Joseph Napier (USCG)

{{Short description|United States Life-Saving Service station keeper}}

{{for|the Irish politician|Joseph Napier (baronet)}}

{{Infobox military person

| name = Joseph Napier

| image = Joseph Napier.png

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{circa|1826}}

| death_date = 1914 (aged 88)

| birth_place = Ashtabula, Ohio

| death_place = St. Joseph, Michigan

| placeofburial =

| placeofburial_label =

| placeofburial_coordinates =

| nickname =

| birth_name =

| allegiance =

| branch = United States Life-Saving Service

| serviceyears =

| rank =

| servicenumber =

| unit =

| commands =

| battles =

| battles_label =

| awards =

| relations =

| laterwork =

| signature =

}}

File:St Joseph has a Coast Guard station built on the site of this Lifesaving Service station from 1874.jpg

Joseph Napier, a station keeper for the United States Life-Saving Service founded the lifesaving station at St. Joseph, Michigan in 1876.

{{cite news

|url = http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/index.php/2010/11/coast-guard-heroes-joseph-napier/

|title = Coast Guard Heroes: Joseph Napier

|publisher = United States Coast Guard

|author = Connie Braesch

|date = 2010-11-08

|archivedate = 2012-09-03

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120903062911/http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/index.php/2010/11/coast-guard-heroes-joseph-napier/

|url-status = dead

|quote = As keeper of the Saint Joseph Life-Saving Station, Station 6, Joseph Napier demonstrated his heroism during multiple rescues as a career lifesaver on the Great Lakes. His gallantry was no more visible than on the day he risked his life and led his crew into gale-force winds to save six souls aboard a stranded vessel.

}}

{{cite news

|url = http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2010/10/coast-guard-heroes/

|title = Coast Guard Heroes

|publisher = United States Coast Guard

|date = 2010-10-27

|accessdate = 2012-04-20

|author = Stephanie Young

|archivedate = 2012-11-27

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121127001903/http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2010/10/coast-guard-heroes/

|url-status = dead

}}

{{cite news

| url = http://ohiosyesterdays.blogspot.ca/2012/04/u-s-coast-guard-cutter-will-bear-name.html

| title = U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Will Bear the Name of Great Lakes Sailor

| publisher = Ohio`s Yesterdays

| author =

| date = 2012-04-21

| page =

| accessdate = 2013-01-10

| quote = There, son Joseph Napier became the city’s harbormaster. In the tradition of his seafaring family, Napier built, owned, and captained Great Lakes vessels. In 1854, the citizens of Chicago presented Napier with a gold watch for leading the daring rescue of the crew of the “Merchant:” during one of the city’s most violent storms.

}}

He operated the station for many years and was credited with many dangerous and heroic rescues.

Napier was born in Ashtabula, Ohio, the son of a Great Lakes ship's captain. Prior to joining the Life-Saving Service, he was Chicago`s harbormaster, and a ship's captain himself.

While in Chicago, in 1854, Napier led the rescue of the crew of a wrecked schooner, and was awarded an inscribed gold watch.

{{cite news

| url = http://www.uscg.mil/history/awards/GoldLSM/10OCT1877.asp

| title = Joseph Napier: Awarded 1 May 1878

| publisher = USCG

| date = 2012-01-26

| accessdate = 2013-01-10

| archivedate = 2013-02-21

| archiveurl = https://archive.today/20130221020254/http://www.uscg.mil/history/awards/GoldLSM/10OCT1877.asp

| url-status = dead

| quote = Most notable instance was his rescue of the crew of the schooner Merchant during a tempest in 1854. For this feat he was presented with a gold watch suitably inscribed by citizens of Chicago.

}}

The duties of a station-keeper included recruiting and training a boat crew of local volunteers, and, when vessel was a risk, to lead the boat crew in rowing to stricken vessels to rescue their crews.

The station-keeper and his crew were expected to try to rescue mariners even if it meant rowing into gale-force winds, shattering waves, and dangerous currents.

The rescue boat would be kept on a wagon in a special boat house. During a rescue the crew would tow the wagon with the boat to the nearest relatively safe place to launch.

In one heroic rescue, on his crew's third transit to a stricken schooner, Napier was thrown overboard and seriously injured his leg.

He was nevertheless able to lead his crew to rescue the last two stricken seamen. Napier was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal for his heroism.

After retirement, Napier continued to live in St. Joseph on a street that bore his surname. It was named Napier Avenue in honor of his older brother Nelson Napier, who was captain of the PS Alpena when she sank on Lake Michigan with no survivors in October 1880.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9aOSEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA5 |title=Historic Shipwrecks and Rescues on Lake Michigan |first=Michael |last=Passwater |date=2022-10-03 |page=5 |publisher=The History Press |location=Charleston, South Carolina |isbn=978-146715196-2 |access-date=2024-11-23}} Joseph Napier died at his home in 1914 at the age of 88.{{cite news |url=https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/3723312/joseph-napier-heroic-surfman-gold-lifesaving-medal-recipient-and-frc-namesake/ |title=Joseph Napier — Heroic Surfman, Gold Lifesaving Medal recipient and FRC namesake |first1=Ryan T. |last1=White |first2=William H. |last2=Thiesen |date=2024-03-29 |magazine=MyCG |access-date=2024-11-23}}