Captain Nehemiah P. Baker, one of the last of Falmouth's old sea captains, died at his residence in Teaticket early Wednesday morning, June 28, aged 87 years, 7 months and 18 days. He is survived by a widow, a son and two daughters.
Of the old captains who have spent nearly all their lives at sea in pursuit of whales no one was better known or more highly respected than Captain Nehemiah P. Baker of the little hamlet of Teaticket.
Captain Baker enjoyed the honor of being the oldest whaling captain on Cape Cod, if not in Massachusetts. He inherited a love for the sea and adventure from both his father and grandfather, and when a mere boy, being but 13 years of age, he started out in the world to make his mark.
Captain Baker's father was captain of coasting vessels for many years, and the son it was thought would follow that work, but from his grandfather, who was a successful whaling captain, the young boy had inherited a love for adventure in foreign waters.
At the age of 13 years Captain Baker shipped before the mast in the whaleship John Adams of New Bedford. Soon it became apparent to the officers of the ship that the young boy Baker was made of the right kind of stuff for a whaleman, and step by step he rose from before the mast until in the year 1850 he was promoted to the command of the whaleship General Pike of New Bedford. During the Civil war the General Pike was captured by the rebel privateer Shenandoah and the crew, with 300 other whalemen, were sent to San Francisco. Captain Baker was master of the ship William Gifford at that time, and was fortunate enough to escape capture.
While the rebel ships were scouring the seas for prize vessels Captain Baker put into a Brazilian port for fresh water and supplies, and while there he was informed that a rebel ship was off the coast lying in wait for the returning whalemen on their way from the Arctic to New Bedford ports and that if he (Captain Baker) wished to escape capture it would be well for him to take a French flag along with him and fly it from the masthead. "I never had any other flag but the Stars and Stripes flying from the masthead of this ship," said Captain Baker, "and it will continue to fly there as long as I have charge of this vessel."
Captain Baker set sail with the Stars and Stripes flying, and the following day he sighted a rebel ship bearing down on him. He knew that he was being pursued by a privateer, and crowding all sail on his vessel he succeeded in getting away, and when night came on he changed his course and headed out to sea. The next morning, after a night of intense anxiety, shared alike by captain and crew, the pirate ship could not be seen and, by keeping out of the track usually followed by the whaleships coming north from around Cape Horn, Captain Baker sailed his vessel triumphantly into port at New Bedford.
Captain Baker never lost a man by death or accident in all his years of service, and although he got caught in some of the most violent storms and hurricanes that swept the coast in his day, he brought his ships safely through them all.
His wife and family often accompanied him on his trips to the Arctic, and one of his children, the late Mrs. James A. Darling, was born in one of the ports of New Zealand.
Of the old captains who have spent nearly all their lives at sea in pursuit of whales no one was better known or more highly respected than Captain Nehemiah P. Baker of the little hamlet of Teaticket.
Captain Baker enjoyed the honor of being the oldest whaling captain on Cape Cod, if not in Massachusetts. He inherited a love for the sea and adventure from both his father and grandfather, and when a mere boy, being but 13 years of age, he started out in the world to make his mark.
Captain Baker's father was captain of coasting vessels for many years, and the son it was thought would follow that work, but from his grandfather, who was a successful whaling captain, the young boy had inherited a love for adventure in foreign waters.
At the age of 13 years Captain Baker shipped before the mast in the whaleship John Adams of New Bedford. Soon it became apparent to the officers of the ship that the young boy Baker was made of the right kind of stuff for a whaleman, and step by step he rose from before the mast until in the year 1850 he was promoted to the command of the whaleship General Pike of New Bedford. During the Civil war the General Pike was captured by the rebel privateer Shenandoah and the crew, with 300 other whalemen, were sent to San Francisco. Captain Baker was master of the ship William Gifford at that time, and was fortunate enough to escape capture.
While the rebel ships were scouring the seas for prize vessels Captain Baker put into a Brazilian port for fresh water and supplies, and while there he was informed that a rebel ship was off the coast lying in wait for the returning whalemen on their way from the Arctic to New Bedford ports and that if he (Captain Baker) wished to escape capture it would be well for him to take a French flag along with him and fly it from the masthead. "I never had any other flag but the Stars and Stripes flying from the masthead of this ship," said Captain Baker, "and it will continue to fly there as long as I have charge of this vessel."
Captain Baker set sail with the Stars and Stripes flying, and the following day he sighted a rebel ship bearing down on him. He knew that he was being pursued by a privateer, and crowding all sail on his vessel he succeeded in getting away, and when night came on he changed his course and headed out to sea. The next morning, after a night of intense anxiety, shared alike by captain and crew, the pirate ship could not be seen and, by keeping out of the track usually followed by the whaleships coming north from around Cape Horn, Captain Baker sailed his vessel triumphantly into port at New Bedford.
Captain Baker never lost a man by death or accident in all his years of service, and although he got caught in some of the most violent storms and hurricanes that swept the coast in his day, he brought his ships safely through them all.
His wife and family often accompanied him on his trips to the Arctic, and one of his children, the late Mrs. James A. Darling, was born in one of the ports of New Zealand.
Captain Nehemiah P. Baker, one of the last of Falmouth's old sea captains, died at his residence in Teaticket early Wednesday morning, June 28, aged 87 years, 7 months and 18 days. He is survived by a widow, a son and two daughters.
Of the old captains who have spent nearly all their lives at sea in pursuit of whales no one was better known or more highly respected than Captain Nehemiah P. Baker of the little hamlet of Teaticket.
Captain Baker enjoyed the honor of being the oldest whaling captain on Cape Cod, if not in Massachusetts. He inherited a love for the sea and adventure from both his father and grandfather, and when a mere boy, being but 13 years of age, he started out in the world to make his mark.
Captain Baker's father was captain of coasting vessels for many years, and the son it was thought would follow that work, but from his grandfather, who was a successful whaling captain, the young boy had inherited a love for adventure in foreign waters.
At the age of 13 years Captain Baker shipped before the mast in the whaleship John Adams of New Bedford. Soon it became apparent to the officers of the ship that the young boy Baker was made of the right kind of stuff for a whaleman, and step by step he rose from before the mast until in the year 1850 he was promoted to the command of the whaleship General Pike of New Bedford. During the Civil war the General Pike was captured by the rebel privateer Shenandoah and the crew, with 300 other whalemen, were sent to San Francisco. Captain Baker was master of the ship William Gifford at that time, and was fortunate enough to escape capture.
While the rebel ships were scouring the seas for prize vessels Captain Baker put into a Brazilian port for fresh water and supplies, and while there he was informed that a rebel ship was off the coast lying in wait for the returning whalemen on their way from the Arctic to New Bedford ports and that if he (Captain Baker) wished to escape capture it would be well for him to take a French flag along with him and fly it from the masthead. "I never had any other flag but the Stars and Stripes flying from the masthead of this ship," said Captain Baker, "and it will continue to fly there as long as I have charge of this vessel."
Captain Baker set sail with the Stars and Stripes flying, and the following day he sighted a rebel ship bearing down on him. He knew that he was being pursued by a privateer, and crowding all sail on his vessel he succeeded in getting away, and when night came on he changed his course and headed out to sea. The next morning, after a night of intense anxiety, shared alike by captain and crew, the pirate ship could not be seen and, by keeping out of the track usually followed by the whaleships coming north from around Cape Horn, Captain Baker sailed his vessel triumphantly into port at New Bedford.
Captain Baker never lost a man by death or accident in all his years of service, and although he got caught in some of the most violent storms and hurricanes that swept the coast in his day, he brought his ships safely through them all.
His wife and family often accompanied him on his trips to the Arctic, and one of his children, the late Mrs. James A. Darling, was born in one of the ports of New Zealand.
Of the old captains who have spent nearly all their lives at sea in pursuit of whales no one was better known or more highly respected than Captain Nehemiah P. Baker of the little hamlet of Teaticket.
Captain Baker enjoyed the honor of being the oldest whaling captain on Cape Cod, if not in Massachusetts. He inherited a love for the sea and adventure from both his father and grandfather, and when a mere boy, being but 13 years of age, he started out in the world to make his mark.
Captain Baker's father was captain of coasting vessels for many years, and the son it was thought would follow that work, but from his grandfather, who was a successful whaling captain, the young boy had inherited a love for adventure in foreign waters.
At the age of 13 years Captain Baker shipped before the mast in the whaleship John Adams of New Bedford. Soon it became apparent to the officers of the ship that the young boy Baker was made of the right kind of stuff for a whaleman, and step by step he rose from before the mast until in the year 1850 he was promoted to the command of the whaleship General Pike of New Bedford. During the Civil war the General Pike was captured by the rebel privateer Shenandoah and the crew, with 300 other whalemen, were sent to San Francisco. Captain Baker was master of the ship William Gifford at that time, and was fortunate enough to escape capture.
While the rebel ships were scouring the seas for prize vessels Captain Baker put into a Brazilian port for fresh water and supplies, and while there he was informed that a rebel ship was off the coast lying in wait for the returning whalemen on their way from the Arctic to New Bedford ports and that if he (Captain Baker) wished to escape capture it would be well for him to take a French flag along with him and fly it from the masthead. "I never had any other flag but the Stars and Stripes flying from the masthead of this ship," said Captain Baker, "and it will continue to fly there as long as I have charge of this vessel."
Captain Baker set sail with the Stars and Stripes flying, and the following day he sighted a rebel ship bearing down on him. He knew that he was being pursued by a privateer, and crowding all sail on his vessel he succeeded in getting away, and when night came on he changed his course and headed out to sea. The next morning, after a night of intense anxiety, shared alike by captain and crew, the pirate ship could not be seen and, by keeping out of the track usually followed by the whaleships coming north from around Cape Horn, Captain Baker sailed his vessel triumphantly into port at New Bedford.
Captain Baker never lost a man by death or accident in all his years of service, and although he got caught in some of the most violent storms and hurricanes that swept the coast in his day, he brought his ships safely through them all.
His wife and family often accompanied him on his trips to the Arctic, and one of his children, the late Mrs. James A. Darling, was born in one of the ports of New Zealand.
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