Shipwreck of “The Faithful Steward”

Sussex County · dedicated 1985 · Savages Ditch Road, Rehoboth Beach

Original Text: Bound from Londonderry, Ireland to Philadelphia with 249 immigrants, “The Faithful Stewared” ran aground on a shoal where she was destroyed by stormy seas with heavy loss of life. 2017 Reinstall Text: The Faithful Steward, bound from Londonderry, Ireland to Philadelphia, ran aground on a shoal September 1, 1785 with 249 passengers aboard. Stormy weather drove the vessel toward shore where it became stranded in 4 fathoms (24 feet) of water within 100 yards of the shoreline. Strong winds capsized the ship and 181 passengers, including 93 women and children, perished. Looters soon arrived, carried off trunks of personal cargo, and picked the pockets of the deceased. The ship carried 400 barrels of British copper halfpennies and rose gold guineas. The coins redeposit along the shore after strong storms, giving rise to the name, Coin Beach.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

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