Joseph William Colby, (October 30, 1854 – 16 Jul 1916 was a 19th-century Boston Maritime pilot. He was a well-known for his skills as a pilot and for his deeds of bravery. He guided steamships into the Boston Harborfor 36 years. He was captain of the celebrated pilot boat Sylph, for 23 years.

 

Early life

 

Captain Joseph W. Colby or "Joe" Colby was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on October 31, 1854. His father, grandfather and great grandfather were pilots on the Merrimack River.[1] His father was Benjamin Edward Colby and his mother was Eleanor F. Williams. He was married to Mary Laura Colby and had six children.

 

Career

 

Stebbins-Pilot boat Sylph. 

Joseph W. Colby guided steamships into the Port of Boston for 36 years. In 1867, at age thirteen, Colby went to sea. In 1873, he became chief officer on the ship John N. Cushing. He joined the Boston Pilots' Association in 1876 and received his commission to pilot vessels in Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay in 1880. He also had a license to operate steam vessels.[1][2]

Captain Joseph W. Colby was captain the principal owner of the 66-ton pilot boat Sylph, No. 8., when she was launched in 1878.[3][4] He was with her as a boatkeeper or pilot for 23 years.[4] On May 23, 1896, Captain J. W. Colby was on the pilot boat Sylph, that towed the fishing sloop Main Girl, into Provincetown Harbor. the sloop was ten miles east of Highland Light, her rigging had fallen to pieces and she was without a sail.[5] On October 29, 1886, Colby assisted in rescuing the crew that were on the Cunard Line steamship Pavonia, when it was wrecked. He received a medal for an act of heroism.[1]

On May 28, 1897, Colby and Franklin B. Wellock brought in the battleship Massachusetts and cruiser New York. Colby was in charge of bring up the New York and Wellock was in charge of the Massachusetts.[6]

In November 1899, Captain Colby of the pilot-boat Sylph, placed her out of commision and moved her to East Boston because during this time many transatlantic liners were being used as supply ships during the South African wars.[7]

Colby was a member of the Boston Pilots' Relief Society and was its treasurer from 1902 to his death. He was also a member of the Bost Pilots' Association, the Volunteer Harbor No. 4; American Association of Master Mates and Pilots; and St. John's Lodge, A. F. & A. M, of Newburyport. He was also a trustee of the M. E. Bethel Church of East Boston.[1][8][9]

 

Death

 

Colby died, at age 62, on 13 July 1916 in Boston, Massachusetts. His funeral was at the family residence an interment at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Newburyport, Massachusetts.[1]

 

See also

 

 

References

 

 

 

  1.  "Captain J. W. Colby Dead". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 16 Jul 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  2.  "Boston Pilots. Men Who Are Familiar With the Harbor". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 22 Sep 1889. p. 24. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  3.  "Water Front Items". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 3 Jun 1901. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  4.  "Boston's Pilot System". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 29 Apr 1900. p. 32. Retrieved 2021-02-14. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Pilot Names" defined multiple times with different content
  5.  "Fishing Sloop Picked Up". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 20 May 1896. p. 8. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  6.  "Roar Of Guns. Greet the New York and Massachusetts". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 28 May 1897. p. 7. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  7.  "Pilot Boats Affected by Withdrawal of Vessels for Transports". Boston, Massachusetts. 13 Nov 1899. p. 10. Retrieved 2020-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  8.  "Annual Report, Volume 34". Massachusetts. State Board of Charity. 1913. p. 40. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  9.  "Handbook of the Port of Boston, 1913". Pub. under the auspices of the Committee on foreign trade of the Boston Chamber of commerce. 1913. p. 195. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
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