwise Transportation Company of Boston, the ship was named for copper baron Thomas W. Lawson of Boston. It was launched in July 1902 as the largest schooner and largest sailing vessel without an auxiliary engine ever built. The Thomas W. Lawson could not compete with more efficient steamships and in 1903, Lawson withdrew it from the coal trade and converted it to hauling oil along the East Coast of the United States. In 1906, the ship was retrofitted to carry oil from Texas to the eastern seaboard. In November 1907, the schooner made its first transatlantic journey, losing most of its sails in a storm and entering the English Channel on December 13. Anchoring near the island of Annet to ride out another impending storm, the captain refused requests to abandon the ship by rescue lifeboats from nearby St. Agnes. During the night, the storm broke the ship's anchor chains, and all but two of the crew were lost.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8" x 10.5"
  • Medium: TLS

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