The Good Ship Jeanie Johnston and the Power of Three

Hilary Wenzel - November 3, 2024

Today's reading: Ruth 1:1-8

This morning I’m sharing a story from our Irish trip in September. So settle in. It’s about a ship named the Jeanie Johnston, during the Potato Famine of the 1840’s and 50’s. Jesse and I heard it on the last day of our tour. I give him credit for much that we recall...and I take responsibility for all the errors.

When I started preparing, I peeked at today’s lectionary choices. I found Ruth, beginning with an account of famine and human migration. I took it as a little sign of encouragement. The full reading finished with her pledge to Naomi, “Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God…Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried.” I’m thinking this was the lectionary focus. (Ruth is my new favorite book of the Bible. It’s short. It shows human relations at their compassionate best. It would make a good study. I invite you to read it.)

My focus is on a particular episode of our human history when masses of Ireland’s population were living and dying in desperate conditions,.. conditions which made a dangerous ocean crossing the preferred choice to disease and starvation at home. For many, home was already lost to eviction from their meager land holdings.

I’m speaking of the Irish potato famine of 1845-1852, or as the Irish call it, “the Great Hunger”. It’s important to note that, yes, there was a disease that destroyed potato crops. But it affected several other countries without the human devastation it caused in Ireland. And in Ireland, as elsewhere, other crops were still grown.

History tells us the main cause of suffering was policy failures long before and during this period. Economic, cultural and political practices created the situation…so smallhold tenant farmers gradually became totally dependent on the potato for food, as more and more of their land was taken by larger landholders. Other countries halted food exports and created work relief and feeding programs. Under English rule, Ireland continued to export food. In fact, much Irish wheat was exported to England and Scotland for distilling. Taxes and poor laws also moved people off the land. Charity efforts could not keep up.

A million or more people died in Ireland In this period, and another million or more left, from a population of about 8 million. They went to many countries; primarily England, Scotland, Australia, Canada and the United States. In 1850, 1/4 of Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore were Irish. They came mostly as young individuals, equally divided between males and females. They were the strongest in their families. Many were the return human cargo to North America, on empty lumber haulers making the several week trip twice a year. Some sailed from small, unregulated harbors in western Ireland to avoid British safety inspections. They were often poorly maintained, badly provisioned and severely overcrowded. The price of passage came from a variety of sources; indentured employment, pooled family funds, charity and even from the landlords who evicted them.

Passengers boarded with few supplies and belongings. They went below and rarely came on deck until they reached their port of entry or died at sea. Deaths were 20% or more. Contact with crew was minimal. Hunger and disease was rampant.

[pictures on screen]

Now, I’m going to focus in on the redeeming story of the Jeanie Johnston, as told on the museum replica ship. She was unique among these sailing cargo vessels, which were referred to as ”hunger or famine ships or even coffin ships”. She had a perfect safety record. No one died in her 16 voyages, carrying 2500 passengers. [This ship story was masterfully told by our docent, Claire {pictured}. I told her she inspired me to share it with my small church in Connecticut. We hugged.]

The Jeanie Johnston was special because of three men who worked together for the common good. They were the owner, the captain and the ship’s doctor.

The owner was John Donovan, from a merchant family in the port of Tralee in County Kerry. Conditions in Kerry were among the worst in Ireland. He had a 3 masted barque built in Quebec in 1847, to import timber and bring emigrants to North America. He was a religious man and didn’t like how passengers were treated on similar ships. So he sought a captain who shared his views. He hired James Attridge, a very experienced and religious man, who picked his crew accordingly. And the Jeanie Johnston was unique to have a doctor on board, Dr. Richard Biennerhassett.

Together, they made a plan to more humanely transport people. They carried fewer passengers than similar ships, usually under 200, and a crew of 16. For perspective, the modern replica ship, built in 2002, is licensed for 40, including a crew of 11. The doctor examined everyone before boarding, and anyone sick was refused passage and their money refunded.

Some basic food staples were provided, like flour, molasses, tea and porridge. Passengers were told to share ingredients to make bread to last a week at a time. If the weather allowed, deck hatches were open for ventilation and light. And passengers had to come on deck for ½ hour each evening, to empty slop buckets and shake out their bedding. This also let the doctor screen for illnesses. Anyone sick was quarantined in a small compartment called “the box” to prevent contagion and get treatment.

The Captain ordered everyone to be present and as clean as possible for weekly church services on deck. They were given water for washing. This set a routine that marked the days, and gave encouragement, fresh air and a sense of community. Even the nonreligious could take pride in the ship’s figurehead, the ancient regal goddess Eriu, the goddess of abundance for which Ireland is named.

A baby boy was born on her maiden voyage in 1848. The plan was to not take pregnant women, but the doctor and captain relented, believing mother and child would die waiting for another passage. The crew gave part of their rations for the mother's recovery and ability to feed her baby. His grateful parents named him after the ship and each member of the crew. [Nicholas, Richard, James, Thomas, William, John, Gabriel, Carls, Michael, John, Alexander, Trabaret, Archibald, Cornelius, Hugh, Arthur, Edward, Johnston Reilly]. His farming parents eventually settled in the midwest, and grateful descendants have visited the Jeanie Johnston Museum.

Dr. Biennerhassett retired after 8 years at sea. In 1855, the ship was sold, and continued to haul cargo. In 1858, setting out for Quebec with a new captain and crew, a storm struck and the ship became waterlogged. The crew had to tie themselves into the rigging, and were rescued after 9 days. The ship quickly sank. And thus, no lives were ever lost on the Jeanie Johnston.

If this story gave you goosebumps, you should hear Claire tell it. She is a commanding storyteller. In her unofficial opinion, the partnership of the owner, captain and doctor represented a sort of “Holy Trinity.” Each was essential to the mission, key being the doctor.

We live in a turbulent world today where people are homeless, or seeking a safe place to start over, or struggling to save what they have. This happens on a personal level as well. Like Naomi, we may grieve what we have lost. We encounter hardship and rely on others in our journey back to wellness and wholeness.

May God, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, help us discern how we can help others restore wholeness, community, harmony and abundance in this world.

Amen.