Victim of the shipwreck of the whaleship Essex. He was born on Nantucket Island, Massachussetts and belonged to one of the great whaling families of the island. His ancestor, Tristram Coffin Sr., was one of the original founders of the island. He was the son of Hezekiah Coffin Jr. and and Nancy Bunker. When he was 17 years of age, his mother allowed him to go on his first routine whaling voyage on the whaleship Essex. She entrusted his care and safety to the Captain of the ship - George Pollard Sr., who was her nephew and Owen's cousin.
Three of Owen Coffin's shipmates were friends of his, ranging in age from 15 to 18 years of age: Thomas Nickerson, Barzillai Ray, and Charles Ramsdell. At 15 years of age, Nickerson was the youngest of the boys. Nickerson and Barzillai Ray were orphans and by this time, Owen and Charles Ramsdell had each lost their father. When whaleboats were assigned to the crew, all of the boys were assigned to Captain Pollard's whaleboat except for Nickerson, who was assigned to first mate Owen Chase's boat.
The ship embarked on its two-and-a-half-year voyage to the whaling grounds of the South Pacific in August, 1819.
On November 20, 1820 a pod of whales was sighted. While the men were pursuing some of the whales, a sperm whale that was much larger than normal - and reportedly angry and out for vengeance - rammed the ship twice and sank it. The ship was rammed in the bow, which caused it to fill with water in about 10 minutes. The men scrambled into the whaleboats with whatever provisions and water they could carry. All hands, a total of 20 crew, left the ship on November 22 in their assigned whaleboats.
After provisions ran out, the remaining crew were forced to consume the bodies of the first crewmen to die from exposure, starvation, and disease. By February 6, Captain Pollard, Owen Coffin and his friends Barzillai Ray and Charles Ramsdell were the only survivors left in Pollard's whaleboat. They had been without food for days. Sixteen-year old Charles Ramsdell then said the unspeakable - they should cast lots to see who would be killed so that the rest could live. The drawing of lots in a survival situation was an accepted custom of the sea.
According to survivor Thomas Nickerson, Captain Pollard refused to listen to the proposal at first. "No, but if I die first you are welcome to subsist on my remains." Then Owen Coffin joined his friend Ramsdell in requesting that they cast lots. Pollard knew they were all close to death and that all of the young men were in favor of casting lots. Ultimately, he gave in to the majority and agreed with the proposal. After the men cut up a scrap of paper and placed the pieces in a hat, the lot was drawn and it fell to Owen Coffin.
Pollard cried out to Coffin, telling him that if he didn't like his lot, he'd shoot the first man who touched him, and offered to take the lot himself. But Coffin had already resigned himself to his fate. "I like it as well as any other," he said softly. Lots were drawn again to see who would shoot the boy. The lot fell to his friend, Charles Ramsdell. Even though he had been the first to propose casting lots, Ramsdell now refused to follow through. According to survivor Thomas Nickerson, for a long time, Ramsdell declared that he could never do it, but finally had to submit.
Before he died, Coffin spoke a brief message to Pollard to give to his mother, which Pollard promised to deliver if he made it back to Nantucket. Coffin then asked for a few moments of silence. He reassured the others that the lots had been fairly drawn. He laid his head down on the boat's gunwhale and sacrificed his life so that the others might have a chance to live. Only five days after the execution, his friend Barzillai Ray died. But on February 23, Pollard and Ramsdell, the only two survivors in Pollard's whaleboat, were sighted by the crew of the Dauphin and were rescued.
Several books about the disaster have been published and reprinted, including In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick (2000), The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex by Owen Chase, Iola Haverstick, and Betty Shepard (1965), The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sunk by a Whale by Owen Chase and Thomas Nickerson, (2000), and The Whaleship Essex: The True Story of Moby Dick by Jil Fine (2003).
∼Owen was a teenaged sailor aboard the Nantucket whaleship Essex on a sperm whale-hunting expedition in August 1819, under the command of his cousin, George Pollard, Jr. In November, 1820, a whale rammed and breached the hull of Essex in mid-Pacific, and the ship sank. The crew escaped in small whaleboats. During January 1821, the near-starved survivors began to eat the bodies of those who died. When even this resource ran out, the four men remaining in Pollard's boat agreed to draw straws to decide which of them should be slaughtered, lest all four die of starvation. Coffin lost the lottery, and was shot and eaten. The captain volunteered to take his place but Coffin refused, saying it was his 'right' to do so that the others might live.
He was the son of Nancy (Bunker) and Hezekiah Coffin.
Three of Owen Coffin's shipmates were friends of his, ranging in age from 15 to 18 years of age: Thomas Nickerson, Barzillai Ray, and Charles Ramsdell. At 15 years of age, Nickerson was the youngest of the boys. Nickerson and Barzillai Ray were orphans and by this time, Owen and Charles Ramsdell had each lost their father. When whaleboats were assigned to the crew, all of the boys were assigned to Captain Pollard's whaleboat except for Nickerson, who was assigned to first mate Owen Chase's boat.
The ship embarked on its two-and-a-half-year voyage to the whaling grounds of the South Pacific in August, 1819.
On November 20, 1820 a pod of whales was sighted. While the men were pursuing some of the whales, a sperm whale that was much larger than normal - and reportedly angry and out for vengeance - rammed the ship twice and sank it. The ship was rammed in the bow, which caused it to fill with water in about 10 minutes. The men scrambled into the whaleboats with whatever provisions and water they could carry. All hands, a total of 20 crew, left the ship on November 22 in their assigned whaleboats.
After provisions ran out, the remaining crew were forced to consume the bodies of the first crewmen to die from exposure, starvation, and disease. By February 6, Captain Pollard, Owen Coffin and his friends Barzillai Ray and Charles Ramsdell were the only survivors left in Pollard's whaleboat. They had been without food for days. Sixteen-year old Charles Ramsdell then said the unspeakable - they should cast lots to see who would be killed so that the rest could live. The drawing of lots in a survival situation was an accepted custom of the sea.
According to survivor Thomas Nickerson, Captain Pollard refused to listen to the proposal at first. "No, but if I die first you are welcome to subsist on my remains." Then Owen Coffin joined his friend Ramsdell in requesting that they cast lots. Pollard knew they were all close to death and that all of the young men were in favor of casting lots. Ultimately, he gave in to the majority and agreed with the proposal. After the men cut up a scrap of paper and placed the pieces in a hat, the lot was drawn and it fell to Owen Coffin.
Pollard cried out to Coffin, telling him that if he didn't like his lot, he'd shoot the first man who touched him, and offered to take the lot himself. But Coffin had already resigned himself to his fate. "I like it as well as any other," he said softly. Lots were drawn again to see who would shoot the boy. The lot fell to his friend, Charles Ramsdell. Even though he had been the first to propose casting lots, Ramsdell now refused to follow through. According to survivor Thomas Nickerson, for a long time, Ramsdell declared that he could never do it, but finally had to submit.
Before he died, Coffin spoke a brief message to Pollard to give to his mother, which Pollard promised to deliver if he made it back to Nantucket. Coffin then asked for a few moments of silence. He reassured the others that the lots had been fairly drawn. He laid his head down on the boat's gunwhale and sacrificed his life so that the others might have a chance to live. Only five days after the execution, his friend Barzillai Ray died. But on February 23, Pollard and Ramsdell, the only two survivors in Pollard's whaleboat, were sighted by the crew of the Dauphin and were rescued.
Several books about the disaster have been published and reprinted, including In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick (2000), The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex by Owen Chase, Iola Haverstick, and Betty Shepard (1965), The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sunk by a Whale by Owen Chase and Thomas Nickerson, (2000), and The Whaleship Essex: The True Story of Moby Dick by Jil Fine (2003).
∼Owen was a teenaged sailor aboard the Nantucket whaleship Essex on a sperm whale-hunting expedition in August 1819, under the command of his cousin, George Pollard, Jr. In November, 1820, a whale rammed and breached the hull of Essex in mid-Pacific, and the ship sank. The crew escaped in small whaleboats. During January 1821, the near-starved survivors began to eat the bodies of those who died. When even this resource ran out, the four men remaining in Pollard's boat agreed to draw straws to decide which of them should be slaughtered, lest all four die of starvation. Coffin lost the lottery, and was shot and eaten. The captain volunteered to take his place but Coffin refused, saying it was his 'right' to do so that the others might live.
He was the son of Nancy (Bunker) and Hezekiah Coffin.
Victim of the shipwreck of the whaleship Essex. He was born on Nantucket Island, Massachussetts and belonged to one of the great whaling families of the island. His ancestor, Tristram Coffin Sr., was one of the original founders of the island. He was the son of Hezekiah Coffin Jr. and and Nancy Bunker. When he was 17 years of age, his mother allowed him to go on his first routine whaling voyage on the whaleship Essex. She entrusted his care and safety to the Captain of the ship - George Pollard Sr., who was her nephew and Owen's cousin.
Three of Owen Coffin's shipmates were friends of his, ranging in age from 15 to 18 years of age: Thomas Nickerson, Barzillai Ray, and Charles Ramsdell. At 15 years of age, Nickerson was the youngest of the boys. Nickerson and Barzillai Ray were orphans and by this time, Owen and Charles Ramsdell had each lost their father. When whaleboats were assigned to the crew, all of the boys were assigned to Captain Pollard's whaleboat except for Nickerson, who was assigned to first mate Owen Chase's boat.
The ship embarked on its two-and-a-half-year voyage to the whaling grounds of the South Pacific in August, 1819.
On November 20, 1820 a pod of whales was sighted. While the men were pursuing some of the whales, a sperm whale that was much larger than normal - and reportedly angry and out for vengeance - rammed the ship twice and sank it. The ship was rammed in the bow, which caused it to fill with water in about 10 minutes. The men scrambled into the whaleboats with whatever provisions and water they could carry. All hands, a total of 20 crew, left the ship on November 22 in their assigned whaleboats.
After provisions ran out, the remaining crew were forced to consume the bodies of the first crewmen to die from exposure, starvation, and disease. By February 6, Captain Pollard, Owen Coffin and his friends Barzillai Ray and Charles Ramsdell were the only survivors left in Pollard's whaleboat. They had been without food for days. Sixteen-year old Charles Ramsdell then said the unspeakable - they should cast lots to see who would be killed so that the rest could live. The drawing of lots in a survival situation was an accepted custom of the sea.
According to survivor Thomas Nickerson, Captain Pollard refused to listen to the proposal at first. "No, but if I die first you are welcome to subsist on my remains." Then Owen Coffin joined his friend Ramsdell in requesting that they cast lots. Pollard knew they were all close to death and that all of the young men were in favor of casting lots. Ultimately, he gave in to the majority and agreed with the proposal. After the men cut up a scrap of paper and placed the pieces in a hat, the lot was drawn and it fell to Owen Coffin.
Pollard cried out to Coffin, telling him that if he didn't like his lot, he'd shoot the first man who touched him, and offered to take the lot himself. But Coffin had already resigned himself to his fate. "I like it as well as any other," he said softly. Lots were drawn again to see who would shoot the boy. The lot fell to his friend, Charles Ramsdell. Even though he had been the first to propose casting lots, Ramsdell now refused to follow through. According to survivor Thomas Nickerson, for a long time, Ramsdell declared that he could never do it, but finally had to submit.
Before he died, Coffin spoke a brief message to Pollard to give to his mother, which Pollard promised to deliver if he made it back to Nantucket. Coffin then asked for a few moments of silence. He reassured the others that the lots had been fairly drawn. He laid his head down on the boat's gunwhale and sacrificed his life so that the others might have a chance to live. Only five days after the execution, his friend Barzillai Ray died. But on February 23, Pollard and Ramsdell, the only two survivors in Pollard's whaleboat, were sighted by the crew of the Dauphin and were rescued.
Several books about the disaster have been published and reprinted, including In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick (2000), The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex by Owen Chase, Iola Haverstick, and Betty Shepard (1965), The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sunk by a Whale by Owen Chase and Thomas Nickerson, (2000), and The Whaleship Essex: The True Story of Moby Dick by Jil Fine (2003).
∼Owen was a teenaged sailor aboard the Nantucket whaleship Essex on a sperm whale-hunting expedition in August 1819, under the command of his cousin, George Pollard, Jr. In November, 1820, a whale rammed and breached the hull of Essex in mid-Pacific, and the ship sank. The crew escaped in small whaleboats. During January 1821, the near-starved survivors began to eat the bodies of those who died. When even this resource ran out, the four men remaining in Pollard's boat agreed to draw straws to decide which of them should be slaughtered, lest all four die of starvation. Coffin lost the lottery, and was shot and eaten. The captain volunteered to take his place but Coffin refused, saying it was his 'right' to do so that the others might live.
He was the son of Nancy (Bunker) and Hezekiah Coffin.
Three of Owen Coffin's shipmates were friends of his, ranging in age from 15 to 18 years of age: Thomas Nickerson, Barzillai Ray, and Charles Ramsdell. At 15 years of age, Nickerson was the youngest of the boys. Nickerson and Barzillai Ray were orphans and by this time, Owen and Charles Ramsdell had each lost their father. When whaleboats were assigned to the crew, all of the boys were assigned to Captain Pollard's whaleboat except for Nickerson, who was assigned to first mate Owen Chase's boat.
The ship embarked on its two-and-a-half-year voyage to the whaling grounds of the South Pacific in August, 1819.
On November 20, 1820 a pod of whales was sighted. While the men were pursuing some of the whales, a sperm whale that was much larger than normal - and reportedly angry and out for vengeance - rammed the ship twice and sank it. The ship was rammed in the bow, which caused it to fill with water in about 10 minutes. The men scrambled into the whaleboats with whatever provisions and water they could carry. All hands, a total of 20 crew, left the ship on November 22 in their assigned whaleboats.
After provisions ran out, the remaining crew were forced to consume the bodies of the first crewmen to die from exposure, starvation, and disease. By February 6, Captain Pollard, Owen Coffin and his friends Barzillai Ray and Charles Ramsdell were the only survivors left in Pollard's whaleboat. They had been without food for days. Sixteen-year old Charles Ramsdell then said the unspeakable - they should cast lots to see who would be killed so that the rest could live. The drawing of lots in a survival situation was an accepted custom of the sea.
According to survivor Thomas Nickerson, Captain Pollard refused to listen to the proposal at first. "No, but if I die first you are welcome to subsist on my remains." Then Owen Coffin joined his friend Ramsdell in requesting that they cast lots. Pollard knew they were all close to death and that all of the young men were in favor of casting lots. Ultimately, he gave in to the majority and agreed with the proposal. After the men cut up a scrap of paper and placed the pieces in a hat, the lot was drawn and it fell to Owen Coffin.
Pollard cried out to Coffin, telling him that if he didn't like his lot, he'd shoot the first man who touched him, and offered to take the lot himself. But Coffin had already resigned himself to his fate. "I like it as well as any other," he said softly. Lots were drawn again to see who would shoot the boy. The lot fell to his friend, Charles Ramsdell. Even though he had been the first to propose casting lots, Ramsdell now refused to follow through. According to survivor Thomas Nickerson, for a long time, Ramsdell declared that he could never do it, but finally had to submit.
Before he died, Coffin spoke a brief message to Pollard to give to his mother, which Pollard promised to deliver if he made it back to Nantucket. Coffin then asked for a few moments of silence. He reassured the others that the lots had been fairly drawn. He laid his head down on the boat's gunwhale and sacrificed his life so that the others might have a chance to live. Only five days after the execution, his friend Barzillai Ray died. But on February 23, Pollard and Ramsdell, the only two survivors in Pollard's whaleboat, were sighted by the crew of the Dauphin and were rescued.
Several books about the disaster have been published and reprinted, including In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick (2000), The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex by Owen Chase, Iola Haverstick, and Betty Shepard (1965), The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sunk by a Whale by Owen Chase and Thomas Nickerson, (2000), and The Whaleship Essex: The True Story of Moby Dick by Jil Fine (2003).
∼Owen was a teenaged sailor aboard the Nantucket whaleship Essex on a sperm whale-hunting expedition in August 1819, under the command of his cousin, George Pollard, Jr. In November, 1820, a whale rammed and breached the hull of Essex in mid-Pacific, and the ship sank. The crew escaped in small whaleboats. During January 1821, the near-starved survivors began to eat the bodies of those who died. When even this resource ran out, the four men remaining in Pollard's boat agreed to draw straws to decide which of them should be slaughtered, lest all four die of starvation. Coffin lost the lottery, and was shot and eaten. The captain volunteered to take his place but Coffin refused, saying it was his 'right' to do so that the others might live.
He was the son of Nancy (Bunker) and Hezekiah Coffin.
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