"A bird’s-eye view of Monterey, Calif., in 1849" - "Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images"
Patrick Coughlin first shipped when he was around 20 years old. He spent 12 years working on steamships. He was born in Ireland but made his home in New York. He was a bachelor and had a sister-in-law, Jane Coughlin, who lived at 54 Oak Street, New York.
The last ship that Patrick served on was the Steamship Senator. The Ship Senator was built in 1848 on the East River in Lower Manhattan. The Ship was 219 feet long and was rigged as a two-masted schooner that could sail but was also driven by a paddle wheel connected to a coal-fired, single-beam steam engine. The Senator had staterooms on deck for first-class passengers, a salon for meals, and a lady’s cabin. It also offered steerage passengers a cabin forward with kitchen facilities to cook meals (Mariners Museum). During Patrick’s time on the ship, the Senator was moving cargo and passengers along the California Coast. The Senator ran between San Diego and San Francisco (Sacramento Daily Union).
1849 oil painting of Senator by James and John Bard - Mariners Museum and Park
Patrick was a fireman or Stoker when he was on board the Senator. He would have been considered a part of the Black Gang. They were not considered Sailors until the last quarter of the 19th century. At that point, a reclassification would occur, and anyone who helped operate the ship would be considered a sailor. Thomas Melville, Governor of Sailors' Snug Harbor, did not allow members who only worked on the Black Gang to enter Sailors' Snug Harbor (Barry, 87). Therefore, before his service in the Black Gang, Patrick worked on deck as a sailor for at least 5 years, since he was admitted to Sailors' Snug Harbor (Nobel Maritime).
Patrick would enter Sailors Snug Harbor at 37 years old due to blindness on January 27, 1862. While at the Harbor, Patrick sought permission to attend the Catholic Church (Patrick Coughlin Registration Page). The Catholic church he attended was St. Peter’s Church. It was originally established to serve the needs of the immigrant communities in Richmond. The pastor was Father John Barry. Father Barry struggled with anti-Catholic sentiment, which was a large part of the politics of the time (Herrman). Father Barry’s struggles, and the fact that he was born in Ireland, could have entered into his sermons, which would probably have been a comfort to Patrick Coughlin.
Postcard of Richmond, Staten Island, ca. 1905 - National News Company Historic Richmond Town.
Patrick Coughlin would remain at Sailors' Snug Harbor for 38 years, dying on June 30, 1900. Patrick’s body was interred in St Peter’s Cemetery.
