History of Truro, (Barnstable County) Massachusetts United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Truro, (Barnstable County) Massachusetts, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Edward K. Collins, steam navigator, was born in Truro, Mass., Aug. 5, 1802. He gained his first business experience as clerk in a shipping office in New York city. He was soon made superintendent of a New York and Vera Cruz packet line, afterward having charge of a packet line to New Orleans. In 1836 he established a line of sailing packets to Liverpool. In April, 1849, he dispatched the Atlantic, the first of four steamships equipped by him, the others being the Pacific, Arctic and Baltic. This was the inauguration of the Collins line of steamers between New York and Liverpool, carrying both freight and passengers. The Arctic was lost off Cape Race, Newfoundland, in 1854, and three hundred and twenty-two of the passengers perished. In May, 1856, the Pacific sailed from Liverpool with a full passenger list and was never heard from. The company was obliged to cease operations in January, 1858, owing to the action of the government in terminating without reasonable notice the contracts made with Mr. Collins for carrying the European mails, and involving a subsidy of $385,000 a year, obtained in 1847, and another of $858,000 a year, made in 1852. The U.S. mail was thereupon carried across the Atlantic by vessels sailing under a foreign flag. Mr. Collins engaged in mining in Ohio and the west. He died in New York city, Jan. 22, 1878.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Truro, (Barnstable County) Massachusetts

Biographies: