John D. Jones
Pilot Boat · United States · Lost 1871 · New York Harbor
A New York pilot schooner named for an insurance company president, lost far offshore while trying to board pilots onto an inbound steamship.
Become Captain of Record
The Vessel and Her Loss
Launched in December 1859 from the Van Deusen shipyard on Manhattan's East River, John D. Jones served a company of New York Sandy Hook pilots for over a decade, named in honor of Atlantic Mutual Insurance Company president John Divine Jones. On the stormy night of March 18, 1871, while attempting to put pilots aboard the inbound Inman Line steamship City of Washington some 270 miles east of Sandy Hook, she was struck and filled with water within about fifteen minutes. All aboard were rescued by the steamship's crew.
Vessel
- 1859
- Pilot boat No. 15
- J.B. & J.D. Van Deusen shipyard
- East River, New York (foot of 16th Street)
- Wood
- Not established
- Not established
- 50
- Sail
- New York Sandy Hook pilots; Peter R. Baillie
Loss
- March 18, 1871
- Collision
- Atlantic Ocean, about 270 miles east of Sandy Hook
- Atlantic Ocean
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- 0
- Peter R. Baillie
The Wreck Today
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
Position
- Not established
- Position withheld to protect the site
- New York Harbor, New York
The only located description places the loss 'about 270 miles east of Sandy Hook' in the open Atlantic; this is too imprecise to plot as a documented position and no numeric coordinates were found.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Partially documented (65/100)
The wreck's location, depth, and present condition are not established in the sources reviewed.
Wikipedia (sourced from Record of American and Foreign Shipping and period newspapers)
Build details, ownership, and loss narrative.
