The following information has been kindly submitted by Bob Seigenthaler of Nashville, Tennessee, who is a descendant of the Catholic, Kilrush Brews. He writes, "Here is a very tragic episode describing the shipwreck of the "Maria" in 1849, and the terrible fate of the Thomas Brew family from Kilrush. Only one of Thomas' eight children, William Brew, was rescued. This disaster was described in Edward Laxton's book, "The Famine Ships. THE IRISH EXODUS TO AMERICA", according to an account from the May, 1849, Armagh Guardian. But only a few of the survivors, and none of those drowned, were named."
"For the last two years, I have been looking for a full newspaper account that listed the family names of the passengers, and recently, through the kindness and good research of Maureen Cumber of the Clare County Library, I received the following newspaper articles:"
THE LIMERICK REPORTER 15 June, 1849
LOSS OF THE MARIA OF LIMERICK
The Canada from New York, arrived at Liverpool on Tuesday. Among the few items given we deeply regret to find the following most
afflicting announcement which confirms the intelligence that reached our city from private letters, within the past week...
"The emigrant ship Maria, from Limerick, with 111 passengers, had foundered in the ice in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, and out of the entire
number on board only nine of the passengers, and five of the crew were saved. The survivors had been landed at Quebec."
THE LIMERICK REPORTER 19 June, 1849
LOSS OF THE MARIA - FULL PARTICULARS
- OVER ONE HUNDRED LIVES LOST -
Scarcely has the melancholy interest produced by the loss of the Hannah, Irish emigrant ship, and nearly two hundred lives, subsided, ere it falls to our painful duty to announce another similar catastrophe, the foundering of the ship Maria, from Limerick, in a field of ice, and the sacrifice of the vast amount of human life.
The particulars contained in the advices of the shocking event, as received from Quebec by the Canada (American) mail steamer, state that the ship's destruction took place at midnight, on the 10th of last month, so suddenly that she almost instantaneously, on the strikings, went down, carrying with her no less than one hundred and nine unhappy beings - all of whom perished.
The Maria sailed from that port on the 2d April last with 111 passengers, about 80 men and women, and the remainder of their families, for Quebec, the emigrants intending to settle in Canada. About 20 days sailing brought the vessel to within 50 miles of St. Paul's. Here severe weather was encountered, and a large field sighted. The ship hove to with a view of clearing the huge frozen mass. Unfortunately, however, the maneuver had but little effect, for late that night, the 10th of May, she ran into a berg with terrible force. The whole of her bows were stove in, and the next moment the sea was rushing into the hold with the violence of a cataract. A piercing shriek was heard from below, but it was only for a few moments duration, as the ship went down almost immediately. It was the mate's watch, who, with one seaman and a cabin boy, succeeded in saving three lives by one of the boats., which floated from the wreck as she foundered. About 20 of the passengers managed to reach the deck just before she went down, some of whom jumped on the ice, while others clung to the floating spars. Nine only, however, could be preserved - six men, two women, and a boy, who had got on the ice. Nothing was seen of the master or the rest of the crew. They all perished with the remainder of the passengers. Exposed in the boat in the most inclement weather, the helpless survivors remained the whole of the following day. Eventually a barque, named the Roslin Castle, and the Falcon, a brig, approached and took them on board. The poor creatures had suffered severely from the cold - and their condition was the most heart-rending. The names are given as follows: - Michael Cusack, Joseph Lynch, Bridget O'Gorman, spinster, _______ Connors, William Brew, John Hogan, and Patrick M'Togue. The survivors of the crew are William Collins, mate; John Pickering, a seaman: and Michael Tague, cabin boy -- making in all, out of one hundred and twenty one souls on board, only twelve saved. In consequence of the brig Falcon being short of water, those who were picked up by her were transferred on board the Roslin Castle, which proceeded direct to Quebec, and arrived there last Saturday fortnight.
The immense field of ice that has been encountered in and near the Gulph of St. Lawrence this season has not been equaled
for many years. In addition to the melancholy loss of the Maria, as also the Hannah, which foundered near the same bearing,
two other vessels were lost - viz, the Gleaner, a large barque, 500 tons burden, and the ship Torrenoe of Glasgow. In both
instances scarcely five minutes elapsed from the moment of their striking the ice to their foundering. The crew were
providentially saved. Those of the latter, however, were exposed seven days in the ship's boat before they were picked up. -
The loss of these vessels is reported to be little short of L40,000. - Quebec Paper.
PASSENGERS AND CREW
We subjoin an official list of the passengers and crew - distinguishing those lost and saved -
PASSENGERS DROWNED. - John Daggan, wife and child; Patt Murphy, Peter, Connors, and his sister, Ellen; Mary, Jane, Eliza, Sarah, Patrick, Thomas and Margaret Cusack, sisters and brothers; Dennis Quinlan and wife; Michael Gorman and wife; Patrick Griffin and wife; James Lynch and wife; Margaret, John, and Mary Lynch, brother and sisters; Michael Hassett, Ellen M'Tigue, Honora Wilson, Patrick Thorn, Bridget Kiely; Thomas, Mary, and Bridget Fitzgerald; Margaret Connell, Mary Sullivan (widow), Mary Connors, Mathew, John, and Catherine, her children; Edmond and Patrick Conway; Morty and Richard Donoghue; Patrick Hayes, Bridget Murnane, Daniel Fleming, Mary Greene (widow), and her daughters, Bridget and Mary; Patt O'Shea, Denis Dwyer and wife; Bridget Hayes (widow) and two daughters; Bridget Dwyer, Bridget Fitzmaurice, William Neill and his daughter, Margaret; Maurice Baggot, Laurence Maher, his wife, son, and four daughters; Michael Dinan and his sister Nancy; Thomas Brew, his wife, four sons, and three daughters; Mary Long, Margaret Buckley, Sarah, John, Thomas, and Catherine Westropp, brothers and sisters; Martin Kyee, Mary Kellp (widow) two sons, and three daughters; Bridget Mullins, Patrick Hanly, Pat M'Inerny, Michael Hogan, son, Michael Hogan, jun.; Catherine, Margaret, and Thomas Hogan, John O'Brien, Michael Garvey, and Judith Garvey; John and James Cash.
PASSENGERS SAVED - Michael Cusack, his wife Eliza, and son Michael; Joseph Lynch, Bridget Gorman, Thomas Connors, Wm. Brew, John Hogan, Patrick M'Tighe.
CREW DROWNED - Michael Hedigan (Master); Wm. Harrington (second mate); John M'Tighe, William Main, Patrick Brown, James Parker, (seaman); Charles Canty, apprentice.
CREW SAVED - William /Collins, (mate); John Pickering, Michael M'Tighe (seaman).
Of the entire family of the name Brew, from Kilrush, it appears only one, a boy, was saved. The Maria would have made her passage with her usual good success, had it not been for the misfortune of coming in contact with the ice. The Maria was a favorite passenger vessel, and made several voyages across the Atlantic with emigrants, and, in every case, up to the time of her loss, landed her passengers in good health, and never met with the slightest accident until she unfortunately came in contact with the ice, as did several other vessels. It also appears that every exertion was made by the master and crew to save the lives of the passengers, but to no effect.
"From this point", Bob adds, "the newspaper article continues with another 450 words, or so, repeating some of the information above, and giving details of deaths and hardships aboard the Jane Black during her voyage from Limerick to Quebec, and also lists about seven vessels that arrived in Quebec from the port of Limerick during May, 1849. No names of passengers or crews, except ship masters, were given."