Lewes Historical Society - Collections Highlight

Society Collections

Collection Highlight, October/November 2002

Pilot Schooner No. 1, Thomas Howard. 1971.6
Unknown artist, c. 1880. Oil on canvas.
Gift of Dr. James E. Marvil © The Lewes Historical Society

This oil by an unknown artist depicts the schooner Thomas Howard. Shown off Cape Henlopen, the ship was a mainstay of the Pilots' Association for the Bay & River Delaware and served some of the most prominent pilot families of Lewes such as the Chambers, Conwell, Clampitt, Edwards, Kelley, Long, Marshall, Maull, Mason, Norman, Orton, Poynter, Price, Parker, Rutherford and Schellenger clans.

The schooner is referred to in the diary of pilot James A. Orton when in 1880, he notes that he boarded the barque Xenophon from the Howard on January 14. Captain Orton noted that the wind was from the southeast. Five days later, Captain Orton boarded the Ashburne, a steamer headed for Philadelphia, and anchored above Overfalls lightship at the mouth of Delaware Bay. The logs of the schooner Thomas Howard are available for research and are a part of the Journal Library at the Society.

The painting can be seen in the Pilots Room in the Cannonball House on Front Street. For more information, please contact us at research@historiclewes.org.