Martin Oliver was

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

of the

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...

, ''St. John'', . Oliver was a member of a

maritime Maritime may refer to: Geography * Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps * Maritime Region, a region in Togo * Maritime Southeast Asia * The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Princ ...

family from The Claddagh,

Galway Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...

. He was the captain of the brig, ''St. John'', when it was wrecked on Grampus Ledge, on the coast of

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

in October 1849 with the loss of over one hundred lives. The passengers were mainly refugees from the west coast of Ireland, fleeing the Great Famine. The ''Boston Daily Bee'' of 9 October 1849, stated:

''Capt. Oliver and his surviving mate reached this city at 12 o'clock. He states that he made Cape Cod Light about 5 o'clock Saturday evening, Scituate Light near 1 o'clock Sunday morning, then stood away to the northward, to clear the land, for about three hours. Then, it being about daylight, he tacked the ship and stood S.S.W. Weather very thick, he came inside of Minot's Light House, and there saw a brig lying at anchor, just inside of breakers, at a place called Hooksett Rock, tried to wear up to the brig, but found he could not fetch up, and threw over both anchors, which dragged. He then cut away her masts, and she drifted on to Grampus Ledge, where she went to pieces.''

''Previous to breaking up, the jolly boat was hanging by the tackle, alongside, when the stern ringbolt broke and the boat fell into the water. The Captain, second mate and two boys jumped in to get her clear, when about 25 passengers jumped in and swamped her. The twenty-five, together with the second mate and two boys, perished. The captain caught a rope hanging over the quarter, and was drawn on board by the first mate. When the long boat was got clear, a number of passengers jumped over to swim to her, but all perished. The captain, first mate (Mr. Crawford), and seven of the crew swam to and reached the boat.''

Oliver's subsequent life is uncertain, and it is unknown if he ever again commanded a ship. The Martin family are still residents of The Claddagh. A later member of his family, also named Martin Oliver (d.1972), was named ceremonial

King of the Claddagh The King of the Claddagh was the leader of the Claddagh community in Galway city as well as at sea who was charged with being the arbiter in any disputes. A new king was chosen on St. John's Day, 23 June. It is now an honorary role. Mayors and ...

in the 1960s.

References

* ''Coffin Ship:The Wreck of the Brig St. John'', William Henry,

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

, 2009. .
Clare County Library - The Shipwreck of the St. John - Passenger List

(archived 2013) * ttp://www.galwayindependent.com/local-news/local-news/the-last-voyage-of-the-brig-st-john/ The Last Voyage of the Brig St. John
Wreckhunter.net - The Saint John Tragedy

Cousinconnect.com - Forum queries - THE BRIG ST JOHN 1849 Genealogy Queries
(archived 2011) {{DEFAULTSORT:Oliver (Captain), Martin People from County Galway