Pottstown

Mariners' Museum, Uncurated Search Results

Type: Schooner Barge

Year: 1917

Builder: Coastwise Shipbuilding Co.

Location: Baltimore

Eastern Shore
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These records are found in the online catalog of The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia. Uncurated search results are presented to give researchers and interested readers an idea of whether the museum’s archives contain information about this vessel and whether it may be worthwhile to visit the museum’s catalog search page for further investigation. Uncurated results may be inaccurate or incomplete.

Search mode: Exact Name. Search phrase(s): "Pottstown". Results returned: 2. Results displayed in this table: 2.

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Fetch?	Row ID	Media	Date	Vessel	Place	Related Places	Inscription/Marks	Subject	Notes	Archive Number
	1								SHORT DESCRIPTION: Bronze sculpture mounted on polished granite pedestal of head and neck of Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company foreman James "Big Jim" Lamphier. Modeled by Abram Belskie while working for Robert A. Baillie at his stone-carving establishment in Closter, New Jersey. NOTES: [From article in object file] James "Big Jim" Lamphier, was one of the most colorful men ever employed by the Yard. "Big Jim" ruled his department with a hand of iron, but with a heart of gold. A huge, robust man who usually went around the Yard in shirt sleeves, whatever the weather, Lamphier liked physical labor. He liked nothing better than going home at the end of the day to work on his small farm. These were rough and tumble days in the Yard [Lamphier started on September 2, 1919], and a foreman often had to make his own authority. The big Irishman was perfectly capable of this. The story is told, how on one occasion, Lamphier and the Captain of a tug were engaged in a disagreement during the docking of a ship. When Lamphier's Emerald Isle temperament could be held in check no longer, he firmly planted his fist against the man's jaw, knocking him cold. The most astonishing scene followed, however, as the big man cradled his victim in his arms with tears of remorse streaming unashamedly down his cheeks, for fear he had hurt the Captain. One of the most dramatic occurrences during the history of the Riggers Department happened during this period. The SS Segovia (Hull 345) was being built for the United Fruit Company when it caught fire on December 20, 1931. In the spectacular blaze that followed, the Segovia turned over and sank. The Riggers, under the direction of Foreman Lamphier, were able to right the vessel, and the salvaged hull was rebuilt as Hull 354, the Peten. The skill of this department was largely responsible for the successful salvage operation, without which the hull would have been a total loss. Lamphier's untimely death on December 17, 1934 saddened all who knew him. NOTES: "Big Jim" was born in Buffalo, New York. He came to Newport News with the erecting firm of McClintic-Marshall Company, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, to erect shipways No. 8 and No. 9. He liked the folks down here so he began his work with the Shipyard on September 2, 1919 (according to 'History of the Newport News Shipyard and Dry Dock Company to December 31, 1934' volume 2, by Edward O. Smith), as foreman of the Yard Riggers. On January 17, 1922, in the interest of ecomony, the yard laborers department was consolidated with the yard riggers department and James Lamphier was appointed foreman of the consolidated department. His work ended with his untimely death on the night of December 17, 1934. Lamphier was found dead in his car near his home. His death was attributed to a heart attack. He was 56 years old.	CL7632
	2								SHORT DESCRIPTION: Painting by Museum artist Thomas C. Skinner showing rigging foreman James E. Lamphier "Big Jim" supervising the reeving off of a stiff leg derrick at the entrance to dry dock no. 3. A cargo ship can be seen moored in the background. NOTES: [From article in object file] James "Big Jim" Lamphier, was one of the most colorful men ever employed by the Yard. "Big Jim" ruled his department with a hand of iron, but with a heart of gold. A huge, robust man who usually went around the Yard in shirt sleeves, whatever the weather, Lamphier liked physical labor. He liked nothing better than going home at the end of the day to work on his small farm. These were rough and tumble days in the Yard [Lamphier started on September 2, 1919], and a foreman often had to make his own authority. The big Irishman was perfectly capable of this. The story is told, how on one occasion, Lamphier and the Captain of a tug were engaged in a disagreement during the docking of a ship. When Lamphier's Emerald Isle temperament could be held in check no longer, he firmly planted his fist against the man's jaw, knocking him cold. The most astonishing scene followed, however, as the big man cradled his victim in his arms with tears of remorse streaming unashamedly down his cheeks, for fear he had hurt the Captain. One of the most dramatic occurrences during the history of the Riggers Department happened during this period. The SS Segovia (Hull 345) was being built for the United Fruit Company when it caught fire on December 20, 1931. In the spectacular blaze that followed, the Segovia turned over and sank. The Riggers, under the direction of Foreman Lamphier, were able to right the vessel, and the salvaged hull was rebuilt as Hull 354, the Peten. The skill of this department was largely responsible for the successful salvage operation, without which the hull would have been a total loss. Lamphier's untimely death on December 17, 1934 saddened all who knew him. NOTES: "Big Jim" was born in Buffalo, New York. He came to Newport News with the erecting firm of McClintic-Marshall Company, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, to erect shipways No. 8 and No. 9. He liked the folks down here so he began his work with the Shipyard on September 9, 1919, as foreman of the Yard Riggers; his work ended with his untimely death on the night of December 17, 1934. Lamphier was found dead in his car near his home. His death was attributed to a heart attack. He was 56 years old. NOTES: Thomas C. Skinner was the staff artist of the Mariners' Museum until his death in 1955. Sketching and painting at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in a room overlooking the docks, he was able to paint all phases of modern ship construction and record shipbuilding techniques during a period of great change.	CL12822