Edward Day Cohota: Shanghai, China

(For an introduction to Edward Day Cohota, please read Ruthanne Lum McCunn’s profile of him in “Chinese in the Civil War: Ten Who Served”.)

When did Edward Day Cohota meet Captain Day of the ship Cohota? That question will be answered near the end of this post. The answer came about by learning more about Captain Day, his voyages, and the history of the ship Cohota.

Sargent Sawyer Day was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, on February 8, 1820, according to the Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records at Ancestry.com. His full name was found on an Ancestry.com family tree, which said he was the seventh of ten children born to Aaron and Judith.

Day’s marriage to Lucy Greenleaf, on June 2, 1844, was recorded in the Vital Records of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849, Volume 2 (1923).

According to Shipbuilding History, the Cohota was built by the William H. Webb Company, New York City, in 1843. The original owner of the Cohota was N.L. & G. Griswold. Webb’s biography in American National Biography: Tunnicliff-Welk (1999) said:

...it was the new clipper ship that would startle the world with its speed--and beauty. The clipper was long and narrow, with a slender tapered bow, and with great quantities of canvas sail stretched on three tall masts. Clippers have been aptly called the “Greyhounds of the Sea.” The need for such a ship became apparent in the 1840s when the United States was about to exploit the maritime potential of the vast spaces of the Pacific Ocean world, and speed took on great importance. Webb responded to this new challenge by designing and building a transitional preclipper ship, the Cohota, for the China trade.

The Cohota made a number of trips from New York to China, Hong Kong and Macao. In 1844 one of the passengers was Presbyterian missionary, Andrew Patton Happer. The American Baptist missionary, Erasmus N. Jencks, sailed on the Cohota, in 1846, to Macao.

One of the captains of the Cohota was William Blackler Gerry, in 1849, according to Old Marblehead Sea Captains and the Ships in Which They Sailed (1915). Also noted was the sale of the Cohota in Calcutta in 1854.

In the History of the Town and City of Gloucester, Cape Ann, Massachusetts (1892), Day was a partner in a company and made a number of trips to Surinam in South America.

The Surinam trade was also carried on very extensively, commencing with Col. Pearce, who sent the first vessel to that country in 1790, and ending with the firms of George H. Rogers and a company comprising Sargent S. Day, John Somes, Capt. Charles Fitz, Obadiah Woodbury and Benjamin H. Corliss. At one time Gloucester almost entirely controlled this trade...

Here is an excerpt from McCunn’s “Chinese in the Civil War: Ten Who Served”:

According to Cohota’s daughter, Elizabeth Bouza, “Captain Day and his wife were sailing on the square-rigged ship Cohota only two days out of Shanghai, China, on December 27, 1845, when two little half-starved Chinese boys were found aboard. The older one, about six, died at sea despite all their efforts. The younger, estimated to be four years old, was Edward….

McCunn pointed out inconsistencies in Bouza’s story; click the link at the top of the page for the complete story. I have not found a record of Day sailing to Shanghai around 1845. The year 1845 is so far off the mark that I wonder if there was an error in the original article which was transcribed here. 1854 is closer to the actual event. Was 1845 a transcription error by the author or a typographical error by the periodical?

Some of Day’s voyages encountered severe weather. The American Traveller (Boston, Massachusetts), December 11, 1847, reported one such event.

Brig. Pleiades, at Surinam 12th let, from Gloucester, experienced a tremendous hurricane on the 14th Oct. lat 24 39, lon 54, lost a valuable deck load of stocks and was dismantled—losing all her spars and sails, excepting the lower yards and courses—the heads of both lower masts breaking off above the rigging. She was scudding under bare poles at the time with her sails furled and secured by double gaskets. Capt Day having anticipated the hurricane by the fall of the barometer.

The 1850 U.S. Federal Census listed Day, his wife and five-month-old son, Oliver, in Gloucester. Day’s occupation was mariner. Around 1851 Day made a trip to China and may have encountered the Cohota. A passenger list at Ancestry.com recorded his return from Shanghai to Boston, as a passenger on the Clipper ship Shooting Star, on March 18, 1852. Accompanying him was his wife and son, age two.

The Boston Herald (Massachusetts), March 18, 1852, gave details of the Shooting Star’s voyage.

...The clipper ship Shooting Star, Capt. Judah P. Baker, arrived at this port yesterday in only eighty-four days from Macao, China. This is much the shortest passage over made between Canton and Boston. The shortest previously, we believe, was ninety-five days, and was made several years since by Capt. Albert H. Brown, in the ship Sachem, of Boston. The Shooting Star left Whampoa Dec. 21 and Macao 24th at noon, passed Java Head Jan. 7, the Cape of Good Hope Feb. 7, and crossed the Equator March 1. Capt. Baker took a Boston pilot at 9 o’clock yesterday morning. The Shooting Star has a full cargo of silks, teas &c., is 903 tons, built at Medford by Mr. James O. Curtis, from a model by Capt. John Wade. Her owners are Messes. Reed, Wade & Co., and W. &. F. H. Whittemore & Co., of this city. She left Boston March 22, 1851, but did not pass Cape Cod until the 24th, and has therefore circumnavigated the world in less than a year. During her absence she has visited Rio Janeiro, San Francisco, Shanghae and Canton.

The Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph, (Massachusetts), March 20, 1852, noted the return of Day and named the ship he captained: “In the Shooting Star at Boston, from Canton, Capt. S.S. Day, wife and child, late of ship Austerlitz, before reported lost.”

According to the family tree, Day’s second son, Charles, was born May 31, 1852.

Captain Day’s Round-trip Voyage on the Cohota

As mentioned earlier, the Cohota was sold in 1854. Advertisements for the Cohota, with Day as the captain, appeared as early as August 8, 1855 in the Boston Traveler. The Cohota was part of Crowell, Brooks & Co.’s Line that offered service to Port Philip, Melbourne, Australia.

Boston Traveler, August 8, 1855

Boston Traveler, August 9, 1855

Boston Traveler, August 11, 1855

Presumably, Day brought his family on this trip as he had done before. There were three children: Oliver, five-and-a-half years old; Charles, three, and Lucy, born January 27, 1855, according to birth records at Ancestry.com.

A number of newspapers published marine journals which had information regarding the status of any number of ships. In some cases, there were differences of days, weeks or months when the newspaper reported a ship’s location. The voyage of the Cohota was noted in the following newspapers.

Boston Traveler, September 17, 1855

Boston Traveler

September 17, 1855
Foreign—Ships…Cohota, Day, Melbourne

Boston Courier
September 20, 1855
Ship Cohota, for Melbourne, which dragged her anchors and went ashore yesterday on Toddy Rocks, Nantasket Roads, remained there at sunset….The Cohota had proceeded yesterday about six miles outside, and had discharged her pilot when the sudden storm arose, which compelled her to put back. She anchored in the roads, but afterwards dragged ashore on the rocks….

New-York Daily Tribune
September 20, 1855
Wreck of the Ship Cohota.

Boston Courier
September 24, 1855
Ship Cohota, for Melbourne, was got off the Toddy Rocks, Nantasket Roads at high tide this afternoon, with the assistance of steamer R.B. Forbes, Capt. Morris, and was towed up to the Grand Junction wharf at East Boston, where she will be discharged immediately. Capt. Morris states that the Cohota leaks badly, and that it takes the steam pump, together with the R.B. Forbes’s suction pump, to keep her free.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
January 19, 1856
Nov 24 lat 24 14, lon 38 1/2 ship Cohota, Day, from Boston (Nov 19) for Melbourne

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
May 17, 1856
A Rapid Passage.—The ship Cohota, Capt. Day, arrived at Melbourne Feb. 9, after the short passage of 76 days from Boston. She had 30 days to the equator, 21 days thence to Cape Good Hope, and 25 days thence to Melbourne, with strong gales.—This is considered the best passage ever made from Boston. It will be remembered, that when in the act of leaving Boston the Cohota was driven ashore, and had to cut away her masts; after which she was got off, remasted and refitted. Capt. Day has nobly vindicated the good shop’s fame, by making her take the lead on this side of the Atlantic, towards Australia. We believe she was built by Wm. H. Webb, Esq., of New York.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
May 31, 1856
Ar at Melbourne, Feb 21, Cohota, Day, Boston (Nov 22).

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
June 28, 1856
At Melbourne, March 8, ship Cohota, Day for Guam.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
July 19, 1856
Ar at Penang, April 28th, ship Cohota, Day, Melbourne.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
August 16, 1856
Sailed fm Penang, June 12th, ship Cohota, Day, Calcutta, with part of cargo of betel-nut.

Boston Traveler
August 27, 1856
Ar at Calcutta June 26th,…Cohota, Day, Penang

Daily Atlas
September 17, 1856
At Calcutta July 17th, ships…Cohota, Day

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
November 1, 1856
Went to sea from Saugor, Aug. 30th, ship Cohota, Day, Boston.

Boston Traveler
November 17, 1856
Nov 15, Nantucket South Shoal N by W, 3 miles, ship Cohota from Calcutta for Boston.

Day completed his round-trip voyage on the Cohota in mid-November 1856. There were no reports of a stop in Shanghai.

Captain Day’s Second Round-trip Voyage

The following newspapers noted Day’s second voyage commanding the Cohota.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
February 21, 1857
Cleared at Boston, 17th, ship Cohota, Day, New Orleans.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
February 28, 1857
Sailed from Boston, 22d, ship Cohota

Boston Evening Transcript
March 27, 1857
Spoken—Mch 4, off Gun Key, ship Cohota, Day, Boston

Boston Evening Transcript
March 28, 1857
Arrivals and Clearance—Domestic Ports.
Ar at New Orleans 25th, (by Telegraph) ship Cohota (of Boston)

New Orleans Daily Crescent
May 8, 1857
For Liverpool

Boston Evening Transcript
May 22, 1857
Ar at New Orleans 13th,…Old ship Cohota, Day, Liverpool

Boston Traveler
May 29, 1857
New Orleans—Towed to sea 15th, ships Cohota….

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
June 6, 1857
May 26, lat 31 29, lon 79 1/2, ship Cohota, from New Orleans for Liverpool.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
July 18, 1857
Ar at Liverpool, 25th, ship Cohota, Day, New Orleans.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
August 8 1857
Cleared at Liverpool, 21st, ships…Cohota, Day, Bombay.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
November 7, 1857
No date, lat 19 23 S lon 25 05 W, ship Cohota, Day, from Liverpool July 28 for Bombay.

Boston Traveler
January 16, 1858
Ar at at do 23d, Cohota, Day, Liverpool, July 28.

Boston Evening Transcript
January 19, 1858
At Bombay Dec. 4, ships…Cohota, Day, from [Liverpool], ar Nov 23

Boston Traveler
February 9, 1858
At Bombay Dec 23, ships…Cohota, Day, for Hong Kong

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
February 27, 1858
At Bombay, Jan 8, ship Cohota, Day, for Hong Kong.

Boston Traveler
March 23, 1858
At Bombay Jan. 23, ship Cohota, Day, for China

Boston Traveler
May 12, 1858
Ar at Penang Mch…15th, Cohota, day, Bombay (and sld 17th for Singapore).

Boston Traveler
June 4, 1858
Ar at Singapore Mch 24, Cohota, Day, Bombay (and sld 26th for Hong Kong).

Boston Evening Transcript
July 14, 1858
Ar at Hong Kong Apl…25th, Cohota, Day, Bombay and Singapore

Boston Traveler
August 13, 1858
Sailed from Hong Kong June 5, ship Cohota, Day, Manila.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
September 4, 1858
Sld from Hong Kong, June 7, Cohota, Day, Manilla.

Boston Traveler
October 22, 1858
Ar at Bangkok July…13th Cohota, Day, Hong Kong

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
October 30, 1858
At Bangkok, Aug. 10, ship…Cohota, Day, for Shanghae.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
December 4, 1858
At Bangkok, Sept. 5, ship Cohota, Day, for Shanghae.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
December 31, 1858
At Bangkok, Oct. 1, ship Cohota, Day, for Shanghae.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
January 8, 1859
At Bangkok, Oct. 29, ship Cohota, Day, Shanghae.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
February 11, 1859
Sld fm Bangkok, Nov. 6, ship Cohota, Day, Shanghae.

Here is an excerpt from McCunn’s “Chinese in the Civil War: Ten Who Served”.

Cohota himself told reporters that he was “born in Scow Jow, 60 miles from Shanghai [and] left China when he was about five years old. His father was then dead, having been drowned in a flood of the Yangstee Klong. [He] wandered down to the docks and was there picked up as a stray [by Captain Day]. This was about the year 1852….

Actually, that event was six years later. During part of November and December 1858, the Cohota was docked in Shanghai. Cohota’s daughter, Elizabeth, said her father was discovered aboard the ship two days after December 27, when the ship left Shanghai. According to newspaper records, the ship would depart in February 1859. Cohota used December 27 as his birth day. Maybe that was the date Cohota met or was taken in by Captain Day?


Boston Traveler
April 30, 1859
At Shanghae Feb 19, ships…Cohota, Day, for Siam

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
May 6, 1859
At Shanghae, Feb. 19, ships…Cohota, Day, Siam

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
May 14, 1859
Sailed from Shanghae, Feb. 16, ship Cohota, Day, Bangkok, (and from Woosnug same day.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
May 31, 1859
Ar at Melbourne Feb 21, Cohota, Day, Boston (Nov 22).

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
June 3, 1859
at Bangkok, March 28th, ship Cohota, Day, fm Shanghae, ar 18th, for Singapore.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
June 17, 1859
At Bangkok, March 30, ship Cohota, Day, for Singapore.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
June 24, 1859
At Singapore, May 1, ship Cohota, Day, for frt. or charter.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
July 30, 1859
At Singapore, May 30, ship Cohota, Day, for Bankok.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
August 19, 1859
At Singapore, June 13, ship Cohota, Day, for frei’t or charter.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
September 2, 1859
At Singapore, June 29th, ship Cohota, Day, for freight or charter.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
September 30, 1859
At Singapore, Aug. 2d, ships...Cohota, Day, for frt. or char.

Boston Traveler
October 17, 1859
In port Aug. 18. Cohota, Day…ft or ch.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
November 4, 1859
Ar at Singapore, Aug. 23d, ship Cohota, Day, Malacca.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
November 25, 1859
At Singapore, Sept. 21st, ship…Cohota, Day, repairing.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
December 2, 1859
At Singapore, 6th, ship…Cohota, Day, repg.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
December 23, 1859
At [Singapore] ship Cohota, Day, unc.

Boston Courier
January 9, 1860
At Singapore Nov 5, ships…Cohota, Day…unc

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
January 20, 1860
At Singapore, Nov. 21, ship Cohota, Day, for sale.

Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph
February 2, 1860
Ship Cohota, of Boston, 690 tons, has been sold at Singapore for $10,000.

The Shipbuilding History site said the Cohota was sold to British owners in 1860. On April 6, 1860, Day and his family arrived in New York City, from Singapore, aboard the Clipper ship Borodino. The names on the list were: Capt. S.S. Day, 40, Mariner, U.S.A.; Mrs. S.S. Day, 37, U.S.A.; Oliver Day, 10, U.S.A.; Lucy E. Day, 5, U.S.A.; and Chas. Cahota, 15, Servant.

Cohota was named Charles, which was the name of Day’s second child. It is not known why Charles was not with his family on this voyage. Cohota’s first name would change.

The 1860 census, enumerated August 2, recorded seven people in the Day household: Sargent, 40; Lucy, 36; Oliver E., 10; Charles P.L., 8; Lucy L., 5; Edward Cohota, 14; and George Greenleaf, 55. They lived in Gloucester.

Look closely at the document and you can see that Lucy L. and Cohota’s names had been switched. Lucy’s age appeared to be “15”. Cohota’s place of birth was China, but his “color” was mulatto, signified by the letter m in the third column after his name.

Cohota’s age differed, by a year, on the passenger list and census. So, no one was sure of Cohota’s age. Cohota was perceived to be older than Oliver who was ten.

Cohota is profiled in the National Park Service book, Asians and Pacific Islanders and the Civil War.

(Next post: Edward Day Cohota, 1860, 1864–1866)