William Henry Mack Memorial - Chatham, MA
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neoc1
N 41° 40.317 W 069° 56.954
19T E 420984 N 4613789
The William Henry Mack Memorial Obelisk is dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Wadena rescue disaster of March 17, 1902. It is next to Chatham Lighthouse on Main Street in Chatham, MA.
Waymark Code: WMXGBC
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 01/09/2018
Views: 2
William Henry Mack Memorial is a 30' high granite obelisk erected in 1903 in honor of William Henry Mack, the owner of the coal barge Wadena and the six crew of members of Monomoy Life Saving Station who drowned attempting to rescue survivors of the coal barge which was grounded on Shovelful Shoal on March 17, 1902.
On this day lifesavers rescued all hands on the Wadena, but as they were returning, a huge wave hit broadside and the lifeboat capsized. Seven lifesavers, William H. Mack, and four members of the Wadena crew died during the rescue operation.
The front of the obelisk is inscribed:
IN MEMORY OF
WILLIAM HENRY MACK
OF CLEVELAND OHIO
1873-1902
ERECTED OCTOBER 1903
BY HIS LOVING WIFE AND SISTER
TWILIGHT AND EVENING BELL
AND AFTER THAT THE DARK!
AND MAY THERE BE NO SADNESS
OF FAREWELL
WHEN I EMBARK
FOR THO FROM OUR BOURNE
OF TIME AND PLACE
THE FLOOD MAY BEAR NE FAR
I HOPE TO SEE MY PILOT FACE TO FACE
WHEN I HAVE CROST THE BAR
WM. H. MACK
The left side of the obelisk is inscribed:
MONOMOY LIFESAVERS
LOST MARCH 17, 1902 IN ATTEMPTING TO
RESCUE WILLIAM H. MACK AND
CREW OF BARGE WADENA
MARSHALL N. ELDRIDGE
OSBORN F. CHASE
ISAAC F. FOYE
VALENTINE D. NICKERSON
ARTHUR W. ROGERS
EDGAR C. SMALL
ELIJAH KENDRICK
The back of the obelisk is inscribed:
IN MEMORY OF
THE HERO OF THE MONOMY DISASTER
1862 CAPTAIN ELMER F. MAYO 1935
CHATHAM MASS.
AND HIS GALLANT RESCUE OF
SURFMAN SETH L. ELLIS
FROM A WATERY GRAVE OF SHOVELFUL SHOAL
OFF MONOMOY POINT
MARCH 17, 1902
IN MEMORY OF
1858 SURFMAN SETH L. ELLIS 1935
HARWICHPORT, MASS.
SURVIVOR OF THE U.S. LIFE SAVING CREW
IN THEIR HEROIC ATTEMPT TO
RESCUE THE IMPERILED CREW
OF THE BARGE WADENA
The right side of the obelisk is inscribed:
CREW OF THE WADENA LOST IN
SHOVELFUL SHOAL MARCH 17, 1902
CHRISTIAN OLSEN CAPT.
ROBERT MOLANUX
WALTER ZEVED
MANUEL ENOS