The Blind History Lady Presents; The Blind Boat Builder and His Blind Siblings

By Peggy Chong

John Brown Herreshoff built all kinds of boats for recreation as well as for the military. But he is most remembered for the many yachts that he built that won the America's Cup. Blinded as a teen, he used his love for boats to work through and overcome his blindness. What he loved the most, boats, brought him through his depression and into the light of success. His life reflects his adventurous spirit. But did you know that he also had several blind brothers and sisters?

The Herreshoff siblings were all very different from each other, taking many varied paths. Yet, each of them proved to be successful in all they did.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peggy Chong
• Release date: Mar 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310966521

Peggy Chong

Peggy Chong is a long-time researcher and Historical author of many articles on the blind in the United States. She has written for publications that include The Braille Monitor, Dialogue Magazine, Future Reflections, The Minnesota Bulletin and the Iowa History Journal. In her growing series, The Blind Lady Presents, she introduces to sighted and blind alike, the many average blind persons in the United States who had to overcome not-so-average barriers to lead a normal life, support their families and succeed. She recounts all they had to do to become chemists, newspaper editors, plumbers, barbers, piano tuners, boat builders, teachers, lawyers, politicians and so much more.

Book preview

The Blind History Lady Presents

The Blind Boat Builder and His Blind Siblings

By Peggy Chong

Distributed by Smashwords

Copyright 2016

Look for other articles by the Blind History Lady through your local ebook retailer.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1John Brown Herreshoff

Chapter 2Other Blind Herreshoff Siblings Did Just as Well

End Notes

The Herreshoff Siblings

John Brown Herreshoff

Almost anyone who is interested in Yachts or sailing throughout the United States as well as across the world, have heard of the Herreshoff name. Many are familiar with Captain Nathanael Herreshoff, and the World's Cup, but without Nat's brother John, Captain Nathanael Herreshoff would not be famous for building Yachts or racing .

John Brown Herreshoff was born on April 24, 1841 to Charles Frederick Herreshoff III and Julia Ann Lewis on the Point Pleasant Farm, Poppasquash, near Bristol, Rhode Island, the fourth of nine children. He was of the third generation of Herreshoff's, born at the family farm. All generations of the Herreshoff family born in the United States before its founding and since, had strong ties to the sea and sailing, as Bristol was and is, a sea port community.

When the Herreshoff family moved from Poppasquash, into Bristol, Maine in 1856, they rented a house at 142 Hope Street. The house was later purchased by Julia Herreshoff, later was inherited by Lewis and Sally Herreshoff. Then, upon their death, it was inherited by a nephew, Norman F. Herreshoff. Today, it is a private museum with Herreshoff family memorabilia, open to the public.

From a very young age, little John Brown was given a knife and began carving little boats from wood. Their father, also a skilled whittler, showed his boys how to carve model boats with accuracy. John, his father and his brothers would sail their small carved vessels at the seaside together, racing them against each other, all in fun.

At the age of 14, John became