William Henry Mack Memorial - Chatham, MA - Maritime Monuments and Memorials on Waymarking.com

William Henry Mack Memorial is a 30' high granite obelisk erected in 1903 in honor of William Henry Mack, the owner of the coal barge Wadena and the six crew of members of Monomoy Life Saving Station who drowned attempting to rescue survivors of the coal barge which was grounded on Shovelful Shoal on March 17, 1902.

On this day lifesavers rescued all hands on the Wadena, but as they were returning, a huge wave hit broadside and the lifeboat capsized. Seven lifesavers, William H. Mack, and four members of the Wadena crew died during the rescue operation.

The front of the obelisk is inscribed:

IN MEMORY OF
WILLIAM HENRY MACK
OF CLEVELAND OHIO
1873-1902

ERECTED OCTOBER 1903
BY HIS LOVING WIFE AND SISTER

TWILIGHT AND EVENING BELL
AND AFTER THAT THE DARK!
AND MAY THERE BE NO SADNESS
OF FAREWELL
WHEN I EMBARK
FOR THO FROM OUR BOURNE
OF TIME AND PLACE
THE FLOOD MAY BEAR NE FAR
I HOPE TO SEE MY PILOT FACE TO FACE
WHEN I HAVE CROST THE BAR

WM. H. MACK
The left side of the obelisk is inscribed:

MONOMOY LIFESAVERS
LOST MARCH 17, 1902 IN ATTEMPTING TO
RESCUE WILLIAM H. MACK AND
CREW OF BARGE WADENA

MARSHALL N. ELDRIDGE
OSBORN F. CHASE
ISAAC F. FOYE
VALENTINE D. NICKERSON
ARTHUR W. ROGERS
EDGAR C. SMALL
ELIJAH KENDRICK

The back of the obelisk is inscribed:

IN MEMORY OF
THE HERO OF THE MONOMY DISASTER
1862 CAPTAIN ELMER F. MAYO 1935
CHATHAM MASS.
AND HIS GALLANT RESCUE OF
SURFMAN SETH L. ELLIS
FROM A WATERY GRAVE OF SHOVELFUL SHOAL
OFF MONOMOY POINT
MARCH 17, 1902

IN MEMORY OF
1858 SURFMAN SETH L. ELLIS 1935
HARWICHPORT, MASS.
SURVIVOR OF THE U.S. LIFE SAVING CREW
IN THEIR HEROIC ATTEMPT TO
RESCUE THE IMPERILED CREW
OF THE BARGE WADENA

The right side of the obelisk is inscribed:

CREW OF THE WADENA LOST IN
SHOVELFUL SHOAL MARCH 17, 1902

CHRISTIAN OLSEN CAPT.
ROBERT MOLANUX
WALTER ZEVED
MANUEL ENOS

Relevent website: [Web Link] List if there are any visiting hours: Always available Entrance fees (if any): 0 Date dedicated: 10/01/1903 Sponsor(s): William Henry Mack's wife and sister Parking coordinates: Not Listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   11/12/2022 CanThai visited it 09/04/2022 stevepre2 visited it

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