Abram Kean (July 8, 1855 – May 18, 1945) was a controversial sealing captain and politician from Flowers Island, Newfoundland. He was famous for his success in sealing, with capturing over a million pelts, and infamous for his role in sending 78 men to their deaths in the 1914 Newfoundland Sealing Disaster.
Abram Kean was born on July 8, 1855, in the small community of Flower's Island in Newfoundland. In 1871 at the age of 17, Kean met his wife Caroline Yetman who his father had hired as a housekeeper shortly after the death of his wife. Abram and Caroline were married on October 19, 1872, in Greenspond. Eleven months after their marriage, their first son, Joseph, was born. The couple had six sons and two daughters.
On March 1, 1872, Kean participated for the first time in the sealing season and set off as a member of a crew of 70 men. He sailed for three years as a common man before his promotion to master of watch and then later to 2nd-in-command on his brother Edgar's vessel. In 1882, Kean was accepted by Baine Johnson, a Scottish merchant living in St. John's for the captaincy of a brigantine named Hannie & Bennie. He commanded this ship during the 1883 and 1884 sealing seasons.
Role in 1914 Sealing Disaster
On March 31, 1914, a group of sealing vessels left St John's including the SS Stephano, captained by Abram Kean and the SS Newfoundland, captained by his son, Westbury Kean.
At 7 am on March 31, Abram Kean signaled that seals had been spotted. Accordingly, Westbury Kean's crew was sent 7 miles to the Stephano to meet with Abram Kean, expecting to stay the night aboard Stephano. On the Stephano the crew was fed and then ordered back onto the ice, sent two miles back in the direction from which they had come to the seal patch, despite signs of worsening weather.
Upon dropping off the crew from the Stefano, Abram Kean headed away to retrieve his own crew. By 1:30pm, a blizzard had begun and was in full effect. Abram Kean spent the day retrieving his own men and their equipment, while heading back toward the SS Newfoundland, which had only sounded its emergency whistle twice that night, because its captain, Westbury Kean was sure his crew was safe on the Stephano.
Abram Kean had left the Newfoundland's crew with the belief that they would get their kill for the day and return to their own ship with ease, as he had been under the impression from his lookout that the Newfoundland was closer than it actually was. Meanwhile, Westbury Kean was under the impression that his crew was safe on his father's ship, the Stephano. By the third day it was evident that the two captains had been wrong, and 78 of 132 men had either drowned or died from overexposure.
The Majority Report of the Commission of Enquiry partially agreed that the fault lay with Abram Kean, though the Minority Report persuaded the Commission that the fault was not with Kean's and the disaster was inevitable.
Judge Johnson ruled that the situation was an act of God, and therefore inevitable. Abram Kean was found not guilty. Abram Kean was not convicted of any felonies or held responsible in any way, legally, for the deaths of the 78 men on March 31, 1914.
A second disaster occurred during the same storm in which the SS Southern Cross sank with all hands. The total loss from all three sealing ships totaled over 250 lives and the collective tragedy became known as the "1914 Newfoundland Sealing Disaster".
Nearly three thousand people demanded that Kean should be arrested and serve jail time because of the fatal error he made during the sealing disaster.
Kean remained involved in the seal fishery and captained several ships. He received the Order of the British Empire and a medal from Bowring Brothers. During the summer of 1934, he was appointed as a fisheries officer on the Labrador Coast. In subsequent years, Kean participated in only two additional sealing seasons, the final at the age of 80. Kean participated in 48 sealing seasons, with 36 years as a captain. His crews captured a combined total of 1,052,737 seals.
Thanks to Wikipedia for the info above, which I have heavily edited for space only.
Second daughter was Mabel Bertha Murray Kean (1 Sept 1891 - 17 Feb 1943). She married Hiram Cranswich Mitchell (1885 1963) from Halifax. They died in New York and are believed to be buried in George Washington Cemetery in Paramus, New Jersey.
Abram Kean was born on July 8, 1855, in the small community of Flower's Island in Newfoundland. In 1871 at the age of 17, Kean met his wife Caroline Yetman who his father had hired as a housekeeper shortly after the death of his wife. Abram and Caroline were married on October 19, 1872, in Greenspond. Eleven months after their marriage, their first son, Joseph, was born. The couple had six sons and two daughters.
On March 1, 1872, Kean participated for the first time in the sealing season and set off as a member of a crew of 70 men. He sailed for three years as a common man before his promotion to master of watch and then later to 2nd-in-command on his brother Edgar's vessel. In 1882, Kean was accepted by Baine Johnson, a Scottish merchant living in St. John's for the captaincy of a brigantine named Hannie & Bennie. He commanded this ship during the 1883 and 1884 sealing seasons.
Role in 1914 Sealing Disaster
On March 31, 1914, a group of sealing vessels left St John's including the SS Stephano, captained by Abram Kean and the SS Newfoundland, captained by his son, Westbury Kean.
At 7 am on March 31, Abram Kean signaled that seals had been spotted. Accordingly, Westbury Kean's crew was sent 7 miles to the Stephano to meet with Abram Kean, expecting to stay the night aboard Stephano. On the Stephano the crew was fed and then ordered back onto the ice, sent two miles back in the direction from which they had come to the seal patch, despite signs of worsening weather.
Upon dropping off the crew from the Stefano, Abram Kean headed away to retrieve his own crew. By 1:30pm, a blizzard had begun and was in full effect. Abram Kean spent the day retrieving his own men and their equipment, while heading back toward the SS Newfoundland, which had only sounded its emergency whistle twice that night, because its captain, Westbury Kean was sure his crew was safe on the Stephano.
Abram Kean had left the Newfoundland's crew with the belief that they would get their kill for the day and return to their own ship with ease, as he had been under the impression from his lookout that the Newfoundland was closer than it actually was. Meanwhile, Westbury Kean was under the impression that his crew was safe on his father's ship, the Stephano. By the third day it was evident that the two captains had been wrong, and 78 of 132 men had either drowned or died from overexposure.
The Majority Report of the Commission of Enquiry partially agreed that the fault lay with Abram Kean, though the Minority Report persuaded the Commission that the fault was not with Kean's and the disaster was inevitable.
Judge Johnson ruled that the situation was an act of God, and therefore inevitable. Abram Kean was found not guilty. Abram Kean was not convicted of any felonies or held responsible in any way, legally, for the deaths of the 78 men on March 31, 1914.
A second disaster occurred during the same storm in which the SS Southern Cross sank with all hands. The total loss from all three sealing ships totaled over 250 lives and the collective tragedy became known as the "1914 Newfoundland Sealing Disaster".
Nearly three thousand people demanded that Kean should be arrested and serve jail time because of the fatal error he made during the sealing disaster.
Kean remained involved in the seal fishery and captained several ships. He received the Order of the British Empire and a medal from Bowring Brothers. During the summer of 1934, he was appointed as a fisheries officer on the Labrador Coast. In subsequent years, Kean participated in only two additional sealing seasons, the final at the age of 80. Kean participated in 48 sealing seasons, with 36 years as a captain. His crews captured a combined total of 1,052,737 seals.
Thanks to Wikipedia for the info above, which I have heavily edited for space only.
Second daughter was Mabel Bertha Murray Kean (1 Sept 1891 - 17 Feb 1943). She married Hiram Cranswich Mitchell (1885 1963) from Halifax. They died in New York and are believed to be buried in George Washington Cemetery in Paramus, New Jersey.
Abram Kean (July 8, 1855 – May 18, 1945) was a controversial sealing captain and politician from Flowers Island, Newfoundland. He was famous for his success in sealing, with capturing over a million pelts, and infamous for his role in sending 78 men to their deaths in the 1914 Newfoundland Sealing Disaster.
Abram Kean was born on July 8, 1855, in the small community of Flower's Island in Newfoundland. In 1871 at the age of 17, Kean met his wife Caroline Yetman who his father had hired as a housekeeper shortly after the death of his wife. Abram and Caroline were married on October 19, 1872, in Greenspond. Eleven months after their marriage, their first son, Joseph, was born. The couple had six sons and two daughters.
On March 1, 1872, Kean participated for the first time in the sealing season and set off as a member of a crew of 70 men. He sailed for three years as a common man before his promotion to master of watch and then later to 2nd-in-command on his brother Edgar's vessel. In 1882, Kean was accepted by Baine Johnson, a Scottish merchant living in St. John's for the captaincy of a brigantine named Hannie & Bennie. He commanded this ship during the 1883 and 1884 sealing seasons.
Role in 1914 Sealing Disaster
On March 31, 1914, a group of sealing vessels left St John's including the SS Stephano, captained by Abram Kean and the SS Newfoundland, captained by his son, Westbury Kean.
At 7 am on March 31, Abram Kean signaled that seals had been spotted. Accordingly, Westbury Kean's crew was sent 7 miles to the Stephano to meet with Abram Kean, expecting to stay the night aboard Stephano. On the Stephano the crew was fed and then ordered back onto the ice, sent two miles back in the direction from which they had come to the seal patch, despite signs of worsening weather.
Upon dropping off the crew from the Stefano, Abram Kean headed away to retrieve his own crew. By 1:30pm, a blizzard had begun and was in full effect. Abram Kean spent the day retrieving his own men and their equipment, while heading back toward the SS Newfoundland, which had only sounded its emergency whistle twice that night, because its captain, Westbury Kean was sure his crew was safe on the Stephano.
Abram Kean had left the Newfoundland's crew with the belief that they would get their kill for the day and return to their own ship with ease, as he had been under the impression from his lookout that the Newfoundland was closer than it actually was. Meanwhile, Westbury Kean was under the impression that his crew was safe on his father's ship, the Stephano. By the third day it was evident that the two captains had been wrong, and 78 of 132 men had either drowned or died from overexposure.
The Majority Report of the Commission of Enquiry partially agreed that the fault lay with Abram Kean, though the Minority Report persuaded the Commission that the fault was not with Kean's and the disaster was inevitable.
Judge Johnson ruled that the situation was an act of God, and therefore inevitable. Abram Kean was found not guilty. Abram Kean was not convicted of any felonies or held responsible in any way, legally, for the deaths of the 78 men on March 31, 1914.
A second disaster occurred during the same storm in which the SS Southern Cross sank with all hands. The total loss from all three sealing ships totaled over 250 lives and the collective tragedy became known as the "1914 Newfoundland Sealing Disaster".
Nearly three thousand people demanded that Kean should be arrested and serve jail time because of the fatal error he made during the sealing disaster.
Kean remained involved in the seal fishery and captained several ships. He received the Order of the British Empire and a medal from Bowring Brothers. During the summer of 1934, he was appointed as a fisheries officer on the Labrador Coast. In subsequent years, Kean participated in only two additional sealing seasons, the final at the age of 80. Kean participated in 48 sealing seasons, with 36 years as a captain. His crews captured a combined total of 1,052,737 seals.
Thanks to Wikipedia for the info above, which I have heavily edited for space only.
Second daughter was Mabel Bertha Murray Kean (1 Sept 1891 - 17 Feb 1943). She married Hiram Cranswich Mitchell (1885 1963) from Halifax. They died in New York and are believed to be buried in George Washington Cemetery in Paramus, New Jersey.
Abram Kean was born on July 8, 1855, in the small community of Flower's Island in Newfoundland. In 1871 at the age of 17, Kean met his wife Caroline Yetman who his father had hired as a housekeeper shortly after the death of his wife. Abram and Caroline were married on October 19, 1872, in Greenspond. Eleven months after their marriage, their first son, Joseph, was born. The couple had six sons and two daughters.
On March 1, 1872, Kean participated for the first time in the sealing season and set off as a member of a crew of 70 men. He sailed for three years as a common man before his promotion to master of watch and then later to 2nd-in-command on his brother Edgar's vessel. In 1882, Kean was accepted by Baine Johnson, a Scottish merchant living in St. John's for the captaincy of a brigantine named Hannie & Bennie. He commanded this ship during the 1883 and 1884 sealing seasons.
Role in 1914 Sealing Disaster
On March 31, 1914, a group of sealing vessels left St John's including the SS Stephano, captained by Abram Kean and the SS Newfoundland, captained by his son, Westbury Kean.
At 7 am on March 31, Abram Kean signaled that seals had been spotted. Accordingly, Westbury Kean's crew was sent 7 miles to the Stephano to meet with Abram Kean, expecting to stay the night aboard Stephano. On the Stephano the crew was fed and then ordered back onto the ice, sent two miles back in the direction from which they had come to the seal patch, despite signs of worsening weather.
Upon dropping off the crew from the Stefano, Abram Kean headed away to retrieve his own crew. By 1:30pm, a blizzard had begun and was in full effect. Abram Kean spent the day retrieving his own men and their equipment, while heading back toward the SS Newfoundland, which had only sounded its emergency whistle twice that night, because its captain, Westbury Kean was sure his crew was safe on the Stephano.
Abram Kean had left the Newfoundland's crew with the belief that they would get their kill for the day and return to their own ship with ease, as he had been under the impression from his lookout that the Newfoundland was closer than it actually was. Meanwhile, Westbury Kean was under the impression that his crew was safe on his father's ship, the Stephano. By the third day it was evident that the two captains had been wrong, and 78 of 132 men had either drowned or died from overexposure.
The Majority Report of the Commission of Enquiry partially agreed that the fault lay with Abram Kean, though the Minority Report persuaded the Commission that the fault was not with Kean's and the disaster was inevitable.
Judge Johnson ruled that the situation was an act of God, and therefore inevitable. Abram Kean was found not guilty. Abram Kean was not convicted of any felonies or held responsible in any way, legally, for the deaths of the 78 men on March 31, 1914.
A second disaster occurred during the same storm in which the SS Southern Cross sank with all hands. The total loss from all three sealing ships totaled over 250 lives and the collective tragedy became known as the "1914 Newfoundland Sealing Disaster".
Nearly three thousand people demanded that Kean should be arrested and serve jail time because of the fatal error he made during the sealing disaster.
Kean remained involved in the seal fishery and captained several ships. He received the Order of the British Empire and a medal from Bowring Brothers. During the summer of 1934, he was appointed as a fisheries officer on the Labrador Coast. In subsequent years, Kean participated in only two additional sealing seasons, the final at the age of 80. Kean participated in 48 sealing seasons, with 36 years as a captain. His crews captured a combined total of 1,052,737 seals.
Thanks to Wikipedia for the info above, which I have heavily edited for space only.
Second daughter was Mabel Bertha Murray Kean (1 Sept 1891 - 17 Feb 1943). She married Hiram Cranswich Mitchell (1885 1963) from Halifax. They died in New York and are believed to be buried in George Washington Cemetery in Paramus, New Jersey.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
