Uncas
Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:56 pm


"The Uncas was a New Bedford whaleship which was built at Falmouth, Mass. in 1828 and operated out of that port until 1843. New Bedford was her port of registry from 1843 until 1862, when she was sold into the merchant service. "The name derives from that of a sachem of the Mohegan Indians who earned a claim for some reward by siding with the Colonists in their area during the King Philip War. The Le Breton picture of the (Incas depicts her, according to the artist, near the Cape of Good Hope.
Mr. Osgood Williams did some further checking at the Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass. He found the following in "Ship Registers of New Bedford" (Vol. 1, 1796-1850): Uncas: Ship, of New Bedford, registered August 4, 1843. Built at Falmouth in 1828. 412 86/95 tons. Length 112 ft. Bins., breadth 28 ft. 8 ins., depth 14 ft. 4 ins. Two decks, three masts, square stern, no galleries, a male bust head. Previously registered at Falmouth, June 27, 1843. Sold abroad in 1865. In Vol. 2 of the Registers (1850-65) the same details and tonnage are given. The vessel was re-registered on September 21, 1857.
On May 5, 1862 the Uncas was registered as: bark, of Wareham, master, William H. Beese. Owner, William H. Beese, of Wareham, Mass. Sold foreign in 1866. Up to the present time nothing has been found about the original owners at Falmouth during the period 1823-1843.
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