While most sources estimate the number of victims of the St. John tragedy to be ninety-nine and the survivors twenty-two, there are others who place the death toll as high as one hundred and forty-six. In fact, Northern Maritime Research Canada places the loss of life somewhere between one hundred and forty-four and one hundred and sixty-four people. Various sources also report a different figure for that of the survivors. One of these reports, which was published in the Galway Vindicator, suggests that there were between twenty and thirty more passengers on board the St. John than was declared in the manifest. The Boston Post reported that two of the survivors accused Captain Oliver of falsifying the list of passengers, claiming that there were an additional twenty or thirty people listed in a memorandum book that the captain kept in his personal possession. Another puzzling aspect of the disaster is the disappearance of the ship’s official manifest. Was it lost during the storm? Was it deliberately left behind so that the actual number of passengers on board would remain unknown? It may never be known, but what is certain is that there were more people on board the St. John that terrible night than was recorded in the official documents.[1]
The main list of passengers available today seems to have been compiled by an American reporter. It contains more details regarding the victims from Clare than those from Galway. This would indicate that whoever supplied the information was more familiar with the Clare contingent on board. It is evident from the list that follows that the reporter who recorded the names had some difficulty understanding the Irish accent, resulting in errors in the spelling of names and addresses. Additional errors are also believed to have occurred when the list was sent to the printers, where the reporter’s ‘longhand’ writing was misread. The following are examples of such errors. The first two letters of the name Flannigan were misread as the letter H. One woman, a Margaret Keenan, seems to have been recorded twice under two spelling variations of Ennistymon. Confusion surrounds the first name of Honora or Mary Burke; some sources also spell her name as Honour. For this listing she is recorded as Honora (Mary) Burke. Peggy Mullen was recorded as Meggy Mullen; this has also been corrected. Most sources record one of the surviving sailors as William Larkin; however, The Boston Mail recorded him as John. Other differences arise in the same newspaper. James Moran is recorded as James Morgan. Winny Galvin is recorded as Minny Galvin. Miss Brooks is recorded as Mrs Brooks. Andrew Frost is recorded as Andrew Forrest. One of the surviving sailors, Henry O’Hern is not recorded in the newspaper at all. The three Mulkenan sisters are recorded as Mulkennan. In the cabin passenger list there is a Margaret Flannigan – could this be Mary Flannigan? In the same section an N. Flannigan is listed – could this be Nancy Hannagan? Martha Perky’s name appeared as Martha Purky and it was stated that she was related to Peggy Purky. There are three persons named McDarratt recorded, but these are possibly McDermott.[2]
Spelling errors also occurred in place names with different variations of the same name being recorded. These variations are included in the list along with the names believed to be correct, such as Ennistymon/Inistivan/Innistivan, and so on. There are obviously other misspellings recorded on the list of the victims, but as there were no records available to identify the correct spellings, they will remain as they were first recorded.[3]
The following are examples of survivors who were not listed among the passengers or crew: Mrs Quinlan, recorded in the writings of Elizabeth Lothrop; the infant saved by Captain Lothrop; Martin and Patrick Flaherty (brothers); and a second Patrick Flaherty, all of whom returned to Lettermullen. If the brig St. John did indeed anchor off the coast of Lettermullen to take on water and extra passengers shortly after first setting sail, then the names of these additional passengers were not recorded. This being the case, there were more people on board than were listed in the ship’s manifest. The Boston Mail records a Benjamin O’Brien as a surviving sailor, but he is not recorded in any other sources. M. Rootching is also recorded among the passengers saved, but he too is not recorded in any other source.[4]
On the day after the disaster, Newcomb Bates (Jr), the town clerk of Cohasset, recorded some additional names that do not appear on any other list. They included Catherine Fitzgerald, Bridget Muligan, Mary Freeman and Sally Sweeney, whose body was found ‘calm and placid’. Nine of Patrick and Mary Sweeney’s eleven children were named in The Boston Mail, November 1849 and later by a local source in Lettermullen, who was also in a position to name a tenth. Was Sally Sweeney a member of this family? There were two people named Miles Sweeney on board, one of whom was a child, and the son of Patrick and Mary Sweeney. Peggy Adams is recorded in the Boston Daily Herald; her sister arrived in Cohasset just as the funeral was about to take place. The following are additional names reported by The Boston Mail: Mary Joyce and her child, Mary Curtain, Peter Greally, Jas Greally, Pat Corcoran, Catherine McMahon, Thomas Donnelly, Bridget Doherty, Nappy Fahy, B. Kennelly or Conlin and three children. Nappy is a shortened version of the name Penelope. All of the additional names have been included in the list that follows, under the title ‘Place of origin unknown’.[5]
Crew Survivors
Comerford, First Mate Henry (Galway)
Comerford, Isaac (Galway)
Flaherty, James (Lettermullen, Connemara, County Galway)
Frost, Andrew (Galway)
Kennelly, Michael (Galway)
Larkin, William (Galway)
O’Brien, Benjamin (Galway)
O’Hern, Henry (Galway)
Oliver, Captain Martin (Galway)
Walker, Thomas (Galway)
Crew Lost
Angiers, William
Connors, Michael
Kennelly, Edward
McDonough, Antonio
Thompson, William
– Two unnamed apprentice boys
Passenger Survivors
Burke, Honora (Mary) (aged 27)
Cole, Mary Kane (aged 24)
Cullen, Honora (aged 28)
Fitzpatrick, Michael (aged 26)
Flaherty, Martin (Lettermullen, Connemara, County Galway)
Flaherty, Patrick (Lettermullen, Connemara, County Galway)
Flaherty, Patrick (Lettermullen, Connemara, County Galway)
Flanagan, Catherine (aged 20)
Gibbon, Michael (aged 26)
Higgins, Betsy (aged 21)
Kearn, Austin (aged 20)
Kennelly, Barbara (aged 20)
Quinlan, Mrs (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Redding, Michael (aged 24)
Rootching, M. (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Slattery, Mary (aged 20)
– The infant saved by Captain Lothrop (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Passengers Lost
Adams, Peggy, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Belton, John, steerage passenger (Galway)
Brooks, Ms, steerage passenger (Ennistymon/Inistivan/Innistivan, County Clare)
Burnes, Catherine, steerage passenger (Lahinch/Inch/Anch, County Clare)
Burke, Bridget, steerage passenger (Galway)
Burke, Thomas, steerage passenger (Galway)
Butler, John, steerage passenger (Galway)
Byrnes, Daniel, steerage passenger (Lahinch/Inch/Anch, County Clare)
Cahill, Mary, steerage passenger (Galway)
Connelly, Bridget, steerage passenger (Connemara/Kunnamara, County Galway)
Corcoran, Pat, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Corman, Patrick, steerage passenger (Galway)
Curtain, Mary, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Curtis, Mary, steerage passenger (County Clare)
Doherty, Bridget, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Dolan, John, steerage passenger (Galway)
Dolan, Mary, steerage passenger (Galway)
Donnelly, Honora, steerage passenger (Galway)
Donnelly, Thomas, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Egan, Bridget, steerage passenger (Ennis, Innes, County Clare)
Egan, Honor, steerage passenger (Ennis, Innes, County Clare)
Egan, Michael, steerage passenger (Ennis, Innes, County Clare)
Fahy, Nappy, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Fahey, Bridget, steerage passenger (Galway)
Fahey, Martha, steerage passenger (Galway)
Fahey, Thomas, steerage passenger (Galway)
Fitzgerald, Catherine, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Fitzpatrick, Catherine, steerage passenger (Galway)
Flannigan, Mary, cabin passenger (Kilfenora/Kilnare/Kilnara, County Clare)
Freeman, Mary (and child), steerage passenger (Ennis, Innes, County Clare)
Frowley, Mary (and child), steerage passengers (Roan, County Clare)
Galvin, Mary, steerage passenger (Kilmurry/Kilmary, County Clare)
Galvin, Winny, steerage passenger (Kilmurry/Kilmary, County Clare)
Glynn, Hugh, steerage passenger (Ennistymon/Inistivan/Innistivan, County Clare)
Greally, Jas., steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Greally, Peter, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Griffin, Michael, steerage passenger (Lahinch/Inch/Anch, County Clare)
Hannagan, Margaret, cabin passenger (Kilfenora/Kilnare/Kilnara, County Clare)
Hannagan, Michael, steerage passenger (Lalinen, County Clare)
Hannagan, Nancy, cabin passenger (Kilfenora/Kilnare/Kilnara, County Clare)
Hassett, Ellen, steerage passenger (Lahinch/Inch/Anch, County Clare)
Henniff, Catherine (and sister), steerage passenger (Galway)
Joyce, Mary (and child), steerage passengers (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Kane, Margaret (and child), steerage passenger (Kilmurry/Kilmary, County Clare)
Keenan, Margaret, steerage passenger (Ennistymon/Inistivan/Innistivan, County Clare)
Kennelly (or Conlin) B. (and three children), steerage passengers (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Lahiff (or Rohan), Honora, steerage passenger (County Clare)
Lahiff (or Rohan), John, steerage passenger (County Clare)
Lahiff, John, steerage passenger (Kilfenora/Kilnare/Kilanara, County Clare)
Lahiff, Patrick, steerage passenger (Kilfenora/Kilnare/Kilanara, County Clare)
Landsky, Mary, steerage passenger (Galway)
McDermott, Joyce (and child), steerage passengers (Galway)
McDermott, Mary, steerage passenger (Galway)
McGrath, James, steerage passenger (Kilmurry/Kilmary, County Clare)
McGrath, Patrick, steerage passenger (Kilmurry/Kilmary, County Clare)
McMahon, Bridget, steerage passenger (Roan, County Clare)
McMahon, Catherine, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
McMahon, Patrick, steerage passenger (Roan, County Clare)
McNamara, Mary, steerage passenger (Kilmurry/Kilmary, County Clare)
Madigan, Hugh, steerage passenger (Ennistymon/Inistivan/Innistivan, County Clare)
Maddigan, Bridget, steerage passenger (Kilfenora/Kilnare/Kilanara, County Clare)
Malloy, Peggy, steerage passenger (Lahinch/Inch/Anch, County Clare)
Moran, James, steerage passenger (Dysart/Dyant, County Clare)
Mulkenan, Honora, steerage passenger (County Clare)
Mulkenan, Margaret, steerage passenger (County Clare)
Mulkenan, Mary, steerage passenger (County Clare)
Mullen, Honora, steerage passenger (Galway)
Mullen, Peggy (and her sister’s child), steerage passengers (Galway)
Muligan, Bridget, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Murphy, Jeremiah, steerage passenger (Dysart/Dyant, County Clare)
Nolan, Mary, steerage passenger (Roan, County Clare)
Noonan, Patrick, steerage passenger (Galway)
O’Brien, Eliza, cabin passenger (Ennistymon/Inistivan/Innistivan, County Clare)
Purky, Martha, steerage passenger (Galway)
Purky, Peggy, steerage passenger (Galway)
Quinn, Bridget, cabin passenger (Ennistymon/Inistivan/Innistivan, County Clare)
Riley, Thomas, steerage passenger (Kilfenora/Kilnare/Kilanara, County Clare)
Sexton, Martin, steerage passenger (Dysart/Dyant, County Clare)
Slattery, Ann, steerage passenger (Ennistymon/Inistivan/Innistivan, County Clare)
Slattery, Bridget, steerage passenger (Ennistymon/Inistivan/Innistivan, County Clare)
Sweeney, Agnes, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, Bridget, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, Catherine, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, John, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, Joseph, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, Mary, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, Mary (daughter), steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, Miles, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, Miles, steerage passenger (Galway)
Sweeney, Patrick, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, Patrick Jr, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, Sally, steerage passenger (Place of origin unknown/lost)
Sweeney, Sarah, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
Sweeney, Thomas, steerage passenger (Lettercallow, Connemara, County Galway)
– Honora (Mary) Burke’s three children, steerage passengers (Place of origin unknown/lost)
– Honora Cullen’s three children, steerage passengers (Place of origin unknown/lost)[6]
Crew saved: 10 – Passengers saved: 17
Crew lost: 7 – Passengers lost: 109
Total on board: 143
[1]Brig St. John of Galway was Cohasset’s Worst Shipwreck, Cohasset Historical Society. John Bhaba Jaick Ó Congaola collection.
Miscellaneous articles and letters from the John Bhaba Jaick Ó Congaola collection: ‘Wreck of the Brig St. John’, 1949.
The Boston Daily Herald: ‘Brig St. John of Galway, Ireland, Lost October 7, 1849, at Cohasset’; ‘List of Survivors and Drowned’.
The Boston Post: ‘Brig St. John of Galway – List of Survivors and Drowned’ (12-10-1849).
The Galway Mercury: ‘Wreck of an Emigrant Ship’ (27-10-1849); ‘Wreck of the St. John’ (3-11-1849).
The Galway Vindicator: ‘Awful Shipwreck at Minot’s Ledge – Loss of St. John of Galway. About One Hundred Drowned – Men, Women and Children’ (3-11-1849).
[2]Brig St. John of Galway was Cohasset’s Worst Shipwreck, Cohasset Historical Society. John Bhaba Jaick Ó Congaola collection.
Miscellaneous articles and letters from the John Bhaba Jaick Ó Congaola collection: ‘Wreck of the Brig St. John’ (1949).
The Boston Daily Herald: ‘Brig St. John of Galway, Ireland, Lost October 7, 1849, at Cohasset’; ‘List of Survivors and Drowned’.
The Boston Post: ‘Brig St. John of Galway – List of Survivors and Drowned’ (12-10-1849).
The Galway Mercury: ‘Wreck of an Emigrant Ship’ (27-10-1849); ‘Wreck of the St. John’ (3-11-1849).
The Galway Vindicator: ‘Awful Shipwreck at Minot’s Ledge – Loss of St. John of Galway. About One Hundred Drowned – Men, Women and Children’ (3-11-1849).
The Irish World and American Industrial Liberator and Gaelic American: Frank Durkan, ‘Death of a Famine Ship’ (6-10-1984).
[3]Brig St. John of Galway was Cohasset’s Worst Shipwreck, Cohasset Historical Society. John Bhaba Jaick Ó Congaola collection.
The Boston Daily Herald: ‘Brig St. John of Galway, Ireland, Lost October 7, 1849, at Cohasset’; ‘List of Survivors and Drowned’.
The Boston Post: ‘Brig St. John of Galway – List of Survivors and Drowned’ (12-10-1849).
The Galway Mercury: ‘Wreck of an Emigrant Ship’ (27-10-1849); ‘Wreck of the St. John’ (3-11-1849).
The Galway Vindicator: ‘Awful Shipwreck at Minot’s Ledge – Loss of St. John of Galway. About One Hundred Drowned – Men, Women and Children’ (3-11-1849).
[4]Brig St. John of Galway was Cohasset’s Worst Shipwreck, Cohasset Historical Society. John Bhaba Jaick Ó Congaola collection.
Diary of Elizabeth Lothrop (11-10-1849, 25-12-1849).
The Boston Daily Herald: ‘Brig St. John of Galway, Ireland, Lost October 7, 1849, at Cohasset’; ‘List of Survivors and Drowned’.
The Boston Post: ‘Brig St. John of Galway – List of Survivors and Drowned’ (12-10-1849).
The Boston Irish Echo: Paddy Mulkerrins, ‘More on the Ill-fated Brig, St. John – Remembers the St. John’ (14-4-1984); Bill Loughran, ‘More on the Ill-fated Brig, St. John’ (14-4-1984); Paddy Mulkerrins, ‘Survivors Found’ (letter to editor); Bill Loughran, ‘The Ill-fated Brig St. John’ (14-1-1984).
The Galway Mercury: ‘Wreck of an Emigrant Ship’ (27-10-1849); ‘Wreck of the St. John’ (3-11-1849).
The Galway Vindicator: ‘Awful Shipwreck at Minot’s Ledge – Loss of St. John of Galway. About One Hundred Drowned – Men, Women and Children’ (3-11-1849).
[5]Brig St. John of Galway was Cohasset’s Worst Shipwreck, Cohasset Historical Society. John Bhaba Jaick Ó Congaola collection.
Ennistymon Parish Magazine, ‘The Wreck of the Irish Emigrant Ship’, ‘The Shipwreck of the St. John’. Article compiled from material supplied by Brud Slattery, John Flanagan (both Lahinch), and Frank Flanagan (USA) (1996).
The Boston Daily Herald: ‘Brig St. John of Galway, Ireland, Lost October 7, 1849, at Cohasset’; ‘List of Survivors and Drowned’.
The Boston Post: ‘Brig St. John of Galway – List of Survivors and Drowned’ (12-10-1849).
The Galway Mercury: ‘Wreck of an Emigrant Ship’ (27-10-1849). ‘Wreck of the St. John’ (3-11-1849).
The Galway Vindicator: ‘Awful Shipwreck at Minot’s Ledge – Loss of St. John of Galway. About One Hundred Drowned – Men, Women and Children’ (3-11-1849).
[6]Brig St. John of Galway was Cohasset’s Worst Shipwreck, Cohasset Historical Society. John Bhaba Jaick Ó Congaola collection.
Diary of Elizabeth Lothrop (11-10-1849, 25-12-1849).
Ennistymon Parish Magazine, ‘The Wreck of the Irish Emigrant Ship’, ‘The Shipwreck of the St. John’. Article compiled from material supplied by Brud Slattery, John Flanagan (both Lahinch), and Frank Flanagan (USA) (1996).
Miscellaneous articles and letters from the John Bhaba Jaick Ó Congaola collection: ‘Wreck of the Brig St. John’ (1949).
The Boston Daily Herald: ‘Brig St. John of Galway, Ireland, Lost October 7, 1849, at Cohasset’; ‘List of Survivors and Drowned’.
The Boston Irish Echo: Paddy Mulkerrins, ‘More on the Ill-fated Brig, St. John – Remembers the St. John’ (14-4-1984); Bill Loughran, ‘More on the Ill-Fated Brig, St. John’ (14-4-1984); Paddy Mulkerrins, ‘Survivors Found’ (letter to editor); Bill Loughran, ‘The Ill-Fated Brig St. John’ (14-1-1984).
The Boston Post: ‘Brig St. John of Galway – List of Survivors and Drowned’, 12-10-1849.
The Galway Mercury: ‘Wreck of an Emigrant Ship’ (27-10-1849); ‘Wreck of the St. John’ (3-11-1849).
The Galway Vindicator: ‘Awful Shipwreck at Minot’s Ledge – Loss of St. John of Galway. About One Hundred Drowned – Men, Women and Children’ (3-11-1849).
The Irish World and American Industrial Liberator and Gaelic American: Frank Durkan, ‘Death of a Famine Ship’ (6-10-1984).