Voyage: 1847
Ship: Belize
Abby D. Chandler was born in Vermont and was the daughter of John Chandler and Sally Doten. She was the first wife of Capt. James H. Dawes, marrying him in 1847. They built a house at 245 Elm Street, Duxbury, MA. The Dawes had three children: John, Flora, and Savie. Abby Dawes died in 1855, at age 26, of consumption.
In 1847, Abby was aboard the Kingston-built brig Belize, captained by her husband, when they came upon and rescued the passengers aboard the disabled 1,000-ton Mameluke. Capt. Dawes and Abby gave up their berths to the women that had been onboard.
A note by an unknown author in the Dawes Family Collection at the Drew Archives says, “James Dawes brother of Josephus had two wives that went to sea…”
Sources:
Snow, Edward Rowe. Women of the Sea
Dawes Family Collection, DAL.MSS.004, Drew Archival Library
