Jacob S. Ellis
{{short description|Early American shipbuilder}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jacob S Ellis
| image = Jacob S. Ellis.jpg
| caption = Jacob S. Ellis
| birth_date = {{birth date|1820|10|25}}
| birth_place = Rossville, Staten Island, New York City, US
| death_date = {{death date and age|1902|08|28|1820|10|25}}
| death_place = Tottenville, Staten Island, US
| occupation = Shipbuilder
| spouse = Sarah R. Hazen
| children = 3
}}
Jacob Samson Ellis (October 25, 1820{{spnd}}July 8, 1902), was a 19th-century shipbuilder in Tottenville, Staten Island. He had a shipyard business for over thirty years designing vessels. Ellis died in Tottenville in 1902. His son, Hampton C. Ellis, continued with the shipyard constructing boats through the 1920s.
Career
He learned the shipbuilding trade of at Webb's shipyard in New York. In 1850, he moved to Belleville, New Jersey where he built freight schooners until 1861 when he returned to Staten Island and purchased the shipyard that became known as "J. S. Ellis & Son". He had a large successful business for over thirty years. His son, Hampton C. Ellis (1856-1928), went into partnership with his father when he was twenty-five years old and became a junior member of the firm.{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/prominentmenofst00newy/page/182/mode/2up?q=J.+S.+Elli |title=Prominent men of Staten Island|date=1893 |work= A.Y. Hubbell|place=New York |page=182|access-date=2021-05-25}}
It was called the Jacob S. Ellis & Son or just "J. S. Ellis" shipyard. At this shipyard, he built most of his vessels including ships, steamships, brigs and pilot boats (see list below). By 1912, the shipyard employed 18 men.{{cite web|url=http://richmond.nygenweb.net/1912/large/SIIndustrialDirectory1912p8.jpg |title=NYRichmo Books Online First Annual Industrial Directory, Register of Factories, 1912 |website= richmond.nygenweb.net|place=New York State|date= 1912 |access-date=2021-05-25}} The shipyard had a reputation for the designing fine vessels.
=William H. Starbuck=
File:Pilot lore; from sail to steam (1922) (14759219626).jpg.]]
The pilot boat William H. Starbuck was launched from the J. S. Ellis & Son shipyard on May 30, 1886. About a thousand people witnessed the launching, including William H. Starbuck, Captain Josiah Johnson of the Edmund Blunt, No. 2, James Hawkins of pilot-boat No. 4, as well as others. She was named after William H. Starbuck, a railroad financier, who paid for the cabin and presented the colours, including the signal flags. The Starbuck was modelled after Hempton Ellis and her lines were drawn by Howard I. Chapelle.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78301770/starbuck/|title=She Looks Like A Racer. Launching Of The New Pilot Boat William H. Starbuck |work=The New York Times |place=New York, New York|date=1886-05-30|access-date=2020-09-08}}{{cite book |last= Cunliffe|first= Tom|date= 2001|title= Pilots, The World Of Pilotage Under Sail and Oar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VNsGi3nmuaQC&q=book+Pilots,+the+world+of+pilotage
|location= Brooklin, Maine|publisher= WoodenBoat|page= 73|isbn=9780937822692}}
=Joseph F. Loubat=
File:Pilot schooner Joseph F. Loubat.jpg off Amagansett, New York.]]
The Sandy Hook pilot boat Joseph F. Loubat (1880) was built and launched from the Jacob S. Ellis's shipyard. The Staten Island Railway brought a large number of pilots and their families to Tottenville to participate in the launch. Ellis supervised the launch. She was built at an expense of $13,000, for co-ownership with Electus Comfort, W. J. Barry, James McCarthy, and Maurice J. Mariga. Her length was 88 feet, breadth of beam 21 feet, depth of hold is 9 feet and 150 tones.{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/yachtsmansscrapb00loubrich/page/268/mode/2up|title=A yachtsman's scrap book: or, The ups and downs of yacht racing|date=1887|last=Loubat|first=Joseph Florimond |place=New York|publisher=Brentano Brothers|page=268}}
The schooner Harry Knowlton was built in 1890 by the Jacob Ellis & Son shipyard. She hit the steamboat Larchmont on February 11, 1907 near Providence, Rhode Island. After being blown ashore, the crew of the Knowlton abandoned the wrecked boat.{{cite news|url=https://catalogs.marinersmuseum.org/object/VS37344|title= Harry Knowlton (Schooner 1890-1907). |work= catalogs.marinersmuseum.org |place= Baltimore, Maryland |date= 1890 |page=|access-date=2021-05-24}}
Death
After Jacob's death, his son, Hampton C. Ellis, continued with the shipyard constructing boats through the 1920s.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/632081609/?terms=%22Hampton%20C.%20Ellis%22 |title=At Ellis Yard|access-date=May 25, 2021}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{commons category}}
{{List of Shipbuilders and Designers}}
{{List of Northeastern U. S. Pilot Boats|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, Jacob S.}}
Category:American shipbuilders