GEORGE ATHEARN--Page 1

Captain George Athearn made his fortune in seal pelts, on one single voyage—and that’s really an understatement, since it took him years to get ready—and he was gone for four years. If his descendants possess perseverance and determination to succeed, they come by it honestly.

As a boy, he had worked on a whaling voyage that had rounded Cape Horn. He spied an island, rocky and rough. He saw such a huge number of seals on that island that he never forgot them. The potential value the herd of seals could provide was a staggering figure. He spent years trying to engage some business partners to assist him in his endeavor, but none wanted to go. The island was too far south, for one thing. The weather there was cold and unstable for most of the year.

George Athearn worked his way up to become a master mariner. He was reasonably successful, he married, he continued his seafaring career. But he never forgot about the seals. He finally managed to interest a group of ship owners to furnish him with a vessel and fittings and off he went.

Time passed back in Tisbury. Four years eventually passed, and there was no word from Captain Athearn. His wife was sought after by various suitors, as all had given the Captain up for dead, but she demurred. Finally one day a message from Captain Athearn was received, and the Captain himself appeared soon after. His cargo of seal hides had filled the ship; he and his partners had made a fortune. He came home to Tisbury to stay, never venturing to sea again.

The voyage had been difficult. The ship had remained untouched by disaster, but due to the weather conditions he could only actually land on the island once every six months. The crew would go ashore, seal hunting, living in tents; always wet, always cold. The hides had to be prepared and transported to the ship; the crewmen would take ill, or become exhausted, and would have to be taken back onboard to recover. All the transporting of hides and crewmen back and forth to the ship could only be done when the weather permitted.

Provisions began to run out. The crew resorted to eating seafowl and seal meat. Also, there were never any other ships in the area, so there was no way to send messages back to Martha’s Vineyard. But Captain Athearn and his crew persisted, and finally the cargo was safe in the hold and all sailed for home. George Athearn stayed home in Tisbury after that. He built a fine house and retired from the sea. [George Athearn--Page 2]